Parents, are you listening?

A recent news item in Indian Express shook me and made me write this post. Any person in flesh and blood would find this news item horrifying.

It is about a 9th standard student attacking an 8th standard school mate with an air pistol in a Delhi school. My first reaction was - has the gun culture, which we have heard so far only in Western countries seeped into our schools too?

The callousness of parents is responsible for this. A case has been registered under the Juvenile Act. Now what would happen, the child gets a label for life and he would be ridden with guilt.

But has he understood the full repercussions of this? I doubt, as he is still a kid. Getting exposed to so much violence at young age through various electronic mediums has removed the sensitivity from the younger generation.

I am not going to delve into this particular case as such. I am speaking again about the importance of instilling Moral values which I had written in my earlier post. When a child has an access to a weapon, who is to be blamed?

Is it not the parents? When such 'TOYS' are in the house, is it not the parents’ duty to keep it out of reach or to be with the children when such things are used. We blame so many things on the exposure children get through television and cinema. Is it not the parents’ duty to instill values in children about peace and not to bully or harm others?

Mental maturity in children comes through the exposure the child gets from his environment, be it his house, people related to him, his peers or his school. This in turn influences him/her a lot and helps in moulding the individual.

Like Intelligent quotient, Emotional quotient tells how a person is able to handle various situations. Most of the children these days are highly emotional and they get frustrated and vent their anger easily on others. There is only one remedy for this. Spend quality time with children. Costly gifts are not substitute for this.


No child can be labelled as bad. It is the environment that maketh a man. We need to school the mind of the child, guide him well so that they learn to respect others' sentiment, prevent themselves from hurting others and ruining their own lives.

In the above case reported in IE it is a great relief that the victim escaped with minor injuries, but if some thing untoward had happened, imagine the havoc it would have caused to both the families.

Parents, are you listening? Love, Love and love your children because only you can do it but don't be so blind that they get spoilt and become a problem for themselves and to the society.

Energy drinks lead to diabetes?

Students appearing for exams should have one more thing to worry about other than their studies if they resort to energy drinks for late night revisions. Concentrated carbohydrate ­beverages popularly referred to as “Energy Drinks” have been found to be contributing to the high rate of diabetes. Reason? Because they have high calories that increase one's risk of becoming a diabetic. 

Energy drinks can be carbonated or noncarbonated, and contain caloric sweeteners such as sucrose or high fructose corn syrup. Earlier consumption of soft drinks has been linked with obesity and now these so called energy boosting sugary drinks pose a threat of diabetes too. According to a recent study, individuals in the highest quartile of intake who typically consume 1-2 servings of such sugar-sweetened beverages per day had a 26% higher risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes than those in the lowest quartile who consumed less than 1 serving per month.

Dr. Rajeev Chawla, Senior Diabetologist, North Delhi Diabetes Center says, “Often students whose exams are round the corner resort to carbohydrate rich energy drinks so that they can study more than 15-18 hours without a dip in their concentration. Also Sports people engaged in high levels of physical activity tend to consume high amounts of flavored or sports drinks in order to refill their energy quotient. They may or may not follow a healthy diet. If they don’t follow, and thus take low intake of fruits and vegetables which are natural source of strength for our body, they are bound to depend more on these drinks. Thus, eventually they become addict of the chemicals in these drinks which pump them up.”

Energy or Sports drinks have been successfully marketed as beverages consistent with a healthy lifestyle, which has set them apart from sodas. However, they have minimal fruit juice and contain unnecessary calories. They contain certain ingredients that are not present in other types of soft drinks like vitamins, amino acids, special chemicals, and minerals and they give consumers an impression that these products are healthy. However truth is not what is projected.

“High levels of consumption of these beverages have the potential to increase weight gain. Drinking just one can of soda or other sugary beverages a day could lead to more than a 10-pound weight gain in a year which eventually can lead to obesity or diabetes. Besides increasing their risk of type-2 diabetes, people who drink one sugary beverage a day increase their risk of developing metabolic syndrome by 20 percent.” says Dr. Chawla. Metabolic syndrome is the name given to a collection of risk factors that indicate a progression not only towards type-2 diabetes, but also towards heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and liver disease.

In contrast to the perceptions parents carry, youngsters should have no more than one glass of fruit juice, even 100 percent fruit juice, a day, because of the high calories.

It is now a mind game-Preparing for IAS

The introduction of General Studies Paper II, or the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), in the preliminary examination is a game changer in the way one is expected to prepare for the Civil Services Examination conduced by the Union Public Service Commission.

Prior to this, the pattern of, and the preparation for, the preliminary examination was a reasonably straightforward proposition.

The basic logic for clearing it was be very good with your optional subject (300 marks) and reasonably good in general studies (150 marks).

Then any serious aspirant will have a definite advantage over the relatively underprepared aspirant.

However, with the introduction of a separate paper on aptitude, the focus of preparation needs to undergo a significant change.

Two sections

The examination now consists of two sections: general studies Paper 1 of 200 marks, which is the conventional paper with a mix of subjects and issues; and Paper 2 of 200 marks, also known as the CSAT, mainly consisting of aptitude tests under the following seven sections (question categories):

Comprehension

Interpersonal skills including communication skills

Logical reasoning and analytical ability

Decision making and problem solving

General mental ability

Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, and so on) and data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, and so on), both class 10 level.

English language comprehension skills (class 10 level).

Basic difference

However, before you embark on your preparation process for the various areas of Paper II, you need to understand the fundamental difference between preparing for an aptitude test (like the paper II) and preparing for a conventional knowledge-based examination (like paper I and a host of university examinations you may have taken).

In the conventional examination, you do not have to do much mental processing whether you have the knowledge of the question being asked or you do not. You just have to “take out” the answer from your mind by accessing it.

Focus

Hence, preparation processes for knowledge-based examinations require you to focus on acquiring knowledge (perhaps by rote learning) and creating opinions and “information stores” about anything and everything under the sun.

However, solving a question in an aptitude examination is drastically different: The key issues in solving a question on aptitude are the abilities to:

React correctly to the information provided (be it in a question on numeracy, comprehension, data interpretation or reasoning).

Know the correct steps to follow or correct thinking to follow in order to arrive at an answer to the question asked.

Execute those steps correctly.

Best processes

So what are the point one is trying to make here? Focus on developing the best processes for each and every question type.

To put it in short, the process of preparation for an aptitude examination consists of improving your mind's ability to react to the kinds of situations thrown at you by various question types; improving your mind's ability to design a series of steps to get to the actual answer; and have the belief to execute those steps under immense pressure situations, which you are likely to encounter in an examination.

Obviously then, good quality preparation for the CSAT starts and ends with identifying the various question types that are asked under each of the areas of the examination's portion and understanding the most efficient thinking and the best processes for solving the same.

Develop beliefs

Do not just develop your abilities to solve a particular question type — also develop your beliefs about your abilities to solve the question type.

An aptitude examimation such as the CSAT is not just a test of your skills — more importantly, it is a test of your beliefs.

Vast gap

There is a vast gap between knowing how to do something and knowing that you know how to do something.

In aptitude tests, your belief about your ability to solve a question is the most critical thing that will help you face the examination.

Unfortunately, very few aspirants focus on this all important issue while preparing for their examinations.

Hence, focusing on belief strengthening — with every question category in every area that you can identify — can actually take you a long way in crossing the selection barrier.

Remember: the target belief has to be “Give me five more questions on this topic; I will be able to solve them in less than the allotted time.”

The above statement applies to the questions pertaining to the topics of Paper II: basic numeracy, comprehension, logical and analytical reasoning, interpersonal and communication skills, decision-making, general mental ability, and English language.

Don't lose your cool

Stress raises adrenaline levels which boost cytokine levels which, in turn, inflame blood vessels. This makes it easy for cholesterol to clog arteries. You fall ill; gain weight; get depressed. You are perennially stressed. And the circle is complete.

But there are ways to break that cycle. Read, absorb, and imbibe some of these pointers.

Don't sweat over the small stuff; manage it. When you feel overwhelmed, use all that negative energy in a positive way. Sit down and make lists and accomplish tasks, moving from small ones to large ones. Tie up the loose ends, rather than have them pile up to become one monster mountain.

Learn to recognise what triggers your stress attacks and then, effectively counter the provocateurs. Learn to let go of stuff you cannot control, manage or change. Control, manage and change what you can.

Learn to accept stress as something inevitable but something that you can cope easily with. It's about a Zen frame of mind. Acquire a certain amount of inner calm and that becomes a potent weapon with which to defeat stress.

If aromatherapy oils or fragrance candles work for you, use them freely. Cinnamon, clove, basil, eucalyptus and rose help relax both the body and the mind.

Fifteen minutes of meditation in a quiet environment can help control stress levels. If you aren't into meditation, settle down and unspool a montage of healing, peaceful thoughts in your mind.

Like all other tenets of healthy living, combating stress requires healthy eating. Don't binge on fatty/fried/sweet foods. But don't stress over the occasional binge, either. Indulge in some of your favourite foods, the feel-good feeling you get is all for the good. Eat dessert. Eat mint, smell cinnamon.

When you feel your stress level peaking, drop what you are doing and go for a walk. Walking is a major stress buster. Go for a long ramble or a short, brisk stroll, whatever works best for you.

Exercise regularly, even 10 minutes a day will help. The rush you get from a workout helps deal with most everyday stress.

Find out the time your body is most alert and work to the maximum then. If you regularly fall victim to the afternoon slump, if you are an owl who doesn't function too well till late in the morning, don't fight your timeline, just go with it.

Never underestimate the powers of a sympathetic ear. Alongside a sympathetic pet, a sympathetic friend is an invaluable stress buster. Surround yourself with friends… the noise, laughter and talk serve as stress-repellers.

Give yourself some me-time. Dress up. Go for a facial. Look good = feel good.

Take it easy. That really has been, is, and will be the best policy.

If you must lose your cool, time yourself and call a halt after a while. Letting off steam, in small doses, is good. Don't go on and on, though…that is upping your stress level.

Make a list of pros and cons after every adversity you face. Read the list, absorb and learn. Know what to do the next time. After which, destroy that piece of paper. You are done with it.

When your boss points out things you did wrong, agree with calm sincerity. The first few times you will be faking it, the acceptance and the calm demeanour. After a while, you really will take criticism the best way.

Turn off the cell phone. Take time off from the computer. Switch off the TV and read a book instead.

Indulge yourself. Play a slow song. Sleep more/less.

Stop worrying. Stop doing stuff you don't need to do. The world will not stop or fall to pieces if you shrug.

Do one thing at a time… with your full focus on it. The rush from a job well done can never be underestimated.

‘Drink enough water to prevent kidney stones'

The capital and other Telangana districts including Karimnagar, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Medak and Ranga Reddy districts have high incidence of kidney stone cases compared to other parts. In fact, among doctors, the region has earned the sobriquet ‘stone belt' due to high incidence of kidney stone cases.

Physicians argue that this unique pattern is due to the typical tropical climatic conditions prevalent in the region. And despite high incidence, awareness levels on treatment and preventive steps are less among public. “Public have to take simple measures to easily manage and avoid such a condition. Spreading awareness is important,” feels associate professor, Nephrology Department, NIMS, Dr. R. Ram.

Kidney stones are formed when urine contains too much of substances like calcium and oxalates. These substances combine to form crystals in kidneys. The small crystals, over a period of time, will form kidney stones, leading to complications like blocking the flow of urine from kidneys.

The common symptoms of kidney stones include sudden severe pain in the groin and abdomen area, change in the urine colour and even blood in urine. “Kidney stone patients should have strict control of diet. Public will have to make sure that they take adequate amount of water daily,” Dr. Ram Suggests.

Roughly, per day, physicians suggest, public should take more than one litre of water to keep the body hydrated and kidney stones at bay. Doctors also assert that food items, having high concentration of oxalates, must be avoided because they mix with calcium to form crystals.

Foods like spinach, cabbage and tomato are rich in oxalates and they should be avoided by patients. General public should make sure that the urine colour is always white, advises senior Nephrologist, Dr. Pradeeep Deshpande.

On most occasions, small kidney stones will pass through urine. “Stones of less than one cm usually pass through urine.

For bigger size stones, simple procedures like shock waves to break the stones are employed and for even bigger stones, endoscopy is performed.

The bottom line is public should drink water adequately,” suggests Dr. Ram.

Exam season thoughts

Come November, engineering campuses get into the examination mode. This happens every half year and there is nothing novel about it.

However, a casual approach to the examinations has got many students into trouble in the past and will do the same this time as well. Though the university examination scores are no more green cards to a bright future, it will definitely act as a visa in many situations.

A single number that will portray your academic orientation to the outside world is going to be your aggregate percentage. Nowadays, this number is playing its role much before the final examination. During this placement season, where the companies profiled the seventh semester students, they had the scores of only up to the fifth semester to shortlist the candidates. The shortlisted students became eligible to take part in the recruitment process, which essentially consisted of an aptitude test followed by personal interviews or at times, group discussions before the interviews.

If we track the recruiters and their selection procedure over the past five years, we can see that the vast majority of them had the academic cut-off set in the range of 60 per cent to 70 per cent. The future job aspirants, especially the third semester and fifth semester students, should look at how their seniors were shortlisted by the companies. If you have any dream company where you wish to work, understand their eligibility requirements and ensure that you meet those prerequisites.

Another statistic that has gained importance owing to campus recruitments is the number of backlogs. It indicates the number of papers which a student has not cleared on a given date. Some companies do not consider students with standing backlogs; some allow one standing backlog, while some allow a maximum of two. There are companies that even look at the history of failures in the student's academic tenure.

Taking the aggregate up by even a percentage will be a herculean task if you are not on to it on a consistent basis. The four-year engineering course, as it is followed in our country, consists of roughly 45 theory papers, 10 labs, a couple of projects, and seminars. Total marks come close to 5,500 from the university examinations and around 3,000 from the internal evaluations.

Improving the final percentage score by even one basis point will warrant an addition of 85 marks to the total. And if you want to lift your aggregate by four or five percentage points, it is going to be a hard task and may not be possible in a semester.

One should understand that the recruiters do not rely on the academic scores alone. They have their own tested means of selecting the candidates — aptitude tests, group discussions, role plays, and interviews. Though many recruiters have lost faith in the university system, in the absence of other reliable and easily available parameters, they continue to use the university scores as the first-level screener.

A decent academic performance is important as it will fetch you an opportunity to prove your mettle to the recruiters and get you considered for the selection process of your coveted higher study option. An academic debacle can put a stone wall between you and your dreams and may prove irreparable. So tread with caution.

Current affairs holds the key in Civil Services Exams

Comprehensive study of topics plus being up-to-date with events of the day are crucial to cracking the Civil Services Main exam, say experts.

The Civil Services (Main) Examination 2011 is just a few weeks away. Over the years, there has been a rise in preparation awareness among civil service aspirants, but this coveted exam continues to throw a surprise element calling for newer strategies.

The question papers in recent years have clearly shown that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) seems to be determined to select those aspirants who are able to cover most of the topics in the syllabus with focus on current affairs.

The number of questions in the General Studies question papers has been doubled from 30 to 60, says P.S. Ravindran, director, Vajiram and Ravi Institute for IAS Examination, New Delhi. “As UPSC covers a large number of areas, General Studies preparation should be comprehensive,” he says. He stressed the need to score more than 320 marks in both the optional subjects as scoring in the General Studies has become more challenging.

A sizeable number of candidates in the previous mains examination were not able to score more than 270 out of 600 in the General Studies papers.

Many questions pertaining to current affairs of the month of October 2010 were unexpected and candidates found it tough to handle them in the previous mains.

Aspirants who were able to read at least two broadsheet newspapers such as The Hindu regularly were able to answer those questions. “Reading of two newspapers and Frontline is necessary. Questions based on less prominent news is also being asked,” says Mr. Ravindran.

Instead of reading several study materials, candidates are advised to select two source materials and concentrate on that with four rounds of quick revision.

A thorough preparation of topics covered in statistics and Indian Economy is crucial for a high score. The questions would cover Indian economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development and employment.

Issues arising from the social and economic exclusion of large sections from the benefits of development, economic and trade issues such as foreign trade, foreign investment, economic and diplomacy issues relating to oil, gas and energy flows, the role and functions of IMF, World Bank and WTO which influence India's economic interaction with other countries and international institutions are important.

The candidates who score more than 300 in the General Studies papers are those with excellent understanding of the subjects at the secondary and higher secondary school level. They do not require any specialised study in any of the subjects for the General Studies. NCERT books of history, geography, polity, economy and statistics continue to be useful for revising the syllabus for the main examination.

IGNOU materials on optional subjects could be used for understanding the basic concepts for the General Studies and the optional subjects.

The Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) this year had 14 questions on current affairs of May 2011. Over 70 questions in the CSAT were related to current affairs. This trend is likely to continue in the civil services main examination too.

“Many first-timers have cleared the prelims. So presentation of answers will be more important,” says Ganesa Subramanian, Director, Ganesh's IAS. Questions pertaining to the celebration of the 150 years of existence of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, diamond jubilee celebrations of the Election Commission of India, Union Budget, Constituent Assembly and Reserve Bank of India may be of significance, he says.

Current affairs based on newspaper reports from September 2010 to October 2011 are the key areas. The candidates should be able to think and formulate views based on their subject knowledge based primarily on NCERT material.

Last year, questions on news covered in the period between October 1 and 15 took candidates by surprise.

More surprises may be in store for them this year. UPSC is expected to continue testing the analytical mindset of candidates in this main exam too. Environment, ecology, biodiversity and climate change may be prominent areas.

Reading editorials of newspapers has been found helpful for Essay paper and for answering questions on polity and social issues. Economic Survey and publications such as Yojana may be useful. Lok Sabha channel debates may throw light on social issues. Weekly group discussions or joint study with other candidates would enrich the understanding of key areas.

Limiting salt intake checks blood pressure, protects heart

A frantic lifestyle, long working hours and even longer distances to commute in metros and cities make ready—to—eat packaged food an attractive option, which requires only a few minutes of warming.

But the flip side is that their salt content is on the higher side. So regular dependence on fast food or packaged foods promotes greater salt intake, which accumulates in the body and poses serious health risks.

These risks are rising blood pressure (BP) levels, which could act as trigger for cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks, besides cerebral strokes, as well as kidney failure, B. Sesikeran, director of Hyderabad—based National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), told the IANS.

“Several global studies have clearly indicated that reduction in salt intakes even by small quantities significantly decreases the average blood pressure of a population. The prevalence of hypertension is low among populations consuming less than three grams of salt daily. The usual increase in BP with age is also not seen with such (low) intakes,” Sesikeran said.

Last week, the NIN recommended a reduction of salt content by the packaged food industry, besides limiting maximum salt intake to six grams per day, down from the eight grams permitted under 1998 nutritional guidelines.

“The prevalence of high blood pressure in more than a third of urban Indian population could be largely contributed by higher salt intakes, though several other factors, including stress and other chronic disease, may also be involved,” said Sesikeran.

However, salt, for all its negative publicity, is crucial for the functioning of the heart, adrenals, liver and kidneys, and even for digesting food. It transports nutrients to the cells, keeps calcium and other minerals soluble and maintains the body gets balance of fluids.

Sea or raw salt seems to be a healthier option because it has a number of trace minerals like potassium, magnesium and calcium, but processed salt loses all these micro—nutrients.

A study by Patricio E. Ray, published in the journal Kidney International, has found that potassium deficiencies increase BP and induce salt sensitivity, that is bringing on more adverse effects with the same quantity of salt.

“Potassium has the exact opposite effect on the BP when compared with sodium in the edible salt. Its higher intake also results in more expulsion of sodium from the kidneys,” said Sesikeran.

Simply stated, posassium in diet is effective in lowering BP.

Sesikeran suggested blending potassium chloride with sodium chloride to reduce the sodium content for every gram of salt consumed.

The best sources of potassium are provided by fruits and vegetables. However, higher potassium intakes may not be advisable for those with certain forms of kidney or heart disease. It is safe for the general population, he added.

Whether salt is consumed as a processed or sea salt, the body ultimately takes up sodium chloride (salt’s chemical name) which largely determines the BP. The NIN recommendation limits consumption to 2,400 mg sodium chloride daily.

Pickles, preserved foods, ketchups, papads, ready to eat snacks are most of the common sources of significant amount of salt, he added.

Expanding its horizon in engineering research

Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute offers assistance to industries in the form of feasibility studies, research, training, and consultancy.

Mechanical engineering is one of the most versatile disciplines among the wide spectrum of engineering studies. Some of the areas in mechanical engineering such as production automobile, aeronautical, marine, industrial, tool and die engineering have developed as independent full-fledged disciplines. Any industry requires inputs from mechanical engineering. There is substantial research work in the diverse fields of this broad discipline.

We import a lot of technology. It is estimated that mechanical engineering technology accounts for nearly half of the total technology imported. This points to the need for intensive research in this discipline, for ensuring self reliance. A key player in the field is the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI), Mahatma Gandhi Avenue, Durgapur – 713209. Web site: www.cmeri.res.in.

CMERI

CMERI, which was established in 1958, is the apex R&D institute for mechanical engineering, under the aegis CSIR. The institute facilitates innovative studies utilising Indian talent. It is poised to expand its horizon of research activities so as to steer the country forward in cutting-edge and sunrise fields. It offers assistance to industries in the form of feasibility studies, research, training, and consultancy.

The institute aims at product / process development, import substitution, export promotion, waste recovery, quality control, and standardisation. It tries to provide complete technology package comprising design and manufacturing know-how, consultancy, and training. CMERI has an extension centre at Ludhiana, the Mechanical Engineering Research and Development Organization (MERADO).

Let us look at the various activities of research and development undertaken by the institute.

Robotics and mechatronics: CMERI has expertise in the field of robotic systems, control engineering, and other related areas.

It has undertaken the development of a vacuum mopping system for spilled heavy water for atomic power plants.

It has developed the first indigenous 60kg payload SCARA Manipulator. The first indigenous remotely operated vehicle for a depth of 200m for the Department of Ocean Development, Government of India, also came from this division.

Energy and process plants: The institute conducts studies in the broad field of thermal and fluid engineering. It offers technical support to the industries.

Heat power engineering: The essential focus is on process design and development in the area of thermal / fluid systems in power and process plants, drying for agro industries, and advanced energy conversion. Other areas of work includealternative energy, fuel cell, hydrogen generation from biomass and other sources, and application and improvement in drying system for grains and seeds.

Process plant engineering:Design, development, installation and commissioning of different kinds of process plants. Executing national mission programmes. Life assessment of process plants structures.

A significant contribution of the group is thedesign and development of carcass utilisation plant in Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai. Meat is processed as noodles. Tallow is used in the soap industry, bone powder as fertilizer, and the processed meat as poultry feed.

Chemistry and biomimetics: Biomimetics refers to man-made processes, substances, devices, or systems that imitate nature. It involves the application of biological systems found in nature to engineering and technology. The research in the chemistry and biomimetics group focuses on mechanistic studies of thermal reactions in solution, and photochemical studies. Modern kinetic and analytical techniques are applied for elucidating the molecular nature of the investigated reactions.

Some of the other areas are

Use of ion-exchange-membrane materials to emulate the operation of biological muscles

Miniaturisation in the chemical, biological and engineering sciences at both the micro- and nano scales.

Design methods, manufacturing techniques, and analytical methods that can be used to create and evaluate products based on bio-inspired concepts.

Metrology: It is the science of weights and measures, determination of conformance to specification or technical requirements, and development of standards. It hasapplication in all areas of science and technology including automation, robotics, space, and satellite communication. Metrological accuracy is an essential requirement for quality assurance.Any testing and calibration activity depends on good metrology.

The metrology laboratory of CMERI is a leading test centre recognised by the Bureau of Indian Standards for carrying out testing and calibration work. CMERI has links with national standards of the National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, which is the custodian of measurement standards. The high level of professional competence and stringent adherence to procedural norms ensure excellence in the service provided by CMERI in the field of dimensional metrology. Further, the laboratory has accreditation, from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration of Science and Technology, Government of India, in dimension, mass, density, and volume. It gives timely and cost effective solutions to industries.

Tribology: This is the science of the mechanisms of friction, lubrication, and wear of interacting surfaces that are in relative motion. Bearing and lubrication in machines are the major tools that help to fight the problems from friction.

Even centuries ago man had evolved bearings, though of a primitive nature. There are great innovations in the design and making of bearings that have enormous impact on the efficiency of machines.

Reduction in wear can bring down wastage of materials as well as loss of energy. The consequent savings will enhance the economy in the operation of plants and machinery. The significance of this process may be appreciated, if we remember that nearly one third of the world's resources are being wasted in overcoming friction in one form or another. Tribology applies operational analysis to problems of great economic importance such as reliability, maintainability and wear of technical equipment ranging from household appliances to spacecraft. Many cases of machine break-down, failure, and stoppage are associated with interacting moving parts such as gears, bearings, couplings, cams, and clutches. These vital issues are constantly subjected to studies and analysis that lead to desirable solutions to various problems in industrial operations.

Manufacturing technologies: Hard prototypes have to be made for product development with high grade capability for manufacturing precision.

The development of reliable components is also important.To facilitate these, CMERI has equipped its workshop with state-of-the-art machinery. Equipment including advanced CNC machines and heat treatment furnaces helps to carry out research in this area. The manufacturing facilities are adequately supported by design, metrology, foundry, heat treatment services.

Spin casting and investment casting: The institute has modern foundry facilities with computerised operation.The rapid prototyping system helps the RP models to be converted quickly into functional components. Spin casting and investment casting assist in producing net-shape and near-net-shape functional components in the desired ferrous and non-ferrous metal specifications.

Casting that is ideally suited for producing intricate and precise components of small batch size is available.

Indestructible wealth

While our jewels and money can be stolen, the only wealth that cannot be stolen is knowledge, said Goda Venkateswara Sastrigal. This is true even of knowledge that only helps in worldly matters. So how much more true it would be of spiritual knowledge can be imagined. If we keep donating the money we have, the money at our disposal gets depleted. But when knowledge is imparted to others, our knowledge grows. Teaching others what we know helps us go through the matter over and over in our minds, and this helps us think more clearly. So we get clarity of thought by teaching. Education involves four stages. We must first read the text. We must then think about what we have read, so that we are clear about the subject. We must then use it in our lives, and also teach others what we have learnt.

Even at the end of the great deluge when all else is gone, a man's knowledge remains intact. When a man dies, who goes with him? None. Not even his dearest relatives. But his knowledge goes with him. We hear of prodigies who amaze us with their abilities; they are people who are able to recall at a very young age what they studied in a previous birth. Then we might ask, why is it that a few are prodigies, while the rest are not? This is due to our prarabdha karma. It is our karma that decides whether we will recall in childhood what we learnt as adults in a previous birth.

Gnanis have no regard for material possessions. If one's wealth is as huge as the whole world, it is like a drop of water to the gnani. What makes a man good looking? Not adornment. Not bathing in aromatic compounds. Not lustrous hair. A man's speech is his ornament. And one acquires pleasant speech through practice. A man's speech will follow him into the next birth. A man's beauty is his education; such a man's joy is evident on his face. Just to see him gives one mental peace.

We might think the gnani is poor. But his wealth is hidden. Wherever he goes he is respected and welcomed. Even after a gnani dies, his fame still lives on. The praise an educated man gets is genuine. The wealthy are praised, because people expect something from them.

Oats, nuts can help reduce cholesterol: Study

Worried about your cholesterol? Make sure you eat plenty of oats and nuts rather than just avoiding fatty foods, scientists say.

Researchers at the University of Toronto in Canada found that a diet rich in foods, such as oats and nuts, was more effective in lowering cholesterol levels than by cutting out saturated fats alone.

The diet that worked best in the study also included soy products such as milk, tofu and meat substitutes, while eating more peas, beans and lentils was encouraged, the Daily Mail reported.

The researchers discovered that a six-month change to the diet could result in a “meaningful” 13 per cent reduction in blood levels of LDL cholesterol, also called bad cholesterol.

Following the diet for longer would give a predicted reduction of almost 11 per cent in heart disease risk over a ten-year period, the researchers claimed.

For the study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the researchers looked at 345 patients suffering from high cholesterol. They were split into three groups, one of which was merely recommended to adopt a low-fat diet that included fruit and vegetables, while the other two were advised on a dietary “portfolio” consisting of specific foods known to lower LDL cholesterol such as nuts, oats, soy products and lentils.

One group was counselled during two clinic visits while the other underwent an “intensive” course of seven visits. After six months the low-fat group had experienced a drop in LDL cholesterol levels of three per cent.

Why don't we trust nature? It can very well be our doctor

Tulsi for cold, dhurva for longevity, bilwa for cleansing, vallarai for memory power, curry leaves for indigestion and good hair growth and a host of other herbs are the saviours from tiny ailments in villages.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. A garlic clove a day chases asthma away. A carrot a day keeps the ophthalmologist away . . . a dentist away and cancer away. Deep breathing exercises 20 minutes a day can keep most diseases away. A few yogasanas a day can keep most diseases away.

These are some of the sayings that we don't trust. Everyone one of us has some health ailment or the other. Some have severe headaches, others develop breathing problems, yet others get serious problems such as heart or lung ailments. But have you ever taken an apple or carrot a day as you must have learnt by heart in your primary school?

We don't trust nature. Most of us do not drink rainwater. Rainwater may be slightly contaminated with dust and other chemicals on the first day and from the roof that may be coated with chemicals, but one can harvest it directly from the skies. Keep a clean tub right in the open on the terrace. This can be done the second day of heavy rain. The first day, the water from the skies can wash away dust and other particles in the atmosphere. Then it can be double-filtered and stored in huge drums. This water can be filtered again for drinking.

One must experience the taste of rainwater. It is heavenly. An Australian study has confirmed that rainwater is very much safe for drinking and other household purposes and does not cause any illness. Most people have installed a rainwater harvesting system but use this water for bathing and washing and rarely for drinking.

Children love the rains. They love snapping those bubbles and having a bath. But today you find a lot of elders shooing them away from having fun in the rain all because they think they will catch a cold. Don't you get a cold even when you don't bath in rain? Your hair shines so well after a bath in rain/rainwater.

Working late or watching movies most of us have lost the habit of waking up early and doing some form of exercise. Schools back in the 1960s had morning prayer and some exercises in the open sunlight for about half-an-hour. Although yogasanas and breathing techniques have gained importance (more in the West), we turn to them for style, or when we have some ailment that refuses to budge with our popping pills.

Ancient texts kept at the Saraswathi Mahal library in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, about breathing exercises have this to say. Practising a certain type of deep breathing while studying (alternate right and left nostril breathing) can improve memory power and help you retain whatever you are studying. This text says that breathing should be practised on an empty stomach pretty early in the morning (studying early in the morning some time before sunrise). The text says that this way, you cannot forget whatever you have read. This is because the oxygen that enters your body clears congestion in the brain and enables it to retain whatever you have read with concentration in memory.

Deep breathing exercises practised just for about 10-20 minutes a day can improve eyesight, cure constipation, ward off most diseases. A person practising Asanas rarely gets any degenerative disease. It is advisable to learn these breathing exercises and yogasanas from a practitioner as there are rules about doing the same and they can cause harm if done in haste or on a heavy stomach or when ill.

While you can get rid of most skin problems by taking a sun-bath, we have the habit of seeing the sun when we travel to our workplace and on weekends after a late breakfast. Suryanamaskars have become a religious sign or practised to help us rid ourselves of paunches.

We use polyester garments and rarely expose ourselves to cool air or sunlight. The fresh air can give you a cold or fever. We get the idea that standing in cool air can give us a cold whereas overeating and eating junk foods or drinking colas cannot.

A lot many people are scared of tasting seasonal fruits. Mangoes are a ‘no' ‘no' for fear of our sugar levels rising or our getting diabetes. Whoever said fruits will usher in diabetes, and not a sedentary lifestyle and wrong eating habits? Bananas no, potatoes no, carrots no. There are a lot of self-analysed ‘Nos.'

Tulsi for cold, dhurva for longevity, bilwa for cleansing, vallarai for memory power, curry leaves for indigestion and good hair growth and a host of other herbs are the saviours from minor ailments in villages. People living in cities cannot even identify common herbs, much less use them to benefit. Looks like we don't trust nature.

For want of higher-order skills

The Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell is all set to commence the counselling process for admissions to engineering courses from July 7. Students should be careful in their choice of college. The quality of teaching staff, lab facilities and other infrastructure vary from college to college and have a bearing on the process of learning and acquiring skills.

A recent research revealed that engineering graduates in the country are falling short of professional, core employability and communication skills. Engineers with such skills are in short supply in IT and infrastructure, power and water, and many other sectors.

The survey conducted by the World Bank — “Employability and Skill Set of Newly Graduated Engineers in India” (2011) — stated a majority of employers in India are not satisfied with the skills of newly hired engineering graduates. Only 64 per cent of employers said they are “somewhat satisfied” with the current engineering graduates. Abut 3.9 per cent of employers rate the skills as “not at all satisfied” while 16.1 per cent are “not very satisfied.”

The higher education system has responded to the increased demand for engineers by massively expanding production of engineers. For example, Karnataka alone provides admissions to 70,000 students in 184 engineering colleges. But the system has not addressed the issue of imparting quality education and the kinds of skills demanded by employers in the global market.

Comparison

The survey report, authored by Andreas Blom and Hiroshi Saeki, found that engineering graduates were not good at problem solving, creativity, use of modern tools, system designing to needs, application of mathematics, science and engineering knowledge and customer service. They lacked knowledge of contemporary issues too. The survey said that “Indian employers are less satisfied with their engineers compared to U.S. employers.” There has been an average decline in the quality of students, said the Bank which surveyed employers in 20 sectors, including IT, power and infrastructure.

Must-learn skills

Half of the respondents were large companies with over 500 employees, with 40 per cent from North India, 27 per cent from the West and 19 per cent from the South. Interestingly, where the employers found the fresh engineering graduates most lacking in is critical thinking and problem solving.

Besides professional skills, the employers look for (a) core employability skills, which cover generic attitudinal and affective skills such as reliability and team work; and (b) communication skills. Employability and communications skills are often referred to as soft skills. Engineers who are in high demand possess these sets.

Employers are likely to perceive soft skills asmore important than professional skills. However, engineering graduates with limited and weak professional skillsare undesirable for employers.

The report said memorising textbooks for examinations is not a skill appreciated by the employers.

Many experts ask if the Indian engineering education system trains students to memorise science and engineering knowledge, without adequately emphasising the applicability, analysis and out-of-the-box thinking that employers look for.

Engineering firms look for more analytical and creative engineers to compete for value-added IT orders in the global market.

Institutions need to focus on learning rather than memorisation and mere understanding.

The report said the curricula should be designed in a way where students learn complex and practical issues within a limited time.

Collaboration

Employers ask for different professional skillsdepending upon the economic sectors they are involved in, the firm size and the region. Colleges have to prepare their graduates to meet the demand for skills from different sectors and hence have to increase their interaction with various kinds of employers.

Colleges should customise programme outcomes to meet the specific demand. Further, extra-curriculum activities such as internships and involvement of institutions with community would also help students to deepen the understanding of demanded skills and respond well to the market.

The employers think that graduates are relatively strong in lower-order thinking skills such as knowledge and understanding, use of basic and advanced computers, and applying knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering, but fall short when it comes to the more complex tasks such as application of appropriate tools to solve a problem, and analysis and interpretation.

Another area, considered most important by employers, and where a large gap was found is ‘soft skills' — integrity, teamwork, reliability and willingness to learn.

However, most employers were very satisfied with the English communication skills of the new graduates. “The survey found that colleges are doing very well meeting the demand for English skills, since the graduates are rated in English.”

The reasons for demanding higher-order thinking skills are likely to be a result of increased international and national competition, the focus on increased quality products and innovation.

As skills acquired at school and at the workplace become obsolete more quickly in the globalisation era, higher-order thinking skills and an ability to learn new and more complex skills are indispensible to respond to accelerating technological change.

Raising the bar, and lowering it

Amidst much fanfare, the All India Council for Technical Education unveiled a set of reforms for the technical education sector earlier this year. Among them was a vital move that sought to address the quality concerns in technical education.

Touted as a move to regulate the quality of students entering engineering colleges, the AICTE increased the minimum marks to be obtained in the qualifying examination (Pre-University Course and equivalent) for entry to engineering courses from 45 to 50 per cent (40 to 45 for students applying under the SC/ST criteria).

However, this move was heavily opposed by private college managements, particularly in States where engineering education faces a problem of plenty. In Karnataka, for instance, after the 2010 engineering admission rounds at least 15,000 seats remained unfilled.

Similar trend

This was in keeping with trends in previous years; in 2008 and 2009, around 8,000 and 11,000 seats had no takers. Given this situation, private college managements were against the move right from the start.

Their predictions came true when the CET results were announced and the number of ranks fell from 74,960 to around 64,300. This meant that more colleges would find it difficult to fill in seats.

Following this, the State government — pressured by private management lobbies to find a ‘quick fix' solution to their woes — went to the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the AICTE seeking a rollback of the notification. The AICTE gave in. Around 7,000 more students were declared eligible since and given spot ranks.

Though it is not clear whether it is a pan-India move, for there is no notification on the matter yet, academics are questioning the move. Brought in with the original motive to increase the quality of engineers, by setting a higher benchmark for students to aspire to, it was indeed one that academics welcomed. Then why did the AICTE go back on this?

Though we are yet to hear from the AICTE (repeated attempts to contact it came to naught), academics believe that one logical reason could be that the announcement had been made too late in the day.

Rajnikanth, former principal of M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology and member of the Visvesvaraya Technological University's Board of Studies, believes that though the move was well-intentioned, increasing the gross enrolment ratio and pushing for inclusiveness is also important.

Good move

However, he feels that increasing the cut-off is a good move.

“The problem here was probably that it was a last-minute move. If students are informed about this two years in advance, and they are given sufficient time to make peace with a new cut-off that they must work towards, then I do not think 50 per cent is too much to ask of students who aspire to be engineers.”

Dr. Rajnikanth talks about an evaluation or survey that the VTU had conducted two years ago, where attempts were made to evaluate the number of dropouts, the number of students failing to clear the first year of engineering and their profiles. “We did find a correlation between their academic credentials in 12th Standard and their performance later. And the quality of engineering graduates has certainly been a matter of concern.”

R. Prasad, a professor in a Bangalore-based engineering college, agreed that quality was a concern. However, he disagreed with the view that increasing the cut-offs will necessarily remedy this. In fact, the issue with quality begins at the school level. “The quality of high school education is so low that by the time students come to Pre-University Colleges they are already doing badly and are weak on basics,” he said.

This must also be seen in the context of the poor quality of teaching in Pre-University Colleges, he believes. “I have seen students from rural colleges who have studied in English medium but are not able to follow a single lesson in engineering college. But the solution is not to say that these students must not enter college, but to improve the teaching that puts them at such a disadvantage.” He adds that colleges also have a responsibility to arrange ‘bridge classes' to cater to the specific needs of students.

More colleges

Engineering education in the State appears to be trapped in a vicious circle of cause and effect. While the government is forced to run to the AICTE so that colleges do not suffer low intake, it has also allowed the opening of six new engineering colleges. Academics point out that until the random sanctioning of engineering colleges is curbed, the problem of plenty is unlikely to be solved.