[Newsbits] 05.09.2023

Malaviya Mission

In recent news, the Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, unveiled the Malaviya Mission on Teacher’s Day. This mission underscores the vital role of teachers and aims at bolstering their capabilities.

News Details

Launch Insights

• Announced By: Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship.
• Occasion: Teacher’s Day

Name Transition

• Former Name: Human Resource Development Centres (HRDCs)
• Updated To: Madan Mohan Malaviya Teachers’ Training Centre

Rationale Behind Renaming

• Ensure sustained professional development.
• Enhance abilities of:
  • 15 lakh teachers from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)
  • Using 111 dedicated Malaviya Mission centres
• Implemented in a strict time frame.

Core Focus: Teacher Training Program

Objectives

• Devise customized training schedules specifically for teachers.

Primary Focus

• Building up the competencies of faculty members:
  • Primarily those involved in higher education institutions.

Capacity Enhancement

• Aligning it with a credit framework.
• Guarantees career progression paths for educators.

Organizing Entity

• The entire initiative is orchestrated by the University Grants Commission.

Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority

Recent news has spotlighted the 7th Foundation Day of the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA). This authority has been pivotal in its endeavors related to investor education and protection, most recently holding a significant conference on understanding the psychological dynamics of scams.

News Highlights

7th Foundation Day of IEPFA

• Celebrated the achievements and advancements made since its inception.

Conference on “Understanding the Psychology of Scams"

• Organized By:
  • Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA)
  • Institute of Company Secretaries in India (ICSI)
  • National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER)
• This conference sought to demystify the underlying factors and manipulative tactics prevalent in financial scams.

Core Purpose

Authority for Administering the Investor Education and Protection Fund

• Refunds Related To:
  • Shares
  • Unclaimed dividends
  • Matured instruments such as:
    • Deposits
    • Debentures

Affiliations

• The IEPFA operates under the umbrella of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Historical Overview

• Establishment Date: September 7, 2016
• It has been serving the public and investors consistently for the past seven years.

Special Initiatives

“Fundoo-nomics”- A Board Game

• By: IEPFA's Media & Awareness wing
• Foundation:
  • Based on the findings from IIT Delhi's Department of Management.
• Purpose:
  • Enhance IEPFA’s on-ground activities.
  • Act as an interactive tool for various events and programs.
• Main Goals:
  • Simplify complex financial concepts.
  • Promote financial literacy:
    • Catering to various age groups, from youngsters to elders.

GoI-Adobe Partnership

The Government of India (GoI) and global software giant Adobe have embarked on a collaborative journey, inking a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at imparting AI knowledge to the young minds of the nation.

News

• Highlight: MoU officially signed to aid children in their AI learning voyage.

The Partnership Essence

Mission

• Primarily, this partnership is geared towards:
  • Nurturing creative expression within classroom settings.
  • Harnessing the power of Adobe Express for pedagogical purposes.

Implementation Mechanism

• Training and Certification:
  • The partnership seeks to impart training and award certification in:
    • Creativity
    • Digital literacy
  • Target Group:
    • 20 million students
    • 5,00,000 teachers
  • Timeframe: By 2027
  • Medium: Via a curriculum underpinned by Adobe Express.
• Program Features:
  • Adobe's Contribution:
    • Offering schools complimentary access to Adobe Express Premium.
    • Facilitating professional growth opportunities for teaching professionals.
  • Curriculum Characteristics:
    • Rooted in Adobe Express's functionalities.
    • Subjects Encompassed:
      • Creativity
      • Generative AI
      • Design
      • Animation
      • Video Production
      • Exploration of other nascent technologies.
• Direct Beneficiaries:
  • Students and educators will be equipped with Express:
    • A state-of-the-art content generation software brimming with generative AI features.

Collaborators

• Domestic Partner: Union Ministry of Education
• International Ally: Adobe, the global software powerhouse.

Africa Climate Summit 2023

The global focus shifts towards Nairobi, Kenya, as it gears up to host the Africa Climate Summit 2023 from the 4th to the 6th of September. This summit aims to cast a spotlight on Africa's unique climate challenges, particularly highlighting issues like drought, desertification, and increasing cyclones.

Event Details

Dates

• Scheduled On: 4th to 6th of September

Purpose

• Shed light on Africa’s urgent climate-related concerns:
  • Drought leading to water scarcity and crop failures.
  • Desertification eroding fertile lands.
  • Increasing Cyclones that have led to:
    • Massive displacement of communities.
    • Large-scale migration.
    • Severe food crises due to disrupted agriculture.

Strategies & Initiatives

• ACW’s Strategy:
  • Tackle the imminent climate crisis via:
    • Collective cooperation among African nations.
    • Pioneering initiatives designed to drive significant change.
  • Cultivate momentum for promising and substantial results.
    • Primarily at the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference COP28.
      • Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Organizing Body

• Host: Government of Kenya

Location

• Venue: Nairobi, Kenya

Key Facts & Figures

Financing Needs

• Addressing climate issues in Africa demands significant financial backing. The prime areas of focus include:
  • Mitigation: Reducing or preventing the emission of greenhouse gases.
  • Adaptation: Adjusting to the current or expected changes in climate.
• Financial Estimates:
  • A substantial fund of between $750 billion and $1.3 trillion is anticipated to be required annually by 2025.

Information Source

• The figures and specifics are courtesy of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change.

NMC Instruction on Digital Signature

Recent news has indicated a significant step taken by the National Medical Commission (NMC) towards ensuring the authenticity and validity of certain crucial documents related to medical education. This initiative aims to thwart fraudulent activities in the medical sector and bring transparency to the system.

Highlights of the NMC Instruction:

Letter of Permission (LoP) and Continuation of Recognition (CoR)

• Issuance Protocol:
  • These are to be issued by the concerned Board.
  • They must bear the digital signature of the concerned member or president.
• Validity and Authenticity:
  • Documents signed with the digital signature of the concerned member or president will be treated as genuine.

Role of Dean/Principal

• Responsibility:
  • Deans and principals of medical colleges are entrusted with the responsibility of taking cognizance of these letters.
  • They must be wary of letters received in any form other than the prescribed digital signature format.

Why this Instruction is Imperative:

Concern Over Fraudulent Activities

• Alert Notice:
  • There have been alert notices regarding fake LoP and CoR being issued to medical colleges.
  • These fake documents have been released under the name of the president or member of the boards, causing confusion and potentially compromising the integrity of the medical education system.

The Authority Behind the Instruction:

Origins of the Directive

• The instructions regarding the use of digital signatures have been circulated by the National Medical Commission (NMC), which underscores the importance and gravity of this directive.