Daily Current Affairs for State Exams: 5th July 2021

Daily Current Affairs

United District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2019-20 Report

Why in the News?

Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Union Education Minister released the Report on United Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2019-20 for School Education in India.
As per the UDISE+ report 2019-20, Gross Enrolment Ratio at all levels of school education has improved in 2019-20 compared to 2018-19.
Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) has improved at all levels of school education.

Key Points

Highlights of Report on UDISE+ 2019-20:

In 2019-20, total studentsin school education from pre-primary to higher secondary have crossed 26.45 crore. This is higher by 42.3 lakh compared to 2018-19.
Gross Enrolment Ratio increased to 89.7% (from 87.7%) at Upper Primary level, 97.8% (from 96.1%) at Elementary Level, 77.9% (from 76.9%) at Secondary Level and 51.4% (from 50.1%) at Higher Secondary Level in 2019-20 (from 2018-19).
In 2019-20, 96.87 lakh teachers have been engaged in school education. This is higher by about 2.57 lakh compared to 2018-19.
In 2019-20, the Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR)for primary has become 26.5, PTR for upper primary and secondary has become 18.5 and PTR for higher secondary has become 26.1.
In 2019-20, enrolment of girlsfrom primary to higher secondary is more than 12.08 crore. This is an increase by 14.08 lakh compared to 2018-19.
Gross Enrolment Ratio of girls has increased to 90.5% (from 88.5%) at Upper Primary level, 98.7% (from 96.7%) at Elementary Level, 77.8% (from 76.9%) at Secondary Level and 52.4% (from 50.8%) at Higher Secondary Level in 2019-20 (from 2018-19).
Between 2012-13 and 2019-20, the Gender Parity Index (GPI) at both Secondary and Higher Secondary levels have improved.
Improvement of GPI has been most pronounced at the higher secondary level, which has gone up to 1.04 in 2019-20 from 0.97 in 2012-13.

About Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE):

It initiated in 2012-13 integrating DISE for elementary and secondary education is one of the largest Management Information Systems on School Education.
UDISE+ is an updated and improved version of UDISE.

Main Schemes Related to Education:

Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Program (DHRUV)
NISHTHA – National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement
Education Quality Upgradation and Inclusion Programme (EQUIP)
Deeksharambh
PARAMARSH
Scheme for Transformational and Advanced Research in Sciences (STARS)
Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)
Impactful Policy Research in Social Science (IMPRESS)
SWAYAM PRABHA- DTH Educational Channels
Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS)
National Apprenticeship Promotional Scheme
National Educational Alliance for Technology
Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India’s Developing Economy (STRIDE)
DIKSHA

Source: PIB

6 years of Digital India programme

Why in the News?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the beneficiaries of ‘Digital India’ on the occasion of ‘Digital India’ completing 6 years since its launch.

Key Points

Prime Minister’ Address:

Digital India is a manifestation of a strong Indian that is emerging in the 21st Century.
The youth will continue to take you to new heights due to Digital Empowerment. These will help in making this decade as 'India's Techade'.

Various Schemes of Digital India programme:

Digilocker
e Common Service Centres
PM Svanidhi Scheme
e-Sanjivini scheme
Aarogya Setu
COWIN app for vaccination.
DIKSHA App
e-NAM App

Note:

Under Bharat Net scheme, work is underway on a mission mode to bring broadband internet to the villages.
Through PM WANI, access points are being created so that rural youth can connect with high-speed internet for better services and education.

About Digital India:

Launched on 1 July 2015, by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Digital India is both enabler and beneficiary of other key Government of India schemes.
It ensures the Government's services are made available to citizens electronically by improved online infrastructure and by increasing Internet connectivity or making the country digitally empowered in the field of technology.

Source: PIB

7^thedition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS)

Why in the News?

Recently, the 7^thedition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), a biennial event, was hosted by the French Navy at La Reunion.

Key Points

The Symposium held panel discussions themed on the three IONS working Groups viz., Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), Maritime Security and Information Sharing & Interoperability. The Naval Maritime Foundation (NMF) also participated in the Panel Discussion on HADR.

About Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS):

It is a series of biennial meetings between the littoral states of the Indian Ocean region.
It provides a forum to increase maritime security cooperation, discuss regional maritime issues, and promote friendly relationships among the member states.

Members:

The 24 member nations of the IONS are grouped into four sub-regions: South Asian, West Asian, East African and South East Asian and Australian.
Observers: There are 8 states with observer status.
The symposium was first held in 2008 with India as host.
France has assumed the Chairmanship in June 2021 for two-year tenure.

Important Groupings/Initiatives Associated with Indian Ocean

Region (IOR):

Indian Ocean Commission
Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)
Asia Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC)
Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)

Source: PIB

4 years of the Goods and Services Tax (GST)

Why in the News?

The finance ministry has decided to issue certificates of appreciation to 54,439 GST payers for timely filing of returns and cash payment of the tax, to mark the 4th anniversary of the tax reform GST.
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) will issue certificates of appreciation to these taxpayers.

Key Points

As a result, 54,439 taxpayers have been identified. More than 88% of these taxpayers are from Micro (36%), Small (41%) and Medium enterprises (11%).
More than 66 crore GST returns have been filed so far and lower rates have helped increased tax compliance, adding GST revenues have steadily grown and have been above the Rs 1 lakh crore mark for eight consecutive months in a row.

About Goods and Services Tax (GST):

GST is an indirect tax (or consumption tax) used in India on the supply of goods and services.
It is a comprehensive, multistage, destination-based tax.
Goods and services are divided into five different tax slabs for collection of tax: 0%, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%.
However, petroleum products, alcoholic drinks, and electricity are not taxed under GST and instead are taxed separately by the individual state governments, as per the previous tax system.
The GST, which subsumed 17 local levies like excise duty, service tax and VAT and 13 cesses, was rolled out on July 1, 2017.

About GST Council:

The GST Council is an apex member committee to modify, reconcile or to procure any law or regulation based on the context of goods and services tax in India.
The GST council is headed by the union finance minister.

Source: PIB

Indian Railways’ first movable freshwater tunnel aquarium

Why in the News?

Indian Railway has opened the first movable freshwater tunnel aquarium at the Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna (KSR) Railway Station, Bengaluru (Bengaluru City Railway Station).

Key Points

The aquarium is a one-of-its-kind aquatic park based on the Amazon River concept.
It has been opened by the Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation Ltd (IRSDC) in collaboration with HNi Aquatic Kingdom.
The 12-feet long aquatic kingdom is Indian Railways first paludarium housing myriad flora and fauna.

Source: Indian Express

Odia poet Dr. Rajendra Kishore Panda chosen for 2020 Kuvempu award

Why in the News?

Odia poet Dr. Rajendra Kishore Panda has been selected for the Kuvempu Rashtriya Puraskar 2020.

Key Points

Dr Panda has published 16 poetry collections and a novel.
He was awarded the Gangadhar National Award in 2010 and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1985.

About Kuvempu Rashtriya Puraskar:

Founded in 1992, Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Trust instituted this national annual literary award in 2013 in the name of Kuvempu to recognise litterateurs who had contributed in any language recognised by the Constitution of India.
The award carries a cash award of ₹5 lakh, a silver medal and a citation.

Source: The Hindu

Pushkar Singh Dhami sworn in as new Uttarakhand Chief Minister

Why in the News?

Pushkar Singh Dhami was sworn in as the 11th Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, along with an 11-member cabinet.

Key Points

Pushkar Singh Dhami is Uttarakhand's third chief minister in nearly four months.
Dhami succeeds Tirath Singh Rawat, who resigned recently after nearly four months in office. Tirath Singh Rawat replaced Trivendra Signh Rawat in March 2021.
Dhami is an MLA from the Khatima assembly constituency in the hill state's Udham Singh Nagar district.

Source: The Hindu