Montgomery schools in finals for prize

K-12

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March 15, 2010

Recently, the Montgomery County school system was shortlisted as one of the finalists for a national education award. The aim of the the award is to reward urban school districts for increasing student performance and reducing achievement gaps. The school system is among five finalists out of 100 eligible districts nationwide for the Broad Prize for Urban Education. The award of US$2 million prize, annually recognises urban school districts 'making the greatest progress in America in raising student achievement.'

The Montgomery system, has over the past decade pumped in extra resources into schools with the largest numbers of low-income and English-language-learning students. Many indicators have risen accordingly, and the school system is the first in the Washington area to be so honored. The other finalists are Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (N.C.), Gwinnett County Public Schools (outside Atlanta), Socorro Independent School District (El Paso) and Ysleta Independent School District (El Paso).

Foreign Faculty to teach at IITs

Higher Education

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 12, 2010

In a meeting, HRD minister Kapil Sibal along with IIT directors on Wednesday resolved the salary imbroglio that saw IIT faculty go on strike. In a detailed presentation by the ministry, it was shown that IIT faculty after revision got more than UGC scale. The few unresolved issues, Sibal promised, would be immediately looked into.

Though a final decision has not been taken, there is a possibility that common counselling for AIEEE and JEE could be held for successful candidates of both entrance tests from 2010. However , a decision on merging IIT-JEE and AIEEE to become a common entrance test will be taken later.

The meeting, a sequel to Sibal’s earlier meeting with IIT directors on June 30, discussed progress of new IITs. It also saw the minister assuring the directors that a special cell would be set up in the ministry to facilitate entry of foreign faculty in IITs. The meeting also discussed the need to create, subject to ministry’s approval, an international pool of faculty for IITs. The matter will be discussed in a separate meeting of IIT directors. To deal with faculty shortage , IIT directors have been told to double PhD intake and prepare a list of students who were awarded PhD degrees this year. The list may be exchanged with directors of other IITs who can consider them for appointment as faculty.

The ministry told IIT directors about the Supreme Court order that asked IITs and other educational institutions to help SC/ST students at each stage. IIT Delhi has already been asked to reconsider its decision of expelling some students from this section on account of their poor academic performance . As for new IITs, the meeting was told that PhD courses were started in IITs at Hyderabad and Patna.

Unique Indian Cancer therapy goes to Malaysia

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March 12, 2010

A Noida based institute (NCR) has now accepted an offer from Malaysia to provide them with targeted 'dendritic cell' therapy to patients there, after successfully treating hundreds of cancer patients in India. A new treatment that uses cell-based cancer immuno-therapy-treatment using the patient's own mononuclear cells transformed into cancer-specific dendritic (immune system regulatory) cells has been devised by the Institute of Cellular Therapies (ICT).

Through this therapy, medical experts extract the mononuclear (CD14+) cells from the patient's own blood, transform these cells into cancer-fighting cells and implant them back in the patient's body. Denvax helps in correcting the failed immune surveillance and teaches the immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells.

NRIs at Malaysia to avail Indian Scholarships

Higher Education

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 12, 2010

It was announced scholarships for the Indian diaspora for undergraduate studies in India during 2010-11 at New Delhi. It was mentioned that the undergraduate courses include engineering, architecture, technology, humanities, liberal arts, commerce, management (business administration and business management), journalism, hotel management, agriculture/animal husbandry, science and law.

The global Indian diaspora is 25 million strong and is spread over 130 countries. NRIs and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) candidates would only be eligible if their total family income does not exceed US$2,250 (RM7,488). Malaysia is home to nearly two million Indian diaspora, a bulk of whom are Tamil-speaking.

PPP mode to help establish 20 IIITs

Higher Education

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 12, 2010

During the XIth Plan, in order to increase the skill challenges of the Indian IT industry and growth of the domestic IT market, the state Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry intends to establish 20 Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT). Besides this, 300 polytechnics are to be set up through Public Private Partnership by the state government/ union territories with roughly one fourth of the cost of capital assets being provided by the government of India with a ceiling of INR 3 crore.

Higher Education services to be aided by India, ADB

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March 12, 2010

Recently, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced that it will partner with the Indian government to support higher education services in the Pacific region. The government through ADB would offer an US$1 million grant for the initiative, said the multilateral lender.

India is to provide with financial support that aims to enhance the country's experience and technical expertise in ICT (Information and Communication Technology) to help improve access to higher education in the Pacific. Other key activities under the project include upgrading distance and flexible learning programme content with new ICT technology and possible increase of bandwidth. Additionally, active academic partnerships with other educational institutions would be established, it noted.

Five education bills under discussion in Cabinet

Policy Matters

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 12, 2010

On 11^th March 2010, the Cabinet was to take up five bills, which shall overhaul the scenario of higher education in India, for a discussion. Three of the five bills have already been passed by the muster at the Group pf Minister's meetings. The agenda of the Cabinet includes checking malpractices in institutes, establishing tribunals to adjudicate on education related disputes, accrediting institutes on set parameters and allowing foreign education providers to set up centres. Authorisation will be granting to the Centre to impose fines of INR 50 lakh against errant institutes on committing 25 set violations like providing false information about faculty and facilities and sentencing of up to 10 years in case of individuals, if the Prohibition of Unfair Practices in Technical, Medical Educational Institutions and University's Bill is implemented.

The Educational Tribunal Bill is to take a look at any dispute arising between students and institutions, teachers and institutions and institute and regulatory body. Accreditation bill suggests for all institutes to necessarily seek accreditation from private accrediting agencies, which are registered under the ministry and after receiving the ratings, the institute has to declare it in public. The Foreign Educational Institutions (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill will grant approval to a foreign institute to ply in the country through three levels. The Council of Architecture Act 1972 will rationalize the Council's powers. The new bills are a part of the Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal's plans to enhance higher education in India. The Minister expects them to be passed in the monsoon session of the Parliament.

Launch of course on Folkfore, Culture Studies by IGNOU

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March 12, 2010

The School of Interdisciplinary and Trans-disciplinary Studies (SOITS) of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) recently lanuched an innovative Diploma Programme in Folklore and culture Studies, 'PG Diploma in Folklore and Culture Studies (PGDFCS)'. From the current session, students will get an entirely novel offer in culture studies, comprehensive and detailed, with anecdotal references to the ethos of cultures of the world.

The programme fee has been fixed at INR 2000 and students will be given one to four years to complete the Diploma in flexi-mode, through the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) method. The programme, PGDFCS, is the brainchild of SOH's Associate Professor of English, Dr. Nandini Sahu, who belongs to the IGNOU School of Humanities. Four blocks are the basic structure of each course on which the Project Report has to be written. The School expects that the students will study meticulously enough to be able to develop a standpoint about how best the cultures and folklores can be preserved.

DTU and French consortium sign MoU

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March 12, 2010

The Delhi Technological University (DTU) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a network of seven engineering institutions in France, The Groupe Des Ecoles Des Mines (GEM), to foster collaboration, provide opportunity for global experience and facilitate advancement of knowledge in the field of engineering. The MoU was signed on Thursday between Prof. P.B. Sharma, Vice Chancellor, DTU and Prof. Jacques Schwartzentruber, Head of International Relations, GEM at the DTU campus. Under the MoU, academic representatives from other institution will be invited to participate in symposia, conferences, short courses and meetings on research issues.

Faculty and staff of the partner institution will also be invited to participate in a variety of teaching and/ or research activities and professional development programs. The two institutions have also agreed to exchange information pertaining to developments in teaching and students' development and cooperate in joint research programs in areas of mutual interest. GEM institutions offer academic and research programs in almost all engineering disciplines and function in close coordination with the industry. The MoU was signed in the presence of Mr. Michel Pavageau, Associate Professor, Department of Energetics and Environmental Engineering, Ecole Des Mines De Nantes and Prof. R. K. Sinha, Dean, Industrial Relations & Research Development, DTU.

Free monthly season tickets from today for Madrasa students

K-12

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 12, 2010

The students studying in Madrasa, High Madrasa and Senior Madrasa will be able to get free Monthly Season Tickets (MSTs) in 2nd class in the trains, from today onwards. These free MSTs will be issued for journeys on 1st August 2009. This was announced by the Minister of Railways, Kumari Mamata Banerjee in the Railway Budget 2009-10. These free MSTs are to be issued directly from the station on production of the prescribed certificates from the Head of concerned Madrasas, recognized by the Ministry of Education, Government of India or the Education Department of the concerned state government or affiliated to a recognized university.

In addition, as per the Budget announcement, the Ministry of Railways has also decided that 60 per cent concession in the fares of Metro Rail Kolkata will be granted to both boy and girl students studying in schools/Madrasas/recognized vocational institutions upto classes academically equivalent to class XII with effect from 1st August 2009. Concession will be granted directly from Kolkata Metro stations on production of prescribed certificate from the Head of the concerned Schools or Madrasas or vocational institutions which recognized by Education Department of Government of West Bengal, or by Central Government (Ministry of Education), or are affiliated to recognized universities. The concession will be available to students for commuting daily between the station serving the place of residence and School/Madrasa/Vocational institute.

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