Srinagar's Best Seller draws the line on blues, winds up
'We are shifting to the dry fruits business,' said Saniyasnian, 32, the store's owner with a tinge of sadness in his voice. Two labourers painted its shelves white as all books had been moved out of the shop a few hundred meters from Lal Chowk's iconic clock tower.
The events were a far cry from 2016 when Sani -- as Saniyasnian is referred to fondly -- returned from Pune after his MBA and joined father Sanaullah to help him run the bookstore. It was a thriving business then.
Best Seller was known for its Urdu books with collections of Sahir Ludhianvi, Sir Mohammed Iqbal and Saagar Siddiqui. This was complemented by books on Islami, Sufism and tomes on the Kashmir conflict by local and foreign authors.
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Undo
Sani added English and Russian literature and philosophy to Best Seller's oeuvre, besides Salman Rushdie's books and Harry Potter series. But no wizardry could stave off the blues. Covid struck a lethal blow, confining people to their homes and fuelling online transactions. Sani saw daily sales slump from Rs 35,000 in 2016 to just R 2,000 in 2024.
Desperate to stem the slide, Sani tried a different concept in 2023 -- he started selling books by weight, Rs 250 per kg. He advertised the scheme on Instagram, drawing droves of teenagers and youths. Back then, Sani recalled that two books were popular then -- George Orwell classic
1984
and
Rich Dad Poor Dad
by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter.
Sales picked up for some weeks but lost momentum again. Sani offered 15% discounts on all books. He said this was higher than other bookstores but admitted that online platforms ladled out 20% to 40% rebates.
According to Sani, many people visited his store in recent times for browsing and window-shopping, walking away without making any purchases. Many picked up a book, checked its price and compared it online on their cellphones. 'That's when I saw they planned to buy it online. I can't compete with online platforms,' Sani said.
Mudasir Ahmad, a college lecturer, had trooped into the shop on Monday. Gazing at the empty shelves, he turned to Sani and asked if he could 'wait a year or two'. He cited research that 'more people will be buying books'. Sani just smiled. 'I also loved the store and books. But love alone cannot feed me or my family. Once a bookshop is closed, it is closed. There is no chance of a fresh chapter or a new page,' Sani said.
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Economic Times
12 minutes ago
- Economic Times
New Zealand government proposes replacing NCEA with new national qualifications system
Reuters New Zealand Education Minister Erica Stanford and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announce proposed NCEA replacement during Auckland press conference, outlining new national qualification system for secondary students REUTERS/Tracey Nearmy/File Photo The New Zealand government announced Monday, August 4, it will propose replacing the current National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) with a new qualification system featuring traditional letter grades and mandatory core subjects. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford unveiled the proposal during a press conference in Auckland, citing concerns that the current system fails to meet student and employer needs. Also read: New Zealand aims to double international education market by 2034 "We want every New Zealander to reach their full potential and contribute to a thriving economy, and that starts with our students," Luxon said. "The evidence shows NCEA is not consistent and can be hard to navigate." The proposed changes would eliminate NCEA Level 1 and replace NCEA Levels 2 and 3 with two new qualifications: the New Zealand Certificate of Education for Year 12 students and the New Zealand Advanced Certificate of Education for Year 13 the new system, students would be required to take five subjects and pass at least four to earn each certificate. Assessments would use traditional letter grades (A, B, C, D, E) with scores marked out of 100. The proposal includes mandatory English and mathematics courses for Year 11 students, who would also complete a foundation award test in numeracy and said the government would collaborate with industry partners to develop enhanced vocational training programs aligned with career pathways."While NCEA was designed to be flexible, for many students that flexibility has encouraged a focus on simply attaining the qualification. This has come at the cost of developing the critical skills and knowledge they need for clear pathways into future study, training or employment," Stanford read: New Zealand to expand work hours for international students along with these key changes from November 202 The new qualification system would be supported by a national curriculum for Years 9-13 that specifies learning objectives and timing for each subject. Political parties expressed mixed reactions to the NCEA replacement Leader David Seymour endorsed the changes, noting New Zealand's declining performance in international education rankings. "Over the time that the NCEA has been in place, New Zealand high school students have fallen badly in the OECD's PISA study," Seymour said. "In the early 2000s when NCEA was introduced, New Zealand was often in the top five. Today we are 23rd for maths." Labour education spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime criticized the proposal's timeline and consultation process."Previous rushed overhauls have led to students being the guinea pigs for failed change, like national standards, so we must get this right. Any change must be done with proper sector consultation and be based on evidence that it will lead to better outcomes for all students," Prime education spokesperson Lawrence Xu-Nan opposed the proposal, arguing it represented a regression from student-centered learning approaches. "Today's announcement is another classic case of the Government favouring one-size-fits-all approaches. Our education system is too important to be reduced to a single, rigid framework that will leave many behind," Xu-Nan said. Post Primary Teachers' Association (PPTA) president Chris Abercrombie acknowledged both strengths and weaknesses in the current NCEA system."As a standards-based assessment system that is based on the principle that all students should have opportunities to succeed, be rewarded for what they know, and can demonstrate and fulfil their potential, the NCEA has clear advantages over the previous qualification system, which had a built-in failure rate," Abercrombie said. Also read: New Zealand ends open-plan classroom construction after schools report noise and behavior management issue Universities New Zealand expressed cautious support for the proposed changes while reserving final judgment pending additional details. "We have previously raised concerns that the flexibility of NCEA has led to a focus on simply gaining credits rather than developing deep knowledge and critical thinking needed for students to succeed at a university level," said Universities NZ chief executive Chris Whelan. "This proposal appears to address those concerns." Industry organizations welcomed the government's focus on aligning New Zealand education with workforce chief executive Katherine Rich said the current system fails to provide adequate guidance for students entering various career paths."Whether a school-leaver is heading on to university, an apprenticeship, or directly into work, the education system must offer transparent, reliable guidance to build confidence and inform whatever choice they're making," Rich said. Hospitality NZ chief executive Steve Armitage praised the government's commitment to industry collaboration on vocational programs. 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Indian Express
12 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Could kiwi be the next apple? In Uttarakhand, farmers finally taste success
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Grade A variety of the fruit, weighing between 80 to 100 grams, can fetch up to Rs 300/kg, Grade B between 60-80 grams, up to Rs 200/kg and Grade C below 60 grams up to Rs 80/kg. 'One vine can last up to 50 years. If we apply the law of averages – that is 50 kg/vine going for Rs 200/kg — one plant will give us at least Rs 10,000 worth of fruits. That's 17 lakh/acre,' Pitambar says as he turns the slightly elongated and sweet Allison variety of kiwi in his palm. 'For comparison, the value of the average apple yield is pegged at Rs 14 lakh/acre.' The game of averages India produces five types of kiwis: Hayward, Allison, Bruno, Monty, and Abbot. One plant takes over four years to mature, and can give 50-100 kg/plant. Cultivation is possible in mid- to high-altitude regions between 900 and 1,500 metres above sea level with a temperature not exceeding 35 degrees Celsius. Uttarakhand's kiwi production – currently limited to the districts of Uttarkashi, Bageshwar, and Nainital — is significantly lower than states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Himachal Pradesh. Apart from profit margins, one major reason for its popularity in Uttarakhand could be its exterior –according to farmers and experts, its fuzzy brown exterior and 'tough-looking' skin looks intimidating, and keeps out animals. 'Earlier, boars and monkeys would raid crops and destroy most of it. But kiwi's hard exterior and hairy texture makes it difficult for animals to swallow,' says Pitambar. Another could be the potential for intercropping. For the fruit to grow, vines need to be six metres apart with four metres between rows. For farmers such as Pitambar, it would help them grow other crops – such as turmeric and ginger. In Kanalichina's Pali village, a few kilometres away from Pitambar's farm, Narendra Digari is waiting for his first harvest. 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But he admits to other problems — such as the lack of technical know-how. 'Pollination is difficult in these crops because of the low nectar in the flowers. So, farmers have to do artificial pollination by rubbing flowers. Planting also requires meticulous planning, and the vines need to be pruned regularly to promote optimal growth,' he says. Despite the challenges, farmers continue to remain optimistic about kiwi cultivation. Last December, Pitambar and 17 other farmers from Pithoragarh attended a training programme at the YS Parmar University, and are now calling for similar expertise in the state. 'The (state) horticulture department should also ensure that correct information is broadcast because kiwis demand patience,' he says. A few houses away, Ummed Singh, a school teacher, is making plans to start kiwi cultivation once he retires in a few months. Although the initial cost could make it challenging for small and medium farmers, he believes the fruit could be the answer to the problem of migration in the hills. 'I'm going back to my village for this, and if people are well-informed, this could help farming become sustainable,' he says. Aiswarya Raj is a correspondent with The Indian Express who covers South Haryana. An alumna of Asian College of Journalism and the University of Kerala, she started her career at The Indian Express as a sub-editor in the Delhi city team. In her current position, she reports from Gurgaon and covers the neighbouring districts. She likes to tell stories of people and hopes to find moorings in narrative journalism. ... Read More
Hans India
12 minutes ago
- Hans India
TG emerging as an international handloom hub: Kishan Reddy
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