Research, innovate, invent, PM tells youth

Aug 01 2016 : The Times of India (NaviMumbai)

Research, innovate, invent, PM tells youth

New Delhi: TIMES NEWS NETWORK





Curb Deaths During Child Birth: Modi 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday pitched for technological solutions to day-to-day problems and exhorted the youth to go for research and innovation in a big way and use central schemes like `Atal Innovation Mission' which the government has devised to create an ecosystem of innovation, experiment and entrepreneurship in the country . “If we have to create next generation of innovators, we will have to prepare our children for that and therefore the government has taken initiative of setting up `Atal Tinkering Labs' (ATLs) in schools,“ Modi said in his monthly radio programme `Mann Ki Baat'.
He said if any school established such lab, it would get Rs 10 lakh and an equal amount for maintenance of these labs for five years.
The objective of ATLs, being established under the `Atal Innovation Mission' (AIM), is to foster curiosity , creativity and imagination in young minds.
Noting that innovation was directly linked to 'Incubation Centre', Modi said under the `Atal Incubation Centre' (AIC) programme, the government plans to earmark a “big amount“ of Rs 10 crore (to each AIC for five years to cover the capital and operational expenditure cost in running the centre).
Such centres will support and encourage startups to become successful enterprises. It will provide ade quate infrastructure along with high quality assistance or services to start-ups in their early stages of growth.
Inviting youth to do research and invent solutions through technology to the problems they see, the PM also referred to the 'Atal Grand Challenges' and said, “The government of India wants to reward technology that is developed to address our problems.“
He said this will be the real tribute to former President APJ Abdul Kalam, whose first death anniversary was observed four days ago. “The more our young generation works for research, innovation and inventing technology for solutions to our daily life problems, it will contribute immensely to making of the modern India of 21st centu ry and that will be the real tribute to Abdul Kalam,“ Modi said.
In his 'Mann Ki Baat', the PM also talked about a number of other subjects, including Indian participation in the Rio Olympics, his recent visit to South Africa and passage of a bill by Parliament that aims to provide huge money to states for their compensatory afforestation programme.
During the 35-minute broadcast, he also spoke about the need to curb deaths during child delivery and said government hospitals will offer free check-up on the 9th of every month which poor pregnant women should avail. He urged gynaecologists, who do not work in government hospitals, to devote one day for this purpose.

Now on, FYJC students can't change colleges without online application

Now on, FYJC students can't change colleges without online application

Vinamrata Borwankar   |  Mumbai





First Year Junior College (FYJC) students unhappy with seats allotted to them in the online admission process and who were hoping to change college in the middle of the academic year or next, may not get a chance to do so offline. The education department plans an online mechanism through which junior college admissions will have to be routed. Many students look at changing colleges in the middle of Class XI or in Class XII if they want to secure admission at a college of their choice. Until last year, students could approach individual colleges and they would be allotted a seat if there was a vacancy .
But this year, the Bombay high court said that no offline admissions be permitted.“We conducted over nine online rounds to ensure 100% admissions through the sy stem. Hence, we cannot allow students to change colleges offline even in future as we will then be back to square one,“ said B B Chavan, deputy director of education, Mumbai. Officials said that until last year less than 50% students continued at colleges allotted to them in the online process.
The education department is setting up the online system. “We are wrapping up ad missions for students who passed the SSC re-exam but we have told the agency to create the online set-up. Students will have to log in through the website and the online process will allot them to colleges they pick if there are vacancies,“ said Chavan.
The department, which had planned only three online rounds, had to hold nine to accommodate complaints from many students that the system had not been allotting them colleges as per their choice and marks.
But students are unhappy with the education department's plan.
“Despite applying online in almost five rounds, I could not get a college of my choice, and students with lower marks made it to that college. I was planning to try my luck next year at least, but if the online system will make allotments, we may yet again not get a seat. We do not know how the system works,“ said a student who scored 79%.

Source : Sep 21 2016 : The Times of India (NaviMumbai)

CBSE invites entries for national level science fest

TNN | Updated: Sep 18, 2016, 10.21 AM IST

 

(Representative Image)

 

Chandigarh: With an aim to popularize science and promote innovative learning experience, CBSE has invited entries for the upcoming national level science exhibition from all its affiliated schools. The activity aims at providing a common ground to schools, teachers and students to give shape to their innovative ideas and learn from each other's experiences.

In the first round the exhibition will be organized at a regional level in the month of November/ December 2016 and at national level in the month of January/February in 2017. The main theme of the exhibition is Science, Technology and Mathematics for nation building and the sub themes include health, industry, transport, innovation innovations in renewable resources for sustainable environment, etc. The students may prepare an exhibit/model on any sub-theme. K K Choudhury, director (academics, research, training & innovation) CBSE stated that, "Some ideas that are new and may be applicable in future may also be presented in the form of presentations and discussions." The circular also stated that the any exhibit developed by specially able students should be displayed. "The entries should be accompanied with a disability certificate issued from a competent authority. Disability norms followed by the government will be considered under this category, Chaudhary stated.

Rules for participation

- Students studying in Grade VI to XI are eligible to participate.

-A participating school can put up a maximum of two exhibits/projects/models.

- School team participating at Regional Level and National Level must remain the same

- It is mandatory to submit a neatly typed brief write up(not more than 1000 words) about the exhibit / ideas for presentation at regional as well as national level

The exhibits will be assessed by the experts on

Students' own creativity and imagination

Originality and scientific and mathematical innovations in the exhibit/model

Scientific thought/principle/approached

Technical skill, workmanship, craftsmanship etc

Utility for Society, scalability/educational value

Economic (low cost), portability, durability, scope of its applicability in future etc.

Presentation aspects like demonstration, explanation and display

What can be exhibited

Working model to explain a concept, principle or a process

An indigenous design of a machine/device

An innovative/inexpensive design or technique


Application of basic principles of Science/Technology

Scheme/design of a device or machine to reduce production cost

Investigation based study

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/CBSE-invites-entries-for-national-level-science-fest/articleshow/54388381.cms

National Olympiad Programme

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