HIGHER EDUCATION FINANCING AGENCY
Latest on DA hike 2024: 13 allowances of central government employees to increase by 25% as dearness allowance touches 50%
Latest on DA hike: Now that the Dearness Allowance (DA) has reached the 50% mark, several other allowances will also see an increase. As a result, certain allowances are expected to experience a 25% boost.
Rahul Gandhi writes to Prime Minister Modi, requests him to lead Parliamentary debate on NEET
"Our students deserve answers. A parliamentary debate is the first step towards rebuilding and restoring their faith. Given the urgency of the matter, I request the government to facilitate a debate in the House tomorrow. I believe that it would be fitting if you were to lead this debate in the interest of the students," the letter reads
NEET controversy: Education reforms need to tackle the ‘how’, not just ‘what’ and ‘why’
The NEET controversy has also highlighted the requirement of derisking admission tests. It cannot be that if one test comes under the cloud, then there's no other backup for students. Reform initiatives in sensitive, critical sectors like education need to be injected in a manner that students are insulated from any potential failure. National Testing Agency (NTA), at the heart of this reform process and now of the controversy, conveys a serious gap between conceptualisation and execution.
Is your child’s foreign education a crucial goal?
Consider these factors before you start saving for this expensive goal lest you risk your other goals or the child’s future.
Go back to schools to root out NEET-type malaise
The high-powered committee on entrance exam reforms, set up following the NEET-UG fiasco, is learnt to have received several of these inputs. Academics, experts and officials associated with the education ministry over the years have highlighted the urgent need to restore the primacy of school-level teaching and learning and for more 'distributed' school-level weightage in entrance exams.
Sharpen focus on education and health this Budget, experts urge FM
Although the pandemic is behind us, the focus on the health sector shouldn't be diluted, he added. There were also suggestions to tightly monitor the implementation of all such social sector schemes, he added. Facilities at schools and hospitals need to be further improved and vacancies filled up on time, some of them said in the meeting. In the interim Budget for FY25 in February, the government had pegged the outlay for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at ₹90,659 crore, up marginally from the FY24 budget estimate of ₹89,155 crore. This outlay also includes spending on health research.
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Explained: How the National Testing Agency (NTA) functions?
The National Testing Agency (NTA) faces scrutiny over recent exam irregularities in NEET-UG and UGC-NET. Established in 2017 under the Education Ministry, NTA conducts major exams like JEE-Main, NEET-UG, and UGC-NET. Recent controversies include grace marks disputes in NEET and paper leaks in UGC-NET, prompting a high-level review of NTA's operations and leadership changes.
Goa to have liquor sales near educational institutions and regional places
Although the relaxation does not give the excise agency complete authority to grant licenses in these previously restricted locations, the move has startled many. Apart from the applicant needing to pay twice the licence price, the excise commissioner must obtain government clearance before granting such an application.
"Disappointing...": BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar on NEET UG exam issue
BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar expressed disappointment over students being disadvantaged in the NEET UG exams but praised the government's steps to ensure exam integrity. The NTA, which conducted the exams, faced criticism for alleged irregularities. The Ministry of Education formed a high-level committee, led by Dr K. Radhakrishnan, to recommend reforms for transparent and fair exam conduct, data security, and NTA functioning. The committee will submit its report in two months.
CBI registers FIR to probe 'irregularities' in NEET-UG
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a criminal case to investigate allegations of irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 examination. The complaint alleges isolated incidents in a few states during the examination. The Ministry of Education has urged the CBI to conduct a comprehensive investigation into alleged irregularities, including conspiracy, cheating, impersonation, breach of trust, and evidence destruction.
View: Some suggestions for systemic improvements to minimise, or stop, future NEET-NET-type leaks
Recent events have put the National Testing Agency (NTA) under scrutiny due to the leakage of the NEET-UG test paper, impacting admission to medical colleges. With over 2 million students taking the NEET exam annually for around 1 lakh competitive seats, the stakes are high for career-defining opportunities.
Pre-Budget meeting with FM: Tax sops, higher capex, stable tax regime top industry wishlist
Budget expectations: Indian industry and financial institutions had their customary pre-budget consultations with Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday. The suggestions from India Inc included tax sops, capex boost as well as tax stability.
NEET-UG row: Education ministry sets up 4-member panel to review grace marks to over 1500 candidates
The NEET-UG medical entrance exam faced allegations of mark inflation, prompting the NTA to form a panel to review grace marks for over 1,500 candidates. Political parties, including AAP and Congress, raised concerns about irregularities, with demands for a re-exam and probes. The NTA denied any wrongdoing, attributing higher scores to textbook changes and grace marks for time lost at exam centers. Calls for a re-exam persist.
Over 1,400 students of Delhi govt schools qualified in NEET-UG this year, says Education Minister Atishi
Over 1,400 Delhi government school students set a record by excelling in NEET-UG exams this year, with Dr. Br Ambedkar School of Specialised Excellence showcasing exceptional success.
Will an NDA-led Modi 3.0 see Centre more open to welfare measures?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have consistently opposed the distribution of freebies, as seen in their manifesto "Modi ki Guarantee," which avoided commitments like guaranteed pensions for government employees or reinstating rail concessions for seniors. In contrast, the Congress party's promises included substantial financial incentives like Rs 1 lakh annual aid for women and waivers on education and farm loans.
Managing finances after 80: Answers to three major personal finance questions for super senior citizens
As one ages, it becomes clear that the couple won’t leave the world together. Typically, the husband worries about the wife’s ability to manage money, while the wife worries about the husband’s ability to manage food and health. However, neither cooking, nor investing is rocket science, and it is never too late to learn these crucial life skills.
Home loan borrowers may have repaid higher amounts
In FY23, for instance, the combined outstanding home loan portfolio of public sector and private banks and housing finance companies, which account for a big majority of the home loan market in the country was, Rs 3.62 lakh crore. But disbursements were much higher - at Rs 8.08 lakh crore. In terms of growth, while the outstanding portfolio grew 16%, the disbursements expanded 20%, according to the data released by the National Housing Bank.
Bonjour! Pointers to start your French higher education
France has announced a plan to triple the number of Indian students by 2030, aiming to welcome around 30,000 students within six years. This initiative enhances France's appeal as a destination for global education, attracting students with its multiculturalism and academic prestige. However, studying in France differs significantly from anglophone countries due to language and cultural differences.
Study abroad: US, UK, Canada, Germany, Australia — which is the best country for Indian students in terms of education cost, scholarships, jobs?
Aspiring to pursue higher studies at prestigious universities like Harvard, Cambridge, Stanford, Oxford, MIT, and others is a common goal for many Indian students. However, achieving this aspiration often presents numerous challenges. Before making a final decision about studying abroad at these highly sought-after destinations, it's essential to carefully consider various factors. Let's explore the key considerations for Indian students aiming to study in these top 5 destinations.
Stock Radar: Multibagger returns in less than 1 year! This green NBFC player is poised for continued growth
IREDA has rallied by about 190% since its November 2023 listing. After reaching 215 in February, the momentum in the stock fizzled out. It continued to drift lower and found support above 120 levels in March. The stock is trading well above most of the crucial moving averages such as 5,10,30,50 and 100-DMA on the daily charts.
FD interest rate up to 8.6%: 10 corporate fixed deposits with the highest interest rates
A corporate fixed deposit, or corporate FD, is a term deposit with fixed interest rates kept for a predetermined amount of time majorly issued by Non-Banking Financial Corporations (NBFCs) & Housing Finance Companies (HFCs). Here is list of company fixed deposit interest rates.
Starting your own business? Take these financial precautions before quitting your job
He has worked for 25 years and has held senior management positions in large companies. He holds a large portfolio of assets, including real estate, equity, mutual funds and bonds. He is fairly confident that his business idea will scale up. His two children are currently pursuing their graduation.
Govt evaluating RBI proposal for higher infrastructure provisioning; bankers, NBFCs voice concern
Lenders may oppose the draft rules, which proposes provisioning of up to 5% from current 0.4%, due to concerns over rising interest rates and potential disruption to capital expenditure. Banks plan to lobby against the steep increase, arguing it could affect project viability and economic momentum. State-owned NBFCs and infrastructure firms are also raising concerns, emphasizing the need to balance risk and support for infrastructure financing.
4 PSU stocks which are gig beneficiaries of the government focus on power, railways & infrastructure projects
What should a company which is lending both for short and long term but only to a particular sector be called. A “sectoral lender” or “term lending institution”. The obvious answer would be a sectoral lender. But the fact is that these are term lending institutions which come with its own advantages and disadvantages. The word “term lending institution” is not a word which many on the street would know or remember because this word was used a couple of decades back when ICICI, IDBI were not banks but term lending institutions. The difference between today’s PFC and IRFC of the world and old timer ICICI is that the PFC and IRFC are focussed in lending to a sector, whereas in old days, ICICI used to lend to different sectors. Another big difference is that PFC and REC have lower cost of capital as compared to term lenders like in the old days. Because some of these PSU lenders have come into public space recently, even analysts seem to be getting on the wrong foot by being less than optimistic.
Ratings upgrade higher than downgrades in H2'24 though pace moderates
India Inc's credit ratings saw more upgrades than downgrades during October-March 2024, despite challenges like rising borrowing costs and supply constraints due to geopolitical issues. Strong domestic consumption and government infrastructure spending contributed to this trend. Sectors like roads, renewables, and hospitality drove upgrades, while export-oriented sectors faced downgrades. The credit ratio stabilized at pre-COVID levels, indicating positive credit quality outlook for fiscal 2025. However, uncertainties like monsoons and geopolitical landscape changes remain potential risks.
Nearly half trying to study abroad now women
An increasing number of Indian women are pursuing higher education overseas, particularly in STEM courses. They benefit from scholarships and funding opportunities, driven by societal shifts towards gender equality. Avanse Financial Services and loan agencies support this trend by offering incentives to attract female students.
We aim to democratise foreign education for students in lower income brackets and in smaller towns: GradRight
GradRight claims to have processed loan requests exceeding $2 billion and assisted over 60,000 students in just two years.
IITs step up efforts to raise donations from alumni
IIT Delhi, which currently has a total endowment reserve of Rs 350 crore from its alumni, looks to add another Rs 250 crore in the next two years, its dean of alumni relations PVM Rao said. Last calendar, the institute raised about Rs 50 crore. “However, one big donation may change these projections as it happened with IIT Bombay with (Nandan) Nilekani’s donation,” Rao said.
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