Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Teacher Eligibility Test ( TET ) is Compulsory for Teacher Post

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 The implementation of the Right to Children to Free and Compulsory Eduction ( RTE ) Act, 2009 requires the recruitment of a large number of teachers 
across the country in a time bound manner. Inspite of the enormity of the task, it is desirable to ensure that quality requirement for recruitment of teachers are not diluted at any cost. It is therefore necessary to ensure that persons recruited as teachers possess the essential aptitude and ability to meet the challenges of teaching at the primary and upper primary level.

2 In accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 23 of the Right
of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has laid down the minimum qualifications for a person to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in class I to VIII, vide its Notification dated August 23, 2010. A copy of the Notification is attached at Annexure 1. One of the essential qualifications for a person to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in any of the schools referred to in clause (n) of section 2 of the RTE Act is that he/she should pass the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) which will be conducted by the appropriate Government.

3 The rationale for including the TET as a minimum qualification for a person to be eligible for appointment as a teacher is as under:

i. It would bring national standards and benchmark of teacher quality in the
recruitment process;
ii. It would induce teacher education institutions and students from these institutions to further improve their performance standards;
iii. It would send a positive signal to all stakeholders that the Government lays
special emphasis on teacher quality

4 The TET examination may be conducted by a suitable professional body designated by the appropriate Government for the purpose. It will be conducted in accordance with the Guidelines hereunder.
Eligibility

5 The following persons shall be eligible for appearing in the TET:

i. A person who has acquired the academic and professional qualifications
specified in the NCTE Notification dated 23rd August 2010.
ii. A person who is pursuing any of the teacher education courses (recognized
by the NCTE or the RCI, as the case may be) specified in the NCTE Notification dated 23rd August 2010.
iii. The eligibility condition for appearing in TET may be relaxed in respect of a
State/UT which has been granted relaxation under sub-section (2) of section
23 of the RTE Act. The relaxation will be specified in the Notification issued
by the Central Government under that sub-section.

Structure and Content of TET

6 The structure and content of the TET is given in the following paragraphs. All
questions will be Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), each carrying one mark, with four alternatives out of which one answer will be correct. There will be no negative marking. The examining body should strictly adhere to the structure and content of the TET specified below.

7 There will be two papers of the TET. Paper I will be for a person who intends
to be a teacher for classes I to V. Paper II will be for a person who intends to be a teacher for classes VI to VIII. A person who intends to be a teacher either for classes I to V or for classes VI to VIII will have to appear in both papers (Paper I and PaperII).
Paper I (for classes I to V); No. of MCQs – 150;
Duration of examination: one-and-a-half hours
Structure and Content (All Compulsory)
(i) Child Development and Pedagogy:: 30 MCQs---------30 Marks
(ii) Language I                                             :: 30 MCQs-------- 30 Marks
(iii) Language II   
                                      :: 30 MCQs-------- 30 Marks
(iv) Mathematics                                         :: 30 MCQs-------- 30 Marks
(v) Environmental Studies                     :: 30 MCQs-------- 30 Marks

Paper II (for classes VI to VIII); No. of MCQs – 150;
Duration of examination : one-and-a-half hours
Structure and Content
(i) Child Development & Pedagogy (compulsory) :: 30 MCQs----- 30 Marks
(ii) Language I (compulsory):: 30 MCQs-------- 30 Marks
(iii) Language II (compulsory):: 30 MCQs-------- 30 Marks
(iv) (a) For Mathematics and Science teacher : Mathematics and Science – 60
MCQs of 1 mark each
(b) For Social studies teacher : Social Studies - 60 MCQs of 1 mark each
(c) for any other teacher – either 4(a) or 4(b)

for More details about Teacher Eligibility Test ( TET ) to download a copy of guidelines. Click on the Download Image.

Friday, February 11, 2011

SIR ARTHUR COTTON BARRAGE

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Arthur Cotton was born on 15 May 1803 as tenth son to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Calvely Cotton. He was one of eleven brothers, who lived honorable lives through all the vicissitudes of their different careers. At the age of 15 i.e., in 1818 Cotton joined as a cadet for Military at Addiscombe where cadets for Artillery and Engineering Service of East India Company received training. He was appointed to the Royal Engineers as Second Lieutenant in 1819.Lieutenant Cotton started his career with Ordnance Survey in Wales in January 1820 where he received a high praises for his admirable reports. When he was 18 (i.e., 1821) he was appointed for service in India and attached to the Chief Engineer to Madras initially and later appointed as an Assistant Engineer to Superintending Engineer of Tank Department, Southern Division from 1822 to 1824. Cotton spent partly in the Irrigation Tank Department and partly in Military duties in Burma. After return from Burma, Cotton has conducted marine survey of Pamban passage between India and Ceylon. Cotton was promoted to the rank of "Captain" in 1828 and was in charge of Investigation for Cauveri Scheme. The Cauveri Anicut( dam) was successful and paved the way for great projects on Godavari and Krishna Rivers. In 1844 Cotton recommended the construction of "Anicut( dam )" with Channels, Embankments, and roads of Godavari Delta, prepared plans for Visakhapatnam port. In 1847 the work on Godavari Anicut was started. In 1848 he proceeded to Australia due to ill health and handed over the charge to Captain Orr. In 1850 returned to India and promoted as Colonel. Cotton made best use of local materials, that he had in the shape of Hydraulic lime, good stone, and excellent teak available in the neighborhood. He succeeded in completing the magnificent project on Godavari river at Dowleswaram in 1852. In the same year work on Gannavaram Aqueduct was also commenced. After completing the Godavari Anicut Cotton shifted his attention to the construction of Aqueduct on Krishna River. The project was sanctioned in 1851 and completed by 1855. After completing the Krishna and Godavari Anicuts, Cotton envisaged of storages of Krishna and Godavari rivers In 1858 Cotton came up with still more ambitious proposals connecting almost all major rivers of India and suggested drought relief measures in Orissa and interlinking of canals and rivers. Arthur Cotton was retired from the service in 1860 and was knighted in 1861 and left India. In 1862 and 1863 visited India and offered advice on some river valley projects. His work in India was so much appreciated and honored with K.C.S.I (Knight Commander of Supreme India) in 1877. The Spiritual solace strengthened and comforted him until the very end of his earthly mission i.e. the 24th of July 1899 at the age of 96 years. He is a much revered figure in the state of Andhra Pradesh for his contribution in irrigating the area of land also known as Konaseema.In India due to his contributions the new barrage constructed across River Godavari Upstream side of the Anicut was also named after him and dedicated to the Nation by the Honorable Prime Minister of India in 1982.



Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Ancient Egyptian Artifacts Damaged in Looting


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Damaged mummies inside the Egyptian Museum in Cairo (picture).

Shattered

Photograph from AP
Two ancient mummified heads, as yet unidentified, lie on the floor of theEgyptian Museum on Monday after the weekend attack by looters. (Related:"Plundering of Tombs, Museums, Antiquities Widespread, Egyptian Official Reports" on our News Watch blog.)
Published January 31, 2011