A churning in the education sector in 2012 has evoked a mixed response, says rakesh kumar
The year gone by will go down in the annals of education as remarkable for its landmark changes proposed, both in the lower as well as higher education. While 2012 ended with the introduction of four-year graduation programme in the Delhi University, drawing groans from students and teachers alike, the year was witness to battle lines drawn between government and IIT administrators over giving weightage to the Board marks in the entrance examination. Nursery school admission norms added its mite to the confusion as authorities kept parents on tenterhooks. Teachers resorted to hunger strike, joined by students, to mark their discontent over the changes.
Winds of change
The biggest change was led by the Delhi University, where the introduction of the semester system last year was followed by a decision to implement a four-year graduation programme. Notwithstanding a constant protest by a section of teachers, the switch-over will be in place from the next academic session. This year, another term came to the fore ~ Meta University. The concept was jointly adopted by Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia. As per this concept, a student can get the experience of studying in both the universities and would be awarded a joint degree.
The Delhi University has also tried to break the conventional concept of teaching only in class rooms as the vice-chancellor of Delhi University advocated education beyond class room. Under this, the university organised two educational train trips for the students, one touching places associated with Mahatma Gandhi in Gujarat, and the other to Jaisalmer.
The biggest change was led by the Delhi University, where the introduction of the semester system last year was followed by a decision to implement a four-year graduation programme. Notwithstanding a constant protest by a section of teachers, the switch-over will be in place from the next academic session. This year, another term came to the fore ~ Meta University. The concept was jointly adopted by Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia. As per this concept, a student can get the experience of studying in both the universities and would be awarded a joint degree.
The Delhi University has also tried to break the conventional concept of teaching only in class rooms as the vice-chancellor of Delhi University advocated education beyond class room. Under this, the university organised two educational train trips for the students, one touching places associated with Mahatma Gandhi in Gujarat, and the other to Jaisalmer.
Entrance conundrum
In a bid to reduce stress on engineering aspirants, former HRD minister Kapil Sibal decided to change the exam pattern of IIT-JEE (Indian Institute of Technology Joint Entrance Examination). Under this, in the year 2013, Class XII Board exam results (50 per cent weightage) would be taken into account along with a two-tier joint entrance examination ~ JEE-Main and JEE-Advanced. The ministry’s initiative appeared to target commercially run tutorial outfits that draw IIT aspirants in droves.
Medical entrance exam also witnessed a major change being proposed this year. In the academic year 2013-14, all the medical entrance exams would be merged into a single exam ~ National Eligibility Entrance Exam. A candidate will be eligible to take admission in MBBS only if he/she scores a minimum 50 per cent in this exam.
“It’s a good move to conduct single medical entrance exam. After its introduction, the form-filling procedure for the medical examination will be easier and also, it will save the money of those candidates who used to apply for the different medical colleges,” said Gajan Yadav, father of medical aspirants.
Tiny tots
No change was noticed in the guidelines for nursery admission this year. It seemed like a rehash of the earlier points system. As per the new guidelines, schools have to reserve 25 per cent seats for economically weaker sections (EWS). For the remaining 75 per cent seats, schools have been given full autonomy as far as framing the admission criteria goes. Each school would be free to decide its own eligibility criteria, provided they conformed to the Right to Education (RTE) Act. “It is good that government has increased the upper age limit for the nursery admission. Earlier it was only three year and created many problems for those parents who missed the admission in the first chance. But this year, they have increased 11 months and 30 days more. It would be helpful for the parents like us,” said Sanjeev Gupta, a Shalimar Bagh-based teacher.
In a bid to reduce stress on engineering aspirants, former HRD minister Kapil Sibal decided to change the exam pattern of IIT-JEE (Indian Institute of Technology Joint Entrance Examination). Under this, in the year 2013, Class XII Board exam results (50 per cent weightage) would be taken into account along with a two-tier joint entrance examination ~ JEE-Main and JEE-Advanced. The ministry’s initiative appeared to target commercially run tutorial outfits that draw IIT aspirants in droves.
Medical entrance exam also witnessed a major change being proposed this year. In the academic year 2013-14, all the medical entrance exams would be merged into a single exam ~ National Eligibility Entrance Exam. A candidate will be eligible to take admission in MBBS only if he/she scores a minimum 50 per cent in this exam.
“It’s a good move to conduct single medical entrance exam. After its introduction, the form-filling procedure for the medical examination will be easier and also, it will save the money of those candidates who used to apply for the different medical colleges,” said Gajan Yadav, father of medical aspirants.
Tiny tots
No change was noticed in the guidelines for nursery admission this year. It seemed like a rehash of the earlier points system. As per the new guidelines, schools have to reserve 25 per cent seats for economically weaker sections (EWS). For the remaining 75 per cent seats, schools have been given full autonomy as far as framing the admission criteria goes. Each school would be free to decide its own eligibility criteria, provided they conformed to the Right to Education (RTE) Act. “It is good that government has increased the upper age limit for the nursery admission. Earlier it was only three year and created many problems for those parents who missed the admission in the first chance. But this year, they have increased 11 months and 30 days more. It would be helpful for the parents like us,” said Sanjeev Gupta, a Shalimar Bagh-based teacher.
Discontent over change
The changes introduced were, however, not warmly welcomed by the all sections of people. Many were against the changes citing that it would ruin the current education system. Following the change in the entrance exam, there was a month-long deadlock between the HRD ministry and the IITs over the proposed common entrance test (CET) for admission to centrally-funded engineering institutes that only came to an end with IITs and HRD agreeing to a compromise formula. At one point of time IIT-Kanpur and IIT-Delhi senates declared that they would conduct a separate entrance exam, if the proposed exam system was brought into effect. The same went for the Delhi University, when it opted for the Meta University concept. A group of teachers in the university was constantly opposing the move for the Meta University concept as well as four year graduation programme. To protest against the decision, Delhi University Teachers’ Association opted for a two-month-long hunger strike also. “The new four year degree programme will ruin our current education system. Because, the changes that have been proposed with the programme seems less students friendly,” said Amar Deo Sharma, president of DUTA.
“The initial phase of change has always been unacceptable. In that phase, due to the change we have to face problems. But it doesn’t mean that we should not go for the change because once we get used to it, everything gets fine,” said Dr Satish Kumar, a University official.
The changes introduced were, however, not warmly welcomed by the all sections of people. Many were against the changes citing that it would ruin the current education system. Following the change in the entrance exam, there was a month-long deadlock between the HRD ministry and the IITs over the proposed common entrance test (CET) for admission to centrally-funded engineering institutes that only came to an end with IITs and HRD agreeing to a compromise formula. At one point of time IIT-Kanpur and IIT-Delhi senates declared that they would conduct a separate entrance exam, if the proposed exam system was brought into effect. The same went for the Delhi University, when it opted for the Meta University concept. A group of teachers in the university was constantly opposing the move for the Meta University concept as well as four year graduation programme. To protest against the decision, Delhi University Teachers’ Association opted for a two-month-long hunger strike also. “The new four year degree programme will ruin our current education system. Because, the changes that have been proposed with the programme seems less students friendly,” said Amar Deo Sharma, president of DUTA.
“The initial phase of change has always been unacceptable. In that phase, due to the change we have to face problems. But it doesn’t mean that we should not go for the change because once we get used to it, everything gets fine,” said Dr Satish Kumar, a University official.
