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IGNOU inks pact with leading bird conservatory organization

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digitalLEARNING Network
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The Indira Gandhi National Open University's (IGNOUs) Chair for Sustainable Development (CSD) has entered into a pact with the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), an organization under the Ministry of Environment and Forests mainly working towards the conservation of nature and natural resources with birds to offer programmes in the area of Environmental Impact Assessment and Ornithology. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed by the Registrar of the university Mr. U.S.Tolia and Dr. P.A. Azeez on behalf of SACON in the presence of Prof. Latha Pillai and Prof. P.R. Ramanujam, Pro VCs of IGNOU, offers a six month programme called PG Certificate in Environmental Management System and a year-long programme called PG Diploma in Environmental Impact Assessment and Management for students through online mode. The courses are expected to be launched in April 2012. “With fast changing needs we must have people for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). We are in a situation where we look at development at the cost of nature. Through the Chair of Sustainability Development we are sensitizing people towards issues which matter for the ecological balance of the country. Besides launching these online diploma programmes we can also look forward for activities like inviting students for bird watching,” said Prof. Latha Pillai, Pro VC, IGNOU. She also cited examples of programmes under the university aiming at bringing environmental sustainability. The course is being planned at a time, when there is a major boost in industrial growth in the country due to economic liberalization and globalization, which is essentially following an unsustainable path by degrading environmental quality and depleting natural resources including the non-renewable resources which are finite in supply. In this juncture, the role of EIA to harmonize the development and bring about sustainability in the country needs to be communicated to a large public cutting across professional interests. Dr. Azeez briefed about SACON and its activities and its involvement in research, extension and outreach programmes. He drew attention to the unorganized development in the country leading to unsustainability in natural resources exploitation and the role of EIA as a tool for sustainable development in India. He also emphasized the issue of lack of skilled personnel for undertaking EIA and the requirement for offering such programmes.

HRD Ministry meets industry leaders for India-US Higher Education Summit 2011

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digitalLEARNING Network
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Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has conducted a Roundtable meeting on Higher Education headed by Union Minister of HRD, Shri Kapil Sibal. The main motive of the meeting was to prepare agendas for the forthcoming India-US Higher Education Summit. The India-US Higher Education Summit is scheduled to be held on June 15-16, 2011 at Washington DC. Leaders of major industry bodies like CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM as well as heads of various higher education institutions in the country were present in the meeting and shared their views. Reportedly, some reputed officials from the Ministry of External Affairs were also there in the discussions. The roundtable treasured various initiatives already in progress between the two countries India and US. Some of them are the Obama-Singh Knowledge Initiative, Yale-India Leadership Programme, Fullbright scholarships etc. Sources said that in the meeting, it was decided to take such partnership programmes further through an institutional bilateral mechanism with active participation of the industry. As the result of the Round table, Sibal announced the constitution of the five Working Groups, among the industry leaders and academia.

Higher education loans get momentum in admission season

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digitalLEARNING Network
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The education loan portfolio this season shows a gained a momentum and is expected to grow multi-fold. Keeping in mind the admission season in colleges, banks are gearing up to facilitate maximum education loans to students. Education loans have increased to Rs43, 801 crore in the year to February 2011, from Rs36, 522 crore in the previous corresponding period, which is a significant growth of 19.93%, says the latest report of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). According to a senior official of the Punjab National Bank (PNB), “Our education loan disbursal has been showing significant growth. As of 31 December 2010, we disbursed around Rs2,750 crore towards education from our Rs21,700 crore retail loan portfolio. Going ahead we are optimistic about the growth of this sector.” He added, “Last year we posted a growth of 46% in our education loan portfolio; the current growth is 24%. Though, our volumes are increasing.” Efforts by banks to create awareness and promote education loans are evident. “The sector has grown at 30%-40%. Large numbers of students going for higher education are approaching banks for loans to fund their studies,” said K Unnikrishnan, deputy chief executive, Indian Banks' Association. However, post the global recession of 2008, the education loan portfolio which has the lowest default rate has witnessed increasing cases of defaults. But banks are not too worried as the non-performing loans have come back to earlier levels. Vivek Mhatre, general manager, retail, at Union Bank of India, told Moneylife, “Our NPAs on the education loan portfolio are minimal. Since 2008-09, our portfolio has doubled to Rs1,600 crore and we want to increase it by 30-40%. When a student opts for higher education from a premier institute like Indian Business School or IIM, the default risk is almost zero as these institutes have good placement facilities. Now the season of education loans has begun and we are already receiving a steady stream of proposals.” Mr Mhatre explained that “as per RBI guidelines there is no collateral required for loans up to Rs4 lakh, so this category has some default rate, but we have a monitoring mechanism in place and there is nothing to worry about.” Currently, as per RBI guidelines, banks can provide a maximum loan of Rs10 lakh for studies in India and Rs20 lakh for studies abroad.

DU Department approves Commerce Semester Based Syllabi

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digitalLEARNING Network
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Finally the semester-based syllabi has got Delhi University's nod. DU's Department of Commerce showed the green signal for the new syllabi for the Honours Programme and BA Programme Commerce papers. KV Bhanumurthy, Head of the Commerce and Business Department, said that the total workload is absolutely maintained and similarly, the number of lectures will be more or less the same. “Some optional papers have been made compulsory now and all functional areas of management are now mandatory”, added he. According to the sources, the new B.Com Honours course will consist of 26 papers, whereas earlier it was just 22. On the other hand, the B.Com programme will have 24 papers instead of the original 16. Another important change is that the faculty has reduced the number of optional papers from four to only two. The two new compulsory papers of management area are international business and indirect taxation. Sources said that out of the 45 faculty members in the meeting, only one teacher opposed the passing of the new syllabi.

Indian B-School defeats Brazil, Russia at BRICS conference

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digitalLEARNING Network
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Students from Indian business schools have defeated participants from Brazil and Russia in SDM Institute of Management Development's ongoing student participation program with the Association of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Business Schools. Shantou University of China stood at the number one position followed by India represented by Swosti Panda and Srikiran Rai of SDMIMD. Ramesh Venkateswaran, Director SDM IMD, speaking on the victory, said, “We are proud that our students have made their mark on a global platform. With this feat the students have raised the bar for the next batches to push themselves to do better this achievement.” Other two students from SDMIMD, VR Raghunandan and Vaishnavi S were also part of the team that represented India at China last week as student delegates at the BRICS B Schools Conference held at Guangzhou, China. As part of the academic and professional activities of the association, business fests and conferences are held in all the five member countries.

Record-breaking HSLC results by Mizoram

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digitalLEARNING Network
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Mizoram, one of most terror stricken states of north-east, seems to have taken a lead in the education league of India. After Mizoram Board of Secondary Education (MBSE) came into existence, Mizoram this year has recorded the highest pass percentage in HLSC of 69.99 percent. School Education minister Lalsawta said he was very happy with the results which he attributed to the joint efforts of the department's officers, State Council of Educational Research (SCERT), College of Teachers Education and Mizoram Higher Secondary Teachers' Association. ''The pass percentage of HSLC in Mizoram has been increasing for the last five years, except in 2009 when the pass percentage decreased to 60.46 per cent,'' F Laldawngliana, president of MBSE said. ''This year has the highest pass percentage since the MBSE conducted HSLC examinations in Mizoram,'' he added. Last year's HSLC pass percentage was 66.60. Out of the 11025 candidates who (5423 males and 3787 females) appeared, 7716 passed, among which 3787 were female. While 399 candidates attained distinction, 1673 passed in first division, 2624 in second division and 3020 in third division. Compartmental chances were given to 278 candidates while 3031 candidates failed. While there were 144 schools which saw cent percent pass, there were 29 high schools, including eleven government high schools which saw nil results.

Rajasthan to launch literacy improvement programme

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digitalLEARNING Network
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The Rajasthan Government has framed an action plan, Child Trekking Survey, which aims at the inclusion and enrolment of uncovered and dropped children. The plan which plans to cover 12.1 lakh children would focus on mass awareness, inspirational atmosphere and inclusive approach with performance oriented incentives and reward for stake holders and enforcing agencies. Under the plan prepared for compliance of announcement made by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in his budget speech in the State Assembly, public representatives, including MLAs and/or MPs, teachers, officials or school management committees would work on the massive enrollment drive and would go door-to-door to convince/inspire parents/guardians of targeted children for their enrollment. Every teacher attached with Elementary Education Department would be given target of enrolling at least two children, an official spokesman said here last evening. Chief Minister, Education Minister, Chief Secretary and Principle Secretary (Education) would also appeal to all concerned for success of the enrollment drive. Good performing teachers, anganwadi workers and asha sahayogini from every block would be rewarded appropriately and good performing gram panchayats would be provided special development grant of up to Rs 10 lakh, the spokesman added.

Shiv Nadar appointed new IIT Kharagpur Chairman

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digitalLEARNING Network
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Shiv Nadar, founder of software giant HCL, is all set to head the board of governors of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur. The only engineering institution from India listed among top 500 universities worldwide in the Shanghai Jiao Tong University's 'Academic Ranking of World Universities'; IIT Kharagpur is one of the largest IITs in India. “It is an honour to be entrusted the responsibility to further advance the global stature this great institution has built already,” Mr Nadar said in a statement released by IIT, Kharagpur. Well known for his contribution to the technology industry in India and globally, Mr Nadar is also highly regarded as a philanthropist and educationist for his belief in transformational education for social change. Doctorate of Science by IIT, Kharagpur recently conferred Mr Nadar the Honoris Causa, for his outstanding contribution to computer hardware, software domain and entrepreneurship in the country. Mr Nadar will take over the chairmanship from Mr B Muthuraman, Vice Chairman, Tata Steel. Former chairs of IIT Kharagpur include luminaries like Dr B C Roy, former Chief Minister of West Bengal; Sir Biren Mookerjee, Founder, IISCO steel plant; Mr A N Haksar, former Chairman, ITC; Mr Russi Mody, former Chairman and Managing Director of Tata Steel; Mr L M Thapar, Chairman, Emeritus, Ballarpur Industries Ltd (BILT) and Mr R P Goenka, Chairman Emeritus of the RPG Group.

Azim Premji Foundation partners with TISS to launch APSE

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digitalLEARNING Network
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The Azim Premji Foundation has joined hands with Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) to set up the Azim Premji School of Education (APSE). The APSE at TISS Hyderabad will offer Degrees and continuing education programmes and conduct research in the field of education, according to a release here. Under the MoU, Azim Premji Foundation will provide financial support to APSE including for research, programs and infrastructure. Foundation CEO Dileep Ranjekar, who is also Azim Premji University Board of Governors member said ''improving the quality of education must be one of India's key goals. We think this task needs organisations who have shared vision to collaborate deeply.'' TISS Director Dr S Parasuraman said ''this collaboration will strengthen both the institutions, towards the goal of improving education in India.''

VentureStudio to upgrade skills with Centre

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digitalLEARNING Network
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VentureStudio , an Ahmedabad University initiative, has been launched for Innovative Business Design in the statein collaboration with Centre for Design Research (CDR) at Stanford University. VentureStudio will bring glocal resources to develop an ecosystem for innovative start-up ventures. The Centre will work with multidisciplinary teams to create products that meet community needs.

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