Mandal education officer takes five govt school SSC toppers from Anantapur district on their first flight journey
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Time of India
14 hours ago
- Time of India
A matter of pride: How five LGBTQIA+ students passed Class 10
It's a drizzly 4pm, but that's not why there's a rainbow on the first floor of a municipal school near Sion station. The sun casting seven colours through a prism is a perennial fixture on a wall chart inside this year-old evening learning centre, nestled up a flight of metal stairs within D S High School. The painting is one of many quiet affirmations of the space's inclusivity. "Outside, we face a lot of ridicule for our effete ways," says 43-year-old Vikas (name changed), who dropped out of school in 1997. "But here, teachers don't discriminate or mock us for using phrases like 'aga bai'." We are at Masoom's learning centre for LGBTQIA+ students at Sion, a safe space that will celebrate its first batch of SSC passouts on July 29. Vikas, an outreach worker, is one of its five students— ranging from health workers to courier personnel—who cleared their SSC exams through the National Open School and are now studying for HSC, drawn by the centre's promise of free education, pens, notebooks, groceries and a shot at a stable job. "I didn't expect to fetch 64%," laughs Vikas, surprised to have stood third in his class. The idea for the centre was sparked by Seema Ali, a transgender student who made headlines in 2022 as a standout from Masoom's night school initiative. Born in a small Maharashtra town, Seema faced family rejection and community abuse before moving to Mumbai. After years of begging at signals, she joined a night school through the NGO, passed her SSC, and landed a job. At a panel last year, she pointed out how many queer individuals—often relegated to begging or sex work—would benefit from evening education centres. Her story helped rally support but the beginning wasn't easy. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Volunteers reached out to NGOs and gharanas to encourage enrolment but met with hesitation. "Members of the community tend to prioritise earning over learning," says Masoom's Sandeep Suryawanshi, who made several home visits. "They would say, 'We earn almost Rs 300 in an hour on the train. Why should we forego that?'" recalls Nikita Ketkar, CEO of Masoom, which had aimed to enrol 60 students. "We only managed to convince 16. Of those, 11 attended regularly and five passed." Aliza, class topper at 74%, is the only trans woman in this batch. Averting the gaze of commuters at Sion station, she would drop in for classes in Hindi, Home Science, Data Entry, Painting, and Business Studies, taught every evening by Abhishek Yadav, Sonali Pawar, and Nitin Pawar. Kalyan-based Mahendra, 29, who works as a part-time courier executive, set high expectations as the most diligent student. "Despite having to travel all over the city, he would drop in to our centre almost every day," says Suryawanshi. "I failed tenth when I was 14," says Mahendra who delivers Ayurvedic medicines for Rs 100 to Rs 200 a pop. "At times, the customers would adjust timings for my sake. At times, the teachers would wait for me," he recalls. "I want a job that helps me afford my dream—my own house in Mumbai," says the second-ranker, who lives in a Rs 7,000 rental in Kalyan. For Vikas, who last attempted SSC in 1997 or 1998— he's not sure—catching up wasn't easy. "In your youth, you retain more," says the aspiring makeup artist, who found Business Studies especially eye-opening. "I want to start my own business and I now know how to," says the 43-year-old. Though singing is his first love, Ulwe's 23-year-old Pranay (name changed) would be content with a secure govt job. Having dropped out in 2015 to support his ailing relatives, he cooked, swept and swabbed at six to eight homes for years in Navi Mumbai. "Friends advised me against it, but I had to make a living," he says. Recently he quit after a doctor told him about a gap in his spine. He now works with Humsafar Trust, raising HIV/AIDS awareness in the LGBTQIA+ community. "It's not easy. The young resist the message... until the disease gets them," he says. "It would help if the govt took the initiative to raise awareness about the community and its issues through railway announcements, etc," says Vikas, who faced unkind comments on his way to class. "As a society, we still have a long way to go," he adds, before entering the room with the perennial rainbow to prepare for Class 12. To enrol, call on 8655727370 or 8655086753
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Time of India
Since inception, OSCs have handled 4K cases
In a conversation with Kritika Tiwari of TOI, director of social welfare, Kiran Pasi highlighted detailed insights into the state's ongoing efforts, schemes, challenges, and strategies for strengthening the welfare and protection of women and children, particularly through the functioning of One Stop Centres (OSCs). Q. Beyond OSCs, what schemes or upcoming initiatives are planned for the welfare and protection of women and children, especially in rural areas of the state? A: Apart from One Stop Centres (OSCs), the state govt is actively implementing several schemes aimed at the welfare and protection of women and children, with a strong focus on rural areas. These include the Women Helpline (181), Nari Adalat, Sakhi Niwas, Shakti Sadan, and anti-human trafficking initiatives that offer security and support. Additionally, there are welfare and empowerment schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Savitribai Phule Kishori Samriddhi Yojana, Kanyadan Yojana, Swadhar Greh (SAG), Widow Remarriage Scheme, Sakhi Niwas, and the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign. These programmes collectively aim to enhance legal, social, medical, and economic support systems for women and girls, especially in underserved and rural regions. Q: Can you share how many cases have been handled by OSCs in the state since its inception, and what types of support are most commonly provided? A: Since their inception, the One Stop Centres across the state have handled approximately 4,000 cases. These centres have emerged as a crucial support system for women facing violence, abuse, or distress. The most common services provided at OSCs include police assistance, medical facilities, psycho-social counselling, legal aid, and temporary shelter. Women survivors are offered shelter for up to 10 days along with their daughters (of any age) or sons (up to 12 years). In cases where extended shelter is required, the women are transferred to Shakti Sadan for continued accommodation and care. The multi-sectoral support at OSCs is aimed at helping women recover, seek justice, and regain control over their lives. Q: What are the major operational challenges faced in running One Stop Centres across the state, particularly in terms of infrastructure and resources? A: One of the major operational challenges in running OSCs is ensuring effective coordination with other critical departments such as the police, health services, and legal authorities. Additionally, there are logistical hurdles, especially when cybercrime-related cases from multiple districts are routed to a single OSC, leading to resource overload. Infrastructure gaps in rural areas and the lack of comprehensive service coverage also pose challenges. These issues impact the delivery of timely and integrated support to survivors and often hinder smooth case handling and resolution. Q: Many centres are functioning with just three-four staff members against the mandated 12. What is the current status of staffing, and what steps are being taken to fill these vacancies? A: As per govt guidelines, the recruitment of OSC staff is to be carried out through outsourcing agencies. Currently, the hiring process is in progress. In the interim, the department has issued clear instructions to all district social welfare officers (DSWOs) to ensure the continuity of OSC services by making alternative arrangements to fill staffing gaps. These temporary measures are being actively implemented to maintain operational efficiency until full staffing as per norms is achieved across centres. Q: Despite their importance, there seems to be low awareness about OSCs even among police personnel. What initiatives are being taken to address this gap? A: To bridge the awareness gap regarding OSCs, particularly among police personnel and other stakeholders, the Jharkhand Women Development Society (JWDS) has initiated multiple programmes. These include regular training sessions, seminars, and awareness drives designed to sensitize law enforcement and community members about the functions and services of OSCs. In addition, Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials and campaigns are being rolled out strategically to reach even the most remote parts of the state. These initiatives aim to ensure that frontline workers, service providers, and the general public are well-informed about the availability and importance of OSCs. Q: Coordination between departments like police, health, and legal services is often cited as a hurdle. How is the department working to improve inter-agency coordination? A: The department, through the Jharkhand Women Development Society, is making sustained efforts to strengthen inter-agency coordination. Regular convergence meetings are being held with representatives from key departments such as police, health, legal aid services, and child welfare authorities. Official communications, instructions, and requests are shared routinely in alignment with govt protocols to streamline roles and responsibilities. This collaborative approach is helping to reduce bureaucratic delays and foster a more responsive, integrated support system for women in distress. Q: Currently, most OSCs are located in urban areas. With seven new centres coming up, are there specific plans to expand access to rural and remote regions? A: Yes, while currently 24 OSCs are functional across all districts, seven more OSCs have been approved, particularly targeting highly populated areas. To ensure outreach in rural and remote locations, the centres are actively linked with Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), and local grassroots agencies. Moreover, every OSC is equipped with a dedicated vehicle available 24x7, which enables the centres to promptly reach out to victims even in geographically isolated areas.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
SSC mock test links active at ssc.gov.in to familiarise candidates with CBT
SSC 2025: The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has activated the mock test links at The SSC mock tests will let a candidate familiarise themselves with the process and interface of the computer-based tests (CBT). SSC has advised the candidates to note that the mock tests are designed solely for familiarisation purposes with the CBT environment. The format of the SSC mock test may differ from the actual CBT format, it added. The questions in the mock test are sample-based and may be repeated, SSC said, adding that the questions in the mock tests are not indicative of the actual examination content. The mock test should not be treated as a practice paper or simulation of the actual examination. Candidates are encouraged to make use of this facility to become comfortable with the CBT process ahead of the actual examination. All candidates are advised to carefully go through the examination-specific notifications and visit the official SSC website regularly for updates and further information. SSC will conduct the exams for Selection Post Examination/Phase XIII, 2025 (CBE) in July 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31 and August 1. Candidates can check and attempt the mock tests for the SSC Selection Post Exams. The Commission recently closed the online application window for the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Examination 2025. Candidates who applied for the Group B and Group C posts will be able to take the mock tests. According to the recruitment notice, this year a total of 14,582 Group B and C posts through SSC CGL 2025. Last year, SSC had released 18,174 vacancies, including 7,567 for the General category, followed by 2,762 for SC, 1,606 for ST, 4,521 for OBC, and 1,718 for EWS candidates. In previous years, 8,415 vacancies were advertised in 2023, while 2022 saw a peak of 37,409 openings. The SSC MTS, Havaldar 2025 application process is currently underway; candidates can apply until July 24, 2025. Candidates can appear in the mock test to familiarise themselves with the SSC MTS, Havaldar 2025 exams.
