Foreign Higher Educational Institution prohibited from offering any programmes in India without the prior approval of the Commission
It has also come to the notice of UGC that some EdTech companies are giving advertisements in newspapers social media/television etc. offering degree and diploma programmes in Online modes in association with some foreign universities/institutions. Such a franchisee arrangement is not permissible and any such programme/degree shall not have UGC recognition.
UGC has issued an appeal to Higher Educational Institutions that have not constituted an Internal Complaint Committee
The UGC has repeatedly advised HEIs to constitute an Internal complaint committee in the institutions under their administrative control to deal with gender-based violence and conduct gender sensitization programmes. The HEIs have also been requested to display the names and contact details of the members of the ICC on notice boards in the institutions and their website.
Banking shall continue to be treated as a public utility service
The Banking industry shall be a public utility service for the purposes of the Industrial Disputes Act for a period of six months with effect from the 15th December, 2023.
Cycle and Rickshaw Tyres and Tubes (Quality Control) Order, 2023
The Bureau of Indian Standards shall be the certifying and enforcing authority for the goods or articles. Any person who contravenes the provisions of this Order shall be punishable under the provisions of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016.
Efficiency Gains & Upgradation Initiatives in Power Sector
The Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy has underscored the importance of annual maintenance and periodic upkeep in ensuring the seamless operation of power plants, including thermal and hydro facilities. The Minister highlighted the continuous efforts in Renovation & Modernisation (R&M) and Upgradation as a cost-effective means of optimizing energy resources through efficiency improvements, better availability, and capacity augmentation.
Directives on Healthcare Professionals’ Involvement in E-Cigarette and HTP Research
The directive emphasizes that healthcare professionals associated with the NMC and IMA should refrain from initiating or participating in any research activities related to e-cigarettes and HTPs without obtaining the necessary approvals from the Directorate General of Health Services (Dte.GHS) and MoHFW.
Food Corporation of India Boosts Market Supply of Wheat & Rice
The government, in its latest initiative, has allocated 101.5 LMT (Lakh Metric Tonnes) of wheat for offloading under the Open Market Sales Scheme (Domestic). The reserve price for both FAQ wheat and URS wheat has been set at Rs. 2150/Qtl and Rs. 2125/Qtl, respectively. Since the commencement of the offloading on June 28, 2023, a total of 25 e-auctions have been conducted, resulting in the sale of 48.12 LMT of wheat in the open market.
PLI for High Efficiency Solar Panel Manufacturing
The event was jointly organized by the National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI), Solar Power Europe, and EU India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership. The Union Minister of State for New & Renewable Energy expressed optimism about the indigenous production of solar panels during his address at the inaugural session of the 1st India Solar Manufacturing Summit held in New Delhi.
Implementation of Smart Metering To Reduce Costs
The Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) guidelines mandate the deployment of smart meters through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) on a total expenditure (TOTEX) mode, ensuring a seamless transition and operational support to Distribution Companies (DISCOMS). The incorporation of prepaid smart metering for consumers and system metering at Feeder and Distribution Transformer levels streamlines energy accounting and auditing processes.
Measures to Enhance Railway Safety Standards
One major initiative is the Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) which is a fund dedicated to the replacement, renewal, and upgradation of critical safety assets. Other measures include Electrical/Electronic Interlocking Systems to eliminate accidents due to human failure, interlocking of Level Crossing (LC) gates and complete track circuiting of stations,
