NIRF: IIT Madras tops India Ranking 2023: Overall for the 5th time According to the 8th edition of India Rankings (India Ranking 2023), prepared by Ministry of Education (MoE) based on parameters defined by National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras (IITM), Chennai, Tamil Nadu(TN), has topped the list for the 5th consecutive time.
- IITM is followed by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, Karnataka ranked 2nd and IIT Delhi at 3rd.
- IIT Madras has also topped among the Engineering institutes for the 8th consecutive year.
- IIT Madras is also ranked 2nd among research institutions and ranked 2nd best for Innovation.
Note: featuring 13 categories, India Ranking 2023 of NIRF is the largest in its scope to date.
About NIRF:
i.NIRF was approved by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) (now MoE) and launched on 29th September 2015.
ii.NIRF outlines a methodology to rank institutions across India. The parameters cover Teaching, Learning and Resources, Research and Professional Practices, Graduation Outcomes, Outreach and Inclusivity, and Perception.
- First edition of India Rankings was released in 2016.
About Ministry of Education(MoE):
Union Minister– Dharmendra Pradhan (Rajya Sabha, Madhya Pradesh)
Minister of State(MoS)– Annpurna Devi; Dr. Subhas Sarkar; Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh
MNIT & NDSA signed MoU to set up India’s first-of-its-kind National Centre for Earthquake Safety of DamsThe Malviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT) and the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish India’s first-of-its-kind National Centre for Earthquake Safety of Dams which will focus on studying seismic hazards, developing new dams, and enhancing the protection of existing ones.
- In this regard, MoJS has approved a financial grant of Rs 30 crore for establishing and running the centre for the next 5 years.
Objective of National Centre for Earthquake Safety of Dams
To develop indigenous expertise in addressing technology challenges related to the structural and earthquake safety of dams, thereby making India self-reliant in this field.
What will Centre do?
i.The Centre will work closely with dam engineers, regulators, and policy makers to mitigate the significant threat of earthquake shaking to dam safety.
ii.It will pilot a study of select dams nationwide to develop and revise safety standards along with international collaborations.
iii.It will play a key role in developing new norms for the protection of aging dams.
iv.It will also review the earthquake safety manuals of the Central Water Commission.
About Dam Safety Act 2021:
It should be noted that the Dam Safety Act of 2021 recognized the issue of safety of major dams (beyond State boundaries) as a matter of national importance and priority. It oversees the maintenance and operation of specified dams to prevent disasters.
- With over 5,500 dams in India, including 70 of national importance, the act addresses the risks they pose.
- Notably, the failure of such dams can result in the uncontrolled release of impounded water, leading to adverse consequences for life, property, and the environment.
Participants:
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, MoJS; Central Water Commission’s (CWC) Chairperson Kushvinder Vohra; NDSA Chairperson Sanjay Kumar Sibal; MNIT Director Narayan Prasad Padhy, among others.
‘Lavender Festival’ inaugurated in J&K and Bhaderwah has emerged as the Lavender capital of IndiaOn 4th June 2023, Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology inaugurated the two-day “Lavender Festival” in Bhaderwah Valley, J&K.
- Bhaderwah has emerged as the Lavender capital of India and a prominent Agri-Start-up destination.
- The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)-Aroma Mission, a flagship project of CSIR has been instrumental in promoting lavender cultivation in the temperate regions of J&K.
- The festival has been organised by the CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), and is part of the institution’s ‘One Week One Lab Campaign’.
Key Points:
i. In the Bhaderwah, Doda district of J&K, CSIR-IIIM is supporting farmers in the cultivation of Lavender under CSIR-Aroma Mission.
ii. The primary goal of CSIR-Aroma Mission is to increase the income of small and marginal farmers and foster the development of agriculture-based start-ups.
iii. The CSIR-IIIM has developed its elite variety (RRL-12) and agro-technology of Lavender, and the variety of Lavender is highly suitable for cultivation in the rain-fed temperate regions of India
iv. As part of the mission, the CSIR-IIIM has provided more than 30 lakh free lavender plants to farmers in different districts of J&K.
v. CSIR-IIIM has installed fifty distillation units (45 fixed and five mobile) at different locations across J&K to support the farmers in the processing of lavender.
vi. CSIR-IIIM has been conducted many skill development programs and trained more than 2500 farmers and young entrepreneurs from J&K on Lavender cultivation, processing, value addition, and marketing.
Benefits:
i. The successful adoption of Lavender cultivation in the temperate regions of Jammu by many small and marginal maize farmers has led to the establishment of a new industry around the region.
ii. More than 2,500 farmers are now cultivating lavender in different parts of J&K and Women are primarily employed in the Lavender fields for harvesting and processing the flower, which has increased women’s income.
iii. Many young entrepreneurs have started small-scale businesses through the value addition of Lavender oil, hydrosol, and flowers.
iv. The net annual income of farmers who switched from maize to Lavender cultivation has increased many folds from around Rs.40,000/- to Rs.60,000/- per hectare to Rs.3,50,000/- to Rs.6,00,000/- per hectare.
The media has recognized this initiative of CSIR-IIIM as the “Purple Revolution.”
MoE Minister Dharmendra Pradhan unveils UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) regulations, 2023On June 2, 2023, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Ministry of Education (MoE) released the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023 for the establishment of more quality-focused deemed universities. These will surpass the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations 2019.
- Aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, the new Regulations are built on the principle of a ‘light but tight’ regulatory framework envisioned in the National Education Policy 2020.
How will these guidelines be helpful?
These guidelines will enable the establishment of numerous high-quality deemed to be universities in an objective and transparent manner. The simplified guidelines will encourage universities to prioritize quality, excellence, and enhance the research ecosystem, thereby, transforming higher education in India.
Key Features of UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023:
i.Faculty Strength: The minimum required faculty strength has been increased from 100 to 150.
ii.Corpus Fund: For private institutions, the corpus fund requirement has been increased from Rs 10 crore to Rs 25 crore.
iii.Executive Councils: Deemed universities will now need to establish executive councils similar to those in central universities.
iv.It also include eligibility criteria based on NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) ‘A’ grade or NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) rankings, online application process, distinct institution category, off-campus center setup eligibility, quality monitoring, adherence to statutory body rules, fee concessions and scholarships, Academic Bank of Credits implementation, transparency in prospectus availability, and record maintenance for five years.
v.The regulations prioritize quality and monitoring will be closely monitored by UGC expert committees.
- Failure to rectify identified deficiencies may result in the withdrawal of permission to start new courses or programs.
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Note:
Under the UGC Act 1956, the Central Government has the authority to designate an institution as an Institution Deemed to be University, as if it were a university within the meaning of Section 2(f). Upon declaration, such institution shall be deemed to be a university.
- The first set of Regulations was notified in the year 2010, which were revised in 2016 and 2019.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released Annual Report 2022-23
On May 30, 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released its Annual Report 2022-23, a static report of the Central Board of Directors on the working of the RBI for the year ended March 31, 2023 (i.e. FY23) submitted to the Central Government in terms of Section 53(2) of the RBI Act, 1934.
Highlights of the RBI’s Annual Report:
Domestic Growth: According to the second advance estimates (SAE) of national income released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) the Indian economy is expected to have recorded a growth of 7.0% in real GDP in FY23 from 9.1% in FY22.
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): According to the RBI annual report, the Total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows into India reached a three-year low of USD 46 billion in FY23 compared to USD 58.8 billion in FY22.
Rise in RBI’s total income in 2022-23 by 47.06%:
i.RBI’s balance sheet increased by 2.5% for the year ended March 31, 2023. While its income for the year increased by 47.06% to Rs 2.35 lakh crore, the expenditure increased by 14.05% to Rs 1.48 lakh crore.
SpaceX Launches 22 second generation Starlink ‘V2 Mini’ satellites
On 4th June 2023, SpaceX launched Falcon9, a two staged rocket carrying 22 second generation starlink satellites, known as “V2 Mini” to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, the United States of America (USA).
- This was the 3rd launch and landing for this Falcon 9 first stage booster, which previously launched Crew-6 and SES O3b mPOWER missions.
- The second generation Starlink satellites equipped with more powerful phased array antennas and the utilisation of E-band for backhaul, allows each satellite to provide approximately four times more connectivity than the earlier generations.
- By using the Starlink satellite network, SpaceX aims to create a low-latency, high-speed internet network throughout the world.
Chinese astronauts returned Earth after six-month stint in space station
On 4th June 2023, Chinese astronauts, Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu, returned to Earth on board the Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship after completing their 6-month mission to build China’s Tiangong space station. Shenzhou-15 touched down at Dongfeng landing site in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
- Manned spaceship Shenzhou-15 was launched on November 29, 2022.
- They have conducted spacewalks and a variety of scientific experiments at Tiangong space station.
- These 3 were replaced by the three astronauts Jing Haipeng,Zhu Yangzhu and Gui Haichao who flew to the space station onboard Shenzhou-16 on 30th May 2023.
Khelo India University Games 2022 Held in UP: Panjab University tops Medal TallyPanjab University (Chandigarh) won the overall championship of the 3rd edition of the Khelo India University Games (KIUG 2022) held in Uttar Pradesh (UP) from 25th May to 3rd June 2023. Panjab University topped the medal tally of KIUG 2022 with a total of 69 medals (26 gold, 17 silver and 26 bronze).
- Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab – 68 medals (24 gold, 27 silver and 17 bronze) and Jain University, Bengaluru, Karnataka – 32 medals (16 gold, 10 silver and 6 bronze medals) were ranked in 2nd and 3rd place.
About Khelo India University Games (KIUG) 2022:
i.Khelo India University Games (KIUG) is a national-level multi-sport event held in India for athletes from universities across India.
- Rowing is the new category of sport added in the 3rd edition of KIUG.
Venues: The sporting events were held at 9 venues in 4 different cities in Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi
- Uttar Pradesh: Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida), Lucknow, Varanasi and Gorakhpur.
- Delhi: New Delhi (for Shooting Event)
Mascot: Jeetu, which represents the Barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii), also called swamp deer, the state animal of UP.
Games Anthem: “Khelo India – Har Dil Mein Desh”, composed and sung by renowned singer Palash Sen.
The Torch: ‘Shakti’, the official torch of the Khelo India University Games.
F1: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen wins Spanish GP 2023On June 2-4, 2023, the title for the 63rd edition of F1 (Formula One) 2023 Spanish Grand Prix (GP) was clinched by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Belgian-Dutch racing driver).
- He was followed by Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton (British Racing Driver) at 2nd place and Mercedes’ George Russel (British Racing Driver) at 3rd rank.
- This win marked Max Verstappen’s 5th of the season, 3rd in a row, 3rd in Spain and the double world champion’s 40th in F1.
Note:
i.The race took place over 66 laps of the 4.657-kilometre Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Catalonia, Spain.
ii.The race length was 307.236 km (190.908 miles).
iii.This was the Round 8 of the 74th season of F1 world Championship.
- The next round will be Canadian GP which will be held Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada.
Race Result (Top 3):
India’s Aravindh Chithambaram wins Dubai Open chess 2023Aravindh Chithambaram (aged 24) of India wins 23rd Dubai Open 2023 (Dubai Open Chess Tournament 2023) for the second consecutive year which was held at Dubai Chess & Culture Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirate from 27th May – 4th June 2023.
- He was followed by Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan at 2nd, and Arjun Erigaisi (India) at 3rd.
- With this performance of Aravindh Chithambaram garbbed 2633 Elo points, closer to 2650 Elo rating.
Participants:
A total of 80 participants (in category A) from more than 30 different countries participated in this tournament.
- A total of 9 rounds were played in Swiss format.
Table Showing Top 3:
- Currently his World rank is 127.
About Dubai Open Chess Tournament:
Initiated in 1999, it is an annual open chess tournament with a prize fund of USD 52,000 to givw exposure to young talents.
Jim Hines, the First Runner under 10 seconds in 100m passed awayOn 3rd June 2023, Jim Hines, an American runner, the first man to officially break the 10-second barrier for 100m, died at the age of 76. He was born in September 1946 at Dumas, Arkansas, the United States of America (USA).
About Jim Hines:
i. Jim Hines was raised in Oakland, California, the USA, and baseball was one of his early sporting passions.
ii. His sprinting talent was spotted by his athletics coach Jim Coleman, and by the age of 17, he already ranked among the top 20 in the world over 100 yards.
iii. In 1965, he achieved his first US Championships podium finish placing second in the 200m.
iv. In 1966, he won the national 200m title, and in 1967 he won his first national 100 yards title.
v. In 1967, he set his first ratified world records; clocking 9.1 for 100m yards and 10.0 for 100m and he was the fifth man to claim a share of the world 100m record with that mark.
vi. At the 1968 US Championships in Sacramento, he became the first man to officially go below 10 seconds for 100m, running a hand-timed 9.9sec and earned him a spot on the US team.
1968 Olympic:
i. In the 1968 Olympic Games held at México, Jim Hines again clocked a hand-timed 9.9 (electronically registered as 9.95 seconds), which also made him the first man to officially break 10 seconds on electronic timing and won his first Olympic gold.
Note: This world record lasted 15 years, the longest of any men’s 100m world record in the fully automatic era, but in 1983, it was finally broken by Calvin Smith, a former American Sprinter with 9.93 seconds.
ii. He also had a share of the 4x100m relay world record at the Mexico Olympics, securing the US team to Gold in 38.24 seconds.
He retired from athletics at the end of 1968, and moved into the National Football League (NFL), and played for 2 years for the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs.
Padma Shri Awardee and veteran Actress Sulochana Latkar Passed Away at 94On 4th May 2023, Padma Shri Awardee and veteran Actress Sulochana Latkar passed away at the age of 94 due to prolonged respiratory illness in Mumbai, Maharashtra. She was born as Nagabai on July 30, 1928 in Khadaklat village in Belgaum, Karnataka.
Career:
i.SulochanaLatkar made her debut as an actor in 1946 and starred in a number of Hindi and Marathi films.
ii.She was well known for her ‘mother roles’ in Hindi films between 1959 and 1995.
iii.She acted in Hindi films like “Aaye Din Bahar Ke”, “Gora Aur Kala”, “Devar”, “Talaash”, and “Azaad”.
iv.She acted as the lead heroine in Marathi films like “Sasurvas”, “Vahinichya Bangdya”, “Meeth Bhakar”, “Sangte Aika” and “Dhakti Jau”.
Awards:
i.Sulochana Latkar was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 for her contribution to cinema.
ii.She was also honoured with Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.
iii.She was honoured with the ‘Maharashtra Bhushan’ Award, a highest civilian award presented by the Government of Maharashtra, in 2009.
Manoj Misra, an Environmental Activist and former IFS Officer passed away due to COVID-19 complications
On 4th June 2023, Manoj Misra, a renowned environmental activist and former Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer passed away at the age of 68 in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (MP) due to COVID-19 related complications. He was born on on October 7, 1954 in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh (UP).
- The movement Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan headed by Manoj Misra, led to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) suggesting the phased rejuvenation of the river Yamuna in 2015.
- Manoj Misra actively fought against deforestation, illegal mining and pollution using legal avenues to protect forests and rivers.
World Environment Day 2023 – June 5
The United Nations (UN)’s World Environment Day (WED) is annually observed across the globe on 5th June to highlight the significance of protecting the environment. The day also creates awareness about the efforts taken by various stakeholders across the globe to address environmental issues.
- 5th June 2023 marks the observance of the 50th World Environment Day.
- The theme of the WED 2023 is “Solutions to Plastic Pollution”.
- The annual observance of WED is led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), an environmental authority in the UN system, since 1973.
- Host of WED 2023: The WED 2023 is hosted by Côte d’Ivoire and supported by the Netherlands.
Background:
The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/2994 (XXVII) in 1972 and proclaimed the June 5th of every year as “World Environment Day”.
- The first-ever World Environment Day was observed on 5th June 1973.
About United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP):
Executive Director– Inger Andersen
Headquarters– Nairobi, Kenya
International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing 2023 – 5th June The United Nations(UN)’s International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing is annually observed across the globe on 5th June to address the issue of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities.
- 5th June 2023 marks the observance of the 6th International Day for the Fight against IUU Fishing.
Background:
In December 2017, the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/72/72 and proclaimed the 5th June of every year as “International Day for the Fight against IUU Fishing”.
- The first-ever International Day for the Fight against IUU Fishing was observed on 5th June 2018.
About Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO):
Director-General– Qu Dongyu
Headquarters– Rome, Italy
World Day against Speciesism 2023 – June 5 The World Day against Speciesism is annually observed on June 5th across the world, to stop discrimination based on species membership. The day is initiated by animal rights advocates, and its main goal is to remind people that speciesism, like racism or sexism, has no place in a civilised society.
- The day is supported/observed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM), and other animal rights groups.
- World Day against Speciesism is a good opportunity for the general public to learn about animal rights and veganism.
Note: World Day for the End of Speciesism (WoDES) is a similar event, which is observed annually at the end of August around the world since 2015.
What is Speciesism?
i. The term Speciesism refers to the assignment of different rights, values, or special consideration to individuals solely on the basis of their species.
ii. “Speciesism” is the human-held belief that all other animal species are inferior.
Origin of Speciesism:
i. In 1970, the term Speciesism was coined by Dr Richard D. Ryder, the psychologist, ethicist, writer and political animal lobbyist in one of his essays.
ii. In those essays he put forward to call attention to the fact that the attitude toward animals derives from the same kind of mentality as racism or sexism.
iii. But, the term Speciesism was introduced internationally in 1975 by Peter Singer, a student at Oxford, England, the United Kingdom (UK).
iv. He wrote a book titled “Animal Liberation” by contacting Richard Ryder, which is widely considered to be the philosophical background of the animal liberation movement.
Animal rights advocates claim that speciesism is a prejudice similar to sexism or racism, and according to them, any use of animals by humans (to produce food and clothes, for scientific experiments, in the entertainment industry, etc.) is a form of discrimination and abuse.
International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression 2023- June 4 The United Nations (UN) International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression is observed annually on June 4th across the world to recognise and acknowledge the sufferings and pain of children throughout the world, who are the victims of physical, mental and emotional abuse.
- The day originally focused on the children affected by the 1982 Lebanon War and also focused on Palestinian children that were victims of Israel’s acts of aggression.
- The day also affirms the UNs commitment towards protecting children and their rights.
Background:
On 19 August 1982, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at its 7th emergency special session adopted the resolution A/RES/ES-7/8 and proclaimed 4th June of every year as the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression.
- The first-ever International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression was observed on 4th June 1983.
About United Nations (UN):
Founded in– 24 October 1945
Secretary-General– António Guterres
Headquarters– New York, the United States of America (USA)
Bajaj Finserv signed an MoU with Maharashtra Govt to invest Rs.5000 crore in Pune
On 3rd June 2023, Bajaj Finserv, the non- banking financial company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Maharashtra, under which it will invest Rs.5,000 crore in Pune (Maharashtra) and is expected to create a total of 40,000 jobs in the city.
- The investment made by Bajaj Finserv, is the largest investment made in the Financial Technology (fintech) sector in recent times.
- The project is planned as a sustainable development one that meets the highest global standards of certifications with green solutions and a net-zero approach.
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