Author: Khyati Mehta

I am a booknerd, who resides in books!! I read multiple genres but I love to read YA books about school, romance and fantasy. I enjoy reading diverse books and just can't get enough of them!! I am an eco-warrior who reads about climate change too. PS: I like dancing, (bathroom) singing, writing poems and EATING!! (how could I forget that)

9 Profitable Skills that you can Learn Online

The pandemic has made us stay at home and we all know that staying at home is boring. We can kill this time productively by learning new skills online. 

  •  Coding

Technology is vast and there are plenty of job opportunities available if you know how to code. Programmers are high in demand all over the world. Learning and doing programming is an exercise for your brain that eventually improves your problem solving and logical ability. There are many apps and websites which teach coding for free.

  •  SEO 

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which is the practice of increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic search engine results. SEO is the best way to market and it can boost your public visibility. If you are a Freelancer or a business owner then you really can’t conduct online business without knowing about SEO.

  •  Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel is a software program included in the Microsoft Office suite. It is used to create spreadsheets, which are documents in which data is laid out in rows and columns like a big table. Excel training just doesn’t help you get things done quicker and more efficiently it also increases the effectiveness of the reports and analysis that you do.

  •  Languages

Learning a foreign language, even as little as a handful of phrases, will make your travel experiences better. It also boosts the confidence of an individual and improves the probability of getting employed in a company. Learning a new language helps us to discover a new culture and this is an immensely enriching experience for us. 

  •  Photography

You can capture a beautiful moment by learning photography. It also increases your creativity. Moreover, photography provides an enjoyable hobby. Earning a certificate online shows that you’ve had formal training, practical experience and critical assessments. This can open doors to a broader range of job opportunities where a degree is a minimum requirement.

  •  PhotoShop

Adobe Photoshop is one of the most famous and all-round image editing software existing in the market today. Photoshop skills are often listed in a lot of job descriptions these days. Learning Photoshop gives you an added advantage over other applicants who are not skilled in Photoshop. Using Photoshop one can transform pictures to unimaginable heights of creativity. 

  •  Public Speaking

Public speaking is not just standing on a stage and speaking into a microphone to an audience. Public speaking includes speaking at meetings, with potential clients, colleagues, and customers. Mastery of public speaking will empower numerous other skills, abilities and personal enhancements will be the result.

  •  Video Editing

Video is the best marketing and promotional tool ever in the modern market. Videos attract the people to watch. They stop for a movement and see the video.  In this technological age, people watch videos as they are easily accessible. So if you want something across, pushing out your message or promotion to the people, make videos.  

  •  Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is the promotion of products or brands using electronic devices or the internet. It also includes text messaging, instant messaging, video, apps, podcasts, electronic billboards, digital television and radio channels, etc. Digital marketing gives a huge scope and multitude of job options. Digital marketing will also help you to promote your startup at very low cost.

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Interview Skills

We all are nervous while attending an interview, even with full preparations our hands start sweating. Here are some tips to ace an interview and get your dream job.

Whether you are applying for an entry-level position or a senior role, you will probably have an interview with a potential employer before receiving a job offer. Since a job interview gives you a chance to show your qualifications and make a good impression on the hiring team, you should know to perform at your best during this important meeting. It is not only your qualifications and experience which matters but also your positive attitude, your ability to work in teams and positive aspirations which matters in the selection process. 85% of the interviews are decided in the first two/three minutes. So be careful about your handshake, eye contact, body language, and right posture.There are 4P’s to have success in an interview – Prepare, Practice, Present, and Participate. 

You should prepare for the interview by learning about the significance of body language. Also you should improve your public speaking and linguistic skills. Also, learn as much as you can about the company and the position.You should practice the frequently asked questions by the interviewer (I have listed those questions in the end of the article). You should also practice some puzzles because in many interviews one or more IQ based questions are asked. And finally participate in the interview; express your views confidently and don’t be afraid to share your opinions to them. On the day of the interview carefully consider what to wear and how to present yourself professionally. Here are some do’s and don’ts during an interview:

Dos

  • Organize all the required material neatly.
  • Have a good dress sense, groom well.
  • Reach the place of interview well in advance.
  • Be cheerful and expressive.
  • Have positive body posture.
  • Be honest, sincere and simple in your talk.
  • Be assertive and confident.
  • Be polite in answering.
  • Leave a good last impression by saying “thank you.”
  • Replace the chair and other things in the original place when you leave the room.

Don’ts

  • Don’t search for anything in an interview as it creates a bad impression.
  • Don’t fold arms or close palms.
  • Don’t drag the chair and make a noise.
  • Don’t be rigid. Don’t cross your legs.
  • Don’t tell lies.
  • Don’t be very submissive or aggressive.
  • Don’t argue, confront, challenge.
  • Don’t feel frustrated if you lose the interview.

Tips for great body language

Your body language expresses your confidence. Here are some tips for a great body language.

  • 1. Smile
  • 2. Don’t cross your arms
  • 3. Make good eye contact
  • 4. Keep your body pointed vertically towards your guest
  • 5. Nod at key points
  • 6. Stand up straight

Frequently asked questions:

  • 1. Introduce yourself.
  • 2. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
  • 3. Can you tell something about our company?
  • 4. Why should we hire you?
  • 5. Are you willing to relocate/travel?
  • 6. What was the toughest decision you ever had to make?
  • 7. Would you lie for the company?
  • 8. On a 10 point scale how do you rate yourself in communication skills?
  • 9. How long would you like to work for us if we hire you?
  • 10. How much salary do you expect from us?

Interview Skills

We all are nervous while attending an interview, even with full preparations our hands start sweating. Here are some tips to ace an interview and get your dream job.

Whether you are applying for an entry-level position or a senior role, you will probably have an interview with a potential employer before receiving a job offer. Since a job interview gives you a chance to show your qualifications and make a good impression on the hiring team, you should know to perform at your best during this important meeting. It is not only your qualifications and experience which matters but also your positive attitude, your ability to work in teams and positive aspirations which matters in the selection process. 85% of the interviews are decided in the first two/three minutes. So be careful about your handshake, eye contact, body language, and right posture.There are 4P’s to have success in an interview – Prepare, Practice, Present, and Participate. 

You should prepare for the interview by learning about the significance of body language. Also you should improve your public speaking and linguistic skills. Also, learn as much as you can about the company and the position.You should practice the frequently asked questions by the interviewer (I have listed those questions in the end of the article). You should also practice some puzzles because in many interviews one or more IQ based questions are asked. And finally participate in the interview; express your views confidently and don’t be afraid to share your opinions to them. On the day of the interview carefully consider what to wear and how to present yourself professionally. Here are some do’s and don’ts during an interview:

Dos

  • Organize all the required material neatly.
  • Have a good dress sense, groom well.
  • Reach the place of interview well in advance.
  • Be cheerful and expressive.
  • Have positive body posture.
  • Be honest, sincere and simple in your talk.
  • Be assertive and confident.
  • Be polite in answering.
  • Leave a good last impression by saying “thank you.”
  • Replace the chair and other things in the original place when you leave the room.

Don’ts

  • Don’t search for anything in an interview as it creates a bad impression.
  • Don’t fold arms or close palms.
  • Don’t drag the chair and make a noise.
  • Don’t be rigid. Don’t cross your legs.
  • Don’t tell lies.
  • Don’t be very submissive or aggressive.
  • Don’t argue, confront, challenge.
  • Don’t feel frustrated if you lose the interview.

Tips for great body language

Your body language expresses your confidence. Here are some tips for a great body language.

1. Smile

2. Don’t cross your arms

3. Make good eye contact

4. Keep your body pointed vertically towards your guest

5. Nod at key points

6. Stand up straight

Frequently asked questions:

1. Introduce yourself.

2. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

3. Can you tell something about our company?

4. Why should we hire you?

5. Are you willing to relocate/travel?

6. What was the toughest decision you ever had to make?

7. Would you lie for the company?

8. On a 10 point scale how do you rate yourself in communication skills?

9. How long would you like to work for us if we hire you?

10. How much salary do you expect from us?

School Projects and Paper Wastage

Do you ever wonder what happens to your handwritten project file or your exam sheets after an academic year? Well, they are thrown away. I always feel bad, after all this hard work and research my projects are being thrown away.

The best medium of writing down information is paper. Paper is easily available, it is cheap, and it can be stored anywhere. From a student to a teacher everyone uses paper in their day to day lives. Paper is produced from trees. Throughout the world, about 900 million trees are cut down annually. This equates to about 2.47 million trees cut down every day. It is estimated that 24 trees are required to make 1 ton of standard office paper. 

In schools, paper is generally used for writing notes, exams, and projects. Projects are important for grading the students and they present the creativity and content writing skills of the students. Writing down the points taught in class gives the children a quick revision. The students solve various problems and equations in a notebook. During exams, everybody writes in an answer sheet provided by the school. Not only in schools but paper is used in offices, shops, banks, colleges, etc. 

With so much paper in use it is obvious that many pages get wasted. Students tear many papers from their notebooks, many other students play (make aeroplanes and balls) with a clean and unused sheet/sheets of paper. After correction of a test, the test papers and answer sheets are thrown away without even recycling. The old paperwork in many offices is discarded even if only one side of the paper is printed. 

The school projects and assignments also contribute to paper wastage. Unlike notes, notebooks and question paper sets these cannot be handed over to other students and serve no purpose after the assignment is graded by the teacher. Our projects with our best handwriting and best decorations are just kept in a school cupboard until the mass cleaning of all cupboards in the schools. 

I feel that these projects should be made as a digital documentor as a presentation. This will not only save paper but also improve a student’s skill in Microsoft Word and Powerpoint. Due to this ongoing pandemic most of our school projects were to be made in a presentation format. I learned to use many presentation making tools and also saved paper.

How else can we save paper in schools?
  • Re-Use Single-Sided Paper 
  • Do Away with Towel Dispensers in Wash Rooms
  • Settings on All Printers Should be Double-Sided
  • Use computers whenever possible. 
  • Make two-sided copies
  • Re-use printer paper
  • Ask your school to buy recycled or alternative paper products. 
  •  Write smaller and avoid leaving a lot of white space on the page.
  •  Use an erasable board for note taking
  • Reuse notebooks by writing on the unused pages
  • Email assignments rather than printing them out
  • Promote recycling, and have bins in classrooms, libraries, and any areas with copiers and/or printers for easy use.

Cyberbullying and Students

In today’s world, cyberbullying cases are common. Many students are negatively affected by it. Let us learn about it and know to stop it.

What is Cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is bullying with the use of digital technologies. It can take place on social media, messaging platforms, gaming platforms and mobile phones. It is repeated behaviour, aimed at scaring, angering or shaming those who are targeted. Unlike the normal face-to-face bullying, cyberbullying leaves a digital footprint – a record that can prove useful and provide evidence to help stop the abuse.

Cyberstalking is a form of online harassment in which the perpetrator uses electronic communications to stalk a victim. This is considered more dangerous than other forms of cyberbullying because it generally involves a credible threat to the victim’s safety. 

Internet trolls intentionally try to provoke or offend others in order to elicit a reaction. Trolls and cyberbullies do not always have the same goals: while some trolls engage in cyberbullying, others may be engaged in comparatively harmless mischief. 

Effects of cyberbullying

When bullying happens online it can feel as if you’re being attacked everywhere, even inside your own home. It can seem like there’s no escape. The effects can last a long time and affect a person in many ways:

  • Mentally — feeling upset, embarrassed, stupid, even angry 
  • Emotionally — feeling ashamed or losing interest in the things you love
  • Physically — tired (loss of sleep), or experiencing symptoms like stomach aches and headaches 

The feeling of being laughed at or harassed by others, can prevent people from speaking up or trying to deal with the problem. In extreme cases, cyberbullying can even lead to people taking their own lives.

Fighting cyberbullying 

If you think you’re being bullied, the first step is to seek help from someone you trust such as your parents, a close family member or another trusted adult. In your school you can reach out to a counsellor or your favourite teacher. And if you are not comfortable talking to someone you know, search for a helpline in your country to talk to a professional counsellor.

For bullying to stop, it needs to be identified and reporting it is key. It can also help to show the bully that their behaviour is unacceptable. If you experience cyberbullying, you may want to delete certain apps or stay offline for a while to give yourself time to recover. But getting off the Internet is not a long-term solution. 

  • Think twice before posting or sharing anything online – it may stay online forever and could be used to harm you later. 
  • Don’t give out personal details such as your address, telephone number or the name of your school.
  • You can decide who can see your social media profile, send you direct messages or comment on your posts by adjusting your account privacy settings. 
  • Besides ‘unfriending’, you can completely block people to stop them from seeing your profile or contacting you.
  • You can also choose to have comments by certain people to appear only to them without completely blocking them.
  • You can delete posts on your profile or hide them from specific people. 

How does Diet Affect your Body?

Your Diet directly affects your body. You must have heard the phrase – What you eat is what you become. Let us see how a healthy diet influences your body.


Your diet affects the skin


Did you know a healthy diet can lead to healthier-looking skin? Many people these days are going in for fast foods or rather junk foods. These are not good for health. They contain a lot of fat and carbohydrates and one can put on weight. Also, oily foods are not good for the skin.

It prevents pimple breakouts, sun damage, fine lines and wrinkles
It makes your skin glowing and young.
Diet that lacks nutrients such as calcium, niacin, folic acid, copper can affect one’s skin tone. The skin will start looking pale.

A diet that consistently delivers a high load of refined carbohydrates has been linked to various health issues, including skin problems like pimples and acne. Antioxidants—compounds that are abundant in colorful fruits and vegetables—help to fight free radical formation. And there is a clear connection between the levels of antioxidants found in the skin and the texture of the skin itself. People who have low levels of antioxidants in the skin tend to have a rougher skin texture. Those with higher levels of antioxidants in the skin have a smoother textured skin.

It affects your height


Diet has the greatest (and potentially the most permanent) effects on height when a child is still growing, but can significantly affect adults whose skeletons have fully formed/reached their growth peak and the elderly. Diets poor in essential proteins, lipids, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, enzymes, etc. can adversely affect development and height.

Some high boosting foods are – (non veg) egg, chicken, fish, (veg) Tomato juice,banana, spinach, turnip, milk, yogurt, whey water (Whey is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained), soya products such as soya chunks, soya beans, soy milk, tofu, etc.

It affects your weight


Being selective in what you eat is one of the most important lifestyle factors. Weight loss comes down to simple math. You have to eat fewer calories than you burn.Certain foods can help you shed body weight because they help you feel full longer and help curb cravings. Some even kick up your metabolism.

Whole eggs, green leafy vegetables, salmon, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lean beef, chicken breast, boiled potatoes, tuna, lentils, black beans, kidney beans, cottage cheese, avocados, nuts, whole grains, chia seeds, yogurt and chilli peppers are some foods that can help in weight loss.

It affects your immunity


Feeding your body certain foods may help keep your immune system strong. If you’re looking for ways to prevent colds, the flu, and other infections, the easiest way is to eat the right kind of food. It is a proven fact that a good diet increases a person’s immunity.

Some immunity boosters are:

Spices – cinnamon, ajwain, ginger, garlic
Herbs – tulsi, coriander, mint
Superfoods like nachini, coconut oil
Probiotics foods such as curd, chia seeds
Immunity powders – almond powder, kali mirch, khus khus, haldi powder

Nutrition for teenagers

The diet plays an important role for the wellbeing of everyone. Taking proper care of your diet in the adolescent period will help you to remain healthy in older age.

A healthy diet is a healthy life. Everyone should consume a good diet in order to stay healthy. Eating the right kind of food is very important for adolescents because this is the most important growing stage of the body. There are many changes taking place in the body, these include mental changes, emotional changes and physical changes. At this age there is a sudden increase in the height of an individual and there is a gain in muscle mass. A right diet will help the body to develop these changes easily. It can help you maintain a healthy weight—and is better for your heart and body in general. A balanced diet for good health by definition consists of different varieties of food that offer all the essential carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals that our body requires for healthy functioning.

The most important nutrients


Iron – Iron is a mineral, and its main purpose is to carry oxygen in the hemoglobin of red blood cells throughout the body so cells can produce energy. Consuming vitamin C along with iron helps in more absorption of Iron by the body. Meat, seafood, poultry, spinach or other green leafy vegetables, beans and some fortified breakfast cereals are good sources of iron. Avoid eating highly processed food as it can decrease the absorption of Iron.

Calcium – Is mainly needed in our body to keep our teeth and bones strong. It also helps to perform many other activities in the body. To increase the absorption of calcium, vitamin D is needed by the body. Too much intake of sugar decreases the absorption. Dairy products like – milk, cheese paneer, chia seeds, almonds are a good source of calcium.

Vitamins


Vitamin A – Good sources of vitamin A are milk, eggs, darkly coloured orange, green vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, kale, orange fruits such as peaches, papayas and mangoes. This is a fat soluble vitamin.

Vitamin E – Vitamin E is found in corn, nuts, olives, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oils and wheat germ, but food alone cannot provide a beneficial amount of Vitamin E, and supplements may be helpful.

Vitamin C – Citrus fruits, bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli and sweet and white potatoes are excellent food sources of Vitamin C. this is also a fat soluble vitamin. The greatest source of vitamin C is amla.

Antioxidants


Antioxidants are compounds that are found in one’s body as well as in many fruits and vegetables. Their chief functions include protecting our body’s cells from free radical damage. This, in turn, prevents premature aging and various chronic diseases. Vitamins A, E, K, and C, copper, zinc, iodine, and manganese are rich sources of antioxidants. Certain proteins like glutathione and alpha lipoic acid also contain them.
Do try to include the following foods in your daily diets to obtain the goodness of antioxidants.
  • Dark chocolate
  • Artichoke
  • Green tea
  • Blueberries
  • Strawberries
  • Beans
  • Spinach
  • Pecans
  • Kale
  • Red cabbage
  • Goji berries
  • Raspberries
  • Beetroot
  • Purple or green grapes
  • Orange vegetables including sweet potatoes,carrots,acorn squash, and butternut squash

    • How to Deal with Peer Pressure

    In the last article we saw that peer pressure has both positive and negative  effects on a teenager. Now, we will look upon the ways to deal with peer pressure.

    If you feel pressured by people to do things you’re uncomfortable doing, there are lots of ways to respond. Be prepared to deal with peer pressure by having a response ready.  Dealing with the pressure is important to prevent yourself from becoming an addict. Identify negative and positive pressures from peers and plan to overcome negative peer pressures in different ways. 

    Dealing with Peer Pressure

    Skills necessary in dealing with Peer Pressure are – 

    • Self-awareness about the consequences and the effects of the pressure. You should be aware that you are facing this and respond accordingly.

    • In this difficult situation, you should know to cope up with stress and emotions. If everyone is doing it then it is not necessary that you should also follow them. 

    • Quick decision-making ability is a must while dealing with peer pressure. You should be prepared to face these kinds of situations.

    • If you want to deal with peer pressure, then problem-solving skills are also required. Dealing with peer pressure boosts your problem solving skills which are very important in life.

    • You should know to select the correct kind of friends and know to break friendships with wrong kinds of friends who put a lot of pressure on you.

    Responding to Peer Pressure in the Moment
    • The most basic way to deal with peer pressure is saying ‘no’ like you mean it. Say no confidently and make eye contact while saying it. This will make the message loud and clear and they will never ask you about the same thing again because they know your answer to it. Be careful not to get baited into doing something by being called “scared.” Stay firm in your own decision.
    • Change the subject or make an excuse to leave the conversation. Avoiding the question might send the message that you’re still interested but don’t want to respond. While coming up with excuses is a great option if you’re feeling shy or intimidated, or if you don’t want to come off as being rude. Make sure that your excuse is believable.
    Anticipating Peer Pressure
    • Make your own decisions. Do things that make you happy and make those decisions on your own. While some people might ask you to do something that pushes you outside your comfort zone in a good way, be mindful of any negative consequences that could occur.
    • Plan a response. Whether you haven’t experienced peer pressure yet or you want to respond better for next time, think of a response you can use if you’re ever asked something you don’t want to do.
    • Choose positive friends. When dealing with peer pressure, start by choosing friends who won’t pressure you do things. Your friends should accept you for who you are without wanting to change you. 

    In a nutshell: You can resist peer pressure by thinking things through for yourself, and figuring where you stand on the risks of the situation.

    What is Peer Pressure?

    A friend’s advice helps everyone. But, we should not follow everything a friend tells us. This is peer pressure.

    Peers are people who are part of the same social group, so the term “peer pressure” means the influence that peers can have on each other. We all have experienced peer pressure in some way or another. If our classmate has a blue colour bag, then we also want a blue colour bag. Sometimes we are not tempted to play a game but if all our friends play that game, then we have to play it. Peer pressure is more common with teenagers all around the world. Peer pressure is the main reason for the individual to start smoking, drinking or drug abuse. Peer pressure can affect individuals of all ethnicities, genders and ages. Peer pressure has expanded from strictly face-to-face interaction to digital interaction via social media apps and websites like facebook and instagram.

    Positive Peer Pressure

    Peer pressure could influence a young person to become involved in sports. This involvement could be positive, leading to exposure to healthy lifestyles and role models, and eventually leading the young person to become a positive role model herself/himself. This is an example of how peer pressure affects an individual positively.

    Outcomes of Positive Peer Pressure:

    • As people become our role models we respect others as they inspire us to become like them.
    • Working hard is a part of positive peer pressure. We also have the aim to win or perform our best.
    • We participate in sports and join clubs because our peers also participate in these activities.
    • It also helps an individual in making healthy decisions about studies, personal life and health.
    • Achieving good grades due to hard work is an outcome of this positive peer pressure.
    • We volunteer in the community more often and help other people. This makes us feel good.
    • We also learn leadership skills by taking part in competitions and programs conducted in schools.

    Negative Peer Pressure

    The most common form of negative peer pressure among school children is to act and behave as per the directions given by a popular person of the group. The children are forced to dress and style in a particular way. Expensive clothes, gadgets and international vacations are demanded by the children of their parents. If the demands are not fulfilled then the child is ridiculed in the group. This stress affects the child’s school performance and social interaction. She/he becomes mentally unstable and weak. The other kind of negative peer pressure is starting up bad habits like smoking, drinking and drug abuse. This kind of peer pressure is also seen among adults and they are forced into these habits by their friends & boss. 

    Consequences of Negative Peer Pressure:

    • Losing sight of one’s goals because of no concentration towards the goals of an individual.
    • Spending money lavishly on useless things and addictive things such as alcohol or drugs.
    • Getting addicted to alcohol or drugs due to the pressure by friends to look ‘cool’ in the friend circle.
    • Becoming lazy and inactive and having less enthusiasm towards life. Living an unhealthy lifestyle due to laziness and inactiveness. 
    • Losing personal values. Usually people focus so much to become ‘cool’ that they forget about their values.
    • Becoming depressed and stressed due to our habits. Stress and depression can make anyone lose the spirit of life.
    • We should identify positive and negative peer pressure and deal with it accordingly.

    Education Systems Around the World

    Indian Education System is all about mugging up and children are taught to find a good job with a good salary and do that job forever (till retirement).

    World’s best education systems vs Indian education system

    There are many good education systems around the world namely, Finland, Denmark, Japan, South Korea. These education systems have their own advantages, disadvantages and specialties. They have understood that students are not machines and they have provided a number of methods to help the students to reach their true potential.

    From my point of view, Indian education only focuses on academics and theory. There is no opportunity for any vocational training, sports or hobby development. Due to this, there are many ‘limited’ career options according to the mindset of society – Engineer, Doctor, Lawyer, and any government job. Only some privileged students have an opportunity to follow their dreams.

    Indian education focuses more on theory rather than practical. Indian education system doesn’t allow creativity. Whereas in foreign countries; they focus more on practical based learning. And they allow creativity in education. Foreign education curriculum contains everything from arts to sports along with studies. The US has arts, sports, music and theatre in syllabus while Australia focuses more on sports.

    Some counties with best education systems
    • Finland – Each resident of Finland does not go to school until the age of 7. There is no standardizing test in Finland. They don’t get homework by the teachers. Children in Finland spend no more than four hours in school a day, this time also includes a lunch break. Teachers in Finland have to get a master degree. Every Finnish student is taught at least two foreign languages. 
    • Japan – Subjects such as mathematics, science, music, and physical education are taught, but morals is a separate subject complete with textbook and allocated time. This subject focuses on how students would react to a given situation. There are never wrong or right answers, they talk about the black, white, and grey areas in life.
    • South Korea  –  Kindergarten is optional in South Korea. However, at age 6 their child must move on to 6 years compulsory elementary education. The main difference between middle and high school in South Korea is the ability of students to choose specializations such as scientific activity, foreign language, art, history etc.
    • Denmark – Education in Denmark is compulsory for children below the age of 15 or 16, even though it is not compulsory to attend public school. Almost all educational institutes in Denmark are free. Not only are students charged no tuition fees, but all Danish citizens are offered monthly financial aid, known as “SU”.
    • Norway – Primary and lower secondary education covers children aged 6 to 15. Upper secondary education normally provides three years of general education or four years of vocational training. Tertiary vocational programmes are also there. Higher education is based on general admission, normally completed secondary education. The main structure is a 3+2+3 model.
    • United Kingdom – Full-time education is compulsory for all children aged 5 to 18. Students can leave school at 16 but must then do one of the following until they are 18:
    1. stay in full-time education, for example at a college.
    2. start an apprenticeship or traineeship.
    3. spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training.

    How to Make a Presentable Resume

    Job selection depends on many things like education, experience, body language and a good resume. Most people do not know how to make a strong resume. So here is an article explaining this.

    A resume is a document created and used by a person to present their background, skills, and accomplishments. It is a documentary record of your contact details, educational qualifications, skills and employment history in a nutshell. As it establishes your details, it should be appealing and convincing. A good resume increases your chances to get employed in a company.  To build an attractive resume, you need to find out the best resume format. Resume format plays a vital role while creating a job-winning resume. You should be well-versed about the kind of resume format that suits your current situation. 

    Importance of a resume

    Employers use resumes to get a deeper understanding of candidate skills, strengths and experience. Your resume should reflect achievements, awards, education, experience and any other outstanding accomplishments that align with your career path and goals. Here are some reasons why you need a resume to get your next job. An effective resume:  

    • Outlines your relevant skills and experience. A well-structured resume clearly highlights your most attractive skills and experience to potential employers. 
    • Displays the benefits you offer employers. More importantly, it should tell employers what you bring to the company along with skills and experience.
    • Grabs the attention of employers. Usually the top quarter of the resume is considered the most attention-grabbing. Make sure to include important summarized information in this part.
    • Matches your skills to the position’s need. One way to do this is by making sure your resume contains the same keywords found in the job description.
    • Can lead to an interview with the employer You’ll likely need to conduct at least one interview to be offered a position, so having a resume is essential.

    What does a Resume Contain?

    • Name with contact Information- Your postal address, email and mobile number.
    • Objective: It appears just below the contact information. It briefly describes the type of job you want and also skills that make you the best candidate for the job. The skill related keywords should be present in this section e.g. – Software languages known etc.
    • Education- All your educational qualifications, the most recent first.
    • Work Experience-the company, job title and responsibilities etc. with most current experience on top.
    • Achievements, Training & Certifications if any
    • Other Skills, Interests and Hobbies.

    Tips for Writing a Resume:

    • First write down all the details that you want to include in your resume.
    • Select a format
    • Be simple, brief and straight
    • Do not lie about your qualifications and experience
    • Sometimes resumes are filtered by keywords, so see that the words associated with the job are included.
    • Don’t leave unexplained gaps in the timeline. (a year off etc. )
    • Do not copy someone else’s Resume
    • Ask your friend or a teacher to review the content. Revise and Edit.
    • Avoid fancy fonts and colours
    • Print it on one side of the sheet only. Limit it to one page if possible, else 4 pages should be the maximum.
    • Use A4 size paper to write the resume.

    Interview Skills

    We all are nervous while attending an interview, even with full preparations our hands start sweating. Here are some tips to ace an interview and get your dream job.


    Whether you are applying for an entry-level position or a senior role, you will probably have an interview with a potential employer before receiving a job offer. Since a job interview gives you a chance to show your qualifications and make a good impression on the hiring team, you should know to perform at your best during this important meeting. It is not only your qualifications and experience which matters but also your positive attitude, your ability to work in teams and positive aspirations which matters in the selection process. 85% of the interviews are decided in the first two/three minutes. So be careful about your handshake, eye contact, body language, and right posture.There are 4P’s to have success in an interview – Prepare, Practice, Present, and Participate.
    You should prepare for the interview by learning about the significance of body language. Also you should improve your public speaking and linguistic skills. Also, learn as much as you can about the company and the position.You should practice the frequently asked questions by the interviewer (I have listed those questions in the end of the article). You should also practice some puzzles because in many interviews one or more IQ based questions are asked. And finally participate in the interview; express your views confidently and don’t be afraid to share your opinions to them. On the day of the interview carefully consider what to wear and how to present yourself professionally. Here are some do’s and don’ts during an interview:

    Dos


    Organize all the required material neatly.
    Have a good dress sense, groom well.
    Reach the place of interview well in advance.
    Be cheerful and expressive.
    Have positive body posture.
    Be honest, sincere and simple in your talk.
    Be assertive and confident.
    Be polite in answering.
    Leave a good last impression by saying “thank you.”
    Replace the chair and other things in the original place when you leave the room.

    Don’ts


    Don’t search for anything in an interview as it creates a bad impression.
    Don’t fold arms or close palms.
    Don’t drag the chair and make a noise.
    Don’t be rigid. Don’t cross your legs.
    Don’t tell lies.
    Don’t be very submissive or aggressive.
    Don’t argue, confront, challenge.
    Don’t feel frustrated if you lose the interview.

    Tips for great body language


    Your body language expresses your confidence. Here are some tips for a great body language.

    1. Smile
    2. Don’t cross your arms
    3. Make good eye contact
    4. Keep your body pointed vertically towards your guest
    5. Nod at key points
    6. Stand up straight

    Frequently asked questions:


    1. Introduce yourself.
    2. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
    3. Can you tell something about our company?
    4. Why should we hire you?
    5. Are you willing to relocate/travel?
    6. What was the toughest decision you ever had to make?
    7. Would you lie for the company?
    8. On a 10 point scale how do you rate yourself in communication skills?
    9. How long would you like to work for us if we hire you?
    10. How much salary do you expect from us?

    9 Profitable Skills that you can Learn Online

    The pandemic has made us stay at home and we all know that staying at home is boring. We can kill this time productively by learning new skills online. 

     Coding

    Technology is vast and there are plenty of job opportunities available if you know how to code. Programmers are high in demand all over the world. Learning and doing programming is an exercise for your brain that eventually improves your problem solving and logical ability. There are many apps and websites which teach coding for free.

     SEO 

    SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which is the practice of increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic search engine results. SEO is the best way to market and it can boost your public visibility. If you are a Freelancer or a business owner then you really can’t conduct online business without knowing about SEO.

     Microsoft Excel

    Microsoft Excel is a software program included in the Microsoft Office suite. It is used to create spreadsheets, which are documents in which data is laid out in rows and columns like a big table. Excel training just doesn’t help you get things done quicker and more efficiently it also increases the effectiveness of the reports and analysis that you do.

     Languages

    Learning a foreign language, even as little as a handful of phrases, will make your travel experiences better. It also boosts the confidence of an individual and improves the probability of getting employed in a company. Learning a new language helps us to discover a new culture and this is an immensely enriching experience for us. 

     Photography

    You can capture a beautiful moment by learning photography. It also increases your creativity. Moreover, photography provides an enjoyable hobby. Earning a certificate online shows that you’ve had formal training, practical experience and critical assessments. This can open doors to a broader range of job opportunities where a degree is a minimum requirement.

     PhotoShop

    Adobe Photoshop is one of the most famous and all-round image editing software existing in the market today. Photoshop skills are often listed in a lot of job descriptions these days. Learning Photoshop gives you an added advantage over other applicants who are not skilled in Photoshop. Using Photoshop one can transform pictures to unimaginable heights of creativity. 

     Public Speaking

    Public speaking is not just standing on a stage and speaking into a microphone to an audience. Public speaking includes speaking at meetings, with potential clients, colleagues, and customers. Mastery of public speaking will empower numerous other skills, abilities and personal enhancements will be the result.

     Video Editing

    Video is the best marketing and promotional tool ever in the modern market. Videos attract the people to watch. They stop for a movement and see the video.  In this technological age, people watch videos as they are easily accessible. So if you want something across, pushing out your message or promotion to the people, make videos.  

     Digital Marketing

    Digital marketing is the promotion of products or brands using electronic devices or the internet. It also includes text messaging, instant messaging, video, apps, podcasts, electronic billboards, digital television and radio channels, etc. Digital marketing gives a huge scope and multitude of job options. Digital marketing will also help you to promote your startup at very low cost.

    How to Cope up with Stress? (for students)

    Ashton Eaton’s key to dealing with stress is simple: just stay cool and stay focused. Stress can cause many ill-effects to our body and mental health. Therefore, we need to cope up with stress that is caused by the challenges in life. 

    Stress can be caused in students by various factors like examinations, surprise tests, deadline of an unsubmitted assignment, noise pollution, etc. There are two types of stress – distress and eustress. Stress affects us mentally and physically. It causes various diseases. It decreases our confidence and makes us lonely. I have written about this in detail in my previous article. 

    Steps for stress management

    1. Identify the cause of stress. You need to know what has caused the stress. The cause can be a presentation, a speech, a dance performance, etc. In students, the most common stressor is an examination or a stage performance at school. Some students get stressed during preparing for the examinations, they are a prey of self doubt and low self esteem. 
    1. Reaction to a stressful situation plays a key role in managing it. Identify how you are dealing with this situation emotionally. This is the second step and the easiest step to regulate stress quickly. You should know about the emotions that you are feeling, if you know this then you can share this with anyone or can deal with it faster.
    1. Seek solutions for avoiding stressors. Stressors are the challenges and the situations due to which we acquire/experience stress. However, avoiding stressors in every situation is not a good thing and this will eventually decrease your self confidence. If you feel stressed by delivering speeches in front of the public, then you can imagine that there are no people in the room. You can also focus on only one person in the room and then deliver the speech to them.
    1. Identifying symptoms of stress is as crucial as the reactions to it. For example, during a presentation to an audience, and you have blanks of memory, you are uncomfortable, and you are distracted. These are the symptoms of stress and they can derail your presentation in front of the audience.

    Management techniques 

    • Exercise. It can help to improve your sleep. And better sleep means better stress management. Exercise also seems to help mood. Part of the reason may be that it stimulates your body to release a number of hormones like endorphins and endocannabinoids that help block pain, improve sleep, and sedate you. People who exercise also tend to feel less anxious and more positive about themselves. 
    •  A healthy diet can lessen the effects of stress, build up your immune system, level your mood, and lower your blood pressure. Lots of added sugar and fat can have the opposite effect. And junk food can seem even more appealing when you’re under a lot of stress.
    • Do Yoga. This is a form of exercise, but it can also be a meditation. There are many types of yoga. The ones that focus on slow movement, stretching, and deep breathing are best for lowering your anxiety and stress. Here are some asanas that can relieve stress – child pose, bridge pose, corpse pose, camel pose, cobra pose. Here are some pranayamas that students should practice – bhramari, nadi shodhan, shitali, and anulom- vilom.

    In a nutshell – slow down, keep calm, be positive, take it easy, unplug, enjoy life, have fun, breathe, go outside, relax and meditate.

    Students and Stress

    In the exam hall or before the exams everybody feels the butterflies flying in the stomach. This is how we experience stress during examinations.

    What is stress?

    Stress is the physical and mental response of the body to demand made upon it. It is the result of our reaction to outside events. Stress is an outcome of:

    1. Examinations and surprise tests. We get stressed during our examinations. Most of the time we get nervous we don’t know the answer to some questions. Our hands start sweating and our mind blanks out at that time.
    2. When we don’t complete a particular assignment at the given time, we panic because of the little time left with us. We cannot give our best at this point of time.
    3. Returning to studies after a long break also is one reason for stress in students. We forget many topics that we had previously learned and read.
    4. Because of poor time management many students suffer from a great loss. Sometimes they study very much, sometimes they play too much or sometimes they spend most of their day on screens.
    5. Various problems at home also gives us a lot of stress. We cannot focus on studies or any other work. The fights between parents impacts a child in a negative manner.
    6. Noise pollution is also a cause of stress. Students are not able to relax while listening to continuous sounds coming from a party, construction site and neighbourhood.

    Types of stress

    • Eustress – It is the positive cognitive response to stress that is healthy, or gives one a feeling of fulfillment or other positive feelings. The goal is not too far out of reach but is still slightly more than one can handle. This fosters challenge and motivation since the goal is in sight. The function of challenge is to motivate a person toward improvement and a goal.  Eustress is indicated by hope and active engagement.
    • Distress – A range of symptoms and experiences of a person’s internal life that are commonly held to be troubling, confusing or out of the ordinary. Mental distress can potentially lead to a change of behavior, affect a person’s emotions in a negative way, and affect their relationships with the people around them. Certain traumatic life experiences such as: stress, lack of sleep, use of drugs or alcohol, assault, abuse or accidents can induce mental distress. This type of stress is negative and can deplete or destroy the energy for life.

    How does stress affect us?

    It increases our heart rate and muscle tension and causes headache, jaw ache, insomnia. It causes many diseases like asthma, hyperactivity, etc and the digestion slows causing ‘butterflies’ in stomach effect. It mentally affects us more. We start thinking negatively. it slows decision making ability and stunts the problem solving skills. There is a decrease in our concentration and focus. We often start forgetting about many things. We experience loneliness and worry about the future or the past. Increase intake of alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine to relax. We tend to isolate ourselves from our family members, friends and neighbours. We feel utterly unmotivated and lose our sense of humor.

    We should not let stress affect us immensely. We should cope up with stress. Talking to anyone about our mental health can help. There are many methods to prevent stress which I will discuss in the next article.  

    India’s Favorite Beverage – Chai

    Every Indian household has one thing in common – a tea in the morning, a tea in the evening. But how much do we know about our Chai ?

    Origin of Tea

    Tea was first drunk in China as far back as 2700 B.C.! In fact words such as tea, ‘chai’ and ‘chini’ are from Chinese. There are various legends about the origin of Tea. There is one about the Chinese emperor Shen Nung who always boiled water before drinking it. One day a few leaves of the twigs burning under the pot fell into the water giving it a delicious flavour. It is said they were tea leaves. There is also an Indian legend about the origin of tea. Bodhidharma, an ancient Buddhist ascetic, cut off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditations. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of these plants when put in hot water and drunk banished sleep.

    Masala Chai

    Masala Chai originated in India. In India, many herbs and spices are added to the tea. Each family has their own version of making tea. It is a tea beverage made by boiling black tea in milk and water with a mixture of aromatic herbs and spices. Tea plants have grown wild in the Assam region since antiquity, but historically, Indians viewed tea as an herbal medicine rather than as a recreational beverage.

    In the 1830s, the East India Company became concerned about the Chinese monopoly on tea, which constituted most of its trade and supported the enormous consumption of tea in Great Britain. Then, british colonists noticed the existence of the Assamese tea plants, and began to cultivate tea plantations locally. However, consumption of black tea within India remained low until the promotional campaign by the Indian Tea Association in the early 20th century, which encouraged factories, mines, and textile mills to provide tea breaks for their workers. It also supported many independent chaiwalas throughout the growing railway system. The official promotion of tea was as served in the Indian mode, with small added amounts of milk and sugar.

    Indian varieties of Tea

    • Masala chai – It is the most popular beverage in India
    • Noon chai – The pink tea is a traditional tea beverage from Kashmir and also served in many parts of Rajasthan and Nepal.
    • Green tea – it has been used in Ayurveda and it has also become a part of the modern India lifestyle.
    • Black tea – Black Tea is stronger in flavour and produced by all tea producing regions of India. Large leaved Assamese plants are mainly used for black tea.
    • White tea – White Tea harvested in India, Sri Lanka and China, It’s one of the styles of tea made from the buds and immature tea leaves.
    • Herbal tea – Herbal Tea made from hot water and served hot with varieties of plant material such as hibiscus, rose, etc.
    • Iced tea – It is a common drink in India, mostly available as ginger lemon iced tea or lemon iced tea. Lipton and Nestle brand of tea are two most popular brands of iced tea in India.
    • Irani chai – Irani Chai are masala chai with some spices and a popular quick weekend breakfast.
    • Tandoori chai – It is made in tandoor where clay pots also known as kullhads are preheated in tandoor and again served in fresh and clean kulhads.

    Indians and their Chai can never be separated from one another. Now,  I am also going to drink a refreshing cup of chai with tasty and crispy pakoras.

    How Does Music Help Students?

    I guess everybody likes music, at least everybody I know likes music. But most of us don’t know how music affects us and especially students. 

    According to my dictionary, music is the sounds that are arranged in a way that is pleasant or exciting to listen to. But to me music is more than that. It is a way of life. Music freshens up my mind and provides a new energy. There are various types of music around the world but I like Indian classical music the most. It can be a little boring at first but as the tempo increases, the singer also starts singing faster and at that time I start dancing (mostly dancing in my mind). 

    What happens when we listen to Music?

    • The brain treats the music differently. When we listen to music, many activities occur all around the brain  involved in movement, motor planning, attention and of course, the auditory cortex.
    • If the music feels good to your brain then it releases dopamine. It is basically your brain telling you whether you should or not listen to music.
    • It changes your mood and also changes your perspective about the world. A study showed that people see happy faces when they listen to happy music, but if they happen to listen to sad songs, they are likely to see sad faces. 
    • Music can control your fear and makes you ready to fight. It also stimulates memory from the hippocampus.
    • Music enhances frontal lobe’s function, which is used in thinking and decision making.
    • Song lyrics activate Broca’s and Wernickle’s area which improves the ability to communicate.

    Music and Students

    Music can create a mood. Study music can be relaxing and help students beat anxiety or stress while studying. Background music is likely to help students improve their focus during long study sessions.

    Music can help with memorisation – that is the basis of “the Mozart effect” which suggested that listening to Mozart study music could actually enhance intelligence.

    Study music is considered to be beneficial for the intake of vital information. Relaxing music for studying can help to ease nerves and help you beat pre-exam anxiety.

    Studies have shown that Music can even increase your performance. A study done by Cambridge University showed that hip-hop music provides an uplifting effect on its listeners that can help them accept, manage and deal better with mental health issues

    Perhaps one of the most compelling reasons to listen to music during a study session is because music is proven to help improve cognitive performance.

    Music engages the areas of the brain involved with paying attention, making predictions and updating the event in memory. It helps us to improve our focus.

    It can cure pain. Similar to how a lullaby would calm you, studies show that music can meaningfully reduce the intensity of pain, especially in geriatric care, intensive care, or palliative medicine. 

    Music also increases motivation to do our work. It also improves our immune functions.

    Due to so many benefits of music, Plato says, “Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”

    Indian Army Day

    When people think about heroes of India, they only and only remember the Indian Army. Let us celebrate Indian Army Day by saluting all the army men and women for their bravery, dedication and patriotism.

    Army Day is celebrated on 15 January every year in India, in recognition of Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander-in-Chief of India, on 15 January 1949. Today, India will celebrate its 73rd Indian Army Day. The day is celebrated in the form of parades and other military shows in the national capital New Delhi as well as in all headquarters. Army Day marks a day to salute the valiant soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the country and its citizens. Army Day strives to motivate people to build a great Nation by knowing about how an Army officer provides his/her full life for the betterment and safety of the people. While celebrations take place across the country, the main Army Day parade is conducted in Cariappa Parade ground in Delhi cantonment. Gallantry awards and Sena medals are also awarded on this day.

    K. M. Cariappa

    Kodandera Madappa Cariappa was the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. He led Indian forces on the Western Front during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army in 1949. He is one of only two Indian Army officers to hold the Five-star rank of Field Marshal; the other being Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.

    His distinguished military career spanned almost three decades. Born on 28 January 1898, in Madikeri, Kodagu, Cariappa joined the British Indian Army shortly after the end of World War I. He was transferred between multiple regiments early in his career before settling on 1/7 Rajputs, which became his permanent regiment. He was the first Indian military officer to attend the Staff College, Quetta, the first Indian to command a battalion. Several measures taken by Cariappa, such as his refusal to induct former Indian National Army personnel into the Army, kept the organisation out of political affairs and maintained its autonomy.  He died in his sleep on 15 May 1993. India remembers him as a true patriot and a son of the country. 

    The primary mission of the Indian Army is to ensure national security and national unity, to defend the nation from external aggression and internal threats, and to maintain peace and security within its borders. It conducts humanitarian rescue operations during natural calamities and other disturbances. The army comprises more than 80% of the country’s active defence personnel. It is the largest standing army in the world, with 12,37,117 active troops and 9,60,000 reserve troops. In 1992, the Indian Army began inducting women officers in non-medical roles. In 2014, India’s army had 3 per cent women and in 2015, India opened new combat air force roles for women as fighter pilots, adding to their role as helicopter pilots in the Indian Air Force. We all have love, respect and admiration for our soldiers and the Indian army as a whole.

    Happy Indian Army Day!

    Online Education

    The meaning of schools has changed after the COVID-19 outbreak. Classes are being conducted in an online medium. This is the ‘new normal’ for the students of India.

    How do the students learn?

    When I was in 9th standard, we had a chapter in our English textbook about the education system in future. The students there studied through computers and did not go to school. At that time I often thought that I would never have to study and learn via computers and laptops. It has been almost ten months at home and I guess this has taught me that online education is possible but, I do miss going to school.

    Online education is often called – distance learning, distance education, virtual learning, online learning, learning web-based training. Online education is electronically supported learning that relies on the Internet for teacher – student interaction and the distribution of class materials.

    Some online educational programs are conducted exclusively through assigned lessons and assessments administered online. Others take the form of remote lectures where students join the class via the cameras on their laptops, and the instructor teaches or lectures from his own computer. Other courses are a combination of the two, requiring students to do a fair amount of independent research.

    In my school, the classes are taken through Google Meet. The google meet link is shared in the class Whatsapp group. In my friend’s school the classes are conducted through Zoom. Teachers also present their screens in the meeting so that we can understand the concept clearly. After the class, the teachers assign us different assignments which we have to complete and submit in PDF form in a limited time. We also have exams online. First, the teachers share a Google Form for one mark questions; then they share the descriptive/writing part of the paper in Google Classroom. We are given half an hour to solve the one mark questions on Google Form and two and a half hours to solve and write the descriptive part. We have to write this part in our notebook, scan the pages and submit it in Google Classroom in PDF form within a fixed time period. These modern day learning applications are compatible with desktops/laptops as well as any smartphone.

    Pros of online education

    1. Study from anywhere. There is no need to go to a particular place to study. We can study indoors as well as outdoors. Even if you are ill, you can attend the classes easily. 
    2. Flexible learning schedule is observed in online education. A lot of time is saved in learning online. You can also do a part time job and learn. 
    3. Students can control study time because of the flexibility in the timetable. They also get extra time for sports and hobbies.
    4. There is no transportation fee to reach the school that lowers the overall cost. (There is no need to buy shoes and socks!) 
    5. The minimum infrastructure required for online learning is a smartphone and internet connection. As the country is witnessing a digital boom, it is expected that the poor people can also afford and access these classes easily.
    6. Improves the student’s technical skills. To join the classes, a student needs to learn to operate computers and various other apps. 
    7. There is no bullying or ragging involved in this method of education. The students are also free from stress and anxiety. Hence, each student is physically and mentally healthy.
    8. Teachers can also share subject related videos to students to make the learning fun and interesting. In a traditional classroom environment, this would require projector and sound system setup.    

    Due to the following reasons, many people choose online education over the traditional classroom interactional education.

    Eco Friendly Tourism

    It is often seen that tourist spots are very dirty, plastic bags and packets are thrown everywhere. In short, tourism is polluting the environment. We can stop this by promoting eco-friendly tourism. Here are three such types of tourism.

    Eco Tourism

    Ecotourism is defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education” (TIES, 2015). Ecotourism is about uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel.

    This means that those who implement, participate in and market ecotourism activities should adopt the following ecotourism principles:

    • Minimize physical, social, behavioral, and psychological impacts.
    • Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect.
    • Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts.
    • Provide direct financial benefits for conservation.
    • Generate financial benefits for both local people and private industry.
    • Deliver memorable interpretative experiences to visitors that help raise sensitivity to host countries’ political, environmental, and social climates.
    • Design, construct and operate low-impact facilities.
    • Recognize the rights and spiritual beliefs of the Indigenous People in your community and work in partnership with them to create empowerment.

    Some Eco tourism places in India are –

    1. Coorg, Karnataka
    2. Munnar, Kerala
    3. Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu
    4. Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand
    5. Kaziranga National Park, Assam

    Sustainable Tourism

    The World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism in the following manner: “Sustainable tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future. It is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity, and life support systems.”

    According to The World Tourism Organization (WTO), sustainable tourism should:

    •  Make optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity.
    •  Respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, conserve their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contribute to inter-cultural understanding and tolerance.
    • Ensure viable, long-term economic operations, providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed including stable employment and income-earning opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation.

    Some companies that promotes sustainable tourism in India are – 

    1. Kipepeo
    2. Evolve Back
    3. Spiti Ecosphere
    4. India Untravelled
    5. Green People

    Geo Tourism

    Geotourism is defined as tourism that sustains or enhances the distinctive geographical character of a place – its environment, heritage, aesthetics, culture, and the well-being of its residents.

    Principles of geo tourism are – 

    • Integrity of place: Enhance geographical character by developing and improving it in ways distinctive to the local, reflective of its natural and cultural heritage.
    • Market diversity: Encourage a full range of appropriate food and lodging facilities
    • Community involvement: Base tourism on community resources to the extent possible, encouraging local small businesses and civic groups 
    • Protection and enhancement of destination appeal: Encourage businesses to sustain natural habitats, heritage sites, aesthetic appeal, and local culture. 
    • Land use: Anticipate development pressures and apply techniques to prevent undesired overdevelopment and degradation. 
    • Conservation of resources: Encourage businesses to minimize water pollution, solid waste, energy consumption, water usage, landscaping chemicals, and overly bright nighttime lighting. Advertise these measures in a way that attracts

    Some geo tourism places in India are –

    1. Akal Fossil Wood Park, Jaisalmer
    2. Saketi, Sirmur District, Himachal Pradesh
    3. Peninsular Gneiss National Monument at Lalbagh, Bengaluru
    4. Columnar Basaltic Lava, Coconut Island (St. Mary’s Islands), Udupi District, Karnataka
    5. Ramgarh Crater, Baran district, Rajasthan.

    National Youth Day

    Youths are the future of our nation. Let’s celebrate the national youth day by learning about the significance of this day and also learning about how the youth population contributes to our nation.

    National youth day is celebrated every year on 12th of january to commemorate Swami  Vivekananda’s birthday. Youth all over the world are inspired by his teachings about life, success and learning. He is a perfect role model for each and every student of India. This day was first observed in 1985 throughout India. This day is celebrated in schools and colleges by organising various competitions, speeches, seminars, debates, essays, quizzes, etc. On this day the youth population, which is about one-fifth of India’s total population understand their importance in the country. They also learn about Swami Vivekanada and his life principles. During the coronavirus pandemic, it will be difficult for schools and colleges to  conduct these programmes and so I think that this article will embolden them and encourage them to spread their ‘Wings of Fire’.

    Swami Vivekananda was born on 12th january, 1863 in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency (present day- Kolkata, West Bengal). He was one of the greatest spiritual leaders in India. He introduced the concept Yoga and Vedanta in the western world. He was the student of Shree Ramakrishna Paramhansa. He travelled to the United States and represented India at the 1893 Parliament of the World’s Religions. He also conducted numerous public and private lectures and classes. He circulated Hinduism philosophies in Europe, Britain and the USA. ‘Karma Yoga’ and ‘Raja Yoga’ are some of his most celebrated publications. He worked for humanity and the betterment of our society.

    The original uploader was Dziewa at English Wikipedia. – Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4310553

    What can the youth learn from Swami Vivekananda?

    The teachings of Swami Vivekananda motivated the students to “Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.” These teachings tell us about the uncommon and remarkable personality of Swami Vivekananda. These teachings are based on his life situations 

    1. Be honest to everyone. Lying is a good way to get away with your mistakes but only in the short run. A lie leads to a thousand more lies. On the other hand speaking the truth is always best. The blame will come on you but people will always believe you. Honesty is the best policy. 
    2. You should always stick with the truth. Often, many people will stop you from telling the truth. They may repress you by using force or blackmailing you. But even in such times you should remember that truth is the small lamp that lightens the world.
    3. To achieve success, focus on your goals. Many-a-times people ultimately give up on their dreams, this is because they don’t focus on their goals. We become successful only when we work hard on our goals.
    4. Swami Vivekananda also taught everyone to face all the problems with courage and never run away from them. Every problem in life teaches us something new. Running away never really solves your problems, it just makes the problems an invisible weight on you.

    Swami Vivekananda was a great person. We should remember him and follow his teachings. 

    Happy National Youth Day to you.

    Road Safety Week

    Who doesn’t love long drives? It is relaxing to drive after a long stressful week. But the fun and enjoyment can turn into trauma, if we encounter an accident. As per the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways there were 4,49,002 road accidents recorded in India in the year 2019.

    Road Accidents

    Road accidents have become very common nowadays. As more and more people are buying automobiles, the incidences of road accidents are just increasing day by day. In year 2019, there were 4,49002 road accidents, killing 1,51,113 people and causing injury to 4,51,361 persons. This translates into an average of 1,230 accidents and 414 deaths every day and nearly 51 accidents and 17 deaths every hour (source: Ministry of road transport and highways). These accidents cause loss of life as well as material. People need to be more careful when on the road, no matter which mode of transport you use. To prevent the accidents we should follow all the traffic rules because not following traffic rules and guidelines could result in loss of life. Government and a few non-government organizations have taken the initiative to educate the people about road accidents and their prevention. 

    Road Safety Week

    Road safety week is celebrated from 11th January to 17th January every year with great joy and enthusiasm at many places in India.  People are encouraged about how to drive on the road by organizing a variety of programs related to road safety. During the whole week’s celebration, a variety of educational banners, safety posters, safety films, pocket guides and leaflets related to the road safety are distributed to the road travelers. 

    Many commuters also explain about the methods and necessities of road safety. So that the people understand the use of helmets and seat belts while driving on the road or anywhere. They also tell the people about different rules, acts and laws related to road safety and encourage the people to follow them.

    Various painting and drawing competitions, road safety advertisements, fairs, road rules tests, girls scooter rallies take place all around India to encourage the use of helmets, debates on road safety at the All India Radio, workshops, seminars, lectures etc. are organized during this week.

    Free medical check-up camps and driving training workshops are organized for the drivers to encourage them towards road safety. This is done because generally, the drivers drive very fast to drop their customers to their destinations.

    Road safety leaflets including roses, chocolates, and flowers are distributed to the travelers on the road. Road safety quiz contests are also organized to promote people about road safety. Traffic safety games including card games, puzzles, board games and etc are organized to educate school children about road safety.

    Celebrating the road safety campaign was initiated by the ISS India HSE (Health Safety and Environment) in order to make people aware of the national road safety in the Indian subcontinent. India has a huge population of road travelers such as two-wheelers, four-wheelers on the road, that’s why we must know about road safety.

    Olympiad Examinations In India

    Olympiad exams are different from regular school examinations. Every student should participate in Olympiads but most parents and students do not know the importance of these examinations.

    What are Olympiad Exams?

    Olympiad exams are competitive exams conducted by various organizations across India and abroad. These examinations are conducted on the basis of the school curriculum of CBSE, ICSE, and other major state boards. These exams help to compare student’s performance with their peers across the country and also around the world. The question paper for these exams is objective-type with multiple-choice questions. There may be negative marking for wrong answers. There may be 50 to 100 questions in an examination and a strict time limit. Olympiad exams focus on concept-based learning and logical thinking. This in turn enhances the abilities of the student which is an important tool to face the future competition coming in their lives.

    What is the importance of Olympiad Exams?

    Olympiad exams evaluate the conceptual learning and strengthen the reasoning, analytical and problem solving skills of a student from an early age. This way the student becomes ready for the upcoming challenges of the competitive world. Many people feel that competition at such an early age will not be beneficial for students, but these examinations build a strong base for students. Hence it is necessary for a student to take part in these examinations. 

    Main benefits of Olympiad exams

    • They are perfect to test a student’s conceptual understanding of the subject.
    • Improves the student’s problem solving ability and challenges them to think analytically.
    • Prepares them for future competitive exams by testing a student’s aptitude as well as the knowledge of a particular subject. 
    • Provides exposure to students at the national as well as international platforms.
    • Instills the quality of hard work in the students by pushing them to prepare hard for the exam and improve their result.
    • Students’ performance in school is also improved as Olympiads sharpen their thinking and learning process which helps them to grasp the concepts taught in schools better.

    Who conducts Olympiad exams?

    There are independent private organizations who conduct the Olympiad Exams. Some of the major Olympiad Exam conducting bodies are as follows:

    SOF (Science Olympiad Foundation), CREST Olympiads (Online Olympiad Exams), Unicus Olympiads (Summer Olympiad Exams), Educational Initiatives (ASSET), Indian Talent Olympiad, Humming Bird Education, Eduheal Foundation, Silver Zone Foundation, Unified Council

    Almost all the Olympiads consider participation from school only. Only CREST Olympiads and NSTSE (organized by Unified Council) accept individual registrations.

    Subjects 

    Subjects in which these examinations are conducted:

    Mathematics, Science, English, Cyber, General Knowledge, French, Reasoning and Spell Bee.

    Preparation for Olympiad exams

    Most of the Olympiad exams are conducted on the similar syllabus that is taught at school. No additional reference books are required for the preparation of these exams. But still, there are some special books and guides to prepare for Olympiads. Students are only required to be clear with all the concepts and basics. The questions asked in the Olympiad exams are quite different from what kids learn in the school. Questions are trickier and conceptual which require the students to have a wide thought process to solve the variety of problems based on logics and concepts. 

    My Favorite Indian Dance Forms

    Alan Watts once said ‘life’s a dance of energy’. In the same way dance is also a way to express the energy of emotions and feelings. So here are my favourite dance forms.

    Bihu Dance

    By Rohan Gautam 002 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=86530098

    Bihu is a popular folk dance associated with the state of Assam in India and it is performed generally during the Bihu festival. It is generally performed during the springtime. The energetic dance steps and quick hand movements define the Bihu dance of Assam. A lot of vibrancy can be seen in the dance outfit of Bihu, the male performers of Bihu are dressed in dhotis and gamocha. The women who perform Bihu usually wear traditional Assamese attire for the performance. Women team up their outfits with gaudy and heavy jewelry and they also decorate their braids with pretty flowers that perfectly match the color of the dress worn by them.There are many instruments that are utilized during a Bihu performance namely a Dhol, Pepa, Taal, Toka, Xutuli, Gogona and Baanhi. Watching the Bihu dance is mesmerising, the music enchants the atmosphere while the women and men of Assam joyfully dance.

    Samai Dance

    https://udaipurblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/shilp331.jpg

    The word samayi means brass. It is called Samai dance because men and women dance with brass lamps or deepak put on their heads. Samai dance is performed by people of Goa during Holi and Shigmo festival. During the Samai dance, the women wear bright and colourful sarees and men wear kurta with pajamas. The men have a head ribbon tied to their heads while taking part in the lamp dance. Women wear gajra in their hair along with other traditional jewelry such as bangles, bindi, earrings, nose pins, and necklaces.The brass lamp used in the Samayi dance is one foot long with burning wicks which dancers need to balance while dancing. Samayi dance consists of very slow dance movements as dancers need to balance lamps on their heads. Dancers dance to traditional folk songs while making exquisite movements.The main instruments used in samai dance are Harmonium, Shehnai, Ghumat, Samel, Surt, and Zanj.

    Chhau Dance

    The Chhau Dance is a popular form of tribal dance in India that also integrates elements of martial arts into its movements. It is generally performed in in the states of Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand.The dance form has three subtypes; namely Purulia Chhau, Mayurbanj Chhau and Seraikella Chhau, named differently because of the place of their origin.The dance developed a means to portray stories to the audience. The fables revolve around Ramayana and Mahabharata, Puranas and other India Literature with religious themes. Indian instruments – Dhol, Shehnai and Dhamsa make the recital come to life. The male dancers wear brightly colored dhotis with a matching kurta on top. A vast amount of costume jewelry is worn in the form of necklaces. Female dancers, or male dancers depicting female characters, are known to wear colorful sarees.The style and variety of the costume of the dancers largely depends on the characters being portrayed by them. The dancers also use different objects to display weapons. 

    My Favorite Indian Dance Forms

    Alan Watts once said ‘life’s a dance of energy’. In the same way dance is also a way to express the energy of emotions and feelings. So here are my favourite dance forms.

    Bihu Dance


    By Rohan Gautam 002 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=86530098

    Bihu is a popular folk dance associated with the state of Assam in India and it is performed generally during the Bihu festival. It is generally performed during the springtime. The energetic dance steps and quick hand movements define the Bihu dance of Assam. A lot of vibrancy can be seen in the dance outfit of Bihu, the male performers of Bihu are dressed in dhotis and gamocha. The women who perform Bihu usually wear traditional Assamese attire for the performance. Women team up their outfits with gaudy and heavy jewelry and they also decorate their braids with pretty flowers that perfectly match the color of the dress worn by them.There are many instruments that are utilized during a Bihu performance namely a Dhol, Pepa, Taal, Toka, Xutuli, Gogona and Baanhi. Watching the Bihu dance is mesmerising, the music enchants the atmosphere while the women and men of Assam joyfully dance.

    Samai Dance


    https://udaipurblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/shilp331.jpg

    The word samayi means brass. It is called Samai dance because men and women dance with brass lamps or deepak put on their heads. Samai dance is performed by people of Goa during Holi and Shigmo festival. During the Samai dance, the women wear bright and colourful sarees and men wear kurta with pajamas. The men have a head ribbon tied to their heads while taking part in the lamp dance. Women wear gajra in their hair along with other traditional jewelry such as bangles, bindi, earrings, nose pins, and necklaces.The brass lamp used in the Samayi dance is one foot long with burning wicks which dancers need to balance while dancing. Samayi dance consists of very slow dance movements as dancers need to balance lamps on their heads. Dancers dance to traditional folk songs while making exquisite movements.The main instruments used in samai dance are Harmonium, Shehnai, Ghumat, Samel, Surt, and Zanj.

    Chhau Dance

    The Chhau Dance is a popular form of tribal dance in India that also integrates elements of martial arts into its movements. It is generally performed in in the states of Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand.The dance form has three subtypes; namely Purulia Chhau, Mayurbanj Chhau and Seraikella Chhau, named differently because of the place of their origin.The dance developed a means to portray stories to the audience. The fables revolve around Ramayana and Mahabharata, Puranas and other India Literature with religious themes. Indian instruments – Dhol, Shehnai and Dhamsa make the recital come to life. The male dancers wear brightly colored dhotis with a matching kurta on top. A vast amount of costume jewelry is worn in the form of necklaces. Female dancers, or male dancers depicting female characters, are known to wear colorful sarees.The style and variety of the costume of the dancers largely depends on the characters being portrayed by them. The dancers also use different objects to display weapons.

    Ancient Rainwater Harvesting Systems

    Jal hi jeevan hai (water is life). Water is an indispensable part of our life. But some of us do not know that every drop counts. Our ancestors knew this and that is why they built many water harvesting systems.

    Khadin system 

    A khadin, also called a dhora, is an ingenious construction designed to harvest surface runoff water for agriculture. The khadin system is based on the principle of harvesting rainwater on farmland use of this land for crop production. It was first designed by the Paliwal Brahmins of Jaisalmer, western Rajasthan in the 15th century. A Khadin is an earthen embankment built across the general slope which conserves the maximum possible rainwater runoff within the agricultural field. The embankment not only helps to increase moisture in the submerged land, but also prevents the washing away of the top soil and the manure added to it.

    Suranga system

    Suranga (also Surangam or thurangam) is a traditional water management system used to provide a reliable supply of water and irrigation in Kerala and Karnataka. A suranga is basically a horizontal tunnel dug in the slope of a laterite hill for about 30 metres to 40 metres , which uses gravitational force for extraction of the underground water and collects into a storage tank. 

    By Vssun – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20371095

    As both the areas are covered by uneven and steep laterite hill which makes borewell expensive, surangas are considered as a relatively cheap option. The water can be collected by using a small barrier, which then can flow through a plastic or bamboo pipe into a storage pit or tank.

    Pat 

    Bhitada village, Jhabua district of Madhya pradesh developed the unique Pat system. This system was devised according to the peculiarities of the terrain to divert water from swift-flowing hill streams into irrigation channels called pats. The diversion bunds across the stream are made by piling up stones and then lining them with teak leaves and mud to make them leakproof. The villagers irrigate their fields by turns. The channel requires constant maintenance and it is the duty of the family irrigating the fields on a particular day to take care of the Pat on that particular day.

    Kuis / Beris

    Found in western Rajasthan, these are 10-12 m deep pits dug near tanks to collect the seepage. Kuis can also be used to harvest rainwater in areas with meagre rainfall. The mouth of the pit is usually made very narrow. This prevents the collected water from evaporating. The pit gets wider as it burrows under the ground, so that water can seep into a large surface area. The openings are generally covered with planks of wood, or put under lock and key. The water is used sparingly, as a last resource in crisis situations.

    Baoris / Bers (Stepwell)

    Baoris or bers are community wells, found in Rajasthan, that are used mainly for drinking. However, unlike the wells that we can find in the West, here the descent into the well is made up of hundreds of steps (hence the name Stepwell) that enclose places of great beauty and spirituality. Most of them are very old and were built by banjaras (mobile trading communities) for their drinking water needs. They can hold water for a long time because of almost negligible water evaporation.

    Role of Biodiversity and Agriculture in making of Atmanirbhar Bharat

    While flipping pages of my Geography textbook, a fact caught my eye – two third of the population of India is engaged in agricultural activities. We are blessed to have diverse climatic conditions because of which we see a variety of flora and fauna, and grow so many veggies, fruits and other crops. But India still imports a lot of harvested produce from other countries.

    Atmanirbhar Bharat

    Atmanirbhar Bharat, which translates to ‘self-reliant India’ or ‘self-sufficient India’, is a policy formulated by Prime minister of India Narendra Modi for making India a bigger and more important part of the global economy. It was launched on 12 May 2020  during the announcement of India’s COVID-19 pandemic related economic package. Not only should products be ‘made in India’, but the promotion of those products should take place so as to make those products competitive.  We should appreciate our local products, if we don’t do this then our products will not get the opportunity to do better and will not get encouraged. The agriculture and biodiversity sector were also given a lot of importance in it. This scheme helps farmers by providing better financial help, good prices of crops and a lot of new schemes are introduced which will help to support farmers and other people who are dependent on the agricultural sector for their livelihood. The improvement in PDS (Public Distribution System) has also started. Sustainable fishing practices and organic farming practices are encouraged, beekeeping shelters are increased and Rs 1500 crore is specified for animal husbandry. Many medicinal herbs are to be grown by the shore of river Ganga. Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers, D V Sadananda Goda, in September 2020, said that “India will be self-reliant in fertiliser production by 2023”. Three Farm Bills passed in September 2020 provide the legal framework to give the farmers the right to choose the price and people to whom they want to sell. Coir Udyami Yojana aims to develop the coir-related industry’s sustainable development.

    Role of Agriculture and Biodiversity

    From my point of view, the making of New India does not mean cutting the forests to make big buildings, industries or exploiting the natural resources without limit. When I think about a new Bharat, I imagine a country with minimum degradation of natural resources while still sustaining the agricultural demand of our country. 

    Important focus on agricultural exports should also be given so as to improve the quality of exports rather than just quantity, thereby fetching more price for the farmer. Exports of medicinal herbs and oils, agricultural produce and raw materials like cotton and jute will increase drastically; also aiding the economy. Correspondingly, many people will start to prefer Indian exported products.

    Great biodiversity will help to maintain ecological balance for ecosystem stability and support ecotourism. We can use resources and conserve them due to eco-friendly practices in farming, fishing, etc. 

    At school level, a new subject – Agriculture should be introduced with hands-on experience and interaction with farmers. This will inspire many students to study agriculture and forestry streams. 

    I think that biodiversity and agricultural prosperity will highly assist in the making of New India. Our new Bharat will be more sustainable and more developed. India will promote eco friendly practices, biodiversity, organic farming, quality produce and build a strong economy. From a developing country, it will turn into a super-power.

    Importance of Vocational Skills

    The new Education Policy of India also focuses on vocational training of the students. But what are vocational skills? And why are they important? Let us find out.

    What are Vocational skills?

    Vocational skills are empirical skills that individuals acquire in a specific area of interest. These are the practical skills that one requires to learn in order to choose a career option. Vocational skills are more practical than theoretical skills and are equally important for a student. Individuals learn vocational skills from hands-on experience.The training takes place outside the traditional classroom setting. Students are placed in manual labor intern positions that coincide with their vocational career choice. It trains a student in training for his career and it is related to the theory part. Vocational skills are those which allow a person to master a particular subject or procedure that is applicable to a career. Vocational skills are also known as content skills.

    Importance of Vocational training

    When a student receives vocational education in college or an educational institution, they are not getting prepared just to study and pass the college. But they are also being prepared to get a job in the future.

    Vocational training is very important. It develops many skills. Here are the types of skills that are developed by it-

    1.  Domain knowledge in fields such as carpentry, plumbing, electrical works, automobile service
    2.  Mechanical aptitude 
    3.  Problem solving skills
    4.  Creative skills

    These skills are acquired by the students and help them immensely. Skills create various job opportunities. In today’s world, almost every job providing company or organization wants people to work for them who have proper skills that will benefit their company and organization. And these skills can not be obtained by only theoretical training.

    Skill is the most valuable asset in an individual’s life. Vocational education gives people a new learning experience. It increases your level of expertise in a particular field. This makes it easier to choose a career in future.

    Learning a skill takes less time than a traditional four-year university, and can be learned in a few months.. Due to its short period of learning it is very flexible and cost-effective for the students. The students even get time to do their other important work by training  part time from the teacher.

    After learning, they do not become dependent on machines or someone else because it is their skills which are helping them to work. They become more efficient and self dependent. Also, they realise their capabilities and use their potential to achieve heights of success. 

    Career options from vocational skills

    We are exposed to various job opportunities by vocational training. Some career options are listed below –

    Car mechanic, Car body repair technician, Car electrician, Quality test engineer, Firefighter, Paramedic, Police officer, Search and rescue officer, CPR and first-aid responder, Coastguard officer, Vocational nurse, Surgical prep technician, Medical technician, Dental hygienist, Dental assistant, Phlebotomist, Sonographer, Radiologist, Pharmacy technician, Mammographer, Laboratory technician, Veterinary assistant, Veterinary technician, Chef, Caterer, Food service manager, Bartender, Mixologist, Quality assurance specialist, Welder, Electrician, Plumber, Web designer, Carpenter, Construction manager, Pipe-fitter, Machining, Computer-aided drafting, Network administration, Civil engineering technician, Court reporter, Hair stylist. 

    By choosing a subject that interests you, you can shape your career and create your own success.

    How did the Students Learn in Ancient India?

    The pupils in ancient India were also taught by teachers, but quite differently. This ancient indian education system is very impressive and we should learn about it.

    https://www.spiritual.university/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2014/12/Ancient-education-system1.jpg

    Majorly there were two education systems in ancient India – Vedic and Buddhist. The Vedic system revolved around the Vedas, Vedangas and Upanishads and they were taught in sanskrit, while the Buddhist system preached the thoughts of the major Buddhist schools and they were taught in Pali. 

    Education in ancient India was very different from the rest of the world back then. A child would leave his home to get an education, a child had to leave home and live with a teacher in a gurukul for the entire duration of his studies. No fee was charged for education; in fact, the teacher took care of everything, including food, clothing and housing. According to this system,  even if a child was interested in acquiring philosophical knowledge, he would still have to do some manual work every day along with debates and discussions.

    Education for women was quite important in ancient India. Women were trained in housekeeping, as well as in dancing and music. Girls also had to conduct the Upanayana ceremony. Vedas and Vedangas were taught to women, too, but were limited to religious songs and poems necessary for rituals. Some notable Vedic and Upanishad women scholars were Apala, Lopamudra, Gargi and Maitreyi.

    The teacher used to ask some students to sit in groups and then they would recite the Vedas  for hours. Same verses were also taught in different tones so that it would be easier for the students to learn it. Teachers or gurus also taught separately based on the ability and the capability of the student. 

    According to ancient education, there were 3 processes of learning – Sravana (listening to the truths that the guru speaks), Manana (Interpreting the meaning of the words spoken by the guru in your own words so that you can remember it for a long time.) and Nididhyasana (The complete comprehension of the truth so that he may live to it and not just remember it as a theory) To them knowledge was the realization of truth and this truth must be passed on to the next generations.

    There were very popular educational institutions in India during the ancient times as well. Four of these institutions were quite prominent and known for different specializations. The University of Nalanda was famous for its Catholic and cosmopolitan character and its department of logic. It was located in the east of India. Takshashila University, in an area what is now modern-day Pakistan, was well-known across the world for its medical school and was the chief learning center in 6th century BC. Vallabhi was a very well known university in west India. It was also a famous study center that had specialized in subjects like law, medicine and economics, and had students attending from all parts of the country. Vikramshila was yet another esteemed institution, best known for Tantric Buddhism.

    The ancient Indian system of education focused on the training of the mind and process of thinking. But the British rule erased this system and erected an education system that had written examinations and had scheduled classes. India has now introduced a new education policy for the betterment of students.

    World Braille Day

    We all have heard about and seen the braille script. But we do not know who invented it. On the occasion of World Braille Day let us learn about the inventor of Braille and how we can help visually impaired people.

    By Agence Rol – Bibliothèque nationale de France, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9466496

    World Braille Day is annually celebrated on January 4, the birthday of Braille inventor, Louis Braille. The day recognizes the contributions of Louis Braille in helping blind and visually impaired people to read and write. Braille is a code that uses bumps and indentation on a surface to represent letters, which can be recognized by touch. Louis Braille, a French man who was blinded in an accident at a very young age, invented it. Before Braille invented this form of communication, visually impaired people read and wrote using the Haüy system which embossed Latin letters on thick paper or leather. This was a complicated system that required much training and only allowed people to read, not write. Discouraged by this, Braille at the age of 15 invented the Braille code. While there are now several different versions of Braille, Louis Braille’s code was arranged in small rectangular blocks called cells with raised dots in a 3 x 2 pattern. Each cell represented a letter, number or punctuation. Since Braille is a code, all languages and even certain subjects like mathematics, music and computer programming can be read and written in braille. 

    Louis Braille

    Braille was blinded at the age of three in an accident that occurred while he was playing with tools in his father’s harness shop. A tool slipped and plunged into his right eye. Sympathetic ophthalmia and total blindness followed. Nevertheless, he became a notable musician and excelled as an organist. Upon receiving a scholarship, he went in 1819 to Paris to attend the National Institute for Blind Children, and from 1826 he taught there.  He published a treatise on his type system in 1829, and in 1837 he published a three-volume Braille edition of a popular history schoolbook.

    Helping visually impaired people

    1. Introduce yourself and ask if the person needs help. A blind person may not necessarily need help all the time. Confirm it before you grab their hand and frighten them. 
    2. Assumptions can often come naturally because of misconceptions and stigmas that many non-disabled people have, but they can be very frustrating for blind and visually impaired people. Not making assumptions makes the situation so much easier for everyone.
    3. Treat a blind or visually impaired person like you would anyone else. There is no need to treat them specially. They may feel uncomfortable when you treat them with extra care. 
    4. Don’t change your vocabulary when talking to a person with a visual impairment. Generally, a blind person does not get offended by someone saying words such as ‘look’ or ‘see’, we all use those words, they’re part of our vocabulary so there’s no need to change the things you say to us.
    5. When you are standing far from them, talk a little loudly so that they can properly hear and understand you. 

    How Did Education Help Women in India?

    In India, women were not always allowed to read and write. But this changed when the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan was launched. Now, women are learning, working and collaborating in all fields and making our nation proud.

    What is Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan?

    The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) was launched by the former prime minister of India, Shree Atal Bihari Vajpayee which aimed at compulsory education of every child  between the ages of 6 – 14 years.This programme is also an attempt to provide an opportunity for improving human capabilities to all children through provision of community owned quality education in a mission mode. It started in 2002 and SSA has been operational since 2000-2001. However, its roots go back to 1993-1994, when the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) was launched, with an aim of achieving the objective of universal primary education. In 2018, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan along with Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan was launched to form Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. This Abhiyan has also assisted all children, especially a girl child to realise her true potential.

    Education’s role in a women’s life

    The development rate of any country depends highly on the education of all its citizens. The education of both men and women is equally important as they are the two sides of a coin. We can never develop, if we think that women do not deserve a right to education. Due to education, reforms started in many girls and women’s lives. These reforms are described below.

    Women started getting equal respect by everyone. Traditionally, the women’s work in a household was only limited to washing, cooking and taking care of the family. After education, women could participate in the financial discussion of the family, they could now give advice to all the family members. Because of this men of the family have started to consider them as their equals.

    The stereotypes and prejudices related to women are slowly disappearing from our society. The tradition of sati has stopped completely because now women know that their life still has a meaning without their husbands. Dowry has also stopped in India. Women are no longer considered a weight on fathers shoulders. 

    Women also became aware of the laws, rights and their duty towards the nation. They also raise their voice against many issues and fight for their rights. They learn about various schemes introduced by the government. They also participate in elections and generally win by a large percentage of votes. 

    They no longer stay at home. Due to a good education, many companies and offices are willingly giving them jobs. They are becoming financially independent. Women do not depend on husbands to provide them. This also has helped to increase the overall income of a poor family. The country’s defence forces have also opened up for women and they have become the pride of the family by joining the defence forces. 

    The woman who started it all – Savitribai Phule

    Savitribai Phule was an Indian social reformer, educationalist, and poet from Maharashtra. She established the first women school in India and became the first woman teacher of our country. She is regarded as the mother of Indian feminism.

    By India Post, Government of India – [1], GODL-India, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74738306

    She worked to abolish the discrimination and unfair treatment of people based on caste and gender. She is regarded as an important figure of the social reform movement in Maharashtra.  Savitribai’s birthdate, 3 January, is celebrated as Balika Din in the whole of Maharashtra, especially in Girl’s Schools. She is an inspiration for all the women of India.

    Learning from Ancient Agriculture in India

    Our earth can no longer tolerate pesticides and fertilizers, because of the ever increasing demand of food, we must return back to our basics – using age old agricultural practices with the help of modern technology.

    The evidence of agriculture practice in India dates back to 9000 BC. The domestication of plants and animals was also reported around this time. Wheat, barley and jujube were among crops, sheep and goats were among animals that were domesticated. This period also saw the first domestication of the elephants. Agricultural communities became widespread in Kashmir valley around 5000 BC. It was reported that Cotton was cultivated by 5000 – 4000 BC in Kashmir. As early as 4530 BC and 5440 BC wild Oryza rice appeared in the Belan and Ganges valley regions of northern India. Agricultural activity during the second millennium BC included rice cultivation in the Kashmir and Harappan regions.  Agriculture was far from the dominant mode of support for human societies, but those who adopted it flourished.

    Why should we return to ancient practices? 

    Excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides to increase crop production has augmented the deterioration in quality of the yield. Using chemicals in farming destroys natural resources, and wastes a lot of water because it causes soil degradation and soil to become salty. The chemicals are washed from soil into water and also cause water pollution along with soil pollution. Due to the process of biological magnification, the chemicals are being accumulated in our bodies. Due to the above reasons we need to switch to sustainable methods of farming like organic farming.

    Ancient practices that can help farmers

    1. Water harvesting should be adopted by farmers. This will irrigate their fields and the water can also be used for domestic use in the farmer’s house. This also will decrease the farmers dependence on borewells and tubewells and thereby save water. The Harappan farmers used to harvest the rainwater.
    1. Trees should be grown along with the crops. It increases biodiversity in the farm and also may be used as an income source. By planting a neem tree in a field, a farmer can sell its leaves and small branches. Also, birds will visit it and eat the pests from crops. Growing trees of medicinal value will help to cure an ill member of the farmers family. 
    1.  The farmers should grow crops with only traditional seeds. HYV seeds (High Yield Variety seeds) appear to be good for a short course of time; but in the long run, they decrease the groundwater table of the area and decrease the productivity of soil.
    1. Manure is a cost effective and an environment-friendly alternative of Fertilizer. Farmers should reintroduce the use of Jiwamrita which has been used for thousands of years in India. The only ingredients in this miracle fertilizer are cow dung, cow urine, evaporated cane juice or raw sugar and water.
    1. Mixed farming was the basis of the Indus valley economy. Indian farmers should also diversify their crops and grow at least two crops in  a year. This will aid in increasing the fertility of the soil.

    These were a few ancient farming practices that can help a farmer to increase his income while saving water and energy; ultimately saving the world from food scarcity and pollution. 

    How can the youth make an impact?

    Youth can bring a great change, they can change this world. Indian teenagers are yet to realize their full potential. They think that they can make an impact only after getting a job.

    How can a teen make an impact?

    The very first thing that we as youth can do is to know our rights. Know about your right to information, right to equality, right to freedom and other rights. These are important because this will assist you to determine those people whose rights are being suppressed. You can even make people aware of their rights.

    To change the world you need to understand the world and its complex systems. For being capable of this understanding, education is very important. Every youth must be educated. Education increases a family’s standard of living and promotes economic development. More educated people will mean more economic growth. Education also helps to eradicate poverty.

    Gender and race based stereotypes have always existed in our society. We can make an impact by even stopping one small stereotypic comment. We should even educate the people that every person deserves equal respect in this world. Education also helps in breaking this stereotypic perspective and teaches that each individual is unique in his/her own way.

    We should always be aware about local and state issues. We can discuss these issues with our friends, families and teachers and find the solutions to it. When we learn about some issues, we can share our views on more similar issues. We also ponder upon the reasons because of which this problem became such a big issue. Knowing more about our locality urges us to be a responsible resident.

    Just learning about various issues is not enough. We should speak up whenever we see anything wrong happening. We should speak up when we want to ask something. We should speak up even for others. We should speak up when we don’t feel well. Suppressing thought and feelings will make us unhappy. Speak your views and opinions confidently. 

    We can join many organisations and groups as volunteers to share our views to others. Organizations influence many people and society. As a volunteer you can visit the households and make the issues/concerns be heard by all the people and also gather direct feedback from them. These groups generally take actions faster. You will not feel alone while protesting and campaigning.

    You can even join many campaigns to protest against gender inequality, climate change, racism and any other issues. By campaigning against any wrong decision or thing, governments will have to review its decision and also stop any action that is not right according to the constitution. A peaceful rally is also a good means of protest but you have to make sure that it does not turn violent.

    We all are aware of climate change. We can together combat and reverse it by organising rallies. We can even take digital actions like storming twitter, sharing posts on a single hashtag. Online campaigning is the new trend.

    We should volunteer whenever we get a chance. Volunteering helps various people and organizations. We meet many people while volunteering. Each of our experiences are very special and they teach us something new.

    And together we can change the world.

    Never Stop Learning- How and Why

    My life mantra is simple: live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever – Mahatma Gandhi. Learning is not  only bound to schools and colleges; it is a lifelong activity. 

    Why?

    Learning should never stop. We learn from everything that we hear and see. Many people share the perspective that learning stops after college or an age, this is wrong. We acquire new skills due to continuous knowledge and more skills deliver us various experiences. Experiences are the viable part of our lives and we even learn from them! In recent years, distinct skills are required to be qualified in a job interview. Many multinational companies hire only the people who have creative thinking. All this can be earned only through learning. The brain gets regular exercise, this prevents our mind from being left idle and also improves our memory. Individuals who keep learning are less likely to feel depressed and unenthusiastic. This way we can prevent many mental health diseases. Regular exercise of the brain keeps us mentally fit and active. The knowledge gained never goes to waste, it can always be shared so that more people can start learning. During these difficult and challenging times we can spend our time learning and teaching about various topics. We can also earn some money by taking tuitions/coaching classes. Learning about new topics and subjects increases our self confidence. We believe more in ourselves when we try new things. If an individual never tries new things, then he will never know his capabilities, he will surely avoid learning. It also boosts self esteem and makes us happy. Learning plays a key role in improving our mental health and providing peace of mind. It also builds a strong and charismatic personality.

    How to keep learning?

    Learning is not limited to only a particular place and a specific time. We can learn anywhere and anytime. From a role model to a child, anybody can be our teacher. It is often seen that students correct the teachers or parents and they learn great lessons from children. We also have to understand that all skills have their own importance. We should create a list of topics that are interesting to us and try to grasp as much as possible information for these topics. We should not restrict ourselves only to bookish knowledge. Our everyday lives also offer us a great opportunity to learn new things. E.g. a scientist should also learn how to change tyres along with his core subjects and work.

    We can learn more by trying out different things. If you experience something first hand then you will remember it for a long time. Learning a guitar, a piano and a dance form are some examples. This can be a very good and productive use of our free time. You will feel more energetic and enthusiastic. These skills will come handy in the future. Knowledge can be also expanded by reading books, newspapers and journals on different subjects and issues. Our general knowledge will increase rapidly and reading will keep us occupied for several hours. Facing various challenges will also help us in learning. It will teach us the value of hardwork and time in our life. Always ask questions whenever you are curious, if your questions get answered then you will learn something new and if they don’t get answered, they will make somebody else curious. Learning is a part of the journey on earth and it should never stop. 

    Happy learning.

    How can Education Change the World?

    Former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela had quoted- Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Most of the people cannot fully understand the role that education plays in our society.

    Role of education in our life

    Here are some reasons explaining the role of education.

    Education helps us to express our views and opinions. It helps us to understand and elaborate our opinions on various complex topics. It assists us to explain our point of view in the topics which have no clear answer. We can share information and have conversations efficiently and aptly.

    The knowledge acquired by education influences us to broaden the boundary of our thoughts. This makes us creative and productive. It aids us in thinking out of the box. Literate people are more likely to think before they act and hence avert bad decisions. Good and creative thoughts built a confident and lively individual.

    Education is not just about books and writing, it develops our character. We learn to respect, help and be kind to everyone. We become aware of gender inequality, racism and other discriminations and help the nation to overcome all these issues. A good character is what makes a person dignified amongst all.

    Education system brings out the hidden talent of the student and helps in nurturing it and giving it the right direction. The teachers focus on personality development of students through conducting activities like extempore, debate, speech, singing, dancing, drawing etc. Education brings out tomorrow’s leaders and leaders shape the future of society, nation and the world.

    It also helps us to face difficult situations in life. An educated individual is always prepared to cope with unpredictable situations like a loss, a shock, a conflict and an emergency. We learn that this is a part of life and we should move on. The ups and downs make our life’s journey incredible and unforgettable.

    We learn about the various phenomena happening in the world and space. We learn about machines, plants, our own bodies, forests, animals, various scientists and their experiments, authors, poets, famous places and so much more. This makes us aware of the beauty of nature and the universe.

    We get many more job opportunities when we are educated and get a good income and become more successful due to immense knowledge. There may be a range of perspectives on the best way to move our economy forward, but one element essential to any answer is education for everyone.

    More the education in a country, higher the literacy rate. It is observed that countries which have high literacy rates have lower percentages of poor people. Education assists to alleviate poverty to a huge extent. This is the reason why governments of various countries stress upon educating everyone.

    A tool to change the world

    Education is a way to change life. It builds a character of a person and brings out and nurtures the hidden talent and skills of the individual. It is observed that educated people are less likely to resolve a conflict through the means of violence. With such great impacts of education in our society, everyone has the right to get access to education. Thus, education creates a tranquil atmosphere in the world and indeed, education is the weapon that can change the world.