Bihar Affairs
Pupil-teacher ratio poor in state schools
The pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) is far from satisfactory in the elementary and secondary schools of the state with respect to the right to Education norms. Only about 19% of upper primary schools are having teachers for three core subjects and 30% of secondary schools are having teachers for all the core subjects.
These facts have been revealed by the proceedings of the recent meeting of the project approval board of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan for finalising the annual plan andbudgetof the state for 2023-24. As per data made available, subject PTR at the upper primary level is 112 for language, 150 for mathematics and science, and 204 for social studies.RTEnorms suggest one teacher for every 30 pupil.
Worse is the situation in secondary schools of the state. The PTR at the secondary level is 192 for language, 351 for mathematics, 253 for science and 194 for social studies.
The data furnished by the state education department indicate that there were more than 1.92 lakh vacant posts of teachers in government elementary schools against which only about 80,000 posts have been advertised by theBihar Commission (Bpsc) recently for recruitment of teachers for students of classes 1 to 5. Not a single post of teacher has been advertised for students of classes 6 to 8.
National and International Affairs
India lifted the Intercontinental Cup
India beat Lebanon 2-0 in the Intercontinental Cup final at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar to win the title.
The Intercontinental Cup is a four-nation football tournament organized by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in India, from 2018 to present. The tournament is held in the month of June, and is used as a preparation tournament for the India national team for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup qualification matches.
The Personnel Ministryannounced that the central government has launched a new collection of courses calledDakshta(Development of Attitude, Knowledge, Skill for Holistic Transformation in Administration) on theiGOT Karmayogi Platform.
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has established Karmayogi Bharat, a government-owned not-for-profit special purpose vehicle, to steer the missions fundamental goals.
Mission Karmayogi (National programme for civil Services capacity building), in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of building a Viksit Bharat, plays an important role in nurturing a smart, citizen-friendly, and future-ready public workforce.
This platform is a comprehensive guide for government officials seeking to develop their capacity-building skills.
The Dakshta collection contains 18 courses designed to equip learners with the necessary knowledge and skills required to perform their duties effectively.
Indi 2nd Indian lime variety to earn GI tag
Indi lime, belonging to the Kagzi variety, has earned a geographical indication (GI) tag for eight years from the Union Government. This is the second lime after theAssamlime to be accorded this recognition.
TheKarnatakaState Lime Development Board (KSLDB), University of Horticultural Sciences Bagalkot (UHSB) and the Department Vijayapura had worked relentlessly for the last five years to get this tag, with which growers can now expect exports of lime to about 25 countries.
Vijayapura district accounts for 58% of all lime produced in Karnataka, which ranks fourth among the states in lime cultivation.
Estonias parliament passed a law legalising same-sex marriage, making it the first central European nation to do so. While much of western Europe has already legalised same-sex marriage, it remains prohibited in many former communist central European countries that were once part of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact.
The bill was passed with 55 votes in the 101-seat parliament, with support from the coalition of liberal and social democratic parties led by Prime Minister Kallas, who won the 2023 election.
The new law will become effective in 2024. A recent poll by the Centre for Human Rights found that 53% of Estonians support same-sex marriage, compared to 34% a decade ago.