Latest news with #IndianForestService
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Officer suspended in HMT land case
Bengaluru: Days after the forest minister's recommendation for action against Indian Forest Service (IFS) officials over denotification of HMT land near Peenya-Jalahalli, the govt Wednesday ordered the suspension of R Gokul, additional principal chief conservator of forests (APCCF). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Gokul, who is currently director-general of Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute (EMPRI), was suspended with immediate effect, pending inquiry. Gokul, along with other IFS and IAS officials, was accused of filing an interlocutory application (IA) in 2020 before the Supreme Court. The application sought denotification of 443.6 acres of forest land granted to HMT at Peenya-Jalahalli plantation without obtaining the approval of then forest minister or bringing it to the cabinet's notice. Exercising powers under Rule 3 (1) (a) of All-India Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules 1969, the department of personnel and administrative reforms (DPAR) ordered Gokul's suspension. In 2012, while serving as DCF Karwar, Gokul played a key role in exposing the Belekeri port iron ore scam by seizing 3.5 million tonnes of iron ore that was set to be exported illegally from Karnataka.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Chinese university demands PhD for canteen manager role. Netizens ask: 'Since when does a cafeteria need a doctorate?'
A Job Post That Left the Internet in Disbelief Salary Offers Stability, Not Sensibility You Might Also Like: How a PhD dropout became the Indian Forest Service topper: Kanika Anabh's journey of grit and persistence University Responds, But Questions Remain Broader Concerns About Employment Discrimination You Might Also Like: PhD student rejects a career-defining opportunity at NASA. The reason will shock you Golden Rice Bowl or Just Stirring the Pot? A prestigious university in eastern China has come under fire after advertising a canteen manager job requiring a PhD, fluency in English, and even Communist Party membership. According to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Southeast University in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, published the controversial recruitment notice on its official website on May University, one of China's elite institutions is known for academic excellence. However, its latest job post appears to have blurred the lines between scholarly achievement and routine administration, sparking widespread debate across Chinese social position, officially titled office manager for the university's canteen operations, includes responsibilities such as overseeing food preparation, managing canteen contractors, supervising hygiene and safety, and handling routine paperwork. While those duties are fairly standard, what shocked many was the academic threshold: a doctoral SCMP reported that candidates are also expected to be proficient in English and office software. Additional weightage would be given to applicants with majors in food, nutrition, or culinary arts, relevant work experience, and those with cooking certificates. Membership in the Chinese Communist Party was listed as a annual salary attached to the position stands at 180,000 yuan (approximately ₹20.8 lakh or USD 25,000). While this is significantly higher than the national average income—urban employees in non-private sectors earned 124,110 yuan on average in 2023—it has done little to justify the high academic SCMP noted that many online users were baffled by the listing. 'Since when does a canteen need a PhD to operate?' one user asked, while another cited 'neijuan', a term describing the intense and often irrational competition for limited resources and opportunities in Chinese response to the backlash, a staff member from Southeast University clarified to local outlet Shangyou News, as reported by the SCMP, that candidates would not be expected to cook themselves. The high qualification bar was intended to attract those with formal training or research backgrounds in food sciences or related this clarification has not stemmed public criticism. Some online commentators speculated that the post might be 'custom-built' for a specific candidate, noting the improbability of someone holding both a PhD and a culinary canteen job posting has reignited debates around educational discrimination in hiring. While Chinese laws protect against employment bias based on ethnicity, religion, and gender, academic qualifications are not covered. Given China's rising youth unemployment—15.8% for those aged 16 to 24, excluding students—the job market is increasingly under scrutiny. Netizens argue that job postings like this one reflect systemic issues that push young people toward overqualification without meaningful managerial role at Southeast University is seen by many as a 'golden rice bowl'—a term used to describe secure, high-status jobs in the public sector. With such positions becoming more desirable amid economic uncertainty, competition has intensified, and so have the standards, often at the cost of fairness and the university revises its listing or not, the debate it has triggered around educational inflation and employment policy is likely to simmer for some time. As one social media user aptly commented:'When a canteen needs a PhD, perhaps it's the hiring system—not the kitchen—that needs a rethink.'
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Patuli senior citizens join hands to plant saplings, save trees
Kolkata: Senior citizens in Patuli, who, over the past three decades, have planted and nurtured thousands of trees across the mini-township off EM Bypass, welcomed the prompt action of police against a man who was illegally cutting a mahua tree. Two years ago, cops at the same police station refused to act when citizens complained about 37 trees planted along the median being hacked at night to ensure an unobstructed view of an "I Love Patuli" signage installed along a water body, which has become a popular hangout zone in the evening. "Trees like palash, arjun, and neem were mercilessly cut. Though we filed a complaint on Sept 15, 2023, no action was taken. We felt hurt by the lack of sensitivity displayed by cops. But we are glad that the force's attitude towards tree felling has changed, and they acted against a man for felling a tree on Thursday," said Monoj Mukherjee, a Patuli resident and former senior scientist at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, who has planted over 5,000 trees since he settled in Patuli in 2008. For former bank executive Swapan Biswas, one of his life's passions and missions has been planting trees. Wherever he was posted, including Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Gurgaon, Biswas left his mark with chhatim trees. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dark spots can age you by 10 years! Just take this from Guardian URUHIME MOMOKO Learn More Undo Since moving to Patuli in 1999, he has planted over 400 trees, including chhatim and other flower-bearing species. On Friday, the 77-year-old joined a few others in planting four saplings. "When we came here, Patuli had very few trees. Fortunately, many who took up residence here were aware of the importance of trees and started planting with zeal. Over time, Patuli transformed into one of the greenest neighbourhoods in the city," Biswas said. Ashesh Lahiri, a retired Indian Forest Service officer who lives in Patuli, helped the citizens select and plant trees before monsoon. "Over 130 species of trees were planted. which have transformed Patuli into an oasis in the urban jungle. Though we observed an Aranya Week in Baishnabghata in 1989, it was around a decade later that citizens joined in to begin the greening drive in 1997-98. I moved into the area in 2002-03 and helped with species selection to improve biodiversity," he said.
The Print
22-05-2025
- General
- The Print
Tiger spotted in Dahod sanctuary, Gujarat plays host to the holy trinity of big cats after years
'It is a great thing to see our corridors working, and over the years many tigers have wandered in from nearby states,' Gujarat's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) AP Singh said. 'What would be really good though is if a tiger decides to reside in our state.' There's no evidence yet if the visiting tiger has chosen to make the state its home. The male tiger, whose name and age the Gujarat forest department is yet to reveal, wandered in from Madhya Pradesh Wednesday in search of new territory, officials said. Dahod district borders both Rajasthan and MP. New Delhi: A Royal Bengal Tiger, an elusive species for the western state of Gujarat, was spotted in the Ratanmahal Sanctuary in Dahod district Thursday, the first sighting in six years. This makes Gujarat currently the only state, albeit temporarily, to host the three big cats at the same time—the Asiatic lion, the Indian leopard, and the Bengal tiger. According to the Gujarat government's website, the last resident tiger seen in the state was in 1997. However, other sources like wildlife historian Raza Kazmi claim the date was as far back as 1983, when the last one was shot by a hunter in Waghai town near the Dang district. In the 2001 tiger census, the central government officially declared the extinction of tigers in the state, it was long in the making thanks to hunting, poaching, and a loss of prey base. In 2019, a tiger was spotted in the Mahisagar district of Gujarat, but it stayed for only two weeks before dying of starvation, according to Singh. Every tiger spotted in the state since 1997, though, has been a visitor from the nearby states—Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh or Rajasthan—which are teeming with tiger populations. 'One of the reasons why tigers went extinct from our state in the first place is because there was no prey base,' said Singh. 'This is why we're currently focused on increasing the prey base, breeding chital and deer. Once the prey is there, tigers will automatically come.' Also Read: Mr India, Machli, Maya—Why India's tiger reserves keep breaking the no-naming rule History of tigers in Gujarat There was a time when Gujarat was the only region in the world where all four big cats could be found. But that was before the 1940s, according to a 2023 piece by Raza Kazmi, conservationist and wildlife historian. Cheetahs became extinct in India, including Gujarat's Junagadh, in 1940, and slowly the state began losing its tigers too, mainly to hunting and poaching. By the time India's Project Tiger was implemented in 1973, it was already too late, with Gujarat's tiger population dropping to fewer than 10. However, with India's overall tiger population increasing over the past few decades, Gujarat's hopes have gone up too. 'Tigers are like leopards—they are great adaptors,' said Susanta Nanda, a retired Indian Forest Service official from Odisha. 'From sugarcane fields of Uttar Pradesh to places like Arunachal Pradesh and even Sunderbans, they can accommodate anywhere as long as they have a prey base,' he added. A P Singh says the forests in Southern Gujarat, which are dense enough to be habitable for tigers, are stocked with chital, wild boars and sambar deer. The state is also investing in breeding centres for these animals, so that anytime a tiger does stray in from other states, it chooses to establish its territory here. 'There have been a couple of other tiger sightings over the last five years, but most of them are lone male tigers that are passing through,' said Singh. 'When a female tiger comes, and when cubs come, is when you know a tiger population will be established.' 'We want to focus on establishing a prey base and well-connected corridors, and we know that tigers will come naturally,' said Singh. 'They're travelling beings, all we can do is host them well.' (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: 'First soldier of tiger conservation battle' — an obituary for Sariska's ST-2, India's oldest tigress
Time of India
22-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
How a PhD dropout became the Indian Forest Service topper: Kanika Anabh's journey of grit and persistence
Kanika Anabh , who secured Rank 1 in the Indian Forest Service (IFS) exam 2024 after three attempts, highlighted the importance of persistence and strategic preparation in cracking one of India's toughest competitive exams. Kanika shared how her approach evolved significantly by her third attempt. She revealed that while initially focusing heavily on prelims, she later balanced her preparation between mains and prelims more effectively. 'Until December, I focused on mains. From January to May, I shifted to prelims prep—solving questions, reading current affairs, and revision,' she explained in an interview with The Indian Express . She also described how she mastered Forestry, a critical optional subject, in just six weeks using online courses and topper notes, showing how smart study techniques mattered more than sheer hours. She shared that her journey to securing All India Rank 1 was far from smooth. After leaving her PhD program in 2021, she revealed she faced multiple setbacks in her first two attempts before finally achieving success in her third. 'There's no formula, but there is persistence,' she said, emphasizing how every attempt taught her valuable lessons. Strategic Preparation and the Power of Mentorship She explained that her choice of optional subjects—Zoology and Forestry—was closely aligned with her academic background and the technical nature of the Forest Service. Kanika detailed how her preparation strategy evolved over time: initially focusing on prelims, then shifting to mains before intensively revising prelims closer to the exam date. Remarkably, she revealed mastering Forestry in just six weeks through online courses and topper notes, highlighting the importance of smart work over rote learning. Kanika also credited mentorship for playing a critical role. She shared, 'A good mentor makes a huge difference… helps cut through the noise,' explaining how targeted guidance helped her navigate the overwhelming information during preparation. Unlike many aspirants, she did not rely on traditional coaching but used online resources and selective mentorship to stay focused. — JNU_official_50 (@JNU_official_50) Balancing Routine, Social Media, and Mental Fortitude On her daily routine, Kanika told how she typically studied 8 to 9 hours a day, avoiding early mornings but dedicating consistent time to weaker areas like CSAT. She admitted to temporarily deactivating social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook to avoid distractions during crucial preparation phases. Kanika also opened up about the emotional challenges she faced, saying that after every failure, moments of doubt arose but she never seriously considered quitting. 'I'd ask myself, 'What more can I do?' then rebuild from there,' she shared, underscoring the resilience required to keep going despite setbacks. Inspiration for Aspirants and Future Plans To others on the same demanding path, Kanika advised that clarity, consistency, and resilience matter more than sheer hours of study. 'Every attempt teaches you something. If you're honest with yourself about what went wrong and work on that, success will come,' she explained. Looking ahead, Kanika revealed that her service training will begin soon. She expressed gratitude for the journey's uncertain nature and the eventual success that crowned her efforts, offering inspiration to countless aspirants chasing their dreams with grit and smart hustle.
