Articles by Niraj Pandit
Space constraints in civic-run schools spark concern
The school’s principal is now forced to merge multiple classes and accommodate approximately 800 to 900 students from classes 1 to 10 on the remaining two floors. This has drawn the attention of concerned parents, who have approached BMC officials seeking a resolution
Updated on Jul 26, 2023 06:35 PM IST
IIT-B to offer three-year exit option with BSc
The Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) will offer an exit option after three years with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in engineering starting in 2023. Last year, 15 students received their BSc degrees after opting out after the third year. The move aims to provide an honorable exit for students who are unable to complete the four-year BTech degree course. The IIT council has approved the facility, which is in line with the flexibility and disciplines encouraged by the National Education Policy 2020.
Updated on Jul 26, 2023 12:28 AM IST
Dejected tribal community asks govt to call off rescue operation
The tehsil president of Zilla Thakur Sanghatana in Raigad district, was expressing not just his own but the community’s collective decision.
Updated on Jul 23, 2023 04:27 AM IST
Landslide survivors find hope and kindness amid tragedy
Survivors of the Irshalwadi landslide in India find comfort and support from each other, as well as assistance from the government and NGOs.
Updated on Jul 23, 2023 01:09 AM IST
TISS’s transformative programme gives transgender students a career launchpad
The first batch of students from the Transformation Fellowship Programme (TFP) at TISS have graduated. The programme aims to empower transgender youth in pursuing a career in the corporate world. The TFP was launched in collaboration with Pernod Ricard India Foundation and Collective Good Foundation (CGF). The programme offers a stipend and financial support to cover expenses. The students credit the programme for their newfound confidence and professional growth.
Updated on Jul 22, 2023 12:58 AM IST
First responders: Trekkers brave elements to save lives
A team of 22 trekkers in Mumbai responded to an emergency call and worked throughout the night to rescue those caught in a landslide.
Updated on Jul 21, 2023 12:41 AM IST
Village settlements put pressure on hill slopes: Geologists
Satish Thigale has extensively studied these geological phenomena, gathering data on nearly 80 percent of the valleys in the Sahyadri region. He advocates educating the local population about the signs of impending landslides such as tree-bending and tilting of structures, and emphasises that alternative safe locations must be found
Updated on Jul 21, 2023 12:38 AM IST
After IIT, TISS plans a campus abroad
Recently, TISS signed an agreement with Monash University in Australia and Queen Mary University in London for a students’ exchange programme
Updated on Jul 20, 2023 12:44 AM IST
Private school refuses NOC to students who shifted to MPS
The names of 105 students of the BMC’s Mumbai Public School (MPS) in Kanjurmarg are yet to be transferred on the Systematic Administrative Reforms for Achieving and Learning by Students (SARAL) portal as their previous private school refused to issue NOC
Updated on Jul 20, 2023 12:21 AM IST
Balbharati domain name found on sale
On Tuesday, members of the education fraternity across the state were shocked when they discovered an advertisement on the Balbharati website, offering the domain name ‘balbharati.in for a price of 2,000 US dollars’
Updated on Jul 19, 2023 12:30 AM IST
School denies issuing marksheet, certificate to Class 10 student for not paying fees
The school, however, said that the marksheet and the leaving certificate were withheld because the parents of the girl agreed to take the documents after settling the dues
Updated on Jul 17, 2023 12:27 AM IST
Eros rises again, this time as a state-of-the art IMAX theatre
Eros Cinema ceased operations in 2017 due to dwindling ticket sales and competition from multiplexes. In 2018, plans surfaced suggesting the theatre would reopen as a 300-seat cinema on the first floor with a department store occupying the ground floor
Updated on Jul 15, 2023 01:08 AM IST
Students of illegal schools in a fix over switching institutes
Following directives from the state education commissioner, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued notices to 210 unrecognised schools, compelling them to obtain the necessary permissions from the state government or face closure. As of now, 72 schools have already faced action
Updated on Jul 15, 2023 12:58 AM IST
363 colleges receive NAAC accreditation in one year
As per data published on the NAAC website on May 19, the state has 35 universities and 1,922 colleges with NAAC accreditation. “Maharashtra is the top state in the country with NAAC-accredited higher education institutions,” said Rastogi. “With this, we are assuring quality education in the state
Updated on Jul 14, 2023 12:54 AM IST
Facing closure, unauthorised schools urge govt to relax rules
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), acting on instructions from the state education commissioner, has issued notices to 210 unrecognised schools, compelling them to obtain necessary permissions or face closure. Around 72 such schools have faced closure so far
Updated on Jul 12, 2023 01:19 AM IST
Controversy erupts after state government reappoints retired teachers to fill vacancies
A circular issued by the School Education Department, many villages depend completely on zilla parishad schools for the education of their children. To ensure quality education for students, the state government has opted to appoint retired teachers across the state
Updated on Jul 11, 2023 01:08 AM IST
State announces courses for new JJ Art University
As per the government decision, all three institutes, which include the JJ School of Arts, the JJ School of Applied Arts, and the JJ School of Architecture, will be part of the university and would offer a unique curriculum at the proposed university
Updated on Jul 09, 2023 12:39 AM IST
Students at risk as Govandi school building develops cracks
About 941 students are at risk due to cracks in the walls of Amarnath High School in Mumbai. The school has appealed to the BMC for temporary relocation, but no action has been taken. The school is currently running in shifts, and the deteriorating building poses a danger to students. The school management has asked the BMC for an alternate location, but their request was denied. The school has obtained permission for reconstruction but cannot proceed without relocating the students. They are hopeful for support from the BMC.
Updated on Jul 07, 2023 12:56 AM IST
Zilla Parishad refuses to start class 8 in Shahapur school, parents rush to seek admission in far off schools
Parents of 19 class 8 students at Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee International School in Thane district are rushing to secure admission in private schools after the Zilla Parishad decided against starting class 8. The decision has left parents concerned about their children's future.
Updated on Jul 06, 2023 01:30 AM IST
New Balbharati textbook pages land up in scrap market
The Integrated Textbook Scheme, a pilot project of the Maharashtra government, was implemented this year with the intention of streamlining the education system. The scheme entails students carrying a single book containing all subjects instead of individual textbooks for each one
Updated on Jul 03, 2023 12:51 AM IST
Colleges under MUHS to assess answer papers online
Starting this academic year, answer papers for examinations at all medical colleges under MUHS will be assessed online, reducing errors and speeding up result declarations. The online assessment system has been successfully tested during previous examinations. MUHS plans to implement the online assessment for all courses by the end of the academic year 2023-24.
Updated on Jul 01, 2023 12:41 AM IST
IIT-B most preferred choice among JEE-Advanced top rankers
Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) is the preferred choice for the majority of top-ranking students in the JEE-Advanced merit list, with 89 out of the top 100 rankers selecting it as their first preference. Computer science and engineering is the most popular choice among the top rankers.
Updated on Jul 01, 2023 12:41 AM IST
12 autonomous MU colleges granted ‘empowered’ tag
The University of Mumbai has granted 'empowered' autonomy to 12 affiliated colleges, allowing them to award joint degrees, start new programs, fix fees, design curriculum, and more. The colleges include St Xavier's, Mithibai, Somaiya, and Ruia. The autonomy status will last for ten years starting from the academic year 2023-24. This move follows the recommendation of the university's academic council meeting and aligns with the National Education Policy. The colleges are now able to implement the New Education Policy more easily and have more control over their academic affairs.
Updated on Jul 01, 2023 12:40 AM IST
NTA’s silence on discrepancies in NEET UG results irks students
After the NEET UG 2023 results were announced, students have raised concerns about discrepancies in their scores, sharing OMR sheets on social media and demanding explanations from the NTA. MP Supriya Sule has requested the NTA to address the issue promptly, highlighting cases where students' OMR sheets did not match their result cards. The All India JEE NEET Students Association has also submitted a letter to the NTA regarding the OMR sheet discrepancies. Activist Sudha Shenoy believes there is a chance of error from the NTA. NTA officials have not commented on the matter.
Updated on Jun 30, 2023 12:44 AM IST
Pilgrims walk to Pandharpur with the Indian Constitution as their holy book
Warkaris arrive at the holy site along the Bhima river on the occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi every year, to offer prayers to Lord Vitthal. The objective of the dindi, or group, is to preach the salient features of the constitution among the 10-lakh pilgrims that make the 16-day long walk originating from Alandi and Dehu
Updated on Jun 29, 2023 12:42 AM IST
Confusion abounds as students fear medical admissions may be delayed
The National Medical Commission (NMC) has yet to finalize the admission process for medical undergraduates, causing fear of delays among students and parents who have cleared the National Eligibility and Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET UG). The two main areas of contention are the guidelines for centralized counseling and lack of clarity in the passing criteria in the physics, chemistry, and biology (PCB) group. The NMC has also announced the question-paper pattern and subject-wise marks distribution for the National Exit Test (NEXT) exam, which will replace NEET-PG, NI-CET, and MCI Screening Exam and be implemented from December 2023.
Updated on Jun 28, 2023 08:48 AM IST
How IIT-B alumni honed the art of giving
The hostel, which will be thrown open in 2025, will host 1100 students. It has been tagged Project Evergreen – the largest alumni project ever in the institute’s history that involves fund raising, design, construction and project management
Updated on Jun 29, 2023 05:55 PM IST
Schools suffer as teachers remain busy with electoral duties
Several BMC and aided schools in Mumbai are facing a shortage of teachers due to 500 of them being assigned booth level officer duties by the Election Commission. As a result, extracurricular activities have been suspended, leading to discontent among teachers and parents. Teachers are expected to fulfill BLO responsibilities before and after regular school hours, including weekends and holidays, resulting in disruptions to school operations. Teachers and principals have been assigned BLO duties from the first day of school, leading to an outcry from teachers and students. Both teachers? unions and individual teachers are demanding that the government take action to provide relief for teachers and students.
Updated on Jun 25, 2023 01:08 AM IST
Amendments to RTE Act introduce exams for class 5 and 8 students
Maharashtra's state school education department has amended the Right to Education Act, making annual exams mandatory for students in classes five and eight. If students fail, they will be retained in the same grade. Under previous rules, students in classes one to eight could not fail. The changes were made after the central government's guidelines.
Updated on Jun 24, 2023 01:03 AM IST
QR codes dropped from Balbharati textbooks, teachers miffed
The newly launched integrated textbook by Balbharati—as the Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and Curriculum Research is known—distributed to students from Classes 1 to 8 this year, has omitted QR codes
Updated on Jun 24, 2023 01:02 AM IST