Blood Donation: A noble deed

The most satisfying act of giving of any donation is obviously giving something of your own and it comes back to you just in three month's time fresh and ready to give again..It is not your investment, not your interest on deposits or business.Yes it is the BLOOD DONATION...Blood is the fluid of life. Lack of blood in a human body can cause death too. Thus donating blood is a noble cause that gives you the opportunity to save someone's life. Its feels nice when your blood can be useful to some one and save a life and in return get blessings from their family members.The need of blood is great. On any given day, an average of 34,000 units of blood are needed to save precious human lives from accident and burns, heart surgery, organ transplants & patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer & other diseases.Survey says that nearly five million people die every year due to lack of life saving blood transfusion. At present only five percent of the eligible donors readily donate blood on a regular basis where we are in need of approximately 32,000 pints of blood every day. Thus there is an urgent need to spread awareness amongst the rest of the eligible donors so that many more lives can be saved by blood transfusions.Medical studies state that anyone who is 18 years and above weighs a minimum of 45 kgs. and is declared to be medically fit is eligible to donate blood. An average adult can donate blood two to four times in a year till the age of 65.The donor should have a proper meal at least three hours before donating blood and should accept the snacks given after the donation and have it too. This is very essential. He/ she should not consume alcohol or smoke at least 24 hours before donating.The good news is that one blood donation - in just one hour - can save up to three lives. People need blood and we have it in us to give.Many health care centers and medical organizations regularly hold campaigns where donors are invited to donate blood. Many local organizations too set up annual and bi annual blood donation camps where blood donation is held after a thorough medical check up of the donors.Blood…it runs in our veins and plays a vital role in the body mechanism. But have you ever spared a thought for those who are fighting with some disease and need blood urgently. Act now and donate your blood without any worry. It won't cost you a thing but could bring back the smile on someone's face.Its such a noble cause to help save someone's life. Not only does it holds importance in people's life who receive your help but it makes a difference to you as well. It gives you a sense of fulfillment by returning something out of the lots the society and nature has given you. We can make this world a better place by utilizing our energies into good and noble causes.

Students' Oxygen movement view

17/06/2012

An Ideal City

Every city is unique with different resources, problems and opportunities. Every city has a unique set of people with their own fears, hopes and dreams. Every city has its own unique culture.“A great city is one where people want to go out of their homes. Public space is a magical good, and it never ceases to yield pleasure; we should give it a lot of attention. A great city is where we all feel not excluded. A prerequisite of a good city is mixed use neighborhoods, density and walkable streets. It should have mixed use neighborhoods where every 200 acres of development is self contained where all activities of residential, commercial, retail, hospitality and basic entertainment facilities are available. Diverse and mixed-use neighborhoods keep crime down, allowing for more “eyes on the street.” By celebrating its diversity, this city affords a multitude of cultural, educational, and entertainment opportunities. The city should also have an intensive bike and walking trail system, providing another legitimate mean of transportation, in addition to recreation. The most valuable asset in a city is its road space. The road space can be used as a society wishes. Sustain ability and efficiency is important for a good city. This means environmentally friendly buildings, urban design, and of course transportation. The ideal city has minimal sprawl and retains its historic urban form and density. Public transportation is an integral part of the city landscape, comprising of rail and bus modes.The majority of our society relies on municipal water sources to supply their household needs. Most city water sources contain highly contaminated forms of water that are then sanitized with potent chemical agents. Water filtration is especially important to make municipal water acceptable to drink.An ideal city should undertake the responsibility of adapting a policy to reduce, recycle, and re-use consumed goods.The simple answer to a good city is to return the focus to people, especially the poorer people. You create a vision based on the right values of a good city for the poorest people, providing equal access to essential services like walking, transit buses, libraries, sidewalks, and schools. This makes all people equally happy. With dignity and happiness all take pride in their city, in their public spaces. The streets come alive and people enjoy the outdoors together.An ideal city should be centered around a historic, yet vibrant, downtown that is built up densely with pleasing urban form. A smaller city with exceptional urban form and culture would be much better than a larger metro made up of only cheap sprawl.Cities are for all people. A city’s public space should make all the people that live in the city happy. Making people happy requires that they have dignity, are treated equally, and have hope.

Students' Oxygen movement view

10/06/2012

Our life at a glance

Life today is governed by the offshoots of science. We have many new comforts of life that our forefathers did not possess. Should we jump to the conclusion that we are really happier than our forefathers were? It is a very puzzling question. Let us first see what kind of life they led.The world of our forefathers was different from that of today. They lived in villages. Scientific inventions were not made. There were no planes, no cars, movie, radio etc. Televisions and telephones were not invented. There was no electricity so they were deprived of all those comforts which we enjoy with the help of electricity. They moved in the jolting, slow-moving carts and carriages. The life was so simple. They were engaged in tilling the soil for a living. They got there daily needs easily. They had a plenty of everything. There were many cool and sheltered spots for innocent pleasures. They took active part in all sorts of simple and innocent games. Contentment and happiness prevailed there.In our modern age, life is full of comforts and luxuries. We wonder how our forefathers lived without them. These are the blessings of science. We can travel in railways, ships, motor cars and airplanes. The old days of trouble and difficulties have come to an end. In every walk of life we have began to use electricity. Medical science has done great service to man. Even the most serious diseases are cured very easily. When we are tired by the day's hard work, radio and television provide us nice recreation. We comfortable homes, fine schools, hospitals and many other amenities of life. We still feel doubtful if we are really happier than our forefathers. Material civilization has, no doubt, made a wonderful stride but the moral development of man or moral values has been totally neglected. IT has nothing to do with happiness, goodness, beauty, courage, adventure, justice, friendship, love of family, love of country etc. All these values are necessary for happy life. Scientific development has out-stripped our spiritual or moral progress. I am of the opinion that a balance should be maintained. The existing condition without a balance will make our lives miserable with a horrible future.We live in an age where men admire riches more than spiritual power and long for luxury of the body than the peace of mind. This age is of materialism will never be happy till men pay more attention to the old values taught by our forefathers, True happiness is a state of the mind, can better be attained in the cottage than in the king's palace.

Students' Oxygen movement view

03/06/2012

The Journey has Begun...

From ignorance to initiative, from thoughts to actions, from dreams to reality, from darkness to light- The journey has begun. This journey has completed its nine years, and in its ninth year it has strengthened- with each year passed, each task accomplished and each individual touched.

25 th May was no ordinary day. Students' Oxygen Movement turned nine years old on May 25, 2012. This completion was marked by a joyous, reminiscing and prayerful celebration among the leaders of Oxygen- old and young- who have given their best to make Education the biggest issue. Oxygenius had a splendid time relishing this cherished moment. It was a memorable event for each one of us as we had every reason to celebrate this special moment.

On this auspicious occasion, the Chief income tax Commissioner of Bihar and Jharkhand, Mr. Vijay Sharma took out valuable time from his busy schedule and made a brief appearance in our 9th Oxygenious Meet. He extended his heartfelt congratulations to everyone present over there on the eve of completion of nine glorious years. He praised our efforts and applauded Students’ Oxygen Movement for working towards building a student cum youth friendly education system and carving a niche in society. This landmark event was also attended by guardians, prominent activists, bureaucrats, other professionals, media persons and well-wishers.

On a special note, we extend our heartiest gratitude to Hotel Chanakya for sponsoring this significant event of ours. Everybody present over there had a gala time and all of us enjoyed the mouth watering delicacies to the utmost prepared by the staff of Hotel Chanakya. We owe our sincere thanks to all the staff and crew members of Hotel Chanakya, for their generous support.

The movement started on May 25, 2003, with a handful of students participating in the Sunday discussion on the topic- “Expectations from the system and the Educated”, has now spread its activities, like Creativity Scholarship, No Horn Campaign, Fight against Coaching Scam and many others to encompass, and sought answers seek answers to the evils of the society. It also has thousands of students, working efficiently in various fields as system makers; and thousands of others , who are achieving more marks in more fields to serve more people.

Oxygen is not a mere four-walled organization that seeks to establish in the social arena. Moreover, it is a spirit- of being good and doing good- whose rightful place resides in the minds and the hearts of individuals. Rightly so, the real success of the movement will be when people get instilled with a natural sense of responsibility and social guardianship, and an urge to give back more than what they received.

And the road less traveled taken by the Oxygeniuses, has made all the difference. As they become prophets of a better tomorrow, winds of change can be felt by one and all.

And whenever there arises even a little doubt regarding the fulfillment of our dreams, remember, “Deep in my heart, I do believe, We shall overcome some day….”

Students' Oxygen movement view

27/05/2012

All about celebrating Mother’s Day

Mother's Day celebrates the glorious ideal of love and sacrifice called motherhood. It is a special day for all mothers. It is also is a great opportunity for us to thanks and show respect towards the lady who has done so much for us. Mother's Day means making our moms feel proud and special.

Mother's day is a concept born in the age of the Romans and since then, it has been celebrated in different parts of the world in various ways. Mother's Day is the special day for a very special woman. Children should consider it essential to acknowledge their mothers with some special arrangements, for being fortunate to be blessed with such great figure. The day is glorified by giving gifts like chocolates , cards, crockery, apparels and jewelry to mothers on this day. This day is dedicated to thank all mothers for their responsibilities and hardships they undertake in a child's upbringing.

This festival is celebrated across 48 countries on various days. Though the days of celebration are different, the feeling and essence remains the same all over - to show gratitude for their efforts. The Mother's Day celebration has undergone a big transformation in the recent years. Earlier Mother's Day celebration included praying for the well being of the mother, feasting and a barbeque. But soon the western ideas began to be adopted by others places of the world. Today the Mother's Day celebration involves sending gifts of love to dear moms. There are stores that have come up with a huge array of gifts like cakes , flowers , jewellery , and memorable show pieces .There arephoto albums gifted to moms which can take her down the memory lane. The basic idea behind these gifts is make mothers feel happy and rejoiced. Some also make handmade gifts to show their respect and affection for their mother. Grown up children prefer to buy gifts from the stores ranging from clothes, accessories to jewelry.

Some people arrange for get together with their moms and throw parties in the honor of their dear moms. People staying away from the families make efforts to spend the day with mothers to make them feel special. This way Mothers Day has turned out to be family reunion day for many. While those who cannot visit their moms call their mother on phone and send greeting cards to express their gratitude and love for them.

In the recent times the online gifting companies have created a platform where you can send a priceless gift to your one and only mom online. You just have to order, the rest is done by the company which delivers the gift to your mother on time along with your message.

Children play games with their moms. Even would be mothers are treated on this special day. This day a woman is specially made to understand the bliss of motherhood. She feels great about being a mother.

Just like in any other country, in India also people celebrate Mothers day with a lot of enthusiasm and gusto. The festival of 'Mother's Day' has come to become a part of our culture now. What it offers is an opportunity to honor and show our appreciations for our mother - the one person who has stood by us through thick and thin.

Students' Oxygen movement view

20/05/2012

Significance of Buddha Purnima

Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti is celebrated in India, Bangladesh and Nepal. Gautama Buddha is one of the greatest spiritual teachers of mankind. He is called the 'Light of Asia' and his message has captured the hearts and minds of millions of people the world. He has also been revered as an Avatar (incarnation) of God. He is the founder of Buddhism, the religion and philosophical system that produced a great culture throughout much of southern and eastern Asia.

The essence of Buddha's early preaching was said to be the Four Noble Truths: i. life is fundamentally disappointment and suffering; ii. Suffering is a result of one's desires for pleasure, power, and continued existence; iii. in order to stop disappointment and suffering, one must stop desiring and iv. The way to stop desiring and thus suffering is the Noble Eight-fold Path of salvation - right life, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mind and right concentration.

During Buddha Purnima, devotees refrain from killing of any kind and are encouraged to partake vegetarian food. Birds, insects and animals are released in thousands as a 'symbolic act to liberation'. Some devout Buddhists will wear a simple white dress and spend the whole day in temples with renewed determination to observe the eight Precepts. Celebrating Buddha Purnima means making special efforts to bring happiness to the unfortunate like the aged, the handicapped and the sick.

Buddhist Pilgrims come from all over the world to Bodh Gaya in Nepal to attend the Buddha Poornima celebrations on birthday of Buddha. The day is marked with prayer meets, sermons on the life of Gautam Buddha, religious discourses, continuous recitation of Buddhist scriptures, group meditation, processions, worship of the statue of Buddha and symposia.

The Mahabodhi Temple wears a festive look on the occasion.

Buddha Jayanti Festival is the most sacred day in Buddhist calendar. It is the most important festival of Buddhists, and is celebrated with great enthusiasm. Although Buddhists regard every full moon as sacred, the moon of the month of Vaisakh/Baisakh (April - May) has special significance because on this day Buddha was born, attained enlightenment, and Nirvana. This strange, three-fold coincidence, gives Buddha Purnima its unique significance.

Buddha's overflowing love for the downtrodden and the destitute people has acted as one of the factors for social harmony and justice to the weaker sections of the society. The spiritual and moral forces generated by Buddha have strengthened and enriched Hinduism. As days have passed, the effect of Buddha's teachings has not only influenced the people of India but spread over a vast region of the globe.

Students' Oxygen movement view

13/05/2012

Celebrating Labour’s Day

The Labour Day in India is celebrated in order to honor the contribution of working men and women. It is observed on the first day of the month of May. The Labour Day in India is also known as the May Day. May 1 corresponds to the International Workers' Day which is celebrated around the world. It is observed as a national holiday in around 80 countries including India.

The Labour Day is celebrated as the day for protests not only in India but around the world. This is when the working men and women participate in processions to defend their rights and safeguard their interests. Various labour organizations and trade unions come up with their processions so that the economic reforms they've proposed become effective in a short period of time. Other than processions, you'll find contests being organized for children to participate and understand the bond of togetherness. This way the children can understand the strength of unity which is the essence of the processions that are a part of the Labour Day celebrations.

In addition to processions, there are public speeches held by leaders of various political parties in order to celebrate May Day. This is the day when Maharashtra and Gujarat attained statehood in 1960 once the old Bombay State was divided on the basis of language. Hence, the May Day is celebrated as the Maharashtra Diwas and Gujarat Diwas in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat.

The Labour Day is a special occasion when people worldwide celebrate the true spirit of the working class. It's the day when workers get together and showcase their strength which indicates how effectively they can struggle to bring in positive reforms for the working class of the society.

Labour Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.

In India and other countries like England, the day also has the significance as the spring fertility festival, so people celebrate it to honor goddess of spring. International Labor Day is celebrated with lots of joy and fervor in towns and villages. They celebrate fertility in the month of, May (spring) with village fetes and community gatherings. The most significant of the traditions is the traditional dances by men and women. Towns and villages in England plan huge celebration on the day.

The day has a historic significance which dates back to May 1 1886. On this International Labor Day several Labor unions all over the US decided to go on strike. They demanded a workday of eight hours to be accepted as a standard all over the US. In Chicago a bomb explosion planned by revolutionist led to the deaths and injury of over 100 people. Ultimately the protests proved fruitful and effective thus standardizing eight-hour work days as the new norm in many countries across the globe.

Students' Oxygen movement view

06/05/2012

Benefits of Time Management

Our life is like a bubble, a short morning dream. Therefore, we should take good care and make the best use of it. In other words, we must understand the value of time. Time management is basically planning and dividing one's time in a constructive way.

Time management creates a false impression. Time can not be managed; it can only be controlled by each individual person and the way time is directed. Scheduling is extremely important when it comes to managing the use of time. It is important to manage time wisely. When time is managed and organized wisely; it can make the difference between a productive day and a very hectic day

For instance, we have a number of activities that have to be taken care of in a particular period of time. So we should be able to plan our activities in such a way that we are able to complete all the work in a given span of time.

It is a fact that if man takes care of his minutes' then the 'hours' and 'days'' will take care of themselves. It is said that 'Time is more precious than money'. This is because, money lost in business or otherwise, can be gained or earned again. But time once lost, can never come back.

We all grow in time, live in time and ultimately, perish in time. There may not be an exact definition of time, but we all know what it is and its great value in a person's life. A man has a lot of wants. We all want fame, success, money, happiness, love, etc. There is no end to our desires. However, only a few are successful, prosperous and happy. These few are the ones who realized the value of time. They made the best use of their time and attained an enviable position in the society.

People, who made effective usage of time at their disposal, got the best from time. But those who forgot the value of time found to their utter dismay that it was harsh on them later.

In other words, successful persons use time in the best possible manner to achieve their goals. Most of us waste our precious time in unnecessary things such as gossips, roaming-aimlessly, grieving over the past blunders or day dreaming. It must always be kept in mind that, Time and tide wait for none. Time can be spent wisely or foolishly. The choice is ours and so are its consequences. Problems are faced by men of courage only. If difficult times arrive, they would prepare us for a better life. We would be able to handle problems in future with more maturity, stability and courage.

Basically, time and opportunity once lost can never be recovered. The flow of time is ceaseless and eternal and we all are like small insignificant particles in this endless and continuous flow. Time is eternal and endless but human life is very limited, finite and short-lived. hence, successful people make the best use of time in their lives. A word done is time earned. A decision taken at an appropriate moment can work wonders. hence, let us strike the iron when it is red hot.

We must make the best us of good times. We must make arrangements for the bad times during the good times. When the bad times knock at our doorstep, we should face them bravely with perseverance. That is how a rational and strong man is supposed to fight his battles of life. Ultimately a seasoned and an experienced human-being would be able to master time with his resources, skills and careful planning.

A proper use of time means the right use of an opportunity. As a very popular saying goes - 'A stitch in time saves nine'. As opportunities in life are few and far between, so is time precious and limited. Those of us who miss an opportunity or waste time, have to repent all our life. This implies that we must be punctual, disciplined and regular in our work-schedule.

One should inculcate the habit of early rising as one can complete a number of takes before the day has even started. For this, once must never be plagued with lethargy and bad habits. Some of them are sleeping late at night, laziness, passivity, remaining glued to the television or addicted to certain drugs. etc.

To conclude, it is foolishness to think that we can make up for the lost time There is a popular saying that 'the past is dead and the future is unborn'. There are no tomorrow and yesterdays. It is 'today' which is important. Time is very powerful. It ha more power than the mightiest of monarchs. For they come and go, but time remains forever, without an end or a beginning.

Students' Oxygen movement view

29/04/2012

The magic of Surya Namaskar

Worship of the Sun God or Suryopasana is as ancient as Hinduism itself having its origin from Vedic times. Hence numerous hymns addressed to Him are found in all the four Vedas - e.g. Saura Sukta of the Rg Veda, Aruna Prashna of the Taittiriiya Aranyaka, Surya Namaskara mantras, Surya Upanishad of Atharva Veda etc. These hymns describe the celestial body as the source of energy and sustainer of all life on the planet earth. They portray the Sun as the store house of inexhaustible power and radiance.

The Sun god is also referred to as Aditya. The origin of the worship of the Sun in India is thus several centuries old.

Surya is usually equated with Brahman as "asaavaadityo brahma", meaning the Sun is the icon of Brahman.

Rig Veda says "Surya Atma Jagatastasthushashcha" meaning the Sun God is the Soul of all beings, moving and non-moving.

References to the Sun worship are also found in the Puranas. The famous Aditya Hridayam is a part of the Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana wherein Sage Agastya initiates Rama into Sun worship to bolster up His spirits while facing Ravana in the battlefield. We find references to Surya in the Mahabharata also.

Mayura, who lived in the court of Harshavardhana composed the Surya Satakam in praise of Surya and is believed to have been cured of blindness.

It is customary to perform Panchaayatana puja daily among Hindu homes. It is a daily worship of the five deities viz., Ganesha, Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu and Surya (The Sun). Surya occupies a special status among these five deities because He is the only Pratyaksha Devata i.e. He is the only one Deity who is visible to the naked eye not based on any Anumanam (inference) or any other means of knowledge like Sabda etc.The objective of another prescribed daily ritual, Sandhyaavandanam, is the worship of Surya during the Morning, the Mid Day and the Dusk. The Gayatri mantra recited during this ritual is the most sacred invocation to the Sun God praying for a Good Day similar to the modern “Good Day to You” type.

Surya Namaskara, like most yogasanas must be performed only on an empty stomach. Therefore there must be a gap of at least two hours after eating and before performing the namaskara. It is generally practiced in the morning before breakfast or in evening. Surya Namaskaras are performed on a mat, not on the floor.

In some traditions, 12 Surya Namaskaras are performed at one practice. If starting that practice for the first time, it is generally started with fewer (3 to 6) Namaskaras per day, and then gradually increased to 12 Namaskaras per session by the time a week is over.

Shavasana is practiced at the end of practice for rest .Breathing (pranayamas) is synchronized with asanas .Mantras are pronounced at start of each Surya namaskara. There are a total of 8 different postures in the sequence of 12 posture changes of Surya namaskara. Some asanas are repeated twice in the same cycle of a Surya Namaskara. Practice of yoga postures (asanas) generally follows a surya namaskara practice.

In a traditional Hindu context, Surya Namaskara is always performed facing in the direction of the rising (east) or setting (west) sun.

Early morning Suryanamaskar performed for about 20 minutes a day increases bone, muscle and lung power in healthy individuals, while keeping chronic ailments under control in patients.

Surya Namaskar has a deep effect in detoxifying the organs through copious oxygenation and has a deeper relaxing effect. What it can do to your body which months of dieting cannot. And it can do to your mind what no spiritual discourse can.

Not surprising, the world is going crackers over this ancient yogic tradition of worshipping the rising sun. From improving your posture, strengthening muscles to whittling extra inches around the waist, the benefits of Suryanamaskar are many, provided you adapt it the right way.

Weight loss is just one consequence; you can so much as put your life together with this ancient yogic tradition.

Students' Oxygen movement

22/04/2012

Unity in diversity

Heritage means what we inherit from our ancestors and from our past. The heritage of India is the result of developments in the social, economic, cultural and political life of Indian people over a period of thousands of years. The land and people are the two components of this heritage.

Nature has made India into a distinct geographical entity. India is a vast country. It extends for nearly 3000 km from Kashmir in the north to Kanyakumari in the south and for the same distance from its western-most parts to its eastern-most parts. The Himalayan ranges in the north and the sea in the east, west and south separates it from the rest of the world.

India has been a crucible of various 'races' and ethnic groups. They have all contributed to the making of Indian history and culture. The people from other cultures and civilizations have brought with them their own traditions which got intermixed and integrated with the pre-existing traditions.

Similarly, people of India have gone to other parts of the world and various elements of culture carried by them have intermixed and integrated with the preexisting traditions. The mountains and the rivers systems have been an important factor in the emergence of a number of distinct cultural zones within the country. India's culture has been changing and developing due to internal factors and contacts with other cultures. The Harappan culture was the first urban culture to emerge in India.

Jainism and Buddhism which arose in the sixth century B.C. left a lasting influence on Indian life and culture. This period saw the spread throughout the country of beliefs and practices associated with Hinduism, including Vedic religion. The next phase in Ancient Indian History covers the period from about 200 B.C. to about A.D. 300. There were the Indo-Greefes, the Shakas, the Parthians and the Kushanas. There was significant progress of Buddhist art in the Deccan, and the beginning of Tamil literature in the south.

The Gupta's built a large kingdom during eighth century. In the Deccan, there were kingdoms of the Pallavas and of the Chalukyas. After the fall of Buddhism and the rise of Hinduism idol worship became popular and building of temples on a large scale started in the south and the Deccan as well as in the north.

Medieval period is important for the growth of modern Indian languages, architecture, sculpture literature, and philosophy flourished under the patronage of the Chola Kings. The establishment of the sultanat of Delhi: It saw the introduction of new features in art and architecture of India. Two new languages-Arabic and Persian became a part of India's linguistic heritage. It replaced Sanskrit as the court language and through out the country under the influence of Persian, new forms of literature such as the ghazal were introduced.

The Bhakti movement which had started earlier spread throughout the country. Kabir and Nanak, disapproved of religious narrow mindedness. The Bhakti saints condemned caste inequalities and laid stress on human brotherhood. The Sufis or the Muslim mystics preached the message of love and human brotherhood.

Sikhism began to emerge as a new religion based on the teachings of Gurunanak.

The eighteenth century marks the beginning of the modern period of Indian history. Politically the period saw the decline of the Mughal Empire and the birth of a number of small and big independent states in different parts of the country. The process of colonization of vast areas of the world by a few European countries had been under way since the sixteenth century. From about the middle of the 18th century, the conquest of India by Britain began.

For the first time in her history, India came under foreign rule. A new system of exploitation of one country by the dominant classes and groups of another country came into being. . From the early decades of the nineteenth century, various social, religious, cultural and intellectual movements started which aimed at removing the state of stagnation of Indian society. The nationalist movement united the Indian people on a new basis.

It recognized and cherished 'the unity in diversity' and composite nature of India's - culture as its unique feature.

Students' Oxygen movement view

15/04/2012

Be a change - Be Eco Friendly

Are you eco friendly? You may not be doing your part to make the world a cleaner place for all of us to enjoy. Even if you like your modern conveniences, you have a responsibility to do your part. Being eco friendly doesn't mean you have to give up your favorite products. It simply means you make better choices so that you aren't contributing to the ongoing problem.

There is simply too much energy out there in our society being wasted. Since those resources used aren't able to replenish themselves, they will soon be gone. We do have some alternative renewable energy resources out there, but they aren't being used enough yet to give us the benefits we need. By cutting down on waste materials, you will also be cutting down on the waste of energy.

Being eco friendly is something the entire family should take part in. As a part, you need to teach your children from a young age how important it is. That way they will be making continuous efforts to be eco friendly over the course of their lives. Many schools and community programs are also promoting the importance of being eco friendly. Do your part to make this world better for yourself and everyone else in it.

Taking the time to recycle is one of the most powerful ways in which you and your family can save energy and be more eco friendly. It is estimated that at least 60% of what the average family tosses into the trash bin can be recycled. On average, that could mean a family would save 5,000 hours of energy if they choose to recycle.

Help your community to become more eco friendly as well. More people will take part in it if it is easy. Having convenient drop off locations for glass, cardboard, plastics, and other types of recyclable materials means people can conveniently participate. You should also implement such efforts in your office. Using both sides of the paper and even using old papers as notepads can significantly improve your ability to be eco friendly.

There are plenty of terrific eco friendly products on the market to select from. When people are buying more of them companies pay attention. They are in turn going to create more of them so that they can generate higher volumes of sales. It is in this way that being eco friendly allows consumers to have a strong say in what we will see for sale out there.

Even the materials used for packaging your products should be eco friendly. Many of them have the symbol on them to indicate this fact. Shop with your own reusable bags when grocery shopping when you can. Otherwise, you should frequent those shops that make paper bags out of recycled paper.

By avoiding use of plastics, individuals and organizations will be saving the planet for the future.

Going green provides opportunities for organizations to manufacture environment friendly products and to enter new markets. By adopting environment friendly processes, companies can save on toxic waste disposal costs. A research study has revealed that 15% of customers are willing to pay more for green products

Eco-friendly cleaning products like vinegar and lemon juice clean more effectively than their eco-unfriendly counterparts. Using soap and shampoo made from eco-friendly ingredients promotes healthy skin and hair. Regular shampoos and soaps are laden with chemicals which may cause damage to hair and skin.

Avoiding the use of cars will help in reducing green house gases. This prevents pollution. It also saves the cost of fuel and provides exercise for the individual. Constructing eco friendly houses will benefit the individual in the long run. Using email instead of regular mail will save paper. This will save trees from being cut. High efficiency light bulbs will consume 25% of power consumed by regular bulbs. These bulbs also last 10 times longer.

Governments should frame their policies in an effort to promote environment friendly behavior. Individuals should "go green" and encourage their friends and relatives to do so.

It is very important for all of us to be as eco friendly as possible. We have the ability to make this world better for ourselves, our children, and for future generations. Having clean air to breath and eliminating various types of waste from our world is something we can all be proud of. Take the time to learn ways in which you and your family can start being eco friendly today.

Students' Oxygen movement view

08/04/2012

Computers- A Boon or A Bane?

Technologies and inventions have revolutionized the modern era. In modern age, with booming techno world, the computers have extended their reach to everyone from children to adults and it has got everyone hooked onto it. As computers have become really affordable for families, nearly every household of upper class family has one.

The introduction of 3-D games and the consistent use of it have left a negative impact on children's minds. Psychologists and sociologists believe that some of the violent game leads to imitation of violent activities in children. Thus we find a behavioral change in them. Evidences have been found regarding the addiction of these computer games. People aged between 25 to 30 years cannot retreat from this childhood activity within themselves.

Computers are a big boon to children as they not only help them with their education but also help them enhance their knowledge in many ways. But due to the presence of this electronic device, children have started spending more time in front of it as computer games have become more dearly thing to them. This has not only led to their health getting affected but has also put their social life on the back burner.

Computer’s influence have taken over children lives so much that today they prefer to play games on it rather than go out and indulge them in some physical exercise by playing various sports. Such a thing severely affects a child's health as a lack of physical exercise could lead to health problems. Research shows that youngsters who spend their valuable time in playing video games fifteen hours a week are intended to be more aggressive in nature.

Together with the computers, internet today have more or less erased the physical boundaries between people. With online social networking fast catching on among children also, social lives of children have been affected very much. Earlier children used to hangout with each other in groups, have fun playing board games with each other, etc. But now they prefer interacting with each other online. This has led to them becoming less active with the people around them and has also affected their personality.

The role of the internet to students is not be undermined. The internet has a wealth of information awaiting resourceful students. The students can click onto the masses of information on a vast number of subjects for their perusal and research purposes. Also, they can contact authorities on these subjects from various universities globally. For example, there are readily available website on literary texts and criticism. What amazing is that the website not only provide notes but also provides answer for literary assignments. This is great as students do not have to spend a bug sum of money or time to discuss issues with authorities on specified subjects. In addition, there are chat rooms that facilitates e-forums on literary issues. Hence, students can pose their questions or clear the air with other literary enthusiasts.

Finally, the computer is a source of recreation for students to spend their time fruitfully. Exciting computer games that challenge the mind help develop alertness among students. They can also relax while listening to music or watch a movie on the computer. Since the world is computer-savvy, students need to equip themselves with the basic computer skills to meet the demands of the job market.

Nowadays, acquiring computer skills is not a privilege but a necessity, not just for students but for the general public as well. In short, the computer is a boon for students.

It is necessary for children as well as parents to understand the dire consequences of this mind gripping machine. To avoid children getting sucked into the world of computers so much so that it starts affecting them health wise and disconnects them from the real world, parents have to start advising them at an early age about the ill-effects of too much computing and they should take care that their children spends more quality time with their family and friends.

In this way computer would not only help children have better worldly knowledge but also make them responsible adults in the future.

Students' Oxygen movement view

1/04/2012

Coaching Centers-Selection with Caution

Coaching centers! the name people and students listen everyday. .Thousands of coaching centers have been established everywhere. It is been spreading like a huge epidemic. In earlier days parents as well as teachers considered that those students who go to tuition were failures in life . But the time has changed a lot and students consider it a passion and status too. But we never see the dark side of it.

Coaching centers are earning a lot's of money and it's a sort of business nowadays. Some of them are merely earning money with less focus on teaching. Some of them are doing their duty sincerely with much focus on teaching. It's a awakening message for all that whatever you do, do with awareness.

Definitely coaching centers are not a boon. A student is sent to coaching centers by parents when he/she fails to get good marks in examination. Parents should try to find out the reason behind their failure instead of sending to coaching centers. Travel to coaching centers kills students valuable time like anything. Moreover coaching centers will take the students in wrong path by providing important questions. Students are greatly affected by depending on the important questions. So students should say a big no to coaching centres.

The mushrooming of coaching centers all over the cities big or small, metros or districts highlight the growing trend of students opting for coaching classes apart from the regular curriculum. Once upon a time coaching was a rare phenomenon, generally unheard of and only taken by those who were weak in their studies. But now it is a way of life for students, aggressively promoted by the teachers and too some extent by the parents also.

But does coaching really help in scoring good marks in school or in competitive examinations? Is it advisable for the school students to opt for coaching? When is the right time to join coaching? Does it take away time of self-study and make student dependent on coaching center? Or does it give your career the right boost and direction?

These are some of the questions which every student and their parents face.

Even though coaching center loots thousands of rupees from innocent students in the name of coaching only some number of students will be benefitted through coaching. Now a days coaching centers are making business with the money of students by announcing short term coaching. With in short period of time student can't learn the subject and examination tricks. So for long term preparation of any kind of examination coaching centers are needed but for short term preparation it is waste of money and time. The Government should also make sure that the coaching fees collected by such coaching centers do not become a burden upon the children and their parents.

The craze for coaching has led to opening of coaching center in every by lane of cities selling dreams of guaranteed success. One can see the newspapers, magazines or roads filled with advertisements like you can 'learn English in 30 days' or 'score 90% in Boards with our guidance' or 'clear PMT/IIT with our two year package'. More and more students are flocking these centers as an alternative or supplement to school teaching.

.This coaching industry has occupied a major space in the field of business as well because nowadays education is mainly being considered as a commodity salable in the market. To be precise, education has been commercialized to a threatening extent.

Many experts believe that education is a natural process of learning. For the regular and attentive students coaching is not really required till class twelfth.

.There are a number of factors that need to be taken into consideration before selecting a coaching center. The quality, experience and expertise of the teachers should be the top priority. One should also talk to other students before taking admission. The standard of coaching can best be analyzed by the success rate and academic performance of the students studying there. Whether to join a coaching or not is an individual's decision. If a student is sincere and hardworking with good grasping power he or she can prepare for competitive exams even at home. But if professional help is required then select the coaching center which offers the best options.

Students' Oxygen movement view

25/03/2012

The Truth of The Coaching Hub

Noted scientist and educationist Prof Yash Pal has said that there is maximum corruption in the education sector of the country. “Large-scale corruption is prevalent in the education system. Coaching classes are hell, as they are killing the creativity of students.” said Prof Pal.

Like every thing else, education too has fallen to corruption. Right from admission of students to issue of certificates, recruitment of Vcs, faculty and non-teaching staff, procurement of grants and funds, all our educational institutions and educators are facing the dark forces of institutionalized bribery and back scratching. And that coaching institutes are not mere commercially driven teaching shops is also evidenced by the fact that a large number of them offer modestly priced correspondence courses which are invaluable to students in poorly managed, under-served government schools in rural India where teacher absenteeism is an epidemic.

It is difficult to deny that coaching institutes which benefit only the urban middle class who are able to afford their high fees, deepen the existing education-led inequalities in society. Over the years, there has been a constant growth in the number of coaching institutions. You can find a coaching institution at every nook and corner of the city. But the moot question is do coaching institutions really help us?

Nowadays parents have started admitting their children in these coaching institutions from the moment the children start schooling. The coaching centers have somewhat made the students dependent notwithstanding their extremely high charges. Before analyzing and looking up their problems and working over them, the students directly expect the coaching centers to clarify all of it.

In this connection a committee of experts was constituted to register centers after proper assessment of their functioning. Had the move been implemented properly, it would have put an end to exploitation of students by unauthorized centers in the name of called quality education.

The centers over-charge students in the name of imparting quality education. Through attractive advertisements in both print and electronic media, the coaching centers lure the students promising quality education and other facilities, which they never fulfill. The centers woo the students by floating attractive advertisements but on ground, students are made to suffer.

To make education as the biggest issue, Students’ Oxygen Movement has led a fight to protest against the exploitation of the students by the so- called coaching institutions. Students from different schools and colleges have made their presence felt by organizing Bachchon Ki Adalat on a regular basis where they raise their voices to bring about transparency in the field of education which has also received a thumbs up from the guardians, teachers and even noted educationists.

As we continue with our fight against coaching scams, we place three basic and genuine demands in students' interest-

1). Coaching fees to be paid on monthly basis.

2).Total number of students enrolled in a coaching institution to be made public.

3).Details of special coaching groups to be published.

We sincerely hope that in the near future we would certainly be able to bring about a speedy revolution.

Students' Oxygen movement view

18/03/2012