Category: News

Comprehensive, up-to-date news coverage, aggregated from sources all over the world by EduindexNews.

Understanding of Kidnapping and Abduction

Generally we get confused between ‘kidnapping’ and ‘abduction’. We assume that if kidnapping means stealing of kids than abduction would be stealing of adult. But it’s not true. Though kidnapping literal meaning is child stealing but abduction is not an age specific offence. For detail understanding of these two offence, I have turned the pages of Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860. And in this article, I have tried to compile it in easy and simple words. Please have a look.

Kidnapping: In Indian Penal Code, 1860 two types of Kidnapping is mentioned, (a) Kidnapping from India and (b) Kidnapping from lawful guardianship.

  • Kidnapping from India, (section 360 of IPC): whoever takes a person beyond the limits of India without the consent of such person or any person legally authorized to give consent on his behalf then he shall be liable for the offence of kidnapping from India.

The point should be noticed here that, the victim’s age does not matter. Which means that not only a minor but a major person can also be kidnapped. But if the major and sane person gives his consent for such taking than the offence of Kidnapping will not be committed.

  • Kidnapping from lawful guardianship, (Section 361 of IPC): Whoever takes or entices any minor under sixteen years of age if a male, or under eighteen years of age if a female, or any person of unsound mind, out of the keeping of the lawful guardian of such minor or person of unsound mind, without the consent of such guardian, is said to kidnap such minor or person from lawful guardianship’. The unsoundness of mind must be permanent and not temporary insanity produced due to intoxication.

As mentioned in this section consent of the child is completely immaterial. The consent of the guardian alone should be taken into consideration. That too, the consent of guardian have to be free and must not have been obtained by fraud or misrepresentation.

Simplified terms:

  • Taking: the word ‘takes’ means to cause to go, to escort or to get into possession with or without the use of force.
  • Enticing: the word ‘entice’ means alluring or attracting. It means a person attempts to do a thing after some persuasion which he or she would not have done otherwise.
  • Keeping of Lawful guardian: here guardianship not only includes parents but also persons to whom the custody of the child has been lawfully entrusted. That could be teachers, relatives, servants or anyone. And the term ‘keeping of lawful guardian’ denotes the protection or care of the guardian. (A direct physical custody of the guardian is not needed but the whereabouts or movement should be known to the guardian.)

Abduction (section 362 of IPC): Whoever by force compels, or by any deceitful means induces, any person to go from any place, is said to abduct that person.

Abduction is an auxiliary act which becomes offence only when coupled with intention. The offence shall be complete if the accused takes away the person by tricking him or by deceitful means, or by using force and an actual use of force and not a mere threat to use force. As it is not an age-specific offence, which means any person of any age, can be abducted. In this offence the intention and consent is very important.

  1. If intention is that abducted person may be murdered, Section 364, applies;
  2. If intention is wrongfully confine person, Section 365 applies;
  3. If abducted person is a woman and intention is that she may be forced to marry against her will or have illicit sexual intercourse then Section 366 applies;
  4. If intention is to cause grievous hurt then Section 367 applies;If the abducted person is a child under age of ten years and intention is take dishonestly any movable’ property from its person then Section 369 applies.

Punishment for kidnapping (section 363 IPC): Whoever kidnaps any person from India or from lawful guardianship, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Abducting or Kidnapping to Murder: As per Section 364 of Indian Penal Code, if a person is kidnapped or abducted by a person with the intention or knowledge that the person is going to be murdered or is going to be put in danger of being murder, such person is punishable with imprisonment for life or rigorous imprisonment for a term up to 10 years and a fine.

Kidnapping for Ransom: Section 364A of IPC provides for punishment to the whoever threatens to hurt or cause death to that person who he has kidnapped or abducted or detained after kidnapping or abducting. The punishment is death or imprisonment for life, and fine.

Inputs: law journals, IPC, 1860

Technology in Today's legal world

As things stand today the employment opportunities may shrink for those who are rolling stones but vastly  expand for those who are who keep pace with the turns and twists of technology in day to day Human quest ,aspirations and achievements. This technology transform legal practices, even  the way the law professor teach , Each lawyers to use a Laptop or some other computer  to work effectively. Students must be taught the following technologies in law school.

Legal Research has now moved from Hard copy to digital systems  such as west law, lexisnexis, cloud -based systems of Google scholar and wikipedia. More statutes are now available online . There are many changes in disclosing documents and filing documents in court . Keeping pace  with the changing world , courts in western countries have adopted modern technology . The most important document that took place in England over the least decade was modernization of Judiciary.
Some technologies that should be taught to law students in the law school are-
E-discovery -responsive information is digital on phone, websites, Facebook , E mail and voice mail messages. They should be aware of E-discovery tools and how to make efficient use of them. Powerpoint presentations/ presentation skill need to be learnt  . Attorneys are told to  deliver a much better  presentation to their listener.
Marketing / web design / social media-unbundled legal services in which potential clients increasingly choose online self help options, more than half of the law firms donot have website. Other spend thousand on web development.
Case management lawyers – lawyers utilize various tools to help manage client  and case information .all aspects like indexibg, sharing contacts and calendars , billing clients.
Hardware / software/Mobile- lawyers, especially those in solo environments have  numerous choice of technology.
Transformation changed the way law professors teach , many are changed averse and use the methods that their own professors employed  a generation before. Alose technology is unreliable.  Noone likes to have technology fail when calss is under their control thus element of uncertainity and stress in comfort zone .
 Students are encouraged to take class notes on a laptop , or tablet , using  Ms Word  ,Ever note or Google docs because its synthesizing  those notes later in the term.
Understanding technology , one important skill like fact invest, negotation, communication lawyer must be acquainted with. For law , more clients, strong work product,  more effective use of time, better job prospects, smoother transition into practice . Clients can talk to attorneys in way while traveing.

Peru and COVID19: My Experience in Peru

Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country located in South America. The country is in news because of COVID19 as up to 25 July 2020, total coronavirus cases were 375,961 and unfortunately 17,843 persons passed away because of COVID19. I was in Peru in May 2013 for academic activities, invited by them.

   Peru has a total land area of 1,379,999 square kilometers and a total water area of 5,000 square kilometers with total population of 3.2 crores (2018). . Lima is the capital of Peru. In 2017, 79.3 percent of total population lived in urban areas and 20.7 percent were in rural areas.

  I observed the people of Peru want a healthy trade relation with India. I could meet few Peruvian friends in Peru who visited India opined that by developing trade relation both would be benefitted. The tourist places like Jauja city, Mantaro Valley, the Andean highlands, Junion region of Tarma city etc., can be compared with our places like Shillong, Shimla or even Tirupati. In Tirupati many people offer their hair and similarly in Acobamba of Peru where Church (Catholic) is located near a foot hill many people of Christian faith in the stones of the hills pour whisky or rum or other alcoholic drinks to fulfill their desire or if desire is fulfilled. In addition near the Church people lit candles. I enjoyed as all religions lead to Almighty/God and I prayed my own way.

  Both India and Peru are having huge scope to develop trade relations. While going by air from Lima to Jauja town, an engineer sat beside me and was happy to know I am Indian and he was in the opinion that trade between India and Peru may be invigorated. Our technology, engineering goods, transport items including railways, IT, agriculture extension service, etc., may be exported to Peru. On the other hand, products like organic cotton (super quality), and agricultural goods like native variety potato, maize of soft variety, artichoke, asparagus , avocado etc., may be imported from them and subsequently may be grown in India as these are having huge international market. Regarding organic cotton case of Oro Blanco may be referred which is a joint venture between the Dutch ecumenical development agency Solidaridad and farmers in Peru. Oro Blanco supports 71organic cotton farmers in Cañete and Chincha Valleys on about 275 hectares of organic land. The farmers grew other organic crops on their land as well as cotton, which were fetching good price. Oro Blanco supplied organic cotton to socially responsible local manufacturers that export organic garments to fashion brands and thus market was assured. It is pertinent to mention that each farmer owned around 4 hectares of agricultural land in the Cañete and Chincha Valleys and produced on an average of 55 quintals per hectare of seed cotton. So such type of crop may be promoted in India if feasible. Both India and Peru should try to develop economic relation and exchange knowledge, ideas, skill vis-à-vis goods. The farmers of both the countries are endowed with enormous knowledge and skill which may be shared for development of both the nations.

 The Agriculture Minister of Peru took lot of interest while I informed about our Kisan Credit Card, Kisan Call Center, etc. of India.

Lastly it may be mentioned that in 1968 the Peruvian military led a bloodless cup of power headed by General Juan Velasco Alvarado.  One of the main objectives was the implementation of an agrarian reform which inter alia, included redistribution of land to peasants/former workers so that they can lead quality life not like slaves.

 I suggest not only with Peru but with all other countries of South America wherever feasible trade relation may be developed by India.

Dr. Shankar Chatterjee

Former Professor& Head (CPME)

NIRD &PR (Govt. of India),

Hyderabad-500 030

Telangana, India

Email <shankarjagu@gmail.com>

Babri Demolition case:Advani states: “I’m innocent”.

BJP Veteran Lal Krishna Advani, ex-deputy Prime Minister on Friday recorded his statement in the Babri Masjid case in CBI’s special court.

He attended via video conferencing from Delhi. CBI’s advocate interrogated Advani for around 4 hours thereby asking him 1000 questions required by the CBI.

During the session Advani said false accusations regarding the Babri demolition have been claimed and he is innocent. On 6th December 1992, in the disputed Babri demolition case, L.K. Advani was the 29th accused out of the 32 people.

BULLYING; a known DEVIL

One of the biggest problems that people face these days is bullying. Right from children to adults everyone has faced bullying some or the other way. Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behaviour among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behaviour is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.

To be considered bullying, the behaviour must be aggressive and include:

  • An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
  • Repetition: Bullying behaviours happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.

Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumours, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

Bullying can occur during or after school hours. While most reported bullying happens in the school building, a significant percentage also happens in places like on the playground or the bus. It can also happen travelling to or from school, in the youth’s neighbourhood, or on the Internet. People usually think of bullying as taking place between children at school. However, it can also occur at work and include aggressive behaviour’s like verbal abuse, sabotaging the victim’s job or work relationship, or misusing authority. Adult bullies who engage in these behaviours are males 60% of the time. While men who bully tend to victimize both genders equally, women bullies target other women about 80% of the time.

Types of Bullying

There are three types of bullying:

  • Verbal bullying is saying or writing means things. Verbal bullying includes:
    • Teasing
    • Name-calling
    • Inappropriate sexual comments
    • Taunting
    • Threatening to cause harm
  • Social bullying, sometimes referred to as relational bullying, involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships. Social bullying includes:
    • Leaving someone out on purpose
    • Telling other children not to be friends with someone
    • Spreading rumours about someone
    • Embarrassing someone in public
  • Physical bullying involves hurting a person’s body or possessions. Physical bullying includes:
    • Hitting/kicking/pinching
    • Spitting
    • Tripping/pushing
    • Taking or breaking someone’s things
    • Making mean or rude hand gestures

Cyberbullying

As the social life of young people has moved onto the internet, so has bullying, with electronic bullying becoming a significant new problem in the past decade. Whereas bullying was once largely confined to school, the ubiquity of hand-held devices affords bullies constant access to their prey. Cyber harassment can be especially disturbing because it can often be carried out anonymously; victims may have no idea who the perpetrators are.

How has the internet changed bullying?

The anonymity of cyberbullying removes many restraints on meanness and amplifies the ferocity of aggression. It’s easier to inflict pain and suffering on others when you don’t have to look them in the eye. Constantly evolving digital technologies enable new ways of spreading false information about targets.

How do bullies harm others on the internet?

Both direct harassment and relational aggression thrive on the internet. Cyberbullies can spread false rumours with viral speed on social media. They can falsely impersonate someone and conduct all manner of mischief in someone else’s name. Sexual harassment and cyberstalking particularly target women. And long after the active bullying has stopped, malicious information can linger on the internet and continue to harm.

How can people reduce their risk for being bullied?

Since low self-esteem tends to be a risk factor for becoming the victim of bullying, interventions that promote confidence and self-esteem are important ways to reduce the risk of being bullied. Confidence builders can range from engaging in activities at which the person excels (for example, theatrical performances, sports teams, and special work projects) to engaging in psychotherapy. As isolation is both a risk factor and result of bullying, helping the person feel less alone by lending a listening ear and/or engaging in a support group can go a long way toward providing the community needed to prevent a person from being bullied. The government has launched a helpline to take care of bullying please do not hesitate to take help.

Women’s empowerment

Most of the time we discuss about this topic Women’s empowerment do you think that now women have there right and compete with men in every field. women’s empowerment is a critical aspect of achieving gender equality. It includes increasing a woman’s sense of self-worth, her decision-making power, her access to opportunities and resources, her power and control over her own life inside and outside the home, and her ability to effect change.Yet gender issues are not focused on women alone, but on the relationship between men and women in society. An educated girl is more likely to postpone marriage, raise a smaller family, have healthier children, and send her own children to school. She has more opportunities to earn an income and to participate in political processes, and she is less likely to become infected with HIV.The political sphere of the country is, by and large, reserved for men alone. The place of women in society is also relegated to contributing minimally to the social development of the country.

As women were not allowed to make decisions  for them, women empowerment came in like a breath of fresh air. It made them aware of their rights and how they must make their own place in society rather than depending on a man. It recognized the fact that things cannot simply work in someone’s favor because of their gender. However, we still have a long way to go when we talk about the reasons why we need it.In other words, women from all over the world have been rebellious to reach the status they have today. While the western countries are still making progress, third world countries like India still lack behind in Women Empowerment.

domestic violence is a major problem in India. The men beat up their wife and abuse them as they think women are their property. More so, because women are afraid to speak up. Similarly, the women who do actually work get paid less than their male counterparts. It is downright unfair and sexist to pay someone less for the same work because of their gender. Thus, we see how women empowerment is the need of the hour. We need to empower these women to speak up for themselves. women must be given equal opportunities in every field, irrespective of gender.women’s empowerment  is a part to encourage women to feel strong by telling them that they can do everything that they want to do. women can work outside their home, have opportunity to make up their mind. women are not depended on men. They can earn money to support their family by working through their abilities.

Women’s empowerment is a part to encourage women to feel strong by telling them that they can do everything that they want to do. Women can work outside their home, have opportunity to make up their mind. Women are not depended on men. They can earn money to support their family by working through their abilities. As some women are not confident to work in a hard condition or a high position because they still determine that it’s not women’s job.

Empowerment helps to reduce in domestic violence due people promote and give the value to women. Women are not abused by any factors such as sexual abuse, emotion abuse and physical abuse.

These day women are achieving high-level job just as man do. Some women are promoted to become a president, leader, chief of commune and other high-level positions. And there are many women now are participating in society, politically, education and economically.

Empowering women and making full use of their labour force for economic growth.

Educating and maintaining the health of women to enhance productivity and social development.and we should also respect every women they deserve equal respect as men please don’t compare with others everyone have their own unique quality.

Employees expectations from employer

If you want to attract and retain great employees, it pays to be a great boss. Here are some simple expectations that the best employees have of their bosses:

1. Be consistent with meaningful communication.

Smart employees want clear expectations and communication when it comes to what’s expected of them. The No. 1 problem people cite with their bosses and managers is a lack of communication. If you can improve your communication skills and create a culture of open communication with your team, you will go a long way to creating an environment where the best employees will be happy.

2. Give recognition and praise.

Across the board, most people like to feel appreciated in their job. According to Entrepreneur, 65 percent of employees would be happier if they got more recognition at work, whereas only 35 percent say they would be happier if they got a raise. If you can build a routine of recognition and praise, you will encourage your best employees to be happy at work — and therefore stay. Don’t worry too much about awards or rewards; words go a long way.

3. Provide feedback, mentorship, and training.

The best employees want to improve and grow, and crave a development and mentorship role from their managers. Watch for opportunities to teach, to provide additional support, or to invite the right training for your employees. Making individual development a part of every job description is an excellent way to encourage and retain strong employees (and help them get even stronger).

4. Create a work culture by design.

Good bosses find ways to foster a sense of community at work. Great bosses build that culture intentionally. A big part of that is finding and attracting the right team members — and making sure that the wrong ones move on quickly. Nothing can hurt morale of your best employees more than feeling like they’re supporting a poor team member. Culture design is also about making sure those team members are in the right roles, the ones that make the best use of their particular talents and skills.

5. Create a safe space for failure.

Employees who trust that their failures will be met with constructive feedback and support are more likely to think creatively, work outside the box, and come up with innovative solutions to problems. It’s important to foster a sense that you succeed and fail together as a team, so that no one is thrown under the bus. If people are too busy worrying about losing their job to take chances, you’ll never get their best work out of them.

6. Provide strong leadership and a clear vision

The captain must steer the ship. If leadership doesn’t know where a project or company is headed, how can the employee know? This isn’t just about action steps or deliverables, either, but a clear vision of the department or company’s future that you can communicate to your employees. The best employees feel more confident when they feel that someone is steering the ship competently.

7. Hold yourself and others accountable

Many bosses hold their staff accountable, but the best hold themselves accountable as well. This means adhering to the same guidelines you set for your employees and taking responsibility for both team successes and failures. If your employees feel like you have their back, no matter what, they are much more comfortable and confident in their jobs, and will produce better work and stay longer.

8. Demonstrate good problem solving

Employees need their boss to be consummate problem solvers. You need to be able to not only spot a problem before it becomes a catastrophe, but brainstorm successful and innovative ways to fix it. When an employee comes to a manager with a problem, he or she needs to have confidence that they will get the help they need to fix it.

9. Avoid micromanaging

Learn to understand the art of delegation. One employee once told me that the best bosses have “fired themselves from their previous job” — meaning that they don’t interfere in the day-to-day and minute-to-minute workflow or processes. In essence, learning to delegate instead of micromanage is about trust, and the best employees want to feel trusted, and thrive in that environment.

10. Be an effective decision maker

Sometimes the worst position an employee can be in is when they are waiting for a decision from above. Effective bosses must be effective decision makers. You cannot vacillate over every tiny decision. Being able to make decisions quickly and decisively — and then take responsibility for the outcome (see number 7) — is an important business skill, especially when managing others. The more quickly and effectively you can make decisions, the better your employees can implement them, and that makes employees feel more efficient and effective.

11. Put people first

A great employee is going to want to find a job that fits his or her lifestyle and work/life balance needs. The best bosses understand that there must be a balance between the company or client’s needs and the needs of his or her employees. You must be willing to listen and talk about any issues an employee may be having and understand that a happy employee is a more productive employee.

12. Manage up, down, and sideways

Managers are expected to manage the people below them on the corporate hierarchy, but the best bosses also have ways of managing their superiors and coworkers on behalf of their team. This might mean effective communication, managing expectations, and requesting help in a timely manner. This sort of support is key from an employee’s perspective, who may not have any direct contact with those other partners.

13. Be honest

There’s nothing worse than a boss who says one thing and does another — and nothing will make a great employee start looking for a new position any faster than being lied to. Just as managers must trust their team, employees must trust their boss to have their best interests at heart. It’s always going to be in your best interest to be honest with your employees. (This is also a great way to ensure that they want to be honest with you.)

14. Be dedicated and balanced

The very best bosses I’ve seen are passionate about their work; they live and breathe their jobs and strive to do the best work possible. Yet at the same time, they have lives outside of work. They understand the need to balance family and work or play and work. And they set a good example of how to do that for their employees. Employees want to know that their outside lives are understood and valued because they can see that you value life outside the office as well.

Some of these expectations may seem obvious or commonplace, but I would challenge you to really look within and make sure that you’re demonstrating these qualities regularly with your team. If you are, you should have no trouble finding and retaining the best employees in your field.

Waterfalls to visit on your next trip to India

India is a beautiful country with waterfalls originating both from the ice glaciers to the waterfall that caters their way into the sea.  Waterfalls have always been inspiring forces of nature and people travel from all over the world to experience these natural wonders on Earth. However, there are hundreds of beautiful waterfalls in the world but India and its waterfall beauty have something unique in them. They have a charm that can attract a huge number of viewers in and around.

Iruppu Falls, Coorg –

Irpu Waterfalls | Kodagu District, Government of Karnataka | India

Iruppu Falls is located in the Kodagu district of Karnataka. Coorg is one of the most popular hill stations of South India. The Iruppu Falls is located close to Nagarhole National Park. This beauty of Nature attracts a lot of people from all over the world especially during Maha  Shivratri- a festival celebrated in honour of the Lord Shiva probably in the month of February or March every year.

Nohkalikai Falls Meghalaya –

Nohkalikai Waterfalls East Khasi Hills - Timings, Entry Fees ...

Meghalaya is a small state situated in the Northeast of India. It is the wettest region in India. Meghalaya fully justifies its name as “The Abode of Clouds” as this beautiful place situated in the East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya enjoys rain cats and dogs throughout the year. The seven sister states is the home to India’s tallest waterfall – Nohkalikai Falls. Nohkalikai Falls is located near Cheerapunji Meghalaya and is also known as the seven sister falls because of the seven streams cascading side-by-side.

Bhimlat Falls, Rajasthan –

Bhimlat water falls - Picture of Hotel The Hadoti Palace Bundi ...

Rajasthan is a place known for the extreme temperature, and it is a place where the sun does not hesitate to shine brightly throughout the year. Having one of the top ten waterfalls in such a dry state is no less than a wonder. You would be surprise to know that the Bhimlat Falls crash this stereotypical image of Rajasthan. Bhimlat Falls is just 60 meters high, but for a dry state like Rajasthan and for the people residing there it is no less than a jewel.

Dudhsagar Falls, Goa –

Goa Dudhsagar Waterfall with Spice Plantation Trip -

Goa is the smallest state in India known for a huge tourist spot. It is one of the most beautiful states with one of the top ten waterfalls, Dudhsagar Falls in India. No wonder it is also called as the” Ocean of Milk”. This beauty of the world is 310 meters tall, surrounded by the deciduous forest which is simply worth its see.

Kempty Falls, Uttarkhand –

Kempty Falls 2020, #1 top things to do in mussoorie, uttarakhand ...

Kempty Falls, situated in a northern part of India “Uttarkhand”. It is nearly 1364 meters above sea level, surrounded by the high mountain ranges deserves to be among the top ten waterfalls in India. You can visit it at any time of the year and explore this beauty of Nature.

Chitrakote Falls, Chhattisgarh –

13 Best Waterfalls In India That Would Make You Wanna Forget About ...

The Chirakote Falls is located to the west of the Jagdalpur in Bastar district in Chhattisgarh. It is also known as the Nigara Falls of India, with this waterfall being 29 meters tall, surrounded by dense forest makes it fit in the top ten waterfalls in India.

Jog Falls, Shimoga, Karnataka –

Jog Falls Tourism (2020) - Karnataka > Best Time, Top Things To Do

Jog falls is located near Sagara taluk, Shimoga district in the state of Karnataka. Karnataka is a state which is blessed with some of the highest waterfalls in India. Jog Falls is the second highest waterfall in India. It is a treat to watch this 253 meters tall waterfall as it can almost make you feel the force of it against the rock. This beauty of Nature is also on the 13th number in the world by the waterfall database.

Jang Falls, Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh –

Nuranang Falls Tawang | Experience Northeast India

Arunachal Pradesh has yet another beauty of the Northeast India, which holds the maximum number of population among the states in the Northeast region of India. This beautiful crashing water scares can attract both souls and minds. The beauty of nature is yet not known to many and only came into notice after a song from the movie Koyla, featuring Madhuri Dixit was shot in here.

Athirappilly Waterfall Kerala –

Athirapally Waterfalls Trekking -best time to visit falls-seasonz ...

Kerala is the Land of Gods, situated in South India on the Malabar Coast. Athirappilly falls is situated at Athirappilly Panchayat of Thrissur district. You can visit Athirappilly Falls during the monsoon in Kerala and experience the beauty of this 80 ft. tall waterfall. Athirappilly Waterfalls passes through a landscape of winding roads, small villages and dense green trees.

Impact from social media

Social media are interactive computer-mediated technologies that facilitate the creation or sharing of information, ideas, career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks.The variety of stand-alone and built-in social media services currently available introduces challenges of definition; however, there are some common features:

  1. Social media are interactive Web 2.0Internet-based applications.
  2. User-generated content such as text posts or comments, digital photos or videos, and data generated through all online interactions, is the lifeblood of social media.
  3. Users create service-specific profiles and identities for the website or app that are designed and maintained by the social media organization.
  4. Social media facilitate the development of online social networks by connecting a user’s profile with those of other individuals or groups.

Users usually access social media services via web-based apps on desktops and laptops, or download services that offer social media functionality to their mobile devices (e.g., smartphones and tablets). As users engage with these electronic services, they create highly interactive platforms through which individuals, communities, and organizations can share, co-create, discuss, participate and modify user-generated content or self-curated content posted online. Networks formed through social media change the way groups of people interact and communicate or stand with the votes. They “introduce substantial and pervasive changes to communication between organizations, communities, and individuals”.[1]These changes are the focus of the emerging fields of technoself studies. Social media differ from paper-based media (e.g., magazines and newspapers) and traditional electronic media such as TV broadcasting, Radio broadcasting in many ways, including quality,reach, frequency, interactivity, usability, immediacy, and performance. Social media outlets operate in a dialogic transmission system (many sources to many receiversThis is in contrast to traditional media which operates under a mono-logic transmission model (one source to many receivers), such as a newspaper which is delivered to many subscribers, or a radio station which broadcasts the same programs to an entire city. Some of the most popular social media websites, with over 100 million registered users, include Facebook (and its associated Facebook Messenger), TikTok, WeChat, Instagram, QZone, Weibo, Twitter, Tumblr, Baidu Tieba and LinkedIn. Other popular platforms that are sometimes referred to as social media services (differing on interpretation) include YouTube, QQ, Quora, Telegram, WhatsApp, LINE, Snapchat, Pinterest, Viber, Reddit, Discord, VK and more.

Observers have noted a wide range of positive and negative impacts of social media use. Social media can help to improve an individual’s sense of connectedness with real or online communities and can be an effective communication (or marketing) tool for corporations, entrepreneurs, non-profit organizations, advocacy groups, political parties, and governments.

Information and communication technology has changed rapidly over the past 20 years with a key development being the emergence of social media.

The pace of change is accelerating. For example, the development of mobile technology has played an important role in shaping the impact of social media. Across the globe, mobile devices dominate in terms of total minutes spent online. This puts the means to connect anywhere, at any time on any device in everyone’s hands.

What is the real impact of Social Media
Source: Smart Insights

Why People Share Information

Afascinating study by the New York Times Consumer Insight Group revealed the motivations that participants cited for sharing information on social media. These include a desire to reveal valuable and entertaining content to others; to define themselves; to grow and nourish relationships and to get the word out about brands and causes they like or support.

These factors have caused social networks to evolve from being a handy means for keeping in touch with friends and family to being used in ways that have a real impact on society.

Social media is being used in ways that shape politics, business, world culture, education, careers, innovation, and more.

Assam floods: Over 50,000 people take shelter at relief camps

In flood hit Assam, over 50 thousand displaced people are taking shelter at relief camps. The current wave of floods affected 28 lakh people and washed away houses, cattle stock. 1.28 lakh hectare crop areas are also under water.

96 people lost their lives due to floods so far. Majority portion of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries are also under water. Meanwhile, the Panchayat and Rural Development department would give priority in allocating works under MG NREGA at flood hit areas. Talking to AIR, Principal Secretary J B Ekka said that MG NREGA works are affected to some extent due to floods. Mr. Ekka said that as soon as the flood water recedes priority basis works will be done.

Job satisfaction and motivation

Productivity is defined as the efficient and effective use of resources with minimum waste and effort to achieve outcome. We live in a world that has limited resources. The health care industry faces this limitation more than any other industry. With these challenges facing health care administrators, the concept of productivity, job satisfaction and motivation become very important. Employee satisfaction and retention have always been an important issue for physicians, medical centers and businesses in general. Conventional human resources theories, developed some 50 years ago by Maslow and Herzberg, suggest that satisfied employees tend to be more productive, creative and committed to their employers. People are essential to productivity. The success of productivity improvement strategy is dependent on employee commitment, job satisfaction, skills, and motivation. Maslow’s theory consists of a 5-level pyramid: physiologic or basic survival; physical and mental safety; sense of belonging; accomplishment, creativity, and growth; and self-actualization. Herzberg’s theory suggests there are 2 groups of factors: hygiene (which satisfy) and motivation. The terms “job satisfaction” and “motivation” have, in my experience, become used interchangeably. There is a difference. Job satisfaction is an individual’s emotional response to his or her current job condition, while motivation is the driving force to pursue and satisfy one’s needs. Maslow and Herzberg’s theories can be easily applied to the workplace. Managers can help employees achieve overall job satisfaction, which, with the employee’s internal motivation drive, increase performance on the job.

Govt extends domestic airfare cap till Nov 24

Civil Aviation Ministry has extended its order imposing curbs on airfare till 24th November. The order was issued on 21st May after airlines were allowed to operate after the lockdown.

It had prescribed a range for airfare depending on the flight distance. In the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the Ministry had implemented a cap on domestic airfare. The domestic flights have a cap on fares with both an upper and lower limit. While the upper price limit is aimed at preventing any sharp rise in fares due to increased demand, the lower limit will help ensure that financial viability of airlines does not suffer amid high costs.

Center asks nine high Covid caseload states to ramp up testing with special focus on containment zones

Centre has asked nine high Covid caseload states to ramp up testing with special focus on containment zones. These states are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. These nine States are driving the present spurt of the active caseload in the country.  Cabinet Secretary chaired a high level virtual review meeting with Chief Secretaries and Health Secretaries of these states as part of Centre-State coordinated strategy for effective containment and management of the pandemic. Cabinet Secretary had a detailed review on the State specific COVID response strategy with the Health Secretaries and other State officials as well as on the factors that were leading to rising case-load in these States in recent times. Areas of concern with respect to low testing in certain states were highlighted. It was reiterated that sustained and aggressive testing is crucial for early identification of cases and to prevent spread of infection.

Cabinet Secretary stressed the need for prompt and proper delineation of containment zones as per the guidelines of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, intensive contact tracing and  house-to-house active case search within the Containment Zones so as to effectively break the chain of transmission.

States were advised to have a clear focus on health infrastructure availability including requisite number of beds, oxygen and ventilators across the State with implementation of clinical protocols ensuring the prescribed Quality of Care and seamless patient management. Effective ambulance management with zero refusal rate was also highlighted in the review meeting. Cabinet Secretary also emphasized the imperative of keeping the fatality rates low. For this, mapping of high-risk population must be done, particularly the elderly and aged people and those with co-morbidities.

The attention of the States was drawn to the fact that early detection and timely clinical management is the key to contain the spread of COVID-19. A graded, proactive, progressive and well coordinated strategy of COVID-19 management between the centre and States and UTs has resulted in ever-increasing Recoveries in the country, with progressively falling Case Fatality Rate. There are, however, some States which have in the recent past shown high rise in daily number of active cases and are emerging as concern areas from COVID management point of view.