No discrimination in Universities

Hyderabad: University Grants Commission (UGC) made it clear to all the universities in the country that they should not bar any foreign academician on the grounds of race or colour. The circular issued by the apex educational grants body reached the universities of the State. UGC was prompted to issue the circular in the wake of controversy surrounding Bharatiar University of Tamil Nadu a few months ago. 

University officials barred African academicians from being a part of doctorial committee in the university. The fiat stated that African professors should not be appointed as examiners for PhD scholars. This circular was criticised by educationists and professors from across the nation. The Doctorial Committee (DC) comprises a guide, internal DC member, and external DC member. External committee members also examine the theses and research reports of students. But after the Bharatiar University’s racial episode, Indian Universities drew flak from across the globe and have been accused of racial discrimination. 

After taking note of the entire episode, the UGC asked all universities and institutes across the country to delete all such clauses from their regulations that suggest racial or other discrimination. Bharathiar university regulations had a clause avoiding examiners from African countries from examining theses. According to UGC, this kind of clause is against the country's foreign policy. The university said, “For all PhD theses (except Tamil), the panel of examiners should consist of four foreign examiners, preferably from the scientifically advanced countries, avoiding African countries (exception South Africa).”

A research scholar in economics Shaik Wasiullah from B S Abdur Rahman University said that having one external examiner is mandatory as per rules and sometimes they were called from universities of other states or other countries. He said that stopping examiners from African countries was definitely a case of racial discrimination.

Now separate Entrances..

Mohammed Younus/ Hyderabad: After strongly advocating for separate intermediate examination and constituting the separate Board of Intermediate, the Telangana government is moving ahead to hold Common Entrance Tests(CET) including EAMCET on its own. The State government is of the opinion that the CETs should be conducted separately for both the States as per the provision in the 10th schedule of the AP Reorganization Act 2014. The CETs that could be conducted separately are ICET, PGECET, LAWCET, EDCET, ECET, PECET and EAMCET as well. 

Different universities from across the undivided AP have been conducting different CETs for a long time. Some universities are located in Telangana and few are in AP, facilitating the common admissions of the students with 15 open quota for the non-local or general category students. Earlier, the government has envisaged the separate EAMCET and the modalities were under discussion. Now other common examinations have been included in the separation list.

TSCHE vice chairman S Mallesh said that a meeting of council members and other subject experts across the State on the issue was due to be held in next week. He said that the meeting would prepare the modalities for these CETs in the light of Reorganization Act. He said, “Provisions in the 10th schedule allow the TS government for conducting the CETs separately and it would never harm the spirit of the act.”
As far as the common admissions are concerned, the TS universities would surely allocate 15 per cent quota for the general category students, as mentioned in the section 95 of the 10th schedule. 

However the students of AP need to appear in the tests conducted by TS government if they wanted to take admission in the State. On the other hand, the weightage issue in the EAMCET ranking would be resolved by taking into consideration the marks given by the respective examination boards. State council was planning to implement the Percentile system to decide the ranking of EAMCET to avoid confusion among the students.

ICET has been conducted by Kakatiya University (KU), PGECET by Osmania University (OU), LawCET by Sri Venkateshwara University (SVU), EDCET by Andhra University (AU), ECET by Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada (JNTUK) and PECET by the Acharya Nagarjuna University (ANU) in the past. If the State government has its way, it would divide these entrance examinations among other universities of Telangana lessening the burden of OU and KU. Now the Palamuru University, Telangana University, Mahatma Gandhi University and Shatavahana University would take the burden of other CETs.

Entrances under consideration are:
- ICET - Held for admissions into MBA, MCA programs
- ECET- Held for admissions into engineering courses
- PGECET- for admissions into PG engineering courses
- PECET- for admissions into physical health courses
- EDCET- for admissions into teacher education courses
- EAMCET- for medicine, agriculture and engineering
- Law CET-for admission into Law courses

Inefficient Teachers

Mohammed Younus / Hyderabad : Most of the private schools in the State are functioning with inefficient teachers and about 70 per cent of them cannot answer the questions from the syllabus, they teach. These teachers were neither properly educated nor suitably trained, a government survey revealed. The survey was conducted with the help of officials from the State institutions like SCERT, DIET and School Education department. 

Teaching in Tumbling

• -Only 30 per cent are trained
• -About 80 per cent teachers don’t have syllabus/lesson plan
• -Only 30 per cent can actually understand the subjects they teach
• -Almost 90 per cent teachers needed to be trained about the syllabus and new pattern

The revelations of the survey would possibly change the mindset of parents whose children are studying in private schools. Surprisingly only 15 per cent teachers working in the private schools were found to be trained though 70 per cent among them were being graduates or post graduates. It was also revealed that several schools recruited Engineering graduates for teaching Mathematics, who don’t have any teaching experience and don’t know how to be with children.

The survey was conducted across the State to assess the efficiency of education, learning levels of students and infrastructure in private schools and the report was submitted to the State government for further action. It was revealed that around 70 per cent teachers do not have any idea about what was in the syllabus they were teaching to the students and only 30 per cent teachers could answer the questions based on the syllabus. The survey was conducted in ten districts in 442 private schools including 367 English medium, 73 Telugu medium and 2 Urdu medium. 

During the survey 10,291 teachers were questioned basing on syllabus, subject and RTE. It was found that out of around 10,000 only 3,384 were qualified in Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) and other teacher training courses. About 80 per cent of the teachers don’t read the syllabus books and found teaching without any lesson plan and syllabus plan to the students. It was revealed that only 24 per cent private schools were imparting education through the syllabus prescribed by the State government.

10

Arts College Turns 75

Mohammed Younus / Hyderabad : The architectural marvel represented by the Osmania University Arts College building -- designed by Belgian architect Monsieur Jasper – is still standing tall completing 75 years of glory. Considered the ‘Fort of Knowledge’ by many admirers, the Arts College started functioning on December 4, 1939, after the completion of its construction, which took nearly five years. 

Considered the ‘Fort of Knowledge’ by many admirers, the Arts College started functioning on Dec 4, 1939, after the completion of its construction, which took nearly five years. 

Archaeologist B Chenna Reddy says the Arts College is undoubtedly the symbol and face of Osmania University. He says, “While OU has been imparting education in various streams for a very long time the Arts College has been giving lessons of beauty of mind and integrity through its integrated structure.” The building was constructed by the seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan with an intention to provide higher education to students at par with global standards. It is one of the major heritage structures in Hyderabad. 

A team of experts travelled around the world to find the right design and the right person who could design this historic masterpiece. The building in pinkish granite stone represents a harmonious blend of pillars and lintel style of Ajanta and Ellora. It was earlier started with only few departments and several other departments were added over a period of time. Starting with the building of the Arts College, the university has received several honours and awards. It has won the Institution of Potential Excellence award, besides bagging the ‘A’ grade of the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) and several other research centres. 

The building is listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO and the diamond jubilee of the college building was celebrated in December 1999. Archaeology expert Abdul Qayyum says that the structure of the building itself imparts knowledge of integrity and unity to students, teachers, governments and all those who come to see it. He says that Arts College is the best symbol of unity among different communities and cultures. He adds, “The first floor of the building represents the Indian Architecture (Ellora like Pillars), the second floor represents the Islamic architecture and the entrance represents the Gothic architecture.” 

Qayyum further says that Mir Osman Ali Khan had built a fort like structure for the benefit of common people encompassing the shadows of all cultures of India. Youngsters shaped by the college over the years have turned out to be equally outstanding in their chosen spheres and the majestic building never fails to evoke nostalgia among the people who had passed through this portal of knowledge. Though the university has come a long way to reach this stage, several students are wary of the lack of research activity in the varsity. They also mourn the neglect for the subjects of Arts by university authorities.

Evading Inspection !

Mohammed Younus / Hyderabad : Several engineering colleges, found with poor infrastructure by the task force, have closed their doors to the inspection of Jawaharlal Nehru Technical University officials, with a fear of losing opportunity of admitting the students. This created apprehensions among the students who were pursuing their academic activities in them as the managements closed the campuses. Students who are keen on using the second phase of admissions are also apprehensive of this move.

-Around 170 such colleges with poor infrastructure and academic amenities were not allowed to participate in the first phase of EAMCET counseling and these managements had to knock the doors of High Court and Supreme Court for getting permission to participate in counseling
-The fresh round of inspection commenced on November 26 and it is being carried out n the private engineering colleges, listed under ‘Poor Performers’ category 

The fresh round of inspection commenced on November 26 and it is being carried out in the private engineering colleges, listed under ‘Poor Performers’ category for not having proper infrastructure. According to the JNTUH officials, the inspections were being conducted as per the orders of Supreme Court and a report would be prepared very soon. The University officials informed that several colleges kept their campuses closed during the inspection period and inspection teams could not enter them. Academic audit cell officials from the University informed that after this inspection, a comprehensive report would be prepared and submitted to the Supreme Court.

Around 170 such colleges with poor infrastructure and academic amenities were not allowed to participate in the first phase of EAMCET counseling and these managements had to knock the doors High Court and Supreme Court for getting permission to participate in counseling. The first phase was already done by the time they got the permission and de listed colleges were deprived of admissions. Again the managements had to approach apex court for conducting second phase of counseling. Supreme Court in the past had asked the JNTUH to submit a report on the infrastructure of these colleges and compliance with AICTE norms and also advised the students to be careful while selecting them.

It also told to the students that their admission into such colleges would be provisional until the report of inspection is submitted to the apex court. On the other hand, the Telangana Engineering and Professional College Managements Association chairman N Gautham Rao said that managements were not feared about inspection. He said that students need not worry about their future in these colleges as there are hopes that JNTUH and AICTE would give some more time to resurrect their shortcomings. The inspection would go on for one more week and a report would be prepared.

9

Escalated Episode of Exams

Metro News / Hyderabad : The stalemate over the conduct of Intermediate Public Examination (IPE) continues as both the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments are adamant over the respective stands. Even the intervention of Governor ESL Narasimhan could not break the ice and it seems the ball is now in the Central government’s court. At one hand, the Andhra Pradesh State government is of the opinion that it has the right to hold the examination common for students of both the States as the Board of Intermediate (BIE) is listed under 9th schedule.

On the other hand, seeking separate exams the Telangana government said that it would protect the spirit of Reorganization Act as spoken about common admissions and not common examination. Unable to come to any conclusion, the AP government complained to the Governor who summoned Telangana government and advised both the governments to solve the issue keeping in view the interests of students. But both the governments failed to reach to any amicable solution keeping the students in confusion. Telangana Education Minister G Jagadish Reddy said, “We will not change our stand of conducting separate examination for our students even if the Governor complains to the Centre.”

He said that the government’s stand was in compliance with the Reorganisation Act and alleged that the AP government was creating unnecessary controversy over it. He said that BIE belongs to Telangana as it was mentioned in the Act and if AP needs any help, the TS government will help them to conduct exams for their students. Both the governments have already released their dates of examination in the month of March but uncertainty looms following the rift between the two governments.

Now that the Governor is in Delhi, intermediate students are expecting solution either way so that at least they can sit in the examination in time as most of the competitive examinations fall in the month of May or June. A senior intermediate student S Kiran Kumar Raju said that if there was a delay in the conduct of examination then students will be at loss, who are preparing for several competitive examinations.

We will not change our stand of conducting separate examination for our students even if the Governor complains to the Centre 

'Blocked' Money !

As much as Rs 53.62 crore is lying unspent for about six years in the account of the Commissioner and Director of School Education which has been accumulated from examination fee and other resources. However, violating the rules, the department has utilised Rs 2.45 crore to meet the departmental expenditure. These facts have come to light in the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report that has been tabled in the Assembly. 

It was found that rules were violated in expending the money collected under the head of examination fee and the amount was used inappropriately without submitting it to the government treasury. CAG during the audit found that convenors, who are responsible for maintenance of proper books of account of receipts and expenditure in respect of each examination, were not complying with the rule book during the examinations conducted from 2008-09 and 2012-13. 

Contrary to the norms, the State government issued orders allowing the Commissioner to meet expenditure on conducting APTET from the revenue earned through the sale of applications and exam fee collected from applicants, instead of remitting the amount into government account. The government did not issue any guidelines for the utilisation of these funds. As per the CAG report, the Commissioner has collected Rs 89.48 crore from applicants towards examination fee of DSC, APTET, DIETCET and LPCET during the year 2008 and 2013 and spent Rs 35.86 crore for conducting these examinations. 

It was also revealed that the School Education Commissioner has retained an amount of Rs 53.62 crore in the department’s account even after the completion of events pertaining to some of the respective examinations. This also included advances of Rs 11.02 crore given to District Education Officers, which was pending adjustment for one to four years reportedly due to lack of pursuance by the commissioner.