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Education India News

Jharkhand Navodaya students lock themselves in protest against poor food

After interacting with the students, the Deputy Commissioner said that necessary steps would be taken to resolve their problems and action would be taken against those who were responsible…reports Asian Lite News

Students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Jharkhand’s Simdega on Wednesday locked themselves up in a hall for hours in protest against poor food quality and other problems in the school.

A total of 176 students shut themselves in a hall of the school saying they would not come out until the Deputy Commissioner listens to them and take steps to resolve their problems. After about six hours, the students withdrew their agitation only when Deputy Commissioner Sushant Gaurav reached the school and assured of taking action.

On Wednesday morning after breakfast, all the students of class 9 to 12 gathered in a hall and accused the school management of giving them poor quality food. They said, there are several other problems, but despite repeated complaints, no one has listened to them.

After they shut themselves in a hall, the school management tried to persuade the children but they remained adamant on their demand to call the Deputy Commissioner. It was only after about six hours when the Deputy Commissioner arrived and convinced the children that their problems will be heard, the students opened the door.

The children complained that the food provided to them in the mess was of very poor quality. There are several other problems related to their education and hostel, but they said the school management does not pay any heed to them.

After interacting with the students, the Deputy Commissioner said that necessary steps would be taken to resolve their problems and action would be taken against those who were responsible.

Later the Deputy Commissioner said that the students may have some problems, but the manner in which they were instigated is highly objectionable. Those who misled the students will be identified and action will be taken against them. He said that the entire issue would be discussed with the students as well as their parents and all the stakeholders.

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-Top News Afghanistan Education

Girls being denied right to education in Afghanistan, Pak, PoK: J&K women  

The memorandum stated that over the years, the Pakistani leadership has resorted to spreading religious conservatism as a means of political domination…reports Asian Lite News

Young girls and women protested at the United Nations’ office in Srinagar on Monday, demanding the right to education for Muslim women in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

In their memorandum to UN officials, the women said: “Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, all schools and educational institutions for girls have been shut down. The two decades of enforced peace under an international mandate had provided a glimmer of hope to thousands of girls and their families that Afghan girls could finally have access to education without fear.”

“A lot of propaganda is carried out across the United Nations and other multilateral platforms about the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The proponents and buyers of this propaganda conveniently ignore the wide gap in the educational opportunities afforded to the girls of J&K in comparison with their sisters in those parts of J&K which are illegally under foreign occupation. Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan today have been sadly left behind on the education front, depriving our sisters of the right to modern and secular education,” it said.

The memorandum stated that over the years, the Pakistani leadership has resorted to spreading religious conservatism as a means of political domination.

“A vast majority of Pakistan’s population only have access to religious education through a flourishing chain of Madrassas. Education cannot be fettered by dogmatic ideas and students have a right to the vast expanse of knowledge that exists. Absence of modern schools and colleges in PoK and G-B has deprived our sisters the opportunity that we have come to take for granted in India. Not just in J&K, we have access to any institution of our choice anywhere in India. It is our fervent appeal that the United Nations take note of the deplorable condition of girls’ education, a right that has been cruelly and forcibly snatched away from them for reasons of history, for which they are not responsible nor should they be made to pay the price for it,” it stated.

The memorandum stated that madrassas offering free education have mushroomed in Balochistan. The poor and unemployed families of one of the most richly endowed Provinces have no choice but to send their children to these Madrassas, where their “fragile minds are poisoned with retrogressive ideas and information”.

It stated: “The situation is no better in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where all moderate and progressive political forces have been sacrificed. The Province has seen a level of Talibanization that is not there even in Afghanistan. The educational prospects of the girl child in KP can be described in two words: Malala Yusufzai. Our sisters in KP face as bleak a future as those in Afghanistan. Unless the rot is stemmed, very soon most of our Pakistani sisters, barring the rich and powerful, would be subject to the same future.”

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Education India News Lite Blogs

Five girls who buried dreams during pandemic

Asha with her mother, Kamala, who says the children wouldn’t have gone to work if schools were still open…reports Mayank Meliwar

Aged 11 to 18, five girls from the Damor family in Madhya Pradesh’s Jhabua district, who all used to go to school earlier, have had to find jobs since the pandemic began.

In March 2020, before the pandemic shut down schools, Asha Damor had been studying in Class 7 in Dhumadiya village in Jhabua district. Lockdown-induced economic distress forced her father, Nansingh Damor, to take out loans to sustain the family and soon enough Asha found herself working at a farm 60 km from her village. And, as per new government directives, she has been promoted to Class 8 without ever having glanced upon a textbook or attending a single online class.

Under the state government’s DigiLEP initiative, government school teachers have been sharing study materials and videos with students on WhatsApp groups in order to continue imparting some form of learning to students during the lockdown. This is of no use to Asha as the family does not own a smartphone. This is the case for many students in her neighbourhood and her village.

Asha and her younger sister, Nandini (11), are new to the life of labour but for the past several months, this has been Asha’s life. Initially, Damor accompanied his daughters to Badnawar, the nearest city, to work on a garlic farm. “In the beginning, I worked for around two months in the garlic farm. We used to work from 8.30 in the morning till six in the evening,” she said. For this, she was paid Rs 200 a day and given a small room to stay in the field. “We took our own food from the village, like wheat flour, pulses etc. and used to cook on an earthen stove with wood fetched from the nearby forest,” Asha said.

The family belongs to the Bhil Adivasi community, a Scheduled Tribe. According to the 2011 census, Scheduled Tribes in the Jhabua district constitute nearly 86 per cent of the total population with a 35 per cent literacy rate in rural parts. Damor and his wife, Kamala, themselves did not receive basic education — the former has studied till Class 5 and Kamala has only attended one year of school in her lifetime. The couple had given birth to six girls of which the youngest has been adopted by Damor’s elder brother.

The family owns a little farm in the village and every year after harvest, the couple used to migrate looking for work on other farms. “To manage all the expenses, I also joined my husband to work outside,” Kamala said.

Asha with her mother, Kamala, who says the children wouldn’t have gone to work if schools were still open.

“Prior to the lockdown all five girls used to go to school; we never compromised on schooling,” said Kamala, indicating that if schools were opened they would not have sent the girls to work outside. But their house is under construction and they have a lot of debt, she said, adding that “now both Asha and Nandini have grown up”.

“Ghar mein padhai ho nahi rahi hai, isliye 200 ke peeche jaa rahe hai; 200 mil gaye to ho gayi naukri, kitabon ko toh dekha he nahi (There is no studying happening at home. That’s why they are going after the Rs 200. They haven’t looked at their books at all),” Asha’s aunt, Radha Damor said.

According to the Madhya Pradesh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MPCPCR), nearly 40,000 children between Classes 1 and 12 dropped out of school in four tribal districts of the state after the devastating second wave of Covid.

“The state of affairs in the other districts of MP will be far worse. It is so sad. We are trying to encourage parents to enroll their kids back into school but the financial condition of the lower-middle class and middle-class in India has worsened since the pandemic began,” pointed out Brijesh Chouhan, member of MPCPCR. “When so many homes are dependent on NGOs for daily ration, how will parents pay the school fees and buy books?” he asked.

Vulnerable to exploitation

In May, when the girls started working at a road construction site in Kajliya village, near Chitordi Rundi, their sister Manisha (12) joined them. The three sisters were among the 15-20 other girls who were working alongside other laborers from Dhumadiya and other nearby villages. They were recruited by the Bamaniya Panchayat to work at the site and were promised Rs 197 a day. “They came to our village looking for labourers. We worked for a whole month but did not receive any payment. However, the other labourers’ payments have been deposited into their bank accounts,” Manisha said.

Bamaniya’s sarpanch Ramkanya Makhod’s husband Sanjay Makhod, however, denied having employed any children below the age of 14. “We paid the labourers Rs 193 per day and there were no children below the age of 14 working on the site,” he said as the sarpanch reiterated her husband’s claim.

Benedict Damor, secretary of Adivasi Chetna Shikshan Seva Samiti, a non-profit working to empower tribal students in Jhabua district, said: “With schools closed during the lockdown, student’s education has been affected severely. Most of them joined their parents to work outside, migrating to Gujarat and Rajasthan to help sustain a living.”

“The practice of Bal Shram (child labour) is very common in the district. You will find children below the age of 14 working at hotels and various other places. We cannot complain as they are looking after their families with those earnings; they don’t have other options,” he said.

Even before that pandemic, many children here used to drop out of school to accompany their migrating parents. This trend has now intensified. “Many daily labourers have migrated to Rajasthan and Gujarat as they make around Rs 400-500 per day working in a factory, as compared to the Rs 190 per day in MP with the MGNREGA. When the parents migrate, the children also have to go, and so they drop out of school. Around 10,500 students of the 40,000 we could trace migrated with their parents during the second wave of the pandemic,” said MPCPCR’s Chouhan.

Some continue the legacy and migrate on their own as well. In January next year, Lalita, Asha’s sister who is not sure of her age (“I might be between 16 and 18”), will be married to Dinesh Amra who belongs to the same village. Until then, Lalita, who had been studying class 5, has joined a dozen other girls from the village who have gone to Gujarat to work at a construction site. She accompanied them to Vadodara in March this year after the contractor (thekedar) canvassed the village for workers, promising around Rs 300 a day for women and Rs 350 for men. It’s now unlikely that she will complete her education.

As the school dropout rate is very high in tribal districts of MP, namely Alirajpur, Dhar, Jhabua and Betul, the MPCPCR has written to the tribal welfare department to upgrade hostel facilities to ensure that children can stay back and study if their parents migrate to other states.

“We suspect the situation in other tribal districts like Mandla, Chhindwara and Dindori is similar to these four districts and we have written to the education, labour and tribal welfare department to make arrangements for students to continue their education,” said Chouhan.

With inputs by Shuchita Jha.

(The author is a Jhabua-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.)

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Education India News

Army Goodwill Schools redefine Kashmir youth

Army Goodwill Schools Pic credits Twitter @ChinarcorpsIA

The Indian Army has helped the children of Kashmir to hold pens and build their future while on the other Pakistan Army has tried its best to provide the children of Kashmir with guns and explosives to fight its proxy war….reports Asian Lite News

 The Army Goodwill Schools (AGS) in Kashmir during the past thirty years of Pakistan sponsored turmoil have played a pivotal role in imparting education to children. Nearly one lakh students have passed out from these institutions run by Srinagar-based Chinar Corps.

At present there are 28 Army Goodwill Schools in Kashmir, which educate more than 10,000 students each year. The Army has set up many schools in far-off areas where government and private schools don’t exist. These institutions are providing education to such children who are deprived of proper schooling and don’t have access to learning.

The Army Goodwill Schools have devised special scholarship schemes for the children from weaker sections of the society. The basic aim is to equip the Generation-Next with knowledge and skills to compete with the world.

In present day Kashmir, AGSs are the symbol of quality education, imparting knowledge and values to the students. The quality infrastructure, diverse co-curriculum and focused educational mechanism have been the benchmark of these schools.

Over the years, the academic results of AGSs have shown a steady growth. The whole hearted efforts put in by the dedicated staff members of the schools have yielded positive results. The systematic approach adopted towards overall development of students has ensured that they carve a niche for themselves in the society. With the inception and impact of technology in education, the Indian Army has incorporated innovative changes in the existing learning and teaching methodology.

Proud alumni express gratitude

Pass outs of Army Goodwill Schools proudly call themselves as alumni of these institutions. In December 2021, the Army Goodwill School Hajinar in frontier district of Kupwara organised an alumni meet. It was attended by the ex-students of the school who shared their experiences with the students studying at AGS Hajinar, which was established in 1999, when Pakistan was busy training Kashmiri youth to become militants. The former students shared their memories with the students and made them aware of the circumstances during which they were enrolled at AGS Hajinar. The alumni narrated their success stories and thanked the Army for providing them with the guidance and help when they needed it most. At present nearly 500 students are enrolled at Hajinar Army School.

Army Goodwill Schools Pic credits Twitter @ChinarcorpsIA

Army sponsoring undergraduate courses

In August 2021, the Army took one more initiative for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir. It announced that it would sponsor undergraduate courses and school education to selected children and youth from J&K in residential schools and colleges functioning under the Army Welfare Education Society (AWES) across the country. The move has helped the students to explore the career opportunities available in the country and has also integrated them with the rest of the country. Under this initiative seats have been reserved in undergraduate courses in some Army-run colleges like Army Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology and Army Institute of Fashion Design in Bengaluru, Army Colleges of Nursing in Guwahati, and Jalandhar.

Army Goodwill Schools Pic credits Twitter @ChinarcorpsIA

Signs another MoU with IBF

In January 2022, the Indian Army signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Indrani Balan Foundation (IBF) for financial sustainability of Army Goodwill Schools in Kashmir. This was the second MoU signed with the foundation for financial sustainability of additional four Army Goodwill Schools at Baraub, Dawar, Balapur & Behibagh in Kupwara, Shopian and Kulgam districts respectively and the Army Goodwill Public School (AGPS), Pahalgam in Kashmir.

Indrani Balan Foundation is a welfare foundation that is active in a variety of philanthropic work across India. The foundation under Punit Balan has vast experience of social work in fields of education, health and sports, which contributes immensely in improving the quality of education as well as self-sustainability of schools.

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Last year, Chinar Corps had signed a similar MoU with the same foundation for financial sustainability of five AGSs of Uri, Wayne, Trehgam & Hajinan in Baramulla & Kupwara districts for five years.

In addition, the Foundation has built a new infrastructure for Pariwar School Society for Specially-abled children of Baramulla. This year, the MoU focuses on the four Army Goodwill Schools (AGSs) and Army Goodwill Public School (AGPS) and would entail financial support of Rs. 3,28,00,000 per year for the next five years.

Army Goodwill Schools Pic credits Twitter @ChinarcorpsIA

People repose faith

The path breaking steps taken by the Indian Army in Kashmir vis-a-vis education have gone a long way in building strong bond between the local populace and the soldiers, who besides fighting the Pakistan sponsored insurgency have been at the forefront to empower the children of a common man in Kashmir. The citizens of Kashmir by admitting their children in Army Goodwill Schools have reposed faith on the Army. They have sent a strong message to Pakistan and the ultras sponsored by it that they know who their true friend is and who their enemy is.

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The stark contrast between the two armies is clearly visible. The Indian Army wants Kashmiri children to excel in their lives and shine as stars, while the Pakistan Army wants them to die and end up in graveyards.

People of Kashmir are holding the hand of the Indian Army strongly and are treading on the path that would lead them towards prosperity and a bright future. They don’t want their children to die for the sake of a country which wants to keep Kashmir burning to avenge the defeats which it has faced in all the conventional wars it has fought with the Indian Army since 1947.

Visible difference

Efforts of the Indian Army to reach out to the people of Kashmir and make them self-reliant are ample proof of the fact that it’s People’s Army and it’s a true-friend of Kashmiris. It has gone out of way to help them out in every field. It has guided their children in the most turbulent times and has ensured that they don’t go astray.

On one hand Indian Army has helped the children of Kashmir to hold pens and build their future while on the other Pakistan Army has tried its best to provide the children of Kashmir with guns and explosives to fight its proxy war.

Since 1990 Pakistan Army has turned the children and youth of Kashmir into cannon fodder by showing them dreams about the so-called Azadi, while on the other hand the Army Goodwill Schools in Kashmir have prepared responsible citizens who are serving the nation. These institutions are symbols of empowerment of common Kashmiri, who want to live a peaceful and dignified life.

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Education Food Lite Blogs

An extra meal and snacks fix falling nutrition levels in Rajnandgaon

Apart from the government initiative through DMF, Rajnandgaon-based non-profit organisations like Udayachal also distribute ready-to-eat food boxes every ten days…reports Deepanwita Gita Niyogi

Ishwari Baghel is an Adivasi woman from Manpur block in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh. Her son Deekesh, born three and half years ago, should ideally weigh at least 15 kg. But after he contracted diarrhoea, he steadily started losing weight until he was a mere nine kg. Timely intervention arrived mid-last year in the form of a fresh drive against malnutrition by the district administration. He was given two meals a day – for lunch and dinner – and also snacks twice daily.

“I also get milk for my son from the Anganwadi, which is great,” Baghel said, adding that she tries to feed him fruits and eggs as well, though he doesn’t quite like chicken and fish. He stopped losing weight and at a health camp organised in the block recently, doctors told her that he is doing well, weighing in at just under 13 kg, and gave him some medicines and a tonic.

The district has seen alarming levels of malnutrition among its children and pregnant women. Particularly, anaemia has increased over the past five years, as seen from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data. Between NFHS-4 (2015-16) and NFHS-5 (2019-2021), the percentage of anaemic children shot up from 29.7 per cent to 80.5 per cent. Nearly five years ago, 43.7 per cent of all women between the ages of 15-49 were anaemic, according to the survey, as were 32.3 per cent of the pregnant women. This is increased to 58.3 per cent of all women in NFHS-5.

The district administration, under Collector Taran Sinha, launched a special campaign between June and September 2021 in the three tribal-dominated blocks of Chhuikhadan, Mohala and Manpur, funded through the District Mineral Foundation (DMF). The campaign is part of the larger Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyan launched by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in 2019 to address the issue of undernourishment in pregnant women, lactating mothers and children.

Since there were no district-specific guidelines, each district could follow its own set of practices, customised to the local food and cultivation culture. In Rajnandgaon, like many other districts, the campaign mandates a second meal to children apart from the usual mid-day meal. Director of Women and Child Development (WCD) Department, Divya Umesh Mishra, said, “Eggs, chikki and fruits are being served in all districts. In Raigarh district, ragi biscuits, porridge and khichdi made from millets are being served. In Dantewada district, Suposhan Mitras are raising awareness. DMF is the main source for the initiative, but we are also looking at public funding and CSR,” Mishra told 101Reporters.

At the Anganwadi Renu Prakash, WCD Project Officer of Rajnandgaon, said that under the campaign, nutritious meals are being served to 350 children in the block who are in the age group of six months to five years. The block has a population of nearly 1.5 lakhs, of which 20 per cent belong to the Scheduled Tribe category.

In the block’s Samundpani village bordering Madhya Pradesh, 13 children and three pregnant women visit the Anganwadi centre every day between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. for the midday meal of rice, rotis, pulses and vegetables. “Children are usually served what they like to eat,” said Anganwadi worker Bhanumati Kawre, who has been working in Samundpani for two decades. Nearly 300 people reside in this village, mostly belonging to the Baiga tribe.

“Apart from this specially cooked lunch, dinner and two snacks of eggs, fruits or items made from ready-to-eat flour are prepared for severely malnourished children who are unable to visit the centre physically,” she told 101Reporters. Currently, a 14-month-old boy named Rohit Kumar and a four-year-old girl, Gomti Markam benefit from this doorstep delivery of nutrition, personally overseen by Kawre.

Gomati used to be healthy until a bout of illness caused her to lose weight and deteriorate. Her mother, Shivkumari, said that a variety of food is being served as snacks, like Dalia prepared with milk, chila made from ready-to-eat powder, apples and bananas. Eggs are also regularly served and sometimes small fish for protein intake for lunch. Kawre often makes the girl eat in her presence to find out what she likes.

Fighting lifestyle and cultural factors

Anganwadi supervisor Saraswati Baghel said that the Baigas had poor sanitation and hygiene practices, causing recurrent bouts of illness and infections, reducing the absorption of nutrients and indirectly causing malnourishment in vulnerable children. She also added that the tribe had its share of social issues compounded by lack of education, such as the practice of early marriage where the girls are as young as 14-15 years of age, resulting in early pregnancies, anaemic mothers and consequently low birth weight babies. Families also tend to focus on daily earnings given their impoverished background, leading to the neglect of children.

The tribal population suffers from health issues despite cultivating vegetables and growing millets. Kumar Singh Maravi, a resident of Samundpani, said that his family jointly owns 14 acres of land on which nutritious millets like kodo and kutki are grown. However, the problem is that millets are usually sold off for cash, pointed out Renu Prakash.

During her visit to Samundpani, she instructed Kawre and other Anganwadi workers to introduce pulses in pregnant women’s daily diet. Prakash’s main concern is the dietary choice of these tribals who only eat two meals a day, primarily consume rice and avoid proteins. “Paying attention to women will ensure the birth of healthy children. Those who come to the village after marriage should be made aware of the importance of nutrition,” said Prakash.

Apart from the government initiative through DMF, Rajnandgaon-based non-profit organisations like Udayachal also distribute ready-to-eat food boxes every ten days. There are 434 anaemic pregnant women in the block and Ashok Modi from the organisation said 2,800 packets laden with sattu made from rice and wheat, date palm and chana dal laddoos and peanut chikki or protein bars had been distributed among women and children this year in Chhuikhadan.

Positive outcomes

Government data shows that since the drive started in Chhuikhadan in September, 145 children have progressed from severe to moderate malnutrition. Kawre admitted that continuous counselling had improved the awareness level in the block with women accepting iron tablets during pregnancy, regular health check-ups at Anganwadis and institutional delivery. However, many still avoid medicines and trust herbs gathered from forests for treatment, she said.

Prakash said her plan of giving eggs and chikki to severely malnourished children and anaemic mothers was approved by the former collector and started in December 2019. When the lockdown started, dry rations were provided, and it continued till March 2021. “When the present collector came, he asked me to prepare an action plan for Mohla, Manpur and Chhuikhadan blocks.” In these three blocks, a total of 744 children were identified, out of which 655 children have gained weight, 400 have entered the moderate malnourishment category, and 89 children have advanced to the normal category. Only 51 children have not registered any weight gain.

Taran Sinha had planned for the initiative to last for six months and it will continue for a year based on the availability of funds. Speaking to 101Reporters, Sinha said, “I decided to focus on areas with a high percentage of malnourishment among the children. A block-like Chhuikhadan needs special attention due to its vast tribal population. Focus on health check-ups, maintenance of hygiene, availability of balanced diet from regional foods and awareness about anaemia can tackle the situation to a great extent.”

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Ansar Sheikh defies social stigmas to become youngest IAS officer

Born of and raised in poverty, Ansar Sheikh had been completely unaware that one day he could become an IAS officer. This is what makes his story rather interesting…reports Nisar Ahmed (Delhi Based Journalist and Research Scholar at JMI)

It is believed that some Muslim families in India, especially with an orthodox background, tend to discourage their children from attending school or pursuing higher education. This belief is not untrue either. Many talented Muslim youths do shun their education because of family pressure. They start small-scale business ventures or turn to odd jobs instead, even low-paying ones, to support their families. These steps taken by Muslim youths cannot perhaps be termed as “missteps” but when they come at a cost of their education, they do cause them an injustice. For, if the youths had pursued their education, they could very well have realised their dreams and in turn, inspired many others to do the same.

Ansar Sheikh, 21, is one of such youths who come from very humble family backgrounds and faced similar dilemmas mentioned above. Today, he is the youngest IAS officer of the country who cracked the prestigious UPSC exams and secured 361st rank. He is currently serving as the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) at Dinhata, Cooch Beharat, West Bengal.

Ansar’s journey to UPSC was paved with all sorts of hardships. His father Sheikh Ahmed was an auto-driver from Jalna’s Shelgaon village in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra. Ansar’s mother, Azmat Sheikh would do small labour jobs in the fields. His younger brother Anees Sheikh had dropped out after Class 6 and joined his maternal uncle as assistant in a garage. His house was like a poor man’s house — dishevelled and always in need of repair. When Ansar was in Class 5 at his village school, people advised his father that his son should be asked to do some work instead of going for further studies. The villagers were full of the same old advice: “What can he do after studying for long?

Sheikh Ahmed somehow gave in to the cynic villagers. He reached the school to ask the teachers to convince Ansar to discontinue his education. However, Ansar’s teacher Purushottam Pandulkar had a foretaste of Ansar’s talent. He forbade his father to discourage Ansar from studying further. “Ansar is genuinely talented. Let him study as much as he can. He will definitely succeed. Let him have his path,” Pandulkarji pleaded with Sheikh Saheb.

Sheikh Saheb followed Pandulkarji’s advice and let Ansar continue his education, but the poverty of the family was still a major roadblock. The family income was not sufficient to get Ansar admitted in a good quality school. His father would earn Rs 200-300 with his autorickshaw and mother’s daily income was a paltry one. Ansar told this correspondent that when he passed 10th Class, he wanted to pursue a computer course during the vacation period. “But it would cost Rs 2,000 to complete the full Computer course. My family was unable to arrange this much amount. Somehow, I got to know that a local restaurant needed a waiter. It would pay Rs 3,000 for a month. I readily joined this job and became a waiter to learn Computer,” he said.

As a waiter, Ansar had to work from 8-11. “It was a lengthy and demanding job. I had to serve food, tea, beverages, etc to customers. Plus, to sweep the floor and clean the table and utensils was also part of the job. However, the restaurant owner would provide me two hours break after lunch. During these two hours, I would manage one hour for Computer classes,” he said.

Ansar added that he continued to do various part-time jobs to support his education till his graduation first year.

Meanwhile, an occasion came in his life when his family seriously took his education. It was when he secured 91% marks in the Class 12 exams. It not only won him familial plaudits, but this performance also earned him a name in the society. People came to congratulate his father and the path to his further education was thus illuminated. However, the poverty of the family was still intact, but now his parents and younger brother were firmly resolved to support his education. His brother started working harder to earn more money so that his elder brother might study with a carefree mind.

Interestingly, Ansar was unaware of the fact till now that he would become an IAS officer in future. This story is rather interesting.

Under a scheme earmarked for the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, Ansar would get Rs 30,000. When his father contacted the tehsil office to collect his cheque, the corrupt officers told him that he would have to shell out Rs 3,000 as bribe. When Ansar came to know about this, he was flabbergasted those corrupt officials do not spare even the BPL families. Somewhere in his heart, he developed a determination to weed out corruption by joining high-rank government service. From then onwards, he made up his mind for exams like UPSC.

First, he earned a degree in Political Science from Fergusson College, Pune. He secured 73 percent in his graduation.

He meticulously planned his study schedule and time management. He also joined a coaching academy to maintain his focus and streamline his study. He said that his friends also helped him to stay in a balanced mindset.

In the first six months of preparation, Shaikh concentrated on his optional subject preparation, which was Political Science. It helped, as it was also his graduation subject. In the second six months, he focussed on the general studies papers. In the next three months, he completed his revision and also the remaining portions of the UPSC mains papers. In the next nine months, Shaikh did his prelims exam preparation. After the prelims exam, he studied for his mains in the next 100 days. Finally, he prepared for his UPSC personality test in the last 40 days. Shaikh normally studied for 10-12 hours per day, he said, detailing about his study plan. Finally, he secured All India Rank 361 in UPSC 2016 examination.

He said on his success, “There is no alternative to hard work. During my struggle, my friends helped me a lot mentally and financially and even my coaching academy waived a portion of fees due to my poor financial condition”.

When asked about how he has been working and plans to work as an administrator, he said, “I was marginalised by three different categories. I am from a backward undeveloped region, I hail from a poor economic background and I belong to a minority community. I will tackle all these issues as an administrator since I have witnessed these issues at close quarters.”

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Education India News

Entrance test mandatory to get varsity admission

The Union Education Ministry says that there has been a demand to implement the CUCET for a long time, but has come into effect now…reports Asian Lite News.

The admission process in most of the central universities will change from the upcoming academic session as Central University Common Entrance Test (CUCET) will come into force for admission to all undergraduate courses in different central universities across the country.
The Union Education Ministry and the University Grants Commission (UGC) have informed central universities about the mandatory entrance test from next academic session, after which all central universities have started preparations for the CET. Delhi University (DU) has also made the CET mandatory for the academic session 2022-23.

These central universities have also passed proposals in their respective Academic and Executive Councils regarding the CET.

According to renowned educationist C.S. Kandpal, this is a new system and its efficacy can be tested on the basis of experience. It is not proper to comment on the merits and demerits of the new system as of now. Educational institutions must see this as a positive change, he added.

The entrace examinations can open new doors for students. If there are demerits in the system or in the conduct or in the process of examinations in future, there is always a chance to improve, Kandpal said.

According to DU Professor Hansraj Suman, class 12 marks will not be completely neglected in the name of CUCET. Many central universities have approved CUCET in their academic council but class 12 board exam results will also be given importance.

The Union Education Ministry says that there has been a demand to implement the CUCET for a long time, but has come into effect now.

Hansraj Suman, also former member of DU Academic Council, said that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the process for awarding marks in class 12 board exams was misused by several schools which presented exaggerated performance of the students.

The DU Professor is also in favour of completely revamping the admission process in his varsity. However, he says that while doing so the interests of the students from the marginalised and economically weaker sections must be kept in mind.

According to Suman, the way the CET is being introduced, coaching centres will see its importance rising as a result of which students from economically weaker sections may be left behind.

Now from the next cademic session, students will now have to pass the CET with good marks to seek admission in DU, he said.

Other central universities are also following the same admission policy. This means that from the next academic session 2022-23, admission in DU, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Banaras Hindu University, among other central universities, can be possible only through CET.

Under the present admission system, merit list is prepared on the basis of marks obtained in class 12 exams in most of the universities. Students fill the respective university forms on different dates to seek admissions. Unable to get admission in the university of their choice, students approach those universities and colleges where seats are vacant.

The UGC has said that the CET will be conducted from the academic session 2022-23 by the National Testing Agency.

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Education India News

Rs 2.15 crore package for IIT Roorkee student

Around 1,243 students have bagged job offers in the placement drive that concluded on December 16…reports Asian Lite News.

A student of IIT (Roorkee) has bagged Rs 2.15 crore package per annum offer from a multinational firm in the placement drive.

Three students of the institute have bagged annual cost offer of Rs 1.30 crore to Rs 1.8 crore from domestic companies.

Around 1,243 students have bagged job offers in the placement drive that concluded on December 16.

Eleven students of IIT (Roorkee) have bagged job offer of Rs 1 crore per annum.

IIT Roorkee said that 281 companies had participated in campus placement drive which took place from December 1 to 16.

The companies included Accenture Japan Limited, Amazon, American Express, Arup India Private Limited, Bank of America, Cisco, Dream 11,

EXL Service, Flipkart, Goldman Sachs, Havells India Limited, Hindustan Uniliver Limited, ICICI Bank, intel, JP Morgan, Larsen and Toubro, and Microsoft.

These companies offered 1,243 jobs, of which 32 were multinational.

Talking about the placement drive, Professor In-Charge Placement and Internship IIT (Roorkee) Vinay Sharma said the corona pandemic has brought directional changes in the placement scenario.

“For that, we made a strategy under which we focused on companies which are doing fine in the areas of Artificial intelligence, Software network, Analytics, e-commerce, FMCG. We also ensured a lot of diversity in the profiles resulting in students being selected as per their interests,” he explained.

“Besides this, we did an in-depth analysis of the economic developments across the world and accordingly collaborated with firms which were doing well,” Prof Sharma added.

“With all the above strategies in place we performed very well and grabbed multinational as well as domestic offers,” he added.

Prior to placement season, sessions were organised to know areas of interest of the students, he said, adding that the institute approached the leading firms accordingly.

Professor Sharma said, “As our placement data for 2021-22 signify, the students of IIT Roorkee are consistently performing well in all the profiles and they are recognised as top class human resource.”

ALSO READ-IIT Kharagpur sees highest recruitment in its history

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Education Lite Blogs Parenting

Life Skills for your kids

Assist them in sowing seeds and assign them the job of watering the plants. You can always use planting pots if you don’t have access to a yard…writes Asha Vaghasia

Have you ever questioned if your child is self-sufficient? Will your child be able to look after himself if you leave them alone for a long time? Do you believe your child possesses the required life skills to face the challenges that lie ahead?

Qualified parental counsellor Asha Vaghasia

As parents, we always wish to inculcate in our children certain characteristics. When we consider certain basic attributes, we find that leadership is one of the most important skills that any parent wishes to instil in their child. However, as parents, we must recognise that independence and confidence are the pillars of leadership. So, let’s look at some very fundamental new learning skills for kids that will allow them confront the world on their own and with confidence.

Your child’s education must go beyond what he or she learns in school. In order to learn, a child must be taught at home through experiences and training exercises.

1. Managing Time

You’re most likely perplexed as to how this is possible. You can accomplish this by encouraging your child to take charge of their own time. Instead of you waking them up, get them an alarm clock so they can get ready for school on time. Get them a planner to keep track of their schoolwork and extracurricular activities, as well as when things need to be completed.

2. Ability to Make Decisions

Education, jobs, and life partners are just a few of the major decisions we must make in our lives. How about teaching your child how to make good decisions from a young age?

Here’s how you do it: you teach kids how to make sensible judgments in short, straightforward steps. Begin by asking them to pick between two distinct activities or games, two different forms of clothing, two different foods, and so on.

When this occurs, the youngster will be able to comprehend the repercussions of each, helping them assess the benefits and drawbacks!

3. Money management and basic budgeting

Among life skills, this is a very basic one. Every week or every two weeks, give your children a set amount of pocket money to use for their costs. Ask them to save up their pocket money if they want to buy something more expensive. They will be more motivated as a result of this. Comparative purchasing, in my opinion, falls under the umbrella of budgeting education.

Open a bank account for your child and have them deposit money into it once a month (money received as gifts or if they help out in the house with some tasks, you could pay them a small amount). Saving and valuing money will be instilled as a result. ” Isn’t that the case?

4. The importance of environmental preservation

Instilling the value of environmental preservation and sustainability in your child at a young age will encourage them to be more caring for the environment. Make simple lifestyle changes at home to teach your child why environmental protection is important. Encourage children to be environmentally conscious in everything they do.

You can even compel them to participate in environmental activities such as gardening and rubbish collection for disposal. Give them a section of your yard to plant whatever they like, if you have one. Assist them in sowing seeds and assign them the job of watering the plants. You can always use planting pots if you don’t have access to a yard.

5. Resilience and Adaptability

These are two more key skills to inculcate in your child. This can be accomplished by ensuring that you do not constantly provide solutions to your child. Empower your child to solve problems on their own so that they are prepared to handle problems as they arise. They must develop resilience in order to adapt to a variety of circumstances and settings.

Make sure you have an open line of communication with your child so you can understand what they’re going through and assist them–and, of course, as a parent, you must model resilient behaviour at home!

Teaching our children life skills is essential so that they can have a rough idea of what they want to accomplish with their lives and, more crucially, recall the type of person they want to be. Focus your efforts on educating children in a fun and engaging way so that they may be confident in their values and talents!

ALSO READ-Is childhood really stressful?

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Education Lite Blogs

Furqan: A journey from madrasa to UPSC rank

Furqan, who now works in the Indian Audit and Accounts Services, considers his mother as his first teacher. He says that his mother has lent all sorts of assistance to him…reports Asian Lite News.

It’s difficult to measure the happiness of a person who has achieved his childhood dream. Furqan Akhtar has been blessed with such success. In 2018, 51 Muslim candidates had qualified prestigious UPSC examination. One of them was Furqan. Furqan, a resident of Bigra Awwal village in Sant Kabir Nagar, had secured 445th rank. It was his third attempt in UPSC. When he went for probation, he left his mark there too. He was awarded the gold medal in Best Probationer in Academics.

Madrasa background
Furqan started his education in a madrasa called Arabia Mazharul Uloom. He studied from Class 1 to Class 10 here. He says that apart from religious texts, he was also taught Maths and English in the seminary. Later, he joined a government Junior High School in Semriyawan and studied there till Class 8. It was here that he became aware of an exam called UPSC and he dreamed of becoming an administrative officer one day. Actually, this dream was inculcated in Furqan by one of his teachers, Abdul Salam. “He had said that one day, I would become Collector. Ever since this dream travelled with me,” says Furqan, reminiscing his old school days. He started bracing up to fulfil his dream ever since.

Connected to his roots
Today, Furqan feels indebted to all those teachers and professors who encouraged him and played their parts in shaping his studentship. While Furqan remembers Abdul Salam Sb who coaxed him to dream about collectorship, he is also reminded of very strict Master Abu Bakar. “He used to beat a lot if a student would repeat silly mistakes,” he says. He says that he respects all his teachers and feels indebted to them for their sound teaching and timely guidance. “Whenever I visit my madrasa, school or college, I meet my teachers as I am still their student. Their respect will never diminish in my eyes,” he says.

Family support
Furqan, who now works in the Indian Audit and Accounts Services, considers his mother as his first teacher. He says that his mother has lent all sorts of assistance to him. “My mother has endowed ethical and moral values to all my siblings. She has been our first guru. She has also been my economic pivot,” says Furqan, emphasising that family support plays a key role in a person’s success in life. Furqan recently married his cousin Zikra Khatoon on November 22. His wife is his maternal uncle’s daughter.

Facing challenges
Furqan had to face all those challenges that confront any middle-class student. When he was a post-graduate student at Aligarh Muslim University, he started working with the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). Initially, he was the system engineer at TCA and was later promoted to be an IT analyst. He says that while doing a job at TCS, he knew that he would go for UPSC. “I had to work with TCS as I had to support education as the financial conditions of my family were in the doldrums. You know we middle-class people often face financial crises. My father Mushtaque Ahmed is a farmer and all of my siblings were studying. So, it created a crunch for funds in the family and I had to join TCS. Many times, we didn’t even have enough to submit even our fees. However, my younger maternal uncle helped me. I also took admission in AMU as it is one of the least expensive universities in India,” he recalls.

Support of maternal uncle

When Furqan qualified for the UPSC exams in 2018, he didn’t head to his home in the village. Instead, he reached his maternal uncle’s place in Sant Kabir Nagar. His uncle Nazim Khan is a Congress leader and he had supported Furqan in times of financial difficulties when the latter was a student. “We as a family underwent a difficult phase, but my mamu always stood by our side,” says Furqan, exhibiting his gratitude to his uncle.

Message to Muslim youth

In his message to Muslim youth, Furqan says that the key to success lies in hard work, dedication and a focussed approach to achieve your target. “Hard work is the only shortcut to success. Muslim youth have to believe in Allah and maintain their confidence. If you are truthful in your efforts and apply the required labour, Allah will not disappoint you and the success will be yours. Your ability and capability to transform it into success will definitely bring results. Muslim youth have to immediately shun the illusion that they are discriminated against in employment in India. Had it been so, I wouldn’t be able to get through UPSC,” says Furqan.

Furqan highlights a very important aspect of education. He says that primary education prepares a base for the growth of a competitive mindset in students and hence the parents and guardians have to be very careful about their wards’ primary education. “We have to inculcate in children habits to achieve small targets. It will prepare them for a bigger stage. But, we must be careful that we are not unnecessarily pressuring them. Rather, we must encourage them to nurture and hone their talents. Students don’t need to study for hours, rather their study must be focussed and should follow a carefully crafted schedule. Then, they will be on right track to achieve their dreams,” says Furqan, sharing his hopes for Muslim youths.

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