The Indian Institute of Technology - Madras is set to join hands with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bangalore, to work on joint research projects in design and technology.

IIT-M director Bhaskar Ramamurthi and P Soundara Rajan, MD (Helicopter Complex), HAL, signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday to set up a Centre for Aerospace Transmission System (CATS) at IIT-M.

The IIT-M faculty and young engineers of HAL will undertake joint research in the field of transmission system for helicopter and engine programmes of HAL. The centre will also facilitate academics and industry to evolve required software and design solutions for different types of gears, bearings, lubrication systems, vibration monitoring systems and production technologies.

Speaking about IIT-M's partnerships with organisations like HAL and DRDO, director Bhaskar Ramamurthi said, "The critical thing is to know what the faculty, HAL and third parties, like vendors, should do to convert projects into reality." He said that the organisations should not shy away from involving third parties, like private vendors who may have the required technology to make progress, instead of waiting to develop it.

Soundara Rajan of HAL said that "homegrown technology" was very important, and that it could only come from industry-academic interface. He said that some critical areas were identified for joint research, and that a chair will be set up at IIT-M. HAL has partnered with other IITs on various other areas, including on vehicle dynamics and aerodynamics with IIT-Kanpur.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/IIT-Madras-HAL-joint-research-on-transmission-systems-takes-off/articleshow/20152603.cms

 The JEE (Advanced) is the annual college entrance examination of the IITs in India. It is also one of the toughest engineering entrance exams in the world. Around 1.5 lakh students short-listed from JEE (Main) will appear for the JEE (Advanced) 2013 on June 2, 2013. A serious aspirant must have ideally completed the syllabus by now.

Exam pattern and syllabus

There will be two question papers, each of three-hours’ duration. Both the question papers will consist of three separate sections on chemistry, physics and mathematics. They will be of objective type, designed to test comprehension, reasoning and analytical ability of candidates.

All the questions will be Multiple Choice Type (MCQ).

Negative marking scheme will be followed in the examinations.

The candidate can opt for the question paper in any of the languages, viz. English or Hindi.

The JEE syllabus of Class XI and XII contributes 45 per cent and 55 per cent of IIT-JEE question-papers, respectively.

Mathematics

1. Previous JEE papers suggest that more attention should be paid to topics such as vectors and 3-D geometry than probability or indefinite integration, as vectors and 3-D geometry offer less scope to the examiner, as far as variety in problem is concerned. One more topic is complex numbers; every year two-three problems on complex numbers are asked. Hence mastering complex numbers, vectors, 3-D geometry and definite integral must be top on priority.

2. Algebra can be made easier if you have the ability to picture functions as graphs and are good at applying vertical and horizontal origin shifts carefully as zeros of functions and other specific values can be calculated in much less time using these techniques.

3. Differential calculus again relates well to roots of equations, especially if you use the Rolle’s and Lagrange’s theorems.

4. Complex numbers can be used to solve questions in co-ordinate geometry too. Trigonometric questions require applications of De Moivre’s theorem.

5. Permutation-combination and probability are very important topics in algebra .You need to be thorough with the basics of Bayes theorem, derangements and various ways of distribution, taking care of cases where objects are identical and when they are not.

6. Matrices can be related to equations, hence a 3x3 matrix can actually be visualised as being three-planes in 3-D geometry. Determinants have some very nice properties which may be used. For instance, the ability to break them into two using a common summand from a row/column.

7. Integral calculus can be simplified using tricks and by keeping in mind some basic varieties of integrable functions. Remembering properties and applying them wisely saves lot of time.

8. Coordinate geometry requires good working knowledge of the parametric forms of various conic sections and an ability to convert the other, tougher ones to these basic forms and then interpret the solutions accordingly.

9. Finally, practise problems keeping in mind the pattern of questions in previous years’ JEE papers.

Chemistry

1. Conceptual clarity, application skills and awareness of the prescribed syllabus should be the main focus.

2. Practise the most relevant numericals daily to develop speed. Pay special attention to topics such as mole concept, chemical equilibrium and electrochemistry.

3. Take a careful and patient approach for organic chemistry giving particular attention to topics such as stereochemistry, GOC (General Organic Chemistry) and functional group analysis.

4. In inorganic chemistry most of the questions which are asked are conceptual, concerned with structures, processes and applications. Special attention is a must in topics such as chemical bonding and coordination chemistry.

Physics

1. Mechanics is one topic in physics that is considered difficult to score in by many experts. This is also the topic that forms the major portion of JEE (Advanced) in terms of marks. So this topic cannot be neglected.

2. One must also try to concentrate on other topics that are easier to score in to ensure a better performance like optics, electricity and magnetism.

3. Kinematics and particle dynamics are important topics of mechanics that make regular appearances in the JEE papers.

5. According to the general trends, mechanics and electricity and magnetism are the most important topics in terms of the number of questions asked in JEE in previous years.

6. In decreasing order of the marks they carry, are listed different topics of physics according to their appearance in the previous year’s papers:

Mechanics and electricity and magnetism (equal importance)

Modern physics

Optics

Heat and thermodynamics, and waves and sound

Measurement and errors

7. Thermodynamics is important in both physics and chemistry.

8. It is wise to cover wave optics first in ‘Optics’ topic. The reason is that the portion is smaller than ray optics, thus it can be covered quickly.

Final tips

Stay focussed and maintain a positive attitude.

Develop speed. Refer to reputed mock-test series to build a winning exam temperament. Solve the previous year IIT-JEE papers. Focus on your weak areas and improve upon concepts.

Practising JEE level questions is necessary as it improves your reasoning and analytical ability.

Remember it is the quality of time spent and not the quantity alone. Hence take short breaks between every one-two hours of serious study. Completely relax when you take a break. Practise meditation to develop inner calm, poise, confidence and power of concentration.

Don’t overstress yourself. Five to six hours of sleep every night is a must, especially three to four days before IIT-JEE to keep you physically and mentally fit. While short naps may help you regain freshness, avoid over-sleeping during the day.

Finally, don’t be nervous if you find the paper tough since it is the relative performance that counts. Adopt an analytical approach to the paper, and believe in your preparation.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/features/education/college-and-university/advancing-on-jee/article4727457.ece

The last Maharashtra Technical Common Entrance Test 2013 (MT-CET) was held across 74 centres in the city and Pimpri-Chinchwad on Thursday without any glitches. The authorities reported nearly 98% attendance with 33,959 candidates having enrolled from Pune district.

A press release issued by the director of technical education (DTE) said the entrance test results will be declared on or before June 5. Subsequently, a notification detailing the admission schedule for engineering and pharmacy courses will be released. "The process for submission of preference forms and allotment of seats, which is done on the basis of the state merit list, is expected to begin from second or third week of June," the press release added.

A total of 2, 80,595 candidates appeared for the test conducted at exam centres across 35 district headquarters in the state. This included 52,024 candidates from Pune division (Pune, Satara and Solapur districts).

"The entrance test was carried out in three parts of one-and-a-half hours each. Part I was for physics and chemistry papers, followed by part II biology papers and part III comprising mathematics paper," said Pramod D Shendge, liasioning officer for MT-CET in Pune district.

Of the 74 exam centres, five were earmarked for physics, chemistry and biology segment while the remaining were marked for physics, chemistry, maths and biology (PCM and PCMB) segments.

"A total of 33,237 candidates appeared for the physics and chemistry papers in the morning while 13,125 appeared for the biology paper and 30,615 for the mathematics papers. The overall attendance for the district was 98.31%," Shendge said.

Most candidates described the test easy when compared to the last year's exam. "I found the physics paper relatively tough, but biology and chemistry were easy and mathematics paper was easier," said a candidate at the SP college centre. Another candidate said, "I am eagerly looking forward to the results of this test. The papers were quite good for me."

It is for the last time that the state has conducted the MT-CET. From the next academic year (2014-15), the state will be part of the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) scheme, which is the single national entrance test for admissions to engineering courses across the country.


Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/No-glitches-in-MT-CET-exam-results-by-June-5/articleshow/20098037.cms

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) aspirants from the Capital who scored lower than expected in the Joint Engineering Examination (JEE) Main are feeling shortchanged because the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has not extended the registration deadline for the JEE advanced exam.

After a CBSE notification on Monday evening that effectively allowed students to review their scores by providing them answer keys, those seeking admission to National Institute of Technology (NIT) and other centrally-funded institutes heaved a sigh of relief.

However, it was too little too late for those low scorers who were aiming for Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)s since the last day to register for the second round JEE advanced exam was Monday.

The uproar over the scores came to the fore on May 7 when the JEE main results were announced and many students in the city were “shocked” with their scores, which were about 25-30 marks below expectations. However, the most affected were those students who missed out on the eligibility for JEE advanced exam by just a few marks.

“My son’s official score is 104, which is very close to the cut-off mark of 113 for general category. He was shocked to see his marks and is very depressed because based on expert solutions, he should get at least 124 which would make him eligible,” said Rajandrav Dayal from Noida, parent of an aspirant.

Some students have even missed out on the exam by one mark. Similar complaints were registered from a large number of students from across the country.

Monday’s notification does not mention anything about the extension of deadline for JEE Advanced registration.

CBSE spokesperson Rama Sharma declined to comment on the matter and CBSE chairman Vineet Joshi did not respond to calls or text messages.

The JEE Main exam replaced the All India Engineering Entrance Examination for admission to NITs, IIITs and other centrally-funded institutes this year.  Also, for the first time, the entrance for admission to IITs is being conducted in two stages: JEE Main and JEE Advanced.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/IIT-aspirants-say-CBSE-didn-t-give-fair-chance/Article1-1061322.aspx

Aspirants who are eligible for JEE Advanced 2013 test must prepare well for entrance test. Only 1.5 lakh students are eligible for admissions to engineering courses in 16 IITs and IIITs across India. Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducts JEE Advanced 2013 on June 02.

Today we will advise you on some important tips and Do's and Dont's for the JEE Advanced test, which will help you perform well in the exam.

Don'ts

·         Avoid looking at the questions asked in IIT exams

·         Avoid writing lengthy solutions for problems

·         Don't follow too many study materials, follow one and keep revising

·         Do not study for more than 14 hours a day

·         Don't believe in rumors, look for authentic information on official JEE website

Do’s

·         Plan a routine before the exam

·         Solve 3-4 mock tests daily

·         Try to work on your weak areas and improve your performance in typical questions, which you falter in.

·         Refer class 11 and Class 12 syllabus and make some short notes on the important topics.

·         Do not worry if the first two hours of the paper prove to be average for you. Make sure that you do well in third hour

·         Selection of questions is very impotant. Choose the questions from the portions you are strong at

·         Time must be checked while answering a question. It is better to attempt a lengthy question later

·         Around 40 minutes should be spent on each section. The last 30 minutes should be reserved for reviewing the performances and attempting the tricky questions


Source: http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/EDU-jee-advanced-2013-dos-and-donts-4265766-NOR.html

The results of intermediate board exams and JEE-Main exams are out and for getting admissions into IIT engineering, candidates now need to appear for JEE Advanced exams.  Advanced exam is going to be held on June 2.

One lakh fifty thousand students across India have qualified in JEE-Mains and nearly twenty five thousand candidates are from Andhra Pradesh.  JEE ranks will be announced on July 7.  Second year intermediate marks will be given 40% weightage and JEE Main marks will be given 60% weightage.

Based on these ranks, admissions will be given in undergraduate engineering courses in 30 NITs, 5 IIITs, 23 deemed universities and 13 institutes that run with government funds.

Based on JEE Main state ranks, two institutions in Andhra Pradesh give admissions to candidates.  Among 740 under graduate seats in Warangal NIT, 370 seats will be filled under the Andhra Pradesh quota.  290 seats in undergraduate courses in Hyderabad IIIT and few seats in five year dual programs will also be filled based on JEE Main state rank.

JEE Admit Cards: Candidates who qualified for JEE Advanced based on JEE cut off marks are registering their names for JEE Advanced from 8th May, 2013.  The registration procedure will be completed on 13th May.  All those candidates who registered their names can download their JEE advanced admit cards from 16th May to 31st May from internet.  JEE advanced offline exam will be conducted on 2nd June, 2013.

In Andhra Pradesh, JEE Advanced exam will be conducted in 5 cities.  These are Visakhapatnam code (502), Hyderabad code (601), Nellore Code (602), Vijayawada Code (603), Warangal Code (604).  The exam will be conducted from 9 am to 12 noon and 2 pm to 5 pm.  Each session of the exam will be of 3 hours duration.  Equal number of question will come from Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics and equal weightage is given for each subject.

JEE Advanced is similar to IIT-JEE exam.  Students can take the previous IIT-JEE exam papers for preparation.  Though the candidates get good rank in advanced, they have to be in the first 20 percentile in second year intermediate to get admission into theengineering courses based on JEE advanced rank.  For nearly ten thousand seats, 15 times the candidates are competing.

JEE Advanced important dates

Admit cards can be downloaded till May 31

JEE advanced will be held on June 2

JEE advanced results will be announced on June 23

Final ranks will be announced on July 7


Source: http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/EDU-jee-advanced-2013-admit-cards-available-from-may-16-4265558-NOR.html

Move comes a day after deadline for JEE advance expires.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has agreed to disclose the answer keys to the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) main examination (formerly known as AIEEE), albeit for a price.

Even though the IITs voluntarily disclose answer keys to their entrance test free of cost, the CBSE, in a notification released late Monday evening, announced that a candidate can get a copy of his or her answer sheet (an OMR sheet) along with the answer key and calculation sheet for Rs500. The deadline to apply for these materials is June 15.

The announcement comes after a few candidates and their parents filed a petition in the Delhi high court recently after they were shocked to see that they had scored as much as 20 to 30 marks less in JEE Main than what they had expected.

The announcement has rubbed applicants the wrong way as it has come a day after the deadline to register for the JEE Advance exam (the second level of JEE to seek admission to the IITs) expired. “Students who have lost out on the opportunity to appear for the IIT entrance test by a few marks now have the chance to review their papers, but it’s not of any use to them. By the time CBSE provides them the answer key, the IITs would have declared their results and wrapped up the admission process,” said Kavita Kaul (55), whose son appeared for the JEE main.

“The Board uploaded the OMR sheets in April without uploading the answer keys. And now they want us to pay Rs 500 to get the answer keys along with a copy of our answer sheets. Why can’t they just disclose the answer keys alone? That surely does not cost much,” said an aspirant who did not wish to be identified.


Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/academy/1835314/report-dna-special-cbse-to-disclose-jee-main-answer-keys-but-for-a-price

The Central Board of Secondary Education, which conducts the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for some of the best engineering colleges in the country — including all the Indian Institutes of Technology — has decided to share copies of the OMR sheet, answer key and calculation sheet with candidates who appeared for JEE (Main) 2013 on request along with prescribed fee."

Fifteen applicants who had written the JEE (Main) exam in April this year had filed a petition in the High Court against CBSE for errors in scorecards and for results not matching with what their coaching institutes had predicted to be.

A set of copies will cost a student Rs 500 and they'll have to apply on or before June 15. "Those who have already applied under RTI Act 2005 or otherwise may apply afresh for the same along with required fee of Rs 500 before stipulated date," says the statement released by the CBSE, adding, "The photocopy of the OMR sheet, answer key and calculation sheet shall not be provided to any institution or school for display, commercial purpose or to print media."


Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/Pay-Rs-500-to-see-your-JEE-answersheet/articleshow/20057440.cms

The decision by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to charge Rs 500 to release photocopy of Optic Magnetic Reader (OMR) sheet, answer key and calculation sheet of students who appeared for the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) 2013 is not only the violation of RTI Act, but has also come too late.

Answer keys of JEE (Main) would be released at a time, when the deadline to apply for JEE (Advanced) got over on May 13. Eligibility for JEE (Advanced) is based on the performance of a student in JEE (Main). Had the answer key been released earlier it would have allowed candidates to check the basis of their scores as well as point out errors in the official answer key. In the past, there have been reports of wrong answers in the official answer key. But since the key was released before the result came out corrections could be made. Obtaining a final JEE rank for admissions in National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and other Central institutions is based on normalized marks of all the candidates. Any correction in the JEE marks of a single candidate thereafter, is bound to affect the result of all candidates.

But CBSE is following a new trend. Two weeks ago, it allowed students to view their individual answer key online, but in the absence of official answer key they didn't know how they have fared. By the time CBSE sends photocopies of OMR sheet, answer key and calculation sheet of JEE (Main), ranking for admission to NITs would be finalized. Admission to NITs is on the basis of score in JEE (Main), while admission to IITs would be on the basis of score in JEE (Advanced).

As for the violation of the RTI Act, CBSE has asked students who have already applied for answer keys through the RTI to reapply by paying Rs 500. RTI Act stipulates that only Rs 10 can be charged for application and an additional Rs 2 for photocopying.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/CBSE-flouts-RTI-Act-misses-deadline-for-JEE-Main-candidates/articleshow/20057544.cms

With the Supreme Court lifting the ban on admission to post-graduate medical and dental colleges, private institutes in the state are likely to release their entrance exam results on Thursday.

The Association of Managements of Unaided Private Medical and Dental Colleges (AMUPMDC) is yet to get its hands on the SC judgment, but the forum will release results and start admissions. AMUPMDC has nine private medical colleges under its umbrella, of which six have post-graduate courses. Similarly, of the 18 private dental colleges, 15 run PG courses.

But colleges like S K Somaiya Institute of Medical Research, Kashibai Navle Medical College (Ambegaon), Maharashtra Institute of Medical Education and Research (Talegaon) and Maharashtra Institute of Medical Science and Research (Latur), have decided to admit students based on NEET scores. "We are waiting for admissions to begin based on NEET scores as a student is likely to cancel admission to our private college if he or she gets a better discipline in a better college anywhere in India," said a principal whose college is associated with AMUPMDC.

But Kashibai Navle Medical College principal Arvind Bhore said his college was waiting for results of the all-India exam to be out. "The exam board will have to release an India merit list and a state merit list too as Maharashtra is among the few states that has not conducted its own entrance test." Many said the SC May 30 deadline for admission is difficult to meet.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/Private-medical-entrance-test-results-likely-tomorrow/articleshow/20057652.cms

With the Supreme Court clearing the way for admissions to UG and PG medical and dental admissions, pace has picked up for the announcement of the state test results.

The Consortium of Medical Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka (Comed-K) have announced that the PGET results will be announced on May 20.

Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) is yet to fix its date. "It should be around May 20-21," said Dr Prem Kumar, registrar RGUHS.

Both published the answer key soon after the SC order on Monday.

The UG results of Comed-K will be announced on June 11 and that of CET on May 27.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/Comed-K-PGET-results-on-May-20-UGET-on-June-11/articleshow/20051370.cms

Ex-CRPF jawan's son achieved the feat without attending any coaching classes.

Jalindar Darde, a security guard with Bharat Forge, is a proud father as his son Akash cleared the Indian Institute of Technology Joint Entrance Examination (IIT-JEE) without attending any coaching class.

A former Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan who served a term with the special protection guard (SPG), Jalindar has been the protection officer of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, prime minister Manmohan Singh and other VVIPs. In December 2012, he took voluntary retirement (VRS) and shifted to Maharashtra.

“I want my son to be an IPS officer,” said Jalindar, adding that cracking the IIT entrance examination is the first step towards it. Akash, who scored 163 out of 360 in the exam and whose favourite subjects are physics and mathematics, said, “I studied at home as my father could not afford the tuition fees needed for coaching in the Capital.”

The young lad had received a letter of appreciation from Union law minister Kapil Sibal for scoring 9.8 grade under Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) in CBSE standard X exam. He was also given a cash prize of Rs5,000 from the PM.

“I want to complete my engineering degree from IIT and study for the civil exam,” said Akash, who used to study for six to eight hours daily.

“I used to increase the study hours on Sundays as I had no school on that day,” said Akash, adding, “I relied upon books for curriculum besides a few other books available in the market to prepare for this entrance.”

Jalindar, who expects good grades from Akash in the standard XII examination, said, “My son and daughter Ashwini are good in studies. Hence, I took VRS and shifted to Pune so that they can pursue their further education.”

Crediting his wife Vidya for the success of their son, Jalindar said, “As the job used to keep me away from home, it was Vidya who took efforts for their education and upbringing.”


Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/pune/1834861/report-security-guard-s-son-cracks-iit-entrance

A record number of students from the state have qualified for JEE-Advanced, which will be conducted next month.

After a remarkable 92.53% result in HSC Science that were declared on Monday, it has emerged that an unprecedented 10,787 students from the state will appear JEE-Advanced for admissions to Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). They qualified for the test after clearing mains of the joint entrance examination (JEE-Mains).

Gujarat, so far, had been quite lacklustre as far as students’ qualifying for premier engineering institutes was concerned. But this year’s result has boosted morale of the state education department, who are hailing the fantastic performance as a result of their sustained efforts to improve quality of education in the state.

“The students, earlier, weren’t qualifying in national-level exams due to several reasons – the English medium, incongruent syllabus and that students weren’t exposed to the model and methodology of the examination,” said an official with education department, on condition of anonymity.

But vice-chairperson of Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board, HK Patel, attributes the success to sustained changes in education system and examination methods.

“When a problem is diagnosed, it can be solved. We systemically upgraded our syllabus to that of CBSE’s,” said Patel. “Thus, students needn’t have to prepare separately for the national competitive exams, which generally are based on the central board’s syllabus.”

Patel added, “Gujarat’s syllabus is almost at par with CBSE’s, which is benefiting students in their preparation for the joint entrance exams.” One of the primary changes was introduction of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) in GSHSEB’s HSC examination.

“This exposed students to the model and methodology of JEE exams,” said Patel.
And the results are for everybody to see.

Of the 1.50 lakh students In India who have qualified for JEE-Advanced, 10,787 are from Gujarat – almost 7% of the successful candidates. “It may seem a small percentage but compared to our previous performance in IIT-JEE, students this time have done remarkably better. It will only increase in time to come,” said Patel. 

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/ahmedabad/1834930/report-10787-gujarat-students-knocking-on-iit-doors

The three day fashion extravaganza saw an emerging crop of designers showcase well themed and conceptualised collections. There were some interesting fashion trends that this new breed of designers brought to the RFW ramp; while one reinterpreted 'royalty' by adding a zing of 'sportiness' to his collection, the other innovated a cocktail bridal ensemble and draped chiffon sarees over georgette ghagras.

Let us try look deep into the repertoires these budding designers are all set to build and take to a competitive level in the fashion industry in the years to come.

Sonaakshi Raaj: All about opulence, yet understated
Glamour may not be over the top at all times but can go soft and sheer, believes Sonaakshi Raj, a fairly young designer who works toward creating styles that never age. A beginner in the world of fashion, Sonaakshi has already established a name in Bollywood by dressing up youth actors like Aalia Bhatt, Evelyn Sharma, Shraddha Kapoor and Shazahn Padamsee among others. About her ensemble range, Sonaakshi says, "My spring-summer collection is a celebration of femininity in all its playfulness and sensuality at the same time. It is romantic in feel and fervour. There's a lot of lace, floral motifs, tussles, sequin on a colour palette that includes moss green, apricot, lavender and oyster." With her meticulous emphasis on fabric, cut and colour, Sonaakshi Raj is definitely a designer to watch out for.

Conquering the man's world: Kirti Rathore
Coming from a traditional Rajput family, Kirti Rathore had to negotiate negative comments once she decided to design menswear being a woman. However, the perceived audacity soon turned into praise when she bagged an opportunity to dress Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan for special episodes in KBC. Kirti has not looked back ever since. Her collection at the Rajasthan Fashion Week was dedicated to actor Rajesh Khanna. She used a lot of linen in her print designs and chose a colour palette comprising pastels.

With Imran Khan, Vivek Oberoi and Abhimanyu Singh as some of her celeb clients, Kirti Rathore wishes to open her studios across the world and showcase at prestigious fashion weeks in Paris, Milan and London.

Poonam Patel and Surbhi Shah: The rooted designers
Their immense love for Rajasthan seamlessly translates into fashion and their fearless mixing of colours, textures, techniques and fabrics takes many by surprise. Poonam Patel Nathadwarawala revived Rajasthan's tribal fashion with a unique twist. Models in earthy and pastel colours sauntered in wearing ghagras-cholis in georgettes glamourised with brocades and attractive borders. Poonam draped chiffon sarees on textured ghagras and gave the ethnic wear a unique twist. Surbhi Shah on the other hand presented a collection meant for those who are enthusiastic to attend their best friend's wedding but are often confused what to wear. With a range of lehengas, gowns-cum-anarkalis, collared jackets over anarkali suits in tie-dye techniques and a delicious colour palette including shocking pink, lavender, lemons and indigos, Surbhi succeeded in presenting a collection true to the theme of 'My Best Friend's Wedding'. Poonam Patel has a boutique in Gujarat by the name 'Womenza' since five years and now she plans to start her own label in London.

Sports and royalty: A unique fusion by Himmat Singh
Shining crowns, lengthy robes and heavy jewellery are no longer symbols of royalty and Himmat Singh infuses a chic and sporty element to his ensemble range. Models in safari suits, cargos, coats, bandhgala jackets, polo hats and boots looked smart, chic and royal at the same time. Polo matches are often considered royal pastimes and designer Himmat Singh approached this sport through a fashionista's eye. Women essaying the look of Polo and golf players accessorised their outfits with gold and diamond jewellery that added a royal charm to the appearance. A native of Jaipur, Himmat Singh has stores are in Rambagh Palace and Maharani Farms and his creations have been worn by the Maharajas and princesses of Jodhpur and Jaipur.

Pink-and-purple is Ramesh Dembla's signature style
Wearability is Ramesh Dembla's supreme concern when he's designing clothes for his clients. He is a favourite among many Sandalwood actors in the likes of Sudeep, Pooja Gandhi, Ragini and others and has designed for several movies as well. He is one of the few newcomers who's had Hollywood showstoppers like Ronn Moss (Bold and Beautiful fame) walk the ramp. His pink-and-purple collection at the Rajasthan Fashion Week was declared a hit. Tunics with zippers, ruffled and multi-layered short dresses and one pieces complemented with diamond and emerald jewellery comprised his 'feminine' collection.

Passionate about fashion: Shivangee Sharma and Sharad Raghav
Without any formal training in fashion, Shivangee Sharma pursued her dream to be a designer by starting small projects in terms of creating outfits for friends and herself. The Bhopal-based designer soon thought taking her passion a step forward and started some serious fashion designing by launching her label 'Shivali'. Assignments began flowing in and very recently she got an opportunity to design an ethnic piece for Miss India 2013 finalist Anukriti Gusain. Fish-net gowns, puffed dresses, heavy embroidered corsets, sleeveless shimmery one pieces were Shivangee's prominent designs that she tried to present in an Indo-western way at the Rajasthan Fashion Week 2013. "My silhouettes are rich in colour, trendy in makeup and unique in cuts and framework. The gowns that I design are wearable and suited to party occasions at the same time. Modernity and tradition go hand-in-hand in my creations," said Shivangee. Designer Sharad Raghav would scribble rough drawings of cuffs and collars in his textbooks as a child until they translated into real fashion illustrations years later. His collection at the RFW 2013 was dedicated to the Delhi gang rape victim and hence monochromatic in appearance. An all-white and beige-based clothing line, Sharad brought to the ramp anarkali suits paired with Nehru caps, chequered coats worn over loose salwars and ghagaras. Gold work on dupattas, dhotis, pearl-studded belts, velvets jackets and long skirts with tassels completed the overall look.

On a concluding note: It was surely a good platform for designers to showcase and receive necessary feedback on their respective collections at the recently concluded Fashion Week. However, it was a little difficult to comprehend the clientele these designers wished to cater to. It is also hard to guess whether the displayed outfits (mostly driven by the ethnic colours and textures of Rajasthani attire) would have left a considerable mark on the conspicuously absent international buyers (and others alike) at the fashion week. Yes, there were noticeable innovations but those were restricted to appealing an 'indigenous' sensibility. There's immense scope for experimentation and room for improvisations that this class of nouveau designers can work on in the upcoming fashion events.


Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/fashion/designers/New-and-upcoming-designers-at-RFW-13/articleshow/20047322.cms

The eight-year-old Goa Common Entrance Test (GCET) is clearly on its way out, with this year seeing medicine and dentistry seat aspirants answering the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET).

Next year, engineering aspirants from Goa will also take the centralized test, leaving the state to conduct exams for just the pharmacy courses at its level. "We are deliberating a way to decide entry to the pharmacy course," education secretary Keshav Chandra told TOI.

Director of technical education, Vivek Kamat, said the 1,300-odd engineering seats in Goa will remain for the state's students despite NEET. "Each state has been given the autonomy to decide on the admission policy to engineering courses. In Goa, criteria like 10-year domicile will remain," Kamat said.

Introduced in 2005, GCET was the common exam for medicine, dentistry, engineering, pharmacy and homeopathy seats in Goa. This year will be its last. All this has already changed with the arrival of the NEET in 2013 and GCET has already been dethroned as a common exam.

The Indian Institute of Technology at Bombay has signed an MoU with the Goa government to conduct the GCET since 2005.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Farewell-GCET-2013-exam-final-one/articleshow/20038978.cms

Engineering aspirants who took the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE) this year will be able to see their OMR (optical mark recognition) sheets on the board's website before the results are formally announced.

"We will upload the OMR sheets before the results are brought out," said board chairman Bhaskar Gupta on Monday. "Along with that, the answer data captured by the software, too, will be indicated. In case a student is not convinced with the answers captured by the software, they can appeal to the board online. We will immediately verify whether the data captured was erroneous. Candidates will be given a week to appeal to the board," he added.

Initially, the board had planned to bring out the results by within May. "But this process will delay the results," said Gupta. Though the students will know their score after reviewing the OMR sheets, the ranks will be unknown. "Only after the formal publication of the results will the students know their ranks," Gupta said.

The model answers will be available online in the next two days. "Counselling will be delayed becausof the delay in the publication of AIEEE results. Around 10% of seats in private engineering colleges are reserved for AIEEE candidates. Hence, we will have to wait for them," said Gupta.

This year is the first time that the WBJEE has been held only for engineering aspirants. "The number of seats in engineering colleges is likely to remain the same. We are waiting for confirmation from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) regarding their approval of any more private engineering colleges," said a source in the state higher education department.

Like last year, the JEE board has decided to award ranks to all students who took the test. "The only criterion to get a rank is to score positive marks. If the OMR sheets are uploaded on the website, candidates themselves will know their scores," Gupta said.In 2013, the WBJEE board's office was under siege by several parents and candidates who could not find their ranks. "What they misunderstood was without a positive score no one was given a rank. They must have scored less than a positive score," said a senior board official.

Engineering aspirants who took the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE) will be able to see their OMR sheet on the website before the results are formally announced by the board.

On Monday, WBJEE chairman Bhaskar Gupta said, "Before the results are brought out, we will be uploading the OMR sheets. Along with them, the answer data captured by the software, too, will be indicated. Incase a student is not convinced with the answers captured by the software, they can appeal to the board online. We will immediately verify if the data captured was erroneous."


Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/West-Bengal-Joint-Entrance-Examination-board-to-upload-answer-scripts/articleshow/20038053.cms

Indian Institute of Technology-Madras has made strident steps towards improving its academic reputation. It has been ranked among the world's top 150 institutes in seven subjects in the recently released QS World University Rankings by Subject.

Bettering its performance from last year when it featured between 60th and 70th ranks, IIT-M's civil and structural engineering course ranked 46th this year. Chemical engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering courses are between the 51st and 100th places, while the computer science and information systems department, materials science and mathematics departments feature between the 101st and 150th ranks.

The by-subject rankings are based on academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per faculty, faculty-student ratio, proportion of international students and proportion of international faculty.

"It is a result of intensifying research, increasing faculty recruitment, increasing output and funding for research. We are moving in the right direction," said director Bhaskar Ramamurthi.

Academics are proud IITs achieved these rankings despite having negligible international faculty and students, which has substantial weightage in determining the ranking. The funding levels of several universities ranked below the IITs are many times higher. Besides, the contributions of IITs to Indian industry, space and defence sectors are not accounted for in these rankings, they said.

For these rankings, QS Intelligence Unit (QSIU) — a division of QS Quacquarelli Symonds, an international higher education data-research firm — evaluated 2,858 universities and ranked 678 institutions.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/Research-powers-IIT-M-to-worlds-top-150-institutes/articleshow/20039864.cms

In a move that will bring relief to many students, who scored lower than expected in the Joint Engineering Examination (JEE) Main exam, the Central Bureau of Secondary Education (CBSE) has decided to give them a chance to review their scores. In a notification late on Monday evening, CBSE announced that the exam’s answer key will be released to students.

The notification, published on www.jeemain.nic.in, states that students can obtain a copy of their OMR sheet, answer key and calculation sheet by paying a fee of Rs. 500. The deadline to apply for these materials is June 15. However, it does not address the issue of extension of deadline for students to register for the JEE Advanced. The exam, which is the second-level for admission to IITs, can only be given by the top 1.5 lakh students in JEE Main. However, since many are awaiting a correction in scores, they have missed the JEE Advanced registration deadline of May 13.

The notification comes after candidates and their parents had complained of discrepancies in scores and asked the CBSE to release the answer keys to make the evaluation process transparent. Those aspiring to get into any of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), National Institutes of Technology (NIT), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIIT) and other centrally-funded institutes had appeared for the exam in April.

However, when their results were declared on May 7, many students were shocked to see they had scored up to 30 marks lower than expected.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/JEE-Main-students-can-now-review-scores/Article1-1059706.aspx

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) was Monday directed by the Delhi High Court to respond to a plea seeking a direction to disclose the "key answers" at the time of declaring the result of JEE (Mains) Examination.

Justice G S Sistani issued a notice to CBSE and sought its reply by May 22 on a plea filed by one Kartik Narendra Jain alleging flaws in JEE (Mains) Examination and questioned CBSE's policy of nondisclosure of the "key answers".

Jain, in his plea filed through counsel Aritra Das Rashi Bansal, said "there is no mechanism for re-evaluation and further that there is no policy of disclosing the key answers on which the answers of the students are evaluated at the time of disclosing the results."

CBSE through its Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) conducts online entrance examinations (JEE mains) for various engineering (except for IITs), technology, architecture and planning institutions affiliated under it.

The petition also describes "certain questions in the physics and mathematics section as being vague, subjective and capable of having more than one correct answer(s) and with no correct choice for a student to pick while answering a multiple choice objective type question."

Citing a Supreme Court ruling over the issue, the petitioner said the system of conducting competitive examinations should be transparent and CBSE should upload the key answers while disclosing the results.


Source: http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/respond-to-plea-to-disclose-key-answers-of-jee-main-exam-hc-to-cbse_848393.html