About International Astronomical Union (IAU)

• It was founded in 1919 as a senior body governing international professional astronomical activities worldwide.
• Its mission is to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education, and development, through international cooperation.
• Activities:
  • Definition of fundamental astronomical and dynamical constants and unambiguous astronomical nomenclature
  • Rapid dissemination of new discoveries
  • Organization of international observing campaigns
  • Promotion of educational activities in astronomy to early informal discussions of possible future international large-scale facilities.
• It is the only organization recognized professionally for the naming of astronomical bodies, which it does solely on the basis of merit, history, or discoverer’s privilege.
• The IAU holds a General Assembly every three years in varying parts of the world. The long-term policy of the IAU is defined by the General Assembly.
• Headquarters: Paris, France.
• Membership:
  • Its individual Members — structured into Divisions, Commissions, and Working Groups — are professional astronomers from all over the world, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, who are active in professional research, education and outreach in astronomy.

About Euthanasia:

• The word ‘Euthanasia’ is derived from the Greek, ‘Eu’ meaning ‘good’ and ‘thanatos’ meaning ‘death’, put together it means ‘good death’.
• Euthanasia is defined as the hastening of death of a patient to prevent further sufferings.
• Types:
  • Active euthanasia refers to the physician's deliberate act, usually the administration of lethal drugs, to end an incurably or terminally ill patient’s life.
  • There are three types of active euthanasia in relation to giving consent for euthanasia, namely
    • voluntary euthanasia – at patient request,
    • non-voluntary – without patient consent,
    • involuntary euthanasia – the patient is not in a position to give consent.
  • Passive euthanasia refers to withholding or withdrawing treatment which is necessary for maintaining life.
• Common conditions which make patients seek euthanasia are terminally ill cancer patients, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and other terminally ill conditions where there is no active treatment.
• Legality:
  • Passive euthanasia is generally accepted worldwide.
  • Active involuntary euthanasia is illegal in almost all countries. It is considered criminal homicide in most of the countries.
• Legality in India:
  • Passive Euthanasia:
    • A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court in Common Cause vs. Union of India (2018) recognised a person’s right to die with dignity.
    • It said that a terminally ill person can opt for passive euthanasia and execute a living will to refuse medical treatment.
    • The Court permitted an individual to draft a living will specifying that she or he will not be put on life support if they slip into an incurable coma.
    • The Court recognised the right to die with dignity as a fundamental right and an aspect of Article 21 (Right to Life).
  • Active euthanasia: In India, active euthanasia is a crime.

What is Quadriplegia?

• Quadriplegia, or Tetraplegia, is a condition of paralysis that affects all the limbs and body from the neck to the down.
• The most common cause of quadriplegia is an injury to the spinal cord at the level of the neck.
• Quadriplegia is sometimes treatable, but in most cases injury results in permanent paralysis.
• Quadriplegia is when the person can’t deliberately control or move his muscles, and it can affect a person from the neck to down.
• Depending on how and why it happens, it can affect the ability to move parts of the body, as well as some of the body’s automatic processes that keep the person alive.

About Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis:

• It is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is a progressive neurological disorder that affects muscle movement.
• It can occur at any age but symptoms commonly develop between the age of 55 and 75. The men are more likely to develop the condition.
• Causes: In few people with ALS, a genetic cause can be identified.
• How does ALS affect the body?
  • In people with ALS, the motor neurons degenerate and die and messages sent by the brain do not reach the muscles which results into muscles atrophy (lose strength and become weak).
  • Eventually, the brain loses control over voluntary movements including walking, chewing and even breathing, as the condition progresses. 
• Symptoms and progression of ALS:
  • It includes muscle twitches in the arms, leg, shoulders or tongue; muscle cramps;
  • Tightness or stiffness of muscles; muscle weakness in a limb or the neck; and difficulty in chewing or swallowing. 
• Treatment for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis:
  • There is no treatment to reverse nerve degeneration, but some therapy may help to delay progression.
    • A treatment would include physical, occupational and speech therapy to improve quality of life.

About Entrepreneur-in-Residence Programme:

• It is one of the programs introduced under National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI).
• It aims to encourage graduates to take to entrepreneurship as a prospective career option by providing financial and non-financial support in the form of a fellowship. 
• Features of Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) Programme
  • Financial Support: Recipient is eligible to get financial support of up to INR 30,000/- monthly.
  • It is offered to graduate students for a maximum period of 12 months.
  • The Programme includes access to the infrastructure facilities at the TBI, mentoring support and guidance, technical and financial advice, industry connections.
  • Implementation: It is implemented by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India in association with NCL Venture Centre, Pune.

What is NIDHI Programme ?

• National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) as an umbrella programme for nurturing ideas and innovations (knowledge-based and technology-driven) into successful startups.

About Finn’s Weaver Bird:

• Finn's weaver (Ploceus megarhynchus ) are also known as Finn's baya and yellow weaver is a weaver bird species.
• Distribution: It is native to the Ganges and Brahmaputra valleys in India and Nepal.
• Habitat: They live close to water bodies. Marshy soil, tall grasses, Semal (silk cotton) and Shisham (rosewood) trees make up their natural habitat.
• Diet: They are largely granivorous.
• Threats: Human activities including expansion of agriculture, grass cutting, construction work, residential buildings, and increase in industrial units across the Terai has disrupted the natural habitat of these birds. 
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN: Vulnerable
  • WildLife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule IV.

About Young Stellar Objects:

• These are stars in the earliest stages of their lives where stars stably fuse hydrogen in their cores.
  • This is the stage before the stars enter the main sequence of what is called the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (a plot showing stars in various stages of evolution based on their temperature and brightness).
• These objects typically reside within dense molecular clouds rich in gas and interstellar material.
• Formation: YSOs form from the collapse of dense molecular clouds, triggered by events like nearby supernova explosions, stellar radiation, or turbulence in the interstellar medium.
• Types: There are two principal kinds of YSOs: Protostars and Pre-main sequence stars.
• Stages of Young Stellar Objects:
  • Class 0 and Class I phases: These are mostly visible in infrared and radio wavelengths due to their thick dust envelopes.
  • Class II and Class III: In this phase object becomes visible in optical wavelengths as it clears away its surrounding envelope.
• Significance of studying Observing YSOs :
  • Understanding Star Formation: They provide Insights into the processes that lead to star formation, including magnetic activity, stellar winds, and outflows.
  • Planet Formation: They help in understanding the conditions that lead to planet formation and the early solar system.

About Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets:

• It aims to establish 6,000 Metric Tons per Annum (MTPA) of integrated Rare Earth Permanent Magnet (REPM) manufacturing in India.
• It will support the creation of integrated REPM manufacturing facilities, involving conversion of rare earth oxides to metals, metals to alloys, and alloys to finished REPMs.
• Features of Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets:
  • Duration: 7 years (2 years for setting up an integrated REPM manufacturing facility + 5 years incentive disbursement on the sale of REPM.)
  • With this initiative, India will establish its first ever integrated REPM manufacturing facilities in India.

What are Rare Earth Magnets?

• These are a type of permanent magnet made from alloys of rare earth elements.
• Properties: Exceptional magnetic strength, high energy density, and superior performance compared to other types of magnets.
• Types: Neodymium (Nd-Fe-B) and Samarium Cobalt (SmCo) are the two most common types of rare earth magnet materials. Both types are extremely strong.
• Neo magnets are composed primarily of neodymium, boron and iron, and samarium cobalt is composed of samarium and cobalt.
• Applications: These are used in electric vehicles, renewable energy, electronics, aerospace, and defence applications.

Why in news?

Five years after NEP 2020 proposed it, the government is set to table the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill 2025 in the upcoming Winter Session.

The Bill aims to merge the regulatory roles of the UGC, AICTE, and NCTE into one unified authority, marking the second attempt to establish a single higher education regulator in India.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• HECI: India’s Proposed Single Regulator for Higher Education
• The 2018 HECI Bill: Key Provisions and Why It Stalled
• Opposition to HECI: Concerns Over Centralisation and Autonomy

HECI: India’s Proposed Single Regulator for Higher Education

• The Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill draws directly from NEP 2020, which recommended replacing the fragmented regulatory structure with a single overarching authority.
• Currently, India’s higher education landscape is regulated by multiple statutory bodies:
  • the University Grants Commission (UGC) oversees higher education,
  • the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) regulates technical and professional education, and
  • the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) governs teacher education.
• Four Verticals Under HECI
  • NEP 2020 outlines four specialised bodies within HECI:
    • National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC): Regulates all higher education except medical and legal fields.
    • National Accreditation Council (NAC): Serves as the accrediting authority.
    • General Education Council (GEC): Frames academic learning outcomes and standards.
    • Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC): Handles funding and grants (though officials indicate funding may still rest with the government).
  • HECI itself will function as a compact body of eminent experts overseeing the four verticals.
• Reducing Red Tape and Conflict of Interest
  • NEP 2020 criticised the existing system for being “mechanistic and disempowering”, with concentrated powers, regulatory overlap, and conflicts of interest.
  • The new commission aims to streamline governance, ensure accountability, and eliminate bureaucratic hurdles.
• Autonomy and Quality Focus
  • The Bill seeks to empower higher education institutions to operate as “independent self-governing institutions” while ensuring excellence through a transparent accreditation system and enhanced institutional autonomy.

The 2018 HECI Bill: Key Provisions and Why It Stalled

• The government’s first attempt to replace the UGC came through the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill, 2018.
• It proposed a new commission with a chairperson, vice-chairperson, and 12 members appointed by the Centre.
• Since the Bill did not merge AICTE and NCTE, their chairpersons were included as members.
• The 2018 draft limited HECI’s powers to setting academic standards and granting autonomy while leaving funding authority with the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
• It also planned an advisory council headed by the HRD Minister and comprising state higher education council heads.
• However, the Bill drew criticism for potentially centralising authority and creating excessive overregulation.
• Following strong pushback during public consultations, it was shelved and revisited for alignment with the NEP 2020 framework.

Opposition to HECI: Concerns Over Centralisation and Autonomy

• Fears of Excessive Centralisation
  • Critics argue that the HECI framework concentrates too much authority with the Union government.
  • The 2018 Bill shifted UGC’s financial powers to the MHRD, raising concerns that universities could lose autonomy and become dependent on central directives.
• Lack of Diverse Representation
  • Opposition leaders objected to the commission’s composition.
  • They noted the absence of representation from disadvantaged groups — women, Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs, minorities, and persons with disabilities — while industry stakeholders were prominently included.
• Apprehensions From States
  • The then CM of Tamil Nadu warned that centralised funding could lead to biased resource allocation.
  • He feared that replacing UGC grants with ministry-controlled funding might shift to a 60:40 Centre-state share, reducing states’ financial autonomy.
• Parliamentary Panel’s Warning
  • A parliamentary standing committee flagged “excess centralisation” concerns.
  • The panel noted that while multiple regulators create inconsistency, the proposed HECI model risks trapping state universities between national and state rules, with insufficient state representation in decision-making.
• Overall Concern
  • Across political and academic circles, the prevailing worry is that HECI could weaken federalism, dilute institutional autonomy, and marginalise key stakeholders in higher education governance.