Scholarships for Higher Education for Young Achievers Scheme (SHREYAS)

• The main objective of the schemes is Educational Empowerment of OBC & EBC students by providing fellowship (financial assistance) to obtain quality higher education.
• The time period of the scheme is from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
• The Scheme comprises following 2 components that includes
  1. National Fellowship for OBC students
  2. Dr. Ambedkar Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loans for Overseas Studies for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Economically Backward Classes (EBCs)
• National Fellowship for OBC students - The scheme provides financial assistance to the OBC students in obtaining quality higher education leading to degrees such as M.Phil and Ph.D.
• The scheme aims to provide 1000 Junior Research Fellowships per year to undertake advanced studies and research leading to M.Phil. /Ph.D. Degrees for the students who have qualified in the following tests:
  1. National Eligibility Test  – Junior Research Fellowship (NET-JRF) of UGC (for Humanities/Social Sciences)
  2. UGC-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (UGC-CSIR) NET-JRF Joint Test (for Sciences)
• The scheme covers all universities/institutions recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
• It is implemented by the UGC itself on the pattern of the scheme of UGC Fellowships being awarded to research students pursuing M.Phil. and Ph.D.
• National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation which is under the ministry of education implements the scheme.
• Dr. Ambedkar Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loans for Overseas Studies for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) & Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) – A Central Sector Scheme.
• It aims to provide interest subsidy to OBCs and EBCs students on the interest payable for the Education Loans for overseas studies to pursue approved courses of studies abroad at Masters, M.Phil. and Ph.D. level.
• The scheme is implemented through the Canara Bank (the Nodal bank for the scheme).
• The interest Subsidy shall be linked with the existing Educational Loan Scheme of Indian Banks Association (IBA) and restricted to students enrolled for course at Masters, M.Phil and Ph.D level.
• Under the scheme, 100% interest payable by the students availing the education loans of the IBA for the period of moratorium is provided.
• 50% of the total financial assistance is reserved for women candidates.

Apophis

NASA probe to observe Apophis, an asteroid as wide as Empire State Building near-Earth encounter.

• Asteroid 99942 Apophis is a near-Earth object (NEO) estimated to be about 1,100 feet (340 meters) across.
• Apophis was identified in 2004 as one of the most hazardous asteroids that could impact Earth.
• It is a stony asteroid believed to consist mostly of silicate materials along with iron and nickel.
• A radar observation campaign in March 2021, combined with precise orbit analysis, allowed astronomers to conclude that there is no risk of Apophis impacting our planet for at least a century.
• Its next approach in 2029 will bring the asteroid within a cosmic cat's whisker of Earth - less than one-tenth the moon's distance.
• OSIRIS-Rex has been rebranded as OSIRIS-APEX to probe the Apophis by the NASA.
• The spacecraft is set to observe the asteroid's Earth flyby as it nears and ultimately catches up with Apophis.
• Tidal forces could trigger landslides on Apophis and dislodge rocks and dust particles to create a comet-like tail.

Extinct Animals

• The animals that are extinct now includes Formosan clouded leopard,Bali tiger, Schomburgk’s deer, Japanese sea lion and Syrian wild ass.

• Sumatran elephant is not extinct and are present between 2,400 and 2,800 in numbers.
• In 2012, the Sumatran elephant was changed from “Endangered” to “Critically Endangered.
• Formosan clouded leopard – A leopard species was first described in 1862.
• Within the next 120 years, it went extinct in its home range in Taiwan.
• An extensive 15-year survey from 1997 to 2012 also failed to find any individuals.
• Bali tiger – It is a tiger species was believed to have gone extinct in the 1950s.
• The species was described as being the smallest tiger on the Sunda Islands.
• After a 2017 reform in taxonomy, this species was brought under Panthera tigris sondaica, which includes the extant Sumatran tiger.
• Schomburgk’s deer – This species of deer was endemic to Thailand and resembled the barasingha. It was described in 1863.
• The deer’s population dwindled after Thailand intensified rice cultivation, and was last recorded in 1938.
• Japanese sea lion – This species of aquatic mammal went extinct in the 1970s.
• Until 2003, it was thought to be a subspecies of the California sea lion, but has since been classified as a separate species.
• It was driven to extinction by over-hunting and possibly submarine warfare during World War II.
• Syrian wild ass – This equine species was also called the hemippe.
•  It was rendered extinct by 1927 by overhunting as well as by the consequences of World War I.
• It was the smallest equine species and couldn’t be domesticated.

INDUS-X Initiative

Recently the 1st INDUS-X Investors Meet held was held at Delhi ahead of 2+2 Indo-US Ministerial Dialogue.

• INDUS-X stands for enhanced strategic and defence partnership between India and the US.
• It is aimed at deepening the partnership between the US and Indian defence innovation sectors.
• INDUS-X was launched in June 2023 to expand strategic technology partnership and defines industrial cooperation between governments, businesses, and academic institutions of India and US.
• INDUS-X will focus on advancing high-tech cooperation and fostering joint research, development, and production opportunities in the defence sector.
• The INDUS-X initiative will enable the defence industries of both India and the US to come together to jointly develop and produce military equipment, including the transfer of technology.
• INDUS-X Investors Meet was organised by the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) under the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence and US Department of Defence.
• The INDUS-X Educational Series (Gurukul) was also launched during the event.
• INDUS-X Educational Series is named as Gurukul that aims to help the innovators and start-ups to navigate in the defence eco-system of the US and India.

Nayi Chetna 2.0

Nayi Chetna – 2.0 will be launched on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November).

• The Nayi Chetna Campaign aims to advance the rights of women and gender-diverse individuals, for a life without fear, and gender-based discrimination and violence.
• Campaign activities will deepen awareness on gender-based violence (GBV) amongst self-help group members and encourage GBV reporting.
• It will also address social norms which sanction and help such forms of violence to prevail.
• The campaign is to be launched on 25 November which is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. It will be observed across 34 Indian states and UTs till 23 December.
• The campaign is to be launched on 25 November which is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. It will be observed across 34 Indian states and UTs till 23 December.
• The annual campaign will be led by DAY-NRLM’s self-help groups network of over 9.8 crore rural women members with the spirit of a Jan Andolan or people’s movement.
• Participating ministries includes:
  1. Ministry of Panchayati Raj
  2. Ministry of Women and child development
  3. Ministry of Home Affairs
  4. Ministry of Law and Justice
  5. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
  6. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
  7. Ministry of Education and Literacy
  8. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
  9. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare