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Australian university decision impacts overseas students

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IFS students in class

Dateline Dehradun: Students making a beeline for further studies in any of these Australian universities of Federation University, Western Sydney University, Victoria University, Edith Cowan University, the University of Wollongong, Torrens University including agents affiliated with Southern Cross University might need to re-think.

Amidst surge in ‘fraudulent applications’ from Uttarakhand, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir there has been a noticeable tightening of scrutiny on Indian students’ applications in the above mentioned universities in Australia.

Over the years, unethical agents from certain areas of the country submitting fake and fraudulent documents has led five Indian States to be highlighted as ‘high-risk.’ However, this approach has drawn wide-spread criticism for its generalized nature that contradict the very principles of equal opportunity and fairness that Australia upholds.

 Uttarakhand students impacted

Mr. Ravinder Virmani, Director of Innovative Future Steps, a prominent overseas education consultancy in Dehradun, expressed his concerns stating, “it is grossly unfair and discriminatory to ban an entire state. Not all students or educational institutions from these regions engage in unethical practices. We put checks and balances in place to ensure a seamless and transparent process is in place. Our consultancy is based on honesty, transparency and reputation and that is why we have a 98% visa success rate.”

Suggestions have come in from all quarters: Instead of implementing a blanket ban, educational providers can adopt more rigorous measures to verify applications, leveraging the existing Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) mechanism to identify potential fraudulent individuals. Implementing checks and balances at various levels, including agents, EduTech portals, education providers and the Department of Home Affairs (DHA.”

Concern has grown over how unethical and dishonest players within India have tarnished the reputation of the industry. Virmani further added,  “Students and parents must understand that following unethical advice or engaging in dishonest practices recommended by unscrupulous agents or consultants can negatively impact their child’s future. It is crucial to prioritise the student’s genuine educational aspirations over deceptive “package” deals that serve as a scam.”

With the Indian Ministry of External Affairs taking note of the situation, it is expected that the Australian government will urge the universities to reconsider their decision as denying genuine students from high-risk regions equal opportunities would be unfair.

PTE gets approval for Student Direct Stream visa into Canada

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IFS in Dehradun

Dateline Dehradun: In a news concerning thousands of aspiring students who would like to study in Canada, Pearson today announced that it had received the approval from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for PTE Academic to be accepted for all SDS (Student Direct Stream) applications.

Welcoming the positive step, Mr. Ravinder Virmani, Director of Innovative Future Steps– a leading PTE & IELTS coaching center in Dehradun said, “this will greatly benefit students aspiring to study in Canada. PTE has test centers globally and students get their results in less than 2 days on average.”

What is Student Direct Stream?

Student Direct Stream (SDS) is an expedited study-permit process for students applying to study in Canada from Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vietnam.

As per IRCC figures for 2022, Canada reached an all-time high for international students. By  the end of October last year, IRCC had processed over 750,300 study permit applications.

Class in progress at Innovative Future Steps

Who can take PTE Academic?

PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English Academic) is a computer-based English language proficiency test that is widely accepted by universities, colleges, and governments around the world. It is primarily taken by non-native English speakers who are seeking to study abroad or immigrate to English-speaking countries. The test measures an individual’s English language skills in the areas of speaking, writing, listening, and reading.

It’s important to note that the specific requirements and acceptance of PTE Academic may vary depending on the institution or organization you are applying to. It is recommended to check the official websites or contact the relevant institutions to confirm their specific English language proficiency requirements and whether they accept PTE Academic as a valid test score.

About Innovative Future Steps

Innovative Future Steps, one of the best PTE & IELTS coaching center in Dehradun was established in the year 2014. Over the years, Innovative Future Steps has helped over hundreds of students’ study abroad in prestigious universities and colleges based in Australia, Canada, New Zealand etc. IFS is also the first recognized PTE center in Dehradun.

For more details visit https://www.futurestepsedu.com/ 

On the Top of the World: Aparna Kumar

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Aparna Kumar,

“Mountains know secrets we need to learn. That it might take time, it might be hard, but if you just hold on long enough, you will find the strength to rise up.” – Tyler Knott

Aparna Kumar, IPS, UP cadre, IG, PAC Central zone, celebrates 7 years of summiting Mount Everest on May 21st, 2016 in an emotional yet proud memory through this blog.

The journey to reach the Summit of Mount Everest (@ 29,030 feet) began in April, 2014 from the South side in Nepal. The expedition was aborted within few days of Aparna reaching the Everest basecamp/EBC, due to one of the worst avalanche disasters that killed the advance party of 16 Sherpas.

Next year, in 2015, she attempted from the North side via China, but as luck would have it, while she was climbing above 22,000 ft, a major earthquake rocked Himalayas with its epicenter in Nepal killing over 20,000 people. Aparna was out of range for 36 hours, hastily making her way back to basecamp, navigating her way through pitch darkness with just her headlamps to guide her as loose rock and boulders showered all around her.

It was a nerve-wracking 36 hours to find her exact location before a short satellite phone call from the basecamp assured her family that she was safe. All expeditions worldwide were cancelled in 2015.

On her third attempt from the more difficult North side via Tibet, Aparna was blessed by the  Mountain God. She summited the peak. She reached the ‘Top of the World‘ on the morning of ‘Buddha Purnima,’ on May 21st, 2016.

Later, Aparna achieved her target of completing all ‘Seven Summits’ (climbing the highest peak on all seven continents), ski to the South Pole and Summit Mount Manasalu – 8th highest peak of the World and was bestowed with the prestigious “Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award” (Arjuna Award for Land Adventure) by President of India in 2019, for her mountaineering feat.

The story of her success is the story of an explorer, courage of conviction, diligence in physical training, uncountable sacrifices, toil, sweat and hard-word, indomitable spirit and mind, never give up attitude but above all to accept mountains with respect & gratitude.

Aparna Kumar has proved that ‘Age is just a number.’ You can achieve anything with sheer hard-work, hawk-like focus and never letting your target fade away from your eyes.

Keep marching and keep setting new benchmarks for success. 

VoW ‘Candid Conversations’ with MP Bhupinder Yadav

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Book Discussion of MP Bhupender Yadav

Dateline Dehradun: Valley of Words, Literature and Arts Festival, in collaboration with Shourya India, successfully hosted a captivating book discussion  on ‘The Rise of the BJP’ written by Honourable Union Minister Bhupender Yadav at the Vow Cafe-Library-Studio-Gallery.  The houseful event witnessed an engaging dialogue on the journey and achievements of one of India’s most influential political parties.

Authored by Bhupender Yadav, Member of Parliament from Rajasthan, ‘The Rise of the BJP’ offers readers an exclusive glimpse into the inner workings of the party, its decision-making processes, implementation strategies, and policy execution. The meticulously researched book delves into the BJP’s struggle against rival ideologies and political challenges, ultimately propelling it to the forefront of national politics.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav stated, “I am thrilled to witness such an enthusiastic response to ‘The Rise of the BJP’ and to engage in a meaningful conversation about the party’s evolution. This book aims to shed light on the BJP’s relentless pursuit of progress and the transformative initiatives it has spearheaded. It is an honour to share this narrative with the readers.”

The hour long session was moderated by Dr Sanjeev Chopra, a renowned Policy Analyst and Former Director of LBSNAA (Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration) and the Festival Director for Valley of Words, International Literature and Arts Festival  Mr. Chopra’s expertise in public policy and administration added depth to the conversation, ensuring a thought-provoking exchange of ideas.

Sanjeev Chopra expressed, “The books makes for interesting read. It is  a privilege to moderate the book discussion on ‘The Rise of the BJP.’ The book offers valuable insights into the party’s strategic decision-making process, ideology, and impact on India’s political landscape. The engaging discussion today has further enriched our understanding of the BJP’s rise to prominence.”

Dr Surekha Dangwal, Vice Chancellor Doon University, the Lead Discussant for the event, provided her scholarly perspective on the BJP’s growth trajectory. As an esteemed academician, her observations and analysis offered a comprehensive viewpoint on the subject matter.

Surekha Dangwal shared her thoughts, stating, “I commend Bhupender Yadav ji for penning this insightful book that chronicles the BJP’s journey. The discussion today highlighted the party’s ability to navigate challenges, adapt to changing dynamics, and emerge as a powerful force in Indian politics. It was an intellectually stimulating conversation, and I believe this book will contribute significantly to the political discourse in our country.”

By invitation-only event people from all walks of life connected with the written word participated. The event served as a platform for engaging dialogue, where attendees gained valuable insights into the BJP’s historical development and its impact on Indian democracy. The event exemplified Valley of Words (VoW) and Shourya India’s commitment to foster intellectual discussions on crucial political subjects.

Swami Rama Himalayan University Adopts 300 patients under TB-free India campaign

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Swami Rama Himalayan University has adopted three hundred patients under the Prime Minister’s TB-free India campaign run by the Government of India. These patients will be supported in treatment and investigation including nutrition.

Inaugurating the campaign on Saturday, Chancellor Dr Vijay Dhasmana said that the institute has set a target of adopting 1000 TB patients. 300 TB patients will be given high protein nutrition kit every month for one year. Along with this, cooperation will also be given in the treatment and examination of these patients.

Rural Development Institute, Department of Community Medicine and Department of Respiratory and Chest Diseases will jointly conduct this program. This program will be run by the University in collaboration with this organization for health care of TB patients throughout the year.

Along with this, he underlined how the common man can contribute to TB-free India under the Ni-Kshaya Mitra scheme. He called upon everyone to make this program a success. Vice-Chancellor Dr Vijender Chauhan said that TB-free India cannot be achieved by hospitals alone. For this, social institutions, individuals and experts will have to come forward and contribute. Speaking on the need of nutrition, he said that we cannot make India TB free with medicines without nutrition.

Deputy District Medical Officer Dr Chandan Singh Rawat praised the university for its participation in this program and talked about providing expected cooperation. Dr Rajeev Bijlwan informed that under the campaign, 50 TB patients from Doiwala, 150 from Rishikesh and 100 from Bahadarabad will be provided nutrition, treatment and check-up facilities in the first phase.

Earlier in the program, Chancellor Dr Vijay Dhasmana distributed high protein nutrition kit to TB patients. On this occasion, Dr Jayanti Semwal, Dr Rakhi Khanduri, Lakshmi and Hemlata threw light on other aspects of the program.

Hemophilia patient undergoes successful Eye Surgery at Himalayan Hospital

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Adrik with his doctor

Dateline Dehradun: A successful cataract operation was performed on the eye of a young patient suffering from Hemophilia, at the Himalayan Hospital, Jollygrant.

Two-year-old Adrik, a resident of Sitarganj (Udham Singh Nagar), was afflicted by cataract since birth. His case was complicated as he was suffering from Hemophilia A, which is a hereditary bleeding disorder caused by lack of blood clotting factor VIII.

Adrik’s parents consulted several hospitals but returned disappointed. They then decided to consult doctors at Himalayan Hospital, Jollygrant where they met Senior Eye Surgeon, Dr. Renu Dhasmana.

After examining the child’s report, Dr Renu Dhasmana informed the parents that there was risk involved in the operation as the child was suffering from Hemophilia A which is a condition relating to deficiency of factor VIII. Without sufficient factor VIII, the blood does not clot in the patient and hence leads to  uncontrollable bleeding. After gaining family consent, under the supervision of Dr. Aavriti of Onco Hematology, Factor VIII deficiency in Adrik was corrected through medicine.

Thereafter under the leadership of Dr. Renu Dhasmana, the team including Dr Veena Asthana, Dr Amit, Dr Kritika from the Department of Anesthesia performed the cataract operation on the child’s eye. Subsequent to the operation, the child was kept under  supervision of doctors for a few days. Completely cured the child has now been discharged from the hospital.

An elated Dr Renu Dhasmana, Senior Eye Surgeon  said, “Hemophilia is a disorder in which blood does not clot normally. As a result excessive bleeding occurs after any surgery. Treatment consists of medications to improve blood clotting. Himalayan Hospital, Jollygrant has all the modern facilities to perform surgery on such patients.

Ruskin Bond to meet fans on his birthday

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Dateline Mussoorie:  After a gap of over three years,  author Ruskin Bond will once again be amongst his fans on the 19th of May ringing in his 89th birthday this year.

In a video message circulated by the author, Ruskin said he was looking forward to being with his readers on his special day, “Hello everyone it’s birthday time again and to my horror I suddenly realised that I’m going to be 89 on the 19th of May and my good friends at Cambridge book depot have asked me to come and celebrate with them and meet my readers, those who love book.”

A regular feature pre-Covid lockdown in 2020, the author would often be seen at his favourite bookstore in town on weekends, signing books, meeting fans and taking selfies with his growing number of readers who flocked to the Mussoorie Mall from all over the country and abroad as well.  But since Covid lockdown to-date, the author has been a homebody rarely meeting anyone or stepping out and has been busy doing what he loves most, writing.

An elated Sunil Arora, owner Cambridge Book Store shared the happy news and added, “It will be little over an hour long function at the shop. There will be a book launch of ‘All-time favourite Nature Stories’ by Mr Bond published by Puffin India that will take place, followed by the much-awaited cake-cutting. There will be pre-signed books by the author on display for sale.”

If you happen to be a Ruskin Bond fan and want to meet your favourite author in person, then this could well be your chance. Come and make the most of this opportunity on the 19th of May at the Cambridge Bookstore post lunch around 3:30 to meet the author and get your hands on one of those pre-signed books.

See you there!

SRHU raises awareness about India’s G-20 presidency

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Students participating in the event

Dateline Dehradun: Swami Rama Himalayan University’s Himalayan School of Management conducted the ‘4th Management Conclave ‘Manthan 2023’ on April 28, 2023, on the theme “Sustainable Business: People, Planet, and Profit” with the goal of raising awareness about India’s G-20 presidency.

The Conclave brought together industry leaders, practitioners, and academics for thought-provoking conversations on the subject. The predecessor to the conclave was a student led event “Biz Vista” organized on April 27th.

Students showcase their creativity

The conclave aimed to celebrate, promote, and learn from great business leaders and their initiatives, as well as to establish a venue for the exchange of ideas, challenges, and solutions among the speakers and participants through the conclave’s numerous interactive sessions.

Dr. Vickram Sahai, Principal, HSMS and Co-Patron of the conclave set the pace of the event by sharing that keeping in view the theme of G20 and India’s role in it, the college celebrated the two days’ event as a student driven activity.

The event saw many creative reflections by the students of Management Science as well as over 80 students from other schools. The conclave was held with an objective to engage it as a platform to see what the generation of today wishes to see for the future of planet.

Dr. Vijendra Chauhan, Vice Chancellor of Swami Rama University and Patron of the Conclave, shared that it’s a generational responsibility to cultivate aspects that are people oriented and which sustain the planet.

The Inaugural Address was given by Dr. S. Farooq, President, Himalaya Wellness Company. “He mentioned that humanity in people would survive as long as people will live. The planet needs to be conserved.”

Dr. Anil Joshi, Founder, Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization (HESCO) virtually shared a message for students for ensuring effective management that connects with people and ensures sustainability of the planet.

The conference featured five panelists. Andrew Street (HR Consultant, Rubico Tech) emphasized the importance of developing a bond within the work environment to allow the effective performance by people engaged. Deepak Jain (Director, India Knowledge and Capability Centre, Grant Thorton) shared how their team works towards enhancing the capabilities of their employees to reach their full potential. Rajat Jain (Founder Sunfox Technologies) shared that it is human intelligence that needs to overtake technology and develop solutions suitable to the needs of the masses. Arvind Agarwal (Sr. Manager HR, Ipca Laboratories Limited) elaborated on social responsibilities that businesses have towards people at large and each stakeholder should work towards it. Piyush Tayal (Assistant Vice President, Axis Bank) shared how the times are changing and it is time to shift the focus towards providing people centric solutions.

The discussion was moderated by Dr. Rajat Dimri, (Associate Professor, Himalayan School of Management Sciences). The discussions were followed by a student interaction raising some insightful queries, showcasing of conclave glimpses and prize distribution.

Conference held on Wellbeing in Schools-Making it a Priority

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Mental Health - Making it a Priority

Dateline Mussoorie: Woodstock School Mussoorie hosted India’s first International School Mental Health Conference on the 15th of April. The theme for the conference was ‘Wellbeing in Schools-Making it a Priority.’ 12 schools from within India and two schools from overseas, one each from Australia and South America participated in this hybrid conference.

Keynote speakers, Dr Dheeraj Kattula, Addiction Management Specialist, and Dr Raja Paulraj, spoke about various mental health challenges among the youth including addictions, peer pressure, self-harm behaviours, stress and anxiety etc and discussed strategies to deal with these issues. The speakers through their talks, emphasized that mental health is an integral part of health and everybody has to take responsibility for their own mental health and wellbeing.

Students in attendance at the conference

Mrs Binu Thomas, Head of the Department of Personal Counselling at Woodstock School Mussoorie and the lead of the organizing committee said, “Because students spend so much of their time at school, it just made sense to have mental health awareness and education begin here. When we educate and empower our students to initiate dialogue on this topic, they are able to seek help when they need it.”

Regarding the idea of the conference, Thomas stated, ”Post COVID, we saw students return with a different set of struggles and the phenomenon seemed to be global. Hence the desire for institutional collaboration in building strategies to deal with student mental health, initiating conversations around areas of student struggles and emphasizing the importance of positive coping skills to deal with day to day struggles led to the idea of a conference.

At the success of the conference, Ms Drishti Bhasin, conference coordinator signed off saying, “The widespread and enthusiastic participation tells us about the importance of mental health at school level and the need to continue these conversations within our schools and beyond.”

Millet Kranti Cycle Rally flagged off today

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Millet Kranti Cycle Rally

Dateline Dehradun: Chancellor Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dr Vijay Dhasmana flagged off the Dehradun Millet Kranti Cycle Rally from the varsity campus today.

Organised by Nathuli Mahila Sashaktikaran Sanstha, the rally will traverse 300 kms from Dehradun to Village Mundoli to spread awareness about the importance of millets for the survival of mankind. Founder of Nathuli Suman Semwal was also present during the flagging off.

On the occasion of Baishakhi, the commencement of the Millet Kranti Cycle Rally was formally announced from the Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami’s residence. The participants then reached SHRU, Jolly Grant where special breakfast was organised for them.

Millets have been an integral part of our diet for centuries. In addition to a plethora of health benefits, millets are also good for the environment with low water and input requirements. With the view to create awareness and increase production and consumption of millets, United Nations, at the behest of the Government of India, declared 2023 the International Year of Millets. To commemorate this, MyGov is hosting various interactive activities around Millets, throughout the country.

Speaking on the occasion Dr Dhasmana underlined that, “Millets are a good source of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, and play a vital role not just in maintaining the health of millions, but also in maintaining the ecological balance and economic security of India. Millets with low gluten and low glycemic index are healthy alternatives for those undergoing celiac disorders and diabetes. In other words millets are beneficial for consumers, the cultivators as well as the climate and therefore we must understand that millets can help us fight nutrition insecurity and climate crisis.”

Present on the occasion were VC SHRU Dr Vijendra Chauhan and Uttarakhand Rajya Bal Kalyan Parishad Mahasachiv Pushpa Manas apart from others.