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Beyond Books: Cultivating Mental Resilience and Emotional Wellbeing for UPSC Success

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The UPSC Civil Services Examination is one of the most coveted and challenging exams in the country. Success in this exam brings immense professional and personal satisfaction. It requires not just knowledge and skills, but also personality traits suitable for a career in Civil Services. Hard work, determination, and perseverance are essential, but the journey often involves overcoming loneliness, immense competition pressure, anxiety, and other psychological challenges. Unfortunately, mental well-being is often overlooked, which can detrimentally affect academic performance and physical health.

The Importance of Mental Health in UPSC Preparation

Mental health is as crucial as academic preparation in the UPSC journey. Stress, anxiety, and other psychological issues can hinder a student’s ability to perform well. Here are additional points to consider:

  1. Holistic Development: UPSC aspirants need to develop not just academically but also emotionally and psychologically. Mental health practices, such as mindfulness and resilience training, contribute to this holistic development.
  2. Long-Term Benefits: Mental well-being practices adopted during UPSC preparation can benefit students throughout their careers. Techniques like CBT, time management, and stress relief can be valuable tools in professional life.
  3. Creating a Support Network: Encouraging students to build a support network of friends, family, and mentors can provide emotional and psychological support throughout their preparation. A strong support network offers encouragement, advice, and a sense of community.
  4. Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: Incorporating mindfulness practices and relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing exercises can help manage stress levels.
  5. Balancing Life and Studies: Striking a balance between academic demands and personal life is crucial. Ensuring time for relaxation, hobbies, and social interactions can prevent burnout and promote sustained effort.

Professional Help and Self-Care

  1. Understanding the Need for Professional Help: Professional counselors can provide strategies and tools tailored to individual needs. They help students understand their stressors and work through them effectively.
  2. Self-Care Practices: Encourage students to engage in self-care activities like regular exercise, healthy eating, adequate sleep, and hobbies. Self-care is essential for maintaining mental well-being and preventing stress-related issues.
  3. Regular Mental Health Check-Ins: Just like physical health check-ups, regular mental health check-ins with a counselor can help identify and address issues before they become severe.
  4. Developing Resilience: Building resilience helps students cope with setbacks and challenges. Resilience training can include stress management techniques, problem-solving skills, and developing a positive outlook.

VisionIAS: Supporting Your Mental Wellness

At VisionIAS, we recognize the multifaceted nature of this journey. To support our students comprehensively, we have established a dedicated Student Wellness Cell. Since April 2024, our highly professional psychologists and experienced professionals have provided confidential and mindful support to students requiring mental health support. Our goal is to ensure that every student has the mental strength to achieve success.

  1. Enhancing Academic Performance: Effective stress management contributes to better academic outcomes. By addressing mental health, students can improve their concentration, memory, and overall performance.
  2. Professional Mental Health Support: Seeking professional help is crucial for success in UPSC preparation. Our psychologists use evidence-based techniques to help students manage stress, anxiety, and other challenges.
  3. Well-Supported Mind for Excellence: Mental well-being is essential for achieving success in UPSC exams. A clear, focused mind can absorb information better and think critically during exams.
  4. Comprehensive Wellness Cell: We address various issues impacting mental health and academic performance, ensuring that students receive holistic support. Our services tackle a wide range of psychological challenges.
  5. Safe and Non-Judgmental Environment: We provide a space for students to discuss issues and receive personalized support without fear of judgment.
  6. Confidential and Structured Support: Our sessions are structured based on the severity of the issues, ensuring thorough and effective support. Confidentiality is a cornerstone of our counseling services.

Common Issues and Their Resolutions

Our counseling services have addressed a variety of issues, including:

  1. Anxiety and Hopelessness: Using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to promote positive thinking and reframe negative thoughts.
  2. Lack of Motivation and Focus: Introducing time management strategies and SMART goal-setting to enhance productivity.
  3. Emotional Struggles: Providing a safe space for expression and techniques such as journaling and progressive muscle relaxation to manage stress and anxiety.
  4. Social Isolation and Loneliness: Encouraging healthy social interactions and setting personal boundaries to balance life and studies.
  5. Family and Personal Issues: Offering advice on coping with family dynamics, personal loss, and significant life stressors.

Expanding Our Reach: Open to All Students

Recognizing the importance and potential impact of these services, VisionIAS is now extending our counseling and wellness support to all students preparing for UPSC CSE, regardless of their coaching institute affiliation or regional backgrounds. You can schedule a session by visiting our front-end office at the Apsara Arcade building near Karol Bagh Metro Station or by emailing us at student.wellness@visionias.in.

Join Us in Ensuring Your Well-Being

We are committed to supporting the student community throughout the UPSC journey, providing the necessary tools and guidance to help you overcome both academic and non-academic challenges. Together, let’s ensure your mental well-being and success.

The journey to cracking the UPSC Civil Services Examination is demanding and can be fraught with various challenges. Mental well-being is a critical component of success in this journey. VisionIAS is dedicated to providing comprehensive mental health support to all students, ensuring they are well-prepared not just academically, but also emotionally and psychologically. By prioritizing mental health, students can enhance their academic performance, build resilience, and achieve their goals.

Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Visit us at: https://visionias.in/

Or Contact us at: student.wellness@visionias.in

Or Call us at: 8468022022, 9019066066

Education

Techno India University Becomes First Educational Institution in India to Be Featured in a Google Cloud Case Study

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 Techno India University, a trailblazer in merging education with cutting-edge technology, has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first educational institution in India to be spotlighted in a Google Cloud case study. This prestigious recognition highlights the university’s groundbreaking implementation of Google Cloud solutions, transforming teaching and learning through digital innovation and reshaping the future of education.

This case study, as it appears on the official Google Cloud platform, demonstrates how Techno India University has grasped the opportunities provided by cloud computing and digital innovation to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes, successfully onboarding 15,000 students to the Google ecosystem in just 20 days. The university embraced tools such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Data Analytics from Google Cloud for the students to learn and actually apply these technologies in real-world settings. That makes an initiative of this kind position the university at the very forefront of transforming education through technology.

Meghdut RoyChowdhury, Chief Innovation Officer, Techno India Group, said, “This recognition by Google Cloud is a testimony of how hard we are working to innovate education through technological upgradation. This partnership has enabled our students to use the cutting-edge tools and best-in-the-business methodologies to make their classrooms innovation labs. We want to arm future generations for the digital economy.”

Being a partner of Google Cloud, this in turn enables the students with hands-on experience in solving complex challenges using the advanced cloud technologies that also bring to students an environment which is about innovative, creative and entrepreneurial cultures. Several success stories that students have undertaken using Google Cloud in order to create impactful solutions are presented here in the case study, reasserting Techno India University as one of the pioneers in education.

Techno India University’s Digital Campus 2.0 on Google Cloud empowers students with specialized training and certifications to thrive in the cloud-first job market. Programs like the Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer equip students with essential skills in deploying, monitoring, and maintaining projects on Google Cloud. Successful completion of the Associate Cloud Engineer exam grants students access to the Google Cloud Career Fair, where they can connect with potential employers. These certifications validate their cloud expertise and unlock exciting career paths in the tech industry.

This milestone illustrates that Techno India University is keen to adopt international best practices and brings the difference between conventional teaching and learning. Techno India University has continued to emphasize adopting digital tools to raise students for the molding of the future of industries around the world.

Techno India University

Techno India University is a premier educational institution in India, known for its commitment to innovation, research, and academic excellence. The university has been at the forefront of integrating emerging technologies into education, preparing students for the global challenges of tomorrow. With a focus on fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and critical thinking, Techno India University continues to set new benchmarks in higher education.

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ITM SLS Baroda University Hosts CRE8-24: A Celebration of Innovation and Science

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ITM (SLS) Baroda University, Vadodara, successfully organized CRE8-24: The Art and Science of Innovation at its university campus on Friday, 4th October. The event witnessed participation from over 1,000 students hailing from more than 30 prestigious schools.

CRE8-24 featured a diverse lineup of activities aimed at promoting science, technology, and innovation among young students. Key competitions included Working and Static Model Displays, Shark Tank Junior, Scavenger Hunt, and a Management Quiz. In addition, workshops on trending topics such as ChatGPT, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Cyber Security, Data Analytics, and Eco-Craft were conducted, providing participants with hands-on learning experiences.

The event was judged by an esteemed panel, including Dr. A. K. Tiwari (Ph.D., IIT-Bombay), Shri Jaimin Desai (Deputy Director, SAC-ISRO), along with other distinguished academicians and senior industrialists from Vadodara.

Students showcased innovative models ranging from robotics, wind turbines, earthquake detectors, water purification systems, to automated irrigation systems. CRE8-24 was designed to ignite a passion for science and innovation at an early age, encouraging students to continue their journey toward making significant contributions to the nation’s progress in these fields.

After a comprehensive evaluation, cash prizes totaling Rs51,000, along with trophies and certificates, were awarded to the winning participants. All attendees received participation certificates.

The event concluded with a closing address by Shri Jaimin Desai, Deputy Director of SAC-ISRO, who expressed his gratitude to the university’s management, congratulated the participants, and extended an open invitation for them to visit SAC-ISRO in Ahmedabad.

University President Shri Kanupriya Singh remarked, “The students have showcased tremendous potential and are ahead of their time in terms of their passion for science and innovation. These students can make a mark on the global stage, provided they are given platforms like CRE8.”

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A New Creative Diwali Book to Unleash Technological Concepts

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Diwali, the Festival of Lights, has transcended cultural boundaries, bringing its warmth and joy to communities worldwide. In a unique celebration of this spirit, Yeeshtdevisingh Hosanee has authored “DIWALI CELEBRATION IN PYTHON,” a groundbreaking book that bridges the gap between technology and traditional festivities.

Since 2009, Yeeshtdevisingh Hosanee has been at the forefront of promoting computer literacy through various self-funded initiatives. Her volunteering projects include financing laptops for programming education to young children, developing an open-source e-ticketing website during the Covid-19 pandemic by volunteering to assist blood donation events and libraries avoidance of COVID-19 long queues, and spearheading Industry Voice 5.0, a global platform encouraging dialogue on the impact of technology on society and the environment.

“DIWALI CELEBRATION IN PYTHON” is Hosanee’s latest book publication, designed to make computer programming accessible and enjoyable for everyone. The 47-page book introduces readers to the similarities and differences between human and machine communication, using practical examples that can be followed with just paper and pencil before transitioning to a computer. The aim of the book is to THINK LIKE COMPUTERS BUT TALK LIKE HUMANS!

Hosanee’s innovative approach encourages the development of written skills, making the book particularly valuable for parents and children who may not have access to computers. “DIWALI CELEBRATION IN PYTHON” is an ideal resource for children aged 8 and above, teenagers, and adults looking to learn the basics of computer programming. The book leverages the metaphor of Diwali to demystify complex programming concepts, using Python as the language of instruction. The will be available for purchase from 21st October 2024, both on www.evincepub.com and through Amazon channels. Additionally, a French translation will also be available for sale by end of October 2024.

“DIWALI CELEBRATION IN PYTHON” promises to be a pioneering work, fostering a deeper understanding of computer programming while celebrating the universal appeal of Diwali. Hosanee’s passion for technology and education shines through in this innovative publication, making it a must-read for anyone looking to explore the intersection of culture and computer science.

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ALIET Marks World Food Day: A Fusion of Community Support and Food Technology Innovation

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Andhra Loyola Institute of Engineering and Technology –  ALIET Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh commemorated World Food Day with impactful community outreach and educational initiatives. The event commenced with a substantial contribution from students and faculty, who collectively gathered a large quantity of rice, dal, sugar, pulses, oil, and other provisions to support families residing in a nearby slum area.

As a mark of innovation, Rev. Fr. Dr. B. Joji Reddy, S.J., Director and Secretary of ALIET, inaugurated an innovative e-food website designed by Roshan and his team from IV – ECE-2. This platform aims to connect surplus food from various events with individuals in need, thereby reducing food waste. Fr. Joji Reddy emphasized the importance of sharing food and extending support to those in need within the community. He also reminded students about the poor who lack food and are homeless, touching upon the joy of giving and sharing. Rev.Fr. D. Balaswamy, S.J,  Assistant Director of ALIET encouraged the student to express his views and opinion on the e-food website. Dr. O. Mahesh, Principal of ALIET greatly appreciated the innovative idea of the student and his team. Dr. K. Prasanthi Jasmine, HoD of ECE along with the student were present for the inaugural ceremony of the e-food website.

The celebration also included a guest lecture organized by the Internal Quality Assurance Cell in collaboration with the Department of Science and Humanities. A speaker with a B. Tech in Biotechnology and a Master’s in Food Technology from KU Leuven – Belgium, discussed the critical role of food technology in minimizing waste and enhancing nutrition. The lecture addressed common misconceptions about the field, highlighting its integration of science and technology to ensure food safety and sustainability.

Focusing on India’s significant post-harvest losses – especially the 31% waste of tomatoes- the speaker advocated for a cultural shift towards accepting processed foods as a practical solution. They introduced the app “Too Good to Go” as a model for reducing waste by facilitating discounted sales of near-expiry food. The event was coordinated by Mr. E. Kalavathi and Mrs. M. Archana, while Dr. Y. Sudhakar, HoD of S&H, reminded the students of the day’s importance. Mrs. N. Dyva Krupa offered valuable feedback on the lecture on behalf of the department.

The events received enthusiastic participation from ALIET students, reflecting the dynamic leadership of Rev. Fr. Dr. B. Joji Reddy, S.J Director and Secretary of ALIET. This celebration not only highlighted the importance of food security but also demonstrated the potential of food technology in addressing global challenges. The faculty and students of ALIET had a wonderful opportunity to share and care for their fellow brethren. Dr. Sr. Candy D’Cunha, IQAC Coordinator, along with her team, expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the management of ALIET for facilitating such an enriching experience at ALIET.

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The Dream of UPSC: A Gateway to Serve the Nation

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For many, the UPSC Civil Services Examination represents more than just a prestigious job—it is a dream, a chance to serve the country, and a way to bring meaningful change to society. The allure of becoming a civil servant, contributing to nation-building, and representing the government in various capacities draws thousands of aspirants each year. This noble pursuit, however, is far from easy and comes with a series of hurdles that test not only one’s knowledge but also mental resilience.

A Journey Filled with Academic and Non-Academic Challenges

When students embark on the UPSC journey, they quickly realize that it’s a long and demanding path. The preparation can span multiple years, involving extensive study across a vast range of subjects. While the academic challenges are widely acknowledged, what often goes unnoticed are the non-academic challenges that can make or break an aspirant’s journey. These challenges add layers of complexity, intensifying the already daunting task of exam preparation. It includes –

  • Fear of Failure: Aspirants invest significant time, resources, and the prime years of their lives—often the most economically viable stage—into UPSC preparation. This creates an overwhelming fear of failure, as the stakes are incredibly high.
  • Stress and Anxiety: The multifaceted nature of the UPSC exam—with its vast syllabus, multiple subjects, and different stages—leads to a great deal of stress and anxiety. Balancing preparation for different stages can overwhelm even the most dedicated students.
  • Lack of Motivation and Confidence: Often, aspirants set ambitious study targets, but when these targets are not met, their confidence can take a hit. This failure to meet self-imposed goals leads to a gradual decline in motivation, making the journey feel even more arduous.
  • Family and Peer Pressure: Aspirants frequently experience unintentional pressure from family members and peers. The constant question of “How is your preparation going?” or seeing others succeed can intensify the sense of urgency and stress.

Mental Resilience: A Key Component of Success

What’s often overlooked in the UPSC preparation journey is that academic goals cannot be achieved without the right mindset and strong emotional health. While mastering subjects like Polity, Economics, or History etc. is crucial, success in UPSC is not just about absorbing information—it’s about how well an aspirant can handle stress, pressure, and uncertainty.

Here’s why focusing on mental resilience is essential for aspirants:

  • Conflict Management: Learning to handle internal and external conflicts is vital. Aspirants must manage disagreements with themselves (like balancing study hours with personal needs) and external pressure (family, peers, or even mentors).
  • Stress and Anxiety Management: Learning to manage stress and anxiety helps maintain clarity and focus, ensuring better retention and decision-making during both preparation and exams.
  • Decision Making and Crisis Management: UPSC isn’t just about acquiring knowledge; it’s about applying it in high-pressure situations. Building crisis management and decision-making skills will help you stay composed during difficult times.
  • Balanced Preparation: A healthy mindset allows aspirants to approach their studies with a calm and focused demeanor, making it easier to handle setbacks and maintain consistent progress.

Thus, mental resilience is not just an add-on; it is an integral part of the preparation strategy. A sound mind is the foundation of sound preparation, and those who develop this aspect are better positioned to handle the inevitable ups and downs of the UPSC journey.

VISION IAS Student Wellness Cell: A Beacon of Support for Aspirants

Recognizing the need for emotional and psychological support in the UPSC preparation, Vision IAS established the Student Wellness Cell to provide a non-judgmental and safe environment where aspirants could openly discuss their struggles, fears, and challenges with trained mental health professionals.

Since its inception, the Wellness Cell has provided counselling to over 700 students. With professional psychologists on board, the cell has been instrumental in helping students to gain access to emotional support, learning techniques to manage pressure, build resilience, and maintain focus during their preparation.

Students can easily connect with the VISION IAS Student Wellness Cell for support by reaching out via email at student.wellness@visionias.in or by calling 9311799223.

Antarbodh: A Step Further

Building on the insights gained from the Student Wellness Cell, Vision IAS introduced Antarbodh—a structured program focusing on psychological well-being and personality development. It is designed specifically for UPSC aspirants to ensure their mental and emotional wellness is prioritized, providing them with necessary tools to better handle the challenges of this journey.

The UPSC journey is demanding, and achieving success hinges not only on academic skills but also on cultivating mental resilience. As the saying goes, “It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.” With the right mind set and emotional well-being, you can navigate the ups and downs of this journey with confidence.

Visit us at: https://visionias.in/antarbodh/

Or Call us at: 8468022022, 9019066066

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