SC to hear plea challenging UGC’s final year exam mandate

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July 27, 2020

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Supreme Court of India will hear a plea filed by 31 students from across the country challenging the University Grants Commission (UGC) decision to make final year exams 2020 compulsory for college and university students.

The plea filed by students seeks cancellation of Final Term Exams 2020 and suggest promotion of students on the basis of their previous performance. The Apex court’s 3 judge bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan will hear the case today. The bench also includes Justices R Subhash Reddy and MR Shah.

The petitioners have urged Court to direct UGC to adopt the CBSE Board Exam 2020 model for University Exams and declare results on the basis of internal assessment. Under the CBSE model, students who are not satisfied with the marks awarded to them on the basis of internal assessment, will be provided a chance to reappear for the exam at a later date, when situation becomes conducive. The plea sought cancellation of scheduled examinations in the interest of students as the number of COVID-19 cases is on the rise. It also proposed that their mark sheets should be issued by July 31.

Also read: Aadhaar not mandatory for school admissions: Supreme Court

The commission revealed that it has received responses from over 818 universities (121 deemed universities, 291 private universities, 51 central universities, and 355 state universities), on the matter of holding final year exams amid the on-going health emergency.

Plan of action for the new normal post covid-19

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July 25, 2020

To prevent the virus from entering school premises, we have made arrangements to run comprehensive background checks on all students, staff and their immediate family members which includes medical and travel history since the beginning of the year 2020 says Dr. Chandrakanta R. Pathak, Principal & CEO, HVB Global Academy, Mumbai in a conversation with Elets News Network (ENN).

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of our lives in one way or another and it is suggested that an effective covid-19 vaccine might take yet another year to develop. Given the critical role education plays in the cognitive and affective development of young students, we must make meaningful effort into devising strategies as to how we might resume school operations before the vaccine becomes available without compromising the safety of our students. Considering what we now know about how the virus spreads, it seems that the best course of action would be to adopt a set of rigorous measures that would effectively prevent the spread of the virus among students and staff when they are in transit between their residence and school and when they are within the school premises.

To this end, we have devised a two-pronged plan aimed at: a) preventing the contagion from entering the school premises, and b) preventing the spread of the contagion through personto-person and surface-to-person mechanisms within the school premises.

Also read: Post covid-19 a new normal at Manipal International School

To prevent the virus from entering school premises, we have made arrangements to run comprehensive background checks on all students, staff and their immediate family members which includes medical and travel history since the beginning of the year 2020. Background checks have been made mandatory for all individuals who wish to gain admission to school premises. We have made provisions to ensure thorough sanitization of school buses before and after they pick and drop students. At the school’s main entrance gate, we have installed touchless sanitation devices to sanitize hands, shoes and bags, and also a temperature sensor that measures and records the body temperature of every individual who enters the campus.

We have also suspended all activities requiring face-to-face interaction with individuals not affiliated with school. Such activities are to be held virtually.

To prevent the contagion from spreading within the school premises, we have adopted a set of rigorous measures which includes social distancing norms and regular sanitation which all individuals within the school premises are required to observe. We have installed hand sanitizers in all classrooms, outside of washrooms and elevators.

All classrooms and desks will be cleaned and sanitized on a daily basis. We have designed orientation programmes for our entire janitorial and security staff to train them in safety operation procedures and social distancing norms. In addition, we have appointed a committee of teachers that will monitor all activities and ensure that the approved safety operating procedures are being implemented throughout the school premises. In order to allow students and staff sufficient time to adapt to the new normal, we will resume the regular school session in five phases distributed evenly over five weeks. In phase 1, the school will reopen for staff to allow them time to make the necessary arrangements and ensure that school is ready to operate under the new normal.

We will carry out a thorough examination of our facilities and assess the situation at the end of every school day and plan for the following day accordingly. We have also put contingencies in place to ensure continuation of learners’ education without disruption.

NITI Aayog, AIM launches ATL App development platform for school children

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July 25, 2020

To boost the education within the school students, Atal Innovation Mission and NITI Aayog have launched the ‘ATL App Development Module’ across the country.

Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog has partnered with Plezmo, a Made in India technology education start-up to deliver an online course that is completely free. Through six project-based learning modules, young innovators can learn to build mobile Apps and showcase their talent.

Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog said that the Covid-19 pandemic has brought about a big disruption, which is being tackled through the use of technology. “Our honourable Prime Minister has been encouraging the citizens to use technology and innovate for#AatmaNirbhar Bharat. It is crucial for the young Indians to learn skills at a young age to become the next generation of technology leaders,” he commented.

Also read: NITI Aayog launches free online course for school students

According to Atal Innovation Mission Director R Ramanan, it is one of the largest App learning and development initiatives at a school level in any country and also empowers the AatmaNirbhar Bharat movement.

“After agricultural and industrial revolutions, global economies are being shaped by a technology revolution. Plezmo’s mission is to enable everyone to learn 21st-century technology skills like coding, computational thinking, design thinking, and problem-solving. This initiative will empower our young generation in making India a global technology superpower and contribute to the vision of #AatmaNirbharBharat!” said Amol Palshikar, Co-Founder and CEO, Plezmo.

Post covid-19 a new normal at Manipal International School

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July 25, 2020

At present, due to the unprecedented situation of Covid-19 , we all have shifted our pedagogy and mode of teaching learning overnight, says Dr Ritu Chauhan, Principal of Manipal International School, Bangalore in a conversation with Elets News Network (ENN).

Indian Education system has undergone a drastic change in the last few months. All these years, we were postponing the changes which are required and were not ready to go beyond our comfort zones. We were teaching the students in four walls with face to face interaction and mostly in traditional set ways with little technology. At present, due to the unprecedented situation of Covid-19 , we all have shifted our pedagogy and mode of teaching learning overnight.

As principals, we need to assure our parents, students and all staff members that post COVID-19, school environment will be safe for all of us. In a fearful environment, we may not be able to learn and grow together so its utmost important to make the place SAFE for all.

We are planning to take the following measures in our school for which our planning is already in place and needful arrangements will be made prior to reopening of school for students, staff and other visitors.

Also read: Measures school will take posts Covid-19

1. Hygiene maintenance committee- Formation of this committee which includes facility manager, transport manager, cafeteria in-charge, housekeeping in-charge and a trained nurse. This team will be trained by the officials to monitor and control the infection in the entire campus.

2. Sanitization Routine- Daily sanitization of all areas of the schools with the help of trained staff. Battery sprayers, manual sprayers, disinfectants etc should be bought and used with great care in terms of their dilution ratio.

3. Staggered classes- Students of pre primary will come once in a week to school. Primary grades will come to school two days in a week. Middle and high school students will attend 3 days in a week. Other days, they will study at home via online mode and blended teaching techniques.

4. Staggered transport- One child per seat will help social distancing. Before boarding the bus, children will be sanitized by the bus helper.

5. Masks- Masks will be compulsory for ALL.

6. Arrogyasetu and other government instructed apps will be compulsory to install for all staff as well as visitors.

7. Online PTMs- All meetings with parents will be conducted online. Staff meetings and daily updates will be taken through online mode.

8. Multiple Checks and sanitization levels- At the main gate, at the entry point of building, washrooms, cafeteria etc, multiple checks will be done.

9. Audit and certification- We have registered for Green germ-free school audit with an agency so that we are rest assured that all places are disinfected from time to time and staff is trained to continue the disinfection drive.

10. Children awareness programs- Our psychologists and counsellors are taking care of the mental wellbeing of our children.

Academically, we have developed content which will be given to the children and with the guidance of our teachers, their academic journey will continue. Novel ways of assessments are designed by our curriculum team. We need to keep faith in our children and seek little support from our parents. I think, as a community, we are taking this responsibility and supporting each other.

Children, parents and teachers need our support and we must make it possible. As leaders, we need to figure out ways to tackle these unprecedented situations.

US bars new foreign students taking online classes

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July 25, 2020

In a major development, the United States announced that it will not take in any new foreign students seeking online-only study. The policy change was announced in a statement by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Due to the pandemic, education has been hit hard and educational institutions in 190 countries are closed.

President Donald Trump has made a tough line on immigration a cornerstone of his message and has suspended several kinds of visas for foreigners during the crisis.

The original policy change of revoking the visas of foreign students whose classes will move online in the autumn was taken to court by top universities including Harvard and MIT, teachers unions and at least 18 states.

Also read: Delhi Govt allows appointment of guest teachers for online classes

That measure had been seen as a move by Trump to put pressure on educational institutions that are adopting a cautious approach to reopening amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Trump is eager for schools at all levels to reopen with in-person classes as a sign of a return to normality as he fights an uphill battle for re-election in November.

He is pushing for this even though the virus is out of control in some states, with the US death, figures a world-high of more than 144,000.

His administration is leaving it largely up to states themselves to figure out how to open schools safely.

There were more than one million international students in the US for the 2018-19 academic year, according to the Institute of International Education.

PM Modi approves setting up Ladakh Central University

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July 25, 2020

In a major development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved setting up of Ladakh Central University. It is the first central varsity in the newly created Union Territory. The newly created university will offer degrees in all courses including liberal arts and basic sciences. The approval from PM Modi comes just a fortnight ahead of the first anniversary of the parliamentary enactment that led to the creation of Ladakh as a union territory.

HRD Ministry will now bring in a formal proposal to set up the central university soon. PM Modi’s approval comes amid the rising concerns about over 10,000 Ladakhi students having to travel to distant places to away from home for higher education.

Ladakh got its first Univerity i.e. University of Ladakh – only in December 2019 through an enactment of legislation by the state assembly. The university has been setup as a cluster university by combining all the resources of existing colleges of Ladakh.

Also read: PM Modi: Working to have one medical institution in every district

The review meeting was attended by Union home minister Amit Shah, External Affaris Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and all top officials from their respective departments. During the meeting, all the steps taken by the central government for the betterment of Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir were discussion. The meeting also saw outlining of the priorities for the Centre over the next few months to improve the lives of people in these regions.

Post covid: Schools must take action to curb virus

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July 25, 2020

The school should have complete information and the facts about COVID-19 which will help diminish the students, parents, teachers and other faculty members fear, anxiety around the disease says Sumanth Narayan, Vice Chairman- Shanthinikethana Group of Institutions, Chairman – Adelie International Preschools in a conversation with Elets News Network (ENN).

At the outset, we hope that you and your family are safe and healthy. The entire world is passing through extremely difficult situations owing to havoc created by CoronaVirus infection which is declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. The situation in our country has also compelled our Central Government to invoke the provisions of the Disaster Management Act to declare a state of lockdown in the entire country.

Further, declaration of lockdown by the Government, though considered to be an inevitable measure to contain the spread of infections, has affected people across all walks of life, in ways that were beyond reasonable comprehension. The field of education and academics has also been severely affected. The Education institutions, teachers, non-teaching staff, and more importantly, the students, have suffered irreparable losses in their own ways.

Also read: COVID-19 Lockdown: Course of Rajasthan Polytechnic Colleges on YouTube with 4000 e-Lectures

The institution is not immune to the situation either, and we have also been severely impacted. As you are aware, running an education institution that believes in imparting quality education is challenging.

The students are also compelled to face an unprecedented situation. The threat of losing an academic year is looming large. Further, considering the age factor, if the young and restless minds get disoriented, it would be difficult to bring them back to a balanced lifestyle which includes adequate concentration on academics.

The school should have complete information and the facts about Covid 19 which will help diminish the fear, anxiety, stress , emotion around the disease among students, parents, teachers and other faculties.

Note that SOP documentation is much more involved than a simple procedural document measures to protect school from Novel coronavirus.

1. Back To School Arrangement Precautionary Measures In Schools Thermal scanning of temperature – students (2 intervals), teachers, staff, parents & other visitors.

Face Shield
Mouth Mask
Small Handy Sanitizer
Visitor management system.
Fogging & Spraying (2 Times In Day )
Social distance measures to be abided in the campus

2. Leave Of Absence of Both Students & Staff

3. Stay Home Notice And Approved Absence (Aa)

4. Medical Counsellor Responsibilities: Shall provide counselling to healthcare counseling; psychology

5. Emergency ready reckoner

Technology now allows students to connect anytime, anywhere, to teachers /school in the world, from any device. This COVID is dramatically changing new collaborations of learning .

“Ultimately, the greatest lesson that COVID-19 can teach humanity is that we are all in this together.”- Kiran MazumdarShaw.

Mahindra Group launches multi-disciplinary Mahindra University

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July 25, 2020

To provide quality education to Higher Education students, the Mahindra Group headed by Anand Mahindra has launched its Mahindra University virtually in Hyderabad, Telangana.

Mahindra University management board said that the 130-acre, multi-disciplinary campus in Hyderabad will offer undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate (PhD) courses. Mahindra University includes the Ecole Centrale School of Engineering that was set up in 2014.

As a part of the immediate roadmap, the University will launch the School of Management (2021-22), School of Law (2021-22), Indira Mahindra School of Education (2021-22), School of Media & Liberal Arts (2022-23) and School of Design (2023-24).

Also read: Mahindra forays into higher education, first batch next month

An estimated 4,000 Students and over 300 faculty members will be in place across the various schools at Mahindra University over the next five years.

Vineet Nayyar, Board of Management, Mahindra University said the aim is to get at least 40 percent women and 20-25 percent people from neglected regions of the country, including North-East India to be part of the educational institution.

Mahindra University is part of the Mahindra Educational Institutions (MEI), a not-for-profit subsidiary of Tech Mahindra.

Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group and Chancellor, Mahindra University said, “We are getting into a new adventure in the higher education sector by setting up a 21st-century university. Over the next three years, you will see us adding a lot more schools.”

Mahindra added, “We want multidisciplinary education to be the approach. I would love to see a mathematician in the university who is also a musician or an engineer who loves poetry.”

HRD Ministry creates panel to develop India as educational hub

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July 25, 2020

In a major development, HRD Ministry has formed an elite panel headed by UGC Chairman DP Singh, which will recommend ways to develop India into a global education hub. The key agenda of the panel is to look into the matter and recommend ways to ensure that more students study in India, instead of looking for academic avenues overseas.

The committee has also been tasked to provide a process for smooth transition for students returning from abroad due to COVID-19 situation. Another important task that has been assigned to this committee is to recommend a mechanism to increase the intake in well-performing universities.

As per the information shared by the HRD Ministry, the committee has been provided time of 15 days to submit their report.

Also read: HRD Minister: JEE Main 2020 eligibility criteria reduced for NITs and CFTIs

The committee was setup at a meeting via video conferencing. The meeting was chaired by Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and was attended by Minister of State, HRD Sanjay Dhotre; Secretary, Higher Education, Amit Khare; Chairman, UGC, DP Singh; Chairman, AICTE, Anil Sahasrabudhe; Joint Secretary (ICC), Neeta Prasad and Secretary General, AIU, Pankaj Mittal also participated in the meeting.

The Minister said that owing to the circumstances that are rising due to COVID-19 pandemic, many students who were planning to go abroad for their higher education has shelved their plans. On similar lines, many students are also returning from abroad after colleges and classes were suspended there. HRD Ministry and concerned higher education authorities need to make the necessary arrangements and plans to accommodate them.

I have advised @Hrdministry to make efforts to:
1) Address the needs of the students aspiring to go abroad and take some initiatives to retain them by providing appropriate opportunities of education in premier institutions in India.

— Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) July 24, 2020

Hersh Shah, CEO, India Affiliate of Institute of Risk Management (UK) calls to embrace the online learning

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July 24, 2020

1. How IRM is different from other institutes?

IRM is a leading professional body headquartered in the UK with a 30-year presence across 143 countries. IRM provides globally recognised qualifications in Enterprise Risk Management that can be pursued alongside graduation, post-graduation or a job. The qualifications are from Level 1 to Level 5 with designations at each stage after Level 2.

IRM is different from a regular Financial Risk Management or an Insurance Risk program. At IRM, the focus is on Enterprise Risk Management, which is a more expansive concept that encompasses numerous aspects of risk in an organisation.

Risk is inherent in everything we do, and hence our students and faculty members across the globe in 143 countries come from diverse backgrounds such as leadership, risk heads, family businesses, and consulting, and from across sectors including health, insurance, energy, pharmaceuticals, financial services, and retail. IRM has published research papers in conjunction with Cambridge University – Judge Business School and also works with Warwick University for an additional Digital Risk Management Qualification. IRM Global is also part of the World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report which is released annually.

Also read: Online learning is the key to success in lockdown

With 360 exam centers in India and the option of taking the exam online because of the current pandemic, students can kickstart their professional career with Level 1 to 5 qualifications that provide an ideal pathway to becoming a Chief Risk Officer in any sector.

2. What are risks involved to shift everything online?

Ans- Every risk presents an opportunity. Online learning has shown us just how effectively education can be delivered via technology and the internet within the convenience of a home. The sheer reach of e-learning is just beginning to unveil itself and we must embrace it. However, there are some obvious risks and shortcomings that come with shifting everything online.

While online learning gives students the opportunity to connect with experts from across the globe, depending on the subject, online classes can occasionally fall short of providing a learning experience at par with physical classes. For example, in science subjects, conducting practicals and experiments online becomes a challenge due to the non-availability of the requisite material and lab infrastructure at students’ homes. Shifting to online learning also entails serious cybersecurity risks.

Educational institutions being hacked is a very real risk – two schools in San Francisco’s Bay Area were targets of cybersecurity breaches in May, in both cases, students’ privacy was severely compromised with hackers gaining access to tonnes of personal data. There have also been instances of online classes being hacked. Another hurdle that teachers might face is the ability to assess the impact of lessons on students. Teaching has always been characterised by interpersonal communication in a classroom setup where teachers can interact with students and be physically present with them to gauge their responses. But with classes now having moved to a virtual space, teachers may find it challenging to assess how much students have absorbed.

Too much screen time can also have a negative impact on health – this is true for both students and teachers. Another serious concern is that of data leakage – students circulating screenshots and videos of presentations and online lectures without permission is a very real problem that does not have a solution as of now.

3. What are your plans to penetrate Tier II and III cities in India?

Ans- IRM’s qualifications are available across India. Students from any Indian city can enroll for the exams, attend the free study support sessions, prepare using the study materials and appear for the examination at any of the 360 exam centers or online. Organisations who are looking to build qualified risk teams have been recruiting IRM-qualified professionals all through this pandemic because there is a real need for risk management during such a tumultuous economic climate.

4. How the pandemic has changed the dynamics of education?

Ans-The Covid-19 pandemic has unleashed the full potential of online learning via international collaborations. Students can connect with experts from all over the world, a benefit that may not have been as widely available before the pandemic. Technology has enabled rapid access and reach, and it has facilitated connections between students and academicians from far-flung corners of the globe. It has also led us to relook at our need for large campuses and question the allocation of excess investment in university campus infrastructure.

5. Online degrees are still not recognized in India; Do you think the government should include it?

Ans-The Ministry of Human Resource Development and education regulators in India are already taking very ambitious steps to revamp the education sector and this includes recognizing online degrees. We need to wait till this step is formally executed.

6. How have ed-tech firms impacted the education sector?

Ans- Ed-tech firms have been a complete game-changer; they have revolutionized traditional teaching methods with the help of innovative technology, thereby redefining the concept of classroom learning. Universities and colleges can definitely take advantage of ed-tech firms by partnering with them and utilising their already existing education infrastructure.

Ed-tech firms also offer the opportunity for people to gain additional skills outside of their job or academic curriculum. With the current economic climate characterised by job cuts and redundancies, upskilling and reskilling are essential to stay relevant in the job market. However, online certifications do run the risk of being a dime a dozen and individuals must make a careful selection. Today, there are hundreds of universities and institutions offering certifications in data science and computer technology, this often lowers the value of the degree, hence, carefully choosing the right course from a reputed university is essential.

Having said this, online courses remain an excellent way to cultivate interests and build careers. Many students have studied basic risk management online and then gone on to enroll at IRM for professional qualifications. Online courses also offer much-needed advantages to students and aspiring professionals in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, where they often do not have access to premium universities and educational institutions.

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