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Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
IGNOU to offer all academic programmes in Odia following MoU with Odisha govt
The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Higher Education, Government of Odisha, to offer its academic programmes in the Odia language. The move is aimed at expanding access to higher education among Odia-speaking learners, especially in rural and tribal regions, by removing language as a barrier. The MoU was signed in Bhubaneswar in the presence of Odisha's Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj and IGNOU Vice Chancellor Prof. Uma Kanjilal. Senior officials, faculty members, and students also attended the event. Under the agreement, IGNOU will translate and deliver a wide portfolio of programmes in Odia, including undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, and certificate-level courses. The initiative will cover core disciplines such as: Bachelor's Degree Programmes: BA in Sociology, Political Science, History, Economics, and Public Administration Postgraduate Programmes: MA in Education, Rural Development, Public Administration, Hindi, and Social Work Diploma Programmes: Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education, Tourism Studies, Nutrition and Health Education Certificate Courses: Certificate in Functional English, Environmental Studies, Food and Nutrition, and Rural Development IGNOU will provide the complete academic delivery ecosystem in Odia, including printed and digital study materials, counselling sessions, learner support services, and evaluation components. Translation and content development work is expected to be carried out in coordination with subject matter experts and language specialists. The initiative aligns with the multilingual education goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and is expected to contribute to increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Odisha. It also sets a precedent for similar collaborations in other states to promote education in regional languages.
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Flyover planned inside BU campus to ease traffic, ensure safety
Jnanabharathi campus We are considering a flyover inside campus to avoid inconveniencing students and public; banning vehicles isn't feasible Dr MC Sudhakar flyover proposal The state government is considering the construction of a dedicated flyover inside the Bangalore Universityto streamline traffic and ensure student safety by segregating public vehicles from internal campus across 1,200 acres, the Jnanabharathi campus has four major entry points, with the main gate linking Mysuru Road to Ullal Road. The Department of Higher Education has proposed a 2-kilometre-long flyover connecting these two roads. The aim is to facilitate smoother access for commuters while minimizing disruptions to academic life on to officials, the campus houses 54 departments and hosts thousands of students, many of whom reside in nearby hostels. The daily movement of public vehicles particularly during peak hours has led to increased air and noise pollution, traffic congestion, and a noticeable decline in the overall learning environment. A sharp rise in accidents has also raised alarms, including a tragic incident where a university student lost their life after being hit by a BMTC these concerns into account, the government has identified the flyover as a viable long-term solution. The Higher Education Department is currently in the process of preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR), which will outline the technical and financial aspects of the project. Once the DPR is complete, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will evaluate the cost and feasibility. Given the proposed length, officials expect the budget to be response to the fatal accident, the university had initially shut down operations for a brief period. Although public protests led to the reopening of campus gates during the day, night-time restrictions remain in place. Despite these measures, students have reported ongoing disturbances caused by public vehicles using the campus roads as a shortcut, especially the route connecting Mysuru Road to Ullal Main Road. Complaints include noise disruption, illegal parking, and interference with classes. Students have been urging the administration to ban public vehicles inside the campus entirely. Many have pointed out that unlike other large university campuses in India, Jnanabharathi remains unusually accessible to external these concerns, Higher Education Minister Dr MC Sudhakar said the government is seriously considering the. Vice-Chancellor Dr SM Jayakar added that while a complete vehicle ban isn't practical, the flyover would significantly ease congestion, improve safety, and help restore a conducive academic environment without cutting off public connectivity.
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
Healey touts state tuition savings, criticizes federal cuts to Pell Grants
Overall, MASSGrant Plus Expansion program saved more than 34,000 Massachusetts students an estimated $110 million in the 2023-2024 academic year, the statement said. More than 7,730 middle income students saved an average of $3,856 each, according to data from the state Department of Higher Education, the statement said. Advertisement In the same statement, Healey urged the US Senate to reject Pell Grant cuts included in the federal budget reconciliation bill recently passed by Republicans in the U.S. House and supported by President Trump. The proposed cuts and eligibility restrictions would results in 42,000 Massachusetts students at public institutions losing $57 million in funding each year, according to Healey's statement said. 'Massachusetts is home to the best schools in the country, but we need to make sure that they are affordable for all of our students,' Healey's statement said. 'That's why I took action to increase financial aid at our public colleges and universities, which has already lowered costs for tens of thousands of students.' The drastic cuts proposed to the Pell Grant program would 'roll back the progress we have made and increase costs,' Healey said. Advertisement 'This is bad for our students and bad for our economy, as it would hold back our next generation of workers from being able to afford to go to school,' she said. Healey announced $62 million in new state funding to expand the MASSGrant program during a ceremony at Salem State University in November 2023. The new funding covered the full costs of tuition and mandatory instructional fees for Pell Grant-eligible students, and as much as half for middle-income students. Middle-income students are those whose families earn between $73,000 and $100,000 annually in adjusted gross income. The program was retroactive to the start of the fall 2023 semester for Massachusetts students at the states public institutions, including its 15 community colleges, nine state universities, and four University of Massachusetts undergraduate campuses. Funding for the expansion of the program also drew on $84 million Healey and the legislature had set earmarked for financial aid expansion in the FY24 budget, Healey's office said at the time. 'The dramatic enrollment increases our community colleges have seen over the last two years make it clear that free community college and expanded financial aid is a game changer for students in Massachusetts,' Luis Pedraja, chair of the Community College Council of Presidents, and president of Quinsigamond Community College said in the statement. 'The proposed Pell eligibility changes would be devastating to our students' ability to afford higher education and the community college presidents in Massachusetts urge the Senate to reject this ill-advised change,' Pedraja said. Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler said he feared the impacts proposed cuts could have on students who struggle to afford college. Advertisement 'Low-income students deserve to go to college just as much as their higher income peers, and these changes are going to take us backwards – increasing dropout rates and leaving students saddled with more debt and no degree," Tutwiler said in the statement. Tonya Alanez can be reached at
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
V-Cs' of public varsities in A.P told to focus on reorientation of curricula, employability, research and global reach
Secretary Department of Higher Education, Kona Sashidhar, on Wednesday directed Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of all State Universities to focus on improving academic and administrative standards across their respective institutions. Speaking at a meeting organised by the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE), Mr. Sashidhar directed the Vice-Chancellors and Registrars to focus on reorientation of curricula, to enhance graduate employability in line with the market and social needs. He also asked the universities to mentor other institutions, including ITIs, polytechnics, professional colleges, and general degree colleges, to ensure cohesive development across the higher education spectrum. He urged the Universities to function as skill clusters to address the diverse NSQF (National Skill Qualification Framework) levels, to provide seamless upskilling and reskilling opportunities, and enhance institutional visibility by maintaining comprehensive databases of all constituent and affiliated colleges under their jurisdiction. The Council Chairman, K. Madhu Murthy, stressed the need for collaboration among universities to raise academic standards, strengthen institutional governance, and improve global competitiveness. He reviewed court cases related to faculty recruitment and pointed out that these legal issues were impeding faculty recruitment. He directed the universities to resolve these cases in coordination with legal and administrative departments to ensure timely and transparent recruitment without compromising on quality or statutory compliance. On implementation of four-year UG Honours programmes with dual majors, he shared a detailed framework for the rollout of the programmes in line with NEP-2020, highlighting the introduction of dual majors as an innovative approach to foster inter-disciplinary learning. The universities were advised to adopt a uniform curriculum framework for technical programmes offered by engineering institutions across the State and to implement the Faculty Development Programmes (FDPs) focussing on digital pedagogy and emerging technologies. Prof. Murthy said APSCHE would extend financial support to universities for organising FDPs. Emphasis was also laid on the establishment of functional and dynamic Research Boards in every university to foster a strong research ecosystem, secure external funding, and promote high-quality publications. The Vice-Chancellors were encouraged to strengthen their international outreach, design foreign-student-friendly policies, and leverage platforms such as 'Study in India' to enhance global visibility and attract international students. The universities were also advised to strengthen the implementation and monitoring of short-term internship programmes, ensuring effective industry engagement and experiential learning, employability skills, industry exposure, and research aptitude opportunities for students. Vice-Chairpersons of APSCHE K. Rama Mohana Rao and P. Uma Maheswari Devi, Secretary T.V. Sri Krishna Murthy and Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of all State Universities attended the meeting. Eom...
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How a college closing disaster led to new student protections in Mass.
When Mount Ida College in Newton closed in 2018, it was abrupt. Students, faculty and staff weren't given a heads up and transfer agreements weren't created ahead of time. The closure 'fell short of what is expected of a charitable board in meeting its obligations to an educational mission' and may have violated the state's consumer protection law," Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Green said at the time. Then-Attorney General Maura Healey decided against suing the college. 'The precipitous nature of that announcement was completely unacceptable. It wreaked havoc on students, faculty, staff and the community. The Board of Higher Education decided to dig into the issue and try to figure out what happened, why and how, if at all, could we try to help avoid something like this happening again in the future,' said Constantia Papanikolaou, the Department of Higher Education's Chief Legal Counsel. A year later, the state created a working group and, based on their recommendations, passed legislation called Financial Assessment and Risk Monitoring and new regulations requiring the Board and Department of Higher Education to assess the financials of private institutions annually and identify and monitor those institutions that are at risk of closure and minimize disruption. The law isn't intended to keep colleges open or to prevent them from closing, said Papanikolaou. Instead, the law aids in a slower and less volatile process than what Mount Ida community members experienced. Read more: Could shuttered college campuses help solve the Mass. housing crisis? The law is more integral now than ever, as over two dozen colleges and universities have closed in Massachusetts over the past decade due to financial and enrollment difficulties. Recently, Eastern Nazarene College, a private liberal arts college in Quincy, announced in June 2024 that it would close due to financial issues. Bard College at Simon's Rock said in November it would close its campus due to declining enrollment. While any college closure is disruptive, Becker College closed down differently from Mount Ida. When Becker wound down its college in 2021, a closure plan had already been put in place: students would know where they could seamlessly transfer to, the community was notified in advance and a neighboring university would maintain its records. This was due to the newly established law in Massachusetts, which took effect the previous year. As part of the law, the Department of Higher Education conducts annual financial screenings and assessments of all institutions in Massachusetts that are authorized to grant degrees. If colleges or universities can't demonstrate that they have at least 18 months' worth of resources to substantially meet the needs of enrolled and admitted students, the institutions join a public notifications list on the state's website. While Becker College didn't warrant being put on the public notifications list, as it had enough finances to continue for 18 months, it was still part of the state's list of institutions it was monitoring. The state doesn't release this list in an effort to build trust and allow the institutions to rebound without scrutiny in the public eye. All institutions that the state adds to its public notification list or decides to monitor are required to create a contingency plan in the event of closure. Boston Baptist College and Northpoint Bible College were on the public watchlist last year. Once institutions prove they can meet financial viability, they are taken off the list, according to the Department of Higher Education. Papanikolaou said she thinks contingency plans are helpful for institutions experiencing financial challenges to have a 'safety net.' 'I think the success of the law is really more silent and in the background, and it's these contingency closure plans that are in place, that are kind of on the shelf and at the ready if needed and as needed,' said Papanikolaou, from the Department of Higher Education. While institutions can be added to the public notifications list at any time of year, the process of financial assessments begins during the spring or summer and the watchlist is added to between the months of November to February. Institutions are required by the Department of Higher Education to disclose any known financial risks that could lead the institution to imminent closure outside of the typical assessment months. Known financial risks can include anticipated problems related to liquidity or cash deficiencies, any decision to close a branch campus or an additional instructional location and initiating merger discussions with another institution. Colleges and universities are also supposed to post their audited financial statements on their website per the law and have their trustees trained once every four years on financial metrics, accreditation standards and legal and fiduciary responsibilities, according to the Department of Higher Education. Read more: Two Mass. colleges in financial 'danger,' accreditation agency finds On top of the state's public notifications appearing on its website, accreditation notifications are also posted. Most recently, Anna Maria College in Paxton and Montserrat College of Art in Beverly were posted and both 'in danger' of not meeting institutional resources, according to letters sent in recent months from the accreditation agency, the New England Commission of Higher Education. Both institutions aren't on the state's public watchlist due to different standards for publication between the accreditation agency and the state. Here's everything Trump has stripped from Harvard so far — and what is threatened Harvard foreign students feel like 'poker chips,' consider transfer after Trump attacks Federal judge blocks Trump admin from revoking Harvard enrollment of foreign students 'Unlawful and unwarranted': Harvard opens 2nd lawsuit against the Trump admin 'Deeply scary': Legal experts reel over Trump's 'brazen act' against Harvard Read the original article on MassLive.
