Education

Payel, a dyslexic student, had to fight a legal battle to get the admit card for the CBSE examination.

Alpana Das Sarkar, mother of 18-year-old Payel, had approached Birla High School for Girls -- Payel's examination centre -- on March 8 showing the circulars and amended examination bylaws.

According to the new rules set by the CBSE, dyslexic students should be allowed an additional 60 minutes in papers of three-hour duration. They should also get 50 minutes extra for a paper of 2 hour 30 minutes duration.

The Birla School authorities then asked Payel to bring a certificate from the Central School, Fort William, which would certify that the student was suffering from dyslexia. The certificate was issued by Fort William, along with Payel's medical certificate.

Following a report in The Indian Express on March 4, Alpana came to know about the new regulations. The CBSE had amended the examination bylaws in 2009 to provide relief to students suffering from dyslexia.

"Since I am getting an hour extra, I think I will be able to answer all the questions and I feel I will perform well in the examination," Payel told The Indian Express.

Alpana, meanwhile, is delighted that her daughter has not only been granted admit card but is given extra time to write her papers which she deserves because of her disability.

"I was not aware of the amended examination rules for dyslexic students. I came to know about it from media reports," said Alpana.

The Institute of Leadership, Entreprenuership and Development will offer Masters in Business Administration (MBA) with specialisations in marketing, finance, retail, risk management and diploma courses in real estate management.

'We are offering such courses that have a very high demand in the market. Placements for us would not be a problem as we are training people according to industry needs,' PS Group chairman Pradip Chopra said Thursday.

The total investment for setting up the campus would be Rs.25 crore, he said, adding this was being done through internal accrual.

The institute plans to rope in faculties- permanent and guest - from the US and the UK.

'We have also plans to set up a similar institute in Chennai,' Chopra said.

Barely two days into final placements, more than half the students of the class of 2010 at Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (IIM-C) have received job offers from domestic and international recruiters.

Slot Zero, or the first two days of the final placement process, saw IIM-C students receiving at least 91 offers, according to a statement released by the B-school. The placement process was still under way for at least three more companies when the statement was received.

Along with pre-placement and lateral offers, the total number of offers received so far stands at 216.

"There would be some overlapping with students receiving multiple offers, but we expect around 160 students to move out of the placement process by tonight," said Samyukktha Thirumeni, external relations secretary at IIM-C.

The institute is placing a batch of 287 students this year. Accenture was the biggest recruiter during Slot Zero this year, having made 11 offers to IIM-C students.

Source: Live Mint By Aveek Datta 91 offers in two days at IIM-C's placements

A student from the IIM-C has bagged a record-breaking package from a global investment bank in South East Asia of $350,000 (Rs.1.6 crore) making the institute a hot destination for the recruiters with exceptional pay packets this year.

Two more students have been offered the bulky packets of over Rs.1 crore each.

Beating the rest of the IIMs with 91 slot zero offers (when the largest firms give out their best salaries) it was the highest among all, considering just two days of its commencement, said sources.

The newly introduced cohort system based placements has lead to the IIM-Bangalore standing at the second position after Calcutta with 64 slot zero offers followed by IIM-Ahmedabad with 50. These figures exclude the pre-placement offers.

These three students are to be placed in London and Hong Kong investment banks as associates.

There were initial rumors that the highest pay packet of Rs.1.44 crore has been bagged by a student from IIM-A while that of IIM-B's was Rs.1.14 crore this year which later was confirmed and the crown was given to IIM-C.

Source: indiaedunews.net IIM Calcutta graduate gets 1.6 crore package

The matter was discussed in a meeting with the Principals of the colleges, the State's Health Secretary Samar Ghosh and the Director of Medical Education Professor S. N. Banerjee recently. Issues pertaining to infrastructural needs of the respective colleges were raised at the meeting.

"The MCI proposal is part of an all-India drive to increase the capacity of medical colleges. If the necessary approvals come through, about 600 additional seats will be added to the State-run colleges in West Bengal," Professor S. N. Banerjee, told The Hindu. Currently there are 1,000 seats in colleges across the State with 150 seats each in Calcutta Medical College, Calcutta National Medical College, R. G. Kar Medical College and N. R. S. Medical College and 100 each in colleges in Bankura, Bardhaman, Medinipur and Darjeeling districts, he said.

"Increasing the intake capacity of existing medical colleges instead of establishing new ones would enable cutting down on the shortages of doctors in the country faster," said Professor Sushanta Kumar Banerjee, principal of R. G. Kar Medical College. "It could not be done this year as there are many procedural formalities."

After conducting feasibility studies, all colleges will have to obtain certification from the Directorate of Medical Education and the West Bengal University of Health Sciences before applying to the MCI for permission, he said.

AMU is hopeful for starting these 'Special Centers' in a symbolic way from the next academic year if the concerned governments hand over the proposed land to AMU in full.

Regarding the establishment of a Special Centre at Murshidabad, the Vice Chancellor of AMU professor P.K. Abdul Azis met the Union Finance Minister, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee along with Mr. Moinul Hasan, Member of Parliament and AMU Court and discussed with him the matter pertaining to the transfer of land for AMU Centre at Murshidabad in West Bengal.

Mr. Mukherjee has promised that the matter would be resolved within a few days and the amount of Rs.25 crores each meant for West Bengal and Kerala will be transferred within a couple of days.

The Union Finance Minister has suggested that the Centre be started from the next session and building could be made available in Murshidabad for this purpose.

Mr. M.A. Baby, Minister of Education in Kerala yesterday informed the AMU Vice Chancellor that in the first phase, 156 acres of land will be transferred to AMU by the government of Kerala on March 6, 2010 at a public function in Perinthalmanna, Malappuram District of Kerala.

Source: indiaedunews.net AMU to establish special centres in West Bengal, Kerala by 2011

This comes after revelations that the process used in the past is flawed.

An RTI application by a professor at IIT Kharagpur filed in 2007 revealed that in 2006, 994 students with low aggregates in maths, physics and chemistry in the Joint Entrance Exami-nation qualified, though around 4,000 others who had higher aggregates than them did not.

For example, a student with 37 in maths, 48 in physics and 69 in chemistry made the cut, while another with 36 in maths, 116 in physics and 127 in chemistry did not. This was because the cutoff mark for maths that year was said to be 37. However, when the cutoff was calculated according to the stated formula, it came out to be 7.

A student challenged the admissions in the Calcutta High Court. Last month, the court  said it had no expertise in the matter and declined to interfere. Professor Rajeev Kumar, who had filed the RTI application, said he will challenge the decision in the Supreme Court.

Professor Acharya said the formula for determining cutoffs had already been decided. It is the existing flawed formula.

And unlike other such centres across the world, the Kolkata school won't be housed in the Council's premises on Camac Street -- making it the institution's only offsite campus in the world. The English Teaching Centre, as the language school has been christened, is coming up on one floor of Mahadevi Birla Girls HS School on Darga Road.

The decision to set up the school away from its library and administrative office was taken keeping in mind the demand for English language courses in Kolkata. "We are doing it differently here, on a much bigger scale. There's a huge demand for such courses here. If this experiment of an offsite campus proves successful, it may be replicated elsewhere," explained Sujata Sen, director, British Council (East).

There will be a plethora of courses to suit the needs of different categories of people. English Evolution, for example, is a set of courses for learners who wish to develop an overall grasp of the language. It will also come in handy for those who wish to improve skills they have already acquired. On the other hand, English Executive incorporates the demands of a professional environment and is for working executives. English Impact is for learners who wish to improve verbal fluency while facing an interview, group discussions and public appearances.

Source: Times Of India British Council sets up language school in city

"We may float scholarships for IIT-Kharagpur students to carry out research activities," she said.

The minister announced two new trains for West Bengal. "Two new trains would be flagged off Feb 13. One from Jhargram-Purulia and another Medinipur-Jhargram."

She said the railways would also provide its land for setting up 372 diagnostic centres, 44 first-class hospitals and 88 second-class hospitals across the country.

"We'll provide land and the union health ministry will develop the medical infrastructure on those lands. We have already signed an MoU with the union health ministry to develop such health projects," Banerjee said.

IIM Calcutta (IIM-C), for instance, is planning to start a dual-degree programme with its foreign institutions. Saibal Chattopadhyay, dean, IIM-C, says: "We have collaborations with around 50 institutions in over 26 countries for our two-year post-graduate programme students and another 10 collaborations are in the pipeline, for student exchange programmes. We are currently looking at course similarity or equivalence in our partner institutions so that we can start offering dual degrees to our students, in addition to the exchange programmes that we have." The institute is also looking at dual-degree programmes for its executive education programmes.

At IIM-C, too, around 50-60 students go on foreign exchange programmes every year and this year the number will touch 100.

Under the dual-degree programme, students get to study for one year in a foreign B-school after completing a year in India. Exchange programmes, on the other hand, provide students with exposure to other cultures and business practices. Around 700 students annually take part in the student exchange programme from India. Of these, about 400 students go from India to other foreign universities.

Source; Business-standard IIMs sharpen focus on foreign tie-ups, dual-degree programmes

'Pehla Kadam' is a small effort by Community Human Welfare Organization (CHWO), where underprivileged children from Joka and nearby regions will be treated with a day of fun and entertainment through various cultural performances atCarpe Diem.

"Through 'Pehla Kadam', we will introduce these children to the world of dance and music, to plays and mimes; and to give the children a stage to perform," an official said.

Pehla Kadam will take its first step this year, in association with IIM Calcutta during Carpe Diem '10.

To be held at the IIM-C's auditorium, those children will see performances from the campus band JBS Baroc and the college dramatics club.

"But the main attraction of the day would be skit played by the children from the 'Society for Protection of Children in India' (SPCI), an NGO for girls and group dance and mime presented by 'Behala Naboproyas', an NGO for the mentally challenged," he added.

The skit by the girls has already won the hearts of the organizers and the IIM-C's dramatic club members are helping them in their rehearsals.

There would also be performances by Sarang Sahane (Jal Tarang) & Bhuvan Atluri (Violin), second year students from IIM-C and from the cultural team of Pailan World School.

The number of students applying for admission in engineering and medical colleges in the state has touched a record mark.

According to officials of the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination Board, this year, the number of applicants appearing for the Joint Entrance Examination has increased to 1,21,000 -the highest ever recorded by the JEEB.

Board chairman Professor Siddhartha Datta said the reason so many students were keen to study in colleges of West Bengal was the transparency in the admission process.

He said this year, of the 1,21,000 applicants, 46,000 more than 30 per cent -were from Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Assam and some parts of Uttar Pradesh.

"Earlier, students from these states went to South India for an engineering degree. Now they know there are more opportunities in West Bengal," said Datta. "In 2008, the number of applicants for engineering and medical seats was only 78,000," added Datta.

Source: The Indian Express Record number of students apply in engineering, medical colleges

The CBSE board is keen to implement the continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE) system -- which is in line with the right to education bill's provision to introduce it in all schools -- from the 2011-12 session and is awaiting the HRD ministry's nod. A few days ago, the ministry had advised all schools to dump the archaic exam system.

In the CCE format, Class XI students must take four `formative' tests, which will be intensive in nature and based on a few chapters in a particular subject, and two `summative' tests that will cover half the lessons taught in class.

"We want to introduce a comprehensive assessment system till the candidates appear for their first and only board examination in class XII. The stress will be on internal assessment," a CBSE official said.

Source: Times Of India By Somdatta Basu CBSE may abolish Class XI exam

There has been an average decline of 11 per cent in the placement of engineering graduates from 111 technology schools in 2009 compared to the previous year, except for 16 of them which recorded cent per cent absorption, according to the 5th IDC-Dataquest T-School, 2009 survey.

"The number of companies visiting T-school campuses as well as the number of jobs offered to engineering graduates declined in 2009 due to the economic slowdown," it said.

Of the 54 companies that visited T-School campuses, more than half were from Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing sector.

"Only 16 of the top 111 technology schools in the country reported 100 per cent placement in the year 2009," the survey by IDC, a global market intelligence provider, said.

As only 16 of the top 111 T schools reported 100 per cent placement, the survey said, "It indicates that more engineering graduates opted for higher studies in 2009 instead of opting for a job."

Many engineering graduates of the prestigious IITs opted for higher studies instead of jobs as only the IIT-Kanpur reported hundred per cent placement.

Source: business.rediff.com Fall in engineering graduate placements

Under the path-breaking new system, a student will not be detained if he/she fails in the elective subjects in Part-I or II of the graduation exams. They are to be promoted automatically. And if they clear the papers in Parts-II and III, they are deemed as passed.

What's more, a student will get five years to clear Part-I and Part-II subjects and another three to clear Part-III. Which means one can take up to eight years to complete their graduation.

"We adopted a no-detention policy to enable students to pursue studies under a stress-free environment," said Shyamal Sarkar, secretary of CU's undergraduate council.

For being promoted to Part- II, a first-year student in 2010 needs to obtain at least 35% marks in the honours paper. But the university will not stop her even she fails in the elective papers. She will get an opportunity to clear them along with the Part-II honours papers the next year, Sarkar said, making a clean break from the past when clearing the honours paper and at least one elective subject was mandatory for promotion to Part-II. Those who flunk the honours subjects, however, will have to stay back.