Karnataka: BBMP to conduct school dropout survey
Bengaluru: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is set to conduct a comprehensive survey to investigate why students drop out of school.
The BBMP's education division, which oversees more than 24,000 students from Class 1 to 2nd PU colleges, has invited private firms to submit tenders for conducting the survey, as reported by The New Indian Express on Thursday.
This is BBMP’s third attempt to carry out the survey after two previous tender calls failed to attract responses. The aim of the survey is to identify the number of school dropouts, particularly at the school level, and understand the reasons behind students discontinuing their education.
Officials from the BBMP education department told TNIE that a mobile application has already been developed by the municipal corporation to facilitate the survey. "The Chief Commissioner has appointed a nodal officer for the survey and issued instructions," said an official.
The commissioner has also directed the BBMP’s health department to support the survey by deploying junior and senior health inspectors.
The official also mentioned that ten people have been assigned to each ward, with the responsibility of surveying 50 households daily and submitting reports. The municipal corporation is expected to complete the survey and submit a final report to the state education department.
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Actor Pravina Deshpande dies
Mumbai (PTI): Actor Pravina Deshpande, known for playing supporting characters in films such as “Ready”, “Gabbar is Back” and “D Day”, has died.
The actor's family shared the news in a post on her Instagram page, saying that Despande breathed her last on Tuesday.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you that Mrs Pravina Deshpande has left for her heavenly abode on 17th February 2026,” the note read.
According to media reports, Deshpande died after a prolonged battle with blood cancer at the age of 60. She is survived by her husband and two children.
Desphande worked extensively in Marathi theatre, shows and films. She gained wider recognition for her work in Hindi cinema.
Some of her popular shows and films were “Pariniti”, “Avagat”, “Ghar Ek Mandir”, “Kumkum - Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan”, “Ek Villian”, “Parmanu” The story of Pokhran”, among others.
She was last seen in the Netflix series, “Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web”.
The Cine and TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA), a trade union body of actors, wrote on X, “CINTAA expresses its condolences on the demise of Pravina Deshpande ji (member since 2008).”
Deshpande’s colleagues from the film industry also took to social media to express grief.
“Beautiful person. She’d met me in 2017 to audition for our film. It was a very pleasant experience," filmmaker Aditya Kriplani said on X.
Actor Vaishnavi Dhanraj said, “May her soul rest in peace.”
Her last rites were held on Tuesday afternoon at the Hindu crematorium, Chakala Parsiwada, in suburban Andheri.
