Day: November 28, 2019

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Releases Poll Manifesto, Promises Reservation.

Source – ndtv.com

RANCHI: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has promised 67 per cent reservation to STs, OBCs and SCs, and government jobs to local people if it forms the government in the state after Assembly elections.

The JMM, the main opposition party in Jharkhand, which has formed an alliance with the Congress and the RJD, said it would provide 28 per cent reservation to Scheduled Tribes, 27 per cent to Other Backward Classes and 12 per cent to Scheduled Castes.

Releasing the party’s manifesto for the polls on Tuesday, JMM president Shibu Soren and his son Hemant said that if the party came to power, 75 per cent of jobs in the private sector would be reserved for locals.

“Within two years of formation of the government, all vacancies in different government departments will be filled up with the youths of Jharkhand under the Local Policy,” the manifesto promised.

Unemployed graduates and post-graduates would be given an allowance of Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 7,000 respectively every month, it said.

Of the 81 seats in the state, the JMM is contesting in 43 while the Congress and the RJD are fighting in 31 and seven seats respectively.

The manifesto said, tenders of up to Rs. 25 crore would be reserved for the natives of Jharkhand only and “Bhoomi Adhikar Kanoon” (Right to Land Act) would be introduced to give land to landless people.

Land lying vacant for five years would be taken back and returned to the original owners, the manifesto said. “Within three months of government formation, the government will recommend to the Centre to incorporate Ho (a tribal language) in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution,” it said.

Banks for women would be set up in the state to provide loan up to Rs. 50,000 without any guarantor, the manifesto said.

An amount of Rs. 2,000 would be given to women from poor families towards kitchen expenses. For farmers, Kisan Bank would be set up, minimum support price (MSP) for agriculture produce and fruits would be earmarked, it said adding that the MSP for paddy would be between Rs. 2,300 and Rs. 2,700.

If the JMM formed a government, the manifesto said, it would not acquire agriculture land for private companies. The man-days under MG-NREGA would be increased to 150 days in a year, the manifesto said.

The Sachar Committee recommendations would be implemented for the benefit of the minorities, it said, adding Madarsa Boards and Urdu Academy would be set up.

Criticising the poll promises, Jharkhand unit’s BJP president Laxman Gilua said: “The JMM, Congress and the RJD are in alliance, yet they have different manifestos. Why did not they have a common manifesto?”

The five-phase elections in the state will be held between November 30 and December 20 and counting will take place on December 23.

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Tamil Nadu thrash Jharkhand by 8 wickets.

Source – indiatoday.in

Washington Sundar and M Siddharth spun a web around Jharkhand, as Tamil Nadu registered an eight-wicket win in their last Super League match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 tournament here on Wednesday.

Left-arm spinner Siddharth (4-18) and off-spinner Sundar (3-10) ran through the Jharkhand batting lineup, as they bundled out the opposition for a paltry 85, which Tamil Nadu later chased down in 13.5 overs.

Jharkhand skipper Saurabh Tiwary’s decision to bat first was proven wrong by Sundar and Siddharth’s magic with the ball.

Tiwari (24 off 27 balls) and wicket-keeper Sumit Kumar (19 off 25 balls) were the only ones to show some fight, as the rest of the Jharkhand batsmen faltered in the crucial game.

Jharkhand were reeling at 29-3 and their innings never quite gathered steam, as Tamil Nadu picked up wickets at regular intervals.

Spinners have been delivering for their captain Dinesh Karthik and Wednesday was no different at the C B Patel ground.

Kumar Deobrat (1), Virat Singh (2), Supriyo Chakraborty (8) and Utkash Singh (5) fell cheaply, as Jharkhand’s wickets collapsed like a pack of cards.

Spinners R Sai Kishore (1-15) and Murugan Ashwin (1- 13) also played their parts to perfection.

For Tamil Nadu, the chase began on a horrendous note, as they lost their in-form opener C Hari Nishaanth (7) early.

They were also struggling at 35-2, as Jharkhand grabbed the wicket of Shahrukh Khan (24 off 28 balls).

However, Sundar (38 not out off 22 balls), promoted up the order, took the game away from Jharkhand with his whirlwind knock.

He smashed three towering sixes and stitched a match- winning unbroken 51-run stand with skipper Karthik (13 not out) to steer the side to victory.

The semi-final lineup will only be clear after the conclusion of the Punjab-Mumbai game, which will begin at 6.30 pm.

Brief Scores: Jharkhand 85 all out (Saurabh Tiwary 24, Sumit Kumar 19; M Siddharth 4-18) lost to Tamil Nadu 86/2 (Washington Sundar 38 not out, Shahrukh Khan 24; Utkarsh Singh 1-21) by eight wickets.

Congress rally in Patna stopped midway, cops use tear gas to disperse workers.

Source – hindustantimes.com

A protest by the Bihar Congress unit against the policies of Central government turned violent on Sunday as the protesters tried to breach the barricading in place to head towards the chief minister’s residence and Raj Bhavan and the police had to use water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse them.

The “Janvedna March”, led by party’s Bihar incharge Shaktisinh Gohil, started from state Congress headquarters at Sadaqat Ashram in Patna, Bihar, and as it reached Hartali Chowk, the Congress leaders tried to breach the barricading in place and head towards the restricted zone housing the chief minister and other the state assembly. The police tried to stop the protesting leaders from entering the restricted zone, which agitated the leaders and a tussle ensued. The police had to lob tear gas shells and fire water cannons to disperse the agitated workers, some of which were detained for a few hours.

According to Congress spokesperson Premchand Mishra, as soon as the party leaders and workers reached the Hartali More, the police started raining batons. “The police also used tear gas shells and water cannons to disperse the party workers.”

City Superintendent of Police, central, Vinay Tiwary said the police had to resort to mild lathicharge and use water cannons on Congress workers when they turned violent after being stopped at Hartali roundabout. “There was no administrative permission given for the rally,” he said, adding that the area where the rally was stopped fell in the high security region.

Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi later tweeted: “As there is a zero tolerance government on corruption at the centre and in Bihar, Congress is desperate and making all sorts of accusations against the central government policies. But people have rejected them,” he said.

5 lakh including MBA, Engineers, post graduates apply to become gardener and watchman in Bihar.

Source – indiatoday.in

all it unemployment or the craze to get a “sarkari naukri”, more than 5 lakh candidates have applied for Group D jobs in the Bihar Vidhan Sabha.

Interviews for the same are currently underway to fill vacancies for 166 posts which include watchman, gardener, peon and cleaners. What is shocking, however, is the fact that most of the applicants for the job are B-Tech, MBA, post graduates and graduates degree holders.

Technocrats and professional degree holders applying for the Group-D jobs in the Bihar Vidhan Sabha raises questions whether this is because of unemployment or fad to get a government job. Interestingly, the minimum qualification required for the 166 posts are 10th class pass but most of the applicants are over qualified for the job.

“I am working for a private company but my salary is not enough for a family of four. I want to get a government job to take care of my family,” says Ajay Kumar, who is a graduate and recently appeared for the interviews along with his wife Monika Kumari who too has applied for the same job.

“We can do anything to get a government job,” said Monika Kumari.

More than 4.5 lakh applicants have appeared for the interviews till now which started in September 2019. On an average, 1500-1600 applicants are appearing for interview everyday at the Vidhan Sabha. This has also triggered a controversy with opposition hitting out at Nitish Kumar government for rising unemployment in the state.

“Engineers and MBA degree holders are applying for post of gardener and peon. This is a big issue. Does Nitish Kumar want qualified people to become peons in his government?,”questioned RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav.
Congress MLC Prem Chandra Mishra has demanded an inquiry on how 1500-1600 interviews are being conducted everyday meaning 10 seconds to interview each candidate.

“This is a matter for investigations on how so many applicants are appearing for interviews on daily basis. There is job crisis and unemployment in the state and therefore engineers and professional degree holders are applying for Group-D jobs,” said Prem Chand Mishra.

BJP, on the other hand, has termed large numbers of professionals and technocrats applying for Group-D jobs as a craze to get a sarkari naukri.

Highest number of acute respiratory infections among under-5 children in Bihar.

Source – financialexpress.com

Bihar recorded the highest prevalence of acute respiratory infections among under-five children among the five high-burden states between September 2018 and June 2019. The prevalence of acute respiratory infections among under-five children was 18.2 per cent in Bihar, followed by Uttar Pradesh (15.9 per cent), Jharkhand (12.8 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (11.6 per cent) and Rajasthan (8.4 per cent), according to report — “Situation Analysis of Pneumonia in India” — released on Tuesday.

Household air pollution emerged as the important risk factor for childhood pneumonia.

The report by a non-profit charity organisation, ‘Save the Children’, highlighted that children from households using improved fuel for cooking LPG had a preventive effect. It revealed 2 per cent lower probability of reporting acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in households using clean fuels for cooking.

“ARI prevalence was 4 per cent higher among chidren, wherein breastfeeding was initiated later than one hour after childbirth and 2.4 per cent higher in cases where they were exclusively breast fed for less than 6 months,” the report stated.

According to the report, awareness on signs of pneumonia and importance of early care seeking was poor. This is a critical gap that requires focussed attention.

Almost 81 per cent caregivers preferred private sector for availing medical treatment for pneumonia in children. Under-reporting of pneumonia cases both in public and private healthcare domain, the report stated.

The report encapsulates results from an in-depth assessment of five high-burden states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, mapping the challenges and calling for action.

Dr Ajay Khera, Commissioner, Maternal and Child Health, Ministry of Health, explained how it focuses on improving the quality of care at birth, which involves equipping ASHA workers and mobilizing mothers to healthcare centres.

“Health and Wellness centre is a new entrant in the health system, which will help reaching out to grassroots level. The government has set really ambitious targets to tackle childhood maternity and is totally committed for this cause,” Khera said.

Anindit Roy Chowdhury, Director, Programmes, Save the Children, said, “Pneumonia is still the leading cause of death in children and accounts for 14.3 per cent of under 5 deaths in India, which translates to 1 child death every 4 minutes. India contributes to 17 per cent of global under 5 pneumonia deaths.”

“Addressing childhood Pneumonia is one of the three centenary commitments of Save the Children and we are committed to end preventable pneumonia deaths.This current report, entitled, ‘Fighting for breath in India’, that we are launching, is a step towards that commitment,” Chowdhury said.

Save the Children and UNICEF have entered into a partnership at global level in the fight against childhood pneumonia and is committed to support the health ministry in the roll out of the recently launched SAANS campaign on Pneumonia.

The organisation has also recently collaborated with Philips India to develop and prove low-cost innovative approaches for prevention, diagnosis and management of Childhood Pneumonia.

Getting Precise Hindi Translation for Technical Papers Proving Difficult for UPSC, Says Govt.

Source – news18.com

New Delhi: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is facing constraints in getting precise Hindi translation of question papers, especially in technical papers like engineering and medical sciences, the government said on Wednesday, citing a report.

In fact, the Commission had constituted a high level standing committee to examine the modalities of implementing the Parliamentary resolution on official languages dated January 18, 1968, it said.

“The Committee had, in its report submitted in the year 2012, which was accepted by UPSC, underlined certain constraints such as practical/operational difficulties in getting the precise Hindi translation of question papers; especially in technical papers (engineering, medical science etc.); growth of Hindi and other languages in the higher educational system, which are existing as of today,” Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.

The government was asked whether the competitive examinations held for the Indian Forest Service, Indian Economic Service, Indian Statistical Service, Geological and Engineering Service cannot be written in Hindi medium due to their technical nature and if so, whether the government has ever selected Hindi as a medium for such technical education related competitive examinations.

“UPSC and the respective cadre controlling authorities of these services are seized of the matter,” the minister said.

The Commission conducts the Indian Forest Service examination, the Indian Economic Service/Indian Statistical Service examination (a clubbed examination), the combined geo-scientist and the geologist examination and the engineering services examination as per the rules of the examinations framed and notified by the nodal departments/ministries of the government of India.

IBPS Clerk Prelims Admit Card 2019 out @ibps.in: PDF Download Sample Questions for Clerk Prelims.

Source – jagranjosh.com

IBPS Clerk Admit Card 2019: Candidates can now download the IBPS Clerk Prelims Admit Card 2019 by visiting the official website ibps.in. The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) has released the hall ticket for IBPS Clerk Prelims 2019 on 26 November 2019. The last date to download the IBPS Clerk Prelims Admit Card is 8 December 2019. Get here the direct link to download the IBPS Clerk Admit Card and sample questions for the online preliminary exam.

IBPS Clerk Admit Card allows the candidates to get entry into the examination hall on the day of the exam. Candidates who have applied for the IBPS Clerk Recruitment 2019 can download the Clerk IX CRP Prelims Call Letter by visiting the official website or the direct link mentioned below. The IBPS Clerk IX CRP Admit Card contains the exam details such as Candidate’s Name, Roll Number, Exam Date & Time, Exam Centre and General Instructions to be followed on the exam day. 

IBPS Clerk Prelims Exam 2019 will be held on 7 & 8 December and 14 & 21 December 2019. Candidates need to carry the admit card/call letter to the exam centres on the day of the online preliminary exam. Candidates who forget to carry the admit card to the exam centre will not be allowed to enter the examination hall. So, download your IBPS Clerk Admit Card now.

How to download IBPS Clerk Prelims Admit Card 2019?

Step 1: Visit the official website ibps.in

Step 2: Click on “Download Online Preliminary Exam Call Letter for CRP Clerks-IX”

Step 3: Enter Registration Number/Roll Number, Password/Date of Birth and Captcha Code

Step 4: Submit & Download the admit card

Note: Check all the details mentioned on the admit card. If you find any information wrong or incorrect, then contact the IBPS immediately.

Sample Questions for IBPS Clerk Prelims 2019 Exam

In IBPS Clerk Prelims Exam 2019, candidates will be asked 100 multiple choice questions from English Language, Numerical Ability and Reasoning Ability. There will be a separate sectional timing of 20 minutes for each section. Candidates need to qualify each section as per the IBPS Clerk Cut-off marks determined by the IBPS. It is mandatory for candidates to obtain the minimum qualifying marks in each section as well as in Total to get shortlisted for IBPS Clerk Mains Examination.

Lakhs of candidates would be appearing for the IBPS Clerk examination this year. Only those candidates will be able to qualify the prelims who have practised well. Every bank exam requires a lot of practice, deep studies and revision. Considering this we have provided here the sample questions from English Language/ Reasoning Ability/ Numerical Ability. PDF Download the sample questions from the direct link mentioned below. But first, have a look at the details exam pattern of IBPS Clerk Prelims 2019:

SubjectNo of MCQs MarksDuration
English Language303020 minutes
Numerical Ability353520 minutes
Reasoning Ability353520 minutes
Total10010060 minutes

5 UPSC exam myths busted.

Source – tribuneindia.com

Akhand Swaroop Pandit

Joining the Indian Civil Services is considered a dream career by many ambitious and talented individuals aspiring to become an IAS, IPS or IFS officer. These prestigious jobs mark authority and power in India along with job security, salary package, the opportunity of a foreign posting, job satisfaction, etc. Moreover, civil servants are the ones deciding the fate of the nation in terms of implementing all developmental and other government policies. However, securing a job in one of these three posts demands to undergo a gruelling, three-tier UPSC civil services exam which is considered one of the toughest competitive examinations. Lakhs of aspirants appear for UPSC every year but only a few get selected.

Although proper preparation is necessary for cracking this examination, it’s also crucial for the candidates to handle the exam pressure and the myths floating around that further aggravates their fear, making them nervous towards pursuing such a field. So aspirants it’s time to debunk these common myths you might be hearing and gear up to ace the journey towards your dream career:

Myth 1: One needs years of preparation

Reality: UPSC might be a tough examination demanding complete dedication but that does not necessarily mean that one would need to start preparing from an early stage. Even a year’s preparation can be good to clear the examination if aspirants are studying with perseverance. There numerous success stories of aspirants cracking the examination in one go after just a year or even less than a year’s preparation.

Myth 2: IAS aspirants must be aware of every topic/subject 

Reality: This is not true. Since this is a general exam, one needs to be well-read along with having a balanced outlook towards issues. Moreover, as the syllabus itself is so vast covering multiple subjects, aspirants are already more aware than the others. There is no need to mug topics and become experts. Instead, simply focus on all the NCERT books, current affairs, and books by a few renowned authors. The exam demands its aspirants to have a general awareness and analytical skills.

Myth 3: Aspirants need to make at least 2-3 attempts

Reality: This is just a misconception. There have been so many aspirants who have cleared the examination in the very first attempt. All it needs is to keep your head straight and focus on your preparation. Revise once you are done and take multiple mock tests to evaluate your pitfalls and work on it. If you have religiously revised everything in the syllabus and are confident to give the shot, nothing can stop you from clearing the UPSC preliminary exam in a go.

Myth 4: Candidates should follow the toppers’ strategies

Reality: There is no quick route to crack the UPSC.   Even though you listen to the toppers revealing their strategies and study patterns, it is your hard work that will ultimately pay off. Thus, it is crucial for the aspirants to follow their own rhythm and routine and make an informed choice when it comes to creating a preparation strategy. 

Myth 5: It is mandatory to have a good command over English to ace the interview

Reality: This is a misapprehension, particularly among the regional language-speaking candidates. The UPSC examination assesses your awareness and analysing skills, and not the medium of language you write in. The aspirants are allowed to attempt the paper and give the interview in almost 22 regional languages, as per their comfort level. So put your best foot forward!

While this exam can be a bit overwhelming, UPSC is just another competitive examination featuring a lengthy syllabus. So rather than losing your confidence on the ground of some baseless myths, stay disciplined, determined and believe in your hard work to make through this journey smoothly.

— The writer is Founder & CEO, Catalyst Group – Online Learning Platform