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Ministry of Education to release a detailed Report on Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2020-21
What is the News?
The Ministry of Education has released a detailed report on Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2020-21.
What is UDISE+?
UDISE+ is an updated and improved version of UDISE. It was developed in the year 2018-19 to speed up data entry, reduce errors, improve data quality and ease its verification
What are the key findings of UDISE+ 2020-21?
- Students in schools:
- Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) which measures the general level of participation has improved in 2020-21 at all levels of school education compared to 2019-20.
- Level wise GER in 2020-21 as compared to 2019-20 are: 92.2% from 89.7% in upper primary, 99.1 % from 97.8% in elementary, 79.8% from 77.9% in secondary and 53.8% from 51.4% in higher secondary respectively.
- Teachers in Schools:
- In 2020-21 the Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) stood at 26 for primary, 19 for upper primary, 18 for secondary and 26 for higher secondary showing an improvement since 2018-19.
- Data on Girls:
- In 2020-21, over 12.2 crore girls are enrolled in primary to higher secondary, showing an increase of 11.8 lakh girls compared to the enrolment of girls in 2019-20.
- School Infrastructure:
- Now 84% of the total schools have functional electricity facilities in comparison with 73.85% in 2018-19, showing a remarkable improvement of 10.15% during the period.
- Percentage of schools with functional drinking water has increased to 95.2 % in 2020-21 from 93.7 % in 2019-20.
- Percentage of the school with a functional girl’s toilet facility has increased to 93.91 % in 2020-21 in comparison with 93.2 % in 2019-20 by adding the facility in additional 11,933 schools during the year.
- Number of schools having functional computers increased to 6 lakh in 2020-21 from 5.5 lakh in 2019-20.
- Number of schools having internet facilities increased to 3.7 lakh in 2020-21 from 3.36 lakh in 2019-20, with an increase of 2.6%.
- Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on enrolment:
- During 2020-21, 39.7 lakh students of government-aided, private school students shifted to Government schools.
Source: This post is based on the article “Ministry of Education to release a detailed Report on Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2020-21” published in PIB on 15th Mar 2022.
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Explained: What revoking Russia’s ‘most favoured nation’ status means
What is the News?
The US and other members of the Group of Seven (G7) will revoke Russia’s “Permanent Normal Trade Relations (Pntr)” status to punish Russia for war over Ukraine.
What is Permanent Normal Trade Relations(PNTR)?
The status of Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) is a legal designation in the United States for free trade with a foreign nation.
In the United States, the name was changed from Most Favored Nation (MFN) to PNTR in 1998.
What is the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) Status?
- The World Trade Organization members commit to treating other members equally, so they can all benefit from each other’s lowest tariffs, the highest import quotas and the fewest trade barriers for goods and services.
- This principle of non-discrimination is known as the most favoured nation (MFN) treatment.
- Article 1 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT),1994 requires every WTO member country to accord MFN status to all other member countries.
- However, there are also some exceptions, such as when members strike bilateral trade agreements or when members offer developing countries special access to their markets.
- For countries outside the WTO, such as Iran, North Korea, Syria or Belarus, WTO members can impose whatever trade measures they wish without flouting global trading rules.
What is the process for the removal of MFN Status?
There is no formal procedure for suspending MFN treatment and it is not clear whether members are obliged to inform the WTO if they do so.
Note: India suspended Pakistan’s MFN status in 2019. Pakistan never applied MFN status to India.
What does losing MFN status mean?
- For instance, revoking Russia’s MFN status sends a strong signal that the United States and its Western allies do not consider Russia an economic partner in any way, but it does not in itself change conditions for trade.
- However, it does formally allow the Western allies to increase import tariffs or impose quotas on Russian goods or even ban them and restrict services out of the country. They could also overlook Russian intellectual property rights.
Source: This post is based on the article “Explained: What revoking Russia’s ‘most favoured nation’ status means” published in Indian Express on 16th Mar 2022.
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Indian Armed Forces turn to 3D Printing for military construction
What is the News?
Indian Army’s Military Engineering Services(MES) has constructed two houses using 3D Rapid Construction Technology. The houses have been constructed in South-Western Air Command in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
How are houses constructed using 3D Printing?
- 3D printing is a process where three-dimensional objects are created from a digital representation by putting layer after layer of printing material.
- Typically, the material used in 3D printing is made of plastic or metal. A special type of concrete is used for housing projects.
Advantages of 3D Printed houses
- Potentially reduces overall construction cost significantly,
- Less construction time,
- Brings down the related carbon footprint,
- Increases productivity of labour involved,
- Offers raw material flexibility/utilization of eco-friendly materials.
Why has the Indian Army turned to 3D Printing for military construction?
The Indian Army has turned to 3D Printing to make bunkers and parking facilities for military vehicles in border areas, where traditional construction is challenging due to harsh weather conditions and a short supply of labour due to the threat from hostile neighbours.
Source: This post is based on the article “Indian Armed Forces turn to 3D Printing for military construction” published in Livemint on 16th Mar 2022.
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Hijab not an essential practice of Islam, rules Karnataka High Court
What is the News?
Karnataka High Court has pronounced its verdict on the petitions related to the row over wearing hijab in educational institutions.
What were the issues before the Karnataka High Court?
The questions before the High Court were:
- Whether the wearing of the hijab is essential religious practice under Islam.
- Whether the prescription of school uniforms is violative of fundamental rights and
– Whether the Karnataka government order (which barred students from wearing clothing that could ‘disturb the peace, harmony and law and order), apart from being incompetent and manifestly arbitrary, violates Articles 14 and 15.
What was the Court verdict on these issues?
- Firstly, the Wearing of a hijab (headscarf) by Muslim women does not form a part of essential religious practices in the Islamic faith, and it is not protected under the right to freedom of religion guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution of India.
- Secondly, the prescription of school uniforms does not violate either the right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1) (a) or the right to privacy under Article 21 of the Constitution. Moreover.
- The restriction against wearing hijab in educational institutions is only a reasonable restriction constitutionally permissible, which the students cannot object to.
- Thirdly, the court upheld the legality of the Karnataka Government’s order prescribing the wearing of uniforms in schools and pre-university colleges under provisions of the Karnataka Education Act, 1983.
Source: This post is based on the article “Hijab not an essential practice of Islam, rules Karnataka High Court” published in The Hindu on 16th Mar 2022.
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Supreme Court tears into practice of ‘sealed cover jurisprudence’
What is the News?
Recently, the two separate Benches of the Supreme Court have criticized the “Sealed Cover Jurisprudence” practised by the Government in Courts.
What is Sealed Cover Jurisprudence?
- It is a practice used by the Supreme Court and sometimes lower courts of asking for or accepting information from government agencies in sealed envelopes that can only be accessed by judges.
- While a specific law does not define the doctrine of sealed cover, the Supreme Court derives its power from:
- Rule 7 of Supreme Court Rules: It states that if the Chief Justice or court directs certain information to be kept under sealed cover or considers it of confidential nature, no party would be allowed access to the contents of such information, except if the Chief Justice himself orders that the opposite party be allowed to access it.
- Section 123 of the Evidence Act: It says that the official unpublished documents relating to state affairs are protected, and a public officer cannot be compelled to disclose such documents.
Why has the Sealed Cover Jurisprudence been criticized?
Firstly, sealed cover practice is not favourable to the principles of transparency and accountability of the Indian justice system.
Secondly, it enlarges the scope for arbitrariness in court decisions, as judges are supposed to lay down the reasoning for their decisions, but this cannot be done when they are based upon information submitted confidentially.
Thirdly, not providing access to such documents to the accused parties obstructs their passage to a fair trial and adjudication.
What are recent Supreme Court views on Sealed Cover Jurisprudence?
The Supreme Court was critical about how the government and its agencies file reports in sealed envelopes directly in court without sharing the contents with the opposite party.
This is usually done on the ground that the contents are highly sensitive in nature and may injure even national security or public order. Another reason given by State agencies mostly in money laundering cases is disclosure would affect the ongoing investigation.
However, the court said this sealed cover practice should be used in exceptional cases in which the court, for the benefit of the parties, do not want them to see the government files. For example, like in a case of child sexual abuse.
Source: This post is based on the article “Supreme Court tears into practice of ‘sealed cover jurisprudence” published in The Hindu on 16th Mar 2022.
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Explained: India’s draft medical devices policy, and why it is needed
What is the News?
The Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has released “Draft National Policy for the Medical Devices, 2022.
What is the Medical Devices Sector?
- The medical device is a multi-product sector, with the following broad classifications:
- (a) Electronics Equipment;
- (b) Implants;
- (c) Consumables and Disposables;
- (d) IVD reagents; and
- (e) Surgical Instruments.
- The Medical Device Sector has remained largely unregulated till 2017 when Medical Device Rules,2017 were framed by CDSCO for comprehensive regulation of Medical Devices in a phased manner especially on the quality, safety, and efficacy aspects, under the Drugs and Cosmetic Act, 1940.
- The Indian medical device market has a significant presence of multinational companies with about 80% of the sales by value generated from imported medical devices.
- This Sector is expected to grow in market size from the present $11 Bn to $50 Bn by 2025.
- Moreover, to encourage the domestic manufacturing of Medical Devices, Government has launched PLI scheme for promoting domestic manufacturing of Medical Devices, Promotion of Medical Devices Parks.
What is the need for National Policy for the Medical Devices?
Firstly, nearly 80% of the medical devices currently sold in the country are imported, particularly high-end devices. This new policy aims to reduce India’s import dependence to nearly 30% in the next 10 years.
Secondly, India’s medical devices sector has so far been regulated as per provisions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940 and a specific policy on medical devices has been a long-standing demand from the industry.
Thirdly, the policy aims to increase India’s per capita spending on medical devices. India has one of the lowest per capita spend on medical devices at $3 compared to the global average of per capita consumption $47.
What are the salient features of the policy?
The policy will –
- Incentivise core technology projects and exports through tax refunds and rebates.
- Adopt Public-private partnerships to reduce the cost of healthcare and drive efficiency.
- Create a single-window clearance system for licensing medical devices.
- Identify critical suppliers and promote local sourcing.
- Encourage cross-industry collaboration.
- Increase the share of medical technology companies in research and development to around 50%.
- A dedicated fund for encouraging joint research involving existing industry players, reputed academic institutions and startups.
- Incorporate a framework for a coherent pricing regulation to make available quality and effective medical devices to all citizens at affordable prices.
- NPPA (National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority) shall be strengthened with adequate manpower of suitable expertise to provide effective price regulation, balancing patient and industry needs.
Source: This post is based on the article “Explained: India’s draft medical devices policy, and why it is needed” published in Indian Express on 16th Mar 2022.
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