UGC urges colleges, varsities to join PM’s Fit India Movement, create fitness plan

In an attempt to bring focus to fitness among the youth, the University Grants Commission (UGC) recently shared a circular on its website, urging affiliated colleges and universities to participate in the ‘Fit India Movement’, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched yesterday.

As part of the movement, universities and colleges have been asked to make efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of students as well as teaching and non-teaching staff, in order to achieve physical fitness, mental strength and emotional equanimity.

“The Fit India Movement helps take the nation forward on the path of fitness and wellness and it provides a unique and exciting opportunity to work towards a healthier India,” said the circular released by UGC.

“Every person should pledge and attempt to walk 10,000 steps… and follow it up in his/her daily routine,” states the circular. It further requests institutes to implement an institutional fitness plan to incorporate exercise into the daily routine of staff and students.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/ugc-urges-colleges-varsities-to-join-pm-s-fit-india-movement-create-fitness-plan/story-u623SUFTwQRl8eg5FFLzAP.html (Accessed on August 30, 2019)

HRD directs UGC to set up committee to probe 'sale of fake degrees

HRD directs UGC to set up committee to probe 'sale of fake degrees


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Microsoft and ISB partner to advance AI skilling in India

The two will collaborate in research which will use AI and Machine Learning to study issues relevant for business and public policy
The partnership will also jointly introduce a new executive programme



New Delhi: The Indian School of Business (ISB) and Microsoft India announced a new partnership on Friday to take forward their shared vision for an AI-empowered India at an event in Hyderabad.

Through the creation of the AI Digital Lab, the two organizations will collaborate in research which will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to study issues that are relevant for business and public policy.

In addition, the partnership will also jointly introduce a new executive program titled “Leading Business Transformation in the Age of AI" in October 2019 which will equip business leaders with tools and strategies to transform their respective organizations to AI-driven organizations.

The rapid development of AI implies that the ability of business leaders to creatively use AI to improve business decisions and enhance productivity will become a very important precursor for businesses to stay competitive and be successful. AI-readiness is therefore an important skill that business leaders should acquire sooner than later.


Professor Rajendra Srivastava, Dean, Indian School of Business and the Novartis Professor of Marketing Strategy and Innovation, said “Business Schools are attempting to redefine management education by making it more future-ready and relevant for opportunities and challenges that businesses will face in the future. Transforming organizations guided by Artificial Intelligence and augmented by frameworks integrating analytics with human behavior and management issues will be an important imperative for business leaders. Our collaboration with Microsoft India will enable us to use AI to understand new phenomena that are relevant for business as well as policy and subsequently disseminate the knowledge to business leaders who will need to transform their businesses through artificial intelligence to compete effectively."

Anant Maheshwari, President, Microsoft India said, “AI is a gamechanger to drive new business models and transform today's businesses and workplaces. With this coming together of ISB and Microsoft, it is a unique opportunity to increase the innovation with AI in business. Our new partnership with ISB will empower business leaders to increase their tech intensity and do more with AI."


ISB’s executive program, titled “Leading Business Transformation in the Age of AI" in collaboration with Microsoft will enable C-suite executives to come up with a coherent strategy to transform their respective organizations into AI-driven organizations. The 3-day non-technical program is done under the purview of Microsoft’s online AI Business School, which provides executive-level insights and practical, actionable guidance to build an end-to-end AI strategy. It will focus on managing the impact of AI on company strategy, culture and responsibility.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/ (Accessed on August 29,2019)

Take-home salary may rise under new Employees' Provident Fund law

At present, 24 per cent of a worker's basic pay is deducted - with 12 per cent each counted as employer's and employee's share - towards the EPF savings

The government has proposed to reduce the contribution made by employees towards the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), in a move to increase take-home salary. The government wants to reduce the rate of contribution — part of the employee’s share — for a class of workers depending upon age, income or gender, without changing the contribution from the employer’s share.

The proposal is part of the proposed Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Bill, 2019. The ministry has also proposed providing an option to workers to switch between the ...

To read the full article, please visit:

https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/take-home-salary-may-rise-under-new-employees-provident-fund-law-119082700033_1.html#targetText=The%20government%20has%20proposed%20to,to%20increase%20take%2Dhome%20salary.&targetText=The%20proposal%20is%20part%20of,Fund%20and%20Miscellaneous%20Bill%2C%202019.(Accessed on August 29, 2019)

Young biologist from Andhra Pradesh recreates a blue whale from bones

Complete skeleton formed in Andhra Pradesh using remains of several of the giants washed ashore

It was like a jigsaw puzzle for the young wildlife biologist looking at the skeletal remains of dead blue whales washed ashore on the Andhra Pradesh coast. But he found a way to put them all together. All in just two months. Where the parts were missing, he used plaster of Paris and put in stainless steel and screws to configure a life-size skeleton of the endangered species.

In 2017, Kumpatla Balaji, an Andhra University alumnus, launched a project to use the skeletal remains to form the blue whale, replicating its natural anatomy structure. He was spurred to do so, after experts were unable to fit the bones collected from the Machilipatnam coast.

Mr. Balaji is a research scientist at the Coringa Marine Museum in Rajamahendravaram city, where the 32-ft-long life-size blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) skeleton he engineered is being preserved and on public display since early 2018.

“Dozens of skeletal remains of blue whales were lying with our museum, begging to be assembled,” said Mr. Balaji.

“Many bones and the head part of the blue whale were brought to our museum by the Forest Department from Machilipatnam coast in 2017, helping me form the complete skeleton within two months,” the research scientist said.

The skeletal parts were chemically treated before being rigged together with stainless steel. “At least two bones were made of plaster of Paris as they were missing.”

The blue whale falls in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Dozens of dead blue and sperm whales have washed ashore on the Nagayalanka, Machilipatnam, Kakinada, and Srikakulam coast in Andhra Pradesh since 2015. What caused their death is the subject of study.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/young-biologist-from-andhra-pradesh-recreates-a-blue-whale-from-bones/article29254745.ece (Accessed on August 29, 2019)

Did you know life insurance rules have changed?

On new ULIPs, the minimum sum assured will be less than 10 times the premium

IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) issued a notification on new regulations in ULIPs (unit linked insurance plans) and traditional insurance policies, a few weeks back. Of the several changes, the move to reduce the minimum sum assured (SA) in ULIPs and a guaranteed surrender value for traditional policies from the second year, were prominent.

Source: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/portfolio/personal-finance/did-you-know-life-insurance-rules-have-changed/article29252624.ece (Accessed on August 29, 2019)

IT industry on hiring spree, adds record number of employees in Q1

Around 85,000 employees added on net basis, highest in six years

The Indian information technology (IT) industry added a record number of employees in the April-June quarter (first quarter, or Q1) of the ongoing financial year, with around 85,000 new hires. This is the highest-ever net employee addition by the industry in a single quarter in six years, according to a recent report by equity research firm CLSA.

Industry experts are of the opinion that the spurt in recruitment happened as IT services firms went aggressive on hiring in anticipation of a strong demand environment. This was supplemented by healthy hiring in onsite locations, triggered by ...

To read the full article, please visit:

https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/it-industry-on-hiring-spree-adds-record-number-of-employees-in-q1-119082500648_1.html (Accessed on August 29, 2019)