Henri Cartan

world has lost one of the greatest scientists of the twentieth century. Henri Cartan a legendary figure in mathematics died inParis on 13 August, at the age of 104 years.
Almost all of Dr. Cartan's career was spent in France, and he was acclaimed for his research in areas of pure mathematics, including algebra, topology and analytic functions of complex variables. He was also an influential writer and teacher.At least two of his pupils won Nobel prizes, one in economics and one in physics. Two others received the Fields Medal, which is awarded for accomplishment in mathematics and is regarded as the mathematics equivalent of the Nobel Prize.In 1980, Dr. Cartan received the Wolf Prize, one of the highest honors in mathematics.Apart from his professional achievements.Henri Cartan will be remembered for his personal qualities.He was generous to students,colleagues and friends, and a vigorous defender of Human Rights.

GM Modi Award

The Gujar Mal Modi Science Foundation has presented this year's GM Modi Award for outstanding contribution in innovative science and technology to T V Ramakrishnan, DAE Homi Bhabha Professor (also Emeritus Professor), department of physics, Banaras Hindu University (BHU).Award, comprising a cash prize of Rs 2.01 lakh, a silver shield and a scroll of honour.The award is presented annually to a leading scientist of India for his/her outstanding contribution to research resulting in new innovative technology.Ramakrishnan is known for his seminal contributions of condensed matter physics and has been a fellow of all the National Science Academies, as well as the Royal Society of London. He is a Padamshri awardee and the former president of Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore.

Science subjects really hard

A new research has shown that school kids studying science and technology subjects like Maths, Physics and Chemistry find it much harder to achieve the top exam grades than candidates of similar ability studying subjects like Media Studies and Psychology.For the study, researchers at Durham University analysed and compared data from nearly one million schoolchildren sitting GCSE and A-level exams and reviewed 28 different studies of cross subject comparison conducted in the UK since 1970.They found significant differences in the relative difficulty of exams in different subjects with the sciences among the hardest.On average, subjects like Physics, Chemistry and Biology at A-level are a whole grade harder than Drama, Sociology or Media Studies, and three-quarters of a grade harder than English, RE or Business Studies.Researchers voice concerns that students will be more likely to choose to study ‘easier’ subjects and will not opt to study science subjects that are desperately needed by employers in the knowledge economy.

Bihar Gaurav Samman

Bihar government has started the process for recruitment of 80,000 primary teachers and 12,000 secondary and higher seecondary teachers.Government also decided to award "Bihar Gaurav Samman" carrying cash prize and a certificate to the students from the state securing high ranks in all-India competitive examination as well as international science competitions like Maths and Physics Olympiad.Any aspirant from Bihar securing the first rank in the UPSC, IIT, CAT and others would be awarded the "Bihar Gaurav Samman" with a cash prize of Rs One lakh, while those securing next five ranks would get a cash prize of Rs 50,000 each.

Eamcet counselling

The final phase of Eamcet counselling for admission of candidates from ranks 54,001 to the last rank would begin on September 2.This final phase would end on September 23 and classes would commence from September 24.A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level conference held at the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE).The continued first phase of counselling for 52,000 SC,ST,BC(A), BC(C),BC(E)category students would be held from August 18 to August 29.Meanwhile the web-based counselling for the candidates would be held from August 22 to 31.So far, 44,073 candidates attended the first phase counselling. "BC(E) candidates were given conditional admission and they would be given formal admission based on the Supreme Court’s verdict.Around 6,000 students are being admitted in four phased manner.The dates of admission for third and fourth batches remain undisturbed.

HIGHER EDUCATION IN INDIA

The UGC committee, comprising Prof Duraisami of Madras University and Prof Sudhansu Bhusan of National University of Education Planning and Administration, has suggested starting an additional 735 universities in the country during the 11th Plan ending 2012.The committee, set up to suggest reforms on the affiliation system and monitoring of education in 11th plan, has worked out a formula of 20,000 students per university to achieve the target.assumes significance in view of the estimation of National Knowledge Commission last year, when it said that at least 1,500 universities are needed to make India a knowledge society.The enrolment ratio in higher education is abysmal 10 per cent in India. It is less than eight per cent in states like Assam, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Uttarakhand

Financial Reporting Training Course

The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM-C) and audit firm Pricewater house Coopers (PwC) have tied up to train professionals in International Financial Reporting Standards .The two organisations signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to provide this training to address the existing demand-supply gap in the country for IFRS-trained professionals.The training would be divided into two parts - basic and advanced module.The course module has been jointly developed by IIM-C and PwC and will be taught jointly by ‘our own faculty and by finance experts from PwC.Convergence with IFRS has gained momentum in recent years all over the world. More than 100 countries currently require or permit the use of or have a policy of convergence with IFRS.The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has announced that IFRSs should be adopted for all public interest entities like listed entities, banks and insurance entities and large-sized entities from the accounting periods beginning on or after April 1, 2011.

CAT-2008

CAT is a gateway to getting admission to IIMs and other leading B-schools. There are 116 non-IIM institutions, which will use CAT 2008 scores.These management institutes offer 13,000-15,000 seats.There are only 1,700 seats (last year, it was 1,500) for the next two-year management programme (2009-11)in IIMs.The increase in the number of students taking the CAT exam this year will be around 20 per cent over last year when an estimated 250,000 students appeared for the exam.Around 300,000 students are slated to appear for CAT this November.

'Ideal answer sheets

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has posted the answer sheets of students who scored full marks in the Class X Science,Social Science and Mathematics examinations this year, on its website.The Board had also posted some of the 'ideal answer scripts' of students who appeared for the class XII Science and few subjects of Class X last year on its website.

IIT-PATNA

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) is ready to function in Patna from Aug 06. It is one of the six new IITs being set up the country.The classes will formally begin from the next day at its temporary acquired premise on the Navin Pataliputra Polytechnic campus located in posh Patliputra colony in Patna.The classes will carry on until its new campus that is planned to come about near Amhara and adjoining villages near Bihta in Patna district. temporary classes for 109 selected students will go on in 20,000 square feet area in the new building of polytechnic campus. The Polytechnic has two hostels with a total capacity of lodging for 200 students. At present, there is no hostel for faculty members coming from IIT-Guwahati since IIT- Patna is opening as an extension to IIT- Guwahati.Gautam Barua from IIT-Guwahati has been appointed as an acting director of IIT.The 10 faculties will handle the theory and practical classes for the first batch of first year engineering students. The Centre has approved to appoint 30 faculties for the first three years each for all new established IITs.