Universities worldwide are every year ranked by&nbsp;Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings (WUR), revealing which world's best 1,000 universities.

The ranking, which was released on Wednesday, revealed a slip in the ranking of Indian universities this year.

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The QS World University Rankings 2021 have just launched! 🦁 The wait is over – discover the world's best universities now: <a href="https://t.co/JEcuTvC93A">https://t.co/JEcuTvC93A</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QSWUR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QSWUR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/topuniversities?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#topuniversities</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/rankings?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#rankings</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/highered?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#highered</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/studyhere?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#studyhere</a>
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The list, which had 25 Indian universities last year, saw names of 21 universities this year, out of which at least&nbsp;10 fall under Indian Government's Institution of Eminence (IoE) scheme.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/bahrain-brags-its-riches-as-school-holds-farewell-on-f1-ciruit-305101#venue-repurposed-to-bid-farewell-305085">Have a look:&nbsp;Bahrain brags its riches as school holds 'farewell' on F1 ciruit!</a>

Out of the 21 institutes that featured in the list, 14 saw a decline in the ratings.&nbsp;

The decline in the rankings came as a shock, especially since majority of the listed universities are a part of the IoE scheme, which concentrates on bringing the universities to a point of excellence.

<img alt="QS Rankings 2021" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5e9ae108-c8a1-4c72-b7d0-7a9fa071d898" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%286%29_36.jpg" />

The IoE scheme by the Indian Government aims at grouping 10 public and 10 private&nbsp;institutions, and help them by providing them the needed resources and infrastructure to reach the top 500 ranks globally within a decade, followed by top 100. In addition to structural advances, the government also provides Rs 1,000 crore to each university over a period of five years.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/creativity-cant-be-transferred-through-online-classes-kasturirangan-304212">Also read:&nbsp;Creativity can't be transferred through online classes: Kasturirangan</a>

Based on six key criteria -- academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per faculty, faculty/student ratio, international faculty ratio and international student ratio -- IIT Bombay&nbsp;ranked 172, followed by IISc at 185th and IIT Delhi at 193.

According to experts, the dip in rankings is due to the student-teacher ratio. The experts believe there is a lot of talent in the country, but the students are not getting proper attention due to high number of students and limited faculty.

QS experts also believe Indian institutes have not been able to find creative ways of teaching and attracting talented students - which institutes of other countries have managed to do.&nbsp;

Universities worldwide are every year ranked by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings (WUR), revealing which world's best 1,000 universities. The ranking, which was released on Wednesday, revealed a slip in the ranking of Indian universities this year.

Universities worldwide are every year ranked by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings (WUR), revealing which world's best 1,000 universities. The ranking, which was released on Wednesday, revealed a slip in the ranking of Indian universities this year. The QS World University Rankings 2021 have just launched! 🦁 The wait is over – discover the world's best universities now: https://t.co/JEcuTvC93A#QSWUR #topuniversities #rankings #highered #studyhere — QS World University Rankings (@worlduniranking) June 9, 2020 × The list, which had 25 Indian universities last year, saw names of 21 universities this year, out of which at least 10 fall under Indian Government's Institution of Eminence (IoE) scheme. Have a look: Bahrain brags its riches as school holds 'farewell' on F1 ciruit! Out of the 21 institutes that featured in the list, 14 saw a decline in the ratings. The decline in the rankings came as a shock, especially since majority of the listed universities are a part of the IoE scheme, which concentrates on bringing the universities to a point of excellence. The IoE scheme by the Indian Government aims at grouping 10 public and 10 private institutions, and help them by providing them the needed resources and infrastructure to reach the top 500 ranks globally within a decade, followed by top 100. In addition to structural advances, the government also provides Rs 1,000 crore to each university over a period of five years. Also read: Creativity can't be transferred through online classes: Kasturirangan Based on six key criteria -- academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per faculty, faculty/student ratio, international faculty ratio and international student ratio -- IIT Bombay ranked 172, followed by IISc at 185th and IIT Delhi at 193. According to experts, the dip in rankings is due to the student-teacher ratio. The experts believe there is a lot of talent in the country, but the students are not getting proper attention due to high number of students and limited faculty. QS experts also believe Indian institutes have not been able to find creative ways of teaching and attracting talented students - which institutes of other countries have managed to do.

Indian universities slip in world rankings; IIT Bombay tops India's list

The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE)-Advanced for admission to 23 IITs was postponed on Wednesday in view of COVID-19 outbreak, news agency PTI reported quoting officials.

The exam was scheduled to be held on May 17.

The HRD Ministry's National Testing Agency (NTA) had on Tuesday said that JEE-Mains is likely to be held in the last week of May.

"JEE (Main) examination scheduled in April has been postponed due to COVID-19 outbreak. JEE (Advanced), which was scheduled to be held on May 17, thus stands postponed and will be rescheduled after JEE (Main)," said a senior official of IIT Delhi, the organising institute for JEE-Advanced, 2020.

Through JEE (Advanced), the 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) all over the country offer admissions to the undergraduate courses leading to a Bachelor's, Integrated Master's or Bachelor's-Master's Dual Degree in Engineering, Science or Architecture.

While JEE-Mains is conducted for admission to engineering colleges across the country, it is considered as a qualifying exam for JEE-Advanced.

The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE)-Advanced for admission to 23 IITs was postponed on Wednesday in view of COVID-19 outbreak, news agency PTI reported quoting officials.

The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE)-Advanced for admission to 23 IITs was postponed on Wednesday in view of COVID-19 outbreak, news agency PTI reported quoting officials. The exam was scheduled to be held on May 17. The HRD Ministry's National Testing Agency (NTA) had on Tuesday said that JEE-Mains is likely to be held in the last week of May. "JEE (Main) examination scheduled in April has been postponed due to COVID-19 outbreak. JEE (Advanced), which was scheduled to be held on May 17, thus stands postponed and will be rescheduled after JEE (Main)," said a senior official of IIT Delhi, the organising institute for JEE-Advanced, 2020. Through JEE (Advanced), the 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) all over the country offer admissions to the undergraduate courses leading to a Bachelor's, Integrated Master's or Bachelor's-Master's Dual Degree in Engineering, Science or Architecture. While JEE-Mains is conducted for admission to engineering colleges across the country, it is considered as a qualifying exam for JEE-Advanced.

COVID-19: JEE-Advanced for admission to 23 IITs postponed, likely to be held in May

Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi has developed a new method to detect Coronavirus (COVID-19) positive cases. The researchers team has claimed that this new method of research is more affordable and reduces the cost.

IIT, Delhi develops new method to detect COVID-19 positive case

Serving a population of nearly 1.4 billion, the Indian education sector is huge. Addressing the needs of such a large, dispersed and diverse population has its own challenges.&nbsp;

While primary education has witnessed increasing penetration in India, it is higher education that needs our immediate attention. Higher education consists of vocational education, university education, &nbsp;technical and management education.&nbsp;

Vocational training refers to hands-on and practical training in specific career tracks, while university education entails students enrolling in general degree programmes at the undergraduate level. The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Institutes of Technology (NITs) are the best-known institutions in India offering undergraduate, post-graduate, and doctoral studies in various technical fields, while the Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) and institutes like MDI, ISB, FORE, FMS and S P Jain are the best known for imparting management skills.

The greatest challenge the higher education sector is facing is quality and relevance. The 2019 edition of the India Skill Report, an annual survey and a joint initiative of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Association of Indian Universities (AIU), shows that only 36.4 per cent MBAs are considered employable!&nbsp;

The employability rate of engineering graduates is relatively better, but still at a low 57.1 per cent! The survey parameters include employability and a skill test.&nbsp;

Over 3,10,000 graduates across disciplines appeared for the test and were evaluated on various subjects, including English, critical thinking, numerical aptitude, domain knowledge, and behavioural competence.

Rampant over-expansion in some areas (such as engineering) and under-expansion in others has resulted in substandard institutions with low standards of curriculum and pedagogy.

Shrinking government budgetary allocation to education has led to a funding crunch in higher education in India. This has, in turn, resulted in the rapid and some would say, unplanned growth of private higher education.

These institutions finance themselves through donations, capitation fees, and high tuition fees. It means that quality private education is accessible only to a small percentage of the population that can afford it.

Some estimates put higher education enrollment rates (percentage of 18-23-year-olds in formal higher education) in high single digits! Enrollment rates are obviously higher in urban areas, implying therefore that rural enlisting is poor, as is gender disparity in enrollment.

The mushrooming of private institutions has led to a situation where degrees are awarded by unregulated or poorly-regulated entities. While regulatory authorities like the UGC and the AICTE have tried to crack down on institutions that are not accredited, students with limited awareness or recourse often fall prey to fly-by-night operators.

The management education sector has grown exponentially in the last few years on the back of demand for management graduates. Since ‘management’ is a relatively subjective topic, it’s small wonder that this field suffers considerably from poor quality institutions, instruction, and curriculum. The net result; low employability of MBA graduates.

Regulation is clearly one of the most important and urgent areas of reform. The present government has declared its intention of putting into place a single higher education regulator, a key recommendation by a number of committees that have examined the poor state of higher education in India.&nbsp;

Strengthening of the vocational education sector will help to open up opportunities for students who want to focus on their careers by building specific and relevant skill sets. The courses need to be affordable, targeted and up-to-date with industry needs.

As disruption takes root and makes present skill sets redundant, higher education needs to reinvent itself with current industry needs.&nbsp;

The rise of the IT sector has limited applicability to higher education. At the same time, course offerings also need to be broadened beyond just IT and engineering to cover areas such as liberal arts.

If India is to achieve its potential and place in the global economy, higher education will need to do a fair degree of heavy lifting. This will involve a renewed focus on curriculum and pedagogy, faculty abilities, research capabilities, industry partnerships, and infrastructure. The road is a long and hard one, but the destination holds a lot of promise. 
 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-higher-education-reforms-imperative-to-push-india-story-2792386">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Serving a population of nearly 1.4 billion, the Indian education sector is huge. Addressing the needs of such a large, dispersed and diverse population has its own challenges.

Serving a population of nearly 1.4 billion, the Indian education sector is huge. Addressing the needs of such a large, dispersed and diverse population has its own challenges. While primary education has witnessed increasing penetration in India, it is higher education that needs our immediate attention. Higher education consists of vocational education, university education, technical and management education. Vocational training refers to hands-on and practical training in specific career tracks, while university education entails students enrolling in general degree programmes at the undergraduate level. The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Institutes of Technology (NITs) are the best-known institutions in India offering undergraduate, post-graduate, and doctoral studies in various technical fields, while the Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) and institutes like MDI, ISB, FORE, FMS and S P Jain are the best known for imparting management skills. The greatest challenge the higher education sector is facing is quality and relevance. The 2019 edition of the India Skill Report, an annual survey and a joint initiative of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Association of Indian Universities (AIU), shows that only 36.4 per cent MBAs are considered employable! The employability rate of engineering graduates is relatively better, but still at a low 57.1 per cent! The survey parameters include employability and a skill test. Over 3,10,000 graduates across disciplines appeared for the test and were evaluated on various subjects, including English, critical thinking, numerical aptitude, domain knowledge, and behavioural competence. Rampant over-expansion in some areas (such as engineering) and under-expansion in others has resulted in substandard institutions with low standards of curriculum and pedagogy. Shrinking government budgetary allocation to education has led to a funding crunch in higher education in India. This has, in turn, resulted in the rapid and some would say, unplanned growth of private higher education. These institutions finance themselves through donations, capitation fees, and high tuition fees. It means that quality private education is accessible only to a small percentage of the population that can afford it. Some estimates put higher education enrollment rates (percentage of 18-23-year-olds in formal higher education) in high single digits! Enrollment rates are obviously higher in urban areas, implying therefore that rural enlisting is poor, as is gender disparity in enrollment. The mushrooming of private institutions has led to a situation where degrees are awarded by unregulated or poorly-regulated entities. While regulatory authorities like the UGC and the AICTE have tried to crack down on institutions that are not accredited, students with limited awareness or recourse often fall prey to fly-by-night operators. The management education sector has grown exponentially in the last few years on the back of demand for management graduates. Since ‘management’ is a relatively subjective topic, it’s small wonder that this field suffers considerably from poor quality institutions, instruction, and curriculum. The net result; low employability of MBA graduates. Regulation is clearly one of the most important and urgent areas of reform. The present government has declared its intention of putting into place a single higher education regulator, a key recommendation by a number of committees that have examined the poor state of higher education in India. Strengthening of the vocational education sector will help to open up opportunities for students who want to focus on their careers by building specific and relevant skill sets. The courses need to be affordable, targeted and up-to-date with industry needs. As disruption takes root and makes present skill sets redundant, higher education needs to reinvent itself with current industry needs. The rise of the IT sector has limited applicability to higher education. At the same time, course offerings also need to be broadened beyond just IT and engineering to cover areas such as liberal arts. If India is to achieve its potential and place in the global economy, higher education will need to do a fair degree of heavy lifting. This will involve a renewed focus on curriculum and pedagogy, faculty abilities, research capabilities, industry partnerships, and infrastructure. The road is a long and hard one, but the destination holds a lot of promise. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Higher education reforms imperative to push India story

With 1,000 PhD scholarships for ASEAN students in India's Indian Institutes of Technology(IIT), New Delhi on Monday formally announced its largest capacity development initiative for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/with-asean-in-focus-eam-talks-connectivity-in-indonesia-strategic-partnership-in-singapore-248087">ASEAN countries</a>.&nbsp;

The total budget outlay of the scholarship programme is Rs 300 crore with the first batch of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/india-seeks-greater-connectedness-with-the-asean-jaishanker-at-ministerial-meeting-in-bankok-239873">ASEAN students</a> to be admitted in January 2020.

India's external affair minister S Jaishankar said: "Our partnership with ASEAN is built on the foundation of shared values. The most fundamental of which is the priority our civilization attaches to education and science. Our partnership with ASEAN has historically developed through a shared quest for knowledge."

The maximum tenure of each fellowship is 5 years with Rs 31,000 stipend for the first two years and Rs 35,000 for the next three years. A research grant of Rs&nbsp;170,000 will be given for travel, books etc. The funding covers the entire cost of study and living expenses for up to 5 years of the PhD programme.

ASEAN envoys have lauded the initiative. Thai Envoy to India, Chutintorn Sam Gongsakdi speaking to WION said, "it's a great initiative and also very generous. It comes at the right time, I just came from Bangkok where we were talking about IIT campus in Thailand and next week I am going to Israel. So IITs fit very well in the modern context,&nbsp;adding, "India is one of the leading countries in technologies."

Indian PM Modi had first announced the initiative at 25th Anniversary ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in New Delhi in January 2018.&nbsp;

IIT Delhi has been designated by the ministry of human resource development as the coordinating IIT for the fellowship programme.

With 1,000 PhD scholarships for ASEAN students in India's Indian Institutes of Technology(IIT), New Delhi on Monday formally announced its largest capacity development initiative for ASEAN countries.

With 1,000 PhD scholarships for ASEAN students in India's Indian Institutes of Technology(IIT), New Delhi on Monday formally announced its largest capacity development initiative for ASEAN countries. The total budget outlay of the scholarship programme is Rs 300 crore with the first batch of ASEAN students to be admitted in January 2020. India's external affair minister S Jaishankar said: "Our partnership with ASEAN is built on the foundation of shared values. The most fundamental of which is the priority our civilization attaches to education and science. Our partnership with ASEAN has historically developed through a shared quest for knowledge." The maximum tenure of each fellowship is 5 years with Rs 31,000 stipend for the first two years and Rs 35,000 for the next three years. A research grant of Rs 170,000 will be given for travel, books etc. The funding covers the entire cost of study and living expenses for up to 5 years of the PhD programme. ASEAN envoys have lauded the initiative. Thai Envoy to India, Chutintorn Sam Gongsakdi speaking to WION said, "it's a great initiative and also very generous. It comes at the right time, I just came from Bangkok where we were talking about IIT campus in Thailand and next week I am going to Israel. So IITs fit very well in the modern context, adding, "India is one of the leading countries in technologies." Indian PM Modi had first announced the initiative at 25th Anniversary ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in New Delhi in January 2018. IIT Delhi has been designated by the ministry of human resource development as the coordinating IIT for the fellowship programme.

India announces largest scholarship programme for ASEAN students

In a major step to boost relations with ASEAN countries and increase people-to-people ties, the Government has decided to offer 1,000 PhD fellowships to ASEAN students at IITs in India.

The programme will be launched on Monday jointly by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal.

Head of missions of ASEAN countries, senior officials of ministries of External Affairs and Human Resource Development, Directors of all 23 IITs, Chairman of UGC and Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog would attend the event.

The admission portal for this programme is being executed by IIT Delhi. The Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises of Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam.

In a major step to boost relations with ASEAN countries and increase people-to-people ties, the Government has decided to offer 1,000 PhD fellowships to ASEAN students at IITs in India.

In a major step to boost relations with ASEAN countries and increase people-to-people ties, the Government has decided to offer 1,000 PhD fellowships to ASEAN students at IITs in India. The programme will be launched on Monday jointly by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal. Head of missions of ASEAN countries, senior officials of ministries of External Affairs and Human Resource Development, Directors of all 23 IITs, Chairman of UGC and Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog would attend the event. The admission portal for this programme is being executed by IIT Delhi. The Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises of Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam.

India to offer 1,000 PhD fellowships to ASEAN students at IITs

The grand finale of the second edition of the Carbon Zero Challenge at the Indian Institute of Technology (Madras) witnessed 24 teams display their prototypes that were designed and developed to help overcome challenges in the fields of agri-tech, environment, energy, social and water. The finalists were shortlisted from around 1,000 teams that had applied from 25 states across India.&nbsp;

Launched in June 2018, the contest was open to students, young entrepreneurs and start-ups. A screening committee comprising of domain experts and IIT alumni evaluated the initial set of applications and shortlisted 84 teams that were interviewed and scrutinized based on their project ideas and pitch.&nbsp;

Speaking at the event, Professor Bhaskar Ramamurthi, Director IIT Madras said, “this year the event is pan-India, earlier it was just a handful of states. There is nationwide support for bright ideas. IIT Madras, with the help from alumni and domain experts, shortlist the proposals, offer financial support and mentoring by domain experts. Winners will get further support and mentoring and will be incubated. Winners of last year have done really well, some of them have formed their own companies.”

WION takes a look at some of the unique projects:

Indriyam bilogics Pvt Ltd, Thiruvananthapuram

A fully automated machine that is compact and portable, ingests used cooking oil and converts it to bio-diesel. Bio-diesel can be added to diesel and could marginally help reduce the consumption of diesel. The product is meant for small businesses that wish to turn raw material into a value added product.

Water chakra, IIT Madras&nbsp;

Urine is the main source of nutrients in a waste water treatment plant and when processed in this machine, an eco-fertilizer struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate), ammonia solution (used in cleaning agents) and 90 per cent of water (that can be used to water plants) can be derived from urine.&nbsp;

Wricks, Techno India NJR institute of technology, Udaipur&nbsp;

Utilises a modified version of existing processes to blend plastic waste, marble waste, demolition waste and fabricate water-resistant, light-weight and sound proof bricks that are stronger than normal clay bricks. This method is said to be many times faster than the conventional method of baking bricks in a kiln.&nbsp;

Magma, KCG College of Technology, Chennai

An electrically powered remote controlled alternative to tractors that can be used for a variety of agricultural applications (by adding attachments, accessories) ranging from seed dispersal, de-weeding, harvesting etc. Can be remotely controlled upto a range of 1km and it can be extended as desired.

Ingotron, start-up&nbsp;

An electric kick-scooter that can travel upto 20kms on a single charge of two hours. With a top speed of 22kmph, it aims to make short-distance travel easier. The scooter is also foldable and can be carried easily. The scooter can be linked with a mobile app to explore more features.

Presiding over the event was Abhay Jere, Chief Innovation Officer of Ministry of Human Resource Development, he expressed optimism and said, “There is a huge opportunity for MHRD to collaborate with Carbon Zero Challenge. Usually, we are good at ideation and prototyping but fail at last mile. Our prototypes should be made market ready and pitched with big industries.”

Elaborating on the support provided to the competing teams, Professor Indumathi Nambi, coordinator of the Carbon Zero Challenge said, “During our annual cultural event, Shaastra, the teams came face to face with the mentors and 15 lectures were held. Later they also had webinars.”&nbsp;

But winning the contest is not all, the teams have a long way to go and make it big. Winning teams are moved to the start-up incubators and provided the necessary funding and support for a limited period of time.&nbsp;

The following projects were adjudged top 3 at the finale:

Pristine Energia, IIT Madras

A process to produce activated carbon from coconut shells.

Clean Electric, IIT-BHU

Electric powertrain solutions for e-commerce logistics by a startup.

Elicius Energy&nbsp;

A tubular PEM fuel cell that is open-cathode and air-breathing developed by an IIT-Madras incubated start-up.&nbsp;

The grand finale of the second edition of the Carbon Zero Challenge at the Indian Institute of Technology (Madras) witnessed 24 teams display their prototypes that were designed and developed to help overcome challenges in the fields of agri-tech, environment, energy, social and water.

The grand finale of the second edition of the Carbon Zero Challenge at the Indian Institute of Technology (Madras) witnessed 24 teams display their prototypes that were designed and developed to help overcome challenges in the fields of agri-tech, environment, energy, social and water. The finalists were shortlisted from around 1,000 teams that had applied from 25 states across India. Launched in June 2018, the contest was open to students, young entrepreneurs and start-ups. A screening committee comprising of domain experts and IIT alumni evaluated the initial set of applications and shortlisted 84 teams that were interviewed and scrutinized based on their project ideas and pitch. Speaking at the event, Professor Bhaskar Ramamurthi, Director IIT Madras said, “this year the event is pan-India, earlier it was just a handful of states. There is nationwide support for bright ideas. IIT Madras, with the help from alumni and domain experts, shortlist the proposals, offer financial support and mentoring by domain experts. Winners will get further support and mentoring and will be incubated. Winners of last year have done really well, some of them have formed their own companies.” WION takes a look at some of the unique projects: Indriyam bilogics Pvt Ltd, Thiruvananthapuram A fully automated machine that is compact and portable, ingests used cooking oil and converts it to bio-diesel. Bio-diesel can be added to diesel and could marginally help reduce the consumption of diesel. The product is meant for small businesses that wish to turn raw material into a value added product. Water chakra, IIT Madras Urine is the main source of nutrients in a waste water treatment plant and when processed in this machine, an eco-fertilizer struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate), ammonia solution (used in cleaning agents) and 90 per cent of water (that can be used to water plants) can be derived from urine. Wricks, Techno India NJR institute of technology, Udaipur Utilises a modified version of existing processes to blend plastic waste, marble waste, demolition waste and fabricate water-resistant, light-weight and sound proof bricks that are stronger than normal clay bricks. This method is said to be many times faster than the conventional method of baking bricks in a kiln. Magma, KCG College of Technology, Chennai An electrically powered remote controlled alternative to tractors that can be used for a variety of agricultural applications (by adding attachments, accessories) ranging from seed dispersal, de-weeding, harvesting etc. Can be remotely controlled upto a range of 1km and it can be extended as desired. Ingotron, start-up An electric kick-scooter that can travel upto 20kms on a single charge of two hours. With a top speed of 22kmph, it aims to make short-distance travel easier. The scooter is also foldable and can be carried easily. The scooter can be linked with a mobile app to explore more features. Presiding over the event was Abhay Jere, Chief Innovation Officer of Ministry of Human Resource Development, he expressed optimism and said, “There is a huge opportunity for MHRD to collaborate with Carbon Zero Challenge. Usually, we are good at ideation and prototyping but fail at last mile. Our prototypes should be made market ready and pitched with big industries.” Elaborating on the support provided to the competing teams, Professor Indumathi Nambi, coordinator of the Carbon Zero Challenge said, “During our annual cultural event, Shaastra, the teams came face to face with the mentors and 15 lectures were held. Later they also had webinars.” But winning the contest is not all, the teams have a long way to go and make it big. Winning teams are moved to the start-up incubators and provided the necessary funding and support for a limited period of time. The following projects were adjudged top 3 at the finale: Pristine Energia, IIT Madras A process to produce activated carbon from coconut shells. Clean Electric, IIT-BHU Electric powertrain solutions for e-commerce logistics by a startup. Elicius Energy A tubular PEM fuel cell that is open-cathode and air-breathing developed by an IIT-Madras incubated start-up.

IIT’s Carbon Zero Challenge churns out innovative solutions to India’s energy, environmental challenges

Launched by IIT-Delhi alumni, Nanoclean Global Pvt Ltd is an Indian start-up, providing low-cost solutions to tackle air pollution. It had won the prestigious Startup National Award for their effort. #WorldEnvironmentDay #BeatAirPollution #IIT

World Environment Day: IIT-Delhi alumni's low-cost solution to beat air pollution

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/our-darkest-hour-response-of-government-inadequate-49-former-bureaucrats-write-to-pm-modi-after-kathua-unnao-gang-rapes-130680">'Our darkest hour... </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/our-darkest-hour-response-of-government-inadequate-49-former-bureaucrats-write-to-pm-modi-after-kathua-unnao-gang-rapes-130680">response</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/our-darkest-hour-response-of-government-inadequate-49-former-bureaucrats-write-to-pm-modi-after-kathua-unnao-gang-rapes-130680"> of govt inadequate,' 49 ex-bureaucrats write to PM Modi after Kathua, Unnao</a>

Forty-nine former bureaucrats have written a scathing open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Kathua and Unnao gang rapes. "In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble," the bureaucrats write in their letter.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/andhra-special-status-call-for-statewide-bandh-today-130688">Andhra special status: Call for statewide bandh today</a>

Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti on Monday observed a one-day statewide bandh over the demand of Special Status for the state. Opposition parties such as &nbsp;Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), Congress and Left parties have extended support to the strike.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/iits-to-add-779-more-seats-exclusively-for-women-applicants-130683">To improve gender imbalance, IITs to add 779 more seats exclusively for women</a>

The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) will add 779 more seats exclusively for women applicants in the new academic session this year. Sayantani Saha, a student from IIT Kharagpur told ANI that the decision by the institutes will help in improving the problem of gender imbalance in the IITs.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-city-win-epl-start-of-a-dynasty-130675">Manchester City </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-city-win-epl-start-of-a-dynasty-130675">win</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-city-win-epl-start-of-a-dynasty-130675"> EPL. Start of a dynasty?</a>

By winning their third title in seven seasons since first being backed by the petro-dollars of Abu Dhabi billionaire Sheikh Mansour, Manchester City can justifiably claim to be the outstanding Premier League club of the current decade.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-preparing-new-sanctions-on-russia-over-syria-says-haley-130693">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-preparing-new-sanctions-on-russia-over-syria-says-haley-130693"> preparing new sanctions on Russia over </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-preparing-new-sanctions-on-russia-over-syria-says-haley-130693">Syria,</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-preparing-new-sanctions-on-russia-over-syria-says-haley-130693"> says Haley</a>

The United States is preparing new sanctions on Russia over its continued support of Syrian President Bashar-al Assad, the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Sunday.

'Our darkest hour... response of govt inadequate,' 49 ex-bureaucrats write to PM Modi after Kathua, Unnao Forty-nine former bureaucrats have written a scathing open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Kathua and Unnao gang rapes. "In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble," the bureaucrats write in their letter. Andhra special status: Call for statewide bandh today Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti on Monday observed a one-day statewide bandh over the demand of Special Status for the state. Opposition parties such as Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), Congress and Left parties have extended support to the strike. To improve gender imbalance, IITs to add 779 more seats exclusively for women The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) will add 779 more seats exclusively for women applicants in the new academic session this year. Sayantani Saha, a student from IIT Kharagpur told ANI that the decision by the institutes will help in improving the problem of gender imbalance in the IITs. Manchester City win EPL. Start of a dynasty? By winning their third title in seven seasons since first being backed by the petro-dollars of Abu Dhabi billionaire Sheikh Mansour, Manchester City can justifiably claim to be the outstanding Premier League club of the current decade. US preparing new sanctions on Russia over Syria, says Haley The United States is preparing new sanctions on Russia over its continued support of Syrian President Bashar-al Assad, the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Sunday.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) will add 779 more seats exclusively for women applicants in the new academic session this year.

Sayantani Saha, a student from IIT Kharagpur told ANI that the decision by the institutes will help in improving the problem of gender imbalance in the IITs.

"It will help the girl students to get the privilege of higher studies in premier technological institutes. It will also tackle the issue of gender imbalance in IITs," she said.

A decision in this regard was taken last year by the IIT Council but a final number of "supernumerary seats" have been announced now. The number of seats is likely to vary each year.

Of the 779 seats, the largest chunk of 113 seats, is with IIT Kharagpur, followed by IIT-Dhanbad (95 seats), IIT-Kanpur (79), IIT-BHU (76), IIT-Roorkee (68), IIT-Delhi (59), IIT-Bombay (58) and IIT Guwahati (57).

Hoping that the initiative will help in increasing the number of girls in the IITs, IIT Kharagpur faculty member Sudeshna Sarkar said, "Over the next few years, the percentage of girls will be hiked to 20 per cent."

"Additional supernumerary seats created over and above girls who were already coming in. Seats to be decided based on the number of girls already in the system. In the coming year, the target is to go up to 14 percent girls," she added.

Earlier, a survey conducted jointly by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the Stanford University revealed that there are still not enough women in Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Institutes of Technology (NITs).

Women are under-represented in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields in top engineering institutions. But surprisingly, they are well-represented in non-elite institutes.&nbsp;

In a large-scale program to assess and improve the skills of engineering students in India, AICTE along with Stanford University is currently undertaking a three-phased survey in engineering institutes of the country. Based on the survey results, the Centre planned to introduce changes in technical education in India.

Currently, 9 per cent women are admitted at IIT Kharagpur and this year the seats increased to 14 per cent.

Women at the moment make up 9% of IIT Kharagpur's student body

The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) will add 779 more seats exclusively for women applicants in the new academic session this year. Sayantani Saha, a student from IIT Kharagpur told ANI that the decision by the institutes will help in improving the problem of gender imbalance in the IITs. "It will help the girl students to get the privilege of higher studies in premier technological institutes. It will also tackle the issue of gender imbalance in IITs," she said. A decision in this regard was taken last year by the IIT Council but a final number of "supernumerary seats" have been announced now. The number of seats is likely to vary each year. Of the 779 seats, the largest chunk of 113 seats, is with IIT Kharagpur, followed by IIT-Dhanbad (95 seats), IIT-Kanpur (79), IIT-BHU (76), IIT-Roorkee (68), IIT-Delhi (59), IIT-Bombay (58) and IIT Guwahati (57). Hoping that the initiative will help in increasing the number of girls in the IITs, IIT Kharagpur faculty member Sudeshna Sarkar said, "Over the next few years, the percentage of girls will be hiked to 20 per cent." "Additional supernumerary seats created over and above girls who were already coming in. Seats to be decided based on the number of girls already in the system. In the coming year, the target is to go up to 14 percent girls," she added. Earlier, a survey conducted jointly by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the Stanford University revealed that there are still not enough women in Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Institutes of Technology (NITs). Women are under-represented in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields in top engineering institutions. But surprisingly, they are well-represented in non-elite institutes. In a large-scale program to assess and improve the skills of engineering students in India, AICTE along with Stanford University is currently undertaking a three-phased survey in engineering institutes of the country. Based on the survey results, the Centre planned to introduce changes in technical education in India. Currently, 9 per cent women are admitted at IIT Kharagpur and this year the seats increased to 14 per cent.

To improve gender imbalance, IITs to add 779 more seats exclusively for women

There is something very unassuming about Anand Kumar. The mathematician, who through his Super 30 classes has transformed lives of many underprivileged kids over the years, wears success lightly on his shoulder. Kumar, whose students crack IIT every year, states that he finds immense happiness transforming and inspiring children from the lower strata of the society and while he has had the option to take up a cushioned job and lead a life of luxury, the mathematician states that teaching remains his first love and he would not give it up for anything.&nbsp;

His beginnings were humble. Always the bright student in the class, Kumar taught neighbour's kids and even classmates from an early age. Son a postal clerk, raised in Patna, Bihar, Anand got through prestigious Cambridge University but could not attend it as he did not have sufficient funds and the untimely death of his father.&nbsp;

Anand studied mathematics and helped his mother with her business at night. In 1992, he started the Ramanujan School of Mathematics - a tutorial that taught children maths. The tuition centre started thriving within a short span of time, but Anand wanted to do something for those kids who may have had the potential to make it to top universities- like him, but was unable to due to lack of guidance and funds. In 2002, he conducted a screening exam to select 30 students belonging to lower-income group families, for his Super 30 programme. The programme now in its 15th year trains students for IIT-JEE exams. Kumar's success rate is extremely high, and most of his students make it to one of the top colleges in the country each year.&nbsp;

In Delhi for a visit, WION caught up with this genius and spoke about Super 30, his inspirations, the Indian education system and why Hrithik Roshan is a perfect choice for the lead role.

Here are the excerpts of the interview.&nbsp;

Q: Do you feel there is a need to change the Indian education system?

A: Yes, definitely there is a need for a change. The biggest flaw of the current system is that it doesn't teach children how to question. Kids are taught to memorize the answers, they are not giving practical knowledge. They need to be taught how the lessons can be used in their daily lives. They should be taught the 'how and why' of mathematical formulas.&nbsp;

Q: What is Super 30 all about? How did it start?

A: There are so many kids who belong to poor families in our society. I got an offer from Cambridge University but due to a financial crisis, I couldn't go. I've always felt the pain of poverty and that's why I decided to start Super 30 for underprivileged students. A child had approached me back in 2000 to help him prepare for IIT-Jee exams. He belonged to a poor family and couldn't afford the expensive coaching classes that were available in Patna. That motivated me to start Super 30 classes.&nbsp;

Q: How does one get enrolled in the Super 30 programme?

A: We conduct entrance tests every year in April, for this programme. One can go to our website Super30.org to know about the exam centres and we select students on the basis of their performance in the entrance test.&nbsp;

Q: You do not take any donations for Super 30? How does the programme get funded? 
 
A: Yes, a lot of people did offer me financial help for Super 30 but I did not accept any of it. &nbsp;We want to show the world that we could generate funds on our own. We generate money ourselves. We conduct evening tutorials for those students who are from a good economic background. The money they pay for the classes is used for Super 30 classes and also helps me run my home.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="autoplay encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WNlHpaQwxgQ" width="560"></iframe>

Q: Tell us about some of the students who have benefitted from Super 30 classes 
 
A: There are several stories that are worth mentioning. A boy called Anup, who belonged to a very poor family, came for Super 30 classes. His family was so poor that they couldn't even afford their daily meals properly. One night his father left their home in order to get some food but never returned. The mother has raised her son on her own. Her only advice to her son was that only education can change one's fortune. They came to Patna after the boy passed his 10th exam and happened to meet us. When I enquired where they were staying in Patna, they said they were spending the nights at the Railway station. &nbsp;The boy was included in our Super 30 classes eventually. He went to IIT Bombay to do his engineering. His first job was in Dubai and now he owns a Software company in Bombay. Anup is just one of the many such students who come to us.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Q: Did you ever feel that you should leave teaching and settle for a more high-paying corporate job? 
 
A: Teaching is my passion. I find immense happiness in interacting with children. When I go to New York to deliver lecture at universities, I get to meet my students. Some of them who belonged to really poor families and are now settled in New York. They are always warm and welcoming towards me. It gives me immense happiness to see their success.&nbsp;

Q: When did you realise that you want to become a teacher?&nbsp; 
 
A: I was in 6th standard when our immediate neighbour approached me to teach their daughter maths. She was in the fourth standard and the family was well to do. On the first day, the girl addressed me as 'Sir'. It felt so good that someone was calling me 'Sir'. I taught her younger brother as well later. So that's how the interest in teaching began. I used to teach Maths to my classmates in school.&nbsp;

Q: Who inspires you the most? 
 
A: My teachers have inspired me the most. Dr DP Verma, Mohammad Sahabuddin, Dr Balgangadhar Prasad and even my father, who is not there anymore, inspired me and motivated me to do better in life.&nbsp;

Q: A film is being made on your life. Were you apprehensive that now people will get to know every little detail about you?&nbsp; 
 
A: I think Super 30, the film is shaping up really well. It will inspire students to excel despite the odds. It beautifully shows how one can overcome problems if one has the determination to achieve things.&nbsp;

Q: Hrithik Roshan plays you in the film. Do you feel he is the perfect choice for the role? 
 
A: There were a lot of actors who could have played the role well but Hrithik Roshan's dedication towards the script and his role was unmatched. He is very hardworking. Which is why he was perfect for the role.&nbsp;

Q: Any message for those who do not make it to IIT? 
 
A: Every child is gifted. Every child has the potential to excel in a certain field. There are a lot of kids in Super 30 who may be preparing for IIT but are also gifted painters, musicians. So it is important for our society to train children and nurture talents.&nbsp;

Q: You have achieved so much in life, yet your father, who&nbsp;inspired you so much isn't there to see it. Do you miss him? 
A: Yes, a lot. A lot of life lessons were taught by him and now that I have achieved things, he isn't there to see it. His absence is irreplaceable.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Mathematician Anand Kumar spoke to WION about Super 30, his inspirations, the Indian education system and why Hrithik Roshan is a perfect choice for the lead role.

There is something very unassuming about Anand Kumar. The mathematician, who through his Super 30 classes has transformed lives of many underprivileged kids over the years, wears success lightly on his shoulder. Kumar, whose students crack IIT every year, states that he finds immense happiness transforming and inspiring children from the lower strata of the society and while he has had the option to take up a cushioned job and lead a life of luxury, the mathematician states that teaching remains his first love and he would not give it up for anything. His beginnings were humble. Always the bright student in the class, Kumar taught neighbour's kids and even classmates from an early age. Son a postal clerk, raised in Patna, Bihar, Anand got through prestigious Cambridge University but could not attend it as he did not have sufficient funds and the untimely death of his father. Anand studied mathematics and helped his mother with her business at night. In 1992, he started the Ramanujan School of Mathematics - a tutorial that taught children maths. The tuition centre started thriving within a short span of time, but Anand wanted to do something for those kids who may have had the potential to make it to top universities- like him, but was unable to due to lack of guidance and funds. In 2002, he conducted a screening exam to select 30 students belonging to lower-income group families, for his Super 30 programme. The programme now in its 15th year trains students for IIT-JEE exams. Kumar's success rate is extremely high, and most of his students make it to one of the top colleges in the country each year. In Delhi for a visit, WION caught up with this genius and spoke about Super 30, his inspirations, the Indian education system and why Hrithik Roshan is a perfect choice for the lead role. Here are the excerpts of the interview. Q: Do you feel there is a need to change the Indian education system? A: Yes, definitely there is a need for a change. The biggest flaw of the current system is that it doesn't teach children how to question. Kids are taught to memorize the answers, they are not giving practical knowledge. They need to be taught how the lessons can be used in their daily lives. They should be taught the 'how and why' of mathematical formulas. Q: What is Super 30 all about? How did it start? A: There are so many kids who belong to poor families in our society. I got an offer from Cambridge University but due to a financial crisis, I couldn't go. I've always felt the pain of poverty and that's why I decided to start Super 30 for underprivileged students. A child had approached me back in 2000 to help him prepare for IIT-Jee exams. He belonged to a poor family and couldn't afford the expensive coaching classes that were available in Patna. That motivated me to start Super 30 classes. Q: How does one get enrolled in the Super 30 programme? A: We conduct entrance tests every year in April, for this programme. One can go to our website Super30.org to know about the exam centres and we select students on the basis of their performance in the entrance test. Q: You do not take any donations for Super 30? How does the programme get funded? A: Yes, a lot of people did offer me financial help for Super 30 but I did not accept any of it. We want to show the world that we could generate funds on our own. We generate money ourselves. We conduct evening tutorials for those students who are from a good economic background. The money they pay for the classes is used for Super 30 classes and also helps me run my home. Q: Tell us about some of the students who have benefitted from Super 30 classes A: There are several stories that are worth mentioning. A boy called Anup, who belonged to a very poor family, came for Super 30 classes. His family was so poor that they couldn't even afford their daily meals properly. One night his father left their home in order to get some food but never returned. The mother has raised her son on her own. Her only advice to her son was that only education can change one's fortune. They came to Patna after the boy passed his 10th exam and happened to meet us. When I enquired where they were staying in Patna, they said they were spending the nights at the Railway station. The boy was included in our Super 30 classes eventually. He went to IIT Bombay to do his engineering. His first job was in Dubai and now he owns a Software company in Bombay. Anup is just one of the many such students who come to us. Q: Did you ever feel that you should leave teaching and settle for a more high-paying corporate job? A: Teaching is my passion. I find immense happiness in interacting with children. When I go to New York to deliver lecture at universities, I get to meet my students. Some of them who belonged to really poor families and are now settled in New York. They are always warm and welcoming towards me. It gives me immense happiness to see their success. Q: When did you realise that you want to become a teacher? A: I was in 6th standard when our immediate neighbour approached me to teach their daughter maths. She was in the fourth standard and the family was well to do. On the first day, the girl addressed me as 'Sir'. It felt so good that someone was calling me 'Sir'. I taught her younger brother as well later. So that's how the interest in teaching began. I used to teach Maths to my classmates in school. Q: Who inspires you the most? A: My teachers have inspired me the most. Dr DP Verma, Mohammad Sahabuddin, Dr Balgangadhar Prasad and even my father, who is not there anymore, inspired me and motivated me to do better in life. Q: A film is being made on your life. Were you apprehensive that now people will get to know every little detail about you? A: I think Super 30, the film is shaping up really well. It will inspire students to excel despite the odds. It beautifully shows how one can overcome problems if one has the determination to achieve things. Q: Hrithik Roshan plays you in the film. Do you feel he is the perfect choice for the role? A: There were a lot of actors who could have played the role well but Hrithik Roshan's dedication towards the script and his role was unmatched. He is very hardworking. Which is why he was perfect for the role. Q: Any message for those who do not make it to IIT? A: Every child is gifted. Every child has the potential to excel in a certain field. There are a lot of kids in Super 30 who may be preparing for IIT but are also gifted painters, musicians. So it is important for our society to train children and nurture talents. Q: You have achieved so much in life, yet your father, who inspired you so much isn't there to see it. Do you miss him? A: Yes, a lot. A lot of life lessons were taught by him and now that I have achieved things, he isn't there to see it. His absence is irreplaceable.

Hrithik Roshan's dedication makes him the perfect choice for 'Super 30' film: Anand Kumar

Prime Minister Narendra paid homage to Stephen Hawking on Friday while delivering inaugural address at&nbsp;105 the session of Indian Science Congress organised at Manipur University in Imphal, Manipur.

He said that &quot;Hawking was a friend of India and will be remembered as one of world&#39;s greatest motivators.&quot;

During the address, he also spoke about various scientific achievements of India that he said should be communicated to society as it will inculcate scientific&nbsp;temper among youth.

He said,&nbsp;&quot;we have to throw open our institutions &amp; laboratories to our children. I call upon scientists to develop a mechanism for interaction with school-children.&quot;

Modi also said, &quot;We are committed to increasing the share of non-fossil fuel based capacity in the electricity mix above 40% by 2030. India is a leader in the multi-country Solar Alliance and in Mission Innovation. These groupings are providing a thrust to R&amp;D for clean energy.&quot;

&quot;The time is ripe to redefine &lsquo;R&amp;D&rsquo; as &lsquo;Research&rsquo; for the &lsquo;Development&rsquo; of the nation. Science is after all, but a means to a far greater end; of making a difference in the lives of others, of furthering human progress and welfare.&quot;

He also added, &quot;Our Government has already given the go-ahead to establish 3rd LIGO detector in the country. It will expand our knowledge in basic sciences in the areas of lasers, light waves &amp; computing. I am told that our scientists are tirelessly working towards making this a reality.&quot;

Modi further said &quot;we have set a target of 100 GW of installed solar power by 2022. Efficiency of solar modules currently available in the market is around 17%-18%. Can our scientists take a challenge to come up with a more efficient solar module, which can be produced in India at the same cost.&quot;

He also spoke about the &#39;Prime Minister&#39;s Research Fellows&#39; scheme.

&quot;Under this, bright minds from the best Institutions in the country, like IISc,IIT,NIT, IISER &amp; IIIT will be offered direct admission in Ph.D in IIT &amp; IISc. This will help address brain-drain from our country.&quot;

Modi is also scheduled to lay the foundation stone of several development projects like National Sports University and 1000 Anganwadi Centres, 19 residential complexes for teachers, doctors and nurses.

He will also inaugurate the Luwangpokpa Multi-Sports Complex, Rani Gaidinliu Park, and other development projects, where he is also addressing a gathering.

According to report 5000 delegations including&nbsp;Noble laureates, scientists, scholars and researchers from all across the country have taken part in Indian Science Congress.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

He said that 'Hawking was a friend of India and will be remembered as one of world's greatest motivators'

Prime Minister Narendra paid homage to Stephen Hawking on Friday while delivering inaugural address at 105 the session of Indian Science Congress organised at Manipur University in Imphal, Manipur. He said that "Hawking was a friend of India and will be remembered as one of world's greatest motivators." During the address, he also spoke about various scientific achievements of India that he said should be communicated to society as it will inculcate scientific temper among youth. He said, "we have to throw open our institutions & laboratories to our children. I call upon scientists to develop a mechanism for interaction with school-children." Modi also said, "We are committed to increasing the share of non-fossil fuel based capacity in the electricity mix above 40% by 2030. India is a leader in the multi-country Solar Alliance and in Mission Innovation. These groupings are providing a thrust to R&D for clean energy." "The time is ripe to redefine ‘R&D’ as ‘Research’ for the ‘Development’ of the nation. Science is after all, but a means to a far greater end; of making a difference in the lives of others, of furthering human progress and welfare." He also added, "Our Government has already given the go-ahead to establish 3rd LIGO detector in the country. It will expand our knowledge in basic sciences in the areas of lasers, light waves & computing. I am told that our scientists are tirelessly working towards making this a reality." Modi further said "we have set a target of 100 GW of installed solar power by 2022. Efficiency of solar modules currently available in the market is around 17%-18%. Can our scientists take a challenge to come up with a more efficient solar module, which can be produced in India at the same cost." He also spoke about the 'Prime Minister's Research Fellows' scheme. "Under this, bright minds from the best Institutions in the country, like IISc,IIT,NIT, IISER & IIIT will be offered direct admission in Ph.D in IIT & IISc. This will help address brain-drain from our country." Modi is also scheduled to lay the foundation stone of several development projects like National Sports University and 1000 Anganwadi Centres, 19 residential complexes for teachers, doctors and nurses. He will also inaugurate the Luwangpokpa Multi-Sports Complex, Rani Gaidinliu Park, and other development projects, where he is also addressing a gathering. According to report 5000 delegations including Noble laureates, scientists, scholars and researchers from all across the country have taken part in Indian Science Congress.

Manipur: Narendra Modi address Indian Science Congress, pays home to Stephen Hawking

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/with-quote-from-hindi-film-song-supreme-court-allows-passive-euthanasia-35235" target="_blank">With </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/with-quote-from-hindi-film-song-supreme-court-allows-passive-euthanasia-35235" target="_blank">quote</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/with-quote-from-hindi-film-song-supreme-court-allows-passive-euthanasia-35235" target="_blank"> from Hindi film song, Supreme Court allows passive euthanasia</a>

The Indian Supreme Court on Friday&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-approves-passive-euthanasia-35189" target="_blank">recognised the right to passive euthanasia</a>for the terminally ill.&nbsp; The decision was taken by a five-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rajasthan-passes-bill-giving-death-penalty-to-rapists-of-girls-below-12-years-35231" target="_blank">Rajasthan passes </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rajasthan-passes-bill-giving-death-penalty-to-rapists-of-girls-below-12-years-35231" target="_blank">bill</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rajasthan-passes-bill-giving-death-penalty-to-rapists-of-girls-below-12-years-35231" target="_blank"> providing for </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rajasthan-passes-bill-giving-death-penalty-to-rapists-of-girls-below-12-years-35231" target="_blank">death</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rajasthan-passes-bill-giving-death-penalty-to-rapists-of-girls-below-12-years-35231" target="_blank"> penalty to rapists of girls under 12</a>

Rajasthan home minister GC Kataria said the government had made two amendments in the case -- adding life sentence and life imprisonment for convicts in offences against girls below 12 years of age and making a provision that a convict can&#39;t leave prison for life even after completing 14 years in jail.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/parag-agrawal-iit-alumnus-is-twitters-new-cto-35224" target="_blank">Parag Agrawal, </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/parag-agrawal-iit-alumnus-is-twitters-new-cto-35224" target="_blank">IIT</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/parag-agrawal-iit-alumnus-is-twitters-new-cto-35224" target="_blank"> alumnus, is Twitter&#39;s new CTO</a>

Microblogging platform Twitter has appointed &nbsp;IIT-Bombay alumnus Parag Agrawal as its chief technology officer (CTO), an update on the company&#39;s website said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-surprised-at-north-koreas-offer-of-talks-rex-tillerson-35238" target="_blank">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-surprised-at-north-koreas-offer-of-talks-rex-tillerson-35238" target="_blank">&nbsp;surprised at North Korea&#39;s offer of talks: Rex Tillerson</a>

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday said Washington had been surprised by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un&#39;s willingness to hold direct talks with the US on the nuclear standoff in the Korean peninsula.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pak-govt-making-efforts-to-mainstream-hafiz-saeed-and-his-system-mea-raveesh-kumar-35239" target="_blank">Pak govt making efforts to mainstream Hafiz Saeed and his system: India&#39;s MEA</a>

The Ministry of External Affairs, Raveesh Kumar has said that Pakistan is trying to make efforts to mainstream Hafiz Saeed and his system as a political party.

With quote from Hindi film song, Supreme Court allows passive euthanasia The Indian Supreme Court on Friday recognised the right to passive euthanasiafor the terminally ill. The decision was taken by a five-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra. Rajasthan passes bill providing for death penalty to rapists of girls under 12 Rajasthan home minister GC Kataria said the government had made two amendments in the case -- adding life sentence and life imprisonment for convicts in offences against girls below 12 years of age and making a provision that a convict can't leave prison for life even after completing 14 years in jail. Parag Agrawal, IIT alumnus, is Twitter's new CTO Microblogging platform Twitter has appointed IIT-Bombay alumnus Parag Agrawal as its chief technology officer (CTO), an update on the company's website said. US surprised at North Korea's offer of talks: Rex Tillerson Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday said Washington had been surprised by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's willingness to hold direct talks with the US on the nuclear standoff in the Korean peninsula. Pak govt making efforts to mainstream Hafiz Saeed and his system: India's MEA The Ministry of External Affairs, Raveesh Kumar has said that Pakistan is trying to make efforts to mainstream Hafiz Saeed and his system as a political party.

WION Evening News brief, March 9, 2018

A humanoid named Sophia made its first appearance in India at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay during its cultural extravaganza TechFest on Saturday.

Draped in a sari, the human lookalike greeted the audience with &#39;Namaste&#39; and gave a 15-minute speech in front of an audience of more than 3,000, on topics ranging from artificial intelligence to the issues facing the world.&nbsp;

However, after answering a few questions, Sophia went silent due to a technical snag. But it started functioning again after the organisers intervened.&nbsp;

As per reports in a leading daily, Sophia was developed by Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics and activated in 2015.&nbsp;

Sophia made headlines after becoming the first robot to be recognised as a citizen in the world. The robot was granted citizenship of Saudi Arabia in October.&nbsp;

It can imitate human gestures and facial expressions and can even make conversations on predefined topics.

Sophia&#39;s presence had created much buzz the technology enthusiasts who thronged to IIT in large numbers. 
&nbsp;

Sophia made headlines after becoming the first robot to be recognised as a citizen in the world.

A humanoid named Sophia made its first appearance in India at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay during its cultural extravaganza TechFest on Saturday. Draped in a sari, the human lookalike greeted the audience with 'Namaste' and gave a 15-minute speech in front of an audience of more than 3,000, on topics ranging from artificial intelligence to the issues facing the world. However, after answering a few questions, Sophia went silent due to a technical snag. But it started functioning again after the organisers intervened. As per reports in a leading daily, Sophia was developed by Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics and activated in 2015. Sophia made headlines after becoming the first robot to be recognised as a citizen in the world. The robot was granted citizenship of Saudi Arabia in October. It can imitate human gestures and facial expressions and can even make conversations on predefined topics. Sophia's presence had created much buzz the technology enthusiasts who thronged to IIT in large numbers.

Humanoid 'Sophia' makes India debut in saree, greets audience with 'Namaste'

The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K) has punished twenty-two&nbsp;engineering students for their alleged involvement in ragging on campus.&nbsp;

The institute suspended sixteen&nbsp;students for three years and six others for up to a year.

The students were suspended after they were found guilty of&nbsp;ragging their juniors.&nbsp;

The third-year students allegedly forced their juniors to strip and perform indecent acts. The incident was recorded on cell phones and circulated on social media.&nbsp;

The decision to suspend the students was taken by the institute&#39;s senate which is the apex decision making body of the institute.

At a meeting held on Monday night, the senate decided to suspend the students involved in ragging.&nbsp;

The suspended students will not be allowed to appeal for mercy till they complete their period of suspension, IIT-K decided.&nbsp;

The students can appeal for admission only after they complete their punishment.&nbsp;

Also, the president and other officials of the student gymkhana were expelled from their post&nbsp;for ignoring the students&#39; complaints.&nbsp;

The department took action against the students involved in ragging only after one of the professors at the institute highlighted the matter through his blog.&nbsp;

The University Grants Commission in 2009 has set up an anti-ragging helpline to curb ragging in college campus.

The Commission&#39;s decision was taken after a medical student Aman Kachroo from Himachal Pradesh was killed in 2009 after a ragging incident.

The third-year students forced their juniors to strip and do objectional acts to each other. The indecent act was even recorded on cell phones and circulated on social media groups

The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K) has punished twenty-two engineering students for their alleged involvement in ragging on campus. The institute suspended sixteen students for three years and six others for up to a year. The students were suspended after they were found guilty of ragging their juniors. The third-year students allegedly forced their juniors to strip and perform indecent acts. The incident was recorded on cell phones and circulated on social media. The decision to suspend the students was taken by the institute's senate which is the apex decision making body of the institute. At a meeting held on Monday night, the senate decided to suspend the students involved in ragging. The suspended students will not be allowed to appeal for mercy till they complete their period of suspension, IIT-K decided. The students can appeal for admission only after they complete their punishment. Also, the president and other officials of the student gymkhana were expelled from their post for ignoring the students' complaints. The department took action against the students involved in ragging only after one of the professors at the institute highlighted the matter through his blog. The University Grants Commission in 2009 has set up an anti-ragging helpline to curb ragging in college campus. The Commission's decision was taken after a medical student Aman Kachroo from Himachal Pradesh was killed in 2009 after a ragging incident.

Watch: IIT Kanpur suspends 22 students for ragging

Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay made it to the list of QS Graduate Employability Rankings, making them India&#39;s strongest providers of highly employable graduates. University of Delhi has been ranked as India&#39;s top provider of highly successful alumni.&nbsp;

The technological schools in India&#39;s leading metropolitans have been ranked in the 191-200 category globally.

Besides being placed in the 201st-250th category, Delhi University also received one of the highest scores in the world -- a measure of how the university is successfully producing highly-achieving graduates. It is ranked 21st in the world, scoring 96.6 out of 100.

In the same indicator, University of Mumbai scored 85. It is also placed in the same category rank, 201-250 alongside Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.&nbsp;

Asia&rsquo;s leading university is Tsinghua University (10th) in Beijing, China, based on its high Employer Reputation score and a fantastic network of employer-student connections.

A total of eight Indian universities made it to the list. 
&nbsp;

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">2018 Rank</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">2018 QSWUR</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">Institution</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">191-200</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">172</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">Indian Institution of Technology, Delhi</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">191-200</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">179=</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">Indian Institution of Technology, Bombay</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">201-250</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">801-1000</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">University of Mumbai</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">201-250</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">264=</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">Indian Institution of Technology, Madras</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">201-250</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">481-490</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">University of Delhi</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">251-300</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">308=</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">Indian Institution of Technology, Kharagpur</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">301-500</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">293=</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">Indian Institution of Technology, Kanpur</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">301-500</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">190</div>
			</td>
			<td>
			<div style="background:#eee;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:5px 10px;">Indian Institute of Science, Banglore</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

 
Stanford University topped the list, making it the world-leader, followed by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Harvard University. In terms of employability ranking, five out of top 10 universities are based out of the United States. Competing with the leading institutions from the US and UK are the University of Sydney (4th) and University of Melbourne (7th).

University of Delhi was ranked for producing highly-successful alumni

Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay made it to the list of QS Graduate Employability Rankings, making them India's strongest providers of highly employable graduates. University of Delhi has been ranked as India's top provider of highly successful alumni. The technological schools in India's leading metropolitans have been ranked in the 191-200 category globally. Besides being placed in the 201st-250th category, Delhi University also received one of the highest scores in the world -- a measure of how the university is successfully producing highly-achieving graduates. It is ranked 21st in the world, scoring 96.6 out of 100. In the same indicator, University of Mumbai scored 85. It is also placed in the same category rank, 201-250 alongside Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. Asia’s leading university is Tsinghua University (10th) in Beijing, China, based on its high Employer Reputation score and a fantastic network of employer-student connections. A total of eight Indian universities made it to the list. 2018 Rank 2018 QSWUR Institution 191-200 172 Indian Institution of Technology, Delhi 191-200 179= Indian Institution of Technology, Bombay 201-250 801-1000 University of Mumbai 201-250 264= Indian Institution of Technology, Madras 201-250 481-490 University of Delhi 251-300 308= Indian Institution of Technology, Kharagpur 301-500 293= Indian Institution of Technology, Kanpur 301-500 190 Indian Institute of Science, Banglore Stanford University topped the list, making it the world-leader, followed by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Harvard University. In terms of employability ranking, five out of top 10 universities are based out of the United States. Competing with the leading institutions from the US and UK are the University of Sydney (4th) and University of Melbourne (7th).

IIT-D, IIT-B produce employable graduates: UK survey

The US secretary of state Mr John Kerry got to his talk at the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi an hour late but he more than made up for it in his speech. He said, among other things Indians would have liked to hear, the US saw India as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean commensurate with its expanding global role.&nbsp; 
 
Kerry is in India on a three-day visit to take part in the second Indo-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue. He was this morning talking to about 200 students at the Indian Institute of Technology, the venue having been chosen because its alumni have gone on to head large enterprises both in the US (Sun Microsystems) and in India (Flipkart and Snapdeal) and the two countries think of entrepreneurship as a significant creator of jobs going into the future. 
 
Coming back to India, Mr Kerry said the country and Bangladesh have been able to resolve their maritime differences because India chose to accept the Hague court&#39;s verdict. He added that China and the Philippines will have to do the same when it comes to their conflict over the South China Sea -- that they will have to abide by the Hague&#39;s decision which Mr Kerry said was &quot;final and legally binding&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
There is no military solution, he added, to the South China Sea dispute. 
 
He also talked about deepening India and US cooperation. He was referring to the LEMOA agreement (Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement) signed by India and the US -- the Indian defence minister Mr Manohar Parrikar is in America at the moment -- on Monday which allows the militaries of both countries to use each others bases for resupply and repair purposes.&nbsp; 
 
And in what the Indians would have liked to hear, he blamed conflict around the world on &quot;non-state actors&quot;.&nbsp;
<h2> 
&#39;Pakistan has work to do&#39;</h2>
Mr Kerry said Pakistan has to do more to clear terror sanctuaries on its soil and push harder against &quot;indigenous groups&quot; operating from its territory. They, he said, are affecting ties with India and Afghanistan&#39;s peace and stability. 
 
The US secretary of state said that he has discussed with Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif the issue of taking stronger action against groups such as the Haqqani network and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). 
Terror groups like Daesh, Al Qaeda, LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), he said, cannot be fought by a single nation alone. 
 
&quot;We are working on it. I have been working on this issue very hard. I have had many engagements with Nawaz Sharif. We have been talking on the sanctuaries in the western part of the country, how to deal more effectively with the Haqqani network and the LeT. 
 
&quot;It is clear that Pakistan has work to do in order to push harder against its indigenous groups that are engaged in terrorist activities. They must work with us to help clear sanctuary of bad actors who are affecting not only India- Pakistan relationship but also our ability to achieve peace and stability in Afghanistan,&quot; Kerry said.&nbsp; 
But, Mr Kerry added, Pakistan has fastened the process in recent months.&nbsp;
<h2>Democracy, pluralism &amp; free speech</h2>
Mr Kerry talked for about half an hour, which was followed by a question and answer session for about the same length of time. He touched on a number of topics, which included global warming, energy, trade and economy, and culture, under which subhead he talked about democracy and pluralism.&nbsp; 
 
For example, on globalisation he said: no one can put that genie back in the bottle. 
 
On South Asia, he said: it is the least inter-connected market.&nbsp; 
 
It was not the most riveting of speeches. Mr Kerry has done better in the past, and it was certainly no match for the speech US President Obama had given in Delhi in early 2015. (In that speech too, Mr Obama had talked about pluralism and how India must not let go of it easily.)&nbsp; 
 
But the comments by Kerry that made people prick up their ears were: &quot;People should be allowed to protest in peace&quot; and &quot;People should not be jailed for speech or the things they say&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Mr Kerry&#39;s comments are open to interpretation for they could equally be applied to both countries -- India and the US.&nbsp; 
 
Close to 70 protesters have been shot dead by security forces in the Indian state of Kashmir over the last seven weeks, and sedition charges were filed recently against Amnesty International India after a few Kashmiri members in the audience at a function organised by Amnesty shouted azaadi (freedom) slogans.&nbsp; 
 
Correspondingly, there have been massive protests in the US after a number of African American men were shot dead by police forces. And the idea of free speech -- or pluralism and democracy -- seems to be at variance with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump&#39;s current election campaign. 
 
(Written by Parakram Rautela, with inputs from agencies)

But in a gentle reminder, he also says 'people should be allowed to protest in peace' and 'people should not be jailed for things they say'

The US secretary of state Mr John Kerry got to his talk at the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi an hour late but he more than made up for it in his speech. He said, among other things Indians would have liked to hear, the US saw India as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean commensurate with its expanding global role. Kerry is in India on a three-day visit to take part in the second Indo-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue. He was this morning talking to about 200 students at the Indian Institute of Technology, the venue having been chosen because its alumni have gone on to head large enterprises both in the US (Sun Microsystems) and in India (Flipkart and Snapdeal) and the two countries think of entrepreneurship as a significant creator of jobs going into the future. Coming back to India, Mr Kerry said the country and Bangladesh have been able to resolve their maritime differences because India chose to accept the Hague court's verdict. He added that China and the Philippines will have to do the same when it comes to their conflict over the South China Sea -- that they will have to abide by the Hague's decision which Mr Kerry said was "final and legally binding". There is no military solution, he added, to the South China Sea dispute. He also talked about deepening India and US cooperation. He was referring to the LEMOA agreement (Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement) signed by India and the US -- the Indian defence minister Mr Manohar Parrikar is in America at the moment -- on Monday which allows the militaries of both countries to use each others bases for resupply and repair purposes. And in what the Indians would have liked to hear, he blamed conflict around the world on "non-state actors". 'Pakistan has work to do' Mr Kerry said Pakistan has to do more to clear terror sanctuaries on its soil and push harder against "indigenous groups" operating from its territory. They, he said, are affecting ties with India and Afghanistan's peace and stability. The US secretary of state said that he has discussed with Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif the issue of taking stronger action against groups such as the Haqqani network and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Terror groups like Daesh, Al Qaeda, LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), he said, cannot be fought by a single nation alone. "We are working on it. I have been working on this issue very hard. I have had many engagements with Nawaz Sharif. We have been talking on the sanctuaries in the western part of the country, how to deal more effectively with the Haqqani network and the LeT. "It is clear that Pakistan has work to do in order to push harder against its indigenous groups that are engaged in terrorist activities. They must work with us to help clear sanctuary of bad actors who are affecting not only India- Pakistan relationship but also our ability to achieve peace and stability in Afghanistan," Kerry said. But, Mr Kerry added, Pakistan has fastened the process in recent months. Democracy, pluralism & free speech Mr Kerry talked for about half an hour, which was followed by a question and answer session for about the same length of time. He touched on a number of topics, which included global warming, energy, trade and economy, and culture, under which subhead he talked about democracy and pluralism. For example, on globalisation he said: no one can put that genie back in the bottle. On South Asia, he said: it is the least inter-connected market. It was not the most riveting of speeches. Mr Kerry has done better in the past, and it was certainly no match for the speech US President Obama had given in Delhi in early 2015. (In that speech too, Mr Obama had talked about pluralism and how India must not let go of it easily.) But the comments by Kerry that made people prick up their ears were: "People should be allowed to protest in peace" and "People should not be jailed for speech or the things they say". Mr Kerry's comments are open to interpretation for they could equally be applied to both countries -- India and the US. Close to 70 protesters have been shot dead by security forces in the Indian state of Kashmir over the last seven weeks, and sedition charges were filed recently against Amnesty International India after a few Kashmiri members in the audience at a function organised by Amnesty shouted azaadi (freedom) slogans. Correspondingly, there have been massive protests in the US after a number of African American men were shot dead by police forces. And the idea of free speech -- or pluralism and democracy -- seems to be at variance with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's current election campaign. (Written by Parakram Rautela, with inputs from agencies)

Kerry calls India net security provider, talks of its expanding global role

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