09 June 2021: PIB Summary & Analysis

June 9th, 2021, PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. QS World University Rankings 2022
2. Indian Railways
3. Conditional exemption to Survey of India from Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2021
4. Indo-Thai CORPAT
5. Novel technique could help detect tropical cyclones for Bay of Bengal Basin earlier than 
satellites

1. QS World University Rankings 2022

Context:

Three Indian institutes in the top 200 ranks of the QS World University Rankings 2022.

What’s in the News?

• IISc Bengaluru ranked number 1 in the world for research under these rankings. The institute secured a rank of 186 in the universities ranking.
• IIT Bombay secured the 177^th position whereas IIT Delhi the 185^th rank .

QS World University Rankings:

• QS World University Rankings is an annual publication of university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).
  • Quacquarelli Symonds is a British company specialising in analysing higher education institutions.
• The first edition of the university rankings was released in 2004, then known as the Times Higher Education–QS World University Rankings, since QS had released the ranking in collaboration with the Times Higher Education (THE) magazine.
• From 2010 onwards, both QS and THE release separate rankings.

2. Indian Railways

Context:

Cabinet approved the allotment of 5 MHz spectrum in 700 MHz band to the Indian Railways.

Details:

• The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for the allotment of 5 MHz Spectrum in 700 MHz frequency band to Indian Railways for public safety and security services at stations and in trains.
• With this spectrum, Indian Railways has envisaged to provide LTE (Long Term Evolution) based Mobile Train Radio Communication on its route.
• The project will be completed in the next five years and the estimated investment in it is Rs.25000 crore.
• Benefits:
  • The purpose of the LTE for Indian Railways is to provide secure and reliable voice, video and data communication services for operational, safety and security applications.
  • It will be used for modern signalling and train protection systems and ensure seamless communication between loco pilots and guards.
  • It will also enable Internet of Things (IoT) based remote asset monitoring especially of coaches, wagons & locos, and live video feed of CCTV cameras in the train coaches to ensure efficient, safer and faster train operations.
• Additionally, the Railways has also approved TCAS (Train Collision Avoidance System).
  • It is an indigenously developed ATP (Automatic Train Protection) System, which will help in avoiding train collisions thereby reducing accidents and ensuring passenger safety.

3. Conditional exemption to Survey of India from Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2021

What’s in the News?

Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have granted conditional exemption to the Survey of India (Sol) from Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2021.

Reasons for the exemption:

• The drone deployment permission has been granted for large scale mapping of inhabited areas of villages under the central government SVAMITVA scheme.
• This permission grant will allow Large Scale Mapping (LSM) by Survey of India using drones.
• The aerial surveillance would generate high resolution and accurate maps to confer ownership property rights.
• Based on these maps or data, property cards would be issued to the rural household owners.

Survey of India:

• It is the national survey and mapping organisation of the country and functions under the Ministry of Science & Technology.
• The oldest scientific department under the Indian Government, it was set up in 1767.
• In its assigned role as the nation’s Principal Mapping Agency, Survey of India bears a special responsibility to ensure that the country’s domain is explored and mapped suitably, provide base maps for expeditious and integrated development and ensure that all resources contribute with their full measure to the progress, prosperity and security of our country now and for generations to come.
• It is headed by the Surveyor-General of India, whose office is situated in Dehradun.

4. Indo-Thai CORPAT

Context:

The 31^st edition of the India-Thailand Coordinated Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT) between the Indian Navy and the Royal Thai Navy is being conducted from 09 – 11 June 2021.

Details:

• India and Thailand have been conducting CORPAT biannually along their International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) since 2005.
• CORPAT builds up understanding and interoperability between navies and facilitates institution of measures to prevent and suppress unlawful activities like Illegal Unreported Unregulated (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking, maritime terrorism, armed robbery and piracy.
• It further helps enhance the operational synergy by exchange of information for prevention of smuggling, illegal immigration and for the conduct of SAR operations at sea.

For a list of joint military exercises conducted by the Indian Army, click here.

5. Novel technique could help detect tropical cyclones for Bay of Bengal Basin earlier than satellites

What’s in the News?

Indian scientists have found a new technique for the early detection of the development or strengthening of tropical cyclones in the atmospheric column prior to satellite detection over ocean surface in the North Indian Ocean region.

Background:

• Until now, remote sensing techniques have detected tropical cyclones the earliest.
• However, this detection was possible only after system developed as a well-marked low-pressure system over the warm ocean surface.
• A larger time gap between the detection and the impact of the cyclone could help preparation activities.

The new method:

• The method developed by the scientists aims to identify initial traces of pre-cyclonic eddy vortices in the atmospheric column and track its spatio-temporal evolution.
• Prior to the formation of a cyclonic system over the warm oceanic environment, the initial atmospheric instability mechanism, as well as the vortex development, is triggered at higher atmospheric levels.
• These cyclonic eddies are prominent features in the vertical atmospheric column encompassing the disturbance environment with a potential to induce and develop into a well-marked cyclonic depression over the warm ocean surface.
• They could hence be used for the detection of prediction of cyclones.
• The team observed that the method could bring about genesis of prediction with a minimum of four days (~ 90 h) lead time for cyclones developed during the pre-and post-monsoon seasons.
• The scientists who have come up with this potential method for early detection of tropical cyclones are from IIT Kharagpur. The study was supported by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India under the Climate Change Programme (CCP).

Read previous PIB here.

June 9th, 2021, PIB:- Download PDF Here