Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2023

Notes:
PARAKH, India’s first national assessment regulator, aims to standardize assessment for over 60 boards in the country.
ETS (Educational Testing Service), which conducts key tests like TOEFL and GRE, has been chosen by the National Council for Education Research (NCERT) to set up the regulatory platform PARAKH. PARAKH will establish norms, standards, and guidelines for student assessment and evaluation.

Notes:
India’s indigenously-made light combat aircraft Tejas will be participating in an international multilateral air exercise named Exercise Desert Flag VIll.
It is hosted by the UAE, which will see participation from the air forces of the UAE, France, Kuwait, Australia, the UK, Bahrain, Morocco, Spain, Republic of Korea, and the US. As per the Indian Air Force, five LCA Tejas and two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft would take part.

Notes:
The Indian Railways introduced a Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist Train as part of the ‘Garvi Gujarat’ tour.
It aims to showcase the state of Gujarat under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme. The tour includes visits to prominent pilgrimage and heritage sites in Gujarat, including the Statue of Unity, UNESCO- recognised world heritage site Champaner archaeological park, Somnath, Dwarka, Nageshwar, and Beyt Dwarka, among others.

Notes:
National Science Day is celebrated in India on February 28th every year to mark the discovery of the Raman Effect by Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman.
It was observed for the first time in 1987. The day celebrates the contributions of scientists and creates awareness about the importance of science in everyday life. This discovery of Raman Scattering won Raman the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930, making him the first Indian to receive a Nobel Prize in a scientific field.

Notes:
The 47th Civil Accounts Day is observed on March 1, 2023. The day marks the foundation of the Indian Civil Accounts Service in New Delhi’s Dr. Ambedkar International Centre.
The Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) was established in 1976 after separating the maintenance of accounts of the Union Government from audit.

Notes:
The Ministry of Jal Shakti is commemorating International Women’s Day by honoring women who have contributed to various programs of the Ministry through the Swachh Sujal Shakti Samman 2023.
The award will recognize women for their exceptional contributions to the Swachh Bharat Mission – Grameen (SBM-G), Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), and National Water Mission (NWM) under various categories.

Notes:
The Small Farmers’ Agri-Business Consortium, a society promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has launched a special marketing campaign called Millets Giveaway.
The campaign is aimed at promoting direct purchase from small and marginal farmer producer organisations (FPOs) to support their livelihoods.  The Millets Giveaway campaign encourages citizens to purchase millets directly from FPOs through the ONDC’s My Store.

Notes:
The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has launched the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) in 57 Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) throughout India.
This flagship initiative is launched under NEP 2020. It offers a 4-year dual-major undergraduate degree program, preparing teachers for the 4 stages of the new school structure.

Notes:
The ‘IS 18149:2023 – Transportation of Dangerous Goods — Guidelines’ have been published by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
The aim is to enhance the safety in the transportation of hazardous materials. The guidelines provide guidance on classification, packaging, labelling and marking, handling, documentation, training, transportation, emergency action and provisions for segregation of dangerous goods.

Notes:
Chitwan National Park is the first-ever national park set up in Nepal. It was founded in 1973 as the Royal Chitwan National Park. It became a World Heritage Site in 1984.
Threats such as illegal fishing and sand mining are causing major threats to the mugger crocodile of the Rapti River that flows along the Chitwan National Park (CNP). A new study has recommended a win-win conservation set up between the local community and muggers to ensure the long-term conservation of the vulnerable species.