DailyBrief:🏥Students face culture shock at AIIMS Madurai |👀Will Israel retaliate?
AIIMS Madurai students protest about poor infrastructure, not being able to celebrate their festivals and a language war; and all eyes are on Israel as it faces 'to do or not to do' question.
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Market Watch
India's benchmark indices ended in the red. Sensex was down 845.12 points and ended at 73,399.78; the Nifty was down 246.90 points and ended at 22,272.50.
Sectorally, all sectoral indices ended in the red except oil & gas and metal.
Students face culture shock at AIIMS Madurai
AIIMS-Madurai students face severe educational challenges due to inadequate infrastructure and lack of clinical exposure.
The intrigue: AIIMS-Madurai has been temporarily operating from Government Ramanathapuram Medical College and Hospital for three years, lacking basic amenities and practical training facilities, leading to a stark educational deficit for the students.
Students from various parts of India, who expected to train in a well-equipped setup, are now considering transferring to other prestigious institutions to evade the infrastructural stagnation.
The Student Association of AIIMS-Madurai has made formal complaints regarding the academic and clinical shortcomings that affect the 2021, 2022, and 2023 batches.
What they're saying: Students have also complained of unfair treatment by the college authorities, and have alleged that they are not allowed to celebrate their festivals (like Holi), because it is not part of the culture in Madurai.
They have also alleged that they are not able to interact with patients because of the language barrier and that no one from the administration has helped them in this regard.
The students are now holding protests at the campus demanding that they be shifted to other AIIMS campuses to complete their studies.
Why this is damaging for the Centre: The centre has always claimed that the number of AIIMS institutes has significantly increased under the Modi government. For example, during an inauguration, union Home Minister Amit Shah said “In 70 years after independence, only 7 AIIMS were constructed, but during Modi Ji’s tenure, the number of AIIMS in the country has increased 23”. This investigation could open a can of worms.
Of note: It is to be noted that learning the local language is mandatory in medical colleges including in private ones, so it is unclear whether the students' woes stem from not being provided facilities to learn the language by authorities.
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Will Israel retaliate?
Another day, another war has broken out. Israel is already being criticised for its response in Gaza and is refusal to pull its troops out of the territory has now ignited yet another flame.
Why this is significant? This was Iran's direct military attack against Israel.
How did we get here? On 1st April, an Israeli air strike on Tehran's embassy compound in Damascus killed seven officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, including two senior commanders. Israel neither confirmed nor denied responsibility.
Iran responded to this attack by unleashing a barrage of drones and missiles on April 13. Israel claimed to have successfully defended itself and has not yet decided on what its response would be.
But this was not the start of the war between the countries. Iran and Israel's shadow war has seen incidents like the establishment of Hezbollah by Iran in Lebanon in 1982, alleged Iranian-backed bombings in Argentina in 1992 and 1994, and the Stuxnet cyberattack on Iran's Natanz nuclear facility in 2010, alongside targeted assassinations of Iranian scientists and military figures by Israel.
Israel’s war cabinet meeting: The Israeli war cabinet, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is grappling with how to respond to a significant missile and drone attack by Iran, as global leaders urge restraint to prevent further escalation.
Israeli military analysts are divided on the potential impact of the Israeli response to Iran on the ongoing war in Gaza, with some suggesting it might shift focus away from Gaza, while others believe Israel's military capacity allows it to engage on multiple fronts simultaneously.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated that Israel is not seeking war after the Iranian attack, suggesting the need for balance in the situation.
What's Iran saying? Iran's foreign ministry has emphasized the West's need to appreciate Iran's recent restraint and has criticized Western countries for their stance against Iran while accusing them of ignoring what Iran describes as Israeli war crimes in Gaza.
How are Indian markets responding? Tensions between Iran and Israel have heightened concerns about the potential impact on the Indian stock market, as reflected in the recent 1% intra-day decline mirroring global market losses.
Experts believe that India's strong economic fundamentals will mitigate any long-term adverse effects of the Middle East conflict on its indices. Indian stocks with Israel connections, such as Adani Ports, Sun Pharma, Lupin, and others, along with oil marketing companies, may be adversely impacted by Middle East tensions, influencing investor sentiment and market performance.
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