Indian Institutes of Technology at Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras, Roorkee and the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore successfully conducted online Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2010 for two out of 21 papers yesterday. Examinations in two subjects, namely Textile Engineering and Fiber Science (TF), and Mining Engineering (MN) were conducted using computers by these institutes. About 1700 candidates were registered for these examinations which were conducted simultaneously in eight cities over two shifts.

This experiment was conducted in GATE 2010 this year for the first time and depending upon the experience, online examination might be repeated on a larger scale in subsequent years. The offline version of the exam in other 19 papers shall be conducted all over the country on Feb 14, 2010.

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To help solve some of the greatest problems our world faces today in poverty, climate change, and economic recovery, over $16 million has been committed to support the rigorous professional training for future leaders in the field of sustainable development. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced it would help establish Master’s in Development Practice (MDP) programs through a global network of more than 20 universities worldwide over the next three years. The first MDP Program was launched by Columbia University’s Earth Institute and the School of International and Public Affairs in 2009. The announcement came today at the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS2010) hosted by TERI University, a partner in the program.

“Increasingly, the concurrent crises of the environment, global health and the economy fully tax our abilities to absorb recent shocks and leave many countries in a downward spiral,” said Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute. “The recovery effort in Haiti makes clear the complexity of the challenge of sustainable development and the need for a new generation of global leaders who take a multi-sectoral approach to problem-solving. The Master’s in Development Practice programs will train leaders to meet these challenges and will foster a global network of universities united in this effort.”

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