Tuesday, January 17, 2012

2011 Year in Review - Top News Makers of the Year

1. Anna Hazare
Anna Hazare
The face behind the Lokpal movement, Kisan Baburao better known as Anna Hazare is considered by many netas and babus as their biggest nemesis and a hindrance to their aspirations. His crusade against corruption has grabbed headlines all over and inspired the common Indian to demand for a Jan Lokpal Bill that would hold politicians accountable for their actions.
Even though his growing popularity surprised many, Anna Hazare has been a social activist for over two decades, relentlessly working towards social and political reforms in the country.
Born in 1937, Anna Hazare joined the army in 1963 and it was during one of his visits to his village of Ralegaon Siddhi that forced him to retire from the army and to dedicate his life to rooting out problems that the villagers were facing.
His biography says Anna Hazare accidently came across a book by Swami Vivekananda and as he began to read it he realised that the ultimate motive of human life should be service to humanity and thus he decided to devote his life to public service.
Always seen in white, Anna Hazare lives in a single room within the village temple compound.
This Gandhian hails the Lokpal movement as India’s second freedom struggle. Leading a frugal life with integrity and honesty, overnight he has become a role model for India’s middle class.
Anna has resorted to many hunger strikes to make his demands heard, a fact that doesn’t augur well with his critics as they have labelled him a blackmailer and an armchair fascist.
2. Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee

The 34-year-old regime of the Left front finally crumbled to a feisty Mamata Banerjee, making her the first woman chief minister of West Bengal when her party won the assembly elections this year.
Mamata clad in a white sari and rubber slippers managed to do what many in Bengal thought was undoable till a few years back. Her angry denunciations of the Left administration made her an instant hit with the struggling Bengali. She systematically mounted protests against forced land acquisitions in the state by the then Left-ruled government.
During her short stint as the union railway minister she showered Bengal with railway projects which in turn gave Bengalis a glimpse of what she can do for their state if given a chance.
In 2011, Mamata gifted new trains and several new projects to six districts in north Bengal and didn’t let it go unnoticed by adding, “Railways have invested more funds in the six districts than the State has done for development of north Bengal”. A smart move any time of the year.
‘Didi’, or elder sister as she is fondly called, strategised her campaign against the Communists in a manner that depicts the political scenario of India today. She stands against all that is wrong in Bengal- from wrongful land acquisitions, bad infrastructure to corruption and stagnation in the state’s economy- she has gone to the aam junta with these issues and promised to make things right.
Moreover, what has appealed to the voters this time is Mamata’s humble background and her will to succeed and to put Bengal on the world map, just like it was back in the 19th century.
3. Jayalalithaa
jayalalithaa

During the election campaign, she foretold that the AIADMK with her allies would win over 185 seats in the Tamil Nadu assembly and how correct she was. After two consecutive defeats in the Tamil Nadu elections, Jayalalithaa made a spectacular comeback winning 199 of the state’s 234 assembly seats.
The last two defeats had taught Jayalalithaa a few bitter lessons and this time she made sure not to repeat the same mistakes. For this to happen, she had to depart from her usual mode of functioning and come down from her ivory tower and reach out to the people with her agenda.
Often described as the ‘Margaret Thatcher of Tamil Nadu’ by her followers, Jayalalithaa did the unthinkable and surprised political pundits by forging alliances with smaller parties – a move that proved to be a masterstroke.
As soon as the poll results were out, Jayalalithaa said, “Our priority is to rebuild. Over the past five years, Tamil Nadu has been totally ruined. Time and again this has happened. It is not an easy task to rebuild an entire state.”
What she did was to refer to the 2G spectrum scam repeatedly and hold rallies reminding the masses of how corrupt the DMK is and how the state’s economy is ruined by DMK.
Even though the pre-poll alliance played a major role in shaping the party’s victory, AIADMK cadres says that the win is an indication of people’s trust in Jayalalithaa and her vision of a corruption-free state.
4. Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Unlike other greats, Dhoni doesn’t have the technical efficiency or elegance or panache that makes cricket folklore but somehow he transcends all boundaries and makes himself a hero to the common man. He seldom makes batting look good but his helicopter shot makes even the connoisseur of the game make an exception and applaud.
Despite all his inadequacies, Dhoni ended India’s 28-year-long wait for a World Cup win and led the team to world’s No. 1 Test status. What makes Dhoni click seems to defy logic but what makes him a hero to millions makes more sense – he hails from a small-town with modest means and unlike other success stories, Dhoni has shown that anyone can make it big with hard work. He gives the small town enthusiasts the belief and confidence to dream big.
This year Time magazine named Dhoni in its list of 100 most influential people in the world. Time’s description of Dhoni was penned by Chetan Bhagat, saying:
“As astonishing as Dhoni’s talent is his background. Indian success stories are usually associated with pedigree, connections and power. Dhoni, from a small-town family of modest means, had none of these, but he’s shown India that you can make it with only one thing: excellence. Dhoni doesn’t just lead a cricket team; he’s also India’s captain of hope. And he didn’t just win India the World Cup; he also taught India how to win.”
So much has been said and written about his captaincy, but his biggest accolade came from teammate Sachin Tendulkar when he said that Dhoni is the best captain he played under.
5. B S Yeddyurappa
B S Yeddyurappa

From being BJP’s first chief minister in south India to becoming Karnataka’s first chief minister to be jailed for corruption, Bookanakere Siddalingappa Yeddyurappa’s journey has been topsy turvy. A staunch Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh man, Yeddyurappa once worked as clerk in a rice mill.
Yeddyurappa shot to fame after he took up the cause of landless farmers and bonded labourers in the state and was detained during the emergency period in 1975. A powerful public speaker, Yeddyurappa is largely credited with pulling up the sagging fortunes of BJP in Karnataka.
When Yeddyurappa became chief minister in 2008, BJP hailed the day as opening the doors of south India for the party to rule. It was not a smooth journey for either Yeddyurappa or BJP as there were three rebellions and various scandals.
In January this year, Governor H.R. Bhardwaj shook BJP and Yeddyurappa by granting permission to two Bangalore advocates to launch criminal proceedings against him for illegally freeing government land in and around Bangalore for monetary gains.
The two advocates, Sirajin Basha and N.K. Balaraj filed five cases. Yeddyurappa was jailed in two of the five cases. Besides Yeddyurappa, his two sons, B.Y. Raghavendra and B.Y. Vijayendra, and son-in-law R. Sohan Kumar are also accused in all the five cases.
6. Lal Kishanchand Advani
Lal Kishanchand Advani

Critics say this is veteran BJP leader Lal Kishanchand Advani’s final, desperate gambit to achieve his long-standing ambition to occupy the office of prime minister – his anti-corruption yatra. Supporters say the yatra, which will shortly enter such critical areas as Gujarat, Maharashtra and the south, is an attempt to throw light on rampant corruption and to politicize it is to trivialize the issue.
But is L.K. Advani’s anti-corruption yatra really mobilising people against the United Progressive Alliance or is it just the last hurrah of a veteran campaigner out to prove that he can still be a political game changer?
Calling for a ‘brighter India’ free of corruption, BJP leader L.K. Advani rolled out his sixth road campaign, the Jan Chetna Yatra, that will took him through 100 districts in 38 days. Hopefully this will be enough to push the BJP closer towards power in the next general election.
The man whose Rath first drove a party with just two seats in Parliament straight onto the national stage, clearly believes the yatra is still a journey to political advantage.
Advani’s yatra might have helped the party in crystallising the mood against the UPA in the wake of the 2G spectrum scam, the Commonwealth Games scandal and the cash-for-votes controversy and the government’s failure to contain price rise.
Advani, in his speeches during the yatra was unsparing in his attack on the UPA, describing it as the most corrupt government since independence and Manmohan Singh as the ‘weakest prime minister’. He also accused the UPA of ‘disarray and internal dissension’, ‘policy paralysis’ and spoke of the need for electoral and judicial reforms.
The yatra might have evoked a good response but the ‘litmus test’ will be Uttar Pradesh which will go to the polls next year.
7. Kiran Bedi
Kiran Bedi

Not a stranger to controversy herself, India’s most famous IPS officer, Kiran Bedi, courted notoriety this year with her vociferous support of Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal movement, even resorting to gimmickry and over-the-top antics to get her point across.
India’s most decorated public services officer, a Magsaysay awardee, Bedi was quick to heap criticism on the UPA government’s inaction towards Anna’s requests of an ombudsman bill to counter corruption. Alas, after being the most outspoken in Anna’s team, she had to swallow a bitter pill when it came to light that she’d herself inflated several travel bills, a move she was quick to defend. She subsequently paid back the overcharged amount.
Bedi’s was a classic case of people-and-glass-houses.
8. Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden

Nearly 10 years after the traumatic Sept 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon, the world’s most wanted terrorist leader Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan.
The man who wanted to recreate a seventh-century Muslim empire was gunned down by US special forces in a helicopter-borne assault on a closely guarded compound in Abbottabad.
President Obama announced that Osama bin Laden was killed in a firefight saying, “Good evening. Tonight I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who is responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children.”
Osama was found hiding in plain sight, in a well guarded compound in Abbottabad, just about an hour and a half outside of the Pakistan capital Islamabad, which cast a doubt on the Pakistan political-military hierarchy.
9. Sushil Kumar
Sushil Kumar

This 27-year-old from Motihari in Bihar, went from oblivion to fame and wealth in a matter of 13 questions on the fifth season of the quiz show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’.
Sushil Kumar, a computer operator who works on contract with a government department for a monthly salary of Rs 6,000, won the biggest prize of all – Rs 5 crore, after successfully locking 13 questions posed by the Big B.
With two lifelines left, Amitabh Bachchan started reading out the final question. Sushil had to answer which foreign colonial power exited from India after selling off the Nicobar island to the British in 1868.
Sushil answered Denmark and the Big B exulted – ‘Paanch crore!’
“Our house has almost broken down and we have a lot of loans that have to be repaid,” Sushil said. “If it hadn’t been for this money, I would have gotten old before I sorted out my life.”
“I’ve been getting a lot of suggestions about what to do with the money, but right now I can only think about my dream of getting through the civil services exam,” he said.
“What a sensational day in the studios of KBC! A young man from the interiors of Bihar, earning a meagre salary of just Rs 6,000 per month, coming from the most humblest of backgrounds, reaches the hot seat and cracks the ultimate prize – Rs 5 crore! An incredible feat!” Amitabh Bachchan blogged.
10. Irom Sharmila Chanu
Irom Sharmila Chanu - the Iron Lady

Even though she doesn’t strictly fulfil the newsmaker category, this iron-willed lady of Manipur has waged a long and lonely battle against an apathetic government the only way she can. Thanks to Anna Hazare’s fast, Irom received some media attention this year, starved that she was of it for the last 11 years.
Irom Sharmila Chanu has been fasting for 11 years to seek the removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act or AFSPA from her state, Manipur.  She has the grit to try and persuade the government to repeal a law that empowers the security forces to arrest without a warrant, and shoot anyone at sight.
Dubbed as the Iron Lady of Manipur, Irom began her fast in 2000 after she witnessed the killing of 10 people by Assam Rifles jawans at a bus stop. For the past 10 years, she has not eaten a single morsel, resulting in her being force-fed by a tube through her nose.
Irom hopes one day the Indian government will recognise her and her fight against human rights violations in the north east. She has also urged Anna Hazare to visit Manipur and see what is happening there.
Although she has won international awards, Irom’s cause has never managed to strike a chord with the otherwise vocal middle class. Very few know or care about what is happening in Manipur, and how people in the state are being constantly bullied by the armed forces.
Irom’s heroic protest and her voice for a better homeland are still being ignored. Next time you attend a candlelight vigil, say a silent prayer and light a candle for this extraordinary woman.

Tragedies across the World, 2011

Tsunami in Japan
An 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck Japan on March 11, 2011 triggering a tsunami alert along Japan’s Pacific Coast to at least 20 countries. The earthquake literally destroyed Japan. Marked a ‘Black Friday: in Japan’s history as this was the worst earthquake ever experienced.
Floods in Pakistan
The onslaught of Monsoon (June – September) rains again took Pakistan in its grip and this time it caused hundreds of casualties and over 200,000 homeless people. Badin was the center of crisis as the flood started in early months but become more severe due to continuous rainfall. The only difference between this event and last year’s tragic flood was that international aid somewhat helped the effected but in 2011 even the aid was scarce and was not provided in time which made the disaster even worse than the last years flood of 2010.
Mumbai Blasts 2011, India
Three near-simultaneous explosions rocked Mumbai on July 13, 2011, killing at least 21 people and injuring 141. The blasts occurred within minutes of each other in the areas of Opera House, Zaveri Bazaar and Dadar, all busy commercial hubs of Mumbai. There was speculation that the pattern of the blasts suggested involvement of Indian Mujahideen. According to the Special cell of the Delhi Police, Indian Mujahideen has been conducting blasts on the 13 or 26 of the month.  Speculation was also rife that the Mumbai underworld could be behind these blasts, in the light of the killing of ‘Mid Day’ Crime journalist Jyotirmoy Dey, as well as the attempted assassination of Dawood Ibrahim’s brother, Iqbal Kaskar on 3 May. 13 July is also observed as Kashmir Martyr’s day, and there could be a possibility that the attacks were carried out by Kashmiri groups. There is also a view that the attacks could have been plotted by those trying to derail the Indo-Pakistani peace process.
Hurricane Irene, U.S.A
The first hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic season left 44 dead and losses of $ 7 billion. It was the first seriously threatened the coast of the United States in three years. President Barack Obama canceled his schedule and declared an emergency. A New York City, where people feared a disaster movie with torrents of water slipping between the skyscrapers, Irene finally failed.
The hurricane passed near the Virgin Islands on August 21 and continued their advance through the Atlantic Ocean. Landfall in Puerto Rico resulted unleashing strong winds and left 800 000 people without power. There he acquired hurricane strength, and August 24, after lashing the southeastern Bahamas, became the first major hurricane (Category 3) of the season. Again touched land in North Carolina on the morning of August 27.
Terrorists Attack Delhi High Court, India
It was a dark Wednesday for Delhi on September 7, 2011 when a powerful bomb exploded outside Delhi high court. At least 13 people were killed and more than 70 hurt . The families of the victims were left with an irreparable loss. The terror attack, from a sophisticated explosive device, had a precursor less than four months ago – on May 25 , 2011- when a low-intensity bomb went off in the same area, though outside a different gate. Questions have been raised in police circles whether that blast was an attempt to gauge the area’s preparedness to ward off terror as well as its vulnerability. The people who had come to the High court for justice became victims of terror.
Sikkim Earthquake, India
The earthquake measuring 6.8 on Richter scale jolted Sikkim and Nepal  on September 18, 2011, leaving scores dead and hurt. The effects of the quake were felt across northeastern India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and southern Tibet. This quake has once again raised questions on the safety aspect of multi-storeyed buildings. The quake came just a few days after an earthquake of 4.2 magnitude hit Haryana’s Sonipat district, sending tremors in New Delhi. The earthquake was the fourth significant earthquake in India of September 2011.
Earthquake in Turkey
The Van earthquake was a destructive earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter Scale that struck eastern Turkey near the city of Van on Sunday, 23 October 201. It occurred at a shallow depth of 20 kilometres (12 mi), causing heavy shaking across much of eastern Turkey and lighter tremors across neighboring parts of the South Caucasus and Levant. According to Disasters and Emergency Situations Directorate of Turkey, on October 30 2011, the earthquake killed 604 and injured are 4,152. At least 11,232 buildings sustained damage in the region, 6,017 of which were found to be uninhabitable. The uninhabitable homes left as much as 8,321 households with an average household population of around 7.6 homeless in the province; this could mean that at least around 60,000 people were left homeless. The other 5,215 have been damaged but are habitable.
Naxal Attacks, India
Over 500 people including 124 security personnel were killed in 1,476 attacks carried out by Naxals in various states affected by Left wing extremism till November, 2011. During May 2011, Naxalites killed and dismembered ten policemen, including one senior officer in the Gariyaband, Chhattisgarh area on the border with Orissa. In June 2011, the total fatalities of both the police and the paramilitary were 43. On 21 July 2011, Maoist rebels in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh blew up a bridge, killing four people and wounding five others. The attack happened when the Congress Party Chief of the State, Nandkumar Patel, was returning from a party function.
Kolkata Hospital Fire, India
The worst fire tragedy in any hospital in India occurred on December 8, 2011 at AMRI Hospital in Kolkata. At least 91 people died due to suffocation. This was the second fire tragedy at the AMRI Hospital after 2008. The incident once again raised questions on public safety. Six members of the hospital board, including leading industrialist S K Modi, were arrested on charges of culpable homicide and negligence, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who visited the hospital, announced to the Media on December 10, 2011.

AP TRANSCO Junior Assistants (LDC) Syllabus

AP TRANSCO Sub Engineer (Elecl.,) Syllabus



ANDHRABANK PROBATIONARY OFFICERS FOR OBC CANDIDATES

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Paper Wise Initial Key

Paper Wise Initial Key
APTET JAN-2012
PAPER-I PAPER-II
(Mathematics & Science)
PAPER-II
(Social Studies)
Telugu
A B C D
Telugu
A B C D
Telugu
A B C D
Urdu
A B C D
Urdu
A B C D
Urdu
A B C D
Hindi
A B C D
Hindi
A B C D
Hindi
A B C D
Kannada
A B C D
Kannada
A B C D
Kannada
A B C D
Marathi
A B C D
Marathi
A B C D
Marathi
A B C D
Oriya
A B C D
Oriya
A B C D
Oriya
A B C D
Tamil
A B C D
Tamil
A B C D
Tamil
A B C D
Bengali
A B C D
Sanskrit
A B C D
Sanskrit
A B C D

DSC Notification 2012-Andhra Pradesh Teachers Recruitment

The Government of Andhra Pradesh is gearing up to issue teachers recruitment notification in the new year 2012. The Chief Minister has accepted to recruit candidates for 9569 School Assistant vacancies under Rajiv Madhyamika Siksha Abhiyan (RMSA) Scheme. Details of vacancies in all the districts and subjects is given below. East and West Godavari districts, Srikakulam, Karimnagar, Nalgonda and Chittor districts have big number of vacancies. Apart from these, there are 11139 vacancies under the purview of the Government of Andhra Pradesh. In these, there are 7208 SGT (Secondary Grade Teacher) vacancies, 2284 School Assistants, 1304 Language Pandits Grade 2 and 343 PET (Physical Education Teachers) posts. Following are details of vacancies, eligibility, model papers, previous question papers and application procedure:
School Assistants (SA) Vacancies - District wise

S.No. Area Vacancies S.No. Area Vacancies
1. Srikakulam 545 13. Kurnool 625
2. Vijayanagaram 371 14. Mahaboobnagar 506
3. Visakhapatnam 419 15. Rangareddy 633
4. East Godavari 960 16. Hyderabad 4
5. West Godavari 709 17. Medak 675
6. Krishna 207 18. Nizamabad 413
7. Guntur 422 19. Adilabad 258
8. Prakasam 89 20. Karimnagar 605
9. Nellore 62 21. Warangal 341
10. Chittor 528 22. Khammam 167
11. Kadapa 97 23. Nalgonda 534
12. Anantapuram 399      

School Assistants (SA) Vacancies - District wise

S.No. Subject Vacancies
1. Mathematics 1886
2. Biological Sciences 707
3. Physical Sciences 1573
4. English 1554
5. Social Studies 1116

The new DSC notification 2012 is likely to be released by the end of January 2012. Selection of the candidates for teachers jobs in AP will be through District Selection Committees (DSC) headed by District Collectors. Official website of Department of School Education, The Government of Andhra Pradesh (DSEAP) at www.dseap.gov.in will provide completed details of the recruitment. This is going to be a big notification after DSC 2008 recruitment. This is going to be a wonderful opportunity for B.Ed and D.Ed qualified candidates in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

VRO/VRA Rural Areas Questions

VRO/VRA Rural Areas Questions will Cover from below mentioned items:

1. Constitution Amendment to Article 73 and 74
2. History of Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj
3. Constitution of Grama Panchayats, Powers and duties of Grama Panchayat
4. Duties of Gram Panchayat
5. Financial Resources of Gram panchayat
6. Staff of Grama Panchayats and duties
7. National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and Scheme
8. Total Sanitation Campaign
9. Government Housing Schemes, Rural Development Programmes
10. Agriculture (Kharif, Rabi)

VRO/VRA STUDY MATERIAL

                                                           

Ph.D. ELIGIBILITY TEST FOR MCA/MSc.(IS)

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION MANAGEMENT

MANAGE invites applications for the following positions from the eligible candidates
 
 
1. Public Relations & Visitors Officer
    (Pay Band: Rs.15600 – 39,100)
     Grade Pay Rs. 5400/- PB –3
1 (One) Post
(Direct Recruitment with OC Category)
2. Campus Maintenance Officer-cum-Horticulturist
    (Consolidated amount of Rs.27,000/- p.m.)
1 (One) Post
by Contractual basis
 
For further details please visit website www.manage.gov.in. Last date for receipt of completed applications along with DD for an amount of Rs. 100/- in favour of MANAGE payable at Hyderabad by 24-01-2012. Those who are in Govt Service should forward their applications through proper channel. Director General, MANAGE, reserves the right to alter, modify in age/technical qualification or cancel this advertisement without any notice.