NEWS BULLETINNEWS BULLETINNEWS BULLETINNEWS BULLETINNEWS BULLETINMarch-April 2012

National Institute of Open Schooling

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NIOS Organises National Seminar on Gender Equality

and Open Schooling

The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) organised a

National Seminar on ‘Connecting Girls, Inspiring Future: Gender

Equality and Open Schooling’ on March 14-15, 2012 at the Vigyan

Bhawan Annexe, New Delhi.

The Seminar aimed to reaffirm the right of girls and women to

education, moving towards the fulfilment of Education For All(EFA) Goals for greater inclusion of girls and women.

The various sessions of the conference centred on the themes

of Gender Sensitive Curriculum, Study materials and Learning

support; Gender Equity and access: special focus groups e.g.

Minorities, disabled, etc.; Innovation towards student support in

the context of gender equality and Gender Policy.

enrolment of girls at the school level, in higher education and

also in professional courses. She also stressed on the need to

use energizing examples in the learning material and look at

women’s issues within the framework of complimentarily to be

able to produce quality individuals.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Dr. S.S. Jena, Chairman, NIOS

explained about the various Academic, Vocational and

Community-oriented courses offered by the NIOS as well as the

Basic Literacy Assessment Programme which target a large

segment of girls and women in the country. Speaking in the

context of the NIOS being a viable option for female learners, he

hoped that the seminar would enable in developing strategies tomake its learning material gender-bias free and work towards the

a creation of a Department of Women’s Studies in the NIOS.

Outlining the objectives of the workshop, Dr. Kuldeep Agarwal,Director (Academic), NIOS said that the seminar will work towards

the development of a repository of best practices for reducing

gender disparity in education through a collection of pioneering

ideas on developing gender sensitive curriculum, learning

environment and student support.

Prize winning entries of a National level Essay writing and slogan

writing competition organized for NIOS learners by the

Adolescence Education Programme (AEP), NIOS to

commemorate the International Women’s Day were felicitated

on the occasion.

Shri C. Dharuman, Secretary, NIOS proposed a vote of thanks.

National Level Competitions

An Essay writing, Slogan writing and Story composition

competitions were organised for NIOS learners by the

Adolescence Education Programme (AEP) unit of NIOS on the

occasion of the International Women’s Day – 2012.

The winners were as follows:

Slogan writing Competition

First Prize – Madhuri Bahera (150003103535), Bhubaneswar,

Odisha

Second Prize – Gaurav Chand (923410300032) AI-340177

Dehradun, Uttrakhand

Third Prize – Brij Bihari (270202103342) AI-270202, Delhi

Essay Competition

First Prize – Yana Rout (15002482002 AI-150024, Cuttack,

Odisha

Inaugurating the two day Seminar, Prof. Parvin Sinclair, Director,NCERT, New Delhi elaborated on the need to provide space and

meaningful representation to the disadvantaged groups, especially

women and the creation of gender-bias-free learning material

written in a simple language. Appreciating the initiatives taken

by the IGNOU & NIOS in the area of Women’s Studies, she

urged the NIOS to pro-actively motivate the community to achieve

gender sensitisation and to use the local dialect to popularise its

programmes.

Delivering her address on the key note that the “single success

story is the contribution made towards girls’ education in India“,

Prof. Usha Nayar, Former Head, Department of Women’s Studies,

NCERT, New Delhi, pointed out the appreciable increase in

Prof. Parvin Sinclair, Director, NCERT, New Delhi

inaugurating the Seminar

NEWS BULLETINNEWS BULLETINNEWS BULLETINNEWS BULLETINNEWS BULLETINMarch-April 2012

National Institute of Open Schooling

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Second Prize – Rubina Rizvi (170123113141), Rajasthan

Third Prize – Preeti Ranjana (030113113004) AI-030113, Patna,

Bihar

Special entry Prize

Pratap Rudra Sarangi (410001112037) Cuttack, Odisha

NIOS Examinations

The Senior Secondary and Secondary level examinations of

the National Institute of Open Schooling ( NIOS) commenced

on April 4th 2012 and April 7th 2012 respectively. Learners

appeared from examination centres spread throughout the

country and abroad.

Competency Based Education and Training Workshop

A three day workshop on Competency Based Education and

Training was organized by the Capacity Building Cell of the

Academic Department of the National Institute of Open Schoolingfor the Faculty of Vocational and Academic departments from

16-18th March 2012

Aimed at providing opportunities for the development of basic

knowledge and skills in competency based education and training

and competency based assessment, the workshop used various

methods of teaching such as lecture, discussion, field visit,

individual and group activity to make the learning process more

meaningful and effective.

Inaugurating the workshop, Dr. S. S Jena, Chairman, NIOS said

that competency based education and training is of importancenot only for vocational courses but also for academic courses

as the core function of education is to apply the acquired

knowledge into practice. The resource person for this workshop

was Dr. Vinay Swarup Mehrotra, Associate professor, Pandit

Sunderlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education

(PSSCIVE), Bhopal. Speaking in the context of the challenge

before academicians to develop programmes/courses which will

enable the application of knowledge into practice, Dr. Mehrotra

said that competencies are essential for both print and non-print

study material. He urged the faculty to orient themselves well tocompetency based education and training.

of Education, Training and Learning; Four pillars of education;

Ways of learning by Visual Auditory, Reading and Kinaesthetic

system (VARK); Styles of learning and how students can be

motivated to formulate personal learning aims by using ASSURE(Analyze the learners’ background, State objectives, Select Media

methods and materials, Utilize materials, Requisite learner

interaction, Evaluate the outcome if objectives are achieved)

were discussed. The first session was on understanding the

meaning and importance of Education, Training and Learning

where Definitions of education, training, learning, Four pillars of

education, ways of learning by Visual Auditory, Reading and

Kinaesthetic system (VARK), styles of learning, and how

students can be motivated to formulate personal learning aim

by using ASSURE (Analyze the learners’ background, State

objectives, Select Media, methods, materials, Utilize materials,Requisite learner interaction, Evaluate the outcome if objectives

are achieved) were discussed. The next session was on

Differentiating between Knowledge, Skill and Attitude which also

had an individual activity of differentiating between Knowledge,

Skill and Attitude in Mushroom cultivation. Understanding

Competency based Education and Training was discussed in the

subsequent session where various definitions of competency,

types of knowledge, skill and attitude, stages of skill development,

steps of competence development, essential competencies and

competency based Education and Training were discussed indetail. All faculty participants were asked to write learning

objectives, which was discussed in depth and better ways of

writing learning objectives were learnt as a group.

On the second day of the workshop, a field visit to a Accredited

Vocational Institute was organised to understand the different

skills required in the area of stitching and cake making and also

to identify the skill gaps which could be bridged by developing

appropriate modular competence based education and training.

Following this, communication and information technology skills

required by the faculty were discussed in detail in relation to

making education and training competence based. The last

session of the second day was devoted to understanding the

meaning and importance of competency based assessment

where different forms of assessment, purposes of assessment,principles of assessment, characteristics of assessment,

workplace assessment and its components, evidence of

achievement, evaluation, certification and Recognition of Prior

Learning was discussed in detail.

Dr. V.S. Mehrotra also oriented the faculty to the National

Vocational Qualification Education Framework (NVQEF) on the

third and last day of the workshop. He also made a presentation

on the pilot project of NVQEF in the state of Haryana. The

workshop concluded with a valedictory session.

Online Admission Open for:

Stream I (Block-I): upto 31st August, 2012

This stream for online Admission is open for new Learners

for April 2013 Examination as per the laid down eligibility

criteria for Secondary & Senior Secondary Levels. These

learners will be eligible to appear in Public Examination for

the first time in April 2013.

For more details, visit the NIOS website at www.nios.ac.in

or contact the Learner Support Centre (LSC) - Toll Free Number

1800 180 9393, e-mail: lsc@nios.ac.in

Competency based Education and Training Workshop in progress

In the first session meant for understanding the meaning and

importance of Education, Training and Learning, the Definitions

National Institute of Open Schooling

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This is in furtherance of the Memorandum of Understanding for

cooperation in the field of Literacy & Education, signed between

Afghanistan and India wherein Open Schooling has been identified

as one of the priority areas for cooperation between the two

countries for providing school education to the out-of-school

children, including drop outs.

In this connection, an Indian delegation comprising of Mr. Apurva

Chandra, Joint Secretary, Literacy & School Education, Ministry

of Human Resource Development, Government of India; Dr. S.

S. Jena, Chairman, National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS),

India and Dr. Sanyam Bhardwaj, Director,(Student Support

Services & In-charge, Minority Cell), NIOS, India recently visited

Afghanistan and participated in a workshop organised jointly by

the Ministry of Education, Govt. of Afghanistan and National

Institution Building Project, UNDP, Afghanistan.

The Open Schooling programme shall be implemented as a Pilot

Project for accelerated learning of youths in the age group of 15

to 25 years (out- of-school and drop outs) in the first instance,

and thereafter in other areas of education such as Basic

Education, Lower end Vocational Education, Skill development,

Teacher Education, Recognition of Prior Learning, etc. Another

area where open schooling has potential is for supplementingIslamic Education by introducing other subjects such as, English,

Mathematics, Sciences, Vocational courses, Computer Science,

etc.

New subjects in ODES

Three new subjects are now ready to be introduced in the On

Demand Examination Scheme (ODES) at the Senior

Secondary level. These include History (315), Environmental

Science (333) and Sociology (331). These subjects will be

available for registration from 1st of May 2012 for ODES to

be conducted in June 2012.

From the Regional Centres ........

Kolkata

Meeting of Co-ordinators

• The first cluster level meeting of Co-ordinators of Accredited

Institutions (AIs) and Accredited Vocational Institutes (AVIs)was held on 21st March, 2012 at St. Vincent’s High and

Technical School at Asansol, Burdwan Dist., West Bengal.

Four Co-ordinators each of AIs and AVIs of Burdwan and

Bankura districts participated in the programme. While the

programme began with a discussion on the new courses

and programmes of NIOS; On-line admission procedure;

proposal for introduction of Bengali medium at Senior

Secondary Course; E-governance process at Regional

Centre, Kolkata; On Demand Examination System; PTTI

projects; measures taken for effective monitoring ofexaminations etc., the Co-ordinators also presented the

status of their respective Study Centres.

Experiences about the process of admission and other

strategies adopted by them were shared by AVI No. 720021

– Vocational Training Centre, R. K. Mission, which has

recorded the highest enrolment in this region. A placement

cell in their institution also helps successful learners to obtain

jobs in the nearby industrial sector.

AVI No. 720001 – St. Vincent’s High & Technical School and

AVI No. 720007 – St. Anne’s Vocational Training Centreexplained the advantages and features of the Modular

Employable Skills (MES) programme under Skill

Development Initiative Scheme (SDIC) of Directorate General

of Employment and Training, Ministry of Labour &

Employment, Govt. of India. Difficulties faced in providing

vocational training through English/Hindi medium study

materials was expressed for which Bengali translation of

course material is to be initiated .

• The 2nd cluster level AI and AVI Co-ordinators’ meet of 2012was held on 16th April 2012 at Don Bosco School, Liluah.

The Co-ordinators/representatives of seven AIs from Howrah

and two from Hooghly district of West Bengal participated in

the meeting.

Meeting for Teachers’ Training (D. El. Ed) in West

Bengal

A one-day meeting was convened by the Dept of School

Education, Govt. of West Bengal on 4th April 2012 at Vikash

Bhawan, Kolkata to discuss and review the proposal sent for theTeachers’ Training Programme of West Bengal under the Diploma

in Elementary Education course of NIOS. The meeting was chaired

(From R) Dr. S. S. Jena, Chairman, NIOS and Mr. Apurva Chandra, JS,

L&SE, MHRD, Govt. of India at the Workshop in Afghanistan

Open Schooling for Vulnerable Youths in Afghanistan

The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), an autonomous

organisation of the Ministry of Human Resource Development,

Government of India, being the World’s Biggest Open Schooling

System, and its Chairman, being the Chairman of the

Commonwealth Open Schooling Association (COMOSA) has

been identified as a major resource institution to study the

feasibility of establishing a credible Open Distance Learning (ODL)system with a view to facilitate the school education system in

Afghanistan.

National Institute of Open SchoolingA-24-25, Institutional Area, Sector-62, NOIDA, UP

Website : www.nios.ac.in ••••• Toll Free No. 1800 180 9393

Editorial BoardEditorial BoardEditorial BoardEditorial BoardEditorial Board

• S.S. Jena, Chairman, NIOS : Chief Editor

• C. Dharuman, Director (Evaluation)/Secretary : Member

• K.P. Wasnik, Director (VE) : Member

• Kuldeep Agarwal, Director (Academic) : Consulting Editor

• Sanyam Bhardwaj, Director (SSS) : Member

• Gowri Diwaker, PRO : Editor

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National Institute of Open Schooling

by Sh. Vikram Sen, Principal Secretary, School Education

Department, Govt. of West Bengal. Emphasising the need for a

common syllabus and reading materials, Sh. Vikram Sahay,

Director, MHRD, GOI urged the National Institute of OpenSchooling (NIOS), Indira Gandhi National Open University

(IGNOU), and West Bengal WBBPE to review their syllabi and

study materials on the basis of the NCF 2005 and NCFTE 2009.

Dr. Kuldeep Agarwal, Director (Academic) and Sh. Aditi Ranjan

Rout, Regional Director, NIOS Regional Centre, Kolkata

represented NIOS and participated in the discussion.

On the basis of suggestions to identify institutions in various

districts of West Bengal for successful implementation of the

programme, two committees, namely a Joint Academic

Committee to review the syllabi and study materials and a secondcommittee for identification of infrastructural requirement were

formed.

Kochi

• NIOS Regional Centre, Kochi participated in a Public

Information Campaign organized by Press Information

Bureau, Thiruvananthapuram, GOI from 23rd to 25th

February, 2012 at CSI Parish Hall, Parkarpuram, Kakkamoola,

by setting up a stall at the venue. The campaign was

inaugurated by Shri G. Karthikeyan, Hon’ble Speaker,Legislative Assembly, Kerala.

In addition to banners, brochures, priced as well as non priced

publications of NIOS which were displayed, about 1500

Copies of a Brochure in Malayalam medium on the Academic,

Open Basic and Vocational Programmes of NIOS were

distributed.

• NIOS Regional Centre, Kochi also participated in a Public

Information Campaign organized by Press Information

Bureau, Chennai, GOI from 2nd to 4th March, 2012 at Olakkur

Village, Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu. Inaugurated by Dr.B. Haridas, Hon’ble MLA, Thindivanam, Shri V. Sambath,

IAS, Collector, Villupuram, representatives of different

Panchayats, Self help groups and representatives of different

Associations including Women’s Associations of Ollakkur

and nearby villages visited the NIOS stall. Copies of a

brochure on the Academic, Open Basic and Vocational

Programmes of NIOS developed in Tamil medium were

distributed.

Allahabad

• A Teleconferencing programme was organised at NIOS

Regional Centre, Allahabad on 30 March 2012 for

functionaries involved in evaluation work of the April-May

2012 NIOS examinations.

Success Story

Varun Thakkar

Enrolment No: 190017103044

Chennai based Varun Thakkar

participated in the 15th Asian Sailing

Championship held at Langkawi,

Malaysia recently. Varun along with his

partner, Ganapathy Kelpanda put up an

impressive performance and won the

Bronze, a result of several years of

hard work, bringing the first ever

overseas youth medal in sailing for

India. The Asian Sailing Championship is one of the major

multiclass events that draws top class sailors from all over

the Asian continent.

Varun attributes his success to the flexibility offered by the

NIOS system which enabled him to continue studies, while

also being able to pursue with dedication, his passion for thesport of sailing. He is thankful to NIOS for making it possible

for him to take up the sport of sailing in a dedicated manner,

bringing glory to the country and also to the sport.

Varun who has completed his tenth class from NIOS belongs

to Tamil Nadu Sailing Association which is the largest sailingestablishment in the country today with the biggest fleet of

competitive sailors. He is preparing for his next major

challenge at ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship to be

held in Dublin, Ireland.

NIOS wishes him good luck in all his endeavours!

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D.N. Upreti, Publication Officer