New Delhi (The Hawk): Union Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurates the National Yoga Olympiad - 2022 and quiz competition as a Chief Guest. Minister of State for Education Shri Subhas Sarkar was also present on the occasion.The National Yoga Olympiad is being organised jointly by the Ministry of Education and the National Council of Educational Research and Training from 18th to 20th June 2022. This year about 600 students from 26 states/UTs and Demonstration Multipurpose Schools of Regional Institutions of Education will be participating in the forthcoming National Yoga Olympiad.Speaking on the occasion Shri Pradhan said that yoga has served humanity in alleviating sufferings and building resilience, especially during the post-Covid era. The Minister highlighted that to encourage healthier choices and bring people even more closer together, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has suitably chosen this year’s theme as Yoga For Humanity. He further said that Yoga is India’s gift to the world and it has gained tremendous popularity globally since the UN General Assembly adopted Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's proposal to celebrate 21st June as International Day of Yoga. Yoga is uniting the world in the pursuit of good health and wellness, he added. The Minister stressted that NEP 2020 lays special emphasis on the physical and emotional well-being of both students and teachers. Sports-integrated learning will inculcate sportsman spirit and help students adopt fitness as a lifelong attitude, he added.Shri Pradhan said Yoga is an integral part of health, wellness and physical education.&nbsp;He suggested NCERT to include the ancient wisdom of Yoga in our curriculum. While we are in the process of developing the NCF, we must prioritise yoga right from ECCE to Class 12th level. He also suggested NCERT to conduct yoga olympiads at the school, block, district and state levels.&nbsp;He said Involving school students from every block will further the legacy of yoga and also help in making yoga as a lifestyle. The&nbsp;Minister congratulated all the selected students who are representing their states/UTs in the National Yoga Olympiad.&nbsp;He appreciated them for their participation right from the block level.While addressing the participants Shri Sarkar said that yoga has to be popularised as a part of the National Education Policy 2020. He added that the is aim to promote such an education system which gives the citizen a vision to see the country in a unified form. He also stated that in the Yoga Olympiad,&nbsp;asana, pranayama, kriya, meditation etc will be demonstrated by the students, so that they will be able to understand the importance of yoga experientially. He also re-emphasised on the values of Yoga which is now globally accepted and how it would be able to accelerate the sustainable lifestyle worldwide.The theme for this year is “Yoga for Humanity”. It is an acknowledged fact that yogic asanas are beneficial to all in maintaining quality health and holistic personality.The NCERT started the National Yoga Olympiad in 2016. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the whole world came to a standstill, the spirit of yoga was kept alive by organizing a Quiz competition. In that event, students of KVs, NVs and students from Demonstration Multipurpose Schools of Regional Institutions of Education participated in a large number. This year too, along with the national yoga Olympiad, quiz competitions on yoga will be organised.He also re-emphasised on the values of Yoga which is now globally accepted and how it would be able to accelerate the sustainable lifestyle worldwide.Vice Chairman, AICTE, Shri M.P Poonia; Director NCERT, Prof. Dinesh Prasad Saklani; Joint Director, NCERT,&nbsp;Prof. Shridhar Srivastava; Secretary, NCERT – Prof. Pratyush Kumar Mandal, and senior officials of Ministry of Education and students from various parts of India attended the event.

 Union Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurates the National Yoga Olympiad - 2022 and quiz competition as a Chief Guest. Minister of State for Education Shri Subhas Sarkar was also present on the occasion.

Pradhan Suggests Inclusion Of Yoga In School Curriculum

Dehradun (The Hawk): The research cell of Tula's Institute organized the 3-day long workshop on effective curriculum delivery for the faculty members of all departments within the college premises. The workshop focused on the different aspects of curriculum design and implementation, including the development of a curriculum and effective delivery of the curriculum through different teaching and learning methodology.
The eminent speaker of the first session was the Director at KLE Technological University, Dr. Vekatesh Raikar. During his session, he focussed on curriculum development with different models for colleges and universities from NAAC/NBA perspective.
The next speaker was the Registrar at KLE Technological University Dr. Narshima Ayachit, wherein he focussed on quality in higher education teaching-learning.
Dean MIT, Moradabad, Dr. Kshitij Singhal, discussed the faculty-student interaction and art while the Head Curriculum Development center NITTTR Chandigarh Dr. Arvind Bal Gupta delivered his talk on the principle of curriculum design and delivery.
On the concluding day of the workshop, Prof(Retd.) IITR Dr. S. C Handa delivered his talk on how to be an excellent teacher. During the session, he provided important insight on quality teaching. Lastly, one of the speakers, Dr. Pankaj Bijalwan, presented a talk session on efficient time management and stress management.
Also present on the occasion were the Director of Tula's Institute Dr. Sandip Vijay, Dean Academics Dr. Nishant Saxena, Dean R&amp;D Dr. Sunil Semwal, and Dean Agriculture and Management Dr. Ranit Kishor.

 The research cell of Tula's Institute organized the 3-day long workshop on effective curriculum delivery for the faculty members of all departments within the college premises. 

Workshop On 'Effective Curriculum Delivery' Held

New Delhi (The Hawk): Union Education and Skill Development &amp; Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan today launched the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage and the pilot project of Balvatika 49 Kendriya Vidyalayas across the country. Smt. Annapurna Devi, MoS for Education; Dr. Subhash Sarkar, MoS for Education along with Secretary, School Education, Smt Anita Karwal; Secretary, Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Sanjay Kumar; Director, NCERT, Shri Dinesh Saklani; Members of the Steering and Mandate Committee of NCF and senior officials of Ministry of Education were present on the occasion. Chairman, Members of the Steering and Mandate Committee of NCF, Shri K. Kasturirangan also attended the event virtually.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Pradhan said that today is a landmark day towards fulfilling objectives of NEP. The ‘yagya’ and churning that India witnessed in the last 8 years has started to bear ‘Amrit’. He further said that Foundational, Preparatory, Middle &amp; Secondary are the four stages of NCF for school education. Developing the foundational framework was one of the most important and challenging aspect under NEP 2020, as it has a huge bearing on shaping the future of our country, he added.
He complimented everyone who has contributed to the development of National Curriculum Framework for foundation stage. This new framework will help equip our young ones with cognitive &amp; linguistic competencies of the 21st century, he said. The Minister urged NCERT to place this NCF in public domain, take it to SCERTs and to all stakeholders involved in early childhood care and development.
While speaking on the occasion, Dr Kasturirangan, Chairperson of National Steering Committee to develop NCF said that the Foundational stage NCF was the first integrated NCF of the country for ages 3-8 years and is set to transform quality of education through holistic approach.
The National Education Policy 2020 -- that is NEP 2020 -- is transforming education in India. It has set our education system on a path to delivering the highest quality education for all, with equity and inclusion. Amongst the most transformative aspects of NEP 2020 is the new 5+3+3+4 curricular structure which integrates Early Childhood Care and Education for all children of ages 3 to 8. Early childhood lays the foundation for life-long learning and development - it is a key determinant of the quality of overall life. This framework is expected to deliver the highest quality Foundational Education, across all types of institutions in the country.
As articulated in NEP 2020, National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage, uses ‘play,’ at the core of the conceptual, operational, and transactional approaches to curriculum organization, pedagogy, time and content organization, and the overall experience of the child.
Children learn best through play, hence learning envisaged by the National Curriculum Framework will provide stimulating experiences for the child’s development in all dimensions – cognitive, social-emotional, physical, and will also enable the achievement of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy for all our children.
The NCF has an institutional focus, the importance of the home environment cannot be overemphasized - including family, extended family, neighbours, and others in the close community - all of whom have a very significant impact on the child, particularly in this age cohort of 3-8 years. Hence, this NCF will deal with the role of teachers as well as parents and communities in enabling and enhancing the developmental outcomes that are sought during this stage.

Union Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan today launched the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage and the pilot project of Balvatika 49 Kendriya Vidyalayas across the country. 

Dharmendra Pradhan Launches National Curriculum Framework For Foundational Stage & Pilot Project 

New Delhi: A new NCERT guideline recommends gender-neutral school uniforms, transgender-inclusive curriculum, safe washroom facilities, and measures to reduce gender-based violence. The draft manual, called "Integrating Transgender Concerns in Schooling Processes," was prepared by a new 16-member committee put together by Jyotsna Tiwari, who is the head of NCERT's Department of Gender Studies. "Some of the students, specially from Grade VI onward, have preference for clothes, particularly school uniform. They do not feel comfortable in a particular dress. Schools can introduce gender neutral uniforms which are comfortable, climate appropriate, fit and do not conform to a particular gender," it said,
The panel has suggested that these uniforms might be designed by design institutes.
"Many schools have introduced pants and shirts that can suit any gender and they are comfortable for all school activities. Reinforcement of gender binaries in school structures, in terms of uniforms, use of toilets, participation in sports and extra-curricular activities, bullying and harassment for simply choosing to express themselves as opposed to social norms, are some of the glaring concerns raised by transgender persons when it comes to barrier in their education," it added.  The panel has proposed that educators identify the spaces and scope of integrating gender, particularly transgender issues, into their pedagogy and textbook content wherever they perceive a gap in the current textbooks.—Inputs from Agencies

A new NCERT guideline recommends gender-neutral school uniforms, transgender-inclusive curriculum, safe washroom facilities, and measures to reduce gender-based violence. The draft manual, called "Integrating Transgender Concerns in Schooling Processes," was prepared by a new 16-member committee put together by Jyotsna Tiwari, who is the head of NCERT's Department of Gender Studies. "Some of the students, specially from Grade VI onward, have preference for clothes, particularly school uniform

Transgender students' manual from NCERT proposes gender-neutral clothes and safe washrooms

Vijay Garg 
Multidisciplinary education at the secondary stage, board examinations twice a year, semester system in Class 12 are among the major proposals in the draft National Curriculum Framework (NCF), released last week, which has emerged as a talking point in the last few days.
However, beyond the weighty suggestions on reshaping the school system through higher-level policy changes, the NCF also contains a series of vital observations and recommendations regarding tweaks at the classroom level from the placement of the blackboard to how principles are to be served tea. Here are some of those clubbed in five categories:&nbsp;
Draft curriculum document proposes 5.5-day school week, longer periods Class 9 onwards, no assemblies on Saturdays The classroom: According to the NCF, drawn up by a 12-member committee of experts led by former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan, making all children sit facing the board conveys a perception that the primary sources of learning are the blackboard and the teacher. Instead, the committee has suggested, a circular, semi-circle or group seating arrangement should be explored. The draft NCF also discourages the practice of making “smarter students” occupy front seats, saying it reinforces who learns and who doesn’t.
“A teacher could also keep a track of how many student’s voices they have heard during the course of one lesson, or over a period of a week. This would give them insights into the students who are not able to participate actively or are having difficulty in expressing themselves and as a result, get excluded,” according to the draft.
School assemblies: The expert committee has also prescribed changes in the way most schools hold their assembly sessions, noting that “a lot can be achieved if this space is utilised properly”. Instead of making assembly sessions “ritualistic and mechanical” exercises, schools should think of innovative ways to make them meaningful, it has said. “Schools must ensure that the assembly does not impose any pressure to perform, or deliver ‘perfect presentations’, and instead should be seen as a process of sharing and learning, accepting flaws, and getting over stage fear by creating a setting that makes all students feel comfortable where no one is judged, insulted, or ridiculed,” says the draft. Among the activities suggested include narration of “real stories of courage and resilience, nishkaam karma and sewa“.
Symbols and hierarchies: Noting that school uniform has a symbolic value, the draft NCF lays emphasis on the colour and the kind of dress chosen as uniform in a school. It adds that one may opt for more traditional, modern or gender-neutral dresses depending on local climate, safety, easy availability, cost-effectiveness. It advocates doing away with practices that establish differences and hierarchies such as making students sit on floor mats and teachers on chairs. “Sometimes, schools practice symbolic representation of hierarchy.
—The Hawk Features

Multidisciplinary education at the secondary stage, board examinations twice a year, semester system in Class 12 are among the major proposals in the draft National Curriculum Framework (NCF),

Gender-neutral Uniforms, Classroom Seating Arrangement

Gender-Neutral Uniforms, Classroom Seating Arrangement

The health and wellness of students in schools have become increasingly important, especially in the post-covid era. The National Curriculum Framework for School Education emphasised that guidance and counselling can support the attainment of educational aims by contributing to creating an ethos of overall well-being and teaching individuals an ethic of care and mutual respect.

According to the NCF, physical health, and wellness are crucial needs for growing up and require careful addressing by schools. “Designing programs that contribute to good health and physical fitness for all students across the stages in their school life is a central goal.

Not just physical, there is a need to prioritise psychological health and wellness as well. With a primary focus on students, guidance and counselling work must teach strategies for emotional regulation and positive motivation. While mild to moderate challenges with mental health can receive counselling support within the school, it would be necessary to direct students and families to more qualified professionals outside the school system for clinical diagnosis and support,” the report stated.

Regarding the reasons for introducing health and wellness, the draft stated that the classroom and the school were sites for emotional learning, growth, and expression, which were probably the most occupying for teachers at this stage. “Students themselves go through unpredictable mood states and energy fluctuations, often grappling with a sense of unexplainable wellness or not-so-wellness. Middle Stage pedagogy must allow for some amount of engagement with emotional experiences through quiet discussion and reflection. Curricular areas can be used as contexts in which individual responses can be parsed. The teacher will have to find a balance in the approach to students’ emotions - an approach that is neither intrusive nor indulgent, but reasonably firm, rationally clear, and emotionally caring towards students of this stage,” the report said.

<h2>Importance of games</h2>
The NCF emphasises the importance of exercising the mind just as exercising the body is crucial to maintaining good health. Encouraging children to play games that involve strategy, logic, word puzzles, and recreational mathematics is an excellent way to spark their interest in mathematics and foster their logical thinking skills.

Spatial reasoning can be developed through activities such as solving jigsaw puzzles, playing with blocks, and solving mazes. Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills can be enhanced through playing games such as tic-tac-toe and chess.

Playing games such as Chaupad, Snakes and Ladders, and Ludo can be a fun way to teach counting, strategy, collaboration, healthy competition, and bonding with peers.&nbsp;
—Vijay GarG / The Hawk

The health and wellness of students in schools have become increasingly important, especially in the post-covid era

Health & Wellness Belong in Classrooms

The character stands for an attribute or a quality that defines persons moral and ethical actions and reactions. Though the character is used in different senses here we deal with What is Wrong and What is Right in general. Moreover, it is character education in particular that this article deals with. Character Education is an educational system imparted to kids for developing in them those qualities which are universally accepted desirable by a society. To have good character and developing such personal qualities is, therefore, the purpose of Character Education.
The concept of Character Education is very old as it is taught to us by Parents and Religion. In the west, these are vying for adoption by, schools and businesses. Some are commercial, some non-profit and many are uniquely devised by states, districts and schools, themselves. A common approach of these programs is to provide a list of principles, pillars, values or virtues, which are memorized or around which themed activities are planned. It is commonly claimed that the values included in any particular list are universally recognized. However, there is no agreement among the competing programs on core values (e.g., honesty, stewardship, kindness, generosity, courage, freedom, justice, equality, and respect) or even how many to list. There is also no common or standard means for assessing, implementing or evaluating programs.

<h2>Methods of Character Education</h2>
There is no common practice of imparting Character Education or Values Education to children. It is mainly because there is a lack of standards in character education and how and by whom it is to be imparted.
Broadly we can consider some approaches towards this education which are a part of schooling. These are mainly as follows:

Praise and Reward: This approach seeks to make virtue into habit using Positive Reinforcement. Elements include At The Spot Deliberate Praise of students and Awarding for Constructive Skills.
Forced Formality: It focuses on strict, uniform compliance with specific rules of conduct, (i.e., walking in lines, arms at one's sides), or formal forms of address ("yes sir," "no ma'am"), or other procedures deemed to promote order or respect of adults.
Define and Drill: It teaches students to memorize a list of values and the definition of each. Students' simple memorization of definitions seems to be equated with their development of the far more complex capacity for making moral decisions.
Cheerleading: It involves multicoloured posters, banners, and bulletin boards featuring a value or virtue of the month; lively morning public-address announcements; occasional motivational assemblies; and possibly a high-profile event such as a fund-raiser for a good cause.
Counselling: It requires school counsellors to impart moral values through individual or group sessions.
These approaches aim for quick behavioural results, rather than helping students better understand and commit to the values that are core to our society or helping them develop the skills for putting those values into action in life's complex situations. Also, the real significance of the student's actions is lost, as the reward or award becomes the primary focus. Though these are not useless they need Fine Tuning.
<h2>Effective Approaches</h2>
Refined Curriculum: It can be achieved by Integrating a certain amount of Character Education in the Curriculum.
Mode of Implementation: There is a need to diversify the means of implementing these can be done through faculty, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, maintenance staff, etc.&nbsp;
The sense of Enthusiasm: The education needs to be Enjoyable and Informal so that it is not Boring and Imposing. It can be done through Practical Activities outside the classroom
Parent Participation: By holding certain workshops parents can be taught to reduce the negative effects of TV, movies, video games, and other media on children’s moral growth. -- Vijay GarG

Character Education is an educational system imparted to kids for developing in them those qualities which are universally accepted desirable by a society. 

Character Education

Roorkee (The Hawk): Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee), the first technical Institute in the country with a history of 175 years, has recently revised its Under Graduation curriculum to make students future ready with their global aspirations. The revision, which has come after a decade, has been designed to keep pace with the educational and industrial developments and requirements in terms of technology, entrepreneurship, sustainability, interdisciplinary knowledge etc. The Institute Senate, the highest academic decision-making body, affixed its stamp on the new curriculum on February 22, 2023. The new curriculum will be offered to the UG students admitted in the year 2023 in all B. Tech, B.Arch., BS-MS and Integrated M. Tech. programs. The futuristic curriculum has been designed through a long and rigorous consultation process and brainstorming sessions with experts and stakeholders. A committee chaired by the Dean of Academic Affairs piloted the exercise. Indian as well as international experts of global repute representing industries, educational institutes, research organizations, alumni, social communities, and policymakers were involved during the process of designing the new curriculum. The institute introduces innovative concepts which make its curriculum unique in the country introducing mandatory courses on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Data Science, Indian Knowledge System (IKS), Tinkering and Mentoring, Talent Enhancement Baskets (TEB), Entrepreneurship, Environmental Science and Sustainability (ESSC), Community Outreach (CORE), Soft Skills etc. Further, students will be getting the opportunity to pursue Theme based Minor Specialization, Design Thinking based project and many more. The curriculum has been exclusively framed while keeping the NEP 2020 guidelines as a reference with the purpose of aligning it with the need of the country and reducing the lag between education and industrial demands globally. While enhancing the flexibility in the structure, the new curriculum has been designed with the philosophy ‘STEPS’ (Science, Technology, Entrepreneurship, Project-based education and Societal commitment). The institute, after long deliberations, has decided to emphasize the overall development of students according to their interests rather than making them learn more on a few pre-programmed courses. It has now reduced the credits required for core courses while increasing the components of elective programme courses, humanities and social sciences, community outreach, open elective courses, entrepreneurship etc. The curriculum offers the students a host of flexibilities, including a provision to pursue a minor specialization in another department, complete graduation with honours in his/her parent department, earn two degrees (Bachelor and Master) study one additional year or exit with a four-year BS degree in the five-year BS-MS programmes. According to the new curriculum, the students in all programs will be studying courses on Soft Skills, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Programming, Tinkering and Mentoring and Engineering Science in the first semester. Course on Soft Skills will be enhancing students’ overall personality, including communication, presentation, and group discussion skills. In order to develop an interest in project-based learning and to create awareness of relevant professional/ ethical/career development, a new concept of Tinkering and Mentoring has been introduced. The Tinkering and Mentoring is a unique course being offered in the technical education system in India. Another new feature of the curriculum is that all UG students will be exposed to the significance of the traditional Indian knowledge system through a mandatory course. The Indian Knowledge System course will provide an in-depth knowledge to our students on the values of age-old contributions of the Indian knowledge systems and their relevance in modern technologies and technology-driven society. The course will be taught by a group of professors with inter-disciplinary research background. Another unique addition in the new curriculum is the introduction of the innovative Talent Enhancement Basket (TEB). IIT Roorkee students shall be the first in the country who will be getting the opportunity to develop or hone specialized skills in their areas of interest. This will enable the students to utilize their skills without the fear of wasting their time in the event of any early exit from the program. There is flexibility in the new curriculum for the students to opt between project, entrepreneurship or internship. With an objective to enhance the awareness on the environmental aspects related to different disciplines and to equip the students to find solutions to the environmental issues in their relevant fields, different Environmental Science and Sustainability courses will be taught. Various departments are grouped together to promote multi-stakeholder partnerships to achieve sustainable consumption and sustainable industrialization and to foster innovation in line with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. It is a matter of pride that IIT Roorkee is the first IIT to make a course on Community Outreach (CORE) mandatory for the degree requirement. As part of this course, students will be enrolled in a project individually or in a group working on societal aspects in the nearby areas. This will enhance the social connection between the institute and society, and also a sense of social responsibility will be inculcated in the students aligned with the NEP-2020. “Keeping in view of National Education Policy’s (NEP) recommendations and current social and placement trends, the undergraduate curriculum revision committee(UCRC) has revised the choice-based credit system and developed a new framework for undergraduate programmes. The framework reflects the NEP’s recommendations such as restructured degree programmes, interdisciplinary choices, flexible degree options with single major, double major, minors, enhancing entrepreneurship, culture and a curriculum built with employability skills in addition to academic subjects. The curriculum has been designed to cater to the present day needs and the students of the upcoming batches shall be truly benefited.” – says Abramoni Sathwik, a fourth year Computer Science student and General Secretary of the UG students on Academic matters. Professor Apurbba Kumar Sharma, Dean of Academic Affairs, who also steered the Committee that drafted the revised UG curriculum, says – “The overhaul of the UG curriculum by the IIT Roorkee promises to prepare the students for global employability, while keeping pace with the need of the futuristic demands of the industries. The committee has designed the curriculum with inputs from all the stakeholders. The curriculum emphasizes on making the fundamentals strong, experiential learning and providing ample flexibilities to the students to utilize their raw talent for solving the live problems of industry as well as the society. This will make learning more exciting and rewarding.” Professor K. K. Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, is very optimistic about the outcome of the revision and expresses that the UG students will have now better reasons to choose this institute. Professor Pant says – “IIT Roorkee is very happy to roll out the new UG curriculum that is NEP 2020 compliant. The innovative curriculum promotes multi-disciplinary and project-based learning. On many aspects, for example – introduction of the Talent Enhancement Basket and courses like CORE, this curriculum is unique in India and I am sure, the framework will be able to inspire other institutes as well. The curriculum has created wonderful opportunities for the students to get involved in solving the societal problems, thus advocates the philosophy of ‘solving local problems with local talents’. The curriculum is so designed that all students shall learn the basics of AI/ML&amp; data science; also, flexibility has been given to the students to prepare themselves for the global stage while in the institute by crediting selected courses from selected leading universities of the world.”

Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee), the first technical Institute in the country with a history of 175 years

IIT Roorkee Introduces New UG Curriculum From The Year 2023

Lucknow: The secondary education department in Uttar Pradesh has issued directives to make a 15-minute morning assembly mandatory in all schools of the state.  The move came a day after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath asked principals to make morning assembly in schools a part of curriculum and to reach 15 minutes before it starts.  The order said that if a school starts at 10 a.m., then morning assembly should be held from 9.45 a.m..  “In the assembly, students will be encouraged to take pledge for different purposes like cleanliness, talk about quotable quotes of great personalities, discuss important news of the day, quiz on general topics and recitation of national anthem,” said a notification issued by Mahendra Dev, director, secondary education on Wednesday.  “As a part of ‘naya sawera’, two senior officers will visit schools during assembly hours and interact with students on topics of life values, discipline, career, daily routine and recent contemporary topics. Schools are required to invite past pupils and successful citizens of the area.”
—IANS

The secondary education department in Uttar Pradesh has issued directives to make a 15-minute morning assembly mandatory in all schools of the state.

Morning assembly now compulsory in UP schools

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh education department will now teach the basics of coding, computational thinking and artificial intelligence (AI) to over 50 lakh students of Classes 6-8 in around 45,000 state-run schools.
The course will be introduced from the 2024-25 academic session.
Developed by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), the course will be a part of the science subject.
SCERT has already prepared the books for all three classes that will soon be launched by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Once considered as a skill reserved for tech savvy people, coding and computer programming has now emerged as one of the crucial tools for the development of overall personality of students. Coding platforms have now become an integral part of learning at the school level. Considering the importance of technology in today’s competitive world, coding has been mandated under NEP-2020 from Class 6 onwards.
As part of the course, Class 6 students will learn Microsoft word, programming, python and other basics of computer science.
Students of Classes 7-8 will learn networking and cyber security, logical thinking, Microsoft excel, data and AI.
SCERT director Pawan Sachan said: “Introducing coding and increasing exposure to technology at a young age will go a long way in helping the youth lead the way to a new world of innovation and creativity, thus, giving children the opportunity to set their own goals and reach new heights.”
After developing books, SCERT is now in the process of finalising training modules for master trainers who will train teachers at district level.
Director general school education Vijay Kiran Anand said: “Following the mandate of NEP, SCERT is working with experts and organisations to ensure introduction of content and curriculum for future, training of teachers and regular assessment for financial intelligence, business intelligence, coding, and AI. This will make government school students more competitive.”
—IANS

The Uttar Pradesh education department will now teach the basics of coding, computational thinking and artificial intelligence (AI)

UP students to learn basics of coding, AI from next year

Prayagraj: Uttar Pradesh Board students from classes 1-8 will now have a separate course on disaster management, like Hindi, English and Mathematics.  At present, a part of disaster management is taught under the subject of Geography in more than 1.5 lakh government schools of the state.  Preparations have been intensified to implement a separate curriculum with the aim of preparing over 2 crore children studying in these schools for the future challenges.  On the instructions of Director General Vijay Kiran Anand, experts of the State Education Institute have been asked to prepare the curriculum.  Earlier this month, Joint director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training, Pawan Kumar, sent a letter in this regard to the principal of the State Institute of Education.  At present, separate curricula are being prepared for classes 1-5 and classes 6-8 also.  Deepti Mishra, the assistant deputy education director of the institute, said that the curriculum is being prepared as per instructions of the government.
—IANS

Uttar Pradesh Board students from classes 1-8 will now have a separate course on disaster management, like Hindi, English and Mathematics.

UP students in classes 1-8 to have separate course on disaster management

New Delhi [India]: Jamia Millia Islamia University will offer four-year undergraduate programmes (FYUP) with multiple exit and entry options from the academic session 2024-2025, officials said on Sunday. The undergraduate degree would be of either a three- or four-year duration, with multiple entry and exit options within this period. This was part of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.
As of now, current undergraduate programmes in the University are of three-year duration. As per the notification dated December 8, Jamia Millia Islamia Vice Chancellor Najma Akhtar has approved the recommendation of the Committee duly constituted for the desired changes in the Ordinance 15-B (XV-B) (Academic) so that the UGC Guidelines on Multiple Entry and Exit Academic Programmes Offered in Higher Education Institutions can be implemented in the University. As per the revised ordinance, the duration of the Bachelor's Degree Programmes offered in Faculties of Sciences, Life Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities and Languages, Fine Arts and Management Studies shall be eight (8) Semesters (4 academic years). However, a student will be allowed to complete the 8-semester programme within the maximum stipulated period of 7 academic years (14 semesters) including the gaps or unattended semesters or years.
Under the multiple exit and entry options, if students exit after a year, they will be given a certificate. Those leaving after two years will be eligible for a diploma, and those after three, a bachelor's degree. It is only after the complete four years that students will be eligible for a bachelor's degree with honours or research.
Students who secure a CGPA of 8.5 and above in the first six semesters and wish to undertake research at the undergraduate level can choose a research stream in the fourth year. They should do a research project or dissertation under the guidance of a faculty member of the University/College. Depending upon the academic and physical facilities available, the University may earmark seats for lateral entrants to the 2-year / 3rd year / 4th year of a first-degree programme. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has said that multiple exits and multiple entries will offer flexibility in curriculum and novel course options to students in addition to discipline-specific specialisations and will enable students to adopt different designs of the Master's programme. Earlier this month, UGC notified the curriculum and credit framework for undergraduate programmes which will provide students with multiple options for entry and exit, a choice between single major and double major and interdisciplinary choices of subjects.
—ANI

Jamia Millia Islamia University will offer four-year undergraduate programmes (FYUP) with multiple exit and entry options

Jamia Millia Islamia to offer FYUP with multiple entry, exit options from next academic session

New Delhi (The Hawk): NEP 2020 has recommended integration of vocational education into mainstream education in all educational institutions. Under the vocational education component of Samagra Shiksha scheme, National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) compliant vocational courses are offered to the students from class 9th to 12th in eligible schools. At the Secondary level, i.e. Class 9 and 10, vocational modules are offered to the students as an additional subject. At the Senior Secondary level, i.e. Class 11 and 12, vocational courses are offered as a compulsory (elective) subject. States/UTs can now opt from 88 Job Roles in 22 Sectors as per the Skill Gap Analysis of the State/UT. Assistance to develop state of the art vocational and Skill labs in schools and DIETs is also supported. Employability Skills consisting of communication skills, self-management skills, information and communication technology skills, entrepreneurship skills and green skills have been made mandatory part of the vocational courses. The aim of vocational education component of the Samagra Shiksha Scheme is to enhance the employability and entrepreneurial abilities of the students; provide exposure to work environment; and generate awareness amongst students about various career options so as to enable them to make a choice in accordance with their aptitude, competence and aspirations. The National Curriculum Framework for School Education, developed in pursuance of National Education Policy 2020, has laid down the objectives of approaches to Vocational Education. One of the objectives is that vocational capacities, knowledge, and relevant values will be developed for all students, and this will create the possibility of them joining the workforce after school if they choose to. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), through its various schemes, is coordinating all skill development efforts across the country. In co-operation with MSDE, the Department of School Education and Literacy is implementing Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0 (PMKVY 4.0) in the school education sector. The information was given by the Minister of State for Education, Smt. Annpurna Devi in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

NEP 2020 has recommended integration of vocational education into mainstream education in all educational institutions

Skill India Programme In School Education

Roorkee (The Hawk): Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, the first technical Institute in the country with a history of more than 175 years, has recently revised its Post-Graduate curriculum aligned with the NEP 2020. The design of the new curriculum is aimed to make students project oriented and future-ready through cutting–edge projects, coursework, internships and industry interactions. The revision, which came after a decade, was approved by the Senate. It will be implemented from the Autumn Semester of 2024-2025. The curriculum revision, was carried out with the primary objectives to enhance the quality, relevance, and competitiveness of the academic offerings, ensuring that the graduates are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their respective fields. A major thrust of the revision was to provide the students ample scope for learning by doing. In the new curriculum, the students will be mandatorily required to earn credits through laboratory and project work in an attempt to make learning interesting and problem-solving oriented. While revising the curriculum, IIT Roorkee involved internal and external experts of global repute, representatives of the industries, other educational institutes, alumni, and policymakers. The institute employed modern and comprehensive methodologies, such as conducting surveys to understand stakeholders' opinions, brain-storming sessions, organizing open-house debates, workshops, and series of discussions at various levels. The theme of the PG curriculum revision, an enduring process spanning over several months, was "RISE," which stands for Research(R), Interdisciplinary(I), Societal Connect(S), and Enrichment of practical knowledge(E). This theme reflects the institute's focus on enhancing students' research capabilities, promoting interdisciplinary learning, strengthening social connections, and enriching practical knowledge. The new postgraduate curriculum which has earned immediate attention of the academia and industries, has been considered innovative and game-changer in the postgraduate technical education. Some of the key features of the curriculum include: • Flexibility in course selection based on a basket of course offerings, providing students with a wide range of options. • Industrial internships and social activities in the curriculum will provide the students hands-on experience and exposure to real-world challenges. • Flexibility to choose courses on advanced technology themes such as AI, ML, and Programming languages (e.g., Python, C++, Hadoop, Java), encouraging students to stay abreast of the latest developments in their field. • Interdisciplinary electives, enabling students to explore diverse areas of study and gain holistic understanding of their subject. • Practical/project-based courses and self-learning courses, enhancing students' problem-solving abilities and fostering a spirit of independent learning. • Provision to switch to PhD Programme after earning 40 credits. The revised PG Curriculum at IIT Roorkee offers flexible Basket-based courses, which includes the Program Core Courses (PCC), Specialization-based Program Elective Courses (PEC), Societal Impact-themed Social Sciences Courses (SSC). The courses in the SSC basket will be designed focusing on the societal impact of the technology and science. Other innovative features include introduction of the mandatory Science, Technology, and Advanced Research (STAR) basket and the Internship or Social Activity (ISA) basket. The ISA basket will bring opportunities for engaging the students in internships and social activities which will make them more market-ready as well as more aware about the societal issues around. Prof. Apurbba Kumar Sharma, Dean of Academic Affairs, who also led the Postgraduate Curriculum Revision Committee and played the key role in drafting the new curriculum is optimistic about the outcome of the new curriculum. Professor Sharma said – “IIT Roorkee has once again demonstrated its leadership in rolling out this futuristic curriculum. The curriculum is unique in the country on many aspects. The committee diligently worked on reviving the students’ interest in the laboratory and project-based work. The Institute Senate is forward looking and accepted the committee’s proposal to link practical and industry interaction time of the students with their credits. The students will thus get multiple advantages of identifying their career prospects while fulfilling their post graduate degree requirements. The ‘learning-by-doing’ approach and the RISE philosophy will decisively make our graduates ahead of others in the country and competitive globally”. In line with the NEP-2020 guidelines for "imaginative and flexible curricular structures to enable creative combinations of disciplines for study," the new PG Curriculum offers three models for the award of a Master's Degree. The Model-1 is the Course-based Master's Degree, where students can choose courses from various pre-approved course baskets each semester. The Model-2, on the other hand, is the thesis-based Master's Degree programme, where students can choose courses from the pre-approved course baskets in the first year, followed by a research work in the form of a thesis in the second year. In a new move, the Institute has introduced a new model, in the form of M.S. (by Research), a research-based PG program where students can choose courses from the pre-approved course baskets in the first semester and followed by the research work in the remaining semesters. In line with NEP-2020, an exit option is also available for students who have spent at least one year in the program and earned a minimum of 28 credits. Such students, who may opt for a different route for their career shall be provided an exit certificate. Summing up the initiative, Prof. K. K. Pant, Director of the Institute, said – “the comprehensive changes in the PG Curriculum at IIT Roorkee are poised to transform the learning experience for students, equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and mindset needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving world. I am sure, with the new curriculum, graduates will have a rewarding experience in the form of brighter future engagements and holistic development. I am confident that the new curriculum will emerge as a game changer in the post graduate technical education in the country.”

  Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, the first technical Institute in the country with a history of more than 175 years

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