Inside The Secretariat: Digital Defence, Data Dilemma, And Delayed Deadlines

State’s Rs 299-Cr Cyber Squad Gears Up For Digital War

As cyber threat multiply, Gujarat is stepping in with a Rs 299 crore tech-backed plan. The new Cyber Center of Excellence (CCE) will train police officers in advanced digital investigation. Officers with technical experience will be selected for this 11-unit hub covering social media, dark web, cryptocurrency, malware, big data, Artificial Intelligence, online marketing, training, and ethical hacking. Inspired by the National Cyber Security Center of Excellence (NCCoE) in the US, the Gujarat model will also include Cyber Forensic Units (CFUs) in all 33 districts. According to statistics from the Home Department, 11.69 lakh cybercrime calls in five years, with 2.80 lakh complaints and fraud worth Rs 1,555.88 crore. This center aims to boost cybercrime-solving capacity.

NEP’s Bright Idea, Dimmed By Missing Homework

The Education department has finally announced a “Bagless Day” every Saturday for schools—a key provision under the National Education Policy that has been gathering dust for years. It aims to give students a break from textbooks and focus on fun learning. GCERT is designing the activity plan, but officials admit the circular will only succeed if implemented across government, granted, unaided schools. According to a senior official, while the idea comes from the National Education Policy, the five-year delay remains unexplained. While bureaucrats enjoy “Joyful Saturday,” students may finally get a taste of activity-based learning.

India Eyes 2036 Olympics, Pitches Ahmedabad As Host City

India has entered the race to host the 2036 Olympics, with Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar as proposed venues. Gujarat officials pitched India’s bid during their visit to Lausanne, Switzerland, while the International Olympic Committee is still in the process of revising bidding rules. India is currently competing with Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkey, and Chile. In October 2024, the Central governmentnominated Ahmedabad as the host city in its letter of interest. Future Olympic hosts include Los Angeles (2028), French Alps (2030), Brisbane (2032), and Salt Lake City, USA, (2034).

Air Taxis Cleared For Takeoff—At Least On Paper

Flying cars may be closer than they seem. The Gujarat government has formed a multi-departmental committee to develop a Vertiport under the new guidelines issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The committee would include officials from civil aviation, revenue, urban development, and transport. It would identify a suitable location for the Vertiport and prepare a feasibility report. A committee member said the team is working on a business model that can benefit both general public and investors. The Vertiport is aimed not just at futuristic eVTOL taxi services but also critical applications like medical emergencies and disaster response. The state has signed an MoU with Japan-based SkyDrive, which aims to develop the eVTOL ecosystem by 2027. Once the planning is complete, tenders will be floated to bring private players and industrialists on board.

Link Or Lose: Aadhaar Now A Must For Land Records

To prevent land scams and fraudulent transfers, Gujarat’s Revenue department has made Aadhaar and mobile number linkage mandatory for all account holders listed in the 7/12 land records. The process will be carried out through e-Dhara Kendras, requiring account holders to be physically present. Once seeded, any attempt to modify land records will trigger a warning SMS to the registered number. A senior department official confirmed that the update process is already underway at e-Dhara Kendras across the state. This step will help reduce land disputes and safeguard landowners from unauthorised transactions.

UDISE Data Lays Bare Gujarat’s Primary School Crisis

Gujarat may host flashy school enrollment festivals, but a data by the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) paints a worrying picture of its primary education system. UDISE, an organisation managed by the National Informatics Center of the Central Government, maintains a database of schools across India. Of the of 53,000 schools in the state, only 13,000 cater to primary classes. And out of 3.994 lakh teachers, 83,000 (8.6 percent) teach Classes 1 to 5. In contrast, states like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, show a healthier school-to-teacher ratio. With 54 lakh students in Classes 1 to 5 (38 lakh of them in government schools), the state’s foundation in early education appears shakier than it should.