National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE)

The NCF-SE was recently released by Ministry of Education, marking a transformative step towards the implementation of National Education Policy

• The National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) is the curriculum framework for the 5+3+3+4 design of schooling as proposed by the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020).
• It sets clear learning standards and competencies, enabling teachers to foster critical thinking, creativity, and genuine understanding.
• The framework empowers educators, encourages engaging pedagogies, and emphasizes the importance of school culture and values.
• Art Education, Physical Education & Well-being, Environmental Education, and Vocational Education are reinvigorated under the NCF-SE.
• Under K Kasturirangan, a Steering Committee was formed to create a curriculum aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, emphasizing the 5+3+3+4 design of schooling.
• The curriculum's interdisciplinary approach encourages students to study the relationships between individuals, society, and the environment.
• The curriculum framework is for all the 4 stages:
  1. Foundational Stage
  2. Preparatory Stage
  3. Middle Stage
  4. Secondary Stage

LockBit, Akira and Luna Moth

In the recent report named “Turning Tides Navigating the Evolving World of Cybercrime” noted that Ransomware attacks is one of the reasons for disruption in the cybersecurity space in the first half of 2023

• The report “Turning Tides Navigating the Evolving World of Cybercrime” is released by Arete, a leading global cyber risk management company.
• Ransomware attacks, the use of AI, and the rise in cybercrime-as-a-service were observed to be the key trends in the cybersecurity space in the first half of 2023.
• LockBit ransomware was the most used, accounting for 30.3% of observed ransomware cases, cybercriminals were also found making use of new variants, including Akira and Luna Moth.
• Ransomwares like LockBit were also updated to target newer operating systems including Linux, and macOS.
• ‘Q2’ 2023 also witnessed the emergence of Akira, which is expected to be updated by threat actors to counter a flaw in the ransomware that allowed it to be decrypted by a freely available decryptor.
• Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) model has dominated the cybercrime industry over the past few years, Cybercrime-as-a-Service grew parallel to it in H1 2023.
• WormGPT, a blackhat version of the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT was found to be used to generate malicious content, including phishing emails, malware code, fake news, and social media posts.

Astra Missile

Recently Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas successfully test-fired ASTRA missile off the coast of Goa

• ASTRA is a Beyond Visual Range (BVR) class of Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) system designed to be mounted on fighter aircraft.
• The missile is designed to engage and destroy highly manoeuvring supersonic aircraft.
• It is jointly designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Research Centre Imarat (RCI) and other laboratories of DRDO.
• The missile has all weather day and night capability.
• The ASTRA Mk-I Weapon System integrated with SU-30 Mk-I aircraft is being inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• Range –
  • Astra - 1 - Around 100 km
  • Astra - 2 - Around 160 km

Fujiwhara Effect

• When two hurricanes or cyclones, spinning in the same direction, when brought close together, they begin ‘an intense dance around their common centre, this interaction is called the Fujiwhara effect.
• The interaction could lead to changes in the track and intensity of either or both storms systems.
• If one hurricane’s intensity overpowers the other, then the smaller one will orbit it and eventually crash into its vortex to be absorbed.
• If two storms of similar strengths pass by each other, they may gravitate towards each other until they reach a common centre and merge, or merely spin each other around for a while before shooting off on their own paths.
• In rare instances, the two ‘dancing’ cyclones, if they are intense enough, may merge with one another, leading to the formation of a mega cyclone capable of wreaking havoc along coastlines.
• The occurrence of the Fujiwhara effect also makes cyclonic systems harder to predict.
• The rising frequency of this unusual effect, attributing it to a rapidly warming world and the subsequent heating of ocean waters.
• A warming climate is giving rise to stronger cyclones, and thus, increasing the possibility of the Fujiwhara effect.

Declining Frog Population in Western Ghats

Recently researchers found that fewer Malabar Gliding Frogs, an endemic species, were spotted in Western Ghats in 2023

• Rainfall is essential for breeding of frogs since it results in the formation of temporary rock pools and replenishment of the permanent water bodies where frogs breed.
• The increased number of dried rock pools affects the breeding of the frogs.
• So Erratic and deficit rainfall affects the breeding cycle of the frogs resulting in decreasing population.
• With erratic rainfall, the breeding patterns are mixing and they are not getting enough time to complete the cycles.
• The tadpoles, where frogs lay eggs also die when ponds become dry due to insufficient rainfall.
• The amphibians create nests on tree branches to lay eggs, but the dry and hot temperatures with humidity are drying them.
• Animals like birds and reptiles that prey on frogs will get affected directly if the life cycle of frogs gets disturbed.