• 18 Jul 2017 | Mumbai | HT Correspondent htmetro@hindustantimes.com

Beware of integrated courses: Edu dept

NOT OUR PROBLEM Department issues advisory on FYJC admissions website, warns students against the so­called integrated junior colleges

MUMBAI: The school education department on Monday warned students against taking admissions in colleges offering integrated courses — training to crack competitive exams along with regular syllabus — in collaboration with private coaching classes.

A disclaimer was put up on the first year junior college (FYJC) admission website in the evening stating that the department would not be responsible for any problem occurring in the future.
The step was taken after members of the Shiv Sena’s students’ wing demanded that the department shutdown colleges offering integrated courses.

In May, the department had shutdown a Borivli college offering such courses and for allegedly admitting students illegally. The department later transferred students to other colleges.
“Parents and students are requested to not take admission in so-called integrated junior college in Mumbai region. If they take admission in such colleges, the department will not be responsible for any problem occurring in the future,” reads the disclaimer.

The Sena had complained that integrated colleges were charging higher fees than those approved by the education department and stipulated in the admission manual.
Students in the Borivli college paid Rs1.5 lakh per year. In some of the integrated colleges, the fee can be anywhere between Rs2 lakh and Rs4 lakh.

Officials from the education department said colleges can only collect fees mentioned in the admission manual.

“We issued a circular informing all the junior colleges that the fees collected by them cannot be more than the sum mentioned in the FYJC manual,” said BB Chavan, deputy director of education, Mumbai region.
He also issued a letter on Monday stating that the department has asked zonal education inspectors to compile a list of colleges offering integrated courses and conduct inquiries.

The CBSE board in 2015 had said that it would cancel affiliations of colleges offering integrated courses.

Source: http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

Jul 14 2017 : The Times of India (NaviMumbai)

 

Now, no oral exam for state board's Class IX students, Class X next year 

 

Vinamrata Borwankar | Mumbai:





Starting this academic year, Class IX students from Maharashtra state board-affiliated schools will have to write 100-mark theory papers for languages and social sciences. The board has done away with orals and internal exams for the subjects. The change will apply to Class X students next year.

 

The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board revamped the Class IX syllabus this year and the change in paper patterns is part of the same initiative. Until now, students would appear for internal examinations, which could fetch 20 marks in every subject.These internal exams would be conducted at the school level.

A circular issued by the board on Wednesday stated that the paper pattern for science and mathematics will remain the same. Oral examination has been done away with in languages. In social sciences, too, students will now appear for a 100-mark written exam where history and geography will constitute 40 marks each and political science will be worth 20 marks. Graded subjects will have no written exams.

In the past, education officials have found that students were marked very leniently in the internal examinations even if they did not perform well. The decision was taken following meetings last month by experts from the state board and the education department's textbook bureaus.

Teachers have welcomed the move.

“Oral exams did give students a good chance to score and tested skills beyond writing but a lot of schools were not marking students ethically and that meant an unfair advantage,“ said Uday Nare, a Marathi teacher at Hansraj Morarji Public School, Andheri.

Some others are waiting for more details on the marking pattern. “The textbooks are just coming in and we need to see if the changed syllabus or marking criteria will test students beyond the just their ability to mug up and write,“ said a history teacher.





 Source: http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31840&articlexml=Now-no-oral-exam-for-state-boards-Class-14072017005040#

Jul 16 2017 : The Times of India (NaviMumbai)

Science, English now part of school competency tests

Mumbai TIMES NEWS NETWORK





Two years after introducing learning-level tests in first language and maths for primary students, the Maharashtra government has decided to include science in the exam to improve the state's performance at the national level. From this year, students of classes III to V from the vernacular medium will also have to take the tests in English subject.

 

According to a government resolution issued by the education department, previous learning-level tests found that the state's performance in science and mathematics was not up to the mark in the national achievement survey (NAS) and the annual status of education report (ASER).

The state also plans to give importance to children's competency in English, so students with English as their third language will have to take the test in the subject. Three tests ­ one baseline test and two summative exams will test students on their concepts in the respective subjects.

Teachers will have to upload the students' marks on a mobile application that will help the state evaluate the data. “There have been instances of schools either inflating the results or under reporting it. But, the quality of education will improve only when the real learning levels are known. To ensure there are no malpractices, a supervising offi cial must visit a school on the day of the exam and also check the evaluation of others on a later day ,“ said Nandkumar, secretary of the education department. Teachers will be issued a memo if discrepancies are found in the reporting of marks.

The initiative is part of the state's Pragat Shaikshanik Ma harashtra programme. On the basis of the students' performance in the learning level tests, schools are categorized as successful or unsuccessful. Schools have to identify students with poor performances and help them improve their skills.

However, school principals are not happy . “Most schools are conducting the tests for the sake of it. There is no seriousness and several students also get access to the papers ahead of the exams.There is no order in the way these exams are conducted. This is only additional burden to schools,“ said the principal of an ICSE school.

The students' performance in learning level tests will be a critical area in the performance appraisal report of teachers, principals and local education officials.

 
Source : http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31840&articlexml=Science-English-now-part-of-school-competency-tests-16072017004038

Jul 18 2017 : The Times of India (NaviMumbai)

`Do not opt for colleges that have tie-ups with pvt classes

Mumbai |  TIMES NEWS NETWORK





Education Dept Warns Parents, FYJC Students 

Following complaints about integrated coaching programmes flouting norms, the education department has warned parents against taking admission in such set-ups for classes XI and XII.A ticker stating the same was uploaded on the FYJC admission website on Monday .

Members of Yuva Sena met the deputy director of education on Monday to complain about alleged malpractices at 36 junior colleges in the city. “These colleges tie up with coaching centres and their teachers do not conduct classes. Students have to pay fees at the colleges as well as the coaching centres. The education department is aware of this and has still not taken action against any of the colleges. We have recordings of these courses being offered at three colleges in the city,“ said Sainath Durge, core committee member of Yuva Sena.

Over the past few years, these programmes have gained popularity with students from science stream. In a description of how the system works, a popular coaching class on its website said, “The main advantage is that a student's time is saved as she does not have to travel between classes and schoolscolleges.The student will be taught physics, mathematics and chemistry in the college or on school premises by our faculty, three to four days a week.“

Education department officials said it will act on Yuva Sena's complaint. “We will verify if the colleges are tying up with coaching classes and manipulating attendance. Coaching class teachers cannot take classes in junior colleges. If they are found to have done so, we will take action,“ said BB Chavan, deputy director of school education, Mumbai.Eduction inspectors will also be asked to visit colleges whe re the courses are on offer, inquire and submit a report. He added that the education department's divisional fee regulatory committee will look into any complaints related to fees if parents approach them.

Parents, however, feel there is a need for the state to improve the education quality .“Students go to coaching classes because there isn't good faculty in most colleges and students will lose out at competitive exams. Going to both coaching classes and colleges is very hectic for students and hence the integrated course is preferred,“ said a parent of an engineering student.

 


Source: http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31840&articlexml=Do-not-opt-for-colleges-that-have-tie-18072017005033

Jul 18 2017 : The Times of India (NaviMumbai)

HSC question papers may get tougher for 2019 exam 

 

Ardhra Nair





When Maharashtra state board students studying in Std XI (science) will write their HSC exams in 2019, it will be based on a national framework laid down by Council of Boards of School Education in India (COBSE).

 

The question paper pattern for physics, chemistry , biology and mathematics has been changed so that students fare better in entrance exams like National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Exam (JEE). But there will not be any change in curricula.

If the level of questions is considered, around 20% will come under `difficult' category in all four subjects, and around 50% will be in `average' category .

The question papers give weightage to objectives with about 30% testing a student's knowledge about the subject, about 40% testing the student's understanding of the subject and the remaining testing the students' skill and ability to apply the concepts to solve questions.

“The question paper format has been changed so that our students perform well in national entrance tests. The question paper will be based on the CBSE pattern,“ Gangadhar Mhamane, chairman, Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, said in Pune on Monday .

The difficulty level of questions may go up, he added.“We give many options for students, like answer three out of five questions. Here, options will be less, which will automatically increase the difficulty level. More than difficulty level, it is the thoroughness of preparation that will be required of students so that they are prepa red like central board stu dents for national level ex ams like NEET and JEE,“ Mhamane said.

After the board of studie received the framework of questions for PCMB from COBSE, a detailed report on how that framework can be adapted for HSC syllabus and how each topic can be given weightage was submitted to the state education board.

“This report, after being scrutinized by the exper committee within the state board, was sent to the govern ment for approval. The re port was approved by the mi nistry this month,“ the circu lar from the board said.

Source : http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31840&articlexml=HSC-question-papers-may-get-tougher-for-2019-18072017002036#

Exclusive: CBSE plans Class 10, 12 Board exams on same date in two shifts

The plan to set common dates for both exams, with Class 12 in the morning and Class 10 in the afternoon, is likely to decrease the overall duration of the finals.

education Updated: Jul 17, 2017 08:50 IST

Neelam Pandey | Hindustan Times, New Delhi

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) proposes to hold the finals for classes 10 and 12 on same dates in two shifts, a move that will reduce the examination period and give teachers extra time to check answer-scripts more thoroughly.


The new plan was designed after the board met principals of some of the top schools in New Delhi and its satellite cities.

The CBSE, which has two panels committees to suggest ways to improve the system, will review the suggestions before a final decision is taken.

The country’s largest school board that has more than 18,000 institutions affiliated to it holds the two exams usually from March 1, barring exceptions such as this year’s state assembly elections that delayed the test by more than a week.

The exams run close to 45 days because of an array of subjects and separate time-tables for the two classes.
The plan to set common dates for both exams, with Class 12 in the morning and Class 10 in the afternoon, is likely to decrease the overall duration of the finals.

At present, exams are not held in the afternoon.
The reduced number of exam days will give evaluators — a pool of schoolteachers selected by the CBSE — more time to check the answer-scripts of students before the results are declared in May.
The teachers usually get a small window to check the answers, given the sheer size of the number of examinees.

More than a million students wrote the Class 12 exam this year.
“By conducting Class 12 and 10 exams on the same day we can reduce the examination period and provide more time to the evaluators,” a senior board official said.

The CBSE has drawn criticism for its evaluation system as several students complained of variation in marks after asking the board for a relook.

The board said it took extra care to cut faults, but the possibility of human error cannot be ruled out in calculating the marks, putting them on answer-scripts and feeding them manually in computers.
“Efforts are made to further improve the system,” the official said. The meeting with principals was called to gather views “before deciding anything on the evaluation and examination system”, the official said.
According to sources, most principals were against reevaluation or rechecking of answer-scripts, but won’t mind verification of marks.

“A longer evaluation period will be better for students. This will give teachers more time to look at the answer sheets, maybe more teachers can look at them. This will ensure fewer errors,” a principal said.
Another principal said “we have assured the board we will send our best teachers” to check answers.
It has also been suggested that the board should ask students to suggest teachers who could be good evaluators. Another suggestion is to increase the remuneration of evaluators, at least by 20%, and to set a figure as to how many copies they need to check.

“We are looking at restricting the number of copies that can be evaluated by a person in six hours so that quality is maintained,” the CBSE official said.

Source:  http://www.hindustantimes.com/education/cbse-plans-to-hold-class-10-12-exams-on-same-day-to-give-evaluators-more-time/story-GCTQLwOHaZUrTpAqgLAqFJ.html

Jul 03 2017 : The Times of India (NaviMumbai)

CHANGE IN MARKING FROM NEXT YEAR? - 

 

 State considers doing away with 20-mark orals in SSC

Mumbai: TIMES NEWS NETWORK





The state is considering changing the marking scheme for classes X and XII board exams from the next academic year. While a final decision hasn't been taken yet, one of the suggestions being considered is to do away with oral exams.

 

Currently , students appear for a 80-mark theory paper and 20 marks are awarded for either an oral or practical examination. However, there have been several instances where schools gave these marks leniently . To tackle this problem, the board reintroduced external examiners for practicals exams in March 2016 boards.

Recently , officials from the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, the state's education department and Maharashtra State Council of Education Research and Training met to discuss an alternative. “The issue was discussed, but the state is yet to finalize a new way to mark students. Many schools did not give marks judicially, and hence that hole needs to be plugged,“ said an official who attended the meeting.

The officials are working on a pattern on how the 100 marks should be distributed for each subject. Another
 official from the education de partment said, “A circular announcing a change is expected to be issued in the next three or four days. This will clear things up for schools and students.“

But teachers feel that doing away with oral exams is not the right solution.

“Oral examination tests skills such as oration, reading out loud and pronunciations. These are critical to the learning process and hence, oral exams need to stay ,“ Uday Nare, teacher at Hansraj Morarji Public School in Andheri. “But we do agree that a lot of schools are giving away the 20 marks without really testing students. The state could introduce external examiners for oral exams too,“ he added.





 
Source : http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31840&articlexml=CHANGE-IN-MARKING-FROM-NEXT-YEAR-State-considers-03072017003030#

Jul 02 2017 : The Times of India (NaviMumbai)

 

8 books on science Bill Gates wants you to read 

 

businessinsider.in 

 



The Microsoft founder has recommended several books over the years -some about the environment, some on the cosmos, and some on diseases. Here are his picks

 

The Vital Question by Nick Lane

Nick Lane might not be a household name, but Gates wants to change that.
The book seeks to resolve unanswered questions about how life formed on earth, and raises thoughtful questions about where solutions for disease may come from.
 “Even if the details of Nick's work turn out to be wrong,“ Gates said, “I suspect his focus on energy will be seen as an important contribution to our understanding of where we come from.“

Sustainable Materials With Both Eyes Open by Julian Allwood and Jonathan Cullen

On the heels of the 2015 Paris climate summit, Gates wrote on his blog that Sustainable Materials With B oth E y e s O p e n struck him because so few environmental books talk directly about “how we make stuff“. The book is a dense, diagram-filled read about the value in lengthening the shelf-life of everyday products by using materials that can be repurposed and reused.

House on Fire: The Fight to Eradicate Smallpox by William Foege

Foege is widely credited as the driving force behind the eradication of smallpox in the 1970s. In a 2014 blog post, Gates remarked on Foege's mentorship to both him and Melinda as they were getting their start in philanthropy.
Foege's 2012 book re counts how the eradication began, delves into his personal and professional life as an epidemiologist, and shares stories of people affected by the disease.

Infections and Inequalities: The Modern Plagues by Paul Farmer 

One of the world's premier e pi d e m iolo g i s t s , P au l Farmer, helped bring sustainable health care to millions in Haiti. Though it came out more than 15 years ago, Infections and Inequalities has stuck with Gates because it reminds the public how much deadlier diseases like A I DS, T B, and ma laria can be to people with out access to vaccines or treatment.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari 

According to Harari, we weren't always the only species of human beings on Earth. Roughly 100,000 years ago, there were actu ally six varieties of people, but homo sapiens were the e it to today. He also looks to only ones who made it to today. He also looks toward a future in which genetic engineering and artificial intelligence make our definition of “human“ even mor e f lu id. F rom Gates: “I would recommend Sapiens to anyone who's interested in the history and future of our species.“

The Fever: How Malaria Has Ruled Humankind for 500,000 Years by Sonia Shah 

Malaria has become one of the Gates Foundation's top priorities over the past several years. Gates calls Shah's book “probably the best choice“ if you only have time to read one book on the subject.

Seveneves by Neal Stephenson

After a science-fiction dry spell of more than a decade, in 2016, Gates picked up Seveneves on a friend's recommendation, and he says he's grateful for it. “The plot gets going in the first sentence, when the moon blows up,“ he wrote.

The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee 

Genome science can hardly be considered a topic of mainstream interest, but Gates says Mukherjee manages to captu re its relevance to people's daily lives. He seeks to answer big questions concerning our personalities and what makes us, us. Mukherjee is what Gates calls a “quadruple threat“. He's a practicing physician, teacher, researcher, and author.

 

Source : http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31840&articlexml=8-books-on-science-Bill-Gates-wants-you-02072017016039#