Contents
ISSN 0973-4139 0973-4139 ISSN
volume volume 11 11 issue issue 04 06 april june 2015
P16
Securing US$ 20 billion Opportunity
Cover Story
P42
In Conversation 24 Skill Education-Need of the Hour
Interview 26 Bonding through Education 29 Promising A Better Education 54
Environment Learning to Learn Digitally
Tete-a-Tete 34 NABET Focuses on Global Special Feature 39 42 58
Advantage 3D Printing CBCS Boon or Bane? Long Road Ahead
School Education 08 Maharashtra Government Campus Calling 10 Indian Students Outnumbered India, Russia Signs MoI to Accelerate Education
15
4
Vocational Training in India MHRD lays Emphasis on Classical Languages in Schools
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
50 52
Education Mobility is the Key Cool Learning with KoolKampus
32
China in Foreign Education
News Policy 14 Rudy Emphasise to Standardise
Start-ups 49 Leverage Technology for Quality
Exclusive Interview
Tracks Dropout Rates
12
Employability Skills and Quality Education
Making Youth Job Ready through Skill Education Route
56 Empowering Rural Youth
P32
Asia’s premier Monthly Magazine on ICT in Education Volume 11
Issue 6
June 2015
PRESIDENT: Dr M P Narayanan EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Dr Ravi Gupta EDITORIAL TEAM EDUCATION Senior Assistant Editor: Garima Pant Assistant Editor: Bhawna Satsangi Senior Correspondent: Nidhi Sharma GOVRNANCE Senior Assistant Editor: Nirmal Anshu Ranjan Assistant Editor: Kartik Sharma, Rachita Jha Senior Correspondent: Souvik Goswami Correspondent: Poulami Chakraborty, Gautam Debroy Junior Correspondent: Sneha Mejari Trainee Sub-Editor: Akanki Sharma HEALTH Senior Assistant Editor: Garima Pant Senior Correspondent: Anshuman Ojha Correspondent: Romiya Das SALES & MARKETING TEAM: digitalLearning Project Manager: Seema Gupta, Mobile: +91-8860651643 Assistant General Manager: Ragini Shrivastava, Mobile: +91-8860651650 National Sales Manager: Fahim Haq, Mobile: +91-8860651632 Sr. Manager: Arup Kumar Maiti, Mobile: +91-8860651645 Gaurav Srivastava, Mobile: +91-8527697685 SUBSCRIPTION & CIRCULATION TEAM Manager Subscriptions: +91-8860635832; subscription@elets.in DESIGN TEAM Creative Head: Pramod Gupta Deputy Art Director: Om Prakash Thakur, Gopal Thakur Senior Web Designer: Shyam Kishore WEB DEVELOPMENT & IT INFRASTRUCTURE Team Lead-Web Development: Ishvinder Singh Senior Executive – IT: Zuber Ahmed Executive – Information Management: Khabirul Islam EVENT TEAM Manager: Gagandeep Kapani ADMINISTRATION Head Administration: Archana Jaiswal EDITORIAL & MARKETING CORRESPONDENCE
digitalLearning – Elets Technomedia Pvt Ltd: Stellar IT Park Office No: 7A/7B, 5th Floor, Annexe Building, C-25, Sector-62, Noida, Uttar Pradesh - 201301, Phone: +91-120-4812600, Fax: +91-120-4812660, Email: info@elets.in digitalLearning is published by Elets Technomedia Pvt Ltd in technical collaboration with the Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies (CSDMS). Owner, Publisher, Printer - Dr Ravi Gupta, Printed at First Impression Corporate Services Pvt Ltd, E-114, Sector-63, Noida, UP and published from 710, Vasto Mahagun Manor, F-30 Sector-50, Noida, Up
Editor: Dr Ravi Gupta
All rights reserved, No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic and mechanical, including photocopy, or any information storage or retrieval system, without publisher’s permission.
digitallearning.eletsonline.com egov.eletsonline.com ehealth.eletsonline.com events.eletsonline.com bfsi.eletsonline.com smartcity.eletsonline.com Write in your reactions to Education news, intervews, features and articles. You can either comment on the individual webpage of a story, or drop us a mail: editorial@elets.in
6
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
EDITORIAL
Planned Implementation – Need of the Hour While the ‘Make in India’ initiative of Government of India is inviting global participation in the manufacturing space, adding another dimension to the initiative is ‘Educate in India’ that will shape the future of the Indian education sector. Reviving and changing focus on the Foreign Education Institutions Bill, Modi Government is now showing keen interest on the setting up of the foreign universities in the country. According to a proposal shared with the ministries of external affairs and human resource development, and NITI Aayog, foreign universities along with good quality Indian institutions will attract students and promote India as a hub in Asia for quality higher education and thus increase India’s export of education services. While the biggest push for the ‘Educate in India’ campaign is the passage to the Foreign Education Institutions Bill, what is also required is the much-needed improvement in digital infra to offer online courses. With the development of this infrastructure, delivery of distance education will also get the much-needed push and support. India’s geographical location makes it an ideal and viable education location for Asian students. As stalwarts deliberate and discuss the pros and cons of the move, another burning issue in the education segment that we have tried to capture in the current issue has been the Choice-Based Credit System, or CBCS in shorthand. University Grants Commission’s (UGC) plan to introduce CBCS across every Indian university from the coming academic session has met with a lot of resistance from all quarters. Varsities across the country may not be able to defy the directive owing to their funding needs that are fulfilled by the UGC. In a recent move Delhi University approved the implementation of the CBCS from the upcoming session, ending the confusion among the students seeking admission to undergraduate courses. CBCS claims to provide students with various choices on the courses they want to pursue, skills they want to pick up, and the pace at which they want to learn these and are divided into core, elective or foundation. While the intentions are noble, the implementation of these policies is often the tripping point. The abrupt ending to the much-debated Four-Year Undergraduate Programme piloted by Delhi University, not much different from CBCS, highlights the lack of effective planning before implementation, which is the need of the hour for the Indian education segment. This issue tries to bring together a cross-section of stakeholders in the education sector, sharing their ideas, vision and initiatives that are driving a change and shaping the future. Hope you enjoy reading through the edition!
Dr Ravi Gupta Editor-in-Chief Ravi.Gupta@elets.in
digitalLEARNING / June 2015
7
nEWS
To read latest news, log on to education.eletsonline.com
Maharashtra Government Tracks Dropout Rates In the wake of improving the quality education in primary sections, Maharashtra government is geared up to track 1.6 crore school students as there are high dropout rates in the state. To keep a check on the dropouts Devendra Fadnavis government has put in practice the unique child tracking system, using the Aadhaar identification number of all the students in the age group of 6-14 years. The new tracking system will began from 22 May and will be applicable to both public and private schools. According to the Annual Status of Education report 2015, a survey done by Pratham group found that the learning standards in the schools are poorer than other states. In the report it was found that 70 per cent of students from class VIII could not do basic addition and subtraction sums. Under the new system developed under National Informatics Centre, the government planned to maintain records of school going children, academic performance, basic profile, and benefits provided to them by the government. It has also mentioned that for the underperformance of the student, management would be held responsible during the assessment process. Maharashtra government has also decided to club the system with a survey to identify out of school students in the state. The state government has also set a target to bring down the girl dropout ratio in class X to 5 per cent. It is observed that the girl dropout ratio increases specially after the completion of primary education. The state of education in India is not very cordial. The dropout ratio has been increasing in Chhattisgarh as well. Being the tribal area of the country, the education to girls is miniscule. The dropout rate is 2.97 per cent in the state.
IB schools see growth in India
BMC to Focus on Pre-Primary Education Education is necessary for all but it seems that the economically weaker section of society is ignoring it as the fact is that they are not able to pay fees for the pre-primary division as civic-run schools do not provide such an option. Raising concerns over the issue and seeing the decline in the number of students taking admission in civic schools, the BMC’s education committee member wrote a letter to the Chairman, Ritu Tawde citing the plight of poor parents and how BMC is not considering admissions to pre-primary sections and the attention towards the children between four and six is missing. It is also seen that 1100 primary schools run by BMC do not have class 8 currently. Under the Right to Information Act it is observed that there are around 1,270 primary schools of the civic body but class 8 have been started only in 100 schools. Hence, it is the violation of the Right to Education act which says that every child in the age group of 6-14 years have the right to free and compulsory elementary education.
8
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
With the change in the education system being talked about much from quite sometime now, India education is focusing to get International Baccalaureate (IB) status for most of the schools. In 2003, there were only 11 schools running IB programme but by 2013, the number has gone up to 107. Besides IB, other international school programmes have become popular among schools. According to the study conducted by the National University of Educational Planning and Administration, there were 478 international schools affiliated to three foreign boards- the Geneva headquartered IB, Cambridge International Examination, and Edexcel. The growth of these IB schools in India because they encourage creativity and free thinking.
`
`
`
`
nEWS
To read latest news, log on to education.eletsonline.com
Indian Students Outnumber China in Foreign Education
India has left China behind in terms of growth rate in the number of students studying in foreign countries. In 2014, India sent less than half the number of students that China sent abroad for further studies. After 2009, India’s growth for the first time reached to 10 per cent. According to “Indian Students Mobility Report 2015: Latest trends from India and globally” prepared by New Delhi-based MM Advisory Services, India saw a growth rate of 10 per cent while China had 8 per cent growth rate in students pursuing studies in five major Englishspeaking countries in 2014. These five countries — the United States, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand — account for almost 85 per cent of the total outbound strength. China, India and South Korea make up nearly 50 per cent of total international students to these countries. In 2009, almost 3 lakh students from India went abroad for studies but the number dropped to 2 lakh students in 2013. In 2014, the number of Indian students going abroad for studies crossed 3 lakh but the number of Chinese students was 6.5 lakh. The report was prepared using data from government departments in various countries — the Institute of International Education in the US, the UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to examine trends since 2005. It may be mentioned that Indian students spend $7 billion or around `45,000 crore per year on foreign education because of “sub-standard” quality of higher education in the country, according to a study by industry body Assocham and Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences. The study was made public a day after the prestigious Times Higher Education ranking revealed that none of India’s universities could make it to the list of “100 most prestigious global universities”.
Varsities Should Set up Students Counselling System: UGC University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked all central universities and higher education institutions to put a ‘counselling system’ in place to help students deal with problems of stress, anxiety and homesickness. UGC has said that higher education institutions should mandatorily put in place a broad-based ‘Students Counselling System’ for the effective management of problems and challenges faced by students. This directive is part of “Guidelines on Safety of Students on and off campuses of Higher Educational Institutions”, which have been shared with all varsities by UGC, asking them to amend their ordinances and other relevant statutory provisions to ensure the directions are implemented in the best interests of students. The UGC guidelines further say that it should be a unique, interactive and target-oriented system, involving students, teachers and parents, resolved to address common student concerns ranging from anxiety, stress, fear of change and failure to homesickness and a slew of academic worries. Recently, UGC had asked universities will soon have their own police stations for quick handling of crisis and preventing untoward incidents on campus. In a set of guidelines framed for enhancing students’ safety and security on campuses, University Grants Commission (UGC) has said university police station can go a long way in instilling a sense of security amongst students and scare amongst nuisance makers and petty criminals.
10
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
SUMMIT RAJASTHAN CONFERENCE & EXPO
May 2015, Jaipur
nEWS
To read latest news, log on to education.eletsonline.com
India, Russia Signs MoI to Accelerate Education
To strengthen Higher education in the state, India’s education institutes like IIT Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Roorkee, Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and the National Centre for Biological Sciences and top Russian Institutions has signed Memorandum of Interest (MoI) to facilitate research collaboration, faculty exchange and student exchange among the leading universities in both the countries. The MoI was signed by Devang V Khakhar, director, IIT Bombay and president of the Russian Rectors’ Union VA Sadovnichiy. IIT Bombay has also signed an MoU with the National Research Tomsk State University, Saint Petersburg State University and Skolkova Institute of Science and Technology Russia to encourage collaboration through faculty and student exchange programmes, joint research work. To strengthen the educational ties with Russia, President Pranab Mukherjee recently went to the country along with the top Higher Education delegates to sign MoUs to exchange knowledge among the two countries.
Delhi University Admission Process to Last till August 14
This year, the admission process for undergraduate courses at Delhi University (DU) will continue till August 14. This recommendation was made by The 23-member admission committee, which has also suggested uniform eligibility criteria like pass marks in mathematics being compulsory for admission to Economics (H) and BCom (H) and deduction of 10 marks (2.5%) if physical education and music are included in the best four score. The recommendations were finalised by the admission committee at a meeting and have been sent for approval to the university. The reason for extending the last date of admissions to August 14 is that last year, many colleges saw students withdrawing admissions post July 31, following the counseling sessions for professional courses at other varsities. The new academic session, however, will start on schedule in mid-July. Although DU has been pushing for a completely online registration process, many in the admission committee felt this may put a section of students at a disadvantage and recommended continuing with centralised OMR forms. However, this time, the process for offline admissions will be restricted to just a few days—probably five. Online registrations will begin from the first week of June. Furthermore, there will be no printed prospectus and all details will be made available on the university’s website. However, there will be an instruction leaflet to guide those registering offline. Some colleges will also have computer counters to help students apply online. It may be mentioned that in a relief to hundreds of students enrolled in B Tech courses under nowdefunct Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) of Delhi University, the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) has finally given its approval to 27 colleges to run the courses. AICTE has given approval for the 2013-14 batch which had taken admission in the B Tech courses, as part of the now defunct FYUP.
12
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
Industry Speak
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
mLearning improves Students’ Skills
W
hat is mobile learning? Mobile learning, or mLearning is education that happens anywhere and anytime, via portable, connected devices. Though it used to be difficult to get results with online classes—it isn’t anymore. Now, it offers an incredible opportunity for educators to make learning more accessible, interactive, and engaging.
India leading Learning
Mobile
As suggested in a research study conducted by Ambient Insight, India will be the second largest country for buying mobile learning products and services by end of 2015 with a whopping growth rate of 61.3%. Also, a number of schools and educational organisations across the country are making changes in their policies and toolkits to support and validate mLearning. These and other similar endeavours are placing mobile learning front and center in the world of education.
A World of Benefits As CEO of WizIQ, I’ve had the chance to witness many benefits of mLearning. Not only does it help teachers tap into a new generation of learners, but it also provides a way of connecting with students using
the tools they know and love. Students get more freedom, convenience, and flexibility. They gain the ability to learn from experienced, knowledgeable teachers located anywhere. What’s more, the specific benefits of mobile learning on student outcomes are remarkable, as noted in research findings stating that mobile learning: Increases student engagement, and helps personalise learning (Project Tomorrow, a non-profit dedicated to innovation in education1) Improves student motivation, engagement, conceptual understanding, and problem-solving skills (Research Center for Educational Technology at Kent State University2) Satisfies students’ desire for personalised learning, and helps them get the most out of their time (Penn State University3) Promotes better adult literacy outcomes (University of Oxford4) Boosts business productivity, increases learning access and flexibility, and supports organisational change (Towards Maturity, an educational consulting service5)
Think “Mobile for Success
First”
So how do teachers implement a strong mobile learning strategy? The first thing
Considerations When Choosing a Mobile Learning Platform
To boost interaction and engagement, look for the following key capabilities when choosing a mobile learning platform: Educator Capabilities Student Capabilities Conduct live classes with student Attend live classes using mobile device anywhere/anytime anywhere/anytime Share and publish recordings - video View videos and other course content and audio Chat with students in real-time Chat with other coursemates and instructor Email students directly from the application Email other coursemates and the instructor Share class recordings View live class recordings and other “on-the-fly” content - even while offline Send notifications for upcoming events that Receive notifications regarding classes, students need to know about tests and course content uploaded by the instructor Update and share schedules as View and track course and class schedules changes occur
is to realise that offering mLearning doesn’t mean just placing static courses or archived video tutorials online for students to consume on their own time. No, it should be much, much more engaging than that. To begin, teachers and trainers need to think strategically about how mLearning can be leveraged as a primary means of improving their students’ experience. First and foremost, effective mLearning should enable live student-teacher and student-student interaction, directly from the mobile device. I’ve personally seen how critical this is in countless experiences with both students and teachers. Mobile learning that doesn’t allow such interaction ends up leaving teachers feeling as if students aren’t truly participating, and results in lower student achievement because they are not engaged with the material. A successful ‘mobile-first’ strategy, then, starts with the right education platform, one that allows real-time online interaction. The graphic below provides a useful overview of the things that educators should consider when choosing a mobile learning platform. What should it allow the teacher or trainer to do? What should students be able to do from their mobile devices? The answer: pretty much everything teachers and students need to support a productive and engaging learning experience.
A New Frontier in Education During my career, I’ve seen mobile learning move from being an experimental, futuristic concept to presenting a transformative opportunity for educators. What’s more, the benefits of mobile learning, for both teachers and students, are many. This is truly an exciting time for education. By Harman Singh
Founder and CEO, WizIQ To know more, mail kalyan@wiziq.com or speak to Kalyan at +91-9915701494 digitalLEARNING / June 2015
13
nEWS
To read latest news, log on to education.eletsonline.com
Rudy Emphasises to Standardise Vocational Training in India The Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge) and Parliamentary Affairs, Rajiv Pratap Rudy chaired a workshop to discuss the policy framework and roadmap for Skill Development in the country. 450 participants from central and state government including the ministers and principal secretaries, industry, sector skill councils, training providers, and other stakeholders in skill ecosystem attended the workshop. State Ministers from Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Rajasthan, HP, Punjab, Orissa, Goa and Maharashtra made presentations on key initiatives in the state and also gave inputs on enhancing the centre-state partnership for skill development across the country. Rudy highlighted on the fact that the combined vision of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and the States is aimed at achieving the overarching objective of “Kushal Bharat, Sashakt Bharat”. He further emphasised on the need of creating a common mission like “Sarva Kaushal Abhiyaan” on the lines of “Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan”. He said, “There is an urgent need to standardise education and the States have to become partners in Skill Development to ensure this. All the States have to educate themselves on National Occupational Standards and Qualification Packs so that we can collectively skill large number of people with speed and standards.” “The industry needs to decide the type of trained workforce they require in the country today. The government will facilitate efforts in this direction. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship will handhold states in creating models of excellence at every step. Sometimes what fourteen years of education cannot provide, 14 days of vocational education can”, he further added. Bringing in the perspective of a successful public private partnership, Ramadorai, Chairman, NSDA & NSDC said, “The private sector can help improve the infrastructure of the existing vocational training institutes, bring contemporary course curricula to these centres and in train the trainers programme. It is important that each corporate or agency is aligned to a common Ministry to reap the benefits of the multiplier and learn from each other’s success across different states.” The Minister also announced the formation of a Working Group comprising of principal stakeholders chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. The group has been constituted with the objective of establishing a transparent policy and scaling up capacity of ITIs. Members will include Principal Secretaries of 4-5 States, MD & CEO, National Skill Development Corporation and Joint Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
Delhi Government to form its own Education Board In a bid to reinvent school education in the State, Delhi’s Deputy CM Manish Sisodia has informed that Delhi will form its own education board on the lines of CBSE and NCERT, come out with new syllabus and also amend existing education laws. The Deputy CM also informed that plans are also afoot to frame syllabi and pedagogy for the Delhi government schools. He was interacting with government school principals at Thyagaraj stadium in the presence of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal who said the government was planning to create 45 model schools in Delhi in the next one year. Presently, all government schools are affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and follow NCERT syllabi, which has been the longest standing board in Delhi. Explaining that the education system in Delhi is working on an Act made in 1973, which has become old, Sisodia said that the world has moved on, Delhi was still following the old law. He stressed that there is need to rewrite it according to modern vision and modern education system. It may be mentioned that some time back, nearly 200 Delhi schools have appealed to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for relief while awarding marks to class XII board examinees, especially in the mathematics paper. There were complaints at schools across the country that this year’s question papers were unusually difficult and lengthy. For their part, CBSE officials had said that the issues raised by schools would be taken up by a team of subject experts, which will then decide on the marking scheme. Sisodia said education was a priority sector for the government and that the same would be reflected in the future budgetary allocations. The Deputy CM further stressed that simply making provisions in the budget won’t work if there is no vision, and the government had two “important missions—to skill students and impart value education.” This, he said, would help create responsible citizens after 12 years of education.
14
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
SSUN demands changes in New Education Policy
Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas (SSUN), an RSS outfit, headed by Dinanath Batra has demanded changes in the New Education Policy which will inculcate value education in each subject of study to create integral humanism. SSUN has urged the creation of the All India Autonomous Education Commission which will not have the government interference. The body will look after the education comprehensively from primary to university level and the government’s role will be limited to funding only. The commission should be managed by technocrats and not bureaucrats. Batra also emphasised to add social service certificate course in class X and XII syllabus. Under this course children will adopt villages and do literacy work, informed villagers about health issues, and convince them to give up caste system. This course will also involve giving to education.eletsonline.com vocational training to unemployed youth in villages. SSUN also proposes to introduce two separate streams in class IX, vocational and academic. If the student opt for vocational course, he will get 60 per cent weightage while 40 per cent in academic. And if the student opt for academic than weightage will be 60 per cent for academic and 40 per cent for vocational. According to Ministry of Human Resource and Development, in elementary education, despite improvements in access andpushed retention, the learning outcomes for a majority of children continue to be an area of serious concern. man Resourse Development (HRD) Ministry is being by the
n investment cell to attract foreign stments in education
ent of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) to open an investment tract foreign investments in the education sector. This comes in the p where the Foreign Education Providers Bill that could have resulted in p of campuses of foreign universities remains shelved.
NAAC to Decide on Accreditation of Deemed Universities: SC
secretary has asked departments of schooland education and higher edu- (NAAC) has been allowed to decide on accreditation of deemed universities The National Assessment Accreditation Council set up their own investment cells.its The proposed will provide neceswhich are under scrutiny forcell allegedly failing to fulfill various criteria required for getting recognition by the Supreme Court. rmation on a vast Arange of subjects, such as policies the ministries, bench headed by Justice DipakofMisra, however, said accreditation given to universities would be subject to its final order. It e governments, various incentive schemes and opportunities available to said admission for the new academic convenient for investors to take decisions. session was approaching and the f the Government of India to allow the foreign universities set up their universities sufferparameters because financially and oreign institutions must haveshould to clearnot certain
of lack of accreditation by the council. It foreign may be mentioned India in India and amework for allowing universities to setthat up campuses uman resources ministry’s agenda. has one oflegislative the largest and diverse India is considered ‘not-for-profit’. In fact, theworldwide, issue of profit in education education systems NAAC Head Office cy currently being HRD players. ministry wants the issue of profit withdiscussed. a lot of The private In this finalized. backdrop, maintaining the quality of education becomes a challenge. Every year, universities in India get the grades based on education. While the private sector investment in higher education has overall Performance of the individual universities by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), New Delhi. Around ding on to the Supreme Court order that said education is not for profit. 612 universities are present in the country, out of which 172 universities are accredited by NAAC. edia report said.
he ister gan ough
o ARI), ommon and orate
ry
tform. go at one kes e
s the .
MHRD
Government of India
Ministry of Human Resource Development
MHRD Emphasis on MHRD lays proposes Classical Languages changes to NCTE Act in Schools
A Union new language forResource the education sector is on an anvil Ministry ofpolicy Human Development a notice of to Human make amendments in the National(MHRD). The byissued the Ministry Resource Development Councilhas for Teacher Act (NCTE) ministry set up Education a committee to look1993, into the matter and whichthe came into in force in 1995. The main objective submit report a year’s time. of the NCTE was to achieve the development of A controversy over the three language formula and replacing the teacher education system and ensure proper German with Sanskrit in Kendriya Vidyalayas in schools begin maintenance of norms and standards. last October. The three-language formula has been described The MHRD Ministry has proposed amendments byinthe NCERT in the national curriculum framework. 1993 NCTE act, based on the recommendations of Justice Verma Commission. Under the amendment it was mentioned that the tenure of the office of the chairperson and vice-chairperson of NCTE to be extended from four to five years and that their age
As per the curriculum framework the first language is English, second language is Hindi and third language could be any modern Indian languages. The committee is now looking at ways to promote classical languages like Tamil, Sanskrit etc as the third language. In 2004 Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, and Telgu and in 2014 Malayalam and Oriya were given the status of classical languages. The three language formula prescribed by NCERT in 1986 was a replication of what was enshrined in the country’s first education policy in 1968. According to three language formula, students of classes 6-8th in Hindi speaking states study a south Indian language apart from Hindi and English. According to MHRD, language being the most important medium of communication and education, its development occupies an important place in the National Policy on Education and Programme of Action. Therefore, promotion and development of Hindi and other 21 languages listed in the schedule VIII of the Constitution including Sanskrit and Urdu has received due attention.
digitalLEARNING / June 2015
15
Cover story
Securing US$ 20 bn Opportunity The market size for security and surveillance equipment is estimated to be USD 20 billion, and is showing huge potential for growth, especially in the education sector, where security and surveillance have become indispensable. Nidhi Sharma of Elets News Network (ENN) explore how the government has recently mandated CCTV cameras even in school buses, highlighting the need for security and surveillance in all the education areas
16
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
I
t is necessary to understand the unique safety challenges faced by schools, universities, and educational institutions. There is an urgent need for comprehensive security solutions in educational institutes for a safe and nurturing environment. Securing the buildings, improving overall safety and most importantly, protecting students and the educators are the various parts of creating the right environment for institutes in which security solution providers have an essential role to play. The education facilities across the nation have experienced incidents of security breaches in the recent past,
highlighting the need to make their environment safer. The 2010 rash of stabbings in primary schools in China brought international attention to the need for security in schools everywhere. In the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shootings, college campuses struggle to design the perfect mix of technology, systems, and software to protect students, faculty, and staff members. TechNavio’s analysts forecast the Global Surveillance and Security Equipment market to grow at a CAGR of 13.58 per cent over the period 2014-2019. The Indian market size for security and surveillance equipment is USD 20 billion – comprising CCTV, access, time attendance, fire alarm, alarm systems and others. These statistics assume great importance in a backdrop where concerns regarding school security have dramatically increased. Educational institutes need security for a variety of reasons. These entail monitoring and controlling access to all campus facilities, providing surveillance of private records, materials and valuable equipment, tracking truancy and inappropriate student behaviour, enabling automated facility lock-down for elevated threat levels and crowd control during events. Recently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued guidelines for ensuring the safety of the students of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) on and off campus across the country. UGC Secretary Jaspal S. Sandhu had written to the Vice Chancellors of all the universities to ensure the safety of the students. The guidelines on the safety of students on and off campuses of higher educational institutions have been uploaded on the UGC website. The biometric way of marking student attendance, both in HEI as well as hostels, can be an effective way to overcome proxy. The bags and other belongings of students or visitors should also be examined, manually or by metal detectors, to secure a weaponfree and violence-free campus, as per the guidelines.
“Today, there is a need for a complete and integrated security solution for educational institutes which can provide a safe and secure environment. There are various products and solutions available to cater to education institutes like IP DVAMBS which is broadcasting and AudioVideo Monitoring for installation in schools, mobile solution for transport and mobile surveillance.” - Sanjeev Sehgal, Managing Director, Sparsh Market for security As administrators and those incharge of campus security folks consider privacy, integration, budget, and the latest up-and-coming technology around security and surveillance, many questions swirl around these technology discussions. How can campuses make sense of all this information? Sanjeev Sehgal, Managing Director, Sparsh, a leading manufacturer of electronic video surveillance equipment in India, feels, “Education sector across the globe has witnessed major security breach and criminal incident in recent past. Today, there is a need for a complete and integrated security solution for educational institutes which can provide a safe and secure environment. There are various digitalLEARNING / June 2015
17
Cover story Interview
Security Solution Market poised to grow to `3,000 crore Sagar Gosalia, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Matrix Comsec explains that threats and security issues are mainly in educational institutes in the form of safety of students living in hostels What are the threats and security issues in education institutions? The threats and security issues are mainly in terms of the safety of students living in hostels or studying in boarding schools, colleges. Also, the attendance of students studying away from home needs to be kept in check. Maintaining student decorum during interval session or in the absence of higher authority is the main concern for the head of the educational institute. In case of multi-location educational institutes, centralised management of videos as well as attendance management of the students and staff is a pre-requisite. Inquisitive parents on safety of their children studying away from home also creates difficulties for the institute administration. Are there innovative solutions that can add value to the security of the institutions? Matrix Security Solutions offers features and products which enhance the productivity and safety of the institute. Accurate capturing of the In time, Out time of the staff members, centralised attendance management, SMS, e-mail notifications about the student’s attendance, audio input or Sagar Gosalia Senior Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Matrix Comsec
18
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
output in all the class rooms which can be accessed by absent students, centralised monitoring of the connected cameras etc. add value to the security of the institutions and tend to improve its reputation and reliability. What is the market size of the security solution industry? There are no published numbers but to the best estimate, the overall security solution market in India is to
the tune of `3,000 crore per annum. What is the rate of adoption do you see in the education sector? The awareness regarding security in the education sector is on the rise and most of the institutions are deploying security solutions. Colleges, hostels, schools etc. are making sure their students are safe and no stone remains unturned in improving the discipline and safety of the institute. What are the major hurdles of security solution adoption in educational institutions? Security is usually not of prime importance for the educational institutions due to which they do not opt to spend a lot of their allotted budget for the installation of security solutions. Most of the schools still only go with the traditional security guard option. Also, the provided budget for the safety of students is restricted because of which the authorities generally do not prefer investing abundantly in these solutions. We at Matrix always strive to make them aware of the necessities of a proper security solution in educational vicinities. Due to our continuous efforts, we have achieved projects of esteemed educational institutes like RBK International school, MIT Pune, Indian Institute of Science, Rishikul Vidhyapeeth Sonepat, British School, to name a few.
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
products and solutions available to cater to education institutes like IP DVAMBS which is broadcasting and Audio-Video Monitoring for installation in schools, mobile solution for transport, mobile surveillance, integrated access control, intruder alarm and CCTV solutions.”
The social impact that surveillance may have on children’s lives is highly dependent upon existing social relations, identities and cultural traditions. Furthermore, sole reliance on physical security to secure campuses of educational institutes is very expensive, and as expressed above, cause discomfort to students R Nandakumar, CEO, ATSS opines, “IP CCTV Products are well suited to serving educational institutions and facilities, as they effortlessly pinpoint security breaches, alert to safety hazards, protect valuable assets, provide data and information to enhance operational efficiency and offer powerful forensic analysis capabilities. Educational institutions and campuses seek to ensure the highest possible security and safety for students, faculty and staff while providing an open learning environment which fosters academic excellence and creativity. Unfortunately, educational campuses have proved to be attractive grounds for attacks and other security incidents, and more and more educational institutions seek advanced surveillance solutions that respond to their needs.” “Recent earthquakes have jolted our whole system and made us think in depth about our current infrastructure, especially schools where kids right from the age of 2 years to 16years are trapped between concrete buildings. Web-based Virtual Surveillance can really help disaster recovery team for their speedy task,” says Gaurav Singh,
Country Head, TechSmart, which is providing a comprehensive security solution for school-going children and their parents to stay updated about their whereabouts.
Growing demand for video surveillance Despite a whole range of security equipment available in the market, video surveillance is all set to become an indispensable and all-pervasive tool in security systems across the globe. According to BIS Research, IP based video surveillance systems have struck the market with compelling features such as high resolution, easy expansion of number of cameras (scalability), lower TCO and a higher ROI. Although in the current market scenario, IP cameras are strongly challenged by the legacy analog systems, but with declining equipment prices and increasing demands of smart video surveillance systems, IP surveillance systems will soon be setting up a new paradigm in the video surveillance market. While opportunities galore, threat
looms large. Cyber criminals make huge money by stealing personal information and selling that off. It is pertinent for educational institutes to understand this is because misusing this data for fraud they have databases full of personal information about faculty, staff, and students. To cyber criminals, who are not fussy about whose data they steal, these repositories of personal data make an appealing target, a common occuring in the US.
Creating a secure campus environment In the midst of all this security, we also need to understand an important aspect of security and surveillance of young children. The social impact that surveillance may have on children’s lives is highly dependent upon existing social relations, identities and cultural traditions. Furthermore, sole reliance on physical security to secure campuses of educational institutes is very expensive, and as expressed above, cause discomfort to students. Therefore, the private players of the security and
Market Share
1
Video surveillance market expected to reach $42.81 billion by 2019, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.1 per cent
2
IP-based video surveillance market is expected to grow rapidly at a CAGR of 24.2 per cent
3
The hardware market, comprised of cameras, recorders, storage, encoders and monitors expected to grow at a CAGR of 17.3 per cent
4
Researchers expect surveillance cameras to increase around 46 per cent by 2019 digitalLEARNING / June 2015
19
Cover story surveillance industry have been coming up with new innovations and cost-effective technologies and an increasing number of educational institutions are adopting advanced security technology and implementing more modern approaches to minimising risks, providing more protection to students and teachers and building an overall safe campus environment. Choosing the right technology and a well-tested service is, therefore, the most important aspect.
A study on the online market for CCTV surveillance in India suggests: CCTV camera needs from New Delhi has soared 123 per cent in one year Highest demand for CCTV cameras from New Delhi (25 per cent) Followed by 16 per cent from Bengaluru; 13 per cent from Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai 9 per cent from Kolkata 7 per cent from Pune Across the country, maximum searches come from Tier 1 cities (76 per cent), followed by 22 per cent from Tier 2 and 2 per cent from Tier 3 cities. CCTV cameras are available between price range of `3,450 to `10,000. Cheaper cameras are also available, but they are definitely not very effective for proper security of campuses as per experts. Schools argue that cameras alone are not enough as the system needs to be monitored - it would mean recruitment of fresh personnel, maintenance and servicing of equipment and other miscellaneous expenses which only increases the cost. Source: Sulekha.com
Industry Speak
Gautam Goradia CEO, Yohaya
Deputy General Manager, Professional Solution Division, Sony India
Shusuke Oyobe
Shailendra Pratap Singh
The Indian market for surveillance equipment is witnessing healthy growth, attracting bigger companies like Canon, Samsung, Panasonic, Sony, Honeywell Godrej, and many others. The market was erstwhile largely unorganised but this is changing. Reports and statistics suggest that the surveillance industry for educational institutes, specifically schools, will grow at 14.3 per cent CAGR by 2018. There is no option for educational institutes to take security extremely seriously, and hence their dependence on surveillance equipment, access control, etc. will only increase from time to time.
The requirement from the education sector is the simple and flexible system that is easy to install and operate across multiple sites. With our SNC Toolbox, the staff can automatically find Sony network cameras on the network, perform firmware upgrades, apply a setting for multiple cameras, and other key functions, thus management is easy and efficient.
During most of the first decade of the century, education sector showed hardly any interest in the biometrics. But with the initiation of many national scale biometric projects like Adhaar and e-governance, the awareness about biometrics has increased and we have observed a spike in the interest since the year 2001. We believe that after completion of Adhaar enrollment, Biometrics will be adopted at least at the rate of 5 to 7 per cent every year by institutions related to K-12 education whereas the rate of adoption will be up to 10 to 15 per cent or even higher for institutions involved in Higher education.
General Manager, Fulcrum Biometrics
R Nandakumar CEO, ATSS
IP CCTV Products are well suited to serving educational institutions and facilities, as they effortlessly pinpoint security breaches, alert to safety hazards, protect valuable assets, provide data and information to enhance operational efficiency and offer powerful forensic analysis capabilities. Educational institutions and campuses seek to ensure the highest possible security and safety for students, faculty and staff while providing an open learning environment which fosters academic excellence and creativity.
20
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
Interview
“Security and surveillance is a critical part of the education sector” With the rise in criminal activities and other threats, a tight and well equipped surveillance system is extremely important in the education sector, says Sudhindra Holla, Country Manager, Axis Communications, India and SAARC What is the scope of providing security solutions in education sector? Security and surveillance is a critical part of the educational sector owing to the concerns and unpleasant incidents ranging from kidnapping, shootouts to molestation in the past. Having security guards at the entrance checking the identity cards and getting visitors to fill forms are not sufficient any longer, as the educational institutions are now more in number, accommodating more students and teachers and keeping an eye on a larger crowd requires technology which can work independent of any human involvement. With the rise in criminal activities and other threats a tight and well equipped surveillance system is extremely important in the education sector. Government has recently mandated CCTV cameras in school buses too, highlighting the need and importance for surveillance when it comes to education sector. What are the threats and security issues in education institutions? Some of the key threats and security issues in education institutions include theft or vandalism in the premisescausing damage to the infrastructure and technology available; criminals trespassing in to the campus, kidnapping the students or causing any kind of harm, ragging and unlawful behaviour
inside the campus ; molestation and other severe offence How can your solutions help education sector to be secure and safe? We often hear about educational facilities that have been exposed to vandalism, violence or burglary, as a result, valuable resources are lost to heavy repairs and investigations; the Axis vandal- protection cameras are sturdy, hence cannot be destroyed by vandals and gives a clear image of the surroundings. Our outdoor cameras secure the surrounding facilities with variants that can adopt to any light or climatic conditions. It’s a surveillance system that enables remote access to video from any number of branch offices from a single location. The complete system is easily connected to the existing network infrastructure and computers, thus keeping installation and maintenance costs low. Ideal for hallways, corridors, classrooms, libraries, parking lots and other campus areas. Moreover, if the cameras are tampered with or if there is noise or motion in a building during off hours, the security staff receives an automatic notification from the cameras, enabling them to quickly evaluate the situation and act accordingly. If needed, highquality video images can directly be shared with patrolling officers or local
Sudhindra Holla Country Manager, Axis Communications, India and SAARC
police via the Internet or mobile devices. This type of surveillance ensures safety across the campus especially residential campuses with hostels and teachers’ quarters. What is the market size of the security solution industry? The growing use of video surveillance system in sectors like retail, education, hospitality, government, banking among countless others has created huge opportunities for security solution providers. According to 6Wresearch, the market for video surveillance in India is projected to reach USD 2.4 billion by 2020. Among all the sectors, government has been one of the strongest growth drivers and we see the market for IP video surveillance expanding considerably over the next few years due to increasing infrastructure and demand for remote access.
digitalLEARNING / June 2015
21
Cover story Interview
Balancing Act of Security Understanding the needs of security and surveillance for educational institutions, Yogesh B. Dutta, COO, CP Plus India, believes, institutions must enhance security measures and policies against a backdrop of constrained budgets and limited resources What is the scope of providing security solutions in education sector? India is an important education hub in the global education industry and has more than 1.4 million schools and more than 35,000 higher education institutes. India has one of the largest higher education systems in the world and there is still a lot of potential for further development in the education system. However, from the security point of view, the education sector is largely untapped and heavily relies on physical security. The incidences of theft of assets are quite rampant and there is hardly any fool-proof measures are exercised. The schools have very critical and expensive value assets, like a library, sports equipment, answer sheets, students’ data in physical and electric form, stationery, etc. These needs to be protected from vandalism and unscrupulous elements who can manipulate the access to these resources. How can your solutions help education sector to be secure and safe? Today more than ever protecting students, faculty and school assets are a high-profile and complex challenge. School districts and educational institutions must enhance security measures and policies against a backdrop of constrained budgets and limited resources. CP PLUS has successfully secured locations across the country in diversified business sectors. We understand the needs of the education sector and designs solutions which are true value proposition at affordable price points and offers pioneering solutions to help educational
22
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
video analytics can identify a variety of misdemeanors – be it a drunken person entering the campus, students bunking classes, disturbing the library environment etc. What is the market size of the security solution industry? As per rough estimates, Indian security industry currently pegged at around `3,500 crore and is expected to grow at least by 15 per cent per year and the figures may cross `6,000 crores by Year 2018.
Yogesh B. Dutta COO, CP Plus India
institutions to do more with less. Our solutions provide the sector with the most advanced networked security technology while lowering total cost of ownership. Are there innovative solutions that can add value to the security of the institutions? Ensuring campus-wide security is a delicate balancing act. On one hand, you must provide students and faculty with a safe learning environment while maintaining an open campus and community atmosphere. Our range of innovative solutions provides following advantages: The latest innovations provide intelligent video surveillance that improves critical response time, unified integrated system and ensures complete system reliability. Video surveillance and video analytics systems also allow crowd behaviour recognition. An IP video surveillance system using
What is the rate of adoption do you see in the education sector? The rate of adoption in the education sector has been substantially low in comparison to other sectors due to impediments in the adoption. However, with growing awareness, training, availability of latest HD and intelligent solutions, and availability and spread of high-speed broadband internet, the rate of adoption is set to rise. Security surveillance has become the basic need of not only institutions but also for homes. What are the major hurdles of security solution adoption in educational institutions? Educational Institutes in India face a unique combination of security challenges that go beyond providing strictly educational services. The key challenges include budget allocation and utilisation of funds for security infrastructure upgrade, availability of skilled persons, and smooth operations. Personal privacy is also a major concern before the authorities before implementing video surveillance solutions.
In Conversation
Skill EducationNeed of the Hour To make students learn skill education, CBSE has introduced five vocational courses under National Skill Qualification Framework at Senior Secondary level. In conversation with Elets News Network (ENN), MVV Prasada Rao, Director, Vocational Education and EDUSAT, CBSE, informs about the opportunities that skill education provides to children What are the initiatives under your department focusing on Skill Development? CBSE has introduced five Vocational Courses under National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) in 2012 namely IT, Automobile, Retail, Security and Introduction to Travel and Tourism at Secondary level classes IX and X (level1 & 2). There are 40 vocational courses offered at senior secondary level i.e. classes IX & XII in seven different sectors. CBSE develops curriculum and content for these courses and prepares student’s manual and teacher’s handbook for the benefit of the students and teachers. Also, training programmes for teachers are organised to upgrade the teaching techniques and skills in respective subjects. CBSE also conducts sensitisation and awareness programmes in various parts of the country to sensitise the students, principals and parents on skill education. We are also looking forward for digitalisation of materials in subjects and already developed some subjects in this direction for the benefit of the students. The courses offered at senior secondary level have been aligned with NSQF. A new course at secondary level at level 1 Class IX is being introduced on Financial Management and Marketing from this academic year under NSQF. How technology is leveraging and aiding the initiative for the growth of skill development in the education domain? No doubt that the technology especially
24
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
educational technology plays a very significant role in teaching and learning process. Technology is highly useful in skill-oriented courses, as these require hands on experience unlike other academic courses. There is a shift in the classroom learning today from traditional teaching to that of the digital teaching for the benefit of students. Learning becomes easier through the use of technology
and also preparation of teaching aids in proper motivation of students. How can low employability of Value Education Training (VET) graduates due to skill mismatch by worked upon? There is a big mismatch between what the educational institutions are doing and the needs of the industry. Sufficient employment opportunities are available
CBSE PROPOSED MATRIX OF LIFE SKILLS IN A CLASSROOM TEACHING METHOD DESCRIPTION CLASS DISCUSSION The class examines a problem or topic of interest with the goal of (In small or large better understanding an issue or groups) skill, reaching the best solution, or developing new ideas and directions for the group Students actively generate a broad BRAIN STORMING variety of ideas about a particular topic or question in a given, period of time Quantity of ideas is the main objective of brain storming SITUATION ANALYSIS AND CASE STUDIES
Situation analysis activities allow students to think about, analyse, and discuss situations they might encounter Case studies are real life stories that describe in detail what happened to a community, family school, or individual
DEBATES
In a debate, a particular problem or issue is presented to the class, and students must take a position on resolving the problem or issue. The class can debate as a whole or in small groups
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
in our country but the children coming out of the schools are lacking specific skills to get employed. Educational institutions should look forward to integrate skill education with that of the general education so that the child acquires some skill before he leaves the educational institutions. Skill education provides an opportunity for the child not only to get employed if required skills are obtained as per the requirement of the industry but also to become an entrepreneur and create employment for others. What are the measures being undertaken to integrate vocational skills training into school curriculum? It is a matter of policy. However, curriculum is being designed in accordance with the NSQF for the benefit of the students. Necessary global skills required in specific vocational course are being addressed with the involvement of concerned sector skill councils. What are the suggestions, measures and initiatives that will
drive this change forward in the VET segment? First of all, skill education must be integrated into the general curriculum and make every child to learn specific skills at school level so as to get confidence of getting employment. We need to make skill education compulsory for all the students in school right from primary level at least to create awareness amongst the child on the importance of vocational education and develop taste and choice for skill oriented education. MVV Prasada Rao Director, Vocational Education and EDUSAT
BENEFITS Students learn from one another and deepen their understanding of the topic and personalise their connection to it. Helps develop skills in listening, assertiveness, and empathy
PROCESS Decide how to arrange seating for discussion Identify the goal of the discussion and communicate it clearly
Allows students to generate ideas quickly and spontaneously Helps students use their imagination and break loose from fixed patterns of response
Designate a leader and a recorder State the issue or problem and ask for ideas Students may suggest any idea that comes to mind After brainstorming, review the ideas and add, delete, categorise Students explore problems and dilemmas Guiding questions are useful to spur thinking and and safely test solutions discussion Case studies are powerful catalysts Facilitator must be adept at teasing out the key for thought and discussion and can be points and step back and pose some ‘bigger’ tied to specific activities to help students overarching questions practice healthy responses before they find Situation analysis and case studies need adequate themselves confronted with a health risk time for processing and creative thinking Offers a chance to practice higher Allow students to take positions of their choosing thinking skills if too many students take the same position, ask for volunteers to take the opposing point of view Provide students with time to research their topic Do not allow students to dominate at the expenses of other speakers digitalLEARNING / June 2015
25
Interview
Bonding through Education Keen on creating third level links in post graduate research, Ireland is slowly becoming a home for Indian students to explore their area of interest at the local universities. In an exclusive chat with Feilim McLaughlin, Ambassador of Ireland to India, Bhawna Satsangi of Elets New Network (ENN), finds out the opportunities that the country offers for Indian students Please throw light on India and Ireland education ties. The number of schools in India has been developed by Irish people over 200 years and has Irish links all over India. But that’s a story of the 19th century. We are trying to develop a new story of 21st century, looking at more third-level links, particularly in post graduate research, and trying to make relationship with faculties in India. Feilim McLaughlin Ambassador of Ireland to India
We have signed almost 45 MoUs with Indian institutes and the number is growing. We have around 1000 Indian students studying at the post graduate level in Ireland. The number has been doubled in last two years and we are hoping to increase more numbers in next two to three years. We are trying to encourage Irish students to come to India and take up post graduate courses. The primary area which is of interest to Indian students in looking at Ireland is the linkages we have between education and industry.
University Scholarships Brief Scholarships for Indian Dublin City Faculty of University Humanities students joining the faculty in and Social September 2015. A â‚Ź1,000 Sciences scholarship will be offered to scholarships each student University Kemmy of Limerick Business School
Merit-based scholarships worth up to 50% of tuition fees are available to postgraduate Indian applicants Faculty of Merit-based scholarships are Science and available to full-time nonEngineering EU postgraduate students Scholarships in the Faculty of Science and Engineering for 201516. 50 per cent tuition fee scholarship to postgraduate students Scholarships Scholarships are available for Galway for Non-EU Non-EU students giving upto Mayo 30 per cent discount off the Institute of students quoted fee Technology New scholarship for Indian Maynooth Applicants to taught masters University programmes commencing in september 2015
26
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
Ireland has large technical sectors, institutes of technology, private colleges as well and lots of Indian students are opting to study catering and hotel management. The institute of technology offers wide range of vocational courses for the students in engineering related field
Ireland is home to thousands of the world’s largest multinationals working in Hi-tech sectors. We develop very strong links between education sector and business, so that in many cases, research and development done by businesses is actually done in collaboration with our universities which help students of the universities to hone their skills and get practical knowledge. They get the opportunity to work for blue chip companies. It is an experimental duty to bring them together to ensure that our education sector is industry relevant and provides best possible platforms for individual students when they leave university. They have skill and experience which is required by the industry. We find this as a great interest to Indian students. What are the popular subjects in Ireland Universities for Indian students? Tech related subjects, computer science, engineering, business and marketing are some of the subjects very popular among Indian students in Ireland universities. We have very good Business
Ireland ensures to give best possible platforms to students to work in blue chip companies
Post Graduate Programme M.A. in Journalism, MSc in Multimedia, M.A in Social Media Studies, M.A in Film and Television Studies, M.A in International Relations
Eligibility Student should meet academic and English language entry requirements of the programme and enrolled on the programme in September 2015 Business Management, MA (FT), Scholarships are based on Computational Finance, MSc (FT), Economic academic merit Analysis, MSc (FT), Financial Services, MSc (FT), Human Resource Management
Last Date Humanities and Social Sciences students who enroll in September will receive the scholarships. The deadline for applying is 1st July
MSc in Applied Physics, Grad Dip/ MSc in Quality Management, Grad Dip/ MSc in Advanced Materials, Grad Dip/ MTech in Computer-Aided Engineering Product Design, Grad Dip in Chemical Engineering, MEng in Computer and Communications Systems
Students will be considered automatically for scholarships
Scholarships are based on academic merit
Students will be considered automatically for scholarships
15 per cent scholarship in English Language IELTS score of 6.5 or higher
Computer Science, Electronic Engineering and Business
50 per cent tution fee scholarship
Applicants can apply for a Taught Masters programme at Maynooth University through PAC by 30th June digitalLEARNING / June 2015
27
Interview
1 school in university college Dublin to study Business and Marketing. It has one of the best MBA programmes in Dublin College. We have maximum number of Indian students in the Dublin University and there are 120 students looking to go to University College Dublin. Applied sciences is also another subject which is gaining popularity. Are there any innovations done in education sector specifically targeting Indian students? Education sector is very innovation focussed may be not specifically for Indian students but it is for all. There is an opportunity for the Indian students to profit from the work we are doing with the industry in particular. We have got huge ICT sector in Dublin which has become silicon dock. There are lots of companies that have shortages in terms of qualified workforce. Once the student completes graduation, he can stay in Ireland for 12 months and can find an employment. What are the other opportunities students can explore in Vocational studies? Ireland has large technical sectors, institutes of technology, private colleges as well and lots of Indian students are opting to study catering and hotel management. The institute of technology offers wide range of vocational courses for the students in engineering-related field. What are the scholarship schemes for Indian Students? We have 150 scholarship schemes that
28
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
2 1
University College Dublin
2
University College Cork
3 we are running for Indian students in all of the colleges. Most of them are from Government of Ireland. Majority of the scholarship schemes are coming from colleges itself. Please throw light on British Irish Scheme. This is the VISA scheme, which allows the student to explore education tourism in the UK without acquiring separate VISA. This is a single VISA scheme through which students can commute from Ireland to UK easily. With an Irish VISA you can move to UK and viceversa. The idea is to facilitate education between two countries. The number of VISA applications has been increased to 20 per cent. What are the employment opportunities for students? Students are allowed to work upto 2530 hours a week part time which is
3
National University of Ireland, Galway
permitted by the Universities. They can get hands on experience. Unlike lot of other countries, we offer possibilities of having a breathing period after the student finishes his study. He can look for internships in companies and can work in the blue chip companies. Do universities provide placement opportunities for students? The universities arrange internships in the companies, felicitate the student’s name, give ideas. There are couple of courses now which has placement opportunities as part of the course. What are the other benefits of studying in Ireland? It’s a very friendly place, relaxed and is a good social place. One can go to 150 destinations in Europe from Ireland. People are more generous and talk to each other. Indian students are becoming our strong advocates.
Interview
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
Promising a better education environment Chhattisgarh is focused to devising newer ways to improve the quality of teaching in schools by employing ICT tools. Subrat Sahoo, Secretary, Department of School Education, Government of Chhattisgarh, in conversation with Souvik Goswami of Elets News Network (ENN), talks about the initiatives undertaken taken by the State Government in this direction What are the major initiatives undertaken by your department to enhance the quality of education in schools of Chhattisgarh? We are amending the schedule of academic calendar which normally starts from 16th June until 30th April. From next session onwards, the calendar will start from 1st April until 31st March, in tandem with CBSE and other boards. We are also going to start online teachers’ management system, so that we can track them and their salary would also be credited through a payment gateway to avoid any delays. It will be an online management system applied to all the schools in Chhattisgarh. The project is in its initial stage now and is likely to be rolled out by the end of this financial year. How do you keep track of other districts or blocks’ workflow? We have migrated to an electronic mode, in which messages including letters, circulars and orders are delivered instantaneously, and we can also track the movements of the documents. For instance, the number of times it is seen, the number of copies that have been printed and so on. It also provides us leads about the defaulting districts or blocks. What initiative is your department taking towards teachers’ training? We have rolled out a programme on compulsory training for all teachers and have trained around 40,000 teachers so far. However, 5,000 more teachers are still to be trained. We will complete
which we are working. Overall, it has been a positive experience for us.
Subrat Sahoo Secretary, Department of School Education, Government of Chhattisgarh
“We are in the process of becoming Vocational Training Providers (VTPs) and are already a part of the training schedule.” their training by the end of this financial year and none of the teachers will remain untrained on completion of this programme. The Government of India is focusing on quality education. What is the contribution of Chhattisgarh Government in this regard? We are in the process of becoming Vocational Training Providers (VTPs) and are already a part of the training schedule. There are some issues on
How important is the role of ICT in education? We are using ICT for all our programmes. For example, for our training module, we are using online platform to reduce the paper burden and carbon footprints. Training material is available to all those who attend it. They can also offload their training preferences and the system will decide in which slot and time a person can attend the training class. We are also doing a free web-page enabling of question banks. This will be operational in a couple of months. In this programme, any child anywhere within or outside Chhattisgarh can access the web-page and select a sample paper of his own choice depending on class, subject and level of difficulty. This step will reduce dependence on guide books. How important digital learning would become in the coming years? Digital learning is here to stay and it won’t vanish. It’s a paradigm shift and we have to keep pace with time. However, since there is limitation of resources, it can be done only in a phased manner. What is your vision for the School Education Department in the State? My vision is to improve the quality of education, which is not very satisfactory at present. We need to improve the level and capabilities of teachers and also the general environment in the State, where children can be promised a better future. digitalLEARNING / June 2015
29
“CCTV IS NOT ENOUGH. DO MORE”!
GAUTAM D. GORADIA
ORDER COM-SUR
TM
SOFTWARE & ACCESSORIES TO HELP YOU TO ... REVIEW CCTV DAILY
“Why is little Sasha on this floor? She shouldn’t be here.”
BACKUP CCTV
REPORT INCIDENTS
DVR STOLEN? DESTROYED? FAILED? - NO SWEAT!
INCIDENT REPORT ENTIRE STORY (5Ws + 1H) IN POWERPOINT
STANDARD FORMAT
“Oh No! Look at that. The guard is sleeping.”
BACKUP SCREENSHOTS AT REMOTE LOCATIONS
RELEVANT SCREENSHOTS
GET PATTERNS FROM HISTORICAL DATA
Above services are subject to their respective terms. No Com-Sur affiliation.
Daily REVIEW of CCTV helps discover EXCEPTIONS with ease.
CCTV Backup as Screenshots at REMOTE locations ensures safe storage.
Incident Reports in POWERPOINT help SOLVE Crime Faster.
COM-SUR WORKS WITH ALL CAMERAS/DVRs/NVRs/VMS TM
COM-SUR SOFTWARE SOFTWARE++ACCESSORIES ACCESSORIESHELP... HELP... COM-SUR TM TM
PREVENT PREVENT CRIMEAND AND CRIME LOSSES LOSSES
IMPROVE IMPROVE PROCESSES PROCESSES ANDSALES SALES AND
SOLVE SOLVE CRIME CRIME FASTER FASTER
27 Oneset setof ofCom-Sur Com-SurAccessories Accessoriescontains contains 27 One PCS. PCS.
MetallicBoards Boards Metallic
PaperStickers Stickers(B) (B) Paper
PaperStickers Stickers Paper (S)(S)
Daily CCTV Daily CCTV Review Books Review Books
Pocket Books Pocket Books
33
66
66
66
66
PCS. PCS.
PCS. PCS.
PCS. PCS.
PCS. PCS.
PCS. PCS.
SIMPLE SIMPLESIGNAGE SIGNAGE--HUGE HUGEDETERRENT DETERRENT
E-mail E-mail us usNOW: NOW:ineedcomsur@comsur.biz ineedcomsur@comsur.biz
Watch Watch Our OurVideos Videosat atwww.comsur.biz www.comsur.biz
Exclusive Interview
Making Youth Job Ready through Skill Education Route With a mandate to provide quality education for youth, Higher Education Department in the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) is encouraging employment opportunities through various programmes and schemes to develop skills among students. In an exclusive chat with Seema Gupta of Elets News Network (ENN), Raju Srinivasan, Director, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development shares the efforts that the department is making to skill people and make them job ready What are the new initiatives being undertaken by MHRD to improve the skill in technical education in the country? In 2009, the Government had introduced National Policy on Skill Development, but later realised that training alone was insufficient for making people employable. We realised that there was a need to educate our youngsters by providing a continuous skilling curriculum along with mainstream education. With this aim, we introduced skills as part of our education system and the Government has created National Skill Development Council (NSDC) and National Skill Development Agency (NSDA). MHRD had launched a scheme on Skill Assessment Matrix for Vocational Advancement of Youth (SAMVAY) on 11th November 2014 for Credit Framework to support students mobility under National Skills Quality Framework (NSQF). SAMVAY was created to support mobility of students between various levels of general education, community colleges and Bachelor of Vocational Courses (B.Voc) courses run by polytechnics and colleges approved by UGC and AICTE. We need to educate our youngsters and focus on skilling manpower to encourage better employment and foster entrepreneurship in the country. The demographic dividend provides ample opportunities of employability in foreign lands as there is an adequate demand of skilled persons in all sectors. To make
32
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
Filling the gap of skill shortages to encourage life-long learning
people work abroad and understand their culture and society, learners may prefer to choose any foreign language as an option to meet the global demand. How can technical education be used to increase the employability level of the youth? Most of the industries are facing shortage of skilled manpower. Our focus is to impart skills along with technical and general education to fill the gap of skill shortages across various sectors in the industry and to encourage life long learning. Institutions are working to understand the changing industry and market dynamics and have initiated the changes required to increase the employability level of the youth. Moreover, industry and educational institutes are working jointly for creating the curriculum required to meet the market needs.
Are all the IITs and NITs also collaborating with the industries for the right curriculum changes ? IITs and NITs already have collaboration with various industries and have been able to increase the competency level of students. In case of other institutions, our regulators have directed them to adopt NOS and QP developed by SSC in their curriculum, while implementing community college scheme and B.Voc programme to increase the level of competency to fit into the specific job as per the market demand. With these Institutions adopting the SSC curriculum, there will be no issue of employability in near future. Please throw light on the community college concept. The community college is a scheme which is gaining prominence. It is a concept of skill development and
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
traditional courses which are accessible to a large number of individuals of the community. These courses offer low cost yet high quality education locally run by polytechnics and colleges. It has synergetic relationship between the community, learners and a job market. Two years back, Ministry of HRD launched a pilot project for community college scheme, where 200 community colleges were identified. Out of these, AICTE has started 72 community colleges and UGC has started around 107 community colleges. These colleges give an opportunity to the community to move directly to employment or scale up to higher education. The Communty college scheme is expected to meet the local demand of industries and also retain the traditional skill with people.
AICTE has started 72 community colleges and UGC has started around 107 community colleges. These colleges give an opportunity to the community to move directly to employment How is ICT helping the technical education to improve the quality of education? More than 800 courses in various disciplines in engineering and science are available online under NPTEL. E-content for eight undergraduate subjects has been generated, over 100 Virtual Labs in nine disciplines, about 770 experiments and 1,500 spoken tutorials are currently ready for use. The use of ICT would thus ensure standardised delivery of education to all students in various universities and institutions. What is the reach of ICT in various colleges today? NMEICT cloud to host online courses with social networking to resolve doubts, peer level consultations, online examinations, certifications, credit transfer effective use of MOOCs have been made possible by ICT. NPTEL
platforms are helping us to overcome shortage of faculties. Through ICT, we are able to generate the standardised content and it is also possible to deliver education in preferred languages. What is the roadmap you have developed to reach to remote areas? Ministry of HRD has notified NVEQF on 3rd September 2012, which is a nationally integrated education and competency-based skill framework, that has been superceded by the NSQF on its notification on 27th December 2013. Subsequently, MHRD has launched revised scheme of vocationalisation of secondary and higher secondary education in school education side and community colleges, B.Voc, Kaushal Kendras, SAMVAY - skill Credit schemes in Higher Education. All these schemes ensure vertical and horizontal mobility as well as provide windows of opportunities to the learner for progression across sectors from level 1 to level 10 under NSQF. The scheme covers 3,645 government schools in 30 States and Union Terrotories, 179 community colleges offering courses in 76 different trades, 127 B.Voc institutions and 100 Kaushal Kendras. Over the period, it would be possible to reach all the schools, colleges and universities across the country based on the response and market demand.
them also improves. Ensuring quality of teaching, training teachers and imparting skills in higher education are the major challenges for institutions. It is viewed as an opportunity of demographic dividend for these institutions where the combination of skills in technical and higher education with an appropriate sectoral domain to match the demand of industry may boost the economy of our nation. NBA accreditation became mandatory for all the programmes of AICTE-approved technical institutions, that are willing to increase the intake of programme or introduce new programme. This would certainly make an impact on improving the quality of technical education.
What are the challenges you see in increasing number of institutions in the country? With the mushrooming of new institutions everywhere, it is important that the quality of education provided by Raju Srinivasan Director, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of HRD digitalLEARNING / June 2015
33
Tete-a-Tete
NABET Focuses on Global Employability Skills and Quality Education Creating a mechanism to accredit Skill education and training is necessary to build an ecosystem for empowering the youth with global skills requirement as well as employable skills in Make in India regime. Vipin Sahni, CEO, National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET) tells Bhawna Satsangi of Elets News Network (ENN) how the organisation has repositioned its role in the formal and non-formal education to scale up the activities in education sector What are the initiatives under NABET focusing on skill development? The formation of Quality Council of India was done on the principles of creating a third party assessment structure - a national accreditation structure for international acceptability. One, of course was the general standards and conformity assessment arena. But, the other area which would be the foundation stone for our country to grow and reach at the international standards progressively through voluntary accreditation is education and training. With that perspective it was thought that we should have a separate board or an accreditation board which can create an ecosystem for providing quality services to the masses in education and skills domain. You may be aware, that NABET is one of the biggest boards under QCI in terms of its reach, activities, growth as well as the impact it has on the total population of youth in India. The role of education has become more important because of the huge demographic potential that India possesses, which needs to be converted into a dividend not only for India but also for the world. These youth are also expected to take up employment internationally to meet the needs of the various economies around the world. To give you an idea, there are about more than one and a half million schools and GER of only 21% and more than 30 million people in tertiary education in India every year. Whereas, the government has been spending lot of money in creating new institutions in order to provide access
34
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
to education and skill training. The fast changing industrial environment in India and abroad has rendered the existing skill set a very short shelf life. Our education system and for that matter around the world has not been able to cope up with the skill set required for a global and fast changing work place. There are issues of employability, working in a multicultural work environment, working with pleasure without stress, training of teachers, holistic development of educational professional, peer learning, ICT based learning, and skill training etc. All these areas of major concern are being addressed within a very tight framework and fortunately the present government has given lot of emphasis on skill training, which is likely to become a vehicle for economic development and leadership that India craves to establish in the world through its human resource potential. NABET has made an extremely visionary plan to address all these issues in a time bound manner. Formal education is the basic ingredient or the foundation for any holistic development. Within this ecosystem, NABET is creating a structured assessment, rating and maturity model for institutionalisation and linkages with the international benchmarks. Vipin Sahni CEO, NABET talks about creating a structured assessment
Please throw light on NABET structure. We have five different verticals within NABET. It is the national accreditation body for the industrial training institutes - the ITIs, National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT), Government of India has made it mandatory for all institutes to first seek NABET accreditation for NCVT affiliation. The process of accreditation is based on the principles of third party assessment.
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
We work as a supporting arm to various government initiatives at central or state level and ensure the quality parameters in all education and skills related activities. We also seek to accredit personal certification bodies which verify the competencies of professionals. Very soon this will become a mechanism for cross border movement of professionals from our country into different countries. The companies today are asking for certified professionals globally. NABET is also working in a major way with Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and creating a kind of supporting mechanism through Quality initiatives. NABET is the National Monitoring and Implementing Unit for Lean Manufacturing Competitiveness scheme with Ministry of MSME. NABET is also accrediting schools in formal education, a voluntary standard as of now. The standard is very well accepted in private, government and schools abroad. A number of schools in the Middle East are also coming for NABET accreditation. We are also working on the accreditation of environment impact assessment consultant organisations who take up developmental projects in India wherein NABET is working in close cooperation with Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change. For preparing EIA reports, the consulting organisations have to be NABET accredited. On what parameters do you decide the accreditation? In certain areas there are process standards like ISO 9000 standards or 14000 standards which are embedded. Even for certification of non-formal training institutes, there is ISO 29990 standard. The bodies which are certifying the competencies of professionals there is a standard called ISO 17024. We as an accreditation body also have to meet the standard 17011 and there’s an international accreditation forum (IAF) of which Quality Council of India is a member. Wherever there are multilateral agreements, we try to be a signatory to those agreements.
Except for higher education wherein we have Washington accord, for schools and vocational trainings there are no multilateral agreements at present around the world. We are signing bilateral agreements with similar bodies around the world so that at least by the time these multi-lateral agreements come, we have certain mechanism which enables our workforce to be acceptable internationally. We try to pick up the best practices from across the world and circulate criteria that we develop to all our stakeholders and other internationally
time of accreditation through which we have reduced the time period of more than a year for approvals to 3-4 months. This year we have received more than 4000 applications for ITI accreditation because of easy accessibility and clarity of the criteria. What are the other activities that NABET is working on? We are looking at creating an ecosystem where we help SMEs in quality parameters to create their capabilities so that when international companies set up establishments in India, they
NABET is also accrediting schools in formal education, a voluntary standard as of now
to ensure that we are on the same lines. The objective is to create an enabling mechanism so that total ecosystem that we are trying to create gets evolved over a period of time. How NABET is embracing technology? Technology is the backbone in all of our activities. We have used technology to create certain environments that it reaches to a person even in a rural belt. Today, fortunately technology has given us all those options. All the accreditation mechanism that we are setting up, we are creating total online mechanism wherein institute has to apply online. We try to create all the mechanisms to support the applicants. Technology is also cutting short the
are able to get the quality of resources that they desire. It will also provide ample opportunities to students who are coming out of technical institutes in jobs related to manufacturing quality. We have created a ZED model (Zero Defect Zero Effect Maturity Model) for MSMEs. Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry are supporting this initiative. Just imagine through this if a SME is able to create even one more job, there would be an immediate creation of 4050 million employment opportunity for youth only in the SME sector. We are not only imagining but striving to create an ecosystem to support the “Make in India� call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. digitalLEARNING / June 2015
35
Knowledge Exchange Goa 2015
E
lets Knowledge Exchange (KE) Goa 2015 Summit recently concluded at Goa not only served as a platform to exchange knowledge between the key stakeholders who are active in the fields of governance, urban development- with special focus on smart cities, education, health and BFSI, also highlighted Government of India’s vision of changing India through the Digital India Programme. Eminent personalities from the field of education shared their vision in the session: Innovation in education in KE Goa. DL brings to you excerpts from conversation with these eminent personalities at the KE Goa.
Interview
Scaling with IT Imparting training through digital and information technology, Ranjan Choudhury, Principal, Program Development, National Skill Development Corporation informs the NSDC is running 10 innovative projects where the innovative IT tools have been used Please throw light on various skill development initiatives or projects which are running currently under your department? At NSDC, we have about 200 private sector players to create capacity in the skill development and they are currently all across the country. Our partnership
ranges from first-time entrepreneurs to establish names in education and training corporate as well as private universities. So, we have got a fairly widespread area where NSDC training centers available all over the country. Apart from this we have also initiated 34 sector skill councils and their various other initiatives as well such as the world skills, UDAAN and other special projects that we carry on time to time. How has IT been adopted in your sector of operation? The challenge of developing skills among 150 million people across the country is our mandate. The only way to do it is to make extensive use of technologyDigital and Information technology. So, the training that is provided, a lot of it is through IT and digital enabled content both in terms of delivery. We are also looking at IT enablement in terms of assessment. A lot of trainings that is Ranjan Choudhury Principal, Program Development, National Skill Development Corporation
36
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
happening is through simulators and we also have a specific vertical within the NSDC which caters to innovations and there are more than 10 projects that we have when it comes to innovations and most of it is using IT. We are working with an organisation called AVR Edge which is at the moment working on a digital employment exchange based on artificial intelligence. Any Message for Elets Technomedia for promoting IT & ICT in all sectors of operation in a country and bringing all the stakeholders under one roof? Elets is a great platform where stakeholders across the country come in and talent skills are something which is underpinning all sectors whether it is healthcare or education. The NSDC training partner if in some way could collaborate with the IT companies and these companies in some way could work with NSDC training providers to make sure that content curriculum and the training that is provided to them is up to standards and they could be scaling with the use of Information technology.
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
Interview
IT Driving Education in Himachal For Himachal Pradesh, IT has been embracing the education sector from quite a long time now. Balbeer Tegta, Chairman, Himachal Pradesh Board School Education talks about several IT initiatives that the State has taken to bring efficiency in the sector. How Has IT initiatives been taken in the school education department in Himachal Pradesh? Himachal Pradesh has pioneered in the IT area, and it has won several awards at national level. It’s an IT savvy state, and probably one of the few states in the country which is in a big way deploying the IT applications with respect to e-governance, with respect to applications of the IT into various areas and particularly in education sector. IT has been introduced in a phased manner in various schools and also in the education board. Please throw light on few initiatives that are in the pipeline and are involving intensive IT Implementation? In school education board, we have introduced several IT initiatives from last two years. We have introduced online applications for registration of students for entrance interviews, various exams, we have digitised old records to provide facility to old students who want to take their registration, certificate and other records from the board. Now, we are also setting up various modules for the working of the office. We want
Balbeer Tegta Chairman, Himachal Pradesh Board School Education
to introduce more transparency and bring efficiency as IT as a tool helps in increasing efficiency, bringing more transparency and providing better services. What is your opinion on ELETS taking the step to bring all the key stakeholders and IT initiatives under one roof? I have lot of exposure to various IT applications particularly in education
sector and in overall growth of infrastructure, health and other areas and I wish we could also have a summit like this, sometime in near future, for which I will pursue this matter with the government and I am hopeful that this kind of summit would do a good work in furtherance of the cause of education in the State. I would like to throw light on the growth of Himachal Pradesh in the education sector from last three decades because there had been large expansion of educational activities in the State with the visionary leadership of the present Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. The State has 17,000 educational institutions, around 90 colleges and five universities. For a population of 65 lakhs in the State, we have around 16,000 villages and for every village we have a school. And that’s a tremendous growth and expansion that has taken place in the sector of education in the State. This year the education budget for the State is 4,400 crore which is roughly one-fourth of the budget of the State. That shows the priority the government has for the education in the State and the concern it has for improving the quality of education.
“We are focusing on ICT programme in our State and have introduced IT in primary education. We are running Computer Aided Learning (CAL) programme in elementary schools on pilot basis” Mahendra Kumar Malik State Project Director, Odisha Primary Education Program Authority, Government of Odisha digitalLEARNING / June 2015
37
SPECIAL FEATURE
3D Printing
With the growing importance of the technology in education sector, 3D printing technology is fueling limitless creativity among students. Bhawna Satsangi of Elets News Network (ENN) talks to industry experts about the importance of 3D printing in education
T
o enrich teaching across effective means for classrooms, where STEM (Science, Technology, students are undertaking real world Engineering and Mathematics) learning experiences, be better prepared and design subjects, there are for tomorrow’s challenges. It nurtures innovative ways of using 3D printers creativity, satisfies intellectual as a technology to help teach complex curiosity and inspires students subjects in a much easier way. No to invent, design doubt, schools are still in the early and engineer. It stage of adoption of this innovative encourages technology, but 3D printer is the exciting new ideas, opportunities to explore and has the help them ability to revolutionise the education bring it to sector in a holistic manner. life, and The technology not only provides c r e at e teachers with three dimensional objects visual aids to use in the classroom in t h a t illustrating the methods but also makes it model the easy for them to seize the interest of the students compared to just showing the pictorial Visual representations of the objects. Aids: pro “3D printers can be used in teachevides rest: home, office, lab and there are 3 dime rs with Seizes Intehers n s io c n also required in classrooms visual al help tea in illustraaids in today. We are seeing the to mainta of tin t conce g a usage of 3D printers for the interesnts pt e d the stu technical courses. The wing rather sho rial technology helps in to the pic evaluating the ideas, Hands-on ons presentaticts re experience: 3D je and can design quickly of the ob printer usage whatever students conceive encourages through practice. The usage hands-on improves creativity and Interactive learning. Students innovation. 3D Printing sessions: Its will be equipped can also be used by Medical usage increase to produce 3 interactive clas s students,” informs Prasad dimensional mini s activities. A models Rodagi, Founder Director, biology studen Altem Technologies. can study cro t 3D printing technology ss sections of is turning out to be an
38
heart
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
innovations with high accuracy, fine detail and moving parts. “Through project-based learning enabled by 3D printers, students will be equipped with a solid foundation on 3D printing in addition to enriching their design and engineering knowledge. It fuels limitless creativity where students get to see, hold and test their ideas in real space. Tomorrow’s engineers, designers and problem solvers deserve every tool available to build a brilliant future,” believes Rajiv Bajaj, General Manager, India, Stratasys AP. “3D printing has literally given wings to a student’s imagination. Design whatever you want, however you want it, create a 3D model
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
(through CAD) and set to print. Everyday we are witnessing the various ways these students are able to experiment with their imagination. Internet is flooded with examples,” says, Raja Sekhar Upputuri, Co-Founder, Think3D
Benefits galore There’s been a paradigm shift from 2D to 3D globally, and India is catching up fast with global trends. They are envisioning the future by forming a befitting ecosystem in 3D printing. “3D printing will fuel limitless creativity, by allowing students to hold, see, and test their ideas in real space. That said, 3D printers won’t just give them a jump start on tomorrow’s challenges, but will also expose them to the varied solutions they might have for a given challenge,” tells Guruprasad K. Rao, Director-Technology and Operation, Imaginarium. The technology is suited to project works, where learning arises naturally as part of a research. It will benefit teachers to focus on teaching concepts in-depth like the Physics and Maths teachers engaged with the use of the printers to promote thinking, reasoning and understanding of their subject. The usage of 3D printing at school level allows teachers from other STEM areas to see how their subject could make use of the technology. Not only this, it also helps to improve students’ learning and brain development. This technology encourages creativity and technical skills of students, develop interest in art and design aesthetics, foster students’ personality and confidence. “Novabeans provides comprehensive 3D printing training courses to students, professionals, architects, managers, doctors, engineers, designers, hobbyists, teachers, learners and anyone who want to learn and enhance their CV and professional skills and find potential business opportunity in new industry. We are helping schools and colleges to adopt technologies in a most cost effective manner, so that the educational institutions are able to provide a platform to enhance learning and shape student’s future,” says Gaurav Loyalka, Co-founder, Novabeans.
Also with the increasing number of manufacturing companies adopting 3D printing for benefits beyond just prototyping, like concept modelling, advanced prototyping, final production parts, to name a few and the convergence of manufacturing and innovation in education, 3D printing is becoming more crucial to curriculums. “It equips the students, especially the future designers and engineers, for careers being reshaped by 3D printing like medical, consumer goods, research & development, automotive, electronics among various others,” feels Bajaj.
Best quality printers 3D printing has been evolving very rapidly in last couple of years. The printers are getting more advanced, quicker and even making use of several materials to make 3D printed materials. 3D printing is a disruptive technology and will see a huge impact on manufacturing, logistics, education and healthcare.
3D printing has literally given wings to a student’s imagination. Design whatever you want, however you want it, create a 3D model (through CAD) and set to print. Everyday we are witnessing the various ways these students are able to experiment with their imagination. Internet is flooded with examples However, a 3D printer is still not ready to self-re-create, therefore, the most widely and cost-effective 3D printing process is called Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), many call it differently, but fundamentally it allows plastics and plastics-related material to be heated up and a filament extrudes thin layer of plastics to build a model layer by layer. “We offer complementary 3D printing technologies designed for a range of
Guruprasad K. Rao Director-Technology and Operations, Imaginarium believes 3D printers fuel limitless creativity among students
applications, striving to be a powerful partner in the product development department, in classrooms and labs and on the production floor. FDM Technology is the only professional 3D printing technology that uses production-grade thermoplastics, so, parts are unrivaled in mechanical, thermal and chemical strength. While our PolyJet technology is a powerful additive manufacturing method that produces smooth, accurate prototypes, parts and tooling too produce thin walls and complex geometries using the widest range of materials,” informs Bajaj. For the beginners, Rao suggests, “All desktop printers based on FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) technology are good for beginners to learn, teach, digitalLEARNING / June 2015
39
SPECIAL FEATURE and play. Once you’re fluent with their usage, you can try moving onto other technologies, mostly used for industrial purposes such as SLA, SLS, PJP, MJM etc.”
Market dynamics Indian printing industry is growing at a rate of 20 per cent per annum and the current annual turnover of the industry is `50,000 crore. The market has made significant advances in developed countries like US and is poised to grow in India strongly. According to 6Wresearch, India 3D Printer Market is projected to cross $79 million by 2021. The report says, automotive application accounted for majority of the revenue share in India while the educational and medical applications are witnessing higher growth too. Other niche applications like arts and crafts, interior decoration, fashion accessories, footwear designs, jewellery designs, animation & gaming, customised footwear designs, furniture and modeling have potential as well. It is clear that 3D printing is in its early stage of adaption in India. Most of the3D printers are in technical learning, mechanical, engineering and manufacturing field. “In India, 3D printer market is one of the emerging markets, where demand is primarily exhibited from Tier-I cities. India accounts for major potential growth for domestic manufacturers, local assemblers and distributors due to increasing use of rapid prototyping and 3D modeling across various industry sectors,” explains Loyalka. Amongst all 3D printing technologies, FDM technology-based 3D printers dominate the overall market. Low cost and ease of availability of these printers have given them a major share in the market revenues. SLA - Resin printer will pick as the price will start to go down. The education market is best suited for 3D print technology as a way to better engage students. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India drive has pushed the demand for 3D printers among the institutes and every production center needs one to refine their products and designs further. The Microsoft’s Windows 8 will also support 3D printing, which is an
40
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
Digital abs multimaterial engine enable designers, engineers and manufacturers to create molds and models that match the characteristics of production parts
excellent sign for the emerging 3D printing economy and Microsoft’s support could signal the rapid move propelling 3D printers into mainstream educational environments.
Rajiv Bajaj
General Manager, India, Stratasys AP
“Through project-based learning enabled by 3D printers, students will be equipped with a solid foundation on 3D printing in addition to enriching their design and engineering knowledge. It fuels limitless creativity where students get to see, hold and test their ideas in real space. Tomorrow’s engineers, designers and problem solvers deserve every tool available to build a brilliant future.”
Adoption No doubt the market for 3D printers is poised to grow in India, but currently the adoption is still at an early stage when compared to other parts of the
world. “In India, we expect automotive, defence, education, aerospace, medical, dental, industrial machinery, R&D and manufacturing to be the largest implementers of 3D printing. Creating physical prototypes of products help companies evaluate and validate the product designs physically, testing them for fit, form and ergonomics. Designing errors can be detected early and addressed immediately, reducing the cost and time of design reiterations, considerably,” opines Bajaj. “We believe educational institutes (secondary education to Higher studies) wherein top 200 schools and colleges would be having some kind of 3D printing set up in next 1-2 years. Now, most of the top 10-20 technical institutes would be having dedicated 3D printing set up for students and faculty for research purpose. Apart from the education, we see significant adaptation to come from medical, manufacturing of electronics, bio technology, precision engineering, robotics and also from construction Industry,” believes Chandan Mishra, CoFounder, 3Digiprints.
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
“The key to the success of adaptation of 3D printing is content. The content will come once we have a culture of making things in simple terms to create and design. This is the most significant part of the success of 3D printers involvement in India. This would mean that we have encouraged students, professionals and others to start making 3D designs in computers. This is a huge impetus to the manufacturing growth. Once we have achieved this benchmark of designing in India, we will see a huge growth of 3D printing technology in most of the mainstream Industries,” says Mishra. The technology is becoming more attractive for the educators who acknowledge its usage in the field of designing, computer, mathematics, technology and crafting skills. This multifaceted technology will help students to be ahead of the technological curve as the industry of 3D printing grows.
Factors affecting success Unlike its utilities, the real success of the 3D printers depends upon the adoptions in the market and the real customers. For this, awareness and understanding plays a major role. But there are other factors contributing to make it an effective technology for the education
Gaurav Loyalka
Co-Founder, Novabeans
“In India, 3D printer market is one of the emerging markets, where demand is primarily exhibited from Tier-I cities. India accounts for major potential growth for domestic manufacturers, local assemblers and distributors due to increasing use of rapid prototyping and 3D modeling across various industry sectors,” explains Loyalka. sector. The whopping cost of the 3D printer, evolution of materials’ research, non availability of skilled manpower for imparting training and knowledge, time consuming, lack of DIY culture are few of the factors affecting the success of 3D printers in India. “Technologies with simple and robust design, readily available materials, 3D content, price, and technical support are the factors affecting the success of 3D printers. Also, there are a few factors that could greatly fuel the demand for 3D printers in the Indian manufacturing market. Some of those include training centres for faculty, and a good governmental policy to promote them,” shares Rao.
Rigid opaque blue motor is ideal for assembly of electronic components
It is clear that the use of 3D printers will not instantly change the teaching system, course and lesson plan unless it is being fully adopted by the education sector. Teachers require rigorous training and time to make it more effective for students and schools need time to integrate the technology into the curriculum. An innovative use of the 3D printer is the need of the hour. Encouraging and supporting teachers to use this new technology will help disseminating knowledge to students. Accessibility of the machine in a school and pupil motivation to use it is another factor.
Chandan Mishra
Co-Founder, 3Digiprints
“We believe educational (secondary education to Higher studies) wherein top 200 schools and colleges would be having some kind of 3D printing set up in next 1-2 printers. Now most of the top 10-20 technical institutes would be having dedicated 3D printing set up for students, faculty for research purpose. Apart from the Education, we see significant adaptation to come from medical, manufacturing of electronics, bio technology, precision engineering, robotics and also from construction Industry.” Despite being encountered with several factors, today, 3D printers can not only handle materials ranging from titanium to human cartilage, but also produce fully functional components, including complex mechanisms, batteries, transistors, and LEDs. Make in India campaign which started in 2014 is anticipated to drive the future growth of the market. India will give more emphasis on local manufacturing, 3D printing will become mainstream. India has remained predominately a service economy. But this can change due to the advancement of 3D printing. The technology will certainly help bringing manufacturing jobs back to India. If government is serious about ‘Make in India’ they should proactively promote 3D printing industry. digitalLEARNING / June 2015
41
SPECIAL FEATURE
CBCS
Boon or
42
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
The Choice-based Credit System (CBCS) is fast gaining a place in various institutions across India’s educational landscape. The University has approved the implementation of the CBCS, ending confusion among the candidates seeking for undergraduate programmes. Nidhi Sharma of Elets News Network (ENN) gets the view of the educationists on the pros and cons of the system.
T
he Indian Government recently made the Choice-based Credit System (CBCS) mandatory for all 400 public universities at the undergraduate and postgraduate level beginning in the academic year 2015-2016. After much debate and deliberations Delhi University approved the implementation of the CBCS from the upcoming session, ending the confusion among the students seeking admission to undergraduate courses. CBCS,
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
The teachers and students’ bodies recently staged a strong protest outside DU Vice-Chancellor’s (VC) office.
which is practiced in many of the world’s acclaimed universities, has received mixed reactions in India from various educationists across the country. Many claim that CBCS aspires to help India meet international standards in the world which today is a global village. On the other hand, the introduction of CBCS by few top government universities, such as the Delhi University (DU), is being vehemently opposed by various bodies, educationists and teachers. In fact, DU’s programme to implement the CBCS has gone through very tough times.
CBCS-Journey so far Initially, DU had decided to go ahead with the introduction of CBCS from the coming academic session, apparently without the ‘mandate’ of the varsity’s Executive Council. In an official
Presently, DU’s Executive Council has approved the implementation of the CBCS from the upcoming session, ending confusion among candidates seeking admission to the undergraduate programmes, but things are not as simple communication to deans of all faculties on April 29, DU’s Joint Registrar (academics) directed them to start preparations for the implementation of CBCS. The registrar’s communication came after a meeting between the ViceChancellor, Dinesh Singh, and the deans to discuss its implementation on 23rd April, 2015. Strict opposition followed by the staff associations of over 30 DU colleges who resolved against CBCS for a range of reasons. The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) forwarded their resolutions to the University Grants
UGC guidelines for Choice Based Credit System programme Provides a ‘cafeteria’ approach in which the students can take courses of their choice, learn at their own pace, undergo additional courses, and acquire more than the required credits The grading system is considered ‘better’ and ‘desirable’ because this will facilitate student mobility across institutions within the country and across other countries, and also enable potential employers to assess the performance of students
Commission (UGC) that had posted the proposed structure and draft syllabi of 18 subjects on its website inviting comments. The UGC had advised the varsity to wait before putting the system into practice. Following this, DU said that in case the Executive Council decides against it, it would drop the idea. Presently, DU’s Executive Council has approved the implementation of the CBCS from the upcoming session, ending confusion among candidates seeking admission to the undergraduate programmes, but things are not as simple. Major opposition still stands tall, severely criticising DU for this. Sources have informed Elets Technomedia that the council comprised 17 people, of which five were not in favour of CBCS being introduced. Opposing the CBCS, DUTA President Nandita Narain says, “The CBCS is meant to majorly benefit only the private universities, and not institutions like Delhi University, which cater to a huge and varied population. Just like the digitalLEARNING / June 2015
43
SPECIAL FEATURE
Regular and permanent appointments need to be made to ensure that teaching-learning is stable
44
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP), CBCS is another experiment being conducted on students which will only make them suffer. CBCS is without any direction, a move taken without considering the infrastructure restraints of the university. The trend of earning credits and not undergoing the required rigour, satellite teachers and an online course will adversely affect the quality of students in our country.” Narain further added, “UGC is not acting in a very responsible manner and again trying to push through a drastic change just before admissions are about to begin for the next academic session. The move is not very constitutional and ignores the fact that universities have been given the right to frame their own syllabi and curricula due to the mass population of students who come from all backgrounds. DUTA member Saikat Ghosh explains, “The Delhi University teachers are not in favour of CBCS and there are numerous practical reasons for it. Importantly, CBCS requires the semester system which is not desirable in our present set-up. Firstly, the number of teaching days are very less in a semester which comprises six months and more importantly, semester system requires a system where the teacher caters to a small class. This is not workable, particularly in an institution as vast as DU which caters to thousands of students from a varied background, geographically, culturally, economically etc. It happens in private universities where the cost structure is very high. Furthermore, time is a major constraint.” “The concept of common curriculum being propagated by the present government can’t be imposed. Where is the flexibility of choice provided? As far as the availability to choose from unique subject combinations is concerned, there is a serious derth of number of qualified teachers for the same. Regular and permanent appointments need to be made to ensure that teaching-learning is stable”, he adds. Opining that we can’t only be experimenting with the future of students, Ghosh further said, “After
The trend of earning credits and not undergoing the required rigour, satellite teachers and an online course will adversely affect the quality of students in our country
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
all, what happened in the case of FYUP. Future of those students is still in a fix. The student count is rising exponentially while the infrastructure is not. In its financial budget, the government has reduced the allocation for education and this is a big setback. Many years back, Madan Mohan Malviya had said that if we want our country to rise in the next 30-40 years, we need to allocate at least 6 per cent of our total budget to education.
Under CBCS, students will be able to pursue three types of coursesfoundation, elective and core. Students must pursue core subjects every semester and are free to pick electives from a pool of subjects unrelated to their disciplines. This means if you are a computer science student, you can still opt for history as an elective “We cannot blindly follow the US, we are not such a sound economy. Due to the OBC reservations and other factors, very soon there is going to be a huge mix of students’ population which will have the special need. The one-size-fits-all approach will not work and the government cannot be blind to the need of education, and has to stop experimenting with the students’ future. More concrete and developmental steps need to be taken in the field of education.” The opinion of students is no different from that of their teachers. Mohammed Asif, a 2nd-year student of Aurobindo College, History Hons says, “Both CBCS and FYUP have common problems, completely ignoring the infrastructure capability of the University.” He threw further light on the problem of availability
Understanding the Choice Based Credit System in India The CBCS is introduced at PG level in most of the universities, and at UG level in IITs, IIMs, NITs, Agriculture and some Technological universities in India. The introduction of CBCS at UG level in all kinds of universities and colleges in India is yet to take place. However, off late it is happening in some universities now and UGC has issued guidelines in this regard. In years to come, introduction of CBCS at all levels will become mandatory to receive recognition and financial support from UGC. In this context we should know that CBCS is going to be a common feature in all educational institutes and universities in Europe and America. The UG course is of three years duration with six semesters in India. In every semester a student will study: 1. Compulsory Core courses consisting of courses with 4, 3 or 2 credits 2. Elective course consisting of courses with 4, 3 or 2 credits and a student will have a choice of choosing any subject from any faculty other than his own subject. For example a student studying BA with HEP major can choose a course in literature, Music, Fine arts, Statistics and Environmental science, and computer applications etc. This gives expanded scope, enabling an exposure to other discipline. It adds to student’s skill. 3. Foundation courses which are of two kinds – compulsory Foundation or Elective Foundation. These courses are aimed at knowledge enhancement and value based education. Each semester will have about six courses with about 20 credits. For example four hours of teacher student contact hours in theory class room per week is considered as four credit course. If it is two hour student teacher class contact then it is equivalent to two credits. If it is lab teaching then four hours lab is equal to two credits, likewise. As the UG course is of three year duration with six semesters then if each semester is 20 credit, a student will study UG course for a total of 120 credits (6 semester x 20 credits each = 120 credits). But the total credit study can vary from 90 to 120 credits depending on the university system. The credits are converted into grade, grade points and credit points. Based on this, calculations are made to derive SGPA (Semester Grade Point Average) and CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average). In CBCS system a student can choose to conduct a research project also for one or two semesters (4 or 8 credits). It is also possible that a student can go to other university in India or abroad and study there and earn some credits for a semester period and come back to his parent university. The credits earned abroad or other university will be considered by his parent university. This flexibility of moving a student laterally and vertically in CBCS system is really a novel idea and convenient for students. To implement the CBCS at UG level, very massive office automation, classroom teaching using ICT facilities, MOOCs, Wi-Fi facility, Virtual classrooms and library facilities, automation of examination, transparency in evaluation, digital evaluation and digital printing of marks cards and degree certificates are essential with security features. of experienced teachers, informing that there are 4,500 adhoc teachers in the university. “Furthermore, the syllabi of CBCS has not been prepared by the educationists of DU, but it is a bureaucratic syllabus. This is not desirable in education,” he said. Madhurima Kundra, another DU student and member of All India Students Association (AISA) feels, “CBCS is a change which is being pushed by the UGC and MHRD without
ample and adequate discussion with the primary stakeholders, i.e. teachers and students on the desirability, feasibility and long-term implications of such a systemic change. How can the students and teachers not be involved in a system which will bring a major impact in their educational life.” Furthermore, Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) came together with DUTA and other students to show their support against digitalLEARNING / June 2015
45
SPECIAL FEATURE
Both CBCS and FYUP have common problems, completely ignoring the infrastructure capability of the University
the CBCS. Ashutosh Kumar, President, JNUSU, holds the view that it is about the coming together of all bodies to unite against the undemocratic decision to introduce CBCS.
Views in favour In the midst of all this heated debate, many universities, particularly the private universities, have a very different take on CBCS. Nikhil Sinha, founding vice-chancellor, SNU, says, “We have been following the recently notified CBCS since 2011. Students have the option of pursuing programmes with major and minor combination, double majors and also have the option to change their major mid-way. The undergraduate programmes have been structured to allow flexibility to the students to design their own course and fulfill the credit requirements. This is in line with the UGC guidelines.” According to Sinha, the new system would help in programme portability and institution portability. “However, it might be a challenge for a student of a small college to migrate to a university because of different accreditation processes. Thus it becomes imperative to strengthen the accreditation processes
46
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
First Movers Recently, a number of new generation private universities like Ashoka, Shiv Nadar and FLAME have adopted the interdisciplinary approach to higher education with success Noida-based Amity University introduced CBCS and credit transfer system in 2014-15 Shiv Nadar University has been following CBCS since 2011 Ashoka University’s curriculum is on the lines of UGC notified CBCS along with the credit system.” This year, the Institute for International Education estimates that India is the number two country of origin for foreign students in the US, with over 1.2 lakh students studying there, contributing an estimated $3.3 billion. Therefore, a major percentage of the education fraternity decide on follow the internationally widespread CBCS. Under CBCS, students will be able to pursue three types of coursesfoundation, elective and core. Students must pursue core subjects every semester and are free to pick electives
from a pool of subjects unrelated to their disciplines. This means if you are a computer science student, you can still opt for history as an elective. A study of varied subjects widens students’ horizon and exposure. The current framework suggests allotting 50 per cent of the total credits to core subjects, 25 per cent to applied core subjects, 20 per cent to interdisciplinary subjects and five per cent for foundation courses. With this interdisciplinary approach, students can choose to develop different skills like communication, writing and debating through their electives and emerge as more employable individuals. In this backdrop, where there are huge contradictions in views and perceptions are different, we need to understand that a particular system can have different implications in different situations and institutions. Maybe there can be a further exercise and better collaboration between the authorities involved, those implementing CBCS, and the students, whose future is at stake to come together and see what can be done to make a system successful and do away with its lacunae and problems.
`
`
`
`
U M MIT
GUJARAT C
PERATIVE
SS
OO
SUMMIT RAJASTHAN
dig ita
lL
EA RN
ING
CONFERENCE, AWARDS & EXPO
2015 KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE, Higher Education
Interview
Implementing IT for
Quality Education The Haryana Technical Education department has taken various steps towards implementation of IT in the day to day working. As many as 650 technical institutions of the department are being successfully monitored and consulted for various activities through online softwares, says Subhas Chandra Goel, Director General, Haryana Technical Education department to Gautam Debroy of Elets News Network (ENN) How do you define the term of Technical Education? ‘Minimum Government Maximum Governance’ is the need of the hour. In order to achieve the benchmark set forth by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the focus on the quality of technical education will have to be taken into account. While digitising the government functioning and at the same time minimising the physical interface, the use of information technology becomes explicitly important. It is there then comes the role of technical education. Technical education is the supreme component of human resource development with infinite potential for supplementing greater values to products and services and for improving the quality of life of the people. The department of technical education provides technically trained manpower in various fields of engineering and technology encompassing diploma, post diploma, degree and post-degree level courses conducted through technical institutions and thereby meeting the requirements of industries, departments and organisations. What is the way out to have proper and accurate technical education system? The Universities of Science and Technology will have to be given a free hand for the establishment of ‘Centre of Excellence’ so that the bench mark goal set up by the Prime Minister could be achieved.
48
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
The Centre of Excellence is supposed to deliver the best so as to replicate the same in the industry and thus be useful to the society. In my personal opinion, the government should provide an edge to the institutions involved in the research and development activities and optimum utilisation of ICT. In other words, when we use the information technology we are also contributing to the environment and balancing the ecology. How is eGovernance working in Haryana? With the fast pace of technological change, it is becoming important for the government to review existing structure of secretariat, hierarchies, policies and procedures. The entire paradigm of the secretariat will necessarily be different from what is at present. Consequently, a large scale retooling and restructuring in the secretariat will be called for. Secretariat and governance will inevitably be very different from what is today. Digital government will entail flatter organisational hierarchies and more personalised delivery of citizens’ services. The ‘Electronic Governance’ in the secretariat aims at the IT driven system of governance that works better, costs less and is capable of servicing the decisionmaking machinery and citizens’ needs as never before. An urgent need was felt to have a central mechanism, like Secretariat for Information Technology (SIT), so that the electronic feedback system is operationalised.
Subhas Chandra Goel
Director General, Haryana Technical Education department
How is your department using IT? The Haryana Technical Education department has taken various steps towards implementation of IT in the day to day working. We have granted ‘Golden Icon Award’ for implementing paperless online off campus admissions to various admission seekers approximately 1.5 lakh every year for various disciplines all across the State. We started this in 2007 as a pilot project and since then we have not only been successfully making admissions in various technical education, but have also provided assistance to various other State Technical Education departments to replicate our online off campus admission system. In which other sectors you are utilising online system? As many as 650 technical institutions of my department are being successfully monitored and consulted for various activities through online softwares viz-a-viz (i) Adhar enabled biometric attendance system. (ii) MIS system for monitoring various activities (iii) e-salary system for disbursement of salary to the staff (iv) e-procurement (v) online financial monitoring and budgeting (vi) online generation of mark sheets to the diploma students. I am of the opinion that the use of IT not only enthuse confidence amongst the stakeholders but it provides transparency, accountability, speedy disposal, record keeping and also increases the satisfaction level.
Start-ups
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
Leverage Technology for quality Education Arijit Chatterji, CEO and Co-founder, Eukti Learning Solutions, in conversation with Elets News Network (ENN) explains how Eukti Learning Solutions aims to improve the learning outcome, reduce overall cost of ownership and increase employability and enrollment What are the various reasons behind starting Eukti Learning Solutions? Eukti Learning Solutions was founded for the purpose of increasing the access and quality of education and learning. We believe that education, and especially higher education, should deliver higher quality, higher engagement and eventually better outcomes. Also, primarily easy access to good quality content is a must. It is important that lack of good faculty should not become a bottleneck for students to enhance their learning. What are the various difficulties encountered in doing business on ground level? A major challenge is adoption of new technology. Many Institutes are not geared to adopt new technology based solutions and their comfort zone lies with chalk and talk, making it very difficult to help them grow beyond. Infrastructure is also a major stumbling block, where many institutes are not IT ready. There is the administrative challenge as well some institutes do not allow digital devices in the campuses of educational institutes. Which are the ways of engaging the customers with you? We engage with our customers in various ways, which entails including them as thought leaders, pilot access for short time, acting as a complete solution providers. We are available all the time for any engagement. What is the market size of the services offered by you in India at present?
We aspire to have 40 million users by 2018 and the market potential is over `12,000 crore. What is the major benefit for organisations and individuals adopting your solutions? There are various benefits of adopting our solutions. Those using it can improve the learning outcome by better engagement and better quality, reduce overall cost of ownership and increase the employability and enrollment. What is the vision of your company for next two years? We are looking forward to partner with over 100 institutions to drive this transformation. What are the various methods that you are using to increase the visibility of your organisation? Since this is a concept which needs to be understood by the senior management, we definitely engage in active decision with key stakeholders. In addition, we spend time in meeting various advisors in the education space. How you can differentiate your services from competitors? Our solution is unique and is customised for the institution. I am sure the level of customisation and personalisation that we offer is also a great value for our customers. What are the major stakeholders and sectors you are focusing on? We are primarily focusing on higher education institutes. However, we
Arijit Chatterji CEO and Co-founder, Eukti Learning Solutions
We engage with our customers in various ways, which entails including them as thought leaders, pilot access for short time, acting as a complete solution providers have received interests from some of the international schools in the K-12 segment. What are the various initiatives taken by your organisation to emerge as a market leader? We have been busy engaging with our customers and that is the only initiative we have taken so far. digitalLEARNING / June 2015
49
Start-ups
Mobility is the Key The world is changing and quickly moving to mobile devices, and so are we, says Ashutosh Kumar, CEO, Testbook, who explains that Testbook is migrating to a primarily mobile-based platform to increase usage and user engagement What are the various reasons behind starting Testbook? The main reason to start Testbook was to address the growing need for affordable quality education and testing. Data is the key element to make learning more personalised, engaging and informative. Testbook employs a vast array of data analytics and machine learning techniques to give users the most accurate learning experience. There is an excellent market opportunity. The majority of big exams are conducted online now. Students need platforms where they can practise and learn in simulated testing environments. The Internet is reaching each and every palm very fast and mobility is key in getting students to multi-task while doing mundane things like travelling. We are migrating to a primarily mobile-based platform to increase usage and user engagement. The world is changing and quickly moving to mobile devices, and so are we. What are the various difficulties encountered in doing business on ground level? It was very difficult to create quality content which students could rely on and fortunately we have nailed it. Getting good, skilled people in a competitive industry to work in your startup with a small account balance is challenging. You need to inspire them with good ideas and a credible promise of great things ahead. All of us are young entrepreneurs and most of the strategies we execute are based on trial and error, but are logical. And luckily we hit right on the target with most of them and as a result we have been able to achieve steep growth
50
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
with close to 1 lakh user base in just 1415 months. What is the market size of the services offered by you in India? We support a wide range of exams in the post-graduate market. From continuing higher studies, to public sector recruitment, students come to us for a variety of their needs. Currently the test prep market size stands at over 18 million students, with an annual growth rate of 20-25 per cent. At an average ticket size of `10,000 the market value currently stands at around `18,000 crore. Testbook has been testing markets to discover that there is an untapped market. It aims at expanding to markets not covered under these. Currently, due to the unavailability of affordable classroom education, a lot of candidates do not end up taking these exams. Testbook aims at rectifying this. What are the major benefits for organisations and individuals adopting your solutions? Students can learn and test themselves
from anywhere and at any time at just the price of a cup of coffee. Analysis and recommendations provided by Testbook help them locate their weak points accurately and get the edge over their competitors. User experience on testbook.com has been found to be a happy learning experience. Our user engagement in terms of daily time spent on the site is more than thrice that of any other site in the e-learning space. In fact, according to Alexa, it is more than that of Youtube. We think it says something about us that an e-learning site can engage users the way bigwigs like Youtube can. We have the ability to scale into classrooms. We partner with institutes and teaching establishments to bring the Testbook advantage to students everywhere. Institutions can manage and track the performance of their students in a very smart way which would turn a good result for them. What is the vision of your company for the next two years? Create the best learning platform on
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
mobile and web-app is the focus. It will be of international standard, personalised, adaptive and will support all the major competitive exams being conducted in India and abroad. What are the various methods you are using to increase the visibility of your organisation? We have a Campus Ambassador Programme where we have two-three representatives in each college and they represent Testbook’s activities on their campuses. Currently we have the Campus Ambassadors’ network in over 150 colleges pan India and will reach 1500 by end of this year. Our Campus Ambassadors are young entrepreneurs in training who utilise novel techniques to accelerate our growth in these places. Content Marketing is fetching us growth organically at high pace and social media has proved one of the high visibility platforms. How can you differentiate your services from competitors? Testbook has the best interface and comparative test analysis. Students love and choose us over our competitors for this. Content quality is always at the highest priority in all of Testbook’s efforts and we have been complimented with the ‘best content’ in the market by our users. Engaging blog and social media posts that support our content marketing strategies. Our tie-ups with educational institutions have made us the leader in the industry. As the only e-learning institute with the capacity to scale with market needs, we have firmly established ourselves as the go-to for many educational institutions.
Tell us about the ways of engaging the customers with you? Any special case study? As our team has grown to over 30 people now, all of us have made it a habit to regularly get in touch with our customer base to get their feedback on different aspects of Testbook.com like content and platform. We are regularly surprised with the amount of appreciation they have for Testbook.com. We connect with our users via email, live chat, phone and text. Every time an exam is conducted we get lot of mails from users saying that they found same questions from our tests in their final exam which is very motivating for us. For the GATE 2015 test series, we offered a host of rewards to encourage and motivate students. These included Macbook Air laptops and HP Android Tablets to toppers. But apart from all these, we also offered cashback to users for every correct answer in the test series in order to incentivise learning. These proved to be a success. We had students aiming for accuracy in their tests, treating them like the actual GATE exam. What are the major stakeholders and sectors you are focusing on? We are primarily focused on competitive
exams being taken by students after they graduate like GATE, Bank PO, Bank Clerk, Insurance, CAT and Campus Placements. All together over 1.8 crore students takes these exams every year. Major stakeholders are offline coaching centres which have localised presence in different parts of the country. But for the wide range of exams we are targeting, there is no single nation wide brand. What are the various initiatives taken by your organisation to emerge as a market leader? In education space, content is king and in order to sustain for long to be the market leader, you must focus on content quality. As mentioned earlier, we promise to deliver the best content in the industry. Technology changes so fast that you need to be innovative to sustain for long and we do exactly that. We tweak our platform on a daily basis to give our users the best experience. Looking at the volume of students for all these competitive exams, we focus more on growth than on revenue and this will definitely give us the lead in the market. We have the luxury to do so, talks a lot about investor confidence in our venture.
Ashutosh Kumar CEO, Testbook supports wide range of exams in the post-graduate market digitalLEARNING / June 2015
51
Start-ups
Cool Learning with ‘KoolKampus’ With a motive to give back to society KoolKampus has introduced the community concept in institutes that would get the students, teachers, parents and schools on one platform. In a tete-a-tete with Elets News Network (ENN), Aparna Thakker, Co-founder, KoolKampus informs that the company now plans to share content with rural schools for free What are the various reasons behind starting KoolKampus? KoolKampus was started as a way of giving back to society. Having been part of the Indian and Western education system, we wanted to bring about a change that benefitted students the most. Allowing students to learn at their own pace and empowering teachers to be creative while teaching are the two prime factors that define KoolKampus. We wanted to introduce the community concept in institutes that would get the students, teachers, parents and schools on one platform. Inter-school sharing of teaching content is also an important aspect of KoolKampus. Apart from this, we wanted to make quality education available to all. We plan to share content with rural schools for free. What are the major benefits for organisations and individuals adopting your solutions? Among an array of benefits, our top value for schools and institutes are putting a stop to the schools’ dependence on content and hardware vendors, improve student learning at a deeper level, high cost savings for the schools, empowering teachers to experiment with new teaching methods like flipped classroom and automated tests, and grading allow teachers to focus on teaching. What are the various difficulties and hurdles encountered in doing business at the ground level? Conceptualising a unique programme,
52
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
then developing your vision of a better e-learning system and finally deploying the product have been the easiest part of our journey. Our biggest challenge has been the human nature to resist change. Convincing principals about the changing trends in e-learning and getting them changed has been tough. Even tougher has been to edify teachers to adopt technology. Our end users, students and parents have been very open to embracing the change. What is the vision of your company for the next two years? Provide technology and content to 50 reputed schools and institutes and adopt equal number of rural schools. What are the various methods you are using to increase the visibility of your organisation? Apart from regular sales, marketing and branding efforts, we rely on references from our satisfied customers.
in every possible way to reduce cost and improve quality of education. What are the major stakeholders and sectors you are focusing on? We are targeting any school that believes in the importance of technology in education. Being in a B2B business, we do not directly target our end users. We build relationships with schools and institutes. What are the various initiatives taken by your organisation to emerge as a market leader? As an early stage company, we are aware that there are already players on the field. But we strongly believe that our offering is exceptional and rewarding to all the stakeholders. All our efforts are towards improving the features of the platform to make learning ‘kool’ for students.
How you can differentiate your services from competitors? Among others, we provide a cloud based secure environment for schools and institutes. Our platform is very flexible and can be customised for each customer, and our services can be availed anytime and anywhere What are the ways of engaging the customers with you? KoolKampus believes in partnering with education institutes and assisting them Aparna Thakker, Co-Founder, KoolKampus, has introduced community concepts to benefit students
Interview
Learning to Learn Digitally A one of its kind digital learning solution, comprising of books and learning resources on a tablet, Cambridge University Press has launched Cambridge Learn, which will transform teaching and learning for teachers and students. Ashish Arora, Vice President, Publishing and Digital, Cambridge University Press, India, in an interaction with Bhawna Satsangi of Elets News Network (ENN) throws light on the digital solution designed to engage students in a better way Please throw light on Cambridge Learn and how is it beneficial in developing skills of students? Cambridge Learn gives us an opportunity to look at learning in a better way. It acts like an ecosystem of collaborative learning. It’s a maiden attempt, in a way, a vision to fill the gap. It is first of its kind digital solution which uses technology to deliver digital learning ecosystem in a classroom. We have
high quality Cambridge content which is for IB related schools across various levels. Collaboration is the key so it is a tablet-based solution. Every student will have one device and the beauty of the solution is that it is device-agnostic. It will work in apple ipad, android as well as windows operating system. Whether the school is equipped or not with the infrastructure, we are ready to give the solution. Every student
will have a digital textbook enhanced with learning objects which will help the student in learning in a better and easier way. There is a management and classroom component to help the teachers, parents and students. Is the content in sync with the syllabus of the school? Yes, it is a complete teaching and learning programme that would
Ashish Arora, Vice President, Publishing and Digital, Cambridge University Press, India talks about Cambridge Learn which acts as an ecosystem of collaborative learning
54
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
adopted this solution. It’s a group of seven schools and at present, there are around 800 subscriptions done across all chains. The response has been very encouraging and they are one of the early adopters of technology. Should schools be infrastructure ready to adopt the Cambridge Learn solution? Certain percentage of schools are infra wise best tech oriented. With the micro -level schools which have decent server, LAN connectivity, internet connectivity, projectors, Wi-Fi for a classroom management solution, the solution is deployed in a local server which is sent to the cloud, so you don’t have to necessarily connect with the internet always. In a local area network, a child tablet or a teacher tablet can connect to the local server which then syncs with the cloud. When a child goes home, he can connect to the internet so that everytime the system is in sync.
Cambridge Learn uses technology to deliver digital learning ecosystem in a classroom
enable the introduction and optimum use of technology in the classroom. Cambridge International Examination in International Board (IB) is in sync with the endorsed textbooks which are available.
share it with students also. The teachers are thoroughly trained, we do lot of hand holding to the extent that what kind of questions students can ask or the parents. The idea of training is to empower teachers.
Do you also provide any teacher training programme? We provide a teacher training programme that helps them understand the tool. We also give teachers training on how to teach with the solution. The solution offers lot of tools for personalisation and enables teachers to give specific and customised instructions to students because not two students are alike. It is very important that the differentiated instructions are given which caters to their different learning capabilities. There’s a simple and powerful learning management system in place where teachers can add on the content, their PowerPoint presentation, or their references and they can then
What is the time duration of teacher training programme? Two days of teacher training programme take place at the school. We do a medial review and evaluate how well the technology has been used and what are the difficulties they face, what are the good things, how it makes a difference. So, training is a continuous process and again we are available on call to support them. After the schools have adopted the solution, it is a very big responsibility for us to support them in whatever manner we can. Which schools have adopted the Cambridge learn solution? Podar International School has
There are less number of International Board schools in India. What is the roadmap you have developed to achieve the targets? This is just a start. We are also working on a solution for CBSE market which we will be launching shortly this year. As a starting point, the IB schools are the early adopters of technology. So, we made a system that can be used for betterment of the students. Even before implementing the solution, we did quite a few pilots, took the feedback and then made the product. The CBSE solution will have collaborative learning and personalised learning and the stakeholders will be students, parents and teachers. Since it is a different market place, the solution will be different from Cambridge Learn. What actual roadmap are you planning to develop? We are focusing on doing further pilots, marketing communication, reaching out to schools, lining up the pilots. Let the schools experience the solutions first and then the implementation of the solutions will be done. digitalLEARNING / June 2015
55
Exclusive Interview
Empowering
Rural Youth The aim of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya-Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) is to make rural poor youth economically independent. Gayathri B Kalia, Chief Operating Officer (Skills), DDU-GKY, Ministry of Rural Development, in conversation with Elets News Network (ENN) shares about the roadmap to empower the rural youth and placing them in jobs What is Deen Dayal Upadhyaya – Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY)? DDU-GKY (previously known as Ajeevika Skills) is the Placement-linked skill training division of the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) announced on Antyodaya Diwas, 25th September, 2014. It has recently adopted the vision to ‘transform rural poor youth into economically independent and globally relevant workforce.’
youth, and its ownership of the entire Skilling Life-Cycle, from mobilisation to migration and career progression. This often involves appreciation of the inherent rural challenges like supporting the individual through his or her journey from an ‘anganwadi’ of just 10-12 households to a large city like New Delhi, with a population of over 15 million, a culture of consumption and literally, an out-of-this-world glitzy lifestyle.
What does DDU-GKY do? About 69 per cent of the country lives in villages. Agriculture is the largest employer (about 48% of its 490 million strong workforces), but resulting in only 13 per cent share of the GDP of the country. Rural poverty is a reality and the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Skill India’ is a strategic initiative. In line with the PM’s vision and the objectives of MoRD (poverty alleviation as well as economic empowerment) DDU-GKY, in partnership with private industry, is empowering this fraternity with skills and placing them in jobs. DDU-GKY has pioneered the concept of placement linkage, job retention and career progression as part of its action and mandate, with clear goals as well as incentives associated with each, prescribing 75 per cent placements and a minimum wage of `6,000 per month. Of the 21 and more skill training programme employed by the Government of India, DDU-GKY is unique in its tight focus on rural poor
What is the success rate of DDU-GKY? From April, 2012 till 31st March, 2015, DDU-GKY has trained over 5.08 lakh and placed over 3.65 lakh candidates. Currently, it has over 240 on-going projects, with over 350 training centers, developing skills among candidates in over 40 trades across the country which will impact over 7.9 lakh candidates in the next two years at an investment of over `2,660 crores. But the real success of the programme lies in what has made these numbers possible. Some of them are: DDU-GKY works in the Public-Private partnership mode, with over 1,200 registered training partners across the country and another 1,200 partners wanting affiliation and investments. This has allowed the division to access the best of the resources and deliver programmes of quality. DDU-GKY works with a business-like ‘Outcome Oriented Process’, which is division agnostic and can be employed
56
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
as a ‘best practice’ across many skilling programmes, through its guidelines, Standard Operating Processes (SOPs) and a self-learning system that can adapt to the real-world situation. What this has achieved is standardisation in process and delivery, development of world-class training infrastructure and an ability to build scale and capacity. DDU-GKY is accessible across the length and breadth of the country. It has pioneered regional inclusion of disadvantaged areas like the NorthEast (a different share of investment to facilitate larger numbers), Himayat (J&K, a special programme) and Roshni (programme for those in LWE affected districts). And social inclusion through provisions like reservation of near 50% for SC/ST population, 33% for women (thereby tapping into a large potential workforce), 15% for minorities and 3% for persons with disabilities. In fact, with respect to disadvantaged groups like PwDs or victims of human trafficking, DDU-GKY is putting in place dedicated infrastructure and resources. Another key factor is the ability of DDU-GKY to innovate. Innovation in using technology in very interesting ways. Like, a possibility of remote site management through CCTV image capture of its training infrastructure. Like, for instance, in introducing training modules in Life Skills, basic IT skills and Communication (English) in every skill programme. This makes candidates employable in a wide range of organisations, from MSMEs to MNCs.
digitallearning.eletsonline.com
Like, for instance in introducing GeoTagged Bio-metric Attendance recording system, details of which can be accessed over the web. Also, in case of blended learning content (audio, video and online in addition to books and lectures) delivered through video infrastructure and a Tablet PC, dedicated for the use of each individual in training. And innovations beyond technology include the facilitation of ‘Migration Support Centers’. It’s the place in a big city the candidate can call home and go to as frequently as needed. Counseling in Migration Support Centers is to help candidates adapt from village life to work life full of targets and demands. Like, for instance, its champion employer policy or Industry Internship Programme. Champion Employer is an engagement with employers who commit to training and employ 10,000 or more in 2 years. An industry internship is where the candidates get the opportunity to not only learn on the job but also a step into a permanent role after one year. Both have introduced newer training techniques, pedagogy and benchmarked infrastructure from world-class employers. Last but not the least, is DDU-GKY’s ability to soak in, learn from and develop ‘best practices’, and share the same in a constructive ‘to-do’ manner with its Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs). This has, in particular, aligned DDU-GKY as the implementing arm, for several of the initiatives of the Government, like Smart Cities, Digital India and Make in India. Smart cities can be smart only when its residents are e-savvy and can put the digital and active interfaces of government to good use. Digital India is not only about seeping in infrastructure, the hardware and the software, but the people ware. It is the smart ‘digitally skilled’ users who eventually will help realise the dream of a 100 smart cities. Likewise, DDU-GKY is one of the primary assets in the ‘Make in India’ programme, wherein investors can be assured of large numbers of ‘ready-to-
work’ manpower from day one. What is the focus of DDU-GKY this year? As it builds scale and capacity, DDUGKY is focusing and investing in quality, which has many definitions and action areas. Some of them are addressed in the SOPs, but most mean pushing the bar upwards continuously. DDU-GKY has a multi-pronged approach and view of quality. It has instituted man-toman initiatives like training of trainers, bringing together subject matter and domain experts to the benefit of the frontline trainers in PIAs. At the same time, it is also taking global initiatives bringing to access the best in very specific skill areas or trades to ensure that candidates can benefit from a better understanding of
automation in blue-collar work profiles. Another key focus area is alignment with strategic HR goals and newer management models in managing the human resource. This is a mutually beneficial partnership that will allow industry to gain access to adequate men and women, better leverage through cost sharing (8-12% savings) and DDUGKY in gaining better systems, future alignment and most importantly, a better grip on skill demand. It is an ideal tomorrow if DDU-GKY can cater to the skill demand of the world, scalable from the micro (each individual) to macro (country-wide demand). It is with this thinking that DDU-GKY is keenly seeking opportunities to partner with HR leaders and seed strategic thinking in the skilling Eco-system, including employers ranging from MSME to large MNC organisations.
Gayathri B Kalia Chief Operating Officer (Skills), DDU-GKY, Ministry of Rural Development digitalLEARNING / June 2015
57
Special Feature
Long Road Ahead The new Government in Maharashtra is trying to improve the quality of education by taking small steps at a time. As it completes a year in power, it is aware of the long march ahead and promises of many more progressive steps that are in pipeline for progressive Maharashtra
A
ccording to the changing situation in the national and international employment scenario, the Maharashtra State Government has increased its focus on the importance of skill education to make the students equipped with job ready skills. The industries need skilled manpower and thus vocational training has been stressed in the State Higher Education Sector. The necessity for importance of potential development has increased for better skilling of the students in Maharashtra. For that matter, highlighting and encouragement of potential areas of development for productivity and for empowerment of policy has been developed by the State Government. The introduction of credit framework in skills and choice based credit system aims to keep the higher education delivery system in sync with students’ aspirations and employment needs. “Maharashtra Government has introduced many initiatives to make a difference in the lives of students. We have created an entirely new and dedicated Department for Skill Development & Department of Productivity Improvement in the State to give more impetus on these areas. Also, we have introduced choice-based credit system (CBCS) for next annual year, brought-in a new regulatory framework in Maharashtra University, abolished negative marking Vinod Tawde
Minister-in-Charge, Department of Education, Government of Maharashtra
58
June 2015 / digitalLEARNING
system and got back student elections in the institutes, changed minimum age for admission to nursery classes. I am sure to serve more and better in the coming months,” says Vinod Tawde, Minister for Education, Government of Maharashtra.
Choice system
based
credit
From next educational year, the education in Maharashtra will be on choice based credit system. With this scheme, students’ overall development will be possible and they can choose their convenient options to study the subjects that are of interest to them. This will result in a generation of expert workers as it will open possibilities for students in employability. This scheme will be started by all the universities in all the states. Maharashtra will also have a new Indian Institute of Management in Nagpur.
School education Ending the long pending impasse on nursery admissions, the State Government decided on the age of admissions in schools. The Government Resolution (GR) issued states that for admission in 2015-16 sessions, the age group for playschool and nursery will be three years and for 1st standard the age limit will be 5 years. There is a provision made by the Government for backward classes and for special students in non government aided schools of 25 per cent reservation. But instead there are schools which are connected to the educational departments CBSE, IB, ICSE, IGCSE. In these schools admission criteria for 1st standard is different which is arising the problems for 25 per cent reserve quota admission. To bring this problem in order, the government has given preference to 25 per cent reserve quota admission to pre-primary and 1st standard. According to this rule, if the admission capacity of pre-primary is more than the admission capacity of the 1st standard then leaving the 25 per cent quota of the 1st standard aside, rest of the seats will be given. And if the capacity of pre-primary is lesser than 1st standard then the 25 per cent reserve quota will be kept by the preprimary and rest of it will be given to 1st standard. Also if there is admission capacity open after the admission process of pre-primary is done then the rest of the admission seats will be given to 1st standard. The GR is passed that Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) exam is compulsory for all teachers from all types of schools.
RNI NO. UPENG/2008/25311
UP/GZB/70/2015-17
Helen O’ Grady Drama Classes encourage students to develop confidence and communication skills.
English Speech & Drama Programme for Schools
YOUTH THEATRE Globally Acclaimed Educational Theater Programme for Youth Tel : 022- 4022 7481 / 82 / 83 / 84 Email : admin@helenogrady.co.in www.helenogrady.co.in