National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) is a National level scholarship program organized by the Government of India and conducted by the NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) for the exemplary students studying in class 10th. The exam is conducted in two different stages: Stage I – State level and Stage II – National level. As the name suggests, it is an opportunity for class 10 students to be recognized as the nation’s talent. 

read more

“Don’t lose hope. When the sun goes down, the stars come out.”

We find ourselves at the aftermath of the second wave of the Pandemic. We have been through a lot from self isolation to disruptions in our daily routines, with work from home and online schooling for children becoming the new normal. 

Meanwhile, television and social media flashed horrific graphic facts and images of the dead and dying. Covid 19 related bereavements, grief, job losses and an uncertain future faced by so many resulted in frayed tempers, anxiety and depression at home which rubbed off on children as well. Concern for loved ones and self contracting the virus created fear and played havoc with emotions - staying healthy became another great stressor.

The second lockdown has brought with it more serious psychological problems affecting all age groups, especially children. Prolonged closure of schools not only upset school routines but children lost an important anchor in life as these temples of learning provide not only education but life skills and overall development for holistic learning. Not being able to go to school has had implications like:

• time spent on online classes and self study has resulted in disturbed behavioral issues with too much screen time affecting the sleep cycle of children.
  
• due to stringent social distancing policies and not being able to go out, children have become crotchety and irritable.
  
• students who need extra support within the class may find it challenging to  understand new concepts while at home.
  
• their class work not being checked regularly makes them feel less confident about what they have written.
  
• during online classes, many students cannot be given much attention so they feel sidelined.
  
• online learning has certainly affected a child s social development more than her/his cognitive development.
  

All stakeholders of Classes X and XII heaved a collective sigh of relief when the Board Examination was cancelled. However, this ‘euphoria’ may be short lived and premature- results and college admissions in India and abroad would be the next cause of concern. 

On the other hand, our teachers who have had to juggle both the home front and online classes and who have adapted brilliantly to the new mode of teaching, also face many stress related issues while conducting online classes.

• they are stressed with the behavioral patterns of children some of who show signs of being obstinate and defiant in obeying the teachers’ instructions.
• online teaching lacks the non verbal care that can be expressed in class with just a pat on the back or an approving smile.
  
• they are helpless when it comes to imposing discipline as most of the children have their audio devices muted or videos switched off.
  

Psychologists suggest a few measures like :

• it is normal to feel anxiety, panic or sadness. Talking to someone about it and allowing yourself to feel these emotions. With feeling comes healing.
• Happiness chemicals: Dopamine (the reward chemical) completing a task or doing self care activities. Oxytocin (the love hormone) hugging your family members, playing with your pet or doing gardening while listening to music.. Endorphin (the pain killer) laughter is the best medicine or eating dark chocolate and Serotonin (the mood stabilizer) meditating and/or getting your daily dose of sun therapy.
  
• Starting a ‘grateful journal’ 
  
• Turning the days of isolation into a journey of self discovery and self empowerment.
  

A few takeaways from this pandemic are that we must all make a concerted effort to draw all the strength and energy we can to come out of these bad times as also to help others around to come out of challenges like negativity and hopelessness without sinking into the abyss of despair, to follow Covid protocols and to be mindful of whatever we do.

Signing off on an optimistic note…remember, “This too shall pass.”

read more

Owing to the ongoing COVID – 19 pandemic, the National Olympiad programme in Mathematics, culminating in the International Mathematical Olympiad 2021 and European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad 2022, has been reduced to a three-stage process instead of four stages.

Earlier, the process to finalize the students who will represent India in the International Mathematics Olympiad used to be a six-stage process. There were two qualification rounds at the pre-regional level (PRMO) and then at the regional level (RMO). Due to the effects of the pandemic, the authorities have decided to combine PRMO and RMO in a single stage, the Indian Olympiad Qualifiers in Mathematics (IOQM), which reduced the six-stage process to five stages.

Stages of Mathematics Olympiad

read more

Time to resume the schools! Starting the school year can be stressful at the best of times, let alone after a pandemic. Both children and adults are feeling excited, nervous, anxious and may be reluctant to return to school.

In order to reach the goal of reopening schools as safely and quickly as possible for in-person learning and help schools remain open, it is important to adopt and diligently implement actions to slow the spread of COVID-19 inside the school. This means that students, families, teachers, school staff  take actions to protect themselves and others where they live, work, learn, and play.

We will be adapting to a new normal once school reopen i.e., everybody needs to wear masks while maintaining social distancing.

Few strategies to consider while developing any EOP:

• Develop a protocol for monitoring local COVID-19 data in your community to keep track of the level of transmission, to make decisions about changes to mitigation strategies, and to help determine whether school closures may be necessary. This should include daily review of official public health data surrounding the school. Contact the state, local, tribal, or territorial Public Health Department for references to local COVID-19 data.
  
• Develop and test information-sharing systems (e.g., school-to-parent email or texting protocols, periodic virtual meetings with parent/teachers, etc.) with school and community partners and key stakeholders. Use institutional information systems for day-to-day reporting on information that can help to detect and respond to an outbreak, such as number of cases and absenteeism or changes in the number of visits to the health centre by students, teachers, and other staff.
  
• Adopt mitigation strategies to promote healthy behaviors that reduce the spread of COVID-19, maintain healthy school environments and operations, and plan what to do if a student, teacher, or staff member gets sick.
  
• Examine the accessibility of information and resources to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and maintain healthy environments and determine whether they are in plain language, and available in appropriate languages and accessible formats.
  
• In consultation with local officials, establish transparent criteria for when the school will suspend in-person learning to stop or slow the spread of COVID-19, as well as transparent criteria for when to resume in-person learning.
  
• Assess students’ special needs (such as continuing education, meal programs, and other services) and develop strategies to address these needs if in-person learning is suspended or if a student needs to self-isolate as a result of a diagnosis of or exposure to COVID-19.
  

Students with disabilities or special healthcare needs

Plan for accommodations, modifications, and assistance for children and youth with disabilities and special healthcare needs.

A customized and individualized approach for COVID-19 is needed for special needs children, who have limited mobility; have difficulty accessing information due to visual, hearing, or other limiting factors; require close contact with direct service providers; have trouble understanding information; have difficulties with changes in routines; or have other concerns related to their disability. This would call for the following:

• Education to remain accessible for children in special education who have an Individualized Education Program.
  
• Social distancing and isolating at school may be difficult for many people with disabilities.
  
• Wearing masks may be difficult for people with certain disabilities (e.g., visual or hearing impairments) or for those with sensory, cognitive, or behavioral issues.
  
• Students may require assistance or visual and verbal reminders to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when they cough or sneeze, throw the tissue in the trash, and wash their hands afterwards.
  
• CLEANING AND DISINFECTING procedures may negatively affect students with sensory or respiratory issues.
  
• Students may require assistance or supervision washing their hands or using a hand sanitizer.
  
• Cleaning and disinfecting personal belongings, school objects, or surfaces may require assistance or supervision.
  
• Behavioural techniques can help all students, adjust to changes in routines and take preventive actions. These techniques may be especially beneficial for some children with disabilities and may include modelling and reinforcing desired behaviours and using picture schedules, timers, and visual cues. 

read more

The whole world today is at war with COVID-19. The unwanted & unprecedented pandemic has thrashed every sector in the world & education is no exception. Children of all ages, all communities, all countries, all strata are equally affected. It is not just the health crisis but students have been impacted in many ways. For them, it is a loss of structure, loss of attending school, having fun with teachers & friends, playing pranks on friends, sharing lunch, laughing & giggling in corridors. They are missing on dance classes, sports, clubs, class parties, picnics, movies, theatres, games & Stage activities etc. The pandemic has affected their social, physical, emotional well-being & caused many changes in their habits, behavior & routines.

Even if schools re-open, neither the schools nor the children will be the same. The behavior of the children will not be the same as before. New normal will require schools to disinfect classrooms & campuses, temperature checks of students & staff every day before entering the schools. Students will be attending classes with varied sitting arrangements, rotations to maintain social distancing. Wearing of masks & frequent handwashing will be the new normal. 

Varied break timings will be followed to avoid crowding. Strict No-No to sharing of lunches, morning assemblies, crowded buses & sharing of equipment or enjoying the swimming activity. Cross class-mingling will be avoided. Extra vigilance will be required by teachers, management & support staff. Priorities of schools & parents will not just be academics but more important will be the emotional & social health of children. Life-skills, value education, etc.

Pandemic has increased anxieties, fear, anger & sadness in children. Collective efforts will be required from school & parents for the overall well-being of children, to make them comfortable, safe & help them to adapt to new normal. Getting children back to school will not be easy for schools, parents & society. Online classes too have posed many challenges though it was an option to continue learning & keeping children safe.

Every child is unique. Some children by temperament are more anxious and will require special attention & support from the school Counselor & other school staff. Many students have been forced to drop out of school due to many reasons associated with the pandemic like the migration of labor to their hometowns. Many students have faced monetary poverty at home due to the business or job loss of their parents. Not only financial loss, but few children have also seen the loss of their family members during a pandemic. Teachers will require extra sensitivity, empathy & care to recognize the physical symptoms & behavior changes in the students & to help them cope up with the reality. Very young children have been at home with their parents for a long time & may show some separation anxiety symptoms & take time to settle.

Time has been equally challenging for parents & that too has taken a toll on students. Some parents have lost their jobs & business, some have suffered salary cuts & extra working hours. In the absence of child care support, they have been juggling to bring work-life balance along with child care.

Pandemic has reminded us all to be grateful for everything we have. It has reminded us to respect nature, be compassionate & caring. We have learned the value of family, health & hygiene & learned  

To accept change & adapt.

Life is a lesson; we learn every day and we will continue learning every day.

Meenu Bhargava
Freelance trainer & Counselling Psychologist

read more

Holistic Learning Experience

Holistic learning approach will reduce stress on students for competitive exams like JEE and NEET and with the 10th boards being lifted , the stress for students will reduce even more. Practical based hands-on learning which is not merely limited to a conventional cramming-based learning environment will boost confidence in students enabling them to take better life decisions in future.

Digital Learning+sports Integration

Learning coding from age 6 will empower students to develop skill sets for tomorrow. Sports have such strong and positive influence on mental wellbeing and some mental illnesses. Participation in regular physical activity can increase self-esteem and reduce stress and anxiety. Students will learn to deal with failures and prepare themselves with an attitude of winning and team spirit.

Change In The Pedagogical Structure To 5+3+3+4

This change is going to increase employability in youth and in turn help in reducing stress over jobs and being financially secure. The decision to choose which field is now made easy- elimination of rigid streams in secondary education and with more structured way of learning , students will be able to have the clarity of what they want to do in life.

Focus On Pre-primary And Multidisciplinary Courses

Statistics tell us that three in four mental illnesses start in childhood. Early childhood care and education play a vital role in building a foundation for life. The NEP focuses not just on critical skills but also social and emotional skills like knowledge seeking, logical thinking, empathy, skills like communication, teamwork, etc.

What Is Mental Health

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress,relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Positive mental health allows people to:

Realize their full potential.Cope with the stresses of life.

Work productively.

Make meaningful contributions to their communities

Skill based & vocational learning

Skill based and vocational programs can help youth with severe mental illness develop the skills and attitudes necessary to attain employment. Skill gains and positive changes in work attitudes will be seen for youth of the future.

Multiple Exits + Common Entrance Test

Issues like career counselling problems, including poor decision making skills, unwillingness to make commitments, unclear values, low career self-efficacy, undeveloped personal and vocational identities, and career foreclosure-such decisions will be easier.

Teacher Training

An educators’ mental health is one of the biggest factors in a students’ academic growth, as the mental health of teachers and students are interconnected, thus directly affecting their learning and outcomes.Teachers will be well equipped with not just better results but even dealing with students going through stress andmental pressure.

Expansion Of The Food Program

Factors such as poorer physical health, and living in poverty, or deprived communities, have been found to be associated with poorer mental health and wellbeing. Better nutrition equals better mental health. The program will help have a positive impact on turn out ratio and better mental well-being.

Mental Health In School

- To better enable the educators to identify, support and refer students needing help.

- To increase knowledge, behaviours in teachers, students and parents supporting good mental health and well-being.

- To increase the willingness students and parents to seek help for mental health issues.

- To decrease stigma towards individuals living with mental illness.

The New Education Policy

The Government replaced a 34-year-old National Policy on Education, framed in 1986, and has significantly made the new policy more mental health inclusive. With low stakes in board exams, more focus on liberal and vocational learnings, students are less likely to be mugging books and carrying heavy bags to schools,students would rather be more practical and vigilant citizens of our society under this policy.

 

read more

No sphere of life has been left unaffected by this pandemic and the world is now striving to find ways to adapt to the changing way of living and students are no exception to this situation. Many exams have been postponed due to the pandemic and students can now see their career plans derailing. However, every cloud has a silver lining. In the present scenario, the silver lining has been presented by e-learning. Many technologies are being developed to facilitate the learning process of students and are allowing them to keep up their learning curve even amidst the pandemic. One such technology is proctored tests.

A proctored test is a test where a candidate is monitored in real-time with the help of a web-cam and artificial intelligence. Special efforts are taken to formulate a report of the candidate’s performance in the fairest manner. As the World’s Learning Company, Pearson has adapted this state-of-the-art technology to help JEE Advanced applicants. 

Pearson MyInsights is all set to conduct FREE remote proctored tests for JEE Advanced applicants. Through these proctored tests, applicants will get a clear understanding of the pattern and format of the exam and get the hang of the authentic exam experience. This is an excellent opportunity for candidates to identify the areas that need to be polished before the day of the exam and brush up their concepts. These tests will provide candidates with their all India ranks and let them have a clear insight into their preparation level by creating an environment identical to the kind applicants will have to face on the day of the exam. Moreover, these tests will be offered by Pearson free of cost to allow applicants to prepare for their JEE Advanced without any obstacle. 

Here’s what applicants can get access to by registering for these proctored tests.

read more

So you have a groundbreaking idea for a startup and are all set to take the industry by a storm. But let’s face it, without the necessary capital, even the best ideas can only go so far. One of the most popular ways to secure this capital and #AccelerateYourCareer is, to look for funding. 

There are multiple options you can choose from when you’re finding the right source of funding for your startup. You could choose to bootstrap your business, look for angel investors, or go for crowdfunding. However, no matter what you choose, getting through with the process of acquiring funds for your startup requires you to complete a few steps.

Let’s look at them closely.

Be Clear About Your Growth Potential

Investors are always interested in looking at the longevity of your plan. Your proposal should clearly indicate the value of your business and reflect how the potential is projected to grow with time.

Understand that the investors are looking for ways to put their money to good use and are hoping to see cycles of growth. This is why your plan should have well defined projected growth patterns and show how your business can help the investor meet their goals of having a stable ROI.

Have A Problem Statement And A Viable Solution

A good business always aims to resolve a problem. Your business plan should identify a need-gap in society and propose a viable solution to it. This projects that you have thoughtfully considered the usability of your product or service and have studied how it may be desirable to your audience.

Ideally, the problem should be affecting a large group of people as having a very small niche can be problematic for a business in its starting stage.

Be Open About Your Margins

Needless to say, investors would be more interested in investing in your business if they can clearly see profitability in your idea. In fact, having big margins can easily be the best way to impress your investors.

Make sure that your plan clearly showcases the numbers in a well-defined professional manner.

Have Clear Industry Understanding

Having a clear understanding of your industry and competition is extremely important while presenting your investment pitch. Your plan must clearly communicate the details of Total Available Market (TAM), Segmented Addressable Market (SAM), and Share of Market (SOM) for the first few years.

Along with this, it is important to present how your business would fit in the current competition and how it would be different or potentially better than the competition.

Focus On Your Communication Skills

Last but definitely not least, you must brush up your communication skills. You should use the kind of communication that brings forward your idea and business ethics, reflect your integrity and passion towards your idea, and attempt to touch the heart of your investor.

In other words, the investor should be convinced by your belief and conviction in the business through your communication and presentation skills.

The following infographic summarises these points for a quick recap.

read more

Cracking a competitive exam is your pathway to a lucrative career. However, being successful in cracking these exams is not a piece of cake. It requires consistency, dedication and a well-planned strategy. While some students take up coaching classes for their preparations, it might not be enough.

Students now have access to ample online resources that can enable them to study independently from the comfort of their home. Not only does this help in brushing up the concepts taught in the coaching class, but it also helps students assess themselves and test their progress.

In fact, many experts believe that studying independently and assessing your progress can significantly enhance your learnings. With the right resources and a mix of online and offline modes of instruction, students can effectively prepare for competitive exams and pursue their dreams of having a lucrative career.

Here are a few tips that can help you attain the perfect mix of online and offline modes of instruction and make your preparations rock-solid.

Shorter Study Sessions Work Better

Several studies have proven that it is incredibly important to moderate your time when it comes to studying. In fact, some researches have shown that students can cover the same amount of syllabus in one-hour sessions spread over four days as they can in a single six-hour long session.

While you cannot control the schedule of your coaching classes, this is an incredibly important tip while creating your self-study schedule. A good tip is to take small assessments to test your progress on a day to day basis. Devoting multiple small portions of time to your preparations would ensure that you are learning with an energetic mind and prevent you from getting bored, which is one of the biggest problems students face when they try to study on their own.

Synchronize Your Online And Offline Syllabus

The syllabus for competitive exams is often extremely vast and requires you to be completely thorough with every concept. That is why, it is extremely important to dive deep into the topics and have the entire syllabus on tips. However, If stats are to be believed, people forget more than 70 per cent of their learnings if not reinforced the same day.

Which is why it is recommended to synchronize your online and offline syllabus. If there’s an important topic being taught in your coaching session, revising the same concept through digital assessments gives you an opportunity to brush those concepts at your own pace and develop a deeper understanding of the syllabus and identify your weaknesses.

Avoid Studying Till Late At Night

While it is understandable that different individuals have their own preferences when it comes to their favoured study times, experts don’t recommend studying at odd times. This is majorly because having a proper sleeping schedule is incredibly important while preparing for any exam.

A better alternative could be balancing your study schedule by waking up early. The image below showcases a few benefits of studying early in the morning.

read more

JEE Advanced has been constantly looking to update and enhance the level of the examinations. In general, JEE Advanced tries to test your understanding of the application of concepts and higher-order thinking. Every year they come up with some new challenges for you. So, to help you out with this, our team of subject matter experts have come up with the analysis of the last 7 years of JEE Advanced papers, wherein they have analyzed the level of the questions, the chapters of all subjects from which most questions are usually asked, and so on.

When JEE Advanced was introduced 8 years back, and with two exam theory was decided upon then, the level of the questions asked from all three subjects have been different. Generally, the level of questions asked in the Chemistry section is moderate and is the easiest section to do. The questions asked in the Physics section are tricky and difficult and require a deeper understanding of the concepts and their applications. So, you must have an absolute understanding of the concepts and their applications to attempt most of the questions. In the Maths section, the level of questions vary from moderately difficult to difficult almost every year.

First, understand the JEE Advanced 2020 Marking Scheme.

Paper 1
Type of Questions	Number of Questions	Marks	Negative Marking	Maximum Marks
Single Correct Answer	4	3	-1	12
Numerical Value-Type Questions	8	3	0	24
One or More Correct Answer	6	4	-2	24
Paper 2
Type of Questions	Number of Questions	Marks	Negative Marking	Maximum Marks
One or More Correct Answer	6	4	-2	24
Numerical Value-Type Questions	8	3	0	24
Matching List Type	4	3	-1	12

Here, you can get an idea about the total number of questions that are asked in JEE ADVANCED from Class XI and Class XII and the level of questions over the last 7 years of JEE Advanced exam.

Physics: In JEE Advanced, the level of the questions in Physics generally varies from Understanding Medium to Hots Difficult. A major chunk of the questions is based on Understanding Difficult to Hots Medium level. Every year, Physics is usually the toughest paper to attempt in JEE Advanced.

read more