State PCS - Uttar Pradesh (UP PCS)

• 02 Apr 2025

Techkriti 2025

Why in News? 

Asia's largest inter-college technology and entrepreneurship festival ' Techkriti' was organised in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh from 27 to 30 March 2025.  

Key Points 

• Techkriti Festival: 
  • It is the annual technical and entrepreneurship festival of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, started in the year 1995.  
  • The main objective of this festival is to inspire students in the field of science, technology and innovation , so that they can move forward with new thoughts and ideology. 
  • In the year 2000, the festival also expanded to include startups, entrepreneurship and workshops, resulting in the festival becoming a broader and more diverse technology festival. 
• Address and Theme:  
  • The festival was inaugurated by CDS General Anil Chauhan
  • He highlighted the need for advancement and modernisation of the Indian Armed Forces and focused on areas such as cyber, Artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology and cognitive as challenges in future wars. 
  • The theme of this year's festival was " Panta Rei" (Everything Flows). 
• Rakshakkriti: Defense Expo  
  • A special defence exhibition was held, showcasing future military technologies. 
  • The exhibition showcased AI-based warfare systems, autonomous drones and indigenous defence innovations.  
  • India's commitment to move towards 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' and reduce foreign defence dependence was reiterated. 

 Artificial Intelligence  

• Introduction: 
  • AI refers to the ability of computers or computer-controlled robots to perform tasks that are normally performed by humans because such tasks require human intelligence and judgment. 
  • Although there are currently no AI systems that can perform a wide variety of tasks that a normal human can perform, some AI may be able to perform certain specific tasks that humans perform. 
• Features and components: 
  • Deep learning (DL) technology enables automatic learning through large amounts of unstructured data such as text, images, or videos . 
  • The ideal characteristic of artificial intelligence is its ability to take rational actions that achieve a specific goal. Machine learning (ML) is a type of AI. 
• Types of AI: 
  • Weak Al or narrow Al- This AI is designed for specific tasks such as playing chess, recognizing faces or making recommendations. Examples include Siri, Watson, AlphaGo. 
  • General Al- The ability to perform any intellectual task a human can, including reasoning, learning, and planning. No current example, but researchers are working on it. 
  • Super Al- Hypothetical Al that exceeds human intelligence, excelling at tasks involving cognitive abilities such as creativity, self-awareness, and emotion. No current examples, only future possibilities. 

Ahaetulla Longirostris Snake

Why in News? 

 A rare snake, Ahaetulla longirostris (long-snouted vine snake), was discovered  in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh . 

 

Key Points 

• About the snake: 
  • It was discovered during a rhino shifting operation in the Palia division of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. 
  • Earlier this snake was found only in the forests of Valmiki Tiger Reserve in West Champaran, Bihar. 
• Features: 
  • Its body is long, slender, and green or brown in color, which distinguishes it from other snakes.  
  • Its long nose (rostral) is also a major identification mark. 
  • It mainly lives on trees and can easily hide among the branches and leaves. 
  • It is mildly poisonous, its poison is not very dangerous for humans. 
  • Family: Colubridae 

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve 

• It represents the best natural forests and grasslands in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, located on the Indo-Nepal border in the Lakhimpur-Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh. 
• The reserve is known for its rich biodiversity, home to a wide variety of flora and fauna including the Bengal tiger, Indian rhinoceros, swamp deer, leopard and several species of birds. 
• The Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) includes three important protected areas: 
  • Dudhwa National Park 
  • Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary 
  • Katarnia Ghat Wildlife Sanctuary 
• The three protected areas have been combined as Dudhwa Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger, being the last viable home of the Royal Bengal Tiger in the state. 
• Dudhwa National Park and Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary were included in the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in the year 1987 and Katarnia Wildlife Sanctuary was included in the year 2000. 

India-Nepal Literature Festival

Why in News? 

A three-day India-Nepal Literature Festival was organised in Vrindavan (Mathura), Uttar Pradesh. 

Key Points 

• About the festival: 
  • The event was organised by Geeta Shodh Sansthan, an affiliate of Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad, and Krantidhara Sahitya Academy, Meerut.  
  • More than 180 litterateurs, writers, journalists and educationists from India and Nepal participated in this festival.  
  • The main objective of this festival was to promote and enhance the literary and cultural heritage of both the countries. 
•   Importance: 
  • The exchange of literature and culture was encouraged. 
  • Cooperation between the litterateurs of India and Nepal was promoted. 
  • Traditional and contemporary literature got a new direction. 

 India-Nepal relations  

• As neighbours, India and Nepal share a unique relationship of friendship and cooperation , characterized by an open border, kinship between the people of the two countries and strong cultural ties. 
• India contributes nearly two-thirds of Nepal's merchandise trade and nearly one-third of its services trade . 
• Battalion level joint military exercise, 'Surya Kiran' , is conducted on rotation basis in both India and Nepal.  
• India assisted Nepal mainly by upgrading 10 roads in the Terai region , establishing cross-border rail links at Jogbani-Biratnagar and Jaynagar-Bardibas , and setting up integrated check posts at major locations like Birgunj, Biratnagar, Bhairahawa and Nepalgunj . 
• India has signed three sister-city agreements to connect Kathmandu-Varanasi, Lumbini-Bodh Gaya and Janakpur-Ayodhya.