- THE CONSTITUTION ON MINORITY RIGHTS
SUBJECT: POLITY
- Minority rights preserve diversity and are essential for democracy’s survival, as Franklin Roosevelt stated.
- The UN General Assembly adopted a declaration on “Rights of Persons Belonging to National, Ethnic, Religious, and Linguistic Minorities”in 1992
- Origin of Minority Rights: Article 156 of the Austrian Constitution(1867)inspired early minority protections.
- India included minority rights to protect cultural, educational, and linguistic freedoms post-partition
- Key Provisions in the Indian Constitution:
- Article 29(1):Protects the right to conserve distinct language, script, or culture.
- Article 30:Grants minorities the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.
- Article 14 and Article 21:Reinforce equality and the right to dignity.
- Article 25 to 28:Protect religious freedoms
2. THE LEGAL GAPS IN INDIA’S UNREGULATED AI SURVEILLANCE
SUBJECT: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
- India announced plans in 2019 to create the world’s largest facial recognition system for policing
- Recent developments include AI-powered satellites and police patrols
- The Telangana Police data breach revealed concerns about data collection practices
- Current AI surveillance infrastructure lacks proper safeguards
- Legal Framework and Gaps
- The Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA, 2023) has significant limitations: Broad government exemptions for data processing
- Section 7(f) exempts employment-related data processing
- Section 15(c) mandates citizens to provide information
- Judgment in K.S. Puttaswamy vs Union of India (2017) recognized privacy as a fundamental right
3. PANEL LED BY EX-ISRO CHIEF ADVISES RESTRUCTURING OF NTA
SUBJECT: NATIONAL
- High-Level Committee Background: Led by former ISRO Chairperson K. Radhakrishnan
- Formed in June following CUET-UG question paper leak complaints
- Major Structural Changes: Recommended establishment of three designated sub-committees for: a) Test audit b) Ethics and transparency c) Stakeholder relationships
- Key Recommendations: Integration with Digi-Exam and Digi-Yatra for foolproof examination process
- Better coordination with State/District authorities
- Implementation of multi-session testing for NEET-UG
- Introduction of multiple subject streams for CUET
- Development of institutional linkage with state authorities
- What is the National Testing Agency? The National Testing Agency (NTA) was established as a Society registered under the Indian Societies Registration Act, of 1860. It is an autonomous and self-sustained testing organisation to conduct entrance examinations for admission in higher educational institutions
- Governance: NTA is chaired by an eminent educationist appointed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
4. STARLINK DEVISES SEIZED DURING RAID IN MANIPUR, MUSK DENIES REPORT
SUBJECT: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
- Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX, aiming to provide global broadband internet coverage
- Satellite Network: Starlink involves deploying thousands of small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). These satellites are much closer to Earth compared to traditional geostationary satellites (about 550 km vs. 36,000 km), which reduces latency significantly.
- Coverage: The goal is to cover the entire Earth, including remote and rural areas where traditional broadband infrastructure is either absent or economically unfeasible to install.
- Service Delivery: Users require a Starlink dish (a flat, pizza-box-sized antenna), a modem, and a power supply. The dish communicates with the satellites to provide internet service.
- Latency and Speed: Due to the lower orbit of the satellites, Starlink offers lower latency (around 20-40 ms) compared to geostationary satellite internet (which can be over 600 ms). This makes activities like video conferencing, gaming, and real-time applications more viable.
5. SEEDS OF SHORT NECK CLAM RELEASED IN ASHTAMUDI LAKE TO REPLENISH POLULATION
SUBJECT: GEOGRAPHY
- It is a Ramsar wetland located in Kollam district of Kerala.
- The word Ashtamudi means Eight braids in Malayalam which can be explained by the palm-shaped topography of the lake with multiple branches.
- It is because of its eight ‘arms’ or channels, that the lake is named Ashtamudi.
- It is the second largest lake in Kerala,which has found its way into the sea through the Neendakara estuary.
- Kallada river is the major source of water for Ashtamdui lake.
- Historical records of the Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta highlights Quilon city, in the banks of Ashtamudi lake as one of the major trading centers in the ancient period.
- Different species of marshy mangroves was reported in the region, including two endangered species called Syzygium travancoricum and Calamus rotang
