03 August 2018: UPSC Exam PIB Summary & Analysis

Read the daily PIB update and stay up-to-date on current affairs for the UPSC exam

Confirmation Prediction Tool

• A tool has been developed to predict the probability of waitlisted ticket getting confirmed at the time of booking as well as during Passenger Name Record (PNR) enquiry of waitlisted ticket.
• The salient features of the scheme are as under:-

1. It predicts the probability of waitlist status for General Quota.
2. The tool considers the high waitlist scenario of Holiday rush.

• It displays the trend of last waitlist ticket got confirmed for the same journey during previous year.
• Prediction of dynamic probability is based on current status.
• Currently this feature is integrated with Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website only.

• In IRCTC website this feature is operational w.e.f. 13 June, 2018 as under:

1. When the user is doing the booking transaction, and if the status of accommodation availability of the input journey is waitlisted, then the user can check the probability of confirmation.
2. At the time of PNR enquiry of waitlisted ticket, the user can check the probability of confirmation.

Government permits e-commerce shipment via Foreign Post Offices

• The Customs Department plans to permit e-commerce shipment viaforeign post offices.
• Exports by Post Regulations, 2018, prescribing the Postal Bill of Export-I for E-commerce shipments and Postal Bill of Export-II for non-E-commerce shipments, have been issued.
• Further a circular has been issued clarifying the procedure for e-commerce exports, other than e-commerce exports and personal imports through posts.
• Exports by e-commerce are allowed through notified foreign post offices.
• However, as per the extant notification of 26th July, 2018 issued by Department of Commerce benefits of Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS) in respect of e-commerce exports is restricted to notified goods of FOB value up to Rs 5 lakh per consignment.

Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)

• Government is improving education in Aspirational Districts through Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)
• Model Degree Colleges are being opened in ‘Aspirational Districts’ identified by NITI Aayog.
• An Expert Committee constituted by the University Grants Commission (UGC) had identified 374 Educationally Backward Districts (EBDs) where Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education was less than the national average of 12.4% based on 2001 census data.
• Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme being implemented by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
• Aim for the first phase is promoting access, equity and quality, central assistance to States has been provided for creation of one Model Degree College each in 60 EBDs.
• NITI Aayog has identified 117 districts as ‘Aspirational Districts’. The districts have been selected on the basis of composite index which includes published data of deprivation enumerated under Socio-Economic Caste Census, Health &Nutrition, Education and Basic Infrastructure.
• Second phase of RUSA has focus on opening new Model Degree Colleges in  ‘Aspirational Districts’ identified by NITI Aayog and in unserved & underserved districts in North Eastern and Himalayan States.

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