Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon (Reports, organisation & Indices) – October 11th,2020

The goal of the Sargent plan was the reorganization of the entire education system of India.
The commission under the chairmanship of the John Sargent submitted its report to the Central Advisory Board of Education CABE in (1944).
This scheme of post war educational development was mainly focused on the quality enhancement of higher education (ie. university system).
Recommendations-
•Pre-primary basic school for 3-6 years age group.
•Compulsory and free education for 6-14 year age group.
•High school education of two types – Academic & Technical and Vocational.
•Refresher courses for teachers and better salary for them.
•Abolition of intermediate courses.
•Standard of the universities must be raised.
•Admission should be restricted so only the capable students can go for the higher education.
Source: Spectrum

The Financial Stability Reports (FSR), published by Reserve Bank of India, after approved by FSDC Sub-Committee since its inception, taking inputs from financial sector regulators i.e. RBI, SEBI, PFRDA, IRDAI including Ministry of Finance, are periodic exercise for reviewing the nature, magnitude and implications of risks that may have a bearing on the macroeconomic environment, financial institutions, markets and infrastructure.
•These reports will also assess the resilience of the financial sector through stress tests.
•FSR is a biannual publication.
Source: RBI

: In June 2019, the Union government formed two cabinet committees — one on Investment, the other on Employment and Skill Development.
The Prime Minister constitutes Standing Committees of the Cabinet and sets out the specific functions assigned to them. He can add or reduce the number of committees.
Investment: The Cabinet Committee on Investment will “identify key projects required to be implemented on a time-bound basis”, involving investments of Rs 1,000 crore or more, or any other critical projects, as may be specified by it, with regard to infrastructure and manufacturing.
•It will prescribe time limits for giving requisite approvals and clearances by the ministries concerned in identified sectors.
•It will also monitor the progress of such projects.
Employment: The Cabinet Committee on Employment and Skill Development is supposed to provide “direction to all policies, programmes, schemes and initiatives for skill development aimed at increasing the employability of the workforce for effectively meeting the emerging requirements of the rapidly growing economy and mapping the benefits of demographic dividend”.
•It is required to enhance workforce participation, foster employment growth and identification, and work towards removal of gaps between requirement and availability of skills in various sectors.
•The panel will set targets for expeditious implementation of all skill development initiatives by the ministries and to periodically review the progress in this regard.
The addition of the two committees is indicative of the new focus areas for the government. The goal of both is new jobs.
Source: Indian Express

The Dinesh Goswami Committee on Electoral Reforms, the Law Commission of India and the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution has recommended a review of the anti-defection law.
•The issues arising out of the decisions given by different Presiding Officers and the interpretation of the law by various courts were discussed at the Conferences of Presiding Officers of Legislative Bodies in India as well.
•In view of the near unanimity among the Presiding Officers for a review of the law, the then Speaker of Lok Sabha and Chairman of the Conference, Shri G.M.C. Balayogi constituted in October 1998 a Committee of Presiding Officers headed by the Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, Shri Hashim Abdul Halim, to go into different aspects of the matter.
•The Committee presented its Report in February 2003 recommending inter alia that the provisions relating to splits and mergers be deleted from the Tenth Schedule; the terms ‘voluntarily giving up membership’ and ‘political party’ are definedd; and that a time frame is laid down for decisions on the anti-defection cases.
Source: Shodhganga

The Supreme Court’s constitution bench, in its judgment in Public Interest Foundation & Others v Union of India, 2018 explains its limitations in preventing those charged with heinous offences from becoming legislators and finds that Parliament alone is competent to do so.
It satisfies itself by appealing to Parliament to make a law for this purpose on priority and issues a few directions to the Election Commission and the political parties to make the disclosure of the criminal antecedents of candidates contesting elections sufficient and clear to the voters, so that the latter could be warned not to vote the candidates, charged with serious offences.
Source: The Hindu

The first meeting of the Governing Council of the NITI Aayog was held on 8th February, 2015 where the Hon’ble Prime Minister urged all Chief Ministers to work with the Centre to forge a model of cooperative federalism, whereby the Centre and the States – Team India – can come together to resolve differences, and chart a common course to progress and prosperity. In the spirit of cooperative federalism, therefore, the Governing Council had decided that the NITI Aayog would constitute three major Sub-Groups of Chief Ministers:
•RATIONALISATION OF CENTRALLY SPONSORED SCHEMES
•SKILL DEVELOPMENT
•SWACHH BHARAT ABHIYAN
In addition, it was also decided that the States will set up two Task Forces under the leadership of the NITI Aayog:
•Agriculture Development
•Poverty Elimination
Source: The Hindu

Jayprakash Narayan on behalf of the Citizens For Democracy had appointed a committee to study and report on scheme for electoral reforms in 1974. The members of the committee were V.M. Tarkunde, M.R. Masai, etc. and it is known as J.P. Committee or Tarkunde committee. The important recommendations of the Tarkunde Committee are as follows:
•The election commission should be a three member body.
•The minimum age of voting should be 18 years.
•The TV and radio should be placed under the control of autonomous statutory corporation.
•A voter’s council should be formed in as many constituencies as possible which can help in free and fair election.
Source: Laxmikanth

The trafficking of wildlife is increasingly recognized as both a specialized area of organized crime and a significant threat to many plant and animal species.
•The World Wildlife Crime Report (UNODC) takes stock of the present wildlife crime situation with a focus on illicit trafficking of specific protected species of wild fauna and flora, and provides a broad assessment of the nature and extent of the problem at the global level.
•It includes a quantitative market assessment and a series of in-depth illicit trade case studies.
Source: The Hindu

According to Article 51 A, it shall be the duty of every citizen of India:
•to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem;
•to cherish and follow the noble ideals that inspired the national struggle for freedom;
•to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India;
•to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities and to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women;
•to value and preserve the rich heritage of the country’s composite culture;
•to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures;
•to develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform;
•to safeguard public property and to abjure violence;
To promote the welfare of the people by securing a social order permeated by justice—social, economic and political—and to minimize inequalities in income, status, facilities and opportunities is a Directive Principles of State Policy.
Source: Laxmikanth

When the legislatures of two or more states pass resolutions requesting the Parliament to enact laws on a matter in the State List, then the Parliament can make laws for regulating that matter.
•A law so enacted applies only to those states which have passed the resolutions.
•However, any other state may adopt it afterwards by passing a resolution to that effect in its legislature.
•Such a law can be amended or repealed only by the Parliament and not by the legislatures of the concerned states.
•Some examples of laws passed under the above provision are Prize Competition Act, 1955; Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972; Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976; and Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994.
Source: Laxmikanth