What differentiates the other animal kingdom from human species is perhaps for more superior 'intelligence' that we possess. You must have gone through many articles about intelligence. Some titles like 'test your intelligence' and improve your intelligence are quite popular and common for general masses. At times, you may wonder whether intelligence con be measured by something like weighing machine or what kind of vitamins and tonics can improve it? You may be one of unlucky persons to feel sorry for thinking that you are less intelligent than some others. Worst of all you may develop an inferiority complex after going through some questions to test IQ because you are unable to answer many of them correctly. Let me make it clear to you that intelligence is not IQ. Intelligence quotient (IQ) is an index of intelligence. It is the unit of measuring intelligence. Your ability in answering or in more...

A team of four astronauts are to "splashdown" to an undersea laboratory in the US, to help conduct the first wireless robot-assisted surgery. Meanwhile in Canada - 2000 kilometres away from the operating table - a surgeon prepares to perform the procedures. This will be the first time that surgical procedures, performed from a vast distance away, will utilise airwaves rather than undersea cables to transmit the information. This proceducre is named NEEMO 7. Although the procedures, which include a gall bladder removal, will actually be carried out on a surgical training dummy, the NASA experiment is being seen as a crucial proof-of-principle. If the surgery is successful, it is hoped that astronauts will eventually be allowed to receive emergency surgical care while aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Under the sea Surgeon at St Joseph's Hospital in Ontario, will be using the robotic surgical system to control the robot more...

Since the 1960s, scientists have argued About whether viruses are living organisms or just a bundle of very large molecules. Viruses are usually much smaller and simpler than bacteria, consisting simply of genetic material surrounded by a protein coat. A virus has to hijack another organism's biological machinery to replicate, which it does by inserting its DNA into a host. Bacteria, on the other hand, carry ail that they need to reproduce independently, and thus qualify as alive. Mimivirus, the biggest virus in the world has its genome sequenced, and scientists say that, unlike its fellow viruses, it may truly be called 'alive'. Officially, the virus got its name because it mimics bacteria. The virus's genetic sequence also holds clues that may explain the evolution of the very first cells possessing a nucleus of DNA. Although it shows all the trademark features of a virus, the mimivirus is much more more...

The complexity of life took billions of years to push and stretch and reshape the biological niche that is Earth. It would seem prudent - if one had the means - to save some portion of the blueprints of this majesty, so that the process would not have to start over from scratch in the event of a global cataclysm. Such apocalyptic thoughts spur scientists on to discover some way to preserve mankind, along with all terrestrial flora and fauna, in case the Earth's bell is rung suddenly. Nuclear war is not the only way the lights could go out for the human race Asteroid strikes, pandemics, climatological or geological catastrophes could also do humans in. So it makes sense for earthlings to have an insurance policy to guarantee their survival so it's no surprise that the European Space Agency should think aloud about building a whole DNA library on more...

The moment the last paper is over, I am going to step outside the examination hall and give out the loudest yell that I can muster. This will be the yell that will tell the world that the examinations are over. The months of toil, sweat and tension have ended and it is time for joy and celebration. Then, my friends and I will head straight to our favourite Mall to just chill out- This will mark the beginning of my celebrations of the end of these cruel examinations.  When I would reach home after all this fun, I would get hold of a largo cardboard box into which I would dump all my textbooks, revision books, exercise books and other paraphernalia. No reminder of the past months of slogging would be allowed to remain on my table. Instead 1 would put a vase of flowers, some novels and other more...

With the Indian education system on attack lately for paper leaks etc. there is still something good about it and this is amply depicted by selection of two (and may be more) students in PMT's from the lower strata of the society. Kirtan Sahu from Raipur is the son of a ward boy at a private nursing home. Similarly Vaishali Wankhede from Nagpur slums is the daughter of a rickshaw puller. Both have cleared PMT's and are set to become doctors. Similar feat was achieved by Dungra Ram Choudhry, a Rajasthan village boy, who topped IITJEE in 2003. Both the parents have in income as low as Rs. 1500 per month and yet against all odds their children have done what was least expected, especially in today's society where attending costly coaching classes and buying expensive Pre-medical books has become the norm today. With the Indian crab mentality where if more...

Today o lot of students grow up and dream to become doctors. But to clear PMT's and get admission into a good medical college is a daunting task to clear PMT's students need to work hard and smart. A good student always has a smart strategy whereby he makes a judicious use of both limited time and resources That is where coaching classes play a significant role. But they have many short comings which may not suit a student especially when the timings are awkward and a student finds it very tiring to come back from school and then again sit in a classroom, often till late in the evening. The student hardly gets any time for self study. So lot of students switch to a correspondence course where they get the liberty to follow their own schedule and study at their own pace. Also it helps them to prepare more...

The investigation into the CAT scam and the not - so – recent CBSE PMT paper leak scam is still underway. Some arrests have been made and daily some news about the investigation reaches the student community via the media. But behind all this media hype the investigating agency have yet to bell the big cats without whom the scam would not have reached such a proportion. Catching the DTP operator working in the CBSE office or the numerous middle men (and women) is important but catching the kingpin and the beneficiary students their parents and the big cats who perpetuate and indulge in such racketeering is even more essential. If this is not done then such scams will reoccur and career of more and more genuine students will be sacrificed. Sincere and hardworking students will continue to be demoralised. If scamsters are bold enough to hood - wink the more...

What prompted me to write this editorial are the newspaper reports on exam scams, which happen every year -sometimes its CBSE, sometimes AIIMS or some other exam, The fault lies with system which has many loopholes to be plugged. Magnitude compels the problem as there are too many students and too many exam centres (especially in CBSE PMT). Advertisement luring the parents are becoming a common thing. Parents are either too gullible or too desperate for their child's career that they blindly fall into the trap. The kingpin runs away with the money and the students & parents ore left high & dry as they have lost both the money & childs career opportunity. Modus operandi is simple during PMT times — a small advertisement is released in major dailies promising a PMT seat. Gullible parents call up & meet the 'middleman' who promises them a seat either by leaking more...

The PMT market involved in preparing students for the various pre-medical tests is huge. It is characterized by large number of publishers - small and big - who publish  various products to help students to get through PMT's. When a student visits a book store shopping for PMT books he comes across a variety of books. Some publishers wanting to make a fast buck come out with cheap, low priced book 'clones' (e.g. 10 years solved papers) but the content lacks quality. Besides, doubtable content, they contain typographical and factual errors. These errors can prove fatal in the exams (as even one mark counts) and the student ends up paying a heavy price for buying a low-cost 'cloned' book. Many student understand the folly late which leaves little time for remedial action. A good, well researched and authenticated book is like a good teacher for a student. It guides him more...