NEWS TODAY 26.03.2024

 

This country wants people aged 40 and above to go back to university. Know why

This country wants people aged 40 and above to go back to university. Know why

By Bishal Kalita

Mar 25, 2024 02:52 PM IST

Singapore wants people aged 40 and above to upskill themselves to stay relevant in the changing world.

Knowledge of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not a skill for the future— it is happening right here, right now, necessitating skill updates for workers in every industry. Though it is still a matter of debate if AI will completely replace human labour, Singapore seems to realise before most of the other countries that it is a good idea to learn how to use it to our benefit. It wants people aged 40 and above to upskill themselves to stay relevant in the changing world.Singapore will invest more than $1 billion in AI computing, talent, and industry development over the next five years as part of its National AI Strategy (NIAS) 2.0

The government has launched a new subsidy scheme for people aged 40 and above to refresh their skills. It will cover at least 90 per cent of the fee of a full-time diploma course in higher education.

Talking about the new subsidy scheme, Tan Wu Meng, Member of Parliament, said that learning together would benefit both middle-aged workers and younger people.

The new subsidy scheme for Singaporeans recognises that what people have learnt in school at the age of 20 may have “changed, transformed and replaced by a new world” by the time they become 40 years old, he said.

“Having mid-career workers learning new skills alongside younger workers — a middle-aged, mid-carer worker alongside someone who’s 18, 19, 20 plus years old — will also transform the education experience in our institutions of higher learning,” Tan Wu Meng said in his speech.

“Older workers bring life experience, life skills and living wisdom into the classroom. Even as they bring that into the classroom, they also learn new skills together with the younger students,” he added.

A vision for the future

Singapore will invest more than $1 billion in AI computing, talent, and industry development over the next five years as part of its National AI Strategy (NIAS) 2.0.

In his speech, the MP mentioned how AI technology is advancing faster than people had predicted.

“I had expected the technology to take another two to three years. As it happened, it took place faster than I imagined. Within 10 months, OpenAI had announced the Sora platform to produce AI-generated video," he said while commenting on the ChatGPT maker OpenAI’s new video tool.

"No country, no economy can hide from these changes in the world with AI…So, we have to accept the world as it is, the way the world is going to be, and look after, support, empower and uplift our people," he added.

NEWS TODAY 25.03.2024

 

 

Over 240 doctors debarred from NEET PG exam The MCC has collected a seat-leaving penalty of Rs 1.21 crore from these medical students

Over 240 doctors debarred from NEET PG exam The MCC has collected a seat-leaving penalty of Rs 1.21 crore from these medical students

 Shuddhanta.Patra@timesgroup.com 25.03.2024 

A total of 242 doctors who left their seats in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2023 counselling have been debarred from appearing in the upcoming NEET PG 2024 exam, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) stated. The MCC’s statement came as a response to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by RTI activist Dr Vivek Pandey. The debarred students are planning to file a PIL to reinstate the opportunity to appear for the NEET exam scheduled in June.

 Speaking to Education Times, a Health Ministry official says, “The MCC rule to disqualify such students has brought down the medical seat wastage under 300 which earlier used to range between 1,000-1,500. These 242 seats will lie vacant for the next three years and each medical seat costs crores of rupees to the government. The seats are blocked as per the candidate’s preference. Despite choosing the seat themselves, when a candidate is giving it up, they are not just giving up their chance to study in that particular medical stream but also not giving a fair chance to other candidates who need the seat. 

Candidates must choose the seats wisely.” Dr Aviral Mathur, president, FORDA, says, “There must be some penalty for students flouting MCC rules but that must not go against the careers of the young doctors. These are the candidates blocking the seats as per their preferences, later changing their minds and not report to the allotted college. They are eventually wiping out the chances for the students who need those seats. The Committee must also rethink the steps considering debarring the students from counselling. The students who are complaining about losing a year must have thought about the outcome before blocking the seats. However, the MCC must contemplate reasonable penalties like increasing the seat-leaving fine or cancelling the candidate’s state quota.” Students’ woes Dr Vivek Pandey says, “A few students approached me regarding this issue, and they wanted the government to remove this debarring criteria if someone is unable to take an allotted seat. 

The MCC is debarring students in the form of punishment because they left their allocated seats after counselling.” APG aspirant from Rajkot, Gujarat, who is one of the 242 doctors debarred from the NEET PG 2024 exam, says, “I scored 5,000 rank in NEET PG 2023, but was not satisfied with the seat I was getting. In the stray round, I gave up my allotted seat since I was looking for an MD in Radiology but instead received an MD in Medicine. This seat was eventually filled in a special stray round. However, I was also not allowed to participate in the special round. My deposit money was forfeited and the allotment letter mentions debarring me from the counselling for NEET PG 2024. 

Since the seat which I left was not wasted, the government’s banning me for a year is not justified.” The MCC has collected an undertaking from the candidates appearing in the special stray vacancy round amounting to Rs 1.21 crore as a penalty for leaving these seats.

EC fixes poll rate card, chicken biriyani down to Rs 150 from Rs 180

EC fixes poll rate card, chicken biriyani down to Rs 150 from Rs 180

The expenditure limit for parliamentary constituencies has been increased from Rs 70 lakh to Rs 95 lakh between the 2019 and 2024 elections

Election Commission of India in New Delhi. (Photo |Shekhar Yadav, EPS)

B Anbuselvan

Updated on:

23 Mar 2024, 7:41 am

CHENNAI: With the DMK, AIADMK, BJP gearing up for campaign, a recent ECI notification comprising a revised price list of over 200 items used for trail, will be of help to the candidates to ensure they do not exceed the spending limit, at least in their official expenditure submissions.

The expenditure limit for parliamentary constituencies has been increased from Rs 70 lakh to Rs 95 lakh between the 2019 and 2024 elections. As a result, the EC has marginally increased the prices of items and services utilised by political parties. The district election officer will evaluate the expenses incurred by candidates using the price list.

According to a recent order issued by Chennai district election officer J Radhakrishnan, the price of tea has been raised from Rs 10 to Rs 15 and coffee from Rs 15 to Rs 20, while the rate of chicken biriyani has been reduced from Rs 180 to Rs 150 per packet compared to 2019. The price of mutton biryani remains Rs 200 per packet. The prices of t-shirts and sarees have also not been increased.

The list comprises items, including food provided to those participating in campaign-related activities, vehicles, and other furniture hired for campaign offices and meetings, expenses for stage decoration, worker wages, electronic devices, and items such as banners, posters, chairs, and flags. Expenses for welcoming political leaders, including crackers, posters, garlands, and cultural dances, will also be included in the candidate’s expenses.

Official sources said the campaign rates are determined according to the recommendations of the Public Works Department for each district. “The PWD issues a price list based on wholesale price index, inflation rate, and other economic indicators provided by the finance department. Prices for certain items may vary across districts based on PWD rates,” said an official.

A booth committee representative of the AIADMK in Chennai said, “It is practically not possible to monitor every expense. However, EC officials insist on proper accounting for chairs, tables, fans, and other items during campaign meetings. The prices quoted by the EC were too high for some items.”

The cost of campaign meetings involving star campaigners is likely to increase, as the EC has set a higher rate for electrical equipment. According to the order, Rs 31,305 has been fixed per day for supplying 4.5-tonne floor-mounting air conditioners for the stage. Similarly, higher charges have been set for the use of sports utility vehicles during the campaign.

An official said expenditure observers have been appointed for each constituency, and campaign activities by candidates and their party members will be videographed.