Current Affairs 7 March 2024 for UPSC And State PSC Exam

HOLISTIC PROGRESS CARD

News- The NCERT is launching a ‘holistic progress card’ (HPC) to transform student evaluations by offering a broader assessment of their educational journey.

About 

• Developed by PARAKH under NCERT, aligning with NEP 2020.
• Targets foundational (Classes 1-2), preparatory (Classes 3-5), and middle stages (Classes 6-8).
• Introduces a paradigm shift in student evaluation.
• Incorporates feedback from parents, classmates, and student self-evaluations.
• Offers a comprehensive view of academic, cognitive, socio-emotional, and creative skills.
• Aligns with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) for learner-centric evaluations.

Features

• Shifts from traditional marks/grades to 360-degree evaluations.
• Emphasizes active participation and regular assessment through class activities.
• Focuses on applying diverse skills to understand concepts.
• Highlights student strengths and identifies areas needing improvement.
• Includes self and peer evaluations by students.
• Promotes reflection on personal progress and creativity.
• Encourages setting personal and academic goals in middle school, supported by an “ambition card.”
• Involves parents in the educational process and balances screen time with extracurricular activities.
• Utilizes peer evaluation to assess contributions to class activities.

Benefits

• The HPC goes beyond numerical grades, focusing on descriptive and analytical evaluations that encompass academic achievements as well as the development of critical skills in a child.
• It promotes a shift from summative to formative assessment, fostering competency-based evaluation and holistic growth.

Majuli Masks

News- The traditional masks and manuscript paintings from Majuli in Assam have recently received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

About 

• Handmade masks for depicting characters in bhaonas, devotional theatrical performances.
• Introduced by reformer saint Srimanta Sankardeva in the 15th-16th century.
• Used to represent gods, demons, animals, and birds in plays.
• Vary in size from face-only to full-body coverage.
• Crafted from bamboo, clay, dung, cloth, cotton, wood, and riverine materials.
• Traditionally used in sattras (monasteries) but now also gaining contemporary relevance.
• Sattras serve as centers for religious, social, and cultural reforms initiated by Sankardeva and his disciples.

Key facts about Majuli manuscript painting

• Originating in the 16th century, practiced on Sanchi pat (manuscripts made from Sanchi or agar tree bark).
• Utilizes homemade ink for painting.
• The Adya Dasama of the Bhagwat Purana in Assamese by Srimanta Sankardev is an early example.
• Enjoyed patronage from Ahom kings and remains prevalent in Majuli’s sattras.

Rad51

News- Scientists have recently pinpointed the RAD51 protein as crucial in blocking DNA from being copied again, thus preventing re-replication.

About

• RAD51 gene encodes a protein for homologous recombination and DNA repair.
• It searches for and invades matching DNA sequences to facilitate precise DNA repair.
• RAD51 binds to broken DNA, forming a protective protein sheath, and initiating repair.
• DNA breaks occur due to radiation, environmental factors, and during chromosome genetic material exchange in cell division.
• In normal cells, RAD51 works with proteins including BRCA1 and BRCA2 to repair DNA.
• BRCA2 guides RAD51 to DNA damage sites, while BRCA1’s interaction with RAD51 aids in DNA damage response.
• These interactions help maintain cellular genetic stability by repairing DNA.

Homologous Recombination

• Genetic recombination between similar/identical nucleic acids (DNA or RNA).
• Repairs DNA double-strand breaks via homologous recombinational repair (HRR).
• Generates new DNA combinations during meiosis for genetic variation.
• Aids in evolutionary adaptation by creating diverse genetic sequences.
• Facilitates horizontal gene transfer among bacteria and viruses, spreading antibiotic resistance.

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