Today's GK(3-9-13)

3rd India-Republic of Korea Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue held in Seoul

The 3rd India-Republic of Korea (ROK) Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue (FPSD) was held in Seoul on 2 September 2013. Both nations discussed ways to further expand and deepen their Strategic Partnership. They undertook a comprehensive review of bilateral ties, including in the fields of economic collaboration, defense and security cooperation, cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts. In this context they discussed the potential for space and nuclear cooperation, upgrading of the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and collaboration in defense production. They agreed to step up cooperation in the spheres of maritime and cyber security.

HRD Ministry Launched the Third all India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE)

Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry on 3 September 2013 launched the third All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE)-2012-13. The Survey was initiated in the year 2011 to prepare a robust data-base on higher education. Data for the year 2010-11 was collected during the first year of the survey. Keeping in view the usefulness of data collected during the very first year, Ministry has decided to make this survey an annual exercise of data collection in higher education sector.

The survey covers all the Higher Education (HE) Institutions of the country including Universities, Colleges, and Stand-Alone Institutions. The entire survey has been voluntary, based on motivation of respondents; and without any statutory mandate in place for collecting information of this nature. It needs a Survey like this to bring out the correct and complete picture of the system so that relevant statistics are available to the Central Government as well as State Governments, in order to devise future policies.

The survey is also unique in the sense that it is a participatory effort between State Governments, Regulatory Statutory Authorities, and the Ministries of the Government of India. The Survey compiles and manages statistics directly online from respondent institutions. The main items of data collection under survey are Basic details, Programme details, Teaching & Non-Teaching Staff, Student Enrolment, Examination Results and Scholarships. The survey for the year 2011-12 is under progress. With the launch of 2012-13 survey, two year data could be collected simultaneously and the time-lag will be reduced to bare minimum.

Astronomers found a Twin Star to Earth's own Sun Called HIP 102152

Astronomers found a twin star to Earth's own sun which is much older. The rare star is the oldest known solar twin and can tell what Earth's star will look like in 4 billion years. The star, called HIP 102152, appears to be as similar to the Sun in its basic characteristics as any other known star. The sun is only 4.6 billion years old, HIP 102152 is 8.2 billion years old.

Oracle to introduce Train the Trainer Initiative in UP

Leading software and hardware company Oracle on 2 September 2013 offered to introduce its courses in Uttar Pradesh schools, vocational, technical and higher education institutions under its Train the Trainer initiative. Oracle would be offering courses at three levels. First level involves Introduction to Computer Science which is mainly targeted at school and ITIs in the state and would be available free of cost to the faculties and students while second level comprises of Advance Computer Science is aimed at technical and degree students and under the third level of programme, Business Applications of Computer Science would be taught. As part of investment in community, Oracle intends to contribute meaningfully under its non-commercial educational reform programme in Uttar Pradesh.

Haraprasad Das was conferred the Moortidevi Award for 2012

Haraprasad Das was conferred the Moortidevi Award for 2012 for Vamsha. Vamsa is a poetic recreation of the Mahabharata in contemporary idiom, which has been recognised as a post-modern masterpiece. Das has done eleven works of poetry, four of prose, three translations and one piece of fiction. He was given the award at Shastri Bhavan by the Moortidevi Award Selection Board, chaired by oil minister Veerappa Moily.

Moortidevi Award

Moortidevi award is presented by the Bhartiya Jnanpith organization is presented by the Bhartiya Jnanpith Organisation. It carries cash prize, a plaque, a statue of goddess of learning Saraswati and a shawl. This is the second Moortidevi award given for Odia literature. In 1991, Dr Pratibha Ray received the award for her novel Yagnaseni.

Israel fires test missile in Mediterranean Sea

Israel said it has carried out a missile test in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Defence Ministry said on Tuesday that a single missile was fired. It had no other details.

Russian state-owned news agencies earlier said Russian radar systems had detected two “ballistic objects” fired from the central Mediterranean toward the eastern part of the sea.

The United States, which has warships in the Mediterranean, is considering strikes against Syria for an August 21 alleged chemical weapons attack in a Damascus suburb.

Cabinet approves India-Abu Dhabi bilateral air services agreement

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the India-Abu Dhabi bilateral air services agreement enabling their airlines to fly 50,000 seats each week, up from the current level of 13,700.

The agreement, which had run into a controversy, received post-facto approval of the Union Cabinet at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi. The agreement would allow the designated carriers of India and Abu Dhabi to have 50,000 seat capacity each week. This increase of 36,670 seats would be carried out in a phased manner spread over a three-year period. While an additional 11,000 seats per week would be added to the existing 13,700 this year, another 12,800 seats per week would be added in 2014 and 12,870 more in 2015.

A number of MPs from various parties had objected to the massive enhancement in bilateral air traffic rights which had followed the signing of the Rs. 2,058 crore Jet-Etihad deal under which the latter would pick up 24 per cent equity stake in Jet Airways. Leaders including Jaswant Singh, Nishikant Dubey (both BJP), Dinesh Trivedi (TMC), Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) and Subramanian Swamy (BJP), had shot off letters to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.

Following the objections, the Prime Minister had asked the Civil Aviation Ministry on June 13 to revise the Cabinet note on the matter by making modifications to address the concerns flagged by these politicians. On June 29, the Jet-Etihad deal got the approval of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) with riders to maintain effective Indian control over Jet.

A bilateral air services agreement between two countries allows their designated airlines to operate and later increase or decrease the number of flights operating between them, the number of seats to be flown per week and even the aircraft type.