In News: 12 leading Indian universities & higher education institutions have managed to get into the top 100 colleges list released by QS World University Ranking (QSWUR). IIT Madras ranked 30th in Petroleum Engineering while IIT Bombay got the 41st rank and IIT Kharagpur 44th for Minerals and Mining Engineering. IISc Bangalore remains at 78th rank for Materials Science and 93rd for Chemistry. These are the highest ranks achieved by the public Institutes of Eminence across this year’s Subject Rankings In the life sciences and medicine category, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences ..read more

In News -CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has been commissioned to conduct genome and proteome mapping (micronutrients) present inside single-cell organisms in the Indian ocean. Key Points The 90-day long expedition will start from the east coast of India, travelling all the way to the Southern hemisphere up to 30 degrees south, touching upon waters between Australia Maldives and ending at Goa, covering over 9000 nautical miles. Scientists expect to go as deep as six kilometres into the Indian ocean to collect samples using the non-metallic system to avoid any biological contamin ..read more

]In News: A writ petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking the appointment of a regular CBI Director. About Issue: The government has failed to appoint the Director of the CBI as per Section 4A of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act of 1946 on the expiry of the term of the last incumbent, Rishi Kumar Shukla, in February 2, 2021. The petition pointed out that instead of a regular appointment to the top CBI post, the government-appointed Praveen Sinha as an “interim/acting CBI Director.” CBI director being the sensitive post, it is the final authority in the organization in se ..read more

In News: Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates BiIl, 2020, provides 75% reservations to local people in private-sector jobs that offer a salary of less than Rs 50,000 a month. About Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Bill, 2020 The act covers the whole of the State. It will be in effect for 10 years. It applies to “all the Companies, Societies, Trusts, Limited Liability Partnership firms, Partnership Firm and any person employing ten or more persons and an entity, as may be notified by the Government, from time to time”. Time period of three months is available for compliance ..read more

In News: India wants Chabahar port to be included in the 13-nation International North South Transport Corridor that extends from India to Russia and expand INSTC membership by including Afghanistan and Uzbekistan International North South Trade Corridor (INSTC) It is a 7,200-km-long multi-mode network of ship, rail, and road route for moving freight between India, Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe. The route primarily involves moving freight from India, Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia via ship, rail and road. The objective of the corridor is to increase trade connect ..read more

In News: U.S. Department of Commerce is preparing to tax aluminium sheet exporters from 18 countries after determining on Tuesday that they had benefited from subsidies and dumping. The US International Trade Commission (ITC), an independent body, must approve the final decision to impose anti-dumping or countervailing duties. On request of nearly a dozen U.S. aluminium alloy manufacturers, including Arconic and Aleris Rolled products, Current US administration investigated and found that Imports from Germany in particular ($287 million in 2019) benefited from dumping ranging from 40% to 242 ..read more

In News Recently, the US has highlighted its wish to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal. Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action In 2015, Iran agreed on a long-term deal on its nuclear programme with a group of world powers known as the P5+1 (the US, UK, France, China, Russia and German). Under it, Iran agreed to significantly cut its stores of key components for nuclear weapons like centrifuges, enriched uranium and heavy-water. Iran would only have enough enriched uranium to maintain its energy needs, without having the ability to build a n ..read more

In News: NITI Aayog recently circulated a discussion paper on a proposed revision in the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013. National Food Security Act (NFSA) 2013 It was enacted in July, 2013 which gives legal entitlement to 67% of the population (75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas) to receive highly subsidized foodgrains. Under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), foodgrain is sold at a highly subsidized prices of Rs. 1/-, Rs. 2/- and Rs. 3/- per kg for nutri-cereals, wheat and rice respectively. Under sub-section (1) of Section 3 of the Act, the term “eligible househ ..read more

In News: World Wildlife Day 2021 is being celebrated on 3rd March with the theme ‘Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet’. Background The day was chosen as World Wildlife day by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on 20 December 2013 at its 68th session. The aim was to celebrate and raise awareness about animals and plants. The reason this date was selected for the occasion was that the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed on 3 March, 1973. For more details, please click here https://www.nextias.com/current-affairs ..read more

In News: Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) are organizing Global Bio-India 2021. It is a mega international congregation of biotechnology stakeholders, including international bodies, regulatory bodies, Central and State Ministries, SMEs, large industries, bioclusters, research institutes, investors, and the startup ecosystem. For more details, please click here https://www.nextias.com/current-affairs/04-03-2021 The post Global Bio-India-2021 appeared first on NEXT IAS - Current Affairs Blog ..read more