Will Continue With 'No-Detention Policy' Till Class 8: Tamil Nadu Minister

Tamil Nadu will continue to follow the 'no-detention policy' up to class 8, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said on Monday.

The Centre's move to allow schools to detain students in the same class (class 5 or 8) if they fail to clear exams has created a big stumbling block for children from poor families in getting educated without any hassles up to class 8 and this was "regrettable", he said.

The union government has scrapped the 'no-detention policy' for classes 5 and 8 in schools governed by it allowing them to fail students who do not clear the year-end exams, according to officials.

The Minister said that Tamil Nadu does not follow the National Education Policy and the Centre's decision will not affect schools in Tamil Nadu, other than those that fall under the union government's ambit.

There need not be any confusion and Tamil Nadu will continue to the present system, he underscored. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Wanted To Leave As...": Ashwin Ends Silence On Abrupt Retirement In Aus

Ravichandran Ashwin stunned the cricket world after the third India vs Australia Test in Brisbane as he announced his retirement from international cricket. Being the highest wicket-taker among active bowlers with 537 scalps, many expected Ashwin, 38, to continue for some more time. However, he retired with two Tests left in the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy. The timing of his retirement was questioned by greats like Sunil Gavaskar. Ashwin was used in only one of the first three Tests in the Border Gavaskar Trophy. India captain Rohit Sharma later said: "It just happened so that if you know where he felt that, 'if I'm not needed right now in the series, I'm better off." 

Now, Ashwin has broken a long silence on the reason behind his retirement.

"I've never been a person who holds onto things, I've never felt insecure in life," he said on Sky Sports. "I don't believe what is mine today is going to be mine tomorrow. That has probably been one of my elevating factors all these years.

"I always wanted to leave things behind as nonchalantly as I can because I do not believe in people celebrating me, I don't believe in the attention we get sometimes in India. It is the game that always stood ahead of me, all the time.

"I did contemplate [retirement] a few times. For me, the day I woke up and felt the creative side of me didn't have a future or direction, that would be the day I would give it up. I suddenly felt that creative side didn't have a lot of upsides to explore."

Ashwin also revealed how his passion for the game gave meaning to his life. "I just gave it my all, despite knowing it's not the popular or accepted method," he said. "My journey is completely mine.

"I've seen a lot of cricketers over the years with exceptional skill and talent, but the ability to articulate or teach another person about it is something that is very unique and comes across to people only if they have explored it themselves.

"The amount of exploration I have had to do to be very successful has left me with a wide variety of knowledge to be able to say, with confidence, that this is a game I love and can explore and brutally talk about for the rest of my life.

"I've got no regrets because I've had to do it the hard way, but it has left me with the idea that the game has been my calling. People find their calling at different stages of their life but I'm so glad this game found me and it has given me meaning to life.

"I've played Test cricket for so long it's even taught me how to construct and live my life. It's the most beautiful thing that has happened for me."

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Delhi's Air Quality Turns 'Severe' Despite GRAP-4 Restrictions

Delhi's air quality deteriorated on Sunday with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching the 'severe' category at 409 at 4 pm, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.

On Saturday, the AQI was recorded at 370, placing it in the 'very poor' category.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

The capital on Sunday experienced dangerously high levels of PM2.5, the primary pollutant, with 37 out of 39 monitoring stations reporting air quality in the 'severe plus' category.

Some areas recorded AQI levels as high as 474.

PM2.5 particles, which are 2.5 micrometres or smaller in diameter, can penetrate deep into the lungs, posing significant health risks.

Delhi remains under Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which includes stringent anti-pollution measures such as a complete ban on construction activities and restrictions on non-essential polluting trucks entering the city.

Meanwhile, the weather office has forecast cloudy sky with light rain on Monday, with temperatures expected to range from a high of 20 degrees Celcius to a low of 7 degrees Celcius.

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Couple Caught Smuggling Luxury Watches Worth Rs 13 Crore In Gujarat

A couple from Rajasthan was detained at Ahmedabad airport for allegedly trying to smuggle two high-end watches worth approximately Rs 13 crore from Dubai on Friday, officials in the Customs Department said on Sunday.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Richard Mille watches, mostly spotted on the wrists of billionaires or celebrities, were seized from the man and the woman, who arrived separately at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport from Dubai. 

According to the officials, one of them spotted the woman with one of the watches on her arrival from Dubai. Upon interrogation, she said it was gifted by her husband. When she was asked about her husband's whereabouts, she said he was arriving on another flight.

The woman's husband, the officials said, was caught when he was trying to exit the airport on his arrival. He initially claimed that the watch belonged to him and that it cost around Rs 1,000. When he was asked to produce a bill, he said he did not have one. 

As authorities searched his belongings, they found the case for the watch. The man then admitted to smuggling the item, the officials said. 

The couple was subsequently detained and upon interrogation, said they belong to Pratapgarh in Rajasthan. They said they were made to travel to Dubai to bring the watches to Ahmedabad, the officials added. 

The officials said a detailed probe is underway.

(With inputs from Mahendra Prasad)

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गश्त पर थीं लेडी DSP, देर रात अचानक पहुंची क्लब में, नजारा देख रह गईं सन्न

Jaipur News : जयपुर की एडिशनल डीएसपी रानू शर्मा शुक्रवार की रात गश्त पर थीं. सांगनेर थाना इलाके में एक क्लब से देर रात अजीब शोर-शराबे की आवाज आ रही थी. एडिशनल डीएसपी ने क्लब में पूरी पुलिस टीम के साथ छापेमारी की. जैसे ही वह क्लब में घुसीं, अंदर का नजारा देखकर सन्न रह गई. उन्होंने आनन-फानन में 72 युवक-युवतियों को गिरफ्तार किया. आइये विस्तार से जानते हैं पूरा मामला...

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Delayed Exams, Holiday: Students Behind Threats To 3 Delhi Schools, Say Cops

At least three schools hit by bomb threat emails have turned out to be victims of their own students, the Delhi Police has discovered.

One of the several schools that received bomb threats was Venkateshwar Global School, which received a threatening email a day after a mysterious blast occurred at the Rohini Prashant Vihar PVR Multiplex on November 28.

A police officer said the email was sent by two siblings enrolled in the school because they wanted the exams to be postponed.

During counselling, both students revealed that they had got the idea from previous incidents of bomb threats being made to schools, the officer said.

They were allowed to go after their parents were given a warning.

After the email was reported, police conducted a thorough check of the school and declared the threat to be a hoax.

According to another police officer, two more schools located in Rohini and Paschim Vihar were sent threatening emails by their students.

The reason was the same – the students wanted schools to be shut.

In both matters, the students were allowed to go after they were counselled and their parents were warned.

Bomb threats have been sent to over 100 Delhi schools, sparking panic, over the past 11 days.

Police have found that the emails were sent through a VPN (Virtual Private Network), making it tough for them to locate the perpetrators.

Since May this year, more than 50 bomb threat emails have targeted not only schools but hospitals, airports and airline companies in Delhi.

Police are yet to make any breakthroughs in these cases. 

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Pakistan Script Massive Record, Become 1st Team In 21st Century To...

Pakistan veterans Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan laid the foundation for a convincing, series-clinching 81-run win over South Africa in the second one-day international at Newlands on Thursday. Pakistan's total of 329 all out was set up by Babar (73) and captain Rizwan (80), who put on 115 off 142 balls for the third wicket. Heinrich Klaasen made 97 for South Africa but the hosts were bowled out for 248. Fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi (four for 47) and Naseem Shah (three for 37) were the main destroyers.

The win gave Pakistan an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Pakistan's win on Thursday saw them become the first team in 21st century to win three ODI bilaterals in South Africa.

It was their fifth successive series win - and the third for the Champions Trophy hosts in the southern hemisphere season, following victories in Australia and Zimbabwe.

"It's a team game, from beginning to end all of the guys are involved and contributing," said Rizwan.  

Babar and Rizwan, whose combined 204 one-day caps exceeded the total of the rest of the team, batted soundly and sensibly before Babar was out with the total on 192 in the 33rd over.

Rizwan followed three overs later to a sensational diving catch off his own bowling by 18-year-old one-day debutant Kwena Maphaka.

But the stage had been set for some power hitting by the batsmen who followed, notably player of the match Kamran Ghulam, who hit five sixes in making 63 off 32 balls.

With a licence to go for their shots, Pakistan scored 161 runs in the last 17 overs while losing their remaining six wickets.

"Me and Babar started slowly. We were looking for 300 but we got 320-plus. I have never seen Kamran Ghulam play an innings like that," said Rizwan.

Left-arm fast-bowler Maphaka took heavy punishment but picked up four wickets while conceding 72 runs.

South Africa scored more briskly than Pakistan for most of their innings but although all of their first six batsmen made starts, only Klaasen made a significant score.

Klaasen, who made 86 in a losing cause in the first match in Paarl on Tuesday, hit eight fours and four sixes off 74 balls. He was the last man out, caught on the deep midwicket boundary.

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