GS Analyst
Daily Current Affairs

In a significant ruling, the Allahabad High Court has struck down the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004 (Madarsa Act, 2004) enacted by the state government.

Key-points highlighted by the High Court

• Terming the Act unconstitutional, the Allahabad High Court said the Act found to be a violation of secularism. 
• The court said it was not possible to segregate and save any portion of the Act which would be of any relevance and maintained.
• The state has no power to create a board for religious education or to establish board for school education only for a particular religion and philosophy associated with it.
• It was the duty of the state to provide education, which is secular in nature, more particularly for minors, that is children up to the age of 18.
• It cannot discriminate and provide different types of education to children belonging to different religions.
• Any such action on the part of state would be violative of secularism.

1: Dimension- Secularism and Education in India:

• Secularism is part of the basic structure of the Constitution.
• The value of Secularism is deeply ingrained all through, and particularly in Articles 14, 19, 22, and 25.
• Education, being a fundamental right under Article 21-A of the Constitution, holds immense significance in fostering a democratic society and promoting social cohesion.
• Secularism in education implies that the state must provide education that is free from religious bias or affiliation.
• It entails offering a curriculum that is inclusive of diverse perspectives, cultures, and beliefs, fostering a spirit of tolerance, pluralism, and respect for individual autonomy.

2: Dimension- Impact of Denial

• Education, as a tool for empowerment and social transformation, must be accessible to all, irrespective of their religious affiliations.
• Denying certain groups access to quality education based on religious grounds not only perpetuates social inequality but also undermines the foundational principles of democracy and secularism.

3: Dimension- Significance of the Ruling

• The Allahabad High Court's ruling underscores the importance of upholding secular principles in education.
• By deeming the Act unconstitutional for its violation of secularism, the court reaffirmed the state's obligation to provide education that transcends religious boundaries and caters to the holistic development of all students.

The United States, the United Kingdom and Australia have entered a new agreement to build Australia’s SSN-AUKUS submarines and termed it a significant milestone in the endeavour of defence cooperation.

Key-highlights of the trilateral partnership

• Under the new trilateral Security partnership, Australia’s ASC and UK-based BAE Systems will build the SSN-AUKUS submarines for the Royal Australian Navy.
• The SSN-AUKUS will be equipped for intelligence, surveillance, undersea warfare and strike missions.
• It will provide maximum interoperability among AUKUS partners.

1: Dimension-Why nuclear-powered submarines?

• Submarines can either be diesel-electric or nuclear-powered and either type can be used to launch nuclear warheads.
• Diesel-electric submarines involve diesel engines that power electric motors to propel the vessels through the water. But those engines require fuel to operate, which necessitates that the submarines resurface regularly for refuelling.
• Nuclear-powered submarines generate their own energy source — nuclear propulsion technology — and are not as constrained by the need to refuel as diesel-electric subs. They generate steam using an onboard nuclear reactor which is used to turn the vessel’s turbines.
• Nuclear-powered submarines can remain hidden at sea without detection — potentially for years — and are limited primarily by their supplies of food and water for crews.

2: Dimension-Why Australia want nuclear-powered submarines?

• Australia’s submarines face long transits between ports, let alone to potential distant hot spots
• Acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines has been described as ‘the single biggest leap’ ever in Australia’s defence capabilities.
• Furthermore, the agreement is seen as a counterweight to China’s growing military presence in the Asia Pacific.
• Australia does not have the expertise to build its own nuclear submarines so it had to buy or acquire the ability to build its fleet from either the US or the UK.
• SSN-AUKUS will increase opportunities for industrial base collaboration, strengthen collective industrial base capacity, and generate economic growth in defense and national security sectors in all three countries.
• The pact will see Australia become the seventh nation to operate nuclear-powered submarines.

3: Dimension-Impacts of the deal:

• China’s Concern: China has always been concerned with the objectives of AUKUS. Also, the Declaration marks a new decline in Australia-China relations. China is Australia's largest trading partner, with about US $ 200 billion trading in two ways.
• Impact on India: The partnership is very beneficial to India. As India has been at the forefront of uniting the unity of the Indo-Pacific countries.

During the Holi festival, in some parts of Rajasthan’s Jaipur, an old tradition involved playing out with colors through a unique medium called the “Gulaal Gota”, dating back around 400 years.

What is a Gulaal Gota?

• A Gulaal Gota is a small ball made of lac, filled with dry gulaal. Weighing around 20 grams when filled with gulaal, these balls are thrown at people on Holi, getting smashed to bits on impact.
• Making Gulaal Gotas involves first boiling the lac in water to make it flexible.
  • Lac is a resinous substance that is secreted by certain insects. It is also used to make bangles.
• After shaping the lac, colour is added to it. After the processing is done, artisans heat the lac. It is then blown into a spherical shape with the help of a blower called “phunkni”.
• Then, gulaal is filled in the balls before they are sealed with lac.

The King of Bhutan conferred the Order of the Druk Gyalpo on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who became the first foreign head of government to receive Bhutan’s highest civilian honour.

About the Award

• The Order of the Druk Gyalpo holds immense significance within Bhutan's honour system, symbolising a lifetime of outstanding achievements and contributions to society.
• The Order of the Druk Gyalpo takes precedence over all orders, decorations and medals.
• Since its institution, the award has been conferred upon only four eminent personalities.
  • Queen Grandmother of Bhutan Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck in 2008
  • Je Thrizur Tenzin Dendup (68th Je Khenpo of Bhutan) in 2008
  • Je Khenpo Trulku Ngawang Jigme Choedra in 2018

India is looking to Africa for minerals such as copper, cobalt and other critical minerals, while also engaging with Australia for lithium blocks.

What are Critical Minerals?

• Critical minerals are elements that are the building blocks of essential modern-day technologies, and are at risk of supply chain disruptions.
• These minerals are now used everywhere from making mobile phones, computers to batteries, electric vehicles and green technologies like solar panels and wind turbines.
• Based on their individual needs and strategic considerations, different countries create their own lists.
• Critical mineral in Africa:
  • Africa is home to 30 percentof the world’s known critical minerals.
  • Africa holds substantial reserves of bauxite, chromium, cobalt, copper, gold, iron, lithium, manganese, platinum, and uraniumto name just a few.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has reached a significant milestone in reusable launch vehicle technology with the successful landing experiment of the RLV LEX-02. The experiment marks a crucial step forward in the development of reusable launch vehicles (RLVs).

What is Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX-02)? 

• Building upon the success of the RLV-LEX-01 mission last year, the RLV-LEX-02 mission demonstrated the autonomous landing capability of the reusable launch vehicle from challenging challenging initial conditions after release from a helicopter.
• Named Pushpak, the winged vehicle was lifted by an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter and released from an altitude of 4.5 km.
• It autonomously approached the runway with cross-range corrections and landed precisely, coming to a halt using its brake parachute, landing gear brakes, and nose wheel steering system.
• The Pushpak launch vehicle is India's bold attempt to make access to space most affordable.