Value time, don’t waste it: Kiran Bedi

Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi said students should value time and not waste it. Speaking during a webinar organised by Shoolini University, she urged all to utilise the time available during the lockdown effectively and said priority should be given to mental, physical and spiritual health as education which does not enhance spiritual capacity or awareness towards the system is not complete. “Education is knowledge, it is skills. It is how you become a better human being, how you become self reliant and possess a value system. Its not just about passing examinations,” she maintained. She had faced gender bias but always stood up for her rights and was vocal about it, Bedi stated in reply to a question. She concluded the webinar by advising students on right thinking and right lifestyle with a promise to visit the university campus soon.

CCTVs improved pass percentage: Soni

The over 14 per cent increase in pass percentage, from 62.02 per cent last year to 76.07 per cent this year, in Class XII examinations is attributed to the 100 per cent CCTV surveillance of all 2,080 examination centres in the state. This motivated students to work hard and prepare better as they could not get away with unfair means, Suresh Soni, Chairman, HP Board of School Education (HPBSE), said. Examinations of physical education and yoga were held but the answersheets were not evaluated to keep parity with other subjects, including computer science and 11 vocational subjects, examination for which could not be held due to the lockdown. He said the board had devised a transparent and objective mechanism to give awards for subjects in which examination were not held. According to the new mechanism, 40 per cent marks of internal assessment and praticals were honoured while the rest 60 per cent marks were given on the basis of highest marks obtained in four compulsory subjects, which also increased the total percentage, Soni added.

HIMCOSTE seeks write ups on eclipse

The Himachal Pradesh Council for Science, Technology & Environment (HIMCOSTE) has invited students to send write-ups/PPTs on their experience of watching the upcoming solar eclipse on June 21. The write-up should not be more than three pages (less than 1,500 words) and the PPT should have maximum 10 slides. The students can send their entries at dhar_shashi2000@yahoo.com latest by June 23. The best entries will be suitably awarded. The HIMCOSTE has asked all deputy directors of elementary education in the respective districts to arrange for solar filters and make them available to general public to witness this unique event at a place designated by the deputy director office in their respective districts.