Page 267 - Education
JNU defends change to online entrance exam
Facing backlash from its students' union, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Monday came in defence of its decision to conduct entrance exams online, calling it "most efficient" and rubbishing students' resentment as "unsubstantiated".
CM appeals for solution to Manipur University impasse
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh Monday appealed to students, teachers and employees of Manipur University to work together to bring a solution rather than prolonging the impasse in the Central university. The chief minister told reporters here that the state government cannot tolerate any breach of law and order and appealed to all to bring a solution to the impasse in Manipur University. Singh said since the university falls under the jurisdiction of Union HRD Ministry, the state authorities cannot directly intervene but is committed to restore normalcy and peaceful academic atmosphere. Meanwhile, a student leader told reporters Monday that students of at least 10 departments of Manipur University will not appear for the ongoing second and fourth semester examination till all the teachers and students arrested by police are released "unconditionally". With large deployment of security forces in the campus, the student leader who contacted the media from an ...
Harvard prof asks MCI to replace classroom use of animals with simulation technology
A Harvard professor has written to the Medical Council of India (MCI), urging it to replace the "cruel classroom use of animals" with cutting-edge simulation technology, animal rights body PETA said Monday. According to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Professor John Pawlowski, who has been on the faculty of the Harvard Medical School since 1987, wrote to MCI president Jayshree Mehta stating that postgraduate medical students should receive training with the help of "academically superior, widely available and cost-effective" simulation technology. Pawlowski is co-director of the school's pharmacology course and has designed hundreds of simulation scenarios, a statement by the animal rights body said. "After hearing from PETA India, Pawlowski wrote to MCI President Jayshree Mehta asking her to ensure that postgraduate medical students receive the best training possible by fully replacing cruel and deadly classroom use of animals with cutting-edge simulation ...
Budgetary allocation for interest-free edu loans to be hiked: Javdekar
The Union government will increase its annual allocation for interest-free loans to students and digitalise over 15 lakh classrooms as part of its resolve to ensure quality education in the country, said Union Minister Prakash Javdekar Monday. The annual budget to provide interest-free loans to 10 lakh students would be increased to Rs 2,200 crore in next three years, said Union Minister for Human Resource Development Javdekar, addressing the 2nd Higher Education Human Resource Conclave here. Over 15 lakh classrooms from standard 9 to post-graduate levels would be digitalised under 'Operation Digital Board', he told the conclave, organised with an aim "to promote an environment of innovations, employability and entrepreneurship across the country". Talking of the government's plan to further hike the budgetary allocation for the interest-free loans to students, he said over four to five lakh youths used to get interest-free loans amounting to Rs 800 crore in 2014. Under the present ...
Class IX student sodomised by a classmate and his accomplice: Police
A Class IX student of a Delhi government schooL has alleged that he was sodomised by two boys, including a classmate, inside a school, police said Monday. Based on a complaint filed by the victim on September 20, a case was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, police said. "We have received a complaint and a case has been registered. We are probing the matter," Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Pankaj Singh said. In his complaint, the student alleged he was sodomised by his classmate and another student of a different section during a summer camp that was held in school during May-June this year. The victim alleged that the two boys took him to an empty room opposite the computer lab, situated on the third floor of the school building. Subsequently, he was allegedly sodomised by them. The victim alleged he was sodomised by them on multiple occasions, and they threatened him with dire consequences if he reported the matter to anyone. On ...
Violence at Darivit High School handiwork of outsiders: Partha
West Bengal Education minister Partha Chatterjee Monday said the violence in North Dinajpur district in which two students were killed was not the handiwork of school children but "done by outsiders in an organised manner." Chatterjee talking to reporters here after a meeting with District Inspector(DI) of schools said the government will get everything related to Thursday's violence at the Darivit High School at Islampur probed. "We want normalcy to be restored. But the way the furniture and equipment inside the Darivisit High school building got smashed on that day, this can't be the handiwork of school children," he said in reply to a question. "This must have been done by outsiders in an organised manner," Chatterjee said. Reiterating the death of two students was tragic, the minister said, "We will get everything related to the incident probed and take strict action accordingly. None will be spared." About the meeting with DIs, Chatterjee said, every District ...
TMC MP files PIL against BJP's bandh call
Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament (MP) Idris Ali has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Calcutta High Court against a bandh call given by the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) in West Bengal on September 26. He filed the plea on behalf of All India Minority Forum.The BJP has called the 12-hour bandh to protest against the death of a student who allegedly died following a clash with police in North Dinajpur's Islampur.Tapas Barman, the student of Daribhit High School, was severely injured during the clash last week. He later succumbed to his injuries in the North Bengal Medical College.The students were protesting against the recruitment of Urdu teachers in Daribhit High School, Islampur.
Leh school to raze 3 Idiots-inspired 'Rancho Wall', bans entry of tourists
The Druk Padma Karpo School here, which shot to fame after it featured in the Aamir Khan-starrer '3 Idiots', has decided to raze the 'Rancho Wall' and ban entry of tourists as the authorities felt it was becoming a distraction for students. The wall was shot in a scene when one of the characters, Chatur, tries to urinate on it and gets electrocuted by an ingenious invention of school children. The school later painted it as the 'Rancho Wall' which became a picture spot for tourists. "The movie gave a lot of publicity to the school and it became a must visit for the tourists visiting Ladakh. However, we realised that the purpose of having a school in the area was getting defeated. Not only students were getting distracted by the tourists flocking the school but also every day the campus was being reduced to a litter ground," school principal Stanzin Kunzang told PTI. "Inspired by the vision of His Holiness the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa, spiritual leader of Ladakh, the school aims to ...
J-K govt forms panels for implementation of POSHAN Abhiyaan
The Jammu and Kashmir government Monday set up panels at state, district and block levels for the implementation of national nutrition mission 'POSHAN Abhiyaan' in the state. The General Administrative Department (GAD) has ordered constitution of state convergence plan committee, district convergence plan committee and block convergence plan committee for implementation of the PM's Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment (POSHAN) Abhiyaan. The state-level panel will have 12 members and will be headed by the commissioner-secretary, Health and Medical Education. The district-level committee will be headed by the district development commissioner and will have 12 members. The block-level committee will have three members and will be headed by the sub-divisional magistrate.
PIL moved in HC seeking withdrawal of Wednesday's BJP bandh
The All India Minority Forum moved Monday a PIL before the Calcutta High Court seeking direction to the BJP to withdraw its West Bengal bandh call on Wednesday to protest the killing of two students in North Dinajpur district. Trinamool Congress MP Idris Ali, a practising lawyer, prayed before a division bench presided by Chief Justice J Bhattacharya for an injunction restraining the BJP from giving effect to the bandh call. The saffron party has called a 12-hour Bengal bandh to protest the death of two students at a high school in North Dinajpur district's Islampur area in a clash with police during a demonstration for appointment of teachers. Moving the PIL, Ali urged for an urgent hearing of the matter since the bandh is to be held on Wednesday and submitted that citizens cannot be prevented from attending to their vocation forcibly. The division bench, also comprising Justice Arijit Banerjee, said that the matter would be listed for hearing on Tuesday. Submitting for petitioner ...
Educational institutions in 9 HP districts to remain closed on Monday
Schools in at least nine of 12 districts of Himachal Pradesh will remain closed on Monday after rains and snowfall lashed many parts of the state, officials said Sunday. All government and private schools in Shimla, Sirmaur, Kangra, Kullu, Chamba, Mandi, Kinnaur, Solan and Hamirpur districts have been directed to remain closed as a precautionary measure, they said. While only government and private schools will remain closed in Shimla and Sirmaur districts, the deputy commissioners of the seven districts of Kangra, Kullu, Chamba, Mandi, Kinnaur, Solan and Hamirpur have ordered closure of all government and private educational institutions, including schools, colleges, ITIs and anganwari kendras on Monday. Issuing orders of closure of all educational institutions in Himachal's largest district Kangra, DC Sandeep Kumar warned the general public and tourists to stay away from rivers and nullahs to avoid any untoward incident. In case of any emergency, administration may be contacted at ..
UNESCO chief says schools must fight extremism
The head of the UN education agency says schools are ground zero in the fight against anti-Semitism and extremist violence and she will push world leaders meeting in New York this week to invest more in teaching tolerance. "No one is born a violent extremist," Azoulay said in an interview with The Associated Press ahead of the U.N. General Assembly, which opens Monday. "Education is the best rampart against discrimination and racism." Azoulay's own organisation the first U.N. body to admit Palestine as a member has long been riven by sectarian anger, divisions she has worked to mend since taking the helm last year of the Paris-based United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. At the UN, she will co-host a meeting on fighting anti-Semitism and other discrimination through teaching about different religions and cultures. "It will exhort the member states to mobilise to promote education as a lever of prevention of racism and discrimination, and by extension, ...
BJP team visits West Bengal town after killing of two youths
Situation remained tense at Islampur in Bengal's North Dinajpur district even on Sunday, three days after the alleged killing of two youths during a clash between agitating students and the police over the recruitment of new teachers at a local school.
7 IAS officers shifted in Haryana
Seven IAS officers have been transferred in Haryana on Sunday with immediate effect. Navraj Sandhu, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Cooperation and Vigilance departments has been posted ACS, Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare department, said an official spokesperson. Jyoti Arora, ACS, Higher Education and Technical Education departments has been posted as ACS, Cooperation. Anurag Agarwal, Director General and Secretary, Higher Education department has been posted as Principal Secretary (PS), Higher Education and he will also look after the charge of PS, Technical Education department, spokesman said. IAS officer Pankaj Agarwal has been posted as Director General, Supplies and Disposals and has also been given additional charge of Transport Commissioner and Secretary, Transport department. A Sreenivas has been posted as Director and Special Secretary, Higher Education and he will also look after the charge of Director and Special Secretary, Technical Education. Rippudaman Singh ...
Delhi government schools to have alumni meetings
The Delhi government will organise alumni meetings in all its schools to reconnect and collaborate with its former students, Education Minister Manish Sisodia said on Sunday.
BJP's WB bandh call on Sep 26 over Islampur clash will be thwarted: TMC
The Trinamool Congress on Sunday said the bandh called by the BJP in West Bengal on September 26 will be thwarted and accused the saffron party of trying to create political unrest in the state over the death of two students during a clash in North Dinajpur district. Residents of Daribhit village in Islampur held a protest before local MLA Kanhaiyalal Agarwal and Goalpokhar legislator Gulam Rabbani, demanding a CBI probe into the firing that claimed the lives of the two students, when they visited the victims' homes on Sunday. BJP leaders Mukul Roy, Locket Chhatterjee and Pratap Banerjee also met the victims' family. Furious villagers did not allow the police to enter the village on Sunday. The BJP and locals have alleged that the two, who were former students of Daribhit High School, were killed in police firing, but the superintendent of police of North Dinajpur, Sumit Kumar, had said the police did not open fire. The SP had, however, admitted that the students had received bullet ..
Students shifting from private to government schools: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said students are shifting from private to government schools for the first time in history after his party came to power and transformed the system.
Islampur clash: Local BJP leader threatens action against cops
A district BJP leader on Sunday courted controversy after he asked people to take action against security forces in North Dinajpur, where two students died in a clash with police over teachers' recruitment in a high school. Addressing villagers, North Dinajpur BJP president Shankar Chakraborty suggested putting up barricades to prevent entry of police personnel in the area. "If there is any police action, retaliate. No compromise with them. Do not cooperate with them," he said at a public rally here. Chakraborty also threatened to pitch for the transfer of Superintendent of Police Sumit Kumar from the district, if he "remained inactive" and failed to take action against the culprits of the incident, which took place on Thursday. Locals have alleged that the two, who were former students of the school, were killed in police firing but Kumar had said the police did not open fire. The SP had, however, admitted that the students had received bullet injuries and said the ...
Schools to remain closed in HP districts on Monday due to heavy rains
Heavy rains have driven the Himachal Pradesh government to order closure of all schools in Kullu and Kinnaur districts on Monday, officials said. All government and private schools will remain closed in tribal district of Kinnaur on Monday as per the directions issued by Deputy Commissioner Gopal Chand, an official said Sunday. Similarly, all private and government schools as well colleges and ITIs will remain closed Monday in Kullu district, Deputy Commissioner Yunus said. Yunus said students would not be required to come to their education institutions but teaching and non-teaching staff would remain present in their respective institutions.
UP BJP MLA misbehaves with education officer, video goes viral
BJP MLA Surendra Singh and some of his party's leaders allegedly tried to misbehave with a district inspector of school (DIOS) at an official meeting here. The incident, a video of which has gone viral, took place Saturday in presence of the district magistrate. In the video, the MLA is purportedly seen getting agitated with DIOS Narendra Dev Pandey and moving towards him, and the education officer being allegedly pushed by a BJP leader. The district magistrate, however, managed to control the situation. District Magistrate Bhawar Singh Khargaut said the DIOS during the meeting said that he was not afraid of anyone due to which the MLA and others got agitated. The MLA however, later, regretted for the incident.
