Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ12: Pursuing studies at local universities Question:
On pursuing studies at local universities, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the respective numbers of persons admitted to the bachelor’s degree programmes of local universities through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS) and the Non-Joint University Programmes Admissions System (Non-JUPAS) on the basis of their Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) results in each of the past three years, and set out in Table 1 a breakdown by their HKDSE results; Table 1
Total grade points in the best five subjects(2) of the respective numbers of persons sitting for the HKDSE in 2022 to 2025 as private candidates, and set out in Table 2 a breakdown by (i) Hong Kong permanent residents, (ii) Hong Kong residents not being permanent residents and (iii) non-Hong Kong residents; Table 2
Year(3) of the distribution of results of candidates sitting for the HKDSE as private candidates in the past three years, and set out in Table 3 a breakdown by (i) Hong Kong permanent residents, (ii) Hong Kong residents not being permanent residents and (iii) non-Hong Kong residents; and Table 3
Total grade points in the best five subjects(4) among the students admitted to the bachelor’s degree programmes of local universities through JUPAS over the past three years, of the number of private candidates holding dependent visas (i.e. document category LS5)?
Reply:
President,
(1) The numbers of students admitted to first-year first-degree programmes funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC) through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS) and non-JUPAS with the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) results in the past three years are set out below:
Year(As at October 28, 2024)(3) The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority does not keep individual statistics on the results of private candidates, and the statistics do not include personal data such as the nationalities of the candidates and whether they are permanent residents of Hong Kong.
(4) The Education Bureau does not collect data on whether students admitted to UGC-funded programmes through JUPAS are holders of dependant visas or whether they are HKDSE private candidates. Issued at HKT 11:15
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ5: Nurturing foreign language talents Question:
In 2018, the State President stated at the National Conference on Education that vigorous efforts should be made to nurture international talents proficient in foreign languages and adept at Chinese-foreign negotiations and communications. There are views that as the country’s super connector and super value-adder, as well as the premier international financial centre connecting the country and the Middle East market, Hong Kong needs to nurture a large pool of foreign language talents. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) when Government officials make overseas visits and when the Government releases videos and hands out publications overseas to promote Hong Kong, whether local mother tongues of the relevant places have been used as the medium of communication; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) as it is learnt that there are a number of language universities in the country, such as Beijing Foreign Studies University, which is approved to teach more than a hundred foreign languages, whether the Government will study allocating more resources to tertiary institutions to strengthen training in foreign languages other than English, or establishing foreign language universities drawing on the models of the Mainland, with a view to nurturing multilingual talents in public and private organisations, so that they can tell the good stories of Hong Kong in different languages; and
(3) whether it will study enhancing the existing “biliterate and trilingual” policy by turning it into a “triliterate and quadrilingual” policy?
Reply:
President,
Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city. In recent years, various national strategies have even brought about tremendous development opportunities for Hong Kong, which require us to strengthen exchanges and co-operation with the Mainland and overseas regions and countries by capitalising on our advantage of “linkage with our Motherland and close connection to the world”. To enhance our international competitiveness and strengthen our position as an international post-secondary education hub, we have been striving to nurture talents who are biliterate and trilingual, and proficient in other languages.
Having consulted the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and the Information Services Department (ISD), I would like to reply to the Hon Benson Luk’s questions as follows:
(1) Currently, in taking forward overseas promotion work, the overseas Economic and Trade Offices (ETOs) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) will make appropriate arrangements taking into account the common languages of the relevant places. For instance, apart from the English version of the relevant ETOs’ websites, languages commonly used in the countries/regions under their respective purview are also available, e.g. Japanese, Thai, German, Arabic to facilitate local people in understanding the information disseminated by ETOs. Also, for meetings between officials of the HKSAR Government and local officials/representatives of the political and business sectors and preparation of relevant promotional materials, the ETOs concerned will arrange interpretation and prepare and issue the relevant promotion materials in local languages as appropriate.
In addition, to facilitate investors from around the world to understand the latest information about Hong Kong’s business environment, InvestHK’s website is available in a number of major languages, including simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, English, Japanese, Spanish, French, Italian, as well as Arabic, which has been newly added. Separately, InvestHK’s promotional videos are mainly in English and Putonghua. Depending on the origin of individual successful case studies, subtitles may be available in the local language. As for InvestHK’s client meetings and promotional materials, Putonghua and simplified Chinese are used on the Mainland, while English and the local language where necessary are used in overseas markets. Interpretation will also be arranged at investment promotion seminars.
On external promotion, the ISD produces a series of creative contents in multiple languages for placement in overseas and Mainland cities through digital and social media platforms, as well as outdoor advertising, in the form of short videos and banner advertisements to tell the good stories of Hong Kong. These creative contents are available in Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Thai, Vietnamese, etc. The ISD also translated and printed the promotional booklet entitled “HK Connect” into foreign languages such as Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Malay and Thai for distribution to target recipients at promotional activities during senior officials’ overseas visits.
Moreover, the ISD has held the “Immersive Hong Kong” promotional roving exhibitions in Jakarta, Indonesia; Bangkok, Thailand; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Guangzhou, China since July 2023. It will also be staged in Dubai, the Middle East next month. In addition to English, the exhibition information is also available in the local languages of each stop to enhance the publicity effect.
(2) The eight University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities have all along been making flexible use of their resources to offer a wide range of publicly-funded programmes with regard to their respective roles and positioning, as well as providing diversified learning opportunities for students in response to market demands. Learning foreign languages can help students to understand multiculturalism and strengthen their connections with different parts of the world, thereby enhancing their competitiveness in entering the workforce, pursuing further studies or starting their own businesses in the future. University education also aims to encourage students to acquire knowledge and skills in different fields, and nurture the high-calibre talents required by different industries, so as to inject impetus into the development of Hong Kong.
In recent years, the eight UGC-funded universities have offered as many as 12 contemporary foreign languages for learning, including Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Kiswahili, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Spanish and Thai. They also offer a range of specialised programmes majoring in individual foreign languages or cultures for students who aspire to become professionals in relevant fields in the future. As for students pursuing undergraduate programmes in other areas such as engineering technology, business or social sciences, a number of universities also offer minor options or foreign language courses as free electives for interested students to pursue having regard to their personal aspirations and abilities. In addition, a number of self-financing institutions at present offer post-secondary programmes related to different foreign languages and relevant elective subjects according to market demand.
The above arrangements for major, minor and free electives enable students to study foreign languages having regard to their learning objectives in an appropriate manner. The existing arrangements meet practical needs with flexibility; hence the Government has no plans to set up a foreign language university. Nevertheless, we will continue to encourage the UGC-funded universities to provide students with opportunities to learn foreign languages, and through various avenues, such as student exchange programmes and experiential learning activities, enable students to gain exposure to the cultures of more places, broaden their horizons, seize Hong Kong’s unique advantages, and be better prepared for their future development.
(3) Over the years, the Government has been collaborating with the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research, other advisory bodies and stakeholders to enable the Hong Kong people, particularly students and working adults, to become biliterate and trilingual, through sponsoring and implementing various measures using the Language Fund. Moreover, the Education Bureau (EDB) endeavours to develop students’ multilingual competence, enabling them to make life planning based on their own interests, abilities and aspirations, and to connect to the world. Over the years, the EDB has offered “other languages” courses (Note 1) (Category C of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination) for senior secondary students to study as an elective subject. As announced in the 2024 Policy Address, the EDB will implement a pilot scheme to invite schools to apply for additional resources to provide opportunities for junior secondary students to learn “other languages” (Note 2), in order to facilitate a stronger articulation in their learning of “other languages” as an elective subject at the senior secondary level.
Thank you, President.
Note 1: The EDB subsidises schools to offer courses of the six “other languages”, i.e. French, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Urdu, for secondary four to six students.
Note 2: Schools can use the funding to offer junior secondary courses of the six designated “other languages” (i.e. French, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Urdu), which are the senior secondary elective subjects. Arabic and Russian could also be considered. Issued at HKT 15:40
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ8: Supporting students with special educational needs in post-secondary institutions Question:
It is learnt that the community has all along been concerned about whether various post-secondary institutions can adequately support students with special educational needs (SEN) in terms of their learning needs, so as to equip them for pursuing further studies and joining the workforce. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it knows the number of SEN students studying in the eight universities funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC) (the eight universities) in the current academic year, together with a breakdown by type of SEN, including but not limited to hearing impairment, visual impairment, physical disability, and specific learning difficulties;
(2) as the Government has indicated in its reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on November 8 last year that the UGC further allocates additional resources to the eight universities between 2022 and 2025 by providing an additional special funding of $67.5 million for the Special Grant to Enhance the Support for Students with Special Educational Needs (the Special Grant), which seeks to enable the universities to (i) enhance the teaching and learning experience of SEN students, (ii) strengthen staff training, and (iii) promote campus integration, whether the Government knows the actual amount of funding granted to each university, the expenditure on items (i) to (iii), as well as the relevant specific measures and their effectiveness respectively;
(3) whether it knows if the UGC will extend or regularise the Special Grant in the future to continuously implement one of the strategic recommendations of the Persons with Disabilities and Rehabilitation Programme Plan, which is to provide adequate resources and ensure equal opportunities for SEN students to receive higher education or pursue further studies; if the UGC will, of the estimated relevant annual expenditure; if not, the reasons for that;
(4) as some organisations and their assistance seekers have relayed that some university students need to engage sign language interpretation services to support their studies, but due to limited study hours funded by their universities, rather exorbitant sign language interpretation costs have to be borne by such students in their three or four-year undergraduate programmes, whether the authorities will require the eight universities to strengthen the support for such students and ensure that the relevant measures are put in place in a proper and effective manner, so that no such students will be unable to complete their studies or pursue further studies because of lack of means; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(5) whether the authorities will consider offering dedicated post-secondary programmes that are suitable and able to provide support for SEN students, complemented by related all-round support services (including but not limited to sign language interpretation), so that they can equip themselves and join the workforce; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The eight University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities have all along been making special teaching arrangements and providing support services to students with special educational needs (SEN).
Our replies to Dr the Hon Chow Man-kong’s questions are as follows:
(1) In the past three academic years (AY), the numbers of full-time UGC-funded sub-degree and undergraduate students with SEN (Note 1) are tabulated below by their types of SEN –
Type of SENAYAY(provisional figures)language impairmentNote 2: Including different types of disabilities, visceral disability /chronic illness, etc.
We do not have the relevant figures for the 2024/25 AY for the time being.
(2) and (3) To assist students with SEN in pursuing UGC-funded programmes and adapt to campus life, as well as promoting an inclusive culture, the UGC has launched the Special Grant for Enhancing Support for Students with SEN (the Special Grant) since 2015 to provide additional resources for universities to take forward three key objectives, i.e. (i) improving the educational experience of students with SEN, (ii) enhancing staff training and (iii) promoting an inclusive campus. The subsidy scope of the Special Grant is comprehensive, with specific initiatives covering professional services such as educational psychology services, development of e-learning platforms, enhancement of awareness of students with SEN through seminars, workshops, online resources, etc, implementation of integrated education, improvement of campus accessibility, and provision of additional assistive tools for students with SEN, etc.
With the support and efforts of the stakeholders over the years, the Special Grant has been effective in supporting students with SEN and promoting a caring culture among staff and peers. According to the results of surveys conducted by the UGC-funded universities among students with SEN in the 2022/23 AY, the average student satisfaction rating was 4.1 (i.e. above the “satisfactory” level) on a five-point scale. The UGC has also noted the positive impact of the Special Grant on the UGC-funded universities in deepening their institutional changes and addressing the needs of students with SEN in a more organised and systematic manner.
In view of its effectiveness, the UGC has further increased the funding to $67.5 million in the 2022/23 – 2024/25 (2022-25) triennium to extend and enhance the support for students with SEN, and to expand the scope of funding to cover employment support, etc. The special grant for the 2022-25 triennium was allocated primarily with reference to the average numbers of students with SEN enrolled in full-time publicly-funded sub-degree and undergraduate programmes at the UGC-funded universities in the past five AYs. Allocations of the special grant to the UGC-funded universities are set out in the table below –
UGC-funded universities2022-25 triennium （$ million）Science and Technology Regarding the expenditure in different areas, the UGC-funded universities will formulate appropriate support strategies and allocate budgets having regard to their actual circumstances. Overall, the UGC-funded universities deploy about 40 per cent of the funding for staff and general expenses, while about 50 per cent of the remaining funding is deployed to enhance the learning experience of students, 20 per cent to strengthen staff training, and 30 per cent to promote an inclusive campus.
Recurrent funding for the UGC-funded universities is provided on a triennial basis. Like other funding schemes, the existing special grant is aligned with the current funding cycle (i.e. the 2022-25 triennium). For the arrangements of the next triennium, the UGC will continue to communicate with the funded universities closely, and consider the means for supporting the universities as they continue to provide appropriate assistance for students with SEN in a timely manner.
(4) Under the existing arrangements, the UGC-funded universities may make use of the special grant to support students with hearing impairment, including hiring staff to provide sign language interpretation service to support their learning. The UGC believes that the funded universities will balance the needs of different students with SEN and deploy the special grant appropriately to render suitable support, including those with hearing impairment. Meanwhile, with the rapid advancement in technology, the UGC encourages the funded universities to actively explore the use of new technologies and adopt various technological solutions to provide more comprehensive support to students in need in a more cost-effective manner.
(5) Under the existing policy on integrated education, the Education Bureau advocates “equal opportunities and enhancing students’ learning having regard to the uniqueness of individual students”. With suitable support and assistance from institutions, all students are provided with equal learning opportunities such that students with SEN can overcome their learning barriers and join the mainstream campus life together with others. On the one hand, the UGC is making use of the special grant to motivate the UGC-funded universities to provide students with SEN with the necessary support, barrier-free facilities and information such that they can learn in the same way as their peers. On the other hand, the special grant promotes an inclusive campus through various means to advocate the sharing of campus life among teachers, students and those with SEN such that they can learn to respect, understand and accept each other, thereby cultivating whole-person development in a wider context. At the same time, with the special grant for the 2022-25 triennium, the UGC has further expanded the scope of funding to cover activities and projects that will help students to join the society and develop their careers in the future. This involves encouraging the universities to provide more comprehensive, targeted and practical support to students with SEN, and to enable them to plan and prepare for their career paths upon graduation as early as possible during their studies. Apart from the special grant, the UGC-funded universities could make use of the block grant to take forward integrated education on their campuses. Issued at HKT 14:15
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Working Group on Patriotic Education under the Constitution and Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee has organised a mascot and a logo design competition with the theme of “Love our Country, Love Hong Kong, Love our Community”. Students from primary and secondary schools, as well as tertiary institutions, are invited to participate in the competitions with a view to enhancing awareness and sense of patriotism among the youth. This will promote the mainstream values characterised by patriotism with affection for our country and Hong Kong and in conformity with the principle of “one country, two systems”.
Each of the two competition categories is divided into primary, secondary and tertiary sections. Participants may join more than one competition category, but may only submit one entry for each category. In each competition category, there will be one champion, one first runner-up, one second runner-up and one merit award for each section. To encourage students to actively participate in the competitions, there will also be a Most Supportive School Award. All winners will be awarded certificates. The champion, first runner-up and second runner-up will also be awarded annual passes to the Hong Kong Palace Museum. The winning entry may be adopted by the Government and featured in promotional materials in future.
Submission of entries for the competitions is open till July 15, 2024. The results are expected to be announced in September or October. Please scan the QR code in the picture or browse the link ( https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202405/30/P2024052900623.htm ) to download the rules of competition and application forms. Students are welcome to participate.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ12: Sister school scheme Question:
Under the Sister School Scheme (the Scheme), many schools in Hong Kong have formed sister school pairs (SSPs) with schools in Mainland cities. Through exchanges and co-operation, SSPs have deepened students’ understanding of Mainland and Hong Kong cultures, and promoted advancement in the quality of education. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the current number of SSPs formed between Hong Kong and Mainland schools, together with a tabulated breakdown by type of schools (i.e. secondary, primary and special schools) and finance type (i.e. public, Direct Subsidy Scheme and private);
(2) of the number of schools which successfully applied for the grant under the Scheme in each of the past 10 years, as well as the number and types of activities organised by the schools with the approved grant; and
(3) whether it will consider extending the scope of the grant under the Scheme to include international schools; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The Education Bureau (EDB) has launched the Sister School Scheme (the Scheme) since 2004 to encourage Hong Kong schools to form sister school pairs with their Mainland counterparts, with a view to broadening students’ horizons and enhancing their sense of national identity. The Scheme has served as a platform for professional interflows, through which schools in both places can conduct rich and multi-faceted exchanges at school management, teacher and student levels etc, to enhance mutual understanding and achieve mutual advancement in quality of education. The EDB has been actively promoting the Scheme and providing local publicly-funded schools with additional resources and professional support.
Our reply to the questions raised by Hon Lillian Kwok is as follows:
(1) To expand the network of sister schools, the Chief Executive announced in his Policy Address delivered in 2022 that the EDB would, on the basis of having about 780 publicly-funded schools in Hong Kong that had already formed over 2 100 sister school pairs with their Mainland counterparts at the very time, increase the number of Hong Kong schools which would be participating in the Scheme by 10 per cent to around 860 by the end of 2023. The above target had been achieved. According to the information submitted by schools, as of May 2024, a total of 935 afore-mentioned local schools had formed 2 933 sister school pairs with their Mainland counterparts. Relevant breakdowns are set out in the table below:
School type(Note 1)(Note 2)schoolsNote 1: As the Grant for the Sister School Scheme does not cover local private schools, the relevant figures are not available. Note 2: Public sector schools comprise government, aided and caput schools.
(2) To support local schools on planning and conducting exchange activities with their sister schools in the Mainland, since the 2018/19 school year, the EDB has been providing a recurrent grant and professional support to local public sector schools and Direct Subsidy Scheme schools (including special schools) that have formed sister schools with their Mainland counterparts. The grant is set at about $163,000 per school for the 2023/24 school year. The total numbers of schools provided with the grant from the EDB and the expenditures involved in the previous school years, broken down by school year, are set out in the table below:
School year(Note 3)($ million)Note 3: Only the number of schools that applied for the grant is shown. Some schools have formed sister school pairs with their Mainland counterparts but did not apply for the grant.
The EDB renders assistance for local schools to establish sister schools with their Mainland counterparts, as well as providing them with professional support. For example, the EDB co-ordinates pairing-up arrangements, organises exchange activities, conducts school visits, holds sharing sessions regularly to disseminate good practices of exchanges among sister schools, and commissions service contractor(s) to provide schools with advice and support in relation to the arrangements on exchange activities. These efforts seek to promote more in-depth and multi-angle professional exchanges and multi-faceted collaboration, with a view to enhancing the quality and quantity of sister school exchanges, and hence facilitating cultural exchange and increasing teachers and students’ knowledge and understanding of the Mainland.
All along, schools arrange exchange activities (such as school visits, student activities, seminars, teaching demonstrations, lesson evaluation, video conferencing and experience sharing) with their sister schools at student, teacher and school management levels based on their school-based development needs. Schools may publish information of their sister schools and exchange activities on their websites or through other channels. As schools are not required to provide us with details of all their exchange activities, the relevant information on the number and types of exchange activities is not available.
The modes of sister school exchange activities are multi-faceted. Apart from visits to sister schools in the Mainland, online exchanges can be organised for schools to learn from each other and share their experiences and insights at school management, teacher and student levels. Sister schools are encouraged to draw on good practices and develop online exchanges as an ongoing effort, so as to facilitate real-time interaction and sharing among students and teachers, while actively arranging on-site exchange activities for the same to gain first-hand exposure to local culture and an understanding of our motherland.
(3) At present, the Grant for the Sister School Scheme (the Grant) does not cover private schools (including international schools). Private schools are self-financing, market-driven and autonomous in their operation. They have to bear all operating expenses and the Government does not provide them with any recurrent subsidy. Therefore, it is not suitable to extend the Grant to private schools. The EDB will continue to encourage private schools (including international schools) to promote students’ understanding of Chinese history and culture to broaden their horizons having regard to school-based circumstances and needs.
Looking ahead, the EDB will continue to encourage local schools to participate in the Scheme, including providing schools with professional support through diversified modes as well as collection and dissemination of good practices, so as to encourage more exchanges between local schools and their Mainland counterparts under the Scheme. Issued at HKT 11:40
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ18: Mechanism for vetting the eligibility of applicants for admission adopted by higher education institutions Question:
It has been reported that a university has recently found that some students have provided fraudulent documentary proof of academic qualifications when applying for admission. There are views that the incident has brought potential impact on Hong Kong’s reputation as an international hub for post-secondary education. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council if it knows:
(1) the specific measures taken by various higher education institutions to ensure the authenticity and validity of documentary proof of academic qualifications submitted by applicants for admission; and
(2) whether various higher education institutions will enhance their mechanisms for vetting the eligibility of applicants for admission to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents, thereby ensuring the quality of their students; if so, of the specific details?
Reply:
President,
Falsifying or furnishing fraudulent academic qualifications is a serious offence liable to a maximum penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment. As fraudulent academic qualifications seriously affect student admission by local higher education institutions and Hong Kong’s hard-earned international reputation, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and all sectors of the Hong Kong community deeply resent such act and have zero tolerance towards the matter.
Earlier on, a certain university found a very small number of cases where applicants allegedly submitted fraudulent documents when applying for admission. The university reported the incident to the Police and dealt with the incident seriously, indicating its determination of zero tolerance.
Hong Kong’s higher education has unique advantages, including high teaching quality, strong basic research capabilities, extensive international connections, and close co-operation with the Mainland, representing a strong foundation. We particularly treasure the golden reputation of Hong Kong’s higher education. Facing intense competition for admissions, universities have always established stringent admission procedures and mechanisms to ensure fairness and impartiality in selecting the best candidates. As the cradle of future talent, our higher education institutions must be well prepared for Hong Kong to develop itself into an international hub for post-secondary education, be it academic standards or the establishment of systems.
In response to the question raised by the Hon Tang Fei, our key replies are as follows:
(1) All of the eight University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities have formed academic boards/senates to take charge of academic matters while academic units and/or graduate schools are responsible for the administration and gatekeeping of student admission. There are rigorous admission standards and procedures as well as clear guidelines in place for stringent vetting of the academic qualifications, public examination results and relevant documents of students admitted. Generally speaking, verification is made through various channels, such as requesting the admitted students to arrange for direct dispatch of relevant proof of study (e.g. transcripts) by the respective awarding institutions to the universities concerned, checking with credible platforms (e.g. the China Higher Education Student Information website), verifying the results with the relevant examination boards directly, or requesting the applicants to arrange for direct dispatch of their results by the relevant examination boards to the universities concerned. Students may also be required to produce originals or certified copies of the certificates or transcripts for further checking when registering with the universities in Hong Kong as and when necessary. Those who are unable to furnish the required documents in the above process may have their admission offers rescinded or registration rejected.
(2) The admission mechanisms of the eight UGC-funded universities uphold the principles of merit-based selection, fairness and impartiality. All universities will continue to provide training, including collaborating with the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in this regard, inviting the ICAC to take part in reviewing or providing advice on the admission procedures, and formulating internal guidelines on corruption prevention, etc, with a view to raising anti-corruption awareness among relevant staff and ensuring the integrity of the system and fairness of the admission mechanisms. At the same time, the universities will diligently undertake their gatekeeping responsibilities and clearly demonstrate their zero tolerance stance towards using fraudulent academic qualifications to apply for admission. They will take decisive disciplinary actions upon discovery of such violations, including rescission of admission offers or expulsion, and will refer such cases to the relevant law enforcement agencies and visa-issuing authorities for follow-up action as appropriate. In addition, the universities have been paying closer attention to the recent untrue information, abetting and other illegal activities. They actively make clarifications on their websites, social media and in application forms, and remind applicants that all application materials must be accurate. Unlawful conduct will not be tolerated. In the light of the ever-changing circumstances, the universities will continually improve the arrangements to maintain their academic reputation. Issued at HKT 15:02
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
As summer vacation approaches, have parents started purchasing textbooks for their children for the new school year? The Education Bureau (EDB) has prepared three practical strategies to give parents a better understanding of the information and other key points to note with regard to the purchase of textbooks, enabling them to joyfully prepare their children for the new school year.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addresses Rozgar Mela When the youth actively contribute to nation-building, the country experiences accelerated development and earns recognition on the global stage: PM
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Posted On: 26 APR 2025 12:13PM by PIB Delhi
The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the Rozgar Mela and distributed more than 51,000 appointment letters to newly appointed youth in various Government departments and organizations via videoconferencing today. Addressing the gathering, he emphasized that today marks the beginning of new responsibilities for these youth in different departments of the Government of India. He remarked that their duties include strengthening the nation’s economic framework, bolstering internal security, contributing to the construction of modern infrastructure, and bringing transformative changes to the lives of workers. The Prime Minister underscored that the sincerity with which they fulfill their responsibilities will have a positive impact on India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation. Expressing confidence, he stated that these young individuals will carry out their duties with utmost dedication.
“The foundation of any nation’s progress and success lies in its youth, when the youth actively participate in nation-building, the nation experiences rapid development and establishes its identity on the global stage”, emphasised Shri Modi. “India’s youth are showcasing their immense potential to the world through their hard work and innovation”, he further highlighted, stating that the government is ensuring, at every step, that employment and self-employment opportunities for the country’s youth continue to grow. He pointed out that initiatives like Skill India, Startup India, and Digital India are creating new opportunities for the youth. Through these campaigns, the government is providing an open platform for India’s youth to showcase their talents. Shri Modi noted that as a result of these efforts, in this decade, India’s youth have propelled the nation to the forefront in the fields of technology, data, and innovation. He highlighted the success of digital platforms like UPI, ONDC, and GeM (Government e-Marketplace), which demonstrate how the youth are leading transformative changes in the digital economy. He further remarked that India now leads the world in real-time digital transactions, and a significant share of this achievement is credited to the youth.
“The Manufacturing Mission announced in this budget, aims at promoting the ‘Make in India’ initiative and providing India’s youth with opportunities to create globally standardized products. This initiative will not only support millions of MSMEs and small entrepreneurs across the country but will also open up new employment opportunities nationwide”, remarked the Prime Minister, adding that this is an unprecedented time of opportunities for India’s youth. He noted that the IMF recently stated that India will remain the world’s fastest-growing economy. He emphasized that this growth has multiple facets, with the most significant being the increase in job opportunities across all sectors in the coming days. The Prime Minister pointed out that in recent times, the automobile and footwear industries have achieved new records in production and exports, creating substantial employment opportunities for the youth. He also highlighted that, for the first time, products from Khadi and Village Industries have surpassed a turnover of ₹1.70 lakh crore, generating millions of new jobs, especially in rural areas. He remarked on the recent achievement in Inland Water Transport, noting that before 2014, only 18 million tons of cargo were moved annually through Inland Water Transport. This year, cargo movement has exceeded 145 million tons. He attributed this success to India’s consistent policy-making and decision-making in this direction. The Prime Minister highlighted that the number of National Waterways in the country has increased from just 5 to over 110 and the operational length of these waterways has grown from approximately 2,700 kilometers to nearly 5,000 kilometers. He stressed that these achievements are creating new opportunities for the youth across the nation.
“Mumbai will soon host the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025.This event places the youth at its core, providing young creators with such a platform for the first time. This summit offers an unprecedented opportunity for innovators in media, gaming, and entertainment to showcase their talent”, said Shri Modi. He noted that entertainment startups will have the chance to connect with investors and industry leaders, making it the largest platform to present their ideas to the world. He emphasized that youth will gain exposure to AI, XR, and immersive media through various workshops organized during the event. “WAVES will energize India’s digital content future”, he added. He lauded the inclusivity of India’s youth, highlighting that every section of society is contributing to the nation’s achievements. He remarked that daughters of India are leading the way, citing the recent UPSC results where the top two positions were secured by women, and three out of the top five toppers were women. “Women are reaching new heights in fields ranging from bureaucracy to space and science. Our government is focused on empowering rural women through initiatives like Self-Help Groups, Bima Sakhis, Bank Sakhis, and Krishi Sakhis, which have created new opportunities”, said Shri Modi. He further noted that thousands of women are now working as Drone Didis, ensuring prosperity for their families and villages, adding that over 90 lakh Self-Help Groups are active in the country, involving more than 10 crore women. To strengthen these groups, the government has increased their budget fivefold and introduced a provision for collateral-free loans of up to ₹20 lakh. Shri Modi highlighted that women are the largest beneficiaries of the Mudra Yojana and noted that over 50,000 startups in the country have women as directors. He remarked that such transformative changes across sectors are strengthening India’s resolve for development and creating more opportunities for employment and self-employment.
Addressing the youth who received their employment letters today, the Prime Minister underlined that the positions achieved by individuals are a result of their hard work and dedication. He stressed that it is now time to dedicate the next phases of their lives not only to themselves but also to the nation. He highlighted that the spirit of public service must remain paramount. The Prime Minister stated that when one works with the highest regard for their service, their efforts gain the strength to guide the nation in a new direction. He underscored that the fulfillment of duties, innovation, and commitment of individuals will directly contribute to improving the lives of every citizen in India.
Remarking that when individuals reach positions of responsibility, their duties and roles as citizens become even more significant, Shri Modi emphasized the need for awareness in this direction. He highlighted the ongoing campaign, ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam,’ and encouraged everyone to plant a tree in their mother’s name as a gesture of gratitude and service to nature. He urged individuals to involve more people in this campaign at their workplaces. Noting that the International Yoga Day, coming up in June, is a great opportunity to begin a healthy life alongside a successful career, he emphasized that health is not only essential for individuals but also crucial for work efficiency and the nation’s productivity. The Prime Minister encouraged individuals to utilize the Mission Karmayogi initiative to enhance their capabilities. He stated that the purpose of their roles is not merely to hold positions but to serve every citizen of India and contribute to the nation’s progress. Recalling the mantra of ‘Nagrik Devo Bhava,’ shared on Civil Services Day, and emphasizing that serving citizens is akin to divine worship, Shri Modi concluded by expressing confidence that with sincerity and dedication, India will become a developed and prosperous nation. He urged the youth to work for achieving the dreams and aspirations of 140 crore Indians.
Background
In line with Prime Minister’s commitment to accord highest priority to employment generation, the 15th Rozgar Mela will be held at 47 locations across the country. It will provide meaningful opportunities to the youth for their empowerment and effectively contributing to national development.
The new recruits, selected from across the country will be joining the Central Government in various Ministries/Departments including Department of Revenue, Ministry of Personnel and Public Grievances and Pensions, Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Posts, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Labour & Employment among others.
जब युवा राष्ट्र के निर्माण में भागीदार होते हैं, तो राष्ट्र तेज विकास भी करता है और विश्व में अपनी पहचान भी बनाता है।
भारत का युवा आज अपने परिश्रम और इनोवेशन से दुनिया को ये दिखा रहा है कि हम में कितना सामर्थ्य है: PM @narendramodi
Department of Fisheries to Host “Coastal States Meet 2025” on April 28th in Mumbai; Rs. 255 Crores worth of Fisheries Projects to be Unveiled Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh to Launch Marine Fisheries Census Operations, Aqua Insurance in major sector push
Posted On: 26 APR 2025 11:19AM by PIB Delhi
The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is organizing a “Coastal States Meet – 2025” on 28th April 2025, at Hotel Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbaiunder the chairmanship of Union Minister, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAH&D) and Ministry of Panchayati Raj. Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Minister of State, MoFAH&D and Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Shri George Kurian, Minister of State, MoFAH&D and Ministry of Minority Affairs will also participate in the event.
Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh will inaugurate and lay the foundation for key projects for 7 coastal states and UTs with a total outlay of Rs.255.30 crores under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), underscoring the commitment of the government for advancing the fisheries sector in the coastal states & UTs. He will also launch a set of key initiatives aimed at strengthening marine fisheries and promoting sustainable practices including Marine Fisheries Census Operations, Turtle Excluder Device (TED) project and release of Standard Operating procedure for Vessel Communication and Support System.
On this occasion, certificates will also be distributed to outstanding Cooperatives, FFPOs, fisheries start-ups, and climate-resilient coastal fishing villages. As part of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PMMKSSY), beneficiaries will also receive Aqua Insurance certificates and Kisan Credit Cards (KCC). Notably, the government has introduced Aqua Insurance for the first time, offering dedicated financial protection to aquafarmers. This landmark initiative ensures targeted insurance coverage, digital accessibility, and focused support for marginalized communities in the fisheries sector.
The meet will witness the gracious presence of eminent dignitaries, Shri Nitesh Neelam Narayan Rane, Hon’ble Minister of Fisheries, Government of Maharashtra, Shri Raghavjibhai Patel, Hon’ble Minister of Fisheries, Government of Gujarat, Shri. Nilkanth Halarnkar, Hon’ble Minister of Fisheries, Government of Goa, Shri Mankala S Vaidya, Hon’ble Minister of Fisheries, Government of Karnataka, Shri Kinjarapu Atchannaidu, Hon’ble Minister of Fisheries, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Gokulananda Mallik, Hon’ble Minister of Fisheries, Government of Odisha, Shri K. Kailashnathan, IAS (Rtd.), Hon’ble Lt. Governor, UT of Puducherry. Officials from Department of Fisheries, State Fisheries Departments, ICAR Institutes and Bay of Bengal Programme (BoBP) will also participate in the meet.
The Coastal States Meet 2025 will also feature key technical sessions including Strengthening Marine Fisheries Governance: Integrating Marine Fisheries Regulation Acts (MFRAs), Monitoring, Control & Surveillance (MCS), and Sea-Safety; Model Mariculture SOPs; Standard Operating Procedure of the Vessel Communication and Support System (VCSS); Export Promotion – Processing, Value Chain & Quality Improvements; and Promotion of Traceability and Certification in Marine Capture Fisheries. These sessions aim to offer practical policy insights and technical guidance to strengthen marine fisheries, ensure safety, promote sustainable mariculture, and improve export capabilities. In addition, the event will host an exhibition showcasing innovative technologies, products, and initiatives in the fisheries and aquaculture sector, fostering knowledge exchange and highlighting best practices.
This meet serves as a vital platform for addressing region-specific challenges, promoting modern, eco-friendly approaches tailored to coastal ecosystems, and enhancing livelihood opportunities, productivity, and long-term economic development in the fisheries sector.
Background
The fisheries sector in India plays an important role in supporting rural livelihoods and contributing to the national economy. With a vast coastline and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 2.02 million square kilometres, India boasts of rich marine resources. The marine fisheries sector in India harbours significant potential, estimated at 5.31 million tonnes. Coastal states and Union Territories, which include around 3,477 coastal fishing villages, produce 72% of the country’s total fish production and account for 76% of India’s total seafood exports.