– Paromita Sengupta with bureau inputs

Uttar Pradesh

New Noida girls school

Noida, july 26. A K-12 government-promoted Sarvodaya Residential School for Girls with installed capacity of 480 children is under construction on a six-acre site near the Noida International Airport in Jewar. With a budgeted project cost of Rs.25 crore, it will commence operations from April 2027.

Given its strategic proximity to the airport, the state government has decided to develop the school as a Centre of Excellence for Aviation, equipping girl students with the knowledge and skills needed to pursue careers in the aviation sector.

“Our objective is to not only provide quality modern education to daughters of the state, but also to equip them for careers in emerging fields such as aviation. The Sarvodaya School will give wings to their aspirations,” said Asim Arun, Minister of State for Social Welfare, addressing a press conference.

Bihar

Fake teachers dismissal

Patna, july 10. The dismissal from service of 3,000 teachers accused of securing appointments with fake degrees and forged education certificates is imminent, said Mithilesh Tiwary, the state’s Education Minister.

“This decision was taken following a detailed investigation conducted by the State Vigilance Bureau into recruitments between 2006-2015. Investigations revealed massive irregularities involving fake educational institutions and forged academic documents submitted during recruitment. After their dismissal, strict action under criminal law will also be initiated against them,” said the minister, addressing the media.

Haryana

Imminent neckties ban

Chandigarh, july 12. Tripti Sheoran, chairperson of the Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (HSCPCR), has issued an advisory recommending that all schools — government, government-aided and private statewide — discontinue mandatory use of knotted neckties as part of the school uniform to reduce the risk of accidental strangulation of children during school activities.

According to the advisory, the Commission has taken cognisance of “a series of unfortunate incidents reported from different parts of the country wherein school-going children have lost their lives due to accidental strangulation caused by conventional neckties becoming entangled with swings, wall hooks and other objects during play and routine activities”.

The Commission has advised schools to adopt clip-on (breakaway) or Velcro (quick-release) ties, which detach instantly in an emergency, thereby significantly reducing the likelihood of accidents.

Meghalaya

St. Xavier’s University

Shillong, july 8. The Meghalaya government has approved allotment of a 50-acre site for establishment of a St. Xavier’s University, said Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, following a cabinet meeting.

“The government has allotted 50 acres of land at Mawkhanu at a concessional rate of Rs.1 lakh per hectare following discussions with the institution’s authorities. This is an investment in the future of our youth. St. Xavier’s is a premier institution with a legacy of academic excellence, and its presence in Meghalaya will enhance higher and technical education and create new opportunities for students across the state and the region,” said the chief minister.

Odisha

1,600 egregious errors

Bhubaneswar, july 11. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has ordered a criminal investigation into 1,600 errors detected in government school textbooks printed by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and issued to 4 million class I-VIII students. Glaring errors such as describing scientist Isaac Newton as a pilot, were detected in 55 textbooks. The Chief Minister has directed the SCERT Director to lodge a First Information Report with the Superintendent of Police of the Crime Branch, according to an official statement.

At a private meeting, Majhi did not rule out the possibility of a “conspiracy” behind such errors intended to defame the state’s BJP government.

Delhi

Safety deficiencies

New delhi, july 26. During a city-wide inspection drive conducted in a Child Protection Month initiative, education ministry officials detected safety deficiencies in 774 schools in the national capital, with private schools accounting for the highest number.

According to an official statement, 1,677 schools were inspected between July 13-24 using a ‘Student Safety Checklist’ prepared in accordance with guidelines of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The inspection drive was launched following directions issued by Lt. Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta following a review meeting on July 6.