The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has started the registration for regular students of Class 9 and Class 11.
Students can register themselves through the link available on the official website of the board –www.cbse.nic.in. The CBSE also directed all of its affiliated schools to register themselves before proceeding for online registration of their students.
The board instructed newly affiliated schools to contact the concerned Regional Office of the CBSE to obtain password for online registration.
In case of any difficulty, the CBSE also directed all the schools to contact concerned regional offices as per jurisdiction/contact details given in the Annexure released by the Board.
The Board has provided a field to provide Aadhaar details of the students which, according to the CBSE, “will result in accuracy of the students’ details.” However, the students who are not in possession of Aadhaar number may enter the Passport number, Ration card number, Bank account number or any other Government valid identity, said the Board.
Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that Aadhaar is no longer mandatory for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), University Grants Commission (UGC) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams. The court also directed that there is no need to produce 12-digit unique identification number for school admissions.
In case of foreign nationals, Passport Number can be provided. If passport number is not available, Social Security Number/ID Number issued by the foreign country can be mentioned, stated the guidelines released by the Board.
Almost one-third of teens worldwide have recently experienced bullying, revealed the data released by the Global School Health Survey (GSHS) by UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) for the first time.
According to the data, bullying affects children everywhere irrespective of their regions, countries and income levels. The results are based on the data collected from in-school surveys that track the physical and emotional health of youth.
In an official press release, the UNESCO said, “The GSHS focuses on children aged 13 to 17 years in low-income regions.”
The GSHS is a collaborative surveillance project designed to help countries measure and assess the behavioural risk factors and protective factors in 10 key areas among young people aged 13 to 17 years.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations conducting programmes to contribute to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.
UNESCO also said in a statement that in another report to be released on October 8, 2018, the organisation will be looking deeper at a large number of international data sources on bullying and other forms of school violence.
The main takeaways of the data:
One-third of youth globally experience bullying in school
Boys experience slightly higher rates of bullying than girls overall, but in countries where bullying is most pervasive, girls are more vulnerable
Low socio-economic status is the main predictor of whether young teens in wealthy countries will experience bullying in schools
Immigrant youth in wealthy countries are more likely to experience bullying in schools than locally-born youth
Applications to business programmes in Asia Pacific, Canada and Europe during 2018 so far have seen an increase over 2017 while the same has witnessed a drop in the US, revealed Application Trends Survey from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC).
According to the survey, The US experienced around seven percent decline, including a 1.8 percent decline in domestic application volume and a 10.5 percent drop in international volume across all types of business programmes.
Experts are considering disruptive American political environment and the emergence of tremendous educational opportunities in other countries as two of the major reasons for the drop.
Business programmes in Asia-Pacific witnessed an increase of 8.9 percent, Canada realised 7.7 percent growth, and Europe had a 3.2 percent increase in applications.
Growth in the Canadian and European regions derives largely from increases in international applications, while domestic growth is fueling increases in Asia-Pacific, said a statement from the Council.
Regionally, strong growth in application volume across all program types was offset by declines in the United States.
“However, there are significant regional variations. Non-US programmes continue to thrive, highlighting the continued emergence of enhanced educational and professional opportunities outside the United States,” he added.
Explaining about the various factors for the lag in the US business school demand, Chowfla said, “A low unemployment rate means young professionals have an increased opportunity cost of leaving their jobs in pursuit of an advanced degree.”
“Combined with a disruptive American political environment and the emergence over the past decade of tremendous educational and professional opportunities abroad, one can begin to understand in part why demand in the United States has dropped from previously record-high application volumes at some schools,” he further added.
Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ) has emerged as a renowned name in higher education space of Jaipur. The university uses the latest innovative methods and technologies to offer career-oriented courses at all levels, says Dr G K Prabhu, President, Manipal University Jaipur, in conversation with Elets News Network (ENN).
Please give details about measures being undertaken by Manipal University for enhancing skills and employability of youth.
MUJ Focussed on Bolstering Industry-Academia Connect
Achieving “Academic Excellence” is the key feature of Manipal University. Constant effort is done in curriculum revision with an emphasis to design competent, relevant and flexible curriculum. “Curriculum Conclave” is organised in the university to develop “Dream Curriculum” by inviting all the important stakeholders including senior academicians, teachers, industry personnel, alumni and campus students. The university encourages experiential learning by making students participate in various practical projects.
How can the higher education be curriculum improved and developed to nurture the industry –ready professionals?
Curriculum needs to be designed with an emphasis of interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary concepts. Students have the benefit of interacting with the faculty of other disciplines in university set-up. Flexible curriculum is designed to accommodate “open-elective” subjects from other disciplines. This will help us in producing “the best and finest” of graduates.
How does the university help its students to become globally competitive professionals?
Student mobility is an important factor in the higher education. Our university has a partnership with more than 50 universities around the globe. There is a provision of spending one semester in any of the partner university under the “Study Abroad Program” with full credit transfer mode. Students exchange scheme is also very helpful for the technical and cultural experience.
With regards to Skill Education, there is a gap between students’ skill set and the industry’s requirements, how the university is working towards bridging the gap?
Experiential learning is encouraged in the university by allowing students to work on or participate in major projects. The university encourages and also sponsors students to take part in national/international competitions. Seed money was given to drive the innovative projects. Good ideas with business models are encouraged to incubate the startups in the campus through Government supported “Atal Incubation Center”.
Is Manipal University also joining hands with other global players to enhance skill base and technical know-how of its students?
To improve employability among students, the university has collaborated with premier universities/institutions for “Study Abroad Program” and designed the industry-specific postgraduate programmes under the collaborations. In other initiatives, the university has appointed adjunct faculty from industry for delivering knowledge on industry relevant topics, deputed faculty to the industry on sabbatical and encouraged online courses to bridge industry-academia gap.
Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phoole University is an ideal combination of opportunities and experiences to prepare students for a better life in the 21st century, says Nirmal Panwar, Chairperson, Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phoole University, in conversation with Elets News Network (ENN).
Please give a brief description about the vision behind Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phoole University.
Nirmal Panwar, Chairperson, Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phoole University
With a mission to impart women education, in 1993, Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phoole emerged as an educational institution in Jaipur Rajasthan. The name of the organisation was given in the memory of social reformer Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phoole who worked for the emancipation of women. He always advocated for women education and worked tirelessly to bring social changes for alienated and deprived sections of the society. The organisation is working on the same principle of women education and empowerment.
Please give an overview about the key academic departments housed at the MJRP.
Today, MJRP aims for the advancement of knowledge and education through excellence and leadership in Engineering, Architecture, Science, Arts, Commerce, Management, Information Technology, Law, Agriculture, Home Science, Fashion Designing, Education, Health Care Science, Allied Sciences Journalism and related areas.
Under the guidance of faculty, students can explore both theoretical and practical courses that prepare them to meet the needs of an increasingly complex society. The infrastructure is dynamic as we are constantly striving to pace with the latest technology. The university is famous for its Bio-Technology/Biotech, Ph D, postgraduate and undergraduate Programmes, M Sc Agriculture Science and Technology, B Sc Agriculture (Honours), MBA Agribusiness, Pharmacy, LLB, LLM, B Tech and Fashion Designing Courses in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
What are the key features of the university that makes it stand away from its competitors?
The teaching and research faculties of the university have highly qualified and trained professionals. The University keeps the students informed about potential job opportunities and helps them in making prudent decisions for their career. The university maintains and promotes close linkages and active contact with potential employers while involving their executives and facilitating their interaction with the students. Lectures, discussions and classroom participation from industry persons lead to innovations in university’s education pedagogy, netter teaching-learning practices, and integral development of students’ personality.
MJRP is Rajasthan’s first private University which is recognised by Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) as Scientific Industrial Research Organisation (SIRO). Our University also has collaboration with Macmillan Research Group (UK) for providing international scholarship opportunities and co-publication.
With a vision to emerge as one amongst the foremost institutions of quality in Skill Education recognised at National and International arena, our university focuses on fostering excellence in skill Education in an integrated and holistic manner, says Dr Lalit K Panwar, Vice Chancellor , Rajasthan ILD Skill University, in an interview with Elets News Network (ENN).
Please describe about the important measures being undertaken by Rajasthan ILD Skill University (RISU) for enhancing skilling and employability of youth?
Dr Lalit K Panwar, Vice Chancellor , Rajasthan ILD Skill University
RISU is an effective institutional intervention to implement National Skills Qualification Framework in the State. Being a Government University, RISU is the affiliating body for a large number of institutions operating in skill and vocational training. Twenty-two skill related institutions have been affiliated so far and more than 4000 students are pursuing skill based studies in these institutions. The affiliated institutions have commenced first session from July, 2018. The first Academic session of Rajasthan ILD Skills University (RISU) has commenced from July 2018 through 40 affiliated colleges/institutes offering over 150 Certificate/Diploma/Degree courses in more than 20 sectors of skill.
How is RISU making education accessible in remote areas of Rajasthan?
RISU would affiliate high-quality ITIs and Polytechnic colleges managed by Private sector/ State government and located in far rural areas of Rajasthan. How are collaborations helpful for RISU in implementing innovative ideas to deliver higher education at par with global standards? We would have the active collaboration with private/ government colleges to manage academic courses concurrently with skill development certificate and diploma courses as per UGC norms by ensuring pragmatic blending of academic learning along with the acquisition of employable skills simultaneously in a practical industry-driven hybrid-module.
What practices should be followed by the Indian institutes to nurture global citizens?
RISU is trying to collaborate with best skill development universities across the world like those in Singapore, Australia, Canada, Korea, Germany, English, and the US. Agencies of the Government of India like National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) are helping us in the efforts. How can the gap between industry relevant skill training and academia be bridged to nurture industry-ready professionals?
There is a huge gap between the students’ skillsets and industries’ requirement and we will make extra efforts to bridge the gap by forming academiaindustry matrix (AIM) as a dynamic-interactive permanent forum. It will ensure that the courses developed by RISU are as per the need of the industry and 60 percent of the syllabus should be focussed on the job and practical training.
Is Rajasthan ILD Skill University (RISU) joining hands with other global players to enhance Skill base/ technical knowledge of students? Please tell us about some recent endeavours in this regard.
Being a strong supporter of global academic collaboration, I always encourage the process of finalizing the modalities of collaboration with the best universities of Singapore, the US, and Australia. NSDC and the Ministry of Skill Development (MSDE) is actively helping and supporting us. In addition to the universities, we would join hands with global brands like Google, Microsoft, TCS, Infosys, HCL, and others to promote skill development courses which are in tune with latest technologies and best global practices.
Please give an overview of skill development centres.
RISU would be opening skill development centres (SDC) adopting the following options:
Institutional SDC, where centers would be located and developed ‘in-situ’ meaning on the campus of workshops/factories, etc. At Individual SDC, the master craftsman would be requested and motivated to adopt students in the old-age Indian tradition of “Guru Shishya Parampara”.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): The RPL tools and practices would be deployed to formally assess the master trainers and then co-opt them as members of ‘guest faculty’ of the Skills University and SDCs. RISU would also promote digital skill development centres/courses so that theory part of the syllabus could be taught online and practical/onthe- job training could be provided in the laboratories/ factories/workshops.
Established in 2006, located in Kota, Rajasthan Technical University (RTU) aims to empower State’s youth with quality technical education, says Prof N P Kaushik, Vice Chancellor, Rajasthan Technical University, in conversation with Ahmad Shariq Khan of Elets News Network (ENN).
Please give a brief description about Rajasthan’s Technical Education Space. What are the major challenges of it and what initiatives have been taken to overcome those?
Prof N P Kaushik, Vice Chancellor, Rajasthan Technical University
Rajasthan, the largest State in India (in terms of area), due to its geographical need and available natural resources, has a large scope of expansion of engineering education. At present, three-tier technical education system exists in Rajasthan.
Rajasthan has institutes like IIT Jodhpur, MNIT Jaipur, two state technical universities – RTU and BTU and their 112 affiliated engineering colleges. Apart from this, about 50 private universities in the state are also running engineering courses. Further, the BITS Pilani, Manipal University, JKLU, LMNIT are the examples of private deemed universities currently operational in the State.
The maximum intake capacity of Rajasthan Technical University in engineering courses was 63,000 in 2014-15. The maximum enrolled strength was 29,500 in 2013-14 which is 48.2 percent of actual intake capacity. In 2017-18, the intake capacity reduced and it was about 48,000. The current enrolled strength is 14,663 which is 30.29 percent of actual intake capacity.
The intake capacity (16.32 to 14.76 from 2015-16 to 2017-18) and enrolled strength (8.37 to 7.5 from 2015-16 to 2017-18) at the national level is also decreasing every year and at present, the enrolled strength in engineering courses is only about 50 percent. This shows an overall decreasing trend of intake and enrollment in engineering courses throughout the country. Also, due to the lack of good quality faculty and infrastructure facilities in institutes, lack of learning attitude in students are the constraints in producing good engineers.
The placement of engineering graduates is around 25-30 percent. The quality of placement is also a big question. Further, there is a huge gap between academia and indutry. This gap needs to be bridged by systematic planning to enhance the skills of students and industry institute interaction.
What are the important measures undertaken by RTU for enhancing skilling and employability of youth?
Curriculum revision and the subject content as per the need of industry is one of the key factors in improving technical education. The curriculum as per the model curriculum of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has been revised and implemented for all engineering courses from session 2018-19 in Rajasthan Technical University (RTU) affiliated colleges. The Induction programme for first year B. Tech students has been made compulsory along with industrial internship of 12 to 24 weeks during the course.
RTU organised its first Hackathon on 22-23 September in line with the AICTE. In the Hackathon, more than 100 teams participated. The students will be tasked to provide solutions to real-life problems from industries within 48 hours. Another such Hackathon is expected to be organised in November.
RTU is also organising the training and orientation programmes for GATE examination in many affiliated colleges. The objective is to motivate students to appear in this exam and also to clear it so that a quality certification is with them when they complete their B Tech programmmes. RTU is also conducting programmes to make its students industry-ready.
With regard to Technical Education, do you think there is a need for more collaborations? Is RTU also joining hands with other global players to enhance technical know-how of students?
Yes, there is a need to collaborate with premier learning institutes and make student or faculty exchange programme effective. It is also necessary to study the best practices of such institutes and implement the same for skill enhancement of students.
With a view to provide opportunities to students for skill enhancement and internship, RTU has made Memorandum of Understandings with CBRI Roorkee, BHU Varanasi, Employer Association of Rajasthan (EAR), CIDC, Engineering Council of India (ECI), Intershala, CADD Centre, CAD Desk and many such organisations. RTU is also exploring opportunities to make MOUs with some international organisations.
What are the steps taken by RTU to bridge the industry-academia gap in the field of technical education?
An engineering graduate must have qualities to make application of fundamentals of science and mathematics in solving engineering problems, ability to identify, formulate and solve problems, ability to interpret and analyse data, skills to use modern tools, softwares, and equipments. Also, they must understand the importance of engineering for society. They must have good leadership qualities, entrepreneurship qualities, self-discipline, integrity and flexibility in behaviour. An engineering graduate should also have good communication skills. Our graduates lack in these qualities. Industries look for graduates who have good technical competence, good core employability qualities and good communication skills. Therefore, there is a big gap between the needs of industries and the graduates. It is possible to bridge this gap by continuous industry-institute interaction, proactive role of industry to come forward and work for betterment of institutes.
To promote soft skill training in institutes, Rajasthan Technical University has introduced human values as compulsory subject, induction programme as mandatory, emphasis on entrepreneurship etc. RTU has also organised many programmes of Industry Institute Interaction in collaboration with EAR, Bhardwaj Foundation, BSDU Colleges, to generate awareness on mutual benefits. RTU has also set up two incubation, innovation and start-up centres at two places in Jaipur to develop an innovative approach among students.
Reach of education to the far-flung areas is still an issue, what plans do you have to tackle it?
The opening of new institutes is in the purview of State Government, university is not involved in this matter directly. However, recently the opening of engineering colleges in remote areas like Barmer, Baran, Karauli and Dholpur are the good initiatives of the Government to reach in far-flung areas. Still, some areas like Churu, Jhunjhnu, Jalore, and Sirohi districts should also be considered. Instead of conducting educational programmes in conventional branches of engineering, courses in the engineering branches as per local needs will be of more help to the students.
The existing divide between rural and urban areas is still a major issue. Please tell us about some of your measures taken to bridge this gap.
One of the important initiatives of AICTE is to introduce Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) courses through SWAYAM portal. RTU is also promoting this in affiliated institutes by organising workshops on MOOCs courses. We have also tried to make “SwayamPrabha” channels available in all institutes. With this, we believe, faculty will also be motivated to prepare digital courses and make available for students. Also, the engineering graduates earning 20 credits through MOOCs courses, in addition to minimum credit requirements for passing B Tech programme, will be awarded the B Tech Honours degree.
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is going to set up four teacher training academies in the country to train candidates with the latest changes in technical education, said AICTE Chairman Anil Dattatraya Sahasrabudhe on Sunday.
“The academies proposed to be set up at Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Baroda and Jaipur, will have eight semester-based modules,” said Sahasrabudhe.
The two acre academy in Jaipur is likely to start in one-and-a-half years, the other are also expected to start functioning within two years. Respective State Governments will provide land for the academies free of cost with minimum built-up infrastructure facility around the area.
“The academies will produce motivated teachers, who will be conversant with fast changing technology in the technical education sector and the teachers’ training course curriculum was being chalked out accordingly,” Sahasrabudhe said.
He also emphasised for institutions to update their accreditation status on websites adding, “Based on our yardsticks the institutes can be accorded Excellent rating for six year period, or Good rating for three year period. Those having applied for accreditation but missed out on the ratings of ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ will be granted ‘applied for’ accreditation status.”
“The accreditation will help institutions re-orient their curriculum in sync with the changing times, help in undertaking more innovative research projects and go for autonomy as the next step. Autonomy will contribute to the academic excellence of the said institution,” he added.
Referring to the ‘Margdarshan’ project by AICTE, Sahasrabudhe said that as part of this initiative, an institute of repute, government or government aided/self financed/AICTE approved will mentor 10 technical institutes for their technical upliftment.
