Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2023

Notes:
The University Grants Commission (UGC) is set to overhaul the syllabus for the National Eligibility Test (NET), with the formation of an expert panel.
The UGC-NET, administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA), serves as an examination for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and functions as an eligibility test for the appointment of assistant professors in the fields of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian and select foreign languages, along with certain science subjects.

Notes:
The Geographical Indication (GI) tag for cashews was given to Goa recently. It ensures that only cashew products from Goa can be labeled as “Goan Cashew”.
The GI tag protects the authenticity of Goan cashews, helps consumers differentiate between authentic and imported cashews, and prevents misleading labeling. This can help prevent nuts imported from Africa from being sold as Goan cashews.

Notes:
Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, inaugurated the Vidhya Samiksha Kendra (VSK) in Shimla.
This data repository will consolidate information from all Ministry of Education (MoE) initiatives. The VSK aims to monitor real-time status, including projects and activities under Samagra Shiksha, oversee enrolled students’ progress, track learning outcomes, identify dropouts, assess support required by teachers and schools, and monitor field-level academic and non-academic activities.

Notes:
Kerala’s renowned Responsible Tourism (RT) Mission has gained international acclaim by securing a coveted position on the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) prestigious list of case studies.
This recognition emphasises Kerala’s innovative approach to grassroots development, and aligning tourism with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Notes:
Tamil Nadu is set to launch a novel scheme Ungalai Thedi, Ungal Ooril (In your town, looking for you), to redress the grievances of the general public.
Under the initiative, every District Collector will visit and stay in a taluk for one day in a month to inspect government offices in that area and listen to the grievances of the general public.

Notes:
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh unveiled the Diglot Edition of the Constitution of India in the Manipuri Language, using the Meitei Mayek Script, in Imphal.
The launch event took place on the occasion of Indian Constitution Day, which fell on November 26.

Notes:
Star Indian shuttlers Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty went down fighting to Chinese duo Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in the men’s doubles final of the China Masters.
The champion Indian duo lost the first game 19-21, won the second game 21-18 with a great rally, and made another attempt at a comeback after being down 1-8 before losing the title decider 19-21.

Notes:
The Indian government announced compulsory blending of compressed biogas, which is extracted from municipal and agriculture waste, in natural gas to cut reliance on imports.
Initially, 1 per cent of biogas will be blended in gas used in automobiles and household kitchens for cooking from April 2025, a government statement said. The share will be increased to around 5 per cent by 2028.

Notes:
Generative AI is poised to have a more profound impact on certain white-collar jobs than blue-collar ones in the next ten years, showed new workplace research from learning company Pearson.
Blue collar roles, especially those requiring more creative, manual, and collaborative tasks, are likely to face less disruptions from the accelerated adoption of Gen AI aimed at driving productivity. The third edition of the Pearson Skills Outlook series: ‘Gen AI-proof jobs’ analyses the impact of Gen AI on more than 5,000 jobs in five countries – India, Australia, Brazil, the US, and the UK.

Notes:
Rat hole mining, which is used in Uttarkashi tunnel rescue, is a method of extracting coal from narrow and horizontal seams. Meghalaya predominantly engages in rat hole mining because of the difficult terrain and nature of coal available in this region.
The term “rat hole” refers to the narrow pits dug into the ground, typically just large enough for one person to descend and extract coal. Rat hole mining poses significant safety and environmental hazards. Additionally, the mining process can cause land degradation, deforestation, and water pollution. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned the practice in 2014, as water flood into the mining areas resulting in death of many.