Nearly 66% of Indians are of working age

Nearly 66% of Indians are of working age

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  04.06.2020

India’s much-discussed “demographic dividend” continues to swell, with the share of working-age population in the country’s total population increasing, data from the recently released Sample Registration System’s 2018 report shows. This is true not just nationally but across all major states.

The SRS report, an annual publication from the office of the census commissioner and registrar general, estimates that in 2018, nearly two-thirds of the population, or 66%, was between the ages of 15 and 59. This proportion has inched up each year, an analysis of reports from 2013 onwards shows.

Those of working age constituted over two-thirds of the population in 12 of the 22 major states in 2018 while five years earlier, this was true in only four of the current states. Two states — Andhra Pradesh and Telangana — had over 70% of their populations in the working age bracket and Bihar remained the lone state in which those aged 15 to 59 were less than 60% of the total.

In general, states widely considered less developed had a lower proportion of their population in the working-age groups. This is because most of these states have also had relatively high fertility rates and hence a relatively larger base of the really young.

Among the states with high development indicators, Kerala stands out as an exception with its working-age population being of a similar proportion as in states like Assam and Odisha. The difference however is that in Kerala’s case, this is due to a relatively larger proportion of the elderly thanks to decades of low fertility and high life expectancy.

Another broad trend that emerges from the data is that states that already have higher proportions of workingage populations have seen that share grow faster than the others. Thus, those that started off with a better "demographic dividend" five years ago now have even more of it.

Experts have pointed out that this dividend, which comes from the number of dependants on each working person being low, will not last for ever with the population steadily aging. It has also been argued that if those of working age are not provided skills and jobs, the dividend could prove to be a curse rather than a blessing.

Zydus’ vaccine gets DCGI nod for human trials

DNA PLATFORM

Zydus’ vaccine gets DCGI nod for human trials

Pharma Major To Ramp Up Production

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:  04.06.2020

Pharmaceuticals and healthcare major Zydus Cadila has received regulatory nod to start phase I and II human clinical trials in India of its vaccine candidate for Covid-19. Called ZyCoV-D, it is a plasmid DNA vaccine in trial stage. The approval has been issued by Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) - Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO.

Zydus Cadila has become the second company after Bharat Biotech to have received the approval to conduct human clinical trials for the potential Covid-19 vaccine.

“The company’s vaccine has successfully completed preclinical phase and has now received the permission to initiate phase I/II human clinical trials in India,” Zydus Cadila said in a statement on Friday.

The company’s vaccine candidate has been indigenously developed at its Vaccine Technology Centre in Ahmedabad.

Pankaj Patel-promoted Zydus Cadila has already manufactured clinical GMP batches of the vaccine candidate and plans to initiate the clinical trials in July 2020 across multiple sites in India in over 1,000 subjects.

“In animal studies, the vaccine was found to elicit a strong immune response in species like mice, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits. No safety concerns were observed for the vaccine candidate in repeat dose toxicology studies by both intramuscular and intradermal routes of administration,” added the company.

With ZyCoV-D, Zydus has successfully established the DNA vaccine platform, which can also be rapidly used to modify the vaccine in couple of weeks in case the virus mutates to ensure that the vaccine still elicits protection.

Int’l flights suspended till July 31

Int’l flights suspended till July 31

New Delhi:  04.06.2020

Schedule international passenger flights will now remain suspended till the month-end, except for those allowed by the government on a caseto-case basis.

These flights were suspended on March 22 this year and the DGCA had recently said they would remain suspended till July 15. On Friday, the DGCA issued a circular extending the suspension till 11.59 pm on July 31.

“…Scheduled international commercial passenger services to/from India (shall remain suspended) till 11.59 pm of July 31. This restriction shall not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by DGCA. However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes on a case to case basis,” says a DGCA circular issued Friday. TNN

Sonia pushes for OBC quota in med colleges

Sonia pushes for OBC quota in med colleges

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:  04.06.2020

Congress party President Sonia Gandhi has asked the Centre to extend reservation for OBCs under All India Quota (AIQ) of medical and dental seats in colleges run by states and UTs, saying its denial does injustice to the Mandal classes.

In aletter to PM Modi, Sonia Gandhi wrote, “Reservation for OBC candidates under AIQ is restricted to central Institutions. As per the data compiled by the All India Federation of Other Backward Classes, since 2017, OBC candidates lost over 11,000 seats, in AIQ, due to non-implementation of OBC reservations in State/UT medical education institutions.”

By seeking the extension of AIQ in NEET to state institutions, Sonia Gandhi has waded into an ongoing controversy which is playing out on different turfs. While a petition is pending in the Supreme Court, the National Commission for Backward Classes too has taken cognisance of the issue.

“In the interest of equity and social justice, I strongly urge the Government to extend reservation for OBC candidates in AIQ of medical and dental seats, even in the State/ UT Medical education institutions,” she urged.

Full report on www.toi.in

Asymptomatic Covid patients can now stay in home isolation

Asymptomatic Covid patients can now stay in home isolation

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:  04.06.2020

With a large number of asymptomatic cases found testing positive for Covid-19, the health ministry has revised the home isolation guidelines to allow such patients to stay in home isolation along with very mild and pre-symptomatic cases.

However, patients with immune-compromised status (like HIV, transplant recipients, cancer therapy) are not eligible for home isolation, the revised guidelines said.

Also, patients over 60 years and those with co-morbid conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung/liver/kidney disease and cerebro-vascular disease among others shall only be allowed home isolation after proper evaluation by the treating medical officer, the guidelines said.

As per the new guidelines, patients under home isolation will stand discharged after 10 days of onset of symptoms and no fever for three days. However, after that, the patient will be advised to isolate at home and self-monitor their health for a further seven days.

There is no need for testing after the home isolation period is over, the guidelines said.

Eligible cases can opt for home isolation if they have the requisite self-isolation facility at their residence so as to avoid contact with family members.

The guidelines come against India’s Covid-19 tally rising to 6.25 lakh on Friday.

Avg marks of best 3 subjects to decide your CISCE result

Avg marks of best 3 subjects to decide your CISCE result

Shradha.Chettri@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:  04.06.2020

Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) on Friday finally ended the anxiety of students and parents by releasing the formula for calculating the results of ICSE (Class X) and ISC (Class XII) exams.

The formula was arrived at after consulting statisticians of premier institutions in the country and analysing the results of the board examinations from 2015 to 2019, as well as the unfinished 2020 session.

The remaining examinations scheduled from July 1 were cancelled by CISCE after parents moved court. The exams couldn’t be conducted owing to the Covid-induced lockdown.

Emulating the formula followed by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the average marks of the best three subjects for which the students have appeared in the board exams would be taken to compute the final score. While practical project marks would be taken for ISC students, which varies from 20 to 30 marks, for Class X internal assessment marks would be taken.

A three-step algorithm would be used to arrive at the final marks, which would include the sum of the subject’s board results and the practical/project marks. The subject’s result would be the sum of the board marks percentage and their weightage (for example, 0.7 whose theory is 70 marks and 0.8 for 80 marks). The final score would include the average of the best three marks, subject marks and project practical marks.

“The components used to arrive at the formula to award the marks in the subjects that have project and practical work component is limited to the project and practical work and the performance of the candidates in the board examination of the subjects for which they have already appeared measured through average marks obtained in the best three subjects. While the former measures the subject proficiency of the candidates, the latter is a measure of their general academic ability,” said a CISCE circular.

However, for Elective English and Art in Class X, a separate formula has been followed.

While the parents and students were a relieved lot, they said internal assessment marks, at least for Class X, might vary according to the schools. “The internal marks are subjective and not really known on how the school computes it. But considering the situation, anything is better than uncertainty and having to send the children to write the exams,” said a parent.

JEE, NEET postponed to September

JEE, NEET postponed to September

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi  04.06.2020

The JEE (Main and Advanced) and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (UG) for admission to engineering and medical courses have been postponed to September in view of the surge in Covid-19 infections across the the country. The decision was taken on Friday on a recommendation of the expert committee set up by the HRD ministry.

Computer-based multi-session JEE (Main) will be conducted from September 1-6 while JEE (Advanced) —for admission to IITs—will be held on September 27. The pen-paper mode NEET-UG will be held on September 13.

“Safety of the students is paramount and keeping that in view and to ensure quality education, we have decided to postpone the exams,” said HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said, soon after the panel, headed by IIT-Delhi director Prof V Ramgopal Rao, gave the report.

After the initial postponement, JEE (Main) was earlier scheduled from July18-23 while NEET-UG was slated for July 26 and JEE (Advanced) for August

23. Around nine lakh aspirants have registered for the JEE (Main) exam, while 16 lakh have registered for NEET-UG exams. Concerned over the pandemic situation, candidates from across the country had been demanding postponement of the exams.

According to a senior HRD ministry official, “The committee in its report recommended postponing the exam after reviewing the prevailing situation. There are a large number of centres which fall under containment zones and large areas in Assam and Bihar are facing floods. Therefore, it would not be possible to conduct the exams in the present scenario.”

The delay in the entrance exams will have a cascading effect on the new academic session. The new session for the first year students, as per the present planning, is expected to commence from November.

Full report on www.toi.in

Owing to lockdown, CISCE announces 25% reduction in syllabus for 2021 board exams

New Delhi:

The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) on Friday announced a reduction of up to 25% in syllabus for Classes X and XII board exams in 2021taking into account the learning disruption due to closure of schools during the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

“...Schools across the country have been shut for the past three months due to the lockdown. While a number of CISCE-affiliated schools have tried to adapt to this changed scenario and have tried to keep alive the teaching learning process through online classes, there has been a significant shortening of the academic year and loss of the instructional hours,” CISCE chief executive and secretary Gerry Arathoon said. PTI