Current Context : The Ministry of Education formed a high-level committee under K. Radhakrishnan  to ensure transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations.

• The committee consists of seven eminent people.
• It will be headed by former ISRO chairman Koppillil Radhakrishnan.

ROLE :

• The expert panel has been formed to review and make recommendations on:
• Reform in the mechanism of the examination process
• Improvement in Data Security protocols
• Review of structure and functioning of National Testing Agency
• Analyse the whole examination process and suggest measures to improve the efficiency of the system and to stop any possible breaches,

ABOUT THE NATIONAL TESTING AGENCY (NTA)

• Established in 2017 as an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Education.
• The NTA conducts entrance examinations for admission/fellowship in the central government’s various higher educational institutions.

Current Context : Recently, 53^rd GST Council announced various recommendations relating to taxation, ITC claims and demand notices.

ABOUT GST COUNCIL 

• It is responsible for making recommendations to the Union and the states on important GST-related issues.
• Established as a Constitutional Body.
• Constituted under Article 279 (A) of the Constitution by 101 Constitutional Amendment Act of 2016).
• Constituted by : President
• Chairperson : Union Finance Minister (At present Nirmala Sitharaman)
• Members: Union Minister of State (in-charge of Revenue of finance),  Minister in charge of finance or taxation or any other Minister nominated by each State Government

Current Context : Annual Ambubachi Mela (fair) has started in Kamakhya temple of Guwahati, Assam.

• The festival commemorates the yearly menstruation of Goddess Kamakhya.
• Ambubachi Mela is an annual Hindu fair organised at Kamakhya Temple..

ABOUT KAMAKHYA TEMPLE

• It is located on the Nilachal hills (or Kamagiri).
• It was reconstructed in mid 16th century by the Koch dynasty (original temple was destroyed by Kala Pahar).
• It is one of the 51 Shaktipeeths.
• It is a centre of Tantrik worship.
• Here the beliefs and practices of the Aryan and non-Aryan communities

Current Context : Indian Army launched first skin bank for advanced care of personnel and families.

• Objective : to revolutionise the treatment of severe burn injuries and other skin-related conditions among armed forces service members and their families.
• It will serve as a centralised hub for the collection, processing, storage, and distribution of skin grafts.
• Functions : the harvesting, processing, preservation and supply of fine human skin allografts for burn treatment centers and polytrauma.
• It will cater the three kinds of patients : injuries from domestic fire accidents, electrical incidents, and kerosene warmers jawans and officers use to keep themselves warm at high altitudes.

Current Context : Recently, Russia approved the draft Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) with India.

ABOUT RELOS

• The agreement is part of a broader military technical cooperation between India and Russia.
• It will simplify military-to-military exchanges for exercises, training, port calls and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts.
• It enables the access of logistics and support facilities at each other’s bases and ports.
• It will facilitate the replenishment of fuel, rations, spare parts and berthing for troops, warships and aircraft while operating away from home ports and bases during the war and peacetime missions.
• India has also similar agreements with the US, Japan, Australia, France, Singapore and South Korea.

Current Context : Ministry of Home Affairs inaugurated the FTI-TTP at  Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi.

• It is collaborated with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Bureau of Immigration for the FTI-TTP.
• This facility will be launched at 21 major airports in the country.
• It will provide faster, smoother and safer immigration clearance for international travellers.
• The program will run on e-gates or automated border gates which will minimise human intervention in the immigration clearance process.
• This program is similar to the Global Entry Program of the United States.
• The programme will be implemented in two phases :
  • In the first phase, Indian citizens and OCI cardholders will be covered
  • In the second phase, foreign travellers will be covered.

Current Context : Recently, Kozhikode in Kerala declared as the India’s first UNESCO ‘City of Literature’.

• Kerala also announced that June 23 will be celebrated annually as ‘City of Literature’ Day in Kozhikode.

ABOUT KOZHIKODE

• It is also known as Calicut
• Located on Malabar Coast in Kerala.
• It was the capital of the powerful medieval kingdom of Zamorin.
• On 7 June 2012, Kozhikode was given the tag of “City of Sculptures”(Shilpa Nagaram)

ABOUT UNESCO CREATIVE CITIES NETWORK (UCCN).

• Established in
• Objective : to promote cooperation among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.
• Cities covered: Around 350 cities.
• Other Indian cities on UCCN:
  • Music: Gwalior, Chennai, Varanasi
  • Film: Mumbai
  • Gastronomy: Hyderabad
  • Crafts and Folk Art: Jaipur and Srinagar

Current Context : Recently, a case of Congo virus reported in Quetta, Pakistan.

ABOUT CONGO VIRUS

• It is also known as the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever or CCHF.
• It is a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by Nairovirus – which is a tick-borne virus.
• Fatality rate : 10 – 40 percent.
• It is carried by animals such as cattle, goats, sheep and hares and is transferred to humans through tick bites or contact with infected blood during or after slaughter
• Symptoms : High fever, Myalgia or muscle aches, Dizziness, Neck pain Stiffness, Backache, Headache, Sore eyes, etc,.

Celebrated on 26 June

• Aim : to raise awareness about the global fight against drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
• Theme : The evidence is clear: Invest in Prevention.
• Understanding the dangers and effects of substances is crucial for making informed choices and protecting your health.
• The United Nations established the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 7 December 1987.

Current Context : Government is planning to work on Renukaji dam in Sirmaur from 2025.

ABOUT RENUKAJI DAM

• It was planned in 1976.
• It will supply 500 million cubic metres of water per year after its completion.
• It will be 148-m high rock-fill dam on the Giri river at Dadahu in Sirmaur district.
• It has been declared a Project of National Importance and the cost shall be borne by the Central Government and other beneficiary states in the ratio of 90:10.