Education News India

Beijing sets standard for teachers

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Beijing: Beijing has set new standards for Chinese language teachers who teach foreign students, authorities said.The education department has introduced a new qualification certificate for teachers.A total of 400 teachers have qualified under the new system, and are working 95 public schools in

Stockholm school to hear Bihar success story

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Patna: The emerging significance of Bihar as a potential rural market for urban consumer products and services will be detailed at the Stockholm School of Business.According to V. Mukunda Das, director of the Chandragupta Institute of Management Patna (CIMP), the Bihar model would be the focus of a

A university brings South Asian nations closer

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 19:00:00 +0000

New Delhi: Just two years into its creation with the aim of forging closer cooperation among neighbours, the South Asian University here is already bringing nations of the region closer.The university, which was established in 2010 after an inter-governmental agreement at the South Asian

Chinese school replaces books with iPads

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Beijing: A high school in China has equipped its senior students with iPads in a bid to replace books and help students in their studies.Jinling High School in downtown Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu, has provided 30 students with the Apple tablets to reduce the burden of school bags from at least

Indonesian varsity students now know more about India

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Jakarta: Students at the University of Indonesia here got to know India better, thanks to a string of programmes that included a short film, Indian dances, introduction to yoga and a demonstration of Indian cuisine.Jawaharlal Nehru Indian Culture Centre and the Indian embassy presented the series

Education tool that understands child's needs and abilities

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Kochi: Edualert, a US-based Education Management Company with an avowed aim to revolutionise the education system in India, has just launched a new education tool, Learn 360, which adjusts to the capabilities of the students.The content for this tool has been generated by over 200 providers --

Harvard conducts case study on Farhan's Excel Entertainment

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:00:00 +0000

New Delhi: The famed Harvard Business School (HBS) has done a case study on Indian film production company Excel Entertainment, the banner behind movies like "Dil Chahta Hai", "Rock On!!" and "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara".The company, co-owned by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, is the centre of a

Over six mn Latin American, Caribbean kids not in school

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Bogota: Around 6.5 million of the 117 million children and adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean do not attend school, the regional office of Unicef said on Friday.Another 15.6 million youngsters currently in school may find themselves forced to drop out, according to the Unicef report,

British kids don't find reading interesting

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 19:00:00 +0000

London: A study in Britain has warned of children increasingly viewing reading as not so interesting an activity possibly due to their involvement with the internet and television, as about a fifth of them would be embarrassed on being seen with a book by friends.According to the National Literacy

Discovery Channel to air 10-part series on coal

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 19:00:00 +0000

New Delhi: At a time when coal is dominating the political discourse in India, a 10-part Discovery Channel television series titled "Coal" premieres on Sunday.A Discovery Networks Asia Pacific release said: "Discovery Channel in its new ten-part series 'COAL' will go underground to explore

Job placements more important than building skills for engineering colleges: IET-Feedback Survey 2015

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 12:13:00 +0000

85% of the industry and 55% of engineering colleges are of the opinion that the colleges focus more on job placement of the students instead of building their skills and research capabilities!

CBSE announces UGC-NET June 2015 results today

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 09:12:00 +0000

CBSE has today announced the results of the University Grants Commission - National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) that was conducted on 28 June, 2015.

Ankit Fadia: beware of this "unethical" hacker & his books!

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 04:58:00 +0000

Hardcore security & cryptography enthusiasts and seasoned techies in India dismiss him as a fraudster whose "books" are full of content copied (plagiarized) from other security publications and websites

After B.Voc, UGC introduces Master's degree in Vocational Education

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 11:24:00 +0000

The University Grants Commission (UGC) plans to introduce a master's degree in vocational education (M.Voc)

Education loan just a click away on Snapdeal!

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 11:07:00 +0000

India's favourite online marketplace, Snapdeal, that sells everything under the sun (clothes, books, footwear, furniture, appliances etc.) will now also be providing education loans online in partnership with Credila!

Google with Tata & Udacity to offer online Android development "nanodegree" in India

Wed, 23 Sep 2015 08:22:00 +0000

Online university and MOOC (massive open online course)provider, Udacity is bringing its "nanodegree" program to India with the support of Google and Tata Trusts. The course will train students in Android development.

Odisha girl's water purifier using corn cobs (bhutta) wins at Google Science Fair 2015

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 12:37:00 +0000

Lalita Prasida Sripada Srisai is a 13 year girl from Koraput, Odisha who has won the Community Impact Award at the Google Science Fair 2015. She's created a a novel and cheap method of cleaning waste water from domestic and industrial sources by using corn cobs (known as bhutta in Hindi)!

Girls in this Chennai engineering college can't talk to boys, ride 2 wheelers, celebrate birthdays, colour their hair!

Mon, 21 Sep 2015 09:43:00 +0000

A list of rules meant for girls of an engineering college in Chennai that has been doing the rounds on social media reveals the extent of absurdity being imposed in the name of instilling discipline on campus.

2 Indian institutes finally in top 200 of QS World University Rankings 2015

Wed, 16 Sep 2015 10:22:00 +0000

London: For the first time ever in the history of QS World University Rankings, two Indian institutes have made it to the top 200 list.

Learn to dance along with engineering in this IIT!

Wed, 16 Sep 2015 07:21:00 +0000

Bhubaneswar: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Bhubaneswar has included "Odissi", one of the classical dance forms of India, in its 4 year B.Tech curriculum from this year onward.

When schools and parents clash

Thu, 06 Aug 2015 12:18:49 +0000

Lack of open communication between parents and school authorities is diminishing trust and respect between them. This in turn has caused many unfortunate incidents that could have been avoided, reports Puja Awasthi.

Where is teaching headed in the Modi regime?

Wed, 18 Mar 2015 05:06:41 +0000

Despite the simplistic articulation of teachers' roles and teaching, including that by PM Modi, and the alignment of education to a broader nationalistic agenda, could there be potential ‘teachable moments’ under the new regime? Shivali Tukdeo and Savitha Suresh Babu explain.

The false promise of a demographic dividend

Fri, 09 Jan 2015 04:44:42 +0000

Much is made out of the proportion of youth in India’s population and what it could mean for its economy and progress. However, statistics and trends in education and employment within this group do not paint a promising picture, points out Kannan Kasturi.

Why ‘skilling’ India must focus on schooling

Wed, 17 Dec 2014 03:33:09 +0000

The thrust on vocational skills and values among the youth has more often looked at solutions based on extraneous skill-development modules. E S Ramamurthy explains why a more skilled future workforce must entail fundamental reforms in schooling.

Who will lead the anti-corruption agenda in the health sector?

Wed, 12 Nov 2014 04:09:44 +0000

The conduct of election of members to the Medical Council of India in 2013 and its subsequent actions over the past year have underlined the brazen corruption in the regulatory body. Developments in the health ministry raise doubts over whether these issues will be tackled at all. A round up

A better life through literacy

Tue, 21 Oct 2014 03:35:48 +0000

The broad-based Community Based Functional Literacy Campaign launched by the State Resource Centre of Rayagada, Orissa aims to educate women and drop-out girls in three of the most backward districts of the state. Abhijit Mohanty summarises the key take-aways so far.

Who will broaden their horizons?

Fri, 05 Sep 2014 12:56:56 +0000

On the eve of Teachers’ Day, PM Narendra Modi called upon teachers across the country to inculcate broader perspectives and greater social responsibility among students. But given the shortage of teachers and crippling social malpractices, how realistic is that vision?

Building a library a day

Thu, 28 Aug 2014 04:26:39 +0000

Entrepreneur and social activist Pradeep Lokhande’s project of setting up a library every day across rural schools in Maharashtra is helping many poor students see the light of a new day. Ramesh Menon reports on this unique initiative.

Should Modi now steer India towards Gujarat?

Tue, 01 Jul 2014 07:58:12 +0000

The Gujarat development model has been widely credited with the potential to change India’s future. As the new government completes a month in power, Ramesh Menon stresses the need to seriously question if it is really one that should be replicated in every Indian state.

A dream come true, but can it seed another?

Mon, 19 May 2014 07:24:20 +0000

The overwhelming mandate won by the BJP under Narendra Modi has led to continuing upward rally in the markets, but can it also inspire similar cheer in the social space? Shankar Jaganathan remains optimistic.

How parties are wooing the young voter

Mon, 14 Apr 2014 10:24:11 +0000

The huge number of voters among the youth could well emerge to be the real game-changers in the parliamentary elections of 2014. Tanvi Bhatikar looks at the manifestos of the three main parties to see what they have to lure young voters.

Why Bihar’s child is different from Himachal’s

Tue, 08 Apr 2014 03:45:54 +0000

The Integrated Child Development Services scheme was launched to address the nutrition, health and learning needs of all children below six years of age. Ankita Aggarwal shares findings from a survey that point to the huge variations in implementation and effectiveness.

The real and present threat to our future

Mon, 20 Jan 2014 00:00:00 +0000

India is at a turning point and needs a holistic education system to meet the requirements and expectations of various existing and emerging sectors. Unless there is a revamp, our youngsters have a bleak future, says Ramesh Menon

A school for me too

Wed, 15 Jan 2014 00:00:00 +0000

The Nanagu Shaale programme of a Karnataka-based NGO shows why the national Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan's provision of home-based education for children with special needs may in practice defeat the ideological objective of inclusion. Satarupa Sen Bhattacharya reports.

Helping Pardhi children aim for the sun

Mon, 18 Nov 2013 00:00:00 +0000

While state atrocities against Pardhi communities show few signs of abatement, a small school in Mahadev Basti in Usmanabad, Maharashtra brings a ray of hope. Shirish Khare reports.

Ballia: Chasing elusive dreams

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Lack of development and unmet aspirations in India's villages and small towns not only raise the pressures arising from rural-urban migration, but also trigger an overall sociological malaise that is so difficult to dispel. Puja Awasthi reports from Ballia in eastern Uttar Pradesh, a stark example.

Why India needs an alternative model of development

Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Apathetic, inefficient government and mindless pursuit of Western consumerist ideals by a few have brought India's marginalized millions to a state where the judiciary has to intervene to enforce the most basic of rights. Often, without effect, as Sakuntala Narasimhan finds.

Shielding campuses from violence

Sat, 04 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Violence during college union elections, the death of a protesting 22-year-old student in police custody and a resultant chain of events have led to earnest debates in West Bengal over whether students should stay away from active politics. Promona Sengupta explores the reality underlying prevailing sentiments.

A good school for Maqbool

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +0000

The refrain of late has been that a Muslim middle class is developing, implying that Muslims are beginning to do well in the country. Why, then, is it so hard to find Muslim children in elite schools, asks Firdaus Ahmed.

CAG finds gaps in Arunachal education

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +0000

While the infusion of SSA funds has helped the State make considerable progress on many counts, there is still much to be done, to ensure all the necessary inputs flow to the schools. Himanshu Upadhyaya reports.

Struggling to go beyond the basics

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Sikkim leads the nation in per-student expenditure by quite some distance, but bureaucratic hurdles to progress common elsewhere are to be found here too. Himanshu Upadhyaya reports.

Tamilnadu's striking progress in welfare

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +0000

The better education and health outcome indicators in the southern states compared to the north, has been acknowledged for a long time. And yet to see it with ones own eyes really drives home the poin,t say Reetika Khera.

Funding at a snail's pace

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0000

All the increased budgets for education in the country may not amount to much, if the States don't move the money fast enough to the intended uses, which is not happening now. Himanshu Upadhyaya reports.

Universal education, minimal learning

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Tripura's proclaimed progress in ensuring high attendance and sufficient numbers of teachers doesn't stand up to scrutiny. There are many holes in the numbers as well as quality. Himanshu Upadhyaya reports.

Uniform, but unworkable

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The desire for quality education for all children is noble and surely one shared by all. But Tamilnadu's Samacheer Kalvi makes that more difficult, writes Parth Shah.

The Reservation syndrome

Sun, 10 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There has been a needless focus on the Right to Education Act's provision of aspirational seats in private schools. Only a small fraction of public schools students can benefit from this, writes E S Ramamurthy.

Focus on learning outcomes

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Sikshana's programs show that significant increases in learning outcomes can be achieved in government schools if additional funds are properly targeted. We need more interventions of this kind, writes E S Ramamurthy.

The big fight over RTE

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

It is the first meaningful attempt by the Government of India to make good on a promise it made at the time of Independence itself, and yet, the RTE law has ended up in the courts. What happened and why? The India Together editorial.

Unlearning the untruths

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The debate over improving government schools in India is eerily similar in tone and content to the failed ideas that were advanced in the US. We need to steer a different path, writes E S Ramamurthy.

Imperiling public education

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Most private schools are not elite at all, contrary to public perception, and the Right to Education Act will let them run amok at the expense of the public education system, writes E S Ramamurthy.

A drama on campus

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Will the FTII, which once encouraged plurality of cinema, be reduced to providing skilled labour for an assembly line production system of films? Students and alumni are worried. Shoma Chatterji reports.

Still wielding the cane

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Despite the law and various rulings prohibiting it, corporal punishment continues to be practiced widely. And it is left to victims themselves to take up the challenge of ending it. Shoma Chatterji reports.

The knowledge economy and the knowledge society

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The reasons for the decline of Indian academia are more complex than just the influence of IT, however significant that might be, writes Rajesh Kasturirangan.

A serpent in paradise

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The UGC and the Ministry of HRD must rehabilitate a fine scholar persecuted merely for asking that a place of learning focus on the practice of learning, writes Ramachandra Guha.

Manipur schools closure: boycott enters third month

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

For over two months, young Manipuris have boycotted schools and colleges in the state. Two killings in broad daylight in Imphal, including one allegedly custodial, have resulted in the deadlock. Thingnam Anjulika Samom has more.

Poor parents pushing children into English schools

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Recognising that government schools with their Tamil medium education do nothing to ensure a good career path or ensure employment, parents are stretching themselves to make the shift in rural Tamilnadu. Still, plenty of challenges remain reports Krithika Ramalingam.

Many bridges to cross for children in Krishnagiri

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The odds of children in villages in Krishnagiri district, Tamilnadu, making it to college are one per cent, ten times below the low national average. Some interventions are helping, finds Krithika Ramalingam as she records the many realities here.

From awareness campaigns to real change

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal would do well to assess the learnings from two recent and major HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns, before "looking into the ban on sex education", if he really wants to make change, writes Charumathi Supraja.

In 2009, bonded and bundled out of school

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Stone quarries, brick kilns, sand mining and silk weaving are stealing SC/ST children out of school in Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur districts of Tamilnadu. Krithika Ramalingam reports on the hard reality these children face.

The chancellors' vice

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The quality of teaching and research in Indian universities has rapidly declined. Surely this has something to do with the manner in which we appoint those at their helm, writes Ramachandra Guha.

Alarming malnutrition pushing children out of school - I

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Tamilnadu leads the country in nutritional interventions and yet has alarming levels of hunger in children. Research indicates that is a very likely cause of poor schooling achievement and drop-out rates, reports Krithika Ramalingam.

Calcutta HC steps in against corporal punishment

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

A division bench passed a series of orders last month while hearing a public interest litigation alleging that the West Bengal government had failed to enforce the ban against violence on children in schools. Shoma Chatterji reports.

Alternative advantage, shackled by regulation

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

A number of NGO-run schools in Tamilnadu are making a clear difference in helping underprivileged chilren get a better shot at the real world, in comparison to state-run schools. Still, the schools themselves need help, finds Krithika Ramalingam.

Zip through class V, drop out at class X

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

With Tamilnadu being a high-ranking state in the Educational Development Index in the country, one would expect children in government-run schools in metros like Chennai to be ahead of their counterparts elsewhere. Wrong. Krithika Ramalingam did a reality check.

Kerala revises controversial school textbook

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The K N Panikkar committee recommended a change in a controversial chapter of a social sciences textbook that triggered violent agitation on the grounds that it promoted atheism and communism. P N Venugopal has more.

Higher education: The underbelly of privatisation

Sat, 08 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Too many new self-financing private institutions present a dismal face, offering poor quality at high cost to millions of students, but going scot-free as the bureaucracy looks away and politicians cash in. Kannan Kasturi reports.

Children in the crossfire

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0000

A CRY report from Nandigram finds that children's experience of the violence there is intensely personal. Their vocabulary now includes words like shilpo, santrash and proshashon. Shoma Chatterji reports.

Learning loss and the education bureaucracy

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The government school system is not a rationally driven and coherent apparatus of state policy. Instead, its everyday work is continuously and varyingly reshaped in the light of social, institutional, and policy related inflections, write A R Vasavi and Rahul Mukhopadhyay.

School textbook issue spirals into political row

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The new class VII social science textbook in Kerala has become the cause of clashes. Groups agitating against the book allege its content is anti-religion, while the state curriculum board says it propagates religious tolerance. P N Venugopal reports on the controversy.

Pushed over the edge

Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 +0000

A spate of suicides by students in Lucknow has parents and school administrators equally worried. Puja Awasthi reports on the reasons behind this alarming trend.

A creeping insularity

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000

At Santiniketan, Tagore's presence still inhabits many buildings; the keepers of which buildings are often knowledgeable about his legacy. But the place needs to be de-parochialised to make it once more inclusively Indian, writes Ramachandra Guha.

Fighting to learn in their language

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000

For a miniscule community of East-Bengali origin living in in Maharashtra, it has been a long struggle for the right to learn in their mother tongue. The community has won some victories recently, and much more remains to be done. Aparna Pallavi reports.

Missing chapter in history of universal schooling

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The centenary of admitting Dalit children into public schools in Kerala is an opportunity to remember Ayyankali, whose leadership of the movement isn't part of mainstream history. A proper retelling of this history is now the responsibility of a new generation of historians, writes N P Chekkutty.

Assessment to action: The example of ASER

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000

With data available for several years, comparative report cards can be created to look at the performance of states across the country and of districts within a state. Rukmini Banerji and Wilma Wadhwa look at the example of ASER in education.

Unwilling learners pose special problems

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The challenge of educating street and railway children is more than an education problem - it is a holistic problem of moulding and supporting their entire lives. Aparna Pallavi reports on the efforts of CNI-SSI in Nagpur.

Know disaster, no disaster

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Over 400 children from 36 schools in Pune participated in the two-day event on 'Children - Disasters and Sustainable Futures' on 4-5 January this year. They gathered knowledge about disasters and how to best manage in such situations, ensuring minimum loss of life and property. Rasika Dhavse reports.

Pioneering library sparks volunteerism

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Launched after a successful international pledge campaign in 2007, the Bakul children's library in Bhubaneshwar is slowly turning into a node for various kinds of volunteering. Professors, young artists, students, organisers and others have started chipping in. Sailen Routray has more.

Children fix their own schools

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Since 1994, the Socio Economic Development Trust has succeeded in drawing some 11,000 dropouts in 220 villages of Maharashtra back to school through unique village-level children's organisations called Bal Panchayats. Aparna Pallavi reports.

The Dr Watson problem

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000

As a young country with many technical problems, we need an army of Holmeses who can solve them. But the Macaulay-inspired education has always suited the Watsons, who cannot. Until this changes, there will be little hope of swaraj in ideas, writes Rajesh Kasturirangan.

Snakes and Ladders arming children against disasters

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Pune-based firm Neeti Solutions has designed a unique version of the popular game Snakes and Ladders, aimed at teaching children about fires and earthquakes and how to cope best in such situations. Rasika Dhavse has more.

Jointly-owned job orientation

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000

A skills training programme that links potential employees' learning programmes with the specific needs of employers provides a new, scalable option for helping millions of unemployed young persons find jobs. Surekha Sule reports.

What price, education?

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Hundreds of farming families are making a beeline to Karanja from surrounding districts in the hope of a better education for their children. Although this has brought financial as well as a other problems, these families feel they have little choice. Aparna Pallavi reports.

Tripura focuses on education for tribals

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0000

A wide range of programmes and strong financial support have helped Tripura raise access to education for its tribal population. Ratna Bharali Talukdar on the many incentives that anchor the state's efforts to bridge the learning gap between tribals and non-tribals.

A toolkit for development reports

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0000

In 11 of the poorest districts in the country, a citizens' audit of development, modeled on an earlier study of education, helps residents themselves easily identify how their areas fare on key measures. Rukmini Banerjee and Shanti Jagannathan introduce PAHELI, the People's Audit of Health, Education and Livelihoods.

Their secret status and a risky schooling

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0000

HIV-positive children are being thrown out of school in Uttar Pradesh by insensitive teachers and parents alike. Many parents are afraid to let schools know that their children are positive, and the state's machinery has failed to raise any awareness, as a major study has shown. Puja Awasthi sounds the warning bells.

Tripura promotes Kok-Borok in tribal schools

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0000

In 2005, the Education department of Tripura decided to give a push to Kok-Borok as a medium of instruction at the Junior Basic level to help tribal students learn in their mother tongue. Ratna Bharali Talukdar reports on the challenges as well as the gains from a strong focus on education in recent years in the state.

For street children, a pot-holed path to learning

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0000

On the streets in Guwahati, there are thousands of children outside the reach of the normal schooling system. Many have run away from their homes, and most must work to make ends meet. Ratna Bharali Talukdar reports on the challenges of bringing them into the mainstream.

Laureates meet: reminder to shackled Indian sciences

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0000

In July, 18 Nobel laureates met with over 500 young scientists from around the world in Germany. India sent 22 researchers. The meeting threw up many questions pertaining to the practice of scientific research in India. Varupi Jain has more.

Caste discrimination persisting in U.P. schools

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 00:00:00 +0000

On Independence day, a District Magistrate in U.P. handed over three teachers of a primary school to the police, during a surprise school visit. School children are among the worst sufferers in the state; they continue to pay for a system they neither moulded nor understand. Puja Awasthi reports.

In conflict zone, a battle to secure futures

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:00:00 +0000

With large parts of the state experiencing regular conflict between insurgents and security forces, and also between various ethnic groups, children in Assam, many of them forced into relief camps, face the risk of losing all access to education. Ratna Bharali Talukdar reports.

Catalysing rural jobs through targeted training

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 00:00:00 +0000

In the major metros, a range of new vocational courses is helping high school students find jobs in the rapidly industrialising sectors. What about job-seekers in small towns and rural areas? Padmalatha Ravi reports on two NGO-led training innovations in Tamilnadu and Karnataka.

State of Muslim education in Kerala

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 00:00:00 +0000

In Kerala, considered a role model for other parts of the country, almost all Muslim children up to the tenth standard are in school, numbers that compare well to that of other communities. Yet, the story is very different when one looks at higher education, writes Deepa A.

Training in local languages key for new jobs

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0000

The latest vocational education courses are presenting job opportunities for high school graduates that their poor parents lacked. Institutes conducting bilingual training are particularly helpful for students who are very likely to have not schooled in English medium. Padmalatha Ravi has more.

Assam's high schools and colleges - a mixed bag

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0000

The Assam government has claimed credit for the rise in pass percentages in high schools in recent years. But, reports Ratna Bharali Talukdar, a closer look at the numbers shows there is still much room for improvement in state-funded education in high schools and colleges.

School choice looms for poor students

Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Government schools are unable to deliver quality education in most cases. This has prompted some to argue for vouchers - coupons from the government to be given to parents that would let them admit their children in private schools instead. Krithika Ramalingam reports on a movement that is gathering steam.

People's school for water literacy

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000

A private high school in Sirsi, in northern Karnataka is not stopping at imparting academic education. It has also started teaching practical water literacy to the people of five Malnad districts. The rain centre at the school, with 28 examples of rain water harvesting, opened in early June. Shree Padre reports.

Courses and jobs aplenty, but students uncertain

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000

In Karnataka, job-training programmes are on offer at a number of institutes, and yet, students unable to make it into college are not lining up in large numbers. Ironically, a manpower crunch exists across industries at the entry level, placing employers in a bind. Padmalatha Ravi digs deeper.

Wanting to study, daring to dream

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000

In U.P., the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya scheme - instituted under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in 2005 to ensure access and quality elementary education (Class 6-8) for disadvantaged girls - has opened new doors hitherto closed because of discrimination and poverty. Swapna Majumdar has more.

Bringing disabled kids back to school

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000

When a teacher specially trained to handle children with special needs started work at a local government school in Bangalore, children were benefited and stopped dropping out. Padmalatha Ravi has more.

Funded, controlled, and run aground

Sun, 10 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Meghalaya's vocational training system, despite being funded by New Delhi as well as the state government, has two problems. One, there is dearth of adequate number of Industrial Training Institutes (ITI). Two, the placement record is poor and does not generate demand. Ratna Bharali Talukdar finds out what went wrong.