International Boundary Lines

1.Durand Line - India and Afghanistan(Demarcation line drawn in 1896 by Sir Mortimer Durand).

2.Radcliffe Line - India and Pakistan (Drawn in 1947 by Sir Cyril Radcliffe,Chairman of the Boundary Commission for India and Pakistan).

3.McMohan Line - India and China (Drawn by Sir Henry McMohan.The 1120km frontier line is not recognized by China.In 1962 Chinese crossed this line and invaded India.)

4.49th Parallel - USA and Canada.

5.17th Parallel - North Vietnam and South Vietnam (This line defined the boundary between them before the union).

6.38th Parallel - North Korea and South Korea.

7.Oder Niesse Line - Germany and Poland(Drawn after the Second World War).

8.Hindenberg Line - Germany and Poland (The line to which the Germans retreated in 1917 during First World War)

9.Maginot Line - France and Germany.(A line of fortification constructed by France for protection from Germany's attack).

10.Siegfried Line - Germany and France.(A line of fortification drawn up by Germany).

11.Mannerthiem Line - Russia and Finland.

12.24th Parallel - India and Pakistan.(It is the latitude line which Pakistan claimed should be the demarcation line the Kutch dispute.India rejected the claim)

Important Days...

January 12 - National Youth Day.

January 15 - Army Day.

January 26 - Republic Day,International Customs Day.

January 30 - Matyrs' Day

February 28 - National Science Day.

March 8 - International Women's Day.

March 15 - World Disabled Day.

March 21 - World Forestry Day.

March 23 - World Meteorological Day.

April 5 - National Maritime Day.

April 7 - World Health Day.

April 18 - World Heritage Day.

April 22 - Earth Day.

May 1 - Worker's Day(International Labour Day).

May 3 - Press Freedom Day.

May(2nd Sunday) - Mother's Day.

May 8 - World Red Cross Day.

May 15 - International Day of the Family.

May 17 - World Telecommunication Day.

May 24 - Commonwealth Day.

May 31 - Anti-tobacco Day.

June 5 - World Environment Day.

June 27 - World Diabetes Day.

July 11 - World Population Day.

August 6 - Hiroshima Day.

August 9 - Quit India Day,Nagasaki Day.

August 15 - Independence Day.

August 29 - National Sports Day.

September 5 - Teacher's Day.

September 8 - World Literacy Day.

September 16 - World Ozone Day.

September 21 - Alzheimer's Day.

September 26 - Day of Deaf.

September 27 - World Tourism Day.

October 3 - World Habitat Day.

October 4 - World Animal Welfare Day.

October 8 - Indian Air Force Day.

October 9 - World Post Office Day.

October 10 - National Post Day.

October 13 - UN International Day for Natural
Disaster Reduction.

October 14 - World Standards Day.

October 15 - World White Cane Day.

October 16 - World Food Day.

October 24 - UN Day.

October 30 - World Thrift Day.

November 14 - Children's Day.

December 1 - World AIDS Day.

December 4 - Navy Day.

December 7 - Armed Forces Flag Day.

December 10 - Human Rights Day.

December 23 - Kisan Divas(Farmer's Day).

Persons(Sobriquets)

Abdul Gaffar Khan - Badshah Khan;Frontier Gandhi.

Adolf Hitler - Fuhrer.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak - Lokmanya.

Benito Mussolini - II Duce.

C F Andrews - Deenabandhu.

C N Annadurai - Anna.

C R Das - Deeshabandhu.

C Rajagopalachari - Rajaji.

Dadabhai Narorji - Grand Old Man of India.

Duke of Wellington - Iron Duke.

Dwight David - Ike.

Eisenhower Earl of Warwick - King Maker.

Erwin Rommel - Desert Fox.

Florence Nightingale - Lady with the Lamp.

Francisco Franco - El Cauclillo.

Geoffery Chaucer - Father of English Poetry.

Jawaharlal Nehru - Chacha,Panditji.

Jayaprakash Narayan - Loknayak.

Joan of Arc - Maid of Orleans.

Lal Bahadur Shastri - Man of Peace.

Lala Lajpat Rai - Punjab Kesari.

M K Gandhi - Bapu.

M S Gohlwalker - Guruji.

Madan Mohan Malaviya - Mahamana.

Napolean Bonaparte - Man of Destiny.

Otto Von Bismark - Man of Blood and Iron.

Queen Elizabeth - Maiden Queen.

Rabindranath Tagore - Gurudev.

Rajinder Singh - Sparrow.

Samuel Langhome Clemens - Mac Twain.

Sarojini Naidu - Nightingale of India.

Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah - Lion of Kashmir

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman - Bangabandhu.

Subhash Chandra Bose - Netaji.

T Prakasam - Andra Kesari.

Vallabhai Patel - Man of Iron,Strong Man of India.

Walter Scott - Wizard Of The North.

William Ewart Glandstone - Grand Old Man of Britain.

William Shakespeare - Brand of Avon.

Younger Pitt - Great Commoner.

Spiritual Leaders Of India

Gauthama Buddha(563BC-483BC)



The greatest son of India popularly know as Light of Asia.Siddhartha was born as a prince of Shakya at Lumbini,now in Nepal in 563BC.After leaving all worldly belongings,he meditated under the Bodhi tree and became enlightened at Buddhagaya in Bihar.Preached his first sermon at Saranath in UP.'Desire is the cause of sorrow'.'Understanding four Noble Truths leads a person to ultimate liberation'.Buddha breathed his last at Kushninagar in Uttar Pradesh.Buddhism spread South and Central Asia from Afghanistan to Japan 400 million people follow Buddhism.

Mahavira(540BC-468BC)


Vardhamana Mahavira is the founder of Jainism.He was born at Kundalagrama in Vaisali of Bihar.Attained enlightenment at Jrimbhigrama.Ahimsa is the core of Jainism.Self denial and penance are the means to purify human nature.Right faith,Right knowledge and Right conduct are known as the three jewels of Jainism.Mahavira attained Nirvana at Pavapuri in 468BC

Guru Nanak(1469-1539)


Founder of Sikhism.Born at Rai Bhoi di Talvandi near Lahore in a merchant family.Worked as a store keeper before getting spiritual insight.Spent a wandering life for 20 years as a saint.Then settled at Karatarpur in Punjab and became the first Guru of Sikhism.Both Hindu and Muslim ideologies influenced Sikhism.No external aid of idols or mosques needed to worship God.Guru Nanak died in 1539.

Swami Vivekananda(1863-1902)




Great Indian monk and social reformer.Born on January 12,1863 near Calcutta.His name was Narendranath Datta.Received English education and became the disciple of Sree Ramakrishna.Addressed World Religious Conference of 1893 at Chicago.Founded Ramakrishna Mission in 1897.Stood aganist social injustice and casteism of Hindu religion.

Dayananda Saraswathy(1824-1883)



Social reformer and religious leader.He was born at Morve in Gujarat.Founded Arya Samaj for the Hindu reformation in 1875.'Go back to Vedas'was his slogan.He succeeded in mobilising Hindu mainstream people against injustice prevailing in the region.His ideologies influenced Gandhiji a lot.Dayananda Saraswathi also participated in the first war of independence.

Sree Sankara(788-820)


Sree Sankara,popularly known as Sankaracharya was born at Kalady in Kerala.His interpretation of Vedas and Hindu spirituality based on 'Adwaida' gave a new orientation to the diminishing Hindu religion.Then he traveled all over India by foot and lit the lamp of awakening in society.He founded religious centers called mut at different parts of India.This great saint breathed his last at the age of 32.

The Constitution Of India

• The Constitution of India is the longest written constitution of the world.
• Dr. B.R.Ambedkar is known as the Architect of India Constitution.He was the Chairman of the drafting committee of Indian Constitution.
• Dr.Rajendra Prasad was the chairman of the Constituent Assembly.
• Jawaharlal Nehru put forward the Preamble to Indian Constitution.
• The Constitution of India came into force on January 26,1950.
• The Constitution had 395 Articles and 8 Schedules and 22 parts.
• Articles 12 to 35 of the Indian Constitution in Part III comprise Fundamental Rights.Soul of the Constitution.
• Fundanmental Duties,described in Part IV A was inserted by the 42nd Amendment Act of 1976.This Constitutional Amendment during the period of Indria Gandhi as Prime Minister made notable changes in Indian Constitution including the Preamble.
• Articles 356 authorizes Central Government to dismiss State Government and impose President's rule there.
• Article 352 deals with the provision regarding proclamation of national emergency.
• Article 370 defines special States of Jammu & Kashmir.
  

DOLPHIN-National Aquarian Animal

The Centre has declared Ganga dolphin, a national aquarian animal, in order to save the rare freshwater species from becoming extinct.
"Like we have tiger as a national animal and peacock as a national bird, we have declared dolphins as a national aquatic animal as it represents the health of the rivers, particularly Ganga in the country," Union Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh told media persons.
He said the decision was taken at the first meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to streamline steps to rejuvenate the river Ganga.The meeting was attended by Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Ramesh Pokhriyal, his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar and representatives of West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh at the PM's residence. Union Minister Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh and deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia were also present. The proposal to this effect was made in the meeting by the Bihar Chief Minister (CM) Nitish Kumar. It was pointed out by him that by declaring dolphins as a national aquatic animal, the government was not only ensuring the survival of the species which are endemic to river Ganga but also seeking cleansing of the river.
"Since the river dolphin is at the apex of the aquatic food chain, its presence in adequate numbers symbolizes greater bio diversity in the river system," Jairam Ramesh told reporters. "We will soon work out details for the Project Dolphins and steps to be taken under it to protect the species," he added.
Facing grave threats due to excessive pollution in Ganga and poaching, there are less than 2,000 dolphins left in the country, prompting the International Conservation Union (IUCN), a forum of conservationists, NGOs and government agencies, to categorize it as an endangered species.
The Ganges River Dolphin is an endemic species of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna river systems, extending from the foot of the Himalayas to the tidal zone in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.
It has been included in the Schedule-I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act.

Man Made Wonders of India

1.TajMahal


One of the seven wonders of the world.Built in 1648,TajMahal is known as Poetry of Marble.Emperor Shajahan of Mughal dynasty built it in memory of his wife and her tomb is at the center of the structure.Agra became world famous because of this love memorial on the bank of River Yamuna.TajMahal is designated as a World Heritage site.It is in Utter Pradesh.

2.Golden Temple

Most important pilgrim center of Sikhs.Guru Ramdas started construction in 1588 and it took 36 years to complete the temple.Marble walls and Golden roof make the temple a magnificent one.The temple was destroyed in the foreign invasion in 1760s and was rebuilt.Main shrine called Akal Takhat is at the center of a lake called Amrit Sarovar.Without any caste or creed discrimination.Golden Temple attracts thousands of pilgrims every day.It is in Amritsar of Punjab.

3.Indira Gandhi Canal


One of the biggest canals ever made by man,this canal irrigates dry areas of western Rajastan.650km long canal irrigates 6,77,000 htrs dry agricultural areas of Jaisalemer alone.Canal start from river Sutlej of Harike Barrage in Punjab and flows through Punjab,Haryana and Rajasthan.

4.Qutab Minar



One of the oldest towers built in India.73 meters high Minar is made up of sandstone and resisted natural calamities for the last 811 years.It was the first major architecture in Islamic style in India.Minar is a part of a Mosque here.It was built by Qutab-ub-din Aibak of Slave dynasty at Delhi as a victory monument.

5.Gomateswara Statue



One of the biggest statues carved out of a single stone.It was built in 9th century.The statue of Prince Bahubali is visible from a 20km distance.The statue is carved out of a granite block and the idol is in a meditative mood.The statue is located at the main Jain pilgrim center Sravanbelagola of Karnataka.

6.Kailashnath Temple.



Kailashnath Temple of Ellora is one of the excellent examples of the rich architectural style of ancient India.Temple is carved out of a single stone of 50m x 30m x 30m in size.There are 34 cave temples in Ellora and Kailasnath temple is the most attractive one.It is in Maharashtra.

7.Meenakshi Temple of Madurai




Considered as one of the wonders of the world.It is in TamilNadu.It was constructed in 1623-55 period.985 pillars in the temple is a wonder of architecture.Plinth area of this granite poetry is 850 feet long and 730 feet wide.

India-National Song

Vande Mataram,the National Song of India is composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterji.It is taken from the novel Anantha Math.It was published in 1882.With in a short while this song became the symbol of Indian dream of freedom and thousands of freedom fighters spell it while shedding their last drop of blood for the freedom of the country.It was first sung at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress in 1896.The National Song is sung at special functions.

India - National Bird

Peacock is the National Bird of India.There are three species of Peacocks in Phasianidae family.The blue peacock is called Indian Peacock and is our National Bird.The main attraction of the peacock is its tail with eye link markings.It is a common wold bird in the open forest of North India.As per Hindu mythology peacock is a holy bird.So the conservation of this most beautiful bird is not a task for us.Considering all these facts,Constituent Assembly of India approved the peacock is our National Bird.

India - National Emblem

The National Emblem of India is an adaptation from the Saranath Lion Capital of Ashoka,the great emperor of ancient India.He erected around 30 stone pillars at different parts of North India for the proclamation of Buddhist ideologies.Sarnath Pillar,constructed in 250 BC was the most magnificent one.Four lion heads looking in four directions form the emblem.Dharma Chakra of Buddha,a horse,a lion,an elephant and an ox are also carved on an abacus.First sermon of Buddha after enlightenment was at Saranath.His message to the world was non violence and ultimate victory of truth.Hence the selection of the lion head of Saranath our National Symbol is the message about our vision and cultural richness of the great country,India.

India - National Anthem.

Jana-Gana-Mana,the National Anthem of India ,is written by Rabindranath Tagore in 1911.He wrote it to sing at the 28th annual meeting of Indian National Congress at Calcutta.Out of the five stanzas of the song we sing only the first stanza in 2 seconds.It was approved as the National Anthem by the Consituent Assembly of free India on 24th January 1950.Long before that it was a song of inspiration for millions of Indians who fought aganist the British rule.It was the song that echoed in the Parliament House at midnight on August 14,1947 when India became independent.

India-National Animal

Tiger(Bengal Tiger)is our National Animal.It is the heaviest and most magnificant animal of the cat family.India was very famous for Bengal tigers but these are highly endangered species now.Most populous tiger reserve of India is Sunderban of Bengal.The tiger is a solitary animal living in its own territory.Unlike other animals tigres are seen in differnt places like dense forest,mangrove forest,snow covered mountains and plain lands.We have introduced Project Tiger Programme for the conservation of Indian tigers.The charm and peculiarity of our National Animals is unparallelled.

India-National Flower

Lotus is our National Flower.It is an aquatic plant and its name is Nelumbo nucifera.For Greeks,Lotus is a shrub and for the Egyptians it is white lilly.We accepted pink Lotus as our National Flower.Our National Flower is a sacred flower of the Hindus and it has also medicinal values.It represents the ultimate enlightenment of man which is narrated in Yoga.As it blossoms with the rise of sun,it also represents light and knowledge.

India - General Information

About the Name

India got its name from the river Indus(Sindhu).From time immemorial India was an attraction to the people of West Asia and Europe.They had to cross river Indus to reach this wonderland.So they considered this great countryas the gift of Indus and called it India.
River Indus is one of the longest rives of the world with 2900 km length and carries water twice of the river Nile.It was the cradle of one of the ancient civilizations of the world called Indus Valley Civilization.Hence the name of this country,derived from the name of a great river,is most suitable.
Another name of India is Bharat.This word means 'Pleasing every creature'.As per mythology India is the land of Bharata,a great ruler of ancient times who mentioned in the epics.South Asians and the Hindus call India by the name Hindustan,meaning the land of Hindus.

Capital City : New Delhi
Area : 32,87,263 sq.km
Government : Republic
Matural Resources : Iron,Copper,Manganese,Bauxite,Gold,Mica and Coal.
Agricultural Products : Rice,Wheat,Cotton,Sugarcane,Coconut,Spice,Jute,Tea,Coffee and Rubber.
Exports : Textiles and Clothing,Iron ore ,Tea,Fish and Farm produce.
Unit of Money : Rupee
Official Languages :Hindi,English
Religion : Secular
Father of Nation : Mahatma Gandhi.
Supreme Commander : The President of India.

IRINA BOKOVA

Irina Bokova,Bulgaria's former foreign minister is became the first woman to head UNESCO,the Paris based United Nations agency for education,science and culture.

LEANDER PAES

Leander Paes of India and Lukas Dlouhy of the Czech Republic won the US Open tennis men's doubles title.Paes now has 10 Grand Slam titles-six in men's doubles and 4 in mixed doubles.Mahesh Bhupathi has 11 Grand Slam titles - 4 men's doubles and 7 mixed doubles.

Pae's Grand Slam Titles

Men's Doubles

1999 : French Open(with Mahesh Bhupathi)
1999 : Wimbledon (with Mahesh Bhupathi)
2001 : French open(with Mahesh Bhupathi)
2006 : US open (with Martin Dam of Czech Republic)
2009 : French Open(with Loukas Dlouhy)

Mixed Doubles

1999 : Wimbledon(with Lisa Raymond)
2003 : Australian Open(with Martina Navratilova)
2003 : wimbledon(with Martina Navratilova)
2008 : US Open(with Cara Black).

ARUN MAJUMDAR

United State President Barack Obama has appointed Indian-American Arun Majumdar as incharge of advanced research in the field of energy,one of the key post in his administration.
A product of IIT Mumbai,Mr Majumdar has been nominated Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy in the united States Department of Energy.

NORMAN E BORLAUG

Norman E Borlaug, the United States of agricultural scientist and 'Father of Green Revolution',who received the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for developing high yielding crops to prevent famine in the developing world,passed away on September 12,2009 at the age of 95.His crusade to develop high yielding,disease-resistant crops saved millions of people worldwide who otherwise may have been doomed to starvation.His efforts to develop new crop varieties helped alleviate food shortages in places such as India and Pakistan,helping to make developing countries self sufficient in food production.
In 2007,Borlaug also received the Congressional Gold medal,the highest civilian honour of the United States.
He instituted the annual World Food Prize.Dr MS Swaminathan was the first recipient.

PRIYANKA CHOPRA

Eight years ago British actor Lupino Lane created a(as yet unbroken)record for a male actor by playing 24 roles in "Only Me"(1929).And now Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra is excited about the possibility of entering record books for doing 12 roles in "What's Your Rashee?".
In Ashutosh Gowariker's "What's Your Rashee?",she plays 12 different roles and the film has already been referred to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Vijender Singh

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee and Beijing Olympics bronze medallist Vijender Singh on September 12,2009 created history by winning bronze medal at the World Boxing championship in Milan, Italy. It is the first ever medal for India in the world championships.Virender Singh was beaten by Abbos Atoev of Uzbekistan in semi finals.2009 became the first Indian boxer to reach pinnacle of the international boxing Association's world ranking in the middle weight category(75). With 2700 points,the 23 year old boxer from bhiwani is on top.

Fact file : Vijender Singh.
Origin : Kaluwas village,Bhiwani(Haryana)
Age : 23
Weight Category : Middle weight(75 kg)
International Medals

2009 :Won bronze at World Amateur Boxing Championships in Milan.Also clinched bronze at the Asian Championships and got Rajiv Gandhi khel Ratna award.
2008 :Became the first Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal when he won bronze in the middleweight category.
2006 :Won Silver medal at the Commonwealth Games at Melbourne.He went up a division and competed in the middleweight(75 kg)division at the 2006 Asian Games at Doha winning the bronze.

Dates to Remember.....

1757 - Battle of Plassey: The British defeat Siraj-ud-daulah

1760 - Battle of Wandiwash: The British defeat the French

1761 - Third battle of Panipat

1764 - Battle of Buxar: The British defeat Mir Kasim

1765 - The British get Diwani Rights in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa

1767 -1769 - First Mysore War

1772 - Warren Hastings appointed as Governor of Bengal

1773 - The Regulating Act passed by the British Parliament

1775 -1782 - The First Anglo-Maratha war

1780-1784 - Second Mysore War : The British defeat Hyder Ali

1784 - Pitt's India Act

1790-1792 - Third Mysore War between the British and Tipu

1793 - Permanent Settlement of Bengal

1799 - Fourth Mysore War: The British defeat Tipu

1802- Treaty of Bassein

1803-1805 - The Second Anglo-Maratha war

1814-1816 - The Anglo-Gurkha war

1817-1818 - The Pindari war

1824-1826 - The First Burmese war

1829 - Prohibition of Sati

1831 - Mysore administration taken over by East India Company

1833 - Renewal of Company's Charter

1833 - Abolition of Slavery throughout the British Empire

1838 - Tripartite treaty between Shah Shuja, Ranjit Singh and the British

1839-1842 - First Afghan war

1843 - Gwalior war

1845-1846 - First Anglo-Sikh war

1848 - Lord Dalhousie becomes the Governor-General

1848-1849 - Second Anglo-Sikh war

1852 - Second Anglo-Burmese war

1853 - Railway & Telegraph line introduced

1857 - First War of Indian Independence: The Sepoy Mutiny

1857 - Zanshichi Rani Laxmibai - Freedom struggle in 1857

1858 - British Crown takes over the Indian Government

1877 - The Queen of England proclaimed Empress of India

1878 - Vernacular Press Act

1881 - Factory Act

1885 - First meeting of the Indian National Congress

1897 - Plague in Bombay; Famine Commission

1899 - Lord Curzon becomes Governor-General and Viceroy

1905 - The First Partition of Bengal

1906 - Formation of Muslim League

1911 - Partition of Bengal modified to create the Presidency of Bengal

1912 - The Imperial capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi

1913 - Educational Resolution of the Government of India

1915 - Defence of India Act

1916 - Home Rule League, Foundation of Women's University at Poona

1919 - Rowlatt Act evokes protests; Jalianwalla Bagh massacre;

1920 - The Khilafat Movement started, Non-co-operation Movement

1921 - Moplah (Muslim) rebellion in Malabar; Census of India

1922 - Civil Disobedience Movement, Chauri-Chaura violence

1925 - Reforms Enquiry committee Report

1927 - Indian Navy Act; Simon Commission Appointed

1928 - Simon Commission comes to India: Boycott by all parties

1929 - Lord Irwin promises Dominion Status for India; Trade Union split

1930 - Salt Satyagraha, First Round Table Conference

1931 - Second Round Table Conference; Irwin-Gandhi Pact

1932 - Third Round Table Conference, Poona Pact

1934 - Civil Disobedience Movement called off; Bihar Earthquake

1937 - Inauguration of Provincial Autonomy

1939 - Political deadlock in India as Congress ministries resign

1942 - Cripps Mission, Quit India Movement, Indian National Army

1944 - Gandhi-Jinnah Talks break down on Pakistan issue

1946 - Interim Government formed, Constituent Assembly's first meeting

3 June 1947 - Lord Mountbatten's plan for partition of India

15 Aug 1947 - Partition of India and Independence

Booker Prize 2009

Hilary Mantel(British Novelist)
Book - "Wolf Hall"

Nobel Prize 2009

Every year since 1901 the Nobel Prize has been awarded for achievements in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and for peace. The Nobel Prize is an international award administered by the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden. In 1968, Sveriges Riksbank established The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prize. Each prize consists of a medal, personal diploma, and a cash award.

Nobel Prize 2009 - Economics



1.Elinor Ostrom

-for her analysis of economic governance, especially the commons-

2. Oliver E. Williamson

-for his analysis of economic governance, especially the boundaries of the firm-

Nobel Prize 2009 - Peace



Barack Obama - Hon. President of United States of America

-for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples"-



Nobel Prize 2009 - Literature

Hertha Muller - Romania

-who, with the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose, depicts the landscape of the dispossessed -

Nobel Prize 2009 - Physics




1. Charles Cavo - Britain

-For groundbreaking achievements concerning the transmission of light in fibers for optical communication-

2.William S Boyle - US
3. George E Smith - US

-For the invention of an imaging semiconductor circuit – the CCD sensor-

Nobel Prize 2009 - Chemistry



1. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan - US
2.Thomas Steitz - US
3. Ada Yonath - Israel

For showing how the ribosome, which produces protein, functions at the atomic level

Nobel Prize 2009 - Physiology or Medicine


-For the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase-

1. Elizabeth H. Blackburn - USA.
2. Carol W. Greider - USA.
3. Jack W. Szostak - USA.

Moon and Water.........?

Moon and Water.........?







NASA scientists have discovered water molecules in the polar regions of the Moon with the help of ISRO's "Chandrayaan-1 "spacecraft. Instruments aboard three separate spacecraft revealed water molecules in amounts that are greater than predicted, but still relatively small. Hydroxyl, a molecule consisting of one oxygen atom and one hydrogen atom, also was found in the lunar soil.

The observations were made by NASA's Moon Mineralogy Mapper, or M3 ("M-cubed"), aboard the Indian Space Research Organization's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft. NASA's Cassini spacecraft and NASA's Epoxi spacecraft have confirmed the find.



"Water ice on the Moon has been something of a holy grail for lunar scientists for a very long time," said Jim Green, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "This surprising finding has come about through the ingenuity, perseverance and international cooperation between NASA and the India Space Research Organization."



From its perch in lunar orbit, M3's state-of-the-art spectrometer measured light reflecting off the Moon's surface at infrared wavelengths, splitting the spectral colors of the lunar surface into small enough bits to reveal a new level of detail in surface composition. When the M3 science team analyzed data from the instrument, they found the wavelengths of light being absorbed were consistent with the absorption patterns for water molecules and hydroxyl.

"When we say 'water on the Moon,' we are not talking about lakes, oceans or even puddles," explained Carle Pieters, M3's principal investigator from Brown University, Providence, R.I. "Water on the Moon means molecules of water and hydroxyl that interact with molecules of rock and dust specifically in the top millimeters of the Moon's surface.

The M3 team found water molecules and hydroxyl at diverse areas of the sunlit region of the Moon's surface, but the water signature appeared stronger at the Moon's higher latitudes. Water molecules and hydroxyl previously were suspected in data from a Cassini flyby of the Moon in 1999, but the findings were not published until now.


"The data from Cassini's VIMS instrument and M3 closely agree," said Roger Clark, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist in Denver and member of both the VIMS and M3 teams. "We see both water and hydroxyl. While the abundances are not precisely known, as much as 1,000 water molecule parts-per-million could be in the lunar soil. To put that into perspective, if you harvested one ton of the top layer of the Moon's surface, you could get as much as 32 ounces of water."

For additional confirmation, scientists turned to the Epoxi mission while it was flying past the Moon in June 2009 on its way to a November 2010 encounter with comet Hartley 2. The spacecraft not only confirmed the VIMS and M3 findings, but also expanded on them.

"With our extended spectral range and views over the north pole, we were able to explore the distribution of both water and hydroxyl as a function of temperature, latitude, composition, and time of day," said Jessica Sunshine of the University of Maryland. Sunshine is Epoxi's deputy principal investigator and a scientist on the M3 team. "Our analysis unequivocally confirms the presence of these molecules on the Moon's surface and reveals that the entire surface appears to be hydrated during at least some portion of the lunar day."

The discovery of water molecules and hydroxyl on the Moon raises new questions about the origin of "Moon water" and its effect on lunar mineralogy. Answers to these questions will be studied and debated for years to come.

THE HISTORY OF THE INDIAN FLAG

The flag that was first hoisted on August 7, 1906,
at the Parsee Bagan Square in Calcutta.
Called the 'Saptarishi Flag', this was hoisted in Stuttgart
at the International Socialist Congress held on August 22, 1907.
Associated with the names of Dr. Annie Besant and
Lokmanya Tilak, this flag was hoisted at
the Congress session in Calcutta during the
'Home Rule Movement'.
In the year 1921, a young man from Andhra presented
this flag to Gandhiji for approval. It was only after
Gandhiji's suggestion that the white strip and
the charkha were added'.

This flag was suggested during the All India Congress
Committee session in 1931. However, the Committee's
suggestion was not approved..

On August 6, 1931, the Indian National Congress
formally adopted this flag, which was first hoisted
on August 31.

Our National Flag, which was born on July 22, 1947,
with Nehruji's words, "Now I present to you not only the Resolution,
but the Flag itself". This flag was first hoisted at the Council House
on August 15, 1947.

The man who designed Tiranga versatile genius Lt. Shri Pingali Venkayya.

Lt .Shri Pingali Venkayya

India 's flag is a tricolor standard, with bands of saffron, white, and dark green. The saffron represents courage, sacrifice, patriotism, and renunciation. It is also the color of the Hindu people. The green stands for faith, fertility and the land; it is the color of the Islam religion. The white is in the center, symbolizing the hope for unity and peace. In the center of the white band is a blue wheel with 24 spokes. This is the Ashoka Chakra (or "Wheel of Law").. The Chakra represents the continuing progress of the nation and the importance of justice in life. It also appears on the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka " .

Yashpal Committee report and its analysis

Yashpal Committee report and its analysis

Education is the beacon that guides a society to a better future.It is one sector to which the destiny of a nation is intrinsically linked.The better the quality of education at all its levels better educated are the people of a society and the more the the level of education higher the quality of human resources of a country.India which is the second most populous country in the world as well as one with a young population is considered to be one with an enormous demographic advantage.But this demographic advantage will become a disadvantage of India's vast young population is not given the quality of education that allows the country to fulfill its immense human resource potential.Keeping this in mind the government of India appointed a committee under the chairmanship of eminent educationist Prof.Yashpal to suggest possible reforms in the sphere of education.The committee finalized its report on 22nd June 2009 and handed it over to the Union Human Resource Development Minister on 24th June 2009.

Major recommendations:-
One of the important recommendations of the committee is that regulatory bodies like the University Grant Commission (UGC);the All India Council for Technical Education,the NCTE etc should be abolished and replaced by a seven-member Commission for Higher Education and Research (CHER) which would function as a super-regulator.It should be established through an Act of Parliament and should encompass within itself all the powers and duties of the regulatory bodies it will do away with.

The Committee also suggested that of the seven members of the CHER one should be an eminent personality from the world of industry.This is the very sensible suggestion indeed given that education in the times of job crisis must be appropriately oriented according to the needs and requirements of industry.

And who better can understand the demands of industry from fresh graduates other than a man from industry itself.Realizing that one single body with virtually all the powers of regulating the heigher education of India can be susceptible to political influence ,the committee recommeneded that the chairperson and the members of CHER should be selected by a committee constituting the PrimeMinister,Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India.The functional division of the CHER was also specified by the Yashpal committee.It specified five divisions for the CHER,one for future directions,one for accreditation ,for funding and development and finally for new institutions.An eminet person will head each division for five years,thus fixing their tenure in office.

This would give the heads of each devision the opportunity to work independently without succumbing to political pressure.The Chairperson and the members should be appointed by the President of India thus giving them additional prestige in keeping with their high office.State Higher Education Councils patterned on the ones existent in West Bengal,Andra Pradesh and Kerala will exist as the second tier of the system.In order to strengthen the position of the Chairperson,it has been made similer to that of the Election Commissioners of India.In addition to the abolition of bodies like the UGC and AICTE, the jurisdiction of other regulators like the Medical Council of India(MCI),the Bar Council of India etc must be restricted to only administrative matters.The accademic matters with which they deal must be made the sole preserve and resposibility of the concerned universities.

The Yashpal Committee feals that the Indian Institutes of Technology(IIT) and the Indian Institute of Management(IIM) being premier institutions for learning must not restrict themselves to the areas they deal with at present.They should diversify into subjects like humanitics,law and even arts there by expanding their scope of work and reach and must function as full-fledged Universities.While this appears to be a worthy suggestion,there is always the possibility that the IITs and IIMs may in the progress lose their core specialization for which they had earned international repute.However no one can blame the Yaspal Committee for recommending that these gaints of learning expand themselves from institutions to universities.After all the health of an organization is determined by its growth and the same is true for the IITs and IIMs.

The Committee also prescribed a national testing scheme for admissions to universites similar to the GRE which determines admissions to US universities.This national test should be open to all aspirants in India and it should be held more than once a year.This is an extremely good suggestion indeed as it seeks to do with many banes in the Indian heigher educational scenario.

Such a testing scheme would automatically get rid of any kind of quotas system,whether it is state and non-state quotas or NRI quotas,which have served no world while purpose other than increasing cut-throat commericailization in heigher education with some private colleges often charging exorbitant fees in exchange for sub-standard quality of education also selection will only be of meritorious students and not of moneyed ones.This will bring about an over all quality improvement in heigher education. As exams will be held more than ones,it will save students who could not qualify in a particular year from losing the whole year through commendable in this scheme of things the academic year has to be suitably adjusted.In fact it may result in more than once academic year with in a single calender year.In that case it should be seen that problems do not later on for getting jobs through campus interviews.To avoid any kind of confusion the American example may be followed.

The CHER will identify 1500 of India's best colleges so as to upgrade them to universities.At the same time it will create clusters of potentially good colleges which can evolve into universities.All levels to teacher education should also be brought under the purview of the heigher education regulator.Traning of teachers is an important area which needs to be focused upon.Unless teachers are well trained they cannot be expected to impart quality education among the students.Given that teacher's training remains a neglected area in India,the focus of the Yashpal Committee in improving it is welcome indeeded.

The Committee noted with concern the mushrooming of large no of engineering and management colleges many of which it felt had "largely become business entities dispensing very poor quality education".It also criticized the sharp growth of deemed universities.It felt that there should be a complete ban on deemed university status.As far as the existing deemed Universities are concerned if they are suddenly deprived of their status,then that would definitely create student unrest.Hence the committee recommended that these universities be given three years time to develop as universities and fullfill the requisite accreditation norms.However if any of the present deemed universities do not fulfill the accreditation norms the it is clear unclear as to what would happen top them.The committee spoke about the gross missuse of section 3 of the UGC Act which frames the guidlines lines providing the status of deemed universities.According to the interim report of the committee "in the last 5 years 36 institutions excluding the REC have been notified as deemed universities,raising concerns that a majority of these institutions are not established with any educational purpose".In fact the statistics say it all.From 1956 to 1990,29 institutions in all were conferred deemed status whereas in the last 15 years itself as many as 63 institutes were made deemed.

Clearly the deemed status has become rather less weighty in the last one and and a decades and this is what has made the Yashpal Committee worried.In many cases it cannot be denied that politics plays a part in the granting of deemed status.There are colleges in parts of India where student strife and politics result in examinations not taking place on time and yet these colleges have got the coveted label of deemed universities.

The committee questioned the sources of funding of many of the private education providers and said that it was either "unaccounted wealth from business and political enterprises or from capitation fees".Such funding made these private colleges no better than money making enterprises.It also noted with alarm that many of these educational institutes did not even give full salaries to their teachers and at times carried out "unethical practices" such as impounding certificates and passports of their faculty members.Some could not even provide the requisite faculty strength in their institutes.

"An institute working with motive of profit did not have the right to be called a university" was the moral declaration made by the Yashpal Committee.However in the same breath the committee also acknowledged the need for private investment in heigher education.It has to be admitted that given the country's huge higher education demand there is, realistically speaking no alternative to private sector investment in it.Huge fund are required to provide every student with a heigher education degree and the government alone cannot that amount of fund.There seems to be a candid admission of this fact by the committee.There is one aspect though which the committee left unsaid.When there is private investment, some amount of profit motive cannot be ruled out.The committee didnot spell out exactly how to strike a balance between private investment and the quality of education.

Conferring academic designations as Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors to members of the promoter's family is another practice the committee looked down upon.This practice should be completely scrapped and in its place the conferring of designations should submit to a national accreditation system.Setting up too many IITs,IIMs and other educational institutes, felt the committee is not a good thing as it tends to dilute the quality of the institute.

Numerical increase with out an understanding of the symptoms of poor education doesnot serve any purpose.The committee criticized the government's indiscriminate establishment of educational institutions as a "nervous and hurried response" and added that the "creation of a few institutions of excellence and some central universities with out addressing the issue of deprivation that state- funded universities are suffering from,would only sharpen the existing inequalities." By saying this, the committee has brought forth a different perspective and pointed out that simply increasing quantity is not good enough without paying adequate attention to the quality factor as well.

Need for curricular reform also caught the eye of the Yaspal Committee.It said that teachers should be given the freedom to design courses and students should have the option of studying subjects outside their courses as well.The committe probably missed out a chance of giving even a say to students in shaping up the curriculum.Another worthwhile recommendation put forth by the committee is that research bodies around the country should tie up with the universities in their vicinity.This would give fillip to research work at the college and university level and attract more students towards research.Also it would improve the overall intellectual climate in universities.

The committee said that universites should not only be centers for teaching and learning but also for research.Such an approach can also help to increase the number of patents coming out of india.At the same time the committee also spoke about focusing greater attention to undergradute programs and recommended a multi-disciplinary approach to learnings for the entry of foreign universities into India,the committee had this to say "giving an open license to all and sundry carrying a foreign ownership tag to function like universities into India,most of them not even known in their countries,would help them to earn profit for their parent institutes located outside or accrue profit to the shareholders.Such institutes must give an Indian degree and be subject to all rules and regulations that would apply to any Indian university".

The Yaspal Committee has undoubtedly come up with many good recommendations.But the implementation of these recommendations would require a large measure of political will from the Central government.Already the chairman of UGC and AICTE have objected to the recommendation which calls for their scrapping.Many more such objections may follow.How much of the recommendations are actually acted upon remains to be seen.

United Nations

Secretaries-General of the UN

1 Trygve Lie : Norway
2 Dag Hammarskjöld : Sweden
3 U Thant : Burma (First from Asia)
4 Kurt Waldheim : Austria
5 Javier Pérez de Cuéllar : Peru ( First from South America)
6 Boutros Boutros-Ghali : Egypt First from Africa
7 Kofi Annan : Ghana
8 Ban Ki-moon : South Korea

Introduction

Introduction




Chemistry is the branch of science in which we study properties,composition and structure of materials in the world around us.

Branches of Chemistry

Inorganic Chemistry
This mainly deals with the study of all of elements and the properties, preparation and application of their compounds.

Organic Chemistry
Organic Chemistry deals with the study of aspects of carbon and its compounds.

Physical Chemistry
The theorectical and mathematical aspects of chemical reactions are dealt with in the study of Physical Chemistry.

BioChemistry
The branch of chemistry involves the study of chemical changes and reactions occuring with in the living systems and in the life processess.

Analytical Chemistry.
The study of constituents and their identification in chemical substances is studied in Analytical Chemistry.

Importance of Chemistry

Penicillin - The first antibiotic.

Insulin - The first Hormon therapy.

Ether - The making of Modern Surgery.
Ether was the first compound used as the anesthetic.

Aspirin - More than a head ache pill.
Aspirin is the first pill used as the analgesic, and is called wonder drug.

L-Dopa - It is a wonder drug for people with Parkinson's disease.

Taxol- Taxol is a potent anti cancer natural product with activity aganist a number of leukeamias and solid tumours in the breast,ovary,brain and lungs in human.

Roger Federer and his 15 grand Slams.

Roger Federer and his 15 grand Slams.



First Title: Becomes first Swiss man to win a grand slam title after beating Mark Philippossis in the Wimbledon final.

Second Title: Wins Australian Open by defeating unseeded Russian Marat Safin.

Third Title : Retains Wimbleton title by taming big-serving American second seed Andy Roddick.

Fourth Title : Wins US Open final by thumping Australian fourth seed Lleyton Hewitt.

Fifth Title : Completes a hatrick of Wimbleton triumphs with a 6-2,7-6,6-4 over second seed Andy Roddick.

Sixth Title: Defends US Open title with a victory over sentimental American favourite Andre Agassi.
Seventh Title : Defeats unseeded Cypriot Marcos Babhdatis in Autralian Open.
Eighth Title : Keeps up winning streak at Wimbleton by thwarting Rafael Nadal in showpiece match.

Ninth Title : Downs Roddick to clinch US Open crown.

Tenth Title : Wins Australian Open with a masterclass over Chilean 10th seed Fernando Gonzalez.

Eleventh Title : Becomes only the sencond man in professional tennis,after Bjorn Borg,to win five in row at Wimbleton with a success over Nadal.

12th Title : Beats Serbia's Novak Djokovic to capture US Open.

13th Title : Demolishes Britain's Andy Murrey to win fifth consecutive title at US Open.

14th Title : Emulates Pete Sampras by winning a record-equalling 14th grandslam title after beating Sweden's Robin Soldering at Roland Garros,his first French Open success.

15th Title : Roger Federer won a record 15th grandslam title when he defeated Andy Roddick to a win a sixth Wimbleton crown.His sixth Wimbleton title saw Federer move back to the No 1 spot ahead of Nadal for the first time since August 2008 when the Spaniard eased past him.It was also a record 20th Grand Slam final for man who had held the No.1 ranking for 237 consecutive 237 weeks.It was Federers's 3rd title of the year,and his 60th overall.

Malayalam

Civil Service Main Examination - Malayalam

Paper-I (Answers must be written in Malayalam.)

Section-A

1. Early phase of Malayalam Language
* Various theories: origin from proto Dravidian, Tamil, Sanskrit.
* Relation between Tamil and Malyalam: Six nayas of A.R. Rajarajavarma.
* Pattu school-definition, Ramacharitam, later pattu works-Niranam works and Krishnagatha.
2. Linguistic features of
* Manipravalam-definition. Language of early manipravala works-Champu, Sandesakavya, Chandrotsava, minor works. Later Manipravala works-medieval Champu and Attakkatha.
* Folklore-Southern and Northern ballads, Mappila songs.
* Early Malayalam prose-Bhashakautaliyam, Brahmandapuranam, Attaprakaram, Kramadipika and Nambiantamil.
3. Satandardisation of Malayalam
* Peculairities of the language of Pana, Kilippattu and Tullai.
* Contributions of indigenous and European missionaries to Malayalam.
* Characteristics of contemporary Malayalam : Malayalam as administravie language. Language of scientific and technical literature-media language.

Section-B (Literary History)

4. Ancient and Medieval Literature:
* Pattu-Ramacharitam, Niranam works and Krishnagatha.
* Manipravalam-early and medieval manipravala works including attakkatha and champu.
* Folk literature.
* Kilippattu, Tullal and Mahakavya.
5. Modern Literature-Poerty
* Venmani poets and contemporaries.
* The advent of Romanticism-Poerty of Kavitraya i.e., Asan, Ulloor and Vallathol
* Poetry after Kavitraya.
* Modernism in Malayalam poetry.
6. Modern Literature-Prose
* Drama
* Novel
* Short story
* Biography, travelogue, essay and criticism.

Paper-II(Answers must be written in Malayalam.)

This paper will requre first hand reading of the texts prescribed and is designed to test the candidate's critical ability.

Section-A

Unit 1

1. Ramacharitam-Patalam 1.
2. Kannassaramayanam-Balakandam first 25 stanzas.
3. Unnunilisandesam-Purvabhagam 25 slokas including Prastavana
4. Mahabharatham Kilippattu-Bhishmaparvam.,

Unit 2

1. Kumaran Asan-Chintavisthayaya Sita.
2. Vailoppilli-Kutiyozhikkal.
3. G. Sankara Kurup-Perunthachan.
4. N.V. Krishna Variar-Tivandiyile Pattu.

Unit 3

1. ONV -Bhumikkoru Charamagitam
2. Ayyappa Panicker-Kurukshetram.
3. Akkittam-Pandathe Messanthi
4. Attur Ravivarma-Megharupan.

Section-B

Unit 4

1. O. Chanthu Menon-Indulekha
2. Thakazhy-Chemmin.
3. O V Vijayan-Khasakkinte Ithihasam.

Unit 5

1. MT Vasudevan Nair-Vanaprastham (Collection).
2. N S Madhavan-Higvitta (Collection).
3. C J. Thomas-1128-il Crime 27.

Unit 6

1. Kuttikrishna Marar-Bharataparyatanam
2. M. K Sanu-Nakshatrangalute Snehabhajanam
3. V.T. Bhattathirippad-Kannirum Kinavum.

Civil Service Exam 2010

Civil Service Preliminary Exam 2010





Date of Notification :16 Dec 2009
Last Date for application submission : 15 Jan 2010
Date of Exam : 20 May 2010 1 Day(Sunday)
Eligibility : A degree from a recognized university or equivalent
21-30 years as on 1.8.2010
Candidates appearing at the degree examination also eligible to compete subject to certain conditions.

Civil Service Mains Exam 2010

Date of Exam : 26 Oct 2010 (21 Days )
Eligibility :
A degree from a recognised university or equivalent.
21-30 years as on 1.8.2010
Only such of the candidates as are declared qualified on the results of Preliminary Examination 2010 are eligible to take the Main Examination.

Physical Quantities,Standards and Units

Physical Quantities,Standards and Units



Law of physics are expressed in terms of physical quantities such as time, force etc.Physical quanties are often divided into fundamental and derived quantities.Derived quantities are those whose definitions are based on other physical quantities,eg speed,area etc.Fundamental quantities are not defined in terms of other quantities,eg.length,mass and time.

Physical quantities in general be divided into two classes:
1.Scalar Quantities
A scalar quantity is one which has only magnitude.
eg:mass,length,time,volume etc.

2.Vector Quatities
A vector quantity has both magnitude and direction.
eg:velocity,momentum,force etc.

In 1960, the General Conference of Weights and Measures recommended that a metric system of measurements called the International System of Units,abbreviated as SI units,be used.

Unit of Length
The SI unit of lenght of metre(m).

Various other metric units used for measuring lenghs are related to the metre by either multiples or submultiples of 10.

1 kilometre (km) = 10^3 m.
1 centimetre(cm) = 10^-2m.
1 millimetre(mm) = 10^-3m.
1 micrometer = 10^-6 m.
1 nanometre (nm) = 10^-9 m.
1 angstroms (A^0)= 10^-10m.
1 femtometre (fm)= 10^-15m.

1 lightyear = 9.46 * 10^15 m.

Unit of Mass
The SI unit of mass is the kilogram(kg).

1 tonne(t) = 10^3 kg.
1 gram(g) = 10^-3 kg.
1 milligram = 10^-6 kg.

Unit of Time.

The SI unit of time is the second(s).

Introduction

The term geography has evolved from Greek word 'geo'(the earth) and 'graphein'(to write).The geography is the study of the earth,as a home for mankind.According to a more comprehensive definition "Geography is the study of man,his environment and the interaction between the two". The term environment is used to here in its comprehensive sense to refer to both physical and cultural environment.

Scope and subject matter of geography is very vast and complex in nature.Traditionally there have been two approaches to study of this discipline - the regional approach and the systematic approach.The regional approach is based on the concept of 'unique' and it implies that no two places or areas are alike.According to this approach geography should be considered with identifying differences between areas and the nature of study should be descriptive.The systematic approach on the other hand is based on the concept of 'universality' and it implies that though all places and areas different from each other,yet there are similarities between various parts of the world.

Zoology

Examination Syllabus - Zoology

1. Cell structure and function :

1. Prokaryote and eukaryote.

2. Structure of animal cell, structure and functions of cell organelles.

3. Cell cycle-mitosis, meiosis.

4. Structure and contents of nucleus including nuclear membrane, structure of chromsome and gene, chemistry of genetic components.

5. Mendel's laws of inheritance, linkage and genetic recombination; cytoplasmic inheritance.

6. Function of gene: replication, transcription and translation; mutations (spontaneous and artificial); Recombinant DNA: principle and application.

7. sex determination in Drosophila and man; sex linkage in man.

2. Systematics :

1. Classification of non-chordates (up to sub-classes) and chordates (up to orders) giving general features and evolutionary relationship of the following phyla: Protozoa, Porifera, Coelenterata, Platyhelminthes, Nematheliminthes, Annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca, Echinodermata, Minor Phyla (Bryozoa, Phoronida and Chaetognatha) and Hemichordata.

2. Structure reprodcution and life history of the following types: Amoeba, Monocystis, Plasmodium, Paramaecium, Sycon, Hydra, Obelia, Fasciola, Taenia, Ascaris, Neanthes, Pheretima, Hirudinia, Palaemon, Buthus, Periplaneta, Lamellidens, Pila, Asterias and Balanoglossus.

3. Classification of chordates (up to orders), giving general features and evolutionary relationship of the following: Protochordata; Agnatha; Gnathostomata-Pisces, Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia.

4. Comparative functional anatomy of the following based on type animals (Scoliodon, Rana, Calotes, Columba and Oryctolagus): integrument and its derivatives, endoskeleton, digestive system, respiratory system, circulatory system including heart and aortic arches, urinogenital system; brain and sense organs (eye and ear); endocrine glands and other hormone producing structures, (Pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pancreas, gonads) their function.

3. Vertebrate Physiology and Biochemistry :

1. Chemical composition of protoplasm; nature and function of enzymes; vitamins, their sources and role; colloids and hydrogen ion concentration; biological oxidation, electron trasport and role of ATP, enegetics, glycolysis, citric acid cycle; vertebrate hormones: their type, sources and fucntions; pheromones and their role.

2. Neuron and nerve impulse-conduction and transmission across synapses; neurotrasmitters and their role, including acetyl cholinesterase activity.

3. Homeostasis; osmoregulation; active transport and ion pump.

4. Composition of carbohydrates, fats, lipids and proteins; steroids.

4. Embryology :

1. Gametogenesis, fertilization, cleavage; gastrulation in frog and chick

2. Metamorphosis in frog and retrogressive metamorphosis in ascidian; extra-embryonic membranes in chick and mammal; placentation in mamals; Biogenetic law.

5. Evolution :

1. Origin of life; principles, theories and evidences of evolution; species concept.

2. Zoogeographical realms, insular fauna; geological eras.

3. Evolution of man; evolutionary status of man.

6. Ecology, Wildlife and Ethology :

1. Abiotic and biotic factors; concept of ecosystem, food chain and energy flow; adaptation of aquatic, terrestrial and aerial fauna; intra-and inter-specific animal relationships; environmental pollution: Types, sources, causes, control and prevention.

2. Wildlife of India; endangered species of India; sanctuaries and national parks of India.

3. Biological rhythms.

7. Economic Zoology :

1. Beneficial and harmful insects including insect vectors of human diseases.

2. Industrial fish, prawn and molluscs of India.

3. Non-poisonous and poisonous snakes of India.

4. Venomous animals-centipede, wasp, honey bee.

5. Diseases causd by aberrant chromosomes/genes in man; genetic counselling; DNA as a tool for forensic investigation.



Main Examination Syllabus - Zoology

Paper-1

Section-A

Non-chordata and chordata

1. Classfication and relationship of varous phyla upto sub-classes; Acoelomata and Coelomata; Protostomes and Deuterostomes, Bilateralia and Radiata; Status of Protista, Parazoa, Onychophora and Hemichordata; Symmetry.

2. Protozoa : Locomotion, nutrition, reproduction; evolution of sex; General features and life history of Paramaecium, Monocystis, Plasmodium, and Leishmania.

3. Porifera : Skeleton, canal system and reproduction.

4. Coelenterata : Polymorphism, defensive structures and their mechanism; coral reefs and their formation; metagenesis; general features and life history of Obelia and Aurelia.

5. Platyhelminthes : Parasitic adaptation; general features and life history of Fasciola and Taenia and their relation to man.

6. Nemathelminthes : General features, life history and parasitic adaptation of Ascaris; nemathelminths in relation to man.

7. Annelida : Coelom and metamerism; modes of life in polychaetes; general features and life history of nereis (Neanthes), earthworm (Pheretima) and leach (Hirudinaria).

8. Arthropoda : Larval forms and parasitism in Crustacea; vision and respiration in arthropods (prawn, cockroach and scorpion); modification of mouth parts in insects (cockroach, mosquito, housefly, honey bee and butterfly); metamorphosis in insects and its hormonal regulation; social organization in insects (termites and honey bees).

9. Mollusca : Feeding, respiration, locomotion, shell diversiy; general features and life history of Lamellidens, Pila and Sepia, torsion and detorsion in gastropods.

10. Echinodermata : Feeding, respiration, locomotion larval forms; general features and life history of Asterias.

11. Protochordata : Origin of chordates; general features and life history of Branchiostoma and Herdamania.

12. Pisces : Scales, respiration, locomotion, migration.

13. Amphibia : Origin of tetrapods; parental care, paedomorphosis.

14. Reptilia : Origin of reptiles; skull types; status of Sphenodon and crocidiles.

15. Aves : Origin of birds; flight adaptation, migration.

16. Mammalia : Origin of mammals; denitition; general features of egg-laying mammals, pouched-mammals, aquatic mammals and primates; endocrine glands and
other hormone producing structures (pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pancreas, gonads) and their interrelationships.

17. Comparative functional anatomy of various systems of vertebrates (integument and its derivatives, endoskeleton, locomotory organs, digestive system, respiratory system, circulatory system including heart and aortic arches; urino-genital system, brain and sense organs (eye and ear).

Section- B

1. Ecology

1. Biosphere:Biogeochemical cycles, green-houses effect, ozone layer and its impact; ecological succession, biomes and ecotones.

2. Population, characteristics, population dynamics, population stabilization.

3. Conservation of natural resources- mineral mining, fisheries, aquaculture; forestry; grassland; wildlife (Project Tiger); susainable production in agriculture-integrated pest management.

4. Environmental biodegradation; pollution and its impact on biosphere and its prevention.

2. Ethology
1. Behaviour : Sensory filtering, responsiveness, sign stimuli, learning, instinct, habituation, conditioning, imprinting.

2. Role of hormones in drive; role of pheromones in alarm spreading; crypsis, predator detection, predator tactics, social behaviour in insects and primates; courtship (Drosophila, 3-spine stickleback and birds).

3. Orientation, navigation, homing; biological rhythms; biological clock, tidal, seasonal and circadian rhythms.

4. Methods of studying animal behaviour.

3. Economic Zoology

1. Apiculture, sericulture, lac culture, carp culture, pearl culture, prawn culture.

2. Major infectious and communicable diseases (small pox, plague, malaria, tuberculosis, cholera and AIDS) their vectors, pathogens and prevention.

3. Cattle and livestock diseases, their pathogens (helminths) and vectors (ticks, mites,Tabanus, Stomoxys)

4. Pests of sugar cane (Pyrilla perpusiella), oil seed (Achaea janata) and rice (Sitophilus oryzae).

4. Biostatistics

1. Designing of experiments; null hypothesis; correlation, regression, distribution and measure of central tendency, chi square, student t-test, F-test (one-way & two-way F-test).

5. Instrumental methods

1. Spectrophotometry, flame photometry, Geiger-Muller counter, scintiliation counting.

2. Electron microscopy (TEM, SEM).

Paper-II

Section-A

1. Cell Biology

1. Structure and function of cell andits organelles(nucleus, plasma membrane, mitochondria, Golgi bodies, endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes and Iysosomes), cell division (mitosis and meiosis), mitotic spindle and mitotic apparatus, chromosome movement.

2. Watson-Crick model of DNA, replication of DNA, protein synthesis, transcription and transcription factors.

2. Genetics

1. Gene structure and functions; genetic code.

2. Sex chromosomes and sex determination in Drosophilla, nematodes and man.

3. Mendel's laws of inheritance, recombination, linkage, linkage-maps, multiple alleles, cistron concept; genetics of blood groups.

4. Mutations and mutagenesis : radiation and chemical.

5. Cloning technology, plasmids and cosmids as vectors, transgenics, transposons, DNA sequence cloning and whole animal cloning (Principles and methodology).

6. Regulation and gene expression in pro-and eu-karyotes.

7. Signal transduction; pedigree-analysis; congenital diseases in man.

8. Human genome mapping; DNA finger-printing.

3. Evolution

1. Origin of life

2. Natural selection, role of mutation in evolution, mimicry, variation, isolation, speciation.

3. Fossils and fossilization; evolution of horse, elephant and man.

4. Hardy-Weinberg Law, causes of change in gene frequency.

5. Continental drift and distribution of animals.

4. Systematics

1. Zoological nomenclature; international code; cladistics.

Section-B

1. Biochemistry

1. Structure and role of carbohydrates, fats, lipids, proteins, aminoacids, nucleic acids; saturated and unsaturated fattyacids, cholesterol.

2. Glycolysis and Krebs cycle, oxidation and reduction, oxidative phosphorylation; energy conservation and release, ATP, cyclic AMP-its structure and role.

3. Hormone classification (steroid and peptide hormones), biosynthesis and function.

4. Enzymes : types and mechanisms of action; immunoglobulin and immunity; vitamins and co-enzymes.

5. Bioenergetics.

2. Physiology (with special refernece ot mammals)

1. Composition and constitutents of blood; blood groups and Rh factor in man; coagulation, factors and mechanism of coagulation; acid-base balance, thermo regulation.

2. Oxygen and carbon dioxide transport; haemoglobin : constitutents and role in regulation.

3. Nutritive requirements; role of salivary glands, liver, pancreas and intestinal glands in digestion and absorption.

4. Excretory products; nephron and regulation of urine formation; osmoregulation.

5. Types of muscles, mechanism of contraction of skeletal muscles.

6. Neuron, nerve impulse-its conduction and synaptic transmission; neurotransmitters.

7. Vision, hearing and olfaction in man.

8. Mechanism of hormone action.

9. Physiology of reproduction, role of hormones and phermones.

3. Developmental Biology

1. Differentiation from gamete to neurula stage; dedifferentiation; metaplasia, induction, morphogenesis and morphogen; fate maps of gastrulae in frog and chick; organogenesis of eye and heart, placenation in mammals.

2. Role of cytoplasm in and genetic control of development; cell lineage; causation of metamorphosis in frog and insects; paedogenesia and neoteny; growth, degrowth and cell death; ageing; blastogenesis; regeneration; teratogenesis; neoplasia.

3. Invasiveness of placenta; in vitro fertilization; embryo transfer, cloning.

4. Baer's law; evo-devo concept.