Maharashtra
Mumbai: Writing challenge for students as Maharashtra SSC Board exams return to pre-Covid norms

Mumbai: As the class 10 secondary school certificate (SSC) examinations return to the pre-Covid norms, city schools are faced with a distinct challenge: getting students to write for three hours at a stretch.
While studies like the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2022 have documented the decline in reading and maths levels of school-going children during the pandemic, the schools also found them to be severely lacking in writing – a key skill for the state board’s pen-and-paper subjective tests for class 10. With the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Examination (MSBSHSE) withdrawing all the concessions given last year, including a home centre for exams, reduced syllabus and additional time, finishing the papers on time has become a daunting task for many, said the teachers.
Less than adequate writing practice a hurdle
According to school heads, most of the students didn’t get sufficient writing practice when schools switched from physical classrooms to digital modes of teaching for almost two years since Covid broke out in March 2020. “The biggest challenge we are facing is that the students are not able to write and complete the paper on time. Their writing process has gone for a toss… Many of them get tired after writing for an hour or so,” said Sangeeta Srivastava, Principal of The Kandivli Education Society’s SVPV Vidyalaya, Kandivali. “Everyone is good at typing, but they give up when asked to write,” she added.
Anjuman-I-Islam’s Allana English High School at Fort is also grappling with this issue. “The students didn’t get much writing practice when the school was shut, as there were no notebooks to be filled,” said Rizwana Satare, Principal of the school.
New measures in place for SSC Board Exams 2023
To make matters more difficult, the state board on Saturday announced doing away with the practice of giving question papers to students 10 minutes before the exam time. “Those 10 minutes were very precious and we had taught students how to take advantage of them. But we are now calling them back to school during their preparatory leave to brief them about this new development,” said Srivastava.
The schools are taking several measures to ensure that the students are adequately trained in writing before they enter the exam halls for their first-ever board test on March 2. While most schools are conducting extensive mock tests, some held special workshops and classes to improve writing skills.
“Post-Covid our students’ writing speed has slowed down to a great extent. Hence, we organised workshops where they were assigned writing practice. We also encourage them to write as many past papers at home as possible, even if that means copying answers from textbooks. This way, they will not learn their answers, but will also improve their pace and stamina of writing,” said Sudhir Ghagas, Head Master, Padmashri Annasaheb Jadhav Vidyalaya, Bhiwandi.
The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)-run Tilak Nagar Hindi School in Chembur has carried out multiple mock tests. “Students need to practice as they have lost their habit of writing during the past 2-3 years,” said the school Principal Gulabdas Achutra.
Crime
Mumbai: 11 Months On, No Action Against Cops Who Planted Drugs On Innocent Man In Kalina

Mumbai: There has been no significant progress in the drug planting incident in Kalina involving four police personnel, even after almost 11 months.
The Vakola police have neither taken any action against the four accused police personnel, nor have they filed the chargesheet or properly recorded eyewitness statements. They have also not added additional NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) sections to the case, applying only bailable sections instead. As a result, the accused were granted anticipatory bail.
About The Case
On August 30, 2024, four policemen allegedly planted drugs in the pocket of 31-year-old Dylan Estbeiro, an innocent man working at a livestock farm in Kalina, Santacruz East. The entire incident was captured on CCTV, exposing the four police personnel.
The incident dates back to August 30, 2024, when PSI Vishwanath Omble and three constables – Imran Shaikh, Sagar Kamble, and Yogendra Shinde (also known as Dabang Shinde) – in plain clothes from the Khar police station visited Shahbaz Khan’s livestock farm in Kalina, Santacruz East, where Dylan Estbeiro was working. They allegedly frisked Dylan and planted 20 grams of mephedrone in his pocket during a staged search, later accusing him of drug possession.
The entire incident was captured on CCTV, which was later reviewed and shared publicly by Shahbaz Khan. Following the release of the footage, Dylan was released by the Khar police. The video sparked public outrage, prompting then-Deputy Commissioner Raj Tilak Roushan to suspend all four officers on August 31. Nearly three and a half months after the incident, the case was filed under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Crime
Mumbai Crime News: Father, Brother-in-Law Booked Under POCSO For Sexually Assaulting Minor Girl; One Arrested

The Sewree Police have registered a case against the victim’s father and brother-in-law under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and rape charges for sexually abusing a minor girl. While the police have arrested the brother-in-law, the father remains absconding after the case was filed. Authorities are conducting a search for the accused.
The victim, a 16-year-old girl, alleged in her complaint that in April 2024, her father covered her face with a cloth while she was sleeping at home and sexually assaulted her. He also threatened to kill her mother if she disclosed the incident, leaving the victim too terrified to speak out. Later, in March (year unclear—needs verification), when the girl was alone at home, the accused allegedly molested her again.
After the victim recently approached the police, a case was filed under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for rape and the POCSO Act. The brother-in-law has been arrested, while the father is still at large.
Maharashtra
Mumbai News: KEM Hospital Deploys Anti-Flooding Workers After Bombay HC Rap Over Waterlogging In Paediatric Ward

Mumbai: After Bombay High Court pulled up BMC-run KEM hospital in Parel for water logging in its pediatrics section, the hospital administration for the first time has deployed workers for anti-flooding measures.
Anti-Flooding Workers Deployed Since Mid-June
“The deployment of works started from mid-June. Per shift five workers are on anti-flooding duty. While storm water drains department has also two dewatering pumps. In total six pumps are installed,” an official from KEM hospital told the FPJ.
May 26 Rainfall Caused Paediatric Waiting Area Flooding
Due heavy downpour on May 26, the waiting area of the hospital’s paediatric department witnessed waterlogging, risking the patients treatment and their family members too who were seen waiting in the corridor with ankle-deep water.
However, the hospital administration claimed that it was ‘water accumulation’ and not water logging. Fortunately, the department’s services were not majorly affected.
Following this incident, the Bombay High Court expressed serious concern and directed the BMC to urgently inspect the hospital and suggest remedial measures. The court heard the matter following media reports highlighting patients sitting in ankle-deep water inside the hospital premises.
HC Expressed Serious Concern Over Hygiene
“This is a hospital. There has to be hygiene. Management cannot allow this to happen inside hospital premises. This cannot become a recurring situation. KEM was once among the top hospitals in India,” the court observed.
Labourers Hired for Daily Drain Cleaning
“There are rare incidents when water accumulate in the hospital premises. The city experience very heavy rainfall on May 26, quite early the usual arrival of monsoon. However, we have implemented anti-flooding measures to ensure such incidents is not repeated. The labourers are hired on monthly basis and deployed to clean drains everyday. The dewatering pumps are installed near by the pediatrics department specially.
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