LEGAL NEWS

Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004.

• The Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004.

• The verdict was delivered by a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

• The court's decision overturned the Allahabad High Court's ruling, declaring it unconstitutional.

• The Supreme Court ruled that the High Court's verdict violated the principles of secularism.

• The Court clarified that madrasas cannot award higher education degrees, as it conflicts with the University Grants Commission Act.

• The bench emphasized that the Uttar Pradesh government must ensure madrasas meet modern educational standards.

• The judgment was made on March 22, 2024, affirming the law's constitutionality.

• The Supreme Court's ruling sets important guidelines for aligning madrasa education with national academic expectations.

STATE NEWS

Madhya Pradesh government approved 35% reservation for women in all state government services.

• The Madhya Pradesh government has approved a 35% reservation for women in all state government services, up from the previous 33%.

• This move is a significant step towards empowering women in the state.

• In addition to the reservation boost, the government has approved the opening of 254 new fertiliser sales centres across Madhya Pradesh.

• The state will also launch a new 660-megawatt thermal power plant in Sarni, replacing older units with a total capacity of 830 MW.

• To support the academic sector, the government has approved an increase in the maximum recruitment age for Assistant Professors in medical colleges, from 40 to 50 years.

• The new initiatives are part of the government's broader push to improve education, energy, and infrastructure in the state.

• The power plant upgrade aims to modernize energy production while decommissioning outdated units.

• These reforms are expected to bring improvements in employment opportunities, economic development, and women's participation in the workforce.

SPORTS

Mandeep Jangra won WBF's world title.

• Mandeep Jangra won the World Boxing Federation (WBF) super featherweight title in the Cayman Islands on October 6.

• He defeated Britain's Conor McIntosh with a perfect 10-0 score.

• This victory made Mandeep the first Indian boxer to win a world title in any professional boxing category.

• Mandeep had previously secured a silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

• He has a professional boxing record of 11 wins and only 1 loss.

• Out of his 11 victories, 7 have been by knockout.

• His only career defeat came in a single bout.

• Mandeep's triumph marks a historic milestone for Indian boxing.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

Digital Life Certificate Campaign 3.0 has been launched on 6 November by Dr Jitendra Singh.

• Dr. Jitendra Singh launched the Digital Life Certificate Campaign 3.0 on November 6, 2024.

• The campaign, which began on November 1, will run until November 30, 2024.

• It is being conducted nationwide across 800 cities and districts by the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare.

• The main goal is to raise awareness about the benefits of digital life certificates for pensioners.

• The initiative promotes the digital empowerment of pensioners through face authentication technology.

• Pensioners must submit a life certificate annually to continue receiving their pension.

• In 2014, PM Modi introduced the Jeevan Pramaan scheme, an Aadhaar-based system for submitting digital life certificates online.

• The campaign, in collaboration with various agencies, aims to reach pensioners in even the most remote areas of the country.

On November 6, a 15-day Jal Utsav launched by NITI Aayog.

• NITI Aayog launched a 15-day Jal Utsav on November 6 to raise awareness about water conservation and management.

• The campaign is aligned with PM Modi's vision, inspired by the idea of ‘Jal Utsav’ discussed at the 3rd Chief Secretaries Conference in December 2023.

• The Jal Utsav will run from November 6 to 24, targeting 20 Aspirational Districts and Blocks.

• The event is organized in collaboration with the National Jal Jeevan Mission, the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, and the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

• Jal Utsav is being celebrated across 20 states, focusing on community participation in water conservation efforts.

• The campaign encourages efficient water use in households and promotes responsible water management among local utilities and agencies.

• The initiative includes school students in water management activities, empowering them to become change-makers within their communities.

• The festival kicked off with a special ‘Jal Bandhan’ ceremony, where local leaders and celebrities tied sacred threads on water resources.

• During the launch, Fact Sheets on Jal Sampada for each district and block were also unveiled.

The "First in the World Challenge" is a new initiative announced by the Indian Council of Medical Research.

• The "First in the World Challenge" is a new initiative launched by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

• The program aims to inspire Indian scientists to develop innovative solutions to complex health challenges.

• ICMR's goal is to promote out-of-the-box, futuristic concepts and the creation of new knowledge in health sciences.

• The challenge seeks to drive the discovery and advancement of groundbreaking health technologies, including drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments.

• Technologies developed under this initiative must be entirely novel, having never been tested or attempted globally.

• The program is a high-risk, high-reward endeavor with the potential for unpredictable outcomes.

• Proposals can be submitted by individual researchers or collaborative teams from one or multiple institutions.

• The initiative encourages bold, innovative thinking to address the world’s most pressing health issues.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

European Space Agency's mission Proba-3 will be launched by India in December.

• Proba-3, a mission by the European Space Agency (ESA), will be launched by India in December from the Sriharikota Space Station.

• The mission aims to study the Sun's faint corona, located near the solar periphery.

• Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of Science and Technology, made the announcement during the Indian Space Conference 3.0 in New Delhi on November 5.

• The minister emphasized that space technology is now integral to almost every sector in India.

• Space tech plays a key role in developing smart cities, supporting services like navigation, satellite imaging, and terrain mapping.

• Dr. Singh outlined India's goal to raise its share of the global space economy from 2% to 10% in the near future.

• He also highlighted major upcoming missions by ISRO, including Gaganyaan and the Bharat Space Station set to launch by 2035.

• India also plans to send an Indian astronaut to the Moon by 2040, marking another milestone in its space exploration journey.

MISCELLANEOUS

In India, there has been a 17.7% decline in TB incidence from 2015 to 2023.

• India has seen a 17.7% reduction in tuberculosis (TB) incidence between 2015 and 2023.

• This decline is more than double the global average of 8.3%, according to the WHO's Global Tuberculosis Report 2024.

• India is working towards meeting its goal of ending TB by 2025, five years ahead of the UN's 2030 target.

• The TB incidence rate in India has dropped by 80% since 2015.

• TB-related deaths have decreased by 90% compared to 2015 levels.

• These improvements are a direct result of India's National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme.

• The country's progress is a significant step toward achieving the "End TB" target.

• India’s success highlights its commitment to tackling TB and improving public health.