Education Ministry

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns amid nationwide protests

The minister's resignation comes weeks after protests over the leaking of the question paper for the highly-competitive National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Neet-UG) for admissions to medical colle

Education Minister Pradhan resigns; CJP calls it a 'win for democracy'

Citing 'deep anguish' over the ongoing protests, Dharmendra Pradhan said he has submitted his resignation to PM Modi amid sustained student agitations and mounting political pressure

Delhi Police tighten security with extra barricades for weekend protests

Security arrangements have been intensified further across the national capital ahead of the weekend, with Delhi Police installing additional layers of barricades at key locations and reinforcing them with heavy-duty chains to prevent attempts to breach security cordons, officials said on Saturday. The move follows the raging protest in Delhi by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), demanding reforms in the examination system and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak, with police expecting a larger turnout of protesters through the weekend. According to police sources, multiple rows of iron barricades have been placed on the sensitive stretches in the New Delhi district, particularly in and around the Jantar Mantar protest site and other strategic locations. "Extra layers of barricading have been put in place at the vulnerable points, which have been chained together and welded so that they cannot be dismantled or shifted easily. Additional for

Datanomics: Tuition fees witness a higher increase at school level

While overall education services saw retail price inflation below 4% in the first half of the current calendar year, tuition fees at higher education levels remained in the range of 3.5% to around 4%

List of govt assurances that led Sonam Wangchuk to end his hunger strike

Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike after the Centre assured action on key demands, including a parliamentary discussion on paper leaks and no cases against peaceful protesters

CJP set to hold talks with govt after Wangchuk ends hunger strike

The government and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) are set to hold talks on Friday at the Constitution Club of India here after the Centre "agreed" to the outfit's request that the meeting be held at a neutral venue. There was no official confirmation from the government on it so far. The development comes hours after activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike late on Thursday night following government assurances on his key demands. The meeting is likely to be held around 12.30 pm. CJP national spokesperson Saurav Das said the outfit welcomed the government's decision to "accept its request for a neutral venue". "A discussion has been called. We are very happy that the government has agreed to our request that the meeting should be held at a neutral venue, and the Constitution Club of India has been chosen," Das told reporters. "I hope the government comes with an open mind and listens to the people," he said. The CJP had earlier declined the government's invitation

NEET paper-leak row: Gangwar replaces Joshi as new Higher Education Secy

Naresh Pal Gangwar was appointed Higher Education Secretary, while T K Anil Kumar was named School Education Secretary

Abhijit Dipke ends hunger strike; CJP members head to meet JP Nadda

CJP founder Abhijit Dipke broke his fast with a glass of juice before joining the protest march to Parliament

CJP's 'Chalo Sansad' March in Delhi today: Here's all you need to know

Around 20,000 people had gathered at and around Jantar Mantar on Sunday night, even before the scheduled mobilisation for the protest.

Nepal tops foreign student inflows to India, Karnataka leads in enrolments

Nepal continues to send the largest number of students to India while Karnataka is the top destination receiving maximum foreign students, according to a Ministry of Education survey. The All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) for 2023-24 noted that India's higher education institutions attracted students from 173 countries in the 2023-24 academic year, with 58,134 foreign students enrolled across universities and colleges in the country. The AISHE collects detailed information from higher education institutions (HEIs) across the country through a web-based data capture format (DCF). Institutions upload data on student enrolment, faculty and staff, infrastructure, examination results, etc., on the AISHE portal. The survey serves as the primary source of official statistics on higher education in India, providing critical insights for policy formulation, planning and monitoring of the sector. In 2023-24, the highest share of foreign students came from Nepal (24.1 per cent), ..

Govt orders action against NCERT officials in paper procurement case

The education ministry has ordered a probe into NCERT's decision to blacklist a firm which was tasked with paper supply for textbooks and failed to meet the timeline, sources said. Bafna Global Venture Private Limited moved the Delhi High Court on June 24 citing a blacklisting order by NCERT issued on June 22 barring it for two years from participating in the procurement process of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). While nobody from the NCERT appeared for the high court hearing, the court granted impunity to the firm from coercive action till further orders. The court also restrained the NCERT from invoking over Rs 6 crore bank guarantee furnished by the paper supplier. "Taking serious note of reports that NCERT failed to effectively defend its decision to blacklist a paper supplier before the Delhi High Court, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has directed strict action against the officers responsible for the lapse," a source said. "The minister h

Higher education enrolment reaches record 45 mn, but growth slows: AISHE

India's higher education enrolment touched a record 45 million in 2023-24, but annual growth slowed sharply even as the Gross Enrolment Ratio and female participation continued to improve

Dropout rate dips, but just half of Class I kids make it to XII

The figure marked an improvement from 47.2 per cent a year earlier but showed that nearly one in two children still leave the school system before completing higher secondary education

Yogesh Singh re-appointed as DU vice chancellor, first to get two terms

Delhi University Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh has been appointed to the top varsity post for a second term, becoming the first to achieve the feat. "President of India re-appoints Professor Yogesh Singh as the Vice Chancellor of University of Delhi," an Education Ministry official said. In 2023, the central government resurrected a nearly decade-old proposal and approved an amendment to the statutes of Delhi University (DU), enabling the re-appointment of the vice chancellor. Earlier, the Delhi University Act prohibited a second term for the vice chancellor via re-appointment. Singh was appointed the DU vice chancellor in 2021.

CBSE relaxes three-language policy, exempts current Class 10 students

The CBSE on Monday issued fresh guidelines for the implementation of its three-language policy, granting exemption to the current batch of Class 10 students from studying three languages. As a one-time relaxation to Class 9 students, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) clarified that the current batch will have to study three languages, but they can study two foreign languages and one Indian language. The developments come more than a month after the CBSE announced that studying three languages, including at least two native Indian languages, has been made compulsory for Class 9 students beginning July 1. Several students and parents had approached the court against the CBSE order. "The current batch of Class 10 will not have to follow the three language policy. The current batches of Classes 7-9 will not be required to give board exams in third language when they progress to Class 10," CBSE Academics Director Praggya M Singh said. "As a one-time relaxation, students w

Did the NEET paper crisis really warrant calling in the Air Force?

The use of military aircraft to transport examination papers has renewed debate over when civilian alternatives must first be exhausted before deploying armed forces resources

CBSE uses same OSM tool for Class 12 rechecks; results expected by end-June

The board is continuing to use Coempt's on-screen marking platform for re-evaluation while keeping examination data and records under its own control

Our agitation will continue until education minister resigns: CJP founder

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke said on Sunday his agitation over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment tests will not stop until Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns. Dipke also said their protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Saturday was largely successful, with around 7,000 people participating in it, and added that the movement would now expand nationwide. The CJP founder reached his residence in the MIDC Waluj area in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district on Sunday morning and was welcomed by his family members. Later, speaking to reporters, Dipke said the agitation undertaken by the Cockroach Janata Party will not stop until Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns. ''The protest we staged (at Jantar Mantar) was successful, as 6,000 to 7,000 people attended it. This agitation will go nationwide. We won't step back till Dharmendra Pradhan resigns,'' he asserted. "We will roll out a further action pla

Dharmendra Pradhan's political skills outshine his ministerial record

Mr Pradhan is not an especially charismatic leader or a brilliant orator. But his understanding of realpolitik and organisational dynamics makes him the ultimate party man

Centre transfers CBSE chief, secretary; orders probe into OSM procurement

The Cabinet Secretariat has formed a one-member committee to examine procurement of CBSE's On-Screen Marking system amid growing scrutiny over evaluation-related complaints