UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 2nd August 2021

Solution (b)

An NEP is a comprehensive framework to guide the development of education in the country. The NEP only provides a broad direction and is not mandatory to follow. Since education is a concurrent subject (both the Centre and the state governments can make laws on it), the reforms proposed can only be implemented collaboratively by the Centre and the states.

NEP 2020:

• The NEP proposes sweeping changes including opening up of Indian higher education to foreign universities, dismantling of the UGC and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), introduction of a four-year multidisciplinary undergraduate programme with multiple exit options, and discontinuation of the M Phil programme.
• In school education, the policy focuses on overhauling the curriculum, “easier” Board exams, a reduction in the syllabus to retain “core essentials” and thrust on “experiential learning and critical thinking”.
• In a significant shift from the 1986 policy, which pushed for a 10+2 structure of school education, the new NEP pitches for a “5+3+3+4” design corresponding to the age groups 3-8 years (foundational stage), 8-11 (preparatory), 11-14 (middle), and 14-18 (secondary). 
• This brings early childhood education (also known as pre-school education for children of ages 3 to 5) under the ambit of formal schooling. 
• The mid-day meal programme will be extended to pre-school children. The NEP says students until Class 5 should be taught in their mother tongue or regional language.
• The policy also proposes phasing out of all institutions offering single streams and that all universities and colleges must aim to become multidisciplinary by 2040.

Article Link: 1. The vision of the National Education Policy must be served by its implementation

2.       India’s National Education Policy, 2020

Solution (d)

NEFT: National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) is a payment system that facilitates one-to-one funds transfer. Using NEFT, people can electronically transfer money from any bank branch to a person holding an account with any other bank branch, which is participating in the payment system. Fund transfers through the NEFT system do not occur in real-time basis and the fund transfer settles in 23 half-hourly batches. There is no minimum limit of money transfer.

RTGS: Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) is another payment system in which the money is credited in the beneficiary’s account in real-time and on a gross basis. In case of RTGS, one can transfer a minimum of ₹2 lakh at a time. The RTGS system is primarily meant for large value transactions that require and receive immediate clearing.

To transfer large sums of money real time RTGS is better but for small amounts where there is not much urgency NEFT is a Better Option. Usually RTGS costs more than NEFT Transactions.

Article Link: RBI lays out norms for non-banks to access RTGS, NEFT systems

Solution (a)

The leopard (Panthera pardus) is one of the five extant species in the genus Panthera, a member of the cat family, Felidae.

It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, in some parts of Western and Central Asia, Southern Russia, and on the Indian subcontinent to Southeast and East Asia.

It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because leopard populations are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, and are declining in large parts of the global range.

The Indian leopard is distributed in India, Nepal, Bhutan and parts of Pakistan. It inhabits tropical rainforests, dry deciduous forests, temperate forests and northern coniferous forests but does not occur in the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans.

Madhya Pradesh has maximum population of leopard followed by Karnataka and Maharashtra.

It is a Schedule I animal under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Article Link: Action against poaching: Odisha plans DNA profiling for leopards

Solution (d)

Maguri Motapung Wetland is located near to Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Motapung Village of Tinsukia district in Assam. Maguri Motapung Wetland or Beel serves as natural home to wildlife and provide a source of livelihood to the local communities.

The Maguri Motapung Beel is located in the south bank of the Dibru River and it connects Dibru River through a small channel and finally meets Brahmaputra River.

It is a natural habitat to many varieties of birds. The lake is an important habitat for over 110 resident and migratory bird species, including eight listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List, such as the Swamp grass babbler, the ferruginous duck, the white-winged wood duck and the falcated duck.

The fire incident in Baghjan oild field that happened in the year 2020 damaged the Maguri-Motapung Wetland and Dibru-Saikhowa Biosphere Reserve.

Article Link: Year after Baghjan blowout disaster, villagers’ woes far from over

Solution (b)

The bronze statue of dancing child-saint Sambandar of 12th century belongs to the Chola Dynasty.

Sambandar was a Saiva poet-saint of Tamil Nadu who lived sometime in the 7th century.

He was a child prodigy who lived just 16 years. He is one of the most prominent of the sixty-three Nayanars, Tamil Saiva bhakti saints who lived between the sixth and the tenth centuries CE. He was a contemporary of Appar, another Saiva poet-saint.

Sambandar’s image is found in almost all Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu. He is depicted as a dancing child or a young teen with his right forefinger pointing upwards, reflecting the legend where he credits Parvati-Shiva for what he has.

The National Gallery of Australia decided is to return 14 works of art to India that are suspected of having been stolen, looted or exported illegally. This includes a bronze stature of dancing Sambandar.

Article Link: Australia to return 14 artworks of disputed provenance to India