From 2017, Class XII Marks Will Get Less Weightage For Entrance To NITs
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From the next year, class XII board exam marks may carry less weightage than the currently prescribed 40 per cent for the National Institutes of Technology (NIT). The Central government has taken a decision to roll back its earlier decision of assigning 40 per cent weightage to class XII board examination marks and 60 per cent weightage to the candidate’s JEE (Main) performance for admissions in NIT.
The HRD Minister Smriti Irani, who is also the chairman of NIT Council, has decided that from 2017, NITs will not calculate ranks based on Board performance. They will follow the IIT rule of granting admission to candidates, who apart from qualifying JEE (Advanced) are either in the top 20 percentile of his or her school Board or has scored at least 75 per cent.
The earlier decision of giving weightage to Board performance was taken by the then UPA government under the former HRD Minister Kapil Sibal. He argued that with such decision, students will focus more on school education than only on coaching classes. But last three years report suggests that the number of tuition goers has increased to four per cent. That is why a decision has been taken to revert to the old structure.
Indian Entertainer hopes this decision brings relief to the students who suddenly get burdened after class 10th. Preparing both for competitive exams and board exams with same dedication is almost impossible for most of the students.
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Today is the 8th annual World Autism Awareness Day which is generally celebrated all over the world through fund-raising and awareness programmes. The Light It Up Blue (LIUB) initiative by the ‘Autism Speaks’ organisation is another way of indicating support for autism that involves painting the world blue with blue attires and blue lights on the 2nd of April every year. World Autism Day might just seem like one of those days on which a few social initiatives are taken up and forgotten later. But this is not the case!
Real significance of World Autism Awareness DayOn the 2nd of April of every year, the member states of the United Nations take measures to raise awareness globally. Action plans for the future are drawn up on this day and voted upon by the member nations so as to mainstream the disease of Autism. April 2nd is recognized as the official day for autism awareness due to the resolution tabled by the State of Qatar on the 18th of December, 2007.
UN’s theme for 2016“On this World Autism Awareness Day, I call for advancing the rights of individuals with autism and ensuring their full participation and inclusion as valued members of our diverse human family who can contribute to a future of dignity and opportunity for all.” -Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
The theme for this year is “Autism and the 2030 Agenda: Inclusion and Neurodiversity”. The United Nations has laid constant emphasis on the need to mainstream the disability of autism. In its theme for this year, the UN hopes to incorporate social inclusion for those affected by autism in its agenda for 2030.
What is ASD?Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Autism are terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. The characteristic of these disorders include- difficulties in social interactions, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviours. Individually named disorders like autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder and asperger’s syndrome have been brought under the singular name of ASD. Despite several cases of intellectual disabilities, motor coordination disorders and attention issues, ASD victims sometimes excel in visual skills, music, math and art.
The sufferers of autismSymptoms of autism arise at very young ages- 2 or 3 itself. Statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified a ten-fold increase in the prevalence of autism in America in the last 40 years. The increase in the number of cases has been attributed to the improvement in diagnosis and awareness over the years which has led towards the increase in detection of the disease. Also the occurrence of autism in boys is much higher than in girls. About 1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls are diagnosed with autism in the United States.
The causeAfter continued research over several years, it has been established that there is no one cause for autism just as there is no single type of autism. Scientists have recently identified rare gene changes and mutations in autism affected victims. But most cases are a result of autism risk genes and environmental factors that influence early brain development. In certain cases, advanced parental age at the time of conception, maternal illness during pregnancy and difficulties during birth leading to oxygen deprivation to the baby’s brain has also been linked with autism. A particular research states that a woman can reduce risk of autism in her child by consuming prenatal vitamins containing folic acid or eating a diet rich in folic acid before conception.
The leading Spokesperson for autism awarenessWith autism requiring a lot of further research, several NGOs have come up to raise funds and awareness. One among them is Autism Speaks which is an autism advocacy organisation in the United States. It was founded by Bob Wright, the vice chairman of General Electric, along with his wife Suzanne a year after their grandson was diagnosed with autism. They have done a world of good to those affected by the disability across the globe.
This day is of importance not only for those affected by autism but also for the rest of the society that need to accept autism.
Indian Entertainer thanks all the NGOs and organisations that back research and development in the battle against autism. Let us all join together in mainstreaming the disease that has unfortunately affected so many children in the world. Our small contribution to any of the NGOs could mean a lot for a child affected by autism.
The Inspirational Story Of India’s First Football Club
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On 15th August, 1889, exactly 58 years before India gained independence, few eminent Citizens of Kolkata met at 14, Balaram Ghosh Street, Kolkata 700004, to promote a patriotic feeling by establishing a Sporting Club for the Indians. Thus, the Mohun Bagan Athletic Club was born. After the revolt of 1857, the British started flexing their muscles rapidly and also increased the number of British soldiers in the Army. These soldiers used to play sports for recreation and the natives watched them in the act, but did not have the requisite facilities and infrastructure for training in order to compete with the foreigners. Seeing this, the Bengali elite came together to institute the Club.
The First big victory over the British The early years were very tough for Mohun Bagan as it hardly won any tournaments. In fact, most of the tournaments were dominated by the British and Indian teams were not even allowed to participate. But 1911 was different.
The IFA Shield is one of the most prestigious Football Tournaments in India. Captained by Shibdas Bhaduri, Mohun Bagan was the only Indian representation in 1911. Despite hardships and bias, Mohun Bagan roared to the finals and were supposed to play East Yorkshire Regiment, an army club. Needless to say, it was a very proud day for each and every Indian and around 80,000-1,00,000 people from all over Eastern India are reported to have attended it! In the absence of a proper stadium with a scoreboard, the score was communicated by writing it on Kites and then flying them.
At Half-Time, East Yorkshire dominated the match by 1-0. In the 81st minute, Shibdas Bhaduri scored a goal equaling the score. 8 minutes later, another goal was scored by Abhilash Ghosh and Mohun Bagan won the match. But it was seen as if the Indians had defeated the mighty Empire!
The Englishman reported, “Mohun-Bagan has succeeded in what the Congress and the Swadeshiwallas have failed to do so far to explode the myth that the Britishers are unbeatable in any sphere of life.”
The Manchester Guardian commented, “A team of Bengalees won the Football Association Shield in India after defeating the crack teams of three British Regiments amidst the applause of 80,000 of their countrymen. There is no reason of course to be surprised. Victory of association football goes to the side with the greatest physical fitness, the quickest eye, and the keenest wit.”
Nationalism through Football It is said that when the victory procession from in front of Fort William, a man went to Shibdas Bhaduri, the architect of the win, and pointing towards the imperial Flag asked him when he would bring it down. Shibdas replied that they would do it when they win the IFA Shield again. Incidentally`, Mohun Bagan won the Shield again in 1947!
National Club Mohun Bagan turned 100 in 1989. The then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi attended the celebrations in Kolkata and designated Mohun Bagan Athletic Club as the National Club of India. The same year the government also issued stamps to commemorate the centenary year of Mohun Bagan and it also became the first club in India to have stamps issued it its glory.
In popular culture In 2011, a Bengali Movie ‘Egaro’ (Eleven) was made on the 1911 victory. Another Bollywood movie of Shoojit Sircar with John Abraham playing the role of Bhaduri is slated to start shooting in August this year. The growth of Mohun Bagan has been incessant. It is the oldest football in Asia it has won many tournaments and received international acclaim. 4 people associated with Mohun Bagan have received Padma awards, 23 have won Arjuna Awards and 1 got the Dronacharya Award. A lot of clubs have been established in India after Mohun Bagan but till today Mohun Bagan continues to rule the hearts of Indians, irrespective of affiliations to other clubs, as it was another formidable pillar of the freedom struggle.
Damning Statistics On Green Cover In Indian Cities, How Much Can We Destroy Environment?
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Urban explosionThe explosion of urbanisation in India is taking a toll on the green coverage of the country. With more and more expansion of cities and metropolitans, the number of trees and plantation is significantly dwindling. The quality of air, water is degrading as a result. With the decreasing green cover, Air pollution levels are also increasing. Cities are the source of several dangerous gases, particularly vehicles like passenger cars, Lorries, buses which generate carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrous oxides (Nox), benzene, ozone in addition to fine particles released by diesel motors which create a serious threat to human health.
Damning fact of our citiesUnplanned urbanisation is accompanied by concretization across the cities—about half the toxic particles in Delhi’s air, the world’s worst, come from construction dust and destruction of vegetation. A new study by T.V. Ramachandra and his colleagues at IISc’s Centre for Ecological Sciences provides statistical evidence to the process of creating India’s concrete jungles. Examples:
Kolkata’s tree cover, a third of its area in 1980, is likely to fall to 3.37% by 2030.
Ahmedabad’s tree cover, from 45% of its area in 1970, will likely fall to 3% by 2030.
Bhopal’s tree cover: From 67% in 1992 (let’s just ignore 92% in 1977) to a likely 11% by 2030.
Bengaluru’s condition is the worst over years. Reports in 2012 suggest, over four decades, Bengaluru’s vegetation declined 66%, its once-extensive lakes 74%. Construction grew 584% over this period.
The UN predicts an urban growth rate of 62% between 2010 and 2020; 108% between 2020 and 2030 and Urban planners has to maintain at least 33 percent green cover in cities. It is quite evident that we fall short of the required numbers by a large margin.
Lack of debateFor these issues to be addressed, we should make sure that environmental issues are at the forefront of debates in our country which is not the case as it stands. The lack of awareness due to mainstream media shying away from these crucial issues has not helped in spreading awareness of the issue. Let us learn and spread the word about the alarming situation our cities are in.
Indian Entertainer is appalled by the numbers and drastic reduction of green cover. We request the citizens to raise their voice to ensure our cities are safe and clean for us and for our future generations to live. We request the government to give serious thought into Urban Planning and ensure development does not happen at the cost of environment and health of citizens.
Pratyusha Banerjee’s Suicide Highlights How Our Generation Is Failing To Cope Emotional Troubles
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Balika Vadhu famed actor 24-year-old Pratyusha Banerjee’s suicide once again brings to light the rising number of people who choose to end their lives. This is not the first time we are seeing young telly stars resorting to end their life. Recent history has also witnessed suicides like those of Bollywood actress Jiah Khan, TV actress Kuljeet Randhawa, VJ Nafisa Joseph. Not only celebrities, today, we see youth from different sections is committing suicide. The reason behind people choosing the path of suicide varies from debt to work pressure. All these reports lead to ask a serious question. Is suicide becoming the only choice on hand when you are unable to deal with problems? Let us look at the damning statistics of suicide’s in India and why we as citizens should spread the awareness about it besides keeping in mind that suicide does not end the pain it just passes on to your loved one’s. There are so many people in the world who need care, attention, love, and affection, if you are not able to live for yourself, you can always live for others who need your time.
In the 15 to 29-year age group, suicide is the second leading cause of death globally. As studies indicate, South Korea, Russia, and India lead in suicide rates. In India, about 46,000 suicides occurred each in 15-29 and 30-44 age groups in 2012 – or about 34% each of all suicides.
We all have ups and downs, sometimes it is more than that, that is the point to be alarmed. When your kid, friend, and any person you care is acting differently for quite some time like:
>Crying for no reason. Acting down.
>Not able to sleep. Or sleeps all the time
>Getting mad at anyone. Acting reckless.
>Shutting away friends, no self-care or care for his/her possessions.
>Not bothered about his/her passion, gives up on things he/she loves.
>Too much into drugs and substance abuse.
It may be he/she is going through some hard time, at study, relationship etc. Or it may be he/she really has given up on the world.
We need to address the depression then and there and pull him/her back to life. It is his/her negative self-talk: That no one cares about him/her; this world is not worth living in etc. You need to reach out to him/her saying you care for him/her and others do care as well.
Just one spark of hope can light the dying candle in his/her heart and he/she can be the person you used to know.
Suicide does not kill a person, it is his/her loneliness that does!
Show you care, show you love, talk often, ask questions, make them comfortable, let them tell you what they are going, though, give your helping hand. And make sure none of your loved one gives up on life.
In India, there are much more factors apart from depression, we have abject poverty, social ostracism/pressure, unemployment etc. to add to the cause. Apart from personal care, there must be some measures from the government who can help people. We hear about farmer’s suicide every now and then, if Govt. makes good laws to protect them, we can put an end to the shame that we can’t save the very people who work hard so that we have food on our dinner table.
We have received messages of such cases in past, we aren’t professionals yet we let them vent out the negativity and tried our best to comfort them. So if you or any friends of your’s is going through hard times, just get in touch with us we are here to hold your hand, together we will fight out.
Elon Musk Says Tesla’s Model 3 Is Coming To India, Know About It
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The highly anticipated and widely followed product launches of the West generally belong to smartphones and gadgets. The hysteria and hype over the launch of, say a new iPhone, is unparalleled. But recently Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Motors, took the stage in front of a cheering and bubbling crowd of journalists and customers to unveil an electric sedan vehicle dubbed Model 3. The cheers were for the man, who is highly respected worldwide for his futuristic vision of mankind, and for the ‘product’ itself: a sassy, all-electric, self-driving and affordable sedan car that promises to seduce the world away from fossil fuels.
Elon and Tesla:
For the uninitiated, Elon Musk is widely hailed as one of the greatest entrepreneurs of our time. He has founded and led path-breaking companies like Paypal, SpaceX, Tesla Motors, and SolarCity. All of them have had an underlying theme of building products for the future, and a vision to sustain humanity in the universe. One of Musk’s most innovative companies has been Tesla Motors, named after the iconic inventor Nikola Tesla. The company has a stated goal to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable transport. It seeks to make electric cars go mainstream and completely replace the conventional gasoline cars which release toxic gases and lead to global warming. To that end, it has made compelling electric cars that are high on performance and style, in order to bring them at par with gasoline cars.
Excitingly, the recent models from Tesla Motors, the Model S, and Model X, have proved to be better than traditional cars, with features like self-drive capabilities, tablet display on the dashboard, ridiculously fast acceleration and ample of cargo space. Combined with the fact that they don’t run on costly fuel and can be charged for free at company’s own charging stations, Tesla Motors has really brought electric cars into focus that have been generally viewed as ugly, congested and less-efficient.
Model 3:
The Model 3 is the company’s latest and most affordable electric car. Priced at $35,000 (around Rs. 23 lakh), the Model 3 is at least two times cheaper than the next higher priced Model S. It is certainly the most important milestone in the company’s strategy as it aims to provide an eco-friendly mode of transportation to an ever-expanding middle-class. Some of the major features of Model 3 are:
1. A range of 215 miles (350 km) on a single charge, which Elon Musk expects to increase in further iterations of the car,
2. An eye-popping acceleration of 0-100km/h in 6 sec, which again is said to be the bare minimum the car will have,
3. Autopilot, with capabilities, to steer the wheel and change lanes automatically,
4. A 5-star rating in all safety categories, which is pretty much desired by everyone,
5. Room for five adults and ample of cargo space in both rear and ‘front’ trunk (possible because of absence of combustion engine in the front),
6. A full glass sunroof, which gives the feeling of openness and looks great, and
7. Powered by state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries that can charge on any standard voltage connector in any country.
Judging by the above specifications and the initial reviews pouring in from websites, the Model 3 does seem to have live up to its intended goal of making electric cars cool and mainstream. The price of the car is enticing enough for a middle-class user to buy it, especially in the US where electric cars are given subsidies by the government. As of now, Tesla Motors is taking preorders at a down-payment of $1,000, and not surprisingly, it has amassed orders worth $7.5 billion within 24 hours of going on sale.
Headed to India:
The Model 3 is also the first Tesla to be coming to India! Confirmed by Elon Musk himself on Twitter, the snazzy electric car, in all probability, is headed to India. This is a great news for Tesla fans and Elon fans, and also a welcome change in the Indian automobile landscape. The entry of Tesla Motors will force other companies to adopt similar technologies, and with financial support from the Indian government, electric cars can become very much conventional in India. This is something which is desperately needed here, given that Indian cities have continuously ranked as world’s most polluted cities, and have been forced to adopt drastic measures like Delhi’s odd-even.
Tesla Unveils Model 3
Indian Entertainer congratulates Tesla Motors and the man behind it, Elon Musk, for succeeding in making an electric car for the masses which can really change the global automotive scenario besides strengthening the fight against climate change given the fact automobile industry fuelled by fossil fuels contributes significantly to carbon emissions of the world.
Two-Wheeler Purchases Will Now Come With Helmets And Accessories In Kerala
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To ensure more people are wearing helmets while riding two-wheelers, Kerala’s Transport and Road Safety Commission has issued a directive that all riders across the state would get ISI-approved helmets free of cost at the time of delivery of the vehicles starting from April 1.
Not just helmets, other accessories like front and rear number plates, rear-view mirror, sari guard, crash guard and handle grip for pillion riders will also be provided during the time of delivery. The owners will not be charged for any of these accessories. The motorcycle manufacturers have been told that their right to operate in the state will be cancelled if such directive is not followed.
Such directive will be able to curb the number of accidents in the state involving bike riders. Last year, more than 20,000 cases of bike accidents were reported from Kerala, with the highest of 3,726 been reported from Thiruvananthapuram alone.
Indian Entertainer appreciates the initiative taken by Kerala to ensure people wear helmets while riding two-wheelers. We request other states to try to implement such rules, if it really works out to be a good decision.
A Dummy’s Guide To The New Customs Baggage Rules, Changed From April 1st
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The Union Finance Minister announced changes to the Customs Baggage Rules during his recent budget speech. According to the new rules, only those international passengers who are carrying goods beyond the free allowance are required to fill the declaration form.
The Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley in his budget speech for 2016-17 had announced that the customs Baggage Rules for international passengers will be simplified to increase the free baggage allowance. He also announced that the filing of baggage declaration (customs declaration form) will be required only for those passengers who carry dutiable goods. In other words, international passengers who do not carry any dutiable goods or carry goods within the free allowance will not be required to the fill the declaration form from 1st April, 2016.
The Revised Free Allowance Rules
The government has revised the free allowance rules by issuing a new notification on 1st March, 2016. These rules would be effective 01st April, 2016. The customs duty-free allowance would be the following from now on.
An Indian resident or a foreigner residing in India or a tourist of Indian origin, arriving from any country other than Nepal, Bhutan or Myanmar, will be allowed articles like used personal items, travel souvenirs and articles other than the prohibited ones, up to the value of Rs 50,000. These have to be carried in the baggage of the passenger. The free allowance of one passenger cannot be pooled with the free allowance of another passenger. This limit has been increased from Rs 35000 to Rs 50000. The allowance for tourists of foreign origin has been increased to Rs 15,000 from the existing Rs 8000.
The other significant change is in the amount of duty-free jewellery that can be carried by an Indian passenger who has stayed abroad for over a year. The cap for a male passenger has now been fixed at 20gms of gold jewellery with a value cap of Rs 50,000 and the cap for female passengers has been fixed at 40gms of gold jewellery with a value cap of Rs 1,00,000. The earlier rules only had a value cap and not on weight.
All those passengers who carry goods within the allowance will not be required to fill the customs declaration form that is given by various airlines.
For those people transferring their residence to India, the value of the duty-free personal and household items will depend on their duration of stay abroad. The value ranges from a minimum of Rs 60,000 to a maximum of Rs 5,00,000.
Changes to the Declaration Form
The customs declaration form is also modified to include ‘Drones’ in the list of items. The earlier list contained prohibited articles, Gold Jewellery over the free allowance, Meat & Meat products, Satellite Phones etc.
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Salim Moizuddin Abdul Ali also referred to as the “Birdman of India”; was an Indian ornithologist and naturalist. He was among the first Indians to conduct systematic bird surveys across India and several bird books that he wrote helped popularize ornithology in India.
Personal Details Born on November 12th, 1896 to Moijuddin and Zeenat-un-Nisa in Mumbai, Salim was the youngest among nine siblings. He lost his father at the age of one and mother at the age of three. He was brought up by his maternal uncle Amiruddin Tayyabji who had no child. In 1918, he got married to Tehmina Begum.
Educational Details Salim went to primary school at Zenana Bible and Medical Mission Girls High School at Girgaum along with two of his sisters and later to St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai.
Early Inclination Towards Birds As a 10-year-old, Salim once noticed a flying bird and shot it down. Tender at heart, he instantly ran and picked it up. It appeared like a house sparrow, but had a strange yellowish shade on the throat. Curious, he showed the sparrow to his uncle Amiruddin and questioned him about the bird’s kind. Unable to answer, his uncle took him to W.S. Millard, the Honorary Secretary of the Mumbai Natural History Society. Amazed at the unusual interest of the young boy, Millard told him about the ‘yellow-throated sparrow; took him to see many stuffed birds. When Salim finally saw a bird similar to the child’s bird, he got very excited. After that, the young Salim started visiting the place frequently. Salim’s flight with birds started from there and never stopped.
The Struggle, Spark & Success To assist his brother in tungsten mining, Salim Ali went to Burma, but spent most of his time looking for birds. Soon, he returned to Mumbai. Immediately after returning he studied zoology, and secured a position of a guide at the museum of the Bombay Natural History Society. As only 20 years old, he conducted the visitors and instructed them about the preserved birds. His interest in the living conditions of birds grew even more. Therefore, he visited Germany to see Dr. Irvin Strassman. He came back to India after one year and found that his post in the museum had been removed for financial reasons.
Salim Ali, as a married man, required money to make a living, so he joined the museum as a clerk. The job allowed him to carry on with his research. His wife’s house at Kihim, a small village near Mumbai, was a tranquil place surrounded by trees, where Salim spent most of his time researching about the activities of the weaver bird.
He published a research paper discussing the nature and activities of the weaver bird in 1930. The piece made him famous and established his name in the field of ornithology. Salim also traveled from place to place to find out more about different species of the birds.
Contributions • Besides the re- discovery of rare species of Finn’s Baya in the Kumaon Terai, Dr. Ali had authored numerous books, including the Book of Indian Birds, a Bible for budding ornithologists. Books on the birds of Kutch, Kerala, Sikkim, the 10-volumed Birds of India and Pakistan (with S. Dillon Ripley, a young Zoologist with U.S. Army in Sri Lanka) and the Indian Hill Birds. • Salim Ali has done more than any individual to popularize the study of birds in India. Several species of birds and a couple of bird sanctuaries and institutions have been named after him. • He was very influential in ensuring the survival of the BNHS and managed to save the then 100-year-old institution by writing to the then Prime Minister Pandit Nehru for financial help. • He was able to provide support for the development of ornithology in India by identifying important areas where funding could be obtained. He helped in the establishment of an economic ornithology unit within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research. • Salim Ali had considerable influence in conservation related issues in post-independence India especially through Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. • He influenced the designation of the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary and in decisions that saved the Silent Valley National Park. • Salim Ali was a frequent visitor to The Doon School where he was an engaging and persuasive advocate of ornithology to successive generations of pupils. As a consequence, he was considered to be part of the Dosco fraternity and became one of the very few people to be made an honorary member of The Doon School Old Boys Society.
Awards & Recognition Salim Ali received several honorary doctorates and numerous awards, which are difficult to be listed below as a whole. • The earliest was the “Joy Gobinda Law Gold Medal” in 1953, awarded by the Asiatic Society of Bengal. • In 1967 he became the first non-British citizen to receive the Gold Medal of the British Ornithologists’ Union. • In the same year, he received the J. Paul Getty Wildlife Conservation Prize consisting of a sum of $100,000, which he used to form the corpus of the Salim Ali Nature Conservation Fund. • In 1969 he received the John C. Phillips memorial medal of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. • The USSR Academy of Medical Sciences gave him the Pavlovsky Centenary Memorial Medal in 1973. • In the same year he was made Commander of the Netherlands Order of the Golden Ark by Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. • The Indian government honored him with a Padma Bhushan (third highest civilian award of the Republic of India) in 1958 and Padma Vibhushan (second highest civilian award of the Republic of India) in 1976 . • He was also nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 1985.
Salim Ali’s contributions to the field of ornithology have been outstanding. We can never thank you enough, ‘Birdman of India’.
Know Everything About Right To Education On Its 6th Anniversary
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April 1, 2016, marks the sixth anniversary of Right to Education (RTE) in India. Article 21 A of the constitution made education a fundamental right for its citizens. RTE provides provision of free and compulsory education for children in the age groups between six and 14 in India. With this, India became one of the 135 countries in the world which made education a fundamental right for children. The Act also specifies minimum norms in elementary schools. It requires all private schools to reserve 25% of seats for the poor and other categories of children (to be reimbursed by the state as part of the public-private partnership plan). It also makes provisions for no donation or capitation fees and no interview of the child or parent for admission. The Act also provides that no child shall be held back, expelled, or required to pass a board examination until the completion of elementary education. There is also a provision for special training of school dropouts to bring them up to par with students of the same age.
The origins of RTE The RTE came under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) programme of the Indian Government aimed at universalisation of elementary education as mandated by the 86th Amendment of the Constitution masking free and compulsory education for children between ages six and 14 a fundamental right. Though the SSA came to be operational since 2000-01, its roots go back to 1993-94, when the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) that was launched under Central government. Though under the DPEP many children came under the premise of education, it failed to make any impact on the enrolments of girls.
Challenges remain The RTE has certainly led to the growth of schools than before. But it has not resulted in consequent growth in a number of children going to government schools, but the number of children going to private schools has increased from 18 percent to about 35 percent. However, there is a 55 percent of the decline in the dropouts has been reported in 2014 between the age of six and 14. One of the major criticism RTE has faced over years is the quality of education being provided. The quality of education has suffered due to understaffing and lack of training of teachers. The flow of public funds has so far been focused on developing school infrastructure. Teacher training has been largely neglected.
Indian Entertainer is proud of the fact that India made primary education a fundamental right, however, there are crucial gaps even after many years of implementation. We appeal to the government to leave no stone unturned in implementing Right To Education in its word and spirit.
