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<div class="moz-text-flowed" style="font-family: -moz-fixed;
font-size: 12px;" lang="x-unicode">Hi, <br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
Note that MHRD has used the word "PREFER" while Board is
cleverly using "CAN" ! <br>
<br>
Anyway, I assume that this is only a symbolic exit of Microsoft
from State's Schools Education. <br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.mediafire.com/view/seufdy593ocbaiu/Notice_To_SSC-HSC_Board.jpg">http://www.mediafire.com/view/seufdy593ocbaiu/Notice_To_SSC-HSC_Board.jpg</a>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.mediafire.com/view/uccych8u0hnqt6g/Notice_To_SSC-HSC_Board_%28Reply%29.jpg">http://www.mediafire.com/view/uccych8u0hnqt6g/Notice_To_SSC-HSC_Board_%28Reply%29.jpg</a>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.mediafire.com/download/nouxfd9a1hxnwd4/MHRD_-_Remove_Microsoft.pdf">http://www.mediafire.com/download/nouxfd9a1hxnwd4/MHRD_-_Remove_Microsoft.pdf</a>
<br>
<br>
<br>
-- Milind <br>
<br>
<br>
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