Latest news with #GoaUniversity
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Goa mangrove plan to focus on non-intrusive tourism
Panaji: State govt has prepared a mangrove management plan with focus on enhancing non-intrusive eco-tourism activities such as guided nature walks, bird watching, non-motorised boat rides, develop an integrated tourism plan and infrastructure that blends with natural surroundings. The plan is aimed at enhancing mangrove ecosystem integrity, promoting sustainable management and facilitating the rational utilisation of mangrove resources along the Goa coast. The plan outlines priority actions for the administration, management, facilitation and control of mangrove development and management along the Goa coast. It will resolve conflicts between mangrove conservation and Khazan land conservation through scientific methods, utilising mangrove encroacher data and stakeholder knowledge. To conserve and enhance mangrove areas for biodiversity conservation, coastal stabilisation, erosion control, and ecological services, the plan also emphasises the need for biodiversity mapping, including shellfish species, wild stock, breeding grounds of fishes, sacred groves, and mangrove areas that serve as homes for wildlife and migratory birds. The plan encourages the restoration of degraded mangrove areas and the expansion of habitats that are not only resilient to climate change, but can help mitigate climate change. It also aims to promote community participation in mangrove restoration and resource management. The plan also focuses on promoting sustainable eco-tourism and recreation in mangrove areas and protecting mangrove areas of a specific size with a 50m buffer zone on all sides. 'To leverage the institutional capacities of forest department, environment department and other institutes like Goa University, NIO and NGOs by fostering research projects that benefit the state's mangrove ecosystems,' the plan said.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Goa University begins PhD admission for 2024-25
Panaji: The Goa University has started the process of admissions to PhD programme seats for the academic year 2024-25 at the university schools and research centres affiliated to it. The university notification states that online applications will be received till June 3 and interviews with candidates will be held on June 11 and 12. Declaration of candidates is expected by June 17. The Goa University has announced hundreds of vacancies for PhD across general stream and professional streams. Seats are available at National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Goa College of Engineering, Goa College of Pharmacy and Goa College of Music, among others. Subjects for research include deep Sea and estuarine geochemical studies, disability and gender studies, biological oceanography, pharmaceutical sciences, law, Hindustani classical music, Marathi feminist literature, among other topics. 'Admission to the PhD programmes is open to candidates who qualify for the fellowship/scholarship in UGC-NET/UGC-CSIR NET/ GATE/CEED and similar national level tests or any other test notified by the UGC from time to time, based on an interview. Candidates not falling under above, but have qualified NET/SET lectureship shall be eligible for admission to the PhD programme based on an interview. There shall be 70% weightage for the score at the NET/SET and 30% weightage for the interview,' the notification states. Candidates not falling under these categories but who have answered the entrance test conducted at the University and those qualifying this test will be eligible to attend the interview, the university has said. Students have to apply for the seats through the e-Samarth portal. Applicants are eligible to apply for a maximum of three programmes, the varsity stated. 'Every candidate shall have to reside within the territorial jurisdiction of Goa University during the first three years of the period of research leading to a PhD degree,' the university said.
Mint
07-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
India-UK FTA: Can exporters seize the opportunity amid tough competition?
NEW DELHI : With US tariffs looming and global trade uncertainty rising, India's exporters are turning to a newly signed free trade agreement (FTA) with the UK as a crucial lifeline—one that eliminates tariffs on nearly 100% of Indian exports and opens a vital market for textiles, gems, and engineering goods. The deal comes just as higher tariffs from the US threaten to disrupt key export sectors, prompting Indian businesses to recalibrate their strategies. The UK's zero-duty access positions it as a strategic alternative, particularly as Indian exporters grapple with the US decision to impose an additional 26% duty on Indian products—a measure temporarily paused until July 8. The bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the US is not expected until the fall of 2025 (September to November) 'The UK has now become a strategic alternative, offering zero-duty access for labour-intensive exports such as apparel, garments, handmade jewellery, and engineering goods," said Dattesh Parulekar, assistant professor of International Relations at Goa University. Read this | Foreign car firms eye trade deals for EV tariff reduction However, while the UK's zero-duty access is an enticing offer, experts warn that the real challenge for Indian exporters will be adapting to the competitive dynamics of the UK market. 'The trade deal definitely holds promise, but the real gains will depend on how quickly Indian exporters can adapt to the UK's competitive market," said Abhash Kumar, trade economist and assistant professor of economics at Delhi University. 'Lower tariffs are just one part of the equation—our businesses also need to meet quality norms, delivery expectations, and stay compliant with global standards." While the FTA, finalized after 14 rounds of negotiations over three years, is expected to boost sectors like engineering and textiles, India's MSMEs could find themselves on the losing end. 'India's decision to open up government procurement to British firms, while UK procurement remains largely closed, creates a deeply unequal playing field," said Ajay Srivastava, co-founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative. 'UK firms will gain preferential access to India's vast public contracts, but Indian companies are unlikely to win much business in return." According to Srivastava, less than 0.5% of EU procurement goes to non-EU suppliers, and even in the UK, foreign firms secure no more than £20 billion in contracts annually. 'Indian firms, especially MSMEs, are not equipped to navigate that market," he said. Read this | India, EU discuss textile duty relief in exchange for whisky concessions under FTA 'Beyond economics, this move weakens India's strategic policy space to build domestic capacity in critical sectors like defence, clean energy, and health. It also threatens the survival of local MSMEs that depend on public contracts for growth and stability," he added. Despite concerns, some sectors are poised to gain. Engineering exports to the UK are projected to nearly double over the next five years, reaching around $7.55 billion by 2029-30, according to Pankaj Chadha, chairman of the Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC). The UK is currently India's sixth-largest engineering export destination, with exports rising 11.7% to $4.01 billion in FY25. Exports of chemicals and allied products increased from $1.29 billion in FY22 to $2.68 billion in FY25, while engineering goods exports—including auto components, industrial machinery, and transport equipment—rose from $3.04 billion to $4.01 billion over the same period. In the textile sector, the FTA offers a chance to reclaim lost ground. After declining to $1.97 billion in FY24, textile exports to the UK rebounded to $2.12 billion in FY25, driven by strong demand for mid- to high-end garments. The UK imports about $19 billion worth of apparel annually, with India accounting for just 5-5.5% of that market, well behind China and Bangladesh. Sudhir Sekhri, chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), noted that UK buyers, particularly those sourcing mid-to high-end garments, are already responding positively to the pricing advantage. In the gems and jewellery sector, the tariff elimination could double exports within a year, according to Vipul Shah, former chairman of the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council. Exports to the UK, which reached $941 million in FY24, are poised to surge as duties of up to 4% are slashed to zero. India's agricultural exporters are also eyeing substantial gains. Under the FTA, several agricultural and processed food products will see duties reduced to zero. For animal products, which are currently subject to duties of up to 20%, 99.3% of tariff lines will be exempt from duties. Similarly, vegetable and oil products, which also face duties of up to 20%, will benefit from 99.8% of tariff lines being reduced to zero duty. Processed food products, which can face duties as high as 70%, will see 99.7% of tariff lines brought down to zero duty. This reduction is expected to significantly enhance India's export competitiveness in these sectors. The UK market's appetite for Indian staples—like rice, spices, seafood, and processed foods—has already driven agricultural exports from $571.16 million in FY22 to $784.57 million in FY25. Read this | New template for trade deals: Govt to focus on tariffs, non-tariff barriers to clinch early agreements Binod Anand, a member of the government's MSP Committee of Agriculture, emphasized the FTA's potential to boost farmer incomes, particularly if cooperatives are mobilized to capitalize on the duty-free access. The agreement also has implications for the logistics sector. 'For logistics providers, the FTA offers more than tariff relief—it removes bottlenecks, improving the speed and efficiency of high-value cargo shipments, including electronics and fuels. Looking ahead, it lays the groundwork for collaboration with UK logistics innovators to integrate advanced technologies like AI-driven supply chains and automation into multimodal operations," said Jitendra Srivastava, CEO of Triton Maritime & Logistics. The trade agreement is expected to push bilateral trade to $120 billion by 2030, marking a significant step in India's post-Brexit engagement with the UK. But with UK firms set to benefit more than their Indian counterparts in public contracts, the FTA's true value for India's exporters remains to be seen. Also read | India could learn much from the complaints of its trade partners UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, meanwhile, has dismissed criticisms of the deal, describing concerns over tax exemptions as "incoherent nonsense" and insisting that the deal is in Britain's economic interest. 'Trade deals with 50 other countries have similar clauses," Starmer argued, referring to concerns over tax exemptions.
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
At 36% gross enrolment ratio, Goa long way from NEP's 50% target
Representative Image Panaji: Goa's gross enrolment ratio (GER) at the higher education level is 35.8% — 36% for males and 35.5% for females — according to the latest All India Survey on Higher Education, 2021-22. There has been an increase of only around one per cent in the 18-24 age group over the previous year. Though this is much higher than the national average of 28.4%, the state still has a big gap to fill. The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, mandates that the state has to achieve 50% GER in higher education by 2035. In states like Tamil Nadu, the ratio is already as high as 47%. Former Goa University registrar, Vijayendra Kamat, said Goa is yet to carry out a detailed study on the dropout rate at the secondary and higher secondary level, which will be crucial to bringing more students to the higher education sector. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Her body cannot endure this level of pain; please help her. Donate For Health Learn More Undo 'Goa is a small state with a limited number of students. There is a huge drop in students who manage to transition from the primary level to the secondary level and thereon to the higher secondary level. Though it is improving as per govt, it is not sufficient to fill the gap. Whatever planning they have followed so far does not seem to be realistic to catch up to the 50% GER target,' said Kamat. Unless Goa strengthens the base, it will not be able to cover the gap in the GER, he said. 'Those in the administration only try to paint a rosy picture. What steps have been taken to understand the dropout rate? Is there any serious document prepared in last 15-20 years? Even the courses being introduced are those where there is opportunity for college to make money. Programmes are coming up in branches that are economically attractive,' Kamat said. Former state director of higher education, Bhaskar Nayak, said Goa has different sociological realities that cannot be understood only statistically. 'In Goa, many students prefer to do courses like hotel management after Class X and go abroad and onboard cruise ships to work. They find employment and add to Goa's foreign remittances. So it is not so bad if they are not upping the GER. If you do a degree programme and your GER goes up, but if the students do not find employment here, what is there to be proud of that GER?' said Nayak. He said around 500 engineering seats in Goa go vacant annually, while some general stream seats too do not get filled. Pointing to a recent TOI report, Nayak said that school mathematics teachers were seen scoring as low as four marks in a test taken by a Class X student. 'These are the issues that need to be looked into rather than the GER alone. Many private universities are going to start in Goa. We have to see if they will go in for disruption by offering the same courses as colleges in the state by giving local students a fee subsidy. Then, the GER will not go up but students will only be shifting around. If they manage to attract students from outside in large numbers, our GER will go up. Again, it will not be a proud moment for Goa as these will not be local students,' said Nayak. He said that in states like Tamil Nadu, the GER is partly higher due to many institutes, like Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), that attract a large number of students from outside the state.
Time of India
25-04-2025
- General
- Time of India
Common test for entry to GU law course on May 11
Panaji: The Goa University has started the process of admissions to the law programmes offered in the state for the academic year 2025-26. The varsity will conduct Goa University – Common Law Admission Test-I (GUCLAT-I) 2025 for admissions to the BA LLB GU has begun accepting applications online for the test. The merit list will be drawn based on the performance of the student at Class XII and GU-CLAT- I 2025. There will be 50% weightage for the marks scored at the Class XII examination and 50% weightage for the marks scored in GU-CLAT- I 2025, the varsity has said in its notification. 'Candidates who have passed the higher secondary (Class XII) examination of Goa Board of Higher Secondary Education or any other equivalent examination recognised by the Goa University in any stream of knowledge with a minimum of 45% marks [40% marks in case of SC/ST applicants and 42% for OBC applicants] shall be eligible for admission to the first year BA LLB programme provided the candidate appears at the GU-CLAT- I 2025. Students awaiting their HSSC results can also apply for GU-CLAT- I 2025-26,' the notification states. The last date to submit applications online to appear for the test is April 30. 'The GU-CLAT- I 2025 shall be of one paper of 100 marks, containing 100 multiple-choice questions (MCQ) of 1 mark each. There shall be no negative marking. No marks shall be deducted for unanswered questions. The duration of the test shall be 90 minutes,' states the notification. The admit cards to students will be issued on May 6 and the test will be conducted on May 11. The results are expected to be out on May 14. At V M Salgaocar College of Law, there are 120 seats available in the programme and at the Govind Ramnath Kare College of Law there are 60 seats on offer. The GU-CLAT-I 2025 shall be conducted in offline mode at the two colleges as exam centres
