May 19, 2020 | Adamas University

Exoskeleton and its future in India

There is a thought behind every action and a desire always plays its role behind that thought. Overlooking the basic needs and craving for power has always been an instinct of human being. And that thirst of power invents the first powered exoskeleton in 1917 before the “Superman” comes into picture in 1938.

The term exoskeleton originates from the external rigid skin of invertebrate animals like crabs, bugs, tortoise etc. that permits them to retain the shape without inner skeleton. Now in engineering point of view exoskeleton is a wearable robot which helps to augment, amplify or to reinforce the musculoskeletal arrangement of a human body which offers support, stability and movement.

The exoskeletons are categorized in colossal ways like-

In terms of power supply-

Active, which preform some activities with the help of actuator.

Passive, which does not required any type of external agents for movement but uses shape memory material, dampers or springs which can store energy and released at ease.

Depending on the body part-

Upper extremity exoskeleton- Upper limbs like arms, shoulder and torso.

Lower extremity exoskeleton- Lower limbs like hips, legs and lower tarsal bones.

Full body Exoskeleton- Most versatile and powerful exoskeleton for rehabilitation.

Based on technology of actuation or power supply-

Electrical- These are operated by electrical motors actuator or servo which multiplies human effort

Hydraulic- Operated by Fuel cells or IC engines, superior than electrical ones

Fully mechanical- These variants are mainly passive powered by springs or mechanical linkage. Muscles activity can reduced by 35% results in less fatigue of the worker.

Others- These are also based on passive powered like shape memory alloy or fuel cell actuator.

Also there are some classifications in terms of mobility like fixed, supported or mobile;

User machine interface that is controlled by joysticks or any control panel;

According to building material like Soft or flexible made of fabrics and other soft material and rigid materials like carbon fiber;

Based on source of production- home built (DIY), research labs (academia), commercial companies (industry), and governments.

Exoskeletons has a versatile field of applications like health care industry to support limb amputees, paraplegic patients or in case of physically disable persons; defense industry to amplify their power; manufacturing and construction industry to decrease worker’s muscle activity which will reduce their fatigue.
If we take only medical requirements, has a tremendous need of this in India. Primarily for Non-birth amputations caused by various injuries and others like cardiovascular, disease, traumatic accidents, spinal cord injury, nerve injury and congenital. Around 10 million amputees are present Worldwide of total approximate population of 6.7 billion. In India alone 0.5 million of amputees are there and that figure is increasing by 23500 per year. Though there are some prosthetic manufacturers but very few companies manufacture exoskeleton for medical purposes in India. And a in a developing country it is next to impossible to import an exosuit, costing around 60 lakh.

“Hardiman” was the first powered exoskeleton developed by General Electric in cooperation with US armed force in 1960s. This was the first military purpose exoskeleton which can amplify strength of wearer by 25 times. Also different countries like China, Canada, South Korea, Russia, Great Britain and Australia are tested their military exoskeleton. From 2019 onward, Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO)’s Defense Bioengineering and Electro-medical Laboratory (DEBEL) in collaboration with some higher education Institutions, is trying to develop futuristic defense equipment’s.

As of now the collaborative robot industrial sector is the fastest growing market for exoskeleton. They can reduce ergonomics issues, musculoskeletal injuries and fatigue which are very common disturbing factors to the workers and as well as to the companies in construction sites, factories, dry-docks, warehouses which is very common and disturbing to the worker as well as to the company. Industrial use of exoskeleton in India is in bottom level yet, but it is a low hanging fruit for young entrepreneur.
The smallest subfield for exoskeleton is commercial sector. Main prospective of commercial exoskeleton can be found in motorized transportation and sports and hiking application. This type of transportation requires minimum infrastructure with maximum flexibility and educational application is mostly hypothetical.

As per various research reports worldwide exoskeleton revenue will reach $5.8 billion by 2028, driven by the plan and appropriation of only passive exoskeletons that help to amplify capacities of human power. Though geologically, the exoskeleton market scope changes significantly across various regions. The purpose behind this lies in the pace of mechanical advancements in various pieces of the world.

For the most of us, technology makes things simpler; anyway for an individual with disability, it makes things conceivable. India is where only individuals who are incapacitated, gets legitimate treatment from time to time. Because of the significant expense of prosthesis, only the higher earnings families can manage the cost of them. But in near future in India the higher growth rate will be experienced, owing to the factors such as growing aged population and increasing prevalence of stroke & spinal cord injuries, presence of large pool of patients, increasing disposable income, and availability of government funding.

Mechanical Engineering improves the chances of Employment through ‘Make in India’

Make in India is an ambitious initiative launched by government of India to attract manufacturing enterprises from abroad as well as domestic origin to set up manufacturing units in India to enhance the share of manufacturing in our GDP from current 15 percent to 25 percent by 2025. Manufacturing being one of the highest employments generating sector has been of current focus though capacity up-gradation, skill development and industrial development. To achieve this target, government of India has adopted a mix of policies for ease of doing business in India though good governance, decreasing red-tapism and scaling up infrastructural development to multiply the role of mechanical engineering. Make in India being led by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of commerce and Industry, Govt. of India. The initiative is expected to create 100milion new Mechanical Jobs in India by 2022. This initiative will promote innovators and creators by upgrading infrastructure and using state-of-art technology to bring a vibrant intellectual property regime in the country. India is the 4th largest base for new businesses in the world and home to over 3100 tech start-ups, most of them belonging to the MSME sector. The economy is set to increase its base to 11500 tech start-ups by 2022 as the industry would get a huge boost from Make in India. Now this financial crisis period Some of the govt policy have been take up for boosting of Make in India,

Major FDI policy reforms have been made in a number of sectors, such as defence, Construction development, Pensions, Broadcasting, Pharmaceutical and civil aviation.
Foreign investors can invest in India either on their own or as a joint venture, as may be required in a few sectors.
Barring a few reserved sectors 100% FDI is allowed through the automatic route in several sectors, without the need of government approval, namely Automobile, Food Processing, Construction etc.
In Union budget 2016-17, the government has emphasized the need to increase manufacturing as a % of GDP.
The Central and State governments have sector specific policies,
incentives and subsidies to promote manufacturing.
Increased allocation in the budget to improve infrastructure, which is critical in facilitating future growth.

Image Source : Google Image Click Here

Manufacturing is an important activity to promote economic growth and development. Nations that export manufactured products tend to generate higher marginal GDP growth which supports higher incomes and marginal tax revenue. The field is an important source for engineering job opportunities. Among developed countries, it is an important source of well-paying jobs for the middle class to facilitate greater social mobility for successive generations on the economy. Industrial development is a driver of structural change which is key in the process of economic development. Research suggests that economic development requires structural change from low to high productivity activities and that the industrial sector is a key engine of growth in the development process. In many cases of high, rapid, and sustained economic growth in modern economic development have been associated with industrialisation, particularly growth in manufacturing production. Many economists agree that rapid manufacturing-led growth is what India needs and must seek to promote. Though the country has had rapid services-led growth for a decade or so, economists have tended to view this as not very stable. Historically, manufacturing has led the growth process at early stages of development not just in today’s developed countries of Europe and North America but also in late-developers of Asia such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, and most recently in the People’s Republic of China. And no country in the world has achieved high-income status without developing manufacturing to a point where it accounts for a high share (around 30 per cent) of GDP. The economic logic of this historically observed pattern of development is also well understood. On the supply side, manufacturing production is characterized by increasing returns to scale and rapid productivity growth. Manufacturing can also stimulate non-manufacturing activities significantly. On the demand side, the income elasticity of demand is higher for manufactures than for non-manufactures at relatively low levels of per capital income. And manufactures are eminently tradable, so that external demand can play an important role in supporting manufacturing growth. There are around 300,000 mechanical engineers in India, who have been serving in different industries. Role of mechanical engineering can never be neglected. If we talk about the percent-wise breakup of mechanical engineers employed in different industries, then the below table clarifies:

Transportation equipment manufacturing 12%
Scientific research and development services 7%
Machinery manufacturing 13%
Computer and electronic product manufacturing 7%
Architectural, engineering, and related services 22%

The Prebisch-Singer hypothesis normally refers to the claim that the relative price of primary commodities in terms of manufactures shows a downward trend. Prebisch and Singer based this conclusion on a visual inspection of the net barter terms of trade – the relative price of exports to imports – of the United Kingdom from 1876 to 1947. Moreover, he argued that technical progress in manufacturing tended to be raw-material saving Thus, there are powerful empirical and theoretical arguments in favour of industrialization especially manufacturing as the main engine of growth in economic development. The arguments can be summarised as follows: There is an empirical correlation between the degree of industrialisation and per capita income in developing countries. Productivity is higher in the industrial sector than in the agricultural sector. The transfer of resources from agriculture to manufacturing provides a structural change bonus. Compared to agriculture, the manufacturing sector offers special opportunities for capital accumulation in developing countries. Capital accumulation can be more easily realised in spatially concentrated manufacturing than in spatially dispersed agriculture. This is one of the reasons why the emergence of manufacturing has been so important in growth and development. Capital intensity is high in mining, manufacturing, utilities and transport. It is much lower in agriculture and services. Capital accumulation is one of the aggregate sources of growth. Thus, an increasing share of manufacturing will contribute to aggregate growth. The manufacturing sector offers special opportunities for economies of scale, which are less available in agriculture or services.

Banking Beyond Covid-19

Backdrop

Now, we are surviving under the pandemic of the century, Covid-19. From its epicentre Wuhan, China, Covid-19 became a global pandemic within three months off its origin. Now the entire globe is under lockdown. As a result of that, we are also now under global financial crisis. As the world is still waiting for its vaccine, it is quite difficult to forecast when the globe will be on its own track of the normal economic activities.

Current Scenario

As a part of the financial crisis, the entire banking industry is facing severe disorder. The first hit was on the market capitalisation. The crash in the stock market led the reduction in the value of the firms. Moreover, as the manufacturing sector is entirely under lockdown, the demand for funds hit the rock bottom. So, for banks, the credit growth has been collapsed.

In order to infuse liquidity in the market and to accelerate the credit growth, the Reserve Bank of India cuts its policy rates. Though, it helps to reduce the expenditure of interest payments by banks, the reduction in the interest earnings curbs out the benefit. As a result of that revenue of the banks get hampered.

Moreover, the Reserve Bank of India also issued regulatory package to stabilise the market liquidity. Under this package banks and financial institutions are allowed to issue three months moratorium on the instalment payments on loan during the period March-May. As a result of that the banks revenue for that period is going to be reduced.

The Future

The global managing consulting company Accenture, in its open letter to retail and commercial CEOs, clearly sorted out four key areas that the banks need to be addressed.

Credit Management

As a support of government actions, banks have rescheduled the payments of term loans and working capital facilities. Moreover, the productions of the manufacturing sectors hit the bottom due to this lockdown. So, there is a lesser demand of credits from these sectors. Also, due to the lack of economic activities, there may be more loan defaults. In this regard, the central bank also revised the asset classification norm. But, irrespective of the steps taken, it is quite expected that the non-performing assets will go up significantly.

Now, the government has given special attention to the MSME sector by issuing financial supports. As the intermediary between the government and MSME sector, it will somehow boost the credit growth for the banks.

Reduction in Revenue

The largest source of banks’ income arises out of their lending activities. But the global lockdown squeezed the demand for the funds from different economic units. Till now there is no such evidence that this situation is going to be changed soon. Moreover the rate cuts by the central bank also led the reduction in the net interest margin of the banks. But the situation may change when the moratorium period is over and the banks will start getting back their instalments. In this regard, it is also expected that banks will increase the service charges of its various products.

Customer Services

This global pandemic changed the scenario of customer experiences. Customers are now relying upon the online or electronic mode of banking transactions. We have already experienced the card-less ATM transactions, UPI system. We are also experiencing the touch-free cards. These services should be promoted further. Banks are also opening mini branches in the rural areas to reduce the pressure of customers on the big urban branches. Various banking facilities are available with those mini branches. But still, the customers’ need to visit the bank branches will be there, but these services will certainly help to reduce the interaction with bank branches and will reduce the gatherings. Also, there is a need for customer education and training, mostly for rural and elderly people, regarding the use of the online channels of banking.

Cost Control

It is very much clear that the revenue generation of banks got hampered due to the global pandemic and no one can say how long it is going to continue. So, banks have to focus on the control over its costs also. Generally, the cost control technique varies from bank to bank. This cost control measure should not be the traditional but differentiating. The application of the traditional cost control technique may be backfired and lead to the loss of revenue for the banks. On the other hand, under differentiating technique the cost control is done on a selective way. It can be applied by way of investment portfolio review, reduction of expenses in a selective manner, outsourcing of non-core functions of banks etc. In current global business scenario, differentiating or strategic cost control technique is the most accepted measure for cost control.

Corporate Governance in India : Impacts and Challenges Ahead

The complex nature of business has increased due to separation of ownership and control and emergence of Corporate form of business organisation has allowed millions of stakeholders across the globe to own the business jointly and it has created chaos among the companies.

Various financial reports published for the companies provided information about the separation of powers and control of different types of companies. These reports are easy to be manipulated in the hands of the managers of the corporates. It results in breaking the trust of the stakeholders. This is the basic reason for emergence of Corporate governance. Nowadays the word ‘Governance’ has become a buzzword and is based on two pillars i, e
transparency and accountability. Again this governance is now ensured in Corporates and has given a new dimension and a new form as Corporate governance. Corporate Governance may be defined as the rules ,laws and processes by which one monitors, manages and controls the business as a watchdog. It encompasses the internal factors like the managers, stakeholders and the external factors like consumers, clients and emerging
regulations. Both the aspects are equally important to ensure responsible leadership, transparency and accountability in the system.

Transparency and Accountability are the key to growth, stability and profitability of any business. Good Corporate Governance is the need of the time which brings harmonious relationship and trust among the investors about the management.

After Independence India was flooded with various high profile scams like Stock market scam, Satyam scam, Ketan Parekh Scam, UTI scam, Harshad Mehta scam and recently Nirav Modi scam have exemplified poor and bad Corporate governance. These scams have set a benchmark for implementing good corporate governance in India for it’s growth and
development and strengthening the Indian economy. Now, the dichotomy remains what amounts to Good Corporate governance and what is bad governance?

When the leadership and management of the company works with it’s heart and soul with transparency and accountability in the interest of the stakeholders instead of it’s vested interest it amounts to good corporate governance otherwise if it lags in transparency then it leads to bad corporate governance. Bad governance affects the stakeholders directly and
very importantly breaches the trust of the investors. As a matter of fact, it should be noted that the shareholders are deprived of dividends because of creative accounting, managerial remuneration, free goodies to friends and families and risky mergers and acquisitions.

For any business today it requires well defined guidelines. Ministry of Corporate Affairs has framed new Companies Act repealing the old one which came into force in 2013 covering all the important aspects of governance and in this direction appointment of Independent Directors makes the board transparent and accountable. It also empowers minority
shareholders to drag the companies to National Company Law Tribunal.

In the present era of Globalization and Liberalisation new Companies Act 2013 is trying to keep pace with the need of the time and only time will speak to what extent it is successful in implementing good corporate governance in the certainty and predictability of law.

COVID-19 induced alveolar damage: Protection by melatonin through multiple molecular dimensions

Student Contributors: Manisha De, Shashanka Debnath, Deblina Chakraborty, Indranil Chowdhury (UG VI of B.Sc in Biochemistry)

Introduction

In recent times, the well-known pandemic COVID-19 has been the most devastating event, taking away the lives worldwide of not less than lakhs in number. But among the population where there are individuals of diverse ages, it is observed that the virus induces relatively minor damage in the young persons compared to the healthy populations, imposing the later to a life-threatening consequence. Elderly aged population, possessing a comparatively lower level of Melatonin are found to be at a high risk of infection.

Melatonin i.e. N-acetyl serotonin, secreted from the pineal gland located on the third ventricle of the brain, possesses several important physiological functions in mammals including widespread anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen species (RNS) scavenging actions(Figure 1). Also, melatonin can increase the activity of the electron transport system in mitochondria, thereby restricts unwanted electron leakage and ROS generation. Thereby, we can try to think about a distinct relationship between the loss of lives due to the pandemic and the pineal secretory product- melatonin.

Figure 1

Molecular mechanisms through which melatonin can protect against COVID-19

Melatonin as an anti-oxidant:

The fatal consequences due to infection of alveolar tissue with SARS-CoV 2 are associated with oxidative stress characterized by elevated levels of ROS or RNS and melatonin is the promising endogenous antioxidant. But melatonin is observed to be lost with age. One molecule of melatonin can bind with 10 free radicals maximally. Melatonin scavenges the hydroxyl radical(•OH) i.e. a potent mediator of peroxidation of membrane lipids, carbonylation of proteins, and DNA damage, which results in the damage of alveolar tissue. It is also known to detoxify cell-damaging radicals like superoxide anion radical(O₂•^–) nitric oxide (NO•). Moreover, SARS-CoV induces oxidative stress; which in turn, induces PLA2G2D phospholipase synthesis; at an abnormally high concentration which can reduce the immunity against a viral antigen, thereby making the biochemical situation more lethal to the human. Also, melatonin inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) and stimulates several antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase, glutathione, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase supporting its indirect antioxidant action. On the other hand, Melatonin is also a good preventor of fibrosis which is the most fatal consequence in COVID-19 patients.

Melatonin is further observed to reduce oxidative stress by recycling the glutathione(GSH) level in the body which gets reduced during the excess oxidative stress condition. During this, oxidation of GSH to its dimerized form occurs, GSSG. Melatonin stimulates the Glutathione reductase(GR) enzyme which quickly converts GSSG to form GSH(through the reduction/hydrogenation of disulphide linkages) again by the action of the rate-limiting enzyme, gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase. Furthermore, Melatonin can donate one or more electrons to free radicals detoxifies them. In this situation, melatonin becomes a free radical itself, which doesn’t possess any toxicity to cells. Metabolites that are formed during this process are Cyclic3-hydroxymelatonin (c3OHM), N(1)-acetyl-N(2)-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AFMK), and N1-acetyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AMK). This oxidation process results in the formation of several hydroxylated products which proves the binding of melatonin with diamagnetic hydroxyl radicals, that is indicating towards the construction of never-ending antioxidant cascade in the cells of the mammalian system.

The inhibitory action of melatonin against ROS generation:

ROS generation is a major factor for lung injury during COVID-19 infection as a result of mitochondria, where the molecular oxygen(O₂) is reduced to water via electron transport chain(ETC), which is the main source of ROS generation due to its primary target of ATP production. In mitochondria, there is several sites where superoxide radical(O₂•^–) are produced including complex I, complex III, glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, , pyruvate dehydrogenase, and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase. Mn-SOD(Mn-Superoxide Dismutase) (mitochondrial)and Cu-Zn-SOD(Cytosolic) converts the superoxide radical into hydrogen peroxide(H₂O₂). The H₂O₂in the mitochondrial membrane is also converted into hydroxyl radical(OH•) via a Fenton reaction catalyzed by mitochondrial aconitase. The cytosolic catalytic cycle is another site for the production of ROS.

During COVID-19 infection, increased oxidative stress inhibits mitochondrial Kreb’s cycle enzymes, and ETC associated enzymes of the lung that results in free electron leakage and increases the ROS level. As a result, the intensity of alveolar tissue damage will increase due to the persistence of inflammatory signaling.

Several studies had shown that Melatonin and its metabolites not only stimulate the activity of SOD for scavenging the ROS generation but also stimulates the proper activities of ETC associated enzymes and Kreb’s cycle enzymes(at nM to µM concentration in vitro system) and blocks the free-electron leakage and the formation of excess ROS.

Melatonin also induces the antioxidant enzyme encoding genes through G-protein coupled receptor(GPCR):

Melatonin binds to its transmembrane bound GPCR(comprised of α, β and γ subunits )(MT1 and MT2). Upon binding, the Gα sub-unit dissociates from GPCR transmembrane receptors and activate phospholipase C-β, to phosphorylate and activate the JAK-Erk complex, which in turn increase the Nrf2 expression level through SIRT-1 activation, upon entering into the nucleus which increases the expression of the genes encoding the antioxidant enzymes.

Melatonin and its anti-inflammatory action:

Inflammation of alveoli of the lung is one of the major hallmarks of COVID-19 patients. In the case of coronavirus, its ssRNA is first detected by TLR7(Toll-like receptor 7) and is then directed for lysosomal degradation. It then activates the Type 1-Interferon reaction and releases many other pro-inflammatory cytokines [IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, both IFN-α/β, Tumor necrosis factor(TNF), C-C motif chemokine 3(CCL3), CCL5, CCL2, etc]. But in some cases, excessive generation of pro-inflammatory cytokines might lead to ‘cytokine storm’ causing host cell damage and thus, inducing acute lung injury(ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) or even death. Therefore, to decrease mortality, the inflammation needs to be suppressed. The anti-inflammatory properties of melatonin suppress this following consequences of inflammation:

TLR recognizes PAMP(pathogen-associated molecular pattern), thereby initiates the signaling cascade to create inflammatory responses by the induction of the gene encoding TLR2, TLR4, TLR9. Melatonin downregulates the expression of the mentioned TLR encoding genes to suppress inflammatory responses.
At the lower concentration, melatonin reduces the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8(which are induced during COVID-19 infection) and increases the rate of expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10.
Melatonin also suppresses activation of NF-κβ, which would otherwise mediate inflammation, by downregulating its activation in T-cells and lung cells.
Elevated activity of NOD-like receptor 3(NLRP3) inflammasome leads to amplification of inflammatory responses. Melatonin can repress NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Discussion:

The endogenous melatonin may possess the ability to protect ourselves, but its concentration is not sufficient to combat against inflammation-mediated ROS generation, so if the people take the melatonin tablet(an available form is “Meloset-3 mg”), then it can protect human being by the mechanisms as mentioned above. On the other hand, some recent research works showed that melatonin inhibits the electron leakage from the ETC is generally accompanied by an increase in the activity of cardiac mitochondrial ATP synthase activity resulting in the higher synthesis of ATP, i.e. enabling higher energy to sustain life without any side effects. So, by enhancing the energy metabolism in heart, melatonin provides not only the support life of COVID-19 patients but also provides the time to the medical practitioners for providing proper treatment and healthy life to the SARS-COV2 infected patients. Therefore, it further suggests that melatonin due to its high redox potential produces a beneficiary effect not only on the mitochondrial complexes but on the overall physiological system and thereby able to protect the human being from the present global life-threatening situation.

LAW: A LUCRATIVE CAREER OPTION

“Don’t join an easy crowed; you won’t grow.

Go where the expectations and the demands to perform are high” – Jim Rohn

Introduction

Law has long been one of the most prevalent career choices in India, especially for families who have been Lawyers for generations. However, one can say that this line is shifting and this because studying law is now providing a wide range of career options. Any person can build his career as a lawyer or other legal professionals if he/she holds greater passion towards law. From lawyers, Judges, and mediators to paralegals, secretaries, and consultants, the legal professional’s role is expanding and evolving to keep pace with ever-changing legal system.

The start of 21st century saw the growth of many private schools in India. This paved a better way for students in building their career and greater liberty for educators to design legal education to adapt to an ever-changing milieu[1]. The Indian law profession has experienced a number of strategic and significant fluctuations over the past decades. Nowadays, the legal aspirants not only get an opportunity to evaluate themselves in the court halls, but also in various corporations, Educational sectors, law firms, administrative services and many other fields.

Also, there is always something about law that makes it a truly compelling profession – the idea of suiting up black robes with white bands to the courtroom, or being the one to protect the rights of humans. Those who are in the legal professions, proving to be equally important like engineers and doctors and they have started gaining not only more money but more respect too[2]. With economies, politics, trades and societies grow globally and as fast as they do currently – the role of legal professionals is also known to be expanding further.

Legal Education

It is known to be an all-purpose education offered to a person beforehand their begin lawyer practice. As a lawyer has a huge obligation in shaping and developing a society, legal education has started to play a chief role in making good lawyers or legal professionals. This teaches the people about values, beliefs, morals, ethics, histories and philosophies. A person needs to know the society he wants to start practicing. He must gain full understanding of the constitution and culture of course.

A good ethical lawman is essential to the future of society as he employs moral, legal and cultural values. People from all over the nation seek lawyers for attaining their rights and justice. The corrupt lawyer in that scenario was the last person anyone would want in the society. Therefore, lawyers with good knowledge and principles are essential to the development of the country. An advocate of perseverance becomes a great advocate.

Furthermore, self-learning plays an important role in the career of a lawyer. Good communication skills come in line with customer reliance. He/she must be able to prove and reassure the client about the case with poise and communication skills. Altogether, it completes legal education.

Diverse career Options

Lawyers are highly respected in the society. Also, there is a belief that, even if the whole thing fails, we can follow the path of the legal system. We may see situations in our daily lives that require legal advice in one way or another. We require the advice of a legal expert to properly analyze and interpret the law in such situations.

First, people changed the law into civil law and criminal law. Now, this has changed and there is a huge increase in the specialties offered by Law Schools and Universities, such as corporate law, IPR, international economic trade law, business law etc., The law degree is not only allows you to work as a lawyer in the courts or in the MNCs, but also offers career options in areas such as corporate management, the armed forces, educational institutions and many more. The diverse career opportunities offered by a law degree stands no par with other professional degrees. Law graduates in the courts, legal services, Armed Forces, academics, Public Service Commission , Non Governmental Organizations, Legal Journalists, Legal Editors, Legal Advisers to multinational corporations, banks, LPOs and KPOs have many opportunities.

There are various specialization areas in this field to choose:

I. Criminal Law
II. Civil Law
III. Taxation Law
IV. Corporate Law
V. International Law
VI. Labor Law
VII. Constitutional Law
VIII. Patent Law etc.
IX. Family Law
X. Administration Law
XI. Energy and Environmental Law
XII. Arbitration etc.

What are the MERITS of being a Legal Professional ?

a) Chance to break barriers for people and bring justice
b) Law regulates business of life.
c) It is a fulfilling job where one can earn money and respect as well.
d) Safe job mainly if one is employed as a corporate lawyer
e) Intellectual Test- Law is an intellectually stimulating profession. He/she is required to perform widespread study for each case to discover all the probable info because a small detail has the ability to change the case direction.
f) Extensive Career Options.

Choosing the Promising and Satisfactory Course

Students who wish to pursue a career in law can take a three-year law course from any top schools of law once completing BA LL.B (integrated law-5 years with any discipline). Many colleges and law schools have now started BBA LL.B along with BSC LL.B. The Bar Council of India (BCI) regulates the LLB syllabus at par with the University Grants Commission (UGC) and for higher studies like PhD in Law.

A candidate may begin preparations for the entrance examination in 10th or 12th grade. Those who wish to pursue law from the renowned Law Schools must attend the Combined Law Admission Test (CLAT) that examines their English, Logical Reasoning, Legal Aptitude, Overall Awareness and Mathematical skills.

Conclusion

Law is a profession that needs a lot of endurance and logical skills. To become a successful legal professional, it requires a lot of hard work and dedication. First-generation lawyers would face as many problems in their careers as they do in every other jobs. It will be easier if you train under a senior lawyer early in his career. This does not mean that newcomers cannot make it their own. But it requires greater will. Excessive communication skills and critical analysis is required for being a best lawyer. So, these factors must be analyzed before choosing a career in law. Like they say, there is always a bigger fish in the sea. The better ones fight for it, while the best ones get it.

[1] Thomas, Mark W. “Motivations for Pursuing a Career in Law Enforcement: An Analysis of a Local Law Enforcement Agency.” (2019).

[2] Singh, Jaivir, et al. “Law, skills and the creation of jobs as ‘contract’work in India: exploring survey data to make inferences for labour law reform.” The Indian Journal of Labour Economics 60.4 (2017): 549-570.

Food Safety & Quality Control: Microbiological Aspects & Scopes

Food: Any substance that can be consumed to obtain energy and contains nutritional as well as aesthetic value is termed as food. Food is considered as the principal requirement for all forms of a living creature to survive and reproduce on the planet earth.

Food Security: According to the ‘World Food Summit’ of 1996, food security is defined as “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life”. Thus food security not only assures a sufficient quantity of food but also the quality of food.

Food Safety: Food Safety and Standard Act 2006 defines food safety as the “assurance that food is acceptable for human consumption according to its intended use”. Also, the WHO considers global prevention, detection, and response to the threats associated with unsafe food as ‘Public health concern’.

Food Safety& Microbiology: The greatest challenge to food safety is microorganisms that account for more than 200 diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi. Recent-time statistics have shown that nearly 420,000 people die every year due to foodborne illnesses. The case is even severe in children, especially those who are below 5 years, which alone counts for 40% of the total burden caused by foodborne diseases. Foodborne illnesses are primarily classified as food infection and food intoxication. While in the first case, live microorganism enters the body, multiplies and damages host tissue, the later can cause damage by the production of toxin in food, despite being absent in the body.

The Economics of Food Borne Diseases: The loss of productivity due to foodborne illness is estimated to 95.2 billion USD per year in the low and middle-income countries while the annual cost of treatment was estimated at 15 billion USD, as presented in the annual report of the World Bank in 2018.

Quality Management System: Quality Management System or QMS is a strategic direction that enables an organization to achieve the targets in terms of the fulfilments of the pre-defined policies. However, for the food industry, it also includes improving the overall quality of food safety & hygiene in compliance with the regulatory standards. Thus the targets of QMS, apart from the fulfillment of organizational aspiration and adherence to its policy, also include the productions of ‘zero risk food’, otherwise known as ‘safe food’ for its customers.

Health Hazards Associated with Food: Three major hazards may contaminate food and lead to a breach of food safety; these are:

Physical Hazard: Presence of dirt, dust, metal, hair, etc. that contaminate food
Chemical Hazard: Presence of pesticides, heavy metals, and allergens, etc.
Biological Hazard: Presence of microorganisms (mainly)

Among the three, the first two (i.e. Physical and Chemical) hazards can be eliminated during the stages of raw material screening and processing, however, controlling microorganisms is difficult as food serves as nutritional supports for the organisms and help them to grow. As a result, most of the food spoilages are also attributed to microbial spoilages apart from the factor like self-degradation by chemical reactions.

Quality Control: The food produced in an industry must be safe and free of any of the hazards mentioned earlier. Quality Control (QC) is a part of the QMS and it is a reactive process aiming to identify and rectify defects in food products, in terms of hazards. The QC team of the food and beverage industry has skilled microbiologists and chemists to perform the analyses of food products and adhering to the Quality Assurance (QA) parameters and the regulatory guidelines.

Roles of the Microbiologist: Microbiologists play vital roles in the food industry, especially in controlling the quality (QC) of food products. The job responsibilities of a Microbiologist include:

Routine Quality Control: Regular monitoring of the raw materials, process intermediates as well as the finished products in terms of microbiological quality.
Risk Analysis, Assessment, Communication & Management: Any substance, action, and method that increases the probability of adverse effects on the health of the consumers or leads to food hazards are termed as risk. The scientific process of analyzing risk using tools like Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) followed by an assessment of the grade of risk with proper communication, to manage the process through scientific intervention, is one of the major job-roles of the microbiologists working in the food industry.
Environmental Monitoring: The safety of the food largely depends on the environment of food production and subsequent packaging. Therefore, a safe environment is a prerequisite to maintain the sterility of food products or at least a safe level for ensuring food safety. Environmental monitoring of the storage area, production area, instruments and packaging area, etc. are carried out to determine the microbial load, adhering to the policy and regulatory guidelines.
Food Hygiene: The roles of microbiologists also include the maintenance of all conditions and necessary measures to ensure the safety and suitability of food at all stages of the food production and supply; commonly referred to as food hygiene.
Food Inspection & Surveillance: Microbiologists are required to conduct routine examinations, empowered by the regulations of food products and system, to confirm the regulatory compliance and adhere to the norms associated with food safety. This functionality is known as food inspection while continuous monitoring is termed as food surveillance.
Quality Management System (QMS): Microbiologists, as part of the entire management, are involved in designing the process and formulating the ‘Quality Policy Document’ to be followed. Routine monitoring of quality and survey based on HACCP are important job roles.
Food Regulatory Compliance: Microbiologists are involved in regulatory affairs in maintaining the safety of food, adhering to the regulatory guidelines.

Analytical Skill-Sets required for getting QC-Jobs: Microbiologists, aspiring Quality Control jobs must develop these analytical skills along with the domain knowledge to emerge as front-runners in securing such jobs:

Basic Microbiological Skills: Media Preparation, Sterilization, Maintenance of Aseptic Condition, Strain Maintenance, Pure Culture Techniques, Staining Techniques, etc.
Applied Microbiological Skills: Environmental Monitoring, Isolation and Enumeration of Bacteria, Identification of Microorganisms.
Analytical Instrumentation usage: High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Gas Chromatography (GC), Atomic Adsorption Spectroscopy (AAS), Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), etc.
Quality Management: QMS, Food Audit, Regulatory Aspects, and Food Laws.

Regulatory Aspect of Food: Several food regulatory systems enforce Quality Assurance Plan for food safety. A few of them are:

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
Good Hygienic Practices (GHP)
Good Laboratory Practices (GLP)
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)
International Standard Organization (ISO)

Many of these are directional and offer general guidelines to be implemented accordingly in the food industries. However, there are Mandatory standards in India that are to be implemented and monitored under various levels of the Ministry, Govt. of India.

Mandatory Standards: The Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act 1954 is mandatory to be adhered to by any food industry and is enforced in a three-tier system: Union (Govt. of India), State/UT, Local Bodies. In this regard, the central Govt. plays an advisory role in carrying out the statutory functions. This comes under the purview of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India. Other mandatory standards are:

Fruit Product Order (FPO) 1955
Meat Food Products Order (MFPO) 1973
Consumer Protection Act 1986
Agriculture Product and Marketing Act (AGMARK) 1937
Edible Oils Packaging Order 1998
Environment Protection Act 1986
Essential Commodities Act 1955

Job Prospects: The posts, mentioned below, are exclusively offered to the trained microbiologists in various food industries, regulatory authorities, and Govt. functionalities, which include hospitals, municipalities, etc. Proper blending of scientific knowledge, technical and analytical skills, and ideas regarding regulatory affairs and quality management system thus can help students in securing jobs in these sectors.

Quality Control Officer (Microbiology) in the Food and Beverage Industry
Member, Quality Management System (Food Safety)
Officer, Food Regulatory Affairs
Government FSSAI, BIS, etc.
Consultant: Food Safety and Quality Management
Microbiologist: Food Laboratory
Food Inspectors, Food Safety Officers
Food Quarantine Officers
Food QC Officer: Hospitals

References/ Further Reading:

FSSAI: https://www.fssai.gov.in
Ministry of Food Processing Industries: https://mofpi.nic.in/Schemes/implementation-haccp-iso-22000-iso-9000-ghp-gmp-etc
WHO: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-safety
US FDA- HACCP https://www.fda.gov/food/hazard-analysis-critical-control-point-haccp/haccp-principles-application-guidelines
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS- http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/en/

Exploring Master in Laws as a career opportunity

“Do not wait: the time will never be ‘just right’. Start where you stand, and work whatever tools you may have at your command and better tools will be found as you go along.”

– Napoleon Hill

You are standing at the very end of your five years journey and counting the days to be a law graduate and suddenly everything changes. A global pandemic threatened all that you planned for the past few years. The recent developments in relation to an ensuing pandemic is a harbinger to a state of hopelessness and uncertainty. The world seems to drown in chaos and wilderness with no immediate solution to counter impact the horrors of COVID- 19, yet this may pave a path for our race for absolute resilience and open a new avenue for future discourse in defeating the same. The adage “opportunity in adversity” seems to be the new calling for this generation. The world, unlike the erstwhile order, has to unite like never before to defeat this pandemic and must come out all guns blazing to set a precedent for the future generation under the aegis the established laws of nature.

The career prospects for any students in the post Pandemic period are myriad and immense. Though there are mainstream faculties one can choose from like economics, engineering, medicines, agriculture, one field that stands out is ought to be Law, as this area shall pick up pace in the post Pandemic period owing to change in policies that will be introduced by the contemporary government to suit the ever-changing dynamics of the nation. Henceforth, prioritising activities in the field of law is indispensable to be brought about by reforming academic policies at the grass-root level that shall encourage young minds to pursue and explore this area as a well-defined career prospect.

After studying the five years course most of the students either opt for advocacy or judicial services or work in a law firm or company. These choices are all great but another option which could have a little edge over other professions in this situation could be higher studies. Master of Laws or LL.M shall help build an experience in a particular area of law that may encourage the students to challenge their intellectual stimulation, thrive for the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of the law.

Doing a master’s degree in law doesn’t only ascertain one’s career in academics but also improves their career prospects, whether in practice or judicial service or any other allied field. An LL.M degree from a renowned institution offers all of these things. It is believed that one should “do what one loves and love what one does”, hence a student who wishes to learn more about the subject that is close to his/her heart may seek answers in an LL.M program.

The program entails specialisation in a specific area that can groom a student to achieve a successful career. A candidate’s proclivity towards a particular area that has been taught at graduation level, may opt the desired subject as a specialisation in the post-graduate program. For example, taking up an offbeat program like environmental law as a specialisation may augur well for a candidate in the post Pandemic period as environmental policies form the core of government well-defined policies. However, other programs like Constitutional law, Criminal law, IPR, Corporate law are also as good from career-building perspective.

In-depth study on the theoretical and the practical aspects is divided by a fine line of critical thinking and analysis, which can be put into effective usage by studying the master in laws. A focused study on a specific subject/ area helps a student to persevere a better understanding of his future. A student can develop a skill where he/she can find out issues of common specialisation of law which are unexplored with the help of culmination of a research-oriented study in the legal domain. When pursuing LL.B degree one doesn’t get the opportunity to study a particular area critically and analytically. However, in contrast, the higher study provides that scope to discover more and teaches the best possible way to learn beyond textbooks.

For a final year student choosing a good institution for higher studies is as much challenging as deciding a suitable career for him/her. In our country, one can opt for any institution as per his choice. There are plenty of good institutions offering an LL.M degree, with both annually and biannually. The choice of the institute should be based on the specialisation/ area that a student wants to pursue and not on how reputed that college is. From my own experience as an LL.M graduate from national law school, I can say that in that duration all that matter the most is whether you are learning anything from that specialisation or not. All the details are available on the website these days so think before deciding the most important paths of our life. This one right step can be life-changing.

It is understandable that a good college must have all the basic amenities at its disposal to offer the best that is required for all round development of the student. For example, institute must be able to offer the best academic support, best faculties, best libraries, and the most importantly, challenges that brings best out of you. From my personal experience, while doing LL.M, we were put through various situations that were quite challenging at that time, but now when I look back, I see how much those challenges helped me in transforming me into a strong person.

One can also opt for doing LL.M from foreign institutions. These days mostly we have quality master degree programmes offered by great institutions throughout the world. But yes, the fees structure is quite higher than what we have in India but there are several scholarships available for Indian students which cover most of the expenses. The full bright scholarship is one of them which offers a wide range of specialisation for interested candidates. Mostly all the countries offer an ample number of scholarships programme for foreign nationals and you can select the suitable one for yourself and prepare accordingly.

So, on a concluding note it is suggested that though higher study sounds challenging, yet it can offer best of experiences in life. The present pandemic situation offers to rethink various career opportunities for graduating students. Throughout the world, the admission dates and entrance examinations have been postponed that gives more time for a law graduate to decide. But again, don’t enroll to a higher degree just to be safe. Choose this path only if you are interested not because it was an easy choice during a global crisis. The LL.M programme is one of the most highly regarded master degree courses in the world that is rigorous and intellectually demanding. Almost everywhere it is taught by some of the finest academicians, and they train you to be best.

So dear students take a deep breath and close your eyes and think clearly. As a law graduate you have plenty of options but choose the correct one wisely. By this time, you all know your strength and weaknesses, use them to make this decision for you. This is your time and this is your chance to be the person your parents and teachers believed in. Hence, choosing the right career will not only bring you success but also help to make the “right you”.