NIRF India Rankings 2024 Released

•  Union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, released the India Rankings 2024, based on the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) on August 12, 2024.
•  In last year’s rankings, IIT Madras ranked first in the 'overall' category, followed by IISc Bengaluru and IIT Delhi.
• For the 7th year in a row, Miranda House topped the NIRF rankings, with four other Delhi University colleges also in the top 10.
• The NIRF framework, established by a Core Committee of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), ranks institutions nationwide using key parameters.

                                                Top 10 Ranking

Maldives and India renewed the MoU for Training 1000 Civil Service Officers

• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Moosa Zameer renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focused on capacity building for Maldives civil service officers on August 12, 2024.
• This renewed agreement, which was finalized in the Maldives capital, will support the training of 1000 Maldives civil servants from 2024 to 2029.
•  The MoU aims to improve their skills in public policy, governance, and field administration, while also strengthening the relationship between India and the Maldives.

Diamond Imprest Licence for Gems and Jewellery Sector Restored

• Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on August 12, 2024 reinstated the Diamond Imprest Licence, permitting duty-free imports of cut and polished diamonds up to 5% of exporters' turnover.
• It was announced at the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS) 2024, hosted by the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).
•  This policy aims to resolve issues with diamond imports and boost India's export competitiveness.
•  The license allows exporters to import various types of diamonds—cut, polished, semi-processed, half-cut, and broken—duty-free, capped at 5% of their average turnover over the last three years.
• Exporters must add 10% value to these imports, which must be utilized by the importer and cannot be transferred post-export.
• Previously, the lack of this license had led to diamonds being sent to Dubai for sorting and re-export, impacting India’s exports and jobs in the sector.

100000 Milestone crossed in Nepal in UPI Merchant Transactions

• NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) on August 12, 2024 surpassed 100000 cross-border Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Person-to-Merchant (P2M) transactions in Nepal.
• NIPL, the international branch of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), launched this service in collaboration with Fonepay, Nepal’s largest payment network, in March 2024.
•  UPI, a mobile-based real-time payment system, is already widely accepted in several countries, including Bhutan, France, Mauritius, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the UAE.
• The value of UPI transactions grew by over 35%, reaching ₹20.64 trillion, marking the third consecutive month of exceeding Rs 20 trillion.
• The average daily transaction value in July 2024 was ₹466 million.
• The RBI reported a ten-fold increase in UPI transactions from 2019-20 to 2023-24, highlighting a 57% year-on-year growth in FY24.

Advanced Shoes with TENG Technology Unveiled in IIT Indore

• IIT Indore has developed innovative shoes using Tribo-Electric Nanogenerator (TENG) technology as of August 12, 2024.
• These shoes are designed primarily for armed forces personnel to enhance safety and efficiency, but they have broader applications.
• TENG technology converts the movement of walking into electrical energy, which is stored in the shoe and can power small electronic devices.
• Additionally, the shoes feature GPS for real-time location tracking, which aids in coordination and safety for military personnel.
• Beyond military use, these shoes can be applied in sports for tracking movements, health monitoring for the elderly and children, and attendance management in factories.
• The first 10 pairs have been sent to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for evaluation, led by Professor Suhas Joshi with support from Professor I A Palani.

Neelakurinji Added to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Environment and Ecology)

• The Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) was classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species on August 12, 2024.
•  This marks the first global assessment of the species, underscoring its ecological significance and the urgent need for conservation.
•  Endemic to the montane grasslands of southwest India, the Neelakurinji is noted for its unique 12-year flowering cycle and plays a key role in regional biodiversity.
•  It grows up to three ms tall and is found exclusively in high-altitude shola grassland ecosystems within the Western Ghats, thriving at elevations between 1340 and 2600 m.
• During its rare blooming season, it creates a striking purplish-blue landscape and is semelparous, blooming and fruiting once before dying.

India to Commission 2nd Nuclear Powered Ballistic Missile ‘INS Arighat’ (Defence)

• India announced the commissioning of its 2nd nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Arighat, and received approval to build 6 additional nuclear submarines on August 12, 2024.
• INS Arighat is set to enter service in the next 2 months and will join INS Arihant, India’s first SSBN inducted in 2016.
• This submarine boasts a top surface speed of 12–15 knots and can reach up to 24 knots underwater.
• It is armed with four launch tubes for either four K-4 missiles with a range exceeding 3500 km or twelve K-15 missiles with a range of about 750 km.
• The project supports the “Make in India” initiative, emphasizing indigenous technology and advanced stealth features, including autonomous drones for improved maritime defense capabilities.

Mitra Shakti Exercise 2024 (Defence)

• The Mitra Shakti military exercise, an annual bilateral training event between the Indian Army and the Sri Lankan Army, began on August 12, 2024.
• This year’s exercise is being held at the Sri Lankan Army Training School in Maduru Oya and will continue until August 25.
•  It represents a key development in military collaboration between the two South Asian nations.
• Initiated in 2012, the Mitra Shakti series alternates between India and Sri Lanka, allowing both armies to experience different terrains and operational conditions.
• The exercise aims to strengthen military ties, improve bilateral relations, and foster regional stability in South Asia.
• Beyond its military objectives, Mitra Shakti plays an important role in enhancing Indian diplomatic efforts and regional cooperation.

IIT Indore and IIT Gandhinagar Launched cNARMADA

• The Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) has established the Centre for Narmada River Basin Management (cNARMADA) as of August 12, 2024 to study the Narmada River.
• Collaborating with IIT Indore and supported by the Ministry of Jalshakti, cNARMADA's primary goal is to assess the current state of the Narmada River’s ecosystem.
• The center aims to identify issues affecting the river's health and develop strategies for sustainable management.
• This will be done through a Condition Assessment and Management Plan (CAMP), which will examine the river, its tributaries, and the impact of human activities.
• It will also include industrial operations, urbanization, lifestyle changes, agriculture, deforestation, dam construction, and flood control infrastructure.

Nasa Captured Stunning Earth Terminator from ISS (Space)

• NASA released a breathtaking image of Earth’s terminator, taken from the International Space Station (ISS) on August 12, 2024.
•  Captured from approximately 267 miles above Earth, the photo showcases the striking boundary between night and day.
• This terminator line, where the sun’s light creates a glowing edge, is the moving boundary that separates daylight from darkness due to Earth's rotation and its position relative to the Sun.
• The terminator crosses the Earth twice daily, marking sunrise and sunset for most locations. At the poles, it results in extended periods of daylight or darkness.
• Moving at about 1670 km per hour (1040 mph) at the equator, the terminator’s position is influenced by Earth’s tilt, affecting day length and sunlight distribution, and can also be altered by atmospheric light scattering.

Har Ghar-Har Grihini Yojana Launched in Haryana

• Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini introduced the Har Ghar-Har Grihini Yojana during Hariyali Teej celebrations in Jind on August 12, 2024.
• This new initiative will provide domestic gas cylinders at a subsidized rate of Rs 500 to around 50 lakh Antyodaya families.
• The scheme is expected to offer an annual benefit of Rs 1500 crore to women, who can receive up to 12 cylinders per year.
• The Haryana government will cover the additional cost of the cylinders, and the subsidy will be refunded to consumers’ accounts.
• Consumers will be notified of the refund via SMS. To participate, individuals can register online at https://epds.haryanafood.gov.in from their homes.

International Youth Day 2024

• International Youth Day was celebrated on August 12, 2024, to acknowledge the contributions of young people and address their challenges.
• This global event raises awareness about the socio-economic and socio-political issues impacting youth worldwide.
• The theme for 2024, “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development,” emphasizes the significant role of digital technologies in supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• It highlights how digitalization can transform and speed up progress towards these goals.
•  Digital technologies and artificial intelligence are essential for achieving at least 70% of the 169 SDG targets, potentially reducing the cost of these goals by up to US $ 55 trillion.

World Elephant Day 2024

• World Elephant Day was observed on August 12, 2024, to raise awareness about the issues faced by the world’s largest land mammals.
• Elephants, known as pachyderms, are vital to ecosystems and hold deep cultural significance. The World Elephant Society from California announced this 2024 year’s theme to be “Personifying prehistoric beauty, theological relevance, and environmental importance.”
• The theme underscores elephants' ancient lineage, their role in various religious and cultural traditions, and their critical ecological role.
• The term "pachyderm," introduced by French naturalist Georges Cuvier in the 1700s, refers to animals with very thick skin.
• Besides elephants, pachyderms also include hippopotamuses, rhinoceroses, and pigs, but not horses.