Latest news with #DadaBhuse
Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Maharashtra Minister says govt may reinclude classes 4 and 7 for State Scholarship Exam
Years after Maharashtra changed the practice of school-level state scholarship exams from Classes 4 and 7 to 5 and 8, now the state plans to reinclude Classes 4 and 7. School education minister Dada Bhuse hinted at the change as he spoke about plans to reinclude Classes 4 and 7 for scholarship exams so that students from rural areas–where most government-run schools operate up to Classes 4 or 7–can take advantage of this. Bhuse was talking at a programme in Gondia district. 'Most schools in rural parts of Maharashtra which are run by local governing bodies are either up to Class 4 or Class7. With scholarship exams now being conducted for Classes 5 and 8, these students were not able to obtain the benefits of it. Therefore, there are plans to re-include classes–4 and 7–for the scholarship exam,' he said. More than the financial benefits that it entails, scholarship exam is like a pat on back for students who clear it with good marks, he added. The plans have sparked a new discussion in the school education sector as teachers are now seeking clarity on exact plans. 'It is not advised to have scholarship exams for all four classes as it might add unnecessary burden on students,' said a senior teacher from a Mumbai school. Whereas an experienced coach for scholarship exams in the city, said, 'Any change in scholarship exam should be announced well in advance so that students have adequate time to prepare.' Highlighting the absence of any official order in this case, Mahendra Ganpule of Maharashtra School Principals Association, said, 'The discussion is only being heard through the media. There is no official circular, which has left students, teachers, and parents all confused. An official order should be issued soon. Furthermore, funds will have to be allocated for additional classes.' Maharashtra State Council of Examinations (MSCE), Pune conducts Maharashtra State Scholarship Exam which assesses students for language, mathematics, science and general knowledge. Traditionally, these exams have been conducted for Classes 4 and 7 students of Maharashtra State Board. But from 2016, classes for the scholarship exam were changed by the then government to Classes 5 and 8.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Maharashtra to roll out NCC-style training from Class 1
In a move aimed at fostering discipline and a sense of patriotism among students, Maharashtra's school education minister Dada Bhuse announced on Wednesday that the state plans to introduce training similar to the National Cadet Corps (NCC) for students starting from Class 1. The goal is to provide military-style, NCC-inspired training to schoolchildren from the primary level, with the broader vision of nurturing well-disciplined, nation-conscious citizens, says minister. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO) The minister stated, 'Preliminary discussions on this initiative have already been held with senior NCC officials. The goal is to provide military-style, NCC-inspired training to schoolchildren from the primary level, with the broader vision of nurturing well-disciplined, nation-conscious citizens.' A high-level meeting was convened at the state secretariat to outline the roadmap for implementing this initiative. Bhuse emphasised that promoting patriotism in students is a top priority. He added that this year's Independence Day celebrations across schools would include parade drills performed to patriotic songs. He also mentioned that the state plans to request the central government to increase the number of NCC training centres in Maharashtra, allowing more students to benefit from the program. Furthermore, the government plans to collaborate with the ex-servicemen welfare board to enlist retired armed forces personnel to help train schoolchildren. During the meeting, NCC officials provided an overview of the current NCC framework in Maharashtra. The state currently has 7 NCC groups and 63 active units, covering 1,726 schools and colleges with more than 1.14 lakh cadets enrolled. Officials also revealed plans to expand the program by adding 10 more NCC centres, which will allow an additional 20,314 students to participate. The introduction of NCC-style training from Class 1 marks a significant shift in the state's approach to education, blending academics with character-building and patriotic engagement.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
State plans to introduce NCC-like training from class 1
Mumbai: Maharashtra school education department is exploring the idea of introducing NCC-like (National Cadet Corps-like) training for school students starting from Class 1. A high-level meeting was held on Tuesday, in which school education minister Dada Bhuse discussed the proposal with senior NCC officers and state education officials. State plans to introduce NCC-like training from class 1 During the meeting, Bhuse said that the aim of introducing such training to students from Class 1 onwards is to develop discipline and patriotism among them from a young age. 'Students must learn to respect the country and grow up with strong values. NCC-style training can help achieve this,' he said. The officials discussed the possibility of including military-style drills and patriotic songs in school activities, especially during events like Independence Day. Bhuse also mentioned that efforts would be made to increase the number of NCC training centres in the state with support from the central government. At present, 1,726 schools and colleges in Maharashtra provide NCC training with over 1.14 lakh students enrolled. The state has seven NCC groups and 63 units. NCC officials shared that 10 more centres will soon be added, with over 20,000 new students being enrolled into the training. Since NCC doesn't have enough staff to impart training in every school, the state is considering involving retired military personnel to assist with training through the ex-servicemen welfare board. The meeting was attended by key officials, including education secretary Ranjit Singh Deol, education commissioner Sachchandra Pratap Singh, SCERT director Rahul Rekhawar, NCC Director Janish George, Colonel Santosh Ghag and Lieutenant Colonel Ajay Bhosale. The state government will now assess the practicalities of introducing NCC in all schools.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Maha education officers threaten indefinite strike from August 8 over Shalarth fraud arrests
Pune: A massive protest erupted across Maharashtra's education department on Friday as hundreds of officers and employees observed a mass leave in protest against the arrests of officials in the alleged Nagpur Shalarth ID fraud. Senior officials, including directors and gazetted officers, participated in a protest held outside the Central Building in Pune. The protesters warned of an indefinite mass leave agitation starting August 8 if their demands are not addressed. Maha education officers threaten indefinite strike from August 8 over Shalarth fraud arrests A Shalarth ID serves as a unique digital identifier assigned to teachers and staff working in government and aided schools across Maharashtra. It is essential for managing salary disbursements, accessing service records, and availing employment-related benefits through the state's centralised payroll system. In Nagpur, several teachers and staff members allegedly obtained bogus Shalarth IDs by paying bribes to school managements and education officers. Investigations suggest that some of them actively colluded with officials to create fake identities and open fraudulent bank accounts, receiving a cut from the misappropriated government funds. On July 18, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the state assembly that the estimated scale of the fraud could range between ₹1,000 and ₹ 3,000 crore. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the matter. In the wake of the revelations, School Education Minister Dada Bhuse has suspended Mumbai's deputy director Sandeep Sangave, while Ulhas Narad, the deputy director of education in Nagpur, has been arrested. The protest was triggered by ongoing police action in the Shalarth ID fraud case, where, till now, 17 officers from the education department have been arrested. The case involves allegations of creating 547 fake Shalarth IDs to embezzle around 100 crore. Among those who joined the protest were primary education director Sharad Gosavi, secondary education director Mahesh Palkar, and planning director Krishnakumar Patil, along with several other senior gazetted officers. The protest was organised by the All Maharashtra Gazetted Education Officers' Association. During the protest, education commissioner Sachindra Pratap Singh held discussions with association leaders, but no resolution was reached. The association reiterated that unless the government provides clear assurances and meets its demands, a full-scale indefinite strike would begin on August 8. Sheshrao Bade, president of the Akhil Maharashtra Rajya Shikshan Seva Rajpatrit Adhikari Sangh, said, 'We are not against inquiries, but justice cannot be sacrificed for the sake of urgency. Our demand is simply to ensure a fair and transparent process before taking punitive action.' The agitation has received strong backing from several other bodies, including the extension officers' Union, the Headmaster's Federation, the Non-Gazetted officers' Association, and various teachers' unions. L
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Reservation, 3rd language Hindi: Maharashtra govt rolls back 7 key decisions in six months
From quotas based on income and caste to Hindi as third language; caste on exam hall tickets to sweet dish in school meals; and even blank pages in textbooks to reduce the weight of school bags. These are some of the seven key decisions taken in the education sector by the BJP-led state government in Maharashtra that were rolled back over the past six months, triggering criticism from experts that they were implemented 'without thought' or 'adequate consultation'. Six of these decisions were rolled back following a backlash from stakeholders, including the parents of students — for instance, the centralised uniform policy drew criticism for poor quality and delayed availability. In one case, the rollback came after the Bombay High Court granted interim relief to minority trust-run junior colleges that were asked to implement social reservation. Of these rollbacks, six came under the School Education Ministry currently headed by Dada Bhuse who took over last December from Deepak Kesarkar (August 2022 to November 2024) — both belong to Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde. The other key U-turn involved 10% EWS (Economically Weaker Section) quota in private medical colleges. Speaking to The Indian Express, Kesarkar blamed the rollbacks on 'certain challenges in its implementation at the ground level' while Bhuse pointed to 'adjustments' that were incorporated based on 'feedback'. The Opposition alleged that at least some of these decisions were taken with an eye on local body polls expected later this year, particularly those related to reservation that were announced and withdrawn within a month in June — a charge denied by the government. Consider the decisions and the rollback: Hindi as mandatory third language in primary classes: On April 16, a government order mandated Hindi as the third language in Classes 1-5 in state board schools where students previously studied only two languages. The decision sparked criticism and political backlash, prompting a revised order on June 17 making it optional. Even this failed to calm concerns and as protests intensified, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis declared after a high-level meeting on June 23 that a final decision would follow stakeholder consultations. On June 29, he revoked both orders and set up a new panel led by educationist Narendra Jadhav to make fresh recommendations. Quotas in minority trust-run junior colleges: In late May, Maharashtra launched its first state-wide centralised online FYJC (First Year Junior College) admissions, including SC/ ST/ OBC reservations in the seat matrix for minority trust-run institutions, too, despite them being exempt under several court rulings. Traditionally, such colleges reserve 50% of seats for their community, 5% for management and the rest for open category on merit — without social reservation. On June 10, the state minority educational institutions association and colleges filed a petition in the Bombay High Court. Two days later, the HC granted interim relief, halting the policy. The government formally reversed its decision on June 23. One state one uniform: On April 2, the government scrapped its 'One State, One Uniform' policy and handed over the responsibility of deciding school uniforms to school management committees. It reversed a decision taken in May 2023 under Kesarkar to standardise uniforms from Classes 1-8 across government schools and introduce a centralised system for manufacturing and distributing uniforms to over 44 lakh students. The implementation began in 2024-25 but the uniforms did not reach students until October 2024. Later, there were several complaints regarding poor quality and fit of the garments. In December 2024, the centralised process was withdrawn due to logistical issues. Sweet dish in midday meal: On June 11, 2024, the government declared that midday-meals in government schools will have a three-course plan, including sprouts and sweet dish along with new options using rice, lentils, legumes and vegetables. On January 28 this year, after Bhuse had taken over, it was announced that sweet dish would be provided only if the school management committees are able to raise funds from the public for the sugar required. Blank pages in textbooks: On March 8, 2023, the government announced the inclusion of blank pages after every chapter in textbooks prepared by Balbharti for the state board curriculum for classes 2-8, as an alternative to carrying nortebooks separately. The reason: it will reduce the weight of school bags. Triggering backlash, with students carrying the textbooks and notebooks to school, the move was in place for only one academic year – 2024-25 – and was rolled back on January 28. Caste on HSC exam hall ticket: The state board printed caste categories on hall tickets, issued on January 11, for the Higher Secondary Certificate exam. Following sharp criticism from social groups, the board expressed regret and issued a new order on January 18 withdrawing the hall tickets and issuing new ones on January 23. 10% EWS quota in private medical colleges: On July 23, the information brochure for state medical admissions, released by the CET Cell, listed a 10 percent EWS (Economically Weaker Section) reservation. Aspirants, their parents and colleges wrote to the Minister that implementing the quota without increasing seat intake would reduce the slots available under the general pool. On July 30, a day after a delegation of parents met the Minister, the move was withdrawn through a notification stating that the quota would be implemented only if additional intake is approved. Vasant Kalpande, a former Director of Education in the state, blamed the disconnect between decision-making and implementation on a 'lack of dialogue in educational governance'. 'The current top-down approach is detrimental to effective policy-making in a state as diverse as Maharashtra. Effective governance hinges on dialogue with stakeholders, empathy, and sensitivity. With varying needs among students and teachers, a one-size-fits-all approach cannot work,' he said. Basanti Roy, who served over 30 years in the state's education department, stressed the importance of piloting new initiatives to identify challenges and assess impact before scaling them. Without this, she warned, 'reversals become inevitable'. 'In the rush to innovate, we are neglecting due diligence,' she said. Can't be seamless always: Minister When contacted, Kesarkar, under whose tenure the decisions related to blank pages, uniforms and sweet dish were made, described them as 'student-centric'. 'The process of decision-making involved thorough consultation with stakeholders concerned. There could have been certain challenges in its implementation at the ground level. But those could have been resolved by applying corrective measures which could have shown benefits of these decisions in the coming years,' he said. Bhuse, the current minister, said education policies are shaped after careful evaluation. 'All policy decisions taken by the School Education Department are made with the best interests of our key stakeholders — students, parents, teachers, and schools — in mind. When feedback indicates the need for adjustments, those are duly considered and incorporated. However, that does not imply the original decisions were flawed.' Citing an example, he said, 'The initiative to provide high-quality uniforms to government school students was launched with the right intent, but challenges in large-scale implementation required modifications in the process.' Pointing to 'successful' decisions, Bhuse said, 'Take the example of the 'Copy-Free Exam' campaign during the state board examinations. It may not have completely eradicated malpractice, but it significantly curbed it by raising awareness. Another example is the extension of the centralised online admission process for Class 11 across the state. Although it had initial challenges, as expected in its first year, it has ensured that lakhs of students receive equal opportunities to secure admission to colleges of their choice.' Noting that no decision would be perfect for all, he said, 'I come from a rural background but I am equally familiar with urban realities. This dual perspective helps me understand the diverse needs of our education system. We must accept that not everything can be seamless all the time — there's no one-size-fits-all solution in public policy.'
