Better Infrastructure for Improved Education

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March 4, 2014

We are trying to improve our infrastructure to meet the education related needs of women students, differently-abled students and students from socially deprived backgrounds,” says S S Prasad. In conversation with Ankush Kumar of Elets News Network (ENN)

Please provide us with an overview of the work that your department is doing in the area of education?
The mandate of the state Government is to provide access to quality higher education to all eligible students. Haryana possesses a well developed higher education system which offers facility of education and training in almost all spheres of learning and knowledge. We have taken a number of steps to bring about an improvement in the scope and quality in higher education. Haryana has witnessed a phenomenal growth in higher education sector in the last nine years. Number of universities has increased from 7 in 2005 to 36 at present and the number of government colleges has increased from 60 in 2005 to 95 presently. The number of private colleges has gone up from 108 to 610. Nine years ago there were about two lakh students and today we have around 12 lakh students pursuing higher education through regular and distance modes. Similarly, budget provision for higher education has been increased from about 288 crores to about 1,098 crores. Due to the measures taken by the state government, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Haryana is about 24.1 percent as compared to the national GER of 19.40 percent. And the number of girl students attending colleges is about 54 percent in comparison to boys. There are no tuition fees for girl students. Scholarships are given quite generously to the under privileged and socio-economic backward students. Main challenges are to provide relevant education, make it more employability centric, to make the institutions financially stable and to introduce accountability among teachers and students with a greater degree of responsibility.

You just mentioned that the gross enrolment ratio in Haryana is about 24.1 percent as compared to the national GER of 19.40 percent. What is the reason behind this achievement?
Opening of government colleges, private colleges, state universities and private universities and systems for distance education along with equity measures, quality infrastructure etc., have resulted in the increase of GER. The higher education system in Haryana has registered a fairly decent growth during last decade. As on date, there are twelve state universities, one central university, seven deemed universities and fourteen state private universities in Haryana. There are 95 government degree and post-graduate colleges (including around 24 women’s colleges) 97 government-aided colleges, 40 self financing colleges and 456 self financing B.Ed colleges.

It has often been found that students coming out of universities are lacking in skills that are required by our industry. What initiatives you are taking to ensure that our education system makes our students job ready?
Our colleges and universities are imparting general education and the courses related to skill development are being run under the ambit of Technical Education Department. However, under the National Skills Development Corporation, Government of India, the department has initiated the process of skill development in retail sector in 32 Government Colleges of Excellence as a pilot project. Besides it, the state government has initiated the prospects of job opportunities for the students. As many as 21 job oriented courses like BCA, MCA, Bio-technology, Microbiology, Mass Communications etc., are presently being offered in 51 government colleges. The state government has initiated organising placement fairs for the students of government colleges at four divisional-level government colleges since 2011 after a training of 5-7 days for the students. Further, English language labs have been set up in most colleges to improve the language proficiency and soft skills of the students. Computer education has been made compulsory in all government colleges.

There is obviously the need of having more and more engineering and medical colleges, but creating such institutions is not an easy task. What can be done to ensure that the new institutions adhere to certain quality benchmarks?
Concurrent with the national focus towards expansion in higher education, it is also necessary to ensure that quality and excellence are sustained and upgraded in all the institutions of higher education to match up to international levels. In this context, the possibility of mandatory accreditation along with supplementary measures would generate pressure on the higher education system to evolve adequate norms and standards and approaches to assessment. Quality enhancing measures and support along with accreditation need to be intensified during the 12th FYP.

What is your view of the role that private sector can play in higher education? Do you think that PPP projects should be encouraged for driving better education outcomes?
The proposed government intervention would not be adequate to meet the growing demands of higher education. We may need to enlist the participation of private sector in a big way. Haryana Private Universities Act, 2006 has come into existence and private universities established under it are expected to take some of the pressure. In addition, private colleges are promoted by giving them partial aid by the state government. The state has a very conducive atmosphere for the private players.

What kind of initiatives can be taken by the state government to bring improvement to the quality of education being offered in our higher education institutions?
To bring in sustainable and continuous learning, semester system has been implemented, syllabi are updated regularly, computer education has been made compulsory, project based learning and assignment system has been introduced. To provide employment opportunity to all, placement fairs are organized regularly.

What kind of modern day technology you are using to ensure that the students in every part of the state are able to access quality education?
With the changing scenario in higher education worldwide where basic computer education has become a prerequisite for obtaining employment in most sectors, it has been felt that basic computer education programme needs to be initiated in all the government colleges, where all students can have the opportunities to learn the basics of IT education and be enabled with sufficient IT skills to obtain basic level employment in the booming IT sector on completion of their college education. The state government has started compulsory computer education for all non-IT students. Each government college has been equipped with computer labs, 25-50 computer systems, networking, internet facility, printers etc. so as to make the students computer savvy and competent for the job market.
Under the NMEICT project of Government of India, 10 broadband connections are being provided to all colleges of the state. Then EDUSAT project is running for imparting education through satellite. The project has been implemented in 63 government colleges and 39 private aided colleges in the State. Around 63 government colleges and 39 private aided colleges have been provided with satellite interactive terminals and receive-only terminals (Dual mode) and in three government colleges and 39 private aided colleges, only ROT have been installed.
The soft skill improvement programme was started in year 2005-06 in six government colleges and now has been extended to all government colleges where EDUSAT system is working. The scheme is meant for upgrading the knowledge of students and giving them an intensive training in communication skills and interpersonal skills particularly for BPO industry and ITES sector. It has become imperative that proper emphasis be laid on learning English Language and its usage.

Including Modern IT Curriculum in Odisha

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March 4, 2014

My fundamental principle is that one should ‘First Deserve then Desire’. Firstly, my government is building up a base of technically educated youth, proper infrastructure and then we will welcome everybody to invest so that by the time those investments come in we are prepared to receive them,” says Pratap Keshari Deb. In conversation with Kartik Sharma of Elets News Network (ENN).

Today Odisha is regarded as one of India’s fastest growing states. What is your vision for bringing development to Odisha?
Odisha is one of the fastest growing IT destinations in the country. We have divided the IT development in some stages. We are giving first and foremost importance to build a technical knowledge base at the grassroots level immediately after schools, ITI, Diploma engineering, engineering, as well as the management education. Secondly, we are introducing Information Technology (IT) in a major way into governance so that people get accustomed to it. Today almost all the departments are using IT in some or the other way. The whole process of this development started since 2006. We will be drawing curtains in 2014 and by 2015-16 we will take a giant leap in the course of IT development in the state.

Please tell us about the new ICT policy in the state. How will this policy help Government to develop a well planned, robust and futuristic IT architecture in the state?
We had an ICT policy since 2002-03. This policy has given us immense dividends in last 10 years. Through this policy we have created an economy of more than `2,200 crores. In hardware sector about `500 crores were generated in the last decade. Now with the new ICT policy which we have created in 2013, we aim to take a big leap in coming 10 years. The new ICT policy is basically meant for the development of upcoming entrepreneurs. This will help these entrepreneurs to setup IT & electronic hub in Odisha. It will have threefold benefit to the state. Firstly we will get revenue coming in the state. Secondly, there will also be creation of a lot of jobs. Thirdly, it will change the entire working system and the mindset and outlook of the state. This is our basic threefold strategy behind the new ICT policy.

What is the Government’s strategy for the development of IT investment in the state? Please tell us about some steps being taken for facilitating growth in new areas of IT/ITES.
For encouraging IT investment in the state we have tied up with STPI (Software Technology Parks of India). Initially we had one Infocity, which was the IT hub. Now we have expanded to two more such Infocity projects in the vicinity of Bhubaneswar town. These two are going to be the nodal hub. We have selected four regional centers. Shortly, we are inaugurating the STPI and Government of Odisha joint venture in Baleswar district. So now these substations like Baleswar will be joined with the main hub in Bhubaneswar. This is how the growth process will pick up the pace and lead us to take big leap in 2015 as all these things are targeted to be completed by 2014 and 2015 start.

A lot of new institutes are opening up in Odisha. How do you perceive these initiatives and what are measures the government is taking to usher in more universities in the state?
Initially we had Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) as one major institute. However, now we planning to diversify. From the government side we have taken initiatives to open educational institutes in all blocks, diploma education in every district. We are trying to cover the regional imbalance in the existence of engineering colleges as far as possible. We have increased seats in government institutes and are planning to increase more seats in engineering as well as in diploma and ITI level. This year we are slated to spend about `500 crores for this cause.

Please share your vision with us regarding the development of education in the coming years. Please share your thoughts on the future of ICT in education in the state of Odisha.
The idea of promoting more IT oriented education is also there on our cards. We are in talks with Microsoft and other key players to include modern IT curriculum in higher, technical and school education. If the whole system is integrated then definitely the end product will be excellent. However, this is still in the discussion stage. Nothing concrete has been moved as yet.

What are the steps being taken by the government for ensuring that there is adequate skill development of the youth of the state?
Initially, we started the process of skill development on our own in 2006, through the State Skill Development Mission. The basic idea then was to have a base of technically educated people in the state because for development you have to have a skilled worked force mainly in the form of technically educated youth base. So the mission was first aimed to create awareness about education, impart technical education and bring out people capable of self employment. From 2010 onwards Government of India also started such mission in form of National Skill Development Mission. After that budgetary provisions started coming from Government of India and Odisha both. From 2011, onwards we have gone on a mission mode and now we are tying up with various companies and service providers and diploma centers imparting training linked with placement opportunities. Around 35 thousand students have been placed directly by us. There are other placements done by private companies as well. By 2016- 17, this mission will have a major role to play in the state.

Odisha is rich in natural resources, it also has a large pool of trained youth. Do you think the state has the potential to develop into a larger business centre?
I see Odisha as a very bright destination for investment in future, because we have surplus power, water and land. The other states that have taken the initial leap in the IT sector. States like Haryana, Punjab, Bangalore, Chennai and others, are running short of power, water and land. So, I believe that the next hub is Odisha. My entire preparation is for that. My fundamental is to ‘First Deserve then Desire’. Firstly, my government is building up a base of technically educated youth, proper infrastructure and then we will welcome everybody to invest so that by the time those investments come in we are prepared to receive them. Once we strengthen our own base then we will invite more and more companies from private sector to join in the bandwagon of development of Odisha and that is how we will take the leap and there will be no looking back. Our primary responsibility is to have our own work force because there is no point in creating IT hubs and let people coming from outside taking the jobs and youth of Odisha sitting jobless. Now we have reached at the stage where for instance if 500 jobs are created in the state then at least 200 of them will be taken up by Odisha youth.

Education for All

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 4, 2014

“During the last five years we have been working relentlessly to ensure that there is proper enrolment of out of school children and reduction in dropout rate. To ensure availability of good education for all, as mandated by RTE Act, a proper infrastructure is a must,” says Geeta Bhukkal. In conversation with Ankush Kumar of Elets News Network (ENN).

How has your experience been as an Education Minister in Haryana?
Please shed light on the major initiatives that you have taken for improving the quality of education in the state. It is a really wonderful experience to be the Education Minister of Haryana. I am proud to be the Minister of department whose work can make so much positive difference in the life of common citizens. During the last few years, lot of expansion has taken place in the field of higher education in terms of quality and quantity. Till 2004-05 there were only three universities in the state, whereas at present there are 22 universities under the administrative ambit of Higher Education Department. The present government has started 35 new Government Colleges. The scope of the work that has been done also becomes apparent from the fact that Haryana Government has exponentially increased the budget allocation from `25,474.50 lakhs in 2004- 05 to `1,07,263.37 lakhs in the year 2013-14.

Tell us about the initiatives that you have taken for improving the state of minority education.
Many initiatives have been taken by the state government to ensure that our minorities have access to best possible education. We have started the system of post-matric scholarship and prematric scholarships. Programmes such as Jajba-e-Taleem and Dastak-e-Taleem have recently been started in the district, under which members of school management committees, NGOs and eminent citizens conducted door-to-door survey to ensure 100 percent enrolment of students in schools. In some minority districts we have opened model schools for giving more attention to the students from minority communities.

Three decades back even a 12th grade student used to get jobs very easily, but nowadays someone with college education finds it difficult to get employed. Do you think there is something wrong with our education system?
There is no doubt that there is a missmatch between the kind of education that is being provided and the exact needs of the country. For best results, the academic community should have a thorough understanding of the kind of skills that the industry needs. What is the demand of the industry? What is the demand from the MNC’s? In some parts of the country, there is high level of unemployment and at the same time the leading companies are facing shortage of well-trained manpower. We are now organising job-melas and placement cells in universities. We are also making efforts to ensure that the education that is being provided is in line with the needs of the industry.

Gurgaon is now regarded as a hub of some of the best schools and universities in the country. How do you view the educational infrastructure that has come up in the city?
In fact, I would like to begin by saying that Gurgaon is the safest city for children and women and that is one of the reasons why many people prefer to live and work in this city. The city is home to many world class IT companies. An excellent educational infrastructure has also come up in the city. This is a good opportunity for youth of Haryana who want to get quality education and find suitable jobs. In my opinion, the infrastructure for better education and employment opportunities must be expanded to other parts of the state and that is already happening.

Many educationists complain that value is missing from today’s education system. What is your opinion on that?
Skill, attitude, overall personality traits like confidence and courage, application of knowledge, and ethics are missing in the ongoing education efforts. Perhaps it is true that value education has been lost in the race of commercialization and competition. There is such a pressure on the teachers to impart certain skill-sets in their students that they might not be able to give enough time in imparting value based education. But it is also true that value education cannot be the sole responsibility of the educational institutions only. The entire society has to pitch in. Parents, NGOs, the media, and other social figures have to come forward and work together for developing a better future for our students.

Today there is a major shift happening in our education system for incorporating better IT systems for improving the quality of our education. In your opinion what are the major challenges in the path of having IT in education?
Based on the experience, a need for strong mechanism for monitoring and management needs to be set in place at all levels for ensuring optimal delivery of set targets. There is a need to develop and use appropriate e-content to enhance the comprehension level of children in the various subjects. There is also a need for pre-service as well as in service training to all the teachers in effective use of ICT in teaching and learning process. We also have to set-up smart schools at the district level to serve as demonstration models for neighbouring districts.

Large numbers of schools are yet to comply with various provisions of the RTE Act. What should be the best way forward for higher compliance?
In Haryana, there are 15,000 govern ment and more than 5000 private schools that have to comply RTE Act, 2009. The State Government and Department of School Education are working in true spirit to implement RTE Act, 2009. Haryana is the first state in the country to withdraw the school fee under RTE Act and reimburse the same. Haryana is one of the top states in the country to constitute School Management Committee, provide training to the members of School Management Committee, implement fund transfer system to strengthen the School Management Committees financially, provide free entitlements under RTE Act, enrolment drive and girls enrolment. We have reduced dropout rate with collective efforts. We also recruited the teachers to maintain teacher pupil ration. In my opinion, Haryana is among the top five states in implementing RTE Act 2009 in India. We are committed to comply with RTE Act in letter and spirit. We used to guide teachers, school management committees, private schools, villagers time to time. We are preparing a mechanism for the transparency of the compliance of RTE Act, 2009.

Today no one can deny the importance of English for getting better jobs. But at times the students from government run institutions are unable to develop proficiency in English speaking. What can be done about this?
English Labs have been set up in 31 government run colleges. These colleges are being developed as centres of excellence. The requirements of students in Haryana in regards to development of proper English speaking skills are quite unique, so we have to develop our own systems imparting this skill. We are hopeful that these English Labs will serve the propose of enabling our students to develop right kind of linguistic skills.

Digital learning will propel the industry forward

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March 4, 2014

Jasvinder Singh, CEO, Words Worth ELT, part of the ACTUniv Group talks about the growth of digital labs in enhancing English language education in India

What made you venture into digital labs in education sector over other sectors?
Digital labs just grew out of the need to meet the challenge of English language requirement in the country. We have been into IT education since 1989 and understand technology and teaching very well. Developing training programs, training content, courseware, trainer tools and reports and feedback are our forte. I was also involved as a key partner in developing one of the finest 3D animated educational content in the world.

What has been the rate of growth of the industry? How do you see the market progress in next five years?
The industry is growing by leaps and bounds every year. With technology advancing at a breakneck speed and gadgets becoming commonplace, digital gadgets delivering content on every topic are expected to replace printed books. The power of interactive gadgets is huge as they cater to more than just books. This awareness of digital learning aspects will propel the industry forward. With English being the number one skill for employment today and a mere 15 percent to 20 percent of the population possessing this skill set, language learning needs to be addressed. Digital labs have the potential to bridge this gap between the reality and the need in learning English.

What are the major challenges faced in this sector which is relatively new in India?
India has many languages and even more schools using them as their medium of instruction. To create digital content supporting all languages is a herculean task. Our biggest challenge is the penetration of technology in schools and homes. Computers are associated more with entertainment than education. Cost of Operating System and computer hardware is a challenge too. To overcome these, we have developed our language labs solutions to work on thick as well as thin clients and have developed content to work on open source OS such as Linux.
A negative attitude towards digital learning is a challenge, since traditional classrooms are still the preferred medium for education. This mind set needs supto change and the educators’ comfort with technology needs to be worked on.

How do you compare the IT initiatives by Indian educational institutes vis-à-vis other countries?
India’s use of IT infrastructure is growing and will be at par with the developed nations. Lack of good internet connectivity across the country is also being overcome. Most cities in India are adapting technology in educational institutions too. In due time, IT initiatives in educational institutes will be at par with most developed nations. Given the fact that Indians are quick adapters of technology, we should soon be leading in the use of technology in education.

Please describe your products offered in brief.
Words Worth Language Lab Senior comprises of three study levels to match the years of graduate study and is ideal for colleges and higher learning institutes; Words Worth Language Lab Junior is aimed at schools and comprises eight progressive study levels; Words Worth Language Lab – Enterprise Model takes advantage of the large PC penetration to split the learning into two parts – at school and at home; Words Worth Papyrus addresses the needs of resource or infrastructure-constrained schools by requiring just one computer and a projector for instruction; Words Worth Groots is a grammarbased product that can be mapped to CBSE, ICSE or state boards; Words Worth Virtual is a self learning tool for basic English; Haiku: Loveable Learning is an afterschool English learning program.

Starting Digital Revolution in the Classroom

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 4, 2014

The 2014-15 interim budget was a boon for people who had availed educational loans. Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram announced a moratorium period for all education loans taken till March 31, 2009, and outstanding as of March 31, 2013. He added that the government will take over the liability for outstanding interest as on December 31, 2013, but the borrower would have to pay interest for the period after April 1, 2014. This would benefit around 900,000 student-borrowers. He added that the interest subsidy scheme was introduced in 2009-10 for education loans disbursed after April 1, 2009, while students who had borrowed prior to that date deserve some relief.

The relief by educational loans waiver was offset by the board exams just round the corner and students preparing for the mock-tests after completing the course, clearing doubts and doing last-minute revision. As the exam draws near, a large number of students complain of stress-related headache, queasiness, vomiting and insomnia. To ease this exam phobia, schools have started innovative activities like online counseling, surprise home visits, yoga, easy techniques to memorize and last-minute sessions to clear doubts.

Today, digital resources are available to schools for supporting their teaching, learning and preparing students for exams. Technology can enhance learning using tools like electronic grade books, digital portfolios, learning games, and real-time feedback on teacher and student performance. Technology links teachers to their students and to professional content, resources, and systems to help them improve their teaching and personalize learning.

Online learning opportunities and the use of open educational resources and other technologies can increase educational productivity by accelerating the rate of learning by reducing costs of instructional materials and program delivery and better utilizing teacher’s time. A variety of ICT solutions are available today to make the teaching-learning process more fun and dynamic. One of the most popular tools is digital labs.

This issue of digitalLearning Magazine gives an in-depth coverage of digital labs which are revolutionising education. It focuses on the core issues facing industry players involved in the creation of these cutting edge labs. Many schools, higher education institutes and vocational teaching centres in the country are trail-blazing, forward thinking, and are leaders in using Science, Math, English, Robotics, Language, and Virtual labs methodologies for teaching our young students. Trends in education are researched in-depth. This edition reviews PGDM courses, with a feature on how placements are affecting MBA admissions and looks at the relevance of Sports Education in India.

It features an event report on ‘School Leadership Summit-2014’, which saw participation of more than 150 schools and more than 15 corporate participants. The summit featured a workshop on life skills, value education and school wellness as well.

Max Life Insurance espouses talent and creativity

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 3, 2014

Recognising the growing need of a child’s all round development in today’s competitive scenario, Max Life Insurance has announced the 4th edition of ‘i-genius Scholarships’to reward children who excel not just in academics but also in extracurricular activities. The Scholarships are worth close to Rs.50 Lakhs. The evaluation process of the programme has been conceptualised and designed in association with Derek O’Brien and Associates.

The 4th edition of ‘i-genius Scholarships’ is open to all the children studying in Class 3 to Class 8 of government-recognised schools including private, public or national open schools/home schools all over India and also a NRI, resident in India for the duration of the Programme. There are two categories for enrollment- i-genius Juniors (Classes 3 to 5) and i-genius Seniors (Classes 6 to 8). A total of 100 Scholarships and 900 merit certificates will be given away. The registrations for the scholarship programme that will run in three stages, will be open till April 30, 2014. Post the registration the participants will have to give an online examination. Selected participants will then be invited for a video conferencing test with the jury members, who will then select the final participants who will be invited to Delhi for the last round, where the winners will be announced.

Speaking on the occasion, Anisha Motwani, Director and Chief Marketing Officer, Max Life Insurance said, “Our education system still works traditionally where academic performance is the highlight. Contrary to such a view i-genius Scholarships recognises and rewards children with all round talent in the areas of sports, music, dance, writing, knowledge etc.”

Initiative to change the landscape of Physical Education in India

Interviews

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 3, 2014

Saumil Majmudar, Co-founder and CEO, EduSports has been extensively working on improving the Physical Education and Sports scenario in the present education system in the country. He believes that sports education is an integral part of every child’s holistic development and upbringing. He shares his vision for EduSports and Sports education in India

What is the genesis of EduSports and how has been the journey so far?
EduSports was founded in 2009. It all started from a very casual remark from my friend whose 6 year old son was not engaging enough in physical activity and was getting hooked on to TV and computer. He also observed that there were hardly any healthy social avenues for his son to mingle with children outside the school. Clearly, parents wanted children to play and stay fit but there were not enough opportunities for children to have a fun experience around sports. EduSports came with the initiative to impart physical education among children and make every child healthy and fit.
Schools have Physical Education and Sports as part of their prescribed curriculum by the Education Board but in most cases, they are not delivering on the promise of Physical Education (PE). The PE activities in most schools are not inclusive and age-appropriate. This makes the children lose interest. EduSports fills this gap by providing a structured Physical Education and Sports program that
• Fits into the school’s context with limited time and space for a large number of kids
• Become a part of the school time-table and covers all the children
• Helps develop healthy and fit children who grow up to be champions in life
• Ensures all the children have fun and enjoy the sports or PE experience
• Engages with all the stakeholders like children, parents, teachers, school leaders as part of the process
EduSports seeks to address the issues in the current physical education structure in India, which is a huge cause for the alarming fitness standards amongst children.

What are the opportunities of Physical Education in India?

There is an increasing focus on sports and fitness in India. Overall, Physical Education is not the same like the Physical Education class which India grew up on a decade ago. There is a realisation that Physical Education and Sports are not just “pass-time” activities and outside the core curriculum but a major part of it. We designed the program for the Indian context. A majority of schools across India have limited spaces for sports or physical activity and the teacher to student ratios is quite low. Speaking to school leaders and collecting their feedback on the program has been one of the greatest sources of inputs for improving the program. Today we can proudly say that it has managed to alter the thought process on the need for structured play from an early age. This has been done through numerous in-house studies and publications carried oyt by our team. These attempts were obviously aided by the works we have been doing on the ground with many schools to help reinforce the findings of the work done. Campaigns have included enlightening school leaders on the need for structured play, training and courses specially fabricated for existing PE teachers to improve their skills on ground, reporting, and soft skills. This has helped drastically change the landscape of physical education in the country.

Although we have played the role of strong advocators for physical education as part of the curriculum, we can see the increasing interest and realisation amongst schools for taking sports and fitness seriously. The opportunities are manifold which have actually inspired us to keep evolving and meeting the needs and requirements of our customers.

What are the different programs offered by EduSports and how do they help students?

Our focus is primarily N-12 schools and pre-schools. Some of our modules are built specifically for teachers and parents while others like infrastructure consulting are directed towards school leaders.

The EduSports SOARTM Program includes: Curriculum for grades N-10, age appropriate props and equipment, fitness diagnostics for all children, teachers and parents workshops. On-campus we have trained resource, Active Club after-school programs, and a comprehensive K-10 schools PE program performance management.
The end user who gets the benefit of the program is of course the child in an EduSports school. The school leaders and teachers also benefit due to the wellness program which we generally do over weekends. Parents would be the other beneficiaries of the program.

What are the new programmes being introduced in future?

The EduSports Physical Education program is the only source of revenue for the company. EduSports expects the market to at least double every year and about 1 million children to play with the EduSports program by 2015-2016. In addition to EduSports, the structured school sports and PE industry will see more players helping children discover the magic of sports and physical activity. Considering that there are potentially 75,000 plus early adopters, EduSports expects the robust growth to continue. Any policy changes like curriculum changes brought in by the CBSE and government’s interventions will only add to the growth.
Has the changes brought about by the CBSE in the curriculum helpful for sports education providers like you?

The CBSE through its CCE guidelines has included Physical Education as one of the parameters for assessment of a child. This has generally been helpful in driving the importance of PE in schools. Today, all CBSE schools need to publish their CCE compliant reports. EduSports has also ensured that its report cards are CCE compliant for the schools
This has helped sports education provides like EduSports, since the basic building blocks of the guidelines like use of props, low idle times, detailed assessments, metrics, rubrics etc. are similar to our program. We would in fact wish that CBSE and other education boards take into account the following:

• Good sports infrastructure in schools– with at least a good playing ground, preferably a grass field.
• Give equal importance to sports and academics– PE should be treated with equal importance as any other academic subject, and should not be looked at as an extra-curricular activity. The same philosophy needs to be embraced by parents as well, and equal importance to the subject and the teacher should be given in forums like PTA.
• Equip necessary support and tools to run a good program in schools- This can include adequate rewards and recognition for students, a curriculum like any other academic subject, planned assessments and updates to parents like any other academic subject and the necessary support from the school in events like sports days or school sports events to make them successful.

What are your core competencies?

A very strong culture of staying close to the ground level and seeing how things work at schools helped the EduSports team to identify some of the biggest unmet needs which were present but not voiced by the stakeholders. Our team decided to focus on the junior school level from nursery to grade 4. This was a segment that was typically neglected in most schools as the school’s PE focused on the middle school and high school from 5th and above and prepared them for inter-school tournaments.

With this, a call of positioning the company as a provider of holistic education via sports, covering all the children in an age-appropriate fashion against a company helping to groom champions in sports made EduSports think of themselves as an education company against a sports company. Leveraging the team’s experience and commitment to ensure that children have a great experience on the ground through the EduSports program, various tools like daily log sheets, weekly training and reflection meetings with teachers, program updates to the central teams via SMS, assessment reports etc. were designed and implemented. Schools loved this initiative and school leaders referred us to their peer groups. Today EduSports cover more than 2,00,000 children and works with more than 300 schools in 80 plus cities across India. We also have an international division with some schools in the Middle East and a few in Nepal.

QS World University Rankings released

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digitalLEARNING Network

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February 27, 2014

IIT Delhi and Mumbai have ranked highest from India in the global top 50 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject. IIT Delhi has ranked 42nd in electrical engineering and IIT Mumbai has ranked 49th in civil engineering and 50th in civil engineering. IIT Madras was 49th in civil engineering and Indian institute of science was 46th in materials science.

There are two Indian institutions which figure in five life sciences discipline. No Indian institutions figure in six of the eight social sciences disciplines. Five Indian institutions— IIT-D, IIT-Kharagpur, IIT-Kanpur, Indian Statistical Institute and IIT-B figure in the list for statistics. Jawaharlal Nehru University appeared in the rankings between 101-150.
Four courses of IIT-B made it to the rankings. The QS head of research Ben Sowter has said the IITs continue to perform well in their specialist areas. Inclusion of three of IITs in the global top 50 in the engineering disciplines shows that they are achieving genuine international recognition.

Final placement season at IIM-A

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digitalLEARNING Network

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February 27, 2014

The third round of final placement at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) was dominated by Embibe and KPMG. The two companies placed six job offers each. Amazon, EXL and Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) placed eight job offers each. The job offers included pre-placement offers also. The global consultancy firm Accenture Strategy placed most number of job offers,18, in the final placement process.
The other firms which came in with placement offers for the Post Graduate Programme (PGP) batch of 2012-14 in IIM-A in Cluster 1 included world renowned names such as AT Kearney, Bain & Co., Boston Consulting Group, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank and others.

AIU asks for private universities to be included under RUSA

By

digitalLEARNING Network

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February 27, 2014

The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) has demanded that the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) also consider private universities as eligible for funding. Presently only government run institutions are eligible for funding under the RUSA. Explaining the stand, AIU president said private players played a major role in the growth of eucation. He also said the government could not work in isolation.
The Union Government plans to spend Rs 99,000 crore in higher and professional education sector through the RUSA over the 12th and 13th Plan.

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