UGC allows Online Degrees :-
Universities and institutions will be able to offer certificate, diploma, and degree programmes online from this academic session (2018-2019), after the University Grants Commission (UGC) approved the regulations in a meeting on Thursday.
However, institutions can offer only those courses (approved by any one of the 14 statutory councils) that they have already been offering at graduation level through regular or distance learning modes, with at least one batch of students having already graduated.
The new regulations, however, do not apply for courses that include practical/laboratory classes as part of the curriculum. The examinations (for online courses) shall be conducted in proctored mode (in the presence of an invigilator) and in conformity with any norms for such examinations stipulated by the commission.
Under the UGC (Online Courses) Regulations, 2018 :- A higher education institution will be eligible if
- It has been in existence for five years.
- It is accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with a minimum score of 3.26 on a 4-point scale
- It is in top-100 in overall category in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for at least two years in the previous three years.
With these, the Union human resource development ministry hopes to achieve the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) target of 30% by 2020. GER (25.2% in 2016-17) is the percentage of eligible population of students (aged between 18 and 23) enroled in higher education.
Meanwhile, the commission approved new provisions in the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of MPhil/PhD Degrees) Regulations, 2016.
- To make these regulations advantageous to students of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), the UGC has relaxed the qualifying marks in the entrance examinations for admission into MPhil/PhD programmes — from 50% to 45%.
The commission also granted graded autonomy to nine more deemed universities, including
- Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai
- Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi,
- Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Delhi
- Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru
The graded autonomy will allow these deemed universities the freedom to start
- New courses
- Skill development courses
- Research parks and any other academic programmes.
- Freedom to hire foreign faculty
- Enrol foreign students
- Enter into academic collaborations among others.
HRD Ministry launches Samagra Shiksha Scheme :-
The Ministry of HRD has taken a landmark step and completely overhauled the existing Schemes in School Education to treat schooling as a smooth transition from pre-school, primary, upper primary, secondary and senior secondary level. Therefore, HRD Ministry announced on Thursday the launch of ‘Samagra Shiksha’ programme subsuming three existing schemes:- Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)
- Rashtriya Madhyamik Shikskha Abhiyan (RMSA)
- Teacher Education (TE).
This has been done to treat school education holistically, from pre-school to Class XII.
Bridging gaps :- The programme will focus on
- Quality education and Enhancing learning outcomes of students
- Bridging social and gender gaps in the school education
- Promoting vocalisation of education
HRD Ministry on Samagra Shiksha - Integrated Scheme for School Education :-
- Focusing on empowerment of girls, therefore, the upgradation of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) has been extended from class VI-VIII to class VI-XII.
- CWSN (Children With Special Needs) girls from Class I to XII would be given a stipend of ₹200 per month.
- To focus on the importance of libraries & to ensure that “Padhega Bharat Badhega Bharat”, schools would be given an annual grant of ₹5,000 to ₹20,000 under the initiative.
- Every school will get sports equipment under the SamagraShiksha, at the cost of Rs. 5000 for Primary, Rs. 10,000 for Upper Primary & up to Rs. 25,000 for SSC & HSC schools to inculcate & emphasize relevance of sports to realise the dream of “Khelega India Khilega India”.
- Scheme will focus on strengthening this crucial pillar by making SCERTs and DIETs the nodal agencies for teacher training.
- The Scheme will support ‘Operation Digital Board’ in all secondary schools over a period of 5 years, so as to enhance the use of digital technology through smart classrooms, digital boards and DTH channels. The Digital initiatives like ShaalaKosh, Shagun, ShaalaSaarthi will be strengthened.
India-Nepal joint battalion level Exercise SURYA KIRAN - XIII :-
Joint Military Exercise SURYA KIRAN-XIII between India and Nepal will be conducted at Pithoragarh from 30 May to 12 June 2018. The exercise will comprise of nearly 300 soldiers from both Indian and Nepal Army who would be sharing their experiences gained during conduct of various counter insurgency and counter terrorism operations in the past.Exercise SURYA KIRAN :-
- It is a biannual event which is conducted alternatively in Nepal and India.
- The aim of this exercise is to conduct battalion level joint training with emphasis on counter terrorism operations in mountainous terrain.
- During the exercise, aspects of disaster management and joint effort towards relief work have also been included.
Nari Shakti Puraskar 2017 presented to the INSV Tarini Team :-
Hon’ble Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi presented the prestigious Nari Shakti Puraskar2017 to the members of the INSV Tarini team. The Six-member all-women team comprising of
- Lt Commander Vartika Joshi
- Lt Commander Pratibha Jamwal
- Lt Commander Swathi Patarpalli
- Lt Aishwarya Bodapatti
- Lt SH Vijaya Devi
- Lt Payal Gupta
About INSV Tarini crew :-
- The crew of the Indian Navy Sailing Vessel 'Tarini' is a part of the Indian Navy’s unique project 'Navika Sagar Parikrama', an all-women team circumnavigating the globe,promoting ocean sailing activities in the Navy and depicting Government of India's commitment towards women empowerment.
- The Project aims to demonstrate the thrust of Nari Shakti on the world platform.
- The voyage also showcased the 'Make in India'initiative by sailing on-board the indigenously built INSV Tarini.
15th Finance Commission constitutes High Level Group on Health Sector :-
The 15th Finance Commission has constituted a high level group consisting of eminent experts from across the country in Health Sector.The role and functions of the High Level Group on Health Sector will be :-
- To evaluate the existing regulatory framework in the Health sector and examine its strength and weaknesses for enabling a balanced yet faster expansion of the health sector keeping in view India’s demographic profile.
- To suggest ways and means to optimize the use of existing financial resources and to incentivize the state governments’ effort on fulfillment of well-defined health parameters in India.
- To holistically examine best international practices for the health sector and seek to benchmark our frameworks to these practices for optimizing benefits keeping in mind our local issues.
Ministry of Culture organising Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav 2018 :-
Ministry of Culture is organising the 9th edition of the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav under the Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat, in Tehri, Uttarakhand from 25th May to 27th May, 2018. Tehri Lake Festival where one can explore the water sports, organized by the Uttarakhand Tourism every year, will be subsumed within the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav.About Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav (RSM) :-
- To present rich diversity and uniqueness of Indian culture and to promote the cultural inter-linkages amongst the states to strengthen National integration.
- The Mahotsav was envisioned to preserve, promote and popularise the heritage and cultural diversity of Indian culture and reconnect the new generation with Indian culture. .
- Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav was conceived by the Ministry of Culture in the year 2015, when the Ministry decided to organise it with an intent to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Country in all its rich and varied dimensions, viz Handicrafts, Cuisine, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Documentation and Performing Arts-Folk, Tribal, Classical and Contemporary- all in one place.
Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme :-
It was launched by the Prime Minister on 31st October, 2016 to promote engagement amongst the people of different states/UTs so as to enhance mutual understanding and bonding between people of diverse cultures, thereby securing stronger unity and integrity of India.
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