President Pranab Mukherjee gives reforms for university education

President Mukherjee attended the book launch of Vice President Hamid Ansari on Wednesday, May 8, counting the importance of university education in Indian scenario.

Why are universities so important for the President?

One of the most well educated politicians, Mukherjee marked the importance of universities in his life:

University tours helped in gaining more knowledge

He frankly described that being a visitor at various universities helped him learning a number of things

He is also obliged to the institutions for bringing in their inputs, which have "enriched my life and expanded the horizon of my knowledge"

"I am deeply grateful to them (institutions of higher learning) that at least at the fag end also, I got the right type of lessons from my gurus," he said.

Though we have such premium education institutions, where we are lacking behind?

President Mukherjee counts a number of flaws in higher level education system:

According to the President, India is losing its precious gems and great minds as many IITs prefer working with international companies abroad and not in their own country

As many as 2,000 students fly abroad in search of job, he mentioned in his speech

"This talent must be better utilised than promoting products of big MNCs (Multi-National Companies)," he said, adding that massive investments have to be made in research and development activities in order to make a "knowledge society"

He further augmented the audience by mentioning that "no Indian University got a Nobel prize for research in original"

Indeed, the President has been showing the importance of research in quality education in higher learning institutions.

What are the possible solutions?

"You can hold on your ground, no harm, but don't shut the windows as Gandhiji said 'I refuse to be blown off but I will not think of shutting the windows, let the free flow of window blow across my room so that I can enrich myself'," he said after receiving the book

Pointing towards 'academic freedom', President Mukherjee explained that the flow of information and thoughts should be free

He also emphasized on the need of the hour, which is to develop research and innovation cell in the universities. "If we cannot improve our educational qualities, educational standards in the basic areas like research and innovation then how will we occupy our rightful place in the high table of the comity of nations?," he asked, adding that there was surely "no lack of talent" among the students and teachers in the country

Teachers and academicians should be given more respect and recognition in the institution

Source: Indiatoday

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PG seats unrecognised in government medical colleges

Students practice hard to crack the entrance exams to get into one of the preferred colleges of their choice but the saddening part is 30 per cent of the post graduate medical seats have remained unrecognised in government medical colleges since 2013. The matter came into notice when the Medical Council of India (MCI) gave a few seats to some students, which were not legalised.

President of Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association speaks:

According to a report in The Hindu, the president of Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association, K. Mohanan gave the following information:

''80 per cent of the vacancies were at the entry and middle level''

"The MCI had brought in the stipulation of publishing original papers in 2014 for promotions"

"Before the new rule, ones who are making salaries at the professor level, they should not be penalised"

"There are departments where professors are even without a chair and table, less to talk of publications or other facilities"

On the contrary, Director of Medical Education Ramla Beevi said, "No PG seat had been lost, the fact remains that 208 doctors completing postgraduate courses in a year cannot register their additional qualification as the course remains unrecognised."

From this year, the government will hold the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) Phase 2 for the undergraduate students for admissions to MBBS/BDS courses in the session.  The exam is scheduled to be held on July 24.

Source: Indiatoday

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JNU students protest outside MHRD to demand OBC reservation

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students, along with their union president Kanhaiya Kumar, on Thursday, June 9, protested outside the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) demanding that reservation to OBC candidates be granted for appointments at associate professor level, following which 36 of them were detained.

Earlier, on Wednesday, the students had even visited the University Grants Commission (UGC) and submitted a memorandum urging to implement the OBC reservation at both professor and associate professor level in promotions and even asked for an increase in the number of national fellowships for OBCs.

What is the stance of the students in the matter?

According to PTI, the protesting students claimed that recently, the UGC had said that 27 per cent OBC reservation was applicable only at the level of assistant professor.

The students are demanding that the OBC reservation should also be implemented at professor level along with assistant professor level.

Claim made by UGC:

The UGC on Wednesday had clarified that no change had been made in the reservation policy for teachers in universities.

Police action:

As a preventive measure, 36 students were detained to maintain law and order situation, according to police officials. However, they were later released.

Another protest:

Just after being released from Parliament Street police station, the students again staged an agitation outside Uttar Pradesh Bhawan, this time to demand justice in the Dadri lynching case.

What initiated the protest?

A Mathura-based forensic laboratory's report that the meat collected from the crime scene in Dadri where 50-year-old Mohd Akhlaq was allegedly lynched over the rumour that his family had stored and consumed beef, was actually meat of cow or its progeny.

On this occasion, 25 students, including Kanhaiya, were detained from the spot and taken to the same police station.

Source: Indiatoday

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Delhi University's law faculty awaits BCI affiliation

Delhi University has only two weeks and a little more time left to upgrade themselves in all sense, including infrastructure and appointment of teachers of the law faculty. It is only after completion of the formalities that the Bar Council of India will affiliate them.

Law Faculty of DU at present:

The law faculty at DU is currently not affiliated by the BCI

In 2014, the Bar Council of India had cancelled all affiliations of the faulty due to poor infrastructure and meagre facility

Regarding the issue, one name came out in strong opposition of the court's verdict-- Tanun Narang

Narang moved to the court and also stood against the university's proposal to shift all three centres to a new building

The court had ordered in May for the law faculty to make changes such as introducing better infrastructural policies, installation of new boards, office, staff-rooms and certain plug deficiencies

The changes suggested by the Delhi Fire Service are to be completed by June 28

Moves to be taken after all changes are implemented:

    The BCI will inspect the new building by June 29 and July 7

    The new building is located near Chhhatra Marg near the Arts Faculty in North Campus

    The new building will be used as the law centre along with the already existing centre this year onwards

    A law faculty member said that the changes will be made before the new academic session begins on July 24

Source: Indiatoday

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Mobile app to be launched for admission ease in six government colleges

In an attempt to make admission procedures and applications easier and more convenient for the applicants, the Ministry of Human Resource Development has decided to launch a new mobile application for six government colleges in the city. The decision has been implemented by UT Higher education department for the government colleges in Chandigarh.

About the mobile application for colleges:

The application for mobiles is going to be launched in the next week

Through this, the application and admission procedure for students and their accessibility to forms will be much easier

The app will also have an online payment mode, i.e., e-banking facility

This is the first time that admissions for six government colleges will be adapted by means of a mobile application

Easy application procedure:

The app is being launched for students to be able to apply on the go, instead of having to log in through computers or laptops

Since mobile phones are much easier and handy, the purpose will not be defeated

Apart from the app, admission details and requisites will also be available on the website

The app will also provide an easy feedback system to the higher authorities of education with regard to facilities available in college

With everything going digital, students will also be informed about the admission and progress in the same by means of text messages on the phone

More information on the app:

The initiative to launch a mobile app has been taken under the Rashtriya Ucchatar Shikcha Abhiyan (RUSA) of the MHRD

The six government colleges have tied up with 40 banks for easier processing in e-banking

Yet another development for easing the admission procedure easier is the idea of involving telecasting a short film for the 2017-2018 academic session

Source: Indiatoday

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Anna University announces admission dates for TNEA

Anna University in Tamil Nadu has announced admission dates for 2016 batch. The Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA) for the university will begin on June 26.

Counselling dates for admission:

Rank list will be published on June 22

Call letters can be downloaded from the official website of the university

Admissions at Anna University will begin with counselling for sports quota applications

Counselling for those from the differently-abled category will begin from June 25

June 27 is the starting date for the general category counselling session

More on admission at Anna University this year

A total of 1,85,070 applications have been received

1,34, 722 applications that were received online have also paid their fee

The students along with one female companion will be accommodated in the campus on the first come first serve basis

For more details on the counseling for admission, visit the official website www.annauniv.edu/tnea2016

Anna University in news earlier:

The university was lately in the news with regard to their income by means of re-evaluation and re-checking of answer sheets.

Apparently, it made an income in crores for the same, which was justified by the dignitaries as a necessity for educational facilities in the institute and for catering to the teachers at the university.

Source: Indiatoday

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