UC Berkeley plan to test freshmen DNA comes under fire, school says hope is to spur dialogue

UC Berkeley plan to test freshmen DNA criticized

BERKELEY, Calif. – A plan by the University of California, Berkeley to voluntarily test the DNA of incoming freshman has come under fire from critics who said the school was pushing an unproven technology on impressionable students.
The university has said it will send test kits to 5,500 new …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Girls outshine boys in Class 12 CBSE exam (Second Lead)

NEW DELHI – Girls outperformed boys in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 12 exams this year. However, the overall pass percentage saw a 1.13 percent dip.

The pass percentage for girls was 85.28, compared to 75.90 for boys.
According to CBSE spokesperson Rama Sharma, the overall pass percentage was 79.87 compared to …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Books at home boost kids’ educational levels

WASHINGTON – Parents who keep books at home encourage their children to acquire higher levels of education, says a 20-year study.

For years, educators have thought the strongest predictor of attaining high levels of education was having parents who were highly educated.
But, strikingly, this massive study showed that the difference between being raised in …. Source  : Books at home boost kids’ educational levels.

Navodaya Vidyalayas surpass others in CBSE Class 12 exams

NEW DELHI – The autonomous Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNV) have outdone other schools across India with a pass percentage of 95.31 in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 12 exams.

Last year, the pass percentage of JNVs was 94.09.
JNVs are autonomous schools under the human resource development ministry.
The performance of …. Read the original article  : Navodaya Vidyalayas surpass others in CBSE Class 12 exams.

Fewer cheating cases in Class 12 CBSE exams this year

NEW DELHI – The number of cheating cases in the Central Board of Secondary Education Examination (CBSE) Class 12 exam saw a drop this year compared to last year.

The board results were declared Friday in Delhi, Guwahati and Allahabad.
The number of cheating cases this year in the six regions – Ajmer, Panchkula, Delhi, Guwahati, …. Original article  : Fewer cheating cases in Class 12 CBSE exams this year.

Drop in pass percentage in CBSE Class 12 exams

NEW DELHI – The overall pass percentage of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 12 board exams saw a drop of 1.13 percent. The board results were declared Friday in Delhi, Guwahati and Allahabad.

The overall pass percentage was 79.87 percent compared to 81 percent last year, a CBSE spokesperson said.
The pass percentage … Read more : Drop in pass percentage in CBSE Class 12 exams.

Texas adds Obama to social studies guidelines otherwise dominated by conservatives’ changes

Conservatives make changes to Texas curriculum
AUSTIN, Texas – Public school students in Texas would be required to evaluate efforts by global organizations to undermine U.S. sovereignty in one of a series of changes that conservatives on the State Board of Education made Thursday to new social studies guidelines.
With little discussion from … Read more >>.

CBSE Class 12 results announced

NEW DELHI – Ending the anxious wait, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Friday announced the Class 12 exam results of Delhi, Guwahati and Allahabad zones.

The results for Ajmer, Chennai and Panchkula regions were declared Wednesday.
According to a CBSE spokesperson, the results of the remaining zones were uploaded on the CBSE website … Original source on Gaea Times at : CBSE Class 12 results announced.

Texas school board adds Obama to high school history class, defeats attempt to add ‘Hussein’

Texas board adds Obama to high school history
AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas State Board of Education has added President Barack Obama’s name to a high school history class, rather than just referring to the election of the first black president.
The change Thursday came only after a tense debate about whether to …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Texas school board adds Obama to high school history class, defeats attempt to add ‘Hussein’.

Can short-staffed Delhi University tackle semester system?

NEW DELHI – Delhi University (DU) may be planning to switch to the semester system – usually involving a higher teacher-student ratio – but it is already reeling under a staff crunch, with around 51 percent of teaching posts lying vacant.

DU has 1,500 sanctioned posts of teachers. A human resource development ministry report says 763 …. Original article  : Can short-staffed Delhi University tackle semester system?.

State board finalizing social studies guidelines for Texas schools; heated debate expected

Heated debate expected over Texas curriculum plans

AUSTIN, Texas – Discussions remained mild Thursday as the State Board of Education made final edits to new social studies guidelines for Texas schools. But debate over several controversial plans – including a proposal to tone down criticism of McCarthyism – was expected to heat up as the meeting …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

University of Illinois trustees approve tuition increase, $620,000 salary for new president

UI trustees OK tuition hike, $620,000 Hogan salary

CHICAGO – University of Illinois trustees voted Thursday to raise tuition for new students by 9.5 percent and approved a contract that pays the school’s incoming president approximately $620,000 a year – about $170,000 more than the man he’ll replace.
The decision to increase tuition as trustees were also … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : University of Illinois trustees approve tuition increase, $620,000 salary for new president.

NCAA looks at options, mindful of hurt feelings in what will be bigger, 68-team March Madness

NCAA mulling options for bigger March Madness

As commissioner of the Northeast Conference, Noreen Morris has a vested interest in the men’s basketball tournament’s new format. Twice in the last five seasons, a school from her league was sent to the so-called play-in game, and with the field expanding to 68 teams, three more games will … Original article on : NCAA looks at options, mindful of hurt feelings in what will be bigger, 68-team March Madness.

For-profit colleges fight rule that would cut financial aid based on students’ earnings

Rules would cut federal aid to for-profit colleges

The federal government is expected to get tougher soon on the nation’s booming for-profit colleges by proposing that aid be cut to programs if most of their students don’t earn enough to repay their loans.
Consumer advocates say students and the taxpayers underwriting their educations must be protected from …. Read the original article  : here.

Lawmakers urge more attention be paid to concussions among high school athletes

Congress urges more attention to H.S. concussions

WASHINGTON – Young people who suffer concussions are at greater risk of long-term physical and mental consequences, lawmakers were told Thursday at a hearing on head injuries to high school athletes.
Michelle Pelton, a former high school basketball and softball player from Swansea, Mass., related to the House Education and … Original source on Gaea Times at : Lawmakers urge more attention be paid to concussions among high school athletes.

Supreme Court nominee Kagan known for being both open and abrasive as dean of Harvard Law

Kagan known for openness, assertiveness at Harvard
BOSTON – Elena Kagan, President Barack Obama’s pick for the Supreme Court, gets high marks as a peacemaker for the fractious faculty of Harvard Law School while she was dean. But even her supporters here say she also has a temper.
Professor Charles Fried, while calling … Read more : Supreme Court nominee Kagan known for being both open and abrasive as dean of Harvard Law.

Education now mere commercial activity, observes apex court

NEW DELHI – “Education has become commerce,” a concerned Supreme Court observed Thursday and added that many of the mushrooming teaching shops in the country do not even have the basic infrastructure.

The court said that education which was never an instrument of money minting has been reduced to a commercial activity.
The vacation bench [..] Read the original article: here.

Lesbian student who sued over prom date transfers to new high school in Mississippi

Lesbian who sued over prom date transfers schools

JACKSON, Miss. – The lesbian who sued her rural school district over its ban of same-sex prom dates has transferred to a school in Mississippi’s capital.
Constance McMillen told The Associated Press on Thursday that she now attends a high school in Jackson, about 180 miles from Itawamba Agricultural …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Lesbian student who sued over prom date transfers to new high school in Mississippi.

Delhi University teachers assure court on college results

NEW DELHI – The Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) Thursday informed the Delhi High Court that internal assessment results in 17 colleges will be declared Friday after its members’ meeting with Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental.

DUTA’s counsel informed Justice Sunil Gaur that after the meeting with Pental, the results will be declared Friday evening.
The court …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Delhi University teachers assure court on college results.

56 percent pay hike for IIM-C students

KOLKATA – Students of the post-graduate programme for executives at the Indian Institute of Management-Calcutta (IIM-C) have got a 56 percent hike in their average salary package, a statement said Thursday.

“(There has been a) 56 percent increase in CTC (Cost to Company) on average package. From Rs.8 lakh average CTC last year, the final placement …. Source  : Gaea News Network.