14th Indo-US Joint Special Forces exercise ‘Ex Vajra Prahar’ commenced at Umroi, MeghalayaThe 14th edition of the India – United States of America(USA) Joint Special Forces exercise, Vajra Prahar, commenced at the Joint Training Node in Umroi Cantonment, located in Ri Bhoi district of the north eastern state of Meghalaya. 

• The 2023 edition is a 21-day (3-week) training program happening from 21st November 2023 to 11th December 2023.

Representatives:
i.The Indian Army (IA) contingent is led by Special Forces personnel from the Eastern Command.
ii.The US contingent is being represented by personnel from the 1st Special Forces Group (SFG) of US Special Forces.
Course of Actions:
i.The Indian & US army will jointly plan and rehearse a series of Special Operations, Counter Terrorist Operations, Air Borne operations in simulated conventional and unconventional scenarios in mountainous terrain.
ii.The exercise will also witness

• Combat free fall insertion of troops from stand-off distances
• Water borne insertion of troops
• Precision engagement of targets at long ranges
• Combat air controlling of fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft
• Airborne insertion and sustenance of troops

About Vajra Prahar:
i.Exercise Vajra Prahar is an annual exercise between India and the US to share the best practices and experiences in areas such as joint mission planning and operational tactics.
ii.It is also a platform to enhance interoperability and strengthen defence cooperation between the armies of India and USA.
Phases:
The exercise was conducted in two phases:

• Phase 1 – Combat conditioning and tactical-level special mission training exercises.
• Phase 2 – Validation of training received by the joint forces in Phase 1 through a 48-hour exercise.

Previous Edition:
i.The 13th edition of this exercise was conducted at the Special Forces Training School (SFTS), Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh (HP).
ii.The first edition of the joint exercise was conducted in 2010.

State Educational Achievement Survey 2023 by PARAKH conducted SuccessfullyThe State Educational Achievement Survey (SEAS) 2023 was successfully conducted on 3rd November 2023 among students in grades 3, 6, and 9 to identify areas where learning needs improvement.

• This is the 1st  survey conducted by the Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development (PARAKH), the national assessment regulator.

Objective:
To assess the learning competencies of students at the end of each educational stage, i.e., foundational, preparatory, and middle with a primary focus on Language and Mathematics
Assessment:
The SEAS 2023 surveyed 80 lakh students, 6 lakh teachers, and over 3 lakh field investigators in 5917 blocks across India. All states and Union Territories(UTs), excluding six states – Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan and West Bengal (WB), participated in the survey.

• Using scientific procedures, competency assessments were conducted through a paper-pen-based approach with OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) technology for precise and efficient data acquisition and validation.

Points to note:
i.The survey was conducted in collaboration with National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi, under the aegis of the Ministry of Education (MoE) to track the learning progress.
ii.The State Councils of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) were responsible for organising the survey in the sampled schools in their respective states.
Key Points:
i.This survey will unveil crucial insights, laying the foundation for evidence-based policies to enhance education quality.
ii.It should be noted that in SEAS 2023  the sample size was expanded to block level from distrcit level to reach more students to assess learning gaps.
iii.It also integrated teachers’ professional development programs at the block level
About PARAKH:
It was set up in January 2023 by NCERT on the lines of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to establish guidelines, standards, and norms for student assessment and evaluation for all recognized school boards in India.

• It will also guide the State Achievement Survey (SAS) and undertake the National Achievement Survey (NAS); monitor achievement of learning outcomes.
• It also support and guide school boards in adapting their assessment methods to align with the 21st-century skill needs.

Kerala RT Mission Selected for UNWTO’s Global List of Case StudiesResponsible Tourism (RT) Mission of Kerala was selected for the global list of Case Studies of United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). UNWTO’s recognition will further inspire Kerala’s RT mission to promote eco-friendly tourism.

• Apart from Kerala’s RT Mission, Maharashtra’s  Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve project is the only other Indian case study to be featured in this UNWTO list.
• The 2 Indian case studies are among the 7 G20 (group of 20) countries to feature on UWTO list which includes Mexico, Germany, Mauritius, Turkey, Italy, Brazil and Canada, being the others.

Key Points:
i.UNWTO noted that Kerala’s RT mission promotes the travel industry in Kerala and upholds the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the UN.
ii.Kerala’ was recognised for its efforts in using local resources and products to boost its tourism industry.
Kerala RT Mission:
i.Kerala RT Mission was launched on 20th October 2017 by Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister (CM) of Kerala.
ii.This is the nodal agency formed by the Government of Kerala to spread and implement the ideologies and initiatives of Responsible Tourism across Kerala.
iii.This is also the State Nodal Agency tasked by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, for the implementation of its Rural Tourism Development Project.
About United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO):
Secretary-General– Zurab Pololikashvili
Headquarters– Madrid, Spain
Establishment– 1975

SEBI Chief Madhabi Buch Introduces IRRA PlatformMadhabi Puri Buch, the Chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), has officially launched the Investor Risk Reduction Access (IRRA) platform at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). 
The IRRA platform, initiated by Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs) under SEBI’s guidance, aims to reduce risks faced by investors in the event of technical glitches at Trading Member (TM) ends, both at the Primary and Disaster Recovery sites.
SEBI Eases Regulations for Holders of Physical Securities Without PAN and KYC Detail
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), the capital markets regulator, announced the elimination of the requirement to freeze folios lacking PAN, KYC details, and nominations for all holders of physical securities.
This regulatory change, designed to simplify procedures, will be implemented immediately, according to a circular from Sebi. The decision follows input from the Registrars’ Association of India and investors.
SEBI Grants Approval to Unifi Capital for the Launch of Mutual Fund Business
Portfolio management firm Unifi Capital announced that it has received in-principle approval from the capital markets regulator, Sebi, to establish a mutual fund house. The company had submitted an application to Sebi in December 2020 seeking a mutual fund license.
About SEBI:
Formed:  April 12, 1988
Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Chairperson: Madhabi Puri Buch

India’s GDP likely grew 7% in Q2FY24: ICRA ProjectionAccording to the ICRA Limited (formerly Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency of India Limited), India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the second quarter of FY 2024 (Q2FY24) is estimated to grow at 7%, surpassing the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC) forecast of 6.5%. However, this growth was 7.8% in (April to June 2023) Q1FY24.

• The Gross Value Added (GVA) growth will ease to 6.8% in (July-September 2023) Q2, driven by the services sector at 8.2%, agriculture at 3.5%, and industry at 6.6%.
• ICRA maintains a GDP growth estimate of 6% for FY24, projecting a slightly lower figure than the MPC’s projection of 6.5%.

Highlights:
i.The challenges including commodity prices, potential government Capital Expenditure (Capex) slowdown, weak external demand, and cumulative impacts of monetary tightening may contribute to lower GDP growth in Q2.
ii.Despite challenges, investment activity remained robust, as evidenced by a year-on-year growth in seven out of eleven investment-related indicators in Q2 compared to Q1.

• The YoY (Year-on-Year) growth in the remaining four indicators weakened in Q2FY24 relative to Q1.

iii.The Centeral Government Gross Capex increased by 26.4% annually to Rs 2.1 lakh crore in Q2, although this was lower than the Rs 2.8 lakh crore observed in Q1.
iv.Aggregate capital outlay and net lending by 25 states rose to Rs 1.7 lakh crore in Q2 from Rs 1.2 lakh crore in Q1, with the pace of expansion halving to 33.5%.
v.GVA growth in the highway construction sub-sector is estimated to have eased to 7% in Q2FY24 from 7.9% in Q1FY24.
About ICRA Limited:
Managing Director & Group CEO of ICRA– Ramnath Krishnan
Headquarters– Gurugram, Haryana
Established in 1991

Fire Bird, Authored by Perumal Murugan & Translated by Janani Kannan won JCB Prize for Literature 2023Fire Bird, originally written in Tamil as “Aalanda Patchi” by renowned Tamil Writer Perumal Murugan won the 2023 JCB Prize for Literature. The book was translated into English by Janani Kannan and was published by Penguin Random House India.

• The book explores themes of displacement and the human desire for stability in a changing world.
• Fire Bird is the 5th translated work to win JCB Prize for Literature.

Note: Aalanda Patchi was first published in 2012 by Kalachuvadu Publications Pvt Ltd
About JCB Prize for Literature :
The JCB Prize for Literature, established in 2018, is an annual award presented to a distinguished work of fiction by an Indian author.
The prize is funded by JCB, the global construction equipment manufacturer, and administered by the JCB Literature Foundation.
Prize:

• The author of the winning book receives a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh cash prize and a trophy, “Mirror Melting” designed by artist duo Thukral and Tagra.
• Rs 10 lakhs will be awarded to the translator.

2023 Shortlisted books:

• “Fire Bird” by Perumal Murugan(translated from Tamil by Janani Kannan )
• “The Secret of More” by Tejaswini Apte-Rahm,
• “The Nemesis” by Manoranjan Byapari (translated from Bengali by V. Ramaswamy),
• “Mansur” by Vikramajit Ram,
• “I Named my Sister Silence” by Manoj Rupda (translated from Hindi by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar).

Authors of the shortlisted books will receive Rs 1 lakh and the translators will receive Rs 50,000.
About Perumal Murugan:
i.Perumal Murugan was a professor of Tamil at the Government Arts College in Salem Attur and Namakkal.
ii.He has written 12 novels, 6 collections of short stories, 6 anthologies of poetry, and many non-fiction books. Around 10 of his novels were translated into English.
Noted works: Seasons of the Palm, One Part Woman, A Lonely Harvest, Trail by Silence, Poonachi or the Story of a Goat, Resolve, Estuary, Rising Heat, and Pyre.

Former Indian Cricketer Sourav Ganguly Named Brand Ambassador of BengalMamata Banerjee, Chief Minister (CM) of West Bengal (WB) named former Indian cricketer and Padma Shir Awardee Sourav Ganguly as the “Brand Ambassador of Bengal” and handed over the Appointment letter.

• The announcement was made during the 7th edition of the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS 2023) held in in Kolkata(WB).

Note: Prior to this appoinment, renowned Bollywood Actor Shah Rukh Khan has been serving as the brand amnassador of Bengal since 2012.
About Sourav Ganguly:
i.Sourav Ganguly, populaly known as “Dada” or “Prince of Kolkata”, represented India from 1992 to 2008.

• He made his One Day International (ODI) debut in 1992 against West Indies and test debut in 1996 against England at the Lord’s in London (the United Kingdom).
• He played a total of 311 ODIs and scored 11363 runs and 113 Test matches and scored 7212 runs.

ii.He became the captain of the Indian Cricket team in 1999 and continued till 2005.
iii.From 2015 to October 2019, he was the President of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).
iv.He became the 35th President of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in October 2019 and served until 2022.
Records:
i.He holds the record for registering the highest individual score by any batsman in an ICC Champions Trophy final (117) in 2002 against England.
ii.He holds the highest individual score by an Indian batsman (183 not out) in the Cricket World Cup in 1999 against Sri Lanka.
Awards:
i.In 1998, he received the Arjuna Award(Cricket), for his outstanding achievements in sports.
ii.In 2004, he was honoured with the Padma Shri in the field of Sports.
Additonal info:

• In May 2023, Ganguly was appointed as the brand ambassador of Tripura Tourism.
• In March 2023, Bengali actor and Trinamool Congress (TMC) member Deepak (Dev) Adhikari, Member of Parliament(Lok Sabha) from Ghatal constituency, was named the brand ambassador of Bengal’s tourism department.

Lakshmi Ramakrishna Srinivas appointed as Additional Director of South Indian Bank
Lakshmi Ramakrishna Srinivas was appointed as the Additional Director of the South Indian Bank Limited, a Private Sector Bank headquartered in Thrissur, Kerala. She was appointed as a non-executive Independent Director (ID) for a 3-year term from November 20, 2023.

• Lakshmi Ramakrishna Srinivas started her banking career as a Probationary Officer(PO) in State Bank of India(SBI) in 1985 and retired as the Chief General Manager & Head-Strategic Training Unit(STU), SBI in June 2023.
• She also served as Director of State Bank Staff College (SBSC), Hyderabad, Telangana.
• She had also served as the Vice President (Credit) at SBI’s New York branch in the United States of America (USA).

About South Indian Bank:
MD & CEO– P R Seshadri
Tagline– Experience Next-Generation Banking
Established in 1929

CCI Approved for Titan’s Additional Stake-Buy in CaratLane
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of 27.18% share capital of CaratLane Trading Private Limited (CaratLane) by Titan Company Limited (Titan) on a fully diluted basis, from Mithun Padam Sacheti, Siddhartha Padam Sacheti, and Padamchand Sacheti.

• Titan has acquired 91.90 lakh equity shares in CaratLane for a cash consideration of Rs 4621 crore.
• This acquisition increased Titan’s stake in CaratLane to 98.28% from 71.09%.

CaratLane is a subsidiary of Titan and has been in a strategic vendor relationship with Tanishq since 2010. It was founded in 2008 by Mithun Sacheti.

• Titan had first invested in CaratLane in 2016. Between 2016 and 2019, Titan bought shares of CaratLane in tranches through a secondary purchase of shares.
• The deal ranks as the second-largest exit for an e-commerce founder.

DRDO & Indian Navy Conducts 2nd Flight-test of ‘NASM-SR’ from SeaKingOn 21st November 2023, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in cooperation with the Indian Navy (IN) successfully tested the indigenously designed & developed Guided Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Short Range (NASM-SR) from IN’s Seaking 42B Maritime Helicopter.

• This marked the 2nd test of the missile, which was first tested at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Balasore, Odisha on 18 May 2022, from an IN Seaking Mk42B helicopter.
• The test involved the firing of the missile from a Seaking 42B helicopter, showcasing its precision guidance technology.

Naval Anti-Ship Missile – Short Range (NASM-SR):
i.The NASM-SR was first revealed to the public in 2018 in the Lok Sabha by then-Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (now Union Minister, Ministry of Finance).
ii.It is a helicopter-fired missile capable of destroying small boats or Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) at a maximum range of 55 kilometers while traveling at 0.8 Mach (slower than the speed of sound).
iii.It is the first indigenous air-launched anti-ship missile system developed for the Indian Navy and is India’s version of the Harpoon Anti-Ship Missile.
iv.It is a 380-kilogram projectile used initially with the IN Seaking helicopters, replacing the earlier Sea Eagle missiles.
Note:

• ‘SR’, or Short Range, means that the development of other longer-range versions is expected as well.
• The long-range version of the NASM may have a range excess of 150 km, enabling engagement of hostile targets from stand-off distances.

Key Points:
i.NASM-SR has an imaging infra-red seeker, which would home in on the heat emissions of its targets.
ii.The weapon would have a warhead of 100kg, capable of sinking patrol boats and damaging larger warships.
iii.The Explosively Formed Penetrator (EFP) warhead, despite its compact 100-kilogram size, is capable of destroying large ships if the missile hits the area of the ship where ammunition or fuel is stored.
iv.The missile uses an imaging infrared seeker (IIR) in its terminal phase to locate and destroy its target.
v.After the retirement of Seaking Mk42B helicopters, which are reaching the end of their operational life, the NASM-SR missile will be integrated with the newly acquired MH-60R helicopters from the United States of America (USA).

Nidirana Noadihing: New Frog Species Discovered in Arunachal
A new species of music frog ‘Nidirana Noadihing’ (Noa-Dihing music frog) was discovered near the Namdapha Tiger Reserve in Gandhigram, Arunachal Pradesh.

• It was published in the November 15 edition of the Science journal Zootaxa.
• The new species was named after the Noa-Dihing River, which is near where the specimens were discovered.
• The discovery of the Noa-Dihing music frog validates the presence of the genus Nidirana from India.

About Nidirana Noadihing:
i.The new frog is distinct from its congeners in several ways, including its size, its oval toe tips, the tubercles on its back, and its unique call.
ii.The fog inhabits in swamps, ponds, and paddy fields.
iii.They often construct nests to lay their eggs.
iv.Nidirana species frogs are found in Japan, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand.
Appearance:
i.The frog’s body is robust, with males measuring between approximately 1.8 inches and 2.3 inches long and females measuring between about 2.4 inches and 2.6 inches long.
ii.They have a rounded snout and smooth skin with bony protrusions on their backs.
iii.The frogs have a pale cream line bordered with dark brown running down the center of their bodies.
iv.They have irregularly shaped and sized spots on their eyelids, and they have dark stripes around their eyes.
v.The frogs’ throat, forelimbs, thighs, and lower legs are light brown and pinkish.
vi.Their groin and the outside of their thighs are pale yellow with irregular dark olive patches.
vii.Their cream-colored chest and belly have a golden tinge.
Research Team:
The discovery was made by a team of scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (Uttarakhand), the University of Wolverhampton (United Kingdom – UK), and the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department.
Additional Info:
i.The species was also discovered in 2022 in the surrounding marshy habitat of Glaw Lake in the Kamlang Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh.
ii.This new finding marks the third consecutive discovery of new species of amphibians from Namdapha Tiger Reserve in 2023.

ICC Introduces Stop Clock in Men’s ODI and T20I Cricket to Regulate Time Taken Between OversThe International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced a “stop clock” in men’s One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket matches to regulate the time taken between overs.

• This announcement was one of the decisions, made at a board meeting of ICC at Ahmedabad(Gujarat) on 20th November 2023.

About the Stop Clock rule:
i.The bowling teams in men’s ODIs and T20Is will be imposed a five-run penalty if the bowler fails to bowl the next over within 60 seconds after the completion of the previous over for the third time in an innings.
ii.The Stop Clock will be introduced on a trial basis from December 2023 to April 2024.
iii. The stop clock rule is set to improve the pace of the game and enhance the spectator experience.
Equal pay for female match officials:
i.ICC also announced equal match-day pay for both female and male umpires from January 2024.

• This initiative promotes gender equality in cricket.

Gender eligibility regulation:
i.According to new gender eligibility regulation, male-to-female participants who have undergone male puberty will not be eligible to compete in the international women’s game, irrespective of any surgical or gender reassignment treatment they may have undertaken.

• By the new rule, transgender players are not able to play in women’s international cricket.

ii.Following this ICC decision, Australian-born transgender cricketer Danielle McGahey who played for Canada announced her retirement from international cricket.

• Danielle McGahey was the first transgender cricketer to take part in an official international match when she played for Canada against Brazil in September 2023.

Key Points:
i.The Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) of ICC has recommended the inclusion of at least one neutral umpire in every series of the ICC Women’s Championship, in line with the long-standing practice in men’s international cricket.
ii.ICC also approved the following Changes to the pitch and outfield monitoring regulations.

• Simplification of the criteria for pitch assessment
• An increase in the threshold for when a venue might lose its international status, from five to six demerit points over a five-year period.

Padma Awardee Dr SS Badrinath, founder of Sankara Nethralaya Passed Away Padma Awardee and an eminent vitreoretinal surgeon, Sengamedu Srinivasa (SS) Badrinath, the founder of Sankara Nethralaya Academy, passed away at the age of  83 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He was born on 24th February 1940 in Triplicane, Madras Presidency (Now Chennai, TN).
About SS Badrinath:
i.SS Badrinath started his career as a fellow in the vitreoretinal services of Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, United States of America (USA) in 1968.
ii.After moving to India, he worked at Voluntary Health Services (VHS), Adyar, Chennai(TN), as a consultant for six years(1970-76).
iii.He set up his private practice in ophthalmology and vitreoretinal surgery at the H.M. Hospital (1970 to 1972) and Vijaya Hospital, Chennai (1973 to 1978).
v.In 1978, he founded Sankara Nethralaya Academy, a unit of the Medical Research Foundation.

• He also served as President & Chairman Emeritus of Medical Research Foundation.

vi.He was a consultant in ophthalmology to the Armed Forces of India and a non-official member of the Armed Forces Medical Research Committee.
Awards & Recognition:
i.The Government of India honored him with Padma Shri, 4th highest civilian award in 1983 and Padma Bhushan, 3rd highest civilian award in 1999 for his contribution in the filed of Medicine.
ii.He is also the recipient of Dr B. C. Roy National Award (1991).
iii.In 2010, He became the 1st Indian to receive the Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) award.

• The award is institutionalized in 1902 by the University of Missouri, United States of America(USA) awards to recognise the achievements of individuals in their roles as citizens and leaders.

World Children’s Day 2023- November 20 The United Nations’ (UN) Universal Children’s Day or World Children’s Day is annually observed across the globe on 20 November to promote international togetherness, and awareness among children worldwide, and improve children’s welfare.

• It is a global initiative promoting children’s rights, safety, education, health, and happiness.

The 2023 campaign Theme of World Children’s Day is, “For every child, every right.”

• World Children’s Day is the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)’s annual day of action for children, by children.

Background:
i.On 14 December 1954, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution A/RES/836(IX) and recommended that with effect from 1956, all countries institute a Universal Children’s Day, fostering global fraternity among children.
ii.It also recommended that the Day was to be observed as a day of activity dedicated to promoting the ideals of the UN Charter and the well-being of children worldwide.
About United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF):
Executive Director– Catherine Russell
Headquarters– New York, USA
Established on– 11 December 1946.
In 1953, UNICEF became a permanent part of the UN.

Africa Industrialization Day 2023 – November 20The United Nations (UN)’s Africa Industrialization Day is annually observed across the globe on 20th November to highlight the critical importance of Industrial development for sustained and inclusive economic growth in African countries.