– Paromita Sengupta with bureau inputs

Chhattisgarh: Kamayabi Van initiative

Koriya, May 21. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai flagged off the first Kamayabi Van in Koriya district under the state government’s flagship digital learning initiative. Implemented under the NITI Aayog-funded Mission Kamayabi (mission success), the project will provide technology-enabled learning opportunities to students in remote regions through modern digital tools.

Equipped with Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies, the Kamayabi Van will offer interactive and experiential learning experiences in science, mathematics and technical education. “The state government is committed to ensuring children in villages and rural habitats equal access to quality education and modern technology. In this era of knowledge and innovation, it is essential to connect rural students with digital resources and modern learning technologies to prepare them for future challenges,” said the chief minister, speaking on the occasion.

Odisha: ShaktiShree App

Bhubaneswar, May 5. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched the state government’s ‘ShaktiShree’ mobile phone application and unveiled comprehensive internship guidelines to improve the quality, inclusivity and employability of higher education graduates. ShaktiShree will also promote the safety, well-being and empowerment of girl students in higher education institutions.

This initiative was introduced during a two-day national workshop attended by Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and state higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj, senior policy formulators and academics.

“Education should extend beyond textbooks and nurture innovation, creativity and progress. Our goal is to develop Odisha into a knowledge hub,” said the chief minister, speaking on the occasion.

Bihar: Mid-day meal poisoning

Saharsa, May 8. More than 200 children took ill after consuming a mid-day meal at a government middle school in Baluaha village. The children complained of stomach ache and vomiting prompting the school management to rush them to nearby health facilities for treatment.

“Currently 115 students are undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 others have been admitted to the Mahishi Public Health Centre,” said District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar, addressing a press conference.

Family members of some students alleged that a snake was found in the container used to store cooked pulses. Of the 545 students present at the school, over 200 had consumed the mid-day meal.

Maharashtra: Yuva Sangam programme

Mumbai, May 20. A 50-member students’ delegation from across Maharashtra embarked on an educational and cultural exchange tour of Andhra Pradesh under the Union ministry of education’s Yuva Sangam programme Version 6, hosted by Indian Institute of Technology, Tirupati. Later this month, a students delegation from Andhra is scheduled to visit the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune.

Yuva Sangam is a flagship initiative under the Union education ministry’s ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ (One India Great India) programme, designed to foster national integration, cultural sensitivity and experiential learning among youth.

The delegation from Maharashtra included undergraduate, postgrad and doctoral students, as well as some off-campus youth below age 30. The delegation’s departure was flagged off by Prof. Sunil Bhagwat, Director of IISER, Pune; Dr. Kaneenika Sinha, Professor and Coordinator at IISER, Pune; and officials from the All India Council for Technical Education.

“Yuva Sangam is an excellent platform for young students to experience India’s unity in diversity first-hand and emerge as ambassadors of national integration. Exposure to scientific and academic institutions through the programme will strengthen India’s science and technology ecosystem,” says Prof. Bhagwat.

Delhi: AI literacy for teachers

Delhi, May 11. The Union ministry of education will prioritise training teachers in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools over the next three-four months to support classroom instruction, lesson planning and student assessment.

This announcement follows the launch of ‘AI Literacy for Teachers’ programme by Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan at the IIT Madras Technology Summit held at Bharat Mandapam. Developed by Bodhan AI — a Centre of Excellence in AI for Education of IIT-Madras — the initiative aims to train 1 million teachers by end 2027.

“Teachers must first understand AI before introducing it to students. This initiative will help build a responsible, ethical and India-centric AI ecosystem. The training of 1 million teachers is a foundational step towards integrating AI into classrooms nationwide,” said the minister addressing a press conference.