Seeking to reshape academic assessment, the revised Maharashtra State Curriculum Framework (SCF) has recommended a negative marking system in state board schools, signalling a decisive shift toward rigorous, real-world evaluation standards. Meanwhile, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) chairman informed mid-day that the recommended assessment methods will grant teachers the flexibility to choose how they assess students. However, the specifics of implementation will be outlined in the official Government Resolution (GR), which will be issued once the final modalities are determined. Alongside this, the SCF suggests open-book exams, practical assessments and self-assessment models, marking a transformative step in aligning Maharashtra’s educational standards with dynamic learning approaches. The SCF’s proposed overhaul introduces a spectrum of modern assessment methods, but it’s the inclusion of negative marking that has sparked wide debate, as it pushes students to go beyond rote learning, aiming for precision and accuracy in their responses. Students sit for the SSC exam in the Saraswati Mandir High School in Mahim on March 15, 2022. FILE PIC In addition to traditional written and oral exams, objective, descriptive and puzzle-based questions, reading aloud, listening and responding, recitation, debates, and discussions, practical exams will also be prioritised, with schools encouraged to conduct regular experiments, art projects, practical presentations, activities and portfolios. The SCF’s bold recommendation is to introduce open-book exams, allowing students to reference notes, books and study materials during tests. Other evaluation methods include self-assessment, intelligence tests, a negative marking system, multiple-choice questions, and even competitive exam-style tests. To add further flexibility, schools are advised to change the sequence of multiple-choice questions for different students, enhancing fairness and reducing chances of rote learning. Official Speak SCERT Chairman Rahul Rekhawar explained, “Through the SCF, our goal is to raise the standard of education in the state board. These recommendations, approved in principle by the state government, particularly the negative marking system and competitive exam-style assessments, aim to better prepare students for competitive exams early on. We’ve introduced a broad spectrum of evaluation methods for schools and teachers, allowing them the flexibility to select from a variety of approaches. We are currently finalising some modalities and a GR will be issued detailing the implementation once everything is worked out.” Arundhati Chavan, president, PTA United Forum “There are many recommendations in the SCF that go beyond the National Curriculum Framework. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t or can’t introduce new elements that will improve the system,” Rekhawar added. “Methods like negative marking system and open-book exams are part of this revamped approach, designed to foster a deeper understanding of subjects, critical thinking and real-world problem-solving skills among students,” he said. ‘What about the basics?’ Aruna Bhatt, a teacher at a state board school, responded to the state curriculum’s recommendation on overhauling the evaluation system by stressing the need for foundational improvements in schools first. “The government needs to address basic issues like the lack of playgrounds and the poor infrastructure, with many schools even operating from slum areas. What is the state government doing about that?” she asked. Bhatt pointed out the surplus of experienced teachers across the state due to low student enrolment. “While I appreciate the SCF and the government’s intentions to improve state board schools, there are more pressing issues that need immediate attention,” she added. “Are teachers and school management under the state board truly equipped to implement all these changes?” Bhatt questioned, urging the government to prioritise essential resources and support for schools and teachers over immediate changes in the assessment system and curriculum. ‘Implementation is key’ Arundhati Chavan, president of the PTA United Forum, said, “The SCF draft is a comprehensive document, and I haven’t yet reviewed all the recommended changes and improvements. However, many of these recommendations seem positive to me, provided they are implemented effectively. These methods could prepare students for the challenges of competitive exams. I also believe that implementing these changes will require time, along with proper training for teaching and administrative staff. Since the SCF hasn’t provided detailed guidelines, I’d like to wait for the final GR to understand how this will be executed.” Current system>> Each exam in Maharashtra State Board is held in offline mode for three hours.>> The total marks for the exams for each subject are 100.>> Theory paper is conducted for a total of 80 marks and 20 marks are for the internal assessment—practicals or oral exams.>> Students must score at least 35 marks in each subject as well as in aggregate to pass the SSC exam Recommended Evaluation System>> Written exams: Objective, descriptive, puzzles>> Oral exams: Reading aloud, listening and responding, recitation, debates, and discussions>> Practical exams: Experiments, art projects, practical presentations, activities and portfolios>> Open book exams: Using notes, books, and reference materials>> Self-assessment>> Intelligence tests>> Use of a negative marking system>> Inclusion of multiple-choice questions>> Competitive exam-like tests>> Changing the sequence of multiple-choice questions for different students
26 October,2024 08:27 AM IST | Mumbai | Dipti SinghNot every nude painting can be described as obscene, the Bombay High Court said on Friday while ordering the Customs department to release works by renowned artists F N Souza and Akbar Padamsee seized last year on the ground of being “obscene material”. A division bench of Justices M S Sonak and Jitendra Jain quashed a July 2024 order passed by the Assistant Commissioner of Mumbai Customs, confiscating the artwork, noting that it “suffers from perversity and unreasonableness.” “The Assistant Commissioner Customs has failed to appreciate that sex and obscenity are not always synonymous. Obscene material is that which deals with sex in a manner appealing to prurient interest. Such an order, in our opinion, is unsustainable and must go,” HC said. The bench allowed a petition filed by a firm, B K Polimex India Pvt Ltd, owned by city-based businessman and art connoisseur Mustafa Karachiwala against the Customs order. The court said the seized artwork shall be released immediately and not later than two weeks to the petitioner. The bench noted that the assistant commissioner had only focused on the fact that the artworks were nudes and in some cases portrayed sexual intercourse and, hence, were obscene. “Every nude painting or every painting depicting some sexual intercourse poses cannot be styled as obscene,” the court said. While not everyone is obliged to approve of, like or enjoy such artworks, the option of banning, censoring, prohibiting the import or even destroying such artworks feted by world expertise based entirely on personal opinions, likes and dislikes of a public official is simply unacceptable, HC added. The bench added that public officials are demanded by rule of law to exercise their powers within the four corners of the law and not in some arbitrary, whimsical or purely discretionary manner based on their preferences or ideology. The court referred to a judgment passed by the Supreme Court 60 years ago wherein it was declared that in India, the angels and saints of Michelangelo do not need to be made to wear breeches before they can be viewed. “Still, in 2024, the Assistant Commissioner of Customs prohibited the import and ordered confiscation (and possibly destruction) of seven drawings by world-renowned artists, viz. Mr. F N Souza and Mr. Akbar Padamsee on grounds that such artworks, in his opinion, were obscene,” HC said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 October,2024 08:21 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesSome Western Railway (WR) commuters on Friday complained about a Borivli-Churchgate local train skipping regular halts between Mumbai Central and Churchgate stations. Railway officials, however, said announcements were made as per protocol. “I was travelling by the 1.54 pm Borivli-Churchgate train and was supposed to get down at Marine Lines. It was my regular train, which halts at all stations between Mumbai Central and Churchgate. But on Friday, after Mumbai Central, the train directly halted at Churchgate, skipping Grant Road, Charni Road and Marine Lines stations,” said passenger Rajiv Singal. “There were no announcements inside the train. I went to the motormen lobby and confronted the train manager, Babban Kumar, of this AC local at Churchgate, but he told me he had made announcements at Mumbai Central. I can vouch that no announcement was heard inside the train. I later called up the senior operations manager and complained about it, who said he was not aware of the issue,” Singal added. WR divisional officials said that the AC train has been facing snags, but proper announcements were made in three languages by the train manager and partial updates about the halt pattern of the train were also provided on the official app Yatri.
26 October,2024 08:18 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarA Division bench of the Bombay High Court has recently directed Mumbai University and the Bar Council of India to submit an affidavit regarding the enforcement of the mandatory 75 per cent attendance for law courses, as required by UGC guidelines. Currently, this attendance requirement is reportedly not being followed. The High Court is addressing this issue through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by an associate professor of law from a suburban law college. The case will be heard again after the Diwali vacation, with the next hearing set for November 28. mid-day first highlighted this concern in its June 3, 2023, article titled “Law colleges ignore attendance, professor sounds the alarm.” Later, the UGC responded to the PIL, affirming the 75% attendance requirement in a September 5, 2024, article titled “75 percent attendance must in law colleges, UGC reaffirms.” Additional submission filed Dr Sharmila Ghuge, an Associate Professor of Law at a suburban law college and the petitioner, presented further arguments to the court, expressing her concerns about the mandatory 75 per cent attendance requirement for both three-year and five-year law courses. She highlighted the troubling lack of action by law colleges, their principals, and the Respondents (Mumbai University and the Bar Council of India) to enforce this attendance policy, which she argued has allowed students to disregard attendance requirements. This failure to uphold the policy not only weakens the quality of legal education but also puts the professional futures of these students at risk, as they are missing essential academic benefits. Court observation and order Chief Justice Deepak Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar stated in their three-page order, “The affidavit filed by the UGC is taken on record. According to the said affidavit the University Grants Commission Regulations, 2003 mandate not only a minimum number of lectures/tutorials/seminars/practicals which the students are required to attend for eligibility to appear in the examination which shall be prescribed by the University which should not be less than 75 per cent of the total number of lectures/tutorials/seminars/practical’s etc. but it also prescribes that every University enrolling the students shall ensure that the number of actual teaching days on which classes are held or conducted, is not less than 180 days in an academic year, excluding holidays and vacations. The said provisions are contained in Regulations 4.1 and 5.8, respectively, of the Regulations, 2003. To ascertain whether the University of Mumbai has prescribed the minimum number of lectures/ tutorials/ seminars/practicals, that a student is required to attend for his/her eligibility to appear in the examination, we call upon the learned Counsel representing the University, to file an affidavit by November 14 disclosing the said information. Learned Counsel for the petitioner tendered additional submissions which were also taken on record. The said submissions contain a Circular dated September 24 issued by the Bar Council of India, which is addressed to all the Vice Chancellors/Registrars of Universities/Centres of Legal Education, prescribing certain norms to be followed by the students which, inter alia; provides that a proof of compliance of the attendance norms as per Rule 12 of the Rules of Legal Education must also be provided. “We direct the Bar Council of India to file the affidavit-in-reply by November 14. Rejoinder affidavits to the affidavits filed by the respondents may be filed by the petitioner by the next date of listing,” the order read. Petitioner speaks Speaking to mid-day, petitioner, Dr Sharmila Ghuge, said, “I am happy to note that the Hon'ble Bombay High Court took a serious note of the UGC reply filed in my PIL reiterating the significance of 75 per cent attendance criteria for students. I am looking forward to receiving the reply from the University of Mumbai and the BCI (Bar Council of India) who have delayed filling their response for several months despite the notices being issued to do so in April. Sadly, the Statutory bodies like the BCI and a parent body like the Mumbai University need to be compelled through the court to implement their own rules.”
26 October,2024 08:13 AM IST | Mumbai | Vinod Kumar MenonThe series of bomb threats against Indian airlines continued, with the total reported threats exceeding 25 on Friday alone. These threats, directed at multiple carriers, have heightened security concerns, leading to increased measures across airports nationwide. Over the past 12 days, more than 300 threats have been reported, prompting intensified responses. A senior Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) official told mid-day, “We are leaving no stone unturned. Securing airport premises and closely monitoring passengers are among the ongoing measures being enforced.” According to officials, each threat is treated with the utmost seriousness, leading to intensified screenings, occasional delays, and increased alertness among airline staff. As part of the response, additional personnel have been deployed to monitor suspicious activity in and around terminals. In light of these ongoing threats, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has directed airport authorities nationwide to bolster security protocols. "Every precaution is being taken to ensure the safety of passengers and airport personnel,” said a senior BCAS official, adding, “We are working in close coordination with airlines and authorities to address each situation as it arises.” At major hubs like Mumbai and Delhi airports, travellers have expressed both frustration and understanding. “It’s inconvenient, but safety must come first,” said a frequent flyer who requested anonymity. "Given the nature of these threats, one can’t blame the authorities for being extra cautious." The motives behind the surge in bomb threats remain unclear. A BCAS official explained, “If a threat is received for an airborne flight, it must be grounded immediately, which impacts other flights as well.” Threats on October 25 (Total: 28) IndiGo6E11 - Delhi to Istanbul 6E58 - Jeddah to Mumbai 6E17 - Mumbai to Istanbul 6E87 - Kozhikode to Dammam 6E108 - Hyderabad to Chandigarh 6E112 - Chandigarh to Ahmedabad 6E133 - Pune to Bangalore 6E2099 - Udaipur to Delhi SpiceJet SG55 - Amritsar to Dubai SG57 - Ahmedabad to Dubai SG116 - Darbhanga to Mumbai SG126 - Leh to Delhi SG476 - Delhi to Darbhanga SG2448 - Delhi to Jammu SG2905 - Mumbai to Kandla IndiGo6E11 - Delhi to Istanbul 6E58 - Jeddah to Mumbai 6E17 - Mumbai to Istanbul 6E87 - Kozhikode to Dammam 6E108 - Hyderabad to Chandigarh 6E112 - Chandigarh to Ahmedabad 6E133 - Pune to Bangalore 6E2099 - Udaipur to Delhi SpiceJet SG55 - Amritsar to Dubai SG57 - Ahmedabad to Dubai SG116 - Darbhanga to Mumbai SG126 - Leh to Delhi SG476 - Delhi to Darbhanga SG2448 - Delhi to Jammu SG2905 - Mumbai to Kandla Bomb threats by day 12: 302Date ThreatsOctober 14 3 October 15 7 October 16 10 October 17 3 October 18 6 October 19 35 October 20 - 36 October 21 14 October 22 77 October 23 - 0 October 24 83 October 25 28
26 October,2024 08:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Prasun ChoudhariWith the Assembly elections approaching, the Human-Elephant conflict is likely to become a prominent issue in eastern Maharashtra. A tusker named CME3, born in Chhattisgarh is believed to have been involved in the deaths of five individuals across Maharashtra, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh over the past two years. Recently, the elephant re-entered Maharashtra, leading to a tragic incident in which 25-year-old Shashikant Satre from Gadchiroli lost his life. Sagnik Sengupta, co-founder of the NGO Stripes and Green Earth Foundation, confirmed that the tusker entered Maharashtra four to five days ago. "The tusker is currently in Allapalli and may head south into Telangana. The need of the hour is that the forest department should monitor the tusker's movements closely to avoid further incidents," Sagnik Sengupta said. The elephant was first spotted in Maharashtra at the end of May 2022, and according to reports the elephant migrated from Gariyaband in Chhattisgarh. This solitary tusker remained in the state for only three days before returning home. Now approximately 35 years old, CME3 has become infamous for its violent encounters with humans. On November 11, 2023, the elephant was involved in the tragic death of a farmer in Gariyaband in Chhattisgarh. "The situation escalated further in early April 2024 when CME3 ventured into the Komaram Bheem Asifabad district of Telangana, resulting in the deaths of two farmers on April 3 and 4. After briefly returning to Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, the tusker killed another farmer on April 25, and the following day, it severely injured three women in Bhamragad, with two later succumbing to their injuries. CME3 crossed back into Chhattisgarh, where a woman was killed on May 2, in the Dhamtari region," Sengupta told mid-day. Experts are calling for immediate action from the forest department to address the ongoing human-wildlife conflict. Sagnik Sengupta whose team was earlier monitoring the herd of elephants in Maharashtra has proposed measures like implementing a long-term mitigation plan featuring monitoring, bio-fencing, and an early warning system. While the existing herd poses little threat, the solitary nature of CME3 has raised concerns about future encounters.
26 October,2024 08:07 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavThe assets of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis increased by Rs 5 crore in the last five years, reaching Rs 13.17 crore. His assets include a heritage home valued at Rs 4.7 crore. Meanwhile, Ashish Shelar, an MLA filing his nomination from Bandra West, declared assets worth Rs 40.47 crore, a sharp threefold rise from Rs 14.6 crore in 2019. Bala Nandgaonkar, the MNS candidate from Shivadi, declared assets totalling Rs 22 crore. Fadnavis, who served as the chief minister from 2014 to 2019 and is now the deputy CM, filed his nomination from the Nagpur North West constituency on Friday. According to his affidavit on the Election Commission website, he has movable assets of Rs 7.5 crore, of which Rs 7 crore belong to his wife, Amruta. His immovable assets total Rs 5.64 crore, including an inherited home valued at Rs 4.7 crore. Fadnavis’s total assets increased from R8.6 crore in 2019 to Rs 13.17 crore. Ashish Shelar, president of Mumbai Bharatiya Janata Party and an MLA, declared assets of Rs 40.4 crore, marking a threefold rise over the last five years. Meanwhile, Bala Nandgaonkar, the MNS candidate and former MLA, declared assets of Rs 22 crore, which includes Rs 17.47 crore in immovable property.
26 October,2024 08:06 AM IST | Mumbai | Prajakta KasaleAs expected, the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has fielded Zeeshan Siddique from Bandra East for the forthcoming Assembly elections. This will be Zeeshan's second election from the same constituency, and it holds significance in the wake of his father Baba Siddique's murder last month. Zeeshan moved to NCP (Ajit Pawar) from Congress on Friday. His father, also a former Congress MLA, had joined the Ajit Pawar faction earlier this year. Zeeshan said Ajit Pawar and his associates were a great support to him in the aftermath of his father's death. He accused the Congress leaders of conspiring against him while he was in distress. In MVA’s seat-sharing, Bandra East has been taken by Shiv Sena (UBT) which has announced Varun Sardesai's nomination for it. In 2019, Zeeshan shifted from his father's traditional seat of Bandra West to Bandra East. He beat the undivided Sena's Vishwanath Mahadeshwar. In a fight that divided votes, Sena rebel Trupti Sawant, then sitting MLA, got over 24,000 votes. Together, the candidates of AIMIM and MNS polled over 22,000 votes. Zeeshan's tally was over 38,000 votes and Mahadeshwar shared over 32,000, thus giving one of the youngest contestants of Maharashtra a victory by a margin of over 5,000 votes. It is the segment where the Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray's family votes and makes the battle prestigious. It is where Sawant had inflicted a humiliating defeat on the then Congress leader, Narayan Rane, in a by-election that was necessitated by her husband's death in 2015. Five years later, the equations have changed for Zeeshan, who relies on the BJP, NCP, and Shiv Sena splinters to lift him. The sympathy his father's murder has generated for his family is expected to boost his prospects. In the Sena (UBT) camp, Sardesai is unlikely to face a rebel, but will certainly have the other candidates splitting votes. A lot also depends on how the Congress works here in support of Sardesai. Malik's daughter fielded In another declaration, NCP nominated its sitting MLA Nawab Malik's daughter Sana Malik from Anushakti Nagar. She replaced her father whose candidature was opposed by the ally, BJP. Before Ajit Pawar joined hands with the BJP, Malik faced a money laundering case. He is out on bail now. It is said that Nawab Malik may run as an NCP-backed independent in Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar. Imports from BJP NCP loaned two more candidates from the BJP on Friday. Pratap Patil Chikhalikar and Sanjay Kaka Patil, who lost the recent Lok Sabha elections as the BJP nominees, were inducted into the new party minutes before they were named in the second list of seven. Pratap Patil will contest in Loha in Nanded district and Sanjay in Sangli's Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal. Nishikant Patil has been pitted against the NCP-SP factions' state president Jayant Patil. Sunil Tingre, a sitting MLA from Vadgaon Sheri in Pune district, has been re-nominated.
26 October,2024 07:59 AM IST | Mumbai | Dharmendra JoreThe BMC has directed all ward licence departments to take action against illegal firecracker shops. A written order from the licence department superintendent was sent to all ward offices, along with instructions to submit daily reports. Deputy Municipal Commissioner Chanda Jadhav confirmed the issuance of this order, calling it “a regular exercise,” and added, “The action will start.” A licence department official said, “BMC guidelines require a licence and a Fire Brigade NOC to sell firecrackers. Even seasonal firecracker shops must obtain a BMC licence and fire department approval.” “There are only three wards with full-time firecracker shops—B Dongri area, L Ward in Kurla, and P North in Malad. Due to complaints that action against illegal firecracker shops was lax in recent years, all officials are now required to submit daily updates,” said the official. “Under this directive, illegal firecrackers will be seized and removed from residential areas due to their flammability, and destroyed by soaking them in water. No penalties are decided yet, but repeat offenders will face strict action under Article 394 of the MCGM 1888 Act. We can file a police complaint to register a cognisable offence,” the official added.
26 October,2024 07:33 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentThe hawkers at Dadar station are back. The station area had been cleared out a few months ago, but as Diwali is around the corner, hawkers have been allowed to sit here on humanitarian grounds. However, this is causing trouble for pedestrians and vehicles. The hawkers claim that if the municipal corporation had designated a hawkers’ zone, they would not have to sit on the streets. Dadar, a central location, is highly congested. After repeated remarks by the Bombay High Court, the BMC started taking action against hawkers sitting within the 150-metre periphery of railway stations. The Dadar West side of the railway station remained hawker-free for the past few months, with a BMC vehicle stationed under the Keshavsut flyover. The area had been clear of hawkers for the past few months. File pic But as Diwali approaches, the roads outside Dadar station started filling with hawkers. The BMC vehicle is still stationed at the spot in the morning, but as it leaves, the hawkers start setting up shop on roads with vegetables, fruits, flowers and other items for the festival. Vinod Almeida, a regular commuter, said, “We are not against anyone’s livelihood, but we don’t get space to walk outside the station. What are our rights as pedestrians? The issue has been pending for decades and now there has to be some solution for this never-ending problem.” While the commuters are currently unhappy with the situation, there is another side to the story. After facing regular action at the hands of the cops, vendors requested the BMC and police to allow those who have been doing business in the area for the past four decades to ply their trade. “We have been allowed for Diwali on humanitarian grounds. A few come from as far as Nagpur and Nashik with local items to sell in the market here and return to their hometown after Diwali,” said a hawker on condition of anonymity. “The BMC gave us recognition after the survey and recommended us for the prime minister’s loan scheme, but refuses to allow us to work. The BMC even conducted an election for the Town Vending Committee, but the whole process has been halted. If the authorities had allotted us a specific zone, we would have never sat on the streets,” another hawker said. Meanwhile, BMC officials from G North ward said that action is being taken just like before. Ajitkumar Ambi, assistant municipal commissioner of G North ward, did not respond to calls and text messages.
26 October,2024 07:28 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavChairmen INC Workers transport chairs on a light commercial vehicle near Crawford Market Ode to an icon Ratan Tata with the author Ratan Tata: A life (HarperCollins India) by Thomas Matthew is a biographical account of the icon that’s all set for book stores. The story traces his journey from childhood to heading the Tata Trusts, as well as his business and philanthropic legacy. Matthew recalled the exhaustive process to write this book, “I hope readers find the extraordinary life story of Ratan Tata as gripping as I did while researching and writing this book.” Live life like Yamraj Yamraj shares a picture with a dog and an old man in their final moments on his social media There is a new influencer in our midst. With 8.4 million followers, he influences lives, both on and off social media. “Everyone is constantly giving life updates on social media. I wanted to see what it would be like when Yamraj, the God of Death, starts giving his life updates,” chuckled AI artist Varun Gupta. The oxymoron doesn’t go unnoticed. Varun Gupta And as dark as it sounds, Yamraj’s depiction in Gupta’s new AI series is lively. He shares stories of the good souls he meets, and uploads a selfie along with captions describing their final moments, and why their good work will live on. “When we think of Yamraj, we imagine a scary character. I wanted to show a humble side where he is simply doing his job,” Gupta shared. When we ask who the only three people Yamraj follows on social media are, Gupta says they are Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh. Obviously. Bol Bachchans, all The Bachchan family at a film premiere. FILE PIC Recently, news that the Bachchan family had purchased 10 flats in Mulund West’s Oberoi Eternia complex spread like wildfire within the community, as the residents’ WhatsApp group was abuzz as soon as the story was shared on the group. Almost every resident would vouch that the Bachchans were unlikely to move from their palatial bungalows in Juhu and to the comparatively small apartments, and yet the buzz elicited chuckles from all quarters. A resident wondered if Jaya Bachchan would join the ladies’ community, and require a house help and a cook. Another quipped she may even inform the rest (women) that her help/cook would be available post 3 pm in case she needed additional work. A third wanted to know if the Bachchans might join the carpool community, adding that the prized seat could be called a ‘hot seat’. There was speculation whether the Bachchans might head to tuck into pav bhaji at a favourite local eatery, or if Abhishek Bachchan might have to queue up on Sundays for jalebi-fafda at popular addas. Suggestions went all the way to include the Bachchans in the upcoming get-together, and if Aishwarya might perform on Dola re dola. All of this took precedence even as residents were negotiating morning rush hour. Phew! School rules seem cool The installation in Bandra East School is cool while rules are not? Well, maybe. Yet in this avatar, we think both school and rules, school rules, as it says, are cool. This diarist spotted a quirky installation at a traffic island in Bandra East. The irony is that this new occupant is close to Chetana College. The coloured pencils are attractive and the multiplication and division installations take one back to the rhyme: Multiplication is vexation; division is as bad; the rule of three perplexes me and fractions drive me mad. Go figure, we say. Salute to Ludhianvi Sahir Ludhianvi. File pic On famous lyricist and poet Sahir Ludhianvi’s 44th death anniversary yesterday, fan and actor, Sumit Bharadwaj (inset), delivered two solo performances in Versova as a tribute to Ludhianvi. “I recited his poems that still resonate with the times we live in. He was a great writer who has influenced many lives. The solo act titled Parchhaiyaan, celebrated his legacy through his words of resistance and romance. Be it the wars, politics, or romance, one can still sing the songs he wrote without realising they were written over 50 years ago,” he shared.
26 October,2024 07:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-dayADVERTISEMENT
