Friday, May 15, 2015
Network of Indian and Russian Universities launched at the Moscow State University in the presence of President Mukherjee
New Delhi: The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee visited Moscow State University yesterday (May 8, 2015) and witnessed the launch of a Network of Indian and Russian Institutions of higher education. An agreement between the Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India and Russian Science Foundation as well as several agreements between Indian and Russian university were also signed on the occasion.
Speaking at the event, the President said India and Russia have a long history of educational cooperation. In the late 1950s, the Soviet Union supported the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay in its formative years. Tens of thousands of Indian students studied in Russia in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. Though the numbers have dropped somewhat in recent years, even now, over four thousand Indian students study at Russian universities. Some of our institutions have active programmes of cooperation - exchange of students, researchers and faculty members, and sharing of research publications.
The President said Russia’s educational institutions have a great legacy of accomplishment. As far back as 1930, during his visit to the Soviet Union, Rabindranath Tagore had described Russian universities as “miracles in the realm of education”. It is this educational system that has led to Russia’s enviable success as a nation of learning. It has enabled Russia’s technological achievements in areas such as material sciences, aerospace, nuclear science, petrochemicals, mining and heavy engineering.
The President said there is a need for a broader and institutionalized engagement between educational institutions of India and Russia. At the last Summit meeting between India and Russia in December 2014, the two countries had decided to support a network of partnerships between their universities. Many of universities have been involved with their counterparts in identifying opportunities for cooperation and are ready to formalize arrangements for systematic cooperation in the future. The establishment of a Network of Indian and Russian Universities would facilitate establishment of more institutional linkages, including exchanges of faculty, researchers and students, joint research activities and scientific conferences and symposia.
Indians likely to turn diabetic faster
Recent study indicate that India is witnessing alarming rate of conversion, especially of those with normal glucose level moving to pre-diabetes and diabetes in ten years
For a country that is competing with China to be the diabetes capital of the world, here’s more sobering news. The results of a recent study published in Diabetes Care indicate that Asian Indians have one of the highest incidence rates for diabetes, with the movement from normal and pre-diabetes stages to diabetes being rapid.
The results of the study, published in the peer-reviewed journal, indicate among the highest conversion rates from normal glucose levels and pre-diabetes into diabetes. The tests were done on over 1,300 individuals, their levels recorded initially and then, followed up after 10 years.
“There are a number of studies measuring the prevalence (a statistical concept referring to the number of cases of a disease that are present in a particular population at a given time) of diabetes, but this is the first time we are measuring incidence – the number of new cases per population at risk in a given time period,” claims V.Mohan, co-author and founder, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF).
Diabetes is acknowledged as the most common metabolic disorder. According to the International Diabetes Federation, India has an estimated 40.9 million individuals with diabetes, and this number is set to increase to 69.9 million by 2025. “What we find with this study is the alarming rate of conversion, not only of pre-diabetes to diabetes, but also people with normal glucose levels moving to pre-diabetes and diabetes in ten years,” says R.M. Anjana, author of the paper and vice president, MDRF
“The incidence rate of diabetes among individuals with pre-diabetes in our cohort was 78.9 per 1,000 person years, which is one of the highest reported in a large ethnic group and is comparable to the rates reported in small, isolated populations such as the Pima Indians (87.3 per 1,000 person years),” explains Dr. Mohan. While part of this can be explained by the high prevalence of family history of diabetes in our population, it is also an indicator of rapid epidemiological transition, he adds.
Advancing age, family history of diabetes, low HDL cholesterol (‘good’ cholesterol) and physical inactivity predict progression from normal glucose levels to abnormal levels. The results also indicated that while development of pre-diabetes is linked to environmental factors, such as a sedentary lifestyle, subsequent development is perhaps governed by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. “Therefore, we think it is reasonable to suggest that in this population, efforts to prevent diabetes should be initiated prior to the pre-diabetes stage itself,” Dr. Anjana said.
The New American Diabetes Association guidelines even say that if a person has both impaired tolerance at fasting and the glucose test (IFT and IGT) fasting and glucose tolerance then it is even a case for considering putting the patient on metformin (a drug for type 2 diabetes), says Dr. Mohan. “But lifestyle is the key, unless changes are made to improve physical activity, and eat healthily, we will not be able to prevent the march of diabetes in our population.”
Chennai Urban Rural Epidemio-logy Study (Cures)
1
The diabetes study was performed on a sample of 26,000 adults over 20 years in Chennai between the years 2001 and 2003.
2
All individuals with diabetes and one in 10 persons underwent detailed investigation process.
3
Total number was 3,589 people. Of the total, 645 individuals could not be allowed up, due to migration and unwillgness to participate
4
Follow-up after 10 yrs: 534 died, of whom those with normal sugar or pre-dia-betes at baseline & whose blood sugar status was known at death - 29.
5
Final tests performed on 1,376 individuals - 1,077 had normal glucose tolerance, and 299, pre-dia-betes
6
Blood samples were tested at fasting state and two hours after oral glucose was administered to the individuals.
7
Details pertaining to demography, social status, medical and family history, were recorded
8
Diagnosed if FPG level was > or = to 126 mg/dL and the two-hour plasma glucose > or = to 200 mg/dL.
9
Normal glucose tol-erance = FPG less than 100 mg/dL and 2-h PG was less than 140 mg/dL
| Results | ||
| Over all the incidence of diabetes for the entire cohorts was 33.1 per 1000 person years, and the incidence of prediabetes was 29.5 per 1000 person year | ||
385
individuals progressed to diabetes and 269 developed diabetes before the final follow-up examination |
209 out of the 1,077 individuals with normal glucose tolerance(NGT) at baseline, 209 developed diabetes (Incidence rate of 22.2 per 1000 person years)
| |
19.4% of those with NGT converted to diabetes
|
25.7% of those with NGT converted to prediabetes
| |
58.9%Among the 299 individuals with pre-diabetes at baseline, 176 developed diabetes (Incidence rate of 78.9 per 1000 years) converted to diabetes
| ||
Vedanta - The Indian Big Bang
K M GUPTA
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India's Sphota Vada said just what the Big Bang model says: that creation was born of one initial explosion. When we utter a sound or word, Aum, for example, the Big Bang is duplicating itself in our mind.When a bird sings or a cow moos, a dog barks or a cat mews, or thunder issues forth from the sky , it is an imitation of the Big Bang.Einstein lamented that we have to purchase all the great edifices of science at the cost of emptiness of content. That is because the substance of the world is the Big Bang.
Why is this Indian Sphota Vada not known to the larger world? Why was it not talked about much before modern science came up with the idea of the Big Bang? Why do we have to subject our selves to the charge that Indians have a nasty habit of claiming that everything science discovers today has already been discovered by our ancestors?
The `credit' for Sphota Vada becoming obsolete should go to Acharya Upavarsha.
He can be described as the Fred Hoyle of ancient India -he rejected outright the Big Bang theory . A rebel intellectual, he was reverentially called Bhagavan, but not much is known about him as none of his works has survived.
He seems to have wielded enormous clout in the intellectual world. Upavarsha influenced his peer group to not take the Sphota Vada seriously . Shabara and Shankara followed him faithfully . Since Shankara has dominated Indian thinking in many ways for the last 1,200 years, the Indian Big Bang theory became obsolete.
Why is this Indian Sphota Vada not known to the larger world? Why was it not talked about much before modern science came up with the idea of the Big Bang? Why do we have to subject our selves to the charge that Indians have a nasty habit of claiming that everything science discovers today has already been discovered by our ancestors?
The `credit' for Sphota Vada becoming obsolete should go to Acharya Upavarsha.
He can be described as the Fred Hoyle of ancient India -he rejected outright the Big Bang theory . A rebel intellectual, he was reverentially called Bhagavan, but not much is known about him as none of his works has survived.
He seems to have wielded enormous clout in the intellectual world. Upavarsha influenced his peer group to not take the Sphota Vada seriously . Shabara and Shankara followed him faithfully . Since Shankara has dominated Indian thinking in many ways for the last 1,200 years, the Indian Big Bang theory became obsolete.
May 15 2015 : The Times of India (Delhi)
India ranks 100th on human capital index
Geneva:
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Finland Tops List Of 124 Countries
India has been ranked at a lowly 100 position on the global Human Capital Index, which measures countries on development and deployment of human capital. Finland has topped the 124-nation list.In the top 10 of the list, compiled by the World Economic Forum, Finland is followed by Norway , Switzerland, Canada, Japan, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Belgium.
WEF said the list has been compiled on the basis of 46 in dicators about “how well countries are developing and deploying their human capital, focusing on education, skills and employment“.
On India, the report said that although the educational attainment has improved markedly over different age groups, its youth literacy rate is still only 90%, well behind the rates of other emerging economies. “India also ranks poorly on labour force participation rate due to its large informal sector,“ WEF added.
The countries ranked above India include France (14th rank), the US (17), the UK (19) and Germany (22). Among BRICS nations, Russia comes on the top at 26th position, followed by China (64), Brazil (78) and South Africa (92). The countries with a better score than India also include Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyz Republic, Chile, the Philippines, Serbia, Mongolia, the UAE, Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Mauritius, Barba dos, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, Cambodia and Tunisia.
WEF said 14 countries have reached 80% human capital optimisation while 38 score 7080%. An additional 40 countries are somewhere between 60% and 70% while 23 countries score 50-60% and nine remain below the 50% mark.
In Asia and the Pacific the spread between the highest and lowest performing countries is among the widest.
After Japan, the best-performing countries are New Zealand (9), Australia (13) and Singapore (24) while Nepal (106), Myanmar (112) and Pakistan (113) occupy the lowest positions. After China and India, Indonesia takes the 69th slot. Iran is ranked 80th. PTI
WEF said the list has been compiled on the basis of 46 in dicators about “how well countries are developing and deploying their human capital, focusing on education, skills and employment“.
On India, the report said that although the educational attainment has improved markedly over different age groups, its youth literacy rate is still only 90%, well behind the rates of other emerging economies. “India also ranks poorly on labour force participation rate due to its large informal sector,“ WEF added.
The countries ranked above India include France (14th rank), the US (17), the UK (19) and Germany (22). Among BRICS nations, Russia comes on the top at 26th position, followed by China (64), Brazil (78) and South Africa (92). The countries with a better score than India also include Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyz Republic, Chile, the Philippines, Serbia, Mongolia, the UAE, Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Mauritius, Barba dos, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, Cambodia and Tunisia.
WEF said 14 countries have reached 80% human capital optimisation while 38 score 7080%. An additional 40 countries are somewhere between 60% and 70% while 23 countries score 50-60% and nine remain below the 50% mark.
In Asia and the Pacific the spread between the highest and lowest performing countries is among the widest.
After Japan, the best-performing countries are New Zealand (9), Australia (13) and Singapore (24) while Nepal (106), Myanmar (112) and Pakistan (113) occupy the lowest positions. After China and India, Indonesia takes the 69th slot. Iran is ranked 80th. PTI
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Special Education course by NGO
Vidya Sagar, an NGO that works with children and adults with neurological impairments, is offering a one-year, full-time PG Diploma course in Special Education-Multiple Disabilities (Physical and Neurological). The course includes a three-month internship to generate trained resource persons in special education.
The course is recognised by the Rehabilitation Council of India and affiliated to Madras University. Applicants should be a graduate or above in any discipline from a university/ college recognised by University of Madras.
A study informs that in India, the prevalence rates of the spectrum of neurological disorders from different regions of the country ranged from 967-4,070 with a mean of 2394 per 100,000 population, providing a rough estimate of over 30 million people with neurological disorders
NSDC signs MoU with SICB
ational Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sikkim’s State Institute of Capacity Building (SICB) to standardise the skill efforts in the state. The youth will be empowered to take jobs across the country as the courses will be aligned to particular standards set by the industry in accordance to Sector Skill Councils (SSCs).
Students will be given skilled based training aligned to Qualification Packs (QP) and National Occupational Standards (NOS) developed by NSDC approved SSCs and pegged on National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). Training partners of SCIB will also align to QP-NOS of sector skill councils. SCIB will engage with NSDC funded training partners for skilling in the state.
A student will be given a joint certificate on successfully attaining pass marks in the assessment as per the guidelines, jointly issued by SICB, NSDC and SSC. The SCIB has been set up under the chairmanship of Chief Minister with the aim to skill the youth of Sikkim.
The SICB will execute skill based trainings by convergence of all ongoing skill development schemes of the state and centre respectively. Key schemes includes Skill Development Initiative Scheme, Aajeevika Skills, Employment Skills Training and Placement under National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM), Skill based courses in Higher education / University, Skill training for inmates of State Prison, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), Operationalising of upcoming Multi Skill Development centres and tie up for training on transnational standards.
Dilip Chenoy, Managing Director and CEO, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) said, “This move is in line with the present Government’s special focus on skill development. Sikkim has a very vibrant and hardworking youth and I urge them to avail this opportunity to get a skill certificate, thereby making a mark for themselves in the state and in the job market. Every state has huge role to play to achieve standardization in education and this is another step towards it.”
Shanker Deo Dhakkal, Chief Administrator, State Institute of Capacity Building said, “We are delighted to partner with NSDC and expect this partnership to give a boost to skill development initiatives in the state. We would like that every youth of this state progresses from the skill courses being offered and expect that the alignment of the courses to industry standards in making the youth more employable”.
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