VSE Awarded Follow-on Work Supporting Foreign Military Sales Program for Egyptian Navy

Additional Funding Will Allow Continued Support of Egyptian Navy Fleet
Development and Sustainment Efforts

ALEXANDRIA, Va.–(Business Wire)–
VSE Corporation (Nasdaq GS:VSEC) reported that its International Group`s GLOBAL
Division has received an award to continue work being conducted in Alexandria,
Egypt.

The $35.8M In-Country Technical Assist award will enable GLOBAL Division to
provide Management, Engineering, Technical, Training and Logistics support for
the Egyptian Navy FMS programs and ex-United States Navy transferred ships
either in port or at sea, as necessary to support ship operations, training and
maintenance.

Additionally, the contract provides continuing funding to support an Industrial
Training School, a Damage Control and Fire Fighting School, and provides
continuing support to assist the Egyptian Navy in improving their shipyard
infrastructure.

Mike Hamerly, President of International Group, says, “We are excited to
continue our productive working relationship with the Egyptian Navy that has
allowed for successful training and implementation of various functions and
services essential to effective fleet development and sustainment.”

About VSE`s International Group

International Group provides engineering, industrial, logistics and foreign
military sales services to the U.S. military and other government agencies.
GLOBAL Division provides assistance to the U.S. Navy in executing its Foreign
Military Sales (“FMS”) Program for ex-U.S. Navy surface ships sold, leased or
granted to foreign countries by providing program management, engineering,
industrial support, technical support, logistics and crew training services for
ship reactivations and transfers and follow-on support. Fleet Maintenance
Division provides global field engineering, logistics, maintenance, and
information technology services to the U.S. Navy, Army and Air Force, including
fleet-wide ship, vehicle and aircraft support programs. FMD`s expertise includes
ship repair and modernization, ship systems installations, facility operations,
war reserve materials management, aircraft sustainment and maintenance
automation, and IT systems integration. Under its Government Services
Department, FMD also provides seized and forfeited property management for the
U.S. Treasury including, retrieval, transportation, storage, liquidation and
facilities management. Munitions and Ordnance Department of FMD provides
munitions and ordnance R&D, operational requirements support, decontamination,
demilitarization, and program management support. For more information about
International Group`s services please see the VSE Corporation website at
www.vsecorp.com or contact Donald Babcock at (703) 329-4683.

About VSE

VSE marked its 50th year as a government contractor in 2009. VSE is a
diversified Federal services company of choice for solving issues of global
significance with integrity, agility, and value. VSE is dedicated to making our
clients successful by delivering talented people and innovative solutions for
logistics, engineering, IT services, construction management and consulting. For
additional information on VSE services and products, please see the company`s
web site at www.vsecorp.com or contact Randy Hollstein, VSE Corporate Vice
President of Sales and Marketing, at (703) 329-3206.

Safe Harbor

This news release contains statements which, to the extent they are not
recitations of historical fact, constitute “forward looking statements” under
federal securities laws. All such statements are intended to be subject to the
safe harbor protection provided by applicable securities laws. For discussions
identifying some important factors that could cause actual VSE results to differ
materially from those anticipated in the forward looking statements in this news
release, see VSE`s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

VSE Corporation
News Contact:
Sylvia Gethicker, 703-329-4610
or
Investor Relations:
Keren Ackerman, 703-329-4605

Copyright Business Wire 2010

Workshop on use of textiles in agriculture to begin today

New Delhi, Sept 18 (ANI): The Ministry of Textiles and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) will jointly organise a workshop on use of textiles in agriculture here today.

Over 100 delegates from various sectors like agriculture, the State Governments, agricultural universities, forest departments and institutes will attend the workshop.

The technical textiles are used in agriculture to fabricate shade-nets, crop-covers, mulch-nets, anti-hail nets, bird protection nets, fishing nets and greenhouse covers. The use of these items is very limited in the context of Indian agriculture.

The objective of the workshop is to sensitize stakeholders about myriad applications of technical textiles in agriculture and environmental engineering.

It will also create awareness amongst the stakeholders about the benefits of these items.

The workshop will also focus on various rules/legislations that need to be amended to facilitate the use of these textiles in various applications.

Technical textiles products used in the agriculture are known as Agrotech and those used for environmental protection are called Oekotech.

The major applications of Oekotech are for landfill waste management. It includes products used to prevent leakage of municipal or hazardous waste in landfills and suitable use of waste.

The consumption of these technical textiles products remains limited despite their perceived benefits.

With rapid urbanisation, the waste management has become major issue in India and Oekotech applications provide an effective way of managing the waste in an environment friendly manner. (ANI)

New test to detect tainted milk

Washington, Sept 13 (ANI): Researchers have developed a simple test that would help detect tainted milk within few hours.

Amer AbuGhazaleh, from Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s College of Agricultural Sciences, and Salam Ibrahim, a food microbiologist from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, have shown that the combination of certain bacteria and a common purple dye can reveal the presence of toxins in milk in just a few hours.

“To date, detecting the presence of toxins or pesticides has only been possible by sending samples to a laboratory and waiting a few days for the results,” said AbuGhazaleh.

“An important step toward improving the safety of our dairy supply would be the development of an effective, simple and rapid test that would allow farmers or processors to detect the presence of foreign substances,” the expert added.

During the study, the scientists decided to focus on the bacteria that ferment lactose (milk’s sugars), producing lactic acid.

“For one thing, these bacteria already exist in milk, so if you add some, you’re not doing anything strange,” said AbuGhazaleh.

“Second, they produce a change over time (the lactic acid) that we could monitor. If we didn’t see the change, we would know something was wrong,” the expert said.

They began in 2008 with a few bacterial strains they already had and cyanide, also readily available. Experiments showed not only that the toxin could slow or stop lactic acid production but that this effect increased with the toxic load. Further, the effect appeared in less than four hours.

They then added purple dye to milk samples containing both toxins and bacteria and to samples containing only bacteria.

After eight hours, dye in the non-toxic milk turned yellow, indicating the presence of increased lactic acid, while dye in the toxin-laden milk retained its original purple.

“This kind of colour test could be performed by farmers themselves,” AbuGhazleh said.

“They could add the bacteria and the dye to a sample, leave it alone for a little while and then come back to see if there is any change in the color. If there isn’t, there are problems with the milk,” he added. (ANI)

India, Nepal agree to review Air Service Agreement

New Delhi, Sep 11 (ANI): India and Nepal signed here a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for review of Air Service Agreement (ASA) and a technical accord.

As per the understanding reached between the delegation from the two countries, the weekly seat capacity has been increased to 30,000 from the existing 6,000. This step can safely be expected to give a whole new boost to tourism as well as trade between the two countries.

Three new points have been granted to Nepal, namely Dehra Dun, Gorakhpur and Bagdogra and for India, Pokhara, Lumbini, Biratnagar, Nepalgunj, Janakpur, Dhangadi and Bhairahawa.

However, within their overall capacity entitlements, the designated airlines of Nepal shall be entitled to operate not exceeding 10,000 seats per week to/from Mumbai and Bangalore each and not exceeding 15,000 seats per week to/from Delhi. This restriction will become null and void from January 1, 2011.

Regarding the revised route schedule, the Nepali delegation stated that barring Kathmandu, there is no other airport in Nepal which is suitable for operation of international flights.

The designated airlines of each party shall be entitled to operate any number of all-cargo services between each other’s territory with any type of aircraft with full 3rd, 4th and 5th freedom traffic rights. Such all-cargo services may also be operated under co-operative marketing arrangements such as code sharing blocked space.

The delegations took note of the Technical Co-operation Agreement signed between the Airports Authority of India and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. Both sides agreed to take further action for implementation of this Agreement.

The Indian side reiterated its request that permission for the deployment of sky marshals on the flights operated by the designated airlines of India to/from Nepal may be expedited.

The Nepal side took note of the request and informed that the matter had already been referred to the appropriate authority of the Government of Nepal. The Nepal side will pursue the matter. This Memorandum of Understanding shall super cede all previous arrangements to the extent applicable and shall come into force with immediate effect.

The Indian delegation was led by M. Madhavan Nambiar, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Nepal side was led by Nagendra Prasad Ghimire, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation. (ANI)

USTDA grant promotes development of India’s helicopter sector

New Delhi, Aug.28 (ANI): U.S. Ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer today awarded a grant of Rupees 24 million (501,849 dollars) to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Government of India.

This technical assistance grant is designed to help update India’s standards and regulations governing helicopter operations and facilitate the expansion of safe and reliable helicopter services throughout India.

This grant highlights the expanding partnership between the Indian and U.S. aviation sectors that will lead to new exchanges of technology and best practices in the development and implementation of aviation safety standards.

Today’s grant is the fifth bilateral partnership under the U.S.-India Aviation Cooperation Program (ACP).

Ambassador Roemer noted after the signing, “Today, the U.S.-India Aviation Cooperation Program expands into a new area. The signing of the Helicopter Aviation Safety Technical Assistance project, led by Bell Helicopter, will provide expertise to improve India’s expanding helicopter sector and will expand opportunities for increased trade between our two countries.”

USTDA advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries. USTDA’s strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development. In carrying out its mission, USTDA gives emphasis to economic sectors that may benefit from U.S. exports of goods and services. (ANI)

Now, an intelligent system to help the elderly avoid forgetting everyday tasks

Washington, August 28 (ANI): Scientists at the University of Granada (UGR) have announced the creation of a system that uses Artificial Intelligence techniques to help elderly people, or those with special needs, avoid forgetting certain everyday tasks.

The researchers have revealed that their system uses sensors distributed in the environment to detect people’s actions, and mobile devices to remind them.

Suppose, say the researchers, an elderly lady who is about to go to bed goes into her room, sits down on the bed, takes off her slippers, and turns off the light.

According to them, before she gets into bed, a small alarm will go off, and a mobile device will remind her that she has forgotten to take her tablets.

“It is a prototype which, in a non-intrusive manner, facilitates the control of the activity of people with special needs and increases their independence,” said Maria Ros Izquierdo, from the Higher Technical School of Computer Engineering of the UGR.

The system recognizes the everyday actions of the users by means of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) labels. These labels are discreetly placed on the objects that the individuals touch most often, in such a way that, when they do so, a signal is sent to a computer or mobile device situated in the house itself or at an assistance centre some distance away.

To compile a list of actions-such as remembering to take the keys or the mobile phone before leaving home-the activities of the people are assessed with Artificial Intelligence techniques.

“It is not necessary to use cameras or microphones, and the devices which are used do not entail any technological complications for users, nor do they modify their daily routines,” said Ros.

To evaluate the novel system, the university team have also designed an intelligent space called ‘Tagged World’, which simulates the rooms of a house, with sensors embedded in the environment helping to recognize the behaviour of its occupants.

The researchers monitored each user so as to obtain an individualized database. They later verified with a test the reliability of the system and the degree of intrusion felt by the participants.

“The system does not modify the life of the users, but does positively modify that of the people who look after them,” indicated Ros, who recalled that elderly people or those with special needs often reject the aid of others and demand more independence.

The researcher believes that the new system may help to achieve this objective.

A research article describing the new system has been published in the Expert Systems with Applications magazine. (ANI)

UPTU Results ~ UPTU B.Tech Exam Results 2009 ~ UP Technical University B.Tech 2009 Results and Marks in upresults.nic.in ~ UPTU B.Tech Results ~ UPTU Results 2009

UPTU Results ~ UPTU B.Tech Exam Results 2009 ~ UP Technical University B.Tech 2009 Results and Marks in upresults.nic.in ~ UPTU B.Tech Results ~ UPTU Results 2009

Uttar Pradesh Technical University (UPTU) has declared 2009 B.Tech Results. These Results are available on UPTU Website – http://upresults.nic.in/

Direct Link to Results –

B.Tech First Year 2008-09
B.Tech Final Year 2008-09
B.Tech (AG) Final Year 2008-09

Best of Luck !!!

ERNET India ~ ERNET India 2009 Recruitment ~ Jobs Opportunities in ERNET India in eis.ernet.in

ERNET India ~ ERNET India 2009 Recruitment ~ Jobs Opportunities in ERNET India in eis.ernet.in

ERNET India, an autonomous scientific society under Department of Information Technology invites applications for the following posts :

1. Senior Manager : 01 post, Pay Scale : Rs.37400-67000 Grade Pay Rs.8700
2. Manager : 02 posts, Pay Scale : Rs.15600-39100 Grade pay Rs.7600
3. Technical Assistant : 02 posts, Pay Scale : Rs.9300-34800 grade pay Rs.4200
4. Private Secretary : 01 post, Pay Scale : Rs.9300-34800 grade pay Rs.4200
5. Assistant : 02 posts, pay scale : Rs.9300-34800 grade pay Rs.4200
6. Stenographer : 05 posts, Pay Scale : Rs.5200-20200 grade pay Rs.2400

How to Apply :

Application in the prescribed format should be send with in 45 days with copies of certificates.

Visit http://www.eis.ernet.in/ for more details and application form.

RMAT ~ RMAT 2009 ~ Rajasthan Management Education Admission Test 2009 ~ Rajasthan MAT 2009 ~ RMAT Exam Center & Admit Card at techedu.rajasthan.gov.in

RMAT ~ RMAT 2009 ~ Rajasthan Management Education Admission Test 2009 ~ Rajasthan MAT 2009 ~ RMAT Exam Center & Admit Card at techedu.rajasthan.gov.in

Board of Technical Education (BTER), Rajasthan conducts RMAT (Rajasthan Management Admission Test) for admission in Management Courses in colleges of Rajasthan.

RMAT 2009 will be conducted very shortly.

The admit card of the examination have been dispatched to the students address. If you have not received admit card then you can download the admit card and center detail from link mentioned below – http://techedu.rajasthan.gov.in/RMAT/Getrno.htm

MSBTE ~ MSBTE Results ~ MSBTE Diploma Exam Result 2009 ~ MSBTE Exam Results 2009 ~ www.msbte.com ~ Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education

MSBTE ~ MSBTE Results ~ MSBTE Diploma Exam Result 2009 ~ MSBTE Exam Results 2009 ~ www.msbte.com ~ Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education

Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education (MSBTE) has declared results of summer 2009 Diploma examination of Andaman and Nicobar Govt. Polytechnic.

These Results are avialable on MSBTE Website – http://www.msbte.com/

Direct Link to Results – http://www.msbte.com/site/resultsandnic.php

SAIL Admit Card ~ Sail Jobs Recruitment ~ Sail Recruitment of Management Trainees Jobs 2009 ~ www.sail.co.in

SAIL Admit Card ~ Sail Jobs Recruitment ~ Sail Recruitment of Management Trainees Jobs 2009 ~ www.sail.co.in

SAIL (Steel Authority of India Ltd.) invites application from young, energetic and result oriented persons for around 300 posts of Management Trainees (Technical).

Candidates having engineering degree :

  • in Production/Industrial Engg./Manufacturing can apply against Mechanical discipline
  • in Electronics & Communications can apply against Electronics and Telecommunication discipline
  • in Information technology can apply against Computer Science discipline

Important Links

* Eligibility Criteria & General Information
* Download Pay-In-Slip
* Download Registration Slip

Admit Card Download : SAIL Recruitment of MT (Technical) – http://www.sail.co.in/aboutus.php?tag=ManagementTrainees

List of MCA and MBA Colleges at Delhi ~ MCA / MBA Colleges in Delhi ~ List of MCA / MBA Colleges ~ MCA MBA Colleges ~ MBA Colleges Details ~ MCA Colleges Details

List of MCA and MBA Colleges at Delhi ~ MCA / MBA Colleges in Delhi ~ List of MCA / MBA Colleges ~ MCA MBA Colleges ~ MBA Colleges Details ~ MCA Colleges Details

1 . College Name Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Information Technology

Address Chandiwala Estate-Maa Anandmai Marg-Kalkaji-New Delhi

Courses MCA

2 . College Name Bhai Parmanand Institute of Business Studies

Address Shakarpur (Ext) Near Railway Crossing-Madhuban- Delhi

Courses MCA

3 . College Name Bharati Vidyapeeth’s Institute of Management

Address A-4-Paschim Vihar-Rohtak Road-Delhi

Courses MCA

4 . College Name Delhi Institute of Advanced Studies

Address No. 32 & 33, Sector- XIII, Rohini, Delhi

Courses MBA

5 . College Name Delhi Kannada Education Society’s Institute

Address No.3-Lodhi Estate-New Delhi

Courses MCA

6 . College Name Faculty of MCA MBA& Technology

Address Jamia Nagar Delhi

Courses MBA

7 . College Name Fore School of Management

Address B-18-Qutab Institutional Area-Delhi

Courses MCA

8 . College Name Guru Nanak Institute of Management

Address Road No.75-GHPS Complex-Punjabi Bagh-Delhi

Courses MCA

9 . College Name Hamdard Institute of Management Studies

Address Training & Reseach, Hamdard Nagar

Courses MBA

10 . College Name Indraprastha Institute of Management

Address Plot No.32&33-Sector-XIII-Rohini-Delhi

Courses MCA

11 . College Name Indraprastha University

Address Kashmere Gate Delhi

Courses MBA (INT. Marketing)

12 . College Name Institute of Business Admn. & Management

Address Daryaganj, New Delhi

Courses MBA

13 . College Name Jagan Institute of Management Studies

Address 3-Institutional Area-Sector-5-Rohini-Delhi

Courses MCA

14 . College Name Jamia Hamdarad

Address Hamdard Nagar-Delhi

Courses MCA

15 . College Name Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management

Address Shastri Sadan Sector-III-R.K. Puram-Delhi

Courses MCA

16 . College Name Management Education & Research Institute

Address Perm.:-Village-Kazipur-P.O.- Ujawa-Delhi Temp:- M-Block-Vikaspuri-Delhi

Courses MCA

17 . College Name New Delhi Institute of Management

Address 61, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi

Courses MBA

18 . College Name Rukmini Devi Institute of Management Studies

Address 2A-B-Phase-I-Rohini-Madhuban Chowk-Delhi

Courses MCA

19 . College Name Rukmini Devi Institute of Management Studies

Address CD Block, Pitampura- Delhi

Courses MBA

20 . College Name Sri Fort College of Computer Technology & Management

Address Delhi

Courses MCA

21 . College Name Technical Institute of Advanced Studies

Address Bajitpur, Thakran, Delhi

Courses MBA

22 . College Name The Indian Institute of Planning & Management

Address IIPM Tower, C-10, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi 110017

Phone : 51799994(D), 51799993(D),

Website : www.iipm.edu

Courses MBA

Government adopts zero tolerance against ragging

New Delhi, July 3 (ANI): Union Government reiterated its stand of zero tolerance for ragging in institutions of higher education and said tough regulations have been put in force against this menace.

Replying a short duration discussion on increasing incidents of ragging in the country in Rajya Sabha today Union Human Resource Minister Kapil Sibal said the policy of the government shall be zero tolerance for anti social activities like ragging.

Sibal said stringent measures against ragging could include rustication of student, withholding of scholarship, derecognising the institution, debarring student from appearing in any test and stopping of grant to the institution.

He said previously, the government made its mind to educate students to not to indulge in ragging activities, but now the focus would be on taking strict measures to prevent ragging incidents.

Ruling out the demand for national law against ragging, Sibal said the regulations made by the University Grant Commission (UGC) have the backing of the constitution, and all educational institutions in the country have to abide by these regulations.

The HRD minister also disclosed that his ministry has written letter to All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Medical Council of India (MCI), Dental Council of India (DCI) and Indian Nursing Council (INC) to adopt the regulations made by the UGC against ragging.

In the mid June President of India wrote a letter to the Governors and Lt Governors of all the states to use their office to control the menace of ragging in their respective states. (ANI)

RPET ~ RPET 2009 ~ RPET Results ~ 2009 RPET Education ~Education RPET 2009 Results ~ techedu.rajasthan.gov.in ~ Rajesthan Pre Engineering Test ~ Rajesthan Pre Engineering Test 2009 Results

RPET ~ RPET 2009 ~ RPET Results ~ 2009 RPET Education ~Education RPET 2009 Results ~ techedu.rajasthan.gov.in ~ Rajesthan Pre Engineering Test ~ Rajesthan Pre Engineering Test 2009 Results

The Board of Technical Education, Rajasthan conducted the Rajasthan Pre Engineering Test (RPET), 2009 on June 18, 2009.

Soon Rajesthan Pre Engineering Test 2009 (RPET) Results will be published.

Results when announced will be available on http://techedu.rajasthan.gov.in/RPET/RPET.htm

Alternative Link – http://techedu.rajasthan.gov.in

Haryana HSCS Results ~ HSCS Result 2009 ~ HSCS DET & DET (L) Results 2009 ~ www.hscs.in ~ 2009 HSCS

Haryana HSCS Results ~ HSCS Result 2009 ~ HSCS DET & DET (L) Results 2009 ~ www.hscs.in ~ 2009 HSCS

Haryana State Counseling Society (HSCS), under Department of Technical Education (DTE), Govt of Haryana conducted Entrance Test for admission into polytechnics for Diploma in Engineering, Diploma in Pharmacy and Diploma in Management.

These Results are available on HSCS Website – http://www.hscs.in/

Direct Link to Results – http://www.hscs.in/Result.aspx

Gujarat Technical University ~ GTU ~ GTU 2009 ~ Gujarat GTU GCET ~ Gujarat GTU GCET 2009 ~ GCET ~ GCET 2009 ~ Gujarat GTU GCET 2009 Hall Tickets Download ~ GTU 2009 Exam ~ GTU Entrance Exam ~ Gujarat GTU GCET MBA and MCA Admission 2009 ~ www.gtu.ac.in

Gujarat Technical University ~ GTU ~ GTU 2009 ~ Gujarat GTU GCET ~ Gujarat GTU GCET 2009 ~ GCET ~ GCET 2009 ~ Gujarat GTU GCET 2009 Hall Tickets Download ~ GTU 2009 Exam ~ GTU Entrance Exam ~ Gujarat GTU GCET MBA and MCA Admission 2009 ~ www.gtu.ac.in

Gujarat Technical University – GTU has declared Results of Gujarat Common Entrance Test (GCET) 2009.

GCET Enterance Exam is required for admission to MBA and MCA in almost all colleges in Gujarat which offer MBA and MCA courses.

GTU Results can be checked at following websites -

http://gtu.ac.in/results.htm
http://www.gtu.ac.in/gcet.htm
http://gujarat-education.gov.in/education/

Gujarat Technological University Contact Details :

L.D College of Engineering Campus,
Navarangpura,
Ahmedabad -380 0015
Phone: 079-2630 0499, 079-2630 0599
Fax : 079-2630 1500
Official Website – http://www.gtu.ac.in/

Education panel wants UGC, AICTE scrapped

NEW DELHI: In an ambitious blueprint for reform of the education sector, the high-powered Yashpal Committee has recommended scrapping a whole lot of powerful bodies — University Grants Commission, All India Council for Technical Education, National Council for Teacher Education and Distance Education Council.

The committee, whose report is expected to serve as a template for measures to clean up the mess in higher education
, has also recommended that IITs/IIMs be turned into universities and a GRE like test be evolved for university education.

The committee said a plethora of regulatory bodies like UGC should be replaced by a super regulator: a seven-member Commission for Higher Education and Research (CHER) under an Act of Parliament. It has also recommended, obviously with a view to buffer the new regulator against political and other pressures, that the position of chairperson of the proposed commission should be analogous to that of election commissioners.

The high-powered committee was set up under renowned scientist Yashpal, a former UGC chairman, with the mandate to suggest measures for “renovation and rejuvenation” of higher education in the country.

It also said the jurisdiction of other regulators — Medical Council of India, Bar Council of India and others — be confined to administrative matters, with universities taking up their academic responsibilities.

Finalised on Monday and to be given to HRD minister Kapil Sibal on Wednesday, the report said that IITs and IIMs should be encouraged to diversify and expand their scope to work as full-fledged universities.

The panel also proposed a national testing scheme for university admissions on the lines of GRE which would be open to all aspirants and would be held more than once a year.

The proposed CHER, the report said, should first identify India’s 1,500 top colleges to upgrade them as universities and then create clusters of potentially good colleges to evolve as universities. Also, all levels of teacher education should be brought under the purview of higher education.

Expressing concern on the mushrooming of engineering and management colleges, that had “largely become business entities dispensing very poor quality education”, Yashpal committee lamented the growth of deemed universities and called for a complete ban on further grant of such status. Existing ones, the committee said, should be given three years to develop as a university and fulfil the prescribed accreditation norms.

Raising doubts about the source of funding of private education providers, the committee said mostly it was either “unaccounted wealth from business and political enterprises or from capitation fees”. It said the system of conferring academic designations as chancellors and vice-chancellors to members of the promoter’s family should be done away with. They should submit to a national accreditation system. However, the committee underlined the need for private investment in higher education.

Recommending curricular reform, the committee said teachers should have the freedom to design courses and students should be able to study subjects outside their courses.

Of the seven members of the proposed CHER, one would be an eminent professional from the world of industry. Chairperson and members will be selected by a committee headed by the PM, Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India. Commission will have five divisions dealing with future directions, accreditation management, funding and development and new institutions. An eminent individual will head each division for five years.

Miniscule magnets in ant antennae act as internal GPS

Washington, May 22 (ANI): A new research has led to the discovery of miniscule magnets in ant antennae, which act as an internal GPS (Global positioning system), making these insects aware as to where they are going.

According to a report in Discovery News, while human global positioning systems rely upon receivers that pick up information from a network of satellites, the probable ant system weighs next to nothing, requires little energy to operate and appears to be mostly built out of dirt.

“The ants we studied dwell in tropical soils that are full of very fine-grained iron minerals, so there is plenty of material available,” said researcher Dr Jandira Ferreira de Oliveira of the Technical University of Munich and the Brazilian Center for Physics Research.

“The incorporation of minerals probably starts as soon as ants start getting in touch with soil,” she said.

Her team found ultra fine-grained crystals of magnetic magnetite, maghemite, hematite, goethite, and aluminum silicates in ant antennae.

These particles could make a “biological compass needle” that drives ant GPS.

For the study, published in the latest Journal of the Royal Society Interface, Oliveira and her colleagues collected worker ants from the species Pachycondyla marginata in Sao Paulo.

Prior studies found these ants tend to always migrate at an orientation of 13 degrees relative to Earth’s geomagnetic north-south axis, and that the ant’s strongest magnetic signal comes from its antennae.

High-powered microscopes and chemical analysis revealed the presence of the dirt-acquired magnetic particles in the antennae, intriguingly next to a body part called the Johnston’s organ that may also be part of the ant’s GPS.

According to Oliveira, “Our planet is magnetized, likely due to rotational forces of liquid iron in earth’s core. Although the resulting magnetic field is one-twenty thousandth as strong as a refrigerator magnet, ants appear to perceive the geomagnetic information through a magnetic sensor (the dirt particles), transduce it in a signal to the nervous system and then to the brain.”

The University of Oxford’s Dr Robert Srygley, one of the world’s leading insect experts, said that the new study “is a major advance toward finding the magnetic compass in this nomadic ant.” (ANI)

Building on Indian Navy’s initiative, Lanka hosts 34 navies of IOR

New Delhi, May 21 (ANI): Taking the Indian Navy’s initiative a step further to increase maritime cooperation among navies/maritime agencies in the Indian Ocean Region, the Sri Lanka Navy is hosting IONS Technical Seminar 2009 in which delegates of thirty-four nations are participating.

The IONS (Indian Ocean Naval Symposium) provides a forum for discussion of issues, both regional and global. The Indian Navy wants to generate a flow of information and opinion between naval professionals.

The IONS came into existence as a consequence of the deliberations made by the commanders of the navies around the Indian Ocean who gathered in India in February 2008 at the invitation of Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta.

The seminar conducted by the Lankan Navy under the theme of ‘Practical Cooperative Mechanisms for Technical Support within the Indian Ocean. It is being held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on May 21-22.

Sri Lanka Navy, which extends its unstinting support for IONS, is showing its commitment to maintain the regional momentum generated through the regional maritime security initiative alive by hosting the technical seminar, which is expected to enhance the cooperation among regional navies.

The technical seminar will focus its attention on formulation of standards for interoperability and technical cooperation between IONS countries, understanding procedures, maintenance and repair methodologies being followed in IONS countries.

It is expected that the IONS Technical Seminar will provide a conducive platform for the participants to deliberate upon technical issues, which come under the IONS mandate and in turn enhance the friendship and professional cooperation among the Navies of the Indian Ocean Region.

By conducting the Technical Seminar in Sri Lanka, it is believed that the country as a whole and the Sri Lanka Navy in particular can achieve greater acceptance among regional navies. By Praful umar Singh (ANI)