Education

In a bid to curb the growing trend of "dummy schools," the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is set to enforce stricter attendance rules for Class 12 students. Starting from the 2025-26 academic session, students must maintain a minimum of 75% attendance to be eligible for the board exams. Those found missing from school during surprise inspections may be barred from appearing for the exams. The new policy targets schools that promote non-attending students and could lead to disciplinary action against them. Students who fail to meet the attendance requirement may seek alternatives like the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).

The CBSE has announced that students unable to appear for the Class 12 board examination on March 15 due to Holi celebrations will be allowed to take a special exam at a later date. This decision follows feedback from students and ensures that those affected by the festival can sit for the exam alongside athletes who have similar scheduling conflicts. The board has emphasized strict exam guidelines, including uniform requirements and a ban on items like mobile phones and smartwatches inside the exam hall.

Nine Indian universities have secured spots in the top 50 of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, with the Indian School of Mines (ISM), Dhanbad, leading the charge at 20th globally for Engineering – Mineral and Mining. IIT Bombay and IIT Kharagpur also made it to the top 50 in this category, though both saw a dip in their rankings. The rankings, which cover 55 subjects across five broad areas, saw 79 Indian universities included this year, a 25.7% increase from last year. Notable new entries in the top 100 include IIT Madras and VIT for Data Science and AI, and IISc Bangalore for Engineering. While India excels in fields like AI and digital skills, experts suggest a stronger focus on sustainability and entrepreneurship is needed.

Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murthy voiced strong support for the controversial three-language formula in the Centre's National Education Policy (NEP), emphasizing the benefits of multilingualism. "I know 7-8 languages myself and believe children can gain a lot from learning multiple languages," Murthy stated. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan defended the policy, highlighting that no one is being forced to adopt any language, referencing his conversation with Murthy, who learned several languages over her life. The NEP’s three-language formula, which mandates learning a mother tongue, regional language, and a foreign language, has sparked a standoff with the Tamil Nadu government, which argues that it could lead to Hindi imposition.

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has responded to the suicide of Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year B-Tech student from Nepal, at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Lamsal’s death sparked protests on campus, with students accusing the university of mishandling the situation and attempting a cover-up. In response, Oli confirmed that the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi had dispatched officers to counsel affected students and made arrangements for them to either remain in their hostel or return home. The university's statement suggested Lamsal's death was related to a personal relationship, but students questioned the decision to ask Nepali nationals to vacate the campus, demanding transparency in the investigation.