Smriti Irani launches National institute Ranking Framework - 

A one of its kind and appropriate for the Indian context, Union Human Resource Development Minister, Smriti Irani has launched the national institute ranking framework for educational institutions. On the occasion of the launching ceremony she said, “This would meet a felt need for a framework that would enable parents, students, teachers, educational institutions and other stakeholders to rank institutions on the basis of a set of objective parameters and a transparent process.”

Developed by a team of experts in education and heads of institutions, the portal and the framework is currently available for engineering and management institutions. Over the next month, methodologies, parameters and process for ranking universities along with architecture and planning institutions would also be available online.

She said, “National Institutional Ranking Framework follows an Indian approach which considers India-centric parameters like diversity and inclusiveness apart from excellence in teaching learning and research. The Minister expressed that this framework for engineering and management institutes will be extended to other disciplines like architecture, pharmacy and humanities and for universities within the next four weeks.”

The NIRF will facilitate a level playing field in ranking for institutions which have been working in languages other than English and excelled relatively in the recent past. NIRF is an outcome of a need identified by the Hon’ble Prime Minister and a consequent suggestion to evolve a national ranking framework.

It is to be noted that earlier this month the ministry had announced to launch the national ranking framework to rank the higher education institutions in India. The ministry in its release had informed that the ranking will cover institutes offering courses on engineering, law, management and humanities. Read more: http://digitallearning.eletsonline.com/2015/09/mhrd-develops-framework-to-rank-higher-education-institutes/

The ranking framework is designed such that institutions belonging to different sectoral fields such as Engineering, Management etc. will be compared separately in their own respective peer groups. The parameters are under the five broad headings (1) teaching learning and resources; (2) research, consulting and collaborative performance; (3) graduation outcomes; (4) outreach and inclusivity and (5) perception.

The major challenges behind evolving National Institutional Ranking Framework involve the following:

• Challenge of Diversity: Very large and complex multi-layered structure of Higher Education in India
• Diversity of institutions: IIT’s, IISC, IIESRS, Central Universities, Deemed-to-be Universities, Private Universities, affiliated colleges
• Diversity of Scope, autonomy and source of funds
• Huge variation in quality and standards

Meanwhile, the ministry has also informed that there will be two separate rankings for each discipline in each category. The philosophy of ranking is based on:

• Set of metrics around the parameters agreed upon by the core committee
• Parameters organised into five broad heads, each with suitable sub-heads

The parameters of ranking institutions under #NIRF

Source: Elets News Network (ENN) Posted on September 30, 2015 -

Government spends Rs. 2.7 lakh a month per MP

Our work involves a lot of travel, including for various committees in Delhi’

India paid Rs.176 crore to its 543 Lok Sabha members in salaries and expenses over the last year, or just over Rs. 2.7 lakh a month per Member of Parliament (MP), new official data show.

MPs are entitled to Rs.50,000 per month as salary, Rs.45,000 as constituency allowance, Rs.15,000 as office expenses and Rs.30,000 for secretarial assistance. When Parliament is in session, they get a daily allowance of Rs.2,000. MPs are also reimbursed for 34 flight trips and unlimited rail and road travel for the year on official business.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat releases information on the amount claimed by and reimbursed every month to MPs on these expense heads.

Travel reimbursements and daily allowances account for the biggest chunk of public spending on Indian MPs, or nearly half of all expenses, at Rs 83 crore for the year, the data shows (Numbers have been approximated)

	MP in USA	MP in UK	MP in India
Salary:	Rs 1.04 crore	Rs 57 lakh	Rs 6 lakh
Daily Allowance:	NA	Rs 25K / Sitting day	Rs 2K / Sitting day
Additional allowance:	Benefits and Tax deduction	Rs 70 lakh	Free housing, water, medical and telecom
Office expense allowance:	Rs 8 crore	NA	Rs 5.4 lakh  (Office exp. allowance + Staff allowance)
Staffing allowance:	NA	Rs 1.2 crore
Travelling Allowance:	Based on a formula	Allowances for modes of travel	» A portion over the fare for the highest class by air, road, steamer and rail. » 34 air journeys in a year. Rail and air passes. » Travel for spouse by rail and air. » Airfare to capital from place of residence 8 times
Total:	Rs 9 crore +	Rs 3.6 cr +	Rs 20.8 lakh +

MPs are also entitled to other perks, including free housing, limited free water, electricity, telephone facilities and medical treatment. This does not reflect in the expenses paid out every month by the Lok Sabha.

Travel expenses

Travel reimbursements and daily allowances, grouped together, account for the biggest chunk of public spending on MPs, or nearly half of all expenses, at Rs. 83 crore for the year, the data show. The differences in travel claims largely drive differences between MPs’ expenses.

The data shows that two MPs — the BJP’s Bishnu Pada Ray from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and the CPI(M)’s A. Sampath from Attingal, Kerala, — claimed over Rs.1 crore each between June 2014 and June 2015. Another 61 MPs claimed between Rs.50 lakh and Rs.1 crore over the year. The lowest amounts claimed were by Ministers whose expenses get covered by their respective ministries and no longer by Parliament once they become Ministers, a Lok Sabha Secretariat official explained.

“The expenses and claims of MPs are governed by an Act of Parliament. Our work involves a lot of travel, including for various committees in Delhi. I would hope that all MPs fulfil their duty to the fullest,” Mr. Sampath said. MPs who claim the most in travel expenses are not necessarily the ones doing the most travel, but are the ones who do not have corporate friends with planes they can borrow or undisclosed money to spend on travel, an MP, who was among the high claimants but did not want to be quoted, said. MPs who hire trained researchers on their staff say that the office and secretarial allowance is far too low to run a competent office and must pay their staff from their own pockets. “Apart from phone and travel reimbursement, the only expense that is paid for is Rs.30,000 per month, which is barely enough for a receptionist,” Biju Janata Dal MP Baijayant Panda, who has trained researchers on his staff, said.

MPs who hire trained researchers on their staff say that the office and secretarial allowance is far too low to run a competent office and must pay their staff from their own pockets. “Apart from phone and travel reimbursement the only expense that is paid for is Rs 30,000 per month, which is barely enough for a receptionist,” Biju Janata Dal MP Baijayant Panda who has trained researchers on his staff, said. “Compare that with our counterparts in other countries; for example US Senators and Congressmen get extremely qualified and competent staff numbering between 20 and 30 each. In recent years this gap is beginning to be filled by fellowships from organisations such as PRS and others as well as many volunteers and internships. But there's a drastic need for improvement by Parliament itself,” Mr. Panda said.

(Source: Compiled by PRS Legislative Research from India, The Salary Allowances and Pension of MPs (Amendment) Bill 2010, Ammenities for MPs, Lok Sabha secretariat, US- Ida A Brudnick 'Congressional Salaries and Allowances In Brief, Congressional research Service, December 30, 2014; UK- House of Common Library, Research Paper)

Keywords: MPs salaries, official data

Source: Hindustan Times, 1-10-2015

Development and security

Development comes in many forms and serves multiple purposes. Over the last few months, the Central government has initiated a series of steps to upgrade communications and transport infrastructure in areas affected by naxalite activity. The larger project is to not only usher in development in the tribal areas and improve the living conditions of populations in hilly and forest terrains, but also facilitate security operations against Maoists, who specialise in ambushes and hit-and-retreat tactics. Hundreds of mobile phone towers have been erected along the Red Corridor, and roads and bridges are being built to connect naxalite-affected districts. Ending the isolation of some of the villages in remote areas of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand is, no doubt, part of a strategy to win over local populations and wean them away from the influence of armed groups of Maoists. But, coming as it does with heavy deployment of Central police forces, such infrastructure development is suspect in the eyes of many villagers in the tribal regions. The ‘development’ is often seen more as an effort to allow access to tribal areas for security personnel in pursuit of Maoists rather than as an attempt to open up the outside world to the villages. Invariably, the state is seen as an external agency waiting to wield its authority and extend its reach without allowing substantial consequential benefits to the villages. Any state-sponsored activity, even if it is in the name of development, is thus met with hostility, and viewed as no more than an extension of the security apparatus.

Better facilities can at best mark the beginning of a process of addressing the livelihood concerns and social insecurities of tribal populations. Without investing in health and education infrastructure, increasing employment opportunities, and raising the quality of life in tribal areas, it would be difficult to address the socio-economic grievances that feed into the Maoist agenda. While the government ought to do everything in its power to end arbitrary and irrational violence by the Maoists, ‘development’ should not be reduced to building mobile towers, roads and bridges. Democratic institutions are yet to take root in many of the villages where Maoists have their sympathisers. In many areas Maoists have assumed a representative character and elections are boycotted at the instance of leaders of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). Thus, merely concentrating on upgrading infrastructure without addressing long-standing grievances will not meet the government’s objectives. Representative institutions in the villages must be made party to decision-making in the development process, which should go beyond the infrastructure needs of the security personnel.

Keywords: Development, Infrastructure, development projects, transport infrastructure, naxalite, naxal-affected States, building of bridges and roads, empowered committee, Road Requirement Plan, Communist Party of India, Maoist

Source: The Hindu, 1-10-2015

Indian-American professor wins $625,000 MacArthur ‘Genius’ grant

Kartik Chandran, an Indian-American associate professor of earth and environmental engineering at Columbia Engineering, has been named a 2015 MacArthur Fellow with a “genius grant” of $625,000 with no strings attached.

Chandran, an IIT Roorkee graduate, has won the fellowship for his work in “transforming wastewater from a pollutant requiring disposal to a resource for useful products, such as commodity chemicals, energy sources, and fertilisers.”

He joins a distinguished group of 24 talented people who have all demonstrated exceptional originality and dedication to their creative pursuits, as well as a marked capacity for self-direction. The fellows may use the $625,000 stipend as they see fit.

“When I received the call telling me that I had been awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, I was rather overwhelmed,” Chandran said.

“I’d just returned to New York from India after a 24-hour flight and couldn’t believe what I was hearing.”

He called the fellowship a “great honour which carries with it immense responsibility and provides ever more motivation to continue expanding my scientific horizons and boundaries and help solve global societal and human challenges.”

Chandran’s research on the global nitrogen cycle and engineered wastewater treatment has been widely recognized.

In 2011 he received a $1.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a transformative new model in water and sanitation in Africa.

His work is focused on integrating microbial ecology, molecular biology, and engineering to transform wastewater, sewage, and other “waste” streams from problematic pollutants to valuable resources in addition to clean water.

Chandran’s approach to transform wastewater into fertilisers, chemicals, and energy sources also takes into account today’s climate, energy, and nutrient challenges.

Chandran, who joined the Engineering School in 2005, has also won the Water Environment Research Foundation Paul L. Busch Award (2010), a National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2009), and a National Academies of Science Fellowship (2007).

His appointments prior to joining Columbia include his role as a senior technical specialist (2001-2004) with the private engineering firm Metcalf and Eddy of New York, where he contributed to New York City’s efforts to achieve significant improvements to its water quality.

Chandran earned a BS (1995) from the Indian Institute of Technology at Roorkee (formerly University of Roorkee) and a PhD (1999) from the University of Connecticut.

The MacArthur Fellowship grants are awarded annually by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Source: Hindustan Times, 1-10-2015

Let’s determine our climate change steps by domestic priorities

The climate change issue tests India’s diplomacy at several levels — it is relevant to its standing in the international community, its leading power aspirations, its relations with the United States, and the ability to be on the right side of the international debate while protecting its interests.

Political, economic, moral and emotional positioning colours climate change discussions, with differences persisting between the developed and developing countries. The 1994 United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) enjoined all parties to protect the climate system on the basis of , with the developed countries taking the lead. All parties were to take mitigative and adaptive steps, aided by financial and technology transfers by developed countries who accepted that economic and social development and poverty eradication are the first priorities of the developing countries. Since then the developed countries have tried to dilute or wriggle out of their UNFCCC commitments, making negotiations thornier. Their credibility has suffered as a result.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks at the recent UN sustainable development summit provide insights into our strategy. He reiterated that CBDR “is the bedrock of our collective enterprise”, and wants the concept of “climate change” to be expanded to include “climate justice”. By calling for “a global partnership to harness technology, innovation and finance to put affordable clean and renewable energy within the reach of all,” he has exhorted the developed countries to fulfil their financial commitments for climate change. He reminded them that the Technology Facilitation Mechanism should be an instrument for global public good and not private returns, implying that market mechanisms and profit-making should not alone determine the collective course ahead. As a way of burden-sharing, he also called for less energy and consumption oriented lifestyles. He conveyed his position to US President Barack Obama too in their meeting in New York.

As regards negotiations at the Paris Conference of the Parties (COP) — although there is no consensus yet on the almost 90-page draft negotiating text, India’s interests are clear: We have to ensure development space for ourselves and protect our right to growth. Our climate change options have to be determined by our domestic priorities — poverty eradication, energy access and decent living standards for all.

On finance, the response of the developed countries has been poor so far. A significant part of the $100 billion they pledged under long-term finance was to flow through the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Currently, only $10.3 billion has been pledged and the amount available for the period 2015-18 is a paltry $2.5 billion. A recent ADB estimate indicates that India would require $7.7 billion annually for adaptation by 2030. We believe that the GCF could be used to meet the full cost of IPRs of selected environmentally sound technologies.

As regards Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) we oppose any ex-ante review that can impose targets on us, but the ex-post review is acceptable. Developed countries want an aggregate review of INDCs before and after the Paris COP with the idea to sum up mitigation contributions and see if they respond to the 2°C target. Our view is that any revisiting of targets should be at the discretion of the countries based on historical responsibilities, current development status, equity and CBDR.

The US has been engaging India robustly on climate change issues. However, concerns that US will put undue pressure on India have been attenuated. While Obama wants a climate change agreement as a legacy of his presidency, he wants to do as much as can be done through executive authority. The US can live with moderate INDCs for the present. Sixty-five countries have announced their INDCs, which are rated as moderate and average. It would be at the review stage that countries would be asked to do more if the agreed targets are not met.

In India’s view, the INDCs should reflect basic principles of UNFCCC and should not be legally binding. We could accept a hybrid model, with the process part legally binding but substance and determination left to countries.

Our INDCs to be announced tomorrow will apparently be comprehensive — covering the need for finance, transfer of technologies, capacity-building, reducing emission intensity, mix of renewables in electricity, lifestyle and sustainability. There will be no departure from our known positions. No sensitive or vulnerable sector will be exposed. There will be economy-wide targets and no sectoral targets, as, for example in agriculture. The development agenda will not be compromised. We will report how we will achieve our targets. The INDCs will contain salient features of what we have initiated already.

Policymakers feel India does not need to be defensive. The international community is aware of our emphasis on renewable and clean energy. We have a framework to accomplish our targets. Many of our programmes, such as Clean Ganga, Smart Cities and the likes, have positive environmental aspects. The world is favourably inclined towards the new momentum in India. Importantly, the Prime Minister has credibility. The big projects he has announced create a positive image of India.

Kanwal Sibal is a former foreign secretary. The views expressed are personal.

Source: Hindustan Times, 1-10-2015

Real work on Sustainable Development Goals begins now

Fifteen years ago, leaders of nearly 200 countries agreed on a visionary millennium declaration that laid out in succinct terms the kind of world we want to live in. They created an action agenda — the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) — with a set of priorities in areas like reducing child mortality and infectious diseases and increasing access to primary education. The goals included hard targets for improvement and a deadline for measurement. Those targets have helped spur significant progress.

In India, 3.3 million children died before their fifth birthday in 1990. Last year, that number was less than 1.3 million — marking a 61% decline. The percentage of women dying from pregnancy-related causes declined by more than 70% over the same period — faster than the global rate of decline.

This progress is the result of a commitment to funding basic health and other essential services, new and better delivery mechanisms for these services, and more aligned efforts among the governments, private sector, and NGOs.

Last month, global leaders endorsed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to replace the MDGs. As we look ahead, it is important to draw on the lessons of the past 15 years.

To continue the momentum the following actions will be required:

Setting robust national-level targets and plans. Country-level implementation plans, with targets that take into account national priorities, should be established as soon as the SDGs are adopted. In India, an effective national plan along with sub-national plans will be important to address this variation in child mortality rates from state to state.

Establishing reliable funding and delivery models. Over the next few months, every country must identify sources of financing. The Indian healthcare system will not only need to deliver on the unfinished agenda of health and nutrition MDGs, but also be prepared to address the emerging burden of non-communicable diseases, and ensure better financial protection from health shocks.

Identifying and scaling new innovations. Multiple innovations have been made in improving information sharing on child and maternal health, counselling women and caregivers and care of neonates. Innovations in the use of mobile phones, medical devices and indigenous solutions have yielded results and these must be scaled up for maximum impact.

Building effective partnerships. Increasing access to affordable child, maternal, and adolescent health services can be addressed through effective partnerships and innovative health financing models. We know from experience how to create these alliances, which ensure that everyone is pulling from the same end of the rope.

Monitoring and evaluation. Getting the right interventions to the right people at the right time is critical. The National Polio Surveillance Project is an excellent example of how a dedicated, well-funded, high-quality monitoring and surveillance system can enable health transformation. Monitoring and evaluation enables continual adjustments and midcourse corrections to achieve optimal impact.

In the era of the MDGs, India cemented its position as a global economic and political leader. As we make the transition from the MDGs to SDGs, we have another great opportunity to create a world in which all people have the opportunity to survive and thrive.

CK Mishra is additional secretary and mission director, National Health Mission, and Mark Suzman is president, policy, advocacy and country offices, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Source: Hindustan Times, 1-10-15

New Bonds As We Age

RAM DASS





As our roles shift in older age, so does our sense of community, and feelings of isolation often accompany elder life. Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh says that despite the information age and advances in technology , which allow us to communicate with each other so rapidly , one human being can't be with another human being [through technology]. It often seems harder to find new connections to replace the ones we lose as we age.However, cyberspace can afford us a different way of maintaining connections. Unbounded by geography , we can meet and spend time as companions in virtual reality. A woman recently reported on a radio programme how she'd used the internet to get through her depression and loneliness after the death of her husband.
A year later, she's become the one who is counselling and supporting other recent widows in a chat group on the web.Such creative solutions to how we want to live as we get older are more available than we think. But many of us are too caught up in the cult of independence to see these possibilities; either we don't wish to be a burden on others, or we don't wish to be burdened by others.
The `achievement' of living on one's own is diminished by the sense of being ignored or left behind. To offset it, we might seek out meeting places where peers congregate, or consider alternative arrangements such as assisted living, spiritual communities and multipleage communities set up specifically for bringing people of all generations together.