Jan 2, 2002 Screening of childrens film begins

Ayodhya Inquiry Commission Tenure Extended

The tenure of the Liberhan Ayodhya Commission of Inquiry has been further extended upto June 30, 2003. The Liberhan Commission had been set up to inquire into a definite matter of public importance i.e. the destruction of Ram Janma Bhoomi-Babri Masjid structure at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. A Home Ministry Notification said that the Commission will now submit its report before June 30, 2003.

Now the Sad news..

Muscat Indian Embassy Staff dies in Kerala

Kottayam- Punnoose, (53 years) an Indian Embassy, Muscat staff died in Kerala following serious illness. Punnoose, a counter staff of the Indian Embassy is a familiar face to the NRI community in Oman, died in Kerala where he was undergoing ayurvedic treatment. Punnoose has been working in Oman for 20 years, was suffering from diabetics and other ailments. It was for treatment that he went to the Kottakkal Ayurveda centre in Kerala three months back and returned to Muscat recently.

His wife Mary, a laborotary technician of Khaoula Hospital and children (Rabeeca and Reshma) were in Muscat when death occured. Punnoose hailes from Chengalam, near Kumarakom, Kottayam. KM team expresses our condolence to the Punnoose family.

Screening of childrens film begins

New Delhi: 1st January, 2003

New Delhi --With an objective to provide healthy entertainment to children, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Smt. Sushma Swaraj inaugurated the BAL CHITRA MANCH (Siri Fort Auditorium-III) with the screening of children film 'Katt Katt Kad Kaddu' at a function here today. Earlier, on the occasion of Children's Day (14.11.2002), the Minister had promised to dedicate the auditorium to the children so as to have regular film screening facilities for them. Films at BAL CHITRA MANCH will be screened for children throughout the year.

In her address Smt. Swaraj said that more films targetted for children should be produced. She said that there should be more such theatres in the capital and other cities for screening children films. This will motivate further the producers to make more films for the children

Six children films will be screened during the month of January 2003. These include 'Katt Katt Kad Kaddu' (Hindi) directed by Jayashree Kanal from 1st to 3rd January, 'Ek Ajooba' (Hindi) by Sunil Advani from 6th to 10th, 'Baaja' (Hindi) by A.K.Bir from 13th to 17th, 'Haathi Ka Anda' (Hindi) by Arun Khopkar from 20th to 24th and 'Bhago Bhoot' (Hindi) directed by Sai Paranjai from 27th to 31st January, 2003. The entry to the screenings at 10 a.m. would be at Rs. 5/- per ticket. The schools from different parts of the capital are already lining up for taking their children to these shows.

Law commission recommendations on arrest laws

The Law Commission of India, in its 177th Report on Law Relating to Arrest, has suggested far reaching changes in the criminal laws to maintain a balance between the liberty of the citizen and the societal interest in maintenance of peace, law and order. It has also suggested measures for making police accountable for their omission and commission.

The Law Commission has recommended amendment of Section 41 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, which deals with the arrest of persons and provides the situation when any police officer may arrest any person without an order or warrant from a magistrate. According to the Commission, this Section is vague and ambiguous. The Commission has also recommended deletion of Sub-Section (2) of Section 42 of the Code of Criminal Procedure as in the opinion of the Commission it is unnecessary and superfluous.

The Commission has recommended insertion of a new provision in the form of Section 60A which provides that arrest has to be made strictly in accordance with the provisions of the court. A large number of arrests are made in bailable offences, most of which are bound to be non-cognizable offences. The changes suggested by the Commission in the Code of Criminal Procedure are necessary to regulate the power of arrest by the police, as at present, unguided powers are exercised by them. In this connection, the Supreme Court in D.K. Basu case in 1997 had issued certain directions and safeguards to be observed in respect of arrest. The Law Commission has, therefore recommended that the directions of the apex court be incorporated in Chapter V of the Code of Criminal Procedure along with consequences for not complying with such provisions.

The Commission has also recommended accountability of police and enforcement agencies. Accordingly, the Commission has recommended insertion of new Sections 41A to 41D to include procedure of arrest and duties of police officers making right and right of arrested person to have advocate during interrogation. The violation of these provisions contained in Sections 41A to 41D should constitute an offence within the meaning of Section 166 of the Indian Penal Code.

The Law Commission has suggested that health, safety and well being of the arrested should be the responsibility of the detaining authority. Accordingly, the Commission has recommended a substitution of Section 54 by insertion of new Section 55A to provide that it should be the duty of the person having the custody of an accused to take reasonable steps for the health and safety of the accused. Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure deals with examination of arrested persons by medical practioner.

The Law Commission has recommended that a large number of offences in Section 320 of the Code of Criminal Procedure be deleted from its Sub-section 2 and placed in sub-section 1of Section 320 so that these offences may be compounded without permission of the court. Section 320 deals with compounding of offences. The Commission has also recommended that offence under Section 498A of Indian Penal Code relating to cruelty by the husband or relative of the husband be also made impoundable with the permission of the court.

The Law Commission has also addressed the law relating to bail. In this connection, it has recommended that in offences punishable upto seven years imprisonment, with or without fine, the normal rule should be bail and denial thereof an exception. In other serious offence, the matter has to be left to the discretion of the court having regard to the totality of the circumstances and keeping in mind necessity to maintain a balance between the interests of the society as a whole in proper maintenance of law and order and the constitutional, legal and human rights of the accused. It has also recommended that in case of offences punishable with seven years or less, the police officer or the court should not insist on sureties unless those were special reasons for imposing that condition. The release should be on personal bond as a general rule.

The Law Commission has reiterated its earlier 154th Report and commended the reasoning therein for establishment of a separate investigating agency and separation of investigating and protecting agency from the police staff engaged in the maintenance of law and order.

The Law Commission’s recommendations have taken into account the Supreme Court judgements in Maneka Gandhi case (1978), Joginder Kumar Vs State of U.P. (1994) and D.K. Basu Vs. State of West Bengal (1997).

SETS FOR PROTECTION OF IT GENERATED WEALTH

The Society for Electronic Transactions and Security (SETS) has become operational in a bid to protect wealth created through the advent of information technology. Registered last May under the Societies Registration Act of 1860 it has begun functioning from Delhi. Inaugurating the new premises of the Society, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government and Chairman of SETS Dr. R. Chidambaram said, with various countries having become information generators they are more vulnerable to cyber attacks than before.

A number of countries around the world have passed legislation to make attack on their information sources as a crime to protect their own knowledge infrastructure. In case of India, the creation of wealth in the form of information over the decade was phenomenal. The Prime Minister has articulated a Vision of India as a "Knowledge Superpower" and it is essential that the IT wealth creation is accompanied by a set of measures to protect the same, Dr. Chidambaram said.

It may be recalled that a committee was set up under the Chairmanship of Dr. M. Vidyasagar to look into the short, medium and long-term IT scenario by 2010 and identify specific technologies for the protection, surveillance, monitoring and certification in the context of information security. The committee among other things recommended the setting up of a non-profit registered society to realise the vision and objectives of the missions set out in its report.

FOCUS ON RIGHT TO EDUCATION

MOMENTUM TO UNIVERSALISATION OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

YEAR END REVIEW 2002

Education for All : from Dream to Reality

The year 2002 closed with the nation committing itself to provide education to every child as a matter of his / her right. The President gave assent to the Constitution Amendment Bill on 12th December [This is now the Constitution (86th) Amendment Act]. Before that, the Lok Sabha passed the bill unanimously; the Rajya Sabha had passed it in the budget session. Now the government is busy framing a law in consultation with States, which will give force to the fundamental right to education.

On the ground, the flagship programme, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, inched towards its first goal, that is, enrolling all children in schools or employment guarantee scheme centres or bridge courses, by end 2003. The stress this year has been on proper monitoring, proper communication between the Centre and the States, and proper utilisation of funds. After reaching the first goal, the already-achieved thrust would give momentum to the programme to ensure that all children enrolled now would have completed their primary education by 2007. India, thus, would achieve the goal of 'education for all' in 2010, which is to be achieved globally by 2015.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan works on mission mode, with targets to be achieved in different stages of implementation. The programme has enlisted the support of Panchayati Raj bodies and local organisations in implementation as well as monitoring. Special care is being taken to bridge gender and social gaps that have so far remained in the area of literacy.

In the current financial year, the Centre has, upto December 2002, released over Rs. 3000 crore under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan both for improving infrastructure and for upgrading human resources.

Mid-Day Meal Scheme: Breaking Poverty-Illiteracy Link

The Mid-Day Meal scheme has been comprehensively strengthened this year. About 28 lakh metric tonnes of foodgrains have been allocated to cover more than 11 crore children studying in Government, local body and government aided schools. The programme has also been expanded to cover children of Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) centres. The guidelines of the scheme have also been modified so as to enable reputed NGOs to participate in the implementation of the programme.

Massive Expansion of Technical Education: Technologically Empowering the Nation

There has been very large expansion in the setting up of technical institutes with the participation of Trusts/Societies in the last few years. In the year 2002-2003 the total number of AICTE approved engineering colleges has gone up to 1195 with a total intake capacity of 3,56,268. There has been a major rise in the intake in IT related courses.

The intake in the IITs has been accelerated so that the benefit of high quality technical education is available to larger sections of students. So as to reduce harassment of students on account of entrance examinations of different institutions, CBSE conducted a common entrance examination for engineering, architecture and pharmacy (AIEEE)for the first time for 7116 seats in 102 institutions. Joint Entrance Examination for admissions to IITs has been reviewed to bring it in harmony with the school education system and to curb the menace of coaching. A common examination for admission to MBA, PGDM and MCA is also being planned.

Reforms in Higher and Technical Education Sectors: Focus on Quality

A policy framework for promotion of post-graduate education and research in engineering and technology has been laid down to give special thrust to post-graduate education and thrust in engineering and technology.

To ensure quality of higher education, Accreditation with National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has been made obligatory for all universities and colleges. A National Board of Accreditation has also been set up in the AICTE. Based on the quality of the courses and infrastructure available, the Board issues certificates of 'A' Grade 'B' Grade and 'C' Grade.

Performance based funding pattern has been introduced in IITs to bring focus on outcomes and to steer development of the IIT system in accordance with national priorities.

Curriculum upgradation in the field of higher education has been undertaken on a priority basis. The UGC has announced 45 new courses so that newly emerging areas can be covered in the tertiary system.

Universities have been inter-linked through ‘infonet’ network for sharing of research database. Similarly, a programme – Indian National Digital Library in Science and Technology: INDEST) has been started for making available internationally reputed e-journals to technical institutions. The lectures being imparted in IITs are being filmed and distributed over internet and television media so as to make available quality course material to those studying in other institutions, under the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NP-TEL).

A Rs. 1550 crore programme named Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP) is being launched from the current year with soft-loan from the World Bank. it will help greatly improve infrastructure in technical institutions, initially in selected technical colleges in the states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs) are being converted into National Institutes of Technology (NITs) by restructuring their management to make it truly professional. Simultaneously, they are being granted Deemed-to-be-University status. Consequently, these Institutes now have full autonomy in the academic matter in addition to complete administrative freedom to decide their own affairs. Out of 17 RECs, 14 have already been converted into NITs.

On Demand Examination: ‘Take Exams at Your Will’

The National Institute of Open Schooling has initiated an On Demand Examination System (ODES). ODES envisages giving freedom to learners in the subjects of their choice whenever they want to appear for the exams. ODES has been started at the open basic terminal stage equivalent to the grade VIII and steps are under way to extend it to the secondary stage.

Other Initiatives and Achievements

Other noteworthy activities that the government started and undertook this year in the field of education were towards expanding adult literacy, review and re-introduction of school text books as per the national curriculum framework* , and spreading education through modern mass media. Some major programme activities were as follows:

Adult Literacy

Ninety eight percent of the total districts in the country (587 districts out of 599) have now been covered under adult literacy campaigns. The number of Jan Shikshan Sansthans, units to provide vocational skills to neo-literates and function as District Resource Centres, now stands at 108.

Thrust on Education for Minorities

In order to give added thrust, focus and visibility to various programmes for educationally backward minorities, a unified programme, Area Intensive Madarsa Modernisation Programme (AIMMP) has been launched. Financial allocation for this programme has also been raised from Rs.115 crore during the Ninth Plan to Rs.160 crore in the 10th Plan. Under this scheme, now infrastructure support , salaries for teachers in the modern and oriental subjects, and for teacher training programmes are being provided under a single umbrella.

Continuing its march towards achieving higher levels of education amongst minorities, the programme for ‘IT education in minority institutions’ started to train minority children in the technical skills. A drive has been launched to start computer application diploma in Urdu language.

Urdu Translation of Works of Indian Authors

As part of the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) effort to translate works of major Indian authors into Urdu, the translation of the complete works of Prem Chand was initiated this year. A substantial portion of this translation has already been completed and these books are out in the market.

Expansion of ‘Gyan Vani’

The IGNOU has recently set up its 7th FM radio station in Bhopal. Forty stations under ‘Gyan Vani’ are proposed to be set up.

Computer Literacy and Studies in Schools (CLASS)

A revised Computer Literacy and Studies in Schools (CLASS) Scheme introduced in 2001, was operationalised this year. This programme intends to create awareness among school students about computer and its usage in teaching-learning process.

Higher Scales For Primary School Teachers

The government approved enhanced pay scales for 25,000 primary teachers belonging to Union Terriroy cadre and working in Kendriya Vidyalayas