90% Technical Schools In India Flouting Norms:- AICTE Officials

The mushroom growth of technical institutions imparting sub-standard education across the country has led to a situation where supply is outstripping demand. In a startling revelation by officials of the All-India Council for Technical Institution (AICTE), around 90 per cent technical institutes in the country are flouting norms. 

 

AICTE adviser MK Hada said, "In a surprise inspection conducted by AICTE in 400 colleges, as many as 350 were found not fulfilling basic norms stipulated by the council.'' Hada was in the city to attend a one-day workshop on 'Approval process and e-governance' at Lucknow University. The workshop was organised by the department of business administration. Addressing representatives of various technical institutes in Lucknow, Hada spoke at length about the problem of poor admissions plaguing technical institutions as a result of which over hundreds of technical colleges across the country have sent their request to AICTE for closure. 

On the occasion, Hada informed 154 technical colleges had failed to fulfill norms laid down by the council. "We will send notice to these colleges asking them to overcome their deficiency. In case they fail to do it, they will not be given extension for the next academic session. Students in these institutes will be shifted to others,'' said Hada.In a bid to disseminate information on AICTE's online approval process, the workshop is being conducted across the country. So far, 25 states have been covered. He also expressed concern over petty things marring technical institutions and keeping students at the receiving end. Earlier, vice-chancellor, Mahayana Technical University (MTU) S K Kak applauded efforts of AICTE in easing out approval process and following the e-governance methodology. He also stressed quality education and best possible ways to management the technical institutions. AICTE's northern region office (Kanpur) director PK Sahoo highlighted the basic objectives of e-governance process. He said e-governance was aimed at ensuring transparency, accessibility and quick disposal through online solution to over 15,000 technical institutions in India.

Source- TOI

A COMING PREVENTIVE TOOL FOR TB: RAY OF HOPE

WHO said that licensing of at least one new vaccine will be possible by 2020. A new vaccine that prevents TB could significantly reduce the enormous financial burden of treating drug resistant TB which can cost one lac rupee per patient in India.

          After almost 100 years, there are hopes of a new tuberculosis vaccine. This could prevent the toll that the disease takes on individuals who are subjected 18-24 months of medication which side effect that can be as severe as hearing loss or psychosis. TB is one of the top killers of women.

               Two different approaches are being used to develop TB vaccine:

The first approach is to develop vaccines that would do better than BCG and replace it –such as an improved version of BCG or a new attenuated live M. tuberculosis vaccine

The second approach is to develop a “prime-boost” strategy in which BCG continuous to be given to neonates (as now),since it prevent TB in infant and in children and give the new vaccine as a booster dose at a later stage .Alternatively the vaccine would be delivered to infant along side other vaccine 

                 

              Of the 12 vaccine candidates in clinical trials 11 are for prevention of TB and one is an immunotherapeutic vaccine. MVA85A is designed as a booster vaccine for infants, adolescents and adults. Among existing vaccine candidate for TB prevention, it is the one that is most advanced in terms of clinical testing.

The phase-II trial of this vaccine was conducted in South Africa from 2009-11, with 2797 infants enrolled. Results are expected in early 2013 and will provide the first efficacy data of new TB vaccine candidate. 

                              

ASHISH RAJPUT                         AVADHKISHORE GOYAL         MANVENDRA PRATAP SINGH

B.PHARM 3^rd  YEAR STUDENTS                                     

Institute of Pharmaceutical Research

GLA University, Mathura