Educational TV programmes in India from Germany

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August 3, 2009

IT@School ViCTERS, India's first dedicated educational TV channel, inked agreement with German broadcaster Deutsche Welle to allow Indian students access to more than 200 hours of its educational programmes. The agreement will offer schools and students in India the opportunity to see, among others, the popular German programme Mouse TV. It will also bring in documentaries and videos covering science, medicine, waste management, workplace safety, water, world cultures and the animal kingdom.

IT@School ViCTERS is the educational channel of the Kerala government's department of education. ViCTERS (virtual class technology on Edusat for rural schools), India's first dedicated educational channel based on Edusat for schools, was inaugurated in 2005 by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the then president of India. Kerala was the first state to make use of Edusat for transmitting educational programmes for nearly 15,000 schools in 14 districts. Operational since 2007, ViCTERS is telecast 17 hours a day, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. It is distributed by local cable operators, and covers as much as 80 percent of the total households in Kerala, according to the organization running it. ViCTERS also facilitates interactive virtual classrooms that enable school students and teachers to directly communicate with subject experts and educationists. Incidentally, Deutsche Welle is Germany's state-run international broadcaster. With DW-TV, DW-RADIO and DW-WORLD.DE, it produces news, background information and cultural highlights worldwide, while creating a platform for intercultural dialogue.

A Study: Deficit in education in Indian youth wrt employment

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August 3, 2009

A study titled 'Youth in India: Situation and Needs', released on February, 20, 2010, explained that youth from many Indian states are not equipped, educationally, for the employment available, with respect to the market demand. The results of the study indicated that most of the young Indian population was neither equipped educationally nor adequately equipped with vocational skills. Assessing situation across six states including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu – between 2006 and 2008, the study involved participation of over 58,000 youths in the age group of 15-29 years.

It was described that around 44-52 % of men and 36-48 % of women in Maharashtra and the southern states of Andra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu had completed 10 or more years of education, compared to 30-38 % of men and 13-18 % of women from the other states. The study was done by ehe Population Council, Delhi, and International Institute of Population Sciences, Mumbai.

Mumbai online admissions on Trail run

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August 3, 2009

A trial run of the online admissions process for junior colleges was conducted by the education department recently. The trial was conducted at more than 50 centres across the city for more than 5,000 students. The trial was conducted in the presence of education minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. Students were asked about the feedback on the system introduced by the Government. Some of their suggestions will be incorporated in the website.

The online admission process has been developed by the Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited (MKCL). Aatul Wadegaonkar, general manager of MKCL said, 'A lot of students were concerned if the server would be able to take the load during admissions. But on Sunday, with over 5,000 students logging in within a period of an hour-and a-half, only 2% of the server capacity was utilised. During actual admissions, even if 25 times the number of students access the server during the same period of time, only 50% of its capacity will be utilized.'

Inauguration of ICT laboratory for Pentecost Preparatory School

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August 3, 2009

The Parent-Teacher-Association (PTA) of Pentecost Preparatory and Junior High School on Saturday inaugurated a computer laboratory to promote Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) in the school established in 1994. It formed part of the school's second speech and prize giving day at Buabiashie, Accra. Samuel Ofori Adjei, Headmaster of Accra Academy Senior High School, inaugurating the laboratory, stressed the need for parents to contribute their quota towards their children's education especially their academic excellence and moral upbringing. He urged parents and teachers to avoid complacency and assist managements of schools in the training of their children. Josephine Kuffuor, National Community Participation Coordinator at the Ministry of Education, told that ICT had been inculcated into the mainstream syllabus as a compulsory subject to help students acquire additional knowledge to compete with their counterparts in other parts of the world.

She said that the privatization of the sector was ideal since Government alone could not bear the cost of education of the entire children in the country. Pastor Joshua Dzidzornu, Chairman of the PTA said that the gesture was in line with Government's policy that by 2010, students would be examined in ICT at the BECE level. He said the laboratory now had 14 computers out of the estimated 40 and the PTA was determined to ensure each student had a computer soon.

INR 9.8 crore to Delhi schools as government boost

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August 3, 2009

The Delhi Government on Wednesday presented a plan of action before the Supreme Court for improving the infrastructure and other facilities in about 1,000 schools in the capital. In an affidavit filed in the court, the Directorate of Education said it intended to 'redefine the minimum basic acceptable standards of health hygiene and safety in government schools' and 'upgrade the physical infrastructure of schools up to a standard and agreed norms…' The affidavit sworn by Director of Education Chandra Bhushan Kumar, has been filed in response to a PIL filed by Environment and Consumer Protection Foundation highlighting the plight of government run schools in Delhi and the lack of basic facilities like drinking water, toilets and buildings.

It said the number of students in government schools has increased by over a lakh in the last three-four years and promised to provide better environment to nurture children by overcoming the constraints. The affidavit gave a detailed list of 14 works including construction of semi-pucca structures, additional toilets, provision for additional fire safety measures and earthquake retrofitting. Delhi Cabinet has already approved a INR 9.80-crore proposal prepared by the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation. Under the plan, each school would get INR 5 1akh, the affidavit said, adding the plan was expected to be completed by March 2010. A bench headed by Justice Dalveer Bhandari appreciated the efforts of Delhi Education Department in improving the infrastructure and ensuring timely payment of salaries to teachers. It asked the Centre to apprise it within two months the general plights of schools across the country in terms of availability of various basic amenities like drinking water, toilets, seating facility class rooms and building to students.

India News:August 2009

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August 1, 2009

USD239.390 million to South Asian University by India

A payment of US $ 239.930 million to the South Asian University, which is around 79 % of the total cost of the full establishment of the University until 2014, was approved by the Union Cabinet. The cabinet mentioned that India is all set to ‘disburse the first tranche of its financial commitment of US $9.464 million to ensure that the University is operational in July-August 2010.’ The University’s aims are to disseminate an advance knowledge and understanding by providing instructional and research facilities in such branches of learning as it may deem fit. Being a non-state, non-profit self governing international educational institution, the South Asian University shall have a regional focus for the purposes set forth in this agreement and shall have full academic freedom for the attainment of its objectives. The jurisdiction of the University shall extend to whole of India and to campuses and centres established outside India in the SAARC region. Neighboring100 acres of land, next to Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is being acquired by the Ministry of External Affairs from DDA for leasing to the University. At the Thirteenth SAARC Summit held in Dhaka, in November 2005, Prime Minister proposed the establishment of a South Asian University to provide world-class facilities and professional faculty to students and researchers from SAARC member countries. The Inter-governmental Agreement for the Establishment of the South Asian University was signed at the 14th SAARC Summit (April 3- 4, 2007). The SAARC Member States also decided that the University would be established in India.

10th CBSE Boards to be optional from 2010

Kapil Sibal, the Union Minister, Ministry of Human Resource Development, explained that from the coming year the Central Board of Secondary Education examination would be made optional. It would be changed to represent a nine point grading system, replacing the marks system. The minister denied the claim that one national board will replace all existing 42 state education boards. According o the minister an attempt is being made to bring about a child friendly educational system and not forcing rules down throats of the people and students. Central Advisory Board on Education, the country’s top education policy-making body which has state education ministers as members, in 2005 had passed the bill to make class X board exams optional. Same was suggested by National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) in order to reduce stress on children, in 2006. Sibal explained that Class 10 exams will be made optional for those children who want to continue in the same school. Continuous internal assessment will decide whether a child will be promoted to class XII. The new system has following additional features. Those who secure over 90% will get grade A. Mark sheets won’t use the term failed for students who score less than 33% in particular subject. They will be given an E grade that will imply improvement required. And only when a student gets an E in more than one subject, student will be considered as failed. The grades consist of A, A1, B, B1, C,C1, D, D and E.

In addition, internal assessment is mandatory for students till class 10, for prescribed affiliation from CBSE. However, CBSE will continue to conduct exams for those students who wish to join pre-university professional courses. There is already an existence a grading system in place till class 9.

IGNOU starts 100 community colleges

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) early in July, started 100 community colleges to bring a ‘learning revolution’ among under-privileged students across the country. At the launch, the Minister of State for Human Resource and Development Smt. D. Purandeswari told that the community colleges would act as milestones to enable the disadvantaged to engage in gainful employment of people at the grassroot level through appropriate skill development. The effort would allow the most marginalised section of the society to become a part of inclusive education. A unique initiative, community colleges will impart education through private-public partnership to underprivileged students using the unutilised capacities of educational institutions across the country. The colleges will commence their courses from the coming academic session. Mentioning the inability of the present educational system to meet the demands of the skill requirement in the market, IGNOU Vice Chancellor V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai explained that the community colleges will fill up the lacunae by imparting vocational education.

ICT Education in India to be revamped through IGNOU and IBM partnership

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), The Advanced Center for Informatics and Innovative Learning (ACIIL) and IBM India have signed an MoU that will reinvent and reform IT education in the country. The collaboration of IBM, with IGNOU, will bridge the gap that exists between education, skills and national development. As a part of the MoU, IGNOU and IBM India will partner to skill students on the IT standards in the emerging verticals like healthcare, financial services and retail that have a significant growth potential, in addition to the skills demand of Open Source software and Open Standards, with live projects.

Corporate News: August 2009

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August 1, 2009

TutorVista gains funds, eyes Global Expansion

In the third round funding of US$19 million, K Ganesh, Serial Entreprenuer, is preparing for an aggressive expansion globally. This would be accompanies by acquisition-led growth for his education venture TutorVista Global Pvt Ltd. In one of the largest venture funding rounds in recent times, the Bangalore based online education provider raised US$12.5 million from publishing giant based in UK, the Pearson Group and another US$6.5 million from the existing investors Lightspeed Venture Partners and Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG). Major part of this capital would be used to expand in foreign markets. In India, it will be utilized for an acquisition overdrive of schools and school managements, besides tutorial companies in states where it does not have a presence.

Tech value amongst teachers

Four teachers out of 20 finalists were honoured as the South African winners of the Fourth Annual Microsoft Innovative Teachers Forum Awards, in Bryanston. Trudi van Wyk, the Department of Education’s National Director of Curriculum Innovation, explained that the awards were a representation of the work done to formulate local communities of teachers who can share challenges, ideas and best practice solutions with their peers, supported by ICT. She commended the teachers, adding that their hard work will give the future leaders of SA the skills they will need for employability. With help of Web 2.0 multimedia technology, the teachers designed learning projects, which includes content from social network sites such as Facebook, as well as blogging, video streaming, video conferencing, online network groups, virtual classrooms, cellphone photography and DVD compilations.

Cheryl Douglas, of Bishops High School, in Cape Town, was awarded the Innovation in Collaboration award for teaching her learners the way of using the social network to promote sustainability around climate change. Rae Gagiano, of Eunice High School, in Bloemfontein, was awarded the Innovation in Content prize by showing her learners how to create a virtual reality art museum using digital imagery. Hlengiwe Mfeka, of Mconjwana High School, in Pietermaritzburg, took home the Innovation in Context prize by enabling her Grade 10 learners to address community problems by using Web 2.0 technological tools. The awarded participants were chosen from a host of entries submitted by teachers around the country, all of whom used IT to make teaching in urban and rural schools more effective.

MoU between DST Group, Ericsson and 4 government schools

Utilisation of the latest laptops and high speed Internet broadband use by four schools’ students will enable students to become tech savvy, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between DST Group and Ericsson with the principals of the selected schools. DST group and Ericsson’s joint venture, the joint community ICT project, will bring about high-speed mobile Internet connectivity to schools, was brought together by DST Group and Ericsson. The selected schools included Tanjung Kindana Primary School, Berakas Secondary School, Pengiran Jaya Negara Secondary School and Sayyidina Othman Secondary School. The laptops and Internet broadband will be stationed in each school’s computer labs.

The project realises that education is an important area for the society and with high-speed connectivity and easy access to the Internet, learning can be made more efficient and effective.

NIS Sparta to open 50 Community Colleges with IGNOU

NIS Sparta, Asia’s leading Training, Education and Learning Solutions provider has been selected by IGNOU as a leading partner, to offer Education through Community Colleges in India. Over 50 NIS community colleges are to open as a part of this collaboration across the country. The concept of providing skill based courses through community colleges is new in India and is all set to take Education to new Mile. Certificate courses, Diploma Courses and Associate Degree programs are to be offered by NIS Sparta under this initiative. Admissions have begun and programs will be offered during July 2009 across India. The initiative is a leading path of the visions IGNOU and NIS Sparta share, that is, to provide affordable employability linked education to the local communities. After completing their 10th standard, students can additionally join a two year Associate degree course after completing the one-year of ‘Basic Preparatory Program’ (BPP) by IGNOU. This two year Associate Degree programme will be available to more than 2000 students initially. NIS Sparta, under the agreement will provide the out-reach network, make available classrooms in over 50 cities and deliver the program through certified faculty. IGNOU, in turn, shall conduct the examinations and award the Certificate, Diploma or Associate Degree whenever required. The beneficiaries under this NIS Community College initiative will be, school drop-outs, late entrants into higher education, and working people who find entry into the formal system rigid.

Microsoft and UNESCO partner for ICT implementation in Higher Education

Microsoft has partnered with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in an effort formulated to identify the opportunities offered by Information and Communication Technology for governments to drive change. Within the same context, the duo announced the UNESCO-Microsoft Task Force on Higher Education and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education acted as the stage where Microsoft and UNESCO announced the creation of the task force. The task force aims to analyse conclusions presented by the WCHE as well as feedback from organisations involved in education worldwide

14th Prof G Ram Reddy Memorial lecture by kiran karnik

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August 1, 2009

“Distance and open education system is the only approach which can meet the challenge of educational problems in the third world.”

Late Prof. G Ram Reddy

Every year on 2nd July, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) commemorates the death anniversary of its Founder Vice-Chancellor, the legendry late Prof. G Ram Reddy, a memorial lecture in his name. The annual memorial lectures were instituted in 1996 by IGNOU following the sudden death of Prof. Reddy on July 2, 1995. The 14th Prof G Ram Reddy Memorial Lecture, an annual event, ritually, took place on July 2, 2009 at IGNOU to commemorate the death anniversary of the Founder Vice Chancellor of IGNOU, Prof G Ram Reddy. This year Shri Kiran Karnik, Former President, NASSCOM, was invited to deliver the memorial lecture on ‘Education, Media and Development’. Digital Learning presents you with the report on the memorial lecture which was attended and witnessed by some of the finest academicians, think tanks of the country to honour the legendary late Prof. G Ram Reddy.

The hour long programme began with a welcome note by Prof. Parvin Sinclair, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, IGNOU. She, on behalf of the IGNOU fraternity, welcomed Smt. G Pramila Ram Reddy, wife of late Prof. G Ram Reddy and other family members, Shri Kiran Karnik, Prof V N Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor, IGNOU and the present distinguished guests to the memorial lecture evening. The evening was marked with the lighting of lamp by G Pramila Ram Reddy, Kiran Karnik, Prof V N Rajasekharan Pillai, and Prof Sinclair respectively.

Following this, Prof Pillai, in his Presidential address, said that IGNOU has ventured into various avenues of Open and Distance Education/Learning that late Prof. G Ram Reddy envisioned. The Vice-Chancellor shared that IGNOU has emerged as the largest mega University in the democratic world towards meeting its mandate, which is “to provide seamless access to sustainable and learner-centric quality education, skill upgradation and training to all, at affordable costs, by using innovative technologies and methodologies, and ensuring convergence of existing systems for the massive human resource required for promoting integrated national development and global understanding”. Presently, IGNOU serves the educational aspirations of over 2 million students in India and 33 other countries through 21 Schools of Study and a network of 61 Regional Centres, more than 2300 Learner Support Centres and 53 overseas Partner Institutes. The University offers 310 Certificates, Diploma, Degree and Doctoral programmes.

Kiran Karnik started his deliberation on a nostalgic note by recalling his long association with late Prof. Ram Reddy. He shared with the audience that Prof. Reddy always advocated the use of media and technology for furthering distance education. He said that in the present day India, convergence of three critical areas – Education, Democracy and the Media – is very crucial. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has produced the revolution in New Media. Television too has progressed in delivery and communication. Social networking and Internet videography has also improved communication. FM has reinvigorated the radio with interactive content. e-Mails, blogs and instant messaging have grown as means of communication and there are new beginnings in their uses.

New Media has become a medium of the young presenting its own sets of challenges. These reflect many commonalities of the 1980s when TV network, spurred and complemented by satellite TV, opened up exciting new possibilities. However, this new initiative remained a ‘partial success’ for various reasons. The potential use of TV in schools and for educational purpose, the Krishi Darshan programme (1967) – the brainchild of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai and Dr. M S Swaminathan, had certain social ramifications (community viewing). TV became a force for economic and social change, rather than a luxury.

The success of Krishi Darshan gave an impetus to plans for a national TV system, using a satellite to reach rural and remote areas. To test and prove the technologies involved, and to understand better the overall system, a one year pilot project, Satellite Instructional TV Experiment (SITE) was undertaken in 1975-76 to broadcast programmes through an American satellite to TV sets in 2,400 villages spread across India. SITE also encouraged extensive social and communications research; it was an attempt of accruing and processing hard data to implement larger projects.

In parallel with SITE, an intensive, limited coverage experiment was initiated in Kheda district of Gujrat. The Kheda Communications Project attempted to use the media for social change and development through participation in communications and programme development.

Six years after SITE, India’s own satellite, INSAT (1982), was a leap of faith, envisaged to seal the educational commitment of technology. In spite of the challenges, university level education was taken across the board. University Grants Commission (UGC), in partnership with ISRO, launched Countrywide Classroom – enrichment TV programmes for university level students and others – using the INSAT system. Indeed, many viewers were not university students, but those attracted by interest and curiosity. Since then considerable work has continued in the area of use of TV for education and development.

“In the present day India, convergence of three critical areas – Education, Democracy and the Media – is very crucial”

Kiran Karnik stressed that we are at the cusp of change, where the proverbial gatekeepers filtering information shall gradually whiter away. The next generation of media will lead the educational development. The lessons that we have learnt over the five decades of media experience are:

Access is a crucial element, but it is important to note that access to education often depends upon reach. If the concept of ‘reach’ also subsumes quality, then there is a serious problem. However, technology, through media, provides a solution – not necessarily a substitute, but a possible solution, nevertheless.
Affordability is equally an important issue for many years. Rural and disadvantaged viewers shall still have to partake of community viewing. TV sets needs to be adopted at the community level with appropriate maintenance back-up. The Common Service Centres being set up for computer access need to be extended to cover all villages as soon as possible.
Comprehensibility and relevance of content are key parameters. In the competitive arena of multi-channel availability and the viewers exposure to slick productions, education and development content can no longer be dull, staid and boring. There needs to be room for far greater resources and more imaginative handling in content creation.
The production process (of creating content) needs to be re-engineered. The aesthetic, pedagogic and communication disciplines must come together to create truly exceptional content that is relevant, learner-centric and audience-friendly.
Communication research must be a key element of social communication, particularly because there are always gaps in knowledge in three areas: the audience, their needs and feedbacks, and the more basic aspect of Human machine interaction and learning process in this milieu.
Configuration of the network is important as it determines aspects like extent of local inputs, decentralization, flexibility, interactive capabilities, etc.

Way Ahead

The evolution of media technology and the availability of new media open up new opportunities. It is imperative that the social sector move quickly to leverage the opportunities and challenges of the education and development. In the broader sphere of development, especially rural development, the utilisation of the full capabilities of the media – convention and new – is constrained by the lack of appropriate system-level initiatives. From time to time, there has been discussion about mandating private radio/TV channels to compulsorily carry a fixed percentage of ‘social’ programmes as the role of media in social communication has been minimal. In the context of the pressing need to quickly expand education at all levels, to ensure its outreach across the country and to continuously upgrade and update learning, the role of media is more important than ever before. Educationists, technologists, creative content creators, communications experts and social researchers need to work together to evolve and then implement a multi-modal system that seamlessly integrates media and personal contact, so as to create a new learning paradigm. This may require structural changes in our present systems, especially in the field of development. There is a strong need to do away with the compartmentalisation to necessitate a change in mindset, with boundaries that are often fuzzy and powers that flow down the line. Most important, it will require creativity, innovation and new thinking. Prof. Ram Reddy epitomised these qualities in ample measure, especially in the early years of distance learning. The thought provoking deliberation by Kiran Karnik was followed by a vote of thanks from U S Tolia, Registrar, IGNOU.

Some of the earlier lectures in the series were delivered by Prof. Gajaraj Dhanarajan, President COL; Prof. Wichit Srisa-An, Founding Rector, Sukhotai Thammarthirat Open University, Thailand; Prof. N R Arthenayake, Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Sri lanka; prof. Ian Mugridge, Former Director Programmes, COL; Prof. R V R Chandrasekhara Rao, Former Vice-Chancellor, Andhra Pradesh Open University; Mr. H Ian Macdonald, Preseident Emeritus, York University;
Dr. K Kasturirangan, Chairman, ISRO; Dr. R A Mashelkar, Director-General, CSIR; Dr. G Madhavan Nair, Chairman, ISRO; Prof. N R Madhava Menon, Founder of National Law School of India University; Prof. Yashpal, Former Chairman, UGC; Dr. T Ramaswami, Secretary, DST; Sh. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission.

Tvs Community College

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August 1, 2009

The temple town of Madurai, one of the oldest and largest centres of Tamil Nadu, which once housed the famous Tamil Sangam, today remains a shadow of the past. Unemployment, brain drain and laggard industrial development are some of the issues present day Madurai is facing.

To counter these and provide the rural youth with necessary education to help acquire a variety of skills and knowledge crucial in earning a livelihood, the TVS Community College, under the TVS led Lakshmi Vidya Sangham (LVS), was set up in 2003.

Says Selvi Santosham, Senior Manager Projects, ‘The LVS is a 45-year-old institution with a vision to educate the masses. Through our regular schools we are able to reach out to 10,000 students in a year. But we wanted to extend the education services to the school dropout segment of society, as surveys in various corporation and panchayat schools indicated a high percentage of school drop outs (70%) owing to various socio-economic reasons. Setting up of a Community College enabled us to reach out to people across various social segments regardless of their educational background and age.’

The college imparts employment-oriented courses that are designed incorporating a need-based curriculum to help the rural youth find employment in the highly competitive job market. This enables technology to play its role with greater relevance in the changed socio-economic scenario. Social values and life skills integrated in the syllabus also helps develop their personality in all dimensions.

‘The TVS conducts periodical surveys to find out the type of manpower requirement in the local market. Based on the requirements, students are trained and equipped in various skills to enable them to gain decent employment. A survey was conducted at the industry level and amongst social service segments and the health care industry to study their requirements before deciding on the courses,’ says Selvi.
‘The TVS conducts periodical surveys to find out the type of manpower requirement in the local market. Based on the requirements, students are trained and equipped in various skills to enable them to gain decent employment. A survey was conducted at the industry level and amongst social service segments and the health care industry to study their requirements before deciding on the courses,’ says Selvi.

Courses offered at the college include diploma in health assistance, driving, mecha-nic, electrical works, plumbing, AC repair, masonry, home management, child care, home nursing, secretarial skills, computer skills, security, office despatch, office house-keeping, retail sales, Tally, hospital keeping, etc.

The course content ensures a lot of learning with practical applications. The tech-nical courses allot 60% for practical work and 40% for theory, while the non–technical courses like Construction Skills follow 80% practical work and 20% theory, adds Selvi.

Recognising the fact that the students who come to the college are at a disadvantage due to their socio–economic background and the type of schooling they have received, certain core skills have been incorporated as part of the curriculum in all the courses. For example, to build the self confidence of these youth, unique core skills have been introduced like the life skills module involving communication , etiquette, grooming, team-building, decision making, interpersonal relationship, time management and money management, etc. These classes are 90% activity oriented ensuring participation of every student.

‘Specially trained teachers have been appointed to conduct these classes. Students enjoy these classes and we are able to see a visible change in them by the time they finish their courses,’ says a faculty.

Mrs Jeyaruba, another faculty, says: The TVS Community College provides a chance for self knowledge, self improvement, self study and self help and makes students more self conscious. In short, it makes a person ‘fit for life and fit for job’.

TVS believes that the basic values and attitudes that are sensitised among its students are the distinctive features defining them once they leave the campus. An individual with a healthy attitude is an asset to society, hence emphasis is laid on incorporating basic human values and industrial expectations through case studies, simulation activities and group discussions.

Besides soft skills, training is also provided to make the students aware of technology and computers. Confidence building exercises are also conducted like dramatics, compulsory games, self-defence classes, etc. for girl students.

The TVS students also involve themselves in part–time jobs after school hours and take part in community activities during temple festivals, tourist management, etc.

In the words of Gopalakrishnan (Automechanic student), ‘I am proud to be a product of TVS Community College. Prior to TVS, I was merely shifting jobs and felt insecure and unsettled. TVS gave me an opening. Now I am working in TVS Sundaram Brake Linings and earning INR 4,500 per month. I have now gained my standing in the society and family and feel self-confident.’

Jayaseelan (Electricals student) says, ‘I am a father of two children and have done schooling only till class IX. Poverty stricken, depressed and frustrated, I entered TVS Community College with a faint ray of hope. TVS gave me a second chance and now I have a job in Firestone TVS P Ltd. My communication skills and self-esteem have improved.’

A total number of 1300 students have so far graduated from the training centre and are gainfully employed. Apart from the nearby rural community, the college gets students who are sponsored under the Vazhunthukattuvom Scheme and Mahalir Thittam Scheme of the Tamil Nadu Government and the District Rural Development Agency.

Starting with 25 students on board, the TVS college has grown in the last five years to enrol on an average 700 students in a year. ‘Our dream is to expand the college so that it can cater to 10,000 students in a year,’ says Selvi.

A step in this direction is a massive enrollment drive started by the TVS in 40 corporation and panchayat schools to directly reach out to the drop outs. A scholarship fund has also been provided subsidising 50% of the fees for the students. ‘There is a proposal to start self-sustaining projects to hone the entrepreneurial skills of the students, like automobile service centres, electrical/electronic repair centres and village first aid centers. All these are a step towards the greater goal of of helping the disadvantaged youth integrate into an industrial society by providing scope for employment,’ says Selvi.

Highlights of the programme

Placement opportunity provided to students on the basis of his/her merit. The organisation ensures that the students earning capacity is enhanced because of the training he/she undergoes.
Post placement follow-up done by the college for atleast a year to bridge the gap between the course content and the industry requirements. Steps taken to upgrade the curriculum so that students are industry ready.

Distinguishing features of the college

Market driven courses
Caters to all age groups from all strata with varying educational background
Course content is certified.
Courses aim at equipping students with various skills

Education Budget 2009-2010

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August 1, 2009

The budget aims to create a competitive, progressive and well regulated education system of global standards that meets the aspiration of all segments of the society

The Budget is just a small but nevertheless, a good beginning and one hopes that in the opening remarks made by the Finance Minister on 6th July, 2009 outlining the policy objectives of the new Government, there lies a portent of greater and more radical change for the education sector.

If the Ministry of Human Resource Development sounded the bugle with a 100-day plan for education, the Finance Ministry has echoed the need for focus on female literacy, subsidising the financing costs for higher education, role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education, upgradation of polytechnics and expanding the coverage of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Central Universities.

India plans to spend 9 billion Indian rupees (US$189 million) on education programmes using ICT in the fiscal year to March 31, 2010, the Finance Minister said. India needs to convert the demographic advantage that its relatively young population gives, into an economic advantage by providing them the right education and skills, he added.

The minister also announced a 20 billion rupee hike in spending on higher education, including on setting up new IITs. The IITs have over the years provided key engineering staff for Indian and multinational technology companies.

India's outsourcing industry benefits from the country's large number of low-cost and highly trained staff.

The immediate benefit from the budget for India's outsourcing industry is, however, likely to come from the extension of tax holidays for exporters up to the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011. The minister said that he was extending these benefits to help tide exporters over an economic slowdown.

Budget to provide education loan subsidiary

The Union Budget 2009-10 has declared a scheme to provide full interest subsidy during the moratorium period on education loans taken from scheduled banks for pursuing any of the approved courses of study in technical and professional streams from a recognised institution in India.

The scheme will be available to students from economically weaker sections to access higher education.

Besides, the tax deduction under IT Act 2000-Section 80E allowed for interest on loans taken for pursuing higher education in specified fields of study, has now been extended to cover all study fields, including vocational studies.

Despite the introduction of universal access to secondary schools in the country, school education received a miss in this budget. The focus instead seemed to be on higher education -essentially as a fulfilment of the government's strategy to introduce a university in each state. Funding for higher education focused on setting up central universities, IITs and National Institute of Technologies (NITs) in uncovered states, and on the expansion of vocational courses.

Higher Education gets a boost

What the budget contains:

The Higher Education Budget for the current fiscal has been pegged at INR 15, 429 crore (INR.154.29 billion), including a planned allocation of INR 9, 600 crore. During the last financial year, the total allocation was INR.11,340 crore.
University Grants Commission (UGC) has been provided with an allocation of INR 4,374.95 crore, which includes expenditure for both Central and Deemed Universities.
The allocation for Central Universities includes a provision of INR 1,033 crore for implementation of Other Backward Castes (OBC) reservation in terms with Oversight Committee recommendations.
Provision of INR 900 crore for “National Mission for Education through ICT”.
INR 827 crore allotted for one Central University in each uncovered state.
Provision of INR 215 crore for Indian Institutes of Science for Education and Research (IISERs).
Provision of INR 3,902 crore for Technical Education that includes provision towards assistance to IITs, Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) and NITs.
Provision of INR 494.5 crore for setting up and upgradation of Polytechnics under the Skill Development Mission.

What it did not contain!

Any specific policy framework
Future roadmap
Clarity in respect of FDI in educational sector
Guidelines expected for community colleges & vocational training

IGNOU gets support after 18 yrs

After an 18-year hiatus, Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou) found mention in the Union Budget again with Finance Minister making an allocation of INR 90 crore for the varsity. The funds include INR 9 crore that the university will spend specifically to bolster Open and Distance Learning (ODL) in the north-east region. The allocation has been divided into two specific categories INR 40 crore for the state open universities (SOU) and INR 50 crore for implementation of approved schemes of IGNOU.

The university, which celebrates its silver jubilee in 2009-10, is planning major expansions this year. “This allocation comes as a boost to our plans for expansion and consolidation. Apart from a campus in the north-east region of the country, we are also planning to open more centres abroad,'' said V N Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor of IGNOU. Also, IGNOU is planning expansion in Africa and South Asian countries as well in developed countries like Britain. The university is working on a proposal from University of Lincoln to set up an IGNOU Centres for India studies in the UK with cost of the project being shared equally by both the institutes.

IGNOU had not been allocated any grants in the Union Budget since 1991, either for salaries or for any other expenditure. But the university, regarded as the most cost effective in the country, has managed to keep operations running. “We have been sustaining our operations all this time because of our effective use of resources. The government realises open learning has lot of potential and the special allocation implies the same,'' said Prof Pillai.

The education sector is, as of date, not classified as an industry and therefore, there was not much focus other than “allocation & spending”. However, much need not be read in the budget. As Nasscom, the national trade body, says the government has made good by fulfilling most of its pre-budget demands, Digital Learning hopes that this step through the budget announcement will help the industry as well as the other stakeholders in the education community mitigate the impact of the current economic environment and help the country retain its competitiveness, at least in terms of information and communication technology.

Globsyn Group welcomes FMs initiatives to boost education sector

Welcoming the budget announcements made by the Finance

Minister for the education sector, Bikram Dasgupta, Chairman and CEO, Globsyn Group has said that the budget has been balanced and has opened doors for education and made sufficient efforts for bringing in much needed reforms in the society.
“The move to set up central university in each state and redefining the investment for higher education by setting up of more IIT's and IIM's are indeed steps in the right direction. Extension to the STPI scheme is welcome as also defining the software product as a service. However much is left for the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector of Software Industry to give it a further fillip in order to march the growing requirements of the economy.”

Presenting some quantifiable goals on the sectoral reform

Dr Ravi, Gupta, Editor-in-Chief, Digital Learning, & Director, Centre for Science, Development, and Media Studies “It is bold and coming on the heels of a strong and clear mandate. A series of initiatives on induction of ICT in education, incentives to individuals for skill building, up-gradation of educational institutions, loan waiver for those from financially weaker areas will go a long way towards enhancing the knowledge capital of the nation.”

Microsoft India

There are no specific allocations on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) adoption within the country, especially in the context of relevant societal schemes and programmes. We believe there is an opportunity to transform this reality through world-class, pervasive ICT infrastructure to accelerate inclusive, equitable and sustainable growth. Taking the focus on education and employability further, for instance, the government could look at initiatives like encouraging telecom operators to offer an affordable 'Education PC' – which includes a laptop, broadband and educational software and application services – at below INR 500 per month; a 100 per cent depreciation on capital investment in IT by companies and Income Tax rebates to individuals for acquisition of computers.

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