Latest news with #Sawant
Time of India
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Constant infra upgrades at govt schools: CM
Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday said that state govt is constantly upgrading the infrastructure in govt schools in Goa and that govt institutes now have better facilities or are on par with those in other privately managed schools. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'Now, there is no shortage of teachers, even if some are appointed on a contract basis. Now there are 20 to 22 teachers teaching in a govt high school. Earlier, parents thought that a govt high school meant the facilities were lacking. Now this has changed, and govt high schools are in the number one position in the state,' said Sawant. The CM said that facilities like smart classrooms and labs are also being provided in govt schools in Goa. 'Giving good infrastructure to govt high schools is govt's duty, and we are providing it, whether it is a building, smart classroom, or lab. From time to time, we are giving such infrastructure one by one to all govt schools,' he said after inaugurating a STEM Lab at Govt Higher Secondary School, Sanquelim, along with water resources minister Subhash Shirodkar. The lab was provided under ONGC's CSR initiative. Sawant said that even children in the govt primary schools in Sanquelim and Shiroda constituencies are provided exposure to STEM education. 'This hands-on learning hub in science, robotics, and tech supports NEP 2020 and Viksit Bharat @2047. This is a step toward nurturing innovation and digital skills, which is one of six such labs across Goa. Children need exposure to STEM labs. In fact, if they are exposed to innovation and tech-related subjects now, they will develop an interest in entering innovation-related sectors in the future. Even primary students of Class IV are learning how the heart functions, how wind energy and solar energy operate. If you see this, then Goa's and India's future is bright,' said Sawant.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Suspended for media byte, IIT-B pupil to be reinstated
Mumbai: IIT-Bombay must reinstate a Ph D student who had been suspended in April this year for 'giving unauthorised interviews to the media'. Bombay high court has said this in an order passed on July 15. The court said that the suspension will cease to have effect from July 25 and the period of suspension undergone will not have any bearing on the record of the petitioner. An official from the institute said they would follow the court's order. The student, Akshay Sawant, from department of humanities and social sciences, was suspended for eight months based on a report of the institute's fact-finding committee and disciplinary action committee. He moved court seeking quashing of the suspension order, stating that the charges levelled were unfounded and misplaced and the action taken against him was based on 'false, unreasonable and arbitrary charges'. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai In an article published in a newspaper in February, Sawant was quoted as saying, 'Every festival is celebrated on our campus. There are several Hindu festivals and most of them including Holi, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, are celebrated with much fervour. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo The allegations are baseless and merely an attempt to target the department's liberal environment'. The statement was made in the context of the allegations of favouritism against the institute by third parties. The student got a call regarding 'unauthorised interviews given to the media'. The student said in the petition that he did not give consent for the quote to the mediaperson, which he had also submitted before the fact-finding committee. The student received an order on Apr 28, suspending him till Dec 31, 2025, with immediate effect. Even after writing to the institute appealing against the order, there was no response, forcing the student to move court. Disposing of the petition, the court mentioned that the order was passed in the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case so that the academic career of the petitioner should not be jeopardised. The order said he had made the statements in the article in an individual capacity. Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle, a student collective, on Friday said in a statement they were celebrating "victory for students' rights and a pushback against casteist and authoritarian tendencies of the IIT- Bombay administration…"
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Sawant criticises teachers for not preparing students for NEET, JEE
Panaji: Chief minister on Friday blamed high school teachers for reportedly doing little to inform students about competitive entrance exams like JEE and . Speaking at the launch of the Goa Career Navigator programme for students, he said that he came across a few students who nurtured ambitions of becoming engineers but were not advised about appearing for JEE. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'There are some students who have no idea about NEET and JEE. Around four days ago, I met a few students who told me that they did not appear for JEE but want admission to the engineering college. I asked them why, and they said they did not know about it. If a higher secondary school student does not know about this, I wonder what they are taught. If the teacher does not tell the student that they need to sit for JEE and fill the forms on time, what else can they teach?' said Sawant. Addressing the students in the audience, Sawant told them not to rely on others to decide their career path but to work towards their goals from high school itself. 'This is the right age and right time. Decide according to your skills, your passion, your hobbies. Every child's career has to be built. No doubt, not every student will become a doctor, engineer, teacher, or nurse, as there are other careers,' said Sawant. He launched the Goa Career Navigator 2025, an AI-powered career guidance initiative by the State Council of Educational Research and Training and Unocue, which is expected to reach over 18,000 students across Goa. The programme is aimed at students of Classes IX and X and also includes Career UDAAN, Career Compass Handbook, and Career Ambassador Clubs to enhance career awareness and leadership among students. Sawant told students there are vast career opportunities in Goa they should aim for.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Over giving quote to media': Bombay HC revokes suspension issued by IIT, reinstates research student
The Bombay High Court has ordered that the suspension of an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Bombay research scholar, issued on April 28 for allegedly giving a quote to the media, will cease to be effective from July 25, reinstating him as research student. Akshay M Sawant, a PhD student in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the IIT Bombay and a member of the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC), an informal student collective active on campus, was suspended in April this year following allegations that he gave an 'unauthorised' statement to a news outlet in February regarding his department's initiative to make arrangements for Ramadan. Sawant moved the Bombay High Court against the suspension order issued by the institute which stated that he is suspended until December 31, 2025, an action taken as per the recommendations by the disciplinary action committee. Sawant's plea stated that he had addressed a detailed written communication to the IIT-Bombay explaining how charges levelled against him were unfounded but the Institute's Fact-Finding and Disciplinary Action Committees failed to consider the same. Aarguing that the suspension would have a 'severe and adverse impact' on his academic and career prospects, the petition, sought from the court that the 'arbitrary' April 28 suspension order be quashed and set aside and the Institute be directed to revoke the suspension and restore his entitlements as a student with effect from April 28. On July 15, the petitioner gave an undertaking to the high court that he would abide by all institute Rules and Regulations, including the Interim Guidelines for students of November 2023 related to holding of events at IIT-Bombay. 'In view of the above undertakings, the suspension will cease to have effect from 25th July 2025,' the HC noted. Hearing his plea on July 15 against the suspension, a division bench of Justices Makarand S Karnik and Nitin R Borkar stated that 'the period of suspension undergone by him will not be treated as stigmatic or have a bearing on the record of the petitioner'. The order was made available on Friday. This came after senior advocate Mihir Desai and advocate Lara Jesani for the petitioner submitted that he was willing to put it on record with the IIT-Bombay that he did not make the statements referred to the article in question as an authorised representative of the institute, but the same were made in his individual capacity. Disposing of the plea, the bench further clarified that the order was passed 'in the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case so that the academic career of the petitioner should not be jeopardised'. There is no response from the IIT-Bombay administration on the matter. The APPSC on Friday issued a statement in solidarity. 'This case is not an isolated incident. It reflects a broader, systemic pattern of targeted actions against student community in general and particularly more harsh towards those who engage in critical discourse around student rights, institutional accountability, and the rights of SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities, workers' right inside campus and other marginalised communities to build moral pressure on the administration. It is in this context that we must view the administration's increasingly repressive measures, including the Interim Guidelines on Holding Events at IIT Bombay,' read the statement, demanding withdrawal of the guidelines. The guidelines issued in November 2023 made it mandatory that public events organised by the faculty should be approved by the head of the academic unit, while for events organised by students, official permission is needed from the administration. It also announced that an approval from an 'external speaker review committee' will be mandatory to invite an outside speaker to the institute. The guidelines included a stern warning that disciplinary action will be taken against anyone, including students, who violate defamation rules or indulge in any form of indiscipline.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Selection panel starts recruiting for 752 govt posts
Panaji: The Goa Staff Selection Commission (GSSC) has begun the process to fill 752 govt posts and they will be filled at the earliest, chief minister Pramod Sawant said on Thursday. All other govt departments, which have not notified their vacancies to the GSSC, are being sent reminders by the personnel department to inform the commission about the posts. All govt posts in the future will be filled only through the GSSC, he said. The formation of this body has brought about transparency in the recruitment process to govt posts in the state, the CM said after inaugurating the commission's new premises. 'The GSSC has advertised 752 govt posts, two or three exams have already been conducted. Results will be out soon. It is a good thing that Goan youth, when they answer an exam, the minute they leave the exam hall, they know how they have performed. They do not have to wait for the mark list. As it is a computer-based exam, they get to know immediately how they have fared. This has brought great transparency in the process,' said Sawant. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Beyond Text Generation: An AI Tool That Helps You Write Better Grammarly Install Now Undo The CM said, 'All pending recruitment will be carried out at the earliest.' He said govt is working to provide better office space to all its departments. 'Ever since the GSSC was formed, it has inspired confidence and transparency in the recruitment process in the state. We are continuously working to give our offices new premises, and it was important to give the commission a new office. The GSSC has all the space it needs for its work here, including its own strong room for their confidential work,' said the CM. The govt offices shifting from Junta House are looking for alternative spaces for a period of two years, and once Junta House is ready, those offices will return there, he said.
