India seeks to expand rural healthcare through medical training

The Medical Council of India has proposed a truncated medical course for rural practitioners to address the large gap in India’s rural medical services.

The Bachelor of Rural Medicine and Surgery (BRMS) is a three-and-a-half year course aimed at students from rural India who will handle basic health care needs of rural populations, according to Knowledge Wharton Today on October 11.

The doctor-to-population ratio of India is 6:10000 compared to the global ratio of 14:10000.

India is poised to become a preferred destination for medical tourism while healthcare to its own citizens is lacking.

A nation of 1.21 billion people, India is on track take over China as the world’s most populous nation by 2025, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

China has its “barefoot doctors” who have long served healthcare needs of rural China.

Sixty percent of Indian hospitals and 80 percent of its doctors work in the private sector, and 70 percent of the health care resources in the country are concentrated in the top 20 cities, leaving the rural areas largely to fend for themselves.

A Council report noted that the course will focus on “high quality of competence in preventive, promotive and rehabilitative services…with a focus on primary health.”

It emphasizes that this is not an abbreviated version of a traditional medical degree (MBBS) course but one that is unique to the rural area.

The proposal is not without controversy.

KWT reported Vinay Aggarwal, president of the Indian Medical Association as saying it will compromise rural health…“…an army of half-baked doctors…is a gross injustice.”

The MBBS degree granted by Indian medical schools runs five-and a-half-years.

KTW reported Rana Mehta, executive director of PricewaterhouseCoopers India as saying, “I see the [BRMS] as a positive step…given the shortage of doctors, this is a very good and innovative move…” as long as practitioners keep within the paradigm of their knowledge.

The Council recommends that by 2020, BRMS colleges should be in all districts with populations over 500,000.

India is also working to reach rural areas by encouraging other healthcare innovations such as treating patients for heart ailments at a fraction of the cost elsewhere in the world, and building low-cost hospitals in areas where unserved people are located.

http://www.universalnewswires.com/healthtravel/viewstory.aspx?id=10478

Indian Garment makers have shifted base to Bangladesh.....Will incentives in the Indian Foreign Trade Policy 2009-2014 bring them back?????

 Low costs luring Indian textile makers to Bangladesh

Many Indian garment makers have shifted base or opened new units in neighbouring Bangladesh to take advantage of low labour cost and duty concessions on exports to US and European markets. 

"Labour cost in Bangladesh is almost one-third of that in India. Average monthly labour cost in India is over Rs.7,000 per person, while it is just around Rs.2,500 in Bangladesh," said D.K. Nair, secretary general of the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry. 

"More than 35 Indian textile firms have opened factories in Bangladesh so far, most of them in the recent months," Nair, who oversees the apex industry body for the $55-billion Indian textile industry, said. 

Some of the leading Indian garment exporters like Shahi Exports, House of Pearl Fashions, Jay Jay Mills and Ambattur Clothing are using Bangladesh as an important destination in their journey to the western markets. 

According to Bangladesh's Board of Investment, Indian textile firms have invested nearly $80 million in 35 factories. 

Bangladesh, which is categorised as a least developed country (LDC), enjoys duty-free access to European markets, while Indian firms have to pay 9.6 per cent duty. 

"If you take duty concessions, labour and other costs into account, garments produced in Bangladesh is almost 20 per cent cheaper," said Nair, alluding that it thus becomes difficult for Indian firms to compete globally. 

This apart, the aggressive monetary tightening policies of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in the recent months has also made cost of capital expensive and further added to the woes of Indian textile makers. 

O.P. Lohia, chairman and managing director of Indo-Rama Synthetics , a leading polyester fibre maker, said Indian companies were attracted to Bangladesh despite relatively poor infrastructure and uncertain political situation. 

"Textile companies are facing cut-throat competition. Profit margin is very low and 15-20 per cent cost difference is a big thing. So people are getting attracted to Bangladesh," Lohia told IANS. 

He said even China is not able to stand the competition and is losing its share of exports in US and European markets to Bangladesh. 

"Textiles is perhaps the most labour intensive industry. In Bangladesh labour is not only cheap but also easily available when you compare it with India and China," Lohia said. 

Besides labour cost and duty advantage, raw materials and real estate costs are also cheaper in Bangladesh. 

In a bid to help the domestic industry, Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said the government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to address the concerns of garment makers and exporters. 

"I am aware that there is a serious concern on exports to the US and European countries," Sharma said, adding that the government will provide incentives to exporters in the form of interest subsidy and duty benefits.


http://m.economictimes.com/low-costs-luring-indian-textile-makers-to-bangladesh/PDAET/articleshow/10376677.cms

Incentives for India’s Textiles Industry

 India’s Foreign Trade Policy (2009-14) announced by the Union Minister of Textiles, provides various incentives for the country’s textiles sector. The sector has been stumbling lately under financial uncertainty at the global level as well as pulls and pressures at the domestic level.

“A multi-pronged strategy has been adopted by providing a stable policy regime, adopting a conscious market diversification plan and providing additional support to sectors hit badly by the global recession. The Ministry also encouraged technological up-gradation of export sectors, and undertook a simplification of procedures to reduce transaction costs and decided to consolidate India’s traditionally strong sectors of the economy while focusing on sunrise sectors as well,” according to the Ministry of Textiles (MoT).

The Ministry has decided to widen the Market-Linked Focus Product Scheme (MLFPS) for exports under Chapter 61 and 62 and a 2 percent duty credit will be available to them for exports made to the United States and European Union from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012.

Financial support of 2 percent on Rupee Export Credit has been extended until March 31, 2012 for handlooms, handicrafts, carpets and all small and medium enterprises. In order to expand the coverage of products under the Focus Product Scheme (FPS), the Minister has decided to include 130 new items covering 10 product sectors, specifically including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, handicrafts, engineering and the electronics sector which will get a 2 percent duty credit under the scheme. Chemicals such as soda ash, textile items like polyester yarn, woven cotton fabric denim, unbleached or bleached cotton fabrics, as well as knitted and dyed cotton fabrics are covered under the plan.

Relief announced by the Ministry
Support to the apparel sector
The apparel sector is growing these days and has high potential to achieve increased levels of exports and generate employment opportunities.

Chapter 61 and Chapter 62 items were approved duty credit under MLFPS for export to the United States until September 30, 2010 and for exports to the European Union up until March 31, 2011. Though, at present, the readymade garments are not covered under the FPS/MLFPS, it has been decided to extend MLFPS for exports to the United States and the European Union under Chapter 61 and Chapter 62.

The proposal would cover everything that was covered under Chapter 61 and Chapter 62. The duty credit would be accessible to exports made during January 4, 2011 to March 31, 2012 at 2 percent of the FOB value of exports.

Focus Product Scheme
The catalog of items under FPS has been prolonged to comprise 130 additional items. These items are largely in the chemical/pharmaceuticals, textiles, handicrafts, engineering and electronics sectors.

Textile objects like polyester textured yarn, fully drawn yarn of polyester, viscose rayon type yarn, polyester chips, woven cotton fabrics denim 85 percent cotton over 200G/M2, unbleached or bleached cotton fabrics, and dyed cotton fabrics knitted or crocheted have been incorporated under the system.

The items covered under FPS are allowed to get duty credit scrip at 2 percent of FOB value of exports.

‘Niryat Bandhu’ – A scheme for international business mentoring
This scheme is for mentoring first generation entrepreneurs. The officer (Niryat Bandhu) would function in the “mentoring” arena and would be a “handholding” experiment for the young entrepreneurs in global business enterprises.

According to the plan, officers of India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) will be investing time and knowledge principally to mentor interested individuals who want to carry out business in a legal way.

Procedural simplification
The application of IEC has become online w.e.f. January 1, 2011. This reduces the crossing point of exporters with the regional authorities of the DGFT. An effort is also on to update the IEC database containing more than 7.6 lakhs of IEC. All IEC holders are being urged to cooperate in this effort and update their details online. This will be put into effect by March 31, 2012.

The DGFT has also become India’s first digital signature enabled department in the government of India, which has introduced a higher level of the Encrypted 2048-bit Digital Signature. Digital certification provides a high level of security for online communication such that only the intended recipient can read it. It provides authentication, privacy, non-repudiation and integrity in the virtual world.

http://www.india-briefing.com/news/incentives-indias-textiles-industry-5077.html/

Paramedical courses in India

Paramedical courses in India provide education in the fields that are supportive to doctors. Paramedical courses include speech and hearing therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, optometrist, radiography, lab technician, ECG technician, dialysis assistant etc. Paramedics intervene in crisis, life saving situations either in hospitals or in emergency medical facilities. Indian paramedics are in great demand in foreign countries, but they have to get certification from respective countries. Course Qualification Duration B.Sc(Speech and Hearing) 10+2 with science 3 B.Sc.(Physiotherapy) 10+2 with science 4 Bachelor of Physiotherapy 10+2 with chemistry,biology or an equivalent course 2 Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology 10+2 or an equivalent course with science 1 Bachelor of Occupational Therapy 10+2 with science 3 Diploma in Clinical Technology 10+2 with science 1 Anaesthesia Technology 10+2 with science 2 Radiation Technology 10+2 with science 2 Optometry 10+2 with science 2 Prosthetics and Orthotics 10+2 with science 2 Respiratory Therapy 10+2 with science 2 Audiology and Talking session B.Sc. in Physics/Zoology/Maths 1 Dialysis B.Sc. in Physics/Chemistry/Zoology/Botany 1 Mental Retardation Degree in Physocology 1 E.C.G Lab.Tech B.Sc.(Home Science) 1 E.C.G & Echo Cardiogram B.Sc.(Home science) 2

Telecom sector to provide 10 mn jobs by 2012

Indian telecom sector will provide employment to around 10 million people by 2012, a study by PwC has said.

The telecom industry will provide about 2.8 million direct jobs and around 7 million indirect jobs by 2012, the study commissioned by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) and done by PwC said.

The mobile telephony industry in India witnessed unprecedented growth of more than 700%, from having less than 1 million subscribers in 1998 to over 752 million subscribers in 2010, the study titled 'Indian Mobile Services Sector: Struggling to Maintain Sustainable Growth' said.

The industry has also played a vital role in India's growth story and the industry today contributes nearly 2% to the GDP, the study said.

The study, however, indicated that though the industry has taken significant strides in the past decade, the task of providing access to mobile services at affordable rates across the hinterlands remains incomplete.

The urban tele-density at 154% is far ahead of the rural tele-density of 34%. While this spells opportunity for the industry, significant investments will be required in order to increase reach in the rural areas.

Similarly, India's internet and broadband penetration are only around 1.6% and 0.9%, respectively. This can be explained by inadequate wireline infrastructure.

Hence, mobile broadband, which is an opportunity for providers, will require increasing investments.

"The challenges that the Indian telecom sector faces today are unique and multi-faceted and will require innovative solutions coming from operators and regulator working together," PwC India Telecom Executive Direction and Leader Mohammad Chowdhury said.

In such a scenario, Foreign Direct Investment participation and increased capital expenditures by industry participants are the need of the hour. Current trends indicate significant reversal in FDI inflows and capex outlays implying strong headwinds for the industry.

FDI in telecom sector in India was $1.7 billion in FY11, down by almost 35% compared with $2.6 billion in FY10. Investments in sector by leading operators are down 50%.

Mobile operators are experiencing declining financial performance. Increasing competition (significantly high number of operators compared to global benchmarks) has resulted in reduction in average revenues per minute to Rs 0.5 per call in FY2010 from a high of Rs 7.3 per call in FY2000.

IIT - Narayan Murthy vs Anand Kumar - Views

Murthy said the quality of students entering IITs has deteriorated over the years due to the coaching classes that prepare engineering aspirants.

http://raiseindia.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/poor-quality-of-students-entering-iits-narayana-murthy-must-read/

NEW YORK: Voicing his displeasure over the quality of engineers that pass out of the IITs, Infosys chairman emeritus N R Narayana Murthy has said there is a need to overhaul the selection criteria for students seeking admission to the prestigious technology institutions.

Addressing a gathering of hundreds of former IITians at a ‘Pan IIT’ summit here, Murthy said the quality of students entering Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) has deteriorated over the years due to the coaching classes that prepare engineering aspirants.

He said the majority of the students fare poorly at jobs and global institutions of higher education.

“Thanks to the coaching classes today, the quality of students entering IITs has gone lower and lower,” Murthy said, receiving a thundering applause from his audience.

He said apart from the top 20% of students who crack the tough IIT entrance examination and can “stand among the best anywhere in the world,” quality of the remaining 80 per cent of students leave much to be desired.

Coaching classes teach aspirants limited sets of problems, out of which a few are asked in the examinations.

“They somehow get through the joint entrance examination. But their performance in IITs, at jobs or when they come for higher education in institutes in the US is not as good as it used to be.

“This has to be corrected. A new method of selection of students to IITs has to be arrived at.”

Drawing a road map to put IITs among the top engineering institutes in the world, Murthy said it has to be ensured that IITs “transcend from being just teaching institutions to reasonably good research institutes” at par with Harvard and MIT in the next 10-20 years.

“Few IITs have done well in producing PhDs but in reality when we compare ourselves to institutions in this country, we have a long way to go,” he said.

More emphasis has to be given to research at the undergraduate level and examinations should test independent thinking of students rather than their ability to solve problems.

Murthy said in order to produce good research at IITs, the Indian government has to be persuaded to create institutions that fund research projects.

In addition, faculty members should also be evaluated annually on their research performance by an independent committee, Murthy said adding that India must shift from the tenure system for its faculty to a five year contractual appointment system.

The Infosys mentor also lamented the poor English speaking and social skills of a majority of IIT students, saying with Indian politicians “rooting against English”, the task of getting good English speaking students at IITs gets more difficult.

“An IITian has to be a global citizen and must understand where the globe is going,” he added.

Murthy also stressed the need to have the governing council of IITs made up of its alumni.

The only way IITs can become better is if 80-90 per cent of members on their governing council are alumni.

“Nobody is bothered about an institution more than its alumni. We must somehow persuade the government of India to let go of its control and make sure majority of the council members is the IIT alumni.”

Murthy urged IITians spread across the globe to work with their alma mater to ensure that IITs are among the top 10 engineering schools of the world.

He said while only a couple of IITs feature in the top 50, there should be at least five IITs in the top 10 engineering schools in the world in the next 10-20 years, he added.

Anand Kumar, who founded Super 30, Bihar's widely acclaimed free coaching centre for IIT aspirants, has blamed the institute's exam panel for the poor quality students making the cut, a concern voiced by Narayan Murthy.

Anand Kumar  said if poor quality students, as felt by Narayan Murthy, were able to get into the IITs, it was the responsibility of the joint entrance examination (JEE) committee.

He said that students went to private coaching institutes simply because they don’t find the school education system up to the mark for the JEE.

“The IITs should frame questions in such a manner that the real talent reaches there. The IITs should try to bring in greater transparency and have a proper examination pattern,” Kumar told IANS.

“It is because of the lack of knowledge about the IITs’ pattern that the students have to run around the coaching institutes to acquire that little bit extra, which makes the ultimate difference,” he said.

Anand Kumar, who welcomed the reforms announced by the IITs for the JEE, said that the students needed to be applauded, rather than criticised. It is their hard work that makes them crack arguably the toughest competition.

“Once the students reach the IITs, it is the job of the teachers there to provide the environment where they grow. Blaming the coaching institutes will not solve the problem. It is the professors and the teachers to teach in a manner that brings the best out of the students, who are from different backgrounds and social classes.” he said.

He said it was a shame that in a country like India, Hindi is plays second fiddle to English. Just because students cannot speak English, his talent can be undermined.

Addressing a gathering of hundreds of former IITians at a ‘Pan IIT’ summit in New York, Murthy said the quality of students entering IITs had deteriorated over the years due to the “coaching classes that prepare engineering aspirants”.

Anand Kumar’s Super 30 has helped many poor students from Bihar to enter the prestigious IITs. He had set up Super 30 to prepare 30 students for the IIT-JEE in 2002, providing free boarding, lodging and coaching to the selected aspirants. In the last nine years, 236 students from Super 30 have made it to the IIT-JEE.

Most of the successful candidates have been from the less privileged sections of society.

Anand Kumar, who could not go to Cambridge University in the UK for higher studies due to extreme financial constraint after the death of his father, started the Ramanujam School of Mathematics in 1992 and founded the Super 30 a decade later.