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30 August 2018 - 19:25, by , in Uncategorized, No comments

Due to the increased number of vehicles on the roads, the traffic hazards in India have grown considerably. If you are driving in Delhi, you ought to be careful from the overgrown grasses, shrubs, and trees which occupy more than half of the pavement, road signs, it gets difficult to see the pedestrians and animals crossing the road, you need to be careful in order to avoid any kind of accident.

While driving on the roads of India, you will come across the dug up roads which leads to many accidents. So basically in India the road trip is certainly not a smooth ride, it is a kind of roller coaster ride, because you actually drive through the dug up roads. This situation even gets worse during the rainy season. While travelling in India, you will observe that there are no timely repairs and no investment is done, in order to improve the conditions of the road.

Mostly the drivers in India are unskilled and untrained, some even drive vehicles after consuming alcohol, and this is one important reason of the frequent accidents in India. Also there are no rest areas for long distances, so the driver tends to drive continuously, he gets tired, fatigued, starts driving carelessly and this also sometimes lead to accidents.

People in India, do not use safety belts in the cars, use of helmets for two wheelers is also not a compulsion, so all these issues can actually get very severe. It is very important to wear the seat belts and helmets while driving, because in worst circumstance if you meet with an accident, your chances of survival are still there.

You get to see stray animals on the roads which acts as a hazard and if by chance, you run into them it may lead to a major accident because such things affects the concentration of the driver. People do not follow the traffic signals, pedestrians cross the roads at their own will, there are no traffic signals for them. Use of cell phones while driving is also a major hazard and hence if you want to take a call, you should always come to a standby, attend the call and then only proceed further.

30 August 2018 - 18:32, by , in Living in India, No comments

Unlike most parts of Europe and America, the Indian public transport is mainly based on buses followed by taxi and auto-rickshaw. The down town areas are supported with railway services whereas rapid transit and trams are increasingly developing. Unfortunately, these facilities are not within easy access and one has to live in major cities to enjoy a sound transport infrastructural support.

Let us take a brief review on each of the main public transport options available in India along with its major pros and cons.

Bus Services:

This transport option offers a cost effective way to travel inside and within cities. The fair is cheap but so is the quality of the seats and vehicle. If you are inclined to use Indian bus services, make sure to know their routes beforehand. Also, this public transport comes in access of all making it an overcrowded transport option. Ensure to keep your belongings in a safe place and zipped up, while using public bus transport.

Taxi & Rickshaw:

Do not be surprised to see an Ambassador or Premier Padmini car converted into a Taxi. Hiring a taxi depends on your location as in some areas like Hyderabad – the taxi service is only hired over the phone while in places like Mumbai – it can be hired on the street. Ensure to hire a taxi that has a functional meter. There are extra charges for luggage and late night trips. Also, there are areas where the taxi fare in not regulated and people prefer to share a taxi and divide the cost. This public transport makes sense if cost is not an issue and comfort is on top priority. It is best not to share taxis with strangers especially in the downtown regions.
Rickshaw is the most popular though hardly convenient ride in India. Most of the rickshaws are open air and shared. The traffic, pollution and noise are more likely to drain your energy even before you reach your desired destination. Use this public transport for shorter distances. Agree on the fair beforehand and give the amount agreed only. Some rickshaw drivers tend to go overboard with the fare by overcharging foreigners so haggle freely and without shame.

Railway:

These are limited in numbers and access in the sub-urban India. The rapid transit in form of Kolkata Metro, Delhi Metro and Namma Metro present a viable and comfortable option of travelling within the city. The issue is mere availability but considering its demand, the Indian government is allotting substantial funds for its infrastructural development.

Tip:

It is best not to carry important documents, significant cash or other valuables while using public transport options in India.

30 August 2018 - 18:28, by , in Uncategorized, No comments

Open markets across India basically refers to the operations which are carried by the central bank and is responsible for either increasing or decreasing the money supply. Different countries from all across the world try their level best to explore the opportunities in the open markets across India. Like for example, ZTE which is a very popular Chinese handset vendor recently launched the data cards in India. People all across the world consider India as a good open markets which would certainly give them profit in the long run.

India is basically developing at a rapid pace as an open markets economy. Also the Reserve Bank of India recently has made a decision in which it will be infusing many million dollars via the open markets in order to improve the liquidity conditions of the country. Open markets economy is the need of the hour. Open markets economy would certainly be very useful for the country.

The entrepreneurs actually can enjoy full freedom in this open markets, where there is no control of the government over the business as a matter of fact. The industrialists or the business people have the freedom of arranging their own finance from either the individual parties or if need be they also have the freedom of borrowing money from any financial organization. Once the businessman arranges the finances, he is then all set to roll out his business in the market and he will make sure that he works hard, so that his business runs in profit.

Nowadays in the Indian economy, the manufactures have a healthy competition with each other and ultimately all the goods and service are thus sold at a competitive price. The businessmen can work on their own terms and conditions, they are not answerable to anybody and they can even invest money wherever they think it will be profitable for them in the future, but in spite of all these facts they will certainly pay the applicable tax and then they can think of reinvesting the money in their business by actually keeping aside some funds which they might require in the crisis situations.

30 August 2018 - 18:13, by , in Uncategorized, No comments

How to Study – Study Guide for SAT

High school students consider varied “how to study – study guide for SAT” options in the middle or end of their school days. In United States and many developed countries, you will be required to pass the SAT as the standardized test for college entry. According to latest statistics the number of people appearing for SAT is increasing while the average score per person is decreasing. The number one reason for such a decline is wrong approach to study and take SAT.

SAT is basically a general mental ability tester that can be passed easily if studied with a study plan in mind. Here is how you can approach your SAT test.

Understand “how to study – study guide subsections”:

SAT is divided into three sections namely mathematics, critical reading and writing. As a student it is vital for you to understand your strong and weak academic abilities. A pre-SAT analysis can be done by looking at your school exams and similar online training courses can be taken to improve areas of concern. For example, if you think that your mathematical skills are not that high; consider taking a couple of short online SAT courses that will familiarize you with the layout and type of questions asked in SAT. The layout and scoring scheme is uniform for each section with a total score of 2400 points.

Improvise “how to study – study guide subsections”:

From memorizing SAT math equations to utilizing the test time in the best possible way, you can improvise you SAT score by concentrating on each section one at a time. Like other mental ability tests, SAT is a highly repetitive test which makes its preparation all the easier. However, it will test your college readiness on different scores. So, improve by asking yourself

• How strong is your English vocabulary?
• How much time can you allot to one section?
• How much guess-work can you do during the exam?
• Do you put in 100% concentration while reading SAT critical reading section?
• Do you get carried away while writing critical writing analysis?

Remember that time is of the essence here. The more you can learn how to manage time in-between the three sections the more you will be able to score. Never leave a question, fill in the blank or multiple choice question unattended. If you do not know the answer, simply make a guess. Better to take a chance than to fail.

Go Prepared:

On the day of SAT test, go prepared. Do not oversleep, set your alarm and pack yourself the following things:

• SAT photo identification
• SAT test accessories like a pencil, eraser, scientific calculator, a watch and SAT admission ticket.

Interested in passing SAT with flying colors? Click xxxxxxx to get more details on a quick and widely practiced “how to study – study guide for SAT”.

25 August 2018 - 16:51, by , in Uncategorized, No comments

In India, when you are hiring a taxi you need to very careful because the travel companies generally temper their odometers which leads to the increase in price between 7% to 20%. So the taxi’s in India is an expensive option for commuting, the taxi’s are not even properly maintained and the drivers are not well trained as a matter of fact.

If you are travelling to Delhi, you have two options for hiring a cab, first one is from the local taxi operators and the other is the Radio cabs. If you decide to hire a taxi from the local operators, this is somewhat a cheap option, but again this is not a reliable option as such. If you are travelling a distance of approximately 80kms in a day, then you should be expecting a bill of around 700 to 900 rupees/15 to 17 dollars.

If you go with the second option of radio cabs, then their charges is on the per km basis and if by chance you get stuck in your work , the cab is waiting for you, for more than 15 minutes, then a fixed amount of money will be charged for the waiting time. This option is reliable and safe, the drivers are well trained, and they will generally take a shorter and the best route. All these taxis are traced by the GPS, so their fare is also fixed, you can be rest assured that you are paying the right price, but you will have to book the taxi at least 1 or 2 hours in advance.

Some of the important radio cab numbers are

Quick cabs- +91-11-45333333

Easy cabs-+91-11-43434343

Mega cabs -+91-11-41414141

Meru Cabs-+91-11-44224422

In India, finding a cab is not a problem apart from the radio cabs, the metered cab’s are parked on the streets only and no prior booking is required, you can also find taxi’s at the taxi stands. There are certain car rental places, which will send the taxis to your place once you give them a call. But if you want a taxi either at the airport or railway station, then in order to get the best deal, you should look for pre-paid taxi booths, where you are actually supposed to pay a stipulated amount before you board the taxi. In this case you do not pay the taxi driver directly. Be sure to take a reliable taxi and pay right price for the fare.

25 August 2018 - 16:45, by , in Uncategorized, No comments

In a previous post we discussed the various forms of bank accounts that a non-resident Indian can maintain during his stay in India. We also discussed Non-Resident External (NRE) account that is exempted from tax on income earned. The question is whether other incomes in form of salary, pension, gratuity etc are also exempted from Income Tax for a non-resident Indian? The answer is – it depends.

Taxation rules in India can be highly intimidating. You need to have a full grasp of what you are getting into in order to file for your income tax returns. That is why it is highly recommended to get the following documents as soon as possible after landing in India for the purpose of long term work and accurate taxation procedures.

• Registration with the “foreigner’s regional registration office” within first 14 days from arrival
• Stamped residency permit
• A PAN especially where you are an inbound expatriate earning salary and other income inside India

Taxation Rules for Expats in India:

A significant percentage of human resource working in India comes from foreign land. Their salary and other compensation can be fully paid by a foreign employer and it could be partially shared with a resident Indian employer. In case of the latter, the issues of taxation may arise.

• Firstly, you need to check your stay in India during any fiscal year. As an expatriate working in India, you will be liable to pay  if your stay increased the stipulated 183 days during April 1 to March 31 of any financial year.

• Secondly, you need to check the origin of salary due, received or accrued in India by a resident Indian employer. Income generated within India by providing services to a resident Indian, is generally taxable.

• Thirdly, you need to check income other than salary which is due, received or accrued in India such as provident fund increments and pension increments. Other income generated within India by providing services to a resident

Indian is also taxable by law.

For expatriates trying to get a permanent residency status in India the tax exemption terms vary accordingly. The best way to go about submitting your income tax returns in India would be through consultation with professional help. An expert tax management agency will help you understand the taxation laws taking away the frustration and fulfilling the legality of Indian taxation procedures. Visit http://www.gti.org/Services/Tax-services/Expatriate-tax/Expatriate-tax-ebook/India.asp and other similar links to get up to date information on tax laws and regulations for expats working in India.

24 August 2018 - 17:22, by , in Uncategorized, No comments

Living in India will give you firsthand experience on many Indian festivals. The celebrations of Nag Panchami are relatively short scaled but still as expatriate, it would be natural for you to be inquisitive about the whole affair. Also known as the “snake festival”, Nag Panchami is most luxuriously celebrated in the rural parts of India like Maharshtra, West Bengal and South India. There is a public holiday in all states of India except Goa on Nag Panchami.

Festival Etiquettes for Nag Panchami

So, if you are not living in Goa you will probably see a host of women worshipping Nagas by visiting the nearest ant hill on Nag Panchami. Traditionally the married women pray for the well-being of their family to the Snake God – Nag. However, the prayers are not restricted to women alone and anyone can pray to Snake God by either going to the snake’s home or by visiting the nearest temple. While visiting a temple or an Indian household on the day of Nag Panchami, care should be taken in following the below festival etiquettes.

•Enter the house or temple without shoes. Indians consider feet dirty and unhygienic. Entering with your shoes on is considered impolite and ethically incorrect especially during religious prayers.

•Quietly offer prayers by following what locals do. You will see many non-locals visiting temples during Nag Panchami. Milk and rice is offered to snake god lavishly. It is best to watch the prayers progress in silence.

•Do not be afraid of snakes as they will not bite. The snake poison is removed by the Indians prior to festival celebrations.

•Appear properly clothed during Nag Panchami. Your legs and arms should be properly covered as it is considered appropriate for Indian religious occasions.

•Join the festivity by dancing your way to the temple. However, take off your shoes once you reach the temple.

•Join in the festivity by pouring some milk to the snake. Use your right hand for performing all sorts of customs. It is believed that if the snake drinks the milk given, good luck will come your way.

•Expect to be offered left over milk from the snake house and traditional sweets in the temple or an Indian household. This is called “Prasad” – food remains from an Indian prayer – “puja”. Do not decline as it is considered rude to say no to “Prasad”.

10 August 2018 - 18:29, by , in Living in India, No comments

If you are a foreigner staying in India for a considerable period of time, you might just find yourself making a pitstop at the ‘FRRO’ or the Foreigners Regional Registration Office. Depending on the specifics of your stay, you may have to obtain a residence permit from the officials. The process tends to be complicated and may take up a lot of time, making it important for foreign nationals to do some research and prepare for the visit. Once you register, it means you are legally allowed to reside in India and can apply for necessities such as a driving license, PAN card, bank account and even an internet connection.

Here are five important things foreigners need to know before heading to the FRRO:

1) Do I need to register?

The short answer is- it depends on the type and length of the visa and the notification on the visa.

In some cases, the printed Indian VISA may explicitly ask you to register. Otherwise, you need to work out the category you fall into by virtue of the purpose of your visit. If you possess a Journalist, Business or Entry Visa, you need to register in case you plan to make a continuous stay of over 180 days. If you are a foreign diplomat or an OCI cardholder, you do not need to register. Similarly, Tourist Visas ( if your stay exceeds 80 days one will need to register) are not even valid for more than 180 days (in a single visit), so tourists are saved a trip to the FRRO.  If your Visa says Medical, Research, Student, Project or Employment and is valid for at least 180 days, you are required to register regardless of the time period of your visit. It can be less than 180 days and they can ask you to register.

2) Where is the office?

FRROs are located in a number of major cities, including Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Goa, Gurgaon, Kolkata, Kochi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.

In case the area you live in does not have an office, you can always register at the nearest police station, with a Superintendent or Deputy Superintendent of Police. However, it is advisable to travel to an FRRO. Agents are not allowed inside the office. Only persons suffering from medical issues are exempt from appearing personally for registration. Additionally, children under the age of sixteen do not need to register at all. Everyone else must appear in person.

One has to register based on the geographical area of their stay, once cant travel to a FRRO, certain FRRO allow consultant (not agents). People having medical conditions are not automatically exempted, it’s on the case to case basis.

3) What happens at the FRRO?

Once you present yourself at the FRRO, with all the required documents, the officials will register your presence and issue a permit. They will also register a change of address if any. In addition, the same office can be approached for converting or extending particular kinds of Visas. The FRRO also grants exit Visas for people including children born/adopted here, those who are in the process of getting an extension, those who have overstayed their official visit etc. It is important to note that failing to register at the office, if you are required to, is illegal and punishable with prison time and/or a heavy monetary penalty.

The Resident permit at times not issued the same day and additional trip are needed, The extension in FRO (Smaller cities) can take up to 2 weeks for a visa extension. IF one has overstayed then one won’t be allowed to leave the country without an exit visa and can attract, fines, penalties, and even Jail.

4) When should I register?

It is best to register within fourteen days of arrival, especially if you have a Student, Employment or Medical Visa. If you possess a Business or Journalist Visa, you should register within 150 days of landing in India. Knowledge about the specific details of your Visa and country of origin is crucial to figuring out your deadline for registration. For example, Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals need to register within 24 hours of arrival. Afghan nationals can register within fourteen days, but not those who have a Visa valid for thirty days or less. Missing the deadline makes you liable to a fine of INR 1400 which has to be paid when you eventually register.

Registration depends on the type of visa and notification on the passport, the same goes for Journalist visa, Business visa has to register if stay exceeds 180 days on a single visit.

5) Is there a way to make the process faster?

Your cooperation and preparation can make the process a lot smoother and hassle-free. Apply online in case you are eligible for the same, and arrive at the office with all the papers listed on the government website. Most offices take applications from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., after which they only remain open for those already in line. Make sure you arrive well in advance to avoid long queues. You may have to make more than one trip to the office, even if you think you have all the required documents, so be patient.

Lastly, it is important to remember that the staff members at FRROs have a lot on their plate and being polite to them is sure to make everyone’s day easier.

The FRRO and FRO will not accept you without an appointment, no one can visit the FRRO without taking an online appointment and uploading the required documents, it’s completed and its best to engage an immigration company to assist you.

10 August 2018 - 16:20, by , in Living in India, No comments

5 Awkward social situations an expat needs to avoid

An expat behavior is taken as a reflection of their home country(India), Tradition and culture change every few hundred kilometers, listed below are 5 social situations one needs to keep in mind while in India.

1). The Incessant staring:

You step out of your house into any street corner in India, you make yourself vulnerable to constant staring by the locals. In the western countries, staring is frowned upon, but in India, people are curious and they don’t find it odd to stare at a stranger. When someone stares at you, smile at them and move on. Do not engage with them ignore them and move on.

2). Not knowing how to eat with your hands:

As if eating with hands wasn’t difficult enough to learn for the expats, be warned that it would be frowned upon if you eat with your left hand. The left hand is reserved for taking care of your sanitary needs and is generally considered impure. Also, do not shake hands with your left hand either. As per Indians, food is best savored with your hands, you should try it sometime, you might even enjoy it, feel free to ask for cutlery.

3). Dating is not pretty common:

The culture of dating and relationships is pretty new to India and still, in its infancy stages, the moral brigade makes it even more difficult to date freely. Although it’s prevalent in large cities, one of the primary objectives of dating is to find a life partner, so be clear about your expectations.

4). Indians take offense easily:

Majority of the Indians are pretty comfortable in their skin and you can have a mature conversation with them. There are people who take offense to things that are closest to their heart, like cricket, religion and things like that. It may be a good idea to check if its acceptable conversation.

5).Personal space:

In social settings in this country, there is no concept of personal space. There are people everywhere. You have been taught, from childhood, to keep at least an arm’s length away from others so that they don’t make others uncomfortable, this is something completely unheard of in India and not really possible. Ask someone who commutes in the Mumbai local trains daily and you’ll know. This takes getting used to.

18 December 2017 - 10:00, by , in Living in India, No comments

Understanding Hinglish like “he is drinking cigar” or “You want glassy?” may leave you confused and intimidated. The language issues of Hinglish are often the number one adjustment problem for many English speaking Westerners

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