World Population Day

11th July is celebrated as THE WORLD POPULATION DAY every year. This day is devoted to focusing on the relevance of population issues. World Population Day was rooted by the Governing Council of the United National Development Programme in 1989, as an outgrowth of the interest generated by the Day of Five Billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987.

The theme for 2021 is rights and choices.

  1. Population in India
  1. Understanding our population 

The total number of children a woman bears is inversely proportional to the following:

  • Literacy
  • Per capita income
  • Development 

It’s been proved that as the above-mentioned factors rise, the total fertility decreases.

The total number of children a woman bears is directly proportional to the following:

  • Infant mortality rate
  • Poverty
  • Illiteracy
  • Unemployment

It’s been proved that as the above-mentioned factors rise, the total fertility rises too.

Our population is growing but at a decreasing rate. It is not an explosion. The total fertility rate, i.e. the average number of children a woman beers, has significantly decreased from 5 to 2.2-2.3 in the last 50 years. The replacement fertility rate, i.e. the number of children a woman needs to have so that the population replaces itself from one generation to another generation is 2.1. Approximately 20 states and UTs in India are very close to it.

  1. Why is overpopulation a concern
  • Resources

Well, the rate of growth in the number of human beings is greater than the growth of resources. This means the more the population grows, the difficult it gets to sustain everyone.

  • Environmental destruction

As the number of people grows, more resources and places to live are required to destroy natural habitat. This leads to the loss of animal habitat and they’re seen wandering around in human civilization.

  • Unemployment

An increase in the number of people, increases the demand for jobs to sustain oneself and we as a nation have failed to provide jobs.

  • Poverty

A direct relation between poverty and population has been proved by researchers. This means as poverty rises, so does population and vice versa. Along with these, overpopulation brings:

  • Social religious conflicts
  • Climate change
  • Outbreak of diseases
  • Social unrest
  • Political instability 
  1. Benefits of having a bigger population
  • A high population is an asset, which can be utilized gracefully. We can have an ample number of professionals in all the fields and can even outsource our services. There is more production of goods.
  • 4-2-1 problem, i.e 1 child looking up to 4 grandparents and 2 parents, is avoided.
  • We’ll have a balance between the ones earning and the ones depending on pensions because if the number of children born is dropped suddenly, the ones depending on pensions will far outgrow the ones earning and that would be very hard to sustain.
  • How not to tackle population
  • Population Regulation Bill or a 2 child policy

Implementing such a policy is punishing someone for having kids in the form of banning them from elected offices, eliminating them from government schemes and subsidies, government jobs, and even snatching their food by excluding them from PDS. What do you think are the probable effects of these?

A population reduction? NAH. This coercion will lead to even more poverty in the nation which is in the first place one of the root causes of a high population. Furthermore, this may lead to a poor sex ratio as in the case of China which saw sex-selective abortions, foeticides, and even bride price practice which is in simple words buying a bride and might even lead to people bringing girls from poor nations to marry them.

  • Forced sterilization

Sanjay Gandhi and Indira Gandhi led one of the Forced sterilization drives, which is never the answer. Because it violates the choice of the couple, and the right to reproduce which is a basic human right. Even if it doesn’t violate a right, it is unethical to the very roots. Approximately 10 million men were sterilized during that drive and it had no substantial effect on the population growth but had various side effects like deaths and the spread of diseases.

  • Blaming Muslims 

How many times have you heard the statement that Muslims give birth to more children so that one day they can outnumber the Hindu population, or even politicians asking their Hindu following to have more and more children to just come in way of Muslims outnumbering them? Well India’s last census, conducted in 2011, revealed that Hindus make up 79.8% of the population, while Muslims make up 14.2%. and Muslims have more children because of their developmental and literacy levels. Because in states with a higher development, the total fertility rate of Muslims is less too, and the fall in the total fertility rate of Muslims is less than the fall in the total fertility rate of Hindus. All politicians are doing is find a shortcut to avoid tackling the matter with sincerity and propose these stupid ideas.

Forced population control measures are a problem, the solution lies in the development.

  • How to tackle population?
  • Understanding and choosing better leaders for ourselves, voting for the ones who focus on development rather than playing a blame game.
  • Mass education about family planning and contraceptive techniques.
  • Creating job opportunities, improving healthcare facilities and focusing on education would tackle a lot of other significant issues along with overpopulation.
  • Improving access to contraceptives
  • Increasing investment in family planning projects
  • Takeaway

The need of the hour is to plan instead of punishing, utilizing the asset it’s blessed with instead of declaring it a disaster and blaming everything on it and stabilization of population instead of trying to control it. And lastly, having a government that owns up to its responsibilities.

references

https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/IND/india/population

https://www.statista.com/statistics/263766/total-population-of-india/

REALITY SHOWS

Reality shows have now become the latest end. Their initial popularity with the masses, helped in the number of such shows produced today. Reality shows take the form of various competitions and challenges where celebrities or the common man participate. There is or essentially no script involved and the interest of the show lies inherently in the personality of the audiences and the tasks. Many of these competitions are judged by eminent personalities within the field. There was a need for a change in the television industry from the onslaught of the various soaps that were telecasted.

However, the question that emerges today is…how real are these reality shows? May critics believe that there isn’t even a modicum of reality in any of these shows. They are often scripted and only aim at high TRP’s. The shows have a planned course and the masses are simply captivated. Though they provide raw drama and an undisputable display of anger, love, guilt and jealousy, these are often tactics used to keep the audiences fastened rather than a genuine display of emotion. There are many others, who are loyal supporters of reality shows and believe that they have indeed provided a platform for the common man to exhibit his talent and gain success. Various dance and singing reality shows as well as quiz shows for children and adults provide them with a means through which provide, they can showcase their talent and intelligence Through these shows they often gain various opportunities to prove their courage. But sadly, one cannot deny that the USP of many of these shows is emotion and melodrama and as a result the purpose of the show is often side-lined. The recent crop of reality shows have come up with themes that tends to belittle important social institutions. In spite of the fact that it has its own pros and cons various channels and producers are misusing the originality of these shows by introducing new themes and shows to keep the masses entertained. Some of the most popular Indian reality shows include ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’, ‘Big Boss’ and ‘Indian Idol’. Many movie icons are also willingly accepting the task of anchoring these shows so as to connect with people and exploit the scope of T.V as a medium of maintaining one’s popularity.

However, there is a need to ensure that this genre does not deteriorate like the previous trends. The shows must always be well researched and fresh in its approach rather than look at reality T.V as a formula and launching shows that have little creativity and uniqueness.

Guidelines for identification, admission and continued education of migrant children

 In order to mitigate the impact of challenges thrown by the COVID-19 pandemic for out of school children, it was felt necessary for every State/UT to devise a proper strategy for preventing increased drop outs, lower enrolments, loss of learning and deterioration in the gains made in providing universal access, quality and equity in the recent years.

Thus the Ministry of Education had issued guidelines for identification, admission and continued education of migrant children.

In order to ensure that school going children have access to education with quality and equity and to minimize the impact of the pandemic on school education across the country, the Ministry of Education has prepared and issued detailed guidelines on steps to be taken by the States and UTs during school closure and when the school re-open.

The main features of the Guidelines are :      

A.        Continued Education for Out of School Children (OoSC) and Children with Special Needs (CWSN)

 

  • Continuation of non-residential training for identified Out of School children through volunteers, local teachers and community participation.  
  • Continuation of home based education for CWSN children through Volunteers/ Special Educators.

 

B.        Identifying Out of School Children

 

  • States and UTs to carry out proper identification of OoSC for 6 to 18 years age group through a comprehensive door to door survey and prepare action plan for their enrolment

 

C.        Enrolment Drives and Awareness Generation

 

  • Enrolment drives may be undertaken at the beginning of academic year such as Praveshotsav, School Chalo Abhiyan etc.
  • Undertake awareness generation among parents and community for enrolling and attendance of children
  • Create awareness on practicing 3 Corona appropriate behaviors – wear mask, six-feet distance and washing hands with soap for which IEC material shared on 06.11.2020 with the States & UTs.

 

D.        Student Support while Schools are closed

 

  • Students to be provided support including counseling, large scale awareness & targeted home visits
  • Using Manodarpan web portal and tele-counseling number for counseling services and psycho-social support.
  • Distribution of educational material and resources, supplementary graded material, workshops, worksheets etc to support home-based education
  • Exploring option of classroom on wheels and classes in small groups at village level
  • Increasing the access of children to online/digital resources, TV Radio etc. to reduce learning loss
  • Ensuring easy and timely access to the provisions of uniforms, textbooks and MDM
  • Timely disbursement  of stipend to enrolled CWSN girls through DBT
  • Strengthening of Child protection mechanism at local level

 

E.        Student Support on School Reopening

 

  • Preparation and running of School readiness modules/Bridge course for initial period when the schools re-open so that they can adjust to the school environment and do not feel stressed or left-out.
  • Identification of students across different grades based on their learning levels
  • Relaxing detention norms to prevent drop out this year.
  • Ensuring reading with comprehension and numeracy skills by encouraging children to  read books beyond syllabus and creative writing & problem solving.
  • Large-scale remedial programmes/Learning Enhancement programmes to mitigate learning loss and inequality.

 

F.         Teacher Capacity Building

 

  • Effective utilization of the online NISHTHA training modules and online training module for Corona responsive behavior to be launched on DIKSHA portal soon.
  • Use of alternative Academic Calendar prepared by NCERT for joyful engagement of children in learning.

*****


Child Marriage: A Legal View

In the culture of Indian society, the practice of child marriage still subsists. Child marriage refers to a marriage duly performed by minors mainly between a female below the age of 18 years and a male below 21 years. Child marriage is customarily in rural regions where there is increased rate of poverty and illiteracy. Social customs and rites, ignorance, benight and consideration of women as a burden financially, are few factors that causes solemnization of child marriage. Such marriages have their unintended consequences like problems related to health due to pregnancy at early age, deliberately cruel gender inequality cycle and further worsening of women status also happen.

Considering all these factors, the British government in 1929 enacted the Child Marriage Restraint Act. This was the first secular law towards restraining the child marriage peril. The Act only held punishments to those adult males who married minors and the parents who encouraged such marriages but the marriage was not made void. As the punishment and fine was considerably less, the Act was hence amended now and then to increase the limit of age.

Due to the inadequacy of the Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929, a new legislation was enacted namely, Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. This new Act anticipate in averting child marriage along with intensified punishments such as fine of Rs. 1 lakh or imprisonment for two years. Provisions for the maintenance of the girl child were also implied. In case if the husband is major, he is liable to pay for the maintenance and if the husband is minor, then his family is liable to pay for the same.

The marriage would be void if the child is used for trafficking or any sort of purpose that is immoral. Under the prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006, the age of a female is 18 years and for male is 21 years. A girl can obtain a degree of nullity within two years before attaining the age of 18 years if entered into a child marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act 1956. The parties though not did consent to the union in child marriage yet they are punishable As for now there is no such provisions for punishing the people or the parents involved in the solemnization of marriage. A girl can declare a marriage invalid if she’s married off before attaining an age of 15 and can challenge it until she is 18. However till now there is no such provision which states child marriage invalid. In India, Muslim law is not codified, thus the scholars interpret provisions of the Quran. Child marriage is not barred under the Muslim law. A guardian has authority to get a child married. Although, there is an option of puberty available to the couple where they can refuse to accept the marriage after attaining puberty following the condition that they should do it before attaining the age of 18 then only the marriage can be said rejected. According to the Muslim law, the age of puberty is 15 years. Nevertheless, the marriage prior the age of 7 is void ab initio. Under the Indian Christian Marriage Act, if a marriage is to be contracted between the minors, a notice preliminary is set to be issued 14 days before marriage. Post the expiration of the 14 days, the parties have the right to go on with the solemnization of marriage without consent of the guardian or parents. Under the Parsi marriage and divorce Act, a child marriage is considered invalid. In India, Jewish law is uncodified. According to the Jewish law, the age of puberty is the marriageable age which is fixed at 12 years.

Child marriage is jeopardy and it cannot be restrained without the support of the society. Under the prohibition of child Marriage Act, several demands have been made to make the child marriage void ab initio but the society is complex as well as complicated and making child marriage void will only prove to be hazardous for the rights of women who are victims of child marriage.

HEARING VS LISTENING

When you’re in conversation with someone, it’s common for your mind to drift to other thoughts. For example, maybe you have a lot on your plate, and you’re thinking of what all you need to get done. Maybe you just argued with your partner, and you’re still upset about it. Or, maybe you’re exhausted, and you start fantasizing about how cozy your bed will be when you turn in for the night.

When your mind begins to wander, you’re likely still hearing the other person, but you’re not truly listening to what they have to say. However, this can negatively impact your conversations and relationships with people, if they feel that you’re rarely listening to them.

With inputs from a psychologist, this article breaks down the differences between hearing and listening and describes how they impact mental health. It also provides some tips to help you become a better listener and improve your relationships.

HEARING:

  • Passive
  • Involuntary
  • Requires no effort
  • Physiological perception of sound

Hearing is a passive, involuntary, and sensory process in which we perceive sounds. It is a physiological response that involves our perception of sound. It does not require focused attention.

For example, if you’re watching television, you can still hear the sound of traffic or sirens outside, your neighbour’s dog barking, and people laughing in the hallway.

LISTENING:

Listening is an active, voluntary, and intentional process that involves making sense of the words and sounds you hear; it requires your attention. In turn, you may develop an emotional response to what you hear. Listening with the intent to understand is referred to as active listening.

For example, if you’re listening to someone talk about a difficult day they had at work, you will probably have your full attention focused on them. As they speak, you will start to understand what their experience was like and the impact it had on them. This will help you make thoughtful comments and ask relevant questions to further understand their experience.

  • Active
  • Voluntary
  • Requires effort
  • Intentional interpretation of sound

THE ROLE OF HEARING AND LISTENING IN MENTAL HEALTH:

Both hearing and listening play an important role in our lives. Hearing is a form of sensory input whereas listening is a way to form connections with other people, according to Workman. She explains the role these functions play in our mental health.

IMPORTANCE OF HEARING IN MENTAL HEALTH: 

Hearing is an important sense that helps us navigate the world. The loss of hearing can have a profound effect on mental health as it could lead to anger, social withdrawal, changes in our sense of self-worth, and depression.

It is important to keep in mind that using sign language and paying attention to body language are ways you can listen without the sense of hearing. You can seek mental health care if you are experiencing depression or adjustment difficulties due to the loss of hearing. 

IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING IN MENTAL HEALTH: 

We are social beings and have a universal need for connection and belonging. Listening is what enables us to develop increased curiosity about other people’s experiences, increased compassion and empathy, and increased connection.

If you are not listening to others or being listened to, it can negatively affect your sense of connection and belonging. You can probably think of a time when you were not being listened to, the experience may have caused you to feel devalued, uncared for, and lonely, all of which can contribute to feelings of shame, anxiety, and depression.

TIPS TO BECOME A BETTER LISTENER:

It is in fact possible to become a better listener. Workman suggests some tips that can help you improve your listening skills:

  • Set an intention to improve: Setting a clear goal to work on your listening skills can help you think more concretely about how, when, and who you can practice with.
  • Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness helps you be more present. You can practice it simply by noticing what has your attention in the moment; is it the person speaking to you or something else? If your attention is on something else, you can gently redirect your focus back to the person by noticing the changes in their voice, the words they use, and their nonverbal expressions.
  • Be curious: Adopting a curious mindset allows you to truly listen and understand. In doing so, you might notice that you automatically become even more curious and interested in what the person is saying.
  • Let go of judgments and assumptions: When you judge and assume things, you essentially close the door to new information which means you are less likely to pay attention and listen. Letting go of judgments and assumptions will also help you become more curious.
  • Summarize what you are hearing: Repeating in your own words what you heard the other person say can communicate that you’re engaged and gives the other person an opportunity to clarify any misunderstandings.
  • Ask questions: Asking relevant, open minded questions shows that you are listening and responding in a thoughtful way. If you’re not sure what to ask, you can try to think of who, what, when, where, or how questions.
  • Use nonverbal gestures: Using non verbal cues, such as making eye contact and occasionally nodding your head, can communicate that you are listening and paying attention.
  • Try to validate: While giving someone your undivided attention can be validating in and of itself, being able to acknowledge how someone’s thoughts and feelings are understandable given their history or current circumstances can be quite meaningful.
  • Give advice only if required: Don’t try to solve the problem or give advice unless that is what the person is asking for. We often want to help others which is why we’re quick to offer solutions. However, this can be quite invalidating to people because a lot of the time they just want to be understood and listened to.
  • Put away distractions: This can be difficult since we are constantly surrounded by distractions. However, little gestures such as putting your phone face down so you can’t see messages or notifications come through or turning away from your computer screen can help you be more focused and attentive.
  • Practice compassionate listening exercises: You and a partner can each take three to five minutes to share a personal story. There should be a 15- to 30-second pause before the other person starts sharing. After both people have shared their stories, you can take a few minutes to discuss what it was like to listen and be listened to in this way.

CONCLUSION:

While we often equate hearing with listening, the former is typically a passive activity whereas the latter is more active. There are in fact steps you can take to become a better listener. Making the effort to actively listen to the people around you can help you connect with them and improve your relationships with them.

Feminism and Women Empowerment

Feminism in general terms can be defined as equality among all genders holding equal rights and opportunities. The word feminism is evident whole around the globe and is concerned with activities mainly indulging women’s rights and interests. It is an approach against inequality  between men and women in this huge man domain world, it can be in form of social, economic, political movement aiming to establish social, economic, political and even personal equality among all. It ensures and encourages women to put forward their ideas, beliefs, utilize their knowledge and strengths and empower them to perceive their true rights. Feminist movements have organized course of action and are still continuing to do so for women’s rights including right to vote, receive education, equal wages, equal sibling property ownership and to safeguard women and girls from any sort of sexual harassment be it rape or domestic violence. These movements also make certain legal abortion and other social reforms for women.

Historically, women faced discrimination on the basis of their gender, they had to fight against the orthodox society with the result being constant failure. Now things have bit changed and such a result is feminism, an initiative to fight against gender stereotypes and bringing about a change in this unhealthy dynamics of society.

Feminism means congeries things to congeries of people, it is not expected to define a particular’s feminism in any way. Its all about cutting the difference between men and women and leveling them on the same scale. Thus, making similar opportunities available to both men and women in life.

Women Empowerment refers to steps taken in order to empower women. The following concept may be understood in a number of ways like, taking into consideration the opinions or views of women, encouraging women to pursue higher education and uphold a high rank in society and also to uplift the position of women through literacy, training etc. It also provides them to take their own life decisions, tackle various problems in society. Women empowerment can also be defined as to encouraging women to realize their self worth, their capacity to discover their own way out and most important their right to bring about effective social change for themselves and society.

In true sense, empowerment of women contributes greatly in the development of society. The advancement of status of women also intensifies their decision making ability at all scales in all volume of life, particularly in the field of reproduction and sexuality. This without doubt is necessary for the long term accomplishment of the population programmes. Women empowerment and ensuring women’s rights have now become a worldwide movement.

In this contemporary age, feminism and women empowerment is the talk of the town. Numerous developments have been seen till date in awake of both the elements. It is right to say that women empowerment is contributing greatly in the advancement of the society and will continue to do so. Gender discrimination has nearly diminished in the last few decades. But today also in some parts of the country such distinction still subsists. Thus, to tackle such situations it’s important for females to understand the true meaning of feminism and it is the essential right of the women to be empowered so as to hold an independent role in the society. But apart from these various developments, women and girls still face discrimination on some or the other ground and are victims to numerous harassments each day in every part of the world.

Nobel prize

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich on Pexels.com

every year in he month of october, swedis and norgwegian committees award 6 nobel prizes to an individual or organization in 6 different fields for their ground breaking work in their respective fields and their contribution for the humanity. the 6 different fields include physiology or medicine, physics, chemistry, economic science, literature and peace work. the winners are awarded with a diploma and a degree with cash prize of about 1.1 million$. the prize money is divided when there are multiple winners.

GANGA RIVER

The Ganges is the largest river in India with a profound religious significance. It is known by several names, including Jahnavi, Gange, Shubhra, Sapteshwari, Nikita, Bhagirathi, Alaknanda, and Vishnupadi. Nothing can match the ever-lasting divinity of the holy River Ganga; the sacred river is a true mother by all means. 

Children’s Day

Children’s Day is a commemorative date celebrated annually in honor of children, whose date of observance varies by country. In 1925, International Children’s Day was first proclaimed in Geneva during the World Conference on Child Welfare. Since 1950, it is celebrated on 1 June in most Communist and post-Communist countries. World Children’s Day is celebrated on 20th of November to commemorate the Declaration of the Rights of the Child by the UN General Assembly on 20 November 1959. In some countries, it is Children’s Week and not Children’s Day.World Children’s Day

7 WONDERS OF THE WORLD

Our world is filled with the most unique structures that are both man-made and natural. Some of the man-made creations include churches, tombs, temples, monuments, mosques, buildings and even cities. These structures have withstood the test of time and they continue to leave many awestruck with their brilliance. There are many in the world, but only seven are selected, which are deemed to be the best.

The 7 wonders of the world are:

  • Taj Mahal – India
  • Colosseum – Italy
  • Chichen Itza – Mexico
  • Machu Picchu – Peru
  • Christ the Redeemer – Brazil
  • Petra – Jordan
  • Great Wall of China – China

TAJ MAHAL – INDIA

Taj Mahal India photo – Free Taj mahal Image on Unsplash
TAJ MAHAL

The Taj Mahal is well known across the world for its historical value, its tale of love, and its stunning beauty. The Taj Mahal is located in the historic Indian city of Agra. It houses the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. It is said that the Emperor loved his wife dearly and was prompted to build the Taj Mahal after her death as a testament to his love.The construction of the Taj Mahal was completed by 1632. It took 17 years, 22,000 laborers, stonecutters, painters, and embroidery artists, and 1000 elephants to complete the Taj Mahal. The construction of the temple cost the equivalent of US$827 million today. 28 types of precious and semi-precious stones were used to decorate the Taj Mahal. The monument changes color depending on the time of the day and the moon. In 1983, the Taj Mahal was inscribed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Today, it attracts 7 to 8 million annual visitors each year.

COLOSSEUM – ITALY

Visiting the Colosseum: Highlights, Tips & Tours | PlanetWare
COLOSSEUM

Rome, Italy, hosts the Colosseum, which is one of the world’s seven wonders. Sometimes called the Flavian Amphitheatre, the Colosseum is an oval-shaped amphitheater in the center of the city. Constructed from concrete and sand, it is the largest amphitheater in the world. The Colosseum’s construction was initiated in AD 72 by Emperor Vespasian and was finished by AD 80 by his successor, Titus. Domitian, another emperor of the Flavian dynasty later made certain modifications to the amphitheater. The labor of tens of thousands of slaves were used to build this magnificent structure. The Colosseum had the capacity to host about 80,000 spectators and 80 entrances at the time of its construction.Mock sea battles, animal hunts, famous battle re-enactments, executions, and mythological dramas were just some of the public spectacles held at the Colosseum. Entry to events in the Colosseum were free and paid from the Emperor’s treasury. However, the Colosseum bore witness to a lot of brutality. Often over 10,000 animals were killed in a day. Today, this wonder of the world is a popular tourist attraction and serves as the iconic symbol of Imperial Rome.

CHICHEN ITZA – MEXICO

Chichen Itza Sunrise Tour | Globol

Chichen Itza is an archaeological site located in Mexico’s Yucatán State. It is a pre-Columbian city that was built during the Terminal Classic period by the Maya people. Chichen Itza’s structures like the temples, arcades, and pyramids were sacred to the ancient Maya people. Chichen Itza is believed to have been one of the major cities of the ancient Mayan world and constructions in the city exhibit a variety of architectural styles.

The Temple of Kukulkan in Chichen Itza is an archeological marvel based on Maya astronomy. It has 365 steps for each day of the year. There are 91 steps on each of the four sides and the platform at the top serves as the 365th step. The site even houses a sophisticated ancient observatory that exhibits the excellent advanced astronomical knowledge possessed by the Maya people. Chichen Itza was abandoned in the 1400s. However, it is still not known why people left their homes in the city. The historical value of the site contributes to its status as a wonder of the world.

7

Distance Learning

Distance learning can truly be defined as the way of getting an education without visiting a school or attending a class physically.

Adaptability and Freedom:

One of the main advantages of distance learning can be the personalized approach to getting an education regardless of the channels or mediums you are using for this purpose. Whether you are getting study materials online or through posts you can learn only when a connection is developed between the material of the course and you. You get the freedom to deal with the study material in the distance learning process. You can plan your learning process at your convenience instead of sticking with a fixed schedule.

Self-inspiration:

Distance learning encourages you to motivate yourself to learn due to the absence of a traditional teacher to guide you. You will have to create a learning environment and control it effectively so that a band of self-motivation develops in you to inspire you to learn for your personal growth. You can cultivate this band in you by engaging yourself in distance learning methods.

Flexibility to Choose:

You will have to follow a set schedule of learning as per the curriculum of the school if you are following traditional ways of learning. But different types of distance learning allows you to set your learning schedule as per your convenience without following a regular schedule of learning. Even if you are out of touch with the learning process, a distance learning program offers you the flexibility to choose your course of learning.

Easy to Access:

If you cannot attend regular classes due to various reasons like time constraints and distance etc. then distance learning can be the best option for you to access the benefits of your education. If you opt for a correspondence course for distance learning then you will have to make postal delivery as a connection between you and your distance learning centre. But if you have a computer and internet connection then you can opt for an online learning method by using some video conferencing software like ezTalks Cloud Meeting etc. It will allow you to interact with your teachers face-to-face to resolve your problems. Moreover, you can continue learning even without taking leave from your job.

Earn While You Learn:

For those who want to improve their resume by getting a higher education and without breaking their existing job then distance learning can be the best option for them. You can go on earning your livelihood along with improving your qualification as distance learning will accommodate both, learning as well as earning.

Saves Money and Time Both:

By joining a distance learning course you can save money and time spent travelling to a nearby educational institution. Distance learning allows you to access your learning centre online without any additional cost. Moreover, the course offered at distance learning centres is cheaper than the courses provided at traditional education centres.

Easy Access to the Experts:

The students in traditional classes have limited options to guide them but distance learning by video conferencing will provide you expanded opportunities to access the experts in your course even if they are not located in your town or country. They can easily get connected with you from any part of the world to share their expertise and experiences with you. Such a facility is not possible in traditional classrooms.

Communicate with Other Educational Institutions:

You can also be in touch with several other e-schools by getting distance learning through video conferencing software. You can also connect with the students located at far locations from you, anywhere in the world, to mutually share the experiences and problems along with solving problems of each other. Distance learning through video conferencing also allows you to hone your interactive skills by collaborating with others from different work environments and cultures. Such facilities will not be available in the traditional classroom education system.

Virtual Trips:

Another important advantage for distance learning is to plan virtual trips if your budget does not allow you to go on trips from an actual school. Video conferencing allows the students of distance learning courses to visit the location important for them and experience the enjoyment even better than an actual trip. These virtual trips allow you to visit locations that you might have never thought of. Moreover, such trips can enable your teachers or lecturers to make your ordinary lessons more interesting than ever.

Thus, distance learning through video conferencing software tools like ezTalks Cloud Meeting or Skype etc. offers some benefits for those who want to improve their qualification even without disturbing their daily routine.

Me Before You- A Book Review

A love different than any, Me before you by Jojo Moyes is going the hug, twist, and crush your hearts. It is cruelly beautiful. Introducing us to the story of two strangers, who were never supposed to meet if wreckage had not greeted them if they hadn’t been completely flipped over again and again in the hands of their wicked lives, Will Traynor and Louisa Clark. Two souls, perfectly carved out for each other, like two jigsaw pieces fit together, and yet, all the while, poles apart.

The story starts with a small yet life-altering chronicle in the world of Will. We can see he is a dapper guy, with impossible fears, and a great liking for adventure and travel. But before we start hoping the rising scene starts, the climax greets upon our doors. Will has an accident. This is where we start our bewitching tale. Funny right? I thought so too at first. The fact that how an almost-fatal thing can start a love story is beyond my mental capability. But this happened, not only in this fictional tale but also in real life. I have seen numerous examples of how, when one type of living ends, the other starts, but the person inside stays constant. It is magnificent.

You will cry, OH, you will cry, at the sweetness, the unfairness, the predictable unpredictability, you will wholly devour this book with your soul. Or whatever sane part’s left of it, though I doubt there’ll be any after you read it. It is that good. I am not even trying to oversell this book, but it is hands-down beguiling. No matter how foreseeable the ending is, this book is all worth it. It is worth the time, the effort and the constant search of a dictionary on every page.

Instructions For Dancing: A Book Review

Though we can predict what happens on the next page, this dazzling book certainly doesn’t prove to be dull. Instructions for dancing by a very talented Nicola Yoon gives us the hypes for love, lust, and well…dance!. It starts with an obvious scenario Of almost every romance novel. The girl gives up her past life and self because of something tragic and life-changing which forced her not to believe in love and happily-ever-afters anymore. But, she knows, deep-down, the silent and loneliest place of her, That romance-novel reading girl with a pair of dreamy eyes containing unwavering fire still hopes for something magical to happen in her dreary life, and before she knows it, it does.

Yvette Antoinette Thomas, better known as Evie wakes up a simple morning, hoping for a normal day. Little does she know that she will not be the same anymore, ever again, and nor will her world. After she packs her old books with hopeless eyes and a forgone excitement for anything, she plans to give them away to the library. As soon as she paddles out with her unique but absolutely fabulous bicycle, it strikes her that it is a Sunday, and the library is shut on Sundays. With an even soulless, even more cynical sense of life(even she didn’t know it was possible) she paddled her way back to home, when, out of nowhere, she passed upon a little blue junction with a big board showing “open library”. The rest is history.

Comfort and luxury

“We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life when all that we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about.” – Albert Einstein

The Dip

Across language learning, company building, and any kind of creative project, there is a dip. The Dip is the long stretch between beginner’s luck and real accomplishment.
Extraordinary benefits accrue to the tiny minority of people who can push just a tiny bit longer than most.

The Start before the Dip

In any goal that has to be accomplished, there is a Start. It usually gets overlooked, as it’s always there. 
The Start is a much bigger problem since you can’t reach The Dip if you don’t get through The Start, and many more people fantasize about doing something than do it and give up.

Motivation management

The biggest problem we face with completing our projects isn’t productivity or time management, but motivation management. When you’re sufficiently motivated to accomplish something, you’ll move heaven and earth to do it.

Motivation Defined

Motivation is “the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way,” or rephrased, “the general desire or willingness of someone to do something.”

“When you quit something that you had initially wanted to do, it’s because the reasons to stop eventually came to outweigh the reasons to continue. Thus, to maintain your motivation you can either strengthen the reasons to keep going or weaken the reasons to quit. Successful motivation efforts generally include both.”

  • Ericsson & Poole

Getting Motivated to Start a Project

• Increase your reason to start a project, by increasing the value of starting it.
• Increase your expectancy of succeeding at that project.
• Decrease your reasons to delay, by increasing urgency, using a deadline.

Parkinson’s Law

It states that “work expands to fill the time available for its completion.”

A commitment Device

Many people use a commitment device or game their surroundings to get and stay motivated.
You can physically help your goal by things like throwing away your junk food, only showering at the gym so that you go there, and similar activities aimed at focussing on your goal. People also use public commitments in social media to stay motivated by peer pressure.

Stay Motivated 

Set small, incremental goals that are sufficiently exciting to be motivating and for which you have a reasonable expectation of completing.

How To Keep Going

• Maintain your sense of Expectancy in the project using small wins and accomplishments.
• Reward yourself.
• Maintain a sense of value by finding a way to remind yourself of the bigger picture of the small, everyday bouts of effort.
• Build positive habits.
• Find flow.
• Set clear follow-on goals.
• Maintain energy.

Governments budgeting

Description of the budget

The word ‘budget’ is derived from the French word, Bougette, which means a leather wallet or purse. Therefore, the term modern budget refers to a document that contains estimates of revenue and expenditure of a country, usually for one year.

Types of Budget
Budgets can be categorized based on the following principles:

(i) Combined time.
(ii) Number of budgets tabled in the legislature.
(iii) The overall finance budgets position is presented in the budget.
(iv) An approved policy on the takeover of revenue and expenditure in the budget.
(v) Division of receipts and expenses in the budget.

Based on these principles budgets can be:

(i) Annual budgets or long-term budgets.
(ii) One or more budgets.
(iii) Excess budgets, deficits or estimates.
(iv) Budget or revenue budget.
(v) Departmental budget or operating budget.

A brief description of the different types is as follows:

Annual or long-term budgets:
Generally, Government budgets are for one year, that is, for one year. In India, England and many other commonwealth countries the financial year starts on April 1 and ends on March 31, but in the U.S.A., Australia, Sweden and Italy the dates are 1st July and 30th June.
Some countries adopt a planned economic policy and meet the requirements for long-term planning, using a long-term budget, that is, preparing a budget for three years or more. Such a budget is a long-term plan rather than a long-term budget because what is offered is a financial plan over the years to fund the program.
These countries spread the use of program costs over many years. The legislature approves the plan and estimates its costs, but that does not equal the actual voting of all-time shares. Every year the national budget will include expenditure on a plan for that year to be approved by the legislature.

One or more budgets:
When the estimates of all Government functions are allocated to a single budget, it is known as a single budget. The advantage of a single budget is that it reflects the financpractisetion of the Government as a whole.
But if there are separate budget-related budgets passed by the legislature, it is called a mass budget. In India, we have two budgets — one for the railway line and one for the rest of the departments. The practise of having a separate train budget began in 1921. In England, there is one budget.

Extra income, deficit or limited budget:
A budget is a surplus if the estimated income exceeds the estimated cost/expense But if the expected revenue falls below the expected cost, it becomes a budget deficit. According to economists, a deficit budget is a sign of global development. A limited budget is when the expected revenue is equal to the expected cost/expense. Budgets are often in short supply.

Income or budget of income:
A budget is one in which the estimates of various items of income and expenditure include amounts to be acquired or used in one year.
In revenue and expenditure budgets, accumulated in one financial year, are planned for that financial year regardless of whether the revenue is available or expenses incurred in that financial year. In India, Britain and the U.S.A., counts are calculated, in France and other continents, counting income.

Departmental or operational budget:
The current practice is to have a departmental budget, that is, the revenue and expenses of one department are organized under it. It does not provide any information about the work or activity that has been budgeted for. The operating budget is another where the total cost of a particular project is compiled under the head of a specific program.
It is organized into activities, programs, activities and projects, for example, in the case of collaboration (employment), it will be divided into programs such as higher education, Secondary and Higher Education. Each program will be divided into activities, for example, teacher training is a task. The project is the final unit of division of labour.
It symbolizes work as a major project, such as the construction of a school building. The A.R.C. proposed the adoption of a budget for all the departments and agencies of the Central and provincial governments that have managed development programs.