Redical Privatisation in Education as DEFENCE Pact Implemented and the Moon astronauts urge Mars mission
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Right to Education Bill passed in Rajya SabhaLivemint - - 1 hour ago Rajkumar / Mint The Right to Education Bill has been in the works since 2003, when its first draft was circulated. Once it is passed by both Houses of ... RS passes landmark Right to Education Bill Press Trust of India Rajya Sabha passes Right to Education bill Gaea Times Right to Education BillChandigarh Tribune - - 22 hours ago Perturbed over the way the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, 2008, has been shaped, social workers and academicians are now imploring ... The wrongs in the Right to Education BillTimes of India - - Jul 5, 2009 The minister's promise to also enact the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, which seeks to make education a fundamental right of every ... Education reform will be for all Indians: Sibal IBNLive.com Sibal learns lesson in silence Calcutta Telegraph Budget wishlist: Allow FDI in education sector Moneycontrol.com Education bill gets wide support in Rajya SabhaPress Trust of India - 7 hours ago While favouring the far-reaching provisions in the Right to Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill 2008, members, however, lamented that the measure ... Right to Education Bill to be enactedHindu - - Jun 25, 2009 The Right to Education Bill, pending in the Rajya Sabha, is the enabling legislation to notify the 86th Constitutional amendment, passed in December 2002. ... Education reforms top priority, says Sibal Economic Times Right to education bill clearedTimes Now.tv - Jul 2, 2009 The Cabinet has cleared the Right to Education bill. Right to Free Education bill has been cleared by the Union Cabinet. The bill reserves 25 per cent of ... Govt clears free education for 6-14 age group Times of India Decision on Education Bill likely today IndiaEduNews.net Will Health Care Reform Include Taxpayer Funding for Abortion?ABC News - 5 hours ago The reason for so many abortions in this country is a lack of education. I'm not talking about sex education, but about moral education. ... Obamacare: A Health Care Rationing Scheme to Enrich Insurers, Drug ... The People's Voice Big Education Debate: Will Sibal's reforms workIBNLive.com - Jul 19, 2009 He wants an independent accreditation body for school education and he wants to enact the Children's Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill. ... The load's now on Sibal's class Calcutta Telegraph Breast cancer awareness bill for young sparks concernMinneapolis Star Tribune - - 32 minutes ago The bill, intended to fund a public education campaign and research on breast cancer in women younger than 45, was introduced four months ago at an ... Sibal urges school principals to make "some sacrifices"Hindu - Jul 2, 2009 The Right To Education Bill, which has been pending in the Rajya Sabha, seeks to reserve 25 per cent of seats for children from economically weaker sections ... Sibal consults school principals on education reforms Times of India |
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- RS passes landmark Right to Education Bill
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New Delhi, Jul 20 (PTI) A landmark bill providing for free and compulsory education as a fundamental right of children in the 6-14 age group -- one of the flagship programmes in the 100-day agenda of the UPA government -- was passed by Rajya Sabha today.
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, 2008, also earmarks 25 per cent seats to weaker sections in schools and seeks to do away with the practice of schools taking capitation fees before admission and subjecting the child or parents to any screening procedure.
Winding up a discussion on the Bill, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said it would be up to the states to implement the policy of reservation in the admission
The load's now on Sibal's class | ||
CHARU SUDAN KASTURI | ||
New Delhi, July 18: Tasked with spearheading an unprecedented expansion in India's education, the human resource development ministry is fortifying itself — through its own expansion. Burdened with responsibility for more education institutions and programmes than ever before, Kapil Sibal's HRD ministry is beefing up its strength of bureaucrats and trained experts to pacify officials complaining about "inhuman workload". The ministry has approved a demand from officials for a technical support group for the school education department's landmark Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan aimed at universalising secondary education, ministry insiders said. And the higher education department has demanded a whole new bureau in charge of only central universities which are set to more than double under the XIth Five Year Plan, sources said. "It is the expansion before the expansion. And believe me, it is absolutely necessary," a source said, arguing that the ministry with its existing strength — in number of trained personnel — "simply cannot manage the inhuman workload" it is now finding itself under. Consider the dizzying, almost overnight, hike in the ministry's workload. The department of school education and literacy, one of the ministry's arms, has this entire decade focussed its energies on the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan to universalise primary education and on the mid-day meal scheme. It also looks after adult education and general schooling. But apart from basic policy, most schemes and plans for schools are monitored by officials of autonomous school bodies that come under the ministry. These bodies include the Central Board of Secondary Education, the Council for Indian School Certificate Examination, the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, the Navodaya Vidyalaya Sangathan and the Central Tibetan Schools Authority. Last year, the mid-day meal scheme, initially started for students of Classes I to V, was extended up to Class VIII under a long-pending plan. And earlier this year, the RMSA — which aims at replicating the success of the SSA in secondary schooling — was launched, with the challenge of retaining in school every child who completes class V. But the department's biggest new challenge is on the horizon. Once the Right to Education Bill, to be tabled in Parliament next week, is passed, the department will be legally responsible for providing schooling to every child between 6 and 14. Higher education department officials are cringing under the XIth plan's pressure, too. Sixty-one years after Independence, India had seven IITs, six IIMs and 24 central universities — the country's apex higher educational institutions — till 2008. In a month from now, the number of IITs would become 15 — with two fresh institutes starting this year in addition to six that started last year. The number of IIMs, seven as of today — with an IIM in Shillong started last year — is set to go up to 14, more than doubling the number of 2008 like in the case of the IITs. Seven new IIMs — including the one in Shillong — had been promised under the plan, but a budget speech error has resulted in Rajasthan additionally earning an IIM. This year's academic session will see 15 new central universities join the 24 existing ones. These 15 include three which were state universities till recently, and have been converted. And the government has committed to adding another 14 central universities of "world-class standards" under the plan. In addition, the number of National Institutes of Technology are set to rise by 10, from 20 to 30. The department is also in charge of opening 20 new Indian Institutes of Information Technology. |
Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal has proposed radical changes in school education in India.
He wants to "de-traumatise" education by making the Class 10 Board Exams optional; he wants to create a single and pan-Indian board for Class 12 exams and he wants to replace marks by grades in Classes 9 and 10 of CBSE-affiliated schools.
He wants an independent accreditation body for school education and he wants to enact the Children's Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill.
He wants to encourage private investments in education; he wants to review the functioning of existing deemed universities and he wants a regulatory authority in higher education in which "there would be no political interference."
"I am talking about 88 per cent of the people in India who are not talked about. This education reform is for them," Sibal told CNN-IBN in an interview two weeks ago.
Are Sibal's proposals achievable and what impact they will have if they are implemented? CNN-IBN's Sagarika Ghose asked on a special panel comprising teachers, education experts and an audience of students and parents.
The panel comprised Principal of Springdales School in New Delhi, Ameeta M Wattal; Principal of Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi, Lata Vaidyanathan; Director of the NGO Pratham, Rukmini Banerji; and Co-founder and Managing Director of IdiscoverI - a group of academics which works to revive education in India - Ashish Rajpal.
To explain the reforms was the man who proposed them: Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal.
Should Class 10 Board Exams Be Optional?
Sibal clarified his "suggestion" of making Class 10 Board Exam optional applied to the schools of the Central Board of Secondary Education and not to state education boards.
Sibal believed the education system must determine what a child's skills are and what he wants to do later in life, instead of the examination determining that. "Why should the examination result determine what career he should take? Therefore, the assessment at the Class 10 level should be through counseling, through teachers and the participation of children and parents," he said.
The trouble is that the education system in the country has become all about "rating, testing and marks" but the picture should be bigger, said Vaidyanathan. Class 10 exams must become optional but the learning system needs to change, she said.
Wattal called Sibal's proposals "wonderful" but wondered if making Class 10 exams would encourage students dropping out of school. And what about students who want a Class 10 Board Exam certificate?
Sibal's suggestion was to have an assessment system in schools which doesn't puts the stress of Board Exams and yet gauges the skills of students. "For me school was till Class 11 and there was no Class 9 exam, and I am doing okay now," he said.
"The issue is not how well you do in exams: the issue is how well educated you are and what kind of citizen you are going to be."
Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal has proposed radical changes in school education in India.
He wants to "de-traumatise" education by making the Class 10 Board Exams optional; he wants to create a single and pan-Indian board for Class 12 exams and he wants to replace marks by grades in Classes 9 and 10 of CBSE-affiliated schools.
He wants an independent accreditation body for school education and he wants to enact the Children's Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill.
He wants to encourage private investments in education; he wants to review the functioning of existing deemed universities and he wants a regulatory authority in higher education in which "there would be no political interference."
"I am talking about 88 per cent of the people in India who are not talked about. This education reform is for them," Sibal told CNN-IBN in an interview two weeks ago.
Are Sibal's proposals achievable and what impact they will have if they are implemented? CNN-IBN's Sagarika Ghose asked on a special panel comprising teachers, education experts and an audience of students and parents.
The panel comprised Principal of Springdales School in New Delhi, Ameeta M Wattal; Principal of Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi, Lata Vaidyanathan; Director of the NGO Pratham, Rukmini Banerji; and Co-founder and Managing Director of IdiscoverI - a group of academics which works to revive education in India - Ashish Rajpal.
To explain the reforms was the man who proposed them: Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal.
Should Class 10 Board Exams Be Optional?
Sibal clarified his "suggestion" of making Class 10 Board Exam optional applied to the schools of the Central Board of Secondary Education and not to state education boards.
Sibal believed the education system must determine what a child's skills are and what he wants to do later in life, instead of the examination determining that. "Why should the examination result determine what career he should take? Therefore, the assessment at the Class 10 level should be through counseling, through teachers and the participation of children and parents," he said.
The trouble is that the education system in the country has become all about "rating, testing and marks" but the picture should be bigger, said Vaidyanathan. Class 10 exams must become optional but the learning system needs to change, she said.
Wattal called Sibal's proposals "wonderful" but wondered if making Class 10 exams would encourage students dropping out of school. And what about students who want a Class 10 Board Exam certificate?
Sibal's suggestion was to have an assessment system in schools which doesn't puts the stress of Board Exams and yet gauges the skills of students. "For me school was till Class 11 and there was no Class 9 exam, and I am doing okay now," he said.
"The issue is not how well you do in exams: the issue is how well educated you are and what kind of citizen you are going to be."
"Technical education in India was the best in the world. We need to work together in the field of educational opportunities," she said at an interactive discussion on education organised by "Teach India", a NGO which works for children's education. Actor-Filmmaker Aamir Khan who is part of the NGO shared dais with the US Secretary of State.
"We are dealing with an issue that will determine the course of India in the 21st century," an impassioned Sibal maintained as he sought to answer criticism that the bill was high on intent but low on delivery systems.
"We must move forward by sending a strong message to the world and to our children that we are determined to provide them quality education," the minister added.
"We have 20 crore children in this country. Ten crore are out of the educational system. We have to get them back to school. When you have a dream, you don't build a garden so that people can walk. You look at the sky to get inspired," contended Sibal, who utilized to the hilt his eloquent skills as a renowned lawyer.
"I agree it is a difficult task. Together, we have to do it, we must do it and we will do it," he added.
"It is not an easy task to embark on a national enterprise but we have to do it. Is it easy to tackle climate change? Is it easy to counter the global meltdown? But we have to tackle them instead of sitting back in picking holes (in the solutions).
The debate on the bill threw up the unlikely scenario in which it attracted support from across spectrum but with member after member — even from the treasury benches — finding what they termed glaring lacunae in the measure but knowing fully well that their suggestions would not be considered by the government but would only be a matter of record.
The Bhartatiya Janata Party (BJP), on its part, had no option but to support the bill as it had brought a constitutional amendment in 2002 making education a fundamental right. The present bill seeks to give effect to that measure.
Attendance was thin throughout the debate, with 71 MPs present when the debate began.
At one time, the front row, which has 20 seats — had only five of these occupied — by Sibal and central minister Farooq Abdullah, D. Raja of the Communist Party of India and by Najma Heptullah and S.S. Ahluwalia of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The leader of the house, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, did not even make a brief appearance, while leader of opposition Arun Jaitley of the BJP was more often out than in.
Sibal, of course, sat through the entire five-hour debate, except for a five-minute break at 5.45 p.m.
The bill had been introduced in December 2008 by Sibal's predecessor Arjun Singh, who was dropped after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recast the government after the United Progressive Alliance's resounding victory in the April-May general elections.
For Arjun Singh, it must have a bitter-sweet moment as he briefly watched the Rajya Sabha proceedings from a wheelchair stationed near the back benches.
The bill, which now goes to the Lok Sabha for consideration and approval before it is sent to the president for assent, will go down in parliamentary history for more reasons than one.
Apart from the railway and general budgets for fiscal 2009-10, the bill is the first legislation to be passed — and that too unanimously in the UPA's second coming.
This apart, this is the first time since December 2008 that the treasury and opposition benches have been united. The last time around, they had come together to pass a bill to create a National Investigation Agency (NIA) and a bill to amend the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The government had brought the two measures in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that claimed the lives of over 170 people.
Funding for the implementation of the bill's provisions will be sought outside the Rs.44,528 crore (Rs.445.28 billion) that Finance Minister Pranab Kukherjee allocated for school and higher education during fiscal 2009-10 till March 31, 2010.
"As regards finances, we are on the job and will seek finances in the revised demand for grants. There is no way we will not have the required finances," Sibal maintained.
"We will also work out the share of the central and state governments," he added.
While four hours had originally been allotted for the debate, this eventually stretched to five hours, with another 30 minutes being taken up on procedural matters after Sabil had finished his reply and before the bill was passed.
There were 28 speakers, including Sibal, during the debate. Of them, the minister quite naturally spoke the longest for 40 minutes. Following him was the BJP's Najma Heptullah, who spoke for 35 minutes. Santosh Bagrodia, the Congress' lead speaker, declaimed for 20 minutes, while P. Rajiv of the Communist Party of India-Marxist got 14 minutes.
This, the remaining 24 speakers got 201 minutes among them or an average of 8.3 minutes per MP.
Clinton said the gap between talent and opportunities among the children can be bridged through education
He said the US has a good infrastructure for education and spends a lot of money for the sector "but we don't get the best returns for the children.
The two countries also signed two critical pacts on easing high-end defence sales and the launch of civilian satellites. Both countries agreed to an expanded strategic dialogue, to be chaired by their foreign ministers, who will meet once annually in alternate capitals.
After holding talks with External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna for nearly an hour, Clinton announced that an expanded strategic dialogue will be a "signature accomplishment" of their governments in the days to come.
The talks dwelled on bilateral ties and regional and global issues, including counter-terror cooperation, civil nuclear cooperation, climate change, non-proliferation, the situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan and the Iranian nuclear issue.
Clinton also announced the invitation by US President Barack Obama to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to visit him in the White House Nov 24 - the first state visit by the Indian leader under the new administration in Washington.
"Recognising the new heights achieved in the India-US relationship over the last two Indian and US administrations, they committed to pursuing a third and transformative phase of the relationship that will enhance global prosperity and stability in the 21st century," a joint statement at the end of the talks said.
Stressing on the US' commitment to completing the remaining steps of the India-US nuclear deal, that includes a critical agreement on reprocessing, Clinton said Manmohan Singh, with whom she held talks in the afternoon, told her that two sites have been approved by the government for US nuclear reactors.
Clinton said that she "affirmed the Obama administration's strong commitment to completing all the remaining elements of our civil nuclear deal".
"We have just completed a civil nuclear deal. If it is done through proper channels and safeguarded, then it is appropriate," she asserted.
Clinton also said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had told her that sites for two nuclear parks by American companies have been "approved by the government".
"These parks will advance the aims of the US India civil nuclear agreement facilitating billions of dollars in US reactor exports and create jobs in both countries, as well as generate much needed energy for the Indian people," she said.
The US nuclear reactors will create jobs for Americans and provide energy security for India, Clinton said. She also urged New Delhi to approve a civil liability legislation that will exempt foreign nuclear companies from huge compensation in case of a nuclear accident.
The two countries also signed two critical pacts on easing high-end defence sales and the launch of civilian satellites. Both countries agreed to an expanded strategic dialogue, to be chaired by their foreign ministers, who will meet once annually in alternate capitals.
After holding talks with External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna for nearly an hour, Clinton announced that an expanded strategic dialogue will be a "signature accomplishment" of their governments in the days to come.
The talks dwelled on bilateral ties and regional and global issues, including counter-terror cooperation, civil nuclear cooperation, climate change, non-proliferation, the situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan and the Iranian nuclear issue.
Clinton also announced the invitation by US President Barack Obama to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to visit him in the White House Nov 24 - the first state visit by the Indian leader under the new administration in Washington.
"Recognising the new heights achieved in the India-US relationship over the last two Indian and US administrations, they committed to pursuing a third and transformative phase of the relationship that will enhance global prosperity and stability in the 21st century," a joint statement at the end of the talks said.
Stressing on the US' commitment to completing the remaining steps of the India-US nuclear deal, that includes a critical agreement on reprocessing, Clinton said Manmohan Singh, with whom she held talks in the afternoon, told her that two sites have been approved by the government for US nuclear reactors.
Clinton said that she "affirmed the Obama administration's strong commitment to completing all the remaining elements of our civil nuclear deal".
"We have just completed a civil nuclear deal. If it is done through proper channels and safeguarded, then it is appropriate," she asserted.
Clinton also said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had told her that sites for two nuclear parks by American companies have been "approved by the government".
"These parks will advance the aims of the US India civil nuclear agreement facilitating billions of dollars in US reactor exports and create jobs in both countries, as well as generate much needed energy for the Indian people," she said.
The US nuclear reactors will create jobs for Americans and provide energy security for India, Clinton said. She also urged New Delhi to approve a civil liability legislation that will exempt foreign nuclear companies from huge compensation in case of a nuclear accident.
The federal Human Resources Minister, Kapil Sibal, in June proposed a series of steps to reform the Indian education system to make it more effective, economical and accessible to the poor.
Leaders of religious minorities, including Catholics, welcomed the move at a July 11 seminar in New Delhi. The seminar, which was considering minority rights and responsibilities in education, also discussed Sibal's proposals.
A delegation of seminar participants later submitted a memorandum to Sibal's office, said Father Kuriala Chittattukalam, executive secretary of Indian bishops' commission for education. He said Sibal's proposals could improve the educational system but the Church is "anxious" about its implementation.
The memorandum calls for the establishment of an independent education board to oversee Catholic schools without undue state interference.
Sibal's plan, unveiled on June 26, includes setting up a national autonomous educational board to bring uniformity to the educational system. Currently all the 28 Indian states have separate educational boards as well as different educational standards.
According to a survey by a Hong Kong-based brokerage firm in 2008, the private education market in India could be worth US$40 billion and would be attractive to foreign investors.
Father Chittattukalam said the Church welcomes the idea of overseas investment in education but insists that this should be done with "regulatory government control."
Mumbai: Though the education system in the U.S. is good, its reach is not entirely inclusive, visiting Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said here on Saturday.
"We have great universities but not for everyone and not for students who fall behind."
Ms. Clinton said education was an issue "very near and dear" to her heart.
The occasion was a discussion at St. Xavier's College, on the state of education in India and the U.S., where she had for company Bollywood actor Aamir Khan. She praised him for being an "advocate for education."
To make education more inclusive, Ms. Clinton said, India could experiment and see if imparting education in Indian languages helped students instead of laying emphasis on English.
However, bilingual education was difficult. "In New York, there are many students wanting to learn in Spanish, Chinese and Russian. But there is a shortage of teachers, leave alone bilingual teachers."
Mr. Khan spoke of his film 'Taare Zameen Par,' in which he addressed the lack of inclusiveness in education.
Ms. Clinton with a Self Employed Women's Association member during her visit to the Hansiba SEWA Trade Facilitation Centre in Mumbai.
Ms. Clinton said she did not believe children's capacities were limited, though opportunities given to them were. Poverty had a huge role in the denial of opportunities, she said.
To make education effective, it was necessary to lay emphasis on training teachers. She pointed out that she had taken many initiatives in the U.S. to promote education, for instance, a test she introduced for teachers in Arkansas. This test weeded out teachers who were not made for teaching.
On the other hand, Ms. Clinton said, there were teachers who spent $400 annually out of their pockets to buy additional material to assist in teaching. Training and equipping teachers was a pre-condition for producing excellent students.
Mr. Khan elaborated on her point in the Indian context. In order to produce good teachers, he said, India would have to give "top priority to education so that one day the top jobs that people vie for are in the field of education."
As a society, "our emphasis" should be on enlightening children and not on rote learning, so that "tomorrow's children can take humanity forward in ways we can't even imagine today."
Ms. Clinton said there was a lot of competition for children's attention in today's world. Interacting with volunteers of education initiatives, Teach India and Teach for India, she said: "There is so much else going on in the culture that the importance of education goes down from a child's point of view."
"Let's be creative"Sharing his experience, one volunteer said children would tell her point blank if her lessons got boring.
To keep students constantly engaged, Ms. Clinton said, it was important to use technology effectively. "Let's be creative."
PTI reports:
Ms. Clinton visited a trade outlet of the Gujarat-based NGO, Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), in South Mumbai and interacted with its 1,000 shareholders through 'Skype' (an Internet visual communication mode).
Ms. Clinton emphasised the role of women for inclusive and sustainable economic progress of the world.
The world could not progress if women were left behind in development, as they were key to economic progress and social stability. "If we leave women behind, we will simply not progress." she said.
"At this time of global economic turmoil, we see disproportionate impact on women and the SEWA represents the innovative and successful approach to sustainable and inclusive development."
Ms. Clinton lauded the skilled artisans of the NGO for using communication technology effectively.
Obama invites Manmohan to be 1st state guest of his admn on Nov 24
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been invited to Washington by President Barack Obama for the first state visit of his Administration and he will be there on November 24 in a sign of "importance" the US attaches to its ties with India.
Obama's invitation to Singh - the first foreign leader to get the honour in the new presidency - was extended by visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when she met the Prime Minister here Monday afternoon on the fifth and concluding day of her visit to India. Obama assumed office on January 20 this year.
"As a sign of importance of this relationship(with India) to the US, I was pleased to extend an invitation to Prime Minister Singh from President Obama inviting Prime Minister Singh to Washington on November 24 for the first state visit of our new administration," Hillary told a press conference here flanked by External Affairs Ministrer S. M. Krishna.
"At a time when the headlines are filled with challenges the relationship between US and India is a good news story. In our new administration its going to get even better," she added.
hillary said the invitation demonstrated that the US was committed to a strong relationship with New Delhi.
Former Indian Ambassador to the US Lalit Mansingh said Obama's invitation to anmohan to be the first state guest of his administration was a "major development.
Agree on end user monitoring pact
In a significant step forward in bilateral relationship, India and the US tonight agreed to enter into an understanding on end-use monitoring agreement that will pave the way for greater defence cooperation as New Delhi conveyed its decision to locate two nuclear parks for American companies.
After a hectic day of meetings with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that the two countries have agreed to enter into a strategic dialogue based on five pillars of cooperation.
"We share a common trait by rolling up our sleeves and get things done. We have shown progress also by finalising important agreements today including the end user agreement that will pave the way for greater defence cooperation between our countries and technology safeguards agreement," Hilary told a joint press conference with Krishna.
In his remarks, Krishna said that the two countries have agreed on the end use monitoring arrangements that will henceforth be referred to in the letters of acceptance in procurement of defence equipment and technologies.
Chidambaram invited:
The US Monday extended an invitation to Home Minister P Chidambaram to visit Washington and discuss measures to combat terrorism.
The invitation was extended by Hillary.
"Secretary Clinton invited Home Minister Chidambaram to visit Washington in the near future," said a joint statement issued after a meeting of Krishna and Clinton here.
The statement said both New Delhi and Washington share the common desire to increase mutual security against the common threats posed by international terrorism.
The two leaders also reaffirmed the commitment of both the governments to build on the recently increased coordination in counter-terrorism, it said.
Source: PTI
Maya hits back at Rahul 'the Prince of Congress'
Lucknow: A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi dubbed her government as "non-operational", Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today hit back accusing the UPA government of being responsible for the state's dismal power scenario and released a "white paper" on the issue.
Answering Rahul's dig at installation of statues and memorials by her government, she claimed the money spent for them had not affected development work and the expenditure for these constructions was just a "fraction" of what was spent for Raj Ghat, memorial for Mahatma Gandhi, in Delhi.
On the charge of lack of development specially those levelled by Rahul Gandhi, Mayawati told reporters here that she has asked her officials to send a copy of a booklet containing details of development works undertaken by her govenment to all Congress MP's and MLA's starting from "the prince of Congress".
Source: PTI
Moon astronauts urge Mars mission
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Two of the astronauts who took part in the first Moon landing 40 years ago have called for renewed efforts to send a manned mission to Mars.
At a rare public reunion of the Apollo 11 crew, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins said Mars instead of the Moon should be the focus of exploration.
Neil Armstrong, the first man on the Moon, said the race to get to the Moon had been the ultimate peaceful contest.
He said it was an "exceptional national investment" for the US and ex-USSR.
The trio spoke at an event at Washington DC's National Air and Space Museum to mark the 40th anniversary of their mission.
Mr Armstrong told the audience: "It was the ultimate peaceful competition: USA vs USSR.
"I'll not assert that it was a diversion which prevented a war, nevertheless it was a diversion.
Sometimes I think I flew to the wrong place. Mars was always my favourite as a kid and it still is today Michael Collins Apollo 11 crew |
"Eventually, it provided a mechanism for engendering co-operation between former adversaries. In that sense, among others, it was an exceptional national investment for both sides."
Fellow astronaut Mr Aldrin spoke of the inspiration provided by then-President John F Kennedy which led to the "betterment of America, and ultimately the ending of the Cold War".
"Apollo 11 is a symbol of what a great nation and a great people can do if we work hard, work together and have strong leaders with vision and determination," he said.
But he also pushed for a mission to Mars: "The best way to honour and remember all those who were part of the Apollo programme is to follow in our footsteps; to boldly go again on a new mission of exploration."
Mr Collins, who circled the Moon alone while Mr Armstrong and Mr Aldrin walked on it, said Mars was more interesting than the Moon.
"Sometimes I think I flew to the wrong place. Mars was always my favourite as a kid and it still is today."
Man's first crossing to the Red Planet should be undertaken as a team effort
He urged further exploration, saying: "I worry that the current emphasis on returning to the Moon will cause us to become ensnared in a technological briar patch needlessly delaying for decades the exploration of Mars - a much more worthwhile destination."
The US space agency's currently stated aim is to return astronauts to the Moon by 2020. But that vision is under review, along with the space vehicles that would get them there.
Nasa is due to retire its space shuttles next year and replace them with the Orion spacecraft, an Apollo-like capsule that would launch on a new rocket called Ares 1.
Another rocket, Ares V, would have the capability to launch heavy payloads - service and cargo modules - that would be needed to service Moon missions.
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Nano likely to worsen the traffic problem: HC
New Delhi: The much-acclaimed low-cost car Nano, which recently hit the roads, could worsen road traffic by adding to the growth of private vehicles in the coming days, a Delhi High Court JudgeM onday said.
"All Indian cities are already struggling with traffic flow problem due to various types of vehicles on the road, lack of need-based road and traffic design and engineering and the unchecked growth of private vehicles and with the entry of the new cheap car Nano on the road, the situation is likely to get worsen," Justice Kailash Gambir said.
The Court made the remarks while delivering its verdict in the BMW hit-and-run case involving Sanjeev Nanda in which his sentence was reduced to two years from five years for mowing down six persons 10 years ago.
The Court also pulled up the Centre for its "apathy" towards public safety on roads and made a slew of recommendations for road safety.
"There are no stop signs, no speed limits and as heavy vehicles go zig-zak on the roads, it is hard to ignore the disturbing reality that many commercial and private drivers are drunk and no one checks them," the court said.
While referring to a report, the court pointed out that India road mishaps account for ten percent of the toll, which is three times higher than that prevailing in developed countries despite having less that one percent of the world vehicle population.
"The statistics clearly denote that government has not taken road safety very seriously so far and does not have a comprehensive policy on road safety. Public safety is the last in the list of the priorities of the governmenmt," the court said.
It said road accidents cause an annual loss of Rs 55,000 crore to the country, which is three percent of GDP.
"Slayer BRT corridors, Killer blueline buses and slaughterer Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway and very recently unfortunately Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, for which every citizen is most proud of, has joined the list of state apathy towards the citizens," the court said.
The court passed a slew recommendations to the government to ensure proper road safety which included installation of CCTVs cameras on major roads.
It said there should be proper and strict implementation of laws for minimum age of consumption of liquor and proper light on the streets and better maintenance of roads to reduce accidents on roads.
The court also said there was a need for introspection for the judicial system so that the justice delivery system was not interrupted by people with doubtful integrity.
Source: PTI
Deora hits out at Ambanis, says people own gas
New Delhi: Amidst the legal battle between RIL and and RNRL over gas from Kaveri basin, Petroleum Minister Murli Deora Monday hit out at the Ambani brothers for fighting over a natural resource that belongs to the government and the people of the country.
"I am personally appalled and disgusted at how these two brothers are fighting over something that belongs to the government and the people of India, Deora said, adding, "It does not belong to them."
Incidentally, Anil Ambani has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh virtually accusing virtually the Oil Ministry of doing a volte-face on gas pricing, saying its stand in the Supreme Court was in total variance with what it had said in Parliament.
Seeking protection against what he called the overt and covert attempts and "partisan and biased approach" of the Petroleum Ministry to intervene in a commercial dispute with RIL, Anil wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh offering to meet and explain the issues.
The government in a separate petition filed last week in the Supreme Court has asserted its rights to fix gas prices and its utilisation.
Source: PTI
Ordnance Factory celebrates 25th anniversary; to enhance ICVs production
People look at the bullet-proof Ambassador car displayed at the Ordnance Factory in Medak district, about 60km from Hyderabad on Sunday on the occassion of their Silver Jubilee celebrations. Ordnance Factory, Medak produces an array of mine and bullet proof vehicles including the Ambassador car, Maruti Gypsy, TATA-407 and Tata Safari for use by State Police and Paramilitary Forces and also produces Infantary Combat Vehicles (ICVs) for the Indian Army.
Hyderabad: The Ordnance Factory Board would enhance production capacity of the factories to meet the increasing demand from the Army for the defence equipment, the Board's Chairperson Saroj Vinayek said on Sundday.
The current production capacity of the Ordnance Factory in Medak, near here, is 125 BMPs (called as Infantry Combat
Vehicles-ICVs) and it will be enhanced, she told reporters here.
10 years after Kargil, Bofors upgrade hangs fire
New Delhi: On the tenth anniversary of the Kargil conflict, the gun that did so much to facilitate that victory — the 155 mm Bofors FH-77B — could be staring at a major setback. With India's artillery modernisation programme already stalled, the plan to refurbish and upgrade India's old 155 mm FH-77B Bofors guns also seems headed for failure.
The reason: the Indian Army, long accused of framing its equipment requirements unrealistically, apparently wants the upgraded Bofors gun to deliver better performance than new guns in the market today.
The company that made the guns — Sweden's Bofors AB, now owned by British multinational BAE Systems — has examined the army's technical demands and decided not to bid, since the demands are unrealistic. Industry sources close to the tender describe it as "a high-tech wish list" that fails to recognise the limitations in upgrading a 20-year-old gun.
According to this source, "Some of the requirements in the upgrade for these 20-year-old guns are more extreme than the requirements for new builds of the FH-77B."
The tender for modernising the Bofors FH-77B, involves overhauling the gun, fitting a state-of-the-art sighting system, and upgrading the barrels from 39 calibre to 52 calibre. The barrel upgrade will allow the guns to fire heavier ammunition, inflicting heavier damage on targets.
Brigadier Khutab Hai, Chief Executive of Mahindra Defence Systems (MDS), which partners BAE Systems in India, confirms, "It is true that we didn't respond. We have given the MoD (Ministry of Defence) our reasons. I would not like to comment on why we are not participating, other than to say that some of the specifications asked for by the army cannot be met technically." BAE Systems India declined to comment.
Undeterred by Bofors' withdrawal, the MoD-owned Ordnance Factories Board (OFB) and the Tata group have stepped forward and bid for the Bofors upgrade programme. Neither has ever developed an artillery gun earlier. The OFB, however, has the technical drawings of the Bofors FH-77B gun, which were handed over by Bofors when India signed the contract in the mid-1980s.
In an interview in September 2007, then OFB Chairman Sudipta Ghosh — currently in CBI custody in a corruption investigation — had told this correspondent, "The Bofors gun has not been productionised (sic) here, but [Gun Carriage Factory, Jabalpur] has all the drawings…. and based on those, we have indigenised [some parts of the Bofors gun].
Allegations of kickbacks in the 1986 Bofors deal had made it politically difficult to manufacture the guns in India. Eventually, the US $1.4 billion contract ended with the purchase of 410 "made-in-Sweden" guns. The part that was really advantageous for India — the indigenous manufacture of another 1170 guns under transfer of technology (ToT) — never took place.
Attempts to fill the resulting shortfall of artillery guns have been stymied over the last decade by erratic procurement practices and unrealistic technical demands. Since 2003, through several rounds of trials, the guns offered by three of the world's leading artillery manufacturers — Bofors of Sweden, Denel of South Africa and Soltam Systems of Israel — have repeatedly failed to meet Indian Army expectations.
For BAE Systems, the decision not to bid was a difficult one. It had set up a JV with MDS — with BAE Systems holding a 26% stake, the maximum permissible — primarily to build artillery systems in India. Last year the JV had written to the MoD offering a sweetener: if it won artillery deals like the Bofors upgrade, it would give the Indian defence production establishment a share of the work.
The OFB would be given the work of manufacturing the gun barrels; public sector Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) could make the sighting systems; while the gun trails and gun carriages (on which the guns rest, fire and move) would be built in the new BAE-MDS factory in Faridabad.
Despite all this, BAE Systems has not bid. Industry sources say BAE is confident that the OFB and the Tatas will prove technically unable to upgrade the Bofors guns. Their bids have been resting in the MoD since early 2009.
Source: Business Standard
ISRO to study in detail July 22 solar eclipse
Thiruvananthapuram/Kolkata/Bhopal: G Madhavan Nair, Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has said that India plans to study in detail the effects of total solar eclipse on July 22.
"We are trying to see the effect on the ionosphere and the atmosphere when the solar eclipse takes place. So, we have to collect the data during this period and then one has to go through the details," Nair said in Thiruvananthapuram.
India will witness a total solar eclipse on July 22, the last of the kind to be visible in the country for the next 105 years.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves between the sun and the earth, blocking out the sun from the areas in the moon''s shadow. Without the sun''s light, the sky darkens enough for stars to be seen and the corona makes a spectacular halo around the moon.
The upcoming solar eclipse has roused interest in astronomy leading to a heavy rush in planetariums across the country.
In Kolkata, people flocked to the MP Birla Planetarium to watch a special show on solar eclipse.
"I have come here to see a special show on solar eclipse," said Manjunath, a visitor.
Temples in Bhopal are also witnessing a heavy rush of devotees, as most of them believe that offering prayers and rituals can ward off the possible ill effects of the eclipse.
"We are all informed about the solar eclipse that will take place on July 22 morning. If we pray to God, we are sure we will get rid of all obstacles and ill effects," said Bhagwandas Sabnani, an organiser.
After the solar eclipse on July 22, the next one will be visible in the Indian sub-continent only 105 years later, on June 3, 2114.
The total duration of the eclipse will be six minutes thirty-nine seconds, visible over the Pacific Ocean.
Source: ANI
How, where, when ... Kasab tells all in confessional statement
Mumbai: Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the main accused in the Mumbai terror attacks, Monday confessed to his role, admitted he was a Pakistani and narrated in chilling detail the events leading to the killing spree that left 180 people dead in the boldest terror assault India has seen.
In a dramatic twist to the 26/11 case, Kasab also recounted how he and his associates undertook the sea voyage from Karachi to Mumbai to strike at 13 locations here on the night of Nov 26, 2008.
His sudden and unexpected confession took Special Judge M.L. Tahilyani and others by surprise. Kasab started by addressing Tahilyani in Urdu: "Sir, I want to make a confession in the court. I plead guilty to the crimes for which I have been charged."
The confession, which comes as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in India for a five-day visit, could prove to be a boost for India's stand vis-?-vis Pakistan on the issue of terror.
Kasab's confession included minute details of his role in the attacks on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and Cama Hospital nearby.
He revealed in the court names of his Pakistani handlers, including Abu Hamza, Abu Jindal, Abu Kafa and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, who saw them off when they boarded a ship at Karachi.
Hamza, who Indian intelligence agencies believe was behind the attack on the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore in December 2005, advised them on how to go about the terror attacks, said Kasab. He also described how he placed a bomb in a taxi that later exploded at Mazagaon, a south Mumbai area.
Naming Lakhvi of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) as "the mastermind" behind the Mumbai mayhem, Kasab recounted how he and his associate Abu Ismail (who was shot by the police) went to a CST public toilet and assembled one of the bombs by installing a timer on it for use later.
He stunned the courtroom by giving details of his encounters with then Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare and his associate Vijay Salaskar inside Cama Hospital and how he finally killed him.
It was in the same firefight that the terror duo killed another senior police official, Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte, before hijacking a police jeep and escaping toward Girgaum Chowpatty.
Kasab was arrested by a group of police who had set up a road block there on the morning of Nov 27. The siege of the city that began Nov 26 night finally ended on the morning of Nov 29.
Kasab described how the entire journey from Karachi to Mumbai was completed in four different boats at various locations in the Arabian Sea and how they finally landed in South Mumbai's Colaba in an inflatable rubber dingy, opposite Badhwar Park, the residence of top railway officials.
Finally, they hailed public taxis to go to different locations that night (Nov 26) to carry out the biggest terror strikes on the country.
Kasab interspersed his shocking confessional with the statements given by several of the 124 witnesses already examined by Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam to prove his point.
All through his confession, he kept naming his handlers and his associate Abu Ismail, who gave detailed instructions, maps, weapons and other equipment to the 10-member group for the terror attacks.
According to Nikam, Kasab's confession came after he discussed the entire issue with his government-appointed lawyer S.G. Abbas Kazmi.
"This is a victory of truth, and a victory for the prosecution. His confession came all of a sudden and he has admitted to all the crimes against him," Nikam said.
Source: IANS
The smile is back: Indian economy starts looking up
India Inc has something to cheer about
The first sign that the Indian economy is slowly recovering from the fallouts of global recession has come from the Q1 results of companies. The operating margins of the early birds — 118 companies that have declared their first quarter results so far — improved sharply, backed by a healthy increase in net profit.
The encouraging sign is that their operating margins went up 17.9 per cent, which is higher by 200 basis points year-on-year and 290 basis points over the sequential quarter.
The software companies, which were hard hit by recession, showed signs of recovery. India's largest IT services provider, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), reported a net profit of Rs 1,534 crore -- up 19 per cent year-on-year (YoY) for the first quarter ended June 30, 2009. Its revenue for the same period stood at Rs 7,207 crore -- up 12 per cent YoY. Infosys Technologies, India's second largest software exporter, beat market expectations to post a 17.3 per cent rise in first quarter net profit to Rs 1,527 crore. The 6 per cent appreciation of the rupee helped software companies post gains on hedged export revenue.
The manufacturing sector too posted impressive results. Almost all front-line and mid-size companies led by Larsen & Toubro, Bajaj Auto, Crompton Greaves, Exide Industries, Kirloskar Brothers and Jubilant Organosys reported a decent increase in margins.
The quarter saw a sharp decline in operating costs, higher price realisation owing to the decline in global commodity prices and greater operational efficiencies and changes in the accounting policy on mark-to-market losses.
As many as 65 companies reported increase in net profit, with Jubilant Organosys, Infotech Enterprises, VST Industries and JK Tyre reporting over 100 per cent jump.
L&T did well with a 15 per cent rise in net profit while Crompton Greaves reported 29 per cent rise despite a single digit growth in sales.
Bajaj Auto did well posting 67.6 per cent rise in net profit on almost flat sales. Dhampur Sugar Mills reported net profit of Rs 11.14 crore against net loss of Rs 23.54 crore in the same quarter of last year. The early trend indicates that cement, foods processing, electrical equipment, pharmaceuticals and two-wheeler companies will do much better than in previous quarters.
Commending the technical education in India as the "best in the world", US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today suggested her country and India should work together in the field to help bridge the gap betweem talent and opportunities.
"Technical education in India was the best in the world. We need to work together in the field of educational opportunities," she said at an interactive discussion on education organised by "Teach India", a NGO which works for children's education. Actor-Filmmaker Aamir Khan who is part of the NGO shared dais with the US Secretary of State.
Clinton said the gap between talent and opportunities among the children can be bridged through education
He said the US has a good infrastructure for education and spends a lot of money for the sector "but we don't get the best returns for the children.
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