Several of the new Kendriya Vidyalayas start class immediately

Following three ads are from Samaja.

Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph.

… two have already started functioning from the Millennium City in Cuttack.

The admission process in the two schools will commence from the current academic session, the notification for which has already been published by the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS).

The two schools will be operating from Munduli and Nuapatana.

The state government has allotted land for the construction of the two campuses, the work for which has already started.

Before the construction work is completed, the two schools will be operating from the CRPF campus, and from the Government Press.

“Students starting from standard I to V will be admitted now and soon the schools will be upgraded to standard X. Currently, both the schools will have 45 students each,”…

… the remaining nine schools at Kutra in Sundargarh, Bhanjanagar, Digapahandi and Aska in Ganjam, Murgabadi in Mayurbhanj, and one each at Sonepur, Deogarh, Jajpur and Nuapada will be set up soon.

Based on our bookkeeping in https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/4222 after the above schools are established the only two districts in Odisha that will lack a Central School will be: Kendrapada and Nayagarh.

1 comment July 19th, 2010

New Kendriya Vidyalayas (Central Schools) to come up in Aska, Bhanjanagar and Digapahandi: Samaja

Update 2 on July 12 2010: Orissadiary gives the locations of 11 of the schools.They are:

… one school each in Kutra in Sundargarh district, in Cuttack city, in Bhanjanagar in Ganjam district, in Mayurbhanj town, in Sonepur, in Deogarh, in Jajpur, in Digapahandi of Ganjam District, in Aska of Ganjam district, in Nuapada, in CISF in Cuttack district. Besides, … Prabhakar said.

Update: As per http://www.c2clive.com/latestnewsdetail.php?id=1354 in total Odisha will have 12 new Central Schools. They will be in the districts of Mayurbhanj, Cuttack, Ganjam, Subarnapur, Deogarh, Jajpur, Nuapara and Sundargarh. Earlier in https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/4222 we listed the districts in Odisha that did not have Central Schools. These new schools will cover that list except the district of Kendrapada.

7 comments June 23rd, 2010

Model Schools (one each in each block) will be better than Kendriya Vidyalayas

Following is from a report in Hindustan Times.

The proposed 6,000 model schools, announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his Independence Day speech last year, will have better infrastructure and teachers’ strength than the Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs).

The blueprint prepared by the Human Resource Development Ministry for these schools, which will come up at each block headquarters in the country, says that there will be one teacher for 25 students in these institutions while the ratio in KVs is one teacher to 40 students.

“Not only teacher strength, these institutions will get all advanced facilities, including ICT equipment, facilities for sports, games, music and art and laboratory for mathematics, science and languages,” sources said.

These schools will give equal importance to curricular and extra-curricular activities, including games, music, dance and art. Of the 6,000 schools, 2,500 will be set up on public- private partnership basis while the rest would be established by the government.

The government will provide some grants for these 2,500 schools, while private companies will make contributions. The government is in the process of finalising the modalities for setting up of these schools on PPP mode.

For the rest of the 3,500 schools, the Centre will bear 75 per cent of the establishment cost and state government will provide 25 per cent of the cost. The establishment cost for a school is about Rs 3 crore.

The process of setting up these institutions will start this year while the admission will start from the next session.

September 11th, 2008

Kasturaba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas scheme

The Kasturaba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya scheme is aimed at girls belonging primarily to SC, ST, OBC and minorities in difficult areas. The guidelines for their implementation as given in their web site is as follows:

1.         Background

1.1       The Government of India has approved a new scheme called Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) for setting up upto 750 residential schools with boarding facilities at elementary level for girls belonging predominantly to the SC, ST, OBC and minorities in difficult areas.  The scheme will be coordinated with the existing schemes of Department of Elementary Education & Literacy viz. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL) and Mahila Samakhya (MS).

 

2.                  Scope/ Coverage of the scheme

2.1       The scheme would be applicable only in those identified Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) where, as per census data of 2001, the rural female literacy is below the national average and gender gap in literacy is more than the national average. Among these blocks, schools may be set up in areas with:

 

¨       concentration of tribal population, with low female literacy and/or a large number of girls out of school;

¨       concentration of SC, OBC and minority populations, with low female literacy and/or a large number of girls out of school;

¨       areas with low female literacy;  or

¨       areas with a large number of small, scattered habitations that do not qualify for a school

 

The criteria for eligible EBB will be the same as in the NPEGEL scheme of SSA.

 

3.         Objective

3.1       Gender disparities still persist in rural areas and among disadvantaged communities. Looking at enrolment trends, there remain significant gaps in the enrolment of girls at the elementary level as compared to boys, especially at the upper primary levels.  The objective of KGBV is to ensure access and quality education to the girls of disadvantaged groups of society by setting up residential schools with boarding facilities at elementary level.

 

4.         Strategies

4.1       Between 500 to 750 residential schools will be opened in a phased manner over the Xth Plan period at an estimated cost of Rs. 19.05 lakh as recurring cost and Rs. 26.25 lakh as non-recurring cost, per school.  Initially, the proposed schools  shall be opened in rented or other available Government buildings after deciding the location.

 

4.2       Such residential schools will be set up only in those backward blocks that do not have residential schools for elementary education of girls under any other scheme of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and Ministry of Tribal Affairs. This shall be ensured by the district level authority of SSA at the time of actual district level planning of KGBV initiatives by co-ordinating with the other Departments/Ministries.  A list of educational complex being run by Ministry of Tribal Affairs is enclosed for facilitating selection of KGBV.

 

 

 

5.                  The components of the scheme will be as follows:

 

(i)                  Setting up of residential schools where there are a minimum of 50 girls predominantly from the SC, ST and minority communities available to study in the school at the elementary level.  The number can be more than 50 depending on the number of eligible girls.  Three possible models for such school have been identified and given at Annex.I(a) to I(c).

(ii)                To provide necessary infrastructure for these schools

(iii)               To prepare and procure  necessary teaching learning material and aids for the schools

(iv)              To put in place appropriate systems to provide necessary academic support and for evaluation and monitoring

(v)                To motivate and prepare the girls and their families to send them to residential school

(vi)              At the primary level the emphasis will be on the slightly older girls who are out of school and were unable to complete primary schools (10+). However, in  difficult  areas  (migratory populations, scattered habitations that do not qualify for primary/ upper primary schools)  younger girls can also be targeted

(vii)             At the upper primary level, emphasis will be on girls, especially, adolescent girls who are unable to go to regular schools

(viii)           In view of the targeted nature of the scheme, 75% girls from SC, ST, OBC or minority communities would be accorded priority for enrolment in such residential schools and only thereafter,  25% girls from families below poverty line.

(ix)              Established NGOs and other non-profit making bodies will be involved in the running of the schools, wherever possible. These residential schools can also be adopted by the corporate groups.  Separate guidelines are being issued in the matter.

           

6.         Implementation, monitoring and evaluation

 

6.1       The scheme will be implemented by State Governments through the Mahila Samakhya (MS) Society in MS states and through the SSA society in case of other states. Funds will be released as per SSA pattern to the State SSA societies. The monitoring and evaluation at the State and district level will be undertaken by the MS State Resource Centers and  in non-MS states, through the committee created for the National Programme for Education of Girls at the Elementary Level in the SSA society. 

 

6.2       Training for teachers and staff at the residential schools will be coordinated by the District Institutes of Educational Training, Block Resource Centres and the Mahila Samakhya Resource Groups.

 

7.         State Support Group

 

7.1       An Advisory State level coordination committee as approved under the NPEGEL scheme, shall provide direction and support to the programme. This group will consist of nominees from relevant State Government Departments, Government of India, experts in the field of girls education, educationists etc. The selection of an appropriate model of the school and its location would be done by this Committee based on the recommendation of the district committee implementing the NPEGEL and the new proposed scheme.

 

8.         National Support Group

 

8.1       The National Resource Group (NRG) created under the Mahila Samakhya programme at the National level shall provide inputs on conceptual issues and concerns arising in the programme, and advice GOI on policy matters concerning the education of girls. This group will provide the interface with research and training institutions, women’s movement, educationists and non-Governmental  institutions and also bring in other experiences of educating girls.

 

8.2       Since the NRG, consists of a small number of persons and meets only two to three times in a year, smaller sub committees of the NRG created for specific inputs, like gender training of teachers, development of gender based teaching learning material, development of  audio visual programmes etc. will co- opt additional  persons from relevant institutions or experts for the purpose.

 

9.         Methodology

9.1       Based on the number of girls and the type of residential school to be provided, the selection of the model of the school to be selected would be done by a State Level Committee based on the recommendation of the District Committee for the purpose.  The proposal shall be forwarded to the Cell at the National level who shall appraise them with the help of external agencies/consultants, where necessary.  Finally, the Project Approval Board of SSA will approve these plans.

 

10.       Financial Norms under KGBV

10.1     The SSA pattern of financing with a 75:25 ratio of sharing between the Centre and the States during the Tenth Five Year Plan, and 50:50 thereafter, will be adopted for KGBV as well.  Commitments regarding sharing of cost would be taken from the State Governments in writing.

10.2     The provisions for KGBV will be in addition to the provisions already made under SSA and for NPEGEL.  The SSA Society shall ensure convergence of KGBV with NPEGEL and Mahila Samakhya programme. It shall also ensure that funds allocated are appropriately invested and there is no duplication of activities. 

10.3     The Government of India would directly release funds to the SSA State Implementation Society.  The State Government will also release its share to the State Implementation Society.  Funds will be released thereafter to the Mahila Samakhya Society wherever applicable.  In States where MS is not being implemented, the implementation of this scheme will be through the ‘Gender Unit’ of SSA Society and existing mechanism used for implementation of SSA will be followed.

10.4     The State Society should open a separate Savings Bank Account for operating the funds of KGBV.  State Government should also release its matching share to the State SSA Society through a separate budget head.  Separate accounts will have to be maintained at district and sub-district structures, accordingly.

 

 

Annex I(a)

 

FINANCIAL ESTIMATES- I

(Scenario I: Cost estimates for 100 girls)

NON RECURRING:

Rs in lakhs

SN	ITEM OF EXPENDITURE	AMOUNT PER SCHOOL*
1	Building	20.00
2	Furniture/ Equipment including kitchen equipment	2.50
3	Teaching learning material and equipment including library books	3.00
4	Bedding	0.75
	TOTAL	26.25

 

RECURRING COSTS PER ANNUM:

Rs in lakhs

SN	ITEM OF EXPENDITURE	AMOUNT PER SCHOOL*
1	Maintenance per girl student per month @ Rs. 750	9.00
2	Stipend for girl student per month @ Rs. 50	0.60
3	Course books, stationery and other Educational material            @ Rs 50/ month	0.60
4	Examination fee	0.01
5	Salaries:                  1  Warden cum teacher              4  Full time teachers              3  Part time teachers 2  Support staff –    (Accountant/Assistant, Peon Chowkidar and Cook)	6.49
6	Vocational training/specific skill training	0.40
7	Electricity/ water charges	0.50
8	Medical care/contingencies @ Rs 750/ child	0.75
9	Miscellaneous including maintenance	0.40
10	Preparatory camps	0.15
11	PTAs/ school functions	0.15
	TOTAL	19.05

 

* Based on calculations for 100 girls.  The number of girls can, however, increase.

 

Annex I(b)

 

FINANCIAL ESTIMATES- II

(Scenario II: Cost estimates for 50 girls)

 

 

NON RECURRING:

Rs in lakhs

SN	ITEM OF EXPENDITURE	AMOUNT PER SCHOOL
1	Building	15.00
2	Furniture/ Equipment including kitchen equipment	2.50
3	Teaching learning material and equipment including library books	3.00
4	Bedding	0.75
	TOTAL	21.25

 

RECURRING COSTS PER ANNUM:

 

Rs in lakhs

SN	ITEM OF EXPENDITURE	AMOUNT PER SCHOOL*
1	Maintenance per girl student per month @ Rs 750	4.5
2	Stipend for girl student per month @ Rs 50	0.3
3	Course books, stationery and other Educational material @ Rs 50/ month	0.3
4	Examination fee
5	Salaries:	6.49
	1  Warden
	4  Full time teachers
	3  Part time teachers
	2         Support staff –       (Accountant/Assistant, Peon, Chowkidar and Cook)
	Vocational training/specific skill training	0.3
	Electricity/ water charges
	Medical care/contingencies @ Rs 750/ child	0.375
	Miscellaneous including maintenance	0.35
	Preparatory camps	0.1
	PTAs/ school functions	0.1
	TOTAL	12.815

* Based on calculations for 50 girls. The number of girls can, however, increase.

Annex I(c)

 

FINANCIAL ESTIMATES- III

(Scenario III: In an existing Girls upper primary school)

NON RECURRING:

Rs in lakhs

SN	ITEM OF EXPENDITURE	AMOUNT PER SCHOOL*
1	Building	15.00
2	Furniture/ Equipment including kitchen equipment	2.50
3	Teaching learning material and equipment including library books	3.00
4	Bedding	0.75
	TOTAL	21.25

 

RECURRING COSTS PER ANNUM:

 

Rs in lakhs

SN	ITEM OF EXPENDITURE	AMOUNT PER SCHOOL*
1	Maintenance per girl student per month @ Rs 750	4.5
2	Stipend for girl student per month @ Rs 50	0.3
3	Course books, stationery and other Educational material @ Rs 50/ month	0.3
4	Examination fee	.01
5	Salaries:	3.6
	1  Warden
	3  Part time teachers
	2         Support staff –       (Accountant/Assistant,  Peon, Chowkidar and    Cook)
	Vocational training/specific skill training	0.3
	Electricity/ water charges
	Medical care/contingencies @ Rs 750/ child	0.375
	Miscellaneous including maintenance	0.35
	Preparatory camps	0.1
	PTAs/ school functions	0.1
	TOTAL	9.925

* Based on calculations for 50 girls. The number of girls can, however, increase.

September 27th, 2007

Update on Kendriya Vidyalayas in Orissa from Sambada and Tathya.in

Following are excerpts from Tathya.in on this.

To set up a KV the Ministry of Human Resources Development (HRD) spends Rs.2.70 crore for infrastructure and annual recurring grant of Rs.70 lakh.

So in a year of time MHRD has provided at least Rs.27.20 crore to Orissa to raise the primary and secondary education level, which is in shambles.

During the period KBK has been benefited most.

Tribal districts like Malkangiri, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Gajapati and Boudh received KVs.

3 comments August 20th, 2007

New Central Schools (Kendriya Vidyalayas) in Orissa

Update: See updated list at http://kvsrobbs.org/DirectorKVs.html.

In 2007-08 fifty one (serial 95-145 in the list 2000-01 to 2007-08)  new central schools have been created, out of these five are in Orissa. They are in:

• 100 Bouda
• 108 Gajapati
• 125 Malkangiri
• 127 Nabrangpur
• 132 Rayagada

This takes the total number of central schools in Orissa to 34. In addition there is some news that new central schools are also being made in Jajpur and Bhadrakh. They have not made it to the list yet. Assuming this is true, and looking at the district wise list of central schools, the districts in Orissa that do not yet have central schools are:

• Deogarh
• Kandhamala
• Kendrapada
• Nayagarh
• Nuapada
• Sonepur

Looking at the list of central schools in Orissa, it seems that the schools are more geographically distributed than most other states.

August 18th, 2007

Efforts on for more tribal hostels and Ekalavya Vidyalayas

Following are excerpts from a Pioneer report on this.

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday met the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs PR Kyndiah in New Delhi and urged him to sanction Rs 12 crore as central share on a priority basis for the establishment of tribal hostels in the State.

Kyndiah, while acknowledging the excellent performance of the State in setting up tribal hostels, assured that all possible help would be given by his Ministry for this purpose.

It may be noted that the State Government has given a proposal for sanction of 50 per cent share of under the centrally sponsored scheme for Girls hostels for scheduled tribes for 276 hostels last year.

Patnaik also held discussion about setting up more Ekalavya Model Residential Schools for Primitive Tribal Group regions and other tribal areas. …

August 8th, 2007

How are Ekalavya Vidyalayas doing? Some reports from Samaja.

July 25th, 2007

Central Schools (Kendriya Vidyalayas) in Orissa

At present there are 29 Central Schools in Orissa the latest being one in Neeladri Vihar Bhubaneswar (2003), one in Keonjhar (2001) and a second shift (2004) at Central School 1 in Bhubaneswar. In KBK districts the central schools are in Sunabeda, Koraput, Bhawanipatna and Balangir (2 of them). Many of the central schools have their own websites.

June 4th, 2007

Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas

Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas are CBSE board schools set up by the MHRD across India. As per their website their objective is:

* to provide good quality modern education to the talented children predominently from the rural areas, without regard to their family’s socio-economic condition.
* to ensure that all students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas attain a reasonable level of competence in three languages as envisaged in the Three Language Formula.
* to serve, in each district, as focal points for improvements in quality of school education in general through sharing of experiences and facilities.

In Orissa currently there are several such schools with the school in Cuttack as the nodal school.

Continue Reading May 22nd, 2007

ITIs and Ekalabya Vidyalayas (VI-XII) in various tribal districts

In separate news 9 more poytechnics will be established in various districts of Orissa during the 11th plan and 7 more Ekalabya vidyalas (residential schools in tribal regions) will be established with classes from VI-XII and XI-XII will be added to the exisiting three Ekalabya Vidyalayas.

Eight of the ITIs are reported to be established in the districts of Kalahandi, Koraput, Kandhamala, Nabarangpur, Boudh, Ganjam, Sambalpur and Balasore.

Continue Reading February 8th, 2007

IISERs give ok to the concept of science magnet schools

Following is from a report in Indian Express.

The proposal to set up new specialized Navodaya Vidyalayas to be termed as ‘Science Magnet’ schools, in collaboration with top R&D institutes, got the go-ahead from the Indian Institutes of Science Education & research (IISER) on Tuesday.

At a meeting with the Human Resource Development (HRD) minister Kapil Sibal, IISER directors said that such schools would allow an integrated approach to science education from school to university level. IISER Thiruvananthapuram director has also committed to helping to provide an enabling environment to students enrolled in these Science Magnet schools. The Planning Commission is also learnt to have accorded, in principal, approval for the proposal.

These specialized Navodaya schools will only cater to students from classes IX to XII and will be set up over the next three years. The idea came up in light of the huge shortage of science graduates and post-graduates in the country and the diminishing interest in core science subjects.

Institutes like IISERs, Indian Institute of Science, National Physical Laboratory, Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, Council for Science & Industrial Research (CSIR) will be approached to help these schools which will be located in close proximity to these R&D institutes.

Initially I misread and thought that the IISERs agreed to have science magnet schools in their campus. The above report just says that they agree to the concept. Related reports say that they agree to accept students with IB (International Baccalaureate) degrees. That is important because the science magnet schools may need to get away from CBSE/ICSE/state-board and have IB so as to have a flexible curriculum that allows more courses in science and mathematics. The standard CBSE/ICSE/state-board does not have that flexibility.

I guess the reason an ok from the IISERs is important is because these schools are targeted to be feeder schools to IISERs.

4 comments September 8th, 2010

Two new Central Schools for Bhubaneswar and one more for Jajpur district in Jajpur Rd

Following is an excerpt from a report in Pioneer.

The State capital will soon have two more Kendriya Vidalayas with approval by the Ministry of Human Resource and Kendriya Vidalaya Sangathan at Kalinga Nagar and Pokhariput.

The two schools will be known as Kalinga Nagar KV no -5 and Pokhariput no -6 from class I to V.

The Kalinga Nagar KV will temporarily function in the campus of Unit- 1X and Pohariput KV at the campus of Jagamara Nodal Primary School till the permanent buildings come up at their own sites.

The other Kendriya Vidyalayas in Bhubaneswar are:

• KV Number 1 in Unit 9
• KV Number 1 2nd Shift
• KV Number 2 CRPF Campus
• KV Number 3 Mancheswar
• KV Number 4 Neeladri Vihar

Other KV’s in the greater Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Khurda area are:

• KV Charbatia
• KV Cuttack (Bidanasi)
• KV Khurda Road

With the above mentioned two new KVs in Bhubaneswar (at Kalinganagar and Pokhariput) and two new KVs in Cuttack (Khan Nagar and Mundali) the total number of KVs in Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Khurda will be 12. (This is not counting the one in Puri.) 

Following is an excerpt from another report in Pioneer about a new KV in Jajpur Rd.

The demand for a Central School (Kendriya Vidyalaya) here has been fulfilled and the school would start within a week, said District Collector of Jajpur Pramod Chandra Mohanty at a large gathering at the Jajpur Road Town Hall on the occasion of the Local Self Government Day and the Prativa Puja celebration of the Vyasanagar Municipality on Tuesday.

Senior journalist KC Samal placed the demand for a second Central School in the district at the industrial town of Jajpur Road. The first school was opened at Jajpur Town a few days back.

Chairperson of the Vyasanagar Municipality Bandita Parida, who presided over the meeting, assured the Collector to provide an eight-room building in the Jajpur Road Stadium premises to start the proposed Central School immediately.

2 comments September 2nd, 2010

Education through entrance tests: Excerpts from an interesting article by Profs. P. Jalote and A. Singh

Prof. Jalote is the Director of IIIT Delhi and is on leave from IIT Delhi. Previously he taught at IIT Kanpur and University of Maryland. Prof. Singh is a professor at Auburn University, Alabama. Both are alumni of IITs. Following are excerpts from their article in Economic Times.

… The difficulty of cracking these tests have led to the booming coaching industry — it seems the vast majority of students appearing in these exams undergo some form of coaching for them. This impact of coaching has been decried by many. In academic circles, it is a common complain that coaching is allowing even average students to crack the exams, and how exams ought to be changed so that deserving students can clear even without coaching.

It should be clearly understood that the success of coaching is not due to the nature of the exams, but due to the low acceptance ratio in these exams. With these low accept rates, it is irrelevant whether the nature of exam is such that coaching will help or not.

… Anybody who thinks that coaching can be made redundant by reforming the admission tests is living in a state of denial.

There is another aspect of coaching that deserves attention. Coaching is big business: by some accounts, coaching for IITs is bigger than IITs themselves in terms of turnover. Consequently, it is able to attract good teachers by offering high salaries. One hears about IIT/IIM grads teaching in these coaching institutes, but one cannot come across an IIT/IIM graduate as a teacher in a school — even elite schools do not have this distinction. So, in many coaching centres, the quality of education is superior to that of schools, particularly with respect to the entrance test subjects. As the business success depends on how well they help the students do in the entrance exams, their teaching, as measured with respect to success in these exams, continues to improve and they take great care to improve it.

So, we have the following situation. Coaching institutes will continue to thrive as long as the accept ratio remains small. And coaching business will ensure that its teachers and teaching processes are well-equipped to impart training to students to do better at the competitive exam.

This situation, undesirable thought it is, can, however, be converted into an opportunity to improve education. As coaching institutes focus on the entrance tests and the syllabus for them, it provides a power to these exams in that whatever they put as syllabus or as expected knowledge, the coaching institutes will ensure that students get good at that. Even for those students who do not undergo coaching, these exams are highly influential — students learn/ study for these exams with a mission and dedication that they don’t show for anything else.

IF THESE large exams were to be oriented such that preparation for them will make the foundations for the key subjects much stronger and will force the students to really understand the subjects better, the coaching industry will ensure that this knowledge is imparted to students. That is, the syllabus and expectation is potentially a strong force on what students learn in the 2-3 years they prepare for the entrance exams, through coaching or on their own.

If this learning can be strengthened, then even if the students do not get through in these exams — which the vast majority will not — the preparation for them will give them strong foundations in some key subjects. This can be leveraged by other institutions.

… So, instead of fighting coaching by making exams like JEE harder and more theoretical every year, such large exams can leverage the competition for the larger good of improving the education and preparedness of students.

If these exams are thought of as a potential tool in the armory of the country for fighting the poor education standards, rather than just for admitting students into these institutes, then they can favourably impact the lakhs of students who attend JEE, and not just of the selected few thousands who actually enter the IITs, whose skills will be upgraded anyway to top levels by the top quality education that they will be provided. By doing so, institutions like the IITs and the entrance exams they have, will be making a solid contribution to improving the workforce in the country , as they have done in creating the top-level manpower.

I agree with the main point in the above mentioned article. Earlier I wrote my views on coaching at https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/4178.

However, there is an issue with respect to many students not being able to afford coaching. Couple of things that the governments may do are:

• Provide coaching in some government schools such as Navodaya Vidyalayas.
• Provide other avenues for good coaching such as attempts to replicate the Super 30 in Bihar by other governments.
• Bring coaching classes and the +2 level under the ambit of RTE and require that certain percentage of the students there are from poorer background.
• Provide scholarships to poor students to be able to afford good coaching.

2 comments May 16th, 2010

Number of model schools in the first phase to be 3500 (1000 more than what was previously approved)

For additional background and the list of 123 EBBs in Odisha see https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/1689. Following is from the PIB http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=60782.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today approved the setting up of 1000 additional model schools as a benchmark of excellence in Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) through State Governments, thereby taking the total number of model schools to be set up through the State Governments to 3500.

The financial requirement for setting up 2500 schools under State Governments, which were approved by CCEA in November 2008, was estimated as Rs.9322 crore during the 11th Five Year Plan, of which the central share is Rs.7457 crore. Requirement for additional 1000 schools (current proposal) has been estimated to be Rs.3304 crore with the Central share of Rs.2478 crore. Thus the estimated Central share for establishing 3500 schools in the Government sector is Rs.9935 crore during the 11th Five Year Plan. 

Each school will have 560 students, the total beneficiary for 3500 schools therefore being 19.60 lakh students. The programme will be implemented through the societies set up by the State Governments for this purpose. 

The present proposal is meant for 3500 EBBs in 27 States/UTs, although the model school scheme will cover 6000 blocks in all States/UTs. 

The salient features of the Scheme are as follows: 

(i) Every EBB will be eligible for one model school under State Governments. 

(ii) These schools to have classes from VI to XII or from IX to XII. 

(iii) These schools to have norms and standards equal to or better than Kendriya Vidyalayas

(iv) Medium of instruction and affiliating board will be decided by the State Governments. 

(v) 75% of the recurring and non-recurring cost, subject to scheme norms, will be borne by the Central Government except for special category states, for which the sharing pattern is 90:10. 

The major impact of the scheme will be to open up access to quality secondary education to talented rural students. The scheme is expected to provide a major fillip to availability of good quality schools in rural areas, thereby nurturing talent in such areas. These schools are expected to act as pace-setting institutions and to have a demonstration effect on neighbouring schools.

April 24th, 2010

Eleven new Central Schools to come up in Odisha

Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph: 

The association’s board of governors has recommended the feasibility of 78 more Kendriya Vidyalayas (KV) as part of the process initiated by the HRD ministry for expanding the network of such central schools during the 11th plan period. The feasibility report included two KVs in Cuttack along with nine others across Orissa to address the educational needs of children of central government employees who are frequently transferred.

At present, there are 36 KVs in Orissa. While nine schools are in the project and defence sectors, the rest are in the civil sector.

The existing 36 Kendriya Vidyalayas are listed in http://kvsrobbs.org/DirectorKVs.html. As per that list the latest ones established in 2007 are in Rayagada, Parlakhemundi, Boudh, Malkangiri, Nawrangpur, Kandhamal, and Bhadrak. So the districts in Odisha that do not yet have Central Schools are: 

• Deogarh
• Jajpur
• Kendrapada
• Nayagarh
• Nuapada
• Sonepur

I hope the new ones will cover these districts.

See our earlier articles on this topic at https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/556, https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/550 and https://www.orissalinks.com/archives/227.

1 comment April 9th, 2010