05 Jan 2024: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

05 Jan 2024 CNA
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A. GS 1 Related

Category: SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Is higher education out of touch with the skill requirements in the job market?

Syllabus: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Mains: Higher Education and Public and Private Partnerships in Education Sector.

Context: Higher education in India is facing scrutiny, with reports indicating that fewer than half of graduates were employable in 2021. Unemployment rates among graduates have increased, and concerns about the quality of online education during the pandemic have been raised. 

Issues with online learning and education system:

• Massification: Rapid expansion of higher education institutions without adequate regulation led to the growth of private colleges, compromising quality.
• Regulatory Capacity: State and central authorities lacked the capacity to effectively regulate the increasing number of institutions, resulting in varying standards.
• Exclusivity: Higher education primarily caters to the top-income strata, leaving a significant portion of youth unable to access higher education.
• Online Education Challenges: Employability issues existed before the surge in online learning; learning deficiencies and ed-tech downsizing contribute to concerns.
• Economic Factors: Lack of job creation in India prompts graduates to seek opportunities abroad, impacting employability.
• R&D Structural Issues: Low R&D expenditure, limited private sector contribution, and insufficient translation of research into practical applications hinder knowledge creation.
• Gender Disparities: Despite higher percentages of employable women graduates, low female labour force participation is linked to inadequate job opportunities.
• NEP Implementation Challenges: Selective implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) results in controversies, confusion, and no substantive changes.
• Equity Concerns: NEP was criticized for not addressing specific equity actions; marginalized groups still lag in higher education participation.
• ITI and Polytechnic Issues: Phenomenal growth in ITIs and polytechnic colleges raises quality concerns; proposal to divert students towards vocational training for improved quality and industry engagement.

Way Forward:

• Address Structural Issues: Regulate the growth of private colleges and ensure quality standards to address structural deficiencies.
• Enhance Online Learning: Improve the quality of online education and address the learning deficiencies identified during the pandemic.
• Promote Vocational Training: Consider diverting students towards vocational training institutions, with a focus on improving quality through industry collaboration.
• Increase R&D Expenditure: Increase investment in R&D to stimulate knowledge creation, with a focus on translating research into practical applications.
• Review and Strengthen NEP Implementation: Address the challenges in NEP implementation, ensuring a more coherent and effective integration of skills with traditional education.
• Focus on Equity: Implement targeted measures to promote inclusiveness and equity, especially for marginalized groups.

Nut Gruf: The higher education crisis in India, exacerbated by the challenges of online learning, requires a holistic approach. Structural reforms, improved quality in online education, vocational training emphasis, increased R&D investment, and focused equity measures are essential for creating a responsive and effective education system that aligns with the needs of the job market and societal development.

3. ISRO to perform crucial manoeuvre tomorrow to bind Aditya­L1 into L1 orbit

Context: The Aditya-L1 spacecraft, India’s first space-based observatory designed to study the sun, is set to reach the Lagrangian Point (L1), located about 1.5 million km from Earth. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning a crucial manoeuvre to bind the spacecraft to an orbit around L1.

What is Aditya-L1 Mission?

• Aditya-L1 is India’s inaugural solar mission, designed as a space-based observatory for Sun study, with a life expectancy of five years.
• The spacecraft will be positioned in a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L1 point, located about 1.5 million km away.
• The strategic halo orbit ensures continuous solar observation without any interruptions such as occultation or eclipse.
• Aditya-L1 is equipped with seven payloads, including electromagnetic and particle detectors. These payloads will facilitate observations of various solar layers, namely the photosphere, chromosphere, and corona.
• Three of the payloads will conduct in-situ studies of particles and fields at the L1 point.
• The mission aims to enhance our understanding of solar activities by utilizing the advantageous position of L1.

Learn more about the Aditya-L1 Mission in the linked article.

Major Science Objectives of the Aditya-L1 Mission

• Understanding the coronal heating and solar wind acceleration. 
• Understanding initiation of Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), flares and near-earth space weather. 
• To understand the coupling and dynamics of the solar atmosphere. 
• To understand solar wind distribution and temperature anisotropy. 

Uniqueness of the Aditya-L1 Mission

• First time spatially resolved solar disk in the near UV band. 
• CME dynamics close to the solar disk (~ from 1.05 solar radius) and thereby providing information on the acceleration regime of CME which is not observed consistently. 
• On-board intelligence to detect CMEs and solar flares for optimised observations and data volume. 
• Directional and energy anisotropy of solar wind using multi-direction observations.

What are Lagrange Points?

Image source: ISRO

• For a two-body gravitational system, the Lagrange Points are the positions in space where a small object tends to stay if put there. These points in space for two body systems such as the Sun and Earth can be used by spacecraft to remain at these positions with reduced fuel consumption. 
• Technically at Lagrange Point, the gravitational pull of the two large bodies equals the necessary centripetal force required for a small object to move with them. 
• For two-body gravitational systems, there are a total of five Lagrange Points denoted as L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5. 
• The Lagrange Points for the Sun-Earth system are shown in the figure above. The Lagrange point L1 lies between the Sun-Earth line. The distance of L1 from Earth is approximately 1% of the Earth-Sun distance.

4. New antibiotic could target drug-­resistant bacterium

Context: Researchers have discovered a new class of antibiotics, specifically Zosurabalpin, which demonstrates effectiveness against the drug-resistant bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii.

What is Antibiotic Resistance?

• Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms develop the ability to withstand the effects of antibiotics, rendering these medications ineffective in treating infections. 
• This resistance is primarily a result of overuse or misuse of antibiotics, allowing the survival and proliferation of resistant strains.
• Antibiotic resistance is one of the prominent threats to public health in the twenty-first century. 

Key Points about Antibiotic Resistance

• Natural Selection: Bacteria evolve, and antibiotic exposure favours the survival of resistant strains through genetic mutations or mechanisms.
• Overuse and Misuse: Inappropriate antibiotic use, including incomplete courses and agricultural use, contributes to resistance.
• Global Health Threat: Antibiotic resistance globally threatens treatability, leading to prolonged illness, higher costs, and increased mortality.
• Spread of Resistant Strains: Resistant bacteria spread person-to-person, necessitating control measures in communities and healthcare settings.
• Limited Treatment Options: Rising resistance reduces effective antibiotics, limiting choices and risking untreatable infections.
• Multidrug-Resistant Organisms (MDROs): Some bacteria resist multiple antibiotics, giving rise to multidrug-resistant organisms like MRSA and MDR-TB.
• Global Collaboration: Combating resistance demands global cooperation among healthcare, policymakers, researchers, and the public.
• One Health Approach: Recognizing interconnections in human, animal, and environmental health is crucial for a comprehensive strategy against resistance.
• Patient Education: Informing patients about completing courses, avoiding self-medication, and understanding consequences is vital in curbing resistance.

Is Antibiotic Resistance the same as Antimicrobial Resistance?

Antibiotic Resistance

Medicines that are used to prevent and treat bacterial infections are called Antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in response to the use of these medicines. When we say antibiotic resistance, it means bacteria are resistant to antibiotics and not humans.

Antimicrobial Resistance

It is a broader term, encompassing resistance to drugs to treat infections caused by other microbes as well, such as parasites, viruses, and fungi.

Learn more about antimicrobial resistance in the link.

Q1. Consider the following statement:

Q2. Recently, ERNET which is an integrated web portal for educational 
institutes in the country was launched by?

Q3. Consider the following:

Q4. Consider the following statements in the context of Lakshadweep:

Q5. In the context of Colonial India, Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Kumar Sehgal 
and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon are remembered as.