The University Grants Commission ( UGC) has asked all universities and colleges to consider offering academic credits to students for participating in the government’s much touted Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
The commission in its meeting earlier this month had approved providing two credits like any other ‘Elective’ under Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) to students in higher educational institutions undertaking 15 days (100 hours) summer internships under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan activities.
“In this summer internship, it is expected that students will not only participate in overall cleanliness in villages or slums but would also help in setting up systems for sustaining cleanliness and sanitation efforts under the campaign . These efforts are expected to provide a great learning experience in Indian context to students across the country and would help in improving overall quality of education,” a UGC communication to varsities read.
The commission
has asked varsities and their affiliated colleges to consider implementation of this elective course from the forth- coming summer session and give wide publicity so that vast majority of students opt for this elective course.
“It is informed that UGC guidelines for Swachh Bharat - Swastha Bharat Scheme have enabling provisions for universities and colleges to collaborate and to come out with ways to make the Mission possible,” the UGC letter read.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has extended the date till 4 April for admissions under the 25 per cent quota of the Right to Education (RTE) as the first phase of the lottery happened recently.
The BMC claimed that out of the 3239 candidates, only 602 candidates were admitted in private schools till March 22. Initially, the last date for taking admissions under the RTE was till March 23 (Saturday). However, many parents were upset as schools have been refusing to give admission to their children, citing issues of reimbursement from the Maharashtra government.
After the suffering parents complained incessantly, the BMC education department decided to extend the date of RTE admissions in private schools.
Heena Khan (name changed), a parent said, “The school allotted to us is saying that they never registered for the online admission process and hence cannot give us admission.” Another parent, Aslam Shaikh (name changed), said, “They are shooing us away in such a way like we are beggars. The school principal of an Andheri-based school where my child got admission said that they have not opened an orphanage to offer admissions to our kids.”
Education official from the BMC said, “If schools refuse admission under thequota, then the BMC education department will issue them notices of de-recognizing their schools.”
Source: Daily News and Analysis dated 27/03/2018
