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Tag: Dharmendra Pradhan

  • Dharmendra Pradhan writes to Mamata over land allocation for JNV in South 24 Parganas-I, Malda

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan wrote to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday seeking her intervention to ensure the state allocates land for permanent campuses of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in South 24 Parganas-I and Malda.

    Pradhan noted the land allotment issue for the two JNVs remains unresolved since 2007-08 and 2016 respectively.

    With the state administration last year withdrawing the temporary site on which the JNV South 24 Parganas-I was functioning since 2007-08, the students had to be shifted to nearby JNVs and new admissions were put on hold, he said.

    JNV-Malda which was sanctioned in November 2016 is still non-functional for want of suitable land for the construction of a permanent campus and temporary accommodation.

    Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas are government-run Class 6-12 chain of residential schools. They admit students based on an entrance examination.

    “The prerequisites for the opening of a JNV are the provision of about 30 acres of suitable land, free of cost, along with adequate temporary rent-free accommodation, sufficient enough to accommodate approximately 240 students, to be provided by the concerned State Government to run the Vidyalaya for a period of 3 to 4 years,” Pradhan said in the letter.

    “JNV, South 24 Parganas was sanctioned in the year 2007 and made functional during the academic year 2007-08 from a temporary site provided by the district administration,” Pradhan said, adding the administration had assured to transfer land in favour of NVS for construction of the permanent building.

    “However, the transfer of the offered land is still awaited and the temporary site has also been withdrawn during February 2021.

    As a result, the students studying in the JNV, South 24 Paraganas-I had to be shifted to the nearby JNVs and further admissions to the Vidyalaya have also been put on hold,” he said.

    The minister requested the West Bengal CM to look into the matter personally and issue necessary instructions to the officers concerned to expedite the identification and transfer of suitable land and temporary accommodation.

    “So that these vidyalayas can be made functional at the earliest in the larger interest of the education of the rural children of these two districts,” the minister said.

    NEW DELHI: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan wrote to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday seeking her intervention to ensure the state allocates land for permanent campuses of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in South 24 Parganas-I and Malda.

    Pradhan noted the land allotment issue for the two JNVs remains unresolved since 2007-08 and 2016 respectively.

    With the state administration last year withdrawing the temporary site on which the JNV South 24 Parganas-I was functioning since 2007-08, the students had to be shifted to nearby JNVs and new admissions were put on hold, he said.

    JNV-Malda which was sanctioned in November 2016 is still non-functional for want of suitable land for the construction of a permanent campus and temporary accommodation.

    Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas are government-run Class 6-12 chain of residential schools. They admit students based on an entrance examination.

    “The prerequisites for the opening of a JNV are the provision of about 30 acres of suitable land, free of cost, along with adequate temporary rent-free accommodation, sufficient enough to accommodate approximately 240 students, to be provided by the concerned State Government to run the Vidyalaya for a period of 3 to 4 years,” Pradhan said in the letter.

    “JNV, South 24 Parganas was sanctioned in the year 2007 and made functional during the academic year 2007-08 from a temporary site provided by the district administration,” Pradhan said, adding the administration had assured to transfer land in favour of NVS for construction of the permanent building.

    “However, the transfer of the offered land is still awaited and the temporary site has also been withdrawn during February 2021.

    As a result, the students studying in the JNV, South 24 Paraganas-I had to be shifted to the nearby JNVs and further admissions to the Vidyalaya have also been put on hold,” he said.

    The minister requested the West Bengal CM to look into the matter personally and issue necessary instructions to the officers concerned to expedite the identification and transfer of suitable land and temporary accommodation.

    “So that these vidyalayas can be made functional at the earliest in the larger interest of the education of the rural children of these two districts,” the minister said.

  • IITs can help make India $5tn economy, says Dharmendra Pradhan

    By Express News Service

    CHENNAI:  Institutes like IITs have a major role in making India a $5 trillion economy and fulfilling the vision of Viksit Bharat, said union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday during his visit to IIT Madras. “The next 25 years are very important for all of us.

    While entering the Amrit kaal, we leapfrogged ahead of a country that colonised us. India is evolving at an unprecedented pace. A fast-growing India will have huge domestic requirements which have to be fulfilled by our IITs,” he added.

    Pradhan further said that IITs are not just educational institutions, they are the temples to create a scientific temper and shape humanity’s future. Pradhan also urged the students to innovate, bring social change, file patents for the public good and facilitate the ease of living for the poorest.

    “Our students need to rekindle their inner strengths, reignite their ‘Chetna’. The students have to think big, drive social change and become job-providers rather than job-seekers,” Pradhan said. The Union minister highlighted that society has great expectations from IITs and the IITians have to be torchbearers of growth and development.

    During his visit, Pradhan participated in a series of events at IIT Madras. He released the Strategic Plan 2021-27 of IIT Madras which proposed an ambitious growth phase for the Institute. He also launched ‘Kotak IITM Save Energy’ Mission, being set up with CSR funding support from Kotak to help MSMEs reduce energy consumption and felicitated the Mphasis team for supporting the growth of the Centre for Quantum Information, Communication and Computing (CQuICC) besides flagging off other projects and initiatives of IIT Madras.

    He also awarded the diploma certificates to select students of BSc program in Data Science.  The union minister also visited the 5G Test bed for a demonstration, at the Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Development Centre, the Rocket Factory of IIT Madras-based Start-up Agnikul Cosmos, Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre and the IIT Madras Incubation Cell at the IIT Madras Research Park apart from other research facilities such as Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre and the 3D-printed house in the campus.

    After visiting the facilities, Pradhan lauded the initiatives of the IIT Madras. He said that the day is not far when the whole world will come to IIT Madras to benefit from the Brain Research Centre. Ideas, like 3D-printing technology can revolutionise construction, help address the issues of displacement and give a life of dignity to the poor.

    CHENNAI:  Institutes like IITs have a major role in making India a $5 trillion economy and fulfilling the vision of Viksit Bharat, said union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday during his visit to IIT Madras. “The next 25 years are very important for all of us.

    While entering the Amrit kaal, we leapfrogged ahead of a country that colonised us. India is evolving at an unprecedented pace. A fast-growing India will have huge domestic requirements which have to be fulfilled by our IITs,” he added.

    Pradhan further said that IITs are not just educational institutions, they are the temples to create a scientific temper and shape humanity’s future. Pradhan also urged the students to innovate, bring social change, file patents for the public good and facilitate the ease of living for the poorest.

    “Our students need to rekindle their inner strengths, reignite their ‘Chetna’. The students have to think big, drive social change and become job-providers rather than job-seekers,” Pradhan said. The Union minister highlighted that society has great expectations from IITs and the IITians have to be torchbearers of growth and development.

    During his visit, Pradhan participated in a series of events at IIT Madras. He released the Strategic Plan 2021-27 of IIT Madras which proposed an ambitious growth phase for the Institute. He also launched ‘Kotak IITM Save Energy’ Mission, being set up with CSR funding support from Kotak to help MSMEs reduce energy consumption and felicitated the Mphasis team for supporting the growth of the Centre for Quantum Information, Communication and Computing (CQuICC) besides flagging off other projects and initiatives of IIT Madras.

    He also awarded the diploma certificates to select students of BSc program in Data Science.  The union minister also visited the 5G Test bed for a demonstration, at the Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Development Centre, the Rocket Factory of IIT Madras-based Start-up Agnikul Cosmos, Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre and the IIT Madras Incubation Cell at the IIT Madras Research Park apart from other research facilities such as Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre and the 3D-printed house in the campus.

    After visiting the facilities, Pradhan lauded the initiatives of the IIT Madras. He said that the day is not far when the whole world will come to IIT Madras to benefit from the Brain Research Centre. Ideas, like 3D-printing technology can revolutionise construction, help address the issues of displacement and give a life of dignity to the poor.

  • Pradhan could be Nadda successor as party’s president

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  Amid the Congress deciding to elect a new party president in mid-October, a bit of churning on BJP national president J P Nadda’s successor has already begun within the ruling party. His first three-year term in office ends in January next.

    Speculation is rife that Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan could be handed over the baton if the Big Two in the party decide against giving Nadda an extension. Two ideas are floating around on Nadda’s extension — for one year till the next general elections or for a full three-year term. The national president of the party can have a maximum of two consecutive terms in office.

    A senior leader said: “If Nadda does not get one-year extension, Pradhan could be his successor. Another name in circulation is Bhupendra Yadav.” However, the possibility of Nadda getting a one-year extension is bright since he has served the party well, another source said. “BJP’s performance in many states improved under Nadda’s leadership,” the leader pointed out. But he may not get a full second term.

    Pradhan brings to the table his deep experience in organisational matters and has excellent negotiating skills. He cut his organisational teeth while working with the ABVP during his student life. “He is sharp and witty and has the ability to forge alliances with like-minded parties,” said a BJP leader.

    Pradhan is also considered a troubleshooter in the Arun Jaitley mould. Prime Minister Narendra Modi assigns him tasks whenever the party faces problems and he known to sort them out tactfully. When the government struggled to implement the National Education Policy, 2020, during Ramesh Pokhriyal’s stint as Union education minister, Modi stripped him of the charge and handed it over to Pradhan last year. As for Bhupendra Yadav, he has recently been inducted in the party’s Central Election Committee. “But Pradhan is way ahead in the race to replace Nadda whenever that happens,” a BJP leader said. 

    NEW DELHI:  Amid the Congress deciding to elect a new party president in mid-October, a bit of churning on BJP national president J P Nadda’s successor has already begun within the ruling party. His first three-year term in office ends in January next.

    Speculation is rife that Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan could be handed over the baton if the Big Two in the party decide against giving Nadda an extension. Two ideas are floating around on Nadda’s extension — for one year till the next general elections or for a full three-year term. The national president of the party can have a maximum of two consecutive terms in office.

    A senior leader said: “If Nadda does not get one-year extension, Pradhan could be his successor. Another name in circulation is Bhupendra Yadav.” However, the possibility of Nadda getting a one-year extension is bright since he has served the party well, another source said. “BJP’s performance in many states improved under Nadda’s leadership,” the leader pointed out. But he may not get a full second term.

    Pradhan brings to the table his deep experience in organisational matters and has excellent negotiating skills. He cut his organisational teeth while working with the ABVP during his student life. “He is sharp and witty and has the ability to forge alliances with like-minded parties,” said a BJP leader.

    Pradhan is also considered a troubleshooter in the Arun Jaitley mould. Prime Minister Narendra Modi assigns him tasks whenever the party faces problems and he known to sort them out tactfully. When the government struggled to implement the National Education Policy, 2020, during Ramesh Pokhriyal’s stint as Union education minister, Modi stripped him of the charge and handed it over to Pradhan last year. 
    As for Bhupendra Yadav, he has recently been inducted in the party’s Central Election Committee. “But Pradhan is way ahead in the race to replace Nadda whenever that happens,” a BJP leader said. 

  • Centre calls for people’s participation in making curriculum for new India

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday urged people to participate in the citizen survey to prepare a curriculum for New India. 

    “Development of a vibrant,  dynamic, inclusive and futuristic National Curriculum Framework is essential for integrating cultural-rootedness along with global outlook, freeing education from a colonial hangover and instilling a deeper sense of pride in our next generations,” he said in a tweet.

    “I appeal to all citizens to participate in the Citizen Survey for NCF for developing #NayeBharatKaNayaCurriculum. A dynamic National Curriculum Framework in line with the NEP 2020 will play a major role in achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat,” he added.

    The ministry has invited suggestions from the public through an online public consultation survey for the formulation of the National Curriculum Framework and subsequently design of syllabus, textbooks and other instructional materials.

    The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 was announced on July 29, 2020, which recommends quality improvement of the education system through the development of a National Curriculum Framework (NCF). 

    The process of the National Curriculum Framework has been started through the constitution of the District Consultation Committees, State Focus Groups, State Steering Committee, National Focus Groups and National Steering Committee etc.

    A tech platform – website and mobile app – has been developed to execute the work at scale and paperless. 

    Using the bottom-up approach, district-level consultations, mobile app-based surveys, and state-level consultations through State Focus Groups and State Steering Committee have been conducted by the states and Union Territories to reach out the stakeholders like parents, Anganwadi workers, teachers, teacher educators, students, etc. at the grassroots level and collect their views and opinion about the future of school education, early childhood care and education, teacher education and adult education.

    At the national level, the National Focus Groups and National Steering Committee have been engaged to deliberate on various issues and concerns, including the interaction with multiple ministries, autonomous bodies, NGOs, Corporates, Philanthropic agencies etc., for collecting and collating valuable inputs for formulation of NCF. 

    A mandate document for the formulation of NCF has been developed to guide the stakeholders in the process.

    All stakeholders, including teachers, headteachers/principals, school leaders, educationists, parents, students, community members, NGOs, experts, public representatives, artists, artisans, farmers and anybody who has an interest in school education and teacher education are invited to participate in this online survey being conducted in 23 languages, including the languages in the VIII Schedule of our Constitution.

    NEW DELHI: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday urged people to participate in the citizen survey to prepare a curriculum for New India. 

    “Development of a vibrant,  dynamic, inclusive and futuristic National Curriculum Framework is essential for integrating cultural-rootedness along with global outlook, freeing education from a colonial hangover and instilling a deeper sense of pride in our next generations,” he said in a tweet.

    “I appeal to all citizens to participate in the Citizen Survey for NCF for developing #NayeBharatKaNayaCurriculum. A dynamic National Curriculum Framework in line with the NEP 2020 will play a major role in achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat,” he added.

    The ministry has invited suggestions from the public through an online public consultation survey for the formulation of the National Curriculum Framework and subsequently design of syllabus, textbooks and other instructional materials.

    The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 was announced on July 29, 2020, which recommends quality improvement of the education system through the development of a National Curriculum Framework (NCF). 

    The process of the National Curriculum Framework has been started through the constitution of the District Consultation Committees, State Focus Groups, State Steering Committee, National Focus Groups and National Steering Committee etc.

    A tech platform – website and mobile app – has been developed to execute the work at scale and paperless. 

    Using the bottom-up approach, district-level consultations, mobile app-based surveys, and state-level consultations through State Focus Groups and State Steering Committee have been conducted by the states and Union Territories to reach out the stakeholders like parents, Anganwadi workers, teachers, teacher educators, students, etc. at the grassroots level and collect their views and opinion about the future of school education, early childhood care and education, teacher education and adult education.

    At the national level, the National Focus Groups and National Steering Committee have been engaged to deliberate on various issues and concerns, including the interaction with multiple ministries, autonomous bodies, NGOs, Corporates, Philanthropic agencies etc., for collecting and collating valuable inputs for formulation of NCF. 

    A mandate document for the formulation of NCF has been developed to guide the stakeholders in the process.

    All stakeholders, including teachers, headteachers/principals, school leaders, educationists, parents, students, community members, NGOs, experts, public representatives, artists, artisans, farmers and anybody who has an interest in school education and teacher education are invited to participate in this online survey being conducted in 23 languages, including the languages in the VIII Schedule of our Constitution.

  • Lok Sabha passes bill to create Gati Shakti University

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha Wednesday passed a bill that seeks to transform the National Rail and Transportation University into central university to be called Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya.

    Currently, the National Rail and Transportation University located in Vadodara is a deemed-to-be-institution.

    The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, which also seeks to expand the scope of the deemed university from beyond the railways to cover the entire transport sector to support the ambitious growth and modernisation in the field, was passed by a voice vote after a brief discussion.

    Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, a multi-disciplinary and multi-dimensional institute, would be the first central university after rollout of the National Education Policy, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said replying to a debate on the Bill.

    The plan is to unify different departments to create a new infrastructure where various transport sector elements — railways, road, waterways, aviation and port along with information and technology — will coordinate with each other on the platform of Gati Shakti Mission.

    The proposed global standard institute aims at not producing job-seekers but job creators, he said He said the establishment of the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya will address the need of talent in the strategically important and expanding transportation sector and meet the demand for trained talent to fuel the growth and expansion of the sector.

    Earlier Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the focus of the institute will on five major aspects — transport focussed courses, skill development, applied research, technology development and transport economics and infrastructure financing.

    “While the headquarters will be in Vadodara there will be campuses across the country which will be developed as centres of excellence. Transportation is a complex sector and globally all countries have such institutes,” he said.

    Vaishnaw said the Budget has allocated Rs 166 crore for the institute in FY’23.

    Pradhan said the university will carry out critically-needed research and development by creating innovative technologies to encourage local manufacturing and substitute the imports of expensive technology, equipment and products.

    The university will also take additional measures for providing high quality teaching, research and skill development in diverse disciplines related to transportation, technology and management including establishing centres in India and abroad, he said.

    The university is named after the government’s flagship Rs 100-lakh crore PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity.

    The Gati Shakti Master Plan is essentially a digital platform bringing together 16 ministries, including roadways and railways for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects.

    It seeks to incorporate infrastructure schemes of various ministries and state governments such as Bharatmala, Sagarmala, inland waterways, dry and land ports, UDAN.

    NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha Wednesday passed a bill that seeks to transform the National Rail and Transportation University into central university to be called Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya.

    Currently, the National Rail and Transportation University located in Vadodara is a deemed-to-be-institution.

    The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, which also seeks to expand the scope of the deemed university from beyond the railways to cover the entire transport sector to support the ambitious growth and modernisation in the field, was passed by a voice vote after a brief discussion.

    Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, a multi-disciplinary and multi-dimensional institute, would be the first central university after rollout of the National Education Policy, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said replying to a debate on the Bill.

    The plan is to unify different departments to create a new infrastructure where various transport sector elements — railways, road, waterways, aviation and port along with information and technology — will coordinate with each other on the platform of Gati Shakti Mission.

    The proposed global standard institute aims at not producing job-seekers but job creators, he said He said the establishment of the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya will address the need of talent in the strategically important and expanding transportation sector and meet the demand for trained talent to fuel the growth and expansion of the sector.

    Earlier Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the focus of the institute will on five major aspects — transport focussed courses, skill development, applied research, technology development and transport economics and infrastructure financing.

    “While the headquarters will be in Vadodara there will be campuses across the country which will be developed as centres of excellence. Transportation is a complex sector and globally all countries have such institutes,” he said.

    Vaishnaw said the Budget has allocated Rs 166 crore for the institute in FY’23.

    Pradhan said the university will carry out critically-needed research and development by creating innovative technologies to encourage local manufacturing and substitute the imports of expensive technology, equipment and products.

    The university will also take additional measures for providing high quality teaching, research and skill development in diverse disciplines related to transportation, technology and management including establishing centres in India and abroad, he said.

    The university is named after the government’s flagship Rs 100-lakh crore PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity.

    The Gati Shakti Master Plan is essentially a digital platform bringing together 16 ministries, including roadways and railways for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects.

    It seeks to incorporate infrastructure schemes of various ministries and state governments such as Bharatmala, Sagarmala, inland waterways, dry and land ports, UDAN.

  • Will write to Mamata on Bengal school jobs scam: Pradhan

    “Charges of wrong merit lists and other recruitment anomalies have been raised by the job aspirants. This is unbecoming in Bengal, the land of worshippers of Goddess Saraswati,” he said.

  • Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan assures to fill up educational posts by 2023

    By Express News Service

    BHUBANESWAR: Union Education and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday said that his ministries are fully committed to fill up all vacant posts in the next one and half years. 

    Lauding the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fill-up 10 lakh vacancies in the Central government in mission-mode in the next 1.5 years, Pradhan said that the PM’s announcement will further strengthen the employment scenario and bring a lot of cheer and optimism for the unemployed youth of the country. 

    He said that asserting that accountability, people-centric governance and meeting targets before deadline is a hallmark of the Central government under the leadership of PM Modi.  

    All vacant teaching and non-teaching posts in higher educational institutions, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and other departments will be filled-up at the earliest. He also hailed the Agnipath Yojana and said it will create new opportunities for the youth and contribute towards making Indian Armed Forces the best in the world.

  • ‘Vacancies in Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya schools to be filled up soon’: Pradhan

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The education ministry plans to recruit and fill up all vacant teaching and non-teaching posts in higher education institutions, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and other departments at the earliest.

    In a tweet, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the ministry is “committed to filling up vacancies in their respective department in the next 1.5 years.”

    His announcement came soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a review meeting on the status of human resources in central government and ministries, directed them to recruit 10 lakh people in the next 18 months on a “mission mode.”

    Pradhan, also the Skill Development Minister, said the two ministries are committed to filling all vacancies in their respective departments in the next 1.5 years.

    “All vacant teaching & non-teaching posts in HEIs, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and other Departments will be filled up at the earliest,” he said in a series of tweets.

    He said the aim is to take forward the prime minister’s decision to recruit 10 lakh people in all government departments and ministries in mission mode.

    He added that “accountability, people-centric governance and meeting targets before the deadline is a hallmark” of the prime minister’s government.

    Earlier this year, Pradhan, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha, had said that 6,558 teaching and 15,227 non-teaching posts are lying vacant in the central universities of the country.

    The vacancies had come up due to retirement, resignation and additional requirements on account of enhanced students’ strength.

    He had also said that the institutions are adopting various measures to address faculty shortages to ensure that studies of students are not affected.

  • Centre to set up ‘PM Shri Schools’ to prepare students for future: Education minister

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Centre is planning to set up ‘PM Shri schools’, which will be aimed at preparing students for the future. It will also be the laboratory of the new National Education Policy (NEP), said Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday. 

    Addressing the two-day National Education Ministers’ Conference in Gujarat, Pradhan said, “School education is the foundation on which India will become a knowledge-based economy.”

    “We are in the process of establishing ‘PM Shri schools’ which will be fully equipped to prepare students for the future,” said the minister at the event, which was attended by state education ministers. Tamil Naidu boycotted the meeting to protest the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP).

    He said these state-of-the-art schools will be the “laboratory of NEP 2020.”

    Highlighting that the “new generation” cannot be deprived of 21st-century knowledge and skills,” he said, he would like to “encourage and solicit suggestions and feedback” from all the states and union territories and the entire education ecosystem for creating a futuristic benchmark model in the form of PM Shri schools.

    He said the 5+3+3+4 approach of the NEP covering preschool to secondary school lays emphasis on early childhood care and education programme (ECCE), teacher training and adult education.

    Also, the focus has been given to the integration of skill development with school education and prioritising learning in the mother tongue.

     “The next 25 years are crucial to establishing India as a knowledge economy that is committed to global welfare. We all have to collaboratively work together, and learn from each other’s experiences and successes to make learning more vibrant and take India to greater heights.

    “I encourage education ministers of all states and union territories and also seek active participation from all stakeholders for developing our National Curriculum Framework as well as developing quality e-content for expanding the reach of digital education and for universalising education,” the minister said.

    Best practices in education coming from different states and union territories will act as a cumulative force in transforming India’s youth as global citizens, he added.

    Praising the education models of some of the states, he said, “The education fraternity can immensely benefit from models of Karnataka, Odisha, Delhi, Meghalaya, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana.”

    “Experience and knowledge sharing from all state education ministers and a structured and outcome-based discussion at the conference today will lead us one step further towards transforming our learning landscape, in line with the NEP 2020,” Pradhan said.

  • Power games: Guruji set for second coming in Jharkhand

    Express News Service

    BJP eyes hemant ousterGuruji set for second coming in Jharkhand

    Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren is locked in a bitter battle with the opposition BJP. Accusing Soren of giving a mining lease to himself, the BJP has sought his disqualification as an MLA for holding an office of profit while being a legislator. Taking cognizance of BJP’s complaint, the Election Commission has issued a show-cause notice to Hemant asking him why he should not be disqualified as his act of allotting the mining lease to himself violated Section 9A of the Representation of People’s Act. Hemant’s legal team is engaged with the EC. But sources said Hemant’s trouble with the poll panel is not the main problem the CM is facing. It is the BJP’s campaign that the chief minister’s disqualification is only a matter of time, and the nervousness this campaign is causing among MLAs of his party and those of his ally Congress. The BJP has been trying to poach the ruling JMM and Congress MLAs and form its own government in the state. Hemant’s misadventure has made the BJP intensify its efforts to oust him. But the CM has reportedly been keeping in close touch with all the MLAs supporting him. He has termed the mine leasing issue a storm in a teacup and has assured the ruling coalition members that his government was safe. The CM has assures his partymen and allies that he would get his father Shibu Soren to take over as CM but would not let the government fall.

    Meeting Nitish halfwayPM rushes Pradhan to prevent BJP-JD(U) split

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi got on phone while he was on his European tour and asked trusted lieutenant Dharmendra Pradhan to rush to Patna to stop Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar from taking any step that may rupture relation between the BJP and the JD(U) and cause the fall of Bihar government which the two parties are jointly running. Sources said that the Prime Minister received reports that the Chief Minister was fed up with the BJP’s brinkmanship and was contemplating dumping the party and reuniting with Lalu Yadav’s RJD. Reports suggested that the fall of the JD(U)-BJP government was imminent. Pradhan reached Nitish’s house late in the evening and remained closeted with him for two hours. Nitish reportedly told Pradhan to ask his leaders to rein in Bhupendra Yadav, who looks after BJP’s affairs in Bihar, and the Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai. He narrated a series of events and statements that undermined his position as the Chief Minister. Pradhan promised every support to the CM and requested him not to take any precipitate action. The trouble between partners seems to have temporarily been overcome. But the strain in the relationship remains. Sources in the BJP said the party has been asked to make every effort to keep Nitish in the NDA fold as he remains critical to Modi’s re-election in 2024, especially after the departure of Shiv Sena from the NDA.

    Aircraft deal delayBoeing chief comes calling as India cracks whip

    Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun called on PM Narendra Modi on Saturday. The ostensible reason for Calhoun’s India trip is to sell six more P-8I long range maritime patrol aircraft to the Indian Navy. India has already bought 12 P-8Is from Boeing worth over US$3 billion. Sources said the real reason is the show-cause notice served by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) against Boeing for its failure to implement the offset deal in relation to the earlier purchase. As per the offset agreement, 30% of the value of the order given to Boeing had to be spent in India by the company. Boeing had promised to build a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility for the P-8I aircraft in India. Besides India, Australia also operates these aircraft. South Korea and New Zealand are expected to be new customers of Boeing. The US Navy operates a few dozen of these aircraft in Asia. But there is no dedicated MRO for these aircraft in Asia. Keeping all this in mind, Boeing was asked by the MoD to discharge its offset obligation worth over US$600 million by setting up a state-of-the-art MRO in India to service these aircraft. But even after years of signing the deal, the MRO is nowhere in sight. Boeing has reportedly spent only a fraction of its offset commitment. The MoD has, therefore, asked Boeing why it should not be denied any future contracts in view of its failure to honour the offset deal. Sources said the purpose of Calhoun’s visit was to smoothen the ruffled feathers in New Delhi.