Latest news with #ModernCollegeofArts
NDTV
2 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
New Regenerating Flatworm Species 'Dugesia Punensis' Discovered In Pune
A new species of planarian worm that regenerates has been found in the Pashan Lake in the western Indian city of Pune. Named Dugesia punensis after its place of discovery, the freshwater flatworm has been discovered by Mithila Chinchalkar, a PhD student at the Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce (Savitribai Phule Pune University) and her research guide, Dr Ravindra Kshirsagar. The study findings have been published in Records of the Zoological Survey of India and highlight that it is the first time since 1983 that a new planarian species has been recorded in India. Notably, planarians are aquatic flatworms, renowned for their extraordinary regenerative capabilities. "This study describes a new species discovered in Pashan Lake, Pune district, Maharashtra, a wetland within the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot. Specimens were collected, cultured, and analysed using morphological and molecular phylogenetic methods," the paper highlighted. "The findings contribute to the taxonomy and phylogeny of Dugesia and highlight the ecological importance of Pashan Lake as a habitat for endemic species." The new species is characterised by its spotted appearance, slightly reduced auricles and elongated pharynx and gonopore. The body size ranges between 8mm-12mm in length. "The dorsal side is spotted dark brown in appearance, with a light brown back. The ventral side looks pale. Eggs are circular and have a reddish appearance. Auricular grooves enclose two bright black eyes," the study stated. The flatworm feeds on chicken liver, and despite starving for 15-20 days, it can completely regenerate in 10-13 days. Its morphology is also different, with the researchers stating Dugesia punensis was more delicate. Despite the findings, the scientists said more research was needed to further understand the new species and its functions. "Further studies need to be done on reproductive structures and gut histology of this new species. This study provides insight into the richness of Pashan Lake and a reason for conservation."
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Flatworm species that regenerates found in Pashan Lake
Pune: A PhD student and and her research guide from Modern College of Arts, Science, and Commerce, Ganeshkhind, discovered a new species of planarian worm in Pashan Lake. According to PhD student Mithila Chinchalkar and her research guide Ravindra Kshirsagar from the department of zoology, this is the first time since 1983 that a new species of planarian was scientifically recorded in India. "This specimen was deposited at the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI). We named it Dugesia punensis to give credit to its place of discovery, in Pune," said Kshirsagar. The paper was published recently in Records of the Zoological Survey of India. Scientists explained that planarians are aquatic flatworms known for their regenerative capabilities. "Even if their body is cut into pieces, each piece can regenerate into a complete organism. Hence, they are very important in stem cell research also," said Kshirsagar. Chinchalkar described the discovery as fascinating. "We were screening the water bodies in and around Pune to study the aquatic biodiversity as a part of my PhD thesis." "We were doing this for the past three years. Planarian worms are found in stagnant water," said Chinchalkar. "The moment we saw this flatworm through the microscope, we knew it was something different. The regenerative potential of this worm is 14 days, compared to others whose regenerative span is about 18 days or more. The morphology is also different from others. It is more delicate than ones," said Chinchalkar, who wants to study stem cell characterisation. Kshirsagar says that they studied external morphology, anatomical features, and finally did the genomic sequencing to establish that the species was indeed new. "We sent the study paper with all the data a year ago, and finally it was published in the journal on June 1," said Kshirsagar. "Identifying this new species is important, as this is one of the best organisms to study stem cells and how regeneration occurs. From the field of medicine to organ regeneration, studying these species will help us understand the mechanism behind regeneration better," said Ravindra Kshirsagar.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Pune division slips to fourth place, distinction numbers fall by 15k
Pune: A slide from the third to the fourth spot in the state, with a significant drop of 15,000 in the number of students who scored distinctions mark the Pune division's SSC result for 2025. The decline reflects the overall decrease in the pass percentage, which dropped by 1.6% compared to 2024, standing at 94.8%. Last year, 94,151 students scored 75% and above, but this year the number was 79,824. The drop was also observed in the first, second, and pass classes. With the decrease in scores, college principals said a drop of 1-2% in the cut-off marks in top colleges for in-demand courses are most Pune division, includes the districts of Pune, Ahilyanagar, and Solapur. Of the three, Pune recorded the highest pass percentage at 97.26%, followed by Solapur at 92.83% and Ahilyanagar at 91.84%. A total of 2,63,154 students appeared for the exam, of which 2,49,507 students Pune, one of the lowest pass percentages among subjects was seen in Marathi, where 94.99% of 2,03,585 students cleared the exam. In contrast, first language subjects fared better. Hindi saw a 98% pass rate, English 98.8%, and Urdu 97.6%. Surprisingly, subjects often perceived as tough—mathematics and science & technology—saw pass percentages of 95.2% and 95.9% respectively, from more than 2.7 lakh students in each Zunjarrao, principal of Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce, said there would be implications for junior college admissions. "The number of students scoring distinction in the Pune division has dropped, so the FYJC cut-off marks should also dip by 1–2%. But this year, for the first time, FYJC admissions are centralised statewide. We don't know yet if there will be a regional quota or whether students from outside will opt more for Pune colleges. It remains to be seen how the admission rules will play out," he mathematics teacher Shamsuddin Attar attributed the high pass rates to exam design and lenient policies. "With 20 internal marks in maths—where most students score at least 18—and easy 11-mark questions in both papers, it's very hard to fail. Questions like fill-in-the-blanks or activity-based tasks are simple to crack. Plus, there are grace marks and passing rules that further ease the process. The old belief that maths is the toughest subject to pass is now outdated," he said.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Undeterred by adversity, waste pickers children score to shape better lives
Pune: On a day when the spotlight often shines on top scorers, 66.1% in the HSC vocational stream may not stand out. However, for Rohit Mohite, it represents a mountain of resilience and sacrifice. Living with a lifelong seizure condition, Rohit, the son of waste pickers belonging to the Swach organisation , struggled to secure school admission. Frequent seizures and hospitalisations forced him to miss months of school and repeat Std X five times. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Yet, Rohit never gave up. "I want to work and support my parents. I dream of completing a degree and finding a job to ease their burden. So far, no one has hired me because of my condition, but with a degree, maybe someone will. I'm hopeful," Rohit, who lives in Warje, said. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If you have a mouse, play this game for 1 minute Navy Quest Undo Shruti Jadhav, another student from a Swach worker family, scored an impressive 82.1% in the arts stream from Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Shivajinagar. "My elder siblings are pursuing their graduation, but I've scored the highest. I would be at college from 7am to 4pm, study another hour in the library, help with housework after returning home, and revise again before bedtime. We couldn't afford tuitions, so I managed on my own. I worked really hard, and it feels great to see my parents happy," Shruti said. The low-interest education loan taken by her parents through Swach is keeping her and her siblings in school. Meenakshi Ingale, who scored 81% in commerce, said she wants to graduate, take a computer course, and work in a bank. "I was expecting around 75%, so 81% was a pleasant surprise," she said. Several other children of waste pickers have overcome significant odds to succeed in their HSC exams. Sakshi Phadke with 77.8% (commerce), Sairaj Sonawane with 73% (commerce), Harsh Mahavir with 51% (science), and Sakshi Kamble with 64% (science) are among them.
