Education - Current Affairs Questions and Answers

ANSWER: Bharatavani

Explanation:
With a cultural motherlode of more than 1,500 Indian languages that spurred Bharatavani, an online Indian Languages platform hosted by the Central Institute for Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysuru, to not only publish content in 121 Indian languages, but work towards starting online classes, the future for Indian languages looks bright.

In a little over a year since its inception, the portal offers 262 unilingual and multilingual dictionaries in 50 Indian languages - all of them in a searchable format on android platforms - which can be accessed on Bharatavani's free Android app.

Bharatavani is not publishing new works, but they are for the first time digitising available dictionaries in smaller languages, to bring it to a wider audience.

Malto-English-Hindi, Odia-Ho, English-Ao and Lepcha-English are some of the dictionaries on offer - most of them available in a searchable format and not as cumbersome PDF files.

Hurdles in Language Portal

• Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is still in a primitive stage even for major Indian languages. So, constructing digitised databases for smaller languages will be a problem as their script cannot be scanned and converted into text format.
• Another hurdle is that unicode script input drivers are available in only recognised scripts. Incidentally, the Bharatavani portal will soon provide a virtual keyboard, integrating all available Unicode drivers of India languages for users to search for words by typing in language of their choice.
• Another big problem is Proof Reading.

ANSWER: None of the above

Explanation:
The Telangana Government is going to set up the world's first Information and Technology (IT) Campus for differently-abled persons (divyangs) in state capital Hyderabad.

On the occasion of World Disability Day (WDD), state Government has signed agreement with Vindhya E-Infomedia Private Limited to set up IT campus to focus on creating employment opportunities for persons with disabilities (PWDs).

The proposed first of its kind differently-abled friendly campus will be set up in area of 10 acres near IT park developed by state Government near the Hyderabad international airport. The campus will have all amenities like Training, Delivery centres and Residential facility that will cater to various clients both domestic and International.

IT Campus for Differently Abled: Know More

• The campus is expected to create 2000 jobs in next 5 years by providing required training and skills.
• Telangana Government and Vindhya E-Infomedia Private Limited are looking at various corporates to participate in this one of its kind initiative and make world more inclusive.
• Vindhya E-Infomedia Private Limited is pioneer in creating inclusive workspace with PWDs as its major workforce comprising physicalled challenged, visually impaired and hearing impaired.
• It provides back office operations (BPO) support to various Telecom and e-commerce companies since 2006.

ANSWER: India

Explanation:
The National Achievement Survey (NAS) is the largest ever national assessment survey in the country and is amongst the largest in the world, was conducted throughout the country on 13^th Nov, 2017.

Union HRD Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar said that the NAS is a transparent and credible exercise done under third party verification.

It was conducted for the Classes 3, 5 and 8 in government and government aided schools. The survey tools used multiple test booklets with 45 questions in Classes III and V related to language, mathematics and 60 questions in Class VIII in Mathematics, Language, Sciences and Social Sciences.

The competency based test questions developed reflected the Learning Outcomes developed by the NCERT which were recently incorporated in the Right to Education Act (RTE) by the Government of India.

Along with the test items, questionnaires pertaining to students, teachers and schools were also used.

The learning levels of more than 25 lakhs students from 1,10,000 across 700 districts in all 36 States/UTs were assessed.

More than 1.75 lakhs trained Field Investigators from outside the government education system were engaged to conduct the learning assessment in the country.

To ensure the fairness of the survey, a monitoring team was constituted which consisted of observers from inter-ministerial departments drawn from the State Governments, National and State Observers from Education Departments and multi-lateral organizations.

The district wise learning report cards will be prepared based on a software especially designed for this. Subsequently, analytical reports will be prepared.

The inferences will be used to design Classroom interventions percolated to all the schools in the districts for implementation.

The findings of the survey, will also help in understanding the efficiency of the education system.

NAS results will help guide education policy, planning and implementation at national, state, district and classroom levels for improving learning levels of children and bringing about qualitative improvements.

ANSWER: National Testing Agency

Explanation:
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved creation of National Testing Agency (NTA) as a Society registered under the Indian Societies Registration Act, 1860.

It is an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organization to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions.

Features:

• The NTA would initially conduct those entrance examinations which are currently being conducted by the CBSE.
• Other examinations will be taken up gradually after NTA is fully geared up.
• The entrance examinations will be conducted in online mode at least twice a year, thereby giving adequate opportunity to candidates to bring out their best.
• In order to serve the requirements of the rural students, it would locate the centres at sub-district/district level and as far as possible would undertake hands-on training to the students.

• NTA will be chaired by an eminent educationist appointed by MHRD.
• The CEO will be the Director General to be appointed by the Government.
• There will be a Board of Governors comprising members from user institutions.
• The Director General will be assisted by 9 verticals headed by academicians/ experts.

• NTA will be given a one-time grant of Rs.25 crore from the Government of India to start its operation in the first year. Thereafter, it will be financially self-sustainable.

• Establishment of NTA will benefit about 40 lakh students appearing in various entrance examinations.
• It will relieve CBSE, AICTE and other agencies from responsibility of conducting these entrance examinations, and also bring in high reliability, standardized difficulty level for assessing the aptitude, intelligence and problem solving abilities of the student.
• In view of the need to have a specialized body in India like the most advanced countries, the Finance Minister in the Budget speech of 2017-18 had announced setting up of a National Testing Agency (NTA) as an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organization to conduct all entrance examinations for higher educational institutions.

ANSWER: Vidhyarthi Vigyan Manthan

Explanation:
In a bid to boost science and technology learning among students, the government will hold a nationwide science talent search examination through a mobile application.

State minister Alphons Joseph Kannanthanam launched the mobile app Vidhyarthi Vigyan Manthan (VVM).

The app will be used for National Science Talent Search examination to be held on November 26.

The VVM app will be available on Android and Apple's iOS platform. Students appearing for the examination will have to register on the mobile app and will need to visit the authorised centre to take the test.

The app will disconnect and free other applications of mobile or laptop once the examination starts.

The examination will be conducted in two sections - junior classes which are class 6-8 and senior classes comprising students from class 9-12.

The syllabus for the test is available online. Every student will be assessed based on class-based performance.

Winners will get recognition, a cash prize and government-sponsored trip to science labs in the country and even abroad.

Cash Prizes for Nationwide Science Talent Search Exam Winners (State)

Winner - cash prize of INR 10,000,
Runner-up - cash prize of INR 7,000
Second Runner-up - cash prize of INR 5,000

Cash Prizes for Nationwide Science Talent Search Exam Winners (National)

Winner - cash prize of INR 25,000
Runner-up - cash prize of INR 15,000
Second Runner-up - cash prize of INR 10,000

ANSWER: JNU

Explanation:
The Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju inaugurated the Special Centre for Disaster Research at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

This marks a new beginning in DRM in line with the 10-point agenda for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) given by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during the Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) last year.

India is a disaster-prone country and disasters will only grow in intensity and frequency.

DRM education should be integrated into the educational institutions' curriculum to give a fillip to the culture of disaster preparedness.

On the occasion, Shri Rijiju also released the book 'Disaster Law, Emerging Thresholds' by Prof. Amita Singh, first Chairperson of the new Centre.

He also launched the website of the Special Centre for Disaster Research.

The Launch programme was a part of two-day (26^th and 27^th October) Seminar being organised by JNU on 'Disasters and Community Resilience in the Northeastern States'.

The focus of the new Centre for the first year will be the northeastern states.

ANSWER: DIKSHA

Explanation:
The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu presented the National Award to Teachers - 2016 on the occasion of Teachers’ Day, in New Delhi.

Shri Venkaiah Naidu also launched DIKSHA portal, a national digital infrastructure for teachers. DIKSHA will enable, accelerate and amplify solutions in the realm of teacher education.

Basically the DIKSHA Portal is created to provide digital and advance technology to the teachers.

The main purpose of the Diksha portal is to focus the whole life cycle of the teacher, from the point they are student teachers till their retirement.

The HRD ministry has also set up a slogan “National Digital Infrastructure for Our Teachers Our Heroes” for DIKSHA national teachers portal.

For all the information regarding the national teachers portal you can visit official website diksha.gov.in.

Through this portal the teachers can take the benefit of the current digital infrastructure which is created for the teachers of the country.

Benefits & Features of DIKSHA Portal: Know More

• The HRD ministry has launched this portal to provide new and modern technologies to the teachers.
• It is journey to make technology work for the teachers.
• The teachers can learn free courses online at their home.
• Teachers can take the training through this portal in both modes offline as well as online.
• The portal will help the teachers to direct themselves, as they join the Teacher Education Institutes (TEIs).
• Through this portal the teachers can take quality content and the content can be shared in multiple people and the infrastructure is multi channel.
• It can be accessed on various formats like PCs, mobile phones, tablets etc.
• The aim is “Sabko Shiksha aur Acchi Shiksha” to “teach to transform, educate to empower and learn to lead”.

ANSWER: Mentor India Campaign

Explanation:
NITI Aayog will launch the Mentor India Campaign.

This is a strategic nation building initiative to engage leaders who can guide and mentor students at more than 900 Atal Tinkering Labs.

These were established across the country as a part of the Atal Innovation Mission.

CEO NITI Aayog, Shri Amitabh Kant will unveil the online nationwide initiative in the capital tomorrow on Wednesday, 23rdAugust.

Mentor India is aimed at maximizing the impact of Atal Tinkering Labs, possibly the biggest disruption in formal education globally.

The idea is to engage leaders who will nurture and guide students in the Atal Tinkering Labs.

These labs are non-prescriptive by nature, and mentors are expected to be enablers rather than instructors.

NITI Aayog is looking for leaders who can spend anywhere between one to two hours every week in one or more such labs.

This will enable students to experience, learn and practice future skills such as design and computational thinking.

Atal Innovation Mission: Know More

• Atal Tinkering Labs are dedicated works spaces where students from Class 6th to Class 12th learn innovation skills.
• They also develop ideas that will go on to transform India.
• The labs are powered to acquaint students with state-of-the-art equipment such as 3D printers, robotics & electronics development tools, Internet of things & sensors etc.
• NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission is among one of the flagship programs of the Government of India.
• This is to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the country to set up the Atal Tinkering Labs across the country.
• The Mission has / is in the process of setting up 900+ such labs across India and aims to have 2,000 such labs by end of 2017.

ANSWER: Madhyamik and Uchchtar Shiksha Kosh

Explanation:
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has accorded its approval on Aug 16, 2017 for creation of a non-lapsable pool in the Public Account for secondary and higher, education known as "Madhyamik and Uchchtar Shiksha Kosh" (MUSK) into which all proceeds of "Secondary and Higher Education Cess" will be credited.

The funds arising from the MUSK would be utilized for schemes in the education sector which would be available for the benefit of students of secondary and higher education, all over the country.

ANSWER: Infusion therapy

Explanation:
Infusion Nurses Society (INS), India is all set to launch one of its own kind online course on infusion therapy for nurses.

Utilizing the reach and ease of digital platform, the course will enable INS members to access the various infusion therapy modules and speaker presentations from previous conferences through INS website.

The first course would be on the Peripheral IV Cannulation.

Infusion Therapy is a comprehensive method of quality care to all patients.

Online courses will educate the nurses in the scientific method of delivering and maintaining infusion with the aim of cure and prevention of Infection.

Nine out of ten patients admitted in hospitals receive infusion therapy during the course of their stay for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes.

Improper infusion practices may lead to complications, causing an increase in mortality, morbidity, duration of hospital stay and healthcare costs.

In a complex healthcare environment, with varied patient needs, ensuring the quality of infusion calls for best nursing practices.

To ensure a patient-centred plan of care, a nurse strives to meet the infusion needs of their patients.

In doing so, they need to strictly adhere to the best practices and the comprehensive INS standards help the infusion nurses to provide excellent infusion care across all practice settings.

Along with online infusion therapy courses for the nurses, INS India is now launching an online course for its 3000 members on peripheral IV cannulation and an annual Mastermind Quiz, where all region’s hospitals will compete for the rotating trophy.

In the past, INS India launched an android app for the nurses and standards to help healthcare professionals, institute gold standard and evidence based protocols into patient care practices, by minimizing medication errors, treatment related complications and healthcare associated infections.

The revised standards will be instrumental in ensuring safety for patients and healthcare professionals.

With such online courses and Android apps, INS India wants to empower nurses with digital tools in infusion standards for better patient care.