News Analysis India

Tag: educational institutions

  • Centre: 466 educational institutions awaiting minority status

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: As many as 466 applications seeking minority status for educational institutions are pending with the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI), the Lok Sabha was informed Monday.

    Of the 466 educational institutions awaiting approval, 119 are in Tamil Nadu alone.

    After Tamil Nadu, the state where the maximum number of educational institutions are awaiting minority status is Uttar Pradesh where 109 institutes’ applications are to be given a go-ahead.

    It is followed by Karnataka (65), Madhya Pradesh (40), Jharkhand (17), Odisha (15) and Andhra Pradesh (12). The figure is till March 10.

    However, the number of educational institutes granted minority status have jumped many fold in the last four years.

    While in 2019-20, the figure was 12, it went up slightly in 2020-21 to 14. In 2021-22, 86 such educational institutes were accorded minority status as compared to 150 in 2022-23 till March 10.

    Tamil Nadu also tops in the number of educational institutes that were accorded minority status in both 2021-22 and -2022-23 (till March 10). While in 2021-22, the figure was 37, the number doubled in the preceding year to 68. Tamil Nadu is followed by Uttar Pradesh (21).

    Only in Madhya Pradesh where in 2021-22, 23 educational institutes were accorded minority status, in 2022-23, dipped to 19. As many as 17 educational institutes got accorded minority status, as compared to six in 2021-22.

    In a written reply, Minister of State for Education Dr Subhas Sarkar said the government provides grants to various institutions recognized under section 2(f) and 12(B) of the UGC Act, 1956, including minority institutions, as per norms and applications received from them in this regard. 

    NEW DELHI: As many as 466 applications seeking minority status for educational institutions are pending with the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI), the Lok Sabha was informed Monday.

    Of the 466 educational institutions awaiting approval, 119 are in Tamil Nadu alone.

    After Tamil Nadu, the state where the maximum number of educational institutions are awaiting minority status is Uttar Pradesh where 109 institutes’ applications are to be given a go-ahead.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    It is followed by Karnataka (65), Madhya Pradesh (40), Jharkhand (17), Odisha (15) and Andhra Pradesh (12). The figure is till March 10.

    However, the number of educational institutes granted minority status have jumped many fold in the last four years.

    While in 2019-20, the figure was 12, it went up slightly in 2020-21 to 14. In 2021-22, 86 such educational institutes were accorded minority status as compared to 150 in 2022-23 till March 10.

    Tamil Nadu also tops in the number of educational institutes that were accorded minority status in both 2021-22 and -2022-23 (till March 10). While in 2021-22, the figure was 37, the number doubled in the preceding year to 68. Tamil Nadu is followed by Uttar Pradesh (21).

    Only in Madhya Pradesh where in 2021-22, 23 educational institutes were accorded minority status, in 2022-23, dipped to 19. As many as 17 educational institutes got accorded minority status, as compared to six in 2021-22.

    In a written reply, Minister of State for Education Dr Subhas Sarkar said the government provides grants to various institutions recognized under section 2(f) and 12(B) of the UGC Act, 1956, including minority institutions, as per norms and applications received from them in this regard. 

  • Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan meets family of Tamil poet Bharathiyar in Varanasi

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday met KV Krishnan, the 96-year-old nephew of Tamil poet Subramania Bharathiyar, and his family in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

    One of the greatest Tamil literary figures of all time, Mahakavi Bharathiyar’s home is on the banks of Hanuman Ghat in Kashi is a pilgrimage.

    Pradhan said that Subramania Bharathiyar’s ideals on social justice and women empowerment are more relevant now than ever.

    “Kashi had a profound influence on shaping Bharathiyar’s personality and Kashi Tamil Sangamam celebrates the philosophical unity and commonality between our two great cultures,” he further said.

    The Union Minister also said that the poet will forever be an inspiration for the next generations.

    Earlier in the day, Pradhan Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan took stock of the preparations of ‘Kashi Tamil Sangamam’ ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to inaugurate a month-long event on Saturday.

    Kashi Tamil Sangamam is being organized in Varanasi from November 17 to December 16 with the objective to rediscover, reaffirm and celebrate the age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi – two of the country’s most important and ancient seats of learning.

    “Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan has been actively monitoring the preparations of the program in Varanasi to take stock of the arrangements ahead of Prime Minister’s visit to Kashi,” the Ministry of Education said in a statement.

    Previously, he also held meetings with the Minister of Railways, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, officials of the Uttar Pradesh Government and other key stakeholders to ensure the successful organization of Kashi Tamil Sangamam.

    Kashi Tamil Sangamam is being organized by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with other ministries like Culture, Textiles, Railways, Tourism, Food Processing, Information & Broadcasting and the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

    The programme aims to provide an opportunity for scholars, students, philosophers, traders, artisans, artists and people from other walks of life from the two regions to come together, share their knowledge, culture and best practices and learn from each others’ experience.

    The endeavour is in sync with NEP 2020’s emphasis on integrating the wealth of Indian Knowledge Systems with modern systems of knowledge. IIT Madras and BHU are the two implementing agencies for the programme.

    More than 2500 delegates from Tamil Nadu under 12 categories such as students, teachers, literature, culture, artisans, spiritual, heritage, business, entrepreneurs, professionals and others will be visiting Varanasi on eight-day tours.

    “They will participate in seminars, LEC-DEMS (Lecture Demonstrations), site visits etc in special programmes curated for each of the 12 categories to interact with local people of the same trade, profession and interest,” the ministry said.

    The delegates will also visit places of interest in and around Varanasi including Prayagraj and Ayodhya.

    Students of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and other Higher Educational Institutions will be participating in the academic programmes. They will study the comparative practices pertaining to various sectors in the two regions and document the learnings.

    The first group of delegates consisting of 200 students started their tour from Chennai on November 17, their train was flagged off by Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi from the Chennai Railway station.

    Along with this, a month-long exhibition of handlooms, handicrafts, One District One Product (ODOP), books, documentaries, cuisine, art forms, history, tourist places etc of the two regions will be put up in Varanasi for the benefit of the local people.

    During the inaugural programme, Prime Minister will interact with the delegates coming from Tamil Nadu. The inauguration ceremony will witness various cultural performances such as vocal renditions by Ilaiyaraaja and book releases. 

    NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday met KV Krishnan, the 96-year-old nephew of Tamil poet Subramania Bharathiyar, and his family in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

    One of the greatest Tamil literary figures of all time, Mahakavi Bharathiyar’s home is on the banks of Hanuman Ghat in Kashi is a pilgrimage.

    Pradhan said that Subramania Bharathiyar’s ideals on social justice and women empowerment are more relevant now than ever.

    “Kashi had a profound influence on shaping Bharathiyar’s personality and Kashi Tamil Sangamam celebrates the philosophical unity and commonality between our two great cultures,” he further said.

    The Union Minister also said that the poet will forever be an inspiration for the next generations.

    Earlier in the day, Pradhan Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan took stock of the preparations of ‘Kashi Tamil Sangamam’ ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to inaugurate a month-long event on Saturday.

    Kashi Tamil Sangamam is being organized in Varanasi from November 17 to December 16 with the objective to rediscover, reaffirm and celebrate the age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi – two of the country’s most important and ancient seats of learning.

    “Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan has been actively monitoring the preparations of the program in Varanasi to take stock of the arrangements ahead of Prime Minister’s visit to Kashi,” the Ministry of Education said in a statement.

    Previously, he also held meetings with the Minister of Railways, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, officials of the Uttar Pradesh Government and other key stakeholders to ensure the successful organization of Kashi Tamil Sangamam.

    Kashi Tamil Sangamam is being organized by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with other ministries like Culture, Textiles, Railways, Tourism, Food Processing, Information & Broadcasting and the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

    The programme aims to provide an opportunity for scholars, students, philosophers, traders, artisans, artists and people from other walks of life from the two regions to come together, share their knowledge, culture and best practices and learn from each others’ experience.

    The endeavour is in sync with NEP 2020’s emphasis on integrating the wealth of Indian Knowledge Systems with modern systems of knowledge. IIT Madras and BHU are the two implementing agencies for the programme.

    More than 2500 delegates from Tamil Nadu under 12 categories such as students, teachers, literature, culture, artisans, spiritual, heritage, business, entrepreneurs, professionals and others will be visiting Varanasi on eight-day tours.

    “They will participate in seminars, LEC-DEMS (Lecture Demonstrations), site visits etc in special programmes curated for each of the 12 categories to interact with local people of the same trade, profession and interest,” the ministry said.

    The delegates will also visit places of interest in and around Varanasi including Prayagraj and Ayodhya.

    Students of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and other Higher Educational Institutions will be participating in the academic programmes. They will study the comparative practices pertaining to various sectors in the two regions and document the learnings.

    The first group of delegates consisting of 200 students started their tour from Chennai on November 17, their train was flagged off by Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi from the Chennai Railway station.

    Along with this, a month-long exhibition of handlooms, handicrafts, One District One Product (ODOP), books, documentaries, cuisine, art forms, history, tourist places etc of the two regions will be put up in Varanasi for the benefit of the local people.

    During the inaugural programme, Prime Minister will interact with the delegates coming from Tamil Nadu. The inauguration ceremony will witness various cultural performances such as vocal renditions by Ilaiyaraaja and book releases. 

  • Educational institutions should develop entrepreneurship among youth: Chief Minister Shri Bhupesh Baghel

    Bhupesh Baghel today launched the Biotech Incubation Center and Agri-Business Incubation and Production Center of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University on the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The Chief Minister announced the naming of the Incubation Center in the name of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, a great freedom fighter. In this online program organized at the Chief Minister’s Office, Mr. Baghel laid the foundation stone of the biotech incubation center building being built at a cost of Rs. 30 crores and inaugurated the newly constructed agri-business incubation and production center at a cost of Rs. 2 crores. On this occasion, the Chief Minister named the chambers of the State Planning Commission, also inaugurated the Idea Cafe. The Chief Minister named the brain staring center created in the office of the State Planning Commission after Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the library is named after the constitution maker Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Ambedkar Library, the 30-person capacity auditorium, the country’s first Prime Minister Pandit Naming the Jawahar Hall and an 80-person capacity hall named after Jawaharlal Nehru, it was announced that the Mahatma Hall would be named after the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.
    On this occasion, the Chief Minister called for opening of incubation and production centers in all the universities of the state and said that productive youth will play an important role in Garhbo Nava Chhattisgarh campaign. All educational institutions should work towards developing entrepreneurship among the youth. Laboratory facilities for research and research, technical guidance, guidance for business networking, financial and credit support facilities will be provided to the youth in the incubation center.
    The program was chaired by Mr. Amarjeet Bhagat, Minister for Planning, Economic and Statistics. Advisers to the Chief Minister, Mr. Pradeep Sharma, Mr. Vinod Verma, Mr. Ruchir Garg and Mr. Rajesh Tiwari, Deputy Chairman of State Planning Commission Mr. Ajay Singh, Director General of Police Mr. DM Avasthi, Commissioner of Agricultural Production and Secretary Dr. M. Geeta, Indira Gandhi Vice Chancellor of Agricultural University, Dr. S. K. Patil was also present.

  • Maharashtra proposes 16 per cent quotas for Marathas

    The Maharashtra government has proposed to give 16 per cent reservations to the politically influential Maratha community under a new Social and Economically Backward Class category here on Thursday.

    Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tabled the Action Taken Report (ATR) on the recommendations of the State Backward Class Commission on the long-pending demand of the Marathas.

    Fadnavis also tabled the Bill based on the ATR recommendations to provide for quotas in educational institutions and in government jobs, before both Houses of the legislature.

    However, the report on quotas for the Dhangar community is yet to be completed for which a sub-committee has been appointed and its ATR would be tabled in the legislature soon, he added.

    Leaders of different political parties greeted the developments as “a historic day for the Marathas” who comprise nearly 30 percent of the state’s population.

    Since the Maratha reservations come under a new SEBC category, they will not affect the existing quotas for Scheduled Castes, Schedules Tribes and Other Backward Classes (SC/ST/OBCs).

    The ATR says that the Marathas comprise a socially and economically backward class who are without adequate reservations in education and government jobs.

    Accordingly, they are entitled to the quota benefits enshrined in the Articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution and the government could initiate suitable measures to address the issues.

    The previous Congress-Nationalist Congress Party had also made a similar 16 percent quota proposal but it was stayed by the Bombay High Court.

    The Marathas have been organising massive silent protests all over the state for nearly two years, including agitations in July-August this year which became violent.

    Thursday’s development comes ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.