Central Government favours more attempts for SC/STs at IIT-JEE

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April 30, 2009

Favouring Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SCs/STs) the Central Government has asked all Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to provide them more than two attempts to appear for Joint Entrance Exam (JEE). Presently all students are allowed only two attempts to appear for JEE. 'We have received a letter regarding this from Central Government. The Joint Admission Board (JAB) will take a look at the letter and examine what a provision like this will translate into. Even if we decide to implement the request, it will only be done for 2010,' said Gautam Barua, director of IIT-Guwahati. A few times back IIT-JEE was a two-tier test. Lakhs of students sat for the preliminary Test, following by the Mains. Aspirants could then attempt the exam any number of times.

The IIT-JEE came into its new avatar in 2006 after a review by C N R Rao, chairman of the Prime Minister's Scientific Advisory Committee. Rao found that most of students spend several years in coaching classes trying to crack the exam, without even realizing that they can do something better. 'Government is trying to mount pressure to allow SC/ST students to take the JEE more number of times,' said an IIT official. 'We have already 15% seats for SCs and 7.5% slots for STs in each stream of engineering. All these students are given relaxation in admission,' said an IIT director. The JAB will soon take a call on the government's note. But several old-time professors off-the-record conversations have regretted the political interference.

IT enabled Environment initiative launched by DELL and TERI

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April 30, 2009

Dell in partnership with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) today announced the launch of 'The Climate EduXchange Initiative,' an IT-enabled Climate initiative to improve environment education in schools across India. The primary objective of this partnership is to create a motivated force of students, who through technological advancements are aware of and concerned about the environment and its associated problems. The campaign aims to raise awareness and understanding about climate change issues amongst students and teachers of all disciplines. It will focus on findings of IPCC to disseminate knowledge to students and teachers and promote engagement on these issues with students in other parts of the country. It also aspires to familiarise all to the importance of the internet and the computer as powerful tools for knowledge and motivate them to take action and bring about desired change in the environment. Talking about the youth's role, RK Pachauri, Director-General TERI, said, 'Youth of today carry out extensive search for knowledge through the internet. The spread of Information Technology in India has dramatically altered the scenario for education on a vast range of subjects. Given the importance of climate change for the entire human race and the stake that citizens of the 21st century have in dealing with this major challenge, TERI and Dell have jointly launched The Climate EduXchange Initiative. This would be a unique programme for creating awareness and understanding on climate change by which schoolchildren and students can take the future into their own hands and find solutions to the rapidly increasing threat of climate instability.'

Elaborating on DELL's vision, Ganesh Lakshminarayanan, VP and MD Dell International Services, said, 'Considering the large youth population in India, it is imperative to educate them about issues that govern the future of this planet. This initiative is aimed at empowering the youth with tools and platforms for knowledge sharing that will help them build a better future. The power of youth is certain to bring about a change

Indian President to inaugurate JSS Free School Girls hostel near Mysore

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April 28, 2009

The President of India, Pratibha Patil, will inaugurate the JSS Free School Girls' Hostel building in Suttur near Mysore on May 9. Constructed at a cost of INR 8 crores, the hostel would be able to accommodate 2,000 students. 'The Medical College Silver Jubilee seminar will also be inaugurated by President Patil,' said B.N. Betkerur, Executive Secretary of JSS Mahavidyapeetha. The free school was established in 2001, and 4,000 students from Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharasthra and north-eastern States are studying here.

'We will organize a seminar on Development of sustainable rural health to mark the silver jubilee celebrations of the JSS Medical College,' added Betkerur.

Jabs bought by special school teachers

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April 28, 2009

Teachers in special schools complain of being bitten and punched. Teachers working in special schools are so worried about being bitten by students with special needs that they are buying their own tetanus and hepatitis jabs. The Nasuwt teachers' union conference heard calls for protection against pupil violence in schools for children with special educational needs. Suzanne Nantcurvis told delegates that some teachers were paying UK

ICT society launched in Sierra Leone

Policy Matters

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April 28, 2009

Sierra Leone Information Technology Society (SLITS) was launched by the Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Lansana Nyalley in Sierra Leone as part of an initiative to introduce Information and Communication Technology(ICT) in the country. stakeholders such as Members of Parliament (MPs), members of the diplomatic corps, journalists, business community and other dignitaries attended the event.

Information technology is the government's agenda for change in Sierra Leone. The government is presently putting modalities in place for the proper establishment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). According to Dr. Nyalley, many avenues have been created in the business community, academia and other important areas, in order to popularize the ICT facilities. He maintained that government is ready to support SLITS and other ICT Societies to achieve the opportunities that ICT offers.

According to the Chairman of the occasion, Hon. Ibrahim Sorie, it was a big opportunity for Sierra Leone to have an ICT Society that includes lecturers, students and members from all walks of life. SLITS is aimed at bringing all stakeholders together in order to gain a wealth of knowledge from ICT and utilize it for the purpose of development. He appealed to all stakeholders, including government, to put hands on deck and support SLITS.

The National President of SLITS, Mr. Alfred Hindolo Fomolu, spoke on the shortage of ICT instruments in tertiary institutions. Sierra Leone ranked 170th out of 178 countries in the world of ICT. ICT plays a very vital role, and thus SLITS was formed mainly to strengthen and develop ICT in the country. But there was a need for the government, the business communities, the parliamentarians and other stakeholders to put policies in place that will enhance ICT in Sierra Leone.

New Zealand: Interntaional education agents target

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April 28, 2009

New Zealand's lucrative international education sector is set for a boost as over 230 of the world's leading education agents from 49 countries fly in to meet with representatives from 192 local and Australian institutions at the Australia New Zealand Agent (ANZA) Workshop to be held at SKYCITY Convention Centre in Auckland on April 22-24, 2009. The favourable exchange rate is just one factor attracting international education agents to New Zealand for this sell-out event. Rob McKay, Chairman of English New Zealand, says agents are likely to be highly motivated to form new partnerships with NZ institutions. He said, 'At this time of financial turbulence it is great to see the commitment to New Zealand of the registered agents. This is a great chance to meet with key supporters of our sector.' However, while almost half the agents attending the ANZA Workshop 09 represent Asian countries, Middle Eastern countries are demonstrating a strong interest in New Zealand as a safe, tolerant and socially acceptable study destination for their students.

A number of Saudi agents are coming to the ANZA Workshop following the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's accreditation of a range of programs delivered by local universities, polytechnic and technology institutions. Closer to home, an increase in Vietnamese students interested in New Zealand as a study destination is prompting Vietnamese broadcaster, VCTV1, to film the ANZA Workshop for an upcoming episode of their national 'Study Overseas' programme. New Zealand's international education sector employs over 32,000 people and accounts for more than NZ$2.3 billion dollars per year in export earnings, making it a rising star in these days of economic gloom. However, Education New Zealand CEO Robert Stevens says the industry's value goes well beyond its export earnings. The ANZA Workshop is organized by ICEF and EdMedia, and alternates each year between New Zealand and Australia.

InstaBook gears up to promote literacy through digital library

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April 28, 2009

The Internet-based InstaBook Corporation (www.instabook.net) has announced a new digital library initiative. It claims that it can promote literacy around the world.

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In association with the Project Gutenberg Consortia Centre and other organisations, instabook.net says it has created a new service geared to take a wide range of books to libraries and other non-profit organisations. Project Gutenberg, founded in 1971, is a global volunteer effort to digitise, archive and distribute cultural works. It is the oldest digital library. Most of its items are the full texts of public domain books. Visitors to the instabook.net website can download for free any of nearly 100,000 titles and have them printed on demand if they have access to an InstaBook Digital Library. Users can install an InstaBook Maker in their premises by paying the manufacturing cost of the equipment.

Book Fellowships on Modern India

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April 28, 2009

Aiming to address lack of scholastic work by Indian historians and social scientists on the post-Independence period, The New India Foundation seeks to sponsor works on modern India and for the fifth round of the Foundation's fellowships, applications have been invited. According to a press release from the Foundation, the fellowship, open to Indian nationals, carries a stipend of INR 70,000 per month and fellowship holders would be expected to write original books. Applicants have been invited to submit their resume, book proposal and a writing sample of at least 5,000 words (published or unpublished), to the Managing Trustee, The New India Foundation, 22 A Brunton Road, Bangalore 560025, before July 31, 2009. The applications could be sent by post or courier and email applications would not be considered, the release said. Queries could be addressed to ramguha@gmail.com. For details refer to www. newindiafoundation.org.

UGC up for increasing teachers’ retirement age

Higher Education

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April 28, 2009

Sukhdeo Thorat, Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), has urged State governments to raise the retirement age of teachers from 60 to 65. The retirement age of teachers in Central universities has been increased following a UGC recommendation. He was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day conference of vice-chancellors of universities in Karnataka here on Thursday. Prof. Thorat also called upon States to give due importance to higher education and increase budgetary allocation for it. This, he maintained, would help increase enrolment ratio in higher education. 'The Union Government, realising the importance of higher education, increased the allocation from INR 8,000 crore during the 10th Plan to INR 45,000 crore in the 11th Plan.'

The enrolment ratio in 20 districts in Karnataka is less than the national average of 11 per cent. Model colleges, which are autonomous, should be set up in these districts to increase the enrolment ratio. 'The UGC will provide 50 per cent of the total cost, while the State Government makes a matching grant,' he said. He also said the UGC had doubled NET scholarships for M.Phil. and Ph.D. candidates to Rs. 3,200. If State Governments also increased the number of scholarships, the dearth of M.Phil. and Ph.D. students could be tackled effectively. Governor and Chancellor Rameshwar Thakur said it was necessary to keep higher education independent and immune from political interference so that the autonomy and academic excellence of universities was preserved at all costs. '”It is with this idea that a role for the Governor of the State to hold the position of Chancellor of universities in the State was envisaged. It is unfortunate that some dilution has occurred in the original role envisaged by them, in recent years. There has also been gradual reduction in standards of administrative and academic systems in universities,' said Thakur.

Copia e-Learning programme wins award at the annual European Retail Awards 2006

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April 28, 2009

At the annual European Retail Awards 2006, held at the Birmingham NEC Hilton on June 6th 2006, leading UK DIY retailer B&Q and e-Learning company Copia claimed first prize.

The award was given for 'Best use of Technology for Employee Development'. It was in recognition of the success of their EPoS e-Learning solution, which was used to train and support over 25,000 B&Q staff during the implementation of a new Electronic Point of Sale system earlier in 2006. The e-Learning programme, developed by Copia for B&Q has transformed the way B&Q employees learn checkout and back-office systems, through customer-facing simulations. In that system, till transactions, customer service and process training are combined in a safe, realistic environment. The project has reduced training time for new employees, providing a sustainable, measurable and consistent method of training and it has proved highly successful with learners.

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