Month: July 2020

Equal Employment Opportunity

Equal employment opportunity is the idea that anyone should be treated fairly when they are considered for various employment decisions (hiring , promotion, termination and compensation etc.). This means, for example everyone competing for a position at a company should have the same chances of succeeding if they are right for the job.

In the legal sense of the EEO (Equal Employment opportunity) definition ,”same chances” or “equal opportunity ” means that employers can’t use certain characteristics as reasons to hire or reject candidates or make other employment decisions; In other words , they can’t discriminate against those characteristics . In many countries , protected characteristics include :

▪︎Race / Color

▪︎National origin/ ethnicity

▪︎Age

▪︎sex / gender /sexual harassment

▪︎Religion

▪︎ physical or mental disability

EEO doesn’t guarantee that people of underrepresented groups will get hired. The purpose of EEO regulations is to make sure nobody will face rejection or difficulties because they’re in a protected group.

Equal Employment Opportunity

EEO is an employment practice where employers do not engage in employment activities that are prohibited by law. It is illegal for employers to discriminate against an applicant .

Policy Objective

The overall policy objective for the employment discrimination laws we will be examining is summed up by the phrase equal opportunity. These laws generally do not aim to create equal outcomes, but rather seek to ensure that all employees or job applicants have an equal opportunity to engage in the employment market. In other words these laws try to level ‘the playing field ‘ so that certain classes of people who have been discriminated against in the past are not subjected to adverse treatment based upon certain characteristics that have nothing to do with being a qualified job applicant or employee.

Anti- Discrimination of Employment Laws

Now , we are going to look at the laws that were set up to stop discrimination in the workplace.

Mmodern anti discrimination employment laws and policies in the United states have their foundation in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII of the act makes certain discriminatory practices illegal , including discrimination based on race, color , religion, sex or national origin. Title VII applies to private employers employing 15 or more employees, labor unions, and employment agencies. The Civil Rights Act also helped create the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, which is charged with the enforcement of the federal anti-discrimination employment laws.

Title VII protects employees or applicants from discrimination in the many employment activities, including:

▪︎Recruitment

▪︎Hiring

▪︎Promotion

▪︎Compensation

▪︎Benefits

▪︎Training

▪︎Other employment terms, conditions and privileges

▪︎Harassment

▪︎Retaliation , which is adverse action taken because an employee or applicant asserted rights under Title VII or participated in an EEOC proceeding, such as testifying and assisting

▪︎Segregation and classification

▪︎Pre-employment inquiries and rerequirements, which means nothing should be required that tends to disclose a characteristic protected under Title VII

▪︎Religious practices that don’t impose an undue hardship on an employer

How is the employer accountable under EEO law ?

The law generally holds an employer responsible for discrimination or harassment that occurs in the workplace by its employees. This is called vicarious liability. If however, the employer can show that it took all reasonable steps to prevent the discrimination or harassment occurring, then the employer may not be responsible.

General Protections

The Fairwork Act 2009 (Cth) prohibits an employer from taking ‘adverse action’ against an employee (and in some cases independent contractors or prospective employees) for certain reasons.

In summary , the general protections deal with :

  • workplace rights;
  • industrial rights (including industrial activities and freedom of association);
  • protection from discrimination;
  • protection from unlawful termination;
  • protection from sham arrangements (relating to the engagement of independent contractors).

Importance of Equal Employment Opportunity

We all thrive in a workplace that we love to come back to every day. It is also becoming more commonly recognised that an organisation that embraces Equal Employment Opportunity and advocates for workers’ safety are sure to win the confidence and trust of their people. Furthermore, it is essential that an organisation will enforce and act on laws to safeguard the identity, respect their people, and protect them from any unlawful undertaking whatsoever. However, the importance and benefits of imposing Equal Employment Opportunity Training and Policies limited to the employees. It has a broad scope of recognition for the employer as well. Please read on to find out why understanding and implementing best practise EEO is vital for your organisation.

▪︎ Improved recruitment

▪︎Increased employee engagement

▪︎Greater customer satisfaction and service

▪︎Protect your people and your business

▪︎Stronger brand reputation

There’s no doubt as to why organisations should issue Equal Employment Opportunity policies. However, on devising and implementing one, companies should educate and train their workforce about the growing incidents of workplace conflict due to prejudices based on background, race, sex, culture, religion, language, etc., and how they can identify, report and resolve such incidents in the workplace.

is the responsibility of an organisation to strive for a safe, fair and inclusive work environment for their workers where they can prosper and contribute intrinsically to the organisation’s growth. That is why we see an increase in commitment from organisations of all sizes, from small and medium business to larger organisations, to train their staff and have policies in place for things such as work health and safety, privacy, workplace bullying, sexual harassment and equal employment opportunity. That is because we now recognize the importance of both physical security and social protection for our people.

Overqualified Employees : Pros And Cons.

When positions are tough to fill, it can be tempting to just hire any candidate simply to have someone doing the job. But we all know that hiring the wrong person can end up being more costly in the long run—especially if the new hire causes any problems.

The risk of hiring the wrong person can take many forms—no one wants to hire someone who is not capable of the job, nor someone who will cause interpersonal issues. But what about hiring someone who is clearly capable—so much so that they’re probably overqualified for the role in question? What are the pros and cons of hiring someone with an experience level that greatly exceeds the job requirements?

Pros to Hiring Someone Overqualified

First, let’s take a look at the potential advantages to hiring someone who is overqualified for the role:

  • Broaden the talent pool. By simply having a hiring process that does not automatically screen out potentially overqualified candidates, you’re opening up the possibility of better qualified applicants into the talent funnel.
  • Create a fast track to future responsibilities. A new hire with a lot of experience will be well-placed to move up in the organization and take on more responsibilities, which can help with talent development plans in the organization. The individual may be well suited to quickly evolve into a more senior role or take on more leadership responsibilities.
  • Achieve a faster return to full productivity. With more experience, the new employee should be up to full productivity much faster than the average new hire.
  • Reduce training costs. Likewise, the new hire should require less training when first getting started.
  • Set higher expectations for the role. Getting a higher level of experience in the role could mean the person is able to accomplish his or her goals faster and achieve more in the position.
  • Reduce management required. Someone with more experience likely will require less hands-on management, at least during the onboarding phase.
  • Increase the stature of the role. Bringing on someone highly qualified is a way to upgrade the overall talent level in the organization. With more experience, this person may have a lot of great ideas on how to improve processes. Additionally, he or she may bring new expertise to the role and may be able to more quickly spot opportunities. Someone with more experience may also be more likely to have great networking connections the organization can benefit from.
  • Achieve a fast return on investment. The organization may be able to get a fast return on investment during the employee’s time there. As just noted, the employee may be able to make changes that improve the role long after he or she is gone. (This can help to offset the risk of short tenure and the possibility that the individual may require higher pay.)
  • Elevate the whole team. Your overqualified employee may be able to teach things to other team members and bring up the skill set of the whole group. Separately, he or she may be a good candidate to mentor others. Other employees may appreciate that the new hire is already experienced and knowledgeable and doesn’t need a lot of help.
  • Avoid legal questions. Hiring someone who is overqualified can be seen as a way to avoid the appearance of discrimination, thus reducing the risk of such a claim. (Such a risk may exist if the organization routinely dismisses otherwise qualified candidates.)

Cons to Hiring Someone Overqualified

Here are a few of the potential drawbacks to hiring someone overqualified for the role: 

  • Turnover risk is high. There is a risk the person will soon leave for a job he or she is better suited for.
  • Boredom is also a risk. There is a risk of the new hire being bored or frustrated and having a negative influence on morale over time as a result.
  • Training may not be as simple as you’d like. If the individual already has a lot of experience, he or she may be set in his or her ways—making it tougher to adapt to your organization’s specific processes and thus taking more time to train instead of less.
  • Other employees may be wary. Bringing someone overqualified into a role can cause anxiety among other employees (or even the new hire’s manager) if it is perceived that the new person may end up replacing existing employees.
  • Payroll budget may be stretched. You may have to pay more for the position than you originally intended, in order to bring someone on who has more skills. (Though it’s worth noting this is not always the case; you may be able to avoid this issue by posting the salary range on offer directly in the job post.)
  • Skill set may need refreshed. Even with a lot of experience, there’s not a guarantee of having updated skills. The new hire may not be as advanced on newer processes or technology options and may still require training. This isn’t a deal breaker but may negate some of the benefit of hiring someone overqualified if he or she still requires substantial training.

If you find yourself in the position of considering hiring someone who is overqualified, take some time to assess the risks. For example, take time to understand the individual’s goals. Is this person looking for fast progression in the organization? If yes, will that be possible?

Ask the potential new hire what he or she is looking for in the position. Is this a way to gain experience in a new area, or a way to get started with a new company? Or is it just a placeholder role while the candidate keeps looking for something better? (Obviously, he or she may never say the latter, but by asking what the candidate is looking for in this role, you can get a feel for how serious he or she is about the company.)

Once you ask these questions, you can start to get an idea of how the individual views the role and whether he or she will be an asset to the team in the long run.

Rafale Fighter Jets after 18 Years, Finally it’s here in IAF.

Image Source: News18

Indian Airforce (IAF) finally received its first squadron of five rafale fighter jets out of a deal of 36 Rafales fighter jets signed with France in September 2016. Generally defence deals consume significantly larger time than this but India received its first squadron in just 4 years.

Anyways the path had its own hurdles, for example the main controversy that attached was attached to this deal was cost of each aircraft. Agenda was long run by chief political parties in India and in fact the honourable supreme court of India too was dragged into this matter.

Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and former minister of state for defence Jitendra Singh, citing Dassault’s annual report, alleged that Egypt and Qatar had paid ₹1,319 crore per aircraft in comparison to ₹1,670 crore paid by India, which represented an increase of ₹351 crore per aircraft. They alleged that acquiring 36 aircraft instead of 126 adversely affected national security. Dassault’s CEO, Eric Trappier responded by saying that the numbers were not comparable as India’s total included costs for Mirage 2000 support and the deliverables for each country was different. He said that India’s deal included after-sales support which was absent from other countries’ deals. On 12 March 2018, Subhash Bhamre informed the Rajya Sabha that the cost of each Rafale was approximately ₹670 crore, although this cost did not include the costs of “associated equipment, weapons, India specific enhancements, maintenance support and services”.

On 23 March 2018, Congress joined Telugu Desam Party and YSR Congress Party in filing a motion of no confidence against the government. In April 2018, Rahul Gandhi alleged that ₹45,000 crore was stolen and given to “an industrialist friend”, referring to Anil Ambani. In May 2018, Rahul Gandhi alleged that UPA had finalised a deal to buy Rafales at ₹700 crore, but Modi cancelled the transfer of technology contract wth HAL and gave it to “his friend’s company”, referring to Reliance Defence Limited. In June 2018, it was reported that Comptroller and Auditor General of India was close to finishing its report on the Rafale acquisition.

How Rafale is Different than Any Other Fighter Aircraft?

Cockpit of Dassault’s Rafale Multirole Combat Fighter

The cockpit has hands-on throttle and stick control (HOTAS). The cockpit is equipped with a heads-up, wide-angle holographic display from Thales Avionique, which provides aircraft control data, mission data and firing cues.

A collimated, multi-image head-level display presents tactical situation and sensor data, while two touchscreen lateral displays show the aircraft system parameters and mission data.

The pilot also has a helmet-mounted sight and display. A CCD camera and on-board recorder records the image of the head-up display throughout the mission.

Rafale fighter weapons

Rafale can carry payloads of more than 9 tonnes on 14 hardpoints for the airforce version, with 13 for the naval version. The range of weapons includes: Mica, Magic, Sidewinder, ASRAAM and AMRAAM air to-air missiles; Apache, AS30L, ALARM, HARM, Maverick and PGM100 air-to-ground missiles and Exocet / AM39, Penguin 3 and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

For a strategic mission the Rafale can deliver the MBDA (formerly Aerospatiale) ASMP stand-off nuclear missile. In December 2004, the MBDA Storm Shadow / Scalp EG stand-off cruise missile was qualified on the Rafale.

In September 2005, the first flight of the MBDA Meteor BVRAAM beyond visual range air-to-air missile was conducted on a Rafale fighter. In December 2005, successful flight trials were carried out from the Charles de Gaulle of the range of Rafale’s weapon systems, Exocet, Scalp-EG, Mica, ASMP-A (to replace the ASMP) and Meteor missiles.

In April 2007, the Rafale carried out the first firing of the Sagem AASM precision-guided bomb, which has both GPS / inertial guidance and, optionally, imaging infrared terminal guidance. Rafale have been equipped with the AASM from 2008. Rafale can carry six AASM missiles, with each aiming to hit the target with 10m accuracy.

The Rafale has a twin gun pod and a Nexter (formerly Giat) 30mm DEFA 791B cannon, which can fire 2,500 rounds a minute. The Rafale is equipped with laser designation pods for laser guidance of air-to-ground missiles.

How much India Needed an Upgrade in IAF?

The induction of Rafale fighter aircrafts into Indian Airforce (IAF) is viewed as a pivotal turning point that will augment the capabilities of Indian defence forces. Certainly its game changers by all means, Rafale in the Indian Airforce will mean winning a prime place among the countries that boast of superior fighting aircrafts. When compared with the air power of Pakistan and many other south Asian countries, Rafale will lift up India’s competence significantly.

Sexual Harassment Among Employees | Strategies to Eliminate it

Sexual harassment at work can have very serious consequences both for the harassed individual as well as for other working women who experience it secondhand.

The consequences to the individual employee can be many and serious. In some situations, a harassed woman risks losing her job or the chance for a promotion if she refuses to give in to the sexual demands of someone in authority. In other situations, the unwelcome sexual conduct of co-workers makes the working conditions hostile and unpleasant- putting indirect pressure on her to leave the job. Sometimes, the employee is so traumatized by the harassment that she suffers serious emotional and physical consequences and very often, becomes unable to perform her job properly.

According to data complied by Equal Rights Advocates, a women’s law center in the U.S., 90 to 95% of sexually harassed women suffer from some debilitating stress reaction, including anxiety, depression, headaches, sleep disorders, weight loss or gain, nausea, lowered self-esteem and sexual dysfunction. In addition, victims of sexual harassment lose $4.4 million dollars in wages and 973,000 hours in unpaid leave each year in the United States.

The consequences to working women as a group are no less serious. Sexual harassment has a cumulative, demoralizing effect that discourages women from asserting themselves within the workplace, while among men it reinforces stereotypes of women employees as sex objects.Severe or pervasive sexual harassment in certain types of businesses creates a hostile or intimidating environment that causes women to leave their jobs and look elsewhere for work or discourages them from seeking those jobs in the first place.

The effect on the morale of all employees can also be serious. Both men and women in a workplace can find their work disrupted by sexual harassment even if they are not directly involved. Sexual harassment can have a demoralizing effect on everyone within range of it, and it often negatively impacts company productivity on the whole.

Strategies
to prevent sexual harassment

It is recommended that employers take the following steps to prevent sexual
harassment.

(a) Get
high-level management support

Obtain high level support from the chief executive officer and senior
management for implementing a comprehensive strategy to address sexual
harassment.

(b) Write
and implement a sexual harassment policy

  • Develop a written policy which prohibits sexual harassment in consultation
    with staff and relevant unions.
  • Regularly distribute and promote the policy at all levels of the
    organisation. Ensure the policy is easily accessible on the organisation’s
    intranet.
  • Provide the policy and other relevant information on sexual harassment to
    new staff as a standard part of induction.
  • Translate the policy into relevant community languages where required so it
    is accessible to employees from culturally and linguistically diverse
    backgrounds.
  • Ensure that the policy is accessible to staff members with a
    disability.
  • Ensure that managers and supervisors discuss and reinforce the policy at
    staff meetings. Verbal communication of the policy is particularly important in
    workplaces where the literacy of staff may be an issue.
  • Periodically review the policy to ensure it is operating effectively and
    contains up-to-date information.

(c) Provide
regular training and information on sexual harassment to all staff and
management

  • Conduct regular training sessions for all staff and management on sexual
    harassment and the organisational policy. This training should be behaviourally
    based which means it should increase knowledge and understanding of specific
    behaviours that may amount to sexual harassment under the Sex Discrimination
    Act. Regular refresher training is recommended.
  • Train all line managers on their role in ensuring that the workplace is free
    from sexual harassment.
  • Display anti-sexual harassment posters on notice boards in common work areas
    and distribute relevant brochures.

(d) Encourage
appropriate conduct by managers

  • Line managers should understand the need to model appropriate standards of
    professional conduct at all times.
  • Include accountability mechanisms in position descriptions for
    managers.
  • Ensure that selection criteria for management positions include the
    requirement that managers have a demonstrated understanding of and ability to
    deal with discrimination and harassment issues as part of their overall
    responsibility for human resources.
  • Check that managers are fulfilling their responsibilities through
    performance appraisal schemes.

(e) Create
a positive workplace environment

  • Remove offensive, sexually explicit or pornographic calendars, literature,
    posters and other materials from the workplace.
  • Develop a policy prohibiting inappropriate use of computer technology, such
    as e-mail, screen savers and the internet.
  • It is recommended that medium and large employers undertake regular audits
    to monitor the incidence of sexual harassment in their workplaces and the use
    and effectiveness of their complaints procedures.

Consumer Protection Bill 2019, (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020

An Act to provide for protection of the interests of consumers and for the said purpose, to establish authorities for timely and effective administration and settlement of consumers’ disputes and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

The Indian Parliament, on 6 August 2019, passed the landmark Consumer Protection Bill, 2019 which aims to provide the timely and effective administration and settlement of consumer disputes. The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (New Act) received the assent of the President of India and was published in the official gazette on 9 August 2019. The New Act will come into force on such date as the Central Government may so notify. The New Act seeks to replace the more than 3 (three) decades old Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (Act).

While e-commerce has opened new avenues and has made transactions faster and more convenient, they have also been prone to unfair trade practices. Although e-commerce platforms tried to resolve the grievance of the customers, there was a need to streamline the functioning of the same. With this perspective, the Central government notified the Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020.

From Amazon to Walmart and now Facebook and Google, through Reliance Jio are all betting on India being their next big online consumer market.

Walmart has invested $1.2 billion in Flipkart in an equity round, two years after it bought a 77% stake in the Indian retail giant for $16 billion. Walmart’s investment came just days after Amazon invested ₹2300 crore or $305 million into its Indian arm, following Jeff Bezos’ $1 billion investment promise to India. Earlier this year, Amazon had also signed a long-term business agreement with Kishore Biyani’s Future Group.

Meanwhile, Facebook’s $5.7 billion investment and Google’s $4.5 billion bet on Reliance Jio come at a time when Reliance chairperson Mukesh Ambani is betting on retail as the next big venture. One of the most significant factors of the Facebook-Jio deal was that Reliance Retail and WhatsApp are now in a commercial partnership to accelerate JioMart’s growth. Through JioMart and WhatsApp, the entities will now help support consumer businesses.

E-commerce Rule, 2020

The intention of the Legislature to specifically deal with e-commerce and online transactions was evident from the very enlargement of the definition of consumer under Section 2(7) of the Act by including both online and offline transactions within the scope of ‘buying goods’ and ‘hiring services’. Further, the Act categorically defines relevant e-commerce, electronic service provider and misleading advertisement while specifically addressing the most commonly faced issues such as refusing to take back defective goods or refusing to refund the amount.

The Rules are pretty exhaustive in their sweep and, at the outset, declares its application to:

(i) All goods and services bought or sold over digital or electronic network including digital products;

(ii) All models of e-commerce, including marketplace and inventory models of e-commerce;

(iii) All e-commerce retail, including multi-channel single brand retailers and single brand retailers in single or multiple formats; and

(iv) All forms of unfair trade practices across all models of e-commerce.

A bare perusal of the same demonstrates that the intention of the Legislature is, clearly, to encompass every aspect of e-commerce and keep consumer interests on the highest pedestal while streamlining the functioning of e-commerce platforms. This is also demonstrated from the fact that the Rules clearly define the relevant players of the e-commerce space, such as e-commerce entity, inventory e-commerce entity, marketplace e-commerce entity and seller.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness.

“Cleanliness is next to godliness,” says the Bible. Most notably, the statement equates Purity with Deity. Fear of God means the quality of religious devotion. Likewise, Cleanliness is a quality of dedication and purity. Cleanliness means cleanliness. Therefore, Cleanliness requires a commitment to a person who is pure and clean. In addition, cleanliness is important to everyone. This is because Cleanliness helps to keep the mind and body healthy.


Benefits of Cleanliness
A healthy body is probably the most important benefit of hygiene. A person who follows religious Purity will surely enjoy this benefit. Good hygiene reduces the risk of infection. In addition, a clean person is less likely to get sick. Also, Hygiene improves physical fitness. A clean person shows a speedy recovery after an illness. Hygiene seems to increase life expectancy.
Cleanliness is essential to good mental health. This is because the clean atmosphere has a positive effect on the mind. The power of human thinking is developing. Only people are able to focus on their work because of the clean environment. In addition, brain memory improves due to the ambiance of hygiene.
Cleanliness certainly increases productivity. A clean and undefiled nation is likely to produce more. This is in contrast to a polluted Nation that will have lower productivity. One reason is that there are so few days away from a clean country. On the contrary, in a polluted world, people will get very sick. This leads to a higher number of days off in an unpleasant world.


How Can You Reach Cleanliness?
First, the dustbin is a dirty place. It attracts various pests and viruses of all kinds. As a result, these insects and germs also cause various diseases. Therefore, it is important to dispose of waste regularly.
In addition, the dustbin must have a cover to protect the flies. Prolonged exposure to dust can significantly increase the risk of infection. Also, proper placement of the dustbin is important. It should be kept separate from where people usually are.


One should keep the house or office free of dust. This can be done by dusting the area regularly. Dust can cause respiratory problems and various physical problems. In addition, where dust occurs then spider webs are deposited on the walls. These webs can make a home or office look shiny. Therefore, one should make sure to do regular dusting.
Toilet cleaning is a very important part of high hygiene. Toilets should be cleaned at least twice a week. There should be proper use of phenyl, acid, and other disinfectants to clean toilets. Dirty parts should be thoroughly mixed.
Maintaining personal hygiene is an important part of the Hygiene process. Everyone should take a shower every day. When bathing, people should use soap and a good shirt. In addition, the nails should be cut every week. This is because long nails collect dirt under them. Everyone should pay attention to oral hygiene as well. Certainly teeth should be cut at least twice a day. Also, dirty clothing, socks, and underwear should be avoided.
In short, Cleanliness is one of the most important aspects of a happy life. It is really the first step in building a healthy and strong body. Above all, Purity should be practiced with the same religious commitment.

Where there is will there is a way!

Where there is a will there is a way it is one of the most widely used proverbs to date. This proverb is full of meaning when we think of it. Its important purpose is that if you set your mind to do something, you can do it easily. In other words, it shows us the importance of love and how it can make a difference in another person’s life. Is power a desire to accomplish something? If you have the will to do something, then nothing can stop you from doing it. This proverb is applicable in almost every aspect of life. Similarly, it is very important in a variety of ways.


The Importance of the Proverbs – Where There Is a Will, There Is a Way
This proverb is very important in helping people to push their boundaries and achieve their goals more easily. It makes them more determined and focused on achieving their goal. Moreover, this proverb emphasizes the value of hard work and self-sacrifice.


In other words, people who are willing to take risks, no matter how much they cost, will successfully achieve their goals. If you just dream and dream about something and do nothing to achieve it, you will probably fail and be powerless. On the other hand, if you work hard to achieve your goals, you can find a way.
So, where there is a will there is a way to teach us to focus more and work harder. Moreover, it shows us how people who follow this proverb have reached the top of their lives.


Real-life examples
History is a testimony to the power of great men to succeed in life. It seems like proof that no matter how hard things got, these people never stopped finding their way.
First, we take the example of the world’s father, Mahatma Gandhi. This famous figure is a good example of this proverb. Gandhiji set out to liberate India from the shackles of British rule, and he did. What caused this to happen? His will is power and endless effort. He was very weak physically but his free will was not there. He has chosen the path of non-violence and is still able to contribute to the liberation of India.

Next, we see the will of the same metal in Martin Luther King. This man was responsible for bringing human rights to black Americans. His will and determination to eradicate racism paid off. It taught us that even while in prison, he never gave up. He continually fought to achieve his dream.
In short, where there is a will there is a way to teach us a lot about hard work and courage. If we all follow this word in our lives and make it our motto, nothing can stop us. It will make us better people and more successful in life.

Pen, paper and Digital

Preferably pen and paper!
Writing my heart out always remain special. It has a special impact.
We cannot miss out on digital writing as it has its own perks …
(For eg. It can be organised, shared really fast. Plus customisation can be made.) Because in digital you never get the statisfaction of crushing and throwing out in the air when writing went not as expected. I feel the same. Writing by hand has a special impact. It releases some happy hormones in my brain (or maybe I’m a little cuckoo), but we don’t always have a pen and paper by our side so yeah.

But when it comes to formulating the story I use my book. Scratching away each sentences make me feel like God, who is changing the fate of the characters in it . That depends upon the energy bar. If I am highly energized and enthusiastic, I prefer using pen and paper mode, so as to put everything in my writing piece. Mostly I prepare the drafts on my laptop. Then I go through them and make the edits. If I don’t find something fitting in, I write it on paper and analyze what changes could be done.

6 habits of incredibly happy people and how they do it.

Examining how to be happy is benefited from observing the patterns of others, and then taking only what you find useful. Inspiration is the goal, not rigid rules on being happy.

Below I’ll cover a few of my favorite studies.

1. Be Busy, but Not Rushed

Easier said than done, right?

Quite true, because although the research shows that feeling “rushed” is a one-way street to stress and unhappiness, it also notes that less and less people can find that happy medium of being just busy enough.

2. Treat Yourself (the Small Pleasures Matter)

Jokes aside about treating yourself, surprisingly, the research has shown that you need to have small wins along the way in order to be truly happy — across many different domains, happiness is more strongly associated with the frequency than the intensity of people’s positive effective experiences.

3. Plan Fun, and Spend Money on Experiences

While spontaneous fun is always a good thing, a variety of interesting research has shown that it’s the planning of future activities that often adds to the fun.

4. Show Some Appreciation

Psychology doesn’t always tell us what we want to hear, so it’s nice when a good deed lines up with a great personal benefit.

5. Observe Happiness in Others

This one was really interesting.

Most of us like to think we are unique snowflakes, but sometimes things are popular for a reason. In fact, research suggests that the best way to predict how much we will enjoy an experience is to see how much someone else enjoyed it.

6. Pick a Skill; Master It

Excellence in anything increases your potential in everything.

As it turns out, regularly engaging in your signature strengths (is that not the most stereotypical positive psychology term ever?) is a great way to feel better about yourself.

Be happy. Smile when you read this. Take a deep breath. It’s okay. Things will pass. Everything is temporary and so is your sorrows.

We are what we eat

Many of us are raised with the common myth that we will become weak if we don’t eat fish or meat. But we can discredit this myth if we look at an elephant that not only survives on just leaves and branches but also thrives in good health.

Many of us are raised with the common myth that we will become weak if we don’t eat fish or meat. But we can discredit this myth if we look at an elephant that not only survives on just leaves and branches but also thrives in good health. 

Like elephants, some of the strongest animals of the world are strictly vegetarian. When a person realises this, his spiritual nature begins to awaken; he starts experiencing many changes from within. One of them is the development of 
a sensitivity through which the relationship between his body and his soul takes a new meaning and importance.

The inner vision of the soul reveals aspects to his personality that he did not know or felt before. His subtle energies become more tangible and he begins to judge for himself whether the food his body has ingested is really healthy for him or not. 

The question that arises now is “Why follow a vegetarian diet?” The answer is simple. Human beings by nature are non-violent. The true nature of the human soul is peace and tranquility.

Spiritual energy accumulates while practising non-violence. In this world, there is so much anxiety, tension, irritability and injustice which can be attributed to the dietary habits of human beings, because some of the food that one eats has all these vibrations of violence and negativity.

Hence, it is advisable to avoid eating food that comes through violence or the act of killing. A healthy body is one that is kept clean both from within and outside. When we feed the mind as well as the body with love, the atmosphere around us will also become peaceful and loving to live in, because our mental state has a definite and direct impact on the atmosphere around us. There are many benefits in preparing food in a peaceful and happy mental state. And, when we eat food prepared in such a manner, we will feel happy and positive. That will surely, in turn, improve the quality and longevity of life.

First Indian pilot to fly Rafale jet

Rather, first pilot to fly Rafale - The Hitavada

Kashmiri Hilal Ahmed Rather was the India’s first pilot to fly Rafale. The first batch of the much-awaited five Rafale fighter jets that took off from France and reached India. The first batch of five Rafale fighter jets arrived at Ambala air base today. The aircraft flew out of the Dassault Aviation Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux on Monday July 27 2020, to arrive in India covering a distance of nearly 7,000 km.

The man behind the quick delivery of Rafale jets is touted to be Air Commodore Hilal Ahmad Rather, who is currently serving as an Air Attaché to France. He was Born in the south Kashmir’s Anantnag district to middle-class parents, Hilal’s father, late Mohammad Abdullah Rather retired as a deputy superintendent of police (Dy SP) in J&K police department. He has three sisters and is the only son of his parents. Hilal studied in Sainik School in Nagrota town of Jammu district.

He was commissioned in IAF as a fighter pilot on December 17, 1988, became flight lieutenant in 1993, wing commander in 2004, group captain in 2016 and air commodore in 2019.He graduated from defence services staff college (DSSC). He also graduated from air war college (USA) with distinction. He won the sword of honour in NDA. Hilal is also the recipient of Vayu Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva medal.

India and France had inked an inter-governmental agreement in September 2016 for 36 Rafale jets worth Rs 59,000 crore.  Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had gone to Merignac airbase on October 9, 2019 to perform ‘Puja’ to get the early delivery of the first batch of Rafale fighter jets purchased by India.

At that time it was said that it would take a minimum for 2-3 yrs for the plane to arrive in India. Thanks to Air Commodore Hilal Ahmad Rather the momentous moment for India has arrived earlier than expected.

The key person in fast forwarding the Rafale delivery is Air Commodore Hilal Ahmad Rather and his team who played a big role in weaponizing the jets as per Indian conditions and they worked upon further enhancements of the planes and made it ready for delivery in a record time.

Air Commodore Hilal Ahmad Rather is a decorated officer of the Indian Air Force and has the distinction to be the first IAF officer to fly a Rafale jet. He hails from the Bakshiabad area of Anantnag district of Kashmir.

Rather, he was commissioned in IAF as a fighter Pilot in the Flying branch on 17 December 1988. He was promoted as Flight lieutenant in 1993, Wing Commander in 2004, Group Captain in 2010 and Air Commodore in 2016.

Air Commodore Rather is a Fighter Combat Leader and a qualified Flying Instructor. He has more than 3000 hours of accident free flying on MiG-21s, Mirage-2000 and Kiran aircraft. He has commanded a Mirage-2000 Squadron and also a front-line Air Force Base.

Rather received the Vayu Sena Medal as a Wing Commander in 2010. He received the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2016 as a Group Captain.

Air Commodore Rather has won several awards. He has won the Sword of honor in NDA Khadakwasla, Pune.  He has graduated from Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) Wellington where he later served as a Directing Staff. He further graduated from the Air War College in the USA with academic distinction.

India has ordered 36 Rafale fighter jets from France in a deal worth Rs 59,000 crore in September 2016. All the jets are expected to arrive in India by September 2022. , The Indian Air Force has made preparations for receiving the Rafale jet planes. It is ready with required infrastructure and training of pilots and other such perquisites.

The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. The manufacturers describe it as a fully versatile aircraft which can carry out all combat aviation missions to achieve air superiority and air defence, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.

The Rafale fighter jets are being projected as a “game changer” in the region in the realm of air combat. It is seen as a shot in the arm for Indian defence forces amid the ongoing crisis with China.

National Education Policy 2020

New Education Policy 2020 gets cabinet approval, to be released today

The Union Cabinet has given a green signal to National Education Policy 2020. The Cabinet has also approved the change of Union HRD Ministry’s name to ‘Ministry of Education’.

Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave a nod to India’s new National Education Policy 2020, which provides for major reforms in higher education, increased focus on non-academic skills and increased inclusion through language diversity and course fluidity. The new academic session will begin in September-October – the delay is due to the unprecedented coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak – and the government aims to introduce the policy before the new session kicks in.

“Cabinet under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given approval to new education policy for the 21st century. It is important, as for 34 years there were no changes in the education policy.”

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said

The Cabinet has also approved a proposal to rename the Ministry of Human Resource Development as the Ministry of Education.

The NEP 2020, which proposes several structural changes in the early as well as the higher education system, has been developed after consultations for nearly five years with stakeholders and the general public.

The new policy aims to achieve 100 per cent youth and adult literacy in India. While announcing the policy details, Amit Khare, Secretary, Higher Education said that the government aims to increase the public investment in the education sector from the current 4.3 per cent to reach 6 per cent of GDP at the earliest.

Here’s are the highlights of India’s new National Education Policy 2020:

School Education:

Universal Access: The NEP 2020 has provisions to ensure universal access to school education at all levels- pre school to secondary.

Some of these provisions include infrastructure support, innovative education centres to bring back dropouts into the mainstream, tracking of students and their learning levels, facilitating multiple pathways to learning involving both formal and non-formal education modes and association of counselors or well-trained social workers with schools.

The NEP 2020 also provides for open learning for classes 3, 5 and 8 through NIOS and State Open Schools, secondary education programs equivalent to Grades 10 and 12, vocational courses, adult literacy and life-enrichment programs.

Through NEP 2020, the Centre hopes to bring back about 2 crore out of school children into main stream.

Early Childhood Care & Education: The 10 and +2 structure of school curricula is to be replaced by a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years respectively. This will bring the uncovered age group of 3-6 years under school curriculum, which has been recognised globally as the crucial stage for the development of mental faculties of a child. The new system will have 12 years of schooling with three years of Anganwadi/pre-schooling.

NCERT will develop a framework of the early childhood education of children up to the age of 8.

Attaining Foundational Literacy and Numeracy: A National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy will be set up by the MHRD. States will prepare an implementation plan for attaining universal foundational literacy and numeracy in all primary schools for all learners by grade 3 by 2025. A National Book Promotion Policy will also be formulated.

Reforms in School Curricula and Pedagogy: The school curricula and pedagogy will aim for holistic development of learners by equipping them with the key 21st century skills, reduction in curricular content to enhance essential learning and critical thinking and greater focus on experiential learning. Students will have increased flexibility and choice of subjects. There will be no rigid separations between arts and sciences, between curricular and extra-curricular activities, between vocational and academic streams.

Vocational education will start in schools from the 6th grade, and will include internships.

Multilingualism and the Power of Language: The NEP 2020 advocates for mother tongue/local language/regional language as the medium of instruction at least till Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond. Sanskrit to be offered at all levels of school and higher education as an option for students, including in the three-language formula. Other classical languages and literatures of India also to be available as options. No language will be imposed on any student. Several foreign languages will also be offered at the secondary level.

Assessment Reforms: With NEP 2020, the Centre hopes to shift from summative assessment to a more competency-based regular assessment which tests analysis, critical thinking and conceptual clarity. All students will take school examinations in Grades 3, 5, and 8. Board exams for Grades 10 and 12 will be continued, but redesigned with holistic development as the aim. A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development), will be set up as a standard-setting body.

Equitable and Inclusive Education: NEP 2020 provides for setting up of Gender Inclusion Fund and also Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and groups. Children with disabilities will be enabled to fully participate in the regular schooling process from the foundational stage to higher education, with support of educators with cross-disability training, resource centres, accommodations, assistive devices, appropriate technology-based tools and other support mechanisms tailored to suit their needs.

Higher Education:

Increase GER to 50% by 2035: NEP 2020 aims to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education including vocational education from 26.3 per cent (2018) to 50 per cent by 2035. At least 3.5 crore new seats will be added to higher education institutions.

Holistic Multidisciplinary Education: The policy introduces broad-based, multi-disciplinary, holistic undergraduate education with flexible curricula, creative combinations of subjects, integration of vocational education and multiple entry and exit points with appropriate certification. UG education can be of 3 or 4 years with multiple exit options and appropriate certification within this period. For example, certificate after 1 year, advanced diploma after 2 years, Bachelor’s degree after 3 years and Bachelor’s with research after 4 years.

An Academic Bank of Credit is to be established for digitally storing academic credits earned from different institutes so that these can be transferred and counted towards final degree earned.

Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs), at part with IITs, IIMs, to be set up as models of best multidisciplinary education of global standards in the country.

The National Research Foundation will be created as an apex body for fostering a strong research culture and building research capacity across higher education.

Regulation: Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) will be set up as a single overarching umbrella body the for entire higher education, excluding medical and legal education. HECI will function through faceless intervention through technology, and will have powers to penalise higher education institutions for not conforming to norms and standards. Public and private higher education institutions will be governed by the same set of norms for regulation, accreditation and academic standards.

Rationalised Institutional Architecture: The definition of the university will allow a spectrum of institutions that range from Research-intensive universities to teaching-intensive universities and autonomous degree-granting colleges. Affiliation of colleges is to be phased out in 15 years and a stage-wise mechanism is to be established for granting graded autonomy to colleges. Over a period of time, it is envisaged that every college would develop into either an autonomous degree-granting college, or a constituent college of a university.

Financial support for students: Efforts will be made to incentivise the merit of students belonging to SC, ST, OBC, and other SEDGs. The National Scholarship Portal will be expanded to support, foster, and track the progress of students receiving scholarships. Private HEIs will be encouraged to offer larger numbers of free ships and scholarships to their students.

Open and Distance Learning: This will be expanded to play a significant role in increasing GER. Measures such as online courses and digital repositories, funding for research, improved student services, credit-based recognition of MOOCs, etc, will be taken to ensure it is at par with the highest quality in-class programmes.

Online and Digital Education: A dedicated unit for the building of digital infrastructure, digital content and capacity building will be created in the MHRD to look after the e-education needs of both school and higher education.

Technology in Education: An autonomous body, the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), will be created to provide a platform for the free exchange of ideas on the use of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning, administration. Appropriate integration of technology into all levels of education will be done to improve classroom processes, support teacher professional development, enhance educational access for disadvantaged groups and streamline educational planning, administration and management.

Promotion of Indian Languages: To ensure the preservation, growth, and vibrancy of all Indian languages, NEP recommends setting an Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation (IITI), National Institute (or Institutes) for Pali, Persian and Prakrit, strengthening of Sanskrit and all language departments in HEIs, and use mother tongue/local language as a medium of instruction in more HEI programmes.

Professional Education: All professional education will be an integral part of the higher education system. Stand-alone technical universities, health science universities, legal and agricultural universities etc will aim to become multi-disciplinary institutions.

The India Education Forum (IEF) - Articles

Loss Of Ice Cover In The Arctic Sea

The National Centre of Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) recently found the largest decline in the Arctic Sea ice as seen in last 41 years due to global warming in July 2019.

Between 1979 and 2018, NCPOR noted that the sea ice has seen a declination at a rate of -4.7 per cent per decade while its rate in July 2019 was found to be -13 per cent.

Sea ice is basically frozen seawater that floats on the ocean surface. It forms in each hemisphere’s winter of both the Arctic and the Antarctic. The ice retreats in the summer. However, it does not completely disappear.

The Research has clarified that if this trend continues, there would be no ice left by 2050 in the Arctic sea since the volume of ice loss during summers might surpass the volume of the same formed during winters. This rapid decline in Arctic sea ice cover has been linked with growing carbon emissions and subsequent global warming.

The Impacts of Declining Arctic Sea ice cover can be huge. It would have an influence on regional weather as the decline of sea ice may impact the evaporation rates, cloud cover, air humility and rainfall of neighbouring regions.

The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) was established in 1998 as an autonomous Research and Development Institution under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. The objective was to primarily carry out research activities in the polar and Southern Ocean realms.

It is also responsible for maintenance of the Indian stations in Arctic (Himadri) and Antarctica (Maitri & Bharati).

In recent times, the high temperatures that have been recorded in the Siberian region have caused a prolonged heatwave that has been ascribed to the absence of sea ice among other factors.

Loss of habitat for seals and polar bears have also increased resulting encounters between polar bears and humans. As the sea ice retreats from coastlines, wind-driven waves combined with melting permafrost may also lead to more rapid coastal erosion.

In the Arctic region, the ocean circulation is driven by the sinking of dense and salty water. Fresh meltwater coming largely from the Greenland Ice Sheet could furthermore interfere with ocean circulation at high latitudes, ultimately slowing it down. Any changes in ocean circulations can have unpredictable global impacts even in lower latitudes such as extreme weather events, droughts etc.

It is a result from the positive feedback cycle known as the ice-albedo feedback states that sea ice has higher albedo than ocean water. Once sea ice begins to melt, a self-reinforcing cycle often begins whereby as more ice melts and exposes more dark water. Then the water absorbs more sunlight and the sun-warm water then melts more ice.

On concluding, Arctic sea ice is part of a complex global system, and as a result it affects communities at all latitudes. The loss of Arctic sea ice has to be slowed down existentially by reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions and also by conserving other natural resources that have global impacts. The world needs to come together as one.

The New Education Policy 2020

The New Education Policy, NEP 2020, has been approved by the Union Cabinet. The new policy will come into effect by 2030. Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, together unveiled it and shared the details. The Ministry of Human Resource Management, MHRD has also been renamed as Education Ministry.

The draft of NEP 2020, has been prepared by a panel of experts led by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Kasturirangan and reviewed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The existing education policy was framed in 1986 and revised in 1992. 

Haryana – Sports state

Among all the states in India, Haryana is one of the leading state involved in games and sports. Haryana share population of only 2% in  India. But  one third  of all medals are owned by Haryana’s Athletes  in India including 9 out of  26  golds in CWG. Haryana has  always  been  a big  contributor  in terms  of India ‘s  medal  haul at major  competitions .

Haryana’s CWG 2018 Medallists 
1. Wrestling 
Gold -Bajrang Punia, sumit  malik, vinesh phogat 
Silver-Mausam Khatri ,pooja Dhanda , Babita kumari
Bronge – Somveer kadian , Sakshi Malik, kiran Bishnoi
 
2.Boxing 
GOLD – vikas krishan ,  Gourav Solanki 
SILVER-  Amit pangal, Manish Kaushik
Bronge-  Naman Tanwar , Manoj kumar 
3. Shooting 
  Gold – Anish Bhanwala , Manu  bhaker , sanjeev Rajput.
4. Athletics 
 Gold – Neeraj Chopra 
Silver –  seema Punia.
5. Weightlifting 
 Bronge – Deepak  lathar
6. Powerlifting 
Bronge – sachin Chaudhary.
 Traditionally Haryana has become a nursery of wrestlers and  boxers . Highest prize money for  winners  act as great  incentive for athletes .  Government’s    cash prizes for International  medals  are easily the highest in  country. If Haryana was a seperate country it would be  eighth on  2018 CWG  medal totally  behind sporting powerhouses  like Australia , England ,Wales ,  canada , New zealand  etc.
  Its a leading state in sports among  Other states. During the 33rd  national game held in  Assam in 2007 , Haryana stood 4th in the  nation with  medal tally  of 80  including  30 Gold , 22 silver and  28 bronze medals.
 Haryana is national championship in women ‘s hockey and  men’s Volley ball . The state has supported and promoted  its athletes.
 Hosting khelo  India Youth Games  in Haryana  will also add greater  impetus to our  commitment towards  creating a strong sporting  ecosystem. Many athletes  are trained under khelo  india schemes. It is a multi  sport event and   it is also providing large lodging for large  number of  participants  who will attend . 
Haryana has produced many elite  Athletes for international  platforms. Training is also going under Khelo  India Scheme . 159 medals owned in 2019 and 200 medals in 2020 . 
 Chief Minister  manohar lal khattar  and Union  minister of Youth  affairs and Sports  , Kiren Rijju  announced on 25 july that Haryana to host 4th 
 Edition of this . After Tokyo olympics , this sports to take Place. It will be held in Panchkula . It has been  envisioned by PM Modi  , its helping in identifying grassroots level talent  across country who will represent internationally.
Haryanivs are like having strong sporting culture in their blood .  Khelo usually take place in January every time of year  . But this time due to pandemic situation it gave rise to  be held  in delay with 10,000 participants . All the  participants are given scholarships of 500000 for time period of  8 years  to prepare for international sports Event. They are of 2 categories   –   21  old of college students and 17  old of school students. Thus is creating strong sports Ecosystem. Not only men but also women are giving best in this sports.