Summary and Reflection of ‘Future of Medicine Perfection and Beyond’ (Chapter 3) of Physics of the Future by Michio Kaku Essay Example

Summary and Reflection of ‘Future of Medicine: Perfection and Beyond’ (Chapter 3) of Physics of the Future by Michio Kaku Essay The chapter takes the reader through an imaginative journey of medicine in the future. Although some of the possibilities proposed appear like material from a science fiction novel, they are based on emerging scientific breakthroughs. One of the themes discussed in the chapter is the increasing mastery of human beings to ‘play God’. Evolving new technologies allow the medical professional to perform astounding feats of genetic engineering. This could happen at various stages of life – from neonatal to palliative. With this capability, people can augment their life spans, develop immunity to various viruses and even thwart cancer using nanotechnology. In chapter 3, Michio Kaku makes predictions and depictions of future of medicine in all its possible manifestations. We read of ‘nanobots’ that would operate at sub-molecular levels in dealing with infections and diseases. The author also envisions advancement in stem cell extraction and utilization, whereby, new organs can be ‘harvested’ merely with the seed of a few stem cells. If this becomes a reality then the need for organ transplants will be reduced. More importantly, by using organs from the patient’s own stem cells, post operative complications are diminished. There is consensus within the scientific community about the use of such technologies for benign and remedial purposes. However, questions and doubts are raised in using these technologies for cosmetic or enhancement reasons. These enhancements are above and beyond what a healthy human existence requires. They are meant to give ‘competitive’ advantage over peers in the evol utionary game of selecting the ‘fittest’ genes. We will write a custom essay sample on Summary and Reflection of ‘Future of Medicine: Perfection and Beyond’ (Chapter 3) of Physics of the Future by Michio Kaku specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Summary and Reflection of ‘Future of Medicine: Perfection and Beyond’ (Chapter 3) of Physics of the Future by Michio Kaku specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Summary and Reflection of ‘Future of Medicine: Perfection and Beyond’ (Chapter 3) of Physics of the Future by Michio Kaku specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The author’s projections into the future are based on extrapolations of technologies that are in their nascence. Hence there are numerous factors that bear on their future development, chiefly along political, socio-cultural, legal and ethical dimensions. But, disappointingly, Michio Kaku does not deal with the intersection of these domains upon the future prospects of a technology. In particular, it is fairly obvious that the author’s primary concern is not the ethical issues surrounding these medical developments. To this extent, the chapter in question, and the book as a whole, is incomplete. They are at best, selective and wishful anticipations of what will unravel in future technological societies. It falls short of showcasing our species’ future as an inevitable submission to technocracy. In conclusion, the work makes for an interesting read but lacks the conviction that accompanies fact. Despite this flaw, one cannot dismiss it off-hand, for it offers key insights into many of the cutting-edge technological innovations that have taken place in recent years. For a general audience that is not acquainted with scientific terminology, understanding these concepts can be difficult. To the author’s credit he alleviates this problem by keeping the jargons to a minimum. He also uses lucid expressions and easy logic to flesh out his arguments. Overall, reading the chapter will be a thrilling yet thought-provoking experience for the reader, as it had been for me. Reference: Kaku, Michio (March 2011). Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny And Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100. Doubleday. The chapter takes the reader through an imaginative journey of medicine in the future. Although some of the possibilities proposed appear like material from a science fiction novel, they are based on emerging scientific breakthroughs. One of the themes discussed in the chapter is the increasing mastery of human beings to ‘play God’. Evolving new technologies allow the medical professional to perform astounding feats of genetic engineering. This could happen at various stages of life – from neonatal to palliative. With this capability, people can augment their life spans, develop immunity to various viruses and even thwart cancer using nanotechnology. In chapter 3, Michio Kaku makes predictions and depictions of future of medicine in all its possible manifestations. We read of ‘nanobots’ that would operate at sub-molecular levels in dealing with infections and diseases. The author also envisions advancement in stem cell extraction and utilization, whereby, new organs .

Factors that compelled Tesco to exit the Japanese Market The WritePass Journal

Factors that compelled Tesco to exit the Japanese Marketï » ¿ Executive summary Factors that compelled Tesco to exit the Japanese Marketï » ¿ ). Tesco failed to establish enough scalable business after its 8 years operation in Japan. According to CEO, Philip Clarke, Japanese shopping habits were very different from those envisioned in business strategies and business processes of Tesco. According to Clarke, the British consumers enjoy carrying out a â€Å"big shop† once in a week since there is enough room to keep their shopping. In contrast, for many Japanese, space is premium and carrying out a big shop is not an option. Tesco, like other foreign retail companies, failed to adapt fully to the local shopping habits of the Japanese consumers. Consumers switching from branded luxury products in Tesco stores to more affordable private labels. Despite the demand for staple food and household items remaining flat, some consumers switched from purchasing branded luxury products to private labels that are more affordable. However, the penetration of such private labels products has not been popular compared to branded products because the Japanese consumers are still conscious of the product brand of the item they purchase. A series of food safety scares hit the market. The outbreak of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in Japanese cows, use of non-approved additives in packaged foods and product origin being mislabeled eroded consumer confidence and caused a series of food safety scares in the grocery retail market. The British business format of Tesco failed to compete with department and supermarket stores in Japan. The people of Japan put much emphasis on the quality and freshness of food items. They, therefore, prefer to shop many times in a week instead of carrying out a single bulk shopping in a weekly basis. Departmental store food halls began offering high price but high quality foods while low priced standard food products were offered by supermarkets. Although discount stores started increasingly introducing fresh food product to encourage more customer visits, they were considered to be at the lower end of the market along with convenience stores. The small retail channels have increased their market share in recent years because their business format meets the Japanese consumers’ preference for shopping several times each week. They have also widened their range of services such as the provision of added-value services, bill-paying facilities, cash machines and delivery services. The small retail channels business format is in contrast with Tesco business format. As a result, Tesco faced a challenge of penetrating the highly competitive business segment. The Japanese people are highly demanding and fussy consumers who need to be provided with a wide selection of goods and foodstuffs. The Japanese consumers also value freshness of their produce, and they are likely to question of the stock in a hypermarket such as Tesco. Japanese consumers make frequent visits to many different stores per week instead of carrying out a one stop-shop within a single supermarket store. Conclusion In summary, the expansion strategy taken by Tesco into the Japanese market was a well-timed one. However, the Japanese market posed many difficulties which prevented Tesco penetrating the market and achieving profits. Despite that Tesco invested many resources and formulated strategies to gain the Japanese retail market, its failure to establish a business format to suit the Japanese consumers’ lifestyle envisaged its eventual exit. Other foreign retail companies such as Carrefour SA of France had failed to attain profit. Economic factors also led Tesco’s exit as consumers changed preference. The consumer patterns of the Japanese can be difficult to accommodate and formulate a business format to suit their demands and lifestyle. References Humby C, et al. (2008) Scoring Points: How Tesco Continues to Win Customer Loyalty. London: Kogan Page Publishers. Tesco’s internal data, 2009 (www.tesco.com) Williamson C, et al. (2013) Strategic Management and Business Analysis. London: Routledge.

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 16

History - Essay Example nce and Technology were taking place, there were a lot many uncertainties pertaining to the stability and political administration of various kingdoms across Europe. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that progress and prosperity came to a halt, if not a decline, during this period primarily due to rampant warfare, theological uncertainty and natural calamities. The Great Famine of the early fourteenth century and the subsequent Black Death (the mysterious epidemic breakout) nearly reduced the European population by one thirds. Given the backdrop of this catastrophe, one can understand the stagnation of fine arts; as at this time basic survival proved a challenging proposition in itself. Other contributors to a general social unrest during this era included collective rebellion of the peasants, witnessed especially in France and England. The other conflict on a larger scale was the notorious Hundred Years’ War. But the most destabilizing event during the period was the decline in authority of the Catholic Church, due primarily to internal disagreements between different denominations. Hence, the Late Middle Ages were a period of chaos, confusion and listless in many aspects. Yet, much of Europe had endured these tough times and had managed to keep the uniqueness of its civilization intact, till the advent of Renaissance, wherein the dormancy of European culture gave way to a new blooming. What prevented Europe from sinking into the abyss of the Dark Ages that was suffered by kingdoms in the Mediterranean, was the continued progress seen within the faculties of arts and sciences, albeit at a less vigorous pace. The most critical element of the artistic preservation and improvement during this era came in the form of a revival in ancient historical texts, especially the ones left behind by the Great Roman Empire. In effect, the founding principles of the Renaissance are to be found within this historical framework. While resources were being made

The Scientific Method Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Scientific Method - Lab Report Example The quantity of oxygen dissolved would be controlled by beginning from 20ppm and twenty fish. After this the amount of oxygen would be lowered slowly up to 0ppm. In this instant, as per the hypothesis set, there would be zero fish within the water. The control variable for this experiment would be temperature of water. This is so because for accurate results of this experiment, the temperature of water needs to be kept constant. Otherwise it will alter or give out biased the results of the experiment. For this data set, a line graph would be most appropriate representation. This is so because line graphs are normally used in making comparison and representing data that have a time series. This graph is the most appropriate for this data, because it displays a clear magnitude change. In this observation, we hypothesize that the rate at which the plant grows depends on the quantity of sunlight. The null Hypothesis for this observation would be; the rate at which a plant grows is not controlled by the quantity or degree of sunlight. The approach used would be moving the plant around the specific room. The dependent variable shall be the plant growth whereas the independent variable shall be the sunlight amount. The control variable for this observation shall be a plant placed in the shade. Data shall be collected using a pencil, stopwatch, ruler and a clipboard. Presentation of data shall be done using a bar graph. This data would be interpreted using an excel program or an SSPS program. In this observation, we hypothesize that the Bank tellers having brown hair with brown eyes certainly would be taller in height. The null Hypothesis, in this case, shall be the bank tellers height has no relationship with their eye or hair color. The approach of experimentation to be used would be observing tellers who work at different banks. The dependent variable for this observation is the bank teller’s height and the independent variables are the bank teller’s

People's management of stress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

People's management of stress - Essay Example As it is, stress was reported not to be classified as an illness. However, when people are persistently and constantly challenged by mental or emotional pressures over a long term, the effects could actually lead to serious illnesses (NHS 2012). The article by Allen (2011) published in The Guardian reveales that from a survey conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD), stress has been identified to be the commonest cause of long-term sick leave in organizations. In this regard, the aim of the current study is to present the results of a survey conducted at the Sheffield City Centre where 100 adult people, both male and female, were asked five (5) questions related to stress. The method used was a questionnaire-survey through interview. The results would hereby be presented and appropriate recommendations in the concluding portion would be suggested. The purpose of the questionnaire was to determine the major responses to concerns such as frequency of stress, causes, ways of managing stress through relaxation, taking time off work due to stress, and who to confide in when in stressful situations. They were asked five questions and their responses were tabulated and percentage results were revealed. The five questions asked are as follows: When asked how often do they feel stressed, the following pie chart shows that 45% of the respondents indicated occasionally (a few time a week), followed by sometimes (about half the time) at 20%. The least percentage was 5%, both answered by the 5 respondents as all the time and also 5 respondents as never. For those who responded that they are stressed, the major cause of stress was dominantly exhibited as relationships with family and friends at 25%, followed by money at 20%, fast pace of modern life and others, both at 10%, and only 5% indicated work. As such, the findings indicate that majority or 35 of the 100 people surveyed indicated that watching TV is their means of

Commercial Management And Project Management Construction Essay

Commercial Management And Project Management Construction Essay Kalifomatos Consultants is a Quantity Surveying firm with a wide range of services provided for the potential Client. One of the fields KCQS specializes in is Project Management. Project Management aims to deliver any given Project ensuring the desired balance between Time, Cost and Quality. Feasibility reports, according to Douglas (1999), test whether the requirements initially set out can be actually met or not. Boyle (2003) suggests that feasibility reports can take different forms. Functional feasibility amongst others refers to physical requirements as well as soil conditions. Technical feasibility refers to the statutory consents as well as the time constraints whereas financial feasibility deals with the costs of the development and in essence creates a budget for the Client to decide on whether he can follow it or not. In addition to the above, business feasibility deals with the strategic brief analysis indicating if the qualitative aspects of the development match the business model of the Client. In this stage, the initial statement of requirements is developed into the design brief on behalf of the Client confirming the key requirements and constraints for the development, following the feasibility analysis taken earlier. The next step that follows is the identification of which procurement method is better for use which sufficiently meets the Clients requirements; the Project Manager could do this. The last step of the Design brief is to assemble the people that need to be involved in the development process which comprise of Architects, Quantity Surveyors etc. (Boyle 2003) According to the information our firm has been provided with, the borehole records the Client is said to have in his possession are of a neighboring site to the proposed one. The fact that a neighboring site has previously undergone a site investigation does not guarantee that for example the soil conditions for the proposed one will be the same. The strata could vary as well as the depth of the water table; maybe a new site investigation for the proposed site reveals that the site has been bombed during the war, resulting to a distortion of soil conditions in the site. This could be seen as a possible constrain which would have been identified if a site investigation had been undertaken. Another activity that has been undertaken was the acquiring of the site. Following the previous point, as well as the fact that our company has not been presented with an actual investigation for the proposed site, the site could be rendered as completely useless for the purposes its needed. Taking into consideration the fact that the Clients directors have previous development experience for some years, the acquiring of the site with no site investigation undergone could be seen as a very naà ¯ve move. According to Hacket (2007), Management Contracting and Construction Management are very similar in many aspects, nevertheless, there is one essential distinguishing characteristic which is fundamental to the understanding of the two systems; the contractual arrangements between the parties involved. In Management Contracting, the subcontractors are in contact with the Management Contractor whereas in Construction Management they are in direct contact with the employer; none of the subcontracts are entered into by the Construction Manager. The difference is illustrated by comparing the two diagrams provided. The most important requirement the Client has set out was that the quality level is to be prestige. The best quality is offered from traditional procurement method. Another requirement set out by the client is the flexibility of the design; also traditional procurement is the best suited for this but Design and Manage offers a high utility for this section as well. However, when it comes to high complexity of the design, Traditional procurement does not best suit the description whereas all the other methods do. The next requirement set out is asap completion; Traditional Procurement does not offer that whereas again, all the other methods do. Furthermore, Design and Manage offers the single point responsibility the Client is looking for as well as Design and Build. This feature would not be available with Traditional Procurement method nor with the Design and Build or the Management Contracting as illustrated in the previous schematics. Furthermore, two of HRD2010s directors have pr evious development experience, so the fact that in order to use Design and Manage one needs previous experience is seen as a disadvantage, is easily one to overcome here. The main reason Construction Management has been rejected even though it is very similar to Design and Manage, was the single point of responsibility required by the Client; thus total utility offered in the chart is 450. And last but not least, the Client welcomes the sharing of risks; Design and Manage can also satisfy that requirement. Based on the RIBA task allocation, the Client has not performed properly the Preparation stage. Vital points have been left out which could have major impacts on the projects development. KCQS has provided the Client with some recommendations for the successful progression of the development. These would be the immediate conduction of a site investigation for the proposed developments site in order to be able to proceed accordingly. The Client has failed to provide a proper feasibility report (recommended) which is vital in assessing the quality of the proposed development, its costs as well as the need to meet statutory consents. Following the above, the Client should be able to address to possible constraints with regards to the development and overcome them in due time. It is also recommended that the people that are to be involved in the development process are to be identified.

History Essay -- Religion Western European History Essays

History Manorialism was an economic system that existed in Western Europe from about 1050 to 1300 CE. Serfs who worked for a lord farmed large fields. The lord owned the fields and lived in a large manor house. He owned between a third and a half of all the crops. The serfs also had a part of the fields for themselves. Serfs couldn’t leave the manor and they had to give the lord a certain amount of their crops, but they could keep the surplus. The serfs lived together communally and worked the fields together using the three crop rotation. There was also a church and a parson who had his own house and part of the crops. Lords who were warriors that defended the manor and attacked neighboring manors created manors. The serfs had originally paid allegiance to the lords as they protected them and gathered land and wealth. One short-term effect of manorialism was that it gave the peasants who worked the field better working conditions than the slaves had received in earlier Roman est ates. The serfs had more control over their lives. Some of the long-term effects of manorialism were an increase in the quality of all living conditions, chivalry, and better treatment of women. As farming conditions improved and the output of workers became greater, the lords started renting the land to the serfs and gave them greater mobility. Lords sometimes sold this freedom to the serfs. The lords gained financial wealth through selling freedom and charging rent, and the serfs gained greater control over their lives. The lords also changed their savagery in fighting as warriors for the ideals of chivalry. Chivalry was the â€Å"obligation of fighting in defense of honorable causes.†(418) The ideas that chivalry cherished resulted in the respect and idealization of upper-class women. This was a small advancement in the treatment of women, but it was better than most conditions that had existed before. (415-420) Magna Carta In England, 12th century, the barons created the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta was created to hold the King to the law and limited his power to gather finances from the kingdom. The Magna Carta made the King recognize that he was the ruler of his subjects and that as their ruler he must recognize their rights. This document helped to prevent King John from financing a war to retrieve territories that were lost to France during his rule. Under the Mag... ...to lead the West. As the Crusades declined so did the Popes power. Pope Boniface VIII fall from power was caused by the decline of the Crusades.(460) As the Crusades were misused by both the Church and the Crusaders, the papacy was weakened by the deleterious effects of the Crusade.(460) The papacy had called for the Crusades and led them. When success came the papacy was strengthened, but when the Crusades failed the Pope took the blame for the losses. All of the power and prestige that the Pope had earned was lost and the power of the Pope was questioned. The Crusades of the Church helped to open trade between the East and the West. The victory of the First Crusade raised the confidence of the West and proved to them that the Pope was their spiritual and temporal leader. The savagery of the Crusades and the use of Gregory’s policies show how the Crusades brought out the terrible side of the religious fervor. The papacy suffered heavy political losses when people lost faith in the Crusades. The imperial motives of the Church were clearly revealed and the politics of Rome were shown to be clearly monarchial. The people lost faith in the Pope along with his idea of the Crusades.

Indian Consumer Behavior

CONSUMER LIFESTYLES IN INDIA (NOVEMBER 2004) 1. INTRODUCTION This report analyses consumer lifestyles in India and forms part of a 52-country series that complements the Euro monitor Consumer Lifestyles Database. Each country profile is structured under the following sub-headings: †¢ Population †¢ Consumer segmentation †¢ Regional development †¢ Home ownership †¢ Household profiles †¢ Labour †¢ Income †¢ Consumer and family expenditure †¢ Health †¢ Education †¢ Eating habits †¢ Drinking habits †¢ Shopping †¢ Personal grooming †¢ Fashion †¢ Leisure †¢ Savings †¢ Media †¢ Communications Transport †¢ Tourism The information in this report was gathered from a wide range of sources, starting with the national statistical agencies. This information was cross-checked for consistency, probability and mathematical accuracy. Secondly, we sought to fill in the gaps in the official National statis tical offices by using private sector surveys and official pan-regional and global sources. Furthermore, Euromonitor has carried out an extensive amount of modelling in order to come up with interesting data sets to complement the national standards available. The wide range of sources used in the compilation of this report means that there are occasionally discrepancies in the data which we were not able to reconcile in every instance. Even when the data is produced by the same national statistical office on a specific parameter, like the total population in a particular year, discrepancies can occur depending on whether it was derived from a survey, a national census or a projection and whether the data are mid-year or January. For slow trends, data are presented for 1990, 1995 and 2000-2003. Where it is interesting to look at projections, the data encompasses 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015. Fast-moving trends such as communications are illustrated with data sets relating to 1990, 1995, 2000-2005, 2010 and 2015. Consumer goods data cover the period 1998-2003. 2. POPULATION 2. 1 Population by Age 700 million Indians are under the age of 35, making India one of the youngest nations in the world. The population of youth is almost equally divided between men and women, and in terms of numbers is more than the population of Latin America and the Caribbean put together. The changing demographics can be attributed to a slowdown in birth rate during the 1990s as well as rising levels of diseases amongst the 30+ age group. The biggest attraction for international players is perhaps the sheer numbers that provide them turnovers that corporates dream of. The 5-9 year-age group was the largest in 2004 though growth rates have been dropping over the review period. By the end of the forecast period though, the 15-19 year-age group is expected to be the largest in a digression from the historical trend indicating that the country will age slowly. In absolute terms, 10-14 year olds, 15-19 year olds and 20-24 year olds grew by approximately 25% since 1990. The changing demographics has been due to the high levels of birth rate in the last decade resulting in a population that attained these age levels post 2000. The population above 70 years of age will more than have doubled over the 1990-2015 period. 97% growth is expected amongst the 80+ group over the 2000-2015 period. Migration to other countries, better healthcare and a slowdown in birth rate are expected to contribute to some of these trends. The median age of the population is rising, albeit extremely slowly. Death rates are dropping gradually with improved access to healthcare but it is also accompanied by rather high levels of birth rate. According to an Oxford University Press publication by Tim Dyson, Robert Cassen and Leela Visaria by 2015, shifts are expected. The median age would rise to 31 from the current 24, and the proportion of 60+ would rise from 7% to 11%. Table 1 Population by Age: 1990-2015 ‘000 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 0-4 yrs 114,799 119,235 120,974 117,342 116,462 116,324 5-9 yrs 102,289 110,845 115,921 118,296 115,260 114,758 10-14 yrs 89,781 100,560 109,302 114,583 117,137 114,226 15-19 yrs 85,268 88,870 99,696 08,541 113,937 116,575 20-24 yrs 77,264 84,180 87,878 98,790 107,722 113,188 25-29 yrs 68,307 76,098 83,001 86,771 97,607 106,430 30-34 yrs 59,422 67,262 74,926 81,753 85,361 95,802 35-39 yrs 49,661 58,435 66,152 73,656 80,244 83,504 40-44 yrs 41,157 48,632 57,281 64,854 72,146 78,395 45-49 yrs 35,384 39,977 47,346 55,842 63,253 70,294 50-54 yrs 31,1 25 33,892 38,442 45,667 53,980 61,191 55-59 yrs 26,547 29,144 31,917 36,391 43,422 51,469 60-64 yrs 21,023 23,942 26,496 29,242 33,590 40,300 65-69 yrs 15,507 17,879 20,598 23,047 25,711 29,807 70-74 yrs 10,547 12,112 14,196 16,614 18,870 21,331 75-79 yrs 6,274 7,213 8,471 10,146 12,127 4,023 80+ yrs 3,678 4,497 5,951 7,536 9,431 11,708 TOTAL 838,033 922,775 1,008,549 1,089,072 1,166,258 1,239,325 Median age of 21. 68 22. 45 23. 28 24. 31 25. 62 27. 05 population (Years) Death rates (per ‘000 10. 63 9. 49 8. 67 8. 07 7. 66 7. 49 inhabitants) Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January Table 2 Population by Age (% Analysis): 1990-2015 % of total population 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 0-4 yrs 13. 70 12. 92 11. 99 10. 77 9. 99 9. 39 5-9 yrs 12. 21 12. 01 11. 49 10. 86 9. 88 9. 26 10-14 yrs 10. 71 10. 90 10. 84 10. 52 10. 04 9. 22 15-19 yrs 10. 17 9. 63 9. 89 9. 97 9. 77 9. 41 20-24 yrs 9. 22 9. 12 8. 71 9. 07 9. 4 9. 13 25-29 yrs 8. 15 8. 25 8. 23 7. 97 8. 37 8. 59 30-34 yrs 7. 09 7. 29 7. 43 7. 51 7. 32 7. 73 35-39 yrs 5. 93 6. 33 6. 56 6. 76 6. 88 6. 74 40-44 yrs 4. 91 5. 27 5. 68 5. 95 6. 19 6. 33 45-49 yrs 4. 22 4. 33 4. 69 5. 13 5. 42 5. 67 50-54 yrs 3. 71 3. 67 3. 81 4. 19 4. 63 4. 94 55-59 yrs 3. 17 3. 16 3. 16 3. 34 3. 72 4. 15 60-64 yrs 2. 51 2. 59 2. 63 2. 69 2. 88 3. 25 65-69 yrs 1. 85 1. 94 2. 04 2. 12 2. 20 2. 41 70-74 yrs 1. 26 1. 31 1. 41 1. 53 1. 62 1. 72 75-79 yrs 0. 75 0. 78 0. 84 0. 93 1. 04 1. 13 80+ yrs 0. 44 0. 49 0. 59 0. 69 0. 81 0. 94 TOTAL 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January Table 3 Population by Age (Growth): 1990/2015, 2000/2015 % growth 1990/2015 2000/2015 0-4 yrs 1. 33 -3. 84 5-9 yrs 12. 19 -1. 00 10-14 yrs 27. 23 4. 51 15-19 yrs 36. 72 16. 93 20-24 yrs 46. 50 28. 80 25-29 yrs 55. 81 28. 23 30-34 yrs 61. 22 27. 86 35-39 yrs 68. 15 26. 23 40-44 yrs 90. 48 36. 86 45-49 yrs 98. 66 48. 47 50-54 yrs 96. 60 59. 18 55-59 yrs 93. 88 61. 26 60-64 yrs 91. 69 52. 10 65-69 yrs 92. 21 44. 71 70-74 yrs 102. 24 50. 26 75-79 yrs 123. 51 65. 54 80+ yrs 218. 34 96. 76 TOTAL 47. 89 22. 88 Median age of population 24. 76 16. 19 Death rates -29. 52 -13. 55 Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January 2. Male Population by Age Males constitute 52% of the population. Half are under the age of 29 and are looking for earning opportunities. Though liberalisation and the recent NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government headed by ex-prime minister Shri Vajpayee did much to invest in infrastructure and create jobs, much of this has apparently not perco lated down to the lowest income classes if election results in mid-2004 (when the incumbent government was unceremoniously and unexpectedly voted out) are anything to go by. Not surprisingly, the 5-9 year-age group is again the largest segment, representing almost 11% of the total population. In relative terms, this segment has been stagnant since 1990 and has declined marginally since 2000. Due to a larger base, 15-19 year olds will constitute the largest segment by 2015 despite higher growth by other groups. In keeping with general demographic trends, the population below the age of 20 years grew the maximum over the review period. Dropping mortality rates and better healthcare has increased this population group. The median age of the male population in India is approximately the same as the overall median age of the population. It was 22 in 2000 and stands at a little more than 24 years in 2003. Much of India is a male dominated society, and even in urban areas, women are shouldering more and more household running responsibilities. On a lighter note, urban men are more conscious of their looks be it clothing or even actual physical features. One would find many highlighting their hair or even exploring a manicure or a facial massage in big metro cities such as Mumbai or Delhi. The latest corporate entrant to the beauty services business under the name of Kaya Skin Clinics caters to both men and women with clinics even in Dubai. This is a Marico India Limited promoted venture. There is an entire new category of urban men – â€Å"the meterosexual male† that is as demanding about clothes, footwear, music and even grooming aids or beauty treatments as women. In burgeoning malls, men are spending as much or even more as women due to greater financial independence in relative terms and the freedom to spend money on items of desire or personal use. The youth desire items such as cell phones, PDAs and other electronic gizmos. Footwear is another item high in purchase priority. Whether it is body piercing or permanent tattoos, it is all about making a statement. Fitness and sports-related equipment also catches their fancy. The coming decade from 2004 to 2013 will see growth in the 30-55 age bracket by 2%. This will translate into significantly increased demand for items such as travel and leisure, home and household items, lifestyle accessories and even alcoholic drinks. Table 4 Male Population by Age: 1990-2015 ‘000 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 0-4 yrs 59,160 61,431 62,314 60,391 59,897 59,773 5-9 yrs 53,002 57,354 59,926 61,095 59,437 59,106 10-14 yrs 46,682 52,240 56,672 59,329 60,571 58,960 15-19 yrs 44,611 46,274 51,849 56,325 59,034 60,314 20-24 yrs 40,457 44,130 45,829 51,433 55,942 58,675 25-29 yrs 35,848 39,901 43,545 45,268 50,814 55,247 0-34 yrs 31,216 35,289 39,246 42,842 44,475 49,798 35-39 yrs 25,991 30,655 34,636 38,494 41,955 43,397 40-44 yrs 21,137 25,386 29,959 33,846 37,579 40,840 45-49 yrs 17,895 20,428 24,595 29,063 32,849 36,427 50-54 yrs 15,631 17,003 19,497 23,552 27,898 31,550 55-59 yrs 13,346 14,462 15,831 18,258 22,165 26,325 60-64 yrs 10,533 11,826 12,925 14,266 16,58 8 20,254 65-69 yrs 7,660 8,753 9,948 10,992 12,271 14,405 70-74 yrs 5,127 5,833 6,779 7,820 8,771 9,917 75-79 yrs 3,008 3,398 3,956 4,692 5,527 6,303 80+ yrs 1,756 2,094 2,684 3,338 4,129 5,050 TOTAL 433,062 476,458 520,192 561,005 599,902 636,341 Males as % of total 51. 68 51. 63 51. 8 51. 51 51. 44 51. 35 population Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January Table 5 Male Population by Age (% Analysis): 1990-2015 % of male population 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 0-4 yrs 13. 66 12. 89 11. 98 10. 76 9. 98 9. 39 5-9 yrs 12. 24 12. 04 11. 52 10. 89 9. 91 9. 29 10-14 yrs 10. 78 10. 96 10. 89 10. 58 10. 10 9. 27 15-19 yrs 10. 30 9. 71 9. 97 10. 04 9. 84 9. 48 20-24 yrs 9. 34 9. 26 8. 81 9. 17 9. 33 9. 22 25-29 yrs 8. 28 8. 37 8. 37 8. 07 8. 47 8. 68 30-34 yrs 7. 21 7. 41 7. 54 7. 64 7. 41 7. 83 35-39 yrs 6. 00 6. 43 6. 66 6. 86 6. 99 6. 82 40-44 yrs 4. 88 5. 33 5. 76 6. 03 6. 26 6. 42 45-49 yrs 4. 13 4. 29 4. 73 5. 8 5. 48 5. 72 50-54 yrs 3. 61 3. 57 3. 75 4. 20 4. 65 4. 96 55-59 yrs 3. 08 3. 04 3. 04 3. 25 3. 69 4. 14 60-64 yrs 2. 43 2. 48 2. 48 2. 54 2. 77 3. 18 65-69 yrs 1. 77 1. 84 1. 91 1. 96 2. 05 2. 26 70-74 yrs 1. 18 1. 22 1. 30 1. 39 1. 46 1. 56 75-79 yrs 0. 69 0. 71 0. 76 0. 84 0. 92 0. 99 80+ yrs 0. 41 0. 44 0. 52 0. 60 0. 69 0. 79 TOTAL 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January Table 6 Male Population by Age (Growth): 1990/2015, 2000/2015 % growth 1990/2015 2000/2015 0-4 yrs 1. 04 -4. 08 5-9 yrs 11. 52 -1. 37 10-14 yrs 26. 30 4. 04 15-19 yrs 35. 20 16. 33 20-24 yrs 45. 03 28. 03 5-29 yrs 54. 12 26. 87 30-34 yrs 59. 53 26. 89 35-39 yrs 66. 97 25. 29 40-44 yrs 93. 22 36. 32 45-49 yrs 103. 56 48. 11 50-54 yrs 101. 84 61. 82 55-59 yrs 97. 25 66. 28 60-64 yrs 92. 29 56. 70 65-69 yrs 88. 04 44. 81 70-74 yrs 93. 41 46. 28 75-79 yrs 109. 53 59. 33 80+ yrs 187. 55 88. 16 TOTAL 46. 94 22. 33 Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January 2. 3 Female Population by Age 58% of the Indian female population is bel ow the age of 29. Of this 45% are over the age of 15 years. Female population proportion is likely to go up in the next decade following stringent official norms for sex determination and abortion of the female foetus. The current sex ratio stands at 933 females per 1,000 males as per the last census. Considering the decline in sex ratio from the previous census in 1991, female infanticide is still rampant not only in certain backward rural areas but also in a new form using modern technology in urban areas. Women in urban India have come a long way since the expectations their mothers or probably grandmothers had to live up to. In the 1960s and 1970s, it was a rarity to see working women. It went without saying that female members of the household handled household running responsibilities. Few would be seen dressed in anything but a sari, the national dress. Smoking and drinking were strict no-nos. Even going to the beauty parlour was considered highly emancipated! Cooking was always at home and done by women. Sacrificing personal wants and compromise were desirable attributes. The scenario dramatically changed in the 1990s with India’s entry onto the world beauty scene. Suddenly, every woman wanted to look good or do something that made a difference to her or to someone else. The salwar-kameez is almost a universal dress code. Originally, a North Indian attire, it caught the imagination of women from every region for its convenience and comfort. Young women are much surer of what they want and how to get it. Domestic duties such as cooking are minimised or taken care of in other ways. They would much rather work or do something that they would much rather be doing. Western-style dressing consisting of pants and a shirt is much more common even in workplaces. Social drinking is largely acceptable though still not desirable. On the other hand smoking is still a no-no notwithstanding the rise in number of working women who smoke in public. More and more women today have access to some means of income be it small or large amounts and even take investment decisions or play a significant role in the decision making. Today, one can see a mix of all kinds of women ranging from the traditional conservative to the ultra modern sophisticate. Even the traditional conservative is surprisingly quite progressive in emotional matters pertaining to education or even careers. While women are now increasingly comfortable with their bodies and do not mind even flaunting it, they still would prefer striking a balance between home and work. With more and more women earning their own money, they are now almost equally positioned as bread earners in families. Most men find it difficult to deal with this situation since money and the way it must be spent (larger sums that probably go beyond household expenses) is still considered a male domain. But there is an increasing segment that is now taking investment decisions as well. The stock market boom in 2003 attracted large numbers of housewives who got into the act of trading shares, earning just that little bit extra irrespective of their socioeconomic status or educational background. The attitude towards motherhood is changing. It is now more a matter of choice than chance. Young urban educated women are taking parenting much more seriously. Previously, the first child was born at an average age of 25, today in some parts it is 32 years. Women-on-vacation is another phenomenon slowly becoming visible at railway platforms, airport lounges and even gravelled roads. Single, married, divorced or bereaved and aged anywhere from 16-70 years, women are on the move. As the population ages and more working women constitute the Indian population, there will be a demand for items of personal use and anti-ageing products and services. The number of women smoking or drinking is also on the rise. Earlier considered taboo, rising pressures professionally and personally have only contributed to this changing paradigm. Table 7 Female Population by Age: 1990-2015 ‘000 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 0-4 yrs 55,639 57,805 58,660 56,951 56,565 56,552 5-9 yrs 49,287 53,491 55,994 57,201 55,823 55,652 10-14 yrs 43,098 48,320 52,630 55,254 56,565 55,266 15-19 yrs 40,657 42,596 47,848 52,217 54,903 56,261 20-24 yrs 36,806 40,050 42,049 47,357 51,781 54,513 25-29 yrs 32,460 36,197 39,456 41,504 46,793 51,183 30-34 yrs 28,206 31,972 35,680 38,912 0,886 46,004 35-39 yrs 23,671 27,780 31,516 35,163 38,289 40,106 40-44 yrs 20,020 23,247 27,322 31,008 34,567 37,555 45-49 yrs 17,489 19,549 22,752 26,779 30,404 33,867 50-54 yrs 15,493 16,890 18,945 22,115 26,082 29,640 55-59 yrs 13,200 14,683 16,086 18,133 21,257 25,144 60-64 yrs 10,490 12,116 13,571 14,976 17,001 20,046 65-69 yrs 7,847 9,126 10,651 12,054 13,439 15,402 70-74 yrs 5,420 6,278 7,417 8,794 10,099 11,414 75-79 yrs 3,266 3,815 4,515 5,453 6,600 7,720 80+ yrs 1,922 2,403 3,267 4,198 5,302 6,658 TOTAL 404,970 446,317 488,357 528,067 566,356 602,984 Females as % of total 48. 32 48. 37 48. 42 8. 49 48. 56 48. 65 population Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January Table 8 Female Population by Age (% Analysis): 1990-2015 % of female population 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 0-4 yrs 13. 74 12. 95 12. 01 10. 78 9. 99 9. 38 5-9 yrs 12. 17 11. 99 11. 47 10. 83 9. 86 9. 23 10-14 yrs 10. 64 10. 83 10. 78 10. 46 9. 99 9. 17 15-19 yrs 10. 04 9. 54 9. 80 9. 89 9. 69 9. 33 20-24 yrs 9. 09 8. 97 8. 61 8. 97 9. 14 9. 04 25-29 yrs 8. 02 8. 11 8. 08 7. 86 8. 26 8. 49 30-34 yrs 6. 96 7. 16 7. 31 7. 37 7. 22 7. 63 35-39 yrs 5. 85 6. 22 6. 45 6. 66 6. 76 6. 65 40-44 yrs 4. 94 5. 21 5. 59 5. 87 6. 10 6. 23 5-49 yrs 4. 32 4. 38 4. 66 5. 07 5. 37 5. 62 50-54 yrs 3. 83 3. 78 3. 88 4. 19 4. 61 4. 92 55-59 yrs 3. 26 3. 29 3. 29 3. 43 3. 75 4. 17 60-64 yrs 2. 59 2. 71 2. 78 2. 84 3. 00 3. 32 65-69 yrs 1. 94 2. 04 2. 18 2. 28 2. 37 2. 55 70-74 yrs 1. 34 1. 41 1. 52 1. 67 1. 78 1. 89 75-79 yrs 0. 81 0. 85 0. 92 1. 03 1. 17 1. 28 80+ yrs 0. 47 0. 54 0. 67 0. 80 0. 94 1. 10 TOTAL 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January Table 9 Female Population by Age (Growth): 1990/2015, 2000/2015 % growth 1990/2015 2000/2015 0-4 yrs 1. 64 -3. 59 5-9 yrs 12. 91 -0. 61 10-14 yrs 8. 23 5. 01 15-19 yrs 38. 38 17. 58 20-24 yrs 48. 11 29. 64 25-29 yrs 57. 68 29. 72 30-34 yrs 63. 10 28. 94 35-39 yrs 69. 43 27. 26 40-44 yrs 87. 59 37. 45 45-49 yrs 93. 65 48. 86 50-54 yrs 91. 31 56. 45 55-59 yrs 90. 48 56. 32 60-64 yrs 91. 10 47. 72 65-69 yrs 96. 28 44. 61 70-74 yrs 110. 60 53. 89 75-79 yrs 136. 38 70. 98 80+ yrs 246. 49 103. 82 TOTAL 48. 90 23. 47 Source: UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January 2. 4 Fertility and Birth Fertility rates in India fell to 2. 9 in 2003. The decline can be attributed to the rise in mean age at ma rriage and the postponement of the child-bearing decision. The average age of Indian women at child birth rose to 28 years in 2003. In some urban areas and metro cities it could well be early 30s. As women seek higher educational and professional achievements, urban families are postponing having children. In many cases, one of the reasons cited is that they would like to know their spouses better before giving rise to a social responsibility. Amongst celebrities such as personalities from the film industry as well as fashion, adoption is being increasingly accepted. These are usually highly successful, financially independent women who cannot or do not find the need for a spouse to raise children. Men still take a back seat where adoption is concerned. A complete change in the way earning opportunities present themselves in an increasingly open economy and the transient nature of jobs, values and money have made Indians seek personal confidence and stability before committing themselves further. Birth control has received total government support irrespective of the political party in power. However, a large number of women may not be able to afford birth control even if they wish to do so. Large numbers of couples want to space or limit births but they are not using any method of contraception. According to official sources, a nationwide survey it undertook showed that approximately 16% of couples or about 30 million couples have an unmet need for contraception. High fertility is one important factor affecting the reproductive health of women. One out of every 75 women of reproductive age dies from child birth-related causes. Other reproductive health indicators also reflect a generally poor health status. Only 15% of mothers receive complete antenatal care, and only 58% receive any iron/folate tablets or syrup. Only 34% of deliveries take place in facilities, and, at best, 42% are assisted by a health professional. Though there are official government norms for promoting two children families, there are many holding public positions that have three or four or even more children. It is therefore difficult for lawmakers who themselves go against government policies to implement them with complete resolution. There is a wide disparity in the population growth rates amongst various states. Southern states have achieved a greater measure of success in almost stabilising their birth rate growth due to a higher level of education and literacy in general. On the other hand, Northern states such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar represent a dismal picture. There is an unmet need for family planning in these states and about 25% of it is in Uttar Pradesh (UP) state. Is it a boy or a girl? The legacy of a declining sex ratio in the history of the Census of India took a new turn with the widespread use of new reproductive technologies (NRTs) in urban areas. NRTs are based on the principles of selection of the desirable and rejection of the unwanted. In India, the desirable is the baby boy and the unwanted is the baby girl. The result is obvious; the Census of 2001 revealed that with a sex ratio of 933 women for every 1,000 men, India had a deficit of 3. million women when it entered the new millennium. To stop the abuse of advanced scientific techniques for selective elimination of female foetuses through sex -determination, the government of India passed the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act in 1994. But techno-docs based in the metropolises and other urban centres, and parents desirous of begetting only sons, have subverted it. Outreach to the most vulnerable elements of the population is very limited, and the quality of services, in general, is poor. Additional constraints exist in the delivery of services. For family planning, the choice of methods is often limited and sterilisation remains the method of choice. Other approaches, including delaying the age of marriage and first pregnancies, and encouraging longer birth intervals, present major social and policy challenges. Religious and medical barriers exist in some areas, as do cultural issues associated with the preference for boys and denial of opportunities for girls and women. However, both the private and the public sector are taking substantial initiatives in the area of healthcare and there have been some improvements. Fertility rates fell by 23% over the 1990-2003 period though there was a slight increase in 2002. Some studies have shown that the increase was due to natural calamities in 2001 and 2002 accompanied by civil disturbances when citizens were mostly confined to their homes and had limited entertainment options. The fertility rate fell the following year by nearly 4% in 2003 over 2002 in keeping with the trend over the last decade. Table 10 Fertility and Birth: 1990/1995, 2000-2003 1990 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 Average age of women at 20. 40 24. 20 26. 70 27. 20 27. 80 28. 33 hildbirth (years) Birth rates (per ‘000 30. 07 27. 45 24. 90 24. 37 23. 78 23. 40 inhabitants) Fertility rates 3. 80 3. 48 3. 06 2. 99 3. 02 2. 91 (children born per female) Source: National statistical offices, Council of Europe, UN, CIA World Factbook, Euromonitor Table 11 Fertility and Birth (Growth): 1990/2003, 2002/2003 % growth 1990/2003 2002/2003 Average age of women at childbirth 38. 87 1. 91 Birth rat es -22. 18 -1. 60 Fertility rates -23. 42 -3. 64 Source: National statistical offices, Council of Europe, UN, CIA World Factbook, Euromonitor 2. 5 Population by Marital Status There are only two dominant types of population by marital status in India – married or single. Married Married couples form more than half the population in India. Marriage is a sacred institution accompanied and governed by numerous social and religious customs and sanctions. Elders in the family normally arrange marriages in most of India and even with changing social fabric, parental acceptance and blessings are important. The result is a blend of the old and the new where brides/bridegrooms-to-be actually meet or see each other before the marriage and are allowed to exercise their choices. Marriage and child rearing is an accepted way of life and youngsters between the ages of 18 and 30 do look forward to settling down and getting married. An unmarried individual would stand out in the predominantly middle-class Indian society. However, acceptance of this is also increasing. There are a number of young adults, usually successful in their own lives, who choose not to get married or are unable to get married. Cracks and strains have started showing in a number of marriages due to postponement of the marriage decision, new income earning opportunities, changing lifestyles, new technologies and a sea change in attitudes and spirations in urban India. Hence, married families in 2003 grew at a slower rate than divorced or single families at only 1. 4%. Divorce Divorce is a little uncommon but is growing in incidence with young couples not willing to compromise or spend time on making a relationship successful. Interestingly, it is couples who knew each other before marriage that are seeing a rise in divorce rather than â€Å"arranged† family affairs that are part of Indian convention. There are instances of certain communities that are using technology (SMSs – Short Messaging System) to divorce their spouses by sending the message â€Å"divorce† thrice! The number of divorce cases filed in some cities reaches as high as 17,000 cases in Kolkata city with Pune having the least at 2,000. Some 9,000 cases are filed each year in Mumbai city alone. Widowers Widowers form a small 5% of Indian society that predominantly consists of youth. Rising longevity, increasing age at marriage and even social reform with respect to â€Å"child widows†, â€Å"child marriages† and â€Å"widow remarriage† have contained the growth of this category of the population. There are not too many widows/widowers in urban areas and even these generally stay with their families as in their sons or daughters. In certain rural areas, with lack of healthcare and awareness of a number of health conditions, widowers could form a slightly larger population segment. Co-habitation Co-habitation is still not viewed with much respect in a society steeped in tradition. In the Western state of Gujarat there is actually a quasi-legal arrangement called â€Å"Maitri Karar† that stipulates the responsibilities of a contract â€Å"friendship†. However, there are a growing number of homosexuals –both men and women, who have come out of the closet and are finding some acceptance. There are at least five lesbian groups in the country which are striving to provide dignity to this section of the populace. There is a large number who is probably not even aware of their preferences and go through much turmoil in the process. Yet, permissiveness is at an all-time high. 27% of the population in Bangalore; Chennai 28%; Delhi 22%t; Hyderabad 20%; Kolkata 32%; Mumbai 24% feel that both partners should be free to have extramarital sex with the spouse's consent. Delhiites are most likely to have done it at a younger age than their counterparts in other cities. Hyderabadis and Mumbaikars show the maximum inclination to infidelity. Adultery is going middle-class, to small-town India, going commonplace, even going boring. Dangerous liaisons used to be for the aristos and the plebs. Those in between, the middle classes, were tethered by moral chastity belts – only their fantasies could roam freely. Or it was all within the family, the extramarital dalliances, that is. The scarlet letter is now fading fast: stigma is getting passe and guilt for an increasing number is no more than a twitch. New technology is an important factor encouraging the phenomenon. Internet and mushrooming cyber cafes have helped, as have mobile phones and SMS facilities. Middle-class India is having a great time and most Westerners are shocked at the change. Table 12 Population by Marital Status: 1990/1995, 2000-2003 ‘000 1990 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 Married 471,829 494,405 516,978 524,708 532,254 539,637 Divorced 3,093 5,010 8,059 8,214 8,365 8,510 Widowed 52,532 56,663 53,373 54,144 54,895 55,629 Single & other/unknown 310,578 366,696 430,138 438,100 445,958 453,729 TOTAL 838,033 922,775 1,008,549 1,025,166 1,041,471 1,057,505 Average age of women at 19. 00 22. 90 25. 50 25. 90 26. 50 26. 97 first marriage (years) Source: National statistical offices, Council of Europe, UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January Table 13 Population by Marital Status (% Analysis): 1990/1995, 2000-2003 % of total population 1990 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 Married 56. 30 53. 58 51. 26 51. 18 51. 11 51. 03 Divorced 0. 37 0. 54 0. 80 0. 80 0. 80 0. 80 Widowed 6. 27 6. 14 5. 29 5. 28 5. 27 5. 26 Single & other/unknown 37. 06 39. 74 42. 65 42. 73 42. 82 42. 91 TOTAL 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 Source: National statistical offices, Council of Europe, UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January Table 14 Population by Marital Status (Growth): 1990/2003, 2000/2003 growth 1990/2003 2000/2003 Married 14. 37 4. 38 Divorced 175. 1 5. 59 Widowed 5. 9 4. 23 Single & other/unknown 46. 09 5. 48 TOTAL 26. 19 4. 85 Average age of women at first marriage 41. 93 5. 75 Source: National statistical offices, Council of Europe, UN, Euromonitor Note: As at 1 January 2. 6 Population by Educational Attainment Indians place a lot of importance on higher education as is evident from the number of graduates as well as the number of Indians doing extremely well in other parts of the world. Despite huge odds, the literacy rate now stands at more than 65% for the country as a whole. In terms of numbers, most of the population has some form of primary education. Kerala is the only state that has 100% literacy. Public expenditure on education now stands at 4% of GDP, well below the Kothari Commission recommendation of 6% way back in 1968. The private sector is now taking increasing initiatives in primary level education after having participated in a mixed fashion in the form of self-financed colleges and institutions of higher learning. This is one of the factors for higher growth in the level of education attainment at higher levels as compared to primary education. There are about 888,000 educational institutions in the country with an enrolment of about 179 million. Elementary Education System in India is the second largest in the World with 149 million children of 6-14 years enrolled and almost three million teachers. This is about 82% of the children in the age group. Compulsory education has been enforced in four States and Union Territories (UTs) at the primary stage of education while in eight States/UTs there is compulsory education covering the entire elementary stage of education. As many as 20 States/UTs have not introduced any measure of compulsion. Though education is in the concurrent list (ie both the Central and State governments are responsible for this social sector) of the Constitution, the State Governments play a very major role in the development of education particularly in the primary and the secondary education sectors. In order to facilitate donations including smaller amounts from India and abroad for implementing projects/programmes connected with the education sector, the Government constituted the â€Å"Bharat Shiksha Kosh† as a Society registered under the Society Registration Act, 1860. The Kosh was officially launched on 9 January 2003 during the celebration of Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas. The Kosh will receive donations/contributions/endowments, from individuals and corporate, Central and State Governments, non-resident Indians and people of Indian origin for various activities across all sectors of education. Table 15 Population by Educational Attainment: 1990/1995, 2000-2003 ‘000 1990 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 Primary & no education 372,583 378,124 391,590 400,014 408,770 417,596 Secondary 79,103 121,874 163,622 167,434 171,221 175,064 Higher 79,478 92,137 107,140 109,858 112,464 115,123 TOTAL 531,164 592,134 662,352

Slash and Burn Agriculture Explanation

Slash and Burn Agriculture Explanation Slash and burn agriculture is the process of cutting down the vegetation in a particular plot of land, setting fire to the remaining foliage, and using the ashes to provide nutrients to the soil for the  use of planting food crops. The cleared area following slash and burn, also known as swidden, is used for a relatively short period of time, and then left alone for a longer period of time so that vegetation can grow again. For this reason, this type of agriculture is also known as shifting cultivation. Steps to Slash and Burn Generally, the following steps are taken in slash and burn agriculture: Prepare the field by cutting down vegetation; plants that provide food or timber may be left standing.The downed vegetation is allowed to dry until just before the rainiest part of the year to ensure an effective burn.The plot of land is burned to remove vegetation, drive away pests, and provide a burst of nutrients for planting.Planting is done directly in the ashes left after the burn. Cultivation (the preparation of land for planting crops) on the plot is done for a few years  until the fertility of the formerly burned land is reduced. The plot is left alone for longer than it was cultivated, sometimes up to 10 or more years, to allow wild vegetation to grow on the plot of land. When vegetation has grown again, the slash and burn process may be repeated. Geography of Slash and Burn Agriculture Slash and burn agriculture is most often practiced in places where open land for farming is not readily available because of dense vegetation. These regions include central Africa, northern South America, and Southeast Asia. Such farming is typically done within grasslands and rainforests. Slash and burn is a method of agriculture primarily used by tribal communities for subsistence farming (farming to survive). Humans have practiced this method for about 12,000 years, ever since the transition known as the Neolithic Revolution- the time when humans stopped hunting and gathering and started to stay put and grow crops. Today, between 200 and 500 million people use slash and burn agriculture, roughly 7% of the world’s population. When done properly, slash and burn agriculture provides communities with a source of food and income. Slash and burn allows people to farm in places where it usually is not possible because of dense vegetation, soil infertility, low soil nutrient content, uncontrollable pests, or other reasons. Negative Aspects of Slash and Burn Many critics claim that slash and burn agriculture contributes to a number of persistent environmental problems. They include: Deforestation: When practiced by large populations, or when fields are not given sufficient time for vegetation to grow back, there is a temporary or permanent loss of forest cover.Erosion: When fields are slashed, burned, and cultivated next to each other in rapid succession, roots and temporary water storages are lost and unable to prevent nutrients from leaving the area permanently.Nutrient Loss: For the same reasons, fields may gradually lose the fertility they once had. The result may be desertification, a situation in which land becomes infertile and unable to support the growth of any kind.Biodiversity Loss: When plots of land area are cleared, the various plants and animals that lived there are swept away. If a particular area is the only one that holds a particular species, slashing and burning could result in extinction for that species. Because slash and burn agriculture is often practiced in tropical regions where biodiversity is extremely high, endangerment and extinctio n may be magnified. The negative aspects above are interconnected, and when one happens, typically another happens also. These issues may come about because of irresponsible practices of slash and burn agriculture by large numbers of people. Knowledge of the ecosystem of the area and agricultural skills may provide ways to practice slash and burn agriculture in restorative, sustainable ways.

How does temperature affect the viscosity of oils Essay Example

How does temperature affect the viscosity of oils Essay Example How does temperature affect the viscosity of oils Essay How does temperature affect the viscosity of oils Essay PredictionI predict that as the temperature of the oil increases the viscosity will increase. This means that the ball bearing will drop down quicker as the oil is heated. I think this because when the oil is heated the molecules will vibrate because they are given energy by the heat. This causes the molecules to move apart leaving gaps in between which the ball bearing will be able to move through easily.MethodTake a glass tube and hold it in a clamp stand. Mark up to where you want to put the oil. Fill up to the mark with C6 oil at room temperature. Then drop a ball bearing from the rim of the glass tube. Make sure you start the watch at the exact same time as you drop the ball bearing. Stop the watch as soon as the ball bearing touches the bottom of the tube and put the time of this in the results table. Do this three times and take the average.Repeat these steps for C8, C10, C12 and C16 oils at room temperature. Put the jars of oil into a beaker of water and use a Bunsen burner t o heat it. Try and prevent the water going over the top of the jars of oil, as the water may go into the oils and this would affect the results. When the oil is heated to the required temperature repeat what you did for the oils at room temperature. The oils should be heated to 30à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C then 40à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C, then 50à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C, then 60à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C, and finally 70à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C.ApparatusClamp, Clamp stand, Glass tube, Ball bearing, Bunsen burner, Tripod, Gauze, Water, 250ml beaker, Stopwatch, Thermometer, C6, C8, C10, C12, and C16 oils.DiagramPreliminary DiagramPreliminary WorkMy preliminary work helped me significantly to write my plan. Through trying to carry out some practice tests, I found that it was hard and not particularly accurate if I just picked up the ball bearing and dropped it from a little bit above the tube because then my results will be inaccurate. This is why I decided to drop the ball bearing from the rim of the glass tube. This meant it would always be t he same force being put on the ball bearing. My preliminary work has also helped me to determine what the angle the tube should be at. The reason I chose to have the tube at 35à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ to the tabletop was that at 90à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ the ball bearing fell much too fast making it difficult to measure the time. However at 0à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ to the table the ball bearing didnt move at all, thats why I chose a position between the two. This meant it would move down fairly quickly but not too fast as that we couldnt time it.Here are some of our resultsTube angled at Tube angled at Tube angled at90à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 0à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 35à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1st time recorded 0.35 secs N/A* 1.96 secs2nd time recorded 0.39 secs N/A* 1.92 secsVariable FactorsOne of many variable factors would be the gradient of the tube. This must be kept at the same angle 35à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. An easy way to do this is to leave the clamp alone and only open and close the claw part of the clamp. Another factor is the temperature of the oil s. To do this you must measure the oils temperature and make sure that you measure the oil, not just the water they are being heated in. The height of which the ball bearing is dropped should be kept the same so that it doesnt gather more momentum before it hits the oil. That is why it must be dropped from the same height; I chose the rim because then I know it will always be the same. The ball bearing you use must be the same because then the resistance of the ball bearing will be the same.Accurate ResultsTo ensure that I get accurate results I will try and keep the entire variable factors the same all the way through the experiment. If I do this then it will not only make sure that my results will be accurate but it will make sure that the only thing I will be experimenting is the viscosity of the oils and how temperature affects it. I will not be testing anything else.Range of ResultsI want to take 5 times from each of the oils at each temperature. If I do this then I will be abl e to take an average score. This is a good thing because it means that if I mess up one of the drops then it wont matter as much because I will take an average of the 5 times.I will set out my table like this:E.g. Oil C6OilRoom temperature35à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½50à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C65à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C80à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½CC61st Time2nd Time3rd Time4th TimeAverageResultsOilRoom temperature35à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½50à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C65à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C80à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½CC61st Time1.151.181.030.720.752nd Time1.151.060.930.810.833rd Time1.251.081.091.010.94th Time1.181.190.960.970.815th Time1.251.140.870.970.82Average1.1961.130.9760.8960.822C81st Time1.591.391.10.990.82nd Time1.711.311.211.080.933rd Time1.611.491.11.10.944th Time1.811.511.121.230.985th Time1.541.561.151.090.89Average1.6521.4521.1361.0980.908C101st Time2.141.861.441.611.042nd Time2.171.881.551.140.973rd Time2.131.841.51.161.014th Time1.192.011.491.121.015th Time2.321.991.541.150.98Average1.991.9161.5041.2361.002C121st Time2.71.921.571.1612nd Time2.672.181.661.251.053rd Time2.672.011.631.150.974th Time2.811.961.641.151.025th Time2.691.951.621.291.1Average2.7082.0041.6241.21.028C161st Time4.813.362.772.491.812nd Time4.713.362.792.221.563rd Time4.923.562.682.431.644th Time4.753.523.142.311.575th Time4.93.613.082.421.74Average4.8183.4822.8922.3741.664AnalysisFrom my table and graph I can see that

Authentic Journey Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

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'Is George W. Bush the Worst President in American History' Essay

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