In News:

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal inaugurated the country's first Constitution Museum at OP Jindal Global University in Sonipat.

Museum Features

• Centrepiece: A photolithographic copy of the Indian Constitution (one of 1,000 reproductions).
• 360-Degree Experience: A visual presentation that takes visitors through pre-Independence India.
• Multimedia Presentation: Chronologically details significant events leading to the drafting of the Constitution.

• Constituent Assembly Members:

• Nearly 300 sculptured busts of members who contributed to the making of the Constitution.
• Hologram of Dr. BR Ambedkar: Located in the mezzanine section, showcasing his philosophies through interactive displays.

• Art Installations:

• ‘We, The People of India’ by Rajesh P Subramanian: Represents unity in diversity.
• ‘Echoes of Liberty’ by Rahul Gautam: Combines constitutional manuscripts with contemporary design.
• ‘Triad of Unity’ by Harsha Durugadda: Symbolizes unity, justice, and sovereignty.
• ‘Insaaf Ki Devi’ by Nishant S Kumbhatil: Depicts Lady Justice, representing judicial impartiality.
• ‘Equality Before Law’ by Pradeep B Jogdand: Illustrates equality and justice principles.
• ‘Map’ by Deval Verma: Encourages visitors to reflect on value and beauty.
• ‘Freedom’ by KR Nariman: Pays tribute to the people who uphold constitutional values.
• ‘Founding Mothers’ by Rahul Gautam: Honors the 15 women members of the Constituent Assembly.

In News:

Cabinet approves One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) Scheme.

Key Highlights:

• Objective: It is a new initiative to provide unified access to international scholarly research articles and journals for all government-managed higher education institutions and research institutions in India.
• Scheme Overview:ONOS aims to make nearly 13,000 scholarly journals accessible to over 1.8 crore students, faculty, researchers, and scientists in more than 6,300 institutions across India. These journals will cover all academic disciplines, promoting both core and interdisciplinary research, including in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.
• Digital Platform:The scheme will be implemented through a fully digital process, coordinated by the Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET), an autonomous center under the University Grants Commission (UGC). The platform will provide easy access to the journals and facilitate a streamlined subscription process.
• Investment and Coverage:A total of ?6,000 crore has been allocated for ONOS for three years (2025-2027). The scheme will cover major international publishers such as Elsevier, Springer, Wiley, and Oxford University Press. It will enable institutions to access 13,000 journals from 30 global publishers.

Benefits of the Scheme:

• Access to Top-Quality Research:ONOS will provide wide access to top-tier scholarly journals, benefiting institutions, researchers, and students across various fields. It will significantly improve the research environment in the country, especially for institutions that previously lacked the resources to access high-impact journals.
• Fostering Research and Development:The initiative aligns with India's vision of becoming an Atmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat by 2047, supporting the government's goals under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF). It will help foster a culture of research and innovation in Indian institutions.
• Inclusivity:The scheme will particularly benefit institutions in smaller towns and rural areas, helping bridge the knowledge gap between urban and rural academic institutions.
• Simplified Access:The scheme eliminates the need for separate subscriptions to individual journals by different institutions, streamlining access to high-quality content through a single platform.

Implementation Details:

• Platform and Process:The ONOS platform will allow institutions to access journals through a unified portal, providing easy and coordinated access. The Department of Higher Education (DHE)will be responsible for conducting awareness campaigns about the initiative, ensuring widespread utilization among students and faculty.
• Review Mechanism:The ANRF will monitor and periodically review the usage of ONOS and track the contributions of Indian authors in the journals, ensuring that the initiative continues to support India’s research landscape.
• Operational Date:The ONOS platform is set to become operational on January 1, 2025, providing comprehensive access to research materials for government-managed higher education and research institutions.

The One Nation One Subscription scheme is a major step towards enhancing India's position in the global research ecosystem. It will provide unparalleled access to scholarly resources, supporting research excellence and innovation across the country.

In News:

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch the European Space Agency’s Proba-3 mission on its PSLV rocket to study the solar corona, the outermost and hottest part of the Sun’s atmosphere, from Sriharikota on December 4.

Key Highlights:

• Mission Objective:The mission will study the Sun’s outermost and hottest atmosphere, the solar corona. The mission will also demonstrate the first-ever precision formation flying with two satellites working in tandem.
• Satellite Formation:Proba-3 consists of two satellites that will fly together, maintaining a fixed formation to study the Sun's corona.

What is Proba-3?

• Proba-3 is a solar mission developed by ESA, with an estimated cost of 200 million euros. The mission involves launching two satellites that will separate after launch, but fly in precise formation. The satellites will create a solar coronagraph, which blocks the Sun’s bright light to observe the solar corona, the Sun’s outermost atmosphere.
• Orbit: Proba-3 will orbit in a highly elliptical path (600 x 60,530 km) with an orbital period of 19.7 hours.
• Mission Duration: The expected mission life is two years.

What will Proba-3 Study?

The Sun's corona is extremely hot (up to 2 million degrees Fahrenheit), making it difficult to observe with conventional instruments. However, studying the corona is essential because it generates space weather phenomena such as solar storms and solar winds, which can impact satellite communications, navigation systems, and power grids on Earth.

Proba-3 will use three main instruments for its mission:

• ASPIICS (Association of Spacecraft for Polarimetric and Imaging Investigation of the Corona of the Sun):This coronagraph will observe the Sun’s outer and inner corona, similar to how the corona is visible during a solar eclipse. It features a 1.4-meter occulting disk to block the Sun’s light and facilitate close-up observations.
• DARA (Digital Absolute Radiometer):This instrument will measure the Sun’s total energy output (total solar irradiance).
• 3DEES (3D Energetic Electron Spectrometer):It will study electron fluxes as they pass through Earth's radiation belts, providing valuable data on space weather.

Why is Proba-3 Unique?

• Proba-3 is designed to mimic a natural solar eclipse, allowing continuous study of the Sun’s corona. Typically, solar scientists observe the corona for only about 10 minutes during an eclipse, occurring around 1.5 times a year. Proba-3 will provide up to six hours of data per day, equivalent to 50 eclipse events annually.
• The two satellites will maintain a precise formation, with one acting as an occulting spacecraft to cast a shadow, while the other (the coronagraph) stays in the shadow and observes the Sun’s corona. They will be positioned 150 meters apart, maintaining their formation autonomously.
• This artificial eclipse will enable scientists to study the corona and its less-understood features more effectively.

In News:

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) declared the winners of the National Gopal Ratna Awards(NGRA); one of the highest National Awards in the field of livestock and dairy sector for the year 2024.

About the National Gopal Ratna Awards (NGRA):

• Purpose:Recognize and encourage individuals, AI technicians, dairy cooperatives, and farmer organizations in the livestock and dairy sector.
• Categories:
  • Best Dairy Farmer (Indigenous Cattle/Buffalo Breeds)
  • Best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT)
  • Best Dairy Cooperative/Milk Producer Company (MPC)/Dairy Farmer Producer Organization

8915. Addition (2024):Special awards for North Eastern Region (NER) to promote dairy development in the area, with winners in all three categories.
10065061. and Prizes:

• Rs. 5 lakhs for 1st rank, Rs. 3 lakhs for 2nd rank, Rs. 2 lakhs for 3rd rank, and Rs. 2 lakhs for Special NER Award in the categories of Best Dairy Farmer and Best Dairy Cooperative/FPO/MPCs.
• For Best AIT, winners will receive a Certificate of Merit and a memento.

3794461255794. Process:Winners selected from 2,574 applications via an online portal (https://awards.gov.in).

• The livestock sector is crucial for India's economy, contributing significantly to agriculture and providing livelihood, especially for small and marginal farmers, women, and landless laborers.
• Indigenous breeds have immense genetic potential, but their population and performance have been declining. To address this, the Rashtriya Gokul Mission was launched under the National Programme for Bovine Breeding and Dairy Development in 2014 to conserve and develop indigenous bovine breeds.

National Milk Day

• It is celebrated annually on November 26 in India to honor the significant contributions of milk and the dairy industry to the country's development.
• The day commemorates the birth anniversary of Dr VergheseKurien, the "Father of the White Revolution" in India, who played a pivotal role in transforming India into the largest producer of milk globally.
• National Milk Day was first celebrated on November 26, 2014, after the Indian Dairy Association (IDA), along with various dairy institutions across the country.

In News:

Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan launches the third edition of ‘Nayi Chetna – PahalBadlaav Ki’ a month-long national campaign against gender-based violence in New Delhi.

Key Highlights:

• Organized by: Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) under the Ministry of Rural Development.
• Led by: DAY-NRLM’s extensive Self-Help Group (SHG) network.
• Aim of the Campaign: Raise awareness and encourage grassroots-level action to combat gender-based violence.
• Campaign Slogan: “EkSaath, EkAwaaz, HinsaKeKhilaaf” (United Voice Against Violence).
• Approach:

• Adopts a "whole-of-government" approach with collaboration from 9 key ministries:

1. 1. Ministry of Women and Child Development
   2. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
   3. Department of School Education and Literacy
   4. Ministry of Home Affairs
   5. Ministry of Panchayati Raj
   6. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
   7. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
   8. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
   9. Department of Justice

• Key Objectives:

• Raise awareness about all forms of gender-based violence.
• Mobilize communities to demand accountability and action.
• Facilitate access to timely intervention and support systems.
• Empower local institutions to take action against violence.
• Goals for Nayi Chetna 3.0:

• Generate widespread awareness about gender-based violence.
• Foster collective action at the grassroots level.
• Drive convergence among government ministries and community stakeholders.
• Create a sustainable and informed movement for gender equality and women’s empowerment.