1. Ministry of Education releases National Achievement Survey 2021 report
Tags: National News
The Department of School Education and Literacy has released the National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2021 report on May 25.
The report would enable analysis of results and remedial action at the appropriate level.
Approximately 34 lakh students from 1.18 lakh schools in 720 districts of rural and urban areas have participated in NAS 2021.
It assesses the health of the school education system in the country by conducting a comprehensive assessment survey of the learning ability of children in classes III, V, VIII and X with a cycle duration of three years.
It reflects the overall assessment of the school education system.
The last edition of the National Achievement Survey was conducted in 2017.
NAS 2021 was conducted on all India level on 12th November, 2021 and included all government schools, government aided schools and private unaided schools.
This nationwide survey was administered by CBSE.
The survey was managed through a technology platform designed and developed by the National Informatics Center (NIC).
Objective of NAS 2021
To assess the progress and learning ability of children as an indicator of the efficiency of the education system, so that appropriate remedial action can be taken at various levels.
2. Global Travel and Tourism Development Index
Tags: International News
India has slipped to the 54th position this year in the Global Travel and Tourism Development Index as compared to the 46th position in the year 2019.
India topped the list of South Asian countries.
Japan tops the global list. It was followed by the USA, Spain, France, Switzerland, Australia, UK, Singapore and Italy respectively.
117 economies have been included in the Travel and Tourism Development Index.
This index is released every two years by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
According to the data between January 2021 and January 2022, the number of international tourists has increased in 2022 instead of 2021.
About World Economic Forum (WEF)
The World Economic Forum is a non-profit organisation based in Switzerland.
It aims to set a global, regional and industrial direction by bringing together leaders in the world's business, political, educational and other fields.
Establishment- 1971
Headquarters- Cologny, Switzerland
CEO- Klaus M. Schwab
3. Gautam Adani in the list of 100 Most Influential People in Titans category
Tags: Person in news International News
Gautam Adani has been included in the list of 100 Most Influential People in Titans category along with personalities like Apple CEO Tim Cook and American host Oprah Winfrey.
On behalf of India, Supreme Court advocate Karuna Nandi and eminent Kashmiri human rights activist Khurram Parvez have also been included in this list.
Karuna Nandi and Khurram Parvez have been ranked in the Leaders category along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
In this list of Time magazine, US President Joe Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, tennis star Rafael Nadal, current Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Omar Ata Bandiyal have also been included in different categories. .
This list is divided into six categories. These categories are Icons, Pioneers, Titans, Artists, Leaders and Innovators.
Key persons nominated in different categories
Titans- Gautam Adani, Tim Cook, Oprah Winfrey, Kristyl Lagarde, Kris Jenner, Andy Jessie, Sally Rooney, Elizabeth Alexander, David Jaslav and Megan Rapinoe, Becky Sorbrunn and Alex Morgan.
Leaders- Karuna Nandi, Khurram Parvez, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Joe Rogan, Xi Jinping, Ursula von der Leyen, Joe Biden, Yoon Suk-yeol, Vladimir Putin, Olaf Scholz, Samia Suluhu Hassan, Abiy Ahmed, Kirsten Cinema, Gabrielle Boric, Valerie Jaluzhni, Lynn Fitch, Omar Ata Bandial and Sun Chunlan.
Innovators - Taika Waititi, Miranda Lambert, Derrick Palmer and Chris Smalls, Josh Wardle, Michen Genre, Demna, Mike Cannon-Brooks, Bella Bajaria, Sevgil Musayeva, Francis Keir, David Velez, Michael Schatz, Karen Meiga, Evan Eichler and Adam Philippi .
Artists - Simu Liu, Andrew Garfield, Joe Kravitz, Sarah Jessica Parker, Amanda Seyfried, Quinta Branson, Pete Davidson, Channing Tatum, Nathan Chen, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Strong, Faith Ringgold, Ariana DiBose, Jasmine Sullivan and Michael R. Jackson.
Icons- Mary J Blige, Dmitry Muratov, Isa Ray, Keanu Reeves, Adele, Rafael Nadal, Maya Lin, John Batista, Nadine Smith, Peng Shuai, Hoda Silent.
Pioneers- Candace Parker, Frances Hogan, Ahmir 'Questalv' Thompson, Sonia Guzzara, Stephanie Bansell, Emily Oster, Eileen Gu, Nan Goldin, Meijen Darvish and Anwar Lal Bunny, Emmet Schelling, Christina Villarreal Velasquez and Ana Christina Gonzalez Velez and Gregory L. Robinson.
4. QUAD leaders launch Quad fellowship programme for graduate STEM degrees in the US
Tags: International News
A new Quad fellowship program has been launched by the leaders of Australia, India, Japan, and the US at the Quad Summit in Tokyo on 24 May.
Under the program, 100 students from member countries will be sponsored to study in the US for undergraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
This fellowship will act as a bridge connecting the four countries and will empower these countries to provide leadership to address the many challenges faced by them in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world.
The Quad Fellowship application is live and will be open till June 30.
The first classes of Quad Fellows will arrive on campus in the autumn of 2023.
Each Fellow will receive a one-time award of $50,000 that can be used for tuition, research, fees, books and related educational expenses (eg, registration fees, research-related travel).
About Quad
This is known as the 'Quadrilateral Security Dialogue' (QSD).
It is an informal strategic forum comprising four nations - United States of America (USA), India, Australia and Japan.
It aims to work for a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
The first meeting of the Quad was held in 2007 on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Quad Summit provides an opportunity for leaders to exchange views on the development of the Indo-Pacific region and current global issues of mutual interest.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was the first to consider the formation of the Quad in 2007.
5. New Development Bank opens regional office in GIFT City, Gujarat
Tags: Popular National News
New Development Bank (NDB) has announced the launch of its Indian Regional Office (IRO) at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City).
The objective of launching the Bank's regional office is to meet the infrastructure and sustainable development needs in India and Bangladesh, contributing to economic growth and sustainable development in South Asia in line with the mandate of the NDB.
The Indian Regional Office will work in close coordination with the NDB Headquarters, focusing on technical support including initial project preparation, pipeline development, project implementation and monitoring as well as regional portfolio management.
The NDB officially opened its Africa Regional Centre (ARC) in Johannesburg in 2017 followed by the establishment of a sub-office in Brasilia with the Americas Regional Office (ARO) in So Paulo by the NDB in 2019.
In 2020, the NDB established the Eurasian Regional Centre (ERC) in Moscow. The Indian Regional Office (IRO) complements the NDB's global network of offices.
About New Development Bank
New Development Bank formerly known as BRICS Bank informally.
It was established on 15 July 2014 by the countries of the BRICS grouping.
The idea of setting up the bank was proposed by India at the 4th BRICS Summit held in Delhi in 2012.
This was agreed upon by the BRICS leaders at the 5th BRICS Summit held in Durban, South Africa on 27 March 2013.
Headquarters- Shanghai, China
General Secretary- KV Kamat
President- Markosh Trayoja
6. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Army Training Command and National Defence University (RRU), Gandhinagar
Tags: National News
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Army Training Command and Gandhinagar-based National Defence University (RRU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up a Wargame Research and Development Centre in New Delhi.
The 'Wargame Research and Development Centre' to be developed in New Delhi has been given a prototype name WARDEC.
It will be the first of its kind simulation-based training centre in India to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to design virtual reality wargames.
It will be developed by the Army Training Command and the Gandhinagar-based National Defence University (RRU).
It will be used by the Army to train its soldiers and test their strategies through "Metaverse-enabled gameplay".
It will be designed to prepare for wars as well as counter-terrorism and counter-terrorism operations.
How many countries use such wargaming drills?
Since the 9/11 attacks, use of information technology-enabled wargaming is preferred by several countries like the US, Israel, the UK to prepare for possibilities in case of terror attacks or war.
7. The fourth edition of the Jointly Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) between the navies of India and Bangladesh
Tags: International Relations International News
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The fourth edition of the Jointly Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) between the navies of India and Bangladesh was conducted in the North Bay of Bengal from 22-23 May.
The previous CORPAT between the two countries was held in October 2020.
In this exercise, indigenous warships INS Kora and INS Sumedha of the Indian Navy along with Bangladesh Navy warships BNS Ali Haider and BNS Abu Ubaidah and maritime patrol aircraft of both the navies participated in joint patrolling.
Maritime patrol aircraft of both the navies also carried out joint patrols along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) during the CORPAT.
COUNTRY | MILITARY EXERCISES |
FRANCE | Shakti Exercise, Varuna Military Exercise |
SRI LANKA | SLINEX, Mitra shakti |
SINGAPORE | Simbex, 'Bold Kurukshetra Exercise' |
About Bangladesh
Capital- Dhaka
President- Abdul Hameed
Prime Minister- Sheikh Hasina
Currency - taka
Bangladesh observes 26 March as its Independence Day every year.
8. India and US sign Investment Incentive Agreement in Tokyo
Tags: International Relations International News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden on May 24 signed an Investment Incentive Agreement in Tokyo.
It is expected that the signing of this agreement will increase the investment support provided by the Development Finance Corporation in India which will help in the development of the country.
Various proposals worth $4 billion are being considered by the corporation to provide investment support in India.
The corporation has provided investment support in areas such as COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing, health care financing, renewable energy, financial inclusion and infrastructure.
The corporation or its predecessor agencies have been active in India since 1974 and have provided investment assistance of $5.8 billion to till date.
This incentive agreement will replace the earlier agreement signed between India and the US in 1997.
9. National Health Authority launches ABHA mobile application
Tags: National News
The National Health Authority (NHA) launched a modified Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) mobile application under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) scheme.
The ABHA app, formerly known as the National Digital Health Mission' Health Records App, can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.
The upgraded version of ABHA has a new User Interface (UI) and other practical additions so that people can view their health records anytime and anywhere.
The application has been launched to manage health records under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.
Existing ABHA App users can also update their previous app versions to the latest one.
On the ABHA mobile application, one can create an Aura address (username@abdm), link the easy-to-remember username to the 14 digit Aura number.
This number app will generate automatically.
The mobile application enables users to link Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission compliant health records and view them on their smartphones.
About Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission
launched - By PM Narendra modi on 27th September 2021
It will connect the digital health solutions of hospitals across the country.
This will not only simplify the procedures of hospitals but will also enhance the ease of living.
The digital ecosystem will also enable many other features such as digital consultation, patient consent for physicians to access their records, etc.
With the implementation of this scheme old medical records cannot be destroyed as every record will be stored digitally.
The project has been implemented in pilot phase in six states and union territories.
10. World Economic Forum launches alliance to supercharge India's climate action
Tags: International News
The World Economic Forum (WEF) on 23 May announced a new 'Alliance of CEO Climate Action Leaders India'. It will work towards fast-tracking India's net-zero carbon journey as well as decarbonisation.
The coalition will strive to achieve the goals set out in the White Paper Mission 2070, released last year, as part of the World Economic Forum's Climate Task Force.
It will bring together the government, corporations and other key players to help Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet his ambitious 'Panchamrut' target, which includes a net-zero target for the country by 2070.
The alliance is a collaboration between management consulting firm Kearney and Indian think tank Observer Research Foundation.
It will serve as a high-level platform to assist business leaders in developing and implementing plans and programs to meet climate goals, including net-zero economic growth.
About World Economic Forum (WEF)
Founded - 24 January, 1971 by German engineer and economist Klaus Schwab.
Headquarters - Cologny, Switzerland
Chairperson - Borge Brende
Purpose of Formation - International Organisation for Public-Private Cooperation
