National security is the primary objective of the state to survive and grow. It can be achieved through the use of economic power, diplomacy, military power projection and political power. The concern for national security is post-World War-II phenomena developed mostly in the United States, initially focusing on military might, and later including other non-military dimensions. In order to ensure national security, a state needs to possess economic, energy, and environmental security etc. Most important challenges which a nation may face include, political instability, threats to territorial integrity, economic weakness, ecological imbalance, socio-cultural disunity etc. Main internal challenges to national security also come from violent groups active within the country; organized crime, drug paddling, extortions, underworld mafias’ etc. These challenges are met through the use of diplomacy to isolate threats; marshal economic power to facilitate or compel cooperation; maintain effective armed forces, implement civil defense and emergency preparedness measures; use intelligence services to detect and defeat or avoid threats and espionage, and to protect classified information; strengthen cybersecurity; and use counterintelligence services. India faces many domestic challenges to its national security such as rising intolerance between the casts and religious communities, dwindling economic development, right and left-wing militancy, rising scarcity of water resources, increasing unemployment, drug and narcotic smuggling, corruption, riots between religious communities etc. India’s poor education and health sectors can pose grave threat to its national security. Other emerging threats include the cyber-crimes such as hacking and online attacks, financial fraud, data theft, espionage etc. This paper focuses on the new emerging domestic challenges to national security and their possible remedy.

Chandigarh being one of the well-planned cities in the country have attracted the folks of the nearby states to come to the city for better standards of living and improved sources of livelihood. The city in recent past have been developing as an educational and commercial hub. Although the city centre or one can say the planned portion of the city is unchanged and untouched from the rapid transformation with the time but the periphery is not so lucky in this manner. People coming from near and far places get settle in the periphery and they commute on daily basis from the surrounding regions to the city and its periphery. This have resulted in the large-scale development of educational and commercial hubs growing day by day along the major roads connecting the city with its neighbouring towns and villages. Majority of the transformation of agricultural land have occurred along the major roads. Here in the study an attempt has been maid to assess the intensity and direction of the rural land transformation happening in the periphery. For the purposes of the study satellite data is used acquired from Landsat, Indian Remote Sensing Satellite and Google Earth Pro along with other secondary data sources. One-kilometre buffer zone along the Chandigarh – Kharar road falling in Chandigarh periphery is selected. Data for the year 2003 and 2017 is analysed and compared. The results are presented in the forms of maps and figures.

They are perceptions that performance appraisal systems are so efficient and effective in improving employees’ performance and upholding accountability to such an extent that various developed countries are practicing them. However, some now question their success in improving employee performance arguing instead that they weigh heavily toward accountability rather than toward the growth and development of teachers and their teaching practices. This paper therefore explores the effectiveness of the performance appraisal systems on teachers’ professional development and growth in ten selected primary schools in Masvingo District of Zimbabwe. The study employed a mixed method approach using both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Data generation was through an interview guide and a questionnaire using purposive sampling. In all, 30 participants comprising 10 heads of schools and 20 teachers took part in the study. Findings from this study reveal that teachers resent their performance appraisal system because they do not get any value from it. They view it, as an instrument required more by their employer who uses it for accountability purposes in selecting eligible teachers for promotion to deputy head or headship posts. Findings also confirm how the performance appraisal system seemingly fails to contribute to the growth and development of teachers or their teaching practices. School heads are not effective and efficient in implementing the system. These findings suggest that the current performance appraisal system in primary schools is for accountability purposes on the part of the employer and does not in any way address the weaknesses noted on the part of the employee through training and development.