Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2023

Notes:
Recently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) approved the Guidelines for Institutional Development Plan (IDP) for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
These guidelines are intended to assist HEIs in attaining academic and research excellence while enhancing the quality of teaching and learning. Additionally, the IDP will offer direction to HEIs in exercising academic, administrative, financial, and business autonomy, while maintaining accountability.

Notes:
The Asia Pacific Telecommunity was founded on the joint initiatives of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and the International Telecommunication Union.
An important gathering of the Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT) is set to take place in Brisbane, with the primary objective of determining the future allocation of the 6 GHz spectrum band for 5G services in India.

Notes:
OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, and Anthropic have teamed up to create the Frontier Model Forum, aiming to regulate the development of large machine learning models, particularly “frontier AI models” that surpass current advanced capabilities.
These foundation models pose potential risks to public safety, and the forum will focus on ensuring their safe and responsible development, collaborating with policymakers, academics, and companies to advance AI safety research and establish best practices for deploying such models.

Notes:
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, inaugurated Rajkot International Airport and various development initiatives amounting to over Rs 860 crores in Rajkot, Gujarat.
The projects encompass Sauni Yojana Link 3 Package 8 and 9, upgrading of Dwarka Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS), preservation, renovation, and progress of Uparkot Fort Phase I & II, among others.

Notes:
India’s tiger population increased to 3,682 in 2022, up from 2,967 in 2018, according to an estimate released recently.
This is an upward revision from April this year, when a minimum of 3,167 animals were estimated by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

Notes:
Digital payments across the country registered a growth of 13.24 per cent in a year through March 2023, as per RBI’s index that measures the adoption of online transactions.
RBI’s Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) stood at 395.57 at end-March 2023 compared to 377.46 in September 2022 and 349.30 in March 2022. The index is a base to capture the extent of digitisation of payments across the country.

Notes:
The DGCA fined IndiGo Rs 30 lakhs and issued a show cause notice due to deficiencies in their documentation and procedures related to frequent tail strike incidents on their A321 aircraft.
Tail strikes occur when the tail of an aircraft hits the ground or any stationary object, with a majority happening during landings.

Notes:
The AMC Repo Clearing Limited (ARCL) and Corporate Debt Market Development Fund (CDMDF) were inaugurated by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The CDMDF was announced in the 2021-22 Union Budget to enhance liquidity in the Corporate Bond market during stressed and normal times.

Notes:
Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled a book titled ‘Memories Never Die,’ tribute to former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
The Minister  unveiled the book during his two-day visit to the Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu. The book was co-authored by Dr. APJM Nasima Maraikayar and scientist Dr. Y. S. Rajan.

Notes:
Over 13.13 lakh girls and women went missing in the country between 2019 and 2021, with Madhya Pradesh reporting the highest cases at nearly two lakhs, followed by West Bengal.
The data, which was presented by the Union Ministry of Home Ministry (MHA), revealed that 10,61,648 women above 18 years and 2,51,430 girls below that age went missing between 2019 and 2021 across the country. The data was compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau.