www.curriculum-magazine.com RNI No. UTTENG/2010/37634 Vol 10 No 10 THE INDIA EDUCATION LANDSCAPE UPDATE magazine August 16 2020 IN BRIEF National Education Policy 2020 Approved by Government CBSE to conduct optional, After a policy preparation period of over five years, the union cabinet on July 29 approved the Class 10 and 12 new education policy for the country. Coming after 34 years of the previous policy in 1986, the compartment exams in National Education Policy 2020 is expected to guide the education process, system and rules in Sep coming two decades as it comes up for a review in 2040 after 'complete' implementation. CBSE will conduct the After being approved by the union will be of either 3 or 4-year Dr. K. Kasturirangan, compartment, optional exam in cabinet on July 2020, a new the duration, with multiple exit a former chairman September for those who could National Education Policy 2020 options within this period—a a of ISRO as Head of not clear their class 10 or 12 replaces the 34- year old National certificate after completing 1 year the drafting committee, board exams in their first try, Policy on Education (NPE), 1986. in a discipline or field including will be and students who could not According to a statement released vocational and professional areas, remembered more as appear in the paper cancelled by the government on the same or a diploma after 2 years of study, an architect of NEP 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic, day, the new policy is built on the or a Bachelor 's degree after a 3- and had applied for foundational pillars of Access, year programme. The 4-year PM Modi: “This was a long due and much awaited reform Improvement of Performance. Equity, Quality, Affordability and multidisciplinary Bachelor's in the education sector, which will transform millions of The board will announce the Accountability and is aligned to programme, however, shall be the lives in the times to come!” date sheet soon. the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable preferred option since it allows The application process for the Development and aims to the opportunity to experience the The journey: Consultations compartment exam has started transform India into a vibrant full range of holistic and and the candidates can apply knowledge society and global multidisciplinary education in Online : www.MyGov.in (26.01.2015 – 31.10.2015) till August 20 with a fee of Rs knowledge superpower by addition to a focus on the chosen Nearly 2.5 lakhs Gram Panchayats, 6600 Blocks, 6000 ULBs, 676 300 per subject. The online making both school and college major and minors as per the Districts (May- Oct. 2015) window to apply for the education more holistic, flexible, choices of the student. Draft NEP, 2019 Summary in 22 languages/Audio Book compartment exam is open at multidisciplinary, suited to 21st Undertaking a Ph.D. shall require Education Dialogue with MPs cbse.nic.in. century needs and aimed at either a Master's degree or a 4- Special Meeting of CABE (21.09.2019) bringing out the unique capabili- year Bachelor's degree with Parliamentary Standing Committee on HRD on 07.11.2019 Jamia Millia Islamia Top ties of each student. Research. The M.Phil. ranks in Central In a tweet PM Narendra Modi programme shall be discontinued. Drafts Varsities said, “I wholeheartedly welcome The Higher Education the approval of the National Commission of India (HECI) T.S.R. Subramaniam Committee Report (27 May, 2016) Jamia Millia Islamia Education Policy 2020! This was proposed under NEP 2020 will be Dr. K. Kasturirangan Committee Report (31 May, 2019) University, New Delhi has a long due and much awaited the new UGC from a layman point ranked first in the list of reform in the education sector, of view all existing regulatory making, regulation, operations and the larger objectives of NEP 2020. He central universities released by which will transform millions of bodies (UGC, AICTE) will be academic matters. States/UTs will said the Policy was formulated the Ministry of Education. lives in the times to come!” repealed. It will have four set up independent State School keeping in mind two biggest ques- Jamia beat JNU and Aligarh The approved policy which comes verticals– the National Higher StandardsAuthority (SSSA). tions: Whether our education system Muslim University to top the after five years of consultation Education Regulatory Council Setting up of Gender Inclusion motivates our youth for Creative, list of 40 central varsities. and preparation is majorly the (NHERC) as the regulator for Fund and also Special Education Curiosity and Commitment Driven The rank was awarded to the same as the last draft NEP in higher education excluding Zones for disadvantaged regions Life? And whether our education university based on certain circulation a few months ago and medical and legal education; the and groups are other important system empowers our youth, helps in parameters like the range of includes early childhood care & National Accreditation Council proposals in the NEP 2020. It also building an Empowered Society in the diversity among students and education (ECCE) as a prominent (NAC) as the accreditor; the says that every state/district will be country? On this he expressed the number of students forwarding looking feature. Higher Education Grants Council encouraged to establish “Bal satisfaction that National Education admitted annually in different However, what is also significant (HEGC) for funding and Bhavans” as a special daytime Policy takes care of these pertinent programmes. The parameters is the expansion of universaliza- financing; and the General boarding school, to participate in issues. also included aspects like tion of education from pre-school Education Council (GEC), the art-related, career-related, and faculty-quality and student- to senior secondary level, ie entire academic apex body for HEIs. play-related activities. Contd P4 teacher ratio. school years, though it is not clear For school education, NEP 2020 For teachers, NEP says about a Last year, in the month of at this juncture if the Right to envisages a shift from summative common National Professional SPOTLIGHT: December, Jamia Millia Education will be extended both assessment to regular and Standards for Teachers (NPST) Islamia had been at the ways for this purpose. formative assessment, which is will be developed by the National Overcoming the receiving end of mud-slinging Vocational education, use of more competency-based, Council for Teacher Education by by leading TV news channels technology and awareness about promotes learning and develop- 2022, in consultation with NCERT, challenges of Online for its participation in the anti- ancient knowledge systems are ment, and tests higher-order SCERTs, teachers and expert CAA agitation. also areas of emphasis in addition skills, such as analysis, critical organizations from across levels Teaching and its to restructuring of school and thinking, and conceptual clarity. and regions. Delhi education board higher education. As per the new policy, a new and The announcement and revealing enriching coming up in 2021 NEP 2020 calls for setting up of a comprehensive National of the NEP evoked mixed reaction National Mission on Curricular Framework for School from outright excitement to experience... Delhi's own school education Foundational Literacy and Education, NCFSE 2020-21, will pessimistic criticism. The Prime board is expected to be Numeracy in a bid to improve be developed by the NCERT. Minister speaking at a follow up Page 11 operational by next year, foundational learning, an area of Further, all students will take event organized by UGC spelt out however, unlike other states it concern for the past couple of school examinations in Grades 3, will not be imposed on decades. The new policy 5, and 8 which will be conducted government schools. Till now recognizes the strong link by the appropriate authority. Delhi hasn't a school education between a good school education Board exams for Grades 10 and 12 board of its own and all and its corresponding effects on will be continued, but redesigned government schools were quality of higher education and with holistic development as the affiliated to CBSE potential of students. The old aim. A new National Assessment “We have recently set up two structure of 10+2 as reported Centre, PARAKH (Performance committees for working on the earlier is made into 5+3+3+4 and Assessment, Review, and proposed board as well as vocation education exposure with Analysis of Knowledge for curriculum reforms. An ideal internships starts at class VI. Holistic Development), will be situation would be that we set up as a standard-setting body. make it operational by next Similarly, under the NEP 2020 NEP 2020 envisages clear, year. Initially, around 40 scheme, the undergraduate degree separate systems for policy schools will be affiliated to the board, which could be either
2 Curriculum August 16, 2020 News Updates Mahindra University in Hyderabad, will Chancellor Professor Bhabes Bhattacharya, and its students and staff Gujarat HC quashes greeted the winning teams and their mentors Surendra Kumar Nanda and circular barring school commence academics in 2021 Tushar Kanti Dash. The final round of the hackathon saw the participa- fee collection amid tion of 1,081 teams. COVID-19 Joining the club of business conglomerates that have set up a univer- sity of their own, Mahindra Group on July 24 announced opening of Punjab initiates Punjab Achievement The Gujarat High Court set aside its own university, Mahindra University (MU) and is part of the a State Government Resolution Mahindra Educational Institutions (MEI), a not-for-profit subsidiary Survey on lines of NAS barring the collection of tuition of Tech Mahindra. fees from school students while The university is being set up in Hyderabad in the same campus where Punjab Achievement Survey (PAS), a first-of-its kind initiative by any schools remain physically shut the Ecole Centrale School of Engineering was set up in 2014. The 130- state, has been announced by Punjab government. The PAS would be amid the COVID-19 pandemic acre, multi-disciplinary campus will offer undergraduate, post conducted in all the government schools of the state and the students from (Nareshbhai Kanubhai Shah v. graduate and PhD courses and will include the Ecole Centrale School primary to Class XII would also participate in it. “It will be based on the State of Gujarat). of Engineering. parameters of the National Achievement Survey and the learning However, the Court has added According to a statement from MEI, Mahindra University has been outcome of the students would be assessed on the basis of Multiple that the State Government should envisioned to drive a meaningful shift in the way that higher education Choice Questions (MCQs) as per the prescribed syllabus of selective meet with representatives of is imparted in the country. “MU will drive interdisciplinary academic subjects, including English, Science, Math and social studies of different unaided private schools to chalk excellence, integrating the study of science and technology with the classes,” said Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla, adding that with out a solution that is amenable to Humanities, Ethics & Philosophy, and Design. It will operate as an this, they also aimed at achieving the first rank in the National both the interests of the school autonomous University, with its contemporary, new-age curricula Achievement Survey. management as well as the being curated to fully leverage emerging technologies like Data He said to prepare the students as well as the teachers for the survey, a parents and students. Science, Blockchain and Data Analytics. MU will uniquely enable the comprehensive programme of organising quiz in August and mock tests The Court was hearing a plea holistic development of its students, combining the Emotional from September has been planned. “A training programme of the district moved by various petitioners Intelligence (Right Brain) and Artificial Intelligence (Left Brain) mentors, block mentors, Parho Punjab District Coordinators (PPDCs), including the association of paradigms,” it said. Block Master Trainers (BMTs) and Cluster Master Trainers (CMTs) has unaided schools imparting pre- Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group and Chancellor, already been started. The question bank to develop comprehensibility of primary, primary, secondary and Mahindra University, said, “High quality education has the basic concepts of different subjects among the students is being higher secondary education in transformative powers for individuals and nations, alike. Mahindra prepared,” he added. Gujarat. University will strive to deliver a more balanced education, combining Besides, with a view to conduct the PAS meticulously, the department the latest technology with Liberal Arts, to create next generation has also started organising webinars to sensitise the DEO, Deputy Maharashtra Government leaders that have a holistic world view.” District Education Officers, Block Primary Education Officers, Parho Launches 4 YouTube Channels As a part of the immediate roadmap, the University will launch the Punjab Parhao Punjab Coordinators, Zila Sikhiya Sudhar Teams and For School Students School of Management (2021-22), School of Law (2021-22), Indira Social Media Coordinators about the parametres, tools, procedures for The channels will teach in Mahindra School of Education (2021-22), School of Media & Liberal the survey, so that all of them could play their role. Marathi and Urdu and will later Arts (2022-23) and School of Design (2023-24). Education Secretary Krishan Kumar said, “The officials and the teachers expand to teach in Hindi an Prof Yajulu Medury, Vice-Chancellor, Mahindra University, said, of the Education Department have braved the unprecedented pandemic English as well, the School “Mahindra University aims to revolutionise the educating environ- and have done exceptionally well to provide quality education through Education Minister Varsha ment for the future workforce of our country through necessary digital mode to make 'Ghar Baithe Sikhiya' programme successful. Now, Gaikwad said. industry-academia collaborations to prepare the students for present I am sure that they would successfully execute the PAS.” The Maharashtra State Council challenges and future industry needs. The university will bring for Educational Research has together expertise of international faculty and will provide access to Special Olympics Bharat receives grant from launched four YouTube channels innovation and research hubs with top academic partners. We plan to targeting Marathi and Urdu be a holistic learning platform for the students, providing access to Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi medium students upto Class 10, studies related to Engineering, Law, Management, Education, Media School Education Minister & LiberalArts, Design and others.” Delhi-based Special Olympics Bharat (SOB), a National Sports Varsha Gaikwad informed. The An estimated 4,000 Students and over 300+ Faculty members will be Federation accredited by Special Olympics Inc. to conduct sports and channels will teach in Marathi in place across the various Schools at Mahindra University over the development programs all over India, has received a grant from His and Urdu and will later expand to next five years. Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu teach in Hindi an English as well, CP Gurnani, MD & CEO, Tech Mahindra and Board of Management, Dhabi under Unified Champion Schools (UCS) initiative. the Education Minister said. Mahindra University, said, “The Mahindra University is a testimony On the International Youth Day 2020 SOB announced a new impetus for “A total of 12 channels have been of our commitment towards bridging the skill gap and creating global inclusion of young people with and without intellectual disabilities in launched on Geo TV for Class 3 leaders that are willing to change, adapt and transform according to education, after receiving a grant from Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. to Class 12. Maharashtra is the dynamic market needs and business environment. The university will Special Olympics Bharat will lead the growth of UCS in India, empower- only state which has started also provide access to multi-disciplinary learning focused on ing young leaders to create lasting social change through inclusion in educational channels in 4 leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence and Emotional education for people with and without intellectual disabilities. mediums,“ the minister added. Intelligence. This will help the students to develop new-age competen- The announcement of the grant was made at a virtual event, graced by cies and inculcate entrepreneurial thinking to enable them solve Ambassador of the UAE to India Dr. Ahmed Abdul Rahman Albanna. Manovikas Charitable complex challenges faced by the society.” Other attendees included President and Managing Director of Special Society's Manbhavan MU already has a Supercomputer Lab with an advanced NVidia GPU- Olympics Asia Pacific Region Dipak Natali, Founder and CEO of virtual programme aims based supercomputer, the DGX-1. It also has a Centre for Artificial Special Olympics Bharat Air Marshal Keelor, Chairman of Special to ease isolation of PwDs Intelligence (CAI), a Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) Olympics Bharat Mr. Satish Pillai, Chairperson of Special Olympics and a Centre for Sustainable Infrastructure and Systems (CSIS). Pakistan Ms. Raunak Lakhani, Dean of Physical Education Department In the wake of the ongoing Additional CoEs being considered include, the Centre for of Amity University Dr Kalpana Sharma and General Secretary of pandemic of Covid-19, Computational and Experimental Mechanics (CCEM), the Centre for Special Olympics Bharat DrAmitav Mishra. Manovikas Family has created Research in Optics and Photonics (CROP) and a Centre for Executive The 4-year project will play a critical role in creating 120 Unified the Manbhavan virtual Education (CEE). Champion Schools across 12 states. programme to engage and Building on over a decade of success of Unified Champion Schools connect with their students and CV Raman Global University students win (UCS) in the United States and growing impact in more than fifty other other individuals with disabilities countries around the world, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin ZayedAl during this isolation time. It is a Smart India Hackathon's software edition Nahyan has committed $25 million on behalf of the people of the UAE in platform through which the team order to expand this initiative to six countries – Argentina, Egypt, India, provides support to individuals In the recently concluded Smart India Hackathon 2020, Software Pakistan, Romania, and Rwanda. and families struggling with Edition, two groups of students from CV Raman Global University in In addition to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's isolation, emotional, and other Odisha emerged as nationwide winners by solving two live problems gift, the UAE has committed to bringing UCS programming to all of it's family-related crises. of the governments of Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The two public schools in the coming years, making the UAE the world's only Manbhavan is an opportunity to groups were awarded Rs 1 lakh each. country to make such a commitment at the national level. The accelerated meet with a famous personality The team from the university's Department of Computer Science and growth of this grassroots initiative within the UAE and around the world and create a friend circle, Engineering — that called itself Nexas — developed an app with a will further establish the legacy of the Special Olympics World Games learning, performing, live virtual high degree of security for filing FIRs online. The app also facilitates Abu Dhabi 2019, the first Special Olympics World Games hosted in the dance, music, painting, art and hassle-free linking of FIRs with the Aadhaar card of a complainant or Middle East and North Africa region, and have a lasting, positive impact craft, concerts, drum play, virtual victim. on UAE society. cooking classes, virtual yoga, and The team was led by Sourav Mishra, and its other members were “The Special Olympics movement is being led by young leaders with and many more online activities. This Satyabrata Pal, Shrisha Agarwala, Abhilasha Panda, Abhishek Das without intellectual disabilities who are emerging as the world's greatest virtual event is free and only for and Binit Kumar. teachers of empathy, dignity, courage, and inclusion,”said Dr. Timothy people with disabilities. The second team, Braniacs_1.0, consisted of students from the Shriver, Chairman of Special Olympics International. departments of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, and Young People with intellectual disabilities are among those most Electrical Engineering. They developed an app-based career counsel- underserved by education systems globally. Of the 65 million primary ing software to assist school students, graduates and dropouts with school-age children who are out of school around the world, nearly half career guidance, personality test, and language translation. have disabilities. Even of those students that do achieve access, some The team was led by Shikha Kumari Pathak, and its other members estimate that less than 5% of children with disabilities complete school. were Taniya Ghosh, Gayatri Jena, Akash Mishra, Pratyush Pani, and Shantanu Bhriguvanshi. The university's Founder President Sanjib Kumar Rout, Acting Vice-
Curriculum August 16, 2020 3 News Updates UN launches “Save our Future” campaign along with UGC Guidelines for Policy brief on education and COVID-19 Apprenticeship/Internship embedded A policy brief, education and — people in emergencies and untold human potential, under- COVID-19, together with a new crises, minority groups of all mine decades of progress, and Degree Programme campaign with education kinds, displaced people and those exacerbate entrenched inequali- partners and United Nations with disabilities. They should be ties. The knock-on effects on child UGC has framed Guidelines for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to agencies called “Save our sensitive to the specific challenges nutrition, child marriage and offer Apprenticeship/Internship embedded Degree Programme and will Future” was launched by the faced by girls, boys, women and gender equality, among others, are provide an option for HEIs to embed Apprenticeship/Internship in any UG UN Secretary-General António men, and should urgently seek to deeply concerning. The decisions degree programmes specified by UGC. The much desired Guidelines were Guterres' on August 4 . This bridge the digital divide. that Governments and partners released by union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal on the sidelines policy brief calls for action in Fourth, the future of education is take now will have lasting impact of “Transformational Reforms in Higher Education under four key areas: here. We have a generational on hundreds of millions of young #NationalEducationPolicy“ conclave on August 7 at which PM delivered First, reopening schools. Once opportunity to reimagine people, and on the development his keynote on NEP 2020. local transmission of COVID-19 education. We can take a leap prospects of countries for decades “Credits for apprenticeship/internship programme shall be included in the is under control, getting students towards forward-looking systems to come… UN Secretary-General total credits of the entire programme. At least 20% of the total Credits for back into schools and learning that deliver quality education for António Guterres' the degree programme should be assigned to apprenticeship/internship, institutions as safely as possible all as a springboard for the It may be mentioned that he “the guidelines say. Students graduating from the must be a top priority. “We have Sustainable Development Goals. COVID-19 pandemic has led to apprenticeship/internship embedded degree programme will be eligible to issued guidance to help “To achieve this, we need the largest disruption of education take admission in the Master's programme in the specific subject in which Governments in this complex investment in digital literacy and ever. In mid-July, schools were they have earned their undergraduate degree (i.e. bachelor degree) as well endeavour. It will be essential to infrastructure, an evolution closed in more than 160 countries, as in subject(s) for which they have taken 24 credits in the core subjects as balance health risks against risks towards learning how to learn, a affecting over 1 billion students. a part of their undergraduate programme. to children's education and rejuvenation of life-long learning At least 40 million children Experts feel that degree apprenticeship is the Nayi Talim for 21st century protection, and to factor in the and strengthened links between worldwide have missed out on that Gandhiji envisaged way back in 1937, however it got lost because impact on women's labour force formal and non-formal education. education in their critical pre- post 1947 education policy ignored skill development. This new participation. Consultation with And we need to draw on flexible school year. And parents, announcement can change the apprenticeships landscape in India and parents, carers, teachers and delivery methods, digital especially women, have been bring it at par with other leading countries like UK, Germany , China and young people is fundamental.” technologies and modernized forced to assume heavy care Japan. Second, prioritizing education in curricula while ensuring sustained burdens in the home. Any UG degree programme in all disciplines as specified by the UGC financing decisions. Before the support for teachers and commu- Despite the delivery of lessons by under section 22 (3) of the UGC Act, 1956 is eligible to embed crisis hit, low- and middle- nities.” radio, television and online, and apprenticeship/ internshipin to the degree programme. Similarly any income countries already faced As the world faces unsustainable the best efforts of teachers and apprenticeship/internship embedded degree programme shall be treated at an education funding gap of $1.5 levels of inequality, we need parents, many students remain out par with the UG degree programmes specified by the UGC under section trillion a year. This gap has now education — the great equalizer of reach. Learners with disabili- 22 (3) of the UGC Act, 1956. Any UG degree programme will have an grown. Education budgets need — more than ever. We must take ties, those in minority or disadvan- option to embed at least one semester of apprenticeship/internship as part to be protected and increased. bold steps now, to create inclusive, taged communities, displaced and of the degree programme without altering the total duration of the And it is critical that education is resilient, quality education refugee students and those in programme. at the heart of international systems fit for the future. remote areas are at highest risk of The HEIs in consultation with Sector Skill Councils, AICTE, FICCI, CII, solidarity efforts, from debt We already faced a learning crisis being left behind. And even for commercial and non-commercial organizations or enterprises, and management and stimulus before the pandemic. More than those who can access distance industry would design the apprenticeship/internship embedded degree packages to global humanitarian 250 million school-age children learning, success depends on their programme in a way consistent with these guidelines. These HEIs may appeals and official development were out of school. And only a living conditions, including the plan the number of seats for apprenticeship/internship training as per the assistance (ODA). quarter of secondary school fair distribution of domestic facility and infrastructure available. Third, targeting the hardest to children in developing countries duties. Institutions may opt for any mechanism for the apprenticeship/ internship reach. Education initiatives were leaving school with basic assessment in consultation with commercial or non-commercial must seek to reach those at skills. Now we face a generational organisations or enterprises, or offices, or industry, or industry greatest risk of being left behind catastrophe that could waste associations, or sector skill councils where the apprenticeship/internship is proposed to be imparted. The apprenticeship/internship can also be done 10 Percent Higher education, jobs EWS quota to within the ambit of National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) undergo constitutionality exam operated by Bureau of Apprenticeship Training (BOAT) under MHRD. This programme will benefit the HEIs in promoting Industry-Academia India's top court which is hearing continue to be applicable in this reservation. linkages , improving credibility and in brand building and placements. several petitions challenging this year's admission process, which is This added reservation to the Sumit Kumar, Vice President – NETAP, TeamLease in his reaction feels new category of reservation battered by uncertainty due to existing 49.5% reservation in the announcement by UGC is a much needed move. “Historically, the provided by the Constitution pandemic but in full swing favour of the Scheduled Castes education system has churned out qualified people but not necessarily (103rd Amendment) Act, 2019, currently. (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), capable and job ready people. And on the other hand apprenticeships was ruled a constitutional validity Largely seen as a poll ploy by the and Other Backward Classes churning skilled people but wasn't scaling up due to poor social signalling scrutiny on August 5. The Act BJP and its allies in the run up to (OBCs), has taken the total value amongst the youth. Degree Apprenticeships with choice based credit passed in January 2019 provides the 2019 Lok sabha elections to reservation to 59.5% breaching systems will revolutionize the learning ecosystem. Blending for 10% reservation for the bolster its appeal among poor in the 49.5% ceiling set by the apprenticeship with higher education under the New Education Policy – economically weaker sections forward castes, the NDA Supreme Court in the landmark NEP (with entry – exit flexibility and technology intervention) will be (EWS) in higher educational government in January 2019 got Indra Sawhney & others vs. Union able to deliver on – (1) Improving accessibility and affordability of institutions within the general the 103rd Amendment Act passed of India case (1992). quality education, (2) Bridging the skill deficit in the industry, (3) category and applies to higher (unanimously) by the parliament Consequently, a number of writ Enhancing youth employability. With this we can surely achieve the educational institutions – whether and with this 10% of all govern- petitions challenging the milestone of 15 million apprentices with ease. “ aided or unaided by the State – ment jobs and seats in higher amendments were filed in the other than minority institutions educational institutions in India Supreme Court last year as in the IIT-Kharagpur researchers develop e- referred to in the Article 30 of the were reserved for a new subcate- view of petitioners, the impugned Constitution. gory—the Economically Weaker amendments run contrary to the Classroom for teachers The Supreme Court bench Sections (EWS) within the dictum in the majority (9 judge comprising the Chief Justice of general category. Articles 15 and constitutional bench) judgment, in Deekshak is a low bandwidth web-based software and can be accessed India S A Bobde, Justice R. 16 of the Constitution of India the case of Indra Sawhney & using any computer or even a cell phone. Teachers can also record the Subhash Reddy and Justice B.R. were amended by inserting clause others vs. Union of India case attendance of the students on the platform. Gavai after bundling together (6), after clause (5), in Article 15 (1992). That judgment, which Researchers at IIT-Kharagpur have developed a software which can be of several writ petitions against the and by inserting clause (6) struck down a similar reservation help to teachers who are currently facing challenges as the entire amendment referred them to a providing for reservation in move by the then Congress classroom session has shifted to online mode in different educational five-judge constitutional bench educational institutions, after government of PV Narasimha institutions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. while granting that the case clause (5) providing for reserva- Rao, has come in the way of Prof Raja Datta of Electronics and Electrical Communication Department involves substantial questions of tion in public employment, in several reservation efforts by with his postgraduate students developed the software, the current version law as to interpretation of Article 16. The government also some states all these years, of which can be used within a campus LAN, an IIT-Kharagpur constitutional provisions. hastily announced a 25% seat determines the upper limit of spokesperson said on Saturday. However, no stay was granted to increase to offset the reduction in reservations in higher educational Talking about the software 'Deekshak', Datta said, “it is now a single the operation of the Act. This availability of seats and absorb the institutions. session platform where the teacher would concentrate on the screen with means, the 10% quota will impact of the new 10% EWS the teaching materials while being able to view queries on a live chat box where each student can send in their queries.” Students also have access to a doubt box where they can click to “raise their hand” and wait for the teacher to address it, as is done in a physical classroom. .
4 Curriculum August 16, 2020 Lead News Contd from Pg 1 National Education Policy 2020 Approved by Government But the implementation and to look into its aspects,” he campuses in India. Having the top implemented in true 'letter and Change for the sake of change is translating this vision into added. According to Chatterjee, global colleges in India will reverse spirit' by all stakeholders shall pointless. The gap in education reality is what bothers a lot of no educationist from West the brain drain and also raise the undoubtedly transform the overall quality and learning outcomes has people. “The final policy talks Bengal featured in the committee standard of the local colleges. The educational ecosystem in the always been executional, not the about universalisation of school which was formed by the Centre multiple exit options from multi- country. It is time they open up the inefficiency or inadequacy of the education from 3-18 years, to draft the NEP. year degree courses is a much education sector to private current 10+2 structure. I see no reason without making it a legal right. The policy seems aspirational, it needed change and it would open up investment that will bring the cost to expand the gamut to include Hence there is no mandatory references and glosses over high- students' academic options of the education down and help in playschool, nursery or kindergarten mechanism for the union and level desirable attributes, but considerably.” meeting the diverse needs of the classes within the ambit of formal state governments to make it a doesn't bother to work out the --Rekha Sethi, Director General, country.”… education. The existing 10+2 model is reality. Without the RTE Act, feasibility or the methodology to AIMA Shishir Jaipuria, Co- not the reason our education quality or universalisation will be very make the plan work, said Ashwin Chairman, FICCIARISE reach is suffering. The real reasons difficult. There are significant Malik Meshram , Spinnaker “Diversification makes remain – poor execution, less-than- drop-outs after elementary Analytics, Boston, IITian & education more complete and “The NEP has touched upon desired quality of teachers, awful levels, especially among girls. Education Reformer. Vishnu helps increase intellectual outcome. some key levers which will have infrastructure, tight school budgets, The RTEAct is the highest stage Kartik CEO Xperiential Overall, the changes have been high impact on student learning poor teacher attendance, and very reached in the evolution of Learning Systems and Director made according to the global levels. One is of course bringing importantly low teacher salaries. education policy in India and it The Heritage, Gururgram system of education. This will also on ECCE into NCF. Another is the The policy seems aspirational, it confers a legal right, while a summed it well: “The devil is in help attract foreign students to India decision to reduce the curriculum references and glosses over high-level policy document doesn't confer the details, but the new NEP has and help the economy as well.” into core. This will provide desirable attributes, but doesn't bother such rights,” said RTE Forum in touched upon some key levers --Prof Mahadeo Jaiswal, significant opportunity to focus to work out the feasibility or the its reaction and added that this which will have high impact on Director, IIM Sambalpur on critical skills and capacities methodology to make the plan work.” policy in the name from student learning levels. One is of and would be gateway reform on philanthropic schools and PPP, course bringing on ECCE into “The focus on light government curriculum and assessments. ...Ashwin Malik Meshram , is laying the roadmap for entry NCF. Another is the decision to regulation, multidisciplinary What is heartening is to see many Spinnaker Analytics, Boston, of private players in education, reduce the curriculum into core. institutions and creating equiva- reforms focused on assessments IITian & Edu reformer which will further commercial- This will provide significant lence of vocational and academic especially on National ise education and the existing opportunity to focus on critical streams are welcome, but these Assessment Centre and tracking “Increased exposure to vocational inequalities will be exacer- skills and capacities and would have been a part of other countries' of student progress on learning education, vocational exposure at bated. be gateway reform on curriculum education models for years. It outcomes. These will bring in early ages in middle and secondary However, Dr Anil and assessments.” would have been good to have some much needed attention and school, internship opportunities to Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, All Dr Sanjay Gupta, Vice more innovative ideas implemented accountability on learning learn vocational subjects throughout India Council for Technical Chancellor, World University of l i k e r e c o g n i t i o n o f p a t h- progress” Grades 6-12, among others will Education (AICTE) said that Design in his reaction said, “It's a way/twinning programs with … Vishnu Kartik, Director The promote practical education and the New Education Policy is very welcome step because it has foreign universities, permission for Heritage, Gururgram exposure at early age and make flexible and brings a lot of much brought back the focus on for-profit firms to set up schools & students ready for real world.” needed reforms such as education, especially on building colleges, allowing corporate CSR “The difficult part is to jump … Dr D K Aggarwal, President, multiple entry exit points, multidisciplinarity and making funding for primary research in from the current system to this PHD Chamber of Commerce and vocational education at school the education holistic. In fact, universities and allowing universi- system and take along millions of Industry: level and academic banking of many steps which has been ties to offer online degrees to stakeholders, many of whom credits, which will completely announced were long awaited, outside their geographical might need to be completely re- ” The focus to build Higher Order transform the education like the multiple entry and exit jurisdiction. As education is a state trained. In fact teachers will see Thinking Skills such as logical landscape. “This new policy has points, the credit-based system, subject, it is important for the the biggest change and will have thinking, critical thinking and set a new paradigm by empha- and the removal of M. Phil” central government to create a to transform at both content as problem-solving skills in early years sizing on multidisciplinary and And Saumil Majmudar, Co- mechanism to ensure each state well as pedagogy level to survive is a step in the right direction. These liberal education, doing away founder, CEO and Managing implement these new policies in this new world order” skills are going to be the most with affiliating system, moving Director, Sportz Village pointed effectively.” … Rishabh Khanna, Cognitive important skills for success in towards institutional and out : “We expect that sports and … Dr. Akhil Shahani, Managing Scientist and Founder of professional life in the coming faculty autonomy, co-existence play, will be delivered and Director, Shahani Group Suraasa decade. Also, since these skills are of public and private higher assessed with the same rigor and best developed by the age of 14 years, educational institutions on structure as core academic “Education infrastructure is one “The NEP 2020 gives much- the NEP vision to include these skills equitable terms to promote subjects, thereby ensuring all of the important parameters needed focus to Early Child Care in foundational and preparatory years research, credit-based system of children experience the magic of which also needs a massive boost Education (ECCE) with new is a great decision..” curricular composition for Play and Sport, and we develop a from the government authorities. plans to integrate the best possible .. Amit Bansal – Founder & CEO, different levels of qualifica- nation of healthier and fitter Hence, we look forward to witness national and international WizKlub tions, engagement with society, children through the school some strong reforms on these lines practices. Inclusion of play-based practice labs and focus on system. The emphasis on as well. “ and activity-based learning for “This new policy has set a new emerging technologies to plan, Vocational Education is also a …Amit Gainda, CEO, Avanse children between the ages of 3-6 paradigm by emphasizing on design and deliver the 21st great step towards all-round Financial Services with a focus on music and multidisciplinary and liberal century education,” remarked development of children and we movement, arts and crafts, and education, doing away with affiliating Dr Sangita Reddy, President, hope children will be able to “CBCS is a huge step towards other stimulating activities is a system, moving towards institutional FICCI. choose Physical Activity and improving the employability of positive step among early and faculty autonomy, co-existence of The criticism of the policy is Sports as a Vocational subject. the students in the future. However, childhood educators.“ public and private higher educational also done on counts of it being We look forward to the transla- NEP should have also focused on ...Kavita Sahay Kerawalla, Vice institutions on equitable terms to breaking away from the tion of the policy to reflect in a standardizing an integrated form of Chairperson, VIBGYOR promote research, credit-based tradition of presenting such more playful, fun and engaging learning (using multi classroom Group of Schools: system of curricular composition for important national documents school environment for children approach) which includes on-the- different levels of qualifications, in the Parliament and not while meeting the adult goals of job training, as well. Degree linked “Like most initiatives by engagement with society, practice involving states and reputed learning outcomes.” apprenticeship is another area government in recent times, the labs and focus om emerging technolo- educationists in the consulta- which required attention to make policy is vague, the outcomes not gies to plan, design and deliver the tion process. West Bengal Some more reactions our learning ecosystem more measurable, and no mention 21st century education,” Education Minister Partha from a cross section of holistic.” whatsoever of details and ... Dr Sangita Reddy, President, Chatterjee went to the extent of people connected with … Neeti Sharma, Senior Vice specifics on how the policy will be FICCI stressing on the need by the saying, “ I feel that it has been Education President, TeamLease Services implemented. Mentioning the 6% government to take up the implemen- copied from foreign education of GDP target for the education tation of the NEP with a concerted, systems. Still there is a need to “NEP will remove unnecessary “ Reform proposals especially in budget is futile if we are not focused and in a time bound manner. read the NEP in its entirety to the areas of Early Childhood setting an allocation target for this while engaging relevant stakeholders find out how much of it has been complexity in delivery and Education, Teacher Education, year or the method to achieve the including industry associations. copied.” He criticised the Centre for approving the New regulation of higher education in Education Policy (NEP) 2020 without debating it in the country and level the playing Parliament.'This new education policy was not tabled and field for all students, irrespective discussed in the Parliament but approved by the Union Cabinet. of which college they go to – It was not even sent to the states private or government. The establishment of a single regulator for higher education is
Curriculum August 16, 2020 Curriculum July 16, 2020 4 Lead Feature NEW EDUCATION Policy as the Game changer? Impact of New Education Policy 2020 on school education won't be revolutionary unless implemented with generous enthusiasm Autar Nehru examination system. subject teacher. It is truer of for the higher education in the admissions and fellowships in higher Assessment is not a problem for it mathematics, science, arts and NEP 2020 seem to be doable. The education institutions. The high In nutshell nothing much will is part of process but mindset is. other 'specialist' subjects. Teachers rejigging of regulatory system quality, range, and flexibility of the change for school education in And that ails. can't be found overnight or and other far-reaching NTA testing services will enable most short or medium term after this CCE or continuous and compre- recruited. Let's accept the reality of transformative measures will universities to use these common hype around NEP 2020 hensive evaluation almost a enormity and magnitude. In this involve substantial legislative entrance exams – rather than having subsides. Take an average good decade ago was a bold attempt to scenario, school clusters is the most work and a broad consensus exists hundreds of universities each devising school and you'll find much of challenge this system. It was pragmatic solutions if done with within the political spectrum to their own entrance exams,” says the what this policy says starting conveniently sabotaged not by inherent proverbial enthusiasm see it through. NEP 2020. The scheme will thus be from medium of instruction to political class as most would than bureaucratic diktats. It should However, it is very interesting to more like SAT in USA and in a way foreign languages, clubs (now think, but by 'the examination be used to free energy of teachers see that the very dispensation good for student community. circles), project-based learning system.' As said above there are and see the wonders it will do! which forced the four-year However, former education minister etc, is already in practice there. schools, which proactively have There is a lot of welcome emphasis undergrad degree program of Kerala, M.A. Baby thinks it is You just need to take ten of them been bringing in good practices on values in NEP 2020. These (FYUP) by Delhi University way actually going to be a 'National Denial and deduct the mean activity, and methodologies into their weren't missing even earlier and back in 2013 to shut down and Agency'. “The framers of the best school practices including schools and using the success to there is a lot of existing architecture oppose the Foreign Educational Constitution considered education as a localized pedagogical innova- stay ahead of competition and like eco clubs, education trips, Institutions (Regulation of Entry state subject. It was during the tions will be before you—and eventually enter into an elitist observances, celebrations etc to and Operations) Bill, 2010 for Emergency that education was much of the things said in the mindset. These groups often seen reinforce these. However, the big several years before its lapsing, brought from the state list to the new policy. as members of important difference in these programs and brings in both the concepts back concurrent list. Now the BJP govern- Also, for sake of curiosity and committees become influencers activities has been like instead of through NEP 2020. The then Vice ment has transferred it from the emphasis on Sanskrit in NEP of botched up rollouts. A few deeper thoughts say exposing Chancellor of DU, Prof Dinesh concurrent list to the central list,” a 2020, which is very good, there workshops of not even 100 children to forests, schools have Singh, the man behind FYUP, newspaper quoted him as saying. is a need for some research as to schools and CCE was rolled out been celebrating trees. So to say now feels vindicated. “It is a Irrespective of these voices, common know why popularity of in the entire country. It became a most of these are superficial verbatim reproduction of what we entrances weights more merit and Sanskrit hasn't picked up the clerical headache for teachers, formats without depth are there just did with FYUP,” he said in an convenience and student mobility. way it should have all these who were never exposed to its to fill in rituals. If here is an interview to a newspaper after The Higher Education Commission of years except when students methodology. intervention in the form of some NEP 2020 was made public. India (HECI) proposed under NEP came to know that it can fetch There is a real danger of good goal oriented programs backed with “Students used to tell me all the 2020 will be the new UGC from a you more marks in Class X than intentions and recommendations training and promotion of storytell- time how happy they were with layman point of view all existing Hindi in board exams! Riches of in NEP 2020 meeting the same ing pedagogy and theatre, then the learning under the regulatory bodies (UGC, AICTE) will Sanskrit at school level can be fate. India's challenges aren't as value sets may find a ready programme. They were learning be repealed. It will have four better harnessed through much in diversity as in systemic resonance and audience in children. to use data in a practical way. verticals– the National Higher Olympiads and collaborative failures. The dichotomy between There is a lot of both excitement and Students who did not know Education Regulatory Council research projects, which can be education departments and SSA, outcry over mainstreaming English said it made such a (NHERC) as the regulator for higher somehow rewarded. an area of research, has actually vocational education throughout difference to learn the language in education excluding medical and legal Between these two observa- impacted badly teachers as a the school years. This is significant a creative way. Sanskrit students education; the National Accreditation tions, almost a school education cadre. The parallel systems are and long term. But again, it must be began to see how they could use Council (NAC) as the accreditor; the universe is looking forward to sea apart even though both seen done as a means of celebrating the computer programming to learn it Higher Education Grants Council be rejuvenated and enabled by complementing each other. And, skills and skills men and women. better. All these happened, and (HEGC) for funding and financing; the NEP 2020. However, there now it is going to be even more Even, one carpentry or plumbing this is what NEP also hopes to and the General Education Council are a whole lot of pessimists out segregated. session or better a workshop/trip a achieve,” he said. (GEC), the academic apex body for there who will tell you that One of the biggest innovative year will titillate young minds. As Under the NEP 2020 scheme, the HEIs. “A National Higher Education policy documents look nice on ideas in NEP 2020 is school experts say till at least age 16, it undergraduate degree will be of Qualification Framework (NHEQF) shelf and nobody looks at them. complexes or clusters even must remain an experiential either 3 or 4-year duration, with will be formulated by the GEC and it Education has never been a though some may say, it is in the education and not serious training. multiple exit options within this shall be in sync with the National priority in public spends or contravention of the RTE law or a But yes thereafter clear pathways of period—a a certificate after Skills Qualifications Framework public discourse and NEP 2020 legitimizing way of emptying progression and employment completing 1 year in a discipline (NSQF) to ease the integration of is just a milestone, which will government schools. Best opportunities must be integrated. or field including vocational and vocational education into higher be used as ammunition for memories of both students and And finally as one of reactions that professional areas, or a diploma education. Higher education qualifica- rhetoric both ways. There have teachers and even schools are came said mentioning the 6% of after 2 years of study, or a tions leading to a been several ' …for all' those interschool contests or GDP target for the education budget Bachelor 's degree after a 3-year degree/diploma/certificate shall be campaigns and now this 2030 meets where they have met so is futile if we are not setting an programme. The 4-year described by the NHEQF in terms of target is almost there and even many different people, the allocation target for this year or the multidisciplinary Bachelor's such learning outcomes,” says the the action plans are nowhere in festivity, those preparations and method to achieve the ambitious programme, however, shall be the policy document. sight. rehearsals and of course coming target in the coming years. preferred option since it allows Importantly various professional From millennia, education has back victorious or losers with so the opportunity to experience the councils, such as the Indian Council been catering to larger much experiential learning. The Higher Education full range of holistic and for Agricultural Research (ICAR), objectives of civilizational human bonding and purpose multidisciplinary education in Veterinary Council of India (VCI), continuity, its advancement and makes collaborations vivid and better off under NEP addition to a focus on the chosen National Council for Teacher unleashing human quest and definitive. If done in right spirit, major and minors as per the Education (NCTE), Council of spirit but in recent times in our this step could pull off thousands 2020 choices of the student. Architecture (CoA), National Council case, progressively these set of of failed schools. Undertaking a Ph.D. shall require for Vocational Education and Training objectives have been aligned Thousands of schools in the As compared to school education, either a Master's degree or a 4- (NCVET) will actas Professional towards the examination country simply don't have a the policy prescriptions announced year Bachelor's degree with Standard Setting Bodies (PSSBs) in system. Children study for Research. The M.Phil. close coordination with GEC. examinations and schools teach programme shall be discontinued. By 2040, all higher education for examinations. And society In essence, for a student this is a institutions (HEIs) shall aim to has accepted it, and in fact the major take away along with how become multidisciplinary institutions. whole support, commerce and gets into the higher education Since this process will take time, all entrepreneurial ecosystem in system. The National Testing HEIs will firstly plan to become school education space have Agency (NTA) will conduct a multidisciplinary by 2030. oriented themselves to make common aptitude test, as well as Under the new vision in the document, examinations a desired specialized common subject a university will mean a commodity and the system has exams in the sciences, humani- multidisciplinary institution of higher made it a passport to future ties, languages, arts, and learning that offers undergraduate and opportunities. Surprisingly, this vocational subjects, at least twice graduate programmes, with high looks normal to many including every year. “The NTA will serve quality teaching, research, and the policy makers, who have as a premier, expert, autonomous community engagement. reiterated a love for this testing organization to conduct entrance examinations for contd on Pg 6 undergraduate and graduate
4 Curriculum August 16, 2020 Lead Feature NEW EDUCATION Policy as the Game changer? NEP reforms for ECCE: Need for incorporating COVID-19 learnings during implementation Dr. Reeta Sonawat the NEP had started many years While implementing NEP goals for as the national television channel atmosphere to young children, which before the pandemic, it is ECCE, the focus needs to be on Doordarshan for the dissemina- helps them in achieving their cognitive It's a proud moment for our necessary to take into heed all the continuous training for teachers in tion of education in the recesses of and physical development milestones. country that after 34 years, the learnings from the COVID-19 early education and new technolo- the country. The focus should be They also learn soft skills and become new National Education Policy crisis during the implementation gies for the delivery of education in on early education programs ready for starting formal school (NEP) has finally seen the light phase of the policy proposals to circumstances like the present which are activity-based and education. Children from weaker of the day. The government and further improve the quality and crisis. encourage children to do physical socio-economic backgrounds often do the committee needs to be reach of early education in India. Alternate mediums for education activities, creative activities, not get a similar conducive atmo- congratulated for the hard work Technology infrastructure in dissemination storytelling, digital contextual sphere at their homes. Since all that's gone into it for ensuring ECCE During the COVID-19 pandemic, rhymes and aid in their motor anganwadis are currently shut due to that the vision of millions of Extensive use of technology in the real challenge for early skills, demonstrate them simple the pandemic, these 80 million Indian educators, researchers teaching and learning is one of education was the non-availability science experiments which children are at risk of falling behind in and policymakers is developed the key principles of the NEP. of the requisite technology at the children can do at the uncertain achieving their developmental for enhancing education in The COVID-19 pandemic homes of students for continuing time like pandemic. milestones and may see learning gaps India. established the benefits of education. Parents of children from Transformation of ECCE as a widening in the aftermath. The NEP comes at a time when technology-aided learning and economically weaker backgrounds top priority Hence, while implementing NEP India is undergoing a severe teaching for education continu- can't afford smartphones or The government currently proposals, states must give priority to learning crisis due to the ity. The pandemic necessitated computers, which could help them provides a range of services for upgrading the anganwadi centres and COVID-19 pandemic. The schools to migrate to online to continue learning for their ECCE and maternal and child draw a roadmap for reopening them worst impact of the crisis has platforms and use pre-recorded children. Hence, to be prepared for health through its large network of soon. The states should consider been on early education as the or live-recorded lectures, use of such situations in future, the 1.4 million anganwadis. Around involving experts from the private pre-school teachers and LMS platform for curriculum government should consider 1.3 million anganwadi workers sector for inflicting such transforma- infrastructure are both ill- delivery, PPTs, videos, etc. apart leveraging alternate mediums such and 1.2 million anganwadi tions at a faster pace. equipped to cope with the from new technologies such as helpers provide preschool (Dr. Reeta Sonawat, Director, demands of doorsteps delivery meeting apps, chat groups, social education, supplementary Academic & Training, Ampersand of education to young children media, etc for content and nutrition, health awareness, Group and Contributor, National under the age of six. information dissemination health check-ups, and immunisa- Education Policy Draft 2019, ECCE; The new National Education during the lockdown. School tion and referral services to Former Dean, Professor and Head Policy (NEP) honours the teachers were trained in these around 80 million children under Department of Human Development, much-needed commitment for new technology tools for the age of six years. SNDT Women's University) integrating Early Childhood teaching and conducting These anganwadi centres provide Care and Education (ECCE). assessments and evaluations. a safe, happy, and positive Since the process of developing contd from Pg 4 Higher Education better off under NEP 2020 The definition of university will be to increase the Gross Credits acquired in foreign research capability is currently school education has a direct bearing thus allow a spectrum of Enrolment Ratio in higher universities will be permitted, limited. on higher education quality, is institutions that range from those education including vocational where appropriate as per the For the first time, the government helping the narrative of fragmenta- that place equal emphasis on education from 26.3% (2018) to requirements of each HEI, to be has committed itself to increase the tion about education to change in teaching and research i.e., 50% by 2035.” Institutions will counted for the award of a degree. public investment in Education favor of need of looking at it in Research-intensive Universities, have the option to run Open The policy also says that HEIs sector to reach 6% of GDP and is a unison and integrated manner. those that place greater emphasis Distance Learning (ODL) and shall also move away from high- welcome for record. “The Centre Surely, this is beginning of long on teaching but still conduct online programmes, provided stakes examinations towards and the States will work together to years of the journey that will actually significant research i.e. they are accredited to do so, in more continuous and comprehen- increase the public investment in start bearing fruits of consolidation Teaching-intensive Universities. order to enhance their offerings, sive evaluation. The Choice Education sector to reach 6% of and transformation in the 2030-40 Meanwhile, an Autonomous improve access, increase GER, Based Credit System (CBCS) GDP at the earliest. “ Also, the decade as said in the policy. degree-granting College (AC) and provide opportunities for will be revised for instilling acknowledgement that improving will refer to a large lifelong learning (SDG 4). innovation and flexibility. HEIs multidisciplinary institution of “Model public universities for shall move to a criterion-based Milestones in India's Education post 1947 higher learning that grants holistic and multidisciplinary grading system that assesses undergraduate degrees and is education, at par with IITs, IIMs, student achievement based on the University Education Commission (1948-49) primarily focused on undergrad- etc., called MERUs learning goals for each Secondary Education Commission (1952-53) uate teaching. (Multidisciplinary Education programme, making the system Dr. D.S. Kothari Education Commission (1964-66) The policy document dealing and Research Universities) will fairer and outcomes more National Policy on Education, 1968 with aspect of commercializa- be set up and will aim to attain the comparable. Education in Concurrent List after 42nd Constitutional Amendment,1976 tion of education says multiple highest global standards in Inclusion of research and National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 mechanisms with checks and quality education. They will also internships in the undergraduate NPE 1986 Modified in 1992 (Program of Action, 1992) balances will combat and stop help set the highest standards for curriculum, faculty career Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 (April 2010) the commercialization of higher multidisciplinary education management systems giving education. This will be a key across India.” weightage to research, and the PM assures of political will for NEP priority of the regulatory system. An International Students Office governance and regulatory “All education institutions will at each HEI hosting foreign changes that encourage an Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, while welcoming the intense and be held to similar standards of students will be set up to environment of research and extensive debate that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has audit and disclosure as a 'not for coordinate all matters relating to innovation is part of research generated in the country, has assured of his political will to make it work on profit' entity. Surpluses, if any, welcoming and supporting push and what the document says, the ground. PM urged people to work together with determination to will be reinvested in the students arriving from abroad. 'aspects are extremely critical for implement the National Education Policy. He said that a new round of educational sector. There will be High performing Indian developing a research mindset in dialogue and coordination with Universities, Colleges, School education transparent public disclosure of universities will be encouraged the country.” Establishment of a boards, different states, different stakeholders is about to start from here. all these financial matters with to set up campuses in other National Research Foundation PM mentioned that National Education Policy aims at making the youth recourse to grievance-handling countries, and similarly, selected (NRF) is surely a step in the right Future Ready while focusing on the National Values and National Goals. mechanisms to the general universities e.g., those from direction. NRF will provide a Modi said that the policy lays the foundation of the New India, the 21st public. All HEIs – public and among the top 100 universities in reliable base of merit-based but Century India, the education and skills needed for the youth to strengthen private – shall be treated on par the world will be facilitated to equitable peer-reviewed research India, to advance it to new heights of development and to further empower within this regulatory regime.” operate in India. A legislative funding, helping to develop a the citizens of India to make them suitable for maximum opportunities. One big promise of the NEP framework facilitating such culture of research in the country The Prime Minister said that for years our education system remained 2020 is that higher education entry will be put in place, and through suitable incentives for unchanged leading to lopsided priorities where people were focusing on ecosystem will reach every such universities will be given and recognition of outstanding either becoming a doctor, an engineer or a lawyer. He said there was no district of the country. There special dispensation regarding research, and by undertaking mapping of the Interest,Ability and Demand. shall, by 2030, be at least one regulatory, governance, and major initiatives to seed and grow The Prime Minister questioned how critical thinking and innovative large multidisciplinary HEI in or content norms on par with other research at State Universities and thinking could develop in the youth, unless there is Passion in our near every district. “The aim will autonomous institutions of India. other public institutions where education, Philosophy of Education, Purpose of Education.
Curriculum August 16, 2020 Curriculum July 16, 2020 4 Lead Feature NEW EDUCATION Policy as the Game changer? NEP 2020 Critique: No money, no administrative reforms and building castles in the air From NPE to NEP, that is recognizes marginalized Peer tutoring and community pedagogies but simple and implemented. And, even if these are (National Policy on Education, categories as Scheduled Caste, volunteers have been mentioned to engaged ones where small good, it is the bureaucracy or adminis- 1986 to National Education Scheduled Tribe and Other supplement teaching efforts. children are taught the fundamen- trative machinery that often derails it. Policy 2020), it is not only the Backward Classes and in course Without acknowledging the tals and skilled on writing and For instance, a teacher going for 'P' that has changed the place of time the Supreme Court has astronomical figure of vacancies numeracy skills. India is a training has to take sanction from after 34 years in the new policy reinforced these categories as and lack of teachers, how can senior diverse country. Here culture and secretariat. The reform from top to document, but NEP appears to separate categoties but NEP students teach junior when they language are sensitive issue and bottom and decentralization are the be an outright knock off authors without caring for this themselves suffer lack of teachers? best left to states, but a standard- key. In absence of these, we end up document where instead of constitutional propriety clubs all Instead of improving teaching ized curriculum will potentially adding more structure by way of being a reform of the existing these into SEDG (socio- /learning, the policy is seeking to cause centre-state conflicts. committees, task forces, more control apparatus, building on the economically disadvantaged legitimize a parallel system. systems. From 1970 onwards there is existing framework, making groups) and worse includes The new pedagogical and curricular Biscuit lobby which has been a progressive withdrawal of govern- improvements, reinforcing its disability and gender into it as structure of 5+3+3+4 in place of building an intense pressure to ment from the education and as a result good and adding newer changes well disregarding diversity and earlier 10+2 has been touted as a become a substitute for hot less number of government schools are reflective of changed world, it sensitivity. By the way the major reform in school education. cooked midday meal and resisted opening. The education budgets are has chartered an independent combined SEDG may be the 80% However, the ground level reality is for two decades gets a route falling and contribute to implementa- route and ignored continuity of population group leaving just that apart from CBSE-affiliated K- through gur-channa (Jugglery- tion issues. the earlier document. 20% for actual policy applica- 12 schools (majority of which are Gram) passage. There is a certain There is a sense that the implemental Inconsistencies and deviation tion. private) and a few others, several lobby which has come with the plan being prepared will come up with from being a policy document is NEP 2020 talks of a single states have schools only upto class reasoning that 50% of private centrally sponsored schemes. These one characteristic of the NEP integrated B Ed programme for 10 standard. Afterwards, it may be schools charge less than Rs 500 as schemes are actually at the heart of 2020 evident in several ways. teacher education wherein a inter college in Bihar and UP, junior fees and should be given problem and undoing good of 'Education is a requirement for prospective teacher will undergo college in Karnataka, Andhra or government aid to function is a education. These create parallel vibrant democracy' had found a training for foundation, primary, Maharashtra. So, this policy will way of seeking low quality systems and often the real war- mention in the draft but doesn't middle and secondary etc. It is suffer in implementation in these schools. In the name of riors—the education departments of find a place in the final unscientific pedagogically and many schools. alternatives, there is an attempt to states lose their agency. A policy must document. The constitutional a g a i n s t J u s t i c e Ve r m a NCF 2005 has been by far one of the protect and promote certain types be deliverable. It must achieve most of values as enshrined in the Commission recommendations best works done in independent of schools. the targets in five years. This country Preamble have not been spoken which wanted clearly targeted B India and it has also a component of What is sold as revolutionary needs an honest policy. of though fundamental duties Ed prgrammes at various levels. preschool education. Yet NEP already existed before. Vocational are. There is no talk of funda- With 95% of teacher education in doesn't talking of it as if nothing of education was first talked by Dr. (Based on talks by Prof R Govinda, mental rights including right to the private sector, the perfor- this sort existed in the country. The A. Lakshmanswami Mudaliar former VC NUEPA, Prof Poonam education even as it expan- mance in the teacher eligibility policy talks about pedagogy and Commission in early 1950s. Batra, Professor of Education at DU, sively deals with universaliza- test (TET) has been an eye- curricula but is silent on improving Several committees, task forces and Prof Mujkund Dubey , former tion of education from 3-18 opener for several years now. The schools. Primary schools are and others worked on it and foreign secretary and President of years. Interestingly, it mentions number of qualifiers ranges from majorly a state government largely failed to get it started. Council for Social Development at a 'universal, free and compulsory as low as 1% to just 17%. This functional area but this policy is Now by introducing it as fun, it webinar organized by RTE Forum accesses for this age group in made a strong case for increase seeking to centralize curriculum will be a certification market on August 7) the policy review section. the state capacity of teacher when it says it will make a deposi- program. The Constitution of India training capacity but it has not tory available. Primary schools are No money, no administrative attracted attention of authors. not meant for sophisticated reforms and building castles in the air. Bad polices don't get The new normal for the specially abled No classrooms, No bullying and No physical comparison By Prashant Agarwal Schools and Colleges are no accessible utilities, everything uneducated. Only 9% of the 1. Digital Marketing: Internet has goal is to make people handle their longer represented by their tall adds to their challenge of differently-abled female has generated critical discussion and taxes, investments, credit, insurance buildings and long porches. competing with the physically metric/ secondary education so influence on marketing approaches and retirement. This is why most Classrooms have become 'normal' co-students. However, far and are not graduates. Only worldwide. After Covid-19 colleges and training centers use inaccessible to almost everyone, as COVID 19 changes the about 7.7% of the female disabled pandemic, most of the businesses their curriculum through a series of owing to the COVID 19 education scenario and everyone are graduates. will shift to the digital way, and even short videos, engaging and animated pandemic that had spread like adapts to get accustomed to a This impact of challenges in small shop owners have started videos, so that even total beginners wildfire across the world. 'new normal' of digital education, commutation is more visible in using the virtual marketplace with can understand and manage their 'Physically', online is the new the differently abled students are areas with undulated and difficult the presence of digital and social finances efficiently. normal and this is helping the little relieved of the physical terrain. For example, in India, the media tools. Students with physical 4. IT skills: In the tech world, differently abled section of the differences and have levelled up mountain terrain in the State of disabilities may see completing acquiring additional knowledge populace who were struggling with the rest of the lot. This adds Arunachal Pradesh and the largest digital marketing courses post 10 + about computers and systems and for greater 'accessibility' to to their confidence. state in size, Rajasthan records 2 for lucrative career opportunities. other allied and applicable technolo- education, in the traditional To put things in perspective, it the lowest percentage of 2. Mobile Repairing: A Cisco gies are only an added benefit for setup. No classrooms, no has been these physical education level, amongst the report estimated that smartphone people. Such IT skills enhance bullying and no physical challenges and a lack of viable differently abled population. users are expected to touch 829 people's career prospects and open comparison between the abled infrastructure that has been Arunachal Pradesh recorded the million by 2022. The refurbished up their horizons to newer and better and the specially abled. It is now dragging behind the literacy rates lowest literacy rate of 38.75%, as smartphone market, which is job roles and opportunities. just a teacher-student connect of the differently-abled per the 2011 census, a little currently unorganized and operated 5. Hospitality Skills: These courses that is more dependent upon the population. As per a 2011 Census behind Rajasthan, at 40.16%. by locals, is also expanding in leaps gives insight into the industry like individual's holistic aptitude, data, between the age of 5 and 19 Certain segment of differently and bounds. There are NGOs like how to work in the hospitality sector rather than their physical years, 57% male differently- abled who are unable to hear, Narayan Seva Sansthan, who are including hotels and restaurants attributes. abled children are attending watch, walk and understand, can providing vocational courses to the operating systems etc. Students get A routine day at school has schools, compared to their have better facility at home differently abled in domains such as training to serve guests, how to treat nonetheless been challenging for female differently-abled through online and digital mobile repairing, tailoring training them during their travels, stay, those specially abled students, as counterpart. Out of the 57% education. Such a platform can be and computer training in their smart treating guests cordially, including despite an increase in awareness differently-abled, only 9% of immensely beneficial for villages. various other tasks such as house- for access friendly infrastruc- male children graduated, even enhancing their skill sets and give 3. Personal Finance: This course keeping, preparing rooms for guests, ture, a lot remains to be achieved though 38% of children stayed them an edge to step up in the deep dives into the saving tech- welcoming them, cooking various on ground. The public transport adequately educated. society and contribute to their niques, time and value of money, types of cuisines and baking etc. to the school, the walk to the Around 55% of female differ- own well being and livelihoods. auto loans, mortgage loans, budget, class and even locating the ently-abled individuals are taxation and retirement planning. Its
Curriculum July 16, 2020 Curriculum August 16, 2020 5 News Feature BUILD BACK BETTER: Punjab to distribute 1.78 lakh smartphones to Experts & Practitioners want focus to shift class 12 students by November on seeing pandemic as an opportunity to redesign education process The distribution of the first batch of 50,000 phones has started. 1.78 lakh smartphones will be given to class 12 students of state government schools State Education Plans, decentralization, reaching out to UNICEF, this pandemic has also by November. do-gooders in communities, re emphasis on schools as opened an opportunity of changing The phones are equipped with various smart features such as touch screen, community social places, and adult education along the very culture of education camera and pre-loaded government applications like 'e-Sewa App' with e- with treating technology as neutral can help in beyond textbooks and boring content related to class 11 and class 12, as approved by the department of reimagining a new education model to tide over effects learning/teaching regimens by school education. of covid. looking at learning opportunities Though he had initially announced that the first batch of the smartphones beyond structured syllabus. “This would be given to girls, Chief MinisterAmarinder Singh said both boys and The last four months or so Noida sharing his observation is a time of internal reflection and girls of class 12 government schools, who do not have smartphones to have been revealing on the made a sweeping observation opportunity to start conservations access online classes, will be provided the same. This was necessary to state and status of formal that the response to pandemic and dialogue on young versus ensure that these students do not suffer in the times of the pandemic due to education in the country. If situation has been at adult, on anxieties of say loss of job lack of access to education. anything good is happening, it best—repeating the failures that or loss of friends or colleagues.” With this, the state government will fulfil yet another of its election must be the critical diagnosis of existed before Covid through Abhimanyu Singh, Chairman promises and implement the 'Punjab smart connect scheme', which it had this system in 'coma' and how tech—making children centre of Doosra Dashak, Rajasthan made a announced in its budget for the financial year 2018-19. best this can be turned into an process than the education case for putting heads together to opportunity of experimenting process itself. Reducing unlearn, learn and relearn this Cairn Oil & Gas partners with Rajasthan for with existing and new syllabus, open book exam and multidimensional crisis. “We need alternatives in rebuilding it regimental online classes were to maintain the rights of people e-Kaksha post-covid. responses to continue to old migrating to other places. This Closure of education system little thinking that the should include education as well as Cairn Oil & Gas, Vedanta Ltd., has partnered with the Department of institutions required as a whole paradigm is shifting. food security. As happens in Education, Government of Rajasthan to launch a digital education measure of C19 pandemic “How can we employ the same disasters the impact and damages program, “e-Kaksha” for students of classes 9th to 12th. Mission Gyan containment and spread, now methods when the farming has are very painful but we have the Trust at Directorate Education, Bikaner, Rajasthan is the third collaborator running into many weeks, has changed?” he questioned while option of building back better,” he in this a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on 28th deepened thoughts and ideas adding that knowing how long said. July. about handicaps of formal the effects of this will last is more Singh also talked about a need to The aim of the program is to provide free and quality education to students education system in facing an important now. reopen schools and informal enrolled in the Board of Secondary Education, Rajasthan (RBSE) and emergency of this nature. The Speaking at the same webinar, education facilities at the earliest Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) countrywide. It will help debate is gravitating to a Sheshagiri K M Rao, Education opportunity to counter mental improve the accessibility as well as affordability of quality education, futuristic discourse of rethink Specialist UNICEF, Chattisgarh health issues. “Schools provide increase the enrollment and attendance of students (post lockdown) and and redesigning the whole said this situation unlike disasters mental peace and a space for enable digital transformation in rural education system. education ecosystem that will like floods or earthquake is an coming together, you can organize The program will be available countrywide through digital platforms – simply check-out the existing opportunity to reimaging music and culture activities, and all YouTube, Mobile App and website to deliver quality videos of subjects like ills and pave a way for a more education as never before. this is healthy in depressive times. English, Math, Physics, Chemistry, Biology. accepted and validated “When the entire edifice of Schools should be connected to To ensure continuity in learning for students in Rajasthan, the state ministry reformist way forward. formal education is non- community. School after school approached Cairn Oil & Gas and Mission Gyan Trust to extend the project Not many people would know functional, we need to look at two hours should be used for e-Kaksha for students studying in class 6th and onwards. This will benefit that village Panchayats are spaces long neglected, home community activity,” he added. over 1.7 crore students across 33 districts in the state with government empowered to make school environment and surroundings He also spoke on fee tussle between approved quality content and with the support over 6 lakh government calendars as local authority. (neighbourhood),” he said. Prior private schools and parents and teachers. The project also aims to supplement students from humble And yet several such to covid19 pandemic, family was advised to settle it in the middle, backgrounds through digital learning with a simple application in English provisions like village not considered important in “This issue should have been and regional languages. education committee, school learning matrix and often parents nipped in the bud, and it is not Harmeet Sehra, Head CSR, Cairn Oil & Gas, Vedanta Ltd. said, “The management committees have were seen as obstructionists. healthy. They should negotiate and COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in lockdowns, and disrupted children's remained unknown and on Also, paying lip service to build endowments. Rampant education. Thus, it is imperative for all stakeholders to come together to paper. Performance, social community participation was commercialization must not be provide quality education and ensuring the well-being of our children mapping, connect with customary. Now with internet allowed.” across all strata of the society. Our aim through project e-Kaksha is to community and support penetration and home space In conclusion, there is a need to ensure learning and higher education reaches every student.” functions have been forgotten. emerging as critical issues in learn from grassroots and people Speaking about the program, Saurabh Swami, Director, Department of Now all this is being talked ensuring education; that opinion who are engaged day in and day Education, Government of Rajasthan, said, “Project E-Kasha is a unique about. is slowly changing. Do-gooders out. Potential of community needs endeavor to provide quality online education to RBSE students. The entire Moderating a webinar within the communities are a to be harnessed. Collective of course will be available in the digital library in a ready to access mode. organized by RTE Forum last resource being recognized teachers need to be encouraged to Jinender Soni, Managing Director, Mission Gyan Trust, said, “Mission week (July24) on 'Evidence to increasingly. come up with pedagogical Gyan is committed to provide quality online education through project e- Action: Grassroots According to Rao, who shared innovations instead of techno Kaksha. The entire course videos have been prepared by learned faculties Experiences on Status of how community volunteers, gurus. The role of counsellors has in a structured way.” Learning during the COVID playing and other non- only increased and these must be 19', Subir Shukla, Principal conventional learning were found. And finally as NEP is still to EuroKids International trains 5,000 teachers for Coordinator, Group Ingus, taking place in his state under be announced, it should address the issue of digital inequity. new virtual education delivery ….Autar Nehru EuroKids International has upskilled over 5,000 teachers throughout India In Punjab, Govt school admissions register all in its virtual training programme for teachers since May 2020. Keeping in mind the shift from physical to digital mode of education due to the time high lockdown on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, this new programme by EuroKids bridges the gap between erstwhile classroom teaching and the The maximum new admissions has happened in the pre-primary section — 97,460, an increase of 43.21 new-age, technology-backed virtual teaching that has come to the fore now. per cent compared to last year — with a total strength of 3.23 lakh students as compared to 2.25 lakh students in the last financial year. KinderPass introduces online learning With 3.17 lakh new admissions, Punjab's government schools have recorded a sizeable strength of 26.6 lakh students, a 13.48 per cent increase as compared to the last academic year (2019-2020). The modules for little learners admission process is still on. This is an all-time high figure after 2013-14, when the total strength of the state's government schools KinderPass, an early stage learning platform, is launching multiple online stood at 26.4 lakh, but gradually started falling every year after that. It had dipped to 23.46 lakh in 2018- learning modules for kids aged between 3-6 years old. With an objective to 19, while there was a slight improvement to 23.52 lakh in 2019-20. make the parents understand how early stage learning lays the foundation There are 19,175 government schools in Punjab, of which 12,857 are primary schools while 2,658 are for later learning, it has come up with its first online learning program- middle schools. The state has 1,699 high schools and 1,961 senior secondary schools. KinderRead, a blended phonics program. A progressive program carefully The maximum new admissions has happened in the pre-primary section — 97,460, an increase of 43.21 arranged in five levels, it is a methodology for teaching young children to per cent compared to last year — with a total strength of 3.23 lakh students as compared to 2.25 lakh read and spell words and develop the preschoolers into confident readers students in the last financial year. using a play-based synthetic phonics approach.
Curriculum August 16, 2020 7 Entrepreneurships/ India Skills ACCA Survey Report 2020: International Skill Hub to be set up in Goa Upskilling, continuous learning and professional courses under Skill India Mission can lessen Covid impact National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), on Aug 11 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Directorate of Skill According to the Learning and training. learning being the safest at the Development and Entrepreneurship (DSDE), Government of Goa to set up Development: Outlook in the The study captured the changing moment. an International Skill Hub in the state Covid-19 year, a report by ACCA facets of learning and Commenting on the survey .A significant step towards strengthening the skilling ecosystem in the (the Association of Chartered development (L&D) for finance findings, Md. Sajid Khan, Head of country, the collaboration will facilitate the establishment of a state-of-the- Certified Accountants) learning professionals as well as the overall International Development, art skilling infrastructure in Goa. An apex institution, it is envisaged to and development is rapidly organisation. There are several ACCA said, “The COVID-19 empower youth of Goa to be ready for the emerging job opportunities in the evolving. The study conducted in significant trends that point pandemic has created a truly country. The institute also aims to provide international placements to local India had responses from over towards the changing world order. unprecedented situation which has candidates through programs like NSDC's programs such as Technical Intern 102 HR professionals, These trends have a direct impact compelled organisations to think Training Program (TITP) and India International Skill Centres (IISC), representing a diverse mix of on how organisations would and reinvent themselves. This has contributing towards making Goa an international skilling destination in organisations across industry function in the future and the skills put a spotlight on the role of India. types and employee strength. needed, as an individual, to thrive. learning and development (L&D), The announcement was made through a webcast, which was graced by the 73% of the respondents had at The survey highlights that both from an individual and an presence of Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister for Skill Development and least 500 employees or more, increasingly individuals are keen organisational perspective. For an Entrepreneurship, Vishwajit P. Rane, Minister of Health, Industries & Trade, while 23% represented small to learn something new in the individual to play a critical role in Women & Child Development and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, organisations with employee coming year to enhance their skills driving this change, it is essential Government of Goa. strength of less than 250 and capabilities and to add the that they learn, evolve and adapt The institute will provide training in advanced skills in highly specialized employees. necessary competency to be their skills. As highlighted in the areas across sectors like Healthcare, Tourism and Hospitality and other successful in the new COVID-19 report this willingness to learn is emerging business domains to meet the requisite industry demands. The survey echoed that 69% era. commendable, and more people Envisaged to be a highly premier training institutions in the country, it shall respondents demanded short Traditionally in India learning, has are keen to enhance their skills and help in making vocational training aspirational for the youth. Skilling will be term courses of less than 3 always been face to face. build new competencies in the done by training partners (TPs) on a fee-based model and additionally, months, while 33% were Interestingly, only 20% of the coming year.” training shall be imparted through the utilization of government schemes interested in a course with a participants preferred face to face This report is the result of a survey such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY). Through joint duration between 3-6 months. as a learning method with 50% of conducted in April 2020 of HR deliberations, DSDE and NSDC will select training partners for imparting This trend indicated the urgent respondents preferring online professionals across India. The training, from a pool of NSDC affiliated partners. The selected TPs will be need to develop new or add learning. The survey also revealed current pandemic has caused 80% responsible for executing specific project activities including mobilization, additional skills in the current that 60% of respondents preferred of business leaders to expect a branding, publicity, counselling, imparting training, certification, and portfolio of professionals. The a blended learning of online and significant downturn in revenues placement assistance. focus currently is towards face to face as one of the methods and profit for the year, as per a Under the terms of the agreement, the Government of Goa will provide land applied skills with 51% of of learning and development. previous ACCA report 'COVID-19 for establishing an international skill hub. NSDC and DSDE will be respondents preferring a How blended learning evolves in Global survey: Inside business responsible jointly for shortlisting job roles, identifying training partners professional course and 21% the future would be key to learning Impacts and Responses' (ACCA (TPs) to operationalize skill training at the institution, monitoring and technical course. Only 16% of and development with online 2020). facilitating the skilling program. Leveraging industrial ecosystem to drive respondents preferred soft skills skilling in India, DSDE and NSDC aim to bring best-in-class infrastructure and facilities to students at Old Asilo Hospital, in Mapusa, North Goa. The LPU Students develop antibacterial Herbal Mask skill development project will be implemented as per the National Skill using Vetiver (Khus Grass) Qualification Framework (NSQF), and assessments and certifications granted by the respective Sector Skill Councils (SSCs). The herbal mask helps in (Embedded System, School of Edubull gives free access Sharing his views on role of reskilling, upskilling and building of new age purifying the air, soothing Electronics and Electrical skills in making India truly self-reliant, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Hon'ble the mind and strengthening Engineering) LPU. The research to its Training courses on Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said, “As we enter a immunity of the user, is team has developed the product new transformational era, we need to stand united in our mission to boost washable and can last up to 2 protype for testing and has filed Skills and Career skilling efforts across the country to create a highly productive and efficient months for a provisional patent. The team workforce for the future of jobs. It is crucial to enhance our focus on In a bid to develop a face mask now plans to commercialize the development reskilling, upskilling and deep skilling as part of our country's revival that uses natural substances for air herbal mask in association with strategy. Today's MoU signing between NSDC and DSDE, Goa is a purification and preventing industry players who can Edubull, an Ed-Tech startups, pioneering step towards achieving that mission. Skilling the youth in market COVID 19, a team of student and manufacture it on a large scale. announced free online access to its relevant skills will significantly contribute towards fulfilling Hon'ble Prime professors from Lovely The manufacturing cost of the Training courses on Skills and Minister's vision of Aatmnirbhar Bharat and help India make a mark on the Professional University have mask after commercialization is Career development. Designed global landscape. Our objective is to work collaboratively with states to come up with a first of its kind expected to be approx. INR 60 per especially for the Interns and implement efficient training, assessment and certification process for antibacterial herbal mask which mask. freshers, the courses shall equip creation of a conducive and buoyant skilling ecosystem in the country.” uses Vetiver (Khus grass) to Dushyant Kumar Singh, HoD, users to ace a job interview and purify the air and strengthen the Embedded System, SEEE, LPU function well in the workplace. All IIT Alumni Council announces the India immunity of the user. The Herbal says, “It is tragic to see even the course materials, lectures, Innovation Network (I2Net) initiative to Mask is developed using a educated people roaming around programs shall be available in accelerate research, particularly against Covid19 combination of two filters. The without wearing masks. When both English and Hindi, on its first one is a vetiver filter which asked, many say that they are Website and the app. IIT Alumni Council will tie-together partnering institutions of the India serves as an antibacterial filter unable to breathe properly Focussing on building the soft Innovation Network – into one unified research and innovation ecosystem – and purifies the air that one through them. Our herbal mask skills to personal branding, the as part of the i2Net initiative. It will selectively align with innovator teams breathes through this mask. The which uses Khus grass, should course aims to bring competitive and incubators of the highest rated academic colleges, research institutions, filter also removes the toxic help them breather comfortably advantage among the job ready incubators and industry research centres so as to create an innovation activated substances and adds throughout the day.” professionals. The course shall ecosystem with access to over 30,000 PhDs and with a virtual reach to moisture to the air. The second D. Narenthira Prasath, student, cover over 45+ hours of learning millions of students and thousands of startups that can be onboarded almost filter is the WHO recommended Lovely Professional University in an interactive and Instructor led instantaneously. Proposed i2Net will become largest supercomputer – both 10 PM filter that ensures no said, “We started with the aim of training format. With practice based on Quantum Technologies – created by tying together High particulate matter enters our building a face mask with a filter tools in the program along with Performance Quantum Computers with a million laptops and a billion breath. The mask is washable and made from a natural substance. philosophical implications, phones. can last up to 2 months. The objective was to develop a Individuals will be able to get “We propose to tie together the most eminent Educational, Technology, Those involved in the device that could help keep at bay deeper understanding on both Industry and Research establishments in this initiative for synergizing and development of herbal mask both Corona as well as the daily personal and professional accelerating innovation in areas like drug discovery, recombinant protein include students Narenthira pollution in metro cities. We development. production and DNA studies,” said Ravi Sharma, President of the IITAlumni Prasath D, (7 semester, Btech worked with various substances Speaking on the initiative, Girish Council, a telecom industry veteran and Head of the Telecom Equipment ECE); Umeshwaran N (7th and analysed the lifetime and Sharma, Founder – Edubull said, Manufacturers Association Semester Btech Mechanical), efficiency of each. After seven “The skills, qualities and attitudes “Mumbai University faculty and research students stand to gain Uday Dubey (7th Semester Btech months of research, we zeroed in needed for success in the jobs significantly by way of collaboration of research work and sharing of ideas ECE) and professors – Himani o n Ve t i v e r market, are fast evolving owing to with other research institutions. University's Information Technology Jerath, Assistant Professor, and (Chrysopogonzizanioide), as it covid. While it certainly is the role capabilities are well placed to associate with the brightest minds ,” said Dr. Faculty Advisor, LPU; P.Raja, gave us the best results with of employers to support the Suhas Pednekar, Vice Chancellor, University of Mumbai. (Assistant Professor), and highest efficiency.” professional development, Dushyant Kumar Singh, HoD, however individuals need to take responsibility for their own skills development too. This shall help own marketability, especially in
8 Curriculum August 16, 2020 VIEWS (Edit/Guest Column...) OPINION: Online Schooling cannot Substitute Face To Face Learning for Children National Education Policy 2020: A milestone or a new dawn? Kadambari Rana, independent educationist AFTER more than five years of its Given the backdrop of our with several additional features, if to online school or online office announcement on January 26, 2015, the country's demographics, which they are to be of any use for online because they have a larger memory National Education Policy 2020 was approved by the Government on July 29, 2020, which suffers from population explosion, education. bank of human interactions over the ended not only a long wait for culmination of policy making process, but a lot of speculations as well. large scale poverty and dismal Around 5.2% of rural homes years, which younger children don't. From 484-page draft to a 66-page policy document, the expectations from the policy proposals and their accessibility to modes of communica- possessed a laptop/computer but only This kind of 'socialization memory scrutiny have certainly begun on the right earnest. A bank' allows us to tap on the feelings division of opinion has already started appearing with tion, online education for school 0.7% of the rural households and experiences of in person one set of people quite excited about long due reforms that have been signaled by the NEP 2020. The other going children is 'unworkable'. possessed a laptop or a computer set of opinion is clearly not enthused and feels the opportunity that this policy offered after 34 years, Virtual classroom is the new normal. 'along with internet' connection. interactions of the past and use it to hasn't been utilized by the committee. As the ideological divide has never been as Efforts of several schools and teachers These figures did not look very feel 'personally' connected with pronounced as in recent years in society, left leaning liberals—the traditional influencer on matters of who are working round the clock to promising even for urban India teachers, co-workers, relatives and so public policy, were seemingly kept out of the consultation process and going by the admission of the provide some semblance of continua- where 18.7% urban households on even during socially distanced drafting committee chairman, the right wing was several times to their satisfaction. Therefore, instead of tion of education to school going possessed a computer or a laptop and times. But in younger children most being based on an all-inclusive consultation process, it has somewhat lopsided any may have lost on valuable children needs to be applauded. those households which possessed a of the faculties, including memory input of indigenous educational policy experts. Indeed 34 years since the last national policy was However, 'online learning'which may computer and a laptop 'along with and abstract thinking are still announced is a long period and going by the revolutionary & disruptive technological appear to be the best alternative in the internet' connection was only 8.3%. developing, therefore younger advancements and their profound impact on economy and society, it was necessary to effect the pandemic struck world, is not Given the backdrop of our country's children cannotrely on personal corresponding change in the education apparatus, the bedrock of the economic and social advancement. And c o n g r u e n t t o h o w c h i l d r e n demographics, which suffers from socialisation experiences of the past to a great extent the NEP 2020 has captured the gaps and also laid down the reforms roadmap. Even the learn.Virtual learning suffers from population explosion, large scale since it doesn't make any concrete most ardent critics do concede that the new policy has threadbare gone into all challenges of education two major drawbacks, one it is poverty and dismal accessibility to sense to them. process, drawbacks of existing system and opportunities that can be created by way of reforms 'unhealthy' and the other it is 'unwork- modes of communication, online Children learn; problem solving and and restructuring eventually to create a vibrant education ecosystem. able'. education for school going children conflict resolution through coopera- The debate around NEP 2020 is here to stay for not only months but for several coming years and the According to the 15th Indian Census is 'unworkable'. tive activities and games, when they greatest satisfaction for every Indian must be that education is now a national narrative and its (16th Indian Census is due in 2021), Furthermore, if factors contributing are outdoors, through sensory significance widely recognized. While the revealing of NEP 2020 has done a great deal 2011, Office of the Registrar General to the low Gross Enrolment Ratio experiences such as touch, smell and for bringing education to mainstream discourse, yet it has also raised many questions of not been in sync and Census Commissioner, Ministry (GRE) and drop-out rates, in our taste, through non-verbal ques of the with need and reality. When the Right to Education Act, 2009 was debated, passed unanimously and of Home Affairs, Government of country, are expanded to 'now' teacher such as gestures, signalling notified in 2010, it was hailed as a legislation of a century, which will make the fundamental right of India; Children in the age group of 0-4 include health risks due to COVID- and body language, none of which is education for every child a reality and schools the most child friendly spaces. After a decade, caught in years constituted of 9.7% of the total 19 virus and poor accessibility to available in a virtual school. implementation impracticalities, bureaucratic mesh and resource crunch, many people both in population, children in the age group modes of virtual education, then the Other factors which make online establishment and outside think it is a passé. Instead of a review, the game has been changed to learning of 5-9 years constituted of 9.2% and statistics staring at us would be even school education only a short term outcomes. children in the age group of 10-14 more frightening! solution for all age groups are; A similar fate may await NEP 2020 implementation if years constituted of 10.5% of the total To make virtual education, if at all, children cannot truly learn in it is not broken up to actions plans, decentralized to population of India. workable 'fast track' distribution and 'isolation', online education expects district education plans like disaster plan and In absolute numbers children in the subsidization of smart phones, very high level of self-discipline consistently worked on for building systemic capacities and capabilities. In coming time, it may age group of 5-14 years were laptops, computers with internet which children are still developing, also have to come clear on certain key questions like opaque privatizations, state-centre conflicts, and 259,637,338. This is also the age- access will have to be initiated, which there is excessive stress on parents children rights. group 'entitled' to education, as a state will be a herculean task. Schools in most of whom do not even understand is mandate. Additionally, the number rural and urban areas, suffering from the basics of child, adolescent or of children in the age group 15-19 financial and technological con- teenage behaviour, online classesare years was 120,526,449, of which a straints will need government strictly time bound and too structured large number certainly fall in the support for upgradation. which puts the child, the teacher and school-going group. Intensive and extensive teacher the parent under immense perfor- Total percentage of children (as per training programmes will have to be mance pressure. 2001 census) less than 18 years of age initiated for 'grooming' individuals While efforts are being made for constituted of 41% of the population! into the online teaching mode. remote learning, strategies should If we are to keep these statistics as Coming to the element of online also be drafted to bring children 'ballpark' figures then, the online schooling being 'unhealthy'. Apart together and out of 'isolated' learning. school education has to reach atleast from internet security, privacy The value of 'real' school 259,637,338 children,which is concerns and illnesses caused due to experiencesis timeless and cannot excluding, the 120,526,449 children excessive gadget usage, the either be undermined or replaced. in the age group of 15-19 years. effectiveness of this mode itself is In terms of access to means of also questionable. The writer is currently working on communication; Dr C. Chandramouli, When compared to pre-schoolers and documenting her observations on Registrar General and Census primary school children, senior children's play and learning experi- Commissioner, India, in the 'Atlas On students and adults are slightly better ences. Houses, Households, Amenities and equipped, psychologically, to adapt Assets' highlights the following facts; Only 33.4% rural homes had Children learn; problem solving and conflict resolution through television as compared to their urban cooperative activities and games, when they are outdoors, through counterparts of whom 76.7% household possessed televisions. sensory experiences such as In terms of mobile phone access, only touch, smell and taste, through 48.0% of rural homes and 64.3% of non-verbal ques of the teacher urban homes possessed mobile such as gestures, signalling and phones. In 2020, even if the absolute body language, none of which is numbers are larger, the mobile phones will have to be 'smarter' than before, available in a virtual school. Printed, Published and Owned by: Avtar Krishen Kaul, Saraswati Editor: Autar Nehru Associate Editor: Suneel Bhan W: www.curriculum-magazine.com REACH US Colony, Smith Nagar, PO- Prem Nagar, Dehradun (Uttrakhand)- Editorial/Marketing : 248001 and Printed at Microsoft Technoprint India Private Limited, Consulting Editors: Sudha Passi, M K Bhat, Ramanathan Iyer Circulation 37 Old Cannaught Place, Dehradun (UttraKhand) and Published at [email protected] Dimple Nehru, Ganesh Saraswati Colony, Smith Nagar, PO- Prem Nagar, Dehradun Advisory Board Members: Ashok Pandey. 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Curriculum August 16, 2020 9 Spotlight Overcoming the challenges of Online Teaching in a way ENRICHING FOR TEACHERS 'The greatest challenge lies in the adaptability to a completely unexplored Class XI to XII who had a Short mode of teaching-learning. No matter what we have done, we need to do Film Contest for the same event, even better to reach out, to help, to ensure students never stop learning.' on the theme of 'Effects of Corona', the final products they By Indrani Bhattacharyya ogy when suddenly these directly shared via mail. opportunity to learn. shared simply using a smartphone teachers are made to shift mode We are dedicating our entire time and in some cases very basic According to the official to virtual teaching, it's natural to They say, it takes a village to raise planning to gradually shift to an video editing application left us reports published in feel like a fish out of the water. In a child. Our chairman Mr. Naresh alternative educational experi- wondering. 2017-18, only 29% of such a situation, they fall back to Chandra Das, who believes in this ence – focussing more on skill, What we concluded was that the Indian population were the basic mode they are most vision, enlightened us with the competence, and effort than on when we challenge the bound- internet users. Though the acquainted with – read and idea that if it takes the community marks, grades and percentiles. We aries of our students by well statistics have vastly changed and explain to 'complete the syllabus, to teach a child, and we can't reach are trying to introduce simple planned interdisciplinary as of 2020, around 50% Indians without the realisation that the child directly, then we must assignments through celebration projects, they in turn challenge have access to the internet, yet a without textbooks and proper empower the community to of certain events and culturally themselves and some up with large section of the students measures to follow-up and ensure disruption-free learning for important days, that will not only such stunners. We also recently community especially in semi- evaluate this method is simply all children. Since then we are help students appreciate our rich conducted our Mock Parliament urban and rural areas still belongs ineffective. In the last few weeks constantly trying to empower the cultural heritage, but also ensure on the occasion of the to places where internet however, we have seen a flurry of parents and families so that they they widen their horizon by their International Day of penetration is still pending. activities by the Ministry of can in turn provide them with research work, assimilate Parliamentarism on 30th June Young people's access is even Human Resource Development support, guidance and encourage- information instead of simply 2020 where our students less. A recent news report stated (HRD) and various regulators ment. We have started regular accommodating them temporarily delegated as imaginary MPs from that only 12.5 % of the students in including CBSE, NCERT etc. to Parent Connect Programmes to by rote-learning, develop finer both ruling as well as opposition our country have access to the find alternative measures to reach out to our parents and aesthetic sense, learn to express parties and presented a busy day internet. Even in areas with ensure the continuation of provide them with necessary themselves better, honing their in the Parliament. It was not only a internet accessibility, connectiv- education but the implementa- perspectives to ensure students are speaking, writing skills, integrate display of oratory skills and ity issues and availability of the tion of such measures still nurtured in a happy and healthy art in their work, yet enjoy and get awareness in current affairs but a suitable devices still prevents remains vague and ambiguous. atmosphere. We are also conduct- a sense of accomplishment. wide array of research activities schools to actually implement ing regular Spoken English, Yoga Afew examples: was involved. The young students 'online teaching'. In several such My own experience and Life Skills Sessions with our For example on 29th June, on the displayed such complex yet places, even the most well- parents to help them stay relaxed occasion of Camera Day, we versatile human traits through intentioned teachers and schools has taught me so in the face of such distress and introduced a competition for their speech, for instance the do not have means to reach out to learn certain basic skills and ideas students from Class V to Class XII Speaker of the House, though soft most of the students. much that will even help them in in three groups. Class V to VII had spoken and too sophisticated to However, in schools where parenting millennial kids with a Creative Writing Competition really match her voice with the 'online teaching' is going on, the At Krishnagar Public School, ease. We even started Interaction wherein they needed to bring out rest of the chaotic MPs in challenges are no less. Nadia, West Bengal, we started Time and Virtual PTMs to get the significance of the invention loudness yet firm and command- Availability of resources, with 'online teaching' right from feedback from parents across of the Camera, but the challenge ing in expression, a powerful unpreparedness for the situation, 25th March 2020, a couple of grades and to modify our was the form of writing was not personality whom none of the lack of books, lack of technical days after lockdown started, as a approach and ways to help the specified, rather they were MPs dare to defy. Of course, such knowhow, poor bandwidth, all result of the far-sightedness of students better. encouraged to explore. The precision did not come about in play significant roles in creating our Principal Sir, Dr. Sankar In a school where several of the entries that we finally received one day, it took weeks of practice barriers in the implementation of Prasad Dutta, who predicted students come from economically took us by surprise too! We had and the teachers' dedication to this 'best of the lot' solution. In right at that very moment that challenged extremely rural, expected autobiographies and reach out to the students to assist case, one managed to overcome this new mode was “here to stay” interior backgrounds and travel diary entries but several students their speech even through normal all these challenges too, the and had that “it's time we adapt 30-40 kms each way to commute came up with limericks, voice calls where bandwidth did greatest challenge lies in the ourselves accordingly” with daily, availability of enough calligrams, dialogue writing not support. adaptability to a completely Class X and XII students, and digital devices to incorporate all (between an old portrait and a unexplored mode of teaching- then gradually incorporated all students into the system of 'online photograph) and short short. One Conclusion learning. One needs to look at the grades across Pre-Primary to teaching' still remains a challenge. even wrote an 'Ode to a situation with a little empathetic Senior Secondary. It is high time Since we do not have enough Camcorder' that simply stunned The school closures due to eye and not be over-critical of the we test the effectiveness of those resources to help them out us. Maybe it wasn't completely an COVID-19 and the other related average teachers, who for all their measures and give some directly, we are writing to various 'ode' yet, but just the idea from a challenges have been a huge lives have belonged to an perspective. To begin with, we telecom and electronic companies 12 year old to write an ode to a learning experience for us. It has education system where ensured students got their books requesting them to come to their gadget and incorporate its taught us humility, self-doubt, and performance in an examination on time. Since, printed books aid by providing them with basic significance in rhythmic and not to be content with our efforts. has always determined the could not be provided during the devices and tools so that these logical sequence was worth It has made us believe that no quality of the student and not the lockdown, we negotiated with children are not deprived of their praise. In the senior segment from matter what we have done, we participation, effort or even the publishers to ensure that we need to do even better to reach competence. Teachers who have could provide all our students out, to help, to ensure our students always been trained to 'complete from Pre-Primary to Senior never stop learning. Our the syllabus and drill' and in the Secondary receive the e-texts of most enlightened cases, a handful the books prescribed in their For attention of them have been trained to curriculum. We diligently of institutions make the 'classroom' more trained our teachers to use the engaging and student-centric. Webinar Applications, briefing Notices Beyond 200 With such lifelong training and even the minutest of features and words will be resources at hand, with very little sharing ideas as to how to use considered classified confidence at handling technol- those simple features to ensure advertisements and continuous feedback in the class. therefore published only We converted simple and freely against payments. available digital resources like Google Forms to create quizzes Thank you and assessments from where scores and feedback could be
10 Curriculum August 16, 2020 Covid Effects Five skills/techniques, teachers can apply for effective classroom magic TO ONLINE CLASSES Dr S P Dutta, Principal, We all agree, in the student should feel confident that revolutions has given us the traditional or virtual is the feedback. Krishnagar Public School, present scenario the teacher is also available even opportunity to use several modes Feedback will help to create the Nadia (WB) online teaching is after the class gets over. This of interactions with learners even virtual learning experience a unique inevitable and is now treated as confidence and the bond that is on the virtual platform. It is not one. It will boost the motivation of the an indispensible tool in the entire created between the teacher and the only about imparting education to learner. The feedback should be educational sector. As far as student will actually go a long way the students but the virtual continuous and this will help the teaching is concerned and that and will be helpful and beneficial platform is to be used for learner to identify the areas they need too online, we the teachers need for the overall development of the collaborative learning and to modify. Feedback will lead to peer to adapt ourselves to various child. engagement of the students. We – learning as well. newer set of skills other than that can use both audio and visual tools 5. EasilyAccessible: needed by us in our traditional 2. Supportive Learning to make the entire process exciting It is very interesting to find that these classrooms. Environment: and entertaining rather than only days the use of mobile has changed. It Here is a list of basic five skills / It is essential that as an online lecturing which will make the is no more only used by kids for techniques to be followed to teacher we create a supportive entire process mundane as the entertainment but it is now for make our virtual teaching – learning environment for the retention capability of online infotainment. Mobile learning holds learning process more effective: learners. We can achieve this by learners tend to be very limited. key advantages for learners, allowing dual communication. One The best online teachers use a them to access up-to-date course 1. Learner's Involvement: communication of teacher and combination of both synchronous materials and relevant content Our virtual classrooms have students and the other and asynchronous activities, anywhere, anytime. With bite-sized made us to remain within the communication among students. In creating a blend of traditional pieces of information available to be four walls of our houses and as virtual classrooms please allow online learning styles with newer digested quickly and easily, learners such the learning environment is communication among students at tools. As per the learning styles we can work through course materials at quite different from the actual times which help them to get know that some people learn best their own pace, assisting both classrooms. In this scenario it is acquainted with the new ones and when they see, hear, read/write, or performance and productivity. At the important that we make our also restore the old relations. Dr. act out information. A virtual same time, we need to make the presence felt with the students Judith V. Boettcher in his book A classroom indeed gives the learners aware that we the teachers are from the very first minute the Faculty Guide for Moving teachers a better hand to address also aware of the technology and we class begins. In order to make the Teaching and Learning to the Web the needs of the learners depending can use the technology in the same teaching and learning effective it has suggested the following on their varied learning styles. way as they can. is quite essential that we make strategies in providing a supportive Virtual classrooms give the These past couple of months have our learners fully involved in the learning environment: learners the scope not only to hear been really challenging for all of us. process. Teaching in this At the start of your online course, information but also to go through We had to let go a lot of convictions method can never be only lecture get the ball rolling with a personal the same (reading materials) we held strongly earlier and adapt to method. The teacher needs to introduction post, and encourage during their leisure hours and as the changing times. As teachers, the involve the learner too by participants to contribute their own such it makes the entire teaching determination to ensure that our inviting responses from them. It short bio or introduction to the learning process more effective students' lives are not disrupted or is to be made sure that the teacher group. and the learners more enthusiastic irreparably affected by the is available even after the virtual Create an open forum or discussion to learn. Learning here becomes consequences of this global crisis class ends may be through board where learners can post to self paced. Use of variety of tools motivates us each moment to various social media platforms, request help and assistance from like live streaming, live innovate and implement newer con-calls or even direct phone each other, developing peer-to- discussions, and debates makes initiatives andI strongly believe that if calls. The students should be peer support. learning on real time too. A mix of we follow the above techniques then fully aware of the time table of Set up small groups, similar to learning tools can cater to the we can easily make the transactions the virtual classes and should be traditional study groups, for needs of variety of learners. easy and the teaching-learning prepared with all the necessary supportive mentoring of fellow 4. Feedback: process becomes effective and stationeries before they start learners. One of the most important efficient. attending the classes. The 3. Use of variety of tools: elements in the teaching learning An array of technological process in any mode whether Coronavirus-related children's diseases linked to blood cell changes – study A newly described disease occurring in children and linked to COVID-19 positive. Two children fulfilled the criteria for diagnosis of Kawasaki's has significant changes in white blood cells – a discovery that may allow Disease and were SARS-CoV-2 antibody negative. doctors to better assess their young patients' condition and predict their Dr Barney Scholefield, Paediatric Intensive Care consultant from resistance to current treatments, a new study reveals. Birmingham Women and Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated commented: “Sick children admitted to intensive care units globally with with SARS-CoV-2 infection (PIMS-TS) is a new disease which shares PIMS-TS require urgent research to understand this rare but potentially life some features with Kawasaki disease, as well as toxic shock syndrome. changing condition. The University of Birmingham team have rapidly Experts examined blood samples from children admitted with the diseases performed novel, in-depth analysis to identify potential targets for to Birmingham Children's Hospital during the UK's coronavirus lockdown treatment. The cutting edge approaches used will help future children – discovering that large changes in the monocytes (a type of white blood affected by COVID19.” cell) in patients with PIMS-TS and Kawasaki's Disease. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequencing allowed experts to identify large Led by researchers at the University of Birmingham, scientists and changes in the frequency of classical, intermediate and non-classical healthcare experts from the UK and Ireland have published their findings monocytes occur in both diseases. as a preprint paper on medRxiv. SARS-CoV-2, the viral cause of COVID-19 usually causes mild respiratory Co-lead author author Dr Graham Taylor, from the Institute of infection in children and young adults. However, in rare cases, children Immunology and Immunotherapy at the University of Birmingham, subsequently develop PIMS-TS – presenting with fever, inflammation and commented: “Our study is the first to reveal that Kawasaki's Disease and evidence of organ failure resulting in cardiac dysfunction, hypotension and PIMS-TS are both characterised by profound changes in the numbers of life-threatening shock. monocytes and their genetic make-up. PIMS-TS shares clinical features with Kawasaki's Disease – an “Our results require confirmation in a larger patient cohort, but the changes inflammation of blood vessels mostly affecting children under five. we have observed are likely to be highly relevant – potentially allowing us Kawasaki's Disease can cause inflammation of heart muscle if left untreated to predict the disease resistance of children with PIMS-TS and Kawasaki's and is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children in developed Disease, as well as identifying alternative therapies for both diseases.” nations. Researchers recruited nine children with signs of PIMS-TS presenting at Given the recent emergence of PIMS-TS, little is known about the Birmingham Women and Children's Hospital to their study from April to immunological processes driving the disease and whether these are similar May 2020. Seven met the UK's Royal College of Paediatrics and Child or different to Kawasaki's Disease. Health case definition of PIMS-TS and were SARS-CoV-2 antibody
Curriculum August 16, 2020 11 School Leaders Back to school: Teachers will need to master ways of unraveling the pandemic transition Schools have to open sooner than later and getting back to earlier normal will pass through a transition period as students may have acquired different routines during long period of 'study from home'. Shefali Tewary, Head of School at Elpro International School, a Cambridge International School in Pune offers some useful advice on how to find a way to make it work Evolution does not occur processes. We evolved. Going through non-formal assessments distress. flexibility to absorb these linearly – it occurs in spurts, forward requires that we also in the initial days. Encourage all · Involve Parents : Due to the uncertainties. some dramatically and some prepare ourselves to return to the facilitators to observe and unknown nature of the threat and · Digital Readiness : The past few quietly. physical classroom maintain notes on each learner, the uncertainties of the crisis, it is months have helped us embrace environment, but with careful such as the learner's observed crucial that schools consult, technology at a rapid pace, relying on The “emergency remote consideration and adaptations. predicament, enthusiasm, partner and engage with parents at personal devices and domestic teaching” model as a result of There is no way back to the old involvement, communication, every step. This will assuage any infrastructure. With the return to the ongoing pandemic has norms. The evolution must and attentiveness. If equipped, risk of misinformation and school, we will need to ensure the changed our outlook towards continue. There are many record class activities. Emphasize provide learners with a more school's digital infrastructure is technology and transformed aspects, forces, influences and open communication. secure and coherent experience. robust with ready technical assistance us into a more receptive choices to consider as we · Practice Differentiation: · Encourage physical activity: and sufficient security and audience. The dramatic grapple with the uncertainty that Every facilitator, child and parent With restrictions on movement, administrative controls. Most schools change for teachers and lies ahead: willhave learnt lessons from the most children willbe deprived of will need to allow students to bring in students wasn't easy, but both current crisis, based on their own the usual levels of physical their personal devices (BYOD – bring have risen commendably to · Go slow : Children willhave unique family, domestic and activities. Lay higher emphasis on your own device) and that opens a the occasion across the world. formed new routines and habits, geographic situation. As those activities in the early phases high security risk for which detailed The objective of teaching is such as parental presence, home facilitators, practice of the of getting back to school policies will need to be drafted and three-fold – to create a food, unregulated dressing and differentiation to make everyone · Be Creative and Cautious : enforced. suitable environment for personal habits and could find it feel included yet not templatized. Younger children will easily · Be the example As facilitators, lessons to be learnt, to choose difficult to unlearn quickly and · More counseling: Given the invent games amid the new class practise the rules of hygiene, the lessons we want learnt, bring their emotional and unprecedented nature of the past norms; allow and encourage this distancing and other protocols and then to deliver those intellectual presence to the few months, it's possible some creativity. Teenagers, on the other effectively and consistently. It goes lessons to students. The classroom as rapidly as they can learners have experienced more hand, will create ways to by-pass without saying that in the current current crisis has necessitated their physical presence. It will be severe outcomes within their the restrictions, so will require crisis, all of us are learners. that we redefine all the three important to go slow, give time families and social circles. Be coaching and monitoring as well. areas. to each learner to express their ready to provide more counseling · Have Backups and Buffers: Aut Viam Inventam Aut Factum – I'll We have already managed feelings either in full class or expertise till the situation Like learners, it is equally possible either find a way or make one– the fairly effectively to move through individual normalizes. that facilitators will want to ambiguous nature of the crisis has conversations. Initiate simple · Equip the facilitators: exercise caution or face other questioned our readiness for the lclassrooms from physical to rituals such as mid-day Accordingly, schools should logistic or health restrictions that future. The rapid change brought assemblies andstorytelling to ensure facilitators receive prevent them from being available about by the pandemic has virtual, and seen success in ease learners into participation. trainings to be able to empathize during planned hours. Schools accelerated the education ecosystem, engaging learners, training · Observe, Calibrate, and demonstrate strong EQ need to be ready with additional and taught us that it's important to facilitators and defining new Communicate: Establish (Emotional Quotient) with staff and support systems, design build resilience to face such threats learners' present academic levels learners showing any signs of weekly routines with sufficient and come out victorious. Career Advice: Medical Coding & Medical billing as a career option for science graduates Dr Santosh Guptha According to US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Health care is the largest U.S. advanced courses and establish their own private firms so that they can industry and healthcare support professionals including Medical Coders freelance their services. The salaries of medical coders are very decent and are one of the 10 fastest-growing allied health occupations highly depend on the location, experience and education of the individual. Medical Coding is converting a diagnosis or symptoms, procedures, and Certified Coders are in high demand throughout the healthcare industry. In drugs into codes and Medical billing is billing insurance companies and fact, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Health care is the patients for procedures and office visits. Their work is submitted to largest U.S. industry, making this career a sound choice and healthcare insurance companies for payment purposes, data collection, research, support professionals, including Medical Coders, are one of the 10 fastest- billing and quality improvement purposes. growing allied health occupations, and, studies show that Certified Coders Coders and Billers play an important role in the financial success of are paid accordingly for their exceptional medical coding skills. private practices and other health care facilities. The greater the expertise of the Medical Coder in identifying relevant diagnoses for patient Medical Coding and Billing work is outsourced to India because of encounters, the greater the insurance reimbursement to the physician this Increased efficiency; Cost effectiveness; Skilled Man power; Reduced field generates medical coders who specialize in coding after a thorough Operating cost; Time Zone advantage with India; 82% ranked India as training program and a certification process. The American academy of their first choice for outsourcing in US; India has the highest number professional coders (www.aapc.com) and American Health Information of English speakers among the developing countries. ManagementAssociation (www.ahima.org) offers certification. Medical Coding Industry has met the cutting edge of information Dr Santosh Guptha, who runs Medesun Healthcare Solutions in technology due to which there has been several channels opened towards Hyderabad and is himself is a trainer and a world record holder with 45 placements in the health information field. These open doors has certifications in medical coding and billing industry says, “Our success diversified and created platforms for the aspiring generation who have means that students will build their careers, physicians will build their laid their career in the health information field. revenues, and employers will build their wealth through efficient With a demand in billing and coding of medical data, medical coding has manpower.” Medesun offers job oriented certification. become essential in many healthcare facilities and in the field of medicine. Science graduates are most suited to these courses as they can understand It also plays a very important part in funding and research. Besides the medical terms easily and master the procedures and vocabulary quickly. conventional medical centres and facilities, medical coders can find jobs However, others too can take certification if the field interests them. in insurance companies, law and consulting firms. Many of them take
Curriculum July 16, 2020 Curriculum August 16 15 Higher Education update Xebia partners with TIETin Cloud Engineering XLRI commences New Academic Session of & DevOps 2020 at both the campuses Xebia Academy Global, the its unique state-of-the-art digital latest technology to make them Education Business unit of Xebia learning platform, Instruqt- A industry-ready. Xebia is a global Xavier School of Management welcomed the new batch of students of the has recently signed a challenge-driven Learning enterprise, specialized in Digital new academic session of 2020. A total of 477 students joined the XLRI Memorandum of Understanding platform. Designed with byte- Transformation and emerging student fraternity. The welcome session was conducted online for the (MoU) with Thapar Institute of sized learning content, Instruqt technologies and therefore we students with an inaugural prayer. The welcome ceremony was addressed by Engineering and Technology will help students learn in real- believe our students will also Fr. P. Christie S.J., Director of XLRI- Xavier School of Management, (TIET), Patiala, to introduce world scenarios with real benefit from Xebia's knowledge Jamshedpur, Fr Sebastian George, SJ, Director, XLRI | Delhi-NCR Campus specialisation for its computer technology and infrastructure. and experience.” and the Dean (Academics), Prof.Ashis Pani. science engineering students in Through this learning platform, Anand Sahay, CEO of Xebia, said, In his welcome address, Fr. P. Christie S.J. emphasized on the four essential the areas of software students will also be able to access “Our focus at Xebia has been to hallmarks of Jesuit education. Elaborating on the four themes, he said, development and automation, the e-books and get live strengthen the industry-academic “XLRI's successful growth over seven decades has been guided by these four Cloud Engineering and mentorship support from the alliances and help improve important hallmarks of Jesuit education, and we will continue to place a DevOps/for the academic Xebia experts and practitioners. employability in students by strong emphasis on them. The first aspect being 'Excellence' - to strive session 2020-21. Under this training them on emerging continuously for the best, without getting easily satisfied and without collaboration, Xebia will support Prof. Prakash Gopalan, Director technologies. We have becoming complacent with our achievements; the second aspect being TIET as the Industry partner and of TIET said, “We see this experienced the need for skilled 'Integrity coupled with Ethics' - which describes the ethos of XLRI. One help in curriculum design and partnership as a step towards manpower and are always looking cannot achieve excellence, long-term success without Integrity & Ethics, development, creating study providing our students with better for bright students who can join both go hand in hand; the third aspect relates to 'Whole person growth across modules containing high-quality opportunities in their careers. Xebia, upskill themselves and get quotients' – Growth of an individual across intellectual, social, emotional industry-specific content, and Being a pioneer in engineering industry-ready. Our collaboration and spiritual levels; and the fourth hallmark being 'Social Consciousness'-to strengthening the faculty through education, research, and with TIET only fortifies our belief be sensitive to the needs of the less privileged around us.” building a team of competent innovation, and ranked 27th in our course design and approach “We are happy that we have a new campus in the Delhi-NCR area. One of the educators with rigorous teach the amongst top universities by the towards industry-specific training reasons for going to Delhi is the growing demand for more business leaders educator programme. Apart from Ministry of HRD, we wanted to education. We aim to hire students triggered by the economic growth in India. These extension campuses, from imparting industry-specific build a strong foundation for our from this programme, provide its very inception, were conceived as 'an integral part' of XLRI Jamshedpur. technical knowledge, Xebia will students with the latest technology them internship and placement Our two campuses remain part of the same registered society, the same also facilitate the placement of trends. This collaboration with support to make them a part of our governing board, and have the same treasurer for all the campuses. Our graduating students. Xebia is to strengthen our future workforce.” institutional strategy visualizes both Jamshedpur and Delhi campuses as two With this partnership, Xebia students' capabilities and equip entities of the same XLRI institutional brand, and the students of both the Academy Global also introduces them with the knowledge of the campuses belong to the one and only XLRI”, he further added. Govt to soon launch National digital platforms for skills The new students will be taken through a Special Orientation Programme and jobs, healthcare, education: Secretary, MeitY drawn up by XLRI to update their knowledge before regular classes commence. This year the Orientation program will be conducted on a virtual The government will soon launch companies operating in India and technologies are coming and platform. the National digital platforms in they continue to grow during these joining several existing Every year the first-year students of XLRI undergo compulsory Village sectors like agriculture, times. These are captive technologies. This decade will see Exposure Programme and the Outbound Adventure Programme. Both education, healthcare, logistics companies who do designing, an immense amount of change. programs have been specially designed for students to create awareness using latest technologies. This R&D for products not just for There will be the growth of new about the realities of rural India and foster a sense of team spirit. This year was said by Ajay Prakash India but for the globe. “We are companies, new technologies, due to the pandemic, it would not be possible to organize these programs. Sawhney, Secretary, Ministry of trying to move from IT products to new ideas. Today, the Electronics and IT, Govt of India software products. We have a opportunities arising of all these 1st Virtual business lab for management while addressing a webinar policy on National software factors highlights that India is the 'Digital Bharat 2020: Digital-The products as well. The pandemic best place to be in. The use of students in Rajasthan New Normal', organized by has given us the realization that technologies and with the FICCI, jointly with his ministry. we need more software products capabilities available with us, this JK Lakshmipat University, Jaipur in collaboration with All India Sawhney said that his ministry is from India. The area of software is the time to tap the Management Association (AIMA), on July 31 unveiled the first-ever virtual moving forward to the actual products is one where we have opportunities,” emphasized lab for management students for business stimulation exercises. It is a first rollout of National digital been dependent on imports. It is Sawhney. such kind of lab in Rajasthan. BizLab will expose students to real economic, platforms in many sectors. “Each time to change and have software Abhishek Singh, President & environmental and business issues related to finance, operations, marketing one of them could be a factory of products of our own not just for CEO (Additional Charge), NeGD and other business functions. innovation and with the use of India, but for a global market,” and CEO, MyGov, Ministry of The digital business laboratory inaugurated in the virtual presence of H.P. newer technologies, incubation of said Sawhney. Electronics and IT, Govt of India Singhania, Vice Chairman & MD JK Paper Ltd, Neeraj Kapoor, Director, new products and services, it will Elaborating on the potential of said that we see greater adoption AIMA and Dr Ajay Data, Founder & CEO, Data XGen Technologies along benefit all,” he said. electronics manufacturing in of digital technologies across the with Dr R L Raina, Vice Chancellor, JKLU and Prof Asheesh Gupta, Pro Vice India, he said that in the last 6 sectors during COVID-19 times. Chancellor, JKLU. Secretary said that the use of IT years we have made progress in “There is no dearth of technology Dr Ajay Data, Founder & CEO, Data XGen Technologies, said, “We are in a within the government has reviving the activity in this sector, and the challenge is to leverage the very unique situation. If you look at the startup ecosystem in the past, the increased, especially in e- especially in the mobile technology & expertise and work most valuable startups were those who could solve a large problem. Today governance. He added that the manufacturing. “Currently we together to bring a Digital Bharat. we have thousands of problems and technology is helping us solve them government has launched a series have schemes attracting large This will not only meet the current more conveniently. More than 80 percent of the people are conveniently of projects at the National, state scale investments for not just challenges but also help us equip working from home today. Education has become more inclusive and we and local levels. “It is time to meeting the Indian requirements to meet future challenges,” he need to create more hirable and ready individuals from universities. With bring all these together. Each of but also for export markets as added. AIMA, we have lot of industry knowledge that will come in and it will help these projects is generating a well. There are immense He also talked about the growth bridge the gap in academics.” humungous amount of data. possibilities in the medical the digital payments, e-learning, JKLU's Pro ViceChancellor, Prof Asheesh Gupta said, “For us, the While each project is complete in devices sector, automotive digital awareness etc and how establishment of the AIMA Biz Lab at JKLU, the first in Rajasthan, marks a itself, the real strength of what we electronics, components, in Government of India leveraged very purposeful milestone. There is conclusive scientific evidence that we have comes alive when we knit defence, consumer and industrial technology as socio-economic learn best by doing. The purpose of our MBA programme, beyond imparting them together, we can add scale to electronics, drones and robotics. tool for development during domain knowledge, is to help students learn how to integrate and use it to meet the National demand There is a room for us to grow COVID-19 emergency. knowledge that is available and to be life-long learners. The AIMA Biz Lab, and requirements. As we knit quickly in these segments,” he Prof Rajat Moona, Director, IIT is a strategic step in this direction because AIMA also brings the advantage of them together and take industry said. Bhilai, talked about how the being industry and market backed and understands the management students' and other stakeholders along, Urging the industry to tap the education sector of India has capabilities.” there will be a lot of opportunities potential using new and emerging leveraged technology to move to Neeraj Kapoor, Director, AIMA, said, “The idea of the business lab is to which will be unlocked,” he technologies, he said that 2020 the digital platform during the expose the students about what is happening to the management world. It noted. will bring new opportunities that COVID-19 crisis. He stated, “ICT would be enhancing their capability and aiding their learning.” He also emphasized on the need are on the horizon. New infrastructure especially in rural for developing more software technologies are coming alive, India has played a huge role in IIAD hosts Virtual Orientation Programme products in India. He said that including 5G, IoT in various India' physical to digital India has strength in IT and IT- domains, AI, 3D printing, transformation.” for New Batch 2020 enabled services, and we have blockchain etc. “These Virat Bhatia, Chairman, FICCI large global and Indian ICT and Digital Economy Delhi-based Indian Institute of Art and Design (IIAD) recentlywelcomed a new batch 2020 of design students in their respective programmes by hosting its orientation event virtually this year in view of Covid19 pandemic. Students and their parents were introduced to the IIAD Community and were made familiar with the resources and facilities at the institute, the rules and regulations, and the calendar of academic events. Through their online orientation programme, the institute extended a warm welcome to its new members as they embarked on this journey of learning, growing and evolving as designers. The event was attended by the Director, Dean Academics, Administrative Head and the Faculty Members and Staff of IIAD.
Curriculum August 16, 2020 15 Useful News IGNOU launches certificate programme NEWS YOU CAN USE in Solid Waste Management IIT Madras invites this competition is to encourage The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has launched students for liberal and free a certificate programme in Solid Waste Management course. The applications for Online BSc Date of submission for expression of thoughts and to course has been offered for the July session taking note of the Essay Competitin on Atma discover/enhance the 21st- problems regarding waste management. The candidates can apply Degree in Programming Nirbhar Bharat-Swatantra century critical skills like through the website- ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in. Bharat extended till August communication skills, critical The programme consists of three courses – Introduction to Solid and Data Science 23 thinking, and problem-solving. Waste Management, Municipal, Agricultural, Industrial and It also focuses on building Hazardous Waste Management, Plastic, E-waste, Biomedical and Indian Institute of Technology In the run up to the Independence awareness of a liberal and Construction and Demolition Waste management. The Hindi will be Day celebrations in the country, professional framework that the medium of instruction, and the programme will have a minimum Madras (IIT Madras), ranked the Ministry of Human Resource will create deep-rooted duration of six months and maximum of two years. Development in partnership with professionals with multiple According to the varsity, the course will focus on key objectives- No.1 in India Rankings 2020 by MyGov had announced an online specialisations. A. To sensitise the learners about the problem of waste generation and essay writing competition for The registration link is its impact on the environment and human health. NIRF, opened its application specific age of school students http://vijaybhoomi.edu.in/forno B. To familiarise the learners with existing legislation, knowledge and (IX to X or Secondary Stage and tfor/ and the last day to register is practices regarding Waste Management in the country process for the newly launched XI to XII or Higher Secondary) 10th August 2020. The C. To prepare the learners with the ability to manage solid waste across the country. Now the competition will begin on 15th effectively. world's first ever online BSc Ministry of HRD has extended August and the final round will the date of submission for Essay be held on 22ndAugust. An online global citizenship education Degree in Programming and Data on Atma Nirbhar Bharat- The students will be evaluated Swatantra Bharat till 23rd based on parameters such as programme Science. Students may fill the August, 2020. The NCERT will understanding of topic, be the Nodal Agency for this language, persuasiveness, The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change has launched a free, application form to enroll in the event. delivery, use of cross- interactive, and game based online global citizenship programme. The subtopics under the main examination and rebuttal, and This programme will connect out-of-school students around the world Qualifier process and also upload topic for essay writing, that is, followed by Question & Answer in a safe and inclusive online space. The Ultimate Dialogue “Atma Nirbhar Bharat-Swatantra by judges. The rules, process, Adventure is a simplified version of the Tony Blair Institute's online the required documents and pay Bharat” are as follows: and format of the debate will be dialogue education programme, Generation Global, which has 1. For Atma Nirbhar Bharat the shared with the participants supported more than half a million young people and trained over the application fee of Rs. 3000. Indian Constitution and once they register for the 13,000 teachers from more than 30 countries to be global citizens. In Democracy are the biggest competition. India this includes 150,000 students across 17 states since 2009. The fees paid will give access to 4 enablers. Tony Blair, Executive Chairman, The Tony Blair Institute for Global 2. India at 75: A Nation Marching UK's University of Dundee Change said: weeks of course content for the towardsAtmanirbhar Bharat launches the MSc in “Throughout the world, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a huge 3. Atma Nirbhar Bharat through Educational Assistive impact on young people's learning, with over 60% of students qualifier process and the qualifier Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat: Technology course to worldwide affected by school closures. Being deprived of the chance Innovation thrives when there is tackle barriers faced by to connect with their peers in a school setting can affect their social exam. Learners can fill their unity in diversity disabled learners and emotional well-being as well as their education. Now more than 4. Digital India: Opportuinities in ever, young people need to learn how to think and talk about the applications on COVID-19 and Beyond Scotland-based University of world Generation Global is providing a new, safe online place for 5. Atma Nirbhar Bharat-Role of Dundee has launched a new them to do so through the Ultimate Dialogue Adventure.” https://www.onlinedegree.iitm.a students in National course with the aim of enhanc- The Ultimate Dialogue Adventure equips young people with the Development ing the learning experience of knowledge, 21st century skills and attitudes to become active, global c.in. The maximum number of 6. Atma Nirbhar Bharat- students facing barriers to their and open-minded citizens in a blended learning approach which can Independence from gender, caste education due to disability. The be used by students that continue with online learning, return to the applications are limited to and ethnic biases. MSc in Educational Assistive classroom or a mixture of both. It is designed for 13-to-17 year olds, 7. Atma Nirbhar Bharat: Making Technology within the and will enable students to: 2,50,000. Applications will be of a new India through Bio- University's School of Science lbe part of a safe and moderated online global community that Diversity and Agricultural and Engineering will train connects students outside of the classroom and across more than 30 closed once it reaches 2,50,000 Prosperity. individuals how to implement countries; learn the key skills of dialogue and global competencies – 8. While I exercise my rights I and support the use of technol- critical thinking, active listening, global communication, questioning applications or on 15th must not forget to undertake my ogy within education to enable and reflection; learn from global content and share their perspectives duties to usher in an Atma students with a broad range of on a range of topics, including the importance of education, the rights September 2020, whichever Nirbhar Bharat. learning difficulties and/or of women and girls, climate change, media and fake news, culture and 9. My physical fitness is my physical disabilities access beliefs. improve their communication skills and enhance English occurs first. wealth that will build the human curriculum. language skills capital forAtma Nirbhar Bharat Assistive Technology (AT) is The programme is open to 10. Conserve Blue to Go Green designed to ensure that students FICCI-Extramarks Smart Teacher Training for anAtma Nirbhar Bharat. are able to access and participate anyone who has passed Class Students may submit their entries fully in education, employment, Program Launched on the link below by 23rd August, entertainment and the wider XII, with English and Maths at 2020: environment as independently The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry https://innovate.mygov.in/essay- as possible. Different tools can (FICCI) has announced the launch of 'Smart Teacher' training the Class X level. Even the competition be used to support students with program in partnership with EXTRAMARKS, digital education high incidence, lower impact company. The key objective of this initiative is to up-skill and builds current batch of students who are Vijaybhoomi University to disabilities (for example digital capability of school teachers. host Debate Competition dyslexia, dyspraxia) through to Extramarks has been conducting pan-India virtual training sessions completing their Class XII in for schools on SDGs low incidence, higher impact for teachers empowering them to use digital learning platforms and disabilities (for example teach students digitally during this critical time. “Teachers across the 2020 are eligible to apply. Vijaybhoomi University, cerebral palsy, autism). country will immensely benefit from this joint initiative of FICCI/ Mumbai will host its first E-high The applicants to this Extramarks and will be able to learn the best teaching methodologies Graduates and working school debate on 15th August programme may be eligible for using technology particularly how to deliver concepts virtually and 2020. It is an international the University's Global measure learning outcomes,” said Atul Kulshrestha, Chair, FICCI professionals can also enroll competition for students in grades Excellence Scholarships of EdTech Task Force and Founder and CMD, Extramarks while adding, 11 and 12 from Indian and £5,000, which is awarded to “ Our collaboration will also help in integrating technology led themselves to this programme, as International Schools. The online those who have demonstrated pedagogy in school systems, which is at the core of NEP-2020.” debate competition will accord excellence through academic, 'Smart Teacher' is a Certified Training program. It will be conducted IIT Madras aims to remove all the winners with cash prizes extra-curricular, or voluntary through online modes which will consist of high-impact live sessions, worth Rs. 1,00,000 and activities. discussions, and activities. Teachers through comprehensive training barriers of age, discipline or certificates. programs will collaborate with a diverse set of peers to further enrich The debate competition will For more information about how their learning and professional network. It is a 3-day Capability geographic location and provide conduct four Rounds. It will start to apply, please visit the Building Program, devised to help teachers grasp the evolving with a Preliminary Zonal Round University website. pedagogical needs of their students. The Program also empowers access to a world class on 15th August, Quarter Final teachers in adopting New Age teaching-learning methodologies that Round, Semi-Final Round, and are practical in nature and in sync with their individual teaching style. curriculum in programming and conclude with the Final Round on The program is focused on embedding digital technologies in 22nd August. Each debating teaching and learning practices with innovative and engaging online data science to all aspirants encounter will be a 30 minute one content creation, classroom and lesson planning with effective on one encounter with an eminent assessment tools for measuring learning effectiveness and timely around the country. For more panel of judges. The objective of intervention to bridge learning gaps. details on eligibility, please check the website. As part of the application process, all applicants will have to go through a Qualifier Process, wherein they will get access to 4 weeks of video content for the four foundational level courses. Along with the content, the first three weeks will also include a weekly assignment for each course that needs to be completed and submitted online within the given deadline. Only learners who get minimum required average assignment scores in all four courses will be eligible to appear for the in-person invigilated Qualifier Exam. Prof. Prathap Haridoss, Professor-in-Charge, IIT Madras Online Degree Programme added “With our rich experience in the online education space, we are well-equipped to handle scale, provide an enriching and engaging experience to all the learners.” IIT Madras aims to provide equal opportunity to learners from all over the country and even from remote areas into this unique and first of its kind online undergraduate degree programme. IIT Madras will ensure that students who opt for the course have a high-quality educational experience from the comfort of their homes. For more details about the programme, please visit https://www.onlinedegree.iitm.a c.in.
16 Curriculum August 16, 2020 NewsPlus Year-long Dragonfly Festival 2020 by Unacademy forays into non-test prep space with the launch of Chess WWF India, BNHS, & Indian Dragonfly Society subscription World Wide Fund for Nature that societal participation for mass inform the public about the Unacademy, learning platform, announced it is foraying into the non-test (WWF India), in collaboration data generation on dragonflies is integral role that dragonflies, and prep space with the launch of a subscription for learning Chess. The course with Bombay Natural History imperative to understanding their their lesser known siblings will include valuable lessons, tips and tricks, and will be taught by 13 Society (BNHS) launched the lives, habitats and protection. Free damselflies, play in our international Grandmasters including Viswanathan Anand, Vladimir 3rd edition of Dragonfly and easy accessibility of this data environment. Through the 2 years Kramnik, Pravin Thipsay, Sriram Jha, Vijaylakshmi Subbaraman, Romain Festival 2020 on Aug 17. The for the public is key, and hence of this festival numerous field Edouard, Girish Koushik, Abhijeet Gupta and Sahaj Grover through pan-India festival dedicated to must be put on common visits with experts have been interactive Live Classes. dragonflies, aims to create platforms. organised and a total of 27 species The Live Classes are designed to cater to all Learners interested in Chess, awareness for the conservation The yearlong festival will include were recorded in Delhi, 5 of from beginners to those in advanced stages and even those looking to of these insects. a number of fun wildlife activities which were rare sightings. improve their game for competitive purposes. The Live Classes will be The Dragonfly festival 2020 involving sessions with dragonfly Radhika Suri, Director accompanied by in-class quizzes, personalised and immediate feedback to was virtually launched by Ravi experts, interactive webinars, Environment Education, WWF help improve each Learner's game, along with frequent mini tournaments Singh, SG and CEO, WWF prize winning competitions on India says “I strongly believe that to test one's proficiency level. With upto 200 hours of new content every India. Dr. Subramaniam, Photography, Art, Storytelling, this festival will inspire younger month from the masters of the game, Learners can choose between monthly (Scientist-E and officer-in- Quizzes, and much more. The generation to study odonates and and more long term subscriptions. charge, Southern Regional festival will also provide an help build awareness in their role While subscriptions are already available for chess enthusiasts to purchase, Centre, Zoological Survey of opportunity to people to as critical bio-indicators. the course will be launched on the Unacademy platform on August 15. A India) delivered an expert talk undertake citizen science projects Discussions and advocacy for preview of the course through daily Live Classes is available on the on the importance of on backyards counts, exploring conservation of these insects in Youtube channel 'Unacademy Chess India' where Praful Zaveri, the author dragonflies and the role of the dragonflies across India and India is the need of the hour.” of a critically acclaimed book on Chess, conducted the first Live Class for citizens in their conservation. documenting their unique Due to the current pandemic the course. Dr Subramaniam emphasised behaviour. situation, WWF India, BNHS, The Dragonfly Festival started in and Indian Dragonfly Society SC upholds termination of 8,882 ad-hoc 2018, is a way to educate and (IDS) along with, UNEP, UNDP, NBA and IUCN decided to teachers in Tripura Cambridge International conduct this year's Dragonfly Festival virtually. The Dragonfly The Supreme Court has upheld the termination of 8,882 ad-hoc teachers in releases results for June 2020 Festival 2020 aims at building Tripura, who were working in the School Education Department. A bench awareness about the importance comprising Justices U.U. Lalit and Vineet Saran said, \"In our view, series of these insects and the need to considering the fact that the very selection and appointments were found to conserve them. WWF India, be illegal and invalid, no other advantage can be conferred upon the In a year like no other, Cambridge International released the results of BNHS, and IDS will be training a concerned candidates.\" its June 2020 series on time, to thousands of schools around the world group of volunteers to lead In 2014, the Tripura High Court had terminated the appointment of 10,323 today (Aug 11). Altogether more than 950,000 grades were issued, to awareness programmes which government school teachers citing that the selection was contrary to the almost 4,000 schools in 139 countries. will sensitize people about the provisions of the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993. The In India, this year the most popular Cambridge IGCSE subjects are importance of dragonflies and High Court said that the appointments were arbitrary and illegal and First Language English, Physics and Chemistry and the most popular damselflies. These volunteers led suffered due to nepotism and favouritism. The Supreme Court in 2017 Cambridge International AS & A Level subjects are Mathematics, programmes will be conducted modified the High Court order and directed the state government to Economics and Physics. across the country and done complete a fresh selection process on or before December 31, 2017. 8882 Globally, the most popular Cambridge International AS & A Levels through the year. ad-hoc teachers were terminated on the completion of academic session this year are English (General Paper), Maths and Physics. The most Elaborating on the benefits of 2019-20 in accordance with directions issued by the apex court. popular Cambridge IGCSEs are Maths (without coursework), First dragonflies, Sohail Madan Centre Since 2010, a total of 10,323 undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate Language English (oral endorsement) and Physics. Manager, BNHS said teachers were appointed in different phases, and this was challenged in the Mahesh Srivastava, Regional Director, South Asia at Cambridge “Dragonflies are some of the best Tripura High Court. The teachers were supposed to retire after December Assessment International Education, said: “2020 has been a predators to keep mosquito 31, 2017 in accordance with the top court verdict. Later, they were inducted transformational year and has had a huge impact on teaching and populations low. Not only do they on an ad-hoc basis. In 2018, the BJP-IPFT government came to power and it learning across the world. With school closures, Cambridge learners scavenge the skies in adulthood, appealed before the top court, which granted a one-time final extension till were not able to take their June exams and therefore we developed a but they eat a large number of March 31, 2020. rigorous process for awarding assessed grades. Throughout the mosquito larvae in their larval process we worked closely with schools and aimed to create a level form. Dragonflies can be the playing field and ensure that our grades are fair.” Christine Özden, Chief Executive, Cambridge International, said: “In WE INVITE YOU TO BECOME PART OF a unique situation Cambridge International had to respond quickly so that our global community of Cambridge students stayed safe, but INDIA'S EDUCATION STORY! could progress with their education. I would like to thank our schools and teachers for the huge amount of effort they put into supporting our You can advertise in curriculum magazine or and also put an awarding process for the June 2020 series, which has enabled us to advertorial highlighting your company/services/campus/ products etc. provide students with reliable and trusted grades this year. I hope our This will greatly support your marketing effort and enhance your students around the world can now move forward with their lives, and visibility and recall value with your current and potential clients come through this experience stronger and more resilient, after what has been a very challenging time for everyone.” OUR FOCUS This year Cambridge International took the decision not to hold exams for its global June 2020 series. Instead, it engaged with education — We cover latest news, product launches, current events and trends authorities, governments and schools around the world to develop a — News features, Guest Articles, Expert columns robust process for awarding students with assessed grades. — Career counselling, Skill India, Entrepreneurships “Our awarding process combined teacher insights – predicted grades — School/College /university events and rank orders – with a rigorous standardisation process, keeping — Achievements by students, faculty, institutions teacher judgments consistent across different schools. This ensured — Education Technology — Study Abroad grades issued for June 2020 would be fair and reliable and accepted by — Institution/people profiles universities and employers globally, in the same way as any other year,” she added.
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