General Awareness

GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION - May 2024

May 2024

Nov 25, 2025

Womaniya Initiative: Empowering Women through Public Procurement

In a step toward gender equality and inclusive economic development, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and UN Women, in November 2025, signed a Memorandum of Understanding under the Womaniya Initiative. The move supports Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) on Gender Equality and strengthens women's participation in public procurement.
Launched in 2019, the Womaniya initiative is a flagship programme on the GeM platform aimed at promoting women entrepreneurship. It empowers women-led micro and small enterprises (MSEs), self-help groups (SHGs), artisans, and marginalised women by enabling them to directly sell their goods and services to government buyers.

IIM Ranchi Receives AMBA Accreditation and Eduniversal 4 Palmes

In a major recognition of its growing global stature, the Indian Institute of Management Ranchi (IIM Ranchi) received international accreditation from the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and was also awarded 4 Palmes of Excellence in the Eduniversal Best Business Schools Ranking 2025. These accolades place IIM Ranchi among the elite global management institutions and reaffirm its position as a rising leader in India's competitive business education landscape.
The AMBA accreditation, considered one of the most selective and prestigious global recognitions in postgraduate management education, places IIM Ranchi in the top 2% of business schools worldwide that meet rigorous global standards.
This accreditation is awarded only after a comprehensive evaluation process that assesses an institution's,
Curriculum innovation
Pedagogical quality
Learning experience
Career outcomes for students
The 4 Palmes category is reserved for institutions with significant international influence and growing global academic engagement, distinguishing IIM Ranchi as a key player in shaping future-ready management talent.

Nov 24, 2025

IIT Bhilai, Graz University of Technology Sign MoU to Expand Research Collaboration, Student Mobi...

The Indian Institute of Technology Bhilai (IIT Bhilai) and Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), Austria, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen joint academic, research, and cultural cooperation. According to an official statement, the agreement aims to build long-term international partnerships in areas aligned with global research priorities and sustainable development.
The partnership will support interdisciplinary research across domains identified as mutually significant by the two institutions. The collaboration also includes initiatives aimed at technology transfer and knowledge exchange, enabling researchers to share methodologies, tools, and best practices.
The MoU includes provisions for student exchange programmes, specialised short-term courses, summer schools, and workshops hosted jointly by IIT Bhilai and TU Graz. Both institutions will also explore opportunities for joint or double degree programmes to broaden academic pathways for students.

ETS Launches Adaptive TOEFL Prep Ahead of 2026 Test Overhaul

ETS, the creator of the TOEFL iBT®, partnered with online learning platform Study.com to roll out Official TOEFL Test Prep, a new adaptive preparation program designed to match the enhanced version of the TOEFL iBT launching on January 21, 2026.
The collaboration seeks to give Indian students and learners worldwide access to "authentic, AI-driven practice materials that mirror the updated test's structure, including its forthcoming adaptive reading and listening sections." The platform offers TOEFL-style questions, interactive lessons, personalised tutoring, detailed feedback, and progress analytics tailored to each learner's skill level.

CBSE Restricts Second Board Exam Attempt for Students Missing 3 Subjects

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has set clear restrictions on who may take the second board examination under the revised two-exam system for Class 10 beginning in 2026.
The board confirmed that students who remain absent in three or more subjects in the first examination will not be allowed to sit for the second attempt, marking a significant tightening of norms.
The announcement was made by CBSE Chairperson Rahul Singh on the new two-board exam structure. He said that the system was designed to support students who miss or fail their first exam rather than those attempting to bypass the primary assessment.

Nov 22, 2025

India Launches 1st Indigenous, Low-Cost Gene Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology; Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Jitendra Singh launched India's first indigenous "CRISPR" based gene therapy for Sickle Cell Disease, which particularly affects India's tribal population. The therapy, named 'BIRSA 101' is dedicated to Bhagwan Birsa Munda, whose 150^th anniversary was observed few days back and who is remembered as a great tribal freedom fighter.
The breakthrough was developed at CSIR–Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology (IGIB).

Nov 20, 2025

Liverpool University's India Campus to Be Set-up in Bengaluru

The University of Liverpool will open its India campus in Bengaluru's Whitefield area by September 2026. The UK-based university will offer six undergraduate and two postgraduate programmes, with fees set at less than half of what students pay in the UK.
Lucy Everest, Chief Operating Officer at the University of Liverpool, said that the campus will commence admissions with around 250 students in its first cohort.

Nov 19, 2025

Parasocial is Cambridge Dictionary's Word of the Year 2025

The Cambridge Dictionary named 'parasocial' its Word of the Year for 2025, reflecting rising public interest in one-sided emotional bonds that people form with celebrities, influencers and increasingly, artificial intelligence systems. The term's surge mirrors changes in digital behaviour and the evolution of online relationships across platforms.
'Parasocia' describes a one-sided connection someone feels toward a public figure they have never met. Originally coined in 1956 by American sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl, the term referred to viewers' perceived closeness with television personalities. Over time, it has expanded to include relationships with online creators and virtual agents.

No Indian Institute in QS Sustainability top 200 this Year

India missed the top 200 band in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2026. The list, released in November 2025, shows a clear drop for most of the country's leading institutions. IIT Delhi, the highest-ranked Indian institution last year, slipped from 171 to 205.
IIT Bombay stands at 236, a small slide from 235. IIT Kharagpur dropped to 236 from last year's 202. Most other major institutes show a similar trend.
The QS Sustainability rankings measure universities on environmental and social impact. The indicators include environmental research output, reputation in environmental education, and the influence of alumni working in sustainability fields.
This year's rankings covered around 2,000 universities. Sweden's Lund University secured the top spot and the University of Toronto second.

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