J&K

e-Pathshala initiative

Jammu, January 9. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah launched the education ministry’s e-Pathshala digital platform initiative, which will be available for home-based learning across the Union territory.

“Digital platforms like e-Pathshala are meant to supplement classroom teaching and help bridge learning gaps, not replace teachers. This initiative marks the beginning of a larger plan to expand digital learning resources, with the long-term vision of a dedicated channel for every class,” said the chief minister, speaking on the occasion.

According to Abdullah, 14 of the 20 districts in Jammu and Kashmir are now fully literate, while the remaining districts are expected to benefit significantly from the new e-Pathshala platform.

Kerala

Robotics training program

Kochi, January 6.  Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE), the technology division of the state’s education ministry, commenced a statewide robotics training program for class X students ahead of this year’s SSLC board examinations. Last June, the state had mandated robotics as a compulsory subject for all class X students in government and aided schools.

“This initiative aims to empower 4.5 lakh students in government and aided schools. The robotics workshops, led by India’s largest student-driven IT network Little KITES, are scheduled to be completed in all schools by mid-January,” said K. Anvar Sadath, CEO, KITE, addressing a press conference.

“The training is structured into two comprehensive sessions. The first session focuses on creating awareness of the importance of robotics and its applications while the second is dedicated to practical, hands-on training. To ensure effective learning, the program is designed to provide one robotic kit for every group of four-five students,” added Sadath.

Odisha

Model primaries scheme

Bhubaneswar, January 7. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched the Godabarisha Mishra Model Primary School Scheme at Banpur, the birthplace of the widely respected educationist and social reformer, and laid the foundation for 118 similar schools across Odisha.

“The state government has allocated Rs.12,000 crore in the first phase to develop 2,200 Godabarisha Mishra primary schools. They will be established in all gram panchayats to focus on quality education, especially in rural and tribal areas. The scheme which aligns with NEP 2020, will introduce digital classrooms, STEM learning, sports facilities, with strong focus on foundational literacy and numeracy,” said the chief minister, speaking on the occasion. Moreover, students of the model schools in remote areas will be provided free transport.

West Bengal

Traditional medicines test centre

Kolkata, January 3. Herbal medicines will henceforth be tested for quality and safety at Jadavpur University (JU), where eastern India’s first Centre for Evaluation of Traditional Medicine (TradMed-CoE) was inaugurated recently.

Sanctioned by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) under the ministry of AYUSH, the centre, envisioned as a self-sustaining academic and research hub, has been established at a cost of Rs.9.66 crore.

Addressing a press conference, JU’s VC Chiranjib Bhattacharya said: “The centre will undertake quality control standardisation, toxicological studies, safety evaluation and metabolomic profiling of herbal medicines. TradMed-CoE will strengthen evidence-based research of traditional medicine by integrating classical knowledge with modern scientific methods. With the widespread use of Ayurvedic medicines in India and abroad, also with increasing regulatory scrutiny in global markets, research undertaken at TradMed-CoE is expected to play a crucial role in generating systematic safety, toxicological, and metabolomics data for multiple formulations.”

The centre will be led by Pulok Kumar Mukherjee with a multidisciplinary team from Jadavpur University working in collaboration with CCRAS scientists.

Punjab

Panjab U’s Grass Printer

Chandigarh, January 6. Panjab University’s Design Innovation Centre has received an Indian patent for an autonomous robot named ‘Grass Printer’. The robot can cut grass of different heights to create letters, symbols and patterns on lawns. This technology is especially suitable for airports, sports stadiums, corporate parks, public gardens and university campuses for landscaping and display purposes.

Addressing a press conference, Panjab U’s Vice-Chancellor Renu Vig said: “This innovation supports national goals of self-reliance and indigenous research under initiatives such as Make in India. The patent has been granted to Naveen Aggarwal and his research team for their invention. The printer works like a robotic lawn mower but uses a special multi-level cutting system to impact visible impressions on grass. Users can enter text or designs through a mobile application.”