Latest news with #DirectorateofSchoolEducation
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Government pulls plug on free internet for students' tablets in Gurgaon
Gurgaon: A recent directive from the Directorate of School Education announced the discontinuation of govt-provided internet data for tablets distributed to students. The move, effective from May 25, 2025, requires students to use their personal internet connections or access school Wi-Fi where available. The decision, however, has sparked concerns among teachers and potentially impacts digital learning initiatives across the state. In the city alone, around 33,000 students received these devices under the e-Adhigam scheme. The estimated number of tablets distributed across the state is around 500,000. The devices were primarily given to govt school students in classes 10, 11, and 12. In April 2022, govt approved the procurement of 5 lakh tablets at a cost of Rs 620 crore, alongside Rs 47 crore worth of SIM cards, to provide a free internet facility with a daily data limit of 2 GB. The tablets had SIM cards installed that were recharged for internet use only, with no calling facility. According to the recent letter from the Directorate of School Education, students are expected to "use the internet available at home" to use the PAL application on the tablets. Alternatively, the students can use the broadband available in school with teacher supervision. According to the sources, multiple factors potentially contributed to this decision, including the feedback and budget allocation considerations. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo An official said that the primary reason behind the move is budget constraints and a lack of results. The move is likely to be a part of a cost-cutting measure to shift the budget to other areas with higher requirements. Officials said the decision is also motivated by the fact that performance of electronic devices worsens after three years, and rendering internet facilities may be less useful. Some sources said the decision may have been taken based on the misuse of devices as well.
The Print
29-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Launched by Khattar, how Haryana's Rs 700-cr tablet scheme for govt school students has fallen apart
With no internet access, the tablets have become little more than expensive paperweights for thousands of students, most of whom hail from economically weaker sections, including Scheduled Castes and backward classes. The reason? The government has failed to recharge the SIM cards that came with these devices, leaving students unable to access the Personalised Adaptive Learning (PAL) app, a key feature meant to provide digital study material. Gurugram: Nearly 5 lakh tablets worth Rs 700 crore, distributed by the Haryana government to students of classes 10 to 12 under a scheme in 2022, are gathering dust across the state. The ambitious e-Adhigam scheme, launched with much fanfare in 2022 under then-chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, aimed to bridge the digital divide for government school students. However, three years later, the initiative lies in shambles, drawing sharp criticism from teachers, school administrators and education experts who say the government's lack of foresight has let down the very students it sought to uplift. The tablet distribution scheme was first announced in April 2022, with the BJP government approving the procurement of 5 lakh tablets at a cost of Rs 620 crore, alongside Rs 47 crore worth of SIM cards, to provide free internet with a daily data limit of 2 GB. An additional Rs 5 crore was allocated for the PAL software, designed to offer e-books, test videos and study materials tailored to the curriculum of classes 10 to 12. During the budget session of the Haryana Assembly in March 2022, the then education minister Kanwar Pal had assured lawmakers that the initiative would 'fill the chasm in digital learning' for those students who could not afford gadgets like smartphones or tablets. The tablets were distributed in May and June 2022 in government schools across the state. At the time, the government hailed the move as a game-changer, particularly for students from Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes who form a significant portion of the student population in these schools. 'The devices will have preloaded content, along with personalised and adaptive learning software, and free internet data will also be provided,' Pal had said in May 2022, shortly before the distribution began. On 23 May this year, the Directorate of School Education issued a letter to all district education officers, instructing students to use internet facilities at home or rely on broadband at schools 'wherever available.' Teachers and school principals have slammed the directive as 'divorced from reality'. 'The students who come to government schools are generally poor. A good majority are from the Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes. How can the government expect them to have broadband at home? Parents who can afford such luxuries send their children to private schools, not government ones,' a senior secondary school teacher in Rohtak district told ThePrint on Wednesday. A school principal in Fatehabad district echoed this sentiment, saying that even schools lack the infrastructure to support the government's directive. 'Most government schools don't have broadband facilities. The government provides cash stipends, bicycles, books, and uniforms to attract students from marginalized communities, but what's the point if they can't access the study material on these tablets?' the principal asked. In Panipat, another teacher highlighted the irony of the situation. 'First, the government made these students dependent on the internet by giving them tablets with SIM cards. They spent more time on Instagram and YouTube than on the PAL app. But now, the government has stopped providing internet, making the tablets useless,' the teacher said. Also Read: For Haryanvi YouTubers, Pakistan is an ancestral pilgrimage. Jyoti Malhotra isn't alone Tablets turn into tools for entertainment The misuse of tablets has been a persistent issue since their distribution. With free internet access, many students used the devices for non-educational purposes, such as making reels or scrolling through social media. 'The government created a problem by giving them unrestricted internet access in the first place. Now, they've taken it away entirely, leaving the students with nothing,' the Panipat teacher contended. Haryana Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda could not be contacted, as the person who answered calls said he was busy meeting workers. In August 2023, ThePrint had reported that sarpanchs had written to the additional chief secretary, school education, to take back the tablets provided to children. The children, they had said, were misusing these gadgets. Pankaj Agarwal, Principal Secretary to the Haryana Government in the School Education Department, acknowledged the misuse of gadgets. 'We've received complaints that students are using the tablets for other activities like making reels or staying active on platforms like Instagram and YouTube,' he told ThePrint. To address this, Agarwal said he has sent a proposal to the state government, which is yet to be approved. The proposal includes two key changes: providing internet leaselines to schools for a stable connection and restricting tablet usage to school hours, rather than allowing students to take the devices home. 'This will ensure that the tablets are used for educational purposes only,' Agarwal said. However, with the proposal still pending approval, students remain in limbo. (Edited by Sugita Katyal) Also Read: Why UPSC has returned Haryana govt's proposal for promotion of 27 of its officers to IAS
New Indian Express
17-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Private schools in Pondy, Karaikal record 97 per cent pass rate in board exams
PUDUCHERRY: The private schools in Puducherry and Karaikal regions recorded an overall pass percentage of 96.9% in Class 10 examinations conducted by the Tamil Nadu Education Board. All the government schools in the union territory switched to the CBSE syllabus during the 2024-2025 academic year. According to the results released by the Directorate of School Education, Puducherry, out of 8,267 students -- 4,290 boys and 3,977 girls -- who wrote the examinations, 8,011 students passed -- 4,109 boys and 3,902 girls. Region-wise, Puducherry reported a pass percentage of 97.37%, while Karaikal recorded 93.6%. Of the 180 private schools across both regions, 113 achieved a 100% pass result — 95 from Puducherry and 18 from Karaikal. A total of 320 students scored centum, including 151 in Social Science, 132 in Science, 24 in French, nine in Mathematics, and four in English. In a notable achievement, the students from Anandha Rangapillai Government Special Higher Secondary School for Visually and Hearing Impaired (VH & HI) -- run by the Social Welfare Department at Pillaichavady, Puducherry -- secured 100% pass.
India Gazette
15-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Jammu and Kashmir: Schools reopen in Jammu as India-Pakistan tensions ease
Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 15 (ANI): Life in Jammu and Kashmir's Jammu district is slowly returning to normalcy after a recent Understanding between India and Pakistan ended days of heightened tension between the two countries. Visuals from Thursday morning showed schoolchildren in uniform streaming into campuses with visible excitement, marking a significant step toward routine life resuming in the border areas. Both government and private educational institutions had remained closed for five to six days due to fears of cross-border hostilities. On Wednesday, the Directorate of School Education confirmed that schools have resumed operations in numerous areas across the Jammu region, including Chowki Choura, Bhalwal, Dansal, Gandhi Nagar, and Jammu in the Jammu district; Vijaypur in Samba; and Kathua, Barnoti, Lakhanpur, Sallan, and Ghagwal in Kathua. Additionally, schools reopened in Peeri, Kalakote, Thanamandi, Moghla, Kotranka, Khawas, Lower Hathal, and Darhal in Rajouri, as well as Surankote and Buffliaz in Poonch. In Udhampur district, schools opened their gates, and students expressed joy at reuniting with their peers. Speaking to ANI, Palak Sharma, a school student, said, 'I am a student at Brahmrishi Bawra Shanti Vidya Peeth School, and our school has reopened after four to five days. I'm extremely happy that classes have resumed. We need an environment where we can focus on our studies, but due to the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan, everyone was in a state of panic. Now that everything is under control, I am relieved.' 'For the last four to five days, our school was closed due to the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan. But now, we are finally back to school. I'm really happy to reunite with my classmates after such a long break. I'm also grateful to the Indian Army, as they ensured our safety and helped bring everything back to normal,' stated Samragi, a student at Brahmrishi Bawra Shanti Vidya Peeth School, Udhampur. India's precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK came in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. The government had said that the perpetrators will face severe punishment and over 100 terrorists were killed in Operation Sindoor. Indian Armed Forces effectively repelled Pakistan's subsequent military aggression and pounded several airbases in Pakistan. The two countries have now reached an understanding to stop firing and military action after Pakistan DGMO reached out to his Indian counterpart. (ANI)
Time of India
15-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Jammu and Kashmir: Schools reopen in Jammu as India-Pakistan tensions ease
Life in Jammu and Kashmir's Jammu district is slowly returning to normalcy after a recent Understanding between India and Pakistan ended days of heightened tension between the two countries. Visuals from Thursday morning showed schoolchildren in uniform streaming into campuses with visible excitement, marking a significant step toward routine life resuming in the border areas. Both government and private educational institutions had remained closed for five to six days due to fears of cross-border hostilities . On Wednesday, the Directorate of School Education confirmed that schools have resumed operations in numerous areas across the Jammu region, including Chowki Choura, Bhalwal, Dansal, Gandhi Nagar, and Jammu in the Jammu district; Vijaypur in Samba; and Kathua, Barnoti, Lakhanpur, Sallan, and Ghagwal in Kathua. Additionally, schools reopened in Peeri, Kalakote, Thanamandi, Moghla, Kotranka, Khawas, Lower Hathal, and Darhal in Rajouri, as well as Surankote and Buffliaz in Poonch. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo In Udhampur district, schools opened their gates, and students expressed joy at reuniting with their peers. Speaking to ANI, Palak Sharma, a school student, said, "I am a student at Brahmrishi Bawra Shanti Vidya Peeth School , and our school has reopened after four to five days. I'm extremely happy that classes have resumed. We need an environment where we can focus on our studies, but due to the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan, everyone was in a state of panic. Now that everything is under control, I am relieved." Live Events "For the last four to five days, our school was closed due to the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan. But now, we are finally back to school. I'm really happy to reunite with my classmates after such a long break. I'm also grateful to the Indian Army, as they ensured our safety and helped bring everything back to normal," stated Samragi, a student at Brahmrishi Bawra Shanti Vidya Peeth School, Udhampur. India's precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK came in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. The government had said that the perpetrators will face severe punishment and over 100 terrorists were killed in Operation Sindoor . Indian Armed Forces effectively repelled Pakistan's subsequent military aggression and pounded several airbases in Pakistan. The two countries have now reached an understanding to stop firing and military action after Pakistan DGMO reached out to his Indian counterpart.
