Daily Current Affairs | March 20 2025

1) Privacy Concerns with APAAR ID

• Activists and parents are worried about the rapid push by schools to generate an APAAR ID.

• APAAR(Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) is National Education Policy (NEP), 2020's record-keeping reforms, and while it is voluntary, States and school authorities have pushed students to enrol in it.

About APAAR

• It is a program that generates a 12 digit unique student ID and consolidates all academic records, making them accessible via DigiLocker under the ‘One Nation, One Student ID’ initiative.

• Launched under NEP 2020 and National Credit and Qualifications Framework (NCrF).

• It creates a permanent academic record of a student on Digilocker, covering school and higher education students across India.

• The scheme is voluntary and parental consent is required in case of minors.

Pros and Cons

• Pros :

  • Seamless Student Transition - To streamline academic record-keeping and facilitate seamless student transitions between institutions.

  • Better Record Keeping - To promote multiple entry-exit systems, track academic and co-curricular achievements, and enable transparent educational data management.

  • Career Support - Facilitates job applications, skilling, and higher education admissions.

  • Policy Tracking - Enables policymakers to assess educational outcomes across regions.

• Cons : Data privacy concerns; Officially voluntary, but states and education authorities are pushing for it; technical glitches with respect to Aadhaar integration, etc.

2) PEPSU Muzhara Movement

• March 19 commemorates the anniversary of the Muzhara movement, a significant agrarian struggle in Punjab.

• The movement began in the 1930s in villages of the erstwhile princely state of Patiala.

• Patiala and other princely states of Punjab were reorganised into Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) after 1947.

• This movement continued in the erstwhile PEPSU state after independence and was renamed as PEPSU Muzhara Movement.

About Muzharas

• The muzharas were landless tenant farmers seeking ownership rights on the land they had cultivated for generations.

• Muzharas were targeted by an oppressive feudal system that involved the participation of the landlords of the village.

• Biswedars(landlords) demanded 1/3rd of the produce from Muzharas, from which a share was given to King, who in turn paid some share to the British.

Muzhara Movement

• This system left the peasantry in slavery and exploitation, preventing them from enjoying the full benefits of their labour.

• So Muzharas launched a struggle to to get ownership rights of the land they farmed.

• Even after independence, the biswedars continued demanding their share, but the movement intensified.

• By 1952, land reforms were implemented, finally granting ownership rights to tenant farmers.

• Why March 19 ?

  • In March 1949, biswedars attempted to reclaim land cultivated by muzharas.

  • However, they ran into stiff resistance in Kishangarh village

  • The situation became so intense that army was called on March 19 and it surrounded the village, resulting in death of 4 Muzharas.

3) Rashtriya Gokul Mission

• The Union Cabinet has revised the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) with budget of ₹3,400 crore.

• The additional outlay for the scheme for a period between 2021-22 to 2025-26 will be ₹1,000 crore.

About the Mission

• It is an initiative, launched in 2014, for development & conservation of indigenous bovine breeds to enhance milk productivity.

• Implementing by Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying.

• It is a 100% grant-in-aid scheme by Central Government with few exceptions.

• Objectives - Conserve indigenous breeds; enhance milk productivity; improve cattle breeding and expand artificial insemination; and reduce disease burden among cattle.

4) Samarth Incubation Initiative

• Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT), an autonomous Telecom R&D centre of Department of Telecommunication (DoT), launches first cohort of Incubation Program named as “Samarth” with a focus on fostering innovation and promoting technological advancements in India’s telecommunications and IT sectors.

• The official implementation partner for this program is Software Technology Parks of India (STPI).

About SAMARTH

• The program has a maximum cohort size of 18 startups per program, with a total of 36 startups across two cohorts of six months each.

• Start-ups must be recognised by DPIIT.

• The program will be delivered in a hybrid mode.

• Access to world-class infrastructure, grants up to Rs 5 lakh, expert mentorship, and access to a network of investors and industry leaders, will be provided to these start-ups.

Benefits

• Innovation - It will lead to to R&D, innovation, start-ups and product/IP creation in the field of emerging technologies like IoT, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Computer Vision, Robotics etc.

• Boost to Economy and Job Creation - It will connect people, support collaboration, attract investors and ultimately strengthen the startups community for creating a pipeline of future job-creating businesses.

5) Use of Sonic Weapons

• Serbia’s President has denied that his police forces used a banned ‘sonic weapon’ to disperse protesters in Belgrade.

• Serbia is currently witnessing mass protests against Vucic and his government over several issues, including allegations of widespread corruption and nepotism.

About Sonic Weapons

• Acoustic or sonic weapons are devices that deliver very loud sounds over long distances.

• They can be designed to emit painful audible or inaudible sound waves

• How they work - Hundreds of transducers are used to convert energy into focussed directional sound waves.

• A narrow beam ensures targeted impact without spreading in all directions.

• Authorities can adjust frequency, volume, and direction to target specific areas.

Impact of Sonic Weapons on Health

• Hearing Damage - Prolonged exposure above 120 dB can cause permanent hearing loss.

• Tinnitus - Continuous loud sound causes ringing in the ears that can last for hours or days.

• Physical Symptoms - Includes headaches, nausea, sweating, vertigo, and disorientation.

• Severe Injury - In extreme cases, may lead to vomiting and bleeding from the ears.

• Indiscriminate Effect - Can harm not just protesters but also bystanders and enforcement personnel.