India tops in sending engineers to the US: Report..!!

Among Asian countries, India continues its trend of being the top country of birth for immigrant scientists and engineers to the US, says a latest report, adding that with 950,000 out of Asia's total 2.96 million, India's 2013 figure represented an 85 percent increase from 2003.

Overall, the number of immigrant scientists and engineers in the US has risen to 18 percent from an earlier 16 percent and 57 percent of those were born in Asia.

From 2003 to 2013, the number of scientists and engineers residing in the US rose from 21.6 million to 29 million.

This 10-year increase included significant growth in the number of immigrant scientists and engineers, from 3.4 million to 5.2 million, said the report from the National Science Foundation's National Centre for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES).

In 2013, 63 percent of US immigrant scientists and engineers were naturalised citizens, while 22 percent were permanent residents and 15 percent were temporary visa holders.

"Also since 2003, the number of scientists and engineers from the Philippines increased 53 percent and the number from China, including Hong Kong and Macau, increased 34 percent," the report added.

The NCSES report found that immigrant scientists and engineers were more likely to have earned post-baccalaureate degrees than their US-born counterparts.

In 2013, 32 percent of immigrant scientists reported their highest degree was a master's (compared to 29 percent of US-born counterparts) and 9 percent reported it was a doctorate (compared to 4 percent of US-born counterparts).

"The most common fields of study for immigrant scientist and engineers in 2013 were engineering, computer and mathematical sciences and social and related sciences," the findings showed.

Over 80 percent of immigrant scientists and engineers were employed in 2013, the same percentage as their US-born counterparts.

Among the immigrants in the science and engineering workforce, the largest share (18 percent) worked in computer and mathematical sciences, while the second-largest share (eight percent) worked in engineering.

Three occupations -- life scientist, computer and mathematics scientist and social and related scientist -- saw substantial immigrant employment growth from 2003 to 2013, the report said.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering.

No Sentiments For KCR..!!

Following the untimely death of MLA Kishta Reddy (Congress) due to a heart attack last year, his constituency of Narayankhed in Sangareddy has fallen vacant.

The election commission has now announced that the by-election will be held on February 13. Normally, the tradition is that when a sitting MLA dies, then the party to which he belonged would get an opportunity to get its candidate elected unanimously.

But KCR has said that the TRS would contest the by poll, forcing the hand of the TDP as well. This may be a wise decision by KCR but is it the right thing to do?

As the TRS already has a majority in the Assembly, does it need to contest this by poll as well? If he goes about things this way, KCR will end up making more enemies than he can handle in future.

Everything seems hunky dory when the going’s good, but when the bad time starts, it tends o be a windfall of calamities.

Jaya Puts Modi In A Spot..!!

Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalitha has cleverly put the NDA government and Modi in a spot of bother over the Jalikattu issue.

It is known that the Supreme Court has given a stay order on Jalikattu despite the Center according permission for the same.

Now Jayalalitha wants the center to pass an ordinance permitting Jalikattu thereby paving the route for it.

If the Modi government goes to the extreme of passing an ordinance, they will be criticized for having mocked a Supreme Court judgement. Besides, it will be Jayalalitha who will walk away with the credit.

On the other hand, if they don’t, then their attempts to strengthen themselves down South in states, like Tamil Nadu and AP will receive a setback.

Jayalalitha can always play to the gallery saying that the NDA was responsible for Jalikattu not being allowed.

Either way, she wins! It’s like giving special status to AP. If they do, Naidu will walk away with the credit, if they don’t, then Naidu can use it against them.

Fact Sheet: Neither Can Be Trusted..!!

KTR says he will resign from the Cabinet if his Party fails to win more than 100 seats in the GHMC polls.

Revanth Reddy has accepted the challenge saying that there is no way TRS will win 100 seats. He is willing to go into political oblivion if the TRS actually reaches the 100 mark.

Fact of the matter is, neither politician can be trusted for the simple reason that politicians cannot be trusted at all.

KTR’s dad said that he would make a Dalit as the first Chief Minister of Telangana. And Revanth Reddy’s recent cash-for-vote scandal does not paint him in a good light either.

Therefore, even if TRS wins more than a 100 or less than a 100, what we can be assured of is both KTR and Revanth Reddy hanging around on the political scene.

Sachin Tendulkar recalls near-death experience from school days..!!

Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar on Wednesday recalled a scary experience which he underwent during his school days while crossing the rail tracks here. The former India batsman was speaking at the launch of two initiatives by the Mumbai Railway Police

"Right from the age of 11, I travelled by trains in Mumbai. When I travelled, I had a kit-bag. I have also experienced jostling, being pushed in and out of trains...these experiences will stay with me," Tendulkar said. "In school, I had gone to Vile Parle to a friend's place. We -- five or six boys -- had practiced in the morning and had gone to his place for lunch. 

Then we decided to watch a movie. After watching the movie, we got late for practice and hence we decided to cross railway tracks and go to the platform, and board the train at Dadar," he added. The 42-year-old talking about the horrific incident said, "While crossing the tracks, halfway, we realised that trains were coming fast on all the tracks. 

We ended up crouching on our knees in between the tracks with our kits. That was a scary experience and then onwards we never crossed train tracks." Tendulkar also urged all rail commuters not to sit on train roofs and to avoid travel if the train is crowded. "I feel in today's world every minute matters, there is competition everywhere. I feel, a lot of time (the thinking is) if we cross railway tracks, then we will reach quicker, there will be benefit of five minutes instead of crossing the bridge while going to the other platform. 

These are small things -- one, you are breaking the law, and you are risking life for five minutes," he said. "Your family and friends are waiting for you back home and if you reach there five minutes later it really does not matter. It is important to be there, safe and sound, rather than be in hospital. I will request: do not sit on the train roof and travel if the train is crowded. Everyone is hard pressed for time, but still (I ask you), leave that train, be patient and do not break rules," Tendulkar said.

Airfare war: IndiGo sells tickets at Rs 806 only..!!

Steaming up the airfare wars, India's biggest carrier, IndiGo has announced special fares as low as Rs. 806 (all-inclusive) on domestic flights.

As per the offer, the bookings will remain open from January 13 to January 15, 2016 and the travel must be commenced and completed between February 3, 2016 and April 12, 2016. Sources say, the sharp fall in aviation fuel might be the reason for a drop in airfares.

Earlier, many domestic air carriers have come up with several discount offers to lure in their customers. The budget carrier GoAir offered fares as low as Rs. 601 as part of a promotional offer. SpiceJet put on sale many seats with fares starting as low as Rs. 716 (excluding taxes) as part of its 'New Year Sale'. Budget air-taxi AirAsia India also offered tickets as low as Rs. 899 (all inclusive) as part of its New Year promotional scheme.

Last year domestic flights carried at least 610 passengers to and fro, marking a 20 percent jump compared to the previous years.