While education remains hugely affected due to the pandemic outbreak, tech-focussed IIT Chicago has gone overboard to provide quality education in these testing times.
The COVID-19 outbreak compelled the world to stand still and confine the horizon. Almost, every country in the world has seen the worst of pandemic crises. Given that the students comprise a major part of most countries in the world including India, the pandemic has enabled online education as a steady medium for seeking growth and opportunity in life.
IIT Chicago has transformed its degree programs to make them accessible online, keeping in view the Indian context where it takes a lot of push in executing the desired results.
There are several EdTech start-ups in India that have already floated the knowledge about e-courses, e-books, e-classes, etc but for serious learners who want to count on their degree for a lucrative job, the international degree programs from IIT Chicago are a boon.
While the COVID-19 situation has definitely provided an opportunity to online platforms to gain a bigger reach in a short period of time, in the long run, however, Illinois Institute of Technology undoubtedly emerges as the most credible alternative not only in terms of cost but also efficacy.
The university has been doing a great service to the student community of the country by providing a wide range of online degree programs at a cost, which is three times lower than the actual on-campus tuition fee.
Providing UG, Masters and even PhD programs, the tech-focus university is especially becoming a favourite among working professionals due to the versatility of the programs offered.
The best thing about its online degree programs is that real classroom video lectures (recorded classes) are provided to the students, who can watch them as per their convenience and even multiple times. However, they complete their degree at the same pace as the on-campus students.
“They get same project work, same assignments, appear in exams on the same date as do the on-campus students. Even they receive the exact same degree certificate but at just 33 per cent cost of the total tuition fee charged for the on-campus degree programs,” says Mr Sri Kumar Panyam, Director India Operations, Illinois Institute of Technology, adding, “The significant difference in fee is what makes the online degree program lucrative for Indian students, especially the working professionals.”
Given that fact that the university provides three modes of study (on campus, online in India and hybrid mode of study), working professionals are provided the option to switch from online mode to on-campus mode, in case they are transferred to the US.
Interestingly, the GRE and GMAT tests have been done away with, keeping the pandemic crisis in consideration. Also, the absence of TOEFL or IELTS tests has made the online degree programs of Illinois Tech more lucrative.
That’s not all. Those learners who complete their online degree programs from Illinois Tech are deemed as American graduates who become eligible for a H1B Visa under American Graduate Pool quota. Every year, the number of visa applicants under the American Graduate Pool quota are very less compared to the general quota.
Although the programs are quite attractive it is certainly not only about the costs. The phenomenal and strong alumni network of the university is something that makes it stand out.
Speaking about the same, Sri Kumar Panyam, who is also the chief mentor of Indian Students Association in Chicago, says, “We prepare students for professions that require technological sophistication, innovative mindset and entrepreneurial spirit. From magnetic tapes, cell phones, bar code technology to Pentium4 chip, Amazon Alexa and Bira91 Beer, the inventions and innovations of our alumni have changed the course of human history.”
Some of the famous names from India, who happened to study from Illinois Tech, are Rajeev Chandrasekhar (MP from Bangalore), Jamshyd Godrej (Managing Director of Godrej & Boyce), Sanjay Kirloskar (Chairman of Kirloskar Brothers Ltd), GV Prasad (Co-chairman and Managing Director of Dr Reddy’s) and N. Srinivasan (Managing Director of India Cements and owner of Chennai Super Kings).
The list is too long but to specify, almost 75,000 world renowned businessmen, industrialists and others have completed their education from the international university, which speaks about the quality of education on offer.
With two annual intakes, in January (Spring Intake) and August (Fall Intake), IIT Chicago, a world-class university has established three registered offices in India. Mr Sri Kumar Panyam, along with his team, provides free services including assistance right from the admission and throughout the program at these offices.
Associated with the university from the last six years, Mr Sri Kumar has been interacting with the parents as well as enrolled students. He has also managed to create a useful parent network successfully.
It is pertinent to mention that Illinois Institute of Technology, commonly known as Illinois Tech is a private, independent, not-for-profit university based in Chicago with programs in Engineering, Science, Architecture, Business, Law, Design, Human Sciences, and Applied Technology.
Created in 1890 by the merger of Armour Institute and Lewis Institute, Illinois Tech forayed into India in 1997 when it set up its wholly-owned subsidiary in India – Illinois Institute of Technology (India) Pvt Ltd (IIT IPL), to provide quality Masters and Certificate Education to thousands of working professionals at a subsidized cost. The aim was to provide quality education to people who cannot manage to undertake a fulltime programme in the US.
The quick turn-around from traditional to online sources in the education industry due to COVID-19 proves that we are ready to learn the unlearnt, and IIT Chicago has done a great service to streamline the process, the absence of which was holding us back. Students who want to switch to the reputed international university for their higher studies and working professionals who want to upgrade their skills while keeping their job intact can take advantage of this splendid opportunity by visiting their official website www.iitindia.iit.edu
In the United States, on 29th December every year, people celebrate ‘Still Need To Do Day’ and complete the unfinished business of the year.
Being the third-last day of the year, there are various pending things to get done on the work and personal front before the year ends. With the holiday season and Christmas rush, there still are things which are pending. Every year on 29th December, Still Need To Do Day is observed. It is also known as Tick Tock Day. This day is a reminder to pause the excitement of the upcoming year and complete some of the unfinished business of the current year.
Significance
It is a day tailor-made for you to clear that itch in your head of the unfinished business. From unwrapping gifts to celebrating the new year, this day is a break in between it to go through your ‘To-Do List’. This day acts as a reminder for the upcoming year and also is a refresher of your past goals, finished and unfinished ones. In between the festivities, this day is a holiday and people might miss the Christmas vibes. So, ‘Still Need To Do Day’ acts as a refresher in between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Observing ‘Still Need To Do Day’
Things like charitable donations and large business purchases that need to be transacted before the year-end for tax purposes are usually done on this day. On the personal front, any accomplishments that have been left out during the year can be completed on this day if possible. You can also do something that you have been putting off all year. In the case of Children, you can teach them to make lists for the next year. Just simply do something that you have always wanted to do but couldn’t. This is your chance, use it wisely and get it done!
Sachin Tendulkar said the DRS is very ‘confusing’ and ‘unfair’ to the bowlers as it favours batters
Little Master Sachin Tendulkar believes there is a need to change the regulations of the Decision Review System (DRS) and feels that an on-field umpire’s decision should not play any role if a decision has been reviewed by the team.
Tendulkar’s remark came after several ‘umpire’s call’ went in Australia’s favour on the third day of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Monday. “I’m not convinced with DRS rule at all. Let’s understand one thing why players go to the third umpire because they are not happy with the on-field umpire’s decision. And it is as simple as that. Once you have gone upstairs to the third umpire then on-field umpire’s decision should not come in to picture at all,” Tendulkar shared his views on his official YouTube channel.
“It really does not matter whether the ball is hitting 10 per cent or 15 per cent or 70 per cent it should not matter. When you get bowled nobody talks about it. I understand the tracking system is not 100 per cent accurate but can you name me one umpire who has never done a mistake in his career. We all make mistakes but since we have decided to go ahead with technology let’s back it and over a period of time we will get closer to 100 per cent,” he added.
The legend further said the DRS is very ‘confusing’ and ‘unfair’ to the bowlers as it favours batters.
“But at least in everyone’s mind, we are clear that if the ball is hitting any part of the stump, Smith got out it literally kissed the bail. So, even if it is kissing the bail the umpire has given not out that decision should be overturned when they have referred to the third umpire, it is as simple as that. Either it is out or not out. It is so confusing and somewhere it is unfair to bowlers also it is what I personally feel,” he said.
After the Indian bowlers ran through the hosts’ top-order in their second essay, it was Cameron Green and Pat Cummins who played crucial knocks to help Australia stay afloat in the game.
At stumps, Australia’s score read 133/6 — lead by 2 runs with 4 wickets in the bag. Indian bowlers ran riot against the Australian batters as the hosts were reduced to 99/6 from 98/3 in a matter of few overs.
DishTV has received a notice from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for payment of Rs 4,164 crore as licence fee
Direct broadcast satellite service provider DishTV has received a notice from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for payment of Rs 4,164 crore as licence fee.
In regulatory filings at stock exchanges, DishTV said the ministry on December 24 intimated the company that basis the accounts and payment made towards license fee from the period from the date of issuance of DTH license till financial year 2018-19, an amount of Rs 4,164.05 crore is payable. The ministry directed the company to remit the amount within 15 days. The amount includes licence fee payable and accrued interest.
However, the company said the ministry also mentioned that the amount is further subject to verification and audit and the outcome of various court cases pending before the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir at Jammu and the Supreme Court.
Source: Social Media
DishTV said the company does not concur with the demand raised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
“The company is studying communication dated December 24. The DTH license fee matter has already been through several rounds of litigation, the final outcomes of which are yet to be argued and concluded,” it said.
On Monday, the stock of DishTV closed 5.94 per cent lower on BSE Ltd at Rs 13.94 per unit.
Former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Monday bagged the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade for his gesture of calling back England batsman Ian Bell after a bizarre run out in the Nottingham Test in 2011.
During India’s tour of England in 2011, in the second Test, Bell was run out after scoring 137 runs as he had left the crease before the ball was dead at the cusp of tea. The then England skipper Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower enquired with Dhoni during the break if the run-out decision could be overturned and the visitors agreed to withdraw the appeal.
In the third session when Eoin Morgan and Bell walked out to bat the crowd which had earlier booed, appreciated the Indian camp’s gesture. Meanwhile, Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry has won the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award for ICC Female Cricketer of the Decade. The Australian stalwart has also been adjudged as ICC Women’s ODI and T20I Cricketer of the Decade.
Perry was also part of the Australian team that won the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2013 and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2020.
Source-Social Media
Dhoni on Sunday was named as the captain of ICC Men’s ODI and T20I Team of the Decade. He is among the most successful captains in world cricket. It was under his leadership that India lifted the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011 after having led India to triumph in the ICC World T20 in its maiden edition held in 2007 in South Africa.
With India winning the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013 in England, Dhoni became the first and is still the only captain to date to have won all three ICC Trophies. Also, the winners of all the individual awards will receive a unique artwork created in a collaboration between the ICC, Mumbai-based studio Kulture Shop and Indian artist Pratap Chalke.
The Rachael Heyhoe-Flint and Sir Garfield Sobers winners get a spectacular hand-painted artwork bat, while the other individual award winners receive a limited-edition canvas painting that captures their unique passion and spirit.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday hit out at the Centre and demanded that the Union government should listen to protesting farmers and take back the new farm laws.
“Saying that farmers’ protest is a political conspiracy, it is totally wrong, It is a sin to use the kind of words they are using for farmers. Government is answerable to farmers. The government should listen to them and take back the laws,” said the Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Amid the prevailing deadlock between farmers and the Central government over the new farm laws, the agitation of farmers entered the 32nd day on Monday. While the protests at the Ghazipur border that started on November 28 entered the 30th day today.
Source – Social Media
Farmers continued their protest at the borders of Delhi against the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
Meanwhile, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a joint front of almost 40 farmer organizations, wrote a letter to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare accepting the Centre’s offer for dialogue and proposed December 29 as the next date for the meeting.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Chef Vikas Khanna, Dr. Pradeep Kumar, & Minister K K Shailaja amongst the recipients this year
Mumbai –
Harmony Foundation hosted the Mother Teresa Memorial Awards for Social Justice yesterday, the 27th of December, 2020. The Awards in its 16th year is the only award endorsed by Sister Prema, the Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity, the organization started by Mother Teresa. The theme for this year’s awards was, ‘Celebrating Compassion In Times Of Covid ’.
Amongst the awardees this year are:
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, USA
Dr.Anthony Fauci (USA)
80-year-old Dr Fauci is the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, USA. He and his task force were among the first ones to realize the seriousness of this pandemic. His extraordinary efforts in leading his task force to create awareness about the pandemic. He became the ‘de facto’ public health spokesperson to help and guide all countries, serving as an example for healthcare workers and people all across the globe to follow.
Fr. Fabio Stevenazzi (Milan, Italy)
48-year-old Father Fabio Stevenazzi’s decision to return to medical practice in order to help those infected with COVID 19 has thrust him to be the modern day example of St Charles Borromeo who in 1576 during the Great Plague that hit the city of Milan and cut the population by half, stayed behind to nurse the sick and renovate hospitals. Hence his decision to transform from healing souls to healing bodies is an expression of pastoral compassion necessary in these times. It is also an embodiment of the church as a “field hospital”.
Dr.Pradeep Kumar (Chennai)
In the face of the life-threatening attacks, Dr. Pradeep Kumar took it upon himself to give a befitting burial to his colleague with the help of two ward boys, at a cemetery in the city in the middle of the night.
He did it despite the windscreen of the ambulance in which the body was taken to the cemetery was smashed and the casket was not spared either. He literally carried his colleagues’ body to the grave and buried him using only one spade which was available at the cemetery. Putting his life in danger to honour a departed colleague is indeed a high degree of sacrifice
Cristian Fracassi and Alessandro Romaioli(Italy)
CEO and Founder of ISINNOVA along with his teammate and engineer Alessandro Romaioli built prototypes on Isinnova’s 3D printers, to create the parts of the use-and-throw valves for ventilators which were desperately needed in Italy and provided it to them for free helped many patients survive the terrors of this pandemic.
Sanjay Pandey, IPS (DG Home Guards, Maharashtra)
IPS Sanjay Pandey went beyond the call of duty as a police officer to open the first relief camp in the Mumbai city suburbs for migrant workers whose livelihood were disrupted by the lockdown to contain the pandemic. His noble and benevolent initiative of bringing together corporates and other stakeholders to provide essential supplies is highly commendable.
Vikas Khanna (Manhattan, USA)
Even from his residence in Manhattan, New York chef Vikas Khanna’s heart still moves to serve the lonely and underprivileged here in India. It is not only his pro-activeness in creating the Feedlndia Initiative for the marginalised such as transgenders and patients of HIV-AIDS amongst others but, he dropped everything in the effort to provide food for millions over 135 cities in India. While food remains at the top for our basic necessities he also distributed 400,000 slippers, three million sanitary pads, and two million masks to the poor.
KK Shailaja (Minister of Health, Kerala)
Her extraordinary efforts and pro-activeness in dealing with the pandemic by following experts and scientific advice helped countless Keralites survive the terrors of this pandemic, serving as an example for governments of other states & countries to follow.
Harmony Foundation is an international NGO which works in the realm of Social Justice. It was founded in October of 2005, with its raison d’être, being the establishment, and strengthening, of social cohesion among various communities, and to work towards the benefit of all, without discriminating against any religion, creed, sex, or their origins.
Instituted in 2005, these Awards, celebrate and commemorate the memory and legacy of Mother Teresa, canonized a Saint by Pope Francis in the Vatican.
Previous recipients of this prestigious Award have been – Nobel Laureates Ms. Malala Yousufzai, H.H. The Dalai Lama, Mr. Kailash Satyarthi. They have also awarded the likes of the current Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, former Prime Minister of Malaysia Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, former Deputy Speaker of the United Kingdom’s House of Lords Baroness Caroline Cox, and many others.
Twenty-one-year-old Arya Rajendran has been elected as the next Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation on Monday
Making her the youngest candidate to occupy such a post in the country. On December 25, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI (M)) district secretariat in a meeting decided to make her the Mayor. Arya won as CPI(M) Councillor from Mudavanmukal ward and is an office-bearer of the Students Federation of India.
Two potential mayor candidates of CPI(M) were defeated in the local body polls, after which the party had to look for other alternatives. The CPM-led Left Democratic Front, Congress-led United Democratic Front, and BJP-led National Democratic Alliance were in the fray for local body polls in Kerala.
Source – Social Media
The local body polls were held in three phases in Kerala. Around 78.64 percent voter turnout was recorded in the third and final phase of the local body polls. The second phase recorded 76.38 percent voter turnout and in the first phase, it was 72.67 percent.
“The inauguration of the first driverless metro train shows how fast India is moving towards smart systems”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first-ever driverless train on Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line and launched National Common Mobility Card on the Airport Express Line on Monday, via video conferencing.
“The inauguration of the first driverless metro train shows how fast India is moving towards smart systems. Today Delhi Metro is being connected to the National Common Mobility Card. A few decades ago, when the impact of urbanization and the future of urbanization were both clear, the country saw a different attitude,” said PM Modi. There was not much attention about the needs of the future, half-hearted work was done, confusion persisted, he added.
“Unlike this, modern thinking says that urbanization should not be seen as a challenge and used as an opportunity. An opportunity in which we can build better infrastructure in the country. An opportunity through which we can increase Ease of Living. This difference of thinking is seen in every dimension of urbanization,” said PM Modi.
In 2014, only five cities had a metro rail. Today, metro rail services are available in 18 cities, the Prime Minister stated.
Source: Social Media
“By the year 2025, we are going to expand it to more than 25 cities. In 2014, only 248 km of metro lines were operational in the country. Today it is about three times more than seven hundred kilometers. By the year 2025, we are trying to expand it to 1,700 kilometers,” he added.
These are not just figures, they are proof of Ease of Living coming in the lives of crores of Indians, PM said.
“This is not just infrastructure made of brick and stone, concrete and iron, but are evidence of the fulfillment of the aspirations of the citizens of the country, the middle class of the country,” he added.
“Our government formulated the metro policy and implemented it with an all-round strategy. We insisted on working according to local demand, we emphasized on promoting local standards, Make in India expansion, the use of modern technology,” said PM Modi.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also attended the event.
PM Narendra Modi will flag off 100th Kisan Rail from Sangola in Maharashtra to Shalimar in West Bengal, via video conferencing today at 4:30 pm
According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the multi-commodity train service will carry vegetables such as cauliflower, capsicum, cabbage, drumsticks, chillies, onion, as well as fruits like grapes, oranges, pomegranate, banana, custard apple etc. Loading and unloading of perishable commodities will be permitted at all en route stoppages with no bar on size of the consignment. The Government of India has extended a subsidy of 50 per cent on transportation of fruits and vegetables.
The first Kisan Rail was introduced from Devlali to Danapur on August 7 this year, which was extended up to Muzaffarpur. Its frequency was also increased from weekly to three days a week.
Hon’ble PM Sh @narendramodi Ji will flag off the 100th Kisan Rail from Maharashtra to West Bengal via VC at 04:30 PM, today.@PMOIndia
Kisan Rail has been a “game-changer” in ensuring “fast transportation of agriculture produces” across the nation. It provides a “seamless” supply chain of perishable produce, as per the PMO.
In another development, Modi will inaugurate also India’s first-ever driverless train operations on the Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line (Janakpuri West-Botanical Garden) on Monday at 11 am via video conferencing.
He will launch the fully operational National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) services on the Airport Express Line as well in the same event.
