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Time of India
02-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
School education improving in Maharashtra, show Centre's surveys; Kolhapur district shines, Mumbai ranks 6th in Performance Grading Index report
Kolapur: Maharashtra's school education improved in 2023-24 compared to the previous year, according to the Union ministry of education's Performance Grading Index (PGI) report for 2023-24. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Kolhapur district claimed the top spot in Maharashtra in learning outcomes in the Centre's PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan report released on Tuesday and it also secured the first rank among 22 districts in the state in Prachesta-I category, while Mumbai ranked 6th. In 2022-23, 13 districts in Maharashtra had achieved this grade. Nationwide, a total of 107 districts achieved the Prachesta-I grade in 2023-24, stated the report. Kolhapur district scored 345/600 in PGI 2023-24 placing it first in Prachesta-I category (meeting 51-60% of the set targets), followed by Satara, Solapur, Sangli, Ahilyanagar, Mumbai, Nagpur, Washim, Pune, and Jalgaon. The PGI report evaluates public schools based on 600 marks across five parameters — outcomes, classroom transactions, infrastructure, digital learning and governance. The Prachesta-I category is one of the nine grades in the PGI framework, indicating a decent level of performance and efforts towards improvement. Districts in this category are working towards achieving higher grades, such as Uttam and Utkarsh. Kolhapur ZP chief executive officer S Karthikeyan said, "We studied the shortcomings based on the marks obtained in PGI 2020-21 and 2021-22, and framed a time-bound programme for improvement. Mission Utkarsh was one such programmes that we implemented. We made the funds available for the repairs of the school toilets, buildings, ramps and set up purified water units," Among the five parameters, outcomes have a total score of 290, including learning outcomes, quality and teacher availability. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Kolhapur district received 161 marks in the outcomes, the highest in the state. Among the lowest-performing districts are Parbhani, Mumbai (suburban) and Gadchiroli in Maharashtra. There are 14 districts in the Prachesta-II grade for 2023-24. Karthikeyan said, "Centre's PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan report also showed Kolhapur topping in learning outcomes. Last year, a central team conducted random exams. Through Mission Utkarsh, we prepared students with mock tests, teaching language, math, and general knowledge via digital mode, and even taught them math-solving tricks." Kolhapur-based education expert Shankar Yadav said, "The eventual aim of the PGI is to find out the shortcomings, overcome them and ensure the students perform well at the end. The schools require infrastructure and various educational aids for effective learning. The activity-based learning needs a focus, as shown by the survey results. Schools from Maharashtra are performing well, but we need to inch closer to achieving Uttam and Utkarsh grades. " Kolapur: Maharashtra's school education improved in 2023-24 compared to the previous year, according to the Union ministry of education's Performance Grading Index (PGI) report for 2023-24. Kolhapur district claimed the top spot in Maharashtra in learning outcomes in the Centre's PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan report released on Tuesday and it also secured the first rank among 22 districts in the state in Prachesta-I category, while Mumbai ranked 6th. In 2022-23, 13 districts in Maharashtra had achieved this grade. Nationwide, a total of 107 districts achieved the Prachesta-I grade in 2023-24, stated the report. Kolhapur district scored 345/600 in PGI 2023-24 placing it first in Prachesta-I category (meeting 51-60% of the set targets), followed by Satara, Solapur, Sangli, Ahilyanagar, Mumbai, Nagpur, Washim, Pune, and Jalgaon. The PGI report evaluates public schools based on 600 marks across five parameters — outcomes, classroom transactions, infrastructure, digital learning and governance. The Prachesta-I category is one of the nine grades in the PGI framework, indicating a decent level of performance and efforts towards improvement. Districts in this category are working towards achieving higher grades, such as Uttam and Utkarsh. Kolhapur ZP chief executive officer S Karthikeyan said, "We studied the shortcomings based on the marks obtained in PGI 2020-21 and 2021-22, and framed a time-bound programme for improvement. Mission Utkarsh was one such programmes that we implemented. We made the funds available for the repairs of the school toilets, buildings, ramps and set up purified water units," Among the five parameters, outcomes have a total score of 290, including learning outcomes, quality and teacher availability. Kolhapur district received 161 marks in the outcomes, the highest in the state. Among the lowest-performing districts are Parbhani, Mumbai (suburban) and Gadchiroli in Maharashtra. There are 14 districts in the Prachesta-II grade for 2023-24. Karthikeyan said, "Centre's PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan report also showed Kolhapur topping in learning outcomes. Last year, a central team conducted random exams. Through Mission Utkarsh, we prepared students with mock tests, teaching language, math, and general knowledge via digital mode, and even taught them math-solving tricks." Kolhapur-based education expert Shankar Yadav said, "The eventual aim of the PGI is to find out the shortcomings, overcome them and ensure the students perform well at the end. The schools require infrastructure and various educational aids for effective learning. The activity-based learning needs a focus, as shown by the survey results. Schools from Maharashtra are performing well, but we need to inch closer to achieving Uttam and Utkarsh grades. "
New Indian Express
27-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Tamil Nadu forest staff to now get Rs 4.5K per annum to stitch uniforms
COIMBATORE: The state government has hiked the uniform allowance for Tamil Nadu Forest Department staff from Rs 2,800 to Rs 4,500, including the stitching charge, on par with the police personnel. As per the GO issued by Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary of Environment, Climate Change, and Forests, "The state government, after careful examination of the proposal of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force), has decided to accept it and enhance the uniform allowance to Rs 4,500 per annum from forest guard to forest range officer, including for the stitching charges, on par with the police personnel, as the duties of the forest department employees include management and protection of forests and wildlife are eligible for receiving the uniform allowance on par with the police personnel.' The hike will benefit as many as 4,404 staff (current strength), of which 539 are forest range officers, 1,146 foresters, 2,053 forest guards, 126 forest guards with driving licences, and 540 are forest watchers. The sanctioned strength in the forest department is 6,251. The state government is expected to pay Rs 1,98,18,000 to the 4,404 staff and the GO came into force on Monday. Earlier, forest range officers and foresters were getting Rs 2,800 and forest guards, forest watchers and forest guards with licences were getting Rs 2,650. Members of the Tamil Nadu Forest Staff Association expressed happiness as one of their main demands has been addressed. TNIE had reported about the issue on January 13, 2024 and April 2, 2025. "Our long wait for uniform allowance has ended on a fruitful note, as we spend most of the time in the forest diverting the elephants. There have been incidents where shirts and pants were torn during patrol," said S Karthikeyan, president of the association.
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Facilities would be provided to devotees visiting Mangaladevi temple: State to HC
Madurai: The state on Friday informed Madras high court that all basic facilities would be provided by the Theni district administration to devotees visiting the Mangaladevi Kannagi Temple during the Chitra Pournami festival .The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by S Karthikeyan. The petitioner stated that members of the Mangaladevi Kannagi Arakattalai in Cumbum in Theni district are allegedly printing pamphlets with the bank account number and are collecting donations illegally from the devotees. Hence, the petitioner moved court seeking a direction to the authorities to conduct an inquiry into the illegal money collection by the trust. He also sought a direction to provide basic facilities to the counsel for Mangaladevi Kannagi Arakkattalai submitted that it is a charitable trust and they are genuinely providing annadhanam to the devotees by collecting voluntary donations from to the earlier direction, Theni district collector submitted a report on the steps taken to provide basic facilities to the devotees. Operation Sindoor PM Modi meets NSA, chiefs of armed forces amid spike in tensions with Pak India's air defence systems shoot down Pak drones in J&K, Punjab & Rajasthan Several airports in India to be closed till May 15 - check list The state submitted that meetings were organised with Theni and Idukki district administration officials on providing basic facilities. No one was permitted to collect money or donations from the general public. The district administration is providing annadhanam to the devotees. If anyone intends to provide annadhanam, prior permission must be obtained from the authorities and the annadhanam should be provided in the presence of the authorities.A division bench of justice M Dhandapani and justice R Sakthivel directed that anyone who is interested in providing annadhanam should submit applications to get prior permission from the officials. It is open to the authorities to take actions against those involved in any illegalities, the judges observed and disposed of the petition.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Time of India
HC seeks report from Theni collector on facilities at temple during festival
Madurai: Madras high court on Thursday directed the Theni district collector to file a report on the facilities provided to devotees visiting Mangaladevi Kannagi Temple situated between Theni district in Tamil Nadu and Idukki district in Kerala, during the Chitra Pournami festival .The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by S Karthikeyan. The petitioner stated that a large number of devotees from both states visit the temple during the Chitra Pournami festival every stated that the members of the Mangaladevi Kannagi Arakattalai (trust) in Cumbum are allegedly printing pamphlets with the bank account number and collecting money illegally from the devotees. He claimed that no proper account is maintained and the amount is being swindled. Hence, he moved court seeking a direction to conduct an inquiry into the illegal money collection . The petitioner also sought a direction to the authorities to conduct the festival without any interference by any third parties by providing basic facilities to the devotees visiting the temple during the the course of the hearing, the counsel for the trust submitted that it is a charitable trust and they are genuinely providing annadhanam to the devotees who are visiting the temple. The counsel submitted that they are not collecting donations forcibly from any person, including the petitioner, and people are voluntarily giving donations through the bank.A division bench of justice M Dhandapani and justice R Sakthivel observed that considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the court is inclined to ascertain whether any proper facilities are provided to the devotees. Hence, the judges directed the collector to file a report.
