APSC Seeks To Alter Exam Syllabus

Prelims not to have optional subject

By SUMIR KARMAKAR

Guwahati, May 31 : The Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) is planning to do away with the optional subject in the preliminary examination for the combined competitive examinations.

The revision of syllabus will be on the lines of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which recently revised its syllabus for IAS and allied services examinations.

The commission will also introduce an online application system soon to enable candidates to apply for competitive examinations online.

The new syllabus, which proposes to do away with the optional subject, will test candidates appearing for the prelims on 200 marks objective-type questions on general studies, 70 per cent of which will be on history, geography and culture of Assam. Another 200-mark paper will test their general English.

The commission’s chairman, Rakesh Kumar Paul, told The Telegraph today that they have moved the state government, seeking its nod to introduce the syllabus in the next civil services examination. “After the UPSC decided to do away with the optional subject, Karnataka and Maharashtra followed. We want to do the same here. There are 32 optional subjects and but it will be more helpful for candidates if we follow a uniform curriculum. Besides, most of the optional subjects are old and in the new pattern we can test their knowledge on diverse subjects,” he said.

“The candidates should be tested for their suitability as civil servants and not as a source of information. Besides, according to the revised syllabus, candidates will write the same papers and their answers will be evaluated on the same standards. It will also encourage candidates to study history, culture, geography, society and people of Assam as 70 per cent of the paper will be on Assam,” Paul added. After the prelims, a candidate appears for the mains, in which he/she is tested on 1,400 marks divided into four papers. The viva voce carries 200 marks.

Paul said the online application system will reduce paper work for applicants as well as the processing time. “Besides, there will be no fear of delayed submission of applications.” He said the commission has reached an agreement with State Bank of India, through which candidates would be able to pay their examination fees online.

The APSC has already computerised its examination procedure and is using the optical mark recognition technology to screen answer scripts. The APSC had started its website, which shares recruitment information and results, in 2009.

He said they had also moved the state government for financial autonomy. “At present, we require government sanction for release of funds and this delays our activities. In Mizoram and Jammu and Kashmir, the state public service commissions enjoy total financial autonomy but here we have partial autonomy. We have to take clearance from the state government for funds before initiating any activity,” he added.

The commission will also set up a medical unit and an ATM on its office premises at Khanapara here to assist its 280 staff members.

Scientists Fear Female Libido Booster Too Effective

Worried that the “female Viagra” could work too well? (Photo via Gabriel Delgado / Wikimedia Commons)

Women looking to get their freak back may soon be able to pop a new breed of lust drug: Lybrido.
But scientists developing the desire pill sometimes called “female Viagra” confided in one writer an unusual worry. They fear the libido-booster may work too well.

(And the problem with that is …?)

Journalist Daniel Bergner, whose story on the still-being-developed wonder drug was published last week in the New York Times Magazine, says researchers worry about creating an orgasm-hungry nympho. Yeah, the author expressed surprise at that, too.

“More than one adviser to the industry told me that companies worried about the prospect that their study results would be too strong, that the F.D.A. would reject an application out of concern that a chemical would lead to female excesses, crazed binges of infidelity, societal splintering,” Bergner writes.

So drug companies may actually temper the potency of these easy-to-swallow menthol-flavored passion-stimulants, lest these crazy sex-having females have, you know, crazy amounts of sex.

Whenever they feel like it, which would, presumably, be way more often (starting in 2016, when the drug developed by amusingly named med makers Emotional Brain is expected to hit the market).
(Again, the problem is …?)

“You want your effects to be good but not too good,” Andrew Goldstein, who is conducting the study in Washington, tells Bergner (on page 8, online) in the May 22 story. “There was a lot of discussion about it by the experts in the room … the need to show that you’re not turning women into nymphomaniacs. There’s a bias against — a fear of creating the sexually aggressive woman.”

God forbid, right?

Arunachal Lonely Planet's Global Tourism Hotspot

By Pradeep Kumar

Itanagar, May 30 : After winning the coveted second runners up position in Lonely Planet magazine's Emerging Destinations In India recently, Arunachal Pradesh, nature's favourite play spot on earth, has made its foray into the world tourism scenario and earned the rare distinction of making it to the BBC's Lonely Planet Traveller magazine's 'Top 21 under-the-radar destinations of the world'.

The list which exclusively featured the less explored and unconventional tourist destinations of the world was released recently, is being compiled by Rory Goulding, editorial assistant at Lonely Planet Traveller magazine.

It is to be noted that Kiso Valley in Japan and Southeastern Anatolia in Turkey are the only two other tourist spots from Asia that has been featured in the list, Arunachal Pradesh Tourism Parliamentary Secretary PD Sona told ANI.

Sona quoted Goulding, as saying, "Arunachal Pradesh, the 'land of the dawn-lit mountains', is surely high on any list of candidates for the mythical realm of Shangri-La. It has historically been inaccessible from any, an unknown place so remote that few of its thunderous Himalayan peaks have been named, let alone climbed."

"Now, however, easing travel restrictions and improved infrastructure ensure that this extraordinary place is ripe for exploring. Here, nature reserves teem with a diversity of wildlife unmatched in India, forests host delicately tattooed tribal peoples, and mountain valleys are dotted with majestic Buddhist monasteries, such as 400-year-old Tawang Gompa, one of the world's largest."

Goulding also urged the travellers to visit the Mechuka Valley, a hitherto unexplored Buddhist realm amongst the towering, snow-draped mountains of the region's remote west.

The other destinations that had find a place in the list were Fermanagh Lakelands in Northern Ireland, Yukon in Canada, Inchcolm Island in Firth of Forth, Scotland, Sequoia and King's Canyon National Park in California, Providence in Rhode Island, USA, Northwestern Tasmania in Australia, Kosrae in Micronesia, Avila in Spain, Sylt in Germany, Meknes in Morocco, Byblos in Lebanon, Torun in Poland, Jambiani Beach in Tanzania, Arras in France, Richmond in North Yorkshire, England, Ikaria in Greece, Trieste in Italy and Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe.

With Arunachal Pradesh chosen by the union tourism ministry to host the country's second edition of International Travel Mart (ITM) at Tawang during in the third week of October next, this mystic land would get more exposed to the rest of world with foreign tour operators, government officials and hoteliers from 50 countries are expected to attend the event, said state's tourism secretary Sonam Chombey Wednesday.

Assam House To Vote Today For PM’s 5th Term in RS

Guwahati, May 30 : The Assam assembly is set to elect Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday for his fifth straight term in the Rajya Sabha. He has been representing the Upper House from Assam since 1991.

The election follows a week of dissension within the Congress over the nomination of Shantius Kujur, a lesser-known Adivasi party activist, for the second Rajya Sabha seat to fall vacant in Assam after June 14.

The ruling Congress played down the trouble. But Assam parliamentary affairs minister Nilamani Sen Deka said a three-line whip would be issued to all party legislators to ensure 100% turnout.

The Congress has 79 legislators in the 126-member assembly. Singh and Kujur also have the support of 12 MLAs of the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), the Congress’ alliance partner, two Independents and the lone Trinamool Congress legislator.

With the Asom Gana Parishad (nine MLAs) and BJP (five MLAs) having decided to abstain from voting, the Prime Minister and Kujur need 38 votes each to win. The pro-Muslim All India United Democratic Front has fielded its general secretary, Aminul Islam, but the party has only 18 legislators.

“All the Congress and BPF legislators will be divided into two groups for casting their votes,” Deka said. The Congress Legislature Party strategy entails 49 votes for first-candidate Singh and 45 for second-candidate Kujur.

Earlier this month, the Prime Minister’s nomination attracted criticism for an age mismatch. The nomination papers were resubmitted with his age changed from 82 years to 80 years.

Meghalaya Man To Appeal HC For Ailing Sons' Mercy Killing

Shillong, May 30 : A father has decided to seek permission from the Meghalaya High Court for mercy killing of his three sons who have thalassemia, a blood disease.

"I can no longer see my children suffering. I have nothing left but to seek permission from the Meghalaya High Court to take away the lives of my children before I commit suicide," 50-year-old Abdul Rahim told IANS.

Rahim, a shoe merchant, said that he has to spend Rs.45,000 each month on the blood transfusion of his sons Sadik Ahmed, 16, Suheil Ahmed, 14, and Mohammad Samim, nine.

Though originally from Assam, Rahim lives in Meghalaya, while his wife and other children live in Doboka in Assam's Nagaon district.

"Only god and my family knows about the suffering that I am undergoing for the treatment of my three ailing children. I have sold off my properties and even my shoe factory. I did all I could to meet the medical requirements of my three sons," he said.

He added that he would approach the Meghalaya and Assam governments for medical assistance his children need.

"If the governments refuse to provide assistance, then I have no other option but move the court with a plea that permission should be granted to kill my three sons and then kill myself," Rahim said.

Meanwhile, Meghalaya Health and Family Welfare Minister Alexander Hek said: "Rahim has not approached us. If he does, the government will examine the matter and then take a decision accordingly."

In Meghalaya, a universal medical health insurance for all residents provides medical relief of Rs.90,000 annually to a family of five and Rs.1.6 lakh in case of critical illness.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/meghalaya-man-to-appeal-hc-for-ailing-sons-mercy-killing/1/273668.html

Mizoram To Produce 60% Of Rice

Aizawl, May 29 : Mizoram was making efforts to produce 60 per cent of its rice requirement during the 12th Plan, state Agriculture Secretary Lalram Thanga said today.

Addressing Farmers' meet organised by Agriculture department here, Thanga said that Mizoram could produce only 20 per cent of its rice requirement during the eleventh plan period and efforts were now made to produce 1.06 metric tonne which would be 60 per cent of the requirement of the staple food of the Mizos.

Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla also said that fund allocation for covering 1.35 lakh families in the state under the flagship programme of the present government, New Land Use Policy (NLUP), was already in place.

Lal Thanhawla claimed that there has been 48 per cent reduction of jhum cultivation areas after implementation of the NLUP in the state since 2011.

He also said that fund for different departments were not diverted for NLUP as alleged by the opposition parties.

Tripura Explores Bamboo Shoots Business

Agartala, May 29 : The Tripura Bamboo Mission (TBM) has undertaken packaging of shoots for a palatable dish in star hotels of India and abroad.

In the integrated development of the bamboo sector to ensure employment generation and economic development based on available resources, the business of bamboo shoots has great potential, TBM officials said on Monday.

Referring to market opportunity for bamboo shoots, industries and commerce minister Jitendra Chowdhury said the mission is in the process of putting in place an effective collection mechanism from the field and linking it to a storage and bulk packaging facility can open up market opportunities.

To begin with, a small-scale production facility may be set up that calls for an investment of Rs 35,000 towards equipment that can function from a room at a home location. This system of production will deploy basic cleaning, cutting, and bulk packaging facility.

"These bulk packs can be shipped out to food processing units in other parts of the country through a consolidator's intervention assuming a margin of Rs 5-6 a kg that can be achieved through this route," added Chowdhury.

The second production mechanism could be a scaled up facility capable of processing 40 MT of shoots given the 90-day duration for the harvesting season where processing of other fruits would help justify a larger investment.

A bamboo shoot processing unit is already operational in Agartala and is selling products under a brand name in which NERAMAC is also involved through its distribution efforts. In any case, it makes sense to establish a formalized collection system to feed the existing unit in Agartala. This would call for storage and a network system of procurement at the community level connected to a manufacturer.

Shillong-Dhaka Bus Service To Start Soon

Shillong, May 29 : Bangladesh and India are set to have another link with the introduction of the much-awaited Shillong-Dhaka bus service.

Meghalaya transport minister HDR Lyngdoh said India and Bangladesh have mutually agreed to start the bus service and both governments have cleared it.

Lyngdoh said, "We hope we can commence the bus service soon as we already have road connectivity".

The Meghalaya government had sent a proposal in 2002 to the Centre for introduction of a direct bus between Shillong and Dhaka, connecting Sylhet in Bangladesh and Dawki in Meghalaya.

"After the proposal was submitted by the state government 10 years ago, the Centre had given the nod for the project while asking whether the state was prepared to go ahead with the project as infrastructure along the border was minimal," a state government official said.

"The Meghalaya government later communicated to the Centre its willingness to start the bus service, expecting financial assistance from the Centre," the official added.

Home minister Lyngdoh said the bus service would not only ease travelling to Bangladesh but would promote tourism between the two countries.

Meghalaya shares mutual interests in terms of trade besides geographical and historical contiguity with the neighbouring country. Though Bangladesh is next door, people from Meghalaya now either go to Kolkata or Agartala, where the only visa office in the Northeast is located.

Asked if the bus service would encourage influx, as feared by some NGOs, Lyngdoh assured that the government would take care of the issue and that travelers would be required to possess valid passports and requisite visas by producing required documents.