Latest news with #Assamese
Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
SSC GD Result 2025 News: Website and steps to check Constable exam results when out
SSC GD Constable Result 2025 News: The Staff Selection Commission Conducted the Constable (GD) examination in February and is expected to announce the result next. When declared, candidates can check the Constable (GD) in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and SSF, Rifleman (GD) in Assam Rifles, and Sepoy in Narcotics Control Bureau written examination results on The commission will announced the result in a PDF containing roll numbers of candidates shortlisted for the next round of the examination. These are the steps they need to follow to check the result- When declared, candidates can check the SSC GD result by following these steps- The SSC conducted the GD Constable written examination from February 4 to February 25, 2025. The exam was held in computer-based test (CBT) mode. The test was for 160 marks (80 questions, 2 marks each) and it lasted 60 minutes. The SSC GD written test was held in English, Hindi and 13 Regional languages: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. The tentative or provisional answer key was released on March 4 and the objection window was closed on March 9, 2025. The commission will review the objections and use the valid ones while preparing the final answer key. This recruitment drive will fill 39,481 Constable (GD) vacancies in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and SSF, Rifleman (GD) in Assam Rifles, and Sepoy in Narcotics Control Bureau. Candidates should regularly visit the official website for information about the exam's result and more.
Mint
9 hours ago
- General
- Mint
How handcrafted tea is changing Kaziranga women's lives
When Meena Tokbipi, living less than one kilometre from Kaziranga National Park's (KNP) Kohora Range in Assam, planted tea saplings in her backyard for the first time in 2004, all she wanted was to grow enough for her family. Cut to 2025, the resident of Engle Pathar, a small village in the Karbi Anglong district, has carved a niche for herself as a proponent of Sa Tokbe—the traditional Karbi green tea, selling green tea at ₹ 3,000 per kilogramme. She also grows black tea (sold at ₹ 3,000/kg), orthodox tea ( ₹ 3,000/kg), and smoked tea ( ₹ 1,600-2,000/kg) in her 7.5 hectare tea garden, which produces 3 quintal tea per week during peak season, i.e, monsoon (June-July). "I decided to start a tea garden in my home in 2002. I plucked tea leaves for the first time in 2009. At that time, after keeping a portion of the produce for the consumption of the family, I sold the tea leaves to middlemen at a nominal price,' the 51-year-old told Mint. The price offered by middlemen fluctuated, from ₹ 30/kg for raw tea leaves to as low as ₹ 10/kg. 'This system continued for a decade. We were somehow managing but not making much profit,' she added. Things changed in 2020 when she participated in a training programme on how to make handcrafted tea, organised by the conservation non-profit Aaranyak. Nineteen Karbi women from 10 villages around KNP participated in the programme. However, only four women from three villages—Engle Pathar, Rongtara, and Bakrung Engti—are actively preparing handcrafted tea. PIRBI store at the Kohora Range within Kaziranga National Park. Aaranyak's initiative, PIRBI, a community business selling naturally grown products that supports Indigenous farmers in the region, is marketing, branding, and selling their products. PIRBI, meaning biosphere in the Karbi language, showcases and sells Karbi ethnic products, such as edibles, handwoven garments, handicrafts, etc., at its store near the main gate of the Kohora Range. The initiative is helping women living in the fringe villages of KNP become self-reliant, said Swapan Nath, the acting treasurer of PIRBI. 'In many of these families, the males don't earn much, and so the burden of running the family falls on the women. The women here are very skilled in making various kinds of products, which attract tourists and walk-in customers—people who stop at our store while visiting the national park.' 'PIRBI contributes 12% of its profit to biodiversity conservation and community development. It shares 5% of the profit with the artisans, growers, and collectors,' explained Nath, who is also an independent journalist and a headmaster at a local school. Tokbipi neither belongs to a tea grower family nor is she from Kaziranga. She hails from a Bodo-Kachari family in Biswanath district's Gohpur town. She married Chandra Tokbipi, a Karbi man working at a tea garden in Behali. Their lives changed in 1989 when Assamese and Bodos got involved in a deadly strife in Gohpur. Karbis were caught in the crossfire in the incident that killed 31 and rendered thousands homeless. Meena Tokbipi. 'In 1990, we decided to leave Gohpur. My husband had an aunt in Karbi Anglong, where we initially took shelter. Later, we went to Bagori in Kaziranga and stayed there for five years. In 1996, we settled in Engle Pathar,' she said. Kaziranga was a harsh landscape, but they slowly adapted. Before her tea business took off, her family had to fight abject poverty. Her husband did odd jobs while she sold products like betel nut and homemade pickles. Things got worse when she lost her husband in a 2011 road accident. Today, she employs five women from her village as pluckers for ₹ 200 each daily. 'As the pluckers working in my garden are not highly trained, they can pluck only 15-18 kg daily. Professional pluckers working in big tea gardens can pluck up to 30 kg daily. To manufacture one kilogramme of handcrafted tea, we need four kilogrammes of raw tea leaves,' said. 'After plucking the tea, the leaves are thrown in boiling water for 5-10 seconds. The boiled leaves are rolled by hand and dried. It takes two sunny days to get the best taste, flavour, aroma, and colour. For perfect green tea, the buds have to turn white and the leaves dark,' Tokbipi explained. Her eldest daughter, Moina Kramsapi (33), a Tezpur Law College graduate, has also become an entrepreneur by turning a portion of her mother's tea garden into an eco-camp named Kramsa Rock Garden. 'I started the eco-camp in 2019. We have a pond with an area of two and a half bighas where we provide our guests the facility of angling for ₹ 50 per hour. We also arrange two trails: a two-hour trek from the camp to a natural rock cave and a half-day trek. We have both English and Assamese/Hindi speaking guides,' she said. Sika Terangpi and her sister-in-law Rukmini from the Rongtara village dealt with a different set of challenges. Before growing tea, their family practised Jhum cultivation, growing crops like king chilli, sweet potato, banana flower, etc. Still, the family led a hand-to-mouth existence. 'After we started growing green tea, our income has increased. We have a small garden, and we are using it entirely to make handcrafted tea. We don't sell tender tea leaves to agents,' Sika said. However, the lack of roads and communication bottlenecks make lives challenging for them. 'There is no motorable road up to our village. It takes around 2.5 hours to walk from the main road in Kohora to reach our village. Phone connectivity is also poor in our village. We have to go down to the plains for every essential work, be it selling our farm produce or obtaining cooking gas,' she added. They couldn't afford to employ pluckers, so they do the plucking, processing, and tea making themselves. Rukmini, a single mother, is financing the education of her three children with the money earned from the tea garden. Not many small tea growers produce handcrafted tea in Assam, according to Bhogeswari Changmai, one of the first people in the state to start making handcrafted tea. While there are 122,415 small tea growers in the state, according to the recent Tea Board of India data, only about 120 people make handcrafted tea, claimed Changmai. The organic, handcrafted tea is popular because of its health benefits, said Changmai, who was awarded 'Entrepreneur of the Year' by the Assam government in 2021 and has exported her products to Taiwan, Dubai, and Belgium. 'It contains antioxidants, and it has got a lot of health benefits like lowering the risk of cancer and heart disease and boosting the immune system.' Though there is demand for handcrafted tea, only a few have been successful in creating a brand, added Dipanjol Deka, secretary, Tea Association of India. 'Also, this tea is mainly consumed by the elite, as everyone can't afford it. Here, common people drink red tea or what we call laal saah in our colloquial language. In the northern and western parts of India, people prefer milk tea. So, producing handcrafted tea is not of much use unless the middle class and the working class start consuming it.' 'Handcrafted tea is yet to reach its real potential. They should be taken to niche markets around the world with a proper marketing strategy,' said researcher Pradip Baruah, who has penned seven books on tea. However, Nath said success stories of women like Tokbipi and Terangpi may inspire more Karbi women to start making handcrafted tea. 'They can turn entrepreneurs and establish a new identity for themselves with the help of handcrafted tea."
The Wire
a day ago
- Politics
- The Wire
Opposition Decries Assam Govt Scheme Giving Gun Licenses to Indigenous People in Six Districts
New Delhi: In poll-bound Assam, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has announced that a special scheme has been cleared by the state cabinet whereby arms licenses will be handed over to 'original inhabitants' living in 'vulnerable and remote areas' and those along the border with Bangladesh as a 'deterrent to unlawful threats'. Making that announcement at a press conference in Guwahati on Wednesday (May 28) after a cabinet meeting, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma named six districts where the special scheme will apply. Most of these districts, however, don't border Bangladesh, while all of them are predominantly Muslim. 'It's a very important and sensitive decision. Indigenous people in these districts live in an atmosphere of insecurity due to the recent developments in Bangladesh. They face the threat of attacks from the Bangladesh side and even in their own villages,' said Sarma. Underlining the fact that assembly elections are slated for early next year in the northeastern state, where the ruling BJP has been successfully polarising voters on the issue of 'illegal immigrants from Bangladesh', a Deccan Herald news report noted that the 'BJP in Assam considers the Bengali-speaking Muslims as 'illegal migrants' from Bangladesh and a threat to identity and culture of the indigenous Assamese people. The decision comes amid a drive for detection of illegal migrants (mainly Bengali-speaking Muslims) and 'push back' policy adopted by the government for sending them back to Bangladesh.' The news report quoted Sarma as saying that 'the indigenous people who are in a minority in these vulnerable areas face threats and are in a sense of insecurity. The decision was taken in view of long-standing demand by indigenous people in these areas. The government won't help them buy arms but will give them the license to procure them.' Hinting at the former Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government, the chief minister also said , 'Had previous governments given them arms licences, many people would not have to sell their lands and leave the places. We could have saved a lot of lands from being occupied.' The BJP government's decision has been widely criticised by the opposition parties in the state. Newly named state Congress president and deputy leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, called it a 'dangerous step' backwards towards 'lawlessness and jungle raj'. Asking Sarma to take the decision back immediately, Gogoi, who is increasingly being seen in the state as a formidable opponent to Sarma in the coming polls, said the chief minister should rather focus on restoring public trust through his leadership. On X, Gogoi also said , 'I strongly condemn Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's decision to distribute arms to civilians in border regions of the state.' He said the people of Assam deserve jobs, affordable healthcare and quality education, not guns. Gogoi, an MP from the state's Jorhat constituency, said, 'Instead of strengthening police and border forces, the government is intent on distributing arms amongst BJP-RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh] sympathisers and local criminal syndicates. This will lead to gang violence and crimes based on personal vendettas. Local businessmen and traders are bound to be harassed.' Congress leader and former state pradesh Congress president Bhupen Borah asked , 'Are we trying to emulate the United States, where gun violence is rampant? Do we want our children growing up in a society where firearms are normalised?' Another fiery opposition leader in the state, Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi, accused the Sarma government of orchestrating a 'dangerous political strategy' aimed at fuelling communal unrest ahead of the 2026 elections. Akhil Gogoi, also MLA for the state's Sivasagar constituency, said, 'If the government says it cannot protect indigenous people, it amounts to an admission that the home department has failed. It's a shame. 'It is not a routine policy move; it has the potential to tear Assam apart and disturb communal harmony before the elections,' he said. Opposition leader and president of the Assam Jatiya Parishad, Lurinjyoti Gogoi, also called it a ploy to divide communities ahead of the elections. 'First, it was Smart Police, then Police Raj and now a free-for-all-gun culture. This is not just incompetence, it's a deliberate attempt to stoke communal tensions as elections approach.' Susmita Dev, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP and a native of Assam's Silchar town located close to the Bangladesh border, too questioned the government's move. 'He [Sarma] said that this will be done to let 'sons of soils' protect themselves from illegal immigrants. He is asking people to have arms licenses, meaning he does not have trust in [the] Assam police and Border Security Force (BSF). This is an insult to the BSF and Assam Police.' A report in the Guwahati-based The Sentinel quoted All Assam Minority Students Union president Rezaul Karima Sarkar saying, 'We, the Assamese people – irrespective of being a minority or majority – are peace-loving. But this government, led by Himanta Biswa Sarma, seems determined to disrupt our peace with such decisions.' Urging the government to reconsider its decision, Sarkar said, 'It is the government's sole responsibility to protect its citizens. The home department, which is run by none other than the chief minister himself, is there for this very purpose. But, pathetically, we are witnessing a situation where, instead of providing pens for community development and promoting peace, the government is offering guns, provoking violence. 'By doing so, the government is essentially admitting its own failure.'
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Assamese folktale collection translated into Arabic
1 2 3 4 Guwahati: The Arabic translation of the esteemed Assamese folktale anthology 'Burhi Aair Hadhu' (Grandmother's Tale), written by distinguished Assamese author Lakshminath Bebaroa in 1911, signifies the newest initiative to showcase Assamese literary works internationally. A Spanish version of this collection was previously completed in 2022. This translation was undertaken independently by Abu Sayed Ansari, a research scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) pursuing doctoral studies in Arabic literature. Concurrently, the century-old Asam Sahitya Sabha has initiated translations of over 40 significant works, including the complete writings of 15th-century Vaishnavite saint and reformer Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva, into various languages. Speaking to TOI, Ansari, who hails from Sontoli in Assam's Kamrup district, explained that as a literature student from Assam, he noticed minimal Arabic to Assamese translations and none from Assamese to Arabic. "Definitely, many books were translated into English, Hindi, and other Indian languages from Assamese by Asam Sahitya Sabha as well as individually. But the fact that there was no translation from Assamese to Arabic encouraged me and I took the all-time famous folktale collection 'Burhi Aair Hadhu' by one of the doyens of Assamese literature," he added. Ansari selected 'Burhi Aair Hadhu' instead of a novel because these stories resonate with all age groups in Assam, with several tales included in primary school curricula. His goal in translating and launching the collection in Cairo, Egypt, is to introduce Arabic readers to Assamese literature's richness. Basanta Kumar Goswami, president of Asam Sahitya Sabha, discussed their extensive translation project involving over 40 books by notable authors. "This includes the entire works of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva. A few will be translated into English, a few into Hindi, and a few into other languages. 'Kirtan' by Mahapurush Madhadev will be translated into Odia language," he added. Goswami acknowledged the difficulties in translation, citing the need for experts proficient in both source and target languages. "Finding such resource persons is a difficult job. Moreover, translating the old literary works without losing the exact essence is also a risky task, as the poetic expression of old literature was different from the modern Assamese language," he added. Despite these challenges, Goswami confirmed that under his leadership, the literary organisation has committed to translating more than 40 books.
Mint
2 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Gaurav Gogoi slams Himanta Biswa Sarma govt's decision on arms licences in Assam– 'dangerous step towards lawlessness'
Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi has condemned the Bhratiya Janata Party government's decision to give arms licences to indigenous people in the state. Gogoi said the move is a "dangerous step" backwards towards "lawlessness and jungle raj". Gogoi said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma must reverse the decision immediately and focus on restoring public trust through responsible leadership. Chief Minister Sarma said on May 28 that the Assam government will give arms licences to indigenous people living in "vulnerable and remote" areas for instilling a sense of security in them. "I strongly condemn Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's decision to distribute arms to civilians in border regions of the state," Gogoi, the Congress leader, said on X. People of Assam deserve jobs, affordable healthcare, quality education, not guns, he said. "Instead of strengthening police and border forces, the government is intent on distributing arms amongst BJP-RSS sympathisers and local criminal syndicates. This will lead to gang violence and crimes based on personal vendettas. Local businessmen and traders are bound to be harassed," he said. "This is not governance, this is a dangerous step backwards towards lawlessness and jungle raj," Gogoi, who is also deputy leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, said. "This decision reflects not public concern, but electoral concerns. The Chief Minister must reverse it immediately and focus on restoring public trust through responsible leadership," he said. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, CM Sarma had said the decision was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet after reviewing the "demand" of the people living in these areas. "Assam is a very different and sensitive state. Assamese people living in some areas have been feeling insecure and they have been demanding arms licences for a long time," he had said. In the backdrop of recent developments in Bangladesh and the state government's recent drive against suspected foreigners, the indigenous people in such areas feel that they might be attacked, Sarma had said. This is a dangerous step backwards towards lawlessness and jungle raj. "The government will be lenient in giving licences to eligible people, who have to be original inhabitants and must belong to the indigenous community living in vulnerable and remote areas of the state. It will give additional courage to them," he had said.
