The Common Law Admission Test (CLAT), 2019, after three years, will now be conducted in online mode. Started in 2008, Clat was conducted in online mode from 2015-2018.
“Issues such as limited infrastructure and inadequate access to technology in rural areas made it difficult to conduct the test online and therefore, the consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) in October 2018 decided to conduct CLAT in offline mode,” says Srikrishna Deva Rao, vice-chancellor of NLU, Orissa and convenor of CLAT 2019.
For the offline CLAT 2019 exam, 21 NLUs will be the test centres along with other institutes across regions, which will be decided by the respective vice-chancellors. “The offline test will provide wider access to aspirants from rural areas and avoid other technical glitches encountered in last year’s CLAT exam,” says Rao.
The CLAT will now be conducted by the executive committee of the consortium headquartered in Bengaluru. The consortium comprises three NLUs, National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore; National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) Hyderabad; and NLIU, Bhopal, as its ex officio members.
“The decision of having a centralised way instead of one NLU conducting the test on rotation basis will not only bring transparency in the admission process but will also enhance quality in legal education,” Rao adds.
“The decision of consortium to conduct CLAT 2019 in offline mode was made in the light of the fact that the number of students appearing in the entrance test is not large as IIT JEE or NEET. However, consortium is open to going for an online test in future once the number of applicants increases,” he further said.
According to Rao, “CLAT is not an easy exam, but is not unachievable either, and practice of logical reasoning; legal aptitude and current affairs will provide an edge to the students. Equal importance must be given to all the segments. As the questions in each segment vary, students must focus on time management.”
Implementation of 10 percent quota for EWS in all centrally-funded educational institutions including central universities, IITs, IIMs, NITs and IIITs will cost Rs 5,600 crore collectively (approximately) to the Government.
All institutes are required to add nearly 2.1 lakh seats in next two years. Around 1.2 lakh seats are to be added in the new academic session commencing from July this year and another 95,000 next year.
The Central Government has instructed the universities and institutions to increase their intake over two years without reducing the present number of seats for SC, ST, OBC and general category students.
As per the implementation plan shared by all central institutions, the biggest chunk of Rs 2,682 crore hasbeen sought by central universities, followed by the IITs (Rs 1,094 crore), and the NITs (Rs 1,001 crore).
Of this, Rs 3,830 crore has been sought for building new infrastructure, Rs 723 crore for salaries on account of hiring more teachers, and the remaining for fellowships meant for the added intake.
Initially, Ministry of Human Resource Development prepared an estimate of around Rs 4,200 crore for implementing EWS reservation which was is much lesser than the institutions’ estimate.
As per the plans shared by the educational institutions, the collective increased intake of IITs is 6,708 seats of which 2,388 seats will be added this year, and remaining next year. Similarly, the IIMs will add 620 seats in July and 743 in 2020 whereas central universities will increase total intake by 47,223 over two years.
As debate intensifies over rising unemployment in the country, the Modi government claims to have generated over 379,000 jobs between 2017 and 2019 in its various establishments, according to the Interim Budget for 2019-20.
The government said it has generated 251,279 jobs in central government establishments between 2017 and 2018. This is estimated to go up by 379,544 to reach 36,15,770 on March 1, 2019, shows an analysis of documents of the Interim Budget, presented by Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on February 1.
The data assumes significance as the Congress and other opposition parties have been targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over rising unemployment. The government has rejected the charges.
Replying to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address to Parliament on Thursday, Modi cited data from provident fund, National Pension System (NPS), Income Tax filings and sale of vehicles among others to say millions of new jobs were created in the formal and unorganised sectors, including transport, hotels and infrastructure.
Most of the recruitment was done by the Ministry of Railways, police forces and the direct and indirect tax departments.
The Budget documents give a sector-wise break-up on how the jobs were added in central government establishments.
It said Indian Railways will generate the highest number of jobs – 98,999 by March 1, 2019, against its actual strength of 12,70,714 in March 2017.
There will be 79,353 additional jobs in police departments by March 1, 2019, up from the actual strength of 10,52,351 as on March 1, 2017.
Similarly, jobs in direct tax departments will touch an estimated 80,143 by next month as against 50,208 in March 2017.
In indirect tax departments, the government said there were 53,394 employees in March 2017. This went up to 92,842 in March 2018. It also gave the same figure (92,842) as the estimated strength of indirect tax establishment as on March 1, 2019.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation will have 2,363 more personnel by March 1 this year against its actual strength of 1,174 in March 2017, the document shows.
Similarly, for the Department of Posts, it said there will be 4,21,068 personnel on March 1, 2019, as against its actual strength of 41,88,18 in March 2017.
India is a country that is aspirational, young and dynamic. Last 70 years have transformed the country into one of the fastest growing economies with maximum world youth residing and learning, writes Loluck Baby, Career Coach, United Arab Emirates (UAE), for Elets News Network (ENN).
Loluck Baby, Career Coach, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
While all the countries who got independence from the British rule struggled to keep the democratic framework alive, India stood out and created the world’s biggest democracy with a well-written constitution. Thanks to our ancestors who envisioned the importance of having such a robust and inclusive constitution to run a country which speaks more than 400 languages, thousands of castes and tens of religion and culture.
Education is our fundamental right. All State and Central Governments have always given high-level of importance to education. Our statement believed that Education is the only tool that can drive the country out of exploitation and poverty. From a country with 19 percent literacy in 1951 to a country with around 75 percent literacy in 2011 (As per Census 2011) is a great achievement, that too with the population of 1.2 billion. Though, we have reasons to blame our successive government for not doing many things, we can also be proud of what we have achieved in the last 70 years.
India has created a massive and robust education system, which ensures gender equality, give preference to the neglected communities and appreciate the talented students. Whether it is NCERT or state boards, despite all the issues and challenges, the organisations worked well to produce quality manpower that has driven the economy forward. One of the major export we have is our talented youth, In the 1980s we considered it as “Brain Drain”. But I consider it as “Brain gain”. In this 21stcentury, we have created a soft power with our Indian youth running all the major corporate houses in the world. All these talents are produced by the Indian Education System.
One of the key organisations in India that has transformed the education sector in villages is Anganwadis. In 1975, after the creation of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), the world’s biggest community initiatives, this institution has played the effective role as “Poor Man kindergarten” and nutritious food source for children and mothers in particular.
The vision set by our first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Education minister was the base of our well developed and robust system. Our First Education Minister Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad was a combination of religious scholar and modern science and technology enthusiast who believed in quality education as the way for India to move forward and to be a successful country. In 1951, IIT Kharagpur was established and since thenthe country has developed 23 IITs and 20 IIMs, which became the education hub for developing industry leaders not only in India, around the world.
Growth in the public Education system
In last 70 years, our public education system has grown muchfolds, with the help of government, private and NGO partnerships. In 1951, our school enrolment was less than 40 percent whereas in 2001, we have achieved 100 percent of school enrolment. In 1951, we were having less than 2.4 lakhs primary school whereas in 2018 we have more than 15 lakhs schools. After the introduction of Mid-day meal in 1995, the school dropout has drastically reduced. The role of the NGOs, missionaries, communities and the private sector in developing the general education cannot be neglected. Every successive state and central government supported the contribution in a very active way to accelerate the growth of the nation. When it comes to Universities, from 27 universities in 1951, currently, India has 829 universities and the number is growing fast.
Status of Technical education
India has become a production house of technical graduates. Every year we are producing 1.5 million engineers. We are producing the brightest scholars of the planet from IITs, NITs, AIIMS, IISC and IIMs. Apart from these premier institutions, there are colleges run by State Governments and private institutions, which are producing more than enough technical graduates for the country. India has become a hub of software, because of the quality technical graduates coming out of all these institutions. As part of the National Education Policy of 1986, we started promoting Vocational Education in secondary school, which has created a major industrial workforce in the country that attracted the global manufacturing giants to set up the production plants in India.
Women Education
One of the priorities of Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad was the encouragement of women education. He firmly believed that unless we empower women of this nation, we will never be able to achieve the goals envisioned by our father of the nation. Even after much effort, our women literacy rate till 2001 was only 52 percent. In 2011, it has grown to 66 percent, but the growth rate was slow. Cultural and social ignorance about the importance of women education is the prime reason for this slow growth. We need to have a strong focus on women education in villages to attain the full potential of our growth and to stop women exploitation.
Looking back to what we have achieved in terms of education, I feel the country should be proud of what we have done in last 70 years, at the same time, we should introspect and correct the short falls in medium and long term. Moreover, as part of the 21st century when the world is moving towards the Industrial Revolution 4.0 based on technology, we have to prepare our children for this by adopting the best practices in education and constantly improving the research and development in education. That’s the only way for us to keep up the race to be one of the leading Scountries in the world.
As India celebrates the conclusion of seven decades of experience of passing through and executing its powers and freedoms as a Sovereign State again for the first time in modern times, there is much anticipation of what lies ahead for its Collective as a Society with a Pluralistic Population that is very diverse in Cultures, Religions, Languages, writes Prof Y V Satya Kumar, Former Dean-Academic Planning & Quality Assurance, Rayat-Bahra University, for Elets News Network (ENN).
Prof Y V Satya Kumar, Former Dean-Academic Planning & Quality Assurance, Rayat-Bahra University
The broader societal trends, inter-continental connections, cultural shifts, social platform evolution, rapid pace of industrialization, requirements of Industry 4.0, liberalization of economy are impacting the development positively; however the challenges of erosion of values, neglect of ethics, politicization of bureaucratic processes, compromises for fiscal gains are counteracting substantially the gains made by the former developments. The result is the bulk of the Population as a whole is becoming a mute spectator and a passive participant to the slide, while a not an insignificant segment of Population is an active contributor to the negative overall flow of direction. This is where the Human endeavours and specializations of Education, Justice and Spirituality/Religion can again play a reformative, remedial and restorative role ona broader scale.
Education by its very nature applies to all shades of the Society, Justice domain tackles only the small segment of Violators that are brought to bear its force, whereas Spirituality/Religion affects everyone somewhat differently depending upon the precepts of these Communities with different Belief Systems. As one can see the best bet for India is to ensure an Education System that is free of biases, compromises, adaptation of latest knowledge domains, while catering to expectations of an ever-changing Student Population that is glued into and tagged onto the happenings around the World from an early age due to prevalent use of Internet, Smart Phones, Google and Wikipedia.
Two Key Challenges facing India’s Education System
Teachers are by their profession responsible more than just finishing the lessons that get assessed in mid-term and end-term examinations and ensuring their students’ advancement or graduation takes place. They also have a duty to equip their Students for making right decisions in life and in their careers when confronted with difficult and opposing choices. Hence, it is as important for India’s Education System to incorporate soft skills and life skills that help one balance their self-interests with common interests of those impacted by any one’s decisions in a fair manner.
India is routinely confronted for last 2-3 decades with ever-growing trend of massive diversions from public funds in almost all sectors of Economy, some-to-total dilution of stated or intended purpose of many organisations in private ownership or operational control and politicisation of organisations either from external influences or internal aggregations. If India is to achieve its ambition of being taken seriously around the World and to be at the Head of the Table on broad-based merit besides its ballooning Population, first it has to understand Quality cannot come despite these ever-present lacunae.
Societal Quality is the result of a sustained collective dedication and efforts through connection and identification by all in different segments to one’s assigned or purported role. Compromising that responsibility for the sake of immediate and gratuitous gain can only stop if the inner fulcrum or inner compass is in autonomous mode in every one. This overall shift can only happen if the Students, Parents, Teachers, Administrators and Academic Entrepreneurs embrace their respective natural and responsible role wholeheartedly and sweep away those persistent negative, self-serving and regressive mind-sets from within the Education System first. This comprehensive reformation may also help India stem ever-increasing exodus of millions of its home-grown talent to foreign shores in Americas, Europe and Australia and East Asia as has been happening for last 3 decades.
Another important Challenge facing India is to balance its responsibility for access, equity to its Education by all those within its border. Hence, the model adapted by its Framers of Constitution and Founders of Reservations (also known as Set-asides) to advance the deserving among its deprived has over the years been hijacked by various political and social groups to ensure that merit now is given the last gag so much that Set-asides have gone up to 75 percent or more in some pockets of geography. The thinking that somehow the set asides would be a panacea for all social ills is mired in myth due to somewhat ingrained divisions of alignments along caste and religion. However, a dispassionate view of Urban Population and Student Population would lead one to see significant similarities in aspirations and life styles of all those from different Communities. Hence, the time is ripe to ensure that Set Asides or Reservation as a model for Societal Common Good is reassessed and other multi-approach forms of Affirmative Action to help Individuals and Collectives that are deprived, dispossessed and deserving get a helping hand in Education, Jobs, Social Welfare are developed and implemented.
The social divisions and inequities seem not to be blurred by Reservations, but seem to be increasingly enhanced as a result. It is time for India to come up with a better model after Reservations have served it for last several decades after independence to improve access and equity to resources and benefit. The Social Awareness Campaigns in Neighbourhoods especially in Rural and Semi-urban Areas where such strong mind-sets of division prevail can be other mechanisms to integrate and improve economics and livelihoods across segments of population. For this it is important for Social Sciences and Management Academics and Researchers to innovate and improve models of differential ad-hoc provisions, sharing and endowments by the affluent and implement these new mechanisms across populations, corporates and organizations. This could help India hold onto its meritorious instead of hastening their exit.
India’s System cannot be changed by Lawmakers and Bureaucracy alone and quickly if the Population does not participate and adapt their expected roles by self-critiques and self-regulation to ensure better models and better mechanisms are evolved and implemented. For this there may be a bit of self-sacrifice but compared to the time of Pre-Independence it is a small Cost for the immense benefits that await. Education System is the first actor that has to fully accept and live its societal role better by preparing a well-rounded and better Citizenry.
In a recent major reshuffle in the bureaucracy, the Government of Rajasthan has appointed Dr R Venkateswaran as the new Principal Secretary for the School Education, Language & Library, and Panchayati Raj (Elementary Education).
He earlier was serving as Principal Secretary, Animal husbandry, Fisheries & Gopalan Department, Government of Rajasthan. Venkateswaran has replaced Bhaskar Sawant who has been transferred to Urban Development & Housing Department.
Dr R Venkateswaran is an Indian Administrative Service officer, with more than 20 years of varied experience in departments like home, local self government department, rural development, social welfare etc under Government of Rajasthan. He was also the Mission Director for JnNURM in the State.
He was closely involved in the formulation of Rajasthan’s Industrial Policy. As the director of Small Savings Department, he was instrumental in launching of many attractive schemes for the investors and the helped the State to achieve highest ever savings.
He was awarded the JRD Tata National Health award for distinguished service in Churu district. Under his leadership the district of Jalore got the Satyen Maitra National Award for Total Literacy.
In the recently released TRRAIN HSBC Disability Employment Report 2019, it is revealed that 46 percent of persons with disabilities in India are uneducated.
The report also explained the reasons for lack of education among PwD population. It stated that lack of the right schools, accessibility, unavailability of special instructors, and above all, the unwillingness of parents to invest in their child with a disability are the reasons for a compromise in education opportunities.
According to a World Bank report in 2007, children with disabilities are five times more likely to stay out of school than those that belong to the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes.
The TRRAIN HSBC Disability Employment Report 2019 also mentions that of the persons with disabilities surveyed- 6 percent students are graduate and above, 13 percent have completed secondary school, 9 percent middle school, 14 percent primary school, 12 percent dropped out before primary school. 46 percent of persons with disabilities remain illiterate.
And even so gender discrepancy remains, with only 44 percent women with disabilities being educated as against the 62 percent of men with disabilities.
B S Nagesh, founder, TRRAIN, said, “The TRRAIN HSBC Disability Employment Report 2019 highlights the lack of a systemic, natural progression from education to employment for persons with disabilities. This is where the retail sector could play an important role because it provides employment to people who have cleared the 10th grade.”
The Government of Rajasthan has given charge of Department of Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship Development, to Naveen Jain, the 2001-batch IAS officer.
He is now Secretary, Labour, Employment, Skill & Entrepreneurship & Boiler Inspection & Medical & Health Services (E.S.I) and Commissioner, Labour & Employment, Government of Rajasthan.
An IAS officer of 2001-batch from Rajasthan cadre, Jain won Gold medal for best report on land reforms in 2003 by Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration. He undertook various initiatives in different government departments when he was serving as district Magistrate of Baran, Karauli, Hanumagarh and Rajsamand as well as Director/Commissioner in different departments at Secretariat or Directorate.
He has also led various e-initiatives as Mission Director, National Health Mission in Rajasthan such as ASHA Soft, e-shubhlaxmi, Software for Malnutrition Treatment Centers – Kuposhan Watch, e-upkaran (Equipment management & Maintenance System).
He holds a B.com (Hons) degree in Business Finance and Masters in Finance & Control. He also holds a Diploma in Public Policy from ICFAI University.
India has always been known all over the world for ages for the respect that is showered on teachers and for knowledge, Dr Vinay Agrawal, Chancellor, ISBM University, for Elets News Network (ENN).
Pulling itself out from widespread illiteracy, India has managed to bring its education system at par with the global standard. The number of schools witnessed a dramatic increase during the post-independence era. The Parliament made elementary education a fundamental right for children in the age group of 6-14 years by passing the 86th amendment to the Constitution in 2002. At independence, India’s literacy rate was a paltry 12.2 % which increased to 74.04% in 2011.
The Government launched the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan in 2001 to ensure education for the children from 6 to 14 years. Prior to that, it had launched an effective initiative – Sponsored District Education Programme, which increased the number of schools across the country. In a bid to attract children to schools, especially in rural areas, the government also started implementing the mid-day meals programme in 1995.
But just as much, the cost of education also has gone tremendously higher. 572m population falls in the age group 0-24 years – it’s double the US population. 230m students enrolled every year – 219m for KG- 12, 11m for higher education. 246,000 candidates apply for CAT in 2009 – 3x that a decade ago. Till 1993, one used to think whether 100,000 INR will be enough as Cost of my entire 15 years of education up to post-graduation. Today, one thinks whether 100,000 INR shall be enough as fees I pay for my daughter’s pre-school & kindergarten. Price of education has increased by 3-6x over the last decade.
India is in the process of changing gears on the development and the next 10 years is going to see a lot of activity on several fronts like manufacturing, construction, retail, and services. But the India success story pretty much depends upon the number and quality of its workforce. The demographics are exciting. With 54% of its 1.2 billion population under the age of 24, India is the youngest country in the world.
If India is to realize its dream of becoming an emerging superpower over the next two decades, then it is time to do a reality check on our education system and see how prepared our system is to meet the demand for skill development of our potential workforce.
When we start breathing in fresh democracy after January 26, 1950, there were so many who had predicted gloom and doom for the Nation. But none of those predictions has come true over the last 70 years the only reason what I found is our basic education system, observes Dr. Alok Kumar Gahlot, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics, Teerthankar Mahaveer University.
As far as development of Education during 70 years is concernin First Five Year Plan7.9% of total plan outlay was allocated for education. While in II and III, the allocations were 5.8% and 6.9% of the total. In IX Plan only 3.5% of the total was allocated for education. So I don’t think that I need to explain this statistics more it is indicating very much in itself.
To make education more interesting and streamline the education, the Govt. implemented the recommendations of Kothari Commission under ‘National Policy on Education’ in 1968. The following were the main recommendations
Universal primary education.
Introduction of new pattern of education.
Three language formula.
Introduction of regional language in higher education.
Development of agricultural, Industrial and adult education.
Since at that time the Socio-economic structure of India, was very sensitive so Govt. announced a new National Policy on Education in 1986. Universalization of primary education, vocational aspect of secondary education and specialization of higher education were the main features.
NCERT and SCERT, UGC were established to maintain the standard of education.
Development aspects:
Expansion of General Education:
The literacy percentage increased. The enrolment ratio of children was increased. Primary education has been made free and compulsory.
Development of Technical Education:
The Govt. has established ITI, Polytechnics, IIT, NIT, Medical and Dental colleges, IIM etc. Keeping the notion of Importance of women and agriculture in Development of nation several Agriculture universities and women colleges were established. Vocational program (Diary, poultry, typing, electronics, mechanical and carpentry etc.), PMKVY is also a good start.
Non-formal Education
The scheme was for those children who cannot attend schools regularly and for full time.
Encouragement to Indian Language and Culture
CSTT is focused on research in regional languages.
Adult Education
The National Board of Adult Education was established in the First Five Year. But due to socio structure of India we are still lacking behind to make people aware.
Improvement of Science education
Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) was set up in NCERT to purchase equipment for State Institutes of Educational Technology.
Education for all
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has been launched.
The above discussion makes it clear that a lot of development in education has been made in India during 70 years and the evidence is that we have the best doctors, software engineers in the world. ISRO has been set up a bench mark.
