Barrier Free Environment for Physically Handicapped Students to be Created at all Universities

Physically challenged students can now get a better and a barrier-free environment in all the universities across the nation. University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked for a report having data for allocation of funds for barrier-free environment for physically challenged students. This decision arrived after Bombay High Court ordered to make up a barrier-free environment by March next year for the disabled students by directing the Chief Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities at the Centre.

Inspite of having various policies and guidelines, thousands of physically challenged students across the country face problems to pursue education. Providing a friendly environment along with other basic necessities to a physical challenged student is what barrier-free environment is all about. Talking books for blind students, sign language interpreters, hearing aid for various physically challenged students needs to be provided. To provide all these, UGC will grant an amount of one lakh to each University/Institution/College for barrier-free education.

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Learn Health Technology Assessment

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is a relatively new and expanding field driven by the need to manage and contain healthcare finances and systems globally. With a growing need for individuals with an understanding and background in Health Technology Assessment, the University of Glasgow is offering a 12-month master’s programme. Dr. Jim Lewsey, senior lecturer in Medical Statistics, Institute of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow, speaks to S. Dipak Ragav on this new course and the potential career opportunities it offers.

What are the main features of this course?

HTA is the assessment of relevant evidence and knowledge on the effects and consequences of healthcare technologies. It takes an interdisciplinary approach to research and practice, encompassing clinical, ethical, social and economic approaches. It contributes to priorities and decisions in relation to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. The M.Sc. in HTA focuses on the production, critical appraisal and use of scientifically rigorous research evidence, applied to a range of health-related areas.

The course covers the subjects of statistics, epidemiology, health economics and qualitative methods.

What would be the job profile of someone graduating from this course?

Our post-graduate programme in Health Technology Assessment provides students with knowledge and skills in the areas of economic evaluation, statistics, evidence synthesis, epidemiology, qualitative research and decision modelling and fills a learning gap for those wishing to pursue a career in health technology assessment within the public or private sector.

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Education Minister Met in Delhi for 2nd SAARC Meet

The SAARC Education Minister’s meeting for their second chapter in Delhi was held on 30 October. It involved talking about the progress made by member countries on the regional groupings development goals on education and various discussions about the strategy that each country is taking up in the field of education beyond 2015.

The meeting included discussions to improve the overall education quality in the participating countries and leverage the potential in research and mutual recognition of qualifications. The meeting initiated talks regarding the effective use of Information and Communication Technology among the nations for better education prevalence among its students. This would also conduct discussions regarding sharing of e-resources and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) among the SAARC nations.

This year the meeting was co-hosted by the Human Resource Development Ministry and the Kathmandu-based Secretariat of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The South Asian University in New Delhi is one of the valuable outcomes that have come up during these SAARC meetings and a proper presentation on the development of the University would be presented focusing on its different programmes and future strategies.
The meeting was addressed by our HRD Minister Smriti Irani and was attended by education ministers and senior educational officers from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

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More counsellors at Chennai Corporation schools

The Chennai Corporation is considering appointing more counsellors in its schools to support students in primary classes.

At present, eight counsellors visit the higher secondary students of Corporation-run schools once a week.

With the need to create awareness of child sexual abuse becoming significant, the civic body has decided to recruit more counsellors, said Mayor Saidai Duraisamy.

This month, a training meeting will be conducted for kindergarten heads of 65 Corporation schools, on various aspects of prevention and tackling issues of child sexual abuse.

Officials of the Corporation said the programme, to be conducted along with Tulir-Centre for the Prevention and Healing of Child Sexual Abuse, will also help teachers and school heads respond to situations of child protection.

As part of the eight-year-long joint initiative of the Corporation and Tulir, boards with messages on personal safety were put up at 284 Corporation schools on Monday.

The initiative was formally launched at Chennai Higher Secondary School in Kolathur.

Vidya Reddy of Tulir said awareness is being created among children through several initiatives such as distribution of pamphlets, reaching out to parents and training teachers.

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Experimenting with the fun side of science courses

Have you ever tried extracting DNA from a banana? It can be done with just a few household articles. Strange, but true.

Nearly 100 students who participated in a workshop organised by a network called Science Outreach to Schools (SoS) learnt to do it.

All they had to do was mix smashed bananas in a salty solution, liquid soap and ethanol to find the DNA.

SoS was born when some research scholars based at University of Cambridge decided to popularise science and research among school students in India.

The team comprising Priyanka Joshi, Aditi Borkar, Moni Gupta and Anuradha Radhakrishnan Pallipurath felt the need to form a network after seeing outreach programmes in the United Kingdom. Students would visit the University to learn about science and various research activities related to it. “We did not have such exposure in school. So we wanted to give something back to our country,” said Ms. Radhakrishnan.

Another aim of the SoS network is to make students aware that good grades are not necessary to become a scientist. “Children need to think out of the box,” said Ms. Radhakrishnan. The workshop also taught kids that science is fun.

Renu Glada, a science teacher at KFI, said such workshops gave a broader perspective on science. “Students get a real experience of what they have read in textbooks. They also get to speak to experts,” she said.

M. Guhan and K. Chaitanya of Asan Memorial School who participated in the event said they learnt in great detail what DNA is all about. “I prefer such hands-on training to textbook lessons as we get to learn from experience,” said Chaitanya.

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For a safer campus

In a fresh attempt to curb ragging, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued additional anti-ragging guidelines for higher education institutions.

These include identification of trouble triggers and surprise checks at hostels, student accommodation, canteens, recreational rooms, toilets and bus stops.

Introduction of quick response systems, CCTV cameras, alarm bells and regular counselling have also been recommended. The UGC has also made it compulsory for every student and parent to submit an online undertaking every academic year. College students react.

Shivani Dahiya, NIFT, Bangalore
Constant checks at the hostel and CCTVs are more an invasion of privacy than an effective measure against ragging. With what I have experienced, students are ragged despite heavy surveillance because it doesn't take place in the college premises. The rules don't promise complete eradication, but definitely provide some relief. The helpline, in my opinion, is one of the best things that could happen to the students. It has helped a lot of my classmates.

Candice Rozario, M.O.P Vaishnav College for Women, Chennai
I’m totally against ragging but I don’t like the idea of CCTV cameras on the campus. I think that ragging is a deep rooted problem and the home environment plays an important part in the attitude of the student. I think the measures should start from home as this will have a more positive impact.

Aathira Konnikara, St. Xavier's College, Mumbai
UGC’s move to introduce more stringent measures is welcome but it shouldn’t infringe on students' privacy, especially the installation of CCTV cameras. As for the measure of extracting an online undertaking from parents and their wards, I am not convinced that such a signed pledge will work among people without a social conscience.

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Social networking app Whatsapp used by students in SSC exam hall

Three students were caught using the social networking application Whatsapp during an examination for the clerk posts conducted by the Staff Selection Commission. The incident took place on Sunday at the Government Girls Inter College in Bareilly.

The students were using the application to get the answers. The answers of all four sets of question papers are said to be circulated using this application by the admission mafia on a multimedia phone that has been seized by police now. This phone belonged to Naveen Kumar, one of the three accused students who were caught by the flying squad, headed by the in-charge of examination centre. An FIR has been filed against the three accuses under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Around 20,900 students had appeared in the examination and about 7000 students remained absent. The examination was being conducted at 27 centres in Bareilly district.

The multimedia phone along with cheating slips had been retrieved from the possessions of the accused. The source that had leaked the answers has not been caught as yet. The case is now being handled by the crime branch, which is investigating the case.

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