India consolidate second position in WTC standing with five-wicket win against England
Dubai, Feb 26: India consolidated their second spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) standing following their five-wicket win against Ben Stokes' England in the fourth Test at Ranchi on Monday.
The hosts, led by Rohit Sharma, took an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-Test series.
India's point-percentage jumped from 59.52 to 64.58 following the hard-fought win and they further extended the gap with Australia (55%) and Bangladesh (50%), third third and fourth-placed teams, respectively.
England, on the other hand, are languishing at eighth with 19.44%, just a spot ahead of bottom-placed Sri Lanka, who are yet to open their account.
India have so far played eight Tests in the current WTC cycle, winning five, losing two and drawing one match.
England's 'Bazball' approach doesn't seem to have given them rich dividends with the visitors having won just three matches, while losing five and drawing one so far.
New Zealand are leading the standing with 75 percentage points and have played just four Test so far.
A total of 12 points are awarded for a win, six for a tie and four for a draw. Teams are ranked according to the percentage of points.
The top-two teams will progress to the final at Lord's in 2025.
India have reached the WTC final both the times since the format was launched. They lost to New Zealand in the inaugural championship final, while bowing to Australia in the second edition.
India have a great chance to further cement their second position if they win the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala, beginning from March 7.
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Karnataka govt schools to hold mandatory parent-teacher meetings every 2 months
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Department of School Education and Literacy has decided to make parent-teacher meetings (PTMs) mandatory once every two months in all government schools, following an overwhelming response to the state’s first-ever mega PTM.
In a circular issued recently, the department has laid down a schedule requiring schools to invite parents regularly and update them on their children’s academic performance, extracurricular progress and any concerns related to behaviour or learning, Deccan Herald reported on Tuesday.
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The officials of the department reportedly said that the mega PTM held across the state on Children’s Day received overwhelming response. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had inaugurated the event.
A senior department official said regular PTMs would help parents understand their role in their children’s education and strengthen coordination between teachers and families. Such interactions create a supportive learning environment and improve student outcomes.
Teachers say that the concept of PTM itself is new for government schools. “Even if we have to convey something to parents regarding their children, it is not an easy task to convince them to visit schools, especially in rural areas. But after the mega PTM most parents are happy to meet teachers,” said Chandrakala, head teacher working with a government high school.
The department has clarified that a yearly PTM schedule will be issued, and schools must strictly follow it. The aim is to conduct at least five PTMs in every academic year.
During the mega PTM, parents were also served meals prepared under the mid-day meal scheme. Teachers, however, said there is no clarity yet on whether meals for parents will continue during future PTMs.
