Lockdown makes lives of elderly more lonely

Lockdown makes lives of elderly more lonely

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kochi:  12.07.2020

Life has never been easy for this octogenarian couple living in a gated community on Karshaka Road since the announcement of lockdown. The couple say that they have been living a lifeless life with hardly any visitors and no outings.

“We are confined to the house. Entertainment is confined to television, internet and reading. Our children live in other cities and we talk to them over phone,” said Gopal Krishna Kurup, who retired from Hindustan Newsprint Ltd.

He said though people are generally helpful, he has difficulties in getting some of his supplies, especially ayurvedic medicines. “We are also not able to go to banks. Shopkeepers and others deliver us provisions and medicines,” he said.

Similar is the situation of another couple in Kaloor. The man is 72-years-old, while his wife is 70.

George Korah, the secretary of Kairali apartments in Panampilly Nagar said they have 72 flats in the complex and 45% of these flats are occupied by senior citizens. They said the elderly people have adjusted to the lockdown and restrictions.

“The problem is senior citizens are forced to depend on others. Other than health workers, we do not allow visitors. The restrictions have affected their well-being. There are very healthy people above the age of

70. Why should they be confined to the house,” he said. However, he agreed that these restrictions are imposed for the safety of elderly people. “I see it in a good spirit though there are inconveniences. We have to take care of ourselves. Medicines and provisions are delivered to them regularly,” he added.

How to stop your child from using offensive language

How to stop your child from using offensive language

If you catch your child using slurs or derogatory terms, talk to them about negative stereotypes and intolerance

12.07.2020

Right from texting and casual conversations to classroom banter, many children indulge in name-calling and verbal abuse. Sometimes your child or his/her friends use terms in a derogatory manner. You can start by explaining the consequences of negative stereotypes, then guide your child’s response if one of their friends uses a slur.

US-based psychologist Lisa Damour says it’s best to start with the simplest point. Stress that it is hurtful and wrong to use a word that describes a person’s gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or national identity as an insult. This is true for words that have longstanding acceptable uses, for former epithets that have gained mainstream status over time (such as gay or queer), and for labels that take on different meanings depending on who uses them (such as b***h).

Hate speech

You could say, “While your friends might think they’re being funny or cool, words can do harm, and repeating slurs is fundamentally degrading to the groups they are used against… You may not use slurs ever, under any condition.”

There are subtler points you will want to discuss with your child. It is true that the same word can operate in one context as hate speech and in another as an affirmation of identity (for example, the N-word). Indeed, it’s not unusual for stigmatised groups to claim for themselves derogatory labels in order to challenge a status quo.

Language of compassion

As parents, we want our children to understand the experiences of people whose lives differ from their own. It’s important to start a conversation that can unfold over time about the uneven distribution of privilege within our society and the demeaning and intensely painful histories behind derogatory words.

Whenever an opportunity presents itself, you will also want to model for your child what it looks like to interrupt intolerance. Take the issue seriously. Treat it as an opening to nurture your child’s understanding, compassion and developing a sense of the kind of person he wants to be.

— THE NEW YORK TIMES

‘Degrees sans exams will impact career of students’

‘Degrees sans exams will impact career of students’

Temples Of Education Can Be Reopened Now: UGC Vice-Chairperson

12.07.2020

Chandan.Chatterjee@timesgroup.com

UGC vice-chairperson Bhushan Patwardhan firmly believes examination is an integral part of the academic system. He told TOI in an online interview that cancelling exams, citing the Covid-19 situation, would have a long-term negative impact on students’ careers. Excerpts:

How should Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) conduct the exams, considering the spurt in Covid-19 cases in Pune?

Not just SPPU but any university, can go for online, offline, a combination of both or open book exam, depending on what suits which course the best. If the university decides to go for offline exam for some subjects, they should ensure all safety protocols, including physical distance and sanitisation norms, prescribed by the UGC.

Now that most hostels of varsities are vacated, what happens if a student in a remote area can’t take the online exam because of connectivity/gadget issues?

The UGC has allowed varsities or colleges to give such students one-time special examination. Such examinations can be proctored or conducted in different cities/ towns with the help of local government bodies.

The Maharashtra government has stressed that it is impossible to conduct the final-year exams by September because of the Covid-19 situation. Your take?

Agreeably, there are real challenges in conducting examinations in the Covid-19 situation. But when there is a will, there is a way. During Unlock-1, liquor shops and salons were reopened and home delivery was allowed. Now, temples are also being opened. Thus, temples of knowledge can also be reopened with all safety measures and precautions.

Why the UGC is firm on conducting the exams when the pandemic is peaking?

Exams are an integral part of the academic life-cycle. Will you trust a doctor who has not appeared in the final exam, or an engineer or a pharmacist for that matter? Awarding academic degree without examination is not acceptable. In the US and the UK, most of the reputed universities have either completed or deferred final-year examinations. Current global picture indicates that 73 countries have postponed/rescheduled, 23 have introduced alternative approaches and 22 have maintained exams, while only 11 countries have cancelled them altogether. This scenario supports the UGC policy regarding the examinations.

What if no exams are conducted?

It will set a wrong example. Such students would be labelled as “Covid Batch”. Sanctity of their degree will remain questionable.

Will the students be affected if there are no exams?

Of course. The transcript of universities on report cards can spoil their career. If only “Pass” is written as result, many students will find it difficult to pursue higher studies. A few years down the line, there can be hardships on career progression and the job front too.

Is there a possibility of average students gaining from no exams?

No way. An average student might have prepared very well for the final exam/semester. If the exam is conducted, that particular student’s grades can improve. And, meritorious students will naturally have the chance of bettering their grades.

Then why students are clamouring against exams?

It’s a wrong conception. I know many students who want the exams to be conducted. They may not be as vocal. We have done a great disservice by keeping them waiting so long for the exams, triggering anxiety. Teachers and parents need to tell them that such shortcuts may be very detrimental in the long run.

Several faculty members claimed that many universities would not be able to conduct exams by September 30 because there is too little time to prepare.

On April 29, the UGC had told the varsities to conduct the final exams by July-end. Had the universities acted in time, many problems faced today could have been avoided. Now, we have extended the deadline till September 30. We are keeping a close watch on the situation.

Didi urges PM to restore UGC’s April guideline on final-yr exam

Didi urges PM to restore UGC’s April guideline on final-yr exam

New Schedule Would Adversely Affect Students, CM Says In Letter

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kolkata:  12.07.2020

Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to get the revised UGC guideline on holding of final-year examinations “re-examined” and restore the advisory it had issued in April.

“I would request you to get the matter re-examined immediately and restore the earlier advisory of UGC issued on April 29. This will facilitate state governments to implement their decisions taken on the basis of the UGC April guideline to protect the interests of the students at national/international levels,” Banerjee wrote.

The Bengal CM, while intimating the PM about the state advisory, said state universities haven’t dumped the UGC advisory making it compulsory for universities to hold formal examinations for final-year students. UGC wanted it with an eye on “academic credibility, career opportunities and future progress of students globally”.

Banerjee stated that state universities will hold a special examination for students willing to take it after the public health situation becomes normal across the country. For others, state universities have devised an alternate evaluation method providing “due weightage to internal assessment and performance of the candidate in the previous semesters”, Banerjee wrote.

The CM threw her weight behind the state plan while writing to the PM two days after education secretary Manish Jain made the “reexamination” appeal to the MHRD, sending out signals that Bengal isn’t quite confident about the Centre’s stance on the issue.

Banerjee wrote to the PM a day after Bengal vice chancellors approved the state plan on Friday. “It may be noted that state-aided universities have taken steps based on the state higher education department advisory. Students, their parents and stakeholders have overwhelmingly appreciated the June 27 state advisory. In fact, I am now receiving hundreds of emails from students and the teaching community raising concern over holding examinations according to revised UGC guidelines,” she said.

Banerjee held that in the prevailing situation, the revised UGC guideline would “adversely affect” students. The Bengal CM also made a mention that some states have “raised concern and voiced their disagreement” on the revised UGC guideline. They include Maharashtra and Punjab. Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh has announced that he would write to the Prime Minister and the Union home minister seeking cancellation of final-year examinations in universities and colleges in view of the rising Covid-19 graph. Singh also asked for scrapping of the MHA orders dated July 6.

A section of the academia and bureaucracy feels shaky over the “stepping up” of stance in the UGC-versusstate “standoff”. A senior state official pointed out that UGC should have consulted states before coming up with its revised guideline.

An administrator in the education front, however, put forward another view. “UGC is the degree-giving authority. There is no point confronting UGC that might put careers of students at stake,” he said. An official pointed out that higher education is in the Concurrent List. “States should have been consulted before UGC came up with a revised guideline,” the official added.

I would request you to get the matter re-examined immediately and restore the earlier advisory of UGC issued on April 29. This will facilitate state governments to implement their decisions taken on the basis of UGC’s April guideline to protect the interests of the students at national/international levels

MAMATA BANERJEE

Bengal chief minister

V-Cs write to guv for clarity as state and UGC differ on exams

V-Cs write to guv for clarity as state and UGC differ on exams

Hemali.Chhapia@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:  12.07.2020

On the question of whether to hold the final semester exams in the state or not, vice-chancellors of all state universities have dispatched a note to the chancellor seeking his advice on moving forward on the sticky issue.

After several twists and turns, vice-chancellors decided to step up and write to the governor about the timeline of the events around the exam issue, the abrupt stalling of the academic year, the pending exams, the mandate they received from the state government from time to time and the guidelines from the UGC.

“We realised that he [governor] was not being involved in this entire process,” a stakeholder, who requested anonymity, said. “After all, he is the chancellor, the supreme boss for us, and it is important that we keep him in the loop and follow what he asks us to do. While the state is asking us not to hold exams, the fresh UGC guidelines and the letter from home affairs make it mandatory to hold exams. We are confused and we want to seek his guidance.”

There is also the possibility of people approaching the courts for justice.

“The ATKT formula is irrational,” another stakeholder, also requesting anonymity, said. “It may push someone with backlogs ahead of a candidate who has cleared all subjects on merit. Moreover, professional apex bodies have stated that they will not award practising licence to students who are not assessed before they graduate. The state has not given universities anything in writing. To move forward with the decision of not holding exams and graduating everyone with ATKT, an ordinance will have to be passed and will have to be signed by the governor.”

The vice-chancellors seemed unhappy with the manner in which higher education minister Uday Samant has been “mandating” them to draw up various formulae to clear final year students, as also graduate those with backlogs. “After forcing V-Cs and directors into all this, he held a press briefing and made it all look like it was all our unanimous decision to not hold exams and to clear candidates who have backlogs,” a stakeholder said.

In the minutes of the statelevel meeting of vice-chancellors and directors, university bosses mentioned that all the points were prior to any fresh guidelines from the UGC. “We all knew that the UGC was slated to release fresh directions,” a vice-chancellor said.

On Thursday, Samant held a press conference and reiterated that exams could not be held till September. He claimed that the university heads had drawn a formula to clear almost 3.9 lakh final year students who had backlogs.

In that scenario, the class of 2020 may find it tough to find jobs, said experts. Some regulatory professional bodies may not allow such graduates to practice, as has been informed to the state. Academic honchos were shocked at the minister’s revelations in which he announced that all decisions were unanimously taken by vicechancellors and directors and not by the state.

Students heave sigh of relief as NIOS exams are cancelled

Students heave sigh of relief as NIOS exams are cancelled

Mumbai:  12.07.2020

Exams for secondary (X) and senior secondary (XII) courses conducted by National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), postponed twice earlier, have been cancelled, bringing relief to thousands of students. The decision was taken based on recommendations of the board’s result committee.

The board, in a circular on Saturday, said while results will be declared soon for vertical mobility of students, a one-time chance to appear for next public exams to improve performance will be given later, when the situation is conducive.

The board will consider best three scores of students, if they took four papers and cleared them, and best two if they took three subjects. If students have not taken exams their tutor marked assignments or practical marks will be considered for results. The circular with a detailed assessment scheme has been uploaded on NIOS’s site. TNN

Hyd students protest UGC guidelines on examinations

Hyd students protest UGC guidelines on examinations

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad:12.07.2020

Students of University of Hyderabad (UoH) and Maulana Azad National Urdu University (Manuu) have joined the nationwide agitation against University Grants Commission’s (UGC) recent guidelines on university exams by participating in online protests.

The UGC guidelines effectively extended the period for conducting final year/semester cohort exams (online, offline or combined mode) until September-end. It further allows students, who miss the September exam, to appear for a special exam “as and when feasible”.

Students from Hyderabad have termed the guidelines ‘anti-student’. As part of a larger nationwide protest, UoH and Manuu students will participate in various movements such as signature campaigns, mailing the Union HRD ministry over the next three days.

“Students should be promoted based on their past performance. Only those keen to improve their marks should be given an option to appear for exams. Already, students are under mental agony due to this pandemic. By setting a deadline for the exams, UGC is only making matters worse,” said UoH student union president, Abhishek Nandan.