21 May 2024 PIB
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. National Awards to Teachers (Higher Education) 2024 2. Research on Air Pollution and Health Effects in Northern India 3. 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) in Kochi
1. National Awards to Teachers (Higher Education) 2024
Syllabus: GS-2, Governance
Prelims: National Awards to Teachers (Higher Education) 2024
Context:
The portal for nominations for the National Awards to Teachers (Higher Education) 2024 launched.
Details:
- The Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, has also issued guidelines for the submission of nominations.Â
- The awards will be conferred on the exemplary teachers/faculty members of technical and non-technical higher education institutions and Teachers of Polytechnic Institutions.Â
- There shall be three sub-categories under the first category based on the following broad disciplines: Engineering & Technology, Architecture; Pure Sciences including Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Medicine, Pharmacy; and Arts and Social Sciences, Humanities, Languages, Legal Studies, Commerce, and Management.
- The last date for submission of nominations is 20th June 2024. The selected awardees will be felicitated on 5th September (Teachers’ Day) to commemorate the Birth Anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, former President of India and a remarkable teacher.
- Eligibility for the awards: The award is open to all the faculty members of colleges/universities/higher educational institutions/polytechnics in India, satisfying the following conditions:
- The Nominee should be a regular faculty member,
- Should have at least five years of full-time teaching experience at the Undergraduate and/or Post-graduate level,
- Should NOT be above 55 years of age as on the last date of receiving the application for the awards.
- Vice-Chancellor/Director/Principal (regular or officiating) are NOT eligible to apply. However, individuals who have held such positions earlier, but are below 55 years of age and still in active service are eligible.
- The Award seeks to recognise and honour the unique and path-breaking achievements of faculty members in teaching-learning, community outreach, institutional service, research, and novelty of work in the field of higher education.
2. Research on Air Pollution and Health Effects in Northern India
Syllabus: GS-3, Environment & Ecology
Mains: Air Pollution and its Effects
Context:
A researcher from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur has published ground-breaking research in Nature Communications journal, shedding light on the sources and composition of particulate matter (PM) in Northern India that are harmful to human health.
Details:
- The study highlights the importance of addressing local inefficient combustion processes – such as biomass and fossil fuel burning, including traffic exhaust in effectively reducing PM-related health exposure and their associated impacts in Northern India.
- Three questions that are crucial for policymakers in framing policies and programmes to mitigate air pollution as per the study:
- Fine PM (PM2.5) source identification and their absolute contribution, with unprecedented clarity between their local and regional geographical origin.
- A comprehensive and unequivocal distinction between directly emitted PM and those formed in the atmosphere.
- Determination of the harmfulness of PM by correlating its oxidative potential with local and regional sources within the study region.
- The study was conducted at five Indo-Gangetic Plain sites, both within and outside Delhi and found that although uniformly high PM concentrations are present across the region, the chemical composition varies considerably as the local emission sources and formation processes dominate the PM pollution.Â
- Within Delhi, ammonium chloride, and organic aerosols originating directly from traffic exhaust, residential heating, and the oxidation products of fossil fuels emissions produced in the atmosphere dominate PM pollution.
- Outside Delhi, ammonium sulphate and ammonium nitrate, as well as secondary organic aerosols from biomass burning vapours, are the dominant contributors.
- Regardless of location, the study highlighted that organic aerosols from incomplete combustion of biomass and fossil fuels, including traffic emissions, are the key contributors to the PM oxidative potential.
Way Forward
Concerted sustainable efforts are needed that promote cleaner energy sources, improve combustion efficiency and reduce emissions from transportation mainly from outdated, overloaded and inefficient vehicles fleets and remove unauthorized vehicles.
3. 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) in Kochi
Syllabus: GS-3, Science and Technology
Prelims: Antarctic Treaty
Mains: India and the Antarctic
Context:
India is set to play a pivotal role in facilitating the first-ever focused discussions on regulating tourism in Antarctica at the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) and 26th Meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP).
Read more about the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) in PIB dated May 1, 2024.
Read previous PIB articles here.
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