If you are one of those people who cannot focus on the important tasks just because you are mindlessly scrolling through posts on social media, then this is for you!

Instead of being delighted for our lives, we are busy constantly comparing it with others on social media. No wonder why every other person is unhappy. Excess of anything is bad and when this obsession goes unchecked, you should really stop and ask yourself; is social media toxic?

It has seeped into our lives in such a way that it is almost impossible to consciously not being a part of it. Everything we do is related with it and we all have become slaves to it. Whenever we go to a new place or have something new to eat, we think of adding that on social media instead of enjoying that very moment without being slave to this virtual world. Although it comes in handy as it keeps you connected with your loved ones and keeps updated on everything. But at the same time we should be aware when it starts to dissolve toxicity in our lives.

Everyone is uploading there happy pictures, the next part of their lives online. No-one is sharing their failures or issues or setbacks. So it can happen “if someone is going through a tough phase in life and logs on, he/she will get further depressed as they might compare their life with the happy person on social media (you know how it goes when everyone is having a ball and you do not). Although it may seem like everyone’s life is so good and happening all the time but it is not. It is the biggest lie we all say proudly via social media. Everyone is facing their demons every day. Everyone has their own problems to deal with and even the ones you feel have no problems are facing their own setbacks.

All we do is scroll! Scroll! And scroll! It makes us feel like a Caesar. We need to realise it’s opportunity even if we know. Most of our mentors and admired icons are online. We might never meet them in real life but it doesn’t mean you cannot still have them positively influencing your lives. Don’t have money for future studies? There are a lot of free courses online to sharpen your skills and a lot more to surf.

If you feel that social media is toxic to you and is taking a lot of your time, just start noticing its effects on your mental health.

All you need to do is reach out to your potential and improve your life.

Stress is the response that your body gives to difficult or challenging situations. It gives you tension both physically as well as mentally.

Stress has many bad effects on your physical and mental health. It reduces your productivity at a personal and professional level. It makes you a weaker person from within who is prone to various kinds of diseases. It has a bad impact on your behaviour and confidence.

Today in this fast-moving world, while being in the process of building a stable career we focus on everything except ourself. We are hardly getting any time for us. As a result, we are failing to live a satisfactory and cheerful life and becoming more and more closer to a stressful life. Stress has become an uninvited guest in everyone’s life.

Stress is our biggest enemy. But, like every enemy, this one also can be conquered. So, I have just listed down a few points that could prove helpful to fight stress.

What can be done to deal with stress?

● To deal with stress, the best and the first thing that should be done is to take your own help. You should start talking to yourself and find out what is bothering you and what is the reason that is stressing you out?

● Talk to someone who is close to you about your stress issues. When you discuss your problems with your dear ones, you feel much better. Their suggestions prove to be useful as they help to bring positivity in your thoughts.

● Engage yourself in some or the other activity. Keep your mind busy doing some kind of work. When you are involved in an activity, you hardly get time to think about the things that stress you out.

● Spend time with your family, friends or the people you love. Create lovely memories with them. Try not to remain alone or don’t isolate yourself from others as this will make you feel lonely. Loneliness can increase your stress even more.

● Practice yoga or do exercise or any type of sport. Doing such physical activities daily for some time will absolutely prove useful to change your mood and relieve your tension. This is because during physical work, your body releases endorphins hormones which reduce stress and make you feel happy.

● Try to be happy and joyful in your life. Do not take unnecessary tension for small things and keep a positive approach while handling tough situations. Don’t lose hope easily.

● Do what you like the most. Read a book, plant a tree, listen to music or dance without any hesitation. When you do the thing which you like, you are able to restore back positivity and happiness in your ideas. Thus, you can stay away from stress.

Everybody has stress in their life. The reason behind it varies from person to person. It is very difficult to live a stress-free life. But, trust me this is not impossible. By adopting some methods and remaining calm and patient you can definitely win the battle over stress.

ONLINE EDUCATION DURING COVID 19

Due to the covid 19 pandemic all over the world the education institution are closed. Now, Students do not need to get up early in the Morning for school, there is no more morning PT classes and no more scolding of teachers. But the education will not stop there; Indian education system has turned towards delivery of education via the internet — or online education. Teachers are using online platforms like Google classroom, zoom, skypy, whatApp for classes. Online classes ensuring that education will not stop due to corona virus. We human have not experience this before and most of us were not prepared for it sure. It’s a first time experience for all.

Research suggests that online learning has been shown to increase retention of information, and take less time, meaning the changes corona virus have caused might be here to stay.

There are many online platforms are providing free courses and online classes to help the students during this pandemics.

As it is a new experience for students so it has both positives and negatives impact on students

I would like to talk about positive side of it, now students do not have to travel for attending the classes now they can attend classes in their phone, it will save their time and students can use that time for self studies or for other activities. Another plus point is there is a button of mute on online platforms which help in muting the unwanted sound and noise from background that is not possible in a normal classroom it help both the teachers and students to actively focused on class.

However the other side of E-education is: as it’s an online platform teacher is not able to keep eyes on students plus not able to know who all are actively attending the classes. It will make student introvert as there is less changes of interacting with everyone. There is possibility that students only attend the classes that they want to attend it will impact the attendance of students.

Some students without reliable internet access and/or technology struggle to participate in digital learning. The Indian youth are also characterized by limited digital skills. Only 17.6 per cent of the youth could use a computer and 18.4 per cent could access internet. Especially the rural children do not have the online facilities like access of internet even some do not have mobiles and computers.

I can conclude it by saying that E-education is a good way of delivery education to students during this time but of now it is only urban quintiles in India are the somehow ready for online education. Government education policy during the covid19 needs a more egalitarian means of delivering education. The emphasis on online education has to be accompanied with changes in curriculum, textbooks, teacher training, examination systems and pedagogy. And most important to access basic facilities to rural children of online education, only than country like India will able to use E education as a way of delivery education to students.   

For me, my family has always been and will forever remain my first priority. My family members have supported me until now in every good and bad situation. For me, they are my greatest strengths.

The family consists of those people who are linked to each other by blood. These people are bonded by love, care, respect, and affection. Having a caring and loving family is really a blessing. Nobody can actually love and care for you as your family does.

It is therefore very important to realize the worth of family in your life. It is equally important to respect and love your family members as much as they do.

In this fast-moving life, we hardly get time to spend with our family. Many of us take our family for granted. But this is truly wrong as our family is very precious for us and we should value our family members. By spending time with them, we can make some unforgettable memories that can be cherished forever.

Why your family is considered as your biggest strength?

● The love that your family members give you is unconditional. This love doesn’t have any hidden motive and is completely pure. It is this love and affection that helps you to face the hatred that the real world gives you.

● You get to learn so many things from your family. Your family members are your first teachers. They teach you good human values. They help to boost your confidence and improve your overall personality. They show you the right path in life.

● The strength given by your family members makes you so powerful from within that you become capable enough to handle tough situations and deal with the evil people in real life.

● Family is your biggest support. Your family members are those people that never leave you alone. They stand by you and help you to get through hard times.

● Family members are the ones who are responsible for your success. Each and every member of your family contributes to your success in whichever way possible.

● Even when the entire world is against you, your family members will never isolate you. They are the ones who will fight with everyone for you. They protect you and try to keep you safe from this cruel world.

● Your family encourages you to do good things in life. But, it also corrects and stops you whenever you are going on the wrong path. Family is like a true guide that gives you advice which always proves to be useful for you.

You make many friends in your actual and virtual life during your lifetime. You get a chance to meet many people during your professional life as well. These people and many of your friends leave such a good impact on you that you start considering them as your family. But remember, there is a huge difference between someone whom you have considered as a family member and your actual family member.

Therefore, respect, love, and spend time with your family. Trust me, this will make you happy from within.

Government has denied issuing a public notice related to postponement of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for undergraduate-2020.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) informed all the candidates, parents and public that no such decision has been taken by concerned authorities. It advised the public to be aware of any fake message and rely only on the information available at the official website www.nta.ac.in and ntaneet.nic.in.

The NTA said that it has come to the notice of agency that a fake public notice dated 15th June with the subject line – Postponement of National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG July – 2020 is circulating on various social media platforms.

The agency has taken it seriously and is investigating the source of fake notice issued with an intention to misguide candidates, parents and the general public. The NTA said that stringent action would be taken against such anti-public elements.

Last month, Union Human Resource and Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank informed that the NEET exam will be held on 26th July, 2020 from 2 PM to 5 PM.

President Ram Nath Kovind in his tribute to the martyred Indian soldiers of Galwan Valley said that as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, he bows to the exemplary courage and supreme sacrifice of the soldiers who laid down their lives protecting the sovereignty and integrity of the country.

He said in a tweet, the martyred soldiers have upheld the best traditions of the Indian armed forces. Their valour will be eternally etched in the memory of the nation. Mr. Kovind expressed deepest condolences to the families of the martyrs.

Hinting at opening up of more economic activities and further normalisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the States and Union Territories to plan the second phase of Nationwide Unlock. Debunking all rumours related to re-imposition of Nationwide Lockdown, he said, the nation needs to focus on phase 2 of Unlock and ways to minimize possibilities of any harm to the people.

Prime Minister Modi while interacting with the State and Union Territories Chief Ministers on the second day of his virtual meeting yesterday, discussed the roadmap to further embolden nation’s fight against Coronavirus. He reiterated that the timely decisions by the government helped contain the global pandemic of COVID-19 in the country to a large extent.

Mr. Modi highlighted the increase in domestic manufacturing capabilities of PPEs, masks, availability of diagnostic kits in adequate quantity, supply of ventilators made in India using PM CARES fund, availability of testing labs, lakhs of COVID special beds, thousands of isolation and quarantine centres, and adequate human resource through training. He stressed on the need to give constant emphasis on health infrastructure, information systems, emotional support and public participation.

The Prime Minister emphatically underlined the fact that the recovery rate in the country has been considerably high due to the early preparedness ensured by the government. In the same light, he emphasised on the need to weed out stigma attached with the COVID infection as more and more number of people are getting cured in the country. He sought participation of people and frontline COVID Warriors in eradicating such notions which stigmatise the infection and COVID patients. Mr. Modi credited the high discipline observed by the common citizens in the country for achieving better containment results.

The Prime Minister also stressed on the importance of testing and tracing and urged States to work towards development of enhanced testing centres. Highlighting the encouraging results of  Aarogya Setu Mobile App, he asked States and UTs to devise  further measures to utilise technology based solutions to widen the scale of  contact tracing in the country.

The Prime Minister talked about being vigilant against health related problems that come with the Monsoon.

Mr. Modi exhorted States and UTs to work upon developing infrastructure to extend the facility of telemedicine to make health solutions accessible to larger numbers of people. He also called upon a greater concerted effort of all organisations including NGOs and private players to help India return on the track of normalisation.

The interaction was the second part of the two day interaction, and witnessed participation of States and UTs including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Telangana and Odisha.

Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan will launch India’s first mobile lab today for COVID-19 testing to promote last mile testing access in rural India.

The Infectious Disease Diag Lab (I-LAB) is supported by The Department of Biotechnology under the Covid command strategy. This mobile lab will be deployed in the interior, inaccessible parts of the country. I-LAB has the capability to perform 25 RT-PCR and 300 ELISA tests per day.

The celebrations of International Day of Yoga on 21st of this month will commence with a message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Doordarshan will telecast this at 6:30 in the morning along with its streaming on other digital platforms.

After the Prime Minister’s address, the team of Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga will perform a live demonstration of Common Yoga Protocol from 7 AM to 7:45 AM. Discussion with the Yoga expert will be telecast from 7:45 AM to 8 AM.

The Ministry of AYUSH is promoting the theme “Yoga at Home, Yoga with Family” through its Internal Day of Yoga’s activities. Every year, 21st of June is being celebrated worldwide as the International Day of Yoga. Due to Covid-19 pandemic this year, the main focus is on the people performing Yoga at their respective homes with their families.

Prasar Bharati has initiated the daily telecast of the Common Yoga Protocol on DD Bharati from 8 AM to 8:30 AM from 11th of June 2020. This programme is also available on the AYUSH Ministry’s social media platforms.

A video contest-My Life, My Yoga-video blogging contest with attractive prizes is also being organized in which the people are being encouraged to post their short video clips performing different Yoga Asanas.

Speaking exclusively to AIR News, Director of Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Dr. Ishwar Basavaraddi stressed on the importance of Yoga to maintain a stress-free life amidst the testing times due to the global pandemic.

The Sports Ministry is all set to establish Khelo India State Centres of Excellence under the Khelo India Scheme. One such centre will be identified in each State and Union Territory with an aim to create a robust sporting ecosystem in the entire country. In the first leg, the Ministry has identified state-owned sports facilities in eight states including Karnataka, Odisha, Kerala, Telengana, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland which will be upgraded into Khelo India State Centre of Excellence.
 
Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said, these centres are being established to strengthen India’s pursuit for excellence in Olympics. He said, the effort is to scale up the best sporting facilities available in each state into academies of world-class standard. Mr. Rijiju said, the sporting facilities have been identified after in-depth analysis by a government committee. He expressed confidence that this step will tap the talents from across the country and will prove beneficial in training of athletes.
 
The State and Union Territory will run the centre and build capacity to turn it into the world-class sporting facility. They will be responsible for all aspects of management of the centre including, boarding, lodging and maintenance, while funds for expert coaches, supporting staff, equipments, infrastructure will be extended through the Khelo India Scheme.