Table of Contents
Special Topic: HECI a new name for UGC?
• Around the world radical technological and political
changes such as automation and the rise of protectionism is going on.
• These things are disrupting the global economy.
• Education is India’s best bet if it is to adapt and prosper in the midst of these uncertainties.
• This calls for a fundamental reorganization of higher education.
• The draft bill mandating a new Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) to replace the University Grants Commission (UGC).
• With HECI we are trying to sort out
1. problem of poor quality of Indian higher education
2. promote autonomy of institutions & academic standards
• Role of UGC: Empowered to allocate grants and ensure standards in higher education
• UGC ended up as a bureaucratic exercise in centralisation.
• HECI has been tasked with specifying learning outcomes, laying down teaching and research standards, evaluating yearly academic performance, and promoting research.
• UNION HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY will take over the grant giving function of UGC.
• But without the ability to offer monetary and other incentives for those scoring high on its regulatory watch HECI will, in itself, be reduced to a toothless tiger.
• Institutions not meeting HECI standards can be closed down and individuals heading them can even face imprisonment.
• Fear only breeds insecurity and constrains growth.
• It will surely prevent top flight foreign educational institutions from opening branches in India.
• Instead, institutions must be given autonomy and allowed to fail in a competitive market.
• Funding flows can also be used as a tool to incentivise quality.
• UGC’s quality assessment and accreditation body, NAAC, having audited just 40% of universities and 20% of colleges by 2016 – despite being in existence for over 20 years – attests to the failure of bureaucratic centralization.
• Allowing competent, independent agencies to undertake this
accreditation function – the US has pursued this model for decades – would ensure constant monitoring and accelerate progress towards the regulator’s quality goals.
• Light touch regulation with built in incentives is the best way to reform higher education.
Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation
• Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Shri Nitin Gadkari will be the chief guest at the 50th
Foundation Day celebration of Water and Power Consultancy Services (WAPCOS)
• WAPCOS, was incorporated as a Public Sector Enterprise in 1969 by the Government of India.
• It is a techno-commercial organization under the aegis of Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
• WAPCOS has done Survey & Investigation/Pre-Feasibility/DPRs for more than 550 Projects in Irrigation, Water Resources and Agricultural etc.
• The company has successfully completed/on-going consultancy assignments in countries covering Asia, Africa, Middle East, and the Pacific Islands and is operating in more than 45 Countries, at present.
• It has grown into a true Indian multinational with footprints across the globe in line with Government of India’s flagship programmed on “Skill India” and “Make in India”.
• The company has successfully undertaken some of the most challenging projects in inhospitable circumstances around the world;
e.g. Afghan-India Friendship (Salma) Dam Project, Afghanistan.
• WAPCOS today has emerged as one of India’s best performing “Mini Ratna-I” CPSE.
Election Commission.
• Election Commission of India (ECI) has organized a two-day “National Consultation on Accessible Elections,” from the 3rd July, 2018 in New Delhi.
• The event is a part of the ECI’s pursuit of its mission ‘leave no voter behind,’ with special focus on “Persons with Disabilities” (PwD).
• The theme of “Inclusion of PwD’s” has been given a special focus in the ECI’s Strategic Plan 2016-2025.
• Besides, “Accessible Elections” has been adopted as its central theme for this year’s National Voters’ Day celebrations.
• The whole exercise is to enhance their participation in the forthcoming state and Lok Sabha elections.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
• The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has notified the “National Policy on Marine Fisheries, 2017”, which will guide the development of marine fisheries sector for the next
10 years.
• “Marine Fisheries-Mariculture in India” in Rameswaram
• Shri Singh informed that the government has also included a sub-component namely, ‘Assistance for Deep-Sea Fishing’ under ‘Blue-Revolution’.
• Under this scheme, traditional fishermen, their associations/organizations or self-help groups are provided with central financial assistance up to 50% of the cost of the vessels i.e. Rs 40 lakh for ‘Deep-Sea Fishing Vessels’.
• Open sea cage farming is one of the eco-friendly farming activities under mariculture which is being practiced in open sea where wave action is less.
SC to consider Nikah Halala & Polygamy issue
• The apex court today agreed to consider listing of a bunch of petitions challenging the practices of polygamy and ‘nikah halala’ among Muslims.
• A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra considered the submissions of
senior advocate V Shekhar that the petitions be listed before a five-judge constitution
bench for final adjudication.
• Delhi-based woman, said, by virtue of the Muslim Personal Law, Section 494 of the IPC
pertaining to marrying again during lifetime of husband or wife was rendered inapplicable to
Muslims. She said, therefore no married woman from Muslim community has the
avenue of filing a complaint against her husband for the offence of bigamy.
Defence Ministry
• Indigenous fighter aircraft Tejas of No 45 Squadron today formally commenced operations from the Air Force Station at Sulur near Coimbatore.
• Tejas is the first advanced Fly-by-wire fighter aircraft designed, developed and manufactured in India by HAL, Bengaluru.
• It is equipped with a satellite-aided Inertial Navigation System.
• The aircraft has a digital computer-based attack system and autopilot mode.
• It can fire Air to Air Missiles, carry bombs and Precision Guided ammunition.
1. NASA recently launched which mission to study Mar’s deep interior?
A) InSight
B) GRACE-FO
C) CHESS
D) TESS
2. President Ram Nath Kovind recently approved the
amendments to the Minimum Wages Act of which state?
A) Bihar
B) Delhi
C) Madhya Pradesh
D) Uttar Pradesh
Answers-
1. Which country hosted the 15th Asia Media Summit (AMS2018)?
A) Singapore
B) India
C) Malaysia
D) China
2. The Supreme Court has struck down which state’s
legislation allowing former Chief Ministers to continue
occupying government accommodation?
A) Haryana
B) Uttar Pradesh
C) Karnataka
D) Jharkhand
WhatsApp