IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University)

IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University) offers various courses and programs through different schools. Here are some of the schools and their respective groups:

Schools and Groups

  1. School of Social Sciences (SOSS)
    1. Bachelor of Arts (BA)
    2. Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
    3. Master of Arts (MA) in various disciplines
  2. School of Humanities (SOH)
    1. Bachelor of Arts (BA) in various disciplines
    2. Master of Arts (MA) in various disciplines
  3. School of Education (SOE)
    1. Bachelor of Education (B.Ed)
    2. Master of Education (M.Ed)
    3. Diploma in Elementary Education (DElEd)
  4. School of Sciences (SOS)
    1. Bachelor of Science ((link unavailable)) in various disciplines
    2. Master of Science ((link unavailable)) in various disciplines
  5. School of Management Studies (SOMS)
    1. Master of Business Administration (MBA)
    2. Post-Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDIM)
  6. School of Law (SOL)
    1. Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Law (BA LLB)
    2. Master of Laws (LLM)
  7. School of Engineering and Technology (SOET)
    1. Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in various disciplines
    2. Master of Technology (M.Tech) in various disciplines
  8. School of Health Sciences (SOHS)
    1. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN)
    2. Master of Science in Nursing (MScN)
    3. Post Basic Bachelor of Science in Nursing (PBBScN)
  9. School of Computer and Information Sciences (SOCIS)
    1. Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA)
    2. Master of Computer Applications (MCA)
    3. Post-Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications (PGDCA)
  10. School of Continuing Education (SOCE)
    1. Certificate and Diploma programs in various disciplines

Please note that the courses and programs offered by IGNOU may change over time. It’s always best to check the official IGNOU website for the most up-to-date information.

Atal Academy – An Initiative of AICTE

Atal Academy is an initiative launched by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to promote quality improvement and professional development among faculty members in higher education institutions, particularly in technical and engineering domains. The academy aims to foster innovation, upskill educators, and ensure the dissemination of the latest developments in technology and pedagogy.

Key Features and Objectives:

1. Faculty Development: Atal Academy organizes specialized Faculty Development Programs (FDPs) in various emerging areas of technology, management, and pedagogy. These programs help teachers enhance their teaching methodologies and technical expertise.

2. Focus on Emerging Technologies: The courses are designed to introduce faculty to cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Machine Learning, Blockchain, Robotics, IoT (Internet of Things), and more, ensuring they stay updated with the latest trends.

3. Capacity Building: The academy aims to build the capacity of educators to meet the challenges of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, including multidisciplinary teaching approaches, research capabilities, and innovation in teaching.

4. Nationwide Reach: Atal Academy operates through multiple centers across India to ensure that faculty in remote and less-developed regions have access to high-quality training resources.

5. Industry Collaboration: Many of the FDPs and training sessions are conducted in collaboration with leading industry experts, researchers, and international organizations, ensuring practical exposure and application of concepts.

6. Online and Offline Modules: The academy provides both online and offline training to cater to diverse learning preferences. The online mode has gained popularity for its flexibility, especially post-pandemic.

7. Personalized Learning: Faculty members can choose courses based on their interests and expertise, encouraging personalized and focused learning experiences.

Programs and Activities:

1. Workshops and FDPs: Atal Academy regularly conducts short-term workshops and FDPs on topics such as Sustainable Development, Green Technology, Big Data Analytics, and Smart Manufacturing.

2. Train-the-Trainer Initiatives: Programs aimed at training a group of educators who will, in turn, train other faculty members, thus creating a multiplier effect in knowledge dissemination.

3. Research-Oriented Training: Emphasis on improving research skills among faculty, with sessions dedicated to scientific writing, securing patents, and collaborative research opportunities.

4. Interdisciplinary Courses: Courses are often designed to be interdisciplinary, integrating aspects of engineering, management, humanities, and science, reflecting real-world problem-solving approaches.

5. Certification: Participants receive AICTE-recognized certificates upon successful completion of courses, adding value to their professional credentials.

Impact of Atal Academy:

Improved Teaching Standards: By equipping educators with updated knowledge and skills, Atal Academy directly enhances the quality of teaching in technical institutions.

Boost to Innovation: Exposure to modern tools and research methods fosters innovation in both teaching and project development.

Bridging the Skill Gap: Faculty trained under Atal Academy programs are better equipped to prepare students for the evolving demands of the job market.

Support for NEP 2020 Goals: The academy plays a crucial role in achieving the goals of the NEP 2020, particularly in promoting research, technology-driven education, and interdisciplinary learning.

Future Goals:

1. Expand its reach to more institutions and cover a wider array of subjects, including arts, sciences, and law.

2. Collaborate with global universities to provide world-class resources and training.

3. Foster more entrepreneurship and innovation-focused programs for educators.

4. Leverage AI and analytics to tailor training programs based on faculty needs and institutional requirements.

Atal Academy is a cornerstone in India’s efforts to transform its technical education landscape, ensuring educators are equipped to inspire and guide the next generation of innovators and leaders.

One need to spend 4 years instead of 3, to graduate in honours degree.

Students looking to earn an honours degree in undergraduate courses will have to pursue four-year programmes under new regulations likely to be announced by the University Grants Commission this week,  PTI reported.

“Students will be able to get a UG [undergraduate] degree in three years on completion of 120 credits (measured through the number of academic hours) and a UG honours degree in four years on completion of 160 credits,” the news agency quoted from the draft Curriculum and Credit Framework of the University Grants Commission.

At present, students get an honours degree after completing three years of undergraduate programmes. Under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, universities and colleges will offer four-year undergraduate degrees with multiple exit and entry options. Several universities, including DU, and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), have already adopted the programme.

A senior UGC official, requesting anonymity, said, “There will be only one honours degree, that is four-year UG with honours or honours with research. The regulations will be applicable for students who will be enrolled under the new norms from this year onwards.”

Emerging career options among Indian youth.

Empirical research by various trade organizations, media houses, and the Indian government clearly point towards a single fact: Youth can’t find jobs because they opt for traditionally favourite courses such as medicine, engineering and management. Rather than breaking away from the flock, study emerging trends and finding new generation careers, Indian youth pursue careers they wrongly believe would secure an excellent future.

Blogging

Blogging isn’t something that quirks with a flair for writing engage in. Instead, it’s a top class new generation career for youth. Blogging can help you get high-paying jobs with top companies or make money from home with minimal investment. All you require is passion or in-depth knowledge about a topic or field with creative writing and presentation skills.

Instagram Influencer

Almost every popular brand in the world is on Instagram. And for a reason too: this photo and video sharing website has over 800 million users worldwide. No business worth its name can afford to neglect Instagram as an effective marketing too. Nor can it overlook the importance of influencer marketing through Instagram.

Mobile Applications Developer

As cheaper smartphones and inexpensive mobile data packages flood the Indian market, there’s a correspondingly high demand for Android and IOS –based apps. India’s emergence as a digital economy is imminent. And the country’s moving rapidly towards digitization in various important spheres such as governance, law & order as well as healthcare. In coming years, most Indians will depend heavily on mobile apps for various activities. And organizations are already under pressure to provide apps that ease various processes such as application for services and jobs.

Digital Marketing

By using digital marketing strategies businesses can create their online presence in the form of a website, increasing more traffic to their website, attracting the target customers, interacting with the end customers in real time, collaborating with other businesses for more promotions, all this in an extremely cost efficient way. Digital marketing has helped businesses create their brand value thereby increasing trust and confidence of their customers. This has led to tremendous increase in the demand for many skilled digital marketing professionals for every business, big or small.

Virtual Gaming

The gaming landscape, especially PC and console gaming in India, has changed over the last few years. The major credit for this can be given to the nationwide availability of high-speed internet connectivity. Not only has this contributed to the increasing number of online gamers but gaming is now being considered a viable career option in the country.

Online Professional Degrees.

Online degree courses are by definition, those courses which can offer a degree certificate from an accredited university or college upon completion of the course by a student through the online or digital medium of the Internet. Online courses are preferred by many students who want a flexible course where they can study at their own time and place. 

Indians saw a sudden rise in online education in recent times, bringing one of the most debated subjects in the field of e-learning. There are several Indian universities offering online courses in India, thus putting an end to the drawbacks of classroom-based learning, such as location, accessibility, transport, and cost. Moreover, thousands of students in India move to different countries to get higher education and professional prospects. With Indian universities providing online courses, students can gain world quality education at the comfort of their home. For many online learning has become a way to complete their higher education. It has become a boon for working professionals as well as anyone who has other engagements to opt for online courses as it doesn’t carve into their already busy schedule. Some of the most enrolled online courses by students are :

  • Online BA
  • Online B.Com
  • Online BSc
  • Online BBA
  • Online MBA
  • Online MCA
  • Online MSc
  • Online Accounting Courses
  • Online Language master course
  • Online Content Writing course

Various websites that are providing these certified courses are.

  • Udemy
  • Coursera
  • SkillShare
  • Upgrad
  • LinkedIn Learing
  • Edx
  • UdaCity
  • Code Academy
  • Future Learn
  • Alison

Online Platforms for Learning.

An online learning platform is a webspace or portal for educational content and resources that offers a student everything they need in one place: lectures, resources, opportunities to meet and chat with other students, and more. It is also an excellent way for the student and the teacher to monitor student progress. Whether you want to learn a new language or obtain career-advancing certifications, signing up for an online course could be just the perfect solution. The online class is typically provided through online learning platforms. 

Online learning has numerous advantages over traditional learning methods. Some of these include the possibility for students to make use of self-paced learning and to choose their own learning environments. Additionally, e-learning is both cost-effective and cost-efficient, as it removes the geographical obstacles often associated with traditional classrooms and education. The benefits of an online course platform are that both students and teachers can track the students’ progress through the course material, and everything is neatly organized in one place. Additionally, students may also have an option of interacting with each other on the platform.

Some of the popular Online learning (e-learning) platforms.

Coursera.

Coursera isn’t just a place to take classes that are like college courses—it actually offers real academic courses from real professors and universities at a fraction of the cost of getting an online degree. The platform partners with over 200 universities and companies to provide real learning experiences that can connect to real-world benefits. In some cases, you can even earn certifications or degrees entirely through Coursera, which can then potentially lead to professional benefits like raises, promotions, and more. 

Course Hero.

Course Hero is home to study resources, 24/7 homework help and textbook guides to provide students across top institutions with tailored reinforcement of the courses in which they are enrolled. The library of materials uploaded to Course Hero’s platform can be searched by either school or textbook to find the exact resource a student needs, with tutors available to provide total support.

Edx.

Generally, this online learning platform has a high-end pedigree. edX was established by graduates from both MIT and Harvard University. Real college courses that are generated and taught by real college tutors are available in a vast array of topics and fields. They have a slight leaning toward the Science, Technology, Mathematics, and Engineering fields. Nonetheless, there are plenty of topics in the humanities, arts, and languages as well. By partnering with the universities, this course provides professional degree certificates as well as the “micro” degree programs at both the bachelor’s and the master’s levels. In this sense, they largely serve as tools for professional development. 

Skill Share.

Whereas many online class platforms do confer college-style classes, Skillshare is not formal and is mainly targeted at boosting creative skills. Some business and marketing classes exist on this online education platform. Most of the courses though tend to have a focus on the creative fields and are administered by practicing experts in various fields. Common examples of these fields are interior design, visual arts, animations, films, and photography. 

LinkedIn Learning.

Formerly called Lynda.com, LinkedIn Learning is an educational platform that confers professional course training in the fields of technology, business, creative fields, and technology-related areas mainly in the form of videos. The online learning marketplace is largely available as a premium service for the users of LinkedIn and has so far provided well over 16,000 courses in a whopping 7 languages. Its focus is mainly to aid individuals in investing in their professional development. 

Udemy.

If you want to learn something, it’s probably on Udemy. The site is less of a unified platform and more of a portal or repository where students can access well over 100,000 courses on every topic imaginable. There’s not one standard format for a Udemy course—the platform allows instructors to design multimedia lectures with audio, video, and text elements, plus readings, quizzes, and other activities. Udemy allows students to preview classes they’re interested in and does offer a 30-day refund if you’re dissatisfied.

FutureLearn.

FutureLearn lets you learn online from universities and companies all over the world, including Anglia Ruskin University, King’s College London, Monash University, and the University of Wollongong. On top of their university partnerships, they also partner with specialist organizations such as Accenture, Amnesty International, the British Library, and UNESCO. From personal development video lessons to employment-related course content, FutureLearn definitely deserves its place near the top of our best online learning platforms list.

Key skills one should learn.

Learning new skills is a habit that helps in career, profession, business, and daily life. It can be a technological skill, business management, resume writing, designing, marketing, advertising skills or basic computer skills. Consistent learning and skills development is important for everyone. It’s not only important for students, job seekers, professionals but also important for housewives, seniors citizens and leaders of various field.

Learning means, one self is practicing existing skills, experimenting with new imaginations, reading from books, learning from the internet, doing online and offline courses, learning by observing others, learning from failures and success of others and learning from the problems that you’re facing. Learning new skills is like watering a plant. Its connect to growth. And to grow in business, career and a student it’s important to learn new skills. So that you will become fruitful for companies, people and nation.

Some of the key soft skills are.

Communication skills

Communication skills are the most common and frequently used professional skills in our life. You use communication skills to give and receive different kinds of information, and it helps you to understand and be understood by others while communicating. These skills may include sharing ideas with others, actively listening to conversations, responding, and public speaking.

Teamwork skills

Teamwork skills are the qualities and abilities that allow you to work with a group of people during conversations, projects, meetings or other collaborations to achieve a common goal. Your teamwork skills are dependent on your ability to communicate well, actively listen and be responsible and honest. 

Time management

Time management is the process of organising, planning, and dividing your time between specific activities. Good time management skills enable you to work smarter, not harder. If you work smartly, you will get more done in less time, even when time is tight and pressures are high. Failing to manage your time while performing a task will damage your effectiveness and cause stress. 

Creative Thinking

Creative thinking means your ability to use the imagination to generate new ideas or ability to think about a task or a problem in a new or different way. Creative thinkers look at things from a unique perspective which is invisible to others. They can find patterns and make connections to find opportunities in complex systems. If you are a creative thinker, it will assist you to solve complex problems or find interesting ways to approach tasks.

Interpersonal skills

Interpersonal skills are the traits you rely on when you are interacting and communicating with others. These skills often indicate your ability to communicate and build relationships with others. Interpersonal skills are often called people skills. Because they combine both your innate personality characteristics and how you’ve learned to handle certain social situations. If you use interpersonal skills effectively, these skills can help you during the job interview process and can also have a positive impact on your career advancement.

Leadership skills

Leadership skills are those skills you often use when organizing other people to reach a shared goal or complete a task. It doesn’t matter if you are in a management position or leading a project, leadership skills require you to motivate others to complete a series of tasks before the deadline.

Some of the professional skills, one should learn are.

Graphics Designing

Graphic design is the art of making visual content to communicate messages. Designers apply different page layout methods and visual hierarchy by using letters and pictures to meet the need of end-users. Most companies use graphic design to sell their product or services and to convey complicated information by using infographics.

Web Development

It refers to developing and maintaining web pages, including bits and pieces of concepts like web design, web programming, web publishing, and database management. Further, it includes various types of web development tools and techniques such as text editors for manually coding the websites, Dreamweaver for developing a web page, using a blogging website to update blogs, and more. Having web development language skills will help candidates stand out from the rest. Prominent web developer skills include understanding HTML, design skills, and analytical knowledge.

Animation Designer

Animation design requires a balance of computer software and creativity skills to create animating graphics for an array of industries, including film, television, and marketing. Animation design is the act of creating visual effects and animations for a variety of multimedia, including video games, videos, and digital assets like websites and apps. These effects and animations can be 2D or 3D (CGI) and range from a simple loading icon that indicates something is happening behind the scenes to a full-scale animated video. 

Audio and Video editing

Knowing how to alter video and audio files can be a useful skill, especially for jobs in marketing and entertainment. This capability often requires expertise in editing software, which allows you to manipulate individual clips or add special effects. 

Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a digital marketing strategy that allows companies to improve their website content so it might appear higher on the first page of a search engine’s results. This may involve using best technical practices to compose text, select image formats and include links that connect between two separate pages on a website.

Demography

Demography is the study of human population dynamics. Population is shaped by a number of factors including fertility, mortality, migration and urbanization. Significant demographic changes have been shown in many parts of the world. The world population growth has been decelerating since 1970s. Fertility rates in more developed countries (MDCs) have been showing a declining trend, whereas an increasing one in the less developed countries (LDCs). Mortality rates have gone down in both MDCs and LDCs due to medical advancement. Consequently, the population of the countries with low fertility rates aged more quickly, and the world population growth will be concentrated in those developing countries where fertility rates remain high. Uneven population growth among nations accelerated the migration of people across nation borders and the growth of cities. The changes of these interrelated factors with their causes and problems of each of the factors will be discussed, followed by some possible plans and opportunities that may benefit from these changes.Human birth rate (natality) is the fertility expressed as the average number of live births per thousand populations per year. Since not all age groups in a population have equal fertility, demographers often use more specialized measures of birth rates that relate to age groups.Human mortality rate is the average number of individuals who die per thousand populations per year.

Again, demographers often use more sensitive measures, for different mortality rates. Both the very young and the very old segments of the population have higher mortality rates than are found in other age groups.Human population shows uneven or clumping pattern of distri­bution on earth. The density of human population in a village, district, city, province, country or any area can be obtained by di­viding the total number of persons living in the given region by the total land area of that region.The average number of people per square unit of land area tells us how dense or sparse is the popu­lation in a giver, area. The average population density of the world is calculated about 27 persons per square kilometre.insurance agents to determine life insurance rates.

These early demographic studies were mostly concerned with mortality. However, in the 19th century, studies showed that there was a decline in the number of births, and researchers began to study fertility as well as mortality. These studies led to the idea of “differential fertility.” Differential fertility suggests that different groups within a population have different numbers of children due to factors, such as religion, cultural attitudes, poverty, and employment. Migration of people is the last main factor in demographic studies. It is these three variables (mortality, fertility, and migration) that contribute to population change.Demographers gather data mainly through government censuses and government registries of births and deaths. However, these sources can be inaccurate depending on the precision of government records. Demographers also gather data indirectly through surveying smaller groups within a population. These samples are then examined using statistical models to draw conclusions about the whole population.


Demography is changing us as we are older societies, we’re living longer. How the generations balance each other out, how that affects education and health care.

Pharmacology

Pharmacology is the science that deals with drugs.Pharmacology consists of detailed study of drugs, particularly drugs action on living animals, tissues or organs. The action of drugs may be beneficial or harmful.Pharmacology is the science in which we study the response of living animals to chemicals drug Pharmacology is defined as the study of the effects of drugs on the structures and metabolism of natural tissues.Pharmacology can be defined as the study of the manner in which the functions of living system is affected or influenced by chemicals.This subject deals with the properties and effects of drugs and in broad sense, it can be defined as the study of interactions between chemical substances and biological systems.While defining in broad sense, it includes the knowledge of the history, source, physical and chemical properties, compounding, bio-chemical and physiological effects, mechanism of action, absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and therapeutic and other effects of drugs.

Diseases are as old as man. Fighting disease with drugs is an endless task that originated from existence of mankind. Drugs have its origin with illness and the later has been associated with evolution. Just imagine about the nomads, the primitive man, who was wanderer, a food gatherer and shelter seeking. There was no concept of family.There were no clothes, men and women were wandering naked. Gradually the notion of family started and he lived together with so called his family members. If any of them died the pain of death he might have felt. He must have thought about death. Why some person dies? And then fear of death might have occurred to him. He must have started thinking about death.Homosapiens being the intelligent most among the species evolved, based on the principles of “necessity” and “trial” could observe effectiveness of many plants in relief for his pains and sufferings. The primitive (early) history of the causative agents of diseases included wrong Gods, spirits witches and other evil influences.
The form of therapy was incantation, prayer and ceremony designed to appease the evil agents of the diseases. They were using sacrifice of animals, individuals and prayers.The tribal leaders were known as medicine men or the expert or witch doctors (Ojha), were very powerful men and leader in such all ceremonies. In addition, they had knowledge about certain plants and animal products to be used in the treatment of certain diseases. The first treatise on medicine was undoubtedly the Ayurveda in India and that is at least 500 years ahead of the Greek Medicine.The medical literature was related to metaphysics, hypnotism etc. and belief in supernatural agencies as the cause and cure of diseases. Thus, in India, this was originally a part of the fourth Veda called the Atharva Veda. The real father of Indian Medicine was Atrya with his distinguished disciples-Agnivesha, Bhala, Jatukarana, parasara, Harita and Ksharapani.

Started with Oswald Schmiedeberg (1838-1921). He was excellent teacher of Pharmacology and attracted many persons to study this subject. Like other experimental sciences, Pharmacology, too, is highly dependent upon development in other branches of science.Spectacular developments in physiology, biochemistry, organic chemistry and molecular biology have greatly contributed in advancement of pharmacology. Conversion of the old pharmacology into modern pharmacology is fairly recent and probably started taking shape following introduction of experimental procedures in animals by Francois Megendie (1783-1855) and Claude Bernard (1813-1978).Oswald Schmiedeberg (1838-1921) introduced the technique of per-fusing isolated organs and study the effects of drugs on them. Abel, Cushny, Gottlieb and a galaxy of his other students popularized the expertise in their respective, countries. Thus Oswald become popular as ‘Father of modern Pharmacology’.


Pharmacology is benefited by the prepared mind. You need to know what you are looking for.

General issues on Environmental ecology

The environment plays a significant role to support life on earth. But there are some issues that are causing damages to life and the ecosystem of the earth. It is related to the not only environment but with everyone that lives on the planet. Besides, its main source is pollution, global warming, greenhouse gas, and many others. The everyday activities of human are constantly degrading the quality of the environment which ultimately results in the loss of survival condition from the earth.There are hundreds of issue that causing damage to the environment. But in this, we are going to discuss the main causes of environmental issues because they are very dangerous to life and the ecosystem.

Pollution – It is one of the main causes of an environmental issue because it poisons the air, water, soil, and noise. As we know that in the past few decades the numbers of industries have rapidly increased. Moreover, these industries discharge their untreated waste into the water bodies, on soil, and in air. Most of these wastes contain harmful and poisonous materials that spread very easily because of the movement of water bodies and wind. Greenhouse Gases – These are the gases which are responsible for the increase in the temperature of the earth surface. This gases directly relates to air pollution because of the pollution produced by the vehicle and factories which contains a toxic chemical that harms the life and environment of earth. Climate Changes – Due to environmental issue the climate is changing rapidly and things like smog, acid rains are getting common. Also, the number of natural calamities is also increasing and almost every year there is flood, famine, drought, landslides, earthquakes, and many more calamities are increasing.

Development recognises that social, economic and environmental issues are interconnected, and that decisions must incorporate each of these aspects if there are to be good decisions in the longer term.For sustainable development, accurate environment forecasts and warnings with effective information on pollution which are essential for planning and for ensuring safe and environmentally sound socio-economic activities should be made known.


THE EARTH IS WHAT WE
ALL HAVE IN COMMAN

History of India & Indian National Movement.

Early times the Indian subcontinent appears to have provided an attractive habitat for human occupation. Toward the south it is effectively sheltered by wide expanses of ocean, which tended to isolate it culturally in ancient times, while to the north it is protected by the massive ranges of the Himalayas, which also sheltered it from the Arctic winds and the air currents of Central Asia. Only in the northwest and northeast is there easier access by land, and it was through those two sectors that most of the early contacts with the outside world took place.

Within the framework of hills and mountains represented by the Indo-Iranian borderlands on the west, the Indo-Myanmar borderlands in the east, and the Himalayas to the north, the subcontinent may in broadest terms be divided into two major divisions: in the north, the basins of the Indus and Ganges (Ganga) rivers (the Indo-Gangetic Plain) and, to the south, the block of Archean rocks that forms the Deccan plateau region. The expansive alluvial plain of the river basins provided the environment and focus for the rise of two great phases of city life: the civilization of the Indus valley, known as the Indus civilization, during the 3rd millennium BCE; and, during the 1st millennium BCE, that of the Ganges. To the south of this zone, and separating it from the peninsula proper, is a belt of hills and forests, running generally from west to east and to this day largely inhabited by tribal people. This belt has played mainly a negative role throughout Indian history in that it remained relatively thinly populated and did not form the focal point of any of the principal regional cultural developments of South Asia. However, it is traversed by various routes linking the more-attractive areas north and south of it. The Narmada (Narbada) River flows through this belt toward the west, mostly along the Vindhya Range, which has long been regarded as the symbolic boundary between northern and southern India.

India’s movement for Independence occurred in stages elicit by the inflexibility of the Britishers and in various instances, their violent responses to non-violent protests. It was understood that the British were controlling the resources of India and the lives of its people, and as far as this control was ended India could not be for Indians.

On 28 December 1885 Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on the premises of Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit School at Bombay. It was presided over by W.C Banerjee and attended by 72 delegates. A.O Hume played an instrumental role in the foundation of INC with an aim to provide Safety Valve to the British Government.
A.O Hume served as the first General Secretary of INC.
The real Aim of Congress is to train the Indian youth in political agitation and to organise or to create public opinion in the country. For this, they use the method of an annual session where they discuss the problem and passed the resolution.
The first or early phase of Indian Nationalism is also termed as Moderate Phase (1885-1905). Moderate leaders were W.C Banerjee, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, R.C Dutt, Ferozeshah Mehta, George Yule, etc.
Moderates have full faith in British Government and adopted the PPP path i.e. Protest, Prayer, and Petition.
Due to disillusionment from Moderates’ methods of work, extremism began to develop within the congress after 1892. The Extremist leaders were Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Aurobindo Ghosh. Instead of the PPP path, they emphasise on self-reliance, constructive work, and swadeshi.
With the announcement of the Partition of Bengal (1905) by Lord Curzon for administrative convenience, Swadeshi and Boycott resolution was passed in 1905.


ONE INDIVIDUAL MAY DIE; BUT THAT IDEA WILL, AFTER HIS DEATH, INCARNATE ITSELF IN A THOUSAND LIVES.

-Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose

Arrival of Dutch in India

The Dutch are the people of Holland (now the Netherlands). The Dutch arrived in India shortly after the Portuguese. The Dutch have long been experts in sea trading. The Dutch government granted the United East India Company of the Netherlands license to trade in the East Indies, including India, in 1602. Dutch India was more of a geographical location than a political authority. In comparison to the Portuguese and the English, the Dutch had the shortest presence in India of all the European colonial powers.

Dutch history in India
The Dutch East India Company was founded in 1602 and signified the Dutch entrance in India. They arrived in Andhra Pradesh’s Masulipatam (now Machilipatnam). From 1605 to 1825, they occupied the Indian subcontinent. Given the growing demand for Indian spices from Asia in Europe, the Dutch arrived to India with the intention of trading. The establishment of the Dutch East India Company marked the beginning of the modern multinational company (MNC). Following a pact between the Zamorin of Calicut and the Dutch chief, Steven Van der Hagen, Dutch trading in India began on November 11, 1604. The goal was to force the Portuguese off the Malabar Coast, but this was never achieved. The Dutch, on the other hand, soon built commercial facilities in various parts of India and traded cotton, textiles, silk, Indigo, and Golconda diamonds. In 1661, the Dutch conquered the Portuguese and took control of all of Malabar. They had now mastered the pepper trade and made tremendous profits selling pepper, which was known in Europe as “Black Gold.” In the 17th century, nothing could stop the Dutch from capturing Pondicherry from the French in 1693. In the East Indies, the Dutch became a large producer of sugar and coffee, as well as a big exporter of spices and textiles. During their time in India, the Dutch tried their hand at currency manufacture as well. They established mints in Cochin, Masulipatam, Nagapatam Pondicherry, and Pulicat as their trade grew. Furthermore, the Pulicat mint issued a gold pagoda with an image of Lord Venkateswara (god Vishnu). The Dutch minted coins that were all based on local coinages.

The Decline of Dutch power The Dutch East India Company began to fade in the mid-eighteenth century. It was characterised by poor corporate practices, corruption, and political upheaval. Martanda Verma, the formidable monarch of Travancore, defeated the Dutch in 1741 and reclaimed control of Malabar. The fourth Anglo-Dutch war, in which the British navy sunk Dutch ships and seized trading ports, resulted to their bankruptcy in 1799. Finally, the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1825 ended the Dutch dominance in India by transferring all Dutch assets to the British.

Arrival of Portuguese in India

The Portuguese State of India was a Portuguese colonial state on the Indian Subcontinent. Vasco De Gama was the first Portuguese to set foot in India in 1498. However, Portuguese control in India is considered to have lasted from 1505 until 1961. Although Portuguese colonialism outlasted its English counterpart, it had little influence outside of its territories. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in India and the last to go.

Portugal’s Early Years in India
When Vasco da Gama arrived in Calicut on the Malabar Coast on May 20, 1498, Portuguese colonialism began in earnest. He met with the ruler of Calicut, the Zamorin, and received permission to trade in Calicut. But Vasco da Gama was unable to pay the customs duties and the cost of his merchandise. The Zamorin’s officials detained some of Vasco da Gama’s soldiers when the duties were not paid. This enraged him so much that he kidnapped some Indians and fisherman. However, the voyage was a success in the eyes of the Portuguese authorities in Lisbon. A sea path around the Ottoman Empire was discovered, and the expedition made a profit well in excess of its initial cost.

Expansion of Portuguese Colonialism
Vasco da Gama established a base of operations on the Malabar coast after further conflict with the Zamorin Kingdom. Francisco de Almeida, the first viceroy, placed his headquarters in what is now Cochin. Alfonso de Albuquerque, the second governer of the Portuguese territories in the East, was appointed in 1509. Off the coast of Calicut, a Portuguese fleet led by Marshal Fernão Coutinho arrives. Their orders were quite clear: destroy the Zamorin. The city was levelled and the palace of the Zamorins was taken, but the local soldiers rallied and attacked the invading Portuguese, forcing them to retreat and wounded Albuquerque. In 1510, Afonso de Albuquerque defeated the Sultanate of Bijapur, establishing Goa as a permanent settlement. It would later become the viceroy’s seat and the headquarters of the Portuguese colonial conquests in India. Modern-day Mumbai was likewise a colonial possession until 1661, when it was handed over to the British. From 1799 until 1813, the British conquered Goa for a brief while, eradicating the final vestiges of the inquisition. The capital was moved to Panjim, which was later renamed Nova Goa, in 1843, when it became the administrative center of Portuguese India. For the next century, Portuguese control would be limited to Goa and the enclaves of Diu and Daman.

Cause of Decline of Portugal in India
While the British granted independence to most of India, the Portuguese retained colonial colonies in India. Local anti-Portuguese demonstrations in Goa were violently suppressed. Despite repeated pleas from the Indian government, the Portuguese government, led by dictator António de Oliveira Salaza, refused to hand over its colonial holdings, saying that they were an intrinsic part of Portuguese territory. The invasion of Goa by the Indian troops took place in December 1961. The Portuguese attempted to resist against overwhelming odds, but were quickly crushed by the Indian Army. On December 19, 1961, the Governor of Portuguese India signed the Instrument of Surrender, freeing Goa after 450 years of Portuguese domination in India.

All about Article 370

On October 17, 1949, Article 370 was added to the Indian constitution, as a ‘temporary provision’, which exempted Jammu & Kashmir, permitting it to draft its own Constitution and restricting the Indian Parliament’s legislative powers in the state. It was introduced into the draft constitution by N Gopalaswami Ayyangar as Article 306 A.

Under Article 370: The Constituent Assembly of Jammu & Kashmir was empowered to recommend which articles of the Indian Constitution should apply to the state,The J&K Constituent Assembly was dissolved after it drafted the state’s constitution. The article allowed the state a certain amount of autonomy – its own constitution, a separate flag and freedom to make laws. Foreign affairs, defence and communications remained the preserve of the central government.As a result, Jammu and Kashmir could make its own rules relating to permanent residency, ownership of property and fundamental rights. It could also bar Indians from outside the state from purchasing property or settling there.

On 5th August 2019, President of India in the exercise of the powers conferred by Clause (1) of Article 370 of the Constitution had issued the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019. Through this, Government of India has made modifications in Article 370 itself (not revoked it).With this, the Government of India has dramatically altered the relationship between the state of Jammu and Kashmir and the Indian Union. Order, 2019 has replaced Presidential Order of 1954.Subsequently, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019, passed by Parliament divides the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two new Union Territories (UTs): Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh.This is the first time that a state has been converted into a UT.Of the six Lok Sabha seats currently with the state of Jammu and Kashmir, five will remain with the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, while one will be allotted to Ladakh.The UT of Jammu and Kashmir will have an Assembly, like in Delhi and Puducherry.Instead of 29, India will now have 28 states. Kashmir will no longer have a Governor, rather a Lieutenant .The special status provided to J&K under Article 370 will be abolished. Jammu & Kashmir will no longer have the separate constitution, flag or anthem. The citizens of Jammu and Kashmir will not have dual citizenship. As the new union territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be subject to the Indian Constitution, its citizens will now have the Fundamental Rights enshrined in the Indian constitution. Article 360, which can be used to declare a Financial Emergency, will now also be applicable. All laws passed by Parliament will be applicable in Jammu and Kashmir, including the Right to Information Act and the Right to Education Act. The Indian Penal Code will replace the Ranbir Penal Code of Jammu and Kashmir. Article 35A, which originates from the provisions of Article 370 stands null and void. Since Presidential Order has extended all provisions of the Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir, including the chapter on Fundamental Rights, the discriminatory provisions under Article 35A will now be unconstitutional.

The Need for Changes in abolishing A370 was dire. Article 370 was added in the Indian constitution to provide autonomy to J&K.However, it failed to address the well-being of Kashmiris who have now endured two generations of insurgency and violence. It contributed to the gap between Kashmir and the rest of the nation. In the newly-formed Union Territory of J&K, the central government is trying to formulate new rules that will give domicile rights to residents over land and in government jobs. This has been a response to the perception that the unemployment rate in J&K is higher than the national average.Domicile rights have also been a long-standing demand of the Dogras of Jammu and the Buddhists of Ladakh. While most of those interviewed by this author chose to remain silent on the issue of domicile rights, a few expressed their fears that such a move will further limit the employment opportunities for the local youth and also lead to a demographic disruption in the Valley.

Possible Consequences include rise in militancy as  Article 370 was seen by Kashmiris as a marker of their separate identity and autonomy. Widespread protests and violence as a reaction to the dilution of Article 370 are bound to take place .Terror elements in Pakistan would find Kashmir to be the most fertile ground for breeding terrorism. The unrest can affect the democratic progress that has been made so far. Opposition political parties could launch a legal challenge but Kashmir is an emotive issue with many Indians, and most parties would be wary of opposing the move lest they be branded anti-India. All in all, Kashmir and the people there are reaching towards normalcy after 2 years of removing article 370, but for how long will peace prevail? India is hoping for a long one.

Low-Maintenance Houseplants to grow

There are endless varieties of indoor plants to choose from, and if you’ve never cared for a plant before, you might have no idea which one to choose. Factor in that some plants are much harder to care for and require a lot of attention, and it’s even more of a challenge. If you want to spruce up your home with a little greenery but you’re new to plant parenthood and want to stick to plants that are more forgiving and low-maintenance, here’s what you need to know, from which plants to buy to how to keep them alive and happy

You don’t need a ton of time, space or even light to grow your own indoor garden, either. In fact, some plants prefer a low level of light and infrequent watering. If you live in an apartment or home with little natural light or just want something a bit more low maintenance, there are many houseplants for you to choose from.

Jade Plant

Succulents are always an indoor houseplant go-to thanks to their sturdiness and ability to survive with little to no water. This one has a defined look with plush oval leaves and a substantial height In fact; a jade plant can grow to be 3-6 feet tall. It’s a slow grower, though, so this won’t happen overnight. Like many succulents, jade plants need a lot of bright, indirect sunlight.

Aloe

As long as it gets a lot of really bright light, the Hedgehog Aloe is pretty resilient. Aloe plants grow in nutrient-poor conditions, so they’re very good at assimilating and holding onto their nutrients.Aloe is happiest in the brightest windows, so stick it in a space that faces the sunset.

Snake Plant

snake plants are tall, dark, and handsome. In addition to being able to withstand pretty much any living conditions, snake plants are also really powerful air purifiers.they can pretty much take whatever you throw at them, so they’ll be fine in slightly darker and more humid rooms.

Parlor Palm

Bright filtered light is best for this lush palm plant, but it can adapt to low light if necessary. In terms of watering, make sure you avoid over-watering your parlor palm. Keep it in a warmer spot and give it the occasional misting for good measure.

Bamboo

Like air plants, that can actually grow without soil. Simply place the stalks in a vase full of water with pebbles or marbles at the bottom. And if your bamboo starts to get too big for its container, just upgrade to a new one with a similar set-up—no actual reporting required.

Snake plant
Parlor Palm
Jade plant
Aloe
Bamboo