News Digest

National Eligibility cum-Entrance Test to roll out from 2013
The first ever single eligibility-cum-entrance examination for MBBS and post-graduate medical courses, will now be rolled out from 2013. This was indicated by the Union health ministry in a meeting with the Medical Council of India on Friday.

Fewer women having kids in 30s: Study
An analysis of forty years of global marriage and fertility data shows that the real effect of the decline in fertility in India has been a massive decrease in the number of women in their thirties having children. In western and northern Europe, on the other hand, women are more likely to have their first child at 30.

The United Nations Department of Economics and Social Affairs' World Fertility Report released last week presents 40 years of marriage and fertility data for 196 countries. The data illustrates the progress of India's fertility transition, and shows where it stands with respect to the rest of the world.

Robotic surgery to make cataract removal a five-minute affair
NEW DELHI: Cataract surgeries are soon going to be faster and hassle-free. A new technology, which uses laser machines, to operate on cataract patients is being acquired by a select few hospitals.
In this robotic surgery, a femto-second laser machine is docked on to the eye and images of the eye are captured by an imaging system attached to it. The incision of the cornea, opening of the lens capsule and fragmentation of the lens is done robotically. And the process takes less than five minutes.

Drinking water in all govt schools
NEW DELHI: India on Monday crossed a major milestone by being able to provide drinking water in all government run schools, though it took 65 years since independence and a lot of persuasion followed by coercion from the Supreme Court.The bench also said, "It is imperative that all schools must provide toilet facilities. Wherever separate toilets are not provided, parents are reluctant to send their daughters to schools. It clearly violates the girl child's right to education guaranteed under Article 21A of the Constitution."

Source: TOI