Newsroom

UGC retains Academic Performance Index for teachers’ promotion

The Times of India
March 12, 2013

Going back on its earlier decision to scrap the Academic Performance Index (API), a mandatory requirement for universities to select and promote faculty members, the University Grants Commission has decided to retain the Performance Based Appraisal System (PBAS) with API.

Why girls in India are still missing out on the education they need

The Guardian
March 11, 2013

Meena (not her real name) didn’t tell her parents when the older boys started harassing her on the hour-long walk to school from her home in Madanpur Khadar, south Delhi – grabbing her hand and shouting “kiss me” – because she knew she would get the blame, as if she had somehow encouraged them. She was right: when her family found out, they banned her from going back to school, worried about the effect on their “honour” if she was sexually assaulted. The plan now is to get her married. She is 16.

Over 3 lakh schools started under RTE: Economic Survey

The Times of India
March 1 ,2013

A total of 3,34,340 new primary and upper primary schools have been opened under the Right to Education (RTE) till September 2012, since the enforcement of the RTE April 1, 2010, the Economic Survey, released Wednesday, said.

Over 2,80,000 new school buildings have been constructed, and over 12,46,000 teachers have been appointed under the scheme in that time, the survey said.

Talking about the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, the report said about 105 million children had benefitted from the programme during 2011-12.

Awareness sends RTE admission applications soaring

The Times of India
March 7, 2013

When RTE awareness is still low in Bangalore, Dakshina Kannada district has shown the way. There is a rise in applicants seeking admissions for first standard under Right to Education (RTE) quota in unaided schools in the district for the forthcoming academic year. The Department of Public Instruction has received 1,306 applications for admissions to 161 unaided schools for 2013-14 as against 829 applications in 2012-13.

RTE: Call to supervise unaided schools, train teachers

The New Indian Express
March 10, 2013

News Corp education arm in tablet launch

Financial Times
March 6, 2013

News Corp is raising the competition with rivals as its Amplify digital education group unveils a $299 tablet designed for the classroom, featuring personalised learning technologies for students and new instructional tools for teachers.
School systems across the US are strapped for cash, but Amplify is betting that government and school authorities will continue to spend on technological upgrades.

The feds’ education power grab

The Los Angeles Times
Jan 24, 2013

In December, California’s application for a waiver from provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act was denied by the U.S. Department of Education. This, we were told, was because California had failed to embrace the federal department’s reform agenda, especially on issues of evaluating teachers.

Unconscionable politics hampers education

The Daily Star
Jan 5, 2013

Education first

The Hindu
Jan 23, 2013

Reiterating that education is an important sector for Microsoft Corporation, the IT major announced a global investment of $250 million over five years into its Microsoft Partners in Learning (MPIL) programme recently, taking its total investment in the program to $750 million over 15 years.

Without going into details of its investments in India, Lauren Woodman, Microsoft’s General Manager for Worldwide Education and Government Programs said that it was a key market for the company.

Adding glamour to D.Ed

The Hindu
Jan 28, 2013

Teacher education finds itself at a crossroads now. Never has the significance of providing future teachers the right training been more debated than in recent times. Realising the dire need to revamp existing systems of preparing aspiring teachers, who in turn prepare a whole generation of future citizens, concrete steps are now being taken to bring in the necessary changes.

Higher Education in 12th Plan

Economic & Political Weekly
Jan 26, 2013

The Twelfth Plan has chosen an approach that will promote private capital in higher education with an eye on profit generation – a stance contradicting present policy. It has not considered the alternate path of garnering resources for the public and private sectors through the creation of a National Education Finance Corporation.

Sudhanshu Bhushan (bhushan.sudhanshu@gmail.com) is with the National University of Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi.

Nursery admissions subject to outcome of PIL, says HC

Hindustan Times
Jan 29, 2013

In another hearing of a PIL filed against the point system followed by private schools for nursery admissions, the Delhi High Court said the validity of the admission process will be subject to its final verdict. But the court did not stay the admission process.

Child rights panel asks collector to ensure RTE forms

The Times of India
Jan 27, 2013

After receiving several complaints that the admission forms for the underprivileged children under the Right to Education (RTE) Act are not available in the private schools, the child rights panel has written to the district collector recently to ensure that forms are available. The collector has now asked the district education officer (DEO) to issue orders for the same.

Teacher education programme: State departments to discuss panel recommendations

The Times of India
Jan 28, 2013

The government has convened a meeting of state education departments here tomorrow to deliberate upon a panel’s recommendations on improving teacher education programmes which include pre-entry testing of candidates for admission to training institutes.

The Supreme Court-appointed Justice J S Verma Commission on improving teacher education system had submitted its report last August, with the suggestion of also exploring possibility of engaging teacher educators as visiting faculty in schools.

Decision on RTE for convent schools soon

The Times of India
Jan 29, 2013

The state education department is soon going to dispel the ambiguity that looms over the ‘leased’ convent schools whether they come under the ambit of the Right to education (RTE) Act or not. A decision in this regard is likely to be taken in a couple of days.