Published on: July 30, 2024
Snippets : 30 JULY 2024
Snippets : 30 JULY 2024
- The Union education ministry has introduced guidelines for “bagless days” for classes 6 to 8, aiming to make learning more joyful and stress-free. Developed by the PSS Central Institute of Vocational Education and released on the fourth anniversary of the NEP 2020, the guidelines suggest a 10-day bagless period. This initiative seeks to integrate practical, vocational experiences such as carpentry and gardening into the curriculum, reducing the gap between theoretical and practical knowledge. Activities like market surveys, charity visits, and hands-on crafts are recommended to enrich students’ learning experiences.
- India will host the next edition of the men’s Asia Cup cricket tournament in T20 format in 2025 as a pre-cursor to the T20 World Cup scheduled in the country in 2026, the Asian Cricket Council stated, reports PTI from Kuala Lumpur.
- UNESCO recently inscribed China’s Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf (Phase II) to its World Heritage List.
- PARAKH, under NCERT, has submitted an ‘equivalence’ report to the Ministry of Education, aligning with NEP 2020 to standardize academic standards across India’s 69 diverse school boards. Key recommendations include integrating assessments from Class 9 to 12 into final results, introducing a credits system, and establishing professional paper setters and question banks. Administrative guidelines suggest limiting school affiliation to three years and implementing anti-cheating measures. The report also emphasizes digital literacy, infrastructure improvements, and outlines steps for further implementation, despite the challenges in achieving uniformity.
- The Supreme Court recently overturned its 2017 directive that required a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate for renewing third-party car insurance. The directive, aimed at reducing pollution levels, was criticized for causing 55% of vehicles to lack insurance, impacting accident compensation claims. The court found that enforcing the directive could lead to vehicles operating without insurance, leading to its repeal. The PUC certificate, which ensures vehicles meet emission standards, remains mandatory under the Central Motor Vehicles Rule 1989, with penalties for non-compliance.
- Indian scientists from CSIR-IGIB and L.V. Prasad Eye Institute have developed an improved CRISPR system using the FnCas9 enzyme, offering greater precision and efficiency in genome editing compared to the traditional SpCas9. Enhanced FnCas9 features amino acid modifications for better DNA binding and increased editing efficiency, showing superior performance in cutting rates and diagnostic applications. This advancement holds promise for correcting genetic disorders, such as inherited blindness, and aims to reduce dependency on foreign patents by focusing on indigenous development and optimization of delivery methods.
