Taking a major step towards providing free quality coaching to financially weaker children, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has directed all private tuition and coaching centers to provide free coaching to 10 per cent of the children in their centers who are underprivileged. According to Rule 4(e) of Jammu and Kashmir Regulation of Private Tuition Center Rules 2010, Nazim School Education Jammu has made it mandatory for all private tuition/coaching centers to have 10 per cent orphans, children belonging to BPL, Antodhya Anna Yojana and PhH category, who are pursuing secondary, higher secondary or undergraduate comparable courses. In this regard, the Director of School Education Jammu has issued an order asking interested candidates to submit applications with required documents for admission to private tuition centers/coaching within 15 days. These applications can be sent to the email [email protected] or collected during office hours at the Private Section of the Directorate of School Education, Mithi Jammu. The required documents include orphan certificate, ration card of BPL/AAY and PHH categories, and qualification certificate of previous classes. The list of registered Private Tuition/Coaching Centers is available on the Directorate website www.schedujammu.nic.in. There are 72 private tuition and coaching centers in Jammu. There are 10 centers in Kathua, 4 in Samba, 3 in Udhampur, 5 in Poonch district, 5 in Rajouri, 3 in Ramban, 5 in Doda and 5 in Kishtwar. It has happened for the first time that such an order has been issued, and strict disciplinary action will be taken against those who do not implement it. The poor people have welcomed this decision. (ANI)

The Indian Army has started two-and-a-half-month long (Common Law Admission Test) CLAT free coaching classes for the aspirants under in Pohrupet at Qaziabad Institution of Education, Karalgund in North Kashmir's Kupwara district. The aim of these coaching classes is to help underprivileged students in their studies and prepare them for the upcoming CLAT examination, which is scheduled on December 18, 2022. A total of 21 students including nine girls are attending this coaching capsule at Qaziabad Institute of Education, Karalgund in the Kupwara district. Ashiq Hussian Lone, the owner and the co-organiser of the institute told that the complete course is being provided to the student free of cost. "We provide coaching to classes 11, 12, medical and the Foundation course for class 10th. The complete course is free of cost. We aim to make the students worthy enough of getting into the top universities in the country." The selection of students for these classes was done very stringently and extensively via screening, preliminary tests and personal interviews. The CLAT tutorial comprises three-hour afternoon classes with a series of tests on a weekly basis. The core group of faculty consists of seven teachers and a coordinator to mentor and monitor the students. The students lauded the efforts taken by the Indian Army to educate the younger generation and urged them for organizing such tutorials in the future for the engagement of youth. One of the students named Syed Faheem Geelani said, "We are getting the opportunity to prepare for the CLAT exam. Many poor students are also benefitting from this. We are very thankful to the government for providing us with this opportunity." "If we would have gone to any private coaching centre, we would have to pay Rs 30,000. But, here we are getting to prepare for the CLAT examination free of cost. We are very thankful to the Indian Army for organising this," another student named Mohsin Amreen said. Theythanked the Indian Army and said that such programmes motivate students to progress while promoting education in the Valley. Source:  ANI

Kashmir football club is training girls not only for their future but for their future. Every day at the field, these girls do warm-ups and learn basic football skills and more complex tricks. The coach and players alike work hard every day on the football pitch to ensure that dreams to play at the national and an international level translate into reality and girls serve as an inspiration for other women who wish to take up sports as a career. Besides serving as a place where they can work hard to fulfil their dreams as football players, this academy also serves as a platform for these players to showcase their talent and prove that girls are just as good as boys in sports. Nadiya, the coach of the academy said that the academy initially provided training to only boys. “This academy has been around for last 7 years and it started with providing coaching to boys but initially girls could not come. We earned a lot of reputation and won a lot of tournaments. In 2018-19, I started the academy for women but the plans were put on a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But now for the last three months, I have been training girls. I have been getting a good response. 28-30 girls are coming and even parents have given a great response. I have an aim to develop the football scene of Kashmir. Girls have a lot of talent but no platform”. Players are also extremely happy being a part of the academy and the sport. “I was fond of playing football. I used to look at the boys playing in the academies and wonder why girls could not play this sport and why there were no girl coaches?. This platform can help us showcase our talents to the world. I want to represent the country at the international level. We are working hard, so is our coach. This academy has given a lot of benefit to the girls,” said a player named Haniya. Another player Zainab said, “We always wished for a platform to showcase our talents in Football. If boys can play this game, then why cannot we girls? We urge the government to give us a platform so that we can play better. We are giving our best and so is our coach. We hope that all girls get to play and represent India. We have been benefited and learned a lot. We hope that the mindset of people changes too.” Mafeef, another player talked about the things taught in the academy and said that more academies like this should open in other districts to encourage other women to take up sports. “I am very happy to play football because it teaches us how important team spirit and unity is. Sports have taught me a lot. We have gained a lot of discipline via sport. Earlier, only boys used to play the sport and society also discriminated against us. But our coach took the initiative to play and train girls, and now we are here,” she said Source: Daily Sikh

Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni has ordered to close all the coaching centers for one month (January 25 to February 25) on the occasion of SSC and equivalent examinations. Her direction came in after holding the meeting of law and order related committee for holding the SSC and equivalent examinations at the education ministry on Thursday. The education minister said, SSC and equivalent examinations are scheduled to begin from February 1. This year the total number of examinees is 20 lakh 47 thousand 779. Of them 10 lakh 22 thousand 336 are male students and 10 lakh 23 thousand 416 are female students. To hold the SSC and equivalent examinations in a fair way decision has been taken to keep the coaching centers closed for one month. AH

Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni said, keeping ahead the upcoming Junior School Certificate (JSC) examinations all types of coaching centers will remain closed from October 25 to November 15. She said this after participating a meeting on law and order situation at International Mother Language Institute in the capital on Sunday. Dr. Dipu Moni said, decision to keep the coaching centers closed has been taken to hold the JSC examinations in a fair, beautiful and copy-free atmosphere. She said, we have to be strict about coaching. Somebody in this period provide coaching keeping the doors locked from outside. In this regard she urged law enforcing agencies to increase monitoring. Education ministry’s technical and madrasa education division Secretary Munshi Shahabuddin Ahmed, Director General of secondary and higher education directorate Dr. Syed Md. Golam Faruk, different education board chairmen, representatives of different ministries and law enforcement agencies were present in the meeting. AH

At least 18 students were killed after a massive fire broke out at a coaching centre in Gujarat's Surat on Friday afternoon. Videos posted by witnesses on social media showed several students jumping out of windows on the top floor of the four-storey building to escape the blaze. Most of the students are said to be between the ages of 14 and 17. Disturbing visuals showed people on the pavement asking the students to jump off the burning building, hoping to catch them. Among those seen falling was a young child. "Some of these students are critical but the crowd managed to save their lives," Darshana Jardosh, the parliamentarian from Surat, told NDTV.   The fire, which broke out at around 3:30 pm, engulfed the top two floors of the commercial building called Takshashila Arcade in the Sarthana area of Surat, officials said. Huge plumes of smoke covered the area. Local residents were seen helping in the rescue operation. It was not immediately clear what caused the fire. The owners of the building are on the run, police officials said. It did not have a functioning fire escape. A fire official said 19 fire engines were sent in to control the fire. "Students on fourth and third floor jumped off to the ground to save themselves from fire and smoke. Many have been rescued and sent to hospital", the fire official told news agency PTI. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the incident. An investigation has been ordered into the incident and the state government has promised to give Rs. 4 lakh to each of the families of those killed. Fire safety in India is often neglected leading to devastating tragedies with alarming frequency. More than 17,000 people died in fires in 2015 alone, according to government data, the last year for which figures are available, one of the largest causes of accidental death in the country. Source: ND TV AH

Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni said, on the occasion of holding Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations all coaching centers throughout the country will remain closed from April 1 to May 6. She came up with the direction at a press conference at the secretariat in the capital on Monday. The Education Minister said, question papers will be opened after being informed about the question set 25 minutes before commencement of the examination. If anybody is late due to unavoidable reason then he or she has to enter the center by delivering detail information in front of the gate. In her written speech she said, total 13 lakh 51 thousand 309 examinees will take part in the examinations under eight general, madrassa and technical education boards. Of them 11 lakh 38 thousand 550 candidates under eight general boards, 78 thousand 451 under madrassa board and 1 lakh 24 thousand 265 candidates under technical board. Candidates from 9 thousand 81 institutions will take part in the examinations. Examinations will be held in 2 thousand 580 centers. The Education Minister said, coaching centers will be closed with a view to hold the examinations in a fair, beautiful and copy free environment. As special measures are not taken then all the coaching centers will remain closed. AH     

Teachers of the country’s government and private educational institutions cannot run coaching business. According to the policy formulated in 2012 to stop coaching business the High Court delivered the order. The High Court bench comprising Justice Sheikh Hasan Arif and Justice Rajik Al Jalil said these to Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Md. Khurshid Alam Khan on Monday as he was present in the court. Later Khurshid Alam told the newsmen, I was present in the court in connection with another case. At that time the court informed me that the judges watched two talk shows of mine broadcasted on television. About the definition of coaching the judges cleared their speech and said to me that those who are associated with coaching as free lancers- out of the educational institutions can maintain their activities. But those who are associated with certain educational institutions in that case the policy formulated in 2012 to stop coaching business will be applicable for them. Following the delivered speech of the court, according to the policy of 2012 to stop coaching business, the teachers associated with different educational institutions cannot run coaching business at any cost. The High Court on February 7 declared the government policy formulated in 2012 to stop coaching business as valid. After hearing of five writ petitions in this regard the High Court bench of Justice Sheikh Hasan Arif and Justice Rajik Al Jalil passed the order. The court also appointed former two attorney generals- Hasan Arif and Fida M Kamal as Amicus Curiae to solve the rule. AH

The mobile court of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has sealed six coaching centers in the capital for remaining the coaching business operational violating the government and High Court orders. Total eight people were jailed and fined from these coaching centers. The drives led by RAB Executive Magistrate Sarwar Alam were conducted in different areas of the capital on Sunday. RAB found six coaching centers operational while conducting their drives. Those were- MABS and Mobidic at Farmgate and Joyjatra, Naba Diganta, Anonno and Blaze at Jhigatala area. Later the mobile court sealed those coaching centers. Besides, six coaching center were fined. RAB Executive Magistrate Sarwar Alam told Rtv online, drives will go on against the violators of government order who keep the centers open during the ongoing SSC examinations. These coaching centers were doing their business violating the government policy. The concerned persons were cautioned through fining. Strict measures will be taken later. AH  

The High Court has delivered order saying that teachers of government and private schools and colleges cannot engage in coaching business. The High Court has delivered the verdict in favor of steps of the government taken for implementing the policy to stop coaching business. The High Court bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Razik Al Jajil delivered the verdict on Thursday. The hearing on the rule concluded on January 27 over the raised question of government policy to stop coaching business and taking action against the teachers involved. The court delivered the verdict over the rule. Khurshid Alam represented the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) before the court. Barrister M Ameer Ul Islam and Barrister Tania Ameer stood for the writ petitioner. Advocate Fida M Kamal was the Amicus Curiae.     After the verdict Deputy Attorney General Mokhlesur Rahman said, since the court has declared the policy to stop coaching business as valid, so the coaching business comes to an end. For this reason the teachers cannot deliver any coaching beyond the rules to hold extra class taking 173 taka per month after performing their class duties. The government issued show cause notice in 2018 asking why not action will be taken over the allegation of coaching business against some teachers of Motijheel Government Boys’ High School. The government issued the notice based on the report of ACC. The teachers then filed writ petitions over the notice and the Policy-2012 to stop teachers from doing coaching business in educational institutions. After taking the hearing the court suspended the effectiveness of that notice for four months on February 28, 2018. As well as the court issued rule. Then the ACC and the state filed leave to appeal seeking permission for making appeal to the Appellate Division against that order. After hearing of that plea the Appellate Division ordered the bench led by Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif to solve the rule by July 31, 2018. Later the final hearing of the rule finished on January 27 and the verdict was delivered on February 7. AH