Delhi
Fees hike protest
New Delhi, August 5. Delhi University’s top-ranked college Miranda House (estb.1948) raised its hostel fees for students by Rs 6,000 per semester — from Rs.27,090 to Rs.33,090 for the first semester (July-December) and from Rs.26,750 to Rs.32,750 for the second (January-May).
In a social media post the Student Federation of India (SFI) objected to this “steep” increase. “The recent fee hike at Miranda House hostel is a significant financial burden on students and their families,” it said.
“The hike has been effected keeping in view inflation and high maintenance cost for the facility. We have increased the hostel fee after due consultations, keeping in view inflation of the past five-six years and higher maintenance costs. There is no major hike in the fee. We have rigorous policies when it comes to providing student support,” said Miranda House Principal Bijayalaxmi Nanda, addressing a press conference.
Madhya Pradesh
Strip search indignation
Indore, August 2. Angry parents filed a police complaint after some students of the Government Sharda Girls Higher Secondary School were allegedly strip-searched to determine if one of them had brought a mobile phone to class, said Malhargang police station sub-inspector M. Dhurve.
According to the complaint lodged by parents, a teacher of the school took the students to a toilet and asked them to strip after a mobile phone rang in class. The students were also assaulted, alleged the parents in their complaint.
“The complaint is being investigated. Action will be taken once our probe is complete,” said sub-inspector Dhurve.
Punjab
English lessons
Jalandhar, August 9. The Border Security Force is providing International English Language Testing System (IELTS) coaching to youth under an initiative to engage the community in “gainful activity that will wean them away from drugs,” said Inspector- General Atul Fulzele.
“The BSF utilised funds provided by the Union government for civic action work to hire two ‘good English speaking’ teachers who were providing this training to youngsters at Amarkot in the state’s Tarn Taran district,” said Fulzele, addressing a media conference
“Some villagers and children approached officers of our 103rd battalion deployed in that area and said they did not have the funding for IELTS training. Since then, about 50 children have been trained and three girls have cleared the exam. The objective is to provide them a skill to enable them to prove themselves,” he added.
West Bengal
Dedicated hostels
Kolkata, August 1. A year after the death of a fresher following alleged ragging, the state government-run Jadavpur University (JU) has inaugurated the first of two new hostels constructed on its main campus. It will house only first-year undergraduate students.
A JU fresher housed in a common male students’ hostel died last August after falling from a balcony allegedly because of continuous ragging by senior students. Thirteen arrests were made in connection with that incident.
“To prevent such incidents from recurring, the JU management has resolved to construct dedicated hostels for first-year students. Second and third-year students will now be housed together in the men’s hostel, located off campus,” said a JU management statement.
Bihar
Exam frauds arrests
Patna, August 7. Seventeen individuals including eight candidates were arrested in connection with examination malpractices on the first day of a recruitment exam for the position of constable of the state police. About 71 fake question papers, 92 fake answer sheets, 145 admit cards and 45 mobile phones were seized from them, said a police statement.
The Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police has also identified 15 telegram channels, three WhatsApp groups and eight UPI IDs that are being used by fraudsters to lure parents by promising them that their wards’ marks would be increased, enabling them to clear the exam.
Gujarat
Offshore teachers
Ahmedabad, August 22. Over 150 schoolteachers from government-run and aided schools have been dismissed since 2019 for unauthorised absence, education minister Kuber Dindor informed the legislative assembly.
On the first day of the monsoon session, Congress MLA Kanti Kharadi had inquired about schoolteachers from Patan and Banaskantha districts receiving salaries despite living abroad. He questioned what action had been taken against absent teachers.
Kharadi cited the case of Bhavnaben Patel, a teacher from the Panchha Primary School, Danta, Banaskantha district, who allegedly remained on the government payroll despite being resident in the US for eight years. The education minister replied that following a enquiry, Patel was dismissed after the report confirmed unauthorised absence since January.