Ahmedabad Education News

Gujarat: Kheti Bank declares record 20% dividend for farmer members
The Indian Express | 3 days ago
The Indian Express
3 days ago

Ahmedabad-based Gujarat State Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Ltd, popularly known as Kheti Bank, Tuesday declared a 20 per cent dividend–the highest yet in its 70-year history. It also amended its rules to provide gold and education loans to farmers.“For the first time in the history of Kheti Bank, we announced a dividend of 20 per cent. The 70th Annual General Meeting (AGM) was called after four years. We could not call the meeting earlier due to the absence of the custodian. The meeting falls under the purview of the custodian,” Dollarrai Kotecha, chairman of the bank, said on the sidelines of the AGM. The dividend declared by the bank has never been above 12 per cent.In the financial year 2021-22, Kheti Bank clocked a net profit of Rs 29.29 crore, more than double the Rs 11.5 croreclocked in 2020-21. During the AGM held Tuesday, the bank also amended some of its rules and provided more credit to its three lakh members, who are mostly farmers.Under the changed rules, a farmer-member can avail 85 per cent of the valuation of the gold in his possession as a loan. Members have also been allowed to loan up to Rs 20 lakh if any of his kin is planning to travel overseas for studies. Similarly, a farmer could get a loan of up to Rs 10 lakh for building a house or purchasing a car or motorcycle. Under the changed rules, loans from the bank have also been made available for marriages and for incurable diseases within the family.🚨 Limited Time Offer | Express Premium with ad-lite for just Rs 2/ day 👉🏽 Click here to subscribe 🚨“We have always wanted to give gold loans. But we did not have the supporting infrastructure needed for this. Now, we will begin from six to seven locations,” K B Upadhyay, managing director of Kheti Bank, told The Indian Express. The bank will also be giving out education loans and credit for purchase of house, car or for marriage for the first time. “We will be asking for gold or property to be mortgaged against such loans,” said Upadhyay, a retired IAS official.The bank disbursed total loans worth Rs 158.28 crore during the financial year 2021-22. Officials from the bank said it disburses loans for more than 300 activities under the farm and non-farm sectors.

Gujarat: Kheti Bank declares record 20% dividend for farmer members
Labour dept signs MoU with German firm for skill training
Ahmedabad Mirror | 1 week ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
1 week ago

The Labour Skill Development and Employment Department of Gujarat signed an MoU with BBZ Arnsberg, Germany, to enhance the quality in technical, vocational education and training institutions.The MoU aims to create better job opportunities for students. The state labour department and BBZ intend to carry out knowledge sharing, joint workshops, exchange of experts, students and faculty. They will also exchange ideas for curriculum development and examination.Principal Secretary Labour Skill Development and Employment Dr Anju Sharma and senior officials attend the MoU signing ceremony. Anju Sharma said, “Focusing on dual vocational, education and training system, which is very effectively working in Germany, this MoU will help bring trainingexpertise and best practices with the collaboration of industries in Gujarat.”

Labour dept signs MoU with German firm for skill training
  • Technical education: Skill dept, German firm sign MoU

    • The Indian Express

    The Labour, Skill Development and Employment Department of the Gujarat government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with BBZ Arnsberg, Germany, to enhance the level of quality in technical, vocational education and training institutions.Aiming to enhance the performance of such institutions and creating better job opportunities for their students, the two parties will carry out knowledge sharing, joint workshops, exchange of students and faculty, as well as exchange of ideas for curriculum development.Principal Secretary Labour, Skill Development and Employment, Anju Sharma, who attended the MoU signing in Germany, said, “Focusing on dual vocational, education and training system, which is very effectively working in Germany, this MoU will help bring in training expertise and best practices with the collaboration of industries to Gujarat.”

Adani commits Rs 60,000 crore for charity
Ahmedabad Mirror | 1 week ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
1 week ago

Gujarat’s billionaire industrialist and philanthropist and one of the top two richest men in Asia, Gautam Adani and his family announced their commitment to donate Rs 60,000 crore for a range of social works.The announcement on Thursday marks the centenary birth anniversary of Shantilal Adani, father ofGautam Adani, and the 60th birthday of Gautam Adani on Friday.The funds will be utilised in healthcare, education and skill development, and will be managed by the Adani Foundation, the company said in a statement. The money pledged for charity is just over 8 per cent of Adani’s $92 billion wealth.Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group said, “In addition to being the 100th birth anniversary of my inspiring father, this year also happens to be the year of my 60th birthday and therefore the family decided to contribute Rs 60,000 crore towards charitable activities related to healthcare, education, and skill development, especially in the rural regions of our nation.”“This contribution from the Adani family intends to draw upon some of the brightest minds that have a passion to make a difference in the Adani Foundation’s journey to do more towards fulfilling our ‘Growth with Goodness’ philosophy,” the statement added. On this occasion, Azim Premji, chairman of Azim Premji Foundation and founder chairman of Wipro Ltd and widely recognised as one of the greatest philanthropists, said, “Gautam Adani and his family’s commitment towards philanthropy should set an example that we can all try to live Mahatma Gandhi’s principle of Trusteeship of Wealth at the peak of our business success and need not wait for our sunset years.”

Adani commits Rs 60,000 crore for charity
State’s first STEM lab set up at Adarsh Primary School in Ahmedabad
The Indian Express | 1 week ago
The Indian Express
1 week ago

The first STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) laboratory in Gujarat was set up in Adarsh Primary School at Telav village of Sanand taluka of Ahmedabad. According to the Directorate of Information, “STEM laboratory project is a project-based, hands-on learning solution that enables students to use their knowledge. It is a mini science centre which is benefiting children from surrounding schools.”The laboratory has been set up with the help of two voluntary organisations Yuva Unstoppable and Curio O Box. “It took 15-20 days to build up the lab. Around two months back the lab was set up. It has 35-40 table tops equipped with experimental equipment. It allows 4-5 students at one such table,” said Utsav Patel, from Yuva Unstoppable.“STEM- Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths laboratory is provided by us to various schools. It is in tandem with the New Education Policy (NEP) of the government,” said Kushal Thakkar, the founder of Curio O Box. Principal of Adarsh Primary School Vijaybhai Patel said the initiatve was made possible with the help of Mukesh N Patel, the District Primary Education Officer, Ahmedabad“The lab was set up before the summer vacation. It’s been just a week that we have reopened the school and it is yetto become fully functional,” said Vijayabhai Patel.

State’s first STEM lab set up at Adarsh Primary School in Ahmedabad
Chapter 1— Gender parity: Drop the veil, minister tells woman sarpanch at Shala Praveshotsav
The Indian Express | 1 week ago
The Indian Express
1 week ago

The sari veil covered her face as Meenaba Zala, the first elected woman sarpanch of Rantej village in North Gujarat’s Mehsana district, stood on stage. She was tasked to hand over a souvenir — a framed picture of Bahuchar Mata, the deity after which the taluka Becharaji gets its name — to state Education Minister Jitu Vaghani.Meenaba got on to the stage from a bunch of women, all in similar veils, from her village who were sitting on the floor on one side while the men from the village sat on plastic chairs. What happened next was unprecedented.To the surprise of Meenaba and the scores of villagers at the event, the minister insisted that she removed her veil before he accepted the souvenir as part of his felicitation. “If the elders allow, I would request Meenaba to come out of this riwaaz (tradition),” Vaghani said in front of villagers who had gathered at the school for the launch of the annual Shala Praveshotsav (school enrolment) and Kanya Kelavani (bringing up of girls)–the state government initiatives to ensure maximum enrolment of children, especially girls, in primary schools and arrest the drop-out rate.Soon came a voice of opposition when a man from the crowd said, “Saheb, ame darbar chhiye (Sir, we are Rajputs).” “What does caste have to do with this? Darbar, Patel, Vaniya or Brahmin… see how happy the women are and the blessings they will give you,” the minister was quick to respond. “Maan maryaada (respect and modesty) is alright but when you are a Sarpanch you have to come out of these traditions. Let the village decide. Look around, where the world has reached… by doing this (removing veil) we do not lose our maan maryaada. Follow everything but at home. I do not say this riwaaz is bad but we have to change as per the time and come out of this so that we can move forward,” Vaghani said insisting that all other women in the crowd reveal their faces.Eventually, one of the village elders, who was also on the stage, agreed with Vaghani. Following the cue, Meenaba reluctantly pulled back a part of her saree and revealed her face. An extra chair was also arranged for her on the stage, albeit in a corner. “The minister is right. We should keep our ghunghat at home and need to come out of this (tradition). We are anyway behind our veils at home but we need to move forward with time,” Meenaba, who defeated four male candidates to get elected six months ago, later told The Indian Express.A mother of two–a 10-year-old son and a two-and-half-year-old daughter–Meenaba hails from Ahmedabad. “I really wanted to join the police force but could not as my brother was strict. So, I was made to drop out of college in the first year of B.Com” she said.On the villagers’ resistance to the minister’s suggestion, Meenaba said, “There is resistance from elders because they lack education. But things are changing slowly. Now, girls are getting educated. Look at my brother only… his daughter is now in the police force.”More than 60 per cent of the village, which has 3,200 residents, is from the Zala community. As per Census 2011, Rantej has a male population of around 1,650 as against 1,552 females. It has a literacy rate of 71.59 per cent, including 80.99 per cent literate males and 61.66 per cent literate females.Becharaji taluka is still weighed down by patriarchy as most of the women in the villages have to still cover theirfaces with a long veil using their sarees. Incidentally, during the enrolment drive at the Ruppura government primary school in the same taluka, the village elders made a demand before Vaghani–to include Classes 9 and 10 in the school. “…because in our community, we do not allow girls to move out, even for education,” a member of the school management committee told the minister.“It becomes a problem for the family and community when a girl gets into an affair. So, girls are not allowed to travel to other villages or cities even for education. This is still prevalent in this community. They have to go as far as 8 kms for higher education. Girls here do not study after Class 8. My daughter dropped out one year ago, after Class 8,” Surat Municipal Corporation Chairman Manoharsinh M Zala told The Indian Express.As per Census 2011, Ruppura has a total population of around 2,900, including 1,410 males and 1,453 females. The literacy rate is at 49.67 per cent with that of males at 65.18 per cent and females at 34.62 per cent.

Chapter 1— Gender parity: Drop the veil, minister tells woman sarpanch at Shala Praveshotsav
Thanks to PM Modi, Gujarat has done well in education, health and security: CM Bhupendra Patel
The Indian Express | 1 week ago
The Indian Express
1 week ago

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said on Thursday that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state had done well in education, health and security—the three basic factors that he said were required to make progress in any field.Patel was addressing a gathering after launching the 17th edition of Kanya Kelavani & Shala Praveshotsav, the annual school enrolment drive, at Memadpur in Banaskantha district’s Vadgam tehsil.“Three factors can be listed as the basic requirements for progress in any field–education, health and security. With an aim to make Gujarat a growth engine and strengthen the foundation of education in the state, Narendrabhai (Modi) started Kanya Kelavani & Shala Praveshotsav in 2003. If the foundation of education is strong, we can make progress in each and every field,” the chief minister said.In Banaskantha district, more than 15,000 children were enrolled in Class 1 under the drive. According to district primary education officer Sanjay Parmar, “A total 71 eligible children were enrolled in Class 1 by the CM at two government primary schools (one each for boys and girls) in Memadpur village. Thirty-five children (in the age group of 3-5) were enrolled in the Anganwadi of Memadpur.”The chief minister said education was necessary for making better use of technology and that because of the state government’s efforts, the dropout rate had fallen significantly, adding that the government had made available the best facilities for engineering and medical education.Patel then referred to the state government’s Covid-19 response. “During the Covid pandemic, we have seen that even big countries felt exhausted. But under the guidance of Narendrabhai and his slogan ‘Sauno Saath, Sauno Vikas, Sauno Vishwas and Sauno Prayas’, we have given free vaccination to each and every person. And to ensure that nobody sleeps hungry, arrangements were made for free ration. (Modi) attempted to get us out of the pandemic and today we have come out (of the pandemic),” he said.Patel also talked about the government’s Ayushman card initiative, under which an eligible person can get medical benefits worth up to Rs 5 lakh for any ailment.Talking about security, the chief minister said, “We all know that security is also equally necessary…Earlier, before going to Ahmedabad, people here would first get it checked if everything is fine there. Many elders must have seen that two decades back. (But) the young ones, who are 20-22 years old, do not even know what unrest is.”“Today, under the instructions of Narendrabhai, police are doing very good work. Along with that, we also know that they did a very good job of assisting us during the Covid-19 pandemic,” Patel said.Minister of State for Education Kirtisinh Vaghela, who is the MLA for Kankrej in the district, and a number of local BJP leaders were present on the occasion besides district collector Anand Patel and superintendent of police Akshayraj Makwana.The Vadgam Assembly constituency, under which the Memadpur village falls, is represented by independent MLA Jignesh Mevani, who has pledged support to the Opposition Congress.

Thanks to PM Modi, Gujarat has done well in education, health and security: CM Bhupendra Patel
Consul General of Canada meets CM
Ahmedabad Mirror | 1 week ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
1 week ago

Consul General of Canada in Mumbai Ms Diedrah Kelly paid a courtesy visit to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday. The two leaders discussed mutual relation and opportunities in the fields of education, investment, green clean technology between the two countries.The CM said that Gift City, India’s financial and technology gateway with world-class infrastructure, offers huge opportunities for Canadian financial institutions, FinTech companies and Canadian pension funds. He also invited Canadian institutions to come and invest in Gift City.

Consul General of Canada meets CM
Woman not allowed to sell property of late husband
Ahmedabad Mirror | 1 week ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
1 week ago

The Gujarat High Court has ruled that though the mother is the natural guardian of her children, she can’t sell her husband’s properties for bearing expenses of their study unless she furnishes cogent reason for it.The woman along with her minor son had moved an application before the HC challenging the lower court order which had refused the application filed by her under section 29 of the Guardians and Wards Act, wherein she wanted to sell the property to bear the education expenses of her son after her husband died in January 2021.Section 29 of the Guardians and Wards Act defines the rights of the guardian about the selling, gifting, exchanging and leasing the properties in the name of minor children. Such a process cannot be undertaken without prior permission of the Civil Court.According to details of the case, the woman’s husband had bought properties along with two other persons in 2019 and he had one third share in them. However, after his demise, his wife and 16-year-old son became his legal heirs. She moved an application along with the minor boy seeking permission to sell her husband’s share in the property to bear the education and upbringing expenditure of her son.In her application she mentioned that she was in no condition to earn livelihood and that selling the property was necessary for the future of her son. However, the court rejected the plea on the grounds that the same property can be rented out and income generated from it for her son’s upbringing.Confirming the lower court’s order, Justice Umesh Trivedi observed the woman had not placed any material justifying her son’s existing and future needs.The court further took a view that she had failed to provide details about the earnings of her late husband and how much he had left behind in his bank accounts.“There is also no mention about other properties, if any, owned by her late husband either independently or along with other members of the family. In absence of such material details, it is deemed proper to refuse permission to sell the share of the minor in any property owned by his late father,” the court ruled.

Woman not allowed to sell property of late husband
LDCE 75th foundation day: Gujarat CM Patel announces Rs 10 crore, approval for 2 new branches
The Indian Express | 1 week ago
The Indian Express
1 week ago

On the 75th foundation day of Lalbhai Dalpatbhai College of Engineering (LDCE) on Monday, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced the government will release Rs 10 crore as grant to the institute along with approval for two new branches at the oldest engineering institute in Ahmedabad.The two new courses announced by the state government include Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning; Robotics and Automation.As a part of three-day platinum jubilee celebrations launched by the institute Sunday, a ‘centennial vision’, a vision of the college for the next 25 years, was launched by the faculty, staff, students and alumni.Targeting a collection of Rs 75 crore for implementation of the centennial vision goals, that include academic excellence in current and emerging technologies, infrastructure and support system for high quality teaching, learning and innovation, campus with global standards and industry-alumni engagement, the alumni association sought contributions from LDCE alumni.Assuring all support to the institute and start-ups the CM said that the state government is committed to providing all kinds of help under the schemes that encourage youth and called upon the society to take maximum advantage of the start-up scheme.Education Minister Jitu Vaghani said that the education department under the leadership of CM Patel has announced Rs 10 crore grant that was lapsed but has been revived and it has been decided to release it to the college.Sanjay Lalbhai, from the Lalbhai family, said that Kasturbhai Lalbhai and Sarabhai family have put Ahmedabad on the world map by starting numerous educational institutions in Ahmedabad.He added that today there are CEOs of our country among the world famous companies which is a matter of pride, and all this has become possible only due to good education.‘LDCE Connect’ mobile app for alumni was also launched on Monday to connect and bring all alumni across on one platform to ensure real time updates and access of all college related information, including alumni directory.While alumni members of LDCE committed to raise a fund of Rs 75 crore for the institute Sanjay Lalbhai, the grandson of Late Kasturbhai Lalbhai who donated the land and the building of LD Engineering College also committed Rs 1 crore.LDCE was established in June 1948 with a donation of Rs 25 lakh and 31.2 hectare of land by the textile magnate Sheth Kasturbhai Lalbhai.

LDCE 75th foundation day: Gujarat CM Patel announces Rs 10 crore, approval for 2 new branches
Wah, Wah Vaghani!
Ahmedabad Mirror | 1 week ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
1 week ago

Aagam Modi, a degree engineering student in a self-financed college, hails from Surendranagar and belongs to a family with moderate income. His father, a small-time metal businessman earns Rs 3 lakh per annum. When the family inherited Rs 40 lakh after the death of his grandfather, the one-time windfall enhanced the family income propelling them into a relatively higher income bracket for the year. The result: Aagam’s application for Rs 2 lakh scholarship awarded to students under the Mukhyamantri Yuva Swavalamban Yojna (MYSY) was rejected. Aagam was worried about his degree course that would cost him Rs 1.53 lakh/ annum.However, Aagam’s story and that of 26 such students had a happy ending thanks to the intervention of Education Minister Jitu Vaghani, who chose a humanitarian approach after the cases were brought to his notice. In all, 413 such students are all set to get their scholarships after the minister ensured that the meritorious and deserving students, who had their scholarships denied under the MYSY for various reasons, were reconsidered.​​​​​​​Under MYSY, a Rs 2 lakh per annum scholarship is offered to meritorious students from economically weaker sections (EWS) of society. Girl students also get an additional Rs 4 lakh per annum scholarship under the Kanya Nidhi Scheme, taking the total scholarship money available to them to Rs 6 lakh per annum.Aagam said though he is yet to receive the scholarship money, he is grateful that he would eventually get it. “If my scholarship was not accepted we would have had to use my father’s savings or avail a loan as our business has not been great post-Covid,” he said.The scholarship money is provided every year after scrutinising the income document and the student’s performance in the course. All students from EWS enrolled in various courses at self-financed colleges can apply for the scholarship money.The cause for rejectionSources in the education department said they have so far scrutinised 600 such claims in which scholarships were rejected due to various reasons including delay in application.“Of these, around 413 students have now become eligible for the scholarship after the government decided to reconsider their rejected applications,” said a senior official.Officials said following Vaghani’s intervention, a committee was formed to scrutinise rejected scholarship applications. The scholarship application window for 346 Ayurved and Homoeopath students was also opened after the deadline.Two hundred students who had opted for reassessment and re-checking of results in various courses and those who had missed the scholarship deadline were also allowed to apply.A senior official said the committee also took a re-look at the cases where the scholarship was rejected after a student’s family reported marginally higher income due to one-time financial benefits like gratuity, PF, inheritance money etc for the particular year.“We considered one-time income benefits in the income-tax return and revised income tax returns this time before deciding on the scholarship. We want to help those students who are genuinely in need of scholarship money and can continue their education without financial worries. This is why each application was thoroughly scrutinised,” Vaghani told Mirror.Another caseKotak Foram, a final year MBBS student at an AMC-MET medical college had her scholarship for the fourth year rejected after a clerical error in the Income Tax Returns (ITR) inflated her father’s income.She had been given the scholarship for the first three years of her course.“It would have been difficult for my father to manage the Rs 4.30 lakh college fee without a scholarship. Now that the department has taken corrective measures, I am happy that I can concentrate on my studies without worrying about finances,” she said.She is yet to get the scholarship money in her account but has been informed that her scholarship has been approved.Sources said with more rejected applications being reviewed, the number of student beneficiaries for the scholarship may go up.

Wah, Wah Vaghani!
Harshad Patel is interim DG of Children’s varsity
Ahmedabad Mirror | 1 week ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
1 week ago

In an interim arrangement, Gujarat education department appointed IITE Vice Chancellor Harshad Patel as Director General of Children’s University with immediate effect. Patel who took charge as an interim authority on Saturday will succeed Harshad Shah, former vice chancellor whose termended.Officials said, process to look for a full-time DG has been going on. However, formation of the search committee is in limbo as selection of one of the members is yet to be done. Shah’s tenure as the VC at Children’s University was also challenged multiple times in the court.

Harshad Patel is interim DG of Children’s varsity
PM inaugurates projects worth Rs 21K cr, says Vadodara nurtured him like a mother
Ahmedabad Mirror | 2 weeks ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
2 weeks ago

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid foundation for and inaugurated development works worth Rs 21,000 crore, including railway projects, at an event held at the at Leprosy Ground here.Before reaching the stage, the Prime Minister took a tour of the venue in an open jeep, warmly greeting the large gathering present there.Earlier in the morning, Modi met his mother Heeraben, who entered the 100th year of her life on Saturday, and took her blessings at her residence near Gandhinagar. Modi arrived at Raysan village on the outskirts of Gandhinagar at around 6.30 am and spent around half an hour there.At the event in Vadodara, Modi said, “Today is the day of ‘Matruvandana’ for me, and I am happy to be here inauguarating development works worth Rs 21,000 crore. These projects will accelerate the development of India along with Gujarat. Such huge investment and better connectivity will accelerate industrial development in Gujarat besides opening up more employment opportunities for the youth.”The Prime Minister also said that Vadodara has nurtured him just like a mother takes care of her child.The Prime Minister then dedicated to the nation and laid foundation stone for various Railway projects worth over Rs 16,000 crore. These include 357 km New Palanpur-Madar section of dedicated freight corridor; gauge conversion of 166 Km Ahmedabad-Botad section; and electrification of 81 Km Palanpur-Mitha section, among others.Modi also laid the foundation stone for redevelopment of Surat, Udhna, Somnath and Sabarmati railway stations, along with other initiatives in the railway sector. These projects will help lower logistic costs and boost the industry and agriculture sector in the region. They will also improve connectivity in the region and enhance passenger amenities.Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, a total of 1.38 lakh houses will be dedicated by the Prime Minister, including houses worth around Rs 1,800 crore in the urban areas and houses worth over Rs 1,530 crore in the rural areas.During the programme, the Prime Minister dedicated and laid foundation stone for various development works at Kheda, Anand, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur and Panchmahal, worth over Rs 680 crore, which are aimed at furthering ease of living in the region.The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for Gujarat Central University at Kundhela village in Dabhoi taluka. Located about 20 km from Vadodara, the university will be constructed at a cost of around Rs 425 crore and will cater to higher education needs of over 2,500 students.With a focus on improving maternal and child health, the Prime Minister launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Matrushakti Yojana’, which will have an outlay of Rs 800 crore. Under the scheme, pregnant and lactating mothers will be given 2 kg chickpea, 1 kg tur dal and 1 kg edible oil free of cost from the Anganwadi centres every month.Modi also dispersed around Rs 120 crore towards the ‘Poshan Sudha Yojana’, which is now being extended to all tribal beneficiaries in the state. This step has been taken after the success of the experiment of providing iron and calcium tablets and education on nutrition to pregnant and lactating mothers from the tribal districts.

PM inaugurates projects worth Rs 21K cr, says Vadodara nurtured him like a mother
  • PM Modi Lays Foundation Stone Of Railway Projects Worth Rs 16,000 Crores

    • Ndtv

  • PM to inaugurate, lay foundation stone for projects worth Rs 21,000 cr in Gujarat

    • Ahmedabad Mirror

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for development projects worth Rs 21,000 crore in Gujarat during his two-day visit from Friday.On June 18, Prime Minister Modi will visit and inaugurate the redeveloped temple of Shree Kalika Mata at Pavagadh Hill, which will be followed by his visit to Virasat Van. Thereafter, in the afternoon, he will participate in Gujarat Gaurav Abhiyan at Vadodara, where he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for projects worth over Rs 21,000 crore.In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said that beneficiaries of various schemes of the government will participate in Gujarat Gaurav Abhiyan at Vadodara. The Prime Minister will dedicate and lay the foundation stone of various Railway projects worth over Rs 16,000 crore. These projects will help lower logistics cost and boost industry and agriculture sector in the region. They will also improve connectivity in the region and enhance passenger amenities.Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, a total of 1.38 lakh houses will be dedicated by the Prime Minister, including houses worth around Rs 1,800 crore in urban areas and houses worth over Rs 1,530 crore in rural areas. In addition, Khat Muhurat of around 3,000 houses worth over Rs 310 crore will also be done.During the programme, the Prime Minister will dedicate and lay the foundation stone for various development works at Kheda, Anand, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, and Panchmahal, worth over Rs 680 crore, which are aimed at furthering ease of living in the region.The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for Gujarat Central University in Kundhela village of Dabhoi taluka of Gujarat. Located at about 20 kilometres from Vadodara city, the University will be constructed at a cost of around Rs 425 crore and will cater to higher education needs of over 2,500 students.With a focus on improving maternal and child health, the Prime Minister will also launch ‘Mukhyamantri Matrushakti Yojana’, which will have an outlay of Rs 800 crore. Under the scheme, pregnant and lactating mothers will be given two kg of chickpeas, one kg of tur dal and one kg of edible oil free of cost from Anganwadi Centres every month.The Prime Minister will also disburse around Rs 120 crore towards ‘Poshan Sudha Yojana’, which is now being extended to all tribal beneficiaries in the state. This step is being taken after the success of the experiment of providing pregnant and lactating mothers from tribal districts with Iron and Calcium tablets and education on nutrition.The Prime Minister will inaugurate the redeveloped temple of Shree Kalika Mata at Pavagadh Hill. It is one of the oldest temples in the area and attracts pilgrims in large numbers.The redevelopment of the temple has been done in two phases. The inauguration of the first phase of redevelopment was done by the Prime Minister earlier this year in April. The foundation stone for the redevelopment of the second phase, which is going to be inaugurated in the programme, was laid by the Prime Minister in 2017. This includes expansion of the temple base and ‘parisar’ at three levels, installation of amenities like street lights, CCTV system and others.

  • PM Modi to inaugurate railway projects worth Rs 16,300 cr in Vadodara

    • The Indian Express

    On his visit to Vadodara on June 18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate railway projects worth Rs 16,369 crore, including laying the foundation stone of the new building of the National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI) which is being rechristened as the Bharatiya Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya and will officially be declared a central university. Modi will also launch the Chief Ministers’ Matrushakti Yojana from Vadodara’s Leprosy Ground.The Prime Minister is first scheduled to visit the Kalika Mata temple in Panchmahal district’s Pavagadh and hoist the saffron flag (dhwajarohan) on the shikhara of the newly renovated temple premises which, according to the trust, will be the first ‘religious flag hoisting’ at the temple in centuries. Modi will inaugurate the temple premises, renovated at a cost of Rs 121 crore, under the aegis of the Gujarat Pavitra Yatradham Vikas Board,The renovations include a campus with a capacity for over 2,000 devotees, a widened stairway to the temple, gold plating of the kalash, garbhagriha and the shikhara done at a cost of Rs 7.5 crore as well as installation of elevators (for which tendering process is underway). The trust is also in the process of building a dormitory for visitors at a cost of Rs 12 crore and a dining hall with a capacity to serve meals to 400 devotees simultaneously.From Pavagadh, Modi will arrive in Vadodara and head directly to the Leprosy Ground as the original plan for a road show from the airport has been cancelled due to security reasons. At the Leprosy Ground, he will inaugurate projects and lay foundation stones for 18 projects of the Indian Railways worth Rs 16,369 crore, including the renaming of the NRTI to Bharatiya Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (BGSV).PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone of the new, modern building of the BGSV in Vadodara, the country’s first railway university, that will come up near the Pratap Vilas Palace. According to a release from the government, Modi will inaugurate five railway projects worth Rs 10,746 crore and lay foundation stones of 13 projects pegged at Rs 5,620 crore, including the Rs 571-crore BGSV building.“National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI) set up as per the vision of PM Modi in 2018 will be rechristened Bharatiya Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya and also be accorded the status of a Central University at the same event. As part of the Gati Shakti movement, PM Modi has given an impetus to infrastructure projects,” the statement said.PM Modi will inaugurate the Rs 7250 crore Palanpur-Madar dedicated freight corridor and flag-off of the Botad-Ahmedabad passenger train after gauge conversion. In addition, he will also flag off passenger trains between Lunidhar-Deesa and Palanpur-Radhanpur. Modi will lay the foundation stone for the locomotive repair depot located at Gandhidham and the redevelopment projects of Surat, Udhna, Somnath, and Sabarmati railway stations. The Prime Minister will also perform the virtual ground-breaking for the gauge conversion of railway lines between Vijapur-Ambaliyasan, Nadiad-Petlad, Kadi-Katosan, Aadraj Moti-Vijapur, Jambusar-Samni, Petlad-Bhadran and Himmatnagar-Khedbrahma.The PM will also launch the Chief Minister Matrushakti Yojana (MMY), which will provide women with nutritious meals for 1,000 days starting from the first trimester of pregnancy in order to improve the health of mothers and newborns in the state.

  • PM to inaugurate rail projects on June 18

    • Times of India

    Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay foundation stones and inaugurate projects of the railways, worth a total of Rs 16,369 crore during his visit to Vadodara on June 18, state government spokesperson Jitu Vaghani said on Monday.Vaghani said the PM will either lay foundation stones or inaugurate 18 projects of the railways, which includes flagging off of new trains, the new freight corridor, redevelopment of railway stations and gauge conversion works. The PM will address the Gujarat Gaurav Abhiyan rally in Vadodara as well.At Monday’s state cabinet, the government also decided to hold a ‘Vande Gujarat Vikas Yatra’ from July 1 to 15 to showcase the development work of the last two decades. Vaghani said in another important decision, 46 MLAs representing municipal corporation areas of the state, will get grants of Rs 2 crore each for development activities.

Hyper-nationalism a risk in India: Prof Kaushik Basu
The Indian Express | 2 weeks ago
The Indian Express
2 weeks ago

Hyper-nationalism in India is a “risk”, said former chief economic advisor to the government of India, Professor Kaushik Basu, Thursday as he cited instances of hyper-nationalism in the United States and Argentina and the damage they caused in the past.“There is a risk in hyper-nationalism. It can do great damage. Countries have undone themselves with that. At the same time, you do work for the nation and it is a balancing act. There is no real easy answer to that,” said Professor Basu when asked if hyper-nationalism seen in India can have any adverse effects.A Carl Marks Professor of International Studies, Cornell University, USA, and chief economist of World Bank (2012-16), the Padma Bhushan award winner was at Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) to deliver the eighth Pravin Visaria Memorial Public Lecture.“The United States went through a period of hyper-nationalism in the 1950s. It is called the McCarthy period. During this period, one would be called an Un-American or a communist sympathiser. If you stand up and say that I know this person very well and he is not an Un-American or communist, you too will be called an Un-American person and communist sympathiser. This was spreading like fire in the US. I think the American economy would have been crushed, if the McCarthy period had continued,” he said while interacting with the audience during a question-answer session.🚨 Limited Time Offer | Express Premium with ad-lite for just Rs 2/ day 👉🏽 Click here to subscribe 🚨“Fortunately, people of principles, including a Supreme Court judge and some military officials, spoke up and said this is not the United States we want and subsequent elections caused the downfall of McCharthyism,” Professor Basu added.Earlier, speaking on the topic ‘The Changing Nature of the Global Economy and Labour Markets: What may the Future Hold’, Basu said, “Roughly between 1915 and 1920, Argentina was among the top 10 richest countries in the world. France and Germany were behind Argentina and it was expected that Argentina will become the top country. From 1930, Argentina begins to bundle its policies and over a 10-15 year period, Argentina crashed and the United States overtakes it,” Professor Basu said adding that Argentina’s downfall was due to hyper-nationalism prevalent during that period and the US, which invested heavily in education, gained.He felt that “creative education and health” were two sectors that will help countries emerge on top globally. “As we are moving into the next phase, it will be a challenge for different countries. There will be new winners and new losers. You take any country, including India; some people will say it is a sure winner and some will say it is a sure loser. The truth is somewhere in between. When you analyse carefully, India is doing well in some ways and bad in other ways… I believe there are two sectors that are going to be dominant in the world and countries that take positions in them will be big players. These are creative education and health,” he said at the event organised by the Gujarat Institute of Development Research (GIDR).Attributing investment in education as the reason for the growth of the South Korean economy, Professor Basu said teachers in South Korea earn like “rock stars”. Professor Basu also said India’s current growth rate was neither high nor low.

Hyper-nationalism a risk in India: Prof Kaushik Basu
India to spend $30 bn to achieve independence on chip supply chain
Ahmedabad Mirror | 2 weeks ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
2 weeks ago

India, which aims to become a global semiconductor hub in coming years, is set to pump $30 billion into its technology sector to achieve independence on chips so that it isn’t “held hostage” to global suppliers, the media reported on Thursday.Gourangalal Das, director-general of the India-Taipei Association which is the country’s de-facto embassy in Taipei, told Nikkei Asia that the country would boost local production of chips as well as displays, advanced chemicals, networking and telecom equipment, batteries and electronics.”There is an increase in demand for semiconductors. By 2030, India semiconductor demand will attain $110 billion. So by that point, it will likely be over 10 per cent of world demand,” Das was quoted as saying in the report.”We want some assurance that our demand for semiconductors shouldn’t be held hostage to the vagaries of supply chains a” one thing that we noticed through the pandemic,a the diplomat added.India and Taiwan are marching ahead to ink the much-awaited Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which will have prime focus on having a semiconductor manufacturing hub in India by a Taiwanese company.If this gets through, it will be a win-win situation for both the parties as India aspires to become a global semiconductor manufacturing hub and Taiwan wants to move away its business from China.The most immediate rationale in expanding the mutual cooperation lies in the setting that like many other Asian and South Asian countries including those of South Korea and Japan, Taiwan too seeks to pull out its investments out of the Chinese soil and reduce its dependence on the country.This very well coincides with India’s quest to become a digital hub. India is making all possible efforts to become technologically resilient.The FTA talks between the two nations are strongly pivoted around the proposal to build a semiconductor manufacturing facility in India.The Indian government recently announced an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore (around $10 billion), under its production linked incentive (PLI) scheme, separately for the development of a semiconductor and display manufacturing electronics ecosystem.In the last few years, India has been actively promoting cooperation with Taiwan in trade, investment, tourism, culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges. Both the countries have also constituted teams for the expansion of fruitful collaboration in education and skill development.Das told Nikkei Asia that India is open to collaborations with Taiwanese tech gamers who’ve semiconductor, show and electronics manufacturing experience.”One early entrant is iPhone assembler Foxconn, which has partnered with Indian pure assets conglomerate Vedanta to construct a semiconductor plant within the nation,” the report mentioned.

India to spend $30 bn to achieve independence on chip supply chain
Show-cause notice to school over Class 11 admissions
Times of India | 2 weeks ago
Times of India
2 weeks ago

Ahmedabad: On Wednesday, after parents of students seeking admission to Class 11 protested at a private school in Maninagar, the district education officer issued a show-cause notice to the school.The parents of students denied admission to Class 11 said the school abruptly stopped admissions after conducting them for one day and refused to even admit students who scored 70% and higher. The parents had approached the DEO and made a representation.The DEO asked the school to explain how it completed admissions when marksheets have not been issued yet. Sources said the school will have to re-conduct its admissions as DEO instructed the management to admit students based on merit.

Show-cause notice to school over Class 11 admissions
Now, schools hire detectives to hunt down ‘poor rich’ RTE applicants
Times of India | 2 weeks ago
Times of India
2 weeks ago

Ahmedabad: Rich parents exploiting the Right To Education law to get their wards admitted in prestigious schools have even inspired movies like Bollywood blockbuster ‘Hindi Medium'. Now, schools have gone a step ahead and hired private eyes to sieve out any rich families masquerading as poor to occupy a seat rightfully deserved by a child from a poor socio-economic background.At least half a dozen English medium schools in Ahmedabad and some in state capital have conceded to taking services of detective agencies to verify the documents submitted for admissions under RTE Act which reserves 25% of seats for underprivileged kids"In the past, checks by our school staff have revealed that some 10-odd families who took admission under RTE had multiple vehicles including four wheelers, ACs in two bedrooms and fathers earning Rs 25,000-35,000 per month. This time, we have hired private detectives to conduct background checks only in suspect cases," said Yogesh Shridhar of Tulip International School.Admission under RTE is granted to children hailing from families with annual income less than Rs 1.5 lakh per annum in the general category while income limit is less in other categories.Kamal Mangal, trustee of Anand Niketan Group of Schools, said that the school has hired an agency to check the veracity of documents furnished under RTE cases as they have had bitter experiences in the past where a few families posing as poor were found to have Rs 50,000 monthly income, living in tenements complete with refrigerators, ACs and LED TVs. "RTE seats are reserved for the poor and no one can be allowed to usurp the rights of a poor child," Mangal said.While an average 50 complaints are made to the DEO about fake submissions of poverty to take admission under RTE annually in Ahmedabad, not a single admission has been cancelled by authorities so far. Only in one case, the Ahmedabad DEO filed an FIR in 2020, the first in Gujarat, against a family for cheating and knowingly submitting false documents to get admission in Anand Niketan School. Here, the school had found proof that the family had submitted false documents of income less than Rs 1.5 lakh per annum while their income tax return filed showed income of Rs 4.5 lakh.Hitendra Padheriya, DEO Ahmedabad city, told TOI they have received complaints from three schools regarding RTE admission this year. "The families alleged to have misrepresented under RTE law will be summoned for hearing and action taken if found guilty of irregularity," said Padheriya. Sources in the education department said that as income certificates are issued by the state revenue department, they tend to believe them as their offices have no powers to collect proof to the contrary.Manan Choksi of Udgam Group of Schools and president of the Progressive School Management Association (PSMA) said that they have also written to the state government to put a system in place where any fraudulent admission taken under RTE law by posing as poor should be cancelled to safeguard interests of deserving children. Action should also be initiated in such cases.Detective agencies conceded they are now getting business from schools. "Schools ask us to do background checks and document verification in cases they find suspect. This year, some six schools in Ahmedabad and three schools in Gandhinagar have hired our services," said a private eye requesting anonymity for professional reasons. Agencies said that schools pay a lump sum amount for services hired.

Now, schools hire detectives to hunt down ‘poor rich’ RTE applicants
Seven proposed Centres of Excellence to have 30% seats for state students
Ahmedabad Mirror | 2 weeks ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
2 weeks ago

Students from Gujarat will not miss out on the opportunity to get admissions on merit in the seven private universities proposed to be made Centres of Excellence (CoE) in the state. In anticipation of the Gujarat government’s official notification granting them CoE status, the seven universities have informed the education department that they will have provision of admitting at least 30% Gujarat-based students when they get the CoE status.This is one of half a dozen points on which the state government had sought clarity from the seven institutes as the process is underway to notify them as CoEs, giving them autonomy in matters like admission, academics and fee structures. The VCs, campus directors and registrars had virtual meetings with officials of technical education department to thrash out issues like fee, admissions, scholarship, form fees etc.“We may have proposed to give admission to at least 30% students from Gujarat, and may end up admitting more students from Gujarat. We have set only a minimum bar for admitting students from Gujarat,” said Director General, Nirma University (NU) Anup Singh, who attended the meeting.The seven universities include Nirma University, CEPT University, Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (DAIICT), Ahmedabad University, Charotar University of Science and Technology and Marwadi University.While the quota may bring cheers to local students, the seven private universities have decided to consider only national entrance tests like JEE for engineering, NATA for architecture and similar exams for other courses as criteria. And as there is no national test for pharmacy courses, some of the universities have decided to admit students either through GUJCET or through ACPC. The decision to opt for admission through the national entrance tests will make it tougher for students from Gujarat to bag seats in technical courses, as currently GUJCET and Class 12 board marks are considered for admission in professional courses.Representatives of all seven proposed CoEs have agreed on the proposal. Apart from quota for Gujarat students, they have also conveyed that of the total fee amount received in each academic year, they will keep aside 5% for scholarships for meritorious and needy students.

Seven proposed Centres of Excellence to have 30% seats for state students
Parents protest admission closure
Times of India | 2 weeks ago
Times of India
2 weeks ago

Ahmedabad: Parents of students who cleared their Class 10 exams and want to get admitted in Class 11 are complaining that the most of the private schools conducted admissions for one day and then declared that the admissions are over denying admissions to many students.On Tuesday, parents of students who were denied admissions in Class 11 in a school located in Maninagar protested before the administration. Later, the parents approached the district education officer and made a representation before him. Parents said that the school abruptly stopped admission into Class 11 after conducting admissions for only one day and denied admissions even to students who have scored 70% and above.George Dias, the president of a parents group, said that there are only a few grant-in-aid schools located in the eastern part of the city. He said that most of the students residing in the eastern areas, including students belonging to poor families, are dependent on private schools and such attitude of school administrations is denying them their right of education. He said that the parents will keep agitating until they get justice.

Parents protest admission closure
ACPDC’s diploma admissions to start on June 16
Ahmedabad Mirror | 2 weeks ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
2 weeks ago

The Admission Committee for Professional Diploma Courses (ACPDC) is set to start admissions for diploma courses from June 16. Online registrations will go on till July 7 for approximately 66,000 seats in government, grant-in-aid and self-finance colleges in the state.1,380 new seatsTalking to the media, member secretary Bhaskar Iyer said there will be 1,380 new seats in the four emerging areas of automation and robotics (180 seats), information and communication technology (600 seats), mechanical engineering (420 seats) and renewable energy (180 seats) from the new academic year.33% marks eligibleBeginning this year, the Gujarat government will allow Class 10 students who passed with 33% marks or above to take admission in diploma courses. The changed rule after the AICTE guidelines is set to make 33,000-35,000 students eligible for admissions.“As per the education department’s instruction, those who passed Class 10 with Basic Mathematics and Standard Mathematics will be able to take admission in diploma courses. Students with Basic Mathematics who take admission in diploma courses will be also eligible to take admission in degree engineering after they complete a diploma with a good score in the diploma to degree admission process,” said Iyer. The education department, however, will not allow students who opt for Basic Mathematics to opt for Group A in Class 11 science.PM CARES scheme for Covid orphaned kidsStudents who lost both their parents to Covid-19 will be able to apply for PM CARES for Children Scheme-2021. Government, grant-in-aid as well as self-finance colleges will have 2 supernumerary seats in each course.​​​​​​​Admission details available inGujarati alsoThe admission committee has uploaded details of the admission process in Gujarati language as well to ease understanding for those who find it difficult to understand English. The committee has also prepared a mobile application-acpdc- with all details related to admissions and colleges for Android phone users. It is expected to go live in a week’s time.

ACPDC’s diploma admissions to start on June 16
  • Diploma admissions: Online registration from June 16

    • Times of India

    Ahmedabad: The online registration for the admission of Class 10 students into the first year of engineering diploma courses will also begin on June 16 and the last date of applying will be July 7. The provisional merit list will be announced on July 12 and the mock round for choice filling will be conducted on July 22 and the final merit list will be announced on the same day. From July 22 to 28 choice filling will be conducted and the college allotment for the first round will be announced on August 1.The Admission Committee for Professional Diploma Courses (ACPDC) announced that students who have been allotted colleges will have to confirm their admissions by paying fees starting from August 1 to 7.The committee will announce the vacant seats on August 10 and the second round of admissions will begin from the same day. The students will be allotted colleges on August 20 for the second round and they will have to confirm their admissions by August 25. On August 29 the committee will announce the seats that remained vacant after completion of the second round.There are 67,000 seats available in the state for engineering diploma courses. Sources said that last year, the committee had conducted admissions on 66,804 seats but at the end of the admission process 25,644 seats had remained vacant.ACPDC expects that this year seats won’t remain vacant as All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has reduced the minimum eligibility marks to 33 from the previous 35 marks. The committee expects that due to this change around 10,000 more students will be eligible for admissions.

Parents of students who returned from Ukraine launch campaign
The Indian Express | 2 weeks ago
The Indian Express
2 weeks ago

Parents of students from Ahmedabad who are enrolled in medical universities in Ukraine and returned home following the Russia-Ukraine war launched a signature campaign Sunday, demanding that their wards be accommodated in medical colleges in the country.Gathered under the Indo-Ukrainian Student Front Gujarat Chapter, the parents asked the state government to decide within a month as the universities are demanding money for the coming semester.Parents from across the state who are participating in the campaign are also seeking public support. “If the government does not come up with a solution in a month, we will have to pay the fee amounting to lakhs for the new semester in July that will serve no purpose. A decision has to be taken soon. If the government fail to do this, we will lose our money and the future of our children will be at stake,” said Naina Parmar, mother of Priyanshu, first year student at Bukovinian State Medical University (BSMU) in Chernivtsi, Ukraine. Parmar, state co-ordinator of Indo-Ukrainian Student Front Gujarat Chapter, told this paper that they had already submitted representations to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Education Minister Jitu Vaghani and Health Minister Rushikesh Patel. “Parents and students are worried over what will happen next,” said another parent Snehal Dave.Dr Rajesh Bhatt from Vadodara whose son is a fourth year student at BSMU said, “Earlier we thought the war will end soon and that we could send our children back but the situation does not look good. Many universities have been destroyed and those remaining cannot operate.”“If the government wants, they can accommodate all students… it is not difficult… As per an estimate, there are around 18,000 such students from first to last year whose future is at stake and there are around 605 medical colleges in the country,” said Naina.The parents added that there are 90,000 seats of which half are private and half government, against which 16 lakh students take the NEET exam. Even for these seats 60 per cent are reserved. “How can a child dream of gettingmedical education in this country,” parents questioned.As per estimates, there are around 1,100-1,200 medical students who returned to Gujarat from Ukraine, of which around 500 students are from Ahmedabad and a similar number in Surat while around 150 students are from Vadodara.

Parents of students who returned from Ukraine launch campaign
Gujarat govt to issue 50 lakh booklets on Gita for school kids
Times of India | 2 weeks ago
Times of India
2 weeks ago

GANDHINAGAR: Having announced that it will start teaching the Bhagwad Gita in government schools from the academic session which began from Monday, the Gujarat government is in the process of preparing about 50 lakh supplementary booklets on the holy scripture and these will be distributed to students of Classes 6 to 12. While attempts will be made to provide these booklets to all students at the onset of the academic year, a sizable number will get them during the three-day ‘Praveshotsav’ which will be held in the last week of this month. However, the government has remained tight-lipped on how students will be evaluated on their knowledge of the Gita. While the supplementary booklets will be provided free of cost to government schools, students of private schools will have to purchase them if private schools choose to introduce them in their curriculum. Sources said that the reference materials will vary depending on the class. “The reference materials for Classes 6 to 9 will contain quotes of famous personalities such as Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore and even some foreign authors about the Bhagwad Gita,” a source said. Students of higher classes will study the teachings of the Gita in detail. “The major thoughts expressed in the 18 chapters of the Gita will be taught in the higher classes,” the source said. Teachers of government schools will undergo orientation sessions on the topic. Earlier in March this year, the Gujarat government had announced in the assembly session that the Gita will be taught to students from Classes 6 to 12 beginning June 2022. “People of all faiths have accepted the moral values and principles outlined in the ancient Hindu scripture,” Vaghani had told mediapersons in Gandhinagar, explaining the rationale behind the decision to introduce the Gita in education. “The scripture will be introduced in the ‘Sarvangi Shikshan’ (holistic education) textbook for students of Classes 6 to 8,” he had said. “It will be introduced in the form of storytelling in textbooks of the first language for Classes 9 to 12.”

Gujarat govt to issue 50 lakh booklets on Gita for school kids
Marksheet distribution today
Times of India | 2 weeks ago
Times of India
2 weeks ago

Ahmedabad: Schools will distribute marksheets of Class 12 general stream exam results on June 13. A Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) circular to district education officers dated June 10 states that the board representatives will distribute marksheets to various selected schools in every district on June 12 and the schools will collect the marksheets from there and distribute them to its students on Monday between 10am to 4pm.

Marksheet distribution today
Schools can’t patronize shops: Vaghani
Times of India | 2 weeks ago
Times of India
2 weeks ago

Ahmedabad: Gujarat education minister Jitu Vaghani has said that private schools cannot force students and their parents to buy school uniforms and stationery from a particular shop. In a statement issued on Saturday, Vaghani said if the government finds such cases, strict action will be taken against the school management. The government will penalize schools that force students to buy products from any particular shop. For the first offence, the school will have to pay a Rs 10,000 penalty and Rs 25,000 per offence after that. “If a school does this more than five times, the government will revoke its recognition,” the statement from Vaghani said. The education department also directed district education officers to ensure that schools comply with this notification. tnn

Schools can’t patronize shops: Vaghani
State schools cautious as new session begins
Ahmedabad Mirror | 2 weeks ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
2 weeks ago

After a gap of two years, students are set to make a comeback in schools to start the new academic year in the offline mode of education with GSHSEB schools reopening on Monday.With no fresh Covid SoP issued by the education department, city schools are not only making their own rules to ensure students safety, a majority of them have no plan to relax safety norms in the new academic year.School managements are not only going to make wearing masks and use of sanitiser mandatory, they are also preparing to keep a check on students’ health and possible Covid symptoms on the campus.Bipin Panchal, in-charge principal of Diwan Ballubhai primary school in Kankaria said taking utmost precaution in absence of any government issued SoP is their priority. “We are going to follow the SoP issued earlier by the health and education department. With 100% attendance in schools and with Covid cases rising in state, not only are masks and sanitisers going to be mandatory, discipline will also be maintained to ensure social distance. This means, no crowding during recess hours, and eating in open space in arranged seating will be allowed,” he said talking about the school’s preparation.Campus director of Sheth CN Vidyalaya, however, said that maintaining social distance with 100% school kids on campus may not be possible. “We have a huge campus and different buildings for different sections. Classes also run in separate shifts. However, maintaining students’ safety is our priority and masks and sanitiser are going to be a permanent thing until the rules are revoked. The seating arrangement, lunch break are going to go back to the pre-Covid times.”Dhaval Pathak, principal of Vijaynagar Secondary school, said the school management will welcome students in a traditional way but their safety is a priority.“There will be restrictions about meeting in groups on campus, removing masks and using facilities in large groups. However, with just students of Classes 9,10 and 12 on campus, we won’t face much of a difficulty as not only these kids are vaccinated, they are mature enough to understand the risk involved in not following norms at a time when cases are rising,” he said.With normal education resuming after a gap of two years and teachers keen to focus majorly on learning recoveries post pandemic, it is time to go back to classrooms, improve the learning curve but with adequate safety measures.

State schools cautious as new session begins
Three prominent persons join AAP in Gujarat
Ahmedabad Mirror | 3 weeks ago
Ahmedabad Mirror
3 weeks ago

Three prominent figures of Gujarat joined Aam Aadmi Party here on Saturday in presence of state party president Gopal Italia.Those who joined included Yuvraj Bhagirath Singh Vaghela of Utelia, Lata Ben Bhatia and educationist Himanshu Thakkar. Welcoming them into the party, Gopal Italia said, “I am happy to say that when the country became independent, hundreds of kings and princes left their thrones to build India, playing an important role in the nation building. Today, one such royal family’s Yuvraj is joining the Aam Aadmi Party. I welcome him on behalf of the entire AAP family.”He continued, “Along with him, Lata Ben Bhatia, the National Mahila Morcha Secretary of the All India Congress Committee, has also joined the AAP. I welcome her.”“Himanshu Thakkar, a renowned educationist and former head of Lohana Mahajan Seva Samaj and career guide, has also joined the AAP. I warmly welcome Himanshu Bhai,” he added.After joining AAP, Bhagirath Singh Vaghela said, “Why even the basic necessities are not there in Gujarat? If Arvind Kejriwal can provide good health and education in Delhi then why not here. People migrate from villages to cities to get good education, health and employment. I am joining the AAP with the dream that villages will be so developed that people living there should get all the basic facilities in their locality.”Educationalist Himanshu Thakkar said, “I did a diploma from the renowned Narsee Monjee Institute in Mumbai and did MCA from Nirma University, a private university in Ahmedabad. For a long time I have been associated with people’s issues related to education. People have been asking me to get into politics. I saw that the AAP gives people a chance to work according to their ability. I hope that together we will change Gujarat and keep democracy alive.”Lata Ben Bhatia said that she is very proud to join the Aam Aadmi Party as it is the only party that sincerely serves the people. “I myself have been a teacher. I know from my experience that the condition of education in Gujarat is very bad. It has been my practical experience that 10th class students of government schools do not even know how to write their names correctly. Therefore, the AAP is necessary to bring about a change in Gujarat,” she said.”I am Sindhi but so far there is no party which has discussed the issues of Sindhi society. There are many unresolved issues. But I think by staying here I can do justice to all of them. Apart from this, the issues of traders and businessmen and the issues of GST, all these can be solved by the Aam Aadmi Party,” she added.

Three prominent persons join AAP in Gujarat

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