education

the following university in U.S. is organising a three-day
international conference, ‘Ramanujan 125,’ to mark the 125th birth anniversary
celebration of Srinivasa Ramanujan?
[A]University of Florida






the following university in Australia has launched the Bradman
Foundation Scholarship that will help a young Indian student to study in Australia?
[A]University of Newcastle
[B]University of Canberra
[C]University of Adelaide
[D]University of Wollongong
University of Wollongong
An Australian university has announced a scholarship named after legendary
cricketer Donald Bradman for Indian students. The scholarship is to be awarded to
an Indian student who wants to play the game and undergo study also. The
scholarship would be given to a student who demonstrates strong participation in
cricket. He will have half his or her tuition fees paid for the duration of a degree at the
University of Wollongong, near Sydney. The university is offering the scholarship
with the Bradman Foundation, a charitable trust established in 1987 to promote
cricket as a cultural and sporting force . Bradman, Australia's greatest sporting hero,
died in 2001 aged 92. He played his last match in England in 1948 and retired with a
yet-to-be topped Test batting average of 99.94














the following university in India has signed MoUs with two
Chinese universities to open the first ever campus of an Indian university in China?
[A]Nirma University
[B]Anna University
[C]Osmania University
[D]Manipal University
Manipal University
Karnataka-based Manipal University has signed agreements with two Chinese
universities to take forward the process of exchange of faculty and students. It is a
step towards its long-term plan of opening the first ever campus of an Indian
university in China. The university signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Shanghai’s Tongji University and Tianjin University







“Hunar” the NIOS skill development program to be extended to more
Muslim girls
"Hunar" – the skill development programme – under the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) will be extended
to more girls from the Muslim community to enable them to nurture their skills.
About 1,613 girls took admission and 218 learners passed from 14 centres in the old city area of Delhi in different
trades such as tailoring, basic computing, preservation of vegetables and fruits and embroidery under the programme.
"Hunar" was launched in February 2011 as part of an effort to encourage school education and skills among
disadvantaged communities






ALISON RICHARD IN 2003,FIRST EVER WOMEN VICE CHANCELLOR-----CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY












according to the all india survey on higher education,(AISHE) the overall enrollment ratio of the country is 18.8%


NET to be objective; no negative marking: UGC
The National Eligibility Test, NET, will be completely objective type from June 2012. The test conducted by University
Grants Commission, UGC, will consist of 3 papers. As per the new examination pattern, there will be no negative
marking.
The National Educational Testing Bureau of the UGC conducts NET to determine eligibility for lectureship and award of
Junior Research Fellowship, JRF, to ensure minimum standards for entrants in teaching and research.



Planning Commission constitutes National Monitoring Committee to
support Nalanda University
Planning Commission has constituted an 11 member National Monitoring Committeeto support Nalanda
University for the development of basic infrastructure and facilities and timely flow of funds to the university. The
committee will be headed by the Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahulwalia. The members of the committee include,
National Security Adviser, Foreign Secretary, Vice-Chancellor of Nalanda University, Finance Secretary and Secretary of
Ministry of Human Resource Development.






Govt appoints a 10 member Committee to roll out community colleges
The HRD (Human Resource Development) Ministry has appointed a 10-member committee headed by Madhya
Pradesh School Education Minister Archana Chitnis to devise an aspirational plan to roll
out community colleges in India.
The committee to submit its report within 2 months, spelling out the concept and decide about the appropriate
milestones for its launch from the 2013 academic session.
Objective of this move: With this, government aims at promoting such community colleges with an underlying
objective of increasing gross enrolment ratio to 30 in India by 2020. The aim is to empower individuals, who were
devoid of the conventional education system, through skill development with the help of local industry and
community. These colleges would primarily target the disadvantaged section of the rural and urban population as well
as women.
What is a Community college?
 A community college is any institution accredited to award an associate degree as its highest degree. Countries
such as USA, Canada, Australia and Taiwan have many such colleges. In USA there are 1,195 community colleges
with a total enrolment of 1.15 crore. UK started its community colleges to offer foundation degree programmes
in 2001.
 First community college center in India came into existence in 1996 at the Pondicherry Central University.
 Thus it is a place that makes people fit for a job. It is an alternative system of education to empower the socially,
economically and educationally disadvantaged. Here, concentration is more on skill development based on each
individual. Anyone can join – school dropouts, degree holders who want to learn a particular skill.
 Thus it is an ‘alternative’ system of education.
Why were community colleges started ?
 In order to give equal opportunities to all as skills of the day are not reaching the poor.







6 Indian-origin scientists elected to the prestigious Fellowship of the
Royal Society for 2012
Royal Society (RS):
Founded in 1660 to recognise, promote and support excellence in science, has over the
years awarded the Fellowship to nearly approximately 1,450 individuals, including Albert
Einstein, Stephen Hawking, Isaac Newton and Tim Berners-Lee. The Fellowship is made
up of the most eminent scientists, engineers and technologists from the UK and the
Commonwealth. Fellows are elected for life through a peer review process on the basis of
excellence in science. There are approximately 1,450 Fellows and Foreign Members, including more than 80 Nobel
Laureates.
The 6 Indian-origin scientists are among 44 experts elected for 2012. They are:-
 Mr. Tejinder Singh Virdee, Professor of Physics, Department of Physics, Imperial College London
 Mr. Krishnaswamy Vijay Raghavan, Senior Professor and Director, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata
Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore
 Mr. Chandrashekhar Bhalchandra Khare, Professor of Mathematics, Department of Mathematics, University of
California, Los Angeles
 Mr. Mathukumalli Vidyasagar, Cecil H. & Ida Green Chair, The University of Texas at Dallas
 Mr. Shankar Balasubramanian, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of
Cambridge and Senior Group Leader, Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Research Institute
 Mr. Varinder Kumar Aggarwal, Professor of Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol
About the Scientists and their works







India to modernise and digitally link 9000 libraries
About 9,000 libraries across India will be modernized and digitally linked in a bid to provide readers
access to books and information. An ambitious plan under the National Mission for Libraries aims to
cover libraries in cities, towns and villages of India the next 3 years. The Mission will focus on
improvement of the public library system of India especially focusing on the states where library
Current Affairs Published on www.gktoday.in from January 1, 2012 to
September 10, 2012
development is falling behind.













Indian B.Tech degrees may be recognized abroad
Soon, Engineers with Indian undergraduate degrees will make their ways and find it easier to look for jobs
and opportunities for higher studies abroad from 2013, if India’s offer to join the privilegedWashington
Accord for international accreditation is consented.
There are plans of undergraduate engineering degrees from India to bring at par with those of the US, UK,
Australia, Canada, Singapore, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and 6 other nations, facilitating mobility for Indian
undergraduate engineers.
The NBA (National Board of Accreditation), under the aegis of AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education), plans
to bid to become a permanent member of the Washington Accord in June 2013.
Current Affairs Published on www.gktoday.in from January 1, 2012 to
September 10, 2012
In 2013, if NBA will be a full member of the Washington Accord, then Indian B.Tech Degrees will be recognized abroad
as the accord advocates that the graduates of programs accredited by any of the signatory bodies be recognized by
other members as having met academic requirements for entry to Engineering.
In 2007, India was granted the status of a provisional member at the Washington Accord for International
Accreditation.
About Washington Accord:-







REC, Literacy Mission sign deal for Adult Education Centres
Nearly 100 Model Adult Education Centres (AECs) to be set up in urban areas underCSR (Corporate-Social-
Responsibility) program extended by the REC (Rural Electrification Corporation) all over India.
This is being exercised under Saakshar Bharat Programme. The Education Centres are spread over UP, Jharkhand,
Andhra Pradesh, MP, Odisha and Chhatisgarh.







Govt releases Rs 5 cr to HP Govt under Post Matric
Scholarships Scheme
Current Affairs Published on www.gktoday.in from January 1, 2012 to
September 10, 2012
Central Govt released Rs 5 Crore to Himachal Pradesh State Government under Post Matric Scholarships
scheme to the students belonging to Scheduled Castes for the current financial year. Nearly 48 lakh
Students are probable to be covered in this financial year throughout India under the scheme. The Social
Justice Ministry has approved over Rs 6700 Crore in 11th Five Year Plan to cover over 196 lakh
beneficiaries.
Post Matric Scholarships Scheme is a single major involvement by the Central Government for Educational development
of Scheduled Caste Students in India.









IIT-Kanpur urges for PM’s intervention on proposed CET
IIT-Kanpur wrote a letter “The Faculty Forum” seeking direct and exigent intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh to settle the issue of newly proposed Common Entrance Test by HRD ministry
Current Affairs Published on www.gktoday.in from January 1, 2012 to
September 10, 2012
 According to IIT- Kanpur the current format of CET can endanger the prestige & status of IITs
 The Faculty Forum suggested that by replacing the AIEEE, NIT, IIT-JEE exams and changing the exam format to a
single CET, would burden the engineering aspirants with pressure and tension.
 It urged the PM to use his "good offices" to quash the proposed CET format
 IIT-Kanpur announced that it would hold its own entrance test from 2013
 IIT-Kanpur is resent with the HRD ministry’s move to merge IIT-JEE with the AIEEE
 The institute finds that the move is in violation of the Institutes of Technology Act (1961) and IIT Kanpur
Ordinances (Ordinance 3.2 (Admissions)












CBSE to collaborate with Pearson
The CBSE has signed private foreign education company-Pearson to form a Centre for Assessment, Evaluation and
Research to:
 Examine CBSE’s examination system
 Perform research on implementation of its schemes
 Develop research resources to aid teachers
Current Affairs Published on www.gktoday.in from January 1, 2012 to
September 10, 2012
Objective: To build up research and assessment capabilities and resources for CBSE, its schools and teachers and to
concentrate on International best practices in school-based assessment, teaching techniques and high stake examinations.








Government to introduce financial literacy in school education
The government plans to launch financial literacy in the school curriculum very soon. The
knowledge of Financial & Capital markets will be disseminated in the form of primary and
secondary curriculum.
Objective:
 Enhance the household contribution into equity markets
 Reduce over-dependency of the economy on foreign capita
 Promote domestic investment and make Retail investors feel more confident of corporate India
Some latest crucial Facts:
 In India domestic saving has a share of 37-40% of the total savings
 Only 5% of domestic savings comes into capital markets
Why the Govt wants to introduce such course in school education?
With only 5 % of total domestic savings being invested in capital market, Govt sees a huge opportunity to bring in more
untapped domestic capital. This can be possible by educating people about the financial and capital markets. It can
seen as a long-term initiative as youth who get this education will understand the importance of these markets and
also become more comfortable with such investment. Thus the programme will encourage them to invest in these
markets in future. This will in turn infuse domestic capital and reduce the over-dependency on FIIs. A large part of
Indian economy is being driven at the mercy of foreign investors which has recently resulted into greater volatility and
instability in the market. For instance, in the 1st quarter of 2012, FIIs inflated the equity markets by infusing about
$8.84 billion (Rs 50,000 crore). But after April 1, 2012 the stocks fumbled as a result of foreign investors pulling out
$504.2 million (Rs 2,800 crore) from the equity markets.





Iken School Eco System in Orissa by Mexus Education
''The Iken School EcoSystem'' launched by Mexus Education
Under the The Educate India 2011 programme by Mexus Education
Objective:
1. To present a platform to capitalize on the participation of students in academics and
learning in and beyond the school
2. To deal with the most vital classroom challenge, running different Intelligence activity of
their class at ease in the brief 40 minutes of their session
3. To build up products that would assist teachers deal with disparity in aptitude of students
while students remain occupied in subject topics through entertaining media like videos
The Govt also encouraged the initiatives and supported for growing the corporate
Mexus established across Orissa in less than 3 months
Mexus united across the schooling domain from the oldest missionary school to upcoming
international institutions