There can be no liberty unless there is economic liberty… 
- Margaret Thatcher
 
After the spate of wrenching scams, unruly policy paralysis, untenable inflation, Dr. Manmohan Singh has struck a raw nerve by unveiling the Animal spirit as the Centre has sanctioned the move to direct FDI in retail and aviation. Undoubtedly this can be ticked off as a much needed breakthrough for the economy leading to growth and investor sentiment .Centre has allowed 51% investment in multi brand retail sector while above 51% in single brand retailing. Moreover, the foreign airlines can hold 49% of the stakes in the domestic ones with liberalized sourcing norms. While mulling over the retail sector, diversified India may attract upto $16 billion FDI in the next two to three years in which $10 billion is expected to be a back end investment. The prospective surge in the investment could be a harbinger for our debt laden economy. The policy is expected to foster employment by creating a single job per 250 sq feet in retail.
Multi-brand retailers like Wal-mart, Carrefour, Tesco etc can all be viewed as a boon to the farmers as these will initiate the investment in farm required to store supply chains leading to the "positive negation" of the middlemen in the entire process. In fact, this has plagued the nation so far from achieving higher skies. However, a single morass that could infuse a sting in the sorts of many is that multi brand retailers will only be able to set their stores in less than 20 cities because of the indifferent support in the backdrop of the murk political play by BJP.
 
The beleaguered magnate of our country can finally take a sigh of relief as even after all the loopholes; they still maintain their position as the benefitted lot. They can finally look forward to tap the strategic as well as financial investment to revive the companies out of the blues. Hitherto termed as the raising of adequate capital in the mercurial and fragmented market was not a pushover but now that the push has finally come to shove, the entrepreneurs can stride to raise the much needed capital. The foreign investors who have had their eyes glued to the novelty of Indian market will be requires to invest in the back- end infrastructure that would lead to the reduction in waste of farm produce, improve livelihood of the farmers, lower prices of the produce & mollify the supply-side inflation. This has also helped the single -brand retailers like IKEA and H&M get an inch closer to the Indian market. While talking about the aviation sector the move can be hailed as a last ditch attempt to fake the crash as the foreign investment in domestic airlines can pop the airlines out of the collective debt of Rs. 90,000 crore and an accumulated loss of Rs.42,700 crore. In order to actually lay down the red carpet for the foreign carriers, the centre has to address the baggage of several cost reduction contrary to the 350% hike in jet fuel and the rationalization of the slew of airport charges. It is expected that both sectors put together can generate
employment for about $1 million. The raft of bogeys that could actually lead to the roll back of the glistening red carpet is a bit political as well as economical. On the economic front, the financial crisis, poor governance & policy flip-flops could play a major havoc along with the broad contours of the proposal. The analysts as well as the foreign investors are gazing at it quite cautiously as that is of utmost importance before any steps are undertaken. There are definitely no doubts about the richness of the consumer base India is proud to have in its pocket.
 
On the political front, the recalcitrant opposition& the forsaking allies has dealt with a final blow to the UPA's positive sentiments. The in-door mudslinging, strikes & the royal disorders have much to do with the advent of FDI as BJP is upping the ante against the move, not just for the sake of local kirana shops but also for the sake of backtracking political gains. Both the allies as well as the virulent opposition have been successful in cascading the support and appreciation for FDI to some extent by their much hyped indefinite strikes.


To conclude, if something good has to be jotted down in the papers, the centre should relentlessly slide the FDI forward to finally make a deep impact amid the animosity.

Mrighansh Jain
Editorial Department
University Express

Picture Credit : eurobransindia.com

Every new Semester commence with a bang. New days, new class rooms, new professors, new subjects and almost everything new. One usually takes the first few weeks for granted. Sleeping in, partying, never even bothering to buy the textbooks. Result- assignments and lessons starts piling up and in the end one has to work harder, more than required to get the required work done.
Well, but that is not the life at all, one has to bid adieu to the luxurious living style at some point or other. Difficult, though, but then there’s no other alternative. Believe is not an option, one just has to know College with all the fun also implies better concentration towards work and studies, its about our career after all. Laid back attitude is of no use during the examination, one should never let the procrastination be the reason for their failure.

Most ready tips to help with the difficult assignments one has to do throughout their college career is through “Time Management.”

Write it Down  

Go Planner. Use a notebook, write on papers or stick notes, whatever suitable.
Jot down the assignments and tests and other important works and their due dates on most visible places for it is nearly impossible to remember everything. Once everything is scribbled its easy scheduling time efficiently.

Plan Ahead. Stay Ahead

Knowing when assignments are due makes it easier to plan the schedule. Complete assignments that are due first or require more time instead of easier ones. This lessen down the burden, leaving behind the assignments which can be done easily and quickly with interest.
Don’t wait until the last moment. One might think, after the difficult work has been all set and done, rest may wait and it leads them unfinished until the semester end. So, it’s better to Split the assignments into smaller fragments and set due dates throughout the semester. One will definitely be thankful later for saving themselves from a headache and stress!

Priority

College work should be prioritize before the social life. That doesn’t mean one have to practically make library their home to do well, but must learn to manage and balance between personal and professional front. The world won’t end if not partying for a day. Will it?
We ought to sought our priorities! What has to be done first, should be done by hook or by crook.

Limiting the Distractions

Laptops/Desktops, Cellulars, Television = biggest source of distraction. Best solution is to maintain good distance while working or studying of course not when they are the only gadgets you need to work with [Obvious Pun]. Distracting oneself is lot easier than controlling the urges and working hard. Why not accept it as a challenge?
P.S- Do it once, it might work wonders.

Relax

Scheduling time to relax is just as important as getting the work done. A power nap or two, going for a run or watching few episodes of your favorite soap opera or rather chilling with your friends or a good written work, can help recharge your mind.
Overworking without a break leads to hazy working of brain, which of course ain’t an ideal situation. Its necessary to relax in between work. 

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY LEADS TO DULLNESS AND FRUSTRATION!

Happy Success!

Aditi
Correspondent,
University Express

When one talks about India, one can write pages about this wonderful subcontinent of ours which has place to accommodate all cultures , religions, traditions, ethics, languages etcetera but one thing that surely binds the multifarious people of India is their firm and resolute belief in the many superstitions which prevail in every nook and corner of our beloved country.

There are some household beliefs which is true for all Indian families such as not using the ‘jhaadu’ to sweep the floor right after the person has left the house, the use of "VAASTU" as a guide for floor plans of a house or bathing a new born child in the Ganges . Animals are not far behind when it comes to superstitions. The sacred cow which is considered our ‘mother’ is a part of many beliefs for example the tail end of cows is considered as the most sacred part as fortune Lakshmi resides there!! The cats that seem docile and harmless play a negative role in the bizarre world of superstitions. People believe that one must not proceed if a black cat crosses their way as it brings omen or looking at the cat in the morning is a jinx. People who feel blessed with cat eyes, different from the typical ‘Indian brown eyes’ shouldn’t be so as they are considered if one must say in Hindi terms ‘chaaloo’ and one should never trust them. Days and numbers too are very popular in the Indian superstitions scenario. According to many beliefs people should not shave on Mondays and not wash their hair on Thursdays. Non vegetarian must curb from eating meat on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Saturdays which is called ‘Shani ka din’ one must give alms to the poor so as to not anger the god. People change the spelling of their names as they feel the numerology of their name will bring them success. In the film industry we have seen Ajay Devgan who has changed his name to Ajay ‘Devgn’ as he feels by doing so he will achieve success and deliver hits. Karan Johar, famous for his ‘K’ movies (K3G, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kal Ho Na Ho) believes that ‘K’ is an auspicious alphabet which will bring him success. Tarot card reading is the latest in the superstitious beliefs.

While some say these superstitions are crazy and don’t make sense, some live their lives on the basis of their beliefs and can go to any extent to fulfil them.  Whether it is the illiterate or the educated, rich or poor these superstitions which have existed from time immemorial form an integral part of many traditions and cultures in Indian homes and will continue to do so even in the future. 


Meghna Jain
Editorial Department
University Express

Youth4work.com, a new born beam of illuminated ideas is showing a new way to the employment
obsessed generation and the corporations who look for the ‘right talent’ for recruitments.
 
Delhi, Aug 30th 2012: Students no longer are struggling for the right opportunity to showcase
their true talents. They are no longer struggling to find work that they love to do. The revolution
and the future are not just about finding any job in a big brand for a monthly pay cheque. The
future is about finding the work that you really love, and get paid for doing what you love.
Sounds utopian?
 
Well, I was reminded of what once Japanese writer Haruki Murakami rightly said: “If you are
young and talented, it’s like you have wings”. Catering in the same direction, youth4work.com
is giving youth the wings to fly high and excel. It is helping youth not only in discovering their
talents but also to decide the career they have always wanted to pursue.

What exactly it does?

At youth4work, one can find companies from various sectors to post their jobs for youth- be it fresher or experienced. This gives students a vast option to choose from. Also, most of the companies in India do not hire undergraduate. As a result, most of the students have to wait for their studies to get over before they can actually work. It is because of Youth4work, students are getting a platform to showcase their talents and work for companies and the best part is that they don’t even have to wait for their studies to get over before they can actually start working. At youth4work, companies belonging from various sectors and industries are giving opportunity to youth. It acts as a great opportunity for the youth to choose and work for thesector in which they want to pursue their career. Working for big and reputed companies is providing youth with a chance to actually gain working experience even before joining an actual company. Moreover it is also helpful for those who have not yet decide or are confused about what career to choose. They can try working on various projects on youth4work which in return will help them to unravel their qualities and find their talent. This will help them a lot to decide the perfect career for themselves.

Think out-of-the box

Another thing about youth4work which enables it to stand out is that certificates and prize money which a student receives as a result of winning a project motivates him to join that field for excelling and growing professionally.

Finally… the Nutshell:

Youth4work, being one of its kind, is not only helping youths to get recognition, experience and certificate for their talents, but also they are helping them realise their dreams and enabling them to work towards the career of their choice.

About

Youth4work strives to make the Indian youth more employable by working on them at the grass root level, the time when they are fresh and receiving education. The company wishes to help today’s youth identify their field of interest, so that they can pursue a career in their interest field and help them get placed. Youth4work is absolutely no cost venture for students and each and every student can register themselves and start working on the projects that have been posted on the site.

The results speak for itself, in about an year into beta launch, Youth4work now reaches youth from over 2300 colleges & over 900 companies are posting work on the site. It’s self funded and has more orders from companies right now than it can deliver. It’s growing phenomenally and did we mention the neat profiles that are being created and that may give LinkedIn a chase for its money. Check talents at Youth4work. As a company you can post a conventional job on the site free but in case you are looking to post a freelance project we take a margin over and above the projects posted.

People having a question in their mind don’t always ask them. No matter how stupid the question may be but the answers can be quite interesting.

In this article there is a comparison being done between the school teachers 9one of the most respected and honourable job in the society0 and the politicians (one of the most disorganised and unpopular profession). A normal human will always tend to think-  What is the link or the basis of comparison between a school teacher and a politician as they both are completely different characters? The basic link between a politician and a school teacher is ‘corruption’. We don’t need to speak much about the politicians but the school teachers are also corrupt!

It all starts with an incentive. An incentive is a button, a lever, a switch that guides an action. There are 3 types of incentives – social, moral and economic incentive. The problem occurs when one of the incentive replaces the other. There are many cases when a change in incentives have caused problems.

There was a case in Israel day school. It was observed that everyday 7 to 8 parents came late to pick up their kids. Those kids were taken care by a teacher who had to stay after the working hours. The school authority planned to impose a fine of 3$ if the parents came more than 10 minutes late. This was done to
reduce the number of parents who came late, but instead it turned out that the number increased! After imposing the tax, there were 20 parents coming late everyday! Yes. Why not? 3$ was too cheap! If these parents kept their kids in the crech, it would have costed them about 100$. Now, if the authority impose a
fine of 120$, the number would decrease significantly. Here, the economic incentive has replaced the moral incentive. The parents would have picked their child not because of the moral responsibility but because of the economic loss. Surely,  no problem would have occurred if the parents have realised their moral responsibility.

Another case was witnessed in the field of medical sciences. There was a huge demand of blood donors but the demand wasn’t totally met. The hospital authority implemented a reward of 10$ for the blood donors. Ironically, the number of blood donors decreased significantly. This research was carried out by an economist – Sir Steven Lewitt and he concluded that this was because the social responsibility was replaced by economic incentive. People thought that the suffering and pain they went through was more than the money received. If the authorities further increased the reward, then the demand may have been met but
this would have increased killing. What if the people donated animal’s blood? The social responsibility to donate blood in order to save lives of people in society might have fetched a better and safe result. The response of people towards incentives is phenomenal.

Now, coming back to the teachers, the incentive of today’s school teachers is not to educate the children but to earn money. Their demands have increased significantly and the schools have provided them all the power with a great increase in their salaries. The salary should be enough to fulfill all the basic and daily needs but not more than that. We cannot compare a teacher with a businessman. Remember the incentive for both the professionals are different. Teachers on one hand have an incentive of educating the society and businessmen have an incentive to make money.

The ill-effects of replacing social incentive with economic incentive in the case of teachers is that people are now opting this profession to earn money instead of educating people. As a result, the essence of teaching has deteriorated. Another important effect is the rise in greed and hence corruption. Anything and everything is not enough for a person having an incentive to earn money. It has been found that maximum teachers try to get their salary in cash instead of cheque. In a more better way, converting their
white money into black to get rid of the income taxes. A lot of teachers even give marks on the wrong answers and falls into the act of bribery. This is true. The change is one of the reason of illogical marking in papers which can cause both depreciation as well as appreciation in marks. This has a huge impact on the lives of many student.

We may look inside us and try to find out that why do we always think about politicians when we think about corruption. When the most respected profession is blooming under the shadow of corruption, why do we only blame the politicians to be corrupt? A big question indeed.

The idea of such a comparison is not to blame or criticise the teachers or to support of speak in favour of the politicians. The idea is to – “be the change what you want to see in others”. We don’t always have to blame the politicians when the evil lies in us. Even the auto-rikshaw drivers don’t follow the meter and we happily provide them the extra money encouraging corruption. The leaders leading the nation are amongst us. Had the teachers realised what the real incentive to become a teacher is, the education of the society would have been better and this would have produced leaders and politicians who are honest.Everything is interconnected. We must realise our own mistakes and try to kill the evil inside us. This will surely make our country and the entire world a better place to live in.


Inspired by Freakonomics
Respect to Sir Steven D.
Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner


From the Editor’s Desk