5th Scholarship For Excellence In English 2015-16 | Scholastic World

5th Scholarship For Excellence In English 2015-16 | Scholastic World

Science Olympiad Foundation and the British Council. Under SEE, a scholarship of `5000/ each plus a MeritCertificate is given to 120 students in I... source:http://scholasticworld.blogspot.com/2015/12/5th-scholarship-for-excellence-in.html

Gita to be made available in Rajasthan schools

Gita to be made available in Rajasthan schools

After introducing major changes in the syllabus of primary and secondary schools in Rajasthan, State Education Minister Vasudev Devnani on Monday said the Bhagawad Gita would now be made available in the libraries of Government Higher Secondary schools.

Speaking at a function in Ajmer on ‘Gita Jayanti’ — annual celebration marking the birth of the Bhagawad Gita — Mr. Devnani said the Gita was the foundation of human life. “Gita means life’s philosophy and success is possible only for those who live by the philosophy of the Gita,” he said.

Emphasising that every individual must read the Gita, he said copies of the Gita would be made available in the 13,500 government higher secondary schools.

Success is possible only for those who live by the philosophy of the Gita, says Minister

Source | The Hindu | 22 December 2015

 

Regards

 

In #DigitalIndia; Student will get All CBSE Books online without any charge

In #DigitalIndia; Student will get All CBSE Books online without any charge

There is a big news for the more than 14 lacs students of class 10th and 12th lakh, as they are going to get their books without any charge. Some of the books are already available and now with the #DigitalIndia mission all books will now be available in coming days.

As per theAccording to Human Resource Development (HRD) minister Smriti Irani, NCERT has already made some of its books available online through its mobile app and e-books, and will look to add CBSE books, videos and other learning material. and All CBSE textbooks and other learning material will be made available online by the NCERT.

“We made NCERT books available online for free through e-books and mobile applications a month-and-a-half ago. We are similarly going to make CBSE books available online along with additional learning material and videos as part of our good governance efforts,” Irani said at the inauguration of a new building of the school in Khichripur.

Says Smriti Irani in At a function organised at a Kendriya Vidyalaya in east Delhi.

This is a really big decision as digitalizations in the education field is really important as this may impact large number of people In rural India.

Government is also taking more people online with the partnership of state owned BSNL with Facebook to offer free WiFi

How you can get these Books ?

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) currently offers copyrighted textbooks online for classes I to XII in Hindi, English and Urdu.

1. The online textbooks can be accessed from here
2. After that you need to select Class and Subject
3. The Title list is populated after selection of class and subject
4. When Title is selected the respective books is made available.

Digital India For Education

There are many updates in the field of education. These includes

• HRD ministry has set up National Institutional Ranking Framework all educational institutes and universities will get rankings by April 2016
• Government launches GIAN a government project to boost the higher education in India
• In the month of November, Smriti Irani had announced  ‘e-Pathshala’ program. Besides desktop, these books would be now available on mobile based apps as well.
• Khan Academy has also launched their India-centric website in Hindi, and made the content available in Hindi.

Source | http://www.bumblebeehub.com/2015/12/in-digitalindia-student-will-get-all-cbse-books-online-without-any-charge/

8 Steps to recover your compromised Gmail account

8 Steps to recover your compromised Gmail account

The menace of cyber crime like hacking, IP spoofing, credit cards fraud, stealing of password is on a rise.

 

The menace of cyber crime like hacking, IP spoofing, credit cards fraud, and stealing of password is on a rise. And with reports such as terrorists groups like ISIS has started a cyber war, it's time for us to remain more vigilant while using Internet at our respective workplaces or homes.

Often many of us discover that our Gmail account have been compromised or hacked. Therefore, it is very important for you to stay cautious if you notice the following things:

Firstly, your contacts receive suspicious messages from your e-mail address.

Secondly, you realize that your contacts or mail are missing.

Lastly, you receive a warning about suspicious activity taking place from your account.

But even then, you needn't worry at all. Wondering why we asked you to stay calm? Well, the reason is that the following protocol by tech giant Google will help you regain access to your account. Look on:

If you can still sign in to your account, follow the steps in the security checklist to help protect your account in the future. These are:

1. Secure your password
2. Update your account recovery options
3. Check your account for unusual activity
4. Ensure your mail goes where you want it to
5. Check your computer is infected with malware
6. Upgrade to the latest version of your web browser
7. Make sure you access 2-step Verification
8. Don't reply or open to a suspicious message

But if you can't log in to your account, then someone might have changed your sign-in credentials. In such a scenario, you need to fill in Google's account recovery form. And if you haven't turned on your 2-step, then it can sometimes take 3 - 5 business days to complete the account recovery process.

 

Source | http://cio.economictimes.indiatimes.com

New e-reader update to enable better sleep

New e-reader update to enable better sleep

 

If reading your ebooks late into the night is costing you your health then Amazon may have the solution

 

It's a known fact that staring directly into a bright screen can mess up your sleep, but Amazon has come up with a way to make sure its tablets don't make you toss and turn.

The tech company's latest soft ware update for its Fire tablets brings out `Blue Shade', a feature which reduces brightness and the amount of blue light a screen shines onto your eyes. This gives the screen a warmer orange tint that not only goes easier on the eyes in low-light settings, but could also improve the way you sleep.

The health detriment of late-night electronics are common knowledge, but Harvard Health Publications finds that blue light, given off by most LEDs, electronics screens and energy-efficient light bulbs, can be especially bad.

“Not all colours of light have the same effect,“ said Harvard in their online health letter. “Blue wavelengths, which are beneficial during daylight hours because they boost attention, reaction times, and mood, seem to be the most disruptive at night.“

`Cool' blue light, in contrast to the `warm' contrast to the `warm' or a n g e -yellow given off by in can descent light bulbs or fire, can disrupt internal clocks.

Late-night exposure to blue light can also reduce production of melatonin, a hormone critical for getting a good night's rest as it helps regulate your circadian rhythm. Blue Shade was not the only feature that came with the Fire's latest update. Among other changes, improved parental controls were added to help guardians choose what functions are avail .able to their children and how long they can be accessed

Source | Economic Times | 10 December 2015

Turning math into a sport to solve problems

Turning math into a sport to solve problems

Students are taken through a step-by-step process, with escalating challenges as they develop greater fluency in pattern recognition and conceptual understanding of numbers

Developing mathematical skills is key to getting through school and college – and increasingly a key to success at workplace as well. Many school kids, because of lack of practice, seldom master these skills.

Why do kids who willingly spend hours on a sports ground fail to do even a fraction of that at home with their maths books? The answer is lack of an instant feedback mechanism, which is non-judgmental (which keeps you engaged in the sport) and the fear of failure.

Addressing these issues is an educational product – an online program called ‘First in Math’ – which seeks to convert fear of the subject into interest by turning it into a sport – with its emphasis on instruction, practice and rewards and with competitions across all levels in schools.

Mechanism

Students are taken through a step-by-step process with escalating challenges as they develop greater fluency in pattern recognition as well as conceptual understanding of numbers, measurement and other operations.

Robert Sun – Chairman, President and Chief Executive of Suntex International – creator of the First in Math online programme said tools such as digital games will enable students to become critical thinkers and problem solvers. He draws an interesting parallel from history to highlight the impact of digital gaming.

He points to the spectacular success of the flight simulator in bringing down fatalities at aviation training schools.

The key, he said, is to be able to impart skills in a ‘low risk’ environment, and that his online math program draws inspiration from that philosophy. Robert is emphatic that practice is the key to success in math.

He says with a twinkle, “Asian students do not have any special gene that accounts for their success in math. It just boils down to practice.”

Reception by schools

The First in Math module has received a very good reception in the US, with over 6,000 schools adopting this programme. It has led to a dramatic rise in performance scores, he said.

About 30 schools across India (reaching about 23,500 students) have been trying out this programme for the past year, said Monica Patel, CEO of First In Math India (P) Ltd.

Source | Business Line | 10 December 2015

Ten Of The Most Beautiful Libraries In India

Ten Of The Most Beautiful Libraries In India

The National Library

NEW DELHI: Libraries are one of the most incredible tributes to human knowledge imaginable, and make for an even more powerful setting when combined with historical and artistic splendour. The national libraries of countries across the world are housed in visually stunning, imposing structures. Countries with a rich architectural and archeological past often use buildings of historical significance as their primary libraries.

It should therefore be of no surprise that India, one of the most culturally blessed countries in the world, has an innumerable number of libraries that would put the best national libraries to shame. Yet, neither Indians nor library aficionados in other parts of the world seem to be aware of India’s stunning libraries. Here’s a list of ten such libraries in India, and the list is by no means exhaustive.

1. Raza Library

Built in 1904 as part of a palace in Rampur, the Raza Library is one of India’s few protected monuments (and deservedly so). The collection in the library dates to the royal family’s efforts since the 1700s, and includes 17,000 rare manuscripts, 205 hand-written palm leaves and 5000 miniature paintings.

The Raza Library also contains printed works in Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Pashto (having the original manuscript of the first translation of the Qur'an in addition to other important books/documents), Tamil and Turkish, and approximately 30,000 printed books (including periodicals) in various other languages. It’s also breathtakingly stunning.

2. David Sassoon Library

Located in the heart of Mumbai, the David Sassoon Library was completed in 1870. Like the Raza Library, the David Sassoon Library is one of only 145 monuments protected by India’s government, and the oldest library in Mumbai. It’s best feature, in addition to the design and history, is the leafy garden out back -- perfect for wandering into with a thick book (and poof, you’ll forget you’re in the middle of one the busiest and most chaotic cities in the world).

3. Nehru Memorial Museum And Library

Situated in a historical building that served as the residence of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, the aptly named Nehru Memorial Museum and Library has arguably one of the best collection of resources in India. Designed by Robert Tor Russell, the British architect of Connaught Place and of the Eastern and Western Courts on Janpath during the British Raj, the bhawan housing the Library was built in 1930 as part of the new imperial capital of India, New Delhi as the residence of the Commander-in-Chief of the British Indian Army. Thus, it has all the grandeur (and solace) expected to come with it.

4. The National Library of India

The National Library of India situated in Kolkata is the largest library in India by volume and India's library of public record. It has a huge collection of over 2.2 million books. If that’s not enough, the library is situated in a scenic part of the bustling city of Kolkata, on a 30 acre green, lush plot. The building housing the library was once the official residence of the Lt. Governor of Bengal.

5. State Central Library of Hyderabad

The State Central Library Hyderabad is a public library in Telangana. The building was constructed in 1891 by Nawab Imad-ul-Mulk and was granted heritage status in 1998. The library building has an area of 72,247 square yards and was built under the supervision of architect, Aziz Ali. The foundation stone was laid in January 1932 by Prince Mir Osman Ali Khan. At the construction's completion, the Asafia Library shifted to the new building in 1936 to mark Nizam VII's silver jubilee. The architecture is reminiscent of a palace with its huge halls and high ceilings. Impressed?

6. Sarasvathi Mahal Library

The Sarasvathi Mahal Library is one of the oldest libraries in Asia. Located in Thanjavur (Tanjore), Tamil Nadu, it has on display a rare collection of Palm leaf manuscripts and paper written in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, English and a few other languages indigenous to India. The collection comprises well over 60,000 volumes, though only a tiny fraction of these are on display. The library has a complete catalogue of holdings, which is being made available online. Some rare holdings can be viewed on site by prior arrangement. The Library’s history lies in its use as a Royal Library for the private pleasure of the Nayak Kings of Thanjavur who ruled 1535 - 1675 AD. Beautiful, right?

7. State Central Library, Thiruvananthapuram

State Central Library of Kerala is also known as Trivandrum Public Library is the first public Library in India. The Library was established in the year A.D. 1829 during the reign of King Swathi Thirunal of Travancore. Today, it houses various collections such as a Malayalam section, a reprographic section, a digital library, a children’s library, etc.

8. Connemara Public Library

The Connemara Public Library in Chennai is one of the four National Depository Libraries, which means that it stores/receives copies of various books, newspapers and magazines printed in India. Established in 1890, the library is a repository of centuries-old publications, wherein lie some of the most respected works and collections in the country. It also serves as a depository library for the UN.

9. Asiatic Society of Mumbai Library

Situated in a beautiful colonial building in Mumbai, the Asiatic Society of Mumbai library houses the collection of the society, which includes 20,000 rare books. It can trace its origin to the Literary Society of Bombay which first met in Mumbai on November 26, 1804, and was founded by Sir James Mackintosh. It was formed with the intention of "promoting useful knowledge, particularly such as is now immediately connected with India".

10. Allahabad Public Library

The Allahabad Public Library also known as Thornhill Mayne Memorial is a public library situated at Alfred Park in Allahabad. Established in 1864, it is the biggest library in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The building designed by Richard Roskell Bayne is a remarkable example of Scottish Baronial architecture. It served as the house of legislative assembly in British era when Allahabad was the capital of United Provinces. In 1879, the Public library was shifted to the present premises at Alfred Park. The library has an approximate collection of 125,000 books, 40 types of magazines and 28 different newspapers in Hindi, English, Urdu and Bangla and contains 21 Arabic manuscripts. It also has a collection of old government publications, parliamentary papers, and blue books of the 19th century, old manuscripts and journals.

Source | http://www.thecitizen.in/

KVS Study Material class 10th, 11th, 12th

Class	Subject	Type
10	English	Doc
10	Hindi	Doc
10	Hindi	Pdf
10	Maths	Doc
10	Maths	Doc
10	Science	Doc
10	Social Studies (Eng)	Doc
10	Social Studies (Hin)	Doc
11	Biology	ZIP
11	Business Studies	Doc
11	Chemistry	ZIP
11	Computer Sc.	Doc
11	Informatics Pracitces	Pdf
11	Maths	Doc
11	Physics	ZIP
11	Physics	ZIP
12	Accountancy	Doc
12	Computer Sc.	Pdf
12	English	Pdf
12	Geography	Pdf
12	Informatics Pracitces	Pdf
12	Maths	Doc
12	Maths	ZIP
12	Physics	Doc

Courtesy to:KVS R O Mumbai

Cabinet approves six new IITs

Cabinet approves six new IITs

NEW DELHI: Six new Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) will be set up in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and Karnataka with the Union Cabinet today clearing a proposal in this regard.

A meeting of the Cabinet presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its approval for operationalisation of these IITs initially by forming of Societies under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in order to give them legal status till the amendment for their incorporation in The Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 is enacted. At present, there are 16 IITs in the country.

Each new IIT will have an initial intake of 180 students in its first year which would increase to 450 in the second year and to 928 (840 Undergraduates, 80 Postgraduates and 8 PhDs) in the third year of their operation, an official statement here said.

The total cost for running these IITs is Rs 1,411.80 crore and will be incurred between 2015-16 and 2018-19, it added.

The new IITs will be operated from their temporary campuses for the initial period of three years before shifting to their permanent campuses in the 4th year. Each IIT will have a sanctioned strength of faculty members, with a faculty-student ratio of 1:10.

The statement also added that the six new IITs will be registered as Societies as the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961, contains no provision to enable establishment of new IITs.

"Every new IIT commenced since its enactment has required an amendment to the Act itself. In light of this, it would be appropriate to establish the new IITs through the formation of Societies as it has not been possible to amend the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 to make provision for establishment of new IITs, before the admissions to academic session 2015-16 in these new IITs," the statement added.

While the official statement did not give the name of the cities where the IITs would come up, sources said it is expected that the new institutes would come up in Tirupati, Palakkad, Jammu, Bhilai-Durg, Dharwar and Goa.

There are already 16 IITs one each at Gandhinagar, Bombay, New Delhi, Roorkee, Kharagpur, Chennai, Guwahati, Indore, Kanpur, Jodhpur, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Patna, Ropar, Mandi and Varanasi.

Source | Business Line | 4 December 2015

`Need to upgrade to ICSE, CBSE format'

`Need to upgrade to ICSE, CBSE format'

A group of principals from schools affiliated to the Archdiocesan Board of Education (ABE), on Thursday , got a low down on the various boards and its feasibility in the Indian context at the first change makers conclave organised by the ABE.

Speaking about the flexibility offered by the international boards, Farzana Dohawala, IB advisor, South Asia said, “These boards concentrate on enquiry based learning which helps children be more confident and think out of the box. We need to move away from just rote learning as the skill sets that the jobs required a few years back and now have changed a lot.“

Similarly , Avnita Bir, director-principal, R N Podar School, Santacruz said that even national level boards are progressive and evolving as per current needs. “The CBSE revises the 10% of the curriculum of two subjects every year and the reforms introduced are in the best interest of the child. Finally , it is not the board that matters, it is the school leadership and management that does,“ she said. Also speaking at the conclave was Swati Popat Vats, president, Early Childhood Association, Ruchira Ghosh, regional director, South Asia for Cambridge International Examinations etc.

In the past year, at least two of the schools affiliated to the ABE have started a Cambridge school and many others have applied. “We need to change with time,“ said Francis Joseph, a member of the ABE and founder of RMinds which conceptualized the conclave.

Source | Times of India | 4 December 2015

As they turn high-tech, libraries need to protect patrons’ information.

As they turn high-tech, libraries need to protect patrons’ information.

This article is part of Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. On Thursday, Nov. 12, Future Tense will host an event in Washington, D.C., on the future of the library. For more information and to RSVP, visit the New America website.

At the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle, the American Library Association staged “Library 21,” featuring a wall-to-wall UNIVAC computer that assisted a librarian in answering queries submitted by fairgoers. The exhibit presaged the anxiety felt in the library community today: Computers are better stewards of information than librarians.

Today, some libraries are (unsuccessfully?) advocating for a bookless future. To many, that prospect seems bizarre, even sacrilegious. But hand-wringing over this possible change detracts from a more important question about the future of libraries: From accessing online card catalogs to viewing e-books, from reserving and using a computer terminal to receiving reading recommendations based on lending habits, patrons transmit potentially sensitive digital information to and through libraries’ information infrastructures. So how are libraries ensuring the integrity and inclusiveness of data flows that are managed or mediated by the institution? The surest path forward seems to depend on prioritizing digital inclusion while baking privacy protection into every aspect of the library’s nervous system.

Sure, books are important. But they were not always open and accessible to all populations. The so-called Age of Enlightenment in Europe was rooted in a merchant middle class acquiring books, forming literary salons, and amassing personal libraries—a counterweight to controlling monarchies. However, the print revolution did not bring equality per se. The people who served and quite literally slaved under the merchant class had little chance at accessing knowledge in those books and libraries and experiencing democracy in any real way. At best, for an individual at the bottom of the pyramid in 17^th- or 18^th-century Europe, one’s closest interaction with books might have been dusting them and the mahogany shelves they were housed in.

In today’s world, the prevailing wisdom surrounding the digital revolution reeks of Enlightenment-era presumption. Everyone has a smartphone or a mobile device. Anyone can get online. You can get anything you need—books or otherwise—in one swipe, click, or depression of an “enter” button. The digital revolution is bringing democracy to all.

In reality, the closest that some people will get to being digitally included are the surveillance cameras found on every street corner, in convenience stores, on police officers, at school, and at work. Or it’ll be in the stocking of ear buds, protective sleeves, and other device peripherals in the consumer-electronics store where one works an underpaid part-time job. That’s not to say that people at the bottom of today’s pyramid don’t own or access any digital technologies. But technology access is only one part of the equation in an inclusive digital society. Over and again, research shows that members of marginalized communities need libraries to help make digital knowledge accessible. Today, even in the face of shrinking budgets and the closure of the federally mandated Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, many libraries remain committed to ensuring the inclusiveness of data flows. In Philadelphia, for example, the Free Library’s Techmobile functions as a traveling digital literacy triage center, and the library serves as a critical node in the KEYSPOT network of public computer centers, which provides frontline technical and social support to the city’s most vulnerable populations.

Prioritizing digital inclusion also means ensuring the integrity of data flows and helping patrons—especially members of the library’s most vulnerable patrons—guard against harmful or inappropriate uses of digital information patrons produce or share. Unfortunately, early computer enthusiasts in the library community overlooked the issue of integrity. The 1962 exhibit was symbolic of the library field’s overall eagerness to “go digital.” Back then, library innovation meant incorporating automated technologies that would assist the library in organizing its card catalog, circulation records, and other workplace management systems so as to better serve its patron community. In other words, innovation was themed in terms of how efficiently the library would be run. And amid this enthusiasm, library advocates neglected the idea that Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation (creators of UNIVAC), IBM, or other companies might influence the nature of access to information or the ways in which data flows within and between library walls.

Today, the computerization of the library’s management systems is nearly complete, raising the specter of exclusivity and restrictiveness. Libraries—once the site of invention for the classification of information—have become consumers of information services and data management products. They contract with a variety of vendors who sell e-book services, journals databases, checkout kiosks, interactive catalogues, circulation records systems, computer reservation systems, and more. Libraries purchase business management software to set upintegrated library systems that provide back-end support to the institutions’ myriad databases. And of course, they rely on third-party services to set up and run public computers and provide access to the Internet.

How data flows and subsequently how patrons, not to mention staff, are able to access, store, and share information depends on third-party systems contracted by the library. And this dependency means third parties shape the conditions under which data flowing in and out of libraries is used, exploited, or exposed. Third parties set the terms of controls or protections, and that can lead to situations where patron data is used against users’ wishes or knowledge. That was precisely the case last year, when Nate Hoffelder, founder of the Digital Reader, discovered one of Adobe’s e-reader apps spying on users and sending e-reading data back to Adobe servers.

The extent of libraries’ reliance on third-party services raises the question of survival. A library that is no longer in control of how its data is managed creates a false sense of safety for its patrons. A library that cannot preserve the integrity of data flows within and between its walls imperils the trust that patrons have for this long-standing institution.

Fortunately, not all libraries are passively accepting their new consumer-centered role. At Brooklyn Public Library, the Data Privacy Project is drawing attention to the ways in which library dependency on third parties affects the sanctity of patron data flows and patrons’ expectations and experiences. The project, which is funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, introduces BPL staff to the basics about which actors determine how information flows in the context of the library. It also teaches librarians about end-user and institutional-level tools and practices that strengthen the library’s ability to judge and more adequately handle information management.

Eight months into the effort, staff feedback suggests this kind of effort has multiple benefits, both collective and individual. From improving staff’s awareness to informing and protecting the library’s most vulnerable and least digitally literate patrons, the project suggests a model that others might emulate. The project has helped the library explore how it can strengthen and sustain its role in providing access to knowledge by all individuals.

The library’s future? It’s not about books. Regardless of which medium prevails, the library’s path forward depends on the integrity and inclusiveness of data flows it manages and mediates.

Source | http://www.slate.com/

 

Answer sheet denied, boy may get Rs 25k from CBSE

Answer sheet denied, boy may get Rs 25k from CBSE



The Central Information Commission has issued a show-cause notice to two CBSE (Patna) officials for denying a student his answer-sheet by imposing “illegal restrictions“.

The two officials have been asked to explain why a Rs 25,000 penalty should not be slapped on them. The commission has also provided for compensation of Rs 25,000 to the applicant in view of the “harassment“.

Bihar-based Vijay Kumar Mishra had filed an RTI seeking his son's maths and science class XII answer sheets from CBSE (Patna) in September 2013. The applicant was denied the information on various grounds including one where the CBSE said the student had not approached them.

Information commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu ruled that since the student was a minor, his parent could easily apply on his behalf. Among other conditions placed by the CBSE were that the applicant should relinquish his right for a re-evaluation and the right to share the response with media. Terming these as “obstructing the RTI“, the CIC directed the CBSE to put in place a “system with conducive practices by which the RTI of the appellants is not limited but facilitated’.

Source | Times of India | 4 December 2015