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GS-2 COUNCIL OF IITS Union Education Minister chairs the 54th Meeting of the Council of IITs. Important points: The IIT Council set up four committees to look at a range of issues – from funding to graded autonomy – of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and decided to go for …

GS-2 SKILL DEVELOPMENT CENTRE (SDC) FOR FIRE SAFETY TRAINING RakshaMantri inaugurates DRDO Skill Development Centre for Fire Safety Training.     About the SDC: The Skill Development Centre (SDC) for Fire Safety Training of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is situated at Pilkhuwa in Uttar Pradesh. The facility, created …

GS-3 VL-SRSAM MISSILE SYSTEM Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted two successful launches of Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM). Important points : The launches were carried out from a static vertical launcher from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha. Prior to …

GS-3 NATIONAL AWARDS BY THE DEPT. OF CHEMICALS AND PETROCHEMICALS 10th national awards for ‘Technology Innovation in Petrochemicals & Downstream Plastics Processing Industries’ to be presented. Important points: The National Awards for ‘Technology Innovation in Petrochemicals and Downstream Plastic Processing Industries’ is an initiative of the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals. …

GS-2 EXERCISE YUDH ABHYAS 2021 The 16th edition of Indo-U.S. joint military exercise ‘YudhAbhyas’ is set to be held in Rajasthan between February 8 and 21. YudhAbhyas The exercise near the India-Pakistan border aims at enhancing cooperation and interoperability between the two armies and will focus on counter-terrorism operations under …

GS-1 NCBC CHAIRMAN ON SUB-CATEGORISATION OF OBC The chairman of National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), Bhagwan Lal Sahni, said that the NCBC is in favour of four subcategories of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). This move complies with the recommendation of the Justice Rohini Commission.     Justice Rohini …

GS-2 UTTARAKHAND BRINGS ORDINANCE TO GIVE CO-OWNERSHIP RIGHTS TO WOMEN The Uttarakhand government has put forward an ordinance providing the co-ownership rights to women in the ancestral property of their husband. Highlights The ordinance was put forward in the backdrop of large-scale migration of men from hill areas of the …

GS-1 DECLINING RAINFALL IN CHERRAPUNJI A recent study that looked at the rainfall pattern in the past 119 years found a decreasing trend at Cherrapunji (Meghalaya) and nearby areas. The village of Mawsynram in East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya has beaten Cherrapunji to become the wettest place in the world. Mawsynram receives over 10,000 millimetres of …

GS-1 HUNAR HAAT Recently, the Governor of Maharashtra inaugurated a HunarHaat in Mumbai. HunarHaat is an exhibition of handicrafts and traditional products made by artisans from the minority communities. These are organised by the Ministry of Minority Affairs under USTTAD (Upgrading the Skills & Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development) scheme. The USTTAD scheme aims to promote …

GS-3 NATHU LA PASS Recently, the Indian Army rescued several tourists caught in a snowstorm at Nathu La on the India-China border in Sikkim. Important points: Nathu La, one of the highest motorable roads in the world, is a mountain pass in the Himalayan peaks situated on the Indo-Tibetan border 14450 ft. above sea level. …

GS-3 HELINA AND DHRUVASTRA Recently, India has successfully test-fired indigenously-developed anti-tank guided missile systems ‘Helina’ and ‘Dhruvastra’ in the Pokhran range, Thar desert (Rajasthan). Important points : The Helina (the Army version) and Dhruvastra (Indian Airforce version) are helicopter-launched versions of third-generation anti-tank guided missiles (the Nag missile system). The missile system has all-weather day-and-night capability and can defeat …

GS-3 SAMBHAR LAKE The State Government of Rajasthan will identify new tourist points at Sambhar Salt Lake. The Lake forms part of the desert circuit in the Centre’s Swadesh Darshan Scheme. The Scheme was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in 2014 -15 for integrated development of theme based tourist circuits in the country. Important points: Situated about 80 km …

GS-2  Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. QUAD MEETING Recently, India joined Australia, Japan and the United States for a ministerial meeting under the Quadrilateral grouping (Quad) and discussed issues across Indo-Pacific and the military takeover in Myanmar. Meeting Highlights: Discussed contemporary challenges, especially the impact of Covid-19and agreed to enhance access to …

GS-2 ARUNACHAL PRADESH, MIZORAM STATEHOOD DAYS PM Modi greets people of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram on Statehood Days. Important points: Both states attained statehood on 20 February 1987. The Mizo hills area became the Lushai Hills district within Assam at the time of independence. Further, in 1954 it was renamed the …

GS-2 GOVERNING COUNCIL OF NITI AAYOG 6th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog. Important  points: The Agenda for the Sixth Council Meeting comprised the following items: Making India a Manufacturing Powerhouse Reimagining Agriculture Improving Physical Infrastructure Accelerating Human Resources Development Improving Service Delivery at Grassroots Level Health and Nutrition The …

GS-1 PM PAYS TRIBUTES TO CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ ON HIS JAYANTI ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj, great Maratha ruler was born on 19 February 1630 at Shivneri Fort in District Pune in the present-day state of Maharashtra. ShivajiMaharaj Biography Some records claim Shivaji’s date of birth as 6 April 1627 but 19 February 1630 …

GS-2 ELECTION COMMISSION WORKING ON REMOTE VOTING SYSTEM Issue The model of an Aadhaar-linked electronic voting system that would enable electors to cast their votes from any part of the country, irrespective of where they are registered to vote or even abroad, is being prepared for the Election Commission of …

GS-3 HYDERABAD WINS GLOBAL ‘TREE CITY’ STATUS Hyderabad has received recognition as ‘Tree City’ for its urban forestry drive Urban forestry campaign gets global recognition Important points: Hyderabad city has received another feather in its cap by being chosen as one among the ‘Tree Cities of the World’ by the …

GS-2 NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 is an Act of the Parliament of India which enables creation of a special tribunal to handle the expeditious disposal of the cases pertaining to environmental issues. It draws inspiration from the India’s constitutional provision of (Constitution of India/Part III) Article 21 Protection of life and …

GS-2 QUAD MINISTERS’ MEETING India, U.S. call for rule of law in Myanmar Quad Ministers discuss Myanmar, issues across Indo-Pacific. India on Thursday joined Australia, Japan and the United States for a ministerial meeting under the quadrilateral grouping. . India also emphasised in its statement that the meeting expressed commitment …