Current Affair 1:

AISHE report for 2020-21

 

The Ministry of Education has been conducting annual ‘All India Survey on Higher Education’ (AISHE) since 2010-11. It incorporates the data of all institutions offering higher education, primarily covering the data on parameters such as teachers, students, enrolments, infrastructure, examinations, and educational finances. This survey is important as it provides a complete picture of the state of higher education in India.

 

The survey for 2020-21 was carried out completely in an electronic mode for the first time, and this survey is also the first one to see the participation of major stakeholders such as University Grants Commissions, All India Council for Technical Education, Medical Council of India as well as State Governments in data collection.

During 2020-21, 1113 Universities were listed on the AISHE Portal. Of these, 235 belonged to Central Government, 422 belonged to State Government, 10 were Government Aided Deemed Universities, and 446 were Privately Managed (unaided).

Total Enrolment rose by 37% between 2012-13 to 2020-21

The total enrolment at all levels and across all social categories grew from 30.2 million in 2012-13 to 41.4 million in 2020-21, increasing by almost 37% between these years.

The share of males in the total enrolment fell from 55.1% in 2012-13 to 51.3% in 2020-21, while the share of females rose from 44.9% to 48.7% during the same period.

Male Students:

Female Students:

The total enrolment at Undergraduate Level in major discipline/subject based on actual response is given in Table 12. The highest number of students are enrolled in Arts courses (104 lakh, out of which 52.1% are female), followed by science (48.17 lakh students out of which 52% are female), Commerce (with 43.23 lakh students enrolled, out of which 48.5% are female) and Engineering and Technology is the fourth major steam (36.86 lakh student enrolment of which 71% are male).

And once most preferred stream, engineering and technology fell from being the second in highest enrolment to fourth between 2012-13 to 2020-21.

Marginal Improvement in diversity in STEM

 

STEM includes Science stream (including Mathematics) and Engineering & Technology stream. The data for the last five years on enrolments in STEM indicates a marginal improvement in the gender and caste diversity.

The share of females in the total enrolment in STEM improved from 39.91% in 2016-17 to 42.03% in 2020-21, peaking to 43.2% in 2019-20.

In terms of caste representation, the share of Scheduled Castes in the total enrolment stood advanced from 12.11% in 2016-17 to 12.59% in 2020-21, while for Scheduled Tribes, it expanded from 3.62% to 4.42%, and for OBCs, it improved from 38.08% to 39.71% during the same period.

Current Affair 2:

What is the greenhouse effect?

 

The Earth’s surface absorbs about 48 per cent of incoming solar energy, while the atmosphere absorbs 23 per cent. The rest is reflected back into space. Natural processes ensure that the amount of incoming and outgoing energy is equal, keeping the planet’s temperature stable,

However, GHGs, unlike other atmospheric gases such as oxygen and nitrogen, are opaque to outgoing infrared radiation. As the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere increases due to human-caused emissions, energy radiated from the surface becomes trapped in the atmosphere, unable to escape the planet. This energy returns to the surface, where it is reabsorbed.

Since more energy enters than exits the planet, surface temperatures increase until a new balance is achieved. This temperature increase has long-term climate impacts and affects myriad natural systems.

What are the major greenhouse gases?

Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide are the major GHGs. CO2 stays in the atmosphere for up to 1,000 years, methane for around a decade and nitrous oxide for approximately 120 years. Measured over a 20-year period, methane is 80 times more potent than CO2 in causing global warming, while nitrous oxide is 280 times more potent.

What are the other greenhouse gases?

Fluorinated gases – such as hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride – are GHGs that do not occur naturally. Hydrofluorocarbons are refrigerants used as alternatives to chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which depleted the ozone layer and were phased out thanks to the Montreal Protocol. The other gases have industrial and commercial uses.

While fluorinated gases are far less prevalent than other GHGs and do not deplete the ozone layer like CFCs, they are still very powerful. Over a 20-year period, the various fluorinated gases’ global warming potential ranges from 460–16,300 times greater than that of CO2.

Water vapour is the most abundant GHG in the atmosphere and is the biggest overall contributor to the greenhouse effect. However, almost all the water vapour in the atmosphere comes from natural processes. Human emissions are very small and thus relatively less impactful.

Current Affair 3:

Delimitation Commission

 

Firstly, let’s understand what delimitation means. The Election Commission of India describes it as the “act or process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country or a province (state or Union Territory) having a legislative body.” The process may also entail a change in the number of Lok Sabha seats allotted to different states, as well as in the number of Legislative Assembly seats for each state.

What is mention in Constitution about Delimitation?

Article 82 of Indian Constitution provides for delimitation and it says: Upon the completion of each census, the allocation of seats in the House of the people to the States and the division of each State into territorial constituencies shall be readjusted by such authority and in such manner as Parliament may by law determine.

Delimitation Commission:

As per Article 82, Parliament by law enacted a Delimitation Act after every census. Once the Act comes into force, the Central Government constitutes a Delimitation Commission.

Therefore, Delimitation Commission have been constituted four times since independence:

1. In 1952 under Delimitation Commission Act, 1952
2. In 1963 under Delimitation Commission Act, 1962
3. In 1973 under Delimitation Commission Act, 1972
4. In 2002 under Delimitation Commission Act, 2002

 What is the composition of the Delimitation Commission?

Current Affair 4:

India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC)

 

Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, and President of the European Commission, Ms Ursula von der Leyen, agreed to launch the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) on 25 April 2022.

Rationale

Rapid changes in the world’s geopolitical environment highlight the need for deeper strategic engagement between India and the European Union (EU). As vibrant democracies, India and the EU share fundamental values and have a common interest in ensuring security, prosperity and sustainable development in a multipolar world. Both partners also face a challenging global political, economic and security landscape. This is true particularly in the trade and technological domains.

Therefore, structured high-level engagement is needed to provide political steer, operationalise political decisions, advance technical work, and report to the highest political level in areas that are critical for the sustainable economic growth of India and the EU.

Aim of the TTC

The India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) is a high-level coordination platform, which will allow India and the EU to tackle strategic challenges at the nexus of trade, trusted technology and security, and to deepen their bilateral relationship in these fields. It should help ensure political commitments are implemented on the ground.

 

 

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