Kainat Sarfaraz covers education for Hindustan Times in Delhi. She also takes keen interest in reading and writing on the intersections of gender and other identities.
Articles by Kainat Sarfaraz
Physical, mental health clinics at 15 Delhi govt schools to open on Oct 1
Along with providing routine check-ups, the clinics will also focus on the emotional well-being of children, address issues related to their mental health,and offer counselling services.
Updated on Sep 15, 2021 03:03 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Delhi was hub of student activism. Then came pandemic, a State crackdown
Normally, between August and September, Delhi University (DU) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campuses would be busy for the high-stakes campus elections. But this year, just like last year, there is a lull
Updated on Sep 14, 2021 12:43 PM IST
DTU students want fee waivers, admin cites running costs
University officials, however, said they cannot reduce the fee and pointed out that they are already giving fee concessions in genuine cases.
Updated on Sep 14, 2021 12:02 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Delhi University has approved FYUP. What does it mean for students?
Varsity officials have said that students wanting to opt for the regular three-year undergraduate course will be allowed to do so
Updated on Sep 13, 2021 05:12 PM IST
Sadia Akhtar and Kainat Sarfaraz
Low teacher-student ratio may be reason for DU’s slip in NIRF rankings
In the NIRF’s 2021 report, released by the education ministry on Thursday, Delhi University was ranked 12th — down from 11th last year— behind the national capital’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Jamia Millia Islamia, which secured the second and sixth ranks, respectively.
Updated on Sep 11, 2021 06:35 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, Hindustan Times, New Delhi]
Jamia students demand phase-wise reopening of campus, can’t decide in haste: V-C
Both DU and JNU came out with their own reopening schedules following the Delhi Disaster Management Authority directives on August 30 allowing students of higher educational institutions to return to campuses as long as a 50% seating capacity is maintained
Updated on Sep 10, 2021 01:17 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
JNU stays 2nd, Delhi University falls to 12th rank in Centre’s rankings
The performance of JNU and Jamia are also remarkable given the turmoil both campuses witnessed in 2019-2020 due to protests leading to violence.
Updated on Sep 10, 2021 07:48 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz and Sadia Akhtar
As Delhi University readies to reopen, students await clarity on mode of exam
According to university’s academic calendar, the final-year UG students will appear for their fifth semester exams from November 30 and theory exams for final-year PG students will begin on December 15.
Updated on Sep 09, 2021 01:40 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
34% EWS seats in Delhi’s private schools still vacant
Private schools have been admitting one EWS student from the government’s list for every three admissions under the general category in entry-level classes (nursery, kindergarten, and class 1) every year
Updated on Sep 08, 2021 01:38 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Delhi govt school children in classes 11, 12 to get ₹2,000 seed fund: Sisodia
As part of its Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum introduced in 2019, students at Delhi government schools received ₹1,000 as seed money for their approved business ideas. This March, the Delhi government proposed to increase the seed money to ₹2,000.
Updated on Sep 07, 2021 02:02 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Final-year undergrad, post-grad students of DU allowed on campus from Sept 15
The varsity has made it mandatory for all students returning to colleges and departments to be at least partially vaccinated. Department and college libraries have been allowed to reopen from Monday, DU officials said.
Updated on Sep 07, 2021 02:07 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Delhi: 122 educators, mostly from govt schools, selected for teachers’ awards
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said the number of awards was increased to 122 from 103 last year to recognise the work of more teachers.
Updated on Sep 05, 2021 02:31 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
St Stephen's releases UG cutoff; at 99.5% Economics (H) highest
Delhi University’s St. Stephen’s College on Friday released the cut-off for ten undergraduate courses with the highest cut-off set for the Economics (Honours) course at 99.5% for students with commerce and humanities stream. Applicants from the science stream need to have a score of 98.75% to get admission to the course.
Published on Sep 04, 2021 09:43 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, New Delhi
Classes 9,11 in Delhi to follow CBSE’s exam structure, says state govt
In July, CBSE said that as a part of “special scheme of assessment” it will conduct two sets of board exams -- one between November and December, and the other between March and April 2022, for Class 10 and 12 students in the current academic session
Published on Sep 02, 2021 11:42 PM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, New Delhi
Delhi University executive council gives final seal of approval for return of FYUP
Further, the university will also scrap MPhil from next year -- as per the NEP 2020 provisions -- and offer one- and two-year PG programmes from next year. Three of the 20-member EC disagreed with the proposals on implementing NEP-based reforms.
Published on Aug 31, 2021 11:46 PM IST
Delhi schools to welcome students from tomorrow
The DDMA order allows reopening of all schools for classes 9 to 12 from September 1, but most public and private institutions in the Capital said they would reopen in a staggered manner from next week, as the process of acquiring consent and managing logistics was expected to take some time.
Updated on Aug 31, 2021 06:59 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
With one more day still to go, UG registrations at Delhi University already cross 435,000
Though there are over 435,000 registrations on the admissions portal so far, only around 250,000 among them are paid applications due to various factors, including duplicity and multiple registrations per candidate. University officials said the number of paid forms is expected to increase by Tuesday night as more candidates are expected to complete the process by paying the registration fee.
Updated on Aug 30, 2021 11:03 PM IST
DDMA releases norms for reopening of schools in Delhi
The SOPs accord top priority to vaccination of teaching and non-teaching staff, asking institutes to have staggered lunch breaks, ensuring gaps between the entry and exit of different groups of students, and capping the maximum number of students per classroom at 50% of its occupancy
Updated on Aug 30, 2021 06:39 PM IST
DU’s executive council likely to approve FYUP
Last Tuesday, the university’s AC passed the NEP-based reforms including FYUP, multiple entry-exit scheme allowing students to exit the course at any year, and academic bank of credits (ABC) which will allow students to earn credits for different courses from the next academic session (2022-23).
Published on Aug 29, 2021 11:41 PM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, New Delhi
Delhi’s students glad to be back in class, mixed reaction from parents
When 14-year-old Deepanshu Jha, a class 9 student at a government school in Shalimar Bagh, heard on Friday that schools will reopen from September 1, he could hardly believe it
Updated on Aug 28, 2021 12:00 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, New Delhi
To prioritise students with lab work if reopen, say Delhi’s colleges, varsities
Most central and state universities said they will wait for detailed guidelines before deciding on conducting in-person lessons and other academic activities
Updated on Aug 28, 2021 12:05 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, New Delhi
Schools scramble to put Covid-19 protocols in place
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said schools must allow students who choose to stay home the option of online classes
Updated on Aug 28, 2021 12:32 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, New Delhi
Teachers oppose DU’s move to appoint foreign scholars as adjunct faculty
The decision to appoint global scholars as adjunct faculty was taken by the academic council on Tuesday and will be placed before the executive council, the highest decision-making body of the university, on August 31.
Updated on Aug 27, 2021 03:46 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, New Delhi
2013 rerun: Unsure of FYUP in Delhi University, say teachers
The AC passed the broad course structure along with a multiple entry-exit scheme (MEES) and academic bank of credits (ABC) on Tuesday amid dissent from 16 members.
Updated on Aug 26, 2021 02:16 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, New Delhi
Mahasweta Devi, two Dalit authors axed from DU’s eng syllabus, teachers dissent
The oversight committee is tasked with looking at problems with reference to exams, course changes, and other department requirements.
Updated on Aug 26, 2021 04:59 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, New Delhi
Four-year undergrad, multiple entry-exit, credit system get DU academic council approval
New Delhi: The Delhi University’s Academic Council (AC) on Tuesday night passed with dissent a plan to implement the provisions laid down in the National Education Policy 2020, including the introduction of four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP), multiple entry-exit scheme (MEES), and academic bank of credits (ABC), from the next academic session
Published on Aug 25, 2021 12:31 AM IST
Parents wary, few students of classes 10, 12 turn up for in-person classes in Delhi schools
Although the attendance of classes 10 and 12 students in public and private schools has improved in the past week, principals of a few schools said some parents are still wary of sending their children to school in view of the Covid-19 pandemic
Updated on Aug 23, 2021 11:48 PM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, New Delhi
Teachers want DU to hold back on implementation of NEP, seek feedback
On the eve of Delhi University’s academic council (AC) meeting on Tuesday, several teachers and AC members raised concerns over the university’s decision to push for reforms advocated in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and have demanded that the recommendations prepared by the DU-NEP committee be opened up for wider consultations instead of placing them before the council in Tuesday’s meeting
Published on Aug 23, 2021 11:42 PM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, New Delhi
Historian, former DU teacher David Baker dies aged 89
New Delhi: Historian and former Delhi University teacher David Baker died at his residence in the St
Published on Aug 23, 2021 11:33 PM IST
Fees hurdle hampers poor students’ higher education dreams
Raju Singh, a student of a Delhi government school, scored 94% in his CBSE Class 12 boards this year, and wants to enrol in mechanical engineering programme to support his family of four
Published on Aug 23, 2021 12:13 AM IST
Kainat Sarfaraz, New Delhi