Education Community

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Symbiosis International (Deemed University) (SIU) students on their Golden Jubilee on Sunday, saying that they had earned a name for themselves through academic research and the creation of national and international diversity on campus. “Congratulations to Symbiosis International (Deemed University) on marking their Golden Jubilee. They have made a mark with their academic research, and national as well as international diversity on campus. My best wishes to the staff, students, and alumni for their future endeavors,” tweeted PM Modi on Sunday. On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officiated at the Golden Jubilee of Symbiosis University in Pune. Symbiosis Arogya Dham was also inaugurated by him. The Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, was among those in attendance. The Prime Minister congratulated Symbiosis students, teachers, and alumni on the occasion, noting the institute’s slogan, ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam,’ and stating that this modern institution is expressing India’s historic tradition in the shape of students from many countries. “Knowledge should spread far and wide, knowledge should become a medium to connect the whole world as one family, this has been our culture. I am glad that this tradition is still alive in our country,” he added.  

Madhya Pradesh Medical Education Minister Vishwas Sarang on Thursday informed that the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) will now be taught in India’s mother tongue, that is, Hindi language, in the state.  He said that Bhopal’s Gandhi Medical College will start offering MBBS courses in the Hindi language from this April. Addressing a press conference in Bhopal, Vishwas Sarang said, “MBBS will be taught in Hindi medium. Bhopal’s Gandhi Medical College to start offering MBBS course in Hindi from April.”  “Various researches have also shown that learning in mother tongue is beneficial and has better results,” the Minister added. Source: ANI

Several students from Gujarat who are studying in Ukraine have made a desperate appeal that they be evacuated, as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in the east European country on Thursday. While the Gujarat government has not specified the exact number of students from the state still stuck in Ukraine, Gujarat Education Minister Jitu Vaghani gave an assurance on Thursday that the Centre as well as the Indian Embassy in Ukraine were doing everything possible to ensure the safe return of the students. “All Indian citizens, including these students, were already given emergency contact numbers. The students must remain in touch with the Embassy in Ukraine,” Vaghani, who is also the state government’s spokesperson, told reporters. Recently, several stranded Indians, including Gujarati students, were brought back in a flight, he said. “But, some Gujaratis could not board the flight at that time. Now, the situation is worsening there,” the minister noted. “I want to assure the students that their safety is the priority of the Indian government. Our government had evacuated stranded Indians in the past and we will do it this time too,” he said. The parents of four such students contacted Vadodara MP Ranjan Bhatt and sought her help. “Four students from Vadodara were supposed to board a flight from Ukraine to Turkey. But, the flight got cancelled at the last moment and the airport was also sealed. These students were also asked to leave the airport. I have contacted the External Affairs Ministry and given details about these stranded students,” Bhatt said. Two other students – Bhavesh Vanzara, hailing from Arvalli district, and Harsh Soni, from Rajkot – are also stuck in Ukraine and they sent video messages seeking immediate help. Soni in the video message said, “I am in the final year of a medical course. The situation is worsening with every passing hour. There are some others also like me who are stranded. I appeal to the government to do something and help us to get back home as soon as possible.” Source: This report is auto-generated from PTI news service

While addressing a webinar on education sector-related announcements made in the Union Budget, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said ‘Empowering today’s ‘gen next’ means empowerment of India’s future.’ The Union Budget was presented by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1. Elaborating this statement, he said this is because youngsters are the future leaders of the country, as well ones who will build its future. PM Modi also listed five areas within the education sector on which emphasis was laid in the Union Budget. He said, “The first is universalisation of quality education. This means that major decision have been taken for the expansion of the education system, to improve its quality and capability,” The second and third, he said, are skill development, and urban planning & design. “In the Budget, we focused on creating a digital ecosystem. We will also ensure that skills are developed in accordance with needs of the industry,” PM Modi added. There’s a need to integrate India’s ancient experience and knowledge in our education system, he said, explaining urban planning & design. “Internationalisation is the fourth major area, and this means bringing world-class universities to our country. The fifth is ‘AVGC’ or animation visual effects gaming comic,” PM Modi remarked. He concluded by saying that all these areas have immense opportunities for employment as well as huge global market. Source: Hindustan Times

The new Director of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela, Professor Karanam Umamheshwar Rao, assumed office on February 19, 2022. He succeeded Prof Simanchalo Panigrahi, who was appointed as the interim director in October 2021. Prof. K. Umamaheshwar Rao was previously serving as the Director of the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), also called NIT Surathkal. Before joining here, he was a faculty for nearly three decades at IIT Kharagpur. A number of his important portfolios include Chairman (Estate), and Vice Chairman of Joint entrance examination (JEE). He was also the head of the Mining Engineering Department during 2006-08 and 2010-14. Prof. K. Umamaheshwar Rao’s field of specialization is experimental rock mechanics and he has been working in this area since 1989. He has guided six Ph.D. candidates with another 12 research scholars in the advanced stage of research under his supervision for their doctoral degrees. He has published as many as 30 research papers in international journals and presented an equal number of papers in international seminars and conferences. The milestone in his research is the publication of the book on the Principles of Rock Drilling, published by A.A.Balkema, Rotterdam, Netherlands in 1999. Later this book was also published by India Book House, New Delhi. This book had given Prof. Rao international acclaim in the field of Mining Engineering. The newly appointed Director aims to enhance research and innovation infrastructure with the assistance of faculty and students to form NIT Rourkela a campus of first choice. He would also work towards increasing multidisciplinary quotients in curriculum with special emphasis given to environmental and value-based education.  

Ed-tech giant Byju’s has entered the offline tuition space through the launch of ‘Byju’s Tuition Centre’ a comprehensive programme for students that blends offline and online learning experiences. It’ll invest $200 million to line up 500 tuition centres across 200 cities within the country. It aims to enrol 1 million students for the programme within the next two years. Byju’s, the most-valued ed-tech unicorn in the country, currently has over 115 million registered learners online. The corporate had earlier launched 80 offline centres as a part of a pilot programme with plans to open a minimum of 500 new centres across 200 cities this year alone. Available for students in Classes 4-10, Byju’s Tuition Centres will offer tech-enabled physical tuition centres with a focus on engagement and better outcomes through a two-teacher model. “This new offering will redefine the next phase of learning. Byju’s Tuition Centres address the needs of a large segment of parents and students who want a physical element in addition to online teaching support. These tech-enabled physical centres are designed to offer world class learning and personalised education to unlock a student’s full potential with attention on engagement and better outcomes,” said Byju’s Chief Operating Officer, Mrinal Mohit. Byju’s will leverage the technology infrastructure of the various companies that it has acquired so far, according to Mohit. It acquired 10 companies since 2020, including Aakash Educational Services in April last year for nearly $1 billion. This is its biggest acquisition till date. Byju’s was last valued at $21 billion. It’s looking to onboard near to 3,000-4,000 new teachers for its tuition centres over the course of this year. Including teaching staff, Byju’s is additionally aiming to add 10,000 individuals to run these 500 centres. Source: Financial Express and with inputs from Agencies  

The Indian Govt. planned to initiate adult education and Lifelong Learning under the National Education Policy 2020. The announcement has been made to enable increased access to resources in the Union Budget 2021-22. Online modules covering the whole gamut of adult education are going to be introduced. The scheme’s objectives are not only to impart foundational literacy and numeracy but also to cover other components which are necessary for a citizen of the 21st century like critical life skills such as financial literacy, digital literacy, commercial skills, health care, and awareness, child care and education, and family welfare; vocational skills development with a view towards obtaining local employment; basic education including preparatory, middle, and secondary stage equivalency; and continuing education including engaging holistic adult education courses in arts, sciences, technology, culture, sports, and recreation, as well as other topics of interest or use to local learners, like more advanced material on critical life skills. The implementation of the scheme will be made through volunteerism through online mode. However, the training, orientation, workshops of volunteers, could also be organized in face-to-face mode. All equipment and resources shall be provided digitally for simple access to registered volunteers through easily accessible digital modes, viz, TV, radio, cell phone-based free/open-source Apps/portals, etc. The scheme will cover non-literates of the age of 15 years and above in all states/UTs in the country. The salient features of adult education and Lifelong Learning are that the school will be the unit for the implementation of the scheme. Schools to be used for conducting surveys of beneficiaries and voluntary Teachers (VTs). Various strategies are to be adopted for different age groups. Foundational Literacy and Numeracy are going to be imparted through Critical Life Skills to all or any non-literates in the age bracket of 15 years and above. Use of technologies to impart adult education for wider coverage of the scheme. According to Census 2011, the absolute number of non-literates in the country at 15 years and above is 25.76 crore (Male 9.08 crore, Female 16.68 crore). In consideration of the progress of persons certified as literates being to the tune of 7.64 crores under the Saakshar Bharat programme implemented during 2009-10 to 2017-18, it’s estimated that currently around 18.12 crore adults are still non-literate in India. Source: India Today

IAS Vineet Joshi, Additional Secretary, Department of Higher Education has been appointed as the new chairman of the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) on Monday, February 14. He has replaced IAS Manoj Ahuja. The change was announced in an order released by the Ministry of Education’s Department of School Education and Literacy. Mr. Joshi, completed his early education from Annie Besant School and GIC, Allahabad. He pursued his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from IIT Kanpur. After that, he did his Masters in Business Administration from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. Vineet Joshi is an IAS officer, 1992 batch, Manipur and he is also the governing body member of National Testing Agency. He became the private secretary in 1999 under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and became the private secretary in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries from 2000 to 2001. He has a background of working in top education bodies, hence the board is expected to develop even more under his tenure. “Consequent upon relieving of Shri Manoj Ahuja, IAS(OR:1990) from the post of Chairman, CBSE w.e.f 14.02.2022 (A/N) vide office order dated 14.02.2022, the charge of Chairman, CBSE is assigned to Shri Vineet Joshi, Additional Secretary, Department of Higher Education in addition to his existing assignments. This issues with the approval of the competent authority,” the official order read. IAS Manoj Ahuja, who is replaced by Joshi, was appointed as CBSE’s chairman on May 12, 2020. He has served as Special Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Department of Personnel and Training. He is a 1990 batch IAS officer of Odisha cadre civil servant. Source: ANI    

With the reopening of schools, the Department of Education in Haryana has said it’ll hold activities to spot learning gaps and take corrective measures to enhance the quality of education for students in the state-run schools. A teacher’s training programme are going to be held in the district where over 1,700 primary teachers are going to be trained to not only bridge the learning gaps among the students because of prolonged closure of the physical classes but also to enhance the knowledge levels of children on foundational literacy and numeracy. The training, which will be commenced from February 17, is envisaged under the (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy) Bharat Scheme launched last year as a part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The state has launched its own mission, which can strive for successful implementation of an identical scheme launched at the national level. “The state government has rolled out its own NIPUN Haryana mission which aims at accomplishing the targets set by the Centre under the NIPUN Bharat Scheme. The outline has been prepared and with the support of the SCERT, we will undertake this training program across the state,” a senior Education Department official said. The officials noted that the department has already concluded a state wide training to make a bunch of master trainers. These master trainers will now train primary teachers in each block of their respective districts. The responsibility of monitoring it smoothly rests with the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and the District Education and Training Centre. “A training camp will be organized for teachers in district. it’ll be started from the Sohna section on 17th February,” said, District Coordinator of NIPUN Haryana Mission. Source: TOI

Jamia Millia Islamia has received funding from the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to research on the mental health benefits of Yoga and meditation using molecular tools and neuronal activity recordings, the university informed during a statement. The research is going to be administered together with the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY). “In the proposed research, the investigators will check out the brain imaging, brain activity, biochemical and neuro-physiological parameters in University students who could also be vulnerable to stress, anxiety or depression and provide intervention to cope with these complications. the students and staff are going to be enrolled from the University to participate in the study over the course of a three-year study. Yoga and other psychological interventions are going to be carried out both at JMI and MDNIY,” Jamia PRO Ahmed Azeem said in a statement. Dr Tanvir Ahmad from the Multidisciplinary Centre for Advance Research and Studies (MCARS) is the principal investigator from Jamia who will collaborate with Dr Sushma Suri and Dr Meena Osmany of the Department of Psychology and Dr S Lakshmi Kandan from MDNIY. Ahmad said the research work has relevance following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic which has resulted in an “upsurge in mental health issues across the globe”. “It is scientifically established that students undergo stress, anxiety and sometimes depression once they are exposed to new work culture in colleges and universities. Notably, since last year, a large number of studies have shown increased neurological complications in the people that are affected with Covid-19 as well as the members of the family,” he said. “Further, the data unanimously presents concerns regarding the mental health of students who are at the receiving end. Now, as the colleges and universities have started opening, the amount of stress, anxiety and depression among students have tremendously increased,” he added. Dr S N Kazim, deputy director, MCARS, said the research work will result in the “development of a comprehensive mental health data base” and Jamia’s intervention will function a “model for other universities and colleges across India as they’re preparing to begin the offline classes soon.” Source: Indian Express