Explained: What’s new in higher education

The new National Education Policy is in the news again with Delhi University (DU) approving the introduction of the four-year undergraduate programme from next year, amid opposition from teachers. The NEP proposes several reforms for higher education. A look at how, if implemented in letter and spirit, the NEP can change the classroom experience:

Multidisciplinarity

Higher education in India is focused on producing disciplinary experts. But the new NEP proposes to break disciplinary boundaries. What this means is that B Tech students, for example, would no longer limit themselves to their engineering branch. Instead, their programmes will have a more significant component of arts and humanities. “Students of arts and humanities will aim to learn more science, and all will make an effort to incorporate more vocational subjects and soft skills,” the policy states.

IIT-Bombay’s new Liberal Arts, Sciences, and Engineering (LASE) Programme is one example of how the NEP’s vision translates on ground. The LASE programme, which has been introduced this year, gives students the option to graduate with a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in five fields or “concentrations” — engineering sciences, natural sciences, social sciences, art and design. The fifth option permits the student to design her own concentration. LASE students will study a set of foundation courses in their second year such as modern South Asian history, history of science, contemporary digital societies, current social structures, reading and writing literature, in addition to their STEM courses.

4-year undergrad programme

While multidisciplinarity is the final destination, the four-year undergraduate programme suggested in the NEP document is a means to that end.

Undergraduate programmes in India, except professional degrees such as B Tech and MBBS, usually last three years. The new policy proposes to “adjust” the length of degree programmes to allow students “to experience the full range of holistic and multidisciplinary education in addition to a focus on the chosen major and minors as per the choices of the student”. While the NEP doesn’t call for scrapping of the three-year format, it states that the four-year multidisciplinary Bachelor’s programme “shall be the preferred option”.

While students pursuing undergraduate education will be studying an extra year, they will also have the option to leave before that with “appropriate certification”. Quitting after the first year will earn you a certificate, after the second year a diploma, and after the third a Bachelor’s degree. Completing the entire programme would lead to a bachelor’s degree “with Research” if the student completes “a rigorous research project” in her major area(s) of study.

Delhi University is the first higher education institution to implement this NEP suggestion. Starting next year, DU students can opt for either a three-year honours programme, or a four-year honours programme, or a four-year honours programme with research. They can also exit with appropriate certification.

Academic Bank of Credit

The University Grants Commission (UGC) had introduced a choice-based credit system (CBCS) before the NEP. Under this system, you earn credits for each course you take during your degree studies. The Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) proposed by the NEP is where higher education institutions will digitally deposit credits earned by students for courses they studied.

So, how will this affect the classroom experience? On ground, the ABC is expected to aid the multiple entry and exit system as well as multidisciplinary in higher education. In other words, a student’s deposit of credits in the ABC (read: her prior learning represented in course units) should help her move laterally from one higher education institution to another, if needed.

Designating credits to each course would also mean that courses or projects in areas such as community engagement and service, environmental education, sciences, mathematics, art, sports and value-based education would carry weight. This, according to the NEP, would go a long way in “attainment of a holistic and multidisciplinary education”.

Regional languages

The new education policy lays emphasis on promoting Indian languages, arts and culture through education. One of the ways it proposes to do so is by getting higher education institutions to adopt regional languages or the local tongue as the medium of instruction in the classroom. To begin with, the government has allowed 14 engineering colleges to teach selected engineering programmes in five languages: Marathi, Tamil, Bengali, Telugu and Hindi. This, the policy states, will help increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education as students who are not proficient in English will be encouraged to pursue further studies in regional languages.

National Entrance Test

Another proposal that could change the higher education experience of students is a single university entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency. If this is implemented, students will not have to appear for multiple entrance tests. “The high quality, range, and flexibility of the NTA testing services will enable most universities to use these common entrance exams — rather than having hundreds of universities each devising their own entrance exams — thereby drastically reducing the burden on students, universities and colleges, and the entire education system. It will be left up to individual universities and colleges to use NTA assessments for their admissions,” the policy states.

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IIT Delhi launches AI Lab for judiciary

 Recently, IIT Delhi launched the Universal Justice Foundation (UJF) lab facility on artificial intelligence for the judiciary, which was inaugurated by Justice S Ravindra Bhat.

This is the second time that the institute has undertaken an initiative for the legal domain, with the first being the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Law and Technology.

AI-based tools can also streamline and accelerate the management of case-flows and bridge the existing gaps in the judiciary. The use of AI can serve as a support system for legal personnel, boosting their decision-making processes and operations.

Technology has already made its way into courts and has significantly improved data management. It has also replaced the otherwise time-consuming paper process. The new lab facility at IIT Delhi will make more such innovations.

Rajat Khare, an IIT Delhi alumnus, said, “The legal sector is undergoing a massive transformation, more so amid the pandemic. Thus, embracing new-age technologies like AI and machine learning has become the need of the hour.”

College Vidya becomes the only dedicated portal for distance & online education

Noida, Uttar Pradesh: College Vidya becomes India's first dedicated portal for distance and online education, including all of India's recognised ODL (Online and Distance Universities). College Vidya only lists UGC-DEB approved (ODL) universities on its portal so that students are saved from falling for the fake universities and institutes. College Vidya gives free help to students seeking admission to online and distance education programmes via website.

Distance and Online Education saw a huge surge as the pandemic ceased the whole world. As education gradually shifted towards ODL mode, a dedicated portal was missing for the same. This is where Collegevidya.com can help both students and institutions in the following way:

• Portal acts as a one-stop source for all the inquiries students and connect them with their ideal Universities.

• College Vidya is an unbiased portal and does not favour any ODL university over another.

• Video Counselling, Telephonic Guidance, and WhatsApp sessions helped students to get admission in various UG & PG Degree Programs including MBA.

College Vidya was incepted after the first COVID wave in 2020 and since then it has established a firm grip in the ODL Education genre. Currently, College Vidya has listed 75+ Online and Distance Universities that are approved by UGC (University Grant Commission) and DEB (Distance Education Bureau).

During the second wave of the pandemic, College Vidya counselled 5 lakh students who started higher education, without any fee while the country was in lockdown.

Mr Mayank Gupta, the CEO of College Vidya, expressed his delight with the present milestone by saying: “I wanted to create a platform that is free and unbiased so that it can be used by anyone and each one that is looking for the best university & its various crucial factors. Distance & Online Education is now growing immensely in the country, but still, it is not getting equal recognition amongst the students and working professionals.”

As College Vidya completes a year of its beginning, College Vidya is working right now on the College Vidya Compare feature. This compare feature allows the students to self-compare all the ODL courses and colleges on the basis of approvals, fees, Learning Management System, Curriculum, Placement Assistance, Faculty and Alumni Connect. Compare Feature eliminates the middlemen and places the ability to choose the preferred University in the hands of the student. In this regard, Rohit Gupta, COO of College Vidya, says in his statement: College Vidya’s goal is to become India's largest Online & Distance Education Aggregator. This portal's unique and unbiased idea is that we created a compare feature, which allows students to assess all of the colleges and universities that offer valid distance and online education.”

Apart from the website, College Vidya is active on all social media platforms. College Vidya is constantly uploading videos to its YouTube channel on a variety of important topics, courses, and universities/institutes so that students can gain a thorough understanding. College Vidya is working to dispel all myths and misconceptions about online education, and YouTube is one medium where College Vidya is making a significant difference.

College Vidya has undertaken efforts to provide support for students of all types of backgrounds in all regions of the nation, regardless of their social or economic status, in online and distance learning. College Vidya intends to launch the compare feature as soon as possible so that students can choose the best university for them based on the most important deciding factors.

For any queries visit collegevidya.com or contact the toll-free number - 18000 4205757

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Urgent call for Covid-safe ventilation in schools

 There is an urgent call for action on ventilation in schools - to slow the spread of Covid-19 - when pupils return, in September.

Six education unions have written to England's education secretary, warning of a steep rise in Covid and "long Covid" when pupils return to classes.

Rules on keeping pupils in "bubble groups" and face masks were relaxed by Gavin Williamson at the end of term.

Better airflow measures would limit disruption and sickness, unions say.

And they are also demanding funding for:

• carbon-dioxide monitors - to ensure adequate airflow
• micro-filters for removing harmful particles

The Department for Education said: "We want to ensure schools are both safe and comfortable for students and staff - and good ventilation has consistently been part of government guidance.

Areas where ventilation is poor should be proactively identified so that steps can be taken to improve fresh air flow if needed."

And pointing to a £1.75m pilot scheme in Bradford said it was working to identify cost-effective ways to reduce transmission in communities, and assess the most effective use of proven air purification technologies in school settings.

But a parliamentary answer revealed no funding had been allocated specifically to school ventilation since January.

'Already suffering'

The main education unions - the National Education Union (NEU), NASUWT, Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), GMB, Unison and Unite - have backed the urgent call, along with Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Daisy Cooper.

Many thousands of teachers are already suffering from long Covid, they say.

ASCL general secretary Geoff Barton said: "Government action on ventilation in schools and colleges amounts to little more than recommending that windows are kept open, which is not sustainable in providing a comfortable learning environment in the depths of a British winter.

"If the government is serious about bringing to an end the educational disruption of the past 18 months then it must provide funding for high-quality ventilation systems as a matter of urgency."

Ms Cooper said the government "must provide schools with all the required resources - both funding and support - to install high-quality ventilation systems without further delay".

The unions point out many school windows are painted shut and cannot be opened.

'Long grass'

In their letter, they say: "The benefits of ventilation in the control of airborne diseases are already well understood and accepted.

"School staff, some of whom will not be double vaccinated, or are in a vulnerable group, are also in some cases still at risk of serious illness.

"Staff who are fully vaccinated are also still at risk of catching the virus and potentially developing long Covid, which is already afflicting tens of thousands of school staff."

NEU joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said: "It is shocking that, rather than taking concrete steps now to improve the situation, the Department for Education has only just announced a pilot scheme, involving 30 schools in Bradford, to trial the use of air purifiers, with results not due until the end of the year.

"Eighteen months into the pandemic, and given the accumulated knowledge about ventilation, kicking the issue into the long grass in this way is simply not good enough."

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Khel Ratna will be now called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award: PM Modi

 India's highest sporting honour Khel Ratna Award, which was named after former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, was on Friday rechristened in the honour of hockey wizard Dhyan Chand following the admirable performance of both men's and women's hockey teams in the Tokyo Olympics.

Making the announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had been getting many requests from citizens across India to name the Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand.

"Respecting their sentiment, the Khel Ratna Award will hereby be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award! Major Dhyan Chand was among India’s foremost sportspersons who brought honour and pride for India. It is fitting that our nation’s highest sporting honour will be named after him," he tweeted.

https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1423538297842769921

https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1423538492403974145

The exceptional performance of the men’s and women’s Hockey Team has captured the imagination of our entire nation, the prime minister said, adding that there is a renewed interest towards the sport that is emerging across the length and breadth of India.

This is a very positive sign for the coming times, he said.

The announcement came a day after men's hockey team won a historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. It was India's first medal win in hockey at the Games since the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.

India women's hockey team also won the hearts of the nation despite missing out on a medal. The team led by Rani Rampal gave a thrilling contest to Rio Olympics gold medalist Great Britain in the bronze medal match but lost the match 3-4. India finished fourth in women's hockey, their best-ever finish at the Games.

UPSC CDS II 2021 notification released, application process begins for 339 posts

 

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) released a notification for the CDS (Combined Defence Services) exam 2021. Candidates can now apply for the entrance exam online at their official website- upsconline.nic.in. The last date to apply for CDS II 2021 is August 24, 2021, 6 pm.

As per the notification, there will be a limit on the number of candidates assigned to an exam centre except Chennai, Dispur, Kolkata and Nagpur. The exam centers will be allotted on the basis of ‘first-apply-first-allot’, after which a centre will full capacity allotment will be frozen. Therefore, candidates are requested to apply online as early as possible.

Candidates may also note that there are two parts of the online application and without the completion of either of the parts, the form will remain invalid. CDS aspirants are also requested to read all instructions carefully before filling the application.

UPSC CSE II 2021: How to apply online?

Step 1: Visit the official website upsconline.nic.in

Step 2: Click on the CDS II link

Step 3: Register using new details

Step 4: Fill form, upload images

Step 5: Pay fee, submit

The online application can be withdrawn from August 31 to September 6, 6 pm. The applications have been invited on 339 vacancies, however, the number of vacancies given above is tentative and may be changed at any stage by services H. Q.

Those who clear the exam will be eligible for admission to the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy. Candidates will have to clear a written exam followed by the SSB test. The candidates will be placed in the order of merit on the basis of the total marks secured by them in the written examination and in the SSB interview tests.