Delhi University 96th convocation on November 4 

DU 96th convocation: A total of 600 doctoral degrees, 60 DM and MCh degrees, and 300 medals and prizes will be awarded, it said. 

education Updated: Oct 18, 2019 09:00 IST


Press Trust of India

 
New Delhi  

Representative(Milind Saurkar/HT Photo)

The 96th convocation of the Delhi University will be held on November 4 and Union HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ will deliver the convocation address, the university said.

A total of 600 doctoral degrees, 60 DM and MCh degrees, and 300 medals and prizes will be awarded, it said.

The colleges of the university have also been requested to webcast the convocation ceremony, the institution said.

Gold medallists don’t ask for gold in marriage: Governor 
 Anandiben Patel

TNN | Oct 24, 2019, 12.25 PM IST


 

GORAKHPUR: Governor Anandiben Patel while distributing gold medals to 51 students at the 38th convocation of DDU Gorakhpur University on Wednesday, said that gold medallists don’t ask for gold during marriage.

Patel, who is also the chancellor of all state universities, also distributed books and other gifts among 30 primary school students on the occasion and said that they are the future of the country. The chief guest was UGC chairman Professor DP Singh. Vice chancellor Prof VK Singh also distributed gold medals along with Patel. During her address, the governor advised parents to inculcate values in their wards and give them good education but leave the right of selecting their life partner with them.

She expressed her happiness over the large number of female gold medalists. “Girls are leaving boys behind in most universitie,” she said. She also directed the varsity to conduct a research on the reason behind it. “Boys should also come forward and catch up with the girls as balance is important for the development of any society.”

She said that those who lead in innovation, lead the world. Citing the example of Britain and USA, she said, “Britain was the first to use coal as an energy source and it reigned the world. Similarly America got hold over fuel and is leading the world. Today, the country that will be the frontrunner in using non conventional sources of energy, will lead the world.”

Mumbai University's convocation robes to go desi from November

TNN | Oct 24, 2019, 08.13 AM IST

 

MUMBAI: As part of a government move to make everything desi, around 125 academicians will participate in the convocation procession in a Shivakalin Angarkha, donning a Jagannath Shankarseth (Nana) topi at Mumbai University in November. The long, colonial cream and yellow convocation robes worn by dignitaries and academicians on the dais will undergo a makeover at the next convocation. The angarkha, which will have a Paithani border, will represent valour, commitment and good governance, university officials said. 

Graduating male students can wear sadara pyjamas, and females can wear a sari or salwar kameez with a sash. A maroon 'topi' to match with dignitaries was recommended by a university-appointed committee, but was turned down by management council members at a meeting on Wednesday. Affiliated colleges can choose the attire for graduation ceremonies or can switch to the university's pattern in subsequent years, a university official said.

Most recommendations by a three-member committee, led by M D Teli, professor from fibres and textile processing technology department at ICT-Matunga, Armaiti Shukla, from textile science and apparel design department at SNDT's SVT College of Home Science, and designer Archana Rao, were approved by the university's management council.

A former dean said the directive to make use of India traditional attire and fabric had come from University Grants Commission (UGC).

"Most of our education system's concept has been derived from the British, so our convocation attire was heavily influenced by their culture. The use of 'professor' for teachers was also borrowed from their education system. The government believes in making everything desi. This is a move in that direction. Whether it will be comfortable for use will have to be seen once the convocation is held," said the professor.

The committee has recommended the use of poly-khadi material for comfort and to give a 'swadeshi' touch to the attire. The fabric for the robe will be purchased from small-scale khadi gram industries. The Nana topi was included to further the cause of education and philanthropy. Shankarseth was an educationist and a social reformer. "The proposed convocation attire is a mix of our culture, tradition and inclusiveness," said vice-chancellor Suhas Pednekar.

‘Golden’ girls shine at Jamia convocation

tnn | Oct 30, 2019, 04.31 AM IST

New Delhi: Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) on Wednesday made a strong pitch for a medical college-cum-hospital at its annual convocation attended by President Ram Nath Kovind and human resource development minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’. More than 10,000 students, including 350 gold medallists, who passed in 2017 and 2018 were awarded degrees and diplomas on the occasion. Out of 350 gold medallists, 183 were girls.

The President congratulated all the passing students, especially the girl gold medallists who outnumbered boys.

Kovind congratulated the university for entering into its centenary year, and said that the founders of the varsity were also connected with the freedom struggle. “JMI is the symbol of the country’s composite culture, which not only needs to be preserved, but also strengthened,” he said.

About the proposed new education policy of the government, the President said that it is to establish India as a ‘knowledge superpower’. “Students should go to villages and try to understand their issues while making villagers aware of various welfare schemes,” Kovind said

Addressing the ceremony, both JMI chancellor Najma Heptulla and vice-chancellor Najma Akhtar sought the government’s help in setting up a medical college-cum-hospital in the university.

Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ in his address assured all possible help to the varsity. “The new education policy will help in fulfilling Narendra Modi’s resolve to raise India’s economy to five trillion dollars by 2024,” he added.

Vice-chancellor Najma Akhtar said that the university is planning to put itself on the national map in respect of environmental studies and climate action.

Bengaluru: RGUHS may appeal against disaffiliated nursing colleges

TNN | Oct 14, 2019, 01.08 PM IST



 

BENGALURU: Seven nursing colleges in the city, which were disaffiliated by Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) in January, have not only gone ahead and admitted students for this academic year, but also helped students file an appeal seeking they be allowed to write exams.

RGUHS vice-chancellor Dr S Sachidanand said they will file a counter-appeal as the court has directed them to allow the students, who are not even part of the university, to write exams. "We had not even permitted the colleges to admit students, and here they are asking for permission to appear for exams," Sachidanand said, adding that their answerscripts won't be evaluated. He said the university had published a public notice, informing students about the status of the colleges.

The seven colleges - Bethel Medical Institute of Nursing Sciences, Hosmat College of Nursing, Gayathri Devi College of Nursing, Pan Asia College of Nursing, Bethel College of Physiotherapy, Hosmat College of Physiotherapy and Hosmat Hospital and Educational Institution - were disaffiliated due to alleged involvement in a certificate scam.

Almost 200 students from these colleges have appeared for two papers. Sachidanand said the university was unaware that the colleges had even admitted students.

CN Ashwath Narayan, deputy chief minister and minister for medical education, said he can't comment on the matter as it's in court, but promised swift action against the culprits. "More than the students, those responsible for this situation should be brought to book. I will escalate the matter to the highest investigating authorities," he said.

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UGC advocates adoption of khadi for ceremonial dresses in varsities 

The circular encourages all the more than 50,000 universities and colleges to use khadi or handloom textiles “for ceremonial dresses prescribed for special occasions like convocations”. education Updated: Oct 30, 2019 13:33 IST


 
Prashant K Nanda

Hindustan Times, New Delhi The UGC circular says that khadi is an integral part of Indian culture(Mint file)

The University Grants Commission (UGC), which has been extolling the virtues of khadi, has cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has asked universities and colleges to use the fabric for ceremonial dresses worn on special occasions.

“The honourable Prime Minister has advocated the use of khadi and also emphasized on the revival of handlooms. Mahatma Gandhi used khadi, a handspun and handloom cloth as a weapon during the struggle for Independence, and hence it is also known as ‘Liveries of Freedom’...the use of khadi and other handloom will not only give a sense of pride of being Indian, but also be more comfortable in hot and humid weather,” the UGC has said in a circular to all the universities in the country last week.

The circular encourages all the more than 50,000 universities and colleges to use khadi or handloom textiles “for ceremonial dresses prescribed for special occasions like convocations”.

The circular says that it is “requested” that universities and colleges consider use of this fabric, but it also seeks “appropriate action” for its adoption.

“I request you to kindly take appropriate action to adopt khadi and/or handloom fabric for ceremonial dresses to encourage the use of khadi...,” said the circular by the education regulator.

“The language of the circular is very interesting. While it did not use the word mandatory, it expects universities to take action. We are not against khadi or handloom but I believe universities and colleges need to be left alone to take a decision on what they wish to adopt,” said a Delhi University professor who requested anonymity.

“It’s an indirect directive to fall in line. It’s symbolism, not Indian pride that the education regulator is trying to get us to believe,” he said.

In the last couple of years, there has been a growing clamour around changing the convocation dress from the Western-style gown and square cap to a traditional one. Some institutions, including the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, IIT Bombay, the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, and Gujarati University, have already adopted khadi for their convocations.

The UGC circular signed by its secretary Rajnish Jain, says that khadi and handloom products are an integral part of Indian culture and heritage and are a source of livelihood for lakhs of rural people.

Modi has been a strong supporter of khadi and in September 2017 in one of his Mann Ki Baat radio programmes, asked people to adopt the fabric to help weavers.

First Published: Oct 30, 2019 13:33 IST

Mumbai University not using UGC plagiarism checker despite reminders mumbai 

Updated: Oct 15, 2019 00:31 IST

 

Priyanka Sahoo

Two months after the University Grants Commission (UGC) made a plagiarism-detection software available to all higher education institutes in the country, the University of Mumbai (MU) is yet to use it despite a series of reminders.

UGC is the apex body that governs all higher educational institutes in the country.

In May, the UGC had issued an exclusive notice to the university for not implementing any anti-plagiarism framework to screen PhD theses submitted by students. Soon after, in August, the UGC made the anti-plagiarism software ‘URKUND’ available on a trial basis to all universities. The trial started on September 1. However, MU is yet to start using the software, said sources in the university.

According to official figures, the university receives around 350 thesis and research papers every year from scholars in its departments, research centres and affiliated colleges. On an average, the university hands out 330 PhDs annually.

However, none of the theses go through a plagiarism check, said a senior professor from the university, on the condition of anonymity. The university had converted its library and thesis department into a cell for anti-plagiarism methods. “The university doesn’t have a digital repository of information on scholars as well as their works. This makes it difficult for the university to screen all PhD theses,” said the professor. Earlier the varsity had planned to purchase licences for Turnitin software, but the plan did not take off. Now that the URKUND software is available for free, utilisation of the software has not started.

University pro vice-chancellor Ravindra Kulkarni was unavailable for a comment. An official from the thesis department said not all theses are being screened, but work has already started.

“We are just starting to use the URKUND software. At the moment, the licence is shared if any faculty member asks for it,” he said, without divulging details on how many faculty members have accessed the licence so far. However, no official communication has come from the university about the use of the software, said professors.

“We have recently purchased the rights for Turnitin software. We are demonstrating it to faculty members. From now on, all theses will go through Turnitin,” said pro vice-chancellor Ravindra Kulkarni.

It is important to note that last year, a city college lecturer had made a complaint of plagiarism against senior Economics professor Neeraj Hatekar. In the absence of an Institutional Academic Integrity Panel (IAIP), the university has formed a new committee to look into the matter.

In yet another violation of the UGC guidelines, not all theses are uploaded on the central repository of Shodhganga. As on date, there are only 214 theses under MU that are uploaded on Shodhganga. “We have started uploading theses on Shodhganga. It will take some time but we will soon upload all the research work,” said an official from the thesis department.

In comparison, other reputed state universities such as Madras University, Anna University, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Benaras Hindu University and Allahabad University, have been using the URKUND or other anti-plagiarism softwares for at least two years now. Most of these universities have special systems allowing one to check any documents for plagiarism.

This is in accordance with the UGC regulations issued in July 2018 on the Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions. The UGC asked the universities to set up IAIP to promote academic integrity and to develop systems to detect plagiarism.

According to the apex body, any similarity of over 10 per cent in two documents is considered plagiarism or duplication. The regulatory body also laid down penalties for plagiarism — no penalty for similarities up to 10 per cent; revision of script within six months for similarities above 10 per cent to 40 per cent; debarred from submitting a revised script for a period of one year for similarities above 40 per cent to 60 per cent; cancellation of registration for similarities above 60 per cent.