Vande Bharat trains has faced multiple accidents with cattles since operation.

Indian Railways’ premier train Vande Bharat Express which now operates on six routes across the country has recorded 68 instances of animal hit in the last six months starting from June this year.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on 14 December in a query to the number of incidents of Vande Bharat Express trains hit by animals in the last six months. Union Railway Minister in another reply said that the shell structure of Vande Bharat coach is made of high-grade steel. However, the coupler cover fitted in front of the Vande Bharat train as part of nose cone which provides aerodynamic profile to the train is made of fibre reinforced plastic to absorb the impact of hit.

Replying to another question, Vaishnaw said currently the Vande Bharat trains are running with sitting capacity with a maximum distance of 500 to 550 km and once the Vande Bharat trains with sleeping facilities will ply, the trains will cover longer distances

Banking Exams

 Banking exams in India are crucial for those aspiring to build a career in the banking sector, offering opportunities to work in esteemed public sector banks, private banks, and regional rural banks. Here are some key points about banking exams in India:

  1. Popular Banking Exams:

    • IBPS Exams (Institute of Banking Personnel Selection): IBPS conducts various exams such as:
      • IBPS PO (Probationary Officer): For recruiting Probationary Officers in public sector banks.
      • IBPS Clerk: For recruitment of Clerical Cadre in public sector banks.
      • IBPS Specialist Officer: To hire candidates for specialized roles like IT Officer, Marketing Officer, HR Officer, etc.
    • State Bank of India (SBI) Exams: SBI conducts its exams for positions like SBI PO, SBI Clerk, and Specialist Officers.
    • RBI Exams: Reserve Bank of India conducts exams for recruitment in various roles including Grade B Officers, Assistants, etc.

  2. Exam Structure:

    • Preliminary Examination: Usually a multiple-choice format assessing candidates’ proficiency in English, Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability, and General Awareness.
    • Mains Examination: A more in-depth test covering similar subjects but with higher difficulty levels. This phase might also include sections on Descriptive English, Data Analysis & Interpretation, Financial Awareness, etc.
    • Interview/Group Discussion: Candidates who qualify in the Mains are usually called for a final round of interviews or group discussions, depending on the exam.

  3. Preparation and Competition:

    • Intensive Preparation: Aspirants often prepare through rigorous study plans, solving mock tests, and practicing previous years’ question papers to improve speed and accuracy.
    • High Competition: Banking exams witness high competition due to the large number of aspirants vying for a limited number of vacancies.

  4. Eligibility Criteria:

    • Educational qualifications, age limits, and other specific requirements vary for different banking exams.

  5. Career Opportunities:

    • Successful candidates secure positions as Probationary Officers, Clerks, Specialist Officers, etc., in various banks, providing opportunities for career growth, stability, and skill development.

  6. Job Benefits:

    • Banking jobs offer several perks such as job security, attractive salary packages, allowances, healthcare benefits, and opportunities for career advancement through promotions and transfers.

  7. Role in Economic Development:

    • Employees in the banking sector play a vital role in the nation’s economic development by facilitating financial transactions, providing banking services, and supporting financial inclusion initiatives.

Banking exams provide a gateway to a promising career in the financial sector, offering candidates a chance to contribute to the country’s banking and economic landscape.

Know about New Zealand’s law that bans smoking for next generation.

In a bid to curb smoking for the next generation and make the country smoke-free by 2025, New Zealand passed the world’s first legislation prohibiting the sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009.

According to the Guardian, the number of stores legally permitted to sell cigarettes will be reduced by a tenth, from 6,000 to 600 across the country. The law passed will go into effect in 2023, as New Zealand strives to become “smoke-free” by 2025.

New Zealand’s smoking rate is already at historic lows, with just 8% of adults smoking daily according to government statistic released in November – down from 9.4% last year.

It is hoped that the Smokefree Environments Bill will reduce that number to less than 5% by 2025, with the eventual aim of eliminating the practice altogether.

Know about New Zealand's law that bans smoking for next generation.

In a bid to curb smoking for the next generation and make the country smoke-free by 2025, New Zealand passed the world’s first legislation prohibiting the sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009.

According to the Guardian, the number of stores legally permitted to sell cigarettes will be reduced by a tenth, from 6,000 to 600 across the country. The law passed will go into effect in 2023, as New Zealand strives to become “smoke-free” by 2025.

New Zealand’s smoking rate is already at historic lows, with just 8% of adults smoking daily according to government statistic released in November – down from 9.4% last year.

It is hoped that the Smokefree Environments Bill will reduce that number to less than 5% by 2025, with the eventual aim of eliminating the practice altogether.

India and Chinese troops clashes on border.

Soldiers from India and China clashed last week along the two countries’ disputed Himalayan border. In 1962, when the countries fought a bloody, high-altitude war over the contested territories, China seized Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims as part of South Tibet, before returning it to Indian control, but the disputed area belongs to and will remain in the integral control of India.

It was the first reported standoff between troops from the two Asian giants since deadly clashes in 2020 strained their already tense relations. 

Both sides were involved with a few soldiers suffering minor injuries. China is yet to comment on the stand off. But Reuters reported an Indian army source saying at least six Indian troops were injured.

“Both sides immediately disengaged from the area,” the Indian army said.

It added that commanders from both sides had held a meeting immediately after “to restore peace and tranquility”.

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told the parliament on Tuesday that no Indian soldiers had been “hurt or seriously injured” in the clash and that the incident has been “taken up at diplomatic levels”. He added that because of “timely intervention of Indian military commanders, PLA soldiers went back to their positions”.

China and India share a disputed 3,440km (2,100 mile) long de facto border – called the Line of Actual Control, or LAC – which is poorly demarcated. The presence of rivers, lakes and snowcaps means the line can shift. The soldiers on either side – representing two of the world’s largest armies – come face to face at many points.

India and Chinese troops clashes on border.

Soldiers from India and China clashed last week along the two countries’ disputed Himalayan border. In 1962, when the countries fought a bloody, high-altitude war over the contested territories, China seized Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims as part of South Tibet, before returning it to Indian control, but the disputed area belongs to and will remain in the integral control of India.

It was the first reported standoff between troops from the two Asian giants since deadly clashes in 2020 strained their already tense relations. 

Both sides were involved with a few soldiers suffering minor injuries. China is yet to comment on the stand off. But Reuters reported an Indian army source saying at least six Indian troops were injured.

“Both sides immediately disengaged from the area,” the Indian army said.

It added that commanders from both sides had held a meeting immediately after “to restore peace and tranquility”.

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told the parliament on Tuesday that no Indian soldiers had been “hurt or seriously injured” in the clash and that the incident has been “taken up at diplomatic levels”. He added that because of “timely intervention of Indian military commanders, PLA soldiers went back to their positions”.

China and India share a disputed 3,440km (2,100 mile) long de facto border – called the Line of Actual Control, or LAC – which is poorly demarcated. The presence of rivers, lakes and snowcaps means the line can shift. The soldiers on either side – representing two of the world’s largest armies – come face to face at many points.

International World Braille Day

In honor of Louis Braille, who was born on January 4, 1809, the world observes International World Braille Day every year. The United Nations General Assembly established World Braille Day in 2019 and it serves as the opening ceremony for Braille Literacy Month, a campaign in January that strives to increase public awareness of the value of braille and braille literacy.

Braille is useful for many people, even though it is most often associated with people who are completely blind and who use it as a reading medium. This includes people with severe disabilities, visual impairments, and dual sensory loss.


HISTORY OF WORLD BRAILLE DAY

After its inventor, “Braille,” the term was given. When Louis Braille was a young child, he inadvertently injured himself in the eye with his father’s awl, which caused him to lose his vision. He spent time at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in France starting at the age of 10 when he developed and improved the raised-dot technique that eventually became known as Braille.

Braille finished his work by creating a code based on cells with six dots that allowed a fingertip to quickly go from one cell to the next while still feeling the full unit with one touch. Braille eventually gained acceptance as the primary method of written information for blind people on a global scale. Unfortunately, Braille was unable to witness the usefulness of his creation. Two years before the Royal Institute started teaching Braille, in 1852, he passed away.

The United Nations General Assembly recognized Braille as a wonderful tool that gave the blind and visually handicapped access to a wide range of opportunities (UNGA). The date January 4 was designated as World Braille Day in November 2018. The next year, the first-ever World Braille Day was marked and recognized as a global holiday.

Six fun facts about braille

1. There is a braille code for practically every language, and braille is used in almost every nation in the globe.

2. The braille’s creator has a fascinating tale to tell. Louis Braille was 3 years old when he accidentally poked his eye with a leather embosser, causing a severe infection that eventually led him to lose eyesight in both eyes. Ironically, a stylus, a device used nowadays to emboss braille by hand, is comparable to an awl.

3. There are numerous ways to type in braille. It can be printed using a braille typewriter or embossed using a slate and styles, which is usually regarded as braille handwriting.

4. Popular tourist destination Castle Sant’Elmo provides more than just a panoramic view of the Italian city of Naples from its vantage point. The stronghold is home to Paolo Puddu’s “Follow the Shape” art project, a braille-embossed railing with a poetic description of the scene. The photo for this blog was taken from an image of this installation.

5. In recent years, more toys—including a Rubik’s Cube, the well-known card game UNO, and LEGOs—have become accessible in braille.

6. A conventional typewriter is not like a braille keyboard. In addition to a space key, enter button, and backspace button, braillers feature six keys, one for each of the six dots in a braille cell.


Russia offers India large ship on lease.

Russia has offered India to lease and build very large crude carriers (VLCC) as insurance on Russian oil. “Traditionally India couldn’t get large quantities of crude from Russia as there weren’t any VLCC’s. However, now with India’s imports from Russia reaching nearly 30 per cent of total requirement, VLCC is the need of the hour.

This can also remove insurance liability on India as after price cap most insurers have backed out from insuring Russian crude,” say sources. This offer was given  when Russian Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak met India’s Ambassador to Russia, Pavan Kapoor on December 9th.

In 2021, bilateral trade between Russia, India increased by 46.5 per cent, exceeding $13.5 billion. From January to September 2022 trade reached $20.4 billion.

Russia offers India large ship on lease.

Russia has offered India to lease and build very large crude carriers (VLCC) as insurance on Russian oil. “Traditionally India couldn’t get large quantities of crude from Russia as there weren’t any VLCC’s. However, now with India’s imports from Russia reaching nearly 30 per cent of total requirement, VLCC is the need of the hour.

This can also remove insurance liability on India as after price cap most insurers have backed out from insuring Russian crude,” say sources. This offer was given  when Russian Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak met India’s Ambassador to Russia, Pavan Kapoor on December 9th.

In 2021, bilateral trade between Russia, India increased by 46.5 per cent, exceeding $13.5 billion. From January to September 2022 trade reached $20.4 billion.

India climbs to 5th spot in top global 500 list released by Hurun.

India, with 20 of the most valuable companies in the world, has moved into the fifth position among countries that are home to the world’s top 500 firms. Last year, it ranked ninth with eight companies. The US continued to top the charts, according to the 2022 Hurun Global 500 list.

Of the 20 Indian companies featuring on the list this year, 11 are based in Mumbai, four in Ahmedabad and one each in Noida, New Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata. The list, released by the Hurun Research Institute, is a compilation of the 500 most valuable non-state-controlled companies in the world. Companies were ranked according to their market capitalisation (for listed companies) and valuations for non-listed companies.

Led by energy giant Reliance Industries with market capitalisation of $202 billion, the list includes Tata Consultancy ($139 billion) and HDFC Bank ($97 billion).

Billionaire Gautam Adani controlled Adani Group has debuted in the global top 500 companies list with four companies — Adani Enterprises ($63 billion), Adani Transmission ($44 billion), Adani Total Gas ($43 billion) and Adani Green Energy ($40 billion). The other new entrants in the list from India include ITC ($52 billion), Avenue Supermarts ($33 billion), Axis Bank ($33 billion), Bajaj Finserv ($32 billion) and Larson & Toubro ($32 billion)

India climbs to 5th spot in top global 500 list released by Hurun.

India, with 20 of the most valuable companies in the world, has moved into the fifth position among countries that are home to the world’s top 500 firms. Last year, it ranked ninth with eight companies. The US continued to top the charts, according to the 2022 Hurun Global 500 list.

Of the 20 Indian companies featuring on the list this year, 11 are based in Mumbai, four in Ahmedabad and one each in Noida, New Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata. The list, released by the Hurun Research Institute, is a compilation of the 500 most valuable non-state-controlled companies in the world. Companies were ranked according to their market capitalisation (for listed companies) and valuations for non-listed companies.

Led by energy giant Reliance Industries with market capitalisation of $202 billion, the list includes Tata Consultancy ($139 billion) and HDFC Bank ($97 billion).

Billionaire Gautam Adani controlled Adani Group has debuted in the global top 500 companies list with four companies — Adani Enterprises ($63 billion), Adani Transmission ($44 billion), Adani Total Gas ($43 billion) and Adani Green Energy ($40 billion). The other new entrants in the list from India include ITC ($52 billion), Avenue Supermarts ($33 billion), Axis Bank ($33 billion), Bajaj Finserv ($32 billion) and Larson & Toubro ($32 billion)

Alternatives to layoff.

In the span of weeks, the United States’ Silicon Valley which has been a reliable source of high-paying jobs and booming stocks is now witnessing a tough time with major big tech companies including Meta, Twitter, Snap, and Microsoft announcing mass layoffs, which have tens of thousands of people unemployed. 

Layoffs are happening as the world ponders whether a global recession is coming. Whatever label people end up putting on this era, companies are struggling with consecutive lackluster quarters, inflation, price hikes, and uncertainty. Varying interest rates, a plummeting stock market, and a downturn in consumer confidence are only making matters worse. 

Here are some alternatives to layoffs that may help HR avoid all the drama: 

Remote Work

Thanks to the pandemic, most, if not all, companies with knowledge workers are now set up for remote work. 

Hiring Freeze

Many companies that are laying off people are still hiring at the same time. It is a bad look. Employers should have a hiring freeze to save money and stay on budget.

Furloughs

Furloughs can be a short-term way to avoid at least some layoffs. A furlough is a mandatory but temporary leave of absence. A furloughed employee works a reduced schedule or takes unpaid leave.

Pay cuts

Pay cuts can help prevent a business from bleeding jobs. However, to be noted that this strategy can be costly for employees, particularly those living paycheck to paycheck amid high inflation.

Cuts in benefits or perks

Aside from pay cuts, an employer might temporarily reduce benefits or perks to “buy the company some time” to turn around its finances.

Alternatives to layoff.

In the span of weeks, the United States’ Silicon Valley which has been a reliable source of high-paying jobs and booming stocks is now witnessing a tough time with major big tech companies including Meta, Twitter, Snap, and Microsoft announcing mass layoffs, which have tens of thousands of people unemployed. 

Layoffs are happening as the world ponders whether a global recession is coming. Whatever label people end up putting on this era, companies are struggling with consecutive lackluster quarters, inflation, price hikes, and uncertainty. Varying interest rates, a plummeting stock market, and a downturn in consumer confidence are only making matters worse. 

Here are some alternatives to layoffs that may help HR avoid all the drama: 

Remote Work

Thanks to the pandemic, most, if not all, companies with knowledge workers are now set up for remote work. 

Hiring Freeze

Many companies that are laying off people are still hiring at the same time. It is a bad look. Employers should have a hiring freeze to save money and stay on budget.

Furloughs

Furloughs can be a short-term way to avoid at least some layoffs. A furlough is a mandatory but temporary leave of absence. A furloughed employee works a reduced schedule or takes unpaid leave.

Pay cuts

Pay cuts can help prevent a business from bleeding jobs. However, to be noted that this strategy can be costly for employees, particularly those living paycheck to paycheck amid high inflation.

Cuts in benefits or perks

Aside from pay cuts, an employer might temporarily reduce benefits or perks to “buy the company some time” to turn around its finances.

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.”

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.”