• 06 Jun 2023

India Rankings- 2023: BHU ranks 5th in Top University Rank

Why in News?

• On 5 June 2023, Minister of State for Education & External Affairs Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh released the India Rankings -2023, in which Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has been ranked fifth in the Top University Rank, while Aligarh Muslim University has been ranked ninth.
• Key Points:
• The Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, has been ranked first in the top university rankings in the India Rankings- 2023, while Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia University have been ranked second and third respectively.
• In the overall ranking in India Rankings- 2023, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras has been ranked first, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore second and Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi has been ranked third. Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur has been ranked fifth and Banaras Hindu University has been ranked eleventh.
• The India Rankings - 2023, released by The Minister of State for Education & External Affairs, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, implements the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) prepared by the Ministry of Education in 2015 for the purpose of ranking various institutions.
• It is worth mentioning that the Ministry of Education had taken the commendable step of drafting the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in 2015, which defines multi-dimensional parameters to assess the quality & excellence of the country's Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in various categories & subject areas and ranks them on the basis of total marks obtained on these parameters.
  • Minister of State for Education & External Affairs, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh said that the India Rankings serve as a valuable tool for students in identifying different universities based on their relative position in terms of different categories and subjects among the Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) of the country.
• The rankings have also helped universities to identify areas in need of improvement in teaching, research, resources and infrastructure.
• This is the eighth consecutive edition of the India rankings of higher education institutions (HEIs) in the country. The three specific aspects included in the 2023 edition of the India rankings are as follows:
  • Inclusion of a new theme called Agriculture & Allied Sector
  • Integration of the 'Innovation' rankings previously executed by the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) in the India rankings with an aim to reduce the burden of different institutions of providing the same data to two different agencies.
  • Expansion of scope of 'Architecture' to 'Architecture & Planning' to include institutions offering courses in Urban and Town Planning.
• With the expansion of a new category (Innovation) & new subjects (Agriculture & Allied Sectors) and from 'architecture' to 'Architecture & Planning', the existing portfolio of India rankings has grown to 13 categories and subjects that have been ranked in the India Rankings- 2023.
• During the first year of India Rankings -2016, rankings were announced for universities as well as three sector-specific rankings i.e. Engineering, Management and Pharmacy Institutions. Over a period of eight years, four new categories and five new subjects have been added, classifying the entire list into five categories i.e. Overall, Universities, Colleges, Research Institutes & Innovations and eight subjects i.e. Engineering, Management, Pharmacy, Architecture & Planning, Medicine, Law, Dentistry and Agriculture & Allied Sectors.
• The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), launched by the Ministry of Education in November 2015, was used for this edition as well as the previous seven editions of the India Rankings released for the years 2016 to 2023. Five broad categories of parameters have been identified in NIRF.
• Key Features of India Rankings 2023:
  • The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras has retained its first position in the overall category for the fifth consecutive year i.e. from 2019 to 2023 and in the engineering category for the eighth consecutive year, i.e. from 2016 to 2023.
  • The top 100 in the overall category includes 44 CFTIs/CFU INIs, 24 state universities, 13 honorary universities, 18 private universities, 4 agriculture & allied sector institutions and 3 management institutes.
  • The Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore topped the universities category for the eighth consecutive year from 2016 to 2023. It ranked first in the category of research institutes for the third consecutive year i.e. from 2021 to 2023.
  • IIM Ahmedabad has retained its first position in the subject of management for the fourth consecutive year i.e. from 2020 to 2023. In the management of India rankings, it was ranked in the top two from 2016 to 2019.
  • The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi has been at the top position in medicine for the sixth consecutive year i.e. from 2018 to 2023.
  • The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Hyderabad, has topped the pharmacy rankings for the first time, pushing Jamia Hamdard to the second position. Jamia Hamdard was ranked first for four consecutive years i.e. from 2019 to 2022.
  • Miranda House has retained the first position in the category of colleges for the seventh consecutive year i.e. from 2017 to 2023.
  • IIT Roorkee has been ranked first in architecture for the third consecutive year i.e. from 2021 to 2023.
  • The National Law School of India University, Bengaluru has retained its first position in the law category for the sixth consecutive year i.e. from 2018 to 2023.
  • Out of the top 10 colleges in the ranking of colleges, five colleges from Delhi have maintained their dominance.
  • The Savita Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences has secured the top spot for the second consecutive year.
  • The Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi is at the top position in the category of Agriculture & Allied Sector.
  • Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur is at the top position in the innovation category.

Forest Minister gifts 33 New Air Quality Monitoring Stations

Why in News?

• On the occasion of World Environment Day on 5 June 2023, Rajasthan Forest & Environment Minister Hemaram Chaudhary inaugurated 33 new air quality monitoring stations in the state through video conferencing and laid the foundation stone of integrated resource recovery park at Tholai in Jamwaramgarh.

Key Points:

• On this occasion, the Forest & Environment Minister flagged off a public awareness rally aimed at creating awareness among the general public towards environmental protection and also rewarded the winners of the ‘Hack the Waste’ Hackathon organized earlier by the Pollution Control Board.
• Forest and Environment Minister Hemaram Chaudhary said that single-use plastic has been banned for the safe future of the coming generation and pollution control. Along with this, the plantation has been promoted in the new forest policy issued in the state.
• On this occasion, the Forest Minister said that Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has allocated Rs 40 crore for wetland & grassland development and Rs 10 crore for the development of the world-famous Sambhar Lake.
• He informed that the work of 2 Luv-Kush Vatika is in progress in every district to promote Eco-Tourism in the state.
• On this occasion, brochures of Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board including Rajasthan e-Waste Management Policy, Rajasthan Climate Change Policy, Rajasthan Forest Policy 2023, Plastic Waste Inspection Report were released.

Chief Minister approves proposal for MSERME policy

Why in News?

• According to information received from the media on 5 June 2023, the proposal of the MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) Policy prepared by the Jharkhand government has been approved by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Now this proposal has been sent to the Finance & Law Department for approval, after which it will be sent to the Cabinet.

Key Points:

• According to the information, the Jharkhand government has not only made a policy for MSME but is also going to set up a separate directorate for this. The proposal to set up the directorate will be sent to the administrative cadre committee for approval.
• The government will give a subsidy of up to Rs 10 crore to MSME industries. Also, the government will give an amount of One thousand rupees per month to the MSME industries on depositing the EPF and ESI amount of their employees.
• The Jharkhand government has written in the proposal for MSME policy that there are already 2.33 lakh MSMEs working in Jharkhand. Keeping this in mind, a separate policy has been made for MSMEs, which has been named MSME Policy- 2023.
• Regarding its objectives, the government has said that the main objective of this policy is to develop MSME industries so that the door of employment can be opened. The policy talks about the development of new MSME industries as well as the renovation of old industries.
• It has been written in the proposal that a separate directorate for MSMEs will be formed and district MSME (DMC) centres will also be opened in all districts.
• The Directorate of MSME will provide full support to the entrepreneurs setting up industries for the first time. The directorate will guide and monitor the DMC. Also, the MSME scheme & programs of the state and central government will be implemented in the state. It will promote national and international trade.
• The MSME Directorate shall constitute the necessary corporation, board or authority, provide subsidy & other assistance. On the other hand, DMC will assist entrepreneurs in taking advantage of central and state schemes, from their registration to single window clearance, to overcome technical problems faced by entrepreneurs in setting up industries, to help in the expansion of production & service units in rural & urban areas, to organize regular workshops & training. MSME will help in setting up clusters.
• MSMEs have been divided into three categories - plants costing up to Rs 1 crore will be called micro-enterprises, plants costing up to Rs 10 crore will be called small enterprises, plants costing up to Rs 50 crore with a maximum turnover of Rs 250 crore will be called medium enterprises.
• The Jharkhand MSME Policy- 2023 provides for comprehensive project investment subsidy. Under this, a subsidy of up to Rs 1 crore will be given to micro enterprises, up to Rs 5 crore to small enterprises and up to Rs 10 crore to medium enterprises.
• An additional subsidy of five percent will be given to ST, SC, women and disabled entrepreneurs, as well as a 100 percent exemption in stamp duty & registration.
• The government will also provide assistance of up to Rs 10 lakh in quality certification, a grant of Rs 10 lakh will also be given on patenting.
• Exemption on carrying products abroad: The government will provide assistance of Rs 4 lakh for an exhibition and Rs 50,000 in air fare for participating in an exhibition to sell its products abroad.

CM transfers Rs 21.31 crore online to Beneficiaries of Godhan Nyay Yojana

Why in News?

• On 5 June 2023, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel transferred an amount of Rs 21.31 crore online to the accounts of beneficiaries in a program organized for the online transfer of funds to the beneficiaries of Godhan Nyay Yojana at his residence office.

Key Points:

• This amount includes Rs 4.91 crore for rural cattle rearers, Rs 8.98 crore for Gauthan Samitis, Rs 6.29 crore for self-help groups, Rs 1.13 crore for honorariums of chairpersons and members of Gauthan Samitis for cow dung purchased from cow sheds from May 16 to May 31.
• It is worth mentioning that Rs 538.89 crore has been paid to cow dung sellers, Gauthan Samitis and women self-help groups including this amount. Out of this, Rs 237.28 crore has been paid to cow dung sellers and Rs 223.60 crore to self-help groups and Gauthan Samitis since the inception of the scheme.
• The Chief Minister released an amount of Rs 1.13 crore of honorarium to a total of 21 thousand 360 members of the Swavalambi Gauthan Samiti, including the chairpersons & members of the committee. An honorarium of Rs 750 is being given to the chairman of the Swavalambi Gauthan Samiti and Rs 500 to the non-official members.
• The Chief Minister said in the program that approval has been given for the construction of 10 thousand 409 Gaushalas in the state, out of which 98 percent construction of 10 thousand 235 Gaushalas has been completed.
• There are 4,584 Gauthans who have purchased 30 quintals or more of cow dung in the last 15 days. There has been a 22 per cent increase in the number of Gauthans buying cow dung in such a large quantity compared to the previous fortnight. Similarly, there has been an increase of 46 per cent in cow dung procurement during the same period this year as compared to May 16 to 31, 2022 last year.
• 5 thousand 911 Gauthans of the state have become self-sufficient. So far, a total of Rs 53.80 crore has been paid by these Gauthans for the purchase of cow dung. Today, out of the amount of Rs 4.91 crore released in lieu of cow dung purchase, Rs 3.05 crore has been paid by self-reliant Gauthans and Rs 1.86 crore has been paid by the department.
• The Chief Minister said that 1 lakh 89 thousand 614 members of 15 thousand 905 self-help groups have received income of Rs 144.22 crore so far from various livelihood-related activities going on in Gauthans.
• Mr. Baghel said that one of the objectives of Godhan Nyay Yojana is also to protect and promote the environment. The state government is continuously working to improve its environment through schemes like Suraji Village Scheme, Chief Minister Tree Plantation Promotion Scheme, Vriksha Sampada Yojana, Krishna Kunj Yojana, River Bank Plantation, and Fruit Plant Plantation.

Drone Corridors to be built in Uttarakhand

Why in News?

• According to information received from the media on 5 June 2023, corridors will be built to promote drone operations in Uttarakhand. For this, the Information Technology Development Agency (ITDA) has sought proposals from drone operation & construction companies.

Key Points:

• ITDA Director Nitika Khandelwal said that a meeting of all stakeholders was held during the formulation of the drone policy recently. It has sought proposals from stakeholders, especially drone manufacturers and operators, for possible drone corridors.
• He said that after this proposal comes, it will be studied according to the aerial map of the state. The proposal will then be sent to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) through the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA).
• After getting permission from the DGCA, the corridors of drones in the state will be decided. The corridors that will be built for drone operations in all districts will be linked to each other. After this, the entire network of dedicated paths of drones will be prepared in the state. Action will also be taken against those who break the rule in the future.
• One of the motives behind creating a drone corridor is that it will create routes that do not disrupt air services. At the same time, being a border state, security will also be provided to all the restricted areas.
• It is known that at present there is no dedicated corridor of drone operation from Uttarkashi to Doon or other places in the state, due to which many drones have to travel long distances. This is likely to take longer and the drone's battery is also at risk of running out soon. With the construction of the drone corridor, the flight time will be reduced, its battery will also help in long-distance flight.
• In view of the rapid development in the field of drones, the Uttarakhand government is going to bring a drone policy soon. ITDA has sent its draft to the government. Under this, all provisions will be made from drone operations to the purchase of drones.