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Monday, December 30, 2024

NEWS TODAY 30.12.2024

Scrapping of no-detention policy to create ‘positive pressure’ on students

It will help build support systems for those lagging in classrooms and improve learning outcome

Priyadarshini.Gupta@timesofindia.com 30.12.2024

The Centre has decided to end the No-Detention Policy (NDP) for students in classes V and VIII in government, CBSE schools from the academic session 2024-25. This will end the practice of automatically promoting the students who failed their year-end exams. According to a gazette notification, after the conduct of regular examinations, children who do not meet the promotion criteria will get a chance to retake the exams within two months of the result declaration. The decision is supposed to affect over 3,000 central schools. The NDP was introduced in 2009 under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, which aimed to provide free and compulsory education to every child in the country up to class VIII.

The primary goal of the policy was to prevent students from being held back due to poor academic performance as this was seen as a major factor contributing to school dropouts. Experts feel that the decision would prove beneficial as the provision of NDP left students ill-prepared for board exams and contributed to higher failure rates. While the revised system will provide supplementary opportunities to those who fail, it will address significant learning gaps that have developed over the years,. Basic knowledge Sanyam Bhardwaj, controller of examinations, CBSE, highlighted the need to handhold the students who perform poorly in school. “The move will bring increased accountability among all stakeholders, including students, teachers, schools, and parents. The policy will prevent complacency among students and parents assuming automatic promotion regardless of any effort. Due to the NDP, several students were not studying properly, which led them to reach the higher classes without the necessary knowledge. This made it challenging for them to cope,” he says. “The revised policy will introduce positive pressure, encouraging students and parents to take academics more seriously. Meanwhile, the weak students will not be left behind as the system pro vides supplementary opportunities for students who fail to meet the required stan dards. This is a motivating step, enabling students to address gaps in their learning and prepare well for the next exam,” he adds. The role of teachers in supporting academically weaker students will be crucial in secondary school. Bhardwaj says, “There is no need for extra classes; diligent efforts by both students and teachers during regular school hours are sufficient.

Securing 33% marks is not a big task and is an achievable target. Anyone failing to meet this mark reflects a lack of effort from all the parties involved.” Addressing concerns about potential increases in dropout rates, he says that government support systems such as midday meal schemes, ensure that students, especially from marginalised backgrounds, are encouraged to continue their education. On the other hand, the scrapping of NDP may foster a growing coaching culture and give schoolteachers leverage to exploit vulnerable families. While Bhardwaj is of the opinion that the recent decision may not promote coaching culture, Aruna P Bhalla, former deputy commis sioner, KVS, Mumbai region, says, “In several schools, children from disadvantaged families are often forced into taking tuitions. There have been instances where teachers pressure students to take tuition or else they threaten to fail them.

This may leave families financially strained. With the scrapping of the retention policy, tuition teachers are likely to demand even higher fees, further disadvantaging children from families unable to afford private tuitions.”

DU’s Academic Council approves a one-year PG programme under NEP

The one-year postgraduate programme will be available to graduates of DU’s four-year undergraduate course.

University of Delhi(File Photo)

Express News Service

Updated on:

29 Dec 2024, 9:13 am

NEW DELHI: The Delhi University’s Academic Council (AC) has approved the introduction of a one-year PG programme under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The council has also approved the reservation of additional seats for single female students in PG programmes.

The proposal advocates for reserving one supernumerary seat in each postgraduate course for single girl students. The implementation of the “Postgraduate Curriculum Framework 2024” (PGCF 2024), was approved by the council in the 1021st meeting.

The one-year postgraduate programme will be available to graduates of DU’s four-year undergraduate course. Students with a three-year undergraduate degree can opt for the existing two-year programme. Students in the one-year programme will earn 44 credits, while those in the two-year programme will complete 88 credits.

The resolution passed by the council will now be presented to the university’s highest decision-making body called the Executive Council. Some AC members have raised strong objections to the proposed framework, citing various challenges and potential drawbacks.

Additionally, the council approved the introduction of a PhD in Hindu Studies from the 2025-26 academic sessions and reaffirmed the reservation of additional seats for single girl students in postgraduate programmes.

The council also agreed to increase seats in specialised courses such as DM (Neuroanaesthesia) at GIPMER and BSc (Medical Technology) Radiology at Lady Hardinge Medical College, starting from the 2025-26 academic session, subject to regulatory approvals.

During the meeting, questions regarding health facilities were also raised, wherein DU South campus director professor Prakash Singh informed that on the instructions of the vice-chancellor, the work of making DU Health Center a four-story building has also begun to increase the facilities in the university. The number of doctors will also be increased. He informed that a hospital of Railways has also been affiliated with DU to provide medical facilities for all the teaching and non-teaching staff of DU at par with the railway employees.

Recently, the varsity found itself in a controversy when it announced its proposal to offer four value-addition courses on the Hindu religious scripture Bhagavad Gita.

Irregularities in PhD enrolment at MKU: Five-member panel formed to conduct probe

The additional chief secretary directed a fair and transparent inquiry through a team of honest professors and members to analyse and allot marks to PhD applicants.

Madurai Kamaraj University. (File photo)

Express News Service

29 Dec 2024, 7:39 am

MADURAI: Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) formed a five-member committee to conduct a thorough, fair and transparent inquiry on the six irregularities, which allegedly occurred during the enrolment of students to PhD courses at MKU. The committee will be led by Convener D Ganesh, Chairperson of the School of Biotechnology.

Recently, additional chief secretary to the higher education department sent a letter to the convenor of the committee and chairperson of Madurai Kamaraj University. In his letter, he stated that on September 22, MKU conducted an entrance test for admission to PhD courses, in which 1,094 students appeared. The qualifying marks was 50 but given the difficulty level of the paper, applicants scored low.

Hence, it was decided to follow the ‘normalisation formula method’ to allot additional marks to each student, delaying the announcement of results.

The letter further stated, a few professors alleged that the Research Section Superintendent Kuppusamy and a few of his subordinates were collecting Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 from each student for allotting additional marks through the ‘normalisation formula method’ and during the interview.

The letter added that The American College Principal and former convenor committee member M Davamani Christober allegedly misused his official position by conniving with Kuppusamy in allocating more marks through normalisation to the applicants, who had chosen The American College.

The additional chief secretary directed a fair and transparent inquiry through a team of honest professors and members to analyse and allot marks to PhD applicants in a fair and transparent manner and declare the results. He had advised to form a committee and send a report to the government.

Med students protest high exam fee in Raj, seek parity

Ask Med Edu Dept To Give Details Of Fee

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 30.12.2024

Jaipur : Medical students have voiced strong opposition to the state govt’s recent increase in MD/MS examination fee to Rs 16,000. Students met SMS Medical College principal and controller to discuss their grievances regarding the hike. They pointed out that neighbouring states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi have lower examination fee -below Rs 5,000. Students enrolled in MD, MS, DM, and MCh programmes at Rajasthan University of Health Sciences, Jaipur, raised concerns about the university’s examination fee for post graduate and super-specialty courses being considerably higher than those in adjacent states.

Jaipur Association of Resident Doctors’ executive committee member (forensic science) Dr Sudhanshu Saran said, “In Delhi, the examination fee is Rs 4,500 while in Gujarat it is around Rs 2,700. In other states too, the fee is under Rs 5,000 but here we have to pay Rs 16,000 as examination fee. We have asked the medical education department not to increase the fee and ensure parity with other states’ examination fee.”

In a letter to SMS Medical College principal, they stated that other universities provide clear and detailed fee structures, ensuring students understand their financial obligations. In contrast, the examination fee in this state is not only elevated but also lack proper itemisation, leading to confusion and unnecessary financial strain on the students. “Many students already struggle with various expenses, including tuition fee, living costs, and study material. The hiked examination fee adds to their financial burden, creating difficulties in managing educational costs,” the protesting students said.

Students mentioned that reducing fee and providing detailed breakdown will ease their monetary pressure and build confidence in university administration. The students have requested authorities to reassess the current fees structure for MD/MS/ DM/MCh examinations, provide a detailed breakdown of charges, and bring the fees in line with those of neighbouring states to ensure equitable treatment.

3 crore Kumbh devotees likely to visit Ayodhya

PREPS ON

Arshad Afzaal Khan TNN 30.12.2024

Ayodhya : The Ram Temple Tr st and district administration are making elaborate arrangements to cater to the rush of devotees who will visit Ayodhya for ‘darshan’ of Ram Lalla after their visit to Prayagraj for Maha Kumbh. Officials said that around 3 crore people are expected to visit Ayodhya till Feb-end. Besides Kumbh pilgrims, devotees will also visit Ayodhya in large numbers in Jan to attend the first anniversary celebrations of the consecration of Ram Lalla.

The Ayodhya Municipal Corporation is taking several measures to provide relief to people from cold. A tent city is being set and night shelters are being arranged at various locations for devotees. Ayodhya mayor G irish Pati Tripathi said, “At least 3 crore people ar e lik- ely to visit Ayodhya after attending Maha Kumbh in Pray agraj. Ever since the inaugura tion of Ram Temple, the municipal corporation has bee n maintaining high standards of cleanliness.”

“Arrangements for drinking water, e-buses, golf carts, and decorative lights are being made,” he said. The mayor added that around one lakh people visit Ayodhya daily but on New Year’s Day, the nu mber could go up to 4-5 lakh. Anil Mishra, a member of the Ram Janma bhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, said: “After the consecration of Ram Lalla on Jan 22, the trust established an organized system for devotees coming to Ayodhya from across the country and the world. Visitors enter through seven lines at the entrance, and at the traveler facility centre, devotees can store their mobile phones, bags, and other belongings. A big h ll has been prepared to accommodate more than 2,000 people.”

He fought Covid, cash crunch to secure CA top rank

Ashresh.Marupaka@timesofindia.com 30.12.2024

Hyderabad : Despite severe financial constraints, a health scare and his family’s scepticism, 22- year-old Sai Dinesh achieved his dream goal this weekend, when he secured an All India Rank 40 in the CA final examinations held by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. The son of a mason-turned-small-time construction contractor from Hyderabad’s Saidabad area, Dinesh is now headed towards a new goal: To earn a comfortable life for his family, away from the days of penury. “I want to give back to my parents and my sister who have supported me through thick and thin...I stand here only because of them,” said the younger of the two siblings.

His 24-year-old sister is a graduate from IIIT Basara, currently working for a software company in Hyderabad. The two are the first from their generation to get a college education. But the journey till here has been packed with challenges. The first one came his way after class 10, when Dinesh told his family that he wanted to pursue chartered accountancy. “We were very apprehensive, even his friends discouraged him. I knew it was a tough path, and I wasn't sure how long I could support him financially. But Dinesh was adamant, so we relented,” said his father S Subrahmanyam — standing tall with pride today.

“Through our children, we’ve fulfilled our own dream of securing an education,” the school dropout said, his voice choking with emotion. Dinesh faced a second major setback during his CA Inter exams, which coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic. He became severely ill because of the virus and was forced to take the group 1 exam in Nov 2020 and the group 2 exam in May 2021. “There were days when I had to push myself through ill health. I could not give the group exams at once and had to give them over time,” recalled Dinesh. He finally cleared the CA Inter level exams in Dec 2021. But these obstacles didn't break him, they only strengthened his resolve. "In the run up to his finals, he would often study late into the night, sometimes from 10pm to 5am. In all his months of preparation, he barely took a week's off,” said his home-maker mother, S Kumari, brimming with pride. Dinesh is anything but modest about it himself. “I really slogged it out. I studied 12 to 14 hours every day. It was stressful, but I’m grateful to my parents, teachers, and mentors during my article-ship for their unwavering support,” he said, admitting how securing a rank wasn’t his goal initially.

“During my article-ship when I saw my peers work hard and give their all, I was motivated to push my limits as well,” he added. Looking ahead, Dinesh plans to participate in the special placement programme for rank holders. “I’m keeping an open mind about and focusing on the immediate opportunities available through placements,” he said.

AICTE to integrate AI into curricula of core engg branches

The newly launched Electrical Engineering UG curriculum would be considered a template to be followed by other core branches

Ayushi.Gupta1@timesofindia.com 30.12.2024

To revamp the core engineering branches and enhance their value by integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has planned to revise the curriculum soon. The tweaked curriculum will have AI included as interdisciplinary modules to emphasise AI applications specific to various domains, by understanding its ethical considerations and innovative practices. To build a future-ready workforce, the AICET has dedicated 2025 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence. Prof TG Sitharam, chairman, AICTE, says, “The AICTE plans to integrate AI into the curriculum of core engineering branches as interdisciplinary modules.

The AICTE has already initiated the process by incorporating AI elements into the newly launched Electrical Engineering undergraduate curriculum, considering it as a model for further integrations across other core engineering branches. The comprehensive rollout of updated curricula for all branches is expected in 2025.” Meanwhile, the council also plans to launch certain schemes to help colleges in the implementation and inclusion of Research and Development on AI into the curricula of all engineering branches, adds Prof Sitharam. Implementation plan The AICTE has urged institutions to submit their respective AI implementation plans, which will be reviewed by the AICTE approval bureau, and the top submissions will be featured as benchmarks for other institutions. Prof Sitharam, says, “The AICTE has suggested colleges to form ‘AI Student Chapters’ under the nationwide initiative titled ‘AI for All: The Future Begins Here’. The formation of student-driven hubs for innovation, and hosting workshops, hackathons, and guest lectures are some of the initiatives that colleges can indulge in.

The AICTE will provide guidelines and resources for establishing these initiatives at institutions, ensuring their alignment with industry trends and ethical AI practices.” B Sathiyabhama, head, Computer Science and Engineering, Sona College of Techno logy in Salem, Tamil Nadu, says, “Given our current resources, we are prioritising AI initiatives that leverage existing infrastructure and expertise. The institution aims to introduce short-term certification courses on AI fundamentals for all engineering disciplines, utilising online platforms and inhouse expertise, establish AI labs that focus on low-cost experiments and projects, leveraging open-source AI frameworks, promote interdisciplinary AI projects that combine strengths from diverse departments, collaborate with industry partners to offer hands-on training and internships, ensuring students gain practical AI exposure, and initiate research on AI applications in niche areas including environmental monitoring in Civil Engineering and diagnostic tools in Biomedical Engineering.”

CA has become a gateway for girls to pursue their dreams in MNCs

TOPPER TALK 30.12.2024

Ahmedabad girl secures second spot in CA Finals through planned preparation strategy

Rajlakshmi.Ghosh@timesofindia.com

Online tutoring and the facility to learn at one’s own pace and time helped Ahmedabad girl Riya Kunjankumar Shah bag All India Rank (AIR) 2 at the ICAI CA November 2024 Final Exams, the results of which were recently announced. Scoring 501 marks (83.50%), she has emerged as the topper among girls, a feat which she says “seems surreal” since she was running high fever even two days before the exam and had almost quit the idea of attempting the Finals. “But my parents and friends turned a deaf ear to my complaints, and even though I felt morally down, they were adamant that I should take up the challenge.” Consistent efforts Her ordeal continued for the entire 12-day period of the exam as she could barely put in four hours of preparation. “I was terribly sick, but it was my collective efforts of the last six months that helped me cope with the crisis,” she recalls, elated with her performance, despite the contingencies.

Even though she started preparing for the exam right from the start of her articleship at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in 2022, it was only in the last six months that Riya engaged in 10-12 hours/day of focused studying. “I had access to faculty members from across the country and absorbed their online lectures on subjects that included Financial Reporting, Indirect and Direct Tax, Advanced Financial Management, Auditing and Assurance,” says the 22-yearold who pursued BCom from SMPIC institute of GLS University, Ahmedabad. While her core strengths lay in Advanced Financial Management where she scored 97%, Riya maintained a balanced 82%-83% score for the rest of the subjects. She found the Auditing and Assurance paper tough, since it is purely theoretical and requires repeated revisions.

“Imbibing the key words and jargons can be timeconsuming as the syllabus is vast,” says Riya, who took only two mock tests to acquire ‘satisfactory writing practice’. Grateful to her family for providing a solid support system, Riya attributes her success to her homemaker mother Beena Shah and father Kunjan Shah who works in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. “They never left my side even for a moment when I was sick. My elder brother, Darshil, who is a pharmacist in Canada, also encouraged me to pursue my dreams even though he was overseas,” says Riya. Cracking the CA Finals was based on a “planned preparation strategy” and learning from the experience of the CA Intermediate exams where Riya secured AIR 42. With no definite plans for the future, the pop muTALK sic enthusiast says she wants to keep her options open, fighting shy of the need to conform to a predictable path. “However, based on inputs from faculty and peers, consulting and investment banking are in the spotlight now,” is all she is willing to say. Not surprised at the rising number of girls topping the CA exams, Riya re asons, “It is the gateway for girls to pursue their dreams in the MNCs, with many of them doing exceedingly well in accountancy.” Consistency, she feels, holds the key to success in the exams, even if it means studying the same things repeatedly. To relieve boredom, she has her workouts at home for company, giving her that adrenaline rush when the chips are down.

Over 13k get degrees at MSU convocation

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 30.12.2024

Vadodara : As many as 13,682 students were conferred degrees, while 195 were conferred gold medals during the M S University’s 73rd annual convocation ceremony on Sunday. With Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who was invited as the chief guest, skipping the ceremony, the convocation was organised without a chief guest. The Vice President gave his consent to be present at the ceremony after being approached by Vadodara MP Hemang Joshi, who invited him to grace the ceremony as chief guest. However, with former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh passing away and the govt of India declaring national mourning, the Vice President could not attend the function. Sunday’s ceremony lacked the enthusiasm that usually surrounds the biggest academic function of the university.

Former senate and syndicate members rued the fact that the university vice chancellor, Professor Vijay Srivastava, did not invite them to the function, even as there were murmurs that Joshi, who was instrumental in inviting the Vice President for the ceremony, himself preferred to stay away. Srivastava is being blamed for the delay in organising the convocation, which is supposed to be held by the end of Sept. The delay in organising the convocation led to protests by ABVP and a plea in the Gujarat high court by a parent whose daughter faced problems in getting her degree on time for admission abroad. On Sunday, Srivastava said that the university will be organising the convocation every year on Sept 5 from 2025 onwards. He, however, did not clarify the reason behind delaying the convocation ceremony this year. Ironically, Srivastava’s tenure is ending in Feb next year. He is lobbying hard to get a second term. Earlier, too, syndicate members of MSU had passed a resolution to organise the convocation on Teachers’ Day, but the resolution was not implemented.

Don’t belittle Annamalai’s ire: Seeman

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 30.12.2024

Trichy : Chief coordinator of Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) Seeman said he felt bad upon hearing that the BJP state president K Annamalai whipped himself in protest against state govt’s handling of the sexual assault case on the Anna University campus in Chennai. “Yo u may accept or reject his act of expression (whipping), but we cannot underestimate his anger as a leader. Everyone has that anger but we should not whip ourselves instead of whipping the perpetrator. I felt bad when I heard a bout the whipping,” Seeman told reporters here on Sunday. Seeman said Annamalai must push the Centre in enacting a law to debar candidates from contesting polls if they distribute cash for votes. “Even if you walk without slippers or legs, you can’t dethrone them unless you bring such a law,” he added, referring to Annamalai’s vow to not wear slippers until DMK is dethroned.