Education will lay the foundation of India's future, says Mukherjee

President Pranab Mukherjee has said that education being imparted in schools will lay the foundation of India's future.

Mukherjee was speaking at the Jagat Taran Girls Inter College here, where he inaugurated a new building and also unveiled a statue of Chintamani Ghosh, founder of the legendary 'Indian Press' which used to publish 'Saraswati' - a Hindi literary magazine of repute.

Mukherjee said that Ghosh made great contribution towards promoting Hindi language and literature and in publishing the first Hindi monthly magazine 'Saraswati'.

Mukherjee further said that the youth are the builders of our future and of the nation. We will have to make them the medium for change and development through education.

He stated that children should be taught that they should not merely be good students but should also inculcate in themselves the desire and energy to serve society.

The President emphasized on the need to increase the education and literacy levels of women.

He said that schools will have to prepare aware citizens who respect humanity and rise above the feeling of hatred, violence and discrimination to contribute in the development of a strong and vibrant nation.

Among the dignitaries present on the occasion was Governor of Uttar Pradesh , B.L. Joshi.

http://www.aninews.in/newsdetail2/story147300/education-will-lay-the-foundation-of-india-039-s-future-says-mukherjee.html

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Public needs education in traffic rules: Gaur

BHOPAL: Four days after taking charge as state's home minister, octogenarian Babulal Gaur, on Thursday, said it is not police, but people who need to change and improve their traffic sense.

Speaking to mediapersons, Gaur said, "People do not follow traffic rules which is a major reason for accidents. Drunk driving is a menace and needs to be curbed. He argued that people don't want to stop at traffic signals and look for an opportunity to speed-off, even when the red lights are on."

"What is needed is public education in traffic rules. And, we have decided to organize a Jan Jagran Abhiyan from January 5 to January12, during which the police department will observe Traffic Awareness Week,'' said Gaur.

During the awareness week, the department will run special campaigns to make Bhopal people and other cities aware of traffic rules.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/Public-needs-education-in-traffic-rules-Gaur/articleshow/27986889.cms

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Vocational education can make Gujarat a model state

VADODARA: Gujarat can become a model state with effective implementation of the National Vocational Education Qualification Framework (NVEQF), chairman of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) Dr S S Mantha said on Tuesday. Mantha was speaking on the sidelines of M S University's 62nd annual convocation ceremony.

Mantha, one of the alumni of MSU's faculty of technology and engineering, assured that AICTE, the highest body of technical education in the country, is ready to provide all assistance to Gujarat government for effective implementation of NVEQF.

"The gross enrollment ratio (GER) in our country is just around 19 percent in contrast to United States where the GER is as high as 80 per cent. Presently, 50 million students in the age group of 18 to 23 years clear their board and plus two level exams, but only 25 million students out of them go to college. There are over 10,000 it is in the country which provide trade-based training, but the society does not take it seriously considering it as terminal in nature," Mantha said.

NVEQF, which has recently been cleared by Government of India, can increase GER from present 19 per cent to 25 per cent within a year. The scheme establishes a system to clear educational pathways from school to higher education while providing certification of vocational skills.

"There are seven certificate levels and we can use the existing colleges to implement the scheme. Within a year's time, one million students across the country can be trained through this scheme," said Mantha, adding that even 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh youths in around 600 colleges in Gujarat, it can become a big step for the state.

Kamla Raman Vatika (convocation ground) behind university head office was jam-packed with students, parents, teachers and university staff after a gap of many years.

A total of 156 students were conferred 287 gold medals during the convocation ceremony in which state education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama was the chief guest.

"I am happy to have cleared my subjects with distinction," said Raghav Bharvad, who hails from Kheda's small village Kunjara, and is amongst the few in his community to have received gold medal.

"Since my childhood I wanted to get into MSU," said Bharvad, son of a farmer, who did part time jobs at showrooms to finance his own education.

While Bharvad aims to clear PhD and become a professor after completing his masters in arts, Komal Pandya, who made a hat-trick of sorts, wants to turn into a higher secondary school teacher.

Pandya had bagged a gold medal in 2010 after she cleared her bachelors in science. Later, she received a gold medal in 2012 when she cleared her M Sc and on Tuesday she bagged four gold medals after she cleared her BEd with high academic score. "I am proud that I have received six gold medals in six years," she said.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-12-25/vadodara/45561033_1_convocation-ceremony-nveqf-vocational-education-qualification-framework

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Educate India!

Bhalchandra Mungekar enumerates some urgent issues in India's education policy that need to be addressed on a priority basis.

It is needless to repeat the role of education in individual and social life. It enables an individual to understand things better; makes him well-informed and helps to participate in the democratic process of the country. Depending upon the level and quality of his education, enhances his social status and improves his employment opportunities. From the society’s point of view, a literate, well-informed, vigilant and, economically more efficient and productive labour force is a greater asset in; making democracy participative and also making the rulers accountable and accelerating the overall pace of socio-economic development.

Good quality elementary and secondary  education, as also higher, vocational, technical and professional education has played a critical role in making countries economically and industrially advanced. It needs to be specially mentioned that the Gross Enrolment Ratio ( or GER is the ratio of children to total college-age going, say, 18-22 age group)  joining higher education institutions in the developed countries is about 70 per cent, while for the developing countries it is about 35 per cent. Even for China, it is now about 28 to 30 per cent.

In India, real educational development as such began only after Independence. For the British were not interested in mass but in class education, to serve their colonial interests. Thus, though India’s achievements in the field of education of all kinds, compared to the conditions prevailing at the time of independence cannot be described as stupendous, it also cannot be considered unsatisfactory: be it literacy rate, gross enrolment ratio at the elementary and secondary level, or the spread of higher, technical and professional education. Our GER in the higher education has improved from about 11 per cent in 2004-05 to about 18 per cent now. Still it is certainly low vis-s-vis what it ought to be in view of the technologically fast changing globalising economy.

Nevertheless, our education system continues to suffer from fundamental problems that need urgent attention of both Central and more importantly,the state governments. First, the much-quoted Kothari Commission, in 1966, recommended six per cent of the national income to be spent on education. But despite huge increase in the expenditure on education during the Eleventh Plan (20 per cent of the total Plan outlay), the total expenditure (Centre and States put together) has not crossed even four percent.

—The author is former member of the Planning Commission and former vice chancellor, Mumbai University

http://www.dnaindia.com/academy/column-educate-india-1939913

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‘Muslims must focus on education to benefit from India’s progress’

NAGPUR: The 125th anniversary of well known academic institution Anjuman Hami-e-Islam was celebrated at its sprawling campus in Sadar on Monday morning. The function's chief guest MSA Siddiqui, who is also the chairman of National Commission of Minority Educational Institutions said, "Muslims need to get out of the minority mindset and focus on educating themselves to reap the benefits of India's march towards development."

Anjuman Hami-e-Islam has made a name for itself by pioneering academic excellence and serving all sections of the society. A press release from the institution said it had "a reputation of service to the downtrodden and neglected sections of the society". The trust is running more than 20 educational institutions, including primary and secondary schools, women's degree college, a polytechnic and an engineering college.

The institutions are catering to the educational needs of not just Muslims but also students from all economically and socially backward sections. Sustained efforts of the management had resulted in thousands of young people from poor backgrounds making successful careers and becoming productive elements contributing to nation building.

Over the past few weeks, various events were held to mark this event by various institutions of Anjuman Hami-e-Islam and Monday's event marked the culmination of the series.

City MP Vilas Muttemwar too praised the institution for its role in redefining the way education was imparted in the society. "Anjuman Hami-e-Islam has made outstanding contribution to education and the social fabric of the entire region. Students here must make the most of their good fortune of having been admitted to this glorious institution," he said.

RTM Nagpur University vice-chancellor Vikas Sapkal said it was important for educational institutions to keep pace with global developments. "I congratulate Anjuman Hami-e-Islam for the services it has rendered to the society and the nation in the past 125 years," he said. Academic scholar Maulana Amiruddin Malak stressed the need to infuse value education in the teaching and training imparted in conventional institutions. "There is a need for institutions to focus on spiritual as well as temporal development of students," said Malak.

Sheikh Shabbir, convenor of the celebrations, presented a brief history of the institution that has now become a landmark in central India.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Nagpur/Muslims-must-focus-on-education-to-benefit-from-Indias-progress/articleshow/27808665.cms

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Education dept to recommend derecognition of Silver Oak

NASHIK: The deputy director of education, Nashik, will be recommending the derecognization of the Silver Oak School to the state government for violating the norms of the Right to Education (RTE) Act and failing to produce documents asked for by the education officers. The decision was taken on Monday afternoon at a hearing at the deputy director's office.

The hearing was with regards to whether the school should be derecognized, based on the suggestion of the zilla parishad's education department that conducted an inquiry following complaints by parents that their wards were not permitted in classes earlier in December. ZP officials, officials of the NMC's education department and a representative of the school were present at the hearing.

Seven students of the primary section of the school's Sharanpur branch and three in the Chandsi branch were not permitted in their classes on December 6, 2013, allegedly for non-payment of fees from the last academic year. The parents of these students, who are suspended employees of the school, have been demanding a concession of fees for their wards.

On December 9, assistant commissioner (education) of Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) Vasudha Kurnawal said she was allegedly mistreated by the headmistress of Silver Oak School when she went to inquire on the issue. Kurnawal submitted a report to the deputy director of education about the episode. A four-member inquiry committee had been constituted by the ZP primary education office and the report was submitted to the deputy director of education last week. The committee had suggested that the school be derecognized.

"We did not receive satisfactory documents from the school. The school has violated RTE norms of providing free and compulsory education to children. As per RTE, the school cannot deprive these children of education. It is also mentioned in the RTE that education officers should be given the necessary documents of the school from time to time," said R S Mogal, education officer (primary) of the Nashik ZP.

"The headmistress and some representatives were present for the hearing but were not able to produce the relevant documents. No proper authority of the school was present. The education officers of NMC and ZP recommended that the school should be derecognized. We recommend to the government that the school be derecognized," said Tukaram Supe, deputy director of education.

The school authorities declined to comment on the issue, stating that it was sub-judice. "The parents have moved the High Court so we cannot comment," said Shailesh Singh, official spokesperson of the school.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Nashik/Education-dept-to-recommend-derecognition-of-Silver-Oak/articleshow/27811243.cms

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Policy watch: Education system promotes non-inclusive growth

The government loves to talk about inclusive growth. But it remains mostly talk. There was a possibility that inclusive growth could gain acceleration. But post 1976, the momentum faltered.

That is most unfortunate.

A good indicator of this failure can be got from a study done by the prestigious IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) in 2008 (view chart).

Watch the manner in which lower income group enrollments have dipped or just ambled along after 1976. Though low income groups account for almost 50% of India’s population, their share in first-rate educational institutions is barely 10%.

Don’t blame the IITs for this. The problem is that lower income groups do not qualify at the joint entrance examinations (JEEs) which filters students on the basis of academic performance so that they could cope with the academic standards of excellence that the IITs were set up to pursue.

Why did the poor fare so badly? Elementary! Basic schooling has failed them. The government focussed on making them weaker through doles, rather than make them ‘fitter’, to cope with the world, through education.

Thus, while the middle and high income groups could afford private education and education at home (the more likely cause), the poor were left to fend for themselves. The education system did not pick them up. They could not compete for the best courses. And, like drug addicts, they were hooked on doles for life.

Education is, after all, a great leveller. It empowers even a man from the slums to aspire to rub shoulders with the brightest and the best in society – armed with the strength that good education and intelligence provide. Had the government focussed on good primary and secondary education, poor people could have blossomed and could have contributed enormously to the country’s economic growth.

But why did the enrollment percentage of upper income groups decline? There could be three reasons. First, the affluent could have gone overseas to study, especially if they managed to get admission to an MIT or a Stanford. Or they might have opted for business or management studies. The third is inevitability. Since the affluent comprise under 5% of the population, the dip was inevitable, as middle income groups began asserting themselves.

The rise of the middle-income group in enrollments is quite interesting. It underlines the unfortunate manner of empowerment in India – not through education but through money. Have money, and you can give your child good education. Don’t have money – then remain condemned to the lowest rungs of society.

The pathetic state of school education in India is quite well documented by now. All studies have shown that many Std VIII students cannot read sentences or do simple sums that they were supposed to learn in Std III. The automatic compulsory promotion of all students up to Std VIII without examinations will worsen the situation. Enrollment figures will look better – especially in secondary education thanks to the automatic promotion policy – but quality will suffer. All studies reiterate that barely 20% of Indian graduates can be called employable.

Compelling IITs to reserve seats will be horrendously counter-productive. It will drag down IIT’s even further. Do remember how government policies have caused IITs to now rank lower than Punjab University (according to a study done by Times Higher Education, which got tremendous media coverage just a fortnight ago).

True, the government spends large sums of money on school education. But it refuses to link financial grants to academic outcomes (based on a rigorous and credible independent examination). Only that will compel schools to focus on the quality of education. Without such conditions, the irresponsible splurge of money will continue.

And the poor will remain excluded.


http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-policy-watch-education-system-promotes-non-inclusive-growth-1939390

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Kerala first among states in India in education sector

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has come out first among states in the country in the sectors of education, micro-finance, agriculture, marketing and investment in a survey conducted by a leading magazine.In last year's survey, Kerala was in the second place among the states. Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu secured the second and third positions this year.

Goa topped the list of best governed states in the smaller states category.

The survey pointed out a 10 per cent increase in domestic production in Kerala indicated that the economic recession had not affected the state.

In the education sector, the teacher-student ratio had become 1:25 as against the national ratio of 2:100. The per capita income of citizens in the state had also increased.

The magazine described Kerala as a state that had achieved economic growth and human resource development.

http://zeenews.india.com/news/kerala/kerala-first-among-states-in-india-in-education-sector_898669.html

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Corporate drive for education

For the corporate world, education and philanthropy seem to be becoming synonymous today. From Birla to Ambani, Premji to Munjal, all are into education— not as part of their corporate affairs, but in their personal capacities.

The motivation, they say, is the urge to give back to the society.

Education and skill development are areas that not only make for good philanthropy, but also offer long-term benefits for business houses. The oft repeated complaint is that graduates are not employable, creating an obvious gap in supply and demand in the job sector. . No wonder, some business houses are taking it upon themselves to seal this gap.

For the Munjal family, it is not a new thing either. The family has been in the education industry since 1963, says Akshay Munjal, Executive Director, BML Educorp Services.

However, now the family is upping the ante as it feels the need to be more “research-focused”. Changing policies are making it easier for private entities to enter the field, says Munjal.

The Hero Group’s BML Munjal University School of Management has tied up with the Imperial College of London so that “students get the best of both worlds”.

However, Munjal adds they try and keep the courses as affordable as possible. With their MBA course fee at Rs 3 lakh, and IT courses at Rs 2 lakh, this is not far off the mark. Compared to this, the IIM-Bangalore’s two-year post-graduate course has a fee of Rs 13 lakh.

It is estimated that through its various educational initiatives, the Munjal family, which is also the founder promoters of the Indian School of Business-Mohali, has educated over 200,000 Indians. “In our case, it is a family fund,” he says.

Others in the category include O.P. Jindal and Shiv Nadar. The Shiv Nadar Foundation also has several educational initiatives such as the Shiv Nadar University and the Vidya Gyan schools in rural India.

Nita Ambani’s Reliance Foundation is another major entity in the education business. The foundation is offering local schools logistical and financial support, and also building teacher capacity and infrastructure.

Education to more than 15,000 children across 12 schools has been provided through the foundation. “Through the Dhirubhai Ambani Scholarship, the foundation supports meritorious students across the country, including the differently abled,” says a spokesperson of the foundation, adding these scholarships have benefited more than 10,000 students.

Within the school education system, the foundation is focusing more on secondary education. According to a study, ‘Secondary education in India: Development policies, programmes and challenges’, only 16 per cent of India’s education budget is spent on secondary education compared with 62 per cent for primary education.

While so far the Reliance Foundation has mostly been involved with developing school education, it is now also planning a university in Maharashtra.

While the big names are getting into education, those tracking the sector say the reason for their involvement is simple: they are getting to tap talent. But they face challenges as well. Lack of clear-cut norms/policies for private sector participation in higher education has been an issue, says an industry association.

Lack of clarity on funding pattern, incentives, and regulatory oversight has been another deterrent.

But now, the Government has been seriously addressing these issues, in order to provide a clear road map to the private and corporate sectors. The result, as an educationist said, will benefit the students – who can avail themselves of wider canvas to decide from and not everyone needs to cross the oceans to get a degree.


http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/corporate-drive-for-education/article5490262.ece

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'Education institutions should be visionary'

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) may soon approve formation of a network of representatives from the clinical research fraternity in the country. These could include experts from medical colleges, pharmacy colleges, government medical centres, private hospitals and research centres across the country. This network of professionals could be engaged in providing the required support and assistance for the conduct of drug monitoring  and human studies in country.

The move is expected to bolster efforts to register the disease registries in the country to be able to get a direction on the kind of novel drugs required in the country to tackle some of the infectious diseases.

The Council has assessed the shortfall of experts over the growing number of drugs available for any disease or disorder. Therefore, it is looking to ensure a system in place with the formation of a network of representatives. The working committees and expert groups are already formed to put in place a network of clinical research representatives.

“We have sent in a proposal to our parent body, ICMR, for the creation of a network of representatives from the clinical research space,” said Dr Nilima Kshirsagar, National Chair (Clinical Pharmacology), Indian Council of Medical Research, dean, ESI-PGIMSR MGM Hospital.

Dr Kshirsagar who was in Bengaluru for the IPSCON 2013 stated that the network of clinical research representatives identified by ICMR would look to partner with the Medical Council of India and the Department of Health Research. This would be the first effort to capacity building of human resources in the sector of clinical research and pharmacovigilance.

“India needs policy action and evaluation of the current protocols in the area of clinical research. There is need for studies with old generic drugs, evaluation of risks and cost availability benefits with the existing medicines. The lacunae  is that despite some of the excellent research centres, the country lacks the representative data of drug studies on humans. This has seen the delay in the regulatory approvals. If the necessary drug references are made accessible, it would also be easy for drug regulators to speed up clearances,” she added.

Now the key benefit of the network of representatives is that  it could provide the required efficiency and transparency in having a better understanding of a disease and plan for research. It could help the country to maintain a database of drugs in the market and in the pipeline.

 The big benefit would be to the regulatory authority in helping take faster decisions on the submitted application for dug clearances by the pharma industry, she noted.CANACONA: Goa's educational institutions should go beyond just their prescribed syllabus to equip students with suitable skill sets, said governor Bharat Vir Wanchoo, addressing students, parents and teachers at Mallikarjun College of Arts and Commerce at Cancona today.

"Our educational institutions need to be visionary, creative, responsible and effective. They should think of reorienting their efforts in order to make our colleges at par with the best institutions in the country and world. The higher educational scenario today is vast and highly complex- therefore, there is need for modernization and innovation," he added.

Wanchoo further emphasized the crucial role of higher education including technical education in the development of the state and the country.

Admiring the scenic beauty of Cancona, Wanchoo said that the elected representatives should ensure that the fragile environment of the taluka was protected in the course of implementing the planned economic developmental activities in Cancona.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Goa/Education-institutions-should-be-visionary/articleshow/27760579.cms

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