21-08-2018
Unity Day
No matter how many times the teeth bite the tongue, they still stay together in one mouth. That's the spirit of FORGIVENESS. Even though the eyes don't see each other, they see things together, blink simultaneously and cry together. That's UNITY." May the Lord grant us all the spirit of forgiveness and togetherness Have a united day.
9-8-2018
Plagiarism: Teachers to lose jobs, students their registrations,say HRD Dept. norms
NEW DELHI: Student researchers found guilty of plagiarism registration and teachers could lose their jobs as the HRD ministries approved new regulations on plagiarism drafted by the Universities Grants Commission. The ministry had notified the UGC (Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2018 this week.
According to a gazette notification, plagiarism of up to 10 per cent would not result in any penalty for students. Those with plagiarism between 10 per cent and 40 per cent in their research papers would have to submit a revised research paper within six months. If the similarities are between 40 per cent and 60 per cent, students will be debarred from submitting a revised paper for one year. A student researcher's registration for a programme will be nullified if more than 60 per cent of the research paper is plagiarised.
Teachers will be asked to withdraw their manuscripts if their academic and research papers are 10 per cent to 40 per cent similar to other papers, the notification said. In case the similarities range between 40 per cent and 60 per cent, they will not be allowed to supervise new masters, MPhil, PhD students for two years and will also be denied the right to one annual increment, it added. The teachers will be liable to suspension and even dismissal in case of repeat plagiarism of over 60 per cent similarity.
The University Grants Commission had approved the regulations prescribing graded punishment for plagiarism during its meeting in March earlier this year.
The new regulations prescribe that members of the academic community shall approach the Departmental Academic Integrity Panel (DAIP) if they suspect with appropriate proof that a case of plagiarism has happened in any document.
"Upon receipt of such a complaint or allegation the DAIP shall investigate the matter and submit its recommendations to the Institutional Academic Integrity Panel (IAIP) of the Higher Education Institutions (HEI). The authorities of HEI can also take suo motu notice of an act of plagiarism and initiate proceedings under these regulations. Similarly, proceedings can also be initiated by the HEI on the basis of findings of an examiner. All such cases will be investigated by the IAIP," the regulations read.
Parliament was yesterday informed by the government that the UGC found three cases of plagiarism in writing PhD thesis, including two involving vice chancellors of different universities.
(With PTI inputs)
163].Exide Industries opens new plant in Bengal factory; to invest Rs 500 cr
Asked about the impact of demonetisation, company MD and CEO G. Chatterjee said: "In motorcycles, we have seen the sales of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) have dipped by 30 percent in December. Since there is one to one correlation, our sales also down by same in the segment in the month of December.
HALDIA, WEST BENGAL: Battery maker Exide Industries on Monday said that its sales in the replacement market have not impacted due to demonetisation, but its two-wheeler OEM battery sales have dipped 30 percent in December.
Asked about the impact of demonetisation, company MD and CEO G. Chatterjee said: "In motorcycles, we have seen the sales of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) have dipped by 30 percent in December. Since there is one to one correlation, our sales also down by same in the segment in the month of December.
"We have not felt any impact in the sales for replacement market," he said.
Inaugurating the new plant at the company's factory here, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assured the battery maker for providing 25 acres of land from Haldia Development Authority( HDA).
"After getting the land from HDA, we will set up a smelting plant there with an investment of Rs 120 crore," Chatterjee said. Built in technical collaboration with East Penn Manufacturing Company of the US and at a capital investment of Rs 700 crore, the new plant will use "punched grid technology" to manufacture the technically advanced lead acid storage batteries in the country. "With the implementation of new technology, we will manufacture batteries for car. We will invest additional Rs 300 crore in a period of 18 months starting from next April to manufacture batteries for motorcycles," he said. The new range of batteries will not only be a lot more robust, being manufactured in a modern plant with advanced robotics and automation, the manufacturing process will also eliminate human errors to a large extent, said Chatterjee. Established in 1981, the Haldia factory which contributes 30 per cent of company's business produces both automotive as well as industrial batteries in its 41 acres site. For expansion in Haldia factory, the company has been looking for 25 acres of land adjacent to the existing factory. "We are in talks with Kolkata Port Trust for this," Chatterjee added. Currently, Haldia plant's capacity is 2.2 million batteries annually. With the implementation of new technology, the capacity will be 3.5 million from the next fiscal, he said. The battery maker's other manufacturing factories are located in Shyamnagar in West Bengal, Hosur in Tamil Nadu, Chinchwad, Ahmednagar and Taloja in Maharashtra, Bawal in Haryana, Pune, Uttaranchal and Bengaluru.
08-08-2018
162].You will be amazed to know Government is seeking ways to block WhatsApp & Facebook this are the proposed criteria.~"TRAI"
161].European car makers from Renault to Daimler AG to face a fine of $16 Billion for pollution emissions.
Quotes
"A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read." - Mark Twain
"Difficulty is like a bag full of cotton; Heavy for those who see it & light for those who handle it".
"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." - ~ "John F. Kennedy"
1].BE HAPPY, BE YOURSELF! HAPPINESS IS CHOICE.
LIFE ISN’T ABOUT PLEASING EVERYBODY!!
2].GREATEST LESSON OF LIFE IS THAT WE HAVE TO LEARN A LOT.
3]. JUST KEEEP YOUR HEART BEAUTIFUL AND EVERYTHING WILL FALL IN PLACE.
4].A POSITIVE MIND TOWARDS EVERYTHING WILL GIVE YOU A HAPPIER LIFE.
5].PUSH YOURSELF BECAUSE NOBODY IS GOING TO DO IT FOR YOU.
6].THERE IS NO BETTER DESIGNER THAN NATURE.
7].YOU HAVE INFINITE POTENTIAL CHALLENEGE YOURSELF TO SEE WHERE YOU CAN GO.
8].IT IS NOT WHAT YOU HAVE, IT IS WHAT YOU GIVE.
9].Money changes all iron rules into rubber bands.~"Ryzrad Kapuszcinski"
"The Goal is not to change who you are, but to become more of who you are at your best".~"Sally Hogshead"
28-07-2018
Banking Awareness
🎽First bank to introduce internet banking: ICICI bank
🎽First bank to introduce mutual fund: State Bank of India
🎽First bank to introduce credit card in India: Central Bank of India
🎽Which cards are known as plastic money – Credit Cards.
🎽Open market operations are carried out by – RBI
🎽Capital market regulator is – SEBI
🎽Largest Commercial bank in India – State Bank of India
🎽The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is known as – World Bank
🎽India’s First Financial Archive has been set up at – Kolkata
🎽CRR, SLR, Repo Rate, Reverse Repo rates are decided by RBI
🎽Savings banks interest rates, fixed deposit interest rates, Loan Rates etc. are decided by individual banks
🎽The bank which has launched Mobile Bank Accounts in association with Vodafone’s m –paisa – HDFC Bank
🎽Minimum money transfer limit through RTGS: 2 Lakhs
🎽Maximum money transfer limit through RTGS: No Limit
🎽Minimum & Maximum money transfer limit through NEFT: No Limit
🎽NABARD was established in – July, 1982
🎽Largest Public sector bank in India – SBI
🎽Largest Private sector bank in India – ICICI Bank
🎽Largest Foreign bank in India – Standard Chartered Bank
🎽First Indian bank to open branch outside India i.e. London in 1946: Bank of India
🎽First RRB named Prathama Grameen Bank was started by: Syndicate Bank
🎽First Bank to introduce ATM in India: HSBC in1987, Mumbai
🎽Bank of Baroda has the maximum number of overseas branches
🎽SBI holds the second position with maximum number of overseas branches
🎽First bank established in India: Bank of Hindustan in 1770
🎽Second bank: General Bank of India, 1786
🎽Oldest bank in India originated in the Bank of Calcutta in June 1806 which was still in existence – State Bank of India
🎽State Bank of India merged with three banks namely Bank of Bengal, Bank of Bombay and Bank of Madras in 1921 to form the Imperial bank of India which was converted as State Bank of India
🎽First Indian bank got ISO: Canara Bank
🎽First India bank started solely with Indian capital investment is PNB (Punjab National Bank)
🎽Founder of Punjab National Bank is Lala Lajpat Rai
🎽Reserve bank of India (RBI) was instituted in 1935
🎽First governor of RBI: Mr.Osborne Smith
🎽First Indian Governor of RBI: Mr. C D Deshmukh
🎽First bank to introduce savings account in India: Presidency Bank in 1833
🎽First bank to introduce cheque system in India: Bengal Bank in 1833
26-07-2018
160]."Report on data protection framework likely next month"
NEW DELHI, JULY 25 The eagerly-awaited Data Protection Act, which is been in discussion for the last one year, is soon likely to come into a shape.
The high-level committee that is drafting the framework met on Wednesday, which was the last of the meetings before submitting the report to the government. The meeting lasted for more than two hours.
Sources closed to the meeting said the report is expected to be submitted by the first week of August, and update changes in the existing legislations in areas such as Aadhaar, Right to Information (RTI) and health.
The panel headed by Justice BN Srikrishna discussed various aspects, including data localisation, classification of sensitive personal data and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI’s) recent recommendations on data privacy and ownership for telcos, sources said.
While Justice Srikrishna declined to comment, some of the committee members said that “vast issues” were discussed and once the report is submitted to the government, they would put it on public domain for comments.
The committee is headed by Justice Srikrishna, who is a former Supreme Court Judge.
When asked if the India data protection framework will be similar to the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a source told BusinessLine that “India is different from any other country and we have to make our framework.” Having said that the official also said that some of the guidelines could a bit similar to world standards.
The GDPR has also come into effect from May 25.
One of the members also said that TRAI’s recommendations on data ownership, security and privacy, issued last week, also figured in the discussion.
The government had constituted the 10-member committee in July last year to recommend a framework for securing personal data as with the increase in the smartphone users and digitised economy, privacy concerns have also in the rise so that data breaches do not happen.
Published on July 25, 2018
159]."10 things you must know about the Total Lunar Eclipse on July 27"
"1. The Total Lunar eclipse on the intervening night of July 27 and 28 will last about 103 minutes and be the longest for 21st century. The longest total lunar eclipse of the last century happened in its last year on July 16, 2000. It had lasted nearly four minutes longer, at 1 hour and 46.4 minutes.
People in Asia and Africa will get the best views of the eclipse. Those in Europe, South America and Australia will see partial views. It will not be visible in North America and Antarctica.
In India, the eclipse will commence at 22:42:48 on July 27 and end at 05:00:05 on July 28th.
2. The alignment of the centers of Sun, the Earth and the Moon, and the distance of the Moon from Earth at the time of eclipse combine to determine its duration. This time the centers of the three celestial bodies are almost in a straight line, and the Moon will be near its farthest point from Earth. Since the moon will be at its most distant, it will be at its smallest. So, it will take more time to cross the Earth’s shadow, making the eclipse last longer.
3. While the Purāns claimed that eclipses were caused by demons Rāhu and Ketu devouring Sun and Moon occasionally, Āryabhaṭa (476–550 CE) propounded a scientific theory of eclipses. He established that when Earth comes in between Sun and Moon, Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon resulting in lunar eclipse and when the Moon is in between Sun and Earth, Moon’s shadow on Earth causes solar eclipse. Hence, lunar eclipses occur only on a Poornima day when Sun and Moon are on the opposite sides of Earth and solar eclipses occur only on Amavasya day when both are on the same side of Earth.
4. As eclipses are nothing but shadow play, no mysterious rays emanate. It is completely safe to watch a lunar eclipse and no special equipment is needed to see it. However, one should take precautions to watch a solar eclipse because of the brightness of the Sun.
5. Although light from the Sun cannot pass through the solid part of Earth, the thin atmosphere enveloping Earth not only permits light rays to penetrate but also refract the rays towards the Moon.
Most of the blue light from the Sun is filtered out by Earth’s atmosphere making the sky appear blue, and the least scattered red light seeps through the atmosphere and reach the moon and makes the moon look red. This time, as the centers of the Sun, Earth and Moon are nearly aligned in a straight line during the total eclipse phase, only a minimal amount of sun light would seep through the atmosphere and consequently the Moon will appear ‘dark’.
6. Take a one rupee coin and look at the shadow cast by it. We can easily see that the central part of the shadow is dark but towards the edge it is defused. The darker part of the shadow is called Umbra region and the lighter part Penumbra region. Likewise Earth also casts both umbral and penumbral shadows.
For the untrained eye, the entry of Moon into the penumbral shadow region of the Earth at about 10:53 p.m will not be noticeable. However, as more of the Moon’s disc is covered by the penumbral shadow one can witness a steady decrease in brightness.
At about 11:54 pm the Moon will enter the umbral shadow. It would be dramatic to watch darkness slowly and steadily creeping over the face of full moon.
7. On July 27, the night sky will be studded with another red shining object – Mars. On that day Mars is also nearly opposite to Sun and hence very close to Earth. Red Mars and Red Moon will dazzle in the night sky.
8. Around 12:30 midnight totality would commence. For about next one hour the Moon will be completely inside the shadow of the Earth. It would be enchanting to watch the colour of moon change from crimson to brick red to many darker hues of red.
9. Normally the Sun-Earth-Moon are not aligned so perfectly and light escapes through the atmosphere of Earth and makes the Moon glow reddish in colour. However, this time Sun-Earth-Moon are in near perfect straight line that the Moon will be dark. At 1:51:27 a.m. July 28 the Moon will be so dark and dim that it may not be even visible. That will be the peak of the total lunar eclipse. Soon the colour would start returning.
10 In a year there can be as many as seven eclipses and as low as just two. They can occur in the combination of four solar and three lunar or five solar and two lunar. If there were only two, then both of them would be solar eclipses.
Twitter handle: @TVVen
(India Science Wire)
[With inputs from the POEC of Astronomical Society of India]
Published on July 24, 2018
158]."IoE status is a recognition of achievements’
MANGALURU, JULY 25 The ‘Institute of Eminence’ status granted to Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) by the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) is an acknowledgement of the potential of it to become a globally ranked university in future, according to H Vinod Bhat, Vice-Chancellor of MAHE.
Speaking at a programme to celebrate the status given to the university, he said MHRD’s special status to MAHE is also a recognition of all what has been done in the past.
Dedicating the achievement to the founder, late TMA Pai, and the MAHE Chancellor Ramdas M Pai, he said they have overcome tough times and endured to see the university grow into what it is today.
MAHE is planning to open new campuses in Bengaluru, Jamshedpur and Sri Lanka in the next two years, he said.
Sandeep Shenoy, Director (Quality and Compliance) of MAHE, said the MHRD provided the guidelines for all those universities who wished to apply for the status. The university designed and developed the documents as per the requirements of MHRD and submitted a voluminous document which ran close to 26,000 pages.
Published on July 25, 2018
21-07-2018
158].Sustainability Trends in 2018 and the questions you should ask
“I never am really satisfied that I understand anything; because, understand it well as I may, my comprehension can only be an infinitesimal fraction of all I want to understand.”
Ada Lovelace
What will be the sustainability trends in 2018?
What will be the sustainability trends in 2018? The last few years have been, not to understate it, somewhat unpredictable. While in this context it might seem rather difficult to make predictions for 2018, we believe a number of key sustainability trends will continue to influence organisational practice.
Some of these sustainability trends are of course not new. Many of them build upon those we highlighted last year, 2017 – top trends in business sustainability you need to see, representing a continuation of issues and themes that have been building in recent years. However, there is often a lag between the recognition of an issue and that issue being translated into corporate management priorities which might give rise to changes in behaviour.
Below, we provide a brief overview of new and building trends that we think will grow in relevance for business sustainability in the coming year, as well as highlighting some questions to consider when focusing upon the sustainability of your organisation:
Carbon reduction
Plastics & ocean pollution
Global mega trends
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Sustainability Reporting
Taxation
Carbon reduction is stepping up
Despite the US Government exiting the Paris Agreement it looks like many US states and companies are moving forward with plans for action both on carbon emissions reduction but also accelerating renewable energy production.
Alongside this, investors are getting in on the act, increasingly moving away from fossil fuel funding. For instance, at the One Planet Summit on 12th December 2017, the World Bank committed itself (among other things) to cease funding new oil and gas exploration from 2019. It was joined in this declaration by announcements from both the insurance company AXA and the bank ING, that they would be divesting from fossil fuel projects, with a particular focus upon reducing their exposure to coal.
Beyond company undertakings, some countries are also making commitments to reduce fossil fuel dependency. The UK Government made the headlines in 2017 with its decision to ban the sale of diesel and petrol cars from 2040. Some commentators have suggested that this simply allows the UK to appear progressive while essentially delaying a problematic transition for future governments. It could also be said that their commitment provides a clear picture of the need for more sustainable transport over coming decades. In contrast to the UK Government’s rather mixed approach to new fossil fuel discovery (the 2017 UK Autumn Budget also gave tax breaks to new North Sea oil exploration), on 19thDecember 2017 the French Government passed legislation to ban all exploration of oil and natural gas in its territories by 2040. However, while 2040 still feels a long way off, France has also pledged that existing drilling permits will not be renewed when they expire, and no new exploration licenses will be granted, with immediate effect.
Questions to consider
The world is moving to renewables – what is your dependency on non-renewable energy and what are your plans to go fossil free? Do you use diesel and what are your plans to ensure a transition to cleaner fuels or the latest technologies? Read more on the air quality issues with diesel.
Solar and wind generation is becoming cheaper and more reliable, especially when combined with energy storage solutions, how is your company exploring the opportunities to generate your own energy or to contribute towards local or distributed generation capacity?
How exposed is your business model to climate change risks? If you depend upon global supply chains, and especially if you have biological supply chains (food, drink, natural yarns etc.), the countries you source from will be increasingly impacted by water availability, social and demographic shifts and political instability arising from accelerating climate change.
Plastics & ocean pollution
The issue of plastic pollution is gathering pace. BBC’s Blue Planet 2 provided a shocking insight into the sheer scale and extent of how plastics have entered ecosystems even in the most remote parts of the world. Plastics are entering food chains, with birds and animals mistaking plastic for food and it being found in the guts of animals even at 36,000 feet down, at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Governments are starting to respond: in the UK, a ban was introduced on plastic microbeads in cosmetic products, with an extension to other products. For an overview of the actions that have been taken so far by governments across the world, Beat the Microbead presents a timeline. Companies have also been engaging in activities to tackle the issue, from Adidas’ plan to make more than 1 million shoes from ocean plastic, to Interface’s work with fishing communities in the Philippines to provide them with additional income in collecting ocean plastic waste for use as a recycled feedstock for their ‘Net Effect‘ floor tiling products. Other corporate focus for ocean plastics is upon the development of circular industrial and economic processes. Plastics are extremely useful, high-performing and lightweight components in many technologies, products and infrastructure. With something so vital to modern life as we know it, wouldn’t it make more sense to retain such material within our systems of production, so that they can be recycled and remanufactured, rather than giving rise to pollution on such a vast scale? The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Programme provides vital information on why and how we might develop new industrial models for the use and re-use of plastic.
Questions to consider
How do you use plastic and do you know what happens to it once it leaves your control?
Are there opportunities to innovate your approaches to make use of recovered plastic, how might this help reduce your impact and create new product differentiation? (for an insight into sustainability and competitive strategy, see sustainability; how does your business compete?). Beyond just reducing your use of plastics, what can you do to play a role in wider, societal, waste plastics recovery? More global mega-trends
Companies will be increasingly required to understand how global mega-trends such as climate change, demographic shifts, increasing inequality, water issues and biodiversity loss have relevance to their business models and strategic plans.
Such investigation should become a standard aspect of their strategic analysis and planning, representing key elements of their strategic context. Beyond a simple acknowledgement that the world is changing fast, companies will need to disclose the implications of such changes for their business and demonstrate how their strategies seek to minimise their contributions to the acceleration of negative trends and maximise their positive impacts through core business.
Questions to consider
Do you understand how global mega trends provide new sources of risk and opportunity for your business? For some tips see our guidance on exploring and managing sustainability in a fast changing and complex world or, if you prefer, a short video exploring strategic business resilience.
Have you conducted strategic analysis to quantify these risks and opportunities?
How are you communicating the impacts of megatrends? For an example of leading practice, see DSM’s approach.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
As with most of these trends, 2018 will see a continuation and growth of activities from 2016 and 2017. For the UN Sustainable Development Goals, companies will increasingly need to understand and prove how their activities and strategies are located against the SDGs. In practice this will involve highlighting which of the SDGs have particular relevance to the business and how the company intends to contribute towards the achievement of the Goals while ensuring their activities do not undermine them.
Questions to consider
Do you acknowledge the UN SDGs in your strategic approach to sustainability?
Which specific SDGs have particular relevance to your business…which of them do you directly impact, either positively or negatively, and what can you do differently to play an active role in delivering the future we want?
Sustainability Reporting
Sustainability reporting is maturing. With the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) move from guidance to standards in 2016, companies using the standards will have to ensure that their approach to reporting makes the grade.
Reporting is also, slowly, making progress in getting on investors’ agendas. Carbon and water remain areas of primary focus. However, there’s an ongoing evolution of approach, moving from a requirement for companies to disclose their environmental and social impacts, investors are increasingly asking companies to tell them how these trends and impacts manifest as risk and exposure.
One such development which will start to shape disclosure on previously “non-financial” issues in the coming years was publication in 2017 of the recommendations for effective disclosure of climate-related financial risks by the industry-led Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
The Task Force members were drawn from business, finance, investment and insurance, and the recommendations were characterised by the Mark Carney (Governor of the Bank of England and Chair of the Financial Stability Board) as “developed by the market for the market”.
The TCFD developed four recommendations on climate-related financial disclosures that are applicable to organisations across sectors and jurisdictions. The recommendations are structured around four thematic areas:
Governance: The organisation’s governance around climate-related risks and opportunities.
Strategy: The actual and potential impacts of climate-related risks and opportunities on the organisation’s businesses, strategy, and financial planning.
Risk Management: The processes used by the organisation to identify, assess and manage climate-related risks.
Metrics and Targets: The metrics and targets used to assess and manage relevant climate-related risks and opportunities.
Another trend in reporting we will see in 2018 is a move towards the further development of disclosure on social and natural capital impacts through more meaningful indicators of performance. At present companies tend to focus upon lagging indicators (this is how much we emitted last year) but will need to start adding some leading indicators (here is our relationship to the state and health of the natural capital we depend upon and to the resilience of the communities and societies we rely upon and sell to). Look out for our thinking on moving from lagging to leading indicators of sustainability in early 2018.
Questions to consider
Are you focusing your reporting upon material business impacts? What best practice approaches do you use to guide your reporting…GRI Standards, IIRC or SASB?
How are you dealing with multiple capitals reporting, and do you understand your dependence upon healthy natural and social capital? For example, see context based sustainability and multiple capitals management.
How are you engaging your investors in your sustainability activities, can you demonstrate to them how sustainability minimises your risk and maximises your value creation?
How are you acknowledging and integrating the TCFD recommendations on climate change risk disclosure and communicating with investors how you understand, mitigate and manage your climate risks?
Taxation
Responsible tax has become ever more prominent recently, with news stories on corporate tax management grabbing headlines around the world. Judging how much tax a business should pay is of course immensely difficult, and the activities of the vast majority of companies is legal. However, in the public mind, there is a difference between legal and acceptable, and the more complex approaches adopted by some companies (e.g. placing company Intellectual Property in ‘conveniently’ low tax territories) is increasingly seen as artificial and ethically problematic. The challenge though, is that it is tax revenue that allows countries to build social capital (roads, healthcare, education – useful stuff like that) which in turn supports the work forces, consumer base and intellectual capital that companies rely upon. Aggressive tax planning is more likely to be seen as evidence of an extractive approach – taking the benefits without paying the costs of doing business. Companies which can demonstrate how they provide genuine social utility should be the ones that can genuinely demonstrate that they are socially sustainable. Questions to consider
How do you tell your tax story, can you justify that your arrangements are appropriate and justified?
Can you demonstrate your social utility, how do you balance the value you get from stable and functional societies with the tax you may to support their health and future viability? For further thoughts to help you explore your social purpose and impact, see our thinking on why a focus on social utility is essential.
How can we help?
The world is a complex and changing place. While it always has been, there are good reasons to believe that the economic and business norms of the past will increasingly struggle under the strain of changing times.
Over the past 20 plus years, we have pioneered approaches to sustainable strategy, reporting, skills development, sustainable innovation and vision development. We can help accelerate your current plans, assess your progress or develop strategies to build business value and mitigate risk.
Our business is sustainability. If you want it to be yours too, get in touch with us for a chat.
https://www.terrafiniti.com/sustainability-trends-in-2018-and-the-questions-you-should-ask/
157].Two Horses story -
Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it.
From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse.
But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing....
Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him.
This alone is amazing. If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell.
Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.
Attached to the horse's halter is a small bell. It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow.
As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is, trusting that he will not be led astray.
When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, it stops occasionally and looks back, making sure that the blind friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.
Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges.
He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need..
Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way....
Good friends are like that... You may not always see them, but you know they are always there..
Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours, and remember...
Be kinder than necessary - everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly.......
FOR WE WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT.
"In a life to succeed you need two things, ignorance and confidence."
"Make sure you have finished speaking, before your audience has finished listening."~"Dorothy Sarnoff".
"Good teachning is 1/4 preparation, 3/4 theater."~"Gail Godwin"
"In life what we focus on magnifies..So focus on Blessings rather than problems, Grace rather than disgrace and focus on Happiness rather than setbacks.....
"If you don't appreciate it,you don't deserve it."~"Terry Johnson."
"Pause before judging.Pause before accusing.Pause whenever you are about to react harshly, and you will avoid doing or saying things that you will regret later."~"Lori Deschene".
"People say never expect anything from anyone. But the truth is whenever we love someone, we naturally expect some love and care from them."
Don't feel bad if someone ignores you or rejects you. People usually reject and ignore things that they can't afford."
"If you never been hated by child, you have never been a parent."~"Bette Davis."
"Relations are like two zeros, When you try to add they are the same, when you try to subtract, they are the same;But when you try to divide; it's just impossible."
20-07-2018
156].“SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES: TRENDS, ISSUES & CHALLENGES”
Definition of business sustainability. Business sustainability is often defined asmanaging the triple bottom line - a process by which companies manage their financial, social and environmental risks, obligations and opportunities. These three impacts are sometimes referred to as profits, people and planet.
Sustainability is most often defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It has three main pillars: economic, environmental, and social. These three pillars are informally referred to as people, planet and profits. Examples of Sustainable Development.
• About Sustainable Development. Are you looking for examples of sustainable development? ...
• Wind Energy. ...
• Solar Energy. ...
• Crop Rotation. ...
• Sustainable Construction. ...
• Efficient Water Fixtures. ...
• Green Space. ...
• Sustainable Forestry.
• Reference=:Sustainable Management Practices: Trends, Issues and Challenges
• Buvaneswari, P.S., Shanthi, R., Desti, Kannaiah, and Ragavan, N. (2015) Sustainable Management Practices: Trends, Issues and Challenges. Glow Plus, India.
https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/44258/
Sustainability is the ability to endure and survive in an environment for a long time. In business parlance, sustainable management is incorporation of social, economic and environmental factors for business decisions. Incorporating these factors in decision making process of a business helps in identifying and avoiding future costs associated with unsustainable business practices, planning for changes in consumer expectations to capitalize on emerging markets and industries and practicing corporate social responsibility and business ethics. Sustainable Management practices in business prove to be more profitable as they tend to adapt and grow with the changing market, providing a competitive advantage over other firms. This also helps in gaining significance as socially responsible business by reducing the negative impact on society and increasing their positive influence. The focus on sustainable management has gained a new momentum since the market pressure from regulators and consumers holds organizations accountable for their actions. Failure on the part of business to adopt such practices can have a catastrophic impact on the viability of a business. In a global environment, it is increasingly difficult to succeed in any business without understanding the repercussions of business realities and developments. This book, "Sustainable Management Practices" provides an insight into recent trends, issues and challenges in business practices by focusing on Corporate Governance, Corporate Social Responsibility, Information Technology, E- tailing, Entrepreneurship, Total Quality Management, Employee Engagement and Organizational Performance is intended to help the readers in understanding the sustainable management practices of business.
https://www.getsmarter.com/career-advice/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/8-Sustainability-trends-define-2018.pdf Trends briefing==
Stay ahead of the curve with the insights and expectations of the Directors, Fellows, and Senior Associates affiliated with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). The following trends were identified by 40 CISL Directors, Senior Associates and Ambassadors, supported by a survey of the wider CISL Network, a global Network of 8,000 senior leaders and leading practitioners representing every industry on every continent.
[1].Volatility is the new normal
1.From disruptive technologies to political uncertainty, the future is chaotic and it is here to stay.
2 Sustainability to shape the face of business.
Growing public consciousness of sustainability issues and political leadership gaps will increasingly open the way for business to step up to the challenge of sustainability leadership, and either lead, adapt or fail. 3 Enduring loss and damage from extreme weather.
After the unprecedented climate events of 2017, vulnerable cities, countries and people will face yet more extreme and disruptive weather events, with the potential to impact business though value chain disruption and stranded assets, and contribute to social unrest. 4 Human versus machine
Growing levels of automation will not only begin to transform the future of business but also the future of work. 5.China and the global shift to the East The re-election of President Xi Jinping has given China stability in a turbulent world, and has reinforced the state’s mandate to address climate change at a time when other world leaders have faltered over sustainability.
6 The end of an era for plastics Packaging is set to be key battleground in addressing the environmental impacts of business on oceans, land and air.
7 A watershed year for transparency Anticipating the recommendations for reporting climate-related financial risks from the Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), companies such as ExxonMobil have faced investor and public pressure to voluntarily improve risk disclosure. This could fire the gun for greater transparency in other parts of business such as executive pay, gender equality and tax arrangements.
8 Life after coal
The energy revolution is reaching its climax as the switch to renewables and electricity is unstoppable.
1. Volatility is the new normal
From disruptive technologies to political uncertainty, the future is chaotic and volatility is here to stay. But despite such uncertain times, there are plenty of opportunities for those who can prove themselves responsive and agile. On the one hand, we are seeing a rise in extreme weather events, such as the devastating trio of hurricanes of 2017 (Harvey, Irma and Maria) leading to value chain disruption and exposing an enormous insurance protection gap. Hurricane Harvey in Texas alone cost $180 billion, with just $19 billion of that loss insured. At the same time, global power shifts in the US, UK and EU have also realigned international leadership when it comes to sustainability, producing new levels of uncertainty and ambiguity.
56% of our Network believe businesses over government will lead the way in taking direct action towards sustainability in 2018.
12% Government
11% Consumer
11% NGO
10% Other
This requires the private sector to step up and proactively lead in sustainability matters. This momentum swelled at the end of 2017 with the emphasis on private sector funding for achieving targets under the Paris Agreement at the One Planet Summit, hosted by President Emmanuel Macron. In particular, the private sector is suitably placed when it comes to harnessing the potential of new technology in tackling sustainability challenges. By leading the way in investment and innovation, companies can find value in developments such as blockchain technology and fintech for greater efficiency.
CATALYZE FINTECH FOR SUSTAINABILITY
“The foreseeable future is chaotic – we are now living in a VUCA world (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) and that’s here to stay.”~” Eliot Whittington “CISL Programme Director, Policy. [II]. 2 Sustainability to shape the face of business
New technology, products and processes together with global issues like climate change and wealth inequality have exposed a leadership gap within businesses for responding to the fast-moving challenges of today’s economy. Companies are facing growing pressure to align their commercial interests with social and environmental challenges, as young people increasingly seek jobs with businesses that reflect their own priorities. The role of leadership development and HR teams will be crucial to filling this gap through recruiting, training and incentivising individuals to succeed in this context. Key to this will be the recognition by Boards and CEOs that sustainability is a leadership issue, and that the leadership gap, left by policymakers and governments, is an opportunity.
“Our survey found that ‘strong organisational leadership’ and ‘buy-in from the board’ were deemed the most critical factors for an organisation to take real action towards sustainability.”~” “The failure of governments to move quickly enough to deliver the sustainable development goals is exposing businesses to a widening range of economic, social and political risks both directly and through impacts on their supply chains. Businesses will need to develop better capacity to understand non-financial risks and to integrate those findings with standard financial risk management practices.”=” Tom Burke CBE, Chairman at E3G and Senior Associate, CISL.”
[iii]. 3 Enduring loss and damage from extreme weather
The impact of climate-related disasters in 2017 was devastating and it was no one-off. Almost every continent suffered, from droughts across the Horn of Africa to flooding in South Asia and hurricanes in the US and Caribbean, and 2018 is likely to bring yet more. Temperature rises, severe rainfall and natural disasters are hugely disruptive, leaving people homeless, hungry and without power. When Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, one in five homeowners in Greater Houston did not have flood insurance. By the end of the year, the US endured a record winter while Australia faced historic heatwaves and Storm Eleanor caused disruption in the UK and across Europe. These events affect industry’s ability to help people recover, disrupting supply chains and adding to food insecurity. With increasingly global supply chains running across multiple borders, improving resilience to extreme weather is more important than ever. This means maximising the sustainability of supply chains – from transportation and logistics to water and energy conservation. At the same time, there are growing examples of stranded assets, urgently requiring a long-term strategy to transition away from unsustainable business activities such as fossil fuels. INSURE A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
“ Severe weather events (hurricanes, fires) continue to show the economic costs of climate change. At the same time, transformation of the economy to low or carbon-free energy also has its costs, even to the average investor saving for retirement. This is creating demands for relevant and reliable information for decision making and new standards of disclosure. “=~”Shari Littan Editor Author for Thomson Reuters, and CISL US Ambassador . “More than ¾ of survey respondents acknowledge that loss and damage from extreme weather could have an impact on their business in 2018.”
[iv]. 4 Human versus machine
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is in full swing, with challenges and consequences for people and the planet. Will automation really take our jobs and make industry more efficient? What are the implications for the social contract of business? And at what cost to society, if workers are replaced by robots? The economic and environmental potential of new technology – from artificial intelligence to autonomous vehicles and renewable energy – is enormous. But unless it is properly managed and regulated, we also risk unintended and adverse impacts, such as unemployment and growing inequality. While the rise of the electric car has promised greener transport and better safety, the driverless car will also become the workerless car. Chevrolet’s Bolt has just 24 moving parts compared to the 149 that make up a Volkswagen Golf, requiring much less assembly. According to PWC, 30 per cent of jobs in the UK, 38 per cent of jobs in the US and 21 per cent in Japan could be at high risk of automation by the early 2030s. Yet technology can also create new opportunities with employment being redirected to areas such as research and development rather than simply substituted. However - we must prepare, especially in the northern hemisphere where the workforce is ageing and yet more people are returning to work from retirement - for a future of work that integrates both people and robots to fully benefit. This may mean retraining existing staff to use new technology as achieved at AT&T in the US, where new skills in e-commerce are supplied by new hires, who are then able to train retained workers. Technology - ranging from AI to robotics – is closely linked to disruption, but the impacts will be both positive (enhanced efficiency) and negative (job losses) .” “Will Day, Chairman of Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor, Sustainability Advisor to PwC UK, CISL Fellow and Business Sustainability Management online short course guest lecturer.”
[v]. 5 China and the global shift to the East
While the West continues to depend on the private sector to propel the sustainability agenda, China’s most powerful leader since Mao is blazing a trail for public interventions to bring about swift and transformative change. If the rest of the world caught a cold whenever the US sneezed, then it developed a fever when President Xi Jinping committed to upholding the Paris Agreement while emphasising the need to manage and protect China’s own environment. Its clean air initiatives have targeted base metal producers, which could mean a third of aluminium smelting plants in Beijing and other cities are closed for part of the year to reduce smog. Tighter environmental regulations on iron ore have also led to an increase in demand for higher quality, less polluting material. The challenge of unequal development has also been acknowledged with a focus on committing to a people-centred approach. The government is looking towards green finance as a route to support and drive many of these changes with the announcement of five green finance pilot zones in 2017 and a clear focus on continuing to grow and test new finance mechanisms and public-private financing initiatives will be seen in the coming months. Meanwhile, China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to better connect China to Asia, Africa and Europe also offers the opportunity to green the global economy and help countries to deliver their targets for the Sustainable Development Goals in areas including jobs, poverty, infrastructure, and sustainable cities.
KEEP AN EYE ON CHINA
74% of respondents acknowledge that China and the global shift to the East could have an impact. Emerging markets, particularly China, will continue to be a focus for business growth and with stricter expectations of environmental responsibility than in the past. China is setting increasingly stringent regulations, with both private and public sector being held accountable.”=~” Lucy Bruzzone “, CISL Programme Director, Executive Education. [vi]. 6 The end of an era for plastics.
In 2017, the impact of single use plastics and micro plastics drew widespread condemnation. A drive to reduce the use of plastic by consumers and companies is likely to be accompanied by greater scrutiny over other environmental impacts of business such as waste, land degradation and resource scarcity. In 2018, businesses can expect to face continued consumer and NGO pressure for a rapid move away from single use plastic. The most responsive companies will make use of new technologies, invest in alternatives and develop more sustainable practices throughout their value chains. This is likely to reinforce the growing notion of a circular economy where materials and products are reused, repurposed or recycled. Case in point: UN pledges to stop plastic waste reaching the ocean. The UN Environment’s declaration of war on ocean plastic in early 2017 climaxed in December with a UN resolution that the world must unequivocally prevent plastic waste from reaching the sea. Amid warnings that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050 without urgent action, some 200 countries signed up to the resolution. 62% of our Network believe that the move away from plastics will impact their business in 2018.
Perhaps of equal significance, China moved to ban the import of plastic waste, which will force exporters to find urgent solutions for recycling while in the UK, the popular BBC nature program, Blue Planet, inspired the public to back action on plastic. This follows the UK’s levy on single use plastic bags, and similar interventions in other countries including Kenya, which banned single use bags altogether. As public consciousness of the issue grew, crew members of the Vestas 11th Hour Racing team joined the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) ahead of the Volvo Ocean Race to discuss reversing marine degradation and the conservation leadership opportunities for sailors. Explore how organisations can challenge society’s current unsustainable production and consumption practices.
FIND OUT MORE
62% Concern over packaging’s negative impact is very much in the Zeitgeist. “=~”John Isherwood CISL Ambassador and former Head of Sustainable Business at Pret A Manger.
[vii]. 7 A watershed year for transparency
Global agreements on sustainability from the UN Sustainable Development Goals to the Paris Agreement and the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) are moving from the margins to the mainstream. The coming year will see businesses held to their commitments to report their sustainability performance, paving the way for greater impetus to meet sustainability targets. Case in point: Insurers find opportunities to address protection gap.
For the last decade, members of the global insurers’ network, ClimateWise, have been voluntarily disclosing their response to climate change risk with The ClimateWise Principles. Such early alignment with the TCFD recommendations has put these organisations on the front foot when it comes to developing strategies for greater resilience and increasing board-level oversight on climate change and sustainability. This is particularly relevant for cities and urban areas as recognition of their vulnerability and importance continues to grow. With half of the world’s population now living in cities and 1.5 million moving to urban areas every week, investing in more resilient cities is both a social and commercial necessity.
BUILDING INSURABLE CITIES
2018 is going to be a crucial year for implementation of the TCFD recommendations. A critical issue for all will be the development of scenario analysis. But above all, we should find out whether voluntary TCFD disclosures gain momentum. If not, the authorities will have to look at making it mandatory. “Paul Fisher”, CISL Senior Associate and Vice Chair of CISL’s Banking Environment Initiative.
Are businesses on board with adopting the TCFD recommendations for climate-related financial disclosure? On the agenda with action planned for 2018.
Already doing it =20%
On the agenda, =15%
no specific action yet planned =22%
Not yet on the agenda=23%
Unaware =20%
[viii]. 8 Life after coal
The dramatic decline in the burning of fossil fuels, driven by the EU, China and US, has consolidated the future of renewables - particularly solar power - and the inevitable switchover to electric vehicles. With the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasting stagnant coal consumption for the next five years and the World Bank announcing it will stop funding upstream oil and gas after a similar commitment regarding coal, all eyes will fall on the alternative and renewable energy market. China’s plans to introduce a new system to monitor the solar market will help direct investments to areas with fewer idle plants while the UK ramps up efforts to phase out coal before 2025. Meanwhile, sub-Saharan Africa’s renewable energy capacity is expected to increase by 70 percent in the next five years amid new solar, wind and hydropower projects. At the same time, the energy sector will need to minimise the impact of stranded assets as it transitions to clean energy. Oil company Shell made the significant move into electricity with the takeover of First Utility at the close of 2017, challenging competitors to look closely at their own transition strategies.
PREPARE YOUR BUSINESS FOR A LOW CARBON WORLD.
“ India, one of the world’s fastest growing carbon emitters, may soon have the distinction of never needing another coal plant. 2018 will see integration of renewable energy in corporate portfolios gaining greater traction. “ “Namrata Rana”, Director at Futurescape and CISL Network Ambassador - India “The energy market will be turned inside out - the price of generating, storing and distributing cleaner energy will tumble and create more prosumers than any industry ever.”=” Munish Data”, Head of Plan A and Facilities Management at Marks & Spencer and CISL Senior Associate.
To what extent are organisations committed to switch to renewable energy and electric vehicles?
Already switched to 100% renewable energy and feet =5%,
Strong commitments in place for switch to renewables by 2025=32%,
Strong commitments in place but more ambition needed =”38”,
No plans at present =” 25%”.
https://www.getsmarter.com/career-advice/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/8-Sustainability-trends-define-2018.pdf
19-07-2018
155]."Crowdfunding =It is raising funds for social cause online and platform may be provided by companies like Ketto,Faircent,FuelaDream,Rang-De,Milaap,Wishberry,Bitgiving,PactGuru,DreamWallets,TheHotStart, Start51.The Charegs are ranging from 5% to 10% with upfront fees from Rs.0-2000.
Crowdfunding is done for 1.Raising funds for Social Cause.
Peer to peer lending.
Issuing shares in return of shares by start-ups if they are raising funds by this way." SEBI has not permitted to do this activity.
"Key features to consider"
When can I withdraw the funds raised from my crowdfunding campaign?
1.Milaap
Anytime, multiple withdrawals
2.Ketto
Only 14 days after campaign ends
3.Wishberry
Only 15 days after campaign ends
4.FuelADream
Only 15 days after campaign ends
5.Bitgiving
Upon completion
How many people can fundraise for the same cause/project?
Milaap
Multiple
Ketto
1
Wishberry
1
FuelADream
1
Bitgiving
Multiple
When will my campaign go live?
Milaap
Immediately after set-up
Ketto
Waiting period for approval
Wishberry
Waiting period for approval
FuelADream
Waiting period for approval
Bitgiving
1-2 days of waiting period for approval
Do I get to keep the raised amount if the goal is not met?
Milaap
Yes
Ketto
Yes
Wishberry
No; funds refunded to backers if goal not met
FuelADream
Yes
Bitgiving
Yes
Are cash/cheque pickups available?
Milaap
Yes
Ketto
Yes
Wishberry
No
FuelADream
No
Bitgiving
No
Can NGOs issue their digital 80G tax-exempt receipts to donors through the website?
Milaap
Yes
Ketto
No
Wishberry
No
FuelADream
No
Bitgiving
No
http://crowdfundingindia.com/
17-07-2018
154]."IT vendors "patently" sharpening focus on developing newer technologies"
TCS and WIPRO filed over 900 patents in 2017-18 in areas such as AI,cloud and IoT"
Indian IT companies seem to be taking clue from leader IBM with increased focus on creating products ,platforms and as-a-sevice " model better returns from licence fee.This is clear from the no.of patents filed by TATA Consultacy services and WIPRO on technologies such as AI, cloud, Internet of Things, and Robotics.
In 2017-18 ,between TCS and WIPRO a total of 926 patents were filed with TCS filing 522 and WIPRO 404.And cumulatively filed over 5900 patents. And most of the patents were in emerging technologies that are starting to penetrate at a rapid across industries globally.
Infosys and Cognizant declined to give number of patents filed.
TCS count of patents rose to 3916. It has been granted 654 patents as on march 2018,according to companies annual report.A significant part of its innovation focussed on AIand automation,IoT platforms, robotics and image processing capabilities.
WIPRO last financial year filed 404 patents. "We continue to invest and scale intellectual property via platforms ,products, frameworks, and solutions, enabled by innovative commercial constructs and delivered in an "as-a-service ' model, thus truly variabishing their costs in a risk-reward model (eg transaction based ,outcome based pricing)"said the company's annual report.
Many of the patents were in emerging technologies and serve as afoundation for our new technology platforms , including AI,Iot, connected devices and autonomus vehicles,the report said. In 2017-18 the number of patents WIPRO held (and applied for) crossed 2000 ,the report said.
But the Indian companies have along way to catch up with the leader IBM. For the 25th Year (in 2017) in a row, it set a new record of 9043 patents with nearly half of them in AI, cloud, blockchain, quantum , security, and other technologies that will power its portfolio for years to come.
TCS (insurance)and Cognizant (healthcare)are using large investments in these sectors to differentiate their offerings and capture large contracts.Cognizant acquired TriZetto .
Prof.Anil Sahatrabudhe,Chairman , AICTE has advised many engineering colleges to add Dat Analytics, AI and Machine Learning as apart of enhancing skills that will make diploma engineers employable, while addressing IIM Kolkata.
14-07-2018
"Work for a cause,not for applause;Live life to express,not to impress;Don't thrive to make your presence noticed, just make your absence felt".
"Amazing things seem to happen when you least expect them to.So keep your chin up; stay positive and keep faith."
"Prayer begins where arrogance and ignorance ends."
"A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results.' ~ "Anonymous"
"Great minds have purposes, others have wishes."~"Washington Irving"
"People always say Luck when you have acted more sensibly than they have"~"Anne Tyler"
"The prettiest smiles hide the deepest secret, the prettiest eyes have cried the most tears, and the kindest heart have felt the most pain."~"
"Your greatest test is when you are able to bless someone else while you are going through your own storm."~
"Learn to be alone and like it.There is nothing more freeing and empowering than learning to like your own company".
"Everybody is a teacher if you listen."
"Don't try to fit in where you don't belong."
"Whatever life gives you,even if it hurts you,just be strong and act like you are okay. Remember strong walls shake but never collapse."
"Encourage instead of critiscizing,understand instead of judging,initiate instead of waiting."
"Every teacher once was a student,Every winner was once a loser,Every expert once was a beginner,But all of them have crossed the bridge called "Learning"
12-07-2018
152].While the skills gap is proving a struggle for businesses operating in the tech space, it does mean contractors have an advantage. Get competent in the most sought-after skills, and you’ll find you’ve got more contracting offers than you know what do with. What are the top skills that will help you get your next contracting job in Australia and New Zealand?
1) Cybersecurity
Cyber attacks are getting more and more sophisticated – so too must the technology designed to stop them. That’s why cybersecurity is proving to be one of Australia and New Zealand’s most in-demand skills, and will remain so for years to come.
Australia and New Zealand’s lack of cybersecurity professionals is becoming pressing.
The situation is pressing – a report by Telstra found that 59 percent of organisations in Australia have detected at least one business-interrupting security breach a month in 2016. This is up from only 24 percent the previous year and shows that businesses on this side of the world simply do not have the cybersecurity professionals they need to keep their data and their systems safe.
There are several elements of cybersecurity that would be useful for contractors to master, but showing you have knowledge of the general premises by undertaking the globally-recognised CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) certification is a good place to start. Network security, risk management, patching and software management are also all great skills to have.
Going into a business and improving its cyber-resilience will look great on your contractor CV and is definitely an area worth up-skilling in.
2) User experience and user interface designers
Design has become integral to whether a product sells or not – just ask Apple. That’s why UX and UI designers are highly sought after by a broad range of tech companies. Remember UX and UI is more than just being able to code well. A good designer will put themselves in the shoes of their customers and understand their problems. They’ll also have good collaboration skills, because what they design has to fit into the wider business’ goals and marketing.
With design often the difference in what makes software sell, UX and UI skills are highly sought after.
3) Software developers
There’s been a strong demand for software developers in Australia and New Zealand for years, and the number of job adverts mentioning specific languages is growing. With more and more companies exploring products related to virtual and augmented reality, machine learning and autonomous vehicles, there will be a corresponding demand for software developers that can support that. This is why JavaScript is seen as a must-have for many software developers (in particular AngularJS, React.JS and NodeJS).
Likewise Python and C# are high up on the list of required skills, while Ruby is becoming a popular web application framework for a range of businesses, including Groupon and Airbnb.
With mobile becoming not just popular but a way of life for many people now, the ability to transfer these software development skills to a mobile context is also in hot demand, and Australia and New Zealand are no exception.
For contractors, it’s not enough just to have these in-demand skills – you also need potential clients to know you have them. That’s why we’ve developed Talent Engage – an online portal that lets you create a profile detailing all your skills and experience. Future clients can then browse through your portfolio and get in touch with you.
11-07-2018
"Today is World Population Day" India will be largest population Country by 2050.
INDIA TO HAVE THE WORLD'S LARGEST POPULATION
The world’s population has nearly tripled since 1950, and set to increase further. According to a UN report, the global population will hit 9.8 billion by 2050, up from 7.6 billion in 2017. Over half the world's propulation increase between now and 2050 will take place in ten countries India, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, Ethiopia,Tanzania, Uganda and United States, Indonesia and Egypt.India will also surpass China as the most populous nation by 2050.Nigeria will replace United States for the World's Third Most populace country.
151].Vistara to buy 19 Airbus, Boeing planes worth $3.1 billion
NEW DELHI, JULY 11 Vistara today announced placing orders for a total of 19 Airbus and Boeing aircraft worth $3.1 billion (approx Rs 21,344 crore), as the carrier embarks on ambitious expansion plans, including flying overseas. The airline, which currently has a fleet of 21 aircraft from A320 neo family, plans to add another 50 such planes.
In a statement, Vistara said it has agreed to place firm orders with Airbus for 13 aircraft from the A320 neo family and with Boeing for six 787-9 Dreamliner. Together, the deals are valued at USD 3.1 billion, based on published list prices, it said.
The letter of intent signed with Airbus is for 13 A320 neo and A321 neo aircraft as well as options for buying seven more aircraft from the A320 neo family.
Vistara would also lease another 37 new A320 neo family aircraft from leasing companies, the statement said.
The airline has selected the LEAP 1-A engines from CFM International for the A320 neo and A321 neo aircraft, which are to be delivered be between 2019 and 2023.
For these planes, the airline has selected General Electric GEnx-1B engines, and delivery is scheduled between 2020 and 2021. The 787-9s are intended for use on medium-haul and long-haul international routes, it added.
Vistara CEO Leslie Thng said, India’s position as the world’s fastest growing domestic aviation market and its impressive growth in air passenger traffic that has more than doubled over the last decade, makes the airline confident of aggressive plans for domestic expansion and international foray.
We are delighted to further deepen our relationship with Airbus and to join hands with Boeing to strengthen our modern and fuel-efficient fleet that will help achieve our thought-through ambitions, he said.
Vistara is a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines. At present, the airline serves 22 destinations with over 800 flights a week.
These aircraft would be used to strengthen its domestic network and to support its international operations planned for later this year, the statement said.
The letter of intent signed with Boeing comprises six firm-ordered 787-9 Dreamliner and purchase rights for four more aircraft from the 787 Dreamliner family, it added.
150].BSNL starts first internet telephony service in India.
State-run telecom firm BSNL today unveiled first internet telephony service in the country that will allow users to dial any telephone number in India through its mobile app."Wings"
149].India's import of oil from Iran drops by 16% in a month after US sanctions.
"Dear Hiring Manager, when you REJECT a Candidate don't hurt their chances of getting another JOB.
1. Tell the RECRUITER all the strong points you saw in the candidate.
2. Don't leave candidates hanging. Get back to them quickly.
3. Give them constructive feedback so they can improve to land the job they want.
4. If you know of another company looking for such a candidate, why not help both sides.
Job searching can be emotionally and mentally draining. Put yourself in the candidates shoes. We all at one point were job seekers, and it doesn't take much for anyone of us to be a job seeker again. A little empathy and respect goes a long way. Let's make the recruiting process more humane. Agree?
"Brigette Hyacinth"
148]."Maturity is not when we start speaking BIG things,It is when we start understanding small things."~"Annonymus"
10-07-2018
147]."A common adage is that you need to work harder and suffer more than anyone else if you want to achieve success. At the most, that’s a half-truth". From what I have learned from people who have accomplished big things in both their lives and careers, one of their most common “a-ha moments” was when they realized that working hard was not enough to succeed, and that often it was even a waste of time and energy.
Thinking from this perspective, I have collected 3 things that just are as important, or even more important, than hard work when it comes to achieving success.
1. Purpose
You've been working down in the boiler room for so long that you may not even remember WHY.
If you examined every single person in the world who is considered a failure (especially by themselves), you would see that all their lives lack the same ingredient: purpose.
They don’t know where they are going. They don’t know why they do the things they do and don’t think there can be a reason. They chase only short-term satisfactions like food or shelter, and those are the only things that keep them moving.
They are operating only out of the animal side of themselves. Thus, they are not able to practice long-term thinking or personal analysis as human beings can.
There is no need to look at very clear cases of failure to find the disease of lack of purpose. If you are not constantly aware, you will find yourself in the middle of doing something and won’t know why you are doing it.
Momentum can be a good friend, but is also one of those friends that will make you waste a ton of time if you don’t keep an eye on it.
Every time you start an action, keep in mind that you are going to keep on doing it for the rest of your life. Unless, of course, something internal or external reminds you to start doing something else.
When you start working on something without clearly knowing the expected results, it may take you hours or days of hard work to realize that it isn't what you should be doing, if you ever want to achieve your goals.
Don’t be a busy, hard-working person. Be a hard-planning person who takes purposeful actions instead.
2. Self-work
Work on yourself 10 times as hard as you work on external elements, and you will feel that you are moving 10 times faster towards what you want.
Almost all the hard work you have to do to succeed is focused on replacing your routines and habits with the ones a successful person would have. By deliberately changing your procedures, you change the results you achieve, the value you provide, and the way you are seen by yourself and the rest of the world.
If you could perform the same training and habits as Bruce Lee, day after day, there is no doubt that you would sooner or later become a remarkable martial artist, right?
And what about performing like a person whose success in business has been outstanding? What if you integrated the same routines and habits that have allowed others to unlock the power and creativity they needed to succeed in their career or life?
You could, literally, start performing like that today and get astounding results immediately.
The only requirement is that you put your old habits and self-limiting beliefs aside, making space for new ones.
You must look at them before you can let them go; if you don’t recognize the weeds amongst the flowers, you won’t be able to take them out.
Success is not attained by fighting the old, but by letting it go and building the new in its place.
3. Belief
If you don’t believe it’s possible for you to achieve what you want, you can work day and night, but you will never succeed.
Sometimes, all the distance that seems to be separating you from your goals is in your mind. If you removed those mental barriers, you would see that you could just reach out and grab what you’ve been pursuing for so long.
As long as you don’t believe that it’s possible for you to have it, you are going to keep creating excuses and distractions. That’s simply because it feels uncomfortable or scary to have something you don’t think you are ready to have, or become someone you don’t believe you can be.
If you removed the negative beliefs about what YOU can have and become, your reality would change instantly.
See your goal.
Understand the obstacles.
Create a positive mental frame.
Clear your mind of self doubt.
Embrace the challenge.
Stay on Track.
Show the world you can do it.
145]."The sign of beautiful person is that they always see beauty in others."~"Mindful Soul"
8-7-2018
144]."Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love."~"Mother Teresa."
"Be thankful for what you have, you will end up getting more; If you concentrate on what you don't have you will never ever have enough!"~"Ophrah Winfrey"
"Everybody needs to be valued. Everybody has potential to give something back."~"Diana"
"Hard work keeps the wrinkles out of mind and spirit."~"Helena Rubeinstein."
"Forgiveness is a virtue of brave."~"Indiara Gandhi"
"It is impossible to live without failing at something,unless you live so cautiously that you might as well have not lived at all,in which case you fail by default."~"J.K.Rowling"
"If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun."~"Kathy Hepburn"
"If you set out to be liked,you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time,and you would achieve nothing".~"Margaret Thatcher""Nothing in the life should be feared.It is only to be understood."~"Marie Curie""Despite everything, I believe that people are good at heart."~"Ann Frank"
"The most important thing is to enjoy your life,-to be happy-it is all that matters."~"Audry Hepburn".
143].A post by Rachel Doyle, Marketing Manager at Panopto Europe. https://www.panopto.com/blog/advantages-disadvantages-of-lecture-capture-in-higher-ed/
Is recording lectures becoming the most important ‘must-have’ in higher education, or does the practice of lecture capture pose too many technical and pedagogical challenges?
As part of my work I help organise user workshops that bring together professionals from Learning Technology and AV to faculty experts across a wide range of institutions in the UK and Europe. The best thing about these user days is that they bring together users, would-be users, experts and novices in the field of classroom capture to provide a forum for animated get-togethers that allow participants to delve deep into real usability issues. The resulting outcomes of these lively discussions provide helpful insights into the pros and cons of this blended learning solution.
Below I’ve summarised some of the biggest take-aways from these workshops that expose the advantages and disadvantages of lecture capture.
The Benefits of Lecture Capture
How lecture capture enhances the student experience
1. It’s ideal for distance learning students, part-time students and international students – really any student who can’t be physically present in a teaching room at a given time for any number of reasons. By providing the flexibility to watch the recorded lecture from any location, whenever they like, students have much more control over their learning.
2. All undergraduates and post-graduates with access to recorded lectures like to be able to revisit or catch up on lectures and to navigate easily to search for the content they need. This is particularly useful when they have to miss a session due to illness, timetable clashes and during intense revision periods. Being able to access recorded lectures seamlessly via their VLE makes it particularly convenient.
3. ‘Increased student perception of support’ is another factor that universities highlighted through discussions with students and in surveys on student perceptions. The majority of students felt that classroom capture added value to courses. This is also applicable to students for whom English is an additional language, for example.
4. Viewing recorded material provides more opportunities for interaction during class time. Since students can preview course material or information-based tutorials in their own time, topics are illuminated during contact time by means of debates, interaction and more in-depth exploration of themes and better quality debates.
Five reasons educators and institutions should be open to lecture capture
Whilst there is still a fair amount of fear and scepticism surrounding lecture capture, those who use it effectively cite the following advantages as reasons to come on board with it:
1. The value it adds to courses – more and more students are demanding the flexibility and control that recorded lectures provide over their learning.
2. Simplicity – users of cloud-based video solutions advocate the simple recording solution because it is simple to set-up and unobtrusive, requiring no technological knowledge. It’s literally as simple as putting the kettle on.
3. Integration with VLE – the platform is simple to access and administer via Blackboard, Moodle etc.
4. Transparency of teaching – the ability to share best practices with colleagues simply by recording your lessons.
5. Viewer analytics – see what and how often students are watching, thereby helping lecturers to gauge interest in topics and hone and improve their lecture content and delivery.
The Disadvantages of Lecture Capture
Panopto user days provide the perfect forum for voicing and confronting the recurring fears and apprehensions associated with recording lectures. Through our discussions we’ve learned that there are some obstacles standing in the way of better adoption of lecture capture throughout entire campuses. These are typically issues surrounding staff perceptions, pedagogic questions, the technology itself and the institutional barriers to the adoption and usage of lecture capture.
Recurring concerns include the following:
1. Staff Confidence and worries about being recorded – universities need to make it clear what the purpose of recording is and to consider giving lecturers ‘opt-in’ choices.
2. Some staff say the technology is limiting – in reality, though, there are lots of ways in which savvy users are recording classroom activities or demonstrations that go beyond the tradition lecture capture use case. Other use cases for lecture capture software include creating bite-sized tutorials, using the software for student assessment feedback, recording student presentations, creating recruitment collateral, and more. These will be based on genuine university practice.
3. Infrastructure issues to meet rising acceptance – coordination between AV, IT and E-Learning teams requires careful management and it’s a good idea to phase roll-out and not over-subscribe. But overall these challenges can be reduced by standardizing one lecture capture solution throughout campus.
Concerns about how difficult it is to coordinate usage of the software and roll out to departments pops up all the time. In general universities that succeed in instilling a “change in culture” have identified ‘department champions”, people who are of the same species as those who struggle to adopt the practice. Usually this person is pragmatic and understands the issues the “strugglers” are confronting and can offer practical help to overcome the problems.
No matter who I talk to at these user days, every participant has their experience of their opinion on the value of recording lectures in teaching and learning. The views vary according to profession from technical, faculty, AV, recruitment and IT. But one thing most people tend to agree on: students love lecture capture!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Five Benefits of Lecture Capture
POSTED BY RACHEL MANTEL ON OCTOBER 10, 2017
https://www.techsmith.com/blog/five-benefits-lecture-capture/
The traditional classroom setting isn’t what it used to be. By 2019, experts predict that at least 50% of all classes will be delivered online, as online learning has been steadily increasing for the past five years. To deliver effective content, many instructors are turning to video lecture content to share learning materials without having to be directly in the classroom.
So why use lecture capture?
Below are five benefits of lecture capture:
1. Visual communication This article in Fast Company says that 65% of people are visual learners. If that’s the case, it’s important that your lectures include engaging images, graphs, charts, photos, and similar aids to help students understand concepts to have lecture material that students learn from visually. Creating lecture material rich with visuals will help your students follow along with your content as easily as if they were with you in the classroom. Instead of having just an audio recording of lecture material, including visuals allows students to put context behind the recorded lecture.
Why You need to get Visual
1.Visuals are processed 60,000x faster than text.
2.90% of information that comes to Brain is visual.
Visuals are key to capture customer’s mindshare.
65% of Human are visual learners and respond better to visual information than text.
Only 30% population tends to retain info better after hearing it.
Only 5% of us prefer tactile learning over visual or auditory.
http://www.cmdsonline.com/blog/the-looking-glass/the-ultimate-infographic-on-infographics/
2. Better availability
Offering video lecture content allows students to access course materials outside of the classroom. With many classes moving toward a flipped classroom approach, students can learn content while studying at home and are able to come to class with prepared questions and discussion topics. Because lectures can be saved and archived, students can refer back to the materials as a study tool, instead of feeling like they have to process all the information during the class period.
3. ADA compliance
Online lecture content helps accommodate students with disabilities. Providing captions and audio for lecture materials can assist those with hearing and visual impairments. Many lecture capture tools are ADA compliant and follow the guidelines of Section 508of the Rehabilitation Act. Traditional lectures may not be the best mode of learning for students, therefore providing material that offers access to students with disabilities gives all students the opportunity to learn. Many lecture capture tools allow you to generate captions and are screen-reader compatible.
4. Increase engagement
Video lecture material can help your students engage in the content you are presenting without you physically being there. Some lecture capture tools allow you to include quizzes that students take while viewing video lectures. This helps students apply what they’re learning and test their knowledge, plus it allows instructors to assess student performance. If a student is confused by a concept, they can pause the video and post a question for their instructor. This creates interaction between the student and instructor, making the online lecture content a two-way conversation.
5. Build instructor-student relationships
Effective lecture capture gives instructors the opportunity to build relationships with their students, despite the fact that they are teaching online courses. The use of quick, personalized videos gives students a more humanized online course experience. For example, an instructor may create an introduction to the course or send a video regarding any class updates throughout the semester. Even though courses are conducted online, instructors and students can still get to know each other on a personal level.
Lecture capture is quickly taking over the academic world, giving students different learning opportunities than the traditional classroom setting. Lecture capture software, such as TechSmith Relay, offers features that are ADA compliant, interactive, and engaging, giving students an overall positive learning experience.
To learn more about TechSmith Relay’s lecture capture platform, click here.
Is the effectiveness of lecture capture related to teaching approach or content type?
Author links open overlay panel
Jared Danielsona, Vanessa Preasta, HollyBendera ,LesyaHassallb
Show more https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2013.10.016
Highlights
• Lecture-capture use accompanies better test scores in some disciplines, not others.
• Lecture-capture use means more learning in straight-lecture, fact-focused contexts.
• Students believe that viewing captured lectures helps learning.
• Students view captured lectures more for less interactive sessions.
• Students watch lectures for pragmatic reasons, not because of lecture quality.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131513003011
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/inclusive-learning-teaching/0/steps/29559
Lecture capture: innovative or unwelcome technology? ‘Lecture capture is an umbrella term describing any technology that allows instructors to record what happens in their classrooms and make it available digitally.’ Educause
While some disabled students have made audio recordings of lectures to support their notes for more than two decades, the recent development of lecture capture solutions has allowed universities to capture and disseminate recordings to all students.
These can combine audio, screen-capture of slides, video recordings of the speaker or the writing boards. They can provide access to captions, transcripts, audio and text descriptions and collaborative annotations. This means they allow for the flexibility of reasonable adjustments’ (Equality 2010 Act) whilst offering an inclusive learning and teaching environment.
However, some instructors have been reluctant to adopt the technology, citing concerns such as deterring student attendance of sessions and intellectual property ownership. Some forms of teaching may also be harder to capture than others. Maths and Physics teaching can rely heavily on ‘chalk and talk’ as instructors work through problems on writing boards. Students may also be discouraged from contributing if they know they are being recorded. Some have also found that while having access to recordings may seem beneficial, it can take more time to review the content.
While evidence is mixed on whether having access to lecture recordings improves learning outcomes, this technology is still evolving. Some projects have shown that it is particularly useful for content-heavy material and short summaries of sessions may also be effective.
Pro and cons of lecture capturing text version
Universities that have implemented lecture capture have adopted different approaches to enforcing its use. Some provide it as a service that instructors can opt-in to using if they wish. Others have adopted an opt-out approach where sessions are automatically recorded, unless it is agreed that an instructor can opt-out. However, they would still need to have the lecture content available as a reasonable adjustment for disabled students.
Gabi Witthaus and Carol Robinson from Loughborough University explored the current research on the topic in 2016 and provide a useful summary of what works and what doesn’t.
You may also be interested in other related resources which can be accessed from the ‘See also’ section at the bottom of this page.
6-7-2018
142].Indian scientist in race to head Chinese institute
In a first, India-born geophysicist Paramesh Banerjee is among the four shortlisted to head the Institute of Geophysics, a top scientific organisation of China's Earthquake Administration (CEA). The other three candidates are Chinese.
"Final result is not out yet, but will feel proud to be the first Indian in that position," Banerjee, currently technical director of the Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS) at Nanyang Technical University (NTU), told this correspondent in an email.
"That's great news," Vineet Gahalaut, director of the National Centre for Seismology in New Delhi, told IANS.
"Paramesh was one amongst the few who initiated GPS measurements in India and, during the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, he was the one who proposed that the giant earthquakes could cause deformation at distances as far as 2,500 km away which could be captured by the GPS."
Banerjee, who in 2017 was elected president of the Asian Seismological Commission (ASC), "has made tremendous impact in a short time", added Harsh Gupta, renowned seismologist and former secretary of what is now the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Developing an earthquake resilient society is of utmost importance for the Asian region where almost 80 per cent of fatalities due to earthquakes occur, Gupta said.
"It is hoped that under the leadership of Paramesh Banerjee, if selected, such problems would be addressed."
An alumnus of the Indian School of Mines in Dhanbad, Banerjee worked at the University of California, Berkeley, he US and at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology in Dehradun before joining Singapore's NTU in 2009.
Recipient of the Indian Geosciences Award in 2009 for his work on Himalayan tectonics, Banerjee, as technical director of EOS, has been responsible for establishing a vast network of geodetic and seismological instrumentation networks in seven Asian countries.
Asia, being the most vulnerable continent in the entire world, is also the least prepared to manage earthquake related disasters, Banerjee told IANS and pointed out that "lack of scientific and technological capacity is a major hindrance to properly orient government policies towards a better disaster mitigation plan".
During the ASC's General Assembly meeting held last held last May at Chengdu in China, Banerjee outlined a "Practical Approach Towards Safeguarding Asian Society from Earthquake related Hazards".
He said that resources from Asian countries can be combined to create a Pan-Asian centre which will serve as a hub for technology transfer, seismological and geodetic data processing centre.
He said that resources from Asian countries can be combined to create a Pan-Asian centre which will serve as a hub for technology transfer, seismological and geodetic data processing centre.
"It will also carry out advanced geophysical projects like earthquake early-warning system, seismic monitoring network, airborne and other geophysical surveys for active fault mapping and subsurface investigations."
Banerjee, who has a commercial pilot license, flew over Nepal after the 2015 earthquake to construct a 3-D digital terrain map of the Himalayan faults.
"My main objective is to build a common platform that can help promote cooperation among Asian nations in seismic research to better tackle earthquake related disasters," he said.
6-7-2018
"Sometimes the reason good things are not happening to you is because you are the good thing that needs to happen to other people
140]."India readies its prospectors as hunt begins for lithium and cobalt mines abroad "
India is scrambling to acquire lithium and cobalt mines abroad, along with other resources, to ensure that it has access to such strategic minerals, with China having already taken a substantial lead in the race, much in the manner that it has done so in oil and gas. Lithium and cobalt are critical elements in batteries that power mobile phones, laptops and electric vehicles, the centerpiece of future transport solutions. The global race for these minerals is intensifying in the wake of of the growing use of such vehicles. The Indian government has directed three state-owned mineral companies to team up for the task, said Anil Kumar Nayak, joint secretary in the mines ministry.
“The joint venture partners are National Aluminium Company (Nalco), Hindustan Copper (HCL) and Mineral Exploration Corp. Ltd (MECL),” he said. “It can also invite private sector companies who are interested to participate in it.” Nalco is the lead partner. The proposal is currently with the Niti Ayog, which will conduct due diligence before it can be formalised.
“There are a few approvals needed before the joint venture can be operationalised,” he said. “However, once this is done, India can access raw material abroad.”
The venture’s main mandate will be to look for and acquire strategic mineral assets abroad, particularly those in which India is deficient.
The move — likely to be formalised along the lines of ONGC Videsh, which buys oil and gas assets abroad — will help the country build a strategic reserve of key minerals.
India has no known sources of lithium and cobalt and access to them is critical to the success of its plan to convert most of its vehicles to electric power in about a decade or so.
With China well ahead in the pursuit of such minerals, especially in Africa, the public sector units have been tasked to actively scout for and acquire assets on a war footing.
“The modalities of the venture will be worked out later, but the joint venture could partner Indian mining companies or join hands with local mining entities abroad,” Nayak said. HCL chairman Santosh Sharma said, “We are part of the initiative that is being taken by the government to build up assets in strategic minerals like lithium and cobalt.”
The search will include rare earth elements that are much in demand for applications in defence and space technology but are not found in India. “Given India’s large population and stage of economic development with respect to its need for renewable energy and efficient automotive transportation, it is time include rare earth elements that are much in demand for applications in defence and space technology but are not found in India.
“Given India’s large population and stage of economic development with respect to its need for renewable energy and efficient automotive transportation, it is time for us to develop an appropriate strategy to find and access these minerals which are critical for our development,” said Anjani Agrawal, global leader, steel, E&Y. “A similar model for coal did not yield much of a result. This time hopefully this model may work."
A spike in demand for lithium has fuelled interest in mining of the metal in countries such as Bolivia, which has one-fourth of the world’s reserves. It has reached out to nations like India for exploration and extraction of the metal and manufacture of value-added products.
India’s requirement of lithium is expected to be 350,000 tonnes per year according to auto industry estimates, with companies like Suzuki India planning to manufacture lithium-ion batteries in India. A recent Metal Bulletin report said the world’s largest producers of the substance feel a shortage of lithium battery-grade compounds will endure in 2018 and years to come.
Chinese imports of cobalt from the Congo, the world’s biggest producer of the mineral, was around $1.2 billion in the first nine months of 2017, compared with $3.2 million by India, the second-largest importer, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report. The Congo accounts for nearly 54% of the world’s cobalt supplies.
Analysts say few commodities have witnessed such a dramatic rise in demand as cobalt which is essentially a byproduct of copper and nickel mining. Global cobalt production has quadrupled since 2000 to about 123,000 metric tons a year, according to the US Geological Survey.
139]."Once You need less, you will have more."--"Unknown"
5-7-2018
138].How MSP hike will impact Indian economy
India has raised the price at which the government will buy new- season common rice variety from domestic farmers by 13 percent, said Home Minister Rajnath Singh, as the state looks to woo farmers ahead of general elections due next year.
India, one of the world's key producers of an array of farm commodities, announces support prices for more than 20 crops each year to set a benchmark.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government said in its February budget that it would buy crops at 1.5 times the cost of production, a major shift after keeping the so-called minimum support price in low single digits over the past three years.
Analysts and economists have warned the move could help push up inflation, add to the fiscal deficit and prompt the Reserve Bank of India to raise interest rates more steeply than expected.
INDRANIL PAN, GROUP ECONOMIST, IDFC BANK, MUMBAI "It is too early to evaluate the implication of the minimum support price (MSP) hikes on inflation. We will have to wait till October-November to see the reality in terms of markets prices vs MSP to gauge inflationary impact. The announcement of MSP increase is unlikely to change the reaction function of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) immediately, as core inflation, oil and currency will be key factors to drive the timing and extent of rate hikes. We expect the RBI to hike rates in August as well as in October due to the high core inflation and oil prices."
FORAM PAREKH, FUNDAMENTAL ANALYST - EQUITY, INDIABULLS VENTURES, MUMBAI "The hikes are very much in line with expectations. If the market side increases prices more than the MSPs, then it might lead to an inflationary situation. If farmers do get the benefit of the MSP hike, then the NBFC and automobile sectors would benefit due to rural income rising. Over the years, MSP has been revised by the government, but I don't think the quoted price has reached the farmers. So it's a wait-and-watch situation. We would only come to know if the farmers are actually getting it in the month of October. "Due to the rise in MSPs, the government would have to bear expenses of about 330 billion rupees ($4.81 billion). It contributes not more than 0.2 pct-0.3 pct of the GDP. I think it is a very minimal number and should not impact the economy as a whole. The major dent the economy would face is from rising crude prices."
ADITI NAYAR, PRINCIPAL ECONOMIST, ICRA LTD, MUMBAI "Without further details on whether the procurement of crops would be widened from the current set, or if another mechanism would be adopted to ensure that farmers receive prices at par with MSPs for their produce, it remains difficult to ascertain the impact of higher MSPs on inflation and fiscal deficit. "Some of the items that have seen the biggest increases in MSPs for the ongoing kharif season, such as jowar, bajra, ragi and moong, have a small weight in the WPI and CPI indices. This may help to contain the inflationary impact, if higher MSPs translate to higher market prices.
"Nevertheless, it is difficult to envision a scenario in which the recently announced hike in MSPs actually translates into higher realizations for farmers, without an increase in prices for the end-consumers or costs for the central and state governments through higher procurement costs and subsidy bill."
UPASNA BHARDWAJ, SENIOR ECONOMIST, KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK, MUMBAI "Most of the wholesale prices are higher than the mininum support price. How that translates into market prices will be a function of how exactly the implementation of these MSPs would be. At this point, it is difficult to gauge exact impact on inflation. It seems to be inflationary, but magnitude is uncertain. This move was something that was necessary, but needs to be implemented in the right way to ensure they get what they need, to be able to cover up for the costs."
TIRTHANKAR PATNAIK, INDIA STRATEGIST, MIZUHO BANK, MUMBAI
"The 200 rupees per quintal hike for paddy is very reasonable, so not likely to rattle markets. If the number was anything beyond 200 rupees, there could have been some market implication. The hike will add about a 25 basis point number to headline inflation, which the government would be okay with. I think this hike should not have too much of a much of a negative impact.
"The hike in ragi crop was higher than expected. A larger hike in paddy would have moved the needle. So, this is a negative, but not an unexpected negative from a fiscal balance perspective. It is quite clear it was a question between keeping the farmer community happy in the pre-election year and also not to upset the credit rating agencies. With this hike for paddy, they have ensured the tightrope balance is fine.
"We may see these populist measures coming from the state governments instead of federal government. I'll not be surprised if we see similar sops from the state government simply because the current GST collection, crude at over $70 does not leave much room for fiscal balancing by the central government."
137].JioGigaFiber: Ambani children announce the biggest game-changer in telecom, rollout on August 15
Isha Ambani, daughter of Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, today unveiled what could revolutionise Indian telecom sector. Addressing at the Reliance IndustriesNSE -1.42 %' 41st annual general meeting today at Birla Matushri Sabhagar in Mumbai, she announced the launch of JioGigaFibre, the optical fibre-based broadband service.
The company will extend fibre connectivity to homes, merchants and SMEs. 1,100 cities will offer most advanced fibre-based broadband connectivity solutions. Two of the main features of JioGigaFibre will be smart home technology and TV calling. JioGigaFiber broadband will come with a set-top box for TV. It will have enabled voice command feature on TV.
JioGigaFibre will be based on Fiber to the home (FTTH) technology. It is expected to disrupt the segment of home broadband services now. Reliance is likely to offer an attractive combo of fast broadband connectivity at initial data speeds of 100 Mbps (with huge dollops of free data thrown in).
What is FTTH? FTTH, as the name suggests, means installing the fiber cable right up to the individual building. At present, the fiber cable reaches only till the main premises while the last connections to individual homes/offices are through traditional copper cable.
Why is FTTH faster? The cable used for connections to individual units is not made of fibre. The traditional cable is not as efficient as the fiber cable. Due to patches, etc, the traditional cable is slower. A fiber cable till the individual unit dramatically increases speed and quality and improves the experience of surfing, gaming and streaming, etc. FTTH could be 100 times faster than the traditional modem connections. FTTH is also costlier than the traditional cable.
Is Jio the first FTTH provider?
No. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) already offers FTTH broadband schemes in Kolkata and Chennai. However, Jio's entry in FTTH will at a much bigger scale and more aggressive. Jio is running a pilot in many cities.
What will be Jio's impact?
An aggressive FTTH service launch by Jio can cause two sets of disruptions, according to Rohan Dhamija, partner & head for India, South Asia & Middle East at Analysys Mason. First, it can immediately disrupt home broadband pricing, forcing rivals such as Airtel to slash rates. Second, it could also have a secondary impact on the larger mobile services market, if Jiochooses to bundle generous wired broadband packs with its current 4G plans.
4-07-2018
136].Indians' love for electronics is a current-account shocker
Indians’ love for gold is well known, but they have a new-found fascination for electronics. That, however, is coming at a cost. The relentless rise in purchases of smartphones, TVs and other goods have made electronics India’s second-biggest import item after oil, and is pushing the nation’s trade deficit wider.
That’s bad news for the rupee, which is already roiled by worries of costlier imported oil. Economists polled by Bloomberg forecast the current-account deficit to widen to 2.3 per cent of gross domestic product in the fiscal year to March 2019, from 1.9 per cent currently.
“The rise in imports of electronic items is already impacting the current-account deficit,” said Saugata Bhattacharya, chief economist at Mumbai-based Axis Bank Ltd. “One way to solve this is to see India integrate more into the global supply chain in the coming years.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has banked on his ‘Make in India’ program — aimed at fostering local manufacturing -- to help cut down the country’s reliance on imports. But global companies have yet to buy into it in a big way and China was the biggest source of mobile phones, personal computers and other consumer electronics in the financial year ended March, accounting for nearly 60 percent of total.
Government data for the 13 months to May show electronics imports were valued at $57.8 billion, way more than the $35.8 billion worth of gold purchases. “India’s current account challenge is now not only oil but also electronics,” Uday Kotak, managing director of Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. said via a Twitter post. “Gold drops to no. 3. Net gold deficit is down but electronics imports have nearly doubled in 5 years.”
135].India services activity in June expands at fastest pace in a year
Following a marginal contraction in May, the servicesNSE -2.01 % sector returned to growth during June and registered the fastest rate of expansion in a year, supported by robust increase in new business orders, said a monthly survey. The seasonally adjusted Nikkei India Services Business Activity Index rose from 49.6 in May to 52.6, registering the fastest growth since June 2017. In PMI parlance, a print above 50 means expansion, while a score below that denotes contraction.
"The service economy returned to expansion territory in June. Encouragingly, the latest performance was the strongest seen in a year, against a backdrop of improving demand conditions," said Aashna Dodhia, Economist at IHS Markit, and author of the report. Reflecting improved demand conditions, jobs growth picked up from May's five-month low.
"In response to an improvement in demand conditions, service providers raised their staffing levels at a faster pace than in the previous survey period," Dodhia said.
On the price front, input cost inflation remained solid overall, however, services providers were unable to fully pass on higher input costs to price-sensitive consumers. "Overall input costs rose at the strongest rate since July 2014, and amid a weak rupee and higher oil prices, inflation may remain elevated," Dodhia said, adding that given these circumstances, the chances of further monetary policy tightening have heightened. In June, the Reserve Bank of India had upped its retail inflation projection by 0.30 per cent and kept the policy stance in the neutral zone, even as it hiked the key rate by 0.25 per cent to 6.25 per cent.
Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted Nikkei India Composite PMI Output Index, that maps both the manufacturing and the services industry, rose from 50.4 in May to 53.3 in June. The latest reading is the strongest since October 2016, indicative of a solid rate of expansion. "The PMI data signalled the best improvement in the overall health of the economy since October 2016, propelled by solid growth in both the manufacturing and service economies," Dodhia said.
"A Man is seldom better than his conversation."-"German Proverb"
3-07-2018
"sometimes a single sentence spoken at right time could change someone's life forever."
""Sometimes one day changes everything; sometimes years change nothing." Irish Saying."
"1.Before you assume ,learn the facts.2.Before you judge, understand why. 3.Before you hurt someone,feel.4.Before you speak,think."
"A person's most useful asset is not a head full of knowledge,But a heart full of love,an ear ready to listen and a hand to help others."
"You are strong when you know your weaknesses,You are beautiful when you appreciate your flaws.You are wise when you learn from your mistakes."
""Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." ~ "Mark Twain"
"In life, there will be people who will come to test your patience, integrity, will, faith, and strength. Make sure to always pass the test."
"An Alchemist is a one who transforms everything with love."--"Emmanuel"
134].New algorithm that may predict your intelligence
New York, June 30 (IANS) Be careful if you lie about your IQ as researchers have developed a machine-learning algorithm that may tell how smart you are by looking at a scan of your brain.
The study showed that the new computing tool can predict a person's intelligence from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans of their resting state brain activity.
The fMRI develops a map of brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow to specific brain regions.
"if we just have people lie in the scanner and do nothing while we measure the pattern of activity in their brain, we can use the data to predict their intelligence," said co-author Ralph Adolphs from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).
To train their algorithm on the complex patterns of activity in the human brain, the researchers downloaded the brain scans and intelligence scores from almost 900 individuals.
The researchers found that after processing the data, the algorithm was able to predict intelligence at statistically significant levels across the subjects.
"The information that we derive from the brain measurements can be used to account for about 20 per cent of the variance in intelligence we observed in our subjects," said Julien Dubois from the Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre.
In predicting intelligence from brain scans, the algorithm is doing something that humans cannot, because even an experienced neuroscientist cannot look at a brain scan and tell how intelligent a person is, the researchers said.
The researchers also conducted a parallel study, using the same test population and approach, that attempted to predict personality traits from fMRI brain scans.
The personality test they used divides personality into five scales -- openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism.
However, it has turned out to be much more difficult to predict personality using the method the team used for predicting intelligence.
The two studies are yet to be published in the separate journals Personality Neuroscience and Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. --IANS
133].Mistakes in filing income tax returns that may get you a tax notice
1. Filing ITR using the wrong form As per tax laws, an individual is required to report all sources of income and file ITR using the correct form applicable to him. If he files it using the wrong form, then his filed return will be treated as 'defective' and he will be asked to file a revised ITR using the correct form. "In this case, the taxpayer will get some time to rectify the mistake. A rectified return (in response to notice u/s 139(9)) must be filed within 15 days from the date of receipt of the intimation under section 139(9). This time limit may be extended by the assessing officer on an application by the assessee. If the defect is not rectified within the time limit, then the assessing officer will treat it as an invalid return. In other word, it is same as not filing a return at all. Moreover, the person may face all the penalties related to not filing of ITR in addition to payment of interest u/s 234A for the delay in filing the tax return" says Chetan Chandak, Head of Tax Research, H&R Block, India.
2. Not reporting interest incomes
One should report all the interest incomes received or accrued due to him in the previous financial year (for which the return is being filed) while filing his tax returns. Individuals generally forget to report interest earned from savings bank account, fixed deposits, recurring deposits, etc. under the head 'Income from other sources'.
While interest received or accrued on fixed and recurring deposits are fully taxable, one can claim tax relief on interest earned from savings bank account up to a certain limit. Section 80 TTA of the Income Tax Act provides that interest up to Rs 10,000 can be deducted from the total interest earned in a year from bank and post office savings account after arriving at the gross total income. "Further if they have a saving account with any Post office then interest from such account is exempt up to a certain limit. Section 80TTA of the Income Tax Act provides that interest up to Rs 10,000 can be deducted from the total interest earned in a year from bank and post office savings account after arriving at the gross total income. "Further if they have a saving account with any Post office then interest from such account is exempt up to Rs. 3500 (in individual account) and Rs. 7000 (in a joint account) under section 10(15)(i). This is in addition to 80TTA deduction" says Chandak.
3. Not filing income tax returns Many people don't file their income tax returns because they have long-term capital gains (LTCG) which are tax-exempt and without this their gross total income is below the tax-exempt income level. However, as per recent amendments in section 139 (1) of the Act, if your exempted LTCG along with gross total income exceeds the minimum exemption level, you are required to file your income tax return. For instance, let us assume that in a financial year your gross total income is Rs 1 lakh and long term exempted capital gains is Rs 2 lakh. Earlier you were not required to file income tax return as your total income was below the minimum exemption limit of Rs 2.5 lakh. Now due to the recent amendment in tax laws, you are required to file ITR as your gross total income plus long term capital gains (Rs 1 lakh + Rs 2 lakh > Rs. 2.5 lakh) exceeds the minimum exemption limit.
4. Not clubbing incomes
As per the rules of clubbing of income, a taxpayer is required to add income of specified persons (minor children, spouse, son's spouse, etc.) to his own income and the tax payable by him is calculated on the total of this these two incomes. This is mostly the case when the income of minor child is added to the income of his/her parent. Section 60 to 64 of the Income Tax Act specifies the provision of clubbing of incomes. "In the case where minor's income child is added to the income of his/her parent. Section 60 to 64 of the Income Tax Act specifies the provision of clubbing of incomes. "In the case where minor's income gets clubbed with that of any parent, he/she can claim exemption up to Rs. 1,500 under section 10(32). In case if you miss reporting this income (of minor child) you may have to pay the tax due, along with interest and you may even be subjected to a penalty of 50% for under reporting or 200% for mis-reporting of your income ((up to A.Y. 2016-17 this penalty was 100-300% of the taxes avoided)", says Chandak.
5. Not reporting income from the last job
If you have switched jobs in a financial year then income from your previous job must be reported while filing income tax return along with income from the current job. If any income (from previous job) is not reported, then a discrepancy is bound to reflect in your TDS certificates, Form 16 and Form 26AS. This is bound to bring you taxman to your door. "Again the penalties are same as not clubbing of income", says Chandak.
6. Not reporting tax free incomes As a taxpayer, you are duty bound to report all your income even if some is tax free. Interest earned from provident fund or/and tax-free bonds in a financial year must be reported in your ITR. However, you can claim exemption on these under various sections of the Income Tax Act. These exempt incomes are to be reported in the 'Exempt Income' schedule of the ITR.
7. Not reporting all bank accounts
From the assessment year 2015-16, a taxpayer is required to report all the bank accounts held by him in previous year in his/her income tax return. Earlier you were only required to mention a single bank account in which you wished to receive credit of the income tax refund if any. However, now only dormant accounts are excluded from requirement of reporting in the ITR.
8. Not declaring deemed rent/expected rent
If you own another house apart from a self-occupied house and it is lying vacant, then you should report the expected rent in your gross total income. "This may result in some tax payable as the notional rental gets added to your income and non -reporting may lead to penalties as stated above. But in cases where there is interest payable on the housing loan for the said property it can result in some tax savings. But this benefit of interest set-off of loss from house property has been capped at Rs. 2 lakh starting 1st April 2017", says Chandak.
9. Failing to revise your income
If you have discovered any error once tax filing has been completed, then you must rectify your mistake. You must file the revised return to rectify your mistake. Current income tax laws allow you two years to file the revised returns. However, from the financial year 2017-18, a taxpayer will get only one year after the end of the relevant financial year.
"It is always recommended that once the error is detected taxpayer rectify the mistake within time, pay the due taxes with interest to avoid any penalty for under reporting or mis-reporting. Also if you have missed claiming any deduction or exemption you can enhance your tax refunds by filing the revised returns", says Chandak.
132].RBI: No More Negative Balance In Your Savings Accounts
The RBI has issued a directive that negative balance will not be imposed on saving accounts as penalty charges. The central bank has asked the banks to immediately stop imposing charges for not maintaining a minimum balance once the balance touches zero, reported Times of India. The same norm came into effect last year, yet several banks were still continuing to impose negative balances in savings accounts until now. In case if banks still continue such practice, then the RBI has given the customers an option to approach the banking ombudsman.
What is negative balance?
When salary accounts are opened with a bank, the banks usually waive minimum balance requirements. However, if the customer quits his/her job, then the account does not remain salary account any more. Since there is no salary flow, the begins to debit an amount as penalty for not maintaining the minimum balance, which often results the balance to turn negative. This is called negative balance. Although the banks do not look to recover funds from negative balance accounts, but the customer loses money if he/she deposits money in the account. Banks like HDFC, ICICI, Axis have maintained to Times of India that they do not create negative balance.
"Success consists of getting up just one more time than you fall" -- "Oliver Goldsmith"
2-07-2018
131].8 Most Important Skills Required for an Engineer
Skill #1: Knowledge of the core subject
The most basic ingredient that identifies you as an engineer is the knowledge in your field of study. A Mechanical Engineer, for example, needs to know the basics of Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Solid Mechanics, Machine Design, Manufacturing Processes, CAD/CAE, etc. An awareness of the latest technological developments in your own field of study, like 3D printing & Alternative Energy techniques for Mechanical Engineers, will build your identity as an engineer further. We suggest you to be updated on the developments in your field of engineering, irrespective of the career you choose.
Skill #2: Application of the knowledge
Good grades on your graduation certificate are a reflection of your (curriculum-based) core knowledge, howsoever vague. In spite of that, why do you think the correlation between job opportunities and grades is very less? It is because of the fact that a good knowledge on any subject does not warrant the ability to apply it to solve real-time problems. Employers are keen for engineers, who prove that they can call upon the relevant skills as and when required. We strongly recommend you to start developing projects “that work” to make your application skills evident.
Skill #3: Information Literacy
We, and also the employers, understand very well (from personal experience, of course!) that a limited time of 4 years is not sufficient to learn and excel in everything that the industry demands from an engineer. Moreover, new "jobs" demanding new skills are being created every year. It is, therefore, very essential to be an information literate. Information literacy is the ability to identify the need for information and find resources (online/offline) to start and finish a project from scratch.
Skill #4: Analytical & Creative thinking
Look around. Some of the most amazing gadgets and technologies are creative and, sometimes, simple engineering solutions to daily problems, starting from the smartphone to e-commerce. As engineers, you are expected to be creative enough to come up with innovative ideas and analytical enough to link knowledge from different areas to solve problems. Tinker with every new idea you encounter. Experiment!
Skill #5: Multi-disciplinary exposure
The contemporary workplace makes it inevitable for engineers to work in inter-disciplinary teams with projects that involve skills and tasks that are multi-disciplinary in nature. For example, an electronics engineer needs to work in a team consisting of computer engineers, designers, project managers and marketing managers etc. for a project in mobile technology. A basic understanding of these different divisions in the work will make his/her life easier.
Skill #6: Acquaintance with Computers & IT The world is now transformed into a place where an understanding of computers and gadgets is no more a trade-skill, but a life-skill. A working knowledge in at least one programming language, the internet, mobile and web apps, social media etc. is as essential as proficiency in English.
Skill #7: Familiarity with Industry Standards
There is an evident gap, reported by numerous studies, between the academic standards in engineering colleges and the actual operating conditions in the industry. Young engineers feel overwhelmed due to the sudden change in working conditions right from the technologies being used to the operating procedures of the organization they (want to) become part of and it reflects in their performance. Learning industry-certified courses is one elegant solution to handle this misalignment.
Skill #8: Passion for learning
The last and the most important characteristic that will make you not only a better engineer but a better person is the never-ending spirit for learning. Many eminent personalities (and "gods") are of the opinion that the day a human being stops learning is the day he dies! Let this single mantra drive your life and you will be successful at whatever you take up.
How to achieve above skills?
Building projects hands-on and learning while building the projects will increase your experience on the theoretical concepts that you have learnt. Building projects is a great way to achieve the above skills and you get to acquire all of them through the incremental learning and have fun at the same time too. For this, we at Skyfi Labs have launched online project-based courses through which you can learn and build exciting projects at your own convenience. You can choose projects on various technologies like Robotics, Electrical, Electronics, Mechanical, Mechatronics.
http://www.skyfilabs.com/blog/8-most-important-skills-required-for-an-engineer
24-06-2018
130]."Optimism is the Faith that leads to achievement,nothing can be done without hope."=="Helen Keller".
129]."If you have the spirit of understanding everything in a positive way, you will enjoy each and every moment of life; whether it is pressure or pleasure."
128]"The aim of argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress."
127]."They are not your friends ,until they have defended you in your absence."
126]."There are people whom you forget with time. But,there are very few people with whom you forget time.""NEVER LOOSE THEM".
125]."Success is Tasty dish,Patience,Intelligence,Knowledge, Experience are its ingredients;But hard work is that little salt that makes it Delicious.""Always remember Success without honor is an unseasoned dish,it will satisfy your hunger but will not taste good."
124]."Once you need less,You will have more."="Unknown"
123].IIT tech can help people turn waste into bricks and tiles
NEW DELHI, JUNE 14 Imagine turning plastic waste into useful products likes tiles and bricks. Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, have developed a technology that will help people do just this.
All you need is polymer substance (HDPE or high density polyethylene material), some fibroussubstance and a chemical developed at the Institute. People can use just about any plastic waste – old or broken plastic buckets, used pipes, bottles or mobile covers. For the fibrous substance, anything that is fibrous can be used - wheat, rice and corn straws or jute, coir, hemp fibres or even human hair.
“The technology is very simple. A person has to just heat up a mixture (up to 110 to 140 degrees) of plastic and fibrous materials in a mould with the chemical and then let it cool for some time. A nice tile or a brick would be ready for use,” said Shishir Sinha, Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Institute, while speaking to India Science Wire.
The proprietary chemical developed by the research group is an organic chemical based on olefins. It helps bind the polymer and fibre materials to form the composites. “We have developed this chemical by using domestically available ingredients. It would cost only around Rs. 50 per 100 gram. This means people in villages will be able to produce a set of 10 one sq ft tiles at a cost of just about Rs 100.”
The technology, Dr Sinha noted, could be used with any material including waste. The research group has been focusing on using human hair as raw material for fibrous content. “Human hair has high tensile strength, is light weight and is completely bio-degradable. Products made out of hair fibre reinforced HDPE composites have been found to be highly resistant to corrosion and have good mechanical properties,” he explained.
He said he and his team focused on human hair mainly because it is one material that will be available in plenty in any villages and hamlets including those with the most poor. They just lay scattered, sometime even clogging drains and water bodies. “We wanted to ensure that at least some of the work we do could be of use to the poorest of the poor. This technology would help achieve that”.
23-06-2018
122]."Make it a rule never to give a child a book ,you would never read yourself."=George Bernard Shaw."
121].Why power ministry wants you to keep your air conditioner temperature at 24 degree Celcius
The power ministry is considering making the default temperature setting for air conditioners at 24 degrees Celsius. Power Minister R K Singh, during a meeting on Friday, said the mandate will benefit consumers, both from a health and financial point of view. The ministry also wants AC manufacturers to add a label on the product indicating the optimum temperature setting for consumers. If the move is approved, it is likely to come into effect in a few months. The ministry’s suggestion comes based on recommendations in a study conducted by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). Its report suggests temperature settings to be in the range of 24 to 26 degree Celsius.
So, what is the reason behind this decision?
According to the ministry, the higher the temperature of the air conditioner, the lesser electricity consumed. This translates to saving at least six per cent of electricity consumed with an increase of just one degree in temperature. Singh explained, “Every one-degree increase in the air-conditioner temperature setting results in saving of 6 per cent of electricity consumed.” Further, the minister said it is both uncomfortable and unhealthy to be in colder temperatures. “The normal human body temperature is approximately 36-37 degrees Celsius, but a large number of commercial establishments maintain a temperature around 18-21 degrees Celsius. This is not only uncomfortable but is actually unhealthy,” Singh said. He pointed out that wearing warm clothing or using blankets in a colder temperature is a waste of energy. Singh’s campaign, which promotes energy efficiency, is likely to result in substantial energy savings and reduce greenhouse gas emission.
How will this help India?
According to BEE, only six per cent of households in the country use air conditioners. If all consumers adopt a default temperature setting, India could save 20 billion units of electricity annually. The report states that the current estimate total installed air conditioner capacity is 80 million TR (tonne of refrigerator), which is likely to increase to nearly 250 million TR by 2030. Taking into account the huge demand, India can save around 40 million units of electricity usage per day.[Indian Express]
22-06-2018
120].Amazon's Cloud arm preparing India to lead next tech revolution
Known for dispatching the best software talent across the world for years, India has now embarked upon a Cloud-driven journey to prepare the Next-Gen of skilled workers, data scientists, Artificial Intelligence (AI) mavericks and mobile developers.
The task is humongous and online retail giant Amazon' s Cloud business arm Amazon Web Services (AWS) has now fast-tracked skilling the young -- providing them early access to its core Cloud platform that has already transformed millions of enterprises and start-ups globally.
For tens of thousands of students in India, it is a win-win situation. As they get busy acquiring skills in Cloud computing using the "AWS Educate" programme, they know that once their careers begin, the entry barrier to innovate will not be that tough as they will not have toworry about setting up huge IT infrastructure and lose sleep over frequent server crashes and data privacy issues.
"For us, every individual is the source of innovation and AWS Cloud platform gives an individual complete access to technology that has transformed major enterprises. Even a small innovation that will come from Cloud-driven skilled workforce will be a significant one to make the world a better place to live," Vincent Quah, Regional Head of Education, Research and Non-profits for APAC at AWS, told IANS.
India today has a fertile start-up landscape that needs constant supply of data scientists. According toa new NITI Aayog "National Strategy for AI" report, India is going to face a demand-supply gap of 200,000 data analytics professionals by 2020.
"Students need to be Cloud-oriented especially at a time when governments and enterprises are digitally transforming their businesses and start-ups are being born in the Cloud," Quah noted.
The beauty of "AWS Educate" is that students, while receiving hands-on training and access to content prepared by some of the top training and access to content prepared by some of the top computer science institutions from across the world, also get free Cloud credits into their accounts. "Free Cloud credits help students innovate via the same AWS platform which all AWS customers have access to -- giving them exposure to core services like compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, AI, Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT), mobile development and what not," Quah explained on the sidelines of the AWS public sector summit here.
"AWS Educate" has nearly 30 career pathways to choose from which essentially belong to four big job families -- Big data and analytics, Cloud architect, system/engineering support and software/web development.
50 hours of content. Students get regular knowledge check, undertake mini projects and after completing the programme, receive proper certification and digital badges.
The "AWS Educate" programme also provides young learners (aged 14-17) at schools with introductory Cloud literacy content.
According to a recent report from FICCI-Nasscom and EY, 9 per cent of the country's 600 million estimated workforce would be deployed in new jobs by 2022 and 37 per cent would be in jobs that have completely changed skill sets.
" India is looking for talent in Cloud-enabled disruptive technologies and AWS career pathways can help create that talent pool. Cloud computing is one key skill gap that we want to address in order to tackle the demand-supply scenario," the AWS executive stressed.
In India, AWS is listed as Amazon Internet Services Pvt Ltd (AISPL) which undertakes the resale and marketing of AWS Cloud services in the country.
The Cloud training wave has even reached the holy town of Varanasi.
Earlier this week, the Indian Institute of Technology-Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU) and AISPL signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to help students develop Cloud-ready job skills by providing them access to "AWS Educate".
They also announced to establish a Cloud Research Lab to provide students with opportunities to use AWS Cloud technology with opportunities to use AWS Cloud technology to pursue research initiatives that focus on AI and ML innovation.
ASM Group of Institutes in Pune has gone one step further, inviting non-IT and engineering students tocome and learn Cloud computing with "AWS Educate".
Other early birds in in Cloud training are Andhra Pradesh State Skills Development Corporation (APSSDC), Common Service Centres (CSCs) of Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), International Institute of Information Technology, Bengaluru, and several IITs.
Globally, over 1,500 institutions have joined "AWS Educate" to accelerate their journey towards helping the young generation acquire Cloud skills.
"Having early Cloud training will help kids innovative more and, eventually, become entrepreneur and become job providers for New-Age skills," Quah told IANS. [BusinessLine]
21-06-2018
119].EU agrees final energy saving, renewables targets REUTERS
BRUSSELS, JUNE 20
The European Union on Wednesday finalised new climate rules after months of talks, targeting a total energy saving of 32.5 percent and an uplift in the share of renewable energy to 32 percent by 2030.
National governments must now draft their own plans for implementing the bloc's overall climate goal of lowering greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 in line with the Paris Agreement.
Talks have dragged on for months to reach a compromise between the European Parliament and EU member states on the new energy efficiency and renewable energy targets after 2021 as well as the rules governing implementation.
A push by lawmakers for more ambitious targets and tougher monitoring of efforts met with resistance from member states wary of the economic impact of efforts to reduce emissions.
“The measures are not enough for the EU to fulfil its commitments under the Paris Agreement,” said Green parliamentarian Benedek Javor. “They will need to be strengthened in time if we are to meet our climate obligations,” he added. The final deal includes a clause allowing for the bloc to revise up climate goals in 2023.
Analysts said the change to the renewable target is likely to impact future carbon prices in Europe's Emissions Trading System (ETS). The ETS is the EU's flagship tool for reducing greenhouse gases by charging some 12,000 airlines, industrial and power installations for each tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2) they emit.
The analysts said they expect carbon emissions from the power sector to be 700 million tonnes, or 6.5 percent lower, than previously forecast by 2030, as more electricity comes from renewable generation such as wind and solar and less comes from polluting fossil fuels.
Lower emissions mean there will be less demand for carbon permits in the ETS, leading the analysts to cut their carbon price forecast for 2030 by 6 euros to 29 euros a tonne.
118].Blames UPA’s “lack of educational reforms” for the debacle
HYDERABAD, JUN 18 India no longer enjoys the advantage of demographic dividend as it’s saddled with crores of youngsters with low skills unsuited to the economy, claimed T V Mohandas Pai, a human resources and education expert.
The Chairman of Manipal Global Education, Pai claimed that the country already has ten crore people in the 21-35 age-group with bad skills, unsuited for the economy. “There is no democraphic dividend,” he told PTI. “Because of the failure of the UPA era (2004-2014), we will add another ten crore by 2025...total 20 crore in the 21-45 age group with low skills, low education.”
An information technology industry veteran who had served as Head of Human Resources and Chief Financial Officer at software major Infosys Ltd, Pai lamented “lack of educational reforms” during the 10-year UPA regime.
Demographic disadvantage?
It takes time for educational reforms to impact, he said. “Reform now will take ten years to impact by which (time) this (the current) generation will be lost. The key is: How to ensure they do not (lose out).”
Pai was sharing his thoughts on a recent report by the research wing of the country’s largest lender SBI. This report said India has only one decade to change its status into a developed country and will need to focus on education, failing which the much-hailed ‘demographic dividend’ will turn into a disadvantage. If India is not able to get its act together, it will will never be able to go into the developed group of nations, it said.
The report said, “India has perhaps now only a limited window of a decade to get into the developed country tag, or stay perpetually in emerging group of economies.”
Investments needed
Secretary General of the industry body ASSOCHAM, D S Rawat said India must invest a lot in education, health and child nutrition so that the human resource is qualitatively superior. Both the Centre and the States, Rawat said, need to “jack up” their budget on health and education.
“While both the private and public sectors have to contribute in the endeavour, the public investment along with a lot of emphasis on quality education and health in the government schools, colleges and state-run hospitals and primary health care centres must be given,” he told PTI.
Pai, meanwhile, said there is a need to improve quality of education, stopping controlling education, and opening up of the sector with transparent norms and enforcing quality standards in higher education. “India should focus on creating a good future. The political discourse by Leftists is the biggest disaster for us as they create a wrong narrative,” he added.[BusinessLine]
117]. Import duty hiked on apples, other items from US .
NEW DELHI, JUNE 21 In what could be seen as a retaliatory move. the Government has hiked the import duty on goods, including apples, walnuts and non-alloy steel being brought in from the US. The revised tariff will come into effect from August 4, 2018.
A late evening notification dated June 20 specified that the import duty on apples imported from US will be 75 per cent, while those from other countries will attract 50 per cent duty. It may be noted that apples of the brand name, Washington Apple, is famous in India and is imported in large quantities from the US.
Almonds from the US will have import duty of between Rs 42-Rs 100 per kg as against duty of Rs 35-Rs 100 per kg to be levied on imports from other countries. Similarly, importers will have to pay custom duty at the rate of 120 per cent on walnuts, as against 100 per cent to be levied on imports from other countries.
Tax authorities said the date for imposing duty has been announced in advance so that “there is room available for negotiation, if possible.” [BusinessLine]
20-06-2018
116]."Treat your employees right,so that they won't use your internet to look for new jobs."--Mark Zukerberg
115].Mobile numbers to have 13 digits from July 1st 2018.
The Department of Telecom (DoT) has issued instructions to all telecom operators to start using 13 digit mobile numbers for all existing Machine-to-Machine (M2M) customers from October 18 onward.
114].The most successful people I've met: Oleg Vishnepolsky Global CTO at DailyMail Online and Metro.Co.Uk.
1. They learn constantly, push themselves out of their comfort zones, and admit they know very little.
2. They develop and help others.
2. They create rather than consume.
3. They are curious, focused, and energetic.
4. They are more excited by the journey, than then the destination.
5. They believe in themselves, and are willing to fail in order to eventually succeed.
6. They seek truth, not attention.
7. They communicate clearly and effectively.
8. They ask the right questions and rely on people who have the right answers.
9. They drive changes rather than being driven by them.
10. They build life-long relationships, and treasure loyal friends and colleagues.
113].1. Tough times don't last. Tough people do. You're one of them.
2. Don't give up just because of what someone said. Use that as motivation to push harder.
3. Obstacles are put in your way to see if what you want is really worth fighting for.
4. Identify your motivation and passion. Find what you're good at and become world-class in that area.
5. There are plenty of difficult obstacles in your path. Don't allow yourself to become one of them.
6. The past is your lesson. The present is your gift. The future is your motivation.
7. If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere.
8. The habit of persistence is the habit of victory.
9. If the plan doesn't work, change the plan, but never the goal.
10. Success in life comes when you simply refuse to give up, with goals so strong that obstacles, failure, and loss only act as motivation.
11."Some people find fault like there is reward for it."------Zig Ziglar.
19-06-2018
112].“Success is more than just power or not violating the rights of others; it is the privilege of contributing to the betterment of others.” ― John C. Maxwell
111].Compared with people at low-trust companies, people at high-trust companies report: 74% less #stress, 106% more #energy at work, 50% higher #productivity, 13% fewer sick days, 76% more #engagement, 29% more #satisfaction with their lives, 40% less burnout. #Trust #neuroscience "Karen Walker"
110]."No longer push your loyal employees to the point they no longer care"
109]."Expect worst from People and You will never be disappointed". "I have learned a lot during my years in Management ,but this is all I remember."" GLASBERGEN."
108].‘Skilling has become a mainstream activity’
IL&FS Education, a leading social organisation under parent company IL&FS, has emerged as a leading player in the skills mission. It conducts a diverse range of skills training activities to suit the needs of specific local environments, besides being a skills partner with the National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC). RCM Reddy, MD and CEO, IL&FS Education, elaborates on his company’s activities and the evolving skills ecosystem in a telephonic interview with A Srinivas. Excerpts:
Is skilling in India adapting to emerging trends such as automation, AI?
India exists at different levels of economic development. Therefore, skills training should reflect this socio-economic diversity. There are regions where agriculture underpins the economy, and others where intermediate skills, required in sectors such as construction, hospitality, retail, apparel and driving, are crucial to job creation. Simultaneously, automation and AI are emerging as key factors in certain segments in manufacturing and services.
Our 200 centres of IL&FS provide a range of skills depending on specific geographical needs to two lakh students annually. Hence, our training progammes vary, from making wine from Kiwi fruit in Arunachal Pradesh or a fisheries programme in Odisha, to running a ‘mechatronics’ programme in partnership with Alagappa University, Tamil Nadu. We are doing an AI training programme in partnership with Google. At the middle level, we impart skills for construction, hospitality, retail, apparel, drivers and others.
How does one achieve higher placement rates?
IL&FS, run by financial institutions, is a multi-stakeholder company that has entered into a PPP with the NSDC. Our industry touch-points are high. As a result, we as a policy identify the job needs and train people accordingly, rather than the other way around.
The prerequisite for placement is real time industry connect and local job market information systems. If these two are facilitated, even the smaller concerns or NGOs, which run good quality training programmes, can achieve higher placement rates.
How would you respond to criticism that overall placement rates of the Skills Mission scheme are barely 50 per cent, according to the 2016-17 Annual Report of the skills ministry?
The statistic does not reflect the true success of the skills programme. The 49-50 per cent figure only includes absorption by the organised sector. If we were to take informal sector employment into account, the number would be at least 67 per cent. Of the 75 per cent who pass out, more than 90 per cent get an offer. And about 80 per cent of these offers are accepted. There is a serious shortage of entry-level people in sectors such as logistics and sales. In sectors such as apparel the placement rate is much higher than the average.
Would you say that the Skills India programme is a success?
The Skills India programme today has several streams, ranging from imparting skills in schools and colleges to short-term skills training for unemployed youth. All these streams are doing visibly well.
The short-term training programmes focus on job roles that do not require the extended training period of two years under the ITI system. Therefore, the programme addresses the demand-supply gap in an efficient manner. Besides, a system of quality control and standards has developed in quick time. Sector skills councils, autonomous industry-led bodies under the NSDC, set occupational standards, train the trainers, conduct skills-gap studies and assess the candidates. Every State has a skills development mission. The skills programme has become a mainstream activity within very quick time.[BusinessLine]
107]. We don’t need this education
In the first of a two-part series on skills and jobs, BusinessLine examines the angst and aspirations of mofussil India and the systemic challenges faced by them
For final year BE student Alvina Bethel, pursuing engineering was a dream come true. Hailing from Dharwad, an education hub 450 km from Bengaluru, she aspired to buy a home and own a car and felt she was perfectly poised, thanks to engineering. However, the dream has now started to sour.
“I am anxious that the skills will not be relevant when I land a job,” she says with a touch of frustration. Her batchmate Pavankumar Kulkarni quickly chips in, “There is too much focus on theory and we don’t get enough time for practicals.”
There are other niggles faced by students of Vishwanathrao Deshpande Institute of Technology (VDIT), which add to their frustrations such as inadequate internships, quality of teaching and insufficient exposure to technologies such as IoT, AI and Industry 4.0.
Aspirational angle
Why are a remote college’s problems of any relevance in a country that churns out a million-odd engineers every year? The government estimates that over 180 million young people, or 69 per cent of the youth between the age of 18 and 34 years, live in rural areas. There is an overwhelming aspirational urge in this segment to seek sedentary white collar jobs, most of which are to be found in bigger cities.
Hence, Vivek Divekar, who runs a BPO centre in Sirsi town, says that of the 2,000 students who graduate from the two major colleges there, only 20 per cent get a job in that region, and the rest migrate to Bangalore. Those from a farming background seek a job as their marriage prospects improve, he says. Hence, they leave town and live elsewhere for 20-30 years. “In Sirsi, they seek work as clerical assistants to local NBFCs and insurance companies, or as sales staff in supermarkets or bike showrooms, where they can work in air-conditioned comfort,” he says. Some of them enrol as accounts staff in rural cooperative societies in Dharmasthala.
Despondency in engineering
So, there has been an increase in demand for jobs as accountants, clerks, engineers, BPO centre workers, as opposed to jobs in food processing and construction — a sociological factor that skews the debate on the job crisis. Along with this, there is an additional development: Changes in world trade and technology are rendering many of these job roles, as performed at present, redundant, particularly in the IT/ITeS space. The rapid march of robotics threatens to curtail other low-end white collar jobs in telecom and banking in the next four or five years.
Divekar says: “My US-based data entry work, requiring typing in Excel sheets, has fallen sharply. Five years back, I used to employ 100-125 local people with B.Com, B.Ed or plus-2 background. Now that number has fallen to 20.” The rest of them have taken retail and accounting jobs.
But it’s the engineering students for whom higher education islooking like a failed investment. Shivam Sushil Kaushal, a student at VDIT (who has developed an app called Soccerholics for the 2018 FIFA World Cup), says, “We are faced with inadequate skills and the reluctance of corporates to come to our campuses despite our having reasonably good marks.”
Vadiraj V Katti, Principal, VDIT, disagrees and states that the curriculum designed by the Karnataka government meets all requirements. “There are industry-academia partnerships, internships of four to six weeks and we ready our students to be almost job-ready. I wish they were more patient and believe in the foundational aspects of our training.” he says.
However, the fact is that skills training institutes as well as technical courses need to do a lot to adapt to the demands of the new economy. India Skills Report2018, a survey by Wheelbox, Pearson and the Confederation of Indian Industry of over five lakh students and 1,000 corporates, says that 1.5 million engineers graduate every year, but only 52 per cent are employable.
“Annually, about 3,60,000 MBA students graduate from 4,000 B-schools in India and 61 per cent are unemployable due to skill gaps and less work experience,” the survey observes. The despondency over the quality of engineering education is all too visible. Engineering colleges that BusinessLine spoke to said that on an average, 25-30 per cent of seats are vacant. Karnataka has around 1,13,000 engineering seats in both undergraduate and post-graduate categories, as per AICTE data. It remains to be seen whether this malaise extends to other disciplines.
“Colleges sprang up like wild mushrooms when it was relatively easy-going,” says DK Mohan, Chairman of Cambridge Institute of Technology, adding that while quantity was increasing, quality became an issue. Now, with the BPO boom done, the chickens are coming home to roost.
“The approach so far has been that the 20 per cent cream will get good jobs and the remaining will eventually find their way. Now, it will be a lot tougher and educational institutes need to understand this and make changes with a war footing,” points out Chaitali Mukherjee, Partner and leader, People and Organisation, PwC India.
To be fair, the fault is not of the colleges alone. K N Rajarao, former principal and currently Advisor at RVCE points out many instances when the college has asked the industry to give inputs on what they expect from students. ‘They say we do not have visibility and point to their HR mandates blindly,” he says. Rajarao did not name the companies but said that three of the top five software exporters and some multinationals take this route. Whether this helps keep skilled wages low for the industry is a question many labour market observers informally ask.
Skills ecosystem
Engineering colleges, along with an eco-system of ITIs (which run two year courses), polytechnics and now short-term skilling courses under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) comprise the skilling ecosystem on the supply side.
While the India Skills report points to the poor placement record of 13,000 ITIs (see graphic), there are exceptions. The Central Polytechnic College (CPT) in Tharamani, Chennai, sees a strong influx of students, most of them from the lower-strata of the society. “We have a placement rate of over 70 per cent in mechanical engineering and we maintain healthy placement records in electrical, electronics and engineering domains,” says A Anbarasan, faculty-in-charge, placements. “But there has been a decline in the number of placements in computing and allied sectors,” he admits.
One reason, they say, could be the mushrooming private institutions offering similar courses and the way these are sold to prospective students. The popularity for otherwise less-glamorous courses like mechanical engineering or electrical engineering at CPT indicates how students see them as avenues of job creation.
They could be right in assessing the future. Arvind Shrouti, a Pune-based labour consultant says, “The question is not whether jobs will be lost in the future, but whether workers can adapt to the challenge of mechatronics — a combination of mechanical and electronics engineering. Existing aptitudes may not longer be relevant.”This is a huge skilling challenge. There aren’t enough indications that we are getting there, although some German companies are leading the way in conducting training in Industry 4.0, AI, IO and mechatronics.
The way out
If the demand-supply gap is huge, with a large rural or semi-urban workforce seeking to exit farming and funnel itself into a nebulous service economy, does the answer lie in an alternative approach? One that focuses on skills in the rural economy so that migration is contained. Government officials concede that while the construction sector lacks the aspirational quotient and is a weak link in the PMKVY programme (see Skills Ministry estimates in graphic), efforts are being made with big corporates to restructure the scheme.
“As for rural sectors such as food processing, the PMKVY norms for qualifying as a skills centre are quite stringent. States, which cough up 25 per cent of the Budget, should come up with their local needs, so that a parallel stream can be conceived within the programme,” they said. The Union Budget has allocated ₹3,400 crore for PMKVY in 2018-19, and only small sums are needed to get rural centres going.
Says NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar: “A lot can be done to promote skills required for pre- and post-harvest handling to reduce wastage, for better cropping techniques and better water use. Soil health, better irrigation, better post harvest practices, transport, can be included in this approach.” [BusinessLine].
18-06-2018
106].Tariff hike: India proposes to raise customs duty on 30 US products
India has submitted a revised list of 30 items to WTO on which it proposes to raise customs duty by up to 50 per cent Earlier in May, India proposed to raise duties by up to 100 per cent on 20 products.
The move comes in response to duties hiked by the US on certain steel and aluminium products.
India and the US are facing off at the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism over the imposition of import duties on steel and aluminum by the Trump administration on March 9 this year. The increased tariff has impacted around $1.5 billion worth of Indian exports to the US.
Up to 100% Import Duty on 20 American Items
New Delhi (Sputnik) — In the face of US protectionism, India has proposed retaliatory import duties of up to 100% to be levied from June onwards on a list of American goods. The 20 items include peas, chickpeas, fresh apples, walnuts, soybean oil, refined palm olein, coco powder, chocolate products, golf cars, motorcycles with engine capacity of over 800 cc and other goods and vehicles with spark-ignition internal combustion piston engines.
105].“The essence of teaching is to make learning contagious, to have one idea spark another.” ~Marva Collins
104].India’s envoy to Bhutan Jaideep Sarkar says top institutes must foster risk-taking
KOLKATA, JUNE 15
Higher education institutes like the Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) should create an ecosystem to develop not just the ‘quantitative’ and ‘qualitative’ skills, but also entrepreneurial skills among its students.
According to Jaideep Sarkar, India’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bhutan and an IIM-Calcutta alumnus, institutes such as IIMs should nurture and foster risk-taking abilities so as to be able to churn out more entrepreneurs in the country.
‘Educational system’
“Our educational system continues to be dominated by an academic hierarchy where places are fixed depending on how good you are in maths and science. We have created a skewed educational system that over-values quantitative ability,” Sarkar said.
He was delivering his speech at the Freshers’ Welcome Programme for the 55th batch of IIM-C’s two-year flagship PGP course here on Friday. The current batch of PGP (2018-20) has 463 students, out of whom 123 are women.
Emphasising the need to develop entrepreneurship skills among Indian graduates, Sarkar said that higher education institutes should not restrict themselves to meeting the demand of the corporate world.
Rather, they should focus on developing social entrepreneurship and public service entrepreneurship.
Given that the IIMs have the “cream of students”, they should set the pace and create an ecosystem for nurturing talent.
“Our great institutions like the IIMs and the IITs should aspire to be more than elegant salons that bring together hungry job seekers and the employers. The system must allow students to explore….” he said. According to Sarkar, one of the biggest challenges in nurturing entrepreneurship in India is cultural aversion (of people) towards taking risks.
“It is also to do with the stigma of failure. However, when it comes to innovation failure is as important as success, he pointed out. Advising students not to get “into zones of comfort”, he said, adversity or stressful conditions bring out the most innovative solutions in the mind of an individual.
“It is not right to get into zones of comfort, particularly given the way the global economy is changing. If you want to become a leader or an innovator then you have to think not just out of the box but without the box,” he said.[BusinessLine] Published on June 15, 2018
103].Srikrishna panel may ask MNCs to store personal data in India
The Justice BN Srikrishna-led committee on data protection is likely to recommend that Internet companies such as Google and Facebook store data of Indians within the country but with riders that may restrict the mandate to sensitive personal information. A majority of the 10-member panel has expressed the view that given the current sensitivity around data globally, it will be in the best interests of the country to ask multinationals to ensure that key data of residents remains in India, people familiar with the discussions told ET. They also said that there have been voices of dissent with a few members of the committee advocating free flow of data to retain the competitive advantage of India’s $135-billion software exports industry.
‘SOME EXEMPTIONS LIKELY’
The Indian IT industry processes the personal data of European and American nationals by way of business with their global clients.
The committee will hold its final meeting on Monday to discuss these issues. It’s expected to submit its report to the government by June end. A member of the committee told ETthere is a strong case for data to be stored in India.
“Broadly, data has to be in the country. There are some areas where exemptions could be there but even from the country’s sovereignty point of view, vital data has to be stored locally,” the person said, adding that such information is classified as “sensitive personal data”. “While sensitive personal data is already defined under many Acts, the committee will do the remaining job,” the person said. Union minister for electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad has said several times in the past that he expects the report to be submitted by June end.
One committee member said the Reserve Bank of India had already taken a lead on this matter. “What the committee will do will be at least less (severe) in impact than RBI’s mandate because there is a lot of junk or non-critical data of users which is not required to be stored locally,” the person said.
In April, RBI directed payment companies to ensure that they store data of Indians only in servers located in the country to enable “unfettered access” by the regulator. ET reported last week that the regulator has asked companies for a fortnightly update on their compliance. The RBI move has divided the industry with local companies supporting it and foreign ones lobbying for its withdrawal.
While some members of the Srikrishna committee are advocating a hard stance, others are in favour of a more pragmatic one. The members who are against data localisation argue that such a move would not only hurt the country’s software industry but will also have long-term impact on innovation and economic growth.
“There are some members who have a different view, but none of the issues are such that can’t be resolved,” said the second official cited above. The Srikrishna committee, which was constituted last year, released a white paper in November detailing likely aspects of the framework and sought comments from the public. The white paper had devoted a chapter to data localisation, saying this could help protect rights of users and prevent foreign surveillance.
AIDING NATIONAL SECURITY “If data is locally stored in India, enforcement agencies will have access to a larger pool of data,” according to the white paper. “This data could aid counterterrorism efforts and may help protect national security.” But it also said that a localisation mandate may have its costs as servers and data centres will have to be put in place. A one-size-fits-all model may not be appropriate, the white paper suggested. The white paper had devoted a chapter to data localisation, saying this could help protect rights of users and prevent foreign surveillance.
AIDING NATIONAL SECURITY “If data is locally stored in India, enforcement agencies will have access to a larger pool of data,” according to the white paper. “This data could aid counter terrorism efforts and may help protect national security.” But it also said that a localisation mandate may have its costs as servers and data centres will have to be put in place. A one-size-fits-all model may not be appropriate, the white paper suggested. “While data localisation may be considered in certain sensitive sectors, it may not be advisable to prescribe it across the board,” it said.
Another official who is privy to the discussions said that the government is considering mandating data localisation since it is increasingly realising that the citizen data of 1.3 billion Indians is quite valuable. “They also feel strongly that it will make it easier for law enforcement agencies to track crimes,” the person added. The recent Facebook-Cambridge Analytica controversy has raised concerns in the government of potential misuse of user data, the official said.
“Some of the global Internet giants are really worried right now. If the government asks that personal emails of citizens etc. have to be stored in India, it will cause a lot of disruption,” the official said.
17-06-2018
102]. Closed mindset |||||| Open mindset
—————— ——————
talking ||||||| listening
argumentative ||||||| empathetic
taking ||||||| giving
arrogant ||||| humble
defensive||||| collaborative
blaming |||||| educating
rigid||||||| adaptive
"Even greatest was once a beginner who was not afraid to try."
"Never search your happiness in others it will make you feel alone. " "Search it within yourself and you will not feel alone."
"Don't wait for perfect moment, take a moment and make it perfect."
"Kill tension, before tension kills you."
"Reach your goal,before goal kicks you."
"Live life ,before life leaves you."
"Hey, If someone tries to treat you like a crap,just remember there is wrong with them, not you. Normal people do not go around destroying human beings."
"Whoever is trying to bring you down is already below you."
"There is a reason why windshield is bigger than rear view mirror---Where you are headed is much more important than what you have left behind."
"A certain darkness is needed to see the Stars.=Osho"
"Life is better when you are happy, but it is at best when others are happy because of you."
"Success consists of getting up
just one more time than you fall -- Oliver Goldsmith."
"Relationships are like BIRDS, if you hold them tightly they DYE If you hold loosely they FLY. But if you hold with care they remain with you FOREVER."
"May your happiness increase like Petrol Price, May your sorrow fall like the Indian Rupee, and May your joy spread in your heart like Corruption spreads in India …!!! is fulfilling its promise, When they said: GDP will rise this year. The only thing we forgot to ask them is its full form: G = Gas & Gold D = Diesel & Dollar P = Petrol & Parties."
Heart is equal to a mirror, Mirror shows reflection, & Heart shows affection. Both have one equal quality, can’t be reformed once broken.
Lucky means who get the opportunity. Brilliant means who create the opportunity. Winner means who use the opportunity. Be a winner always.
"If you feel your problems are big as ship then don't forget that your blessings are as big as ocean."
"Intelligent people have messier handwriting because they think fast."
"We can forgive a child who is afraid of dark, but the tragedy of life is when men are afraid of light.""Plato"
"If everyone is happy with you ,You have made lot of Compromises in life....."; If you are happy with everyone, Surely you have ignored many faults of others"
101]. "Overthinking is Biggest cause of Unhappiness."
"When You accept your mistakes and say sorry with Humility,You are POWERFUL."
"Don't use sharpness of the speech on mother"who taught you how to speak".
"We can do anything we want as long as we stick to it long enough."=Helen Killer.
"There will be haters,there will be doubters,there will be Non-believers; and there will be You,Proving them wrong."
16-06-2018
100]How to Qualify and get a job in AI?
Start by learning from-Intro to AI:
https://www.udacity.com/course/c... It's taught by the head of the Google self-driving Car project, and the guy who wrote AI: A Modern Approach. And it's free!Other free online AI classes do use many of the topics covered in that class as their basis.
Other classes to do next:
https://www.udacity.com/course/c... AI for Robotics
https://www.coursera.org/course/ml Machine Learning
https://www.coursera.org/course/... Neural Networks for Machine Learning
https://www.coursera.org/course/... Natural Language Processing
https://www.coursera.org/course/... AI Planning
https://www.coursera.org/course/... Computational Neuroscience
Skills and Abilities Helpful to Careers in AI
The most successful AI professionals often share common characteristics that enable them to succeed and advance in their careers. Working with artificial intelligence requires an analytical thought process and the ability to solve problems with cost-effective, efficient solutions.
It also requires foresight about technological innovations that translate to state-of-the-art programs that allow businesses to remain competitive. Additionally, AI specialists need technical skills to design, maintain and repair technology and software programs. Finally, AI professionals must learn how to translate highly technical information in ways that others can understand in order to carry out their jobs. This requires good communication and the ability to work with colleagues on a team.
Key Qualifications for AI Engineers
Qualifications for AI engineers can be broken down into three broad categories: education, skill set, and personality traits.
Education: While some AI engineers do not have a degree, for the most part, AI engineers looking to work with large tech companies need at least a bachelor’s degree. Here is a listing of top tech companies and the educational level of their AI engineers:
Apple: 80 percent – bachelor’s degree; 60 percent – masters degree; 20 percent – undisclosed
Facebook: 100 percent – bachelor’s degree; 40 percent – masters degree; 40 percent – undisclosed
Intel: 67 percent – bachelor’s degree; 67 percent – masters degree; Ph.D. – 67; 40 percent – undisclosed
Skill Set: While the skills in most demand vary from company to company, dependent upon business needs, there are some core competencies that all companies value in AI engineers. Engineers must be able to search through large amounts of data for patterns, possess a deep understanding of algorithms, as well as problem-solving and math skills.
According to recent job postings, the major tech companies expect their AI engineers to be proficient with:
Java: 60%
Artificial Intelligence: 57%
Software Development: 48%
C++: 38%
Linux: 37%
Python: 36%
Olivia Williams, Software Engineer at Google (2015-present),[on Quora ]
99].HARVARD UNIVERSITY is being sued for allegedly discriminating unlawfully against Asian applicants. America’s best-known university takes race into account when deciding whom to admit. It says this is one of many factors, and justified by the need to ensure a diverse student body. Plaintiffs contend that it has an unwritten quota to stop Asians from taking as many places as their stellar test scores would predict.
Racial discrimination is illegal in America, except when it isn’t. “Affirmative action” policies, which discriminate in favour of members of disadvantaged groups, are widespread in America and many other countries. Critics, including many supporters of the Harvard suit, argue that they should be illegal. Confusion abounds--America’s Supreme Court has offered contradictory guidance as to when affirmative action is and is not allowed.
Source: The Economist.
98]."My Moral in life is simple,You treat me well ;I will treat you better."
"Live the way you want to be remembered."
"You should never sacrifice 3 things in life,Your family,Your heart and Your dignity."
"Appreciate good people,because they are hard to find."
"Happy people know the art of adding colors of appreciation,humor and magic to each waking moment."
"A ship in a port is safe,but that is not ships are for. "
"If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall in place." =Lao Tzu
"The World's happiest friends never have same nature.They just have best understanding of their differences."
"If you never had friends, you never lived life---"
"The Happiest people don't have best of everything,but they just make best of everything they have."
"Be So Happy so that when others look at you,they become happy too."
"If you have to hurt other people in order to feel powerful,you are an extremely weak individual."- Bobby J.Mattingly
"Make peace of mind your priority."
"when you are looking for friends,don't look for perfection,just look for friendship."
97].Building an AI mindset: Time to identify and develop skill sets... Building an AI mindset. ...
Critical thinking & developing an educator's approach. ...
Developing your data-centricity. ...
Unifying left-brain analytical prowess with right-brain communication skills.
Building an AI mindset: Time to identify and develop skill sets now==Andy Betts
The more I’ve had the opportunity to explore this concept of the martech mindset, the more I’ve realized how important it is that we shift our thinking to view artificial intelligence (AI) as an evolution rather than as a revolution. Artificial intelligence, once an abstract, futuristic concept, is now a reality, so this needs to occur sooner rather than later. It’s no longer a hypothetical; AI is changing the game for brands in tangible, practical applications.
Adoption is not the issue, as investments in AR and VR are expected to grow from $11.4 billion in 2017 to $215 billion in 2021, according to IDC.
Entire industries are finding innovative ways to solve persistent business challenges and create efficiencies through AI — take the proliferation of chatbots in marketing, for example. Individual brands are seizing the AI opportunity as well. Lowe’s “LoweBot,” an autonomous retail service robot that helps customers find products in-store in multiple languages, is another great example of the power of AI in practice.
As the possibilities of AI are coming to fruition, our challenge now is adopting a new ethos and developing an AI mindset. A talent race fueled by a skills and education gap is underway, as more than 10,000 AI-related positions have opened across the country, Paysa research found. Recently, 56 percent of senior AI professionals polled by Ernst & Young said the lack of talent and qualified workers is the greatest single barrier to the implementation of AI across business operation.
How can we get into the AI state of mind, to fully capitalize on its myriad opportunities?
Building an AI mindset
We’ve speculated for about a decade now that with the rise of robotics and increased automation, a portion of the labor market would undergo an inevitable shift. At Sephora, for example, you can now get help choosing makeup from a chatbot that begins the process by quizzing you on your preferences. Of course, the application collects data to be used in marketing and R&D as well.
And in ad tech, companies like Adgorithms are using AI to drive transparency and accountability for advertisers. Its machine learning platform, Albert, uses a proprietary algorithm based on deep learning and predictive analytics to make decisions typically reserved for human marketers.
While AI applications can, in some cases, reduce the burden of physical labor, we still need people to develop and manage the machines. Even so, the labor market doesn’t seem to be keeping pace.
According to a Yahoo Finance report, IBM CEO Ginni Rommety recently told the Economic Club of New York, “If you look at just some pure numbers [for] the United States: half a million open tech jobs, 5 to 6 million open jobs in general. Our high schools only teach 25 percent of computer science. This great country only produced 400,000 computer science people. Hard to believe such small numbers.”
Despite this education gap, 35 percent of available AI positions require a Ph.D., according to Paysa, and 26 percent of employers are seeking candidates with a master’s degree.
Those brands may have more trouble than most filling those jobs. AI is such a fast-moving space that many are willing to look beyond formal education and are more interested in the skill set that enables candidates to flourish in the uncertainty. Joel Dodge, a software engineer at Infer, told Dice:
[We] expect everyone to do a lot of on-the-job learning. It is relatively uncommon to find candidates who have years of experience with machine learning problems, though it would be great if we could.
This AI-compatible skill set and mindset are proving incredibly valuable. Here’s how.
Critical thinking & developing an educator’s approach
Innovation has long been powered by our understanding of the problem we had to solve. We turn the problem over, examine it from various angles and brainstorm the various ways we can tackle it. We dream up the ways we can use the technology and talent available to us to generate a different outcome.
Part of the AI mindset is a shift in the way we approach problem-solving. AI must learn through mistake-making and in various iterations of a task over time while gathering information from a larger data set. Shepherding this process requires visionary talent with a relatively high tolerance for both risk and failure. AI professionals need the creativity to imagine how the technology can be applied, paired with the analytical acumen to measure results and determine success over time. They must be willing to take risks and perform experiments while being resilient enough to fail fast and move on faster.
Talent like this can only succeed within the right organizational culture. Companies that demand planning on a two-year or even annual schedule, and are committed to getting things done in a particular way, won’t be agile or flexible enough to move on AI. In martech especially, where over 5,000 companies have popped up in just a few short years, agility is a skill in hot demand.
As you’re looking to build your AI team, consider that traits like risk tolerance, creativity and resilience are typically deep-rooted. Data proficiency, on the other hand, can be learned.
Developing your data-centricity
According to job site Indeed.com, “[D]emand for workers with AI talent has more than doubled over the past three years, with the number of AI-related job postings as a share of all job postings up about 119 percent.” More and more, we’re seeing creatives — right-brain thinkers — cross-training and focusing on developing their analytical and data skills.
Barriers to AI entry are dropping with the advent of skills-based, specific university-level courses like Andrew Ng’s Deeplearning.ai courses. At Udacity, learners will get a full tuition refund if they haven’t found a job within six months of completing the machine learning engineer course. Through its OpenCourseWare, MIT also is offering intensive training in AI and machine learning.
These highly focused, job-specific courses are breaking down barriers to machine learning entry and bringing talent to market much faster. In marketing, for example, it means you don’t need to start over and chase another four-year degree or incur a boatload of student debt to work your way into AI. Better yet, prospects can tailor their skills to suit a specific employer.
Unifying left-brain analytical prowess with right-brain communication skills
Analytical skills, data proficiency and digital savvy are critical in AI professionals. However, organizations also need talent to innovate, to visualize AI solutions, to test multiple iterations and evangelize across departments. In many companies, this will fall into the CMO or marketing director’s realm, owing largely to their superior communication skills.
In addition to taking advantage of fast-paced and independent educational opportunities, marketing professionals also must develop their right-brain skills, including:
Imagination and creativity.
Empathy and a deep understanding of the connected consumers’ experience.
Agility and resilience.
Intuition and ability to listen attentively.
Holistic thought and a high-level view.
Openness to new ideas and processes.
Consider the way AI is being implemented at United States Postal Service. Their Smart Blue Box, a voice-activated mailbox introduced at CES last year, uses AI to answer questions, quote postage rates and even complete shipping transactions. In this one product, AI powers functions of marketing, operations and customer service.
https://martechtoday.com/building-ai-mindset-time-identify-develop-skill-sets-now-212672
15-06-2018
96].A PhD degree will be mandatory for teaching positions in Universities from July, 2021
A PhD degree will be mandatory for teaching positions in Universities from July, 2021, Human Resource Development (HRD) minister Prakash Javadekar today announced.
Those aiming at Assistant Professorship in a College will, however be eligible with a PhD or even with a Master’s degree with NET, the government said. Still further, the much debated Academic Performance Indicator (API) used to assess teacher performance, now stands scrapped.
It will be replaced by a new simplified teacher evaluation grading system with research score added for Universities to improve research output.
The new regulations also propose to relax the number of prescribed working hours for teachers at the Assistant Professor level provided they are engaged in research.
These measures are part of the new University Grants Commission regulations to “attract and retain the best quality teachers and other academic staff in Universities and to improve research output.
The new regulations also propose to relax the number of prescribed working hours for teachers at the Assistant Professor level provided they are engaged in research.
These measures are part of the new University Grants Commission regulations to “attract and retain the best quality teachers and other academic staff in Universities and Colleges”. The HRD ministry has approved the new regulations.
As per the regulations, special provision has been made for direct recruitment of Assistant Professors in Universities and Colleges for Ph.D Degree holders from a University/Institution in the top 500 Global rankings.
Marking a distinction between College and University teachers, the new regulations has made promotion criteria for the former more focussed on teaching while criteria for the latter will be more research oriented.
The Regulations mandate introduction of one month induction programme for newly recruited Assistant Professors in Universities/Colleges/Higher Education Institutions from now on to prime them up for the job.
Up to 10% of the existing sanctioned strength of Professors in Universities shall be appointed as Senior Professors in the Universities. These Senior Professors will be appointed through direct recruitment and through promotion under Career Advancement Scheme.
Incentives to teachers as provided in the earlier Regulations of 2010 and subsequent amendments have been retained. These include incentives for M.Phil/Ph.D.
Research clusters will be created in the Universities within the State for sharing research facilities, skills and infrastructure to ensure optimal utilization of resources and creating synergies amongst higher education institutions.
In order to promote sports, a special category of medal winners in Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games in eligibility criteria for Assistant Director/College Director, Physical Education and Sports and Deputy Director, Physical Education and Sports in Universities has been made.
95].Singapore e-Government to implement skill development programmes in India.
NEW DELHI/SINGAPORE: The Singapore e-Government Leadership Centre (eGL) at the National University of Singapore's Institute of Systems Science (NUS-ISS) and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, government of India have come together to collaborate with each other on the skilling initiatives for India's workforce.
The two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance the skills in India's workforce during India Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Singapore from 31st May to 2nd June 2018. They will work together to develop and implement skill development programmes across emerging technology areas like Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. They will also cooperate and collaborate further especially in the areas of vocational training on new-age technologies, training of trainers and assessors, and promoting life-long learning.
NUS-ISS through its e-Government Leadership Centre will provide advisory to NSDC and industry driven bodies known as Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), and develop strategies for incorporating emerging technologies into existing skill training programmes in India. For job roles in the area of emerging technologies where national occupational standards and courses have yet to be developed, eGL will guide NSDC and SSCs to develop standards, courses and certification opportunities for these job roles. The aim is to equip Indian workforce with Future Skills and secure employment in these emerging areas.
Speaking on the partnership Manish Kumar, MD &CEO, NSDC said, "NSDC endeavours to work closely with leading institutions like NUS to identify the future of skills and develop the required competencies in India. Currently there is a large demand for new age skills, which serves as a huge opportunity for our youth. I am sure that through this collaboration with NUS-ISS, create training opportunities that could fulfill the aspirations of our youth and help us keep pace with the technological changes in the world.
Championing the Skill India mission is the Government of India through the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship formed in November 2014. Over the next 3 years, it is estimated that more than 25 million youths will be skilled and certified through various programmes under the Ministry, training Indian youths and professionals on International Standards and develop quality assurance framework.
14-06-2018
94].Delhi HC dismisses plea to hold DU LLB exam in Hindi [PTI]
NEW DELHI, JUNE 13
The Delhi High Court has junked a plea seeking a direction to the Delhi University to conduct the entrance examination for the LLB course in Hindi language.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar noted that a single judge and division bench have already dismissed a similar plea in 2014.
The high court in 2014 had dismissed a similar case filed by Shailendra Mani Tripathi saying that judgements are pronounced and reported primarily in English language.
“The single judge had noted Article 348 of the Constitution of India, which states that the language to be used in the Supreme Court and high courts as well as the acts and bills shall be in English. It was also opined by the single judge that if the relief as prayed was granted, it would tantamount to interfering with the autonomy of the University of Delhi.
“The Intra Court Appeal assailing the decision of the learned single judge dated May 20, 2014 stands rejected by the division bench... The above precedents on identical facts, bind the consideration by this court. We therefore find no merit in this writ petition, which is dismissed,” the court said.
The judgement came on a petition of 20-year-old Ayush Tiwari, a final-year BA student from Allahabad, who had approached the high court seeking directions that he should be allowed to take the DU LLB entrance exam in Hindi.
The petitioner said he is “desirous of studying law, however, since he has got all his education in Hindi medium, it would be unfair for him to take the entrance exam in English when on the contrary DU Law Faculty allows term examination of LLB to be taken in Hindi”.
With the Union Public Service Commission and certain central universities holding the examination in Hindi, the plea sought to conduct of entrance examination for LLB along the same lines.
93].New evaluation system introduced for college teachers
HRD Ministry scraps API appraisal system
NEW DELHI, JUNE 13
In a bid to improve the standards of the higher education sector, Academic Performance Index (API) based Appraisal System has been removed, Union Minister for Human Resources Development Prakash Javadekar said on Wednesday.
The system has been replaced by a new simplified teacher evaluation grading system and research score will be added for universities to improve research outputs.
“The objective is to improve the quality of higher education. Secondly, we want good teachers to continue to be part of the profession,” Javadekar told a press conference.
He added that the incentives to teachers as provided in the earlier Regulations of 2010 and subsequent amendments have been retained. They include incentives for M Phil/PhD. According to the new Regulations, there will be a provision for promotion in colleges up to professor level for the first time.
Special provision has also been made for recruitment of assistant professors in universities and colleges from PhD degree holders from a university/institution in the top 500 global rankings. Now, one month induction programme will be mandatory for newly recruited assistant professors. From July1, 2021, PhD would be compulsory for promotion to assistant professor, as per the new regulations.
“PhD degree has been made mandatory for promotion to assistant professor (selection grade) in colleges from July 1, 2021. Similary, PhD degree will be mandatory for direct recruitment of assistant professors from July 1, 2021”, Javadekar added.
Published on June 13, 2018[Business Line].
92]. Why B-schoolers are opting for social internships
Students want to learn social responsibility that is not taught in classrooms
CHENNAI, JUNE 13
Internships in B-schools are a big deal. Not only do they add value to students’ resumes, but also give them the exposure to what it is like to be in the real-work world. While most students opt for summer internships at corporates, some of them are now choosing social internships — that is, working with NGOs or in the CSR wing of companies.
Ground zero
Smriti Mahlawat, a second-year student of IMI Delhi, decided to intern with Professional Assistance for Development Action, an NGO that works for the upliftment of marginalised women. Working in the remote area of Jamsola, which lies on the border of Odisha and West Bengal, she studied how the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act impacted the place in the last five years.
“A professor told us 20 years from now, there won’t be any water left. At Jamsola, I saw this first hand. This social responsibility cannot be taught in class,” Mahlawat said.
The remuneration ranges from unpaid internships to earning around ₹20,000 a month. While some choose this path voluntarily, others tread here because it is compulsory. In fact, social internships are now catching up in B-schools. IIM Indore’s five-year Integrated Management Programme mandates students to dabble in this area at the end of their third year. XLRI has a Village Exposure Programme and an Outbound Programme for its first- year students.
SPJIMR, too, integrated a mandatory social internship programme in its management curriculum. “In 2001, the Centre for Development of Corporate Citizenship (DoCC) was established and implemented in all the programmes,” said Nirja Mattoo, Chairperson of the centre.
New learnings
Harish Khanna, a first-year MBA student at IIT Madras’ Department of Management Studies, bagged a market research profile with Rural Technology Action Group (RuTag) in Pattamadai, Tirunelveli, which is famous for its mats. His job entails him to come up with ideas on how a product can be marketed better. “I have no prior experience, and most of the other internships required it. When I came across this profile I was convinced The work I am doing is quite raw, and involves no software,” said Khanna.
A number of students want to bring about a change in the society. “Reading about an issue and meeting people who have been affected are two different things,” said Vandit Sawansukha of IIM Indore. He is interning with SELCO Foundation in its incubation department.
Ankit Kumar Gupta, his batchmate, is working with Waste Warriors in Corbett, as its data manager. “When you are in a corporate setting, you get to see only numbers. But on a social internship, you meet different people, which makes you humble.”
New career choice?
A few of the students are even rethinking their career choices. Mahlawat said: “I am reconsidering my career choices because this society needs us. But in this sector, you start with a very low income. That might be why MBA students are reluctant to join the sector, since they have invested a lot on their education.”
Sawansukha said: I believe social internship is a good experience. If we are in positions to take decisions that will affect everyone, it is good if we are cognisant of the underlying issues that our country faces.”
91]."Ego never accepts the Truth".==Buddha.
12-06-2018
90].ISRO to transfer lithium ion cell technology for Rs 1 cr [1,50,000USD]
Indian space agency ISRO on Tuesday announced it has decided to transfer its own lithium ion cell technology to Indian industry on a non-exclusive basis for usage in automobiles for Rs 1 crore.
In a statement, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said the initiative will accelerate the development of indigenous electric vehicle industry.
The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) located in Kerala will transfer the lithium ion cell technology to the successful Indian industries/start-ups on non-exclusive basis to establish production facilities in the country that can produce cells of varying size, capacity, energy density and power density catering to the entire spectrum of power storage requirements, ISRO said.
According to ISRO, the request for qualification (RFQ) will be issued from Wednesday for a price of Rs 25,000 and a security deposit of Rs 400,000 has to be paid along with the application.
The RFQ contains a brief description of qualification process & technology transfer process, instructions to applicants, eligibility criteria, timelines and various forms for submitting RFQ.
Interested applicants shall attend a pre-application conference scheduled on July 13. All queries or request for additional information concerning the RFQ shall be attended only in the pre-application conference, the space agency said.
ISRO also said that the "competent firm's security deposit will be adjusted against the technology transfer fee of Rs 100 lakh. Security deposit of unsuccessful applicants or withdrawn applications will be returned, without any interest".
The one-time technology transfer fee has to be paid within 30 days of qualification date.
"Technology shall be transferred to all/any of the competent firms who qualify the eligibility criteria as specified in the RFQ. The required process shall be provided by ISRO at the time of signing of technology transfer agreement and payment of technology transfer fee," ISRO said.
Presently, the lithium-ion battery is the most dominant battery system finding applications for a variety of societal needs including mobile phones, laptops, cameras and many other portable consumer gadgets apart from industrial applications and aerospace.
Recent advances in the battery technology have made it the preferred power source for electric and hybrid electric vehicles also. [Economics Times].
91].Two Top R&D institutions come together to help in better disposal of sanitary napkins
NEW DELHI, JUNE 11
Two leading Indian scientific institutions have come together with a private partner to launch a new high tech device to ensure that the growing popularity of sanitary napkins do not end up becoming an environmental nightmare.
Called GreenDispo, the device has been designed in such that it will incinerate the sanitary napkins completely with minimal flue gas emission. It is estimated that 432 million pads are already been disposed off every month in the country and this is expected to grow multifold in the coming years.
Inappropriate handling of the used pads is already posing a major challenge as the pads grow harmful pathogens causing serious health and environmental hazards. In addition, blocking of drainage paths due to the disposed napkins is becoming a critical issue.
The new device combines the expertise of the Hyderabad-based International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy (ARCI) in the area of processing and shaping of ceramics, the knowledge of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute in flue gas emission control, and the skill of Secunderabad-based Sowbal Aerothermics in energy efficient designing and manufacturing.
Launching the product, NEERI Director, Rakesh Kumar, said the specially designed heaters of the device generated a temperature of more than 800 degrees Celsius, which helped in complete combustion of the used pad. It also had a secondary heating chamber with a temperature of 1050 degrees Celsius to take care of any hazardous emissions from the incinerator.
ARCI Director, Dr. G. Padmanabhan, noted that ARCI experts have designed special ceramic holders for the device to ensure that the heat is channelized most effectively. The concentration of heat to the pads not only provide reduced ignition time, higher peak temperature, increased life expectancy of the heater element and reduced power consumption.
Mr. V.V.S.Rao of Sowbal Aerothermics said that the device will be available with a power rating of 800 and 1,000 watts and a unit size of two to three cubic feet volume. It is a batch type incinerator suitable for use anywhere including rural areas, colleges, schools, hostels, offices and public places. It has been tested for emissions and reliability of performance through field trials under practical conditions. It will be marketed by Messrs Girl Care under the name of `Pad Burn”.
(India Science Wire)
90].World’s largest iceberg set to disappear after 18-year-long journey.
It had broke away from Antartica’s Ross Ice Shelf in May 2000
WASHINGTON, JUN 11
The largest iceberg ever recorded, that broke away from Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf 18 years ago, could be nearing the end of its voyage, according to NASA. When iceberg B-15 first broke away in March 2000, it measured about 296 kilometres long and 37 kilometres wide. B-15 has since fractured into numerous smaller bergs, and most have melted away.
Just four pieces remain that meet the minimum size requirement - at least 37 kilometres to be tracked by the US National Ice Center. When astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) shot a photograph of the iceberg on May 22 this year, B-15Z measured about 18 kilometres long and nine kilometres wide.
That is still well within the trackable size, NASA said in a statement. However, the iceberg may not be tracked much longer if it splinters into smaller pieces. A large fracture is visible along the centre of the berg, and smaller pieces are splintering off from the edges.
Melting and breakup would not be surprising, given the berg’s long journey and northerly location. A previous image showed B-15Z farther south in October 2017, after it had ridden the coastal countercurrent about three-quarters of the way around Antarctica bringing it to the Southern Ocean off the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Currents prevented the berg from continuing through the Drake Passage; instead, B-15Z cruised north into the southern Atlantic Ocean. When the May 2018 photograph was acquired, the berg was about 277 kilometres northwest of the South Georgia islands. Icebergs that make it this far have been known to rapidly melt and end their life cycles here.[Business Line]
89]."Lucky means who get the opportunity. Brilliant means that create the opportunity. Winner means that use the opportunity. Be a winner always."
'Nothing is permanent in this word, not even our troubles. Fallen flowers can't grow back on the tree, but if the root is strong new flowers certainly can. Life is not about what u could not do so far, it is what u still can"
"When life is dragging you back with difficulties,
it means it’s going to launch you into something great."
"So just focus, and keep aiming."
“The greatest sign of success for a teacher… is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.’” – Maria Montessori.
"Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different?"
11-06-2018
88].AI matching human intelligence still decades away: CA research scientists.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is still decades away in matching human intelligence, despite major advances, according to scientists at CA technologies who are involved in cutting-edge research.
"On true general intelligence there has been a lot of work, but the whole scientific community agrees that it will take a very long term before we reach it. It will take decades," said Victor Muntes-Mulero, Vice President of Strategic Research at CA technologies, on the sidelines of the company's "Built to Change Summit" here.
Muntes-Mulero, who is part of the Advance Deep Dive Research initiative of CA, said that there was "still a long path to get there", and in between there has to be a lots and lots of work done on various aspects of intelligence. Maria Valez-Rojas, Research Scientist with the Deep Dive Research, said that the safety issues coming up in robotics, and the need to solve all of them, mean that it's not going to happen in the near future.
Many leading commentators have mentioned from time to time that human intelligence in machines is less than a decade away. Scientists now realise that making machines is easy, but bringing in the whole gamut of ethics, human rights and social construct would be difficult to imbed.
In this context, Muntes-Mulero said that they were researching how to make AI behave ethically, adding that some intelligent software recently turned out to be wrong. For example, Google Translate often became sexist when translating sentences, say from Turkish into English, stating: "He's an engineer or she's a nurse," when the original did not imply a gender. Similarly, AI delivery systems often discriminated against residences of people of colour.
"You would like AI to do what you intend it to do, but sometimes it can behave unexpectedly," he said, adding that Alexa or Siri can take non-human instructions from audio in television and deliver results which are unintended. "Your Apple watch can be hacked to get your passwords by motion detection as you type them into the laptop," he said.
Human speech and sense of fairness and human rights issues were important, but it would take a while before machines are taught to discern them. In this context, he quoted the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, who said that it was easier for AI to discern the image of a nipple than to detect hate speech.
Muntes-Mulero said that things got more complicated when you realised that there was no single definition of fairness or social rules and that they sometimes differed from country to country. Defining all this mathematically was a challenging task in itself, he added. But it was their goal, in research, to create a better world by ensuring fairness and appreciation of human rights in AI.
Valez-Rojas, who's working on "cobotics", or human collaboration with robotics, said that the new era of interaction with robots is coming where they will collaborate "not to replace us, but to help with our jobs". She said AI will eventually help robots to understand the human environment. She said the interaction can lead to problems because "humans are so unpredictable".
Also, it would take a lot of effort to teach robots how to differentiate between concepts. "When you tell a robot to 'clean up the mess', it might proceed beyond the coffee spilled on the floor and wipe out the massive calculations that you have done the whole week on the blackboard. Because that may mean 'mess' for it."
She said that humans have moved on from robots which did repetitive work to controlled robots like drones to somewhat intelligent ones like those that could walk across the room and avoid obstacles on their own. "Finally, we have to make robots that can behave autonomously and help humans in their jobs," she added.
Steven Greenspan, Research Scientist, explained that much research was being done at CA on security and privacy which are the top concerns in the world now. He said that General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), recently passed in Europe, had far-reaching consequences for not only companies there, but almost any company in the world which did business with Europe.
He said CA was working on products where the requirements are embedded into them so that companies do not have to be experts in understanding what GDPR requires. The thrust of the new regulations provides that the individual is the owner of the data and can decide who it should be shared with and can take it back whenever he or she so desires.
He said access control has its problem since passwords can be cracked, hacked or stolen. In this context he said they were doing research on "behavioural markers" which would better identify the person using any software. "We can figure out how you type or what your pattern of walk is with your mobile, even if you are erratic in your behaviour," he said.
"Even if you go out for lunch or sometimes skip lunch to work through, it's all unique. If you step out after logging in, and someone else comes and uses the system, we can know. Even if you allow someone else to use your system, we can figure out," he said, adding that using these behaviour markers they had been able to get correct identification of over 95 per cent. The research is also looking into whether they identify where intent changes in a person, from benign to malicious. [Economic Times].
87].India to soon start making lithium-ion batteries
An agreement on first transfer of technology for lithium-ion batteries was signed here on Sunday between the government-run Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI) and RAASI Solar Power Pvt Ltd, an official statement said on Sunday.
According to the Science and Technology Ministry statement, this memorandum of understanding is the first of its kind for the country.The indigenous technology of lithium-ion cells has been developed by a group of scientists at the Council for Scientific Industrial Research (CSIR)'s CECRI in Tamil Nadu's Karaikudi in partnership with CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute, Kolkata and CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, it said.
"CSIR-CECRI has set up a demo facility in Chennai to manufacture prototype lithium-ion cells. It has secured global IPRs with potential to enable cost reduction, coupled with appropriate supply chain and manufacturing technology for mass production," it added.
According to the ministry, Indian manufacturers source lithium-ion batteries from China, Japan and South Korea among some other countries.
"India is one of the largest importers, and in 2017 it imported nearly $150 million worth lithium-ion batteries," it said
"Today's development is a validation of the capabilities of CSIR and its laboratories to meet technology in critical areas to support our industry, besides other sectors," said Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan.
"It will give tremendous boost to two flagship programmes - generating 175 giga watts (GW) by 2022, of which 100 GW will be solar and the second, the National Electric Mobility Mission, to switch completely to electric vehicles by 2030," he added.
Under the MoU, the Raasi Group will set up a manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district, which is located close to Bengaluru.
"We want to bring down the cost of cell manufacturing below Rs 15,000 per KW to replace lead acid battery," Raasi Group Chairman C.Narsimhan said in a statement.
"We also have plans to make lithium-ion battery for solar roof top with life span of 25 years to make it affordable enough to drive the photo voltaic segment," he added.
Lithium-ion batteries have applications in energy storage systems and can power any electrical application without the need of physical wires. [Economic Times].
10-06-208
86].Why there is so much unease about SoftBank's funding strategy and methods.
Speculation about Flipkart’s acquisition by Walmart had reached fever-pitch in India on May 9, a Wednesday. A deal would have far-reaching implications for the country’s startups.
In faraway Tokyo, Masayoshi Son, the influential SoftBank chairman, dropped a bomb during an earnings call for his company. “Walmart has purchased Flipkart,” he said. That announcement was not his to make. As flustered minders tried to cover up Masa San’s apparent slip, matters only got worse. “Maybe I should not have mentioned that,” Son said, adding, “Well, I can’t take it out.”
When the announcement eventually came from the rightful quarters in Bentonville and Bangalore, Son’s enthusiasm was placed in context. SoftBank’s $2.5 billion (Rs 16,632 crore) investment in Flipkart had turned into $4 billion (Rs 26,611 crore) in just 8 months, in a market where big cheques and big exits are both elusive.
SoftBank is now a looming figure in India’s startup scene. It’s the rare investor currently with the appetite and the ability to cut big cheques. And coming off two fiscals when venture capital funding had virtually dried up, the presence of an investor looking to invest billions of dollars would normally be welcomed without reservation. Except, SoftBank’s size, strategy and methods all complicate matters. Whether you are an entrepreneur or a rival investor, a number of people ET Magazine interviewed say, there are reasons to be wary.
Some observers worry that SoftBank’s sheer financial heft can skew India’s startup ecosystem by putting too much power in one investor’s hands. “They can effectively play kingmaker, because of the capital they have,” says Anupam Mittal, founder of Shaadi.com and an angel investor in some 100 startups. “They can also control the destiny of companies in ways that may at times conflict (with the vision of ) the entrepreneur.” Mittal was an early backer of Ola, now a SoftBank investee company.
A Mixed Bag
SoftBank has more than $8 billion (Rs 53,222 crore) invested in India. The returns, so far, have been mixed. Snapdeal and Housing.com have virtually disintegrated, while Paytm, Oyo and a rejuvenated Grofers, have prospered, even as Son and his crew have fine-tuned their approach.
For Paytm, a $ 450 million (Rs 2,993.73 crore) investment in Paytm Mall, led by SoftBank, has seen deal terms change thrice in the past few months , according to people familiar with the process. Paytm did not respond to requests for comment. Some of this might be on account of the shift in the source of investment. Since the formation of the $100 billion SoftBank Vision Fund in 2016, Son’s India investments tend to be routed through that vehicle. There’s a difference in the intent and and patience of that money, compared with Son’s own. SoftBank Vision Fund has socalled limited partners, people or institutions that have invested money, expecting high returns. This means Son’s investments now carry similar pressures as other venture capital funds. They will look for exits within a fixed time frame, for one. The days when Son could act like he had infinite time and patience with his deals might be in the past. SoftBank declined to make Son or a spokesperson available for an interview. A set of questions emailed to their representative was also unanswered. Son’s investment thesis has a strong bias towards startups that can define or dominate an industry. It’s a tough and high-risk pursuit, that can sometimes clash with the interests of the entrepreneurs involved.
After stumbling with Snapdeal (now worth a sliver of its peak valuation) and Housing (severely hobbled to the point of a firesale, thanks to a mercurial founder and CEO), SoftBank has sought to steady its ship. After the Flipkart exit, a major play is Paytm. Through Paytm Mall, the group hopes to build a strong third player in India’s burgeoning e-commerce market, slated to hit $200 billion by 2026, according to Morgan Stanley estimates.
Investors worry about losing their cachet and bargaining power, under SoftBank’s shadow. But simultaneously, SoftBank also represents an opportunity, for exits. “They are out-thinking many of us, not with the price or premium they’re paying, but with the size of their investments,” says the executive director of an early stage investor, who asked not to be named. “The challenge for us is to keep pace with them, while also keeping in mind they could be a key source of exits for our investments,” says the executive director of an early stage investor, who asked not to be named. “The challenge for us is to keep pace with them, while also keeping in mind they could be a key source of exits for our investments.”
Entrepreneurs also have reason to view SoftBank similarly — with cautious optimism.Several entrepreneurs who spoke to ET Magazine on background, said that Son’s billions are needed not just to fund companies, but to push consumers to change their online behaviour and adapt to the internet — and the commerce it powers — faster. This needs large pools of capital that are not on offer from many corners. The Indian allocation of SoftBank, at around $10 billion, is much bigger than any other marquee investors including Sequoia Capital and Accel, two of the most aggressive startup backers here and globally. But that money can come with riders. Anand Lunia, cofounder of India Quotient, an early stage investor, says SoftBank gives Indian startups an opportunity to raise a large amount of money, but asks for plenty in return. “There are few investors who can match this heft at series B and C (names for latter rounds of $10 million or more raised by startups),” he says. “This will potentially allow SoftBank to play a domineering role in these companies.” When it invested in Housing, the online real estate venture, it pared the founders’ share from around 40% to barely 10% in one fell swoop. When the cofounder-CEO self-destructively turned against the investors, some observers pointed fingers at the aggressive deal-making for leaving the founders with too little skin in the game, and then letting them run the company aground.
Since then, there have been signs of maturity. With Paytm, for instance, it has signed a pact that ensures SoftBank doesn’t invest in a competing startup for the next seven years. “This is a quite a departure from the way SoftBank likes to do business, where it often seeks to invest in two or more competing businesses,” a partner of a mid-sized VC fund in Bengaluru said, asking not to be named.
Uneasy Matchmaking
Entrepreneurs who compete with a SoftBank backed firm can sometimes suddenly and mysteriously find the going getting tough. Platforms and aggregators, for instance, might treat Son’s investee companies favourably, to their rivals’ detriment. Because, who wants to be on the wrong side of all manner of access — to funds, global linkages and co - investment opportunities?
In hospitality and travel, for example, SoftBank is a backer of Oyo, the technology platform for an assortment of accommodation. Oyo’s rivals Treebo and Fab Hotels found themselves de-listed from Makemytrip’s influential platform suddenly. There’s been speculation of Oyo merging with Makemytrip.
Oyo founder and CEO Riteish Agarwal didn’t respond to messages seeking comment. Deep Kalra, Makemytrip’s CEO, said his firm had a pre-existing partnership with Oyo and couldn’t comment, as a listed entity, on future plans. Then there is the matter of seeking industry domination through synergies between investee companies, which are sometimes rivals.
Globally, SoftBank is known to flex this sort of muscle. For example, in ride sharing, it has been a keen votary of Uber’s moves to consolidate elsewhere and exit Russia, China and South East Asia. In China and SEA, Uber sold its operations to Didi and Grab, respectively. Both are SoftBank portfolio companies.
In India, too, its investments in Uber and arch-rival Ola have fuelled talks of consolidation. Ola CEO and co-founder Bhavish Agarwal has ring-fenced himself from any investor pressure to sell, by enhancing his voting rights. In online grocery and ecommerce, too, SoftBank is making its influence felt. For instance, Big Basket, the country’s largest online grocer and a SoftBank investee, is figuring out the mechanics of selling some of its wares on Paytm Mall, another SoftBank investee.
“We are still thinking this through, it is too early to comment,” Hari Menon, CEO of Big Basket, said. Grofers and Big Basket, two SoftBank portfolio firms, have been linked to each other by rumour for the better part of 18 months. While Grofers started with hyperlocal grocery delivery, it pivoted into conventional inventory-based business, as its original market imploded. Big Basket, meanwhile, is stepping on the gas with its private labels, with expansion into categories as diverse as meat and make up (cosmetics). Menon of BigBasket denied a merger was in the works.
Industry observers say that a surge of consolidation is inevitable, given SoftBank and Son’s focus on investing and dominating categories. “SoftBank, like other large investors, is here to back companies that want to dominate large markets,” Michael Marks, CEO and cofounder of technology firm Katerra, said on the sidelines of a fireside chat organised by ET recently in Bengaluru. “They don’t want to play in small niches … they have put everyone in the markets they are interested in, on notice.” Katerra, which uses technology to automate real estate development, scooped up almost a billion dollars from SoftBank last year.
In food tech, SoftBank could again play kingmaker, when it seals a deal to back Zomato, since its portfolio firm Ola had previously acquired Food Panda in India. Uber is also building out its food delivery service, Uber Eats, in India.
Fears of Overheating “Across categories and geographies, SoftBank has made it clear to fellow investors that it isn’t here to compete for the minor positions,” says Harish HV, an industry observer and former member of accounting advisory Grant Thornton’s India leadership unit.
Some players say discerning entrepreneurs should prioritise support through the lifecycle of their company from an investor, rather than large cheques. “Their (SoftBank’s) heft makes entrepreneurs look at investors with the singular lens of how much funding they bring in, without looking at their track record of supporting companies throughout life cycle through good and bad times,” says K. Ganesh, co-founder of Growth Story and a serial entrepreneur. He was an early-stage investor in BigBasket and remains invested.
After funding tightened for two consecutive years between 2015 and 2017, this year has seen entrepreneurs breathe a little easy, as some semblance of normalcy has returned. Several investors have raised fresh funds for their India units, with Sequoia and Accel leading the way.
Despite the easing in fund availability, entrepreneurs remain guarded about SoftBank, with most declining to be named or their companies identified in interviews. “We can’t afford to rub SoftBank the wrong way,” the sales chief at a leading travel startup says. “They could be an exit option for our investors or one day lead a big round (of investment) for us.” This firm competes with Oyo, a SoftBank portfolio firm.
Ganesh of GrowthStory also worries that SoftBank’s aggression could result in the creation of yet another bubble, similar to what happened between 2014 and 2016. “We have already seen it in action — what happens when too much money is hastily deployed, without a fundamental business case, just to beat all other investors. It hurts the ecosystem,” he s ays. “Many companies got disproportionate funding but when these funds retreated, they were stuck having raised money at high, unsustainable valuations and had to shut down or get merged or acquired at a pittance.”
As India’s startups enjoy the green shoots of a funding resurgence, SoftBank’s looming presence is occupying a lot of mindspace. Its steps will be closely watched. As for Son himself, he thinks his company is exceeding its targets here. “We would definitely overachieve on our commitment much ahead of time and at a much bigger scale,” he told ET in April. Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64522680.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
87].India's groundwater widely contaminated with uranium, say researchers
New York, June 8 (IANS) Researchers have found widespread uranium contamination in groundwater from aquifers in 16 Indian states. The findings suggested that the main source of the uranium contamination is natural, but human factors such as groundwater-table decline, over-exploitation of groundwater for agricultural irrigation and nitrate pollution may be aggravating the problem. According to the researchers, several studies have linked exposure of uranium in drinking water may lead to chronic kidney disease. "Nearly a third of all water wells we tested in one state, Rajasthan, contained uranium levels that exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) and US Environmental Protection Agency's safe drinking water standards," said co-author Avner Vengosh from the Duke University in US.
"By analyzing previous water quality studies, we also identified aquifers contaminated with similarly high levels of uranium in 26 other districts in northwestern India and nine districts in southern or southeastern India," Vengosh added.
For the study, published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology Letters, the researchers sampled water from 324 wells in the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat to analyze the water chemistry.
In a subset of samples, they measured the uranium isotope ratios. They also analyzed similar data from 68 previous studies of groundwater geochemistry in Rajasthan, Gujarat and 14 other Indian states.
"The results of this study strongly suggest there is a need to revise current water-quality monitoring programmes in India and re-evaluate human health risks in areas of high uranium prevalence," Vengosh said.
"Developing effective remediation technologies and preventive management practices should also be a priority," Vengosh noted.
Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64509655.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
09-06-2018
85].Strengthen healthcare with branded generics
Though more expensive than their unbranded counterparts, they do not compromise on quality, and are now easily available.
Till the year 2001, the drugs available to treat chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) — a common cancer of white blood cells — weren’t satisfactory. The only treatment which provided a long-term respite was bone marrow transplant. This was not only an expensive procedure, but also complex — largely because not many centres were carrying it out at that juncture.
Then, around 2003, Glivec (scientific name — Imatinib) came into the market and revolutionised the treatment of the disease. One pill a day could control leukemia. Therefore, physicians like me will agree that patients who have been on this drug ever since continue to lead a comfortable life.
However, due to its cost, the drug was beyond the reach of many. The cost is justified scientifically, but from a patient’s perspective, it is not fair. So, after the drug went off-patent, it was manufactured by dozens of Indian pharmaceutical companies. Today, a pack of 10 costs around ₹3,000. A condition such as CML was frustrating when it came to treatment, but everything changed with the arrival of Glivec. Currently, branded generics are helping to bring down the cost, apart from increasing accessibility without compromising on quality. It is a solution for an economy like ours, which doesn’t follow strict regulations on quality.
Quality issues
Despite the affordability, unbranded generics cannot provide quality assurance. While the government has instructed that only salt names of drugs be used on prescriptions, a point of concern is: Is India ready for such a change?
As a doctor, I am at crossroads while treating patients. Do I prescribe a medicine which gives quality assurance, or go for one that is more affordable but of lower quality? What is more perturbing is that this dilemma is not restricted to the treatment of CML.
It is easier for branded generics to maintain quality as they follow regulations. Take the case of Iressa (salt name, Gefitinib), a drug used for treating lung cancer. Once the branded generics of this drug became available, patients were able to access it at a cheaper rate. Consequently, patients have been able to consume one pill a day, which does the job and, thereby, avoid complex chemotherapy procedures.
Cancer is fast becoming a disease where a patient is dependent on medicines for an extended period of time. This makes the disease even more burdensome.
Moreover, when you approach a pharmacist for a drug with a salt name, how can he/she assure the quality of the medicine? The doctor prescribes a medicine and the dosage assuming a certain level of efficacy, but what if the generic fails to deliver on quality? This can lead to extreme unwarranted consequences.
At present, I don’t think it is possible to put generics and branded generics in the same bracket, especially when there is an increased sense of safeguarding lives of patients. I believe branded generics is the best approach to achieve universal healthcare.
Blatantly promoting generics will boomerang sooner or later, if issues around quality of such drugs are not attended. It is time we bring back ‘care’ into health, by ensuring quality, accessibility, availability and affordability.
Also, the idea behind prescribing salt names is to reach out to a larger section of the population. However, without any assurance on quality, such initiatives will be futile. The regulatory system for quality checks should be extremely robust wherein not just doctors, but even the patients and pharmacists feel confident in using any medicine under a salt name.
Going forward, there should be stringent parameters to allow manufacturers to market medicines and it must be ensured that these are adhered to.
A system should be put in place where any violation should lead to cancellation of licences or other such other stringent penalties.
Therefore, the onus to fulfil the vision of quality in healthcare delivery is not only on the doctors but also on the government, drug manufacturers, hospitals and better-informed patients who would not settle for substandard quality.
This is doable, not impossible. Ashokkumar Vaid,The writer is Chairman, Medical and Haemato Oncology, Cancer Institute Medanta – The Medicity.
84].Intel on track in its promise to deliver 100-fold increase in performance of chip sets.
BENGALURU: Intel is on track in its promise to deliver 100-fold increase in performance of chip sets for artificial intelligence applications, said Naveen Rao, General Manager of Artificial Intelligence Product Group (AIPG) at Intel.
Bolstered by the acquisition of Nervana Systems, a startup developing specialised AI systems ranging from software to chips, Intel promised in late 2016 that they would be able to achieve a 100-fold increase in performance before the end of the decade. They even started integrating Nervana’s technology into its own product roadmap.
“It is quite impressive in my life time to see such a quick ramp up in performance. It (the 100-fold increase) is on track. I will give details in the next few months at the AI devcon in March,” said Naveen Rao, General Manager of AIPG at Intel.
The first version of the chip set code-named Lake Crest is designed for deep learning purposes. It is currently made available only to select set of customers like Facebook to train complex neural networks to share insights on the performance of the chips.
Early reports suggest that the Nervana Neural Network Processor (NNP) alluded to as Lake Crest has drastically reduced the time to train AI models. Intel however has not shared any insights on the performance of their NNP.
Deep-learning application that do face recognition, voice recognition, and other AI applications require huge amounts of data which perform multiple number-crunching processes called ‘data parallelism’. The NNP chips are efficient in such parallel applications. “Nervana would be install in the data center part of Intel’s business and we have multiple generations in the pipeline,” Rao said.
Complex AI applications are not suited to run on general purpose chips which Intel has been making for year. But, the chip-maker has started integrating Nervana’s IP into Intel products.
“We are actively working with all the other groups in Intel and influenced the architecture of Xeon as well as FPGAs. Obviously they are being developed in separate groups, but we have an architecture group that discusses how to incorporate NNP in theses different products and enhance it,” Rao added.
83].Indian scientists discover planet 600 light years away.
Light years away from Earth
A team of scientists from the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, discovered a sub-Saturn or super-Neptune size exoplanet, which is about 27 times the mass of Earth and six times the radius of Earth. The planet revolves around a Sun-like star, some 600 light years away from Earth.
The discovery was made by measuring the mass of the planet using the indigenously designed ‘PRL Advance Radial-velocity Abu-Sky Search’ (PARAS) spectrograph integrated with 1.2m telescope at PRL’s Gurushikar Observatory in Mount Abu. With this discovery, India has joined a select league of countries which has discovered planets around stars.
Features of the planet
In a post on the website of the Indian Space Research Organisation, scientists said the name of the host star is EPIC 211945201 or K2-236 and the planet will be known as EPIC 211945201b or K2-236b. The planet was found to go around the star in about 19.5 days.
The surface temperature of the planet was found to be around 600 degrees Celsius, as it is very close to the host star. It is seven times nearer to its star, in comparison with Earth-Sun distance. This might make it uninhabitable.
Important discovery The discovery is of importance for understanding the formation mechanism of such super-Neptune or sub-Saturn kind of planets, that are too close to the host star, according to scientists.
Paras spectrograph made an independent measurement of the mass of the planet body, as it was necessary for discovery after data from Nasa’s K2 (Kepler2) photometry could not confirm the planetary nature of the system.
Planetary candidate
Initially, it was Nasa’s K2 (Kepler2) photometry that found that the source was a planetary candidate as it was transiting, where the planet body comes between the star and the observer on Earth.
It goes around the star and therefore blocks a tiny amount of star-light. By measuring the amount of light blocked by the planet body, the diameter or size of the planet can be measured. It was found to be 6 Earth radii. However, that data was not sufficient to confirm the planetary nature of the system.
What consists of the new planet?
PRL scientists, who observed the target for about 1.5 years with the spectrograph to probe the nature of the system, made calculations that suggested that the heavy elements like ice, silicates and iron content make 60%-70% of the total mass.
This detection was important as it adds to a sparse catalogue of confirmed exoplanets with masses between 10 and 70 MEarth and radii between 4 and 8 REarth, whose masses and radii are measured to a precision of 50% or better.
Only 23 such systems (including the present) are known to this date with such precise measurement of mass and radii.
08-06-2018
82].Digit Insurance partners with Flipkart
BENGALURU: Digit Insurance has partnered with India’s largest ecommerce platform Flipkart, to launch a mobile protection plan intended for people who purchase smartphones on Flipkart’s platform.
The company said that they have designed the product trying to make the insurance claims process simple for customers by offering a cover for screen damage and fixing the amount due at 20% of the invoice value of the phone.
The product is a ‘zero deductible plan’ and there is no consideration of the current market value of the phone, further the user also does not need to diownload any separate app to access the product, the policy gets activated from the moment the phone is delivered.
“The beauty of this product is that it reduces the claim processing time drastically which adds to the convenience for the customers. ZERO bills required in this process which is otherwise a process full of frictions. Also,it makes sense for us as an insurance company, as it reduces our operational costs,” said Jasleen Kohli, chief distribution officer, Digit Insurance.
81].Metro Shoes takes Flipkart to Bombay HC over brand name.
Metro Shoes has filed a case in the Bombay High Court alleging Flipkart is selling a private brand named Metronaut that is deceptively similar to Metro’s eponymous brand, and also alleged that the online retailer is selling shoes among other products under the brand name.
Piyush Shah, the lawyer representing Metro, said he has filed the case on Tuesday. “They are using the name of Metronaut that is similar to Metro,” Shah said. “It is a trademark infringement case.”
“Flipkart has not been aware of any such legal proceeding. If we are served notice by any court or judicial authority, we will take the necessary actions that are in the best interests of the company,” a Flipkart spokesperson said in an emailed response.
Late last year, Flipkart had launched products under Metronaut private label in men’s fashion and accessories. Currently, Flipkart sells denims, t-shirts, shirts, shoes and accessories such as belts, wallets and sunglasses under the Metronaut brand name.
Metro operates over 200 outlets in and around 100 cities and also sells through other multi-brand stores. [economictimes.indiatimes.com]
80].ICAI signs mutual recognition agreement with South African body SAICA
Pact to result in greater mobility of professionals at either end, says ICAI chief Naveen Gupta
NEW DELHI, JUNE 5
The CA Institute has signed a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). The MRA was signed on June 4 at the SAICA head office, Johannesburg, South Africa.
“The MRA between ICAI and SAICA would help foster strong working relations between the two accounting institutes, and will lead to greater mobility of professionals at either end,” Naveen D Gupta, President, ICAI, said in a statement. Signing of the agreement between ICAI and SAICA would facilitate mutual recognition of each other’s qualifications and admit members in good standing by prescribing a bridging mechanism between the two institutes.
Gupta also said the MRA would herald a new dimension of professional opportunities for chartered accountants of both countries, thus, benefiting more than 1000 Indian CAs in the Africa region and other ICAI members in India, who wish to get international qualifications.
Panisa Lamola, SAICA’s Chief Executive Officer, said the MRA, leading to Membership Pathways, between ICAI and SAICA, would be beneficial for members of both countries.
It may be recalled that the Union Cabinet had last month approved the signing of an MRA between ICAI and SAICA to establish a mutual co-operation framework for the advancement of accounting knowledge, professional and intellectual development, advancing the interests of their respective members and positively contributing to the development of the accounting profession in South Africa and India.
Srivats.kr@thehindu.co.in
79].Bank recap insufficient for credit growth: Moody’s
MUMBAI, JUNE 7
The bank recapitalisation plan of the Indian government will resolve the regulatory capital needs but it may not be sufficient enough to support credit growth, according to Moody’s Investors Service.
Moody’s Indian affiliate, ICRA, said that with the accelerated recognition of stressed assets during FY2018, the asset quality problems of the banking sector peaked in March 2018.
The capital shortfalls are larger because banks have failed to raise additional capital, with many of them having suffered substantial decline in share prices.
The government had planned to infuse ₹65,000 crore into public sector banks this fiscal after infusing ₹90,000 crore last fiscal. In its analysis, Moody’s said that while this infusion will help all PSBs meet the common equity Tier I ratio of 8 per cent, it assumes that credit growth for the system will be only around 6-8 per cent. Besides this, infusion will also support a provision coverage ratio of about 62 per cent, an improvement over the 49 per cent last year, but still the adequacy of the provisioning would depend on the write-downs that banks will need to take for bad debt resolution.
Write-downs
Moody’s expects write-downs in power and construction sector to be much larger than that in the steel sector so far. The government, while unveiling its capital support plan in October, had anticipated banks would raise ₹58,000 crore from the equity market. They have raised only ₹10,000 crore so far.
The share prices of the PSBs have declined by 19 per cent since the beginning of the year, compared to a 3 per cent increase in the Bombay stock market index, Moody’s noted.
According to Moody’s, a key negative credit implication of these developments is that the capital allocations for relatively better-run PSBs – State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank and Syndicate Bank – will decrease while the capital needs of other banks have increased.
ICRA expects further additions to gross non-performing assets (GNPAs) to decline with fresh slippages falling to around 3 per cent during FY2019, compared to 7.1 per cent during FY2018 and 5.5 per cent during FY2017.
07-06-2018
78].Inspiring Quotes
"When words are both True and Kind.They can change the world."-Gautam Buddha.
"The Greatest wealth is to live content with little."Plato
"Life is really Simple. But we insist on making it complicated." Confucious.
"The roots of education are bitter,but the fruits are sweet."-Aristotle.
"Don't limit child to your own learning, for he was born in another time." Ravindranath Tagore.
"Learn from Mistakes of others.You can't live long enough to make them all by yourselves."Chanakya.
"Our prime purpose in this world is to help others,but if can't help, at least don't hurt them." Dalai lama.
"You can't change how people treat you or what they say about you. All you can do is change how you react to it." Mahatma gandhi.
77].IIT Bombay climbs 17 spots, IISc jumps 20 in the QS World University Rankings
Indian Institute of technology Bombay (IIT-B) has climbed 17 places to bag the 162nd spot of the QS World University Ranking 2019, closely followed by Indian Institute of Science (IISc) that has jumped 20 places and now sits at the 170th spot.
Both the IIT-B and IISc were placed behind Indian institute of Technology Delhi (IIT-D) in the previous years ranking which were 179, 190 and 172 respectively. IIT-D has however not made any headway.
The latest edition of the rankings has 9 Indian universities featured in the top 500 and 24 in the top 1,000. In the 2018 rankings 20 Indian unviersities featured.
Other institutes like the Indian institute of technology Kanpur and Indian institute of technology Kharagpur have jumped 10 and 13 spots respectively in the latest ranking.
The global rankings remain dominated by Massachusetts Institute Technology (MIT) , Stanford University, Harvard University and California Institute Technology all maintaining their top 4 spots. MIT has bagged the top spot for a record seventh year straight.
QS world University ranking are taken out by education analysts QS Quacquarelli Symonds every year. The rankings are evaluated on six different metrics, which include Academic reputation, Employer reputation, faculty/ student ratio, Citations per faculty, International faculty ratio and the International student ratio.
7 of the 9 Indian institutes featured in the top 500 are IIT's, University of Delhi too has made the cut. [Economic Times].
76].IBM Blockchain and AI tech set to reboot marketing
BENGALURU: IBM expects marketing of technology services to become more performance-oriented as it sees increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain-based platforms.
The company is working on a pilot project using blockchain to effectively use every dollar spent in marketing and reduce middlemen in marketing activities, Michelle Peluso, chief marketing officer at IBM, said in an interview.
IT services companies across the globe have seen a shift in types of work contracts with majority of their customers opting for outcome-based deals as against long-term and high-value ones. This has prompted companies such as IBM, Accenture, TCS, Infosys and others re-structure their focus on sales and marketing. The IBM marketing leader believes the role of CMO has changed to make make more data analytics driven decision and focus on more one-toone engagement than year-long marketing campaigns.
“It has always been the case that marketing budgets are set and fixed budgets... and you will have to work on an annual plan and you get a budget, and I see a time not too distant in future when market budgets are earned every day. And I say that because as marketing is becoming more of a science and more and more data-driven, we should be allocating our dollars in a much more agile fashion; teams that have the highest returns, get more money,” said Peluso.
AI and blockchain are considered to be key enablers of effective and transparent marketing for technology service companies.
You have huge amount of unstructured data and AI is figuring out how to optimise dollars further and engage with customers differently.
blockchain is another technology that will really impact marketers. With blockchain, and we are piloting this now, it will improve transparencies, eliminate the middlemen and you know (better) where your ads are showing up. These technologies will create new capabilities,” said Peluso.
She said currently 40-45% of a dollar spent in marketing sees effective use and impact before the clients. IBM said it is also identifying areas where it can cut marketing budgets and focus on growth areas.(Economic Times)
75].RE-skilling had a positive impact on operating margins, says HR head Ajoy Mukherjee,HR Head,TCS,India.
Re-skilling of employees has had a positive impact on the operating margins of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
According to Ajoyendra Mukherjee, Executive Vice-President, Global Head - Human Resources, TCS, cost and subsequent (adverse) impact on margins would have been more if the company had the go in for outside hiring.
“Yes, we have made sufficient investments towards (tech) re-skilling programmes over the last few years. I think, margins would have been lower had we gone for outside hiring,” he told BusinessLine during a visit to the company’s Kolkata campus.
Mukherjee, though, could not quantify the actual impact on margins.
Through programmes under digital transformation and ‘agile’, the IT major has trained over two lakh of its 394,998 workforce. Not a single employee has been retrenched so far by TCS, he claimed.
For the Indian IT industry, newer avenues like automation have come in as a threat to lower-level jobs. The solution, sources say, is to upgrade skills.
Operating margins
For FY18, the company reported an operating margin – a measure of its profitability – of 24.8 per cent (25.7 per cent in FY-17). While on a year-on-year basis, margins dipped, sequentially (between Q2 FY-17 and Q4 FY-18), there has been an improvement.
Mukherjee pointed out that currency fluctuations have been one of the primary reasons for the drop.
“A major part of margin reduction is because of currency fluctuations. We can hedge against a few currencies only. Moreover, any benefit that has arisen out of currency hedging has been put back for re-skilling programmes,” he said. Sequentially, margins improved from 23.4 per cent in the April to June period of FY18. It went up to 25.1 per cent in the July-Sept quarter and to 25.2 per cent for October-December and to 25.4 per cent in January-March.
Local hires in the US
Incidentally, the company has brought down the number of H-1B applications to nearly half of what it was three years back. Locally hiring in the US, Mukherjee said, is sometimes a cost-effective option.
The move comes at a time when the Indian IT companies are confronted by closer scrutiny and tighter visa norms in the US, a market that accounts for nearly 60 per cent of India's IT exports.
Mukherjee categorically claimed that there was a “dearth of talent” in the US with fewer youths opting for “STEM” subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
“We have significantly ramped up (local hiring), replicating some programmes that have worked well for us in India such as partnering academic institutions and engaging with high school students,” Mukherjee said without mentioning the hiring target in the US. In India, the company has issued job offers to 20,000 trainees in FY-19. Net employee addition stood at around 8,000 in FY18, the lowest in recent times.
74]. Change in Business Model of e-commerce companies to Yield Benefits to extent of 30-40%.
Amazon and Flipkart are trying to deliver the Fashion products from Local stores to customers within 2-3 hours.This will save e-commerce companies to the extent of 30-40% on logistics issues.
73].US Govt. to spend $10 Billion on "Maven"project based on AI . And build laser guns with AI building accuracy in it. This same project Google employees have refused to develop AI applications.[WION News Channel].
06-06-2018
72]." 5 Things You CAN Control"
Your Attitude
How forgiving you are.
How you start your day.
How you treat your body.
How many times you get back up
71].SEBI increased limit of Financing through VC to Rs.10 Crores. Most beneficial for Start-ups who can not get Finances from Conventional Financiers like Banks.
70].SAP took over CoreSystem a Customer service software company from Sweden. The SAP is 5th Player in Customer service market lead by Salesforce (20% market share), Microsoft,Oracle. [BusinessLine].
69].Biocon-Mylan gets USFDA approval for Biosimilar product "Fulphila". The market size is $4 Billion.[BusinessLine].
68].German Auto makers hit by Electric cars. Most likely to lose 321,000 jobs out of 840,000 [BusinessLine]..
67].Microsoft buys GitHub for $7.5 Billion,showing commitment to the image of a Software-Development Company.[Businessline]
04-06-2018
66].Six Career Keys.
1].Develop a Marketable Corporate persona.
2].Establish Profitable Relationships.
3].Master Transferable Skills Like Time Management, Goal Setting and Effective Communication.
4]. Stay Motivated Despite trying circumstances.
5].Get people to co-operate.
6]. Be proactive about your Career growth.
65]."Whatever the mind can conceive and believe... it can achieve." - Napoleon Hill, Think & Grow Rich
64]. Tim Cook ,CEO of Apple supports the Idea of Digital Detox. Indicated Apple may show system included on IPhone curtailing Digital Activity.[Times of India].
63]."6" Profiles of Giving.(Identify 2 or 3 ways you can offer value to others).
1.Experts Share Knowledge.
2.Coaches teach Skills.
3.Mentors give advice and guidance.
4.Connectors make introductions.
5.Extra milers show up early,stay late and volunteer for extra work.
6.Helpers provide hands-on task support and emotional support.
7.Help someone get a job.
8.Give support to someone who is down on their luck.
[from The Big Idea[Beat Generosity Burn Out.]]
62].State Bank of India to redesign its policy to finance new Start-Ups in Finance space.[BusinessLine].
61].Walmart to deliver orders received via Text messages in local area ,to test the viability in New York. [WION News]
61].Thought for Today==A door is much smaller compared to the house,
a lock is much smaller compared to the door
and a key is the smallest of all,
but a key can open entire house.
Thus a small,
thoughtful solution can solve major problems.
60]. US, a Bitter pill for major Pharma companies
Many Indian Pharma companies have continued to show tepid earnings in the fourth quarter of 2017-2018.
Companies focussed on US market have been hit hard by US drug regulator FDA,coupled with headwinds in the US market.
Factors such as rising competition due to new ANDA(abbreviated new drug application) approvals, consolidation of channel partners,leading to lower bargaining power,price erosion, and lack of new opportunities have been plaguing Indian Pharma companies.The Indian companies affected are Aurobindo (44% ) Dr.Reddy's(42%), Lupin (38%),Sun Pharma(32%) Cadila (50%)and Glenmark(31%).During FY17-18 the large cap Pharma companies -Sun Pharma, Lupin, Dr.Reddy's and Cipla -registered decline in their US business to the tune of 2-39% Y-o-Y. (BusinessLine).
59]. 94% of IT grads not fit for Hiring says CEO of Tech Mahindra,C.P.Gurnani
CEO expresses that hiring people for Robotics and Cyber Security are posing problems. Their is Huge Skill Gap.NASSCOM says 6 million people are required for Cyber Security by 2020.
It will have impact on hiring. Earlier 20 people were hired for a $1 Million Revenue ,now it will be only 15.[Times of India].
This points to Engineering Graduates not skilled for such type of jobs.
58].Mr.Rostow Ravanan ,CEO, of Mindtree suggests that India can add another Trillion Dollars to its GDP by harnessing Technology. Mr. Ravanan spoke about impact of changing regulations in US on Businesses and on the need of for employees to re-skill in areas related to their work.[BusinessLine].
03-06-2018
57].10 Best teachings of Bhagavad Geeta.
1. Death is natural part of life. It's the transformation of energy from one form to other. Never mourn in someone's death. Body is temporary while the soul is permanent. Do not think your self as your body. You are the soul.
2. Humans are made by their thoughts and beliefs. As you think, so you become. To transform yourself, think positive, check and change your belief system.
3. Knowledge and actions are not different. Our beliefs, knowledge and thoughts are also our subtle yet powerful actions. You cannot refrain from getting result of bad thoughts even if you do not bring them into physical actions. Check your thoughts!
4. You can become what you want to be. You just need to constantly focus and work on your utmost desire by faith. Faith is the soil in which you sow the seed of desire and nurture it with actions.
5. There is nothing lost or wasted in your life. Every deed, each minute of your time has manifested into what you are today. Never regret your past. It is a journey and has all the colors of the world.
6. Ignorant believes that they are separate from others. They work in isolation for their own profits. Wise man knows that 'All is one', and work for the welfare of the universe. The universal wisdom becomes inaccessible to selfish people.
7. If your mind is not under your control, it will control you and work against your welfare. An uncontrollable mind is one's enemy. Keep your senses under your control. Your mind should follow your order.
8. You cannot copy anyone. No two lives can be similar. It is better to live your life with imperfection than to copy anyone else life perfectly.
9. Every atom of this world is Him. One who sees the Supreme in every creature is the one who has really understood the world. He will never harm others or self. Every atom in you is the Supreme, you just need to feel it.
10. If you are free from the expectation of the outcome of your action, you are releasing your fate each and every day. This is the ultimate way to live life. This way you will simplify your life and make your life lighter. It is just like throwing away all clutter from one’s house to get a cleaner, lighter, well-ventilated house.
56].MBA Career Progression:==Dear All,
The need of the hour is frugal engineering or innovation. Every citizen is now impacted positively or negatively without choice by the use of technology and digitization.
More importantly for the MBA's there is good scope to learn, become skilled and thereby make themselves employable because of the following reasons:
1. Since they are already doing a Master's program, they are to be considered quite knowledgeable atleast in academics.
2. They have been eligible to do an MBA because they have got atleast 50% or more in their UG program.
3. Maths, Statistics, Operations Research . Management & Research Methodology basics have been taught in UG & MBA.
4. Ultimately MBA should turnout to be good managers and business leaders, though not entrepreneurs in all cases.
In most cases of students from Rural or Tier 2 & 3 cities and among few Tier 1 cities, students lack the following:
1. Passion to explore their domain of interest and explore its fullest potential
2. Long term career commitment rather looking for Jobs that they are not interested or those joined purely based on CTC offered.
3. People Management, Relationship management, Managing personal and professional priorities etc.
4. Ability to express their feelings because of fear, laziness, low commitment, easy going attitude.
5. guidance, motivation and inspiration that is absolutely required for youth.
6. Responsibility as Individuals and Empathy that is required to understand and work as team. They need to understand the world has today become interdependent on many factors that influence all of us. Its a matter of one's livelihood today and if the youth is able to connect conquer this challenge, every youth lead by example for the generations to come.
I was recently talking two MNCs recently, one American and another German company wherein i found the people recruitment strategy remained the same, although the strategy to employ Indians were different. Both these wanted to have their own Offshore Development Centres in India, Poland, Philippines and Mexico. India they also wanted one manufacturing units each. The American company Director felt that resident Indians were known only for their programming skills, whereas the Germans that felt that expats / immigrants (NRIs), if they returned to India would possess good technical skills and are making strategies to launch their ODC and manufacturing units. None among these felt that MBAs in India were as compared to those got their management degrees outside India.
What we now need to focus is getting ready those large chunk of candidates who are looking for employment. They will need to be re-trained, groomed, motivated and made fit with required skills and obviously there is a cost which cannot be ignored. There is going ample job opportunities in Tier 2 cities like Coimbatore, Trichy, Madurai, Chandigarh, Bhopal, Vizag, Bhubaneshwar, Jaipur, Mysore, Hubli, and few other cities added in the list to become Smart Cities.
The Common man today may not be aware of significance of buzz words like Big Data, Block Chain, Internet of Things etc. Teaching them the basics of a particular skill required to earn a living and there will be a day when these buzz words are an integrated part of their lives. Too much of emphasis is just misleading ignorant / innocent people.
Having an MBA is not an achievement, rather the successful application of scientific, artistic and intuitive abilities is the real beginning of success for any aspiring manager / leader.
R.Sabaareesh [MTC Googlegroup]
55].IIT Grads and difference they have made to India.
In case you are looking at the headline and thinking it to be a case of sour grapes - let me put your mind to rest at the outset.
I did study in an IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) myself. I studied electrical engineering at IIT Kharagpur and then got an MBA degree from IIM Ahmedabad. After a stint in the corporate world (I was co-head of Irevna, an S&P company), I now run a school which has been celebrated for its innovative methods of teaching.
Now that my bio-data is out of the way, let’s think about this contradiction: our IITs select less than 1 per cent of the students who apply. But their own ranking in world university rankings is nowhere in the top 100. In the latest QS World University rankings, IIT Delhi ranked at 172, IIT Madras at 264 and IIT Kharagpur at 308.
Before we trash the ranking in the spirit of patriotism, let’s examine the scientific contribution of IITs vis-à-vis the western universities that rank at the top of the list. Very recently, Narayana Murthy, in his convocation address at Indian Institute of Science, mentioned how MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ranked number 1 in the QS list) helped transform the world because of some of the biggest inventions of the last 50 years - the global positioning system, bionic prostheses and microchip all emerged from there.
In the same speech, he also mentioned that almost all modern inventions such as computers, internet, wifi, MRI, laser, robots and many other gadgets and technology came about thanks to research by western universities.
Compared to the Western universities, he goes on to add, there has not been a single invention from India in the last 60 years that has become a household name globally, nor any idea that led to any "earth-shaking" invention to "delight global citizens".
But you may say, hold on, our IITs may not have created great products, but at least they created great people – the IITians who went on to become very successful in many fields, ranging from politics to academia to the corporate world. But that argument is clearly flawed.
If you are taking in the top one per cent of the population, of course, there will be quite a few among them who will be exceptionally successful. The great success of IITians just proves that the input was great. It proves nothing about the value-addition done to the input. IITians who have achieved spectacular success in life did so in spite of the mediocre education at the IITs, not because of it.
What exactly is wrong with the education offered at the IITs? Firstly, most students are not interested in the discipline that they choose. They aren’t really interested in even being engineers – they are just there because their parents, peers and society told them to take a shot at IIT, because if you are good at academics, then how is that you haven’t proven it by taking the IIT-JEE exam?
Top ranking MIT has helped transform the world because of some of the biggest inventions of the last 50 years.
As a result, we begin our scientific education by the most unthinking, unscientific approach towards choosing careers. The brightest minds who are supposed to think independently make a beginning by following the herd.
Secondly, the curriculum is overloaded with obscure theory. Too many courses are crammed within a semester. Other than choosing the stream, students do not have much freedom in choosing the subjects.
The IITs are supposed to train students for a professional career, yet other than a perfunctory psychology or an economics course, there is hardly any well-thought out curriculum to develop the soft-skills of students.
At the point of entry, IITs are burdened with the weight of Kota-trained students with low social-skills and zero social awareness who study physics, chemistry and maths from 6th standard, at the exclusion of every other skill – and the four-year stint at IIT does not really improve that.
After IIT, most people choose one of the three paths – an MS abroad, a stint as a software engineer, or an MBA degree in India. Most of those paths do not require any knowledge of electrical engineering or metallurgical engineering or whatever else they specialised in.
They do require reading skills and thinking skills (GRE, CAT and software company aptitude tests), and people skills (interviews and getting letters of recommendations) – so the IITians now start frenziedly learning the skills that they hitherto neglected. But that learning does not happen inside the classrooms, and IITs themselves can claim little credit for it. However, being talented individuals, most students do master those skills too, over time.
I can go on. The conditions of the hostels do not behove a world class institute. The projects that the students do are hardly original. Classes are mostly uninspiring and do not break any new ground in pedagogy. The tradition of ragging – well, it is sad to see people at the premier scientific institutions believing in tradition, that too something as silly as that.
Why is there still such a craze for IITs? Why do we see full-page advertisements in newspapers by IITJEE coaching centres? To answer that, we need to look at the ranking of our liberal arts universities.
Calcutta University and University of Mumbai rank below 750. Compared to them, the IITs seem to be doing well. We really need to build world-class liberal arts colleges in India so that bright minds interested in history do not end up studying mechanical engineering.
Another reason behind the craze for IITs is that our minds are rooted in the past. There was a time when engineering and medicine were the only sure shot routes to a job after graduation. But thanks to liberalisation and the subsequent economic boom, after the 1990s, one does not need to be an engineer or doctor to get a job after graduation. But the minds of most middle-class parents are still stuck in the 1970s-80s, when engineering was one of the very few options guaranteeing a job.
We need to open these minds. We need to open the minds of parents and children to the unlimited career options that are there in today’s world. We need our best minds to study whatever they are passionate about. But before that, we need to stop believing in the myth of IITs being the best. We need to start building institutions which are really world-class.
54].
A Friend is someone who can see the truth and pain in you even when you are fooling everyone else.
53].Thought for Today==If You Translate Every Mistake Of Your Life Into a 'Positive' One, You Will Never Be A 'Prisoner Of Your Past', But A "Designer Of Your Future" Sorry Works When Mistakes Is Made.. But Sorry Does Not Work When Trust Is Broken.. So In Life Do Mistakes But Never Break The Trust ..! saying sorry is the purest cure of all heart aches and heart breaks! Admit to yourself that you have done wrong and say sorry. It does not only touches the heart but also touches the soul. It's the greatest thing to do that will give you the greatest feeling to enjoy.
We always work for making better tomorrow When tomorrow comes Instead of enjoying We again start thinking for better tomorrow never comes.
VICTORY IS NOT THE PROPERTY OF BRILLIANT. IT IS THE CROWN FOR THOSE WHO BOW THEMSELVES IN FRONT OF THE HARD WORK.
02-06-2018
52].New way found to enhance strength and ductility of high entropy alloys
NEW DELHI, MAY 29 A joint team of researchers from India, Japan and Sweden have found a way to make multiphase high entropy alloys (HEAs), which are a recently emerging class of alloys, simultaneously stronger and more ductile. In a study published in journal, Scientific Reports, the researchers have reported that novel heterogeneous microstructure achieved by a process of cryo-deformation followed by annealing can help overcome the problem of strength-ductility trade-off in multiphase HEAs. The researchers are from Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, Kyoto University, Japan and Chalmers University, Sweden. Conventionally, alloys are based on one major element to which other alloying elements are added in small quantities to achieve the desired properties. In 2004, Professor J.W. Yeh of National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan proposed that it should be possible to develop a massive number of alloys using five or more components with equiatomic or near-equiatomic concentrations. These novel alloys have come to be known as high entropy alloys (HEAs) due to their large configurational entropy. HEAs, however, suffer from the issue of strength-ductility trade-off as conventional alloys. It means strength can be enhanced only at the cost of ductility. The new research could help address this issue. Speaking to India Science Wire, Dr. Pinaki Prasad Bhattacharjee of IIT Hyderabad said that both strength and ductility could be enhanced simultaneously by subjecting the alloy to cryo-deformation followed by annealing. This, he said, should help use HEAs for more diverse applications than hitherto thought possible. “Increasing strength of materials is beneficial for reducing the cross-sectional area of engineering components, which should lead to significant weight and material savings with immense economic and environmental benefits. Such strong yet ductile alloys could be of importance in transportation, space, energy, defence and security areas,” he explained. Commenting on the work, Prof. B.S.Murty of IIT Madras, who was not part of the study team, said, “though this process of cryo-rolling and annealing has been demonstrated to improve properties of different alloys before, it is for the first time that it has been applied to HEAs”. Besides Dr. Bhattacharjee, the team included I.S.Wani, T.Bhattacharjee (IIT Hyderabad); N.Tsuji of Kyoto University (Japan), S.Sheikh and S.Guo of Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden), and I. T.Clark, and T.Okawa, of Scienta Omicron Inc. (Japan). (India Science Wire)[BusinessLine]
51].Metal-organic nanosheets may help develop novel lens material
NEW DELHI, MAY 16 Photochromic materials can change colour under stimulation of light. They are of high commercial importance for ophthalmic lens industry as also in sectors like optoelectronic switching devices, data storage and optical transmission. Photochromic materials change colours on account of changes in the arrangement of atoms in materials. Atoms in photochromic materials are arranged in a certain manner and change when exposed to sunlight or UV light. We can observe this reversible behaviour in sunglasses. However, there are challenges associated with polymers. It is restricted by what features are desired in polymers in terms of rigidity, hardness and scratch resistance. Presently, researchers achieve photoswitching by linking photochromes covalently to soft low-molecular weight polymers. A team of researchers at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur have demonstrated that porous 2-dimensional metal-organic nanosheets (MONs) constructed from photochromic building blocks can also be employed as agents or dopants in polymers to bring out the desired optical properties in photochromic polymers. Three dimensional porous metal-organic framework materials (MOFs) have been used for various applications like photo-controlled gas storage, separations, sensing, and catalysis in recent years. However, they are not suitable for use in thin films and polymeric matrices to develop photo-responsive materials, as they pose problems like leaching and poor photoswitching. The new photochromic 2D metal-organic nanosheets (MONs) are envisaged to be applicable not only in ophthalmic lenses, but also in other related applications, where light-induced switching between two or more species with different optical properties must occur smoothly. Speaking to India Science Wire, leader of the team Prof. J. N. Moorthy said, “Photo-responsive MONs can find applications in ophthalmic industry. As photo-chromes distributed in polymeric 2D nanosheets can be impregnated in rigid polymeric matrices, leaching of photo-chromes can be overcome, besides providing practical simplicity in terms of fabrication. The concept can also be exploited for photo-controlled sieving of organic molecules.” Commenting on the work, Prof. Rahul Banerjee from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Kolkata, who was not involved in this study, said, “this is an interesting finding in which researchers could show that exfoliation of layered porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) using a top-down approach can help produce 2D metal-organic nanosheets (MONs). This type of crystal engineering approach is quite novel and could bring in novel and new applications in the field of MOFs.” Prof. Gautam R. Desiraju, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, who too was not involved in the study, said, “MOFs as a field is getting saturated and plateauing out. It may require a new vision over the next five to ten years. This subject is not associated with organic chemistry alone. Multi-disciplinary study of MOFs may move in advantageous directions in the future. Chemistry is looking for new paradigms, where the essence of the old is clubbed with a whole new superstructure, combining vertical and horizontal ways of thinking.” The study has been published in the latest issue of journal CHEM. Besides Prof. Moorthy, the research team included Arindam Mukhopadhyay, Vijay Kumar Maka, and Govardhan Savitha. The study was funded by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST)[BusinessLine].
50].UNICEF launches data visualisation app
NEW DELHI, MAY 24 The UNICEF today launched a ‘data visualisation app’ which provides a user-friendly visual representation of complex analytics of the education scenario in the country. The app has been made with technical inputs from the UNICEF, in collaboration with the National Institute of Education Planning and Administration (NIEPA) and the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT). It uses the UDISE (Unified District Information System for Education), the NAS (National Assessment survey) and demographic data and can be used as a visual tool by policy makers, senior government officials, academia, and researchers to address gaps and monitor programmes in the field of education. “Since the enactment of the Right to Education Act, much progress has been made in areas of systemic readiness, improved access and enrolment of children, providing infrastructure, especially sanitation facilities in schools, recruitment of teachers and training of untrained teachers. “Children are indeed performing reasonably well in the early classes.There is still a need to do more for translating these results for higher classes and assuring that the requisite skills are built for smooth transition to livelihood,” said Yasmin Ali Haque, UNICEF Representative in India. Anil Swarup, Secretary, HRD Ministry, who was also present at the launch emphasised on the need for digitisation in education. UNICEF India in partnership with HRD Ministry today organised a ‘Shiksha Mela — Education Open Day’ to demonstrate case stories showcasing holistic and equitable quality education achieved through convergent programming across 17 Indian states.
49].The programme #SummerWithGoogle is being launched in India for first time
NEW DELHI, MAY 28 Tech giant Google has launched a new educational programme for children and parents for the summer vacations. As part of its ‘#SummerWithGoogle’, the company will offer a variety of activities to keep teenagers (13-18 years) engaged throughout their summer vacations, Google India Director (Trust and Safety) Sunita Mohanty said. Google will release one assignment every week for four weeks, which will include use of various Google products like Google Earth, Google Translate and Google Arts and Culture, she added. The last assignment will entail development of an app to share their summer experience.“After four weeks, 100 children will be chosen along with an accompanying parent to visit our campus in either Delhi or Hyderabad to attend an interactive workshop,” Mohanty said. She explained that each assignment will also teach these youngsters “how to be Internet Smart, Internet Alert, Internet Strong, Internet Kind and Internet Brave.” Mohanty said parents are also encouraged to be a part of the programme that is being launched for the first time in India.
48].US Board to help Indian varsities process admission.
Varsity admissions made easy for Indian students
NEW DELHI, MAY 23 The US’ College Board, which administers SAT, has announced the launch of India Global Higher Education Alliance, which is expected to simplify the entrance and admission process in the higher education system. Universities participating in the Alliance will use SAT as an entrance exam. This will enable Indian students to just appear for one exam instead of taking separate entrance tests, according to Lindu Liu, Vice-President — International at the College Board. Ahmedabad University, Ashoka University, Azim Premji University, BML Munjal University, Flame University, Manav Rachna University, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, NMIMS, Bennet University are the Indian members of the Alliance. The Alliance is looking to bring innovative approaches to admission and enrolment. Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, McGill, Pomona College, Purdue University, University of Cambridge, and University of Hong Kong are affiliate members. Affiliate members have tackled the challenge of attracting diverse groups of students from their home countries, as well as increasing global recruitment. “While the College Board has delivered the SAT and Advanced Payment in India for decades, the time is right for us to work closely with innovative universities in India to provide more access to under-served populations, rethink admissions in an Indian context, and ensure India’s leading universities continue to shine on the word stage,” said Lindu Liu. The Board has also announced India Scholars Programme, under which high achieving, low income students in India will be eligible to take the SAT at reduced costs and obtain full scholarships to India Global Alliance member universities that are co-funded by the College Board and Indian Alliance members.[BusinessLine]
47].
E-commerce giant Amazon supports 100 research students at IIIT-H
HYDERABAD, MAY 28 Global e-commerce major Amazon is offering a flexible financial support to research students and also a few faculty at the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT-Hyderabad). “About 100 students are supported fully or partially under the programme. The firm gives us the flexibility on how to utilise the proceeds,” PJ Narayanan, Director of IIIT (Hyderabad), told BusinessLine. Started about 18 months ago, the support doesn’t put any conditions or mandate research areas. “Though the State government catalysed the establishment of the institute, we don’t get any public funds. We support ourselves. Funding support like this would help in bringing down cost of education in the long run,” he said. Besides supporting a Chair and 100 students, the firm also provides assistance to research students submitting and taking part in international seminars. The Research Student Support Programme is aimed at supporting Masters and Doctoral research students in their chosen area of study. “Depending on the amount of outlay, the contribution would be used toward the expenses paid out of the designated fund. These can include tuition fee, full stipend to research students, travel grant for conferences, domestic and or international,” an Amazon spokesperson said. “This grant contributed towards research groups to publish approximately 30 papers in 14 major international conferences and journals,” the spokesperson said. The institute currently houses to over 114 PhD, 250 MS by Research and 1,550 MTech or BTech students.[BusinessLine]
46].Novel artificial intelligence system may help robots complete household chores.
BOSTON: Scientists are developing an artificial intelligence system that can get virtual agents to complete simple household chores in a simulated environment, paving the way for future robots to learn such tasks. The team from University of Toronto in Canada and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US trained the system called VirtualHome using nearly 3,000 programmes of various activities, which are further broken down into subtasks for the computer to understand A simple task like "making coffee," for example, would also include the step "grabbing a cup." The researchers demonstrated VirtualHome in a 3D world inspired by Sims - a life-simulation video game. The team's AI agent can execute 1,000 of these interactions in the Sims-style world, with eight different scenes including a living room, kitchen, dining room, bedroom, and home office.
"Describing actions as computer programmes has the advantage of providing clear and unambiguous descriptions of all the steps needed to complete a task," said Xavier Puig, a PhD student at MIT. "These programmes can instruct a robot or a virtual character, and can also be used as a representation for complex tasks with simpler actions," said Puig.
Unlike humans, robots need more explicit instructions to complete easy tasks - they can not just infer and reason with ease. For example, one might tell a human to "switch on the TV and watch it from the sofa." Here, actions like "grab the remote control" and "sit/lie on sofa" have been omitted, since they're part of the commonsense knowledge that humans have. To better demonstrate these kinds of tasks to robots, the descriptions for actions needed to be much more detailed. To be much more detailed. To do so, the team first collected verbal descriptions of household activities, and then translated them into simple code. A programme like this might include steps like: walk to the television, switch on the television, walk to the sofa, sit on the sofa, and watch television. Once the programmes were created, the team fed them to the VirtualHome 3D simulator to be turned into videos. Then, a virtual agent would execute the tasks defined by the programs,, whether it was watching television, placing a pot on the stove, or turning a toaster on and off. The end result is not just a system for training robots to do chores, but also a large database of household tasks described using natural language.
Companies like Amazon that are working to develop Alexa-like robotic systems at home could eventually use data like this to train their models to do more complex tasks. Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64381870.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
47].New element with magnetic properties discovered.
Scientists have discovered that the chemical element ruthenium (Ru) is the fourth element to have unique magnetic properties at room temperature. The discovery, led by researchers at the University of Minnesota in the US, could be used to improve sensors, devices in the computer memory and logic industry, or other devices using magnetic materials. The use of ferromagnetism, or the basic mechanism by which certain materials (such as iron) form permanent magnetsNSE 0.00 % or are attracted to magnets, reaches back as far as ancient times when lodestone was used for navigation.
Since then only three elements on the periodic table have been found to be ferromagnetic at room temperature - iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and nickel (Ni). The rare earth element gadolinium (Gd) nearly misses by only 8 degrees Celsius. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, opens the door to fundamental studies of this new ferromagnetic Ru. Magnetic materials are very important in industry and modern technology and have been used for fundamental studies and and in many everyday applications such as sensors, electric motors, generators, hard disk media, and most recently spintronic memories.
As thin film growth has improved over the past few decades, so has the ability to control the structure of crystal lattices - or even force structures that are impossible in nature. Researchers showed that Ru can be the fourth single element ferromagnetic material by using ultra-thin films to force the ferromagnetic phase. "We are excited and grateful to be the first group to experimentally demonstrate and add the fourth ferromagnetic element at room temperature to to the periodic table," said Jian-Ping Wang, a professor at University of Minnesota. "This is an exciting but hard problem. It took us about two years to find a right way to grow this material and validate it. This work will trigger magnetic research community to look into fundamental aspects of magnetism for many well-known elements," Wang added. "The ability to manipulate and characterize matter at the atomic scale is the cornerstone of modern information technology," said Paul Voyles, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Magnetic recording is still the dominant player in data storage technology, but magnetic based random-access memory and computing is beginning to take its place. These magnetic memories and logic devices put additional constraints on the magnetic materials, where data is stored and computed, compared to traditional hard disk media magnetic materials.
This push for novel materials has led to renewed interest in attempts to realise predictions which show that under the right conditions, non-ferromagnetic materials, such as Ru, palladium (Pd) and osmium (Os) can become ferromagnetic. Building upon the established theoretical predictions, researchers used seed layer engineering to force the tetragonal phase of Ru, which prefers to have a hexagonal configuration, and observed the first instance of ferromagnetism in a single element at room temperature. From an application perspective, Ru is interesting because it is resistant to oxidation, and additional theoretical predictions claim it has a high thermal stability - a vital requirement for scaling magnetic memories. Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64340887.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
26-5-2018
45]. Amazon India valued at $16 Billion Dollars
India has emerged as the most-valuable emerging market retail segment, which is altogether valued at $44 billion in the report seen by ET.
44].Uber to Reinvest Profits in Tech, Products & EMs'
Uber will reinvest profits in its products and technology,emerging markets such as India and to scale up its Uber Eats and JUMP businesses globally.The CEO said the companies core business has continued to perform very welland no.of trips on the platform grew 43%,while bookings grew 55% to$11.3 Billion compared to last year. Uber's net grew 67% to $2.5 billion.,while it cut losses to half compared to a year ago.[ET].
43]. IT Firms count Bots Deployed with Clients to Show Productivity
Indian IT firms are now deploying Bots at clients to pass on benefits of efficiency and improved productivity.
Bots can be described as software that acts autonomously and independently to perform the task,which can be performed by Human.Over the last few years,IT firms are resorting bots for performing no.of internal and external functions,reaching a stage where companies are now starting to report on number of bots they have deployed.
Bots Deployed ==Mindtree==335; WIPRO==2900; Tech Mahindra==10,000 across ecosystem.[ET]
Date==25-05-2018
42].IT Department sends notices to MNC Consumer Cos.
What's New?
Fresh notices issued under domestic tax provision that disallow multinationals to deduct cost of advertising ,marketing, and sales promotion.
What's the old dispute?
MNC's were taxed on advertising,marketing, and sales promotion expenses if they above industry averages
What this means?
MNC's will see their pre-tax profits jump,resulting in higher taxes.
41].IIT--Kharagpur , Oxford develop technology for water treatment
NEW DELHI: Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur and University of Oxford have developed a low-cost technology to treat water contaminated with arsenic.
In this new method, water is chemically treated by activating naturally available "laterite" that acts as an adsorbent to filter arsenic. The department of science & technology as well as the West Bengal public health engineering department and West Bengal arsenic task force have already accepted the technology.
Arsenic contamination of ground water is a major health hazard and West Bengal is one of the Indian states affected by this problem.“ The low cost of the filter makes it ideal for the socio-economic conditions of our country. Filtered water can be produced at just 2 paise per litre,” said Sirshendu De, a professor at the department of chemical engineering, IIT-Kharagpur.
The collaborative research with University of Oxford includes efficient design of large-scale filters based on strong and efficient design of large-scale filters based on strong foundation of modelling from first principles. The Oxford team worked on the mathematical modelling techniques to predict the extent of arsenic contamination through the filtration bed and performance of the adsorption medium.
By combining mathematics with experiments and field data, the team helped predict how the filter performs in large scale, enabling the commercial deployment of these new heavy-metal filtration technologies.“The unique advantage is that the applicability of the model is not only limited to the arsenic filter but can also be extended to any adsorption-based separation process,” said Raka Mukherjee Mondal of the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford.
Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64267236.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
40].3D Printed ,driverless boats developed
BOSTON: MIT scientists have designed a fleet of 3D-printed, driverless boats that could ferry goods and people, helping clear up road congestion in waterway-rich cities such as Amsterdam, Bangkok and Venice - where canals run alongside and under bustling streets and bridges.
The autonomous boats offer high maneuverability and precise control. They can be built using low-cost printer, making mass manufacturing more feasible.
The boats could also be equipped with environmental sensors to monitor a city's waters and gain insight into urban and human health.
To make the boats, the researchers 3-D-printed a rectangular hull with a commercial printer, producing 16 separate sections that were spliced together. Printing took around 60 hours. The completed hull was then sealed by adhering several layers of fibreglass.
Integrated onto the hull are a power supply, Wi-Fi antenna, GPS, and a minicomputer and and microcontroller. For precise positioning, the researchers incorporated an indoor ultrasound beacon system and outdoor real-time kinematic GPS modules, which allow for centimeter-level localisation, as well as an inertial measurement unit (IMU) module that monitors the boat's yaw and angular velocity, among other metrics.
The boat is a rectangular shape, instead of the traditional kayak or catamaran shapes, to allow the vessel to move sideways and to attach itself to other boats when the vessel to move sideways and to attach itself to other boats when assembling other structures.
Researchers used an efficient predictive-control platform to run their algorithm, which can rapidly determine upcoming actions and increases the algorithm's speed by two orders of magnitude over similar systems. While other algorithms execute in about 100 milliseconds, the researchers' algorithm takes less than one millisecond.
The innovations in design and fabrication, as well as faster and more precise control algorithms, point toward feasible driverless boats used for transportation, docking, and self-assembling into platforms, researchers said.
//economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64300967.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
Date==24-05-2018
39].NIT-Tiruchi inks MoU with Tata Motors for innovative education programme.
COIMBATORE, MAY 17 National Institute of Technology (NIT), Trichy has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tata Motors Ltd. for introduction of innovative programmes in education and research. The initiative, which aims to bridge the gap between academia and developing an industry-ready talent pool, is said to be the first step towards a long journey of technological collaboration between the parties to the agreement.
The MoU, according to a release issued here today, envisages joint R&D projects over a period of five years for development of new technologies in various engineering domains.
Hands-on experience
Mini Shaji Thomas, Director, NIT, voiced his excitement about partnering with Tata Motors to collaborate in engineering technology for mobility. “This partnership would enable NIT students get hands-on experience in the current projects of Tata Motors. Besides students, NIT faculty would also benefit as it would help them understand the latest practices in the automobile industry and help hone the skill of students in accordance with the evolving requirements of the industry”
Gajendra Chandel, Chief Human Resources Officer, Tata Motors observed that the automotive industry in India is evolving continuously with rapid shift towards emerging technologies such as digital, big data, AI, AR, VR etc. which means taking connected vehicles, electric vehicles and driver-less vehicles from just concept ideas to mainstream reality.
“In conjunction with the changing market dynamics, we understand the need to articulate a clear roadmap for incubating a talented, competent, and innovative workforce. Through this MoU, we intend to have a multi-dimensional partnership with NIT-Trichy, which will help us bolster our competitive edge and develop next-gen engineering skills, not only within the company but also that of our academic partners with proficient faculty, in line with our vision and mission to create a future-ready organization.”
“This partnership will help bridge the gap between academic excellence and business requirements, to create an industry-ready workforce,”he added.
Published on May 17, 2018COIMBATORE, MAY 17[Business Line].
38].Manupatra to offer Law course in Tamil,
CHENNAI, MAY 22 Manupatra Edutech Pvt Ltd, which provides legal information, search, and analytics, has launched its e-learning platform (www.lawskills.in) in Tamil to reach students and professionals in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
Deepak Kapoor, Director of the Noida-based Manupatra Information Solutions, said the company is targeting three segments by launching its course in multiple languages. The first is fresh law graduates, who want to learn specialised courses such as sports law that is not taught in regular colleges.
The second is professionals like engineers who do not know about law, but need it to work on contacts and issues like arbitration. The third is law students who don’t have good faculty and infrastructure, Kapoor told newspersons.
Priyanka, Director, Manupatra, said the online platform has been approved by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion as a start-up. Besides English and Tamil, it is now available in Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Urdu, Hindi and Bengali.[Business Line]
Subscribers can learn both legal subjects and professional and soft-skills through this platform. The courses are also available in audio format in regional languages, she said..
37].Bengaluru-based social learning platform Knudge.me has raised funds from Indian Angel Network (IAN).
Knudge.me aims to create a global edutainment platform. . The platform was a part of Axilor’s Summer ’17 Accelerator batch. IAN did not disclose the details of the funding.
The start-up was founded by Zunaid Ahmed, Udit Jain and Pushp Raj Saurabh in 2017. Its Android app has more than two million followers across the world. It is now available in iOS as well. The start-up is working on a plug-and-play gamification model, which will allow users to create, share, and play games on any topic they are interested in.
Zunaid Ahmed, co-founder and CEO, said in a press statement that the phenomenon of game-based learning can be applied to a variety of contexts.[Business Line]
36]SeaBubbles a startup in France build a water taxi called "Bubbles"" based on electric and tried the same in river Siene.[Economic Times].
35].New Technique to detect Chiken gunia virus==Indian scientists have developed a biosensor technique which can be potentially help in detecting Chikungunya virus.
According to the scientists, the technique can be used to develop a point of care device for rapid identification of the dreaded disease.
This technique is based on molybdenum disulphide nanosheets. The researchers synthesized the nanosheets by chemical route and characterized them by using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction. Molybdenum disulphide nanosheets were then subjected to physical adsorption onto the screen printed gold electrodes and then employed for the detection of chikungunya virus DNA using electrochemical voltammetric techniques.
This study has been jointly carried out by researchers of Amity University, Noida, Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi and Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak.[Business Line].
34]. Two sports car sized satellites in orbit to measure water on Earth. A SpaceX rocket today blasted off a duo of sports car-sized satellites built by the US and Germany to reveal changes in sea level rise, ice melt and drought on Earth. (Business Line]
33].Deuste Bank to sack 7000 employees globally.[Economic Times]
32].Can develop vaccine to fight Nipah if government asks for it, says Serum Institute.[Economic Times]
31].TRAI tells Telco's to give their plans online from June30,2018.[Economic Times]
Date=21-05-2018
30].Find arms that will will hold you during weakest times, eyes that will see your beauty at ugliest times,and a heart that will love you at your worst.
Date=20-05-2018
29].Wood says his base case remains that Narendra Modi and the BJP will win again, albeit probably with a reduced majority. Rising oil prices a key threat to Indian equities, says CLSA's Chris Wood.The main risk to investors in Indian equities, from a US dollar return perspective remains the rising oil price, writes Christopher Wood, managing director, equity strategist at CLSA in his weekly note GREED & fear. Prices for global benchmark Brent crude shot above $80 a barrel Thursday, as Washington’s decision to reinstate sanctions on Iran extended a rally that has pushed the market to their highest level since 2014. In the past one year alone, Brent oil price has flared over 56 per cent, data shows. [Business Standard].
28].Google launches new tools to improve finding Indian addresses on Google Maps=By Surabhi Agarwal, ET Bureau|In line with its efforts to fix the rough edges around Google Maps and improve the user experience around navigation, technology giant Google has launched new tools to add and discover Indian addresses on Google Maps along with adding voice navigation in six additional Indian languages. Google has introduced Plus Codes, which are six character + City codes for locations. The codes can be generated, shared and searched by anyone by entering into the search field on Google or Google Maps.Suren Ruhela, director, Google Maps Next Billion Users said that the Codes which can possibly replace people keying in long addresses while shopping on ecommerce sites or ordering on food delivery sites and the company will explore such partnerships in the future. “It all depends on how people use it,” he told ET. Ruhela said that for now Google is engaged in discussions with the ministry of urban development on using the Plus Codes for locating toilets. The company has also introduced ‘Add an Address’ – to enable users to address specific locations similar to how businesses add their locations. Google will make sure the address is searchable in due course after verification. It has also introduced smart address search to make unique Indian addresses searchable. “At Google Maps, our objective has always been about organizing all location-related information, and making it more accessible and relevant for Indian users,” said Ruhela adding that in India it can be challenging to reach a given residential address the format can be unique across regions and localities. The company has also added voice navigation in six additional Indian languages including Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam. Krish Vitaldevara, Product Lead, Google Maps Next Billion Users said, “We are just getting started as we continue to build features and expand our partnerships to make the Google Maps experience more comprehensive, accurate, and reliable for our users”.
Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/63288052.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
27].Amazon and Google accounted for 70 per cent share of the global smart speaker shipments in the first quarter of 2018, with Apple selling 600,000 HomePods in the period, a new report said on Friday. According to market research firm Strategy Analytics, global smart speaker shipments reached 9.2 million units in the first quarter. With 43.6 per cent market share, Amazon shipped an impressive four million smart speakers during the quarter though its global market share nearly halved from the same period in 2017. Google (26.5 per cent market share with 2.4 million sales) and Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba (7.6 per cent market share) consolidated their number two and three rankings, while Apple with six per cent share became the fourth largest smart speaker brand worldwide. "Amazon and Google accounted for a dominant 70 per cent share of global smart speaker shipments in Q1 2018 although their combined share has fallen from 84 per cent in Q4 2017 and 94 per cent in the year ago quarter," said David Watkins, Director at Strategy Analytics.Alibaba and Xiaomi are leading the way in China and their strength in the domestic market alone is proving enough to propel them into the global top five," he added. Today's smart speakers are by no means the finished article but they have captured the consumer imagination.
Read more at://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64216273.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
26].Tata Group acquired controlling stake of 72.65% in the debt-ridden Bhushan Steel for around Rs 36,000 crore that will help in cleansing the banking system as well as boost the economy.
25].MTNL investing Rs 190 crore to upgrade services; may be allocated 4G spectrum: Manoj Sinha
Date=19-05-2018
24].Mr.Chandramoulii of TR Reseach has rightly spoken about customer behavior with respect to e-commerce websites based buying. The Well known e-commerce website portals like Amazon,Alibaba,Uber,Ola and OYO are facing similar problems of customer experiences and how to retain such customers. He also commented on Walmart and Flipkart deal. And said that It will have benefit of low cost 1800 SKU's of Walmart.It will gain also from expertise of Walmart to reach customer in remote places.And shear partnership with Financial strength will help and gain dominance in Indian market place.[Business Line,Kolkata]
23]. Institute of Chartered accountants have suggested a standard for Financial instruments in AS109. [Business Line,Kolkata].
22]. Tim Lee Barnes the inventor of Internet commented on data privacy that ISP have no business of traffic whereabouts. And he advocated to have proper legislation about data protection. (Business Line,Kolkata]
21].NASA have studied the Fresh water sources and commented on fresh water availability on Earth with many satellites help to suggest that India and California as most affected areas.And the situation may get worse. Groundwater extraction for irrigation of crops caused a rapid decline in available water WASHINGTON, MAY 18 India is among the hotspots where overuse of water resources has caused a serious decline in the availability of freshwater, according to a first-of-its-kind study using an array of NASA satellite observations of Earth. Scientists led by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in the US used data on human activities to map locations where freshwater is changing around the globe and why. The study, published in the journal Nature, found that Earth’s wet land areas are getting wetter and dry areas are getting drier due to a variety of factors, including human water management, climate change and natural cycles. Areas in northern and eastern India, the Middle East, California and Australia are among the hotspots where overuse of water resources has caused a serious decline in the availability of freshwater that is already causing problems, The Guardian reported. In northern India, groundwater extraction for irrigation of crops such as wheat and rice have caused a rapid decline in available water, despite rainfall being normal throughout the period studied, the report said. “The fact that extractions already exceed recharge during normal precipitation does not bode well for the availability of groundwater during future droughts, researchers said. The team used 14 years of observations from the US/German-led Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) spacecraft mission to track global trends in freshwater in 34 regions around the world. “This is the first time that we have used observations from multiple satellites in a thorough assessment of how freshwater availability is changing everywhere on Earth,” said Matt Rodell of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. On land, freshwater is one of the most essential of Earth’s resources, for drinking water and agriculture. While some regions’ water supplies are relatively stable, others experienced increases or decreases. “What we are witnessing is major hydrologic change,” said Jay Famiglietti of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). “We see a distinctive pattern of the wet land areas of the world getting wetter - those are the high latitudes and the tropics - and the dry areas in between getting dryer. Embedded within the dry areas we see multiple hotspots resulting from groundwater depletion,” said Famiglietti. He noted that while water loss in some regions, like the melting ice sheets and alpine glaciers, is clearly driven by warming climate, it will require more time and data to determine the driving forces behind other patterns of freshwater change. Published on May 18, 2018 [Business Line,Kolkata].
20].Google pitches artificial intelligence to help unplug Google’s AI-powered Voice Assistant is the 24/7 butler you didn't know you need
Google says AI will change the world; Assistant to reinforce politeness, good manners
Google's human-sounding AI Duplex to identify itself after people call it 'horrifying'
Google launches AI-powered emoji scavenger hunt game that you can play on your phone
Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64186598.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
Date:=18/05/2018
19]. TRAI has given consent to use eSIM .Allowing users to make use of 2 SIM's. The only condition is that KYC should be done strictly.And only receiving and sending messages is allowed with second SIM. And First SIM to be used for calling only.This will enable customer to switch over to any service provider without waiting.[Economic Times]
18].Google employees (4000 in number) have refused to work on Pentagon sponsored Project for Military use of Drone.The fear expressed was misuse of Drone hacking by changes in A.I.for uncontrollable,unexpected and unwarranted disasters [WION TV News].
SAN FRANCISCO: An internal petition calling for Google to stay out of "the business of war" was gaining support Tuesday, with some workers reportedly quitting to protest a collaboration with the US military. About 4,000 Google employees were said to have signed a petition that began circulating about three months ago urging the internet giant to refrain from using artificial intelligence to make US military drones better at recognizing what they are monitoring. Tech news website Gizmodo reported this week that about a dozen Google employees are quitting in an ethical stand. The California-based company did not immediately respond to inquiries about what was referred to as Project Maven, which reportedly uses machine learning and engineering talent to distinguish people and objects in drone videos for the Defense Department."We believe that Google should not be in the business of war," the petition reads, according to copies posted online. Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64186598.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
17]. ADO Muktadhara in collaboration with Indian Institute of Science Education Research Association (IISERA)have devised a sensor and Removal of Arsenic from Water. This is useful for West Bengal ; as 8 districts of around 2 million population are affected by Arsenic mixed water.[Business Line]
Date:==17-05-2018
16]. Carnegie Mellon University launches Bachelor Degree in A.I. https://insights.dice.com/2018/05/16/carnegie-mellon-ba-degree-artificial-intelligence/
15].Shortage of AI Skilled People.[https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/artificial-intelligence-facing-large-skills-shortage-microsoft/articleshow/64150481.cms]
14].In his 2018 annual letter, Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos repeated his rule that PowerPoint is banned in executive meetings. What Bezos replaces it with provides even more valuable insight for entrepreneurs and leaders.
In his letter, and in a recent discussion at the Forum on Leadership at the Bush Center, Bezos revealed that "narrative structure" is more effective than PowerPoint. According to Bezos, new executives are in for a culture shock in their first Amazon meetings. Instead of reading bullet points on a PowerPoint slide, everyone sits silently for about 30 minutes to read a "six-page memo that's narratively structured with real sentences, topic sentences, verbs and nouns." After everyone's done reading, they discuss the topic. "It's so much better than the typical PowerPoint presentation for so many reasons," Bezos added. [MTC Group]
13]. Blockchain technology may rock the movies. Jonn Peters (Australian Founder of GazeCoin)firmly believes that.It will become cinemas biggest disrupter in decades to come. They want to break up an opaque financing monopoly controlled by handful of big studio's,while tackling film piracy.[Business Line,Kolkata]
12].The CLRI ,Chennai has come with Water less Chrome Tanning Technology.(WCLT). About 60 tanneries have adopted to this technology out of 1500 Tanneries. The interest is created in countries like Ethiopia, Sri Lanka,Vietnam, South Africa, New Zealand,Netherlands, Brazil. There is resistance to change from traditional tanneries. The saving potential is huge. One company saves around 25 lakh Rs.annually.(Bharat Enterprises in Ranipet)
Out of 18 billion sq.ft.of Leather made every year,almost 16 billion sq.ft. is made with Chromium.
India produces about 2 Billion sq.ft.of leather and tanneries discharge around 20,000 tonnes of chromium. Which is most dangerous pollutant.The sludge released with chromium forms a layer that prevents percolation of water on soil.The WCIT completely eliminates chromium bearing water discharge.
Annually around 70,000 tonnes of Chromium Sulfate is used. Out of which average absorption of Chromium is around 65% ,leaving 25,000 Tonnes of Chromium remains absorbed and gets discharged and remains in waste water.(Business Line,Kolkata)
11].Closed Mindset======== Open mindset
talking=====listeningargumentative=====empathetic
taking=====giving
arrogant=====humble
defensive=====collaborative
blaming======educative
rigid=====adaptive
Date=16-05-2018
10].A sustainable perspective
DR. Suryanil Ghosh
The focus of new start-ups is on technology innovation is setting in. Getting away from shallow web based aggregation portals is indicative of that.
Student entrepreneurs are not taking challenges to deep dive and create real enterprises.
It is still a part of their college project.
Intrinsically gifted entrepreneurs figure out how to scale business,if this number has to increase then sustainable ecosystem is must.
Need of Serious entrepreneurs mentors who really make difference are required.[Economic Times]
Business Line
Date:15-05-2018
9].Doraiswamy of IdeaSpring suggested they will prefer to invest in product innovation company as compared to Business Innovation company. The target amount of Rs.125 crores is earmarked for investing yearly at least 5-6 start-ups with next round in about 2 years time. Mr. Mohandas Pai is major investor. IdeaSpring is Venture Capitalist Company with two more people joining IdeaSpring.
Date ==14/05/2018
8]. TEDXs like sessions held in School in NewTown,Kolkata to emphasize the reading habit and connection between mathematics and nature. (Telegraph,Kolkata)
Feliciting Mom's on Mother's day carried by State Govt.for 'Autism Mom's".
Please take a look at Youtube.com/inspiretomake.
7].Corporate Rules for Happy Working
1. Trust but do not Take Everything for Granted Easily.
2. Keep a Fair Separation between Home and Office.
3. Be Punctual – Both in Arriving and in Leaving.
4. Keep Your Professional Relations Strictly Professional.
5. Do not Enter the Workspace with Expectation from Co-workers.
6. Do not Judge Yourself by How Quickly You Get Promoted
7. Do not Magnify the Importance of Office in Your Life.
8. Do not let Office Matters Affect Your Self Esteem.
9. Stop Paying too Much Attention to How People Treat You.
10. Know in Your Mind that none of it Matters in the End.
6]. 5 Simple Rules for Happy Life.
Don't Ever Give Up.==Never Back Down.
Don't Be Too Emotional.==Have Faith.
Don't Make Things Complicated.==Keep it Simple.
Don't be a Grown Up.==Stay As youthful as You Can.
Don't take things too seriously==Laugh at Problems.
Date:=13/05/2018
5].A German Radoslav Albrechit started BitBond (Like a Bank) exchanging Bitcoins and cryptocurrencies without the use of SWIFT for transfer all over the World. (The Telegraph,Kolkata)
Date:=12/05/2018
4].IIT delhi have tested Fuel Quantifier on various petrol pumps and are in process of creating a company under "Make In India" program.(Aaj Tak News;12/5/2018)
3].McKinsey has published data on Engineering colleges. Almost 50% institutions are not operational. There are many reasons cited for this.
The Employability of Mechanical Engineering has gone down from 25% to 20%. Mechanical Engineers have not reached expectations of programming required for Machines as per Industry standards.
Faculty upgrading is also another reason cited. AICTE has arranged training for Faculty at many centers across country.
The main reason cited was most of prominent companies have laid off engineers . For Example Infosys have laid down about 56000 employees last year. Overall almost 100000 jobs of Mechanical Engineers have lost in 2 years.(Business Line; 12/05/2018)
-
Date=11/05/2018
2]. Faculty members to look for new things happening from Newspaper or any research journal. like today in ET there is a news about modifying behavior of Alexa and Siri (AI Based Robots)in taking order; based on audio waves mixed in other sounds so that anyone can access the data in mobile.( Principles of audio amplifiers)
Also one app is created Nik.ai for lowly literate people to order and get products (ticket, consumer product) offline (no need of internet.)
1].Faculty to look for D.I.Y. and its potential application.(electronics dept.Faculty) and how Kids with no formal education from India have produced 3D products, and sensor based electricity generating product (from Footfalls at Mall)
-11/05/2018
Unity Day
No matter how many times the teeth bite the tongue, they still stay together in one mouth. That's the spirit of FORGIVENESS. Even though the eyes don't see each other, they see things together, blink simultaneously and cry together. That's UNITY." May the Lord grant us all the spirit of forgiveness and togetherness Have a united day.
9-8-2018
Plagiarism: Teachers to lose jobs, students their registrations,say HRD Dept. norms
NEW DELHI: Student researchers found guilty of plagiarism registration and teachers could lose their jobs as the HRD ministries approved new regulations on plagiarism drafted by the Universities Grants Commission. The ministry had notified the UGC (Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2018 this week.
According to a gazette notification, plagiarism of up to 10 per cent would not result in any penalty for students. Those with plagiarism between 10 per cent and 40 per cent in their research papers would have to submit a revised research paper within six months. If the similarities are between 40 per cent and 60 per cent, students will be debarred from submitting a revised paper for one year. A student researcher's registration for a programme will be nullified if more than 60 per cent of the research paper is plagiarised.
Teachers will be asked to withdraw their manuscripts if their academic and research papers are 10 per cent to 40 per cent similar to other papers, the notification said. In case the similarities range between 40 per cent and 60 per cent, they will not be allowed to supervise new masters, MPhil, PhD students for two years and will also be denied the right to one annual increment, it added. The teachers will be liable to suspension and even dismissal in case of repeat plagiarism of over 60 per cent similarity.
The University Grants Commission had approved the regulations prescribing graded punishment for plagiarism during its meeting in March earlier this year.
The new regulations prescribe that members of the academic community shall approach the Departmental Academic Integrity Panel (DAIP) if they suspect with appropriate proof that a case of plagiarism has happened in any document.
"Upon receipt of such a complaint or allegation the DAIP shall investigate the matter and submit its recommendations to the Institutional Academic Integrity Panel (IAIP) of the Higher Education Institutions (HEI). The authorities of HEI can also take suo motu notice of an act of plagiarism and initiate proceedings under these regulations. Similarly, proceedings can also be initiated by the HEI on the basis of findings of an examiner. All such cases will be investigated by the IAIP," the regulations read.
Parliament was yesterday informed by the government that the UGC found three cases of plagiarism in writing PhD thesis, including two involving vice chancellors of different universities.
(With PTI inputs)
163].Exide Industries opens new plant in Bengal factory; to invest Rs 500 cr
Asked about the impact of demonetisation, company MD and CEO G. Chatterjee said: "In motorcycles, we have seen the sales of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) have dipped by 30 percent in December. Since there is one to one correlation, our sales also down by same in the segment in the month of December.
HALDIA, WEST BENGAL: Battery maker Exide Industries on Monday said that its sales in the replacement market have not impacted due to demonetisation, but its two-wheeler OEM battery sales have dipped 30 percent in December.
Asked about the impact of demonetisation, company MD and CEO G. Chatterjee said: "In motorcycles, we have seen the sales of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) have dipped by 30 percent in December. Since there is one to one correlation, our sales also down by same in the segment in the month of December.
"We have not felt any impact in the sales for replacement market," he said.
Inaugurating the new plant at the company's factory here, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assured the battery maker for providing 25 acres of land from Haldia Development Authority( HDA).
"After getting the land from HDA, we will set up a smelting plant there with an investment of Rs 120 crore," Chatterjee said. Built in technical collaboration with East Penn Manufacturing Company of the US and at a capital investment of Rs 700 crore, the new plant will use "punched grid technology" to manufacture the technically advanced lead acid storage batteries in the country. "With the implementation of new technology, we will manufacture batteries for car. We will invest additional Rs 300 crore in a period of 18 months starting from next April to manufacture batteries for motorcycles," he said. The new range of batteries will not only be a lot more robust, being manufactured in a modern plant with advanced robotics and automation, the manufacturing process will also eliminate human errors to a large extent, said Chatterjee. Established in 1981, the Haldia factory which contributes 30 per cent of company's business produces both automotive as well as industrial batteries in its 41 acres site. For expansion in Haldia factory, the company has been looking for 25 acres of land adjacent to the existing factory. "We are in talks with Kolkata Port Trust for this," Chatterjee added. Currently, Haldia plant's capacity is 2.2 million batteries annually. With the implementation of new technology, the capacity will be 3.5 million from the next fiscal, he said. The battery maker's other manufacturing factories are located in Shyamnagar in West Bengal, Hosur in Tamil Nadu, Chinchwad, Ahmednagar and Taloja in Maharashtra, Bawal in Haryana, Pune, Uttaranchal and Bengaluru.
08-08-2018
162].You will be amazed to know Government is seeking ways to block WhatsApp & Facebook this are the proposed criteria.~"TRAI"
161].European car makers from Renault to Daimler AG to face a fine of $16 Billion for pollution emissions.
Quotes
"A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read." - Mark Twain
"Difficulty is like a bag full of cotton; Heavy for those who see it & light for those who handle it".
"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." - ~ "John F. Kennedy"
1].BE HAPPY, BE YOURSELF! HAPPINESS IS CHOICE.
LIFE ISN’T ABOUT PLEASING EVERYBODY!!
2].GREATEST LESSON OF LIFE IS THAT WE HAVE TO LEARN A LOT.
3]. JUST KEEEP YOUR HEART BEAUTIFUL AND EVERYTHING WILL FALL IN PLACE.
4].A POSITIVE MIND TOWARDS EVERYTHING WILL GIVE YOU A HAPPIER LIFE.
5].PUSH YOURSELF BECAUSE NOBODY IS GOING TO DO IT FOR YOU.
6].THERE IS NO BETTER DESIGNER THAN NATURE.
7].YOU HAVE INFINITE POTENTIAL CHALLENEGE YOURSELF TO SEE WHERE YOU CAN GO.
8].IT IS NOT WHAT YOU HAVE, IT IS WHAT YOU GIVE.
9].Money changes all iron rules into rubber bands.~"Ryzrad Kapuszcinski"
"The Goal is not to change who you are, but to become more of who you are at your best".~"Sally Hogshead"
28-07-2018
Banking Awareness
🎽First bank to introduce internet banking: ICICI bank
🎽First bank to introduce mutual fund: State Bank of India
🎽First bank to introduce credit card in India: Central Bank of India
🎽Which cards are known as plastic money – Credit Cards.
🎽Open market operations are carried out by – RBI
🎽Capital market regulator is – SEBI
🎽Largest Commercial bank in India – State Bank of India
🎽The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is known as – World Bank
🎽India’s First Financial Archive has been set up at – Kolkata
🎽CRR, SLR, Repo Rate, Reverse Repo rates are decided by RBI
🎽Savings banks interest rates, fixed deposit interest rates, Loan Rates etc. are decided by individual banks
🎽The bank which has launched Mobile Bank Accounts in association with Vodafone’s m –paisa – HDFC Bank
🎽Minimum money transfer limit through RTGS: 2 Lakhs
🎽Maximum money transfer limit through RTGS: No Limit
🎽Minimum & Maximum money transfer limit through NEFT: No Limit
🎽NABARD was established in – July, 1982
🎽Largest Public sector bank in India – SBI
🎽Largest Private sector bank in India – ICICI Bank
🎽Largest Foreign bank in India – Standard Chartered Bank
🎽First Indian bank to open branch outside India i.e. London in 1946: Bank of India
🎽First RRB named Prathama Grameen Bank was started by: Syndicate Bank
🎽First Bank to introduce ATM in India: HSBC in1987, Mumbai
🎽Bank of Baroda has the maximum number of overseas branches
🎽SBI holds the second position with maximum number of overseas branches
🎽First bank established in India: Bank of Hindustan in 1770
🎽Second bank: General Bank of India, 1786
🎽Oldest bank in India originated in the Bank of Calcutta in June 1806 which was still in existence – State Bank of India
🎽State Bank of India merged with three banks namely Bank of Bengal, Bank of Bombay and Bank of Madras in 1921 to form the Imperial bank of India which was converted as State Bank of India
🎽First Indian bank got ISO: Canara Bank
🎽First India bank started solely with Indian capital investment is PNB (Punjab National Bank)
🎽Founder of Punjab National Bank is Lala Lajpat Rai
🎽Reserve bank of India (RBI) was instituted in 1935
🎽First governor of RBI: Mr.Osborne Smith
🎽First Indian Governor of RBI: Mr. C D Deshmukh
🎽First bank to introduce savings account in India: Presidency Bank in 1833
🎽First bank to introduce cheque system in India: Bengal Bank in 1833
26-07-2018
160]."Report on data protection framework likely next month"
NEW DELHI, JULY 25 The eagerly-awaited Data Protection Act, which is been in discussion for the last one year, is soon likely to come into a shape.
The high-level committee that is drafting the framework met on Wednesday, which was the last of the meetings before submitting the report to the government. The meeting lasted for more than two hours.
Sources closed to the meeting said the report is expected to be submitted by the first week of August, and update changes in the existing legislations in areas such as Aadhaar, Right to Information (RTI) and health.
The panel headed by Justice BN Srikrishna discussed various aspects, including data localisation, classification of sensitive personal data and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI’s) recent recommendations on data privacy and ownership for telcos, sources said.
While Justice Srikrishna declined to comment, some of the committee members said that “vast issues” were discussed and once the report is submitted to the government, they would put it on public domain for comments.
The committee is headed by Justice Srikrishna, who is a former Supreme Court Judge.
When asked if the India data protection framework will be similar to the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a source told BusinessLine that “India is different from any other country and we have to make our framework.” Having said that the official also said that some of the guidelines could a bit similar to world standards.
The GDPR has also come into effect from May 25.
One of the members also said that TRAI’s recommendations on data ownership, security and privacy, issued last week, also figured in the discussion.
The government had constituted the 10-member committee in July last year to recommend a framework for securing personal data as with the increase in the smartphone users and digitised economy, privacy concerns have also in the rise so that data breaches do not happen.
Published on July 25, 2018
159]."10 things you must know about the Total Lunar Eclipse on July 27"
"1. The Total Lunar eclipse on the intervening night of July 27 and 28 will last about 103 minutes and be the longest for 21st century. The longest total lunar eclipse of the last century happened in its last year on July 16, 2000. It had lasted nearly four minutes longer, at 1 hour and 46.4 minutes.
People in Asia and Africa will get the best views of the eclipse. Those in Europe, South America and Australia will see partial views. It will not be visible in North America and Antarctica.
In India, the eclipse will commence at 22:42:48 on July 27 and end at 05:00:05 on July 28th.
2. The alignment of the centers of Sun, the Earth and the Moon, and the distance of the Moon from Earth at the time of eclipse combine to determine its duration. This time the centers of the three celestial bodies are almost in a straight line, and the Moon will be near its farthest point from Earth. Since the moon will be at its most distant, it will be at its smallest. So, it will take more time to cross the Earth’s shadow, making the eclipse last longer.
3. While the Purāns claimed that eclipses were caused by demons Rāhu and Ketu devouring Sun and Moon occasionally, Āryabhaṭa (476–550 CE) propounded a scientific theory of eclipses. He established that when Earth comes in between Sun and Moon, Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon resulting in lunar eclipse and when the Moon is in between Sun and Earth, Moon’s shadow on Earth causes solar eclipse. Hence, lunar eclipses occur only on a Poornima day when Sun and Moon are on the opposite sides of Earth and solar eclipses occur only on Amavasya day when both are on the same side of Earth.
4. As eclipses are nothing but shadow play, no mysterious rays emanate. It is completely safe to watch a lunar eclipse and no special equipment is needed to see it. However, one should take precautions to watch a solar eclipse because of the brightness of the Sun.
5. Although light from the Sun cannot pass through the solid part of Earth, the thin atmosphere enveloping Earth not only permits light rays to penetrate but also refract the rays towards the Moon.
Most of the blue light from the Sun is filtered out by Earth’s atmosphere making the sky appear blue, and the least scattered red light seeps through the atmosphere and reach the moon and makes the moon look red. This time, as the centers of the Sun, Earth and Moon are nearly aligned in a straight line during the total eclipse phase, only a minimal amount of sun light would seep through the atmosphere and consequently the Moon will appear ‘dark’.
6. Take a one rupee coin and look at the shadow cast by it. We can easily see that the central part of the shadow is dark but towards the edge it is defused. The darker part of the shadow is called Umbra region and the lighter part Penumbra region. Likewise Earth also casts both umbral and penumbral shadows.
For the untrained eye, the entry of Moon into the penumbral shadow region of the Earth at about 10:53 p.m will not be noticeable. However, as more of the Moon’s disc is covered by the penumbral shadow one can witness a steady decrease in brightness.
At about 11:54 pm the Moon will enter the umbral shadow. It would be dramatic to watch darkness slowly and steadily creeping over the face of full moon.
7. On July 27, the night sky will be studded with another red shining object – Mars. On that day Mars is also nearly opposite to Sun and hence very close to Earth. Red Mars and Red Moon will dazzle in the night sky.
8. Around 12:30 midnight totality would commence. For about next one hour the Moon will be completely inside the shadow of the Earth. It would be enchanting to watch the colour of moon change from crimson to brick red to many darker hues of red.
9. Normally the Sun-Earth-Moon are not aligned so perfectly and light escapes through the atmosphere of Earth and makes the Moon glow reddish in colour. However, this time Sun-Earth-Moon are in near perfect straight line that the Moon will be dark. At 1:51:27 a.m. July 28 the Moon will be so dark and dim that it may not be even visible. That will be the peak of the total lunar eclipse. Soon the colour would start returning.
10 In a year there can be as many as seven eclipses and as low as just two. They can occur in the combination of four solar and three lunar or five solar and two lunar. If there were only two, then both of them would be solar eclipses.
Twitter handle: @TVVen
(India Science Wire)
[With inputs from the POEC of Astronomical Society of India]
Published on July 24, 2018
158]."IoE status is a recognition of achievements’
MANGALURU, JULY 25 The ‘Institute of Eminence’ status granted to Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) by the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) is an acknowledgement of the potential of it to become a globally ranked university in future, according to H Vinod Bhat, Vice-Chancellor of MAHE.
Speaking at a programme to celebrate the status given to the university, he said MHRD’s special status to MAHE is also a recognition of all what has been done in the past.
Dedicating the achievement to the founder, late TMA Pai, and the MAHE Chancellor Ramdas M Pai, he said they have overcome tough times and endured to see the university grow into what it is today.
MAHE is planning to open new campuses in Bengaluru, Jamshedpur and Sri Lanka in the next two years, he said.
Sandeep Shenoy, Director (Quality and Compliance) of MAHE, said the MHRD provided the guidelines for all those universities who wished to apply for the status. The university designed and developed the documents as per the requirements of MHRD and submitted a voluminous document which ran close to 26,000 pages.
Published on July 25, 2018
21-07-2018
158].Sustainability Trends in 2018 and the questions you should ask
“I never am really satisfied that I understand anything; because, understand it well as I may, my comprehension can only be an infinitesimal fraction of all I want to understand.”
Ada Lovelace
What will be the sustainability trends in 2018?
What will be the sustainability trends in 2018? The last few years have been, not to understate it, somewhat unpredictable. While in this context it might seem rather difficult to make predictions for 2018, we believe a number of key sustainability trends will continue to influence organisational practice.
Some of these sustainability trends are of course not new. Many of them build upon those we highlighted last year, 2017 – top trends in business sustainability you need to see, representing a continuation of issues and themes that have been building in recent years. However, there is often a lag between the recognition of an issue and that issue being translated into corporate management priorities which might give rise to changes in behaviour.
Below, we provide a brief overview of new and building trends that we think will grow in relevance for business sustainability in the coming year, as well as highlighting some questions to consider when focusing upon the sustainability of your organisation:
Carbon reduction
Plastics & ocean pollution
Global mega trends
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Sustainability Reporting
Taxation
Carbon reduction is stepping up
Despite the US Government exiting the Paris Agreement it looks like many US states and companies are moving forward with plans for action both on carbon emissions reduction but also accelerating renewable energy production.
Alongside this, investors are getting in on the act, increasingly moving away from fossil fuel funding. For instance, at the One Planet Summit on 12th December 2017, the World Bank committed itself (among other things) to cease funding new oil and gas exploration from 2019. It was joined in this declaration by announcements from both the insurance company AXA and the bank ING, that they would be divesting from fossil fuel projects, with a particular focus upon reducing their exposure to coal.
Beyond company undertakings, some countries are also making commitments to reduce fossil fuel dependency. The UK Government made the headlines in 2017 with its decision to ban the sale of diesel and petrol cars from 2040. Some commentators have suggested that this simply allows the UK to appear progressive while essentially delaying a problematic transition for future governments. It could also be said that their commitment provides a clear picture of the need for more sustainable transport over coming decades. In contrast to the UK Government’s rather mixed approach to new fossil fuel discovery (the 2017 UK Autumn Budget also gave tax breaks to new North Sea oil exploration), on 19thDecember 2017 the French Government passed legislation to ban all exploration of oil and natural gas in its territories by 2040. However, while 2040 still feels a long way off, France has also pledged that existing drilling permits will not be renewed when they expire, and no new exploration licenses will be granted, with immediate effect.
Questions to consider
The world is moving to renewables – what is your dependency on non-renewable energy and what are your plans to go fossil free? Do you use diesel and what are your plans to ensure a transition to cleaner fuels or the latest technologies? Read more on the air quality issues with diesel.
Solar and wind generation is becoming cheaper and more reliable, especially when combined with energy storage solutions, how is your company exploring the opportunities to generate your own energy or to contribute towards local or distributed generation capacity?
How exposed is your business model to climate change risks? If you depend upon global supply chains, and especially if you have biological supply chains (food, drink, natural yarns etc.), the countries you source from will be increasingly impacted by water availability, social and demographic shifts and political instability arising from accelerating climate change.
Plastics & ocean pollution
The issue of plastic pollution is gathering pace. BBC’s Blue Planet 2 provided a shocking insight into the sheer scale and extent of how plastics have entered ecosystems even in the most remote parts of the world. Plastics are entering food chains, with birds and animals mistaking plastic for food and it being found in the guts of animals even at 36,000 feet down, at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Governments are starting to respond: in the UK, a ban was introduced on plastic microbeads in cosmetic products, with an extension to other products. For an overview of the actions that have been taken so far by governments across the world, Beat the Microbead presents a timeline. Companies have also been engaging in activities to tackle the issue, from Adidas’ plan to make more than 1 million shoes from ocean plastic, to Interface’s work with fishing communities in the Philippines to provide them with additional income in collecting ocean plastic waste for use as a recycled feedstock for their ‘Net Effect‘ floor tiling products. Other corporate focus for ocean plastics is upon the development of circular industrial and economic processes. Plastics are extremely useful, high-performing and lightweight components in many technologies, products and infrastructure. With something so vital to modern life as we know it, wouldn’t it make more sense to retain such material within our systems of production, so that they can be recycled and remanufactured, rather than giving rise to pollution on such a vast scale? The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Programme provides vital information on why and how we might develop new industrial models for the use and re-use of plastic.
Questions to consider
How do you use plastic and do you know what happens to it once it leaves your control?
Are there opportunities to innovate your approaches to make use of recovered plastic, how might this help reduce your impact and create new product differentiation? (for an insight into sustainability and competitive strategy, see sustainability; how does your business compete?). Beyond just reducing your use of plastics, what can you do to play a role in wider, societal, waste plastics recovery? More global mega-trends
Companies will be increasingly required to understand how global mega-trends such as climate change, demographic shifts, increasing inequality, water issues and biodiversity loss have relevance to their business models and strategic plans.
Such investigation should become a standard aspect of their strategic analysis and planning, representing key elements of their strategic context. Beyond a simple acknowledgement that the world is changing fast, companies will need to disclose the implications of such changes for their business and demonstrate how their strategies seek to minimise their contributions to the acceleration of negative trends and maximise their positive impacts through core business.
Questions to consider
Do you understand how global mega trends provide new sources of risk and opportunity for your business? For some tips see our guidance on exploring and managing sustainability in a fast changing and complex world or, if you prefer, a short video exploring strategic business resilience.
Have you conducted strategic analysis to quantify these risks and opportunities?
How are you communicating the impacts of megatrends? For an example of leading practice, see DSM’s approach.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
As with most of these trends, 2018 will see a continuation and growth of activities from 2016 and 2017. For the UN Sustainable Development Goals, companies will increasingly need to understand and prove how their activities and strategies are located against the SDGs. In practice this will involve highlighting which of the SDGs have particular relevance to the business and how the company intends to contribute towards the achievement of the Goals while ensuring their activities do not undermine them.
Questions to consider
Do you acknowledge the UN SDGs in your strategic approach to sustainability?
Which specific SDGs have particular relevance to your business…which of them do you directly impact, either positively or negatively, and what can you do differently to play an active role in delivering the future we want?
Sustainability Reporting
Sustainability reporting is maturing. With the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) move from guidance to standards in 2016, companies using the standards will have to ensure that their approach to reporting makes the grade.
Reporting is also, slowly, making progress in getting on investors’ agendas. Carbon and water remain areas of primary focus. However, there’s an ongoing evolution of approach, moving from a requirement for companies to disclose their environmental and social impacts, investors are increasingly asking companies to tell them how these trends and impacts manifest as risk and exposure.
One such development which will start to shape disclosure on previously “non-financial” issues in the coming years was publication in 2017 of the recommendations for effective disclosure of climate-related financial risks by the industry-led Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
The Task Force members were drawn from business, finance, investment and insurance, and the recommendations were characterised by the Mark Carney (Governor of the Bank of England and Chair of the Financial Stability Board) as “developed by the market for the market”.
The TCFD developed four recommendations on climate-related financial disclosures that are applicable to organisations across sectors and jurisdictions. The recommendations are structured around four thematic areas:
Governance: The organisation’s governance around climate-related risks and opportunities.
Strategy: The actual and potential impacts of climate-related risks and opportunities on the organisation’s businesses, strategy, and financial planning.
Risk Management: The processes used by the organisation to identify, assess and manage climate-related risks.
Metrics and Targets: The metrics and targets used to assess and manage relevant climate-related risks and opportunities.
Another trend in reporting we will see in 2018 is a move towards the further development of disclosure on social and natural capital impacts through more meaningful indicators of performance. At present companies tend to focus upon lagging indicators (this is how much we emitted last year) but will need to start adding some leading indicators (here is our relationship to the state and health of the natural capital we depend upon and to the resilience of the communities and societies we rely upon and sell to). Look out for our thinking on moving from lagging to leading indicators of sustainability in early 2018.
Questions to consider
Are you focusing your reporting upon material business impacts? What best practice approaches do you use to guide your reporting…GRI Standards, IIRC or SASB?
How are you dealing with multiple capitals reporting, and do you understand your dependence upon healthy natural and social capital? For example, see context based sustainability and multiple capitals management.
How are you engaging your investors in your sustainability activities, can you demonstrate to them how sustainability minimises your risk and maximises your value creation?
How are you acknowledging and integrating the TCFD recommendations on climate change risk disclosure and communicating with investors how you understand, mitigate and manage your climate risks?
Taxation
Responsible tax has become ever more prominent recently, with news stories on corporate tax management grabbing headlines around the world. Judging how much tax a business should pay is of course immensely difficult, and the activities of the vast majority of companies is legal. However, in the public mind, there is a difference between legal and acceptable, and the more complex approaches adopted by some companies (e.g. placing company Intellectual Property in ‘conveniently’ low tax territories) is increasingly seen as artificial and ethically problematic. The challenge though, is that it is tax revenue that allows countries to build social capital (roads, healthcare, education – useful stuff like that) which in turn supports the work forces, consumer base and intellectual capital that companies rely upon. Aggressive tax planning is more likely to be seen as evidence of an extractive approach – taking the benefits without paying the costs of doing business. Companies which can demonstrate how they provide genuine social utility should be the ones that can genuinely demonstrate that they are socially sustainable. Questions to consider
How do you tell your tax story, can you justify that your arrangements are appropriate and justified?
Can you demonstrate your social utility, how do you balance the value you get from stable and functional societies with the tax you may to support their health and future viability? For further thoughts to help you explore your social purpose and impact, see our thinking on why a focus on social utility is essential.
How can we help?
The world is a complex and changing place. While it always has been, there are good reasons to believe that the economic and business norms of the past will increasingly struggle under the strain of changing times.
Over the past 20 plus years, we have pioneered approaches to sustainable strategy, reporting, skills development, sustainable innovation and vision development. We can help accelerate your current plans, assess your progress or develop strategies to build business value and mitigate risk.
Our business is sustainability. If you want it to be yours too, get in touch with us for a chat.
https://www.terrafiniti.com/sustainability-trends-in-2018-and-the-questions-you-should-ask/
157].Two Horses story -
Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it.
From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse.
But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing....
Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him.
This alone is amazing. If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell.
Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.
Attached to the horse's halter is a small bell. It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow.
As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is, trusting that he will not be led astray.
When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, it stops occasionally and looks back, making sure that the blind friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.
Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges.
He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need..
Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way....
Good friends are like that... You may not always see them, but you know they are always there..
Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours, and remember...
Be kinder than necessary - everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly.......
FOR WE WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT.
"In a life to succeed you need two things, ignorance and confidence."
"Make sure you have finished speaking, before your audience has finished listening."~"Dorothy Sarnoff".
"Good teachning is 1/4 preparation, 3/4 theater."~"Gail Godwin"
"In life what we focus on magnifies..So focus on Blessings rather than problems, Grace rather than disgrace and focus on Happiness rather than setbacks.....
"If you don't appreciate it,you don't deserve it."~"Terry Johnson."
"Pause before judging.Pause before accusing.Pause whenever you are about to react harshly, and you will avoid doing or saying things that you will regret later."~"Lori Deschene".
"People say never expect anything from anyone. But the truth is whenever we love someone, we naturally expect some love and care from them."
Don't feel bad if someone ignores you or rejects you. People usually reject and ignore things that they can't afford."
"If you never been hated by child, you have never been a parent."~"Bette Davis."
"Relations are like two zeros, When you try to add they are the same, when you try to subtract, they are the same;But when you try to divide; it's just impossible."
20-07-2018
156].“SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES: TRENDS, ISSUES & CHALLENGES”
Definition of business sustainability. Business sustainability is often defined asmanaging the triple bottom line - a process by which companies manage their financial, social and environmental risks, obligations and opportunities. These three impacts are sometimes referred to as profits, people and planet.
Sustainability is most often defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It has three main pillars: economic, environmental, and social. These three pillars are informally referred to as people, planet and profits. Examples of Sustainable Development.
• About Sustainable Development. Are you looking for examples of sustainable development? ...
• Wind Energy. ...
• Solar Energy. ...
• Crop Rotation. ...
• Sustainable Construction. ...
• Efficient Water Fixtures. ...
• Green Space. ...
• Sustainable Forestry.
• Reference=:Sustainable Management Practices: Trends, Issues and Challenges
• Buvaneswari, P.S., Shanthi, R., Desti, Kannaiah, and Ragavan, N. (2015) Sustainable Management Practices: Trends, Issues and Challenges. Glow Plus, India.
https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/44258/
Sustainability is the ability to endure and survive in an environment for a long time. In business parlance, sustainable management is incorporation of social, economic and environmental factors for business decisions. Incorporating these factors in decision making process of a business helps in identifying and avoiding future costs associated with unsustainable business practices, planning for changes in consumer expectations to capitalize on emerging markets and industries and practicing corporate social responsibility and business ethics. Sustainable Management practices in business prove to be more profitable as they tend to adapt and grow with the changing market, providing a competitive advantage over other firms. This also helps in gaining significance as socially responsible business by reducing the negative impact on society and increasing their positive influence. The focus on sustainable management has gained a new momentum since the market pressure from regulators and consumers holds organizations accountable for their actions. Failure on the part of business to adopt such practices can have a catastrophic impact on the viability of a business. In a global environment, it is increasingly difficult to succeed in any business without understanding the repercussions of business realities and developments. This book, "Sustainable Management Practices" provides an insight into recent trends, issues and challenges in business practices by focusing on Corporate Governance, Corporate Social Responsibility, Information Technology, E- tailing, Entrepreneurship, Total Quality Management, Employee Engagement and Organizational Performance is intended to help the readers in understanding the sustainable management practices of business.
https://www.getsmarter.com/career-advice/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/8-Sustainability-trends-define-2018.pdf Trends briefing==
Stay ahead of the curve with the insights and expectations of the Directors, Fellows, and Senior Associates affiliated with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). The following trends were identified by 40 CISL Directors, Senior Associates and Ambassadors, supported by a survey of the wider CISL Network, a global Network of 8,000 senior leaders and leading practitioners representing every industry on every continent.
[1].Volatility is the new normal
1.From disruptive technologies to political uncertainty, the future is chaotic and it is here to stay.
2 Sustainability to shape the face of business.
Growing public consciousness of sustainability issues and political leadership gaps will increasingly open the way for business to step up to the challenge of sustainability leadership, and either lead, adapt or fail. 3 Enduring loss and damage from extreme weather.
After the unprecedented climate events of 2017, vulnerable cities, countries and people will face yet more extreme and disruptive weather events, with the potential to impact business though value chain disruption and stranded assets, and contribute to social unrest. 4 Human versus machine
Growing levels of automation will not only begin to transform the future of business but also the future of work. 5.China and the global shift to the East The re-election of President Xi Jinping has given China stability in a turbulent world, and has reinforced the state’s mandate to address climate change at a time when other world leaders have faltered over sustainability.
6 The end of an era for plastics Packaging is set to be key battleground in addressing the environmental impacts of business on oceans, land and air.
7 A watershed year for transparency Anticipating the recommendations for reporting climate-related financial risks from the Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), companies such as ExxonMobil have faced investor and public pressure to voluntarily improve risk disclosure. This could fire the gun for greater transparency in other parts of business such as executive pay, gender equality and tax arrangements.
8 Life after coal
The energy revolution is reaching its climax as the switch to renewables and electricity is unstoppable.
1. Volatility is the new normal
From disruptive technologies to political uncertainty, the future is chaotic and volatility is here to stay. But despite such uncertain times, there are plenty of opportunities for those who can prove themselves responsive and agile. On the one hand, we are seeing a rise in extreme weather events, such as the devastating trio of hurricanes of 2017 (Harvey, Irma and Maria) leading to value chain disruption and exposing an enormous insurance protection gap. Hurricane Harvey in Texas alone cost $180 billion, with just $19 billion of that loss insured. At the same time, global power shifts in the US, UK and EU have also realigned international leadership when it comes to sustainability, producing new levels of uncertainty and ambiguity.
56% of our Network believe businesses over government will lead the way in taking direct action towards sustainability in 2018.
12% Government
11% Consumer
11% NGO
10% Other
This requires the private sector to step up and proactively lead in sustainability matters. This momentum swelled at the end of 2017 with the emphasis on private sector funding for achieving targets under the Paris Agreement at the One Planet Summit, hosted by President Emmanuel Macron. In particular, the private sector is suitably placed when it comes to harnessing the potential of new technology in tackling sustainability challenges. By leading the way in investment and innovation, companies can find value in developments such as blockchain technology and fintech for greater efficiency.
CATALYZE FINTECH FOR SUSTAINABILITY
“The foreseeable future is chaotic – we are now living in a VUCA world (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) and that’s here to stay.”~” Eliot Whittington “CISL Programme Director, Policy. [II]. 2 Sustainability to shape the face of business
New technology, products and processes together with global issues like climate change and wealth inequality have exposed a leadership gap within businesses for responding to the fast-moving challenges of today’s economy. Companies are facing growing pressure to align their commercial interests with social and environmental challenges, as young people increasingly seek jobs with businesses that reflect their own priorities. The role of leadership development and HR teams will be crucial to filling this gap through recruiting, training and incentivising individuals to succeed in this context. Key to this will be the recognition by Boards and CEOs that sustainability is a leadership issue, and that the leadership gap, left by policymakers and governments, is an opportunity.
“Our survey found that ‘strong organisational leadership’ and ‘buy-in from the board’ were deemed the most critical factors for an organisation to take real action towards sustainability.”~” “The failure of governments to move quickly enough to deliver the sustainable development goals is exposing businesses to a widening range of economic, social and political risks both directly and through impacts on their supply chains. Businesses will need to develop better capacity to understand non-financial risks and to integrate those findings with standard financial risk management practices.”=” Tom Burke CBE, Chairman at E3G and Senior Associate, CISL.”
[iii]. 3 Enduring loss and damage from extreme weather
The impact of climate-related disasters in 2017 was devastating and it was no one-off. Almost every continent suffered, from droughts across the Horn of Africa to flooding in South Asia and hurricanes in the US and Caribbean, and 2018 is likely to bring yet more. Temperature rises, severe rainfall and natural disasters are hugely disruptive, leaving people homeless, hungry and without power. When Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, one in five homeowners in Greater Houston did not have flood insurance. By the end of the year, the US endured a record winter while Australia faced historic heatwaves and Storm Eleanor caused disruption in the UK and across Europe. These events affect industry’s ability to help people recover, disrupting supply chains and adding to food insecurity. With increasingly global supply chains running across multiple borders, improving resilience to extreme weather is more important than ever. This means maximising the sustainability of supply chains – from transportation and logistics to water and energy conservation. At the same time, there are growing examples of stranded assets, urgently requiring a long-term strategy to transition away from unsustainable business activities such as fossil fuels. INSURE A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
“ Severe weather events (hurricanes, fires) continue to show the economic costs of climate change. At the same time, transformation of the economy to low or carbon-free energy also has its costs, even to the average investor saving for retirement. This is creating demands for relevant and reliable information for decision making and new standards of disclosure. “=~”Shari Littan Editor Author for Thomson Reuters, and CISL US Ambassador . “More than ¾ of survey respondents acknowledge that loss and damage from extreme weather could have an impact on their business in 2018.”
[iv]. 4 Human versus machine
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is in full swing, with challenges and consequences for people and the planet. Will automation really take our jobs and make industry more efficient? What are the implications for the social contract of business? And at what cost to society, if workers are replaced by robots? The economic and environmental potential of new technology – from artificial intelligence to autonomous vehicles and renewable energy – is enormous. But unless it is properly managed and regulated, we also risk unintended and adverse impacts, such as unemployment and growing inequality. While the rise of the electric car has promised greener transport and better safety, the driverless car will also become the workerless car. Chevrolet’s Bolt has just 24 moving parts compared to the 149 that make up a Volkswagen Golf, requiring much less assembly. According to PWC, 30 per cent of jobs in the UK, 38 per cent of jobs in the US and 21 per cent in Japan could be at high risk of automation by the early 2030s. Yet technology can also create new opportunities with employment being redirected to areas such as research and development rather than simply substituted. However - we must prepare, especially in the northern hemisphere where the workforce is ageing and yet more people are returning to work from retirement - for a future of work that integrates both people and robots to fully benefit. This may mean retraining existing staff to use new technology as achieved at AT&T in the US, where new skills in e-commerce are supplied by new hires, who are then able to train retained workers. Technology - ranging from AI to robotics – is closely linked to disruption, but the impacts will be both positive (enhanced efficiency) and negative (job losses) .” “Will Day, Chairman of Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor, Sustainability Advisor to PwC UK, CISL Fellow and Business Sustainability Management online short course guest lecturer.”
[v]. 5 China and the global shift to the East
While the West continues to depend on the private sector to propel the sustainability agenda, China’s most powerful leader since Mao is blazing a trail for public interventions to bring about swift and transformative change. If the rest of the world caught a cold whenever the US sneezed, then it developed a fever when President Xi Jinping committed to upholding the Paris Agreement while emphasising the need to manage and protect China’s own environment. Its clean air initiatives have targeted base metal producers, which could mean a third of aluminium smelting plants in Beijing and other cities are closed for part of the year to reduce smog. Tighter environmental regulations on iron ore have also led to an increase in demand for higher quality, less polluting material. The challenge of unequal development has also been acknowledged with a focus on committing to a people-centred approach. The government is looking towards green finance as a route to support and drive many of these changes with the announcement of five green finance pilot zones in 2017 and a clear focus on continuing to grow and test new finance mechanisms and public-private financing initiatives will be seen in the coming months. Meanwhile, China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to better connect China to Asia, Africa and Europe also offers the opportunity to green the global economy and help countries to deliver their targets for the Sustainable Development Goals in areas including jobs, poverty, infrastructure, and sustainable cities.
KEEP AN EYE ON CHINA
74% of respondents acknowledge that China and the global shift to the East could have an impact. Emerging markets, particularly China, will continue to be a focus for business growth and with stricter expectations of environmental responsibility than in the past. China is setting increasingly stringent regulations, with both private and public sector being held accountable.”=~” Lucy Bruzzone “, CISL Programme Director, Executive Education. [vi]. 6 The end of an era for plastics.
In 2017, the impact of single use plastics and micro plastics drew widespread condemnation. A drive to reduce the use of plastic by consumers and companies is likely to be accompanied by greater scrutiny over other environmental impacts of business such as waste, land degradation and resource scarcity. In 2018, businesses can expect to face continued consumer and NGO pressure for a rapid move away from single use plastic. The most responsive companies will make use of new technologies, invest in alternatives and develop more sustainable practices throughout their value chains. This is likely to reinforce the growing notion of a circular economy where materials and products are reused, repurposed or recycled. Case in point: UN pledges to stop plastic waste reaching the ocean. The UN Environment’s declaration of war on ocean plastic in early 2017 climaxed in December with a UN resolution that the world must unequivocally prevent plastic waste from reaching the sea. Amid warnings that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050 without urgent action, some 200 countries signed up to the resolution. 62% of our Network believe that the move away from plastics will impact their business in 2018.
Perhaps of equal significance, China moved to ban the import of plastic waste, which will force exporters to find urgent solutions for recycling while in the UK, the popular BBC nature program, Blue Planet, inspired the public to back action on plastic. This follows the UK’s levy on single use plastic bags, and similar interventions in other countries including Kenya, which banned single use bags altogether. As public consciousness of the issue grew, crew members of the Vestas 11th Hour Racing team joined the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) ahead of the Volvo Ocean Race to discuss reversing marine degradation and the conservation leadership opportunities for sailors. Explore how organisations can challenge society’s current unsustainable production and consumption practices.
FIND OUT MORE
62% Concern over packaging’s negative impact is very much in the Zeitgeist. “=~”John Isherwood CISL Ambassador and former Head of Sustainable Business at Pret A Manger.
[vii]. 7 A watershed year for transparency
Global agreements on sustainability from the UN Sustainable Development Goals to the Paris Agreement and the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) are moving from the margins to the mainstream. The coming year will see businesses held to their commitments to report their sustainability performance, paving the way for greater impetus to meet sustainability targets. Case in point: Insurers find opportunities to address protection gap.
For the last decade, members of the global insurers’ network, ClimateWise, have been voluntarily disclosing their response to climate change risk with The ClimateWise Principles. Such early alignment with the TCFD recommendations has put these organisations on the front foot when it comes to developing strategies for greater resilience and increasing board-level oversight on climate change and sustainability. This is particularly relevant for cities and urban areas as recognition of their vulnerability and importance continues to grow. With half of the world’s population now living in cities and 1.5 million moving to urban areas every week, investing in more resilient cities is both a social and commercial necessity.
BUILDING INSURABLE CITIES
2018 is going to be a crucial year for implementation of the TCFD recommendations. A critical issue for all will be the development of scenario analysis. But above all, we should find out whether voluntary TCFD disclosures gain momentum. If not, the authorities will have to look at making it mandatory. “Paul Fisher”, CISL Senior Associate and Vice Chair of CISL’s Banking Environment Initiative.
Are businesses on board with adopting the TCFD recommendations for climate-related financial disclosure? On the agenda with action planned for 2018.
Already doing it =20%
On the agenda, =15%
no specific action yet planned =22%
Not yet on the agenda=23%
Unaware =20%
[viii]. 8 Life after coal
The dramatic decline in the burning of fossil fuels, driven by the EU, China and US, has consolidated the future of renewables - particularly solar power - and the inevitable switchover to electric vehicles. With the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasting stagnant coal consumption for the next five years and the World Bank announcing it will stop funding upstream oil and gas after a similar commitment regarding coal, all eyes will fall on the alternative and renewable energy market. China’s plans to introduce a new system to monitor the solar market will help direct investments to areas with fewer idle plants while the UK ramps up efforts to phase out coal before 2025. Meanwhile, sub-Saharan Africa’s renewable energy capacity is expected to increase by 70 percent in the next five years amid new solar, wind and hydropower projects. At the same time, the energy sector will need to minimise the impact of stranded assets as it transitions to clean energy. Oil company Shell made the significant move into electricity with the takeover of First Utility at the close of 2017, challenging competitors to look closely at their own transition strategies.
PREPARE YOUR BUSINESS FOR A LOW CARBON WORLD.
“ India, one of the world’s fastest growing carbon emitters, may soon have the distinction of never needing another coal plant. 2018 will see integration of renewable energy in corporate portfolios gaining greater traction. “ “Namrata Rana”, Director at Futurescape and CISL Network Ambassador - India “The energy market will be turned inside out - the price of generating, storing and distributing cleaner energy will tumble and create more prosumers than any industry ever.”=” Munish Data”, Head of Plan A and Facilities Management at Marks & Spencer and CISL Senior Associate.
To what extent are organisations committed to switch to renewable energy and electric vehicles?
Already switched to 100% renewable energy and feet =5%,
Strong commitments in place for switch to renewables by 2025=32%,
Strong commitments in place but more ambition needed =”38”,
No plans at present =” 25%”.
https://www.getsmarter.com/career-advice/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/8-Sustainability-trends-define-2018.pdf
19-07-2018
155]."Crowdfunding =It is raising funds for social cause online and platform may be provided by companies like Ketto,Faircent,FuelaDream,Rang-De,Milaap,Wishberry,Bitgiving,PactGuru,DreamWallets,TheHotStart, Start51.The Charegs are ranging from 5% to 10% with upfront fees from Rs.0-2000.
Crowdfunding is done for 1.Raising funds for Social Cause.
Peer to peer lending.
Issuing shares in return of shares by start-ups if they are raising funds by this way." SEBI has not permitted to do this activity.
"Key features to consider"
When can I withdraw the funds raised from my crowdfunding campaign?
1.Milaap
Anytime, multiple withdrawals
2.Ketto
Only 14 days after campaign ends
3.Wishberry
Only 15 days after campaign ends
4.FuelADream
Only 15 days after campaign ends
5.Bitgiving
Upon completion
How many people can fundraise for the same cause/project?
Milaap
Multiple
Ketto
1
Wishberry
1
FuelADream
1
Bitgiving
Multiple
When will my campaign go live?
Milaap
Immediately after set-up
Ketto
Waiting period for approval
Wishberry
Waiting period for approval
FuelADream
Waiting period for approval
Bitgiving
1-2 days of waiting period for approval
Do I get to keep the raised amount if the goal is not met?
Milaap
Yes
Ketto
Yes
Wishberry
No; funds refunded to backers if goal not met
FuelADream
Yes
Bitgiving
Yes
Are cash/cheque pickups available?
Milaap
Yes
Ketto
Yes
Wishberry
No
FuelADream
No
Bitgiving
No
Can NGOs issue their digital 80G tax-exempt receipts to donors through the website?
Milaap
Yes
Ketto
No
Wishberry
No
FuelADream
No
Bitgiving
No
http://crowdfundingindia.com/
17-07-2018
154]."IT vendors "patently" sharpening focus on developing newer technologies"
TCS and WIPRO filed over 900 patents in 2017-18 in areas such as AI,cloud and IoT"
Indian IT companies seem to be taking clue from leader IBM with increased focus on creating products ,platforms and as-a-sevice " model better returns from licence fee.This is clear from the no.of patents filed by TATA Consultacy services and WIPRO on technologies such as AI, cloud, Internet of Things, and Robotics.
In 2017-18 ,between TCS and WIPRO a total of 926 patents were filed with TCS filing 522 and WIPRO 404.And cumulatively filed over 5900 patents. And most of the patents were in emerging technologies that are starting to penetrate at a rapid across industries globally.
Infosys and Cognizant declined to give number of patents filed.
TCS count of patents rose to 3916. It has been granted 654 patents as on march 2018,according to companies annual report.A significant part of its innovation focussed on AIand automation,IoT platforms, robotics and image processing capabilities.
WIPRO last financial year filed 404 patents. "We continue to invest and scale intellectual property via platforms ,products, frameworks, and solutions, enabled by innovative commercial constructs and delivered in an "as-a-service ' model, thus truly variabishing their costs in a risk-reward model (eg transaction based ,outcome based pricing)"said the company's annual report.
Many of the patents were in emerging technologies and serve as afoundation for our new technology platforms , including AI,Iot, connected devices and autonomus vehicles,the report said. In 2017-18 the number of patents WIPRO held (and applied for) crossed 2000 ,the report said.
But the Indian companies have along way to catch up with the leader IBM. For the 25th Year (in 2017) in a row, it set a new record of 9043 patents with nearly half of them in AI, cloud, blockchain, quantum , security, and other technologies that will power its portfolio for years to come.
TCS (insurance)and Cognizant (healthcare)are using large investments in these sectors to differentiate their offerings and capture large contracts.Cognizant acquired TriZetto .
Prof.Anil Sahatrabudhe,Chairman , AICTE has advised many engineering colleges to add Dat Analytics, AI and Machine Learning as apart of enhancing skills that will make diploma engineers employable, while addressing IIM Kolkata.
14-07-2018
"Work for a cause,not for applause;Live life to express,not to impress;Don't thrive to make your presence noticed, just make your absence felt".
"Amazing things seem to happen when you least expect them to.So keep your chin up; stay positive and keep faith."
"Prayer begins where arrogance and ignorance ends."
"A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results.' ~ "Anonymous"
"Great minds have purposes, others have wishes."~"Washington Irving"
"People always say Luck when you have acted more sensibly than they have"~"Anne Tyler"
"The prettiest smiles hide the deepest secret, the prettiest eyes have cried the most tears, and the kindest heart have felt the most pain."~"
"Your greatest test is when you are able to bless someone else while you are going through your own storm."~
"Learn to be alone and like it.There is nothing more freeing and empowering than learning to like your own company".
"Everybody is a teacher if you listen."
"Don't try to fit in where you don't belong."
"Whatever life gives you,even if it hurts you,just be strong and act like you are okay. Remember strong walls shake but never collapse."
"Encourage instead of critiscizing,understand instead of judging,initiate instead of waiting."
"Every teacher once was a student,Every winner was once a loser,Every expert once was a beginner,But all of them have crossed the bridge called "Learning"
12-07-2018
152].While the skills gap is proving a struggle for businesses operating in the tech space, it does mean contractors have an advantage. Get competent in the most sought-after skills, and you’ll find you’ve got more contracting offers than you know what do with. What are the top skills that will help you get your next contracting job in Australia and New Zealand?
1) Cybersecurity
Cyber attacks are getting more and more sophisticated – so too must the technology designed to stop them. That’s why cybersecurity is proving to be one of Australia and New Zealand’s most in-demand skills, and will remain so for years to come.
Australia and New Zealand’s lack of cybersecurity professionals is becoming pressing.
The situation is pressing – a report by Telstra found that 59 percent of organisations in Australia have detected at least one business-interrupting security breach a month in 2016. This is up from only 24 percent the previous year and shows that businesses on this side of the world simply do not have the cybersecurity professionals they need to keep their data and their systems safe.
There are several elements of cybersecurity that would be useful for contractors to master, but showing you have knowledge of the general premises by undertaking the globally-recognised CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) certification is a good place to start. Network security, risk management, patching and software management are also all great skills to have.
Going into a business and improving its cyber-resilience will look great on your contractor CV and is definitely an area worth up-skilling in.
2) User experience and user interface designers
Design has become integral to whether a product sells or not – just ask Apple. That’s why UX and UI designers are highly sought after by a broad range of tech companies. Remember UX and UI is more than just being able to code well. A good designer will put themselves in the shoes of their customers and understand their problems. They’ll also have good collaboration skills, because what they design has to fit into the wider business’ goals and marketing.
With design often the difference in what makes software sell, UX and UI skills are highly sought after.
3) Software developers
There’s been a strong demand for software developers in Australia and New Zealand for years, and the number of job adverts mentioning specific languages is growing. With more and more companies exploring products related to virtual and augmented reality, machine learning and autonomous vehicles, there will be a corresponding demand for software developers that can support that. This is why JavaScript is seen as a must-have for many software developers (in particular AngularJS, React.JS and NodeJS).
Likewise Python and C# are high up on the list of required skills, while Ruby is becoming a popular web application framework for a range of businesses, including Groupon and Airbnb.
With mobile becoming not just popular but a way of life for many people now, the ability to transfer these software development skills to a mobile context is also in hot demand, and Australia and New Zealand are no exception.
For contractors, it’s not enough just to have these in-demand skills – you also need potential clients to know you have them. That’s why we’ve developed Talent Engage – an online portal that lets you create a profile detailing all your skills and experience. Future clients can then browse through your portfolio and get in touch with you.
11-07-2018
"Today is World Population Day" India will be largest population Country by 2050.
INDIA TO HAVE THE WORLD'S LARGEST POPULATION
The world’s population has nearly tripled since 1950, and set to increase further. According to a UN report, the global population will hit 9.8 billion by 2050, up from 7.6 billion in 2017. Over half the world's propulation increase between now and 2050 will take place in ten countries India, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, Ethiopia,Tanzania, Uganda and United States, Indonesia and Egypt.India will also surpass China as the most populous nation by 2050.Nigeria will replace United States for the World's Third Most populace country.
151].Vistara to buy 19 Airbus, Boeing planes worth $3.1 billion
NEW DELHI, JULY 11 Vistara today announced placing orders for a total of 19 Airbus and Boeing aircraft worth $3.1 billion (approx Rs 21,344 crore), as the carrier embarks on ambitious expansion plans, including flying overseas. The airline, which currently has a fleet of 21 aircraft from A320 neo family, plans to add another 50 such planes.
In a statement, Vistara said it has agreed to place firm orders with Airbus for 13 aircraft from the A320 neo family and with Boeing for six 787-9 Dreamliner. Together, the deals are valued at USD 3.1 billion, based on published list prices, it said.
The letter of intent signed with Airbus is for 13 A320 neo and A321 neo aircraft as well as options for buying seven more aircraft from the A320 neo family.
Vistara would also lease another 37 new A320 neo family aircraft from leasing companies, the statement said.
The airline has selected the LEAP 1-A engines from CFM International for the A320 neo and A321 neo aircraft, which are to be delivered be between 2019 and 2023.
For these planes, the airline has selected General Electric GEnx-1B engines, and delivery is scheduled between 2020 and 2021. The 787-9s are intended for use on medium-haul and long-haul international routes, it added.
Vistara CEO Leslie Thng said, India’s position as the world’s fastest growing domestic aviation market and its impressive growth in air passenger traffic that has more than doubled over the last decade, makes the airline confident of aggressive plans for domestic expansion and international foray.
We are delighted to further deepen our relationship with Airbus and to join hands with Boeing to strengthen our modern and fuel-efficient fleet that will help achieve our thought-through ambitions, he said.
Vistara is a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines. At present, the airline serves 22 destinations with over 800 flights a week.
These aircraft would be used to strengthen its domestic network and to support its international operations planned for later this year, the statement said.
The letter of intent signed with Boeing comprises six firm-ordered 787-9 Dreamliner and purchase rights for four more aircraft from the 787 Dreamliner family, it added.
150].BSNL starts first internet telephony service in India.
State-run telecom firm BSNL today unveiled first internet telephony service in the country that will allow users to dial any telephone number in India through its mobile app."Wings"
149].India's import of oil from Iran drops by 16% in a month after US sanctions.
"Dear Hiring Manager, when you REJECT a Candidate don't hurt their chances of getting another JOB.
1. Tell the RECRUITER all the strong points you saw in the candidate.
2. Don't leave candidates hanging. Get back to them quickly.
3. Give them constructive feedback so they can improve to land the job they want.
4. If you know of another company looking for such a candidate, why not help both sides.
Job searching can be emotionally and mentally draining. Put yourself in the candidates shoes. We all at one point were job seekers, and it doesn't take much for anyone of us to be a job seeker again. A little empathy and respect goes a long way. Let's make the recruiting process more humane. Agree?
"Brigette Hyacinth"
148]."Maturity is not when we start speaking BIG things,It is when we start understanding small things."~"Annonymus"
10-07-2018
147]."A common adage is that you need to work harder and suffer more than anyone else if you want to achieve success. At the most, that’s a half-truth". From what I have learned from people who have accomplished big things in both their lives and careers, one of their most common “a-ha moments” was when they realized that working hard was not enough to succeed, and that often it was even a waste of time and energy.
Thinking from this perspective, I have collected 3 things that just are as important, or even more important, than hard work when it comes to achieving success.
1. Purpose
You've been working down in the boiler room for so long that you may not even remember WHY.
If you examined every single person in the world who is considered a failure (especially by themselves), you would see that all their lives lack the same ingredient: purpose.
They don’t know where they are going. They don’t know why they do the things they do and don’t think there can be a reason. They chase only short-term satisfactions like food or shelter, and those are the only things that keep them moving.
They are operating only out of the animal side of themselves. Thus, they are not able to practice long-term thinking or personal analysis as human beings can.
There is no need to look at very clear cases of failure to find the disease of lack of purpose. If you are not constantly aware, you will find yourself in the middle of doing something and won’t know why you are doing it.
Momentum can be a good friend, but is also one of those friends that will make you waste a ton of time if you don’t keep an eye on it.
Every time you start an action, keep in mind that you are going to keep on doing it for the rest of your life. Unless, of course, something internal or external reminds you to start doing something else.
When you start working on something without clearly knowing the expected results, it may take you hours or days of hard work to realize that it isn't what you should be doing, if you ever want to achieve your goals.
Don’t be a busy, hard-working person. Be a hard-planning person who takes purposeful actions instead.
2. Self-work
Work on yourself 10 times as hard as you work on external elements, and you will feel that you are moving 10 times faster towards what you want.
Almost all the hard work you have to do to succeed is focused on replacing your routines and habits with the ones a successful person would have. By deliberately changing your procedures, you change the results you achieve, the value you provide, and the way you are seen by yourself and the rest of the world.
If you could perform the same training and habits as Bruce Lee, day after day, there is no doubt that you would sooner or later become a remarkable martial artist, right?
And what about performing like a person whose success in business has been outstanding? What if you integrated the same routines and habits that have allowed others to unlock the power and creativity they needed to succeed in their career or life?
You could, literally, start performing like that today and get astounding results immediately.
The only requirement is that you put your old habits and self-limiting beliefs aside, making space for new ones.
You must look at them before you can let them go; if you don’t recognize the weeds amongst the flowers, you won’t be able to take them out.
Success is not attained by fighting the old, but by letting it go and building the new in its place.
3. Belief
If you don’t believe it’s possible for you to achieve what you want, you can work day and night, but you will never succeed.
Sometimes, all the distance that seems to be separating you from your goals is in your mind. If you removed those mental barriers, you would see that you could just reach out and grab what you’ve been pursuing for so long.
As long as you don’t believe that it’s possible for you to have it, you are going to keep creating excuses and distractions. That’s simply because it feels uncomfortable or scary to have something you don’t think you are ready to have, or become someone you don’t believe you can be.
If you removed the negative beliefs about what YOU can have and become, your reality would change instantly.
See your goal.
Understand the obstacles.
Create a positive mental frame.
Clear your mind of self doubt.
Embrace the challenge.
Stay on Track.
Show the world you can do it.
145]."The sign of beautiful person is that they always see beauty in others."~"Mindful Soul"
8-7-2018
144]."Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love."~"Mother Teresa."
"Be thankful for what you have, you will end up getting more; If you concentrate on what you don't have you will never ever have enough!"~"Ophrah Winfrey"
"Everybody needs to be valued. Everybody has potential to give something back."~"Diana"
"Hard work keeps the wrinkles out of mind and spirit."~"Helena Rubeinstein."
"Forgiveness is a virtue of brave."~"Indiara Gandhi"
"It is impossible to live without failing at something,unless you live so cautiously that you might as well have not lived at all,in which case you fail by default."~"J.K.Rowling"
"If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun."~"Kathy Hepburn"
"If you set out to be liked,you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time,and you would achieve nothing".~"Margaret Thatcher""Nothing in the life should be feared.It is only to be understood."~"Marie Curie""Despite everything, I believe that people are good at heart."~"Ann Frank"
"The most important thing is to enjoy your life,-to be happy-it is all that matters."~"Audry Hepburn".
143].A post by Rachel Doyle, Marketing Manager at Panopto Europe. https://www.panopto.com/blog/advantages-disadvantages-of-lecture-capture-in-higher-ed/
Is recording lectures becoming the most important ‘must-have’ in higher education, or does the practice of lecture capture pose too many technical and pedagogical challenges?
As part of my work I help organise user workshops that bring together professionals from Learning Technology and AV to faculty experts across a wide range of institutions in the UK and Europe. The best thing about these user days is that they bring together users, would-be users, experts and novices in the field of classroom capture to provide a forum for animated get-togethers that allow participants to delve deep into real usability issues. The resulting outcomes of these lively discussions provide helpful insights into the pros and cons of this blended learning solution.
Below I’ve summarised some of the biggest take-aways from these workshops that expose the advantages and disadvantages of lecture capture.
The Benefits of Lecture Capture
How lecture capture enhances the student experience
1. It’s ideal for distance learning students, part-time students and international students – really any student who can’t be physically present in a teaching room at a given time for any number of reasons. By providing the flexibility to watch the recorded lecture from any location, whenever they like, students have much more control over their learning.
2. All undergraduates and post-graduates with access to recorded lectures like to be able to revisit or catch up on lectures and to navigate easily to search for the content they need. This is particularly useful when they have to miss a session due to illness, timetable clashes and during intense revision periods. Being able to access recorded lectures seamlessly via their VLE makes it particularly convenient.
3. ‘Increased student perception of support’ is another factor that universities highlighted through discussions with students and in surveys on student perceptions. The majority of students felt that classroom capture added value to courses. This is also applicable to students for whom English is an additional language, for example.
4. Viewing recorded material provides more opportunities for interaction during class time. Since students can preview course material or information-based tutorials in their own time, topics are illuminated during contact time by means of debates, interaction and more in-depth exploration of themes and better quality debates.
Five reasons educators and institutions should be open to lecture capture
Whilst there is still a fair amount of fear and scepticism surrounding lecture capture, those who use it effectively cite the following advantages as reasons to come on board with it:
1. The value it adds to courses – more and more students are demanding the flexibility and control that recorded lectures provide over their learning.
2. Simplicity – users of cloud-based video solutions advocate the simple recording solution because it is simple to set-up and unobtrusive, requiring no technological knowledge. It’s literally as simple as putting the kettle on.
3. Integration with VLE – the platform is simple to access and administer via Blackboard, Moodle etc.
4. Transparency of teaching – the ability to share best practices with colleagues simply by recording your lessons.
5. Viewer analytics – see what and how often students are watching, thereby helping lecturers to gauge interest in topics and hone and improve their lecture content and delivery.
The Disadvantages of Lecture Capture
Panopto user days provide the perfect forum for voicing and confronting the recurring fears and apprehensions associated with recording lectures. Through our discussions we’ve learned that there are some obstacles standing in the way of better adoption of lecture capture throughout entire campuses. These are typically issues surrounding staff perceptions, pedagogic questions, the technology itself and the institutional barriers to the adoption and usage of lecture capture.
Recurring concerns include the following:
1. Staff Confidence and worries about being recorded – universities need to make it clear what the purpose of recording is and to consider giving lecturers ‘opt-in’ choices.
2. Some staff say the technology is limiting – in reality, though, there are lots of ways in which savvy users are recording classroom activities or demonstrations that go beyond the tradition lecture capture use case. Other use cases for lecture capture software include creating bite-sized tutorials, using the software for student assessment feedback, recording student presentations, creating recruitment collateral, and more. These will be based on genuine university practice.
3. Infrastructure issues to meet rising acceptance – coordination between AV, IT and E-Learning teams requires careful management and it’s a good idea to phase roll-out and not over-subscribe. But overall these challenges can be reduced by standardizing one lecture capture solution throughout campus.
Concerns about how difficult it is to coordinate usage of the software and roll out to departments pops up all the time. In general universities that succeed in instilling a “change in culture” have identified ‘department champions”, people who are of the same species as those who struggle to adopt the practice. Usually this person is pragmatic and understands the issues the “strugglers” are confronting and can offer practical help to overcome the problems.
No matter who I talk to at these user days, every participant has their experience of their opinion on the value of recording lectures in teaching and learning. The views vary according to profession from technical, faculty, AV, recruitment and IT. But one thing most people tend to agree on: students love lecture capture!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Five Benefits of Lecture Capture
POSTED BY RACHEL MANTEL ON OCTOBER 10, 2017
https://www.techsmith.com/blog/five-benefits-lecture-capture/
The traditional classroom setting isn’t what it used to be. By 2019, experts predict that at least 50% of all classes will be delivered online, as online learning has been steadily increasing for the past five years. To deliver effective content, many instructors are turning to video lecture content to share learning materials without having to be directly in the classroom.
So why use lecture capture?
Below are five benefits of lecture capture:
1. Visual communication This article in Fast Company says that 65% of people are visual learners. If that’s the case, it’s important that your lectures include engaging images, graphs, charts, photos, and similar aids to help students understand concepts to have lecture material that students learn from visually. Creating lecture material rich with visuals will help your students follow along with your content as easily as if they were with you in the classroom. Instead of having just an audio recording of lecture material, including visuals allows students to put context behind the recorded lecture.
Why You need to get Visual
1.Visuals are processed 60,000x faster than text.
2.90% of information that comes to Brain is visual.
Visuals are key to capture customer’s mindshare.
65% of Human are visual learners and respond better to visual information than text.
Only 30% population tends to retain info better after hearing it.
Only 5% of us prefer tactile learning over visual or auditory.
http://www.cmdsonline.com/blog/the-looking-glass/the-ultimate-infographic-on-infographics/
2. Better availability
Offering video lecture content allows students to access course materials outside of the classroom. With many classes moving toward a flipped classroom approach, students can learn content while studying at home and are able to come to class with prepared questions and discussion topics. Because lectures can be saved and archived, students can refer back to the materials as a study tool, instead of feeling like they have to process all the information during the class period.
3. ADA compliance
Online lecture content helps accommodate students with disabilities. Providing captions and audio for lecture materials can assist those with hearing and visual impairments. Many lecture capture tools are ADA compliant and follow the guidelines of Section 508of the Rehabilitation Act. Traditional lectures may not be the best mode of learning for students, therefore providing material that offers access to students with disabilities gives all students the opportunity to learn. Many lecture capture tools allow you to generate captions and are screen-reader compatible.
4. Increase engagement
Video lecture material can help your students engage in the content you are presenting without you physically being there. Some lecture capture tools allow you to include quizzes that students take while viewing video lectures. This helps students apply what they’re learning and test their knowledge, plus it allows instructors to assess student performance. If a student is confused by a concept, they can pause the video and post a question for their instructor. This creates interaction between the student and instructor, making the online lecture content a two-way conversation.
5. Build instructor-student relationships
Effective lecture capture gives instructors the opportunity to build relationships with their students, despite the fact that they are teaching online courses. The use of quick, personalized videos gives students a more humanized online course experience. For example, an instructor may create an introduction to the course or send a video regarding any class updates throughout the semester. Even though courses are conducted online, instructors and students can still get to know each other on a personal level.
Lecture capture is quickly taking over the academic world, giving students different learning opportunities than the traditional classroom setting. Lecture capture software, such as TechSmith Relay, offers features that are ADA compliant, interactive, and engaging, giving students an overall positive learning experience.
To learn more about TechSmith Relay’s lecture capture platform, click here.
Is the effectiveness of lecture capture related to teaching approach or content type?
Author links open overlay panel
Jared Danielsona, Vanessa Preasta, HollyBendera ,LesyaHassallb
Show more https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2013.10.016
Highlights
• Lecture-capture use accompanies better test scores in some disciplines, not others.
• Lecture-capture use means more learning in straight-lecture, fact-focused contexts.
• Students believe that viewing captured lectures helps learning.
• Students view captured lectures more for less interactive sessions.
• Students watch lectures for pragmatic reasons, not because of lecture quality.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131513003011
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/inclusive-learning-teaching/0/steps/29559
Lecture capture: innovative or unwelcome technology? ‘Lecture capture is an umbrella term describing any technology that allows instructors to record what happens in their classrooms and make it available digitally.’ Educause
While some disabled students have made audio recordings of lectures to support their notes for more than two decades, the recent development of lecture capture solutions has allowed universities to capture and disseminate recordings to all students.
These can combine audio, screen-capture of slides, video recordings of the speaker or the writing boards. They can provide access to captions, transcripts, audio and text descriptions and collaborative annotations. This means they allow for the flexibility of reasonable adjustments’ (Equality 2010 Act) whilst offering an inclusive learning and teaching environment.
However, some instructors have been reluctant to adopt the technology, citing concerns such as deterring student attendance of sessions and intellectual property ownership. Some forms of teaching may also be harder to capture than others. Maths and Physics teaching can rely heavily on ‘chalk and talk’ as instructors work through problems on writing boards. Students may also be discouraged from contributing if they know they are being recorded. Some have also found that while having access to recordings may seem beneficial, it can take more time to review the content.
While evidence is mixed on whether having access to lecture recordings improves learning outcomes, this technology is still evolving. Some projects have shown that it is particularly useful for content-heavy material and short summaries of sessions may also be effective.
Pro and cons of lecture capturing text version
Universities that have implemented lecture capture have adopted different approaches to enforcing its use. Some provide it as a service that instructors can opt-in to using if they wish. Others have adopted an opt-out approach where sessions are automatically recorded, unless it is agreed that an instructor can opt-out. However, they would still need to have the lecture content available as a reasonable adjustment for disabled students.
Gabi Witthaus and Carol Robinson from Loughborough University explored the current research on the topic in 2016 and provide a useful summary of what works and what doesn’t.
You may also be interested in other related resources which can be accessed from the ‘See also’ section at the bottom of this page.
6-7-2018
142].Indian scientist in race to head Chinese institute
In a first, India-born geophysicist Paramesh Banerjee is among the four shortlisted to head the Institute of Geophysics, a top scientific organisation of China's Earthquake Administration (CEA). The other three candidates are Chinese.
"Final result is not out yet, but will feel proud to be the first Indian in that position," Banerjee, currently technical director of the Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS) at Nanyang Technical University (NTU), told this correspondent in an email.
"That's great news," Vineet Gahalaut, director of the National Centre for Seismology in New Delhi, told IANS.
"Paramesh was one amongst the few who initiated GPS measurements in India and, during the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, he was the one who proposed that the giant earthquakes could cause deformation at distances as far as 2,500 km away which could be captured by the GPS."
Banerjee, who in 2017 was elected president of the Asian Seismological Commission (ASC), "has made tremendous impact in a short time", added Harsh Gupta, renowned seismologist and former secretary of what is now the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Developing an earthquake resilient society is of utmost importance for the Asian region where almost 80 per cent of fatalities due to earthquakes occur, Gupta said.
"It is hoped that under the leadership of Paramesh Banerjee, if selected, such problems would be addressed."
An alumnus of the Indian School of Mines in Dhanbad, Banerjee worked at the University of California, Berkeley, he US and at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology in Dehradun before joining Singapore's NTU in 2009.
Recipient of the Indian Geosciences Award in 2009 for his work on Himalayan tectonics, Banerjee, as technical director of EOS, has been responsible for establishing a vast network of geodetic and seismological instrumentation networks in seven Asian countries.
Asia, being the most vulnerable continent in the entire world, is also the least prepared to manage earthquake related disasters, Banerjee told IANS and pointed out that "lack of scientific and technological capacity is a major hindrance to properly orient government policies towards a better disaster mitigation plan".
During the ASC's General Assembly meeting held last held last May at Chengdu in China, Banerjee outlined a "Practical Approach Towards Safeguarding Asian Society from Earthquake related Hazards".
He said that resources from Asian countries can be combined to create a Pan-Asian centre which will serve as a hub for technology transfer, seismological and geodetic data processing centre.
He said that resources from Asian countries can be combined to create a Pan-Asian centre which will serve as a hub for technology transfer, seismological and geodetic data processing centre.
"It will also carry out advanced geophysical projects like earthquake early-warning system, seismic monitoring network, airborne and other geophysical surveys for active fault mapping and subsurface investigations."
Banerjee, who has a commercial pilot license, flew over Nepal after the 2015 earthquake to construct a 3-D digital terrain map of the Himalayan faults.
"My main objective is to build a common platform that can help promote cooperation among Asian nations in seismic research to better tackle earthquake related disasters," he said.
6-7-2018
"Sometimes the reason good things are not happening to you is because you are the good thing that needs to happen to other people
140]."India readies its prospectors as hunt begins for lithium and cobalt mines abroad "
India is scrambling to acquire lithium and cobalt mines abroad, along with other resources, to ensure that it has access to such strategic minerals, with China having already taken a substantial lead in the race, much in the manner that it has done so in oil and gas. Lithium and cobalt are critical elements in batteries that power mobile phones, laptops and electric vehicles, the centerpiece of future transport solutions. The global race for these minerals is intensifying in the wake of of the growing use of such vehicles. The Indian government has directed three state-owned mineral companies to team up for the task, said Anil Kumar Nayak, joint secretary in the mines ministry.
“The joint venture partners are National Aluminium Company (Nalco), Hindustan Copper (HCL) and Mineral Exploration Corp. Ltd (MECL),” he said. “It can also invite private sector companies who are interested to participate in it.” Nalco is the lead partner. The proposal is currently with the Niti Ayog, which will conduct due diligence before it can be formalised.
“There are a few approvals needed before the joint venture can be operationalised,” he said. “However, once this is done, India can access raw material abroad.”
The venture’s main mandate will be to look for and acquire strategic mineral assets abroad, particularly those in which India is deficient.
The move — likely to be formalised along the lines of ONGC Videsh, which buys oil and gas assets abroad — will help the country build a strategic reserve of key minerals.
India has no known sources of lithium and cobalt and access to them is critical to the success of its plan to convert most of its vehicles to electric power in about a decade or so.
With China well ahead in the pursuit of such minerals, especially in Africa, the public sector units have been tasked to actively scout for and acquire assets on a war footing.
“The modalities of the venture will be worked out later, but the joint venture could partner Indian mining companies or join hands with local mining entities abroad,” Nayak said. HCL chairman Santosh Sharma said, “We are part of the initiative that is being taken by the government to build up assets in strategic minerals like lithium and cobalt.”
The search will include rare earth elements that are much in demand for applications in defence and space technology but are not found in India. “Given India’s large population and stage of economic development with respect to its need for renewable energy and efficient automotive transportation, it is time include rare earth elements that are much in demand for applications in defence and space technology but are not found in India.
“Given India’s large population and stage of economic development with respect to its need for renewable energy and efficient automotive transportation, it is time for us to develop an appropriate strategy to find and access these minerals which are critical for our development,” said Anjani Agrawal, global leader, steel, E&Y. “A similar model for coal did not yield much of a result. This time hopefully this model may work."
A spike in demand for lithium has fuelled interest in mining of the metal in countries such as Bolivia, which has one-fourth of the world’s reserves. It has reached out to nations like India for exploration and extraction of the metal and manufacture of value-added products.
India’s requirement of lithium is expected to be 350,000 tonnes per year according to auto industry estimates, with companies like Suzuki India planning to manufacture lithium-ion batteries in India. A recent Metal Bulletin report said the world’s largest producers of the substance feel a shortage of lithium battery-grade compounds will endure in 2018 and years to come.
Chinese imports of cobalt from the Congo, the world’s biggest producer of the mineral, was around $1.2 billion in the first nine months of 2017, compared with $3.2 million by India, the second-largest importer, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report. The Congo accounts for nearly 54% of the world’s cobalt supplies.
Analysts say few commodities have witnessed such a dramatic rise in demand as cobalt which is essentially a byproduct of copper and nickel mining. Global cobalt production has quadrupled since 2000 to about 123,000 metric tons a year, according to the US Geological Survey.
139]."Once You need less, you will have more."--"Unknown"
5-7-2018
138].How MSP hike will impact Indian economy
India has raised the price at which the government will buy new- season common rice variety from domestic farmers by 13 percent, said Home Minister Rajnath Singh, as the state looks to woo farmers ahead of general elections due next year.
India, one of the world's key producers of an array of farm commodities, announces support prices for more than 20 crops each year to set a benchmark.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government said in its February budget that it would buy crops at 1.5 times the cost of production, a major shift after keeping the so-called minimum support price in low single digits over the past three years.
Analysts and economists have warned the move could help push up inflation, add to the fiscal deficit and prompt the Reserve Bank of India to raise interest rates more steeply than expected.
INDRANIL PAN, GROUP ECONOMIST, IDFC BANK, MUMBAI "It is too early to evaluate the implication of the minimum support price (MSP) hikes on inflation. We will have to wait till October-November to see the reality in terms of markets prices vs MSP to gauge inflationary impact. The announcement of MSP increase is unlikely to change the reaction function of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) immediately, as core inflation, oil and currency will be key factors to drive the timing and extent of rate hikes. We expect the RBI to hike rates in August as well as in October due to the high core inflation and oil prices."
FORAM PAREKH, FUNDAMENTAL ANALYST - EQUITY, INDIABULLS VENTURES, MUMBAI "The hikes are very much in line with expectations. If the market side increases prices more than the MSPs, then it might lead to an inflationary situation. If farmers do get the benefit of the MSP hike, then the NBFC and automobile sectors would benefit due to rural income rising. Over the years, MSP has been revised by the government, but I don't think the quoted price has reached the farmers. So it's a wait-and-watch situation. We would only come to know if the farmers are actually getting it in the month of October. "Due to the rise in MSPs, the government would have to bear expenses of about 330 billion rupees ($4.81 billion). It contributes not more than 0.2 pct-0.3 pct of the GDP. I think it is a very minimal number and should not impact the economy as a whole. The major dent the economy would face is from rising crude prices."
ADITI NAYAR, PRINCIPAL ECONOMIST, ICRA LTD, MUMBAI "Without further details on whether the procurement of crops would be widened from the current set, or if another mechanism would be adopted to ensure that farmers receive prices at par with MSPs for their produce, it remains difficult to ascertain the impact of higher MSPs on inflation and fiscal deficit. "Some of the items that have seen the biggest increases in MSPs for the ongoing kharif season, such as jowar, bajra, ragi and moong, have a small weight in the WPI and CPI indices. This may help to contain the inflationary impact, if higher MSPs translate to higher market prices.
"Nevertheless, it is difficult to envision a scenario in which the recently announced hike in MSPs actually translates into higher realizations for farmers, without an increase in prices for the end-consumers or costs for the central and state governments through higher procurement costs and subsidy bill."
UPASNA BHARDWAJ, SENIOR ECONOMIST, KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK, MUMBAI "Most of the wholesale prices are higher than the mininum support price. How that translates into market prices will be a function of how exactly the implementation of these MSPs would be. At this point, it is difficult to gauge exact impact on inflation. It seems to be inflationary, but magnitude is uncertain. This move was something that was necessary, but needs to be implemented in the right way to ensure they get what they need, to be able to cover up for the costs."
TIRTHANKAR PATNAIK, INDIA STRATEGIST, MIZUHO BANK, MUMBAI
"The 200 rupees per quintal hike for paddy is very reasonable, so not likely to rattle markets. If the number was anything beyond 200 rupees, there could have been some market implication. The hike will add about a 25 basis point number to headline inflation, which the government would be okay with. I think this hike should not have too much of a much of a negative impact.
"The hike in ragi crop was higher than expected. A larger hike in paddy would have moved the needle. So, this is a negative, but not an unexpected negative from a fiscal balance perspective. It is quite clear it was a question between keeping the farmer community happy in the pre-election year and also not to upset the credit rating agencies. With this hike for paddy, they have ensured the tightrope balance is fine.
"We may see these populist measures coming from the state governments instead of federal government. I'll not be surprised if we see similar sops from the state government simply because the current GST collection, crude at over $70 does not leave much room for fiscal balancing by the central government."
137].JioGigaFiber: Ambani children announce the biggest game-changer in telecom, rollout on August 15
Isha Ambani, daughter of Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, today unveiled what could revolutionise Indian telecom sector. Addressing at the Reliance IndustriesNSE -1.42 %' 41st annual general meeting today at Birla Matushri Sabhagar in Mumbai, she announced the launch of JioGigaFibre, the optical fibre-based broadband service.
The company will extend fibre connectivity to homes, merchants and SMEs. 1,100 cities will offer most advanced fibre-based broadband connectivity solutions. Two of the main features of JioGigaFibre will be smart home technology and TV calling. JioGigaFiber broadband will come with a set-top box for TV. It will have enabled voice command feature on TV.
JioGigaFibre will be based on Fiber to the home (FTTH) technology. It is expected to disrupt the segment of home broadband services now. Reliance is likely to offer an attractive combo of fast broadband connectivity at initial data speeds of 100 Mbps (with huge dollops of free data thrown in).
What is FTTH? FTTH, as the name suggests, means installing the fiber cable right up to the individual building. At present, the fiber cable reaches only till the main premises while the last connections to individual homes/offices are through traditional copper cable.
Why is FTTH faster? The cable used for connections to individual units is not made of fibre. The traditional cable is not as efficient as the fiber cable. Due to patches, etc, the traditional cable is slower. A fiber cable till the individual unit dramatically increases speed and quality and improves the experience of surfing, gaming and streaming, etc. FTTH could be 100 times faster than the traditional modem connections. FTTH is also costlier than the traditional cable.
Is Jio the first FTTH provider?
No. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) already offers FTTH broadband schemes in Kolkata and Chennai. However, Jio's entry in FTTH will at a much bigger scale and more aggressive. Jio is running a pilot in many cities.
What will be Jio's impact?
An aggressive FTTH service launch by Jio can cause two sets of disruptions, according to Rohan Dhamija, partner & head for India, South Asia & Middle East at Analysys Mason. First, it can immediately disrupt home broadband pricing, forcing rivals such as Airtel to slash rates. Second, it could also have a secondary impact on the larger mobile services market, if Jiochooses to bundle generous wired broadband packs with its current 4G plans.
4-07-2018
136].Indians' love for electronics is a current-account shocker
Indians’ love for gold is well known, but they have a new-found fascination for electronics. That, however, is coming at a cost. The relentless rise in purchases of smartphones, TVs and other goods have made electronics India’s second-biggest import item after oil, and is pushing the nation’s trade deficit wider.
That’s bad news for the rupee, which is already roiled by worries of costlier imported oil. Economists polled by Bloomberg forecast the current-account deficit to widen to 2.3 per cent of gross domestic product in the fiscal year to March 2019, from 1.9 per cent currently.
“The rise in imports of electronic items is already impacting the current-account deficit,” said Saugata Bhattacharya, chief economist at Mumbai-based Axis Bank Ltd. “One way to solve this is to see India integrate more into the global supply chain in the coming years.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has banked on his ‘Make in India’ program — aimed at fostering local manufacturing -- to help cut down the country’s reliance on imports. But global companies have yet to buy into it in a big way and China was the biggest source of mobile phones, personal computers and other consumer electronics in the financial year ended March, accounting for nearly 60 percent of total.
Government data for the 13 months to May show electronics imports were valued at $57.8 billion, way more than the $35.8 billion worth of gold purchases. “India’s current account challenge is now not only oil but also electronics,” Uday Kotak, managing director of Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. said via a Twitter post. “Gold drops to no. 3. Net gold deficit is down but electronics imports have nearly doubled in 5 years.”
135].India services activity in June expands at fastest pace in a year
Following a marginal contraction in May, the servicesNSE -2.01 % sector returned to growth during June and registered the fastest rate of expansion in a year, supported by robust increase in new business orders, said a monthly survey. The seasonally adjusted Nikkei India Services Business Activity Index rose from 49.6 in May to 52.6, registering the fastest growth since June 2017. In PMI parlance, a print above 50 means expansion, while a score below that denotes contraction.
"The service economy returned to expansion territory in June. Encouragingly, the latest performance was the strongest seen in a year, against a backdrop of improving demand conditions," said Aashna Dodhia, Economist at IHS Markit, and author of the report. Reflecting improved demand conditions, jobs growth picked up from May's five-month low.
"In response to an improvement in demand conditions, service providers raised their staffing levels at a faster pace than in the previous survey period," Dodhia said.
On the price front, input cost inflation remained solid overall, however, services providers were unable to fully pass on higher input costs to price-sensitive consumers. "Overall input costs rose at the strongest rate since July 2014, and amid a weak rupee and higher oil prices, inflation may remain elevated," Dodhia said, adding that given these circumstances, the chances of further monetary policy tightening have heightened. In June, the Reserve Bank of India had upped its retail inflation projection by 0.30 per cent and kept the policy stance in the neutral zone, even as it hiked the key rate by 0.25 per cent to 6.25 per cent.
Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted Nikkei India Composite PMI Output Index, that maps both the manufacturing and the services industry, rose from 50.4 in May to 53.3 in June. The latest reading is the strongest since October 2016, indicative of a solid rate of expansion. "The PMI data signalled the best improvement in the overall health of the economy since October 2016, propelled by solid growth in both the manufacturing and service economies," Dodhia said.
"A Man is seldom better than his conversation."-"German Proverb"
3-07-2018
"sometimes a single sentence spoken at right time could change someone's life forever."
""Sometimes one day changes everything; sometimes years change nothing." Irish Saying."
"1.Before you assume ,learn the facts.2.Before you judge, understand why. 3.Before you hurt someone,feel.4.Before you speak,think."
"A person's most useful asset is not a head full of knowledge,But a heart full of love,an ear ready to listen and a hand to help others."
"You are strong when you know your weaknesses,You are beautiful when you appreciate your flaws.You are wise when you learn from your mistakes."
""Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." ~ "Mark Twain"
"In life, there will be people who will come to test your patience, integrity, will, faith, and strength. Make sure to always pass the test."
"An Alchemist is a one who transforms everything with love."--"Emmanuel"
134].New algorithm that may predict your intelligence
New York, June 30 (IANS) Be careful if you lie about your IQ as researchers have developed a machine-learning algorithm that may tell how smart you are by looking at a scan of your brain.
The study showed that the new computing tool can predict a person's intelligence from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans of their resting state brain activity.
The fMRI develops a map of brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow to specific brain regions.
"if we just have people lie in the scanner and do nothing while we measure the pattern of activity in their brain, we can use the data to predict their intelligence," said co-author Ralph Adolphs from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).
To train their algorithm on the complex patterns of activity in the human brain, the researchers downloaded the brain scans and intelligence scores from almost 900 individuals.
The researchers found that after processing the data, the algorithm was able to predict intelligence at statistically significant levels across the subjects.
"The information that we derive from the brain measurements can be used to account for about 20 per cent of the variance in intelligence we observed in our subjects," said Julien Dubois from the Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre.
In predicting intelligence from brain scans, the algorithm is doing something that humans cannot, because even an experienced neuroscientist cannot look at a brain scan and tell how intelligent a person is, the researchers said.
The researchers also conducted a parallel study, using the same test population and approach, that attempted to predict personality traits from fMRI brain scans.
The personality test they used divides personality into five scales -- openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism.
However, it has turned out to be much more difficult to predict personality using the method the team used for predicting intelligence.
The two studies are yet to be published in the separate journals Personality Neuroscience and Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. --IANS
133].Mistakes in filing income tax returns that may get you a tax notice
1. Filing ITR using the wrong form As per tax laws, an individual is required to report all sources of income and file ITR using the correct form applicable to him. If he files it using the wrong form, then his filed return will be treated as 'defective' and he will be asked to file a revised ITR using the correct form. "In this case, the taxpayer will get some time to rectify the mistake. A rectified return (in response to notice u/s 139(9)) must be filed within 15 days from the date of receipt of the intimation under section 139(9). This time limit may be extended by the assessing officer on an application by the assessee. If the defect is not rectified within the time limit, then the assessing officer will treat it as an invalid return. In other word, it is same as not filing a return at all. Moreover, the person may face all the penalties related to not filing of ITR in addition to payment of interest u/s 234A for the delay in filing the tax return" says Chetan Chandak, Head of Tax Research, H&R Block, India.
2. Not reporting interest incomes
One should report all the interest incomes received or accrued due to him in the previous financial year (for which the return is being filed) while filing his tax returns. Individuals generally forget to report interest earned from savings bank account, fixed deposits, recurring deposits, etc. under the head 'Income from other sources'.
While interest received or accrued on fixed and recurring deposits are fully taxable, one can claim tax relief on interest earned from savings bank account up to a certain limit. Section 80 TTA of the Income Tax Act provides that interest up to Rs 10,000 can be deducted from the total interest earned in a year from bank and post office savings account after arriving at the gross total income. "Further if they have a saving account with any Post office then interest from such account is exempt up to a certain limit. Section 80TTA of the Income Tax Act provides that interest up to Rs 10,000 can be deducted from the total interest earned in a year from bank and post office savings account after arriving at the gross total income. "Further if they have a saving account with any Post office then interest from such account is exempt up to Rs. 3500 (in individual account) and Rs. 7000 (in a joint account) under section 10(15)(i). This is in addition to 80TTA deduction" says Chandak.
3. Not filing income tax returns Many people don't file their income tax returns because they have long-term capital gains (LTCG) which are tax-exempt and without this their gross total income is below the tax-exempt income level. However, as per recent amendments in section 139 (1) of the Act, if your exempted LTCG along with gross total income exceeds the minimum exemption level, you are required to file your income tax return. For instance, let us assume that in a financial year your gross total income is Rs 1 lakh and long term exempted capital gains is Rs 2 lakh. Earlier you were not required to file income tax return as your total income was below the minimum exemption limit of Rs 2.5 lakh. Now due to the recent amendment in tax laws, you are required to file ITR as your gross total income plus long term capital gains (Rs 1 lakh + Rs 2 lakh > Rs. 2.5 lakh) exceeds the minimum exemption limit.
4. Not clubbing incomes
As per the rules of clubbing of income, a taxpayer is required to add income of specified persons (minor children, spouse, son's spouse, etc.) to his own income and the tax payable by him is calculated on the total of this these two incomes. This is mostly the case when the income of minor child is added to the income of his/her parent. Section 60 to 64 of the Income Tax Act specifies the provision of clubbing of incomes. "In the case where minor's income child is added to the income of his/her parent. Section 60 to 64 of the Income Tax Act specifies the provision of clubbing of incomes. "In the case where minor's income gets clubbed with that of any parent, he/she can claim exemption up to Rs. 1,500 under section 10(32). In case if you miss reporting this income (of minor child) you may have to pay the tax due, along with interest and you may even be subjected to a penalty of 50% for under reporting or 200% for mis-reporting of your income ((up to A.Y. 2016-17 this penalty was 100-300% of the taxes avoided)", says Chandak.
5. Not reporting income from the last job
If you have switched jobs in a financial year then income from your previous job must be reported while filing income tax return along with income from the current job. If any income (from previous job) is not reported, then a discrepancy is bound to reflect in your TDS certificates, Form 16 and Form 26AS. This is bound to bring you taxman to your door. "Again the penalties are same as not clubbing of income", says Chandak.
6. Not reporting tax free incomes As a taxpayer, you are duty bound to report all your income even if some is tax free. Interest earned from provident fund or/and tax-free bonds in a financial year must be reported in your ITR. However, you can claim exemption on these under various sections of the Income Tax Act. These exempt incomes are to be reported in the 'Exempt Income' schedule of the ITR.
7. Not reporting all bank accounts
From the assessment year 2015-16, a taxpayer is required to report all the bank accounts held by him in previous year in his/her income tax return. Earlier you were only required to mention a single bank account in which you wished to receive credit of the income tax refund if any. However, now only dormant accounts are excluded from requirement of reporting in the ITR.
8. Not declaring deemed rent/expected rent
If you own another house apart from a self-occupied house and it is lying vacant, then you should report the expected rent in your gross total income. "This may result in some tax payable as the notional rental gets added to your income and non -reporting may lead to penalties as stated above. But in cases where there is interest payable on the housing loan for the said property it can result in some tax savings. But this benefit of interest set-off of loss from house property has been capped at Rs. 2 lakh starting 1st April 2017", says Chandak.
9. Failing to revise your income
If you have discovered any error once tax filing has been completed, then you must rectify your mistake. You must file the revised return to rectify your mistake. Current income tax laws allow you two years to file the revised returns. However, from the financial year 2017-18, a taxpayer will get only one year after the end of the relevant financial year.
"It is always recommended that once the error is detected taxpayer rectify the mistake within time, pay the due taxes with interest to avoid any penalty for under reporting or mis-reporting. Also if you have missed claiming any deduction or exemption you can enhance your tax refunds by filing the revised returns", says Chandak.
132].RBI: No More Negative Balance In Your Savings Accounts
The RBI has issued a directive that negative balance will not be imposed on saving accounts as penalty charges. The central bank has asked the banks to immediately stop imposing charges for not maintaining a minimum balance once the balance touches zero, reported Times of India. The same norm came into effect last year, yet several banks were still continuing to impose negative balances in savings accounts until now. In case if banks still continue such practice, then the RBI has given the customers an option to approach the banking ombudsman.
What is negative balance?
When salary accounts are opened with a bank, the banks usually waive minimum balance requirements. However, if the customer quits his/her job, then the account does not remain salary account any more. Since there is no salary flow, the begins to debit an amount as penalty for not maintaining the minimum balance, which often results the balance to turn negative. This is called negative balance. Although the banks do not look to recover funds from negative balance accounts, but the customer loses money if he/she deposits money in the account. Banks like HDFC, ICICI, Axis have maintained to Times of India that they do not create negative balance.
"Success consists of getting up just one more time than you fall" -- "Oliver Goldsmith"
2-07-2018
131].8 Most Important Skills Required for an Engineer
Skill #1: Knowledge of the core subject
The most basic ingredient that identifies you as an engineer is the knowledge in your field of study. A Mechanical Engineer, for example, needs to know the basics of Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Solid Mechanics, Machine Design, Manufacturing Processes, CAD/CAE, etc. An awareness of the latest technological developments in your own field of study, like 3D printing & Alternative Energy techniques for Mechanical Engineers, will build your identity as an engineer further. We suggest you to be updated on the developments in your field of engineering, irrespective of the career you choose.
Skill #2: Application of the knowledge
Good grades on your graduation certificate are a reflection of your (curriculum-based) core knowledge, howsoever vague. In spite of that, why do you think the correlation between job opportunities and grades is very less? It is because of the fact that a good knowledge on any subject does not warrant the ability to apply it to solve real-time problems. Employers are keen for engineers, who prove that they can call upon the relevant skills as and when required. We strongly recommend you to start developing projects “that work” to make your application skills evident.
Skill #3: Information Literacy
We, and also the employers, understand very well (from personal experience, of course!) that a limited time of 4 years is not sufficient to learn and excel in everything that the industry demands from an engineer. Moreover, new "jobs" demanding new skills are being created every year. It is, therefore, very essential to be an information literate. Information literacy is the ability to identify the need for information and find resources (online/offline) to start and finish a project from scratch.
Skill #4: Analytical & Creative thinking
Look around. Some of the most amazing gadgets and technologies are creative and, sometimes, simple engineering solutions to daily problems, starting from the smartphone to e-commerce. As engineers, you are expected to be creative enough to come up with innovative ideas and analytical enough to link knowledge from different areas to solve problems. Tinker with every new idea you encounter. Experiment!
Skill #5: Multi-disciplinary exposure
The contemporary workplace makes it inevitable for engineers to work in inter-disciplinary teams with projects that involve skills and tasks that are multi-disciplinary in nature. For example, an electronics engineer needs to work in a team consisting of computer engineers, designers, project managers and marketing managers etc. for a project in mobile technology. A basic understanding of these different divisions in the work will make his/her life easier.
Skill #6: Acquaintance with Computers & IT The world is now transformed into a place where an understanding of computers and gadgets is no more a trade-skill, but a life-skill. A working knowledge in at least one programming language, the internet, mobile and web apps, social media etc. is as essential as proficiency in English.
Skill #7: Familiarity with Industry Standards
There is an evident gap, reported by numerous studies, between the academic standards in engineering colleges and the actual operating conditions in the industry. Young engineers feel overwhelmed due to the sudden change in working conditions right from the technologies being used to the operating procedures of the organization they (want to) become part of and it reflects in their performance. Learning industry-certified courses is one elegant solution to handle this misalignment.
Skill #8: Passion for learning
The last and the most important characteristic that will make you not only a better engineer but a better person is the never-ending spirit for learning. Many eminent personalities (and "gods") are of the opinion that the day a human being stops learning is the day he dies! Let this single mantra drive your life and you will be successful at whatever you take up.
How to achieve above skills?
Building projects hands-on and learning while building the projects will increase your experience on the theoretical concepts that you have learnt. Building projects is a great way to achieve the above skills and you get to acquire all of them through the incremental learning and have fun at the same time too. For this, we at Skyfi Labs have launched online project-based courses through which you can learn and build exciting projects at your own convenience. You can choose projects on various technologies like Robotics, Electrical, Electronics, Mechanical, Mechatronics.
http://www.skyfilabs.com/blog/8-most-important-skills-required-for-an-engineer
24-06-2018
130]."Optimism is the Faith that leads to achievement,nothing can be done without hope."=="Helen Keller".
129]."If you have the spirit of understanding everything in a positive way, you will enjoy each and every moment of life; whether it is pressure or pleasure."
128]"The aim of argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress."
127]."They are not your friends ,until they have defended you in your absence."
126]."There are people whom you forget with time. But,there are very few people with whom you forget time.""NEVER LOOSE THEM".
125]."Success is Tasty dish,Patience,Intelligence,Knowledge, Experience are its ingredients;But hard work is that little salt that makes it Delicious.""Always remember Success without honor is an unseasoned dish,it will satisfy your hunger but will not taste good."
124]."Once you need less,You will have more."="Unknown"
123].IIT tech can help people turn waste into bricks and tiles
NEW DELHI, JUNE 14 Imagine turning plastic waste into useful products likes tiles and bricks. Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, have developed a technology that will help people do just this.
All you need is polymer substance (HDPE or high density polyethylene material), some fibroussubstance and a chemical developed at the Institute. People can use just about any plastic waste – old or broken plastic buckets, used pipes, bottles or mobile covers. For the fibrous substance, anything that is fibrous can be used - wheat, rice and corn straws or jute, coir, hemp fibres or even human hair.
“The technology is very simple. A person has to just heat up a mixture (up to 110 to 140 degrees) of plastic and fibrous materials in a mould with the chemical and then let it cool for some time. A nice tile or a brick would be ready for use,” said Shishir Sinha, Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Institute, while speaking to India Science Wire.
The proprietary chemical developed by the research group is an organic chemical based on olefins. It helps bind the polymer and fibre materials to form the composites. “We have developed this chemical by using domestically available ingredients. It would cost only around Rs. 50 per 100 gram. This means people in villages will be able to produce a set of 10 one sq ft tiles at a cost of just about Rs 100.”
The technology, Dr Sinha noted, could be used with any material including waste. The research group has been focusing on using human hair as raw material for fibrous content. “Human hair has high tensile strength, is light weight and is completely bio-degradable. Products made out of hair fibre reinforced HDPE composites have been found to be highly resistant to corrosion and have good mechanical properties,” he explained.
He said he and his team focused on human hair mainly because it is one material that will be available in plenty in any villages and hamlets including those with the most poor. They just lay scattered, sometime even clogging drains and water bodies. “We wanted to ensure that at least some of the work we do could be of use to the poorest of the poor. This technology would help achieve that”.
23-06-2018
122]."Make it a rule never to give a child a book ,you would never read yourself."=George Bernard Shaw."
121].Why power ministry wants you to keep your air conditioner temperature at 24 degree Celcius
The power ministry is considering making the default temperature setting for air conditioners at 24 degrees Celsius. Power Minister R K Singh, during a meeting on Friday, said the mandate will benefit consumers, both from a health and financial point of view. The ministry also wants AC manufacturers to add a label on the product indicating the optimum temperature setting for consumers. If the move is approved, it is likely to come into effect in a few months. The ministry’s suggestion comes based on recommendations in a study conducted by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). Its report suggests temperature settings to be in the range of 24 to 26 degree Celsius.
So, what is the reason behind this decision?
According to the ministry, the higher the temperature of the air conditioner, the lesser electricity consumed. This translates to saving at least six per cent of electricity consumed with an increase of just one degree in temperature. Singh explained, “Every one-degree increase in the air-conditioner temperature setting results in saving of 6 per cent of electricity consumed.” Further, the minister said it is both uncomfortable and unhealthy to be in colder temperatures. “The normal human body temperature is approximately 36-37 degrees Celsius, but a large number of commercial establishments maintain a temperature around 18-21 degrees Celsius. This is not only uncomfortable but is actually unhealthy,” Singh said. He pointed out that wearing warm clothing or using blankets in a colder temperature is a waste of energy. Singh’s campaign, which promotes energy efficiency, is likely to result in substantial energy savings and reduce greenhouse gas emission.
How will this help India?
According to BEE, only six per cent of households in the country use air conditioners. If all consumers adopt a default temperature setting, India could save 20 billion units of electricity annually. The report states that the current estimate total installed air conditioner capacity is 80 million TR (tonne of refrigerator), which is likely to increase to nearly 250 million TR by 2030. Taking into account the huge demand, India can save around 40 million units of electricity usage per day.[Indian Express]
22-06-2018
120].Amazon's Cloud arm preparing India to lead next tech revolution
Known for dispatching the best software talent across the world for years, India has now embarked upon a Cloud-driven journey to prepare the Next-Gen of skilled workers, data scientists, Artificial Intelligence (AI) mavericks and mobile developers.
The task is humongous and online retail giant Amazon' s Cloud business arm Amazon Web Services (AWS) has now fast-tracked skilling the young -- providing them early access to its core Cloud platform that has already transformed millions of enterprises and start-ups globally.
For tens of thousands of students in India, it is a win-win situation. As they get busy acquiring skills in Cloud computing using the "AWS Educate" programme, they know that once their careers begin, the entry barrier to innovate will not be that tough as they will not have toworry about setting up huge IT infrastructure and lose sleep over frequent server crashes and data privacy issues.
"For us, every individual is the source of innovation and AWS Cloud platform gives an individual complete access to technology that has transformed major enterprises. Even a small innovation that will come from Cloud-driven skilled workforce will be a significant one to make the world a better place to live," Vincent Quah, Regional Head of Education, Research and Non-profits for APAC at AWS, told IANS.
India today has a fertile start-up landscape that needs constant supply of data scientists. According toa new NITI Aayog "National Strategy for AI" report, India is going to face a demand-supply gap of 200,000 data analytics professionals by 2020.
"Students need to be Cloud-oriented especially at a time when governments and enterprises are digitally transforming their businesses and start-ups are being born in the Cloud," Quah noted.
The beauty of "AWS Educate" is that students, while receiving hands-on training and access to content prepared by some of the top training and access to content prepared by some of the top computer science institutions from across the world, also get free Cloud credits into their accounts. "Free Cloud credits help students innovate via the same AWS platform which all AWS customers have access to -- giving them exposure to core services like compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, AI, Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT), mobile development and what not," Quah explained on the sidelines of the AWS public sector summit here.
"AWS Educate" has nearly 30 career pathways to choose from which essentially belong to four big job families -- Big data and analytics, Cloud architect, system/engineering support and software/web development.
50 hours of content. Students get regular knowledge check, undertake mini projects and after completing the programme, receive proper certification and digital badges.
The "AWS Educate" programme also provides young learners (aged 14-17) at schools with introductory Cloud literacy content.
According to a recent report from FICCI-Nasscom and EY, 9 per cent of the country's 600 million estimated workforce would be deployed in new jobs by 2022 and 37 per cent would be in jobs that have completely changed skill sets.
" India is looking for talent in Cloud-enabled disruptive technologies and AWS career pathways can help create that talent pool. Cloud computing is one key skill gap that we want to address in order to tackle the demand-supply scenario," the AWS executive stressed.
In India, AWS is listed as Amazon Internet Services Pvt Ltd (AISPL) which undertakes the resale and marketing of AWS Cloud services in the country.
The Cloud training wave has even reached the holy town of Varanasi.
Earlier this week, the Indian Institute of Technology-Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU) and AISPL signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to help students develop Cloud-ready job skills by providing them access to "AWS Educate".
They also announced to establish a Cloud Research Lab to provide students with opportunities to use AWS Cloud technology with opportunities to use AWS Cloud technology to pursue research initiatives that focus on AI and ML innovation.
ASM Group of Institutes in Pune has gone one step further, inviting non-IT and engineering students tocome and learn Cloud computing with "AWS Educate".
Other early birds in in Cloud training are Andhra Pradesh State Skills Development Corporation (APSSDC), Common Service Centres (CSCs) of Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), International Institute of Information Technology, Bengaluru, and several IITs.
Globally, over 1,500 institutions have joined "AWS Educate" to accelerate their journey towards helping the young generation acquire Cloud skills.
"Having early Cloud training will help kids innovative more and, eventually, become entrepreneur and become job providers for New-Age skills," Quah told IANS. [BusinessLine]
21-06-2018
119].EU agrees final energy saving, renewables targets REUTERS
BRUSSELS, JUNE 20
The European Union on Wednesday finalised new climate rules after months of talks, targeting a total energy saving of 32.5 percent and an uplift in the share of renewable energy to 32 percent by 2030.
National governments must now draft their own plans for implementing the bloc's overall climate goal of lowering greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 in line with the Paris Agreement.
Talks have dragged on for months to reach a compromise between the European Parliament and EU member states on the new energy efficiency and renewable energy targets after 2021 as well as the rules governing implementation.
A push by lawmakers for more ambitious targets and tougher monitoring of efforts met with resistance from member states wary of the economic impact of efforts to reduce emissions.
“The measures are not enough for the EU to fulfil its commitments under the Paris Agreement,” said Green parliamentarian Benedek Javor. “They will need to be strengthened in time if we are to meet our climate obligations,” he added. The final deal includes a clause allowing for the bloc to revise up climate goals in 2023.
Analysts said the change to the renewable target is likely to impact future carbon prices in Europe's Emissions Trading System (ETS). The ETS is the EU's flagship tool for reducing greenhouse gases by charging some 12,000 airlines, industrial and power installations for each tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2) they emit.
The analysts said they expect carbon emissions from the power sector to be 700 million tonnes, or 6.5 percent lower, than previously forecast by 2030, as more electricity comes from renewable generation such as wind and solar and less comes from polluting fossil fuels.
Lower emissions mean there will be less demand for carbon permits in the ETS, leading the analysts to cut their carbon price forecast for 2030 by 6 euros to 29 euros a tonne.
118].Blames UPA’s “lack of educational reforms” for the debacle
HYDERABAD, JUN 18 India no longer enjoys the advantage of demographic dividend as it’s saddled with crores of youngsters with low skills unsuited to the economy, claimed T V Mohandas Pai, a human resources and education expert.
The Chairman of Manipal Global Education, Pai claimed that the country already has ten crore people in the 21-35 age-group with bad skills, unsuited for the economy. “There is no democraphic dividend,” he told PTI. “Because of the failure of the UPA era (2004-2014), we will add another ten crore by 2025...total 20 crore in the 21-45 age group with low skills, low education.”
An information technology industry veteran who had served as Head of Human Resources and Chief Financial Officer at software major Infosys Ltd, Pai lamented “lack of educational reforms” during the 10-year UPA regime.
Demographic disadvantage?
It takes time for educational reforms to impact, he said. “Reform now will take ten years to impact by which (time) this (the current) generation will be lost. The key is: How to ensure they do not (lose out).”
Pai was sharing his thoughts on a recent report by the research wing of the country’s largest lender SBI. This report said India has only one decade to change its status into a developed country and will need to focus on education, failing which the much-hailed ‘demographic dividend’ will turn into a disadvantage. If India is not able to get its act together, it will will never be able to go into the developed group of nations, it said.
The report said, “India has perhaps now only a limited window of a decade to get into the developed country tag, or stay perpetually in emerging group of economies.”
Investments needed
Secretary General of the industry body ASSOCHAM, D S Rawat said India must invest a lot in education, health and child nutrition so that the human resource is qualitatively superior. Both the Centre and the States, Rawat said, need to “jack up” their budget on health and education.
“While both the private and public sectors have to contribute in the endeavour, the public investment along with a lot of emphasis on quality education and health in the government schools, colleges and state-run hospitals and primary health care centres must be given,” he told PTI.
Pai, meanwhile, said there is a need to improve quality of education, stopping controlling education, and opening up of the sector with transparent norms and enforcing quality standards in higher education. “India should focus on creating a good future. The political discourse by Leftists is the biggest disaster for us as they create a wrong narrative,” he added.[BusinessLine]
117]. Import duty hiked on apples, other items from US .
NEW DELHI, JUNE 21 In what could be seen as a retaliatory move. the Government has hiked the import duty on goods, including apples, walnuts and non-alloy steel being brought in from the US. The revised tariff will come into effect from August 4, 2018.
A late evening notification dated June 20 specified that the import duty on apples imported from US will be 75 per cent, while those from other countries will attract 50 per cent duty. It may be noted that apples of the brand name, Washington Apple, is famous in India and is imported in large quantities from the US.
Almonds from the US will have import duty of between Rs 42-Rs 100 per kg as against duty of Rs 35-Rs 100 per kg to be levied on imports from other countries. Similarly, importers will have to pay custom duty at the rate of 120 per cent on walnuts, as against 100 per cent to be levied on imports from other countries.
Tax authorities said the date for imposing duty has been announced in advance so that “there is room available for negotiation, if possible.” [BusinessLine]
20-06-2018
116]."Treat your employees right,so that they won't use your internet to look for new jobs."--Mark Zukerberg
115].Mobile numbers to have 13 digits from July 1st 2018.
The Department of Telecom (DoT) has issued instructions to all telecom operators to start using 13 digit mobile numbers for all existing Machine-to-Machine (M2M) customers from October 18 onward.
114].The most successful people I've met: Oleg Vishnepolsky Global CTO at DailyMail Online and Metro.Co.Uk.
1. They learn constantly, push themselves out of their comfort zones, and admit they know very little.
2. They develop and help others.
2. They create rather than consume.
3. They are curious, focused, and energetic.
4. They are more excited by the journey, than then the destination.
5. They believe in themselves, and are willing to fail in order to eventually succeed.
6. They seek truth, not attention.
7. They communicate clearly and effectively.
8. They ask the right questions and rely on people who have the right answers.
9. They drive changes rather than being driven by them.
10. They build life-long relationships, and treasure loyal friends and colleagues.
113].1. Tough times don't last. Tough people do. You're one of them.
2. Don't give up just because of what someone said. Use that as motivation to push harder.
3. Obstacles are put in your way to see if what you want is really worth fighting for.
4. Identify your motivation and passion. Find what you're good at and become world-class in that area.
5. There are plenty of difficult obstacles in your path. Don't allow yourself to become one of them.
6. The past is your lesson. The present is your gift. The future is your motivation.
7. If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere.
8. The habit of persistence is the habit of victory.
9. If the plan doesn't work, change the plan, but never the goal.
10. Success in life comes when you simply refuse to give up, with goals so strong that obstacles, failure, and loss only act as motivation.
11."Some people find fault like there is reward for it."------Zig Ziglar.
19-06-2018
112].“Success is more than just power or not violating the rights of others; it is the privilege of contributing to the betterment of others.” ― John C. Maxwell
111].Compared with people at low-trust companies, people at high-trust companies report: 74% less #stress, 106% more #energy at work, 50% higher #productivity, 13% fewer sick days, 76% more #engagement, 29% more #satisfaction with their lives, 40% less burnout. #Trust #neuroscience "Karen Walker"
110]."No longer push your loyal employees to the point they no longer care"
109]."Expect worst from People and You will never be disappointed". "I have learned a lot during my years in Management ,but this is all I remember."" GLASBERGEN."
108].‘Skilling has become a mainstream activity’
IL&FS Education, a leading social organisation under parent company IL&FS, has emerged as a leading player in the skills mission. It conducts a diverse range of skills training activities to suit the needs of specific local environments, besides being a skills partner with the National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC). RCM Reddy, MD and CEO, IL&FS Education, elaborates on his company’s activities and the evolving skills ecosystem in a telephonic interview with A Srinivas. Excerpts:
Is skilling in India adapting to emerging trends such as automation, AI?
India exists at different levels of economic development. Therefore, skills training should reflect this socio-economic diversity. There are regions where agriculture underpins the economy, and others where intermediate skills, required in sectors such as construction, hospitality, retail, apparel and driving, are crucial to job creation. Simultaneously, automation and AI are emerging as key factors in certain segments in manufacturing and services.
Our 200 centres of IL&FS provide a range of skills depending on specific geographical needs to two lakh students annually. Hence, our training progammes vary, from making wine from Kiwi fruit in Arunachal Pradesh or a fisheries programme in Odisha, to running a ‘mechatronics’ programme in partnership with Alagappa University, Tamil Nadu. We are doing an AI training programme in partnership with Google. At the middle level, we impart skills for construction, hospitality, retail, apparel, drivers and others.
How does one achieve higher placement rates?
IL&FS, run by financial institutions, is a multi-stakeholder company that has entered into a PPP with the NSDC. Our industry touch-points are high. As a result, we as a policy identify the job needs and train people accordingly, rather than the other way around.
The prerequisite for placement is real time industry connect and local job market information systems. If these two are facilitated, even the smaller concerns or NGOs, which run good quality training programmes, can achieve higher placement rates.
How would you respond to criticism that overall placement rates of the Skills Mission scheme are barely 50 per cent, according to the 2016-17 Annual Report of the skills ministry?
The statistic does not reflect the true success of the skills programme. The 49-50 per cent figure only includes absorption by the organised sector. If we were to take informal sector employment into account, the number would be at least 67 per cent. Of the 75 per cent who pass out, more than 90 per cent get an offer. And about 80 per cent of these offers are accepted. There is a serious shortage of entry-level people in sectors such as logistics and sales. In sectors such as apparel the placement rate is much higher than the average.
Would you say that the Skills India programme is a success?
The Skills India programme today has several streams, ranging from imparting skills in schools and colleges to short-term skills training for unemployed youth. All these streams are doing visibly well.
The short-term training programmes focus on job roles that do not require the extended training period of two years under the ITI system. Therefore, the programme addresses the demand-supply gap in an efficient manner. Besides, a system of quality control and standards has developed in quick time. Sector skills councils, autonomous industry-led bodies under the NSDC, set occupational standards, train the trainers, conduct skills-gap studies and assess the candidates. Every State has a skills development mission. The skills programme has become a mainstream activity within very quick time.[BusinessLine]
107]. We don’t need this education
In the first of a two-part series on skills and jobs, BusinessLine examines the angst and aspirations of mofussil India and the systemic challenges faced by them
For final year BE student Alvina Bethel, pursuing engineering was a dream come true. Hailing from Dharwad, an education hub 450 km from Bengaluru, she aspired to buy a home and own a car and felt she was perfectly poised, thanks to engineering. However, the dream has now started to sour.
“I am anxious that the skills will not be relevant when I land a job,” she says with a touch of frustration. Her batchmate Pavankumar Kulkarni quickly chips in, “There is too much focus on theory and we don’t get enough time for practicals.”
There are other niggles faced by students of Vishwanathrao Deshpande Institute of Technology (VDIT), which add to their frustrations such as inadequate internships, quality of teaching and insufficient exposure to technologies such as IoT, AI and Industry 4.0.
Aspirational angle
Why are a remote college’s problems of any relevance in a country that churns out a million-odd engineers every year? The government estimates that over 180 million young people, or 69 per cent of the youth between the age of 18 and 34 years, live in rural areas. There is an overwhelming aspirational urge in this segment to seek sedentary white collar jobs, most of which are to be found in bigger cities.
Hence, Vivek Divekar, who runs a BPO centre in Sirsi town, says that of the 2,000 students who graduate from the two major colleges there, only 20 per cent get a job in that region, and the rest migrate to Bangalore. Those from a farming background seek a job as their marriage prospects improve, he says. Hence, they leave town and live elsewhere for 20-30 years. “In Sirsi, they seek work as clerical assistants to local NBFCs and insurance companies, or as sales staff in supermarkets or bike showrooms, where they can work in air-conditioned comfort,” he says. Some of them enrol as accounts staff in rural cooperative societies in Dharmasthala.
Despondency in engineering
So, there has been an increase in demand for jobs as accountants, clerks, engineers, BPO centre workers, as opposed to jobs in food processing and construction — a sociological factor that skews the debate on the job crisis. Along with this, there is an additional development: Changes in world trade and technology are rendering many of these job roles, as performed at present, redundant, particularly in the IT/ITeS space. The rapid march of robotics threatens to curtail other low-end white collar jobs in telecom and banking in the next four or five years.
Divekar says: “My US-based data entry work, requiring typing in Excel sheets, has fallen sharply. Five years back, I used to employ 100-125 local people with B.Com, B.Ed or plus-2 background. Now that number has fallen to 20.” The rest of them have taken retail and accounting jobs.
But it’s the engineering students for whom higher education islooking like a failed investment. Shivam Sushil Kaushal, a student at VDIT (who has developed an app called Soccerholics for the 2018 FIFA World Cup), says, “We are faced with inadequate skills and the reluctance of corporates to come to our campuses despite our having reasonably good marks.”
Vadiraj V Katti, Principal, VDIT, disagrees and states that the curriculum designed by the Karnataka government meets all requirements. “There are industry-academia partnerships, internships of four to six weeks and we ready our students to be almost job-ready. I wish they were more patient and believe in the foundational aspects of our training.” he says.
However, the fact is that skills training institutes as well as technical courses need to do a lot to adapt to the demands of the new economy. India Skills Report2018, a survey by Wheelbox, Pearson and the Confederation of Indian Industry of over five lakh students and 1,000 corporates, says that 1.5 million engineers graduate every year, but only 52 per cent are employable.
“Annually, about 3,60,000 MBA students graduate from 4,000 B-schools in India and 61 per cent are unemployable due to skill gaps and less work experience,” the survey observes. The despondency over the quality of engineering education is all too visible. Engineering colleges that BusinessLine spoke to said that on an average, 25-30 per cent of seats are vacant. Karnataka has around 1,13,000 engineering seats in both undergraduate and post-graduate categories, as per AICTE data. It remains to be seen whether this malaise extends to other disciplines.
“Colleges sprang up like wild mushrooms when it was relatively easy-going,” says DK Mohan, Chairman of Cambridge Institute of Technology, adding that while quantity was increasing, quality became an issue. Now, with the BPO boom done, the chickens are coming home to roost.
“The approach so far has been that the 20 per cent cream will get good jobs and the remaining will eventually find their way. Now, it will be a lot tougher and educational institutes need to understand this and make changes with a war footing,” points out Chaitali Mukherjee, Partner and leader, People and Organisation, PwC India.
To be fair, the fault is not of the colleges alone. K N Rajarao, former principal and currently Advisor at RVCE points out many instances when the college has asked the industry to give inputs on what they expect from students. ‘They say we do not have visibility and point to their HR mandates blindly,” he says. Rajarao did not name the companies but said that three of the top five software exporters and some multinationals take this route. Whether this helps keep skilled wages low for the industry is a question many labour market observers informally ask.
Skills ecosystem
Engineering colleges, along with an eco-system of ITIs (which run two year courses), polytechnics and now short-term skilling courses under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) comprise the skilling ecosystem on the supply side.
While the India Skills report points to the poor placement record of 13,000 ITIs (see graphic), there are exceptions. The Central Polytechnic College (CPT) in Tharamani, Chennai, sees a strong influx of students, most of them from the lower-strata of the society. “We have a placement rate of over 70 per cent in mechanical engineering and we maintain healthy placement records in electrical, electronics and engineering domains,” says A Anbarasan, faculty-in-charge, placements. “But there has been a decline in the number of placements in computing and allied sectors,” he admits.
One reason, they say, could be the mushrooming private institutions offering similar courses and the way these are sold to prospective students. The popularity for otherwise less-glamorous courses like mechanical engineering or electrical engineering at CPT indicates how students see them as avenues of job creation.
They could be right in assessing the future. Arvind Shrouti, a Pune-based labour consultant says, “The question is not whether jobs will be lost in the future, but whether workers can adapt to the challenge of mechatronics — a combination of mechanical and electronics engineering. Existing aptitudes may not longer be relevant.”This is a huge skilling challenge. There aren’t enough indications that we are getting there, although some German companies are leading the way in conducting training in Industry 4.0, AI, IO and mechatronics.
The way out
If the demand-supply gap is huge, with a large rural or semi-urban workforce seeking to exit farming and funnel itself into a nebulous service economy, does the answer lie in an alternative approach? One that focuses on skills in the rural economy so that migration is contained. Government officials concede that while the construction sector lacks the aspirational quotient and is a weak link in the PMKVY programme (see Skills Ministry estimates in graphic), efforts are being made with big corporates to restructure the scheme.
“As for rural sectors such as food processing, the PMKVY norms for qualifying as a skills centre are quite stringent. States, which cough up 25 per cent of the Budget, should come up with their local needs, so that a parallel stream can be conceived within the programme,” they said. The Union Budget has allocated ₹3,400 crore for PMKVY in 2018-19, and only small sums are needed to get rural centres going.
Says NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar: “A lot can be done to promote skills required for pre- and post-harvest handling to reduce wastage, for better cropping techniques and better water use. Soil health, better irrigation, better post harvest practices, transport, can be included in this approach.” [BusinessLine].
18-06-2018
106].Tariff hike: India proposes to raise customs duty on 30 US products
India has submitted a revised list of 30 items to WTO on which it proposes to raise customs duty by up to 50 per cent Earlier in May, India proposed to raise duties by up to 100 per cent on 20 products.
The move comes in response to duties hiked by the US on certain steel and aluminium products.
India and the US are facing off at the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism over the imposition of import duties on steel and aluminum by the Trump administration on March 9 this year. The increased tariff has impacted around $1.5 billion worth of Indian exports to the US.
Up to 100% Import Duty on 20 American Items
New Delhi (Sputnik) — In the face of US protectionism, India has proposed retaliatory import duties of up to 100% to be levied from June onwards on a list of American goods. The 20 items include peas, chickpeas, fresh apples, walnuts, soybean oil, refined palm olein, coco powder, chocolate products, golf cars, motorcycles with engine capacity of over 800 cc and other goods and vehicles with spark-ignition internal combustion piston engines.
105].“The essence of teaching is to make learning contagious, to have one idea spark another.” ~Marva Collins
104].India’s envoy to Bhutan Jaideep Sarkar says top institutes must foster risk-taking
KOLKATA, JUNE 15
Higher education institutes like the Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) should create an ecosystem to develop not just the ‘quantitative’ and ‘qualitative’ skills, but also entrepreneurial skills among its students.
According to Jaideep Sarkar, India’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bhutan and an IIM-Calcutta alumnus, institutes such as IIMs should nurture and foster risk-taking abilities so as to be able to churn out more entrepreneurs in the country.
‘Educational system’
“Our educational system continues to be dominated by an academic hierarchy where places are fixed depending on how good you are in maths and science. We have created a skewed educational system that over-values quantitative ability,” Sarkar said.
He was delivering his speech at the Freshers’ Welcome Programme for the 55th batch of IIM-C’s two-year flagship PGP course here on Friday. The current batch of PGP (2018-20) has 463 students, out of whom 123 are women.
Emphasising the need to develop entrepreneurship skills among Indian graduates, Sarkar said that higher education institutes should not restrict themselves to meeting the demand of the corporate world.
Rather, they should focus on developing social entrepreneurship and public service entrepreneurship.
Given that the IIMs have the “cream of students”, they should set the pace and create an ecosystem for nurturing talent.
“Our great institutions like the IIMs and the IITs should aspire to be more than elegant salons that bring together hungry job seekers and the employers. The system must allow students to explore….” he said. According to Sarkar, one of the biggest challenges in nurturing entrepreneurship in India is cultural aversion (of people) towards taking risks.
“It is also to do with the stigma of failure. However, when it comes to innovation failure is as important as success, he pointed out. Advising students not to get “into zones of comfort”, he said, adversity or stressful conditions bring out the most innovative solutions in the mind of an individual.
“It is not right to get into zones of comfort, particularly given the way the global economy is changing. If you want to become a leader or an innovator then you have to think not just out of the box but without the box,” he said.[BusinessLine] Published on June 15, 2018
103].Srikrishna panel may ask MNCs to store personal data in India
The Justice BN Srikrishna-led committee on data protection is likely to recommend that Internet companies such as Google and Facebook store data of Indians within the country but with riders that may restrict the mandate to sensitive personal information. A majority of the 10-member panel has expressed the view that given the current sensitivity around data globally, it will be in the best interests of the country to ask multinationals to ensure that key data of residents remains in India, people familiar with the discussions told ET. They also said that there have been voices of dissent with a few members of the committee advocating free flow of data to retain the competitive advantage of India’s $135-billion software exports industry.
‘SOME EXEMPTIONS LIKELY’
The Indian IT industry processes the personal data of European and American nationals by way of business with their global clients.
The committee will hold its final meeting on Monday to discuss these issues. It’s expected to submit its report to the government by June end. A member of the committee told ETthere is a strong case for data to be stored in India.
“Broadly, data has to be in the country. There are some areas where exemptions could be there but even from the country’s sovereignty point of view, vital data has to be stored locally,” the person said, adding that such information is classified as “sensitive personal data”. “While sensitive personal data is already defined under many Acts, the committee will do the remaining job,” the person said. Union minister for electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad has said several times in the past that he expects the report to be submitted by June end.
One committee member said the Reserve Bank of India had already taken a lead on this matter. “What the committee will do will be at least less (severe) in impact than RBI’s mandate because there is a lot of junk or non-critical data of users which is not required to be stored locally,” the person said.
In April, RBI directed payment companies to ensure that they store data of Indians only in servers located in the country to enable “unfettered access” by the regulator. ET reported last week that the regulator has asked companies for a fortnightly update on their compliance. The RBI move has divided the industry with local companies supporting it and foreign ones lobbying for its withdrawal.
While some members of the Srikrishna committee are advocating a hard stance, others are in favour of a more pragmatic one. The members who are against data localisation argue that such a move would not only hurt the country’s software industry but will also have long-term impact on innovation and economic growth.
“There are some members who have a different view, but none of the issues are such that can’t be resolved,” said the second official cited above. The Srikrishna committee, which was constituted last year, released a white paper in November detailing likely aspects of the framework and sought comments from the public. The white paper had devoted a chapter to data localisation, saying this could help protect rights of users and prevent foreign surveillance.
AIDING NATIONAL SECURITY “If data is locally stored in India, enforcement agencies will have access to a larger pool of data,” according to the white paper. “This data could aid counterterrorism efforts and may help protect national security.” But it also said that a localisation mandate may have its costs as servers and data centres will have to be put in place. A one-size-fits-all model may not be appropriate, the white paper suggested. The white paper had devoted a chapter to data localisation, saying this could help protect rights of users and prevent foreign surveillance.
AIDING NATIONAL SECURITY “If data is locally stored in India, enforcement agencies will have access to a larger pool of data,” according to the white paper. “This data could aid counter terrorism efforts and may help protect national security.” But it also said that a localisation mandate may have its costs as servers and data centres will have to be put in place. A one-size-fits-all model may not be appropriate, the white paper suggested. “While data localisation may be considered in certain sensitive sectors, it may not be advisable to prescribe it across the board,” it said.
Another official who is privy to the discussions said that the government is considering mandating data localisation since it is increasingly realising that the citizen data of 1.3 billion Indians is quite valuable. “They also feel strongly that it will make it easier for law enforcement agencies to track crimes,” the person added. The recent Facebook-Cambridge Analytica controversy has raised concerns in the government of potential misuse of user data, the official said.
“Some of the global Internet giants are really worried right now. If the government asks that personal emails of citizens etc. have to be stored in India, it will cause a lot of disruption,” the official said.
17-06-2018
102]. Closed mindset |||||| Open mindset
—————— ——————
talking ||||||| listening
argumentative ||||||| empathetic
taking ||||||| giving
arrogant ||||| humble
defensive||||| collaborative
blaming |||||| educating
rigid||||||| adaptive
"Even greatest was once a beginner who was not afraid to try."
"Never search your happiness in others it will make you feel alone. " "Search it within yourself and you will not feel alone."
"Don't wait for perfect moment, take a moment and make it perfect."
"Kill tension, before tension kills you."
"Reach your goal,before goal kicks you."
"Live life ,before life leaves you."
"Hey, If someone tries to treat you like a crap,just remember there is wrong with them, not you. Normal people do not go around destroying human beings."
"Whoever is trying to bring you down is already below you."
"There is a reason why windshield is bigger than rear view mirror---Where you are headed is much more important than what you have left behind."
"A certain darkness is needed to see the Stars.=Osho"
"Life is better when you are happy, but it is at best when others are happy because of you."
"Success consists of getting up
just one more time than you fall -- Oliver Goldsmith."
"Relationships are like BIRDS, if you hold them tightly they DYE If you hold loosely they FLY. But if you hold with care they remain with you FOREVER."
"May your happiness increase like Petrol Price, May your sorrow fall like the Indian Rupee, and May your joy spread in your heart like Corruption spreads in India …!!! is fulfilling its promise, When they said: GDP will rise this year. The only thing we forgot to ask them is its full form: G = Gas & Gold D = Diesel & Dollar P = Petrol & Parties."
Heart is equal to a mirror, Mirror shows reflection, & Heart shows affection. Both have one equal quality, can’t be reformed once broken.
Lucky means who get the opportunity. Brilliant means who create the opportunity. Winner means who use the opportunity. Be a winner always.
"If you feel your problems are big as ship then don't forget that your blessings are as big as ocean."
"Intelligent people have messier handwriting because they think fast."
"We can forgive a child who is afraid of dark, but the tragedy of life is when men are afraid of light.""Plato"
"If everyone is happy with you ,You have made lot of Compromises in life....."; If you are happy with everyone, Surely you have ignored many faults of others"
101]. "Overthinking is Biggest cause of Unhappiness."
"When You accept your mistakes and say sorry with Humility,You are POWERFUL."
"Don't use sharpness of the speech on mother"who taught you how to speak".
"We can do anything we want as long as we stick to it long enough."=Helen Killer.
"There will be haters,there will be doubters,there will be Non-believers; and there will be You,Proving them wrong."
16-06-2018
100]How to Qualify and get a job in AI?
Start by learning from-Intro to AI:
https://www.udacity.com/course/c... It's taught by the head of the Google self-driving Car project, and the guy who wrote AI: A Modern Approach. And it's free!Other free online AI classes do use many of the topics covered in that class as their basis.
Other classes to do next:
https://www.udacity.com/course/c... AI for Robotics
https://www.coursera.org/course/ml Machine Learning
https://www.coursera.org/course/... Neural Networks for Machine Learning
https://www.coursera.org/course/... Natural Language Processing
https://www.coursera.org/course/... AI Planning
https://www.coursera.org/course/... Computational Neuroscience
Skills and Abilities Helpful to Careers in AI
The most successful AI professionals often share common characteristics that enable them to succeed and advance in their careers. Working with artificial intelligence requires an analytical thought process and the ability to solve problems with cost-effective, efficient solutions.
It also requires foresight about technological innovations that translate to state-of-the-art programs that allow businesses to remain competitive. Additionally, AI specialists need technical skills to design, maintain and repair technology and software programs. Finally, AI professionals must learn how to translate highly technical information in ways that others can understand in order to carry out their jobs. This requires good communication and the ability to work with colleagues on a team.
Key Qualifications for AI Engineers
Qualifications for AI engineers can be broken down into three broad categories: education, skill set, and personality traits.
Education: While some AI engineers do not have a degree, for the most part, AI engineers looking to work with large tech companies need at least a bachelor’s degree. Here is a listing of top tech companies and the educational level of their AI engineers:
Apple: 80 percent – bachelor’s degree; 60 percent – masters degree; 20 percent – undisclosed
Facebook: 100 percent – bachelor’s degree; 40 percent – masters degree; 40 percent – undisclosed
Intel: 67 percent – bachelor’s degree; 67 percent – masters degree; Ph.D. – 67; 40 percent – undisclosed
Skill Set: While the skills in most demand vary from company to company, dependent upon business needs, there are some core competencies that all companies value in AI engineers. Engineers must be able to search through large amounts of data for patterns, possess a deep understanding of algorithms, as well as problem-solving and math skills.
According to recent job postings, the major tech companies expect their AI engineers to be proficient with:
Java: 60%
Artificial Intelligence: 57%
Software Development: 48%
C++: 38%
Linux: 37%
Python: 36%
Olivia Williams, Software Engineer at Google (2015-present),[on Quora ]
99].HARVARD UNIVERSITY is being sued for allegedly discriminating unlawfully against Asian applicants. America’s best-known university takes race into account when deciding whom to admit. It says this is one of many factors, and justified by the need to ensure a diverse student body. Plaintiffs contend that it has an unwritten quota to stop Asians from taking as many places as their stellar test scores would predict.
Racial discrimination is illegal in America, except when it isn’t. “Affirmative action” policies, which discriminate in favour of members of disadvantaged groups, are widespread in America and many other countries. Critics, including many supporters of the Harvard suit, argue that they should be illegal. Confusion abounds--America’s Supreme Court has offered contradictory guidance as to when affirmative action is and is not allowed.
Source: The Economist.
98]."My Moral in life is simple,You treat me well ;I will treat you better."
"Live the way you want to be remembered."
"You should never sacrifice 3 things in life,Your family,Your heart and Your dignity."
"Appreciate good people,because they are hard to find."
"Happy people know the art of adding colors of appreciation,humor and magic to each waking moment."
"A ship in a port is safe,but that is not ships are for. "
"If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall in place." =Lao Tzu
"The World's happiest friends never have same nature.They just have best understanding of their differences."
"If you never had friends, you never lived life---"
"The Happiest people don't have best of everything,but they just make best of everything they have."
"Be So Happy so that when others look at you,they become happy too."
"If you have to hurt other people in order to feel powerful,you are an extremely weak individual."- Bobby J.Mattingly
"Make peace of mind your priority."
"when you are looking for friends,don't look for perfection,just look for friendship."
97].Building an AI mindset: Time to identify and develop skill sets... Building an AI mindset. ...
Critical thinking & developing an educator's approach. ...
Developing your data-centricity. ...
Unifying left-brain analytical prowess with right-brain communication skills.
Building an AI mindset: Time to identify and develop skill sets now==Andy Betts
The more I’ve had the opportunity to explore this concept of the martech mindset, the more I’ve realized how important it is that we shift our thinking to view artificial intelligence (AI) as an evolution rather than as a revolution. Artificial intelligence, once an abstract, futuristic concept, is now a reality, so this needs to occur sooner rather than later. It’s no longer a hypothetical; AI is changing the game for brands in tangible, practical applications.
Adoption is not the issue, as investments in AR and VR are expected to grow from $11.4 billion in 2017 to $215 billion in 2021, according to IDC.
Entire industries are finding innovative ways to solve persistent business challenges and create efficiencies through AI — take the proliferation of chatbots in marketing, for example. Individual brands are seizing the AI opportunity as well. Lowe’s “LoweBot,” an autonomous retail service robot that helps customers find products in-store in multiple languages, is another great example of the power of AI in practice.
As the possibilities of AI are coming to fruition, our challenge now is adopting a new ethos and developing an AI mindset. A talent race fueled by a skills and education gap is underway, as more than 10,000 AI-related positions have opened across the country, Paysa research found. Recently, 56 percent of senior AI professionals polled by Ernst & Young said the lack of talent and qualified workers is the greatest single barrier to the implementation of AI across business operation.
How can we get into the AI state of mind, to fully capitalize on its myriad opportunities?
Building an AI mindset
We’ve speculated for about a decade now that with the rise of robotics and increased automation, a portion of the labor market would undergo an inevitable shift. At Sephora, for example, you can now get help choosing makeup from a chatbot that begins the process by quizzing you on your preferences. Of course, the application collects data to be used in marketing and R&D as well.
And in ad tech, companies like Adgorithms are using AI to drive transparency and accountability for advertisers. Its machine learning platform, Albert, uses a proprietary algorithm based on deep learning and predictive analytics to make decisions typically reserved for human marketers.
While AI applications can, in some cases, reduce the burden of physical labor, we still need people to develop and manage the machines. Even so, the labor market doesn’t seem to be keeping pace.
According to a Yahoo Finance report, IBM CEO Ginni Rommety recently told the Economic Club of New York, “If you look at just some pure numbers [for] the United States: half a million open tech jobs, 5 to 6 million open jobs in general. Our high schools only teach 25 percent of computer science. This great country only produced 400,000 computer science people. Hard to believe such small numbers.”
Despite this education gap, 35 percent of available AI positions require a Ph.D., according to Paysa, and 26 percent of employers are seeking candidates with a master’s degree.
Those brands may have more trouble than most filling those jobs. AI is such a fast-moving space that many are willing to look beyond formal education and are more interested in the skill set that enables candidates to flourish in the uncertainty. Joel Dodge, a software engineer at Infer, told Dice:
[We] expect everyone to do a lot of on-the-job learning. It is relatively uncommon to find candidates who have years of experience with machine learning problems, though it would be great if we could.
This AI-compatible skill set and mindset are proving incredibly valuable. Here’s how.
Critical thinking & developing an educator’s approach
Innovation has long been powered by our understanding of the problem we had to solve. We turn the problem over, examine it from various angles and brainstorm the various ways we can tackle it. We dream up the ways we can use the technology and talent available to us to generate a different outcome.
Part of the AI mindset is a shift in the way we approach problem-solving. AI must learn through mistake-making and in various iterations of a task over time while gathering information from a larger data set. Shepherding this process requires visionary talent with a relatively high tolerance for both risk and failure. AI professionals need the creativity to imagine how the technology can be applied, paired with the analytical acumen to measure results and determine success over time. They must be willing to take risks and perform experiments while being resilient enough to fail fast and move on faster.
Talent like this can only succeed within the right organizational culture. Companies that demand planning on a two-year or even annual schedule, and are committed to getting things done in a particular way, won’t be agile or flexible enough to move on AI. In martech especially, where over 5,000 companies have popped up in just a few short years, agility is a skill in hot demand.
As you’re looking to build your AI team, consider that traits like risk tolerance, creativity and resilience are typically deep-rooted. Data proficiency, on the other hand, can be learned.
Developing your data-centricity
According to job site Indeed.com, “[D]emand for workers with AI talent has more than doubled over the past three years, with the number of AI-related job postings as a share of all job postings up about 119 percent.” More and more, we’re seeing creatives — right-brain thinkers — cross-training and focusing on developing their analytical and data skills.
Barriers to AI entry are dropping with the advent of skills-based, specific university-level courses like Andrew Ng’s Deeplearning.ai courses. At Udacity, learners will get a full tuition refund if they haven’t found a job within six months of completing the machine learning engineer course. Through its OpenCourseWare, MIT also is offering intensive training in AI and machine learning.
These highly focused, job-specific courses are breaking down barriers to machine learning entry and bringing talent to market much faster. In marketing, for example, it means you don’t need to start over and chase another four-year degree or incur a boatload of student debt to work your way into AI. Better yet, prospects can tailor their skills to suit a specific employer.
Unifying left-brain analytical prowess with right-brain communication skills
Analytical skills, data proficiency and digital savvy are critical in AI professionals. However, organizations also need talent to innovate, to visualize AI solutions, to test multiple iterations and evangelize across departments. In many companies, this will fall into the CMO or marketing director’s realm, owing largely to their superior communication skills.
In addition to taking advantage of fast-paced and independent educational opportunities, marketing professionals also must develop their right-brain skills, including:
Imagination and creativity.
Empathy and a deep understanding of the connected consumers’ experience.
Agility and resilience.
Intuition and ability to listen attentively.
Holistic thought and a high-level view.
Openness to new ideas and processes.
Consider the way AI is being implemented at United States Postal Service. Their Smart Blue Box, a voice-activated mailbox introduced at CES last year, uses AI to answer questions, quote postage rates and even complete shipping transactions. In this one product, AI powers functions of marketing, operations and customer service.
https://martechtoday.com/building-ai-mindset-time-identify-develop-skill-sets-now-212672
15-06-2018
96].A PhD degree will be mandatory for teaching positions in Universities from July, 2021
A PhD degree will be mandatory for teaching positions in Universities from July, 2021, Human Resource Development (HRD) minister Prakash Javadekar today announced.
Those aiming at Assistant Professorship in a College will, however be eligible with a PhD or even with a Master’s degree with NET, the government said. Still further, the much debated Academic Performance Indicator (API) used to assess teacher performance, now stands scrapped.
It will be replaced by a new simplified teacher evaluation grading system with research score added for Universities to improve research output.
The new regulations also propose to relax the number of prescribed working hours for teachers at the Assistant Professor level provided they are engaged in research.
These measures are part of the new University Grants Commission regulations to “attract and retain the best quality teachers and other academic staff in Universities and to improve research output.
The new regulations also propose to relax the number of prescribed working hours for teachers at the Assistant Professor level provided they are engaged in research.
These measures are part of the new University Grants Commission regulations to “attract and retain the best quality teachers and other academic staff in Universities and Colleges”. The HRD ministry has approved the new regulations.
As per the regulations, special provision has been made for direct recruitment of Assistant Professors in Universities and Colleges for Ph.D Degree holders from a University/Institution in the top 500 Global rankings.
Marking a distinction between College and University teachers, the new regulations has made promotion criteria for the former more focussed on teaching while criteria for the latter will be more research oriented.
The Regulations mandate introduction of one month induction programme for newly recruited Assistant Professors in Universities/Colleges/Higher Education Institutions from now on to prime them up for the job.
Up to 10% of the existing sanctioned strength of Professors in Universities shall be appointed as Senior Professors in the Universities. These Senior Professors will be appointed through direct recruitment and through promotion under Career Advancement Scheme.
Incentives to teachers as provided in the earlier Regulations of 2010 and subsequent amendments have been retained. These include incentives for M.Phil/Ph.D.
Research clusters will be created in the Universities within the State for sharing research facilities, skills and infrastructure to ensure optimal utilization of resources and creating synergies amongst higher education institutions.
In order to promote sports, a special category of medal winners in Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games in eligibility criteria for Assistant Director/College Director, Physical Education and Sports and Deputy Director, Physical Education and Sports in Universities has been made.
95].Singapore e-Government to implement skill development programmes in India.
NEW DELHI/SINGAPORE: The Singapore e-Government Leadership Centre (eGL) at the National University of Singapore's Institute of Systems Science (NUS-ISS) and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, government of India have come together to collaborate with each other on the skilling initiatives for India's workforce.
The two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance the skills in India's workforce during India Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Singapore from 31st May to 2nd June 2018. They will work together to develop and implement skill development programmes across emerging technology areas like Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. They will also cooperate and collaborate further especially in the areas of vocational training on new-age technologies, training of trainers and assessors, and promoting life-long learning.
NUS-ISS through its e-Government Leadership Centre will provide advisory to NSDC and industry driven bodies known as Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), and develop strategies for incorporating emerging technologies into existing skill training programmes in India. For job roles in the area of emerging technologies where national occupational standards and courses have yet to be developed, eGL will guide NSDC and SSCs to develop standards, courses and certification opportunities for these job roles. The aim is to equip Indian workforce with Future Skills and secure employment in these emerging areas.
Speaking on the partnership Manish Kumar, MD &CEO, NSDC said, "NSDC endeavours to work closely with leading institutions like NUS to identify the future of skills and develop the required competencies in India. Currently there is a large demand for new age skills, which serves as a huge opportunity for our youth. I am sure that through this collaboration with NUS-ISS, create training opportunities that could fulfill the aspirations of our youth and help us keep pace with the technological changes in the world.
Championing the Skill India mission is the Government of India through the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship formed in November 2014. Over the next 3 years, it is estimated that more than 25 million youths will be skilled and certified through various programmes under the Ministry, training Indian youths and professionals on International Standards and develop quality assurance framework.
14-06-2018
94].Delhi HC dismisses plea to hold DU LLB exam in Hindi [PTI]
NEW DELHI, JUNE 13
The Delhi High Court has junked a plea seeking a direction to the Delhi University to conduct the entrance examination for the LLB course in Hindi language.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar noted that a single judge and division bench have already dismissed a similar plea in 2014.
The high court in 2014 had dismissed a similar case filed by Shailendra Mani Tripathi saying that judgements are pronounced and reported primarily in English language.
“The single judge had noted Article 348 of the Constitution of India, which states that the language to be used in the Supreme Court and high courts as well as the acts and bills shall be in English. It was also opined by the single judge that if the relief as prayed was granted, it would tantamount to interfering with the autonomy of the University of Delhi.
“The Intra Court Appeal assailing the decision of the learned single judge dated May 20, 2014 stands rejected by the division bench... The above precedents on identical facts, bind the consideration by this court. We therefore find no merit in this writ petition, which is dismissed,” the court said.
The judgement came on a petition of 20-year-old Ayush Tiwari, a final-year BA student from Allahabad, who had approached the high court seeking directions that he should be allowed to take the DU LLB entrance exam in Hindi.
The petitioner said he is “desirous of studying law, however, since he has got all his education in Hindi medium, it would be unfair for him to take the entrance exam in English when on the contrary DU Law Faculty allows term examination of LLB to be taken in Hindi”.
With the Union Public Service Commission and certain central universities holding the examination in Hindi, the plea sought to conduct of entrance examination for LLB along the same lines.
93].New evaluation system introduced for college teachers
HRD Ministry scraps API appraisal system
NEW DELHI, JUNE 13
In a bid to improve the standards of the higher education sector, Academic Performance Index (API) based Appraisal System has been removed, Union Minister for Human Resources Development Prakash Javadekar said on Wednesday.
The system has been replaced by a new simplified teacher evaluation grading system and research score will be added for universities to improve research outputs.
“The objective is to improve the quality of higher education. Secondly, we want good teachers to continue to be part of the profession,” Javadekar told a press conference.
He added that the incentives to teachers as provided in the earlier Regulations of 2010 and subsequent amendments have been retained. They include incentives for M Phil/PhD. According to the new Regulations, there will be a provision for promotion in colleges up to professor level for the first time.
Special provision has also been made for recruitment of assistant professors in universities and colleges from PhD degree holders from a university/institution in the top 500 global rankings. Now, one month induction programme will be mandatory for newly recruited assistant professors. From July1, 2021, PhD would be compulsory for promotion to assistant professor, as per the new regulations.
“PhD degree has been made mandatory for promotion to assistant professor (selection grade) in colleges from July 1, 2021. Similary, PhD degree will be mandatory for direct recruitment of assistant professors from July 1, 2021”, Javadekar added.
Published on June 13, 2018[Business Line].
92]. Why B-schoolers are opting for social internships
Students want to learn social responsibility that is not taught in classrooms
CHENNAI, JUNE 13
Internships in B-schools are a big deal. Not only do they add value to students’ resumes, but also give them the exposure to what it is like to be in the real-work world. While most students opt for summer internships at corporates, some of them are now choosing social internships — that is, working with NGOs or in the CSR wing of companies.
Ground zero
Smriti Mahlawat, a second-year student of IMI Delhi, decided to intern with Professional Assistance for Development Action, an NGO that works for the upliftment of marginalised women. Working in the remote area of Jamsola, which lies on the border of Odisha and West Bengal, she studied how the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act impacted the place in the last five years.
“A professor told us 20 years from now, there won’t be any water left. At Jamsola, I saw this first hand. This social responsibility cannot be taught in class,” Mahlawat said.
The remuneration ranges from unpaid internships to earning around ₹20,000 a month. While some choose this path voluntarily, others tread here because it is compulsory. In fact, social internships are now catching up in B-schools. IIM Indore’s five-year Integrated Management Programme mandates students to dabble in this area at the end of their third year. XLRI has a Village Exposure Programme and an Outbound Programme for its first- year students.
SPJIMR, too, integrated a mandatory social internship programme in its management curriculum. “In 2001, the Centre for Development of Corporate Citizenship (DoCC) was established and implemented in all the programmes,” said Nirja Mattoo, Chairperson of the centre.
New learnings
Harish Khanna, a first-year MBA student at IIT Madras’ Department of Management Studies, bagged a market research profile with Rural Technology Action Group (RuTag) in Pattamadai, Tirunelveli, which is famous for its mats. His job entails him to come up with ideas on how a product can be marketed better. “I have no prior experience, and most of the other internships required it. When I came across this profile I was convinced The work I am doing is quite raw, and involves no software,” said Khanna.
A number of students want to bring about a change in the society. “Reading about an issue and meeting people who have been affected are two different things,” said Vandit Sawansukha of IIM Indore. He is interning with SELCO Foundation in its incubation department.
Ankit Kumar Gupta, his batchmate, is working with Waste Warriors in Corbett, as its data manager. “When you are in a corporate setting, you get to see only numbers. But on a social internship, you meet different people, which makes you humble.”
New career choice?
A few of the students are even rethinking their career choices. Mahlawat said: “I am reconsidering my career choices because this society needs us. But in this sector, you start with a very low income. That might be why MBA students are reluctant to join the sector, since they have invested a lot on their education.”
Sawansukha said: I believe social internship is a good experience. If we are in positions to take decisions that will affect everyone, it is good if we are cognisant of the underlying issues that our country faces.”
91]."Ego never accepts the Truth".==Buddha.
12-06-2018
90].ISRO to transfer lithium ion cell technology for Rs 1 cr [1,50,000USD]
Indian space agency ISRO on Tuesday announced it has decided to transfer its own lithium ion cell technology to Indian industry on a non-exclusive basis for usage in automobiles for Rs 1 crore.
In a statement, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said the initiative will accelerate the development of indigenous electric vehicle industry.
The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) located in Kerala will transfer the lithium ion cell technology to the successful Indian industries/start-ups on non-exclusive basis to establish production facilities in the country that can produce cells of varying size, capacity, energy density and power density catering to the entire spectrum of power storage requirements, ISRO said.
According to ISRO, the request for qualification (RFQ) will be issued from Wednesday for a price of Rs 25,000 and a security deposit of Rs 400,000 has to be paid along with the application.
The RFQ contains a brief description of qualification process & technology transfer process, instructions to applicants, eligibility criteria, timelines and various forms for submitting RFQ.
Interested applicants shall attend a pre-application conference scheduled on July 13. All queries or request for additional information concerning the RFQ shall be attended only in the pre-application conference, the space agency said.
ISRO also said that the "competent firm's security deposit will be adjusted against the technology transfer fee of Rs 100 lakh. Security deposit of unsuccessful applicants or withdrawn applications will be returned, without any interest".
The one-time technology transfer fee has to be paid within 30 days of qualification date.
"Technology shall be transferred to all/any of the competent firms who qualify the eligibility criteria as specified in the RFQ. The required process shall be provided by ISRO at the time of signing of technology transfer agreement and payment of technology transfer fee," ISRO said.
Presently, the lithium-ion battery is the most dominant battery system finding applications for a variety of societal needs including mobile phones, laptops, cameras and many other portable consumer gadgets apart from industrial applications and aerospace.
Recent advances in the battery technology have made it the preferred power source for electric and hybrid electric vehicles also. [Economics Times].
91].Two Top R&D institutions come together to help in better disposal of sanitary napkins
NEW DELHI, JUNE 11
Two leading Indian scientific institutions have come together with a private partner to launch a new high tech device to ensure that the growing popularity of sanitary napkins do not end up becoming an environmental nightmare.
Called GreenDispo, the device has been designed in such that it will incinerate the sanitary napkins completely with minimal flue gas emission. It is estimated that 432 million pads are already been disposed off every month in the country and this is expected to grow multifold in the coming years.
Inappropriate handling of the used pads is already posing a major challenge as the pads grow harmful pathogens causing serious health and environmental hazards. In addition, blocking of drainage paths due to the disposed napkins is becoming a critical issue.
The new device combines the expertise of the Hyderabad-based International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy (ARCI) in the area of processing and shaping of ceramics, the knowledge of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute in flue gas emission control, and the skill of Secunderabad-based Sowbal Aerothermics in energy efficient designing and manufacturing.
Launching the product, NEERI Director, Rakesh Kumar, said the specially designed heaters of the device generated a temperature of more than 800 degrees Celsius, which helped in complete combustion of the used pad. It also had a secondary heating chamber with a temperature of 1050 degrees Celsius to take care of any hazardous emissions from the incinerator.
ARCI Director, Dr. G. Padmanabhan, noted that ARCI experts have designed special ceramic holders for the device to ensure that the heat is channelized most effectively. The concentration of heat to the pads not only provide reduced ignition time, higher peak temperature, increased life expectancy of the heater element and reduced power consumption.
Mr. V.V.S.Rao of Sowbal Aerothermics said that the device will be available with a power rating of 800 and 1,000 watts and a unit size of two to three cubic feet volume. It is a batch type incinerator suitable for use anywhere including rural areas, colleges, schools, hostels, offices and public places. It has been tested for emissions and reliability of performance through field trials under practical conditions. It will be marketed by Messrs Girl Care under the name of `Pad Burn”.
(India Science Wire)
90].World’s largest iceberg set to disappear after 18-year-long journey.
It had broke away from Antartica’s Ross Ice Shelf in May 2000
WASHINGTON, JUN 11
The largest iceberg ever recorded, that broke away from Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf 18 years ago, could be nearing the end of its voyage, according to NASA. When iceberg B-15 first broke away in March 2000, it measured about 296 kilometres long and 37 kilometres wide. B-15 has since fractured into numerous smaller bergs, and most have melted away.
Just four pieces remain that meet the minimum size requirement - at least 37 kilometres to be tracked by the US National Ice Center. When astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) shot a photograph of the iceberg on May 22 this year, B-15Z measured about 18 kilometres long and nine kilometres wide.
That is still well within the trackable size, NASA said in a statement. However, the iceberg may not be tracked much longer if it splinters into smaller pieces. A large fracture is visible along the centre of the berg, and smaller pieces are splintering off from the edges.
Melting and breakup would not be surprising, given the berg’s long journey and northerly location. A previous image showed B-15Z farther south in October 2017, after it had ridden the coastal countercurrent about three-quarters of the way around Antarctica bringing it to the Southern Ocean off the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Currents prevented the berg from continuing through the Drake Passage; instead, B-15Z cruised north into the southern Atlantic Ocean. When the May 2018 photograph was acquired, the berg was about 277 kilometres northwest of the South Georgia islands. Icebergs that make it this far have been known to rapidly melt and end their life cycles here.[Business Line]
89]."Lucky means who get the opportunity. Brilliant means that create the opportunity. Winner means that use the opportunity. Be a winner always."
'Nothing is permanent in this word, not even our troubles. Fallen flowers can't grow back on the tree, but if the root is strong new flowers certainly can. Life is not about what u could not do so far, it is what u still can"
"When life is dragging you back with difficulties,
it means it’s going to launch you into something great."
"So just focus, and keep aiming."
“The greatest sign of success for a teacher… is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.’” – Maria Montessori.
"Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different?"
11-06-2018
88].AI matching human intelligence still decades away: CA research scientists.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is still decades away in matching human intelligence, despite major advances, according to scientists at CA technologies who are involved in cutting-edge research.
"On true general intelligence there has been a lot of work, but the whole scientific community agrees that it will take a very long term before we reach it. It will take decades," said Victor Muntes-Mulero, Vice President of Strategic Research at CA technologies, on the sidelines of the company's "Built to Change Summit" here.
Muntes-Mulero, who is part of the Advance Deep Dive Research initiative of CA, said that there was "still a long path to get there", and in between there has to be a lots and lots of work done on various aspects of intelligence. Maria Valez-Rojas, Research Scientist with the Deep Dive Research, said that the safety issues coming up in robotics, and the need to solve all of them, mean that it's not going to happen in the near future.
Many leading commentators have mentioned from time to time that human intelligence in machines is less than a decade away. Scientists now realise that making machines is easy, but bringing in the whole gamut of ethics, human rights and social construct would be difficult to imbed.
In this context, Muntes-Mulero said that they were researching how to make AI behave ethically, adding that some intelligent software recently turned out to be wrong. For example, Google Translate often became sexist when translating sentences, say from Turkish into English, stating: "He's an engineer or she's a nurse," when the original did not imply a gender. Similarly, AI delivery systems often discriminated against residences of people of colour.
"You would like AI to do what you intend it to do, but sometimes it can behave unexpectedly," he said, adding that Alexa or Siri can take non-human instructions from audio in television and deliver results which are unintended. "Your Apple watch can be hacked to get your passwords by motion detection as you type them into the laptop," he said.
Human speech and sense of fairness and human rights issues were important, but it would take a while before machines are taught to discern them. In this context, he quoted the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, who said that it was easier for AI to discern the image of a nipple than to detect hate speech.
Muntes-Mulero said that things got more complicated when you realised that there was no single definition of fairness or social rules and that they sometimes differed from country to country. Defining all this mathematically was a challenging task in itself, he added. But it was their goal, in research, to create a better world by ensuring fairness and appreciation of human rights in AI.
Valez-Rojas, who's working on "cobotics", or human collaboration with robotics, said that the new era of interaction with robots is coming where they will collaborate "not to replace us, but to help with our jobs". She said AI will eventually help robots to understand the human environment. She said the interaction can lead to problems because "humans are so unpredictable".
Also, it would take a lot of effort to teach robots how to differentiate between concepts. "When you tell a robot to 'clean up the mess', it might proceed beyond the coffee spilled on the floor and wipe out the massive calculations that you have done the whole week on the blackboard. Because that may mean 'mess' for it."
She said that humans have moved on from robots which did repetitive work to controlled robots like drones to somewhat intelligent ones like those that could walk across the room and avoid obstacles on their own. "Finally, we have to make robots that can behave autonomously and help humans in their jobs," she added.
Steven Greenspan, Research Scientist, explained that much research was being done at CA on security and privacy which are the top concerns in the world now. He said that General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), recently passed in Europe, had far-reaching consequences for not only companies there, but almost any company in the world which did business with Europe.
He said CA was working on products where the requirements are embedded into them so that companies do not have to be experts in understanding what GDPR requires. The thrust of the new regulations provides that the individual is the owner of the data and can decide who it should be shared with and can take it back whenever he or she so desires.
He said access control has its problem since passwords can be cracked, hacked or stolen. In this context he said they were doing research on "behavioural markers" which would better identify the person using any software. "We can figure out how you type or what your pattern of walk is with your mobile, even if you are erratic in your behaviour," he said.
"Even if you go out for lunch or sometimes skip lunch to work through, it's all unique. If you step out after logging in, and someone else comes and uses the system, we can know. Even if you allow someone else to use your system, we can figure out," he said, adding that using these behaviour markers they had been able to get correct identification of over 95 per cent. The research is also looking into whether they identify where intent changes in a person, from benign to malicious. [Economic Times].
87].India to soon start making lithium-ion batteries
An agreement on first transfer of technology for lithium-ion batteries was signed here on Sunday between the government-run Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI) and RAASI Solar Power Pvt Ltd, an official statement said on Sunday.
According to the Science and Technology Ministry statement, this memorandum of understanding is the first of its kind for the country.The indigenous technology of lithium-ion cells has been developed by a group of scientists at the Council for Scientific Industrial Research (CSIR)'s CECRI in Tamil Nadu's Karaikudi in partnership with CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute, Kolkata and CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, it said.
"CSIR-CECRI has set up a demo facility in Chennai to manufacture prototype lithium-ion cells. It has secured global IPRs with potential to enable cost reduction, coupled with appropriate supply chain and manufacturing technology for mass production," it added.
According to the ministry, Indian manufacturers source lithium-ion batteries from China, Japan and South Korea among some other countries.
"India is one of the largest importers, and in 2017 it imported nearly $150 million worth lithium-ion batteries," it said
"Today's development is a validation of the capabilities of CSIR and its laboratories to meet technology in critical areas to support our industry, besides other sectors," said Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan.
"It will give tremendous boost to two flagship programmes - generating 175 giga watts (GW) by 2022, of which 100 GW will be solar and the second, the National Electric Mobility Mission, to switch completely to electric vehicles by 2030," he added.
Under the MoU, the Raasi Group will set up a manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district, which is located close to Bengaluru.
"We want to bring down the cost of cell manufacturing below Rs 15,000 per KW to replace lead acid battery," Raasi Group Chairman C.Narsimhan said in a statement.
"We also have plans to make lithium-ion battery for solar roof top with life span of 25 years to make it affordable enough to drive the photo voltaic segment," he added.
Lithium-ion batteries have applications in energy storage systems and can power any electrical application without the need of physical wires. [Economic Times].
10-06-208
86].Why there is so much unease about SoftBank's funding strategy and methods.
Speculation about Flipkart’s acquisition by Walmart had reached fever-pitch in India on May 9, a Wednesday. A deal would have far-reaching implications for the country’s startups.
In faraway Tokyo, Masayoshi Son, the influential SoftBank chairman, dropped a bomb during an earnings call for his company. “Walmart has purchased Flipkart,” he said. That announcement was not his to make. As flustered minders tried to cover up Masa San’s apparent slip, matters only got worse. “Maybe I should not have mentioned that,” Son said, adding, “Well, I can’t take it out.”
When the announcement eventually came from the rightful quarters in Bentonville and Bangalore, Son’s enthusiasm was placed in context. SoftBank’s $2.5 billion (Rs 16,632 crore) investment in Flipkart had turned into $4 billion (Rs 26,611 crore) in just 8 months, in a market where big cheques and big exits are both elusive.
SoftBank is now a looming figure in India’s startup scene. It’s the rare investor currently with the appetite and the ability to cut big cheques. And coming off two fiscals when venture capital funding had virtually dried up, the presence of an investor looking to invest billions of dollars would normally be welcomed without reservation. Except, SoftBank’s size, strategy and methods all complicate matters. Whether you are an entrepreneur or a rival investor, a number of people ET Magazine interviewed say, there are reasons to be wary.
Some observers worry that SoftBank’s sheer financial heft can skew India’s startup ecosystem by putting too much power in one investor’s hands. “They can effectively play kingmaker, because of the capital they have,” says Anupam Mittal, founder of Shaadi.com and an angel investor in some 100 startups. “They can also control the destiny of companies in ways that may at times conflict (with the vision of ) the entrepreneur.” Mittal was an early backer of Ola, now a SoftBank investee company.
A Mixed Bag
SoftBank has more than $8 billion (Rs 53,222 crore) invested in India. The returns, so far, have been mixed. Snapdeal and Housing.com have virtually disintegrated, while Paytm, Oyo and a rejuvenated Grofers, have prospered, even as Son and his crew have fine-tuned their approach.
For Paytm, a $ 450 million (Rs 2,993.73 crore) investment in Paytm Mall, led by SoftBank, has seen deal terms change thrice in the past few months , according to people familiar with the process. Paytm did not respond to requests for comment. Some of this might be on account of the shift in the source of investment. Since the formation of the $100 billion SoftBank Vision Fund in 2016, Son’s India investments tend to be routed through that vehicle. There’s a difference in the intent and and patience of that money, compared with Son’s own. SoftBank Vision Fund has socalled limited partners, people or institutions that have invested money, expecting high returns. This means Son’s investments now carry similar pressures as other venture capital funds. They will look for exits within a fixed time frame, for one. The days when Son could act like he had infinite time and patience with his deals might be in the past. SoftBank declined to make Son or a spokesperson available for an interview. A set of questions emailed to their representative was also unanswered. Son’s investment thesis has a strong bias towards startups that can define or dominate an industry. It’s a tough and high-risk pursuit, that can sometimes clash with the interests of the entrepreneurs involved.
After stumbling with Snapdeal (now worth a sliver of its peak valuation) and Housing (severely hobbled to the point of a firesale, thanks to a mercurial founder and CEO), SoftBank has sought to steady its ship. After the Flipkart exit, a major play is Paytm. Through Paytm Mall, the group hopes to build a strong third player in India’s burgeoning e-commerce market, slated to hit $200 billion by 2026, according to Morgan Stanley estimates.
Investors worry about losing their cachet and bargaining power, under SoftBank’s shadow. But simultaneously, SoftBank also represents an opportunity, for exits. “They are out-thinking many of us, not with the price or premium they’re paying, but with the size of their investments,” says the executive director of an early stage investor, who asked not to be named. “The challenge for us is to keep pace with them, while also keeping in mind they could be a key source of exits for our investments,” says the executive director of an early stage investor, who asked not to be named. “The challenge for us is to keep pace with them, while also keeping in mind they could be a key source of exits for our investments.”
Entrepreneurs also have reason to view SoftBank similarly — with cautious optimism.Several entrepreneurs who spoke to ET Magazine on background, said that Son’s billions are needed not just to fund companies, but to push consumers to change their online behaviour and adapt to the internet — and the commerce it powers — faster. This needs large pools of capital that are not on offer from many corners. The Indian allocation of SoftBank, at around $10 billion, is much bigger than any other marquee investors including Sequoia Capital and Accel, two of the most aggressive startup backers here and globally. But that money can come with riders. Anand Lunia, cofounder of India Quotient, an early stage investor, says SoftBank gives Indian startups an opportunity to raise a large amount of money, but asks for plenty in return. “There are few investors who can match this heft at series B and C (names for latter rounds of $10 million or more raised by startups),” he says. “This will potentially allow SoftBank to play a domineering role in these companies.” When it invested in Housing, the online real estate venture, it pared the founders’ share from around 40% to barely 10% in one fell swoop. When the cofounder-CEO self-destructively turned against the investors, some observers pointed fingers at the aggressive deal-making for leaving the founders with too little skin in the game, and then letting them run the company aground.
Since then, there have been signs of maturity. With Paytm, for instance, it has signed a pact that ensures SoftBank doesn’t invest in a competing startup for the next seven years. “This is a quite a departure from the way SoftBank likes to do business, where it often seeks to invest in two or more competing businesses,” a partner of a mid-sized VC fund in Bengaluru said, asking not to be named.
Uneasy Matchmaking
Entrepreneurs who compete with a SoftBank backed firm can sometimes suddenly and mysteriously find the going getting tough. Platforms and aggregators, for instance, might treat Son’s investee companies favourably, to their rivals’ detriment. Because, who wants to be on the wrong side of all manner of access — to funds, global linkages and co - investment opportunities?
In hospitality and travel, for example, SoftBank is a backer of Oyo, the technology platform for an assortment of accommodation. Oyo’s rivals Treebo and Fab Hotels found themselves de-listed from Makemytrip’s influential platform suddenly. There’s been speculation of Oyo merging with Makemytrip.
Oyo founder and CEO Riteish Agarwal didn’t respond to messages seeking comment. Deep Kalra, Makemytrip’s CEO, said his firm had a pre-existing partnership with Oyo and couldn’t comment, as a listed entity, on future plans. Then there is the matter of seeking industry domination through synergies between investee companies, which are sometimes rivals.
Globally, SoftBank is known to flex this sort of muscle. For example, in ride sharing, it has been a keen votary of Uber’s moves to consolidate elsewhere and exit Russia, China and South East Asia. In China and SEA, Uber sold its operations to Didi and Grab, respectively. Both are SoftBank portfolio companies.
In India, too, its investments in Uber and arch-rival Ola have fuelled talks of consolidation. Ola CEO and co-founder Bhavish Agarwal has ring-fenced himself from any investor pressure to sell, by enhancing his voting rights. In online grocery and ecommerce, too, SoftBank is making its influence felt. For instance, Big Basket, the country’s largest online grocer and a SoftBank investee, is figuring out the mechanics of selling some of its wares on Paytm Mall, another SoftBank investee.
“We are still thinking this through, it is too early to comment,” Hari Menon, CEO of Big Basket, said. Grofers and Big Basket, two SoftBank portfolio firms, have been linked to each other by rumour for the better part of 18 months. While Grofers started with hyperlocal grocery delivery, it pivoted into conventional inventory-based business, as its original market imploded. Big Basket, meanwhile, is stepping on the gas with its private labels, with expansion into categories as diverse as meat and make up (cosmetics). Menon of BigBasket denied a merger was in the works.
Industry observers say that a surge of consolidation is inevitable, given SoftBank and Son’s focus on investing and dominating categories. “SoftBank, like other large investors, is here to back companies that want to dominate large markets,” Michael Marks, CEO and cofounder of technology firm Katerra, said on the sidelines of a fireside chat organised by ET recently in Bengaluru. “They don’t want to play in small niches … they have put everyone in the markets they are interested in, on notice.” Katerra, which uses technology to automate real estate development, scooped up almost a billion dollars from SoftBank last year.
In food tech, SoftBank could again play kingmaker, when it seals a deal to back Zomato, since its portfolio firm Ola had previously acquired Food Panda in India. Uber is also building out its food delivery service, Uber Eats, in India.
Fears of Overheating “Across categories and geographies, SoftBank has made it clear to fellow investors that it isn’t here to compete for the minor positions,” says Harish HV, an industry observer and former member of accounting advisory Grant Thornton’s India leadership unit.
Some players say discerning entrepreneurs should prioritise support through the lifecycle of their company from an investor, rather than large cheques. “Their (SoftBank’s) heft makes entrepreneurs look at investors with the singular lens of how much funding they bring in, without looking at their track record of supporting companies throughout life cycle through good and bad times,” says K. Ganesh, co-founder of Growth Story and a serial entrepreneur. He was an early-stage investor in BigBasket and remains invested.
After funding tightened for two consecutive years between 2015 and 2017, this year has seen entrepreneurs breathe a little easy, as some semblance of normalcy has returned. Several investors have raised fresh funds for their India units, with Sequoia and Accel leading the way.
Despite the easing in fund availability, entrepreneurs remain guarded about SoftBank, with most declining to be named or their companies identified in interviews. “We can’t afford to rub SoftBank the wrong way,” the sales chief at a leading travel startup says. “They could be an exit option for our investors or one day lead a big round (of investment) for us.” This firm competes with Oyo, a SoftBank portfolio firm.
Ganesh of GrowthStory also worries that SoftBank’s aggression could result in the creation of yet another bubble, similar to what happened between 2014 and 2016. “We have already seen it in action — what happens when too much money is hastily deployed, without a fundamental business case, just to beat all other investors. It hurts the ecosystem,” he s ays. “Many companies got disproportionate funding but when these funds retreated, they were stuck having raised money at high, unsustainable valuations and had to shut down or get merged or acquired at a pittance.”
As India’s startups enjoy the green shoots of a funding resurgence, SoftBank’s looming presence is occupying a lot of mindspace. Its steps will be closely watched. As for Son himself, he thinks his company is exceeding its targets here. “We would definitely overachieve on our commitment much ahead of time and at a much bigger scale,” he told ET in April. Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64522680.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
87].India's groundwater widely contaminated with uranium, say researchers
New York, June 8 (IANS) Researchers have found widespread uranium contamination in groundwater from aquifers in 16 Indian states. The findings suggested that the main source of the uranium contamination is natural, but human factors such as groundwater-table decline, over-exploitation of groundwater for agricultural irrigation and nitrate pollution may be aggravating the problem. According to the researchers, several studies have linked exposure of uranium in drinking water may lead to chronic kidney disease. "Nearly a third of all water wells we tested in one state, Rajasthan, contained uranium levels that exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) and US Environmental Protection Agency's safe drinking water standards," said co-author Avner Vengosh from the Duke University in US.
"By analyzing previous water quality studies, we also identified aquifers contaminated with similarly high levels of uranium in 26 other districts in northwestern India and nine districts in southern or southeastern India," Vengosh added.
For the study, published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology Letters, the researchers sampled water from 324 wells in the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat to analyze the water chemistry.
In a subset of samples, they measured the uranium isotope ratios. They also analyzed similar data from 68 previous studies of groundwater geochemistry in Rajasthan, Gujarat and 14 other Indian states.
"The results of this study strongly suggest there is a need to revise current water-quality monitoring programmes in India and re-evaluate human health risks in areas of high uranium prevalence," Vengosh said.
"Developing effective remediation technologies and preventive management practices should also be a priority," Vengosh noted.
Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64509655.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
09-06-2018
85].Strengthen healthcare with branded generics
Though more expensive than their unbranded counterparts, they do not compromise on quality, and are now easily available.
Till the year 2001, the drugs available to treat chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) — a common cancer of white blood cells — weren’t satisfactory. The only treatment which provided a long-term respite was bone marrow transplant. This was not only an expensive procedure, but also complex — largely because not many centres were carrying it out at that juncture.
Then, around 2003, Glivec (scientific name — Imatinib) came into the market and revolutionised the treatment of the disease. One pill a day could control leukemia. Therefore, physicians like me will agree that patients who have been on this drug ever since continue to lead a comfortable life.
However, due to its cost, the drug was beyond the reach of many. The cost is justified scientifically, but from a patient’s perspective, it is not fair. So, after the drug went off-patent, it was manufactured by dozens of Indian pharmaceutical companies. Today, a pack of 10 costs around ₹3,000. A condition such as CML was frustrating when it came to treatment, but everything changed with the arrival of Glivec. Currently, branded generics are helping to bring down the cost, apart from increasing accessibility without compromising on quality. It is a solution for an economy like ours, which doesn’t follow strict regulations on quality.
Quality issues
Despite the affordability, unbranded generics cannot provide quality assurance. While the government has instructed that only salt names of drugs be used on prescriptions, a point of concern is: Is India ready for such a change?
As a doctor, I am at crossroads while treating patients. Do I prescribe a medicine which gives quality assurance, or go for one that is more affordable but of lower quality? What is more perturbing is that this dilemma is not restricted to the treatment of CML.
It is easier for branded generics to maintain quality as they follow regulations. Take the case of Iressa (salt name, Gefitinib), a drug used for treating lung cancer. Once the branded generics of this drug became available, patients were able to access it at a cheaper rate. Consequently, patients have been able to consume one pill a day, which does the job and, thereby, avoid complex chemotherapy procedures.
Cancer is fast becoming a disease where a patient is dependent on medicines for an extended period of time. This makes the disease even more burdensome.
Moreover, when you approach a pharmacist for a drug with a salt name, how can he/she assure the quality of the medicine? The doctor prescribes a medicine and the dosage assuming a certain level of efficacy, but what if the generic fails to deliver on quality? This can lead to extreme unwarranted consequences.
At present, I don’t think it is possible to put generics and branded generics in the same bracket, especially when there is an increased sense of safeguarding lives of patients. I believe branded generics is the best approach to achieve universal healthcare.
Blatantly promoting generics will boomerang sooner or later, if issues around quality of such drugs are not attended. It is time we bring back ‘care’ into health, by ensuring quality, accessibility, availability and affordability.
Also, the idea behind prescribing salt names is to reach out to a larger section of the population. However, without any assurance on quality, such initiatives will be futile. The regulatory system for quality checks should be extremely robust wherein not just doctors, but even the patients and pharmacists feel confident in using any medicine under a salt name.
Going forward, there should be stringent parameters to allow manufacturers to market medicines and it must be ensured that these are adhered to.
A system should be put in place where any violation should lead to cancellation of licences or other such other stringent penalties.
Therefore, the onus to fulfil the vision of quality in healthcare delivery is not only on the doctors but also on the government, drug manufacturers, hospitals and better-informed patients who would not settle for substandard quality.
This is doable, not impossible. Ashokkumar Vaid,The writer is Chairman, Medical and Haemato Oncology, Cancer Institute Medanta – The Medicity.
84].Intel on track in its promise to deliver 100-fold increase in performance of chip sets.
BENGALURU: Intel is on track in its promise to deliver 100-fold increase in performance of chip sets for artificial intelligence applications, said Naveen Rao, General Manager of Artificial Intelligence Product Group (AIPG) at Intel.
Bolstered by the acquisition of Nervana Systems, a startup developing specialised AI systems ranging from software to chips, Intel promised in late 2016 that they would be able to achieve a 100-fold increase in performance before the end of the decade. They even started integrating Nervana’s technology into its own product roadmap.
“It is quite impressive in my life time to see such a quick ramp up in performance. It (the 100-fold increase) is on track. I will give details in the next few months at the AI devcon in March,” said Naveen Rao, General Manager of AIPG at Intel.
The first version of the chip set code-named Lake Crest is designed for deep learning purposes. It is currently made available only to select set of customers like Facebook to train complex neural networks to share insights on the performance of the chips.
Early reports suggest that the Nervana Neural Network Processor (NNP) alluded to as Lake Crest has drastically reduced the time to train AI models. Intel however has not shared any insights on the performance of their NNP.
Deep-learning application that do face recognition, voice recognition, and other AI applications require huge amounts of data which perform multiple number-crunching processes called ‘data parallelism’. The NNP chips are efficient in such parallel applications. “Nervana would be install in the data center part of Intel’s business and we have multiple generations in the pipeline,” Rao said.
Complex AI applications are not suited to run on general purpose chips which Intel has been making for year. But, the chip-maker has started integrating Nervana’s IP into Intel products.
“We are actively working with all the other groups in Intel and influenced the architecture of Xeon as well as FPGAs. Obviously they are being developed in separate groups, but we have an architecture group that discusses how to incorporate NNP in theses different products and enhance it,” Rao added.
83].Indian scientists discover planet 600 light years away.
Light years away from Earth
A team of scientists from the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, discovered a sub-Saturn or super-Neptune size exoplanet, which is about 27 times the mass of Earth and six times the radius of Earth. The planet revolves around a Sun-like star, some 600 light years away from Earth.
The discovery was made by measuring the mass of the planet using the indigenously designed ‘PRL Advance Radial-velocity Abu-Sky Search’ (PARAS) spectrograph integrated with 1.2m telescope at PRL’s Gurushikar Observatory in Mount Abu. With this discovery, India has joined a select league of countries which has discovered planets around stars.
Features of the planet
In a post on the website of the Indian Space Research Organisation, scientists said the name of the host star is EPIC 211945201 or K2-236 and the planet will be known as EPIC 211945201b or K2-236b. The planet was found to go around the star in about 19.5 days.
The surface temperature of the planet was found to be around 600 degrees Celsius, as it is very close to the host star. It is seven times nearer to its star, in comparison with Earth-Sun distance. This might make it uninhabitable.
Important discovery The discovery is of importance for understanding the formation mechanism of such super-Neptune or sub-Saturn kind of planets, that are too close to the host star, according to scientists.
Paras spectrograph made an independent measurement of the mass of the planet body, as it was necessary for discovery after data from Nasa’s K2 (Kepler2) photometry could not confirm the planetary nature of the system.
Planetary candidate
Initially, it was Nasa’s K2 (Kepler2) photometry that found that the source was a planetary candidate as it was transiting, where the planet body comes between the star and the observer on Earth.
It goes around the star and therefore blocks a tiny amount of star-light. By measuring the amount of light blocked by the planet body, the diameter or size of the planet can be measured. It was found to be 6 Earth radii. However, that data was not sufficient to confirm the planetary nature of the system.
What consists of the new planet?
PRL scientists, who observed the target for about 1.5 years with the spectrograph to probe the nature of the system, made calculations that suggested that the heavy elements like ice, silicates and iron content make 60%-70% of the total mass.
This detection was important as it adds to a sparse catalogue of confirmed exoplanets with masses between 10 and 70 MEarth and radii between 4 and 8 REarth, whose masses and radii are measured to a precision of 50% or better.
Only 23 such systems (including the present) are known to this date with such precise measurement of mass and radii.
08-06-2018
82].Digit Insurance partners with Flipkart
BENGALURU: Digit Insurance has partnered with India’s largest ecommerce platform Flipkart, to launch a mobile protection plan intended for people who purchase smartphones on Flipkart’s platform.
The company said that they have designed the product trying to make the insurance claims process simple for customers by offering a cover for screen damage and fixing the amount due at 20% of the invoice value of the phone.
The product is a ‘zero deductible plan’ and there is no consideration of the current market value of the phone, further the user also does not need to diownload any separate app to access the product, the policy gets activated from the moment the phone is delivered.
“The beauty of this product is that it reduces the claim processing time drastically which adds to the convenience for the customers. ZERO bills required in this process which is otherwise a process full of frictions. Also,it makes sense for us as an insurance company, as it reduces our operational costs,” said Jasleen Kohli, chief distribution officer, Digit Insurance.
81].Metro Shoes takes Flipkart to Bombay HC over brand name.
Metro Shoes has filed a case in the Bombay High Court alleging Flipkart is selling a private brand named Metronaut that is deceptively similar to Metro’s eponymous brand, and also alleged that the online retailer is selling shoes among other products under the brand name.
Piyush Shah, the lawyer representing Metro, said he has filed the case on Tuesday. “They are using the name of Metronaut that is similar to Metro,” Shah said. “It is a trademark infringement case.”
“Flipkart has not been aware of any such legal proceeding. If we are served notice by any court or judicial authority, we will take the necessary actions that are in the best interests of the company,” a Flipkart spokesperson said in an emailed response.
Late last year, Flipkart had launched products under Metronaut private label in men’s fashion and accessories. Currently, Flipkart sells denims, t-shirts, shirts, shoes and accessories such as belts, wallets and sunglasses under the Metronaut brand name.
Metro operates over 200 outlets in and around 100 cities and also sells through other multi-brand stores. [economictimes.indiatimes.com]
80].ICAI signs mutual recognition agreement with South African body SAICA
Pact to result in greater mobility of professionals at either end, says ICAI chief Naveen Gupta
NEW DELHI, JUNE 5
The CA Institute has signed a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). The MRA was signed on June 4 at the SAICA head office, Johannesburg, South Africa.
“The MRA between ICAI and SAICA would help foster strong working relations between the two accounting institutes, and will lead to greater mobility of professionals at either end,” Naveen D Gupta, President, ICAI, said in a statement. Signing of the agreement between ICAI and SAICA would facilitate mutual recognition of each other’s qualifications and admit members in good standing by prescribing a bridging mechanism between the two institutes.
Gupta also said the MRA would herald a new dimension of professional opportunities for chartered accountants of both countries, thus, benefiting more than 1000 Indian CAs in the Africa region and other ICAI members in India, who wish to get international qualifications.
Panisa Lamola, SAICA’s Chief Executive Officer, said the MRA, leading to Membership Pathways, between ICAI and SAICA, would be beneficial for members of both countries.
It may be recalled that the Union Cabinet had last month approved the signing of an MRA between ICAI and SAICA to establish a mutual co-operation framework for the advancement of accounting knowledge, professional and intellectual development, advancing the interests of their respective members and positively contributing to the development of the accounting profession in South Africa and India.
Srivats.kr@thehindu.co.in
79].Bank recap insufficient for credit growth: Moody’s
MUMBAI, JUNE 7
The bank recapitalisation plan of the Indian government will resolve the regulatory capital needs but it may not be sufficient enough to support credit growth, according to Moody’s Investors Service.
Moody’s Indian affiliate, ICRA, said that with the accelerated recognition of stressed assets during FY2018, the asset quality problems of the banking sector peaked in March 2018.
The capital shortfalls are larger because banks have failed to raise additional capital, with many of them having suffered substantial decline in share prices.
The government had planned to infuse ₹65,000 crore into public sector banks this fiscal after infusing ₹90,000 crore last fiscal. In its analysis, Moody’s said that while this infusion will help all PSBs meet the common equity Tier I ratio of 8 per cent, it assumes that credit growth for the system will be only around 6-8 per cent. Besides this, infusion will also support a provision coverage ratio of about 62 per cent, an improvement over the 49 per cent last year, but still the adequacy of the provisioning would depend on the write-downs that banks will need to take for bad debt resolution.
Write-downs
Moody’s expects write-downs in power and construction sector to be much larger than that in the steel sector so far. The government, while unveiling its capital support plan in October, had anticipated banks would raise ₹58,000 crore from the equity market. They have raised only ₹10,000 crore so far.
The share prices of the PSBs have declined by 19 per cent since the beginning of the year, compared to a 3 per cent increase in the Bombay stock market index, Moody’s noted.
According to Moody’s, a key negative credit implication of these developments is that the capital allocations for relatively better-run PSBs – State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank and Syndicate Bank – will decrease while the capital needs of other banks have increased.
ICRA expects further additions to gross non-performing assets (GNPAs) to decline with fresh slippages falling to around 3 per cent during FY2019, compared to 7.1 per cent during FY2018 and 5.5 per cent during FY2017.
07-06-2018
78].Inspiring Quotes
"When words are both True and Kind.They can change the world."-Gautam Buddha.
"The Greatest wealth is to live content with little."Plato
"Life is really Simple. But we insist on making it complicated." Confucious.
"The roots of education are bitter,but the fruits are sweet."-Aristotle.
"Don't limit child to your own learning, for he was born in another time." Ravindranath Tagore.
"Learn from Mistakes of others.You can't live long enough to make them all by yourselves."Chanakya.
"Our prime purpose in this world is to help others,but if can't help, at least don't hurt them." Dalai lama.
"You can't change how people treat you or what they say about you. All you can do is change how you react to it." Mahatma gandhi.
77].IIT Bombay climbs 17 spots, IISc jumps 20 in the QS World University Rankings
Indian Institute of technology Bombay (IIT-B) has climbed 17 places to bag the 162nd spot of the QS World University Ranking 2019, closely followed by Indian Institute of Science (IISc) that has jumped 20 places and now sits at the 170th spot.
Both the IIT-B and IISc were placed behind Indian institute of Technology Delhi (IIT-D) in the previous years ranking which were 179, 190 and 172 respectively. IIT-D has however not made any headway.
The latest edition of the rankings has 9 Indian universities featured in the top 500 and 24 in the top 1,000. In the 2018 rankings 20 Indian unviersities featured.
Other institutes like the Indian institute of technology Kanpur and Indian institute of technology Kharagpur have jumped 10 and 13 spots respectively in the latest ranking.
The global rankings remain dominated by Massachusetts Institute Technology (MIT) , Stanford University, Harvard University and California Institute Technology all maintaining their top 4 spots. MIT has bagged the top spot for a record seventh year straight.
QS world University ranking are taken out by education analysts QS Quacquarelli Symonds every year. The rankings are evaluated on six different metrics, which include Academic reputation, Employer reputation, faculty/ student ratio, Citations per faculty, International faculty ratio and the International student ratio.
7 of the 9 Indian institutes featured in the top 500 are IIT's, University of Delhi too has made the cut. [Economic Times].
76].IBM Blockchain and AI tech set to reboot marketing
BENGALURU: IBM expects marketing of technology services to become more performance-oriented as it sees increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain-based platforms.
The company is working on a pilot project using blockchain to effectively use every dollar spent in marketing and reduce middlemen in marketing activities, Michelle Peluso, chief marketing officer at IBM, said in an interview.
IT services companies across the globe have seen a shift in types of work contracts with majority of their customers opting for outcome-based deals as against long-term and high-value ones. This has prompted companies such as IBM, Accenture, TCS, Infosys and others re-structure their focus on sales and marketing. The IBM marketing leader believes the role of CMO has changed to make make more data analytics driven decision and focus on more one-toone engagement than year-long marketing campaigns.
“It has always been the case that marketing budgets are set and fixed budgets... and you will have to work on an annual plan and you get a budget, and I see a time not too distant in future when market budgets are earned every day. And I say that because as marketing is becoming more of a science and more and more data-driven, we should be allocating our dollars in a much more agile fashion; teams that have the highest returns, get more money,” said Peluso.
AI and blockchain are considered to be key enablers of effective and transparent marketing for technology service companies.
You have huge amount of unstructured data and AI is figuring out how to optimise dollars further and engage with customers differently.
blockchain is another technology that will really impact marketers. With blockchain, and we are piloting this now, it will improve transparencies, eliminate the middlemen and you know (better) where your ads are showing up. These technologies will create new capabilities,” said Peluso.
She said currently 40-45% of a dollar spent in marketing sees effective use and impact before the clients. IBM said it is also identifying areas where it can cut marketing budgets and focus on growth areas.(Economic Times)
75].RE-skilling had a positive impact on operating margins, says HR head Ajoy Mukherjee,HR Head,TCS,India.
Re-skilling of employees has had a positive impact on the operating margins of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
According to Ajoyendra Mukherjee, Executive Vice-President, Global Head - Human Resources, TCS, cost and subsequent (adverse) impact on margins would have been more if the company had the go in for outside hiring.
“Yes, we have made sufficient investments towards (tech) re-skilling programmes over the last few years. I think, margins would have been lower had we gone for outside hiring,” he told BusinessLine during a visit to the company’s Kolkata campus.
Mukherjee, though, could not quantify the actual impact on margins.
Through programmes under digital transformation and ‘agile’, the IT major has trained over two lakh of its 394,998 workforce. Not a single employee has been retrenched so far by TCS, he claimed.
For the Indian IT industry, newer avenues like automation have come in as a threat to lower-level jobs. The solution, sources say, is to upgrade skills.
Operating margins
For FY18, the company reported an operating margin – a measure of its profitability – of 24.8 per cent (25.7 per cent in FY-17). While on a year-on-year basis, margins dipped, sequentially (between Q2 FY-17 and Q4 FY-18), there has been an improvement.
Mukherjee pointed out that currency fluctuations have been one of the primary reasons for the drop.
“A major part of margin reduction is because of currency fluctuations. We can hedge against a few currencies only. Moreover, any benefit that has arisen out of currency hedging has been put back for re-skilling programmes,” he said. Sequentially, margins improved from 23.4 per cent in the April to June period of FY18. It went up to 25.1 per cent in the July-Sept quarter and to 25.2 per cent for October-December and to 25.4 per cent in January-March.
Local hires in the US
Incidentally, the company has brought down the number of H-1B applications to nearly half of what it was three years back. Locally hiring in the US, Mukherjee said, is sometimes a cost-effective option.
The move comes at a time when the Indian IT companies are confronted by closer scrutiny and tighter visa norms in the US, a market that accounts for nearly 60 per cent of India's IT exports.
Mukherjee categorically claimed that there was a “dearth of talent” in the US with fewer youths opting for “STEM” subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
“We have significantly ramped up (local hiring), replicating some programmes that have worked well for us in India such as partnering academic institutions and engaging with high school students,” Mukherjee said without mentioning the hiring target in the US. In India, the company has issued job offers to 20,000 trainees in FY-19. Net employee addition stood at around 8,000 in FY18, the lowest in recent times.
74]. Change in Business Model of e-commerce companies to Yield Benefits to extent of 30-40%.
Amazon and Flipkart are trying to deliver the Fashion products from Local stores to customers within 2-3 hours.This will save e-commerce companies to the extent of 30-40% on logistics issues.
73].US Govt. to spend $10 Billion on "Maven"project based on AI . And build laser guns with AI building accuracy in it. This same project Google employees have refused to develop AI applications.[WION News Channel].
06-06-2018
72]." 5 Things You CAN Control"
Your Attitude
How forgiving you are.
How you start your day.
How you treat your body.
How many times you get back up
71].SEBI increased limit of Financing through VC to Rs.10 Crores. Most beneficial for Start-ups who can not get Finances from Conventional Financiers like Banks.
70].SAP took over CoreSystem a Customer service software company from Sweden. The SAP is 5th Player in Customer service market lead by Salesforce (20% market share), Microsoft,Oracle. [BusinessLine].
69].Biocon-Mylan gets USFDA approval for Biosimilar product "Fulphila". The market size is $4 Billion.[BusinessLine].
68].German Auto makers hit by Electric cars. Most likely to lose 321,000 jobs out of 840,000 [BusinessLine]..
67].Microsoft buys GitHub for $7.5 Billion,showing commitment to the image of a Software-Development Company.[Businessline]
04-06-2018
66].Six Career Keys.
1].Develop a Marketable Corporate persona.
2].Establish Profitable Relationships.
3].Master Transferable Skills Like Time Management, Goal Setting and Effective Communication.
4]. Stay Motivated Despite trying circumstances.
5].Get people to co-operate.
6]. Be proactive about your Career growth.
65]."Whatever the mind can conceive and believe... it can achieve." - Napoleon Hill, Think & Grow Rich
64]. Tim Cook ,CEO of Apple supports the Idea of Digital Detox. Indicated Apple may show system included on IPhone curtailing Digital Activity.[Times of India].
63]."6" Profiles of Giving.(Identify 2 or 3 ways you can offer value to others).
1.Experts Share Knowledge.
2.Coaches teach Skills.
3.Mentors give advice and guidance.
4.Connectors make introductions.
5.Extra milers show up early,stay late and volunteer for extra work.
6.Helpers provide hands-on task support and emotional support.
7.Help someone get a job.
8.Give support to someone who is down on their luck.
[from The Big Idea[Beat Generosity Burn Out.]]
62].State Bank of India to redesign its policy to finance new Start-Ups in Finance space.[BusinessLine].
61].Walmart to deliver orders received via Text messages in local area ,to test the viability in New York. [WION News]
61].Thought for Today==A door is much smaller compared to the house,
a lock is much smaller compared to the door
and a key is the smallest of all,
but a key can open entire house.
Thus a small,
thoughtful solution can solve major problems.
60]. US, a Bitter pill for major Pharma companies
Many Indian Pharma companies have continued to show tepid earnings in the fourth quarter of 2017-2018.
Companies focussed on US market have been hit hard by US drug regulator FDA,coupled with headwinds in the US market.
Factors such as rising competition due to new ANDA(abbreviated new drug application) approvals, consolidation of channel partners,leading to lower bargaining power,price erosion, and lack of new opportunities have been plaguing Indian Pharma companies.The Indian companies affected are Aurobindo (44% ) Dr.Reddy's(42%), Lupin (38%),Sun Pharma(32%) Cadila (50%)and Glenmark(31%).During FY17-18 the large cap Pharma companies -Sun Pharma, Lupin, Dr.Reddy's and Cipla -registered decline in their US business to the tune of 2-39% Y-o-Y. (BusinessLine).
59]. 94% of IT grads not fit for Hiring says CEO of Tech Mahindra,C.P.Gurnani
CEO expresses that hiring people for Robotics and Cyber Security are posing problems. Their is Huge Skill Gap.NASSCOM says 6 million people are required for Cyber Security by 2020.
It will have impact on hiring. Earlier 20 people were hired for a $1 Million Revenue ,now it will be only 15.[Times of India].
This points to Engineering Graduates not skilled for such type of jobs.
58].Mr.Rostow Ravanan ,CEO, of Mindtree suggests that India can add another Trillion Dollars to its GDP by harnessing Technology. Mr. Ravanan spoke about impact of changing regulations in US on Businesses and on the need of for employees to re-skill in areas related to their work.[BusinessLine].
03-06-2018
57].10 Best teachings of Bhagavad Geeta.
1. Death is natural part of life. It's the transformation of energy from one form to other. Never mourn in someone's death. Body is temporary while the soul is permanent. Do not think your self as your body. You are the soul.
2. Humans are made by their thoughts and beliefs. As you think, so you become. To transform yourself, think positive, check and change your belief system.
3. Knowledge and actions are not different. Our beliefs, knowledge and thoughts are also our subtle yet powerful actions. You cannot refrain from getting result of bad thoughts even if you do not bring them into physical actions. Check your thoughts!
4. You can become what you want to be. You just need to constantly focus and work on your utmost desire by faith. Faith is the soil in which you sow the seed of desire and nurture it with actions.
5. There is nothing lost or wasted in your life. Every deed, each minute of your time has manifested into what you are today. Never regret your past. It is a journey and has all the colors of the world.
6. Ignorant believes that they are separate from others. They work in isolation for their own profits. Wise man knows that 'All is one', and work for the welfare of the universe. The universal wisdom becomes inaccessible to selfish people.
7. If your mind is not under your control, it will control you and work against your welfare. An uncontrollable mind is one's enemy. Keep your senses under your control. Your mind should follow your order.
8. You cannot copy anyone. No two lives can be similar. It is better to live your life with imperfection than to copy anyone else life perfectly.
9. Every atom of this world is Him. One who sees the Supreme in every creature is the one who has really understood the world. He will never harm others or self. Every atom in you is the Supreme, you just need to feel it.
10. If you are free from the expectation of the outcome of your action, you are releasing your fate each and every day. This is the ultimate way to live life. This way you will simplify your life and make your life lighter. It is just like throwing away all clutter from one’s house to get a cleaner, lighter, well-ventilated house.
56].MBA Career Progression:==Dear All,
The need of the hour is frugal engineering or innovation. Every citizen is now impacted positively or negatively without choice by the use of technology and digitization.
More importantly for the MBA's there is good scope to learn, become skilled and thereby make themselves employable because of the following reasons:
1. Since they are already doing a Master's program, they are to be considered quite knowledgeable atleast in academics.
2. They have been eligible to do an MBA because they have got atleast 50% or more in their UG program.
3. Maths, Statistics, Operations Research . Management & Research Methodology basics have been taught in UG & MBA.
4. Ultimately MBA should turnout to be good managers and business leaders, though not entrepreneurs in all cases.
In most cases of students from Rural or Tier 2 & 3 cities and among few Tier 1 cities, students lack the following:
1. Passion to explore their domain of interest and explore its fullest potential
2. Long term career commitment rather looking for Jobs that they are not interested or those joined purely based on CTC offered.
3. People Management, Relationship management, Managing personal and professional priorities etc.
4. Ability to express their feelings because of fear, laziness, low commitment, easy going attitude.
5. guidance, motivation and inspiration that is absolutely required for youth.
6. Responsibility as Individuals and Empathy that is required to understand and work as team. They need to understand the world has today become interdependent on many factors that influence all of us. Its a matter of one's livelihood today and if the youth is able to connect conquer this challenge, every youth lead by example for the generations to come.
I was recently talking two MNCs recently, one American and another German company wherein i found the people recruitment strategy remained the same, although the strategy to employ Indians were different. Both these wanted to have their own Offshore Development Centres in India, Poland, Philippines and Mexico. India they also wanted one manufacturing units each. The American company Director felt that resident Indians were known only for their programming skills, whereas the Germans that felt that expats / immigrants (NRIs), if they returned to India would possess good technical skills and are making strategies to launch their ODC and manufacturing units. None among these felt that MBAs in India were as compared to those got their management degrees outside India.
What we now need to focus is getting ready those large chunk of candidates who are looking for employment. They will need to be re-trained, groomed, motivated and made fit with required skills and obviously there is a cost which cannot be ignored. There is going ample job opportunities in Tier 2 cities like Coimbatore, Trichy, Madurai, Chandigarh, Bhopal, Vizag, Bhubaneshwar, Jaipur, Mysore, Hubli, and few other cities added in the list to become Smart Cities.
The Common man today may not be aware of significance of buzz words like Big Data, Block Chain, Internet of Things etc. Teaching them the basics of a particular skill required to earn a living and there will be a day when these buzz words are an integrated part of their lives. Too much of emphasis is just misleading ignorant / innocent people.
Having an MBA is not an achievement, rather the successful application of scientific, artistic and intuitive abilities is the real beginning of success for any aspiring manager / leader.
R.Sabaareesh [MTC Googlegroup]
55].IIT Grads and difference they have made to India.
In case you are looking at the headline and thinking it to be a case of sour grapes - let me put your mind to rest at the outset.
I did study in an IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) myself. I studied electrical engineering at IIT Kharagpur and then got an MBA degree from IIM Ahmedabad. After a stint in the corporate world (I was co-head of Irevna, an S&P company), I now run a school which has been celebrated for its innovative methods of teaching.
Now that my bio-data is out of the way, let’s think about this contradiction: our IITs select less than 1 per cent of the students who apply. But their own ranking in world university rankings is nowhere in the top 100. In the latest QS World University rankings, IIT Delhi ranked at 172, IIT Madras at 264 and IIT Kharagpur at 308.
Before we trash the ranking in the spirit of patriotism, let’s examine the scientific contribution of IITs vis-à-vis the western universities that rank at the top of the list. Very recently, Narayana Murthy, in his convocation address at Indian Institute of Science, mentioned how MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ranked number 1 in the QS list) helped transform the world because of some of the biggest inventions of the last 50 years - the global positioning system, bionic prostheses and microchip all emerged from there.
In the same speech, he also mentioned that almost all modern inventions such as computers, internet, wifi, MRI, laser, robots and many other gadgets and technology came about thanks to research by western universities.
Compared to the Western universities, he goes on to add, there has not been a single invention from India in the last 60 years that has become a household name globally, nor any idea that led to any "earth-shaking" invention to "delight global citizens".
But you may say, hold on, our IITs may not have created great products, but at least they created great people – the IITians who went on to become very successful in many fields, ranging from politics to academia to the corporate world. But that argument is clearly flawed.
If you are taking in the top one per cent of the population, of course, there will be quite a few among them who will be exceptionally successful. The great success of IITians just proves that the input was great. It proves nothing about the value-addition done to the input. IITians who have achieved spectacular success in life did so in spite of the mediocre education at the IITs, not because of it.
What exactly is wrong with the education offered at the IITs? Firstly, most students are not interested in the discipline that they choose. They aren’t really interested in even being engineers – they are just there because their parents, peers and society told them to take a shot at IIT, because if you are good at academics, then how is that you haven’t proven it by taking the IIT-JEE exam?
Top ranking MIT has helped transform the world because of some of the biggest inventions of the last 50 years.
As a result, we begin our scientific education by the most unthinking, unscientific approach towards choosing careers. The brightest minds who are supposed to think independently make a beginning by following the herd.
Secondly, the curriculum is overloaded with obscure theory. Too many courses are crammed within a semester. Other than choosing the stream, students do not have much freedom in choosing the subjects.
The IITs are supposed to train students for a professional career, yet other than a perfunctory psychology or an economics course, there is hardly any well-thought out curriculum to develop the soft-skills of students.
At the point of entry, IITs are burdened with the weight of Kota-trained students with low social-skills and zero social awareness who study physics, chemistry and maths from 6th standard, at the exclusion of every other skill – and the four-year stint at IIT does not really improve that.
After IIT, most people choose one of the three paths – an MS abroad, a stint as a software engineer, or an MBA degree in India. Most of those paths do not require any knowledge of electrical engineering or metallurgical engineering or whatever else they specialised in.
They do require reading skills and thinking skills (GRE, CAT and software company aptitude tests), and people skills (interviews and getting letters of recommendations) – so the IITians now start frenziedly learning the skills that they hitherto neglected. But that learning does not happen inside the classrooms, and IITs themselves can claim little credit for it. However, being talented individuals, most students do master those skills too, over time.
I can go on. The conditions of the hostels do not behove a world class institute. The projects that the students do are hardly original. Classes are mostly uninspiring and do not break any new ground in pedagogy. The tradition of ragging – well, it is sad to see people at the premier scientific institutions believing in tradition, that too something as silly as that.
Why is there still such a craze for IITs? Why do we see full-page advertisements in newspapers by IITJEE coaching centres? To answer that, we need to look at the ranking of our liberal arts universities.
Calcutta University and University of Mumbai rank below 750. Compared to them, the IITs seem to be doing well. We really need to build world-class liberal arts colleges in India so that bright minds interested in history do not end up studying mechanical engineering.
Another reason behind the craze for IITs is that our minds are rooted in the past. There was a time when engineering and medicine were the only sure shot routes to a job after graduation. But thanks to liberalisation and the subsequent economic boom, after the 1990s, one does not need to be an engineer or doctor to get a job after graduation. But the minds of most middle-class parents are still stuck in the 1970s-80s, when engineering was one of the very few options guaranteeing a job.
We need to open these minds. We need to open the minds of parents and children to the unlimited career options that are there in today’s world. We need our best minds to study whatever they are passionate about. But before that, we need to stop believing in the myth of IITs being the best. We need to start building institutions which are really world-class.
54].
A Friend is someone who can see the truth and pain in you even when you are fooling everyone else.
53].Thought for Today==If You Translate Every Mistake Of Your Life Into a 'Positive' One, You Will Never Be A 'Prisoner Of Your Past', But A "Designer Of Your Future" Sorry Works When Mistakes Is Made.. But Sorry Does Not Work When Trust Is Broken.. So In Life Do Mistakes But Never Break The Trust ..! saying sorry is the purest cure of all heart aches and heart breaks! Admit to yourself that you have done wrong and say sorry. It does not only touches the heart but also touches the soul. It's the greatest thing to do that will give you the greatest feeling to enjoy.
We always work for making better tomorrow When tomorrow comes Instead of enjoying We again start thinking for better tomorrow never comes.
VICTORY IS NOT THE PROPERTY OF BRILLIANT. IT IS THE CROWN FOR THOSE WHO BOW THEMSELVES IN FRONT OF THE HARD WORK.
02-06-2018
52].New way found to enhance strength and ductility of high entropy alloys
NEW DELHI, MAY 29 A joint team of researchers from India, Japan and Sweden have found a way to make multiphase high entropy alloys (HEAs), which are a recently emerging class of alloys, simultaneously stronger and more ductile. In a study published in journal, Scientific Reports, the researchers have reported that novel heterogeneous microstructure achieved by a process of cryo-deformation followed by annealing can help overcome the problem of strength-ductility trade-off in multiphase HEAs. The researchers are from Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, Kyoto University, Japan and Chalmers University, Sweden. Conventionally, alloys are based on one major element to which other alloying elements are added in small quantities to achieve the desired properties. In 2004, Professor J.W. Yeh of National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan proposed that it should be possible to develop a massive number of alloys using five or more components with equiatomic or near-equiatomic concentrations. These novel alloys have come to be known as high entropy alloys (HEAs) due to their large configurational entropy. HEAs, however, suffer from the issue of strength-ductility trade-off as conventional alloys. It means strength can be enhanced only at the cost of ductility. The new research could help address this issue. Speaking to India Science Wire, Dr. Pinaki Prasad Bhattacharjee of IIT Hyderabad said that both strength and ductility could be enhanced simultaneously by subjecting the alloy to cryo-deformation followed by annealing. This, he said, should help use HEAs for more diverse applications than hitherto thought possible. “Increasing strength of materials is beneficial for reducing the cross-sectional area of engineering components, which should lead to significant weight and material savings with immense economic and environmental benefits. Such strong yet ductile alloys could be of importance in transportation, space, energy, defence and security areas,” he explained. Commenting on the work, Prof. B.S.Murty of IIT Madras, who was not part of the study team, said, “though this process of cryo-rolling and annealing has been demonstrated to improve properties of different alloys before, it is for the first time that it has been applied to HEAs”. Besides Dr. Bhattacharjee, the team included I.S.Wani, T.Bhattacharjee (IIT Hyderabad); N.Tsuji of Kyoto University (Japan), S.Sheikh and S.Guo of Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden), and I. T.Clark, and T.Okawa, of Scienta Omicron Inc. (Japan). (India Science Wire)[BusinessLine]
51].Metal-organic nanosheets may help develop novel lens material
NEW DELHI, MAY 16 Photochromic materials can change colour under stimulation of light. They are of high commercial importance for ophthalmic lens industry as also in sectors like optoelectronic switching devices, data storage and optical transmission. Photochromic materials change colours on account of changes in the arrangement of atoms in materials. Atoms in photochromic materials are arranged in a certain manner and change when exposed to sunlight or UV light. We can observe this reversible behaviour in sunglasses. However, there are challenges associated with polymers. It is restricted by what features are desired in polymers in terms of rigidity, hardness and scratch resistance. Presently, researchers achieve photoswitching by linking photochromes covalently to soft low-molecular weight polymers. A team of researchers at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur have demonstrated that porous 2-dimensional metal-organic nanosheets (MONs) constructed from photochromic building blocks can also be employed as agents or dopants in polymers to bring out the desired optical properties in photochromic polymers. Three dimensional porous metal-organic framework materials (MOFs) have been used for various applications like photo-controlled gas storage, separations, sensing, and catalysis in recent years. However, they are not suitable for use in thin films and polymeric matrices to develop photo-responsive materials, as they pose problems like leaching and poor photoswitching. The new photochromic 2D metal-organic nanosheets (MONs) are envisaged to be applicable not only in ophthalmic lenses, but also in other related applications, where light-induced switching between two or more species with different optical properties must occur smoothly. Speaking to India Science Wire, leader of the team Prof. J. N. Moorthy said, “Photo-responsive MONs can find applications in ophthalmic industry. As photo-chromes distributed in polymeric 2D nanosheets can be impregnated in rigid polymeric matrices, leaching of photo-chromes can be overcome, besides providing practical simplicity in terms of fabrication. The concept can also be exploited for photo-controlled sieving of organic molecules.” Commenting on the work, Prof. Rahul Banerjee from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Kolkata, who was not involved in this study, said, “this is an interesting finding in which researchers could show that exfoliation of layered porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) using a top-down approach can help produce 2D metal-organic nanosheets (MONs). This type of crystal engineering approach is quite novel and could bring in novel and new applications in the field of MOFs.” Prof. Gautam R. Desiraju, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, who too was not involved in the study, said, “MOFs as a field is getting saturated and plateauing out. It may require a new vision over the next five to ten years. This subject is not associated with organic chemistry alone. Multi-disciplinary study of MOFs may move in advantageous directions in the future. Chemistry is looking for new paradigms, where the essence of the old is clubbed with a whole new superstructure, combining vertical and horizontal ways of thinking.” The study has been published in the latest issue of journal CHEM. Besides Prof. Moorthy, the research team included Arindam Mukhopadhyay, Vijay Kumar Maka, and Govardhan Savitha. The study was funded by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST)[BusinessLine].
50].UNICEF launches data visualisation app
NEW DELHI, MAY 24 The UNICEF today launched a ‘data visualisation app’ which provides a user-friendly visual representation of complex analytics of the education scenario in the country. The app has been made with technical inputs from the UNICEF, in collaboration with the National Institute of Education Planning and Administration (NIEPA) and the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT). It uses the UDISE (Unified District Information System for Education), the NAS (National Assessment survey) and demographic data and can be used as a visual tool by policy makers, senior government officials, academia, and researchers to address gaps and monitor programmes in the field of education. “Since the enactment of the Right to Education Act, much progress has been made in areas of systemic readiness, improved access and enrolment of children, providing infrastructure, especially sanitation facilities in schools, recruitment of teachers and training of untrained teachers. “Children are indeed performing reasonably well in the early classes.There is still a need to do more for translating these results for higher classes and assuring that the requisite skills are built for smooth transition to livelihood,” said Yasmin Ali Haque, UNICEF Representative in India. Anil Swarup, Secretary, HRD Ministry, who was also present at the launch emphasised on the need for digitisation in education. UNICEF India in partnership with HRD Ministry today organised a ‘Shiksha Mela — Education Open Day’ to demonstrate case stories showcasing holistic and equitable quality education achieved through convergent programming across 17 Indian states.
49].The programme #SummerWithGoogle is being launched in India for first time
NEW DELHI, MAY 28 Tech giant Google has launched a new educational programme for children and parents for the summer vacations. As part of its ‘#SummerWithGoogle’, the company will offer a variety of activities to keep teenagers (13-18 years) engaged throughout their summer vacations, Google India Director (Trust and Safety) Sunita Mohanty said. Google will release one assignment every week for four weeks, which will include use of various Google products like Google Earth, Google Translate and Google Arts and Culture, she added. The last assignment will entail development of an app to share their summer experience.“After four weeks, 100 children will be chosen along with an accompanying parent to visit our campus in either Delhi or Hyderabad to attend an interactive workshop,” Mohanty said. She explained that each assignment will also teach these youngsters “how to be Internet Smart, Internet Alert, Internet Strong, Internet Kind and Internet Brave.” Mohanty said parents are also encouraged to be a part of the programme that is being launched for the first time in India.
48].US Board to help Indian varsities process admission.
Varsity admissions made easy for Indian students
NEW DELHI, MAY 23 The US’ College Board, which administers SAT, has announced the launch of India Global Higher Education Alliance, which is expected to simplify the entrance and admission process in the higher education system. Universities participating in the Alliance will use SAT as an entrance exam. This will enable Indian students to just appear for one exam instead of taking separate entrance tests, according to Lindu Liu, Vice-President — International at the College Board. Ahmedabad University, Ashoka University, Azim Premji University, BML Munjal University, Flame University, Manav Rachna University, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, NMIMS, Bennet University are the Indian members of the Alliance. The Alliance is looking to bring innovative approaches to admission and enrolment. Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, McGill, Pomona College, Purdue University, University of Cambridge, and University of Hong Kong are affiliate members. Affiliate members have tackled the challenge of attracting diverse groups of students from their home countries, as well as increasing global recruitment. “While the College Board has delivered the SAT and Advanced Payment in India for decades, the time is right for us to work closely with innovative universities in India to provide more access to under-served populations, rethink admissions in an Indian context, and ensure India’s leading universities continue to shine on the word stage,” said Lindu Liu. The Board has also announced India Scholars Programme, under which high achieving, low income students in India will be eligible to take the SAT at reduced costs and obtain full scholarships to India Global Alliance member universities that are co-funded by the College Board and Indian Alliance members.[BusinessLine]
47].
E-commerce giant Amazon supports 100 research students at IIIT-H
HYDERABAD, MAY 28 Global e-commerce major Amazon is offering a flexible financial support to research students and also a few faculty at the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT-Hyderabad). “About 100 students are supported fully or partially under the programme. The firm gives us the flexibility on how to utilise the proceeds,” PJ Narayanan, Director of IIIT (Hyderabad), told BusinessLine. Started about 18 months ago, the support doesn’t put any conditions or mandate research areas. “Though the State government catalysed the establishment of the institute, we don’t get any public funds. We support ourselves. Funding support like this would help in bringing down cost of education in the long run,” he said. Besides supporting a Chair and 100 students, the firm also provides assistance to research students submitting and taking part in international seminars. The Research Student Support Programme is aimed at supporting Masters and Doctoral research students in their chosen area of study. “Depending on the amount of outlay, the contribution would be used toward the expenses paid out of the designated fund. These can include tuition fee, full stipend to research students, travel grant for conferences, domestic and or international,” an Amazon spokesperson said. “This grant contributed towards research groups to publish approximately 30 papers in 14 major international conferences and journals,” the spokesperson said. The institute currently houses to over 114 PhD, 250 MS by Research and 1,550 MTech or BTech students.[BusinessLine]
46].Novel artificial intelligence system may help robots complete household chores.
BOSTON: Scientists are developing an artificial intelligence system that can get virtual agents to complete simple household chores in a simulated environment, paving the way for future robots to learn such tasks. The team from University of Toronto in Canada and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US trained the system called VirtualHome using nearly 3,000 programmes of various activities, which are further broken down into subtasks for the computer to understand A simple task like "making coffee," for example, would also include the step "grabbing a cup." The researchers demonstrated VirtualHome in a 3D world inspired by Sims - a life-simulation video game. The team's AI agent can execute 1,000 of these interactions in the Sims-style world, with eight different scenes including a living room, kitchen, dining room, bedroom, and home office.
"Describing actions as computer programmes has the advantage of providing clear and unambiguous descriptions of all the steps needed to complete a task," said Xavier Puig, a PhD student at MIT. "These programmes can instruct a robot or a virtual character, and can also be used as a representation for complex tasks with simpler actions," said Puig.
Unlike humans, robots need more explicit instructions to complete easy tasks - they can not just infer and reason with ease. For example, one might tell a human to "switch on the TV and watch it from the sofa." Here, actions like "grab the remote control" and "sit/lie on sofa" have been omitted, since they're part of the commonsense knowledge that humans have. To better demonstrate these kinds of tasks to robots, the descriptions for actions needed to be much more detailed. To be much more detailed. To do so, the team first collected verbal descriptions of household activities, and then translated them into simple code. A programme like this might include steps like: walk to the television, switch on the television, walk to the sofa, sit on the sofa, and watch television. Once the programmes were created, the team fed them to the VirtualHome 3D simulator to be turned into videos. Then, a virtual agent would execute the tasks defined by the programs,, whether it was watching television, placing a pot on the stove, or turning a toaster on and off. The end result is not just a system for training robots to do chores, but also a large database of household tasks described using natural language.
Companies like Amazon that are working to develop Alexa-like robotic systems at home could eventually use data like this to train their models to do more complex tasks. Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64381870.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
47].New element with magnetic properties discovered.
Scientists have discovered that the chemical element ruthenium (Ru) is the fourth element to have unique magnetic properties at room temperature. The discovery, led by researchers at the University of Minnesota in the US, could be used to improve sensors, devices in the computer memory and logic industry, or other devices using magnetic materials. The use of ferromagnetism, or the basic mechanism by which certain materials (such as iron) form permanent magnetsNSE 0.00 % or are attracted to magnets, reaches back as far as ancient times when lodestone was used for navigation.
Since then only three elements on the periodic table have been found to be ferromagnetic at room temperature - iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and nickel (Ni). The rare earth element gadolinium (Gd) nearly misses by only 8 degrees Celsius. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, opens the door to fundamental studies of this new ferromagnetic Ru. Magnetic materials are very important in industry and modern technology and have been used for fundamental studies and and in many everyday applications such as sensors, electric motors, generators, hard disk media, and most recently spintronic memories.
As thin film growth has improved over the past few decades, so has the ability to control the structure of crystal lattices - or even force structures that are impossible in nature. Researchers showed that Ru can be the fourth single element ferromagnetic material by using ultra-thin films to force the ferromagnetic phase. "We are excited and grateful to be the first group to experimentally demonstrate and add the fourth ferromagnetic element at room temperature to to the periodic table," said Jian-Ping Wang, a professor at University of Minnesota. "This is an exciting but hard problem. It took us about two years to find a right way to grow this material and validate it. This work will trigger magnetic research community to look into fundamental aspects of magnetism for many well-known elements," Wang added. "The ability to manipulate and characterize matter at the atomic scale is the cornerstone of modern information technology," said Paul Voyles, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Magnetic recording is still the dominant player in data storage technology, but magnetic based random-access memory and computing is beginning to take its place. These magnetic memories and logic devices put additional constraints on the magnetic materials, where data is stored and computed, compared to traditional hard disk media magnetic materials.
This push for novel materials has led to renewed interest in attempts to realise predictions which show that under the right conditions, non-ferromagnetic materials, such as Ru, palladium (Pd) and osmium (Os) can become ferromagnetic. Building upon the established theoretical predictions, researchers used seed layer engineering to force the tetragonal phase of Ru, which prefers to have a hexagonal configuration, and observed the first instance of ferromagnetism in a single element at room temperature. From an application perspective, Ru is interesting because it is resistant to oxidation, and additional theoretical predictions claim it has a high thermal stability - a vital requirement for scaling magnetic memories. Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64340887.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
26-5-2018
45]. Amazon India valued at $16 Billion Dollars
India has emerged as the most-valuable emerging market retail segment, which is altogether valued at $44 billion in the report seen by ET.
44].Uber to Reinvest Profits in Tech, Products & EMs'
Uber will reinvest profits in its products and technology,emerging markets such as India and to scale up its Uber Eats and JUMP businesses globally.The CEO said the companies core business has continued to perform very welland no.of trips on the platform grew 43%,while bookings grew 55% to$11.3 Billion compared to last year. Uber's net grew 67% to $2.5 billion.,while it cut losses to half compared to a year ago.[ET].
43]. IT Firms count Bots Deployed with Clients to Show Productivity
Indian IT firms are now deploying Bots at clients to pass on benefits of efficiency and improved productivity.
Bots can be described as software that acts autonomously and independently to perform the task,which can be performed by Human.Over the last few years,IT firms are resorting bots for performing no.of internal and external functions,reaching a stage where companies are now starting to report on number of bots they have deployed.
Bots Deployed ==Mindtree==335; WIPRO==2900; Tech Mahindra==10,000 across ecosystem.[ET]
Date==25-05-2018
42].IT Department sends notices to MNC Consumer Cos.
What's New?
Fresh notices issued under domestic tax provision that disallow multinationals to deduct cost of advertising ,marketing, and sales promotion.
What's the old dispute?
MNC's were taxed on advertising,marketing, and sales promotion expenses if they above industry averages
What this means?
MNC's will see their pre-tax profits jump,resulting in higher taxes.
41].IIT--Kharagpur , Oxford develop technology for water treatment
NEW DELHI: Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur and University of Oxford have developed a low-cost technology to treat water contaminated with arsenic.
In this new method, water is chemically treated by activating naturally available "laterite" that acts as an adsorbent to filter arsenic. The department of science & technology as well as the West Bengal public health engineering department and West Bengal arsenic task force have already accepted the technology.
Arsenic contamination of ground water is a major health hazard and West Bengal is one of the Indian states affected by this problem.“ The low cost of the filter makes it ideal for the socio-economic conditions of our country. Filtered water can be produced at just 2 paise per litre,” said Sirshendu De, a professor at the department of chemical engineering, IIT-Kharagpur.
The collaborative research with University of Oxford includes efficient design of large-scale filters based on strong and efficient design of large-scale filters based on strong foundation of modelling from first principles. The Oxford team worked on the mathematical modelling techniques to predict the extent of arsenic contamination through the filtration bed and performance of the adsorption medium.
By combining mathematics with experiments and field data, the team helped predict how the filter performs in large scale, enabling the commercial deployment of these new heavy-metal filtration technologies.“The unique advantage is that the applicability of the model is not only limited to the arsenic filter but can also be extended to any adsorption-based separation process,” said Raka Mukherjee Mondal of the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford.
Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64267236.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
40].3D Printed ,driverless boats developed
BOSTON: MIT scientists have designed a fleet of 3D-printed, driverless boats that could ferry goods and people, helping clear up road congestion in waterway-rich cities such as Amsterdam, Bangkok and Venice - where canals run alongside and under bustling streets and bridges.
The autonomous boats offer high maneuverability and precise control. They can be built using low-cost printer, making mass manufacturing more feasible.
The boats could also be equipped with environmental sensors to monitor a city's waters and gain insight into urban and human health.
To make the boats, the researchers 3-D-printed a rectangular hull with a commercial printer, producing 16 separate sections that were spliced together. Printing took around 60 hours. The completed hull was then sealed by adhering several layers of fibreglass.
Integrated onto the hull are a power supply, Wi-Fi antenna, GPS, and a minicomputer and and microcontroller. For precise positioning, the researchers incorporated an indoor ultrasound beacon system and outdoor real-time kinematic GPS modules, which allow for centimeter-level localisation, as well as an inertial measurement unit (IMU) module that monitors the boat's yaw and angular velocity, among other metrics.
The boat is a rectangular shape, instead of the traditional kayak or catamaran shapes, to allow the vessel to move sideways and to attach itself to other boats when the vessel to move sideways and to attach itself to other boats when assembling other structures.
Researchers used an efficient predictive-control platform to run their algorithm, which can rapidly determine upcoming actions and increases the algorithm's speed by two orders of magnitude over similar systems. While other algorithms execute in about 100 milliseconds, the researchers' algorithm takes less than one millisecond.
The innovations in design and fabrication, as well as faster and more precise control algorithms, point toward feasible driverless boats used for transportation, docking, and self-assembling into platforms, researchers said.
//economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64300967.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
Date==24-05-2018
39].NIT-Tiruchi inks MoU with Tata Motors for innovative education programme.
COIMBATORE, MAY 17 National Institute of Technology (NIT), Trichy has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tata Motors Ltd. for introduction of innovative programmes in education and research. The initiative, which aims to bridge the gap between academia and developing an industry-ready talent pool, is said to be the first step towards a long journey of technological collaboration between the parties to the agreement.
The MoU, according to a release issued here today, envisages joint R&D projects over a period of five years for development of new technologies in various engineering domains.
Hands-on experience
Mini Shaji Thomas, Director, NIT, voiced his excitement about partnering with Tata Motors to collaborate in engineering technology for mobility. “This partnership would enable NIT students get hands-on experience in the current projects of Tata Motors. Besides students, NIT faculty would also benefit as it would help them understand the latest practices in the automobile industry and help hone the skill of students in accordance with the evolving requirements of the industry”
Gajendra Chandel, Chief Human Resources Officer, Tata Motors observed that the automotive industry in India is evolving continuously with rapid shift towards emerging technologies such as digital, big data, AI, AR, VR etc. which means taking connected vehicles, electric vehicles and driver-less vehicles from just concept ideas to mainstream reality.
“In conjunction with the changing market dynamics, we understand the need to articulate a clear roadmap for incubating a talented, competent, and innovative workforce. Through this MoU, we intend to have a multi-dimensional partnership with NIT-Trichy, which will help us bolster our competitive edge and develop next-gen engineering skills, not only within the company but also that of our academic partners with proficient faculty, in line with our vision and mission to create a future-ready organization.”
“This partnership will help bridge the gap between academic excellence and business requirements, to create an industry-ready workforce,”he added.
Published on May 17, 2018COIMBATORE, MAY 17[Business Line].
38].Manupatra to offer Law course in Tamil,
CHENNAI, MAY 22 Manupatra Edutech Pvt Ltd, which provides legal information, search, and analytics, has launched its e-learning platform (www.lawskills.in) in Tamil to reach students and professionals in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
Deepak Kapoor, Director of the Noida-based Manupatra Information Solutions, said the company is targeting three segments by launching its course in multiple languages. The first is fresh law graduates, who want to learn specialised courses such as sports law that is not taught in regular colleges.
The second is professionals like engineers who do not know about law, but need it to work on contacts and issues like arbitration. The third is law students who don’t have good faculty and infrastructure, Kapoor told newspersons.
Priyanka, Director, Manupatra, said the online platform has been approved by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion as a start-up. Besides English and Tamil, it is now available in Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Urdu, Hindi and Bengali.[Business Line]
Subscribers can learn both legal subjects and professional and soft-skills through this platform. The courses are also available in audio format in regional languages, she said..
37].Bengaluru-based social learning platform Knudge.me has raised funds from Indian Angel Network (IAN).
Knudge.me aims to create a global edutainment platform. . The platform was a part of Axilor’s Summer ’17 Accelerator batch. IAN did not disclose the details of the funding.
The start-up was founded by Zunaid Ahmed, Udit Jain and Pushp Raj Saurabh in 2017. Its Android app has more than two million followers across the world. It is now available in iOS as well. The start-up is working on a plug-and-play gamification model, which will allow users to create, share, and play games on any topic they are interested in.
Zunaid Ahmed, co-founder and CEO, said in a press statement that the phenomenon of game-based learning can be applied to a variety of contexts.[Business Line]
36]SeaBubbles a startup in France build a water taxi called "Bubbles"" based on electric and tried the same in river Siene.[Economic Times].
35].New Technique to detect Chiken gunia virus==Indian scientists have developed a biosensor technique which can be potentially help in detecting Chikungunya virus.
According to the scientists, the technique can be used to develop a point of care device for rapid identification of the dreaded disease.
This technique is based on molybdenum disulphide nanosheets. The researchers synthesized the nanosheets by chemical route and characterized them by using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction. Molybdenum disulphide nanosheets were then subjected to physical adsorption onto the screen printed gold electrodes and then employed for the detection of chikungunya virus DNA using electrochemical voltammetric techniques.
This study has been jointly carried out by researchers of Amity University, Noida, Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi and Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak.[Business Line].
34]. Two sports car sized satellites in orbit to measure water on Earth. A SpaceX rocket today blasted off a duo of sports car-sized satellites built by the US and Germany to reveal changes in sea level rise, ice melt and drought on Earth. (Business Line]
33].Deuste Bank to sack 7000 employees globally.[Economic Times]
32].Can develop vaccine to fight Nipah if government asks for it, says Serum Institute.[Economic Times]
31].TRAI tells Telco's to give their plans online from June30,2018.[Economic Times]
Date=21-05-2018
30].Find arms that will will hold you during weakest times, eyes that will see your beauty at ugliest times,and a heart that will love you at your worst.
Date=20-05-2018
29].Wood says his base case remains that Narendra Modi and the BJP will win again, albeit probably with a reduced majority. Rising oil prices a key threat to Indian equities, says CLSA's Chris Wood.The main risk to investors in Indian equities, from a US dollar return perspective remains the rising oil price, writes Christopher Wood, managing director, equity strategist at CLSA in his weekly note GREED & fear. Prices for global benchmark Brent crude shot above $80 a barrel Thursday, as Washington’s decision to reinstate sanctions on Iran extended a rally that has pushed the market to their highest level since 2014. In the past one year alone, Brent oil price has flared over 56 per cent, data shows. [Business Standard].
28].Google launches new tools to improve finding Indian addresses on Google Maps=By Surabhi Agarwal, ET Bureau|In line with its efforts to fix the rough edges around Google Maps and improve the user experience around navigation, technology giant Google has launched new tools to add and discover Indian addresses on Google Maps along with adding voice navigation in six additional Indian languages. Google has introduced Plus Codes, which are six character + City codes for locations. The codes can be generated, shared and searched by anyone by entering into the search field on Google or Google Maps.Suren Ruhela, director, Google Maps Next Billion Users said that the Codes which can possibly replace people keying in long addresses while shopping on ecommerce sites or ordering on food delivery sites and the company will explore such partnerships in the future. “It all depends on how people use it,” he told ET. Ruhela said that for now Google is engaged in discussions with the ministry of urban development on using the Plus Codes for locating toilets. The company has also introduced ‘Add an Address’ – to enable users to address specific locations similar to how businesses add their locations. Google will make sure the address is searchable in due course after verification. It has also introduced smart address search to make unique Indian addresses searchable. “At Google Maps, our objective has always been about organizing all location-related information, and making it more accessible and relevant for Indian users,” said Ruhela adding that in India it can be challenging to reach a given residential address the format can be unique across regions and localities. The company has also added voice navigation in six additional Indian languages including Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam. Krish Vitaldevara, Product Lead, Google Maps Next Billion Users said, “We are just getting started as we continue to build features and expand our partnerships to make the Google Maps experience more comprehensive, accurate, and reliable for our users”.
Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/63288052.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
27].Amazon and Google accounted for 70 per cent share of the global smart speaker shipments in the first quarter of 2018, with Apple selling 600,000 HomePods in the period, a new report said on Friday. According to market research firm Strategy Analytics, global smart speaker shipments reached 9.2 million units in the first quarter. With 43.6 per cent market share, Amazon shipped an impressive four million smart speakers during the quarter though its global market share nearly halved from the same period in 2017. Google (26.5 per cent market share with 2.4 million sales) and Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba (7.6 per cent market share) consolidated their number two and three rankings, while Apple with six per cent share became the fourth largest smart speaker brand worldwide. "Amazon and Google accounted for a dominant 70 per cent share of global smart speaker shipments in Q1 2018 although their combined share has fallen from 84 per cent in Q4 2017 and 94 per cent in the year ago quarter," said David Watkins, Director at Strategy Analytics.Alibaba and Xiaomi are leading the way in China and their strength in the domestic market alone is proving enough to propel them into the global top five," he added. Today's smart speakers are by no means the finished article but they have captured the consumer imagination.
Read more at://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64216273.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
26].Tata Group acquired controlling stake of 72.65% in the debt-ridden Bhushan Steel for around Rs 36,000 crore that will help in cleansing the banking system as well as boost the economy.
25].MTNL investing Rs 190 crore to upgrade services; may be allocated 4G spectrum: Manoj Sinha
Date=19-05-2018
24].Mr.Chandramoulii of TR Reseach has rightly spoken about customer behavior with respect to e-commerce websites based buying. The Well known e-commerce website portals like Amazon,Alibaba,Uber,Ola and OYO are facing similar problems of customer experiences and how to retain such customers. He also commented on Walmart and Flipkart deal. And said that It will have benefit of low cost 1800 SKU's of Walmart.It will gain also from expertise of Walmart to reach customer in remote places.And shear partnership with Financial strength will help and gain dominance in Indian market place.[Business Line,Kolkata]
23]. Institute of Chartered accountants have suggested a standard for Financial instruments in AS109. [Business Line,Kolkata].
22]. Tim Lee Barnes the inventor of Internet commented on data privacy that ISP have no business of traffic whereabouts. And he advocated to have proper legislation about data protection. (Business Line,Kolkata]
21].NASA have studied the Fresh water sources and commented on fresh water availability on Earth with many satellites help to suggest that India and California as most affected areas.And the situation may get worse. Groundwater extraction for irrigation of crops caused a rapid decline in available water WASHINGTON, MAY 18 India is among the hotspots where overuse of water resources has caused a serious decline in the availability of freshwater, according to a first-of-its-kind study using an array of NASA satellite observations of Earth. Scientists led by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in the US used data on human activities to map locations where freshwater is changing around the globe and why. The study, published in the journal Nature, found that Earth’s wet land areas are getting wetter and dry areas are getting drier due to a variety of factors, including human water management, climate change and natural cycles. Areas in northern and eastern India, the Middle East, California and Australia are among the hotspots where overuse of water resources has caused a serious decline in the availability of freshwater that is already causing problems, The Guardian reported. In northern India, groundwater extraction for irrigation of crops such as wheat and rice have caused a rapid decline in available water, despite rainfall being normal throughout the period studied, the report said. “The fact that extractions already exceed recharge during normal precipitation does not bode well for the availability of groundwater during future droughts, researchers said. The team used 14 years of observations from the US/German-led Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) spacecraft mission to track global trends in freshwater in 34 regions around the world. “This is the first time that we have used observations from multiple satellites in a thorough assessment of how freshwater availability is changing everywhere on Earth,” said Matt Rodell of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. On land, freshwater is one of the most essential of Earth’s resources, for drinking water and agriculture. While some regions’ water supplies are relatively stable, others experienced increases or decreases. “What we are witnessing is major hydrologic change,” said Jay Famiglietti of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). “We see a distinctive pattern of the wet land areas of the world getting wetter - those are the high latitudes and the tropics - and the dry areas in between getting dryer. Embedded within the dry areas we see multiple hotspots resulting from groundwater depletion,” said Famiglietti. He noted that while water loss in some regions, like the melting ice sheets and alpine glaciers, is clearly driven by warming climate, it will require more time and data to determine the driving forces behind other patterns of freshwater change. Published on May 18, 2018 [Business Line,Kolkata].
20].Google pitches artificial intelligence to help unplug Google’s AI-powered Voice Assistant is the 24/7 butler you didn't know you need
Google says AI will change the world; Assistant to reinforce politeness, good manners
Google's human-sounding AI Duplex to identify itself after people call it 'horrifying'
Google launches AI-powered emoji scavenger hunt game that you can play on your phone
Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64186598.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
Date:=18/05/2018
19]. TRAI has given consent to use eSIM .Allowing users to make use of 2 SIM's. The only condition is that KYC should be done strictly.And only receiving and sending messages is allowed with second SIM. And First SIM to be used for calling only.This will enable customer to switch over to any service provider without waiting.[Economic Times]
18].Google employees (4000 in number) have refused to work on Pentagon sponsored Project for Military use of Drone.The fear expressed was misuse of Drone hacking by changes in A.I.for uncontrollable,unexpected and unwarranted disasters [WION TV News].
SAN FRANCISCO: An internal petition calling for Google to stay out of "the business of war" was gaining support Tuesday, with some workers reportedly quitting to protest a collaboration with the US military. About 4,000 Google employees were said to have signed a petition that began circulating about three months ago urging the internet giant to refrain from using artificial intelligence to make US military drones better at recognizing what they are monitoring. Tech news website Gizmodo reported this week that about a dozen Google employees are quitting in an ethical stand. The California-based company did not immediately respond to inquiries about what was referred to as Project Maven, which reportedly uses machine learning and engineering talent to distinguish people and objects in drone videos for the Defense Department."We believe that Google should not be in the business of war," the petition reads, according to copies posted online. Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64186598.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
17]. ADO Muktadhara in collaboration with Indian Institute of Science Education Research Association (IISERA)have devised a sensor and Removal of Arsenic from Water. This is useful for West Bengal ; as 8 districts of around 2 million population are affected by Arsenic mixed water.[Business Line]
Date:==17-05-2018
16]. Carnegie Mellon University launches Bachelor Degree in A.I. https://insights.dice.com/2018/05/16/carnegie-mellon-ba-degree-artificial-intelligence/
15].Shortage of AI Skilled People.[https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/artificial-intelligence-facing-large-skills-shortage-microsoft/articleshow/64150481.cms]
14].In his 2018 annual letter, Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos repeated his rule that PowerPoint is banned in executive meetings. What Bezos replaces it with provides even more valuable insight for entrepreneurs and leaders.
In his letter, and in a recent discussion at the Forum on Leadership at the Bush Center, Bezos revealed that "narrative structure" is more effective than PowerPoint. According to Bezos, new executives are in for a culture shock in their first Amazon meetings. Instead of reading bullet points on a PowerPoint slide, everyone sits silently for about 30 minutes to read a "six-page memo that's narratively structured with real sentences, topic sentences, verbs and nouns." After everyone's done reading, they discuss the topic. "It's so much better than the typical PowerPoint presentation for so many reasons," Bezos added. [MTC Group]
13]. Blockchain technology may rock the movies. Jonn Peters (Australian Founder of GazeCoin)firmly believes that.It will become cinemas biggest disrupter in decades to come. They want to break up an opaque financing monopoly controlled by handful of big studio's,while tackling film piracy.[Business Line,Kolkata]
12].The CLRI ,Chennai has come with Water less Chrome Tanning Technology.(WCLT). About 60 tanneries have adopted to this technology out of 1500 Tanneries. The interest is created in countries like Ethiopia, Sri Lanka,Vietnam, South Africa, New Zealand,Netherlands, Brazil. There is resistance to change from traditional tanneries. The saving potential is huge. One company saves around 25 lakh Rs.annually.(Bharat Enterprises in Ranipet)
Out of 18 billion sq.ft.of Leather made every year,almost 16 billion sq.ft. is made with Chromium.
India produces about 2 Billion sq.ft.of leather and tanneries discharge around 20,000 tonnes of chromium. Which is most dangerous pollutant.The sludge released with chromium forms a layer that prevents percolation of water on soil.The WCIT completely eliminates chromium bearing water discharge.
Annually around 70,000 tonnes of Chromium Sulfate is used. Out of which average absorption of Chromium is around 65% ,leaving 25,000 Tonnes of Chromium remains absorbed and gets discharged and remains in waste water.(Business Line,Kolkata)
11].Closed Mindset======== Open mindset
talking=====listeningargumentative=====empathetic
taking=====giving
arrogant=====humble
defensive=====collaborative
blaming======educative
rigid=====adaptive
Date=16-05-2018
10].A sustainable perspective
DR. Suryanil Ghosh
The focus of new start-ups is on technology innovation is setting in. Getting away from shallow web based aggregation portals is indicative of that.
Student entrepreneurs are not taking challenges to deep dive and create real enterprises.
It is still a part of their college project.
Intrinsically gifted entrepreneurs figure out how to scale business,if this number has to increase then sustainable ecosystem is must.
Need of Serious entrepreneurs mentors who really make difference are required.[Economic Times]
Business Line
Date:15-05-2018
9].Doraiswamy of IdeaSpring suggested they will prefer to invest in product innovation company as compared to Business Innovation company. The target amount of Rs.125 crores is earmarked for investing yearly at least 5-6 start-ups with next round in about 2 years time. Mr. Mohandas Pai is major investor. IdeaSpring is Venture Capitalist Company with two more people joining IdeaSpring.
Date ==14/05/2018
8]. TEDXs like sessions held in School in NewTown,Kolkata to emphasize the reading habit and connection between mathematics and nature. (Telegraph,Kolkata)
Feliciting Mom's on Mother's day carried by State Govt.for 'Autism Mom's".
Please take a look at Youtube.com/inspiretomake.
7].Corporate Rules for Happy Working
1. Trust but do not Take Everything for Granted Easily.
2. Keep a Fair Separation between Home and Office.
3. Be Punctual – Both in Arriving and in Leaving.
4. Keep Your Professional Relations Strictly Professional.
5. Do not Enter the Workspace with Expectation from Co-workers.
6. Do not Judge Yourself by How Quickly You Get Promoted
7. Do not Magnify the Importance of Office in Your Life.
8. Do not let Office Matters Affect Your Self Esteem.
9. Stop Paying too Much Attention to How People Treat You.
10. Know in Your Mind that none of it Matters in the End.
6]. 5 Simple Rules for Happy Life.
Don't Ever Give Up.==Never Back Down.
Don't Be Too Emotional.==Have Faith.
Don't Make Things Complicated.==Keep it Simple.
Don't be a Grown Up.==Stay As youthful as You Can.
Don't take things too seriously==Laugh at Problems.
Date:=13/05/2018
5].A German Radoslav Albrechit started BitBond (Like a Bank) exchanging Bitcoins and cryptocurrencies without the use of SWIFT for transfer all over the World. (The Telegraph,Kolkata)
Date:=12/05/2018
4].IIT delhi have tested Fuel Quantifier on various petrol pumps and are in process of creating a company under "Make In India" program.(Aaj Tak News;12/5/2018)
3].McKinsey has published data on Engineering colleges. Almost 50% institutions are not operational. There are many reasons cited for this.
The Employability of Mechanical Engineering has gone down from 25% to 20%. Mechanical Engineers have not reached expectations of programming required for Machines as per Industry standards.
Faculty upgrading is also another reason cited. AICTE has arranged training for Faculty at many centers across country.
The main reason cited was most of prominent companies have laid off engineers . For Example Infosys have laid down about 56000 employees last year. Overall almost 100000 jobs of Mechanical Engineers have lost in 2 years.(Business Line; 12/05/2018)
-
Date=11/05/2018
2]. Faculty members to look for new things happening from Newspaper or any research journal. like today in ET there is a news about modifying behavior of Alexa and Siri (AI Based Robots)in taking order; based on audio waves mixed in other sounds so that anyone can access the data in mobile.( Principles of audio amplifiers)
Also one app is created Nik.ai for lowly literate people to order and get products (ticket, consumer product) offline (no need of internet.)
1].Faculty to look for D.I.Y. and its potential application.(electronics dept.Faculty) and how Kids with no formal education from India have produced 3D products, and sensor based electricity generating product (from Footfalls at Mall)
-11/05/2018
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