Month: January 2022

After We Fell by Anna Todd

Book Three of the After series—now newly revised and expanded, Anna Todd’s After fanfiction racked up 1 billion reads online and captivated readers across the globe. Experience the Internet’s most talked-about book for yourself!


Tessa and Hardin’s love was complicated before. Now it’s more confusing than ever. AFTER WE FELL…Life will never be the same. #HESSA
Just as Tessa makes the biggest decision of her life, everything changes. Revelations about first her family, and then Hardin’s, throw everything they knew before in doubt and makes their hard-won future together more difficult to claim.
Tessa’s life begins to come unglued. Nothing is what she thought it was. Not her friends. Not her family. The one person she should be able to rely on, Hardin, is furious when he discovers the massive secret she’s been keeping. And rather than being understanding, he turns to sabotage. Tessa knows Hardin loves her and will do anything to protect her, but there’s a difference between loving someone and being able to have them in your life. This cycle of jealousy, unpredictable anger, and forgiveness is exhausting. She’s never felt so intensely for anyone, so exhilarated by someone’s kiss—but is the irrepressible heat between her and Hardin worth all the drama? Love used to be enough to hold them together. But if Tessa follows her heart now, will it be…the end?


5 stars(this review contains spoilers for After and After We Collided)


The After series keeps on getting better and better! After We Fell is by far my favorite of the three!
At the end of After We Collided we were left again on a cliffhanger with a rather unexpected turn of events, Tessa is trying to find a way to break the news of her impending move to Seattle to Hardin when she runs into her estranged father outside a tattoo shop…
I hope you guys are fond of rollercoasters because, this book like its two predecessors, is nothing short of one, so hang on tight! 

It’s no surprise when I tell you that as soon as I started I was already frustrated.Tessa is going ahead with her plans to relocate to Seattle with Vance Publishing, Things are rocky with Hardin though not completely called off.Hardin is wayyyyyyyy frustrating though, when one thinks that he is starting to understand that a relationship takes compromise and that it’s not all about him and what he wants, he turns into the most unreasonable person ever. He doesn’t have a valid reason at all to not want to move with Tessa to Seattle other than his insecurities, but yet even when he knows this he still chooses to be a total idiot about it.Tessa talks him into coming on a weekend trip with her and his family, in an effort to try and mend things and have some fun together.The trip will prove to be anything but fun! I felt like jumping into the book and screaming at Hardin I just couldn’t even process what he was doing!

 Once again the Hardin from the past surfaces and it’s like we took 10 steps backward rather than forward, again he proves he can be overly controlling and inconsiderate. I was seriously pissed with him when I found out the lengths that he went to in order to try and get his way. I couldn’t blame Tessa for being tired of his antics, when over and over he screws things up and then expects her to just forgive and forget.

I was glad though to see that Tessa didn’t give in to Hardin’s wishes, and put herself and her career first. I think Hardin needs to learn that not everything can go his way.Though while super smart for some things Tessa can be soooo dense for others. She gets invited to a “going away” party at the frat house out of all places. Why would she even consider going there and hanging out with all those people that were nothing but horrible to her? I was screaming at the top of my lungs in frustration, ok fine maybe I was screaming into my Goodreads updates, but seriously Tessa!!

This is the point when things start getting really screwy and my heart was racing out of my chest, I mean we have seen betrayal before and I really didn’t think I would see anything that would have me totally flabbergasted again…! I was crying angry tears for Tessa, I had to put the book down and walk away from it for a bit… I was in total and absolute disbelief…

I don’t want to give you tooo many details but just know that there is drama, frat house drama, Tessa’s dad drama, Tessa’s mother drama oh! and if you didn’t guess it? Yeah, there is plenty of Zed drama!I mean I get it Zed is hot, he is nice, he shows up at the right time and at the right place but come on Tessa!!!! How much more are you going to push Hardin? Again I found myself wanting to slap some sense into this girl.

In After We Fell, like After We Collided, we have Hardin’s POV which again is crucial to the story because while he still makes you mad you can understand why he is the way he is. I cant deny the growth in him, trying to control his temper, trying not to be impulsive and especially being much more considerate with Tessa, even his relationship with Landon makes you smile in this book. Again you see the wonderful guy he can be if he can learn to love himself.

But, it’s Hessa we are talking about here so drama doesn’t stay at bay for too long and the last part of the book will prove to be jaw dropping totally unexpected drama, and for this I won’t drop even a hint because you really need to experience this for yourself. All I can say is that it was unexpected and devastating, I’m scared for Hardin and his state of mind and him falling into that downward spiral he seems to often flirt with. What he will face will definitely be a very tough pill to swallow.

The last line in this book left me hyperventilating and in disbelief…

and in need of wine.. lots and lots of wine… 

It has been a very long time since I’ve had a book hangover, years even. I finished After We Fell and couldn’t stop thinking about it, let alone start another book right away.

The fourth and final installment will be hitting shelves on February 24, yup that’s 49 days from today (but who’s counting), I can totally wait, because I’m so not dying to know what happens next….

New Criticism

New Criticism is a movement in 20th-century literary criticism that arose in reaction to those traditional “extrinsic” approaches that saw a text as making a moral or philosophical statement or as an outcome of social, economic, political, historical, or biographical phenomena.

New Criticism holds that a text must be evaluated apart from its context; failure to do so causes the Affective Fallacy, which confuses a text with the emotional or psychological response of its readers, or the Intentional Fallacy, which conflates textual impact and the objectives of the author.

New Criticism assumes that a text is an isolated entity that can be understood through the tools and techniques of close reading, maintains that each text has unique texture, and asserts that what a text says and how it says it are inseparable. The task of the New Critic is to show the way a reader can take the myriad and apparently discordant elements of a text and reconcile or resolve them into a harmonious, thematic whole. In sum, the objective is to unify the text or rather to recognize the inherent but obscured unity therein. The reader’s awareness of and attention to elements of the form of the work mean that a text eventually will yield to the analytical scrutiny and interpretive pressure that close reading provides. Simply put, close reading is the hallmark of New Criticism.

The genesis of New Criticism can be found in the early years of the 20th century in the work of the British philosopher I. A. Richards and his student William Empson. Another important fi gure in the beginnings of New Criticism was the American writer and critic T. S. Eliot. Later practitioners and proponents include John Crowe Ransom, Cleanth Brooks, Allen Tate, Robert Penn Warren, Reni Wellek, and William Wimsatt. In many ways New Criticism runs in temporal parallel to the American modern period.

From the 1930s to the 1960s in the United States, New Criticism was the accepted approach to literary study and criticism in scholarly journals and in college and university English departments. Among the lasting legacies of New Criticism is the conviction that surface reading of literature is insufficient; a critic, to arrive at and make sense of the latent potency of a text, must explore very carefully its inner sanctum by noting the presence and the patterns of literary devices within the text. Only this, New Criticism asserts, enables one to decode completely.

New Criticism gave discipline and depth to literary scholarship through emphasis on the text and a close reading thereof. However, the analytic and interpretive moves made in the practice of New Criticism tend to be most effective in lyric and complex intellectual poetry. The inability to deal adequately with other kinds of texts proved to be a significant liability in this approach. Furthermore, the exclusion of writer, reader, and context from scholarly inquiry has made New Criticism vulnerable to serious objections.

How to study productively at home

Are you struggling to be productive while studying online? This unexpected situation is not easy for anyone. We each have to create a new temporary lifestyle! Here are a few tips from Les Roches Global Hospitality Education to help you make the most of your time at home.

Create a designated study area

It is important to separate your studying and leisure spaces to avoid distractions. Your ideal studying area should be quiet, organized, free from distractions and comfortable: so avoid studying in your bed as you might be tempted to take a nap!

Manage your time

Create a plan to help you organize your time and keep track of your daily tasks. You’ll be more effective and feel in control of your day. Scheduling breaks is also helpful. Consider separating study subjects with breaks to help you focus.

Prioritize your daily tasks to achieve

At the end of the day, make sure your tasks have been carried out, and if they haven’t, put them back on your to-do list. Carry them out on the next day according to their priority, but try not to fall behind!

Be ready with questions

Keep track of each topic covered and prepare specific questions if needed. You may want to ask your teacher to clarify any unclear points during live sessions or in discussion forums.

Reward yourself

Striking a task off your to-do list is satisfying on its own, but when you finish a task, consider rewarding yourself with something you enjoy to keep yourself motivated!

Stay connected with your peers and teachers

Human connections are essential, so it’s important to create a support network to stay in touch with others. There are many ways to stay in contact virtually. For instance, you can attend virtual classrooms, take part in discussions boards, or organize a videoconference with your peers, for group work, a study circle, or just to hang out and decompress.

Build your routine

If you’re not used to this study from home situation, it’s critical to establish a routine. For instance, set an alarm, wake up, and get dressed to get yourself into a productive mood. Treat your day like any other, whether you’re going into school or not.

Human behaviour is largely a function of learned habits. To build a new routine, you need to start by forming new habits which will help your brain switch to automatic mode. Based on various studies, it often takes around 21 days to form a habit, so start now!

The situation around the coronavirus requires a high-level adaption. It is indeed challenging, but it’s an opportunity for you to learn and practice self-discipline which is a critical skill to have in life. Learn more about how Les Roches Global Hospitality Education can help you develop the skills you need for a great career.

Scientific ways to learn anything faster

Say it out loud

Learning and memory benefit from active involvement. When you add speaking to it, the content becomes more defined in long-term memory and more memorable.

Take notes by hand

Most of us can type very fast, but research shows writing your notes by hand will allow you to learn more.
Taking notes by hand enhances both comprehension and retention.

Chunk your study sessions

Studying over some time is more effective than waiting until the last minute.
The distributed practise works because each time you try to remember something, the memory becomes harder to forget.

Self-testing is highly effective

Regularly testing yourself will speed up learning. When you test yourself and answer incorrectly, you are more likely to recall the right answer after you look it up. You will also remember that you didn’t remember.

Change the way you practice

Repeating anything over and over might not be the best way to master that task. If you practice a slightly different version, you will learn more and faster. For example, if you want to master a new presentation:

  • Rehearse the basic skill. 
  • Wait at least six hours to allow your memory to consolidate.
  • Practice again, but speak a little faster. 
  • Practice next by speaking slower.
  • Break your presentation into smaller steps. Master each chunk, then put it back together.
  • Change the conditions. It will prepare you better for the unexpected.
Exercise regularly

According to research, regular exercise can improve memory recall.
Exercise also increases a protein (BDNF – brain-derived neurotrophic factor) that supports the function, growth, and survival of brain cells.

Sleep more, learn more

When you sleep, most of the consolidation process occurs.
In contrast, sleep deprivation can affect your ability to commit new data to memory and consolidate any short-term memories.

Concepts in parallel

Interleaving – studying related concepts or skills in parallel – improves your brain’s ability to differentiate between concepts or skills. It helps you to learn and gain an understanding at a deeper level.
Instead of focusing on one subject during a learning session, learn several subjects or skills in succession.

Teach someone else

Research shows that those who teach, speed up their learning and remember more.
Even just preparing to teach means that you will seek out key points and organize information into a coherent structure. 

Build on what you know

When you have to learn something new, try to associate it with something you are already familiar with. Then you only have to learn where it differs. You’ll also be able to apply greater context, which will help with memory storage and retrieval.

Reference

https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/these-10-scientific-ways-to-learn-anything-faster-could-change-everything-you-know-about-dramatically-improving-your-memory.html

Samagra Shiksha Scheme to improve the access, infrastructure and quality of education

 The major features and interventions of Samagra Shiksha  for improving the access, infrastructure and quality of education throughout the country are (i) Universalizing access to quality school education by expansion of schooling facilities in the uncovered areas through up-gradation of schools up-to senior secondary level (ii) Ensuring availability of adequate infrastructure to ensure that schools conform to the prescribed norms (iii) Annual Grant of Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 20,000/- per school for strengthening of Libraries (iv) Composite school grant of Rs. 25,000-1 Lakh to be allocated on the basis of school enrolment, out of which at-least 10% is to be spent on Swachhta Action Plan (v) Annual Grant for sports equipments at the cost of Rs. 5000-25000 per school (vi) Allocation for children with Special Needs (CwSN) of Rs. 3,500 per child per annum including a stipend of Rs. 200 per month for CWSN girls to be provided from Classes I to XII (vii) Allocation for uniforms at the rate of Rs. 600 per child per annum at elementary level (viii) Allocation for textbooks at the rate of Rs. 250/400 per child per annum at elementary level (ix) Running and Upgradation of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) from Class 6-8 to Class 6-12 (x) Strengthening Teacher Education Institutions like SCERTs and DIETs to improve the quality of teachers (xi) Enhanced use of digital technology in education through smart classrooms, digital boards and DTH channels (xii) Support States & UTs for implementation of provisions of RTE Act, including reimbursement under Section 12(1)(c) of the Act (xiii) Setting up of residential schools and hostels for difficult areas and for children in difficult circumstances.

The details of funds released and expenditure incurred by the State of Assam are as under:

(Rs. In crore)

Year

Releases

Expenditure*

2018-19

1570.72

1619.42

2019-20

1521.00

1783.38

2020-21

1594.29

1892.96

2021-22 (Adhoc Release)

413.13

0.00

* As reported by the State on PRABANDH Portal.

The achievements of Samagra Shiksha are as follows:

 

  • During 2018-2019 to 2020-2021, 1160 schools have been upgraded at Elementary, Secondary and Higher Secondary level, 54 new residential schools/ hostels have been opened, 41180 schools have been strengthened (including Additional classrooms), 13.51 lakh  schools have been provided library facilities,13.14 lakh schools have been provided sports equipment facility, 12633 schools have been covered under ICT & Digital initiatives, 5579 schools have been covered under vocational education, 783 KGBVs have been upgraded from class VIII to class X, 925 KGBVs have been upgraded from class VIII to class XII and 11562 separate girls toilets have been constructed.
  • In addition, during 2018-2019, 4.78 lakh out of school children have been provided special training at elementary level, 4.24 lakh children have been provided transport and escort facility, 16.76 lakh children have been covered under Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act, 6.96 cr children have been provided free uniforms, 8.72 cr children have been provided free textbooks at elementary level, 0.74 cr children have been provided remedial teaching, 14.58 lakh teachers have been trained,  69173 schools provided self defence training to girls, 3.79 lakh CWSN girls have been provided stipend and 23183 special educators have been provided financial assistance.
  • Also, during 2019-2020, 5.07 lakh out of school children have been provided special training at elementary level, 6.78 lakh children have been provided transport and escort facility, 21.58 lakh children have been covered under Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act, 6.89 cr children have been provided free uniforms, 8.78 cr children have been provided free textbooks at elementary level, 1.76 cr children have been provided remedial teaching, 28.84 lakh teachers have been trained,  166528 schools provided self defence training to girls, 3.22 lakh CWSN girls have been provided stipend and  24030 special educators have been provided financial assistance.
  • Also, during 2020-2021, 3.23 lakh out of school children have been provided special training at elementary level, 2.41 lakh children have been provided transport and escort facility, 32.67 lakh children have been covered under Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act, 6.57 cr children have been provided free uniforms, 8.84 cr children have been provided free textbooks at elementary level, 1.44 cr children have been provided remedial teaching, 14.32 lakh teachers have been trained,  81288 schools provided self defence training to girls, 3.52 lakh CWSN girls have been provided stipend and  22990 special educators have been provided financial assistance.

 

Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education launched a National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat) on 5th July 2021, for ensuring that every child in the country necessarily attains foundational literacy and numeracy by the end of Grade 3, by 2026-27. The Mission under the aegis of the centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra Shiksha focuses on providing access and retaining children in foundational years of schooling, teacher capacity building, development of high quality and diversified Student and Teacher Resources/Learning Materials and tracking the progress of each child in achieving learning outcomes. An approval of Rs 2688.18 crore has been given under Samagra Shiksha scheme to the States and UTs for implementation of the various interventions for Foundational Stage in 2021-22.

Reduction in syllabus

 The Government have announced the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, which,inter-alia, in para4.5 provides that curriculum content will be reduced in each subject to its core essentials, to make space for critical thinking and more holistic, inquiry-based, discovery-based, discussion-based, and analysis-based learning. The mandated content will focus on key concepts, ideas, applications, and problem-solving. Teaching and learning will be conducted in a more interactive manner; questions will be encouraged, and classroom sessions will regularly contain more fun, creative, collaborative, and exploratory activities for students for deeper and more experiential learning. Para 4.31 provides that the reduction in content and increased flexibility of school curriculum – and the renewed emphasis on constructive rather than rote learning – must be accompanied by parallel changes in school textbooks. All textbooks shall aim to contain the essential core material (together with discussion, analysis, examples, and applications) deemed important on a national level, but at the same time contain any desired nuances and supplementary material as per local contexts and needs. Where possible, schools and teachers will also have choices in the textbooks they employ – from among a set of textbooks that contain the requisite national and local material – so that they may teach in a manner that is best suited to their own pedagogical styles as well as to their students and communities’ needs. Further, para 4.33 provides that concerted efforts, through suitable changes in curriculum and pedagogy, will be made by NCERT, SCERTs, schools, and educators to significantly reduce the weight of school bags and textbooks.On the basis of these provisions, funding under SamagraShiksha for school improvement, teacher training, development of new curriculum framework, focus on foundational learning & numeracy are ongoing.

Digital educational resources for children with disabilities

 To facilitate the online learning by all students a comprehensive initiative called PM eVIDYAhas been initiated as part of Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan on 17th May, 2020, which unifies all efforts related to digital/online/on-air education to enable multi-mode access to education. The initiative includes:

  • DIKSHA (one nation, one digital platform)is the nation’s digital infrastructure for providing quality e-content for school education in states/UTs and QR coded Energized Textbooks for all gradesare available on it.
  • One earmarked SwayamPrabha TV channel per class from 1 to 12 (one class, one channel).
  • Extensive use of Radio, Community radio and CBSE Podcast- ShikshaVani.
  • Special e-content for visually and hearing impaired developed on Digitally Accessible Information System (DAISY) and in sign language on NIOS website/ YouTube.

All these schemes/programmes are available to all the students across the nation.

In order to promote online education, UGC has notified necessary regulation, which facilitates the Universities to offer full-fledged Online Program. Further, the current provisions of 20 per cent Online courses in a programme, as per provisions of UGC SWAYAM and ODL Regulations to be enhanced up to maximum 40 per cent for implementation considering “National interest during COVID-19” and also to ensure effective utilization of e-resources.

Various digital initiatives are also undertaken by Ministry of education viz. SWAYAM (“Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds”), SWAYAM Prabha, National Digital Library (NDL), Virtual Lab, e-Yantra, NEAT (National Education Alliance for technology), FOSSEE (Free Open-Source Software for Education) etc to ensure quality education to the students.

World Bank Group and the Consumer Technology Association's Global Women's HealthTech Awards

 NIRAMAI Health AnalytixPvt. Ltd. and InnAccel Technologies Pvt. Ltd., two start-ups supported by DBT-BIRAC), have received the World Bank Group and the Consumer Technology Association’s Global Women’s Health Tech Awards, which recognises innovative startups that leverage tech to improve women’s health and safety in emerging markets.

NIRAMAI Health AnalytixPvt. Ltd, a recipient of BIRAC’s Women in Entrepreneurial ResearchAward 2019, was selected for its novel software-based medical device that detects early-stage breast cancer in a simple and private way on women of all age groups and breast densities, addressing a critical unmet need in cancer screening. The solution developed is a low cost, accurate, automated, portable, contactless, radiation-free, and painless cancer screening tool with no known side effects. The core innovation is a machine learning and AI-based Computer Diagnostic Engine called Thermalytix that uses artificial intelligence algorithms to interpret thermal images and generates a quantitative report for breast health and likely abnormalities. So far, over 45,000 women have been screened through the startup’stie-ups with over 30 hospitals and diagnostic centres across India. The product can help 2 Billion women in the world to regularly screen for cancer and can potentially save 90,000 lives every year in India alone.

InnAccel Technologies Pvt Ltd., a recipient of DBT and BMGF’sGrand Challenges Exploration-India 2019, was adjudged a winner of the Global Women’s Health Tech Awards for Fetal Lite, a next-generation, AI-powered fetal heart rate (FHR) monitor based on fetal ECG signal extraction technology for mothers in labour or post 37 weeks of gestation. Fetal Lite has next-gen ECG signal processing and is more accurate, reliable, and easier to use thanthe conventional Doppler-based devices while being comfortable for the mother. Fetal Lite is European CE Certified and has completed 2 clinical trials of 60+ patients with excellent results and completed the demo in 30+ Hospitals. The device can be used for both active and remote monitoring in the in-hospital and in-home settings. So far, the device has helped doctors to monitor 5000 cases, including in tribal areas, and has the potential to save 1.2 million lives per year across the world.

“We are pleased to receive this recognition from World Bank. It’s a validation of the applicability of our Indian innovationto the world,” said Geeta Manjunath, Founder,NIRAMAI.”The support from BIRAC has been crucial for our journey of idea to benefitting the patients with European regulatory approval. It is not just funding but mentoring and handholding that has helped us mitigate risks,” said Nitesh Jangir, Co-founder, InnAccel.

“I am delighted to hear about this global recognition to two of the startups supported by the Department. As a funding agency, these success stories are a validation about the impact we have created by nurturing a vibrant startup ecosystem for solving the pressing challenges being faced by humanity,” said Dr Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, DBT

As per a statement by the World Bank, this year, the Awards attracted over 70 companies from 35 countries, which submitted their innovative products and services under three categories: reproductive health and pregnancy, general women’s and adolescent health, and women safety and security.

About Department of Biotechnology:

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), established in 1986, is an Indian Government department under the Ministry of Science and Technology. DBT is responsible for administrating development and commercialisation in modern biology and biotechnology in India. The Department has made significant achievements in the growth and application of biotechnology in the broad areas of agriculture, health care, animal sciences, environment, and industry. The proven technologies at the laboratory level have been scaled up and demonstrated in the field. For more information, visit, http://dbtindia.gov.in/

About BIRAC:

Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is a not-for-profit Section 8, Schedule B, Public Sector Enterprise, set up by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India as an Interface Agency to strengthen and empower the emerging Biotech enterprise to undertake strategic research and innovation, addressing nationally relevant product development needs. For more information, visit, https://birac.nic.in/

Emergence of Lok Adalat as the most efficacious tool of Alternative Dispute Resolution

 National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) is committed to deliver prompt and inexpensive justice to the citizens. Recently, it has decided to lay more emphasis on contribution of National Lok Adalat in effectively reducing the number of pending cases through Alternative Dispute Mechanisms.

To achieve this goal, the Legal Services Authorities shifted to dynamic preparation strategies for organization of the Lok Adalats. As a preparatory measure, NALSA started organization of prior consultative and review meetings with all the State Legal Services Authorities to guide them towards the maximum disposal during such Lok Adalats. Before the organization of each National Lok Adalat, multiple interactions were organised with the Executive Chairpersons of all the State Legal Services Authorities, wherein one-to-one interactions were made to take a stock of the preparations as well as to boost the morale of the stakeholders tasked to organize the Lok Adalats.

A cumulative effect of all the preparatory and mobilization measures resulted in extraordinary disposal figures during the year 2021. Across the country, a total number of 1,27,87,329 cases were disposed of in four National Lok Adalats, which included a huge number of pending cases i.e., 55,81,117 and a record number of pre-litigation cases i.e., 72,06,212. Through these activities the Legal Services Authorities disposed off a large number of cases giving relief to the common citizens by ending or preventing long lasting legal battles.

Achieving these unprecedented disposal figures was not an easy task. A major contribution to this success can be attributed to the technological advancements. In June 2020, the Legal Services Authorities integrated technology with the conventional modes of dispute settlement and introduced virtual Lok Adalats also called as ‘E-Lok Adalats’. Since then, all the Lok Adalats including National Lok Adalats are organized through virtual and hybrid modes. To provide an unhindered experience during the proceedings, the Legal Services Authorities across the country are continuously upgrading their digital infrastructure.

Due to these technological advancements, Lok Adalats have reached to the doorsteps of the parties. The parties are now able to join the Lok Adalat proceedings from their homes or workplaces, saving them the hassle of travelling and reserving a full day for an affair, which gets over within minutes. The Authorities have witnessed that a large number of persons joined the virtual proceedings sitting hundreds of kilometers away from the physical location where the Lok Adalat was organized. Technology has also provided effective ways of supervision and monitoring of Lok Adalats.

The other major factor in the success of Lok Adalats was the formulation of decisive strategies at the National level. Under these strategies, the State Legal Services Authorities were instructed to conduct meetings with various stakeholder across every level with an objective to ensure their full cooperation and coordination. The authorities were guided to follow a litigant friendly approach as well as to persuade such litigants to settle the cases involving settled propositions of law.

Moreover, certain areas of law having greater possibilities of settlement such as NI Act cases, Bank recovery cases along other financial matters were highlighted and authorities were instructed to explore all the possibilities of compromise in such cases. The authorities were advised to proactively monitor the issuance and completion of processes in such financial matters as well as to conduct pre-Lok Adalat sittings to take a matter to a settlement.

There is no doubt regarding the fact that the number of pending cases surged during the ongoing pandemic. However, with a large number of disposals through Lok Adalats, a balance was created by the Legal Services Authorities in the judicial administration of the country. There is no gainsaying that the Lok Adalats settled greater number of cases than any other dispute resolution mechanism and emerged as the most efficacious tool of Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism.

During the year, the category wise list of the disposed cases was topped by the Criminal Compoundable Cases, wherein a total number of 17,63,233 such pending cases and 18,67,934 pre-litigation cases were disposed. The second in line were the Revenue cases consisting of 11,59,794 pre-litigation and 14,99,558 pending cases. Apart from these, the other disposed of cases were cheque bounce cases under NI Act, Bank Recovery Cases, Motor Accident Claims, Labour Disputes, matrimonial cases, etc.

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Enhancing supply chain management by Community Based Organizations (CBOs)

 In the rural areas, challenges such as scattered market, irregular demands, and transportation bottlenecks often impede farmers and entrepreneurs from getting the right value for their products. In order to overcome these challenges, North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Society (NERCRMS) and the Changlang Community Resource Management Society (CCRMS) formed the Community Based Organizations (CBOs). At present, these CBOs are working towards enhancing the supply chain management at the district level.

Replacing the vicious chain of middlemen, the CBOs source raw spices such as ginger, turmeric directly from the individual farmers. This gives the farmers a ready platform to sell their produce at competitive market prices. As the raw materials are sourced directly from the field to the processing unit, their quality and freshness also remains intact, giving the final products an edge over the other competition in the market.

Post production and labelling, CCRMS in collaboration Changlang Co-operative Society Ltd. market the products through networks of local vendors and also through Rural Marts & Haats of NABARD. Adding to the campaign of Vocal for Local, the initiative is giving a major boost to the promotion of local products & strengthening the business eco-system at the district level.    

Collection of Ginger by Community Based Organizations (CBOs) at Spice Processing Unit, Neotan Village, Namphai Circle, Miao – Khagam Block

 

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Promoting Investor Education and Financial literacy among youth through Gyan Darshan channel

 The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) under the aegis of Ministry of Corporate Affairs has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) through a virtual event here today. The objective for signing the MoU is to achieve the mandate of Investor Education, Awareness and Protection by utilizing the tele-lecturing facility of Gyan Darshan Channel.

This association with IGNOU/Gyan Darshan channel will help in propagating the message of Investor Education and Awareness among a large group of present and prospective stakeholders. The panel of resource persons for the lecture series would include experts from professional institutions such as ICAI, ICSI & Senior officials from IEPFA, Ministry of Corporate Affairs and other regulators. The proposed lecture series of 75 episodes will be live tele-lecturing series on 24×7 Gyan Darshan TV channel and is a part of the ongoing celebration of the yearlong activity commemorating the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence under “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”.

26 Episodes of the tele-lecturing series were earlier rolled out in the year 2021 which were appreciated by all stakeholders. The repository of the tele-lectures is available on IEPFA’s official YouTube channel.

 

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Shri Rajesh Verma, Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) and ex-officio Chairperson of IEPFA in his keynote address said, “All of us are here with the common goal of educating people. The entire nation is celebrating 75 years of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate the spirit of a self-reliant, progressive nation, India has become. This day is also celebrated as National Youth Day to commemorate the birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, the youth ICON and influencer of global stature. With all these noble events falling together, today’s event has become even more apt and relevant. Both IEPFA & IGNOU have the common objective of imparting education and making people aware about subjects affecting their lives. IEPFA intends to create awareness among all the stakeholder groups and specially the youth”.

Prof. Nageshwar Rao, Vice Chancellor, IGNOU, in his remark stated that IGNOU and IEPFA with this initiative shall reach out to youth and other stakeholders at large which would be productive in fulfilling the vision and mission of both the organizations.

Sh Manoj Pandey, CEO IEPFA Authority, Prof. Satyakam, Pro-VC Vice Chancellor, IGNOU, Sh Nihar Jambusaria, President ICAI, Sh Nagendra D. Rao, President ICSI and other Senior officials from IEPFA, IGNOU and Ministry of Corporate Affairs also graced the occasion.

Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) has been established under Section 125 of the Companies Act 2013 for administration of the IEPF fund as per section 125 (3) of Companies Act 2013. The main objective of the authority includes to promote Investor Education, Awareness & Protection, refund unclaimed shares, dividends and other amounts transferred to it under sections 124 and 125 of the Companies Act 2013 to the rightful claimants. IEPFA works under the administrative control of Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

 

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Initiatives of Government in ensuring Safety in Online Education

 Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has launched a ‘Cyber Security Handbook’ to ensure safe and healthy digital habits among students. This module covers topics in cyber safety, such as cyber bullying, including social exclusion, intimidation, defamation, and emotional harassment, online sexual abuse, cyber radicalisation, online attack and frauds, and online enticement. The ‘Cyber Security Handbook’ can be accessed at this link:http://cbseacademic.nic.in/web_material/Manuals/Cyber_Safety_Manual.pdf

Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology has prepared guidelines to handle the security concerns about various video conferencing apps, which can be found at this link:

https://www.cert-in.org.in/s2cMainServlet?pageid=PUBWEL01

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has also issued advisory to all secretaries at school education department of all states to ensure safety of students in online classes.

PRAGYATA guidelines for school heads and teachers describe the need assessment, planning and steps to implement digital education while ensuring cyber safety and privacy measures. The guidelines can be accessed at:

https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/pragyata-guidelines_0.pdf

National Webinar on ‘Indian Knowledge System, Languages, Art & Culture’

 As part of the celebration of one year of transformative reforms under National Education Policy, 2020, Government of India is organising a series of theme-based webinars on different aspects of National Education Policy, 2020. Indian Knowledge System, Language, Arts & Culture being one of the innovative thrust area of NEP, Indian Knowledge System at AICTE under Ministry of Education organised a National Webinar on Transforming Education in the Light of Indian Knowledge System, Language, Arts & Culture today.  Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Employment Shri Dharmendra Pradhan was the Chief Guest on the occasion. Member of Parliament Shri Tejasvi Surya; Secretary, Higher Education Shri Amit Khare Senior officials from Ministry of Education and AICTE were also present.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Dharmendra Pradhan discussed the relevance of traditional knowledge systems & ancient wisdom in contemporary times and their role in the making of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. He stated that there is a need to synergise knowledge with art, culture, language with a spirit of Bharatiyata.

The Minister said that no society can thrive without connecting to its roots. Our past is filled with examples of architectural grandeur, engineering marvel and artistic excellence, he further added. He called for conservation, promotion and dissemination of this cultural wealth of India should be the top priority of the country because it is crucial for the country’s identity. 

Shri Pradhan highlighted that the National Education Policy has laid down a roadmap for 21st century India and lays emphasis on our traditional knowledge systems. By taking Indian knowledge traditions forward, we can sow seeds for starting a new era. We must recreate our traditional knowledge with contemporary, contextual relevance to connect with the youth, he added. Shri Pradhan stated that solutions to many of contemporary challenges lie in our traditional knowledge systems

Shri Amit Khare, Secretary, Higher Education in his address shed light on the formulation and fundamentals of National Education Policy, 2020. Shri Khare said that NEP is the medium to fulfil the aspirations of New India and it will play an important role in realising the Prime Minister’s vision of attaining self-relaince. 

Shri Tejasvi Surya expressed his views on the need of new NEP 2020 with respect to Traditional Indian Knowledge in 21st century. He said that Science, Culture, Civilization, Art, various ancient learnings, History etc. are an important part of our glorious tradition and our young generation should we be aware and respect these traditions. He stressed upon value-based education to learners.

Shri Surya also highlighted different aspects of traditional Indian wisdom with respect to NEP 2020 which is being reintroduced in Indian Education. He added that through this NEP 2020, a strong effort is being made to strengthen the departments and institutions of various languages ​​across the country.

The theme wise sessions were conducted followed by the Inaugural Session where the first session of the Webinar was on the theme “Indian Knowledge System” and was addressed by Dr.Shailendra Raj Mehta,President and Director, MICA, Ahmedabad; Dr. A. S. Nene,Board Member, Civil Engg. Dept., Jagatguru Shri Devnath Institute of Vedic Science and Research, Nagpur;Prof. M. D Srinivas,Chairman, Centre for Policy Studies, Chennai.

The second session of the Webinar was on the theme “Languages” and was addressed byShri. Chamu Krishna Shastri, Secretary, Sanskrit Promotion Foundation; Prof. Santosh Kumar Shukla, Dean, School of Sanskrit and Indic Studies, JNU, New Delhi;Dr.Sudha Seshayyan,Vice- Chancellor, The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R Medical University, Chennai.

The third session of the Webinar was on the theme “Arts & Culture” and was addressed by Dr.Sonal Mansingh, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Indian classical dancer and Guru Bharatanatyam and Odissi dancing style; Dr. Anil Joshi, Environmentalist, Green Activist, and the Founder of Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization, Dehradun; Dr.Shashibala,Dean, Centre of Indology, Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, New Delhi.

The Valedictory session was conducted by the concluding remarks of Prof. Anil D. Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, AICTE. He motivated with the thought that the upcoming NEP 2020 by the Ministry of Education is the golden opportunity to awaken the self-respect and self-reliance for all the students.

Educational Infrastructure in North-Eastern States

 University Grants Commission (UGC) is implementing schemes, awards, fellowships, chairs and programmes under which financial assistance is provided to institutions of higher education as well as faculty members working  in North Eastern States to undertake quality research covering areas of knowledge across disciplines. Some of the initiatives taken for improving quality of higher education are (i) Choice Based Credit System (CBCS); (ii) Universities with Potential for Excellence; (iii) Centre with Potential for Excellence in particular area; (iv) Consortium for Academic Research and Ethics(CARE) (v) Basic Science Research (vi) Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India’s Developing Economy (STRIDE) (vii) Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (DDU) Kaushal Kendras (viii) Scholarship Scheme (ISHAN UDAY) for North-Eastern Region; (ix) New Methodology of Grading by NAAC (x) UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for award of M.Phil/Ph.D Degree) Regulations, 2016; (xi) UGC (Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through SWAYAM) Regulation, 2016. 

All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) has taken several steps over the years for framing appropriate policies on technical education needed to design and implement various schemes for educational advancement and achieving the objective of creating favorable environment to ensure speedy socio-economic development in North East States. This includes equipping all necessary infrastructure upgradation of colleges, special coaching, educational concessions, better teaching learning material and infrastructure for North East region students. Some of the Schemes are (i) Research Promotion Scheme for North East Region; (ii) Short Term Training Programme for NER; (iii) Faculty Development Programme for NER; (iv) Scheme of Funds for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI); (v) Post Graduate Scholarship Scheme; (vi) Doctoral Fellowship; (vii) Pragati Scholarship Scheme; (viii) Saksham Scholarship Scheme; (ix) Campus Accommodation & Facilities Enhancing Social Experience; (x) Grant for Augmenting Infrastructure in NER; (xi) Scheme for Promoting Interests, Creativity and Ethics among Students; (xii) Grant for Organizing Conference; (xiii) Establishment of Idea Development, Evaluation & Application Laboratory in Institutions; and (xiv) E-Shodh Sindhu (Subscription to e-Journals). 

A Virtual Reality

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As Neil DeGrasse Tyson rightfully says, “Dreams about the future are always filled with gadgets.” We human beings have constantly been growing and developing rapidly for generations now. One of the most things that we are constantly moving ahead with us is technology. The number of tabs, mobiles, phones, laptops that roll out in a few months is so many in our daily live themselves. Electronic gadgets once were a just medium however, now it is a necessity for every single human being. By this, I think the readers have some kind of idea about my topic for today’s article. It is about how electronic gadgets have become a part of our daily lives and even more during the pandemic.

Human life and electronic gadgets

Remember the time when having a phone used to be a privilege. We knew all the phone numbers through our strong memory. The only time that we used to get phones in our hands was when our parents were not using them and we could play all the games on them. Electronic gadgets then were a means of getting the work done or for communication. From standing in one place and using the landline to being able to move around with a mobile phone we have come a long way. Electronic gadgets have come a long way with human civilization. However, by coming along with us they have also managed to seep into our lives so much that now mobile phones, laptops have become more than just their purpose. They have not just become a part of our world but they are also our world now.

I was casually scrolling through social media when I came across this post showing a mom during the earlier times pulling us inside the home while the childe still was playing and a parallel image of the present where the mom is pushing out of the house to go and play outside. This might sound very typical and cliché but it is the reality. The virtual world has immensely taken over our real world. The games that we once used to play on the road is something that now children play on video game. Electronic gadgets have not just brought bad things but also an immense amount of good things. People do not have to spend a lot of time searching for information rather; it is now readily available at our fingertips. A cinematic experience is now available in the comfort of our own houses because of the various electronic gadgets that have come about to make our lives more comfortable and luxurious. We do not have to remember every single phone number these days. Just a small click and all the numbers are right with us anywhere, anytime, and any place.

With the invention of electronic gadgets, it slowly became a means of provision, entertainment, etc by the establishment of apps. Today, the virtual world of apps and online businesses has an immense amount of impact on our real-world not just physically but also mentally, emotionally, financially, and economically. Due to apps and electronic gadgets people can be a part of every sector such as clothing, footwear, food, appliances, language, culture, world, etc. Electronic gadgets and apps have made our lives easier, simpler, and more accessible. It is maybe due to this that these days electronic gadgets have become inevitably an important and major part of our lives.

The reason electronic gadgets whether it be television, radio, mobile phones, laptops, washing machines, etc are known as a necessary evil these days is because it has made it possible to increase human efficiency and productivity but at the same time is harmful to not just human beings, but also to nature and other living species of plants and animals. The improvement of technology, gadgets, etc has brought about so many solutions and yet so many problems that needs tackling and handling for the future generation to survive in the coming generations.

Electronic gadgets and the virtual world has been responsible for bringing human civilization together and are also responsible for bringing about division, hierarchy in human civilization. Electronic gadgets and the virtual world plays an important role in bringing about good in society but also play the same amount role in bringing about the bad things as well. It has connected us and disconnected us at the same time.

Therefore, it is very important to realize that human beings need to have the same amount of responsibility, carefulness, etc that they have in the real world to be present in the virtual world as well.

Let me ask all the readers out there, ‘What would happen if this necessary evil as we call it became our only means of dependency and daily living?’ Well, the answer is simple. Whatever is happening right now due to the pandemic would happen if we think about it. The dependency and the increase in the virtual world becoming our real world is because of the pandemic that we are still a part of even today. The pandemic has made it impossible to live without electronic gadgets these days.

Let us understand more about this.

How Cloud Technology Helps Connect People and Reduces Isolation

The Real virtual world during the pandemic.

Remember the times when our parents constantly were annoyed about the amount of time children spend on their phones and laptops? During the pandemic, it even got worse. Children’s screen time amount drastically increased during the pandemic. They spent time attending classes online and even spent the rest of the time on electronic gadgets because it was not safe during the pandemic to go outside. Their daily real world was constantly revolving in the virtual world and this brought about an immense amount of stress and uneasiness among children. The real world becoming the virtual world was not just for students, children but also for adults who were working regardless of which sector they were working in.

The real and the virtual world becoming one was a big problem especially for the lower economic class. Electronic gadgets do not come cheap and during the pandemic education, business and everything else became online which made it even more difficult for these people to survive and keep up with other people. Students from small towns and villages found it very difficult to survive in the real virtual world because they did not have access, products, or connection that would help them move forward with other kids.

The consumers during the real virtual world had a drastic increase, which brought about inefficient production. I have only mentioned the education sector but there are many more sectors that are very affected due to the virtual and the real world coming together as one.

The real and the virtual world becoming one are a boon and a pain at the same time. This was because it kept us safe and protected but at the same time brought about more amount of problems during the same time. Virtual reality has not had a conclusion yet. We are still fighting the pandemic and trying to bring about recovery from the losses and struggles that we have been facing for almost two years now. The only thing is that we are now more adaptable to the virtual and real-world coming together through experience.

To conclude with a hopeful note that, it is time we human beings act more responsibly, carefully, wisely so that we can overcome the pandemic time and through the lessons, we have learned during this time bring about some positive change and awareness and make our world a better place for everyone.

References

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