Latest News Update

Friday, July 1, 2011

[ZESTCaste] '90% suicides in IITs are of SC/ST students’

http://churumuri.wordpress.com/2007/05/18/90-suicides-in-iits-are-of-scst-students/

'90% suicides in IITs are of SC/ST students'

By churumuri

On a CNBC discussion last night, while talking of Arjun Singh's relentless efforts to push in the 27 per cent reservation quota for OBCs, seemingly unmindful of the consequences, the economist and journalist Prem Shankar Jha stopped the anchor Karan Thapar from interrupting him and made an astounding claim:

"The majority of those who commit suicide in the IITs are those belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes."

Over the phone this morning, Jha confirmed saying that. He said a friend in the IIT had put the figure close to 90 per cent. In other words, nine out of every ten students who have ended their lives in the Indian Institutes of Technology are SCs and STs.

Truth to tell, it is not as if students are killing themselves in the IITs by the drove. Still, a death is a death. Statistically speaking, if even a single student commits suicide and he belongs to the SCs/STs, it will go down as 100 per cent.

Can Jha's claim be true? Is there any solid research to prove this number? And if it's true, has anyone tried to find out why it is happening and how further suicides can be prevented?

"There's so much pressure put on the SC/ST students that they can't cope. You're throwing them in the same water and expecting them to compete. In a place where the average IQ is said to be in the range of 140, it places enormous pressure on those who can't measure up.

"We make bad policy [like extended reservations] but don't think about the net result of it. For instance, I would be interested to know how many SCs and STs, who have graduated from the IITs, have gone on to higher educational institutions like MIT."

__._,_.___

Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post | Start a New Topic

Messages in this topic (1)

Recent Activity:

New Members 1

Visit Your Group

----
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/

Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use

__,_._,___

[ZESTCaste] Times Impact: IIT-Delhi 'self-enrichment' programme open to all

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Times-Impact-IIT-Delhi-self-enrichment-programme-open-to-all/articleshow/9057916.cms

Times Impact: IIT-Delhi 'self-enrichment' programme open to all
Hemali Chhapia, TNN | Jul 1, 2011, 03.04am IST

MUMBAI: The Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi has opened its doors
wider: all students wanting to take up the week-long self-enrichment
programme can do so now. It was earlier meant only for SC/ST
candidates.

TOI had reported about the course in its Thursdays edition. But
various experts were anguished that IIT-Delhi was running the
programme only for SC/ST students and termed the grooming course as
smacking of apartheid and causing segregation on campus. Reacting
promptly, the tech school changed its stand; it will now allow all
students to take the course. The co-ed programme, which will run from
July 10 to July 17, is made up of modules on communication,
personality development and theatre for communication.

"(All) JEE selected students who are planning to join IIT-Delhi are
encouraged to register for the special Self-Enrichment Programme
starting July 9. The programme is open for limited registration for up
to 200 students and preference will be given to SC/ST and other
students from economically weaker background," read a fresh note put
out by IIT-Delhi on Thursday.

The residential programme is conducted by the Centre for Research and
Education for Social Transformation, Kerala . It will enable students
to improve communication skills, better time management and public
expression as well as build self-confidence, says the note put up by
the institute.

Ashley Paul, a course co-ordinator, says, "Most of these students
don't have the social capital; they come from rural parts of India.
The course leaves them a lot more certain than when they walked in."

From classes in communication to touching on aspects of personality
development, Paul says the course is meant to help students shed their
inhibitions and come out of their shell.

__._,_.___

Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post | Start a New Topic

Messages in this topic (1)

Recent Activity:

New Members 1

Visit Your Group

Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use

__,_._,___

[ZESTCaste] IIT-Delhi CREST workshop not restricted to SC, ST students anymore

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/IIT-Delhi-CREST-workshop-not-restricted-to-SC--ST-students-anymore/811223/

IIT-Delhi CREST workshop not restricted to SC, ST students anymore

Express News Service Posted online: Fri Jul 01 2011, 02:06 hrs
New Delhi : IIT DELHI has reworded the notice for its 10-day
"self-enrichment course" for students from marginalised backgrounds,
on its Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) website. From inviting just
SC/ST students enrolled into B Tech programmes for the new academic
session, the course will now be open for all students.

However, institute Deputy Director M Balakrishnan said preference
would still be given to SC/ST students.

The 10-day workshop, which will be organised by the Centre for
Research and Education for Social Transformation (CREST), will
commence from July 10 for a maximum of 200 students. "This will be the
second year of the workshop. Last year, around 150 students attended
our programme. We will open a registration system this year, clearly
stating that it will be on a first-cum-first-serve basis for a cap of
200 candidates," said Professor Balakrishnan of CREST, which is an
autonomous institute under the Kerala government.

Mounav Das, a second-year B Tech student from IIT Delhi who had
attended the course last year, told Newsline: "The students knew it
was a confidence-building measure for reserved category students. It
was a very positive experience because we were told how to deal with
specific situations, and it helped build our confidence."

A former student of Delhi Public School-Dhaligaon in Assam, Das said
the course was designed to help students "develop their personality".

"Most of my batchmates from the general category also knew about the
course. There was nothing discriminatory about it. I thought it was a
brilliant experience," he said.

Explaining the philosophy behind such a workshop, Dr Balakrishnan
said, "In 2009, the Bangalore-based National Institute of Applied
Sciences conducted a meeting for all IITs, where CREST made a
presentation. Their course — which we adopted last year — provides for
confidence-building measures to help students shed their inhibitions
and come out of their shells."

Balakrishnan said that on an average, the SC/ST students who attended
last year's programme managed to clear one course more than those who
did not. Of the 240 SC/ST candidates admitted last year, 100 had
attended the course. Quoting the Supreme Court verdict in a 2009 case,
he said institutions have been directed to provide special facilities
for the betterment of students from socially and economically backward
classes.

Professor D D Nampoothiri, executive director of CREST, said the
course was modelled on the lines of a course developed by the
University of Michigan, and had three components.

"The first part deals with developing communication skills, so
students are able to articulate themselves freely. The second segment
of the course helps students develop their academic writing skills,
and the final part deals with theatre workshops. Last year, we had
trainers coming from the National School of Drama for this component."

------------------------------------

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/

<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
ZESTCaste-digest@yahoogroups.com
ZESTCaste-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ZESTCaste-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[ZESTCaste] Two employees of DU SC/ST Cell held

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/article2149367.ece

NEW DELHI, July 1, 2011
Two employees of DU SC/ST Cell held
Staff Reporter

Two employees of the SC/ST Cell of Delhi University have been arrested
by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police for alleged involvement in
admission of students to prestigious colleges on forged caste
certificates supplied by a gang.

Upper division clerk Sanjeet Mahajan and office assistant Neeraj
Sharma were arrested after the Crime Branch found that they had
assisted the main accused Himanshu Gupta in enticing the candidates
and getting them admitted to the colleges. Himanshu was arrested
earlier along with his accomplice Vikas and Ketan Gupta, a data entry
operator at the Mehrauli Tehsildar's office.

Investigations revealed that Sanjeet, who was posted along with Neeraj
at the East Delhi unit of the SC/ST Cell, was in regular touch with
Himanshu through mobile phone. The accused would allow Himanshu to
insert documents in the files of his candidates. The duo would
allegedly hand over the provisional admission slips of the students to
Himanshu instead, on the basis of which he would bargain with their
parents for more money. Sanjeet would also inform the gang about the
cut-off percentage.

The police said Sanjeet was paid Rs.12,000 and Neeraj Rs.5,000 for the
job. Himanshu allegedly took Rs.3 lakh to Rs.5 lakh from each
candidate to secure their admissions on fake caste certificates. He
demanded the money only after the students would start attending
classes. The gang had supplied the certificates to nearly 40 students
since 2008.

"Raids are being mounted to arrest one Satish, who worked at the
Ghaziabad Tehsildar's office on contract basis and had allegedly
prepared caste certificates for Himanshu," said a police officer.

------------------------------------

PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com

Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/

<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
ZESTCaste-digest@yahoogroups.com
ZESTCaste-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
ZESTCaste-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

Re: [ZESTCaste] Caste census takes off

is the case census breaking by sub castes and caste and religion matrix?

frankly measures to capture bpl are set too low. the nfhs data on standard of living places figures on poverty as per this measure much higher. if one takes malnutrition or anaemia it is even higher. whom is the govt. fooling.

when are we going to have land, house (kind of house), livestock (kind of livestock), access to common prop resources, bank balance, post office account balance,. share ownership, vehicle onwerhsip, toilet ownership and other asset ownership by caste/sub caste and caste/religion? too much of tv, free rice, marriage assistance in the form of gold and none of the above leads to huge problems.

i know agric. census gives some data but it puts all dalits under one category. does this census include all the above resources

ranjani

--- On Thu, 30/6/11, Siddhartha Kumar <mailsiddhartha.k@gmail.com> wrote:

From: Siddhartha Kumar <mailsiddhartha.k@gmail.com>
Subject: [ZESTCaste] Caste census takes off
To: "zestcaste" <zestcaste@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Thursday, 30 June, 2011, 10:18 AM

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110630/jsp/northeast/story_14176292.jsp

Caste census takes off
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Agartala, June 29: