Page 412 - Education
Aliah University gets new VC
Eminent academician Mohammed Ali was appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of Aliah University today. Ali was a professor of Chemistry in Jadavpur University for a long time. The state higher education department today declared him as the next VC of Aliah University, the premier state-aided minority autonomous institution, in a notification. The notification was issued after the office of the governor, who is the Chancellor of the university, gave its consent. Ali's name had been recommended by the search committee constituted by the state higher education department last September after the tenure of the university's VC, Prof Abu T Khan, was over, officials said. Ali graduated in mechanical engineering and completed his masters in industrial engineering from Aligarh Muslim University, they added.
Delhi launches 'Mission Buniyaad' to improve students' learning skills
The Delhi government on Wednesday launched the "Mission Buniyaad" scheme to improve learning levels of children from classes 3 to 9.
Embarrassed Haryana defends form for school students
On the backfoot after a controversial form was circulated among school students seeking their personal details, the Haryana government on Wednesday defended its decision, saying it was done for the benefit of the students.
Cultural heritage to be part of school syllabus in Punjab
The Punjab government said today hat cultural heritage would be made a part of primary and high school education to connect the youth with the state's culture. A subject on Punjab, history and culture would be taught to students and marks would be allotted for this, officials said. Cultural Affairs and Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and Higher Education, School Education and Languages Minister Aruna Chaudhary took the decisions during a meeting here which was attended by officers of the three departments. During the meeting, it was decided that a circuit would be formed to conduct historical, heritage and cultural tours for school students. Other suggestions discussed during the meeting included encouraging Punjabi in schools and restructuring of the languages department to give a fillip to cultural activities. A five-member committee was formed to prepare a draft report based on the suggestions received during the meeting. The committee would give its report within three weeks .
Pakistan students pray for victims of airstrike in Kunduz
Students from Pakistan's religious seminaries have held a commemoration rally to pray for victims of an airstrike earlier this month in neighboring Afghanistan. About 400 students gathered for the demonstration in Islamabad today. They said they decided to hold the prayer service after seeing reports that madrassa students were among those killed in the April 2 strike. Afghan officials say they targeted a Taliban training camp in the Dashti Archi district in northern Kunduz province. At least five civilians and 30 insurgents were reported killed. The Taliban claimed the strike hit a madrassa, or a religious school, during a graduation ceremony, killing dozens of civilians. The students at the Islamabad gathering said they had no direct knowledge of the Kunduz strike and only learned about it from media reports.
India must harness its demographic profile: Vice President
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said the country must effectively harness its demographic profile through real education.
ABVP demands suspension of DU's Chemistry dept HOD
ABVP today staged a protest at Delhi University's North Campus demanding suspension of Chemistry department head who was allegedly involved in sexual harassment of a teacher and a student. The students' body submitted a memorandum to the Vice Chancellor Yogesh K Tyagi and also demanded the immediate suspension of other professors who were involved in similar cases. "An issue has been circulated in the varsity about Chemistry department HOD and his involvement in sexual harassment of a student and a teacher. There have been several such incidents but so far no speedy inquiry or action has been taken," said Mahamedhaa Nagar, an ABVP member and Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) Secretary in the memorandum. DUSU demands immediate suspension of the Chemistry HOD (Head Of Department) and other professors involved in such acts, Nagar said. However, the HOD had denied the allegations as "baseless" and told PTI that it was part of the efforts to ruin his professional life. "I had ...
Govt forms committee to tackle maths phobia among students
A committee has been formed to suggest measures to combat mathematics phobia among students after a national survey of state-run schools revealed "fear complex" about the subject, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said today. He said the committee, with educationists and officers as its members, will submit its report within three months. The minister said another panel under Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari has been formed to make in-service teacher training more efficient. "One thing has come up in the National Assessment Survey 2017 that students have fear complex about maths. We have formed a committee under Gujarat Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama to see how to remove that fear complex so that the students see it as a friendly subject, Javadekar told reporters here. He was apprising the media about the outcome of the annual meeting of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). The National Achievement Survey (NAS) was conducted
Hry's school admission form creates flutters
Amid controversy over school students in Haryana being asked to fill a lengthy admission form giving details like if their parents are engaged in any "unclean occupation", Department of School Education today clarified that no new term has been introduced in the form by the present state government. The state government's reaction came after the opposition hit out at the Khattar dispensation. "No new term has been coined much less introduced in the form by the present Government of Haryana," an official spokesman of Department of School Education said here in a release. On the use of a particular adjective, "unclean occupation", with the vocation of parents, he said, "the said adjective is and has ever since been a part of a scheme of Pre-Matric Scholarship of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, first revised on January 21, 2009 and last on July 1, 2011." In the admission form, students above primary classes have also been asked to mention their and their .
SIT formed to look into sexual harassment charges against GNDU VC
The Punjab Police has formed a three-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe allegations of "sexual harassment" against the Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) vice-chancellor, police said today. Though the V-C could not be contacted for his comments despite several attempts, university officials said the allegations levelled by a woman professor were false and were made after she was removed from her post following complaints from students. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Jagmohan Singh said the Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, has constituted the SIT to probe the complaint filed by the female professor. The SIT will be led by DCP Jagmohan. The SIT was formed recently after the complainant wrote to chief minister Amarinder Singh and Punjab governor VP Singh Badnore with her allegations about two-weeks ago, he said. In her complaint, the professor has alleged that she was being harassed by the V-C ever since he joined the office in August last year. "The reason behind this
Will attach Delhi govt bank a/cs if MCD teachers not paid: HC
The Delhi High Court today warned the Delhi government of attaching its bank accounts if it did not release funds for payment of salaries of MCD school teachers in east and north Delhi, observing it was "intolerable" not to pay the teachers who served selflessly. The court asked the Delhi Government to show some bona fide by paying salaries of teachers in municipal schools and said the state should treat all teachers -- of MCD schools and Delhi government -- at par. Anguished over non-payment of salaries of municipal school teachers, a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said this was "intolerable", "completely improper" and an "inefficient system". "We will attach your (Delhi government) bank accounts. We will stop you from paying salaries to your teachers. Let all the teachers be treated at par. How can you even claim you are interested in education," the bench said. It also observed that the "teachers are the only persons in this world who give ...
Tripura to introduce NCERT syllabus without 'modifications'
The BJP government in Tripura would soon consult educationists to explore the possibility of introducing the NCERT syllabus at school level in the state without the "modifications made during the previous Left rule", a minister said today. State Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath said, "The NCERT, course with a lot of modifications, was introduced during the Left rule, as a result of which students from Tripura were facing tough situation in country's competitive examinations. Despite good results they were not getting government jobs as expected." "So, we have decided to consult acclaimed educationists to introduce the syllabus at school level without change," he told PTI. The minister alleged that due to modifications in the syllabi, names of many great Indians were deleted and the names of many others were included, which were not desirable. "I do not want controversy, so I would not mention whose names were deleted and whose names were included. I think if the syllabi is introduced
Political parties using education as tool to legitimise their ideology: Kanhaiya
Former JNU Students Union President Kanhaiya Kumar today accused political parties of using the education sector as a tool to legitimise their ideology and demanded that they declare their education policy during elections. Kumar said even though education is part of politics, politicians have stopped including it in their election programmes. This, he said, has resulted in the sector "being dumped as a waste of taxpayers' money". "Education is a political question and political parties are using it as a tool for their ideological legitimacy," he said at an event titled 'People's Tribunal on Attack on Educational Institutions in India' in New Delhi. The 31-year-old demanded that political parties, following any ideology, should declare their education policy during elections "to save public institutions from getting destroyed". He also held the "elite class" responsible for the poor state of public educational institutions. "The elite class sends their children to best institutions ...
HC to aid of open school students wanting to pursue MBBS course
The Delhi High Court has asked CBSE not to reject the applications of open school candidates for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-UG, a pre-qualification for pursuing MBBS course, till the challenge to the exam's eligibilty criteria is decided. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar told the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), which conducts the test, not to reject the applications of the 13 MBBS aspirants who have moved the court fearing they would be barred as they did their schooling from open schools. It listed the matter before another bench which is hearing a batch of pleas against the Board's notification laying down the eligibilty criteria, including the upper age limit of 25 and 30 years for general and reserved categories respectively, to apply for the test. The court also issued notice to the Centre, CBSE and the Medical Council of India (MCI) and sought their replies on the plea, filed through advocate Jose Abraham,
Harvard's admission secrets same as 'Coke recipe' safekeeping
The secrets of the admission procedure of the Harvard University for freshmen have been compared to the safekeeping of soft drink secrets.In a lawsuit against the university's use of race while choosing a freshman class, a judge laid out the process for protecting the information about the inner workings of its admissions.U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs told lawyers, "You don't need to put the recipe for Coke into the motion. But you can allude to the fact that there is a recipe for Coke," reported The Washington Post.The main arguments in the court session were whether Harvard's admissions practices discriminate against high-achieving Asian Americans who seek to attend the prestigious university.A group called 'Students for Fair Admissions' argued that students were unjustly turned away because of their race.The group had many documents and other internal information through pre-trial discovery to show that the university's policies violate the civil rights of Asian ...
DU student beaten up, targeted for being 'UP-Bihar wala'
A student was caught on camera being thrashed by a group of students in Delhi University's Kirori Mal College. The incident occurred on March 15, this year.Claiming that he was targeted for money, the victim student alleged that he was referred to as 'UP-Bihar wala'."They used to ask me for money and target me saying--Tum UP-Bihar ke ho yahan tumhari nahi chalti (You are from UP-Bihar, no one will listen to you here)," the student said.He alleged that he approached the police but they did not take him seriously.The entire footage of a group of students assaulting the victim got captured on a CCTV camera. The clip shows how the lot went berserk and cornered the victim in the college premises.
'Parents in unclean occupation?' Haryana asks students, Cong slams the move
The Congress on Wednesday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Haryana after admission forms released by schools in the state include unrelated personal questions.One question that particularly raised eyebrows was that whether the applicant's parents were engaged in "unclean occupation."Speaking to ANI, Congress Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Why do they want to know the bank account number and income tax number of the children's parents? Why do they want to know the Aadhaar number of the children and their parents? Why are they doing racial and religious profiling? And one question even asks if the parents are involved in an 'unclean vocation/profession'."Surjewala called on Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar to clarify the meaning of unclean profession.The 100-question form, mandated by the Haryana's education department, was termed as another attempt of the BJP government at privacy breach, by the Congress leader."To collect information of the ordinary ...
Oxford Univ crash course for 2 Indian teaching Olympiad winners
Two teachers from India have won themselves a two-week classroom course at the University of Oxford by topping a teaching professionals' Olympiad. Nandini Shah, a teacher at the Oberoi International School in Mumbai and Manoj Pillai, who teaches in Kochi, have been named winners of the CENTA Teaching Professionals' Olympiad (TPO). They will now undergo the 'Oxford English Language Teachers' Academy Masterclass' at one of the university's oldest colleges Worcester. "The programme provides a professional development experience and aims at helping the participants refresh and revitalise their teaching strategies and techniques, as also learn the integration of technology in teaching methodology and enhance language skills," an Oxford University Press (OUP) India statement said. The 3rd to 6th rank holders in the English challenger track will undergo the Oxford Teachers' Academy online training program delivered in partnership with the University of Oxford in India; and rank holders 7th ..
A decade and a half of selfless service by IFRF, Haryana
Formed and registered under the Bombay Public Trusts Act 1950, ISKCON Food Relief Foundation (IFRF) is a not-for-profit, non-sectarian charitable Public Trust. IFRF under the brand name "Annamrita" has been successfully doing selfless service of providing nutritious cooked meals to the Municipal and Government aided schools, free of charge.The word "Annamrita" means 'food as pure as nectar' and IFRF, Haryana justifies the same through its virtuous work of providing nutritious food full of mother's warmth to the underprivileged children. With the aim of providing Satvik Aahar to the children, IFRF ensures healthy food with right nutrition to the children that help them in their formative years.Over the course of time, many notable figures have been a part of IFRF's noble cause. On the occasion of her 44th birthday, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan sponsored meals for 1,000 students for a year under the Mid-Day Meal Programme run by "Annamrita". Other notable figures like Hema Malini and Sheila ..
Quota protest: Students block Dhaka-Rajshahi highway
The Dhaka-Rajshahi Highway in front of the Rajshahi University was blocked on Tuesday by about 700 students over a demand for reforming the existing quota system for recruitment in government services.According to the Daily Star, the students took out a procession from the university's central library premises, boycotting classes and other academic activities.The daily also reported that students of Varendra University, RUET and North Bengal International University joined the protest on the highway on the same issue.Placards were also shown shunning Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury for comparing the agitating quota reformists to Razakars.Security was deployed to prevent any untoward situation in the campus and adjoining surroundings."We want a specific declaration by Prime Minister Sheikh Haisna," Nurul Haque, joint convener of the leading platform Bangladesh General Students' Rights Protection Forum, said in a press conference this morning.
