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With ease of accessibility being the driving force behind many emerging entrepreneurial avenues, the concept of electronic commerce or e-commerce has grown since its inception in the 1990’s. E-commerce is the buying and selling of goods and services or the transfer of funds and data over an electronic network, primarily the internet.

The commerce society of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa college organized an e-commerce conclave in association with the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry on 10th February. Eminent guest speakers present were  principal of SGTB Khalsa college Dr Jaswinder Singh, vice-principal Dr R.P Singh,  Khalsa alumni and Senior Manager-PR and Corporate Communications at Policybazaar.com Mr. Aman Dhall, Founder and Director at CorporateShiksha.in Mr. Ankur Sethi , Cofounder and Office of the CEO (Technology and Operations) at Infibeam.com Mr. Sachin Dalal, Senior Advisor at BRICS CCI Mr. Naveen Coomar and Co Chairman of the Chamber Dr BBL Madhukar.

The conclave began at 10 am with the lamp lighting ceremony by our guest speakers. Principal Dr. Jaswinder Singh and VP R.P Singh felicitated the speakers with bouquets. Dr. Jaswinder Singh began the function by giving the opening speech where he elaborated on the growth and necessity of e-commerce.

Evolution of e-commerce, e-commerce and social responsibility and future of e-commerce in India were focal points of discussion.

Mr. Naveen Coomar took the podium next where he spoke about BRICS. BRICS CCI is a non-profit, non-governmental umbrella organization of promoting commerce and industry in the world’s most prominent and emerging economies namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

He also spoke about e-commerce, its benefits and the opportunities it holds for the youth. Mr. Ankur Sethi was the next speaker. He highlighted upon the contrast between online showrooms and their ‘brick and mortar’ counterparts. He was also specific about e-commerce as a thing of the future and about transforming individual skills into entrepreneurial skills. Aman Dhall took the stage next to speak on Corporate Social Responsibility. Being an energetic speaker he was successful in engaging  the audience in an interactive discussion on the topic. Sachin Dalal, Cofounder at Infibeam.com finished up with a talk on the prospects of e-commerce as an entrepreneurial avenue.

“I was very impressed with the quality of interaction with the students of Delhi University who attended the conclave.  I would urge the industry to organize more such events on a regular basis,” said Aman Dhall.

After that the audience threw their questions at the speakers. A good response from the guests made way for an informative talk between the both. Mr. Aman Dhall on being asked about the event, quoted,” It was a very well done event. I would like to congratulate both, SGTB Khalsa college and BRICS Chamber of Commerce for organising a conclave on a theme that is revolutionising how businesses operate in India. There is a reason we keep hearing that the next generation is smarter.”  Manav Madaan, President of the Commerce Society took the stage to present the guest speakers with tokens of appreciation. The event concluded with VP R.P Singh giving the formal vote of thanks.

University Grants Commission (UGC) had recently asked all universities across the country to implement the new Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) within the curriculum. Two months after the UGC orders, The Ministry of Human Resource Development has questioned Delhi University on its preparedness for the system as Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh announced its implementation from the next academic session (2015-16).

Parallel to the long-lasting memory of the Four Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) at Delhi University, the HRD ministry has written a letter to Dinesh Singh questioning the rashness of his decision. The move is an attempt to avoid a fiasco like the UPA-II government’s introduction of the now revoked FYUP system.

Under the new system, a humanities student will be able to study science subjects that will cover 20% of his or her course and vice-versa. Students also have the option of shifting to another university for particular duration of that program. Other than introduction of the semester system, restructuring of syllabi in the form of modules, standardisation of examinations and a switch from the numerical marking system to grading system are some of the pre-requisites which have to be met.

A few teachers and students of different political hues have condemned the idea and its proposed system of implementation. Some Delhi University teachers have expressed concern that with inter-stream mobility being made much easier, traditional courses will find few takers. Students will find their interests fluctuating and contractual teachers will have to be employed so that when the demand for a subject goes down, their contract can be terminated.

According to the report by Business Standard, Delhi University spokesperson claims that they are working according to the guidelines issued by UGC. However, student representative body, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarathi Parishad (ABVP) requested the HRD Minister, Smriti Irani to intervene. ABVP also demanded a wider debate involving students’ unions and the administration to further discuss the matter.

Click here to read the full document for guidelines of Choice Based Credit System (CBCS), as issued by UGC.

Image source: www.du.ac.in

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The 2015 Delhi Assembly elections scheduled for 7 February seems to be more of a standoff between titans Arvind Kejriwal contesting as chief ministerial candidate from AAP and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi contesting from BJP. The anti corruption crusader who managed to tame even the Delhi police is running high on the popularity charts and whose name was synonymous with Delhi elections until Kiran Bedi entered the race and has since shared the limelight with him.

Kiran Bedi is contesting from the Krishna Nagar constituency against candidates S.K Bagga from AAP and Bansi Lal from Congress. Our ‘runaway CM’ however will be contesting from the New Delhi constituency where he defeated three time Congress Chief minister Sheila Dikshit in the 2013 elections. He will be contesting against Kiran Walia from Congress and ‘cub politician’ Nupur Sharma from BJP.

Nupur Sharma, a former DUSU president and an Oxford alumni, created a stir when her name was announced among the list for 72 candidates by the BJP for the Assembly Elections. She has been actively working with the BJP since 2008 and has 10 years of political experience and therefore we can expect the competition to be tough. Between the AAP and BJP, Congress seems to be standing on the side like a weak shadow. According to a recent pre-poll survey, the BJP will bag 37 seats with a clear majority while Kejriwal’s AAP will come second with 29 seats. Congress however, will have to be satisfied with only 4 seats, as per the survey.

The big fight now seems to be between the AAP and BJP which is evident from the digital war that was fought with major social networking sites like Twitter being flooded with #tags such as #Delhi4Kejriwal #Mufflerman by AAP supporters on one hand and #CrazyKejaria  #DelhiwithModi by the BJP ones.

With all the major characters in place the only thing that can be predicted about the 2015 Delhi elections is that it will be unpredictable. With AAP giant Arvind Kejriwal on one hand and BJP’s masterstroke Kiran Bedi on the other and with the entry of faces like Nupur Sharma, this election seems  pretty interesting from the start. Let us hope that this year we do not witness a catastrophe like the last Assembly elections and that we get a party with a clear majority for a stable government.

So do use your voting rights people!

Arindam Goswami for DU beat.

[email protected]

 

Featured Image Credits: www.india.com

The oceans have been a subject of fascination for thousands of years. Scientific study of marine life may have begun as early as 384 BC, since the time of Aristotle, who is regarded as the Father of Marine Biology.  Simply put, marine biology is the study of life in the oceans and other salt water environments such as estuaries and wetlands. All plant-animal life forms are included, from the microscopic plankton to the majestic blue whale, the largest creature in the sea – and for that in the world.

Profession overview:

The task of marine biologists is to study animals in their natural habitats, assessing effects of environment and industry on animals, interpreting findings and recommending alternative operating methods for industries.  Their official job description is to study the behavior of marine plants and animals and their interactions with the aquatic environment. Sounds pretty vague, doesn’t it? Well, it should. Considering the vast number of opportunities to study the ocean, the jobs can be just as varied.

Institutions Offering Marine Biology:

In India:

1. Annamalai University – Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu.

Courses offered: Master of Philosophy in Marine Biology and oceanography.

Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Biology and Oceanography.

2. Karnataka University – Hubli, Dharwad, Karnataka.

Courses offered: Master of Science in Marine Biology.

You can check out more colleges by clicking on the link below:

http://www.nio.org/index.php?option=com_category&task=show&title=Courses%20in%20oceanography&tid=3&sid=94

Institutes abroad –

1. Boston university – Massachusetts, US.

Courses offered:  Undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD level courses.

2. Duke university – North Carolina, US.

Courses offered:  Bachelor’s degree in Marine Science and PhD level courses.

All courses usually take 2-3 years to complete.

Qualifications required:

In order to pursue a career in marine biology you will first need a solid background in the basic sciences; a bachelor’s degree in marine science or any one of the biology sciences like zoology, ecology or molecular biology. Also, it is necessary to choose a university that offers practical training along with the theoretical know-how.  Additionally, along with good communication and writing skills, prior experience in the field is vastly beneficial.

Scope and Job Prospects:

There are a wide range of career options available for students with a Marine Biology degree. You can specialize in areas such Marine Biotechnology, Molecular Biology or Aquaculture. There are also other non-research jobs like teaching and working as marine engineers with important networks such as National Geography or Discovery. Depending on the type of job and experience, the average marine biologist can earn anything from 360,000 and 780,000. The pay scale gets better as you climb higher up the ladder.

Working conditions for Marine Biologists can be rough. They work in a lot of different places on both land and sea. They may go underwater to monitor whale calls or work as a professor at a university. They might even need to spend days submerged underwater if their project requires so. It really depends what you choose to work on and with.

Marine Biology with its average pay scale and rough working conditions can be an unconventional career option for many. It’s a tough course and an even tougher job in the field. But if you are passionate about it and love all things marine then the rewards are endless. Watching a bicolor angelfish in a tank is one thing but seeing one among the coral in the Great Barrier Reef is another experience altogether. Here’s a career where an open mind and creativity will take you far and where the opportunities are endless.

Syed Zahoor Qasim, Sylvia Alice Earle and Harald Rosenthal are some famous marine biologists of our time and they are some success stories in this field. Want to be one of them? Go for it!

Image source: www.salarycomparison.com

 

In the daily humdrum of attending lectures and also giving them, the importance of student teacher relation is hardly given a second thought. Knowledge within a classroom is prescribed and relations rarely do extend beyond the classroom. As a result many issues go unresolved and misconceptions are left to brew.

The Political Science Department (SPARTACUS) of Ramjas College, University of Delhi has taken an initiative in this field. On Friday, the 23rd of January, SPARTACUS organised an interactive talk with the entire department and have given it the name ‘Faculty Lecture Series’. Areesh Ahmad Syed, teacher-in-charge started the series with a lecture on ‘The history of Sexuality’ by Foucault. Teachers and student sat down together and the session progressed with Prof. Areesh taking the lead.

The main focus behind this initiative is to help improve teacher-student relationship by interacting on topics other than those in the syllabus and also to fulfill the pursuit of gaining extra knowledge. With the range of topics well extended and candid discussion much encouraged, the ‘Faculty Lecture Series’ spells out an optimistic future for the department and the college as well. This initiative on part of the Political Science department of Ramjas College was well received by both students and teachers and saw a rich participation.

This initiative by SPARTACUS is a step forward in resolving student-teacher issues and in improving relations between the two. “This was our first step in this field and we will continue to organize such activities in the future. Such type of activities should be taken up by every department in every college because the fruits of a good relationship between a teacher and a student extend beyond the borders of the classroom and can reflect in every field including academics.” said an organizing team member.

Arindam Goswami

[email protected]

The capital of our country has many things to offer to its occupants and visitors alike. It has one of the best roads in the country, it is a food lover’s paradise and a dream come true for the enthusiastic consumer. Amongst it all, it has another thing  to offer. Ghosts! Yes, believe it not, the city houses a large number of haunted places worth visiting (if you are up to it) and also has variety in terms of the supernatural. Being one of the ancient cities of India and the royal seat of the Mughal and British empires, it has a heritage of old buildings, which frankly, make great haunting grounds for ghosts. Let’s take a look at some of them which are infamously famous!

1. The Lothian road cemetery

Graveyards throughout history have always been the ground for superstitious beliefs, the only reason being that it is because people bury their loved ones there. The Lothian cemetery too, like all others, is not without rumors. Built in the year 1808, the British used it to bury their soldiers who died in the  revolt  of 1857 at the hands of Indians. It is the oldest Christian cemetery and the also, one of the most haunted ones. Or so it is believed. There are different stories circulated around this 200 year old graveyard.

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The Lothian Road Cemetery, Kashmiri Gate, Delhi | Image Courtesy: www.ignca.nic.in

 

The most common one being the story of a Sir Nicholas. The yarn goes as such. Sir Nicholas fell in love with an Indian, who, he later found out was happily married. Overcome with grief, he shot himself in the head. It is said that he can be seen walking down the Dariya Ganj Road, with his head in his hands and disappearing into the cemetery, where he was presumably buried. Some also claim to have heard Sir Headless Nicholas (Harry Potter anyone?) crying out the name of the woman he loved. Another story is of a small boy who walks around the cemetery in the dark, searching for his parents.

2.The Khooni  Darwaza

This place definitely is the reason enough for white folks to keep out.

Originally known as Lal Daawaza, this 15.5 high gateway was built by Sher Shah Suri in the 1540s. Situated on the Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, it is one of the thirteen surviving gates of Delhi and has three staircases leading to the different levels of the gate. The story around this archway is a pretty interesting one. the place earned its dressing title after a Captain of the British army shot the three sons of Bahadur Shah Zafar in cold blood and in front of hundreds of people.

khooni
Khooni (Lal) Darwaza, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg | Image Courtesy: Wikipedia page of the place.

It is said that the spirits of his sons still roam the ruins and, according to local folklore, are a nuisance to only foreigners (white people) whom they understandably hate.

 

3.Delhi Cantonment

The Delhi cantonment is the most beautiful and greenest stretch of Delhi. And it is also haunted. Established by the British Indian Army in 1914, it currently houses the Indian Army Headquarters, Delhi area. People claim to have seen a lady clad in a white sari who asks for lifts from motorists. People who do not stop ( and usually people do not) will find her running faster or along the vehicle even if it is running at high speed. The story is that the lady was a hitchhiker who was killed in a car accident. And  if someone does stop, well, no one knows what happens next. The story has been doing the rounds for a while now.

cant
Delhi Cantonment Area | Image Courtesy: www.musetheplace.com

4.House No W-3

House No W-3 is located in one of the posh localities of South Delhi, Greater Kailash. Decades ago this used to be the home of an elderly couple who were brutally murdered. The killer was never caught and their bodies were discovered in the underground water tank. Since then the house has remained deserted. Nearby residents have claimed they could hear cries and sobs emanating from the house. Nobody could verify if the causes were human or supernatural.

w3
House number W-3, GK-1, Delhi|www.taleportmagazine.com

Supposedly, the property was bought and the house was renovated but after the initial renovation, the owners never occupied the place. Got cold feet maybe? Maybe.  But whether the rumors are true or not, they have certainly intrigued many self-proclaimed ghost busters who have visited it over the years.

 

5.Firoz Shah Kotla Fort

Have a wish? Need answers to your myraid problems? Write a letter to the Djinns of Firoz Shah Kotla and your wishes might just come true!

Nestled between Delhi’s Ring Road and a cricket stadium by the same name, lie the forgotten ruins of Firoz Shah Kotla. It was built by the great emperor and builder Firoz Shah Tughlaq in the 14th century.  This sprawling fort contains within its walls numerous palace rooms, and mosques which still attracts the faithful. What sets it apart from other haunted areas is the nature of its otherworldly occupants. Djinns. Djinns who grant wishes. Yes, these spirits of fire are said to haunt the ruins and they are the reason why this fort sees such a large number of visitors.

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Firoz Shah Kotla fort, Delhi | Image Courtesy: www.tripadvisor.in

Every Thursday a large number of believers  flock to the ruins to offer sweets, fruits and even meat to the benevolent spirits and hoping that the Djinns will solve their problems in return. They write their problems on paper and stick those papers or their photocopies in niches and alcoves along the walls, spelling out the exact nature of their problems. It is believed that in the 1970’s a fakir named Laddoo Shah moved into the ruins and since then the practice of writing letters began.

These are only a few examples. There are many more such ‘infamous’ places. Most of them are actually beautiful and have architectures to marvel at, but many are famous only because they have been labeled as haunted.

Arindam Goswami for DU Beat.

Featured Image Courtesy: The Hindu.

Past the DRDO office and following the ‘Kings path’, brings us to the sprawling 320 acre square of the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the second largest residence of a head of state in the world after the Quirinal Palace in Rome. The Political Science department of Ramjas College had planned a trip to the Rashtrapati Bhawan on the 31st of October.

After leaving our phones and cameras in the bus, we were allowed through the first security check.  Getting through security one has to climb up a tall winding staircase which leads to the forecourt.

At the entrance there are 31 steps to the portico with 20 columns and an exquisitely carved 2300 year old sculpture of the Ashokan bull.

For visitors, a side entrance leads to the reception room where the guards took a panoramic sweep of the group with the camera. An eye catching 3d painting hugged the wall beneath a huge ornamental chandelier. A door and past another check we were lead to the visitor’s corridor. One side of the corridor led to a room where they had gaming machines for quizzes, future models of public projects and scale models of our country’s Agni and Brahmos missiles. From there we were led to the Marble Hall which is called so because of the iconic slab of marble in the centre of the room.

The museum, where we were taken next saw an interesting display of utensils, cutlery and glassware used long ago with an authentic model dining table set behind glass. And at last we were led to the most beautiful part of the entire tour, the elegant Mughal Gardens located on the Western side of the Presidential estate.

The Presidential gardens like the building presents a classic intermix of Mughal and British styles spread over 13 acres.

The Mughal style canals, fountains and flowering shrubs at different ground levels amidst Western style lawns and flower beds are a sight to be seen. When the Gardens are open to the public in the month of February, it’s a treat for the eyes.

The Estate in all is spread over an area of 354 acres with nine tennis courts, a polo ground, a 14-hole golf course and a cricket field. From the time it was known as the Vice-regal Lodge it stands to this day, as a strong symbol of India’s democratic might.  All in all, the trip was an awe-inspiring one for the students and was well organized by the department faculty members.

Arindam Goswami