B'Cognizance » Vibes

ASTRONOMY

admin — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 12:52:30 +0000

Human ingenuity is bringing us closer and closer to understanding the cosmos, but of all the questions, one, perhaps the biggest one of all remains unanswered, i.e. are we alone in the universe, or is there other life out there?

For many, astronomy means the study of the night sky and the objects that it contains, but what we do not realize is, it is much more than just pointing a giant telescope at the sky and trying to figure out what these faraway objects are, in fact, by studying objects that are billions and billions of kms away, we are only trying to dig deeper into our own past, still trying to very much understand the conditions that eventually led to our own existence..

Modern Astronomy is built on foundations laid by great scholars such as Galileo and Copernicus, today we use powerful giant telescopes and cutting edge technology to study the sky and our sight is only limited by our technology.

Amateur astronomy does not involve any of these high-tech instruments or terms and understandings, it only deals with the observational half of it, all you would need is a chart of the night sky, a pair of binoculars perhaps or just a modest telescope, and you too can take pleasure in unlocking the mysteries of the Cosmos.

The night sky as we see it is made up of 88 constellations (groups/ patterns of stars), 12 of which forms the Zodiacal constellations, the moon, our neighboring planets, and of course hundreds and thousands of stars, and tens of thousands of deep sky objects (Galaxies, nebulae and star clusters) all catalogued as either M objects or NGC objects.

Stars and galaxies too, just like us are born, live and die- a process that takes many millions of years. By observing the billions of stars around, each in different phases of its life we are able to understand this process, the forces of nature that act upon, helping us understand the secrets of our Sun and the formation of our planet. Scientists widely believe this to be important as it shapes our future and also reveals our fate.

Our ordinary sense of distance fails while scaling these realms of stars and galaxies. For example, our Galaxy, the Milky Way, alone, is said to consist of a hundred billion stars, most of which are known to have planets. Just like our Sun, it is also a hundred thousand light years wide and roughly a thousand light years thick. We need a much larger unit like the Light year (A light year is the distance light travels in a year – approx ten trillion Kms)

It is said that more than 99.9% of the human race pass their entire course of life without the knowledge about the cosmos and their part in the universe & hence, my aim in writing to you is to bring down this huge difference , even by a small fraction and be more than happy to share this knowledge and joy of stargazing…

Tulsidharan M.
MSCLIS
IIIT Allahabad

“PROMOTING GOOD GOVERNANCE—-POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION OF VIGILANCE” [Winning Essay in Vigilance Awareness week]

admin — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 12:01:59 +0000

Governance is the process of taking decision and implementing them for the betterment of the masses and hence the nation as a whole.
Good governance ensures that the entire process of through which citizens receive their services must be of impeccable integrity, fully accountable and hundred percent transparent.
Vigilance is the most important way to ensure good governance as it involves keeping a watchful eye on personnel and promoting integrity and honesty in them.
Government employee and bureaucrats besides all other class of citizens, require vigilance because:
a) Decision making process in public department is slow
b) There is scope for jumping queues.
c) Possibilities of negotiations emits
d) Delay in providing services is detrimental to client as they are very crucial

Hence vigilance can easily deal with corrupt and dishonest personnel so that common man can get speedy delivery of services
Vigilance in itself is not a process but rather a philosophy that provides:
a) Accountability and transparency to all works
b) Reforms decision making process to make it simple
c) Ensure transparency and open information system (on lines of RTI act )
d) Punitive action to dishonest officials
e) Promote and encourage honest personnel.
f) Create an atmosphere of trust between organization and client which promotes good will.

Vigilance can be a more set of words hung upon the wall.it should be embodied in both play and practice. Vigilance must involve
a) Preventive Vigilance:
I. Reforming system to ensure faster delivery.
II. Regular disclosure of all assets and sources of income.
III. Publication of minutes of all meeting that are directly responsible for any wrong doing.
b) Reactive vigilance :
I. Punishing corrupt individuals who have abused their authority and through undue influence earned gratification and benefit and hence provide a loss to the exchequer.
II. Starting and following criminal proceeding against such dishonest individuals under prevention of corruption act and GPC.
c) Suggestive Vigilance:
I. Making surprise inspection in departments and checking relevant documents to ascertain no wrong doing
II. Creating a network of whistle blower that have highest state protection, to impose any intra-departmental misconduct.
Good governance is an utopian concept that is difficult to achieve in reality and practice. But then also it should not dissuade us from striving for a finding the loopholes in our system and plugging them to prevent any kind of misconduct.
We must remember that vigilance is the only price that freedom asks. When a single person refuses to give or take bribe,
It must be taken as example .These small gestures are the only means by which the poorest of the poor can get rid of the pitiful state they live in and banish the anguish and poignancy that they deal in demanding their basic rights.

Mr. Vijendra Singh Aswal
IIIT Allahabad

“PROMOTING GOOD GOVERNANCE—-POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION OF VIGILANCE” [Winning Essay in Vigilance Awareness week]

admin — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 12:00:34 +0000

The evolution of human history has seen several nations, states coming in the present arena of world. The nations which we see are governed by different forms of government across the world. However the core concept of governance is same for the greater good of human society. The concept of governance defines the process and method of decision taken in the government.
The government can be same and so as its concept of governance. The start of 19th century saw the growth and development of many nations which believed in separate concept of economic growth and social development. But later in 1980’s it was thought that the concept of economic growth and social development should be seen in a holistic approach which started with the concept of good governance. World bank in 1990’s gave the concept of good governance which was based on the various attributes such as,
1) Transparent
2) Performance
3) Consensus
4) Accountable
5) Responsive
6) Effective and efficient
7) Inclusive and equity
The above attributes were seen as main constituent of a government to provide citizens a good governance. In today’s environment we see rampant corruption in every sphere of life. The concept of corruption is sometimes misunderstood as financial corruption but other forms of corruption are also prevalent as nepotism, abuse of power etc.
As transparency, accountability, inclusiveness and equity forms important aspect of good governance which is only possible by removing any type of corruption from every field.
When we talk about India and its ranking in transparency index of 2012 India stands at 94th position out of 174 countries which shows that India is very much in grip of corruption cancer. Since 1950 after adoption of Indian constitution which was based on the basic idea of justice, equity, equality and is best laid through the fundamental rights and directive principles. But to realize these rights we need to treat the cancer of corruption.
The various initiatives taken by the government over the last 60 years have been a positive step towards fighting corruption. The formation of CBI, CVC and RTI etc are some important steps towards achieving accountable governance.
Earlier in 1964 with the recommendation of Santhanam committee the government constituted the office of central vigilance commission to check and take preventive measure in fighting corruption. The CVC along with its investigative wings has worked over the past years to remove and prevent all types of corruption in public and private sector. The new initiatives such as forming fighting corruption strategies and joining other countries to promote corruption free environment across the world should be taken. The governing bodies should take actions against the persons involved in any corruption.
The corruption cancer is very dangerous and is spreading even faster across the globe but if the governing bodies, people across the country and different institutions come together they all can fight with this cancer in efficient and effective manner.

Dr. Shashi Kant Rai
Assistant Professor
MBA-IT & MSCLIS Division
IIIT Allahabad

WHY INDIA IS NOT AN EDUCATION SUPER POWER?

admin — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 11:58:17 +0000

Recently the QS world university rankings were announced. None of our country premier institutes have found a place within 200. The QS world university ranking puts IIT, Delhi, at 222. The Times Higher Education’s (THE) World University Rankings list 2013-14 has placed, IIT, Delhi, along with IIT, Kanpur, IIT, Kharagpur and IIT, Roorkee, in the group of institutions between 351-400.There have been so much hue and cry over these rankings, with even our president and prime minister expressing their deep concerns about bad performances by country premier institutes. Some are even questioning the point of having such rankings and their genuineness. However the matter of debate is not about the validity or genuineness of rankings, it is about the modal of education system we are following. Is education system we are having is world class? Is it serving the purpose of creating a workforce which can adopt itself to the ever-changing technical advancements? These are the some tough questions which need to be answered by the education policy framers of our country. We need to analyze our shortcomings and find a viable solution to them.
Now the question arises why we are underperforming in education sector. A recent study has found that about 70% of technical stream graduates and 85% general stream graduates are either unemployed or under employed. However at the same time a number of jobs in industry, government and other sectors are lying vacant for want of qualified people. What can be more ironical than this, at one side we have unemployed and under employed people and on the other the jobs are lying vacant. We need to find out the reason behind this situation and solve the problem as quickly as possible.
So what are the roadblocks in path of India becoming an education super power? The problem has to analyzed form its roots. Firstly there is dearth of good quality institutions in our country. If we exclude our so called top class institutes IITs, IIMs and AIIMS etc. the other institutes are not simply good enough. There are certain exceptions but these exceptions should not be treated as face of whole country. Till this point the whole talk is around the higher education however amid this talk we should not miss what is going on in primary(school) education sector. This is because school education is the base for higher education. To ensure the economic growth of our country we need a workforce that is minimally primary school and preferably secondary school educated. If we compare our self to China,79% of China’s workforce belong to primary and secondary school educated as compared to only 48% of India, situation is so grim. So if we have 52% workforce which is not even primary and secondary school educated how can we imagine being an education superpower. Government may be patting its back for increasing the literacy rate in recent years but literacy rate figures are only eyewash which do not represent the true picture. If the condition of school education is so worse how can we have a world class higher education. In 2009 the government passed the Right to Education Act, making education free and compulsory up to the age of 14 a legal right. However the implementation of this act has been as worst as it can be imagined. Government decided to provide financial aids to schools to implement this act. Only 80% of the schools take this aid. The remaining 20 % unaided schools serve 73% of children in school and form the backbone of school education in the country. Some unaided schools are good but majority of them lacks even the basic amenities like toilets and drinking water. The situation is worse in rural and remote areas.
Again continuing the discussion about the higher education the situation is not so different than school education. Most of the technical colleges especially those run by private bodies have their sole aim to earn profit. The world quality education does not exist in their dictionary. The apex bodies which are designated to look upon these institutes are themselves involved in corruption. In government institutes the numbers of teaching positions are lying vacant. This is the case even with the most prestigious institutes such as IITs and IIMs. There is lack of people who want to be entrepreneur. The curriculum followed is mostly outdated in most of the institutes. Most of the technical institutes owned by private bodies do not have even laboratories and library.
So what is the solution? Is solution is possible at all. Definitely solution is possible. What we require is to know our mistakes and accept them and act in planned manner to rectify our mistakes. Government need to be a torch bearer in the education reforms. India have successfully implemented the Green Revolution and White Revolution, what we need now is an Education Revolution. In revolution in which everyone has to play a role, the government, the private bodies, academicians and common people. We need to make an extensive use of information technology to bring about this revolution. The government needs to increase its spending on the school education. The existing top institutions need to be incorporate changes to make them world class. The private sector should be encouraged by the government to invest in this sector and provide a quality education.
If we want to see India as a developed country, as a technical super power we need to understand the need of hour and work accordingly.

VIVEK KUMAR SINGH
M.Tech.
IIIT Allahabad

TURNING LIFE INTO FUMES

admin — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 11:56:02 +0000

Tobacco has become a leading cause of destruction and loss to families. Many teenagers and youngsters take it as a mark of status. Although all the tobacco products equally harms the society and the individuals, but smoking is one such activity which is not only destroying the doer but also the near ones. The number of smokers is growing at a faster rate every year. The teens are seen to be irresistible towards it. The educated class is more involved in this. Highly qualified and well educated people if will do such activities, then what else can be expected from the illiterate ones?
It is fine if you do something that harms you; it’s solely depends on your wish. But by this it is not only you who is getting affected. The second hand smoke is affecting the surroundings too. The health effects of smoking are destructive and in most of the cases deadly. From the functioning of internal organs to the efficiency of the body’s immune system, all is affected. The lungs are filled with tar, from which the road is made. The naphthalene has an equal share in the blood of a human.
The harm caused by these all is well known to everybody still it is practiced. Why don’t the government and the companies producing stop this if they know the after effects? They themselves put the warning on the packets. Before every movie in theatres the advertisement is shown, but the people take it also as a part of enjoyment. It is highly ridiculous to see the warning and still people buying it for them. Are the people blind who purchase it? Do they have urge to destroy them and their families? If they have, then better destroy their lives, spare the other innocent ones. Studies predict that the second hand smoke is equally contributing to the patients of lung cancer. And not only lungs, the intake may destroy other parts too.
Everything starts from home. A father has no right to smoke in front of his child and let him intake the contents of a toilet cleaner. A man has no right to do such low class things in front of his wife as a mark of class, and where a wife can’t even utter a word against her man. She has to unwillingly smile in the black world too. The practical and the real world activities are breath taking and worth thinking. A father smokes beside his child all the time and is healthy, but the child gets the chronic disease because his immunity is not that strong. What is the fault of the child here? A man himself drowned in the smoky world and searches for a smokeless groom for his daughter …. Is this correct? This shows the level of cheapness and shamelessness people have. If the son starts smoking, then too they have a problem.
Recently at a road side tea stall it was seen that a father was smoking and was giving the same stick to his young child. The father was happy seeing his child in fumes. This was so shameful. Inspite of so much education, people are not concerned. Why don’t they understand? Well its mere their own level of thinking and understanding.
For all those who smoke, think about this. If so much awareness can’t stop you then go ahead and destroy yourself. But atleast think about the ones behind. Don’t let the family go for a toss. For the rest, take the initiative to stop these activities. Start from your own surroundings; educate people for your own good. Let us save others who don’t even know about it. Let them live with ease. This issue is not considered to be as a social problem but still I found it more important as compared to others. I wrote whatever I felt practically in my own life. The request is simply to stop it now and make the place smoke free.

SANCHI MANCHANDA
MSCLIS
IIIT Allahabad

CHILD EXPLOITATION

admin — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 11:54:53 +0000

A child is a family’s biggest asset. Taking care of this asset and moulding them into a responsible person is the first duty of the family, especially the parents. Exploitation of children in the form of child labor is a common issue but if done by the parents is a threat to the society. Unfortunately the asset is not given the required attention. The social environment has made the children as mere a mark of status for most of the parents. This new age of science and technology has raised the trend of nuclear families where a child has to do everything on his own. The effect of this social problem is not seen at the front end but is definitely breaking the bond between a parent and a child from the very beginning.
Exploitation by others can be once tolerated, but when done by a parent for his own selfish gains is worth thinking. A child living in months is left in crutches by parents because they have no time. Their main goal is to earn money. From the very beginning children do not get the homely touch, so they don’t even get that attachment, not even with the birth givers. The metro cities show this trend where maximum parents follow this because of their needs. It is well and good if they are earning money but then what is the problem when a kid leaves his parent in their old age. Why not a kid is allowed for this? The relation gets better when nurtured from both sides.
Secondly, parents consider their child as a mark of status. This is an eye-seen incident. A young girl was forced to wear a gown by her mother for a party. She has to wear it irrespective of her wish. Some parents are so much involved in show offs, for which their own child has to pay. Parents should not force them to be as they want, support them for what they want. The relationship should be such that the child can share everything at home and is comfortable with his parents. The weakness lies here only, when there is lack of such environment and young ones find the outside world better and gets indulged in other activities.
Also, the metro cities have hype of children having multiple skills. Parents are known by the number of qualities their children have. They literally force the young ones to go for this option just because this will make them superior in front of others. The state of mind of a child deteriorates in this manner exponentially. A child’s own wishes are killed every time. Unfortunately, this is also much prevalent in the society.
Parents earning large sums of money is also creating wall between the two pillars of a family. The high class kids are seen with all modern day gadgets, when they are not even ten. It’s the parents who have given them such freedom, it’s them who have no time to look after them or it’s them who give them everything to do on their own. In 90s a child was first given a bat and a ball to play and the family members used to play together. But what happens now is just reverse. First of all there is no one to play and so better option parents find is to give them a play station so that they are free for their work. The mindset is to provide them with all the luxuries instead of getting involved with them. Providing them all the gadgets, giving them a high class life from the childhood, is taking the teens far away. The social involvement and touch is lost somewhere in midst of dollars. That is why children don’t value the words of their parents once they are grown big. There is no point in complaining when parents themselves have lost that control. It’s useless to blame the kids afterwards.
The comparison with other’s child is the favorite work of every parent. But it really hurts when a parent compares between his own children. It is embarrassing when one sibling is compared with the other one. What is the fault when one is not as smart as the other? What is the problem if one is more comfortable with the outside world and the other one is perfect at home? Why always blaming and forcing one to be like the other one? All can’t be same; rather everyone has his/her special qualities. Need is to identify the hidden skills and nurture them, rather than to modify them according to the wish of parents. A person good at household work is in no way less than a smart modern day girl. The length of cloths should not predict the worth of a person. If a parent is not going to appreciate this, then who else would?
These all the reasons, a child is being suffering from in this new era. And when he is grown big; he has no attachment with his parents. The curtain of smoke between them grows and grows and finally when the parents need them, children are far away. These young ones should be given a better treatment. The way parents will treat them from beginning, the same they will get in return. Love them; care for them; don’t exploit them as they are the future. It’s the relation between a parent and a child that decides the future of the family. It is really miserable to see a child being exploited by his own parents.

SANCHI MANCHANDA
MSCLIS
IIIT Allahabad