Nov 14, 2016, 6:41 PM; (IST)
Our Correspondent
Jaipur, November 14
Expressing concern over incidents of student suicides at coaching institutes in Kota and other places, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javedkar on Monday said his ministry will set up "Online IIT-Pal" to provide coaching free of cost.
“Online IIT-Pal would provide course material, tutorials, discussion forum and fortnightly tests to students. For this purpose, the HRD Ministry is getting prepared best course material from competent teachers,” Javedkar said.
Earlier in the day, Javedkar addressed a review meeting with Rajasthan education department officials and state minister for school education Vasudev Devnani.
Some TV channels have joined hands to launch this new initiative to provide best course material and atmosphere to students to compete in IIT-JEE and other competitive exams, Javedkar said, adding this would certainly relieve the aspirants of tension and would help check unfortunate incidents of suicide.
Stating that the Central government is committed to the Right to Education from class 1, the Minister said there was a need to conduct "learning outcome assessment" in primary schools (class 1 to class 8) before promoting students.
Necessary amendments are being introduced to decide the parameters and benchmark for learning outcome evaluations for primary school students, he said, adding the amendments would go to the Union Cabinet for approval and then to Parliament.
The Minister hailed the Rajasthan government's success in school education saying 15 lakh students had returned to government-run schools from convent education, one lakh teachers have been promoted, most of the vacancies have been filled up, dropout rate has been reduced and B.Ed. students were allowed to do practise in government schools.
Devnani said the state government has already stopped the "no detention policy" (introduced by former HRD Minister Kapil Sibal) and introduced annual examinations at 8th standard and is going to do same for class 5 students in 2017-18 session.
From class 1 to class 4th there would be evaluation process twice in a year but no one would be failed, Devnani said.
To a question related over demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes by the Prime Minister, Javedkar said people across the country have hailed this decision and are cooperating to eradicate corruption, stop terrorism and black money in the market.
Entire exercise would lead to economic reform and strong social system without any corruption, he added.
