B Ed 'shops' told to give affidavits: Javadekar

The Centre has begun clamping down on "shops" being run in the name of B Ed colleges by asking them for affidavits listing information on course structure and the like, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said here today.
About 7,000 colleges across the country have sent the affidavits and many more are in the pipeline, the human resource development (HRD) minister said.
"The Centre has sought affidavits from B Ed colleges with complete information about their courses, structures and criteria for admissions," Javadekar said while noting that many colleges were being run as "shops" in the name of providing B Ed course to students.

Javadekar, who was addressing the concluding day of a workshop on 'Innovative and Best Practices in School Education', organized by the HRD ministry and Punjab's Department of School Education, said states had been given the authority to decide whether or not to detain students failing in 5th and 8th standard exams.
He highlighted the need to impart education in native languages besides English, accountability of teachers, students as well as parents in shaping the future of the students.
"The inculcation of the humanitarian values, gender sensitivity and dignity of labour is also a significant aim of the education besides subject knowledge and skill development," he said.

Herculean efforts were needed, he said, to carry out a revamp of the education system and ensure that every child is imparted quality education.
The minister also batted for improvement in the infrastructure of the government schools.
He cited Navodaya Vidyalayas and Kendriya Vidyalayas as good examples of quality education "which are worth emulating".