Best Civil services Coaching Institutes in Hyderabad, Best IAS Coaching Institutes in Hyderabad - Pragnya IAS Academy

PLANNING YOUR PREPARATION

Though the exam demands hard work from the aspirant, it should be “intelligent hard work”. Through the current times, hard work seems to be not just sufficient. It has to be supported by a good planning, a lot of selective reading and thorough feedback to yourselves about your preparation.

The most important aspect of the whole preparation is to plan it. Without planning, how much ever you read, how much hard work you invest, they might not be directed towards the goal and it all ends up getting wasted. Most of the hard working people don’t realize this and they fail in the attempt. Others can only see their hard work and feel things are unfair to them. It might not be so all the time!

Plan your preparation. You will always know the date of the examination well before hand. So you know how much time you have with you. You need to then know what your speed is. Unless you know how much time you take to go through a certain topic, it is not possible for you to know whether you can complete all things you want to complete before the exam. We know this speed can vary from subject to subject, but all we want to convey is for you to know your speed. Invest time to observe yourself and come up with some speed numbers for yourself.

Karnataka nuclear power plant second best in world for continuous operation - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Karnataka nuclear power plant second best in world for continuous operation

The Kaiga Atomic Power Station in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka has achieved a historic feat.

The Kaiga Atomic Power Station in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka has achieved a historic feat. The Unit 1 of the plant, run by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, has the best record of continuous operation among Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) and second among all nuclear power stations across the globe. The announcement was made by state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals LImited which provided the hardware of steam turbine generator for the utility unit.
BHEL, in a statement on Tuesday, said that the unit had been functional since May 13, 2016, and crossed the record of 894 days held by Pickering Nuclear Generating Station (PNGS) in Canada. The unit 1 is an indigenous PHWR and is also fuelled by domestic fuel. Earlier in June, the same unit had set a new record of operating for 766 days continuously, beating Unit 5 of Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (2014). Another 28 units have surpassed the mark of running continuously for one year.
The Kaiga plant had started commercial operations in November 2000, after being commissioned in 1989 and currently supplies power not only to the state but also to neighbouring states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. In all, the plant set up 56 km away from Karwar, currently has four functional units generating 220 MW of power. 33% of the power generated is reserved for Karnataka.
However, the expansion of the plant adding two more units has been opposed by a section of locals and environmentalists owing to environmental and immediate health concerns.
In a study, the Tata Memorial Centre found that in the years 2010 to 2013, the number of cancer patients shot up by 300% in the vicinity of the plant. A compilation of data of 30 plants showed that while there were only 70-80 cancer patients in Karwar prior to 2010, the numbers increased to 316 during 2010-2013. The study was commissioned after the Nuclear Power Corporation of India and the state government gave in to the demands of a public pressure group to conduct population-based cancer registries.(Source:defencenews.in)

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SC to hear plea on govt delays over appointment of judges in higher judiciary after 8 weeks.

Proposed Ganga bill bans ports, jetties - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Proposed Ganga bill bans ports, jetties

Centre’s efforts have been on cleaning the river, while neglecting steps to ensure its natural flow: activists

The government has banned the construction of jetties, ports or “permanent hydraulic structures” in the Ganga, unless permitted by the National Ganga Rejuvenation Authority, according to a proposed ‘Ganga Act’

The legislation, formally called the National River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Conservation and Management) Bill, 2018, proposes to create a management structure that will supervise the health of the 2,500-kilometre long Ganga which, the draft Bill defines, as ‘India’s national river.’

In Winter session

The Bill is now being circulated for comments among several Ministries, and proposed to be tabled in Parliament during the Winter session, according to sources.

The Bill lays down a host of restrictions to ensure the “uninterrupted, ecological flow” of the river. Currently, a host of dams in the upper stretches of the river lead to the river’s flow being obstructed, say several activists and researchers, and persistent campaigns — notably led by the late G.D. Agrawal — led to the government finally recognising the need for proposed and existing hydropower projects to change their design plans to ensure minimum flows all through the year.

The legislation looms even as the government is developing a National Waterways Project-1 (River Ganga) from Haldia to Varanasi (1,390 km), with the technical and financial assistance of the World Bank, at an estimated cost of ₹5,369 crore. Food and beverage giant PepsiCo has dispatched 16 containers from Haldia containing packaged food and assorted goods, and — in a ceremony to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi — they are expected to dock in Varanasi on November 12, according to a statement from the Union Shipping Ministry. This is the first container movement aboard an inland vessel in independent India, according to that Ministry.

The waterways project involves creating permanent and movable terminals that require dredging and frequent de-silting to ensure that minimum river depths — for the smooth movement of the vessels — are maintained. However, the proposed legislation specifies that “unauthorised” activities that cause “…obstruction or discontinuity of water in the River Ganga…due to engineered diversion of water or stoppage of water…could be liable to a prison term of 3 years or fines upto ₹50 crore, or both.”

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Activists say that while the government’s efforts have been largely on cleaning the Ganga — namely, by installing sewage plants in riverine cities such as Allahabad and Varanasi and Kanpur — but neglecting to take steps to ensure the river’s natural flow is maintained through the stretch. “The government’s draft does not keep the interest of the Ganga as prime focus. The intent seems to be to maintain a flow, whereas we have been insisting on achieving natural flow,” said Mallika Bhanot of the Uttarakhand-based NGO Ganga Ahwaan. The NGO was associated with G.D. Agrawal, and his call for a ban on hydropower projects on the Ganga. (Source: The Hindu)

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Proposed Ganga bill bans ports, jetties

Indians most positive about teaching as a career for their kids: Study - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Indians most positive about teaching as a career for their kids: Study

Indians are the most positive about their children taking up a career in teaching

Indians are the most positive about their children taking up a career in teaching, a new global study has revealed.
The UK-based Varkey Foundation's Global Teacher Status Index (GTSI) 2018' was released on Thursday and is described as the most comprehensive study of how society views teachers across 35 countries around the world.
It revealed that over half (54 per cent) of Indian people polled said they encourage their children to become teachers more than in any other country surveyed, including China (50 per cent).
By comparison, under a quarter of British people (23 per cent) would encourage their child to become a teacher, while only 6 per cent would encourage their child to become a teacher in Russia, the lowest of any country surveyed.
Overall, India ranks eighth among the 35 countries surveyed in the 'Global Teacher Status Index 2018', in which China is the highest-ranked country and Brazil the lowest.
The index reveals, for the very first time, that there is a direct link between teacher status and pupil performance as measured by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores.
"When we conducted the 'Global Teacher Status Index' five years ago we were alarmed by the weight of evidence pointing to the low status of teachers around the world. It was this that inspired us to create the Global Teacher Prize, which shines a light on the extraordinary work that teachers do around the world," said Indian-origin entrepreneur and philanthropist Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation.
The survey is based on in-depth opinion polling and analysis by Professor Peter Dolton and the National Institute of Economic and Social Research of over 35,000 adults aged 16-64 and over 5,500 additional serving teachers across 35 countries. The 2018 index expands upon the first GTSI, which surveyed 21 countries back in 2013 and inspired the Varkey Foundation's annual USD 1-million Global Teacher Prize.
The survey also found that over three-quarters (77 per cent) of Indian respondents think that pupils respect their teachers the third-highest of any country surveyed after Uganda (79 per cent) and China (81 per cent).
By contrast, only 9 per cent of people in Brazil think pupils respect their teachers, lower than any other country polled.
Indians believe strongly in their country's education system rating it 7.11 out of 10 the fourth-highest of any country polled, with only Finland (8), Switzerland (7.2), and Singapore (7.1) higher. By contrast, Egyptians rated their country's education system lower than any other surveyed at 3.8.
When asked to rank 14 professions in order of respect (including headteachers, primary and secondary teachers, doctors, nurses, social workers, and librarians), Indian respondents ranked headteachers the fourth-highest of all the countries surveyed after Malaysia, Indonesia, and China.
Indians ranked secondary school teachers the seventh-highest of all the countries surveyed, with China ranking them the highest.
The latest index found that teacher status was rising globally and of the 35 countries polled, Asian nations of India, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia and Korea rank higher in terms of teacher status than every European country and every Western nation including the US, New Zealand and Canada.
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Indians most positive about teaching as a career for their kids: Study

Why Russia's S-400 Is No Joke (And Why No Air Force Wants to Fight Against It) - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Why Russia's S-400 Is No Joke (And Why No Air Force Wants to Fight Against It)

The S-300 began development in the 1960s as a follow-up to a multitude of prior surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems. The primary missile it planned to replace is the S-75 (SA-2) missile system, which was famously used against the U-2 spy plane and deployed in Cuba and Vietnam. The missile underwent testing in the 1970s and entered service in 1978.

The S-400 is one of the most controversial missiles in the world currently. The United States has imposed economic sanctions on countries simply for buying the system, but many of the world’s powers are interested in it, with India signing deals in September 2018 and China in April 2018. But what exactly makes the S-400 such a hot ticket item in the world today? How did it evolve from the earlier S-300?
The S-300 began development in the 1960s as a follow-up to a multitude of prior surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems. The primary missile it planned to replace is the S-75 (SA-2) missile system, which was famously used against the U-2 spy plane and deployed in Cuba and Vietnam. The missile underwent testing in the 1970s and entered service in 1978.
The primary improvement of the S-300 compared to earlier systems would be the ability to be multichannel—to utilize multiple guidance beams to guide missiles to different targets simultaneously. The earlier S-25 system was also multichannel, but it was extremely heavy and only deployed in stationary mounts. The American SAM-D (which would become the MIM-104 Patriot) was the first American land-based SAM with multichannel technology; it entered service three years later in 1981.
The main customer for the new missile was the Soviet PVO or air defense forces. They adopted the first version of the S-300, the S-300PT. All “P” missiles were meant to be to be for the PVO. The S-300PT involved a towable TEL (Transporter, Erector, Launcher) and towable radar that relied on heavy trucks to reposition. The set also included a fire control system. This was good enough for relatively stationary PVO duties but was not an ideal solution.
The Soviet military looked at SAM usage in Vietnam and the Middle East and determined quicker repositioning was the key to maximizing the effectiveness of SAMs. The S-300PT took more than an hour to set up and become operational due to the towed nature of the launchers and radar. This was seen as an area that needed improvement. The original S-300PT utilized the 5V55 with a range of around 75 kilometers.
As a result, the S-300 came into the form that it is now known for: mounted on the heavy MAZ-7910 truck (though variants have been mounted on newer trucks as well in articulated platforms). The TEL, radar and fire control system were all mounted on these trucks. Additional support equipment, such as that to rectify differences between the radar and launcher height were mounted on lighter trucks. The complete system, now known as S-300PS, entered service in 1982. The slightly modified version for export is known as the S-300PMU. The PS utilized the longer 5V55R missile with a range of around 90 kilometers.
While the S-300P in both forms was under development, the S-300F for the Navy and S-300V for the Army were also in development. The S-300V was developed specifically to counter tactical ballistic missiles like the Lance and Pershing in addition to air threats.
One key feature of the S-300V system is that it has two TEL variants, a TEL with four shorter ranged (75 kilometers) 9M83 missiles and a TEL with two longer ranged (100 kilometers) 9M82 missiles. The TEL, radar, and command post sets for the S-300V are mounted on a tracked chassis (the same as the 2S7 artillery piece) for better off road mobility in contrast to the S-300PS. The S-300V was accepted into service in 1985.
Further development happened with both the V and P variants of the S-300. The S-300PM series of missiles was borne out of the desire to integrate the V’s functionality of intercepting ballistic missiles into the P series of missiles. Export versions of the S-300PM are called the S-300PMU, and one can track the more recent evolution of the S-300 in the listed capabilities of these missiles, leading up to the S-400.
Indeed, early versions of the S-400 were called S-300PMU-3, indicating a third modernization of the road-mobile version of the S-300 for air defense. When the system was first showcased at MAKS 2007, it was noted that most vehicles were externally similar to the S-300PMU-2 system.
However, advances in missile and radar technology make the ~2x advance “versus prior missile systems” likely possible in the S-400. The new radars used in the S-400 make it likely very capable versus almost all air targets.
Another key aspect of the S-400 is the ability to use four different types of missiles with different weights and capabilities, allowing the system by itself to form a large portion of a layered air defense. This makes the S-400 a more flexible system. It also can utilize missiles employed by earlier S-300 variants.
The new missiles for the S-400 predictably extend the range even further, out to 240 kilometers versus aerial targets, an incremental upgrade from the S-300PMU-1 which could go out to 150 kilometers, and the S-300PMU-2 which could go out to 200 kilometers. Newer missiles like the 40N6 can even boost the range out to 400 kilometers for the S-400.
What does this mean about the S-400? At its heart, it’s still a relatively road-mobile system designed for air-defense forces. While it represents a significant capability leap (especially compared to fielding first-gen S-300PT/PS systems) and is significantly more flexible than earlier variants of the S-300, the evolution of the S-300 into a more flexible, capable system was already going with the various sub-variants of the S-300PMU.
In contrast, the Russian Army has continued developing the S-300V into the S-300V4 and S-300VM (Antey 2500 for export), which incorporates more modern missile and radar technology to give it the increased (200 kilometers) range of the later S-300PMUs. It also adds a new TEL which has a small missile guidance radar built into the vehicle, possibly reducing the number of vehicles on the field
While the capabilities of the S-400 may appear to be a significant leap, they got there through the slow evolution of earlier S-300 missiles. Many of the advanced features, such as ballistic missile interception, interchangeable, modular missiles and multichannel engagement have been present in the system for a long time, and the S-400 just builds upon the existing strengths of the S-300 to make it an even more deadly threat.(Source:defencenews.in)

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Why Russia's S-400 Is No Joke (And Why No Air Force Wants to Fight Against It)

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UPSC Civil Services Exam 2019: 10 mistakes most aspirants make

Any aspirant irrespective of their academic background can realise the dream of clearing the Union Public Service Commission’s civil service examination (CSE) and join the most elite services of the country by preparing well.

But there are some mistakes that most UPSC CSE aspirants makes and thus fails to clear the hurdle.

Here are the Common mistakes and how to avoid them:

1. Not sticking to the syllabus

One of the biggest myths every CSE aspirant carries with him at some point in time is that the syllabus of CSE is unlimited and anything can be asked under the sky. To some extent this is true but taking your eyes completely off the syllabus can prove fatal in long run and can cost you your resources, time, money, and energy. Most of the aspirants start off without going through the syllabus prescribed by the UPSC and within no time find themselves in no man’s land.

The syllabus is the roadmap of preparation. It should be the Bible of any aspirant’s course of preparation for this highly coveted exam. Therefore, it needs to be followed and referred at every step of preparation.

2. Not referring to previous years’ question papers

If the syllabus is the roadmap, referring to previous years question papers is like indicators for the right turn at the right time during the journey of the CSE preparation, which most of the students realise at a very later phase of the time.

Every step of preparation (unit/section/chapter) should be followed by an instant reference to the questions asked in the recent years (both prelims and mains) pertaining to the respective article. This helps the aspirant to mould his/her preparation in accordance with the latest trends of the questions put up by the board.

3. Collecting books

Mukherjee Nagar and Old Rajinder Nagar are often termed as the ‘Mecca and Medina’ of UPSC preparation in India and the local markets of these UPSC hubs are flooded with various books of numerous authors and publications. However, only handpicked books are genuinely relevant for the effective preparation of the examination but due to incomplete knowledge of the UPSC CSE preparations most of the students end up piling books in their room turning it into a junkyard instead of an ideal place of learning.

An aspirant should consult seniors who have cleared the examination (preferable), experienced mentors and genuine/reliable sources and then go for buying of resources and study material so that instead of becoming a ‘waste’ it turns into a proper ‘invest’ment.

4. Underestimating NCERT

This is the most microscopic and grave mistake committed by almost a huge majority of the competing crowd. Ignoring NCERT and directly jumping on a heavyweight book can be the ‘beginning of the end’ of your UPSC CSE preparation.

For example, if an aspirant directly starts up with DD Basu for Indian Polity and Constitution of India, he is bound to end up in a soup. Instead, it has to be steadily initiated with basic reference from Class 8-12 NCERT social science textbooks, a subject which is popularly termed as ‘civics’.

5. Lack of writing practice

The preliminary stage of the examination is not considered as selection criteria for enlisting the final merit list for service selection and cadre allocation. The Mains stage is the ‘main’ part of the whole selection process which does not only require mere writing answers but the aspirant has to equip himself with a fluent flow of knowledge, facts and wisdom in a very precise and skilful manner. Lack of writing skill, which aspirants find it to be the most difficult part to overcome, if not rectified within correct time, is a sure guarantee of failure.

To avoid this, writing practice on daily basis rigorously and religiously is a must. However, for real-time results, aspirants must stick to exam oriented writing instead of blogging which will definitely increase the typing skills instead of writing skills.

6. Illicit manner of choosing optional

Availability of books and study material in the market, ongoing marking and scoring trends of the subject, length and extent of the syllabus and last but not the least, overlapping with the general studies paper. These are the views and opinions which generally run around an aspirant’s mind while choosing an optional which at the end may cause utterly disastrous results.

‘Interest’ and ‘inclination’ towards the subject should be the core entities of thought process while choosing the optional. Have a look at the syllabus, go through the previous year’s question papers and most importantly if you can invest hours after hours with the subject without looking at the ticking clock, your inner conscious itself will give you the answer of UPSC CSE preparation’s most important answer of ‘choosing an optional’.

7. Not understanding the crux of newspapers

Trying to go through multiple newspapers with an overview instead of creatively surfing anyone. Collecting and relying on magazines for current affairs (except The Yojana) as magazines can be a supplement to a newspaper but not a substitute for it. And not understanding ‘how to read’ and ‘what to read’ in a newspaper reaps low yields in the long run.

Every newspaper has 3 components if viewed from examination point of view.

Events: This gives you facts. For example, Booker Prize of the year

Issues: This provides you with views and reviews and helps to develop your individual understanding and opinion over various subjects conventional and contemporary. For example, Syrian war crisis and refugee rehabilitation (IR), Naxalism and insurgency in the northeast (internal security).

In addition to this, newspaper articles can be categorised under various segments of news viz. international, India and the world, national, states, business, science and technology, defence, space, sports, persons in the news, prizes and awards and many more which will also enable an aspirant to frame well structured Essays (Paper I). Therefore, effective utilisation of newspaper can provide soul to the whole body of an aspirant’s UPSC CSE preparation subject to careful and persistent efforts.

8. Not analysing SWAT

In the long run, students not only fail to maintain the tempo and enthusiasm but also often find themselves in the middle of unbalanced wrong directional preparation because they don’t undergo the analysis of their strength and weakness as the nature and the requirement of the examinations demands high dynamism and adaptability from the candidates as every subject has to be approached in their own unique ways (For example, history and geography).

Therefore, it becomes indispensable for an aspirant to consistently keep cross checking the progress and depressions, the grip over strong areas and loose fist over the weaker sections of the syllabus through regular mock tests and classroom test series from time to time.

9. Lack of proper time management

Any ambition without a time frame is nothing more than a fantasy. Since aspirants invest years for this prestigious examination, time management and completing the targets within the stipulated time frame is one of the most essential necessities for clearing this examination which most of the students fail to cope up with due course of time. Time management can act as a horse or a hurdle; it all depends on the rider (the aspirant).

To cleverly clear up with this parameter, every aspirant should have a very sound difference between a task or a target which is ‘URGENT’ and ‘IMPORTANT’. The day an aspirant realised the crystal clear difference between the two, it will eventually result in comfortable prioritising of short-term tasks and targets to gain long term fruits and benefits.

10: Avoiding consistent revision

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. But the essence of reliving information on the examination day is to making a habit of retaining the information first. In simple words, students read, read and read but very often don’t revise what they read which may result in poor information retention and to the point delivery of the facts and figures on the day of examination.

Revision is the key. There has to be a very well maintained cohesion between what you read and ‘revise’ what have you read till date. Video lectures, subject audios and group discussions (group study) can prove to be a boon for an aspirant of UPSC CSE.

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In the civil services exam, some optional subjects are more popular than others. How do you choose the one that suits you best?

Choosing the right optional subject in the civil services exam has been a major concern for aspirants for long, especially those who attempt it for the first time. Although the Union Public Service Commission’s (UPSC) decision to scrap the second optional subject with effect from 2013 has reduced aspirants’ stress levels, choosing one optional subject is an important decision as it comprises two papers of 250 marks each. Choosing the right optional subject can step up your chances of getting selected. Therefore, aspirants should carefully consider several factors before picking one. .

Here are some factors that are usually looked at:

• If a subject has scope for scoring, students tend to select it.
• If a candidate has good command over a subject, naturally it becomes the first preference.
• If a candidate has already mastered a subject in school or in graduation, it becomes easier to understand and it is natural to select it.

Geography, history, political science, public administration or psychology are the most popular choices for first-time aspirants. Statistics reveal that majority of students select geography and public administration as optional subjects. More than 80 per cent of aspirants opt for them as the subjects overlap with general studies, which students usually study while preparing for the preliminary and mains exam. In the past few years, candidates have been scoring above 350 marks in public administration and more than 400 marks in geography, which is pretty good and explains why students go for these subjects.

Why are these subjects popular? Some apparent reasons are:

Public administration is more about having knowledge of administrative traits and involves self-study and self-understanding rather than personal coaching.

Most of the students have a good hold on history, especially students from the arts stream.

Most of the students are interested in map-based questions that are asked in the geography paper, especially the students from engineering or medical background.

When we talk about which paper has more scope for scoring, there is no distinction between any of the optional subjects as it largely depends upon the personal interest of the candidate and their academic background. If a candidate is exceptionally good at a subject, he/she will obviously score more in it. So if geography is your forte, it’s not prudent to pick up history just because it is considered to be a scoring subject.

Most of the students are good at geography, history and sociology as they have studied these subjects at their schools and may have graduated in them. Many students opt for Hindi literature which is not surprising as a large number of candidates from Hindi-speaking States appear for the exam. But again, it completely depends on one’s interest, academic and geographical background and knowledge. Tamil literature is being opted by many candidates from Tamil Nadu, and so on. However, most of the candidates still prefer to opt for subjects such as history, geography, public administration, sociology or psychology rather than language papers.

‘First Indian Sign Language Dictionary of 3000 Words’ has been Launched by the Union Government -Pragnya IAS Academy - News analysis

‘First Indian Sign Language Dictionary of 3000 Words’ has been Launched by the Union Government.

“First Indian Sign Language Dictionary of 3000 words” was launched by Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment at a function here today.

The dictionary has been developed by Indian Sign Language Research & Training Centre(ISLR&TC) under Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), M/o Social Justice & Empowerment. Ministers of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Krishan Pal Gujar and Shri Ramdas Athwale and Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar were also present on the occasion.
Addressing on the occasion, Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot said that the basic aim of developing the ISL Dictionary is to remove communications barriers between the deaf and hearing communities as it is focused on providing more information in Indian sign language. Its aim is to give Deaf people the constitutional right to speech and opportunity of freedom of expression and also bringing them into the main stream of the society. He said that soon many new words will be added in this dictionary. The ISL dictionary has focused on providing more information in Indian Sign Language. He hoped that more and more people use this dictionary and get the benefit of learning Indian Sign Language.
ISLR&TC has been working on its dream project of developing the Indian Sign Language Dictionary for last one and a half years. As per the census 2011, there are 50, 71,007 Deaf people and 19, 98,535 with speech disability in India. ISLRTC, New Delhi realized the gravity of the situation and issues being faced by the large number of Deaf people in common communication.
Therefore, ISLRTC has developed an ISL Dictionary for Deaf people and Hearing people, offering them the maximum words to learn and expressing their feelings, ideas etc. ISL dictionary consists of various categories of words for example legal terms, medical terms, academic terms, technical terms and daily use words. The videos are subtitled.
The English and Hindi terms for the dictionary will also help deaf children to learn English. The ISL dictionary consists of words of five categories:
1. Everyday Terms - This category includes terms that are used in everyday communication. The videos contain the sign and the corresponding English term.
2. Legal Terms – This category includes videos for 237 legal terms help explain complicated legal terminology like “Affidavit”, “Acquittal”, etc. That are used in various legal situations.
3. Academic Terms - To help deaf children understand complex academic concepts, the academic dictionary contains explanations for terms like “Nervous System”, “Rotation” and “Revolution”, etc. The words are from various subjects like Physics, Geography, Biology, Maths, etc. This category contains 229 videos for 212 terms.
4. Medical Terms – This category includes 200 sign videos for 200 medical terms will help the deaf community to better understand medical terminology used in hospitals and in medical situations.
5. Technical Terms - This category has 206 videos of sign and explanations in ISL for 204 technical terms that are used in vocational training or in computer courses. (Source:pib)


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‘First Indian Sign Language Dictionary of 3000 Words’ has been Launched by the Union Government

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Preparation Strategies that must be Followed by an UPSC Aspirant:

• Proper Plan should be maintained.
• Read Newspapers daily.
• Follow the monthly current affairs magazines.
• Proper revision should be done.
• MCQs solving to clear prelims.
• Follow the magazines like Yojana
• Maintain proper Notes which should be useful for revision.
• Before attending the class for any subject, one should read the NCERT books to gain the basic knowledge of the subject. If you read NCERT’s and attend the class you will find the class very interesting. 
• After attending the classes once again go through the NCERTS and prepare the NOTES for each and every subject. Once you are familiar with the NCERTS you can go through the reference books.
• After completion of the reading go through the previous years question papers.
• Practice the answer writing to the previous year question papers and compare the answers written with the Model Answers.

Cabinet approves Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion between India and Iran - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Cabinet approves Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion between India and Iran

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved an Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to taxes on income between India and Iran.

The Agreement will stimulate flow of investment, technology and personnel from India to Iran & vice versa, and will prevent double taxation. The Agreement will provide for exchange of information between the two Contracting Parties as per latest international standards. It will thus improve transparency in tax matters and will help curb tax evasion and tax avoidance.
The Agreement is on similar lines as entered into by India with other countries. The proposed Agreement also meets treaty related minimum standards under G-20 OECD Base Erosion & Profit Shifting (BEPS) Project, in which India participated on an equal footing.
In so far as India is concerned, the Central Government is authorized under Section 90 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 to enter into an Agreement with a foreign country or specified territory for avoidance of double taxation of income for exchange of information for the prevention of evasion or avoidance of income-tax chargeable under the Income-tax Act, 1961.(Source:PIB)


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Cabinet approves Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion between India and Iran

India ranks 78th on WEF Energy Transition Index; Sweden tops the list - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

India ranks 78th on WEF Energy Transition Index; Sweden tops the list

The overall list was topped by Sweden, followed by Norway at the 2nd position and Switzerland at the 3rd rank.

India has been ranked at 78th, lower than its emerging market peers like Brazil and China, among 114 countries on the World Economic Forum's Energy Transition Index that was topped by Sweden.
The report titled "Fostering Effective Energy Transition", ranks countries on how well they are able to balance energy security and access with environmental sustainability and affordability.
According to the report India has taken "bold measures" to improve energy access, energy efficiency, and to improve the deployment of renewable sources of energy.
However, energy transition in the country will require "large investments, and an enabling environment and robust regulatory frameworks to support the transition".
"India is at the crossroads in its energy transition journey. Ranking 78th on the Energy Transition Index," the report said. Among its emerging market peers Brazil stood at the 38th place, Russia at 70th and China at 76th place.
The overall list was topped by Sweden, followed by Norway at the 2nd position and Switzerland at the 3rd rank.
Other countries on the top 10 include Finland (4th), Denmark (5th), the Netherlands (6th), the UK (7th), Austria (8th), France (9th) and Iceland (10th).
On India, the report said, energy needs in the country are primarily met by fossil fuels with implications for environmental sustainability and increasing energy import costs.
Furthermore, a considerable share of India's population still lacks access to electricity and clean cooking fuel, it noted.
"In the Energy Transition Index (ETI), India ranks in the third performance quartile and third readiness quartile, making it an emerging country that is approaching the leapfrog category," the WEF report said.
Interestingly, between 2013 and 2018, India improved its performance score by 5.6 percentage points, mainly with improved energy access, reduced subsidies and reduced import costs, the report noted.
"Recent initiatives to improve electricity access have experienced some success and the outlook is positive; however, the road to continuous access to power and clean cooking fuel for all is long," it added.
India has the largest government-mandated renewable energy programme, with a target of 175 GW renewable energy capacity by 2022, and it announced plans to shift completely to electric vehicles by 2030.(Source: The Business Standard)

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India ranks 78th on WEF Energy Transition Index; Sweden tops the list

India most targeted country for ransomware attacks: Sophos survey - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

India most targeted country for ransomware attacks: Sophos survey

As per a survey conducted by network security firm Sophos, around 67 per cent of Indian organisations were hit by ransomware and 38 per cent twice.
Amid the increasing number of ransonware attacks, organisations in the country are finding themselves more vulnerable as India was the most targeted country.
As per a survey conducted by network security firm Sophos, around 67 per cent of Indian organisations were hit by ransomware and 38 per cent twice. Infact, Indian organisations median cost stood at USD 1.17 million to rectify the impact of ransomware.
The survey, conducted in October and November 2017, covered 300 businesses in India across Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai. Overall, the survey polled more than 2,700 IT decision makers across mid-sized businesses in 10 countries, including the US, Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, UK, Australia, Japan, South Africa and India.
The survey concludes that despite the intensity and magnitude of attacks, Indian businesses are still not prepared to defend itself against determined attackers. "Unlike lightening, ransomware can strike again and again to the same organisation. We're aware of cybercriminals unleashing four different ransomware families in half-hour increments to ensure at least one evades security and completes the attack," Sunil Sharma, Managing Director Sales at Sophos India and SAARC said.
According to those impacted by ransomware last year, the median total cost of a ransomware attack was USD 133,000. Indian organisations median total cost stood at USD 1.17 million, the highest, in rectifying the impacts of ransomware. This extends beyond any ransom demanded and includes downtime, manpower, device cost, network cost, and lost opportunities.
The attack methodology combined with the growth in ransomware-as-a-service and anticipation of more complex threats along with the resurgence of worms like WannaCry and NotPetya puts businesses in serious need of a security makeover, the survey said.
"In fact, more than 90 per cent of Indian IT decision makers surveyed impacted by ransomware were running up to date endpoint protection, confirming that traditional endpoint security is no longer enough to protect against today's ransomware attacks," it added.(Source: The Business Standard)


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India most targeted country for ransomware attacks: Sophos survey

MILES-18: 1st Ever Multi-Nation Naval Exercise At Sea Begins In Andaman - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

MILES-18: 1st Ever Multi-Nation Naval Exercise At Sea Begins In Andaman

The first-ever multi-nation naval exercise at sea, MILES-18, began at the Andaman sea. 11 naval ships of 8 countries and nine Indian ships are participating in the three-day exercise.
Apart from enhancing inter-operability, the exercise aims to hone search and rescue procedures, maritime interdiction operations, core operational skills and exercise a variety of maritime security scenarios.
The MILES-18, first-ever multi-nation naval exercise at sea was held at the Andaman sea. The three days exercise was conducted as part of 10th edition of MILAN 2018. Milan 2018, a multi-national mega event was organised by Andaman Nicobar naval command with theme ‘Friendship Across the Seas’ to expand regional cooperation. (Source: All India Radio)


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MILES-18: 1st Ever Multi-Nation Naval Exercise At Sea Begins In Andaman

Russia test-fires 'ideal' hypersonic missile - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

Russia test-fires 'ideal' hypersonic missile

Russia said today it successfully launched a hypersonic missile which President Vladimir Putin called "an ideal weapon" as he unveiled a new array of next-generation arms earlier this month.

The high-precision Kinzhal (Dagger) missile was launched from a MiG-31 supersonic interceptor jet that took off from an airfield in the South Military District in Russia's southwest, the defence ministry said.
"The launch went according to plan, the hypersonic missile hit its target," the ministry added.
The ministry released video footage showing two pilots gearing up for a flight and then running towards a jet with a large missile slung beneath its underbelly.
Set to rousing, patriotic music, the video then shows a missile detaching from the airborne plane and gliding across the dark sky, leaving a fiery trail behind.
The Kinzhal missile was one of an array of new weapons Putin unveiled in his state-of-the-nation address earlier this month, ahead of a presidential election on March 18 that he is all but guaranteed to win.
Putin said the missile flies at 10 times the speed of sound and can overcome air-defence systems.
The missile has been deployed in the Southern Military District since December 1, he added.
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Facebook that work had also been done to modernise the "unique" MiG-31 supersonic jet that will carry the missile.
Since the start of the year, more than 250 sorties have been carried out by the aircraft to perfect the work of the missilesystems, the defence ministry said. (Source: The Economic Times).


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Russia test-fires 'ideal' hypersonic missile

International Solar Alliance: ISA-ADB, NDB, GCF, AFDB and AIIB joint declarations of Financial partnership - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

International Solar Alliance: ISA-ADB, NDB, GCF, AFDB and AIIB joint declarations of Financial partnership

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has signed a joint partnership agreement with the International Energy Agency (IEA) to deepen cooperation in the field of renewable energy.

The ISA has also inked joint financial partnership declarations with the African Development Bank (AfDb), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Green climate fund (GCF), and the New Development Bank (NDB).
"The objective of the agreements is to deepen their cooperation in support of renewable energy. The previous three partnerships were signed by ISA with the World Bank, the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development," an official statement said.
The agreements were signed in the presence of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh.The statement said the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) will sign a joint partnership declaration tomorrow.
The ISA is working for deployment of over 1,000 GW of solar energy and mobilising more than USD 1 trillion into solar energy by the year 2030.Singh said the ISA today had 60 signatories and 30 parties already had ratified solar alliance.
Together with the ISA, AfDb would work on mobilisation of concessional financing through existing, notably the Bank's Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa and the Facility for Energy Inclusion.ISA and ADB have joined hands for promotion of Solar Energy in Asia and the Pacific, including solar power generation, solar based mini-grids, and transmission systems dedicated for integrating solar energy into the grids and any other future programs launched by ISA, the statement said.
AIIB and ISA have collaborated for promotion of solar energy in prospective ISA member countries where AIIB operates.
Besides, ISA and GCF will promote development of affordable, reliable and sustainable solar energy as an important way towards a sustainable and inclusive economic growth.


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International Solar Alliance: ISA-ADB, NDB, GCF, AFDB and AIIB joint declarations of Financial partnership

India Won "Best Exhibitor Award" at ITB – Berlin - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

India Won "Best Exhibitor Award" at ITB – Berlin

India has won the "Best Exhibitor Award " at ITB – Berlin on its last day. ‘ITB- Berlin World Tourist Meet’ was convened at Berlin, Germany from 7th March to 10th March, 2018.

For 17 years now, the Best Exhibitor Award (BEA) is considered as a quality indicator for an attractive performance at ITB. This year, the BEA was awarded to India at the Palais am Funkturm.
India was represented by the Minister of State (Independent charge) for Tourism Mr K. J. Alphons along with couple of Tourism Ministry officials.
“India has truly arrived on the international stage. Congrats to the entire team that’s been working their hearts out to showcase India as the best destination in the world,” said Alphons KJ, Minister for Tourism after receiving the award.
More than 10,000 exhibitors are divided into a total of 11 categories, each of which is evaluated on the basis of a detailed catalog of criteria. As part of the ITB 2018, a team of Cologne Business School tourism students evaluate all 11,000 trade fair stands during the trade visitor days on the basis of a sophisticated list of criteria and reward the best exhibitors at the major award show in the Palais am Funkturm.
More than 100 countries participated in the ITB- Berlin meet with their respective Tourism Ministers.
India's Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism) presented a short film named "Yogi of the Racetrack " in the meet. The said short film has got 3.2 million hits in 60 hours. (Source: PIB)

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India Won "Best Exhibitor Award" at ITB – Berlin

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India, France ink 14 agreements - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

India, France ink 14 agreements

India and France sign 14 pacts in areas ranging from defence to nuclear energy after extensive talks between PM Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron.

India and France on Saturday outlined concrete steps to broaden the scope of their 20 year-old strategic partnership, signing 14 pacts in areas ranging from defence, security, nuclear energy to the protection of classified information besides agreeing to hold biennial summits between top level leaders of the two countries and an annual bilateral defence dialogue.
The two sides also resolved to deepen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, signing a pact on the provision of reciprocal logistics support between their armed forces.
To boost economic ties, India and France were looking at holding an annual ministerial dialogue to deepen cooperation in the economic and financial sectors, a joint statement said.
These followed talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron in New Delhi on Saturday. Macron, who arrived in India late Friday, is on his first visit to Asia’s third largest economy since his election as president of France last year.
Describing France as one of India’s most trusted defence partners, Modi said that the pact on reciprocal logistics support between the armed forces of the two countries was a “golden step” in bilateral defence cooperation.
In his remarks, Macron said that the interests of India and France were “aligned.” “We want India as our first strategic partner here, and we want to be India’s first strategic partner in Europe, and even in the western world,” he further added.
On defence ties, Macron noted that “India had made a sovereign decision in this respect (buying Rafale fighter jets from France) and we are monitoring the progress in the field. We very much want to continue the programme. It is a long-term contract which is mutually beneficial. I personally consider it as the heart of the strategic partnership.”
India had signed a government-to-government deal with France in 2016 to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of about the Rs58,000-crore. The main opposition Congress party has been demanding details of the deal, alleging that the deal negotiated when it was in government between 2004-2014 was much cheaper than the contract signed by the Modi government.
On maritime security, Macron said noted that the two countries would have “unprecedented” level of cooperation to ensure peace and stability in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. The space agencies of both countries will have a joint monitoring mechanism for developments in the maritime sphere, while navies of India and France will share intelligence and contact their respective military bases for any requirement.
Macron also said effectively containing threats of terrorism and radicalisation are going to be key elements in the strategic cooperation between the two countries. He particularly talked about the threat of Islamist terrorism.
Among the agreements signed was one that provides for a way forward in implementing the Jaitapur nuclear power project. The two countries also inked pacts for cooperation in other areas, including railways, environment, solar energy, maritime awareness and checking trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
A joint statement released after the Modi-Macron talks said the two leaders had agreed to deepen the strategic partnership and take it to a new level by “agreeing to hold biennial summits between the Prime Minister of India and the President of the French Republic.” “Both sides also agreed to create an annual defence dialogue at the ministerial level,” the statement said adding the pact on “the Exchange and Reciprocal Protection of Classified or Protected Information” reflected the high level of strategic trust between the two countries.
On cooperation in the Indian Ocean region, the statement said, “this cooperation will be crucial in order to maintain the safety of international sea lanes for unimpeded commerce and communications in accordance with the international law for countering maritime terrorism and piracy, for building maritime domain awareness, for capacity building and for greater coordination in regional/international fora in the region.”
Modi and Macron welcomed the signing of the agreement for the “provision of reciprocal logistics support between their Armed Forces,” which seeks to extend logistical support on reciprocal access to respective facilities for Indian and French armed forces, the statement said. “The agreement is symbolic of the strategic depth and maturity reached in India-France defence ties,” it added.
Modi and Macron looked “forward to continue their discussions to expand and deepen the ongoing defence manufacturing partnerships,” the statement said. “They acknowledged that the Make-in-India initiative offers a valuable opportunity for Indian and French defence enterprises to enter into arrangements for co-development and co-production of defence equipment in India, including through transfer of know-how and technologies to the mutual benefit of all parties,” it said.
On civil nuclear cooperation, the statement said “the two leaders reiterated the goal of commencing works at the Jaitapur site around the end of 2018” and encouraged their respective companies “to accelerate the contractual discussions in that respect.”
“Once installed, the Jaitapur project will be the largest nuclear power plant in the world, with a total capacity of 9.6 GW (gigawatt),” the statement said.
Modi and Macron also emphasized the need for the “project to generate cost-effective electricity; economical and competitive financing package from the French side; reliable, uninterrupted and continued access to guaranteed fuel supply for the lifetime of the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plants; and collaboration on transfer of technology and cost-effective localization efforts of manufacturing in India. The latter includes transfer of rights on technology to be mutually agreed,” it added.
The statement also welcomed the signing of a bilateral partnership agreement on migration and mobility, “which will facilitate student and professional mobility between France and India by simplifying the conditions for entry and long term stay in the two countries.”
On economic exchanges, the statement said that both sides had set a target of €15 billion for trade in goods by 2022. “They encouraged SMEs and mid-cap companies to play a growing role in the economic and commercial exchanges between the two countries,” the statement said. (Source: Livemint)


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India, France ink 14 agreements

WHO releases new guidelines on tobacco product regulation - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

WHO releases new guidelines on tobacco product regulation

The new guidelines provide practical, stepwise approaches to implementing tobacco testing.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched new guidelines on the role that tobacco product regulations can play in reducing tobacco demand, saving lives and raising revenues for health services to treat tobacco-related diseases, in the context of a comprehensive tobacco control.
The new guide, titled ‘Tobacco product regulation: Building laboratory testing capacity’, and a collection of country approaches to regulation of menthol in tobacco products, presented in the publication, titled ‘Case studies for regulatory approaches to tobacco products– Menthol in tobacco products’, were launched at the 2018 World Conference on Tobacco or Health recently.
Many countries have developed advanced policies to reduce the demand for tobacco, which kills over 7 million people annually, but governments can do much more to implement regulations to control tobacco use, especially by exploiting tobacco product regulation.
Dr. Douglas Bettcher, WHO’s Director of the Department for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), said: “The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), a global treaty established under the auspices of the WHO to combat the tobacco epidemic, has played a critical role in tobacco control. The launch of these important publications will further aid the implementation of Articles 9 and 10 of the WHO FCTC, contributing to building tobacco product regulation capacity in WHO member states”.
He further said: “Tobacco product regulation is an under-utilised tool which has a critical role to play in reducing tobacco use. The tobacco industry has enjoyed years of little or no regulation, mainly due to the complexity of tobacco product regulation and lack of appropriate guidance in this area. These new tools provide useful resource to countries to either introduce or improve existing tobacco product regulation provisions and end the tobacco industry’s ‘reign’.”
“Only a handful of countries currently regulate the contents, design features and emissions of tobacco products,” said Dr. Bettcher. “This means that tobacco products are one of the few openly available consumer products that are virtually unregulated in terms of contents, design features and emissions.”
Most countries hesitate to implement policies, due in part to the highly technical nature of such policy interventions and the difficulties in translating science into regulation, explained Dr. Vinayak Prasad, who leads WHO’s Tobacco Free Initiative.
“Failure to regulate represents a missed opportunity as tobacco product regulation, in the context of comprehensive control, is a valuable tool that complements other tried and tested tobacco control interventions, such as raising taxes, and ensuring smoke-free environments,” he added.
The new guidelines provide practical, stepwise approaches to implementing tobacco testing. Such guidance is relevant to a wide range of countries in various settings, including those with inadequate resources to establish a testing facility.
This laboratory guide is a useful resource for countries, and provides regulators and policymakers with comprehensible information on how to test tobacco products, what products to test, and how to use testing data in a meaningful way to support regulation. (Source: The Hindu)


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WHO releases new guidelines on tobacco product regulation

PM launches National Nutrition Mission, and pan India expansion of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

PM launches National Nutrition Mission, and pan India expansion of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched the National Nutrition Mission and Pan India Expansion of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) covering all 640 districts of the Country at a mega event held at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan today.

The Prime Minister also awarded ten districts for showing outstanding performance in the areas of effective community engagement, enforcement of PC&PNDT Act and enabling education of the girl child.
Addressing the large gathering on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that through the power of technology, the entire nation is connected with Jhunjhunu. He appreciated Jhunjhunu district for furthering the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao movement. He said there is no question of discrimination based on gender. The Prime Minister stressed on the importance of girls getting access to quality education, just like boys. Emphasizing that a daughter is not a burden, he said girls are bringing pride and glory for our nation, and excelling in several fields.
The Prime Minister also spoke of the importance of providing proper nutrition to children. He said Mission Indradhanush has brought an extremely positive change in the lives of women and children. The acronym PM should remind everyone of ‘Poshan Mission’ from now onwards, Shri Narendra Modi said in a lighter vein. The Prime Minister further emphasized that both the National Nutrition Mission and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao should be run in the form of a Jan Andolan to make them a success on the ground.
Addressing on the occasion, the Union Minister for Women & Child Development, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi highlighted the journey of success and struggle of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme since its launch by the Prime Minister on January 22nd, 2015. The Minister said that with continuous and persistent efforts, the attitude of the society towards the girl child has shown a clear cut change for the better and within three years itself, the ratio of girls to boys has shot well above 900. The credit for highlighting and taking forward the issue goes to the Prime Minister, she said. Smt Maneka Gandhi explained that several new initiatives have been taken by the government like the successful implementation of BBBP in 161 districts, six months’ maternity leave for working women, training of women sarpanches, universal implementation of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana. The government has setup 200 Sakhi Centres for women affected by violence and more than one lakh women have availed of the services of these centres till date. A Shelter home for one thousand widows has been set up in Vrindavan, Mathura by the Ministry and another one is being constructed in Varanasi, she disclosed. Similarly, a forensic lab is being setup in Chandigarh for speedy forensic processing of rape cases. Smt Maneka Gandhi said that an historic Bill against trafficking of women & children will be brought in this session of parliament.
The Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Smt. Vasundhara Raje , in her address, highlighted how women have broken the glass ceiling and moved ahead in several new areas. The State of Rajasthan is giving undivided attention to the education of the girl child and is distributing laptops, scooters and cycles to the girls to encourage them to go to educational institutions. Several unique initiatives have been undertaken by the state government as well as the people including planting trees at the birth of the girl child, appointing successful girls as brand ambassadors, marriage vows to save and protect the girl child amongst others, the Chief Minister explained.
The Prime Minister also awarded the winners of the Spot the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Logo Contest and the winner of Logo for National Nutrition Mission. To commemorate the 3rd Anniversary of BBBP, the Prime Minister released a Photo Journey Book showcasing the innovative initiatives undertaken by the districts.
The Prime Minister interacted with 200 girl children born in Rajasthan after the launch of BBBP in January, 2015 along with their mothers.
The ten districts which were felicitated by the Prime Minister today have been awarded for their contribution in the following categories:
1. Effective community engangement (Six districts awarded): Raigarh (Chattisgarh), Sikar (Rajasthan), Bijapur (Karnataka), North Sikkim (Sikkim), Tarantaran (Punjab), Hyderabad (Telengana)
2. Enforcement of PC&PNDT Act (Two Districts awarded): Sonipat (Haryana), Ahmedabad (Gujarat)
3. Enabling education of Girl Child (Two districts awarded): Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan), Udhampur (Jammu & Kashmir)
As per data available in the Health Management Information System, there has been an improvement in the sex ratio at birth. The efforts with the active participation of States/Districts have brought out encouraging results in achieving its goal; as a result of which the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) which was 918 in 2014-15 has improved to 926 in 2016-17 as per HMIS data. Buoyed by its success, it has been decided to go Pan-India and expand the programme to all districts. The total outlay of BBBP is ₹1132.5 Crore from 2017-18 to 2019-20.
The National Nutrition Mission (NNM) has been set up with a three year budget of Rs.9046.17 crore commencing from 2017-18. The NNM is a comprehensive approach towards raising nutrition level in the country on a war footing. It will comprise mapping of various Schemes contributing towards addressing malnutrition, including a very robust convergence mechanism, ICT based Real Time Monitoring system,incentivizing States/UTs for meeting the targets, incentivizing Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) for using IT based tools, eliminating registers used by AWWs, introducing measurement of height of children at the Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), Social Audits, setting-up Nutrition Resource Centres, involving masses throughJan Andolan for their participation on nutrition through various activities, among others.
NNM targets to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls)and reduce low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% per annum respectively. Although the target to reduce Stunting is at least 2% p.a., Mission would strive to achieve reduction in Stunting from 38.4% (NFHS-4) to 25% by 2022 (Mission 25 by 2022). More than 10 crore people will be benefitted by this programme. All the States and districts will be covered in a phased manner i.e. 315 districts in 2017-18, 235 districts in 2018-19 and remaining districts in 2019-20. (Source: PIB)

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PM launches National Nutrition Mission, and pan India expansion of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan

India ranks fifth lowest in having women at top leadership positions - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis

India ranks fifth lowest in having women at top leadership positions

The data shows that gender equality policies are abundant and widespread.

India's ranking in gender diversity has improved with the representation of women in top leadership positions rising to 20 per cent in 2018, even as the country ranks fifth lowest in having women in such roles, says a report. The findings in this report are drawn from 4,995 interviews conducted between July and December 2017 with chief executive officers, managing directors, chairs, and other senior decision-makers from all industry sectors in mid-market businesses in 35 countries.
According to Grant Thornton's Women in business: Beyond policy to progress report, though the percentage of leadership roles held by women in India has increased, still 30 per cent of the respondents said they have no women in the leadership roles.
Also, according to the report, there has been a steady growth in women in leadership positions from 17 per cent last year to 20 per cent in 2018. This number stood at 14 per cent in 2014.
"While the representation of women in top leadership roles is on the rise, the process is indeed slow, limited to the dated approach of ticking the diversity box," said Kavita Mathur, People & Culture Leader, Grant Thornton Advisory Private Limited.
While 57 per cent of the surveyed Indian businesses suggested that government should do more to address the issue of gender inequality in business leadership at a legislative level, only 31 per cent expressed that businesses and government need to work collaboratively in this area.(Source: The Business Standard)


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India ranks fifth lowest in having women at top leadership positions