Video games and cartoons are no longer taboo for kids. New-age parents are enrolling their tots for courses in game design, animation, robotics and electronics.

The early exposure, parents believe, gives kids an edge and stimulates creativity.

Age six to 10, parents feel, is a good age to start. "Getting a headstart in technology can never hurt," said Soumya Mantena, whose seven-year-old has enrolled for a class in animation.

Video game-making is another rage. "Letting them create games of their own is better than allowing them to play video games," said Trupti Maniyar, whose nine-year-old son has designed his own computer game.

With the month-long ICSE and CBSE board exams under way, the CBSE board is providing dedicated exam helplines to deal with stress. ICSE students, however, have no such facilities

While anxious parents of tense CBSE students have access to dedicated exam help-lines, ICSE students have only their teachers or families to turn to, for help. "If I'm upset with my performance in some exam, I wouldn't want to tell my teacher about it, let alone worry my parents. Their expectations get in the way of my openly discussing these things with them," says Geetha R, a class X student.

The CBSE helpline has been operational every year prior to the exams since the last 12 years. But no such measure is in place for students of ICSE schools.

With a view to ensure that their students secure a job after their graduation, Vashi-based ICLES' Motilal Jhunjhunwala College organised a job mela for third year students from all departments. The mela held last week was in continuation of the college's career counselling and campus placements for the students. Some of the companies who participated in the mela included Caliber-Shell-Transource Ltd, C-Bay Systems, HDFC Bank, UTV among others.

Several Std X students from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) were baffled over a question on Wednesday. The four-mark question in the social science paper was reportedly not clear in print, due to which many high-scorers might lose marks.

Students studying from class five to 10 in the state schools will have some new learning to do from the academic year 2010-11. The state department of public instructions is planning to review and revise all the text books for all these classes.

The state minister for primary and secondary education, Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri, has decided to revise the text books of all subjects for these classes with an intention to bring their standard at par with that of the CBSE and ICSE boards.

Sources in the department said, "The plan is still in the preliminary stage. The minister will discuss the issue with the department officials after the Lok Sabha elections."

Last year's dummy writers scam has hit students genuinely in need of writers; GSHSEB�yet to implement new rules

Despite last year's dummy writers scam, the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) hasn't taken a lesson. The annual board examination is set to start from March 17, but the board hasn't implemented new rules to hire writers till date. On the other hand, owing to the scam, genuine students, mainly visually and physically challenged, are finding it difficult to get writers. Admitting the fact, GSHSEB chairman Hasmukh Adhia told DNA that because of last year's incident students are not willing to be writers even in genuine cases such as for physically and visually challenged students.