You are not doing enough: Tata to IISc

Mathang Seshagiri TNN

Bangalore: It was a rude wake-up call to the prestigious 101-year-old Indian Institute of Science when chairman of Tata Sons Ratan Tata told it that it was not doing enough. He said the institute had not changed as much as one would like to see and it should contribute to a new way of life in India —and not just file major number of patents compared to what it did before.

Tata, who is the president of the IISc Court, the topmost decisionmaking body, has said that the institute is not doing enough research of greater global relevance. “If I look back on what I have been trying to say in a very polite and in a very careful manner, it has been my perception that this institute, which is a great institute....has not perhaps changed as much as one would like to see. ...I have mentioned that we should perhaps be looking at greater change, research of greater global relevance and I have used my words carefully,” Tata told candidly at this year’s Court meeting. His message will be “reported” in writing to IISc Council headed by Planning Commission member K Kasturirangan at a meeting on Saturday. “I urge that all of us work together to make this possible in its true form where this institute not only files major number of patents compared to what it did before, not only pursues technical excitement or scientific excitement, but actually contributes to a new way of life both in India and elsewhere,” Tata said.

Tata told his colleagues: “But we should ask ourselves, as any good institute, as any good corporate or any good agency should — are we doing enough, are we relevant enough, can we do better. The greatest danger we have or anyone has in any congregation is to say that we are at the pinnacle of where we can be and we can do no better.

Ratan Tata| CHAIRMAN, TATA SONS

Anti-terror equipment, robots rule science fair

Srinivas Laxman | TNN

Mumbai: Robotics and anti-terrorism devices dominate the twenty-third Western India Science Fair at the Nehru Science Centre in Worli. The fair will be on till Saturday.

The four-day school science fair, which boasts 120 participants, was inaugurated on Wednesday by H C Pradhan, director, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education. In all, 40 student projects and 18 teaching aids are showcased. There are representations from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagra Haveli, and Madhya Pradesh.

Walk around the hall near the entrance and a robot catches your attention. Said Gurunath Meher, a 12th standard student of GRPS Sabnis Junior College of Narayangoan, near Pune: “I have made this robot which can detect potential terrorist threats through various means. I demonstrated it at the Giant Metre Radio Telescope (GMRT) facility near Narayangoan.’’

An interesting aspect of the robot is that it is largely made of scrap material and uses mobile frequency. “I took about six months to make it and it cost about Rs 150,’’ he said.

Further away is what is known as a spy boat made by two eighth standard students, Vedant Gaonkar and Aniket Lawande, of Dr K B Hedgewar High School of Panaji. “The main role of this remote-controlled boat, which has a camera, is to enhance security in a river or areas close to the coast,’’ said Vedant.

Jaweer Singh, a Xth standard student of St Anselm’s High School in Jaipur, has made a robot which demonsrates how mining can be an unmanned activity. He told TOI: “This is known as robotic mining. This robot can go down a mine, set up a target location, start drilling and begin excavation.’’

Nehru Science Centre director Anil Manekar said, “Science fairs are useful because they help in developing an inquiring mind, stimulate a sense of curiosity, help in problem-solving and encourage researching attitudes among young minds.’’

WAY TO GO: Visitors at the fair admire a model called ‘Smart Roadblock Locator’ made by students of Lala Lajpatrai Vidyalaya, Gandhinagar

Small wonder: Ants can solve maths problems

Washington: An ant colony is probably the last place one would expect to find a maths whiz, but a study has shown that they could solve complex, dynamic problems, and may even help computer experts develop better software.

An international team has found the ants are capable of solving difficult mathematical problems and also able to do what few computer algorithms can — adapt optimal solution to fit a problem, the Journal of Experimental Biology reported.

Using a novel technique, scientists tested whether Argentine ants could solve a dynamic optimisation problem by converting classic Towers of Hanoi maths puzzle into a maze. But since ants cannot move disks, they converted the puzzle into a maze where the shortest path corresponds to the solution with fewest moves in the toy puzzle.

The ants were given one hour to solve the maze by creating a high traffic path between their nest and the food source, after which time the researchers blocked off paths and opened up new areas of the maze to test the ants' dynamic problem solving ability.

After an hour, the ants solved the Towers of Hanoi by finding shortest path around the edge of the maze. “Finding the most efficient path through a busy network is a common challenge faced by delivery drivers, telephone routers and engineers,” says Chris Reid, who led the study. AGENCIES

Over 65% students opt out of CBSE boards

Manash Pratim Gohain TNN

New Delhi: Over five lakh Class X students from senior secondary schools have decided to opt out of Class X board exams to be conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in March 2011. This is the first batch for which the Class X board exam has been made optional and these students will now sit for the school-based term-end Summative II exam in April 2011 under the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE).

The total number of Class X students in senior secondary schools across India affiliated to CBSE is 8,23,125, of which 2,73,538 are taking the Class X board exams. Another 1.75 lakh Class X students from secondary schools (schools with classes up to 10th) are going to join the 2.7 lakh students, who have already opted for the board exam. Though three more days are left for the last date of registration, CBSE officials say the final figures may vary by a couple of thousand students, who might change their option.

CBSE chairperson Vineet Joshi said, ‘‘CCE has turned out to be a success story. Though December 15 is supposed to be the last day when the final figures will emerge, there will hardly be any change.’’ According to Joshi, though 9,02,747 students registered for the Class X board exams in 2010, the number has gone beyond 10 lakh now. ‘‘These numbers are for senior secondary schools only and over 65% of the students have opted for internal exams,’’ said Joshi.

Asked if schools are imposing their choice on students, Joshi said the final choice rests with the students. He also said there are many cases in which a few students have opted for Class X examination rather than CCE. With a staggering 2.73 lakh senior secondary students still opting for the Class X board exams, questions arise if students and parents are still edgy about the school-based internal exercise. Responding to this, Joshi said, ‘‘This is the first time and naturally there will be some doubts in the minds of parents and students. But gradually the importance of CCE will be understood.’’

My first love is HRD ministry, says Sibal New Delhi: Union minister Kapil Sibal, who has been given additional charge of the high-profile telecom ministry, on Monday said his ‘first love’ is human resource development portfolio, whose handling had earned him praise from the Prime Minister. You were talking about the other ministries I am involved in, but I can tell you that this (the HRD ministry) is my first love and my last love,” Sibal said. He felt the HRD Ministry is dear to him because “there is nothing more important than building India’s future” and lamented that the political establishment was yet to recognize the importance of the teaching community for the country. The human resources is the ultimate foundation of all economy and growth, he said. Observing that the coming decade would throw up more challenges for the teaching profession, he said teachers have to “reinvigorate” and empower themselves as they carry on this grand enterprise. AGENCIES

NO BOARDS, NO STRESS

For The First Time, Over 5L CBSE Students Will Graduate Without Sitting For Board Exams

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: It will be an altogether novel experience for Class X CBSE students: whether they choose to sit for the board exams or not, the marksheets that will be issued to them will be the same. In other words, they will look identical, and one will be hardpressed to figure out who appeared for the CBSE board exam, and who opted out. The bottom line is that on paper it will make little difference whether or not you decide to appear for the board exams in the coming year. Of the approximately 10 lakh CBSE Class X students, more than 50% (5.5 lakh) have opted to sit out the board exam. The final figure will be available after December 15.

The icing on the cake is that opting out of the exam will in no way hamper a student’s chances of getting into a junior college affiliated to another board. Marks will be announced well before junior colleges open for admission. By making the board exams optional—a first of its kind in the country—CBSE’s aim is to reduce stress levels among students.

“In both cases, 60% of the assessment will be carried out by the school, and will involve a process of continuous and comprehensive evaluation, which will include project work, sports, class participation, etc. The remaining 40% involves a written examination set by the CBSE board. For those who opt for the board exam, the exam papers will be assessed by external examiners. For the rest, the papers will be evaluated by the school,” says Avnita Bir, principal of R N Podar, a CBSE school at Santa Cruz. Around 75% of students at Podar have decided to give the board exams a miss this year.

Schools have been flooded with queries from parents who want to know whether there will be any difference in the way an answer paper will be evaluated if a child decides not to appear for the board exams. Principals insist that there will be no bias in either event. “Not only will the CBSE board set the question papers, both for those who do appear for the board exam and those who don’t, but the board will also send schools a marking scheme that needs to be followed,’’ said Rajeev Gupta, principal of DAV School, Airoli. An answer paper will be re-assessed by a second examiner who will check for errors and biases. Students have till December 15 to finalize their decision.

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
Are you a confused Class X CBSE student biting your nails over whether to sit for the CBSE board exam or opt out of it? Well, it doesn’t matter either way. If you decide not to appear for the board exam, it will not affect your college or career prospects.

Here’s why:

If you opt out of the CBSE Class X board exam, will the marksheet reflect your choice?

A: No. The internal school assessment marksheet will be identical to that issued to a student who sat for the board exam

If you opt out of the CBSE board exam, will you get your results at the same time as someone who sits for it?

A: Yes

Who will assess the exam papers?
For those who appear for the board exam, 60% of the assessment will be done by the school and 40% by external examiners
For those who opt out of the board exam, the entire assessment will be undertaken by the school

Who sets the exam papers?
The board will set the papers for both students who appear for the board exams as well as those who don’t. In both cases, this will account for 40% of the total assessment

If you choose to not sit for the board exam, will the marksheet that you receive be adequate while applying to another board?
Yes. You can apply to a junior college in Mumbai on the basis of your marks even if you do not sit for the board exam

If you are a Class X student at a particular CBSE school, are you guaranteed a seat in Class XI in the same school?
Yes (irrespective of whether or not you appear for the board exam)

Are all CBSE schools in the country giving students the option of dropping the Class X board exam?
Only CBSE schools that run till Class XII are giving students the option of dropping out of the board exam

When is the last day to finalize your decision?
December 15, 2010

Too good to be true?
Mumbai: Across the city, Class X students are rolling their sleeves and burying themselves under a mountain of books in preparation for their first ever board exam. But 15-year-old Aakash Sharma is the epitome of calm. “I am studying just as hard as the other students. The only difference is that a board examination is not hanging over my head,” says the CBSE student who M T E E H S K R A has opted for a school assessment examination over the board examination. Sharma even finds the time to attend guitar classes. Nearly 5.5 lakh CBSE students in India have decided not to sit for the board exam in Class X.

“Students who have opted for an internal school assessment will be appearing for a paper set by the board, but will answer the questions in a familiar environment,” says Deepshika Srivatav, principal of Rajhans Vidyalaya in Andheri (W). At her school, nearly 40% Class X students will be sitting for the school-assessed examination. An equal number of CBSE students have chosen to give the board exams as they feel it will prepare them for the Standard XII finals.

Jyotsna Wankhade whose son will be appearing for the board exam says: “In Mumbai, there are many issues and prejudices when it comes to students from other boards. We don’t want to give the government another reason to not accept our son’s application.”

This school brings down crime rate

Anahita Mukherji TNN

Murshidabad (West Bengal): Tom Sawyer, the mischievous young protagonist of Mark Twain’s 19th century classic, is an unlikely hero for a social activist from rural West Bengal. But Shabnam Ramaswamy, a feisty 55-year-old from Murshidabad, likens herself to Tom Sawyer in more ways than one.

Like Sawyer, who, when given the onerous task of painting a wall, convinced his friends of the importance of his job and had them queuing up to help him, Ramaswamy has visitors from around the world knocking on her door in Katna—a remote crime-ridden village in Murshidabad district—eager to pitch in and help her run an extraordinary school she began five years ago. The Adventures of Shabnam Ramaswamy could give Sawyer a run for his money.

Jagriti Public School has changed the face of Katna village. The school, which provides rural kids with quality education in English, has helped bring down the crime rates in the area. “Most crimes are committed because of the grinding poverty and unemployment in the region,” says Ramaswamy, who has no qualms in employing former criminals, including those who have attacked her in the past. Take for instance her driver, a jolly, strapping man in his forties who ferries kids from the surrounding villages to school. His loyalty towards Ramaswamy is unquestionable. It is near impossible to tell that he was part of a group of contract killers who lobbed handmade bombs at Shabnam and her husband 11 years ago at the behest of her uncle, a man she sacked for swindling money meant for the school.

The very spot where the school now stands was once the scene of a crime. One night, eight years ago, when Shabnam and her husband, senior journalist Jugnu Ramaswamy, first moved to Katna, they were shaken by the sound of a piercing scream along the lonely road near their home. Armed with torches, they traced the sound to a peasant who had been robbed and tied to a tree. That’s when the duo decided they wanted to build their dream school beside that very tree. It’s little wonder that Ramaswamy’s NGO, Street Survivors, won the Sanskriti Award for social achievement this year.

The school building, an ornate brick structure with a rustic feel, was designed by a Delhi architect and built by local masons.

Jagriti Public School has changed lives in the remote Katna village in Murshidabad district