Point-Wise Current-Affairs & GS (Includes Important PIB Updates) 2018 with Maps & Data- IAS, SSC etc

Azure Power is a leading solar power producer in India. It has commissioned the largest (150 MW) solar power project in north India. It has signed a solar power implementation agreement with Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) under its Solar Policy Phase III.

The Indian Army has successfully conducted ‘user-validation’ trials of indigenous Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) Dhanush in the Himalayas. It clears the way for the induction in the Army. It has been handed over to the Indian Army by the Jabalpur-based Gun Carriage F

NASA is sending first African-American to the space station in 2018. Jeanette Epps will become the first African-American space station crew member. She launches on her first spaceflight in May 2018. NASA has also assigned veteran astronaut Andrew Feustel to missions aboard the I

India and Portugal have signed six memorandums of understandings (MoUs). These agreements were signed after delegation level talks Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his visiting Portugal counterpart António Costa who was Chief Guest of 2017 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas held in Goa.

Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza picked up her first title of the season, combining with American Bethanie Mattek-Sands to lift the Brisbane International women’s doubles title. She ended up losing the World No 1 crown to her partner. Sania will go back to pairing with Czech Republi

Tata Sons Ltd has nominated S Padmanabhan as the chairman for Tata Power Co Ltd. Padmanabhan at present serves as an additional director on the company’s board. The nomination comes against the backdrop of Cyrus Mistry’s resignation as director of the company last month.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is gearing up to launch m-Parivahan and e-challan mobile apps in a bid to given an impetus to the road safety. Expected to launch during the Road Safety Week, the launch of two apps enable enhanced citizen interaction in a friendly atmo

The first half remained impressive for the hosts; the second half was absolutely one-sided. There was only the India women’s football team dominating all aspects of play. Sajid Dar’s women army overpowered Bangladesh with a 3-1 score in the SAFF Women’s Championship 2016 final at

Researchers have recently discovered a new organ that was hidden in plain sight inside our digestive system this whole time. It is the human body’s 79^th organ. It is known as the ‘Mesentery’, has been known for hundreds of years. The mesentery, the new organ is found in our diges

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Kenya on bilateral cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors.  The MoU shall enter into force on the day of signing an

The Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched an Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Enforcement Toolkit for Police. It will be provided to all state police departments across the nation. It is to assist Police in dealing with the cases relating to Trademark

Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar, has led the five-judge constitution bench in the Supreme Court which had struck down the controversial NJAC Act for appointment of judges. He has sworn in as the 44^th Chief Justice of India.

SDMIS system aims to envisage and develop student database (SDMIS) which with over 250 million students from Grade 1st to 12th would be the largest such systems across the World.The system will keep record of academic journey of every student studying in about 1.5 million Governm

Here are some of the major initiatives taken for university and higher education in India. These mainly deal with establishment of central universities and providing education to backward districts.

Initiatives of 10 Plan

1. Establishment of New Central Universities
2.  Indira Gandhi N

Google dedicated a Doodle to mark the 186th birth anniversary of India’s 19th century social reformer Savitribai Jyotirao Phule. She was a social reformer and poet. She has been given recognition in the list of important figures in Maharashtra’s social reform movements.

The Union Ministry of Urban Development launched Swachh Survekshan 2017 to rank 500 cities. The survey will be conducted by Quality Council of India (QCI) under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. It is in a bid to encourage competition to improve sanitation.

Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi launched a mobile application. It will provide information and facilitate e-payments for the pilgrimage. It is for the first time that Haj process is becomes digital application.

The Reserve Bank of India has appointed Surekha Marandi as its Executive Director (ED). She appointed in place of U.S. Paliwal, who retired in December 2016. She has also served on the Boards of United Bank and Bank of Baroda.

Finland becomes the first country in the world to pay a basic monthly income to unemployed citizens. The move is an effort on the part of the country’s government to reduce poverty and boost employment.  The basic monthly income will amount to about €560.

SCERT, Delhi as an academic authority has been providing academic resource support to the Directorate of Education (DoE) and Education Departments of MCDs, NDMC and Cantonment Board. The focus is on quality improvement in school education with latest content and relevant pedagogi

Some of the major themes and questions for policy consultation on higher education are mentioned below which mainly include governance, ranking of institutes, technology enabling of institutes and more.

1. Governance reforms for quality

• Quality is a multi-dimensional concept and s

Google Intensifying its efforts to capture the small and medium business (SMB) market in India. Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced the launch of new tools, training and support systems for SMBs in India. The company also launched a certification course for SMBs in collaboration w

Bunkar Mitra helpline started functioning now. The helpline is meant to extend professional expertise to distressed handloom weavers. The helpline was launched by the Union Textiles Minister Zubin Irani on the occasion of Good Governance Day.

The Election Commission today announced the dates and phases of elections for 5 states - Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur, and Goa. About 160 million people spread across five states will vote in February and March. For both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress,

Air Marshal SB Deo is going to be the next Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF). He will take over from Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa who is all set to be the new IAF chief. He will hand over charge of the Western Air Command to Air Marshal. He is assuming to join the off

This sparks hope among conservationist groups that it could stem the tide of mass killing of elephants. The Chinese government announced the commitment to end the ivory trade.it has announced a ban on ivory trade and all processing activities by the end of 2017.

The framework is an endeavor of the National Council for Teacher Education to encourage interested parties and stakeholders to give their views on the qualitative and quantitative improvements that could be achieved in educating teachers at school, graduate, post-graduate, doctor

This scheme was started in 2014-15 for 3 years – Project based & scheme based outcome. There are 4 main pillars on which this scheme focuses: institution, individual, network and academic leadership.

• Institutional Oriented: Creation of New Institutional Arrangements

  • Schools of Ed

Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani dedicated India’s first laser technology-based advanced AVMS RTO check-post at Shamlaji of Aravalli district. Along with this programme, Rupani also laid foundation stones of various developmental works worth Rs 30 crore in tribal area of Arava

Ex-Member of Parliament and former union minister Balasaheb Vikhe Patil passed away in Loni at Maharashtra He represented the Kopargaon constituency of Maharashtra. He is a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) political party. He was 84 and had been suffering from kidney