State to rank colleges on attitude to women

Rankings To Encourage Higher Edu For Women

Yogita Rao TNN 

Mumbai: How a college treats the women on its campus will play a crucial role in determining its ranking among other colleges in the state. The state government plans to rank the best colleges at district, university and state level after assessing them on several parameters, the most important criteria being its sensitivity to women.
    The parameters include measures taken by colleges to curb eve-teasing/ragging, maintaining a balanced male female ratio, convincing girls and their families to pursue higher education, and steps taken by colleges to make girl students economically independent. The idea is to promote equality between girls and boys and increase the enrollment of women in colleges. 
    The state’s higher and technical education department issued a resolution on October 23 to all universities announcing a competition in the state for ‘public awakening’. Different committees have been set up to pick two best colleges each at the district and state university levels and in the final stage, three best colleges in the state. The government has even set aside a budget of Rs150croreto award cash prizes to the winning colleges. Colleges will be assessed for a total of 100 marks, of which 50 marks are allotted for efforts made by institutes to make female students comfortable in the college environment. Another 50 marks is for innovative schemes by students. 
    The idea is to remove inequality between boys and girls and encourage girls to take up higher education. Rajesh Tope, minister for higher and technical education, said, “The idea is to improve girls’ enrollment in higher education and also to make them fearless. I have been approached by many groups complaining of regular eve teasing incidents. Women’s safety is the topmost priority in higher education. We will try to make it an annual exercise.” 
    Ujjwal Uke, principal secretary, women and child development department, said, “The campaign will definitely help bring about awareness among today’s youth. I appreciate the education department’s move in initiating the‘public awakening’ movement.” 
    A department official said, “The colleges have to write to us with filled form. The prizes will be announced on International Women’s Day.”

Source:::: The Times of India, 01-11-2012, p.04. http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Client.asp?Daily=TOIM&showST=true&login=default&pub=TOI&Enter=true&Skin=TOINEW

GOING TECH-SAVVY

City colleges follow schools, take the smart class route

Shreya Bhandary TNN 

Mumbai: After schools, it’s time for colleges to open up to the tech boom and welcome smart classes on campuses. 
    While only a few colleges in the city are at present following the trend, the K C College management has decided to shift to smart classes by 2014, when the college will celebrate its diamond jubilee. 
    “We have always started a new feature on such events. We will make all our classes techsavvy for the celebrations,” said Manju Nichani, K C College principal. While KC College is the newest entrant to the club, a bunch of colleges in the city have already implemented the features in their classes. 
    At HR College, while all classes are equipped with computers, LCD screens and projectors, the computer lab is a smart class with interactive boards and Wi-Fi connectivity. “Whatever the teacher explains on her computer, reflects on students’ machines. Otherwise, smart classes are of little help as we don’t have a standardized syllabus,” said Indu Shahani, principal of HR College. 
    Recently, blackboards and chalks in all classes of Bandra’s St Andrew’s College were replaced with white boards and marker pens. “We are moving towards making our classes Wi-Fi equipped. Most of the smart class features are in place as students make presentations as part of their syllabus,” said Marie Fernandes, St Andrew’s College principal, adding that students will soon work on iPads in the their college.

Source::: The Times of India, 30-08-2012, p.07. http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Client.asp?Daily=TOIM&showST=true&login=default&pub=TOI&Enter=true&Skin=TOINEW&AW=1346300214908