Reservation for defence personnel in educational institutes

Antony for hike in defence quota in educational institutions
Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 28, 2012
With the number of ex-servicemen and consequently their dependents increasing day by day, Defence Minister AK Antony has sought an increase in the number of seats reserved for wards of serving and the retired defence personnel in educational institutes.
In separate letters written to Minister of Health and Family Welfare Gulam Nabi Azad and Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) Kapil Sibal, copies of which have been circulated to veterans’ associations for reference, Antony has pointed out that the present quota of defence seats is insufficient.
Antony has asked the health minister to consider increasing the existing quota to at least 100 seats in MBBS and 25 seats in BDS courses run in Central government medical colleges. At present, this quota is about 30 seats in MBBS and 2 or 3 seats in BDS courses. Similarly, the defence minister has requested the HRD minister to reserve at least two seats in all educational institutes and universities to effectively address the aspirations of the wards of the armed forces personnel.
Antony has stated that it has been experienced in many places that the provisions of reservation for wards of defence personnel have not been fully implemented, thereby defeating the very purpose of supporting them in their education. Further, the difficult service conditions in which wards of defence personnel grow have a bearing on their education too as they are often deprived of guidance and hence they require the government’s additional support.
Antony for hike in defence quota in educational institutions

Army Welfare Education Society WAT 2012

Army Welfare Education Society (AWES) WAT 2012 Notification Written Admission Test 2012
1. B.Ed programme (one year, full time, NCTE recognized)
2. Army centre of education (ACE)
3. Army college of Dental Sciences (ACDS)
4. Army college of Nursing (ACN)
5. Army institute of Nursing (AIN), Guwahati
6. Army institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology (AIHM and CT)
7. Army Institute of Technology (AIT):
8. Army Institute of Fashion and Design (AIFD)

Eligibility conditions
The applicants must fall into one of the following categories:

wards of serving Army personnel with minimum 10 years continuous service in the Army

wards of ex-Army personnel granted/awarded regular pension, liberalized family pension, family pension or disability pension at the time of their superannuation, demise, discharge, release medical board/invalided medical board. This includes wards of recruits medically boarded out and granted disability pension

Wards of ex-army personnel who have taken discharge/release after ten years of service

Adopted/step children and children of remarried widows
(a) adopted child of Army personnel who completed 10 years service, adopted at least five years prior to seeking admission
(b) step children are eligible provided they are born out of a wedding where at least one parent belonged to the Army and completed 10 years service
(c) Children of Widows of Army personnel who are born as a result of second marriage with army personnel. However, children of widows of Army personnel born out of remarriage with non-army personnel would not be eligible for admission

Eligibility criteria in special cases
Eligibility criteria for wards of Ex-Army Medical corps officers/Army Dental corps officers presently serving with Indian army/Indian Air Force; wards of only those ex-army medical corps/army dental corps officers presently serving with Indian Navy or Indian Air Force who have served with the Army for 10 years

Eligibility criteria for children of APS personnel (
a) Children of APS personnel classified as ex-servicemen as per govt of India, ministry of defence letter no. 9(52)/88/D(Res) dtd 19 July, 1989
(b) Children of those APS personnel who are on deputation and who have put in 10 years of service in the army
(c) Children of APS personnel, who are directly recruited into APS who have competed 10 years of service and of those who as per their terms and conditions of service, retired from APS without reversion to P&T department after completing their minimum pensionable service of which 10 years was in the Army

Eligibility criteria for children of MNS/TA personnel
(a) Children of only those members of MNS who have 10 years service as regular Army MNS officer or are in receipt of pension from the Army
(b) Children of only those TA personnel who have completed 10 years of embodied service

Centre for WAT: (except for AIT Pune, ACDS MDS, AIL and AIFD for PG)
Pathankot, Jalandhar cantt, Ambala, Delhi, Kota, Jodhpur, Dehradun, Lucknow, Bhopal, Pune, Secunderabad, Bangalore, Kolkata, Guwahati, Danapur

Prospectus and application form
Read qualifications and eligibility conditions carefully before applying.
To obtain prospectus and application form, send bank draft in favour of concerned institution directly, payable at station where institution is located.
Application form can also be downloaded from website of the institute
Prospectus also available at HQ AWES and HQs command (AWES cell) through demand draft only in favour of institute concerned
However, submitting of application and bank draft will be through hand/post only. For further details refer prospectus of respective colleges.
Conditions given in respective prospectus apply
Final year candidates may appear provisionally
Prospectus on sale by 15th January, 2012 (AIT 01st February, 2012) onwards
Last date of receipt of application: By 15th March, 2012
ACDS (PG): 15th February, 2012
With late fee: by 25th March, 2012; ACDS (PG): 20th February 2012, AIFD (PG) 31st May, 2012, AIT 15th May, 2012
More details: click here

Armed Forces Covenant Bill

The Sunday Standard> A Bill that arms the supreme sacrifice by Ritu Sharma Last Updated : 18 Dec 2011 09:37:37 AM IST
NEW DELHI: A soldier’s sacrifice may no longer be in vain. A Bill on military covenant— the nation’s promise that soldiers and their families will be cared for in return of their sacrifices— will soon be introduced in Parliament.
The Indian armed forces are among one of the largest volunteer forces in the world. With their life so fraught with risk, the Armed Forces Covenant Bill plans to honour the “unique service” given by the members of the armed forces and their families.
The British Armed forces got its Military Covenant law this year. The Indian Armed Forces Covenant Bill is awaiting Parliament to resume normal functioning to be introduced.
“The country needs to demonstrate its commitment to the well-being of the members of our armed forces and their families. This Bill underlines the country’s commitment and moral obligation towards them,” Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who will pilot the Bill, told The Sunday Standard.
The proposed Bill envisages “pledging of commitment” that soldiers— both retired and serving —and their families will be provided with medical support, education; good quality and affordable accommodation; a comprehensive compensation system; maintenance for disabled soldiers and bereaved families; reservation in civilian jobs particularly related to security and more. It also entails the government set up the Armed Forces Grievances Redressal Commission, comprising senior judges and top army brass to oversee that the provisions of the law are fulfilled.
“The Bill will also require the Minister of Defence to present an Annual Covenant report to Parliament every year on the progress of improvements in key areas including healthcare, housing and education,” Chandrasekhar added.
The serving officers see the idea of making military covenant a law as a distant dream but hope that the legal pledge on the part of the country will go a long way in buoying the spirits of the soldier.
“In the present scenario where corporate culture is taking toll on the recruitment in the armed forces, the legalisation of military covenant will boost the trust of army men that his family and loved ones will be taken care of if he is gone. This would enable him to discharge his duties with ultimate fearlessness,” a serving officer said.
A Bill that arms the supreme sacrifice

India's Sanitation Lowers Development

India ranked 134th in terms of Human Development Index
Press Trust of India, Updated: November 02, 2011 18:45 IST
New Delhi: A United Nations study has ranked India at 134 out of 187 countries in terms of Human Development Index even as it has observed that life expectancy at birth in the country has increased by 10.1 per cent a year over the last two decades.

In the 2010 Human Development Report, prepared by UNDP, India had been ranked at 119 out of 169 countries. But the new report for 2011 says it is misleading to compare values and rankings with those of previously published reports, because the underlying data and methods have changed, as well as the number of countries included in the Human Development Index.

The report said India's Human Development Index (HDI) value for 2011 was 0.547 positioning the country in the 'medium human development category'. Neighbouring Pakistan was ranked at 145 (0.504) and Bangladesh at 146 (0.500) respectively in terms of HDI. It said between 1980 and 2011, India's HDI value increased from 0.344 to 0.547, an increase of 59 per cent or an average annual increase of about 1.5 per cent.

However, the report pointed that the country's HDI of 0.547 was below the average of 0.630 for countries in the medium human development group and below the average of 0.548 for countries in South Asia.

The HDI is a measure for assessing long-term progress in three basic dimensions of human development such as a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living.

The report said the "mean" year of schooling for the country increased by 3.9 years between 1980 and 2011 and expected years of schooling increased by 3.9 years.

Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, who was present at the report release function, however, sounded dismissive about the figures in the report.

He said a better way of analysing the progress made by countries including India is to measure comparative success they have achieved on this count in the last few years from their previous record rather than by the number of their positions in the international chart.

Ramesh said such presentation of human development indices is "grossly misleading" and the country's progress in this respect should be seen from a 20-year perspective.

He said India has made huge strides in the field of education and water supply system but admitted that the biggest block in the human development indices for India is in the field of sanitation where 58 per cent of open defecation in the world takes place in India.

He also rued that a mere expenditure of Rs. 2000 crore in the field of sanitation is being made while the budget for water supply was Rs. 20,000 crore.

Ramesh said that the answer to the problem of sanitation is massive public investment in the sector on the lines of what the Central Government has done in education sector.
Read more at: India ranked 134th in terms of Human Development Index

Defence Minister inaugurates IGNOU Gyandeep Centre for Army

New Delhi: The Union Minister for Defence A.K. Antony today inaugurated the 'Gyandeep Centre of Excellence' at the Ashoka Auditorium, Manekshaw Centre in the capital. The Centre will be established at the main campus of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) which will function as a national-level coordinating body between the Army and IGNOU Community Colleges to promote educational facilities for the army personnel.
"The main objectives of the Centre shall be to promote job opportunities for the retiring army personnel, develop compatible curriculum and promote partnership with other universities / institutions. It will facilitate and encourage inter-disciplinary higher education and research facilities at IGNOU and affiliated universities/ institutions/ other centres of excellence," said V-C Prof. V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai, in his address.
Over 3.5 lakh students have already enrolled in Gyandeep Project and nearly 1.5 lakh candidates have been awarded Certificates, Diplomas and Associate Degrees.
The Associate Degree holders are also admitted in the third year of IGNOU Degree programmes through vertical mobility. More than 300 officers have already been admitted for the MBA Programme designed specifically for the officers in the Indian Army.
For IGNOU, this centre means a phenomenal increase in the strength of students and the campuses. For the Army, it would be a great welfare measure and gainful use of resources. For soldiers, this programme has the potential to transform the post-retirement life by equipping them with a formal qualification and preparing them for competitive job avenues. And for the country, it means a boost in the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) as well as the Gross Graduation Ratio (GGR).
The Indian Army and IGNOU began its association in July 2009. In a short span of time, this association fructified into a path-breaking collaborative effort — in the form of Project Gyandeep, when a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Army and IGNOU on September 4, 2009.
Gyandeep was dedicated to the nation by President Pratibha Patil on November 19, 2009. Since then, the association between the Indian Army and IGNOU has progressed in all spheres. Project Gyandeep, a visionary and revolutionary idea, has created an impact in the educational arena at both national and international levels.
Gen V.K. Singh, Chief of the Army Staff and Lt Gen Mukesh Sabharwal were present along with senior defence officers and academicians.
Defence Minister inaugurates IGNOU Gyandeep Centre for Army

Col Caveeshar Caring for the underprivileged

We published earlier in the Blog about Col KS Caveeshar (Retd Signals Officer), educating the underprivileged children in NOIDA- conducting classes from his own house click here. He is from 1st JSW course. The latest scanned article published in The Hindustan Times dated 11 Mar 2011 is appended below.

click images for enhanced view

Useful Information

Kindly share this valuable information
1. If you see children Begging anywhere in INDIA , please contact:
"RED SOCIETY" at 9940217816. They will help the children for their studies.
2. Where you can search for any BLOOD GROUP, you will get thousand's of donor address. www.friendstosupport.org
3. Engineering Students can register in www.campuscouncil.com to attend Off Campus Interview for 40 Companies.
4. Free Education and Free hostel for Handicapped/Physically Challenged children. Contact:- 9842062501 & 9894067506.
5. If anyone meets with a fire accident or people born with problems in their ear, nose and mouth can get free PLASTIC SURGERY done by Kodaikanal PASAM Hospital. From 23rd March to 4th April by German Doctors. Everything is free. Contact : 045420-240668,245732. "Helping Hands are Better than Praying Lips"
6. If you find any important documents like Driving license, Ration card, Passport, Bank Pass Book, etc., missed by someone, simply put them into any near by Post Boxes. They will automatically reach the owner and Fine will be collected from them.
7. By the next 10 months, our earth will become 4 degrees hotter than what it is now. Our Himalayan glaciers are melting at rapid rate. So let all of us lend our hands to fight GLOBAL WARMING.
-Plant more Trees.
-Don't waste Water & Electricity.
-Don't use or burn Plastics
8. It costs 38 Trillion dollars to create OXYGEN for 6 months for all Human beings on earth. "TREES DO IT FOR FREE- Respect them and Save them"
9. Special phone number for Eye bank and Eye donation: 04428281919 and 04428271616 (Sankara Nethralaya Eye Bank). For More information about how to donate eyes plz visit these sites. http://ruraleye.org/
10. Heart Surgery free of cost for children (0-10 yr) Sri Valli Baba Institute Banglore. Contact : 9916737471
11. Medicine for Blood Cancer! 'Imitinef Mercilet' is a medicine which cures blood cancer. Its available free of cost at "Adyar Cancer Institute in Chennai". Create Awareness. It might help someone.
Cancer Institute in Adyar, Chennai
Address: East Canal Bank Road , Gandhi Nagar, Adyar, Chennai -600020
Phone: 044-24910754 044-24910754, 044-24911526 044-24911526, 044-22350241, 044-22350241
12. Please CHECK WASTAGE OF FOOD
If you have a function/ party at your home in India and food gets wasted, don't hesitate to call 1098 (only in India)- This is the number of Child helpline.
They will come and collect the food.
AND LETS TRY TO HELP INDIA BE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE IN
Please Save Our Mother Nature for "OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS"
... Forwarded by Lt Gen Yati Panwar (Retd)

Comment: Internet forwarded message. Contents not verified. Information seems very useful.

Do Politicians have a legacy? Chanakya sums it all

"A person should not be too honest.
Straight trees are cut first
and Honest people are screwed first...."

"Even if a snake is not poisonous,
it should pretend to be venomous."

"The biggest guru-mantra is: Never share your secrets with anybody. ! It will destroy you."

"There is some self-interest behind every friendship.
There is no Friendship without self-interests.
This is a bitter truth."

"Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions - Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply
and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead."

"As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it."

"Once you start a working on something,
don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it.
People who work sincerely are the happiest."

"The fragrance of flowers spreads
only in the direction of the wind.
But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction."

"A man is great by deeds, not by birth."

"Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years.
For the next five years, scold them.
By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend.
Your grown up children are your best friends."

"Books are as useful to a stupid person
as a mirror is useful to a blind person."

"Education is the best friend.
An educated person is respected everywhere.
Education beats the beauty and the youth."

Chanakya quotes (Indian politician, strategist and writer, 350 BC- 275 BC)

CWG: If the games were held in Dantewada the Maoists would have lost their raison d'etre

Senior Congress leader and former sports minister Mani Shankar Aiyar has slammed the current United Progressive Alliance government under Dr Manmohan Singh for the huge amount of 'wasteful expenditure' being incurred on the Commonwealth games, saying that if a part of this money had been spent on the Bhopal Gas victims it would have brought the affected 'some relief'.

"Holding the 10-day, Rs 20,000-crore jamboree reflects a misplaced sense of pride and distortion of national priorities. If not on development of a chronically poor nation, the money could have been well spent on bringing basic sports to every mohalla and panchayat,” former Union Minister for Panchayati Raj and Sports Mani Shankar Aiyar says in an article.

The outspoken Aiyar, who was recently nominated to the Rajya Sabha, has in a signed article taken on the government over the Commonwealth Games and questioned the UPA's policies on this issue.

Aiyar said the original promise was to hold the games within Rs 150 crore and this money was to be recovered from endorsements and ticket sales. Expressing shock, he said the expenditure has already touched Rs 20,000 crore and his fears were that the expenditure would eventually exceed Rs 60, 000 crore. Aiyar said that the Bhopal gas victims could have benefited if some part of this money could have been diverted for their welfare and rehabilitation.

Aiyar, who was also the panchayati raj minister said that when Rs 600 crores was given for the Gram Nyayalas (rural courts) after a lot of haggling, both the planning commission and the finance ministry reminding him that India was a 'poor country.' He said that the same planning commission and finance ministry were not giving out money for the games and no questions were being asked in the process. Aiyar said that originally it was decided to hold the games in Bawana in north-east Delhi dominated by villages to ensure the growth and development of that region. So how were the games shifted to the posh areas of Delhi, which is already developed.

Giving the example of East Manchester where the Commonwealth Games were held in London, he said the most backward area was chosen to benefit the poor and the unemployed. As a consequence of this, Walmart set up its biggest store employing 18000 boys and girls while Microsoft's European headquarters was located there because of the Commonwealth Games.

Aiyar said that if the games had been held in Dantewada and if 20,000 crores had been invested there, the Maoists would have lost their raison d'etre.

Hitting out at both the Delhi state and central governments, Aiyar said that the effort appeared to be to impress foreigners at the cost of the poor and the needy, with beggars having been removed from Delhi's streets because they left a bad impression on foreigners, but this, he says will not drive away poverty.

Aiyar has been a constant and consistent critic of the kind of wasteful expenditure that the Indian government is spending on a one time gaming extravaganza which will neither promote sports in the country, nor create any sporting infrastructure nor benefit the country in any form, except to spend money like water, for a cause which has no meaning.

In India, as Aiyar foresees, the only good that will come out of the Commonwealth Games will be a decision to never again bid for such an event until every Indian child gets a minimum to eat and is assured a basic education and a playground with trained coaches to discover the sportsperson in himself/ herself.
Panchayati Raj Minister Slams UPA Government
Who gains from the Games?

How Indian Entrepreneurs have circumnavigated Government hurdles to IT Development

The innovation revolution livemint.com The Wall Street Journal
Emerging India has evolved from the world’s back office into a knowledge and innovation hub. In the next decade, expect benefits for not just the nation but the global economy by Vivek Wadhwa
The ability of Indian entrepreneurs to rise above all the hurdles the government and society throw at them. Just as India’s companies install their own power generators to deal with supply problems and purification plants to provide clean water, they have built their own surrogate education system. And herein lies India’s greatest innovation: Its companies have developed the ability to take the output of a weak education system and turn these workers into R&D specialists who can compete in the global arena.

Faced with severe talent shortages, escalating salaries and a lagging education system, Indian industry had to rethink the way it recruited, trained, developed and retained its workforce. It started by adapting the best practices of companies that were outsourcing R&D to India. Then, leading companies in diverse industries started improving on these techniques and methods; refining and integrating them into a unified system.

With the economic slowdown, Indian talent supply has been able to catch up with demand. And Western companies are more desperate than ever to cut costs.

To achieve the 30-40% cost savings that Indian outsourcers can offer, they are now outsourcing their most strategic internal systems. Additionally, thanks to a combination of the recession in the US and that country’s flawed immigration policies, there is a flood of highly educated and skilled talent returning home to India.

They see more opportunity in India than abroad, and want to be near family and friends. They are returning with the latest skills and an understanding of foreign markets.

So the stars are lining up for Indian outsourcing, and this industry is gaining a second wind.

Within a decade, India is likely to become the world’s second-largest R&D centre after the US. Its innovations will likely benefit not only India, but also the world.

Vivek Wadhwa is executive in residence/adjunct professor at the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University and a senior research associate with the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School.
Read the full article on how Government hurdles have been bypassed:
The innovation revolution

Nation Building – Army Sponsors Thousand Children of Kargil Region

PIB Tuesday, June 22, 2010 17:6 IST
Sustained efforts by the Army five years ago motivated Mohammad Ali, a resident of Kaksar, a remote village in Kargil district, to send Nasreen banoo, his daughter, then a young girl of five years, to Pune to pursue her education. Nasreen was admitted in Sarhad English Medium School at Pune, as part of Army’s operation Sadbhavna. Nasreen left the village despite opposition by villagers including elderly clerics. She was one of the first girls from Kargil district to have moved out with the help of Army for quality education, five years back. Seeing her, 33 more children were motivated to study in schools outside the state, in Solan, Cannanore, Pune and Beas. There are presently 15 children in her school in Pune.

Today Nasreen is a class six student, who visits her village once a year, during the annual 15 days vacation. She wants to become an Army pilot and is the only girl in the village, who can read, write and speak English and Hindi fluently. Nasreen is well informed and forms her own opinions. She knows that being educated means abiding by certain standards of social behavior. In addition, Nasreen plays games and has learnt that sportsmanship is a quality that must be cherished in day to day life. Her teachers say that she is well mannered, sensitive, smart and not afraid to speak the truth. In her village, she is an idol for girls of her age.

Nasreens father, Mohammed Ali is a poor farmer who also works as a part time labourer. Kaksar is a remote village with a complete Muslim population. It is located close to LOC and has had its share of misery due to Pakistani firing as also Indo – Pak wars. The village is still to be linked to Kargil by a proper road.

The Indian Army not only educates her but also manages her travel arrangements, day to day requirements with respect to uniforms and books. Whenever the children travel between the school and their home in Kaksar, for the sake of security, one of the parents is sent along and all their expenses are paid by the Army. Besides these 33 children, Army is also sponsoring 1036 children of Kargil area, for studies in seven Army Goodwill schools, within the region.
S Om Singh/Rajendra
Nation Building – Army Sponsors Thousand Children of Kargil Region

The Indian Rope Trick: £70 million earmarked for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan project vanished

The Hindu: Tuesday, Jun 15, 2010
U.K. probe into charges of misuse of aid by India by Hasan Suroor
£14 million spent on items that had nothing to do with education.
LONDON: In an embarrassing development for New Delhi, the British government has ordered an inquiry into allegations of misuse of millions of pounds given to India in aid to educate poor children.

International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell described the allegations as “shocking” and said he had launched an “immediate inquiry”.

He also said that all “country programmes” were being reviewed to make sure that money was reaching the people it was intended for.

“These are shocking allegations and I have launched an immediate inquiry to ensure British aid money has not been misused,” he was reported as saying. .

He said had ordered a review of “every single one of the Department for International Development's country programmes to ensure we are giving aid to where it's most needed — to help the world's poorest people”.

Mr. Mitchell's strong reaction followed a report in the News of the World that £70 million of British aid earmarked for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan project — a scheme to educate poor children — had “vanished”.

“Millions of pounds of taxpayers' money sent to India to educate poor children is falling into the pockets of crooked officials in the country,” the newspaper said claiming that according to a report by the Auditor-General almost £14 million had been spent on items that had nothing to do with education.

Aid money, it alleged, was used to buy air-conditioners, luxury beds and colour television sets even though many of the schools which were supposed to benefit from these items were in areas where there was no electricity.

It said, according to a report by the Human Resources Development Ministry, “cash has been snaffled by officials running the massive scheme”.

India is the single largest recipient of U.K. overseas aid and received an estimated £1 billion between 2003 and 2008.
U.K. probe into charges of misuse of aid by India

Comments: The reasons are obvious. Most of the Aid agencies including WB operations are headed by a bunch of "educated" bureaucrats/ politicians children/ relatives/ friends and not by professionals! The money therefore vanishes into thin air creating a false illusion... this news is nothing new for the Indian Public!

College degree for JCOs, NCOs and Sepoys of the Indian Army

Project GYANDEEP was launched based on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Army and IGNOU on 04 Sep 09. The project was dedicated to the Nation by the Honourable President of India on 19 Nov 2009. The aim of the project is to confer educational certification to JCOs, NCOs and Sepoys of the Indian Army by according recognition to the “in service” training carried out by individuals during the entire span of their service career. The aim is also to empower all JCOs, NCOs and Sepoys by arming them with a diploma/degree so as to facilitate a second career post retirement. This programme has the potential to transform the post-retirement life of soldiers by equipping them with a formal qualification and preparing them for competitive job avenues.

JCOs, NCOs and Sepoys who wish to register for award of diploma/ degree can do so through their respective Regimental Centres, all of which have been registered as Army-IGNOU Community Colleges with IGNOU. These community colleges will function as autonomous institutes in instituting academic, training and administrative responsibilities etc and at any time will not seek affiliation to IGNOU. The community colleges will identify academic programmes to be offered to the community of soldiers for this program on the basis of a need analysis of the local job requirements and opportunities and incorporate these findings into the curriculum, and if so required, take assistance from IGNOU in identifying such academic programmes. The Community colleges will abide by the norms and guidelines defined for the scheme by IGNOU, whereby IGNOU has the sole authority for modifying the terms and conditions of the community college scheme.
More details: College degree for JCOs, NCOs and Jawans after their Military Service: click here

Golden opportunity
Providing education leading to a degree is the foremost welfare measure for our well deserved Jawans. Project Gyandeep will be one of the resounding success stories for our troops if implemented sincerely. It is a win- win situation for the Military and the Nation.
Note: Person Below Officer Rank (PBOR) in the original text has been replaced by JCOs, NCOs and Sepoys as the term PBOR is distastefully coined by MOD babus to demean the soldiers. Let the Armed Forces refrain from using the term PBOR.
Moderator

Incredible India, can we have a Clean India?

Peeing and spitting has become the National Hobby- You cannot miss or mask it
“Are you on the side of those who make India hang her head in shame or those who raise her head in pride,” asks Aamir Khan in an ‘Incredible India' advertisement. I am as big a patriot as is the next person, but sometimes, queries buzz about inside my head querulously. Is there any harm in talking about those aspects of our country that could be wished away!

Do you need that big gob of spit that just misses your big toe on your way to an important appointment? Or that red-flecked liquid spewed out so casually in a traffic snarl? What could be worse than that giant phlegm-filled hawk that begins from deep inside a champion ‘spitter', making you wince and shut your eyes and ears in anticipation of the actual event? And those artistic red squiggles on pristine walls, winding staircases, and ironically, below signs which scream “Please do not spit here!”

What about the male members of the human species with undoubtedly canine habits, when they sight a vacant wall, and proceed to let loose in public? The movie Three Idiots has a funny yet effective way of dealing with this, where the culprit receives a gentle jolt, just enough to bring him to his senses, yet does no permanent harm! Pedestrians are often caught between the devil and the deep blue sea; is it safer to sink into excreta, or step off the pavement and be hit by a bus! Tread on mush or turn into mush, as it were!

The tagline of Lays Chips (no one can eat just one!) rings true as one perceives bright wrappers forming part of the vast garbage dump that our roads have turned into. Plastic bottles, cans, fruit peels and groundnut shells turn the picture murkier! On one memorable suburban train ride from Guindy to Chetpet in Chennai, I walked in confidently to a deserted corner in the ladies' compartment, only to be assailed by a stench that made my insides churn. Someone had let her child squat on the floor and left the evidence behind! ‘Incredible India', anyone?
Forget about Incredible India, can we have a Clean India? by DEEPTI MENON: The Hindu
Related news:
Expanding cities, vanishing space for citizens by T. R. Bhat: The Hindu

Col Caveeshar Shaping Young Minds

Dear Friends,
Here is another write up on our course mate KS Caveeshar's activities for the under privileged.
Well done dear Caveeshar and Gifty.
Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh (Retd)

click on image for reading the text
Caveeshar educates underprivileged students
Education is very important in the present day life. Only a literate person can now adjust with the development of society. Especially girls or women must be educated as they play a vital role in the development of society.
With this vision KS Caveeshar, a retired Colonel and a resident of Noida Sector 37 has taken a unique step to educate underprivileged students that reside in his neighbourhood. He is not only giving them education, but also looking for their overall development. He is doing all this on his own without taking support from the government or any NGO.
Caveeshar said, "I retired from the army in 1984 and then served with RAW for a couple of years and then migrated to the USA. Stayed there for almost two decades and served in the education department of Los Angeles Unified School District (teaching Americans good English). Returned and settled in Sector 37, Noida, towards the end of 2005.
Have about 30 students
"I saw that there were a lot of students who go to school, but they were not getting proper education as nobody in their family was uneducated. Hence, I started helping those underprivileged schoolchildren with their studies at my apartment. When the number became too big for my apartment, I rented a garage, furnished it and moved the children there. When the landlady asked for more money, I got a sort of a classroom constructed at my apartment and moved the children there. I have about 30 students from class I to class X and I help them in two shifts between 3pm and 8pm."
Gives financial help for books
Caveeshar said, "Besides this, I have also helped these children in many other ways. I contacted the president of ICARE Eye Hospital and got a team to come to my place and check the eyes of all children. After that I contacted the high-ups of the amusement park at The Great India Place who, later, invited all children to a Drama 'Jallianwala Bagh' being staged there by a prominent group. Apart from educating them, I have also given financial help for books and school fees to the needy children."
Caveeshar opened his own school
After seeing Caveeshar's hardwork, Retired Colonel Dr Usha Bora and Retired Brigadier Tejender Singh have also started helping him. With their support now, Caveeshar has opened his own school on the name of his father, where some handicapped students are also getting education.
Nobody came for help initially
Caveeshar said, "I had gone through difficult time during the early stage of my mission. Nobody came for help initially, while it was strongly required. I have also lost some of my very good friends, when I asked them for a favour. Despite of all critics, I followed my vision with honesty and ultimately I achieved success."
—Rohit Babbar
Caveeshar educates underprivileged students

Award of Ignou Degree Under Project Gyandeep

Convocation for Award of IGNOU Degree Under Project Gyandeep
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 18:9 IST
Convocation function for award of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) degree to Personnel Below Officer’s Rank (PBOR) of Indian Army was conducted at DRDO Bhawan on 21 Apr 2010. The chief guest of the function was Lieutenant General Mukesh Sabharwal, PVSM,AVSM*,VSM, Adjutant General, Indian Army and Shri VN Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor IGNOU, and the Guest of Honour was Lieutenant General VK Chaturvedi, AVSM,SM, Director General (Manpower Planning & Personnel Services). The function was also graced by the presence of Lieutenant General P Mohapatra, AVSM, ADC, Signal Officer-in-Chief & Senior Colonel Commandant, Corps of Signals, Major General SP Kochhar, AVSM, SM,VSM, Additional Director General Personnel Services, and Col Commandant Corps of Signals Brig SK Pillai, VSM, Commandant Community College, 1 Signal Training Centre.

The Government, vide DOP&T Office Memorandum No 15012/8/82-Estt(D) dated 12 Feb 86 stipulated that matriculate PBOR of Indian Army, who have completed 15 Years of service will be eligible for employment in group ‘C’ & ‘D’ jobs in the Government where graduation is an essential requirement. However, the number of vacancies that come up in Government agencies where the above stipulation can be applied is very less. Most institutions or establishments in the private sector or public domain insist on mark sheet and certificates, provision for which do not exist in the Government Order dated 12 Feb 86. So a need was felt to bridge this gap and empower PBOR of Indian Army by arming them with the requisite diploma / degree based on the ‘in service training’ undergone by the PBOR right through his service career.

Thus Project GYANDEEP was launched based on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Army and IGNOU on 04 Sep 09. The project was dedicated to the Nation by the Honourable President of India on 19 Nov 2009. The aim of the project is to confer educational certification to PBOR of the Indian Army by according recognition to the “in service” training carried out by individuals during the entire span of their service career. The aim is also to empower all PBOR by arming them with a diploma/degree so as to facilitate a second career post retirement. This programme has the potential to transform the post-retirement life of soldiers by equipping them with a formal qualification and preparing them for competitive job avenues.

PBOR who wish to register for award of diploma/degree can do so through their respective Regimental Centres, all of which have been registered as Army-IGNOU Community Colleges with IGNOU. These community colleges will function as autonomous institutes in instituting academic, training and administrative responsibilities etc and at any time will not seek affiliation to IGNOU. The community colleges will identify academic programmes to be offered to the community of soldiers for this program on the basis of a need analysis of the local job requirements and opportunities and incorporate these findings into the curriculum, and if so required, take assistance from IGNOU in identifying such academic programmes. The Community colleges will abide by the norms and guidelines defined for the scheme by IGNOU, whereby IGNOU has the sole authority for modifying the terms and conditions of the community college scheme.

Project Gyan Deep will be a Win-Win-Win Scenario for all Stakeholders
IGNOU
• Rolls increase by 1.2 Million Students.
• Service to Soldiers.
• Turnover in one year– 50,000 soldiers.
• Increase community colleges & campus.
• Addition of new courses immediately-study material available.
Army
• Vast training curriculum recognised & interfaced.
• Existing Government orders formally interpreted.
• Welfare measure.
• Gainfully utilises resources.
Individual
• Meets aspirations.
• Formal parchment.
• Helps rehabilitate.
• Advances education.
• Degree from reputed National University.
Project Gyan Deep will thus be a:
• A small step for each soldier.
• A giant step for the Indian Army.
* A great contribution to Higher Education.
S Om Singh/RPA/DS
Convocation for Award of Ignou Degree Under Project Gyandeep

Education bill a huge step forward: Sibal

With the Right To Education Act coming into force from Thursday, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal on Wednesday said that the education bill is a huge step forward.

In order to fulfill the needs for more teachers Sibal said: "Seven lakh more teachers will be employed."

Sibal hailed the realization of the bill as "tryst with destiny" in the education sector.

"Tomorrow will be a historic day as the RTE Act would come into effect. Education is going to be a Constitutional right...It is a tryst with destiny in the area of education," Sibal told reporters today.

'Tryst with destiny' is the famous phrase associate with Jawaharlal Nehru who used it in his historic speech at midnight of August 14, 1947 when India attained independence.

Sibal said providing quality education is the dream of Congress leadership, its president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The new law will ensure that quality education is provided to children of all community, including minorities and backward classes.

"Any child can demand his right for education from tomorrow. He will not be denied this right," Sibal said.

He said implementation of the Act is not the responsibility of Centre alone but all stakeholders, including parents, children, NGOs, state governments and local governments.

"All the stakeholders need to carry out their responsibilities," he said.

The prime minister will address the nation on the new law tomorrow.

The Act provides for 25 per cent reservation of seats for weaker sections in private and unaided schools. However, this reservation will not be implemented from this year as the admission season is almost over.

"The reservation will be implemented from 2011-12. It will not be implemented in the classes in one go. It will be implemented over a period of 12 years," he said.

As per an estimate, the government will have to spend Rs 1.71 lakh crore in the next five years for its implementation. Sibal said that the government has arranged the required funds for implementing the law.
Education bill a huge step forward: Sibal
Prime Minister's Address to the Nation on The Fundamental Right of Children to Elementary Education

Tamilnadu: Family run Politics graduates to Family run Deemed Universities

Tamil Nadu has a special place in the report that declares 44 universities across the India are unfit. One-third of these colleges, accused by an expert committee of being run like family fiefdoms, are in Tamil Nadu.
Three of them belong to local politicians:
DMK Union Minister Jagathratchagan's Bharat University
New Justice Party President A C Shanmugam's Dr MGR University
AIADMK MP Thambidurai's St Peter's University

NDTV tried to talk to Thambidurai, whose wife is listed as the Chancellor of St. Peter's University. On record, he denies any affiliation with the college.

NDTV: What do you have to say about the way these institutions are run?
Thambidurai: I don't run any college
NDTV: Your wife heads St Peter's University?
Thambidurai: No, she doesn't.
Education experts say it's political clout and not merit that has got these colleges the much-wanted status of deemed universities. These institutions can decide their own syllabus and fees. Often, admissions are for sale.

Professors at these universities admit that money is a driving force for the owners. "Except for finance committees, there is no interference from families, particularly in academics," says M K Padmanabhan, the Vice-Chancellor of Dr MGR University.

A point in favour of the blacklisted universities is that they were sanctioned their special status during the last UPA government. And since then, periodic reviews by the University Grants Commission have not found fault with these colleges.
"Only three months ago, the UGC said in writing, we are one of the perfect colleges," says Padmnabhan.
Tamil Nadu: Too many politician- run colleges

Comment
Black money gainfully utilised for education of the rich and to amass more black money by way of (underhand) capitation fees!

ISRO Chief spills the beans about Higher Education in India

Bangalore: ISRO chairman G. Madhavan Nair, who is to retire by this month-end after an illustrious career at the space agency, feels that the country’s higher education system is not up to the mark, churning out graduates only for routine jobs.

Mr. Nair, also Secretary in the Department of Space, called for improving quality to produce high-class technologists and scientists.

‘Not up to the mark’
“The level of education and knowledge being imparted by many colleges... they are not up to the mark. Instead of concentrating on quantity, these institutions should concentrate on quality,” Mr. Nair told PTI in an interview.

"I am not happy with the education system in the country. The bulk of applicants (who applied for scientific and engineering jobs at ISRO this year)... they are not able to get even 50 per cent marks in our entrance tests."

Nair said if the quality level is not up to the mark, then one would only get people for clerical or routine jobs. If real technologists for manufacturing and scientific research were to be produced, the quality had to be far better.

Appointed as ISRO chairman, Nair's tenure saw realisation of 27 space missions, of which 25 were successful, with India's maiden moon mission Chandrayaan-1 being the pinnacle of glory for the country's space agency. Nair got two extensions in 2005 and 2007.- PTI
ISRO chief to retire by month-end

Fake degrees
Compounding the problems of poor quality of Higher education is the Fake Degrees, where detection and conviction is almost negligible. The Courts and Judiciary which have pending and backlog cases for the next 450 years is likely to enhance rapidly Fake Degrees in India and its export to other nations. Are we producing Scientists, Technocrats, Engineers for research or Bureaucrats and clerks for routine white collar jobs?

Science Exibition on Wheels, 55 locations traversing 18,000 Kms

Indian Railways in the education modeThe Phase-III of the 'Science Express' which was inaugurated by Chairman, Railway Board Shri S. S. Khurana on 2 October 2009 at Gandhinagar will travel to 55 locations, mostly not covered earlier, covering about 18,000 kms in seven months of its journey. It is covering the entire length and breadth of the country. At each of the locations, it would halt for 3-5 days, during which students and general public would visit the exhibition. The 55 locations will include Ahmedabad, Aurangabad, Madgaon, Hubli, Bangalore Cantt. Mysore, Calicut, Thirvanthapuram, Salem Town, Balasur, Dimapur, Darbhanga, Chhapra, Amethi, Jammu Tawi, Kapurthala, Delhi Cantt, Agra Cantt, Jhansi and Ujain.

The sparking white, fully air conditioned train has 16-coaches. The exhibition, with more than 300 large-format visual images, over 150 video clips and multimedia exhibits, deals extensively with cutting-edge research and technology. In the 12 exhibition coaches, most of exhibits have been developed by the max Planck Society, Germany noble laureate powerhouse while some exhibits are indigenous. Through these, the visitors explore wide areas in science in a fascinating manner and delve into the mysteries of our world, groundbreaking discoveries, emerging issues, cutting-edge science and future-oriented technologies. The exhibits explain our universe – how it all began, glimpses of space, black holes, galaxies, on the way to the Big Bang, our home in the cosmos, Spaceship Earth, simpler cold atoms, ultra short light, biotechnology, building blocks of life from 'gene to organism', the world of senses, architecture of the mind, renewable energy, technologies and energy sources for future, nanocosmos, bio-engineering, genetics, cell biology, computer applications in medicine and global challenges.

There is dedicated coach on 'Climate Change – Cause, Effect and Mitigation', sponsored by HSBC as an initiative of the 'Earth Sciences Forum'. Exhibits on 'Energy Conservation' from PCRA and poster on 'Nutrition' from Nestle are the new attractions in this Phase.
‘Science Express’ train will travel to 55 locations & cover 18000 kilometres in seven months