General Awareness

GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION - August 2020

Aug 2020

Apr 03, 2024

Full List of Colleges for PG Medical Courses 2024-25 by NMC

The National Medical Commission (NMC) expanded its roster of medical colleges offering postgraduate courses for the academic year 2024-25. This latest announcement encompasses 119 institutions, including 16 new colleges and 103 existing ones that will augment their postgraduate medical seats.
Aspiring medical professionals keen on pursuing specialisations such as MS - Ophthalmology, MD - Respiratory Medicine, MS - Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and MD - Physical Medicine Rehabilitation now have a broader array of options.

India-Nepal Joint Initiative to Promote Sanskrit Research and Education

The Indian and Nepalese governments, along with scholars from both countries, collaborated to advance Sanskrit research and education. This partnership aims to strengthen bilateral relations and preserve the cultural heritage shared by India and Nepal.
The collaboration proposed for an annual conference to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among Sanskrit scholars from India and Nepal.
Plan to establish a study centre to research and publish Sanskrit scriptures, particularly focusing on Nepal's vast collection of unpublished manuscripts.
Agreement to promote the preservation of Sanskrit, Pali, and Prakrit languages, along with the associated religious, cultural, philosophical, historical, and archaeological heritage of both nations.

Double Majors, 5-year Dual Degree Courses at IIT Kharagpur for UG Students

In a bid to align with the National Educational Policy (NEP 2020) and enhance the educational experience of undergraduate students, the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) announced a series of significant reforms in its UG programmes starting from the academic year 2024-25.
This includes several new options such as five-year dual degree programmes, elimination of branch change, double major options, and semester away programmes.
From the upcoming academic session, admission to all undergraduate programmes at IIT Kharagpur will be for a five-year duration, encompassing both BTech and BS levels.
Additionally, students will have the option to choose five-year dual degree programmes after completing their second or third year of study.
These dual degree programmes may be availed by students within their parent departments or through interdisciplinary options available across various schools and centres.
This initiative aims to create novel possibilities such as combining a BS (Hons) in Economics with an MTech in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, or pursuing a BTech (Hons) in Civil Engineering alongside an MTech in Financial Engineering.

Apr 02, 2024

WHO Launches CoViNet: A Global Network for Coronaviruses

The World Health Organization (WHO) introduced CoViNet, a global initiative aimed at enhancing the detection, monitoring, and assessment of coronaviruses worldwide. CoViNet expands upon the existing WHO COVID-19 reference laboratory network to encompass a broader spectrum of coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, and potential novel strains of public health concern.
CoViNet leverages the expertise of 36 laboratories from 21 countries across all six WHO regions.
These laboratories specialize in human, animal, and environmental coronavirus surveillance, fostering a comprehensive approach to understanding and managing coronaviruses.
CoViNet emphasizes a One Health approach, bringing together experts from human, animal, and environmental health sectors.
This collaborative effort aims to monitor and assess coronavirus evolution and transmission patterns comprehensively.

IIT Guwahati Hosts Science & Math Olympiad

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati hosted a Science and Maths Olympiad in collaboration with Samagra Shiksha Assam. Over 1.14 lakh students from 3,828 schools across Assam participated in this IIT Guwahati Olympiad.
The Olympiad comprised two phases: an OMR-based physical pen-paper test for secondary school students across Assam. This was designed to assess students' understanding and application of scientific and mathematical concepts. This was followed by a state-level round.
After this, the top two performers from each district were selected to participate in the final round of the Olympiad at IIT Guwahati campus. The final round saw participation from 62 students (32 female and 30 male) who were from classes 9 and 10.
The top three winners were:
1st prize – Chandan Kaushik Saikia, Namdeuri HS, Jorhat
2nd prize – Jnanarun Hazarika, Dhalasatra HS, Jorhat
3rd prize – Arjun Karki, Hawaipur HS, West Karbianglong

IIT Madras Study Reveals Surge in C-sections across India between 2016-2021

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) researchers discovered a sharp uptick in the number of caesarean section (C-section) deliveries that took place across the country between 2016 and 2021. The study was undertaken by researchers from the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Madras. They include Ms. Varshini Neethi Mohan and Dr. P Shirisha, Research Scholars, Dr. Girija Vaidyanathan and Prof. V R Muraleedharan. The findings of this study were published in the reputed, peer-reviewed journal BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.
A caesarean section (C-section) delivery is a surgical technique that involves making an incision in the mother's belly to deliver one or more infants. When medically justified, the procedure can be lifesaving. When not strictly necessary, however, it can cause several adverse health outcomes, lead to unnecessary expenditure, and place a strain on scarce public health resources. Factors that could contribute to adverse birth outcomes and possibly justify C-sections (such as the mother's age being less than 18 years or greater than 34 years, the interval between births being less than 24 months or the child being the fourth or more born to the mother) are considered high-risk fertility behaviour.

Mar 30, 2024

UNESCO Opens Applications for Women's Education Prize Worth Rs. 41 lakh

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is currently accepting applications for the 2024 UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education.
This award aims to recognise exceptional efforts in advancing girls' and women's education worldwide.
The UNESCO Executive Board, in collaboration with the People's Republic of China, will select two laureates for the 2024 prize, with each recipient being awarded 50,000 US dollars.

Mar 29, 2024

Odisha Agrees to Sign MoU with Centre to Implement PM SHRI School Scheme

Odisha agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre for implementing the PM SHRI school scheme. With the coastal state agreeing to implement the scheme, West Bengal, Kerala and Delhi are the only states which have not signed an MoU with the Union Ministry of Education to have such schools.
The MoU will be signed by the state before the beginning of the 2024-25 academic year. This partnership between the Odisha government and the Ministry of Education signifies stronger Center-state relations.
The PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme targets to upgrade 14,500 schools and is expected to benefit 1.8 million students. It also aims to ensure these schools serve as model institutes and encapsulate the spirit of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

India's First Indigenous Pneumonia Vaccine by SII Launched

The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) would be used to treat pneumonia in children and has been developed by SII in collaboration with other partners like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, according to an official statement from the health ministry.
The first indigenous vaccine against pneumonia, developed by the Serum Institute of India (SII), was launched by Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday. The vaccine would be sold under the name 'Pneumosil' and would be available either as a single dose in a vial and pre-filled syringe or as multidose in vials at affordable prices, the Union ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) said in a statement.
The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) would be used to treat pneumonia in children and has been developed by SII in collaboration with other partners like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the statement said. Vardhan said that the vaccine has been developed during the Covid-19 pandemic time and is also in line with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat program (self-reliant India) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

UGC Allows NET Score for PhD Admissions

The University Grants Commission (UGC) announced that starting from the 2024-25 academic session, scores from the National Eligibility Test (NET) will be accepted for PhD admissions. This decision aims to streamline the admission process, as many universities currently conduct separate entrance exams for PhD candidates. By accepting NET scores, candidates will no longer need to appear for multiple exams.
The decision, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, was made in the 578^th UGC meeting, following recommendations from an expert committee. The UGC-NET, conducted twice a year in June and December, is used to award Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and select Assistant Professors for candidates with master's degrees.

IIM Bangalore, FPSB India Jointly Launch Executive Education Programme in Financial Planning

The Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIMB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with FPSB India, a financial planning standards board, to launch an executive education programme in financial planning.
This new course by IIM Bangalore and FPSB India is being launched to enhance the landscape of financial education and professional development in the country. The programme will offer tailored for working professionals and students to cater to the growing demand for advanced financial planning education. This programme will provide the expertise of both institutions to deliver comprehensive learning to meet the evolving needs of the industry.

Mar 28, 2024

Gujarat State Education Minister Launches Shiksha Reform

Gujarat's Minister of State for Education, Praful Pansheriya, launched the online learning platform Shiksha Reform in Surat. The event was attended by noted educationist Deepak Rajguru, trustees, principals, Kimmo Nikkanen from Finland's Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, and educationist Antti Isovita.
Shiksha Reform, a collaborative effort with Microsoft and a leading Finnish university, aims to deliver high-quality courses by experienced and highly qualified teachers to revolutionise education, particularly in technology.
Co-founders Rajiv Soni and Paresh Chalodiya said that Shiksha Reform offers short-term courses in cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence and cyber security in association with Microsoft and the Finnish university.
Shiksha Reform's courses are prepared by leading corporations and universities, with state-of-the-art study material. Students can access their courses forever, without any time or other constraints, and are trained by highly qualified and industry-experienced mentors.

IIT Guwahati Transfers Pioneering Swine Fever Vaccine Technology to BioMed Pvt

The Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati (IIT-G) has transferred a first-of-its-kind vaccine technology to BioMed Pvt. Ltd., a company specialising in vaccine manufacturing. This revolutionary technology involves a recombinant vector vaccine specifically designed to combat the classical swine fever virus in pigs and wild boars. It fills a significant gap in India's vaccine landscape.
The vaccine utilises a reverse genetic platform pioneered and refined at IIT-G. Classical swine fever is a highly contagious disease among pigs, posing a severe threat with a very high mortality rate, although it does not affect humans.
In India, instances of this disease have been frequently observed in the northeastern States, as well as in Bihar, Kerala, Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat. The vaccine work was initiated in 2018-2019 through collaborative efforts between researchers from IIT-G's Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering and the Assam Agricultural University in Guwahati.

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