NDA, Naval academy examination on August 21

New Delhi: The National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II) 2011 will be conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on August 21, 2011 for admission into Army, Navy and Air Force Wings of NDA.

The courses will commence from June 30, 2012.

For details regarding the syllabus and scheme of the examination, centers of examination, centers of examination, guidelines for filling application form etc. aspirants must consult the detailed notice of the examination published in the Employment News/Rozgar Samachar dated April 9, 2011.

Only unmarried male candidates born not earlier than July 2, 1993 and not later than January 1, 1996 are eligible.

Candidates must be physically fit according to the physical standards for admission to National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (II), 2011 as given in Appendix-V of the Commission's notice for the examination published in Employment News/Rozgar Samachar dated April 9, 2011.

Candidates may apply online using UPSC's official website. Detailed instructions for filling up online applications are also available on the website.

Candidates may also apply off-line in the new Common Application Form (Form "E") devised by the commission for its examinations which can be purchased from the designated head post offices/post offices throughout the country against cash payment of Rs.30/- (Rupees Thirty only).

Each such form can be used only once and only for one examination.

The online applications can be filled up to May 9, 2011 till 11.59 PM after which the link will be disabled. Candidates are strongly advised to apply online well in time without waiting for the last date for submission of online application.

All offline applications must reach UPSC at Shahjahan Road, New Delhi either by hand or by post/speed post or by courier, on or before the May 9, 2011.

However, in respect of candidates residing abroad or in certain remote localities specified in the notice the last date for receipt of application by Post/Speed Post only (not by Hand or by Courier) is 16th May, 2011.

In case of any guidance/information/clarification regarding their applications, candidature etc. candidates can contact UPSC's Facilitation Counter near gate 'C' of its campus in person or over telephone.

Source:http://www.indiaedunews.net/Today/NDA%2C_Naval_academy_examination_on_August_21_13832/

Sibal rejects call for RTE monitoring body

New Delhi: Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal on Friday rejected the proposal by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights(NCPCR) for a grievance redressal mechanism for the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act.

The NCPCR, which monitors the implementation of the RTE Act, has been calling for such a mechanism to tackle the large variety of complaints coming in from all over the country.

"The range of complaints related to right to education is varied and the same agency cannot address all of them and at different levels," Shantha Sinha, NCPCR chairperson, said at an event on Thursday.

A set of grievance redressal rules that looks into registering the complaint, investigating it and also looks at the appeal process is required," she said.

Supporting this, Kiran Bhatty of the RTE division of the NCPCR, said: "One of the main challenges we face is the lack of a well-defined grievance redressal system. Hence, along with a committee on corporal punishment, such a system is our main policy recommendation".

Sibal, however, said that he does not agree with the proposal.

"Such a redressal system is not required. The states can take care of the complaints coming from their areas," he said while releasing a report on the RTE Act on its first anniversary on Friday.

source:http://www.indiaedunews.net/Today/Sibal_rejects_call_for_RTE_monitoring_body_13788/

Over a lakh children in Delhi still out of school

New Delhi: More than one lakh children in the national capital are still out of school, a report by the human resource development ministry said as the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act completed a year on Friday since its implementation.

The RTE report card which analyzed the primary education scenario in the country was released especially for the occasion.

According to the report, 1,24,022 children in the age group of six to 14 were out of school in Delhi, as per a survey in 2009. Across the country, the out-of-school children figure stands at 81,50,619.

"It's unfortunate that 81,50,619 children in the age group of six to 14 are still out of school. We have to bring all those children to school," Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said while releasing the report.

On a positive note however, Delhi has scored quite well in other parameters.

For instance, as compared to national figure of pupil-teacher ratio of 32, in Delhi the ratio is 28. Then, at the national level the percentage of teachers without professionalqualification is 21, but in Delhi it stands at one.

Water drinking facility is present in 100 percent schools in Delhi. 79 percent schoolshere have girls toilets, 71 percent schools have ramps for disadvantaged students, 75 percent schools have playground and 98 percent have boundary walls.

Delhi is one of the 11 states which have constituted a state commission to monitor implementation of the RTE Act. Notification of the state rules however is still "in process", the report said.

A total of 16,84,425 students have been enrolled in the primary level in Delhi and 9,82,164 in the upper primary level. Delhi has 3,034 government and aided schoolsand has 57,777 teachers in these schools.

source:http://www.indiaedunews.net/Today/Over_a_lakh_children_in_Delhi_still_out_of_school_13790/

China scores low in English test

Beijing: Chinese have "poor" English skills despite huge efforts by the government in language training, according to a study.

China was ranked 29th in the English Proficiency Index, behind other Asian countries like Malaysia, Japan and South Korea, the Shanghai Daily reported.

Test-oriented, memorized learning habits did not give Chinese students the real language skills, education experts said.

The report was based on a free online English test, where two million adults from 44 countries where English is not the native language took part.

source:http://indiaedunews.net/International/China_scores_low_in_English_test_13786/

IGNOU to introduce short-term Russian course

The India Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) would soon be introducing a short-term Russian language and culture course, an official said.

IGNOU's School of Foreign Languages (SOFL) has collaborated with the Russian Centre of Science and Culture (RCSC) here to introduce the two-month course, the official said.

According to RCSC's deputy director (Culture & Information) Yelena Shtapkina, the Russian language taught in many universities of the world is not up to the Russian standard. As a result, the candidate has to pass an additional test to qualify for a job, she said.

RCSC is ready to facilitate appropriate teaching of Russian language to meet the requirements by providing native teachers to IGNOU under mutually agreed upon terms and conditions.

"Classes would be held twice a week on Fridays and Tuesdays in the campus and it has been made compulsory for all faculty members of SOFL and will also be offered to all faculty members and officers of IGNOU," said SOFL director G. Chaudhuri.

source:http://www.indiaedunews.net/Delhi/IGNOU_to_introduce_short-term_Russian_course_13688/

Semester tussle - DU teachers to hold classes in VC's lawn

Teachers at the Delhi University have decided to protest against the implementation of thesemester system in colleges, not by conducting strikes, but by holding classes outside in the lawns.

Members of the Joint Action body (JAB) ofteachers will on Thursday and Friday, conduct classes in the lawns outside the office of the vice chancellor to draw his attention to the matter of implementing the semesters for undergraduatecourses.

Karen Gabriel, associate professor at St. Stephen's College and a member of JAB said that JAB currently had around 100 members. Out of these, around 20 are expected to take their classes out in the open. 

"The classes will be taught on the two days like any normal day and the students have been told about them. The classes would start at around 8:30am and students will only have to come out in the open and then can walk back to the campus for other classes," she said.

She further added that the administration of theuniversity had never consulted the teachers before the decision to implemented the semester system was taken.

The university has already implemented the semester system for 13 undergraduatescience courses and there are now plans to completely shift all courses to thesemester system mode from the upcoming academic session.

Teachers from several departments such as economics, English, history and philosophy have already expressed their disapproval during their general body meetings at the switch to the semester system.

Teachers have alleged that the content of the courses is being diluted in order to accommodate the new semester system.

source: http://indiaedunews.net/Delhi/Semester_tussle_-_DU_teachers_to_hold_classes_in_VC's_lawn_13669/