NATIONAL:
1. Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024
Why in news – The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024 was introduced in Lok Sabha.
Key Points –
• The Bill aims to prevent “unfair means” in order to “bring greater transparency, fairness and credibility to the public examinations system”.
• Section 3 of the Bill lists at least 15 actions that amount to using unfair means in public examinations “for monetary or wrongful gain”.
• Unfair means include leakage of question paper or answer key, taking possession of question paper or an OMR response sheet without authority, tampering with the computer network etc.
• Section 2(k) of the Bill defines a “public examination” as any examination conducted by a “public examination authority” listed in the Schedule of the Bill or any “such other authority as may be notified by the Central Government”.
• The schedule lists five public examination authorities – UPSC, SSC, RRBs, IBPS, National Testing Agency (NTA), common University Entrance Test (CUET), etc.
Section 9 of the Bill states that all offences shall be -
(a) Cognizable (arrest without a warrant)
(b) Non-bailable (bail will not be a matter of right, magistrate will determine on bail)
(c) Non-compoundable (case cannot be withdrawn by the complainant).
• Punishment for “any person or persons resorting to unfair means and offences” can be three to five years in prison, and a fine up to Rs 10 lakh.
Need for Such bill –
• There were at least 48 instances of paper leaks in 16 states over the last five years.
• The leaks touched the lives of at least 1.51 crore applicants for about 1.2 lakh posts.
• Malpractices in public examinations lead to delays and cancellation of examinations, adversely impacting the prospects of millions of youth.
• At present, there is no specific substantive law to deal with unfair means adopted or offenses committed.
• This would aid States in preventing the criminal elements from disrupting the conduct of their State level public examinations.
2. CBSE Credit System
Why in news – The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is planning to implement creditisation in Classes 9, 10, 11, and 12.
Key Points –
• Creditisation aims to establish academic equivalence between vocational and general education as proposed by the 2020 National Education Policy (NEP).
• To implement this, the University Grants Commission had come up with the National Credit Framework (NCrF) in 2022.
• NCrF is a unified credit framework for the integration of training and skill development into schools and higher education.
• As per the CBSE plan, an academic year would be made up of 1,200 notional learning hours, which would translate to earning 40 credits to be declared ‘pass’.
• Eventually, the student will earn enough credits to be eligible to enroll in an undergraduate program in a university.
INTERNATIONAL:
1. Northern Ireland Standoff
Why in news – The new first minister, Michelle O’Neill, has created history as Northern Ireland finally got a functional government on February 3, 2024.
Key Points –
• For two years Northern Ireland’s Parliament was paralyzed over new trade rules between the European Union and the United Kingdom necessitated by Brexit.
Why was Northern Ireland’s government not working?
• After the UK (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) left the European Union, Northern Ireland now shared a land border with an EU member, the Republic of Ireland.
• Since the EU and the UK have different product standards, border checks would be necessary before goods could move from Northern Ireland to Ireland.
• However, given the history of violence here, it was decided to leave this border alone, and checks were introduced between Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) and Northern Ireland instead. This was called the Northern Ireland Protocol.
• This system angered the unionists (loyal to the British crown), who believed it undermined Northern Ireland’s position with the UK.
• Thus, unionists refused to allow government formation after Northern Ireland went to polls in May 2022, and did not allow Stormont (Parliament buildings in Belfast, Northern Ireland) to function.
• Windsor Framework (February 2023) was introduced to resolve the problem. But these measures were far too little.
Safeguarding the Union –
• Now, a new deal has been reached, published as a command paper called ‘Safeguarding the Union’.
• Its three main points include –
(a) UK Internal Market channel (green lane - checks and customs paperwork have been reduced further).
(b) Internal Market Guarantee (at least 80% of Great Britain to Northern Ireland goods will pass through green lane).
(c) UK government will extend a £3.3 billion package to help Northern Ireland’s finances.
2. Luang Prabang Dam
Why in news – A multibillion-dollar dam project underway across the Mekong River in Laos has prompted concerns that it could result in Luang Prabang city losing its UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
Key Points –
• According to legends, Buddha once rested in Luang Prabang city during his travels.
• It has a mix of historic Laotian and French colonial architecture.
• It sits on a peninsula at the confluence of the Mekong and the Nam Khan rivers.
• Once completed, the project is expected to displace more than 500 families and impact 20 villages.
• Mekong river drains into the South China Sea south of Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam).
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES:
1. GHAR (GO Home and Re-Unite) Portal
Why in news – NCPCR launched GHAR (GO Home and Re-Unite) portal for restoration and repatriation of child.
Key Points –
• National Commission for Protection of Child Rights works under the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• GHAR portal digitally monitor & track restoration and repatriation of children as per Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
ECONOMY:
1. General Government Debt
Why in news – The current government will end its term with overall public debt in excess of 80% of India’s GDP at current market prices.
Key Points –
• Government debt is basically the outstanding domestic and foreign loans raised by the Centre and states.
• It also includes other liabilities e.g., small savings schemes, provident funds and special securities issued to the Food Corporation of India, fertilizer firms and oil marketing companies on which they have to pay interest and the principal amounts borrowed.
• As per the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act 2003, the general government debt was supposed to be brought down to 60% of GDP by 2024-25. The Centre’s own total outstanding liabilities were not to exceed 40% within that time schedule.
• However, Centre’s outstanding debt 56% of GDP in 2024-25.
• In absolute terms, the Centre’s total liabilities has more than doubled from Rs 90.84 lakh crore to Rs 183.67 lakh crore between 2018-19 and 2024-25.
• The main result of debt levels building up is the Centre’s interest payments. India’s interest-to-GDP ratio is 3.6% in 2024-25.
How can debt be reined in?
• Fiscal consolidation –
(a) The FRBM Act envisaged limiting the Centre’s gross fiscal deficit to 3% of GDP by 2020-21.
(b) The Modi government has opted for a new broad “glide path” of fiscal consolidation under which it aims to attain a fiscal deficit-to-GDP ratio of “below 4.5%” by 2025-26.
• Denominator effect - Government debt and fiscal deficits are usually quoted as ratios to GDP at current market prices. That being so, high nominal GDP growth – the denominator rising faster than the numerator – can go some way in solving the government’s debt problem.
SCIENCE – TECH:
1. GRAPES-3 Experiment
Why in news – It discovered a new feature in the cosmic-ray proton spectrum at about 166 tera-electron-volt (TeV) energy.
Key Points –
• GRAPES-3 (Gamma Ray Astronomy PeV EnergieS phase-3) is designed to study cosmic rays with an array of air shower detectors and a large area muon detector.
• Muons are subatomic particles raining from space. The muon was discovered as a constituent of cosmic-ray particle “showers” in 1936.
About GRAPES-3 Experiment -
• It is located Ooty in India.
• It started as a collaboration of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India and the Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan.
FESTIVALS:
1. Surajkund International Crafts Mela
Why in news – The President inaugurated the 37th Surajkund International Crafts Mela at Surajkund, Haryana.
Key Points –
• It showcases the richness and diversity of the handicrafts, handlooms and cultural fabric of India.
• In 2013, the fair was upgraded to an international level.
• Partner Nation – Tanzania.
• Theme State – Gujarat.
• Cultural Partner - North-Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation.
BIHAR:
1. Bihar Laghu Udyami Yojana
Why in news – CM Nitish Kumar launched the Bihar Laghu Udyami Yojana.
Key Points –
• Under it, financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each would be provided to over 94 lakh families identified as ‘poor’ in the statewide caste survey report.
• Rs 2 lakh will be provided in three instalments (25% + 50% + 25%).
• With this, they can start their own business or small enterprises.
• It has been launched for five years.
• The applicant should be between 18 and 50 years of age.
• The applicant’s family total income should not be more than Rs6,000 per month.
2. Investor Friendly Policies
Why in news – Bihar government has rolled out investor-friendly policies for investments in the power and renewable energy sectors.
Key Points –
• Three basic requirements for setting up the industries - land, water, and electricity – are available in plenty in Bihar.
• Bihar 3,000 acres of industrial land bank, 24 lakh square feet of plug & play facility on low monthly rental, 75 industrial areas with good water and power supply
and 1,176 functional units on BIADA land.
• Bihar has a robust power infrastructure that can supply more than 7,000 MW.
• Bihar is supplying electricity for 23.5 hours in urban areas and uninterrupted 24 hours in dedicated feeders for industries.
• In the coming 10 years, there is going to be large scope of growth in power sector like manufacturing of electrical transformer, low-tension cable, metering transformer oil etc.
• On top of it, Bihar has a huge consumer base.
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