MAHARASHTRA

• More demand for higher education

 

• The enrolment in higher education programmes across Maharashtra has increased to 41,31,757 in 2017-18 from 40,16,309 in 2016-17, a growth of 2.9%, according to the All India Survey of Higher Education 2017-18 released.

 

• While the rise is significant for the state, considering the enrolment increased only by 0.7% between 2015-16 and 2016-17, it is still lower than the national growth of 3.2%.

 

• The survey shows that compared to 2016-17, more students enrolled in undergraduate (UG), post-graduate (PG) and PhD programmes across Maharashtra in 2017-18, while enrolment in diploma, certificate and PG diploma dipped. The number of doctoral students increased by 22.29%, compared to the 18% drop in the previous survey.

 

• Maharashtra’s gross enrolment ratio (GER), which denotes the proportion of population aged between 18 and 23 enrolled in higher education, has also increased from 30.2 to 31.1, which is higher than the national GER of 25.8.

 

• Women students contributed more than men in improving the status of higher education in the state. While the enrolment in case of men increased by 1.4%, the enrolment of women jumped by 4.74%. Despite the overall increase in enrolment in PG programmes, the number of men enrolled in these courses went down.

 

• It also helped the state to improve its gender parity index (GPI) – the proportion of female to male students – from the 0.88 in 2016-17 to 0.91 last year. However, the state lags behind the national GPI of 0.97%.

 

• According to the survey, religious minorities in the state have witnessed a much steeper growth in enrolment, compared to the majority community.

 

• The state’s pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) has remained static at 27 in the last one year, compared to the national PTR of 29 and state’s PTR of 24 in 2015-16.

 

• The enrolment growth in marginalised groups was lower than other sections of the state. The number of students belonging to scheduled castes (SC), scheduled tribes (ST) and other backward categories (OBC) went up by 1.54%, 1.73% and 2.02%, respectively.

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

·        Apple becomes First $1 Trillion Company in History

 

• Apple Inc. became the first S.-based company with a market value of $1 trillion, four decades after it was co-founded by Steve Jobsin a Silicon Valley garage and later revolutionized the worlds of computing, music and mobile communications.
• The iMac desktop computer, the iPod, iPhone, and iPad were smash hits.

 

 

NATIONAL

 

• Integrate to Innovate Programme for energy Startups

 

• Invest India has joined hands with energy sector companies to offer a unique lab-to-market opportunity for Indian startups through the Integrate to Innovate Programme.

 

• Integrate to Innovate is a 3-month corporate acceleration programme for energy startups housed at the corporate premises.

 

• The application for the programme is hosted on Startup India Hub – an online platform bringing together all stakeholders of the Indian startup ecosystem.

 

• The programme provides an opportunity for collaboration and conversation around valuable energy transitions, offering startups an opportunity to bring their ideas to life with the guidance and support from corporates.

 

 

• Ballistic Missile Interceptor AAD Successfully Flight Tested

 

• DRDO conducted the successful test of the Ballistic Missile Interceptor Advanced Area Defence (AAD) at from Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.

 

• The endo-atmospheric missile, capable of intercepting incoming targets at an altitude of 15 to 25 kms was launched against multiple simulated targets of 1500 km class ballistic missile.

 

• One target among simultaneously incoming multiple targets was selected on real time, the weapon system radars tracked the target and the missile locked on to it and intercepted the target with a high degree of accuracy.

 

 

• SAATHI Initiative Launched

 

• Ministry of Textiles and Ministry of Power have joined hands under the initiative SAATHI(Sustainable and Accelerated Adoption of efficient Textile technologies to Help Small Industries) in order to sustain and accelerate the adoption of energy efficient textile technologies in thepowerloom sector and cost savings due to use of such technology.

 

• Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a Public Sector entity under the administrative control of Ministry of Power, will replace old inefficient electric motors with energy efficient IE3 motors which will result in energy and cost saving up to 10-15% in the first phase.

 

 

• NITI Aayog launches Move Hack, global mobility hackathon

 

• NITI Aayog has launched Move Hack, a global mobility hackathon to crowdsource solutions aimed at the future of mobility in India. Envisaged to be one of the largest hackathons globally, Move Hack is focused on 10 themes and structured over three legs: online, followed by Singapore leg, and the finals in New Delhi.

 

• Transportation and mobility are emerging as potential drivers of innovation and economic growth of the 21^st

 

• Rapidly evolving technologies and business models for delivering mobility services have dramatic potential to transform the global transportation sector.

 

• Mobility that ranges from pedestrian and personal transport to public transit and freight movement is extremely critical and impacts rural and urban daily lives.

 

·        IWAI Launches Dedicated Portal FOCAL For Cargo Owners and Shippers

 

• The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)has launched a dedicated portal to connect cargo owners and shippers with real-time data on the availability of vessels.
• The portal has been named as the Forum of Cargo Owners and Logistics Operators (FOCAL).
• This is designed by the IT Department and the traffic wing of IWAI.

 

·        NITI Aayog to Host Investors Conference For Development Of Islands

 

• National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog will host an Investors’ Conference at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra for the Holistic Development of Islands.

 

• The Conference will be inaugurated by Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog.

 

• It will attract investment for the sustainable development of eco-tourism projects in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands.

 

• The 11 anchor tourism projects are proposed to be implemented with private sector participation under the suitable risk-sharing model and through open-competitive bidding.

 

·        Assam, Nagaland and Uttar Pradesh drools under heavy rainfall, relief camps run for rescue

 

• Incessant rainfall in the north has disrupted the normal life of people in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Nagaland. 
• The heavy rainfall has resulted in causing floods, landslides and immense damage to property and livestock.
• Overall more than 1 lakh people are reeling under the fury of the flood in 8 districts.

 

·        DTAB to impose ban on Oxytocin

 

• The Drug Technical Advisory Board(DTAB) recommended the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to lift the ban on Oxytocin. Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and Rules 1945, the ban will be imposed citing the serious misuse of oxytocin in the dairy sector.
• Also, DTAB suggested that only Karnataka Antibiotics and Pharmaceuticals Ltd., a PSU, could manufacture and supply the drug across the country.

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