After poor SSLC results, Karnataka govt issues 29-point reform plan
Measures include syllabus deadline, special classes, bi-monthly PTMs, daily attendance tracking
Bengaluru: In response to growing concerns over declining Class 10 (SSLC) results in Karnataka, the Department of School Education and Literacy has rolled out a comprehensive 29-point action plan aimed at improving student performance.
According to a Deccan Herald report published on Friday, the new guidelines come after the SSLC pass percentage, which stood at 54% in 2024, rose to 73% only after grace marks were granted to 1.7 lakh students. Despite a marginal improvement in 2025 to 62%, the overall outcome remains unsatisfactory, prompting the department to intervene.
As per the new guidelines, schools must complete the syllabus by December 2025 and are required to conduct special classes along with bi-monthly parent-teacher meetings for Class 10 students. Teachers have also been instructed to counsel students at least twice on the harmful effects of mobile phone and social media addiction.
Daily attendance tracking through the Student Achievement Tracking System (SATS) has been made mandatory. Additionally, under the "early warning system," teachers are expected to visit the homes of students who are absent for more than seven days to investigate the reasons and ensure their return to school.
The guidelines further direct schools to monitor student progress through regular unit tests and introduce “wake up calls” through teachers each morning to ensure that students are studying. One hour per week must also be allocated for sports activities to help students manage stress.
Underperforming schools will be identified, and deputy directors (administration) at the district level have been tasked with addressing key problem areas.
The guidelines also mandate department officials to conduct weekly visits to schools on Fridays and analyse the learning progress in the respective schools.
Schools have been instructed to conduct three preparatory exams with webcasting, and students who fail the board exams will be allowed to re-register. The department has called for awareness campaigns at the taluk and zilla levels to ensure maximum participation in the re-registration process.
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Bangladesh court sentences Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in jail in corruption cases
Dhaka (PTI): A Bangladesh court on Monday sentenced deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in jail in two separate corruption cases related to alleged irregularities in allocations of land in a government housing project.
Dhaka Special Judge’s Court-4 Judge Rabiul Alam handed down the verdicts, sentencing Hasina to a total of 10 years’ imprisonment — five years in each case, state-run BSS news agency reported.
The court sentenced 78-year-old Hasina, her nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and her nieces, Tulip Rizwana Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq, and others in the cases over alleged irregularities in the allocation of plots under the Rajuk New Town Project in Purbachol.
The judgment was pronounced at around 12.30 pm.
Tulip Siddiq was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment — two years in each case — while Radwan Mujib Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq were each sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment in both cases.
Rajuk member Mohammad Khurshid Alam, the only accused to surrender before the court, was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment in each case, totalling two years.
The court also fined all convicted persons Tk1 lakh each and ordered them to serve an additional six months in prison in default of payment.
Hasina has been living in India since she fled Bangladesh on August 5 last year in the face of the massive protests. She was earlier declared a fugitive by the court.
The cases were filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over alleged abuse of power in the allocation of two 10-katha plots.
According to the prosecution, the accused manipulated the allocation process and violated existing rules and regulations of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).
