CAT fiasco: HRD ministry convenes meeting of IIM directors

Unhappy over thousands of students failing to write the Common Admission Test (CAT) due to technical problems, the government has convened a meeting of IIM directors on Wednesday to express its concerns.
Higher Education Secretary Vibha Puri Das will chair the meeting of IIM directors to discuss the issue in detail, a Human Resource Development Ministry official said.
Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal has already expressed displeasure over students facing problems during the computerised test which was marred by glitches from its beginning. The issue was raised in Parliament when BJP members criticised the government for the glitches.
The test, which was supposed to be taken by 2.41 lakh students, was conducted by an American firm Prometric in a staggered manner over 11 days. However, all candidates failed to appear in the test due to a “virus attack“.
Meanwhile, the IIM directors met in Mumbai on Sunday where they reviewed the entire computerised test and tried to assess the problem.
The ministry is expected to tell the IIM directors to have a foolproof system in place to avoid any such problem in future. Sibal has already said that precautions should have been taken before starting CAT in a computer format.
About 8,500 candidates could not appear in the test in the first four days due to the glitch. The test was extended by a day also as it ended on December eight.
Thousands of IIM aspirants have failed to appear in the CAT, IIM Ahmedabad, which is the nodal IIM for the CAT this year, has said.
A new test date will be announced in about a fortnight to provide an opportunity to all such candidates to write the test, it said.
CAT was held through 361 labs in 104 locations spread across 32 cities.
Candidates have reported through various channels the nature of disruptions faced that include pressing of ‘End’ button prematurely, malfunctioning of computer on which the test was taken by the candidate, missing graphs and charts.
IIM has assured the candidates that the outcome of the process on completion would be fair to all candidates

Sibal's assurance to employees of UGC, AICTE

As the government has decided to dispense with the Central regulatory bodies like University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), employees of these agencies are bound to be worried about their future. Once a super regulator is constituted to replace these agencies, their staff will be rendered jobless.
Under the circumstances, Kapil Sibal’s assurance came as a ray of hope and a welcome relief for thousands of staff members of these institutions. The HRD Minister has assured that his ministry would take all care not to harm the interests of the employees of existing regulatory agencies due this transition. He, however, hinted that his assurance could not be taken as a blank cheque when he said the transformation would still result in some pain. The government will create the proposed overarching body National Commission for Higher Education and Research through an amendment to the constitution. Constitution of this body will prove death knell for all the existing regulators namely UGC, AICTE, Distance Education Council and National Council of Teachers’ Education. UGC officers have already held out a banner of revolt threatening to launch an agitation. They want the government to take them into confidence before taking any decision on their fate. They wanted to know how they are going to be accommodated in the wake of UGC merging with NCHER. A task force constituted by the HRD Ministry on the transition will suggest ways to accommodate employees of these organisations. The minister has yet to come out with a concrete plan on how to assimilate the beleaguered staff under the new system.

DISTANCE LEARNING

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system is a system wherein teachers and learners need not necessarily be present either at same place or same time and is flexible in regard to modalities and timing of teaching and learning as also the admission criteria without compromising necessary quality considerations. ODL system of the country consists of State Open Universities (SOUs), Institutions and Universities offering education and includes Correspondence Course Institutes (CCIs) in conventional dual mode universities. This is becoming more and more significant for continuing education, skill updation of in service personnel and for quality education of relevance to learners located at educationally disadvantageous locations.

HRD ministry to provide 82,000 scholarships for higher education

In an effort to recognise meritorious students belonging to low-income families, the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Higher Education, will provide 82,000 scholarships to Class XII students for graduate/post-graduate studies. This will be decided on the student’s performance in his Senior Secondary Examination or its equivalent, with a minimum aggregate of 80 per cent.
The scholarship titled “Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students” will provide students with financial assistance to meet their daily expenses while pursuing higher education.
It will be given to students in colleges and universities and also to those pursuing professional courses like medical, engineering among others.
The total number of scholarships will be divided among the state boards based on the population of the state, in the age group of 18-25 years, after segregating the share of the Central Board of Secondary Education and the Indian Certificate of Secondary Examination on the basis of number of students passing out from various boards in the country.

AICTE Public Notice : Refund Fees to withdrawing students

In a bid to pre-empt professional institutions from taking undue advantage of the stalemate over reservation for Other Backward Classes, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has instructed all technical institutions to refund fees and original documents to students who want to withdraw their admissions.Violation of these instructions can attract punitive action including withdrawal of approval and recognition of erring institutions and universities.___________________________________Instructions to Technical Institutions, Universities including Deemed to the Universities imparting Technical Education regarding matters concerning charging of fees, refund of fees and other student related issues.All India for Technical Education (AICTE) has been empowered interalia under section 10(n) of AICTE Act to “Take all necessary steps to prevent commercialization of technical education”. In compliance with the provisions under AICTE Act and in the light of directions of Govt. of India issued under section 20 (1) of AICTE Act vide Letter No.(U.1 (A) Section), it has been decided to issue instructions to the Technical Institutions, Universities including Deemed to be Universities imparting Technical Education in the matters concerning students.And Whereas, Institutions and Universities are also reportedly confiscating the fee paid if a student fails to join by such dates:And Whereas, certificates in original are being detained by institutions and Universities to force retention of admitted students;And, whereas the time-limit for students to join the courses / programmes is also being advanced in some cases unrealistically so as to pre-empt students / candidates from exercising other options of joining other Institutions of their choice.In the event of a student / candidate withdrawing before the starting of the course, the wait listed candidates should be given admissions against the vacant seat. The entire fee collected from the student, after the deduction of the processing fee of not more than Rs.1000/- (Rupees thousand only) shall be refunded and returned by the Institution / University to the student / Candidate withdrawing from the programme. It would not permissible for Institutions and Universities to retain the School / Institution. Leaving Certificates withdrawing from the programme. It would not be permissible for Institutions and Universities to retain the School / Institution Leaving Certificates in original. Should a student leave after joining the course and if the seat consequently falling vacant has been filled by another candidate by the last date of admission, the Institution must return the fee collected with proportionate deductions of monthly fee and proportionate hostel rent, where applicable.Any violation of instructions issued by the AICTE, shall call for punitive action including withdrawal of approval and recognition of erring institutions and Universities. AICTE shall on its own or receipt of specific complaints from those affected take all such steps as may be necessary to enforce these directions.

Source: AICTE Website

With drop in CAT applications, is MBA losing its lustre?

After a steady increase in the number of MBA aspirants applying for the Common Admission Test or CAT, 2009 has seen a drop for the first time in years.
Last year over 246,000 students had applied for the test. This year the number has fallen to 241,000.
Even though it might seem like a miniscule drop -- less than four per cent or 5,000 applications -- Neelesh Kossambi, national media manager at IMS Learning, wonders if it might be reason enough to start worrying. And if, after all these years, is an MBA or Masters of Business Administration finally beginning to lose its lustre in India?
One of the reasons that Kossambi points to is the CAT going online. And with other related entrance tests (like XAT, CET etc) also going online, Kossambi feels the number could well be significant.
ARKS Srinivas, director of TIME, seems to echo Kossambi's point of view. He tells us that over 20 per cent of his Mumbai students do not have an email address. "Young India is not as tech savvy as we might want to believe. And if this is the number in Mumbai can you imagine what happens to smaller towns?" Srinivas asks.
Khurshroo Antia, a chartered accountant preparing for CAT, told us that the web version of the test entails all calculations be done mentally, a major hitch for most students. "Earlier you had the privilege of using the pen and paper. That is not the case this year. Copying out the problem on a paper is not an option either because it will cost you time and effectively your percentile," Antia says.
Kossambi also attributes the drop to the media reports. He points out that the IIMs have been under the constant glare of the media. "Reports of hefty pay packages of IIM grads have given way to how their salary levels have dropped in recent times. This has definitely affected aspiring MBA students," he says.
Srinivas however has another take on the matter. He dismisses it as herd mentality and says: "In India we work on sentiment. And since the sentiment is down so is the number of MBA aspirants."
Further the hike in the fees is an issue that is troubling, says Kossambi. He says that the IIMs and ISB have hiked their fees so much that students are put off.
But is it reason enough to start worrying? Apparently not.
Aspirants like Antia are quite cheerful because they will have less competition this year. And recruiters are scoffing at the very idea that it might affect recruitment in the coming years.
The drop in applications will not affect the number of graduates since the seats are limited and will get filled any way, one recruiter points out.
Vinay Bhave of R-Search, a recruiting firm, also says that infrastructure projects hold the key. He says that while this sector was the worst hit it will also be one of the first to take off.
Engineers, he insists, will be back in business: "You cannot keep infrastructure projects on hold for long. And once they get off the ground you will require engineers."
Bhave describes the current market situation as being 'cautiously optimistic' a phrase that is becoming as popular as 'Wall Street crash'.
He says that he's already started receiving calls for recruiting at the CEO level and insists that this is just the beginning. Bhave also foresees the need for people specialising in finance.
Srinivas agrees with Bhave, though only in part. He suggests that CA trend is 'merely cyclical'. "It was hot from the mid-80s to the 90s and then around 2003 after which it saw a slump. Now it's back," he says almost dismissively.
Career counsellor Pratibha Jain offers a far more balanced perspective. She agrees that CA might be the in-demand course but says that MBA will continue to hold its sway in the long run.
Jain insists that the degree is nowhere close to losing its lustre and lauds student professionals who stick to their job and get work experience to the classrooms. This according to her helps them 'make an informed choice of what they wish to specialise in'.
The trend according to Jain is that of 'matching aptitude with goals and not vice versa'. So a lot of professionals keen on rising up the ladder seek to get an MBA degree on their resume.
"It is your only option," Jain says, "Unless you are looking at finance (where you can study Chartered Accountancy), MBA continues to remain the sole specialisation post-grad programme. There is nothing equivalent that will leverage your career prospects."
This also means that, IIMs not withstanding, a whole lot of professionals will opt for a good second tier business school, which will give them a better edge.
As Jain says, "MBA is still the golden bird." And everyone wants a shot at it.

Teachers couch!!

How many of you were wondering that there is lust in glamour world only, whereas higher education setup in India has all the right ingredients to be influenced. No doubt hidden desires are in everyone and when one becomes authoritative and holds a position of influence those latent feelings get reignited. These influential position holders of today have obviously treaded their ways which were lackluster and glamour less. With age taking its toll by this time, but desires becoming strong these lechers need to find a way to satisfy themselves somehow either by hook or by crook.

Though bringing out hard facts which can be substantiated by proof of a person in act is extremely impossible, as people with such level of guile ness always go for consensual act or one which is made to appear so.
These unsuspecting, charming and bright faces of education, who have brought the profession to its nadir in collusion with the so called promoters of higher education ahve in the process diluted & polluted the education system of India.



Now lets take up few real life snapshots to corroborate.

** A newly established personal & private university of Greater Noida, in the disguise of government backup has apointed a oldie as its VC. This so called senior academician, otherwise pretends to be a wise person, but during meetings with the staff he drops in sexually laced suggestive comments so as to promote his desires openly. This man has recruited few extremely young & inexperienced girls on the designation of counsellors/ advisors to VC/ and personal assistant to VC whereas he is already having a secretary parallely.

Though one would comment on the logic of this recruitments, but the VC is having a hold wherein all the recruits are on contractual positions & any voice is going to result in termination of contract pronto.

The most stunning part is where these bimbo, beauty puppets on bed for VC, swagger around with all might and others shiver in front of them.
Now to take a example from one of them, we just look at one of the very many paramours of this Chairperson. Just fathom this girl who was a teacher in a primary school was elevated to the position of advisor to the Chairperson, just on her aesthetic looks not on merit, advising a senior academician on issues of higher education??

Kindly give your suggestions on this new exposure to you.

Access, quality Kapil Sibal's guru mantra

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/Access-quality-Kapil-Sibals-guru-mantra/articleshow/4610818.cms

PARADOX- Too many cooks spoil the broth!!!

Off-late their has been a spate of experimentaion in teaching of upcoming "B" grade b-schools across the country on the front of infusing new teaching pedagogy- the way teaching is done.

These new biz entities in an desperate effort to keep their outfits afloat are roping in left-overs from industries, or at times, courtesy fluke, they may get a hands on a corporate person with decent exposure who is desperate to share himself and to build a alternative career in the midst of his industry career span.

Now the value addition part, the oft repeated stinking cliche of management education which has been straightway abducted from corporate meetings.

These "B" grade business schools have students who are raw and crude straight from their typical settings, ingrained and inveterated to the core of them. Students though, look at these creatures with an awe, finally gets morally beaten up, as finding themselves coping with these industry stalwarts seems to be a herculean task to them straight away. The flair of speaker and disconnected stories with their own reality makes a heady mix.

Also, the faculty from industry in order to enthuse students comes up only with narrations and experiences, to handle any pertinent issues. But, since there is no real motive of learning these experiences have become a disaster as there seems to be no link betweem then.

Aspirations of anyone cannot be underestimated as they know no boundations. Still, the farce in this form of corporate exposure is really disheartening. As noone has ever had a real exposure to either things industry or teaching. Thus it becomes quite pathetical as the bridge is broken.

Students leaving the infant in "HIGHER EDUCATION" at Greater Noida!!

D/Friends,
LatelyI've been covering up a University from Greater Noida, the interest being the exaggerated claims made by them which simply blow the roof.
A big set-back for this university settled at expressway in Greater Noida was that a sizeable chunk of students who have taken admissions for the 2009 sessions have withdrawn and left the campus for better place.
"IT WAS VERY SORRY BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO PURPORT TO HAVE EDUCATION ENLIGHTENED, WERE NOT ENLIGHTENED" THEMSELVES.
Remember long back I've communicated to you about the pretentious ways of university opertions. But unfortunately nobody bothered to give a heed to it.
But always its better to be safe rather than sorry, throughout your life, as its your career, your money and your life.

Good Luck!!!

No admission takers for Greater Noida based University seats.

No takers for admissions for seats in world class university located at Greater Noida.
Why is it so that despite such lovely infrastructure and so called learned people in administration a newly setup university being touted as world class was not able to have enough students to fill its seats??

To add insult to injury the institute has to come out with five waiting lists of students in their MBA admissions, and also held students hostage as they refused to return the registration fees.
Still, after so much of manipulation only 108 students took admissions in MBA program of this university. Still 12 seats are vacant. Any takers.....................????????????

Plz poll if you have enlightened yourself at this new baby on block in Greater Noida.
1. Internal politics
2. Favouritism- Chacha- Bhatijawaad
3. People not exposed to modern day courses
4. Good people are expelled as per the wishes of top administration willingness.

Kickbacks to HR professionals by management institutes to get their students placed

It was quite a disclosure for me, when somebody with whom I was interacting made a startling disclosure.

The lady with whom I was interacting was a seasoned faculty with exposure to major business school. She revealed that private business school with substandard students pool in money and grease the palms of hr recruiters of various companies.
Now if it is a distant reality, then where are the students of government universities, going to go???????
Then isn't it better to join a private university/institute rather then pay heavy fees to setups which are quasi/false in nature, with no possible end results in the form of a career.

Maya’s university and Mulayam’s Night Safari ride on poll results

Maya’s university and Mulayam’s Night Safari ride on poll results

Aman Sharma
Greater Noida, April 25: Two multi-crore projects in Greater Noida, announced by the Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav governments in the last four years, await the election results for a decision on their fate.
While construction is to begin at the first-of-its-kind Rs 150-crore Night Safari project after its clearance by the Central Zoo Authority recently, Mayawati’s Rs 300-cr pet project, Gautam Budh University, has no takers.
The University, spread over 500 acres along the proposed Taj Expressway, lies in ruins, Newsline found. A plaque of Mayawati and statues of Gautam Buddha are all that the boundary wall with five huge gates encloses. “If power changes hand, we hope work will start,” said a Greater Noida Authority official.
Construction at the campus stopped in October 2003 after Mulayam took over. Mayawati had laid the foundation stone of the project on October 14, 2002. Contracts worth Rs 45 crore were also awarded during her tenure. “The contracts were later cancelled as it was felt that they had been awarded at an inflated amount. An inquiry was ordered,” said a Greater Noida Authority official.
Over the years, grills and iron pipes laid for the drainage system, have been stolen, said the sole caretaker.
The story of the Night Safari Project is somewhat different. Already, 150 acres has been acquired in Murshadpur in Greater Noida on the Expressway, but the officials are in a hurry to complete the project. Officials told Newsline that the project has got clearance from both the zoo and environmental authorities. The plan is now to complete the project — modeled on Singapore, China and Thailand Night Safari — before the 2010 CW Games. The Authority expects 40 lakh visitors annually. “The project report has been prepared by Bernard Harrison, the principal partner of Creativity and Design for the world’s first Night Safari at Singapore. We will approach the Supreme Court and the construction will begin,” an official confirmed.

Gautam Buddha varsity may open in ’08

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=236827
MAYA IMPACT: CONSTRUCTION WORK TO CONTINUE TILL 2 AM TO MAKE UP FOR THE ‘LOSS OF THREE YEARS’
Gautam Buddha varsity may open in ’08

Aman Sharma
Noida, May 17: LYING virtually in ruins for the past three years, Mayawati’s 511-acre Gautam Buddha University in Greater Noida might start classes from the next academic year. To make up for the “loss of three years”, officials have decided to accelerate the University’s construction at record pace.
“What should have been a full-fledged university by now has become a jungle. Fast completion the university is priority for the new government. I have issued orders for work to start from morning till 2 am and I’m personally supervising the process to ensure it is full-pace. We hope to start functioning from the next academic year and I have set a deadline that all work here should be complete in three years time,” says Lalit Shrivastava, new Chairman, Noida Development Authority (NDA).
Since Tuesday, over a dozen JCB cranes and 200 workers have been pressed into service here to clear the over-grown shrubs at the campus and clean the statues. A new transformer has been set up to light up the campus and ensure that work continues in the night as well.
The new NDA chairman has also initiated a probe to ascertain whose orders halted the university’s construction in August 2003. “Strict action would be taken against the officials found responsible for stalling the project. The probe will also include how much loss has been incurred in the past three years after construction was stopped,” said the chairman. Former chairman during the past three years under Mulayam’s rule, Rakesh Bahadur, was shifted on Monday.
Initial findings in the probe have revealed that the work was not re-started even after two committees set up to
probe allegations of bungling of funds gave the project a clean chit. The deadline for the project was 2004 end. “When work was stopped on the project, Rs 73 crore had already been spent on land acquisition and Rs 14 crore on the statues, stone and boundary wall. The allegation of the former government was that much more money was spent - Rs 75 lakh on the 15-ton Gautam Buddha statue while Rs three crore on five other statues of Bhim Rao Ambedkar and monks,” said a senior Noida Authority official. Two committees, one headed by retired IAS officer Vijay Mathur and another headed by former NOIDA CEO Brajesh Kumar, later gave the project a clean chit.
As per officials, the world-class Gautam Buddha University will set new standards for institutions of higher learning in the country and will cover a wide range of subjects including humanities, science and technology, law and management at undergraduate and graduate levels. Such studies will necessarily be multi-disciplinary in nature and will creatively synthesize the strengths of different departments in different colleges of the university, add officials

CM in new avtaar , raises eyebrows.

http://www.accessmylibrary.
com/coms2/summary_0286-26535557_ITM
CM in new avtaar , raises eyebrows.
Publication: Asia Africa Intelligence Wire
Publication Date: 19-SEP-02

COPYRIGHT 2002 Financial Times Ltd.
(From The Economic Times) Byline: Arvind Singh Bisht LUCKNOW: Is CM Mayawati a social worker? That is the question doing the rounds in political circles here after she became the 'self-proclaimed' chancellor of Gautam Buddha University, to be set up by the newly created Gautam Buddha Education Society (GBES). The BSP leader will head the university, likely to start next July, as its patron in the capacity of a social worker and not as CM. What intrigues all and sundry is the new avtaar she has acquired as social worker primarily to become the society's patron. The society will be promoted by the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (Noida) and the Greater Noida. As patron she will be at the helm of affairs. The bylaws of the society have been framed to vest all powers in the patron. Accordingly, it is mandatory to seek her permission to affect changes in; (a) basic aims, objectives of the society, (b) structural change in its set up and (c) dissolution of society. Then, each amendment will have to be approved by one third of the members present in the society and they include, principal secretaries, finance, social welfare, higher education, electronics, technical education, science and technology and Noida CEO. All ex-officio posts. The CEO will also be the society secretary. The social worker status, is being seen as a ploy by Mayawati to remain chancellor forever. This is perhaps the only instance of its kind in which a governor is not the chancellor of a government university. A bill was adopted by both Houses of the state legislature recently. Reacting to all what has happened, Laxamikant Vajpayee, BJP MLA and chairman of the Vidhan Sabha estimate committee said in the House that the formation of the university was contrary to the UP state Universities Act, 1973 in which the governor is necessarily the chancellor.
The opposition shares the same opinion. Ashok Bajpayee, SP MLA and chairman, Public Accounts Committee said: "The university will be a private empire being raised at government expense by Mayawati to pursue her political agenda." While demanding immediate intervention by governor Shastri, he said there was no need to set up the university in Gautam Buddha Nagar, which has a number of universities close by in Meerut, Aligarh and Delhi, which is just 30 kms away. And reacting to it, CLP leader Pramod Tiwari said: "Mayawati was perhaps inspired by Vishwa Bharti University, where the chancellor is always the prime minister." The university will have reservations; 23 per cent for SC, 2 per cent for ST and 25 per cent for OBCs.
COPYRIGHT 2002 Financial Times Ltd.

UP Governor yes, but not Chancellor.

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-25907122_ITM
UP Governor yes, but not Chancellor.
Publication: Asia Africa Intelligence Wire
Publication Date: 08-SEP-02

COPYRIGHT 2002 Financial Times Ltd.
(From The Statesman (India)) HEMENDRA NARAYAN STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE LUCKNOW, Sept. 7. - When Governor Mr Vishnukant Shastri gives assent to the Uttar Pradesh Gautam Buddha University Bill, he would find something amiss. He is not the chancellor of the university! Instead, the ex-officio chancellor of the university, sponsored by Noida and Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority, is the chief minister. Some clauses in the Bill had provisions for distribution of power among officials, boards and councils.
But the transitory provisions mentioned in Clause 37 of the Bill, gives all-encompassing powers to the chancellor. It says, "notwithstanding anything contained in any other provisions of this Act and the Statutes"; the chancellor will appoint the vice-chancellor, registrar, finance officer, and nominate the board of governors. The university will be established by the Gautam Buddha Education Society whose chairman is the industrial development commissioner. The secretary of the society is the CEO of Noida. Mr Singh said the university at Gautam Budh Nagar will be completed by July 2002 The acquisition of land (80 hectares) will be started by this month. The Bill points that Gautam Budh Nagar with good infrastructural facilities was found to be most suitable place for opening of the university.
According to the Bill, the society has to acquire land, create a permanent endowment fund of at least Rs 10 crore and other funds, and create infrastructure and other facilities to make the university functional. After the state government was satisfied that the society had fulfilled the conditions, it would issue certificate of "authorisation for the establishment of the university".
There will be reservation of 23 per cent for SCs, two per cent for STs and 25 for the backward castes students. There would no affiliated colleges of the University.

CheckOut - GBU faculty visiting other campuses.

Extremely sick- A non-government setup with government attitude.
Plz check out one Prof. Prashant Gupta serving in a setup with popular acronymn GBU at expressway in Greater Noida, where faculty engagement in outside assignment is prohibited.
But he has his fathers pal sitting at the helm of affairs in the university. So, he is not able to be seen in the campus during work hours.
Confirming his engagements is a brochure of a institute, plz check out at -
http://www.ibainternational.org/greater_noida/placement_broucher.pdf

Pretentious!!

Everything and anything in this world is not yours!!