Tweet: Scientists decode songbird's genome

ScienceDaily (2010-03-31): An international team of scientists has decoded the genome of a songbird -- the Australian zebra finch -- to reveal intriguing clues about the genetic basis and evolution of vocal learning. The research provides insights to help scientists understand how humans learn language.

Read more @ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100331141419.htm

Need for Education Policy - "The Better the Education, The Best the Society is..."

Need for Education Policy - "The Better the Education, The Best the Society is..."

Hello! I am Aditya Kumar Katragadda. The following ideas have been kept infront of government on 6/12/2009. I am glad that government and respective institutions have repsonded positively to most of the issues addressed in this e-mail.

I would like to share my views about education in India. No doubt that the Indian education system is the best system in entire world. Apart from teaching technical skills, we also learn facts and principles that are essential in every one’s life. In my opinion, “Education is a means to achieve life time learning process”, but today for most of them, “Education is a means to achieve life time earning process”. Top most concerns is that higher education in India is not given sufficient importance, it is indicated by the number of people going abroad to pursue higher education compared to the number of people pursuing higher education in India.


In India, the zeal to pursue engineering and medicine is considered to be highest in the state of Andhra Pradesh. In this belief, children are being forced to prepare for engineering and medicine entrance examinations right from childhood, parents did forget to teach or guide children about importance of life which is leading to many major and dangerous social and psychological problems not only in family but also in society.

As many students are opting to pursue engineering and medicine education from neighboring states such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka etc., Government of Andhra Pradesh understanding the pulse of the public has introduced hundreds of engineering colleges and medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh. But according to my opinion, the government’s policy was good, but not the best. Since, the government has failed to regulate the establishment of number of colleges being established. Most of the colleges never met the minimum standards required to establish a college. This policy not only discouraged people pursuing degree courses but also the establishment of degree colleges.

In Andhra Pradesh, government's have failed to take necessary action and policies to educate the people that engineering and medicine fields are not the only specialisation available for education. In Andhra Pradesh, the co-operate education centers are hailing in almost urban centers with number of branches and centers. These colleges are also promoting and preparing students for Engineering and Medicine streams entrance examination by promising quality education and collecting huge amounts as fees. These colleges are not only affecting the life of children but also mental and financial ability of entire family.

Every year, thousands of engineering students are graduating from various university colleges established in India. And most of them are opting for Software industry for employment or pursuing masters abroad - “Brain Drain”. After completion of master’s degree abroad irrespective of field of specialization most of them are switching to software industry with help of consultants abroad to secure placements. The recent recession outbreak in United States, most of employees were laid off from jobs, and recruited giving priority to its citizens indicating the policy maker’s policies and implementations in the best interest of their nation.

Today, the private engineering colleges, junior colleges and schools are ruling the state's education delivery process. These college are paying better salaries and benefits, resulting in shift of employee's interest towards private sector. Advancement of Research and Development is beyond the scope of private organizations, as their main intension are profits and to promote there products. Apart from this, the government institutions have stopped recruiting employees. Government employee are about to retire from services, but there is no recruitment. Instead, most of the employees are being recruited on the basis of contract employees or as consultants offering low compensations that are insufficient for today’s cost of living and salaries are low for individual’s education qualification, which discourages them from participating in research activities.

Do we have right to achieve a job in same profession matching educational background? What are the forces or factors causing these kinds of disturbances in the society? Is this situation because of policy failures? Is there any immediate need for policy maker’s and public representative's to frame and implement new education policies in the best interest of nation? These sort of questions can be effectively answered only by incorporating them in the policy making process.

To some extend the issues can be resolved by:

1) Providing continual research in educational institutions and government sectors.

2) National Education Policy and State level Reforms to achieve policy goals.

3) Employment security and updating the eligibility qualifications.

4) Encourage Regional focus in the specialization of subject especially at degree and higher education level.

5) Discourage establishment of education centers as business centers.

6) Encourage and implementation of policies that build confidence of students.

7) Social counseling to students and parents from school level.

8) Providing better stipend for student’s pursuing master degree in any field and in return employ them for research activities.

9) Encourage student to participate in different field's of study.

10) Regulating private institutions inorder to promote government institutions.

11) Regulate and discourage profession shift (switching of profession for job).

As, a planner by profession, I strongly believe that proper education can change the life of every Indian. Education is not merely achieving grades, or maximum hours of study, but it is the level of mental maturity and sense of responsibilities. I interpret that the present education process is the indication of social problems arising in the society like acid attacks, suicides, harassment deaths etc. requiring policy maker attention.
Law can protect from issue, control issue and subside issue, but proper education will definitely bring a positive change .This indicates the need for "Better Educational Policy".

"The Better the Education, The Best the Society is..."

I do not intend to discriminate, criticise or offend anyone in this email. My main intension of this e-mail is to describe the situation and the urgent need for education policy at state and national level. This was purely based on my thinking process.

Philosophy to be Sustainable

If U can understand "  Need Vs. Necessity  ".... U CAN ACHIEVE SUSTAINABILITY