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A suggestion to relax the minimum age for Class I admissions in Karnataka has met intense resistance from teachers and school bodies in the state. A formal letter dated March 31 addressed to Chief Secretary Dr Shalini Rajneesh was written by Associated Managements of Schools in Karnataka (KAMS) ,expressing worries regarding the possibility of reducing the age of admission below six years.

Since 2020, Karnataka has made it necessary for children to be six years of age to join Class I, concurring with national policies established by the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009. The policy also concurs with norms practiced in fourteen other states and Union Territories (UTs) such as Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Kerala.

Nonetheless, a recent proposal seeks to relax this criterion, which will enable younger children to begin formal schooling earlier.

The letter, sent on behalf of various school communities, argues that lowering the age limit could have detrimental effects on child development and learning outcomes. It highlights that the existing rule, though initially challenging for parents and institutions, has been successfully implemented over the past three years.

The letter further underscores that national educational policies, such as the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, endorse formalised early childhood learning. The NEP (National Education Policy) suggests three years of pre-primary education prior to joining Class I, thereby making sure students have developed adequate cognitive and social abilities prior to entering formal school.

Education experts warn that premature admission into Class I might result in additional academic stress to children who are not developmentally prepared yet for formal education.

If Karnataka relaxes the age of admission, it may result in a mismatch with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), and other state boards, confusing parents and students who shift between different education systems. Most states have already made the six-year entry age uniform following instructions from the Union Ministry of Education.

KAMS also said that going back on the present policy would be against the efforts to standardise early childhood education throughout India.

The stakeholders are now pressuring the Karnataka government to re-examine the proposal and uphold the six-year age requirement.

A school headmaster in Andhra Pradesh has gone viral after he apologized to his students publicly in a strange yet heart-warming way—by performing sit-ups on stage. The touching moment was captured in a video shared by Andhra Pradesh's HRD and IT Minister, Nara Lokesh, and has since invoked a tempest of reactions online.

In the video, the headmaster, Chinta Ramana, speaks to a crowd at the school before falling down to perform sit-ups in front of his students. His action was a symbolic expression of regret, showing he was sorry he could not get them to do better academically as much as he wished. The event has sparked conversations on social media, with most praising his commitment and self-reflection.

While some lauded Ramana's honesty and dedication to his students' achievement, others wondered if such drastic action was required. Many noted that academic outcomes are subject to many factors outside the control of a headmaster, such as student effort, parental support, and wider systemic issues in education.

Minister Nara Lokesh, who initially posted the video, pointed out Ramana's sense of responsibility. His post saw a deluge of responses—some praising the teacher's humility and commitment, while others demanded wider educational reforms rather than singling out individual teachers for blame.

The incident serves to highlight the immense pressure on Indian teachers where a student's performance is immediately associated with how good a teacher is. The undue burden put on the individual in this manner at times gives way to outbursts such as Ramana's, underlining the extreme degree to which teachers care for their students' destinies.

In spite of the divided response, the headmaster's actions have struck a chord with people, initiating much-needed discussions about the necessity for a collective approach to enhancing education. Whether an inspiring gesture of accountability or a display of unnecessary guilt, there is one thing for sure—the video has resonated with audiences nationwide.

CBSE students not seen studying in regular schools will not be allowed to give Class 12 board exams, officials declared, and added that the onus of getting enrolled in "dummy schools" lies with students and parents.

In its ongoing drive to check "dummy schools", the Central Board of Secondary Education is mulling changing examination bylaws to bar such students from appearing for the board exams and will have to take the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) test.

"In the event of missing candidates or non-attending candidates during surprise inspections carried out by the board, such candidates can be barred from sitting for the board exam. The onus of not attending regular school also rests with the part of the concerned student and his/her parents," a senior board official told PTI.

Action will be taken against such schools where such a "dummy" culture is being promoted or non-attending students are being favored as per the board's affiliation and examination bylaws, said the official.

The matter was also raised in the recent Governing Board Meeting of the board where it was proposed that the decision be made effective from academic session 2025-2026.

"In the examination committee, the issue was debated in detail and concluded that by board rules, a minimum attendance of 75 percent is necessary so that students can sit for the board exam." If the necessary attendance is not up to the mark, mere enrollment at a non-attending school would not, as per him, enable such students to sit for the CBSE exam.

"Such students can also approach the NIOS to appear for the exam if not allowed by CBSE. It was also discussed that the board provides a 25 percent relaxation only on account of exigencies such as medical grounds, national or international sports activities,and other serious reasons," the official said.

The board is also considering the fact that those students who are not having obligatory attendance, the board may not seek their candidature and appropriate action could be taken against the school too for recommending such students for the exam.

"It was also decided that CBSE may discuss the above proposal with NIOS and prepare the guidelines which can be issued in the next academic session," the official further added.

Scores of students who take entrance exams for engineering and medical studies opt for admission in fake schools so that they can focus solely on competitive exam preparation. They do not attend classes and directly sit for board exams.

Students also choose dummy schools so that they can avail of state-based quota in admissions to medical and engineering colleges. For example, students who complete their senior secondary stage of education in Delhi are eligible for the Delhi state quota in medical colleges, giving them an additional incentive to attend dummy schools in the city.

The phenomenon of dummy schools is fast becoming a problem, particularly for students preparing for competitive entrance examinations in engineering and medicine. The majority of students prefer going to dummy schools, which allows them to avoid regular school attendance while focusing entirely on exam preparation. Dummy school students attend board exams only.

Kolkata, March 28: There is some good news for parents and students as the state government has decided to reopen Midnapore School in April. The school was earlier closed due to an acute shortage of staff, but now the school will be reopened due to the state government's intervention.

The decision was communicated to the Calcutta High Court, putting an end to months of anxiety about the institution's fate. While the government is yet to put in writing a definite date of reopening, the action marks a closure to the crisis that left the students unsure.

The shutdown had created panic among parents and students, who were worried about academic interruptions and future opportunities. They had called for the government's intervention at once, pointing to the negative effect on continuity of learning. Acting on growing pressure, state authorities have moved to tackle the shortage of staff and restore normalcy.

A high-ranking education ministry official confirmed that action was in hand to hire staff needed prior to reopening. "We are striving to occupy the vacant seats so that the school operates without delay," said the official.

The decision is also going to calm the fears of hundreds of students who had been victims of the abrupt shutdown. The parents have received the decision with open arms but are in a vigilant mood, warning the authorities against allowing such crises to occur to them in the future as well.

Now with the intervention of the government to end the staff crisis, Midnapore School is set to reopen next month, with hope and relief for its students and their guardians.

The Delhi government will transform the face of school education with the launch of Science of Living – a holistic course that teaches meditation, yoga, and senior care from KG to Class 10. Concurrently, AI courses will prepare students for technological transformation, as officially disclosed by a State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) officer.

Besides moral education, Rashtraneeti (study of governance) and entrepreneurial training (NEV) will debut. These courses are intended to provide experiential training rather than relying on textbooks, aligned with global education trends but keeping Indian ethos intact. Existing schemes in operation are being redesigned for greater effectiveness.

Why Do These Changes Matter?

Holistic Development:  Mental well-being and social responsibility are addressed through Science of Living via care of elderly persons and yoga modules.

Future-Ready Skills:  The introduction of AI classes helps the student understand developing technology at the onset.

Civic Engagement:  Rashtraneeti despiritualizes administration, inducting engaged citizens.

Delhi’s education reforms blend tradition with innovation, equipping students to thrive ethically and technologically. The Science of Living and AI integration set a benchmark for modern pedagogy. Parents and schools can track rollout details via edudel.nic.in.

A Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) driver was suspended and a contract-basis conductor was terminated after the staff of the bus didn't stop the vehicle at a bus stand in Tirupattur district's Kothakottai village on Tuesday (March 24, 2025) and made a Class 12 student dash behind the bus to get on the bus.

A TNSTC bus driver was suspended and a contract-basis conductor was terminated after the staff members failed to stop the vehicle at a bus stand in Kothakottai village in Tirupattur district on Tuesday (March 24, 2025), compelling a Class 12 student to run alongside the bus to get in.

A video of the accident went viral on social media, which infuriated the public. TNSTC officials stated that the bus driver S. Muniraj has been suspended and conductor K. Ashok Kumar was relieved of his post. Moreover, a departmental inquiry has also been ordered against the driver for the accident.

The first inquiry indicated that Muniraj was operating the bus (Route No: 1C; Tirupattur-Alangayam) from a bus stand in Ambur with a total of around 20 commuters. The bus had proceeded beyond Vaniyambadi town and reached the Kothakottai village but did not halt at the bus stop meant for it because there were no commuters to alight there.

A Class 12 student, who was headed to sit for Board exam, however, was spotted running behind the bus to get on; a few minutes later, the bus was halted after passengers alerted the bus crew. The act, which was recorded on video by some motorists close to the bus stop, went viral on social media sites.

A group of TNSTC officials have visited the bus stop as part of their investigation into the accident. An inquiry is in progress.