Pitching for Separate CET

Mohammed Younus/ Hyderabad: After announcing separate schedule for Intermediate public examinations in Telangana, the State government is now pitching for separate EAMCET (common entrance test for admissions into engineering and medicine courses) for the State. Sources in the Telangana State Council for Higher Education (TSCHE) revealed that a decision on this issue would be taken in a day or two after holding discussions with Education Minister G Jagadishwar Reddy.

Telangana government’s argument for separate EAMCET is that if it is conducted in common, most of the top ranks would be taken away by the AP students as they have better educational infrastructure and good number of EAMCET coaching institutions. Moreover, the Telangana students are not competitive as AP students due to lack of best faculty, educational infrastructure and due to their rural back ground. In this case, the morale of the TS students would be dampened further besides not getting the ranks, the TS educationists argued.

The TS Education Minister and educationists have been advocating for the separate EAMCET or at least separate ranking so that the competition would be confined to TS only. In fact the state government was contemplating on conducting separate test ever since the state was divided. TSCHE chairman T Papi Reddy said that a decision on this issue would be announced after discussing the modalities with education minister along with experts. He said that their decision to conduct separate test was justified on many grounds. While the talks between AP and TS education ministers are inconclusive, both the governments announced their time table schedule for intermediate public examination a day ago.

However, AP is insisting on a common test as it was included in the 10th schedule of Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act 2013. After several meetings at secretary level both the state governments announced their own time table for conducting the intermediate public examinations. Educationist P Madhusudan Reddy said that according to the Section 94 of the AP Reorganization Act, the common admission system should remain same in which students from AP could also get admission into TS institutions under 15 per cent non-local quota. If the TS government decides to conduct the EAMCET separately, it would not harm the spirit of the reorganization act. In case of students from AP wanted to take admission in the institutions of TS they have to appear for TS’s EAMCET apart from their own test.

Educating Illegally !

Mohammed Younus / Hyderabad : Dozens of private schools, which were closed down for not having necessary documents fulfilling the criteria, are still functioning in the city limits with the blessings of corrupt officials. Officials responsible for scrutinizing the validity of private schools in the city are not taking it seriously and are refusing to take action against the erring school managements that are still cheating parents and students despite not having valid documentation. 

Thousands of students in the city are forced to continue their studies in such schools which may or may not continue in the next academic year, as their recognition is not temporary. These private schools were closed down by District Collector Mukesh Kumar Meena for functioning illegally in July. The managements of these schools were later given three months grace period to show relevant documents and imposed heavy penalty on them. Moreover, these school managements are not implementing the RTE Act recommendations for a long time. 

After serving notices and closing down several schools in city limits, the Collector ordered these school managements to procure all the required documents within three months or face de-recognition. Even after the completion of the deadline a month ago, these schools are still functioning without any document, as the DEO, Hyderabad, himself seems not keen to take action against these managements. Around 74 school managements were asked to show documents within three months. These schools were later given Permission to Open Schools and sanctioned Extension of Temporary Registration for three months. 

DEO Hyderabad M Somi Reddy said on Friday that the whole episode of closure and re-opening such schools had happened when he was not the in-charge of Hyderabad district. He said that now it is the middle of the academic year and they cannot de-recognize them due to various limitations. He said, “As the school managements could not afford to procure the required documents in three months, any authoritarian action against them would be taken up only in the next academic year.” 

It is to be noted that ETR is given for the period of 3 months to five years and every private school need to possess this for functioning. On the other hand PTO certificate is another document needed for every school. Despite the serious tone of the collector against the defaulting private school managements, the schools are still functioning risking the future of the students.

Shaky institutions
-Around 74 private schools were shut down by the district 
Collector for defaulting in July 
-School managements asked for some time to show the required documents
-Collector granted 3 months grace period to the schools
-Deadline ended in the month of October
-Only few schools presented the necessary documents most of them did not care
-No action has been taken
-DEO denies any action citing that students are in the midst of an academic year
-These schools could be possibly closed by next academic year

Free to Express

Metro News / Hyderabad : Terming the notion of Muslim vote bank as a myth, Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said that it has been busted during the recent general elections. He said that it had been a myth since Independence and political parties had used it to exploit Muslims across the country. He said, “There has not been a Muslim vote bank, rather a majority vote bank in the country from the first elections in the year 1956.”

Muslim vote bank has been a myth since Independence and political parties have used it to exploit Muslims across the country. There has not been a Muslim vote bank, rather a majority vote bank in the country from the first elections in the year 1956

Speaking to media about the political developments on Tuesday, he explained that Muslims of India never looked up to Muslim icons, but always chose to follow leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Ram Manohar Lohia, Jay Prakash Narayan, Lalu Prasad Yadav among other secular leaders. Expressing his concern over the decrease in Muslim representation in Parliament, he said that it could not be attributed to the defeat of the Muslim vote bank. He, however, said that until and unless the percentage of Muslim representation proportionate to the population was not done, the Muslim minority would not get justice. 

He stressed on the need for increase in political representation of Muslim community in the elected bodies across the country. The MIM chief criticised a section of media for targeting the party on its entry into Maharashtra politics. “Some people are unhappy with the MIM winning two Assembly seats in Maharashtra. When I am participating in the democratic process no one has the right to call me anti-national.” “When I am participating in the democratic process no one has the right to call me anti national,” he said and added that defamation notices have been sent to the political leaders of Maharashtra who made such statements against him.

Stating that the slogan of ‘Jai Bheem, Jai Meem’ would have a long-term impact, he said that the MIM would hard to unite Dalits and Muslims to ensure the political empowerment of both the communities. Clarifying on the representation in legislative institutions he said that representation of Dalits and Muslims should be of their own not of the other parties like in Uttar Pradesh where despite about 60 Muslim MLAs from Samajwadi Party, riots took place in Muzaffarnagar and they failed to stop such incidents. Asaduddin Owaisi said that though Prime Minister speaks soft, his party BJP has allegedly raked up communal tensions across the country in the name of Love Jihad. 

He questioned the sanctity of appointments made by the central government at important posts referring to the recent appointment of Prasar Bharti Director Surya Prakash, who does not fulfill the criteria of Prasar Bharti charter. Replying to a query he reiterated that his party was against the Haj subsidy and instead asked the Centre to release the subsidy amount for education and employment of Muslim youth in India. About Telangana government schemes and budget for minorities, he said that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao would review all the schemes every quarter and ensure that the funds are released properly.

He said that MIM has suggested to the government and Metro Rail authorities to take a different route in Old City, but did not oppose the project. He said it would be ideal if the Metro Rail is taken from Bahadurpura and Kalapather to Falaknuma. Asked how the AIMIM planned to expand in other States, Owaisi said he does not dream of becoming a national leader. “I am a street leader and I am happy with that. With my party’s participation (in other States), more confidence will be created in Muslim youth in Parliamentary democracy. 

I just want to tell the Muslim youth, who are worried about communalism, about the growth of BJP, not getting their right, to come to the political process and support your party. I am not saying I would support only Muslims. Dalit and backward classes brethren are there with us. We would like to work by taking along everyone. Parties have lost their credibility. At the end of the day, it is for people to decide,” Owaisi said. He announced that his party would contest Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Karnataka. However, the party is yet to decide on its participation in Delhi and Jharkhand Assembly elections. 

When asked about the GHMC elections, he said it was too early to comment on the same as the corporation was still under the process of undertaking delimitation of divisions. He condemned the TDP for using its official social networking page to tarnish the image of TRS government and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. He said that government should have approached the court against these tactics on social media.

Fund Crunch

Mohammed Younus / Hyderabad : Formation of Telangana State seems to have done no good for the universities of the state as the fund crunch is haunting like ghost from the past, thanks to the lackadaisical approach of the government. The situation of State universities does not seem to have changed much in the new State as the funds allocated for these higher learning centres remain the same as they were when both the States – Andhra Pradesh and Telangana – were one.

Situation of universities does not seem to have changed much in the new State as the funds allocated for these higher learning centres remain the same as they were when both the States – Andhra Pradesh and Telangana – were one.

The statistics of the fund allocations during last three years reveal that the universities were never provided with sufficient funds every year in Telangana region. The condition of varsities in the State is quite damaging as the difference between the required and allocated funds by the government was huge.Staff associated with the universities alleges that these higher learning centres were neglected during the consecutive combined AP governments in the previous and the present government also doing the same.

State universities have been denied sufficient block grants needed for the payment of salaries and pensions of the teaching and non-teaching employees. The continuous fund crisis for several years was allegedly hampering the research and academic activities in the universities. Telangana State Federation of University Teachers Association (TS FUTA) chairman B Satyanarayan said that due to the deficit in funds, the university authorities have been unable to pay the salaries and pensions. He said that in some instances varsity authorities diverted the funds, meant for research activities, granted by University Grants Commission (UGC), to salaries.

He said that if this situation continues, the whole system of higher education, which is already in a dilapidated condition, shall become worser. He said that the OU authorities recently diverted the UGC funds to pay the salaries of September and October 2014. He said that the total monthly expenditure of the OU is Rs 27 crore and government was releasing only Rs 14 crore. The amount needed to pay salaries itself makes up to the Rs 24 crore per month. The monthly expenditure varies from university to university. 

Other than block grants given by the State government, varsities get funds from UGC, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR). Funds from such institutions are used only for the research purposes and payments of fellowships. The fund allocation graph for the universities in Andhra Pradesh stood in ascending order over a period of time. The grants for universities situated in the AP region were increased periodically by the consecutive governments unlike TS varsities.

Unrecognized threat !

Mohammed Younus /Hyderabad: Unrecognized private schools are playing with the lives of the students even after the education department officials have closed several such schools. A recent closure of a private school stands as a fine example to this and also reflects the apathy of the government about this menace. Saint Francis Convent High School of Rasool Pura was closed down and the future of the students is hanging in balance as the other school to which they were shifted too did not have recognition. The school was closed by the authorities after serving notices several times and all the students of the school were shifted to another private school in the same locality. A criminal case was booked against the closed school management. However, the future of students studying SSC hangs fire as no decision has been taken regarding their appearance in the public examination in this academic year.

A social activist M Mallesham alleged that the authorities were aware of the fact that several schools were running without recognition but no action has been taken against them risking the future of hundreds of students. He said that even the school to which the students were shifted from the closed one, does not have the recognition and runs in a building which faces a demolition threat from the GHMC. Mallesham further alleged that the management of the Saint Francis School submitted 12 bogus certificates for the initial permission and got it. However, the recognition was denied as the certificates found to be bogus in the later period. He said that around 41 students could not appear for the SSC exams from the closed school nor from the one to which they were shifted facing the danger of losing academic year.

District Education Officer Hyderabad M Somi Reddy said that the school was closed as the management was not complying with the norms and had not applied for recognition despite several reminders. As many as 600 students from 1 to 10th were studying in the Saint Francis School and the management was in controversy for over five years. Earlier management was able to secure a Court stay on closure. About 770 schools were served with notices for flouting norms of the RTE and school education policy.

Thousands Await Recruitment

Mohammed Younus / Hyderabad : Thousands of highly qualified candidates are eagerly awaiting possible government orders for notification of recruitment in various sectors as part of the poll promise made by the TRS government. Several Post Graduates, PhD scholars and qualified students are now looking for their respective notifications. Several enthusiasts said that notifications of recruitment were yet to be released to fill vacant posts in the department of school education and higher education, polytechnic colleges, including gazetted and non-gazetted positions.

Students who have completed their BEd and also cleared TET are in large numbers and vacancies in teaching posts are also in thousands

According to State government’s statistics, there were around 65,000 vacancies in various sectors including Group’s positions. There are 8,000 vacant positions for constables and 4,000 vacancies for SIs. The police department has recently announced a notification for recruitment of 5,000 Home Guards. They are expecting a notification from the newly formed Telangana State Public Service Commission. A senior research fellow at OU Psychology department G E Sukumar said that several of their scholars were waiting for the PSC Group 2 notification ever since the State was divided.

He said that every juvenile centre, rehabilitation centre and college needs a psychologist to look after the changing attitudes of students and counsel them. Apart from this, there are several positions vacant for psychologists at the university level. Students who have completed their BEd and also cleared TET are in large numbers and vacancies in teaching posts are also in thousands. Statistics revealed that around 20,000 teachers posts (TGT & PGT) are vacant in the State. The government released the notification for TET that is scheduled to be conducted next year.

Parimal Srinivas, a PG of B Ed said, “We hope that the recruitment woes are resolved soon as the State government promised to eradicate unemployment as part of Bangaru Telangana. Most of the highly qualified students were doing pretty jobs because of the apathy of the previous governments.” A top official in the School Education department said that notification for the recruitment of teachers could have been released, but for a proposal to rationalize the services of teachers.

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Result of Disparity

Mohammed Younus / Hyderabad : Reforms in examination pattern introduced by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) are being blamed for the bleak performance of candidates from both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana States. Especially, the comprehensive aptitude test that was introduced in the preliminary examination was alleged to be flawed as the number of qualifying candidates were restricted to only 535. Educationists lamented that the number of qualified students in preliminary examinations had come down drastically due to the new pattern of examination. 

The number of students qualifying in the preliminary examination has been declining ever since the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) was introduced in 2011. The descriptive model has been replaced with the aptitude test, designed with complete mathematical orientation, thus favouring only students of Mathematics

On the other hand, students reiterated that they had expressed their dissent much before the conduct of examination itself. Out of 29,500 candidates, who appeared from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, only 535 could clear the preliminary examination. In the previous year, the number of students who qualified for the preliminary examination was around 1,230. However, the number of students qualifying in the preliminary examination has been declining ever since the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) was introduced in 2011. The descriptive model has been replaced with the aptitude test, designed with complete mathematical orientation, thus only favouring students of Mathematics.

At the same time the question paper is given in English and Hindi, neglecting all the regional languages. Students allege that Hindi medium students would always have an edge and can refer to Hindi questions if they don’t understand English, whereas Telugu medium students would be left with no such option. Ajay Kumar who attempted the preliminary examination but failed to make it said that the language used in the question paper was tough. He alleged that the reforms were introduced to deliberately exclude South Indian students. Noted social activist and educationist L Panduranga Reddy alleged that the examination pattern was totally against the spirit of the Constitution. 

According to Article 16 (Right to Equal Opportunities) and Article 345 (Equal Treatment to all Languages) instructs to treat its citizens equally, he said. He alleged that the UPSC board was raking up regional disparities by introducing the aptitude test in the preliminary examinations and demanded its immediate repeal. Reddy demanded that at least UPSC should give the question paper of Mains examination in all the regional languages along with English and Hindi or only in English for all.

He suggested that if UPSC wanted to put the aptitude test, it should be introduced after the written examination like it was done in the case of defence organisation examinations. Reddy said he would approach High Court against UPSC for this exclusive paper pattern. Several other educationists questioned UPSC’s logic behind not giving the paper in in other regional languages apart from English and Hindi. The main examination is scheduled to be held in December 2014 and IAS trainers have demanded UPSC to give the question paper in all the regional languages.