Education Community

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

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) issued show-cause notices to two private universities for offering degree and diploma courses in collaboration with edtech companies, stating that this “outsourcing” is a violation of norms. This action by AICTE comes after the University Grants Commission (UGC) has warned universities and colleges against offering distance learning and online courses in association with edtech companies, saying as per norms, no “franchise” agreement is permissible. AICTE chairman Anil Sahasrabudhe has appealed to the public and the stakeholders, to tell them if they encounter similar arrangements between universities and edtech companies. So far, AICTE has issued notices to two universities, but Sahasrabudhe added that they might take action accordingly if they found more such arrangements. The AICTE chairman had earlier clarified that the govt. isn’t against edtech companies, but they can’t be allowed to delve into areas that aren’t their domain. As reported by PTI, Sahasrabudhe said, “These ed-tech companies were advertising for postgraduate programmes in management and computer applications that can only be offered by universities and approved colleges. Even the top institutions in the country like the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) were also not allowed to offer postgraduate management, but only a PG diploma in management until an Act in Parliament was passed. How can we allow ed-tech companies to do so?” Read| Ed-Tech companies can’t be allowed where even IIMs can’t go: AICTE chairman “We have given approvals to universities and colleges to offer degree and diploma programmes, and that they are supposed to offer them on their own and not piggyback on private companies or outsource their job to any third party,” he added. The UGC and AICTE have also advised parents and students to ascertain the recognition status of any such programme on their websites before enrolling into them. Source: PTI

NITI Aayog has appointed Dr Shashank Shah as the Director-Specialist-Higher Education. Dr. Shah announced his new role through a LinkedIn post, thanking the think tank. In his post, Dr Shah wrote, “I am delighted to share that I have been appointed as Director Senior Specialist – Higher Education at NITI Aayog, India’s apex public policy think tank, chaired by Honorable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi.” “The education system is a bank on which the nation draws a cheque for strong, reliable, and skilled citizens. In this new role, it will be my endeavour to give my very best to the world’s third-largest Higher Education System, such that it can enhance equity and access, foster excellence, create impact, and mould young Indians with the ability and nobility,” he added. Dr. Shah has done his bachelor’s from the University of Mumbai. He is a post graduate and doctorate in Business Management from Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. He is a stakeholder management strategist, researcher, and published business author. Dr. Shashank has developed strategic perspectives and operational frameworks on leading multinational and Indian public and private sector firms, including Fortune 500 companies. It is noteworthy that the NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog is a premier policy and think tank of India. They are responsible for a number of transformational initiatives. The three main functions of Niti Aayog include policy and knowledge, innovation or monitoring, and evaluation.

Prof M Jagadesh Kumar bid farewell to the students and faculty of Jawaharlal Nehru University, after accepting the responsibilities of the Chairman of the University Grants Commission for the tenure of five years. Prof Kumar, who has served as the Vice-Chancellor of JNU since 2016, was appointed as the Chairman of the UGC last week by the Ministry of Education. In his letter, he writes about the role of the faculty in implementing various changes within the university. “Opening of new Schools and Centres, starting of new academic programmes, and making the admission and administrative process efficient could be realised only because my colleagues had the commitment and conviction to remain focused on the priorities that would enable our University to turn into one of the finest,” he mentions. However, Prof Kumar made no regard to the varied controversies that plagued the varsity during his time in charge, like the disappearance of a student, Najeeb Ahmed in 2016 after the sedition row, the protests against fee hike in 2019 and the 2020 attacks on students at JNU. Prof Kumar also went on to add that students and faculty were open to the changes introduced and took part in feedback sessions. “I tried always to be available to all the stakeholders — students, staff and faculty members. We used to have weekly afternoons exclusively reserved for such interactions. During these regular dialogues, I received constructive feedback and suggestions that helped me resolve many issues,” he shared. Prof Kumar also issued another notice declaring the appointment of Prof Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit as his successor to the post of Vice-Chancellor of JNU. Prof Pandit, who is currently at the Department of Politics and Public Administration, Savitribai Phule Pune University, is the first-ever woman VC of the university. Read| Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit Appointed First Woman Vice Chancellor Of JNU

Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit will be the first woman vice chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University with the Ministry of Education (MoE) appointing her to the highest post on Monday. Ms. Pandit is presently a political science professor at Department of Politics and Public Administration, Savitribai Phule University in Maharashtra. She is additionally an alumna of JNU where she pursued her MPhil as well as PhD in international relations. “President Ram Nath Kovind, who’s Visitor to the University, has approved the appointment of Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit as JNU vice chancellor. Her appointment is for a period of 5 years,” a senior MoE official said. Ms. Pandit began her education career from Goa University in 1988 and moved to Pune University in 1993. She has held administrative position in various academic bodies. She has also been a member of the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) and Visitor’s nominee to central universities. She has guided 29 PhDs in her career. M Jagadesh Kumar, who was holding the charge of acting VC at JNU after his five-year term ended last year, was last week appointed as the chairman of the UGC. “It gives me pleasure to inform you that Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit from Savitribai Phule Pune University has been appointed as the next Vice-Chancellor of JNU. She’s the first female Vice-Chancellor of JNU. My hearty congratulations to her. I’m handing over the charge to her today and wish her success in her new role,” Kumar said in a statement. Source: PTI

With the Covid cases beginning to decrease in the state, the Odisha government has chosen to resume schools and colleges across the state from February 7. The declaration was made by Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra at a press conference on February 3. He declared that actual classes for students from Class 8 to 12, colleges, universities, and other specialized instructive establishments will return from February 7. Classes for students from KG to 7 are planned to return from February 14, said the Chief Secretary. This declaration has come to a couple of days after the Odisha Higher Education office needed to give an authoritative explanation against a fake notification that had been circling on the web. “A fake letter is circulating in social media purportedly conveying decision of Higher Education Department to reopen colleges and universities from 10th Feb’2022. It is hereby clarified that no such decision has been taken by the state government,” the department clarified on social media platform, Twitter. The fake notification had asserted that the office chose to resume the higher instructive establishments from February 10. The explanation was given on January 31, 2022. As the Omicron cases were on an increase, the Odisha government had chosen to close all schools, colleges, and other instructive organizations with the exception of the clinical colleges/nursing colleges and foundations heavily influenced by the Health and Family Welfare office will be shut for actual participation on January 7. Source: PTI

Schools, Colleges Reopening 2022 Update: As the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is seeming to subside, many states in India have taken the decision to reopen schools and colleges from today i.e., 1st February. After a long break, students will be attending classes in-person soon. As the number of COVID-19 cases have started declining in some states, the central government is working on a collective strategy to keep schools and colleges open even during the pandemic. Different states like Maharashtra, Punjab and Tamil Nadu have expressed their willingness to reopen schools and colleges soon. Even the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman commented on the issue of closed schools and colleges saying, “Due to pandemic induced school closure, our children have lost almost two years of formal education. We recognized the need to impart supplementary teaching and to build resilient mechanisms for education delivery.” List of states reopening schools today: Rajasthan:The state has resumed classes for students from 10 to 12 to attend in-person classes from February 1 while for students in classes 6 to 9, the schools will start from February 10. Madhya Pradesh:Few weeks ahead of its board exams, the state has resumed schools from today with 50 per cent capacity. Telangana:Students from across classes will be attending in-person classes from today. Karnataka:Karnataka will reopen schools for students in classes 1 to 9 from today. Maharashtra:While Mumbai had reopened its classes earlier, Pune and Nagpur have started to reopen schools today. Apart from Schools, colleges too will be allowed to open campuses. Punjab:Students in Chandigarh have started attending in-person classes from today. West Bengal: The state has announced to reopen schools from February 3. Teachers will have to attend schools from February 2. Schools will allow students of classes 8 to 12 only for now. For younger kids, community classes will be held as teachers will hold neighborhood classes. According to News18.com, the government is working with experts from fields of health and education to create model frameworks for educational institutes. These frameworks will act as standard operating principles for schools if they decide to reopen. A timeline on this has not been revealed yet. Source: News18.com