India in talks with Ukraine's neighbours for continuing education of evacuated students: Jaishankar
New Delhi(PTI): India is in talks with countries like Hungary, Romania, Kazakhstan and Poland for continuing education of students evacuated from Ukraine, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday.
Responding to a discussion in Lok Sabha on the situation in Ukraine, Jaishankar said the Ukrainian government too has offered relaxation for students for taking two key examinations in their medical education courses.
He said the Ukrainian government has decided there would be a relaxation for students with respect to promotion from the third to the fourth year.
"The mandatory CROC exam has been postponed to the next academic year. As for the students in the sixth year, the degrees would be accorded without taking the mandatory CROC-2 examination. The criterion would solely be academic performance," Jaishankar told the House.
He noted that Hungary had offered to allow students evacuated from Ukraine to complete their medical courses at its universities.
"In addition to Hungary, there were offers from other countries. We have been in touch with Hungary, Romania, Kazakhstan and Poland about continuing education for the students evacuated from Ukraine. Because these countries have similar education systems," he said.
He noted that ministries of education and health were seized of the matter and were exploring ways on how those evacuated from Ukraine could continue their education.
The finance ministry has also asked banks to assess the impact of the Ukraine crisis on the educational loans offered by them to students in Ukraine, the minister told members.
"There are 1,319 students who have outstanding loans," he said.
Responding to issues flagged by members during the course of the discussion on Tuesday, the minister said some students did not leave as they thought it will disturb their education.
Several universities at that time had refused to offer online courses, he said adding that a university in Kyiv said it cannot convert to online system.
"There was one in Odessa which said we can online classes till February 25 only. A university in Kharkiv -- the embassy kept calling them and even sent someone to meet -- they were not willing to meet," he said.
Some universities suggested that students should stay back as things won't get serious, he said.
Referring to reports back then that Russia was withdrawing some of its units, Jaishankar said when he checked it personally from the Ukrainian end, they were asking students not to panic as they could control things. He said such signalling had put the students in a dilemma.
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CM Siddaramaiah accuses BJP of ‘communalising’ Karnataka order on religious attire in schools
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday slammed BJP leaders for "communalising" the Karnataka government’s order allowing students to wear religious attire in schools and colleges, including the hijab.
The Karnataka government, on May 13, issued an order allowing students to wear hijab, sacred threads, Shivadhara, and rudraksha (faith-based symbols) in schools.
The order scrapped the BJP government’s 2022 ban on the hijab in government schools amid the hijab versus saffron shawl controversy.
In a statement, Siddaramaiah said BJP leaders commenting on the matter should introspect on why they are discussing the state government order instead of the cancellation of the NEET examination, which relates to the future of 22 lakh students.
The CM said the revised dress code has now been implemented in schools and colleges across the state, in keeping with the constitutional principle of equal respect for all religions.
It is only natural that those who seek to divide society based on caste and religion are upset by this order, he said, adding that they should look within and introspect.
"What is being discussed across the country is the cancellation of the NEET examination due to a question paper leak. Yet neither PM Narendra Modi, who conducts ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ (discussion on exams) and claims to care for students, nor BJP leaders in the state have said a word about this serious crime that has shattered the futures of innocent students," the statement said.
Despite serious allegations that BJP leaders themselves are involved in the issue, they are busy defending the PM and the education minister, Siddaramaiah alleged.
"Is this not a betrayal of the 22 lakh students across the country who have become victims of NEET examination irregularities?" he asked.
Siddaramaiah claimed that when lapses were found in one or two centres during the CET examination conducted by his government, state BJP leaders created a huge uproar and staged protests, but now, when more than one lakh students from Karnataka have faced injustice, the BJP leaders are silent.
He wondered whether BJP leaders have even the minimum concern for students in Karnataka.
"When the sacred thread (janivara) was removed in one or two places, and when Muslim girl students wore the hijab in one or two schools in Udupi, these BJP leaders tried to set the whole of Karnataka on fire with communal hatred. Can they not see the tears of students suffering due to the cancellation of the NEET examination?” the CM said.
He claimed that the dress code implemented in the state’s educational institutions is in line with the dress code followed in Kendriya Vidyalayas under the union government.
"Those who oppose the dress code issued by the state government should also oppose the dress code of Kendriya Vidyalayas. Why this hypocrisy?" Siddaramaiah said.
He also asked whether allowing the hijab amounts to appeasement of Muslims, and whether allowing sacred threads, turbans, or traditional headgear amounts to appeasement of the respective religions.
Calling the CET examinations introduced by the previous Congress government in Karnataka a revolutionary step that enabled thousands of poor students to become engineers and doctors, Siddaramaiah alleged that the BJP government at the Centre systematically weakened the system.
“When the NEET examination system was implemented in 2024, our government opposed it. NEET has caused injustice to poor and rural students in the state. Through this system, the union government has taken away the state’s rightful authority over education,” the CM charged.
For decades, our governments have conducted CET examinations safely and efficiently, he said, adding that the BJP government at the Centre does not even have the ability to conduct a single NEET examination properly.
“This is proof of the union government’s administrative failure. I directly hold Prime Minister Narendra Modi responsible for this lapse. I demand that he apologise to the students of the country and immediately remove the incompetent Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan from the Union Cabinet,” he said.
Underlining that educational institutions must promote rationality, scientific temper, equality, fraternity, dignity, mutual respect, and a secular outlook, Siddaramaiah said his government has decided to allow students to wear limited traditional or faith-based symbols, provided they are supplementary to and compatible with the prescribed uniform.
“We are committed to restoring discipline, equality, and dignity in the education system without affecting public order, safety, the classroom environment, or the secular character of educational institutions,” the CM said.
