- Indian Heritage
- Culture
Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji on his Parkash Utsav
Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last living Sikh Guru, was born on 22.12.1666 in Patna. His name was Gobind Rai Sodhi. After spending his childhood in Patna, he left for Anandpur in the foothills of the Sivalik range of mountains in March, 1672. He was barely nine when his father, Guru Teg Bahadur, embraced martyrdom and he was formally installed Guru on 29.03.1676. He had four sons, all of whom died during his lifetime – two were killed in battle with Mughal forces while other two were executed by Mughal army. Guru Gobind Singh was known for his saintliness, magnetic personality outstanding patriotism and supreme sacrifices. He fought tyranny and unimaginable odds because he believes his life mission was ordained by divine will. A great spiritual leader, he was also a poet and mystic, a scholar and philosopher and fearless worrier and military commander. His notable contribution to Sikhism include founding new spiritual order known as Khalsa in 1699, introducing the five Ks or the five articles of faith that Khalsa Sikhs wear at all the times, formalization of the religion and penning important Sikh text. Shri Guru Gobind Singh passed away on 07.10.1708 in Nanded in Maharashtra. Before the end came he asked for the Guru Granth Sahib and with due ceremony passed on the succession of the Guru’s “spirit”, to the holy scripture of and the Khalsa. The word as contained in the Guru Granth Sahib was to be, for all time to come, the Guru for the Sikhs.
- Modern Indian history
- The Freedom Struggle
- Post-independence
- Indian Society
A. population and associated issues
B. poverty and developmental issues
C.urbanization
7. Geographical features
8.Indian Constitution
9. Polity
invites suggestions on draft ‘Indian Stamp Bill, 2023’
The Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, has prepared a draft ‘Indian Stamp Bill, 2023’ to align it with modern stamp duty regime. Once enacted, the Bill shall replace the Indian Stamp Act, 1899.
The Indian Stamp Act, 1899 (2 of 1899) is a fiscal statute laying down the law relating to tax levied in the form of stamps on instruments recording transactions. Stamp duties are levied by the Central Government, but within the States are collected and appropriated by the concerned States in terms of provisions of Article 268 of the Constitution.
The Indian Stamp Act, 1899, a pre-Constitution Act, has been amended from time to time to enable a more modern Stamp Duty regime. However, a number of provisions contained in the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 have become redundant/ inoperative and hence, there is a need to re-orient the Indian Stamp Act, 1899. Accordingly, it has been proposed that the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 is repealed and a new legislation is enacted to reflect the present realities and objectives.
10. Governance
A. institutions
B. regulatory
C. Government policies
D. role of NGOs
E. measures
11. Social Justice
A. Welfare schemes
B Health
C. Education
G20 Education Working Group (EdWG) and Education Ministers’ Meeting (EMM)
The Education Working Group (EdWG) under India’s G20 Presidency worked towards concrete, collaborative and action-oriented strategies and roadmaps for the future of education. From prioritising foundational learning, harnessing tech-enabled learning, emphasising the need for lifelong learning for the future of work to opening discussions on enhancing research collaboration among educational institutions in G20 countries – the Education Working Group spanned the entire spectrum of education and training, bringing focus and building consensus on critical issues. The working group built upon discussions from previous presidencies, focusing on tackling educational challenges and exploring opportunities in the changing education landscape across different contexts and regions. The meetings saw rigorous discussions and engagement among G20 member countries, invited countries, and International Organizations (UNESCO, UNICEF and OECD) to address the critical issues pertaining to the education ecosystem.
Four seminars on various topics followed by meetings of the Education Working Group (EdWG) were held during the Indian Presidency of G20. A seminar on “Role of Digital Technologies in Education” was held on 31st January 2023 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, which was followed by the G20 1st Education Working Group (EdWG) Meeting on 1-2nd February 2023. A seminar on “Strengthening research and promoting innovation through richer collaboration” was held on 15th March 2023 in Amritsar, Punjab which was followed by the G20 2nd Education Working Group (EdWG) from 16-17th March 2023. A seminar on ‘Building Capacities, Promoting Life-Long Learning in the Context of the Future of Work’ was held on 26th April 2023 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha which was followed by the G20 3rd EdWG meeting from 27-28th April 2023. A Seminar on “Ensuring Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in the context of Blended Learning” was held on 19 June 2023 in Pune, which was followed by the G20 4th and last EdWG meeting on 20-21 June 2023 in Pune.
The G20 Education Ministers’ Meeting was held on 22nd June 2023 in Pune, Maharashtra. The G20 EdWG and Education Ministers’ Meetings culminated in the G20 Outcome document and Chair’s Summary. The Chair’s Summary outlined the key priorities for G20 countries under each theme. The outcome documents included the Education Working Group Report: One Earth, One Family, One Future through Education and the Compendium on Education Policies and Programmes in G20 countries. These outcome documents highlighted each country’s policies and priorities, and showcased select flagship programmes in each priority area, thereby reinforcing knowledge sharing among countries and setting a common education agenda for discussion and action. Bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the G20 Education Working Group and Education Ministers’ Meeting were conducted with UAE, Oman, Mauritius, UNICEF, OECD, UK, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Spain.
Taking forward Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s clarion call to take G20 to the people of India, various ‘Jan Bhagidari’ programs were also held across the country. Around 5.25 Crore citizens from all walks of life, including students, youth, women, the private sector, academia, and civil society engaged with these Jan Bhagidari events, transforming G20 into a true ‘people’s movement’.
India-US Working Group on Education and Skill Development
As announced by the leaders during the India-US 2+2 Dialogue 2022, the India-US Working Group on Education and Skill Development was formally launched virtually on 22nd May 2023. The Working Group decided to form four sub-committees namely, (i) Skilling and vocational education; (ii) Certification and recognition; (iii) Matchmaking between U.S. and Indian higher educational institutions; and (iv) Engaging with the Private Sector, to deliberate ways to enhance educational collaboration between India and USA.
Engagements with the Government of the United Arab Emirates in the field of Education
A Committee under the Chairmanship of Shri Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, NETF, visited UAE on 18-19th September 2023 and discussed the issues of equivalence of degrees issued by Indian Universities and Institutions.
Subsequently, a delegation led by Union Minister for Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, visited UAE from 01-03 November 2023. During the visit, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in the field of Education between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the United Arab Emirates.
Engagements with Australia in the field of Education
Minister for Education, Australia Mr Jason Clare visited India from 27 February – 2 March, 2023 outcomes of which are as follows:
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- A Mechanism for Mutual Recognition of Qualifications was signed by the two Ministers.
- A bilateral meeting between the Union Minister for Education and the Australian Minister for Education was held wherein issues of institutional collaboration, pending student visas, research collaboration, and the constitution of a joint integrated and skilling framework were discussed.
- International Education Innovation Fund (IEIF) Critical Skills Project was announced by the Australian side wherein the Australian Government will provide AUS$1.82 million until mid-2024 to deliver a project on Developing Critical Skills Courses in India.
- 11 institutional MoUs were signed at the event and exchanged in front of the two Ministers.
- The Minister visited Sri Venkateswara College (DU) and Kendriya Vidyalaya for student engagement programmes with a focus on deepening ties through two-way mobility.
- A delegation of Australian VCs accompanying the Minister participated in a round table to discuss “The changing face of higher education in India: Future directions and opportunities”. They also participated in a round table in UGC to discuss initiatives for the internationalization of education under NEP 2020.
Minister for Education, Australia, Mr. Jason Clare visited India again from 5-8 November, 2023 outcomes of which are as follows:
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- The 1st Australia-India Education and Skills Council (AIESC) Meeting was held at IIT Gandhinagar. The meeting was jointly chaired by the Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship; Minister for Education, Government of Australia; and the Minister for Skills and Training, Government of Australia, and saw discussions on three key areas, i.e., shaping of future workforces, strengthening institutional partnerships in education and driving research impact through internationalization. The meeting saw the participation of around 70 experts from Industry and Academia from India and Australia, A Joint Communique between the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India and the Department of Education and the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations of the Government of Australia was released.
- A bilateral meeting between the Union Minister for Education and the Australian Minister for Education was held wherein issues relating to Mutual Recognition of Qualifications, outcomes of the 6th Australia-India Education Council meeting (AIEC), Collaboration between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), Research Collaboration, visa issues for research scholars and PhD students, Australia’s Education Strategy for India, Joint degrees for teachers in Early Childhood Care and Education and Development of Critical Skills Courses in India were discussed.
- Five Institutional MoUs were signed and exchanged in the presence of the Ministers, for skill, academic and research collaboration.
- The Ministers visited the Centre for Creative Learning, IIT Gandhinagar, Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU) and Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK), Ahmedabad.
- The Australian side conducted an event celebrating the opening up of campuses of Deakin University and the University of Wollongong in GIFT City, Gujarat.
Visit of Union Minister for Education to Singapore in May 2023
A delegation led by Union Minister for Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, visited Singapore from 29-31st May 2023. During the visit, he met the following Singapore Ministers:
- Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Singapore, Mr. Lawrence Wong
- Minister of Trade & Industry, Mr. Gan Kim Yong
- Senior Minister, Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam
- Foreign Minister of Singapore, Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan
- Education Minister of Singapore, Mr. Chan Chun Sing
Visits to the following institutes were also conducted during the visit:
- Future Skills Singapore
- Spectra Secondary School
- Nanyang Technological University
- Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Singapore
- Singapore University of Technology & Design
India-Singapore Hackathon
3rd edition of the India-Singapore hackathon was held in July 2023 at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Gandhinagar. The event was jointly organized by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) of the Ministry of Education, India and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. It was attended by over 600 students, start-ups, investors, policymakers, corporates, and academics.
BRICS Education Ministers’ Meeting
A delegation led by Union Minister of State, Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, participated in the 10th BRICS Education Ministers’ Meeting on 13th July 2023 at Mpumalanga province, South Africa. He also met the Brazilian and South African Ministers on the sidelines of the meeting.
D. Human Resources
E. poverty and hunger
12. International relations
A. India and its neighbourhood
B. groupings and agreements
C.Indian diaspora
Asian Buddhist Conference For Peace (ABCP)
Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace (ABCP) was founded in 1970 at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia as a voluntary movement of followers of Buddhism with both monastic (monks) and lay members. It is currently headquartered at the Gandanthegchenling Monastery in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and the Supreme Head of Mongolian Buddhists, Most Venerable Khambo Lama of Gandan, Gabji Demberel Choijamts is the ABCP President.
The aims of ABCP
Striving to disseminate and implement the teachers of the Lord Buddha – the Enlightened One, on peace and harmony,
compassion and loving kindness for all sentient beings, ABCP aims to:
- Bring together efforts of Buddhists in support of consolidating universal peace, harmony and cooperation among peoples of Asia,
- Furthering their economic and social advancement and promoting respect for justice and human dignity, and,
- Disseminating the Buddhist culture, tradition and heritage.
Activities
ABCP was quite an active organization and had held its 10 General Conferences in Mongolia, Japan, India, Laos and other countries. It drew active participations from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Bhutan, Russian Far East, Sri Lanka, Thailand and other regional countries. It also published a journal “Dharmaduta’ and maintained close working relations with several organization such as Christian Peace Conference, Afro-Asian People’s Solidarity Organization, the Russian Orthodox Church etc.
ABCP, in addition to its General Conferences, also held its regular Annual Consultative Meetings and the last two were held in New Delhi, India and Dhaka Bangladesh in 2017 and 2018 respectively. ABCP had members from both North and South Korea, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamshala, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Japan and Russia. ABCP also had a few regional centers, notable the ABCP Japan Center, ABCP Lao National Center and ABCP Vietnam Center.
Given the interest and the demands of the existing ABCP National Centers, the ABCP Headquarters based in Mongolia, has decided to host the next General Conference of ABCP in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in June 2019. The main objective of the upcoming General Conference would be the discussion and consideration of issues related to the rejuvenation of ABCP, revising and amending its Constitution and electing the office-bearers of ABCP.
Brief Background
The roots of founding of ABCP lay in the Cold War Politics of peace movements and consolidation of allies and building popular outreach among masses through various organizations. Most Venerable Gabji Samaagiin Gombojav, Khambo Lama of Mongolia, Venerable J. Gomboyev from Buriat, the Khambo Lama of the former Soviet Union, Venerable Kushok Bakula Rinpoche from India and Buddhist leaders from Sri Lanka and Nepal came together and officially founded the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace (ABCP) in 1970 with a permanent headquarters in Ulaanbaatar.
Vice-President inaugurates 12th General Assembly of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace (ABCP)
Addressing the gathering at the 12th General Assembly of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace (ABCP) in New Delhi today, VP remarked that in an age of ethical uncertainty, Buddha’s teachings offer a path of sustainability, simplicity, moderation, and reverence for all life.His Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path guide us towards inner peace, compassion, and non-violence – a transformative roadmap for individuals and nations facing today’s conflicts, he added.
13. Economic Development
A. Government Budgeting
B. industrial
E.issues
14. Technology
Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the National Farmers’ Welfare Programme Implementation Society, IndiaAI and Wadhwani Foundation today
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, is leveraging cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies for the benefit of farmers and to increase overall productivity. As a pioneering force in the integration of AI, the Ministry is setting a precedent for leveraging advanced technologies to address the challenges faced by the farmers in India. It is championing the India Digital Ecosystem Architecture (InDEA) 2.0’s network approach, designed by the Ministry of Electronics & IT, Government of India.
A significant milestone in this journey is the development of ‘Kisan e-Mitra,’ an AI-powered chatbot addressing farmers’ queries about the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. This comprehensive solution, available in Hindi, Tamil, Odia, Bangla, and English, is evolving to support other government programs and has been accessed by more than 21 lakh farmers within 2 months.
Additionally, the Ministry is developing a National Pest Surveillance System in collaboration with the private sector. AI and Machine Learning (ML) models detect crop issues, offering timely information to farmers for swift action. This initiative is expected to result in healthier crops, potentially boosting yields and improving farmers’ livelihoods.
On 17th January 2024, a Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the National Farmers’ Welfare Programme Implementation Society, IndiaAI under Digital India Corporation, and Wadhwani Foundation. The MoU was signed in the presence of Shri Manoj Ahuja, Secretary, Dr. P.K. Meherda, Additional Secretary, Ms. Ruchika Gupta, Advisor(Digital), Shri Samuel Praveen Kumar, Joint Secretary(Extn.), Shri Muktanand Agrawal, Director (Digital), other senior officials from Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Ministry of Electronics & IT and Shri Prakash Kumar, CEO, Wadhwani Institute of Technology and Policy.
Shri Manoj Ahuja emphasized AI’s game-changing role, citing capabilities in advisories, feedback collection, crop monitoring, yield prediction, pest control, and resource optimization. Shri Prakash Kumar expressed delight in embarking on a groundbreaking journey with the Ministry, sowing the seeds of innovation and knowledge for a more prosperous and food-secure future
Mission Governing Board finalises implementation strategy and timelines of NQM
The 1st meeting of Mission Governing Board (MGB) of National Quantum Mission (NQM) under the chairmanship of Dr. Ajai Chowdhry discussed implementation strategy and timelines of NQM as well asthe formation of Mission Coordination Cell (MCC). The MCC will be set up as a coordinating agency for the Mission and will work in coordination with the Mission Secretariat, DST.
The MCC will be set up in an institution identified by DST, based on merit and existing infrastructure and will function under the overall supervision and guidance of Mission Technology Research Council (MTRC).
Highlighting the genesis of quantum technology in India Dr. Ajai Chowdhry, Chairman MGB and Founder HCL Technologies said that NQM will leapfrog in this area and that manpower and startups are two major things that need to be focused on.
Principal Scientific Advisor to Government of India Prof A K Sood, said that creation of human resources is critical and suggested empowering the Hubs to build human capacity.
“The focus should be on developing own system rather than importing systems not developed here. Industry has to play a key role in technology sharing as well as in fund sharing,” said Dr V K Saraswat, Member Niti Aayog.
Prof Abhay Karandikar, Secretary DST, informed that NQM is expected to setup four mission hubs in Quantum Computing, Quantum Communication, Quantum Sensing & Metrology and Quantum Materials & Devices, which will essentially be consortia of academia, R&D labs, and industry.
A detailed plan of implementation was presented by Dr Akhilesh Gupta, Senior Advisor DST and Secretary SERB along with Dr Ekta Kapoor, Head FFT Division. The committee deliberated at length and finalised implementation strategy and timelines. The MGB also approved a “Call for Pre-proposals” for going ahead with inviting proposals for setting up of four technology hubs under NQM in consortia format.
Dr Samir K Kamat, Secretary DD R&D and Chairman DRDO, Dr Rajat Moona, Director IIT Gandhinagar, Shri Vishvajit Sahay AS&FA, representatives from DOS, DRDo, DAE, Meity, DOT, Dept of Expenditure along with several DST officials participated in the meeting.
The Union Cabinet approved the National Quantum Mission (NQM) on 19th April 2023 being implemented by DST with a total outlay of Rs.6003.65 Crore for a period of eight years. The Mission aims to seed, nurture and scale up scientific and industrial R&D and create a vibrant & innovative ecosystem in Quantum Technology (QT). This will accelerate QT led economic growth, nurture the ecosystem in the country and make India one of the leading nations in the development of Quantum Technologies & Applications (QTA).
15. Environment
16. Security
17. Disaster Management