April 27, 2020 | Page 2 of 2 | Adamas University

Gender – A burning social Issue

Gender is a burning issue and an open topic of discussion in today’s world. It is nothing but socially assigned role to the individuals. Sometimes it is being mistaken as sex. But it is something which has nothing to do with biology or physiological factor. Sex is determined by birth. Whereas gender is determined by the society. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines gender as:

“Gender refers to the socially constructed characteristics of women and men, such as norms, roles, and relationships of and between groups of women and men. It varies from society to society and can be changed.”

Difference between Gender and Sex:

Sex refers to biological differences but gender can refer to the role of a male or female in society.
Genetic factors define the sex of an individual where as Gender tends to denote the social and cultural role of each sex within a given society.
Gender varies from society to society and can be changed but sex remains same as birth.
Gender norms (the socially acceptable ways of acting out gender) are learned from birth through childhood socialisation . Where as role in the society according to one’s sex is determined by the society it self.

Gender as a Social Construction

Gender is considered as a process, a type of social stratification and also as a structure of the society .Gender is socially constructed . Society assigns roles to the different sex ; like in daily interaction , observation of rituals , taking the leadership , managing household jobs , doing works out side etc. There are certain norms which society fix for the people . Individual learns gender assigned roles from parents , schools , religious and cultural teachings ,from media and from other social institutions .

Gender may be masculine and feminine. In every society masculine depicts men who tend to enjoy more social and cultural freedom than that of their feminine counterpart .It is a way of life which is directed by the society and is reflected in the activities of human being . But it is not sex and it is separate from the sex on the ground that it depends upon the social phenomena rather than biological.

Social Acceptance of Gender :

Society all over the world has now accepted the fact that homosexuality is no longer a social issue. Same sex marriage is above all the ethical issue . In India Supreme Court has created a history , through the modification of Article 377 , by accepting this issue . Different social activist and media is now helping to make the people conscious about this burning issue of gender . Gradually everybody is accepting this fact that gender is nothing but the socially accepted role given by the society and which is not rigid or absolute .Everyone in this society is free to live his or her life fully with full satisfaction , maturity and with some kind of responsibilities . Everyone is to contribute towards the development of the society and society in return to give him a hassle free environment to grow and mature .

Use of Stem Cells in COVID-19 Treatment

Student Contributors: Sutrishna Ghosh, Ananya Chakraborty (B.Tech Biotechnology 3^rd Year)

Stem cell therapy has become the latest range in the natural healing process. Stem cells are extraordinary cells having the potential to be differentiated into any kind of cells, known as pluripotency. Stem cells are self renewable also. Thus they can promote the repair response of disease, dysfunctional, or injured tissue. In stem cell therapy there is a very less chance of immune rejection; because those stem cells are collected from the patient’s body. And this treatment is less harmful also. Different stem cells have different functions. For COVID-19 treatment, the use of pluripotent stem cells has already been started.

In this context, we can talk about a company specializing in stem cell isolation, expansion, and cryopreservation, already reported that Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) are safe and effective for the treatment of SARS-CoV2. US-FDA also opened the way to use MSCs intravenously in COVID-19 patients. These companies have already explored the immunomodulatory/anti-inflammatory properties of MSCs. Some reported preclinical data explains that MSCs can significantly reduce the respiratory virus. SARS-CoV2 firstly attacks lungs which cause deoxygenation to RBCs and results in multi-organ failure. In some cases, those who received an infusion of MSCs are recovered within 3 weeks. Following these successful studies, many more pharmaceutical companies all over the world have also started their clinical trials.

MSCs express a verity of chemokines and cytokines which are involved in the repair mechanism of degraded tissue and counteraction of inflammation. MSCs have both immune-enhancing and immunosuppressive properties. MSCs can change the functions of various cellular components of our immune system like macrophages, T-cells, B-cells, Natural Killer Cells (NKC), dendritic cells, etc and this is how the stem cells can be used for immunomodulation. MSCs promote macrophages to the anti-inflammatory phenomenon. MSCs secret interleukin, IL-1 receptor antagonist, that can promote the polarization of macrophages toward the anti-inflammatory phenotype. Anti-inflammatory monocytes secrets high level of IL-10 and decreases the level of IL-12, TNF-a, IL-17.

To treat the Covid-19, MSCs are introduced directly to the lung cells and if required, they can be injected to the other affected organs also. The greatest advantage of using stem cells for the treatment of Covid-19 is the absence of side effects.

Based on the researches done so far on the effects of MSCs on Covid-19, here is a probable protocol for the treatment of Covid-19 positive patients using stem cells:

HOW HAS DIGITIZATION CHANGED THE INDIAN FILM INDUSTRY? – CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

The advent of the digital insurrection revolutionized the communication landscape and transformed the way media functions. No area coming under the broader domain of media has remained untouched. Entertainment, in fact, has had the maximum impact. The infusion of digital technologies has reoriented cinematic realities and has made producers and viewers look at cinema from a hitherto unknown perspective.

The intermingling of digital technologies and audio-visual creativity has been nothing short of a romantic fable. While the western world adopted digital technologies in cinema long back, India joined the bandwagon roughly a decade and a half back. By 2008-2009, the transformation was complete. If we look at the current scenario, we shall be able to appreciate that all the Indian screens have already been digitized.

What Does Digitization of Cinema Actually Mean?

It is, however, important to comprehend as to what digitization of cinema actually connotes. If we were to put it in very simple terms, cinema digitization essentially means the usage of digital technologies to project films on screen. Notwithstanding, in the contemporary parlance, digitization of cinema has a broader meaning. It also means a digital route to distribute, market and merchandize cinema. While there is an overt emphasis on converting analogue cinematic content into digital content, the process that is followed to monetize cinema has also become digital.

How Does Cinema Digitization Help?

Let us try to dig a little deeper. Earlier, the storage of films was in the form of negatives that required huge space, infrastructure and funds. There have been instances when copies of films were destroyed subject to multiple calamities – natural and otherwise. Prints of some of the finest Indian movies no longer exist – one of the examples being ‘Alam Ara’ (1931), directed by Ardeshir Irani. It is pertinent to note here that ‘Alam Ara’ happens to be the first Indian talkie. Thanks to the arrival of digital storage, we can now consider losing a cinema print as a thing of the past.

Subject to digitization, the process of showing a movie has become easier and cheaper. Therefore, releasing a movie throughout the country at the same time has become a common practice. Earlier, analogue prints had to be sent physically to different places of the country. Therefore, not every place in the country had access to a movie at the same time. Movie enthusiasts had to wait for months to see a coveted film. Currently, digital prints can be sent through the infinitesimally easier electronic route.

We can also look at the distribution mechanism to better comprehend the impact of digitization. Thanks to digital platforms (which are more commonly referred to as the Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms) such as Netflix, Hotstar and YouTube, movies can reach a larger audience. The format of cinematic storytelling is no longer considered to be of any consequence. Therefore, of late, there has been a convergence of cinematic platforms. In very simple terms, movie content no longer depends on the format.

One of the other major advantages of cinema digitization has been in the arena of post-production. Computerized non-linear editing has ensured more flexibility and better final products. The usage of Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR) and advanced Visual Effects (VFX) has transformed the cinematic experience for viewers. If the story is good and the execution plan is neat, there is no reason as to why the eventual product won’t be good. It would suffice to say that audio-visual content is no longer the same anymore.

One of the distinct advantages of cinema digitization has been its positive impact on low-budget movies. Viral publicity campaigns through social media have ensured that some of the smaller budget movies made it big. Today, even a student can make a movie and market it on Social Media for people to consume it. In very simple terms, the medium in itself has taken a more democratic avatar.

Is Cinema Digitization All Good?

However, not everything is rosy when it comes to the obvious repercussions of using digital technologies. Piracy has become more rampant than what was the case earlier. The proliferation of multiple torrents sites have ensured that viewers get access to illegal copies of cinema practically anytime they want to. This has had a huge impact on the business of cinema.

While there are enough laws to deal with piracy, the bare fact remains that the implementation of these laws is a huge challenge subject to technological constraints. Thankfully, though, law enforcement agencies and filmmakers have been working in tandem to reduce piracy to the minimum possible extent. However, most of the people associated with the Indian Film Industry contend that it is impossible to completely eliminate piracy.

While there are obvious challenges, the process is only going to help Indian cinema go the distance in the near future.

What Does It Mean for Prospective Filmmakers?

There hasn’t been a more exciting time for aspiring filmmakers than now. All that one needs to make it big in the reel universe is a good story idea. The popularization of digital technologies has ensured that a movie can be successful even without featuring the so-called stars. Content indeed has become the king. However, proper education has become a sine-qua-non for those who want to go the distance. The sheer presence of talent is no longer enough. The talent needs to be polished. Just in case you have the propensity to tell stories and the audio-visual medium fascinates you, make sure that you get trained by the right set of people and get exposed to the right sort of environment. There is a whole new world waiting for you.

Is SARS-CoV-2 more deadly than SARS-CoV?

Student Contributor: Ms. Manisha De (BSc 3^rd year Student, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Science and Biotechnology)

Currently, Human existence is threatened by the newly emerged human coronaviruses (HCoVs) severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing global pandemic disease outbreak (COVID-19). It has till now resulted in more than 1 lakh deaths worldwide and is losing its control as the number of days increases. A few years back in 2003 world was similarly threatened by a close SARS-CoV a close relative of SARS-CoV-2. That epidemic resulted in more than 8000 infections cases and 800 deaths which is much smaller in scale concerning COVID-19. Traditional public health measures used during SARS were successful and included active case detection, isolation of cases, contact tracing and quarantine of all contacts, social distancing, and community quarantine. Within 8 months these measures successfully able to eradicate SARS.

Its almost 4 months since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, and there is hardly any remark of its stabilization. So, the question arises even there are many similarities between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 present whether the measures applicable during SARS-CoV can be effective during today’s pandemic?

Homology analysis: According to genome analyzing COVID-19(SARS-COV-2) has 89% nucleotide identity with batSARS-like-CoVZXC21 and 82% with that of human SARS-CoV. Like SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, the SARS-COV-2 genome contains two ﬂanking untranslated regions (UTRs) and a single long open reading frame(orf) encoding a polyprotein[1]. Further on comparing protein homology using NCBI Blastp the amino acid sequences of 28 proteins in SARS-CoV-2 were found homologous to SARS-CoV with an identity value≥65%, and query coverage≥95%[2].

Phylogenetic Analysis:

With respect to evolutionary tree the distance of SARS-CoV (Accession no.- AY274119)

(Red coloured) is closer to SARS-CoV-2 (Accession no.-MN975262) strains than MERS-CoV (Accession no.- KC164505JX869059) (Blue coloured).

Genomic comparison: There are six regions of difference (RD) in the genome sequence between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2; RD1, RD2, and RD3 (448nt, 55nt, and 278nt, respectively) are partial coding sequences of the orf lab gene; RD4 and RD5 (315nt and 80nt, respectively) are partial coding sequences of the S gene; RD6 is 214nt in size and is part of the coding sequence of the orf7b and orf8 genes. These RDs may help in the development of new vaccines/drugs against SARS-CoV-2.

Proteomic comparison: Although proteins from SARS and SARS-CoV-2 were treated as homologous, two proteins (orf8 and orf10) in SARS-CoV-2 are not homologous to that in SARS-CoV. They differ in the amino acid sequence of orf8 in SARS-CoV-2 [3].Orf8 protein of SARS-CoV-2 does not contain a known functional domain or motif. Therefore, it will be clinically effective to analyze the biological function of these two speciﬁc proteins (orf8 and orf10) in SARS-CoV-2. Spike protein S2 in SARS-CoV-2 is highly conserved and shares 99% identity with those of the two bats SARS-like CoVs (bat-SL-CoVZXC21 and bat-SL-CoVZC45) and human SARS-CoV [3]. Thus, the broad-spectrum antiviral peptides against S2 have the potential to be effective treatment [4].

Transmission power: On another note, the transmissibility might be higher for COVID19 than for SARS. R₀ is a central concept in infectious disease epidemiology, indicating the risk of an infectious agent for its epidemic potential. A recent review (published in February 2020) found the average R₀ of COVID19 to be 3·28 and median R₀ to be 2·79, higher than that of SARS [5]. Despite massive containment efforts—it is certainly much faster than that reported for SARS between November 2002, and March 2003.

Infectious period: In contrast to COVID-19, identification was comparatively easier, and also isolation was effective for SARS as the peak viral shedding occurred after patients were quite ill with respiratory symptoms. Although mildly symptomatic patients have been reported for SARS, no known transmission occurred from these patients. Whereas, transmission during the early phases of illness was found to contribute to COVID-19 cases. Therefore, at the time of widespread community transmission is already evident for COVID19.

CFR (Case Fatality Ratio): Even if the CFR of COVID19 (possibly <2%) is far lower than that of SARS (10%), this is not reassuring, as a highly transmissible disease with low CFR will result in many more cases, and therefore also ultimately more deaths than SARS.[4]

Therefore, as there is no effective therapeutics or vaccines, the best way to deal with severe infections of CoVs is to control the source of infection, early diagnosis, reporting, isolation, supportive treatments, and timely publishing epidemic information to avoid unnecessary panic. For individuals, good personal hygiene, fitted masks, ventilation, and avoiding crowded places will help to prevent CoVs infection.

Reference:

Chan, et al. (2020). Genomic characterization of the 2019 novel human-pathogenic coronavirus isolated from a patient with atypical pneumonia after visiting Wuhan. Emerging microbes & infections, 9(1), 221-236.
Xu, J et al. (2020). Systematic comparison of two animal-to-human transmitted human coronaviruses: SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV. Viruses, 12(2), 244.
Chan, J et al. Genomic characterization of the 2019 novel human-pathogenic coronavirus isolated from a patient with atypical pneumonia after visiting Wuhan. Emerg. Microbes. Infect. 2020, 9, 221–236.
Xia, S et al.A pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitor targeting the HR1 domain of human coronavirus spike. Sci. Adv. 2019, 5, eaav4580
Wilder-Smith, A et al. (2020). Can we contain the COVID-19 outbreak with the same measures as for SARS?. The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Is convalescent plasma therapy being a new cure for COVID-19?

Student Contributors: Aman Dafadar & Rani Kumari (B.Sc. Biotechnology 3^rd Year)

COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease affecting more than 24 lacs individuals worldwide. The disease is mainly caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. The disease is highly infectious and reportedly infects older people with a higher frequency. The virus mainly spread through respiratory droplets, produced during sneezing or coughing by an infected individual. It is one of the new types of coronavirus, which is only a few months old. So, we know very little about this particular virus. But unfortunately, this virus already claimed more than 1.7 lacs lives worldwide. From the very first day of this viral infection, it has been opened out like a turmoil that is being very challenging to control. The medical professionals and scientists are giving the best of themselves to put this to an end. As the emerging cases are rising robustly throughout the world, researchers and doctors are considering convalescent plasma as one of the best approaches to treat COVID-19 patients at present. Moreover, convalescent plasma has been a promising strategy for many infectious diseases in the past including the 1918-Spanish flu pandemic, Ebola, 2003-SARS, 2009-10- influenza virus pandemic,2012 MERS-CoV epidemic, and many other diseases. Now the first question which comes to our mind is

What is convalescent plasma therapy?

Convalescent plasma is also known as the convalescent serum is the serum collected from a patient who has recovered an infectious disease and contains an antibody against that disease. Antibodies are certain molecules, produced by our system when we encounter certain pathogens, like viruses, bacteria, etc. Convalescent plasma is being used since the 1880s to treat many viral and bacterial infections. In this therapy antibodies from the blood plasma of the recovered patient are transfused into a sick patient suffering from the same disease.

So from the above-mentioned text, we have an idea of Convalescent plasma therapy, but then the second question should be how this particular line of therapy could be useful to control this current pandemic and how does this particular therapy work?

How does it work?

Individuals recovering from COVID-19 have neutralizing antibodies against the virus and injecting these antibodies into a patient suffering from the disease will boost the immune response and can lower the period of symptoms and severity of the disease.

Blood (about 600-800 ml) is extracted from the donor (i.e. recovered patient) and is screened for any possible pathogen if it is devoid of any other potential pathogen, then the plasma portion is separated from the blood through a very small instrument, and is eventually transfused to the patient suffering from COVID-19.

But, to be a donor, a person needs to qualify a few standards. They have to be tested positive for COVID-19 and recovered fully having no symptoms for 14 days and also the donor and patient should be of compatible blood types. Moreover, it has been interesting to note that a single donor produces enough plasma to treat two to three patients.

Though China has been claiming to get positive results of convalescent plasma treatments on the patients of COVID-19, the treatment is still considered under clinical trials and there are no specific results on the betterment of treated patients as well as no routine protocols on what amount of convalescent plasma and how often it can and should be used. According to some researchers, this technique is rather a preventive measure and not the actual treatment. But since we do not have any other therapeutic way to prevent this deadly pathogen, convalescent plasma therapy could be one of the treatment procedures to at least save a few lives.

Why plasma?

Plasma is the largest component of blood suspended with RBCs, WBCs, and Platelets. Plasma is about 92% water, salt, and enzymes, human plasma also contains important components such as immunoglobulin, albumin, and fibrinogen. Plasma mainly transports protein, hormones, and nutrients to the cells in our body. The plasma is rich in blood components like antibodies and protein it is used in therapies like Convalescent plasma, PRP(Platelet Rich Plasma), Plasmapheresis, Fresh Frozen Plasma.

After China and the USA, many states of India have also started the clinical trials of treating COVID-19 by convalescent plasma, and due to the past success rates of this therapy, it has opened a window of hope for the world in this crucial scenario.

WHITHER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT JOURNALISM: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The renowned American psychologist Prof. Adam M. Grant once rightly remarked, “The mark of higher education isn’t the knowledge you accumulate in your head. It is the skill you gain about how to learn.” While deliberating on higher education, the contemporary emphasis has been on skills and not on information. Today, information counts for nothing unless the same is converted into concrete professional skills and the press plays a significant part in that conversion process. It is important that young and creative minds take the right decision while choosing their higher education partners and deciding on their career paths. The same can happen only when the press does its bit in providing credible insights and inputs on the state of higher education and employment opportunities.

It is needless to mention that higher education has become a multi-billion dollar business today. The number of institutions doling out higher education has been increasing at the rate of knots. In the clamour for getting a bigger share of the market, higher educational institutions are going the extra mile – at times not in terms of quality enhancement but in terms of showmanship. In the given circumstances, it is increasingly becoming difficult for students to differentiate between cheese and chalk. In a country like India that has more than half of its population below the 25-year-old mark, the quality of education doled out makes a lot of difference. It would not be an exaggeration to note that India can truly become a superpower only if its massive youth population gets the right education. This is exactly where a vibrant media can play its role.

This is even truer for employment. South Asia in general and India in particular is grappling with a massive unemployment problem. According to data gathered by Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), more than 30 million Indians are currently looking for jobs. It has also been seen that the unemployment rate has also been on the upsurge. In the given scenario, it becomes important that the media play an active role in helping the young generation find meaningful employment.

Higher Education and Employment Coverage Needs More Balance

Unfortunately, though, the manner in which higher education and employment are covered by the mainstream media leaves much to desire. While there are advertisements that talk about prospective educational institutions and vacant positions, there is very little discussion on the qualitative aspects of the same. Although some web portals have recently sprung up that cover education and employment extensively, the credibility and authenticity of the information delivered therein are still suspect.

Emphasizing on the need to create a singular space for highlighting higher education and employment news, the Human Resources (HR) Director of a renowned pharmaceutical company said, “Bringing the entire higher education and employment domain together on one platform has a distinct advantage. Views exchanged on such a platform can provide the right cerebral nutrition for career seekers so that they can take correct decisions.”

Rachna Dangar, who is pursuing Psychology (Honours) from the University of Delhi, said, “The Indian media has miserably failed vis-à-vis providing credible information about higher education and employment opportunities. Consequently, at times, many of us take recourse to glitzy advertisements published in the newspapers knowing fully well that we might end up being duped.”

Not just Rachna but many students from across the country voiced their opinions about the absence of a credible platform that provides authentic news and analyses about higher education and current employment scenario.

Soumava Chakraborty, an undergraduate student of education at Gauhati University, pointed towards a rather interesting trend. He said, “A lot of students opt for destinations and not institutions while going for their higher education. Therefore, a student would be inclined towards taking admission at any institute provided the same is in Bengaluru or Pune. Under such circumstances, the quality of the institutions becomes secondary.”

What Ails the India Media When It Comes to Higher Education and Employment Journalism?

If we look at both the print and the electronic media, we shall be able to appreciate that hardly any analysis piece is published on the quality and acumen of various educational institutions. Instead, what we see are countless public relations materials that never talk about the actualities. Although online news portals are somewhat better in terms of covering higher education and employment, a lot more needs to be done.

“The ideal higher education portal is one that is a reliable friend, guide and mentor and speaks to us in our language,” pointed out a student, who has just finished his post-graduation in journalism and mass communication.

One of the fundamental reasons why higher education and employment journalism is neglected is the fact that many journalists consider the beat absolutely boring and non-rewarding. This has more often than not resulted in misreporting. In the name of higher education reporting, journalists have covered violence and criminality in institutions doling out higher education.

As far as employment journalism is concerned, the mainstream media has restricted itself to covering market scenarios. This has resulted in a huge void when it comes to dishing out hardcore facts to job seekers.

Megha Jha, an alumnus of the prestigious Banaras Hindu University, lashed out at the mainstream media for not being empathetic to the condition of the educated unemployed section. She said, “Hardly any story is published on the future prospects involved with various career choices. Consequently, we have to depend solely on the employment advertisements. This often results in wrong career choices.”

Today, the meaning of higher education journalism has practically changed. While some equate higher education news with the political happenings at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi, there are others, who believe that higher education journalism is all about students’ activities.

Technology Can Show the Future Way

Many students and job seekers want a mobile news application that would eliminate the need to visit multiple sources to gather information on higher education and employment opportunities.

Alisha John, a qualified computer engineer from Chennai, said, “Rather than mainstreaming news on higher education and employment, the existing news organizations can go for mobile applications, wherein they can classify news on the basis of categories. This would significantly reduce the hardships for users as they can then make use of a singular platform.”

Mohan Ahuja, a professional mobile app developer from Delhi, expressed similar opinions. He opined, “It is perfectly possible to develop a mobile app only for providing news concerning higher education and employment.”

Overseas Education and Research Remain Important Factors

A significant number of students opt for overseas institutes when it comes to higher education. Very few news outlets provide credible and authentic information pertaining to foreign education. The new crop of higher education journalists should effectively keep this in mind.

Shreya Banerjee, who has recently completed her graduation in microbiology, wants to pursue her masters somewhere in Europe. However, she has scant information on European institutes doling out postgraduate degrees in microbiology. She feels that this is where the gap crops in.

Many academicians complained about a severe lack of information concerning research opportunities in the country and abroad.

The Way Forward

Mainstream media organizations need to find out an effective way to deliver content on higher education and employment without compromising on their existing editorial policies. While some newspapers do publish education supplements, those are more of public relations leaflets than real journalistic tools. It is the case with news channels as well.

A mobile application that acts as a singular platform for all sorts of education and employment news seems to be the best foot forward now. While the mainstream news organizations can develop such a news app, an independent news app can actually do wonders in becoming the messenger of unbiased and authentic information on higher education institutions and employment opportunities. Only time will tell if such an initiative sees the light of the day.

Why Study Economics Now?

The world after the pandemic may not be the same again, some will flourish whereas some will be financially devastated, but one should move ahead. At this crucial juncture, students need to make a very important decision, which discipline to choose and why? The degree a student gets is not merely a piece of paper, but a solid foundation for his/her career. Therefore, it is extremely important to have a clear idea about the job prospects of an academic discipline. Here I want to discuss what you can do with an Economics degree. It is often said that Economists are the money makes of a country and indeed, after the dust settles, economists will play a very major role in settling the aftermath that the pandemic brings forth. All activities in a country are some way or other related to the economy, be it small business or big, all depends on the way economic policies are put forth and talented and skilled economy students can help accelerate the recovery of a country much faster. Moreover, knowledge of simple economic theory will lead a good student to understand and predict the future more or less accurately.

Here I illustrate a few domains where economists will be needed after the pandemic-

They can help design financial packages for a county making faster recovery possible taking the country back on its course.
Analyse the effects of the pandemic and estimate the total cost that the Covid-19 problem caused.
Make future predictions about coming years and lay out a comprehensive plan for next steps to be taken.
Almost all companies need economists under their shed to make the right decision and after this kind of devastation the demand is surely expected to rise.
Many economists and statisticians will be required by MNCs to manage their stocks and bonds after the crash of the share market.
Banking sector will now open its arms to accept skilled and talented economists to manage and modulate their policies.
Major mutual funds also took a big hit due to the pandemic so they will be required there too to, to give their expert opinions about what to do.
There are many Non-Profit organisations which need to manage the money and assets to serve their purpose better so there too economists are needed.
And finally comes education, as children are the backbone of a country, and backbone needs to be strong. The only way to build a strong foundation is proper education, and good economists as well as teachers are needed there to formulate proper policies and impart proper education.

The Graph below will show how the world economy is facing economic crises for the last few decades, and where an economist needs to intervene.

Source: UNCTAD calculations based on IMF, WEO, October, 2019

Corporates:

The big old private sector, the financial markets of a country, they are so hard hit by Covid-19 pandemic that it would require large number of skilled economists to put it back on track. Companies need people who can analyse, develop, promote and organise their big mammoths in a most efficient way and help them earn profit.

Students of Economics can get jobs as Junior Economists, Research Analysts, Market Analyst, Benefit Analysts, Policy Analyst, Supply Chain Analyst, Personal Finance Advisor and many other job profiles (like Business Reporter) that give you a big fat pay check.

Banks:

Within the banking industry it is not a surprise that good economists are required, and after the pandemic the demand will only rise. Managers, Directors, Administrators need to have sound knowledge of economics. Credit analysts and Loan Officers are needed to offer the most secure loans. Financial advisers are often employed to analyse and give advice regarding investments, so there cannot be no banking sector without goods economists.

Government:

There is no shortage of government jobs for economists at all levels. State as well as Center need economic expertise on urban planning, development of budgets, revenue examination, international trade, policies for BPL, and many other issues related to economy so even a Government of a country cannot work without economists.

Non-Profits:

These organisations hire economists in a wide range of roles. They need someone to make their financial projections to keep them afloat, as they rely majorly on funding. Good economists can make or break an organisation, with proper planning and allocation, big goals can be reached with small capital. As the dust settles after the pandemic, there will be a whole lot of people who need financial and other kinds of help so demand of economy students is deemed to rise.

Research firms and think tanks:

They study and analyse the economics issue. One can be employed in a business organisation, non-profit organization or an advocacy sector. One might even head one’s own research and consulting firm.

Actuarial Science:

Actuarial science is another field you can look at. Actuaries are business professionals who can assess the risk in the insurance business. These professionals specialize in various fields such as health, life, medical, casualty, pension, etc. They use their knowledge of mathematics, statistics, finance, economics, etc. to determine the premiums and reserves for insurance policies. I believe it is the most opportune moment and in fact the need of the hour, that good economics students should come up and formulate good insurance policies to help the public.

Investment Banking:

They assist public and private corporations in raising funds in the capital markets (both equity and debt), financial modelling and valuation analysis (i.e. operating, credit impact, sum of the parts, merger, discounted cash flow, and leveraged buyout models). They also provide strategic advisory services for mergers, acquisitions and other types of financial transactions.

There has been some decline in business activity of major investment banks due to this Covid-19 effect but this downfall is only for a short term, once the economy starts normal operations, there can be exponential rise in the sector. So as the pandemic ends, one may expect a lot of growth in this sector thus a lot of job for the young economists.

All the above sectors will need a huge influx of good economy students once the Covid-19 crisis is over and businesses reopen. Other than these, there are many other domains where economic knowledge is required, they also offer good incentives to pick economy as your discipline of choice. If one has interest in the subject, he/she can reach unimaginable heights and serve humanity in best way possible.

Post-COVID- Era: Necessity and Opportunity For Biotech Sector

Shagufta Quazi, B.Sc. Biotechnology, 3^rd year, Adamas University

The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020, has declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic. The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) named the virus causing the disease as “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2” (SARS-Cov-2). The disease has rapidly spread in 213 countries, infecting more than 2.4 million people and more than 163 thousand people have succumbed to the disease as per WHO data received on 22^nd April 2020. In the absence of an effective vaccine, tough decision to lockdown cities and countries for ensuring social distancing is the most effective way to contain the disease in the current scenario. However, this has brought the whole world to a standstill condition. While many sectors are struggling, the Biotech sector remains immune to the economic conditions and leading the fight against COVID-19. The global pandemic has prioritized the need to invest in the field of disease diagnosis and treatment.

Current Indian scenario: A need to thrust R&D in biotechnology

Research is an important part of all pandemics, in which the department of biotechnology will stay as a nodal bureau for vaccine development and the researchers will concentrate on determining the pathway of vaccine development. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has already allowed for the clinical trial of convalescent plasma (antibody-rich plasma from the human who has recovered from coronavirus) in treating patients of COVID-19.

This is a good opportunity for biotechnologists to find a significant solution to fight against this crisis. After an evaluation done by the Indian Council of Medical Research, Mylab Discovery Solution was the first company to acquire commercial commendation for a rapid test kit for the COVID-19 test from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). This creates an opportunity for startups and private sectors to establish them in this sector and serve humankind.

There is a huge demand for test kits for diagnosing COVID-19, also, the disease, if not contained, may further spread at a substantial pace. The government is focusing on developing vaccines against SARS-Cov-2. In this crisis, Government, as well as the private sector, should contribute to rapid tests to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Biocon Ltd. is willingly setting up a testing facility for the COVID-19 test and there is a need for more diagnostic centers to manage situations in case of a huge rush. Therefore, there is an opportunity for biotechnologists to go ahead in this sector.

The Post COVID-Era: Necessity and Opportunity for Biotech Sector

On the impact of COVID-19, Kiran Majumder Shaw, the biotechnology icon, believes that it is both an opportunity and necessity for the biotechnology sector to start seriously looking at these kinds of viral diseases.

The current situation warrants the importance of being prepared beforehand for any unforeseen epidemics and pandemics like this. As compared to other western countries, the Indian public health system does not even mandate a flu-shot every year, which is very important in this era of globalization. Future health policies need to emphasize more on prevention than cure.

Communicable diseases, once believed to the disease of third world countries are not true anymore because of travel and migration. “ This is an opportunity to strengthen the India biotech sector and make sure that you start researching on all these communicable diseases as well”, says Kiran Majumder Shaw. We predict that the following factors are further going to catalyze the growth in the Biotech sector.

The growing concern about personal health and hygiene
Production and R&D drive which will certainly increase the demand for reagents, media, and sera.
Growing environmental concerns and related regulations will require more testing reagents
Increasing stringency in food safety and regulations demand more kits and reagents for testing pesticide residues and other parameters
Growing incidence of lifestyle diseases inflate the demand for diagnostics
Success stories of personalized medicine or precision medicine widen the market scope

A pandemic situation can curtail the supply chain system especially when there is more reliance on other countries. India is trying to be more self-dependent and develop better indigenous techniques. India is a young country full of skilled resources and the “Make in India Campaign” may further provide a great opportunity for Biotech entrepreneurs and the biotech industry at large.

A career in biotechnology seems to be very promising and a biotechnologist not only satisfies his goals of research and innovation but serves the country and above all humanity.

Positive Impact of Covid 19 on Nature- Mother Nature is Healing Herself

Debjyoti Sadhukhan, School of Economics and Commerce, B.COM(H), SEM VI

India – Before Covid 19:

Air pollution in India is a serious health issue. Of the most polluted cities in the world, 21 out of 30 were in India in 2019.

As per a study based on 2016 data, at least 140 million people in India breathe air that is 10 times or more over the WHO safe limit and 13 of the world’s 20 cities with the highest annual levels of air pollution are in India.

The 51% of pollution is caused by the industrial pollution, 27% by vehicles, 17% by crop burning and 5% by Diwali fireworks. Air pollution contributes to the premature deaths of 2 million Indians every year.

Emissions come from vehicles and industry, whereas in rural areas, much of the pollution stems from biomass burning for cooking and keeping warm. In autumn and winter months, large scale crop residue burning in agriculture fields – a cheaper alternative to mechanical tilling – is a major source of smoke, smog and particulate pollution. India has a low per capita emissions of greenhouse gases but the country as a whole is the third largest greenhouse gas producer after China and the United States.

A 2013 study on non-smokers has found that have 30% weaker lung function than Europeans.

The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act was passed in 1981 to regulate air pollution but has failed to reduce pollution because of poor enforcement of the rules.

Pollution In India Post Lockdown –

The world’s largest lockdown means all factories, markets, shops, and places of worship are now closed, most public transport suspended and construction work halted, as India asks its citizens to stay home and practice social distancing. So far, India has more than 11,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19, including 377 deaths.

Already, data shows that the main cities are recording much lower levels of harmful microscopic particulate matter known as PM 2.5, and of nitrogen dioxide, which is released by vehicles and power plants.

PM 2.5, which is smaller than 2.5 micrometres in diameter, is considered particularly dangerous as it can lodge deep into the lungs and pass into other organs and the bloodstream, causing serious health risks.

The sudden fall in pollutants and the subsequent blue skies signal a dramatic shift for India — which has 21 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities, according to the IQAir AirVisual’s 2019 World Air Quality Report.

Drop Of No₂Levels Dramatically After Lockdown –

In the capital, New Delhi, government data shows the average concentration of PM 2.5 plunged by 71% in the space of a week — falling from 91 microgram per cubic meter on March 20, to 26 on March 27, after the lockdown began. The World Health Organization considers anything above 25 to be unsafe.

Nitrogen dioxide went from 52 per cubic meter to 15 in the same period — also a 71% fall. Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bangalore have also recorded a fall in these air pollutants.

“I have not seen such blue skies in Delhi for the past 10 years,” said Jyoti Pande Lavakare, the co-founder of Indian environmental organization Care for Air, and author of upcoming book “Breathing Here is Injurious To Your Health.”

“It is a silver lining in terms of this awful crisis that we can step outside and breathe.”

This is India before LOCKDOWN with such a hazardous condition.

Effect Of Lockdown On Birds And Animals –

It is lockdown for people, but freedom for birds and animals. Air and noise pollution has decreased due to the check on the movement of both people and vehicles. As people are mostly confined to their homes, there is less interference of human beings. So the birds and wild animals must be feeling relaxed. The birds communicate more when there is less noise. But, since a week, more singing, chirping and chattering of birds have been heard. It can be because there is less noise in the environment due to the lockdown.

Following are some Pictures taken by me during this Lockdown period:

Major Causes Of Water Pollution-

An alarming 80% of India’s surface water is polluted, according to the latest assessment by WaterAid, an international organization working for water sanitation and hygiene.

The report, based on latest data from the ministry of urban development (2013), census 2011 and Central Pollution Control Board, estimates that 75-80% of water pollution by volume is from domestic sewerage, while untreated sewerage flowing into water bodies including rivers have almost doubled in recent years.

Between 1991 and 2008, the latest period for which data is available, the flow of untreated sewerage has doubled from around 12,000 million litres per day to 24,000 million litres per day.

Some of the other major reasons for Water pollution are –

Industrial waste
Improper practices in agricultural sector
Reduction in water quantity in rivers in plains
Social and religious practices like dumping dead bodies in water, bathing, throwing waste in water
Oil leaks from ships
Inadequate industrial treatment of wastes.

The top most polluted rivers in India are –

Yamuna: The river ranks among the top 10 dirtiest rivers of the world, along with the Ganga. With Delhi dumping the most (58%) waste in the Yamuna, and almost all efforts to cleaning it is failing, the river is fast turning into a vast sewage.
Ganga: The ‘holy’ Ganga in Varanasi. Thirty-two drains empty their contents into this river. Despite many efforts at cleaning it, the levels of pollution in Ganga today are much higher than WHO’s permissible limits.
Sabarmati:The polluted Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad. Branded the third most polluted river in the country by CPCB in 2010, fecal coliform (F.Coli) bacteria was found to be highest in the river, turning lethal at many stretches.
Oshiwara:The Oshiwara river in Mumbai. According to a CPCB report, 1/3rd of this most polluted river stretches in India are in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Damodar: The Damodar river that flows through West Bengal and Jharkhand, has seen many industries (mostly coal) sprout on its mineral rich banks. It is one of the most polluted rivers in India.

But there has been a drastic change in the scenario of these rivers, they appear to be cleaner and healthier as compared to earlier days. So, from this it is quite evident that the “CORONA VIRUS” has came as a boon for the NATURE which was getting exploited due to Human’s selfish nature of only taking and not giving back.

This pandemic has really been a silver lining for the NATURE.

But I believe that Humanity still exists, the situation will change and NATURE will be taken care of even after the Disaster gets over.

The crash of Indian Economy in reference to COVID-19

Aditya Sarkar B.Com.(H) 6^th Sem Student, ADAMAS University

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic is an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The outbreak was first noted in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, in December 2019. the planet Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020 and recognized it as an epidemic on 11 March 2020. As of 5 April 2020, quite 1.23 million cases of COVID-19 are reported in over 200 countries and territories, leading to approximately 67,200 deaths. quite 252,000 people have recovered.

India is now facing its greatest crisis since its independence. there’s a 21-day lockdown to enforce self-distancing to stop the spread of COVID-19 and flatten its growth curve. it’s natural that within the process, the economy is on complete bed rest. The exercise is to seek out out the value of this lockdown.
Take a glance at the components of the Indian Economy-Gross Value Added (GVA) at Basic Price 2011-12, at current prices. To clarify, the connection of GVA with Gross Domestic Product (GDP), GVA is defined as GDP+Subsidies on products-Taxes, and GVA generally may be a better indicator for analytics.
To assess the impact of lockdown, we not only got to take the 21-day shutdown period but the additional additional days of the operating cycle before a cloth or service are often back to operations. While each sector has its own dynamics and different cycles, I even have assumed a minimum of one week for the organization considering various factors of production- men, materials, capital to migrate to the assembly capacity. So effective loss is assessed at 28 days (21 lockdowns +7 pre-operative period).

Among equities, one can adopt a barbell strategy, i.e., own a mixture of high-quality growth stocks at the one end and buy beaten down ‘relative value’ or ‘mean reversion’ plays like Corporate Banks, PSU companies, Pharma and Utilities at the opposite end.

BSE Sensex witnessed a pointy fall within the stock exchange on March 23, 2020 thanks to the Coronavirus fear across the worldwide market. The Sensex plunged 3500 points to around 26, 380 after hitting its 10% lower circuit limit. On the opposite hand, the NSE Nifty fell 11 percent to below 7800.

Earlier on March 18, 2020, BSE Sensex fell by 1709 points and National stock market (NSE) Nifty slipped 425.55 points (4.75%) to shut at 8,541.50. The Indian stock exchange opened with good gains amid positive signals from foreign markets. However, after a brief time, all shares started plunging again.

Foreign investors (FIIs) are continuously withdrawing money from the Indian market. On the opposite hand, the Supreme Court’s decision affected the shares of banking companies the foremost , because these banks have huge debt on telecom companies.

The other major contributors to the autumn in Sensex included Tata Steel, Adani Ports, Mahindra & Mahindra, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, Reliance Industries and therefore the depository financial institution of India.

Commodity traders have asked India’s markets regulator to revive trading hours till 11.30 pm to contain trading volatility and losses seen after the coronavirus pandemic since December 2019.

After the govt imposed a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of the coronavirus, Sebi reduced the trading hours on commodity markets to 9 am-5 pm from the sooner 9 am-11:30 pm to assist exchange employees and traders practice social distancing.

The association lauded Sebi for taking measures to scale back compliance burden, easing operational procedures, extending deadlines, and for its regular advisories to the states which gradually facilitated issuance of curfew passes for workers of broking entities to succeed in office.

The Organization for Economics Cooperation and Development (OECD) estimates that increased direct and indirect economic costs through global supply chains reduced demand for goods and services, and declines in tourism and business travel mean that, “the adverse consequences of those developments for other countries (non-OECD) are significant.” Global trade, measured by trade volumes, slowed within the half-moon of 2019 and was expected to say no further in 2020, as a results of weaker global economic activity related to the pandemic, which is negatively affecting economic activity in various sectors, including airlines, hospitality, ports, and therefore the shipping industry.

According to the OECD’s updated forecast:

The best impact of the containment restrictions are going to be on retail and
wholesale trade, and in professional and land services, although there are
notable differences between countries.

Business closures could reduce economic output in advanced and major
emerging economies by 15% or more; other emerging economies could
experience a decline in output of 25%.

Countries hooked in to tourism might be affected more severely, while countries with large agricultural and mining sectors could experience less severe effects.

Economic effects likely will vary across countries reflecting differences within the timing and degree of containment measures.

Tech giants are getting creative to manage the COVID-19 crisis

Since the Covid-19 outbreak, companies within the private and public sector are encouraging work from home for many of their employees. Since the thought is essentially novel for those unaccustomed the gig economy and unorganized sector, many challenges abound. Is it counterproductive to figure in your pajamas

How are you able to resist the lure of streaming a show on your laptop while performing on an uneventful spreadsheet? Can meetings be as effective on Zoom or Google Hangouts as they’re in physical boardrooms and conference halls?

he second, which is becoming increasingly crucial, involves clearing up non-physical clutter, by which the authors mean your digital organizers, emails, computer desktop, various passwords, meeting schedules, and other people management skills.

While the ‘spark joy’ philosophy isn’t always possible to follow since a neighborhood of just about any job involves tedium and drudgery, there are modifications which will be made to make sure that your working life may be a little more bearable. Most of the sensible advice—for instance, to tidy by category, quickly and completely, beat one go—make sense.