Disha Second Issue April –– May’ 2014 – Om Ranker’s Creator OM RANKER’S CREATOR, SCO 371-373, 4 TH FLOOR, SEC 34A, CHANDIGARH. CONTACT: 78140-110278140-11022,2, 78143-11022 Page 11 Disha Second Issue April –– May’ 2014 – Om Ranker’s Creator DISHA 2014 SECOND ISSUE (APRIL - MAY) PREFACE 3 PICK OF THE MONTH 44 INTERNATIONAL 6 NATIONAL 10 ECONOMY 16 CORPORATE 21 ECOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT 26 SPORTS 29 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 32 NEWS CAPSULE 34 Person Appointed 36 Person Resigned 37 Person Died 37 Awards | Honours 38 Books & Author 40 Miscellaneous 40 OM RANKER’S CREATOR, SCO 371-373, 4 TH FLOOR, SEC 34A, CHANDIGARH. CONTACT: 78140-110278140-11022,2, 78143-11022 Page 22 Disha Second Issue April –– May’ 2014 – Om Ranker’s Creator DISHA SECOND ISSUE PREFACE The SECOND ISSUE of DISHA has been designed to provide latest updates of events that occurred in the months from APRIL TO MAY 2014. This ISSUE covers each and every important happening of the month that made news and carries any probability of being asked in different types of competitive exams like IAS, PCS, SSC, Banking, LIC, Railway and all others. The happening in the sections like International (bilateral and India’s relation with the world), National, Economy, Science and Technology, Environment and Ecology, Corporate, State, Sports, Important Personalities, Books and Authors, Awards and Honours, Important Dates, Reports and Surveys and more all are covered in detail. Representation of verified facts and figures along with fine-tuned analysis makes the events easy to understand and perceive. The aspaspirantsirants of competiticompetitiveve exams will definitely be benefitted by the content of the eBook. OM RANKER’S CREATOR, SCO 371-373, 4 TH FLOOR, SEC 34A, CHANDIGARH. CONTACT: 78140-110278140-11022,2, 78143-11022 Page 33 Disha Second Issue April –– May’ 2014 – Om Ranker’s Creator MAY 2014 UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT BEYOND 2014 - The Background . Development is the expansion of the human opportunities and freedom. This is an understanding inherent in the commitment by all the UN member states. It represents the shared aspirations of governments and citizen to ensure that- all person are free from want and fear, and are provided with the basic opportunities and the social arrangements to develop their unique capabilities; and, participate fully in society. In order to achieve these goals, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) was held in Cairo, Egypt, in 1994, with some 20000 delegates from various countries, UN agencies, NGOs and the Media organizations. International Conference on Population and Development (1994), Cairo The Programme of Action of the ICPD affirmed that the right to development is universal and inalienable. It was seen as an integral part of the fundamental human rights. The ICPD viewed the Human person as the centre of the development. In affirming the centrality of United Nations International Conference on Population and Development Beyond 2014 human rights, with regard to population, the discussion was held on a variety of population issues, including- immigration, infant mortality, birth control, family planning and education of women, and protection of women from abortion services. The International Conference on Population and DeveDevelopmentlopment Beyond 2014. A General Assembly resolution on the review of the implementation of the programme of action of the ICPD and its follow-up beyond 2014 undiscovered the need for a systematic, integrative and comprehensive approach to population and development issues. The approach should be one that would respond to new challenges relevant to population and development and to the changing development environment, as well as reinforce the integration of the United Nations International Conference on Population and Development Beyond 2014 population of development agenda. UN Conference on Population and Development Beyond 2014. According to an U.N. report, since the adoption of the Cairo Programme of Action at the United Nations International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in 1994, the status of women has improved worldwide. But, it also says that growing inequalities is likely to undo the significant gains made in health and longevity. Maternal mortality has come down by half; skilled birth attendance has increased by 15 per cent since 1990; more women have access to education, work and political participation; and fewer adolescent girls are having babies, says the report “United Nations International Conference on Population and Development Beyond 2014.” The report is the first truly global review of progress, gaps, challenges and emerging issues in relation to the landmark Cairo ICPD. It gathers data from 176 countries, alongside inputs from civil society and comprehensive academic research. APRIL 2014 TWO MORE ATTEMPTS AT CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION . The Department of Personnel and Training, under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, have released a notification providing a relaxation in the number of attempts and maximum age-limit for the civil services OM RANKER’S CREATOR, SCO 371-373, 4 TH FLOOR, SEC 34A, CHANDIGARH. CONTACT: 78140-110278140-11022,2, 78143-11022 Page 44 Disha Second Issue April –– May’ 2014 – Om Ranker’s Creator examination. Two More Attempts at Civil Services Examination or declared to be deemed as a University under Section-3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification. Candidates possessing professional and technical qualifications would also be eligible for admission to the examination. Further, candidates who have passed the final professional MBBS or any other Medical Examination but have not completed their internship by the time of submission of their application for the Civil Services (Main) Examination, will be provisionally admitted to the Examination. Civil service aspirants are going to get two additional attempts at cracking the UPSC examination along with a relaxation in the upper age limit. A statement by the Department of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions said that the Central government has approved two additional attempts to all categories of candidates with effect from Civil Services Examination 2014, with consequential age relaxation of maximum age for all categories of candidates. As per the existing rules, a general category candidate is permitted a maximum of four attempts. The maximum age limit for such candidates is 30. There is no restriction on the number of attempts by candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and the Scheduled Tribes (STs). As for aspirants belonging to Other Backward Classes, seven attempts are permissible, according to a notification issued for Civil Services Examinations, 2013. The relaxation comes after months of protests, dharnas and knocking at the doors of politicians by the students. What Counts as an Attempt? It should be noted that, what counts as an attempt is when the candidate takes atleast one of the papers of the Prelims examination. Background The Union Public Services Commission has introduced a series of changes in the Civil Services Examination in the recent years. Starting from the introduction of the CSAT paper in place of the Optional paper in the Prelims exam, the UPSC further made a major transformation in the Civil Services Mains Examination in 2013. The Latest Notification: In its latest notification, released recently, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has taken a major decision, announcing additional attempts and age relaxations for the candidates of various communities. A detailed analysis: The relaxations given are as follows: Additional Attempts for Various Categories 1. Unreserved/General Category-While the earlier limit of attempts by the candidates of the unreserved category was 4, the latest notification by the UPSC has increased the same to 6. Thus, the candidates would be entitled to have 2 additional attempts. This also comes with a consequential maximum age-limit relaxation of two years, thus making the maximum age limit 32 years. 2. SC/ST Category- The latest notification has increased the age-limit for the SC/ST category by 2 years, making it 37 years, with a consequential increase of 2 attempts. 3. OBC Category- The latest notification of the UPSC has increased the number of attempts and maximum-age by 2 respectively. Thus the new attempt limit is 9, with maximum age being 35 years. 4. Physically Handicapped (P.H.) Category-previous age-limit for the candidates belonging to the PH category was 40 years, with 7 attempts for General and OBC Category PH candidates, and unlimited attempts for the SC/ST + PH candidates. The rules of the UPSC regarding the age calculation of a candidate for civil services exam are that- a candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the maximum age-limit, as on August 1st. The date of birth accepted by the Commission is that entered in the Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate, or in a certificate recognized by an Indian University as equivalent to Matriculation or in an extract from a Register of Matriculates maintained by a University . Thus, the calculation of the age qualification for appearing in the civil services is done from August 1st of that year, and not from January 1st. The age qualification is calculated according to the category of the candidate. Apart from the criterion for Relaxation of a maximum of five years in the case of ex-servicemen including Commission Officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least five years military service. Relaxation of upto a maximum of five years in the case of ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial perid of assignment of five years military service and whose assignment has been extended beyond five years and in whose case the ministry of defence issues a certificate that they can apply for civil employment and that they will be released on three months notice on selection from the date of receipt of offer of appointment.