09-10-10-22 Daily-Tamilnadu-TNPSC Current Affairs

Two official surveys have thrown up different findings on the prevalence of open defecation in Nadu.

Though the reference periods are different for the surveys,the gap is only one year. Both – pre-baseline (PBS) Tamil Nadu Household Panel Survey (TNHPS) 2018-19 and the National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) 2019-20 – relate to the pre-COVD-19 pandemic years. The findings of the former, commissioned by the State Government, were made public only a few days ago, while those of the NARSS were given out as part of the replies in the Lok Sabha during March 2021 and February 2022.

Carried out at the initiative of the Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation at the Union Jal Shakti Ministry, the national survey found almost 95% of villages in Tamil Nadu sustaining the status of open defecation free (ODF). According to the Tamil Nadu survey, 91.9% of the rural Population, which did not have toilets within the premises, practised open defecation.

The<a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/in-perspective/indias-dipping-Learning-levels-1124732.html”>National Achievement Survey (NAS) of 2021reported an Average learning level of 59% in grade 3, 49% in grade 5, 42% in grade 8 and 36% in grade 10. This indicates a decline in learning levels with an increase in grade level and has far-reaching implications for young Indians readiness for the 21st-century workplace and Indias preparedness for the Fourth Industrial revolution.

Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the digital divide caused by disparate access to, and affordability of, technology (such as Internet connectivity and electricity) and devices (such as computers and mobile devices). This divide varies across geographies, demographics and communities. Additionally, students with disabilities face unique challenges due to the lack of peer support, lower concentration levels and the need for better parental support.

A joint effort between the World Economic Forum, UNICEF and YuWaah (Generation Unlimited in India) proposes solutions that align with, and augment and amplify,Indias National Education Policy (NEP) 2020and theNational Digital Education Architecture of 2021.

The report identifies four focus areas for interventions: foundational numeracy and Literacy (FLN), teachers capacity building, school-to-work transition and connecting the unconnected. The interventions are categorised under five building blocks, namely: curriculum, content, capacity, community and digital.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has decided to establish an international Sikh advisory board, which will have representatives from different countries.

This board will make efforts to resolve issues and grievances of Sikhs living in foreign countries and support local gurdwara management committees in preaching the Sikh faith.

He said in the past, the SGPC had started this process in Yuba City in the United States of America, which will be expedited and necessary action will be taken to establish sub-offices in other countries as well.

In Oct 2019 DGT launched an online Learning platform called the Bharatskills (https://bharatskills.gov.in ). It is a Central Digital Repository for skills, for the trainees and trainers of the ITI ecosystem, providing easy access to updated curriculum, e-books, Question Banks, mock/practice papers, learning Videos, etc., for courses under the Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS), Craft Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) and the Apprenticeship Training Scheme (ATS), hence enabling anytime, anywhere learning outside the classrooms.

This platform also presents unique access to a centralized, scalable, and thriving support ecosystem through its industrial partners for the students and teachers who can now learn the new age (Industrial revolution 4.0) skills to meet the demands of the .

It will allow sharing of books, notes, videos, a question bank, etc., and other relevant skill-related content to interested learners.

This facility shall act as a digital warehouse for the skilling community as it will allow access to handwritten trainers or trainees notes, PDFs, scanned copies, or recorded videos in any preferred language.

The Directorate General of Training (DGT), under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill development and (MSDE), is thekey agency for providing Vocational Training for the Indian youth under the Governments flagship of the Skill India Programme.