World University Rankings

For the first time, no Indian university figures in Britain’s most authoritative league table of the world’s top 200 universities while China is in with six universities revealing a wide gap in higher educational standards between the two competing Asian giants.Other Asian countries with world-class universities are Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea.The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), which figured regularly in all the previous rankings, since The Times Higher – Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings which began three years ago, have fallen off the map this year partly because of a change in evaluation norms.For this year’s survey, individual IITs were assessed, and not the “IIT system as a whole.” And none of the seven IITs was considered good enough to find a place among the top-ranking world universities.By way of consolation, however, IIT Delhi and IIT Mumbai find mention among the world’s top 50 technology institutions, with the former at 37 and latter at 33 — both way behind China’s Tsinghua University, placed at 16.The six Chinese universities included among the world’s Top 200 are Peking University, Tsinghua University (also listed among the 50 best technology institutions), Fudan University, Nanjing University, the University of Science and Technology of China and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The survey, which covers 28 countries, confirms the English-speaking world’s dominance in higher education with America and Britain leading the pack. Harvard University tops the league table followed by Cambridge and Oxford at second and third positions respectively. The top 10 universities are all either in U.S. or Britain. FROM-HINDU

DU start course on banking

Delhi University (DU) in collaboration with ICICI Bank is going to start a three-month-long certificate course on banking.The course titled as "Foundation on Banking", would be launched by the Commerce department of the varsity which has recently entered into a partnership with ICICI Bank.The course would be open to those candidates who have secured 50 per cent or more marks in aggregate in their B Com degree.

Earn while they learn

There is a good news for the students of Delhi University as the varsity management is mulling "earn while they learn" programme for its students.undergraduate and postgraduate students will be provided part time jobs within the university set-up while they pursue their studies. They will be given employment for 25 to 30 hours per month.There is a need for students to understand work culture and professionalism while pursuing their academic life.At the same time, this will reduce the monetary burden on their parents, he said, adding that the programme would also protect students from indulging into non-social activities as they won't have leisure time for them.

Patna IIT

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed hope that the proposed Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Patna, may become functional from the next academic year.Although the building for the Institute was yet to come up, the state government was prepared to provide an alternative building to make the IIT functional from the next academic year. State government was in the process of acquiring 500 acres of land near Bihta, about 30 kms from the state capital, for setting up of the institute.

FIITJEE

FIITJEE, a leading private coaching institute for IIT-JEE and other top level engineering entrance examinations in India, has announced a "FIITJEE Talent Reward Exam" to be held in 54 test centers across the country on December 2. All students from Classes VII to XI are eligible to apply for the exam.Information regarding the registration process, test schedule, syllabus and the regular FIITJEE programmes are available on its website www.fiitjee.com.The last date for registration is November 28. The result will be announced on December 16. The test is being conducted to encourage aspirants of IIT-JEE and to offer them feedback on their preparation.

Anna University conduct leak-free exams

Anna University is constructing its own satellite ANUSAT to conduct not only leak-free exams but also to foster interest in Earth observation and space technology among students and faculty and to provide hands-on training for all aspects of spacecraft building and operations support.With the development of this project, the varsity has become the first university in India to take up space technology with emphasis on micro-satellite development in its university engineering curriculum. The varsity will also be able to conduct the examinations in a fair manner. This (ANUSAT) would help Anna University to conduct leak-free examinations in all its affiliated colleges.

All India Pre-medical/Pre-dental entrance examination, 2008

The CBSE has begun accepting on-line applications for the All India Pre-medical/Pre-dental entrance examination, 2008.Aspiring students can submit their applications on-line on the website of the Central Board of Secondary Education.The entrance test, conducted for 15 per cent of the merit positions in medical and dental colleges all over the country, involves a preliminary and final examination. The preliminary test will be held on April 6, 2008 while the final exam is scheduled for May 11, 2008. The last date for submission of application is November 26. The preliminary exam will comprise of 200 objective type questions from Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

CBSE

The Central Board of Secondary Education is going to start many new courses soon, disclosed Ashok Ganguli, CBSE chairman.Ganguli said, “We are in touch with India’s National Association of Software and Service Companies for some IT courses, with National Institute of Fashion Designing for fashion designing courses, with some hospitals for starting courses related to general health, besides courses in retail management, service sector, heritage crafts, multimedia and visual arts and creative skills.He said presently CBSE is focusing on four important factors — language, including communication skills enhancing regional as well as local languages; teaching mathematics from Class III onwards with the help of mathematics laboratory; teaching science by learning by doing from Class VI onwards and teaching with the help of computer technology. As per CBSE, a student can get five chances to clear a compartment in any subject. However, students who fail to clear their compartment in the third chance under CBSE Board are denied admission in schools under Punjab School education Board. About this, Ganguli said, “I am also the president of Council of Board of School Education. A meeting is being held in Pune in January 2008, where I will take up the issue.”He added that keeping in view the constructive approach and conceptual framework, CBSE is going to change its assessment pattern. In the Board examination of 2008, question papers will be based on thinking skills among children. So 20 per cent of the question papers will be based on higher order thinking skill, while the remaining will be based on medium order thinking skill. This will help in maintaining the correlation between speed and accuracy, he said.

Applied Materials Opens Nanotech Lab @ IIT Bombay

Applied Materials, Inc., a provider of nanomanufacturing technology solutions, has opened Nanomanufacturing lab at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. The company has contributed equipment worth $7.5 million to the Centre of Excellence in Nanoelectronics at IIT Bombay. The centre will serve as a research and educational platform and for faculty, students and researchers in India to work on breakthrough ideas to invent and innovate technologies that will have an impact on solving current as well as future problems of semiconductor technology. IIT Bombay has decided to name the laboratory as 'Applied Materials.