Covid-19 Impact on Learning: ASER 2021

Why in News

Recently, the 16^th edition of the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER 2021) survey was released. The survey analysed the impact of Covid-19 on learning.

• It shows an increase in dependence on private tuitions and an absence of ready access to smartphones.
• Specific attention is needed to help make up for learning losses, especially in the lowest classes.

Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) Survey

• The ASER survey, which is facilitated by Pratham Education Foundation, is the oldest survey of its kind in the country.
• It is well regarded for the range of insights it provides on levels of foundational learning at the elementary level.
• It uses Census 2011 as the sampling frame and continues to be an important national source of information about children’s foundational skills across the country.
• ASER 2018 surveyed children in the age group of 3 to 16 years and included almost all rural districts in India and generated estimates of foundational reading and arithmetic abilities of children in the age group 5 to 16 years.
• ASER 2019 reported on the pre-schooling or schooling status of children in the age group 4 to 8 years in 26 rural districts, focused on the “early years” and laid emphasis on “developing problem-solving faculties and building a memory of children, and not content knowledge”.
• ASER 2020 is the first ever phone-based ASER survey and it was conducted in September 2020, the sixth month of national school closures.

Key Points

• Increasing Enrollment in Government School:
  • There was an unprecedented jump in government school students, and a 10-year low in private school enrolments.
  • A clear shift from private to government schools — from 64.3% in 2018 to 65.8% in 2020, to 70.3% in 2021.
  • A fall in private school enrolment from 28.8% in 2020 to 24.4% in 2021.
• Tuition-dependent:
  • It has reported a growing dependency on private tuition classes.
  • Students, especially those from poor families, are dependent more than ever on private tuition.
• Digital Divide:
  • There exists a stark digital divide, which carries the risk of severely affecting the learning abilities of primary grade students.
  • Almost a third of all children in Classes I and II did not have a smartphone available at home.
• Problems with New Entrants:
  • From having no experience of pre-primary class or anganwadis to the lack of access to digital devices, the pandemic has left the youngest entrants in India’s formal education system particularly vulnerable.
  • 1 in 3 children in Classes I and II have never attended an in-person class.
  • Students who entered the school system after the pandemic will require time to settle down, get ready for the formal education system.
• Learning Gap:
  • 65.4% teachers flagged the problem of children being “unable to catch up” as one of their biggest challenges.
  • This is also a warning that their learning outcomes are set to be affected unless addressed with urgency.
  • During the recent National Achievement Survey (NAS) of the central government, teachers and field investigators across the country reported that primary grade kids struggled to make sense of questions to test basic comprehension and numerical skills.
• Positive Trend: The report captured a decline in the proportion of children not currently enrolled in the 15-16 age group. This is one of the sections which faces the highest risk of dropping out.
  • In 2010, the proportion of 15-16-year-olds who were out of school was 16.1%.
  • Driven by the government’s push to universalise secondary education, this number has been steadily declining and stood at 12.1% in 2018. The decline continued in 2020 to 9.9% and to 6.6% in 2021.

• Related Government Initiatives:
  • SWAYAM
  • NEAT
  • National Knowledge Network, (NKN)
  • PRAGYATA Guidelines
  • National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning

Way Forward

• A Multi-Pronged Approach: Flexible rescheduling the academic timetable and exploring options in collaboration with schools, teachers, and parents for providing access to education to a larger section of students.
  • Giving priority to the less advantaged students who do not have access to e-learning.
• Making Online Education More Effective: Shorter but quality discussions rather than long hours of monotonous sitting and one-way communication, should be preferred.
  • The teacher’s role has to go beyond just being in control of the class to being a facilitator for the transfer of knowledge.
• Focussing more on Knowledge Aspect: Education is not about competence but more about motivation. The students are meant to discover not just cover the syllabus.

Source: IE

Digital India Land Record Modernisation Programme

Why in News

Recently, the Ministry of Rural Development inaugurated 'Bhumi Samvaad' - National Workshop on Digital India Land Record Modernisation Programme (DILRMP).

• The Ministry also launched the National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS) portal and Dashboard.

Key Points

• Launch:
  
  • The DILRMP was approved by the Cabinet on 21^st August, 2008.
  • For modernization of land records system in the country, a modified programme, viz., the National Land Records Modernization Programme (NLRMP), now renamed as Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP), has been formulated.
  • Two Centrally sponsored schemes of Computerization of Land Records (CLR) and Strengthening of Revenue Administration and updating of Land Records (SRA&ULR) were merged.
• About:
  
  • It is a Central Sector scheme that has been extended to 2023-24, to complete its original targets as well as expand its ambit with a slew of new schemes.
  • It attempts to build upon the commonalities that exist in the arena of land records in various States to develop an appropriate Integrated Land Information Management System (ILIMS) across the country, on which different States can also add State-specific needs as they may deem relevant and appropriate.
    
    • ILIMS: The system contains information on parcel ownership, land use, taxation, location boundaries, land value, encumbrances and many more.
  • It is being implemented by the Department of Land Resources (Ministry of Rural Development).
• Aim:
  
  • To usher in a system of updated land records, automated and automatic mutation, integration between textual and spatial records, inter-connectivity between revenue and registration, to replace the present deeds registration and presumptive title system with that of conclusive titling with title guarantee.
• Components:
  
  • Computerization of land records.
  • Survey/re-survey.
  • Computerization of Registration.
  • Modern record rooms/land records management centres at tehsil/taluk/circle/block level.
  • Training & capacity building.
• Benefits:
  
  • Real-time land ownership records will be available to the citizen.
  • Free accessibility to the records will reduce interface between the citizen and the Government functionaries, thereby reducing rent seeking and harassment.
    
    • Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode of service delivery will further reduce citizen interface with Govt. machinery, while adding to the convenience.
  • The single-window service or the web-enabled “anytime-anywhere” access will save the citizen time and effort in obtaining RoRs (Record of Rights), etc.
  • Automatic and automated mutations will significantly reduce the scope of fraudulent property deals.
  • Conclusive titling will also significantly reduce litigation.
  • Certificates based on land data (e.g., domicile, caste, income, etc.) will be available to the citizen through computers.
  • This method will permit e-linkages to credit facilities.
  • Information on eligibility for Government programs will be available, based on the data.
• Other Related Initiatives:
  
  • National Generic Document Registration System:
    
    • It is a major shift from the existing manual registration system to online registration of all transactions in sale-purchase and transfer of land.
    • It is a big step towards National Integration and a leap towards ‘One Nation One Software’.
  • Unique Land Parcel Identification Number:
    
    • Being described as “the Aadhaar for land", it is a number that would uniquely identify every surveyed parcel of land and prevent land fraud, especially in the hinterlands of rural India, where land records are outdated and often disputed.

Source: PIB

Indian Ocean Naval Symposium

Why in News

The 7^th edition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Conclave of Chiefs is being hosted by the French Navy at Paris from 15^th-16^th Nov 21.

• The inaugural edition of IONS was held in Feb 2008 at New Delhi, with the Indian Navy as the Chair for two years. The IONS Chair is presently held in France.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • The IONS is a voluntary and inclusive initiative that brings together navies of Indian Ocean Region (IOR) littoral states to increase maritime co-operation and enhance regional security.
  • It also serves to develop an effective response mechanism and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) against natural disasters.
  • The chairmanship of IONS has been held by India (2008-10), UAE (2010-12), South Africa (2012-14), Australia (2014-16), Bangladesh (2016-18) and Islamic Republic of Iran (2018-21).
    
    • France assumed the Chairmanship in June 2021 for a two-year tenure.
• Members:
  
  • IONS includes 24 member nations that touch or lie within the IOR, and 8 observer nations.
  • The members have been geographically grouped into the following four sub-regions:
    
    • South Asian Littorals: Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and United Kingdom (British Indian Ocean Territory)
    • West Asian Littorals: Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates
    • East African Littorals: France (Reunion), Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa, and Tanzania.
    • South East Asian and Australian Littorals: Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Timor-Leste.
• Significance For India:
  
  • IONS fits into India’s three-fold ambitions in the region:
    
    • Strengthening and deepening the relations with the Indian Ocean littoral states,
    • Establishing its leadership potential and aspirations of being a net-security provider, and
    • Fulfilling India’s vision of a rules-based and stable maritime order in the IOR.
  • It will help India to consolidate its sphere of influence from the Straits of Malacca to Hormuz.
  • IONS can be used to counterbalance the increasing presence of China in the region.
• Other Important Groupings/Initiatives Associated with IOR:
  
  • Indian Ocean Rim Association: The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) was established in 1997.
    
    • It is aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian Ocean region.
  • Indian Ocean Commission: Recently, India has been approved as an observer of the Indian Ocean Commission, the inter-governmental organization that coordinates maritime governance in the south-western Indian Ocean.
  • Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR): It was launched in 2015.
    
    • Through SAGAR, India seeks to deepen economic and security cooperation with its maritime neighbours and assist in building their maritime security capabilities.
  • Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR): It was set up by India in 2018, as an information-sharing hub of maritime data.
  • Asia Africa Growth Corridor: The idea of Asia Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) emerged in the joint declaration issued by India and Japan in 2016.
    
    • The AAGC is raised on four pillars of Development and Cooperation Projects, Quality Infrastructure and Institutional Connectivity, Enhancing Capacities and Skills and People-to-People partnership.
  • Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation: It is a sub-regional organization that came into being in 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.
    
    • It mainly aims to create an enabling environment for rapid economic development, accelerate social progress, and promote collaboration on matters of common interest in the IOR.

Source: PIB

Bribery Risk Matrix 2021

Why in News

Recently, Bribery Risk Matrix 2021 was released by TRACE, an anti-bribery standard setting organisation.

Key Points

• About the Matrix:
  
  • It measures business bribery risk in 194 countries, territories, and autonomous and semi-autonomous regions.
  • It was originally published in 2014 to meet a need in the business community for more reliable and nuanced information about the risks of commercial bribery worldwide.
  • It aggregates relevant data obtained from leading public interest and international organisations, including the United Nations, World Bank, V-Dem Institute at the University of Gothenburg and World Economic Forum.
• Calculation Methods: Score is calculated on the basis of four factors:
  
  • Enforcement and anti-bribery deterrence.
  • Business interactions with the government.
  • Government and civil service transparency.
  • Capacity for civil society oversight which includes the media's role.
• Performance of the Countries:
  
  • India:
    
    • India has slipped to 82^nd position in 2021, five places down from 77^th rank last year.
      
      • In 2020, India ranked 77 with a score of 45 while this year, the country stood at 82^nd position with a score of 44.
    • India fared better than its neighbours – Pakistan, China, Nepal and Bangladesh. Bhutan, meanwhile, secured 62nd rank.
  • World:
    
    • North Korea, Turkmenistan, Venezuela and Eritrea pose the highest commercial bribery risk, while Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden and New Zealand present the lowest.
    • Over the past five years, the business bribery risk environment in the United States worsened significantly when compared with global trends.
    • From 2020 to 2021, all of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries saw an increase in commercial bribery risk.
• Related Steps Taken by India: India, in pursuance of its commitment to “Zero Tolerance Against Corruption” has taken several measures to combat corruption which, inter alia, include:
  
  • Systemic improvements and reforms to provide transparent citizen-friendly services and reduce corruption. These, inter alia, include:
    
    • Disbursement of welfare benefits directly to the citizens under various schemes of the Government in a transparent manner through the Direct Benefit Transfer initiative.
    • Implementation of E-tendering in public procurements.
    • Introduction of e-Governance and simplification of procedure and systems.
    • Introduction of Government procurement through the Government e- Marketplace (GeM).
  • The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988:
    
    • It clearly criminalizes the act of giving bribes and will help check big ticket corruption by creating a vicarious liability in respect of senior management of commercial organizations.
  • Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), through various orders and circulars recommended adoption of Integrity Pact to all the organizations in major procurement activities and to ensure effective and expeditious investigation wherever any irregularity / misconduct is noticed.
  • The institution of Lokpal has been operationalised by appointment of Chairperson and Members.
    
    • Lokpal is statutorily mandated to directly receive and process complaints as regards alleged offences against public servants under the Prevention of Corruption Act,1988.

Source: IE

Puri Heritage Corridor Project

Why in News

The Odisha Government is expected to soon lay the foundation stone of the Puri heritage corridor, which is being developed at a cost of Rs 800 crore.

• The project is a part of the Augmentation of Basic Amenities and Development of Heritage and Architecture (ABADHA) scheme for developing Puri as a world-class heritage city.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • Conceived in 2016, the Puri Heritage Corridor Project was unveiled in December 2019 to transform the holy town of Puri into an international place of heritage.
  • The project includes redeveloping major portions of the holy town and in the vicinity of the Jagannath temple for visitors and tourists.
  • The project will include Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) building redevelopment, a 600-capacity Srimandir reception centre, Jagannath cultural centre, Badadanda heritage streetscape, beachfront development, Puri lake, Musa river revival plan, etc..
• Jagannath Temple: 
  • Construction:
    
    • It is believed to have been constructed in the 12^th century by King Anatavarman Chodaganga Deva of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty.
  • Mythology:
    
    • Jagannath Puri temple is called ‘Yamanika Tirtha’ where, according to the Hindu beliefs, the power of ‘Yama’, the god of death, has been nullified due to the presence of Lord Jagannath.
  • Architecture:
    
    • This temple was called the “White Pagoda” and is a part of Char Dham pilgrimages (Badrinath, Dwaraka, Puri, Rameswaram).
    • There are four gates to the temple- Eastern ‘Singhdwara’ which is the main gate with two crouching lions, Southern ‘Ashwadwara’, Western 'Vyaghra Dwara' and Northern ‘Hastidwara’. There is a carving of each form at each gate.
    • In front of the entrance stands the Aruna stambha or sun pillar, which was originally at the Sun Temple in Konark.
  • Festival: The World famous Rath Yatra (Car Festival) & Bahuda Yatra.
• Other Important Monuments in Odisha:
  
  • Konark Sun Temple (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
  • Tara Tarini Temple
  • Lingaraj Temple
  • Udaygiri and Khandagiri Caves

Source: IE

Indus River Dolphin

Why in News

Recently, Punjab's wildlife preservation wing has batted for conservation of Indus river dolphins and also their natural habitat.

• The Indus river dolphin was declared the State aquatic animal of Punjab in 2019.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • Scientific Name: Platanista gangetica minor
  • According to a recent study of South Asian river dolphins, Indus and Ganges River dolphins are not one, but two separate species. Currently, they are classified as two subspecies under Platanista gangetica.
  • Like other freshwater dolphins (such as Ganges river dolphins) , the Indus river dolphin is an important indicator of the health of a river.
  • Other dolphins found in Indian waters include: Ganges River Dolphins, Irrawaddy dolphins.
• Habitat:
  
  • They can only be found in the lower parts of the Indus River in Pakistan and in River Beas, a tributary of the Indus River in Punjab, India.
• Threats:
  
  • Biological Resource Use: Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources.
  • Natural System Modifications: Dams & water management/use.
  • Pollution: Domestic & urban waste water, Industrial & military effluents, Agricultural & forestry effluents.
• Conservation Status:
  
  • International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Endangered.
  • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species(CITES): Appendix I
  • Indian Wildlife (Protection), Act 1972: Schedule I
• Steps Taken:
  
  • Enumeration of freshwater dolphins is being undertaken as a nationwide project of the Central Government.
  • Project Dolphin: Announced on the eve of Independence Day in the year 2020, it will be on the lines of Project Tiger, which has helped increase the tiger population.

Source: TH

India International Science Festival, 2021

Why in News

The Union Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has recently launched the 7^th edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF).

Key Points

• About:
  
  • Launched in 2015, IISF is an annual event considered to be the biggest platform in the country which brings together students, the public, researchers, innovators and artists from around the globe to experience the joy of doing science for the wellbeing of people and humanity.
• Organised by:
  
  • IISF 2021 is being organised jointly by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Ministry of Science & Technology (Department of Science & Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), in collaboration with Vijnana Bharati.
  • IISF 2021 will be held from 10^th-13^th December in Panaji, Goa.
• Nodal Agency:
  
  • The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, an autonomous institute under the MoES.
• Theme for 2021:
  
  • Celebrating Creativity in Science, Technology and Innovation for Prosperous India.
    
    • It will also reflect the spirit and idea of Aazadi ka Amrit Mahotsav of India, which aims to mark 75 glorious years of Indian independence in 2022.

Vijnana Bharati

• Swadeshi Science Movement was started in Indian Institute of Science- Bengaluru by a few eminent scientists under the guidance of Prof. K I Vasu.
  
  • This movement gradually gained momentum and emerged as an organization with national presence.
• In 1991, it was decided to launch the Swadeshi Science Movement at all India Level and named it Vijnana Bharati.
• One of the objectives is to motivate young scientists towards greater creativity and originality.
• It is headquartered in New Delhi.

Source: DTE

E-Governance for Civil Aviation

Why in News

Recently, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched the e-Governance for Civil Aviation (e-GCA) online platform through which the Civil Aviation will provide 298 services including pilot licensing and medical examination.

• The launch of the e-GCA project under DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) was part of the 100-day plan for the aviation sector. The portal was developed by Tata Consultancy Services.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • It is a portal for the dissemination of information and providing online, speedy service delivery in a secure environment.
  • It offers an end-to-end solution including several software applications, connectivity with all the regional offices.
  • It will provide services to various DGCA stakeholders such as Pilots, Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, Air Traffic Controllers, Air Operators, Airport Operators, Flying Training Organizations, Maintenance and Design organizations, among others.
• Aim:
  
  • It aims at enhancing the efficiency of the various services of DGCA and increasing accountability and transparency across all DGCA functions.
• Benefits:
  
  • Eliminating operational inefficiencies
  • Minimizing personal interaction
  • Improving regulatory reporting
  • Enhancing transparency
  • Increasing productivity
• Significance:
  
  • As a single-window platform it will induce a monumental change through the automation of the process and functions of DGCA.
  • It will offer a strong base of IT infrastructure and service delivery framework.
  • It is a step towards ‘ease of doing business’. It would add significant value to the safety regulatory framework of DGCA.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation

• It is an attached office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
• It is the regulatory body in the field of Civil Aviation primarily dealing with safety issues.
• It is responsible for regulation of air transport services to/from/within India and for enforcement of civil air regulations, air safety and airworthiness standards.
• It also co-ordinates all regulatory functions with the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

Source: PIB