News and views about the Education in India

Women's education took priority this week. News related to the admission exams like CAT and judicial services was in focus, while foreign institutions like UNICEF, MIT, British council and Camp America renewed their India focus.

- Chillibreeze Business Research Team

Training trainers on green chemistry

The Department of Chemistry, Delhi University (DU), is holding a conference on January 8 and 9, to provide the necessary foundation for establishing an on-going initiative on 'Green Chemistry' in the country's educational system and assist in building a green chemistry educational capacity in India by 'training the trainers.'

Researchers from both - the US and India will be meeting to discuss real-world applications of green chemistry and on ways to build industry, university and government partnerships.

Source: www.educationtimes.com
November 19, 2007

Two arrested for impersonation in CAT
Two youngsters were arrested here Sunday when they appeared in the Common Admission Test (CAT) of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) impersonating genuine candidates.
Following a tip-off from 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, a police team from that state, assisted by their Chandigarh counterparts, raided the examination centre at the DAV College in Sector 10 here and caught Narinder of Sonepat in Haryana and Gaurav of Mohali in Punjab for impersonation.

Source: www.indiaenews.com
November 19, 2007

Education our tool to empowerment, says Muslim women's group
Some were dressed in black burqa, some in shimmering salwar-kameez, still others in crisp cotton saris. They come from different states and are burdened by innumerable problems, but one issue binds the group of Muslim women - literacy.

The 5,000-odd women of the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA) work for the uplift of Indian Muslim women across the country and strongly believe that education is the one tool that will empower them. Around 350 of its members were in the capital last week for the first annual convention.

The organisation has its presence in 12 states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Delhi and Chhattisgarh. They are next planning to go to Bihar and Assam.

Source: www.indiaenews.com
November 19, 2007

Kerala cultural centre opens school in Kashmir
With teachers from Kerala, a Muslim cultural centre here has set up a school in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district where hundreds of needy children in the violence-hit region are provided education.

The Sunni Cultural Centre (Markazus Saquafati Sunniyya) has been running the school in Rajouri district of Jammu for a year. It also sponsors some 500 school children in Kashmir Valley.

The school, which is recognised by the state government, is from classes 1 to 8 and follows the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) syllabus. The teachers from Kerala teach Mathematics and English, said Abdul Hakkim, joint secretary of the organisation.

It all started when the then Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed invited the cultural centre to help impart education to needy children in the state, where thousands of kids have been left deeply scarred by the relentless separatist violence.

Source: www.indiaenews.com
November 19, 2007

'Listen to customer to sell around the world'
To make products for the global market, Indian manufacturers should embrace the transformational management system that is based on eliminating waste and listening to customers, says a top US consultancy firm.

The new system enables companies to focus on aspects within their control, leverage the gains, listen to customers, study how the consumers actually use their and competitor's products and launch new products incorporating the learning, said Anand Sharma, president and CEO, TBM Consulting Group Inc of the US.

Speaking to IANS here, the head of the $53-million turnover firm said he provided advice to manufacturing and service companies on LeanSigma -- a hybrid of lean manufacturing principles and six sigma principles.

According to Sharma, twentieth century's scientific management system was focussed on dividing work into small steps that unskilled workers could perform.

While the system worked well for big business for a time, globalisation and the Internet have changed the position, he remarked.

'No longer does size guarantees protection for an incumbent player. Since access to information is getting wider and deeper, customers have become more demanding, thus changing business dynamics,' he added.

He said there was no need for Indian companies to be confused about the different process improvement systems like TPM, TQM, Six Sigma and others.

According to him, Indian companies are aware of process improvement techniques and are better placed to become the manufacturers for global markets if correct measures are taken.

In India, TBM Consulting would focus on manufacturing (auto components, consumer goods), process industries (pharmaceutical units, fast moving consumer goods), and financial services sectors for business.

Source: www.indiaenews.com
November 20, 2007

The disabled can power economic growth: World Bank
Given better access to education and jobs, disabled people in India can significantly contribute to the country's economic growth, says a new World Bank report released Tuesday.

'Disabled people who are better educated and economically more active will generate higher growth in which everyone will share,' said Philip O'Keefe, lead social protection specialist and main author of the World Bank report entitled 'People with Disabilities in India: from Commitments to Outcomes'.

'Increasing the status and social and economic participation of people with disabilities would have positive effects on everyone, not just disabled people,' said O'Keefe.

Source: www.indiaenews.com
November 20, 2007

Unicef launches mobile schools in Madhya Pradesh
Unicef Tuesday launched 22 mobile primary schools for children of migrant workers of Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh.

The primary aim of such mobile schools is to encourage to attend school those children who normally drop out when their parents leave home in search of work in other states.

The mobile schools will have all the basic requirements of a normal school and will be housed in tents.

Unicef plans to have 100 such schools by 2008 end.

At present the mobile schools will target 650 children who migrate with their parents to Gujarat for work.

The tribals of the Jhabua district migrate from their villages to Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra for their livelihood every year.

About 85 percent population of the district is tribal and 47 percent people live below the poverty line. The literacy rate, according to 2001 census, is 36.87 percent but the female literacy is just four percent.

Unicef has provided for the school tents, school materials, salary of teachers, course material and even trained teachers in partnership with the district administration.

Source: www.indiaenews.com
November 20, 2007

Girls in Rajasthan to get bicycle for comfortable school journey
The Rajasthan Education Department is planning to provide girls with bicycles to make their journey to schools more comfortable.

The plan is especially meant for girl students who live in remote villages of the state and have to commute far distance to reach schools.

Bicycle costing around Rs 2000 will be given to the girls of 9, 10, 11 and 12th classes. Girls who intend to get a bicycle under the scheme will have to spend just Rs. 300.

Source: www.indiaedunews.com
November 20, 2007

British Council pitches for better Indian workplace English
The British may have quit India 60 years ago, but Indians' love affair with the queen's language continues. And helping in the endeavour is none other than the British Council.

It is trying to reinvent the teaching of English and promote better usage of the language at the workplace in countries like India, Sri Lanka and Britain.

At a convention on 'English for Progress-First Policy Dialogue', which ended Tuesday, British Council officials said the institution would be the platform for English-speaking countries like India to take a re-look at the teaching and learning of English and determine their future policy.

Source: www.indiaenews.com
November 21, 2007

India partners MIT to set up medical institute
India's Department of Biotechnology is partnering the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to set up a Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) in India.

The new institute, modelled after the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST), will include faculty from multiple disciplines and professions, according to a statement from MIT.

The institute will offer degrees through multidisciplinary programmes. Funded by the Indian government, THSTI will be a research and training centre connected to regional centres of excellence.

It is expected to increase India's capacity for translating scientific and technological advancements into medical innovations that have the potential to improve healthcare both in India and around the world.

Source: www.indiaenews.com
November 21, 2007

Apex court refuses to interfere with judicial service exam
The Supreme Court Wednesday refused to entertain a plea seeking a change in the age criteria for candidates appearing for the Uttar Pradesh Higher Judicial Service examination.

The petition was filed by a candidate, Sanjay Aggarwal. His counsel Jasbir Singh Malik argued that a 2007 amendment to the 1975 rules for the Uttar PradeshHigher Judicial Service provided that the candidate must have seven years of experience as a practicing lawyer to appear for the examination.

The rules, however, stipulated that to appear in the examination being held in 2007, the candidate should complete seven years of experience on a date in 2008.

Source: www.indiaenews.com
November 21, 2007

Rajasthan Govt. moots common examination pattern
The Government of Rajasthan is planning to implement a common examination pattern for students of class 8th in the Government-aided schools of the state.

According to the State Government, students of class 8th might soon get the same examination papers. The papers might also be conducted on the same date as fixed by the Government.

The proposal of conducting the exams for class 8th students by the Rajasthan Rajya Pathyapustak Mandal (RRPM) is also under consideration of the Government.

Presently, the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) is responsible for conducting the class 8 exams across the state. As DIET is a district level body, all class 8 students of a district get the same examination papers.

Source: www.indiaedunews.com
November 21, 2007

Blame school dropouts on poor facilities, say experts
Is it the fault of the child or parents when the child decides to drop out of school? Not really. It is poor infrastructure of the schools, especially government schools, that is the real culprit, experts said.

'Schools are there but teachers are missing... when the children don't have anything to hold them back in the schools, no proper studying et al, they leave. It is wrong to put the entire blame on the child or the parents and make them look guilty for the dropouts,' said Babu Mathew, country director of ActionAid, an international developmental agency.

Source: www.indiaenews.com
November 22, 2007

Court pulls up Delhi's unrecognised schools
The Delhi High Court Thursday expressed its concern over mushrooming of unrecognised primary schools in the capital without proper infrastructure, water supply and sanitary facilities.

The court was surprised that one could start a school without following any norms or regulation. 'Are there any norms under the Delhi School Education Act to begin a primary School in the city?'

'Education is a serious issue. If there is lack of infrastructure, where will students sit? Where will they study? What about the students-teachers ratio? They are left upon the mercy of god,' the bench added.

Source: www.indiaenews.com
November 22, 2007

Camp America launches Indian operations
Camp America, a cultural exchange programme that provides an opportunity for young people from across the world to participate in a summer camp in US, has launched its full-fledged Indian operations. The first batch to US will leave in May 2008.

Senior Assistant Director of Camp America Allen Langer told IANS Friday that the programme provides a unique opportunity for youth to have fun, adventure, travel and explore new places, interacting with similar youngsters from over 30 countries who will join the camp in two batches, May 1 and June 28 next year.

The Indian operation is expected to help Camp America mark its foray in Asia where currently it has no footprint, Langer said, adding that this year, 12,000 vacancies are available for the programme, with no upper limit on the number of applicants from any country.

Source: www.indiaenews.com
November 23, 2007

IT finishing school plans expansion in Punjab
India's first information technology (IT) finishing school, the Mysore-based Raman International Institute of Information Technology (RIIIT), is negotiating with the Chandigarh administration for setting up an institute there.

'We are discussing with the Chandigarh government whereby we would be able to use the premises of the government educational institutions,' S.V. Venkatesh, founder and CEO, told reporters here Friday.

Finishing schools are supplementary training schools targeting graduates from different fields in an attempt to make up for deficiencies in the education system and offer certificate courses in executive excellence, soft skills and groom them to expected industry standards.

Source: www.indiaenews.com
November 23, 2007

Tamil Nadu to set up 20 new engineering colleges
As many as 33 private engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu have been ordered to be closed down for collecting high tuition fees from students, education minister K. Ponmudi said here Saturday.

However, the government plans to set up 20 new engineering colleges.

'We have written to the AICTE to take action against these colleges for collecting fees more than the amount fixed by the government, Ponmudi said.

The government is also planning a Common University Act to 'streamline the functioning of institutions,' he added.

The 20 new engineering colleges planned will be under the new Act.

These colleges 'will fulfil the long-felt need for an engineering college in each district of Tamil Nadu,' Ponmudi said.

Source: www.indiaenews.com
November 24, 2007

ISRO agrees to land offered by Kerala
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has agreed to build its proposed space education centre on the new piece of land the Kerala government has offered for free after a controversy over the plot of land the space agency had bought.

Source: www.indiaenews.com
November 24, 2007

St. Xavier's wants complete autonomy
St. Xavier's College - one of Mumbai's most reputed colleges, now wants autonomy with respect to the syllabus and course details of its various programmes.

Unlike traditional testing system, the college claims to have prepared its own evaluation system aimed at testing the all-round personality of students.

After debating for a few years the college has applied to Mumbai University for both academic and administrative autonomy.

As per the law, a college with academic autonomy can design its own syllabus, can revise and update the syllabus more frequently than other universities.

The biggest advantage of administrative autonomy is this that the college would then be able to recruit its own staff without any interference from University officials.

If the proposal is accepted, St. Xavier's will be the first autonomous college affiliated to Mumbai University. After this autonomous status college will have its own board of studies for each academic subject.

Source: www.indiaedunews.com
November 24, 2007