Articles Covered:

1. REPUBLIC DAY 2024
2. GROUND PENETRATING RADAR (GPR) TECHNOLOGY:
3. PADMA AWARDS
4. Gallantry Awards in India
5. VAIBHAV Fellowship scheme
6. IMPLICATIONS OF NO SNOWFALL IN KASHMIR
7. DISPUTE OVER MINORITY STATUS OF AMU
8. ISRO SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYS MAGNETOMETER BOOM ON ADITYA-L1 IN HALO ORBIT

REPUBLIC DAY 2024:

Theme for the 75^th Republic Day 2024 – ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Bharat – Loktantra ki Matruka’.

Chief Guest of Republic Day 2024: The Chief Guest for the Republic Day events in 2024 is the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.

Republic Day (75^th REPUBLIC DAY) is celebrated every year on 26^th January to commemorate the adoption of the Indian Constitution, which came into effect on this day in 1950.

The Constitution is the supreme law of the land and citizens are expected to abide by it. Republic: Preamble indicates that India has an elected head called the President. He is elected indirectly for a fixed period of five years.

Significance:

• Republic day is a monumental day in Indian history because it was on this day that India adopted its own Constitution and declared its own laws of the land.
• The British colonial Government of India Act (1935) was finally replacedand the country was set to make a fresh start.
• Additionally, it was also on this day that the Preamble of the Constitution of India came into effect.
• The Preamble is largely a comprehensive statement that presents the key principles of the Constitution.
• On this day India shed the last relic of the colonial system and effecteda new dawn by becoming a Sovereign Democratic Republic.
• The day is an occasion to commemorate the values of our democracy and Republic, to reaffirm our commitmentto liberty, fraternity and equality across our society and among all our citizens.
• The day celebratesthe desire of a huge nation that wants to be governed through one single constitution giving another example of India’s unity in diversity.

GROUND PENETRATING RADAR (GPR) TECHNOLOGY:

There existed a Hindu temple prior to construction of Gyanvapi mosque: Archaeological Survey of India

The western wall of the Gyanvapi mosque located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, is the remaining part of a pre-existing Hindu temple, says the ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey report of the structure prepared by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The ASI report concluded that it can be said there existed a Hindu temple prior to the construction of the existing structure, that is the mosque.

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) technology:

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a geophysical method that uses radar pulses to image the subsurface. This nondestructive method uses electromagnetic radiation in the microwave band (UHF/VHF frequencies) of the radio spectrum, and detects the reflected signals from subsurface structures. Working: Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) uses a high frequency radio signal that is transmitted into the ground and reflected signals are returned to the receiver and stored on digital media. The computer measures the time taken for a pulse to travel to and from the target which indicates its depth and location. The reflected signals are interpreted by the system and displayed on the unit’s LCD panel. Applications: GPR can have applications in a variety of media, including rock, soil, ice, fresh water, pavements and structures. In the right conditions, practitioners can use GPR to detect subsurface objects, changes in material properties, and voids and cracks. Limitations: The most significant performance limitation of GPR is in high-conductivity materials such as clay soils and soils that are salt contaminated. Performance is also limited by signal scattering in heterogeneous conditions (e.g. rocky soils).

PADMA AWARDS:

For the year 2024, the President has approved conferment of 132 Padma Awards including 2 duo cases (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one) as per list below. The list comprises 5 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 110 Padma Shri Awards.

The Padma awards are announced every year on the eve of Republic Day.

1. Padma Awards are one of thehighest civilian honors of India announced annually on the eve of Republic Day after the Bharat Ratna.
2. The Award seeks to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.

• The total number of awards to be given in a year (excluding posthumous awards and to NRI/foreigners/OCIs) should not be more than 120.
• The award does not amount to a titleand cannot be used as a suffix or prefix to the awardees’ name.

Categories: The Awards are given in three categories: 

• Padma Vibhushanis awarded for ‘exceptional and distinguished service;  
• Padma Bhushanis awarded for ‘distinguished service of a high order’; and  
• Padma Shriis awarded for ‘distinguished service’.

Eligibility: 

1. All persons without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex are eligible for these awards. However, Government servants including those working with PSUs, except doctors and scientists, are not eligible for these Awards.
2. The award is normally not conferred posthumously. However, in highly deserving cases, the Government could consider giving an award posthumously.
3. A higher category of Padma award can be conferred on a person only where a period of at least five years has elapsed since conferment of the earlier Padma award. However, in highly deserving cases, a relaxation can be made by the Awards Committee.

Nominations for the awards:  All nominations are placed before the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year. The Committee is headed by the Cabinet Secretary and includes Home Secretary, Secretary to the President and four to six eminent persons as members. The recommendations of the committee are submitted to the Prime Minister and the President of India for approval.

Background:

• The Government of India instituted two civilian awards-Bharat Ratna & Padma Vibhushan in
• The Padma Vibhushan had three classes namely Pahela Varg, Dusra Varg and Tisra Varg. These were subsequently renamed as Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri in 1955.

Gallantry Awards in India:

Post-Independence, the first three gallantry awards namely Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, and Vir Chakra were instituted by the government of India on 26th January 1950 and were deemed to have effect from 15^th August 1947.

1. Thereafter, three other gallantry awards— the Ashoka Chakra Class-I, the Ashoka Chakra Class-II, and the Ashoka Chakra Class-III — were instituted in 1952 and were deemed to have effect from 15^th August 1947.
2. These awards were renamedAshoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra respectively in January 1967.
3. Order of precedence of these awardsis the Param Vir Chakra, the Ashoka Chakra, the Mahavir Chakra, the Kirti Chakra, the Vir Chakra, and the Shaurya Chakra.

The gallantry awards are announced twice in a year — first on the occasion of the republic day –jan-26 and then on the occasion of the INDEPENDENCE DAY

VAIBHAV Fellowship scheme:

Recently, on the occasion of “National Science Day”, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology launched the VAIBHAV Fellowship scheme for the Indian Diaspora abroad.

VAIBHAV Fellowship scheme:

1. The fellowship offers Non-Resident Indian (NRI) researchers an opportunity to work for a minimum of one month to a maximum of two months a year with a research institution or an academic institution in India.
2. Duration:Three years with the government offering the researchers an amount of up to Rs 37 lakh for the entire period.
3. Aim: Improving the research ecosystem of India’s Higher Educational Institutions by facilitating academic and research collaborations between Indian Institutions and the best institutions in the world.
4. This is done through the mobility of faculty/researchers from overseas institutions to India.
5. Eligibility:Researchers from institutions featuring in the top 500 QS World University Rankings will be eligible for the fellowship.
6. The applicant should be a Non-Resident Indian (NRI), Person of Indian Origin (PIO) or Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and she or he must have obtained Ph.D/M.D/M.S degree from a recognized University.
7. Significance:The best of Diaspora minds will collaborate with domestic Minds to deliver world-class projects and products.

VAJRA scheme:

• Recently, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) launched a scheme named ‘Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty (VAJRA).
• Under this scheme, scientists or senior researchers abroad of Indian origin or otherwise can collaborate with Indian faculties for conducting joint research in India.
• The foreign researchers would receive endowments at par with those in their own countries.The broad areas of research like energy, health, advance material and others would be promoted under the scheme.

IMPLICATIONS OF NO SNOWFALL IN KASHMIR:

The absence of Snowfall in Kashmir during the winter season is not only affecting the region’s tourism industry, particularly in popular destinations like Gulmarg, but it also has significant implications for various aspects of the local environment and economy.

Causes- No Snowfall in Kashmir

1. Climate and Weather Patterns: The entire Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh regions have seen a lack of rains or snow this winter, with a notable 80% rainfall deficit in December 2023 and 100% (no rain) deficit in January 2024 so far.Winter precipitation in these regions, crucial for the local climate, is mainly in the form of snowfall.
2. Decline in Western Disturbance:
3. Role of Climate Change and El Nino:

• The rate of temperature increase is higher in upper elevation areas than in the plains, further impacting snowfall.
• The current elnino event in the eastern Pacific Ocean is suggested as an additional factor affecting global atmospheric circulationand contributing to the deficit precipitation in the region.There have been several years in the last one decade — 2022, 2018, 2015 — when winters have been relatively dry in Jammu and Kashmir, and snowfall has been very low.

Implications of No Snowfall in Kashmir:

Short- and Long-Term Impact:

• Short-term effects include an increase in forest fires, agricultural drought, and a drop in crop production.
• Long-term consequences include a reduction in hydroelectricity generation, an increase in glacier melting, and adverse effects on drinking water supply due to less recharge of groundwater.
• Vital for Winter Crops: crucial for moisture in the soil, is vital for winter crops, particularly The yields of apples andsaffron significant contributors to the local economy
• Impact on Tourism: Gulmarg, -winter tourism spot in Kashmir

DISPUTE OVER MINORITY STATUS OF AMU:

AMU:

1. The roots of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) can indeed be traced back to the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental (MOA) College, established by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in 1875.
2. The primary aim was to address the educational backwardness among Muslims in India during that period.
3. In 1920, the institution gained University status through an Act of the Indian Legislative Council. This transition elevated the MOA College to become Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
4. The university inherited all the assets and functions of the MOA College. The official title of the AMU Act was “An Act to incorporate a teaching and residential Muslim University at Aligarh.”

Origin of Dispute:

• Legal Challenges to the AMU Act 1920: The dispute over the minority character of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) emerged prominently in 1967, stemming from legal challenges to amendments made in 1951 and 1965to the AMU Act of 1920.
• Key changes included replacing the position of the ‘Lord Rector’ with a ‘Visitor,’ who would be the President of India.
• Allowed non-Muslims to be Part of University Court:Provisions restricting membership in the University Court solely to Muslims were removed, allowing non-Muslims to participate.
• A five-judge constitution bench of the top court in the S Azeez Bashaversus Union of India case,1967 held that since AMU was a central university, it could not be considered a minority institution.
• The AMUhad been accorded the status of “institution of national importance” by the Union government of India through the AMU Act of 1981.
• In 2006, eight petitions, including one from the Union government, contested the decision of Allahabad High Court before the Supreme Court.
• In 2016, the Union government withdrew its appeal, stating that establishing a minority institution contradicted a secular state’s principles.

In 2019, a three-judge Bench presided by the then CJI Ranjan Gogoi referred the matter to a seven-judge Bench:

Observations of the Supreme Court in the Ongoing AMU Case:

Doesn’t Lose Minority Status if Regulated by Statute:

• The court highlighted that the regulation by statute doesn’t diminish an institution’s minority status, emphasising that Article 30 of the Constitutiondoesn’t mandate exclusive administration by the minority community.

Cases of the Supreme Court Related to Minority Community:

• TMA Pai Case:n The SC had said that for the purposes of Article 30 that deals with the rights of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions, religious and linguistic minorities have to be considered state-wise.
• Bal Patil Case: In 2005, the SC in its judgement in ‘Bal Patil’ referred to the TMA Pai ruling. The legal position clarifies that henceforth the unit for determining status of both linguistic and religious minorities would be ‘state’.
• Inamdar Case: The SC judgement in the Inamdar case, 2005ruled that the state cannot impose its reservation policy on minority and non-minorityunaided private colleges, including professional colleges. The court declared that reservation in private, unaided educational institutions was unconstitutional.

Constitutional Provisions Regarding Minority Communities

Article-30(1)- Constitution empowers all religious and linguistic minorities to establish and administer educational institutions.

1. The SC stated that Article 30 of the Constitution is not to “ghettoise the minority”.
2. This provision reinforces the Union government’s commitment to foster growth and development of minority communities by guaranteeing that it will not discriminate in giving aid on the basis of their status of minority insttutions.

Article 25: Article 25 of the Indian Constitution protects freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion.

Article 26: Indian Constitution provides every religious denomination (or any section of it) the right to establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable purposes.

Article 27: It sets freedom as to payment of taxes for the promotion of any particular religion.

Article 28: It gives freedom as to attendance at religious instruction or religious worship in certain educational institutions.

Initially five religious’ communities, viz., Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis) were notified as minority communities by the Union Government. In 2014, Jains were also notified as another minority community.

ISRO SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYS MAGNETOMETER BOOM ON ADITYA-L1 IN HALO ORBIT:

The space agency says that the magnetometer boom was deployed in the Halo orbit at the Lagrange point L-1, on January 11, 2024. The boom had been in stowed condition for 132 days since the Aditya-L1 launch

MAGNETOMETER

• It is an instrument for measuring the strengthand sometimes the direction of magnetic fields, including those on or near the Earth and in space.
• Magnetometers are also used to calibrate electromagnets and permanent magnets and to determine the magnetization of materials.
• The first magnetometer was created by Carl Friedrich Gauss.

Indian scientists have recently developed an Overhauser Magnetometer. The Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG), an autonomous research institution under Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, has developed the magnetometer as part of its technology development program.

Recently, Scientists from Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology have developed Magnetometer for low cost, reliable & real-time measurements of magnetic fields.

Aditya-L1  

Aditya-L1   – ISRO aiming to place it into orbit around the Lagrangian point (L1), located approximately 1.5 million km from Earth.

• Aditya-L1, the first Indian space-based observatory dedicated to studying the Sun, was launched in September 2023, using PSLV-C57 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
• Placing a satellite in the halo orbit around the L1 point allows continuous observation of the Sun without occultation or eclipse, providing an advantage in monitoring solar activities.

1. L1 is about 5 million km from the Earthand the distance of L1 from Earth is approximately 1% of the Earth-Sun distance.

Lagrange points are positions in space where the gravitational forces of two large masses balance the centripetal force for a smaller object to stay in place.
Spacecraft leverage these points to minimize fuel consumption and allow spacecraft to maintain their position efficiently. Aditya-L1 carries seven payloads to observe the photosphere (the visible surface of the Sun), chromosphere (the second layer between the photosphere and the corona) and the corona (outermost layers of the Sun).