Education Notes

Rajasthan Coaching school guidelines Jaipur, september 29. Recommendations made in the Rajasthan government’s guidelines for test prep/coaching institutes statewide include no glorification of toppers, results of routine tests to be kept confidential, no segregation of students in special batches based on ranks, and a policy for easy exit and fees refund within 120 days, among others. The nine-page guidelines were issued days after the state government constituted a 15-member committee headed by education secretary Bhawani Singh Detha to issue guidelines after a record number of 23 students in Kota’s test prep institutes died by suicide this year. “Coaching institutes should not encourage students below class IX to take admission. They should give admission after screening tests and counselling to assess their interest,” state the guidelines. In addition, another set of recommendations have been issued to ease pressure on students. Among them: facial recognition to prevent fake attendance, mandatory weekly holidays, not holding exams on days after a holiday and a code of conduct for faculty and hostels. Moreover, district collectors have also been asked to sensitise coaching institutes under their jurisdiction to ensure the guidelines are followed. Uttar Pradesh Child abuse indictments Sambhal, september 28. A private school teacher was arrested for inciting communal hatred after she allegedly ordered a Muslim student to slap a Hindu classmate for failing to answer a question. On the basis of a complaint filed by the Hindu boy’s father, the teacher was booked under IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, etc) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), Additional Superintendent of Police Shirish Chandra, informed the media This follows a similar incident at Khubbapur village in Muzaffarnagar in August, where a teacher of a private school instructed students to slap a Muslim child for failing to complete his homework. A case was registered against accused teacher Tripta Tyagi, under IPC sections 323 (voluntary causing hurt) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace). On September 25, the Supreme Court castigated the Uttar Pradesh government for a shoddy probe into the Muzaffarnagar incident. JAMMU Model space lab ammu, september 26. A space lab was inaugurated in the Government Higher Secondary School, Kishtwar district. Developed under the ISRO space tutor programme by the Vyomika Space Academy, this pioneer space lab is funded by the Directorate of Education, Jammu. Speaking on the occasion, Kishtwar’s deputy commissioner Prahlad Bhagat said: “The lab is equipped with high-tech telescopes, ISRO rocket and satellite, drones and aircraft demonstration models. This will enable class VI-XII students to explore the wonders of the cosmos and notable space missions of ISRO to acquire a deeper understanding of space and inspire students to consider careers in space sciences and astronomy.” The academy will also host a state-level inter-school hydro rocket and astronomy workshop on October 15, in commemoration of the birth anniversary of former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, he added. Chhattisgarh Sexual molestation charge Gariaband, september 13. A government school principal in Gariaband district has been…