UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 22 June 2024
Kartavya Desk Staff
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 22 June 2024 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles
InstaLinks : Insta Links help you think beyond the current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background.
Table of Contents
GS Paper 2: (UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 22 June 2024)
• NET-NEET Crisis: The Reasons Behind India’s Failing Exam System
• Public Examinations (Prevention Of Unfair Means) Act 2024 notified
GS Paper 4:
• Emotional Intelligence and its Applications
Emotional Intelligence and its Applications
Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)
• School in a Box initiative
School in a Box initiative
Facts for Prelims (FFP)
• 10th International Yoga Day (IYD)
10th International Yoga Day (IYD)
• Freshwater Diatom
Freshwater Diatom
• Barda Wildlife Sanctuary
Barda Wildlife Sanctuary
• Striped caecilian (Ichthyophis spp)
Striped caecilian (Ichthyophis spp)
Mapping:
• Kolar Gold Fields (KGF)
Kolar Gold Fields (KGF)
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 22 June 2024
#### GS Paper 2:
NET-NEET Crisis: The Reasons Behind India’s Failing Exam System
Syllabus: Government Policies and Intervention
Source: IE
Context: The NET (National Eligibility Test) and NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) controversy highlights systemic failures and poor policy implementation over the years. Recurrent paper leaks, exam cancellations, incorrect results, and unexplained grace marks have eroded trust in the National Testing Agency (NTA).
What is NET?
NET (National Eligibility Test) is an exam conducted in India to determine the eligibility of candidates for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor positions in Indian universities and colleges. It is administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA) under the guidance of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
What is the NET Controversy?
The NET controversy involves allegations of paper leaks, exam cancellation, and other irregularities that have compromised the integrity of the examination. These issues have led to widespread distrust among students and calls for reforms and stricter oversight to ensure fair and transparent conduct of the exam.
What is NEET?
NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) is an entrance examination in India for students who wish to study undergraduate medical courses (MBBS) and dental courses (BDS) in government or private medical and dental colleges.
Why was the NEET introduced?
• Standardising Competence: NEET aims to standardize the educational competence of medical aspirants, ensuring a minimum standard in basic sciences like Chemistry, Physics, and Biology.
• Reducing Entrance Exams: NEET consolidates around 46 different entrance exams into a single, standardized test, simplifying the admission process and reducing stress and confusion for students.
• Eliminating Capitation Fees: NEET seeks to eliminate capitation fees in private medical colleges by basing admissions solely on merit, ensuring fair and transparent selection, and making medical education accessible to deserving students regardless of financial background.
What is the NEET Controversy?
The NEET controversy involves systemic issues such as frequent paper leaks, rank inflation, incorrect results, and unexplained grace marks, leading to a loss of public trust in the National Testing Agency (NTA). These problems have highlighted the need for policy reforms and better implementation to ensure the integrity and fairness of the exam.
Other Issues with NEET
• Bias in the Education System: NEET’s syllabus aligns more with the CBSE curriculum, disadvantaging students from state boards. This creates an educational imbalance.
• Coaching Industry Growth: To compete effectively, many state board students resort to extra coaching, fueling a Rs 58,000 crore coaching industry growing at 15% annually.
• Legal Hurdles: NEET was suspended by the Supreme Court in 2013 due to petitions from private colleges claiming it infringed on their autonomy. It was restored in 2016 by a five-judge bench.
• Impact on Tamil Nadu: The introduction of NEET has significantly affected rural and Tamil-medium students in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu’s Response to NEET
• Opposition to NEET: Tamil Nadu prefers linking medical college admissions to high school performance rather than NEET scores.
• Expert Committee Findings: In 2021, the Justice A K Rajan Committee found that Tamil-medium student admissions dropped from 15% to 1.6-3.2% (2017-2021). Admissions of rural students to government medical colleges fell from 62% to 50%.
• Impact on Public Health System: Tamil Nadu’s public health system relies on rural students willing to work in primary health centres, unlike urban students who often pursue careers in corporate hospitals or abroad.
• Legislative Action: The state government passed a law to scrap NEET, but it was blocked by the Governor.
Way forward:
Reform | Description
Improving School Education | Shift from rote learning to inquiry-based and critical thinking-oriented education. Regular updates to curricula to include the latest scientific and educational advancements.
Decentralising Examinations | Allow states and universities to conduct their own entrance exams tailored to local standards and curricula. Address disparities and dissatisfaction, especially among non-CBSE students. Encourage flexible and innovative examination formats.
Constituting Regional Boards | Create regional examination boards to standardize exams within specific geographic areas. Operate under a central body’s guidance while adapting to local educational standards. Balance national standardization with local relevance.
Anti-paper leak law | The provisions of Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024 must be strictly implemented.
Conclusion:
The current NET-NEET crisis highlights a systemic failure in ensuring high-quality school education in India. The above steps are essential to restore confidence and credibility in the examination system, ensuring fairness and integrity for all students.
Additional Information:
About NTA:
The National Testing Agency (NTA) is an autonomous organization registered under the Indian Societies Registration Act of 1860. It conducts entrance examinations for admission into higher educational institutions in India. NTA is chaired by an eminent educationist appointed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) serving as the Director-General appointed by the Government. Its functions include identifying partner institutions for online examinations, creating a question bank, fostering research and development, collaborating internationally, and conducting examinations as assigned by Government Ministries/Departments.
Insta Links:
• NEET & Tamil Nadu’s Protest
• What is the Bill to scrap NEET in Tamil Nadu?
Public Examinations (Prevention Of Unfair Means) Act 2024 notified
Syllabus: Government Policies and Interventions
Source: TH
Context: The Union government has implemented the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024, effective from June 21, to curb malpractices and organised cheating in government recruitment exams.
Need for the Bill:
The act is introduced against the backdrop of widespread exam cancellations (including the recent NEET and NET exams controversy) due to paper leaks in various competitive tests across states like Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and Bihar. Over 1.5 crore students have been affected by paper leaks from 2016 to 2023, with more than 70 cases reported during this period. Despite these incidents, there is currently no specific law to address unfair practices in public examinations conducted by the central government and its agencies.
Key Highlights of the Public Examinations Act:
Highlights | Description
Objective | Enhance transparency, fairness, and credibility in public exams.
Reassure youth of fair rewards for sincere efforts.
It will supplement the other initiatives government in this direction such as introducing self-attestation; shortening the examination cycle (from 18-22 months to 6-10 months), etc.
Applicability | Covers central recruitment and entrance exams conducted by UPSC, SSC, RRBs, IBPS, and NTA.
All central ministries, departments, and recruitment offices are included.
Definition of Public examination | Section 2(k) of the Act defines a public examination as any exam conducted by a public examination authority listed in the Act’s Schedule or designated by the Central Government through notification.
Exclusion of Students | Candidates are not targeted by the bill.
Students are covered under existing administrative provisions of exam authorities.
Punishments | Prison terms of 3-5 years for paper leak involvement.
Up to 10 years if linked to organised crime.
A fine of Rs 1 crore; exam organising firms may be barred from conducting exams.
Unfair Means Defined | Section 3 lists 20 offences, including impersonation, tampering, Leakage of question papers or answer keys, Unauthorized access to question papers or Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) response sheets, Creating fake websites, etc.
Nature of Offences | Cognizable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable.
Cognizable: Offenses for which police can make an arrest without a warrant
Non-bailable: Offenses for which bail is not guaranteed and must be determined by a magistrate
Non-compoundable: Offenses that cannot be settled out of court, requiring a trial to proceed regardless of any agreement between parties involved
Investigation | Led by officers of rank, not below Deputy Superintendent of Police or Assistant Commissioner of Police.
States have the option to send a probe to a Central agency.
National Technical Committee | NTC was formed to enhance security in computerized exams.
It will develop protocols for IT security and surveillance.
Model Draft for States | The act is binding for central authorities and; a model for states.
Concerns with the Bill:
• State Government Discretion: The bill’s reliance on state governments to draft their own acts may lead to partisan interests, as seen in past model bills.
• Exploitable Loopholes: Excluding students from criminal sanctions may allow paper leak gangs to pose as students to evade punishment.
• Lack of Committee Composition: The absence of clarity on the composition and qualifications of the National Technical Committee on Public Exams raises concerns about potential partisanship.
• Subordinate Legislation Scope: The bill’s allowance for subordinate legislation grants executive authorities extensive discretionary power in implementation.
Reasons for cheating in exams include a positive attitude towards cheating, societal pressures prioritizing marks over integrity in learning, frustration with delayed justice in the judicial system, and students’ overambition and pursuit of self-interest to gain unfair advantages.
Ethical issues related to cheating in exams include:
• Violation of academic integrity: Cheating undermines the principles of honesty, fairness, and trustworthiness in academic settings, compromising the integrity of educational institutions.
• Unfair advantage: Cheating gives dishonest individuals an unfair advantage over their peers who choose to abide by the rules, distorting competition and merit-based evaluations.
• Deception and dishonesty: Cheating involves deception and dishonesty, as individuals misrepresent their knowledge, skills, or abilities to achieve undeserved academic outcomes.
• Lack of personal accountability: Cheating reflects a lack of personal accountability and responsibility for one’s actions, as individuals prioritize short-term gains over long-term integrity and character development.
• Diminished learning and skill development: Cheating inhibits genuine learning and skill development by promoting shortcuts and rote memorization instead of critical thinking, problem-solving, and mastery of academic content.
• Damage to reputation: Cheating tarnishes the reputation of individuals and institutions involved, eroding trust and credibility within academic communities and beyond.
• Ethical erosion: Engaging in cheating can lead to a slippery slope of ethical erosion, where individuals become desensitized to dishonest behaviour and compromise their ethical standards in other areas of life.
Conclusion:
The bipartisan support of the bill underscores the seriousness of the issue and the government’s commitment to ensuring transparency and fairness in examinations. The bill’s focus on strict punishments for offenders and technological solutions signifies a step towards protecting the integrity of examination systems.
Mains Links:
In India, why do you think there are so many instances of paper leaks for competitive exams and government posts? Elaborate on the moral hazards of the same.
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 22 June 2024 GS Paper 4:
Emotional Intelligence and its Applications
Syllabus: Ethics: Emotional Intelligence
- •Source: IE, IE, IE*
Context: Emotional Intelligence (EI) is crucial in today’s interactions, especially for public servants who must navigate complex situations.
What is Emotional Intelligence (EI)?
Emotional Intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one’s own emotions, as well as to perceive and influence the emotions of others effectively. It involves being self-aware of one’s emotional state, managing emotions in a constructive manner, empathizing with others, and using emotional information to guide thinking and behaviour.
EI was popularized by Daniel Goleman in his 1995 book titled “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ.
Essence of emotional intelligence:
Aspect | Details
Emotion + Intelligence | Emotional Intelligence (EI) combines emotions and intelligence to enhance personal and professional effectiveness.
Key Building Constructs | EI comprises self-awareness, self-management, motivation, empathy, and social skills.
Self-Awareness | Involves understanding one’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual self, and being aware of habits that impact well-being.
Self-Management | Focuses on disciplining oneself to maintain consistency in actions, and manage time, habits, and emotions effectively.
Johari Window | A model by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham that enhances self-awareness through four windows: Open Self (known to self and others), Hidden Self (known to self, not to others), Blind Self (known to others, not to self), and Unknown Self (unknown to self and others).
|
| The Johari Window helps in emotional intelligence by providing a framework to enhance self-awareness and interpersonal communication. Through feedback and self-disclosure, individuals can expand their Open Self quadrant, reduce their Blind and Unknown Self areas, and increase mutual understanding in relationships.
Applications of Emotional Intelligence:
Application | Example
Personal Relationships | Understanding and managing emotions in conflicts with family members to foster healthier relationships.
Workplace Leadership | Empathizing with team members’ concerns to motivate them effectively, enhancing team productivity.
Stress Management | Using self-awareness and self-management techniques to cope with work pressure and reduce stress levels.
Decision Making | Considering emotions alongside logic when making decisions to ensure well-rounded and informed choices.
Customer Service | Recognizing and responding to customers’ emotions to provide better service and resolve issues more effectively.
Conflict Resolution | Using empathy and social skills to navigate and resolve conflicts peacefully and constructively.
Healthcare | Empathizing with patients’ emotions to provide compassionate care and improve patient outcomes.
Education | Helping students develop emotional awareness and social skills to enhance learning and classroom interactions.
Mains Link:
THE CASE
You have recently taken the responsibility of the officer in charge of a welfare scheme. One morning you were not in a good mood and even yelled at your subordinate who was not providing you with correct information related to the welfare scheme. The moment you came out of your chamber you saw a long queue of applicants. You asked your subordinate to consider those persons who have proper documents. All of a sudden you found a lady shouting at other staff as they were stopping her to meet you in person. You ignored it and returned to your chamber.
After a while, your subordinate came and reported about that old lady’s willingness to meet you, but you were in no mood to talk to her. You said, “I did not talk to my mother yesterday as it was Mother’s Day. I have so many things to do. Please handle yourself.”
However, the old woman suddenly comes inside your office and seeks to become a beneficiary. The woman is illiterate and does not have any documents to prove her eligibility for the scheme. You did not understand what to do. She said, “After seeing me, why do you turn your face? Would you have made the same gesture for your mother? You are bada sahab, but without emotion.”
Finally, you find that she is really poor and destitute with no one to care for her. Though she didn’t have any documents but dilemma is that giving her the benefits without the documents would be tantamount to bypassing the law.
Q1. What are the core issues in this case?
Q.2 Identify those areas where you are lacking officer-like qualities.
Q.3 Whether as an officer you have a low EQ or is it completely absent?
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 22 June 2024 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)
School in a Box initiative
Source: TH
Context: In Assam, amid devastating floods and landslides claiming lives, children in relief camps will receive educational support through a “school in a box” initiative.
Designed by UNICEF, these kits cater to children aged 6-18, providing learning materials to ensure education continuity despite displacement and trauma. disasters.
The initiative to provide “school in a box” kits during Assam’s floods reflects several ethical values. It prioritizes:
• Compassion and Care: By addressing the educational needs of children amidst trauma, the initiative demonstrates compassion and care for vulnerable populations.
• Equity and Inclusion: The kits are designed to cater to children aged 6-18, ensuring inclusivity and equitable access to educational resources regardless of age or background.
• Responsibility and Accountability: Training sessions for officials and grassroots workers underscore a commitment to responsibly managing relief efforts, ensuring accountability in education and relief camp operations.
• Empathy and Support: By considering the psychological impact of displacement, the initiative shows empathy and provides essential support to help children overcome trauma and continue their education.
• Sustainability: Initiatives such as installing sanitary napkin vending machines in relief camps reflect a sustainable approach to addressing broader health and hygiene needs, promoting dignity and well-being.
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 22 June 2024 Facts for Prelims (FFP)
10th International Yoga Day (IYD)
Source: TH
Context: The Prime Minister highlighted the global Muslim adoption of yoga during the 10th International Day of Yoga in Srinagar, aiming to dissociate yoga from any specific religious connection.
He cited instances like:
• Yoga therapy in Turkmenistan’s medical universities
• Inclusion of Yoga in Saudi Arabia’s education system
• Yoga-specific schools in Mongolia to emphasize its universal appeal.
Each year on 21 June, the world comes together to observe the International Day of Yoga, a day designated by the United Nations to celebrate the power of yoga in promoting holistic health practices worldwide.
Yoga derives its name from the Sanskrit root ‘yuj’ which means to join or to unite. It symbolizes the unity of one’s mind, body, and spirit with the world outside, through a set of exercises that include breathing techniques, physical postures, and relaxation methods.
Yoga Philosophy:
Yoga process is described in eight stages (ashtanga-yoga, “eight-membered Yoga”)
External Aids: The first two stages are ethical preparations.
• Yama(“restraint”),which denotes abstinence from injury falsehood, stealing, lust, and avarice;
• Niyama(“discipline”),denotes cleanliness of body, contentment, austerity, study, and devotion to God.
The next two stages are physical preparations.
• Asana(“seat”),is a series of exercises to make the body supple, flexible, and healthy.
• Pranayama(“breath control”)is a series of exercises intended to stabilize the rhythm of breathing in order to encourage complete respiratory relaxation.
The fifth stage,
• pratyahara(“withdrawal of the senses”),involves control of the senses, or the ability to withdraw the attention of the senses from outward objects.
Mental or internal aids:
• Dharana(“holding on”)is the ability to hold and confine awareness of externals to one object for a long period of time.
• Dhyana(“concentrated meditation”)is the uninterrupted contemplation of the object of meditation, beyond any memory of ego.
• Samadhi(“total self-collectedness”)is the final stage and is a precondition of attaining release from samsara, or the cycle of rebirth. In this stage, the meditator perceives or experiences the object of his meditation and himself as one.
About On June 21, the Summer Solstice
It occurs in the Northern Hemisphere when the Earth’s axis is tilted towards the sun. This results in direct sunlight falling on the Tropic of Cancer. Areas beyond the Arctic Circle experience continuous daylight for about six months. It marks the longest day and shortest night of the year in the northern hemisphere. Conversely, the Southern Hemisphere experiences the opposite conditions during this time.
Freshwater Diatom
Source: DST
Context: Researchers from the Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune, have discovered a new genus of freshwater diatom in the rivers of the Eastern and Western Ghats.
What are Diatoms?
Diatoms are a type of microscopic algae belonging to the phylum Bacillariophyta. They are characterized by their intricate silica cell walls, which form intricate patterns like geometric shapes or lines. Diatoms are primary producers in aquatic ecosystems, responsible for producing a significant portion of the world’s oxygen through photosynthesis. They play a crucial role in aquatic food chains, serving as food for many organisms. Diatoms are highly sensitive to changes in water chemistry, making them valuable indicators of water quality and ecosystem health.
Barda Wildlife Sanctuary
Source: IE
Context: The Gujarat Forest Department has begun transferring spotted deer (cheetal) and sambars from Gir Forest to Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, aiming to enhance the prey base for Asiatic lions. This move follows the migration of six lions to Barda from Gir, marking their return after 143 years.
Previous News:
Striped caecilian (Ichthyophis spp)
Source: TH
Context: A limbless amphibian, the striped caecilian (Ichthyophis spp), has been newly discovered in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve during a recent survey.
About Striped caecilian:
They are classified under the order Apoda, a limbless amphibian known for spending most of its life burrowed under soil. These wormlike creatures have smooth, moist skin that appears narrowly segmented, with small eyes covered by skin, limiting visual perception to distinguishing light and dark. They can breathe through their skin and lungs and belong to the egg-laying genus Ichthyophis. Caecilians are found in six families across Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia.
About Kaziranga National Park:
• Located in the State of Assam and is the single largest undisturbed and representative area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplain.
International Status:
• 1985: It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
• 1986: It is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
Important Species Found:
• KNP is home to the world’s most one-horned rhinos. Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary has the highest density of one-horned rhinos in the world and the second-highest number of Rhinos in Assam after Kaziranga National Park.
• Much of the focus of conservation efforts in Kaziranga is focused on the ‘big four’ species— Rhino, Elephant, Royal Bengal tiger and Asiatic water buffalo.
• Rivers and Highways: The park has the Diphlu River running through it.
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 22 June 2024 Mapping:
Kolar Gold Fields (KGF)
Source: TH
Context: The Karnataka government has approved the Centre’s proposal to revive gold mining and auction 13 tailing dumps spanning 1,003 acres at Kolar Gold Fields (KGF).
The mines, owned by Bharat Gold Mines Ltd. (BGML), are set for revival under the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Act, 1957. The move aims to generate employment and boost domestic gold production. KGF is among the deepest in the world. Mining at KGF began in 1880 by Jhon Taylor & Sons. After 121 years of operation, the mines closed on February 28, 2001, due to high operational costs and low revenues. Besides gold extraction, KGF has been utilized for particle physics experiments, leading to the discovery of atmospheric neutrinos.
Currently, India operates three gold mines: Hutti and Uti in Karnataka, and Hirabuddini in Jharkhand. India produces approximately 1.6 tonnes of gold annually, far below its consumption of 774 tonnes per year.
KGF (Kolar Gold Fields) is situated 100 kilometres from Bangalore in Karnataka’s Kolar district.
Fig: Kolar District (Karnataka)
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 22 June 2024 [PDF]
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