Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar Program

Central idea: The government has identified and documented the unique cultural heritage of more than one lakh villages across the country under the National Mission for Cultural Mapping’s Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar programme. Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar The National Mission for Cultural Mapping aims to develop a comprehensive database of art forms, artists, and other… Continue reading

India elected to UN Statistical Body

Central idea: India has been elected to the UN Statistical Commission for a four-year term. About United Nations Statistical Commission The UN Statistical Commission is the topmost body of the global statistical system, bringing together the Chief Statisticians from member states worldwide. Responsibilities of the Commission include setting statistical standards and developing concepts and methods,… Continue reading

Govt releases pre-draft of National Curriculum Framework

The Ministry of Education has released a pre-draft version of National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for School Education. National Curriculum Framework (NCF) Features Details What is it? A comprehensive framework for school education in India Provides guidelines for the development of curricula and syllabi, textbooks, and teaching practices for schools in India Developed by National Council… Continue reading

Union Cabinet gives nod to Indian Space Policy, 2023

Central idea: The Union Cabinet has approved the Indian Space Policy, 2023. Indian Space Policy, 2023 It aims to enhance the role of the Department of Space, boost the activities of ISRO missions, and encourage participation from research, academia, startups, and industry. Salient features (1) Outlining roles and responsibilities The Indian Space Policy, 2023 outlines… Continue reading

Principles of Natural Justice and Proportionality

Central idea The Supreme Court lifted a broadcasting ban on a Malayalam news channel ‘MediaOne’. The court blasted the government for silencing voices in the media who “speak truth to power” by branding them as “anti-establishment”. A quick recap of the case The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has earlier refused to renew broadcast… Continue reading

Artform in news: Bidri Crafts

Bidri craft artist from Karnataka Shah Rasheed Ahmed Quadri has been conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri Award. Bidri Crafts Bidri ware is a traditional form of handicraft that originated in Bidar, Karnataka. It involves the crafting of metal wares using a unique technique that incorporates zinc and copper. Its history Bidri ware has a… Continue reading

Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023

The Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Bill 2023 was introduced in the Lok Sabha. What is Aquaculture? Aquaculture essentially means, breeding, raising, and harvesting fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants. In a nutshell, it’s farming in water. Saline water along the coast has been found to be suitable for practising aquaculture which produces shrimp, majorly. If aquaculture is… Continue reading

What is the Open-Source Seeds Movement?

Central idea The article discusses the concept of open-source software and its parallels with open-source seeds. Richard Stallman pioneered the Free Software Movement and developed the General Public License (GPL) to protect users’ rights and prevent code misappropriation. Farmers have been innovating and sharing seeds without intellectual property rights (IPR) claims for centuries. Backgrounder: Plant… Continue reading

Tribes in news: Idu Mishmis

Central idea The National Tiger Conservation Authority has proposed to notify Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh as a tiger reserve, causing concerns among the Idu Mishmi community. The Idu Mishmi community has a unique cultural relationship with the forest, particularly with tigers. This article explains who the Idu Mishmis are, their relationship with the… Continue reading

What is Dhawan II Engine?

In Telangana, private space vehicle company Skyroot Aerospace has test-fired its 3D-printed Dhawan II engine. Dhawan II Engine The Dhawan II engine is a cryogenic engine developed by Skyroot Aerospace for use as the upper stage of the updated version of their Vikram II rocket. The engine was recently test-fired for a duration of… Continue reading

India Justice Report, 2022: Key Highlights

Central idea: The third India Justice Report, 2022 analyses the changes – both positive and negative – in India’s justice delivery system across four parameters: police, judiciary, prisons and legal aid. India Justice Report The IJR is an initiative of Tata Trusts in collaboration with Centre for Social Justice, Common Cause and Commonwealth Human Rights… Continue reading

China issues ‘official’ names for some places in Arunachal Pradesh

Central idea: The Chinese government has announced it would “standardize” the names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh. MEA clarification The Ministry of External Affairs has dismissed the Chinese “invention”. Arunachal Pradesh has always been, and will always be, an integral part of India, said MEA. Why is China giving names to places that are… Continue reading

UN Water Conference and Key Takeaways

Central idea The UN 2023 Water Conference was held in New York from March 22-24. It was the first such meeting on water in 46 years. The conference aimed to identify game-changing ideas and make recommendations to policymakers on how to speed up and scale up change in the water sector. What is the UN… Continue reading

What are Performer’s Rights?

Central idea This article discusses a recent case involving Bollywood actor and producer, in which the Bombay High Court ruled that sales tax cannot be levied on the transfer of copyright. The ruling has implications for the entertainment industry, particularly in terms of taxation and copyright protection as well as performer’s rights. What are Performer’s… Continue reading

Places in news: Nathu La

Several people have been killed and many others are feared trapped under snow after a massive avalanche near Sikkim’s Nathu La Mountain pass. Nathu La Pass Location Sikkim, on the border between India and China Altitude 4,310 meters (14,140 ft) Importance Historical Silk Route Trade Reopened in 2006 for border trade between India and China… Continue reading

GI art in news: Basohli Paintings

The famous Basohli Painting, known for its miniature art style from Kathua district, has received the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag. Basohli Paintings Basohli Paintings are a form of miniature paintings that originated in the town of Basohli in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. They are known for their vibrant color, intricate details, and… Continue reading

Finland to join NATO Military Alliance

NATO Secretary-General said that Finland will become the 31st member of the military alliance. What is the North Atlantic Treaty? North Atlantic Treaty, often referred to as the Washington Treaty, states the parties to the treaty seek to promote stability and well-being in the North Atlantic area. The signatories affirm their faith in the… Continue reading

ISRO’s Reusable Launch Vehicle Mission RLV LEX

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) conducted a successful autonomous landing mission experiment for a Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) at the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka. What is a Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV)? RLV is a type of spacecraft that is designed to be reused multiple times for launching payloads into space, instead of… Continue reading

Arctic scientists race to preserve ‘Ice Memory’

Scientists from Italy, France, and Norway have set up camp in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago to extract samples of ancient ice for analysis before the frozen layers melt away due to climate change. ‘Ice Memory’ Project Scientists will drill a series of tubes as far as 125 meters (137 yards) below the surface, which contains frozen… Continue reading

SNAP-10A: World’s first Operational Nuclear Reactor in Space

Central idea: The newscard is about the US government-sponsored System for Nuclear Auxiliary Power (SNAP) program, also known as SNAPSHOT for Space Nuclear Auxiliary Power Shot, and its SNAP-10A space nuclear reactor. What is SNAP-10A? SNAP-10A A nuclear reactor sent to space by the US in 1965 SNAP program A government-sponsored program for developing compact,… Continue reading

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