| Our Correspondent
MOREH, MAY 17, 2013--- A two-day seminar on Zou Language, Literature, Culture & Custom was held at Broder Trade Centre Hall in Moreh. The seminar was a joint collaboration of United Zo Organisation (USA), Zou Literature Society, Manipur (India) and UZO, Moreh Block.
 Chairman of ADC Chandel district M. Lhukhosei Zou inaugurated the seminar on May 15 which was concluded on May 16. Forty five Zou delegates from India and 26 from Myanmar participated in the seminar.
The resource persons comprised of a retired senior surgeon Dr. M. Lachinkhai, Chairman ZLS, Rev. Fr. Mark Thangkhanai Vice-Chairman ZLS and Co-ordinator of Radio Veritas Asia (Zomi-Chin Service), Aloysius T. Nehkhojang, Secy ZLS, advocate Chinlunthang, Gen Secy, UZO and Suankhanmang, Adviser, UZO. From the Myanmar side, Tamu Parish priest Rev. Fr. Andrew Cin Go Lian, Kalaymyo KZBC pastor Rev. Go Cin Lang, Zou Synod (PCM) Yangoon pastor Rev. Ai Lien Mang and Kalaymyo ZBA Mission Director Rev. Thang Khan Khai has also presented seminar papers.
"The Zou people in Myanmar and abroad used it as 'ZO' while their brethrens in India used 'ZOU' since longtime ago. Now the importance of having common literature and uniformity of its usages is felt among the Zous in India and Myanmar", said a well-known Zou writer and a participant, Syanlyan Tungnung, while speaking to our correspondent over telephone today. He added that a declaration on consistent uniformity in Zou Language, Literature, Custom and Culture has been made on the concluding day.
In Manipur, Zou is one of the recognized tribes. According to the Zou people, the word 'Zou' or 'Zo' is believed to be the progenitor of today's Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi tribes which are predominantly found in Northeast India – Manipur, Mizoram, Assam and Tripura (Jampui hill ranges), Chittangong Hills Tract (Bangladesh) and Chin Hills (Myanmar).
The year 2001 was a remarkable year for the Zou community, Zou MIL for Class IX was recognised by BSEM for the first time. The Zou MIL for Class X to XII has been introduced in 2002, 2006 and 2007 respectively. Source: The Mizoram Post, Aizawl, Saturday 18th May, 2013, Pg. 3 [www.themizorampost.net] .jpg)  .jpg) .jpg) ~ Joint Editor, ZOGAM TODAY ZOGAL Links ************** |
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Zous held Indo-Myanmar seminar on Language
Friday, May 17, 2013
UPSC Civil Services Exam 2012 a eimi lohchingte Final marks
UPSC Civil Services
Exam 2012 a eimi (Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi) lohchingte mark muhjah UPSC aspirant te
ading khualna in taklat ahi. Hih marks te ahihleh UPSC site apat lakkhiak ahi
a, kuamah mimal selphouna leh demna ahikei a, hih exam lunglutna neite
challenge theihna ahihkhak leh chih tupna ziak a taklat ahizaw hi. Mi tangpi
hisap dan a mark tampi muh ngai ding chih ahihman in, tuabang ngaihdan
abeitheih khak leh chih deihna toh eimite hih services a tamjaw lut ding deihna
toh hibang hong ki taklang jaw hi. Kuahiam in zadah, theisiamlou I omleh
Contact us page apat hong zasak mai ta un.
ROLL NO. --NAME
WRITTEN Interview Total
Mark Mark Mark
( OUT OF 2000 ) (OUT OF 300) (OUT
OF 2300)
110551 --NEILENTHANG
TELIEN---792---198---------990
317267 ---GRACE
LALRINDIKI
PACHUAU------------------714----207--------921
011389 --ERIC C
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219433 --LALRINPUII
HRAHSEL--- -672--- 215--------887
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VAIPHEI----- 689--- 195---------884
041269 --K
LALBIAKCHHUNGA----702----170--------872
010110 --J OEL G HAOKIP---------- 718---- 150--------868
Source: upsc.gov.in
Northeast braces itself to face cyclone Mahasen
GUWAHATI/IMPHAL/AIZAWL--- With cyclonic storm Mahasen heading towards the Northeast, state governments of the region have swung into action to tackle any eventuality.
Besides putting the State Disaster Management Authority and the National Disaster Response Force on high alert, the Assam government on Thursday banned the plying of all kinds of boats and ferries on the Brahmaputra for three days. The governments of Manipur and Mizoram declared holidays for educational institutes on Friday.
"The Met office has informed there is low probability of Mahasen hitting Guwahati, but we are taking all required measures to meet any eventuality," an Assam government spokesperson said. The Kamrup (metro) district administration started a disaster-response toll-free number: 0361-2733052.
A Met office bulletin said under the influence of Mahasen, heavy to very heavy showers might occur at most places in southern Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura and Nagaland during the next 36 hours. A 55-65 kmph strong wind was expected over the states for the subsequent 24 hours.
"Damage is expected over south Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura and Nagaland," the bulletin said. "Damage to thatched huts. Breaking of tree branches causing minor damage to power and communication lines also expected."
The Nagaland government issued an alert on Mahasen and called upon the public to be prepared for any kind of disaster.
In Aizawl, the Mizoram government issued a circular to all heads of educational institutions to close on Thursday afternoon and on Friday in view of the impending cyclonic storm.
Vanlalzara, principal scientific officer of the science and technology department, said the squall was likely to spare Aizawl and northern parts of Mizoram. Vanlalzara told mediapersons the squall was likely to weaken on hitting Mizoram, which it would at the southern tip of the state, on Thursday night. But he said unprecedented heavy rain was likely to lash the whole state, justifying the closure of educational institutions.
The Manipur government also ordered the shutdown of all educational institutions on Friday. Manipur principal secretary (relief and disaster management) Ram Muivah sent a message to this effect to all DCs and additional DCs of the state. Muivah told the media the district administrations had been asked to take all possible measures to face the probable consequences of the cyclone.
Deployment of disaster-management personnel would also be done in all districts to tackle the situation, official sources said, while pointing out a hotline had been opened in Manipur as well.
What's in the name?
Cyclone Mahasen is a tropical cyclone that originated in the Indian Ocean. The name Mahasen was given by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and the World Meteorological Organization Typhoon Committee after King Mahasen who ruled Sri Lanka from 277 to 304 AD. But Sri Lanka has objected to the use of the Sinhala king's name for a cyclone, saying King Mahasen had brought prosperity to the island and not destruction.
Source: TOI
Besides putting the State Disaster Management Authority and the National Disaster Response Force on high alert, the Assam government on Thursday banned the plying of all kinds of boats and ferries on the Brahmaputra for three days. The governments of Manipur and Mizoram declared holidays for educational institutes on Friday.
"The Met office has informed there is low probability of Mahasen hitting Guwahati, but we are taking all required measures to meet any eventuality," an Assam government spokesperson said. The Kamrup (metro) district administration started a disaster-response toll-free number: 0361-2733052.
A Met office bulletin said under the influence of Mahasen, heavy to very heavy showers might occur at most places in southern Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura and Nagaland during the next 36 hours. A 55-65 kmph strong wind was expected over the states for the subsequent 24 hours.
"Damage is expected over south Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura and Nagaland," the bulletin said. "Damage to thatched huts. Breaking of tree branches causing minor damage to power and communication lines also expected."
The Nagaland government issued an alert on Mahasen and called upon the public to be prepared for any kind of disaster.
In Aizawl, the Mizoram government issued a circular to all heads of educational institutions to close on Thursday afternoon and on Friday in view of the impending cyclonic storm.
Vanlalzara, principal scientific officer of the science and technology department, said the squall was likely to spare Aizawl and northern parts of Mizoram. Vanlalzara told mediapersons the squall was likely to weaken on hitting Mizoram, which it would at the southern tip of the state, on Thursday night. But he said unprecedented heavy rain was likely to lash the whole state, justifying the closure of educational institutions.
The Manipur government also ordered the shutdown of all educational institutions on Friday. Manipur principal secretary (relief and disaster management) Ram Muivah sent a message to this effect to all DCs and additional DCs of the state. Muivah told the media the district administrations had been asked to take all possible measures to face the probable consequences of the cyclone.
Deployment of disaster-management personnel would also be done in all districts to tackle the situation, official sources said, while pointing out a hotline had been opened in Manipur as well.
What's in the name?
Cyclone Mahasen is a tropical cyclone that originated in the Indian Ocean. The name Mahasen was given by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and the World Meteorological Organization Typhoon Committee after King Mahasen who ruled Sri Lanka from 277 to 304 AD. But Sri Lanka has objected to the use of the Sinhala king's name for a cyclone, saying King Mahasen had brought prosperity to the island and not destruction.
Source: TOI
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Contact Numbers of Delhi Police Night Duty Officers
PUBLIC NOTICE: Delhi Night GO (for entire Delhi) Mobile No.:8750870099
You may also dial for direct accessibility with District Night GOs (ACP) between 2300 Hrs. to 0500 Hrs. in case of need.
District Mobile No.
North District 8750870199
North-West District 8750870299
Outer District 8750870399
Central District 8750870499
New Delhi District 8750870599
East District 8750870699
North-East District 8750870799
South District 8750870899
South-East District 8750870999
South-West District 8750871099
West District 8750871199
Delhi Police E-mail: delpol@vsnl.com
E-mail to CP, Delhi at: cp.neerajkumar@nic.in
For immediate Police help call 100
To share information call 1090
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Supreme Court Guidelines against Sexual Harassment
Hishaka Guidelines against Sexual Harassment at Workplace
Guidelines and norms laid down by the Ho'nble Supreme Court in Vishaka and Others Vs. State of Rajasthan and Others (JT 1997(7) SC 384)
HAVING REGARD to the definition of 'human rights' in Section 2 (d) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993,
TAKING NOTE of the fact that the present civil and penal laws in India do not adequately provide for specific protection of women from sexual harassment in work places and that enactment of such legislation will take considerable time,
It is necessary and expedient for employers in work places as well as other responsible persons or institutions to observe certain guidelines to ensure the prevention of sexual harassment of women.
DUTY OF THE EMPLOYER OR OTHER RESPONSIBLE PERSONS IN WORK PLACES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS
It shall be the duty of the employer or other responsible persons in work places or other institutions to prevent or deter the commission of acts of sexual harassment and to provide the procedures for the resolution, settlement or prosecution of acts, of sexual harassment by taking all steps required.
DEFINITION
For this purpose, sexual harassment includes such unwelcome sexually determined behaviour (whether directly or by implication) as:
a) Physical contact and advances;
b) A demand or request for sexual favours;
c) Sexually coloured remarks;
d) Showing pornography;
e) Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.
Where any of these acts is committed in circumstances where-under the victim of such conduct has a reasonable apprehension that in relation to the victim's employment or work whether she is drawing salary, or honorarium or voluntary, whether in government, public or private enterprise such conduct can be humiliating and may constitute a health and safety problem. It is discriminatory for instance when the woman has reasonable grounds to believe that her object would disadvantage her in connection with her employment or work including recruiting or promotion or when it creates a hostile work environment. Adverse consequences might be visited if the victim does not consent to the conduct in question or raises any objection thereto.
PREVENTIVE STEPS
All employers or persons in charge of work place whether in public or private sector should take appropriate steps to prevent sexual harassment. Without prejudice to the generality of this obligation they should take the following steps:
A. Express prohibition of sexual harassment as defined above at the work place should be notified, published and circulated in appropriate ways.
B. The Rules/Regulations of Government and Public Sector bodies relating to conduct and discipline should include rules/regulations prohibiting sexual harassment and provide for appropriate penalties in such rules against the offender.
C. As regards private employers, steps should be taken to include the aforesaid prohibitions in the standing orders under the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946.
D. Appropriate work conditions should be provided in respect of work, leisure, health and hygiene to further ensure that there is no hostile environment towards women at work places and no employee woman should have reasonable grounds to believe that she is disadvantaged in connection with her employment.
CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS
Where such conduct amounts to a specific offence under the Indian Penal Code or under any other law, the employer shall initiate appropriate action in accordance with law by making a complaint with the appropriate authority.
In particular, it should ensure that victims or witnesses are not victimized or discriminated against while dealing with complaints of sexual harassment. The victims of sexual harassment should have the option to seek transfer of the perpetrator or their own transfer.
DISCIPLINARY ACTION
Where such conduct amounts to misconduct in employment as defined by the relevant service rules, appropriate disciplinary action should be initiated by the employer in accordance with those rules.
COMPLAINT MECHANISM
Whether or not such conduct constitutes an offence under law or a breach of the service rules, an appropriate complaint mechanism should be created in the employer's organisation for redress of the complaint made by the victim. Such complaint mechanism should ensure time bound treatment of complaints.
COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE
The complaint mechanism, referred to above, should be adequate to provide, where necessary, a Complaints Committee, a special counsellor or other support service, including the maintenance of confidentiality.
The Complaints Committee should be headed by a woman and not less than half of its member should be women. Further, to prevent the possibility of any undue pressure or influence from senior levels, such Complaints Committee should involve a third party, either NGO or other body who is familiar with the issue of sexual harassment.
The Complaints Committee must make an annual report to the Government department concerned of the complaints and action taken by them.
The employers and person in charge will also report on the compliance with the aforesaid guidelines including on the reports of the Complaints Committee to the Government department.
WORKER'S INITIATIVE
Employees should be allowed to raise issues of sexual harassment at a workers' meeting and in other appropriate forum and it should be affirmatively discussed in Employer-Employee Meetings.
AWARENESS
Awareness of the rights of female employees in this regard should be created in particular by prominently notifying the guidelines (and appropriate legislation when enacted on the subject) in a suitable manner.
THIRD PARTY HARASSMENT
Where sexual harassment occurs as a result of an act or omission by any third party or outsider, the employer and person in charge will take all steps necessary and reasonable to assist the affected person in terms of support and preventive action.
The Central/State Governments are requested to consider adopting suitable measures including legislation to ensure that the guidelines laid down by this order are also observed by the employers in Private Sector.
These guidelines will not prejudice any rights available under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
Manipuri girl committed suicide at Hyderabad
Hyderabad, May 16, 2013 --- An 18 year old Manipuri girl committed suicide in her rented room yesterday evening.The young girl who hails from Manipur's Kakching area and belongs to Lamkang tribe is staying with her sister and cousin brother at Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. It is learnt that she is working in a private firm in Hyderabad and yesterday was her week off day. According to her sister , being our week off day, we went for shopping during the day. Her cousing adds that since her childhood she was having some sort of mental problems. No suicide note has been recovered.
Doctors at Yashoda Hospital, Somajiguda declared her body brought death. An FIR has been registered at Banjara Hills Police station. Post mortem was being conducted today at Osmania Hospital, Hyderabad. Unreliable sources confirm that her death body will be flown to her hometown once the formalities are completed.
All three Manipur State MPs lag behind none
Imphal, May 15, 2013 [e-pao.net] --- With the issue of Members of Parliament (MPs) in the country employing closest family members as their own Personal Assistants (PAs) becoming a hot topic of debate rocking the Parliament, it has been found out that all the three MPs from Manipur are not lagging behind anyone.
All the three Congress MPs from Manipur namely Thangso Baite of Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency, Dr T Meinya of Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency and nominated Rajya Sabha MP Rishang Keishing are employing their closest family members and relatives as Personal Assistants (PAs) of their own.
The PA of Thangso Baite is his own son Tongkhohao Baite; the PA of Dr T Meinya is also his own son T Helly while the PA of Rishang Keishing is his granddaughter Ringyaola Keishing.
The matter has come to light when The Indian Express flashed it as its lead story based on datas accessed under RTI Act.
According to the report carried in The Indian Express on its edition today under the headline "It's all in the family: 146 MPs employ relatives as their personal assistants"at least 146 MPs, 104 from Lok Sabha and 42 from Rajya Sabha, have appointed at least 191 relatives as their personal staff.
Under the salary and allowances rules, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats have to pay Rs 30,000 per month to those employed by MPs for secretarial assistance. This amount can be paid entirely to one PA or an MP can split the amount between more than one assistant.
Although an MP appointing a family member or a close relative as a PA does not violate any rule, experts and some senior MPs said it certainly raises questions of ethics and propriety.
Such choices also come at the cost of ignoring loyal party workers or those better qualified from among their voters and supporters, they said. The report further stated that this army of family PAs includes 60 sons, 36 wives, 27 daughters, seven brothers, seven daughters-in-law, four husbands and 10 cousins, among others.
The list also cuts across lines of parties and political ideologies. Of the 146 MPs employing close relatives as PAs, 38 are from the BJP, 36 from Congress, 15 from BSP, 12 from Samajwadi Party, eight from DMK, seven from Biju Janata Dal, six from JD (U) and the rest from other parties.
Of these, 36 MPs have appointed more than one relative as PAs while at least four have appointed three family members in their personal staff.
Some members have appointed a family member as one PA and are paying them a large portion of the Rs 30,000 monthly entitlement and a second, non-family member as a PA for the remaining, smaller amount.
For instance, S K Bwiswmuthiary (Assam), Nikhil Kumar Choudhary (Bihar), Mohammed Ali Khan (Andhra Pradesh), S Thangavelu (Tamil Nadu), Dilipbhai Pandya (Gujarat), Ali Anwar Ansari (Bihar), Munqad Ali and Brajbhushan Sharan Singh (both UP) have appointed their two sons as PAs.
Samajwadi Party MP from UP Tufani Saroj has appointed his two daughters.
C L Ruala, (Congress-Mizoram), Gorakhnath Pande (BSP-UP), Nripendra Nath Roy (AIFB-West Bengal) and Tapas Paul (TMC-West Bengal) have appointed their wife and son.
Sharifuddin Shariqe from J& K has appointed his grandson and granddaughter as PAs.
Saifuddin Soz from J&K and Rishang Keishing from Manipur have appointed their granddaughters.
BSP MP from UP Dr Baliram has appointed his two daughters and wife as PAs.
His party colleague Ramashankar Rajbhar has appointed his two daughters and one son.
BJP MP from Karnataka S Pakkirappa has appointed his son and daughter.
BJP MP from Indore Sumitra Mahajan first appointed her daughter-in-law as her PA in Parliament but when Mahajan was appointed chairman of a parliamentary committee, the same daughter-in-law was appointed PA there too.
Similarly, SP member from Allahabad, Rewati Raman Singh, has appointed his daughter as PA in Parliament and his niece as PA in his parliamentary committee secretariat.
The report further states that 251 PAs of MPs, including some from among the 191 close relatives, are paid much below the minimum wage applicable in Delhi.
The 251 comprise of 202 PAs of Lok Sabha members and 49 PAs of Rajya Sabha members, with some of them being paid Rs 2,000 per month while the minimum wage for even unskilled labourers in Delhi is more than Rs 8,000 per month.
Congress MP from Jammu, Madanlal Sharma, who has appointed his wife and son as his PAs, stresses that he has not violated any rule.
"I am sure I have not violated any rule by appointing my relatives as my PAs.
My son is a law graduate and returned from London.
I depend on him more than anybody.If such appointments are not allowed, I will not do so," he said.Parliamentary experts, however, have a different take.
"This is certainly an ethical issue and related to the conduct of the members," said Subhash Kashyap, former Secretary General of the Lok Sabha.
"This should be considered either by the ethics committees or by the presiding officers of both houses." Ironically though, at least three MPs on the 14-member Lok Sabha ethics committee namely Dara Singh Chauhan, Sumitra Mahajan and Prem Das Rai, and one MP on the 10-member Rajya Sabha ethics panel, E M S Natchiappan, are themselves on the list of MPs employing close relatives as PAs.
"Although there is no bar on appointing close relatives as personal staff, propriety demands that MPs should think and carefully consider before appointing relatives as PAs," said Lok Sabha ethics committee chairman Sis Ram Ola.
The BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad, who is on the Rajya Sabha ethics panel, said he considered this practice "inappropriate".
"There may not be any legal or ethical issue, but this is a matter of political propriety.
I consider it inappropriate. This is a larger issue in a time when politics is becoming family oriented. We will look at it whenever it comes before the ethics committee," he said.
All the three Congress MPs from Manipur namely Thangso Baite of Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency, Dr T Meinya of Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency and nominated Rajya Sabha MP Rishang Keishing are employing their closest family members and relatives as Personal Assistants (PAs) of their own.
The PA of Thangso Baite is his own son Tongkhohao Baite; the PA of Dr T Meinya is also his own son T Helly while the PA of Rishang Keishing is his granddaughter Ringyaola Keishing.
The matter has come to light when The Indian Express flashed it as its lead story based on datas accessed under RTI Act.
According to the report carried in The Indian Express on its edition today under the headline "It's all in the family: 146 MPs employ relatives as their personal assistants"at least 146 MPs, 104 from Lok Sabha and 42 from Rajya Sabha, have appointed at least 191 relatives as their personal staff.
Under the salary and allowances rules, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats have to pay Rs 30,000 per month to those employed by MPs for secretarial assistance. This amount can be paid entirely to one PA or an MP can split the amount between more than one assistant.
Although an MP appointing a family member or a close relative as a PA does not violate any rule, experts and some senior MPs said it certainly raises questions of ethics and propriety.
Such choices also come at the cost of ignoring loyal party workers or those better qualified from among their voters and supporters, they said. The report further stated that this army of family PAs includes 60 sons, 36 wives, 27 daughters, seven brothers, seven daughters-in-law, four husbands and 10 cousins, among others.
The list also cuts across lines of parties and political ideologies. Of the 146 MPs employing close relatives as PAs, 38 are from the BJP, 36 from Congress, 15 from BSP, 12 from Samajwadi Party, eight from DMK, seven from Biju Janata Dal, six from JD (U) and the rest from other parties.
Of these, 36 MPs have appointed more than one relative as PAs while at least four have appointed three family members in their personal staff.
Some members have appointed a family member as one PA and are paying them a large portion of the Rs 30,000 monthly entitlement and a second, non-family member as a PA for the remaining, smaller amount.
For instance, S K Bwiswmuthiary (Assam), Nikhil Kumar Choudhary (Bihar), Mohammed Ali Khan (Andhra Pradesh), S Thangavelu (Tamil Nadu), Dilipbhai Pandya (Gujarat), Ali Anwar Ansari (Bihar), Munqad Ali and Brajbhushan Sharan Singh (both UP) have appointed their two sons as PAs.
Samajwadi Party MP from UP Tufani Saroj has appointed his two daughters.
C L Ruala, (Congress-Mizoram), Gorakhnath Pande (BSP-UP), Nripendra Nath Roy (AIFB-West Bengal) and Tapas Paul (TMC-West Bengal) have appointed their wife and son.
Sharifuddin Shariqe from J& K has appointed his grandson and granddaughter as PAs.
Saifuddin Soz from J&K and Rishang Keishing from Manipur have appointed their granddaughters.
BSP MP from UP Dr Baliram has appointed his two daughters and wife as PAs.
His party colleague Ramashankar Rajbhar has appointed his two daughters and one son.
BJP MP from Karnataka S Pakkirappa has appointed his son and daughter.
BJP MP from Indore Sumitra Mahajan first appointed her daughter-in-law as her PA in Parliament but when Mahajan was appointed chairman of a parliamentary committee, the same daughter-in-law was appointed PA there too.
Similarly, SP member from Allahabad, Rewati Raman Singh, has appointed his daughter as PA in Parliament and his niece as PA in his parliamentary committee secretariat.
The report further states that 251 PAs of MPs, including some from among the 191 close relatives, are paid much below the minimum wage applicable in Delhi.
The 251 comprise of 202 PAs of Lok Sabha members and 49 PAs of Rajya Sabha members, with some of them being paid Rs 2,000 per month while the minimum wage for even unskilled labourers in Delhi is more than Rs 8,000 per month.
Congress MP from Jammu, Madanlal Sharma, who has appointed his wife and son as his PAs, stresses that he has not violated any rule.
"I am sure I have not violated any rule by appointing my relatives as my PAs.
My son is a law graduate and returned from London.
I depend on him more than anybody.If such appointments are not allowed, I will not do so," he said.Parliamentary experts, however, have a different take.
"This is certainly an ethical issue and related to the conduct of the members," said Subhash Kashyap, former Secretary General of the Lok Sabha.
"This should be considered either by the ethics committees or by the presiding officers of both houses." Ironically though, at least three MPs on the 14-member Lok Sabha ethics committee namely Dara Singh Chauhan, Sumitra Mahajan and Prem Das Rai, and one MP on the 10-member Rajya Sabha ethics panel, E M S Natchiappan, are themselves on the list of MPs employing close relatives as PAs.
"Although there is no bar on appointing close relatives as personal staff, propriety demands that MPs should think and carefully consider before appointing relatives as PAs," said Lok Sabha ethics committee chairman Sis Ram Ola.
The BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad, who is on the Rajya Sabha ethics panel, said he considered this practice "inappropriate".
"There may not be any legal or ethical issue, but this is a matter of political propriety.
I consider it inappropriate. This is a larger issue in a time when politics is becoming family oriented. We will look at it whenever it comes before the ethics committee," he said.
Assam kids spend just over 2 hours at primary school
NEW DELHI, May 16, 2013 [The Hindu] --- The duration of a class is minimum of 45 minutes in Andhra Pradesh, says an NCERT survey. Total number of working days each year is 180 in Nagaland.
Students in government schools in Assam study only for two-and-a-half hours every day at the primary level compared to five-and-a-half to six-and-a-half hours in the rest of the country, an official study has shown.
Similarly, the total number of working days in primary schools each year is 180 in Nagaland and Manipur and a maximum of 253 in Bihar and Jharkhand with lower than average literacy rates.
But in most other States and Union Territories (UT), the working days are between 201 and 220, a study conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training has revealed. The figures do not change substantially at the upper primary and secondary level.
The national study reviewed the implementation of the 10-year school curriculum, looking into the school system of different States and UT focussing on the structure of different school stages, agencies for curriculum construction, nomenclature of different subjects, approaches of teaching them, periods allotted, time given for annual examination, and mechanism for evaluation of curriculum.
The number of weekly teaching periods is between 19 in Madhya Pradesh to 48 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Uttarakhand, Goa, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
The duration of a class is minimum of 35 minutes in Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, Nagaland and West Bengal and maximum of 45 minutes in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Kerala, Delhi, Manipur, Puducherry, Tripura, Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab and Tamil Nadu.
In a majority of States/UT, there is only one recess period but there are two recess periods in Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu and Sikkim. Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Daman and Diu have three recess periods, with the duration ranging from 15 minutes in Pondicherry to 80 minutes in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.
Research studies need to be conducted to see the effectiveness of variations in terms of number of working days, weekly periods, duration of periods, number of recess periods on learning outcomes and a research study needs to be undertaken to know the status of co-scholastic areas in actual practice, the study recommends.
The nomenclature of science is general science in five States/ UTs and environmental studies in the remaining 23 States/UTs. The integrated approach is followed in the teaching of environmental studies in 29 States/UTs.
Periods allotted per week for teaching the "mother tongue" in Class V is a minimum of three in Nagaland and a maximum of 13 in Maharashtra.
English has been introduced in all States/UTs in Class I with weekly periods in Class V being a maximum of eight in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh and a minimum of three in Uttar Pradesh.
The study suggests it should be ascertained, based on research, in which class English language should be introduced for optimal gains.
Weekly periods for teaching mathematics in Class V is the highest at 12 in Andhra Pradesh and lowest (5) in Kerala, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland. Moral science is taught as a separate subject in all States.
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Wednesday, May 15, 2013
From Mizoram to UPSC: K. Lalbiakchhunga’s Civil Services Success Story
“To achieve success in Civil Services exam, focus on writing skills”
-- K. Lalbiakchhunga
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BRUCE K. THANGKHAL
NEW DELHI, MAY 15, 2013
“To achieve success in Civil Services exam, focus on writing skills”, says one of the Mizos, who have captured the 971 spot in the final results of Civil Services Examination 2012.
UPSC Civil Services is regarded as the most coveted job in India. In CSE Prelims 2012, Out of 5,36,506 applicants 2,71,422 actually appeared in which 13,092 candidates qualified for the Mains, out of which 2674 candidates were selected for the Personality Test in March-April, 2013. Finally 998 candidates (753 Male and 245 Female) have been recommended for appointment to the IAS, IFS, IPS and other Central Services against 1091 reported vacancies. Among the successful candidates, our correspondent had a chance to interview this young Mizo lad, K. Lalbiakchhunga,
the 971th Rank in CSE 2012, aka Biaka for over an hour at his JNU Brahmaputra hostel in New Delhi. Here is an excerpt.
K. Lalbiakchhunga, the youngest son among the two brothers and two sisters, of K. Lalhmuaka and Awichingi, of Ramhlun North, was born in 1983. His father is a retired fourth grade employee under state Education Department and his mother is a simple housewife.
Biaka completed his primary schoolings from Ramhlun PS II and middle schools from Ramhlun North Govt Endala Middle School. Since he was a brilliant student, his parents enrolled him in St Paul Higher Sec School, Aizawl and passed out the matriculate examination 2000 in I division and also came out in I division in 10+2 (Arts) exam from Govt Chaltlang HSS in 2002.
Keeping Civil Service in mind, Biaka went to Delhi and studied BA Political Science in Dayal Singh College (DU) from 2002-05. He said, “My initial years in Delhi were like a nightmare. Everything seems difficult. I was really weak in writing and speaking, too. So I give more importance of writing and took practices every day by writing down a small paragraph, or whatever I learnt”.
Biaka first attempted Civil Services in 2009. Though he managed to through the Prelims but he couldn’t in the Mains. In his second and third attempt, he was plucked out in the Mains as if lady luck disfavoured him. Still he dreams on, he never lost his tempo and keeps on leaning towards his goal. This time, something new struck him. He ranked 971 out of 998 in his fourth attempt. “My previous failures were due to scoring low marks”, he guessed with a humble smile.
Interestingly, Biaka, is a scholar while pursuing civil services. How could he manage his academic research and CS preparations is quite amazing and astonishing to everyone, who heard his success story. The truth is, JNU students are rigorously trained in research and hence, they hardly have leisure time or time for such toughest exam.
Biaka completed his MA Politics (with specialization in International Relations) and MPhil from Jawahar Lal Nehru University in 2007 and 2009 respectively. Since then he is busy with his research works on “The Role of U.S. in Dismantlement of Weapons of Mass Destruction in former Soviet States: 1991-2000”. He is due to submit his thesis in the month of July, if not he’ll extended, he said.
“I could not simply depend on my family. So I utilized the scholarship which I received from the university in pursuing my goal”, Biaka said. This was the only source to support himself.
Regarding IAS coaching, he said he joined the coaching classes for about six months which charged Rs 30,000 as the course fee. “Coaching Class is not mandatory, it only guide us the direction and it is upto an individual who take an extra mile in travelling throughout the length,” he added.
“During college days, I managed with Rs 3000-4,000 pm. Those were hard times. My brothers and were also studying at home. My parents were not in a position to support me financially”, Biaka told our correspondent. With one of my friends, we shared a small room, that’s making easier for me to stay in Delhi, he added.
On asking about IAS, he came to know it while he was in XII standard when some of his teachers advised him to go for CS exam. “I have been among the first class-holder during my school and college days. That is why my teachers encouraged me for this. From that onwards, my passion for CS exam began burning inside me,” Biaka shared.
Recollecting the past, Biaka said he had failed his first attempt in Mizoram Civil Service exam in 2011. But he neither quit nor disappointed, yet he gave another hard blow and cleared both Prelims and Mains in 2012. Unluckily he failed the interview. His optional subjects were Geography and Sociology. In CS exam for three consecutive years, he took Geography and Political Science as Optionals. In his fourth try, he made a slight change, that is, he replaced Political Science with Sociology. This time he succeeds.
On sharing about what he reads, Biaka testified Yojana, Frontline, Civil Service Chronicles, and Georgraphy and You, are his daily breads for Civil Service exam, which are piling up one another on his table and also found laying on the floor of his tiny hostel room. His room is decorated with books! He reads two dailies, The Hindu and Times of India, which he never missed early in the morning.
“Writing is his biggest weakness”, he pointed out, “It is by writing we have to express our thoughts and opinions in the exams”, Biaka lamented. When asking about the negative impact of social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, and internet, “It depends on person to person, I make it useful by collecting study materials and gathered information,” he responded positively. One may wonder, he says, Social networking is now my hobby.
This young lad, who spends eight to night hours in reading a day, also hardly missed Sunday worship services in Mizoram House, Vasant Vihar. He is not only a bookworm; he had also involved extra curriculum activities. He holds the Academic Secretary of Delhi Mizo Zirlai Pawl (student body) in 2006-07 and as Secretary, Delhi Mizo Thalai (Church Youths) in 2007-08. Besides, he is also a football lover, who plays regularly. “In my case, writing skill is important to achieve success in Civil Services. I have to develop it”, Biaka emphasized at the later part of the conversation with our correspondent. This lad is still eyeing for a better rank in the next Civil Service exam, staring this month.
THE MIZORAM POST | MANIPUR CHRONICLE | ZOGAM TODAY
Manipuri student found dead in Delhi's Safdarjung Enclave
 New Delhi, May 15, 2013 [PTI] --- A 23-year-old Manipuri student who is doing MBA, allegedly committed suicide in his rented room here in Safdarjung Enclave apparently due to a broken relationship, police said on May 14.
The incident was reported from Safdarjung Enclave area and the deceased has been identified as Athili. No suicide note was recovered but police suspect it to be a case of broken relationship after seeing a text message sent to a female friend in which he spoke about it. It was his friends who saw him hanging and informed his family.
He was rushed to AIIMS where he was declared brought dead.
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APPEAL- belongings of NE boy stolen in Delhi
Appeal for help in tracing lost documents and other belongings of a Northeast boy
New Delhi, 15 May, 2015 [NE HELPLINE] --- According to information reported to North East Helpline, Mr. Mhachan Shitiri son of Lawrence Shitiri from Rilan colony Dimapur, Nagaland has lost his important documents and other belongings on 14 May 2013 at Dhaula Kuan Bus terminal. Presently, he is staying in Humayunpur, 80/1, House no. 46, Saftarjung enclave, New Delhi. "My original certificates of class 10, BA, original Indian passport, laptop etc. were stolen from Dhaula Kuan Bus terminal at around 6:30am to 7am on 14 May 2013," Mr. Mhachan Shitiri told to NE Helpline. "I was on the bus bearing number RJ-14 B 4701 coming from Jaipur and my last station was Dhaula Kuan (South Delhi)," Mr. Mhachan added.
NE Helpline appeals to general public and concerned authorities to help trace the lost belongings of Mr. Mhachan Shitiri. Anybody who comes across these lost belongings may kindly contact the executive members of Naga Students' Union Delhi or the following numbers – 09899436328/08447688326/ 09560313020.
New Delhi, 15 May, 2015 [NE HELPLINE] --- According to information reported to North East Helpline, Mr. Mhachan Shitiri son of Lawrence Shitiri from Rilan colony Dimapur, Nagaland has lost his important documents and other belongings on 14 May 2013 at Dhaula Kuan Bus terminal. Presently, he is staying in Humayunpur, 80/1, House no. 46, Saftarjung enclave, New Delhi. "My original certificates of class 10, BA, original Indian passport, laptop etc. were stolen from Dhaula Kuan Bus terminal at around 6:30am to 7am on 14 May 2013," Mr. Mhachan Shitiri told to NE Helpline. "I was on the bus bearing number RJ-14 B 4701 coming from Jaipur and my last station was Dhaula Kuan (South Delhi)," Mr. Mhachan added.
NE Helpline appeals to general public and concerned authorities to help trace the lost belongings of Mr. Mhachan Shitiri. Anybody who comes across these lost belongings may kindly contact the executive members of Naga Students' Union Delhi or the following numbers – 09899436328/08447688326/ 09560313020.
MGNREGA has led to higher wage rates in Haryana and N-E States
New Delhi, May 15, 2013 [PIB] --- Women and unskilled labourers are the main beneficiaries of the higher wage rates of MGNREGA, which has been revised recently to protect workers against inflation, said Ministry of Rural Development [GoI] in its press note.
With effect from April 01, 2013, a maximum wage of Rs 214 has been fixed for Haryana and a minimum of Rs 135 for North Eastern States. Moreover, there is a definite positive impact on agricultural wages and wages in general in the rural areas, which remained stagnant for a long-long time. This has been established by a Government study and research by private bodies and individuals.
The National Sample Survey Office`s 66th round confirms that MGNREGA has reduced the traditional gender wage discrimination which was apparent in several States across the country. According to an analysis by the Paris School of Economics in 2011, MGNREGA also leads to an increase in private sector wages and has welfare benefits for non-participating households.
The gains from the rise in wages are more for the poor and marginalised, including women. Similarly, an analysis by Jean Drèze, a noted social scientist observes that the pre-MGNREGA (2000–1 to 2005-6) growth rate of real agricultural wages was around 0.1 per cent per year for men and negative for women. After the implementation of MGNREGA (2005-6 to 2010-11), the growth rate for agricultural wages for men increased to 2.7 per cent per year and for women to 3.7 per cent per year.
Till 31st March 2013, more than 1408 crore person-days of employment have been generated, of which 47.48% are women. An average of five crore households provided with employment every year since 2008. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes account for 50% of the total person-days generated. Last year 30 new works included under MGNREGA like Watershed, Irrigation and Flood management works, Agricultural and Livestock related works, Fisheries, Rural Drinking water and Sanitation related works.
To reduce delay in payment of wages, Ministry of Rural Development has initiated Electronic Fund Management System (eFMS) in Karnataka, Orissa, Gujarat, Tripura and Rajasthan, for directly crediting wages into beneficiary accounts using Core Banking System. Efms will ensure capture of real time transactions, eliminate delays and leakages.
Ministry is now working to implement Efms in identified 46 MGNREGA districts for Direct Benefit Transfer. Aadhaar enabled direct electronics crediting of accounts payments for workers in MGNREGA is being implemented in 51 districts, in its pilot phase.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act aims at enhancing the livelihood security of people in rural areas by guaranteeing 100 days of wage-employment in a financial year to a rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. The Act came into force in February 2, 2006 and now is in operation in 632 districts in the country.
Phungzathang sets record straight
IMPHAL, May 15, 2013 [The Sangai Express] --- Referring to the news items about disappearance of certain items supplied to GAD for use during high-profile visits of VVIPs to the State and subsequent recovery of unused red woollen carpets, Health and GAD Minister Phungzathang Tonsing has clarified that GAD (store section) properly maintains stocks register, receipts and issue registers of store materials since long time.
Speaking to some media persons at his Paite Veng residence on May 14, Phungzathang said that a minute discussion was held on the matter with concerned officials, and the meeting decided to take action against any official involved if found guilty as well as the agencies namely M/S Allied Agency and M/S Manipur Trade Centre, both based at Paona Bazar.
He further clarified that he was not GAD Minister when the lost items were supplied to the department in connection with President Pratibha Devising Patil's and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the State in 2011.
As for the Rs 15 lakhs sanctioned during President Pranab Mukherjee's visit last month, detail itemwise expenditures for payment of charges of Classic Hotel and Hotel Imphal where the Presi dent's entourage were accommodated, installation of temporary telephone hotlines for the visiting VVIPs, cultural programmes with State Dinners, memento/gift, hiring of sofa sets, chairs and labour charges etc.
The detail itemwise expenditures are maintained by the office, Phungzathang said.
Even though it was alleged that GAD did not float open tender for the last 11 years, the department has started floating open tender for supplying material items including catering/canteens of Manipur Bhavans, New Delhi and Kolkata, he added.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Manipuri student commits suicide in Delhi
BRUCE K. THANGKHAL
NEW DELHI, May 14, 2013: A 24-year-old Manipuri boy allegedly committed suicide at his house here in Safdarjung Enclave, police said on Tuesday. Police said the deceased might have been depressed after a failed relationship with his girl friend. No suicide note was found.
According to the police, the deceased also texted some messages to his friends saying that he wished to harm himself, before he took up the extreme step.
The deceased, Athili Loli, was found hanging from the ceiling fan in his room around 5 AM on Tuesday after some of his friends found him dead inside the room. The matter was immediately informed to the police and the police broke open the door and the body was taken to AIIMS hospital for post mortem. The body has been deposited in AIIMS morgue.
Loli is currently pursuing MBA first year from Amity University in Nodia. He hails from Kaibi village in Senapati district, Manipur. Loli’s father is a bank manager in Shillong.
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