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Dr Ramesh Bhat appointed as SVKM’s NMIMS Vice Chancellor

Dr Ramesh Bhat

Dr Ramesh Bhat took over as the Vice Chancellor of SVKM’s NMIMS (Deemed to be University). He had been acting as the University’s Officiating Vice Chancellor since March of this year and as the Dean and Provost, School of Business Management, NMIMS since 2017.

Over his appointment, Dr Bhat said, “I look forward to working with our esteemed faculty, our hard-working staff, and our student body to maintain NMIMS’ commitment towards academic brilliance. We will further strengthen our research-based approach as our focus shifts towards the timely implementation of the National Educational Policy.”

He has led a long and distinguished career as an educator and academician. He has been the vanguard of leading academic excellence in management education in India. An alumnus of the Delhi School of Economics and Harvard University, Dr Bhat has worked in some of the nation’s top business schools.

Also Read:- NMIMS offers admission for Entrepreneurship programme

Prior to NMIMS, Dr Bhat served as Professor of Finance at IIM, Ahmedabad, from 1986 to 2008 and 2014 to 2016. While working at IIM, he was affiliated with some of the institute’s key initiatives, including the Management Development Programs, which he headed. He has served on adjunct and visiting faculty positions at ISB Hyderabad, the University of North Carolina at Chapel-Hill, and IIM Udaipur. He has also worked at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, and Shri Ram College of Commerce.

Dr Bhat holds a Ph.D. and Master’s Degree in Finance from Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi, and a Bachelor’s Honours Degree in Accounting and Finance from Hans Raj College, University of Delhi.

EdTech firm Vedantu introduces child safety policy

Vedantu

Pioneer in Live online learning Vedantu, has become the first and only EdTech player in India to make online learning completely safe and secure for 100K daily active students studying from home. This milestone has been achieved in collaboration with Space2Grow, a niche Social Impact consulting firm that specializes in child protection.

The vision of this collaboration is to create a robust prevention and redressal mechanism across all the online and offline touch points, making online education safe for every child.

Vedantu is the only EdTech brand that offers a one-to-many LIVE learning model on its W.A.V.E platform, where one Master Teacher can interact with up to 500 students in a single session. The Child Safety initiative will ensure that every session comprising of multiple learners is safe and secure with no unsolicited interruptions.

Pulkit Jain, Co-founder & Product Head, Vedantu, said, “We have been two steps ahead in bringing interactivity and engagement to LIVE online learning for students across India. As a responsible and socially conscious brand, the safety of our learners and teachers is paramount and we are looking at setting new benchmarks for the industry.”

Also Read:- Vedantu raises $100 M from Coatue

Describing the initiative and the partnership, Chitra Iyer, Founder Space2Grow said, “India has 1 in 3 children using the internet. The EdTech space currently caters to 90 million children – and with the pandemic, their online presence has exploded. More than we realize, both the vulnerability and safety of children who are consuming online content is an immediate reality to contend with.”

Karnataka SSLC and PUC Exams 2021 postponed

Karnataka SSLC and PUC Exams 2021 postponed

Providing a huge relief to students, Karnataka State Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar has confirmed that the Karnataka SSLC Exam 2021 for Class 10 and Karnataka PUC Exam 2021 for Class 12 students have been postponed. The exams will not be held in March.

The decision to postpone SSLC and PUC Exams in the state has been taken by the exam authority keeping in mind the pandemic because of which schools have been closed and education is being imparted online.

In line with this, the Education Department is working on reopening schools soon so that classroom training can begin for the students before holding of the board exams. In line with this, the state government has permitted reopening of schools for Class 6 and above students starting from 1st January 2021 onwards.

Confirming this, the State Education Minister S Suresh Kumar on Thursday issued a statement saying that ““The Department of Education is making all the preparations for the reopening of schools and colleges ensuring that process is safe and sound. The SSLC and PUC exams will not take place in March 2021 due to the shortage of time.”

In order to evolve consensus over the dates when the SSLC and PUC Exams can be held in the state, the Education Department has been asked to consult all then stakeholders. Currently, the Education Department officials are holding consultative talks with school and teachers’ associations.

No change in syllabus for JEE, NEET: Education Minister

Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank

During a virtual interaction with teachers, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said there will be no change in the syllabus of JEE, NEET. However, the exam pattern has been modified. Students will have to answer only 75 out of 90 questions.

Pokhriyal also said “CBSE has trained 4.80 lakh teachers in online education teaching. VS trained over 15 thousand and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya trained over nine thousand teachers. Online evaluation training was also provided by NVS. Training of teachers in online education is critical. Schools are yet to resume to their full capacities. Several platforms like ‘Nishtha’ has been launched for the benefit of teachers.”

The minister added, “One Nation One digital platform, 20 lakhs crore was distributed as part of which PMeVidya was provided to students. We are using initiatives like One class one channel, DIKSHA, Pathshala.” Saying around 800 radio programmes are being aired via radio, Nishank said that classes are also conducted via television radio, community radio to reach out to students.

Also Read:- Pokhriyal invites queries on CBSE, JEE Main, NEET 2021 Exam dates

The minister also said “It is a difficult task to implement National Education Policy at the ground level”. The Education Minister has considered the teachers as a link between the drafting of the NEP 2020 and its implementation.

Pokhriyal: CBSE exams postponed, to be held post February

Ramesh Pokhriyal

Addressing teachers’ through webinar, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has confirmed that there would be no practical examinations in January and February. Answering the questions, the minister clarified that at the present situation, it was not possible to conduct examinations in the months of January and February 2021. As for dates in March, he confirmed that situation is being assessed and dates would be announced soon.

He also said, “CBSE has already reduced syllabus to 30 percent. Many state governments have also reduced their syllabus for academic year 2020-21. The exams would be conducted on the basis of the reduced syllabus.”

Responding to a query on whether schools can conduct pre-board exams in pen and paper mode, he said that since board exams were anyway being delayed by a couple of months, students will have enough time to prepare for their boards.

Also Read:- Pokhriyal: JEE Main 2021 to be conducted in regional languages

The education minister said that in time, the question of pre-board exams would also be resolved.

We aim to implement vocational education for students in class 6 onwards in middle schools, said Pokhriyal. This has been introduced under the NEP 2020. The Minister of Education said that not just tie-up with the industry but also knowledge of ancient India will be part of the education. “We are the first country in the world which is introducing AI at the school level,” he claims.

PM Modi hails Aligarh Muslim University’s heritage

Modi

While addressing the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on its centenary celebrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the ace institution has 100 glorious years of excellence in education and considered as mini-India.

“We see a mini India among different departments, dozens of hostels, thousands of teachers and professors. The diversity which we see here is not only the strength of this university but also of the entire nation,” he said.

During the event, PM Modi released a postal stamp as part of the centenary celebrations of the University. AMU Chancellor Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin and Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank are also present at the event.

“History of education attached to AMU buildings is India’s valuable heritage. I often meet AMU alumni during my foreign visits, who very proudly say that they’ve studied from AMU,” he added.

“Wherever in the world they go, AMU alumni represent the rich heritage and culture of India…In its 100 years of history, AMU has crafted and polished millions of lives, giving them modern and scientific thinking and inspiring them to do something for the society and the nation.”

Asserting that everyone in the country, irrespective of their religion, will get equal opportunities to fulfill their dreams, Modi said, “The country is marching forward on the path where every citizen would get the benefits of development happening in the country without any discrimination.”

UP govt to provide tablets to college students in 7 districts

UP govt to provide tablets to college students in 7 districts

In a major development, the Uttar Pradesh Government has launched a pilot project to provide tablet computers to college students. The step has been taken in the light of increasing dependence on digital mediums for studies. These tablets will be available to college students of Government College through the respective libraries as digital reference books.

UP Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma, who also holds the portfolio for the Education Ministry in the state announced the development. Dinesh Sharma said the districts chosen for the initial stage of the project are Fatehpur, Sonbhadra, Chandauli, Shravasti, Siddharthnagar, Balrampur and Chitrakoot.

He also added that during the pilot phase, 160 tablets with pre-loaded study material will be provided to libraries of 18 government colleges in seven aspirational districts. The tablet computers provided under this initiative can be issued by the students like reference books from the libraries of their respective colleges. The tablets will be used as digital reference books by the students.

Providing more information about the initiative, Additional Chief Secretary of Higher Education Maneka S Garg also said that the 7 districts chosen for the pilot project have been selected on the basis of need of the students. Many students from these districts do not have smartphones or other e-learning devices and lack internet connectivity, which has hampered their learning process during the pandemic.

The Uttar Pradesh Higher Education Department has already started a digital library for universities and colleges, and the content from the library could be downloaded in these tablets also.

Kasturirangan: NEP aims to transform India into a knowledge society

NEP 2020

Lauding the National Education Policy 2020, eminent educationist K Kasturirangan said the NEP 2020 aims to transform India into a knowledge society with special focus on high quality of research work. K Kasturirangan was also the chairman of the committee who drafted NEP 2020.

The NEP was drafted after a gap of 34 years by the BJP-led Modi government.

Addressing the inaugural episode of E-content production on NEP by the Instructional Media Centre (IMC) of Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Kasturirangan expressed his views.

Appreciating the efforts by MANUU to develop e-content on NEP, Kasturirangan said the University’s plan to create a video library was certainly a very important, critical and probably an imperative step, moving towards implementation of the NEP 2020 in the near future.

“NEP is the need of the hour. It is not just reading of the document, but understanding, analyzing, interpreting and getting a picture of it several steps we need to put together,” he said.

Also Read:- Pokhriyal: NEP 2020 upholds the reservation policy

Kasturirangan also highlighted the important features of the policy, which include flexibility, interconnectivity and religious diversity, among others, the release said.

Aditya Berlia: Safety of all stakeholders our priority

Aditya Berlia

The NEP 2020, in many ways, is a validation of the philosophy we have been espousing and following for decades, says Aditya Berlia, Joint Secretary, Apeejay Education Society in an interview with Elets News Network (ENN).

Apeejay Education Society is one of the eminent groups in the country. How it has helped students and parents during the pandemic?

Within 48 hrs of the lockdown, we were able to resume virtual classes, and within a few days, we were able to run the full-time table and syllabus for our students along with all exams. These were difficult and harrowing times for all stakeholders, and we were fortunate to have parents, students, and alumni who support the creation of a learning environment and have a long-term vision of education. Our staff reached out to those who were struggling due to the digital divide, and we were able to provide them with access to technology in their homes. The mental health and well-being of our students have always been our number one priority, and we modified our syllabuses to be able to provide them with activities, including physical education virtually.

What will be the impact of NEP 2020 on school education in the long-run?

The NEP 2020, in many ways, is a validation of the philosophy we have been espousing and following for decades. We wholeheartedly support its immediate implementation. The policy, while revolutionary for India, essentially allows the country to catch up to best practices already in place across the world and lays the foundation for a new 21st Century education. The policy will not only allow students to access a higher level of knowledge; it will free educators from the shackles of cookie-cutter and narrow-minded thinking. The change has been more than three decades in the making, and it uplifts our entire education eco-system to being one of the most enlightened and progressive in the world. We are excited to be able to extend our world-class bench marked curriculum into higher classes and seamlessly fit into the greater regulatory eco-system.

Also read: Educators: NEP will be a great leveler, implementation will be challenge

After the pandemic, how the group is planning to bring back students to the classroom?

The safety of all stakeholders is our number one priority. We are working with experts, regulators, and the government to ensure we have an action plan that puts safety first and can manage and mitigate risk properly. We are delighted to see the worldwide positive results of vaccines and hope schools should be able to return to normal within six months or less.

How has the school employed new age innovations as modern learning aids?

Our focus on virtual learning and investments in innovative infrastructure allowed us to move entirely virtual within a few days of the lockdown. It has validated our digital backbone and digital-first strategy, as well as our continuous teacher training and development. The most significant development has been the new acceptability of digital learning and new pedagogy among our stakeholders. It has allowed us to accelerate the deployment of many innovative practices that earlier were taking time to gain acceptability. We measure success by looking at the outcomes, and we are optimistic, given the data on learning that has started to come in.

IILM focuses on innovation and technology

Dr Sujata Shahi

As per our National education policy, the education system needs to give more focus on change and innovation to achieve the required GER, says Dr Sujata Shahi, Vice Chancellor, IILM University, Gurugram in a conversation with Elets News Network (ENN).

As we know India has the third largest higher education system in the world, after the US and China, according to the World Bank. The growth of the higher education system in India is remarkable and especially in the post-independence period. As per our National education policy, the education system needs to give more focus on change and innovation to achieve the required GER. Universities have always been a paramount player in a global system increasingly driven by knowledge, information and ideas.

Keeping in mind the transformation of the education system, which is currently prevalent due to pandemic and new normal, IILM University holds onto its top spot year after year because it produces a steady stream of innovations that are cited by other researchers in academia and private industry. That sort of influence is a key measure of the success and growth of the institution. IILM understands that it’s almost impossible to mention the words ‘higher education’ without ‘innovation’ following closely behind. Despite the clichés, innovation in higher education isn’t just about staying ahead, it’s about staying relevant and sustainable in a globally unpredictable environment. At IILM, it’s also not about simply disrupting teaching and learning methodologies, but about strategically molding these methodologies in order to cultivate new ideas, enhance creativity, encourage collaboration, and promote inclusion and diversity.

Also read: Globus Infocom offers advanced technology solutions

As the leading national higher education institution IILM is a hub of strategic significance by conducting cutting-edge research in numerous fields and inculcating the spirit of discovery and entrepreneurship. The university contributes to entrepreneurship driven research and develops strong interdisciplinary programs in strategically selected priority areas. We are sincerely working towards fulfilling our dream of an institute where there is a synergy of user experience, mobility, digitalization, safety, artificial intelligence, and embracing cloud benefit.

Our innovation in education is focused on creating a framework that defines the knowledge and skills required for success in work, citizenship, and life and that can be used to guide students’ cumulative progress through college. An inquiry based exploration of subjects that the individual student identifies and defines, which is conducted over the course of at least one semester, and that involves substantial writing and reflection. Another significant innovative approach is rubrics to evaluate the work students produce across their diverse learning pathways and whose results inform efforts to promote student success.

Students cannot reach their full potential when impeded by issues affecting their safety, security and well-being. We help the students with timely information that empowers and informs their decisions. We have the best resources and information available on campus safety. Educational programs instituted across all components of the campus system, including students, faculty, staff, and safety officials are key. Bystander intervention and trauma-informed training programs at IILM foster a culture of safety, concern, and mutual responsibility for the campus community.

IILM University continuously works to build on innovative practices, leveraging emerging technologies to enhance the student experience. We understand that campus is the epicenter of all activity and therefore we leverage technology and strategies in a way that improves the experience of the students.

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