SC rejects plea to postpone UPSC Civil Service Prelims 2020

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September 30, 2020

In a major move, the Supreme Court has refuted to postpone the UPSC Civil Service Prelims 2020 scheduled to be conducted on October 4, 2020. A plea was filed in the apex court to postpone the IAS exam further due to the outbreak of COVID 19.

SC pointed out that the SOPs have been followed in various public exams conducted recently and denied any special requests. It has however conceded requests for considerations on age limit and last attempt.

The order reads, “Considering the fact that exams have been conducted in the recent past, it is a testimony to the fact that SOP is followed by MHA to conduct such exams. Lack of transport facilities across all centres has not been substantiated by the Petitioners.”

Also read: UPSC to conduct UPSC Civil Services prelims exam on October 4

The petitioners raised the issue of lack of transport facilities and the case of corona warriors unable to attend the exam, to which the Court said, “if there are 10 out of 10 lakhs then the doctrine of proportionality has to be kept in mind. If it’s significant number we can ask authorities to consider them.”

Representing UPSC, Advocate Naresh Kaushik informed that the commission had not received any grievances from candidates regarding any handicap being faced. Furthermore, requests had been received not to postpone the examination further. He also pointed out that there are 6 chances to appear in the examination.

Odisha proposes up to 30 pc fee waiver for private school students

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September 30, 2020

A joint panel comprising representatives of private schools, parents’ associations and the Odisha govt, formed on the advice of the High Court to resolve the fee hike issue, recommended a maximum waiver of 26 per cent if the annual fee is above Rs 1 lakh.

A report in this regard was submitted by the joint committee to a division bench comprising Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice B R Sarangi.

The bench completed hearing on petitions seeking waiver of school fees and reserved its verdict. The joint committee recommended different rates of fee cut in either tuition fees or composite fees under seven slabs.

Also read: Odisha HC asks state govt to resolve private schools fees hike issue

There will be no waiver if the annual fee of a private school is less than Rs 6,000. It suggested a maximum waiver of 26 per cent where the annual school fee is above Rs 1 lakh, the highest slab.

The joint committee also recommended a waiver of 30 per cent in hostel fees. However, any institute which has not increased fees consecutively for the last two years will not be covered in this scheme.

The division bench on September 1 asked the principal secretary of the School and Mass Education Department to convene a meeting of the representatives of private schools and parents’ association to resolve the school fee row, while adjudicating over a batch of writ petitions.

Delhi HC asks DU to file affidavit on deadlines for issuing paper degrees

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September 30, 2020

In a major move, the Delhi High Court has directed Delhi University (DU) to file an affidavit in respect of the specific deadlines for issuance of paper degrees to those students who graduated prior to 2019 and those who would graduate in 2020.

The court also said that the affidavit should also mention timelines to be specified for transmission of mark sheets and degree certificates to Digilocker in a phased manner.

A bench of Justice Prathiba M. Singh also asked DU to indicate in its affidavit the mechanism to be devised for issuance of online transcripts in respect of those students who need the same urgently and data relating to the issuance of online degree certificates. Thereafter the court listed the matter for further hearing on October 20.

Also read: Delhi High Court stays neighbourhood criteria for nursery admissions

The court said, “The online digital degree certificates, which are now been issued are monolingual i.e., only in English, unlike the previous degree certificates which were bilingual i.e., both in English and Hindi. It is ordered that both formats of the online degree certificates whether in monolingual format or bilingual format would be valid for the candidates to submit to their respective universities/authorities in foreign countries and the present order may be used for the said purpose.”

DU told the court that for the purposes of admission to foreign universities, admission to Indian universities, for the purpose of employment, and others, there were a total of 1,788 applications that were received with an urgent request and 1,728 degree certificates have already been issued.

Haryana govt initiates “Chalo Chale Phir Se School” to bring back students

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September 29, 2020

After the Centre allowed states to open schools from September 21, Haryana was one of them who allowed it. The schools are opened in many parts of the country for class 9 to 12. The schools are closed across the country from mid-March due to the Corona epidemic.

The schools were opened with Standard Operations Procedures (SOPs) issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Haryana Education Programme Officer Parmod Kumar took the social media to share the SOPs for the opening of schools in the state. The state govt started “Chalo Chale Phir Se School” to bring back students.

Also read: Haryana govt to start e-leaning for students

From last six months online teaching is being imparted by schools due to the COVID crisis.

Though the overall number of students who turned up in schools these days is less but the govt is expecting more to follow.

While students in Haryana said they were happy to be back in school, even if regular classes had not resumed yet, there were some parents who were apprehensive as coronavirus cases had surged in the state and elsewhere.

Meanwhile, teachers were instructed not to share books, dusters, chalks with either students or other teachers. The state govt schools had installed foot pedals to control water taps. Santizers are installed for students.

Only one student at a time was allowed to go to the toilet, which was regularly cleaned. It has also been made mandatory for teachers to download the Aarogya Setu app on their mobile phones.

Delhi education dept as school heads to engage guest teachers

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September 29, 2020

In a huge relief to guest teachers, the Delhi Education department ordered all heads of government schools to engage services of all guest teachers.

There has been uncertainty over the engagement of the 20,000 odd guest teachers who are paid per day of work across Delhi since May 8.

In July, Education Minister Manish Sisodia had said they would be re-engaged as part of the remote teaching-learning plan. On July 13, the Education department issued directions to all heads of schools to engage willing guest teachers and contract teachers, wherever required, for online teaching-learning activities.

However, even after that, many guest teachers were not engaged, especially librarians, art, music, P.E. and home science teachers — known as miscellaneous teachers — who were told by the heads of schools that they could not be engaged as they were not required for online classes.

Also read: Delhi Education Department to launch Project BaLA

The order stated “all heads of government schools are hereby directed to engage all such guest teachers (except non-CTET) who were engaged during last academic session i.e. 2019-2020, subject to the availability of vacancy in their schools, within three days positively.”

It states that the guest teachers should be engaged because of the directions which have authorised all schools to call 50% of teaching and non-teaching staff from September 21.

UGC releases guidance document for researchers

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September 29, 2020

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has published a guidance document on Tuesday which delivers a framework on good research practices.

The document talks not only about the good practices but potential threats as well. This document gives details about various steps involved in conducting a research, namely — design, planning, execution, documentation and storage of data. The document also mentions the different misconducts which can happen while a research is being done.

Also read: UGC: Higher Education Institutions can apply for online courses till Oct 15

Research publications across the world have grown at a compounded annual growth rate of approximately three per cent over the past two centuries.

The document tells current researchers on how to check for problem points in their research paper, including issues such as plagiarism, falsification, fabrication and misinterpretation of data. The guidance document can prove helpful for researchers in selecting the right journal for publication of their research papers and for mentoring the coming generation of research enthusiasts.

The document envisions institutions to create an ORI as the organizational entity responsible for the implementation of these guidelines at each institution.

The UGC has also shared a list of documents for reference for further insights into good academic research practices and research integrity.

Bengaluru law student makes history in NLSUI Convocation

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September 29, 2020

A female student from Kerala set a record by bagging 18 of the 48 gold medals awarded to passouts of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU). While Yamuna Menon bagged 18 medals, 20 others who earned a BA LLB (Honours) degree shared the remaining 30.

Yamuna became the first student to win the highest number of medals (18) in the NLSIU history. Yamuna won medals for securing the first rank, best outgoing student, best undergraduate student, best outgoing female student, meritorious student, outstanding graduate student, and overall topper.

Hailing from Ernakulam near Kochi in the southern coastal state, Yamuna was one of the two students to get a scholarship for high ranking in the entrance test. Yamuna has since secured a seat in Trinity College at Cambridge University for postgraduation in law.

Also read: COVID impact: Over 300 playschools are closed in Bengaluru

As an IDIA (Increasing Diversity by Increasing Access to legal education) scholar from Kerala, Yamuna secured admission to the law school through the competitive Common Law Admissions Test (CLAT) with 28th rank in 2015.

Yamuna’s paper on the Sumangali scheme in the Tamil Nadu textile sector was published in the Cambridge Law Review. She was also editor-in-chief of the Indian Journal of International Economic Law.

Pokhriyal to address students’ queries on NEP

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September 29, 2020

The Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank will be holding a live session to resolve queries of students about the National Education Policy 2020. The session will held on 1st October 2020. College and School Students from across the country have sent their queries about the NEP 2020 to the minister earlier, which will be answered by him in a live session.

The live session to resolve students’ doubts, concerns and queries about the New Education Policy 2020 will be held online on the official Twitter handle of the Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal and the official Facebook page of the ministry.

Students interested in putting forth their questions about the new National Education Policy 2020 can ask questions with #NEPTransformingIndia hashtag on Twitter.

Also read: Pokhriyal: UGC issues guidelines for universities

The new National Education Policy released will be replacing the 34-year-old education policy which will bring on major changes in the school and college level education along with the hiring of teachers. The major change introduced in the NEP includes the change in the 10+2 school system which has now been changed to 5+3+3+4 format. This in turn will change the board exams and the assessment system. The teaching mode has also been changed with the introduction of the mother tongue as a medium until class 5.

Dear students, on 1st October I will be answering all your queries related to #NEP2020 that you shared earlier with me on my Twitter page. Save the Date and feel free to spread the word!#NEPTransformingIndia pic.twitter.com/nA018LrFGt

— Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) September 28, 2020

Teachers’ in Jharkhand convert village into classroom

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September 29, 2020

Due to Coronavirus epidemic, schools are closed due since March. Many new ideas are coming up from teachers to engage students during the lockdown. To impart lessons to students who do not have access to smartphones, government school teachers in Dumka’s Dumarthar village have found a new way to teach.

They created blackboards on the walls of students’ houses to teach them while maintaining social distancing in the view of coronavirus.

Teachers have started ‘shiksha aapke dwaar’ (education at your doorstep) to provide education to children while maintaining social distancing. More than 100 blackboards have been created on walls to teach students at their houses.

Also read: DU college teachers boycott online classes over payment issues

Dumka Deputy Commissioner Rajeshwar B lauded the initiative and said that she will motivate other teachers to adopt this method.

Students and parents are very happy with the initiative and hoping that schools will be reopened soon.

Schools and educational institutions in the country are closed in the country since March. However, in the Unlock 4 guidelines, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that students of classes 9 to 12 may be permitted to visit their schools, in areas outside the containment zones only, on a voluntary basis, for taking guidance from their teachers and this will be subject to the written consent of their parents or guardians.

Plea filed in Supreme Court over online classes

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September 28, 2020

A plea has been filed in Supreme Court to issue comprehensive guidelines for the conduct of online virtual classes through video conferencing. The plea has been filed keeping in view cyber attack threats to children and unequal access of the internet for poor students attending these classes.

Schools and colleges have been teaching through online due to Corona pandemic.

The petition has been filed by Dr. Nand Kishore Garg, through Advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi to discontinue online classes until guidelines are formed for hosting online classes in a completely encrypted and safeguarded manner.

Also read: Supreme Court nods for NLAT entrance exams

Moreover, the plea also states that appropriate guidelines should be given to the Central government and the HRD Minister along with CBSE to develop the pattern of the online exams to be conducted by various agencies with specified software, which will not allow any other cyber application or the possibility of pop-ups in any other window during the course of online examination.

The plea also urges the top court to direct the respondents, including the Centre, to evolve a proper mechanism to make sure that children of economically weaker sections of the society have access to these classes by ensuring computer devices for them.

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