The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) or NEET (UG), formerly the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT), is an all India pre-medical entrance test for students who wish to pursue undergraduate medical (MBBS), dental (BDS) and AYUSH (BAMS, BUMS, BHMS, etc.) courses in government and private institutions in India and also, for those intending to pursue primary medical qualification abroad.NEET is regarded as very prestigious. The move by the Union Territory (UT) to pool MBBS and post-graduate seats in the all India quota from the current session is creating much uproar among civil and political circles in Jammu and Kashmir. National Conference (NC) Members of Parliament Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Muhammad Akbar Lone and Hassnain Masoodi have backed the students. “Such a measure will expose J&K students to a greater disadvantage as compared to their counterparts from other States because of being socially and educationally backward,” NC MPs said, in a joint statement. They said the pooling of 15% of the UT’s MBBS seats in the all India quota and 50% seat sharing for PG medical courses after NEET “is of great concern”.On the other hand, The Medical aspirants from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will shortly have the long awaited opportunity in getting quota of MBBS/BDS seats from the All India Pool as the Lieutenant Governor’s Administration in J&K has now opted for the same.While as Apni Party President, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari has cautioned against “any move by the J&K UT government that can prove detrimental to rights of the Jammu and Kashmir medical postgraduate aspirants” who are scheduled to participate first time in the 50 per cent all India quota seats of all states.The ground reality call on all the related stakeholders to tread a path of logic , rationale and wisdom in this regard .The need of the hour is also that in a region like Jammu and Kashmir which has a very tough terrain and many hilly and quite mountainous areas under its belt we increas thus the Doctor Patient ratio to the impressive levels . Currently, the very poor Doctor Patient ratio in Jammu and Kashmir is a cause of concern . We are hopeful that health sector of Jammu and Kashmir becomes a top rated health sector of the country .
Mega Tunnels in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh The mega Tunnels in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh region are a great sign for our progress in right direction. The infrastructure development would be taken to new heights especially the connectivity part bringing geography vise tough terrains closer.
During his visit to review progress of work on Zojila and Z Morh tunnels recently Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari said that extensive road networks in the Himalayan Region will help boost the tourism sector in the area. The minister is on a two day visit to the Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir.
Addressing the media persons the minister gave the detailed information about the two tunnel projects and said that the Central Government has given a new impetus to the construction of new highways, tunnels and bridges which will bring transformative changes in the lives of people and will create huge employment opportunities to the local people.
He said that Zojila tunnel project will provide all weather connectivity to the Union Territory of Ladakh. He assured that work on the Zojila Tunnel is in full capacity and NHIDCL is geared up to continue the work in winter months. He stressed for putting in every effort in place to complete the project well before the scheduled date.
Shri Gadkari expressed his satisfaction on the work progress and said that the Zojila tunnel is of a significant importance to the development and tourism for both UTs of J&K and Ladakh as it will provide round the year connectivity to Ladakh region.
Pertinent to mention that, once completed the Zojila tunnel will be India’s longest road tunnel and Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel. Several bridges are being constructed along this route and a connecting tunnel from Z-Morh in the National Highway-1 to Zojila tunnel will be constructed in the Zojila Ghats between Sonamarg and Kargil. The entire work is divided into two divisions in the 33 km span.
The state of art infrastructure in the region is bound to boom after these tunnels start operating.
Social media and how the jihad conversations go is no more a hogwash now .Many jihad’s have been discussed in this third space like love jihad and sub technical terminology that has erupted off lately like ‘arm chair jihadist’ is it much ado about nothing? Or do we really skip the thin line of reality and imagination in validating the real one ?Of all the above quoted “jihad’s” men (males) have been seen upfront and prominent in doing so (no pun intended) have we ever considered the one that are real and fought in silence ? Consider a person fighting against his own nafs (that prophet of mercy salalahualiwasalam declared the best one ) and more so , consider the women in particular who do it in silence , whilist bidding adieu to her paternal home and embracing the displacements of emotions , displacement of soul , identity ,self per se.nonetheless the second step of this silent jihad is embracing the ‘haplessness’ in the new ‘kinsfolk’ ,this haplessness confounds itself more so when religion takes a backfoot and cultural idiocies thrives at the front .This should not sound as a generalization ar any exageration per se, as the tales are same in every household almost especially in this part of world This haplessness that’s thrusted to you and asked to reconcile yourself with it; can take a toll on mental and overall health of someone who don’t succumb to the stereotypes.this haplessness (as said) is to tell you and teach you that be that as it may ,in the new ‘kinsfolk’ your female leader mother in law has to be a dispenser of nonsense and she has fundamental right on bickering ,but your poor self has to brace up by going in a mute embarassed,for a retailatoin could mean danger (even if you are right in doing so) this haplessness is taught and deliberated upon women as not to retort to the toxophhilus sister in law ,if any come what may,for that could be a blasphemy,and of done so you are again at the receiving end , folks might question that its women who belittle women ,but trust me it’s always more than what meets the eyes The question here also is not whether to embrace or not this deliberate haplessness on you , but question here is not showing resistance n rebellion , but the instances of these acts that could end up in a rift and seperation..as has now become an abnormal trend and reality. When we have kept Islam on backfoot,it cannot be an exaggeration to say most men fail in creating a proper balance ,as has been assigned to them as ‘quwaams’ Let alone taking up the side of the partner which has been inculcated in his as a serious blasphemy again. Since our men are not taught during a Jummah khutbah as to how to treat a women, how not to do lopsidesness, how prophet salalahualiwasalam emphasized on if the women is treated well, whole world will be better .it’s upto you .but to an utter dismay our Jummah khutbah consists of discussion in that no one understands and debates on gas cylinder prices and other petty things , no one understands a language that is alien to him, that is truth, can’t they teach in comman parlance and teach what is truth ?Next onus is squarely on these moulanas /muftis who read nikah to the couples at the first place , knowing the other limitations they could have sought different possibilities for the sake of Allah and contributed in making world better Least they do is to take contact information of groom and ask him to visit him personally for the married life guidance and how to tackle things there of ,do counseling sessions nd if they could ever charge for it a little amount it was not at all bad ,bit to an utter disgust these muftis /moulanas are in haste as to feed their bellies on these ceremonies,rather than do the opposite .Some women do it and can do it to a large extent at their home themselves who are well in deen , alhumdulliah, or have other possible compatibility and cordialities ..but think of those who have no voice, till a collective conscience of these people and particularly of these moulanas/muftis awaken .women would continue to do an unsung silent jihad , a jihad of deliberated haplessness thrusted upon her as to fit in and not to be a consequence in a collatral damage too, their antidote will be hereafter and when they will hold these muftis (our enlightened scholars ) by collar on the day of recompense as not all can be well acquainted in every possible manner as people have to be , specialisation differ and what worth is degrees if not spent in a cause that is upright and just . Zainab maqbool .Email maqzainab418@gmail.com.Zainab teaches English language and literature at department of higher education.
Syed Mustafa Ahmad My love, I am writing to you after a long time. I hope are hale and hearty. This letter to you is to tell you that I can no longer love you. It doesn’t mean that there is lack in intensity of my love. Actually, I am not in a position to carry our relationship forward from my side. I love you like in the past. But now, I have some problems that don’t allow me to love you more. As this is the situation, you must wonder what has happened to me that I will no longer you formally. So, I don’t want to keep you in dark. You have the liberty to choose the partner of your choice. But still I am happy that you loved me so much. You healed me when it was impossible to heal. You acted like a breeze in desert. This is past and past hurts. I don’t want to waste your time. So, without beating around the bush, let me spill the beans. The first is that I have no money. In today’s world, money is everything. So, without money, you cannot live. I can do anything for my survival, but for your happiness, it needs money. You like expensive dresses that I cannot buying. You change cell phones now and then. I can’t carry with it. You like picnics, but I have no money to offer to you. The second is that I have no personality. I am a skeleton-like. From the childhood to the present, I have been working hard. So, it means that you can no longer bear with me. As it is a fact that you were ashamed if I walked with you, I can no longer make you feel humiliated. So, for your respect, I want to end my relationship. The third is unemployment. You were happy that I might get a job till 2019. But after that when the chances of getting a job has become meagre, I thought it is better to stop and ponder over the truth. And the truth is that it is quite difficult to get a job in the present circumstances. So, I am going to end it. What is the need of loving a person who is not able to fill his stomach? You will curse your fate, if you live with me. So, I, for the sake of you, have decided to stop this journey and let you free, though you were free from the beginning. It was me who cannot think of life without you. The fourth are your relatives. My relatives are lower than your standard. We live to eat. But you eat to live. We find it difficult to get a morsel of food while you can dream of anything. In this way, I fear that you will be humiliated, God forbid, when you would come across my relatives. So for the sake of your status, I end this relationship. For me, it is like eating a mound of poison. I am a prisoner while you are a jailer you jail people while we become prisoners. The fifth and last is our mud house. How can you sweep dust everyday? Your bangles strike with each other to produce melodious tones in my inner graveyard. Your anklets are like a queen sleeping on lush green grass. In my home, you will feel choked. We have only one fan. Windows are less. Your adolescence increases your body temperature and I cannot afford to bring breezes for you. Breezes cost money while I have no money. We have wooden stair at my home. It has no furnishing at all. Nails are everywhere. You will get hurt and my world be devastated by storms. So, I keep you safe. You will become the queen of some prince. He will take you to Paradise. The fire of Hell will never come close to you in his presence. He will make you sleep in his fragrant arms. You will sleep peacefully on a decorated bed. While in my home, you have to sleep on the floor, where the traditional Kashmiri rug that will leave scars on your delicate skin. With tears in my eyes, I am ending this letter. Like Masroor Sahb, I want this letter to keep on going. I know how hard it is to live without you. I know I will never sleep again. Your message used to make me sleep. But your messaged would be missed. I will be lost in the crowd. Who will find me? No, I will find myself. For your happiness, let me kill me again. I am already killed and another death won’t hurt much. I will bear. I will miss you. Why God has created poverty? I think he created poverty to test the love of the poor with the rich. For the poor, love is forbidden. After loving you, I will never love. Love is forbidden, after loving you. Love is forbidden. Long live your love! Your love, Mustafa
KEEP A HEALTHY HEART BEATDr Suhaib Ashraf Bhat A heart attack occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is blocked. The blockage is most often a build up of fat, cholesterol and other substances, which form a plaque in the arteries that feed the heart (coronary arteries). Common heart attack signs and symptoms include: Pressure, tightness, pain, or a squeezing or aching sensation in your chest or arms that may spread to your neck, jaw or backNausea, indigestion, heartburn or abdominal painShortness of breathCold sweatFatigueLight headedness or sudden dizziness. Not all people who have heart attacks have the same symptoms or have the same severity of symptoms. Some people have mild pain; others have more severe pain. Some people have no symptoms. For others, the first sign may be sudden cardiac arrest. However, the more signs and symptoms you have, the greater the chance you’re having a heart attack. Some heart attacks strike suddenly, but many people have warning signs and symptoms hours, days or weeks in advance. The earliest warning might be recurrent chest pain or pressure (angina) that’s triggered by activity and relieved by rest. Angina is caused by a temporary decrease in blood flow to the heart. Although the risk of heart attack (myocardial infarction, or MI) in young people is relatively low, between 4% and 10% of heart attacks occur in those under 45. For some, the same lifestyle factors known to contribute to MI in people of all ages, such as diabetes, obesity, smoking, and being sedentary, often are at least partially involved. At the same time, there are a handful of lesser-known risk factors for MI that are associated with heart attacks experienced by young people. If you’re “too young” to have a heart attack, the chances you’ll have one are extremely low. Even so, it can’t hurt to know about the few risk factors that apply to younger people, as well as any measures that can be taken to help prevent an MI. The overall risk factors for a heart attack are well known, but bear repeating, given that some that once applied mostly to older people are increasingly applicable to the young. In particular, type 2 diabetes—which often results from poor diet, inactivity, and being overweight or obese and hypertension (high blood pressure) are increasingly associated with early heart attack risk. In a 2018 review of more than 28,000 people hospitalized for a heart attack between 1995 to 2014, 30% were between 35 to 54 (considered young for the purpose of the study). What’s more, the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes has increased in this younger group. These conditions were observed more often in women than in men.3 If you’re worried about exercising too much, that’s a concern you can generally rule out. There have been a few reports that extreme endurance exercise may lead to the development of scar tissue in the heart, even in young people. However, doctors don’t know yet exactly what the scarring (fibrosis) means, and there is currently no significant data to suggest it can cause a cardiac event. Furthermore, heart attacks are not a common cause of sudden cardiac death in young people. Overall, there are many more studies that show exercise prolongs life and reduces the risk of cardiac issues.
A heart attack, also called a myocardial infarction, can be fatal, but treatment has improved dramatically over the years.The heart senses emotional information five to seven seconds before it happens, while the brain senses it three to five seconds beforehand. So not only are emotions important contributors to our output of thoughts, but they may be one of the best ways to influence and create a change in what and how we think. In 1974, the French researchers Gahery and Vigier, stimulated the vagus nerve (which carries signals from heart to the brain) in cats and found that the heart and nervous system were not simply following the brain’s directions. In 1983, the heart was reclassified as an endocrine gland when a new hormone called atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), which affects blood vessels, kidneys, adrenal glands and regulatory regions in the brain, was found to be being produced by the heart. Dr. J. Andrew Armour discovered the heart also contains a cell type known as intrinsic cardiac adrenergic (ICA), which synthesizes and releases neurotransmitters once thought to be produced only by neurons in the brain and nerve ganglia. The heart starts beating in an unborn fetus before the brain has been formed, a process scientist’s call “autorhythmic.” Dr. Armour introduced the concept of a functional “heart brain” in 1991. Considered an independent entity, the heart’s brain is composed of an elaborate network of neurons, support cells and neurotransmitters which enables it to process information, learn, remember and produce feelings of the heart and then transmit this information from one cell to another. “We observed the heart was acting as though it had a mind of its own and was profoundly affecting perception, intelligence and awareness,” explained McCraty. According to Goleman, it’s a person’s EQ (Emotional Quotient) that enables them to succeed in life as much or more than their IQ (Intelligence Quotient). During the ‘60s and ’70s pioneer physiologists John and Beatrice Lacey conducted research that showed that the heart actually communicates with the brain in ways that greatly affect how we perceive and react to the world around us. Neurologist Antonio Damasio stresses the rationality of emotion in his book Descartes’ Error, where he emphasizes the importance of emotions in decision-making. He points out that patients with brain damage in the areas of the brain that integrate the emotional and cognitive systems can no longer effectively function in the day-to-day world, even though their mental abilities are perfectly normal.So have they not travelled through the earth and have hearts by which to reason and ears by which to hear? For indeed, it is not eyes that are blinded but blinded are the hearts which are within the breasts. [Quran, 22:46] Hearts are the main source of reasoning. Here, rationality has been associated with it, since no organ works if the heart doesn’t. So you see those in whose hearts is disease hastening into [association with] them, saying . . . [Quran, 5:52] Almost everywhere, feelings precede thinking. What you feel is what you say usually. It all starts from the root, out until the fruit. Is it really think before you speak, or rather feel before you do? The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children. But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart. [Quran,26:88-89] You have a damaged heart and it makes a lot of difference. So don’t take this half-heartedly! Then do they not reflect upon the Quran, or are there locks upon [their] hearts? [Quran,47:24] This implies that one can’t reflect if one’s heart is locked. Perhaps we should try to think with an open heart instead of an open mind, because if the heart is open eventually the mind will open, too, because thinking sprouts from the heart. And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favour of Allah upon you – when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favour, brothers. [Quran, 3:103] Great minds think alike? How about this: Great hearts bond alike. The prevention of heart disease in young people means taking the same measures recommended for older adults: following a healthy diet, getting regular exercise and routine medical check-ups, achieving weight control, and smoking cessation. However, there is growing concern that the message isn’t reaching younger age groups. Heart abnormalities are a risk factor for sudden cardiac death and heart attack in young people. Two such conditions are: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an inherited condition characterized by enlargement of heart muscle cells that causes the walls of the ventricles to thicken. It is currently believed to be the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes, though other conditions can also cause a heart attack in this population. Kawasaki disease, a rare childhood disorder, causes acute inflammation of blood vessels. When coronary arteries are affected, the heart may be deprived of oxygen-rich blood, leading to tachycardia (an abnormally rapid heart rate), cardiac inflammation, and heart failure. May Allah give shifa to all those suffering from heart diseases.
Delbar Arya ; Celebrity With Remarkable Diversity Delbar Arya was born and brought up in Cologne/Germany and started her journey in performing arts, such as dance and acting from early childhood. The father of Delbar Arya, Shahab Asgari, a renowned actor, dubbing artist, singer, musician, lyricist and poet from Iran naturally catalyzed her passion so she began to voice her creativity from a young age. Although she completed her dual B.A. degree in economics while working for Hugo Boss at an equivalent time she decided to dedicate her life to performing arts, mainly acting. India has always been a dream for her for which she gave up everything to live and work here. Besides setting sucessful steps into the world of Bollywood, she has made herself a name in Punjabi Cinema in a short span. PR is her debut Punjabi opposite the megastar Harbhajan Man and directed by the legendary Manji. Furthermore Delbar Arya is known for her film Tu Hovein Main Hovan and Guru Randhawa’s superhit song Downtown (2018).Delbar Arya is currently the leading actress in an eminent web series to be shot in Kashmir. Theatre is the basic foundation of cinema and Delbar Arya has aptly shone here which shows her exemplary diversity and passion for acting. From a young age she worked professionally on projects and plays with well-known theatres in Cologne. A few of her most successful roles were as Lady McBeth in Shakespeare’s McBeth, Petra in Roselt’s Trüffel, Kate in Pinter’s Old Times, and many more. From childhood she has also been trained in classical South Indian temple dance Bharatnatyam and Ballet. Being a brilliant dancer led her to remarkable performances on international stages.Now she also professionally dances Flamenco. As if all this valuable knowledge of hers is not enough, she can speak multiple languages such as German, English, Farsi, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu. Being on stage and facing the camera have naturally become a part of her life due to various performances and shows based on dance and theatre nationally and internationally from early childhood. The diversity of talents makes Delbar Arya the remarkable celebrity of our day and age. She is certainly a celebrity with wide range of attributes.
Maleeha Khurshid The pandemic of Coronavirus has in all terms ravaged entire humanity with millions dying and crores being infected by this deadly virus .Health Sector has undoubtedly assumed the number one priority in these circumstances for entire world .Medical University that could organise all our health care professionals and institutions is the need of hour for Kashmir .We need to remember that the Medical University or Medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians and surgeons. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, MBChB, MBBCh, BMBS), Master of Medicine (MM, MMed), Doctor of Medicine (M.D), or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O). Many medical universities offer additional degrees, such as a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D), master’s degree (M.Sc,) or other post-secondary education. Medical universities can also carry out medical research and operate teaching hospitals. Around the world, criteria, structure, teaching methodology, and nature of medical programs offered at medical universities vary considerably.Different organisations who espouse better health care for Kashmir have started to raise their voices for establishing a fully operational medical University in Kashmir .Expert voices urge that now is a time that medical university to be set-up to bring all medical colleges, para-medical and nursing colleges and other related institutions under one umbrella. The other side of the spectrum shows that medical university has been a long-pending demand of the medical faculty in Kashmir and in its absence, the medical students and professionals had to “undergo hardships.” Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) also recently sought setting up of a medical university in Kashmir. “The medical university would strengthen and expand the health sector and transform the health care scenario in the region,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a statement here at Srinagar. With expanding medical, nursing and other allied health sciences, medical university is the need of the hour,” he said adding the DAK President said medical varsity would integrate the health care system and provide effective and efficient patient care. One hopes Medical University in Kashmir would be a reality soon. The writer can be reached at shahmaliha7@gmail.com
Niharica Raizada – celebrity that epitomizes intellectual sheen News Kashmir Entertainment Bureau
Few personalities have Intellectual Charisma and sheen of polished knowledge and combination of celebrity Stardom Niharica Raizada epitomizes that fact .
Wonderful Celebrity , Dynamic Doctor , Serious thinker , Awesome human are her amazing traits . As Niharica Raizada has herself stated that Being an actor is her personal choice as she wanted to be a performer since childhood, something which her parents and peers never really approved of. She wanted to be an actor for herself; being on stage is her first love. At the same time, being a cardiology scientist is something she is very good at. Because she has immense amount of academic knowledge, there have been times she has told herself to focus on her medical profession and stop being a performer. As, she feels that she has a certain duty to undertake. The duty to take care of the peoples health, hence she has always tried to focus on that career as well. Niharica Raizada is a wonderful human being, thinker the quality which very few celebrities possess. Her down to earth attitude makes her the celebrity of masses.Rare humans coin their name both in research, medicine and entertainment Niharica Raizada is that rarity .She is the first ever Indian-Luxembourgish who has been crowned Miss India in the United Kingdom and first runner-up Miss India Worldwide. She is very attached to her two origins. Luxembourg gave her language skills. She can speak six languages fluently — German, French, Spanish, Luxembourgish, English and Hindi. India completely changed her perspective. She has stated that before visiting India she was constantly buzzing with energy, pure dynamite. India calmed her down . Niharica Raizada carries a very rich legacy. She is the grand-daughter of the late legendary composer OP Nayyar. She has aptly shined and shown her acting poweress in movies like Masaan, Total Dhamaal and Sooryavanshi. Her diversity in the acting world is brilliantly characteristic. Niharica Raizada had also famously remarked that she hopes for freedom from fear and societal norms that restrict her thoughts. Niharica is also known for writing things philosophically. She recently wrote on Facebook : ” You’ve got 20 % of the world in your eyes. She is a woman of global repute not confined to a few geographical borders . She was ranked 45 in the list of Times 50 Most Desirable Women of 2013, and rose to 44 in 2015. In a Nutshell, Niharica Raizada is a celebrity with lot of intellectual and civilizational depth.
HAS EDUCATION LOST ITS RELEVANCE? Syed Mustafa Ahmad It is a universal fact that the main aim of education is enlightenment. Enlightenment means the clouds of ignorance must go away. Ignorance in the sense of superstitions, gender bias, immorality, communalism, unfair means, etc. If these things still persist in the presence of education, then there is something terribly wrong with the education system. It is not the malaise of some days, but the handiwork of many factors that have been constantly going for many years. The criteria to know about the compatibility of education in the society is to see etiquettes or manners. In another sense, if there are mannered people, then this society is learned, if not then we can easily say that this society has to overhaul their every domain of life in order to grow. When this is the case, how can a society afford to ignore education? In Kashmir, the relevance of education had been lost long ago. Corruption, proxy candidates, question paper leakages, faulty recruitment, etc., have made our educational system a commodity to be bargained. After getting into the educational sector through illegal ways, how these people can do anything for society. When their motives are to earn back the money, which they have spent in getting jobs, we cannot expect from them to do anything positive. This situation has many causes. Let us try to know some of them. The first is materialism. When the main motive of life is to earn money, education itself follows the path of money. Every moral or immoral class runs around money and nothing else. In this way, education loses its main value and the society doesn’t produce enlightenment personalities that are assets for a nation. The second is faulty syllabi. With changing times, everything must undergo a reasonable change. However, in case of education, the change is quite slow. In the 21st Century, when AI and Machine Learning are occupying our minds, we cannot go on admonishing machines nor we can go on following them blindly. A man is planning to colonize the Mars, the Venus, etc., in order to live a happy life, but in some parts of the world, students are taught to learn about the things that have no relevance in the present. In this way, students get fed up and they think that it is futile to learn and consume our marvellous brains in such things that are of no use, but money and fake fame. The third is religion. Religiosity in the garb of religions, has made lives hellish. Religions are for the sake of comfort, but due to orthodoxy and superstitions, they have hijacked the whole society. Students are taught that science is atheism. It makes a person atheist. It is better to prepare ourselves for the Hereafter. In this situation, students fall prey to them. They abhor scientific things like medicine, smartphones, electricity, televisions, etc. And the result is that science and technology and other disciplines, that have come to our rescue, become the soft targets. The fourth and last is our attitude. We never ponder over things and become fascinated by some charming words or slogans. If we had pondered over everything, we would not have reached the present situation. We work in haste and regret at the end of the day. So, the need of the hour is to make education relevant. Without education, it is quite unthinkable to grow and develop. We have live examples of America, USA, Britain, Singapore, etc., that are doing quite well in this regard. They have made it possible not to let education become the soft target of any kind of disturbance. They have set a goal before them and are living for that goal. Their mornings and evenings revolve around that goal. Last but not the least, they are corruption free. They don’t allow corruption to seep into their countries and decompose the tall pillars of society. They are strongly opposite to it. So, it is an opportunity for us to show our mettle in the competitive world.
NEW NORMAL SHOULD BE A BETTER ONE. Dr Suhaib Ashraf Bhat The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide and presents an unprecedented challenge to public health, food systems and the world of work. The economic and social disruption caused by the pandemic is devastating: tens of millions of people are at risk of falling into extreme poverty, while the number of undernourished people, currently estimated at nearly 690 million, could increase by up to 132 million. Millions of enterprises face an existential threat. Nearly half of the world’s 3.3 billion global workforce are at risk of losing their livelihoods. Informal economy workers are particularly vulnerable because the majority lack social protection and access to quality health care and have lost access to productive assets. The pandemic has been affecting the entire food system and has laid bare its fragility. Border closures, trade restrictions and confinement measures have been preventing farmers from accessing markets, including for buying inputs and selling their produce, and agricultural workers from harvesting crops, thus disrupting domestic and international food supply chains and reducing access to healthy, safe and diverse diets. The pandemic has decimated jobs and placed millions of livelihoods at risk. As breadwinners lose jobs, fall ill and die, the food security and nutrition of millions of women and men are under threat, with those in low-income countries, particularly the most marginalized populations, which include small-scale farmers and indigenous peoples, being hardest hit.Millions of agricultural workers – waged and self-employed – while feeding the world, regularly face high levels of working poverty, malnutrition and poor health, and suffer from a lack of safety and labour protection as well as other types of abuse. With low and irregular incomes and a lack of social support, many of them are spurred to continue working, often in unsafe conditions, thus exposing themselves and their families to additional risks. Further, when experiencing income losses, they may resort to negative coping strategies, such as distress sale of assets, predatory loans or child labour. Migrant agricultural workers are particularly vulnerable, because they face risks in their transport, working and living conditions and struggle to access support measures put in place by governments. Guaranteeing the safety and health of all agri-food workers – from primary producers to those involved in food processing, transport and retail, including street food vendors – as well as better incomes and protection, will be critical to saving lives and protecting public health, people’s livelihoods and food security. Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order often initiated by the debtor.Bankrupt is not the only legal status that an insolvent person may have, and the term bankruptcy is therefore not a synonym for insolvency. Many governments have called on youth to embrace the effort to protect themselves and the overall population. Youth are also in a position to help those who are most vulnerable, and to aid in increasing public health social awareness campaigns among their communities. Thus, youth are critical to limiting the virus’s spread and its impact on public health, society, and the economy at large.In terms of employment, youth are disproportionately unemployed, and those who are employed often work in the informal economy or gig economy, on precarious contracts or in the service sectors of the economy, that are likely to be severely affected by COVID-19.More than one billion youth are now no longer physically in school after the closure of schools and universities across many jurisdictions. The disruption in education and learning could have medium and long-term consequences on the quality of education, though the efforts made by teachers, school administrations, local and national governments to cope with the unprecedented circumstances to the best of their ability should be recognized.Many vulnerable youth such as migrants or homeless youth are in precarious situations. They are the ones who can easily be overlooked if governments do not pay specific attention, as they tend to be already in a situation without even their minimum requirements being met on health, education, employment and well-being.If you’re considering bankruptcy, here is how the process works: If your debts have become unmanageable or you’re facing foreclosure on your home, you might be thinking about declaring bankruptcy. While bankruptcy may be the only way out for some people, it also has serious consequences that are worth considering before you make any decisions. For example, bankruptcy will remain on your credit report for either seven or 10 years, depending on the type of bankruptcy that can make it difficult to obtain a credit card, car loan, or mortgage in the future. It could also mean higher insurance rates and even affect your ability to get a job or rent an apartment.Bankruptcy can do severe damage to your credit score and should be considered as a last resort.As an alternative, you may be able to negotiate with your creditors and work out a payment plan or other satisfactory arrangement.If you decide to file for bankruptcy, you have two basic options: Chapter 7 and Chapter 13.A Chapter 7 bankruptcy will sell off many of your assets to pay your creditors. In a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you keep the assets but must repay your debts over a specified period. Bankruptcy is generally considered a last resort for people who are deep in debt and see no way to pay their bills. Before filing for bankruptcy, there are alternatives that are worth exploring. They are less costly than bankruptcy and likely to do less damage to your credit record. For example, find out if your creditors are willing to negotiate. Rather than wait for a bankruptcy settlement—and risk getting nothing at all—some creditors will agree to accept reduced payments over a longer period of time. In the case of a home mortgage, call your loan servicers to see what options may be available to you. Some lenders offer forbearance (postponing payments for a period of time), repayment plans (such as smaller payments stretched over a longer period), or loan modification programs (which might, for example, lower your interest rate for the remainder of the loan).
In the COVID-19 crisis food security, public health, and employment and labour issues, in particular workers’ health and safety, converge. Adhering to workplace safety and health practices and ensuring access to decent work and the protection of labour rights in all industries will be crucial in addressing the human dimension of the crisis. Immediate and purposeful action to save lives and livelihoods should include extending social protection towards universal health coverage and income support for those most affected. These include workers in the informal economy and in poorly protected and low-paid jobs, including youth, older workers, and migrants. Particular attention must be paid to the situation of women, who are over-represented in low-paid jobs and care roles. Different forms of support are key, including cash transfers, child allowances and healthy school meals, shelter and food relief initiatives, support for employment retention and recovery, and financial relief for businesses, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. In designing and implementing such measures it is essential that governments work closely with employers and workers.Countries dealing with existing humanitarian crises or emergencies are particularly exposed to the effects of COVID-19. Responding swiftly to the pandemic, while ensuring that humanitarian and recovery assistance reaches those most in need, is critical.Now is the time for global solidarity and support, especially with the most vulnerable in our societies, particularly in the emerging and developing world. Only together can we overcome the intertwined health and social and economic impacts of the pandemic and prevent its escalation into a protracted humanitarian and food security catastrophe, with the potential loss of already achieved development gains.We must recognize this opportunity to build back better, as noted in the policy brief issued by the United Nations Secretary-General. We are committed to pooling our expertise and experience to support countries in their crisis response measures and efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. We need to develop long-term sustainable strategies to address the challenges facing the health and agri-food sectors. Priority should be given to addressing underlying food security and malnutrition challenges, tackling rural poverty, in particular through more and better jobs in the rural economy, extending social protection to all, facilitating safe migration pathways and promoting the formalization of the informal economy. We must rethink and tackle this situation with ambition and urgency. Only then can we protect the health, livelihoods, food security and nutrition of all people, and ensure that our ‘new normal’ is a better one.
