Agnipath: Securing the Saviours

Geography is important for Indian defence. Indian Peninsula is a distinct landmass. The country lays beautifully divided by the Tropic of Cancer in almost two equal halves with one part land-locked and embroidered with some of the greatest mountain ranges of the World, while the other lies submerged in water surrounded by 3 different oceans. As India rises as one of the promising Asian Superpowers and one among global leaders at large, having a strong defence ecosystem occupies a center-stage in terms of peace, security and geopolitics. India’s massive efforts to bolster its defence manufacturing capabilities, increase defence acquirements, enhanced patrolling, radar and exercises, changes in defence training and recruitments, encouragement to domestic defence manufacturers, allocation of increased defence funds, etc. are all for the bigger picture and future readiness.

Implementation of ‘Agnipath’- an attractive and transformative defence recruitment scheme of the Government of India, may prove to be a game changer for the Indian defence system. Now, soldiers recruited in the defence forces under this recruitment policy, will be termed as ‘Agniveers’ – a distinct rank in the Armed Forces, different from any other existing ranks. Under the new scheme, government is trying to create a youthful profile of the Armed forces. This way the newly recruited youth would be better able to be trained with newer technologies, which has enough prospects to transform the armed forces into youthful, techno- savvy and modern because even an infantry soldier now needs to be technologically advanced to use the whole range of weapons and communication devices. The scheme envisages to reduce the average age profile of Indian Armed forces by about 4-5 years.

‘Agniveer’ is going to be a part of the future-ready soldier and after 4 years of service, they will stand out in crowd with their attitude, skills, discipline and sense of timing and responsibilities. Under the new system, those wishing to work in the army for only a few years, can do so with a different aptitude and attitude towards life, society and nation building. Now aspirants between the ages of 17.5 years and 21 years will be eligible to apply and the recruitment standards will remain the same, with recruitment rallies to be organised twice a year. This scheme is set to give a better opportunity to the youth who choose to serve the nation as their full time job.

One of the reasons behind this revolutionary move may be an attempt to reduce the growing pension payout. But strengthening the connection between society and the military and instilling nationalism among the youth by providing an opportunity to fulfill their aspiration of serving in the Armed Forces, is of much more significance. Further, Agniveers will be given an attractive customised monthly package along with ‘Risk and Hardship’ allowances as applicable in the three services. After completion of the engagement period of 4 years, Agniveers will be accorded with the one time ‘SevaNidhi’ package.

Agniveers, selected for enrolment in the Indian Armed Forces as regular cadre, would be required to serve for the engagement period of minimum 15 years and he/she will be governed by the existing terms and conditions of service of Junior Commissioned Officers/other ranks in Indian Army and their equivalent in Indian Navy and Indian Air Force and that of Non Combatant enrolled in the Indian Air Force. 46,000 Agniveers are likely to be recruited under the first phase of recruitment.

Once selected, the aspirants will go through training for six months and then they will be deployed for three and a half years. During this period, they will be provided an attractive monthly package of Rs 30,000 per month with upgradation upto Rs 40,000 per month in 4th year. Importantly, during this period, 30% of their salary will be set aside under a ‘Seva Nidhi’ programme, and the government will contribute an equal amount every month along with providing accrue interest. At the end of the four-year period, Agniveer will be accorded Rs 11.71 lakh as a lump sum amount, which will be tax-free. Additionally, they will also get a Rs 48 lakh life insurance cover for the four years.

Educational system during and Post-COVID world

The National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2021- the first exercise of the sort after Covid-19 pandemic struck India, has confirmed how badly school education has been hit by the Covid pandemic. For the first time, a study has quantified the impacts and extents, showing a sharp decline in the performance of majority of the students. Under NAS, about 34 lakh students from more than one lakh schools in 720 districts of the country, have been covered, showing a decline in national average percentage in a range of subjects. The average performance of schools in rural areas was significantly below than their counterparts in the urban areas. Around a quarter of students said they didn’t have an access to digital devices, so couldn’t take any advantage of the online education. Students from poor and rural background faced greater problems also because of the non-availability of parental support. Suspension of physical classes has led to germination of negativity in children.

School closure in India affected 320 million children enrolled from pre-primary to tertiary levels of education. It has been estimated that of these, about 158 million are female students. A parliamentary committee has observed that in the post-pandemic scenario, the probability of more adolescent girls dropping out of school permanently to help with household tasks and childcare due to the economic hardships of their families is very high. The daughters of the country know though how to fight back. They have been able to secure the top three ranks in the UPSC Civil Services 2021 Examination, results of which were declared today.

However, given the inevitable COVID circumstances, several steps and initiatives have helped in aiding the cause. India’s Public Broadcaster also filled the big vacuum by helping students across the country with their studies amidst lockdown. In collaboration with various State Government institutions, Doordarshan and All India Radio broadcasted virtual classes and other educational content through their regional channels across the country on TV and Radio. Prasar Bharati News Services & Digital Platform (PBNS) ensured digital availability of these classes via YouTube channels and NewsOnAIR.com APP and website. These virtual classes helped Lakhs of students, especially the 10th and 12th standard students in preparation for their board and competitive examinations.

Further, Union Budget this year made another special announcement for the Indian education sector and that is the well-thought plan of the Centre to establish a Digital University in the country. While making this announcement, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “A digital University will be established to provide access to the students across the country for world-class quality universal education with a personalised learning experience at their doorsteps.” This university will be a solution to many a problems like shortage of seats in university system, lack of quality education and teachers, etc. which force scores of students to end up with little or insignificant choices. This initiative will also ensure inclusivity as the students belonging to lower strata of the society; normally find it hard to make it to the top institutions because of the lack of access. Measures like e-Vidya, One Class One Channel, digital labs, digital universities will create an educational infrastructure, which will provide better education solutions to the students living in villages and small towns, and belonging to poor socio-economic and educational set up.

India passed National Education Policy 2020 at the right time too. Under NEP, a well designed framework is all set to bring deep educational reforms which focus on development of both technical and soft-skills among scholars. It lays emphasis on inquiry-based, discovery-based, and analysis-based ways to help children learn. Employability is also in fact one of the parts of the policy. Indian students have for so long failed to get decent and appropriate employment opportunities on the basis of their earned professional degrees. The NEP fixes this as it envisions to empower students through encouragement of a set of vocational, employable & entrepreneurial skills provided to them at different stages of training & education.

Worrying trend of mental health among adolescent

Texas shooting in the USA, killing 19 children among 21 in a primary school attack by an 18 year boy, has again raised the rising concerns of mental health among adolescents. Experts from across the globe say- it would be oversimplification to say that such shootings happen because of the lax gun laws, which allow even an 18-year-old to buy a long automatic gun, but rather it is a worsening psychological condition forcing adolescents to go for a shooting spree.

Corroborating the popular concerns, WHO says, globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for around 13% of the global burden of disease in this age group. However, the majority of them do not seek help or receive care, rather they remain unrecognized and untreated. Depression, anxiety, behavioural disorders and suicidal tendencies are fast rising among adolescents.

The consequences of such adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead a fulfilling life as adults, besides creating upheavals in society. According to the WHO, if we do not act immediately, by 2030 depression will be the leading illness worldwide.

Multiple factors affect mental health. Childhood and adolescence are critical stages of life for mental health. During this formative time, rapid physical, emotional and social changes take place. Children and adolescents acquire cognitive and social-emotional skills that shape their future mental health and are important for assuming adult roles in society. However, exposure to poverty, abuse, violence, educational difficulties, bullying, harsh parenting, mental illness of parents, violence in the family, substance use, heavy episodic drinking, use of tobacco and cannabis, severe and socioeconomic problems and apathy of the system, family and society can make adolescents vulnerable to mental health problems.

Moreover, some adolescents are at greater risk of mental health conditions due to their living conditions, stigma, discrimination or exclusion, or lack of access to quality support system and services. The solutions, besides approaching expert medical practioners/clinical psychologists, include parents or guardians listening to their children and taking their feelings seriously, staying away from passing negative feelings and continuous acrimony, talking through the problem in order to work out the best way to tackle it, generate awareness among masses about mental illnesses.

India is also not immune to this crisis of enormous magnitude. According to India’s latest National Mental Health Survey, an estimated 150 million people across the country are in need of mental health care interventions. In India, lack of awareness, stigma related to mental disorders, delayed treatment-seeking behavior, lack of low-cost diagnostic tests and limited access and availability to easily available treatment further aggravate the problem.

However, the Government of India is implementing the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) under NMHP in 704 districts of the country. To generate awareness among masses about mental illnesses, information, education and communication (IEC) activities are an integral part of the NMHP.

Multi-Disciplinary Learning Framework is Here

Soft skills and personality have started playing much bigger role in life than one’s academic performances. The rate at which the world order and sciences are changing, it is observed that many career trajectories in the coming years would require employees to have wide knowledge in diverse fields and subjects. Various studies do suggest that exposure to arts and social sciences results in enhanced creativity, improved critical thinking, higher social and moral awareness, problem-solving, social and circumstantial adaptability, better teamwork and communication skills among students.

India has come up with The National Policy on Education (NEP), which promises many solutions to the rising complexities of education, works and life. A broad-based, multi-disciplinary and holistic under-graduation is one such solution, as it includes flexible curriculum, creative combinations of subjects, integration of vocational education and multiple entry and exit points with appropriate certification. NEP envisages multi-disciplinarity in higher education with an aim to produce well-rounded individuals from universities, helping realize the full potential of India’s demographic dividend. Such qualities are in high demand in the 21st-century economy where no sector of the economy works in a silo.

The NEP aims at de-compartmentalize Indian education and breaking the rigid and artificial barriers between professional vs liberal education. It rightly points out that even in ancient times, good education was described as the knowledge of the 64 kalas or arts. This included knowledge in scientific fields like chemistry and mathematics, vocational fields such as carpentry and clothes-making, professional fields such as medicine and engineering, as well as soft skills such as communication, debate and discussion. Hence, students from humanities’ background are needed to be equipped with the latest technological know-how to suit to the needs and produce greater and holistic results.

Several institutions like IIT Bombay and others have already introduced an interdisciplinary undergraduate course that includes liberal arts, science and engineering in one programme. Others have also started exploring the possibilities of offering multidisciplinary courses. Under multi-disciplinary system, UG education can be of 3 or 4 years with multiple exit options and appropriate certification is provided within this period. For example, a certificate after 1 year, advanced diploma after 2 years, bachelor’s degree after 3 years and bachelor’s with research after 4 years. An Academic Bank of Credit is in the process for digitally storing academic credits earned from different HEIs, so that these can be transferred and counted towards final degree earned. The NEP also envisions setting up of Model public Universities for holistic and multidisciplinary education at par with IITs and IIMs, called MERUs (Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities) which aims to attain the highest global standards in quality education. Students being able to use learnings in leading a well balanced life can be achieved by such holistic approach towards studies in youth years. Naturally, this is bound to impart the abilities and skills of lifelong learning, a must have for the VUCA world!

14 Time Capsules inspiring Young Generations

“Today, when a new world order is emerging, the world is looking at India with a hope and confidence, then India will also have to increase its efforts to rise up to the occasion”, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he inaugurated the ‘Pradhan Mantri Sangrahalaya’, a museum telling the glorious story of India after independence through the lives and contributions of all the 14 Prime Ministers of the country so far.

The Prime Minister also expressed pride in the fact that many of the Prime Ministers came from ordinary families. “It also gives confidence to the youth of the country that even a person born in an ordinary family can reach the highest positions in the democratic system of India… The more our youth knows about key occasions of Independent India, the more relevant will be their decisions,” said PM Modi, in a hope that the museum will expand the experience of the young generations. He said, “Every government formed in independent India has contributed in taking the country to the height it is at today… To remember them is to know the journey of independent India. People coming here will be familiar with the contribution of the former Prime Ministers of the country, their background, their struggles and creations”. The museum also gives some glimpses of our long fought freedom struggle and the making of the constitution which incorporated the beauties of then various existing constitutions across the globe.

Representing a seamless blend of the old and the new, the Sangrahalaya is safeguarding the past through its physical remains incorporated with technology-based interfaces like holograms, virtual reality, augmented reality, multi-touch, multimedia, interactive kiosks, computerized kinetic sculptures, smart-phone applications, interactive screens and experiential installations to present content in an interactive and engaging manner. These tech-based interfaces encompass heterogeneity in content and frequent rotation of display, making all 43 galleries of the museum a treat for the eyes.

Conceptualization of Sangrahalaya is guided by the vision of PM Modi to honour the contribution of all Prime Ministers of India towards nation building. Logo of the Sangrahalaya represents the hands of the people of India holding the Dharma Chakra symbolizing the nation and democracy. The design of the museum building is inspired by the story of rising India, shaped and moulded by the hands of its leaders. Keeping this tribute in ind, the design has been incorporated with sustainable and energy conservation practices. No trees were felled or transplanted during the course of work on the project. Also, the Sangrahalaya does include the erstwhile Nehru Museum, which throws light on the life and contributions of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. A number of gifts received by him from all over the world but not exhibited so far, have also been put on display.

The opening of such a rich collection is aimed at sensitizing and inspiring the younger generation about the leadership, vision and achievements of all our Prime Ministers.

Movement for Exam Stress Management

‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ is part of the larger movement – ‘Exam Warriors’ – led by the Prime Minister to create a stress-free atmosphere for youngsters by bringing together students, parents, teachers and the society to foster an environment where the unique individuality of each child is celebrated fully. The event is preceded by ‘Pradhan Mantri – Mentorships’ Scheme for Young writers (PM-YUVA), a creative programme to further ignite their passion for excellence. It was organized by the Ministry of Education for young writers up to the age of 30 years. For the first time, Raj Bhawans of all the states and UTs had also been connected virtually in the programme and the selected students were awarded with the special kits by the state Governors.

Education is a subject of concurrent list. In a unique departure from the past, PM Modi has often been seen stressing on the need to leverage co-operative & competitive federalism to achieve all round growth. And mass events like Pariksha Pe Charcha, PM’s direct interaction with winners of Bal Puruskar awards, and his messages to students through Exam warriors book and often through his monthly radio program Mann Ki Baat, are connecting government and administration with young minds and seekers at grass-root level. These efforts are resulting in enormous churning in terms of strengthening the role of the centre and its efforts of heading towards ‘Cooperative Federalism’, centre’s new vision which aims to empower different states equally with boost to Federalism.

India is a diverse country and is rightly focussing on nurturing the unique talent and skill-development and entrepreneurship among youth as it also tries to make people aware of unknown leverages they have but fail to recognise, like the power of language, culture, food, local history and speciality, hyperlocal tourism, power of regional arts, traditional dances and games, local traditions and regional attractions, etc. and building on it in the advanced digital way. NEP 2020 offers a plethora of such opportunities as it focuses on developing both soft skills and technological engagement and learning. PM Modi stressed on the importance of skill along with knowledge, highlighting why skilling has been included as a part of the National Education Policy. He also underlined the flexibility provided by NEP in the choice of subjects, saying proper implementation of NEP will open up new avenues in life and career. He urged schools all over the country to find new ways to implement the new technologies invented by the students.

When PM says, ‘Appear for the exams in a festive mood without any stress and treat technology as an opportunity, not as a challenge”, he doesn’t limit himself to just guiding lakhs of students for their immediate examinations, but try to prepare them for life by injecting into them elements of flexibility, adaptability, acceptance and a clear realization of life. It’s a fact, substantiated by the experts from top notch health institutions that emotional quotient is the key to success in this very fast changing age. Being emotionally healthy promotes productivity and effectiveness and plays an important part in maintaining cordial relationships with all kinds of forces touching upon our life, which is crucial for the all round development of the children. Good mental health helps us cope up with adversity which has amply been reflected by Covid-19.

Clearly, the Prime Minister in a stretch addressed several issues which have far reaching ramifications for the education, social, psychological and economic life of crores of people including students. He also referred to the new educational policy policy at the same time. When he says, “Daughter is the strength of the family. What can be better than seeing our nari shakti excel in different sectors of life”, he gives out a strong message for their educational and economic empowerment, which is a must for the formation of a knowledge based 21st century economy and society.

NEP par Charcha

The working landscape of India is being changed through transformational reforms and also according to how technology is shaping up in the third decade of the 21st century. While the first two decades of the century were driven by jobs being done by people falling in the age group of 25-35, since last couple of years, the world has rightly shifted its focus on nurturing young minds (age group 15-25) and on the endorsement of developing a skill-based and tech-oriented mindset among youth. As the work culture evolves rapidly around the globe and as more and more people switch to gathering domain knowledge and intellectual finesse, India’s implementation of NEP 2020 is going to be a key factor in its aim to equip manpower to lead unprecedented industry change.

National Education Policy 2020, one of the landmark and transformative ideas in higher education policy promoted by the Narendra Modi government, lays emphasis on inquiry-based, discovery-based, and analysis-based ways to help children learn. Under NEP 2020, a well designed framework is all set to bring deep educational reforms which focus on development of both technical and soft-skills among scholars. Employability is also in fact one of the parts of the policy. Indian students have for so long failed to get decent and appropriate employment opportunities on the basis of their earned professional degrees. The NEP fixes this as it envisions to empower students through encouragement of a set of vocational, employable & entrepreneurial skills provided to them at different stages of training & education. This will also inspire talented youth to become self-employed professionals.

In addition to this, engaging with them on a mass level through various educational and vocational training programmes has been a good thing to start with, bringing the kind of momentum students and seekers need to find their spots in the fast-evolving educational landscape, which is both practical and agile.

Efforts are also being made to further get the change rightly incorporated in the minds of the students on a very early stage, one of the initiative being the Pariksha Pe Charcha programme. There is a phenomenal response from the students, parents and teachers alike over the programme which is moderated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Lakhs of people have shared their valuable insights towards this year’s ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ too. PM Modi is going to interact with students, teachers, parents in a hybrid mode from Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi on 1st of April.

This is the 5th edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha. Earlier, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan called upon students, teachers and parents to make PPC 2022 a public movement. Underlining the importance of initiatives like PPC in building the knowledge-based economy of 21st century, Pradhan said that PPC is becoming a formal institution through which Prime Minister interacts directly with students. India has ushered in a new era of educating Indians as well as the international community through multi-modal ways and digital platforms to create One India, Excellent India. Indian students have been going abroad for pursuing higher education for so long. With new changes, the country now seeks to reverse the process by having a world-class flexible education system and is already on the task.

Today, India is well on its way to having a decisive decade of growth in the 2020s, backed by a reformist government that has consistently provided policy support to boost the economy. The country has emerged as a favoured investment destination, giving boost to industries, creating new jobs, attracting latest technology, and providing fillip to new and upcoming sectors. Core to all of these is reforms in the education process, being led from front by NEP.

Ways and means to skill, re-skill and up-skill

Citizens of modern world, the inter-connected Global village, are always amazed to see the still prevalent rot method of learning and lack of choices around curriculum to citizens of developing and under-developed countries. Perhaps this educational disadvantage is the prime reason of backwardness in the first place. India is taking decisive action in removing this lacuna.

Adopting a strategic response to fast changing skill demands Government of India is working on a plan to have 10,000 to 15,000 courses from present 4,500 courses These courses are meant for skilling, up-skilling and re-skilling of lakhs of youth setting up enterprises and knocking the job market every year. To build a resilient mechanism for education delivery, ‘one class-one TV channel’ programme of PM eVIDYA will be expanded from 12 to 200 TV channels, which will enable all states to provide supplementary education in regional languages for classes 1-12. A Digital University is also being established to provide access to students across the country for world-class quality universal education with personalised learning experience at their doorsteps. This will be made available in different Indian languages and ICT formats. The best public universities and institutions in the country will collaborate as a network of hub-spokes.

Aim is to skill, re-skill and up-skill on a large scale with speed and high standards in order to achieve vision of a ‘Skilled India’ through collaborations with relevant Central Ministries, State governments, international organizations, industry bodies, NGOs and relevant Government institutions, namely, Directorate General of Training (DGT), National Skill Development Agency (NSDA), National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), National Skill Development Fund (NSDF) and 38 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) as well as 33 National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs/NSTI(w)), around 15,000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) under DGT and 187 training partners registered with NSDC.

Earlier, the Union Budget 2022 also stated that the skilling programme and partnership with the respective industry will be reoriented to promote continuous skilling avenues, sustainability and employability, and National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) will be aligned with dynamic industry needs. “Digital Ecosystem for Skilling and Livelihood-the DESH-Stack e-portal, will also be launched. This portal aims to empower citizens to skill, re-skill and up-skill through online training. It will also provide API-based trusted skill credentials, payment and discovery layers to find relevant jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities. The Start-ups will be promoted to facilitate ‘Drone Shakti’ through varied applications and for Drone-As-A-Service (DrAAS). In selected ITIs, in all states, the required courses for skilling, will be started,” said the Finance Minister.