Modi wants Jammu, Kashmir people to learn from Ladakh
Leh, May 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday the people of Ladakh have set an example in human endeavour and urge for progress that must be followed by those living in Jammu and Kashmir regions.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of centenary birth celebrations of the Buddhist spiritual leader, Kashuk Bakula here, Modi said: "Despite hardships and inaccessibility, Ladakhis have set up an example in endeavouring hardships and yet continuing their march of progress and development. This example will have to be followed by the people of the valley and the Jammu region."
He said Ladakh today was a far cry from its past when it was known just for three things "totu" (pony) "sottu" (powdered corn) and "patu" (local tweed).
"Your self-confidence has taken Ladakh to great heights from those days of backwardness. I am told today that the entrepreneurship of the women of Ladakh is an example for the rest of the country.
"With a population of just a lakh and a quarter, the people of Ladakh host two lakh tourists each year."
The Prime Minister started his speech in Ladakhi language as the gathering exploded with applause.
"The region is not new to me. I have come here many times. When I worked for the party and visited Ladakh, my friends would ask me to bring some vegetables for them from Ladakh for the taste and purity of the local produce.
He said Ladakh was an example of "great legacy of brotherhood and peace" and connecting people of the country with each other was Kushak Bakula's special attribute also known in far off Mangolia.
Modi is visiting all the three regions of the state in a single day, during which, he said, he will inaugurate projects worth Rs 25,000 crore.
The work on the Zojila tunnel -- connecting Srinagar with Kargil -- is starting. The tunnel will cost Rs 7809 crore.
"Zojila is not just an infrastructure project. It is going to be technological marvel."
He said he had asked Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari to ensure that the project was completed in record time.
He said the tunnel will give the region round the year connectivity with the rest of the country.
"There is no better place for solar energy development in the county than the Ladakh region. Aromatic industry is developing fast in the world. There is a shift from chemical aroma to natural aroma. This industry has a great potential here.
He promised to make a state of the art cultural centre and a digital museum for the region.
"People want a medical college here. I have taken the demand seriously and I will ask the state and the central government to explore this possibility and furnish a report on setting up a medical college.
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Karnataka SSLC question papers to have new format for academic year 2024-25
Bengaluru: In a significant shift, the Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB) has reportedly announced changes to the format of the SSLC annual exam question papers for the academic year 2024-25 and released a blueprint outlining these revisions. This overhaul, the first major revision since 2019-20, is aimed at enhancing the quality of learning and reducing students' dependence on rote memorisation.
Marks will now be allocated based on themes rather than individual chapters, with a focus on key concepts, according to a report published by The Hindu on Monday. For instance, language papers can be organised around themes such as prose, poetry, and grammar, while core subjects will feature units that combine multiple lessons.
A significant component of this change is the reintroduction of a weightage system based on learning objectives, which includes: remembering (20%), understanding (40%), and application (20%). In addition, 15% of the marks will be allocated to skills such as diagram drawing, while 5% will focus on higher-order thinking questions that encourage critical analysis and problem-solving.
“This method ensures equal importance is given to all chapters during teaching and learning. Teachers and students can move away from the practice of preparing for exams solely based on chapter-wise marks allocation. While specific marks are not assigned to individual chapters, clear weightage is given to relevant themes. This approach guarantees comprehensive practice for each chapter and allows for diverse question types in the exams,” the blueprint stated, as cited by the news outlet.
Key changes also include a reduction in the number of one-mark and two-mark questions, in favour of more three-mark and four-mark questions and the introduction of one five-mark question.
The blueprint mentioned that one-mark questions, which often lead to guesswork, would be replaced with more descriptive questions that challenge students to think critically, write extensively, and refine their expression skills.
The updated question paper format will include 45 questions for the first language, and 38 questions for other subject papers. Some of the three-mark, four-mark, and five-mark questions may contain sub-questions. Additionally, internal choice questions, worth a total of 20 marks, will continue to be part of the exam and will be based on the same themes and chapters as the primary questions.
Despite these revisions, KSEAB has clarified that the overall difficulty level of the exams will remain unchanged. The distribution of marks will continue to follow the same pattern as in previous years, with 30% of questions considered easy or very easy, 50% of average difficulty, and 20% deemed difficult.
