Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar-2011

Sahitya Akademi announced its first annual Yuva Puraskar in 16 languages February13,2012 ; the rest of the languages will be declared at a later date except Dogri and Sindhi. Six books of poetry, one of novel, five of short stories, one of biography, one of essay and two of plays have won the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar. The Awards were recommended by distinguished Jury members representing 24 Indian languages and approved by the Executive Board of the Sahitya Akademi which met today under the Chairmanship of Sri Sunil Gangopadhyay, President of the Sahitya Akademi.Those who have won the Awards for their collection of poetry include Uma Shankar Choudhary (Hindi), Veeranna Madiwalara (Kannada), Nisar Azam (Kashmiri), Aishwarya Patekar (Marathi), Gayatribala Panda (Odia) and Paramveer Singh (Punjabi). Those who have won the Awards for their collection of short stories include Binod Ghoshal (Bengali), Susmesh Chandroth (Malayalam), Dula Ram Saharan (Rajasthani), Jofa Gonsalves (Konkani) and Vempalli Gangadhar (Telugu). M. Thavasi (Tamil) is awarded for his novel. Those who have won the Awards for their plays are Anand Kumar Jha (Maithili) and Dhwanil Parekh (Gujarati). Vikram Sampath (English) won the award for Biography while Arindam Borkataki (Assamese) won for his book on essays.
According to the procedure, the Executive Board declared the Awards on the basis of unanimous selections made by the Jury or selection made on the basis of majority vote. The Award relates to books published by an author of the age of 35 and below as on 1st January of the year of the award.The Award in the form of a casket containing an engraved copper-plaque and a cheque of Rs.50,000/- will be presented to the awardees at a special function held at a later date.
Sahitya Academydmi Yuva Puruskar-2011

Language	Title and Genre	Author
Assamese	ANUSILON (ESSAYS)	ARINDAM BORKATAKI
Bengali	DANAOWLA MANUS (SHORT STORIES)	BINOD GHOSHAL
English	MY NAME IS GAUHAR JAAN! - THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A MUSICIAN (BIOGRAPHY)	VIKRAM SAMPATH
Gujarati	ANTIM YUDDHA (PLAY)	DHWANIL PAREKH
Hindi	KAHTE HAIN TAB SHANSHAAH SO RAHE THE (POETRY)	UMA SHANKAR CHOUDHARY
Kannada	NELADA KARUNEYA DANI (POETRY)	VEERANNA MADIWALARA
Kashmiri	PATTE LEJI ZOON DARAS(POETRY)	NISAR AZAM
Konkani	NIRNAY (SHORT STORIES)	JOFA GONSALVES
Maithili	HATHAT PARIVARTAN (PLAY)	ANAND KUMAR JHA
Malayalam	MARANA VIDYALAYAM (SHORT STORIES)	SUSMESH CHANDROTH
Marathi	BHUISHASTRA (POETRY)	AISHWARYA PATEKAR
Odia	GAAN (POETRY)	GAYATRIBALA PANDA
Punjabi	AMRIT VELA (POETRY)	PARAMVEER SINGH
Rajasthani	PEER (SHORT STORIES)	DULA RAM SAHARAN
Tamil	SEVALKATTU (NOVEL)	M. THAVASI
Telugu	MOLOKALAPUNNAMI (SHORT STORIES)	VEMPALLI GANGADHAR

Study Material Of UPSC BIOTECHNOLOGY

Question Bank

1. What do you mean by the term “organogenesis”?
2. What is “cell totipotency”?
3. Which substance is added to culture medium for callus induction?
4. What do you mean by cell based therapy?
5. What is MoAB?
6. Indicate the major growth phases observed in animal cell cultures?
7. Which are the most commonly used enzymes for separating cells in a given tissue for culture?
8. What is Hybridoma technology?
9. What are the two methods used for isolation of single plant cells?
10. How does DMSO help in preserving animal cells?
11. Which is the most commonly used plant culture media?
12. What are cybrids?
13. Name a few compounds used as cryoprotectants?
14. Name the protective chemical in which the embryos are encapsulated in artificial seeds?
15. What are the advantages of using established cell lines for research by the scientists?
16. What is molecular breeding?
17. Name the red algae from which the gelling agar is obtained.
18. What is the use of “Fusogen”?
19. Which property of the plant cells is exploited to culture plant cells?
20. What is the name of the first genes available for genetic engineering of crop plants for pest resistance?
21. What does the word “Flavr Savr” refers to?
22. Name a fusogen used for protoplast fusion.
23. Define “subculturing”.
24. What are stem cells?
25. What are “pomatoes”?
26. Define “Restriction Enzymes”.
27. What is the full form of RFLP?
28. What are the fields in which Micro array technique is used?
29. In which vector was the direct sequencing done?
30. What is meant by SNP map?

II Question Paper

1. What is the application of
   a) structural Proteomics,
   b) Functional Proteomics?
2. What is a Recombinant DNA?
3. Why don’t the restriction enzymes destroy the DNA of the organism in which they are produced?
4. What function the enzymes DNA ligase perform?
5. What are the essential features of a vector?
6. What are ‘immunotoxins’?
7. What is the use of ‘drug designing’?
8. What is the advantage of using an ‘immobilized enzyme’ over a ‘free enzyme’?
9. Discuss the use of molecular probes and antibodies in forensic science for identification of criminals.
10. What are YACs and contigs? How do they help in making the molecular maps for animal genomes?
11. What are monoclonal antibodies? What is the method to prepare monoclonal antibodies?
12. What is ‘hybridoma technology”?
13. What do you mean by the term “tissue engineering”?
14. What is vector less gene transfer? What are the methods used to transfer genes directly in plants?
15. How are virus- free plants obtained?
16. What do you mean by term “embryo rescue”?
17. Name two conditions necessary for maintaining animal cells in culture which are different from plant cell culture.
18. What is the composition of nutrient media used for plant culture?
19. What are cell lines? How are the growth characteristics of cell lines determined?
20. What is the importance of karyotyping in established cell lines?
21. What is the difference between primary cell lines and secondary cell lines?
22. Explain how embryo rescue can be used to produce novel hybrids?
23. Explain why Agrobacterium tumefaciens is known as “natural genetic engineer of plants”?
24. What is the common strategy to produce transgenic crops with delayed ripening and longer shelf life of fruits?
25. Why was it necessary to create a bioinformatics database?
26. Name some of the database retrieval tools. What is their purpose?
27. What is the BLAST family of search tools?
28. Based on genomic studies, why do people say that different species and organism had a common ancestor 100 million years ago?
29. What are the two techniques which help us to understand the gene expressed in a cell or tissue under different environmental conditions?
30. What is the mode of action of tPA? How is it produced by animal cell culture technology?

IAS Results,UPSC Results

IAS Results
since the IAS exams are held in phases and you proceed to the next phase only after clearing the first or the previous exam, there are 3 results that come out before you are chosen.
The first results declared are of the prelims. Then come the results for your mains written paper and then you get the final results that are a combination of the written as well as the interview test.
UPSC Results

The UPSC Mains Exam 2011 results was just announced recently on 1st of March 2012. List of roll numbers denotes the short listed candidates who will face the Interview test.

UPSC Mains Exam Results 2011  - complete list

UPSC Mains Exam Results 2011  - Problem viewing PDF click here.

Some topics for interview at UPSC in 2011

1. 2G scam, role of A. Raja and Nira Radia, oppositions unrelenting demand for JPC,
2. The effect of Nira Radia tapes on popular journalists like Bharka Dutt, Vir Sanghvi etc and the state of journalism in the country today.
3. Egypt crisis- origins, how and why it happened, role of Mubarak,and what will be the possible outcome of the future. With liberation of Egypt and Tunisia what will be the situation for other Middle East countries and also Israel?
4. Gulf of Mexico, Oil spill crisis
5. Common Wealth Games Scam,
6. Effect of massive corruption scandals in the country.
7. Law & Order Problems - Increasing episodes of Rape and Dishonour Killings in the country.
8. BJP’s attempts to hoist Indian Flag at Lal Chowk- Justified?
9. Maoist and Naxal Issues- Dhantewada massacre, kidnappings and extortion.
10. Constant Inflation- Rising food prices, fuel, housing etc
11. Aarushi Talwar-Hemaraj murder case- Role of CBI, handling of investigation, role of parents who have been accused as suspects.
12. Wikileaks- What does it stand for and will be its role for the future?
13. Bihar Elections- Nitish Kumars becomes CM and stands today as a symbol of progress and change. What will be the future of Bihar and what will this victory mean to the future of other opposition parties in Bihar?

UPSC interview.

Interview

Even though the interview carries 300 marks with no minimum qualifying marks, it is the deciding factor at many times of your being within the services or out of it and in the least matters in which service you get.However since the interview is so personal and variable it is most desirable to do very well in the written mains. But an Interview can make or break you so take your personality development rather seriously and make sure to attend some mock interviews at leading institutes.

UPSC Interview Questions

UPSC Interview questions range from questions about your choice of subject to why you want to join the civil services. It is good to answer honestly but at the same time avoid cliches like wanting to do service to the nation etc. Questions on your hobbies are imperative so prepare well as they expect some indepth knowledge on that. Questions relating to your name, your college or school name are also a big posibility. If someone well-know shares one of these names please also prepare on that. Also learn up about important events on the year or date of your birth. As you can see, UPSC Interview questions are mainly from what you have filled in your form including your subject but here it is more a test of logic and presentation and awareness rather than pure subject knowledge. In the UPSC interview many questions are situational like what will you do if a Tsunami strikes your district and you are the DM/Collector/SP. Questions on your choice of service preference also need to be prepared. Current affairs analysis is important too.

Tips to improve your performance at the UPSC Interview

• There are generally 5 members at the board with the Chairperson seated at the center. Enter confidently and greet the Chairperson, who will probably welcome you, and pleasantly nod at other members. Wait till you are asked to sit.
• Intelligent listing is the mantra, and for this maintaining eye contact is very important. You should not glare but all the same appear attentive and do not glance at other members, it can be very distracting for the interviewer. However if some other member asks you anything, look at that member and answer and turn back to the first - this is what we do in normal attentive listening.
• Do not fidget or throw your hands around, or shake your head. Less amount of movement does not mean you should sit unnaturally stiff. Your posture should be attentive and relaxed at the same time. Do not crouch/bend forward or place your hands on the table.
• Cut your answer short to the required patience shown by the member talking to you. They usually like to talk more, so listen carefully and think for a few seconds before you start answering the question. This will show that you are organising your thoughts in mind before starting to speak.
• Leave some room for difference in opinion. Do take a stand, but do not look adamant or unwilling to appreciate the board's opinion.
• Use couple of words from the question while answering any question. It shows you have listened to the question carefully. But at the same time limit the use the technical jargon.
• Listen very carefully. Come to the central issue of the enquiry immediately. Wild guessing or speculation are a complete no no.
• Do not start evaluating your performance while still inthe interview. Even if you have committed mistakes in the beginning, do not think that you have already lost the game. They are looking for warm, sensitive respectful and attentive youngsters. They know you are good or you would not have come so far.
• Talk humbly about your achievements and hobbies. You may have mentioned some hobbies in the form without serious background in them, but before the interview it would be useful to pick up some basic info on the hobby.
• Say less to convey more. Less is more these days as per the minimalist creed. Argue logically and generalise correctly. Do not try to read too much between the lines.
• Remember, while answering any question, what is easy to see is easy to miss. We often tend to miss the obvious and go for some non-crucial aspect of the subject.
• Get up to leave only when the chairperson asks you to, not because you think everyone has asked a question. Similarly, even if someone has not asked a question and the chairperson asks you to leave then please leave. Some members do not ask questions at all, due to various reasons like limited time.
• Before leaving politely thank the chairperson and nod at the others politely. Avoid saying "Have a good day sir". A "Thank you Sir/Madam" is enough. 

Test Your Knowledge 2010

1. First share market in India was established in—
(A) Delhi
(B) Mumbai
(C) Kolkata
(D) Chennai

2. The difference between Gross Domestic Product and Net Domestic Product is—
(A) Government Revenue
(B) Net Indirect Tax (Indirect Tax Subsidy)
(C) Consumption of fixed Capital
(D) Net Capital formation

3. IMF is the result of—
(A) Hawana Conference
(B) Rome Conference
(C) Brettonwood Conference
(D) Geneva Conference

4. Shankarlal Guru Committee was associated with—
(A) Agricultural Marketing
(B) Agriculture Production
(C) Public Distribution System
(D) None of the above

5. Which sector contributes the maximum share in National income of India ?
(A) Primary
(B) Secondary
(C) Tertiary
(D) All the above have equal share


6. Indravati Hydroelectric Project is the multipurpose project of—
(A) Maharashtra state
(B) Gujarat state
(C) Orissa state
(D) Tamil Nadu state

7. National Commission for Backward classes was established in—
(A) 1994
(B) 1993
(C) 1995
(D) 1999

8. Which of the following writs is issued to a lower court or tribunal to prevent the latter from exceeding its jurisdiction or usurping a jurisdiction that it does not possess ?
(A) Prohibition
(B) Mandamus
(C) Habeas Corpus
(D) Certiorari

9. The number of Zonal Councils in India is—
(A) Five
(B) Four
(C) Seven
(D) Eight

10. Which of the following States did not come into being in 1987 ?
(A) Mizoram
(B) Arunachal Pradesh
(C) Goa
(D) Manipur

How to Pass an Interview - 10 Tips from Monster Advice

Even the smartest and most qualified job seekers need to prepare for job interviews. Why, you ask? Interviewing is a learned skill, and there are no second chances to make a great first impression. So study these 10 strategies to enhance your interview IQ from Monster's Career Advice

Practice Good Nonverbal Communication
It's about demonstrating confidence: standing straight, making eye contact and connecting with a good, firm handshake. That first impression can be a great beginning -- or quick ending -- to your interview.

Dress for the Job or Company
Today's casual dress codes do not give you permission to dress as "they" do when you interview. It is important to look professional and well-groomed. Whether you wear a suit or something less formal depends on the company culture and the position you are seeking. If possible, call to find out about the company dress code before the interview.

Listen
From the very beginning of the interview, your interviewer is giving you information, either directly or indirectly. If you are not hearing it, you are missing a major opportunity. Good communication skills include listening and letting the person know you heard what was said. Observe your interviewer, and match that style and pace.

Don't Talk Too Much
Telling the interviewer more than he needs to know could be a fatal mistake. When you have not prepared ahead of time, you may tend to ramble, sometimes talking yourself right out of the job. Prepare for the interview by reading through the job posting, matching your skills with the position's requirements and relating only that information.

Don't Be Too FamiliarThe interview is a professional meeting to talk business. This is not about making a new friend. Your level of familiarity should mimic the interviewer's demeanor. It is important to bring energy and enthusiasm to the interview and to ask questions, but do not overstep your place as a candidate looking for a job.

Use Appropriate Language
It's a given that you should use professional language during the interview. Be aware of any inappropriate slang words or references to age, race, religion, politics or sexual orientation -- these topics could send you out the door very quickly.

Don't Be CockyAttitude plays a key role in your interview success. There is a fine balance between confidence, professionalism and modesty. Even if you're putting on a performance to demonstrate your ability, overconfidence is as bad, if not worse, as being too reserved.

Take Care to Answer the Questions
When an interviewer asks for an example of a time when you did something, he is seeking a sample of your past behavior. If you fail to relate a specific example, you not only don't answer the question, but you also miss an opportunity to prove your ability and talk about your skills.

Ask Questions
When asked if they have any questions, most candidates answer, "No." Wrong answer. It is extremely important to ask questions to demonstrate an interest in what goes on in the company. Asking questions also gives you the opportunity to find out if this is the right place for you. The best questions come from listening to what is asked during the interview and asking for additional information.

Don't Appear Desperate
When you interview with the "please, please hire me" approach, you appear desperate and less confident. Maintain the three C's during the interview: cool, calm and confident. You know you can do the job; make sure the interviewer believes you can, too.

General Knowledge For Forthcoming Examination

General Knowledge : World

• ● The first Prime minister of Bangladesh was Mujibur Rehman
  ● The longest river in the world is the Nile
  ● The longest highway in the world is the Trans-Canada
  ● The longest highway in the world has a length of About 8000 km
  ● The highest mountain in the world is the Everest
  ● The country that accounts for nearly one third of the total teak production of the world is Myanmar
  ● The biggest desert in the world is the Sahara desert
  ● The largest coffee growing country in the world is Brazil
  ● The country also known as "country of Copper" is Zambia
  ● The name given to the border which separates Pakistan and Afghanistan is Durand line
  ● The river Volga flows out into the Capsian sea
  ● The coldest place on the earth is Verkoyansk in Siberia
  ● The country which ranks second in terms of land area is Canada
  ● The largest Island in the Mediterranean sea is Sicily
  ● The river Jordan flows out into the Dead sea
  ● The biggest delta in the world is the Sunderbans
  ● The capital city that stands on the river Danube is Belgrade
  ● The Japanese call their country as Nippon
  ● The length of the English channel is 564 kilometres
  ● The world's oldest known city is Damascus
  ● The city which is also known as the City of Canals is Venice
  ● The country in which river Wangchu flows is Myanmar
  ● The biggest island of the world is Greenland
  ● The city which is the biggest centre for manufacture of automobiles in the world is Detroit, USA
  ● The country which is the largest producer of manganese in the world is USA
  ● The country which is the largest producer of rubber in the world is Malaysia
  ● The country which is the largest producer of tin in the world is Malaysia
  ● The river which carries maximum quantity of water into the sea is the Mississippi
  ● The city which was once called the `Forbidden City' was Peking
  ● The country called the Land of Rising Sun is Japan
  ● Mount Everest was named after Sir George Everest
  ● The volcano Vesuvius is located in Italy
  ● The country known as the Sugar Bowl of the world is Cuba

RRB Exam 2009 : Solved Paper

Railway Recruitment Board Exam. 2009

General Awareness : Fully Solved Paper

Correct Spelling1. (A) Comitment
(B) Comittment
(C) Committment
(D) Commitment
Ans : (D)

2. (A) Fullfil
(B) Fulfil
(C) Fulfill
(D) Fullfill
Ans : (B)

3. (A) Defendant
(B) Defendent
(C) Defandent
(D) Defandant
Ans : (A)


4. (A) Varstile
(B) Verstile
(C) Versatile
(D) Vorstyle
Ans : (C)

5. (A) Recomand
(B) Recommend
(C) Reconand
(D) Recomend
Ans : (B)

6. I always fall ……… old Friends in times of need.
(A) over
(B) through
(C) back on
(D) off
Ans : (C)

7. The party decided to take the shortest…… to its destination.
(A) root
(B) route
(C) distance
(D) direction
Ans : (B)

8. The girl was very pleased……… herself.
(A) in
(B) on
(C) over
(D) with
Ans : (D)

9. Because of deforestation birds are……… their nerting places.
(A) cooking
(B) conserving
(C) searching
(D) demanding
Ans : (C)

10. The thieves broke…… the museum to steal the painting.
(A) up
(B) side
(C) off
(D) into
Ans : (D)

11. Where was the battle of Plassey fought ?
(A) Karnal
(B) Haldighati
(C) Mysore
(D) Bengal
Ans : (D)

12. Who was the first Vice-President of India ?
(A) Dr. S. Radhakrishnan
(B) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
(C) C. V. Raman
(D) Jawahar Lal Nehru
Ans : (A)

13. What was the reason behind the mutiny of 1857 ?
(A) Cartridge containing fat
(B) Frustration in soldiers
(C) Failure of British Government
(D) Administrative research
Ans : (B)

14. Which of the following is UHF ?
(A) 40 MHz
(B) 400 MHz
(C) 400 KHz
(D) 40 KHz
Ans : (B)

15. Mass of a particle is m and its momentum is p. Its kinetic energy will be—
(A) mp
(B) p²m
(C) p³m
(D) p²/2m
Ans : (D)

16. S. I. unit of power is ‘watt’. It is equivalent to which of the following ?
(A) Kgms^–2
(B) Kgm²s^–2
(C) Kgm²s^–3
(D) None of these
Ans : (C)

55th National Film Awards Announced

Tamil actor Prakash Raaj

The 55th National Awards (2007-2008) were announced today Sept. 7, 2009. Here is a list of the 55 National Film Awards 2009 winners.

Best Actor : Prakash Raj for Kanchivaram
Best Actress : Uma Shree for Girish Kasaravalli’s Kannada film Gulabi Talkies.

Best Film Award : Kanchivaram
Best Child Actor : Sharad Goyekar for Marathi film “Tingya”.
Best Screenplay : Gandhi My Father
Best Supporting Actor : (Darshan Zariwala) for Gandhi My Father
Special Jury mention : Gandhi My Father
Best Film for National Integration Award : Dharm directed by Bhavna Talwar
Best Wholesome Entertainment : Chake De India
Best Family Welfare Film : Taare Zameen Par
Best Playback Singer : Shankar Mahadevan for ‘Meri Maa’ from the movie ‘Taare Zameen Par’
Best Lyrics : Prasoon Joshi for Taare Zameen Par

UPSC CPF Assistant Commandants Exam, 2008 : General Awareness

UPSC C.P.F. Assistant Commandants Exam., 2008(Held on 5-10-2008)General Awareness : Solved Paper

1. In which one of the following animals is respiration done by skin ?
(A) Flying fish
(B) Sea horse
(C) Frog
(D) Chameleon
Ans : (C)

2. “Foot and Mouth Disease” is found in—
(A) Cats and Dogs
(B) Cattle
(C) Poultry
(D) Humans
Ans : (B)

3. Who of the following recognized that large quantity of energy is released as a result of the fusion of hydrogen nuclei to form deuterium ?
(A) Enrico Fermi
(B) Glenn Seaborg
(C) Hans Bethe
(D) Werner Heisenberg
Ans : (C)

4. Brass is an alloy of which of the following pairs of metals ?
(A) Aluminium and Copper
(B) Chromium and Tin
(C) Copper and Tin
(D) Copper and Zinc
Ans : (D)

5. Which one of the following bacteria helps in improving the soil fertility ?
(A) Clostridium
(B) Rhizobium
(C) Salmonella
(D) Staphylococcus
Ans : (B)

6. Consider the following statements :
1. In a person suffering from myopia, the image of a distant object is formed behind the retina.
2. Myopia can be corrected by using a concave lens.
Which of the above statements is/are correct ?
(A) 1 only
(B) 2 only
(C) Both 1 and 2
(D) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans : (B)

7. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists :
List-I (Theory/Law/Principle)
(a) Electromagnetism
(b) Principles of Inheritance
(c) Laws of Inertia
(d) Theory of Natural Selection
List-II (Scientist)
1. Darwin
2. Faraday
3. Mendel
4. Newton
Codes :
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(A) 1 4 3 2
(B) 2 3 4 1
(C) 1 3 4 2
(D) 2 4 3 1
Ans : (B)

8. Which one of the following is a vitamin ?
(A) Citric acid
(B) Folic acid
(C) Glutamic acid
(D) Linoleic acid
Ans : (B)

9. Which one of the following varieties of coal is considered the best quality ?
(A) Anthracite
(B) Bituminous
(C) Lignite
(D) Peat
Ans : (A)

10. Who of the following discovered the laws of planetary orbits ?
(A) Galileo Galilei
(B) Nicholas Copernicus
(C) Johannes Kepler
(D) Isaac Newton
Ans : (C)