Category Archives: Education

Education, Games & Sports, Northeast, Regional, West Bengal

Rockvale Academy Shines as Students Compete in National Boxing Championship for the First Time

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KalimNews, October 8, 2024, Kalimpong: In a remarkable achievement for Rockvale Academy of Kalimpong, two students have been selected to represent their school in the upcoming National Boxing Championship organized by the School Games Federation of India (SGFI). This milestone comes after the students, Chhuman Tamang and Seamima Subba, both competing in the under-19 category, secured gold medals in their respective weight classes at the West Bengal and Northeast Region level of the CISCE National School Games & Sports.

Capt. Prakash Mani Pradhan, Principal of the Rockvale Academy praised the students for their outstanding accomplishments, highlighting the significance of this achievement for the academy and the broader CISCE community. “It is a proud moment for Rockvale Academy to have our students compete at the national level, showcasing their hard work and dedication,” he stated.

Since the CISCE and CBSE affiliations to SGFI in 2018, Rockvale Academy has actively participated in a range of sports, including volleyball, badminton, table tennis, karate, and yoga. The academy has consistently demonstrated its commitment to fostering athletic talent, with students competing across 35 different events.

Chhuman Tamang and Seamima Subba

In addition to the two girl students of Rockvale Academy, Angela Rai from Saptashree Gyanpeeth is also participating in the national boxing championships. Chhuman Tamang (57-60 kg) and Seamima Subba (54-57 kg) will represent CISCE schools in the boxing competition, set to take place in Delhi during the fourth week of November 2024.

The academy’s athletic prowess extends beyond boxing, with notable achievements in volleyball. Krishik Basor in the under-19 category,, who secured a silver medal and was named the best player, is also selected for the national volleyball team representing CISCE. Other talented volleyball players from Saptashree Gyanpeeth and St. Augustine’s School will join him in the competition scheduled for Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, from November 6 to 10, 2024.

Rockvale Academy has also excelled in table tennis, with Abrona Pandi Lepcha earning a gold medal in the under-19 singles quarter-finals and Neyrum Tshering Lepcha securing bronze in the under-17 category.

The achievements of Rockvale Academy’s students not only reflect their individual talents but also the supportive environment fostered by their coaches, including boxing coach Suresh Rai, who also runs a boxing academy. With such a strong foundation and continued commitment to excellence, the academy looks forward to further successes in the upcoming national competitions.

Education, Northeast

Gorkha Community Honors IIT-Guwahati Scientist Dr. Sagar Bhattarai for Exceptional Achievement

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Nanda Kirati Dewan, KalimNews, 28 September 2024, Guwahati, Assam – The Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, a national social organization representing Gorkhas in India, celebrated the remarkable accomplishments of Dr. Sagar Bhattarai, a postdoctoral researcher at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, on Wednesday. Dr. Bhattarai has gained international acclaim by ranking among the top 2% of scientists worldwide, as identified by Stanford University, USA.


A delegation from the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, led by Assam State Committee President Amar Adhikari, along with National President Nityananda Upadhyay, National Joint Secretary General Prakash Dahal, and other prominent members, visited Dr. Bhattarai’s residence in TK Grant Sipajhar, Darrang district, to present him with a ‘Citation of Appreciation,’ traditional Assamese Phoolam Gamusa, a Gorkha cap, and publications from the organization.

“This is a remarkable achievement and a testament to your dedication, hard work, and significant contributions to the field of physics and material science,” congratulated Amar Adhikari during the ceremony.
Dr. Bhattarai recently gained recognition for developing a solar device using bio-synthesized zinc oxide derived from “Gundruk,” a traditional Gorkha food. This innovative project not only showcases the potential of sustainable technologies but also highlights the intersection of cultural heritage and modern science.

“Dr. Sagar Bhattarai’s work has brought international recognition to both the scientific community in India and the traditional knowledge of the Gorkha community. His contributions set an inspiring example of how cultural heritage can address global challenges,” added Adhikari.

The ranking by Stanford University is a prestigious honor, assessing scientists based on bibliometric impact, citations, and overall research contributions. Dr. Bhattarai’s achievement reflects the significant impact of his work on the global scientific community.

Dr. Bhattarai, son of Hindi teacher Tanka Prasad Bhattarai and homemaker Jharna Bhattarai, began his education in a vernacular medium. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Gauhati University and a Master’s degree from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Arunachal Pradesh, before completing his PhD. Currently, he serves as a postdoctoral fellow at IIT-Guwahati and is an Adjunct Faculty member at Chitkara University, Punjab.

The recognition by Stanford University’s top 2% scientist ranking highlights Dr. Bhattarai’s influence, as it includes only the most impactful researchers from a pool of over 180,000 active scientists worldwide, evaluated through metrics such as citations and h-index across various scientific fields.

The Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh continues to spearhead initiatives to recognize and celebrate talents within the Gorkha community, fostering connections and building a national network of Indian Gorkhas across all sectors.
Education, Politics, West Bengal

Upper Primary Merit List Released Following Calcutta High Court Order: A 9-Year Wait Ends for 14,000 Candidates

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Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, 26 September 2024, Calcutta – After nearly nine years of delays and legal hurdles, job aspirants for upper primary teaching positions in West Bengal can finally see light at the end of the tunnel. The long-awaited merit list for over 14,000 vacancies was published on Wednesday evening on the School Service Commission (SSC) website, following a directive from the Calcutta High Court.


The recruitment process had been stalled due to a series of legal challenges since 2015. The situation became more complicated with the cancellation of recruitment efforts by the High Court in 2020, followed by an order in 2023 allowing the publication of a panel. Since then, the case passed through multiple hearings, including the Division Bench of the High Court.

In its August 2024 ruling, the Calcutta High Court instructed the SSC to release the merit list within four weeks. That order culminated in the list being published on Wednesday, finally clearing the way for the stalled recruitment process. Education Minister Bratya Basu had earlier signaled that the merit list was ready for release, providing hope to job seekers who had been waiting anxiously.

As a result of the High Court’s decision, the recruitment of 14,052 candidates must be finalized by November 21. According to the SSC, a total of 14,339 vacancies are available, and the publication of the merit list marks a crucial step toward filling these long-standing positions.

For the thousands of aspirants who have been waiting since 2015, the release of the merit list represents the fulfillment of their long-standing demands. “The wait of almost nine years is finally over,” said one hopeful candidate, expressing the relief shared by many.

However, the legal process has not yet concluded entirely. The case has now reached the Supreme Court, although the High Court’s recent ruling has paved the way for the recruitment to proceed without further delays at this stage.

With the list now available and the recruitment process back on track, the aspirants are one step closer to securing long-awaited teaching jobs, bringing an end to nearly a decade of uncertainty.
Economy, Education, National, West Bengal

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s ‘Kanyashree’ and ‘Rupashree’ Projects Earn Special Praise from UNICEF

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Baby Chakraborty | KalimNews | September 21, 2024 | Kolkata : The visionary projects of

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, ‘Kanyashree’ and ‘Rupashree’, have brought significant recognition to the state, earning special praise from UNICEF. At the recently concluded ‘Impact East, 2024 Conclave’, organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office, Manjur Hossain, lauded the far-reaching impact of these social schemes in driving positive change, particularly in the areas of women’s empowerment and social development. The event saw the participation of eminent industry leaders, including Saurabh Roy from Tata Steel, Debashis Dutta from BG Samaddar and Sons, and Prashant Kumar Hota of Jindal Steel, as well as representatives from more than fifty voluntary organizations.


Hon’ble Minister Sobhandev Chattopadhyay expressed his pride in Bengal’s achievements, stating that “The Kanyashree and Rupashree projects have added a new feather to Bengal’s crown, thanks to the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.”

The Kanyashree project, launched in 2013, was specifically designed to empower girls by encouraging them to pursue higher education and prevent child marriage. It provides financial assistance to girls from underprivileged backgrounds, aiming to delay marriages and ensure they complete their education. This initiative has garnered global acclaim, including the prestigious UNESCO Award, and is considered a model for other states and countries to emulate.

Speaking at the event, Ariane de Wagat, a UNICEF representative, remarked, “The Kanyashree project is playing a significant role in empowering women. All the work UNICEF is doing on child nutrition and growth is seeing more success because of initiatives like Kanyashree, which encourage girls to stay in school and pursue higher education. It’s also a crucial factor in preventing child marriages.” She emphasized the global importance of such programs, stating that there is a need to replicate projects like Kanyashree not just in India, but across the world.

The Rupashree project, another key initiative, provides financial support for the marriage of girls from economically disadvantaged families, ensuring that they are not forced into early marriages due to financial hardship. Together, these programs have become cornerstones of Bengal’s social welfare framework, creating a safer and more supportive environment for young women.

The impact of the Kanyashree and Rupashree schemes is clear. Official data shows a marked decline in the incidence of child marriage across Bengal, proving the effectiveness of these initiatives in addressing deep-rooted social issues. The projects have helped transform the lives of millions of girls, making Bengal a leading example of women’s empowerment in India.

UNICEF’s recognition of these projects at the conclave, along with prior acknowledgment at the Maiden’s Day event a few days ago, further solidifies the global importance of Bengal’s efforts to empower women and girls. The conclave serves as a reminder of the critical role that government initiatives can play in shaping a more inclusive and equitable society.

As Bengal continues to make strides in social development, the Kanyashree and Rupashree projects stand as a testament to the power of visionary leadership and the potential of targeted welfare programs to bring about meaningful change.
Education, Misc, National, Regional, States

Society Drifts Away from Moral Education

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Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, August 30, 2024 : We are all somewhat familiar with Napoleon’s famous saying: “Give me an educated mother, and I will give you a civilized nation.” Even Napoleon recognized that there is no substitute for education. While alternative education through self-learning is valuable, traditional education is essential to integrate society, build an ideal society, and create a strong nation in the present era of globalization. True education is necessary because strong leadership emerges from a well-educated populace, and we need to be well-educated to keep pace with globalization and technological advancements.

Today, as a society, we have moved far away from religious and moral education, which has led to chaos and a severe degradation of morality. To address this, various levels of government institutions and civil society must play a critical role in fostering moral education. A bridge must be built between civil society and the government to establish stability and balance, which is crucial for a stable government system.

It is important to remember that democratic systems are now institutionalized, and we practice democracy through these institutions. This highlights the importance of education for the proper practice of democracy. Along with spreading education throughout society, we must also prioritize moral education and the practice of ethics. Neglecting moral education is akin to abandoning civilization itself.

The current social system often seems contrary to the ideals of a civilized society. Therefore, we cannot overlook the basic aspects of education and training, such as raising awareness and respecting women’s dignity. If social awareness increases, it will encourage underprivileged families to send their children to school. At the same time, socio-economic development should be accelerated by creating more employment opportunities. This ensures that after completing their education, educated citizens have access to quality job opportunities.

Alongside fostering economic balance in society, there must be a revival of respect for work, life, and mutual respect for one another. The government should step forward to improve the quality of life. It is also crucial for developing countries to allocate more budget resources for education than their developed counterparts. Furthermore, teachers should be properly evaluated and valued. The focus should be on nurturing individuals with a strong moral and humanitarian consciousness.

Education should be seen as a spiritual and intellectual pursuit rather than merely a mundane one. As Swami Vivekananda’s Vedanta philosophy points out, education must impart spiritual awareness, leading to greater strength, self-confidence, and respect for others in shaping one’s life.

Crime, Education, West Bengal

Calcutta High Court sets aside single-bench order in TET case

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The board moved the division bench of Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Prasenjit Biswas contending that the candidate had applied to write the test, held on December 11, 2022, as a general category candidate
Subhankar Chowdhury, Calcutta, 13.07.24 :  A division bench of the high court on Friday set aside an October 2023 order by Justice Abhjit Gangopadhyay that directed the state primary education board to treat a candidate who had failed to clear the teachers’ eligibility test (TET) in the general category as an OBC candidate.

Justice Gangopadhyay had declared the candidate as having passed the test because her score was sufficient for reserved category candidates.

The judge resigned a few months later and won in the Lok Sabha elections as a BJP candidate.

The board moved the division bench of Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Prasenjit Biswas contending that the candidate had applied to write the test, held on December 11, 2022, as a general category candidate.

The board submitted that the petitioner got a copy of the certificate that identified her as an OBC candidate in November 2023, long after the test was held. Hence, the examinee could not be treated as an OBC candidate.

TET is held to shortlist candidates for teaching jobs in government-aided primary schools.

The division bench said in its order on Friday: “The petitioner has not filed the category of certificate before the cut-off date, which means that she had not claimed reservation…. Production of certificate by the writ petitioner at the later stage could not make her entitled to seek reservation. Therefore, on the said date she could not be considered eligible to apply under the OBC-B category, especially when the advertisement notice issued by the appellant/board stipulated that the last date for receipt of applications shall for all purpose be the cut-off date for determining the eligibility.”

The order said the single bench “is not correct” in holding that the petitioner can be considered an OBC-B candidate and she should be declared as passed.

“Therefore, there is illegality and material irregularity in the impugned order dated 09.10.2023 passed by the learned Single Bench…and as such it is liable to be
set aside.”

The president of the board, Gautam Paul, said: “We do not know how Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay considered the petitioner’s prayer. We are happy with the order of the division bench.” 
Education, West Bengal

Yet to get reply from Centre on conducting own medical entrance exam: Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu

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Basu said the Centre’s mishandling of the UGC-NET exam jeopardised the careers of lakhs of teaching job aspirants in higher educational institutions

PTI, Calcutta, 06.07.24 : West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu on Saturday sought the scrapping of NEET, and demanded that the states be allowed to conduct their own entrance exams for medical courses as was the practice earlier.


Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the pre-counselling fair organised by the Association of Professional Academic Institutions, he said the irregularities in NEET have plunged the future of 23 lakh students into uncertainty.

Basu said his government has already written to the Centre regarding this but is yet to get a reply.

“Before academic year 2016-17, medical entrance exams were conducted by West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board in a transparent manner, and there used to be no controversy over it,” he claimed.

Basu alleged the Centre’s attitude was against the federal structure of the country.

“In a democracy, you cannot ignore the opinions of the state governments, you cannot disregard the states that are run by non-BJP governments,” he said.

Basu said the Centre’s mishandling of the UGC-NET exam jeopardised the careers of lakhs of teaching job aspirants in higher educational institutions.

On the pending students’ union elections in colleges, he said, “We are positive about it. The process will begin after Durga Puja.” While inaugurating the fair, Basu called upon students to take up whichever course he or she wanted.

“With the emergence of digital media, a fourth industrial revolution has begun,” he said.

“A student can now choose topics in sync with current trends,” he added.
Education, Health, National

SC to hear on July 8 plea on free sanitary pads for class 6-12 girl students

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PTI, 6 July 2024 : The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on July 8 a plea seeking directions to the Centre and states to provide free sanitary pads to girl students of class 6-12 and ensure separate female toilet facilities in all government-aided and residential schools.
A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J P Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is scheduled to hear the plea of Congress leader and social worker Jaya Thakur in which she has highlighted the difficulties faced by adolescent females from poor backgrounds in the schools.
During the last hearing of the matter on February 5, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed that the Centre is in the process of collating all necessary material to form a national policy on the distribution of menstrual hygiene products to school-going girls in terms of the orders dated April 10, 2023, and November 6, 2023.
On June 13, the Union education ministry, in an advisory to schools, said girl students should be allowed to take necessary restroom breaks during board exams for classes 10 and 12 and free sanitary napkins must be made available at all examination centres.
The Supreme Court is set to reopen on July 8 after summer vacation.
On November 6, the top court directed the Centre to lay down a national model for building toilets commensurate with the number of girl students in all government-aided and residential schools across the country.
While emphasising uniform procedure, it also asked the Union government about the policy it has formulated for the distribution of sanitary napkins to female school students nationally.
During the hearing, the Centre informed the apex court that a draft national policy for the distribution of sanitary napkins free of cost to school-going girls has been formulated and sent to stakeholders to elicit their comments.
The top court earlier warned the states, which had not submitted their response to the Centre on formulating a uniform national policy on menstrual hygiene for girls studying in schools, that it would take recourse to the “coercive arm of the law” if they failed to do so.
On April 10, the apex court appointed the secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) as the nodal officer to coordinate with states and UTs and collect relevant data for formulating a national policy.
It noted that MoHFW, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Jal Shakti have schemes on menstrual hygiene management.
The court also ordered all states and UTs to submit their menstrual hygiene management strategies and plans that are being executed with the help of funds provided by the Centre or through their own resources to the Mission Steering Group of the National Health Mission within four weeks.
The apex court said the states and UTs shall also indicate to the Mission Steering Group of the National Health Mission the appropriate ratio of female toilets for residential and non-residential schools in their respective territories.
It asked all states and UTs to also indicate the steps which have been taken to provide low-cost sanitary pads and vending machines in schools and their appropriate disposal.
The plea filed by Congress leader Thakur has said adolescent females from poor backgrounds between the ages of 11 and 18 years face serious difficulties in receiving education, a constitutional right under Article 21A of the Constitution.
“These are adolescent females who are not equipped with and are also not educated by their parents about menstruation and menstrual hygiene.
“The deprived economic status and illiteracy lead to a prevalence of unhygienic and unhealthy practices which have serious health consequences, increase obstinacy and lead to eventual dropping out from schools,” the petition said.
Education, West Bengal

WBJEEB publishes rules & regulations for e-counselling of students

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Amitava Banerjee4 July 2024 11:35 PM Darjeeling: Teesta Bazar in Kalimpong observed a bandh on Thursday demanding compensation, rehabilitation and permanent protection from the River Teesta. The bandh call was given by Teesta Sangrakshan Mancha (TSM). All business establishments remained closed on Thursday with a public meeting also being held apprising the residents of the demands.
The TSM has demanded a reassessment of the compensation to be handed over by the NHPC. Incidentally, Teesta Bazar was badly flooded in the flash flood in the River Teesta triggered by a glacial lake outburst in North Sikkim on October 4, 2023. Many families were displaced, houses damaged and livelihoods ended owing to the Teesta flood. According to the National Emergency Response Centre of India (NDMI) in the October 2023 Teesta disaster, there were over 100 deaths and over 70 missing individuals. Around 4,500 were evacuated. Around 90,000 people were affected. Additionally, about 2,000 houses were damaged.
With the advent of monsoons, Teesta Bazar continues to suffer with surge in the water level and the roads inundated. The residents complain that not much has been done in the way of compensation or rehabilitation of the affected families despite more than 8 months having passed since the widespread devastation.
“There were many (read political parties) who came and made tall promises but failed to live up to their commitments. Finally we were compelled to constitute the TSM, consisting of residents and people who have been affected by the calamity. It is an apolitical outfit. The day was observed in memory of all those who had lost their lives in the flash flood of October 4, 2023. It is also in support of our demands for permanent protection, rehabilitation and relief,” stated Madan Chettri of the TSM. “Earlier the district administration had worked out the compensation with the NHPC.
This time it is being done by the GTA and the compensation amount is not sufficient. Though we thank the GTA for initiating the process, we want a reassessment of the compensation amount,” stated Kishor Pradhan of the Mancha.
He further added that the GTA’s proposal to the NHPC of Rs 21 crore to build the protection wall to strengthen the embankment is not sufficient.
“We don’t want stop gap measures. Let there be permanent protection,” added Pradhan. Regarding future programmes, Pradhan stated: “It will depend on the reaction of the government and administration. We dont expect things to happen in a day or two. We know it will take time and we are willing to wait. However, we want a clear policy to be framed to mitigate this problem all along the Teesta permanently.”
The Mancha plans to invite experts, NGO, representatives of all political parties, public representatives, administration in the next meeting.
Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/teesta-bazar-observes-bandh-in-demand-of-speedy-rehabilitation-570614

Education, National

NEET-UG row: SC to hear batch of pleas on July 8

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PTI, New Delhi, Jul 2, 2024 :  The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on July 8 a batch of pleas related to the controversy-ridden NEET-UG, including those alleging irregularities in the examination held on May 5 and seeking a direction that it be held afresh.
According to the cause list for July 8 uploaded on the apex court’s website, the batch of 26 petitions would come up for hearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
The NEET-UG, 2024 was held across 4,750 centres on May 5 and around 24 lakh candidates appeared in it.
Initially expected on June 14, the results were announced on June 4 due to an early completion of answer-sheet evaluation.
Allegations of irregularities, including paper leaks, have led to protests in several cities and sparring between rival political parties.
On June 11, hearing a plea seeking that the exam be held afresh on the grounds of alleged question paper leak and other malpractices, the top court observed that the sanctity of the NEET-UG has been affected and sought responses from the Centre and the NTA on the petition.
It, however, refused to stay the counselling of the successful candidates for admissions to MBBS, BDS and other courses.
On June 20, the top court sought the responses of the Centre, the NTA and others on a slew of petitions, including those seeking the scrapping of the NEET-UG and a court-monitored probe amid a mounting outrage over the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the all-India medical entrance test.
Hearing separate pleas on the exam on June 18, the apex court said even if there was “0.001 per cent negligence” on the part of anyone in the conduct of the examination, it should be thoroughly dealt with.
The Centre and the NTA had, on June 13, told the court that they had cancelled the grace marks awarded to 1,563 candidates.
They were given the option to either take a re-test or forgo the compensatory marks awarded for loss of time.
The NTA announced the revised rank list on Monday after issuing the results of the re-test held on June 23.
A total of 67 students had scored a perfect 720, unprecedented in the NTA’s history, with six from a Haryana centre figuring in the list, raising suspicions about irregularities in the examination held on May 5. It has been alleged that grace marks contributed to 67 students sharing the top rank.
The number of candidates sharing the top rank in the NEET-UG reduced to 61 from 67 as the NTA announced the revised results on Monday. 

Education, National

NEET-PG likely to beheld mid-Aug: Sources

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PTI, New Delhi, Jul 2, 2024 :  The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Post Graduate (NEET-PG) 2024 is likely to be held mid-August, sources said on Tuesday.
    
The revised date for the medical entrance exam is expected to be announced this week.
    
A meeting was held in the Union home ministry on Monday, in which officials from the health ministry, National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), along with its technical partner Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and Cyber Cell officials discussed the preparedness for the NEET-PG, which is to be held online.
    
“Besides the NEET-PG, the meeting was held to evaluate the robustness of the system for the conduct of the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination, which is scheduled for July 6,” a source said.
    
Monday’s meeting was held to check the “robustness” of the system for the conduct of the exam in the coming days, the sources added.
    
It was learnt that the TCS top brass briefed the meeting about the various aspects of the exam procedure.
    
On June 22, the Union health ministry postponed the NEET-PG entrance examination, scheduled to be held on June 23, as a “precautionary measure” in the wake of allegations on the integrity of certain competitive exams.
    
The health ministry had said it will undertake a thorough assessment of the robustness of the processes of the NEET-PG, conducted by the NBEMS along with its technical partner TCS for medical students.
Education, National, Politics

Amid row, Centre sets up 7-member panel headedby Ex-ISRO chief to reform exams, review NTA

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 The petition, filed by 10 students who had appeared for the exam, has also sought a direction to Bihar Police to expedite the investigation in the case

PTI, New Delhi, Jun 22 2024 :A fresh plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the CBI and the ED to investigate alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET-UG held on May 5.

The petition, filed by 10 students who had appeared for the exam, has also sought a direction to Bihar Police to expedite the investigation in the case and file a report before the apex court.

“The petitioners are fully aware of the ramifications of the cancellation of the examination but there is absolutely no other alternative.

“The NEET UG Examination of 2024 had many other irregularities, in particular, the gross negligence on the part of the authorities to make the question papers available to the candidates on time. In some places, the wrong set of question papers was distributed and later recalled,” the plea said.

The top court had earlier sought responses from the Centre, the National Testing Agency (NTA) and others on a slew of petitions, including those seeking scrapping of the NEET-UG 2024 exam and a court-monitored probe, amid mounting outrage over alleged irregularities in conducting the all-India medical entrance test.

The apex court had also stayed further proceedings on similar pleas pending before different high courts.

The top court, however, had made it clear that it would not stay the counselling process.

The examination was held on May 5 across 4,750 centres and around 24 lakh candidates appeared. The results were expected to be declared on June 14 but were announced on June 4, apparently because the evaluation of the answer sheets was completed earlier.

The allegations of irregularities have led to protests in several cities and sparring between rival political parties.

As many as 67 students scored a perfect 720, unprecedented in the NTA’s history, with six from a centre in Haryana’s Faridabad figuring in the list, raising suspicions about irregularities. It has been alleged that grace marks contributed to 67 students sharing the top rank.

The NEET-UG examination is conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.

Education, Regional, West Bengal

Government Directs District Inspectors to Monitor Energy Efficiency in Schools, Curtail Power Wastage

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 The official said the education department has received complaints that non-teaching employees at times forget to switch off lights, fans and other electric appliances after the classes are over or the campus shuts for the day

Subhankar Chowdhury, TT, Calcutta, 22.06.24 : The state education department has asked the district inspectors (DIs) of schools to be vigilant against consumption of power beyond school hours in government and government-aided schools and run random checks on campuses.

A notice addressed to the DIs and signed by the commissioner of school education says: “You are also requested to ensure visit in the schools under your jurisdiction beyond school hours by yourself and subordinate officials for random checks about any misuse of power consumption.”

The notice was issued on Thursday, hours after chief minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her dissatisfaction in a meeting over the alleged misuse of electricity in government offices and schools.

“The chief minister feels that if the office heads or institution heads remain cautious, the expenditure on electricity bills could be cut down to some extent,” said an official in the state primary education board.

The notice by the commissioner of school education says: “It has come to the knowledge at some places, the use of power/electricity is not efficient. At times, the misuse of power beyond class hours has been observed. It is thus be advised that all school authorities be communicated to remain extremely vigilant with regard to power consumption. Any unnecessary use of electricity must be avoided at each place.”

It further says: “You are also requested to ensure visit in the schools under your jurisdiction….”

The primary education board, secondary education board and the council of higher secondary education have been issued copies of the notice.

There are about 55,000 primary schools run or aided by the government in Bengal. The number of secondary and higher secondary schools run or aided by the government stands at close to 12,000 and 9,000, respectively.

“If misuse of power could be prevented at these institutions, a substantial amount of money could be saved,” said an official.

The official said the education department has received complaints that non-teaching employees at times forget to switch off lights, fans and other electric appliances after the classes are over or the campus shuts for the day.

“The teachers, too, stand accused of dereliction of duty,” the official said.

Swapan Mandal, the general secretary of the Bengal Teachers’ and Employees’ Association, said: “The schools are required to send data about their teachers or other information…. The work for that is done after classes. We have to keep lights and fans on for this work.”
Education, National

NEET-UG | Supreme Court refuses to defer counselling for NEET-UG 2024, issues notices on plea to cancel May 5 exam

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Agencies & MP, 21 June 2024, New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Friday refused to defer the counselling for the controversy-ridden NEET-UG 2024 examination scheduled to kick off on July 6, saying it is not an “open and shut” process. 


The apex court issued notices to the National Testing Agency (NTA), the Centre and others on a petition seeking cancellation of the exam over alleged irregularities in holding it on May 5. A vacation bench of Justices Vikram Nath and SVN Bhatti posted the matter for hearing on July 8 along with other pending pleas alleging irregularities in conduct of the examination. 

The counsel appearing for the petitioners urged the bench that the counselling process may be paused for two days as the apex court is scheduled to hear all these pleas on July 8. “I am not seeking any stay of counselling. I am only praying that the counselling which is scheduled to be held on July 6 may be paused for two days only.

The reason being that the main matter is listed on July 8,” the lawyer argued. The bench observed, “We have been hearing the same statement. Don’t think otherwise for interrupting you. Counselling does not mean open and shut. It is a process. That process commences on July 6.”

When the bench asked about the duration of the first round of counselling, one of the lawyers appearing in the matter said it will last around a week. 

The bench, which refused to defer the counselling process, said that counsel appearing for the NTA, the Centre and other respondents may file their response to the plea within two weeks. The bench also dealt with a separate application seeking certain directions to the NTA. 

The counsel appearing for the applicant raised the issue of re-test, which is to be conducted on June 23, and alleged that the NTA has withheld some material information. The bench then asked the NTA’s counsel to file a response to the application and posted it for hearing on July 8.

“What is this argument?,” the bench said. The apex court also dealt with a separate petition seeking a direction to the NTA to allow a candidate, who is suffering from a medical condition, to appear in the re-test. 

The counsel for the petitioner said even before the decision was taken to allow 1,563 candidates to appear in the re-test, the petitioner had sent a representation to the NTA to allow him to take the re-examination. He said the petitioner had also filed a writ petition before the Telangana High Court. 

“He (petitioner) had filed a writ petition before the high court. There also NTA gave a statement that they would decide the representation by the evening and his petition was allowed to be dismissed as withdrawn on that ground,” the bench told the NTA’s counsel. 

It said the petitioner has not received any response from NTA on his representation till today morning. The apex court asked the NTA to take a decision on the representation by 4 p.m. today and communicate the same to the petitioner by e-mail. 

The bench, which issued notices to the NTA and others seeking their responses on the plea, also posted it for hearing on July 8. While hearing separate pleas on the NEET (Undergraduate)-2024 examination, the apex court had on June 18 said even if there was “0.001 per cent negligence” on the part of anyone in the conduct of the examination, it should be thoroughly dealt with. 

The examination was held on May 5 across 4,750 centres and around 24 lakh candidates took it. The results were expected to be declared on June 14 but were announced on June 4, apparently because the evaluation of the answer sheets got completed earlier. The allegations have led to protests in several cities and sparring between rival political parties. 

As many as 67 students scored a perfect 720, unprecedented in the NTA’s history, with six from a centre in Haryana’s Faridabad figuring in the list, raising suspicions about irregularities. It has been alleged that grace marks contributed to 67 students sharing the top rank. The NEET-UG examination is conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.

https://www.millenniumpost.in/big-stories/neet-ug-row-sc-refuses-to-defer-counselling-issues-notices-on-plea-to-cancel-may-5-exam-568855
Education, National

SC notice to Centre, NTA on pleas for cancelling NEET- UG 2024; proceedings before HCs stayed

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PTI, New Delhi, Jun 20, 2024 :  The Supreme Court on Thursday sought responses from the Centre, the National Testing Agency (NTA) and others on petitions, including those seeking the scrapping of NEET-UG 2024 exam and a court-monitored probe into the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance test.


The apex court also stayed further proceedings on some pleas on the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate)-2024 examination pending before different high courts in the country.

A vacation bench of Justices Vikram Nath and SVN Bhatti issued notices to the parties seeking their responses on four separate pleas filed by the NTA seeking transfer of some pending petitions, including those concerning alleged paper leak, from the high courts to the apex court.

As the bench issued notices on NTA’s petitions, the counsel appearing for the agency urged that proceedings in these matters before the high court be stayed.

“Issue notice, returnable on July 8,” the bench said, adding, “In the meantime, further proceedings before the high courts shall remain stayed”.

It also dealt with several other petitions, including the one filed by 20 students who had appeared in the medical entrance test and are seeking scrapping of the exam which was held on May 5.

They have also sought a direction to the NTA and others to conduct the test afresh.

The bench, which issued notices to the Centre, NTA and others seeking their responses on these petitions, said the pleas would be heard on July 8 along with other pending matters concerning the NEET-UG 2024.

During the hearing, the bench made clear that it was not staying the counselling process.

“All this has been argued from day one and they (some petitioners) have been wanting stay of counselling. We have denied that,” the bench observed. “Ultimately, if all of you succeed, everything will go. The examination goes and the counselling will also go.” An advocate, appearing for one of the petitioners, said the counselling can be deferred until after July 8.

The bench asked the NTA’s counsel about the counselling. “The counselling will start on July 6, but it will not finish on July 6. It will take time,” the NTA’s counsel said.

Another counsel informed the bench that a person has been arrested in Bihar in connection with the probe into alleged irregularities in the exam.

The lawyer said FIRs have been lodged in Bihar and Gujarat regarding the alleged irregularities and the police should be asked to give status report of their investigation in these matter.

During the hearing, the bench observed that petitioners in the matter were making similar arguments.

The counsel appearing for the Centre said many a times, coaching institutes have also come as petitioners.

“They have a right to come. Because their business is … these students only and if you play with them and you meddle with their rights, then these coaching centres will come,” the bench observed.

While hearing separate pleas concerning the NEET (Undergraduate)-2024 examination, the apex court had on June 18 said even if there was “0.001 per cent negligence” on the part of anyone in the conduct of the examination, it should be thoroughly dealt with.

The NTA conducts the all India pre-medical entrance test.

While hearing separate petitions raising grievances over the NEET-UG 2024, the apex court had last week sought responses from the Centre and the NTA on a plea for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into allegations of question paper leak and other irregularities in the exam.

The Centre and the NTA had on June 13 told the top court that they had cancelled the grace marks given to 1,563 candidates who took the examination for admission to MBBS and other such courses.

They will have the option to either take a retest or forgo the compensatory marks awarded to them for the loss of time, the Centre had said.

The examination was held on May 5 across 4,750 centres and around 24 lakh candidates took it. The results were expected to be declared on June 14 but were announced on June 4, apparently because the evaluation of the answer sheets got completed earlier.

There have been allegations of question paper leaks in states like Bihar and other irregularities in the prestigious exam.

The allegations have led to protests in several cities and filing of petitions in several high courts as also the Supreme Court. Scores of students protested in Delhi on June 10 seeking a probe into alleged irregularities.

As many as 67 students scored a perfect 720, unprecedented in the NTA’s history, with six from a centre in Haryana’s Faridabad figuring in the list, raising suspicions about irregularities. It has been alleged that grace marks contributed to 67 students sharing the top rank.

The NEET-UG examination is conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country. 
Education, West Bengal

‘Centre has not released funds for Sarva Siksha Abhiyan’

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MP, 20 June 2024, Kolkata: The Centre has not released to the tune of Rs 1,600 crore under Samagra Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) on the ground that the state has not signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the Union government on PM (Prime Minister) Shri Scheme. 

“In PM Shri Scheme, the Central share is 60 per cent while the state’s share is 40 per cent so why should it be christened as PM Shri? It will either be called PM-CM Shri or by any other name. 
Moreover, this scheme has nothing to do with SSA through which Mid Day Meal is provided to students. 
They are trying to deprive the students of their share of Mid Day Meal. The stopping of funds under SSA is inhuman, barbaric and a shame for the federal structure,” state Education minister Bratya Basu said. 
A senior official of the state Education department said that Rs 1,200 crore is due for the year 2023-24 while for this year (till today), another Rs 400 crore (considering that the amount for SSA is given in three to four installments) is due. 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/centre-has-not-released-funds-for-sarva-siksha-abhiyan-568636
Education, National

No need to teach about riots, demolition in schools, says NCERT chief after textbook revisions

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 We want to create positive citizens and that’s what is the purpose of our textbooks. We cannot have everything in them. The purpose of our education is not to create violent citizen depressed citizens. Hatred and violence are not subjects of teaching, says Dinesh Prasad Saklani

PTI, New Delhi, Jun 17, 2024 :  Rejecting accusations of saffronisation of school curriculum, NCERT’s director has said that references to Gujarat riots and Babri masjid demolition were modified in school textbooks because teaching about riots “can create violent and depressed citizens.”
    In an interaction with PTI editors at the agency’s headquarters here on Saturday, National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) director Dinesh Prasad Saklani said the tweaks in textbooks are part of annual revision and should not be a subject of hue and cry.
    Asked about references to Gujarat riots or Babri masjid demolition being tweaked in NCERT textbooks, Saklani said, “Why should we teach about riots in school textbooks? We want to create positive citizens not violent and depressed individuals”.
    “Should we teach our students in a manner that they become offensive, create hatred in society or become victim of hatred? Is that education’s purpose? Should we teach about riots to such young children … when they grow up, they can learn about it but why school textbooks. Let them understand what happened and why it happened when they grow up. The hue and cry about the changes is irrelevant,” he said.
    The comments by Saklani come at a time when new textbooks have hit the market with several deletions and changes. The revised Class 12 political science textbook does not mention the Babri masjid but refers to it as a “three-domed structure”. It has pruned the Ayodhya section from four to two pages and deleted details from the earlier version.
    It instead focuses on the Supreme Court judgement that paved the way for the construction of a Ram temple at the site where the disputed structure once stood before it was torn down by Hindu activists in December 1992. The Supreme Court verdict was widely accepted in the country. The consecration of the Ram idol in the temple was performed on January 22 this year by the prime minister.
    “We want to create positive citizens and that’s what is the purpose of our textbooks. We cannot have everything in them. The purpose of our education is not to create violent citizens … depressed citizens. Hatred and violence are not subjects of teaching, they should not be focus of our textbooks,” added Saklani.
    He hinted that the same hue and cry is not made about 1984 anti-Sikh riots not being in textbooks.
    The latest deletions in the textbooks include: BJP’s ‘rath yatra’ from Somnath in Gujarat to Ayodhya; the role of kar sevaks; communal violence in the wake of the demolition of the Babri masjid; President’s rule in BJP-ruled states; and the BJP’s expression of “regret over the happenings at Ayodhya”.
    “If Supreme Court has given a verdict in favour of Ram temple, Babri masjid or Ram janmabhoomi, should it not be included in our textbooks, what is the problem in that? We have included the new updates. If we have constructed new Parliament, should our students not know about it. It is our duty to include the ancient developments and recent developments,” he said.
    Asked about allegations of saffronisation of curriculum and ultimately textbooks, Saklani said, “If something has become irrelevant … it will have to be changed. Why shouldn’t it be changed. I don’t see any saffronisation here. We teach history so students know about facts, not for making it a battleground”.
    “If we are telling about Indian Knowledge System, how can it be saffronisation? If we are telling about iron pillar in Mehrauli and saying Indians were way ahead of any metallurigical scientist, are we saying wrong? How can it be saffronisation?”
    Saklani, 61, who was head of the ancient history department at the HNB Garhwal University before taking charge as NCERT director in 2022, has faced criticism over the changes in textbooks, especially pertaining to historical facts.
    “What is wrong about changes in textbooks? Updating textbooks is a global practice, it is in interest of education. Revising textbooks is an annual exercise. Whatever is changed is decided by subject and pedagogy experts. I do not dictate or interfere in the process … there is no imposition from top.
    “There are no attempts to saffronise curriculum, everything is based on facts and evidence,” he said.
    The NCERT is revising the curriculum of the school textbooks in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.     
    From the assertion that recent studies of ancient DNA obtained from archaeological sources at Rakhigarhi, an Indus Valley site in Haryana, rule out Aryan immigration to a call for more research into whether the Harappans and the Vedic people were the same, several crucial topics have either been dropped or tweaked in textbooks.
    A two-page table detailing achievements of Mughal emperors such as Humayun, Shah Jahan, Akbar, Jahangir and Aurangzeb have also been removed.
    This is the fourth round of revision and updating of NCERT textbooks since 2014.
    Referring to the changes to the section on Ayodhya, the NCERT had said in April — “Content is updated as per latest development in politics. Text on Ayodhya issue has been thoroughly revised because of the latest changes brought by the Supreme Court’s Constitutional bench verdict and its widespread welcoming reception”.
    Saklani said that some changes have happened because the subjects were irrelevant, some to update new information while several topics were removed earlier to minimise burden on students cause by the COVID-19 pandemic and reduce duplication of content.
    The new political science textbook of Class 11, now says that political parties “give priority to the interests of a minority group” with an eye on “vote bank politics”, which leads to “minority appeasement”.
    This marks a complete shift from what was taught until the 2023-24 academic session — that if students “think hard”, they will find there is “little evidence” to suggest that vote bank politics favours the minorities in the country.
    Dropping references to the demolition of Babri Masjid, the killing of Muslims in Gujarat riots and Hindutva, and tweaking the reference to Manipur’s merger with India are among the changes made in textbooks this year.