TOPIC: GS 2 Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
School ranks
What is the news?
- The Union Education Ministry has been attempting to get States into a competitive mode
- Upgrading their school education system by recognizing progress with a Performance Grading Index(PGI) that assigns them a score.
- It can be argued that countries and State governments use school education as a transformative tool most effectively where the political imperative is strong.
- The Centre’s effort with the PGI scoring system has been to try and nudge all States using a hall of fame approach.
Latest Report
- In the latest set of scores and grades for the preÂCOVIDÂ19 year 2019Â20 the Andaman and Nicobar islands, Chandigarh, Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu have performed the best although they still fall short of the 951Â1,000 points slab, the highest possible.
- It should be heartening to 33 States and Union Territories that their PGI scores have improved over the previous year
- In the case of Andaman and Nicobar, Punjab and Arunachal Pradesh, by a noteworthy 20%.
- Several middling States continue to make marginal progress, some have improved merely by tweaking their data while Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh actually regressed, although the PGI scheme is now three years old.
- The score is derived using databases on 70 parameters such as access, equity, governance processes, infrastructure and facilities, and learning outcomes that are mostly self-reported by the States but vetted by the Centre with National Achievement Survey data also being incorporated.
- On some parameters, such as uneven learning outcomes between students from deprived communities and others, bridging the gap earns a better score.
- The Centre, with its transparent scores and data for each parameter and subÂtopic made available in the public domain,
- It seeks to create a resource sharing system that low performing States can tap into.
- This initiative is laudable but it can work only if governments and Opposition parties see value in strong and open school education
- Work to strengthen access, equity and infrastructure by budgeting fees and funds for universalization.
- It is such commitment that led Southeast Asia to carry out a renaissance in school education in the later decades of the last century, on the lines of Meijer Japan.
- India’s school system has to contend with not just patchy access and infrastructure, but major equity issues that have come to the fore during the pandemic.
Way Forward
- The shadow of COVIDÂ19 will persist over the education system for the foreseeable future
- Further progress on all parameters will depend on bridging the gaps, particularly on digital tools, infrastructure and subsidies for access.
- The PGI scores show that the southern and western States are on firm ground to achieve
- While those in central India and parts of the east and Northeast are less
- It is evident from the Education Ministry analysis is that governance processes are the weakest link in some States.
- A new deal for schools can transform them as the Right to Education law
Mains question
High performing States with good schools can nudge others if they have the political will. Critically Analyze
PRELIMS PUNCHERS
- The United Nations General Assembly
It is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policy-making, and representative organ of the UN. Its powers, composition, functions, and procedures are set out in Chapter IV of the United Nations Charter. The UNGA is responsible for the UN budget, appointing the non-permanent members to the Security Council, appointing the Secretary-General of the United Nations, receiving reports from other parts of the UN system, and making recommendations through resolutions. It also establishes numerous subsidiary organs to advance or assist in its broad mandate. The UNGA is the only UN organ wherein all member states have equal representation.
Voting in the General Assembly is by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting. Other questions are decided by a simple majority. Each member country has one vote. Apart from the approval of budgetary matters, including the adoption of a scale of assessment, Assembly resolutions are not binding on the members. The Assembly may make recommendations on any matters within the scope of the UN, except matters of peace and security under the Security Council consideration.
- The Indian Medical Association (IMA)
It is a national voluntary organization of physicians in India, which looks or cares after the interest of doctors or the well-being of the community at large. It was established in 1928 as the All India Medical Association, renamed “Indian Medical Association” in 1930. It is a society registered under The Societies Act of India.
The Journal of the Indian Medical Association, popularly known as JIMA, is indexed in the Index Medicus. The Junior Doctors’ Network is an international platform where junior doctors can facilitate an open dialogue of global events and activities that are relevant to their postgraduate training, and the World Medical Association. The Indian Medical association is a founder member of the World Medical Association
- Indian Ocean Dipole
The Indian Ocean Dipole or IOD, an ocean-atmosphere interaction similar to El Niño, but in the Indian Ocean.
IOD is a measure of the difference in the sea-surface temperatures of the western Indian Ocean (Arabian Sea) and the eastern Indian Ocean, south of the Indonesian coast. When the western waters are warmer than the eastern, IOD is said to be positive in the opposite state, IOD is negative. Like ENSO in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, IOD too influences weather and climate events, though its impact is weaker because the Indian Ocean is considerably smaller, and shallower, than the Pacific. The IOD has an impact on the Indian monsoon: a positive IOD is understood to aid monsoon rainfall while negative IOD is known to suppress it.
- National Medical Plant Board
Government of India set up National Medicinal Plants Board on 2000. Currently the board is working under the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha & Homoeopathy), Government of India. The primary mandate of NMPB is to develop an appropriate mechanism for coordination between various ministries/ departments/ organization and implementation of support policies/programs for overall (conservation, cultivation, trade and export) growth of medicinal plants sector both at the Central /State and International level.
To meet increasing demand for medicinal plants NMBP focuses on in-situ & ex-situ conservation and augmenting local medicinal plants and aromatic species of medical significance. The NMPB also promote research & development, capacity building through trainings, raising awareness through promotional activities like creation of Home/School herbal gardens.
PRELIMS QUESTIONS
- Consider the following statement with reference to UNGA
- It is responsible for the appointing the permanent members to the Security Council
b .It is the only UN organ wherein all member states have equal representation.
Select the correct statement using code given below.
(a). 1only                                (b) 2 only
(c). Both of them                (d). None of the above
Answer : B
It is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policy-making, and representative organ of the UN. Its powers, composition, functions, and procedures are set out in Chapter IV of the United Nations Charter. The UNGA is responsible for the UN budget, appointing the non-permanent members to the Security Council, appointing the Secretary-General of the United Nations, receiving reports from other parts of the UN system, and making recommendations through resolutions. It also establishes numerous subsidiary organs to advance or assist in its broad mandate. The UNGA is the only UN organ wherein all member states have equal representation.
Voting in the General Assembly is by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting. Other questions are decided by a simple majority. Each member country has one vote. Apart from the approval of budgetary matters, including the adoption of a scale of assessment, Assembly resolutions are not binding on the members. The Assembly may make recommendations on any matters within the scope of the UN, except matters of peace and security under the Security Council consideration.
- National Medical Plant Board is under the ministry of
- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
- Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare
- Ministry of AYUSH
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India
Answer: C
Government of India set up National Medicinal Plants Board on 2000. Currently the board is working under the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha & Homoeopathy), Government of India. The primary mandate of NMPB is to develop an appropriate mechanism for coordination between various ministries/ departments/ organization and implementation of support policies/programs for overall (conservation, cultivation, trade and export) growth of medicinal plants sector both at the Central /State and International level.
To meet increasing demand for medicinal plants NMBP focuses on in-situ & ex-situ conservation and augmenting local medicinal plants and aromatic species of medical significance. The NMPB also promote research & development, capacity building through trainings, raising awareness through promotional activities like creation of Home/School herbal gardens.