National
'SARTHAQ', the NEP Implementation Plan for School Education
- Union Education Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ chaired a high level meeting on implementation of NEP-2020 in New Delhi on 08 April 2021.
NEP Implementation Plan:
During the meeting, Union Education Minister launched ‘SARTHAQ’, the NEP Implementation Plan for School Education.
In pursuance of the goals and objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and to assist States and UTs in this task, the Department of School Education and Literacy has developed an indicative and suggestive Implementation Plan for School Education. The NEP Implementation Plan is named ‘Students’ and ‘Teachers’ Holistic Advancement through Quality Education- (SARTHAQ).
Focus:
The major focus of SARTHAQ is to define activities in such a manner which clearly delineate goals, outcomes and timeframe.
Important outcomes have been envisaged for entire education system after implementation of SARTHAQ:
- New National and State Curriculum Frameworks for School Education, Early Childhood Care and Education, Teacher Education and Adult Education will be developed encompassing the spirit of NEP
- Increase in Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), Net Enrolment Ratio (NER), transition rate and retention rate at all levels and reduction in drop outs and out of school children.
- Reforms in Board exams and various entrance tests
- Development of high quality and diversified teaching-learning material
- Availability of text books in Regional/local/home language.
- Improvement in quality of Teacher Education Programmes, Etc
Agreement between Bharti Airtel & JIO
- Reliance Jio Infocomm (Jio) has signed a definitive agreement with Bharti Airtel to acquire the right to use spectrum in the 800-megahertz (MHz) band in Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, and Mumbai circles through spectrum trading.
Under the agreement, Jio will acquire 3.75 MHz in Andhra Pradesh, 1.25 MHz in Delhi, and 2.5 MHz in Mumbai. Bharti Airtel has sold this spectrum to Reliance Jio worth of Rs 1,497 crore.
International
India Russia Friendship Car Rally 2021
- Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, on 08 April 2021 flagged off India Russia Friendship Car Rally 2021.
Organized by:
The event was organized by International Friendship Car Rally Association (IFCRA). It was held in Russia from 18th to 20th April, 2021.
This was the 5th IFCRA edition and there were 14 participants from IFCRA India represented the North East.
Sponsored by:
The event was sponsored by Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region and supported by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and Ministry of External Affairs.
'Plenary Meeting' of the IMF
- Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitharaman on 08 April 2021 attended the Plenary Meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committee of the Board of Governors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at the virtual Spring Meetings 2021.
The meeting was attended by Governors/Alternate Governors representing 190 member countries of the IMF.
Agenda:
The discussions at the meeting were based on IMF Managing Director’s Global Policy Agenda titled- ‘Bolstering the Recovery, Countering Divergence’.
PCB 'Hall of Fame'
- The Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to launch its own ‘Hall of Fame’ to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of their stalwarts from yesteryears.
Six members from the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame have been inducted into the PCB ‘Hall of Fame’ as a part of initial launch.
Six members are – Hanif Mohammad, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Zaheer Abbas.
According to PCB guidelines, there will be three more inductions into PCB ‘Hall of Fame’ each year from 2021. The cricketers who have retired from international cricket for at least five years will be eligible for induction into the PCB Hall of Fame. It will be announced on October 16, the day when the country made its Test debut in 1952.
Death
Former Madhya Pradesh Minister, Mahesh Joshi
- Senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh minister Mahesh Joshi died in Bhopal on Friday night, 09 April 2021. He was 82.
He was first elected as an MLA in the state assembly from Indore-1 constituency in 1967, after which he was elected twice from Indore-3 constituency.
Paliyath Vikraman Achan
- Patriarch (valiyachan) of the Paliyam family, Paliyath Vikraman Achan was passed away in Bengaluru on 11 April 2021. He was 102. He had been holding the post of ‘valiyachan’ since 2003.
Paliyath Ravi Achan has been named the next ‘valiyachan’.