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Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Union Budget 2015-16 reduces funds for SCs and STs
Budget allocations for dalits and tribals have not come along well with the civil society activists who believe the funds are inadequate for the upliftment of marginalised classes.
If compared to last financial year, the money allocated under the Scheduled Caste sub-plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub-plan (TSP) has drastically come down in Union Budget 2015-2016. This year, dalits have been allocated only Rs 30,850 crore and the allocation for adivasis stands at Rs 19,980 crore. In 2014-15, while the SCSP was allocated Rs 43,208 crore, TSP had Rs 26,714 crore.
The guidelines under these two programmes clearly state that the Scheduled Castes (SCs) should be allocated 16.6 per cent of the Plan Outlay, which amounts to Rs 77,236 crore towards SCSP. Similarly, Scheduled Tribes (STs) are entitled to get 8.6 per cent of the plan outlay, which amounts to Rs 40,014 crore towards TSP. This means that the allocation for dalits is short by a good 61 per cent and that for tribals is short by 53 per cent.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to whip the budget into shape and make the economy fairer for dalits, adivasis and other marginalised sections. Unfortunately, these words have not translated into action,” says Paul Divakar, general secretary at National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR).
The special budgetary components were initiated in 1979. “The allocation for women-specific schemes under SCSP is a meager Rs 73.70 crore (0.23 per cent of total budget) and the same under TSP is Rs 40 crore (0.20 per cent of the total budget),” says Diwakar. 
Not only this, the allocation for education has declined to Rs 10,194.70 crore under SCSP and Rs 5,486.44 crore under TSP.  The funds in the critical Post Metric Scholarship Scheme for SC/STs have been reduced from Rs 1,904.78 crore to Rs 1,599 crore. “Retrogressive allocations are also seen in schemes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Mid-Day Meal Scheme and in other higher education programmes for SCs and STs,” he adds.

Breaking Boundaries – Technology Helps Education Come Alive

To quote renowned activist Malcolm X, “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” As the scope of learning continues to grow, so does the demand for more effective education. However, developing a cost-effective infrastructure to cater to the individual learning requirements and styles of each of their learners is a Herculean challenge even for the most experienced of educators. But not anymore.
Delivering quality education is now easier than ever, thanks to online learning. Explore a whole world of opportunities for both those who seek to teach and those who seek to learn, no matter where they are. The traditional model of education required students to come to their teacher. With online learning, teachers can now reach out and connect with students anywhere and everywhere.
Whether for supplemental support to regular college programs or distance education programs, online learning has redefined quality education.
Teachers can now not only use technology to illustrate processes and concepts with the assistance of readily-available teaching tools like animations and audio-videos, but can also leverage it to create live learning environments wherever their students are, thanks to online and mobile learning.
Using Web browsers, a stand-alone desktop application, interactive whiteboards, digital styli and mobile applications for the Android and iOS platforms, educators now have the tools to connect with learners no matter where they are. With an internet-enabled smartphone or tablet, both educators and learners can rest assured that the full power of online learning is available on their fingertips.
After-hour study sessions, live class sessions, virtual office hours, flipped classrooms, quick test builders, access to course content, instant reports, analytical insights to study learning patterns and progress, are just some of the capabilities to speak of. The next sections of the article will delve into detailed discussion of some tools that enable such capabilities.
Beyond boundaries and traditions
Unlike the traditional set-up where both educators and learners were forced to follow only one pedagogical style. Educators today have the freedom to choose from blended courses, self-paced online courses, instructor- led courses depending on their curriculum requirement or learning styles students.
This means that learning is not just no longer confined to the four walls of a classroom but also not to the age old traditions.
Educators can also safely and securely store and share a vast range of custom course content like presentations, documents, high-definition videos, spreadsheets and much more. Share digital content with a few clicks and give learners permissions to download said content for their own reference at a later time.
Online learning frees learners from having to learn exclusively from a fixed set of educators in the academic institution they attend. Now, getting the best education from the best educators is easier than ever. Simply log in, find the course and/or teacher of your choice and enroll.
What’s more is that this learning is no longer restricted to a certain age. Be it for professional growth, corporate training, or even enhancing the capabilities of teachers in the classroom, online learning has something for everyone.
Analyze and adapt
Tracking performance is now easier with online learning platforms thanks to up-to-date reports which are automatically generated as and when required. Administrators can keep track of and analyze every aspect of their digital academy ranging from an instructor’s performance, learner’s performance to course content consumption patterns with comprehensive and detailed statistics.
Educators can check which classes enjoy maximum enrolment, which content is getting the maximum response, which session had higher engagement, how well a particular learner is performing in online tests, assignments. With statistical charts and graphs being generated instantly by the platform itself, educators don’t have to worry about in-depth research towards their teaching methods.
Using the advantages of exhaustive analytics helps educators develop and modify teaching strategies in real time. With performance and attendance reports being generated automatically, there is no more wastage of resources in sharing them with learners. Just a few clicks of the mouse and this information can be shared via email or even using popular social-media websites.
Flip the classroom
Today educators are no longer reliant on mountains of coursebooks and research papers to teach their learners. Not only do they have instant access to detailed and dynamic learning resources about a plethora of subjects online, but they can also harness this technology to create custom content for their own course. For example the WizIQ Recordor, a free Microsoft Powerpoint add-in, allows for recording slideshows with custom narrations even when you’re offline for sharing in the class.
With these tools, educators can simply let their learners access said content, sharing resources learners which learners can access after the class to ensure that learning is not restricted to the classroom. Give learners resources to analyze and understand, then start discussions in the classrooms. Step back and let learners interact and engage each other using peer-based learning, guiding them as and when required.
Empowering educators
Assessing learner performance is also a lot easier and intuitive for educators with online testing. Educators can give their learners regular assignments which learners can complete and submit for review whereas the online testing systems allow for the creation, scheduling and implementation of comprehensive multiple- choice-question (MCQ) tests which can be scheduled or proctored live, with educators having the ability to create tests that are comprehensive, instant, detailed and flexible.
Managing an unruly classroom often sent many educators clutching their throats to the doctor. What if they could simply address such concerns with the click of a mouse? Control the webcams and microphones of learners from your computer and grant learners permission to use other features of the online classroom when you choose to.
Along with all the above, the modern Virtual Classroom is the perfect setting for live learning environments with a host of features which enables educators to:
  • Illustrate concepts using dynamic course content uploaded to the Content Library
  • Showcase processes with the screensharing feature as well as the whiteboard
  • Use up to 6 simultaneous video streams for video-chat, webinars and conferences
  • Conduct audio chat with an unlimited number of attendees
  • Inculcate social learning with the text chat feature
  • Play and share videos with the Media Player
  • Acknowledging learner requests as and when they happen in an organized fashion
  • Grant permissions to learners to use their webcam and/or microphones
  • Get real-time feedback using polls
  • Foster team activities using Breakout Rooms
  • Use an extensive array of teaching tools which they can even let learners access
Lead the Way
Empowering both educators and learners has become a lot easier with a digital academy at your disposal. Augment in-class learning with the advantages of online learning, all without having to worry about training employees, infrastructure maintenance costs, third-party software or the need for a constant IT support team. Get yourself a hassle-free, onestop solution called WizIQ.
WizIQ is an online learning platform which brings online educators and learners all of the above features and much more so that they can teach and learn without the restrictions they faced with traditional education. And that’s not all. With a global server network assuring no downtime, accessing, sharing and delivering high-quality, high-impact learning is now easier than ever.
With a dedicated support team available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, educators can always get assistance with any issue they are facing in using the platform promptly. No more costs on training employees, no more costs on setting up the required infrastructure. No more hassles, just pure learning. So join the learning revolution with WizIQ and get ready to experience the education of tomorrow, today.

Avoid sitting for long hours for a healthy heart

Sitting for long hours everyday is associated with increased coronary artery calcification that can increase the risk of a heart attack, new research says.
The results suggest that exercise may not entirely counteract the negative effects of a mostly sedentary lifestyle on coronary artery calcium. “It’s clear that exercise is important to reduce your cardiovascular risk and improve your fitness level,” said study’s lead author Jacquelyn Kulinski.
“But this study suggests that reducing how much you sit every day may represent a more novel, companion strategy (in addition to exercise) to help reduce your cardiovascular risk,” Kulinski, an assistant professor of cardiovascular medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, US, added.
This study offers a unique perspective on the effects of sedentary behaviour because it links sitting with an early marker for heart disease risk.
Coronary artery calcification, measured through a non-invasive CT heart scan, indicates the amount of calcium contained in plaques within the heart’s arteries.
Analysing heart scans and physical activity records of more than 2,000 adults living in Dallas, the researchers found each hour of sedentary time per day on average was associated with a 14 per cent increase in coronary artery calcification burden.
The association was independent of exercise activity and other traditional heart disease risk factors.
“I think the study offers a promising message. Reducing the amount of time you sit by even an hour or two a day could have a significant and positive impact on your future cardiovascular health,” said Kulinski.
The research is scheduled for presentation at the American College of Cardiology’s 64th Annual Scientific Session from March 14 to16 in San Diego.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Economic & Political Weekly: Table of Contents

The Annual Rigmarole

The budget has become a meaningless exercise with dicey figures and unkept promises.

Building Castles in the Air

With dodgy GDP numbers, what can one make of the government's annual scrutiny of the economy?
Editorials
Do beauty contests have any place in institutions of learning?
Margin Speak
The Aam Aadmi Party is quite like a technology start-up that gives established giants a run for their money with its agile business model, nimbleness and ability to innovate. Will it create the new 'App', the new democratic paradigm that...
Commentary
The case of Greenpeace India activist Priya Pillai is a stark example of how the space for democratic dissent in India is not only shrinking alarmingly but also of the central government's parsimony with the truth. In the entire sorry episode...
Commentary
The recent revival of the discussion on enacting a Uniform Civil Code, which its proponents believe will give all women equal rights, overlooks the reality of the discrimination that Hindu women continue to face despite amendments in Hindu...
Commentary
Subrata Roy exemplifies the state's deficient regulation of finance capital in our neo-liberal economy. His recent imprisonment works to avoid some fundamental questions about the culpability of the state, and its failure to control...
Commentary
Bihar shares a large part of its border with Nepal, including 10 trade transit points for Indo-Nepal trade. There is much potential for economic gains towards which India and the state of Bihar can cooperate with Nepal within the mutually agreed...
Book Reviews
Right to Work and Rural India: Working of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme edited by Ashok K Pankaj, New Delhi: Sage Publications, 2012; pp viii+382, Rs 1,195.
Book Reviews
Consumer Culture, Modernity and Identity edited by Nita Mathur,New Delhi: Sage, 2014; pp xl + 399, Rs 895.
Perspectives
What lessons can economic and political theories and contemporary experiences offer to Nepal in designing a federal system? While political aspects are very important, the focus in this article is on fiscal federalism or efficient organisation of...
Special Articles
The recent South Asian (other than that of Bangladesh) experience of a growing merchandise trade deficit and the challenge of job creation have forced attention back on the role of manufacturing. Bangladesh has been able to successfully capture a...
Special Articles
Given the increasingly prominent role and scope for off-grid solutions in complementing grid-based electrification in India, especially to electrify habitations where grid electricity is yet to reach, it would be crucial to set up appropriate...
Special Articles
Modern medicine has created a dichotomy: modern medicine on the one hand, and alternative systems on the other. This paper views this dichotomy and liminality in the context of Gandhi's vision of health. It delineates the elements and structural...
Notes
Did the Sikh militancy, beginning in the late 1970s and ending in the late 1990s, have a negative effect on the industrial sector of the Indian Punjab, especially in its northern districts? This note discusses and compares the industrial growth...
Discussion
Groundwater ha s emerged as the mainstay of irrigated agriculture in India. However, ineffective institutional arrangements for its management have resulted in both groundwater over-exploitation and wasteful use of energy. To address the...
Postscript
As a mix of institutional formality and universal emotional succour, the Republic Day parade offers an opportunity to deconstruct the body language of India’s leaders.
Postscript
As repressed middle-class parents and an inhibited media tend to bleep out swear words, we must remember that verbal sanitation is not conducive to free thought.
Postscript
On a shabby sidewalk in Jaipur, the Chand brothers continue to practise the lost art of large-format photography through the lens of an 1860 Carl Zeiss field camera.
Postscript
A chance encounter with a young brickmaker during a bus journey through the villages of Tamil Nadu opens the eyes — and the heart.
Reports From the States / Web Exclusives
In awarding brutal punishment to people who defy social norms based on superstitions, patriarchy and casteism in villages, gaavkis or caste panchayats in Maharashtra openly subvert the law of the land with the tacit support of the police and...

PM Narendra Modi launches first indigenously developed and manufactured vaccine against Rotavirus


Report by India Education bureau, New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today launched the first indigenously developed and manufactured Rotavirus vaccine: `Rotavac.` The indigenously developed vaccine will boost efforts to combat infant mortality due to diarrhoea. 

Each year, diarrhoea caused by rotavirus results up to 10 lakh hospitalizations and kills nearly 80 thousand children under the age of 5 years. Besides causing emotional stress to the affected families, it also pushes many Indian families below the poverty line and also imposes significant economic burden on the country. 

The Prime Minister felicitated all the partners in the development of the first indigenous rotavirus vaccine, which involved the complete cycle from basic research to product development of this advanced vaccine in India. 

The Prime Minister also lauded this initiative as an example of India`s capabilities for high-end research and development; manufacture of sophisticated pharmaceutical products in India; and, effective Public-Private-Partnership model for finding affordable solutions to societal challenges. 

The Prime Minister remarked that India is characterised by large size and diversity; and, continues to face a number of socio-economic challenges. He hoped that the development of the rotavirus vaccine would inspire higher levels of research, development and manufacturing activities in India, not just in medical science, but also in other advanced areas of science and technology. Prime Minister felt that solutions found in India would have great relevance to the rest of the world, especially the developing world. 

He also highlighted the vaccine as a successful example of collaboration between India and the United States in the area of medical research, for the benefit of ordinary citizens. 

The vaccine has been developed under an innovative public-private partnership model. It involved partnership between the Ministry of Science and Technology, the institutions of the US Government, various government institutions and NGOs in India, supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 

Funding by Government of India supported basic research in educational and scientific institutions in India. This was also supplemented by the support of U.S. Government institutions like the National Institute of Health. The Gates Foundation and Bharat Biotech India Limited contributed towards product development and testing. The successful launch of the first indigenously developed and produced vaccine today was the result of an extraordinary effort spread over the last 25 years. 

The Bharat Biotech India Limited that was involved in the development and production of the vaccine was selected in 1997-1998 by the India-U.S. Vaccine Action Programme and the standard government procedures. The company has been given undertaken to keep the cost of the vaccine at US$ 1 per dose. This is the third such vaccine available globally against Rotavirus and, at the current prices, the cheapest.