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Journalism of Courage
Finally,Nitish offers land for AMU branch
The Nitish Kumar government has finally offered 250 acres of land for setting up a branch of the Aligarh Muslim University at Kisanganj. Bihar becomes the fourth state to give land for AMU after Kerala,West Bengal and Maharashtra. The state government has identified a plot along the highway to Bahadurganj in Kisanganj district for the AMU branch. Land for AMU had become a potent election issue during the last Assembly elections with the RJD questioning secular credentials of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Despite a grand show in other parts of Bihar,the NDA could win just one of four seats in Kisanganj district. Bihar officials said an AMU team led by its Vice Chancellor would soon visit Kishanganj to discuss the project. Kumar said the government was always committed to providing land.
Government corrects teachers appointment process
The Bihar government,under constant criticism for appointing primary school teachers on the basis of marks,has finally woken up to the demand for quality. The government will now hold an eligibility test to appoint over 2 lakh teachers in schools across the state. The initial response was overwhelming; over 10 lakh application forms were sold in a few days. Now,the government has decided to publish 25 lakh forms and make them available at all block levels to avoid bulk applications from particular regions. After over 15,000 teachers failed in competency tests in the last two years,the HRD department decided to scrap the marks-based selection system. HRD Minister PK Shahi said with marks not being the criteria any more,the test will help get best candidates from across Bihar.
Abdul Siddiquei,not Lalu,does the talking these days
Ever since Abdul Bari Siddiquei has become leader of Opposition,he has not missed a chance to grill Chief Minister Nitish Kumar,who otherwise could have afforded to be complacent. RJD leaders are not able to explain why its supremo Lalu Prasad has completely gone into a shell. There is hardly any media interaction or public appearance of Prasad. It is Siddiquei who is readily available with bytes and quotes with matching facts and figures on every matter that merits Nitish Kumars attention. Siddiquei,at times,gets so harsh on Nitish that he was made the last speaker at a recent function attended by the CM. The RJD leaders turn came only after the CM had left the venue. The NDA had never faced such resistance when Rabri Devi was the Opposition leader.
To improve education,govt takes toppers help
The Bihar Chief Minister now wants school toppers to guide the HRD department on minimising flaws in textbooks,teaching and how to prepare best for examinations. The CM got the idea after he met this years Class 10 boards topper Shalini Yadav at her Patna home on Sunday. The CM instructed HRD principal secretary Anjani Kumar Singh to form a Baal Parishad or students council comprising first and second toppers of the last five years. Kumar believes they students could give tips to students on exam preparation. The toppers would be also free to point out textbook errors,outdated subjects and simplification of texts. The chief minister believes using the students perspective would come handy to lessen some exam pressure. The toppers panel can also interact with their juniors to make the governments task a bit easier.
