Class 12 boards aren’t worth the public health risks. Focus instead on college admissions

Examination Hazard

Class 12 boards aren’t worth the public health risks. Focus instead on college admissions

31.05.2021

The ball is in the Centre’s court with a decision on conducting CBSE Class 12 examinations keenly awaited following deliberations with state governments. Union education ministry must firmly decide against scheduling these exams. In the best of times, the utility of obsessing over Class 12 marks has faced vigorous scrutiny amid college admission cutoffs overshooting all credible limits. Now, when public safety has forced the costly shutting down of workplaces, factories, schools, markets and non-essential services, conducting exams without commensurate benefits is mindless.

Exposing unvaccinated students to the virus in indoor settings over a prolonged period risks setting off too many disease clusters. Over 1.2 crore students are enrolled nationally in Class 12 every year: A scattered congregation of this big number is enough to recall the damage done by political and religious gatherings this summer. States demanding inclusion of 17-year-olds in the vaccination drive lack enough doses even for the 18-plus age group in the foreseeable future. Class 12 students have grappled with the uncertainties since January, by when exam schedules are usually announced. The indecision isn’t helping preparations or in easing their turmoil.

CBSE is also considering prior inter nal evaluations to grade students. Obviously, this can skew the field if grading yardsticks differ greatly between schools, or if schools pass on inflated marklists to CBSE. Using these results to evaluate higher education prospects of students would be unfair. Public universities like DU must move fast to replicate the rigorous assessments like online admission tests and interviews devised by private universities. Kicking the can down the road on such capacity expansion could lead to a situation akin to the current vaccine impasse where demand is high and supply is riddled with shortages and confusion.

Students have struggled in pre-pandemic times with preferred colleges making late admission decisions forcing them to weigh the inferior options. The situation could be aggravated manifold this year unless admission procedures are streamlined in advance. Alternatively, students unprepared for higher education this year deserve the flexibility to take board exams next year. Centre’s decision will have a ripple effect on the ISC and state boards. All these students deserve a level playing field. Entering the portals of higher education is a testing phase for students. Centre and state governments are on test too: Can they ensure a just, safe, glitch-free promotion of students to college education?

Doc treats Covid patients in home isolation for ₹10

A SHOT OF HOPE

Doc treats Covid patients in home isolation for ₹10

IN THESE GLOOMY TIMES, STORIES THAT GIVE US A SHOT OF HOPE

Mungara.Sunil@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad:31.05.2021 

A 65-year-old woman, Kamalamma, a resident of Boduppal, who recovered from Covid-19 in home isolation, is all praise for Dr Victor Emmanuel. Many recognise the doctor as a lifesaver for Covid-19 patients when several hospitals are struggling due to shortage of beds and oxygen cylinders.

“To me, doctor saab is like a God and my wife recovered from Covid-19 within a week with his medication. I have had to spend only 40,000, which is quite affordable for the treatment,” Kamalamma’s husband K Yadagari told TOI.

An employee of Centre for Good Governance (CGG), P Janaki Ram, whose seven family members recuperated after testing positive for Covid-19, spent only10,000 for the treatment. All the seven members were treated in home isolation under the doctor’s supervision. “If I had admitted my seven family members to a private hospital, the bill would have crossed 25 lakh,” said Janaki Ram.

Hundreds of families have recovered from the disease during the first wave and current wave under the doctor’s guidance. Dr Emmanuel, a general physician, runs Prajwala Clinics at Boduppal. His clinic is always packed with Covid-19 patients as the consultation fee is just

10. “I treated nearly 20,000 to 25,000 people having Covid-19 symptoms at an affordable rate. Another 500 patients were treated in the Covid-19 Isolation Centre. An old Medipally police station was converted into a 30-bed isolation centre,” said Dr Emmanuel.

Dr Emmanuel said that so far, all his patients have recovered from Covid-19. “The Almighty has given me an opportunity to serve the needy. Most of them are struggling financially due to the lockdown. My consultation fee has been fixed at 10 for a few families and is free for many poor families,” he said. On an average, 70 to 100 people visit the clinic every day.

Dr Victor Emmanuel

UAE extends India travel curbs till June

UAE extends India travel curbs till June

New Delhi:31.05.2021 

The UAE has further extended restriction on travellers from India till June 30, for now.

The most popular international destination for Indian travellers, the UAE imposed restrictions on flyers from India from April 25 due to the unfolding Covid catastrophe here and has extended the curbs, from time to time, ever since.

To be sure, all the over 20 countries which have imposed resections on travel from India starting mid-April when Covid situation was beginning to get out of hand here will lift the same only when the pandemic is under control here.

“Emirates has suspended passenger flights from India… until June 30, 2021. Furthermore, passengers who have transited through India in the last14 days will not be accepted for travel from any other point to United Arab Emirates. UAE nationals, holders of UAE golden visas, and members of diplomatic missions who comply with the revised published Covid-19 protocols will be exempt for travel,” Dubai-based mega carrier Emirates said on its website on Sunday. TNN

7 yrs of immeasurable pain, says Congress, lists govt’s ‘7 blunders’

7 yrs of immeasurable pain, says Congress, lists govt’s ‘7 blunders’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:31.05.2021 

The Modi government had caused immeasurable pain and suffering to Indians and betrayed their trust, Congress said Sunday as the NDA government completed seven years in office.

Listing out seven “blunders” by the government, from a failing economy to mishandling of the Covid pandemic, paucity of oxygen, rising unemployment and government’s inability to rein in foreign incursions on Indian soil, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the seven years accounted for “immeasurable pain, insurmountable devastation and unfathomable agony and anguish for a nation of 140 crore people”.

“Time has come to ask who is responsible for insurmountable devastation, agony and anguish and unfathomable pain that has been inflicted on the people of India,” he added.

Congress also released a seven-point chargesheet accusing the Modi government of abdicating its responsibility to people. MP Rahul Gandhi slammed the government for its alleged “misgovernance”. Rahul said the government needed to have the right intention, policy and determination to fight the pandemic, not just “monthly Mann ki Baat”.

Congress also defended its poor performance in elections and said its priority was to save the nation from the “Modi-made disaster”.

Sena slams Centre, calls for introspection

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday said India is surviving as a nation due to the good deeds of previous governments since the time of Nehru, and the present Modi government needs to introspect if it has been able to fulfil basic needs of people. “The country is surviving on the good deeds of previous governments since the time of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to Manmohan Singh... When you get majority, it means people have handed you power with faith and trust. The people's needs and demands are veryfew. They need livelihood. Roti, kapda makan (food, clothing and shelter) are important along with health and education facilities,” he said, adding the Centre should “introspect” if this has been achieved. PTI

Attention: The key to success

Attention: The key to success

The ability to manage attention holds the key to change one’s growth trajectory. Numerous learning applications thus now focus on improving attention power

Bijin.Jose@timesgroup.com

31.05.2021 

Learning is a lifelong pursuit. It expands the horizons of one's imagination and the scope of one's potentials. From a nascent stage, education systems around the world have been emphasising the significance of learning and acquiring knowledge. And, when it comes to learning, attention is the first step in this direction.

Attention is essentially one's ability to actively engage and process specific information or task. It is limited in its capacity and duration, making it vital to have measures to effectively manage it.

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, "Attention, in psychology, the concentration of awareness on some phenomenon to the exclusion of other stimuli." It has more to do with the immediate experience of the individual or their current state of awareness.

AN ESSENTIAL SKILL

Everyone is adequately equipped with attention skills. However, unable to pay attention both among children and adults is fairly commonplace. When it comes to education, students are required to focus on the lessons and instructions imparted by the teacher, or for adults, it's important to pay attention to the traffic signal.

The ability to pay attention is different in each individual. While it's easy to focus on things that capture our interests, it gets cumbersome when trying to pay attention to things that aren't very exciting. According to experts, emotions like feeling sad, depressed or anxious are a deterrent to paying attention.

While a century ago it wasn't possible, in 2021 technology is enabling people to manage their attention.

ATTENTION AND ACADEMICS

Every parent wants their child to excel in academics. Attention plays a strong role in other areas of life as well. However, harnessing the power of attention in the formative years can be beneficial and teachers, parents, and technology play a vital role in this. There is countless research that shows how improving or managing attention can help students enhance their academic performance. Considering the diversity in a classroom, it is unlikely that every child would learn and engage in unison. Individualised attention can be rewarding in this scenario. Today, technology is efficiently filling in the gaps offering highly customised and engaging ways to enhance attention.

Technology is offering solutions like addressing the specific needs of every child and adjusting the pace of their learning. With a host of learning applications, there is scope to impact the acquisition of knowledge.

EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

At present, the world is vastly divided in its perception of technology. While some believe the collective decrease in attention span is associated with the rise of technology, there are many who strongly vouch for tech that promotes attentions skill to improve productivity and academic performance. It is no longer a distraction, technology is offering numerous learning and education applications that help one focus, cancel distractions, and games to enhance cognitive abilities. These tools also help in mapping times of the day when the attention is the highest or lowest, giving students and teachers to effectively manage their attention and learning schedules.

TRAINING THE BRAIN

The brain needs as much fitness training as the body. Regularly challenging the brain can enhance performance in all kinds of cognitive activities like tasks related to concentration and memory. The modern-day learning apps are fun and engaging as they offer vibrant and interactive content to boost learning.

The key ingredients here are the will to learn and an insatiable curiosity. These applications are replete with information in the form of e-books, infographics, podcasts, and videos that are enabling many in their academic pursuits.

Technology is personalising education and offers engagement by cutting down on distractions. Dynamic content and interactive interfaces are not only offering knowledge, but also an efficient way to manage attention.

CONSUMER CONNECT INITIATIVE

HC asks Centre to consider FCRA relief for Covid-19 aid

HC asks Centre to consider FCRA relief for Covid-19 aid

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:31.05.2021

Delhi High Court has asked the Centre to treat as a representation a PIL seeking to exempt foreign contributions or aid, such as oxygen concentrators and medicines received for Covid-19 management and treatment, from the ambit of Foreign Contribution (Regulations) Act (FCRA) 2010 during the pandemic.

If the representation is made, the government will take a decision in eight weeks, the court said. A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh directed the Centre to take a decision in accordance with the rules and the government policy applicable and as early as possible and practicable.

The court disposed of the plea by charitable organisation Shri Sai Kirpa Society, which manages a medical centre at Sai Akshardham in Greater Noida, with assistance from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and National Heart Institute. In its petition, filed through advocate Gaurav Gupta, the society said a person of Indian origin in the US had wanted to send oxygen concentrators and life-saving drugs for Covid patients. But accepting it without any relief will violate FCRA, it added.

Meanwhile, a plea to give priority in Covid vaccination to NRIs and students who have to go for studies abroad has been moved in Delhi High Court and may be heard on Monday.

Move to extend doctors’ training not arbitrary: HC

Move to extend doctors’ training not arbitrary: HC

New Delhi:31.05.2021 

Delhi High Court has said that services of resident doctors are imperative for functioning of hospitals in the current Covid-19 pandemic situation and the authorities’ decision to extend their training beyond schedule cannot be ex facie arbitrary or unreasonable.

HC was hearing a plea by several doctors who are in DNB Super Speciality courses, challenging a May 4 notification by which the National Board of Examination had extended their training beyond the scheduled date of its completion.

The doctors said the DNB course is of three years and a mandatory extension of three months is permissible, which they have already served, and claimed that the authorities are not empowered to extend the course beyond this period.

“Having regard to the circumstances arising out of the pandemic and the need for continuation of residents as mentioned in the NMC advisory dated April 27, 2021, which has not been challenged in the writ petition, I am unable to accede to (advocate Sidharth) Yadav’s request for an interim order,” Justice Prateek Jalan said.

The court agreed with the submission of advocate T Singhdev for the NMC and advocate Kirtiman Singh for the NBE that the availability of resident doctors is imperative for the functioning of hospitals. “In the present situation, the decision of the respondents cannot be said to be ex facie arbitrary or unreasonable,” it said. PTI