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On 21st July, 2023, a public commemoration for the late Mr. N Vinaya Hegde, who was the founding member of Nitte Group of Educational Institutions and Chancellor of Nitte Deemed University, was held at Sharada Vidyalaya, Mangaluru at the request of the Bishop of Mangaluru Diocese, Rt Rev Dr. Peter Paul Saldanha.

The Bishop presented a floral tribute to Mr.Vinaya Hegde and spoke of the many ways he exemplified true humility, saying: "Mr.Vinaya Hegde was true to his name". The Bishop encouraged those in attendance to follow Mr.Vinaya Hegde's example and make it their own as they work on behalf of the nation. He prayed for peace to the departed soul.

Ex, Vice Chancellor Prof B.A. Viveka Rai said that it was Vinaya Hegde who made Nitte not just a small village but a successful education hub. He said that through the institutions Hegde had set up, thousands had found the right path which resulted in a huge educational revolution along the coast. He said the locality had lost a great leader and that there is no one to take Vinaya Hegde's place and urged people to take his values in their own lives.

Kanchuru Educational Institutions Chairman U.K. Monu reminisced about his association with Vinaya Hegde for the last 25 years and mentioned that Hegde was always a source of support without expecting anything in return. Monu said Hegdes contributions were instrumental in the advancement of their institution. Tribute to Vinaya Hegde were paid by MLA Vedavyas Kamath, Prof M.B. Puranik, Prabhakar Sharma (retired ADC), and Capt Ganesh Karnik (ex, Legislative Council member), among others. In addition to these, a number of dignitaries gathered for the occasion, such as Karnataka Bank Chairman Raghavendra S. Bhat, Nitte University Vice, Chancellor Dr Satish Kumar Bhandary, Mangaluru Diocese PRO Roy Castelino, Kasapa president (ex.) Harikrishna Punaroor, Karnataka Bank chairman (ex.) Mahabaleshwara M.S., MLC (ex.) Monappa Bhandary, Mayor (ex.) M. Shashidhar Hegde and many more. The vote of thanks was delivered by Pradeep Kumar Kalkoor who also greeted the gathering. Dayananda Katilu was the master of ceremonies for the programme.

In a bid to curb male student dropouts and promote higher education, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the 'Babu Asoni' scheme on January 1, 2026, offering monthly financial aid exclusively to boys pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Postgraduates will receive Rs 2,000 per month, while graduates get Rs 1,000, credited directly to their bank accounts starting February 1.

The initiative targets families with annual incomes below Rs 4 lakh, excluding children of government employees to prioritize the underprivileged. First-year students in recognized Assam institutions qualify automatically, with applications set to open soon via a dedicated portal. Sarma highlighted the scheme's role in easing financial pressures amid rising education costs, mirroring the success of the 'Nijut Moina' program for girls, which provides similar stipends—Rs 1,000 for higher secondary, Rs 1,250 for UG, and Rs 2,500 for PG or BEd.

This male-focused scheme builds on Assam's aggressive push for gender-balanced education incentives. Since 2024 many thousands of girls have enrolled through "Nijut Moina" and have decreased child marriage rates by 30%. Parallel dropout trends of boys within rural/low-income families will also be addressed by "Babu Asoni". In the first year, officials estimate coverage of over 100,000 beneficiaries using funds from the State's Welfare budget.

Many Educationist agree that this is an excellent opportunity, but they want to ensure that it is monitored to prevent abuse and is integrated with Skill programs (such as Vocational Training). The Dean of a University in Guwahati stated, "This could be a game changer for Equity, but the sustained impact will require that Counseling accompanies Cash." Assam's goal is to have 100% Gross Enrollment by 2030, and this approach could set a National Example for Targeted Aid and Funding. However, critics point out that this is creating a Gender Divide; therefore, they advocate for Unified Support. Implementation challenges like Aadhaar-bank linkages remain, but early registrations are pouring in.

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), an institution that has been traditionally known for the production of school textbooks and curriculum design, may soon transition to a different institutional role. According to sources from the Ministry of Education, NCERT is going to be granted deemed, to, be, university status by the end of January, ANI reports.

The decision has already been almost finalized, and the University Grants Commission is expected to take it up in its upcoming meeting. "The preparation has been done. The UGC has to hold a meeting to make a decision. We are hopeful that once the next meeting takes place, the update will come by the end of the month, " a source told ANI.

The proposal is not new. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had announced the plan in 2023, describing the move as a way of making NCERT a research, focused institution that could collaborate with foreign academic institutions and contribute more actively to the international education ecosystem.

What NCERT is today?

NCERT is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Education. Its mandate sits firmly at the school level. It designs national curricula, publishes textbooks used across central and state board schools, conducts educational research and supports teacher training. While being influential, NCERT is not a university. It does not award degrees, conduct independent postgraduate programmes or operate as a higher education institution. Its authority is based on being a policy unit, rather than on academic accreditation. Deemed university status would mean a change in that hierarchy. What deemed, to, be, university status means Universities in India are recognised by the University Grants Commission under the UGC Act, 1956. Deemed, to, be, university is a special category only for those institutions, which on the strength of academic record in a particular area, are recommended by the UGC and given approval by the Central Government. The number of such institutions with deemed university status is about 145 as per the information on the UGC website. The Indian Institute of Science was the first institution to be conferred with this status in 1958, whereas at present, Tamil Nadu has the largest number of such institutions.

After being granted this status, NCERT will be able to operate as a research university with full autonomy. As per ANI, this will enable it to begin expanded in, house research programmes without any external collaboration and formally enter higher education and doctoral training.

Additionally, NCERT will have the authority to grant its own degrees, thus greatly extending its institutional footprint beyond school education. This not only places it differently in India's education system but also creates a scenario where bodies that design school curricula and those that award higher education degrees have traditionally remained separate.

According to the ANI report, it is anticipated that most of the financing will still be provided by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Education. That information is important because it indicates that NCERT's academic diversification will be still embedded in the school education sector and not taken over by the higher education sector.

Why the move matters ?

The proposal exemplifies a wider policy change under the National Education Policy which supports research, oriented institutions and integration across different levels of education. In effect, NCERT being turned into a deemed university would mean that one institution absorbs the authority of curriculum, the capacity for research, and the power to grant degrees. The change of the university status modifies the governance, accountability and academic power. 

What happens next?

The final call is with the UGC and it would need an approval from the Central Government as well. In case of a positive decision, NCERT will be among the institutions which enjoy considerable autonomy in Indias higher education system. The transition for an organisation that has, through its publications, influenced the education of students for years, from indirectly impacting education to formally awarding degrees and producing research, is quite significant. The consequences will not only be seen in universities but also in the way school education policy is researched, trained and revised. At present, the proposal is poised for a meeting and once it is approved, it would change permanently what NCERT is allowed to be.

In its effort to produce students that are sensitive to the society and possess the skills of communication and are well informed, the Rajasthan Government has ordered all the government schools to include in their daily programme a 10 minute newspaper reading session. This new regulation targets at helping the students understand the happenings in the world around them, thus, improving their language skills and inculcating the habit of reading from an early age.

According to guidelines issued by the School Education Department, newspaper reading will be integrated into the daily school routine and conducted during the morning prayer assembly. The directive specifies that higher secondary government schools must subscribe to at least two newspapers—one in Hindi and one in English. Government higher primary schools are required to order two Hindi newspapers, while English-medium government schools must ensure the availability of both Hindi and English dailies.

School Education Department Secretary Krishna Kunal, in the official order, stated that students will read major editorials, important national and international news, and sports reports. To enhance vocabulary and comprehension, five new words along with their meanings will be introduced daily. Students from Classes 6 to 12 will actively participate by reading selected news items and editorials aloud, encouraging confidence, articulation, and public speaking skills. Students assigned the reading duty will be required to arrive at school 30 minutes earlier to prepare for the session. On designated ‘No Bag Days’, schools will organize mass discussions on current government initiatives and key issues, turning news consumption into interactive learning.

Education officials pointed out that the program is aimed at enticing students to take an interest in the news and public affairs, extend their general knowledge and improve their language skills. "It will definitely have a positive influence on students' social awareness, prepare them for competitive exams and help them acquire the skill of critical thinking, " a spokesperson of the Department said.

Secretary Krishna Kunal also pointed out that the new academic initiative is one of many that are designed to nurture a lifelong reading habit, which in turn, will develop students into aware, thoughtful, and self, confident citizens. With newspapers being a regular feature in classrooms across the state, Rajasthan is not only upgrading the educational system but also emphasizing schools' indispensable role in the intellectual and social development of the young, who consequently become more in sync with the world surrounding them.

Andhra Pradesh is preparing to drastically upscale the public school education system with 335 government schools chosen for a total facelift under the PM, SHRI (Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India) scheme. The programme is designed to make these schools exemplary ones, provided with modern infrastructure, digital learning tools, and student- friendly facilities. This was conveyed by the Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand after a nationwide video conference reviewed by the PM Narendra Modi.

The meeting was about looking at the progress of the key development programmes in different states. With the implementation of the PM, SHRI scheme, the selected schools in Andhra Pradesh are being upgraded to ensure improved learning outcomes and a future, ready education environment. Vijayanand stated in a press release that these schools are being developed holistically to provide quality education supported by digital infrastructure. There will be many major infrastructural changes such as building permanent school buildings, providing an uninterruptible power supply, and separate toilets for boys and girls. Apart from these, the institutions will be provided with safe drinking water, handwashing facilities, libraries, and suitable sports equipment.

Under this program, schools will also be digitally transformed through internet connectivity, computer laboratories, and playgrounds, and digital identity cards will be given to students and teachers. The initiative also targets the digital transformation of schools by offering internet connectivity, computer laboratories, playgrounds, and digital identity cards to students and teachers.

Attendance tracking will be enhanced through child tracking software, thus enabling closer monitoring of student participation and engagement. Such initiatives are in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which advocates holistic, inclusive, and technology driven learning. The progress of the PM, SHRI programme was reviewed in a meeting that included chief secretaries from all states. The discussions centred on implementation challenges, inter, state coordination, and best practices. Officials observed that the modernised infrastructure would be a source of both students' and teachers' empowerment, as the latter will get comfortable, healthy, and resourceful learning environments. By continuously investing in school infrastructure and digital education, Andhra Pradesh is determined to create new standards of quality for government schooling. The PM, SHRI programme is anticipated to become instrumental in closing learning gaps, facilitating access to technology, and securing the quality of education in the state over the long term.

The National Council of Educational Research and Training will conduct the Foundational Learning Study to assess and strengthen the basic learning competencies of Delhi students at the Grade 3 level of the current academic year, a statement said.

The Delhi State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) informed that the study is tentatively scheduled to be held during February, March 2026 in selected, sampled schools. The list of participating schools will be shared in advance.

The Foundational Learning Study (FLS) is aimed at gaining a clear picture of how students have acquired basic reading, writing and numeracy skills by the end of the foundational stage, the statement said.

It is a joint effort of SCERT and NCERT, the statement said.

In view of the preparations, NCERT has provided sample assessment tasks in Hindi and English to help teachers and students get acquainted with the assessment format and process.

Principals and heads of schools have been instructed to ensure that Class 3 teachers familiarise students with these sample activities to enhance their understanding and preparedness, as per the SCERT.

It indicated that schools were also instructed to expose students to numerous practice questions consistent with the shared sample tasks in order to help students become familiar and consolidate their basic skills.

It deeply felt that the co, operation of schools would be indispensable for the smooth and efficient implementation of the study as well as for the initiation of strong foundational learning outcomes among students.

While explaining the nature of the activity, NCERT clarified that the FLS is not an examination or test. It is a diagnostic survey and does not involve grading or giving certificates to individual students, nor does it function as a rating or giving certificates to schools.

The results are used to guide policy changes, make teachers' work better, and develop foundational education in line with the National Education Policy 2020.