Kerala Monitor Education News

KERALA MONITOR

Indian Schools Recruitment Procedure under Fire

Interview Board Member demands bribe of Rs.50000 from candidates.

LAST DATE TO APPLY FOR OPENING NEW MEDICAL COLLEGES IN INDIA
NIIT, Microsoft introduce m-commerce programme in the Middle East-
- American University of Sharjah (AUS) Students on Fast-Track to High-Skilled, High-Pay Jobs
Forty seven institutions are declared deemed universities in India--NDA-Naval Academy Examination Results
Dubai Men’s College Launches Cisco Networking Academy Programme For High-Tech Qualifications
Agriclinics and Agro Research Centres to aid Indian Farmers
Indian School Muscat Students come back from UK Exchange Programme

August 15, 2001

Indian Schools Recruitment Procedure under Fire

Interview Board Member demands bribe of Rs.50000 from candidate, alleges scholl

kerala monitor.com

Chennai: The controversial manner in which various Indian Schools in the Gulf recruit teaching and other staff was revealed once again when one of the senior members of an Interview Board in Chennai (for an Indian School in Oman's Maloda region ) has been alleged to have demanded a bribe of Rs. 50,000 (Fifty thousand) from a candidate for the post of teacher (salary RO 150 per month.).

According to sources, the Interview Board Member, demanded money from all the short listed candidate at the rate of Indian Rs. 50,000 per candidate. The recruitment was for one of the leading Indian Schools in Oman . It is learned that the manner in which Indian schools recruit teaching staff from various Indian cities need much to be desired. The Indian School's in Senior Board Member is alleged to have behaved "immorally" with a lady candidate in India during the recruitment period.

The board member, who went to India for recruiting the staff, reportedly told one of the short listed lady candidates to "come to his hotel", for obvious reasons. However, the good mannered lady made a formal complaint to the Tamil Nadu Police. However, the respected board member had a narrow escape by pretending as if he did not know the language properly and "the lady made the complaint because of what he termed a "communication problem." A vice Principal of the School, who was eye witness to the whole episode, is facing harassment and sacking order from the board.

Even though the Indian schools are charging exorbitant fees from students, making education in Oman a very costly affair for ordinary Indians, teachers are paid very low salary, prompting many of them to do illegal tuitions. Due to high cost, many ordinary parents sent their children to India for education.

The Times of Oman, a leading English newspaper from Muscat reported that one Indian school recently conducted interviews for their new academic year at centres in Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai and one interview board member demanded bribe from the candidates. " Even though same type of allegations were made last year the story was hushed up. One lady was told that doing well in an interview alone would not get her anywhere. She had to wield certain amount of influence and that could be done only if she had proper contacts in Delhi, the paper said.. The mediator then offered her his services and said that he could mediate in this regard for a fee. "Some kind of pressure has to be applied because the school is controlled by the Indian embassy," the mediator has allegedly told this lady.

The Times said that the man also noted that this fee was being collected for the costs incurred in travelling to Delhi and using other means to put pressure "on those in Delhi", the sources said. This mediator also made it clear that the lady could be put in the list, which would include the selected candidates if not for this year, but for future purposes too. "The list would be valid for a few more years; it is not just to fill the present vacancies, but future vacancies too," he said, the leading Newspaper quoted the potential teacher. School authorities normally seek the help of the local agents in the interview. In this case, this school has appointed a local agent to supply them with books, etc. The local agency, a bookseller from Gopalapuram in Chennai, may be behind this bribe issue.

Even though Indian schools are governed by boards, one of the board members in an Indian School is allegedly getting lot of business from the school through benami companies. Normally School Board Members are not supposed to conduct such business. Currently, an ex-principal of one of the Indian schools is running a recruitment business in India for various schools. It is high time that the concerned authorities look into the operation of these schools and introduce professional recruitment procedures.

August 14, 2001

LAST DATE TO APPLY FOR OPENING NEW MEDICAL COLLEGES

kerala monitor.com

New Delhi: The Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has stipulated that the last date to apply for opening new medical colleges for the academic session 2002 - 2003 will be August 31, 2001. The detailed application form and related documents are to be obtained from the Medical Council of India, Aiwan-I-Galib Marg, Kotla Road, New Delhi 110 002.

The Medical Council of India had already notified regulations for opening new medical colleges for undergraduate courses. According to the "MCI Establishment of Medical Colleges Regulations, 1999" no person shall establish a medical college except after obtaining prior permission from the Central Government by submitting a scheme under the Regulations. All applications under the scheme shall be submitted to the Secretary, Department of Health, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare from August 1 to 31 of any year. Under the Regulations, the following organisations shall be eligible to apply for a medical college:

A State / Union Territory Government;
A University;
An autonomous body promoted by the Central and State Government by or under a Statute for the purpose of medical education;
A society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (21 of 1860) or corresponding Acts in the States; or
A public religious or charitable trust registered under the Trust Act, 1882 (2 of 1882) 0r the WAKHS Act, 1954 (29 of 1954).

The eligible persons should fulfill the conditions which include: that a suitable single plot of land measuring not less than 25 acres is owned and possessed by the person or is possessed by the applicant by way of 99 years' lease for the construction of the college; the Essentiality Certificate in Form 2 regarding No Objection of the State Government / Union Territory Administration for the establishment of the proposed medical college at the proposed site and availability of adequate clinical material as per the Council Regulations, have been obtained by the person from the concerned State Government / Union Territory Administration;

the consent of affiliation in Form 3 for the proposed medical college has been obtained by the applicant from a University; that the person owns and manages a hospital of not less than 300 beds with necessary infrastructural facilities capable of being developed into a teaching institution in the campus of the proposed medical college; opening of a medical college in hired or rented building shall not be permitted. The medical college shall be set only on the plot on labnd earmarked for that purpose as indicated. Besides, the Trust / Society has to provide performance bank guarantees for establishment of the medical college and also teaching hospital and allied infrastructural facilities.

Birla Institute to set up Engineering college in Oman

kerala monitor.com

Birla Institute of Technology (BIT) and Zawawi Group are jointly setting up an engineering college in the Sultanate and courses will be offered in association with the Waljat Institute of Applied Sciences, a Zawawi Group establishment from September. The college can accommodate 100 students in the first year and is expected to check the trend of non-resident Indian (NRI) students joining various universities in their homeland.

The plan is to have a combined student strength of 750 for all courses in different years. BIT Vice-Chancellor (Emeritus) Dr H C Pande met Oman's Minister of Higher Education Yahya bin Mahfoudh al-Manthery and the latter promised him a government no-objection certificate (NOC) to enable the professional college. The college, which will start functioning at Al Khuwair this year, will be shifted to a large 25-acre campus at Rusayl once the government allots land there. "What we have indicated to the government is an area of 25-acres for the campus and the total project cost is estimated at RO 4.5 million", said Prem Maker. Since the college is specialised in electronics and information technology courses, this will help the proposed IT park in Rusayl by making available software and hardware professionals locally.

The courses offered by the institute are 4 -year BE in electronics and communication, 3-year BE in computer applications and a one-year foundation course, which can lead to a bachelors degree in engineering. For the 4-year BE course with eight semesters, the institute is planning to charge RO 1,000 per semester. But in the case of six-semester three-year course, the fee is lower at RO 500 per semester in the first year. However, from next year onwards, the institute will charge RO 750 per semester for the three-year course. The entire faculty for the college will come from the Ranchi-based BIT and only administration and laboratory staff will be recruited locally.

Arab Financial Institution planned for Scienctific Research and Development

kerala monitor.com

The Arab countries are contemplating a plan to start new financial institutions and mechanisms to provide medium and long term loans to finance various joint projects in the proposed Arab Common Market. According to informed sources, there is also a proposal to establish a joint Arab financial institution devoted exclusively to finance Research and Development (R&D) activities in the Arab world. Special plans to extend loans for small and medium sized private business enterprises in the Arab world are also known to be under consideration.

The Arab Business and Investors Congress, which was held in Tunis recommended that the idea of a new Arab Financial Institution for industrial projects would be part of a broader plan to set up an Arab Free Trade Zone and increase in investments in the Arab countries.

A report in the Commercial Bulletin (January 2000), an official publication the Arab Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Development, also indicate that plans are on to set up an Arab financial institution for R&D and industrial finance. The Arab League of States, the Inter-Arab Investment Corporation, the General Union of the Arab Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, the Tunisian Federation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts etc. were the major organisers of the Arab Business and Investors Conference on promoting Arab investment in an Arab Free Trade Zone milieu where the idea was proposed.

Investment prospects in several Arab countries like Egypt, Bahrain, the UAE, Libya, Morocco and Jordan. The creation of an Arab Free Trade Area will help to increase the inter Arab investment flow and implementation of joint investment projects. The proposed financial institutions are expected to make a qualitative change in the flow of investment to the Arab world.

The proposal assumes added importance as the Congress was attended by leading Arab leaders including His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Deputy Governor of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry of the UAE, Tunisian Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Ghanoushi, Ossama Jaafar Fakeeh, Saudi Minister of Trade, Bakhti Balayeb, the Algerian Minister of Trade, a large number of Arab businessmen and investors from all over the Arab world. Representatives of a number of Arab financial institutions. According to recent media reports, a number of leading Arab scientists have recently visited the UAE rulers and held discussions on improving Arab science and technology.

EXPERT COMMITTEES FOR KENDRIYA AND NAVODAYA VIDYALAYAS

kerala monitor.com

New Delhi: Two expert committees, one for Kendriya Vidyalayas and the other for Navodaya Vidyalayas are to be set up to examine ways and means of improving and streamlining their management and functioning. The committees would be asked to submit their report within three months. This was disclosed by the Minister for Human Resource Development Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi while addressing a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee of his ministry, here today. Dr. Joshi said that action would be taken on the recommendations of the Committee and see whether they can be implemented before the next session starts. The agenda of today's meeting was "Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan".

Dr. Joshi told the meeting that despite some shortcomings in the functioning of these schools, their results were comparable with that of any private school. He said efforts are being made to evolve the Kendriya Vidyalayas as ideal schools in the country and a model school for the States and other institutions. He said special attention will be given to those in the North-Eastern Region. The Minister informed the committee that measures are already underway to look into the grievances of teachers of these schools including the transfer policy. The minister also disclosed that 20 Navodaya schools have been selected for strengthening their infrastructure to make them the best schools in sports also. Some of these are in the North-Eastern region.

Twenty six more Kendriya Vidyalayas would come up next year and of these six will be in the North-Eastern States, Dr. Joshi said. At present there are 854 Kendriya Vidyalayas, out of which two are located in Kathmandu and Moscow. Encouraged by the success of Kendriya Vidyalayas abroad, more such schools are to be opened in other countries on self-financing basis, the Minister averred.

The Minister revealed that pre-primary education has been introduced in 50 selected Kendriya Vidyalayas on self-financing basis during the current academic year. It is planned to extend the scheme to more Kendriya Vidyalayas in the coming years following their success. 319 Kendriya Vidyalayas have already been supplied with computers. The number would go up to 600 by March next year. The Minister told the members that all their suggestions will be looked into and action taken.

Taking part in the discussions, the members demanded streamlining the functioning of the Kendriya Vidyalayas, a sound transfer policy, better student-teacher relationship, involvement of people's representatives in the management committee, allowing children other than that of government servants for admission in schools where the strength is low, a watch-dog committee for the Kendriya Vidyalayas and improvement of playground facilities. The members who attended include Shri Rajnath Singh 'Surya', Shri M. Sankaralingam, Dr. A.K. Patel, Shri W. Angou Singh (Rajya Sabha) and Shri Y.G. Mahajan (Lok Sabha).

INDIAN GOVT TO PROMOTE SANSKRIT EDUCATION IN A BIG WAY

kerala monitor.com

NEW DELHI: The Government is to promote Sanskrit Education in a big way. This was disclosed by the Minister for Human Resource Development Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, while delivering the convocation address at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (Deemed University) at Ananthpur (AP) today. He said the repository of knowledge from vedic to present time is in sanskrit and therefore, it should be studied in all our learned institutions. As there is an awakening across the country of the importance of sanskrit, the Government is trying to create facilities for large scale learning of this language.

Emphasising the need to espouse the cause of sanskrit he said, the institute has shown a new path of integral education in the area of higher education which lays equal stress on character building and academic excellence. He pointed out that integral education is a process of a free and progressive development of the powers of the body, mind and the soul under the overarching growth and development, which is spiritual in character so that a total harmony of the being can be pursued as a practical goal of all aspects of progress.

Turning to the world economic order, Dr. Joshi said it is another extension of materialism and that the world has become a large market. These concepts have propelled the western world into unmasked exploitation. 800 million people still sleep hungry . One billion suffer from malnutrition. 1.5 billion still under poverty. The consumption levels in affluent nations are going up steeply. Technologies have often led to oppression and wide spread destruction of the ecology and depletion of world’s limited natural resources. He said this calls for sustainable consumption . There has to be a check on uncontrolled consumption. It is the responsibility of all of us to carry on the struggle for achieving the goal of sustainable consumption, he added.