Australia launches new online database to help Indian students

Australia's Acting High Commissioner Bernard Philip has launched an online database to help Indian students find Australian university courses.

The database will also help the Australian students looking for study opportunities in India.

The database is an initiative of the Australia-India Education Council. It was funded by the Indian University Grants Commission (UGC) and implemented by Jamia Milia Islamia University (JMI).

"This website will be an excellent resource for Indian students seeking to complete part of their degree in Australia, and for Australian students wishing to study in India," said Philip.

"The database can be searched by location, institution or course, which will help students from both countries to find the information they need. I would like to thank UGC and JMI for their leadership in this initiative, which will further reinforce the strong education links between Australia and India," he added.

The database can be accessed at http://www.australiaindiacredittransfer.org/.

The website is being launched just before Australian students begin to travel to India under the Australian Government's New Colombo Plan (NCP) in 2015. (ANI)

Source | http://news.webindia123.com/

Centre to hike fellowships for research scholars

NEW DELHI: The government on Tuesday announced the highest-ever hike in fellowships for research scholars across the country. The hike, which will be effective October 1, will make fellowship amounts go up by at least 50%. More than 70,000 scholars will benefit from this hike.

According to the new guidelines, the junior research fellowship has been increased from 16,000 to 25,000. The senior research fellowship has increased from 18,000 to 28,000, research associate-1 from 22,000 to 36,000, research associate-2 from 23,000 to 38,000 and research associate-3 from 24,000 to 40,000.

Eminent scientist and Bharat Ratna Dr CN R Rao said, “I am delighted. I congratulate the minister for this.”

An open letter to authorities by the Research Scholars’ Forum of India had said that the stipend for research students in India was very low compared to other countries at the forefront in science and technology.

Over the past few months, nearly 20000 research scholars from across the country had staged silent demonstrations.

Source::: Hindustan Times, (Mumbai Edition), 22.10.2014, p.10,   http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

‘Education is the best way to overcome social barriers’

Professor Abdul Shaban of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) was a member of the chief minister’s study group which went into the backwardness of Muslims in Maharashtra. Speaking to dna’s Dhaval Kulkarni, Shaban stresses the need to “look at the grievances (of the Muslims) and take pro-active steps to bring the community to the larger fold of society”. Excerpts:

What are the reasons for backwardness among Muslims? Internal and external. Lack of education, opportunity and infrastructure are internal reasons, while external ones include counting them as aliens when there is a problem. The community has to understand that education is perhaps the best way to overcome social and developmental barriers. I am happy that there has been some realisation on this front in the last 10 years. Work participation rate in women is very low. However, the low participation rate in women can also be seen in developed states like Punjab and in the Rajput community. Lack of education among Muslim women and dominance of Muslim men in jobs like mechanical work and carpentry ensure that women can’t work in urban areas. The middle- and upper-class Muslims, who form around 15% of the community’s population, search for jobs like teaching and medicine for women. The report spells out the need for reforms in antiquated personal laws. Many reformers have objected to triple talaq and nikah halala. When a community feels threatened at a psychological level, it closets itself. So, issues like the status of women and caste get marginalised. There is now a need to take up issues related to women and reforms (in personal laws). (Regarding triple talaq) many are searching for solutions within and outside the sharia. It takes a larger consciousness level to accept suggestions for solutions outside the sharia. Many things needed by the community are present in the Sharia. (Triple and arbitrary talaq) was not the tradition of the Prophet and was adopted later on. There must be a debate and the community must adopt the best laws as per the need of the hour. Coming to Islam, women have traditionally more rights than others. Other religions have seen reforms like the right to property for Hindu women. However, only 1- 2% Muslims have granted property rights to women. What about the demand for a uniform civil code (UCC)? This is like asking a premature baby what it needs to have. There is a difference between a criminal procedure code and laws related to personal life, inheritance and marriage. Society is heterogeneous and many groups are embedded in cultural issues. (On the UCC) we have perhaps not evolved to a level where we can sort and keep the best. The fear in the community is this will be used to impose western (values) or (values) from the dominant group’s religion. Let’s work hard and if all groups and people develop, this question will be irrelevant. If you want to bring it, do it only for disputes. More than the UCC, the pressing issue is security of people. Why doesn’t the dominant community demand an anti-riot act? The government granted reservations for Muslims. What more should be done? There are many softer issues, particularly housing. People will not be able to come out of their problems if they are ghettoised. Mixed housing should be created based on a system of FSI, tax sops and benefits for developers and a cultural diversity index should be implemented.

Source::: DNA, 17.10.2014, p.07, http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=71951&boxid=34967&ed_date=2014-10-17&ed_code=820009&ed_page=9

India hungrier than Lanka, Nepal





55th On Hunger Index, Status Still `Serious'

India has made some progress in reducing poverty level, but still ranks behind neighbouring Nepal and Sri Lanka on the Global Hunger Index and its hunger status remains classified as “serious“.India was at 63rd position in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) last year. The 55th position in 2014 is better than Pakistan (ranked 57) and Bangladesh (57), but trails Nepal (44) and Sri Lanka (39).
“Progress in dealing with underweight helped India’s 2014 GHI score fall to 17.8 points,” the GHI report said.
The International Food Policy Research Institute and NGOs Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide have jointly prepared the report.While India is no longer in the “alarming“ category , its hunger status is still classified as “serious“. India has made progress in reducing underweight among children under five in the past few years, but “much work still needs to be done“ so that a greater share of the population will enjoy nutrition security , it said.
This year marks the end of a “data drought“, the report said, adding India has determined its first new provisional national underweight estimate in eight years. At 30.7%, it points to real progress compared with the last estimate of 43.5% in 2005-2006, it said. “As a consequence, India no longer ranks second to last on underweight in children, but 120th among 128 countries with data on child under-nutrition from 2009­2013,“ it added. Highlighting the efforts made to address underweights, it said since the last under-nutrition data became available, India had rolled out and expanded several programmes targeting a mix of direct and indirect causes of under-nutrition.
Nutrition-specific interventions that were scaled up after 2006 include a final push to expand the integrated child development services and the launch of the rural health mission.

Source:::: The Times of India, 14.10.2014, p.12, 

http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31804&articlexml=India-hungrier-than-Lanka-Nepal-14102014012021

Collegium system on its way out as Cong backs bill for new panel

New Delhi: TIMES NEWS NETWORK





The collegium system of appointing judges to the SC and HCs is set to become history with the Congress deciding to support the NDA 's Constitution amendment bill to create the National Judicial Appointments Commission.The bill, which seeks to replace the judges-appointingjudges system with a six-member commission, found backi ng from regional parties and the Left. The Congress realized that it did not have the numbers to stall the bill, and decided to record its concerns while voting in its favour. It is opposed to two provisions—giving “veto” to panel members to nix names proposed for judgeship and requiring unanimity if a name returned by the President is reiterated. With the Congress too supporting the bill to create the National Judicial Appointments Commission, the legislation is expected to get the nod without much problem. The first day of the debate in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday , after law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad sought support for the bill, removed any doubt about the outcome, with members across political parties taking potshots at the judiciary and complimenting the minister for putting in place a panel to appoint judges.
“The government has got no intentions whatsoever to intervene in the rights, jurisdiction, authority , constitutional powers of the Supreme Court and high courts of India,“ Prasad said to reassure the judiciary . The legislation is set to clear the Lok Sabha on Wednesday and the government will look to bring it to the Upper House either before the end of the Budget session on August 14 or by extending the session, as suggested by treasury benches.
Backing the bill, regional parties went a step ahead by seeking separate state-level commissions to appoint judges to high courts, as proposed by AIADMK leader M Thambidurai. It found support from the Samajwadi Party with Dharmendra Yadav making the same demand as also Shiv Sena. Thambidurai said his party would support the bill only if his amendment for state-level commissions was accepted.
The Congress's opening speaker Veerappa Moily pointed to the veto powers to argue, “The judiciary may be worried about it. This may give rise to conflict between the executive and the judiciary .“ He added that the Chief Justice of India could have been given extra influence to assure the judiciary.
For the full report, log on to http:www.timesofindia.com

Source::::: The Times of India, 13.08.2014, p.01.  http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31804&articlexml=Collegium-system-on-its-way-out-as-Cong-13082014001100

Flipkart launches e-learning category; offers a range of e-learning material, certification courses, online tests

Bangalore: Homegrown online marketplace Flipkart today announced the launch of its E-learning category. 

With over 1900 products and titles, this category will offer a range of e-learning material, certification courses and online tests catering to students with a variety of requirements, Flipkart said in a release. 

With this announcement, Flipkart will be extending its virtual academic books category to feature a selection of offerings for students in schools, colleges as well as those students appearing for competitive exams, it added. 

Flipkart said study material from reputed brands like Career Launcher, Edurite, EduKart, Merit Nation, TCY Online and Practice Guru, will be a part of this selection. 

Also, Flipkart will continue to expand its E-learning portfolio with exclusive offerings for students with varied needs, it stated. 

"The availability of eBooks, certificate courses and online tests - all on one platform, will make the entire process of buying/accessing e-learning material very easy for students who form a significant part of our customer base today," Flipkart Senior Director (Retail) Nipun Mehra said. 

Source | http://ibnlive.in.com/

Ration card out, Aadhaar in for new a/cs





The ration card is no lo nger an officially valid document for opening of a bank account, reports Mayur Shetty. The place of pride goes to the Aadhaar card which is now the single universal document for a banking relationship. The RBI has listed Aadhaar, voter ID and PAN cards apart from driving licence, passport, NREGA card as six officially valid documents.

Source:::: The Times of India, 23.07.2014,  p.01,    http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31804&articlexml=Ration-card-out-Aadhaar-in-for-new-acs-23072014001083