Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 25th March 2023

QS World University Rankings 2023 By Subject:

QS World University Rankings 2023 by subject were released.

• Earlier in 2022, QS World University Ranking 2023 was released.
• The rankings cover 54 academic disciplines, the India universities perform well in the fields of Computer Science, Chemistry, Biological Sciences, Business Studies, and Physics.
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) of US is ranked first followed by University of Cambridge of UK, Stanford University of US respectively.

India’s Performance:

• Led by its Institutes of Eminence (IoE), India has improved its position in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, with 44 courses, in their respective subject categories, offered in the country’s higher educational institutes ranked among the global top 100.
• Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Science (in dentistry programme) – best performer among Indian institutes obtaining the 13th rank globally
• IIT-Kanpur (Electrical engineering, ranked 87th), featuring in the top 100 categories for the first time
• IIT-Madras (in Petroleum Engineering, ranked 21st )
• IIT-Bombay (Mathematic, ranked 92nd)
• IIT-Delhi (Electrical engineering, ranked 49th)
• Jawaharlal Nehru University (Sociology, ranked 68th)

World Tuberculosis Day 2023:

World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is observed on 24th March every year to spread awareness about the disease and how best to combat it.

• Theme for 2023: Yes! We can end TB!
• On this day in 1882, Dr. Robert Koch announced the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that causes TB, and his discovery opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this disease.

Tuberculosis

• It is an infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It can practically affect any organ of the body.
• The most common ones are lungs, pleura (lining around the lungs), lymph nodes, intestines, spine, and brain.
• It is an airborne infection that spreads through close contact with the infected, especially in densely populated spaces with poor ventilation.
• Common symptoms of active lung TB are cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.
• TB is a treatable and curable disease. It is treated with a standard 6-month course of 4 antimicrobial drugs that are provided with information, supervision and support to the patient by a health worker or trained volunteer.
• India aims to make the nation TB-free by 2025, whereas the Global Target for TB elimination is 2030.

Exercise Konkan 2023:

Konkan 2023, the bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the UK’s Royal Navy, was recently held off the Konkan coast in the Arabian Sea.

• Konkan exercise is the annual bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the UK’s Royal Navy.
• INS Trishul, a guided missile frigate, and HMS Lancaster, a Type 23 guided missile frigate, participated in this edition.
• They undertook multiple maritime drills to enhance interoperability between the two forces and imbibe best practices.
• The exercises covered all domains of maritime operations, air, surface, and sub-surface.
• It included gunnery shoots on the surface inflatable target ‘Killer Tomato’, helicopter operations, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare drills, Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS), ship maneuvers, and exchange of personnel.
• The exercise will help the Indian Navy and Royal Navy work together to improve maritime security and maintain a rules-based order in the region.

Technology And Innovation Report 2023: UNCTAD

In its Technology and Innovation Report 2023, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has stated that developed countries are benefiting more from green technologies than developing countries, and this could deepen global economic inequality.

Key Findings :

• Green technologies can create a market worth USD 9.5 trillion by 2030, up from USD 1.5 trillion in 2020.
• The total exports of green technologies from developed countries jumped to more than USD 156 billion in 2021 from about USD 60 billion in 2018.
• While exports from developing countries rose to only about USD 75 billion from USD 57 billion.
• According to the ‘frontier technology readiness index’ included in the report, only a few developing countries have the capacity to take advantage of frontier technologies such as blockchain, drones, and solar power.
• Green frontier technologies such as electric vehicles, solar and wind energy, and green hydrogen are expected to reach a market value of USD 2.1 trillion in 2030.
• The frontier technology readiness index which has ranked 166 countries, is dominated by high-income economies, notably the US, Sweden, Singapore, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
• The second quarter of the list includes emerging economies – notably Brazil – ranked at 40, China at 35, India at 46, the Russian Federation at 31, and South Africa at 56.
• Here, India remains the greatest performer by ranking at 67 positions better than expected.

UNCTAD

• It is a permanent intergovernmental body of the United Nations.
• It was established in 1964 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
• It aims to promote sustainable development, particularly in developing countries, through international trade, investment, finance, and technology transfer.

Exercise Vayu Prahar:

The Indian Army and the Indian Air force recently conducted a joint exercise, ‘Vayu Prahar’.

• Exercise Vayu Prahar is a multi-domain air-land exercise jointly conducted by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.
• The special forces also participated along with the Army and the Navy in the 96-hour exercise which was held in the eastern theatre.
• Objective is to validate joint plans to prosecute synergized multiple-domain operations.
• The scope of the exercise included the rapid mobilization of an earmarked Rapid Reaction Force from the hinterland to undertake air-landed operations in a nominated Advance Landing Ground.
• The air-landed force further executed contingency tasks as per a realistic exercise scenario in challenging high-altitude terrain conditions.
• The exercise enabled coordination and rehearsal amongst various agencies for quick mobilization, transportation, and deployment of forces within a theatre.

G20 RIIG Conference:

The G20 RIIG (Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Innovation Group) Conference will take place on March 23, bringing together experts, policymakers, and industry leaders from around the world.

• The conference will focus on the theme of building a sustainable and circular bio-economy, and discussions will cover various topics related to this critical issue.
• The G20 RIIG Conference provided a platform for experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to discuss various aspects of a sustainable and circular bio-economy.

Highlights:

• Exploring the latest technological developments and innovations that can support a sustainable and circular bio-economy.
• Discussing ways to promote sustainable and circular production and consumption patterns.
• Examining the role of sustainable agriculture and forestry in a circular bio-economy, including the use of agroforestry and sustainable land management practices.
• Exploring the role of waste management and recycling in a circular bio-economy and ways to promote more efficient and effective waste management practices.
• Discussing the development of circular business models that can drive sustainable and regenerative economic growth.

Gandhamardan Hill Range : Biodiversity Heritage Site

The state government of Odisha declared the Gandhamardan Hill Range in Bargarh and Balangir district as a Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS).

• The Gandhamardan hill (Gandhamardan Reserve Forest) spreads in Bargarh and Balangir districts in Odisha.
• This ecologically fragile ecosystem is rich in floral and faunal diversity and is protected under the Odisha Biodiversity Rules – 2012.
• The hill range has a diverse socio-economic, ecological and biological significance for the people of Odisha.
• This hill consists of medicinal plants, the hill system is considered the ‘Ayurvedic paradise’ of Odisha.
• The hills have 2 historical monuments (hill shrines) which are major pilgrimage sites of Odisha.
• Nrusinghanath temple is located on the northern slope.
• Harishankar temple on the southern side.
• In his chronicles, Hiuen Tsangdescribed the hill shrine as a Buddhist heritage site named

Biodiversity heritage sites:

• These are well-defined areas that are unique, ecologically fragile ecosystems with a high diversity of wild and domesticated species, the presence of rare and threatened species, and keystone species.

PENCIL Portal:

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment informed Rajya Sabha about the PENCIL portal and implementation of the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme.

• Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour (PENCIL) is a separate online portal to ensure effective enforcement of the provisions of the Child Labour Act and smooth implementation of the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme.
• The PENCIL Portal has various components, namely Child Tracking System, Complaint Corner, State Government, National Child Labour Project and Convergence.
• The Portal connects Central Government to State Government(s), District(s), all Project Societies and the General public.
• Further, online complaints regarding child labour can also be filed by anybody on the Pencil Portal.
• The complaint gets assigned to the concerned Nodal Officer automatically by the system for further necessary action.
• The National Child Labour Project (NCLP) is a Central Sector Scheme for the rehabilitation of child labour.