Einstein was right about invisible dark matter, massive new map of the universe suggests

• Researchers from S. National Science Foundation''s (NSF) used the Atacama Cosmology Telescope to create this new map of the dark matter.
• The new image, made using 14 billion-year-old light from the turbulent aftermath of the Big Bang, shows the enormous matter tendrils that formed not long after the universe exploded into being.
• It turns out the shapes of these tendrils are remarkably similar to those predicted using Einstein''s theory of general relativity.
• The new result contradicts previous dark matter maps that suggested the cosmic web is less clumpy than Einstein''s theory predicted.

Dark Matter:

• What is it? Dark matter is a hypothetical invisible mass thought to be responsible for adding gravity to galaxies and other bodies.
• How much is dark matter?
  • According to NASA, Dark matter seems to outweigh visible matter roughly six to one, making up about 27% of the universe.
  • Roughly 68% of the universe is dark energy. Dark matter makes up about 27%. The rest visible matter is 5% of the universe.
• Why called dark matter? It is called so because unlike normal matter (i.e. stars and galaxies), dark matter does not interact with the electromagnetic force.
• Detection: As it does not interact with the electromagnetic force, thus it does not absorb, reflect or emit light or electromagnetic radiation of any kind. And this makes it extremely hard to spot/detect. It can be detected only through its gravitational effects.
• Importance: Its gravitational force prevents stars in our Milky Way from flying apart.
• **The Atacama Cosmology Telescope:**The telescope was commissioned at its site in late 2007.It is a six-meter diameter telescope on Cerro Toco in the **Atacama Desert of northern Chile.**Its goal is to study how the universe began, what it is made of, and how it evolved to its current state.

UN Commission''s goal of achieving quality education for all is ''seriously off track''

• Currently around 263 million children and young people are out of school in the world.
• Nearly 70 % of children in poorer countries cannot understand a basic text by age 10, mainly due to chronic factors such as poverty and malnutrition.
• The situation of women and girls in Afghanistan is severe where they have been banned from high school and university.
• Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) empowers girls to avoid unintended pregnancies and encourages both genders to stay in school, among other benefits.
• Most of countries are facing “a triple crisis in education – one of equity and inclusion, quality and relevance, to equip current and future generations with the skills they need to thrive in a fast-changing world.”

UN Commission on Population and Development:

• A Population Commission was established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 1946, which was renamed as the Commission on Population and Development by the General Assembly in 1994.
• The Commission is composed of 47 Member countries.
• Member countries are elected by the Economic and Social Council for a period of four years on the basis of geographic distribution.
• Commission was constituted as three-tiered intergovernmental mechanism that plays the primary role in the follow-up to the implementation of the programme of Action.
• The meetings of commission was held typically every two or three years until 1994, after which it has been held once a year.

National Credit Framework to be internationally recognised through bilateral agreements: UGC chairman

• It is an umbrella framework for skilling, re-skilling, up-skilling, accreditation & evaluation encompassing our people in educational & skilling institutions and workforce.
• The framework was developed by a high-level committee, including members from the UGC, AICTE, National Council for Vocational Education and Training, NCERT, CBSE and other educational departments.

Credit Framework work

• Every academic assessment right from elementary school level to higher education as well as for vocational training and skill development courses acquired can be creditised and accumulated in the Academic Bank of Credit (ABC).
• As per the framework, even experiential learning including relevant experiences and proficiency/ professional levels and online, digital and blended learning will be creditised.
• Nothing is left unmeasured, as outside of classroom learning, sports and games, yoga, physical activities, performing arts, handicrafts, bag less days will also be part of it.
• The framework has divided the learning ecosystem into eight level, assigning credits based on learning hours and assessments from Class 5 all the way up to PhD level.
• Till Class 12, each subject is assigned 240 hours for self- -study at the school level.
• Vocational education and skill training from level 1 to 8 are also part of the framework.
• As per this system the final certificate/ degree will be awarded post the accumulation of the required number of and types of courses and the associated credits.
• At any point of time, the overall credit points accumulated by a student shall be calculated as ‘total credit points earned’ multiplied by the ‘weightage assigned to the relevant experience acquired by the student’.
• Significance:
  • It empowers the students with flexibility in choice of courses and imaginative and flexible curricular structures with creative combination of disciplines.

Cost inflation index number for FY 2023-24 (AY 2024-25) used for LTCG calculation notified by CBDT

• The Cost Inflation Index number for the current fiscal year 2023-24 is 348 as per a notification of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
• Cost Inflation Index is notified under the Income-tax Act, 1961 every year since 2001 in the month of June.
• But this year''s CII is notified 3 months earlier as compared to last fiscal year.
• Taxpayers will need this CII number at the time of filing income tax return (ITR) next year i.e., AY 2024-25.

Cost Inflation Index (CII):

• CII number is used to adjust the purchase price of assets on the basis of inflation.
• The CII number helps an individual to ascertain the inflation-adjusted current price of an asset.
• This helps in calculating capital gains from a transfer or sale of capital assets after taking inflation into account.
• Capital gain refers to the profit acquired from the sale/transfer of any capital assets, including land, property, stocks, shares, trademarks, patents, etc.
• It helps taxpayers offset the impact of inflation as the difference between the purchase and sale price could be substantial due to rising prices.
• The application of the Cost Inflation Index for capital gain adjusts the purchase price of assets based on their sale price, resulting in smaller earnings and a lower tax amount.
• Till FY 2022-23 (ended on March 31, 2023), the CII number was used to calculate the long-term capital gains from non-equity mutual fund schemes.
• But from FY 2023-24, the indexation benefit on long-term capital gains from non-equity mutual fund schemes has been removed.
• A taxpayer will continue to use the CII number to calculate long-term capital gains from house property, land, and building in the event of a sale.
• What is the formula to calculate inflation-adjusted purchase price?
  • CII number is used to calculate the inflation-adjusted price of a long-term asset. To calculate the inflation-adjusted price, the CII is used in the following manner,
  • Inflation-adjusted price = (CII of the sale year/CII of the purchase year) * Actual price of the asset.

Krishnarajapuram and Whitefield railway stations to be revamped under Amrit Bharat Station scheme

• It envisages development of stations on a continuous basis with a long term vision.
• It is based on Master Planning for long term and implementation of the elements of Master Plan as per the needs and patronage of the station.
• Broad Objectives:
  • Implementation of the Master Plan in phases to enhance the facilities including and beyond the Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA) and aiming for creation of Roof Plazas and city centres at the station in long run.
  • The scheme shall aim to meet the needs of the stakeholders, station usage studies as far as possible based on availability of funds and inter-se priority.
  • The scheme shall cater for introduction of new amenities as well as upgradation and replacement of existing amenities.
  • It will also cover the stations where detailed techno-economic feasibility studies have been conducted or are being conducted but the work for construction of Roof Plazas has not been taken up yet, ensuring the phasing of Master Plan being suitably implemented.
  • Attempts shall be made to club different grades/types of waiting halls and provide good cafeteria/retail facilities as far as possible
  • High level platforms(760-840 mill meter) shall be provided at all categories of stations.
  • Station approaches shall be improved to ensure smooth access by widening of roads, removal of unwanted structures, properly designed signages, dedicated pedestrian pathways, well planned parking areas, improved lighting etc.
  • Amenities for Divyangjan at stations shall be as per guidelines issued by Railway Board from time to time.

Researchers found new frog species in Meghalaya''s Siju cave

Amolops siju:

• It has been named after the Suji cave where it was discovered.
• It belongs to the cascade Ranidae family and genus Amolops.
• Genus Amolops is among the largest groups of ranid frogs (family Ranidae) with 73 known species widely distributed across India’s North East and north, Nepal, Bhutan, China, the Indochina region and the Malaya Peninsula.
• Cascade frogs are named so because they prefer small waterfalls.
• It is the second time that a frog was discovered from inside a cave in the country, the first being the discovery of the Micrixalus spelunca in 2014 from a cave in Tamil Nadu.

Suji caves

• It is one of the longest cave systems in the world situated in the state of Meghalaya.
• It is a 4 km long natural limestone cave.

ICSI to rope in experts, regulatory members on secretarial and auditing standards board

Institute of Company Secretaries of India:

• It is the only recognized professional body in India to develop and regulate the profession of Company Secretaries in India.
• It is a premier national professional body set up under an act of Parliament, the Company Secretaries Act, 1980.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India.
• The Institute provides top-quality education to the students of Company Secretaries (CS) Course and best quality set standards to CS Members.
• At present, there are more than 65,000 members and around 2.5 Lakh students in the role of ICSI.
• Headquarters: New Delhi and has four Regional Offices in New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, and Mumbai and 72 Chapters across India.
• ICSI has been contributing to the initiatives of the Government of India that have the potential to excel in the social-economic growth of India.

India to bridge language gap with neighbours

Language Friendship Bridge Project:

• India is planning to create a pool of experts in languages spoken in countries like Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan and Indonesia to facilitate better people-to-people exchanges.
• It plans to train five to 10 people in the official languages of each of these countries.
• As of now, the ICCR has zeroed in on 10 languages: Kazakh, Uzbek, Bhutanese, Ghoti (spoken in Tibet), Burmese, Khmer (spoken in Cambodia), Thai, Sinhalese and Bahasa (spoken in both Indonesia and Malaysia).

Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)

• The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) was founded in 1950 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
• Objectives
  • To actively participate in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes pertaining to India’s external cultural relations.
  • To foster and strengthen cultural relations and mutual understanding between India and other countries
  • To promote cultural exchanges with other countries and people, and to develop relations with nations.

Four states raise Rs 5,800 crore through SDLs at bond auction

State Development Loans:

• These are dated securities issued by states for meeting their market borrowings requirements.
• Purpose: To meet the budgetary needs of state governments.
• The higher the fiscal strength of a state, the lower will be the interest rate (yield) it has to pay for the SDL borrowings.
• These are securities and they are auctioned by the RBI through the e-Kuber which is a dedicated electronic auction system for government securities and other instruments.
• Reserve Bank of India holds SDL auctions once a fortnight.
• The rate of interest or yield of SDL securities is determined through auction.
• The interest rate will be slightly higher than that of Central Government securities (G-secs) of matching tenure.
• The investors in SDL are basically commercial banks, mutual funds, and insurance companies that are attracted by the slightly higher interest

Dated securities

• Dated Government securities are long-term securities or bonds of the government that carries a fixed or floating coupon (interest rate).
• Securities are issued by the government (centre or state) for mobilizing funds.
• Mostly financing the fiscal deficit is the most important purpose for issuing dated securities.

NSE Indices launches Indias first-ever REITs and InvITs Index

REITs and InvITs Index:

• The new index aims to track the performance of REITs and InvITs that are publicly listed and traded on the NSE.
• Base year: 1 July 2019
• The index will be reviewed and rebalanced every quarter.
• The weights of securities within the index are based on their free-float market capitalization, subject to a security cap of 33% each and the aggregate weight of top-3 securities is capped at 72%.
• The top constituents of the Nifty Reits & InvITs index include Embassy Office Parks Reit, Powergrid Infrastructure Investment etc.

REITs

• It is a company that owns, operates, or finances income-generating real estate.
• Most of them are publicly traded like stocks, which makes them highly liquid (unlike physical real estate investments).
• It is modelled after mutual funds; REITs pool the capital of numerous investors.
• This makes it possible for individual investors to earn dividends from real estate investments—without having to buy, manage, or finance any properties themselves.

InvITs

• These are mutual fund-like institutions that enable investments into the infrastructure sector by pooling small sums of money from a multitude of individual investors for directly investing in infrastructure
• These are set up as a trust and registered with SEBI.
• An InvIT has 4 parties Trustee, Sponsor(s) and Investment Manager and Project Manager.