Education - GS questions based on daily current affairs

ANSWER: Education

Explanation:
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, has initiated a scheme for establishing “Biotechnology Labs in Senior Secondary schools (BLiSS)” across the North Eastern States of India (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim).

Under BLISS programme a total 201 applications have been received from Senior Secondary Schools in North Eastern States of India and 88 schools are recommended for support.

50 new labs are coming up in Arunachal Pradesh.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:

• Every child with benchmark disability between the age group of 6 and 18 years shall have the right to free education.
• Government funded educational institutions as well as the government recognized institutions will have to provide inclusive education to the children with disabilities.
• National and State Fund will be created to provide financial support to the persons with disabilities.
• The existing National Fund for Persons with Disabilities and the Trust Fund for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities will be subsumed with the National Fund.
• The Bill provides for penalties for offences committed against persons with disabilities and also violation of the provisions of the new law.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
In higher education, various schemes ,namely, Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), Global Initiative for Academics Network (GIAN), Impacting Research, Innovation & Technology (IMPRINT), Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme(TEQIP), Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching (PMMMNMTT), Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM), National Digital Library, campus connect programme, Uchhatar Avishkar Abhiyan, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan are being implemented to improve the quality of higher education.

To promote objective assessment of performance annually, Government has launched the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in September 2015.

A number of initiatives are also undertaken by UGC and AICTE for quality improvement in higher and technical education.

ANSWER: 1, 2

Explanation:
Several initiatives are currently being undertaken to enhance the quality of education across the spectrum.

In elementary education, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) programme harmonized with Right to Education (RTE) aims for improvements in school infrastructure and also improving learning outcomes.

Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), ICT in Schools, Centrally Sponsored Scheme on Teacher Education (CSSTE), Shaala Siddhi, Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan are being implemented to improve the quality of secondary education.

ANSWER: Both 1 and 2

Explanation:
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) are a system of alternate schools for gifted students in India.

They are run by Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, New Delhi, an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of School Education and Literacy, Government of India.

JNVs are fully residential and co-educational schools affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), New Delhi, with classes from VI to XII standard.

JNVs are specifically tasked with finding talented children in rural areas of India and providing them with an education equivalent to the best residential school system, without regard to their family's socio-economic condition.

ANSWER: Only 2

Explanation:

• The National Student Startup Policy, formulated by AICTE, aims to create 100,000 technology based student start-ups and a million employment opportunities within the next 10 years.
• The policy plans on achieving this by developing an ideal entrepreneurial ecosystem and promoting strong inter-institutional partnerships among technical institutions.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• In order to precisely report the quality of education imparted across India, the SEQI is divided into two categories: Outcomes and Governance & Management.
• These are further divided into three domains of Outcomes (Learning, Access and Equity) and two domains of Governance & Management (Governance Processes and Structural Reforms).
• Currently the index has 34 indicators and 1000 points, with the highest weightage given to learning outcomes (600 out of 1000 points).

ANSWER: NITI Aayog

Explanation:

• NITI Aayog developed School Education Quality Index (SEQI) in collaboration with the Ministry of HRD to improve the learning outcomes among school children.
• The SEQI is a composite index that will report annual improvements of States on key domains of education quality, conceptualized and designed by NITI Aayog and the MHRD.
• The larger vision of the index is to shift the focus of States from inputs towards outcomes, provide objective benchmarks for continuous annual improvements, encourage state-led innovations to improve quality and facilitate sharing of best practices.

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:

• The scheme is targeted towards the least educated marginalised farmer;
• Scientists will spend time on farms and link communication tools to soil, water seed and market. The aim is to understand individual problems of the smallholding farmers and provide ready solutions.
• Biotech-KISAN will connect farmers to best global practices; training workshops will be held in India and other countries. Farmers and Scientists will partner across the globe.

ANSWER: Education

Explanation:

• The Incheon Declaration, which was adopted in May 2015 at the World Education Forum 2015, represents the firm commitment of countries and the global education community to a single, renewed education agenda - Education 2030 - which is holistic, ambitious and aspirational, leaving no one behind.
• Calling for bold and urgent action to transform lives through a new vision for education, the Declaration entrusts UNESCO, as the United Nations’ specialized agency for education, to continue its mandated role to lead and coordinate the Education 2030 agenda.
• The heart of Education 2030 lies at the country level and governments have the primary responsibility for successful implementation, follow-up and review. Country-led action will drive change, supported by effective multi-stakeholder partnerships and financing.