Context

• When the Jaadui Pitara (magic box) was unveiled on February 20, 2023, by the Minister of Education, it marked a significant moment in the landscape of early childhood education in India.
• As children eagerly explored the box's contents, their reactions encapsulated the essence of play: wonder, curiosity, and joy.
• This moment of spontaneous engagement underscored a powerful truth: play is an essential and natural part of learning for children.

The Importance of Joyful Learning

• As the new school year begins, classrooms across India will resonate with the bright eyes, laughter, and occasional wails of children embarking on their educational journeys.
• It is imperative that these learning environments are welcoming, joyful, and playful.
• Play is not merely a pastime; it is a crucial tool for holistic development, encompassing physical, socio-emotional, language, cognitive, and cultural growth.
• Through play, children engage in exploration and experimentation within a safe and enjoyable space, developing curiosity and creativity.

Policy Initiatives Supporting Play-Based Learning

• National Education Policy (NEP) 2020
  • The NEP 2020 is a comprehensive framework that seeks to overhaul the Indian education system.
  • One of its significant contributions is the focus on early childhood care and education (ECCE).
  • The policy highlights the importance of the formative years (ages 3-8) in a child's life and acknowledges that traditional methods of rote learning are not conducive to the holistic development of young minds.
  • Instead, it advocates for learning environments that are engaging, inclusive, and play-based.
• National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage (NCF-FS) 2022
  • Building on the principles of the NEP 2020, the NCF-FS 2022 provides a detailed roadmap for the implementation of play-based learning for children aged 3-8.
  • This framework is designed to be flexible and adaptable, allowing states and educational institutions to tailor it to their specific contexts.

Key Features of NEP 2020 and NCF-FS 2022

• Emphasis on ECCE
  • Recognising the critical importance of the early years, the NEP 2020 proposes the establishment of a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy.
  • This mission aims to ensure that every child attains foundational literacy and numeracy by Grade 3.
  • The policy emphasises that foundational literacy should be achieved through a variety of activities, including play, art, stories, and music.
• Curriculum and Pedagogy Reform
  • The NEP 2020 advocates for a curriculum that is flexible, multi-faceted, and holistic.
  • It encourages the incorporation of play-based learning in the curriculum, moving away from the rigid and content-heavy frameworks of the past.
  • The policy suggests the integration of toys, games, puzzles, stories, and songs into everyday learning activities.
• Teacher Training and Professional Development
  • Recognising the pivotal role of teachers in implementing play-based learning, the NEP 2020 calls for extensive professional development programs.
  • These programs aim to equip educators with the skills and knowledge to create engaging and stimulating learning environments that encourage play and exploration.
• Holistic Development through Play
  • The NCF-FS 2022 firmly positions play at the centre of early childhood education.
  • It outlines a curriculum that integrates various forms of play, such as free play, guided play, and structured play.
  • This approach ensures that children develop cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills in a balanced and natural manner.
• Diverse Learning Activities
  • The framework includes a wide range of activities that promote learning through play.
  • These activities encompass storytelling, role-playing, arts and crafts, music and movement, and outdoor play.
  • By engaging in these activities, children develop critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, creativity, and social skills.
• Inclusive and Equitable Learning Environments
  • The NCF-FS 2022 emphasises creating inclusive learning environments that cater to the diverse needs of all children, including those with disabilities and those from marginalised communities.
  • Play-based learning is seen as an effective way to engage children from different backgrounds and abilities, fostering a sense of belonging and inclusivity.
• Assessment through Observation
  • Traditional methods of assessment, such as standardised tests, are not suitable for young children.
  • The NCF-FS 2022 advocates for assessment methods that are based on observation and documentation of children's progress during play and other activities.
  • This approach allows teachers to gain a deeper understanding of each child's development and tailor their teaching strategies accordingly.
• Community and Parental Involvement
  • The framework recognises the importance of involving parents and the community in the educational process.
  • It encourages schools to engage with parents and caregivers, providing them with resources and guidance to support play-based learning at home.
  • Community involvement is also seen as crucial in creating a supportive and enriching environment for children.

The Jaadui Pitara: A Symbol of Transformative Education, Features, Scientific Benefits and The Role of Play in Child Development

• The Launch of Jaadui Pitara
  • The Jaadui Pitara, launched by NCERT, symbolises the transformative nature of the NCF-FS.
  • It contains a diverse array of materials, from toys and games to storybooks and teacher handbooks, all designed to facilitate learning through play.
  • Each item in the Pitara is mapped to specific learning outcomes, ensuring that play is both enjoyable and educational.
  • The Pitara has been widely appreciated by stakeholders across the country, with efforts underway to customise its contents to local contexts.
• Embracing Technology with the e-Jaadui Pitara
  • Recognising the importance of technology in the digital era, the Ministry of Education introduced the e-Jaadui Pitara to complement the physical box.
  • This digital version aims to democratise access to educational resources through multiple channels, including computers, smartphones, television, and radio.
  • Caregivers can now engage with virtual assistants, leveraging generative AI, to facilitate play-based learning activities.
  • This integration of technology enhances the reach and impact of the Jaadui Pitara, making quality educational materials accessible to a broader audience.
• Scientific Insights on the Benefits of Play
  • Numerous studies on child development and brain research highlight the significance of play.
  • Play stimulates the prefrontal cortex, responsible for attention, problem-solving, and regulating social behaviour.
  • It promotes neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to form new neural connections, which is fundamental for learning and adaptation throughout life.
  • Additionally, play nurtures intuitive knowledge, essential for problem-solving and decision-making in complex and uncertain conditions.
• The Role of Play in Parenting and Child Development
  • International agencies like UNICEF underscore the role of play in parenting, emphasising its importance in building the foundation for children's growth and development from infancy.
  • During play,children make choices, experience wonder, and derive joy, fostering holistic development, creativity, and resilience.
  • For adults, play enhances mental health, cognition, and creativity and when parents and caregivers engage children in play, they celebrate the essence of play itself.

Conclusion

• In conclusion, the Jaadui Pitara and the principles of the NCF-FS represent a transformative approach to early childhood education in India.
• By integrating play into the curriculum, these initiatives recognize the profound impact of play on children's development.
• As we celebrate the new learning year, let us embrace play as a fundamental aspect of education, creating environments where children can thrive, learn, and develop.

Why in news?

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has joined Project Nexus, a multilateral initiative aimed at enabling instant cross-border retail payments by interlinking domestic Fast Payments Systems (FPSs).

Through this project, India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) will be connected with the FPSs of Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. The platform has the potential to be extended to additional countries in the future.

What’s in today’s article?

• Bank for International Settlements (BIS)
• Project Nexus

Bank for International Settlements (BIS)

• About: The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) is an international financial institution that serves as a bank for central banks, fostering international monetary and financial cooperation.
• Establishment: Founded in 1930, the BIS is the oldest global financial institution.
• Headquarters: Located in Basel, Switzerland
• Main Functions
  • Central Bank Cooperation - Facilitates collaboration among central banks and provides a platform for policy discussions and decision-making.
  • Financial Stability - Promotes monetary and financial stability through research, policy analysis, and the development of international standards.
  • Banking Services - Provides banking services to central banks and other international organizations, including gold and foreign exchange transactions.
  • Economic Research - Conducts research and analysis on global economic and financial issues, producing reports and publications.
• Importance
  • Coordination - Acts as a forum for central banks to collaborate on monetary policy and financial regulation.
  • Standard Setting - Plays a crucial role in setting international standards and guidelines to ensure the stability and resilience of the global financial system.
  • Crisis Management - Provides a platform for coordinated responses to global financial crises and economic challenges.
• Few notable works
  • Basel Accords
    • Basel I (1988) - Introduced a set of minimum capital requirements for banks, aimed at reducing credit risk.
    • Basel II (2004) - Expanded on Basel I by adding requirements for market risk and operational risk, emphasizing risk management.
    • Basel III (2010-2017) - Strengthened bank capital requirements, introduced new regulatory requirements on bank liquidity and leverage, and aimed to enhance the resilience of the banking sector in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis.
  • BIS Innovation Hub
    • Established to foster collaboration on financial technology (FinTech) and innovation among central banks, focusing on developing digital currencies, cybersecurity, and new financial technologies.
  • Financial Stability Board (FSB) Support
    • Played a crucial role in the establishment and support of the FSB, which coordinates international efforts to enhance global financial stability and regulatory reforms in response to the 2008 financial crisis.

Project Nexus

• Background
  • RBI has been working bilaterally with various countries to link India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with their Fast Payments Systems (FPSs) for cross-border Person to Person (P2P) and Person to Merchant (P2M) payments.
  • While these bilateral connections are beneficial, a multilateral approach could significantly enhance the international reach of Indian payment systems.
  • Currently, over 70 countries have instant payment systems that enable domestic payments to reach their destination in seconds at near-zero cost.
  • By interconnecting these systems, cross-border payments can be completed within 60 seconds in most cases.
• About
  • Project Nexus is conceptualised by the Innovation Hub of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).
  • It seeks to enhance cross-border payments by connecting multiple domestic instant payment systems (IPS) globally.
  • It is the first BIS Innovation Hub project in the payments area to move towards live implementation.
• Benefits
  • Project Nexus aims to standardize the interconnection of Instant Payment Systems (IPS).
  • Instead of each payment system operator creating custom connections for every new country, they can connect once to the Nexus platform.
  • This single connection enables access to all other countries on the network, potentially accelerating the growth of instant cross-border payments.
• Countries that have joined the platform
  • Project Nexus aims to connect the FPSs of four Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) — Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand; and India.
    • These countries would be the founding members and first mover countries of this platform.
  • Indonesia will also join the platform in future.

Why in news?

In the new Parliament Session, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi claimed for the second time that his microphone had been switched off during his address. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, however, clarified that presiding officers do not have any means to turn off members' microphones and objected to accusations against the Chair.

What’s in today’s article?

• Who controls the mic in Parliament?
• Previous row over muting mics
• Muting Mics and breach of privilege

Who controls the mic in Parliament?

• Microphone and Switch System in the House
  • Each MP has an assigned seat in the House. All the members have a microphone and switch set at their specific desks with allocated numbers.
  • According to the manual released by the Lok Sabha Secretariat in May 2014, the switch board has multiple switches in different colours.
• Activation of mic when an MP wants to speak
  • If an MP wants to speak in the House, they can raise their hand to notify the presiding officer and press the grey button.
  • The LED on microphones turns red when the mic is activated.
  • The microphone is activated from the control room only when the member has been permitted by the Speaker to speak.
• Control Room Operations
  • As per various media reports, both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have a chamber for sound technicians, who are part of the staff that transcribes and records the proceedings of Parliament.
  • The chamber has an electronic board with assigned seat numbers of the members.
  • Mics are turned on and off from this room, which has a glass facade through which the staff can see the presiding officers and the MPs.
  • Microphones are activated under the directions of the Chair of the Rajya Sabha/Lok Sabha. They are only turned on when a member is called by the Chair.
    • A member’s mic might be switched off if it is not their turn to speak.
• Speaking Rules and Time Limits
• In the Zero Hour, a three-minute time limit is given to a member, and when the three minutes are over, the microphone is automatically switched off.
• In cases of debates on bills, time is allocated for each party. The Chair adheres to this time and, at its discretion, grants one or two minutes for a member to complete.
• Only the Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman can direct the switching on and off of mics in special circumstances.
• In case of Special Mentions
  • In the case of Special Mentions, MPs have a limit of reading out 250 words. The moment it is read by the member, the microphone is switched off by the staff in the chamber.
    • Special Mentions allow Members of Parliament (MPs) to raise matters of public importance or grievances in the House without prior notice.
    • These mentions are used for issues that require the immediate attention of the government or the public.

Previous row over muting mics

• Last week, Rahul Gandhi claimed that his microphone was switched off as he tried to raise the issue of NEET irregularities.
• In July 2023, Congress chief and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, claimed that his microphone was switched off while he was speaking in the upper house.
• He described this incident as a breach of his privilege and an insult to his self-respect.

Muting Mics and breach of privilege

• Constitutional Provisions
  • Article 105: Defines the powers, privileges, and immunities of Parliament, its members, and committees.
  • Article 194: Defines similar powers, privileges, and immunities for State Legislatures, their members, and committees.
  • It is considered a breach of privilege and contempt of the House to make speeches or publish libel that reflects on the character or proceedings of the House, its Committees, or any member related to their character or conduct as a legislator.
• Lack of codification
  • The Constitution has accorded special privileges and powers to parliamentarians and legislators so as to maintain the dignity and authority of the Houses.
  • However, these powers and privileges are not codified.
  • Thus, there are no clear, notified rules to decide what constitutes a breach of privilege, and the punishment it attracts.

Why in the News?

The 16th Finance Commission (FC), under the chairmanship of Dr. Arvind Panagariya, focuses on devolution to local bodies, highlighting challenges in urban fiscal devolution in India.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Background (About FC, Composition, Functions, Role, etc.)
• News Summary

Background:

• Article 270 of the Constitution provides for the scheme of distribution of net tax proceeds collected by the Union government between the Centre and the States.
• The taxes that are shared between the Centre and the States include corporation tax, personal income tax, Central GST, the Centre’s share of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) etc.
• This division is based on the recommendation of the Finance Commission (FC) that is constituted every five years as per the terms of Article 280.
• Apart from the share of taxes, States are also provided grants-in-aid as per the recommendation of the FC.
• The divisible pool, however, does not include cess and surcharge that are levied by the Centre.

About Finance Commission:

• The FC is constituted every five years and is a body that is exclusively constituted by the Union Government.
• It consists of a chairman and four other members who are appointed by the President.
• The Finance Commission (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1951, has specified the qualifications for chairman and other members of the commission.
• The Union government has notified the constitution of the 16^th Finance Commission under the chairmanship of Dr. Arvind Panagariya for making its recommendations for the period of 2026-31.

Composition of the Finance Commission:

• Chairman: The Commission is headed by a Chairman who is selected from among individuals with experience in public affairs.
• Members: There are four other members who are appointed by the President of India. The qualifications for these members include:
  • A person who is or has been a judge of a High Court or qualified to be appointed as one.
  • A person with knowledge of finance and accounts of the government.
  • A person with experience in financial matters and administration.
  • A person with special knowledge of economics.

Functions of the Finance Commission:

• Distribution of Net Proceeds: Recommend how the net proceeds of taxes should be distributed between the Centre and the states, and the allocation of the same among the states.
• Grants-in-Aid: Determine the principles governing the grants-in-aid to the states by the Centre from the Consolidated Fund of India.
• Improving Fiscal Management: Suggest measures needed to augment the Consolidated Fund of a state to supplement the resources of the Panchayats and Municipalities in the state.
• Any Other Matter: Address any other matter referred to it by the President in the interests of sound finance.

Are Recommendations Made by the Commission Binding?

• The recommendations made by the Finance Commission are of an advisory nature only and therefore, not binding upon the government.
• It is up to the Government to implement its recommendations on granting money to the states.

Agenda of the 16th Finance Commission:

• The 16th Finance Commission (FC) has begun its work, primarily focusing on the devolution of the consolidated fund.
• Since the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments, local bodies have gained significant recognition within the federal system.
• These amendments introduced sub-clauses 280(3)(bb) and (c), which mandate the FC to recommend measures to augment State consolidated funds for supporting panchayats and municipalities.

About Urban Areas:

• Cities, contributing around 66% of India's GDP and 90% of government revenues, are crucial for national development.
• Despite their importance, financial support for urban areas remains insufficient.
• The World Bank estimates $840 billion is needed for urban infrastructure over the next decade.
• Intergovernmental transfers (IGTs) to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in India are only about 0.5% of GDP, significantly lower than in other developing countries.
• This inadequate financial devolution hampers city productivity and quality of life. IGTs, although vital, need to be more predictable and equitable to support ULBs effectively.

Need for Increase in IGTs:

• The introduction of the Goods and Service Tax (GST) has reduced ULBs’ tax revenue (excluding property tax) from about 23% in 2012-13 to around 9% in 2017-18.
• IGTs from States to ULBs are very low, with State Finance Commissions recommending only about 7% of States’ own revenue in 2018-19. Increasing the quantum of IGTs as a percentage of GDP is necessary.

Need for the Updated Census Data:

• Without the 2021 Census, relying on 2011 data for fiscal planning is inadequate.
• India has about 4,000 statutory towns, an equal number of Census towns, and around 23,000 villages that are essentially urban.
• The 16th Finance Commission must consider this and the migration to Tier-2 and 3 cities.
• The 15th FC’s principles need revisiting, particularly regarding property tax, GST alignment, pollution mitigation, primary healthcare, and essential services.
• The 16th FC should aim to double IGTs to urban areas.

Why in News?

A UK-based teenager has become the first person in the world to be fitted with a brain implant - deep brain stimulation (DBS) device, to help bring his epileptic seizures under control.

The DBS device sends electrical signals deep into the brain and has reportedly reduced his daytime seizures by 80%.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• What is Epilepsy?
• What is Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)?
• Other Alternatives to Treat Epilepsy
• How Popular is DBS?

What is Epilepsy?

• The word epilepsy simply means "seizure disorders."
  • Seizures are sudden surges of abnormal and excessive electrical activity in one’s brain and can affect how one appears or acts.
• Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes recurring, unprovoked seizures.
  • A person experiences jerking of arms and legs, temporary confusion, staring spells or stiff muscles during seizures.
  • It can increase the risk of accidents, drownings, and falling.
• The disease has no identifiable cause in nearly 50% of the cases.
  • However, head trauma, tumours in the brain, some infections like meningitis, or even genetics can lead to epilepsy.
• According to a 2022 Lancet study, between 3 and 11.9 per 1,000 people suffer from epilepsy in India.
• Although several anti-seizure medicines are available in the market, 30% of the patients remain resistant to treatment.

What is Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)?

• About: DBS is a neurosurgical procedure that uses implanted electrodes and electrical stimulation to treat movement disorders associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD), essential tremor, dystonia and other neurological conditions.
• Working:
  • DBS interrupts the irregular signals that cause tremors and other movement symptoms.
  • Neurosurgeons implant one or more wires/ leads inside the brain.
  • The leads are connected with an insulated wire extension to a very small neurostimulator (electrical generator) implanted under the person’s collarbone, similar to a heart pacemaker.
  • Continuous pulses of electric current from the neurostimulator pass through the leads and into the brain.
  • The doctor programs it to deliver an electrical signal and ensure that the current is properly adjusted to provide effective results.
  • In adjusting the device, the doctor seeks an optimal balance between improving symptom control and limiting side effects.

Other Alternatives to Treat Epilepsy:

• DBS is not the first line of treatment for epilepsy. Doctors first use anti-seizure medicines and a ketogenic diet, which is high in fats and low in carbohydrates.
• If that does not work, doctors can carry out brain surgery to remove a portion of the brain where the seizures originate.
• Another surgery called corpus callosotomy (doctors remove a part disallowing abnormal electrical signals to travel from one half of the brain to another) may be suggested in some children.

How Popular is DBS?

• Surgery is still preferable to implanting a DBS device.
  • This is because DBS devices available in the market reduce seizures by around 40%.
  • In comparison, seizures drop by nearly 90% if the patient undergoes surgery.
• DBS/ neurostimulators cost about Rs 12 lakh and there are additional surgical costs that one has to pay in private hospitals, increasing the cost to about Rs 17 lakh.
  • In comparison, a brain surgery costs between Rs 2 and 3 lakhs.
• Therefore, such devices should be suggested only for those who have epilepsy which originates from different parts of the brain (instead of one focal point), making operations less viable.

About Mars Odyssey:

• It was an early mission in NASA’s Mars Exploration Program.
• It was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on April 7, 2001.
• The Odyssey spacecraft has been orbiting Mars since 2001.
• Odyssey's original goals were to search for signs of water, make detailed maps of the planet’s surface materials and determine radiation levels for humans.
• The spacecraft holds the record for the longest continually active mission in orbit around a planet other than Earth. Its mission is scheduled to last until 2025.
• It created the first global map of chemical elements and minerals that make up the Martian surface.
• Odyssey continues to study Mars’s surface to see how the planet changes over time. 
• The spacecraft also serves as a communications relay to Earth for spacecraft on the surface that lack high-powered antennas and cannot beam information to Earth very quickly. 

Key Facts about Olympus Mons:

• It is a shield volcanolocated in Mars’ western hemisphere.
• It is the highest point on Mars and the largest known volcano in the solar system.
  • It is 16 miles (24 kilometers) high, which makes it about three times higher than Mt. Everest.
  • It is also very wide (340 miles or 550 kilometers) and covers an area larger than the entire chain of Hawaiian Islands.
  • In contrast, the largest volcano on Earth, Hawaii’s Mauna Loa, is 120 kilometers across and 9 kilometers high.
• It is some 3.5 billion years old, which means the volcano formed early on in Mars’ history.
• It is a very flat mountainwhich slopes by only 2 to 5 degrees.
• Its summit is marked by a caldera, a large depression formed by volcanic activity, spanning 50 miles (80 kilometers) wide.
  • The summit caldera consists of several overlapping pits. These pits were created by different eruptive phases.
  • In contrast, many Earth-based volcanoes typically feature a single, less complex caldera.

About Project Nexus:

• It is a multilateral international initiative to enable instant cross-border retail payments by interlinking domestic Fast Payments Systems (FPSs).
• Rather than requiring FPS operators to establish multiple custom connections for each country, Nexus provides a standardized, single-connection solution that enables seamless transactions across borders.
• With Nexus, an FPS operator can connect to a single network, enabling instant access to other countries within the network. 
• It was conceptualized by the Innovation Hub of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).
• It aims to connect the FPSs of four ASEAN countries (Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand); and India, who would be the founding members and first mover countries of this platform.
• The platform, which can be extended to more countries, is expected to go live by 2026.
• When a new country joins Nexus, existing members are automatically connected to that country and vice versa. This means the network can expand at a near-zero marginal cost for existing members.
• By simplifying and unifying the payment infrastructure, Project Nexus seeks to enhance efficiency, reduce costs and improve the accessibility of international payments.

Key Facts about Bank for International Settlements (BIS):

• The BIS is an international financial institution which is owned by member central banks.
• Founded in 1930, the BIS is the oldest global financial institution and operates under the auspices of international law.
• Its primary goal is to foster international monetary and financial cooperation while serving as a bank for central banks.
• Headquarters: Basel, Switzerland
• The BIS, which is owned by 63 national central banks, also provides independent economic analysis.

About Syntrichia caninervis:

• It is one of the most abundant desert mosses in the world.
• It possesses remarkable tolerance to multiple environmental stress factors (drought, cold, and radiation).
  • Extreme desiccation tolerance: recover within seconds after >98% water loss.
  • Extraordinary freezing tolerance: withstand −196°C ultra-low temperature.
  • Super resistance to gamma radiation: with half-lethal dose estimated to be 5,000 Gy.
• Distribution:
  • It has a widespread global distribution.
  • It is predominant in dryland regions, including the Gurbantunggut and Tengger Deserts in China and the Mojave Desert in the United States.
  • caninervis crusts are also present in mountainous regions of the Pamir, Tibet, Middle East, Antarctica and circumpolar regions.
• It has a unique adaptation, it uses a tiny hair (awn) on the end of each leaf to collect water, in addition to that collected by the leaves themselves.

What is a Moss?

• A moss is a flowerless, spore-producing plant - with the spores produced in small capsules.
• Mosses are distributed throughout the world except in salt waterand are commonly found in moist shady locations.
• They are best known for those species that carpet woodland and forest floors. 
• Ecologically, mosses break down exposed substrata, releasing nutrients for the use of more-complex plants that succeed them.
• They also aid in soil erosion control by providing surface cover and absorbing water, and they are important in the nutrient and water economy of some vegetation types.
• Economically important species are those in the genus Sphagnum that form peat. 

About LOw-Frequency ARray (LOFAR):

• It is a highly innovative, pan-European distributed radio interferometer and the first of its kind.
• It observes the Universe at low radio frequencies, close to the FM radio band, from 90 to 200 MHz.
• It was developed by the Dutch Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON) with the goal of exploring the early, distant universe, solar activity, and the terrestrial atmosphere.
• LOFAR can observe in several directions simultaneously, which allows for a multi-user operation. 
• For this reason, LOFAR is novel in its design because it is the first telescope that can look at the entire sky at the same time, unlike other telescopes which you have to point. 
• LOFAR does not have moving parts; steering and tracking across the sky are achieved by treating the signal from the individual antennas in each station with advanced digital beam-forming techniques that make the system agile, allowing for rapid repointing of the telescope as well as giving the potential for multiple simultaneous observations in different directions.
• The LOFAR main core is based in the north of the Netherlands, with other stations located in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

What are Radio Galaxies?

• Radio Galaxies, also known as radio-luminous galaxies or radio-loud galaxies, are a particular type of active galaxy that emits more light at radio wavelengths than at visible wavelengths.
• These happen through the interaction between charged particles and strong magnetic fields related to supermassive black holes at the galaxies’ center.
• They are driven by non-thermal emissions.
• They are much bigger thanmost of the other galaxies in the universe. 
• The first radio galaxy to be discovered, and still the brightest, is called Cygnus A.

About SEBEX 2:

• SEBEX 2 is said to be among the most powerful non-nuclear explosives in the world.
• It utilizes a high-melting explosive (HMX) composition.
  • This formulation significantly enhances the lethality of warheads, aerial bombs, artillery shells and other munitions.
• It is 01 times more deadly than standard TNT (Trinitrotoluene).
  • Explosive performance is gauged by TNT equivalence, with higher values indicating greater lethality.
  • Currently, the most powerful conventional explosive used in India, specifically in the Brahmos warhead, has a TNT equivalence of about 1.50.
  • Most conventional warheads worldwide have a TNT equivalence ranging from 1.25 to 1.30
• SEBEX 2 was manufactured by Economic Explosives Limited (EEL), Nagpur, a subsidiary of Solar Industries, under the Make in India initiative.
• It has been evaluated, tested and certified by the Indian Navy under its Defence Export Promotion Scheme. 

Complementary Technologies:

• In addition to SEBEX 2, the Indian Navy has certified SITBEX 1, a thermobaric explosive known for its extended blast duration and intense heat generation.
  • This makes it highly effective in demolishing enemy bunkers, tunnels and fortified positions.
• SIMEX 4, an insensitive munition, has also received certification, emphasizing safety in storage, transport and operation.