Tag: Learning

Learning is the process of acquiring new understanding, knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, attitudes, and preferences. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals, and some machines; there is also evidence for some kind of learning in certain plants.

UPSC: 2021 & General

Exam & The Conducting Body

Civil Services Exam or CSE is a national level exam adorned with the title of “Most Difficult Exam to Crack”. It is conducted by UPSC – Union Public Service Commission and sometimes referred as just UPSC exam. UPSC CSE fills for 24 services ranging between 700-1400 annually. The top most All India service is that of an IAS officer and since most aspirants aim for this top post, it is simply known as IAS exam too. Although UPSC conducts several government exams every year in a variety of streams but only CSE gets the prestige of being this difficult for the level of position it bestows upon the officers. UPSC CSE or UPSC is a three-level exam which are: Preliminary (Two objective papers), Mains (Total nine papers) and a personality test (Interview). One sits for a total of 32 hours of examination to qualify the exam. On an average, the number of students that pass the first stage of exam is 11 to 12 times more than the number of vacancies. This demonstrates the competition & hype of UPSC among students. And this all hype is not inexplicable for the later highly respectful, well paying government job which the aspirants fancy for at the end of their struggle.

Examination News & Notifications

Such is the popularity and reputation of UPSC CSE exam that the news sources are not limited. There are n number of websites, portals, newspapers, coaching institutes’ sites, YouTube Channels, and several other offline & online sources that provide the news and notifications of UPSC exam without any cost. The official website of UPSC is https://upsc.gov.in/ . UPSC Aspirants and other interested students can visit the above given official website regularly to keep a check on the latest updates and notifications regarding the exam. The first notification regarding UPSC 2021 was issued on the official website on 4th march, 2021 along with the release of application form for the same.  The notification also informed the aspirants to fill the CSE 2021 application form by 23rd of March,2021 latest. Later, another notification was issued stating some changes in the exam dates caused due to novel Coronavirus. It is also given accompanying the updated schedule that even this date sheet can be subject to alterations in future if required. Keeping this in mind, students are advised to visit the official website regularly to not miss any news or announcements in future regarding the exam.

Examination Dates

Earlier the date for CSE exam phase 1 i.e., Preliminary exam was 27th of June, 2021. It seems COVID-19 like all other fields, affected UPSC CSE dates this year too and hence the date for the Preliminary exam that was scheduled to be conducted on June 27th will now be conducted on Oct. 10, 2021. Also, the Mains exam of UPSC Civil Services Exam will be held on the dates 7th, 8th, 9th, 15th & 16th of January, 2022. Apart from the form filling dates, UPSC has announced form withdrawal dates. Candidates who have filled the form can withdraw the form between 31st March, 2021 to 6th of April, 2021.

Application Fee

If we talk about the fees of the exam, it can be concluded that the fees asked for form filling in UPSC CSE exam is not as much as compared to other competitive exams, reasons being the conducting body and the difficulty level of the exam. The General Category, OBC & EWS belonging male candidates are required to pay a sum of Rs. 100 for Preliminary exam and Rs. 200 for the Mains exam. It must be clear that all category females, Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) and SC/ST Candidates are exempted to pay fees at any phase of the examination.

Eligibility Criteria

For an UPSC aspirant, given below is the eligibility criteria based on various factors that make her/him eligible to appear in the most prestigious and India’s toughest government exam:

1.    Nationality

  • A person willing to sit for UPSC exam with the intention of getting into Indian Administrative Service or Indian Police Service must be a citizen of India.
  • Apart from IAS & IPS all other services require the candidate to be:
    • An Indian citizen.
      • A subject of Bhutan or a citizen of Nepal.
      • A refugee from Tibet who is living for permanent purpose in India before Jan. 1st, 1962.
      • A person of Indian Origin with a desire for permanent settlement in India from, Pakistan, Myanmar, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Malawi, Zaire & Zambia.

2.    Educational Qualifications

  • A candidate must have earned a graduation degree in any discipline from any open/private/central/deemed/state University.
  • A graduation degree from any foreign university that is recognized by Indian Association of Universities.
  • Graduation degree can be completed on a regular mode or through distance education.
  • A special recognition by the Govt, of India for a qualification as equivalent as above-mentioned graduation degree.

3.    Age

  • A person (male/female) is eligible to sit for the exam with a minimum age of 21 years as calculated on 1st of August, in the respective year of exam.
  • Age limits vary for different categories. The different upper age limits:
    •  For General category & EWS is 32 years.
      • For OBCs is 35 years.
      • For SCs/STs/PwDs is 37 years.
      • For Defence Services Personnel disabled in operations during hostilities, it is 40 years.

4.    Attempts

  • The number of attempts allowed to candidates (male/female) vary for different categories, which is as follows:
    • 6 attempts for General Category.
      • 9 attempts for OBCs.
      • Unlimited number of attempts for SCs/STs.

Vacancies

The vacancies for posts to be filled by UPSC through CSE exam is not fixed. The number of vacant positions is released by the Commission prior to the exam every year which vary in number. The vacant positions vary from minimum 700 to maximum 1500 approximately. Past data shows this sharp variation with exact number of vacancies. For instance, year 2018 saw a total vacancy of 759 and in 2014 vacancies were as much as 1364. This variation occurs every year. The number of vacant posts released by UPSC this year, i.e., 2021 is 712 which shows a decrease of 84 vacancies as in 2020, which was 796.

Salary

The salary offered by The Government of India to officers chosen through UPSC varies from post to post and service to service. The tag of government job and such a reputation that comes with the job, generally overshadow the salary question. For instance, the salary range of two top most services are given below:

  • For the top service like IAS, the salary range is 56,000 to 2,50,000 INR.
  • IPS officer’s salary ranges between 39,000 to 2,12,000 INR.

This trend of such large difference between the ranges of salaries is due to difference in posts, rank & no. of years in the service completed by the candidate.

Exam Pattern

As stated above, the UPSC conducts the Civil Services Exam in three stages. A detailed brief of the three stages is as follows:

A.    Preliminary or Prelims:

The first stage of this grand marathon kickstarts with Prelims exam. Prelims consists of two objective exams- General Studies I & General Studies II (CSAT). Both the papers involve negative marking. GS I is of 200 marks containing 100 MCQs, whereas GS II is of 200 marks containing 80 questions. One who clears both, qualifies for the second stage which is Mains exam.

B.    Mains:

The second stage has nine subjective type papers which are conducted approximately for a week.  The nine papers can be detailed as:

  1. Paper A – Compulsory Indian Language – 300 marks.
  2. Paper B – English – 300 marks.
  3. Paper I – Essay – 250 marks (till last)
  4. Paper II – General Studies I
  5. Paper III – General Studies II
  6. Paper IV – General Studies III
  7. Paper V – General Studies IV
  8. Paper VI – Optional I
  9. Paper VII – Optional II

All the nine papers mentioned above are of 3 hours each.

C.    Personality Test

The final stage of UPSC CSE exam is personality test or Interview of 275 marks.

Admit Card

Admit Card is the candidature document that students need to carry to the exam hall at the chosen exam center. Any student found without the admit card is not allowed to sit for the UPSC CSE. Admit card contain the name, picture, roll number and things allowed and not allowed to be carried on the day of the examination. Students can download the admit cards from the official website of UPSC https://www.upsc.gov.in/ . Generally, UPSC releases the admit cards for CSE exam four weeks prior to the exam scheduled to be held so that students get plenty of time in their hands to download & print the admit cards and also some might want to visit the exam center before the exam to avoid any kind of errors on the day of exam.

Result

Like every other information, UPSC releases the results of the exams conducted by it on the official website https://www.upsc.gov.in/ . Students can check the results by following the below given procedure:

  • Visit the official website of UPSC https://www.upsc.gov.in/ .
  • Scroll down to find the tag “FINAL RESULT”.
  • Look for the result link you are looking for.
  • Enter the roll no. and tap for search result.
  • Download and save the print for future requirements.

The marksheets of the students who haven’t qualified the last stage will be uploaded on the website within fifteen days of announcement of final result and will appear on the website for approximately 30 days. This is to help students to evaluate their weak subjects and to understand that where have they lost points.

How to Apply

Aspirants can visit the official website https://www.upsc.gov.in/ and fill out the forms.

Why your votes matter

voice your future through your vote

The right to vote is the most direct, most determinant and most dynamic expression of democracy.

Our Indian democracy gives the power to the people. The power to vote and choose a leader / party of our choice. And so, it is only apt that we make use of this opportunity. This is our opportunity to express who we are and what we care about. If you care about your future, Vote your future.

It is essential for every Indian to take the elections seriously. Be it playing an alternate card, keeping fascits at bay or to try a third card. Not everything may change overnight.  But we as citizens of democratic India, have an obligation to vote.

I know you and I are frustrated with the way things are going on in this country. And we’re all trying to post and tweet but nothing you can do is more powerful than you and I voting. Stand up for yourself, educate yourself, use your voice and vote. Make your voice heard because it counts.

As Rabindranath Tagore in his poem, where the mind is without fear, says,

” into that heaven of freedom, my father, Let my country awake.” we are called to lift up this people and this nation to that place.

Needless to say, every citizen’s vote is counted in the polling process. If the people are equally divided between two candidates, one single vote can be a game-changer and a decisive factor. We have seen in the past how one vote from an MP can decide the fall of the government. Exactly the same way, a single person’s vote can confirm the win/fall of an aspiring MP or MLA. Voting is the fundamental basis of democracy’s ‘Of the people, for the people, and by the people’ slogan. Therefore, rather than enjoying it as a holiday, one must vote if he truly wants to contribute to the nation-building process and bring about a change. A Citizen should actually not need to find any reason to Vote. It must be done as a compulsive duty although there is no legal obligation to vote.

At times, it is possible that one does not want any single candidate to be elected from all who are contesting. The election commission has made a special provision of NOTA. It stands for None of The Above. Hence if none of the candidates fit into your criteria, just hit the NOTA option and voice the opinion. Introduction of this alternative is believed to play a significant role in the future. In the late future, it may also be possible that the NOTA will decide the re-elections with fresh candidates.

one of the main reason to vote :

Covid19- we all know how this pandemic affected every corner of the world and how our nation suffered. Millions of people lost their jobs, daily bread and yes lives too So as a responsible citizen of this nation we should elect a government which can work efficiently for the people during any crisis.

Facebook – an overview

Facebook- A Breakthrough in Digital Media:

Communication and Networking drive the world and make it a better place to live in. Gmail was a solid platform for official communications between colleagues and clients. Friendster , Myspace were the platforms for communicating with peer networks and the outer world.  These sites were used by many people across the world. But people felt a need for a global social network with unique features and ease of accessibility. 

Facebook was launched in the year 2004 and it created a buzz amidst the people. Initially it was introduced as a platform for students to connect with their friends and share images. Then slowly the platform was made available for everyone across the globe. By the year 2008 it surpassed the number of users of Myspace. The user experience , UI and UX design were the prominent reasons for the success The launch of Facebook was undoubtedly a breakthrough in Digital Media. 

Fig 1: shows the growth in numbers of facebook users over the years

Today, the active number of monthly users in Facebook are around 2.3 Billion. India has the most number of facebook users.Every teenager and youth would most probably have an account on facebook. According to statistics, the number of people between the age 20-30 years accounts for the major percentage in the usage of Facebook. As consumers we all would have doubts regarding the way this pioneer platform works. Let’s understand the same in the upcoming paragraphs. 

Facebook – Backend Story:

The Facebook site was developed with PHP and later on they developed a compiler named Hiphop which will transfer the PHP code to C++ code.This was mainly done for improving the code efficiency. It was developed by engineers of Facebook. As expected the compiler was 5.5 times faster than the conventional PHP engines.

As the number of users increases over the years , the data to be processed increases at an enormous rate. For example if a user searches for his friend with a particular name , there would be multiple users under the name. So to reduce the efforts of the user facebook has to filter out them based on criterias like location , school, place of work etc. It is a difficult task to be processed as the amount of data involved in it is huge. Facebook uses open source software named Hadoop for processing the information. 

Initially facebook had features of users sharing images with their friends. It also had an option of tagging people while sharing pictures. This option helped users to get connected to their old friends , friends of their friends. Facebook uses Haystack to store all these images uploaded. Haystack has a separate server and storage system for storing the images uploaded. The image uploaded by the user is uploaded to the server with a separate index and stored in the storage space.

Facebook Algorithm:

The news feed of Facebook initially showed the posts , updates and stories shared by the friends or connections of the user. Due to the rapid growth in the number of users , it started to provide options for brand advertising and marketing.Gradually they started advertising for brand values which made the news feed flooded by irrelevant advertisements to the user. This led to the reduction in the number of users  substantially. Users in exasperation started to switch from facebook to other social media platforms. Emerging social media platforms like snapchat , telegram started to capture the market at an expeditious phase.

Then facebook came up with algorithms which put out the newsfeed in such a way that it is relevant to the user’s interest and likes. Users were given the chance to remove the ads which do not captivate them. Facebook Algorithms studied the behavior very closely.  It observed the user interaction according to the post content , time spent on the post , likes and shares of the post. Based on these observations , the newsfeed of each user was curated. Apart from this facebook conducted user surveys where various questions were asked to perceive the user behaviour better. Personal choices were given preference to please the users. 

Facebook algorithms run neural network models and filter the post which will not catch the individual’s attention. Then they began to give a score to every post in the filtered category. The posts were shown on the individual’s newsfeed according to its score in order of highest to the lowest. By this way the users got a feel that their time on facebook is utilised in the right course.

Facebook stellar marketing :

On the flip side , Facebook has to maintain the reach they have promised to the business pages which pay them. Hence the algorithms were designed in such a way that the user analytics is useful for both sides. Thus it will turn out to be a win-win situation. It helped brands to understand the time map of user engagement according to the geography and days of the week. When the post timings of brands aligned with the time map suggested reaches were promising.

Video contents were more promising when compared to images and articles. But video contents which are long and elaborate were not played fully as the people lose interest in the midst of the video. Hence Facebook suggested brands to do simple , attractive and short videos to attract consumers. Live videos of launching and product showcasing were recommended to small business owners. People were excited to know that they were a part of the product introduction of their favourite brands which made them feel a step closer with the brands of their choice.

Fig 2: shows the most promising techniques used by facebook for helping brands reach its customers

Freshness of the post played a vital role in the score of the post. In case a brand announces an offer for the first week of the month and the content is shown to the user in the second week due to the algorithm prioritization then it would be of no use to both sides. Hence the algorithm took the recency of the post as a crucial element for providing scores to the post. 

Facebook also had groups to promote small business. These groups recommended brands that are of good quality. A Recent online study proved that Facebook provides the best Return of Investment for the marketers. This is mainly because of the continuous changes in the Facebook algorithms , integration of Instagram promotion to Facebook, Facebook groups etc. 

References:

WHY DIAMONDS ARE SO EXPENSIVE ?

Diamonds are allotropes of carbon like graphite. But, the difference between them is tremendous. What makes diamonds so costly ? Well some might say that the extraordinariness, challenges in mining, toughness, cut, clearness, shading, and carat of diamonds make them costly and popular. Gold and silver are likewise uncommon, mining them is additionally troublesome however why just diamond is so costly ? Why people give diamond ring when they propose one another ?

Why Are Diamonds So Expensive? – EVEVIC JEWELRY

A few years ago it was not a trend to give diamond rings while proposing. There are many stones rarer than diamonds. They are costly as a result of a company called De Beers. Each diamond you find in this world comes from this company not because diamonds are very rare to find. There are numerous diamond mines in this world however this organization don’t let those diamonds to arrive at the market.

At the point when supply of a specific item is less however demand is high, this outcomes in making that item more costly. This company made the stock of diamonds exceptionally less. But, how ? Few years back diamonds were found only in India and Brazil. But then it was also found in Africa and that too in very large quantity. De beers was also one of the company which found a lot of diamonds in Africa. But the other mines company started selling diamonds because the supply of diamonds were increasing which can make them less expensive. They were in loss. De beers would have also done that but instead it started buying those diamonds by taking loans and because of that it became the owner of all mines in Africa. It became a monopoly and a monopoly does what it wants. Soon when other mines company discovered diamonds in Serbia and other countries De beers bought all of them. It became owner of all the diamonds in the world.

Yet, De beers never let people to realize that they have diamonds in exceptionally huge amount because then people won’t buy it. They restricted the stock of diamonds which made them uncommon. They further began promoting diamonds by giving statements like “A diamond is forever”. Because of this, the interest of people towards diamonds increased and they became expensive.

RESOURCES:

2. https://francisalukkas.com/why-are-diamonds-so-expensive-5-reasons/

Being knowledgeable!

Knowledge plays an important role in personality development of an individual. It is important to know what’s going around you and what needs to be done, be it social, economical or technical. Confidence comes with knowledge. You cannot stand an interview without having appropriate knowledge. Neither can a person start his own venture without having proper knowledge about the field he is willing to enter. It is all linked, whatever sphere of life it might be. Knowledge stands at the top.

Photo by Janko Ferlic on Pexels.com

It is never limited to books or magazines; it can also be gained through experience and learning which is an important characteristic of a human. We learn by seeing, watching and observing things. The bookish language is either tricky, boring, lengthy or includes jargon which makes it difficult to get the true meaning of things and hence can be misunderstood. Here, the importance of practical knowledge comes into play.

You see, how vast is the field of knowledge is! It is a field in itself since it is either not accessible to all or those who can, fail to harness enough of it. It is a study where you learn for your interest and observe to know.

The emerging fields to gain knowledge can be finance, social, medical or anything that might interest you and would help you. Knowledge is not a force. It is the basics of a good personality and the reason behind the confidence of a person. Even if you are involved in house chores, it is important that you know what, why, how are you doing or carrying out your work. This builds efficiency and confidence in oneself. Nobody can question your ability if you are a knowledgeable person, in your field.

Some people carry diverse knowledge, the reason being their desire to know and explore more. Limiting yourself to books or doing manual work without good know-how can be boring. Many-a-times people opt to study the subjects which are totally out of their interest, just to get a good job with considerable earnings. Such businesses don’t go well and consequently affect the health of a person. This happens because they make it a burden and try to gain knowledge in a field they don’t belong to. Life is all about exploring new horizons and living them freely. Limits in education obstruct the growth of a person. Go beyond the textbooks and learn from the nature. Know your destiny, what is your purpose and how should you approach it. Again, knowledge about the ways to approach a situation is important. Always choose the right path no matter how difficult it might be. Of course, there are no good things easy and free. Struggle will lead you to the purpose of your life. Just don’t forget to “live” the journey.

Photo by Jill Wellington on Pexels.com

Knowledge concerns with personal well-being too, besides caring for the world. The learning you get from your parents and teachers, the experiences you gain from failures, the freshness you feel in the nature, all are a part of the big world of knowledge.

You can find solutions to your as well as others’ problems if you are knowledgeable. Also, improving and constantly gaining knowledge is important whatever area it may concern. You need to be well updated so as to put forward your best opinions and views. It might appear hectic at first but gradually you will get better at knowing things. Making it a habit will help a lot in future. People usually prefer and refer journals, newspapers, etc. for the purpose but “observing” is the best practice to get an insight and build a perspective.

HOW TO KNOW THAT YOU’RE ON THE RIGHT PATH ?

We all try really hard to become successful and for that we need to know our right path. We think about the situation if we not become successful in future. The fear of failure haunts everyone. We all are in a blind race of success and sometimes we forget our genuine subjects of interest in this rat race.

Pin on LDS Quotes

You all might have heard stories of people in which, initially they were involved in other professions like engineer or management but now they are in different profession maybe actor or fashion designer. There could be many explanations for it, one of them could be they didn’t have a clue about their right path, their inclinations.

The signs which tell that you are on the right path are:

1.You’re not doing things that make you feel uncomfortable.

2.You’re not making statements you later apologize for.

3.You don’t want to think twice about the Big Deal Stuff.

4.You feel your feeling of significant worth or worth and see it reflected back by your current circumstance.

5.You’re certain about your decisions and life.

The signs which tell that you are on the wrong path are:

1.The current situation is costing you your force.

2.You feel depleted. Getting tired is fine. Depleted means drained.

3.You feel ridiculously befuddled about where your life is going.

4.You are particularly on some unacceptable way when you feel as you are “losing yourself” to a specific circumstance.

5.In the event that you wind up saying “I can’t resist the urge to feel like I lost myself,” then, at that point you’ve presumably sold out yourself somehow or another.

If you ever feel like you are on the wrong path and need to escape the present situation then you ought to ask yourself questions like “What do I really want ?“. If you feel you are too afraid to get out of circumstance thinking it would make it only worse, then you should know that it is your life. You reserve an option to live your life in your own particular manner. You don’t have to compromise with your interests. Individuals who are in contact with their inward aides can all the more likely explore life’s hindrances. They quit jobs as they know aren’t ideal for them. They cut off relationships that aren’t satisfying. They settle on extreme decisions, since they know they’re taking the right decisions.

It’s hard to know the correct way for yourself however not impossible. The primary thing you need is to trust yourself, realize that you’re picking a right way for yourself and no one knows you better than you. Decide your objective and achieve it everyday, every week and every month. Don’t be hard on yourself. Relax and think with peaceful mind.

RESOURCES:

  1. https://everydaypower.com/signs-youre-on-the-right-path/

2. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-11308/how-do-you-know-if-youre-on-the-right-path.html

THE FIGHT AGAINST CHILD TRAFFICKING

Child trafficking alludes to the abuse of girls and boys, essentially for labor work and sexual exploitation. Children account for 27% of all the illegal exploitation victims around the world, and two out of each three child victims are girls. Some of the time sold by a relative or an associate, in some cases baited by bogus guarantees of education and a “superior” life.

Child Trafficking in the European Union - Humanium

The reality is that they take advantage of children. They are held in slave-like conditions without sufficient food, haven or clothing, and are regularly seriously manhandled and cut off from all contact with their families. Every country on the planet is influenced by human trafficking, and subsequently, kids are compelled to exit school, hazard their lives and are denied of what each child deserves ,a better future.

We can stop this by supporting unprivileged children who are denied of legitimate education, health and shelter. It’s a child right to get legitimate education, heath and shelter fundamentally a superior living. We can do this by interfacing with NGOs which work in improvement of kids’ lives. We can donate cash, garments and different accomplices to them. Also strict action should be taken against those who are involved in this vicious crime. Children are future of a country if they are not safe then a country will never develop.

RESOURCES:

https://www.savethechildren.org/us/charity-stories/child-trafficking-awareness

FACTS ABOUT HUMAN BODY

1.You are taller in the morning

Measure yourself in the morning, then again at night. You’re going to be taller in the morning because of how the cartilage in your bones compresses during the day.

2.Your heart beats about 100,000 times a day

Depending on your beats per minute, your heart beats about 100,000 times a day. That implies it sends 2,000 gallons of blood through the body.

Biometric Identifies You in a Heartbeat - Scientific American

3.Your highest blood flow is in your kidneys

The most noteworthy blood stream isn’t in your heart, liver, or cerebrum, it’s in your kidneys. That’s because kidneys are the body’s normal filtration framework.

4.Lungs which are pink in color are healthy

Healthy lungs look pink and rubbery outwardly. The more you smoke however, the more falter and dark they become.

Your lungs are really amazing. An anatomy professor explains why

5.Dreaming in black and white

12% of people dream in black and white. What’s stranger is that people used to rest and dream in high contrast significantly more before color television (~15%). The normal individual actually dreams in color, yet it’s intriguing to perceive how the human cerebrum is defenseless to media.

20 Amazing facts about dreams that will change your perception! - Trendpickle

6.Your blood vessels could circle the globe

However people have little veins, the systems administration is incredibly long. In case they were spread out they would quantify in excess of 60,000 miles.

7.The normal human grown-up has 2000-4000 taste buds

They aren’t just situated on the tongue. These minuscule receptors that enable us to taste are additionally situated toward the rear of your throat, your nose, and your throat. Truth be told, your nose doesn’t simply smell, it can taste as well! The feeling of smell is a vital part of tasting.

8.Your body has more than 600 muscles


Your strongest muscle is located in your jaw known as the masseter muscle. The stapedius muscle, located in the middle of your ear, is your weakest muscle.

How many muscles are there in the human body? - Quora

9.Your skin has 1000 unique types of microorganisms on it

Your skin is imperative in assurance of the body against microscopic organisms, which is the reason the external layer of your skin persistently reestablishes itself. The whole course of skin cell recharging requires around 28 days.

Team:Paris Bettencourt/SkinMicrobiome - 2020.igem.org

10.You’re presumably more like your father

Specialists showed that in the scales between the female egg and male sperm that your qualities will in general support your father, particularly over numerous ages. This phenomena is known as “gene expression”.

RESOURCES:

  1. https://www.nectarsleep.com/posts/fun-facts-about-the-human-body/

2. https://www.osgpc.com/amazing-facts-about-the-human-body/


IF KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, WHY IGNORANCE IS BLISS ?

Knowledge means understanding of something such as facts, information, description and skills. It is the source of power to man and this distinguishes him from other creatures of the universe. However man is genuinely more vulnerable than numerous creatures, for he can’t see similar to a bird, nor can lift heavy weights as certain creatures. In any case he is the most remarkable animal on earth. This power essentially comes to him from information not from actual strength. ‘Knowledge is power’ implies that a man has instruction and a full oversight on his life by utilizing the strength of information. This means a person has the resources to express his views dynamically and make intelligent decisions based on his every day situations, awareness and understanding.

Kim Harrison Quote: “Knowledge is Power. Ignorance is Bliss. But curiosity – even if it had killed

Ignorance, nonetheless, is “an absence of information, instruction, or mindfulness”. Knowledge is amazing, indeed, however a few people think it is incredible to pick when you need to know and proficient in something. This is the reason ignorance is bliss for some individuals. While knowledge is something you can decide to have, ignorance is picking whether you need to have a specific information. In any case, having an “ignorance is bliss” mindset is like people who love to procrastinate. They realize they have a forthcoming cutoff time, yet they fear the possibility of managing it, thus they delay it until they can no longer do so. Ultimately, they’ll encounter the cutoff time. Is ignorance truly euphoria? You can decide to not know something, however sooner or later, whatever information you’re attempting to keep away from will introduce itself to you. Knowledge is genuinely power, as you have control.

In any case, we can’t deny the way that sometimes “ignorance is bliss”. For instance, imagine a situation wherein an exceptionally giant meteor will hit earth. Having the information on this you will attempt each conceivable thing to save earth. You will attempt to change the predetermination. Eventually, you will either be successful or not. Notwithstanding, in case you were totally ignorant about this reality you would have proceeded with your life or would have attended parties, not realizing the end is near. The person that have the knowledge about the incoming meteorite may have the power to change something but he or she can never experience happiness or bliss at that kind of situation knowing their impending demise. He may get miserable or cry over the way that world is reaching a end.

Gambling laws in India

Introduction

Gambling is defined as betting, gaming, or participating in an activity that is based on luck not on the skills to win a huge amount of money or any other prize by wagering some amount of money. To control gambling across the country legislation was passed in the year 1867, the Public Gaming Act of 1867, and is the most important legislation that regulates gambling in India.

Under the gambling legislation, the meaning of the act of wagering or betting for money or money worth is understood in the 2006 “jay video games and electrical v. State of Gujarat’’  case.

So here we discussed about the gambling, why it has become a more sensible topic in India and other countries, how it has come in scenario where their strict laws are must needed, why gaming skills are excluded from gambling or why Indian law classifies the games into two broad categories i.e. game of chance and game of skills. What are those games where gambling is not a big deal?

Legality

As per the status of the legality of Gambling in India, there is no unified law regarding any activities of gambling as it comes under the State list of the 7th schedule of the Constitution. So the gambling is a state subject, so the state has only the rights to regulate the law for the gambling activities in their respective territory. The state legislatures, under the Constitution of India, have been entrusted with significant regulatory flexibility to form state-specific gambling laws. 

The Gambling Act is the central enactment that has been adopted by certain states in India and other states have enacted their own legislation to regulate and govern gambling activities within their territory. So some states have allowed or some have banned gambling in their state. For example, casinos are banned in the other states except for Sikkim, Goa and Daman.

 As per Section 12 of the Public Gaming Act 1867, any game of mere skill will not be treated as gambling, but games of chances will be treated as gambling. 

The Public Gambling Act of 1867 is a central law that prohibits running or being in charge of a public gambling house. The penalty for breach of this law is a fine of Rs. 200 or imprisonment of up to 3 months. Additionally, this Act prohibits visiting gambling houses. A fine of Rs.100 or imprisonment of up to one month is the penalty. 

There is always a doubt regarding which games are covered under gambling because poker in India has very unclear significance in Indian law because it could never figure out whether it is a game of skills or a game of chance. It’s very interesting that games, such as wagering on cricket, are prohibited and while Rummy is permitted as observed by the court under  Mahalakshmi  Cultural Association v. The Director, Inspector General of Police, State of Tamil Nadu in 2012. Gone are the times of Matka betting and the preferences in India. These days, you can just wager on a couple of sports, that too in some states. As of now, betting on horse racing, online poker in states like Goa and Sikkim, online rummy, lottery, and a couple of gambling clubs are legal in India in accordance with the case of K .R Lakshmanan v. state of Tamil Nadu in 1996. 

Not only wagering on games is illegal, visiting or working in those places is also unlawful or illegal under section 4 of the  Public Gaming Act. It is likewise unlawful to visit such a place. The main problem is that the exact meaning of betting is not adequate in the legislation. As per the Act, it states Gaming as betting or wagering of money on a game which is a game of chance and not of skill except Horse Racing.

Laws on online-based betting

In the Public Gaming Act of,1867 there were no provisions related to online-based betting. There is in addition to this Act another act that could be considered to identify with web-based wagering and gaming i.e. The Information Technology Act of 2000. From this Act, it is very easy to identify the offences with online gambling and gives the government ability to check and search if required. However, this Act also does not mention online-based gambling like Public Gaming Act, 1867 does. 

The laws for online gambling are enacted by several states also like Sikkim. The state of Sikkim enacted the Sikkim Online Gambling (Regulation) Act,2008, which was passed on 28th  June 2008 by the Sikkim Legislative Assembly with the object of controlling and regulating through electronic and non-electronic ways in online gaming. And imposes Tax also on online gaming within its territory.

Game of chance or game of skills

Gambling is understood both under its traditional form as well as modern avatar. The traditional gambling is understood in the context of physical space, brick and mortar format, whereas modern gambling consists of computers connected offline or online, mobile phones, internet, etc. the Gambling legislations exclude the “game of skills” from the statute of gambling and hence doesn’t attract the penal provisions.

A game of chance is a game where the result is leveraged by a random number creator in which the participant may choose to bet money for that result. While in a game of skill, A person bet on the result which comes out of the skills of person or person requires them to have a degree of mental expertise to succeed, for example, Betting on Horse racing. However, in games like Poker and Rummy, many times the courts got confused about whether these are Game of Chance or Game of Skill. 

Penalties

Under the Public Gaming Act,1867 any person is found playing games for money, wager, stake or something else with cards, dice, counters, shall be liable to imprisonment for any term not exceeding one month and fine not exceeding one hundred rupees. As per the section 45 of the Indian Penal code 1860.  

Any person found in such gaming rooms during any gaming or playing there shall be presumed, until proven, to have been there for gaming purposes.  

Conclusion

Whereas there are various legislations in India, even every state has its own legislation for gambling as legal and regulated in the most appropriate ways. There is a need for a section or portion which would provide which type of gambling is legal and which is not. Apart from this, there is a need for central laws for online Gambling, we see that few States like Goa, Sikkim, and Nagaland are the only states that permit online gambling. Also, such a type of thing showed that there are no possible ways to stop or curb. At least something could be done to regulate this.

The Government, being a welfare State, acts in a manner to promote the economic and social well-being of its citizens, and therefore, it is necessary for the State to protect the sensitive sections of the society. About gambling, they can at least form a committee to survey the need for gambling and improvisation on the current legislation based on that survey. Thus, there is a need for aggressiveness to be taken from the side of the executives as well as the parliament to provide such norms which would codify the system of gambling in India. 

Project Pegasus: Unfolding The Cyber Spy

Project Pegasus has been in news for quite some time. Project Pegasus is an investigation about the Software Pegasus, in which 16 Media Institutes participated to expose the truth behind Pegasus. India is also one of the country whose name came out during the investigation. So What is Pegasus?

Pegasus is a spying software developed by an Israeli Technology Firm, NSO. According to NSO, the software is used to hack into the phones of their target and keep an eye on their every step. The data collected through this process can be sold to the government of a country and not to any individual or firm.

Pegasus recently became a hot topic not only in India but all around the world. It is not the first time Pegasus has came in news. But why is it highlighted now in India along with the whole world?  

Pegasus came in news after an investigation was done by 16 Media institutions from all around the world. This was initiated by a Not Profit Organisation from Paris along with Amnesty International. The project is called Project Pegasus.

Pegasus is known to infect the phone and can capture every single thing around the subject. It takes control over the phone and collects data about every single thing done by the subject. This software can be really useful to track down criminals and can be helpful to stop them. But is it really used for that?

The investigation in Project Pegasus revealed something else. The investigation revealed OVER 50,000 names that were either being tracked or were people of interest for any future assignment. In India, a list of 300 people was released. The list contains names of more than 40 journalists, 3 opposition Leaders, and two serving ministers. Former and Current Head of Security Organisation is also on this list. It is also said that the phone that was registered in the name of a serving Judge of the Supreme Court is also on the list.

 There has been no statement by the Indian Government on the issue and this can problematic. It is yet not clear if all the numbers in the list are hacked or not. It is concerning regarding privacy and the fundamentals of democracy.

It can be clearly termed as misuse of power and can have a bad effect on citizens. it is really important to take strict actions against it.

B+ TREES

The B+ tree is almost identical to the binary search tree. It is a balanced tree where the search is directed through internal nodes. The data entries are present in the leaf nodes of the B+ tree. B+ trees support both random and sequential access since the leaf nodes are interconnected with each other through links.

STRUCTURE OF B+ TREE

The general node structure of B+ node is as follows 

  • It contains up to n – 1 search-key values K1, K2, . . ., Kn-1, and n pointers P1, P2, . . ., Pn.
  • The search-key values within a node are kept in sorted order; thus, if i < j, then Ki < Kj.
  • To retrieve all the leaf pages efficiently we have to link them using page pointers. 
  • The sequence of leaf pages is also called a sequence set.
  • In a B+ tree, the tree structure tends to grow on the insertion of new records and shrinks on the deletion of existing records. Hence it is called a dynamic tree.

CHARACTERISTICS OF B+ TREE

The following are the characteristics of the B+ tree:

  • The B+ tree is a balanced tree and the operations such as insertion and deletion keep the tree balanced.
  • Each node, except for the root node, must be compulsorily occupied with at least 50%.
  • Searching becomes so simple because traversing from the root to the relevant leaf nodes results in the record.

INSERTION OPERATION

Algorithm for Insertion:

Step 1: Find correct leaf L.

Step 2: Put data entry onto L.

  • If L has enough space, done!
  • If there is no space, split L (into L and a new node L2)
  • Allocate a new node
  • Redistribute entries evenly
  • Copy up the middle key.
  • Insert index entry such that it points to L2 into the parent of L.

Step 3: This can happen recursively. To split the index node, redistribute entries evenly, but push up the middle key. (Contrast with leaf splits).

Step 4: Splits “grow” tree; splitting the root increases the height. The tree grows either wider or one level taller at the top.

DELETION OPERATION

Algorithm for deletion:

Step 1: Start from the root to find the leaf node L with the entry.

Step 2: Remove the entry,

  • If L is at least half-full, done!
  • If L has only d-1 entries,
  • Try the redistribution technique by borrowing keys from the adjacent node (sibling) with the same parent node as L.
  • If a failure occurs when tried to re-distribute, merge L and sibling.

Step 3: Whenever a merge occurs, entry (pointing to L or sibling) must be deleted from the parent of L.

Step 4: Merge could pass the entries to the root, reducing the height of the tree.

MERITS OF B+ INDEX TREE STRUCTURE

1. In the B+ tree the data is stored in the leaf node so searching of any data requires scanning only of leaf node alone.

2. Data is ordered in the linked list.

3. Any record can be fetched in an equal number of disk accesses.

4. Since the leaf nodes are linked, performing range queries is easy.

5. Since keys are used for indexing, the height of the tree is less.

6. Supports both random and sequential access.

DEMERITS OF B+ INDEX TREE STRUCTURE

1. Extra insertion of non-leaf nodes.

2. There is space overhead.

SHOULD TEACHERS BE TESTED JUST LIKE STUDENTS ?

Teachers take exams of students to test how good they are in studying so wouldn’t it be right to take exam of teachers to test how good are they at teaching ? When a student is not studying properly teachers often scold student or contact his/her parents. So, if a teacher is lacking somewhere in teaching shouldn’t students tell him so that he can change his method of teaching.

Students are future of a country and teachers have responsibilities to shape them so that they can have a better future. It is just like a potter gives shape to a clay. I’m not saying that students get a spotless chit for pinning everything on teachers in the event that they don’t get successful. The two of them are similarly responsible for student’s prosperity or disappointment.

Teaching is regularly a singular undertaking. More often than not the teacher is separated from everyone else before the students and he is considered as an insightful master. How an teacher can know how great he is at his specific employment ? How might he work on his courses ? That is the reason, an teacher needs the assistance of his students to land input about his position. He needs input to further develop his showing abilities and his instructing materials.

3 New Teaching Strategies for the Return to Classrooms | Elmhurst University Blog

Those criticism are additionally an approach to make a discourse among teachers and students. Students ought to reserve the option to criticize both the substance and the techniques for educating. On one hand, the student might turn out to be more persuaded and afterward may connect with and listen all the more cautiously during the class. Then again, they can foster analysis which is today a fundamental ability in a world overpowered by data. Through this interaction of recognizing the failure of their teachers, students will deal with their own failure all the more without any problem.

Again, I am not encouraging the act of disrespect towards teacher. Teachers are incredible individuals who teach us however in case they are managing their work wrongly, they ought to be corrected by understudies. Actually like how teachers set students back on track way. This will be improvement for both teachers as well as students.

IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEATH

Health is important for development of the country. Heath is defined as “ a state of physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. However, a few group neglect to make reference to “mental heath” while discussing wellbeing.

Why good mental health is important for study | Charles Darwin University

Mental health has impact on:

1.Educational out come

2.Productivity at work

3.Development of Positive individual connections

4.Crime rate

5.Alcohol and illicit drug use

Mental problems additionally influence people wellbeing conduct like eating reasonably, customary exercise, sufficient rest, participating in safe sexual practices, liquor and tobacco use, holding fast to clinical treatments accordingly expanding the danger of actual sickness. Mental infirmity additionally prompts social issues like joblessness, broken families, neediness, illicit drug use and related wrongdoing.

My Take: The Importance of Mental Health in Schools | Zedua.com

Poor mental heath assumes a huge part in reduced insusceptible working. Restoratively sick patients with sorrow have more terrible result than those without. Constant sicknesses like diabetes, malignant growth, coronary illness builds the danger of discouragement

WHAT CAUSE MENTAL ILLNESS ?

Biological factors
1.Neuro transmitters
2.Genetics
3.Infections
4.Brain defects or injury

Many individuals will in general cover up in case they are confronting any psychological problem/ mental issue in light of the fact that our general public acts diverse with individuals who has any psychological issue. They simply consider that individual as a distraught individual who has a feeble mind which isn’t accurate.

Mental Illness Affects the Whole Family | Pine Rest Blog

Everybody can confront mental issues in their day to day existence. Anybody can be stressed in their life. It doesn’t imply that their mind isn’t sufficient or strong enough. They simply need some time, perhaps someone’s solid counsel, someone’s assistance.

The Importance of Mental Health Services | PhysicianOne Urgent Care

RESOURCES:

1.https://vikaspedia.in/health/mental-health/awareness-of-mental-health

2.https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health

SWOT Analysis

SWOT is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. SWOT Analysis is a planning and brainstorming tool for analyzing a person’s or an organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and strengths. It considers the internal factors and the external factors that can positively or negatively affect our ability to achieve our goals. It also helps us to focus on the strengths, minimize the threats and make use of the opportunities to the fullest. It is a much-needed one to develop plans for future growth.

S – STRENGTHS

Strengths describe what an organization or a person excels at. They are internal, positive attributes of a person or a company. These attributes could be handled by oneself and kept within one’s control.

W – WEAKNESSES

Weaknesses stop an organization or a person from giving their best at its optimum level. They are negative factors that detract from your strengths. These are things that one might need to improve on to be competitive.

O – OPPORTUNITIES

Opportunities are openings or chances that help one for something positive to happen. They are external factors in your business environment or career that are likely to contribute to your success.

T – THREATS

Threats are anything that can negatively affect your business or career from the outside. They are external factors that you have no control over. You may want to consider having a plan B for dealing with them if they occur.

EXAMPLE SWOT OF A POPULAR PERSONALITY 

I would like to explain SWOT analysis more clearly by citing the SWOT of a famous personality. It will become easier to analyse the self SWOT if we read a few real-life examples. So, here is one such example – the SWOT of Mr. Ritesh Agarwal, Founder, and CEO of OYO. He is a great inspiration for many, especially for the younger generation. Being a college dropout, this young entrepreneur never fails to motivate the youth through his untiring attitude. Below are a few of his strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that he analysed as he emerged as a budding entrepreneur.

STRENGTHS

  • He had big dreams of starting a business since childhood as he was not interested to take over the family business or work as an employer of any company.
  • He had a great interest in Computer Programming and developed the efficiency of creating a web application by himself.
  • He had the perseverance of doing what he dreamt of despite not having family support.
  • Self-efficacy – He believed in himself and his capabilities more than anything.
  • Being committed and passionate about work.

WEAKNESSES

  • He had no confidence in his studies.
  • Lack of innovation for improving the growth.
  • Concentrating on space rather than improvising the brand.
  • Lack of conceptual clarity.
  • Over hiring of employers.

OPPORTUNITIES

  • His young age and popularity gained him attention and opportunities.
  • His unique approach that gained him success.
  • Growing demand and no international competitors at that time.
  • His idea of providing budget accommodation to people.

THREATS

  • Convincing Venture Capitalists to start the initial investments.
  • He kept the parent company at stake which he might have lost in case of failures.
  • Growing concerns about safe stay at OYO rooms and hotels especially, for the women.
  • Increasing competition in the flouring market.

Whatever may be the strengths and weaknesses, the ability to convert the threats to opportunities determines the real strength of a person. 

SUMMARY

  • Take advantage of the Opportunities through its Strengths.
  • Stay strong against the Threats through its Strengths.
  • Improve Weaknesses by taking advantage of Opportunities.
  • Work to eliminate Weaknesses to avoid Threats.