BRAINBUXA: November 2019

Saturday, November 30, 2019

CAT answer key released by IIM Kozhikode

The answer key for the CAT 2019 exam has been released by the IIM Kozhikode. Candidates who had appeared for the exam can visit the official website -- iimcat.ac.in and check the answer key and raise the objections. The exam was held on November 24.More than 2 lakh candidates appeared for the CAT exam last week."Individual Responses to Questions with Answer Key tab is now active post Candidate Login," says a notification released on the official website of the CAT 2019 examination.According to the official data, 209,926 candidates appeared for the exam. The exam was conducted at 376 centers across the nation.The results of the CAT will be announced during the second week of January 2020. Once released, candidates will be able to download their scorecard from the official website, which is mentioned above.Steps to check CAT 2019 answer key Visit the official website of CAT, iimcat.ac.inOn the homepage, click on the link ‘Login’ linkEnter your ID and password in space providedClick on loginCheck CAT 2019 answer key

Center to add 10,000 more medical seats

During the last six years, the intake capacity in the undergraduate medical courses has been increased by 29,185 MBBS seats. Also, according to the Health Ministry, under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) the government will further add 10,000 seats in the 539 government colleges in the country. Under the same scheme, the government also plans to set up 26 new medical colleges in the country. The information was shared by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ashwini Kumar Choubey. He was replying to the questions on medical education asked by GS Basavaraj.To the question on candidates qualifying the Foreign Medical Graduate Exam (FMGE) he replied “In the last four years National Board of Examination has conducted the FMGE for 61,708 candidates out of which 8,764 have qualified the exam.”When asked on this abysmal performance of students in FMGE, the Minister said "the medical institutions / Universities of foreign countries admit Indian students without proper assessment or screening of the students' academic ability to cope up with medical education with the result that many students fail to qualify the FMGE."Most of the Indian students go to China followed by Russia Federation and Ukraine to study medical courses, however less than 15 percent of the students are able to clear the FMGE exam which is an eligibility test to be a medical practitioner in the country.

Telangana released IPE 1st, 2nd-year exam timetable

Tentative timetable for the 1st and 2nd year intermediate students has been released by the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE). According to the timetable, exams will commence from March 2020.On January 28, ethics and human values exam will be conducted and the environmental exam is scheduled for January 30. Practical exams will be conducted from February 1 to February 20 for general and vocational courses. The exams of both first and second-year students will be held from March 4 to March 21, 2020. The exams will be held in one shift from 9:00 am to noon. In 2019, more than 9 lakh students appeared for the exam and the same number is expected this year as well. In the previous academic year, parents and political parties hit the streets protesting alleged bungling in the publication of TSBIE intermediate exam results.

UG and PG students to have a mandatory course on ‘social responsibility and community engagement'

The Higher Education Institutes (HEI) in India will soon have a mandatory course on ‘social responsibility and community engagement’ for the UG as well as PG students. The UGC has recommended all the HEIs to either update the existing curriculum or introduce one for the students to impart values to the students.The UGC has approved the guidelines and asked the institutes to nominate two faculties which will take part in the workshop to understand the implementation of the subject. For the implementation to be unified, the UGC is holding workshops for the faculties across the country. The workshops will be organized from mid-December to January 31, 2020.Under the new curriculum, students will be awarded credits for participating in activities ranging from research projects to teaching. Students will interact with the community, understand their problems and will devise a solution for the problem.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Kapurthala to get new Government Medical College

The center has approved the request of the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and will establish Government Medical College (GMC) at Kapurthala. The center has also agreed to upgrade the existing civil hospital in the area, said Punjab Government is an official press release. "The new GMC would be set up at a cost of Rs 325 crore, of which Rs 195 crore, i.e. 60 percent share, would be incurred by the Centre. The remaining 40 percent to the tune of Rs. 130 crore would be contributed by the Punjab Government as the state's share for the college being set up under a centrally sponsored scheme for the establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district or referral hospitals," it said. According to the release, the Government of Punjab has already identified 11 acres of land for the construction. Once established and functional, the GMC will be one of its kind hospital in the Doaba region. The new GMC will be the fifth in the state with three functioning at Amritsar, Faridkot and Patiala and the fourth is being set up at SAS Nagar Mohali.

Cost Accounting Exam in Jharkhand postponed

Due to upcoming assembly elections in the state of Jharkhand, the Institute of Cost Accountant of India (ICMAI) has changed the exam schedule of the Foundation, Intermediate, and Final exams. The exams have been postponed only for the students in Jharkhand state.The exam dates have been changed for the centers in Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Bokaro, and Dhanbad.For centers in Ranchi and Hazaribagh, the exam has been rescheduled to January 7, 2020, from December 12, 2019. Fundamentals of Laws and Ethics exam for the foundation students, the Laws and Ethics paper exam for the intermediate students and Strategic Financial Management paper exam for Final students have been postponed by the ICMAI. For centers in Bokaro and Dhanbad, the exam has been rescheduled to January 7, 2020 from December 16, 2019.Cost Accounting paper for the Intermediate students and Direct Tax Laws and International Taxation paper for the Final students has been postponed by the ICMAI.The exam schedule for the rest of the papers at the above-mentioned centers remains unchanged. ICMAI has released the admit cards for the December exam and candidates can visit the official website and download the admit cards for the exam.

IIT Researchers with NCSM to create 'Gandhipedia'

Two IITs in collaboration with the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) are working to develop ‘Gandhipedia’. ‘Gandhipedia’ will be an online repository of books, letters and speeches written by Mahatma Gandhi. It is being done to commemorate his 150th birth anniversary. In a statement, IIT-KGP said that the entire project will be done with the help of Artificial Intelligence. In the first phase of the project, over 40 books written by Mahatma Gandhi will be digitized and indexed. "The books will be used to reconstruct the social network of the Mahatma, including those who had influenced him and people whom he had inspired," the statement said. He further said that the first phase will be completed by March next year and will be followed by four more phases and the entire project is expected to be completed by March 2024.IIT Gandhinagar is also a part of the project along with IIT-KGP and NCSM. Professor Animesh Mukherjee of IIT Kharagpur's Department of Computer Science and Engineering said Mahatma Gandhi's book 'My Experiments with Truth' will be first used for reconstructing his social network. Professor Animesh Mukherjee is also the head of the project.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Education in Liberal Arts is as important as Science and Technology: President

On Wednesday, President Ram Nath Kovind said that Liberal Arts education is as important as science and technology. He further said that India needs to recast the courses in Liberal education to meet future needs while addressing the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)."Liberal arts education should get equal importance as science and technology. Our universities have made progress in the interdisciplinary approach," he said."I am happy our universities have combined courses in mathematics with music and Artificial Intelligence (AI) with animal husbandry but much more work is required on this account," Mr. Kovind added.The President also suggested to make pedagogical changes in the curriculum. "The world of tomorrow will be driven by knowledge, machine intelligence and digital pathways. To prepare ourselves for this transformation and to leverage its limitless opportunities, we have to recast our higher education with new courses and deeper research orientation. Ideation, innovation and incubation should be given primacy in our curriculum," he said.The 15th FICCI Higher Education Summit and Exhibition 2019 was also attended by the Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokrhriyal 'Nishank.

XAT aptitude test to be held in January

The XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test) for admissions to management programs offered by XLRI and XAT associated institutes is scheduled to be held on January 5. Candidates who are interested in appearing for the exam can visit the official website for registrations. The registration window for the exam will close on November 30.For the XAT 2020, the number of exam centers around the country has been increased to 72. Candidates who have completed their graduation (any stream) or will complete by June 10 are eligible to apply for the exam.Foreign candidates and NRI students can apply via the GMAT exam.With XAT 2020, XLRI will start accepting the applications for the new campus in the Delhi-NCR region. "XAT 2020 is extremely significant for XLRI as from this year we would start accepting applications for the first batch for our new XLRI Delhi-NCR Campus with two sections of PGDBM Program, which is subject to the formal approval from AICTE," said Fr. P. Christie S.J., Director, XLRI.

Compulsory retirement for the MP Teachers who failed the qualification exam

On Wednesday, School Education Minister Prabhuram Chaudhary announced that teachers who have recorded the worst performance in three consecutive years and flunked two qualification exams will be given compulsory retirement. He also said that the state government will introduce the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) books from next year."Teachers of those schools that recorded poor results for three consecutive years were given a training recently, after which they appeared in the qualification exam but several of them failed," Mr. Chaudhary told reporters at a media workshop here."After failing to crack the first test, these teachers again underwent training and allowed to appear in the exam. Those who have failed in both the tests will be given the compulsory retirement," the minister said.He said that teachers who have completed 50 years of age or are in service for more than 20 years will be retired."Notices would be served to others (who didn't fall in the above category). Departmental action will be also initiated against them," he said and added that these measures are necessary to improve the quality of the education system.Mr. Chaudhary further said that NCERT books will be introduced as students from the state are facing difficulties in cracking the competitive exams due to the difference in syllabi between the state board and the CBSE.He said that state government has resumed board exams for class 5 and class 8 from this year. All such schools are accredited to the state board. "Out of the total 1,57,813 schools in Madhya Pradesh 1,20,249 schools are run by the government while 37564 are private schools," as per data.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Nursery admissions in the capital to commence from November 29

The admission process for the pre-school, pre-primary and class 1 in the private unaided schools of Delhi will commence from November 29. The application process for the same will conclude on December 27.If the number of children applying exceeds the number of seats available then the selection will be done on the basis of computerized draw of lots. The information regarding the computerized draw of lots will be given in advance to the applicants. The first list of the shortlisted candidates will be released on January 24, 2020.Tentative dates for the Nursery admissions: The application process starts and availability of forms: November 29, 2019Last date to submit the application form in schools: December 27, 2019Uploading of details of children who applied to the school for admission: January 10, 2020Uploading of marks given to each child: January 17, 2020Display of first merit list: January 24, 2020Resolution of parents’ queries: January 27, 2020 to February 3, 2020Display of second merit list: February 12, 2020Resolution of parents’ queries: February 13 to 20, 2020Any other list of admission: March 6, 2020Admission process closes: March 16, 2020 Application fee for the Nursery admissionsThe application fee for the nursery admissions in INR 25 and it is not compulsory for the parents to buy the prospectus of the school along with application form.Age limitStudents enrolling for the pre-school (Nursery) should be at least four years old. Students enrolling for the classes pre-primary (KG) and class first should be at least five and six years old respectively.Last year, a new upper age was introduced of three, four and five years and this will be applicable.List of documents needed Application form print out along with two photographs of the childResidential proofSelf-attested copies of date of birthDocument proof of the EWS category, if applicableFor the kids belonging to the DG category, parents will be required to bring along SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer) certificateA certificate from the authorized hospital in case the child is differently-abled or has special needs ReservationOf the total seats available, 25% of the seats are reserved for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and disadvantaged group (DG) category students and Child with Disability (CwD).

Sainik School: Registration process reopens for the female candidates

The registration process for the All India Sainik School Entrance Examination (AISSEE 2019) for girls has been reopened by the Sainik Schools Society. Earlier, the registration process was closed on September 23, 2019 and now has been reopened.According to an update on the official website, only female candidates can apply for the admission from November 26 to December 6, 2019. The official website is -- sainikschooladmission.in. The entrance exam is scheduled on January 5, 2020 and the final merit list will be released on March 20, 2020. Through the entrance exam, students for admission to classes 6-9 will be shortlisted.Steps to apply for the AISSEE 2019 Visit the official website as mentioned aboveOn the homepage, click on the link which says ‘Application form’You will be redirected to a new pageFill the form and pay the application feeDownload the application form and take the print out of the same Registration fee for the AISSEE 2019 General category and defence category candidates: INR 400SC/ ST candidates: INR 250 AISSEE 2019 exam pattern Class 6 exam: 125 questions will be asked for a total of 300 marksClass 9 exam: 150 questions will be asked for a total of 400 marks

IIT Kanpur to launch a program in cybersecurity for Executives

IIT Kanpur has joined hands with the TalentSprint to launch a new program in cybersecurity and cyber defence. The new program is for working professionals who want to learn more about the field and explore new trends in the field.The first unit will be functional early next year. The institute has already taken the lead in the field of cybersecurity by setting up the Interdisciplinary Centre for Cyber Security and Cyber Defence of Critical Infrastructures (C3i).Professor Sandeep Shukla, Programme Director and Professor of Computer Science said: "One of the mandates of the C3i Centre is 'outreach'-- to train many more cyber security professionals -- who are not necessarily students at the institute. Professional engineers who are working as cybersecurity professionals or in utilities, finances, banks or IT in general, can be trained at a larger scale than is possible within the scopes of our degree programs."He said that the aim of the C3i is to do research, educate and train which will enable companies to create technological safeguards and protect critical infrastructure.The center is headed by Prof Sandeep Shukla and Professor Manindra Agarwal. The center will engage with international partners from Israel and the USA for research and technology exchange, student training and hosting conferences.Santanu Paul, co-founder and CEO of TalentSprint, said, "The demand for such professionals is outstripping supply because more and more people are adopting technology and the threat is also growing in the cyberspace."6-month Advanced Certification Program in cybersecurity and cyber defence will be delivered in an executive friendly format.

To create awareness on Food Safety Schools in Agra collaborated with FSDA

2600 schools in the Agra district have collaborated with the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department of Agra (FSDA) to create awareness among the community about food and safety measures.Speaking to PTI on Tuesday, District Designated Officer, FSDA Department, Agra, Manoj Verma, said, "The FSDA has planned to spread awareness about how health gets affected if bad or adulterated food is consumed." "School children have been involved because it is seen that children have the willingness to learn and absorb. Whatever message is given to children, it will have manifold multiple effects on the community," he said. Mr. Verma added that the main aim was to make people/consumers aware of the adulteration problem that exists in all kinds of food. The department has launched the ‘Eat Right’ program in 113 schools in Agra.Around 64,540 children participated in the program and the department aims to organize more such programs in collaboration with other schools from December first week.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

NEET 2020 notification to be released next week

The official notification for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for the undergraduate exam will be released next week. National Testing Agency is in charge of conducting the NEET UG exam. The exam is scheduled to be held in May 2020.According to the exam calendar, the application process for the NEET UG 2020 exam will commence on December 2 and the registration window will close on December 31. The official website to register for the exam is 'ntaneet.nic.in'.The admit card for the exam will be released on March 27 and the exam is scheduled for May 3, 2020.NEET UG 2019 notification says, "In order to be eligible for admission to MBBS/BDS Courses for a particular academic year, it shall be necessary for a candidate to obtain a minimum of marks at 50th percentile in National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test to MBBS/BDS Courses held for the said academic year."The NEET exam and counseling is held under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 and is a common entrance test to shortlist candidates for admissions into all medical colleges of the nation. The new and final addition to the list is AIIMS and JIPMER colleges.

Fee Waiver introduced to promote CS Education

To make professional education accessible and affordable to all, The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) has waived the fee for the students of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and North Eastern region for the CS Foundation and Executive programs.The scheme is effective from September 1, 2019, said ICSI.Students can join the ICAI professional courses either after the 10+2 exam or after graduation. Students who join the course after 10+2 have to undergo three stages of learning: Foundation, Executive and Professional and students who join the course after completing graduation can directly join from the Executive level.ICAI functions under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. The members of the organization serve trade and industry and play an important role in the areas of Corporate Laws, Securities Laws, Corporate Governance, advocacy and appearances before the Tribunals and other authorities.

Calicut University soon to released result for the 4th semester exams

The result of the 4th semester exam will soon be released by the Calicut University. An official from the university confirmed the same to the NDTV. The result will be released for the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science degree exams in the next two-three days. The result of the fourth semester for the BCom students has already been released by the university last week and is available on the official portal of the university -- uoc.ac.in.The University has also released the hall tickets for the third-semester exams for both regular and distance students. Admit cards for the exam are available on the official portal of the university."The candidates who are awaiting their BA and BSc fourth-semester results may expect the same in this week or in next two-three days," an official from the examination section of Calicut University said."The varsity has already uploaded the fourth semester results of BCom students," he added.Steps to check the Calicut University result 2019 Visit the official website of the university as mentioned aboveOn the homepage, click on the results tabEnter the result pageClick on the results linkEnter your registration numberClick on the submit buttonYour result will be displayed on the screenDownload the result and take the print out of the same Direct link for the Calicut University hall ticket: http://www.cupbonline.uoc.ac.in/CuPbOnline/online_portal/halltickets.php

Tamil Nadu Teachers Recruitment Board released the result of Computer Instructor Exam

The result of Computer Instructors Grade I (PG Cadre) - 2018-19 exam has been released by the Tamil Nadu Teachers Recruitment Board or TN TRB. The exam was held in computer-based mode. Candidates who had appeared in the exam, can visit the official portal of the board -- trb.tn.nic.in and check their marks. Last month, marks of the candidates who had appeared for the posts of Post Graduate Assistant, and Physical Education Director were released by the TN TRB.The exam for the recruitment of Computer Instructors Grade - I (Post Graduate cadre) was held on June 23 and 27 and more than 26 thousand candidates had appeared for the exam. The tentative answer key for the exam was released on July 29, 2019 and objections were invited until August 3, 2019. "All the representations received within the stipulated time have been thoroughly examined by Subject Experts. After thorough scrutiny, a revised and Final Answer Key has been arrived," the TN TRB said in a statement. "Based on the revised key, candidate's Computer Based Exam answer data has been valued and the normalized marks are published herewith based on the Interim Orders passed in W.A. No. 3758 of 2019, filed against the Interim Injunction passed in W.M.P. No. 24643 of 2019, dated 09.09.2019 in W.P.No. 25064 of 2019," the statement added.Normalized marks were calculated for the exam as the exam was conducted in multiple sessions for the same recruitment.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Schools in Odisha’s Ganjam district to introduce ‘water bells’

Following the footsteps of the southern states, Odisha is all set to introduce ‘water bells’ in schools to ensure that children drink water in an adequate amount, a senior official said on Sunday. All the schools in the Ganjam district have been instructed to introduce three 'water bells' from Monday which will remind children to drink water."We have decided to introduce water bells in all the schools in the district, including government, private and Anganwadi ones, from November 25. Necessary instruction has been issued to school authorities," said District Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange.He further said that the the initiative aims to inculcate a habit of drinking water among children so that they can remain hydrated. The initiative was first started in Kerala and was replicated in Karnataka and Telangana. As of now, Andhra Pradesh is mulling over the idea to introduce the same.Sanatan Panda, Ganjam District Education Officer (DEO) said that the water bells will be rung at 11.40 am, 1.30 pm and 3.15 pm from Mondays to Fridays."On Saturdays, the bells would be rung at 8 am, 9.30 am and 10.50 am. Each break will last for five minutes and it will be compulsory for every student to drink water during that period," he said.The DEO also said that the collector is mooting to provide children with water-bottles that are not made of single-use plastic, under the 'Mo School' (My school) initiative.

Review of students Tuition Fee and Patients’ User Charges opposed by AIIMS RDA

Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of the AIIMS has strongly opposed the Center’s proposal to review the tuition fees for the students and the user charges for various diagnostic procedures like blood tests, X-rays including OPD charges for its patients.RDA rejected the proposal saying that it strongly supports the quality-education for all sections of the society."Quality education and healthcare are the building blocks of our nation and we will not allow any person, organization or the government to compromise on them in any aspect," said AIIMS RDA in a statement. "We need educated and skilled citizens to fulfill our long-cherished dream of becoming a developed nation. This dream can be fulfilled only if both the central and state governments make quality education affordable and healthcare accessible to all citizens," it added. AIIMS RDA president, Dr. Amarinder Malhi, said, "We, the resident doctors, are against the memorandum issued by the administration. We are against any kind of increase in the tuition fees of students and user charges for patients in all medical institutes.""We request all policy makers to think logically and take concrete steps in this direction so that our nation can fare far better than where it stands at present in the global healthcare access and quality (HAQ) index as well as the global quality Education Index (EI)," Dr. Malhi added.On Friday, the Union Health Ministry had asked AIIMS, New Delhi, to revise the user fee for its patients and prepare a model rate chart which can be implemented in all the six such premier institutes across the country.

Students of Himachal Pradesh University to wear Khadi clothes during the convocation

On the occasion of the 25th convocation of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) students of the university will wear Khadi clothes instead of black gowns as told by a senior official of the university.HPU public relations officer Professor Ranvir Verma said “HPU along with other universities got such direction through University Grants Commission (UGC) a few months ago”.He further said that the university decided to use Khadi clothes for the 25th convocation of the University after receiving directions from the UGC. “A khadi vasket with multi-coloured Himachal cap of Kullu design and khadi muffler with the university logo on its both ends will be used in the coming convocation,” he told.He also told that this was suggested by the high-powered expert committee and the same was approved by the HPU’s executive council in its meeting. Professor Verma, a member of the high-powered committee said that these clothes will be used temporarily for the 25th convocation. After this the dress will be reviewed and efforts will be made to make loyia (Hand woven traditional gown in vogue in Sirmour, Solan and Shimla) and HP cap as final clothing for convocation in HPU.The ordinance, to make loyia and HP cap as convocation dress was passed by the HPU VC after the establishment of the university on July 22, 1970, but this was changed by his successor.

Fit India Grading system for schools launched by PM Modi

On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Fit India School grading system for schools across the country.Based on the grading system, the rankings for the schools have been divided into three categories -- The Fit India Schools, which is the first level of ranking, Fit India School (3 star) and Fit India School (5 star). The ranking of a school will be based on the importance given to the fitness among students and teachers.In his popular radio program, Mann Ki Baat on Sunday, PM Modi said, "In the Fit India Movement, schedules have been drawn for ranking schools per under the fitness. The schools that achieve this ranking will also be able to use the Fit India logo and flag."Explaining the ranking system, the Prime Minister said, "Schools can declare themselves as fit by visiting the Fit India portal. Fit India three star and Fit India five star ratings will also be given.""I appeal that all schools should enroll in the Fit India ranking system and Fit India should become innate to our temperament. That it becomes a mass movement and bring awareness is what we must strive for," he added.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Australia exploring to set up offshore university campuses in India

Australia is exploring the opportunities to set up offshore campuses of its universities in India and considering mutual recognition of degrees by the two countries. The main aim of the move is to further the expansion of already close educational ties between the two countries.In an interview, Australian Education Minister Dan Tehan said that the two issues were discussed in his meeting with the Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ''Nishank''.The move is being considered as a significant one as the Indian government is mulling to give green light to the foreign universities for setting their campuses in India. "We discussed whether we can promote offshore campuses of Australian universities and set up their campuses in India," said Mr. Tehan, who is in India on a three-day visit that ends on Friday. "We also discussed whether we can look at the establishment of Indian universities'' offshore campuses in Australia so that it is a mutually-beneficial approach," the minister said.The idea has been proposed in the Higher Education Commission of India Bill (HECI) and will be placed before the cabinet soon."We have begun the conversation on setting up offshore campuses in India and this is something both sides want to explore because Australia, through its offshore campuses, educates nearly a quarter of our international students," Mr. Tehan said."We are interested in making a progress on this, but there has to be reciprocity," he said. "We have also said this to the Indian side that if they want to explore an offshore campus in Australia, we will be prepared to look into that."As per the official statistics, there are 1.09 lakh Indian students in Australia at present.

Fee hike in CBSE class 10th and 12th exam is on no-profit no-loss basis

On Thursday, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ said that the hike in examination fee by the CBSE was done on no profit/no loss basis.“The Board has increased the examination fees of class X and XII examination 2020 for all students on ‘no profit no loss’ principle,” he told Rajya Sabha in response to a written question. The fee hike was announced by the CBSE in August. The CBSE had notified an increase in the examination fees for Classes 10 and 12 and the registration and migration fee for classes 9th and 11th. The examination fee for the students from the General category was doubled from INR 750 to Rs 1,500. Students from SC and ST category were paying INR 375 earlier and now their fee has been increased to INR 1200. Under a special arrangement in the capital these will only have to pay INR 50 and the rest of the amount will be paid by the central government as subsidy.Delhi government has also announced that the students in the state-run and aided schools will not have to pay any examination fee for class 10th and 12th exams and the cost will be borne by the central government.

Center approved setting up of 26 medical colleges

Replying to the questions asked by S Gnanathiraviam, Basanta Kumar Panda and Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey shared an information saying that center has approved setting up of 26 new medical colleges under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS)-- 'Establishment of new Medical Colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals'.Under the third phase of the CSS, the government has given nod for establishing medical colleges in six states and union territories namely Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.The minister further said that Tamil Nadu was not covered in the first and second phase but in the third phase six medical colleges have been approved for Tamil Nadu.Another question asked by Tokheo Yepthomi was on the status of Nagaland Medical College to which Ashwini Kumar Choubey replied that the college was approved in the first phase of the CSS at the cost of 189 crores. The funds will be shared by the center and the state government in the ration 90:10."Complete amount of Central share amounting to Rs.171.10 crore has been released to the State Government of Nagaland for the establishment of this medical college. The State has reported the progress of 16.50% on the Ministry's dashboard. The State Government has been requested to expedite the completion of this medical college," he replied.

AIIA and Australian University signed MoU for the integration of Ayurveda and Modern Medicine

All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) has collaborated with Western Sydney University, Australia to set up research and develop guidelines for integrating Ayurveda principles with modern medicine. A Memorandum of Understanding between AIIA and the university was signed on November 22 in New Delhi.A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Professor Barney Glover, Vice-Chancellor, Western Sydney University, Australia and Prof. Tanuja Nesari, Director, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) during the visit of an Australian delegation led by Dan Tehan, Education Minister for Australian Government.The Memorandum was agreed and exchanged on the occasion of the event "India Australia International Education and Research Workshop" at Ambedkar International Center, New Delhi."Both Institutions are committed to take the collaboration to the next Higher Level by identifying specific areas for collaboration in education, research and practices of Traditional medicine while ensuring the quality standards and also by encouraging investment in traditional medicine related infrastructure. Complementing the Traditional Ayurveda Medicine with conventional concepts of Modern Medicine is expected to generate scientific evidences that further helps in contributing to global healthcare," said Professor Barney Glover, Vice-Chancellor WSU.He also said that India is a priority country among Australia’s international relationship partners.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Calcutta university declared BA, B.Sc part II results

The results of Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) part II exams have been declared by the University of Calcutta. Candidates who have appeared for the exam can visit the official website -- wbresults.nic.in and check the results. The result is also available on caluniv.ac.in.Steps to check the Calcutta University results 2019 Visit the official website as mentioned aboveClick on the link ‘B.Com 2nd semester result link’A new page will open. Enter your roll numberClick on the submit button and your result will appear on the screenDownload the result and take the print out of the same for future reference The results of B.Com second semester examination was declared on August 14, 2019. Earlier, the results of BA/ B.Sc/ B.Com Part III (Hons/ Major) examinations were announced on June 26, 2019.

Mobile unit in Noida to help street children in education

Under a new initiative, mobile education units in Noida and Greater Noida will provide special classes to the street children including English and skill development to keep them away from anti-social activities. The initiative ‘Nanhe Parinde’ is a joint effort of Noida Police and the HCL foundation.An official statement said ‘As part of the first of its kind initiative in Uttar Pradesh,the program will connect over 1,500 children living in difficult circumstances with education, digital literacy, spoken English and sports over three years in Gautam Buddh Nagar’.“Five mobile education units have been especially furbished and set up to ensure safe spaces for children to get academic support (Math and Science), art lessons, digital literacy, English language skills, coaching in sports, wherever possible, such as Football, Volleyball, Athletics, Boxing, Kabaddi and indoor games,” it said. “This initiative is also expected to reduce the rate of school dropout and juvenile crime rates in the community by conducting bridge education activities, coaching and after-school support classes under the supervision of local police officers and NGO staff regularly,” the statement added. Senior Superintendent of Police, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Vaibhav Krishna said the main aim is to provide nutrition and learning to the street children to keep them away from criminal and anti-social activities.

Telangana state to get new Indian Institute of Management (IIM)

The Union Government is all set to approve a new Indian Institute of Management for Telangana. Telangana state was carved out of Andhra Pradesh five years ago.The HRD Ministry has already prepared a proposal for the same and a Cabinet note will be prepared once the proposal gets the minister’s stamp of approval. It is expected that Hyderabad will be the home of the new institute.Last week, PMO wrote to the ministry to give a high-priority to the matter and also asked to take decisions on several other requests received from the state. The ministry was given one week to decide on the matter.The Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act promised an IIT, NIT, IIM, IISER, central university, petroleum university, agricultural university and IIIT for Andhra Pradesh, and a tribal university and horticulture university for Telangana. An IIM was not in the original proposal but this is all about to change.Since 2014, the NDA government has already established seven new IIMs in Maharashtra, Punjab, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and J&K.

Friday, November 22, 2019

UGC, AICTE merger is not finalized: HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal

On Thursday, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said that no final decision has been taken on merging the University Grants Commission and the All India Council of Technical Education.Last year, the Human Resource Development Ministry proposed to replace the UGC by repealing the UGC Act, 1951. A draft bill regarding the same was also put in the public domain and later it was decided that the Higher Education Commission of India will also take over AICTE.This year, in September, the minister said that the bill is in final stages and will be presented before the Union Cabinet in October."The Higher Education Commission of India will be a single regulator and replace UGC and AICTE. The bill has been prepared after elaborate consultation with states. It will be taken to the Cabinet in October," Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank tweeted.UGC is a regulatory body for universities and AICTE acts as a regulatory body for engineering, pharmacy, management and other technical education colleges.

Admit cards for IGNOU TEE December 2019 released

Admit cards for the December Term End Exams (TEE) have been released by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). Candidates who have applied for the exam can visit the official website and download the hall ticket for the exam.According to the schedule, December TEE will be held from December 2 to January 3, 2020 at various test centers across the nation.Steps to download the admit cards for IGNOU TEE December 2019 Visit the official website of IGNOU -- ignou.ac.inOn the homepage, click on the link which says ‘Hall Ticket for Dec 2019 Term End Examination’Enter your nine digit roll number and select programClick on the submit buttonYour admit card will be displayed on the screenDownload the admit card and take the print out of the same Permission to appear in the exam is subject to the following conditions: Candidate’s registration for the courses is valid and not time barredCandidate has submitted the required number of assignments in the course by the due dateCandidate has completed minimum time to pursue the coursesCandidate has paid the examination fee for all the courses he/she is appearing for. About IGNOU The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) was established by an Act of Parliament in 1985 which aims to build an inclusive knowledge society through inclusive education.

Registration window for IIT JAM reopens for J&K students

The registration window for IIT JAM 2020 for admission in various Master’s programs offered by IITs has been reopened for the students of J and K. An official notification regarding the same was published on the official website -- jam.iitk.ac.in according to which, students of J and K can apply for the exam from today. The registration window is opened from November 22, 2019, to November 28, 2019 and the exam is scheduled on February 9, 2020.Steps to apply for IIT Jam 2020 Visit the official website as mentioned aboveClick on the link ‘important notification for Jammu and Kashmir students’Click on the linkA new page will openClick on the link which says JOAPS PORTAL and you will be redirected to a new pageFill the formClick on the submit button to complete the registration process Important information for IIT JAM 2020 "Keeping this in view, JAM 2020 Committee has decided to open the application process from 22nd November to 28th November, 2019 for these left out JAM 2020 aspirants ONLY from J&K to facilitate them with another chance of registration," the IIT Kanpur statement said. Important dates for IIT JAM 2020 registration Admit card download: January 07, 2020Exam to be held on: February 9, 2020Result scheduled to be out on March 20, 2020

Thursday, November 21, 2019

CTET admit cards are available for download

Admit cards for the Central Teacher Eligibility Test 2019 have been released by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The exam is scheduled to be held on December 8, 2019and will be conducted in 110 cities all over the country.Candidates who have registered for the exam can visit the official website -- ctet.nic.in and download the admit card. To prevent the server from going down, the admit cards for the exam have been hosted on two servers.Link to download admit card from Server 1: https://ecounselling.nic.in/ctetapp/root/AuthForAdmitCardDwd.aspx?appFormId=CTETLink to download admit card from Server 2: https://ctet.nic.in/ctetapp/root/AuthForAdmitCardDwd.aspx?appFormId=CTETCandidates are advised to reach the examination center on the day of the exam as early as possible in order to complete the pre-exam formalities.CTET December 2019 exam schedule CTET December 2019 exam schedule (Timings)

IGNOU launched a new course: Post Graduate Diploma In Computer Applications (PGDCA)

Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications (PGDCA), a new course, has been launched by the IGNOU's School of Computer and Information Sciences (SOCIS). The seats for the admission will be available from January 2020 admission cycle. The main aim of the program to help graduates prepare for a productive career in the software industry. The university said that it aims to provide students with a sound background in practical applications of computer application development.In a statement, the university said: “the program emphasizes the application of software technology to solve mathematical, computing, communications or networking and commercial problems.”The program is stand-alone with 12 courses worth 36 credits and has been designed with a semester approach in mind. The medium of instruction of the course will be English and the duration will be a minimum of one year and maximum of 4 years.There will be two examinations every year. One will be in the month of June (January-June semester) and other will be in December (July-December semester).

Schools in AP to adopt English as a medium of instructions for classes 1 to 6

Beginning next academic year, all schools in Andhra Pradesh will adopt English as a medium of instruction for classes 1 to 6 replacing the native Telugu language. The order came from the government of AP and languages Telugu and Urdu will be made a compulsory subject.“For Classes 7 to 10, English medium will be introduced in the subsequent four years from 2021-22, an order issued by State Principal Secretary (School Education),” B Rajsekhar said.The order also directed all the schools to convert all classes from 1 to 6 in primary, upper primary and high schools into English medium from the upcoming academic year.As reported by the Press Trust of India, the government initially wanted to make English as a medium of instructions for classes 1 to 8 but due to the non-availability of qualified teachers and textbooks it issued the order for classes 1 to 6.Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy lashed out at the detractors seeking to oppose the government’s move.Addressing a gathering while launching the 'Nadu-Nedu' programme which aims at transforming government schools into vibrant and competitive institutions at a school in Ongole last week, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said, "Despite the criticism from detractors, we will go with English medium schools as we have to prepare the students to boldly face and meet up the requirements of the technology-driven world. We should not feel guilty. It will be done so that the future generation can be prepared to face the highly dynamic and technology-driven world.""With the introduction of English medium from Classes 1 to 6, there are many detractors and those in high positions have been criticizing it. They should realize that there is no place for hypocrisy in democracy. They have to introspect before sending their children and grandchildren to government schools or to English Medium schools," he added."The mission would be carried forward, with all government schools getting the required infrastructure and skill upgrade", he said, adding "English labs would be set up in all schools".

TN TRB selection result for PG Assistant, Physical Education Director released

The provisional selection list for the recruitment of Post Graduate Assistants and Physical Education Directors has been released by the TN TRB or Tamil Nadu Teachers Recruitment Board. Candidates who have appeared for the exam can visit the official portal -- trb.tn.nic.in to check the selection list of PG Assistant and Physical Education Directors recruitment.The written exam for the direct recruitment of 2144 Post Graduate Assistants and Physical Education Directors Grade-I was held on September 27, 28 and 29 and the results of the same were released on October 18 and 21.The certificate verification was conducted on November 8 and 9 and now the provisional selection list has been released by the board."This selection is purely provisional and is subject to the outcome of various writ petitions pending before the Hon'ble High Court of Madras and Madurai Bench of Madras High Court," said the TN TRB notification."The appointment orders for the eligible candidates, satisfying all conditions will be issued by the School Education Department separately after due process," it said."Utmost care has been taken in preparing the list and in publishing it. Teachers Recruitment Board reserves the right to correct any errors that may have crept in. Incorrect list would not confer any right of enforcement," the TN TRB result statement added.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Haryana board released answer keys for HTET 2019

The preliminary answer key for the Haryana Teacher Eligibility Test (HTET) 2019 has been released by the Board of School Education, Haryana (BSEH). Answer keys for all three levels - Level 1 (PRT), Level 2 (TGT), and Level 3 (PGT) have been released. Candidates who have appeared for the exam can visit the official website and download the answer key. Since these are the draft answer keys, candidates are also allowed to raise objections.The window to raise objection will open on November 21 and conclude on November 25, 2019.Level 1 answer key: http://bseh.org.in/pdf/Level1_Key.pdfLevel 2 answer key: http://www.bseh.org.in/htet-2019-level-2/Level 3 answer key: http://www.bseh.org.in/htet-2019-3/Along with the objections, candidates will be required to provide proof for the objection. For each objection, candidates will be required to pay a fee of INR 200. In case the objection raised is found to be true then the fee for the objection will be refunded to the candidate’s bank account.HTET 2019 exam was conducted on November 16 and November 17. The exam was OMR-based and was objective in nature.

Admit cards for the IIFT MBA exam released

Admit cards for the IIFT MBA exam have been released by the National Testing Agency. NTA has been entrusted by the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) to conduct an entrance exam for the institute from this year onward. The exam will be held on December 1, 2020. According to the data, a total of 39,572 candidates will appear for the "Computer Based Test (CBT)".Official link to download the admit cardshttps://testservices.nic.in/examsys/root/DownloadAdmitCard.aspx?enc=Ei4cajBkK1gZSfgr53ImFTbkLRz6TSkszT/RJCkN7FM="The candidates are advised to download their Admit Card of IIFT MBA (IB) 2020-22 using their Application Number and Password. In case, a candidate has misplaced or forgotten the Password, he/she may use the Date of Birth option given in the website," reads the notice released by the agency."In case any candidate faces difficulty in downloading the Admit Card, a query/grievance may be raised online through Query Redressal System (QRS) by selecting the appropriate query option, available in the Candidate's Login," the notice further reads.To make students comfortable with the online test procedure, NTA has established a network of Test Practice Centres across the nation. Here students can practice the mock tests and acquaint them with the online test interface.

UP Board released date-sheet for practical exams

The date-sheet for the annual practical exams of class 12th has been released by the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP). According to the schedule released practical exams of class 12th will be held in two phases. The first phase will be held from December 15 to 29 while the second phase will be from December 29 to January 13.In the first phase, the practical exams for the students from Agra, Saharanpur, Bareilly, Lucknow, Jhansi, Chitrakoot, Faizabad, Mirzapur, Devipatan and Basti zones will be held.In the second phase, practical exams for the students from Aligarh, Meerut, Muradabad, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Azamgarh and Gorakhpur zones.The marking scheme in the practical exams will be done on a 50-50 basis. 50% percent of the marks will be awarded by the internal invigilator and 50% will be awarded by the external invigilator.Recently, UPMSP has also debarred 433 schools from the board exam duty because of reports of cheating and malpractices. Some of the schools have only been debarred for 2020 and others have been debarred for a longer period of time.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

CTET admit cards to be released soon

An official from the Central Board of Secondary Education or CBSE has said that CTET admit cards will be released soon but not on November 20, as reported by a section of media. The admit cards for the exam are expected to be released in the third week of November based on the schedule of the exam. Once released, candidates can visit the official website ctet.nic.in and download the admit card. Steps to download the CTET admit card Visit the official website of CTET -- ctet.nic.inOn the homepage, click on the link for the CTET admit card downloadEnter the registration detailsClick on the submit buttonYour CTET admit card will be displayed on the screenDownload the admit card and take the print out of the same Once CBSE has released CTET admit cards, candidates can follow the above-written steps to download the admit card.Candidates who report at the exam after 9:30 am will not be allowed to sit in the paper-1 and candidates who will report after 2:00 PM will not be allowed to sit in the paper-2.On the day of the exam, candidates will be required to carry their admit card along with a valid photo ID proof issued by the government of India. Any candidate without a valid admit card or a photo ID proof will not be allowed to sit in the exam. The test will start exactly at the time mentioned in the CTET admit card and an announcement to this effect will be made by the invigilator.

JKBOSE declared class 11th results for private students in Jammu

The results of Class 11 bi-annual exam for Jammu Division private students have been declared by the Jammu and Kashmir State Board of School Education. Candidates who had appeared for the exam can check the result wither by visiting the official website or websites affiliated with the board. The official website is jkbose.ac.in.The results are also available on private portals such as indiaresults.com. Students would need their roll number and name to check the result from indiaresults website.In October, the board has released the result for Class 10 bi-annual exam 2019 for the Jammu division.Steps to check the JKBOSE class 11th result for the year 2019 Visit the official website -- jkbose.ac.inOn the homepage, click on the link for the resultOn the next page, enter your roll number and nameClick on the submit buttonYour result will be displayed on the screenDownload the result and take the print out of the same

CBSE to release date sheet in January

An official from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has confirmed that the board will release date-sheets for the annual board exams in January. The date-sheets for the class 10th and 12th will be released in January. As of now, the board has released the date-sheet for the practical exams for classes 10th and 12th. The date-sheet for the theory exams will be released on the official website of the board -- cbse.nic.in.CBSE class 10th and 12th annual board exams are expected to be held in March and April.In a circular addressed to the Principals and Head of schools affiliated to the board, the board has asked to conduct Practical examinations and Project or Internal Assessments before the theory exams and ensure that exams are conducted in letter and spirit."Schools will conduct Practical Examinations and Project assessments from 1st January 2020 to 7th February 2020," it said. Last year, date-sheets for both the classes were released in January.

Bihar board released date sheets for the Matric and Intermediate exams

Bihar board has released date sheets for the Matric and Intermediate exams. The exams for class 12th will commence from February 3 and conclude on February 13, 2020 and the exams for class 10th will commence on February 17 and will conclude on February 24, 2020. The practical exam for classes 10th and 12th will be held from January 10 to 21 and January 17 to 24 respectively.BSEB chairperson Anand Kishor said that the board has taken all the measures to make sure that exams will be conducted in a fair and cheating-free environment."It is also ensured that all necessary infrastructure, including boundary walls, gates, rooms and furniture are available in the school for ensuring smooth examinations," Mr. Kishor said.Matric Exam Date Sheet for Bihar board 2020 exams February 17: ScienceFebruary 18: MathematicsFebruary 19: Social SciencesFebruary 20: EnglishFebruary 21: Hindi/ Urdu/ Bengali/ MaithiliFebruary 22: Second Optional LanguageFebruary 24: Elective Subject Intermediate Exam Date Sheet for Bihar board 2020 examsFebruary 3: Physics, History, R.B. Hindi (Vocational Course)February 4: Chemistry, Political Science, EnglishFebruary 5: Biology, Economics, Foundation Course (Vocational Course)February 6: NRB, Computer Science, Multi Media and Web Tech, Yoga and Physical EducationFebruary 7: Mathematics, M.B, Vocational Trade-IFebruary 8: Agriculture, Music, Entrepreneurship, GeographyFebruary 10: Language subject (I.Sc, I.Com), Psychology, Vocational Trade-IIFebruary 11: Philosophy, Vocational Trade- IIIFebruary 12: Language Subject (IA), Sociology, Business Studies, Related SubjectsFebruary 13: Home Sciences, Economics, Accountancy The duration of exams will be 3 hours and students can download the dummy admit card from bsebinteredu.in. Students would need their roll code, registration number, and date of birth to download the dummy admit card.

Monday, November 18, 2019

NVS PGT result 2019 declared

The result of the PGT written exam has been declared by the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS). NVS has released the list of the candidates who have been shortlisted for the interview. Candidates can visit the official website of the NVS to check the list.In July 2019, NVS has invited applications from the eligible candidates for the post of Post Graduate Teachers (PGTs) and the online written exam was held on September 17-19, 2019.Online objections for the same were invited from September 24 to 28, 2019 for all subjects. For PGT Math, the online objections were invited from October 7-11. On the basis of the performance, candidates have been shortlisted in the ration of 1:3 of the vacancies.

IIM-A will help the government of Andhra Pradesh to curb corruption

An official from the Andhra Pradesh government said that the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has been roped in by the Government of Andhra Pradesh to curb corruption in the state administration.“The institute would study the structural issues in the government departments in relation to corruption and come out with measures to tackle them,” the official said.The focus will be mainly on the government departments which have earned high notoriety for corruption. Departments like revenue, police, municipal administration and registration are the new synonyms of corruption. "The IIM-A would help us identify the structural issues in mandal revenue offices, registration offices, town- planning wing in civic bodies and also the police that are leading to corruption. Based on the inputs, the government will initiate corrective action to eliminate corruption," the official said. Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the fight against corruption should be taken aggressively. He also said that the AP anti-corruption bureau will be deployed in full power to stem out corruption at all levels in the state.The officials further added that engaging a prestigious institution like IIM-A in the task only denotes the seriousness of the government in eliminating corruption."Sanction for prosecution (of a corrupt official) is a major concern. In many a case, action against corrupt officials is dropped due to lack of sanction for prosecution (by the higher authorities),” a high-ranking IPS officer, who worked in the ACB, said."In IPC cases like rape or murder, you don't require any special sanction for prosecution. This should apply to the Prevention of Corruption Act as well," he added.As the IIM-A team works on these aspects, the government will work on the other related issues such as reducing citizen-official interface in government offices, using information technology-based systems, curtailing discretionary power and arbitrariness of bureaucrats and publishing the names of the corrupt on public websites."Such measures will help curb graft but a drastic measure like making the risk of corruption much higher than instant gratification holds the key, the senior bureaucrat said.

JNU Exams to begin from December 12 as the university offers no concession

The monsoon end semester exams of JNU will be held from December 12 to December 20. The last date to submit the M.Phil. dissertation/ Ph.D. thesis for the monsoon semester is December 31, 2019.The University has released a notice in the view of the ongoing strike by the students. In the notice, the university said “due to the ongoing strike by a group of students, thousands of students who wish to participate in the JNU academic programs and plan to complete their academic requirements for continuance in the University, are adversely affected.”"Since the academic calendar has been approved by the Academic Council and the Executive Council, there is going to be no relaxation in the above deadlines," the notice released by the varsity also reads.According to the schedule, the end semester results will be released on December 30.Currently, JNU students and teachers are protesting against the university’s decision to hike the fee of the hostel. Seeing the protest, the university has rolled back the fee hike decision but the students are calling it an eyewash and the agitation and strike have not ended.

JNU Vice-Chancellor urged students to end strike

On Sunday, Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, Vice-chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) said that the academic activities have suffered greatly due to protests and urged the students of the JNU to end the strike."During the last two weeks, the academic activities in the university have suffered greatly because some students are on strike. I have been receiving several e-mails from students and their parents expressing their concern over the loss of academic activities," said Mr. Kumar.He appealed to the students to end the strike and come back and resume academic activities at the university."Inter Hostel Administration (IHA) committee, Dean of Students and senior wardens are in a process with hostel presidents to listen to their concerns about the hostels. Recently, in the Executive Council, the new hostel manual was also discussed and many of the students' concerns were taken into consideration," said Mr. Kumar."In fact, the charges students have to pay are only 50 percent for the below poverty line (BLP) category students. There are many other concessions given in the new hostel manual," he added.The University has also released a circular in which it urged them to join the academics.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Government schools in Uttarakhand to virtual classrooms

On Saturday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat launched a project to connect 500 secondary schools to virtual classrooms. He said that schools that face the shortage of teachers will benefit from technology.According to an official press release “an estimated 1.90 lakh students of 500 government-run secondary schools in the state will benefit from the project”.Using the platform to interact with students of the schools at the launch, Rawat said, “No technology can replace teachers in an education system but schools with a shortage of teachers will definitely benefit from the new technology.”Initially, 500 schools have been connected with the project. The remaining 350 schools will be connected in the next 15 days, said the press release.

Oxford Big Read Asia Contest: 5 Indian students qualify for the competition

Among the list of finalists for the Oxford Big Read Asia Challenge five students are from India. Oxford Big Read Asia Challenge is a reading and writing campaign for primary and secondary students.The winners from India are B R Nimeesha (from Madurai), Ananya Sheorey, Saara Sen, Neha Chhajed and Sama S Jahagirdar (all from Nagpur), a statement from Oxford University Press said.Among other winners, two students are from China and one from each Pakistan and Malaysia.The prizes in the competition include an iPad, an OUP books bundle, a cash award and a certificate. Winners were selected on the national level through the participating Oxford University Press branches, and then become semi-finalists in the regional competition across Asia.Speaking about the competition, Sivaramakrishnan Venkateswaran, Managing Director of OUP India, said, "We believe that early age interest in reading and writing is fundamental to ensuring better learning outcomes in young learners."Students who participate in the competition are required to read Oxford Readers and do different age-wise activities based on the levels they belong to.

IGNOU revises December Exam Dates

The dates for the December 2019 Term End Exam (TEE) have been revised by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). The revised date-sheet is available on the official website of the University. The dates of only a few exams have been revised owing to the upcoming assembly elections in Jharkhand. The changes in date-sheet are applicable across the nation and not only in Jharkhand.Exams whose dates were clashing with the election dates have been shifted to December end and beginning of January.All exams which were scheduled on December 7 will now be held on December 31 and exams which were scheduled on December 12, 16, and 20, will now be held on January 1, 2, and 3, 2020.Admit cards for the December Term End Exams will be released prior to the commencement of the exams. Admit cards will be released only for the students who have submitted their exam forms and have submitted assignments for their courses.The result for IGNOU December 2019 TEE will tentatively be released in February next year. The University also has the provision of early result declaration for students who submit a request for the same. In such cases, the result is declared within 30 days of the examination. Early result declaration is allowed only for final year/semester exam.