Tiger Census on the eve of Global Tiger Day, India Report- Digital Education June 2020
1. Tiger Census on the eve of Global Tiger Day
- The International Tiger Day is celebrated annually on July 29 to spread awareness about the need to protect tigers which are an endangered species.
- Tigers have lost 90% of their natural habitat and their world population is less than 4,000.
- The realisation that wild tiger population has dropped by more than 95% since the beginning of the 20th century, led to the creation of International Tiger Day.
- The day was marked for the first time in November 2010 at the ‘Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit’ in Russia.
- The goal of the day is to promote a global system for protecting the natural habitats of the big cats and to raise public awareness and support for tiger conservation issues around the world.
- Thirteen tiger-range countries participated in the Summit name as India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Summit host Russia.
- The Summit decided on the goal to increase the population of wild tigers to over 6,000 by 2022 –the next Chinese year of the tiger.
- Tiger is an incredible part of the nature and the increased number of the big cats in India reflects equilibrium in the nature.
- For which Union Environment Minister, Shri Prakash Javadekar at the release of the detailed report of Tiger Census on the eve of Global Tiger Day.
- Tigers and other wild life are a kind of soft power India has to show on the international front.
- Despite several constraints such as less land mass, India has eight percent of bio-diversity because our country has a culture of saving and preserving the nature, trees and its wild life.
- Noting that wildlife is our natural wealth as it is praise worthy that India has 70 percent of world’s tiger population.
- The Minister mentioned, India is tirelessly working with all 13 tiger range countries towards nurturing the tiger.
- Ministry is working on a programme in which efforts would be made to provide water and fodder to animals in the forest itself to deal with the challenge of human-animal conflict which is causing deaths of animals.
- For this LIDAR based survey technology will be used for the first time.
- Lidar is a method for measuring distances by illuminating the target with laser light and measuring the reflection with a sensor.
- The keystone nature of the tiger, a poster on presence of small cats was also released by the Environment Minister.
- With the presence of nearly 30 percent of India’s tigers outside tiger reserves, India had embarked upon assessing management interventions through the globally developed Conservation Assured, Tiger Standards (CA|TS) framework, which will now be extended to all fifty tiger reserves across the country.
- Minister of State of Environment, Shri Babul Supriyo said, human- animal conflict can be avoided but it cannot be ruled out in the country.
- Frontline officials have done commendable job in raising the numbers of tiger in the country.
- During Global Tiger Day 2019, it was a proud moment for India as the Prime Minister declared to the world fulfilment of India’s resolve as it had doubled its tiger numbers four years in advance to the target year highlighting resolute action taken by all concerned.
- India’s tiger population now stands at 2967 which is 70 percent of the global tiger population.
- A feather in India’s cap was added with the Guinness World Records recognising the country’s efforts as the world largest camera trap survey of wildlife.
- The detailed report released to assesses the status of tigers in terms of spatial occupancy and density of individual populations across India.
- In addition to the summary report released by the Prime Minister of India on the “Status of Tigers in India” in July 2019, this detailed report compares information obtained from the earlier three surveys (2006, 2010, and 2014) with data obtained from the 2018-19 survey to estimate population trends at country and landscape scales, patch colonisation and extinction rates along with information on likely factors responsible for changes in tiger status at the fine spatial resolution of 100 km.
- The report evaluates the status of habitat corridors connecting major tiger populations and highlights vulnerable areas that require conservation attention for each landscape.
- The report provides information on major carnivores and ungulates regarding their distribution and relative abundance.
2. India Report- Digital Education June 2020
- Union Minister for HRD Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ virtually launched India Report on Digital Education, 2020.
- The report elaborates on the innovative methods adopted by Ministry of HRD, Education Departments of States and Union Territories for ensuring accessible and inclusive education to children at home and reducing learning gaps.
- The various initiatives taken to facilitate remote learning and education for all by taking schools to the students.
- School Education is envisaged as a comprehensive and convergent programme committed to universalize digital education across the wide spectrum of schools from pre-nursery to higher secondary classes.
- The quality digital education has acquired a new urgency in the present context of globalisation.
- Ministry of Human Resource Development has initiated many projects to assist teachers, scholars and students in their pursuit of learning like DIKSHA platform, Swayam Prabha TV Channel, Online MOOC courses, On Air – Shiksha Vani, DAISY by NIOS for differently-abled, e-PathShala, National Repository of Open Educational Resources (NROER) to develop e-content and energized books, telecast through TV channels, E-learning portals , webinars, chat groups, distribution of books and other digital initiatives along with State/ UT Governments.
- The report has been prepared by Digital Education Division of MHRD in consultation with Education Departments of States and UTs.
- The central Initiatives State/ UT Governments have also managed the critical task of providing digital education at the door step of the students.
- Some of the major medium to connect to the students were using social media tools like WhatsApp Group for all the classes, Online classes through YouTube channel, Google meet, Skype etc., E-learning portal, TV (Doordarshan & regional channels), Radio (AIR), use of Diksha was most prominent choice of all the stakeholders.
- Some of the major digital initiatives by State Governments are SMILE (Social Media Interface for Learning Engagement) in Rajasthan, Project Home Classes in Jammu, Padhai Tunhar duvaar (Education at your doorstep) in Chhattisgarh, Unnayan Initiatives in Bihar through portal and mobile application, Mission Buniyaad in NCT of Delhi, Kerala’s own educational TV channel (Hi-Tech school programme), E-scholar portal as well as free online courses for teachers in Meghalaya.
- Telangana has online certificate programs for teachers on ‘Management of mental well-being during COVID’.
- Some states have launched innovative mobile apps and portals as means to facilitate remote learning. Madhya Pradesh has launched Top Parent App, a free mobile app that empowers parents of young children (3-8 years) with knowledge and strategies around child development to help them meaningfully engage with their children.
- KHEL(Knowledge Hub for Electronic Learning), a Game Based Application has also been started, that covers class 1-3. Uttarakhand is making use of Sampark Baithak App through which primary school students can access animated videos, audios, worksheet, puzzles, etc.
- Assam has launched the Biswa Vidya Assam Mobile Application for class 6 to 10.
- Bihar has launched Vidyavahini App with e-books for class 1 to 12. Under Unnayan Bihar Initiative, Bihar has also launched Mera Mobile Mera Vidyalaya for students, and Unnayan Bihar Teacher App.
- Chandigarh has launched Phoenix Mobile application to assess the learning outcome for the students of class 1 to 8.
- Maharashtra has launched the Learning Outcomes Smart Q Mobile App to facilitate learning for students in the state.
- Punjab has launched iScuela Learn Mobile Application for class 1 to 10.
- Sikkim Edutech App connects all the schools of Sikkim under the State Education Department, Parents also have login access along with students, teachers and administrative units.
- Tripura has an application titled ‘EmpowerU Shiksha Darpan’ in order to facilitate student’s appraisal.
- Uttar Pradesh launches ‘Top Parent’ app targeting children from 3-8years age.
- The application currently houses three high-quality EdTech apps for children – Chimple, Maths Masti and Google Bolo.
- Digital education initiatives are also enabling enhanced support for students preparing for competitive exams.
- Goa has partnered with Embibe, an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered online platform for learning, practicing, and testing, for students preparing for entrance exams in the State.
- Karnataka has launched Pariksha Vani, an exam preparation program through Doordarshan, and an SSLC Exam Readiness Program.
- Online Practice tests with detailed analysis are available for Government and Government Aided Students of Tamil Nadu preparing for NEET exam.
