Students interest decreases in MBA course

Gwalior. Every course has its downfall and now it feel like the time has come for MBA course as on 18th entrance exam is there for MBA and for 18000 seats only 9000 students have applied for it.

According to business examination board entrance examination of MBA is facing continuous decline of applicant. This news is a big shock for private colleges as the students will be less in number so most of the seats will remain vacant this time too.

According to private colleges Common Management Admission Test is organized all over India for students who wanted to do MBA but decline in the strength on applicants has struck as thunder on MP’s private colleges. According to the experts the main reason of this decline is poor placement. On the other hand students are not happy with infrastructure and education level of state colleges; they feel that they have better opportunity if they do their masters from other state.        

Admit Cards of AIPMT 2012 on websites

New Delhi: It is brought to the notice of all the candidates who have applied for All India Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Entrance Examination 2012 being conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education, Delhi that Admit Cards of Candidates for Preliminary Examination to be held on 1st April, 2012 have been uploaded on the following websites:

www.cbse.nic.in and www.aipmt.nic.in

The Candidates are requested to download their admit cards from the Board’s website.  Admit Cards shall not be sent by the Board. In case, the application of the candidate is shown as ‘NOT RECEIVED’ or discrepancy cases with remark ‘Pl Contact CBSE on or before 21.03.2012’, the candidate should contact CBSE at the following on or before 21.03.2012 by 17.00 hours with details of the Post Office, Date of Dispatch, Original Receipt of Postal dispatch, Photostat Copy of Confirmation Page and Demand Draft, two photographs as pasted on the Confirmation Page:

The Deputy Secretary (AIPMT Unit)

Central Board of Secondary Education

CBSE Headquarters,

2, Community Centre, Shiksha Kendra,

Preet Vihar, Delhi-110301

Fax : 011-22509251, Ph:22059683,  E-mail: dspmt.cbse@gmail.com

The ‘Directions for Candidates’ given on the Admit Card are required to be followed.  Some of the important directions to be followed are:

1. Please check your Name, Date of Birth, Category, Sub-Category (Physically Handicapped), Question Paper Language and photograph in the Admit Card carefully. In case of any discrepancy, communicate to the CBSE immediately.

2. Candidate must preserve the Admit Card till the allotment of seat in Medical College/Institution.

3. Calculators, Log Tables, Calculating Devices, Mobile Phones, Pagers & Other Communication Devices, Side Rules, Geometry Box and Textual Material etc. are not allowed inside the premises where examination is being conducted.

4. Any infringement of instructions shall entail disciplinary action including ban from future examinations.

Orissa HC directs state govt to proble rape allegations

Cuttack: Orissa High Court has issued notices to the state government to investigate allegations of sexual exploitation of tribal girls in government-run residential schools.

The division bench of Chief Justice V Gopala Gowda and Justice B N Mohapatra yesterday issued notices to the state government asking the government counsel to obtain instructions within 15 days and fixed the matter to be heard again after the state governments reply. The HC notice came while hearing the PIL filed by social activist and lawyer Prabir Das, who is also the petitioner in sensational Pipili rape case.

Das has alleged that a class IX student of a Bolangir-based government school was raped in the school by two teachers in July 2011. While a police case is pending against the two erring teachers and a woman peon of the school for helping the teachers, the girl was thrown out of the school.

"Moreover, the girls parents have migrated to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh in search of livelihood, leaving the girl alone at home to go through the agony and trauma," the petition said urging the High Court to interfere and direct the government to pay a damage of Rs five lakh to the victim.

The petition has also sought the HCs direction to the state government to ensure protection, rehabilitation and resumption of studies of the girl. Besides, the petitioner has also brought to the notice of the HC about similar incidents taking place in other places.

While a class-IV girl of a Koraput-based sevashram was allegedly raped by the school headmaster in October 2011, four minor girls (all of class-VIII) in Nabarangpur residential school were sexually exploited by the headmaster in 2010. 

Law colleges running short of teachers

KOCHI. It looks like law is taking its own course in terms of student-teacher ratio at the law colleges in the city. Paucity of staff is a big problem, said authorities. The majority of teachers are either appointed on contract or are guests. “The ratio stipulated by the Bar Council of India (BCI) is 1:60 and UGC 1:40, but we have 80 in each batch of the three-year course and 100 in each batch of the five-year course,” said A S Saroja, Principal, Government Law College Ernakulam.

The high number of students is taking its toll not only on legal education but also on the teachers’ vocal chords as they do not even have mikes. “Teachers are struggling to manage classrooms with a student strength of 80 and 100 which leaves less room for individual attention, more posts have to be created,” said Principal A S Saroja. It is a professional college and education can be imparted in a better way if each class is divided into two, especially now that the standard of education is deteriorating in every field, including law, she said.

The classroom culture it not what it was a few years ago when passion for the subject, dedication and hard work were the watch words. Unhealthy competition, speedy work which compromises on quality and the race for material wealth giving scant regard to values on the campus is losing out on its very purpose. Today parents have no time to instil values in children. The dangerous part is that some of these students opt for teaching, she said.

Paucity of teachers is a big problem. The National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS) is short of permanent staff. “There are only 11 permanent lectures and notification for two more posts has been given. As per BCI norms, we can accommodate 80 students in a class,” said Registrar V Narayana Swamy. Around 25 lecturers are guests and on contract.

The dearth of permanent staff is also an issue at School of Legal Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology. The student strength is less, around 20 in each batch but more permanent teachers are needed. “Though there are posts for 24 full-time teachers, we have only six permanent staff,” said Director V S Sebastian.

Law colleges running short of teachers

KOCHI. It looks like law is taking its own course in terms of student-teacher ratio at the law colleges in the city. Paucity of staff is a big problem, said authorities. The majority of teachers are either appointed on contract or are guests. “The ratio stipulated by the Bar Council of India (BCI) is 1:60 and UGC 1:40, but we have 80 in each batch of the three-year course and 100 in each batch of the five-year course,” said A S Saroja, Principal, Government Law College Ernakulam.

The high number of students is taking its toll not only on legal education but also on the teachers’ vocal chords as they do not even have mikes. “Teachers are struggling to manage classrooms with a student strength of 80 and 100 which leaves less room for individual attention, more posts have to be created,” said Principal A S Saroja. It is a professional college and education can be imparted in a better way if each class is divided into two, especially now that the standard of education is deteriorating in every field, including law, she said.

The classroom culture it not what it was a few years ago when passion for the subject, dedication and hard work were the watch words. Unhealthy competition, speedy work which compromises on quality and the race for material wealth giving scant regard to values on the campus is losing out on its very purpose. Today parents have no time to instil values in children. The dangerous part is that some of these students opt for teaching, she said.

Paucity of teachers is a big problem. The National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS) is short of permanent staff. “There are only 11 permanent lectures and notification for two more posts has been given. As per BCI norms, we can accommodate 80 students in a class,” said Registrar V Narayana Swamy. Around 25 lecturers are guests and on contract.

The dearth of permanent staff is also an issue at School of Legal Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology. The student strength is less, around 20 in each batch but more permanent teachers are needed. “Though there are posts for 24 full-time teachers, we have only six permanent staff,” said Director V S Sebastian.

College students fall ill due to food poisoning

Thane.  More than 20 students from an engineering college fell ill due to suspected food poisoning after eating food at their hostel, police said today. The incident took place on the night of March 15, after students at the Engineering College in Pasine village of Murbad ate their dinner and complained of vomit ting, giddiness and stomach problems,they said.

All of them were rushed to a medical centre at Murbad yesterday after their condition deteriorated. Later they were shifted to the Ulhasnagar central hospital, where they are undergoing treatment, police said. According to police, a total of 22 students were affected and samples of food eaten by them haven been taken and sent for analysis. 

British Council scholarships for Indian students

The British Council has announced 60 new ‘Jubilee Scholarships' for Indian students for this year.

British Prime Minister David Cameron announced the scholarships on Saturday.

The scholars will receive full funding for a one-year Masters course in the U.K., starting September 2012.

Funded by the British Council and the U.K. government, the scholarships have been launched as part of the celebrations for HM The Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

The aim is to enable exceptional talent from across India to come and study Masters course in business, administration, manufacturing, science or technology. It will be open to applicants from all over India, and aims to include students from every State.

It is anticipated that well over 1,000 applications will be made, with several rounds before the successful candidates are chosen.

Rob Lynes, British Council's Director in India, said: “We're delighted that we're able to offer this opportunity for sixty Indian scholars to study in the U.K. A scholarship is a fitting way to mark the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee, as it is the creation of new opportunity — not just for the student, but for the host institution to benefit from Indian perspectives and ideas, for new friendships to be made and new links to be created and fostered between our two countries.”

YCMOU convocation held

Nashik: As many as 73,436 students were declared as eligible for degrees and diplomas at the 18th convocation ceremony of the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU) held today.

A M Pathan, Vice-Chancellor of Gulberga-based Central University of Karnataka, was the chief guest at the ceremony held at the 150-acre YCMOU campus here.

YCMOU Vice-Chancellor R Krishnakumar presided over the function and read out the university's annual report.

Of the total recipients, 48,464 received their degrees and 21,420 got diplomas in various courses ranging from Ph.D, M.Phil to hotel management and catering operations.

VC of Agriculture varsity happy over special grant

Hubli, Karnataka: The Vice Chancellor of University of Agriculture Sciences Dr R R Hanchinal here today expressed his happiness over the Union Government allocation of Rs.50 crore special grants to the University to take up various developmental projects.

Talking to newsmen, he said North Karnataka was proud to be enlisted as the most prestigious among the five universities.

He said it was heartening to note the Union Government has recognized Dharwad University of Agriculture Sciences among 54 universities in the entire nation.

He said out of the money allocated, a knowledge center giving impetus to research in the field of agriculture will be established in University Campus.

This will help in increasing the knowledge of the farmers in taking up modern farming. He declared a permanent place will be provided for 'Krishi Mela,' one of the most popular agriculture festivals, from funds allocated to the University.

He also said the grant will also be utilized for the improvement of quality of education and welfare of the students of the University.

The Forest College of Sirsi in Uttara Kannada and Agriculture College at Hanumanamatti of Haveri District will be provided basic infrastructure from the fund.

Over 6 lakh unemployed persons registered in J-K

Jammu: District employment and counselling centres in Jammu and Kashmir have registered 6.03 lakh unemployed persons upto the end of 2011, a state minister said.

“District employment and counselling centres registered 6.03 lakhs unemployed persons upto end of 2011 in the state,” Minister for Higher Education, Abdul Gani Malik said here. Of these 3,133 were illiterate, and rest educated unemployed youths, the minister said.

Malik said the Employment Facilitating Agency has been effectively steering implementation of Sher-e-Kashmir Employment and Welfare Programme (SKEWPY) to provide job opportunities to the youth.

Referring to Voluntary Service Allowance (VSA) coverage, the minister said that 34,474 educated unemployed youth have been covered as against 24,724 of last year and an amount of Rs 9.39 crore has been disbursed among the beneficiaries.

He said the expenditure is expected to cross Rs 25 crore by the end of this financial year as the coverage rising steeply in next.

He said 2,704 units were set up during last fiscal, providing employment to 5,950 persons and 3,201 units have been set up during current fiscal providing employment to 6,960 persons as on ending February 2012.

The minister said that during the last two years, 39,000 appointments have been made through PSC, State Services Recruitment Board and Police Recruitment Board.

Employment Department is coordinating with Government of India in implementing “UDDAN” project envisaged by the Expert Group On Employment wherein educated youth shall be placed and employed in the corporate sector commensurate to their skill level, he said.

Under the Seed Capital Fund Scheme implemented through the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) about 1,104 units have been cleared by the Steering committee involving loans of Rs 66.75 crores and seed capital of Rs 36.88 cores, the Minister said.

So far 8 proposals envisaging training and employment of about 12,000 unemployed youth have been approved by GOI. The target is to train 40,000 educated unemployed in five years, the minister said.

Assembly informed about central fund in Nagaland

Kohima: Nagaland government told yesterday, the state assembly that it had received Rs 212.16 crore and  Rs 43.06 crore from the Centre under Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyan (RMSA) respectively during 2008 to January 2012.

Replying to a question from opposition leader Tokheho Yepthomi, School Education Minister Neiwang Konyak tabled in the house the documents contaning year-wise break up of the total amount distributed to each school during the same period.

Later responding to a query, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio informed the house that 28 directorate buildings were constructed during 2001 to 2011, while 13 directorate buildings were under construction. He said over Rs 275 crore were spent for the purpose.

Rs. 3,800 crore proposal for revamping BHU

Varanasi: The Banaras Hindu University has made a Rs. 3,800 crore proposal for revamping the university and opening up new departments.

The university's working committee held a meeting in New Delhi yesterday and discussed the proposal for improving its infrastructure and opening up new departments under a five-decade vision plan, University Vice Chancellor Lalji Singh told mediapersons here today.

Under the proposal, the university will construct a 4,000-rooms hostel, new schools for science and management education and a separate cancer hospital. The Vice Chancellor said that residential buildings for around 1,000 employees will also be constructed.

Budget 2012: Over 21 Percentage hike in Right to Education funds

New Delhi: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Friday announced a hike of over 21 per cent in the budget allocation for providing free and compulsory education to children below 14 years.

"I proposed an increase in allocation by 21.7 per cent for RTE ( Right to Education) -Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan to Rs.25,555 crore," Mukherjee said in parliament.

The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is implemented in partnership with state governments and covers nearly 192 million children across the country. The programme aims at opening new schools in areas where none exist and strengthen infrastructure through additional classrooms, toilets, drinking water, maintenance and school improvement grants.

The finance ministry also raised the allocation for the secondary education scheme Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan.

"I propose an increase of 29 per cent for Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan to Rs.3,124 crore," Mukherjee added.

Under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, which became operative with effect from April 2010, no student up to Class 8 can be held back or expelled till the completion of elementary education. 

School education exempt from service tax: Finance Minister

New Delhi: Students and parents have a reason to cheer as pre school and high school education have been been put in the negative list, exempting them from service tax.

Students do not have it easy as education loans do not come cheap. This year, the student community was hoping that exemptions against education loans would be extended to 10 years from the current eight years. However, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee offered no such respite.

Education qualifications to a great extent shape the careers of students. However today coaching classes and private tuitions have started having a major impact on their educational excellence. However, Mukherjee has promised to ensure better flow of credit to students, by proposing a Credit Guarantee Fund which will be set up.

For 2012-13, Rs 25,555 crore provided for RTE-SSA representing an increase of 21.7% over 2011-12.

Students were hoping that service tax would not be raised further from the current 10% as it results in a hike in school and college fees as well as tuition and coaching centre rates. But Mukherjee has gone ahead  and hiked the service tax rate to 12%, adding pressure to family educational budgets.

Today education expenses have really sky rocketed and parents have to really think twice before choosing an institute. Changes of this kind are sure to impact a student's future career path.

6,000 schools have been proposed to be set up at block level as model schools in Twelfth Plan.

In Budget 2011, Pranab Mukherjee announced a substantial increase of 24% in the education sector. However, no changes have been mentioned in Budget 2012-13.

Rs 3,124 crore has been provided for Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) representing an increase of 29% over BE 2011-12.
The government failed to promote education among girls this time around. Mukherjee has not been able to deliver any specific provisions for easier educational loans for higher studies to girl students.

Many such students strongly felt that the time had come for the finance minister to take concrete steps in this regard and extend the moratorium on educational loans for girls as well as offer a softer interest rate.  This would have enabled girls to make up for their traditional disadvantage in obtaining higher and specialised professional education which would help them stand on their own feet. 

Budget 2012-13: Education Highlights

Many feel the Budget is positive for the education sector, with good amounts allocated to higher education and school education exempted from service tax

Times News Network

Pranab Mukherjee, finance minister, presented the Union Budget for the year 2012-13 on Friday, with reference to the state of the global economy and its impact on India. The Budget seems positive for the education sector, with good amounts allocated to higher education and school education exempted from service tax. 

Right to Education (RTE)-Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) received Rs 25, 555 crore allocation, showing an increase of 21.7%; while a 29% increase for Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan making it Rs 3,124 crore. 
As proposed, 6000 schools will be set up at block level as model schools in the 12th Five Year Plan. Besides, a Credit Guarantee Fund announced to be set up for better flow of credit to students.

In his Budget speech, the finance minister said: “In the 12th Plan, 6,000 schools have been proposed to be set-up at block level as model schools to benchmark excellence. Of these, 2,500 will be set up under public-private-partnership (PPP).”

An allocation of Rs 15, 850 crore was made for Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, an increase of 58% and Rs 11, 937 crore for National Programme of Mid-Day Meals in schools for the year 2012-13. Also, an allocation of Rs 750 crore was proposed for Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls, SABLA.  
Meanwhile, as a welcome move, the Budget has allocated Rs 1000 crore for National Skill Development Fund.

B Muthuraman, president, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in his response to the Budget for the education sector, said, “We are not too unhappy with the Budget. It is a positive Budget in terms of the focus and allocations made to higher education and the skill development programme.”

Dilip Chenoy, CEO and MD, National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC), too feels the Budget has come out positive for the education sector. 
“It is a rather positive budget as enhanced allocations have been made to the higher education, skills and vocational training. Besides it is a welcome move that school education has been exempted from service tax. Besides, the focus given on specific points such as the mid-day meals and the RTE makes it seem rather good,” he added.  

However, from the academic sector, E Abraham, director, XLRI School of Business & Human Resources, Jamshedpur, in response to the Budget said, it is a good move to increase the allocation to RTE – SSA by 21.7 % to Rs.25, 555 crore and by 29 % for Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan to Rs 3,124 crore. However, a regulatory body to ensure Right to Education is fully implemented in letter and spirit is an institutional gap that has to be plugged at the earliest.

According to him, the Credit Guarantee Fund to ensure better flow of funds to students is also a welcome move. However, the government must ensure that deserving students and parents are aware of such a fund. It is likely that there will be restricted disbursement of funds because of low levels of awareness about it. Government must link grants to desired outcomes and not dole out grants without any guidelines or desired outcomes. 

Gujarat amongst educationally backward states

Gandhinagar: With a meagre budgetary allocation of 13.9 per cent for education, Gujarat ranks amongst the educationally backward states in the country, state Congress president Arjun Modhvadiya said.

Gujarat ranked 14th in terms of budget allocation for the education sector, he said, during the discussion on budgetary demands for the Education Department in the Assembly.

“Number of students enrolled in state primary schools has dropped by 21 lakh. In 1999-2000, there were around 81.34 lakh students in primary schools, which got down to 61.32 lakh, a decline of around 21 lakh,” Modhvadiya claimed.

However, Education Minister Raman Vora refuted the claims, and blamed the Centre. “The Centre has allocated less than 50 per cent of the grants meant for the education sector, because of which the state government is facing hurdles in providing basic physical facilities,” Vora said.

“The number of students enrolled in schools has gone up primarily due to Kanya Kelavani Rath Yatra Shala Pravotsav and Gunostsav schemes, it has reached over 87 lakh,” he said.

For implementation of Right to Education Act, recruitment of 19,000 teachers was required, but only 15,000-odd could be recruited as Centre denied sanction, the minister alleged.

UP govt rolls out freebies to students, unemployed

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh cabinet decided to provide unemployment allowance of Rs 1000 per month to those over 35 years of age and laptops and computer tablets to class 12th and 10th passouts respectively.

The first cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav also decided to provide unemployment allowance to all those registered with the employment exchanges above 35 years of age and class 10 pass, Chief Secretary Anup Misra told newspersons here.

In another populist step, the cabinet decided Muslim girls passing class 10 would get financial assistance of Rs. 30,000 for further education or marriage without any criterion of income, Misra said adding there would be about one lakh such girls and the scheme would cost Rs. 300 crores.

According to estimates, there are some nine lakh registered unemployed persons and they will be provided Rs. 1000 per month from the next financial year and this would cost around Rs. 1100 crores on the state exchequer annually, Misra said.

In other important decisions in keeping with the SP election manifesto, the cabinet decided to provide tablets to all girl and boy students passing out of class 10th and laptops to all those passing out of class 12th on taking admission in the next class.

This would cover students of all the boards and schools in the state, including madarsa students, Misra said adding it was estimated that some 25 lakh tablets and as many laptops would be required for this scheme which would together cost Rs. 3000 crores per year. The scheme would come into force from this year.

Union budget: SSA gets Rs. 25,555 crore

New Delhi: Following are the highlights (education and skill development) of Union Budget 2012-13 presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha today.

* Rs. 1000 crore to be provided for National Skill Development Corporation in 2012-13.

* Integrated Child Development Scheme to be strengthened and restructured with allocation of Rs 15,850 crore.

* Right to Education (RTE) Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) gets Rs. 25,555 crore allocation, showing an increase of 21 per cent.

* Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan gets Rs. 3,124 crore (increase of 29 per cent ).

* 6000 schools to be set up at block level as model schools in the 12th Plan.

* Credit Guarantee Fund to be set up for better flow of credit to students.

Today's youth becoming more self-centric: Study

Washington: Today's youths appear to be more “Generation Me” than “Generation We”, as a new study has found that these youngsters are more self-centric and money-minded than their previous generation peers.

The study by researchers at San Diego State University in the US found a decline over four decades in civic engagement and concern for others, alongside increases in such life goals as making a lot of money.

“The data analysed here suggest that the popular view of millennials those born after 1982 - as more caring, community-oriented and politically engaged than previous generations is largely incorrect,” said the research team, led by psychology professor Jean Twenge.

While the rate of volunteerism appears to have increased among younger people, the researchers said this is probably due to schools instituting volunteer service requirements.

Twenge, the author of “Generation Me”, and her colleagues were surprised to see that the desire to save the environment notably declined across the three generations studied baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1961), Generation Xers (born between 1961 and 1981) and millennials, LiveScience reported.

For example, while five per cent of boomers said they did not made personal effort to help the environment, the proportion among millennials was 15 per cent.

The researchers examined survey data collected since 1975 from high school seniors, as part of the University of Michigan's Monitoring the Future project, and, beginning in 1966, from college freshmen, as part of the American Freshman survey by the University of California, Los Angeles.

Data on life goals showed a shift away from those related to intrinsic values, like developing a meaningful philosophy of life, towards more extrinsic ones such as being well-off financially over the three generations.

“Compared to boomers, millennials and Gen Xers viewed goals concerned with money, fame and image as more important, and goals concerned with self-acceptance, affiliation, and community as less important,” the researchers wrote in a paper published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

This shift may help to explain the generational increase in anxiety, depressive symptoms and poor mental health documented by other research, since an emphasis on extrinsic values over intrinsic ones has been linked with distress and declines in psychological well-being, the added.

Noor Mohammad takes charge as AMU's acting Vice-Chancellor

Aligarh (UP): Dr Noor Mohammad, a 1977 batch IAS officer, has taken over as the acting Vice Chancellor of  Aligarh Muslim University, sources said today.

His appointment comes after two months of uncertainty with last Vice Chancellor PK Abdul Azis' tenure having ended on January 17 last. Mohammad took charge last evening.

He will hold the position of VC till a permanent replacement is appointed. His name had figured prominently in the original list of suggestions for the post placed before the universitys executive council.

Mohammad said that his top priority for the job was to restore the essential ethos of the historic institution. “I will take steps to maintain law and order at the campus. A handful of trouble makers will certainly not be allowed to jeopardise the career of thousands of students who would like the academic calendar to proceed  peacefully”, he said.

In the past two months, there have been a spate of violent incidents at the campus in the absence of any stable university administration.

Born on July 30, 1951, Dr Mohammad is an alumni of AMU from where he obtained his Masters degree in physics in 1973. He earned his doctorate later from Lucknow University in Economics. In 1977, he topped the list in the IAS examination and was allotted UP cadre. Among the top positions he has held was that of Uttar Pradesh's Election Commissioner, a post that he held for several years.

Madras High Court criticises college over dismissal of students

Madurai:  The Madras High Court criticised an autonomous college for dismissing a boy and a girl student, for reportedly being in possession of mobile phones inside the college campus and for traveling together in public bus after the college.

The two students were pursuing first year BCA at the college.

Directing the college to re-admit the students, Justice V Dhanapalan said "in a civilised and developed society, free movement of students irrespective of the sex they belong to cannot be faulted by the institution. If it is construed in a wrong sense, there will not be any headway with regard to the day to day affairs of the students".

The judge suggested that a mechanism should be devised to administer a code of conduct to regulate the use of mobile phones in educational institutions.

"This court has much concern about the usage of cell phones in the manner as used by the students. It is for the State authorities, educational institutions and all other stake-holders in the respective field to evolve a mechanism with regard to the usage of cell phones by students", the judge said.

However mere possession of mobile phones inside the campus cannot deny a student his/her fundamental right to education, he added. "Education is a fundamental right for the students. Mere use of technological  advancement which causes certain inconvenience will not deprive them of their right to education", the judge said.

The parents of the students moved the court after the college initiated disciplinary proceedings against the students, without giving them a chance to explain them.

Criticising the decision of the college the judge said, "The (dismissal) order is ex-facie illegal, non-speaking with total non-application of mind besides being passed without affording an opportunity to the petitioners. It is violation of natural justice and the decision is totally unwarranted".

The judge issued directions to the college administration to re-admit the students in the college immediately. The period of absence of the students, during the dismissal, shall be reckoned as attendance so that it enables them to appear for exams in due court, the judge said.  

MSME LNIT College organized a Workshop on Industrial establishment

Gwaior:  In co-operation with government of India and MSME LNIT College organized on day workshop on Industrial Establishment. Students were given vital information on the establishment of small-scale and large-scale industry.

LNIT College organized one day workshop on Industrial Establishment with the help of government of India and MSME.

In this workshop students learn how to stat a business, why marketing and trading is important, and various other tips and techniques of business.

Salman Ahmed explained students that if you have your business then you are your own boss and you won’t find single working day as working day as you will enjoy each and every second of it.

Student runs away with the answer sheet in Gwalior

Gwalior. A student runs away with the answer sheet during 10th board’s mathematics examination on Thursday. An FIR is filed against the student.

MP board got struck with disaster once again when a 10th standard student Ram Lakhan toured the first page of the answer sheet and run away from the class room. 

After the examination got over teacher started checking the answer sheets of students and he got shock of his life when he saw the first page and few other page missing from one student’s answer sheet, before he can take any action student left the centre. Police has register FIR against this student. 

Medical College in Sonagir soon

Gwalior. Holy place of Jain community Sonagir is going to get its own medical college. At first city going to get dental college and later on all other medical courses will be added in college. Vivekudhay trust who will be running this college said that students will be provided best medical infrastructure with best faculties.

Sonagir going to get the gift of the year as vivekudhay trust is all set to open a medical college in the city. First Dental course going to start in college and the construction work of college is going to start in November and college will start in 2 years. 

Financially weak students will get best education.

Vivekudhay trustee said that students who belong to jain community and students who are not financially strong will get special concession in this dental and medical college. He also said that college main aim is to give country some of the best doctors, who can take country’s medical field to a higher level.       

African students seek education in India

LUDHIANA: Dulce Vania from Mozambique is studying for a management degree in India and is also a budding entrepreneur - she exports human hair to her homeland.

"I have stated a small-scale human hair export business. Back home, it is used for making various accessories," Vania told IANS.

Studying for a management course in finance from the Punjab College of Technical Education (PCTE) at Baddowal, close to the industrial hub of Ludhiana, Vania says that African students studying in India are trying to pick up entrepreneurial skills.

"Things back in our country have started to get better, but it still needs a lot of improvement. Some students here have started to work on small-scale," she said.

Ugandan Ilahi Marian is a pharmacy student at the PCTE. She hopes to open a well-equipped drug store back home to help enhance the health facilities there.

"There are only 10 multi-specialty hospitals in the whole of Uganda as far as I know. There is an urgent need to enhance the health sector as for every 1,000 people, there is just one doctor," Marian told IANS.

African students find it cheaper to study in India - and that too in a system that is better than in their own countries.

"In India, people make things simple for us to understand. In our country, we are taught in a very complicated manner. Also, Indian teachers are very affectionate and devote a lot of time to us," said Adam Semlambo of Tanzania, studying for a masters in computer applications course.

His countryman, Ummi Marealle, a student of management in international business at PCTE, concurs.

"The quality of education in India is much better than in other places. Staying in Ludhiana, thanks to industries like Vardhman, Oswal, Hero group and others, we get a lot of industrial exposure," Marealle added.

According to J.S. Juneja, a former president of the All India Management Association (AIMA), India is a role model for African students.

"Nearly 15,000 students from Africa are studying in India. India and African countries have a similar history. India has a well developed educational system. We also have a well-developed small-scale industries sector. Africa needs both and thus, Africans look at our country as their role model," Juneja said.

Naveen demands a Central Agricultural University in KBK region

Bhubneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to facilitate the  establishment of a central agricultural university in the backward area of the state.

“The ideal location for such a university will be any of the KBK (Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput) districts”, Patnaik said in a letter to the Prime Minister.

“I believe that an imporant component of extending the Green Revolution to the eastern region is to establish one or more central agricultural university in the region, especially in areas strategic to agriculture and possibly in the vicinity of backward districts”, he said.

Pointing out that Odisha has nearly 64 lakh hectares of cultivable land, Patnaik said “our state can certainly play a vital role in enhancing agricultural production in the country, which will go a long way in providing food security to the nation.”

The union agriculture ministry has already declared 2012 as 'year of horticulture' and Odisha is intensifying horticultural activities particularly in KBK districts to create more opportunities for tribal people, Patnaik said.

Melbourne University tops reputation ranking in Australia

Melbourne: The University of Melbourne has been ranked 43rd best university in the world and remained top in Australia in the 2012 Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings.

Melbourne, which has risen two places from the inaugural reputation rankings last year, is also the leading university in the Oceania region.

The rankings are based on a survey of 17,554 academics from 137 countries, according to the university statement released.

The survey asked academics to nominate up to 15 of the “best” institutions in their field of expertise, based on their experience and knowledge.

The reputation rankings complement the Times' annual World University Rankings, in which Melbourne is ranked 37th in the world and top in Australia.

The university Vice-Chancellor Glyn Davis said it was a tribute to the University's teaching staff and researchers that it had managed to improve on last year's excellent performance in the reputation rankings.

Davis said the result continued the trend of improvements in the University's rankings over the past few years.

College cannot dismiss mobile phone using students: HC

Madurai: Madras High Court criticised an autonomous college near here for dismissing a boy and a girl student, for reportedly being in possession of mobile phones inside the college campus and for traveling together in public bus after the college.

The two students were pursuing first year BCA at the college. Directing the college to re-admit the students, Justice V Dhanapalan said “in a civilised and developed society, free movement of students irrespective of the sex they belong to cannot be faulted by the institution. If it is construed in a wrong sense, there will not be any headway with regard to the day to day affairs of the students”.

The judge suggested that a mechanism should be devised to administer a code of conduct to regulate the use of mobile phones in educational institutions.

“This court has much concern about the usage of cell phones in the manner as used by the students. It is for the State authorities, educational institutions and all other stake-holders in the respective field to evolve a mechanism with regard to the usage of cell phones by students”, the judge said.

However mere possession of mobile phones inside the campus cannot deny a student his/her fundamental right to education, he added.

“Education is a fundamental right for the students. Mere use of technological advancement which causes certain inconvenience will not deprive them of their right to education”, the judge sasid.

The parents of tthe students moved the court after the college initiated disciplinary proceedings against the students, without giving them a chance to explain them.

Criticising the decision of the college the judge said, “The (dismissal) order is ex-facie illegal, non-speaking with total non-application of mind besides being passed without affording an opportunity to the petitioners. It is violation of natural justice and the decision is totally unwarranted”.

The judge issued directions to the college administration to re-admit the students in the college immediately. The period of absence of the students, during the dismissal, shall be reckoned as attendance so that it enables them to appear for exams in due court, the judge said.

Central planning to set up aviation university

Hyderabad: To bridge the shortage of skilled personnel in the aviation sector in the country, the Civil Aviation Ministry is planning to set up a full-fledged aviation university.

Union Minister for Civil Aviation Mr Ajit Singh conveyed in his inaugural address at the 3rd International India Aviation 2012 here. The project will enhance the supply of trained pilots and other skilled personnel in aviation sector.

Saying that the government was keen to set up world class training and education infrastructure in the country, he pointed out that the CAE Global Flying Training Institute at Gondia in Maharashtra and CAE Simulator Training Facilities at Bangalore are excellent examples of such endeavors.

The Civil Aviation sector in the country will see the emergence of several new institutions and robust regulatory framework to address growing challenges of safety and capacity in infrastructure, efficiency, viability of the sector and providing skilled human resources, including education and R and D effort, Mr Singh added.

Career Counsel 2012 - An enlightened event for the students

Chennai: Choosing a career is the most challenging decision for every students who will probably ever make in their life again.

To face this challenge confidently, Gemba School of HR organised a free career counseling event in the city recently. It educated hundreds of college students on various career options after their graduation.

Todays students need not only require counseling about choosing right career but also skills that will take them employable in the highly competitive job market.

“Career Counsel 2012”- An event provided an ideal platform for students to understand what career building is all about and how one can effectively get transitioned from college to corporate environment.

Eminent speakers from corporate fraternity G.D. Sharma, Principal Advisor, Beeline HR Advisory, R.Vijayakumar, Head, Organization Capability, TVS & Sons, Chennai, Sukumaran Mariappan, Head HR, Trimble Inc., Chennai enlightened the students about making right career choice and also highlighted industry expectations from the students.

This event was concluded with an Interactive session on “Campus to Corporate”- How to survive and thrive in corporate world. This was facilitated by Dr.R.Karthikeyan, the Director of GEMBA School of HR and is a renowned Clinical Psychologist and armed with two decades of hiring and training experience various corporate; he emphasized and made the students realize the importance of PASSION to achieve Career Success.

This event also acted as a platform for students to showcase their talent in Public Speaking Skill and the winners were awarded for their spectacular performance. Students from various Arts & Science and Engineering Colleges in and around Chennai were present for the event.

Seats go vacant, but zest for engineering colleges continues

AICTE processing 104 applications from trusts, societies

Despite several thousands of seats falling vacant in engineering courses in Tamil Nadu in the last academic year, the State's educational entrepreneurs have not lost their zest for starting new engineering colleges.

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) officials say they are processing 104 applications from trusts and societies for starting technical institutions, including over 50 applications for engineering colleges.

The State has 502 engineering colleges and 22 schools or institutes of architecture for which admissions are through a single window system of counselling under Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA).

Of the two lakh and more seats available under both government and management quota in engineering education, 42,000 fell vacant under the government quota and about 25,000 under management quota last year, say Anna University officials.

Last year, there were nearly 140 applications to start technical institutions but most of them were rejected initially for failing to obtain building certificates from the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP). Permission was granted to colleges in phases and the process continued even in the final stages of counselling.

“This year, the AICTE plans to complete the process of approval by April 30,” says an official here. The filing of online applications for academic year 2012-13 was closed by December 2011 and the processing of online applications with respect to all approvals for existing and new institutions would be over by March 31. 

After the verification of documents submitted by the trusts and societies, the AICTE Southern Regional Office here has forwarded the applications to the headquarters in New Delhi for further scrutiny after which inspection teams will be dispatched to verify the claims of the applicants in all aspects.

“If the approvals for new engineering colleges are issued early by the AICTE, it will be easier for students and parents to personally visit the campuses and check the infrastructure and faculty qualifications,” says Rhymend Uthariaraj, secretary, TNEA. Last year, some colleges could not be included into the admission process as it was too late.

The AICTE is thinking of freezing the number of engineering institutions from 2014 as States like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have breached the 500 mark. In the past five years, 40 to 50 new engineering colleges are being set up each year in the State. “We have written to the Tamil Nadu government seeking its opinion on the necessity for new colleges,” says a senior AICTE official.

The previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government had written to the AICTE not to approve new engineering colleges from academic year 2011-12 but the apex body for technical education continued to grant approvals (in the initial months of the AIADMK regime), pushing it past 500.