Wednesday, January 25, 2012

INDIAN STATISTICAL INSTITUTE: ADMISSION: 2012-2013 ANNOUNCEMENT

ISI ADMISSION TEST FOR THE SESSION 2012-2013 WILL BE HELD ON 13 MAY, 2012 (SUNDAY).

The Written Tests of Indian Statistical Institute for admission to B.Stat. (Hons.), B.Math. (Hons.), M.Stat., M.Math., M.S. in Quantitative Economics, M.S. in Library and Information Science, M.Tech. in Computer Science, M.Tech. in Quality, Reliability and Operations Research, P.G. Diploma in Statistical Methods with Applications and Junior Research Fellowship in various disciplines will be held on Sunday, May 13, 2012.

For more details, please visit: http://www.isical.ac.in/academicprogramme.php

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Igniting Scientific Temper

Flying is a dream cherished by almost every child. To give wings to such dreams of students from Std 8, 9 and 10, an aero-modelling workshop was organised during the Christmas weekend. A team of enthusiasts from the Department of Aerospace Engineering (IIT-Bombay) were invited to conduct hands-on sessions on building balsa-wood glider, paper boomerang/plane and flight simulator. Students were also introduced to the designs of peculiar aircrafts and were made aware of the air-crash investigations.

Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MHT-CET) 2012

Official website: http://www.dte.org.in/

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Opportunities in Creative Arts

The Maharashtra Academy of Engineering Education and Research (MAEER)'s MIT Institute of Design in Pune offers an interesting and wide range of courses in the field of creative arts.

Below is their advert announcing the admission procedure to get into BA(Hons) Fashion course - a 4 years full time programme in International Fashion Design. Check out http://www.mitid.edu.in/admissions.html for details about all the courses they offer.
 
 

Hospitality and Hotel Administration Program after 10+2

Offered by National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology
(Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India)

Biology Lab-Skills Workshop

Scholar Theodore Roszak rightly said that Nature composes some of her loveliest poems for the microscope. The students of Atmiya Vidya Mandir had the opportunity to look at some of those poems through the microscope in the recently concluded Biology Lab-Skills Workshop.

Science has uncovered quite a few complicated phenomena but life still remains the most complicated yet simple creation of GOD. One of the purposes of studying science is to create curiosity amongst the young minds by helping them make sense of things around them. Science is supposed to be a hands on subject where students should be able to do different things and have fun. To create that enthusiasm amongst students, the Biology Department at AVM organized a basic lab skills workshop which allowed the students to learn some of the basic laboratory skills at an early age.



The secondary school Biology curriculum only allows students to observe different specimens and slides. It is only in high school that they get to prepare slides and do other activities on their own. To give a head start to the students of AVM, such a workshop was organized for the students of standard 10. Around 42 students took part in this week long workshop.

Mrs. Archana Patankar (M.Sc. Botany) - HOD Biology, explained the students how to prepare the slides of a plant and animal cell. She also explained the importance of materials used and showed them how to use different apparatus. Since the arrangement was such that each student would get their own microscope and other apparatus to perform the activity, the excitement in the biology lab was very visible. Mr. Sarvajeet Parsaniya (M.Sc. Biotech) was also there to guide and help the students. One of the heartening things to observe was the way such students who had found the theory class challenging, excelled in the lab. They prepared some wonderful slides with the correct techniques and proper methodology.

The principal of AVM, Dr. Vijay Patel, a keen science enthusiast himself, visited the Biology lab to observe the proceedings and more importantly to encourage students. At the end of the workshop, each student was given a questionnaire to fill. The idea was to see if they understood and learnt the basic skill set required, which they passed with flying colors.

Robo Camp and Hindi Week

Saturday, January 14, 2012

The Sports Carnival at Atmiya Vidya Mandir

The Grand Winter Sports Carnival at Atmiya Vidya Mandir was a three day celebration encompassing all types of field and track events. There were over fourteen events planned and organized. An efficient team of eleven sports teachers and physical training instructors have been working ardently to identify and prepare the students to be elite athletes. The students had been given a rigorous practice to prepare well for all the athletic events. They were put to develop speed, stamina and sportsman spirit.


On the late afternoon of 3rd January 2012, the meet was given a flying start with the torch bearers – Aditya Patel the head boy of the school, Abhishek Patel the Sports Captain along with Bhavik Patel the Athlete of the year 2010-11. They carried the flame along with students from junior group, Aayush and Shrimed round the track and lighting the cauldron of Athletic meet. This was followed by a smart March Past by the students lined up with their respective house group. The esteemed presence of the chief guests Dr. Sushma Agrawal (Principal, Shardayatan School and Ex-Mayor-Surat), Mr. L.  N. Singh (Principal, P. P. Savani School), Er. Sudhir Mishra (Director, Vision IIT) and Shri Govindbhai Bhugani (Secretary, Yogi Divine Society-Surat) added an extra zest in the gathering.The meet was declared open by Dr Agrawal. Keeping in mind the spirit of a true sportsman spirit, Abhishek D Patel led the oath taking ceremony by all participants. The students cheered their house participants and spurred them to go beyond their best.There was an outstanding presentation of physical fitness through Surya Namaskar by the students of all the groups. Everyone including teachers and guests watched with abated breath as boys performed the brilliant and well co-ordinated yoga asanas. The four groups of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram and Suhradam houses presented a stupendous show of human pyramid.

“Winning is not everything, but participation and will to win is everything” - with this punch line,combining thirteen different track and field events the participants, in quick succession, commenced their headlong assault over various competitions . They were tested on their endurance, strength and all-round ability of being a true athlete, securing points in each event for their best performance.

The Football ground reverberated with feverish enthusiasm as the tempo set in with the teachers and the students excitedly cheering the participants of various events, voicing the spirit of oneness among all, expecting their house at the top in ranking.

The field events like Shot Put, Discus Throw, High Jump and Long Jump evoked a lot of passion and fervor among the Atmiyans, with each contestant trying to outdo the other and secure the most priced medal as well contributing to add some points to their respective house. The intensity and the spirit of the competition could be judged from the excitement of all the house members cheering for their respective house contestants.

The Days of the Sports Mega events offered full of fun and frolic where the students were brimming with enthusiasm during all track events like Dash ranging from 100m to 3000m along with relay and novelty races. A very impressive and a spectacular event was the different hurdle races. The vaulting groups of boys from senior section were to run for 50, 100, 200 and 400 mt. races. Runners stride around the track, sometimes sprinting, other times pacing themselves, re-living the excitement, anticipation and glory filled with much zest and zeal.

The center of attraction was the Relay Races, a team with four decent sprinters of each house Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram and Suhradam ran to out-race a team with four better sprinters by beating the faster team in the exchange zones. These relay races were meant to test their coordination and swiftness among team members.

The medal distribution ceremony was held at regular intervals. The confidence and the beaming smile of the winners to the victory podium conveyed the message of many potential Olympians at AVM sports ground.

The student volunteers were ever active wearing orange and green T-shirts with all hues of gaiety and gusto to extend their helping hand in medical, refreshments or ferrying the things across the ground. Hats off to their humble efforts!!!! Right over the other end of the ground, a temporary infirmary was set up to offer a quick medical aid by Vijay Bhai and Shraddha Madam.

Right around the ground, from every nook and corner RakeshBhai and PujeetBhai and SarvajitBhai along with Priyavadan Sir were moving with their cameras all around to catch the ongoing fervor for digital memories. The camera captured every move that the participant made.

Nothing could fall beyond the purview of the ever alert powerful watch of Tarun Sir, Prabhumagna Sir, Bharat Sir, Anand Sir, Prerak Sir, Rashmi Mam, Deepika Madam and Sunita Madam who were at the starting and finishing lines of the racing track designated as Technical Expert, and Timekeepers.

The pulsating- jazzy music was well blend to the booming and shrieking of the students and teachers cheering the participants. Amazing tunes were played by HirenBhai and his group. The ongoing commentary by Kshitij Sir and Pushpak Sir was apt and appropriate.

The school Principal Vijay Sir along with Ashish Sir and Swayam Madam were extending much encouragement to the students through their esteemed presence in the ground. The house conveners of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram and Suhradam houses were much more excited adding lots of excitement among the onlookers.

Finally, on 6th January 2012, this athletic meet concluded with prize distribution and declaration of the house positions. Once again Suhradam House turned out to be the leading house followed by Sundaram House at second position. The Athletic Meet was declared close by the Administrator of the school Mr. Haresh Patel . The closing ceremony concluded with conveying of Vote of Thanks by Head Boy of the school, Aditya Patel. The Sports Incharge Mr. Ramakar Dubey along with Ritesh Desai, Pradip Patel, Hemant Dubey, Kalpesh Desai, Ishwar Patel and Himanshu Parekh assured that justice ought to be administered and fairness is emphasized during all events. This is done by carefully specified rules, both to define the game and to provide for proper conduct within the game.

Hats off to the sports team of AVM and the students who participated with sportsman spirit!!!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Pure Sciences: Leading from the front

Fantastic opportunities to pursue a lifetime career in research and development in the field of interest in pure sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Mathematics) are available at a number of high quality reputed institutions in India.

Two of them are the following which offer a 5 years integrated MSc programme after 12th Science. Both are aided by the Department of Atomic Energy - Government of India!!
  1. Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences - CEBS, Mumbai: http://www.cbs.ac.in/prog_msc.html
  2. National Institute of Science Education and Research: NISER, Bhubaneshwar: http://www.niser.ac.in/academics.php?p=intmsc
The interested candidates are required to take the National Entrance Screening Test (NEST) - 2012 in order to get admission into any of these institutes. The advert given below has the relevant details of this test. 

Another high profile pure sciences institution in India is the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) - Bangalore (http://www.iisc.ernet.in/ug/). IISc offers a 4 years BS programme and admission is on the basis of merit lists of any of the national exams listed on http://www.iisc.ernet.in/ug/select.htm

Exciting times lie ahead in the field of research and development as the great minds of the world continue to push the limits of nature to make life even more easier!


Sunday, January 1, 2012

Crimson blessings in white winter: P.P. Swamiji Visits AVM

As the teaching-learning activities are at their peak, pacing speedily towards final exams, as soaring winter-cold setting in to spread passivity, as the strenuous study hours consume all energy, Swamiji arrives to kindle the spark within: enlightening presence of Swamiji at Atmiya Vidya Mandir charged the students and teachers with greater enthusiasm to prepare well for forthcoming examination.



In His address to the students, Swamiji advised a few guidelines to excel not only in impending exams but also throughout the life. Swamiji clearly mentioned a few injunctions to be followed, so that we can revive and retain energy and talent gifted by God. He further emphasized on the appropriate and judicious use of five senses by students. With example of His own life, Swamiji explained the students to avoid watching movies and inappropriate videos which distract them from their goal.

Swamiji also insisted students to have a caring and respectful attitude towards their parents and avoid talking and listening negative comments about anybody. Such effective ways to use energy at right place and right time!

Swamiji wishes students of Atmiya Vidya Mandir to get minimum 70% marks in their exams, He repeatedly instructed the same target in His meeting with teachers. He advised the teachers, making them instruments of His noble vision to nurture harmony and goodwill through actions, words and thoughts. In His address to teachers Swamiji said that AVM teachers must be epitome of love, care, and patience.

Thus Swamiji’s sanctifying presence in the school campus proved to be a glimpse of the unbounded fullness of bliss, peace and fulfillment, once again! it is the time for students and other members of AVM family to realize how much fortunate they are to be cared and guided abundantly by P.P Swamiji.