Latest news with #Mehar
The Print
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Two realities of NEP: Sensory classrooms & hi-tech labs, to kids sitting on floor & no teachers
The room was alive, brimming with laughter and conversation as they matched cardboard cutouts depicting people of different occupations with the tools they use. New Delhi/Ferozepur Jhirka (Haryana): In a swanky activity room designed for young children, filled with educational toys, colourful charts, and interactive activity corners, four-year-olds Mehar and Arayna sat deeply engrossed in their daily lessons on a June morning. This is Part 2 of a four-part series. You can read Part 1 here . When the teacher showed them the cutout of a doctor, Mehar matched it with the corresponding medical equipment. When shown a picture of a cook, Arayna quickly grabbed the cardboard utensils. This was the scene at the kindergarten or pre-primary wing—referred to as 'Balvatika' under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020—at ITL Public School in Dwarka, a leading private school in Delhi piloting various schemes under the policy. 'Now we introduce everything to students via storytelling. For example, while teaching Mathematics—say, addition—we tell them a story like: there were two friends, one had five balloons and the other had two. So how many balloons were there in total? This way, they take more interest in learning,' said Tabitha Hamilton, headmistress of the wing. NEP introduced major changes in pre-primary education, placing strong emphasis on early childhood care and learning, and advocating for learning through play and experiential methods, rather than relying solely on traditional book-based instruction. The policy also mandates three years of pre-primary education, or 'Balvatika', in schools. But about 100 km away from the national capital, a government school in Haryana's Nuh district tells a starkly different story. Four-year-old Gudiya and Chinki are forced to sit on the floor of a small, unpainted courtyard-turned-classroom with a tin roof—disconnected from all the development envisioned under the NEP 2020. This makeshift space has served as the Balvatika classroom since last year for the government primary school in Dhond-Khurd, a locality in Ferozepur Jhirka—a subdivision in Nuh. The room also doubles up as the kitchen and serving area for mid-day meals. The school has 210 students, just one formal classroom, a courtyard, a makeshift structure, and only one teacher for all students of Balvatika, and up to Class 5. Ahmed Hussain, the teacher, said that the school has received experiential toys under NEP 2020 from the state education department and the 'Jadui Pitara'—a kit developed by NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) that offers a wide array of interactive and engaging learning materials, including animated stories—but they are unable to put them to use. 'I'm the only teacher for five different classes and 13 Balvatika students. How can I manage so many children and still provide play-based learning? It's impossible. Even today, I sent a request to the education department to deploy another teacher here,' he told ThePrint. 'Since we don't have enough space, we have to make the Balvatika students sit in this courtyard-turned-classroom, where the mid-day meal is also cooked. It is unsafe for the children, but what to do? I'm constantly worried about their safety.' The shortage of teachers does not plague this school alone. According to data presented by Haryana Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda in the state assembly in March, over 15,659 teaching posts—13.57 percent of total sanctioned posts—were lying vacant across the state. And Haryana's government schools are not the only ones struggling due to patchy implementation of NEP 2020. Government school teachers from other states, including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and even Delhi, told ThePrint that for them, the policy's implementation largely remains on paper, with the schools continuing to deal with basic infrastructure issues and a lack of resources. To understand how NEP 2020 is being implemented across different settings, ThePrint visited a model private school in Delhi, and two government schools in neighbouring Haryana—one primary and one senior secondary. It was found that despite the government's clear intent to implement the policy, the dilapidated infrastructure and severe shortage of human resources in the public school system present daunting barriers. Also Read: Next chapter, India's military might. NCERT preparing module on Op Sindoor for classes 3-12 Infra challenges: Major obstacle to FLN goals NEP 2020 replaced the previous 10+2 school structure with a new 5+3+3+4 model, under which, the first five years form the Foundational stage, including three years of pre-primary education (or Balvatika), and Classes 1 and 2. The Preparatory stage covers Classes 3 to 5, Middle stage includes Classes 6 to 8, and Secondary stage comprises Classes 9 to 12. Foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) is recognised as an 'urgent national mission' in the policy. To achieve this, the Union Ministry of Education launched the NIPUN Bharat initiative in 2021 to ensure all children attain FLN by the end of Class 3 by 2026–27 through targeted teacher training, clear learning goals, regular assessments, and community participation. In 2022, the ministry and NCERT released the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for the Foundational stage, which recommended play-based learning for students up to Class 2, using conversations, stories, toys, music, art and craft. At the government primary school in Dhond-Khurd, the harsh reality of infrastructural neglect and lack of teachers is hard to miss. While Class 1 students share a cramped, tin-roofed courtyard with Balvatika children, those in Classes 2 and 3 sit on mats in the veranda—without even a blackboard to learn from. Despite undergoing NIPUN Bharat training as part of the government's efforts to implement the mission, Hussain, the teacher, finds it nearly impossible to apply what he learned. 'The children are literally cramped into this tiny space, sitting on the floor because we have no benches—and even if we did, where would we put them?' he remarked. 'In this situation, I have no option but to give them written work in their notebooks just to keep them occupied. Even then, it becomes impossible for me to check each and every notebook on my own. It is impossible to keep track of their progress.' Back at Dwarka's ITL Public School's pre-primary wing, the learning is all play-based. The school has also adopted the Holistic Progress Card (HPC), a multi-dimensional progress monitoring system recommended under NEP, moving beyond traditional academic scores to assess children's development across cognitive, affective, socio-emotional and psychomotor domains. 'HPC tracks domain-wise, competency-based assessments. Even small developments, like self-awareness, hygiene practices, recognition of body parts, and use of different body movements are monitored. Teachers provide detailed feedback in each domain. Parents' feedback is also included in the card, along with self-assessments by the students,' said school principal Sudha Acharya. At the Dhond-Khurd government school, even the teacher was unaware of the concept of HPC under NEP. 'Even if the government implements it, how will a single-teacher school track the progress of each and every student?' Hussain asked. The results of PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan—formerly known as National Achievement Survey (NAS)—released in July revealed that students in government schools lag significantly behind their private school counterparts in foundational literacy and numeracy skills. It showed that the performance of students in junior classes has improved from the last time the survey was held due to the NIPUN Bharat initiative. However, the performance was observed to decline in senior classes. Shaveta Sharma-Kukreja, CEO and MD of Central Square Foundation—a non-profit organisation focused on school education—said the implementation of the policy faces several challenges, including infrastructure gaps and the strain of managing an extensive and complex school network. 'State departments of school education are overburdened with multiple responsibilities—running government schools, formulating policy, and regulating all schools, including private ones. This excessive centralisation of authority has led to ineffective school system management, a concern the NEP itself acknowledges. Expecting already stretched education departments to also oversee NEP implementation in private schools is neither realistic nor fair,' she said. To address this, Kukreja pointed to a critical structural reform proposed under Section 8.5(c) of the NEP—the establishment of an independent State School Standards Authority (SSSA). 'The SSSA is intended to take over the regulatory role from the education department, ensuring that all schools—government and private—meet consistent, transparent, and professional standards, especially related to learning outcomes. This separation of powers allows the Department to focus on policymaking, the Directorate on improving government schools, and the SSSA on regulation and accountability,' she said, adding that bridging the implementation gap in NEP 2020 requires reforming governance structures. 'We need a dedicated, neutral regulatory body like the SSSA to oversee implementation across all schools, regardless of management. Only then can the intent of NEP 2020 translate into meaningful change on the ground.' Practical learning in preparatory stage NEP 2020 recommends that every school should have adequate resources, like a library, science and computer labs, skill labs, playgrounds, sports equipment, and other essential facilities, pushing for experiential and practical learning in the preparatory stage as well. However, another school in Ferozepur Jhirka, the Government Girls Senior Secondary School, lacks a functional science lab as the room designated for it is filled with cartons and miscellaneous items, making it more of a storeroom than a laboratory. 'We have received new equipment from the state education department for Science practicals, but we don't have space to even unpack and store them since there are no lab tables constructed in the room. As a result, we haven't been able to conduct any practical classes for the senior students…and forget about juniors,' the school's Science teacher Meenakshi told ThePrint. There have been no Physics and Chemistry practical sessions for Class 11 and 12 students. In their makeshift Biology lab, the school has only permanent slides and no functional microscopes. 'Even a single working microscope would make a huge difference—we could conduct so many practicals,' the teacher said. 'Once, I had to demonstrate flower dissection. First, I had to arrange a flower from outside because the school doesn't have a garden. Then, I placed the microscope under sunlight just to make the lens visible for the students.' Meanwhile, when ThePrint visited Delhi's ITL Public School, a section of Class 4 students were attending a practical Science class, learning how to separate insoluble impurities (like mud) from water. 'We can see a layer of mud at the bottom of the water, which shows it is not soluble,' said an eager Devansh, a student in the group. 'We wait for some time and let the mud settle—this process is called sedimentation.' School principal Acharya said that since the launch of NEP 2020, the focus of education has shifted towards learning by doing and an interdisciplinary approach. 'We are no longer solely dependent on textbooks. Even junior students visit the labs every week for practical classes.' However, the girls' school in Ferozepur Jhirka has 1,100 students with just 23 teachers—a pupil-teacher ratio of approximately 48:1, which is significantly higher than the ideal ratio of 30:1 recommended under NEP for the primary level. It has only 12 classrooms, resulting in some classes being overcrowded with more than 100 students. In fact, many classes are conducted in the corridors, where students are forced to sit on mats. 'How can we introduce concepts through activities in this shortage of space? We also face a severe dearth of teachers—we don't have a Computer teacher or even a Physics teacher at our school. In this situation, pursuing practical and experiential learning is simply impractical,' school principal Syed Mohammad Inaam told ThePrint, who is tirelessly working to enrol girls from nearby villages at his school. However, Charan Dev, Block Education Officer, Ferozepur Jhirka, said that the education department is working to support schools facing such severe staff shortages. 'We are making efforts to assist schools that have no teachers or only one teacher,' he told ThePrint. 'The government is continuously working to improve school infrastructure, and those that are still left out will also receive the necessary support.' Also Read: Just 35% govt schools in India have smart classrooms, Bihar & UP among worst performers—Centre to Parliament 'How to use technology without resources?' NEP 2020 places strong emphasis on the use of technology in education, and advocates for the phased introduction of smart classrooms and digital pedagogy. At Ferozepur Jhirka's senior girls' school, the use of technology remains a distant dream. Although one classroom has a digital board, it lacks basic furniture. Ironically, students sit on the floor to learn about technological advancements. 'In the absence of a proper electricity connection, having a smart board or not doesn't make much difference. It mostly lies unused. Also, in this small room, we have to seat 100 students together. How can you expect them to learn anything, let alone through digital means?' said Shashikant, a Hindi teacher at the school. Although a computer lab exists in the school, it is gathering dust. All computers are non-functional, and the school hasn't had a computer teacher for several years. As a result, Shaheen, a Class 12 student, has not done a single computer-based practical since she joined the school last year. The school also lacks Wi-Fi connectivity. 'I don't know how to operate a computer. If we had a functional lab, we could have learned a lot about modern technology,' said Shaheen, who wants to become a doctor in future. In contrast, all classrooms in ITL School are equipped with smart boards and there are two functional computer labs. 'There is a junior lab for students up to Class 5, and a senior lab for Classes 6 to 12. Besides, we also have a language lab with 40 additional computers,' said principal Acharya. The school uses digital pedagogies in the teaching-learning process on a daily basis. 'Multilingualism needs more than just good intentions' NEP places strong emphasis on promoting multilingualism, with specific focus on strengthening the use and proficiency in Indian languages across all levels of education. In ITL School's language lab, students learn correct pronunciation and diction in various Indian and foreign languages, for which specialised software has been installed. Each computer is equipped with headphones, allowing students to listen to proper pronunciation and practice effectively. Principal Acharya told ThePrint that several teachers at the school, and even parents of many students, speak multiple Indian languages, and they are engaged in teaching students basic words and sentences in those languages. The school has also conducted language mapping, as prescribed by the Central Board of Secondary Education, to identify the various languages spoken by students. 'At our school, we've decided to dedicate one month to one state, and teach students some basic words and sentences in the languages spoken there. This month, we are celebrating Sikkim, where the widely spoken languages include Nepali, Lepcha and Bhutia. One of our teachers, who is well-versed in these languages, recently created a video for students covering basic vocabulary and sentences,' she added. The school is also planning to introduce four regional languages—Assamese, Odia, Himachali, and Malayalam—representing East, West, North and South. Students from Classes 6 to 8 will be encouraged to choose one of these indigenous languages. 'This way, we will be fulfilling the multilingualism goal of NEP 2020. But all of this is possible only because we have enough well-trained staff, who are not only taking initiative, but also involving parents,' Acharya said. Meanwhile, at the government girls' school in Ferozepur Jhirka, teachers struggle to teach even two languages—Hindi and English. 'At our school, we generally teach in Hindi, even the books that are in English are taught in Hindi. But teaching multiple languages isn't possible in these settings, where teachers are doubling up. Who will teach those languages?' said principal Inaam. Inaam and his colleagues now hope that they will soon get additional space or rooms, so they can implement the policy in both letter and spirit. 'Without additional infrastructure and manpower, the implementation of the policy will continue to remain only on paper, no matter how hard we try. And it will be unfair to our students,' he said. (Edited by Mannat Chugh) Also Read: Mughals out, Magadha empire makes pages of new NCERT Class 7 textbook 'rooted in Indian ethos'
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Raj Kundra and Geeta Basra's first look poster of 'Mehar' promises drama and emotion
Picture Credit: X Businessman-turned-actor Raj Kundra , on Tuesday, unveiled the first-look poster of his upcoming debut Punjabi film, 'Mehar.' A glimpse into Karamjeet Singh 's world Taking to Instagram, he shared a poster featuring him as Karamjeet Singh alongside Geeta Basra and child artist Master Agamveer Singh. In the poster, Raj, clad in a blue pantsuit, is seen sitting on an old-style bed, holding a trophy, with Geeta and Agamveer standing beside him. Sharing the poster, he wrote, "Mehar: First Look of the poster Stepping into a world of emotions, relationships, and my debut Punjabi film #Mehar, alongside the ever-graceful @geetabasra in a role that truly moved me. This story made me live, breathe, and feel every shade of Karamjeet Singh a character who's changed me forever. Directed with passion by @ "Music that touches the soul by @dreamsmusicofficial Heartfelt thanks to my producers @divzbhatnagar & @raghukhanna85 Releasing 5th September worldwide. Hope you'll welcome us into your hearts... the way Punjab welcomed me into its soul." Earlier, on July 27, Raj Kundra shared a post wherein he talked about playing the role of a Sikh, Karamjeet Singh, in the movie. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pierce Brosnan's Wife Lost 120 Pounds - This Is Her Now Undo He shared that stepping into the shoes of Karamjeet in "Mehar" was one of the most transformative experiences of his life. In a heartfelt post, Shilpa Shetty's husband reflected on how the character reminded him of values often lost in the hustle of everyday life-Seva, Sabhar, and Sikhi. A journey from Raj to Karamjeet Singh Sharing his first look, Kundra had written, "From Raj to Karamjeet Singh a journey I'll never forget. Stepping into the shoes of Karamjeet Singh in #Mehar has been one of the most transformative experiences of my life. He's not just a character; he's a man of deep emotions, unwavering love for his family, and quiet strength in the face of adversity. He reminded me of the values we sometimes forget in the rush of life Seva, Sabhar, and Sikhi. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the powerhouse team that made this possible." The post further read, "This film gave me more than a role it gave me a renewed respect and pride in the Sikh way of life. The values, the simplicity, the strength... they've left a mark on my soul. #Mehar is not just a film. It's a blessing. Waheguru Mehar Kare With Love & Gratitude Raj Kundra." The upcoming Punjabi film 'Mehar,' helmed by director Rakesh Mehta , also features Baninder Bunny, Savita Bhatti, Rupinder Rupi, Deep Mandeep, Ashish Duggal, Hobby Dhaliwal, Tarsem Paul, and Kulvir Sony. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release on September 5, 2025.
News18
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
'Renewed Respect, Deep Pride': Raj Kundra On Embracing Sikh Values Through 'Mehar'
Last Updated: Raj Kundra shared his transformative experience playing Karamjeet Singh in Mehar, expressing gratitude to the team and highlighting Seva, Sabhar, and Sikhi. Businessman-actor Raj Kundra has opened up about playing the role of a Sikh, Karamjeet Singh, in the upcoming film, 'Mehar." In his latest post on Instagram, Shilpa Shetty's husband said that stepping into the shoes of Karamjeet in 'Mehar" has been one of the most transformative experiences of his life. In his heartfelt post, Raj Kundra shared that his character reminded him of the values often forgotten in the rush of life—Seva, Sabhar, and Sikhi. He also expressed his gratitude to the team that made the experience possible. Sharing his first-look poster from the movie, Raj Kundra wrote, 'From Raj to Karamjeet Singh a journey I'll never forget. Stepping into the shoes of Karamjeet Singh in #Mehar has been one of the most transformative experiences of my life. He's not just a character he's a man of deep emotions, unwavering love for his family, and quiet strength in the face of adversity. He reminded me of the values we sometimes forget in the rush of life Seva, Sabhar, and Sikhi. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the powerhouse team that made this possible." 'To Geeta Basra, my co-star and dear friend thank you for your grace, patience, and authenticity. Your presence brought depth and warmth to every scene we shared. @geetabasra To Divya Bhatnagar & Raghu our producers thank you for believing in this story when it was just an idea, and nurturing it with love and conviction. @divzbhatnagar @raghukhanna85 To my onscreen best friend co-star Baninder, onscreen brother in law @ashishduggal_09 & the ace poet and lyricist Sony Thulewal you are now friends for life. Thankyou for all your love and guidance during the shooting. @baninderbunny @sonythulewal." He added, 'To the entire crew from the spot boys to the DOP, every technician, costume designer, and light dada tuhada dilon shukriya. You brought life to every frame. And above all, to our captain, director Rakesh Mehta @ thank you pahji for seeing Raj and creating Karamjeet. You didn't just direct a film you helped me discover a side of myself I didn't know existed. Your vision and sensitivity gave birth to a character I will carry with me forever." The post further read, 'This film gave me more than a role it gave me a renewed respect and pride in the Sikh way of life. The values, the simplicity, the strength… they've left a mark on my soul. #Mehar is not just a film. It's a blessing. Waheguru Mehar Kare With Love; Gratitude Raj Kundra." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Raj Kundra (@onlyrajkundra) The upcoming Punjabi film 'Mehar" is directed by filmmaker Rakesh Mehta and also stars Geeta Basra, Master Agamveer Singh, Baninder Bunny, Savita Bhatti, Rupinder Rupi, Deep Mandeep, Ashish Duggal, Hobby Dhaliwal, Tarsem Paul, and Kulvir Sony. The movie is slated to hit theatres on September 5, 2025. First Published: July 27, 2025, 13:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Raj Kundra Wipes Off His Instagram Feed, Big Update Awaited?
Raj Kundra deletes all Instagram posts ahead of his Punjabi film Mehar, sparking buzz. Fans wonder if it's a PR stunt, digital detox, or hint at a big reveal. Raj Kundra knows how to gain the spotlight, and he never fails to make headlines — be it his weird masks, which he wore until the release of his film UT69, or now, another action that has raised eyebrows. Raj Kundra, Shilpa Shetty's husband and one of the participants of Karan Johar's The Traitors, has wiped off his Instagram feed. Yes, you read that right — Raj Kundra has deleted all his posts, and now his Instagram has nothing. But is it a PR stunt, or is he taking a break from social media to have a detox? Only time will tell, but it looks like a big announcement is coming soon. To note, Raj is gearing up for the release of his upcoming Punjabi debut film Mehar. The film, directed by Rakesh Mehta and starring Geeta Basra alongside Raj, is all set to release on September 5, 2025. Interestingly, his move is quite similar to Ranveer Singh's. A day before his 40th birthday, Ranveer wiped off his Instagram feed to zero, and the next day, he dropped the first look from his upcoming action thriller Dhurandhar. Raj Kundra, who was arrested in July 2021 in connection with a pornography case, recently opened up about the harrowing two months he spent in Arthur Road Jail. Speaking to ETimes, the businessman-turned-actor called it 'the darkest time of my life," admitting it was a phase filled with anger, pain, and intense self-reflection. He said, 'There was anger, hurt and confusion, but also deep self-reflection. I could've let that chapter define me, but I chose instead to learn from it." Kundra, who is now making his acting debut in the Punjabi film Mehar, said he's not interested in stardom but in telling meaningful stories. 'I'm not chasing stardom — I'm chasing stories," he added. Before deleting pictures and videos from his Instagram, Raj had shared a video to celebrate his wife and much-loved actress Shilpa Shetty. The video, featuring cherished memories over the years, was accompanied by a romantic note: 'The candles are out, but you still light up my world… and the joy of celebrating you will never end… every day with you feels like a celebration of love." Raj Kundra was last seen in Karan Johar-hosted reality show The Traitors. While Raj was the first to be eliminated from the show, Uorfi Javed and Nikita Luthar emerged as winners. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Time of India
Tantrik abducts, rapes girl, held
Kota: Under the pretext of getting rid of debt and the ill influence of spirits, a 41-year-old tantrik in Jhalawar abducted a minor girl from her home and raped her for 3-4 days. Police rescued the minor girl from Kekari in Ajmer district on June 26 and arrested the accused Monday. Jhalawar SP Richa Tomer identified the accused as Prahald Mehar, 41, a resident of Raipur police station area in the district. In a report to the police station on Monday last week, the girl's father had stated that Mehar worked as an occultist in the area. He assured the family of getting rid of their debt and the ill influence of spirits over their minor daughter through tantric rituals, the SP said. Mehar called the family to his ashram in Raipur on the night of June 22, when he pretended to perform tantric rituals until late at night. The family found the tantrik and their minor girl missing the next morning. A police team led by sub-inspector Bannalal launched a search operation that eventually concluded on Thursday last week when the minor girl was rescued from Kekari in Ajmer district, the SP said. Upon revelation of repeated rape by the tantrik, a medical board conducted a medical examination of the survivor, who was later handed over to family members, the SP added. Police incorporated sections of rape under BNS and Pocso Act in their case of abduction and produced the tantrik before court on Tuesday. The court granted two-day police custody for interrogation, SHO at Raipur police station, Bannalal said. tnn Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
