17 July 2024, The Hindu
Centralised examinations have not aced the test
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GS 2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources
- In 2017, the Government of India established the National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct entrance examinations for professional courses.
- Envisioned to conduct multiple choice question (MCQ)-type of examinations in electronic mode, the NTA was to have specialists in the science of testing to set up appropriate question banks and also evaluator frameworks and organisational expertise.
- The NTA, that conducts more than 15 entrance examinations for various higher education institutions including the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for central university admissions and the post-graduate admissions in medical and University Grants Commission (UGC) courses, is a lean and thin organisation, with most of the work outsourced.
- It is headed by a chairman and an Indian Administrative Service officer working as the chief executive officer, neither of whom have the required competence to build an institution as contemplated.
Heatwaves are evaporating the right to play
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Prelims syllabus: General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change
- Play is universal, transcending national, cultural, and socio-economic boundaries.
- According to UNICEF, play is vital for children to build social connections, develop physical and mental health, and enhance creativity.
- Enshrined in Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the right to play underscores its significance for a child’s well-being and development.
- Playful interactions contribute to the positive mental health of parents, caregivers, and children, offering respite from adverse experiences.
- They are a means to process and explore the world. Recognising its importance, the United Nations declared June 11, 2024, as International Day of Play.
Surprise acceleration
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GS 3: Indian Economy (Inflation)
- Retail price gains registered a surprise acceleration last month with June’s provisional Consumer Price Index (CPI) reading showing inflation snapping a five-month downtrend and quickening to 5.08%, 28 basis points faster than the 4.80% logged in May.
- Food prices were, as expected, the main culprit. Year-on-year food price inflation based on the Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) quickened by 67 basis points in June to a worrying 9.36%.
- Even more disconcertingly, the CFPI logged the fastest sequential acceleration in 11 months, as food prices rose by 3.17% from May’s levels and dragged the broader CPI too higher by 1.33% from the preceding month.
- It is precisely this kind of unpredictability in food price gains that monetary policymakers have been concerned about in opting to leave interest rates unchanged.
- RBI Deputy Governor Michael Debabrata Patra had been emphatic in observing at the Monetary Policy Committee’s meeting last month that “the Indian economy remains hostage to intersecting food price shocks.
Trying juveniles as adults is not the answer
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GS 2: mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of vulnerable sections.
- In May, a speeding car, allegedly driven by a teenager, killed two young techies in Pune. As prescribed by the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, or the JJ Act, 2015, the adolescent was initially brought before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), which granted him bail under seemingly lenient conditions.
- This decision, coupled with the tragic outcome of the incident and emerging accusations of privilege being used to tamper with the investigation, sparked public outrage.
- Following the backlash, the JJB modified its order, directing the adolescent’s detention in an Observation Home.
- This was challenged before the Bombay High Court, which directed his release on the ground that he was granted bail in accordance with due procedure.
The problem with billionaire consumption
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Prelims syllabus: Current events of national and international importance.
- The lavish and extended wedding celebrations of billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s youngest son has brought to the forefront the question of “conspicuous consumption” of the rich.
- In a capitalist society beset by high levels of inequality, how do we make sense of such displays of private wealth by the elite?
- Does billionaire consumption in an unequal society hinder or aid economic expansion? What are some of the ethical and economic issues involved?
- The issues discussed here do not pertain solely to the Ambanis, but attempt to tackle some broader questions regarding the question of private consumption by the rich.
As thoughts become digitised, who will protect our neurorights?
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GS 3: General awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nanotechnology, bio-technology
- Neurotechnologies have come a long way since the development of electroencephalography (EEG).
- Invented a hundred years ago, the EEG has had a significant impact on our knowledge of the human brain and various treatments of brain disorders.
- Many researchers expect that soon there will be wearable EEGs that could directly assist human cognitive functions.
- Elon Musk’s Neuralink has also kindled hope about using brain-computer links to help physically impaired people restore some lost function.
Darjeeling train crash: investigation points to lapses at multiple levels
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GS 3: Indian Economy - Infrastructure – Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
- Failure of automatic signal, lapses at multiple levels in managing operations, and non-availability of critical safety equipment such as walkie-talkie with the loco pilot and train manager are some of the reasons cited for the June 17 train collision in Darjeeling district that left 10 people dead and over 40 others injured.
- In its preliminary probe report, the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS) said that the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express (DN 13174), which got rammed by a freight train (DN GFCJ) from behind, followed the norm of moving at a maximum speed of 15 kmph and stopped for one minute at every defective signal, while the other trains in that section, including the goods train involved in the accident, didn’t follow the norm.
‘Food price anxiety may ebb as farm area sown increases’
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GS 3: Indian Economy (Inflation)
- In a development that could help cool rising prices of some food items in the coming months, there is good news on the farm sowing front with overall sown area rising 10.3% over last year, despite the Southwest Monsoon’s progress so far falling a tad short of the long period average and last year’s rain levels by July 15.
- While 12 States, including Kerala, Odisha, Punjab, Jharkhand, and Haryana, are still facing deficient rainfall as per official data, the sown area of rice, pulses and oilseeds in the country had risen over 20% by Monday, while Bajra, Jowar and coarse cereals are still lagging.
‘Telecom sector awaits next frontier in communications via policy reform’
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GS 3: General awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nanotechnology, bio-technology
- Over the past decade, India has achieved remarkable progress in digital connectivity and local manufacturing, propelled by the ambitious policy reforms aimed at raising India’s status as a leading digital economy in the world.
- And, thanks to these efforts, India is today the third-largest digitised country in the world, after USA and China.
- Telecommunications infrastructure acts as the cornerstone of these developments providing connectivity across myriad devices and applications, thus contributing to a higher standard of living and overall economic growth.
