PGCCTPPE at NPTI, Guwahati

Guwahati: Applications have been invited by National Power Training Institute-NER, NPTI Complex, Dakhingaon, Kahilipara, Guwahati - 781019 (Assam) for admission to 12 Weeks’ Post Graduate Certificate Course in Thermal Power Plant Engineering.

Eligibility: 

Bachelor of Engineering or equivalent in “Mechanical/ Electrical / Electrical & Electronics” or “Power Engineering

How to apply?

Filled application on plain paper typed in English in the following format (OR) downloaded from website www.nptiguwahati.com along with the Demand Draft of 562/- (500+ Service tax @12.36 %) in favour of “National Power Training Institute-NER” payable at Guwahati should reach the Principal Director latest by 20.10.14 along with two passport size photographs.

Application Format:

1. Name, 

2. Father’s Name, 

3. Date of Birth, 

4. Sex, 

5. Nationality,

6. Category (Gen / SC / ST / OBC / PH),

7. Postal Address, 

8. Phone / Mobile No & E-mail, 

9. Educational details like subjects / discipline, Board / University, year of Passing, percentage of marks, 

10. Experience, 

11. Sponsored / Non Sponsored (if sponsored – attach the copy of sponsorship certificate from employer), 

12. Application Fees Details 

13. Signature. Attach Self attested copies of proof of item No. 3, 6 (if OBC / SC / ST / PH), 9, 10, 11.

Important Dates:

Last Date of Receipt of Application: 20.10.2014

Display of selected Candidates: 27.10.2014

Date of Admission: 17.11.2014

Commencement of Course: 18.11.2014

Sep 11 2014 : The Economic Times (Delhi)

Beats of the North-East

By Rashmi Henriques Rashmi Henriques





Nagaland is a place of rich culture, heritage and folklore. Explore traditional and rock music (at the same time) at the Hornbill Festival in December

If you thought dancing to Bollywood numbers is all that India has to offer? Then, sip some coffee and think again! A land rich in culture and heritage, India has bought to fore various forms of music and dance -classical, folklore and the most-popular (after Bollywood) is Electronic Dance Music. Traditional dance forms like Odissi, Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Manipuri and Mohiniattam fascinate foreigners to come to this land of rich culture.Konark Dance & Music Festival has been patronising Indian dance forms for decades, Storm in Bangalore is a perfect platform for young artistes who want to make a lasting impact on the Indian music scene. For dance enthusiasts, Khajuraho Dance Festival and Hornbill Festival in Nagaland is a must-visit. Here is the list of the best Dance & Music Festivals held every year in India. We suggest you pack in some drums, guitar and tabla for your young lad and string together some tunes this holiday.HORNBILL FESTIVAL
REGION: Kohima, Nagaland
There is hardly a dull moment during Hornbill Festival.Named after the bird, it is one of the largest celebrations of the indigenous warrior tribes of Nagaland. The hornbill is particularly revered by the Nagas and is reflected in tribal folklore, dances and songs. This year, the festival will be held from December 1 to 10 and will be attended by all of Nagaland's major tribes. It features traditional arts, dances, folk songs, and games in the background of replicas of tribal hutments, complete with wood carvings and hollow log drum instruments. There are also plenty of handicraft and food stalls, and heady rice beer for tourists.
In the evenings after sundown, the main attraction is the Hornbill National Rock Concert. Music bands from all over the country come to compete. Tourists plan months in advance to witness the rich culture and heritage of Nagas.NOTE: As the festival is one of the biggest tourist draws in Nagaland, it is necessary to book in advance. Make sure you bargain at the souvenir shops. Indian tourists need an Inner Line Permit, which is available from any Nagaland House, or Government of Nagaland office. You could also download the form online. http:www.hornbillfestival.com

Sep 11 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)

Soon, Rs 20,000 fine for smoking in public

DurgeshNandan Jha

New Delhi:





Panel Suggests Banning Sale Of Loose Cigarettes, Increasing Age Limit For Tobacco Consumption

A fine of 20,000 for smoking in public, banning the sale of loose cigarettes and increasing agelimit for tobacco consumption from 18 to 25: these are some of the recommendations of the expert panel appointed by health ministry to review and suggest changes to the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003 (COTPA). Other suggestions include making public smoking a cognizable offence.If accepted, these suggestions could soon be a part of amendments the government is planning to intro duce in the winter session of parliament to curb tobacco consumption.
Tobacco use accounts of 40% of all cancers in India. It is also associated with higher morbidity and mortality caused due to respiratory problems, heart diseases and Tuberculosis among others.
“This is the first time we have seen any government which is so aggressive about tobacco-control measures.
We are hopeful that they will consider the changes suggested,” said Dr G K Rath, one of the experts appointed by the health ministry.
He said the existing antitobacco law has many loopholes and the manufacturers of tobacco-products are using them to market it to the vulnerable population. On implementation of the changes proposed, Dr Rath said the government needs to push for bigger changes only then it can achieve the minimum. “Ten years ago, who would have thought that people will stop smoking in offices or at airports? It has happened. Similarly , we can reduce tobacco sale by introducing stringent measures like this,“ he said.
Health minister Harsh Vardhan, senior officials in the ministry said, is on a visit to Bangladesh and he will return on Friday . “The minister has taken up the curbing tobacco consumption issue on campaign basis. The recommendations of the expert panel will be reviewed by him for further action and deliberations before it is included in the draft of amendments,“ the official said.
About 275 million Indians (35% of adult population and 14.1 % of children aged 13-15 years) are tobacco users, mainly smokeless tobacco.
According to a recent report prepared by the Public Health Foundation of India, total economic costs attributable to tobacco use from all diseases in India in the year 2011 amounted to a staggering Rs 1, 04,500 crores -12% more than the combined state and central government expenditure on health care in the same year.

Sep 11 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)

B'lore boys world toppers in Cambridge school exam

Pavan MV

Bangalore





He's on top of the world. Bangalore student Manas Kohli is a world topper in computer studies in the Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examination.It's the world's most-popular international qualification for students between 14 and 16 years old.As an IGCSE student (equivalent to Class 10) of The International School Bangalore, Manas secured top position in the world in computer studies and is the India topper in chemistry . His parents, Sanjay and Rashmi Kohli, are retired employees of software companies.
Manas told TOI on Wednesday: “My teacher gave me less marks in a mock examination conducted by the school. This motivated me to secure the highest rank in the subject in the IGCSE examination. I don't study for too long, just around four hours. I want to pursue science and become an engineer.“
Another IGCSE student, Manik Raghu Reddy of the Centre for Learning, Bangalore, is the world topper in combined science. Manik and Manas are world toppers among 30 Indian toppers who achieved highest marks in the world in individual subjects in the November 2013 and May 2014 Cambridge International Examination series ­ Cambridge International IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Level and Cambridge International A level.
Also, 18 students from Bangalore secured the highest marks in India in individual subjects. For their outstanding performance, they'll receive the `Outstanding Cambridge Learner Award'.

Sep 11 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)

Govt to change wage norms in MGNREGS

Subodh Ghildiyal

New Delhi





The Centre may retain the 20-point preference for employment over material cost for a bulk of work under the job guarantee scheme despite saying that the lopsided weightage for wages was behind MGNREGS’s (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) failure to create durable assets.The rural development ministry has announced that the mandatory 60:40 wage to material ratio would be changed to 51:49 to allow higher spending on construction material like cement etc for creation of durable assets. The BJP government has been critical that MGNREGS had become a ditch-digging scheme with the high outflow of funds showing little for output.
The scheme has been allocated Rs 33,000 crore for 2013-14. But according to sources in the ministry, the alteration could hurt the objective of the job scheme — employment. A higher expenditure on material would come at the cost of jobs offered for a work undertaken. Given the sensitivity of the issue, the 60:40 ratio could be retained at the gram panchayat level. The works done in the villages are wage-oriented and low on expertise.
In contrast, sources said, the altered ratio that puts wages and material almost at par could be used at the district level. Here, agencies other than gram panchayats take up works which are based on expertise like construction and conservation.
Departments like agriculture, irrigation, PWD, sericulture and land resources are involved in roads and water conservation among other works.
“We feel such an approach would keep the sanctity of the objective behind MGNREGS while also leading to quality assets at the level where they matter,” an official said. This approach, still under discussion, means the bid to pare down the employment budget in favour of raw material used under MGNREGS could be limited in terms of funds and works. According to the Act, 50% of the works under the scheme have to be taken up at the gram panchayat level.
The proposed change in the wage-material ratio has left another ticklish issue to be resolved. Given that the demand for jobs must be fulfilled, any increase in spending on material would shrink the money available for wages at the current level of jobs sought, resulting in the need for higher budgetary allocation. Sources said the financial implications may require a nod from the finance ministry.

Sep 11 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)

Oz costliest for foreign studies, India cheapest

Mumbai: TIMES NEWS NETWORK





Australia has once again emerged as the most expensive overseas education destination for students followed by Singapore and India the cheapest in a study conducted by a global bank. Last year, Singapore ranked sixth on the list.The survey across 15 countries says while an international student in an Australian university spends $42,093 a year, including university fees and living cost, in India the total cost works out to just $5,642.
India was included in the study only this year, which has not taken into account the cost of education at Ivy League colleges.
K P Singh, an overseas studies counsellor, said, “Singapore’s dollar is growing at a faster rate and therefore education there is becoming increasingly expensive. The dollar rate has grown almost three times in the past three years.” The study, for which surveyors spoke to over 4,500 parents across countries, also examined their attitudes and behaviour towards children’s education. Around 62% of the Indian parents said the US provides the best quality of education followed by the UK and Australia. While Australia has retained its top position second year in a row, this year, the second most expensive place is Singapore. In the survey carried out last year, the US, the UK, the UAE and Canada stood at the second, third, fourth and fifth positions.
The study , this year, also ranked the quality of education offered in these 15 nations and US emerged as the most preferred destination in terms of quality among parents. India, however, ranks eighth in terms of quality of education provided with only 5% of the respondents putting it up in their top three choices.
The research was conducted by the HSBC Bank.
Data was collected on the basis of average tuition cost for international students in top 10 largest institutions in each country. Cost of living has been calculated taking into consideration inflation.
All these nations do offer scholarships for overseas students, but they are very limited and do not exceed 1015% of the total number of international students studying there, said Singh.

Sep 11 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)

Plagiarism lens on 2 DU teachers

Manash Gohain

New Delhi:





The ministry of human resource development has set up a one-member inquiry committee to look into the allegations against a senior chemistry professor of Delhi University and another teacher.The ministry on Wednesday has instituted the inquiry under K L Chopra, former director of Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, to look into allegations of copyright violations and plagiarism against Prof. Gurmeet Singh of chemistry department and another DU teacher.
On August 21, 2014, the undersecretary (vigilance), MHRD, wrote to the registrar of DU, forwarding a copy of the complaint against the teachers “for necessary action”.
In a complaint made by Society for Values and Ethics in Education on September 25, 2013, it was alleged that the research paper titled ‘Hibiscus Cannabinus Extract as a Potential Green Inhibitor for Corrosion of Mild Steel in 0.5 M H2SO4 Solution’ of Ramananda Singh M and Prof. Gurmeet Singh, published in J Mater. Environ. Sci. 3 (4) (2012) has been copied 85% and reproduced from his another paper title ‘Musa Paradisiaca Extract as a Green Inhibitor for Corrosion of Mild Steel in 0.5 M Sulphuric Acid Solution’. The complainant made similar allegations against two more papers by Singh.
The complaints, addressed to the vice-chancellor of Delhi University, Dinesh Singh, mention that an RTI plea has been filed, but the university is yet to reply.The complainant urged the university to inquire into the matter and take appropriate action as per Ordinance XI. According to an MHRD source, “An inquiry has been instituted to look into the allegations. Around two weeks time is likely to be taken by the committee. The ministry has also written to the university in this regard.” Singh rubbished the allegations saying that all his findings are new. “All the allegations are baseless and there is no issue of copyright violation of any kind. All my findings are different and this is nothing but simple harassment,” he said.