*Free software made mandatory: IT practicals of SSLC Exam* Sunday September 16 2007 15:01 IST
*Sabloo Thomas* T'PURAM: Free software has been made mandatory for IT practicals of SSLC examination slated for March, 2008. The Director of Public Instruction (DPI) has issued orders making free software compulsory. It says Linux Operating System should be used for IT education in eighth, ninth and tenth standards. Till last year, schools had the freedom to conduct the examinations either in free software or in Microsoft platform. For the purpose, fully Linuxbased text books have been prepared for standard X and Linux-based supplementary text books have been prepared for standard VIII and standard IX. Text books for the purpose have been prepared by SCERT and Free Software Foundation of India under the guidance of [EMAIL PROTECTED] project. The DPI has also decided to initiate various programmes for popularising free software. As part of it, various programmes were arranged to observe International Software Freedom Day on Saturday. A small introductory lecture will be delivered in the school assemblies across the state on Monday, followed by a pledge. An outline of the introductory lecture and the pledge have been circulated to the schools. A digital painting competition for students of eighth standard will be conducted on the day using TUX paint, XPaint and GIMP software. The topic of the painting competition will be 'my school and surrounding.' A presentation competition using Open Office Impress will be conducted for students of ninth and tenth standard in the topic 'IT and its benefits to the common man.' Both the competitions will be of one and half hour duration. The prize winning paintings will be compiled at the State -level and uploaded on the website www.education.kerala.gov.in. http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEO20070916044016&Page=O&Headline=Free+software+made+mandatory%3A+IT+practicals+of+SSLC+Exam&Title=Thiruvananthapuram&Topic=0
