Viewing Torrent websites will land you in jail for 3 years in India!

Logging in to blocked torrent sites might land a person with 3 years of jail time.

By: FE Online | Updated: August 22, 2016 1:31 PM

Logging in to blocked torrent sites might land a person with 3 years of jail time. Although no official statements have been given by the Government of India, on logging in, a few of these torrent sites, a warning is flashed on the screen. This warning reads, “This URL has been blocked under the instructions of the Competent Government Authority or in compliance with the orders of a Court of competent jurisdiction. Viewing, downloading, exhibiting or duplicating an illicit copy of the contents under this URL is punishable as an offence under the laws of India, including but not limited to under Sections 63, 63-A, 65 and 65-A of the Copyright Act, 1957 which prescribe imprisonment for 3 years and also fine of upto Rs. 3,00,000/-. Any person aggrieved by any such blocking of this URL may contact at urlblock@tatacommunications.com who will, within 48 hours, provide you the details of relevant proceedings under which you can approach the relevant High Court or Authority for redressal of your grievance.”

The warning was visible on a few of the most used torrent sites in the country. The warning would come up on the screens of torrentz2.eu among others after the links got redirected. The ‘government’ warning states that viewing, downloading or duplicating any of the copyright contents would be a clear violation of Section 63, 63-A , 65 and the 65-A of the Copyright Act of 1957. One can be booked under an offence under Section 63 dealing with the infringement of copyrights conferred in the act and would lead to a jail time of 6 months to 3 years and a fine upto Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh. One can also be booked under the Section 63-A and get an imprisonment time lasting from 1 year to 3 years and a fine between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 3 lakh.

Any person who does not agree with such a ban and considers it a violation of his/her rights could approach the relevant High Court. Websites like Torrenlinks.net, btstorrent.cc, torrentdownloads.me, limetorrents.cc, and more are all flashing this warning. Though a few websites haven’t been listed yet and are accessible to the users.

http://www.financialexpress.com/industry/tech/viewing-torrent-websites-will-land-you-in-jail-for-3-years/353734/

Teenagers who feel safe at school get higher grades

Feeling unsafe at school may hamper a student's learning potential and also contribute to more emotional problems.

By: IANS | Toronto | Published:August 25, 2016 5:22 pm

Feeling unsafe at school may hamper a student’s learning potential and also contribute to more emotional problems, warns new research.

“We found that students who felt safer were more attentive and efficient in the classroom. These students also reported fewer symptoms of depression, such as feeling unhappy and having difficulty enjoying themselves,” said one of the researchers Caroline Fitzpatrick, Professor of Psychology at Sainte-Anne’s University in Nova Scotia, Canada.
“Making sure that students are engaged and attentive in the classroom can contribute to long-term success above and beyond intellectual capacities such as reading or math skills,” Fitzpatrick noted.
The researchers used data from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development — an ongoing study that began in 1998 with a cohort of 2,120 five-month-old infants — to investigate whether feeling unsafe at school interferes with classroom engagement.
They also considered whether this association is expressed through reduced student well being, including symptoms of depression and aggressive behaviour.
The findings, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, showed that being a victim of school violence and feeling unsafe both contribute to symptoms of depression, which are detrimental to students’ learning potential.
However, factors typically linked to feeling unsafe, such as bullying or school violence, only partly explain why students feel less secure.
“We know from some of our previous research that youth who experience chronic poverty and those living in ‘bad’ neighbourhoods also tend to feel less safe at school,” Carolyn Cote-Lussier from the University of Ottawa explained.
“We think that this might be the case because teenagers who live in disorderly, disadvantaged neighbourhoods ‘carry’ their fears to school every day,” Cote-Lussier noted.
“The features of the physical environments in which schools are located are also really important. For example, green spaces and well maintained buildings are likely to make youth feel more at ease,” she said.

Source : http://indianexpress.com/article/education/teenagers-who-feel-safe-at-school-get-higher-grades/

CBSE Class 10 recheck, reval results 2016 declared

CBSE Class 10 recheck/reval results 2016: The results have been declared online.

By: Express Web Desk | Noida | Published:August 25, 2016 12:19 pm

 

CBSE Class 10 recheck/reval results 2016: The results have been declared online.
 
CBSE Class 10 recheck/reval results 2016: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the results of the Class 10 re-evaluation and rechecking results for the CBSE Class 10 Board examinations 2016. Students can check their results on the official result portal of the Board.
The results have been declared for all regions for regular as well as private candidates.
The results of the CBSE Class 12 re-evaluation and rechecking results 2016 have already been declared on the website.
Steps to check the CBSE Class 10 recheck/reval results 2016:
Log on to the official website of the Board, cbseresults.nic.in
The link to the result portal will be available on the main page itself. Go to your result link
You will be redirected to a new page. Enter your roll number and date of birth.
Your result will be available when you click on “Submit” or press “Enter”
Check your result and save a copy to your computer
You can also click on the “Reset” button to re-enter your details.
The CBSE conducts yearly Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and Senior Secondary Certificate (SSC) level examinations in affiliated schools across the country as well as in schools in about 13 countries. Every year, the CBSE conducts these examinations and prescribes syllabus for these schools as well from class 1 to 12.
The Board is also responsible for conducting the National Eligibility – cum – Eligibility Test (NEET) examination. The CBSE recently published the result of the NEET Phase 1 and NEET Phase 2 examinations 2016 on its official result portal. Students are advised to check the website on a regular basis for timely updates.
Source : http://indianexpress.com/article/education/cbse-class-10-recheck-reval-results-2016-declared-cbse-nic-in-cbseresults-nic-in2995350/

INDIATODAY.IN  NEW DELHI, AUGUST 12, 2016 | UPDATED 12:27 IST

How the digital era is breaking learning barriers

In the digital era, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become an integral part of almost every economic and social activity. Education, the most revered and productive human activity, too is highly influenced by the power of 1 and 0 in the action packed digital era.

digital learning

Dr Heidi Hayes Jacobs, one of the most recognised education leaders and the inventor of Curriculum Mapping once said, "Teachers need to integrate technology seamlessly into the curriculum instead of viewing it as an add-on, an afterthought, or an event."

In the digital era, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become an integral part of almost every economic and social activity. Without digital technology, life is a big challenge to live and move forward because everything is governed and controlled by it today. Education, the most revered and productive human activity, too is highly influenced by the power of 1 and 0 in the action packed digital era.

Today, digitised information crosses barriers of time, space and efficiency. One can search for knowledge in multiple ways using multiple tools irrespective of the location and time. A smart search on Google through mobile, laptop or tab offer tons of learning options such as MOOCs, lectures, Skype classes, webinars, video conferencing and online chat with the master of a subject.

Benefits of an ICT-enabled education sector:

With the onset of ICT in the education sector, knowledge sharing has become an easy and effective activity. The accessibility to knowledge sources leads to speedy sharing, storage and analysis of content under a definite perspective. The ability to sift through a large amount of data is the biggest advantage of digital techniques and processes.

However, the role of digital technology in education is not restricted knowledge acquisition, its impact is rather wider and deeper in conducting a research, managing a library of books and data, and collating the synthesised information for further analysis. The cutting edge technology eradicates many learning barriers and facilitates both teachers and students in the whole process.   

Digital era: Win-win situation for both teachers and students

Digital technology, with its many tentacles of communication hacking and information sharing, has breathed fresh life into classroom learning. Usage of digital boards and multimedia content leads to increased attention and engagement of the students and better interaction between teachers and students. Learning has become more interesting and animated for pupils, while on the other hand, teachers also feel less burdened with the easy availability of quality content on the internet.

Use of social media for learning:

Things become further easier on both ends after the introduction of social media in the field of education. Now, teachers can upload the text as well as AV files pertaining to their lesson plan on various social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. As per the convenience, students can read the same on laptop, smart-phone or tab, or they can also take the printout of the shared notes as per their need. This way, lesson planning is no more a tiring and dull practice for the subject teachers.

Teachers can also create professional learning networks on the aforesaid channels for projects, dissertations and other types of research work. Social media is equally advantageous to students if used in a controlled manner under the guidance of parents and teachers.

Digital technology helps students in the collection, exchange and evaluation of the information (course material). It instigates them to explore the practical aspects of learning and how it is going to benefit them in the career they want to pursue.   

Authored by Prof. Ramola Kumar, Dean, Delhi School of Communication  

Source : http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/story/digital-learning/1/738780.html%C2%A0Regards%C2%A0PralhadJadhavSeniorManager

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS NOW THE REAL THING

• Shashi Shekhar Vempati | Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) | 21 Aug 2016
• Shashi Shekhar Vempati, a digital strategist and a commentator on politics and public policy, is on the board of Prasar B harat The views expressed are persona

MAKE IN INDIA, SKILL INDIA, AND DIGITAL INDIA WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE ADVANCES IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, MAKING IT IMPERATIVE FOR POLICYMAKERS TO TAKE COGNIZANCE OF THIS

In the not too distant future the smartphone of a farmer in India will not only track the weather forecasts but perhaps advise him on the next best action to take if the weather turns inclement. It might even go a step ahead and help him make a decision on locking up the best future price for his produce. A smart fishing app will learn from the past performance of fishing trips on the high seas to guide Indian fishermen on improving their catch while an intelligent learning app will coach Indian students to cope better in competitive examinations. A clever tax collection app will help the government detect sophisticated methods of tax evasion while a subsidy app will better target benefits to those who need them the most, helping plug leakages. All of these have a chance of becoming a reality in the next decade, given the recent advances in artificial intelligence if only we in India wake up and get our act right.
From SIRI in iphones and IPADS to Cortana in your Microsoft Windows 10 devices, artificial intelligence has made inroads into our everyday lives in a subtle but significant manner. Every time the intelligence keyboard in your smartphone makes a clever prediction on what you will type next it is artificial intelligence at work, learning from your past sentences and improving its predictive abilities along the way.
Policymakers in India cannot afford to make the same mistakes with artificial intelligence, given the breadth and depth of its impact on the economy in general and on national security in particular. Outlining the challenges and opportunities of an artificial intelligence-led future, the recent paper by Carnegie India titled “India and Artificial Intelligence Revolution” delves at length into the policy roadmap for India to prepare itself for impending change. Specifically, the paper outlines the impact of artificial intelligence-led automation in a range of sectors, leading to challenges in job creation. It calls for a radical rethink of the new education policy to prepare our youth with skills of the future to survive and thrive in an artificial intelligence-led economy. It also calls for an innovation-led free market environment in which new business models that are durable and viable can emerge. It also warns that India runs the risk of falling behind the United States and China in harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to its strategic advantage.

Every one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship initiatives — Make in India, Skill India, Digital India — will be impacted by the recent advances in artificial intelligence, making it imperative for Indian policymakers to take both an immediate and a long-term view. The National Education Policy must make radical recommendations on alternative models of education that would be better suited to an artificial intelligencepowered economy. The government should identify public-sector applications like detecting tax fraud, preventing subsidy leakage, and targeting beneficiaries, where current advances in artificial intelligence could make a significant impact.
India must view machine intelligence as a critical element of its national security strategy and evaluate the Pentagon’s DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) model of defence research with the collaboration of the private sector and universities in order to create dualpurpose technologies with a scope large enough to allow for developing civilian technology applications. Specifically, the Cyber Grand Challenge model of DARPA needs to be examined for its successful incentivisation of academia and the private sector. The proposed National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) platform, which would link citizen databases, might be a good pilot candidate for creating a machine intelligence-based platform with both national security and civilian benefits and should thus be taken up in mission mode.
Indians of many hues — consumers, technocrats, researchers and entrepreneurs — are already participating in this revolution with many of Indian origin driving and influencing research in the United States and elsewhere.
A clarion call from the prime minister to all of them to come together and help build an artificial intelligence ecosystem in India will go a long way to not merely catch up with but to take a quantum leap into the artificial intelligence-driven future.
Source: http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

Second-hand books have few takers in the city

Second-hand books have few takers in the city    Srishti Shinde | Aug 23 2016 : The Times of India (NaviMumbai) For most of us, petrichor is some thing that sets the mood -for love, passion and excitement.But for book lovers, it's biblichor that defines ultimate rejuvenation. That feeling when you enter an old book store or a library, is so satisfying and can't be replaced with anything. However, as kindles with daylight and night vision modes have occupied permanent places in our bags and the few books that we read are usually ordered online, most bibliophiles in the city yearn for that long lost smell of old books, as second-hand booksellers are slowly disappearing from the scene. From hundreds of them on the streets of Mumbai about a decade ago, to only a handful now. Are we going to see enough of them in the l future, is actually a question we t should ask ourselves. TECHNOLOGY TO BE BLAMED Bandra-based Naseer Shaikh, who owned one of the oldest second-hand bookstores in the city , moved to Vashi s five years ago, due to inflation. “The t rent was increasing manifold and it was getting difficult to maintain the store in Bandra, with everything from t electricity bills to employees' salaries going over budget. Vashi has comparatively lower rates, when it comes to real estate prices. Frankly , the secondhand book business is not affected due to online sales or kindles, it is the lifestyle that has negatively impacted the sale of books in general. These days, people spend more time looking into their phone screens, rather than reading. Be it social networking sites, WhatsApp or games, people today pick up their phones more than books,“ says Naseer, whose family has been in this business for the past 35 years now. He does have some loyal customers, who still prefer reading books, but they are not as many . When asked about the most favourite book among people, he quips, “Harry Potter is a hit among kids and even teenagers, while grown-ups prefer a Sidney Sheldon or Chetan Bhagat. In fact, classics like Lolita do not deserve to be kept at book stores, as readers are unable to respect literature of this calibre.“ BOOKS COME CHEAPER ONLINE While most authors are releasing their books online, it has become easier for people to avail exclusive books, at throwaway prices and that too, even before they are released. “This is one of the reasons why people opt to buy books online. The fact that most people like to keep the books they buy as a part of their library , it is getting more and more difficult to source them.There are hardly any people who come over to give away their novels, which is why the we do not have a lot of options when it comes to second-hand editions, especially the new releases,“ says Rituraaj Manek, a book seller in Cuffe Parade. He also mentions that the maximum time it takes for new books to come to the second-hand market is three months. In fact, there are several discounts on books when bought online, which is a stronger reason why most people don't even consider branded bookstores, let alone second-hand dealers. PEOPLE DON'T READ ANYMORE The habit of reading is slowly dying. “I remember my mom would make me read at least one book a month, when I was in school. In fact, I had a vast collection of Panchatantras and various fairy tales that she would source, so that I develop the habit of reading. In fact, I would also make frequent visits to a nearby library to read Hardy Boys, while I was a teen. However, I don't see kids read anymore,“ says Rachika Nagar, a teacher by profession. Look around, as it is difficult to find people reading; they are either busy looking at other people's lives on social networking sites and gossiping about them, or worrying about their problems. “The fact that people don't read anymore is why second-hand book sellers have a tough time selling books.Ask someone what did they read last and they will have to ponder for a while before they answer,“ says Mayank Patkar, a second-hand book seller from Andheri. WEBSITES HAVE ALSO ENCROACHED THE MARKET There are about nine different websites that deal in second-hand books.They are extremely convenient, and sell books at almost the same price as roadside book sellers in the city . From novels to children's titles as well as general management and academic books, they have everything in store. In fact, some of them also follow a slightly different concept, wherein they act as a lending library, where you can rent a book. They have various subscriptions plans -monthly and yearly . They follow the same pattern that second-hand book dealers do, wherein you can return the book after reading it and order another set, depending on the plan you have taken.The best part about these websites is that they have a `Cash on delivery' option and deliver books to your doorstep, free of cost.  

IndiaToday.in  New Delhi, August 22, 2016 | UPDATED 11:19 IST

CBSE NEET UG 2016: Counselling registration begins today at mcc.nic.in

The CBSE NEET online counselling for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG has started from today, August 22.

 

CBSE NEET UG 2016

The CBSE NEET online counselling for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG has started from today, August 22.
Al the candidates seeking admission are requested to log on to the official website, www.mcc.nic.in  .
Earlier, CBSE had conducted National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2016 in two phases; first phase (AIPMT) on May 1 and NEET Phase 2 on July 24.
As per official data, around 7, 31,223 candidates had appeared for the examination and around 56 percent students successfully cleared the test as the results were announced on August 16.
As per the Supreme Court's order, this year, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has constituted a Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for allotment of 15 percent All India quota MBBS and BDS seats through centralised counselling.
All the candidates are requested to note that they would be able to exercise the choice filling up to 5 pm of August 25, 2016.
Moreover, the counselling session would be done in two rounds and the seats will be allotted to aspirants through the central quota in the first phase, while in the second phase, through state quota.
The two-phased counselling will be held in Uttar Pradesh (UP) because the Akhilesh Yadav government adopted NEET in state medical colleges unlike many states.

How can you appear for the online counselling?
In order to lock the seats, all the candidates need to follow the below mentioned steps:

• Log on to the website, www.mcc.nic.in

• Click on the tab, 'Candidates Login'

• Enter all the required details such as roll number and password

• Click to log in

• Also, candidates can check the seat matrix and counselling scheme on the official website

Important dates:

• Exercising of choices and locking: August 26 (up to 5 pm)

• Process of seat allotment (Round 1): August 27

• Declaration of result (Round 1): August 28

• Reporting at the allotted medical/dental college against Round 1: August 29 to September 3

• Exercising of choices and locking (Round 2): September 9 to September 10

• Process of seat allotment (Round 2): September 11

• Declaration of results (Round 2): September 12

• Reporting at the allotted medical/dental college against Round 2: September 13 to September 20

• Transfer of vacant seats to state quota: September 20

Important note:  If any student fails to do so, the last choices filled by him/her would be automatically locked.
For any query related to counselling, candidates can log on to the official website.

Schools warn parents about the dangers of chasing Pokemons

Story from page 1 - NAVI MUMBAI, dnaofmumbai        

Ankita G Menon ankita.g@dnaindia.net

Vashi: Pokemon Go is an augmented virtual reality game, based on the cartoon series Pokemon — a craze among 90s kids. Teenagers and youngsters are getting addicted to this game and as it involves moving around empty places, it has proved to be fatal. The fervour for this game has led to advertisements on Facebook about various pokewalks to be organised in the city. Individuals have been coming together in groups to search for pokemons. Some students have even been downloading the old Cartoon Network series or watching it online to renew knowledge about the game. While the craze for the gaming app motivates the youngsters to catch more Pokemon or locate yet another Poke stop, the alert city parents and schools are educating their children to play the game in a responsible manner. “My son just gets up and leaves, all the while staring at his smart phone to search for a Pokemon. And as road accidents have increased, my husband keeps telling him to play the game in a responsible manner. We only allow our son to play the game in our neighbourhood where traffic is less. We also ensure that when he plays the game, his friends are around to keep an eye on him,” said Juhi Mukherjee, a banker and mother of a 19-year old teenager. “We do not want to give it undue attention but we also want students to know there could be a problem if they get addicted to the game. Teachers in my school have been talking about it in morning assemblies and have told parents to speak to their children about it’s hazards,” said Jessy Jose, principal, Tilak International School. Those who are addicted to this exciting game, refuse to give up. But many of them have decided to take precautions too. Varun Jha, 15, who’s a fan of the game, said, “Increase in freak mishaps involving Pokemon Go is the result of irresponsibility and not the fault of the gaming app. The app clearly cautions the players to stay away from dangerous zones and play the game in safe enclosed areas. One has to pay heed.” Some Shiv Sena members have opposed this game in India and are requesting schools or the education department to warn students, “Until one moves, the game does not begin and therefore while moving from one place to another we find people are completely lost playing the game. They never bother to check as well what is there ahead of them on the road. It is important that school students be informed about what can happen while one is playing the game without being aware of the surroundings. It can happen that students may go out playing the game at night as well, which can be further unsafe. Ideally this should be done in all schools in the city but we must at least begin with municipal schools,” said one of the Shiv Sena candidates.

Published Date:  Aug 18, 2016

to create awareness about the Indian armed forces with a thrilling game format

App-titude for change!

Awarathon’s Unknown Soldier Campaign aims to create awareness about the Indian armed forces with a thrilling game format

Deepali Singh | Story from page 4 - AFTER HRS, dnaofmumbai

What is the highest officer rank in the Indian Navy?’, my phone screen reads and I can see the seconds ticking by as I struggle to think of the correct answer. I’m pretty sure it’s ‘Admiral of the fleet’ and holding my breath, I tap on the option with my finger. ‘Correct answer’, it reads now and I exhale. The one rupee added in my Reward Wallet doubles the joy, not just because I’m a rupee richer but because I know that my expanding wallet is going to make a difference in somebody’s life. And that’s what Awarathon is all about! Ever since the social awareness app that combines the thrill of gaming launched on it’s Unknown Soldier Campaign this Independence Day, more than 50,000 questions have been answered on the Indian Armed Forces. The brainchild of Harvard Law School graduates Harshal Shah and Bhargavi Zaveri, who were supported in their endeavour by Rahul Ghatalia, Awarathon aims to create a platform for social awareness, but with the added fun element of gaming. The first campaign Shah tells us that the idea for the first campaign came to him when he happened to attend a friend’s brother’s funeral. “Her brother was in the armed forces and had died a martyr. That’s when it struck me how little we know about our own armed forces. Since we were at that time trying to decide which campaign to begin with, we zeroed down on the Unknown Soldier Campaign to make people more aware of the various aspects of our Indian armed forces, including the various wars we have fought and the ranks among others,” says the 31-year-old. The challenge, says Shah, was to keep it informative, yet, entertaining at the same time. “It’s a game after all. The idea is to get people addicted to it, so they keep learning more and more,” he states, adding that a bank of over 5,000 questions was created especially for this campaign. Along with the game, the makers of the app will also keep posting videos of interviews with war veterans on their social media accounts to add a human touch to the campaign. Play it on! Once the app has been downloaded on your phone, a series of questions on the Indian armed forces follow. A 20-second timer starts and if you answer correctly, the app adds a rupee to your Reward Wallet. At constant intervals, the app asks you to either redeem the prize money for a gift card or donate it to a cause. “We are supporting three causes for this particular campaign. The first is supporting the disabled veterans of the Indian armed forces, especially those who don’t come under the government of India’s programme. The second is an early intervention for differently-abled children, while the third one is four differently-abled cases who are in desperate need of physiotherapy,” Shah informs of the campaign that ends on September 1. Taking it ahead While the makers are more than the happy with the kind of response it has generated, they hope that people will be as excited about their next campaign too, which is Swachh Bharat. “Urban cities in India face a huge waste management problem and the next campaign that launches on October 2, aims to make people aware of the problems we might face in the future because of that. The campaign will also provide users with knowledge on how to make a difference on a micro as well as a macro level,” says Shah.

Published Date:  Aug 21, 2016

Source : http://epaper.dnaindia.com

Free access for Indians to library of cricket books

By PTI


NEW DELHI: A one-year free digital access to Indian and world cricket content is being offered in a collaboration between Bloomsbury, Wisden, and UK-based Public Library Online.

"Under the initiative, all citizens with an Indian IP address will have free access for a year to a library of cricket books at Public Library Online from Wisden, the most distinguished cricket publisher in the world," Bloomsbury Publishing said in a statement today.

The library includes all four Wisden India Almanacks, the last five 'Wisden Shorter Almanacks', the 'Wisden Book of Test Cricket 2009-14', 'Wisden on the Ashes', 'Benaud in Wisden' and 'Don'ts for Cricketers.'

These are available for online streaming on any Internet-enabled device at Public Library Online through the url in.publiclibraryonline.com. The library is an 'online only' Ebooks licensing company with books from leading international publishing houses and offers concurrent online access to a range of fiction and non-fiction, from a range of renowned publishers.

The initiative is being launched to coincide with the 4th test match of India-West Indies series on the 18th of August 2016.

Jahir Hussain, CEO of Public Library Online said, "We are excited to offer public library online eBooks to the entire Indian Public. We feel proud to be part of the 'Digital India' chapters."

"The Wisden archives are an unparalleled resource, for curious readers and cricket buffs alike. For well over a century, Wisden has been one of cricket's conscience-keepers

and the Almanack's essays have chronicled the sweeping, almost cataclysmic, changes the game has seen," Dileep Premachandran, Editor-in-chief of Wisden India said.

"Public Library Online has now taken an important first step in opening up this treasure trove to readers, in a country where cricket is so much more than just a game," he said.

(Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/cricket/news/Free-access-for-Indians-to-library-of-cricket-books/2016/08/18/article3585817.ece)

CBSE to scale down difficulty level of Class 12 mathematics paper

• Puja Pednekar, Hindustan Times, Mumbai| 

CBSE said it will scale down the difficulty level of the Class 12 Mathematics question paper next year after an unusually-tough exam drove millions of students to tears this year and hurt their scores. (HT File Photo)

---

Anxious class 12 students and their parents can breathe a little easy.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) said it will scale down the difficulty level of the class 12 mathematics question paper next year after an unusually tough exam drove millions of students to tears and hurt their scores.
The board announced on Wednesday evening a revamp of the paper’s pattern, introducing short-answer type questions carrying two marks and reducing the number of controversial higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) questions.
The HOTS questions will now carry only 10 marks and will be split into two sections of four and six marks. Students will also be given more choice.
Teachers welcomed the move, saying the tough HOTS questions were responsible for raising the difficulty level of the paper this year as they carried substantial weightage.
“HOTS questions are tricky and for the past two years, they have been exceptionally tough. It is good that they will be restricted to only 10% now,” a maths teacher at a school in Mumbai’s Santacruz said.
The short-answer type questions will make the paper easier, teachers said. This is the first time that the board has brought in two-mark questions
“Shorter questions require less time to solve and will help students in completing the paper on time,” the teacher said.

The CBSE categorised 20% of the paper as easy, 60% as average and 20% as difficult.
Students depend on their maths scores to boost their grades in the class 12 examination, which is crucial for college entrances where cut-offs regularly touch 98-99%.

NEW PATTERN

• 4 questions of one mark each (Total: 4 marks)
• 8 questions of two marks each (Total: 16 marks)
• 11 questions of four marks each (Total: 44 marks)
• 6 questions of 6 marks each (Total: 36 marks)

PREVIOUS PATTERN

• 6 questions of one mark each (Total: 6 marks)
• 13 questions of four marks each (Total: 52 marks)
• 7 questions for six marks each (Total: 42 marks)

But this year, many were unable to finish the tough and lengthy maths paper that, students said, was responsible for lower scores.
The CBSE was flooded with complaints about the daunting March 14 examination and an alleged question paper leak in the Patna region. It even triggered a debate in Parliament, with the government promising an inquiry into the reported leak and complaints that questions were extremely difficult.
Following this, the board held meetings with schools and teachers seeking suggestions to change the paper pattern. It constituted an expert committee to come up with remedial measures to look into the issue and officials said students were marked leniently.
Teachers admitted that marks in mathematics had affected the overall percentage of students. Commerce and science stream students were hit the most. At Apeejay School in Mumbai’s Kharghar, for example, the average score in maths fell to 78% from 87% last year.

(Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/education/cbse-to-scale-down-difficulty-level-of-class-12-mathematics-paper/story-xGSCNhfIRlS8pX7VoGgGHK.html)

• Updated: Aug 11, 2016 20:32 IST

CBSE XII maths paper pattern altered

Vinamrata Borwankar | TNN | Aug 12, 2016, 12.59 AM IST

Mumbai: After tough mathematics exams for two years, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has toned down the difficulty level for Class XII students. The new question paper design has capped the higher order thinking skills (HOTS) questions at 10% and introduced two-mark questions to bring relief to lakhs of students.

In a circular on the board's website, the CBSE said the changed question paper design would be applicable for the board examination scheduled to be held in 2017.

The HOTS questions will now be split into three two-mark questions and one four-mark question in the 100-mark paper. Teachers in the city said there had been no specification on the inclusion of HOTS questions but it varied between 10 and 20%. "It is good that the CBSE has now defined what to expect and students can prepare themselves well. Also, splitting the HOTS into three two-mark questions (see box) will mean that students can at least attempt some of them," said Jeeja K, teacher at R N Podar School, Santacruz. The CBSE categorized 20% of the paper as easy, 60% as average and 20% as difficult. With the introduction of short answers (two-mark questions), the total number of questions has increased from 26 to 29. Teachers feel it will help students score better. "When a student doesn't know how to answer a six-mark question, he or she loses out on all the six marks. With more questions with fewer marks, they are likely to lose fewer marks. Shorter questions take lesser time to solve," said Kalpana Dwivedi, principal, St Joseph High School, Panvel.

During the board examination this March, the CBSE had drawn a lot of flak over the difficulty level of the mathematics paper. Apart from social media outrage, the issue was also discussed in Parliament. Following this, the CBSE had assured to place the issue before a committee of subject experts and take remedial measures before evaluation.

(Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/CBSE-XII-maths-paper-pattern-altered/articleshow/53659163.cms )

To go beyond textbook study, schools log on to e-libraries

To go beyond textbook study, schools log on to e-libraries

Freny Fernandes| Jul 18, 2016, 10.46 PM IST

Thane: It's the age of technology and information where most students own their personal tablet or iPads for e-learning and seeking information. Keeping pace with the technology, even the educational institutes are pushing themselves beyond boundaries to match up to the kid's pace with technology.

Observing the growing need for research and acquiring additional knowledge to rise above the text book knowledge, a number of city school students have started embracing the concept of e-libraries.

Rajani Pattabhiraman, principal, Euro School, said, "Education today is not limited to textbooks. Within the curriculum itself students are expected to go beyond classroom lectures and refer to as many research papers and gather as much information in order to get a holistic perspective. School is where they need to explore and garner this knowledge. As it is not possible to buy all genres of books and research papers and thesis and fit it in our library, we have started an e-library where students can access any book, journal or paper. This saves a lot of paper as well."

These libraries are not only equipped with a plethora of otherwise unavailable books, but also are made available to students at their fingertips. They are simultaneously stocking their bookshelves with book lovers who refer spending time browsing.

"In addition to academics and knowledge about current events, students today are participating in an array of science competitions like the National Children's Science Congress, debates, projects and so on which require quick information at one's finger tips. An e-library facilitates this. It also helps them develop the lost habit of reading," said Rupa Dey, principal of Shrirang Vidyalaya, who is soon have an e-library installed for her students.

"While we have to move with time, we also have to maintain some elements of traditional learning that do work. E-learning is the way ahead, but we have to ensure students don't let go of reading books. Our e-library has eight computers which have access to a variety of books. It however, also has encyclopaedias, fiction and non-fiction books and other books," added Simmi Juneja, principal of DAV public school.

While these institutions have not discarded the traditional library, they have used technology and coding systems to make them better accessible to students.

"We first segregate all books on the basis of their genre, subject, author, title etc. and then assign each book a particular code which is fed into the system. The books are arranged in the library according to the system. If any student wants to find a particular book, they have to only key it into the system and find its location," Shraddha Sansare, librarian at Shrirang Vidyalaya.

Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thane/To-go-beyond-textbook-study-schools-log-on-to-e-libraries/articleshow/53271747.cms

Home schooling: Is it worth trying?

Story from page 3 - NAVI MUMBAI, dnaofmumbai   Home schooling: Is it worth trying?

It is apparent that those parents who choose to home school their children can clearly see many advantages

dna correspondent correspondent@dnaindia.net

Vashi: An academic degree is certainly not the only way one gets educated. Not obtaining a formal degree does not have any direct impact on how commercially successful one can be in life, if one has been taught informally reading, writing and the basic math operations. Around 99% of the population sends their kids to school and then there is a miniscule 1% or less who swear by the notion that schools can only damage their children. These parents choose to home school or educate their children at home away from the campus and shirk formal school education. It is apparent that those parents who choose to home school their children clearly see many advantages. One of the clear advantages is that the school environment is a leveller. Everything is pitched for the average. What the majority number of students can do gets into the school planning. Sports are chosen on the basis of maximum participation, subjects are offered as per popular choices. Curriculum gets fixed and percentage of time allotment is done as per the requirement of a large number of parents. Core subjects like math, science and English will get the lion’s share rather than say Sanskrit, playing violin or an animation programme. Home schoolers argue that before the advent of schools, no two people were equally wise or had similar capabilities, therefore how can the teaching be tailored to groups? It is true that teaching in schools targets the average sets of students; the system is not geared up for either dealing with the gifted lot or the laggers. Both these sets of learners need to be academically or talent wise supported through after school supplementary activities. Home schoolers also argue that schools at best pretend to educate children. Schools and education are not synonymous. Education is not available to a large number of students because the definition of education is not classroom counsellor homework assignments project work hobby classes examinations. Schools at best increase the chances of making children the run of the mill engineers, computer professionals, doctors or MBAs. It does not teach that there is a life beyond economic success, they argue. In continuation a whole different life can open up to a whole new universe and children can attend to their true calling when they do not attend classroom and are home schooled. The Liberal school of thought may have some merits. But it must never be undermined that the consequences of the actions that parents take today with the lives of their children will show up after they are adults 15-18 years later. Man is a social animal. Besides academics, classrooms teach students lessons in sociability. Schools teach children to toughen up. They get into hassles with their peers, their teachers and school authorities. Lessons of friendship are carried forward for life. Some teachers who act like role models create impacts that last an entire life time. Students learn that for every good deed there is a reward and for a bad deed a negative consequence. The Liberal school or the liberal parents’ concept that gives rise to home schools must therefore be done with utmost care. Some experiments may prove very successful and others may not. Those that fail can have very serious repercussions.

Published Date:  Aug 05, 2016

Legal literacy clubs sprout up in city's CBSE schools

TNN | Aug 5, 2016, 09.35 AM IST

 

 

RANCHI: To generate awareness among school children about various laws and their enforcement, a majority of CBSE-affiliated schools in the city have introduced legal literacy clubs.

These clubs will not only inform students about their fundamental rights and duties, but will educate them on their rights and responsibilities, common laws against domestic violence, right to education and information and penal laws and their enactment history.

At Jawahar Vidya Mandir (JVM), Shyamali, about 20 students of Class XII have joined the newly-inaugurated legal literacy club. School principal A K Singh said, "The books and legal study materials are provided by the Jharkhand Legal Service Authority (Jhalsa). We are informing students about the country's various laws and their fundamental duties as citizens."

The legal literacy club at JVM, Shyamali is not just a hub of legal knowledge, but also serves as a preparatory course for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT). "We have provided the necessary books and other related material required for CLAT preparation. After each class, students put in an extra hour-and-a-half to prepare for CLAT," said Singh.

The school also plans to adopt a nearby village where students can visit and provide legal education on social issues like witch-hunting, human trafficking and other topics.

Ankita Purohit, a club member, said, "We are being informed about the country's legal system, including various acts and legalities. We have been made aware that the school plans to organize a mock parliament and legal quizzes. It should be educational and fun."

The Delhi Public School was the first school in Ranchi to start a legal literacy club in January last year.

(Sourec: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Legal-literacy-clubs-sprout-up-in-citys-CBSE-schools/articleshow/53552009.cms)

A portal to help students practise online

• Mahitha Owk

Helping students in doing their coursework and making it easy for them to practise online, MicroMerits.com aims to offer intelligent practice tests for students of CBSE and regional (State) boards studying in classes 6 to 10.

These tests are designed to appease parental queries, please teachers’ concerns and aid students’ wishes. It is a platform for unlimited practice focussing on joyful learning modes to approach the subjects. While motivating children through phased, analytical and progressive practices in mathematics and sciences, the portal simultaneously attracts learners towards more broad-based intellectual pursuits like language and communication, and mental ability. The four elements that guide students on the portal are arranged in a sensible and interconnected chain — learn, practise, measure, and compete. The proactive chain of learning and retention elements are presented in easy, enjoyable and effective ways, a press release stated.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-educationplus/a-portal-to-help-students-practise-online/article8956454.ece 

NEET 2016: Check OMR answer sheet

NEET 2016: The candidates wish to challenge the OMR grading of their OMR sheet will have to pay a fees of Rs 1000 per response challenged

By: express webdesk | New Delhi | Published:August 5, 2016 10:19 am

 













 NEET 2016: The combined result of NEET 1 and NEET 2 will be declared by August 17
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the online images of OMR answer sheets and responses of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) Phase 1 and Phase 2. The candidates can check the results on the official website – aipmt.nic.in.

The candidates wish to challenge the OMR grading of their OMR sheet will have to pay a fees of Rs 1000 per response challenged. The last date to apply online is August 6 by 5 pm.

The Board conducted the NEET 1 on May 1 while NEET 2 was held on July 24 across the nation. In a statment, CBSE has said that the test was conducted at 739 centres in 56 cities.

“Total candidates registered for the examination were 4,75,785. As per preliminary reports received from across the country, more than 90 per cent candidates were present in the examination,” the statement said.
The NEET examination was also held peacefully in Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir and 93 per cent of registered candidates took the exam there, it added.

Steps to check OMR answer sheets of NEET 2016
 

• Log in to the official website
• 
  Click on the link ‘OMR sheet’
• 
  A new page will open
• 
  Login with your registration number and password
• 
  The OMR sheet will display
• 
  Check and take a print out for further reference

On August 3, a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking re-examination over an alleged paper leak reported on July 24. The petition, filed by NEET aspirant Anshul Sharma, said the primary investigations carried out by the Uttarakhand police points out that five persons (one from Delhi and four from Bihar) belonging to an inter-state racket were arrested on July 23, a day before the entrance exam.
However, the CBSE has denied any paper leak and has said they had matched the original question paper of NEET 2 and found that the seized material is entirely different from the original question paper of the entrance test.
The combined result of NEET 1 and NEET 2 will be declared by August 17.

(Source: http://indianexpress.com/article/education/neet-2016-check-omr-answer-sheet/)

CBSE releases NEET 2016 Phase 1 and 2 OMR answer sheets

CBSE releases NEET 2016 Phase 1 and 2 OMR answer sheets - download now

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the OMR answer sheets of both the first (May 1) and second (July 24) phase of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).

Last Updated: Friday, August 5, 2016 - 13:26

 

New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the OMR answer sheets of both the first (May 1) and second (July 24) phase of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).

The OMR sheets were made available on the AIPMT's official website - aipmt.nic.in - on Thursday.

 

(Source: http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/cbse-releases-neet-2016-phase-1-and-2-omr-answer-sheets-download-now_1915429.html )

Sound-proof class helps kids imbibe more, say experts

Sound-proof class helps kids imbibe more, say experts 

 

Priya Menon & Yogita Rao TNN





IS your child is easily dis tracted in the classroom? If so, the area where his or her school is located, the strength of the class, and exactly where he or she sits in the room may be responsible. With research showing a strong link between classroom acoustics and academic achievement, doctors and educators are now stressing on the need for professionally designed classrooms.

 

With cities getting more densely populated and noisier, many schools are located in noisy places. And none seem to have paid attention to classroom acoustics. “In India, we do not have a norm for classroom noise level. A student with normal hearing is able to receive speech signal of 15 decibel above the speech level. But for students with mild hearing loss or loss in one ear it becomes difficult. Not all schools can afford air-conditioned classrooms, so they need to have windows for ventilation.And therefore, noise from an outside source is unavoida ble,“ said A K Sinha, director, Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Impaired.

Noise can also come in due to internal sources as fans and AC systems give out a hum that masks speech and makes it less intelligible. Children with auditory processing disorder where the child has normal hearing but cannot make the best use of what he or she hears are particularly affected. Sinha also said that source of noise can be from outside the classroom as well as inside.“If the classrooms are big, with more than 40 students, students' attention also drops with the noise in the classroom. Long-term exposure to such noise can trouble students with mild hearing loss or even students with normal hearing. Schools need to ensure they make some acoustical changes in their structures,“ said Sinha.

Acoustical consultant Roopa Krishnamurthy , who owns Bangalore-based firm Soundscape India, says, in classes, high levels of background noise due to noise intrusion leads to what is known as the Lombard effect, with the teacher having to shout higher than the din, just to be heard. “The teachers end up with a raspy voice and sore throat at the end of the day. The students also use up brain power in constantly having to tune out external noise, and this is far from a relaxed mind that can soak up information and process it in peace,“ she says.

Quiet environments foster assimilation, percolation, evaluation and processing of knowledge, leading to a large shift in interest levels of students. “It also has far-reaching social effects. The self-confidence of students goes to an all-time high when they feel they can be interested in and do well in their academics, leaving their mind free to think of many other things,“ says Roopa, whose firm has worked on corporate spaces, hospitals, residential areas, clubs, hotels, auditoria, studios, malls, and museums.

Source: Aug 04 2016 : The Times of India (NaviMumbai)





Don’t lose yourself: avoid identity theft on social media

Don’t lose yourself : avoid identity theft on social media

By Jared Lawrence on 1 August, 2016


More than three-quarters of American adults are active on social media, and the numbers total approximately 2.3-billion people worldwide. By living with and through our technology, it is easier than ever before to reconnect with friends, stay in touch with family and meet new people across previously unassailable physical distances. But this also means that the likes of identity theft is becoming a bigger problem.

Unfortunately, in stark contrast to real-world interactions, there are few reliable ways to be sure a person is who they purport to be on the internet.

The proliferation of social media tools has created new space for fraudsters and other criminal agencies to exploit interpersonal networks and gain access to a treasure trove of previously inaccessible data.

Identity theft is big business

In 2014, 17.6-million Americans experienced some form of identity theft. This marks an extraordinary 175% increase over the past decade, and identity theft has grown even more rapidly in other parts of the world.

CIFAS, a fraud-prevention service based in the United Kingdom, reports a total 57% increase in identity theft victims over just the last year. A staggering US$112-billion has been stolen over the past six years as a result of identity fraud.
Social media creates a culture of oversharing, encouraging users to broadcast the details of their lives to the internet

 With more people also moving toward online banking and bill paying, it should come as no surprise that projections indicate both instances of fraud and the resulting financial losses are likely to continue sharply increasing in the near future.

A feeding ground for fraud

More than 80% of identity theft cases are considered internet-related, and the tremendous amount of personal information voluntarily shared on social media makes it a prime feeding ground for would-be fraudsters.

A dedicated scammer can often track down an abundance of data on a person with minimal effort, ranging from full names and birth dates to names of parents, places of work and residence, names of pets and many other potentially useful details.


More motivated criminals can attain a great deal of information through phishing, posing as a known acquaintance, legitimate company or other trustworthy figure to gain trust and access information or manipulate their target.

A culture of oversharing

The explosive rise in identity theft also points to deeper issues at the heart of the internet experience.

In addition to the ambiguous nature of online identity, social media creates a culture of oversharing by encouraging its users to broadcast the details of their lives to the wider “world wide web”.

While many social media websites have taken steps in recent years to enhance privacy and curb identity theft and other forms of fraud, there remains a delicate balance between empowering users to share and connect freely with others without becoming an open invitation to criminals.
The explosive rise in identity theft also points to deeper issues at the heart of the internet experience

 LinkedIn, Facebook and others have faced considerable challenges, and earned no small degree of criticism, for their attempts at straddling the line between adding useful features and impinging on their users’ right to privacy.

An uncertain future

Young social media users will face a similar challenges as technology continues to evolve.

Having grown up with the Internet and the concept of creating an “identity” over social network spaces, today’s youth are comfortable with sharing almost everything about themselves online. The prevalence of smartphones and other mobile devices add another layer of complexity to the issue, making it even easier to share — and steal — sensitive data.

Fortunately, stronger encryption and security protocols are being put to use by many social media tools and websites. Users should take time to personally researchidentity theft protection tools, put them to use, and understand what they do and do not protect.

Learning to encrypt personal data and navigate the web securely is an excellent first step towards reducing fraud on social media. Regularly changing login information, using strong passwords and utilizing two-factor authentication whenever possible are also significant steps in the right direction. Ultimately, however, the best tool is simply using discretion when deciding what to share online and with whom.

As we offload more of our lives onto programming code and data algorithms, we share our social spaces with peers as well as potentially dangerous strangers. Today, learning to reduce exposure, protect one’s privacy and recognize the signs of identity theft is crucial for maintaining safe social structures — both online and off.

(Source: http://memeburn.com/2016/08/identity-theft-social-media/)