Will invest $75 million in computer science education, says Microsoft CEO

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September 17, 2015

To make computer science as the mainstream in school education throughout the globe, computer giant Microsoft will invest a whopping $75 million to nonprofits over a three-year period, informed CEO Satya Nadella.

The investment is part of the company’s YouthSpark initiative to promote computer science education it originally launched back in 2012, he said during Salesforce’s annual Dreamforce conference in San Francisco recently.

Microsoft will divvy out the money over a three-year period to select programs, including the company’s Technology Education and Literacy in Schools program, in which technology workers partner up with high schools to teach computer science to their students.

“Computational thinking will be in every aspect of our economy,” Nadella said.

The goal of the investment is to make computer science as important of a subject as math or physics in schools, which have long been core subjects.

No guarantor required for education loan

Higher Education

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digitalLEARNING Network

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September 17, 2015

For the students who are seeking for higher education loan now need not to bring a guarantor for taking loan upto Rs. 7.5 lakh. The Centre is geared up to roll out the much awaited scheme for students that will help them in fulfilling their dreams.

The rate of interest against the amount of loan taken would not be more than 2 per cent of the base rate. The students will be given a window of 20 years for repayment of the loan. They can start the repayment one year from the date of completion of their programme or getting a job.

Till date students are required to start the repayment of the loan six months from the date of getting the job or one year after the completion of the programme, whichever is earlier, with rate of interest varying from bank to bank.

Smriti Irani to meet NE Education Minister

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digitalLEARNING Network

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September 17, 2015

Union Human Resource Minister Smriti Irani will meet with the education ministers and officials of the northeastern states in Agartala to discuss on the formulation of New education policy. State education minister Tapan Chakraborty said that the meeting will on the lines of implementation of the new education policy from next academic year.

For the first time, the Centre has embarked on a time-bound grassroots consultative process that will enable the Union HRD ministry to reach out to individuals across the country through over 2.75 lakh direct consultations.

He informed that the state government has made the proposal to allow primary students to leave their books in school to reduce their burden. They also appreciated the move to re-introduced detention. The meeting will have the state representatives who will discuss about the improvement in the education system keeping in mind their socio-economic condition.

Fate of Shiksha mitras hangs by a thread

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digitalLEARNING Network

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September 17, 2015

The recently announced verdict of Allahabad High Court quashing the amendments brought in by the state education department’s rules through which the shiksha mitras (contractual teachers) being regularised. The three-judge bench passed the order that nearly 1.75 lakh contractual teachers will not be regularised if they do not comply with the education rules. Their appointment as Assistant Teacher in UP government schools has been canceled.

On hearing this, an appeal was filed against the NCTC decision of making Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) mandatory for appointment as assistant teachers in UP government schools. The future of these shikshamitras is on stake after the Allahabad high court verdict. The teachers working as shikshamitras in UP schools for years has planned to move to supreme court.

On hearing the order, a shikshmitra in Kannauj committed suicide. Family members claimed that he was upset on the decision by the Allahabad high court which has led him to take this step. He was identified as Babu Singh of Usri village in Thatia police circle. No suicide note was recovered from him. He was serving as a shiksha mitra at a primary school in Usri and was hopeful of becoming the assistant teacher.

Following the suite, eight more teachers committed suicide. On hearing the decision, the shiksha mitras sought the President and Prime Minister’s permission for euthanasia. They gave a memorandum to the President Pranab Mukherjee and District Megistrate seeking permission for euthanasia stating that the high court order has put their careers at stake.

On Friday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was addressing the agitation of shiksha mitras at Varanasi urged them not to take any extreme steps. Adding to it UP Chief Minister, Akhilesh Yadav too urged the teachers to not take any extreme step and assured them that his government would find a way to resolve the crisis after the Allahabad high court decision that was made on September 12, 2015.

UP Shiksha Mitra Welfare Association President Jitendra Shahi informed, “We have submitted the memorandum to the PMO in Varnasi seeking a meeting and we are awaiting for the same. We have asked all 1.72 lakh shiksha mitras to be present in Varanasi on September 18, 2015 to show our strength while maintaining decorum of teachers and will not indulge in any aggressive protest.”

Microsoft to digitise Maharashtra village, impart skills to youth

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digitalLEARNING Network

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September 17, 2015

The wave of digitisation has reached the rural belt of India as well. Software giant Microsoft has chosen a tribal hamlet Harisal in Maharashtra to be developed as the first ideal digital village in the country. The village is all set to become the first digital village in India in the next 100 days, an official informed.

Microsoft India head, Prashant Shukla said: “Harisal will be the first ideal digital village in India.” He said the project will prove how technology could change lives.

Shukla, accompanied by district collector Kiran Gitte, account technology strategist Balchandran Nair, CMO IT chief Kaustubh Dhawase, CEO Landge and heads of various departments had visited the village recently and inspected the gram panchayat, the Bank of Maharashtra branch, the junior college, the fair price shop and interacted with the village head and deputy village head, and villagers.

Microsoft will offer skill development training to village youth, said district collector Kiran Gitte. “Agro-based processing units and self-help groups will be established while soil testing, dairy development, vegetable production will be undertaken.”

Display boards concerning sale of forest produce, weather information, cropping pattern and crop management will also be put up, informed Gitte.

Online registration of all children at the anganwadi will be done while record of their weight and improvement will be maintained. All bank customers will be provided with ATM-cum-debit cards and mobile banking services will be increased, he said.

“Microsoft will take care of computer literacy of anganwadi sevikas and teachers. Online gramsabha and teleconferencing will be the next stage. School students will be imparted education in hardware, software and mobile technology,” Gitte added.

The initiative is a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Digital India’ concept under which smart cities and smart villages will be developed. With Microsoft providing all technological assistance in developing the tribal hamlet, a 14-member committee with BDO as nodal officer has been set up.

Innovative learning through mobile library

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digitalLEARNING Network

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September 16, 2015

The world of digitisation has taken new leaps and this is showcased through a new innovative technique being adopted in accessing research material through the concept of a mobile library in private schools.

Rockstand, a mobile learning market place has tied up with Kalinga institute of Industrial Technology and Kalinga institute of Social Sciences to provide students access to eBooks, eMagazines and eNewspapers through a mobile library. The marketplace will also be providing 5 tablets in the campus for students to read and learn in a digital learning setup, a senior official informed.

Praveen Rajpal, founder and CEO, Rockstand Digital said: “The focus of this partnership was to building access to not only learning materials but also KIIT University’s internal publications, through the app on mobiles and tablets.”

Achutya Samanta, founder, Kalinga Institute of Information Technology and Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences said the digital access to learning materials will also help digitise their content and distribute it. “We will be able to share publications, internal reports, journal, case studies, university brochure, magazine, study material and all other Institutions publications with our students instantly on mobile via Google Cloud Messaging (GCM). KIIT Review- our bi-monthly journal, bi-monthly journal, would also be distributed.”

This service will provide access with both paid and free content to students at the university.

According to industry estimates, the current market size of digitised school products in private schools is around US$500 million.

MHRD develops framework to rank higher education institutes

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digitalLEARNING Network

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September 16, 2015

To give the university students a one of its kind feel of global ranking, Union Human Resource Development Ministry will launch a framework to rank the higher education institutions in India soon. The ‘India-Centric Ranking Framework’ will be country specific such as the emphasis on inclusive education through reservation- to come up with the ranking of the state-run and private institutes.

The ranking will cover all institutes offering courses on engineering, law, management and humanities. The ministry will publish the first ranking list by January-February 2016. The ministry is making all efforts to develop an Indian academic ranking. The University grants commission started a discussion with the National Assessment and Accreditation Council in 2009, but the process was given a push since Smriti Irani came to HRD Ministry.

A committee comprising National Board of Accreditation Chairman (NBA) Surendra Prasad, IIT-Kharagpur Director PP Chakraborty, IIT-Madras Director Bhaskar Ramamurthi, besides the higher education secretary and HRD ministry officials is formed to make the ranking framework. The ranking framework will be based on objective and authentic parameters. Other parameters include teaching-learning, research, collaborative practice and professional performance, graduate outcomes, placements, outreach and inclusive action, and peer group perception. Each of these is then subdivided into 20 sub-criteria to assess an institute.

IISc, IIT listed in World University Rankings

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digitalLEARNING Network

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September 16, 2015

Congratulating Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi for figuring in the top 200 in the QS World University Rankings of 2015-16, President Pranab Mukherjee said, “I am delighted that IISc, Bangalore and IIT, Delhi has been ranked No. 147 and 179 respectively in the QS World University Rankings of 2015-16. Please accept my heartiest congratulations on this remarkable achievement. India has outstanding and inherent talent and its institutions have the potential to be the best, provided they can apply themselves to the task of improving quality. A high rank not only boosts the morale of the academic community but also opens greater avenues of growth and placement for students. It provides a benchmark for continuous quality enhancement.”

In individual messages sent to Prof. Anurag Kumar, Director, IISc, Bangalore and Prof. Kshitij Gupta, Officiating Director, IIT, Delhi, the President has said “I am confident that you along with the faculty members and staff of your Institution will continue to strive for developing our academic institutions into global leaders.”

Use technology for benefit of mankind: President

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digitalLEARNING Network

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September 16, 2015

Addressing the 13^th Convocation of Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology- Nagpur, President of India, Pranab Mukherjee said, “NITs, as institutes of national importance, have to take the lead in creating capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship in the country. They must align their activities with national development goals. He called upon VNIT-Nagpur to do its utmost in this direction.”

The President said technologists are problem solvers who search for quicker, better and less expensive ways of meeting tough challenges. They play a pivotal role in understanding and furthering the relationship between science, technology and society for a better tomorrow. He called upon students to take a pledge to make full use of technology for the benefit of mankind and to see that the use of technology spreads happiness, prosperity and general well-being amongst the people of our country.

The President said the government has initiated the “Start-up India, Stand up India” campaign. The success of this initiative will depend on how innovatively we can use technology as well as human resources available in our country. He called upon students of VNIT-Nagpur to become entrepreneurs, who create job opportunities for people rather than merely seek job opportunities. Creating enterprises which will create wealth for the nation, society and people will be their biggest contribution to the inclusive and sustainable development of the country.

The President also paid tribute to M. Visvesvaraya on the occasion and said he is happy that the Convocation of VNIT is usually organised on his birth anniversary, which is marked as Engineers Day in India.

Vega schools to shell out Rs 200 crore for local expansion

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digitalLEARNING Network

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September 16, 2015

To expand its footprint in the nation while introducing a customised approach to the education sector in the country, Gurgaon-based Vega Schools is looking at investing about Rs 200 crore over the next five years, a senior official informed.

The school chain was started this year by Steven Edwards, former advisor to the White House, World Bank and United Nations on education and Sandeep Hooda, a first generation entrepreneur. The two founders are infusing the initial Rs 200 crore and claim to have admitted over 100 students. The institution is also looking at raising additional Rs 100 crore in the next year for expansion.

“Vega is all about 21st century schools based on the progressive approach focused on personalised learning experiences,” says Hooda.

The first school is based on the building blocks model, a relatively new concept in India. The approach involves learning through practical experience, customised for individual students.

“Neuroscience says all of us are completely different. Then how can we have one learning experience for a class of 40 or 50,” Hooda said.

Vega Schools is part of the Global Schools Alliance, a trust, a not-forprofit organisation. It has eight schools as members with Vega being the Indian chapter.

“The heads of these schools will meet at least once a year and a transfer of best practices, faculty and students takes place among these schools,” said Hooda.

Based on customised learning, Vega has worked out not only on its exteriors but also its interiors to reflect agility. It has no classrooms or fixed furniture. “The no classrooms concept is scientific. All the furniture can be taken apart and put back in a different way,” said Edwards.

“Indian schools are very controlled. Also it is not that all schools in the US are following progressive learning. But more schools in the US are adopting the progressive approach,” he added.

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