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With more than 7.17 lakh students currently attending school in Gujarat, it can be concluded that the interest of parents to enroll their children into the various types of merit-based education offered through state-run residential school systems continues to grow, as evidenced by the number of students who registered to take part in the Common Entrance Test (CET) on January 31st.

The Common Entrance Test (CET) is an important part of Class VI admission into the residential schools of Gnanshakti, Rakshashakti, and also establishes eligibility for the Chief Minister's Gnansetu Merit Scholarship.

According to the figures released from the Government of Gujarat, there was a 89,000-student increase in the number of participants this year compared to last year. This significant increase in the number of students taking part in this year's Common Entrance Test (CET) has been attributed to the increased public awareness of government assisted educational institutions (schools), which provide structured academic support, along with residential and financial assistance, primarily targeted toward meritorious students from rural and lower-income, and economically challenged communities.

The introduction of the Common Educational Test (CET) in the 2023–24 academic year has provided one location for students in Gujarat to find and apply for all education schemes offered by Gujarat thus far. The CET results will also be accepted at all Model Eklavya Residential Schools (EMRS) and Sainik Schools administered by the Gujarat State Tribal Education Society for the 2025–26 academic year.

As of December 24, students who have completed the 1st to 5th Grades at government or charter schools are eligible to take the CET to apply for admittance into Grade Six. Successful candidates will also be eligible for the Gnansetu Merit Scholarship, which provides financial support from Grade Six to Grade Twelve, thereby minimizing the risk of students dropping out of school during the secondary education phase. Students who studied at a self-financing institution can receive up to 25% from the reserved seats of Rakshashakti Schools depending on the CET Merit.

According to the State Exam Board the deadline for Online Registration for CET was 2nd December and Closed on 24th Dec. The CET will also be conducted in 2,729 testing centres over 23,898 testing blocks in the state of Gujarat, showing the extent to which the state is aiming to build a system of equal opportunity for public school access through a transparent and merit-based process.

Serious allegations of physical and mental abuse of students have surfaced at St. Martin’s School in Jatakheda village, triggering protests by parents and local organisations and prompting swift action by the district administration.

According to complaints lodged by parents, students who failed to complete homework were allegedly subjected to degrading punishment, including being made to stand partially unclothed in cold weather. Photographs purportedly showing the students circulated on social media on Friday, drawing widespread attention and outrage.

Parents alleged that children were forced to perform menial tasks such as cleaning the school premises, sweeping, watering plants, and picking stones, and were beaten or threatened if they made mistakes. Some students reportedly told parents and local representatives that the alleged abuse had been ongoing since November.

Students’ Statements Under Probe

Seventh-grade students, during interactions with parents and local representatives, alleged that a school guard identified as Amar Singh Verma physically assaulted them and threatened them with punishment. They further alleged that these actions were carried out on the instructions of Principal Samreen Khan. The school driver, Shibu Jafri, was also accused of assaulting students and threatening to deduct marks from their academic projects.

Additional allegations included restrictions on students’ personal religious practices, which further fuelled anger among parents and community groups.

Protests and Administrative Response

Following the emergence of the allegations, parents, accompanied by members of local organisations, gathered at the school premises on Friday and staged a protest. Slogans were raised, prompting the deployment of police personnel from Mandi police station, along with revenue and education officials, to maintain law and order.

District Education Officer S.S. Tomar visited the school and conducted a preliminary inquiry, during which students were questioned individually. Officials said the inquiry found the allegations to be prima facie substantiated.

Staff Removed, School Fined

Based on the findings, the district administration ordered the immediate dismissal of the school’s principal, the guard, and the driver. The school management was also fined ₹1 lakh and directed to deposit the amount within seven days.

CSP Abhinandana Sharma confirmed that a formal complaint has been received and said legal action will follow after completion of the police investigation.

The incident has raised serious concerns about student safety, disciplinary practices, and oversight in private schools, with parents demanding stricter monitoring to prevent such incidents in the future

Thousands of school children in Kamrup Metropolitan district will get a much-needed break from early morning classes and schools in the district will remain closed for a week, starting December 31, 2025, as authorities move to protect students from the harsh winter conditions.

With consent from the Assam government, the decision was announced by the Office of the District Elementary Education Officer (DEEO) under Samagra Shiksha, following approval from the District Commissioner, Kamrup Metropolitan. Schools will remain shut till January 6, 2026, reopening once temperatures show signs of easing.

Guwahati and surrounding areas have been witnessing a sharp drop in temperatures, making it increasingly difficult—especially for younger children—to cope with cold mornings. Officials said the closure was a precautionary step, with student health and safety taking priority over routine schedules. “The well-being of children comes first in such extreme weather,” sources in the education department said.

Heads of schools have been directed to immediately inform parents, students, and teaching and non-teaching staff about the closure. They have also been instructed to ensure that no academic, co-curricular, or extracurricular activities are conducted during this period. Schools are expected to use the break for basic maintenance and planning so that classes can resume smoothly once they reopen.

Private schools, meanwhile, have been left to take their own call based on local conditions. However, many are likely to follow the government’s lead as the cold wave continues to affect large parts of the region.

The move mirrors similar steps taken across the country, with several states such as Uttar Pradesh and Delhi extending winter vacations or delaying school timings due to cold weather, dense fog, and pollution. In Assam too, school hours had been adjusted earlier in response to weather-related challenges.

Parents have largely welcomed the decision, relieved that children will not have to brave the cold, though some remain concerned about possible disruptions to the academic calendar. Authorities have advised families to stay alert to winter-related health issues, including respiratory infections and hypothermia, particularly among young children. Further updates will be issued if weather conditions change.

There is a possibility that the Ministry of Education will include private HEIs in ‘One Nation, One Subscription’, according to sources.

Presently, members of the ONOS package include only government-funded institutions. But the Centre is reviewing a request to permit private universities and colleges to participate in the package on a pre-negotiated fee regime, according to sources.

"The ministry has a proposal on the table regarding the availability of ONOS on a pre-negotiated payment term to private HEIs," sources said.

There are 473 private universities and over 31,000 private colleges in India, as per the last All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) data available for the year 2021-22.

The One Nation One Subscription initiative was launched to provide across-the-board access to high quality international journals and research papers by subscribing to a centrally subsidized subscription. The initiative allows scholars to read and download peer-reviewed research papers and academic literature from top international publishers.

In addition to research paper access, the ONOS framework has also incorporated Article Processing Charges (APCs), which are required for publishing research in open-access journals. According to this scheme, APC payments to high-quality open-access journals are centrally provided through the ONOS execution agency.

As per the guidelines of ONOS, open-access journals ranking in the top 5 percent under any of the three SCOPUS indicators: CiteScore, Source Normalised Impact per Paper (SNIP), and SCImago Journal Rank (SJR), are entitled to support of APC. The open-access journals may be published by the publication houses covered by the ONOS subscriptions or by other publication houses which are eligible under ONOS guidelines.

The expansion of ONOS services to private institutions will enable academicians and scholars within the private higher education sector to access global research databases and publish their research in reputable global open access journals at a pre-negotiated rate.

Sainik School Nalanda welcomed 109 newly admitted cadets of Classes VI and IX for the 2025-26 session with a welcome ceremony organized at the principal’s residence, Mauryan House, which was attended by 98 boy cadets and 11 girl cadets. A colourful cultural programme presented by the selected cadets included self-composed poetry, personal experiences, recitations, songs, and instrumental performances. Principal Col Bhupender Kumar motivated the cadets to make use of the opportunities arising before them, imbibing good habits, making good friendships, and using the sports facilities. First lady of the campus Manju Kumar motivated the students towards their training goals. The welcome programme was attended by vice-principal Lt Col Deepak Singh Thakur along with staff and families.

‘Title Ceremony’ - an emotional-cum-joyful farewell party - was organized in which unique titles were given to the outgoing classes X and XII students of the 2025-2026 batch of International School (ICSE wing) for celebrating the personality and contribution of each participant. In the event, Shubh Darshil Pradhan was crowned 'Mr International' while Dhairya Mehta emerged as runner-up. Aaradhya Singh was titled 'Miss International' and was followed by Anusha Thakur. While Nishtham Anup and Shivanshi Jha bagged the 'Popular Icon Boy and Girl' title, Shobhit Sudarshan along with Yusuf Hasan jointly claimed the 'Best Dressed Boy' title whereas Anokhi Soni emerged as 'Best Dressed Girl'. Arnav Mishra earned the ‘Star Performer of the Day’.

The students were judged by teachers Vandana Sinha, Zarine Mallick, Mehwish, and guest educationist Subia Hasan. The programme consisted of some cultural performances, speeches and memories to be cherished organized by juniors under the guidance of teachers on Sunday. Appreciating the batch for leaving an indelible mark, school director Farhat Hasan added, "They will continue to excel in their life."

Speaker, Delhi Legislative Assembly, and Local MLA Vijender Gupta on Saturday opened the newly established SMART CLASSROOMS at Delhi Municipal Corporation School, Rohini Sector-8, said an official release by Delhi Legislative Assembly Secretariat.

"Smart classrooms are much more about unlocking the potential of our children and reviving trust in public education. It's about giving the city's youngsters the best possible education and a bright future," he stated after the inauguration ceremony. "This initiative reiterates the Corporation's commitment to quality education," stated a press release.

Inauguration ceremony also included presence of Pravesh Wahi, leader of house of MCD, Yogesh Verma, chairman of Education Committee, school principals, teachers, RWA members, parents, and students.

Inaugurating the program, Speaker Vijender Gupta said, “There is an urgent need to make our municipal schools functional again. We previously had some 2,000 municipal schools with nine lakh students enrolled in them, but now the number of our municipal schools has come down to 1,500, with only 6.58 lakh students enrolled.”

“Rather than arguing about statistics, we need to concentrate on reality in the here and now, and the future that our children face,” he said. “These children are talented, have the ability, and are brimming with possibilities,” he said, before continuing, “What is our role? To develop this talent by improving our schools, certainly.”

The Speaker was worried about the rise in the preference for private schools, even among those in the lower income groups, which, according to him, is an indication of the erosion of confidence in government schools by the people. This, he said, is an alarming situation which has been developing through several decades but has become a reality through the gradual ‘commercialization of education’.

It is necessary that government schools become everyone's first choice. Education is free here, and the facilities here are also free. Primary education until Class 5 is the basis on which the foundation stone of his or her whole life is set,” Gupta said. They can change the mindset and regain everyone's confidence by implementing smart classrooms, Gupta said.

Gupta further stressed the importance of involvement by teachers, school managements, and the communities in turning-around municipal schools. Gupta asked Resident Welfare Associations and communities to visit the schools, participate in activities, and observe the performance of the children.

During the course, the students performed a relevant and interesting act on the subject of cleanliness and civic duties, which was much appreciated. After the act, Gupta appealed to the citizens to make a collective promise to not litter.

"Cleanliness is not a matter of other people's business." Not spreading trash is my business, and cleanliness is a community obligation to uphold," Gupta continued.

Speaking on this occasion, Education Committee Chairman Yogesh Verma and the Leader of the House, Pravesh Wahi, reiterated the Municipal Corporation's commitment to the modernization and techno-upgradation of schools and the provision of quality education to all children enrolled in the municipal schools. The newly unfurled smart classes are likely to improve student engagement, increased learning outcomes, and act as a prototype for the development of the existing municipal schools in Delhi, a press release explained.