Hi,
On 27 may 2016, Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education has given a reply to my notice. Maharashtra State Board was neglecting Open Source directives given by MHRD. Though the Circular in this regard was issued, it was published in the education booklet "Shikshan Sankraman" !. The circular as Important as this, which could have saved huge amounts for Schools, must have been given to Schools directly and it must have been given wide publicity in major news papers.
The Board's claim that by putting a note - "Schools and Colleges can use Open Source Software" on index page, they have followed directions given by MHRD is ridiculous. In the remaining pages of the reply, Board has given photocopies copies of the changes they have made in 2016-17 text books to be printed soon, and they have clarified further that Open Source can be used in "Theory as well as in Practicals" which is very important.
Note that MHRD has used the word "PREFER" while Board is cleverly using "CAN" !
Anyway, I assume that this is only a symbolic exit of Microsoft from State's Schools Education.
This covers State Schools and Junior Colleges in Maharashtra. But University Education too is compelling degree colleges to use proprietary software. Situation is somewhat better in Engineering courses but in the courses such as Computer Applications (TYBcom), there are softwares like MS Excel and Visual Basic. Also there are direct questions in the examination on the commands used in Excel and VB. I am going to send similar letter to Mumbai University too.
Also the course MS-ACIT has been made mandatory for teachers. This course is exclusively an advertisement of Microsoft and other other proprietary software. Since after removing proprietary software from school. This course, which itself is a violation of MHRD notification, becomes meaningless for teachers. Hence appropriate changes are necessary in this course curriculum. We have to follow this matter in Education Department.
I request all to help Schools in Maharashtra aware of the purpose and significance of this change and make open source movement stronger. Otherwise it will remain only on paper.
http://www.mediafire.com/view/seufdy593ocbaiu/Notice_To_SSC-HSC_Board.jpg http://www.mediafire.com/view/uccych8u0hnqt6g/Notice_To_SSC-HSC_Board_%28Reply%29.jpg http://www.mediafire.com/download/nouxfd9a1hxnwd4/MHRD_-_Remove_Microsoft.pdf -- Milind -- http://mm.ilug-bom.org.in/mailman/listinfo/linuxers
