CAT May Soon Go Global

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If things go according to plan, the CAT entrance examination may soon be held globally on the lines of GRE or GMAT.

IIM-Lucknow director Devi Singh said the prospect is being looked into as lot of queries from countries like Sri Lanka and some East Asian nations have come in.

"Some B-schools in France have already started accepting CAT scores," he told reporters.

Singh said the test could be held on the lines of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) with provisions that students can take the exam during any time of the year. GRE and GMAT scores are accepted by b-schools across the globe.

Upbeat over the successful completion of CAT this year under the online format, he said, "CAT could also be made an independent body to hold the exam, which is a largest of its kind in the world.

"We are seriously looking at it (making CAT a separate body) and a committee is also looking at it."

He said the independent body could relieve IIM professors of the whole process of the test.

As many as 2,04,267 candidates had registered for the test this year, held under the aegis of IIM Lucknow and Prometric India.

Faculty of IIM Lucknow Himanshu Rai said the mandatory 90 minute waiting period for CAT candidates before starting the test "will be reduced from next year".

Besides candidates can also fill the CAT vouchers online from next year, he said.

The CAT online test this year were held over 20 days in 78 locations across 33 cities using 246 computer labs.

Prometric which was responsible for conducting the online test said it had taken several tests to ensure that it is held smoothly.

The CAT exam, which went online last year, was marred by technical glitches last year, triggering rescheduling of the test.

Source: OUTLOOK

JNV bags second rank in Youth Parliament

KATHLAL: Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), Kathlal, bagged the first position at 14th Youth Parliament 2010, NVS Pune region. The second place went to JNV, Banaskantha. JNV, Kathlal hosted the annual event, organized jointly by government of India and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), New Delhi, to train the students to excel in their political endeavours. Four JNVs from Gujarat - Kodinar, Banaskantha, Bharuch and Kathalal - had qualified for the event on Thursday.

About 200 students from the four schools took part in the parliament, where they acted as speaker, prime minister, leader of the opposition, deputy speaker besides ministers for home, finance, defense, HRD and agriculture among others.

Kathlal MLA Kanubhai Dabhi inaugurated the event, which had Matar MLA Devu Sinh Chauhan as the chief guest. School principal JN Bhonsale welcomed the guests.









Source: Times of India

 

JNV could not create luster in 45th Youth Parliament award

The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Planning, Sh. V.Nanayanasamy rewarded the winners of the 45th Youth Parliament Competition 2010-11 for the Schools under the Directorate of Education, Govt. of NCT of Delhi and New Delhi and Municipal Council. Sh. Nanayanasamy congratulated the students of the nine Delhi schools for their brilliant performance and whole hearted participation in the competition.

N.C.Jindal Public School, Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi was declared the winner of the Pandit Moti Lal Nehru Running Parliamentary Shield, having stood first in the 45th Youth Parliamentary Competition Trophy. Trophy for the best education district in the competition was awarded to the West ‘A’ Education District, Directorate of Education, Govt. of NCT of Delhi and Trophy for standing first among new entrant schools was awarded to Govt. Sarvodaya Co-Ed Vidyalaya, B-4, Paschim Vihar,New Delhi. Besides, Trophies were also awarded to eight other schools for their meritorious performance in the competition. The award winning schools are: Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Pooth Kalan, Delhi; Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, A-Block, Vikas Puri, New Delhi; Govt. Sarvodaya Co-Ed Vidyalaya, B-4, Pashchim Vihar; Sarvodya Kanya vidyalaya, B-Block, Janak Puri, Delhi; Navyug School, Peshwa road, New Delhi; Vidya Bhawan Mahavidyala, Sr. Sec. Shool, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi; Aadharshila Vidyapeeth School, Pitampura and Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya, Ramesh Nagar, New Delhi.

From a humble beginning in 1966 when the first Competition was organised in 16 schools of the Delhi Administration, by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, the Youth Parliament Scheme now covers 1200 schools in NCT of Delhi, 1,200 Kendriya Vidyalayas, 600 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and 300 Universities/Colleges throughout the country.

Source: PIB

Intel International Science and Engineering Fair:8 little geniuses to chip in Intel ISEF 2011

MUMBAI, INDIA: When preparing papers of the 'Investigation of Pesticidal property of Areca Catechu Plant' Athira M Nair from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Mandya had not thought about the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. But what surprised her is that she is among the 8 others who got selected to represent India at the prestigious ISEF -2011 (Intel International Science and Engineering Fair ) which will be held at Los Angeles, California on May 8-13, 2011.

There were about 87 projects presented by the students from class five to class twelve, reveals the creative mind and talents of the young innovators of India at the IRIS. Selected topics for ISEF varied from botany to maths, environmental science to chemistry, zoology and engineering, said a press release.

Students from standard 5-12 demonstrated their creativity and research-based thinking through their science and engineering projects. The national winners will represent India at the prestigious Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Los Angeles, California.

Initiative for Research & Innovation in Science, is an initiation by Intel to promote bright young minds to nurture science and scientific research and to come together.

“With every edition of IRIS, we see more and more innovative entries which are a strong indication of the rich talent pool that exists in our country,” said Praveen Vishakantaiah, president, Intel India.

“I take this opportunity to congratulate ‘the little geniuses’ who made their mark in science and innovation at IRIS 2010. I strongly feel that this is a very useful mechanism to tap the imaginative science talent of young minds,” said Gurudas Kamat, Minister of State for Communications and IT, Government of India.

HRD issued guidelines about screening of children at the time of admission

NEW DELHI: After months of debating the issue and seeking the law ministry's opinion, the HRD ministry on Tuesday finally issued guidelines about screening of children at the time of admission under the Right to Education Act.
HRD minister Kapil Sibal said, "We have taken the law ministry's clearance to issue the guidelines on screening. The RTE Act will be amended later. Had we gone in for an amendment on screening now admissions the next academic year would have suffered."
Making it clear that no school would be allowed to do profiling of students based on their parents' education, the new guidelines allow schools to have categorization based on a "rationale and just" basis. But within the categories schools will not be allowed to conduct interviews either of students or parents. Admission will be done entirely on a random basis through draw of lots.
Schools have also been told that their objective and categories should be put in the public domain and be included in the school prospectus. For instance, there can be rational categories for alumni and siblings. At the same time, minority educational institutions like madarsas and vedic pathsalas have been left out of the provisions of RTE Act. However, institutions run by minority groups that fall under the definition of school as provided in the RTE Act will have to comply with screening as well as other provisions of the legislation.
The categorization will be limited to 75% of children while 25% reservation to children of economically weaker sections will be given without any screening and on the basis of random selection through draw of lots. The HRD ministry is likely to issue another set of guidelines about screening in residential schools later. Many top residential schools have been asking the ministry for guidelines before next year's admission process starts. The HRD ministry-run Navodaya Vidyalayas, which too are residential, have been opposed to the provision of no-screening and giving 25% admission to underprivileged children in the neighbourhood on the ground that they cater to poor children.

Source: Times Of India