Today in History (March 19^th, 1935)

In 1935, Adolf Hitler publicly announced the creation of a new air force, the Luftwaffe.

Let’s revise

A) “Restatement of Values of Judicial Life” is a charter associated with which one of the following institution?

1. International Court of Justice
2. Indian Judiciary
3. Subordinate courts in India
4. None of the above

Ans. (b)

B) Who recommended that judges should be prohibited from taking up employment with the Union or the state as a post-retirement position?

1. 14^th Law Commission of India
2. Dinesh Goswami Committee
3. Justice Verma Committee
4. None of the above

Ans. (a)

C) It operates as the National Assessment Centre, it is________

1. PARAKH
2. CBSE
3. ICSE
4. UGC

Ans. (a)

D) PARAKHE has been established as an independent unit within_____

1. UGC
2. NCERT
3. CBSE
4. NITI AYOG

Ans. (b)

E) The Great Lakes are located in which one of the following continent?

1. South America
2. Australia
3. North America
4. Asia

Ans. (c)

F) Water in the Great Lakes flows from Lake Superior, via Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, into Lake Ontario, and into the______

1. The Pacific Ocean
2. The Atlantic Ocean
3. The Mediterranean Sea
4. The Caribbean Sea

Ans. (b)

G) The latest National Education Policy (NEP) was released in which year?

1. 2023
2. 2022
3. 2001
4. 2020

Ans. (d)

H) “Population control and family planning” fall under the _________

1. Union List
2. State List
3. Residuary List
4. Concurrent List

Ans. (d)

Summary of Today’s News

Assam jail chief held after seizure of devices from inmates

• The superintendent of Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam, Nipen Das, was arrested following the discovery of electronic gadgets in the possession of 10 inmates associated with a radical pro-Khalistan outfit led by Amritpal Singh.
• Amritpal Singh and his associates, held under the National Security Act since April last year 2023, had been on a hunger strike, demanding transfer to a prison in Punjab.
• The seized items included smart phones, a spy camera, and other communication devices.
• The arrest was made under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Assam Prisons Act, raising concerns about national security and law and order.
• The Sikh prisoners’ hunger strike prompted a death threat from a pro-Khalistan leader to the Assam Chief Minister on March 1.
• The superintendent’s alleged involvement in the illegal acquisition of gadgets intensified concerns regarding the maintenance of law and order.
• The arrested individuals are now facing legal consequences.

Centre tweaks PM solar ‘free electricity’ scheme

• The Indian government has made modifications to the ₹75,000-crore PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana,
• It is a rooftop solar scheme aimed at providing free electricity.
• Initially planning to fully subsidize 1 kW-3 kW solar systems in one crore households
• Now the scheme will now cover only up to 60% of installation costs.
• Households interested in the scheme must contribute the remaining amount, with a minimum payment of ₹20,000, which can be offset by a low-interest, collateral-free loan.
• Eligible houses must have suitable roofs and an existing grid connection.
• The scheme aims to reduce electricity bills through net-metering, allowing excess solar power to flow back into the grid.
• While Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman initially mentioned the scheme generating up to 300 units of free electricity monthly, officials clarify that consumers will experience a reduced electricity bill, achieving a payback in three to seven years.
• The modified scheme also doubles the subsidy on rooftop solar and involves 12 public sector banks offering collateral-free loans.
• The government aims to reach one crore households in three years, with 40 lakh registrations already underway.

Afghan women stage rare, private protests on International Women’s Day

• On International Women’s Day, small groups of Afghan women held rare demonstrations in private spaces,
• Due to Taliban crackdown that prevented activists from taking to the streets.
• Since regaining power in August 2021, the Taliban has enforced a strict interpretation of Islam, leading to what the United Nations labels as “gender apartheid.”
• Women have faced severe restrictions,
  • including exclusion from public life,
  • travel without a male relative,
  • certain jobs,
  • secondary education,
  • and access to
  • parks,
  • fairs, and
• Despite these constraints, a few women in different provinces gathered to demand the lifting of restrictions, according to activists from the Purple Saturdays group.
• In Takhar province, images circulated showing women holding papers with messages like “Rights, Justice, Freedom.”
• In Balkh province, women held signs saying “Don’t give the Taliban a chance” in front of a banner reading “Save Afghanistan Women.”
• There were no reports of women’s protests in public spaces, and the UN mission in Afghanistan urged the Taliban to lift restrictions, warning that failure to do so could deepen poverty and isolation in the country.

Frontier Technology Lab

• It represents an upgraded iteration of the Atal Tinkering Lab, aligning with the government’s objectives of digital inclusion, skill development, and overall growth.
• In collaboration, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Ayog, and Meta will join forces to establish Frontier Technology Labs (FTLs) in strategically important schools, ensuring students from diverse backgrounds throughout India have equal access to learning and engaging with cutting-edge technologies.
• Meta will provide funding for the FTLs,
• while Atal Innovation Mission will serve as the knowledge partner.
• These labs boast state-of-the-art infrastructure, incorporating all elements of the Tinkering Lab, enabling students to innovate using technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Augmented & Virtual Reality, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, Robotics, 3D Printing, and Internet of Things.
• Part of Meta’s Education to Entrepreneurship initiative, launched in September 2023, the FTLs aim to seamlessly connect students, youth, the workforce, and micro-entrepreneurs with futuristic technologies, thereby extending digital skilling to grassroots levels.
• The management of these labs will be overseen by Meta’s partner, 1M1B (One Million for One Billion).