Gujarat government recently signed an agreement with OECD to conduct the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) test for students of government schools.   About the OECD – It is an international organisation of 38 countries committed to democracy and the market economy. OECD members are typically democratic countries that support free-market economies. The OECD… Continue reading OECD

A task force, formed to look into suicide and fratricide (killing of one’s own forces in war) cases in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), has submitted its draft report to the Ministry of Home Affairs.   Background – The task force was constituted in 2021 by the Home Ministry to study and analyse incidents… Continue reading Task force on CAPFs

The maximum investment limit for the Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS) has been increased from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 30 lakh in Budget 2023.   About the Senior Citizens Saving Scheme – SCSS was launched with the main aim of providing senior citizens in India a regular income after they attain the age of… Continue reading Senior Citizens Saving Scheme

Union Finance Minister recently announced a mission for the welfare of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in the 2023-24 Union Budget.   About Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission – The mission will be launched as part of ‘Reaching The Last Mile’, one of the seven Saptarishi priorities enlisted in this year’s Budget. The mission will… Continue reading Pradhan Mantri PVTG Mission

Selena Gomez, a singer-actor, recently revealed that she has Lupus.   About Lupus – Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system starts attacking your own tissues and organs. The condition primarily affects the kidney, but it also has an impact on the skin, blood vessels, connective tissue, heart, brain, and nearly every other… Continue reading Lupus

Recently, a mother in Brazil gave birth to a two-foot-tall baby weighing 16lb (7.3kg).   About Macrosomia – The term used to describe giant babies is macrosomia (Greek for the large body). Any baby that weighs more than 4kg, regardless of its gestational age, is said to have macrosomia.   Factors that cause Macrosomia – The mother’s body… Continue reading Macrosomia

Finance Minister has recently said that as many as 38,800 teachers will be hired for Ekalavya Model Residential Schools.   About Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) – EMRS started in the year 1997-98 to impart quality education to ST children in remote areas to enable them to access the best opportunities in education and to… Continue reading Eklavya Model Residential Schools

Finance Minister recently announced a new saving scheme ‘Mahila Samman Saving Certificate’ for women and girls in the Union Budget.   About the ‘Mahila Samman Saving Certificate’ – The scheme offers deposit facility up to Rs 2 lakh in the name of women or girls for a tenor of 2 years. It offers fixed interest… Continue reading Mahila Samman Saving Certificate

Union Finance Minister has recently announced the Central Government’s plan to launch a mission to eliminate sickle cell anaemia by 2047.   About Sickle cell anaemia – It is an inherited blood disorder. It affects haemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to cells throughout the body. People with this disease have atypical haemoglobin… Continue reading Sickle Cell Anaemia

According to the recently released Economic Survey 2022-23, almost half of all health spending in India is still paid by patients themselves, although this has dropped as the government’s share of spending on health went up significantly after 2013-14. While the expenditure on social services increased from ₹9,15,500 to ₹21,32,059 crore, the budgetary allocation for… Continue reading Status of Health and Education in India