IGNOU News

MBA , PG Diploma in Management (PGDIM), PGDHRM, PGD in Financial Management (PGDFM),PG Diploma in Operations Management (PGDOM), PG Diploma in Marketing Management (PGDMM) and Diploma in Management (DIM) from IGNOU.

You need: Bachelors degree plus three year supervisory/ managerial/ professional expe¬rience or degree in engineering/ technology/ medicine/ architecture/ law etc or professional qualifications in accountancy, cost and works accountancy, company secretaryship, etc. or masters degree in any subject. Non-graduates with six years supervisory experience, managerial or professional expe-nenofare eligible to appjy for DIM only. No age bar for any programme. Entrance test OPENMAT-XXI on February 4,2007 for July 2007 and January 2008 entry. Work experience should be during or after acquiring the qualification specified, as on April 25,2007 and October 31,2007 as the case may be.

Form: Obtain from the Director (5R and E), IGNOU, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi-110068 by paying Rs 500 in cash at sale counter. May download from and send to Registrar, at address above by registered post with DD/IPO for Rs 550 in favour of IGNOU payable at New Delhi.

Deadline: November 14,2006 for request of forms and November 30,2006 for submis¬sion by registered or speed post with envelope superscribed Application for OPENMAT-XXI.

Notified: The Hindustan Times, Horizons, Mumbai October 25,2006.

IGNOU Alumni Association

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has decided to form an alumni association in order to bring together all its ex-students, announced Prof. V.N. Rajasekharan Pil-lai, Vice Chancellor recently. The office of the association will be at the IGNOU headquarters. It will have as many Chapters as the number of Regional Centres, which will be the location of the sub-offices. This association will create a forum to meet, discuss and deliberate upon various activities of the association and also share relevant experiences towards dissemination of higher education.

IGNOU Introduces Progress Report Book

With the change of guard, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is all set to make sweeping reforms in its approach towards delivering education through distance mode.

Apart from making its courses localised and making the universitys structure more decentralised, V N Rajasekharan Pillais, the new vice chancellor of IGNOU, primary aim is to eliminate the difference between the degrees offered by the conventional system and distance education. Agreeing on the disadvantage the graduates of distance education face at the job market, he said that with his personal intervention at all level, he should ensure that the degrees of IGNOU are not only at par, but also of a much higher quality than the conventional system degrees.

In his first proactive approach he, during an induction programme, announced the intro¬duction of the progress report book for students of the university. He said:The process of learning shall be highly interactive and this comprehensive record of the teaching/learning/evaluation activities of a student shall be maintained by the student duly authenticated by study centre coordinators and regional centres. This will create an atmosphere of accountability at all levels of learning.

Deviating from his predecessors, Pillai is of the view that although Distance Education Council (DEC) is an important body for quality assurance of open and distance learning, the council need not have an autonomous status. He said: Ensuring voluntary quality assurance on the part of the open universities and institutions offering distance education should be the primary aim. All good institutions will definitely come forward.

The VC also emphasised on continuous and extensive collaboration among open school system, and conventional and open universities. He said that the primary aim of open universities should be to emphasise on capacity building.

Indira Gandhi National Open University

Course: Master Degree Programme and Bachelors Degree Programme

Eligibility: 10+2

How to apply: Prospectus can be obtained from the university on payment of Rs. 50 in cash or from all the regional centres of IGNOU. Application forms can also be downloaded from the site and submitted along with DD worth Rs. 50

Contact: Registrar, SR & E Division, TG-NOU, Maidan Garni, New Delhi-110 068

Last date: August 31

IGNOU has decided to delete certain “objectionable” statements about Hindu deities made in the lessons of its MA (History) programme dealing with religious thought, saying the “error” was inadvertent and not aimed at hurting communal sensitivities.

“The faculty has reviewed these aspects and decided to delete the statements which are offending,” IGNOU said in a statement in New Delhi on Wednesday.

“The error is inadvertent and not aimed to hurt religious sensitivities or degrade the deities,” it said.

The University has also appointed an expert committee to review the entire course content.

The move follows media reports pointing out objectionable statements made in one of the lessons in the course `Religious Thought and Belief in India’ of MA (History) programme of IGNOU.

19th July, 2006 : ( Source : http://www.hindustantimes.com )

The BJP on Tuesday alleged that the IGNOU books contained insulting remarks about Lord Shiva, Krishna and goddess Durga and charged the UPA government with indulging into a deep-rooted conspiracy to “please a particular community".

State BJP President Keshari Nath Tripathi alleged the history books of IGNOU contained insulting remarks for Lord Shiva, Krishna and goddess Durga and they were “deliberately” included in the syllabus to humiliate Hindus and their culture.

“It’s a deep conspiracy of the Centre to please a particular community,” he said alleging that NCERT books also had derogatory details about ancestors of Hindu and also Sikh Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur.

He said the party was exploring legal alternatives to keep a check on such attempts of the Central government which was under pressure of leftist and trying to please minority community.

18th July, 2006 ( Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

Hundreds of protestors angry at the insulting references to Hindu Gods and Goddesses in the Indira Gandhi Nehru Open University (IGNOU) text book, on Wednesday, attacked its regional office located in Biscomaun building in Patna demanding immediate recall of the book while also demanding the resignation of Union Human Resources Minister Arjun Singh.

The protest sponsored under the banner of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the students’ wing of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), mad at the derogatory reference to Indian Gods burnt the effigy of Singh and vandalized the IGNOU office while also demanding public apologies from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

“The Communists historians, in collusion with the Hindu-hating UPA government, have purposely distorted the facts for their own so-called secular agenda. This will not be tolerated and until the contents of the book is changed and a public apology is tendered, we will continue to go on with the protest,” ABVP state president Satyendra Narain Kushwaha said.

Protestors took down the IGNOU sign and colored it with black paints while destroying some tables and chairs.

As reported, there had been several derogatory references to Hindu Gods including Lord Shiva, Goddess Durga, and Lord Krishna in the text book.

IGNOU Vice Chancellor Professor S. C. Garg, apologizing on behalf of the liberal university, said the mistakes were made during the translation of the book from English to Hindi. “I am myself a Hindu and I don’t want these monumental errors in the text books but I can assure you the mistakes were unintentional and have already been ordered to rectify,” Garg said.

Similar explanations were given by Union Human Resources and Development Minister Arjun Singh who said the books have been ordered to be pulled from the shelves and proper amendment has been ordered to set the records straight.

20th July, 2006 : ( Source : http://www.patnadaily.com )

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and St. Mary’s University College launched distance post-graduate learning programme.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, President of St. Mary’s University College Wondwossen Tamrat said the programme is the first success story of the private sector in introducing post-graduate studies in Ethiopia in partnership with a foreign University.

He added that the programme would assist the government’s plan to raise the annual rate of post-graduate enrollment from the current 6,000 to 26,000 per year in five years time.

Established in 1985, IGNOU currently has a student population of 1.5 million and offers a variety of post-graduate programmes including PhD programmes.

Wondwossen said the fee structure of IGNOU and its programmes are appealing to developing countries like Ethiopia, adding the programme is believed to lower the high supply-demand gap for post-graduate programmes in Ethiopia.

The programme would further benefit those who are unable to follow classroom-based lessons due to their working conditions or geographical location.

The courses will be directly sent from the IGNOU, while St. Mary University College coordinates the student registration, material distribution, preparations of tutorial and exam programmes.

19th July,2006 : ( Source : http://allafrica.com)

The Ukhrul Community Information Centre (CIC) has finally began to serve its purpose with the functioning getting full swing through implementation of the HRD Scheme for Computer Literacy Programme (CLP) for Ukhrulites emphasising on imparting training to 30 students.

According to the CIC instructors NK Leishiyo and S Somimaya, the computer course under prescribed guidelines of IGNOU CLP is being conducted at the centre following an MoU between DIT-Govt of India, DST-Govt of Manipur and IGNOU.

The said course is to cover 33 Cics of Manipur with the training to be extended to volunteers of NGOs, youth organisations and student community.

If sufficient number of Govt employees do not apply the privilege will be given to the NGOs and students, sources added.

It is reported that the selection will be on first come first served basis.

However, applicants from Govt.

employees will have priority over applications from other categories.

CIC Ukhrul also informed interested applicants to contact the Centre for detailed information.

24th July,2006 : ( Source : http://www.e-pao.net )

Lok Sabha

The NIEPA has forwarded a report on a Seminar organized on the 2nd May, 2006 by the Institute on the them of “Privatization and Commercialization of Higher Education”.

A summary of recommendations made at the Seminar is at Annexure-I. These recommendations are valuable inputs in formulating policies, as well as appropriate laws, in regard to preventing commercialization.

Annexure-I

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The executive summary of the recommendations of the National Seminar on Privatization and Commercialization of Higher Education held on May 2, 2006, arising out of the background paper and the deliberations during the seminar, is presented below.

1. The objectives of higher education and basic research for any society, particularly one striving to grow into a knowledge society, are not only to address the knowledge needs of the present time, but also to project the knowledge needs of the future, as far as possible. In fact, a knowledge society needs creative minds in the sciences and humanities that are not confined within narrow boundaries set by either the current market trends in the private sector or the policy commitments in the government sector, binding though them may be in the sort run. It is the responsibility of the state to try to determine the futuristic vision with the help of identified groups of knowledge workers, and influence the course of development in pursuit of that vision with appropriate funding.

2. The State is primarily responsible for ensuring quality education at all levels and in all regions. This would entail strengthening of public institutions as also their quantitative expansion. It is evidently the obligation of the state to find ways and means of raising public resources for higher education as per the recommendations of (a) the CABE Committee Report on financing of Higher & Technical Education and (b) the Tapas Majumdar Committee Report on National Common Minimum Programme’s Commitment of 6% GDP to Education.

3. The philanthropic tradition in Indian higher education has been always active and institutions sponsored by it therefore should be promoted. An incentive system in terms of tax concessions, land grants and transparent rules should be laid down so as to attract private participation in higher education. Industry may be encouraged to provide research grants relevant to appropriate technological change. Educational funds for various specific purposes may be floated by seeking contributions from likely private sources and the management of funds should be in the hands of academic/processional bodies. Some of the private higher education institutions with a proven track record of excellence should be identified and promoted.

4. During recent years, private initiative in higher education became almost unavoidable. At the same time, there was increasing pressure in favour of expansion. Since the courts permitted the institutions to charge students in full in certain cases, a large number of new institutions came to be opened. This in turn created a fresh set of problems and all of them have not been taken care of yet. This much is clear by now that the private sector of education has come into existence alongside the governmental sector. One of the problems that need to be taken care of is how the two should co-exist. Secondly, there is the problem of commercialization.

5. Commercialization is manifestating itself in a variety of forms such as the full recovery of the cost of higher education in government and government aided institutions; high fees in self-financing private processional colleges, deemed and private universities; high fees charged in unrecognized private institutions offering foreign degrees in collaboration with foreign universities etc. Commercialization, therefore, needs to be unambiguously defined with a view to containing it.

6. Commercialization of higher education can have adverse implications, both in terms of access and equity. It may even create internal imbalances and distortions in higher education such as excessive importance to the IT-related sector at the cost of the Social Sciences and the Humanities. Commodification of education, research and knowledge will not serve the long range interests of the nation. It could lead to truncated growth and top sided development of higher education. The applied aspects may acquire importance at the cost of other dimensions, thus neglecting vast pools of traditional knowledge acquired over the centuries. Therefore, commercialization needs to be controlled.

7. A system to regulate commercialization should be put in place by the Central and State governments in coordination with each other. If the Central government so desires, it may lay down constitutional provisions to regulate commercialization. A suitable framework in respect of specific issues can be imposed by legislation, if necessary, and its implementation may be ensured through various regulatory bodies.

8. Foreign universities are promoting the process of privatization and fuelling commercialization. Issues like regulation by the various professional bodies to control fees, fine tune quality and suitable legislation for the entry of foreign universities would have to be immediately attended to.

9. Private non-government institutions may be permitted to generate a fair surplus without indulging in unfair practices and the surplus so generated should be ploughed back for the upgradation of the institution. These institutions should be made to submit a copy of their quarterly accounts to their respective states for audit.

10. Distance education is yet another area where potential of commercialization are quite high because of diverse nature of suppliers offering variegated programmes with little control by the regulatory bodies. Today, the quality of distance education is both unsatisfactory and uneven. This is largely because it is not clear who controls what. Both the UGC and the IGNOU operate in different ways and sometimes at cross purposes with each other. The role of foreign universities also contributes to this phenomenon. It is a matter of urgency therefore that confusion is removed and responsibilities are allocated in a rational and constructive manner.

11. There is an urgent need to evolve a proper coordination mechanism amongst the various regulatory bodies in order to determine issues such as fees, admission, procedures, the quality of education, future directions etc.

12. Periodic accreditation of all institutions of higher learning should be made mandatory for the purpose of ensuring quality. It is matter of utmost urgency that each new institution is accredited not later than one year of it being started. In case the relevant professional agencies are unable to meet this demand, these bodies may either be strengthened or some partner agencies with established credibility may be identified and entrusted with the responsibility of carrying out accreditation.

13. Whenever an institution is found in default of the norms laid down by the relevant controlling authority, the latter shall have the right to impose a financial penalty for each default. This should apply to all institutions, including those controlled by the government. The amount chargeable should be laid down in advance at the time of laying down the norms. If an institution more than twice commits the default, the institutions should be debarred from running the courses, as the case might be.

25th, July, 2006 : ( Source : http://pib.nic.in )

The BJP on Tuesday alleged that the IGNOU books contained insulting remarks about Lord Shiva, Krishna and goddess Durga and charged the UPA government with indulging into a deep-rooted conspiracy to “please a particular community".

State BJP President Keshari Nath Tripathi alleged the history books of IGNOU contained insulting remarks for Lord Shiva, Krishna and goddess Durga and they were “deliberately” included in the syllabus to humiliate Hindus and their culture.

“It’s a deep conspiracy of the Centre to please a particular community,” he said alleging that NCERT books also had derogatory details about ancestors of Hindu and also Sikh Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur.

He said the party was exploring legal alternatives to keep a check on such attempts of the Central government, which was under pressure of leftist and trying to please minority community.

18th July, 2006 : ( Source : http://www.financialexpress.com)

In a significant move, the RSS has asked the Hindu community to organise themselves under Dalit leadership and said “good Hindus” were present in all political parties. It also said “all governments” have worked against the sentiments of the majority community but not the BJP-led NDA governments between 1998 and 2004.

“So long as those believing in caste hierarchy continue to dominate among the Hindus, it would be difficult to instil courage in their spines…Hindu society too can jump over this ocean of crises, challenges and self-ignorance if they start viewing Dalits as Ram and Hanuman, touch their feet, organise under their leadership and as disciples form an aggressive organisation.

Only Dalits and the deprived can uplift us, this is an undoubtable truth,” says a hard-hitting editorial in the latest issue of RSS Hindi organ Panchjanya.

The ’special editorial’ sought to remind the readers that the people, who ‘insulted’ Hindu deities in IGNOU textbooks, honoured painter M F Hussein despite his naked depiction of Goddesses, got the Shankaracharya arrested and made an “onslaught on the sanctity and system” of Tirupati, were those “believed to be among the upper castes.”

The RSS, which has all along supported the BJP, said, “Good Hindus can be seen in other parties also. The only difference is that some find it politically beneficial to talk about Hindu interests occasionally and if opportunity demands, while others don’t think so.

“From the viewpoint of Hindu interests, we should be expecting such a situation where in irrespective of party affiliations and differences, they should unite when it comes to any harm to Hindu interests,” the editorial further said.

23th July, 2006 : ( Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

HOLDING the allegations of Usha Rani, a nurse at GMCH-32, as baseless and unwarranted, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) today turned down its case holding her repatriation valid.

Usha Rani, a resident of Sector 22 and nurse at the hospital, had moved the Tribunal pleading quashing of her repatriation to Punjab, her parent state.

Usha Rani had also levelled allegations of sexual harassment against Dr H M Swami, Director, GMCH, and J K Dass, Medical Superintendent. The Tribunal today turned down her case holding the repatriation valid.

Since 1997, Usha Rani was on deputation from Government of Punjab to UT Administration (at GMCH-32) as a nursing sister and was repatriated to her parent state and was directed to report to Director Health Services, Punjab, for further posting. She had moved the Tribunal seeking quashing of the orders.

It was alleged by Usha Rani that Dass, by using coercion and under influence, took her consent for repatriation to her parent state on August 17, 2005.

She had maintained that the two aforesaid were being vindictive because she had complained to the UT Vigilance against H S Swami in a matter related to promotions of some staff nurses.

She had alleged that she was pressurised by the two to give in writing her consent for her repatriation to Punjab. In her application, Usha Rani had alleged that she had applied to her parent department for NOC for taking admission in B.Sc Nursing from IGNOU, New Delhi, in 2002. She could not get admission in 2003 but got it in 2004. As per Usha Rani, Dass asked her to obtain a fresh NOC.

She alleged that instead of issuing an NOC, she was harassed and sexual advances and remarks on her colour were made.

The two doctors denied all the allegations calling them baseless. The complainant had said that she had given her consent in writing for her repatriation as she was apprehensive that the two doctors will give negative remarks in her ACR.

However, the CAT today held that Usha Rani had clearly given in her writing, a letter to the two doctors in which she had stated: ‘‘Due to unavoidable circumstances I cannot continue my services in GMCH. Kindly relieve me as soon as possible’’. The CAT further held that the letter also had the complainant’s signatures.

Moreover, according to the Tribunal the story made by Usha Rani seems unwarranted and baseless. Thus, it held her repatriation valid.

21th July,2006 : ( Source : http://cities.expressindia.com)

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has been conceived as a government of India national educational movement to achieve the target of universalization of primary education among all children. This ambitious programme has been supported by several international and national funding agencies and success stories are coming up from different states. Distance education with the advent of digital technologies, has become an alternate or supplement to the conventional education. A host of technologies are there to make learning interactive. Policy makers and academicians have recognized this fact and therefore have naturally selected it as an important strategy for the implementation of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

Multimedia content is very much important for the development of interactive learning material like interactive CD or dynamic websites. Considering the multi-lingual character of our country, we should be able to have online translations of such web content.

UNESCO has underlined the importance of providing educational access to all children in the age group of 6-14 with international aid programmes for universalisation of education. In India, it heralded in the early 1990s. ‘The forerunner of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) was one of the largest of such programmes in the world when implemented’. DPEP was formerly launched in the early 90s, with the main purpose of accelerating the pace of Universalisation of Primary Education (UPE). DPEP is a centrally sponsored scheme implemented by state level agencies. Several international agencies have funded for the DPEP programme in different states and the assistance from IDA is significant among them.

The concept of UPE emanates from the Education for All (EFA) declaration adopted by the World Conference on EFA, held in Thailand in the month of March 1990. This resolution sought to meet the basic learning needs of all the children into two categories:
i) essential learning tools such as literacy, oral expression, numeracy and problem solving
ii) basic learning content such as knowledge, skills, values and attitudes.

The success of DPEP in Alternate Schooling (AS) was replicated on large scale with many of its elements having been incorporated in the Education Guarantee Scheme and Alternative and Innovation Education (EGS & AIE). As a result of the efforts made by the Central and State governments, ‘94 percent of the country’s rural population has been provided with primary schools within one km and 84 percent have upper primary schools within three kilometres. National Elementary Education Mission was conceived for facilitating the achievement of Universalisation of Primary Education (UPE) in a systematic sustained and integrated manner, involving all segments of society in this national endeavour’.

The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is a concerted effort of the Government of India to provide useful and relevant elementary education for all children in the 6-14 age groups by 2010. Another goal of SSA is to bridge the social, regional and gender gaps in education and give meaning to elementary education with the active participation of the community in the management of schools. The Development of the SSA programme is an offshoot of very many deliberations held at the level of policy makers and educationists of the country.

The main objectives of SSA are listed below:
• All children in school, Education Guarantee Centre, Alternate School, ‘Back-to-School’ camp by 2003
• All children complete five years of primary schooling by 2007
• All children complete eight years of elementary schooling by 2010
• Focus on elementary education of satisfactory quality with emphasis on education for life
• Bridge all gender and social category gaps at primary stage by 2007 and at elementary education level by 2010
• Universal retention by 2010

Glaring feature of SSA is that it lays a special thrust on making education at the elementary level useful and relevant for children by improving the curriculum, child centred activities and effective teaching-learning activities. As we know, in any educational activity, teacher has a catalytic and noble role to play and SSA recognises these. “SSA recognises the critical and central role of teachers and advocates focussing on their development needs. Setting up of Block Resource Centres/Cluster Resource Centres, recruitment of qualified teachers, opportunities for teacher development through participation in curriculum-related material development, focus on class room process and exposure visits for teachers are all designed to develop the human resource among teachers.”

ICT and UEE

ICT (Information and Communication Technology) enabled distance education is poised to rule the world. This would not only strengthen the elementary education needs of the country but also would increase the dependence of education on ICT. Technological development always warrants transition to newer technologies by jeopardising the cost effectiveness of the distance education programme. Retaining the already existing technologies for a considerable period of time and subsequently embracing new technologies should have fine balancing, so as to improve also the quality of education.

India is one among the few countries in the world, which has not allowed the expenditure on education to shrink over the years. The increase in expenditure on elementary education alone over the last four Five Year Plan periods has been more than the increase in expenditure on education as a whole. With all the inputs around, there is only hope for enhancing the quality of education at the elementary stage.

Education, as we know is instrumental in ensuring that the future generation is well informed and competent. Unfortunately, because the quality and accessibility of education varies so greatly between regions, the school system of our country often fail to deliver the level of education necessary to ensure such competency. Many schools have limited resources for buying books, stationery, furniture and other classroom materials. Teachers lack adequate qualification and training to engage their students in learning. Their lesson plans are most often outdated or irrelevant. These jeopardise the available quality of education. ICT enabled distance education, to a great extent, can combat this problem. Because the present day distance learning is ICT-enabled, most of the programmes include computer and Internet training to facilitate the use of essential technology. The acquisition of fundamental ICT skills among teachers and students helps knowledge sharing, thereby multiplying educational opportunities. However, all teachers are not willing to introduce new technologies to themselves first and subsequently to their students. In order to implement ICT-driven distance education programme, the teachers must first understand and be comfortable with the technologies. They must be given opportunities for acquisition of a new knowledge. It all can begin by promoting computer-training programmes for teachers. Monetary incentives can be offered as means of motivation.

The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can effectively enhance learning where traditional models have failed. While these technologies offer advantages, they also pose challenges. Several studies have been conducted in the west about the use of ICT in Middle and High School students. Martin Carnoy has made painstaking study on this matter and these results are available in his inaugural lecture of ICT in Education: Possibilities and Challenges-2004-05 Academic Year. According to him, ’Using ICT as a supplement to improve test score results, may, however, be seen to be more effective than traditional teaching alone, hence is much more applied.’ He also comments about the use of ICT for teacher and administrator training. ‘Private firms such as Sylvan quickly saw the potential of ICT as an in-service training medium for teachers, and this now forms an important part of Sylvan’s extensive ICT learning systems… An entirely different approach to teacher improvement is web access to course content, lesson plans and network to other teachers. This or content, approach is used by Net Schools and the IBM foundation. Both of these organisations focus on using ICT as teacher training for course content rather than improving pedagogy.’

It can be seen that Distance Learning Technologies have been employed in the education of teachers both at pre-service level and at In-service level. UNESCO has published a summary of case studies conducted in nine countries in different parts of world and most of these studies reflect the necessity of having multi-prong strategy for teacher education and to improve their expertise. For example, ‘in China television has been tremendously used for teacher education. In India, there is a multimedia approach for teacher education. In UK, due to heavy shortage of teachers of Mathematics and Science, the Department of Education invited tenders..…the Open University was successful in this and the result was Open University’s Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) programme, where ICT plays a large role in enabling interaction between students, tutors, regional support centres and programme providers ’.

In 1996, Distance Education has been naturally chosen as a catalyst for expediting Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). An MOU was signed between MHRD and IGNOU in November 1996 and thereafter; a full-fledged office was set up for this purpose. But still SSA need attention in terms of ICT application.

To achieve UEE there is a need for following initiatives
• involvement of stake holders, particularly primary school teachers while preparing any material or training package with the help of experts from technology, media and concerned subject areas.
• to effect synergic match between technology and pedagogy with sensitivity to cultural specificity.
• preparation of model multimedia training packages at national level as exemplary material for subsequent adoption by the participating states
• establishment of national web based resource centre and multi channel forum

18th July, 2006 : ( Source : http://southasia.oneworld.net)

The Human Resource Development Minister Shri Arjun Singh stressed the need to focus on teacher education. Chairing the Consultative Committee Meeting attached to his ministry here today, Shri Arjun Singh said teacher education plays a pivotal role in school education as better the teacher the learning of children will improve. The Committee was apprised that 466 District Institute of Education & Training (DIETs)/District Resource Centre (DRCs), 104 College of Teacher Education (CTEs) and 31 Institute of Advanced Studies in Education (IASEs) are functional in the country. Attention is also being paid to training of untrained teachers through distance mode and annual in-service training has been provided for under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) & National National Council for Educational Research & Training (NCERT) have drawn up a revised Teacher Education Curriculum while IGNOU had developed specific courses for the NE Region. The XIth Five Year Plan will see the merger of the Teacher Education Scheme with Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan for a holistic approach to elementary education.

Earlier, members cutting across party lines emphasized the need to focus on teacher education and clear the baklog of vacancies for better results. They were of the view that teacher should be equipped with modern technology and methods as education scenario is fast changing. They said there is a need to revise curriculum programme for pre-service training of teachers. Some members expressed concerns on the non availability of trained teachers for science and mathematics subjects. They also pointed out that non availability of science teachers in Urdu language is a serious issue and should be addressed immediately. While lauding the efforts of the Government in teacher education, members desired that more awards be given to teachers to encourage them for imparting quality education.

Those who attended the meeting include Ministers of State for HRD Shri M.A.A Fatmi and Smt. D. Purandeswari, Shri Vallabh Bhai Kathiria, Shri Rupchand Pal, Shri Francis Fanthome, Shri Laxminarayan Sharma, Shri Vijay Krishna, Dr. Chinta Mohan, Shri Kishanbhai V. Patel, Shri A. Owaisi, Smt. P. Satheedevi, Shri Harisinh Chavda, Kumari Bhavana P. Gawali and Shri Raashid Alvi (All MPs).

19th July, 2006 : ( Source : http://pib.nic.in)

With the Bihar cabinet approving new rules for recruitment of teachers on Tuesday, decks have been cleared for the appointment of about 2.36 lakh teachers in the state’s primary, middle, secondary and senior secondary schools.

There would be no age bar for the aspirants during the first appointment of teachers under the new scheme.
The post of shiksha mitra has been abolished. They will now be called panchayat shikshak and will get an enhanced salary.

The cabinet sanctioned 60,000 new posts of primary teacher for equalling the state’s teacher-pupil ratio to the national norm of 1:40. Presently, theteacher-pupil ratio in schools of Bihar is 1:62.

At the secondary level, 10,000 posts of teacher have been created for upgrading 1000 middle schools. The cabinet also approved creation of 1200 posts of senior secondary teacher for upgrading 100 secondary schools to plus-two level.

Initially, only the trained teachers would be appointed. In case of non-availability of trained teachers, untrained teachers would also be appointed.

The untrained teachers, after their appointment, would be imparted training in their respective schools. An MoU has been signed between IGNOU and the state government for the training.

27th June, 2006 : ( Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

Days after the sub-group on management schools reported to the Veerappa Moily Oversight Committee that expansion in a year—to offset the 27% OBC quotas—was unrealistic, the group on Central universities has taken the contrary stand.

In its interim report to Moily, the group has argued that the 62,000-seat increase by 2007 from 1.08 lakh to 1.7 lakh should be seen as an “opportunity” and universities should have the freedom to come up with their own mechanism to implement the expansion plan without “compromising” standards.

From the next year, the report says, the upgrade could be implemented in 17 universities with the exception of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).

Drawing from inputs from Vice-Chancellors, the group, headed by Syed Hamid, Chancellor of Jamia Hamdard, has worked out the cost: Rs 2,250 crore of which Rs 1,600 crore will be for developing infrastructure (non-recurring expenditure) and Rs 650 crore on meeting day-to-day expenses, including staff salaries (recurring expenditure).

This will be in addition to UGC funds already allocated—Rs 1,450 crore for the 2006-07 financial year. This year, these Central universities have got Rs 930 crore for recurring expenses and another Rs 515 crore for non-recurring expenses.

The group has suggested fast-tracking hiring of teachers by doing away with UGC approvals, raising retirement age to 65 and re-employing teachers upto 70 years. And an “immediate infrastructure-building exercise.’’

However, the report has argued against a one-size-fits-all plan. ‘‘Jawaharlal Nehru University, for example, already follows a system by which people belonging to backward regions get extra points in the entrance test. Such systems should allowed to exist,’’ a committee member said. The Moily team will now consider the reports of these sub-groups in a meeting on July 13.

Mandal officer new Arjun expert

HRD Minister Arjun Singh has appointed retired bureaucrat P S Krishnan to advise him on the OBC quotas. Krishnan, a 1956 IAS officer, headed the Welfare Ministry when V P Singh announced OBC quotas for jobs.

“My only condition to the govt was take my advice and give a serious thought to it. Do not fix any price on it,” said Krishnan who signed the order in 1979 appointing the B P Mandal Commission.

RSS leader attacks caste reservations

The RSS has come out against caste-based reservations arguing they would only serve vested interests of politicians. The latest issue of RSS mouthpiece Organiser quotes Sangh general secretary Mohanrao Bhagwat at a recent function in Sultanpur in UP as saying: ‘‘We are not against reservation. But it should not be on the basis of caste. It should be on the basis of social and economic backwardness and this issue should be addressed not by politicians but scholars and intellectuals of the society.’’ Bhagwat said politicians were working for their vested interests in the name of reservation.

10th July, 2006 : (Source : http://www.indianexpress.com )

Other than government institutes, some private engineering colleges in the region have also ventured into these courses. The students, however should be careful in selecting the institute, satisfying themselves with not only the infrastructure and training modules but also find out if the course being offered is recognised by a government agency.

The Chandigarh College of Hotel Management and Catering Technology at Landran, Mohali, is offering a four-year degree course in Bachelor of Hotel Management and Catering Technology (60 seats) and a three-year degree course in B.Sc Airlines, Tourism and Hospitality Management (40 seats). The college is affiliated to Punjab Technical University Jalandhar (PTU), and these courses are approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Even as the first batches of these courses pass out next year, the college also intends to tie up with some top hotels for placements.

The Desh Bhagat Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Mandi Gobindgarh, is also affiliated to Punjab Technical University and offers the same two degrees also approved by the All India Council of Technical Education. The institute offers a four-year degree in Hotel Management and Catering Technology (60 seats) and a three- year degree in B.Sc Airlines, Tourism and Hospitality (40 seats).

As part of the PTU Distance Education programme, the institute offers lateral entry under-graduate and post-graduate diplomas in Hotel Management and Catering Technology and an MSc in Hotel Management and Catering Technology. The college also offers some other diplomas and degrees in hotel management and tourism, but these courses are approved needs to be crosschecked. The institute’s placement cell works in coordination with the industry. Students got industrial training in five-star hotels like Taj View, Nikko Metropoliton, Le Meriden, Tavoli Garden Resort, Oberoi, Ashoka and Radisson etc.

The Chitkara School of Hospitality affiliated to the PTU offers a three- year bachelors degree in Hospitality (80 seats) aiming to meet the industry’s need for competent hospitality managers. Students are given ample opportunities to work with leading restaurants and hotels of Chandigarh to earn by working in conferences/banquets/seminars. According to the Institute, the course does not require an approval from the AICTE but the degree is given by the PTU.

27th, June, 2006 : ( Source : http://www.tribuneindia.com)

Students in India’s northeast will soon have satellite-based educational facilities to enhance their knowledge base.

Three states - Tripura, Mizoram and Nagaland - will be included in the first phase of the hi-tech facilities using the services of EDUSAT, a dedicated satellite for education launched in 2004.

In the first phase, the project will cover government-run schools and it will be subsequently introduced in private schools.

“Educational programmes through satellite would reach some of the most interior and inaccessible hilly areas of Tripura, Mizoram and Nagaland through video-conferencing,” said K.C. Bhattacharya, director of the Northeastern Space Application Centre (NESAC).

There will be a hub and a studio each in the three states.

Tripura and Nagaland will each have 30 satellite educational facilities and Mizoram 31.

“These resource centres will be located in blocks, higher secondary and middle schools, district institutes of education and training,” Bhattacharya told IANS.

Reception terminals will be installed in each centre.

The EDUSAT services will be made available in the remaining states of the region - Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim - by the end of March 2007.

NESAC is coordinating with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the launch of the project.

There will be specialised teachers at the uplink station or the hub and lessons taught would reach hundreds of students in the remote centres through satellite signals.

“The teachings in the studio can be seen and heard in the classrooms on large screens or big television sets with cameras and audio equipment available at both ends for communication,” said Krishna Dhan Nath, director of the State Council for Educational Research and Training.

“The teachers will be able to hear the students who will be visible to all the other learners in various centres, creating an atmosphere of a virtual classroom.”

The new venture is expected to bring down the dropout rate among school students in the region, besides helping teachers to enhance their knowledge base.

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and ISRO have been jointly working to develop a satellite-based educational network since 1993. The EDUSAT was launched in 2004 by the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).

The project is being funded and coordinated by the human resource development ministry and the department of space and technology.

27th June, 2006 : ( Source : http://www.teluguportal.net )

The dictionary meaning of ‘innovations’ is change, departure or new feature; thus it does not stick to status quo. The innovations, therefore, entail: (a) a quantum leap in our thinking involved in the introduction of a revolutionary new method, or (b) a novel twist to an old idea or method, or © a piecing together of existing method and process to fit a particular set of circumstances. The aforesaid explanation of innovation used by Micheal and Bansal in Financial Engineering has been found fit in the context of the subject under discussion as well .

Teachers in the college sector are engaged in teaching, research, extension and governance. With regard to all the four components of curriculum management like, planning, development, transaction and evaluation, the role of operational level teachers has never been undermined.

The educational services – one among twelve services – under globalization are covered in GATS that paves the way for the entry of foreign players in India. The challenges posed by globalization to educational services can be grouped under four categories: (1) shifting from rigid formal methods of education to new methods based on technology (2) addressing social issues (3) diversifying student support services, and (4) encouraging students to opt for entrepreneurship and focus on market-friendly education.

The present discussion in pursuance of academic objectives in the aforesaid backdrop is a humble attempt to examine the revised question paper (RQP) for under-graduate programmes for the first year annual examination – 2006 issued vide University of Kashmir notification dated 15 June, 2006.

The revised pattern of question paper is well in tune with the current academic requirements. The existing mechanism required a departure from the status quo maintained, at least, for the last two decades. The concerned academics who have contributed their expertise and academic input towards this exercise deserves all admiration for this change from the routine. The evaluation under the new scheme will be more systematic and enjoy a quantitative orientation. The examinees under the new scheme, by and large, will not be under-evaluated as complained earlier.

The RQP, however, suffers from certain inherent limitations which need to be rectified: (1) the range of words for Section A (10-20), Section B (200-300), and section C (400-450) may be replaced by specific number of words as for instance, 15,225 and 425 or 15, 200 and 400 respectively wth a view to minimize the scope for bias during the course of evaluation (refer to IGNOU pattern), (2) the RQP fits in line with the theoretical course of study, but in respect of others based on numerical analysis a further exercise is desired. The different sections inter alia may clearly specify Theory-Numeric Mix, (3) the respective BOUS in different faculties or the teachers at the operational level – the genuine stakeholders have not been offered a role in the process of redesigning the existing course-wise syllabi or the subject RQP till the issuance of the notification.

The revised scheme despite certain deficiencies, which can be rectified, has varied advantages and it is desired to make the scheme effectively operational because it: (1) encourages concretization of fundamental concepts; (2) encourages thorough study sans short cuts, and (3) student friendly and student-centric that is the essence of education.

The revised question paper is a step towards reforming examination system in vogue in Kashmir. The objective of reducing time from 3 hours to 2.30 hours to ensure inter alia the double shift conduct of examinations every day. The examination cycle has been consuming substantial number of days which turns to be non-productive.

The present course structure has to be regrouped from 5 units into 4 units without reducing the course content has further added scope for sub-unitisation under the new pattern from transaction as well as examination stand points and each unit can now be split into 3 sub-units.

The examination cycle in terms of number of days during the academic section 2005 (126 days average) though experienced a reduction as against 2004 (131 days average), yet it is in excess of the University statutes of 90 days and benchmark fixed by the UGC of 35 days. See Table 1 and 2.

The introduction of semester system at undergraduate level and academic empowerment given to the college sector deserve to be accorded a due consideration by the University. The semester scheme is the only befitting via media to contract the examination cycle. It is opportune time that the college sector is to be offered a role to conduct as well as prepare the results for the first term covering ‘A’ papers at the respective college level and the second term covering ‘B” papers to be conducted by the University as usual.

The semester exercise will lead to: (1) the reduction in examination cycle (conduct and result declaration) to the tune of 50% (2) the number of days will increase to the advantage of teaching and other academic activities in the colleges (3) the heavy burden of course content will evenly be distributed semester wise and students will get a relief; (4) the examination with human face will boost up the morale of students, (5) the students will remain busy in their studies through out the academic session.
The present innovative experiment with regard to evaluation is expected to make teaching- learning process interactive and participative. The focus has to be globalization oriented and equip ourselves as faculty and student to compete rival players and enjoy a competitive edge.

6th July, 2006 : ( Source : http://www.greaterkashmir.com )