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Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged society on Thursday to treat sons and daughters equally and to treat them as equals, claiming that if a society fails to recognise girls’ skills, it will never grow. PM Modi made these statements while responding to a question during a “Pariksha Pe Charcha” interaction with students, noting that things have evolved since a time when prejudice between males and girls was evident. In terms of new students, girls are expected to outnumber boys, he said, adding that every Indian may now be proud of the spirit and aspirations of girls. “Now, girls have become a big asset and strength for every family. The more this change occurs, the better it is,” he said. He noted that there was a time when many parents believed that their limited resources should be spent on sons so that they can take care of them later because they expected their daughters to not work and instead settle down in their in-laws’ house, but that while such a mindset still exists in some places, things have largely changed. In society, sons and daughters should be treated equally. “It’s a requirement of this era.” It is a requirement of every era,” the prime minister added, citing prominent female figures such as Ahilya Bai and Lakshmi Bai for their contributions to respective areas. He believes that equal opportunities for girls should be institutionalised, noting that they thrive in a variety of professions, from sports to science. He says that there are more women in parliament now than ever before, and that their numbers are growing in the police and security forces. He also says that girls consistently outperform boys in board exams. While women hold half of the elected panchayat seats in Gujarat, they have also been winning general seats, demonstrating society’s faith in their talents, he said. Modi also mentioned the enormous number of women working in the nursing and teaching areas, and joked that males might stage a rally demanding that their quotas be fixed. “If boys and girls are given an equal opportunity, then the latter may do better,” he said. According to the prime minister, he has witnessed daughters who do not marry in order to care for their parents, as well as parents who live in old age homes despite their sons leading a wonderful life away from them. Source: PTI

The Gujarat government notified the Gujarat Assembly on Monday that over 13,000 state-run primary schools lack computer laboratories. In response to a question from Congress MLA Ashvin Kotwal, state Education Minister Jitu Vaghani claimed in a written response that 13,818 elementary schools do not have computer labs. According to Vaghani’s data, the tribal-dominated Dahod district contains 1,024 such primary schools, followed by Mehsana (991), and Chhotaudepur (928). Patan 786, Kutch 739 and Mahisagar with 642. In reply, Vaghani stated that, rather than computer laboratories, the state government has decided to establish “smart classrooms” in schools as part of its “Gyankunj Project” to provide education using the latest technology. Source: PTI

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has urged public universities, colleges, and private universities to use the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) to enroll candidates to undergraduate programmes from the 2022-23 academic session onwards. Rajnish Jain, the UGC secretary, has written to all university and college vice-chancellors, directors, and principals, urging them to adopt CUET, for which the application window will be available from April 2 to April 30. For the time being, CUET has been mandated for the 45 central universities beginning in the upcoming academic year. Students will not have to take multiple admission tests if all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), regardless of affiliation, adopt the CUET, Jain stated in the letter. It will also provide students from other boards an equal chance, he noted. “Many state universities, deemed to be universities, private universities, and other Higher Education Institutions in the country also use either marks of 12th board or conduct entrance test for admission in UG programmes. To save students from appearing in multiple entrance examinations, conducted in different dates, sometimes coinciding with each other, and to also provide equal opportunity to all students from different boards, UGC invites and encourages all state universities, deemed to be universities, private universities and other HEIs to adopt and use CUET score from 2022-23 onwards for admissions of students in their UG programs,” mentions the UGC letter. Meanwhile, the National Testing Agency (NTA), which will conduct the CUET, published the broad instructions for the test on its website nta.ac.in on Sunday. The test is expected to take place in the first week of July. The test will be broken into four components based on the NCERT class 12 syllabus. Applicants in Sections I A and I B will be required to take language exams. Each segment will include 50 questions, with the candidate having to answer 40 of them. Section II will assess a candidate’s knowledge of core courses that they want to study in college. In the Section II paper, which will also be 45 minutes long, a candidate will have to answer 40 out of 50 questions. Section III of the CUET will be a general test for any undergraduate programme or programmes offered by universities that use a General Test for admission rather than accepting students based on their domain subject scores.

At the fifth edition of the ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha,’ which will be conducted on April 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will give students pointers on how to cope with exam stress, according to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. On February 16, 2018, the prime minister’s interactive event with school and college students was held for the first time at the Talkatora Stadium here. “The interaction every youngster is looking forward to is going to be held on 1st April, 2022. Get mentored, seek advice, learn pro tips to beat stress, nervousness and exam blues from PM Shri @narendramodi ji. #ExamWarriors, teachers & parents get ready for #PPC2022,” tweeted Pradhan. The event has attracted a total of 12.12 lakh students, 2.71 lakh teachers, and 90,000 parents. This session will focus on some of the key questions on examination. Doordarshan will be broadcasting the program live. Apart from Doordarshan, the programme can be heard on All India Radio, PMO’s live web streaming, Ministry of Education, Doordarshan, My.gov.in, and the Ministry of Education’s You Tube channel, Facebook Live, and Swayaprabha channels. This year’s themes for students, teachers, and parents are all different. Exam stress management strategies for COVID19, Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, Self-reliant school for self-reliant India, Clean India, green India, Digital collaboration in Classrooms, Environmental conservation, and climate change resilience are among the themes for students. Students and other stakeholders can visit My Gov’s official website for more information. The Ministry of Education’s Department of School Education and Literacy has conducted this event for the past four years. The first three editions of PPC were held in a town-hall format in New Delhi. Last year’s fourth edition was held online on April 7th.

The National Testing Agency will conduct the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the academic year 2022-23, and test dates would be notified within a week, according to University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman M Jagdesh Kumar. The test would be required for admission to undergraduate courses at UGC-funded central universities, but state, private, and deemed-to-be universities will be able to opt out if they desire, he said. “All higher educational institutions, irrespective of whether they are state universities, private universities, or deemed to be universities, all of them can use the CUET scores for admission in UG and PG programmes. However, it may be noted that admission in UG programmes in all central universities funded by the UGC will be solely on CUET scores,” the UGC chairman said. “We have decided to give wide choice to students to pick the subjects…a candidate can take as many as six domain subjects in addition to a compulsory language test and also the general test,” he added. In CUET 2022, there will be 43 domain-specific subjects. According to the UGC chairman, universities can set their own minimum percentages for admission to UG programmes in class 12 board exams, and there would be no centralised CUET counselling process. The entrance test, according to the newly-appointed chairman of the UGC, will provide a common platform for admission to all universities and colleges across the country, as well as equal opportunities to students studying under different boards, particularly those from the North East region and other rural and remote areas. “CUET is expected to reduce the financial burden on parents and students since students do not have to write multiple entrance exams for admission to UG and PG programmes,” he added.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said on Sunday that the ancient gurukul system of education has played a significant role in the comprehensive and well-rounded development of individuals. In a Facebook post, Naidu mentioned his visit to Haridwar’s Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya on Saturday. He described the university as a non-conventional centre of higher learning, inspired by the ideals of Shriram Sharma Acharya, a spiritual leader and social reformer in modern India. “With around 1500 full-time residential students and researchers, the university is adopting a gurukul-type system of community living. “The institution is devoted to holistic education by combining practical knowledge (shiksha) with spiritual education (vidya) and seeks to provide a comprehensive learning experience to every student,” he posted on Facebook. The Vice President was reminded of the ancient gurukul system’s remarkable importance in the holistic and well-rounded development of individuals. Naidu expressed his excitement at learning that the university and Gayatri Parivar have been using music and folk songs to combat societal problems such as casteism and gender discrimination, as well as to promote nationalism among the public at large. He further mentioned that the university has its own gaushala (cow shelter) with around 300 cows of indigenous breeds. According to Naidu, the Swavalamban Kendra uses contemporary and scientific processes to make various cow products, and he is confident that such projects, in keeping with Gandhi ji’s Gramodyog idea, may give farmers with an alternative source of income. Source: PTI

According to revised norms proposed by the University Grants Commission, holders of four-year undergraduate degrees with a minimum CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) of 7.5 will be eligible for admission to PhD programmes. In its recent draft of amendments to the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of Ph.D Degree) Regulations, 2016, the UGC also proposed that 60 percent of available seats in all higher education institutions be reserved for National Eligibility Test (NET)/ Junior Research Fellowship (NET-JRF) qualified candidates. During the 556th commission meeting on March 10, the draft UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2022, were approved. The changes are in line with the National Education Policy, 2020 (NEP 2020). According to UGC officials familiar with the situation, the proposed regulations will be released for public comment on Thursday. While the admissions procedure would remain same, the draft guidelines revised the eligibility criteria following the discontinuation of the MPhil degree under NEP 2020 and the introduction of four-year undergraduate programmes (FYUP), according to the document. Universities and colleges will now be able to provide 4-year undergraduate degrees with several exit and entry options under the NEP 2020. Several universities, notably Jawaharlal Nehru University and Delhi University, have already made the decision to implement similar programmes beginning this year. Students will receive honours with a research undergraduate degree after finishing a four-year degree programme. Candidates with a four-year bachelor’s degree in research with a minimum 7.5 CGPA, as well as first and second-year postgraduate students (after completing a four-year programme), will be eligible for admission to PhD programmes under the new proposed rules. “The four-year undergraduate programme is beneficial to students in several ways,” UGC chairperson Jagadesh Kumar confirmed the development. Those interested in research in their final year have the option of doing multidisciplinary research or focusing on a single discipline. Those who excel in the four-year undergraduate degree are entitled to apply for a PhD programme. This, I believe, will enhance our country’s research ecosystem.” Candidates who have completed their M.Phil with at least a 55 percent aggregate will also be eligible. “The MPhil degree shall be de-specified from the Academic year 2022-23 onwards. MPhil degree awarded till the date of notification of these regulations shall remain valid,” the document stated. The document also stated that NET/JRF qualified students would fill 60% of the total unfilled seats for the academic year. “The remaining 40% qualified students on the basis of interviews conducted by the concerned institute through the university/common entrance test,” it stated. The minimum duration for completing a PhD has been reduced from three to two years under the new regulations, while the maximum duration has stayed fixed at six years. The UGC has also allowed research researchers to take time off to participate in research expeditions, research missions, and exchange programmes. The proposed laws also grant the financially deprived groups a 5% waiver in eligibility standards (EWS). The document went on to underline the need of research topics that are “socially relevant, locally need-based, and nationally essential” in terms of delivering value to society. Several amendments to the role and obligations of research supervisors and co-supervisors have been proposed, the most significant of which is that they will be able to supervise two overseas students on a supernumerary basis. Furthermore, under the modified regulations, higher education institutions will be responsible for assessing the quality of PhD degrees, and they will be permitted to develop guidelines in this regard.  

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has developed bridge course modules for out-of-school children, which include various activities that are helpful in bridging learning gaps, in order to address issues related to shortfalls or loss of learning among students during and after the lockdown. The various states were also asked to create and implement the School Readiness Module Bridge Course in classrooms for the initial one or two months for each grade. Minister of State for Education Annpurna Devi provided the information in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Monday. NCERT has also prepared an ‘Alternative Academic Calendar,’ which is a week-by-week learning plan for grades 1 to 12. “The spread of Covid-19 pandemic has impacted school education across the world. Schools in States and Union Territories were closed as a precautionary measure to protect the students fromthe coronavirus,” she said. COVID-19, she says, has disrupted pupils’ learning from pre-school to grade 12. Education is on the Constitution’s concurrent list, and the majority of schools are under the jurisdiction of state and local governments. She noted that the Ministry of Education held multiple consultations with states and UTs during the pandemic to analyse the various components of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Alternative Academic Calendar is a collection of fun activities and challenges based on the syllabus’s topics and themes. It connects topics and themes to learning outcomes, making it easier for teachers and parents to measure students’ progress in a variety of ways. Also, links for e-resources have been provided for those learners who have access to the internet. The Ministry of Education (MoE) will also start a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy called ‘National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat)’ on July 5, 2021, under the aegis of Samagra Shiksha, according to the minister. The National Mission establishes goals and action plans for states to meet the goal of every child being proficient in foundational literacy and numeracy by third grade. For pupils in class 1, the Vidya Pravesh module has been launched. This play is based on a three-month school readiness programme for children entering Class I. In addition, the ministry of education has launched PM eVIDYA, a comprehensive initiative that unites all activities connected to digital, online, and on-air education to enable multi-mode access to education. Source: IANS

According to an official, the University Grants Commission (UGC) aims to develop a system in which industry specialists can teach as full-time or part-time faculty members in central universities. It has also been advocated that specialists without a Ph.D. or NET qualification be permitted to teach in institutions. Special posts — professor of practise and associate professor of practise — will be created, according to the official. As per the proposal, experts who are willing to teach can be hired as full-time or part-time faculty members, depending on the needs of the university, according to the official, who also added that those who have retired at the age of 60 will be eligible for these positions and will be able to work until the age of 65. This was discussed at the UGC chairman’s meeting with the vice-chancellors of central universities on Thursday. According to the source, the UGC will organise a committee to investigate how this might be accomplished and will present its findings. There are also plans to create a portal that would serve as a single point of entry for those interested in applying to universities. Professor Abha Dev Habib of Delhi University slammed the action, claiming that the government is “freeing itself from the pressure of providing permanent posts to qualified teachers.” “Teachers who have been teaching for several years are not “experts,” and so cannot be hired on a permanent basis or even be considered for permanent interviews” (as is the case in many Delhi University departments). “However, those labelled “experts” by the BJP-RSS may be inserted into any system,” she wrote on Facebook. “A step towards dismantling higher education,” tweeted Aishe Ghosh, president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union. A Ph.D. is required to get into a university as a professor or associate professor, according to the UGC minimum qualifications for appointment of teachers and other academics. Source: PTI

Prof. Ram Kumar Kakani took over charge as Director of the Indian Institute of Management Raipur from Prof. Bharat Bhasker. During his tenure, Prof. Bharat Bhasker was influential in the growth of IIM Raipur, which ascended to 15th place in the NIRF ranking of B-schools in India. Prof. Kakani was previously the Head of the Center for Governance at IIM Kozhikode, and he was contacted by India’s premier public administration institution, LBSNAA Mussoorie, for an assessment of IAS officials’ training needs. Prof. Kakani taught at XLRI Jamshedpur and has worked as a professor in Denmark, Nigeria, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. Prof. Kakani has also served as the Director of the National Center for Leadership Development and Competency Assessment of the Indian government. Prof. Kakani provided the following thoughts on the future expansion and developments in management education: Enhance the quality of management education, elevating it and delivering it as a premium model, Enhance international linkages, attracting highly talented faculty of international standing and administrative colleagues to the Institute, Work closely with the Government towards strengthening its governance efficiency as well as effectiveness and also its various development as well as welfare programmes, Work closely with the Small and Medium Enterprises in Chhattisgarh towards turning them around and their reengineering; Launch new programmes on hitherto unexplored areas such as Mining Management, as Chhattisgarh is a mineral rich state and accounts for a large share in country’s mineral production. Prof. Kakani began his professional career as a corporate technocrat before transitioning to higher education, where he specialised in Finance-Performance-Strategy. With publishers such as Cambridge, Sage, Routledge, and McGraw-Hill, he has co-authored a number of works in the fields of finance and public administration. He is an active case writer and researcher.