ASSAM

Assam Cabinet decides to restructure school education policy in line with NEP

The Assam Cabinet decided to restructure the state education policy, making school education a 15-year affair comprising four categories – foundation, preparatory, elementary and senior secondary – in accordance with the NEP, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The foundation category will have five years till class two while the next three years will be preparatory. The elementary category will comprise classes six, seven and eight, and the classes between nine and 12 will be called senior secondary.

In the National Education Policy (NEP) announced by the Centre last year, there will be a 5+3+3+4 structure comprising 12 years of school and three years of pre-school, replacing the old 10+2 structure. The change in the structure will be notified on April one, 2022 while the new syllabus will be introduced from April one, 2023, Sarma told reporters after the cabinet meeting held at Bongaigaon.

NORTH-EASTERN STATES

NE Tea Association bats for exports via Bangladesh waterways

The North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) underscored the shortage of coal and urea for the tea industry, and urged the government to allow use of the Bangladesh waterways for exports to support planters. Addressing the 20th Biennial General Meeting of NETA here, its Chairman Sunil Jallan said the present scenario of the industry is quite gloomy.

The government can extend its helping hand only when the members come forward with doable solutions, Jallan said. He said the major issues faced by the industry during 2021 were shortages of coal and urea, besides challenges like climate change, low land and labour productivity, demand-supply imbalance, low per capita tea consumption, frequent power cuts and natural gas supply to only 50 per cent factories out of about 800 units.

The annual requirement of urea for the tea plantations of Assam, including big and small growers, across the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys is 1,13,200 metric tonnes.

INTERNATIONAL

Israel’s airstrike on central Syria

According to military of Syria, Israeli warplanes attacked army positions in the its central region on November 23, 2021. This attack left two civilians dead and seven people wounded, of which six are soldiers.

As per report, warplanes fired missiles while flying over the airspace of Lebanon.

Syria’s air defences shot down most of the missiles.

Background

Israel has carried hundreds of strikes on targets in government-controlled Syria for years. But it has rarely acknowledged or discussed such operations. However, Israel has acknowledged that it targets the bases of Iran-allied militias, like Lebanon’s Hezbollah group which has deployed fighters in Syria.

Israel–Syria relations

Israel and Syria have been locked in a perpetual war ever since the establishment of Israel in 1948. Most significant and direct armed engagements between both the countries was in First Arab–Israeli War in 1948–1949, Third Arab–Israeli War of 1967, as well as the Fourth Arab–Israeli War of 1973. Apart from that, Israeli and Syrian forces also witnessed extensive combat against each other during Lebanese Civil War and War of Attrition.

NATIONAL

NCRA astronomers discover “Main-sequence Radio Pulse’ emitters”

Astronomers from Pune-based National centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) have discovered eight stars which belong to a rare class called Main-sequence Radio Pulse emitters or MRPs.

MRPs were discovered using ‘Giant Metre-wave Radio Telescope (GMRT)’ located in Pune.

Group of scientists discovered the rare class of radio stars which are hotter than the Sun. They have unusually strong magnetic fields and are much stronger stellar wind. As a result of this, these stars emit bright radio pulses like a lighthouse.

Team had also discovered three more similar stars in the past using Giant Metre-wave Radio Telescope (GMRT).

Thus, there are 15 known MRPs so far.

11 MRPs were discovered with GMRT. Eight of MRPs were discovered in 2021 alone.

INS Vela: Indian Navy to commission indigenously built Scorpene-class submarine

The Indian Navy is set to commission INS Vela, on November 25, 2021, which is the fourth stealth Scorpene class submarine under Project 75.

Induction of INS Vela will boost its combat capability.

Project 75 comprises of construction of six submarines of Scorpene design. Out of six, three submarines namely Karanj, Kalvari, Khanderi, have already been commissioned.

INS Vela

INS Vela has been built by Mumbai-based Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in association with M/s Naval Group of France.

Earlier version of INS Vela was commissioned on August 31, 1973, rendering its yeoman service to the nation for 37 eventful years. It was finally decommissioned on June 25, 2010.

INS Vela is a potent man of war. It is capable of offensive operations which span across entire spectrum of maritime warfare.

Induction of Vela consolidates position of Indian Navy as a builder’s Navy significantly. It will add sharpness and strength to the combat capability of Indian Navy.

This project was conceptualised during IK Gujral government for acquisition of 25 submarines. Following it, India & France signed a $ 3.75 billion contract to build six Scorpene class submarines in 2005.

E-portal of accreditation scheme

Minister also handed over 52 mines block to the government representatives from 15 state.

This scheme was launched at the 5th National Conclave on Mines and Minerals at New Delhi.

On the occasion, minister facilitated 149 awards for last 3 years to the coal and mine sector. These sectors have been awarded for their 5-star rating performance and sustainable mining.

He also handed over 52 mines blocks to 15 states including two north-eastern states. 52 blocks have been approved by Geological Survey of India for minerals mining.

Significance of the E-portal of accreditation scheme

Launch of the portal help in simplifying the application process for mining blocks exploration. It will also help in ensuring transparency during the auction of coals. The portal will bring all the stakeholders together on this digital platform, in order to work for the country.

‘Bharat Gaurav’ scheme- Key Facts

Indian Railways has launched a new scheme called “Bharat Gaurav Scheme” on November 23, 2021. Under this scheme, private tour operators can take trains on lease from railways and run these trains on any circuit of their choice.

Private operators would also get the freedom to decide routes, fares and quality of services on the trains.

For this purpose, railways have earmarked 3033 ICF coaches, roughly equal to 150 trains.

Anyone including from trusts, societies, consortia and even state governments can apply to lease these trains and run them on special theme-based tourism circuits.

Theme-based Tourism

Theme-based tourism circuit means, trains like:

Guru Kripa which goes to all places linked to Guru Nanak

Ramayan-themed train which goes to all places related to Lord Ram.

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