What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• What is PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development)?
• Recommendations by PARAKH

Why in News?

A recent report by PARAKH, a unit established within NCERT to standardize assessments across school boards, recommends that a student’s performance in Classes 9, 10, and 11—based on exams and continuous classwork—should contribute to their final marks at the end of Class 12. 

This recommendation aligns with the National Education Policy and aims to ensure common assessment standards, develop capacity, conduct achievement surveys, and establish equivalence among different school boards.

What is PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development)?

• About
  • National Assessment Centre- PARAKH was set up in NCERT as an independent body in 2023.
  • PARAKH team will consist of leading assessment experts with a deep understanding of the education system in India and internationally. 
  • PARAKH will eventually become the national single-window source for all assessment-related information and expertise, with a mandate to assist all forms of learning assessment, both nationally and globally.
• Objective
  • To fulfil the basic objectives of setting norms, standards, guidelines and implement activities related to student assessment along with other tasks as mandated by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• Four major areas of focus for PARAKH
  • Capacity Development in Competency-Based Assessment:Project Vidyasagar – 
    • PARAKH is organizing workshops across India to familiarize educators with the new pedagogical and policy changes in the National Curriculum Framework 2023. 
    • The goal is to bridge gaps in implementing competency-based learning and teaching.
  • Large-Scale Achievement Survey:
    • PARAKH conducted the State Educational Achievement Survey in November 2023, assessing students in Grades 3, 6, and 9 across 30 States/UTs. 
    • The survey aims to monitor and assess educational competencies in foundational literacy, numeracy, language, and mathematics.
  • Equivalence of School Boards:
    • PARAKH is working to standardize examination reforms across all Indian school boards. 
    • Regional workshops were held to collect data on administration, curriculum, assessments, and infrastructure. 
    • A report was prepared, and national workshops were conducted to discuss and draft policy recommendations for equivalence. T
    • The goal is to allocate credit points to academic, vocational, and experiential learning.
  • Holistic Progress Cards
    • The Holistic Progress Card, or HPC, will no longer depend on marks or grades to evaluate a student’s academic performance. Instead, it will rely on a 360-degree evaluation.
    • Under the HPC model, the students will be regularly assessed through class activities where they are not just passive learners but active agents. 
    • The activities will prompt students to apply diverse skills and competencies that will demonstrate whether they have been able to grasp concepts. 
• Significance:
  • Uniformity: PARAKH would be expected to address the issue of differences in scores among students associated with different boards, who are at a disadvantage during college admissions when compared to their CBSE peers.
  • Standardisation: It will establish and implement technical standards for test design, administration, analysis and reporting at all levels of schooling.
  • Skill development: It will encourage and help school boards to shift their assessment patterns towards meeting the skill requirements of the 21st century.

Recommendations by PARAKH

• Include performance from Classes 9, 10, and 11 in final assessment for class 12
  • Include performance from Classes 9, 10, and 11 in the final Class 12 report card, with a weight of 15% for Class 9, 20% for Class 10, 25% for Class 11, and 40% for Class 12.
• Evaluation using combined method
  • Evaluation should be a combination of: 
    • formative assessments (continuous classroom assessments through holistic progress cards, group discussions, projects) and 
    • summative assessments (term-end examinations).
  • In Class 9, 70% of the final score be drawn from formative assessments and 30% from summative assessments. 
  • In Class 10, the final score will be based 50% on formative assessments and 50% on summative assessments. 
  • For Class 11, it will be 40% formative and 60% summative assessments. 
  • In Class 12, the weight for formative assessments will drop to 30% with 70% of the final score based on summative assessments.
• Assessments be in terms of credits
  • PARAKH has also suggested that the assessments be in terms of credits: a student can earn 40 credits in Classes 9 and 10 each, and 44 credits in Classes 11 and 12 each. 
  • In Classes 9 and 10, 32 credits will be subject-specific (12 credits in three languages; four credits in mathematics; four for science, four for social science etc).
• Facilitate credit transfer in line with the National Credit Framework
  • Recommendations include that boards should develop a system of credit transfer in line with the National Credit Framework.

Q.1. What is National Credit Framework?

The National Credit Framework (NCrF) is an initiative by the Indian government designed to integrate and standardize education and skill development across the country. It aims to create a unified credit-based system that recognizes academic, vocational, and experiential learning, facilitating mobility and flexibility for learners across different educational and career pathways.

Q.2. What is New Education Policy (NEP) 2020?

The New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a comprehensive framework introduced by the Indian government to transform the country's education system. It emphasizes holistic and multidisciplinary education, flexible curricula, skill development, and the integration of technology. The policy aims to improve access, equity, and quality in education from primary to higher levels.

Source: Factor in Class 9-11 performance for Class 12 report card: Govt proposal | Indian Express | The Hindu

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• What is the Right to be Forgotten?
• How is the 'Right to be Forgotten' Interpreted in India?
• When can the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ be Asserted?
• Questions to be Addressed by the SC in the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ Case

Why in News?

• The Supreme Court agreed to hear a case by online legal chronicler (Indian Kanoon), whose outcome will likely shape the contours of the “right to be forgotten”.
• The online portal challenged a Madras HC order, which after reversing a trial court judgment convicting a person of sexual assault charges, had directed the portal to remove the conviction judgment.

What is the Right to be Forgotten?

• It is the right to have publicly available personal information removed from the internet, search engines, databases, websites or any other public platforms.
• One can seek this right when their personal information is no longer necessary or relevant and the presence of his/her digital footprint violates their right to privacy.
• This right has been recognised as a statutory right in the EU (as “right to erasure”) under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and has been upheld by a number of courts in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.

How is the 'Right to be Forgotten' Interpreted in India?

• Position in India:
  • In India, there is no statutory framework that prescribes the right to be forgotten.
  • However, the Personal Data Protection Bill 2019 and court rulings have expressly recognised this right.
• The Personal Data Protection (PDP) Bill 2019:
  • The Bill gave an individual the right to restrict or prevent the continued disclosure of their personal data when such data -
    • Has served the purpose for which it was collected.
    • Was made with the individual's consent, which has since been withdrawn.
    • Was made contrary to the PDP Bill or any law in force.
• The court rulings:
  • The SC in the landmark KS Puttaswamy or Right to privacy judgement (2017) recognised that the right to control his/her own life would also encompass his/her right to control their existence on the internet.
  • Since the right to privacy verdict, high courts have taken a broader view of the issue. For example,
    • In 2019, the Delhi HC said the “right to be forgotten” and “right to be left alone” are inherent aspects of the right to privacy.
    • In 2021, the Delhi HC extended the right to be forgotten to even a criminal case by ruling to take down search results relating to an American law student (acquitted in a customs case).
    • In 2020, the Orissa HC held that the right to be forgotten is a thorny issue in terms of practicality and technological nuances and needs a widespread debate.

When can the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ be Asserted?

• The SC of India clarified in its right to privacy decision that -
  • An individual should be able to remove his/her personal data, if such data or information is no longer necessary, relevant or incorrect and serves no legitimate interest.
  • This right cannot be exercised where the information or data is
    • Necessary for exercising the right of freedom of expression,
    • In compliance with legal obligations,
    • In public interest, etc.
• The Delhi HC also noted that the right to privacy should be balanced with the right to information of the public and maintenance of transparency in judicial records.
• Therefore, the issue underscores the tension between the “right to be forgotten” of the acquitted person and citizens’ “right to be informed”.

Questions to be Addressed by the SC in the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ Case:

• The top court has to decide whether the right to be forgotten is a fundamental right and, if so, how it relates to other fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India.
• Two questions before the SC:
  • Can a person, upon reversal of his conviction in a criminal case by a higher court, demand erasure from the websites the earlier judgement that had convicted him/her?
  • Would a higher court that acquits an accused in a criminal case (by reversing the earlier judgement) be within its jurisdiction to order a web portal to expunge the earlier conviction judgement to honour the acquitted person’s right to be forgotten?

Q.1. How the Supreme Court of India significantly expanded citizens' fundamental rights?

The Supreme Court has by judicial interpretation expanded the scope of the fundamental rights, particularly in relation to Article 21, and this has included more civil and political rights which were not explicit in Part III of the Constitution.

Q.2. What is the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)?

GDPR is a European Union (EU) regulation on information privacy in the EU and the European Economic Area. It lists the rights of the data subject, meaning the rights of the individuals whose personal data is being processed.

Source: Can right to be forgotten beat right to info? SC to decide | IE

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• What is Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)?
• What is Aquilaria malaccensis (Agarwood)?
• CITES eases export of agarwood from India

Why in News?

India has successfully prevented inclusion of Aquilaria malaccensis (agarwood) in the Review of Significant Trade (RST) of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The CITES also notified a new export quota of highly valuable and aromatic resinous wood and oil of agarwood from India from April 2024.

What is Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)?

• About
  • CITES is an international agreement aimed at ensuring that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
  • It seeks to regulate and monitor the trade of endangered species of plants and animals to prevent their exploitation and ensure their long-term survival in the wild.
  • It was signed in 1973 by 184 parties. It entered into force in 1975. 
  • Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties, it does not take the place of national laws.
    • Basically, CITES provides a legal framework to promote cooperation among its members, ensure sustainability, and regulate international trade.
• Structure
  • The CITES Secretariat is administered by UNEP (The United Nations Environment Programme). It is located at Geneva, Switzerland.
  • The Conference of the Parties to CITES, is the supreme decision-making body of the Convention.
• Three categories or appendices
  • CITES works by placing species into three categories or appendices, each offering a different level of protection:
    • Appendix I: Includes species threatened with extinction. Trade in these species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances.
    • Appendix II: Includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction but for which trade must be controlled to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival.
    • Appendix III: Includes species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES Parties for assistance in controlling the trade.
  • Species can be added to or removed from Appendices I and II, or moved between them, only by the Conference of the Parties. 
  • However, species can be added to or removed from Appendix III at any time by any Party unilaterally.
• Review of Significant Trade (RST) of the CITES
  • RST is a process, under the CITES, designed to ensure that trade in certain species is sustainable and does not threaten their survival.
    • Species are identified for review based on trade data, reports from member countries, or concerns raised by CITES scientific committees.
    • The status of these species is assessed to determine whether trade levels are sustainable and if they comply with CITES requirements.
    • If issues are identified, recommendations are made to the countries involved to improve management and conservation efforts. 
    • These can include actions such as setting export quotas, improving legislation, or enhancing enforcement measures.

What is Aquilaria malaccensis (Agarwood)?

• About
  • Aquilaria malaccensis, commonly known as agarwood, is a species of tree belonging to the Thymelaeaceae family. 
  • It is well-known for producing a fragrant resinous wood, which is highly valued for its distinct aroma. 
  • This resin forms in response to infection by a particular type of mold, and the resulting aromatic wood is known as agarwood, oud, or aloeswood.
• Uses
  • Agarwood has been used for centuries in various cultures for religious, medicinal, and perfumery purposes. Some of its key uses include:
    • Perfumes and Incense: Agarwood is highly prized in the perfume industry for its unique and long-lasting fragrance.
    • Traditional Medicine: Agarwood is believed to have medicinal properties and is used in traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine for its potential to treat various ailments.
    • The essential oil extracted from agarwood has anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic, analgesic and anti-oxidant properties.
    • Spiritual Practices: In many cultures, agarwood is used in spiritual rituals and meditation due to its calming and soothing properties.
• Conservation Status
  • It was listed in Appendix II of CITES for the first time in 1995 based on India’s proposal at CoP9 in 1994.
    • I.e., While it is not immediately threatened with extinction, trade must be controlled to avoid exploitation that could threaten its survival.

CITES eases export of agarwood from India

• Inclusion of agarwood in the RST of CITES prevented
  • India has successfully prevented inclusion of agarwood in the RST of the CITES.
  • This development is going to benefit lakhs of farmers in certain districts of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, and Tripura.
• Decision based on study by BSI
  • India's removal from the RST for Aquilaria malaccensis was achieved through a study conducted by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) under the MoEFCC. 
  • This study, known as a non-detriment finding (NDF), concluded that the species could be sustainably harvested under certain conditions.
  • Key points from the NDF include:
    • Restrictions: Harvesting plants, collecting seeds, seedlings, saplings, and other propagules should not be allowed from existing wild populations, protected areas, and reserve forests.
    • Permitted Harvesting: Harvesting should be allowed from home and community gardens, plantations on leased or patta lands, private or community plantations, and other small-scale or large-scale plantations.
    • Export Quotas: The NDF recommended an export quota for 2024–2027, allowing for 151,080 kg per year of agarwood chips and powder/sawdust and 7,050 kg per year of agarwood oil.
• Various restrictions affected trade in agarwood from India
  • The absence of an export quota for a long period and other trade-related restrictions in India caused an increase in informal trade/export of agar chips, oil, powder etc. to the Middle East and other foreign countries. 
  • It also caused an increase in costs of agarwood chips and oil in the global market as India is a major agarwood trading nation.
  • Though India had an export quota since November 2021, the growers and farmers were unable to trade agarwood legally due to imposing several legal restrictions that led them towards informal traders.

Q.1. What is United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)?

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is an international organization established in 1972 to coordinate and promote environmental efforts globally. It focuses on assessing environmental conditions, developing international environmental agreements, supporting sustainable development, and providing guidance to nations on environmental policies and practices to protect and preserve the environment.

Q.2. What is Botanical Survey of India (BSI)?

The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) is an organization under India's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, established in 1890. It is responsible for surveying, documenting, and researching the country's plant resources to promote conservation and sustainable utilization.

Source: CITES eases export of agarwood from India, move to benefit lakhs of farmers | CITES | Vikaspedia