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India-Seychelles Strategic Convergence is Reinforced Resolve to Secure Their Oceanic Space

India and Seychelles agreed to work together on Assumption Island project based on each other’s rights and signed multiple MoUs in the fields of data sharing, culture, information technology and education on June 25, 2018, during six-day visit to India of President of Seychelles, Danny Antoine Rollen Faure, from June 22. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India is offering USD 100 million credit to Seychelles to buy military hardware from India. India gifted second Dornier maritime patrol aircraft built by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to Seychelles on June 26. Do-228 aircraft will be flown at the 42nd Independence Day celebrations of Seychelles on June 29. The Dornier is equipped with a 360-degree surveillance radar, a forward-looking Infra-red system, satellite communication, a traffic collision and avoidance system and an enhanced ground proximity warning system, among others. The aircraft would help to bolster the coastal maritime surveillance of Seychelles and monitoring of its extensive Exclusive Economic Zone, besides pollution monitoring and control, search and rescue and commuter services.

Prime Minister Modi held crucial bilateral talks with Seychelles President Danny Faure. In a joint statement the two leaders called for strengthening bilateral defence relations and expanding trade. Modi terming the talks very meaningful said that since independence of Seychelles in June 1976:

  • Both the democratic countries have special relations, are key strategic partners and share equally geo-strategic vision of maintaining peace, security and stability in the Indian Ocean.
  • Sustainable development of ocean economy in the secure maritime environment is very important for the prosperity of our citizens.
  • Only by successfully confronting conventional and non-conventional threats, we can take advantage of opportunities provided by the ocean.
  • Reiterated commitment to working jointly to take full advantage of ocean based Blue Economy.
  • India and Seychelles are connected to the Indian Ocean.
  • There is a deep strategic convergence on cooperation between us to deal with maritime challenges.
  • We agree to work together on the basis of each other’s interests in relation to the Explosion Island Project.
  • We are widely collaborating to undertake hydrography surveys to improve the availability of navigation charts.
  • Under the Special grant, India is ready to finance three civilian infrastructure projects in Seychelles. These include Government House, new Police Headquarters and Attorney General’s Office

Modi congratulated the President Danny Faure, on Seychelles having achieved the highest Human Development Index in Africa and having emerged as one of the leaders of Blue Economy.

Seychelles President Danny Faure, Striking the notes of friendship!, showcased his vocal skills at Hyderabad House in New Delhi with a rendition of a song named “Mon Pei Sa” at a lunch hosted by Prime Minister Modi on June 25.

President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, hosted a banquet in honour of President of Republic of Seychelles Danny Antoine Rollen Faure, at Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 26 and said that India and Seychelles need to work together as partners in strengthening the regional architecture of the Indian Ocean. India has a robust defence, security and strategic cooperation with Seychelles. India-Seychelles strategic convergence has reinforced the resolve to secure their oceanic space, in the region and beyond. India views the Indian Ocean and the Pacific as a contiguous construct sharing similar economic opportunities and security challenges. Our vision is for a free, open, peaceful, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, based on a rules-based order and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Indian Prime Minister Modi, during a visit to Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) countries in March 2015, had announced the ambitious project, ”SAGAR’, Security and Growth for All in the Region, to boost India’s influence in Indian Ocean and strengthen ties with IOR nations. Modi unveiled a plaque during the dedication of the India-Seychelles cooperation project ‘Coastal Survillence Radar System’ in Mahe, Seychelles in March 2015.

Assumption Island deal, an agreement allowing India to build a naval base on the strategically located island of Assumption, a crucial part of India’s maritime strategy SAGAR, was signed during PM Modi’s Seychelles visit in March 2015, in which India’s main motive was to counter China’s increasing presence and securitisation of the Indian Ocean Region:

  • India’s primary objective for setting up a joint naval facility in Assumption was to ensure the safe passage of shipping vessels and containers in the southern Indian Ocean Region.
  • Another important objective was to allow Indian Navy to monitor the Mozambique Channel and thwart any piracy attempts since much international trade transits through this region.
  • This agreement was also supposed to help Seychelles patrol its 500000 square-miles exclusive economic zone for illegal fishing, drug trafficking and piracy, and its ratification would have made India’s relationship with Seychelles truly strategic.

The Assumption Island deal, however, could not be ratified by the Seychelles parliament during the term of the then president, James Michel. Following Faure’s coming to power in late 2016, the re-negotiated agreement was signed on January 27, 2018 by India’s then foreign secretary, S Jaishankar, during his Seychelles visit. The Indian project was to include facility for Indian ships and an airstrip that would allow New Delhi to guard the energy lanes vital to India’s economy.

Opposition members in Seychelles Parliament accusing the Faure government of undermining the country’s interests, argued against allowing India to build the naval base on the strategically located island of Assumption, saying it would infringe on the country’s sovereignty. Civil society activists urged the government to remain non-aligned and avoid tilting towards either India or China. Faure then clarified in the parliament that no compromise had been done on the Assumption Island, which “belongs to Seychelles and Seychellois”. President Faure, ahead of his visit to India, in a press conference on June 4, 2018 had said that the joint project with New Delhi to develop a naval base at Assumption Island in his country would not move forward.

India upholds Net Neutrality whereas US repeals Network Neutrality

Net Neutrality, which means that telecom and Internet service providers must treat all data on the Internet equally, and not discriminate or charge differently by user, content, site, platform, or application; has been approved by the Telecom Commission (TC): the highest decision-making body in the Department of Telecom, on Wednesday July 11, 2018, as recommended by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) eight months ago in November, 2017. This move that will ensure open and free Internet in India as telecom and Internet service providers now cannot engage in practices such as blocking, slowing down or granting preferential speeds to any content. Certain emerging and critical services that may include autonomous vehicles, digital healthcare services or disaster management will however be kept out of the purview of net neutrality.

The underlying principle of net neutrality is that the users should have neutral access to all lawful content and applications on the internet, regardless of the source, without the government or Internet service providers (ISPs) influencing their choices through pricing or selective access.

Without specific net neutrality regulations, ISPs can block or slow down internet speeds for select sites, or provide preferential treatment to certain content providers over others. For instance, a telecom operator can enter into an agreement with a company and allow faster access to its website compared to others, or bar the entry of new players in that particular area. But laws upholding net neutrality prevent this.

Highlights of TRAI recommendations on Net Neutrality:

  • Discriminatory treatment of content is prohibited. Internet access services should be governed by a principle that restricts any form of discrimination or interference in the treatment of content, including practices like blocking, degrading, slowing down or granting preferential speeds or treatment to any content.
  • Content Delivery Networks (CDN) has been kept out of the regulation. CDNs enable telecom deliver content within their network without going through the public internet in order to create a content ecosystem to drive user traction. Telecom firms such as Airtel, Reliance Jio stand to gain.
  • Internet of Things (IoT), as a class of services, is included in scope of restrictions on non-discriminatory treatment. However, critical IoT services, which may be identified by department of telecom as specialised services which could include telemedicine, B2B services will be automatically excluded.
  • Watchdog for enforcing Net Neutrality with reasonable measures of traffic management has been recommended by TRAI in line with its guidelines.
  • International treaties, court orders, government order on blocking certain sites are exempt from Net Neutrality guidelines.

In United States, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had adopted in 2005 network neutrality principles, “to preserve and promote the vibrant and open character of the Internet as the telecommunications marketplace enters the broadband age.” FCC’s network neutrality principles were challenged by large broadband Internet access service providers (ISPs) and in 2014 the District Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that FCC could not regulate the ISPs so closely.

In the US repeal of rules of FCC took effect on June 11, 2018, ending network neutrality regulation, which paves the way for service providers to block or slow down access to particular content for users.

India’s decision to uphold Net neutrality assumes greater significance given that in the U.S., the rules on Net neutrality were recently repealed.

India Now has 37 World Heritage UNESCO Inscriptions

Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai declared as a World Heritage Property by UNESCO on June 30, 2018 as per decision taken at 42nd session of World Heritage Committee (WHC) of UNESCO at Manama in Bahrain from 24 June to 4 July 2018. India’s 37th World UNESCO Heritage Site, include the Victorian buildings, which are amongst the finest and most cohesive group of 19th century Victorian Gothic in the world, and the Art Deco of the 20th century, which is the second largest and homogenous collections in the world. As recommended by WHC India accepted the renaming of the ensemble as “Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai”, whereas, as per the Nomination Dossier presented to UNESCO, prepared by Abha Narain Lambah, it was named as, “Victorian and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai”.

Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensemble, the iconic cluster, Maharashtra’s fifth, is the third such honour for the Metropolis after Elephanta Caves and majestic Victoria Terminus, rechristened Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus railway station.

  • Mumbai city is now the second city in India after Ahmedabad to be inscribed on the World Heritage List.
  • Ahmedabad in Gujarat, 606 year old walled city, founded by emperor Ahmed Shah, was declared a World Heritage City on July 8, 2017 by WHC after a meeting in Krakwo, Poland, was the first city in India to be inscribed on the World Heritage List.
  • Mumbai now has equal number of UNESCO sites as Delhi, which also has three: Red Fort, Qutub Minar and Humayun’s Tomb.
  • India has managed to get inscribed seven of its properties/sites on the World Heritage List of UNESCO in the past five years.
  • India now has overall 37 World Heritage Inscriptions with 29 Cultural, 07 Natural and 01 Mixed sites.
  • India stands sixth largest in the world and second largest after China in terms of number of World Heritage properties in Asia and Pacific (ASPAC) region.
  • Ensemble comprises of two architectural styles, the 19thcentury collection of Victorian structures and the 20th century Art Deco buildings along the sea, conjoined by means of the historical open space of the Oval Maidan.
  • Together, this architectural ensemble represents the most remarkable collection of Victorian and Art Deco buildings in the world which forms the unique character of this urban setting, unparalleled in the world.
  • Ensemble consists of 94 buildings primarily of 19thcentury Victorian Gothic revival and early 20th century Art Deco style of architecture with the Oval Maidan in the centre.
  • The 19thcentury Victorian buildings form part of the larger Fort precinct situated to the east of the Oval Maidan.
  • These public buildings include the Old Secretariat (1857-74), University Library and Convention Hall (1874-78), the Bombay High Court (1878), the Public Works Department Office (1872), Watson’s Hotel (1869), David Sasoon Library (1870), the Elphinstone College(1888), etc.
  • Art Deco styled buildings to the west of the Oval Maidan were raised in early 20thcentury on the newly reclaimed lands at Marine Drive and symbolised the shift in expression to represent contemporary aspirations.

Union Minister of State for Culture (I/c) Dr. Mahesh Sharma said, “This international recognition to the heritage precinct of the city of Mumbai will boost the local economy and is expected to give a tremendous fillip to domestic and international tourism leading to increased employment generation, creation of world-class infrastructure and augmentation of sale of local handicrafts, handlooms and heritage memorabilia.”

India has shown Impressive Gains in Reduction of Maternal Mortality

Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has significantly declined in India as nearly one thousand fewer women now die of pregnancy related complications each month in the country according to the recently released Sample Registration System (SRS) bulletin – 2016, India has shown impressive gains in reduction of Maternal Mortality with 22% reduction in since 2013. MMR of India has declined from 167 in 2011-2013 to 130 in 2014-2016. The decline has been most significant in Empowered Action Group (EAG) States (Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Rajasthan) and Assam from 246 to 188. Among the Southern States, the decline has been from 93 to 77 and in the other States from 115 to 93. Uttar Pradesh with 30% decline has topped the chart in the reduction of Maternal Deaths. Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have already met the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target for MMR of 70 per 100,000, while Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are within striking distance.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda attribute this milestone to joint efforts of Centre and states and on June 6, 2018 said, “The latest SRS figures reveal that we have gone beyond the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of MMR of 139 by 2015 and have reached 130.” This is the result of the strategic approach of the Government and major initiatives under the umbrella of National Health Mission, such as:

Mission Indradhanush (MI), a Central government initiative launched on December 25,  2014 with an aim to immunize all children under the age of 2 years, as well as all pregnant women, against seven vaccine preventable diseases.

Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 8, 2017 that aims to reach each and every child under the age of two years and all those pregnant women who have been left uncovered under the routine immunisation programme. The special drive will focus on improving immunisation coverage in select districts and cities to ensure full immunisation to more than 90% by December 2018. Prime Minister said while launching, “Let no child suffer from any vaccine-preventable disease”.

Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) launched on June 1, 2011, which provides for free transport and care for pregnant women and entitles pregnant women delivering in public health institution absolutely free and no expense delivery including Caesarean section. Initiative stipulates free drugs, diagnostics, blood and diet.

Millennium Development Goal (MDG)  focus on Improving maternal health, which is key to saving the lives of more than half a million women who die as a result of complications from pregnancy and childbirth each year. Almost all these deaths could be prevented if women in developing countries had access to adequate diets, safe water and sanitation facilities, basic literacy and health services during pregnancy and childbirth. Hunger and malnutrition have been found to increase both the incidence and the fatality rate of the conditions that cause up to 80 percent of maternal deaths.

Higher Education Commission of India for Improving Academic Standards & Quality of Higher Education

Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) will focus on improving academic standards and the quality of Higher Education as per the Higher Education Commission of India (Repeal of University Grants Commission Act) Bill 2018 prepared by the Ministry of HRD aims at reforming the regulatory systems that provide for more autonomy and facilitate holistic growth of the education system which provides greater opportunities to the Indian students at more affordable cost. Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, while addressing convocation of ICFAI University in Dehradun on Saturday July 15, 2015, noting that Indian universities had not been able to make it to the list of world’s top universities, asked them to treat it as a “big challenge” and work hard to distinguish themselves from others. As per the proposed Bill, HECI will oversee accreditation, curricular and quality issues, while the HRD Ministry will control the funding and grant-giving process. The transformation of the regulatory set up is guided by the following principles:

  • HECI should not have interference in the management issues of the educational institutions. This will downsize scope of the Regulator based on the principle of Less Government and more Governance
  • HECI would focus only on academic matters and the grant functions would be carried out by the HRD Ministry, leading to separation of grant functions.
  • HECI would do Regulation through transparent public disclosures, merit-based decision making on matters regarding standards and quality in higher education, leading to the end of Inspection Raj.
  • HECI will focus on academic quality and would be tasked with the mandate of improving academic standards with specific focus on learning outcomes, evaluation of academic performance by institutions, mentoring of institutions, training of teachers, promote use of educational technology etc.
  • It will develop norms for setting standards for opening and closure of institutions, provide for greater flexibility and autonomy to institutions, lay standards for appointments to critical leadership positions at the institutional level irrespective of University started under any Law (including State Law).
  • HECI as Regulator will have powers to enforce compliance to the academic quality standards and will have the power to order closure of sub-standard and bogus institutions. Non-compliance could result in fines or jail sentence.

It is expected that the initiative of setting up HECI would ensure access, equity and excellence in the higher education, as it aims to give more autonomy to the higher education Institutions. However, it is essential for every Institution to brainstorm in respect to the prevailing requirements of education imparted by them and remain competitive for producing excellence.

Why your Child must learn Geography

Global awareness is a 21st century skill that students are expected to make Geography one of the most relevant subjects to learn. Contrary to popular belief, Geography is a lot more than being able to point out a country on a World map or knowing the capital city of every country in the World. Essentially, just as reading, writing, and mathematics are the fundamental building blocks to a child’s education, Geography opens the door to understanding history, culture, and current events.

It’s imperative to learn Geography to know where places are, and some facts about those places, so that you can tell why they are different.  It’s important for children to understand that the World is round, there are land masses surrounded by bodies of water, and that people of all different cultures live in various areas of our amazing Earth!

Why should kids learn Geography?

  • They become more aware – Geography helps to spark the children’s curiosity and as they become more curious, their awareness grows. They begin to acknowledge that the World extends a lot farther than the boundaries of their town or city. It opens their eyes to different cultures and perspectives, and helps them grow as well-rounded, emphatic individuals.
  • It helps them learn about people across the Globe – The Geography of a region has major influence on the lifestyle of its inhabitants and culture. Besides having a deep impact on the social and cultural norms of the people, the Geography of a region also affects the art forms, literature, food habits, and celebrations of the people. Geography imparts kids an understanding of the distribution of people around the World and the differences in their ways of living.
  • Geography helps kids learn History – An understanding of where a place is located, its surroundings, its culture and people can help kids see how and why different civilizations influenced each other. It also helps them realize the significance of one civilization conquering another.
  • It gives them an idea about the importance of natural resources – As the World today faces the problem of the fast depleting natural resources, Geography makes our children understand their importance and why they must be preserved. Climatic conditions and available natural resources in a particular region shape the lives of its inhabitants. Geographical features influence the distribution of natural and man-made resources across the Globe.
  • Geography helps them appreciate life – Studying Geography helps kids appreciate the diversity in life forms. As they are exposed to various ecological issues and environmental concerns they understand how nature influences life and how cultures take shape. The children gain a deeper insight into the interaction between natural components and human beings.

Geography is undeniably an important subject that gives your child an opportunity to observe and analyze the close association between natural environment and human life. The power of understanding the World is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your child. Buy a Globe and an atlas, as well as Geography books for competitive exams that describe histories, cultures, and religions of people living in other countries. You can also buy Geography magazines online to promote your child’s interest in the subject.

Teach your children about the World outside of their everyday experience, and watch horizons of their imagination and intellect explode. And start with the forgotten basics of Geography.

President Emphasises Defence &Tech Relations in Czech Republic

Special carve-out for Indian skilled workers and business executives to work and live in the Czech Republic on a long-term basis that will come into effect in October 2018 and will initially be limited to 500 visas a year, was welcomed by Indian President Ram Nath Kovind during his state visit to the Czech Republic from September 6 to 9, 2018 and he thanked President Miloš Zeman and Government of Czech Republic for that gesture.

President Kovind highlighted that Indian economy was the fastest growing large economy in the world as it grew 8.2% in the first quarter this fiscal and was now the 6th largest economy in the world and poised to become a $5 trillion economy by 2025.

President Kovind while addressing India-Czech Business Forum in Prague on September 7, 2018 said India’s growth story, Czech Republic’s technology and manufacturing prowess makes the countries ‘natural partners’ and invited Czech Republic’s defence companies to invest and manufacture in India, noting that defence was a vital area of cooperation between the two countries. Eyeing partnerships, he urged Czech enterprises to explore, initiate and expand their footprint in India, “I invite you to partner us in India’s exciting and transformative journey, which is going to usher in a new era to not only India and Czech Republic, but to the entire world”.

President Kovind emphasised India’s keenness to cooperate with the Czech Republic in the fields of defence, technology and manufacture, business and trade, as well as on issues of multilateral importance such as terrorism and added that Czech strengths in manufacturing and advanced technology make the country a natural fit to partner Indian economic growth and next-generation development. President Kovind led delegation level talks and 4emphasised defence and tech relations, and India and Czech Republic signed five agreements:

  • Cooperation between the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, India, and the Czech Academy of Sciences
  • A work plan to support Indo-Czech projects in diverse areas of science and technology, with the Department of Science and Technology taking the lead from the Indian side
  • A visa waiver agreement for diplomatic passport holders
  • Cooperation in laser technology between ELI Beamlines and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
  • Cooperation between the Haryana Agricultural University and the Czech University of Life Sciences

India and the Czech Republic have also agreed to initiate cooperation in civil nuclear energy. Details of a prospective agreement between the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership, Jhajjar, Haryana, and a relevant Czech institution are to be worked out.

President Zeman congratulated India on its admission to MTCR, Wassenaar Arrangement, Hague Code of Conduct (HCoC) and Australia Group. He reiterated Czech Republic´s strong and active support for India´s accession to Nuclear Suppliers Group, recognizing that India’s accession will add value to the aims and objectives of the NSG.

President Kovind addressed an impressive gathering of the Indian community at a reception in the evening of September 6, 2018 in Prague hosted by Smt Narinder Chauhan, Ambassador of India to the Czech Republic. Speaking on the occasion, the President said that India considers every Indian abroad as an ambassador. He urged members of the diaspora to share the beauty of India’s culture and business potential with the host community.

More than 3400 Test Practice Centres Inaugurated for Higher Education Entrance Examinations

National Testing Agency, a premier testing organization, set up by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD)), in order to bring efficiency, transparency and qualitative difference in competitive examination process for Higher Education, has been mandated to conduct Entrance Tests for Higher Educational Institutions that include JEE (Main), NEET (UG), UGC-NET, CMAT and GPAT examinations.

JEE (Mains) and UGC NET Examination pattern has been changed by the government from this year. Now it has become computer based instead of Pen and Paper mode. The new exam pattern is more Transparent, leak proof, scientific, student friendly and fast.

National Testing Agency (NTA) has established Test Practice Centres across the country in order to provide facility for practice for the changed pattern. NTA has also launched a practice App through which students can practice on their own on their computers or on smartphones.

3400 Test Practice Centres (TPCs), for entrance examinations for Higher Education, spread across the 622 Districts in 33 States/UTs in the country, were inaugurated by Prakash Javadekar Union Minister of Ministry of Human Resource Development at New Delhi on Sunday September 16, 2018, for those students who do not have computers and smart phones, as the government is committed to provide quality education with equity and aims to ensure that no student suffers due to lack of resources. Video Conferencing through Google Hangout was successfully held with HRD Minister and around 25 TPCs with 1993 students during this inauguration. This is the real revolution in the field of competitive examinations, HRD Minister explained. Secretary, Higher Education R. Subrahmanyam and DG, NTA Vineet Joshi were also present during the video conference.

TPCs will facilitate students of rural areas and others appearing in entrance examinations for Higher Education to hold practice sessions to enable them to get used to the changed mode and pattern of examination. Students get an opportunity to practice the Computer Based Test (CBT) before the exam. The TPCs will provide Mock Tests to the candidates of JEE (Main) and UGC-NET examinations.

IIT PAL (Professor Assisted Learning) video lecture on SWAYAM Platform for the preparation of JEE can now be accessed by students, HRD Minister informed the students, while interacting with them during the inauguration of TPCs and the Minister received overwhelming response as the students from various centres appreciated and thanked the government for this particular initiative.

NTA for setting up TPCs has engaged a large number of Schools and Colleges that have 30 or more Internet connected PCs/laptops at one location.

Any student can use the facility in TPC free of charge. For registration, students across the country can register themselves, online through NTA Website (https://www.nta.ac.in) or using ‘NTA Student App’ available on Play Store. They can offer their choice of TPCs near their location.

Students are communicated about the allotted TPC, 1 day before practice date through SMS. In the allotted TPC, they can practice and can experience the actual method of taking a CBT. Computer Based Mock tests are provided to the candidates of JEE (Main) and UGC-NET, so that they can familiarize themselves with the logging process, going through detailed instructions regarding the test, using the mouse for attempting each question, navigating between questions, reviewing and editing their options and submitting questions as they would be required to do in the actual tests.

TPCs are made operational based on the student demand and depending on their demand, the TPCs function as under on all the Saturdays and Sundays:

Saturday one shift: From 02:30 PM to 05:30 PM

Sunday two shifts: From 11:00 AM to 02:00 PM

From 02:30 PM to 05:30 PM

Mock Tests will also be conducted and the candidates will be provided instantaneous assessment & feedback on the Mock Test.

Mock Test is also available for students to study at home or anywhere, wherein candidates can take on-line test from NTA website and can also download the Mock test for practice in offline mode. The test can also be practiced on NTA Student App as well.

“Mock Test” at NTA marks the beginning of complete ‘Computer Based Test (CBT)’, era.

Commerce or Science – A tough choice to make

After clearing class X Board exams, students face the toughest question of their academic life. What now? Commerce, Science, and Humanities are considered to be the Holy Trinity of choices among Indian students. Soon after finishing High School, the students are in a dilemma on deciding which stream is their best bet.This marks the beginning of their new life, as this decision decides their future.

Commerce and Science are two distinct streams for students who are highly ambitious and wish to pursue higher studies. Both come with their own set of challenges and rewards in the long run. While Science opens up the doors of technology for them, Commerce prepares them for a flourishing career in the business world. The key is to methodically approach each stream and look at its nuances and the details in order to make an informed decision.

Science

Going by popularity, Science is the stream a majority of students opt for as it leads them on the path to two highly coveted career options in India, Medical and Engineering. It won’t be wrong to say that Science offers more opportunities, the presence of multiple options for under graduation degree and peer pressure. Science is, undoubtedly, a great career choice but one must choose wisely, keeping in mind various important factors associated with it. One must consider the fact that everyone who takes Science cannot become a Doctor or an Engineer, as these are very niche career choices. one needs to compete with a large number of students and competitive exams have to be cleared for getting admission to elite colleges like IITs, NITs and AIIMs etc. However, if one has a technical bent of mind and Science is what he really wants to study then there is no dearth of excellent career options for him.

Some of the most popular career options that Science can offer are:

  • Medicine: A student who completes MBBS is awarded a Doctor’s degree. A Doctor is a licensed person who can practice medicine, as a Physician, Surgeon, Dentist, or Veterinarian.
  • Tech.: Highly popular due to rapid development of IT industry, this is probably the most popular career path for the students with non-medical background.
  • Sc.: B.Sc. degrees have the immense scope and career options. This is a three to five year (depending upon the university) course which has the research-oriented and interdisciplinary courses to choose from.
  • Architect:Arch. is a five-year degree course that leads one to become an Architect. An Architect is a professional who creates designs of buildings, bridges and other structures.

Commerce

Commerce stream is steadily gaining popularity among students in India with most students feeling that opting for Commerce stream will offer them a wide range of career opportunities after their completion of class 12. What most students don’t consider is that just like Science stream, a student also needs to have a certain inclination towards Commerce, to become successful in it. Most students opt for Commerce because they want to take the next step in business and follow strategies to be successful.  A Commerce Student has to study subjects like Economics, Business Studies, Mathematics, and Accountancy. If one has a keen interest in working with numbers and analyzing numerical data and if he aspires to make his name in the business world, then Commerce is the right choice for him.

The various career options for Commerce students are:

  • Com/B.Com (Honours): This is a 3-year degree course that serves as a good base if one wishes to go forward in the corporate sector or pursue higher education.
  • B.A. /M.B.A.: This degree serves as a great platform if one wishes to make a career in business development and management sector.
  • Bachelor of Finance and Accounting (B.F.A): This is an industry-oriented 3-year course providing one expertise in the said stream.
  • Chartered Accountant (C.A.): It is one of the most sought-after and challenging courses in our country provided by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).
  • Company Secretary (C.S): It is a professional course provided by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, which is open to students after 12th

Overall, it’s important that a student must make a choice after considering all the alternatives. It is best to avoid the chaos that arises in one’s mind either due to lack of knowledge or drifting of interest.

U.S. Open between Serena Williams & Naomi Osaka turned into

Naomi Osaka won her first Grand Slam title derailing Serena Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam champion, in a dramatic Women’s Singles 2018 US Open final 6-2, 6-4, on Saturday September 8, 2018 – an extraordinary achievement for a 20-year-old playing in her first Grand Slam final in what felt like a road game from the start, which turned out to be one of the most controversial Grand Slam finals in recent history, all the more striking observation of this match was the contrast between Osaka’s cool and Williams’s combustibility.

Osaka became the first tennis player representing Japan to win a Grand Slam singles tournament and reached a career-high world ranking of No. 7. Osaka, born in Japan, moved to the United States at age 3, grew up admiring and emulating Williams, even did a report on her in third grade that she was very proud of; was the most dominant player in the world over the last 14 days reaching the final at the 50th anniversary of the US Open. Osaka’s matches were straight-set, open-and-shut, surgical efficient wins.

However, this US Women Open Final descended into Chaos as an intense, gripping final between a great champion and a great young talent turned ugly. Internal fire can become fuel for something like this when defeat is looming in a floodlit match on Ashe Stadium.

  • Williams in the second game of the second set was issued a warning by umpire Carlos Ramos, a first code violation for coaching when her coach Patrick Mouratoglou twice made a hand gesture suggesting she go to net, something he later conceded doing. According to the Grand Slam rulebook, “players shall not receive coaching during a match. Communications of any kind, audible or visible, between a player and a coach may be construed as coaching.”
  • Williams losing momentary lead in a game where she double-faulted twice was too much to handle and after losing serve smashed her racquet into the ground in frustration. Williams was issued another code violation as according to the rulebook, racquet abuse is a code violation. It was the combination of the code violation for coaching and the racket abuse charge that surmounted to the loss of the point called by Ramos, which allowed Osaka to start serving the sixth game at 15-0.
  • Williams after losing her serve to Osaka in the seventh game, admonished Ramos again during the changeover, “You owe me an apology. You stole a point from me,” and finally went on to call Ramos – the chair umpire: a “sexist”, “thief” and “liar”, which were considered verbal abuse, the apparent trigger for the third violation. She was issued another code violation for verbal abuse after arguing at length with the umpire about the application of the first code violation, and this third violation brought the penalty of one full game at the most crucial juncture of the match, which awarded the eighth game to Osaka, and found Williams serving the ninth game.
  • Williams at that point of time called for referee Brian Earley, who came to the court with Grand Slam supervisor Donna Kelso.
  • Williams pleaded her case through tears to the two of them, insisting she is always treated unfairly at this event and that men have called umpires much worse and not been penalized, but there was no budge in the score.
  • US Open released a statement after the match that said, in part: “The chair umpire’s decision was final and not reviewable by the Tournament Referee or the Grand Slam Supervisor who were called to the court at that time.”
  • Williams went on to win the 9th game at love before Osaka won her first Grand Slam title on a second match point in the 10th

Carlos Ramos, a gold-badge chair umpire, is known mostly for being a stringent umpire of men and women, a stickler for rules. If any of the violations had happened singularly, he may have been inclined to look more softly upon the infractions. That they happened on the biggest stage of both the players’ careers, and in quick succession, was unfortunate.

Umpire Carlos Ramos has taken the brunt of the scrutiny, as far as the sport’s governing bodies are concerned and was not publicly presented with a gift, as is custom during the post-match trophy ceremony. WTA accused him of officiating men and women differently, and the ITF sedately applauded him for correct conduct.

Serena Williams could have kept her composure. Williams’s Coach Patrick Mouratoglou and, above all, Williams herself bear responsibility for the way an intense, gripping final between a great champion and a great young talent turned ugly.

Naomi Osaka had to deal with all of the above after one of the finest matches ever played by a youngster in her position. Osaka held her nerve to serve out the match and halt Williams, who was contesting her second final, is as many majors, from tying Margaret Court’s record of 24 women’s singles titles. Osaka absorbed everything that Williams and the chaotic circumstances could hurl at her and somehow stayed in the zone and said, “I felt like I shouldn’t let myself be overcome by nerves or anything”. “And I should just really focus on playing tennis because that’s what’s gotten me to this point.”

WTA issued a statement later Saturday evening, “Congratulations to both Naomi and Serena for reaching the final at the 50th anniversary of the US Open and to Naomi for winning her first Grand Slam title. They both played superb tennis throughout the US Open.”