Month: August 2022

Central Government to remove air fair cap from 31st august.

India will remove the fare caps it imposed on domestic airlines in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic from August 31, the country’s civil aviation ministry said on Wednesday, lifting restrictions on ticket prices. The government, in a rare move, had regulated fares by imposing a minimum and maximum band based on the flight’s duration to prevent ticket prices from spiking due to pent-up demand arising from restrictions on air travel easing. Given the current situation, airfares may go up as carriers as jet or aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices have almost tripled in the last two years.

The ministry had imposed lower and upper limits on air fare after the resumption of services in May, 2020 following the two-month nationwide lock-down to contain the spread of Covid-19. Thereafter, the limits were relaxed in a phased manner as per the improvement in air traffic in the country. The lower caps were meant as a relief for airlines struggling after the pandemic. At the same time, the upper caps on air fare were fixed ensuring that passengers do not have to pay a hefty amount for air travel.

Earlier, discussions on removing the fare bands for domestic air fare were held among the stakeholders, including the government authorities and airlines. The airlines were of the view that removal of the pricing cap is required for the full-fledged recovery of domestic air traffic.

Top 10 MBA colleges in India

 Top 10 MBA colleges in India

In India, MBA is one of the popular courses after completing graduation in youth. it is the best course if you want to build your career to the next level. the best thing about an MBA course is that it does not matter what stream you opt for your graduation whether it’s engineering or the law still you can pursue it which attracts a lot of aspirants to opt for it as a career option. the other thing which influences the student about MBA is it has good placement and one of the high paying jobs. MBA course includes theoretical, practical, and peer learning. presently in India, there are 20 IIMs and 6000 B-Schools operating in India.

the facility, infrastructure, availability of courses, and faculty might vary among all institutions but the process of admission is quite similar. it is divided into 5 steps:

  • Register and apply for the MBA entrance exam like CAT/GMAT/MAT/XAT/NMAT.
  • attempt the exam
  • the college will shortlist on the basis of merit
  • appear in the final round conducted by the college like GD, PI, and aptitude exam.
  • now after considering all the factors like scores for the entrance exam, 12 and 10, and graduation the college will select suitable candidates.

Top 10 colleges for MBA in India:

  • Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
  •  Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore
  •  Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta
  •  Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi
  •  Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow
  • Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode
  •  SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai
  •  Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi
  • Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai
  •  Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies – School of Business Management, Mumbai

1: Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad:

IIT Ahmedabad is one of the top MBA colleges in India. it is a B-School which is situated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. it provides Master’s degree programs in management, marketing, HR, and many more. it offers placement from international companies. if you want to study at this college then you need to qualify CAT/GMAT entrance exam. it is a well-reputed college for providing MBA /PGDM  programs to students and for working professionals if you are a working person then you can opt it part-time MBA program.

Tuition fees:- 2320000

duration- 24 months

total seats – 60

2: Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore:

it is also one of the leading colleges in India that caters to MBA courses while adopting high technology .it offers a doctorate and MBA program. it is the high tech business school in India for MBA. it always has a motive to provide the best exposure to the students of its program and ensure placement to each and every student as it scales the career of the student to the next level.

Tuition fees:- 2320000

duration- 24 months

total seats – 60

3:Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta:

it is the first national institute for pursuing postgraduate and research study programs in management. it offers high-quality education as it is the leader in the business world for giving expert professionals managers and entrepreneurs.

Tuition fees:- 2260000

duration- 24 months

total seats – 390

4: Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi:

it is one of the oldest b-school in India offering an MBA. it provides quality education and has very fees and a good placement record which attracts the candidates to this college. over the years I have built a strong bond with students, staff, and faculty.

Tuition fees:- 192000

duration- 24 months

total seats -251

5 Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow:

Since 1984, it has been a leading and top college in India that offers MBA. it has molded its students into sharpened leaders, leading professionals, and excellent managers. it offers placement from both domestic and international companies.

Tuition fees:- 1925000

duration- 24 months

total seats -405

6 Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode:

the institute trains its students as business leaders through its consulting, teaching, and learning. since 1996 it has innovated itself over the years which makes them special. it offers MBAs in various specializations along with that is also caters to doctoral programs.

Tuition fees:- 1900000

duration- 24 months

total seats -375

7: SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai:

the institute offers a diverse range of programs and courses for postgraduates, NPO, entrepreneurs, and family businesses. it is a part of Vidhya Bhavan and operates as a self-contained institute .it consistently ranked among 10 colleges.

Tuition fees:- 1900000

duration- 24 months

total seats -276

 8: Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi:

it is a well-known college for providing an MBA in the specialization of international business. it has two campuses in India Kolkata and in Delhi. it also strives to bring companies for placement into the campus domestically and internationally. if someone who is looking for doing MBA in foreign trade mgmt then can opt this college thorgh qualify the entrance exam.

Tuition fees:- 1825000

duration- 24 months

total seats -258

9: Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai:

The institute is also known as the CEO factory and one of the top MBA colleges in India. it has built many business leaders. industry leaders, entrepreneurs. it is a leading college in Maharashtra and is always ranked on the top of the B-Schools list.

Tuition fees:- 600000

duration- 24 months

total seats -120

10:Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies – School of Business Management, Mumbai:

For the last 40 years, it has been a leading college because of its expertise and experience and ranked among the top colleges’ list of MBAs. here a strong focus is given to the teaching process. over the years it has grown and expanded itself and become the best college for MBA aspirants.

Tuition fees:- 20280000

duration- 24 months

total seats -600

Top 10 Engineering Collage in India

 Top 10 Engineering collage in India

Getting admission to an engineering college is a dream for a lot of students in India. IITs and NITs are engineering colleges that provide education in the field of engineering.


These are the top ten engineering collage in India:

1. Indian Institute of Technology, Madras

It is an internationally complemented institution and stands in the top five engineering institutions by the ranking system of NIRF. The IIT Madras has all the basic amenities including a beautiful garden which is always taken care of and the Central library present at the hostel. As the students are excellent in their technical efficiency and have a very good practical knowledge in their field of engineering, there are always pre-placement offers and many workshops are conducted by these companies to hire the students. Interaction seminars are also conducted and internships are also a medium for the placement procedure.

2. Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi      

 Indian Institute of Technology Delhi has bagged the second position in the NIRF ranking for its efficient faculties and excellent teaching content. The knowledge provided is not only commendable but also layered up with technical enhancements so that theoretical, as well as practical knowledge, grows up simultaneously. A total of 11 hostels for the boys and three hostels for the girls are present on the campus with the facilities of a beautiful launch, areas of gaming, computer rooms, and study rooms provided. The placements are based on a procedure and over 500 companies come to the campus to hire the students. The placement is totally on campus and more than 60% of the students get selected for the offers which provide a dream package. Unlike all other IITs, it has a beautiful robotics room, a gymnasium for fitness awareness, and swimming pools with a central library that is always open. All the laboratories work according to the latest technologies.

3.Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay 

As it is one of the most reputed engineering institutions in India, it stands within the top 10 engineering institutions by the ranking system of NIRF. Not only it is highly qualified faculty members but also innovative methods in the field of teaching and practical application. A total of 16 hostels with all the facilities are provided on the campus. Generally, the placement records show a 100% placement rate, and the companies which offer and provide packages in lakhs are very popular including Amazon, Flipkart, and Cadbury. The placement as well as the professional board of IIT Bombay with all the companies is not only strong but also provides commendable statistics for building up the career of the students. The infrastructure is not only beautiful but has all the amenities including the staff room, library, lecture halls and seminar halls, and E consortium.

4.Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur  

Academically, the IIT Kanpur bags its position in the top five of the NIRF ranking and it is also complimented for its extracurricular activities. Students not only better themselves in the field of engineering but also polish their extracurricular talents. The placement records stand is very high and the packages of the salary increase arithmetically each year. Sometimes there are international companies that provide packages in crores.


5. Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur

Like all other IITs, it also provides quality education along with commendable teachers Who are highly educated in the field of teaching with many years of experience. Apart from this, it is fully facilitated with fans that work according to the Wi-Fi and the campus LANs. The highest packages are offered to the students in lakhs and around 15 LPA is the average score of the batch Income.       

6. Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee

It has multi-variant courses along with 14 undergraduate and 24 post-graduate courses. It also provides Ph.D. courses which is not only restricted to engineering but also extend to the field of science and architecture, social studies, and business management. With a total of 13 hostels among which two are for girls and 11 are for male students, it facilitates the mess, stationery shop, a salon, gymnasium, gaming room, reading space, and laundry. It also facilitates a guest room which is provided in every single hostel. For the history of placements, 85% of the students are completely placed and both international, as well as domestic offers, are received. The average amount goes to INR 2.17 crores for the international packages and 1.92 crores for the domestic packages.

7. Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati

It has highly skilled professors along with experienced teachings are provided in the IIT Guwahati. It comprises a canteen, mess, a juice corner, an in-campus shop of stationery, a gymnasium, and a laundry room. The central library and TV room are common in every IIT. The Wi-Fi connections are very efficient. For the enhancement of the sports activities, various basketball, football, and volleyball courts are available on the campus.

                         

8. Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS)

The Birla Institute of science and technology has a very good bond with both the students as well as the teachers. The first campus was situated at Pilani on the year 1943. Later it stretched its branches all over India and outside like Dubai, Hyderabad, etc. The BITS Pilani is the most famous institution for the engineering field and various courses including BE, management, B pharma, M.Sc. Every year, the Birla Institute of technology and science conducts its entrance examinations for the students to get admitted for these courses.

 

9. Vellore Institute of Technology

 This institute provides many courses including graduate, postgraduate, and also research programs. It also gives dual integrated courses for the students. The placement records are excellent and the whole average batch is being offered jobs from various companies. The B.Tech courses are the most popular in the field of biotechnology, electronics and communication, and computer science engineering. The Vellore Institute of Technology conducts its examination and students have to achieve the minimum cut-off to get admitted to this college.

10. Delhi Technological University

This college was previously known as Delhi College of engineering. After it had got its affiliated with the University of Delhi the year of 1962 it came to be known as Delhi Technological University. It also provides a lot of courses including BTech, MTech, MBA, and BBA courses, and offers research programs. The facility of both shifts is provided while conducting the classes. The mode of admission is by the scores of the joint entrance examination and students have to achieve the minimum cut-off to get into this college.

Thus, if you want to get admission to an engineering college you can choose the best collage of your choice.

Online learning platforms

What do you mean by an online learning platform?

The online learning platform is a website where students can learn online. They can attend all the lectures, recordings, live classes and tests. Online learning platform are very easy to attend. It is very helpful because you can do from your own comfort zone.

From 2020 onwards when covid – 19 came from that time the online learning platforms are very much active and have came forward to help the students with their academics.

Some of the best online learning platforms are below –

1. Skill share

Skill share is a online learning platform where you can get free trial for 1 month and you can cancel at any time before the month get over to not being charged. In skill share you get all the courses on ver high quality. The lectures are very good. You can easily learn from their videos

2. Unacademy

Unacademy is an Indian online platform where you can get all the live classes and recordings after you get subscription. They take a fee from Rs 1200 to Rs 6200 per annum. They also prepare for all the competitive exams like UPSC, NEET, JEE, CUET and many more.

3. Udemy

Udemy is a online learning platform where you can learn various course in all the particular fields. In udemy there are 49 millions students have been enrolled. You can learn various programmes like python, programming, photography and more.

4. Coursera

Coursera is a online learning platform where that provide top learning courses from top educators around the world. It has 23 million users. Coursera provides university level courses and certification programmes.

5. edX

edX is a MOOC platform that offers university level online courses. You can enroll onedX and learn various courses according to your interests and make you career growth personally and professionally.


A brief history of Yoga in India

 One cannot imagine Indian culture and heritage without the presence of Yoga. Tracing its root in ancient India, Yoga is known as an art of attaining spiritual and mental peace.

Yoga has evolved over the course of time and is considered an effective means of maintaining physical, spiritual, and mental wellbeing. The word ‘Yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’, which means ‘to unite’. Every Yogic mudra focuses on spiritual alignment between the mind and body, for attaining inner peace. 

A brief history of Yoga in India

Yoga traces down its history thousands of years ago in India, early traces were found in the Pre-Vedic period (2700 B.C.). Yoga developed prominently between 500 BC-800 A.D. and has evolved since then. Sage Maharshi Patanjali codified the existing Yoga practices that had been in practice, and which are now performed worldwide. Today in contemporary times, Yoga is a means to preserve and maintain health. It has helped individuals with their well-being, from generation to generation.

Yoga and Indian Culture

Yoga has a presence in the folk traditions, Vedic, and Upanishadic heritage of India. Yoga tends to the body, mind, emotions, and energy and follows four major oaths namely: Karma Yoga focused on the body; Bhakti Yoga focused on emotions; Gyana Yoga, which focused on intellect; and Kriya Yoga, which focused on energy.

In olden times, Yoga education was imparted by gurus in ashrams. In today’s time, several Yoga institutes and colleges are providing lessons on Yoga across India.

Actions@75, The Future of Yoga in India!

“Yoga guarantees wellness as well as fitness. Yoga is not merely an exercise but a way to attain peace through physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.”

―  Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi

India is referred to as the land of Yoga and is continuing to take initiative for promoting the importance of Yoga education. The United Nations General Assembly honored the suggestion of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi and declared ‘21st June’ as the International Day of Yoga. This aims to make people aware of the significance of Yoga and the positive changes it can yield in everyday life.

The International Day of Yoga in India is celebrated every year since 2015 with distinct themes such as ‘Yoga for Harmony and Peace’, ‘Connect the Youth’, ‘Yoga for Health, and Yoga at Home’ reflecting the emergence of Yoga as a path for maintaining well-being.

The government aims to equip more and more people with the knowledge of Yoga, preserve Yogic heritage, and introduce it to future generations. Yoga has become a part of the curriculum in schools across the country.  The Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN), an autonomous body under the Ministry of AYUSH, has created eight Yoga outpatient clinics in Delhi and Haryana Government hospitals.

Summing it up

At a time when the world is facing the wrath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Yoga can have positive effects on the mind and physical well-being of individuals. Increasing the involvement of youth in Yoga can yield a generation of Yoga instructors, learners, and promoters who can be the future flag bearers of Yogic culture and heritage.

Shri Anurag Thakur urges youth to hoist Tiranga at their homes from 13-15th August

 Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, and Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Anurag Singh Thakur  urged the youth to unfurl Tiranga at their homes from 13th to 15th August 2022  as a part of the celebration of “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign in the country. He said that today being the “August Kranti” Diwas  our youth should take oath to hoist Tiranga at the top of the world by contributing with their dedication and hard work in their respective field.   Shri Anurag said that our national flag is not mere a piece of cloth but the power of Tricolour unites 130 crore Indians. He further said that our youth should take pledge that they will keep the country united and will take India forward and make India stronger. He was addressing during a Youth conference  held with the members of Nehru Yuva Kendra, NSS volunteers and different Yuva Mandals in Shimla today. The programme was organized by the Nehru Yuva Kendra, Shimla (HP).

While interacting with the youth, he called for inculcating the feeling of patriotism and national integration among the younger generation through Bharat Darshan programme. He said that every youth should visit and see the other places and  parts of their State and the country which will infuse a sense of belonging and patriotism among them and help them becoming responsible citizens. He also mentioned about the role of the “EK Bharat Shreshth Bharat” (EBSB) programme in breaking the barriers of language, culture and different cuisines of different states thus bringing youths of different states closer to each other. The Minister said that it will work towards maintaining  the unity and integrity of the nation and thus will enhance the glory of India.

In a candid discussion with the participants, Shri Anurag Thakur tried to know the views of the youth on the different issues and problems in the country.  He discussed the issues of women empowerment, Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat, skill development, role of sports, Fit India movement and carrier counseling threadbare with the youths of Nehru Yuva Kendra, NSS volunteers and different Yuva Mandals. He expressed hope that such meetings will continue in future also so that youth of this country can come to know about the Government schemes and can approach the Government.

The Minister also mentioned about the achievements of the  Central  Government schemes like the Har Ghar Jal Yojna,  sanitation drive Ujala, Ujwala Yojna,  and Digital India etc.  He said that to promote the Fit India movement he has established 250 gyms in his parliamentary constituency.

While replying to the questions of the media persons, he said that under the leadership of Prime Minister, Shri Narendera Modi India  has done remarkable progress in every sphere. He said that in sports our achievements have increased manifold as results of the recent Commonwealth Games show that India got 61 medals and scored 4th position in the tournament.

 

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WIPS (Forum for Women in Public Sector) formation day celebrated at Visakhapatnam Steel Plant

 Silver Jubilee of WIPS (Forum for Women in Public Sector) formation day was celebrated in VSP today in a grand manner. Addressing the women employees of RINL, Shri Atul Bhatt, CMD, RINL-VSP in his address, lauded the exceptional contribution by the women fraternity of RINL in turning around the company after six years of making losses.” I am very happy to note that Women in Public Sector (WIPS) of RINL, which was established in 1997 has completed 25 long and successful years and is celebrating silver Jubilee this year”, Shri Atul Bhatt said.  He congratulated all the women employees of RINL on this special occasion and appreciated them for their active role in improving the awareness on the role of women in the society.

Shri Atul Bhatt congratulated Ms.PV Sindhu, for bagging the prestigious gold at the Commonwealth Games in Badminton women’ singles competition and said that it is matter of pride for entire RINL family that Ms. PV Sindhu is the brand ambassador of RINL.

Shri Atul Bhatt complimented Ms. Sheela Priyadarsini, Chief General Manager & head of the department -Materials Management, RINL for efficiently handling the extremely complex supply chain management of steel plant. “It is heartening to note that more number of women are joining RINL and it is a matter of pride to note that women are increasingly and gradually seen marching into domains which were once reserved only for men like the armed forces.I would like to compliment WIPS of RINL for their active role in improving the awareness about the role of women in society and the various programmes they undertake for this cause.”, Shri Atul Bhatt added.

Shri Atul Bhatt thanked Dr.GitanjaliBatmanabane for her gracious presence and said that her presence and message will certainly inspire the women participants to scale greater height in professional life.

The Guest of honour, Dr Gitanjali Batmanabane, Pro-Vice Chancellor, GITAM Institute of Medical Sciences and Research(GIMSR) highlighted the need for women to develop the culture of courage to encounter the difficulties being faced in the society for success in their life. She said that India is known for youngest population and next gen women would play a dominant role in variety of fields. Dr.Gitanjali Batmanabane, Shri Atul Bhatt and Directors of RINL felicitated some of the women employees of RINL and also gave prizes to winners of various competitions held on the occasion.

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India and United States are committed to take the bilateral cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation to next level

 A US delegation of the premier National Science Foundation (NRF), currently on visit to India, today called on Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh and discussed bilateral collaboration between the two countries as well as the ways to carry this collaboration to the next level.

 

 

Dr. Kendra Sharp, Head, Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE), National Science Foundation (NSF) of USA, Brian Stone, Chief of Staff, NSF, USA, Dr. Bridget Turaga Program Director, Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE), NSF, Drew Schufletowski, Minister Counselor for Economic, Environment, Science and Technology Affairs, United States Embassy in India, William Harford Chief of Environment, Science, and Technology Unit, United States Embassy and Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan Director, National Science Foundation of United States, among others, were part of the delegation joined the meeting.

During the delegation level talks, Dr Jitendra Singh said, both the sides have already identified the sectors and collaboration is on in areas like healthcare, technology, Space, earth and ocean science, energy, emerging technologies and cooperation in Science & Technology education. The Minister underlined that India and the United States have a long-standing connection and shared interest when it comes to scientific discovery and technological innovations and time has come to strengthen and leverage these connects for larger global good.

Director, National Science Foundation (NSF) of United States and head of the delegation Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan assured Dr Jitendra Singh that the subjects identified in the two-day brainstorming session would be taken to logical conclusion. He also promised to open new avenues of cooperation in areas like Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, Geosciences and Astrophysics.

 

 

Dr Jitendra Singh said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always accorded highest priority to scientific pursuits and takes keen personal interest in each of the subjects. He said, since 2014, in every Independence Day speech, PM Modi has flagged key scientific challenges and projects like Cleanliness, Hydrogen Mission, Digital Health Care system, clean energy, net zero emission and Start-ups.

Dr Jitendra Singh told the NSF delegation that both sides must focus on meaningful, targeted, deliverable-driven R&D partnerships in technology areas such Quantum, Metaverse, Clean Energy Technologies, Cyber-Physical Systems, Advanced Materials and Communications Technologies. The Minister pointed out that the Indian Scientific diaspora is one of the world’s largest and powerful diaspora communities in shaping global discourse, particularly in the technological innovation landscape. He said, both the countries must explore avenues for the US and India to jointly identify, nurture, and promote deep-tech start-ups in areas of mutual interest.

Dr Jitendra Singh also sought the support of NSF for the proposed Integrated Data System. He said, data collection at present is being done by various institutions in different ways, but the Integrated Data System will go a long way in data analytics and associated benefits. The Minister said, the knowledge partnership with NSF-National Centre for Science and Engineering Statistics will be of great value addition in terms of long-term capacity development in this area.

Dr Jitendra Singh also called for scaling up the cooperation in the Space sector and mainly in emerging areas like management of space debris. He also recalled that the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite is expected to be launched in 2023. The Minister said, Science and technology education partnership has been another dimension of the outreach—to establish linkages between American and Indian institutions and students. Education Roundtable held last year with participation of a number of STEM-focused universities.

Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of PSA, Dr. Preeti Banzal, Adviser, Office of PSA, Dr. Monoranjan Mohanty, Adviser, Office of PSA, Dr. Sindura Ganapathi, PSA Fellow, hri Shirish Panda, Scientist ‘D’, Office of PSA and Dr. B. Chagun Basha, Senior Specialist, Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India joined the talks from Indian side.

 


Indo-US joint research projects to be implemented through TIHs

 Experts from the India and United States interacted to bring out the best plans for joint research projects that would be implemented through the Technology Innovation Hubs (TIH), at DST-NSF Joint Research and Development Projects Kick-off Workshop.

The workshop was organised by IIT Delhi in association with DST to discuss how the projects to be implemented by the six TIHs identified under NM-ICPS for collaborative research and development with NSF-supported institutions would leverage unique resources, such as testbeds and datasets available in India and in the US, expand collaborations on critical technologies like AI and advanced wireless, and encourage student and researcher exchange programs.

Dr Akhilesh Gupta, Senior Adviser, DST informed that a total of 35 joint projects have been identified which will be implemented by the Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs) and research institutions from USA. “This endeavor will further help us to achieve collaborative research and development between the two countries in the area of CPS,” he added.

 

 

US is our natural partner. Especially in science we have traditionally partnered and through collaborative projects the engagement will more deeper at the institution level, government level and even people level,” Dr Gupta pointed out.

Six TIHs under NM-ICPS have been identified for collaborative research and development with NSF-supported institutions. These projects aim at adding the component of international collaboration to existing research projects in both countries. The Hubs are part of a five-year, nearly $430 million investment by DST under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems and comprise academic researchers and industry partners.

“US is committed and proud to partner with India for prosperity and opportunity for all. These projects shall be aspirational and should be able to solve the societal problems,” NSF Director Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan.

Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director, Indian Institute of Delhi (IIT Delhi) said that this workshop will enable linkages and build up TIH to solve problems of society.

 

 

Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, and National Science Foundation (NSF) joined hands for collaborative research and development in Sept 2021 in thematic areas of Agriculture, Autonomous systems technologies and applications, Health and Environment, Rehabilitation and assistive robotics, and Smart cities covering various cyber-physical systems.

DST is implementing National Mission-Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NMICPS) with an outlay of Rs. 3,660.00 crore for a period of five years to encourage innovation in new age technologies. As part of the Mission implementation, 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs) have been established in reputed institutes across the country in advanced technologies to create a strong foundation and a seamless ecosystem for Cyber-Physical Systems, leading a platform for policymakers, researchers/innovators, premier institutes, start-ups, entrepreneurs, investors, industries and global connect as well.

The workshop was attended by Shri Sanjeev K Varshney, Head, International Corporation, DST; Dr. Ekta Kapoor, Head FFT Division; Dr. JBV Reddy, Scientist F, DST; Dr. Kendra Sharp, Head, Office of International Science and Engineering; Dr. Bridget Turaga, Program Director, O/o International Science & Engineering; Dr. Gurdip Singh, Director of the Division of Computer and Network Systems along with the representatives from TIHs and institutes from US.

NSF to reach out to unrepresented education institutions

 The US National Science  Foundation has expressed keenness to deepen and widen its collaborations with India in the education and skilling sectors. NSF Director Shri  Sethuraman Panchanathan met the Union Minister of Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi today, to discuss mutual areas of interest and India’s plans for STEM studies under the National Education Policy 2020. 

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Speaking at the meeting Shri Pradhan emphasized that India’s strength lies in its young demographics and strong knowledge base. He said a wealth of  talent is available in various institutions across different regions of the  country, waiting to be nurtured. NSF should therefore  look at increasing its engagement with lesser known and hitherto unrepresented institutions  like NITs, Central Universities and State Universities in addition to the premier  institutions in the country.  Referring to the education- skill continuum that is being created in accordance with NEP 2020, Shri Pradhan also emphasized the necessity of  bringing the  skill sector within the ambit of such collaboration by reaching out to institutions like polytechnics, ITIs and community colleges. He said it was top priority and responsibility of his Government to ensure that all youth, whether in  mainstream academics or in the formal or informal skill sector, get equal opportunity to quality education and skilling so that they are equipped to face the twenty first century challenges. 

NSF is an independent federal agency with the responsibility of promoting  scientific discovery, technological innovation and STEM education. With a budget of  US$8.8 billion, NSF is the major source of federal funding in fields such as mathematics, computer science and the social sciences . India’s engagements with the NSF include six Technology Innovation Hubs under which 8 institutions like IITs, IISc Bangalore and others are collaborating in 30 projects and some projects on Cyber Security. Director NSF is in India to explore ways to enhance these engagements.

Echoing India’s priorities Shri Panchanathan said that like India, inclusivity and accessibility of quality education are  a priority with the US Government too. He assured that NSA would reach out for collaboration with unrepresented institutions including those involved in skilling, so that talent in these places can also be nurtured.

Shri Pradhan has asked the Ministry of Education, led by AICTE, to prepare a framework for further engagement with the NSF, also consulting other relevant Ministries  in this regard.

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econfiguring curricular and pedagogical structure under NCF

 To take forward the process of widespread consultation for the development of the new National Curriculum Framework (NCF) based on the National Education Policy, 2020, the Ministry of Education held a meeting with senior officials/representatives of all Ministries and Departments of Govt. of India and important bodies including NCERT, Election Commission of India, ICAR, DRDO, etc. The meeting was chaired by Ms. Anita Karwal, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education (MoE), and focused on how ministries and organisations can contribute in developing a curriculum framework that is responsive and relevant to the developmental needs and interests of learners at different stages of their development.

In the said meeting, the officials present were first taken through a presentation by Ms LS Changsan, Additional Secretary, DoSEL, on how a curriculum framework is prepared, what are its deliverables and what is expected from them. Many areas of contribution were subsequently discussed, such as, the rapidly changing technology, need for innovation and generation of new ideas, need to focus on crucial areas like climate change, future skill requirements, crucial factors for agricultural growth, knowledge of India, especially in those areas where India is at the forefront for instilling a sense of pride, assistive technology for inclusion, enriching subject knowledge with real-life information, how to promote multilingualism, integration of sports, fitness, arts, etc.  The inputs from ministries would help in identifying and integrating several pertinent areas, skills and competencies in the NCF at relevant stages. It was also discussed that it would be very helpful if the ministries also point out their own role in taking certain ideas forward by partnering with school education ecosystem.

The key deliverables of NCF were discussed in detail, including, Early Childhood Care and Education, Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, Competency Based Education, Flexibility in Choice of Subjects in Secondary Classes, Reduction of Curriculum to Core Essentials, Reimagining Vocational education, Identification of Core Skills and Content, Inclusive Education, Multilingualism, Integrating Knowledge of India, citizenship, values like-appreciation of national heritage, respect for public property, taking care of elders, spirit of service, needs of Gifted Children,  Experiential learning, Integration of arts and craft, toys, health and well-being, sports and physical education Guidance and Counselling, Community involvement etc.

Given the crucial nature of the work undertaken by the MoE in preparing the new NCF, participants shared their ideas on how they would be able to contribute to the process. Ideas such as leveraging the innovation ecosystem of the Department of Science and Technology, understanding the efforts that go into agriculture to bring food on the table, the huge role of Gram panchayats in ensuring enrolment and retention in schools, the importance of imbibing volunteerism in early years, the need for every child to participate in activities related to physical health and well-being, focus on Divyang children, exposure to new technology from a young age, etc. were discussed. It was decided that all ministries would soon send written inputs for the National Steering Committee and NCERT to take cognizance of. In the end, the ministries were also requested to whole-heartedly participate in and disseminate the web-app based citizen survey being undertaken by NCERT on https://survey-ncf.inroad.in/#/ where the questionnaire is available in 22 Indian languages and in English.

The NCF process can be seen at: https://ncf.ncert.gov.in/#/web/home

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22nd ‘Bharat Rang Mahotsav’ at Rabindra Natya Mandir in Mumbai

 Maharashtra Governor Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari inaugurated the 22nd ‘Bharat Rang Mahotsav’ at Rabindra Natya Mandir in Mumbai today. The five-day drama festival (being held from August 9 to August 13, 2022) is being jointly organised by the Union Ministry of Culture and P.L. Deshpande Maharashtra Kala Akademi in the city to pay tribute to our freedom fighters. Veteran actress Rohini Hattangadi, Producer Director Satish Kaushik and Vani Tripathi Tikku also graced the inauguration ceremony in Mumbai today.  The Director of National School of Drama (NSD), Professor Ramesh Chandra Goud presided over the programme. 

Speaking on the occasion, Maharashtra Governor said that theatre is an important medium to spread joy, promote awareness and protect our rich heritage and culture.  Theatre has also an important role in showing us how we should be as a nation and society, he added. When the stories of great people such as freedom fighters are told through the plays of National Theatre Festival, it will provide inspiration for citizens to imbibe their qualities and make similar contribution, said the Governor. Speaking about the great role played by the NSD in shaping good actors, he expressed hope that more talented actors will come up from NSD. The Governor said that more theatre artists should come up and contribute positively to the society. Recalling that today is the 80th anniversary of the launch of Quit India Movement from Mumbai, the Governor wished all success for the Bharat Rang Mahotsav which showcases the contribution of Indian freedom fighters.

Actor Vani Tripathi said, “It is commendable that NSD has identified plays showcasing the stories of our freedom fighters from across the country. We all need to work together to make our youth too aware about the festival and the stories being portrayed in the plays of the festival”. Actor Rohini Hattangadi said, “This drama festival organized by the National School of Drama on the occasion of Amrit Mahotsav is a commendable initiative and it is an inspiration to the younger generation”.

NSD Director Professor Ramesh Chandra Goud stated that NSD has taken this initiative to remember the brave freedom fighters through various programmes on the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. Besides, a play called ‘Kargil Ek Shauryakatha’ was staged on Kargil Vijay Diwas a few days back, he added.

The festival is open for public. The festival will showcase plays of renowned theatre directors based on life and sacrifices of our freedom fighters. Hindi Drama ‘I am Subhash’ by Bhopal based theatre group ‘The Rising Society of Art and Culture’ and directed by Chandrahas Tiwari will be played on the first day of the festival. On August 10, Hindi play ‘Gandhi-Ambedkar’ by Mumbai-based Samyak Theatre and directed by Dr. Mangesh Bansod will be performed. Rupesh Pawar’s Hindi play “August Kranti” will be staged by Nagpur-based group ‘Rashtrabhasha Parivar Samajik Sanskritik Sanstha’  on August 11 and Marathi play “Tilak and Agarkar” directed by Sunil Joshi will be presented by Mumbai-based Abhijat Natya Sanstha and Shri Aryadurga Creations on August 12. The festival will conclude on August 13 with the Bhopal-based KARWAAN theatre group’s Hindi play ‘Rang De Basanti Chola’ which is directed by Mohammad Nazir Qureshi.

Over the five day festival in Mumbai, noted theatre personalities from Maharashtra will be felicitated from the stage of Bharat Rang Manch. This list includes Sohani Kumar, Anand Panchal, Ullas Surve, Chandrashekhar vaman kirdavkar, Pange Rohidas, Sharad Sawant, Lau Raul, Nayana Apte, Balu Mama Ghodke, Sushma Deshpande and Abhiram Bhadakmakar.

As part of the 22nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav, 2022 (Azadi Segment), 30 plays are being showcased in Delhi, Bhubaneshwar, Varanasi, Amritsar, Bengaluru and Mumbai from 16th July to 14th August, 2022. Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) (भारत रंग महोत्सव) or the National Theatre Festival, started in 1999, is the annual theatre festival organized by National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi. Bharat Rang Manch was started to stimulate the growth and development of theatre across the country. Originally a national festival showcasing the work of the most creative theatre workers in India, it has evolved to international scope, hosting theatre companies from around the world, and is now the largest theatre festival of Asia. The National School of Drama is India’s premier theatre training institute funded by Govt. Of India.

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The cooperative model allows people with limited capital to come together and work on a large scale

 The Union Home and Cooperation Minister, Shri Amit Shah launched the onboarding of cooperatives on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal, today in New Delhi. The program organized by the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India, the National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) and GeMwas also attended by Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri PiyushGoyal, Union Minister of State for Cooperation and North East Region Development Shri B.L.Verma and the NCUI President Shri DilipSanghani and many other dignitaries.

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In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that today is a very important day in Indian history. In 1942, on August 9, Gandhijibegan the Quit India Movement against British Rule and today another important work is being done task is taking place on the occasion ofAzadikaAmritMahotsav on August 9, in which access to GeMhas been given to cooperative societies in the country.  He said there is immense potential in the cooperative sector and the GeM portal will be a very useful platform for the expansion of this sector. The Union Minister of Cooperation said most of units of the government buy through GeM, so cooperatives should also start preparing for registration for supply on GeM to increase their market. He also appealed to the National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) to expand marketing of cooperatives and for this there can be no better way than the GeM.

The Cooperation Minister said this sector has been neglected since Independence, but Prime MinisterNarendraModi is accelerating its expansion with historic reforms and modernization. Under the leadership of Shri Modi, the Ministry of Cooperation has taken a number of measures for expansion and in the last year the Ministry has been continuously working on 25 to 30 initiatives.

The government has to expand cooperatives but there is no database, therefore the ministry is also creating a national level database of different categories of cooperatives. Arrangements for training will also be made available. Shri Shah said an export house is also being registered the work for which will be completed by December. It will provide a platform for export from cooperatives across the country. He said radical changes are also being made in the Multistate Cooperative Act and the government led by Shri NarendraModi has also decided to computerize all PACS.

 Amit Shah said population size is a great advantage in aneconomy, because ultimately the population is also the market. Till 2014, India’s population was 130 crore, but the market was only 60 crore,as 70 crore people did not have purchasing capacity. 60 crore people worried about their next meal andother basic needs and generations went through the same ordeal. Prime Minister Shri NarendraModiopened bank accounts, provided gas cylinders, toilets, electricity, pure drinking water and food grains free of cost to the poor and as a result awakened the aspirations of these 60 crore people by fulfilling their basic needsand cooperatives havethe potential to fulfil all these aspirations. Today after fulfilling their primary needs, these people have ambitions to move ahead in life by earning more money and through cooperatives they can fulfil these ambitions. Shri Amit Shah said if these 60 crore people have justRs. 5,000, they can run the biggest of cooperatives. Giving the example of Amul, Shri Shah said today this cooperative has crosseda turnover of Rs.60,000crore and20 lakh women members are not only running the cooperative,but havealso been  making profits for many years.

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The Union Cooperation Minister said the cooperative model is a model in which even with limited capital people can come together and undertake large tasks easily. He said earlier the cooperative model did not have much potential, but Shri NarendraModihas awakened the aspirations of 60 crore people. He said if a system does not change itself with the times, then it becomes out dated, and therefore it is necessary to improve the cooperative system for the expansion of the sector. India’s cooperative system is 115 years old, the laws are also very old, thoughsmall changes have takenplace from time to time, radical changes and modernization according to the times have not taken place.

Shri Shah said now the cooperative sector cannot be given second class treatment, however there is a need to bring about change and to move in the direction of bringing transparency and for cooperatives to prepare themselves for change. The GeM portal will be very useful in bringing in transparency in the cooperative sector and when there is transparency, the trust of farmers and milk producers will also increase on the committees and their members. He said that by bringing theGeM portal, Shri NarendraModihas brought in transparency in government procurement. This is a new system, and therefore there may be some initial administrative problems, but no one should doubt the intention of bringing in this new system. Shri Shah said it is also very important to bring transparency in three areas within cooperatives – elections, recruitment and purchase. There can be no better medium than theGeM to bring transparency in procurement. The Union Minister of Cooperation said he is confident that the world will recognize this successful model of transparent government procurement in the next five5 years.

The UnionMinister of Cooperation said he is very optimistic about the future of GeM’s journey under the leadership of Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Shri PiyushGoyal. He said of the589 of the committees to be added have a turnover of about Rs.100croreare of the state government and till date 289 of them have joined, as well as 45 of the 54 multistate cooperativeshave also joined, which is a huge achievement. Also more than 10,000 products and more than 288 services have been listed. Till now business worthRs. 2.78 lakh thousand crore has also been completed which is a huge achievement of the GeM. Shri Shah said this day is important for the Nation as the Quit India movement began on August 9 and six years ago on August 9 the GeM wasalso launched and todayonboarding of cooperatives has been initiated on this day.Shri Amit Shah congratulatedthose associated with cooperatives, the entire team of the GeM and eight lakh cooperative societies and especially Shri PiyushGoyal.

 

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The world sees India as an engine of economic growth

 Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri PiyushGoyal today said that the world now sees India as an engine of economic growth. He was addressing the gathering at the VyapariUdyamiSammelan in New Delhi today.

Stressing that India enjoyed the confidence of the world today, Shri Goyal said that developed countries very keen to sign trade deals with India now. He added that before 2014, Indian economy was considered to be fragile and investors had their doubts bout doing business with India.

Stressing upon the need for transparency and ease of doing business, the Minister assured traders and entrepreneurs that the Government will fully support traders who raise their voice against harassment by any authority.

He called upon traders to work with the Government to reduce compliance burden of people and businesses, but asked that they strictly follow ethical trade practices. Unnecessary, cumbersome and counter-productive laws and regulations must be uprooted to improve ease of doing business, he added.

He asked traders to give priority to the quality of goods and services that India offered. He also underscored the need to encourage youngsters to come forward and lend a youthful energy to India’s growth story with new ideas. The clarion call of ‘vocal for local’ given by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi must be taken up by the youth of the nation, the Minister said. He added that we must also encourage more and more women to become traders and entrepreneurs.

Applauding Prime Minister’s visionary welfare policies, Shri Goyal said that these policies have been helping the poor emerge as consumers and have successfully transformed India’s population into its greatest strength. He added that the Prime Minister’s tireless work had ensured that every household in the country gets access to basic amenities such as cooking gas, drinking water, electricity and toilet and every village gets access to the internet. Shri Goyal said that the policies of the government had also given every Indian the courage to be ambitious and the confidence to aspire to become entrepreneurs.

The Minister also emphasized that traders and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) should benefit from demand of goods by beneficiaries of the Prime Minister’s welfare schemes. He asked all traders, entrepreneurs, and businesses, both big and small, to take a collective resolve to work together to take forward the dream of a self-reliant India by promoting more and more Indian products.

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Policymaking and implementation should be a two way process with people’s participation

 The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu today emphasised the need for constant dialogue between the people and the governments for citizen centric and responsive governance. He said that policymaking and implementation should be a two way process with people’s participation at every stage. 

Addressing the Indian Information Service officers of 2018 and 2019 batches who came to call on him at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas today, Shri Naidu highlighted the role of communication in bridging the divide between the governments and citizens. “In a democracy, people need to be empowered through timely information on government’s policies and initiatives in their mother tongues. On the other hand, governments also need to be apprised of people’s expectations and aspirations in an objective and timely manner,” he said.

Referring to the mass behavioral change campaign undertaken as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission, Shri Naidu said that the success of any reform depends on the cooperation from the people. He further said that people will understand and support an initiative better when they have been involved in its planning and implementation strategy from the beginning.

Describing India as the largest Parliamentary democracy in the world, he said that the purpose of any reform process should be to make people’s life happy and prosperous. “Therefore, the focus of all government policy measures should be on bringing lasting happiness to people’s lives,” he told the officers, and at the same time, underscored the need to bear with “temporary pain for long term gain”.

IIS officers of 2018 and 2019 batches in group photographs with the Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu

Mentioning that the ICT revolution and spread of the internet have fundamentally changed the way we consume news, he cautioned that this ‘ease of information’ comes with its associated risks. “Misinformation, disinformation and fake news have emerged as new challenges which need to be promptly tackled by the government communicators round the clock,” he added. The Vice President also cautioned against the misuse of social media by certain anti-social elements, the Vice President called for curbing such tendencies at the earliest.

Drawing attention to the growing trend of ‘instant journalism’ triggered by the emergence of Internet and social media expansion, Shri Naidu expressed concerns about the erosion of journalistic norms and ethos due to this. He emphasized the importance of neutrality and objectivity in media reporting and said that news should not be mixed with views. “Media is the fourth pillar of democracy and its neutrality, objectivity and fairness is crucial for survival of India’s democratic ethos,” he stressed.

The Vice President asked the young officers to bring forth many developmental stories from across the nation. “You as government communicators should also make all efforts to ensure that the good work being done by various ministries and departments is covered adequately by the media,” he told them. Terming information & psychological warfare as an important dimension of modern day wars, Shri Naidu advised the IIS officers to develop expertise in these emerging and strategic areas.

Referring to the increasing frequency of extreme climatic events and erratic weather patterns across the globe, the Vice President asked the young officers to run a mass media campaign for nature conservation and environmental protection. “If you love nature, nature will protect you,” he told them.

Cautioning against the populist measures to garner votes by various political parties, Shri Naidu said that the freebie culture has led to deteriorating financial health of many states. “Government should definitely support the poor and needy, but at the same time should prioritize health, education and infrastructure development,” he said.

In his address, his last as the Vice President of India, Shri Naidu said that “the key to my rise from an ordinary farmer’s son to the second highest constitutional post in the country lies in sheer hard work, single minded devotion and constant travel and interaction with the people in every part of the country.”  I have learned a lot by meeting and talking to the people, he said.

Congratulating the officer trainees for joining the prestigious Civil Services, he exhorted them to work for transforming the lives of people in the country. It may be noted that the Indian Information Service (IIS) is a Central Group ‘A’ Service whose members work as the media managers of the Government of India. The IIS officers, in their various capacities, act as a vital communication link between the Government and the people by way of disseminating information and communicating various Government policies and schemes to the public at large.

Prof. (Dr.) Sanjay Dwivedi, Director General, IIMC, Shri Ashish Goel, ADG, IIMC, Dr Rinku Pegu, Associate Professor IIMC & Training Coordinator for IIS officers, officers of Indian Information Service batches of 2018 & 2019 were present during the interaction. Prof. Sanjay Dwivedi also presented his book titled, “Bharat Bodh ka Naya Samay” to the Vice President on this occasion.

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