Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday tightened norms related to public deposit acceptance by HFCs.

• Ceiling for quantum of public deposits has been reduced from 3 times to 1.5 times of HFC’s net owned fund (NoF).

About HFCs:

• They are corporate entities incorporated under Companies Act, 1956.
• Aim: providing housing loans and finance in a streamlined manner.
• Regulation: Regulated by the RBI. (earlier regulated by National Housing Bank (NHB))
• Types: Deposit-taking HFCs and Non-deposit taking HFCs
• There are 97 HFCs in the country.
• Advantages: Flexible loan approval compared to banks, consideration of lower credit scores.

Recently, Amrit Gyan Kosh portal and Faculty Development portal were launched under Mission Karmayogi.

• Amrit Gyan Kosh portal: A shared learning resources knowledge bank for access to India-centric case studies.
• Faculty Development portal: Training of Practitioners and faculties for better delivery of knowledge to civil servants.

National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (Mission Karmayogi):

• Launched in 2020, it aims to create a competent civil service rooted in Indian ethos.
• It has six key pillars including Policy Framework, Institutional Framework, Competency Framework, Digital Learning Framework (iGOT-Karmayogi), the electronic Human Resource Management System (e-HRMS) and the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. 

Researchers claim that present limits of daily exposure to silica dust can pose serious risks of developing silicosis.

• Permissible Exposure Limit for silica dust in India is set at 0.15 mg/m³, which is high.

About silicosis:

• It is a long-term lung disease, caused by prolonged inhaling of crystalline silica dust.
• It causes hardening of lungs, shortness of breath and can be fatal.
• Silicosis is a progressive disease and has no cure.

About Silica:

• Silica is naturally found in various types of rocks like quartz, soil etc.
• Industries associated: Construction, mining, oil and gas extraction, pottery and sculpting, glass manufacturing etc.

Researchers developed a transparent conducting interface between two insulating materials using spintronics. 

• This breakthrough can significantly speed up data transfer between different parts of electronic devices and increase amount of data that can be stored in quantum devices.

About Spintronics

• It is a technology that utilizes both the intrinsic spin of an electron as well as its charge in transport devices. 
• Spintronic systems are of particular interest in field of quantum computing, nano-electronic devices and modern electronic storage devices. 

Researchers have discovered anti-diabetic medicinal herb Gurmar on Gaya’s Brahmayoni Hill.

About Gurmar 

• It is a slow-growing, perennial, woody climber found in central and southern India and tropical Africa.
• Pharmacological Properties: 
  • Gymnemic acid an active component isolated from leaves of G. sylvestre has antiobesity and antidiabetic properties;
    • It causes decrease in body weight and inhibits glucose absorption.
• Applications: 
  • Used in dietary supplements for  reducing body weight, blood cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.
  • Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) utilized Gurmar to develop anti-diabetic drug BGR-34.

• Earlier, first diabetes drug Metformin was also derived from a medicinal plant, Galega.

Ministry of Education released the 9th edition of National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2024

About NIRF

• Launched in 2015
• It outlines a methodology to rank educational institutions across the country.
• Five parameters: Teaching, Learning and Resources, Research and Professional Practices, Graduation Outcomes, Outreach and Inclusivity, and Perception.
• Implementing Agency: National Board of Accreditation (NBA)  in collaboration with the INFLIBNET Centre in Gandhinagar
• New addition for ranking: Open Universities, State Public Universities and Skill Universities
• IIT Madras is best education institution in country for sixth time(Since 2019), followed by IISC Bangalore.

Recently some experts have raised concern of Technological doping.

About Technological doping:

• Technology doping is the practice of gaining a competitive advantage using sports equipment.
• E.g. Speedo LZR Racer swimsuits of 2008 Olympic (Later banned)
• Regulation: World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) considers prohibiting technologies if they are “performance-enhancing” or “being against the spirit of the sport”.

Geneva Conventions of 1949, the cornerstone of international humanitarian law, completed 75 years of their adoption. 

• Four Geneva conventions and their additional protocols contain most important rules limiting the barbarity of war. Four Conventions protects:
  • Wounded and sick soldiers on land.
  • Wounded, sick and shipwrecked military personnel at sea.
  • Prisoners of war.
  • Civilians, including those in occupied territory.
• Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005 supplement the conventions. 
• India has ratified all four Geneva conventions 1949.