Latest news with #ClassX
The Hindu
16 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
Visakha Valley School holds Investiture Ceremony–2025
The Investiture Ceremony–2025 of Visakha Valley School was organised on its campus on Monday. Participating in the programme as the chief guest, Collector and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the school, M.N. Harendhira Prasad, urged the children to dream big and toil hard to make them come true. Principal Eshwari Prabhakar said that many students achieved awards for securing top ranks in Class X, Class XII, NEET, and JEE. The Collector felicitated Sarayu, who excelled in zone-level competitions, and to Ghrishma who won a gold medal in the Asian Roller Skating Championship. The Student Council badges were conferred upon the elected members, who took the oath to perform their duties with sincerity and dedication. D.S Varma, Head HR and Admin AMNS, was also present.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
TN man dies by suicide after his family makes him sell jallikattu bull
TRICHY: A 24-year-old man died by suicide on Sunday in Lalgudi taluk depressed that his family made him sell a jallikattu bull he had bought earlier this year, police said. P Muruganantham of Venkatachalapuram had used his family's savings against his parents' wishes to buy the bull, said his relative S Murugesan. Muruganantham, a Class X dropout, used to do odd jobs to make a living. But once he bought the bull, he devoted himself to looking after it and did not go to work. His parents, who are daily wagers, and his brother, who works as a technician after completing ITI, found it difficult to meet the expenses for the bull's upkeep. 'Under pressure from his family, Muruganantham sold the bull a few days ago. We learned that he was depressed after that,' said a police officer. Police said he consumed poison on Aug 5 and was taken to Trichy government hospital. He died on Sunday without responding to treatment. The Kallakudi police registered a case under BNSS Section 194 (unnatural death) and are investigating. (Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on TN's helpline 104 and Sneha's suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050) Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
NDTV
30-07-2025
- NDTV
Instagram Friends, Then Humiliation: On The Tragic Death Of Two School Students In Hyderabad
A free fall into the digital abyss. That is what it is for many, many youngsters who are hurtling down unknown alleys in the virtual world, with little regulation and zero parental or adult guidance. What makes it worse is the moral judgment by people who remain oblivious to the digital realities and complexities of that world, simply because they do not inhabit it like its digital natives do. The deaths by suicide of two young Class X students in Hyderabad, who studied in the same school, within five days of each other, is a stark example of precisely that world. Himanshu (name changed) jumped from the top of his school building on July 19. Five days later, Swara (name changed) jumped from the fifth floor of her residential apartment. Reportedly, Himanshu and Swara were good friends and had been interacting with each other on Instagram. While the school had reprimanded Himanshu for being friends with Swara and called in his mother, Swara was not allowed to attend class after Himanshu's death and was instead told to meet his family - who, unable to process their tragic loss, taunted her to end her life the same way. Even as I reported the tragic end to the lives of two 15-year-olds, I was disturbed by how presumably well-meaning schools and parents may have unwittingly pushed the youngsters to such extremes because they did not know how to handle the situation. Social media, a free-for-all platform - meant to hold a mirror to society but no one there ever looks into their own ugly reflection - was abuzz with reckless commentary, heartlessly blaming the youngsters, the school and the parents. Social media's immediate, often judgmental, reactions underscore the problem: "This is the age to focus on studies!"; "Why give phones to kids?"; "Parents are too busy!" These pronouncements miss the point entirely. A senior police officer even rued that schools are no longer as strict as they used to be. Would that have solved the problem? I am not so sure, because the digital world is no longer an optional extra; it is an integral part of our social fabric. And it is by itself capable of causing tremendous emotional turmoil. As the much-acclaimed OTT series Adolescence starkly depicted, teenagers inhabit complex digital realms that are rife with nuanced emotional currents. We cannot simply ban or restrict what is, for them, a fundamental mode of connection and identity formation. Blaming children for "crossing limits" or demanding they "concentrate on studies", or asking, "is this the age to have a girlfriend/boyfriend" betrays the immaturity of our approach and our refusal to acknowledge that the world has moved far ahead from our antiquated notions of what we would like it to be. It highlights our refusal to admit that the traditional systems that we adamantly cling to are outdated and broken. At their core, the deaths of Himanshu and Swara lay bare the vulnerabilities of teenagers in a digitally saturated world. For them, Instagram was likely a space of connection, friendship, and emotional exploration - a common, even natural, extension of adolescent social lives today. Yet, when this digital connection was subjected to the judgmental glare of the school and parental anxieties, the outcome was devastating. This is not merely a tale of two isolated tragedies; it is a stark, heartbreaking indictment of how schools, families and society remain critically ill-equipped to understand, nurture, and protect young minds grappling with the complexities of modern relationships and online interactions. Beyond that, in this particular case, it was disastrous crisis management. Given the sensitivities involved, I will not go into details of the case, but what the totally avoidable tragedies have drawn our attention to is the need for some open discussion. Schools want to ensure 'discipline' so that inappropriate behaviour doesn't get overlooked and youngsters don't get undesirable role models. But, ever so often, what should be a private reprimand turns into some degree of public shaming, triggering guilt, shame and even anger, all of which has a long-term impact on a child's psyche. What we must recognise and acknowledge is that traditional methods of enforcing discipline or giving warnings can turn into potent triggers for psychological distress, pushing vulnerable teenagers to the brink. Adolescence is a period of intense self-consciousness, a time when a sense of identity and personality develops, and when social acceptance is more important than anything else. Public shaming of a private teenage friendship, followed by what appears to be a deeply humiliating and reproachful interaction, ended up having catastrophic consequences. Inadvertently, but undeniably, there was toxic moral policing in action. We need a radical shift in approach. Our schooling framework, instead of serving as a support system, often ends up becoming a source of profound anguish, making the very vulnerable young feel inadequate. The schools fail to grasp the psychological fragility of teenagers and the immense responsibility they carry as institutions to provide nurturing environments where students can feel safe to express themselves, even make mistakes sometimes but with the room to make corrections. The onus is now on schools to equip educators and other staff with the necessary training in adolescent psychology, mental health first aid, crisis intervention and conflict resolution, particularly concerning digital interactions. Schools must develop clear and compassionate protocols to ensure they respond with empathy, and not judgment or humiliation. As for parenting, it is not child's play, especially now, when the digital divide is creating deeper schisms in the parent-child dynamic. Often, there is a communication breakdown when a parent hears about an online interaction or friendship for the first time. They are often ignorant about the emotional personalities of their children in the digital realm; they don't know whether their child is a perpetrator, a victim, or a passive witness to bullying and other forms of online abuse. Parents need to put in the hard work and evolve mentally to have a non-judgmental conversation with their children about their online experiences. Parents need counselling too, to know when to seek professional help and to prioritise emotional well-being over perceived social norms. The parents must understand that online influences cannot be wished away, specially because of peer dynamics. A blanket 'ban' on devices or screen time more often than not results in resentment and severe backlash from the young. We must recognise that the digital realm is an integral part of adolescent development, not an unfortunate distraction. We need to invest time and energy to teach children how to build real-world relationships, and create an ecosystem that nurtures emotional well-being. The onus is also on policymakers to develop clear guidelines for schools regarding digital interactions, ensure adequate resources for mental health support, and make everyone acutely aware of the legal and ethical implications of online shaming and cyberbullying. One would also hope that technology companies would take greater responsibility for how young users are navigating their platforms. The digital world is here to stay. The untimely deaths of Himanshu and Swara are a wake-up call, demanding that we move beyond denial or simplistic judgments. Otherwise we will continue to fail our most vulnerable, pushing them to unthinkable ends.
Hans India
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
CBSE's two-board exam policy: A step towards fairer and flexible assessments
In a landmark move aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced a two-board exam policy for Class X students, starting from the academic year 2025-26. This shift reflects a growing consensus in India's education system: high-stakes, one-time exams are no longer the only way to evaluate a student's academic performance. The new system allows students to appear for the board exams twice in a year once as the main attempt and once as an improvement attempt bringing India closer to global best practices and offering a more student-centric, equitable, and flexible assessment model. A breakdown of the new exam structure Under the updated policy, students will take the main board exam in mid-February, covering the full syllabus. If they wish to improve their performance, they can opt to reappear for one or more subjects during a second exam scheduled for May. This second attempt is optional and selective—students can choose to appear for improvement in a maximum of three core subjects. Internal assessments, however, will be conducted only once before the main examination and are not repeated for the second attempt. Importantly, the exam pattern and syllabus will remain consistent across both phases. Eligibility and scope The first examination (Phase 1) is mandatory for all fresh Class X students and also open to previous years' repeaters, compartment, and improvement candidates. The second exam (Phase 2) will be available only to those who appeared for the first phase and fall under eligible categories such as improvement, compartment, or those granted special permissions including sports persons whose events clash with the first exam, or winter-bound schools. However, a key exclusion exists: students who are absent in three or more subjects in the first exam will be marked as 'Essential Repeat' and will not be eligible to appear for the second exam. Two separate Lists of Candidates (LOCs) must be prepared, one for each phase. The first is mandatory, while the second can include only existing candidates from Phase 1. No fresh entries or subject changes are permitted unless explicitly allowed by policy. NEP 2020 alignment This policy is a clear implementation of NEP 2020's vision outlined in Paragraphs 4.37 and 4.38. The policy calls for reducing exam pressure through modular and flexible assessments and recommends allowing students multiple opportunities to perform. The two-exam model moves away from the one-size-fits-all approach of previous years and embraces a learner-first mindset. By offering students a second chance to improve scores without repeating an academic year, this system helps de-stigmatize failure and encourages reflection, resilience, and continual learning. Student benefits: Performance without pressure The two-board exam system gives students the rare but vital chance to redeem themselves without academic penalty. If a student underperforms in the first attempt due to illness, anxiety, or other reasons they have a built-in opportunity to recover. This not only reduces the pressure associated with a single high-stakes exam but also nurtures a growth mindset. It allows students to treat the first attempt as a diagnostic experience and return better prepared, emotionally and academically, for a second chance. In the final result, only the better score between the two attempts will be considered a thoughtful step to ensure fairness. Implementation challenges: A shared responsibility While the intent is noble, the transition comes with logistical hurdles for schools, teachers, and the board itself. ♦ For Schools: Managing two full-fledged rounds of board exams within a four-month span increases administrative complexity. Schools must maintain two sets of LOCs, duplicate exam centre arrangements, and manage invigilation and staff deployment often during holidays or the start of a new academic year. ♦ For Teachers: Balancing regular classes with preparation for the improvement exam means extended responsibilities. Teachers will also need to guide students and parents through result interpretations, eligibility rules, and their implications for college admissions. ♦ For Students: Though student-focused, the policy may inadvertently create added pressure. Some students may feel compelled to reappear even when their initial scores are satisfactory, extending academic anxiety over a longer period. ♦ For the Board: Conducting two rounds of national exams requires significant operational planning and budgeting. From printing question papers to managing supervision and logistics, the resource burden is likely to double. A progressive step forward Despite the challenges, the CBSE's new two-exam system marks a major shift towards more compassionate and learner-friendly education in India. It recognizes that students deserve multiple opportunities to demonstrate their abilities and that learning is not a one-time event but a continuous journey. If implemented thoughtfully with adequate support systems in place, this move could reshape board exams in India from a source of anxiety to a platform for reflection, resilience, and reform. (The author is Principal-New Town, Orchids The International School)
Time of India
25-07-2025
- Time of India
2 teen students found pregnant
Berhampur: Two more minor students in Kandhamal district have been found pregnant. The headmistress of a govt residential school filed FIRs at two separate police stations in connection with the incidents on Thursday. Three Class X students, all aged around 15 years, have been found pregnant in Kandhamal within a week. "The cases have been registered under various sections of BNS and Pocso (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act. Investigation has been initiated," a senior police officer said. The recent cases emerged during routine health check-ups and counselling sessions conducted by hostel staff, including the matron, after the students returned from summer vacation. The two students are said to have claimed the incidents occurred in their respective villages during the break. The matron conducted initial pregnancy tests, which came positive. "The findings were later confirmed at the nearby sub-divisional hospital (SDH) by the headmistress," said district welfare officer (DWO), Rabindra Nath Mishra. Upon confirmation of their pregnancy, the headmistress informed the students' parents and filed police complaints. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Doctors Call These The 'Rolls-Royce' of Hearing Aids Hear True Learn More Undo The parents, however, claimed ignorance about the incidents. The students returned to the hostel in the first week of July, with schools reopening on June 21. Earlier this week, police arrested a 16-year-old boy for impregnating a 15-year-old Class X student, following an FIR lodged by the school headmaster. The girl's pregnancy was confirmed through hospital tests. Mishra emphasised that health checks for female boarders are conducted periodically by trained auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs). Additionally, life-cycle education classes are provided to the girls to prevent such incidents. Ramendra Prasad, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), said an awareness drive is underway to educate about the provisions of Pocso Act to prevent similar occurrences.
