Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2023

Why in news?

The Annual Status of Education Report 2023 has been published recently by Pratham, a civil
society organisation.

What is ASER?

It is a nationwide citizen-led household survey that provides a snapshot of the status of

children’s schooling and learning in rural India.
Conducted by- Pratham, a non-governmental organisation.
Launched- 2005
Published- It was conducted annually until 2014 and switched to alternate year cycle
in 2016.
Basic ASER- It collects information about enrolment in pre-school and school for
children in the age group of 3 to 16, and assesses children aged 5 to 16 one-on-one to
understand their foundational reading and arithmetic abilities.
ASER, 2017- For the first time it focused on the activities, abilities and aspirations of
the youth aged 14 to 18 in 28 districts of the country.
ASER 2023- It revisits 14-18 age group on collecting data and information about new
domain that have emerged as important in the post pandemic world.
Theme- Beyond Basics
Data collection- The survey was conducted in 28 districts across 26 states in India.

What are the key highlights of the report?

Category Enrolment %
Overall enrolment 86.8%
14 year old- 3.9%
Not enrolled for 14 year old
18 year old- 32.6%

Opted streams- Most of the people in this age group were enrolled in the
Arts/Humanities streams.
Females are less likely to be enrolled in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (STEM) stream (28.1%) than males (36.3%).
Vocational training- Only 5.6% of surveyed youth report taking vocational training or
 other related courses currently.
Basic reading- About 25% still cannot read a Class II level text fluently in their
regional language.
Math abilities- More than half struggle with division (3 digit by 1 digit) problems.
English ability- A little over half can read sentences in English (57.3%).
Of those who can read sentences in English almost three quarters can tell their
meaning.
Gender based performance- Females can do better than males in reading a Class II
level text in their regional language.
Males do better than females in arithmetic and English reading.
Across all digital tasks, such as finding and sharing videos, searching the internet,
setting an alarm, and using Google maps, boys outperformed girls.
Gender gap- Males are more than twice as likely to have their own smartphone as
females.
Mobile penetration- Close to 90% of all youth have a smartphone in the household
and kn0w how to use it.
About two-thirds of the youth reported using smartphones for educational purposes,
such as watching online videos related to studies, solving doubts or exchanging notes.
Digital literacy divide- Females are less likely to know how to use a smartphone or
computer as compared to males.
Skill deficit- The report revealed that there is a huge skill deficit among adolescents,
many of them only a few years away from entering the job market.

References

1. The Hindu- Half of youth failed basic math

2. Down To Earth- Girls in rural area less likely to use smartphones
3. Indian Express- Rural kids lack class 3 math

Iran Pakistan Strikes

Why in news?

India backed Iran on its strikes on alleged terror camps in Pakistan’s Balochistan Province,
calling it an act of “self-defence”.

What is the issue?

The issue - Iran has carried out a 3rd strike in reprisal for the January 3 terror attack
in Kerman that killed over 80 people.
Baloch people, who live in both Pakistan and Iran, are attacked by both countries
leading to rebellion across the border.
Iran struck 3 countries in one day namely Iraq, Syria and Pakistan.
India’s stand - India supported Iran’s action in Pakistan as “self-defence” against
terrorism.
It indicates India’s support for Iran despite the growing tensions in West Asia between
 Iran and the U.S.

Role of Pakistan - Pakistan conducted a series of specifically targeted precision

military strikes in Iran’s southeastern Sistan and Baluchistan province as part of an
operation called “Marg Bar Sarmachar”.
The tit-for-tat strikes are the highest-profile cross-border intrusions in recent years
and have raised alarm over wider instability in the Middle East since the war between
Israel and Hamas.

Common Baloch Problem

• Goldsmith Line- It is the 909-km Iran-Pakistan border stretches from a tripoint with
Afghanistan to the northern Arabian Sea.
• Population- Ethnic Baloch live in Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.
• They also nurse deeply rooted grievances against both the Pakistani and Iranian states.
• Economic status-The Baloch homeland is rich in natural resources but in Iran, 80% of
the Baloch population lives under the poverty line.
• In Pakistan, massive investments in projects such as China’s Belt and Road initiative have
not improved their lives.
• Baloch nationalism- It traces its roots to the early decades of the 20th century, when
new international borders came to be drawn in the region.
• Their marginalisation in both countries in subsequent years fuelled several separatist
movements for a “Greater Balochistan” nation state.

Why India’s role is significant in Iran-Pakistan strike?

Strategic location- Balochistan is a region that spans across Pakistan, Iran, and
Afghanistan, and has a strategic position at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, a vital
waterway for global oil trade.
Connectivity- Balochistan also has access to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean,
making it a potential hub for maritime connectivity and trade.
Geopolitical dynamics- Balochistan is home to Baloch minority which is strategically
important for the global powers that are competing for influence in Central Asia and
the Middle East.
 New great game- It refers to the rivalry and competition among regional and global
powers for influence and resources in Central and South Asia, especially in
Afghanistan and its neighbouring countries.
China factor- China has a strategic interest in Gwadar, a port city in Balochistan, as
part of its Belt and Road Initiative and its naval ambitions in the Indian Ocean.
Security concerns- Balochistan’s proximity to Afghanistan, where the Taliban regime
has recently taken over, adds to the complexity and uncertainty to the regional
security dynamics.
Change in foreign policy- India as a rising power with growing economic and
security interests in the region, needs to rethink its traditional neutrality and passive
approach in the Middle East and Central Asia.
India-Iran ties- They have cooperated in the energy sector despite US sanctions on
Iran, India has developed a meaningful dimension with Iran.
Chabahar port- India is involved in the planning and building of the Chabahar port,
intended to allow it to bypass the overland route through Pakistan for trade with
Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Chabahar directly competes with Pakistan’s China funded Gwadar port, keeping a
check on growing China’s influence in the neighbourhood region.

References

1. Indian Express- India’s stake deepen in Iran Pakistan strikes

2. Indian Express- Iran, Pakistan and Baloch militancy

Relevance of Chabahar Port to India

Why in news?

India and Iran are set to hold talks to establish "long-term cooperation framework" on
Chabahar port.

Chabahar Port
• Chabahar is Iran’s first deepwater port and sits at the mouth of the Gulf of Oman.
• It is Iran's only oceanic port situated in Sistan and Baluchistan Province, on the Makran
coast.
• It consists of 2 main ports - Shahid Kalantari and Shahid Beheshti.

• Chabahar port project- It was signed in 2003 between India and Iran.
• Trilateral Transit and Trade Agreement- It was signed in 2016 between India,
Afghanistan and Iran.
- India was granted a 10-year lease and access to the Chabahar free trade zone.
- India got the opportunity to build the 628 km rail line from Chabahar to Zahedan, just
across the border from Afghanistan.
• India is restricted to the Shahid Beheshti port that is undertaken by India Ports Global
Limited (IPGL) which is established for the development of ports overseas.

Why Chabahar port is crucial to India?

Geostrategic location- Chabahar port has geographic proximity to countries such as

Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.
Access Afghanistan- India can bypass Pakistan which does not allow India land
access for trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Infrastructure development- The Zaranj-Delaram road constructed by India in
2009 can give access to Afghanistan's Garland Highway, setting up road access to four
major cities in Afghanistan - Herat, Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif.
Gateway to Central Asia- It will boost India's access to Iran, the key gateway to the
International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) that has sea, rail and road
routes between India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central Asia.

INSTC is a multi-modal transportation project linking the Indian Ocean and

Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea via Iran, and onward to northern Europe via St
Petersburg in Russia.
 Counter China- It will be beneficial to India in countering Chinese presence in the
Arabian Sea which China is trying to ensure by helping Pakistan develop the Gwadar
port.

Gwadar port is located in Pakistan and is less than 400 km from Chabahar by
road and 100 km by sea.

Defence ally- The port being developed and operated by India, Iran also becomes a
military ally to India.
Reduce import bill- There will be a significant boost in the import of iron ore, sugar
and rice to India.
The import cost of oil to India will also see a considerable decline.
Connectivity hub- It will ensure in the establishment of a politically sustainable
connectivity between India and Afghanistan leading to better economic ties between
the two countries.
Diplomatic engagement- The port could be used as a point from where humanitarian
operations could be coordinated.

Why there is delay in the development of Chabahar port by India?

Geopolitical roadblocks- The main obstacle has been the fluctuating relations
between the US and Iran, which has affected the supply chain through US sanctions.
Uncertainty in Afghanistan- The volatile and uncertain political situation due to rise
of Taliban regime is also a cause of concern.
Red sea crisis- The conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has spilled over to the
Red Sea, where Iran-backed Houthi rebels have attacked commercial ships, provoking
responses from the US and the UK adding to the instability of the region.
Iran Pakistan strikes- Both exchanged missile strikes against military groups on
their borders on the common Baloch problem thus creating new challenges for the
Chabahar project.

What lies ahead?

Through active and visionary diplomacy and efficient implementation and operations of
the project, Iran and India can overcome the delays in the development of Chabahar
port.
India should be able to maintain Chabahar project as a viable transit hub and link to
serve as a reliable and competitive route for transportation among India, Afghanistan,
Central Asia, and beyond.

Reference

Indian Express- History of Iran’s Chabahar port

Prelim Bits 22-01-2024 | UPSC Daily Current Affairs
Idate Commission Report

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) stressed on the need for the
implementation of the Idate Commission report.

The Commission

Headed by - Bhiku Ramji Idate.

Setup by - The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Constituted in - 2015, for a three-year temporary term.
Purpose - For the empowerment of the Denotified Tribes (DNT), Semi Nomadic
(SNT), and Nomadic Tribes (NT).

Nomadic and semi-nomadic communities are defined as those who move from
one place to another rather than living at one place all the time.

The committee had to submit its report identifying the above communities state wise,
assessing their development status, and recommending ways to uplift them.
In May 2018, the National Commission for Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic
Tribes, chaired by Bhiku Ramji Idate has submitted its report.

The commission has studied the earlier report of Renke Commission.

Recommendations

The Idate Commission has made a total of 20 recommendations which concern the
various ministries and departments.
The government must act to repeal the Habitual Offenders Act, 1952, if not, the
appointment of a representative of De-notified Tribe community with the nodal officers
as stipulated in the Act.
Non-inclusion - It also suggested the non-inclusion of DNTs/NTs/SNTs under the
SC/ST/OBC and formulation of specific policies for the former, among many others.
Protection - The commission has recommended giving protection to Denotified
Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, the communities under the Atrocities Act.
Poorest of the Poor - The report has called Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic
Tribes poorest of the poor, most marginalised and most downtrodden communities.
These communities are subject to social stigma, atrocity and exclusion.
Constitutional amendment - It recommended a Constitutional amendment so that
Scheduled NT/ DNT/ SNT can be added as a third category after Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes in the Act.
It stated that the government should provide strong legal protections and
constitutional safeguards, including the extension of the Protection of Atrocities Act to
the NT/ DNT/ SNT communities.
 Third schedule - This can be done by creating a separate Third schedule as
Scheduled De-notified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes.
Criminal Tribes Act - In its report, the commission has noted that entire
communities were branded as criminals under the colonial rule through enforcement
of the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871.
Despite repeal of the Act after Independence, subsequent legislations have forcibly
alienated them from their traditional occupations and habitations.
2011 caste census - Advocated for release of 2011 caste census, which is yet to be
made public, at least on the DT/ NT/ SNT community, so that policies can be made
specifically for these communities.
The report of the commission is under the consideration of the government.

A National Commission for De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes

(NCDNT) was first set up in 2003 and later reconstituted in 2005.

References

1. The Hindu – Protection of nomadic tribes

2. The Wire – A National Commission that failed the Denotified Tribes
3. BNN – NHRC Urges Implementation of Idate Commission Report

National Multidimensional Poverty Index

Over 24.8 crore people moved out of poverty in India in nine years: NITI report.

The Index

Released by - Niti Aayog, which is the nodal agency to release Multidimensional

Poverty (MDP) report for States and Union Territories.
Purpose - Plays a role in assessing advancements towards Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) 1.2.

SDG 1.2. - By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and
children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to regional
definitions.

Multidimensional Poverty - Poverty – According to the World Bank, those who are
unable to earn 2.15 dollar per day are living in extreme poverty.
As per UNDP, it is the measure of poverty that considers various deprivations
experienced by people in their daily lives including poor health, insufficient education
and low standard of living.
It is a means to capture the complexity of poverty that considers dimensions of well-
being beyond just monetary poverty.
Indicators of National MPI - India’s national MPI has 3 equally weighted
dimensions, which are then represented by 12 other indicators.
1. Health
 2. Education
3. Standard of living

These 12 include nutrition, child and adolescent mortality, maternal health, years of
schooling, school attendance, cooking fuel, sanitation, drinking water, electricity,
housing, assets, and bank accounts.

Sub-indices of National MPI:

1. Headcount ratio (H): How many are poor?
2. Intensity of poor (I): How poor are the poor?
Formula - MPI= H*I
If the deprivation score (sum of the weighted status of all the indicators) for an
individual is more than 0.33, then an individual is considered multidimensionaly poor.
Global MPI Report - It is jointly published by the Oxford Poverty and Human
Development Initiative (OPHI) and the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP).
It is based on the Alkire-Foster (AF) methodology that captures overlapping
deprivations in health, education, and living standards.

Findings

Report based on - The report said the recent National MPI was based on National
Family Health Surveys 4 (2015-16) and 5 (2019-21).
As many as 24.82 crore people moved out of multidimensional poverty in nine years to
2022-23, with Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh registering the largest
decline.
At the State level, Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 5.94 crore people escaping
poverty followed by Bihar at 3.77 crore and Madhya Pradesh at 2.30 crore.
The rate of decline of multidimensional poverty has accelerated during the period
2013-14 to 2022-23.
All 12 indicators of MPS have shown remarkable improvement during this period.

References

1. The Hindu – Over 24.8 crore people moved out of poverty

2. Times of India – Over 24.8cr people moved out of poverty
3. The Indian Express – India’s multidimensional poverty rate down
4. MPPN – Multidimensional Poverty

Ingenuity

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) regained contact with its Mars
helicopter Ingenuity, after it was unable to communicate with it towards the end of its 72nd
flight.

Launched on - July 30, 2020.

Ingenuity - It is a small solar-powered helicopter that landed on the Martian surface
on February 18, 2021, along with the Perseverance Rover.
Purpose - The rover’s mission was to study signs of ancient life, and collect samples
 that might be sent back to Earth during future missions.
Ingenuity was sent to Mars as an experiment to test powered, controlled flight on
another world for the first time.
The chopper made its first flight on Mars on April 19, 2021.
Records - It rose to a height of 10 feet, hovered for 30 seconds, and then descended
back to the ground.

The flight lasted 39.1 seconds, which was a big deal for two reasons.
1. One, Ingenuity was the first aircraft to fly on another planet.
2. Two, it managed to fly in Mars’ thin atmosphere, which is not conducive for
flying.

Ingenuity is an autonomous aircraft.

Guidance by - It is piloted by onboard guidance, navigation, and control systems

running algorithms developed by the team at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
Perseverance acts as a relay between the chopper and Earth.

Before it went missing, Ingenuity had made 72 flights, staying aloft for more than
128 minutes and covering a total of 17.7 kilometres.

References

1. The Indian Express – NASA regains contact with Mars helicopter

2. Times of India – NASA loses contact with Mars helicopter Ingenuity
3. NASA – Ingenuity

Somnath Temple

Prime Minister will inaugurate the Ram temple in Ayodhya, 73 years ago; the President of
India inaugurated another temple in a grand ceremony.

Located in - Prabhas Patan, Veraval, in Gujarat.

Significance - It is the holy place of the first Aadi Jyotirling Shree Somnath Mahadev,
among the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva.
It is also the place where Lord Shri Krishna took his last journey.
Built by - In 1782, Maratha queen Ahalyabai Holkar built a small temple at the site.
Other names - The Somnath temple, also called Somanātha temple or Deo Patan.
 The temple faced several attacks from raiders, with the most damaging by
Mahmud of Ghazni in 1026 CE.

Under Mughals - In the sixteenth century, Akbar permitted the worship of the linga
in the Somanatha temple and appointed desais /officers to administer it.
Three generations after Akbar, Aurangzeb gave orders for its destruction.
He subsequently issued an order for its destruction and its conversion into a mosque in
1706 just before he died.
After Independence - Those ruins were demolished and the present Somnath temple
was reconstructed in the Maru-Gurjara style of Hindu temple architecture.

The contemporary Somnath temple's reconstruction was started under the orders
of the first Home Minister of India Vallabhbhai Patel and completed in May 1951
after his death.

Maru-Gurjara Style

It is also known as Solaṅki style is the style of West Indian temple architecture.
The style originated in Gujarat and Rajasthan from the 11th to 13th centuries, under
the Chaulukya dynasty.
The Chaulukya dynasty is also called the Solaṅki dynasty.
Although originating as a regional style in Hindu temple architecture, it became
especially popular in Jain temples, and mainly under Jain patronage later spread
across India.

References

1. The Indian Express – Somnath: A brief history of the temple

2. The Print – Rajendra Prasad’s Somnath temple inauguration speech
Nagara Style of Architecture

Ayodhya’s Ram Temple is built on the Nagara Style of Architecture.

The Nagara style of temple architecture emerged some time in the fifth century CE,
during the late Gupta period, in northern India.
It is seen in juxtaposition with the Dravida style of southern India, which too emerged
in the same period.
Nagara temples are built on a raised plinth, with the garbha griha (sanctum
sanctorum), where the idol of the deity rests, the most sacred part of the temple.
Towering over the garbha griha is the shikhara (literally ‘mountain peak’), the most
distinguishable aspect of Nagara style temples.
As the name suggests, shikharas are human-made representations of the natural and
cosmological order, as imagined in Hindu tradition.
A typical Nagara style temple also comprises a circumambulatory passage around the
garbha griha, and one or more mandapas (halls) on the same axis as it.

Five modes of Nagara architecture

Depending on the period and geography, there is a large variation when it comes to
what a shikhara looks like, or how it is used in a temple’s design.
On this basis, five modes of Nagara temple architecture, namely, Valabhi, Phamsana,
Latina, Shekhari, and Bhumija.
The first two are associated with what scholars have classified as Early Nagara Style.
The Valabhi begins as a masonry rendering of the barrel-roofed [wooden] structure,
simple or with aisles, familiar through chaitya halls [prayer halls, most associated with
Buddhist shrines].
A formalisation of multi-eave towers, wedded to a piling up of slabs, leads to the
Phamsana.
From these modes emerged the Latina, a shikhara that is a single, slightly curved
tower with four sides of equal length.

Comparison to Dravida style

The Dravida counterpart to the shikhara is the vimana there exists, however, a
fundamental difference.
In the Dravida style temples, vimanas are typically smaller than the great gatehouses
or gopurams, which are the most immediately striking architectural elements in a
temple complex.
Moreover, while shikharas are mentioned in southern Indian architectural sources,
they refer to only the dome-shaped crowning cap atop the vimana.
The existence of gopurams also points to another unique feature of the Dravida style,
the presence of a boundary wall.
Few Nagara style temple complexes are lined with distinctive boundary walls that are
a part of the temple’s design.

This is one of Ayodhya’s Ram temple’s hybrid features, although no elaborate

 gopuram has been built, a 732m long wall runs around the temple compound.

References

1. The Indian Express – What is the Nagara Style?

2. News 18 – Ayodhya Ram Temple built in Nagara Style
3. Hindustan Times – Ayodhya Ram Temple is an architectural marvel

Other Important Topics

Project BHISHM
• BHISHM -Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita and Maitri).
• It is a project that aims to provide immediate medical assistance
during humanitarian crises or natural disasters.
• It is a joint project of the Indian Navy and the DRDO (Defence
Research and Development Organisation).
• The project also includes the world's first indigenous portable
hospital.
IInvenTiv
nd
• The 2 edition of the Ministry of Education’s flagship R&D
Innovation Fair, IInvenTiv-2024 was inaugurated by Union Education
Minister recently.
• It aims to showcase the holistic impact of the research and
innovation carried out by the country's top higher education
institutes.
Harni lake
• Harni Motnath Lake is a green lake in Vadodara, Gujarat, India.
Zanskar River
• The Zanskar River is a tributary of the Indus River.
• It originates from the Doda and Lungnak rivers, and flows entirely
within Ladakh.
• The Zanskar River's headwaters are known as the Tsarap Chu, and
originate from the snows of the Himalayas.
• The river's entire catchment area is formed by glaciers.
Veerbhadra Temple
• The temple is dedicated to the deity Veerabhadra, the fiery form of
Lord Shiva. The temple is closely associated with the Ramayana.
Top of Form
•
• It was built during the 16th century, the architectural features of the
temple are in the Vijayanagara style with profusion of carvings and
paintings.
• The Veerabhadra Swamy temple and the Nandi statue in Lepakshi,
India were added to UNESCO's tentative list of world heritage
sites in 2022.
Boeing India Engineering and Technology Centre (BIETC)
• Prime Minister inaugurated aircraft manufacturing giant Boeing’s
largest investment facility outside the USA in Bengaluru recently.
• It aims to be a cornerstone for partnership with the vibrant startup,
private and government ecosystem in the country.
• PM will also launch the Boeing Sukanya Program that aims to
support the entry of more girl children from across India into the
country’s growing aviation sector.
Biswanath Ghat
• Biswanath Ghat is a village in Assam, located on the banks of the
Brahmaputra River and is known as "Gupta Kashi".
• The name "Gupta Kashi" is a comparison to Kashi during the Gupta
Empire era.
• The village is named after the ancient Biswanath temple, a
prominent religious site for centuries.
• Biswanath Ghat is also known for its ghat, island, and temple built
by the Ahom king.
ReTro
• Chinese scientists recently announced that they have cloned a
Rhesus monkey named ReTro that lived to adulthood.
• The scientists created ReTro using a slightly modified version to
create Dolly the Sheep and other mammals like the long-tailed
macaque, which was the first primate to be cloned.
Wings India 2024
• Wings India 2024 is a civil aviation event that took place at
Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad, India.
• This event is organized by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, AAI, and
FICCI.
• The event celebrated India's status as the world's third-largest
domestic aviation market.
Operation AMRITH
• The Kerala Drug Control Department launched Operation Amrith
(AMRITH - AntiMicrobial Resistance Intervention for Total Health)
recently.
• It is a strategy launched to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
• The initiative aims to reduce the use of antibiotics by conducting
surprise raids on retail medical shops to detect the sale of antibiotics
without a prescription.