Education sector needs reforms- Pokhariyal

India and Bangladesh reiterated their commitment to further expand and strengthen mutual cooperation in security and border related issues.They also discussed the early completion of the pending fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh borders as agreed by the Prime Ministers of the two countries.The 19th Home Secretary-Level Meeting between India and Bangladesh was held virtyally on Saturday.It was held in the backdrop of ‘Mujib Barsho’, 50 years of Bangladesh Liberation War and establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. The Indian delegation was led by Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and the Bangladesh delegation was led by Senior Secretary, Public Security Division Mostafa Kamal Uddin.Both sides appreciated the cooperation between the two countries and the action taken to address the menace of terrorism and extremism in an effective manner. India and Bangladesh reaffirmed not to allow the territory of either country to be used for any activity inimical to each other’s interests.Bangladesh appreciated assistance provided by India in the field of training and capacity building for various security agencies.Both sides also appreciated the effective functioning of the Coordinated Border Management Plan to control illegal cross border activities.

-Chief Justice of India S. A. Bobde on Saturday called for reducing dependence on courts by encouraging parties to opt for pre-litigation mediation which has a way of solving problems, both civil and criminal, which arise from similar dispute.He made the remarks while addressing a function where he inaugurated a new Centenary Building of the Patna High Court. The Chief Justice of apex court said, litigation is fine and making provisions for litigation is fine.But, it is time for us to resort to pre-litigation mediation. He said, disputes solved through pre-litigation mediations made a big difference to the feeling among disputants besides reducing dependence upon courts.The CJI said, the theory of separation of powers does not imply a hostility between the branches of the government.And, it is extremely elevating to hear such wonderful, realistic views which are absolutely in accordance with the Constitution. Justice Bobde also spoke about the judiciary being heavily invested in making use of technology for speedy dispensation of justice and sought to allay fears that the use of Artificial Intelligence in judicial work could affect decision making by the judges.

-Amid surge in COVID-19 cases in some parts of the country, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has asked all States and Union Territories not to lower their guard, enforce COVID Appropriate Behaviour and deal firmly with violations. He reiterated that states need to maintain a continued rigorous vigil in terms of containing the spread and not squander away the gains of the collective hard work of the last year. The Cabinet Secretary held separate review meetings with Chief Secretaries of Maharashtra, Punjab, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Telangana and Jammu-Kashmir. These States and Union Territories have been reporting a high active caseload or an increasing trend in new cases in the last week.During a review meeting, it was strongly stressed that they need to follow effective surveillance strategies in respect of potential super spreading events.The need for effective testing, comprehensive tracking, prompt isolation of positive cases and quick quarantine of close contacts were also strongly emphasized.The Chief Secretaries informed about the enforcement of COVID Appropriate Behavior by levying heavy fines and challans. In the meeting, a detailed presentation was made on the current status of COVID-19 in these states with a focus on districts reporting increasing number of new cases, increasing trend in positivity and having a concerning testing trend.

-Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal has assured the Toy industry of full support and cooperation from the Government's side. Speaking at the CEO Session of The India Toy Fair (TITF) 2021, the Minister said that no stone will be left unturned to provide support to toy clusters, make the business environment easier, get the environment clearances, and compliances with quality regulations.The Minister announced that wherever Toy cluster are being set-up, Bureau of Indian Standards will establish laboratories for testing the quality of products. He also assured that charges for testing will be soon significantly reduced, thereby bringing down the compliance cost of the industry. Goyal urged the industry to focus on improving quality of their products, and meet quality standards.  He said, India as a manufacturer of products will have to provide quality products. He said that it is only the quality culture which will help us to engage with the world and to expand our own contribution to resilient supply chains of future businesses.

-Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has emphasized the need for reforms in the education sector. He said that the University of Delhi can further contribute to nation-building by advancing the Center of Excellence on National Education Policy. 
The Minister also said that efforts will not only strengthen Indian education system but also make the country a global knowledge superpower. Nishank was addressing the 97th Annual Convocation of the Delhi University on Saturday.He asserted that the duty of a University is to patronize, promote, support and guide other educational institutions. He observed that the University is supporting and promoting institutions located in remote areas under the Vidya Vistar Yojna.The Minister appreciated the efforts of the University of Delhi for ensuring no disruption in the holistic development of its students during this pandemic year.During the convocation, for the first time in the history of the University, ove 1.78 lakh digital degrees were distributed online.