My School vs Your School

What does the Indian voter truly want? Her expectations have ranged, over decades, from the minimum of bijli-paani-sadak and naukri to the over-arching dream of vikas to any arrangement that conforms to the calculus of caste and religion. Surprisingly, for a country with a large young population, education has rarely been considered the stuff of exciting political contests — even if it makes a significant difference to opportunity and income. And so it is both novel and heartening to see the education ministers of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh sparring over the state of public schooling in their respective states. Much of it has to do with the Aam Aadmi Party’s decision to contest UP assembly polls in two years from now. In Delhi, the AAP’s push to funnel resources into the public school system has not only seen changes in government schools — but also reaped electoral benefits. The AAP’s pitch to UP led to a challenge from state education minister Satish Dwivedi, who invited Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia to visit government schools in UP to see their credit-worthy state for himself. Sisodia promptly turned up at Lucknow, where he was stopped by UP police from carrying out his surveys.

Optics aside, there is no better time than this pandemic-struck year to make education a matter worth fighting over. Several surveys as well as anecdotal reports have flagged a nationwide crisis in learning triggered by the closure of schools. That crisis is likely to be more acute in the northern states, which, even before the pandemic, lagged behind the south in the provision of public schooling. For instance, the Niti Aayog’s School Education Quality Index (SEQI) 2019 ranked UP right at the bottom of the large states. An analysis of ASER reports from 2006 to 2014 also shows a sharp fall in the already low-reading levels in UP’s government schools. The geographical divide in learning is an outcome of historical investments made in public schooling in states like Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Southern India’s head-start in education, arguably, is also thanks to a larger, more effective politics of social justice. The Delhi government has done well to walk on that path.

Education is, not surprisingly, a political hard-sell, given the difficulty in quantifying its gains and given how tangled it is in social bottlenecks of caste and gender. But for Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, an exchange of repartee between their ministers might serve to bring education some welcome political attention. At the least, it will be a refreshing change from a politics so accustomed to the fever pitch of identity that it neglects the grim material realities holding India’s aspiring youth back.

‘Primary education has to be child-centred, not performance-centric’

Alka Sharma, who received the prestigious CBSE ‘Best Teacher’ award for the year 2019-20 in the primary teacher category, believes in her mantra of 4Ds — determination, devotion, dedication and discipline. Being the only teacher from Punjab to have won the honour, this teacher from Bhavan’s SL School, says, it is time that approach towards primary education changes in India. She shares her ideas and understanding of her profession in a conversation with Neha Saini.

What has been your approach towards teaching all these years?

When I started teaching 12 years back, I noticed that the basic understanding of primary education is focused only on completion of curriculum. Learning has to be child-centric, especially in early classes, where a child's ability has to be explored. My approach is quite simple - one has to come down to the level of children while making them learn. You cannot force feed texts and concepts into a young mind but only learn with them. I believe the way a teacher treats her students in and outside class, is reflected in student's output. I had heard somewhere that you pass on your energy to your students when you enter a class - negative and positive.

The Tribune Interview

This generation of kids is quite technologically aware and digital classes have only increased their interest. For younger kids, the novelty of the entire online classroom is exciting and keeping them engaged. We have moved over the early challenges and I feel that even for primary school teachers, to have the opportunity to become technologically educated and empowered is very encouraging. But I still feel that revival of offline school education would be the best move, though with caution. —Alka Sharma, Primary Teacher

The performance pressure starts early. It has its roots in parental expectations and schools pushing for competitive education. What's your take on it?

I feel that there is systematic way of understanding a child's physical and intellectual capabilities. Nothing has to be shoved down a child's psychology, they need some breathing space too and parents as well as teachers need to know that. In most cases, it is seen that kids who are academic achievers tend to become emotionally unbalanced because of the stress we put on them. A 5-year-old or 8-year-old need not have to be judged by the numbers they get on report cards. Instead understand their natural learning graph.

What are the challenges of a primary school educator?

The biggest challenge is to understand the need of the student. For example, I had a student who was a slow writer but not a slow learner. So, I had to engage him during class by calling out his name in between repeatedly. When he got used to the idea of being called out randomly during class, he started to become more alert and used to complete 50 per cent of writing in classroom. Similarly, so many learning blocks can be detected at early age by teachers if they are bit attentive and empathetic towards students and understand what a particular child needs rather that feeding them with designed standard curriculum.

The two subjects you teach ie maths and value education (moral science) demand opposite approach in teaching. Which one's your favourite?

I have a similar approach in teaching both the subjects. I feel that the adjective 'tough' is wrong to be used for mathematics as it's a subject in which one can have fun and learn at the same time. One has to teach with examples and understanding the concept first. Similarly, moral education can only be taught by understanding the concept first.

What do you think of shift towards digital education for primary classes?

This generation of kids is quite technologically aware and digital classes have only increased their interest. For younger kids, the novelty of the entire online classroom is exciting and keeping them engaged. We have moved over the early challenges and I feel that even for primary school teachers, to have the opportunity to become technologically educated and empowered is very encouraging. But I still feel that revival of offline school education would be the best move, though with caution.

Revolution of Online Education: Advantages And Disadvantages

The COVID-19 lockdown came as a "shock" for several students as coaching classes and schools closed abruptly after the government announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown from March 25 to check the spread of the coronavirus. However, in 2020, one of the most oft-used terms after the pandemic is the term “new normal.” And the new normal in education is the increased use of online learning tools.

Coronavirus pandemic has triggered new ways of learning and has accelerated the process of adoption of ‘online’ as a viable mode for learning in 2020. In the past few months, the demand for online learning has risen significantly, and it will continue to do so in the future. Along with parents and students, for many educational institutes, 'online learning' is an entirely new way of education that they have had to adopt.

The number of those enrolling for virtual classes has witnessed exponential rises and the trend is likely to stay, the experts from the education industry said.

As with most teaching methods, online learning also has its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of Online Education:

Convenience

The first obvious advantage of online classes is the sheer convenience factor as it allows students/teachers to attend/take classes from any location of their choice. It saves hours as neither students nor teachers required to travel to a physical location for the classes.

Flexibility

Another advantage of online education is that the students have greater flexibility in choosing when the best time to study is. Students can search for whatever video they might have missed and catch up on class later!  All they need is an internet connection and a computer or a smartphone.

Reduces costs:

The major advantages of online education come down to economics. Online classes lower the tremendous amount of money for the learning institution and students. As institutes do not need to rely on reserving a physical location to teach courses, it ultimately translates to more cost-effective classes for the student.  

Also, having to show up at a physical classroom location increases travel expenses for students. Online learning cuts many of these costs, including those associated with hiring an instructor, booking a facility, printing materials, and travel. Even all the course or study materials are available online.

Vivek Goyal, co-founder and CEO of PlayShifu, said that while COVID-19 disrupted many businesses including the educational institutions, it has also crated a positive effect. "There’s already higher awareness and adoption of learning at home, and hence the increased demand will continue for learning-based products and services in every household," Goyal said.

Tech Savvy:

As we are now entering a new era — the revolution of online education, online classes have changed the concept of traditional education radically. It is also helping students as well as teachers to grow their tech skills.

Disadvantages of Online Education:

Lack of social interaction:

In a traditional classroom, Some students find comfort in group studies, lively group discussion, and thus easy access to professors or their fellow students. However, these moments do not arise in online learning. For some, these face-to-face interactions are a must to bring the material to life.

Technology Issues

The classic disadvantages of online classes center around technical difficulties. While on one hand, online education boost the technical skills of students/teachers, it has also emerged as another key challenge for them. Online classes are completely dependent on proper internet connectivity and functional systems(computers or smartphones). In smaller cities and towns, a consistent connection with decent speed is a problem. Without a consistent internet connection for students or teachers, there can be a lack of continuity in learning for the child.

CBSE Board Exams After February 2021, Dates To Be Declared Soon

The government remains undecided on when it would conduct the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams for classes 10 and 12, but said the exams would be held offline, after February 2021 and the dates would be "announced soon".

In an online interaction with teachers and other stakeholders on Tuesday, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal added that the exams - which are usually held in March-April - would not be postponed in view of the coronavirus pandemic, but the syllabus has been reduced.  

"I received a lot of requests from students and teachers to postpone CBSE board exams for Class 10 and 12. Keeping the COVID-19 pandemic in mind, we have decided that board exams will not be held in February. Dates would be announced soon," Mr Pokhriyal tweeted.

Unlike classes, the board exams would not be held online since "many schools are in rural areas", the minister said.

The government has been consulting students over the issue of conducting board exams and said majority were in its favour.

"The CBSE board exams will be conducted on a reduced syllabus. Thirty per cent of the total syllabus has been scrapped. While some states have declared as much, others are likely to make an announcement soon. There will also be 33 per cent internal choice in the board exam," the minister said.

"We cannot allow COVID-19 to impact students and have them labelled as COVID-era students who passed without clearing any exams. We have organised JEE, NEET this year. They were among the biggest exams conducted amid the pandemic," Mr Pokhriyal said in response to a teacher's query.

Despite widespread floods, partial Covid-induced lockdowns and soaring infections, lakhs of students wrote the engineering and medical college entrance exams - JEE and NEET - in September this year after the Supreme Court dismissed a bunch of petitions saying "life has to go on".

"Our government is in favour of students," Mr Pokhriyal said on Tuesday.

He lauded efforts by students and teachers for conducting online classes during the pandemic.

"Many countries have cancelled their academic year due to COVID-19, but the teachers of our nation continued to work hard and did not let the academic year get wasted," he said calling teachers Corona Warriors - a term used to laud doctors and other frontline workers.

He also gave instances of teachers using unique methods as alternatives to online education.

"Many teachers are imparting education via loudspeaker by travelling long distances on motorcycles... We are using initiatives like One Class One Channel, DIKSHA, Pathshala...around 800 radio programmes are being aired, and classes are also being conducted via television," Mr Pokhriyal said.

Mr Pokhriyal added that state boards are expected to follow suit on conducting offline exams and would declare the dates separately.

Tuesday's webinar was meant to answer queries about whether the CBSE board exams would be conducted online or offline and addresses teachers' concerns shared on Twitter.

The interaction was initially scheduled for December 17, but was postponed after overwhelming response by teachers amid the coronavirus pandemic because of which most schools across states have remained closed since March this year.

Many children at risk of not reaching their developmental potential

The National Education Policy 2020 addresses the learning crisis in India, stating, “Various governmental, as well as non-governmental surveys, indicate that we are currently in a learning crisis: a large proportion of students currently in elementary school - estimated to be over 5 crore in number - have not attained foundational literacy and numeracy, i.e., the ability to read and comprehend basic text and the ability to carry out basic addition and subtraction with Indian numerals."

Access to pre-primary education seems to be a lottery, dependent on where a child is born. Out of the 240 million children in India aged between 0-8 years, 74%, i.e; 178 million live in rural areas. Millions of children in both urban and rural pockets are at risk of not reaching their full potential because of inadequate nutrition, a lack of early stimulation, learning, and nurturing care, and exposure to stress. UNICEF data shows that over 43 % of children under the age of five are at risk of not fulfilling their full developmental potential.

Let’s debate this in terms of immediate and long term concerns.

Immediate concerns

a. Proficiency of children: 

The ASER 2018 report highlighted that 65 percent of Class V children in private schools in rural India could read a Class II level text, while only 44 percent of children in government schools could do so - a difference of 21 percentage points. This is grave considering that more than 60% of all Indian children in the age group of 6-14 are enrolled in government schools and only about 30% are enrolled in private schools.

Foundational literacy and numeracy are a way to interact with the world. The first 8 years of a child’s life are critical, as the rate of development is most rapid in that period. The foundations for success at school and later in life will be in place.

b. Availability of teachers: 

One of the challenges facing India’s state Governments is to prepare teachers for pre-primary education. One in 6 elementary teachers in India is not trained. The New Education Policy outlines many arguments; the most important of which is that currently India spends only 3% of its GDP on education and ranks 62nd in total public expenditure on education per student.

Pre-school programmes in India are known by different nomenclatures i.e. Anganwadis, Balwadis, nursery school, pre-school, preparatory classes, kindergarten, lower kindergarten (LKG), upper kindergarten (UKG), play centres, crèches, Balvatikas etc. Training teachers at these centers to impart foundational literacy is one of the primary infrastructural pain points in India.

2. Long-term concerns

Building earning potential: A poor start in life can lead to inadequate learning, resulting in low adult earnings as well as social tensions. Because of this shaky start, the affected people are estimated to lose about a quarter of their average yearly income, while their country may lose up to twice their current GDP expenditure on health and education. These consequences impact not only the present but also future generations.

A healthier population: Quality early childhood programs that incorporate health and nutrition help to ensure attendance in the short term and prevent chronic disease in the long term. Findings reveal substantially better health in the mid-30s with a lower prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. A healthier population that spends lesser on medical illness will be able to spend more on empowering its dependent population by making the right choices.

The consequences of not investing in ECCE are varied and far-reaching. To break this cycle of inadequate early education and children not reaching their full developmental potential, we need effective interventions across all levels of the Indian educational system.

Fortunately for India’s children, NEP 2020 talks about the primacy of ECCE - placing early learning at the fulcrum of education. Square Panda has been fortunate enough to work on government projects in Chhattisgarh, Chitrakoot, Sitapur and with the MCGM in Mumbai. We have focussed on the entire gamut from teacher training to delivering our foundational literacy and numeracy program. The program captures the learning outcomes of each child individually and our curriculum is curated by over 82 researchers across the world, comprising minds from Stanford and the University of California.

James Heckman, a Nobel Laureate in Economics had rightly shared that each additional dollar invested in quality early childhood programs yields a return of between $6 dollars and $17 dollars. That multiple- is India’s children being given the opportunity to reach their potential.

This article is written by Ashish Jhalani, Global CMO & Managing Director, Square Panda India.

Practical Benefits of pursuing EMBA

With the ever-changing dynamics of the corporate world, it has become all the more important to find a course that will take you to places. Academicians at Jaro Education are of the view that courses like EMBA have become one of the most sought-after courses for the working professionals to help them achieve their career goals.

Mentioned below are some of the practical benefits of pursuing EMBA:

Enhance your leadership potential

If you are a working professional, chances are, you’re working in an administrative job. Pursuing EMBA will help in improving your insight in various fields relating to your own including Finance, Marketing, Business Policy, Accounting to give some examples.

Move up the corporate ladder

More often than not, after gaining several years of work experience, there comes a period of stagnancy in your professional growth and work starts to feel monotonous. Opting for EMBA can provide you the much needed lift in your career which will help you in climbing up the corporate ladder faster.

A route to change career path

According to a survey conducted by the scholars at Jaro Education, it was found that many working professionals opt for EMBA in the hopes of changing their career path. Therefore, EMBA is also said to offer a gateway to shift the career path. The course is also widely popular among entrepreneurial enthusiasts who plan on venturing in new career opportunities.

Networking

The Executive MBA classrooms include a diverse pool of students, or rather, professionals from vast profiles, functions and sectors. Needless to say, this offers a massive opportunity of networking, interaction and learning. Moreover, since the guest faculty members are from the industry and corporate lineage, students get the chance to strengthen their networks which they can leveragefor seeking advice and developing their business.

 

Education is an essential activity. Ignoring schooling will have long-term implications

It was very nice to read reports about some states reopening schools, and some others planning to do so. Over the last several months, during the various ups and downs, lockdowns and unlocks, start-stop activities in both business and social spheres, one (near) constant feature has been the closure of schools. It is the easiest thing to do because the consequences are not immediately obvious. During the pandemic, they were the first to close nationwide and would probably be the last to open.

Various states have attempted to reopen schools, with limited successes due to the resurgence of the virus. Barring some attempts, such as conduct of entrance tests and optional attendance by some pupils, schools have remained out of reach for most. The recent attempts will also face obstacles, possible lead to a rise in local infections, and other disruptions, but let us hope authorities and parents are prepared to face these.

That brings us to a more fundamental point. Do we treat the education sector, schools in particular, as an essential activity? In the recent past, we have had big rallies, protests, social and religious festivities (on a reduced scale though) and crowded markets, busy roads and almost every activity, but the doors of schools have remained shut. We constantly talk about GDP growth rates but ignore schooling and education which determine, according to several scholarly studies, long-run development and growth.

Over the last nine months, human interaction in the real world has become a scare resource. The pandemic has forced us to prioritise activities over which this limited resource can be spent. Different societies have chosen to act differently in this respect. The European model has been to keep schools running as much as possible, with great innovations. Denmark and Norway opened schools early in April/May in a staggered manner — this didn’t lead to a second or third wave of infection. In the UK and Germany, schools reopened in August/September, and it was not smooth sailing for them. Some schools had to be closed temporarily, some (in Germany) adopted mass testing. Reopening schools could have contributed to some increase in infection numbers as well, but then all activities have produced such an outcome. But the government and school authorities deserve credit. For instance, the UK opted for a second nationwide lockdown in the first week of November but announced its resolve to keep schools open: It chose schools over non-essential business. Several countries in Europe did the same, signalling that schooling was to be identified as an essential activity.

Opinion |Learnings from Coronavirus pandemic can help in the fight against TB

Of course, such comparisons are not fair. The incidence of infection, the school support systems and budgetary burdens are different. But we should not dismiss these examples on the ground that these countries could keep their schools open because they are developed. It can be argued that they are developed because they consider schooling to be an essential activity and do their utmost to see students do not lose out. In fact, the UK’s education minister made it clear that “continuity of education is a national priority” and the government was threatening to take action against a local council which had ordered closure of schools!

Apart from intent, what else makes keeping schools open so hard in India? There are several factors. For example, average distance travelled by a student and the density of student population in any school are high. This makes it difficult to safeguard against the spread of the infection. While schools can bring in changes in terms of class arrangements, staggered lunch hours, reduction in physical sports, limited social interactions and year-group bubbles, they cannot control what happens outside their premises. But, more than these logistical factors, I would like to draw attention to two other issues.

The school system needs more decentralisation both in terms of governance and planning. Not all decisions need to be taken at the national or state level. Local councils or districts could have chosen to stay open, depending on the spread of the disease, their local needs and capabilities. In fact, we need this flexibility and freedom at the local level not just to keep schools open but, more importantly, to address the damages wrought by the pandemic. Inequality in educational capability has no doubt been exacerbated due to the closure of institutions during the pandemic. So once schools across the country reopen, it cannot be simply teaching as usual. Schools need to reassess the needs of their pupils and do utmost to attend to these.

The other issue has to do with the particular teaching methods that we tend to use. In an interesting study, economists Yann Algan, Pierre Cahuc and Andrei Shleifer (2013) show how teaching practices at schools have a sizeable impact on a student’s social capital. They distinguish between the vertical method where the teacher lectures and students take notes and ask questions and the horizontal method where students work in groups and ask questions to each other and the teacher. Obviously, countries as well as schools within a country use both forms but vary in the mix. They show that in societies where the horizontal method is predominant, generalised levels of trust in the society are likely to be higher. Students under the vertical system are also likely to have lower assessments (belief) of the value of cooperation. We now know how trust and cooperation affect the long-term growth of an economy. In India, we are probably more inclined towards the vertical method, where online classes are viewed as close substitutes of classroom experience.

Let me end with an optimistic note. If schools in England could stay open over the last three months or so, with alarming rise in COVID-19 cases all around and a four-week national lockdown, we should be able to bring children back to schools. Now that we are talking about vaccination strategies and candidates for early rounds of vaccination, let us treat schools as part of the essential sector and vaccinate teachers and school workers too. 

Board exams 2021: Education Minister’s interaction with teachers postponed

Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal’s interaction with teachers to discuss the upcoming board exams scheduled for December 17, has been postponed to December 22.

The education minister will be live on his Twitter handle and Facebook page at 4pm on December 22 to discuss the board exams and answer queries and concerns regarding the same. Till then, teachers can keep sharing their queries on Twitter using #EducationMinisterGoesLive.

The information about the postponement has been shared on the official Twitter handle of the Education Ministry.

“Considering the overwhelming response, the date has been revised. Union Education Minister Shri @DrRPNishank will go #live on Dec 22 at 4 PM on Twitter or Facebook to discuss your concerns regarding board #exams.Till then keep sharing your queries using #EducationMinisterGoesLive,” reads the tweet.

https://twitter.com/EduMinOfIndia/status/1339460007713128448 

Education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal on December 10 interacted with students and said the dates for board exams and other competitive exams will be announced well in advance so as to ensure that students do not face difficulties

Importance of Upskilling and Continual Learning: Straight from the Experts at Jaro Education

With advancements in digitization and add to that the transformation within the business landscape the pandemic has brought about, upskilling has taken on an urgency among the corporate executives. Unlike earlier, learning new things and developing one’s skills have today become a necessity for working personnel because the nature of jobs is changing. Therefore, experts at Jaro Education opine that earning an extra degree can help working professionals equip themselves with the skills needed to improve their career trajectory. 

Since the nature of jobs is shifting due to digital innovations, employers’ expectations are also changing. A person who has the knowledge and is skilled in several fields is more likely to land a job than someone whose knowledge is limited to only one field. However, this applies to the employers as well. Similarly, for most of the youths today, growth not only pertains to increment in remuneration but it is also determined by the amount of knowledge they gain. Therefore, for employers as well, it becomes crucial to continually develop their skills and stay relevant at the workplace. 

With that said, an academician at Jaro Education said that working personnel can opt for online or part-time management courses that are being offered by several ed-tech companies these days. Jaro Education, for instance, has been offering several programs such as online MBA, EMBA, online BBA and certificate courses as well in association with reputed institutions within the management education sphere. IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Trichy, NSE Academy and American Business Management and Technology College are some of the institutes that are within its academic partnership portfolio. 

While some may hesitate opting for upskilling programs considering the fee, it is to be noted that they also provide strong ROI the value of which will last for a long run. Thus, it is a small price to pay for the greater reward you are yet to reap.  

Delhi High Court slams CBSE for ‘anti-student attitude’

The Delhi High Court on Monday rapped the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for its “anti-student attitude”, saying it was “treating students as enemies” by dragging them all the way to the Supreme Court in certain matters.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan made the observation while hearing a plea moved by the Board challenging a single judge order, which said the CBSE’s reassessment scheme for students whose board exams got cancelled due to COVID-19 would apply to improvement candidates also.

“We don’t like this anti-student attitude of the CBSE. You are dragging students all the way to the Supreme Court. Should they be studying or going to court? We should start imposing costs on the CBSE. They are treating students as enemies,” the bench added.

The bench further said that if the scheme applies to all improvement students, “what is the harm in it?” The single-judge had held on August 14 that the scheme approved by the Supreme Court for assessing students due to cancellation of the CBSE exams in light of COVID-19 will also apply to students, who appeared for improvement examinations as they are equal victims of the pandemic.

“There is no earthshaking emergency for you to come to court now all guns blazing,” the bench said, adding that the CBSE should have gone to the apex court for a clarification, instead of dragging students to court.

The single judge had said that like regular students, those who appeared for improvement exams would also be entitled to avail the scores as per the assessment scheme or appear for the optional examination whenever it is held by the CBSE.

The August 14 order had come on a plea by a student who appeared in the CBSE class 12 exams held in February-March last year and secured 95.25 per cent. Thereafter, to improve his score, he dropped one year and decided to reappear in Accountancy, English Core, Economics and Business Studies for an improvement examination this year.

While other exams were held as per schedule, the Business Studies exam, which was slated for March 24, was cancelled due to the lockdown announced on account of COVID-29.

The student, Sanyam Gupta, sought that his result for the improvement examinations ought to be declared and in respect of the cancelled paper of Business Studies, he should be treated at par with the regular students for whom an assessment scheme was approved by the apex court. The high court directed the CBSE to issue a corrected marksheet to the student.

After implementing the August 14 order and issuing a corrected marksheet to Gupta who, thereafter, got admitted in a Delhi University college on the basis of the same, the CBSE has now challenged the single judge’s decision.

Taking note of the facts and circumstances, the bench said, “The impugned order has been implemented. The child has taken admission. Why should we upset the applicant now?”

When the CBSE counsel said that the improvement candidates were getting more chances under the reassessment scheme as compared to regular students, the bench said it should have brought this to the attention of the apex court when the scheme was being approved.

The high court, nevertheless, issued a notice to the student and sought his reply to the CBSE’s plea. “We will put you to an exam now,” the bench said to the CBSE and listed the matter for hearing on February 5, 2021.

UPSC Recruitment 2020: Application begins for 34 vacancies for various posts

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has invited online applications for recruitment against 34 vacancies for various posts. The posts include legal advisor, medical physicist, public prosecuter NIA and assistant engineer (electrical). Aspirants can apply online at upsc.gov.in on or before December 31.

Details of Vacancies: 

1. Assistant Legal Adviser, Directorate of Enforcement , Department of revenue, Ministry of Finance, -- 2 vacancies

Eligibility: Degree in law from a recognized University or Institute; and Three years experience at bar dealing with criminal laws or fiscal laws.

OR Master’s Degree in law from a recognized University or Institute; and One year experience at bar dealing with criminal laws or fiscal laws

Age Limit- 40 years

2. Medical Physicist, Safdarjung Hospital, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare -- 4 vacancies

Eligibility: Post Graduate degree in Physics from a recognised University plus Post M.Sc. Diploma in Radiological or Medical Physics from a recognised University and internship of minimum twelve months in a recognised well equipped Radiation Therapy Department.

OR A basic degree in Science from a recognised University with Physics as one of the main subjects and A post graduate degree in Radiological or Medical Physics from a recognised University and an internship of minimum twelve months in a recognised well equipped Radiation Therapy Department

Age Limit-- 35 years

3. Public Prosecutor, National Investigation Agency, Ministry of Home Affairs -- 10 vacancies

Eligibility: Degree in Law of a recognized University. Basic knowledge of word processing on computer and internet and 7 years practice as an Advocate in conducting criminal cases or 7 years’ experience of State Judicial Service or Legal department of State or Central Government.

Age Limit-- 35 years

4. Assistant Engineer (Electrical), Department of Electrical Engineering ,New Delhi Municipal Council -- 18 vacancies

Eligibility: Degree in Electrical Engineering from a recognized University /Institute Or equivalent. Note : Or equivalent means a pass in Section “A” and Section “B” of AMIE of the Institution of Engineer (India) in relevant branch of Engineering with one year experience in the relevant field. Note: “Relevant field “ means experience in the field of A.C plant /11 KV HT or EHV substations for construction /maintenance works

Age Limit --30 years

Check Official Notification

Click here to apply online

Startups look beyond IITs, IIMs for top talent

During late 2019, an early-stage startup hired an engineering lead from a large technology firm. The engineer, with three years of experience and a degree from an Indian Institute of Technology- the gold standard for an engineer from India- asked for a 50 per cent salary hike and some employee stock options.

The startup was excited to hire whom they saw as “a brilliant coder and someone who can take us where we want super fast,” and hired the candidate without flinching. “What he will build for us in five years is anyway going to dwarf whatever I pay him,” the founder of this startup said, requesting anonymity.

A few months back this engineer jumped ship to join another technology company, much to the chagrin of the founder- again with a 50 percent pay hike- as the founder found out later.

Top institutions such as the IITs and the Indian Institute of Management for MBAs have always been highly regarded in India’s startup ecosystem. They have produced founders who have created multiple billion-dollar companies, investors who were savvy enough to spot them early, and given employment to thousands. But increasingly, entrepreneurs are realising the folly in hiring based on education and work brands alone, and are finding success in going beyond.

What’s more, most of the founders realising this, are alumnus of these marquee institutions themselves, but are getting a reality check that their alma mater may not guarantee success.

Revant Bhate and Dhyanesh Shah were clear about this when they set out to hire for their venture Mosaic Wellness- which is building a slew of digital first consumer brands backed by Sequoia Capital and Matrix Partners, among others. Bhate and Shah and alumnis of IIM Kozhikode and Ahmebadad respectively, but that was nowhere in their list of priorities when hiring candidates.

“For Mosaic, the priority has been to hire ex-entrepreneurs and people who want to create something new and disruptive. Degrees don't matter in that regard at all,” Bhate says.

So Bhate actively looks for people who are comfortable in an uncertain environment, who want to build, who may have one or two failed startups behind them even- sharply different from the many graduates of top institutions who often work for a top multinational immediately after, and are used to a structured environment.

When India’s internet ecosystem took off in the late 2000s, founders of these startups as well as their investors were almost always educated from a top institution- in India or abroad. Therefore, this is where they hired from, where their networks were strong, and at a chaotic startup where you’re putting out five fires a day, hiring from here was quick and convenient.

This doesn’t just mean campus placement. A startup may hire a sales manager from a retail conglomerate but based on his IIM degree. “I know he’s from the same college so there’s automatically that comfort for hiring,” another founder says.

But today’s internet entrepreneurs take a different view. Dhirendra Mahyavanshi, co-founder of insurance startup Turtlemint, and a graduate from IIM Calcutta says, “When we had passed out, the job market was a lot different than what we see today. In today’s perspective, knowledge, skills, and talent is valued more than just college pedigree”

“In fact, my hiring experience has shown that we do get good talent from lesser-known institutes as well, other than just the IITs and the IIM’s,” he says. For Turtlemint, which provides a technology platform for insurance agents to sell products, sales is one of its most important functions. And in a sales team of 700, not one is from an IIM.

Some of this boils down to the fact that entrepreneurship is a more mainstream option today, and that first time, serial and unsuccessful entrepreneurs have all come from non-top institutions as well.

It also boils down to what graduates from top institutes expect life at a startup to be like. Large startups- unicorns and those close to the billion dollar valuation still routinely hire these candidates- with generous offers- of Rs 20-30 lakhs straight out of business school, or a big hike from their previous stint with a consultancy firm.

“Quite a few IIT IIM grads would like to join a startup at the same salary as a corporate job and with ESOPs. Not all startups, especially early stage may be able to offer those salaries,” Bhate says. But many startups don’t want these graduates for other reasons as well.

Many early stage startups today are well-funded enough to be able to hire the choicest of talent and pay top dollar for the same. Some founders say that the biggest advantage of raising venture capital is so that you can hire the best talent and make that your differentiator.

Founders are placing prioritising other traits- passion, willing to work in an uncertain environment, working in a team, self starters, and willing to grow in an organisation rather than jump jobs in pursuit of a short term salary gain.

“For something like sales we have focused only on the experience they bring ,along with skills like communication, perseverance, determination, and a go-getter attitude. These skills are developed by an individual and independent of the institute they pass out from,” Mahyavanshi says.

Manoj Meena, co-founder and CEO of fan-maker Atomberg, agrees. “For us hiring from IITs or IIMs is not a priority. We see if candidates have worked at other internet startups and are passionate. That's much more important. Personal qualities are more important because we can groom them,” he says.

The IIT-Bombay graduate also acknowledges that the industry as a whole is reconsidering how it hires. “I am seeing this change in mindset in the industry, that companies aren't chasing the IIT IIM tags as much anymore. It's more about whether the person really wants to contribute to the organization. College becomes secondary.”

Even while hiring engineers, where technical skills take precedence, startups are finding the right candidates at other startups, smaller colleges, and at hackathons of Tier 2 colleges. In some cases, highly motivated students even learn software languages such as Python, C++, SQL and PHP from online courses and Google their way through it- far more painstaking but in some cases far more rewarding as well.

Psychological factors play a role too. "Sometimes people who aren't from these Tier 1 institutions are overlooked by the best recruiters which creates more hunger to create a mark and a zero to one stage startup is a great platform for them,” Bhate says.

To be sure, this doesn’t mean that graduates from these top institutes are not sought after. Large startups may still prefer them and importantly, many candidates themselves prefer a corporate stint and experiencing life at a multinational firm.

But for the first time, well-funded startups are looking beyond education tags and brands to hire key people, and are taking emotional stability, maturity, motivation and other factors seriously.

UPSC releases notification for EPFO EO/AO recruitment exam 2020-21 centre change at upsc.gov.in

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released a notification regarding centre change for Enforcement Officer (EO)/ Accounts Officer (AO) recruitment test 2020-2021.

As per the notice released by UPSC on its official website  upsc.gov.in, the exam will be held at 72 centres across India.

Candidates' request for change in their Centres will be considered against the available capacities at the existing Centres as well as new centres which have been added.

As many as 49 centres having available capacity will be opened in the first phase. In the second phase, other centres shall be opened as feasible.

The window of submitting the revised choice of exam centres by the candidates in the first phase will open from 15 to 21 December 2020 up to 6 pm. The second phase will be open between 29 December 2020 and 4 January 2021 up to 6 pm on the official website: upsconline.nic.in.

The commission said that requests for change in the recruitment exam centres will be considered based on the principle of "first apply-first allot" basis. After the capacity of a particular centre is attained, it will be frozen. Those, who cannot get a centre of their choice due to ceiling will have to select choose from remaining options.

Check UPSC notification for EO/AO recruitment exam centre change here.

As per a report by Times Now, the recruitment examination will be conducted by the UPSC on 9 May 2021. The exam was postponed earlier due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As per a report by Jagran Josh, the recruitment exam is being conducted to fill 421 vacancies in EPFO. Candidates who qualify the offline (pen and paper) mode test will be called for interview round. The written test and interview will carry weightage in the ratio of 75:25.

The written test will be of 100 marks and candidates will get a total of 2 hours to complete the paper. PwD candidates will be getting 20 minutes per hour more in the exam.

The paper will have multiple-choice questions (MCQs). For each of the incorrect answer, 1/3rd of the marks will be deducted.

Tips to teach children about financial planning

In the age of digitization, kids are certainly aware of terms such as online payment, credit card, or debit card. They also see you use cards to buy groceries or other items when they go shopping with you. However, they have little to no concept of what’s actually happening. They will develop an understanding of the same when they experience financial responsibility.

But to wait till they grow up to take up this responsibility may not be the right way. If children do not learn valuable money lessons including the importance of budgeting and saving, they may struggle to manage their finances later in their lives. This outcome can be avoided if they are provided basic knowledge about money management at an early age.

Children usually learn about finances from the ways parents handle money, what and how they communicate, and the emotions they exhibit around it. Lessons about financial responsibility must begin at home and this should start when they are young.

So, here are a few tips for parents to teach children about financial planning:

1. Discussing financial health matters

Start by communicating with your kids about simple money topics at home. You can also seek out opportunities in your daily activities to turn routine money transactions into teachable moments for your children.

Of course, they are still young for in-depth financial lessons, but you can begin by teaching them essentials such as: earning, spending, saving, and donating.

Sometimes, you can also take them to a nearby bank and explain to them the role of a bank as a financial institution that keeps money safe, and its functions.

2. Teach them budgeting

Get your kids involved when you are creating your monthly budget. Explain to them the difference between what is necessary and what isn’t. This will help them develop smart spending habits.

Enlist their help in paying the bills, or let them plan a week’s grocery. Children learning the importance of making a plan on how to spend money will help them in the future when it comes to making big investments.

3. Instill in them the habit of saving

In addition to budgeting, saving is a habit that takes time to build. In the age of instant gratification, it becomes fundamentally important to explain to your children the need for saving. The better way to get them motivated is by helping them set a saving goal.

Therefore, having knowledge about savings and investments at a growing age will play a crucial role in lifelong money management. Once your kids have a saving goal in mind, you may gift them a piggy bank which will further instill the habit of depositing and saving.

4. Kids must know work is rewarding

It is best to consider young children lack the knowledge to differentiate between 10 and 100. Plus, a lot of them are unaware of how money transactions take place. They simply think money is for free.

It is, therefore, imperative children are taught that money is earned by the completion of a task. To do so, you can seek help from your kids by assigning them household tasks such as watering the plants or making their beds, etc.

Once the assigned task is completed, kids can be rewarded. This helps them realize that financial rewards are earned in exchange for performing well. Moreover, this practice will nudge them to pick up the necessary skills that will be helpful in the future.

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As parents, we have aspirations for our children. We invest in their education so that they can get good jobs and live a secure life.

One of the aspirations must also include investing in teaching them money management so that they grow up to become financially independent adults.

- Article by Ankit Gera, Co-Founder at Junio

Heads of IIMs push back against bid to control, say government plan against PM view

The government’s attempt to give itself the power to initiate an inquiry against an IIM Board goes against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public stand on the autonomy of educational institutions, and challenges the wisdom of the new National Education Policy (NEP), directors of several of India’s showpiece management institutes told The Indian Express.

The institute heads, who spoke on condition of anonymity, pointed out that concerns over the one-year MBA degree were not serious enough to merit a response of this kind from the Ministry of Education (MoE).

The IIM directors were reacting to a report in The Sunday Express (December 6) that the MoE was exploring options that could, in effect, erode the autonomy of the institutes.

The MoE recently shared a draft executive order with the Law Ministry that proposes to empower the government to initiate an inquiry against the Board of Governors (BoG) of an institute if it is found to be acting, according to the government, in contravention of the IIM Act, 2017. The proposal comes amid an ongoing standoff between the IIMs and the government over the one-year MBA degree.

“I think the one-year degree issue is being used as an excuse to get the Law Ministry involved and push this proposal [to allow the government to investigate the IIM BoG] through. The world over MBA programmes for working professionals are of one-year duration. This proposal probably has more to do with the bureaucracy not being able to come to terms with the fact that the IIMs are now entirely free of government control,” the chairperson of an IIM Board said.

The MoE had said in July that the one-year executive MBA degree was “not in accordance with the UGC Regulations”.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) mandates that a Master’s degree should be of two years, and the IIMs, in the government’s view, had violated that provision. The government had directed the IIMs to “act in conformity with the UGC Act 1956”.

“This is in bad taste,” the director of a second-generation IIM said on the government’s attempt to give itself powers to move against an IIM Board. “The one-year degree is not a substantive issue based on which the government should take such a step. I suspect this is more of an ego issue. As far as checks and balances are concerned, our alumni, who have a decent representation on the BoG, will never allow the institute to do something that will hurt the IIM brand. This (government’s proposal) goes against the grain of the NEP.”

The director of an older IIM said “whoever has initiated this in the government has perhaps not read the Prime Minister’s stand on educational institutions’ autonomy”.

“The Prime Minister’s Office has thwarted attempts in the past to insert provisions to introduce government control. Whoever is doing this is negating what the PM has said and challenging the NEP’s wisdom,” this IIM director said.

The IIM Act, which came into effect on January 31, 2018, gives sweeping powers to all 20 business schools, including the power to appoint directors, chairpersons, and Board members.

In September 2018, referring to the passage of the new law, Modi had said, “Sarkar kahin nahi aayegi, koi babu aakar nahi baithega (Government will not interfere, no officer will have any role).”

“If you have ceded control to the Board (of Governors) then why would you want to pull back now? Just as how the risk of being summoned and investigated had prompted many independent directors to resign their posts from the Boards of companies, no one would want to be part of an IIM Board if the government starts initiating inquiries against the BoG at will. The government is not the only responsible agency in the country. They will have to trust the Board members. This is an unnecessary attempt at centralisation and will destroy the institutes,” the director of another older IIM said.

The role of B-schools in bridging gender gap

 On a mission to curb the gender gap in business schools, several colleges have started offering scholarships and hosting conferences to encourage women to enroll in the management courses

The number of female students graduating in the year of 2021 at Indian B-Schools has hit a record high. Indian B-schools have achieved a new milestone in terms of gender diversity in each field. Academicians at iFeel Lonavala are of the view that the ratio of women and men students in B-schools is on the verge to reach an equal level. There are a majority of colleges who have already witnessed a significant increase in the enrollment of female students which is why B-schools are positive that the gender gap in the field is likely to decline in the near future.

B-Schools have become more aware of the role they play in closing the gender gap both in and outside the classroom. While many organize conferences, offer scholarships, and launch initiatives, there is still much work to do when it comes to creating a truly inclusive culture, particularly when it comes to the cost of entry.

According to the scholars at iFEEL, corporate firms look for gender diversity in campus hiring. The corporate culture is evolving as more women are entering the workplace. This is one of the reasons that companies coming for placements specifically enquire about the number of women candidates in the batch.

To encourage and support more women to come back to education post marriage and childbirth, many B-Schools are providing housing units and crèche facilities. With this, they can even opt for staying with their families in the allotted units. In several cases, unmarried women candidates are also allowed to stay with a family member while pursuing a management degree. The trend is fast catching up.

IIT Guwahati Placements 2020 begin, highest package offered already more than that of last year

IIT Guwahati Placements 2020: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati Placement sessions began on Tuesday in virtual mode and a total of 69 offers were made till the time of the release of this press statement by the institution.

Companies such as Google, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, Adobe, Quadaye, Oracle, Walmart, Bajaj, American Express, Uber, Accenture Japan, MTX, and many more participated on the first day of the placement drive at IIT Guwahati.

A total of 133 students from the institute have got Pre-Placement Offers (PPOs), which is equivalent to that of last year.

Speaking on the placement process, Prof. Abhishek Kumar, Head, Centre for Career Development mentioned that IIT Guwahati is conducting the placement completely in an online mode and the institute is glad to mention that the highest package offered this year so far is already much higher than last year’s highest package.

“The year 2020 has seen the placement process happening online and the number of recruiters joining the virtual placement has been very encouraging despite the pandemic and we are thankful to all the recruiters. The students of IIT Guwahati who are appearing for the placement from across the country are very determined and are likely to benefit from this online process due to the equal opportunity provides to them as other institutes and we expect an upward trend in placement this year at IIT Guwahati,” Prof. T. G. Sitharam, Director, IIT Guwahati said in a press release.

CBSE releases marking scheme for Class 10 board exams 2021 - Key details here

 

Amid the rising speculations over Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) decision to hold Class 10, 12 Board exams in 2021, the CBSE has already released the sample papers and marking schemes for the upcoming CBSE Class 10 Board Exam 2021. 

The CBSE has released the new question paper design and the evaluation scheme for the class 10 board exam in order to help the students prepare well for the important exam. The students can take help of these subject-wise marking schemes to check the answers to all questions asked in the sample papers. The marking scheme released by CBSE also helps the student in knowing the answer writing skills.  

Important features of the CBSE marking scheme:

- It mentions suggestive answers.

- The marking scheme suggests the correct way of including the key concepts and keywords.

- It reveals the step-wise marking scheme which will be used by evaluators to check the answer sheets of candidates.

- It showcases the right way to answer the questions keeping them concise and informative.

All the students who are preparing to appear in the upcoming CBSE Class 10 Board Exam should analyse the CBSE marking scheme of each sample paper in order to understand how to write their answers in best way to obtain maximum marks.

Earlier, the CBSE had said that application-based questions will be introduced by the Board in 2021 class 12 board exams. 

“There will be more case-study based questions wherein a paragraph will be given to students and they will have to answer questions after reading the paragraph. This will assess students on their reading, understanding, interpretation, and answer writing abilities and move away from the root learning,” Joseph Emmanuel, director, academics at CBSE was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

Earlier, these questions used to carry one mark but it is likely that from 2021 these questions would translate into short or long questions. It is to be noted that the CBSE has already released sample papers based on the new format.

CBSE Board Exams 2021 datesheet to be out soon - Tips to score high in board exams

Amid rising speculations that Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) may decide to postpone 2021 Class 10, 12 board exams, board secretary Anurag Tripathi has announced that the board exams will happen for sure.

Addressing a webinar on New Education Policy (NEP), Tripathi said that the CBSE is currently making plans to hold the Class 10, 12 Board exams and will soon reveal how it will conduct the exams amid coronavirus pandemic.

Tripathi, however, said nothing about the exam dates and also failed to clarify if the exams will be held in February-March as per schedule or will be postponed.

Here are the 5 tips that can help students obtain good marks in CBSE Board Exams 2021:

Follow the reduced syllabus: Students must adhere to the reduced syllabus in order to save time and complete the syllabus on time. Several publishers have now introduced CBSE Question Banks, based on the reduced syllabus. 

Practice Sample Papers: Practice sample papers of all subjects in order to have a better understanding of eadh subject.

Allot time for each subject: Allot time for each and every subject and try to follow a time-table to complete your task on time.

Revision is the key: Focus on revision of important topics.

Take breaks: Do not study for long hours at a stretch. Take small breaks in order to keep yourself fresh.

SC, OBC aspirants for UPSC, JEE to now get free coaching at ‘best’ centres of their choice

Candidates from the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) preparing for competitive exams such as the UPSC, IIT-JEE and NEET among others, who receive free coaching under a central government scheme, could soon have the option to choose their own coaching centres.

Sources in the government told ThePrint that while presently, under the Scheme for Free Coaching for SC and OBC students, candidates are randomly allotted coaching centres that are enrolled with the government, the Centre is now planning to amend the scheme so 2,000 of the brightest aspirants can pick their own institutes. These institutes need not be enrolled with the government.

“Some of the best institutes do not get enrolled with the government because they feel it could impede their business… As a result, students end up going to institutes that don’t necessarily cater to their coaching needs,” said an official, who did not wish to be named. “So, the government has worked out a plan whereby candidates can pick their own institutes, and the government pays the entire amount to these institutes for coaching the candidates.”

Under the scheme, run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the government provides free coaching to 4,000 economically disadvantaged SC and OBC candidates to enable them to appear in competitive examinations and succeed in obtaining an appropriate job in the public and private sectors.

With the tweak, the government would give the option of selecting the coaching centres to 50 per cent of the candidates, who would be shortlisted on the basis of their online applications. The Centre wishes to gradually expand the scope of this provision to 100 per cent of the candidates.

ThePrint contacted the social justice ministry spokesperson through text messages for a comment. This report will be updated when a response is received.

Scheme for free coaching for SC and OBC students

The exams covered under this scheme include Group A and Group B examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Boards (RRB), State Service Commissions, Public Sector Units or the exams conducted for admission in IIT-JEE, NEET, Law colleges, etc. The scheme also covers examinations like the GRE, GMAT, SAT.

While 70 per cent of the candidates under the scheme belong to the SC community, 30 per cent belong to the OBC community.

The scheme launched in 2016 has seen over 10 per cent of the candidates who were given free coaching crack the various exams in the last four years, sources said.

Speaking to ThePrint on the proposal, the head of a leading IAS coaching centre in New Delhi said it is a “welcome one” since it allows coaching centres to fulfil their social responsibilities without impacting their business models. “The only fear would be that the performance of the institute should not be affected. But that can be ensured by providing the best quality coaching to these students.”

Source: https://theprint.in/india/sc-obc-aspirants-for-upsc-jee-to-now-get-free-coaching-at-best-centres-of-their-choice/547278/

TOEFL exam: Talking about real challenges, change in education policy and much more

TOEFL is designed to measure the English skills of non-English speaking people by testing their writing, reading, listening, and speaking abilities. It’s natural to feel a little tensed about preparing for the exams but in a broader outlook, TOEFL is a helpful test. The English language plays a very important role in everyone’s career. The TOEFL test is all about using English in real-life settings.

In an interaction with India Today Education, TOEFL Executive Director Srikant Gopal talks about the need to introduce TOEFL iBT Home Edition, student support offered by ETS in times of Covid-19, recent changes in the TOEFL exam, the new education policy, and much more.

1. What makes at-home solutions different from the regular toefl exam taken at test centers?

The TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition is the same valid and reliable TOEFL iBT test delivered to test takers from the safety and convenience of their home monitored by a human proctor online through ProctorU. The test is identical in content, format, on-screen experience, and scoring to the TOEFL iBT test taken at a test center.

It uses the same scoring criteria, scoring process, and score scale, and therefore scores are accepted and used in the same way. As a result, the Home Edition is accepted nearly universally by all universities that accept the TOEFL iBT (whether it is mentioned on a university website or not).

Also, the at-home solution features the recent TOEFL Better Test Experience enhancements, including MyBest scores and instant, unofficial Reading and Listening scores.

2. With the world starting to open up, what are the safety measures that ETS is planning to take for students who will soon start taking the TOEFL from physical centers?

Physical test centers for TOEFL across India are steadily opening up, following all health and safety regulations and laws. For test-takers who can test and plan to take the TOEFL iBT test at a test center, the safety and well-being of the entire TOEFL community is our top priority.

Precautionary measures have been implemented to ensure a safe testing environment, including cleaning high-touch surfaces and providing wipes for test-takers to clean surfaces (e.g., keyboards, headsets, desks) before each use.

Also, with the Special Home Edition of the TOEFL iBT also available 24 hours a day, four days per week, Indian students and test takers have a real choice to take the test in a test center or at home, based on their preference and convenience.

3. Why should a student choose TOEFL over its competitors?

With 100% academic content and integrated tasks that simulate the actual classroom experience, TOEFL is the only test of English communication specifically designed for the university academic context with valid, reliable, and accurate scores.

Admissions officers around the world know this, and that is why the TOEFL iBT is preferred over other English tests by 9 out of 10 universities in the US., by 8 out of 10 graduate programs in Canada, by universities in France and Germany, and beyond. So, by taking the TOEFL iBT test, a student helps to ensure that they stand out in confidence among their peers for their English language skills.

TOEFL scores also provide universities with the confidence that applicants are prepared to succeed at their institutions through their demonstrated ability to communicate in English in a rigorous, academic environment.

Only TOEFL offers students the option to take the same high quality and high-security TOEFL iBT assessment in a traditional test center or at home with 100% live human proctoring.

4. Could you suggest some tips for students who aspire to study abroad and may need to appear for the TOEFL exam in the future?

When students register for the TOEFL iBT test to demonstrate their English language proficiency, they will receive access to the full line of official test prep resources to help them do their best and stand out to admissions officers.

Whether students are preparing for the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition or the standard TOEFL test experience, the test prep materials are the same. Students are encouraged to take advantage of these free resources to help boost their confidence whether they are looking to quickly brush up on their skills before test day or are just getting started:

The TOEFL Test Preparation: The Insider’s Guide offers a six-week online course with videos, quizzes and tips from expert instructors. The course was developed by experts who created, administer and score the TOEFL test, and is an interactive way to spend a few hours a week preparing for each test section. 

5. Do you think the Covid 19 virus has made it difficult for Indian students to pursue their dream of studying abroad? What do you anticipate the future is going to look like for the higher education space?

The global Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the educational landscape around the world and has made it more difficult for students to plan for the future. While we have seen some students postpone their plans, we have seen other students eagerly take advantage of the increased opportunities and better admission chances at top universities that may be available to them in this unique situation.

That is why ETS worked very quickly to offer the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition in a record six weeks after the pandemic broke. With this version of the TOEFL iBT, students can continue their educational journeys without interruption and fulfill their application requirements during a time when in-person testing for TOEFL and other English language tests may not be as readily available.

We are confident that the higher education sector will rebound strongly as solutions to control and eliminate the virus are found in the coming months. The drive among talented students to work hard and pursue study abroad opportunities will get stronger as the world returns to normality.

India is already the second-largest source of students in the world and is soon expected to become the largest. With an unparalleled record of success all over the world as students and professionals, the pandemic cannot hinder Indian students from following their dreams and achieving global career success. TOEFL will continue to support the aspirations of Indian students by providing them choices and flexibility.

6. The New Education Policy brings several reforms in the higher education space including attracting foreign universities in India. How does ETS view this change?

ETS welcomes and applauds India’s bold and visionary approach to reforming, improving and broadening access to quality education for all Indians through the framework of the New Education Policy (NEP), and the increased opportunities it will make available to Indian students of all backgrounds.

The goals and principles articulated in the NEP align very well with ETS’s mission-oriented approach of advancing quality and equity in education for all people worldwide. We look forward to collaborating with the authorities and other stakeholders in India in areas including English language learning, teaching and assessment where ETS’s global expertise can be meaningfully leveraged in an Indian local and cultural context.

Education that focuses on challenges over disciplines

A software company is looking to expand. It puts out a call for software engineers, web developers and systems analysts, specifying particular degrees, skills and competencies. Applicants with honours degrees are shortlisted. That’s how recruitment has gone for the past century and more. Here’s a different scenario:

A software company is looking to expand. It sets out a series of challenges it wants to meet over the next few years—for example, “break into the Chinese market", or “shift to the circular economy across all supply chains". Shortlisted applicants come from all fields. The winning candidate has no software knowledge or experience relevant to the challenges set in marketing or procurement, but has proven success in meeting a complex healthcare challenge.

Are we moving from a discipline-based approach to a challenge-based approach? This would be a seismic shift in our whole approach to higher education and research.

In research universities like Trinity College Dublin, research and learning are interdependent: Discoveries from research determine what is taught, and what we teach influences what we research. In practice, this has meant that Trinity has developed a disciplinary approach: Experts conduct deep research in their discipline and draw on this to educate students who become socialized into their field of study. Employers, accordingly, recruit from specific disciplines.

This approach has worked right through the 20th century, and into the 21st as well, to deliver the research and graduates that drive economic growth and improve our lives in myriad ways. However, there are increasing signs that the approach needs renewal—disciplinary immersion and a silo’d approach are no longer enough to address the global challenges we face.

What do we mean by “global challenges"? These are issues that address fundamental challenges of human resources or security that have emerged across the globe, at scale, and cannot be solved by a single discipline or within a single country. Energy provision, inequality, migration, conflict resolution, and other problems de jour are all global challenges in need of urgent attention, as also our climate emergency and pandemics.

Challenge-based research is de facto interdisciplinary, but it extends well beyond that concept into a whole new mindset, shifting the emphasis from what the researcher knows to what the challenge requires. Reliance on one’s discipline can lead to an overly deterministic approach. For instance, the challenge of “how to prevent the spread of Ebola in west Africa" was only solved once epidemiologists began to work with anthropologists and religious leaders to understand traditional burial practices.

Such challenge-based research is still in its early stage, but resources are being put into it. Initiatives like the Earth Institute in the University of Columbia, and Trinity’s planned new Engineering, Environment and Emerging Technologies Institute (E3), are all indicators of a shift towards challenge-based research. Krea University is organizing its approach to research across four critical global challenges spanning intelligence, society, sustainability, capital and markets. Since what we research determines how we educate, challenge-based learning is also in development. How will it work in practice?

An example is CHARM-EU, or Challenge-driven, Accessible, Research-based Mobile, European University—a European university alliance that intends to create a new kind of educational experience with a mission “to reconcile humanity and the planet". This alliance will offer a new kind of masters programme that empowers students to co-construct their own curricula. Students are asked to identify challenges around sustainable development goals, and then determine which modules and courses would be most helpful in meeting those goals.

All CHARM-EU students are post-graduates who come armed with discipline-driven bachelor degrees. Is this the right progression, or should we be confronting them with challenges earlier?

Currently, students’ decision on what to study at university is based on aptitudes demonstrated in high school for particular subjects. From a young age, they learn to be discipline-based. Can we move children beyond the self-fulfilling prophesies of “good at maths" or “good at languages"? And can we, as educators, change our own mindset so that, faced with a challenge, we ask what we might need to know, rather than applying what we already know?

In institutions aiming for such a shift, there are signs of undergraduates moving towards this. Trinity’s student accelerator, LaunchBox, for example, enables students to incubate, seed-fund and market business ideas. Students from different disciplines form teams to solve self-identified challenges around, say, food waste, clean energy, sustainable fashion. Their learning is self-directed. If challenge-driven research is frequently top-down, then challenge-driven learning is frequently bottom-up.

While more universities are embracing a challenge-based approach to research and learning, it is the traditional approach that continues to dominate. The tipping point will come once employers, at scale, begin to recognize the merits of this new approach, and seek graduates who focus on challenges rather than disciplines. That moment may not be too far in the future.