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Maharashtra Partners with Google to Train 4 Lakh Teachers in AI and Digital Skills

/ Education Community

The Maharashtra School Education Department has entered into a strategic partnership with Google for Education to provide artificial intelligence and digital technology training to more than four lakh teachers across the state. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed at Mantralaya in the presence of School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse. As part of the initiative, selected master trainers will first receive specialised training and will then mentor teachers across schools statewide. The programme will be offered completely free of cost by Google, ensuring no financial burden on the state government. Officials stated that while Google will facilitate training, the Maharashtra government will maintain full oversight of implementation and digital safety protocols for teachers. Minister of State for School Education Pankaj Bhoyar highlighted that the goal is to equip teachers in government and aided schools with globally recognised digital skills. The initiative will focus on improving AI literacy, enhancing digital competencies, and delivering training content in Marathi, Hindi, and English while encouraging the use of AI-powered educational tools for professional development. Source: PTI

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Gujarat CM Disburses ₹370 Crore in Scholarships to Over 13 Lakh Students via DBT

/ Education Community

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced the transfer of more than ₹370 crore in scholarship assistance to over 13 lakh students through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in Gandhinagar. The financial support was provided under four key state education schemes—Namo Lakshmi Yojana, Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana, Mukhyamantri Gyan Sadhana Merit Scholarship Yojana, and Mukhyamantri Gyan Setu Merit Scholarship Yojana. The event was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, Education Minister Pradyuman Vaja, and Minister of State for Education Rivabaa Jadeja. Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Patel highlighted the significant progress Gujarat’s education sector has made over the last two-and-a-half decades under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the vision of providing uninterrupted access to education from kindergarten to postgraduate level is steadily being realised. Special emphasis, he added, has been placed on girls’ education through initiatives like Namo Lakshmi Yojana and Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana, aimed at ensuring continued participation of girls in secondary and higher secondary education. Recalling Prime Minister Modi’s tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister from 2001, Patel said his hands-on efforts—such as personally visiting villages to promote girls’ education and auctioning gifts received during his tenure to fund educational initiatives—set new standards nationwide. These efforts, combined with programmes like Shala Praveshotsav and Kanya Kelavani Mahotsav, helped reduce the girls’ dropout rate from 37 percent to less than two percent. The Chief Minister also outlined the expansion of educational infrastructure in the state. Village schools offering science streams have increased to 2,834, while the number of colleges has grown from 775 in 2001 to over 3,200 today. Engineering colleges have risen from 139 to 288, and medical seats have expanded from 1,175 to more than 7,000. Additionally, over 24,000 girls pursuing medical education have benefited from the Mukhyamantri Kanya Kelavani Nidhi Yojana. Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said the ₹370 crore disbursed on the day forms part of a larger commitment, with the state having provided more than ₹1,332 crore in assistance to over 13.5 lakh students so far. Congratulating the Chief Minister on completing three years of his second term, he praised his people-centric leadership and strong focus on education. Sanghavi noted that the Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana was launched to ensure that financial constraints do not prevent students from opting for the science stream, especially as Gujarat continues to attract major industrial investments. Education Minister Pradyuman Vaja stated that Gujarat’s investment in education is aimed at building a strong foundation for a Viksit Gujarat and a Viksit Bharat. He said these schemes are opening new opportunities and aspirations for students across the state. Sharing scheme-wise details, he said the Namo Lakshmi Yojana has so far disbursed ₹1,033 crore to 10.49 lakh girls, leading to a 73 percent increase in attendance and a 13.59 percent rise in enrolment in Class 12. Under the Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana, ₹151.84 crore has been provided to 1.5 lakh students, resulting in a 6.34 percent increase in science stream enrolment. The Mukhyamantri Gyan Sadhana Merit Scholarship Yojana has extended ₹86.14 crore to 50,000 students, while the Mukhyamantri Gyan Setu Merit Scholarship Yojana has provided ₹61.27 crore to 60,000 students, promoting merit-based and quality education. Minister of State for Education Rivabaa Jadeja described the programme as a landmark moment, reaffirming that education remains the most effective tool for social transformation. She said the state government is committed to ensuring quality education, strengthening infrastructure, promoting girls’ education, reducing dropout rates, and supporting the holistic development of students to prepare them for a brighter future. Source: PTI

Gujarat CM Disburses ₹370 Crore in Scholarships to Over 13 Lakh Students via DBT Read More »

Delhi to Appoint Over 5,000 New Teachers to Strengthen Classroom Learning

/ Education Community

In a major step to address the shortage of teachers and improve learning outcomes, the Delhi government has announced the recruitment of 5,346 trained graduate teachers (TGTs) for government and municipal schools. The move aims to enhance classroom instruction and ensure every student from Classes 6 to 10 receives more focused academic attention. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta shared on X that the initiative is part of the government’s broader vision to provide quality education, personalised mentorship, and equal opportunities for all learners. “We are committed to building an education system where every child receives the guidance they need to reach their full potential,” she said. Currently, nearly 10,000 teaching positions remain vacant in Delhi’s government schools, which has affected the student–teacher ratio, according to education experts. As per a circular issued by the Directorate of Education (DoE) on October 3, the application process for the vacancies began on October 9 and will close on November 7. The latest DoE data indicates that over 70,000 teachers are currently serving more than 18 lakh students across the capital. Source: PTI

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Nearly 8,000 Indian Schools Have No Students but 20,000 Teachers on Payroll

/ Education Community

In a startling revelation, official data shows that nearly 8,000 schools across India recorded zero student enrolments during the 2024–25 academic year, despite having over 20,000 teachers on their payrolls. West Bengal leads the list with the highest number of schools without students (3,812) and 17,965 teachers still employed in them. According to the Ministry of Education’s latest statistics, 7,993 schools across the country had no enrolments, marking an improvement from 12,954 such schools the previous year. Telangana ranked second with 2,245 schools having no students and 1,016 teachers, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 463 schools and 223 teachers. Interestingly, Haryana, Maharashtra, Goa, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura reported no schools with zero enrolments. The same was true for Union Territories such as Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Daman and Diu, and Chandigarh, along with Delhi. A senior education ministry official said that since school education is a state subject, respective governments have been advised to tackle the issue by merging underutilized schools to make better use of infrastructure and staff resources. In Uttar Pradesh, 81 schools had no enrolments. The UP Board has already begun the process of revoking recognition for institutions that have not recorded any admissions for three consecutive years. The data also highlights another pressing issue — the existence of over 1 lakh single-teacher schools across India, catering to more than 33 lakh students. Andhra Pradesh leads in the number of such schools, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Lakshadweep. However, in terms of student enrolment, Uttar Pradesh tops the list, followed by Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh. Notably, the count of single-teacher schools dropped by nearly 6%, from 1,18,190 in 2022–23 to 1,10,971 in 2023–24, signaling gradual progress toward teacher rationalization. Source: PTI 

Nearly 8,000 Indian Schools Have No Students but 20,000 Teachers on Payroll Read More »

Over 1 Lakh Single-Teacher Schools Educate 33 Lakh Students Across India: Education Ministry

/ Education Community
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Over 33 lakh students in India are studying in more than one lakh schools run by a single teacher, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Education. Andhra Pradesh tops the list in terms of the number of such schools, while Uttar Pradesh records the highest student enrolment. As per statistics for the academic year 2024–25, India has 1,04,125 single-teacher schools catering to 33,76,769 students — averaging around 34 students per school. This figure highlights ongoing challenges in meeting the Right to Education (RTE) Act norms, which prescribe a pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) of 30:1 for primary grades (I–V) and 35:1 for upper primary levels (VI–VIII). Andhra Pradesh leads with 12,912 single-teacher schools, followed by Uttar Pradesh (9,508), Jharkhand (9,172), Maharashtra (8,152), Karnataka (7,349), and both Madhya Pradesh and Lakshadweep (7,217 each). States like West Bengal (6,482), Rajasthan (6,117), Chhattisgarh (5,973), and Telangana (5,001) also feature prominently on the list. In contrast, Delhi has only nine such schools, while Puducherry, Ladakh, Chandigarh, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu report none. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have just four. In terms of student enrolment, Uttar Pradesh leads with 6,24,327 students studying in single-teacher schools, followed by Jharkhand (4,36,480), West Bengal (2,35,494), Madhya Pradesh (2,29,095), Karnataka (2,23,142), Andhra Pradesh (1,97,113), and Rajasthan (1,72,071). Interestingly, Delhi and Chandigarh, despite having very few such schools, record the highest average student strength per school — 808 and 1,222 respectively. On the other hand, regions like Ladakh (59), Mizoram (70), Meghalaya (73), and Himachal Pradesh (82) have some of the lowest averages. A senior official from the Ministry explained that the government is working to enhance learning outcomes and improve the efficiency of resource use by merging under-enrolled schools — a process known as “rationalisation.” “Single-teacher schools limit the scope of effective teaching and learning. The government is redeploying teachers from non-operational schools to ensure adequate staff availability in single-teacher schools,” the official said. The number of single-teacher schools has seen a steady decline, dropping from 1,18,190 in 2022–23 to 1,10,971 in 2023–24 — a reduction of nearly six percent. Source: PTI  

Over 1 Lakh Single-Teacher Schools Educate 33 Lakh Students Across India: Education Ministry Read More »

NCERT Must Build Competence, Knowledge for Nation-Building: Dharmendra Pradhan

/ Education Community

On the 65th Foundation Day of NCERT, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan emphasized the council’s crucial role in shaping an empowered and knowledgeable society. He called upon NCERT to adopt global best practices while remaining rooted in India’s cultural and linguistic strengths. “NCERT’s responsibility is to make our people competent and raise knowledge levels. You are the true nation-builders,” Pradhan said, addressing the gathering. He stressed the need for children to gain proficiency in English while also achieving conceptual clarity through their mother tongues. Reflecting on past curriculum reforms, Pradhan referred to the National Curriculum Frameworks (NCF) of 2000 and 2005, noting that changes introduced earlier created confusion. He asserted that NCERT is now setting the framework in the right direction, free from what he termed a “slave mentality” that deprived the nation of self-reliance and pride. He further praised new NCERT modules, such as those on Operation Sindoor and Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. Former ISRO Chairman S. Somanath, also present at the event, credited NCERT textbooks for shaping his early academic foundation but noted their shortcomings. “Those books built my career, yet they missed highlighting India’s scientific heritage and achievements. I had to relearn many things later. Today, I see a transformation, with more focus on our own legacy,” he said. Somanath also stressed the importance of promoting learning in Indian languages, pointing out that reliance on foreign textbooks during higher education limited students’ connection with indigenous knowledge systems. “Rooting education in our own language is essential,” he remarked. Source: Indian Express

NCERT Must Build Competence, Knowledge for Nation-Building: Dharmendra Pradhan Read More »

CBSE to Roll Out Educational Podcasts, Invites Student Participation from Classes 9–12

/ Education Community

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced a new initiative to develop its own series of educational podcasts and digital content, covering both academic and counselling themes. The board stated that these resources are being designed to offer valuable insights, guidance, and awareness for students, parents, and schools alike. To ensure accessibility, the podcasts will also be released on public platforms such as YouTube. According to CBSE, the move is aimed at strengthening its existing academic and counselling support system by introducing a more flexible, digital-friendly format. The content will focus on topics like exam preparation, academics, mental well-being, and student welfare. Involving Students’ Voices To make the project more engaging, CBSE plans to integrate student perspectives into the podcasts. Students will be encouraged to contribute through short video or audio snippets, testimonials, and interactive discussions. These inputs will be featured on CBSE’s podcasts, social media platforms, and other digital communication channels, making the content more relatable and student-focused. How Schools Can Participate The board has directed affiliated schools to nominate students from Classes IX to XII who are confident, articulate, and interested in taking part. Participation is voluntary and requires written consent from both the students and their parents or guardians, submitted through the respective school. Schools have been asked to share names and brief profiles of nominated students through a Google form link provided by CBSE. The nominations must be submitted within 10 days of the notice being issued. The board emphasized that this is an optional opportunity meant to give students a platform to share their views while enhancing CBSE’s outreach and communication efforts. Source: Indian Express

CBSE to Roll Out Educational Podcasts, Invites Student Participation from Classes 9–12 Read More »

Odisha to Provide Free Civil Services Coaching for Aspirants in Kalahandi

/ Education Community

Civil service aspirants in Odisha’s Kalahandi district will soon have access to free coaching under a new initiative called Mission Akankhya. The programme, launched on Independence Day, is being rolled out through a partnership between the Kalahandi district administration and Vision IAS, New Delhi. As part of the agreement, signed by Kalahandi Collector Sachin Pawar and Vision IAS Vice-President Deepali Chaturvedi, the district administration will provide infrastructure support, while Vision IAS will offer training to 60 selected candidates annually. Students will be chosen through a written examination and interview, with coaching available in both classroom and online formats. Registration for the entrance test will open on August 22, and the selection exam is scheduled for September 21. The training sessions are expected to begin in Bhawanipatna from the first week of October. Chaturvedi highlighted that Vision IAS has previously extended similar initiatives to aspirational districts in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. However, this marks the first such programme in Odisha, aimed at empowering youth from Kalahandi, one of the districts identified under NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP). Source: PTI

Odisha to Provide Free Civil Services Coaching for Aspirants in Kalahandi Read More »

Prof. Himanshu Aeran, Vice Chancellor, Ras Bihari Bose Subharti University, Dehradun emphasizes on Industry-Academia Collaboration & Digital Empowerment at the ArdorComm Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2025 in Dehradun

/ Interviews
Himanshu Aeran

We are delighted to welcome Prof. (Dr.) Himanshu Aeran, Vice Chancellor of Ras Bihari Bose Subharti University, Dehradun, thank you for joining us today. Thank you. It’s my pleasure to be here. Could you please tell us more about your university? Yes, certainly. We have two campuses—one in Meerut, named Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, and another in Dehradun, called Ras Bihari Bose Subharti University. We offer a wide range of programs. While we are primarily focused on medical faculties, we also offer courses in fashion designing, fine arts, hotel management, MBBS, nursing, pharmacy, and naturopathy. On the non-medical side, we are launching courses in mass communication, computer applications, business management, arts, liberal sciences, and more. In today’s context, where do smart skills and smarter workplaces come in? Do you see a gap between academia and industry? And how is your university addressing it? Yes, there is definitely a gap between academia and industry. To address this, we’ve been working on multiple fronts. I recently attended the VIKAS 2025 event organised by UGC, where the focus was on integrating industry with academia through apprenticeships and skill-based programs. UGC is now allowing universities to award academic credits for industry training, and we are actively implementing that. Being a medical university, our students are trained in our own hospitals and pharmacy companies. We are emphasizing industrial training in all domains to ensure our students are workforce-ready. Are there any digital initiatives or use of technologies like AI that your university has implemented? Also, how are you training your faculty? Yes, we’ve developed our own indigenous ERP system and digitized our records and administrative processes. Students are being trained on digital platforms, and we conduct regular faculty development programs to make them digitally competent. In the age of AI and tech advancement, we believe both students and faculty must be equipped to meet new challenges. At ArdorComm, we’re trying to create a unified platform from KG to PG, including representation from school education, higher education, skilling, government, and corporate sectors. How do you see this helping society? This is a wonderful initiative. I’m seeing such a platform for the first time in Dehradun, bringing together technical experts, reputed universities, and government stakeholders. It’s a great opportunity for collaboration. I’ve already interacted with several people here and we’re exploring partnerships. This is a step forward for improving education in Uttarakhand, especially given the unique challenges of our hilly regions. I congratulate you for this effort—it’s meaningful and much needed. We’ve recently completed four years of ArdorComm Media. As a growing media organization, do you have any words of encouragement for us? You’ve achieved so much in just four years—what a remarkable journey. If this is what you’ve done as a four-year-old, I can only imagine how you’ll shine as you grow. My best wishes to ArdorComm. I hope we can collaborate to create stronger bridges between academia and industry. Together, we can contribute to building a Viksit Bharat, as envisioned by our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. And I want to say “Ham Jagat Guru the aur Jagat Guru rahenge”, that translates to “We were the world’s guru, and we will remain the world’s guru.”  

Prof. Himanshu Aeran, Vice Chancellor, Ras Bihari Bose Subharti University, Dehradun emphasizes on Industry-Academia Collaboration & Digital Empowerment at the ArdorComm Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2025 in Dehradun Read More »

Arpan Kumar Sharma, Principal, Samar Study Hall Girls School, Kashipur speaks on the Impact of Collaborative Education Events at ArdorComm Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2025 in Dehradun

/ Interviews
Arpan Kumar Sharma

We’re pleased to have with us Arpan Kumar Sharma, Principal of Samar Study Hall Girls School, Kashipur, could you please introduce yourself? I’m Arpan Kumar Sharma, Principal of Samar Study Hall Girls School, Kashipur. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the ArdorComm Media Group on completing its fourth anniversary. It’s a very well-organised event and an excellent platform for schools and universities. We get to interact with many stakeholders, vendors, and educators here. I truly want to thank you. How has your experience been so far to attend this event? It has been very good. I listened to all the panelists, and the discussions were extremely insightful. I learned a lot from the dialogues and perspectives shared. I sincerely hope such events continue in the future as well. ArdorComm Media celebrates its fourth anniversary, do you have any message or wishes for us? I see a very bright future for ArdorComm Media. I wish you all the best for your journey ahead. Please continue organising such impactful events and do invite us to be part of them again.

Arpan Kumar Sharma, Principal, Samar Study Hall Girls School, Kashipur speaks on the Impact of Collaborative Education Events at ArdorComm Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2025 in Dehradun Read More »