PG Diploma in Media Studies Admission Notification 2011-12 at Calcutta University

University of Calcutta, also known Calcutta University, has issued notification for admission into post graduate (PG) Diploma in Media Studies: Film & Television, offered in the ensuing academic session 2011-12.

Date of exam
September 4, 2011 Sunday 12.00 Noon

Test centers
Asutosh Hall

Fee
See the prospectus

How to apply
Interested candidates may obtain the application form from the Calcutta University Sales Counter, Asutosh Building (Ground Floor), College Street Campus on payment of Rs 250. The duly filled in and completed application form should be submitted at the Department of Journalism & Mass Communication, Hardinge Building (Second Floor), College Street campus latest by August 30, 2011. For further details regarding admission and application procedures candidates are requested to visit the University’s official website: http://www.caluniv.ac.in

Date of issue of application form
August 5, 2011

Last date of submission of application form
August 30, 2011

CAT 2011 Exams Dates Released

The dates of the Common Admission Test(CAT 2011 - CAT 2012) have been released by the IIMs. The test would be conducted online during a 20-day testing window between October 22, 2011 and November 18, 2011.

This 20 day window for CAT 2011 was released by IIM-K on 25th July. This year CAT 2011 has also introduced 3 new cities namely Dehradun, Jammu and Bhilai in the already existing list of 33 cities making it available in 36 cities this year.

There are also some changes in the test pattern; the CAT 2011 from this year will only have two sections instead of three. The first section will purely focus onQuantitative Ability & Data Interpretation while the second on Verbal Ability & Logical Reasoning. With 70 mins time for each section, CAT 2011 will be a 140 mins test spanned over 2 sections of 30 questions each. Each section will have an on-screen countdown timer for 70 mins. Once the time ends for the first section, test will move to next section and will no longer be able to go back. Hence, this year CAT 2011 time format is more like a GRE format.

A 15-mins help guide or kind of tutorial will also be presented before the test begins. The total duration of the exam, including the tutorial would be two hours and 35 minutes.

The official practice test will be made available within days and this will help CAT 2011 aspirants take get the feeling of the test and get familiar with the new format of the test.

Now candidates will also be able to purchase CAT vouchers from 201 Axis Bank branches, an increase of 30 outlets. This was done to reduce the difficulties in purchasing CAT vouchers.

For a detailed information on CAT 2011 Announcement visit http://www.indiaeducation.net/Alerts/CAT-2011-Examination-Notification-07082011

Coming up, a Facebook-like education website

Fed up of your child logging into Facebook at the cost of studies? The Rajasthan government has hit upon a remedy - a social networking site that will also help brush up a youngster's academic knowledge.

"The idea is to utilize the popularity of social networking sites among students. Most of them spend a lot of time on such websites every day," said a senior official of the state's information technology department, which is developing the portal.

The government portal will give tips to students on subjects like physics, chemistry and mathematics. Experts will be roped in to answer the academic queries students post on it.

"We thought why not make it a bit educational so that students can not only enjoy the fun that these sites offer but also get to learn something," the official said.

Students will be able to open up their individual accounts, add friends, upload photographs, play games and interact among themselves just like they do on Facebook.

"What makes it stand out is the fact that there will be subject-specific links on the home page. We will store e-books, objective questions and coaching material related to each subject," the officer added.

The development of the portal is in the final phase, he said. The government should popularise the website by approaching educational institutes across the state, including schools, colleges and coaching centres, said Abhishek Sharma, a volunteer working with a local NGO.

"The students should be encouraged by the institutes to use this portal," said Sharma.

"It will be fun to have such a social networking website. I usually get distracted by these sites, but fun and studies going together must be great. I am eagerly waiting for the site to be launched," said Manu Mishra, a Class 11 student.

Parents have also welcomed the initiative.

"My son spends half of his time on social networking websites which could be utilised for sports or studies. I will definitely encourage him to use the portal being launched by the government as it will at least have some study or course and subject material," said Ramkumar Joshi, parent of a Class 12 student. IANS

24x7 School Education Channel for Students

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) have submitted a proposal for launching 24X7 television channel to cater to the needs of school education and adultliterary.

The details are as under:
(i) Upgradation of equipment
(ii) Establishing production facilities (studio and communication link with the earth station)
(iii) Augmenting manpower requirement
(iv) Development of e-content
(v) Mapping of programme available with other agencies (Private, NGO and other government agencies)

The Central Institute of Educational Technology, National Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi and the National Institute of Open Schooling, NOIDA, Uttar Pradesh will be the lead partners. The Department of Adult Education and its sister agencies in the States, State Institutes of Educational Technology, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanghatan, Novodaya Vidyalaya Samiti and other educational agencies in the Centre and the States will be invited to participate and contribute.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Human ResourceDevelopment Dr. D. Purandeswari, in a written reply to a question, in the Lok Sabha today

IES/ISS Exam, 2011 from December 03

The Union Public Service Commission will hold the Indian Economic Service/Indian Statistical Service Examination (IES/ISS), 2011 commencing from December 03, 2011 for recruitment to Grade IV of the Indian Economic Service and Indian Statistical Service. The examination will be held at various centres across the country.

For details regarding eligibility conditions, the syllabus and scheme of the examination, centres of examination, guidelines for filling up application form etc. aspirants must consult the detailed notice of the examination published in the employment News/Rozgar Samachar dated July 30th, 2011 or the UPSC website www.upsc.gov.in.

Single Entrance Test for College Admissions gets Public Nod

In what could be a turning point in the way college admissions are conducted across the country, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has said that the public responses that it has received regarding the National Testing Scheme (NTS) are favourable and most of the people have recommended a change in the current examination system.

The NTS is based on a single-examination evaluation so that students do not have to appear for multiple entrance examinations conducted across the country by various institutions or consortium of institutions.

A Committee with Dr T. Ramasami, Secretary Department of Science and Technology was constituted by the MHRD to design a National Testing Scheme (NTS) to provide for admission of students to undergraduate courses in Science and Engineering.

In order to obtain a cross-country feedback on the design of the NTS, opinion of the public through a specially designed questionnaire was sought on a range of issues by the Committee. The NTS website was launched in May 2011 to seek responses online and was open till June 21, 2011.

2063 responses were obtained which have been analysed by the Committee. Of the responses, 98.5% were received from India and 11% were received from women. 74% of the respondents had a science or engineering background.

The response received from students was substantial with 59% of the respondents, while 32% were employed and 5% were parents.

An overwhelming majority of the respondents were in favour of the reforms in the examination system with 59% suggesting major changes and 26% advocating partial changes.

The suggestions indicated were preference for a single examination having high knowledge intensity and features such as alignment with the Class XII examination syllabus, affordable examination fee, judicious use of time and money and transparency in examination results.

Substantial support was also indicated for a weighting factor for performance in the School Board examinations at Class XII. 66% of the respondents were in favour of the weighting factor.

Of the respondents who were against the weighting of the Class XII Board examinations for admission to undergraduate programmes, the principal reason cited was of non-uniformity across Boards.

73% of the respondents expressed their preference for National Testing System (NTS).

Support was also evinced for a mix of aptitude and advanced test with 70% expressing their preference for the same.

The Ramasami Committee is also separately undertaken extensive with School Boards and academics. The recommendations of the Committee would be submitted to the Ministry of HRD by September, 2011.