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Recently, India and the UK have collaborated to conduct a study on ‘Ashwagandha (AG)’ for promoting recovery from Covid-19. After the trial’s success, ‘Ashwagandha’ will be a proven medicinal treatment to prevent infection and be recognised by the scientific community worldwide. This is the first time that the Ministry of Ayush has collaborated with a foreign institution to investigate its …

Recently, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare presided over the 112th Annual Day celebrations of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Important points: The Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) was inaugurated. WGS is a comprehensive method for analyzing entire genomes. Genomic information has been instrumental in identifying inherited disorders, characterizing the …

Recently, India assumed the presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the month of August 2021. This will be the country’s first presidency during its 2021-22 tenure as a non-permanent member of the Security Council. India began its two-year tenure as a non-permanent member of the UNSC in January 2021. This is India’s eighth …

The 36th edition of India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (India-Indonesia CORPAT) between the Indian Navy and the Indonesian Navy is being conducted. Important points: To reinforce maritime links, the two navies have been carrying out CORPAT along their International Maritime Boundary Line since 2002. Indian Naval Ship (INS) Saryu, an indigenously built Offshore Patrol Vessel is participating in …

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is administrating the schemes of “Support of Tribal Research Institute” and “Tribal Festival, Research, Information and Mass Education” under which various activities to promote tribal culture have been undertaken. The schemes aim to ensure quality and uniformity in research works, evaluation studies, training, awareness generation among tribals, showcasing of …

Recently, the Government of India has accorded sanction to Team CLAW to lead a team of people with disabilities to scale Siachen Glacier and create a new world record for the largest team of people with disabilities. This is the land world record expedition part of ‘Operation Blue Freedom Triple World Records’ being undertaken. Triple Elemental World …

Recently, the centre has claimed that no deaths due to manual scavenging have been reported in the past five years. However, according to the National Convener of the Safai Karmachari Andolan, 472 manual scavenging deaths across the country were recorded between 2016 and 2020, and 26 so far in 2021. Safai Karmachari …

Recently, some MPs have raised the issue of defining Creamy Layer in the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament. Further, the Justice Rohini committee is considering the sub-categorization of OBC quota and if any particular community or group of communities are benefiting most from the OBC quota and how to iron out anomalies. Important points: Based on …

According to the Women and Child Development Ministry, more than 9.2 lakh children (from six months to six years) in India were ‘severely acute malnourished’ till November, 2020. It underscores concerns that the Covid-19 pandemic could exacerbate the health and nutrition crisis among the poorest of the poor. Important points: The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines ‘severe acute malnutrition’ (SAM) …

Recently, the Union Health Ministry has announced 27% reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and 10% quota for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in the All India Quota (AIQ) scheme for undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) medical/dental courses from 2021-22 onwards. Important points: The AIQ was introduced in 1986 under the directions of the Supreme Court (SC) to provide …