Title: Bending the rules
(The Neutrino Observatory is important, but it must
get all environmental clearances)
ü
Neutrinos are subatomic particles that are
extremely difficult to detect.
ü
A year after the National Green Tribunal suspended
the environmental clearance granted to the India-based Neutrino Observatory
(INO), the Expert Appraisal Committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forests
and Climate Change has overturned the NGT verdict and granted environmental
clearance for the project.
ü
The observatory, which is to come up in
Bodi West Hills in Theni district, Tamil Nadu, is regarded as a symbol not just
of India’s push for research in particle physics; it also signals the intent to
nurture centres of excellence.
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The laboratory cavern will be located
1,300 metres underground, with an access tunnel.
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The rock cover is necessary to minimise
the naturally occurring cosmic ray backdrop.
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The project has become controversial on
environmental grounds, given the proposed site’s proximity to the Mathikettan
Shola National Park in Kerala’s Western Ghats, a global biodiversity hotspot.
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However, considering the project’s
national importance, the Environment Ministry had taken up the proposal for
clearance as a “special case”.
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The green signal is conditional on getting
the consent of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and the National Board
for Wildlife.
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Under the guidelines, any project that
falls within 5 km from an inter-State boundary or within a notified national
park or a sanctuary has to be considered a Category ‘A’ project that involves a
number of processes before an Environmental Clearance is granted.
ü
The Madhikettan Shola National Park in
Idukki district of Kerala was just about 4.9 km from the proposed project site
and the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border was just a kilometre away, making it a
Category ‘A’ project.
Final words:
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The importance of the project
notwithstanding, treating it as a special case and bypassing the environmental
clearance protocol sets a wrong precedent.
Title: A move to equivalence
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(After the agreement with France, India
must hold bilateral talks for degree recognition with other countries)
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Several Memorandums of Understanding
(MoUs) and agreements were signed between France and India recently on French
President Emmanuel Macron’s visit.
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The most important of these was the
landmark agreement signed at the ‘Knowledge Summit’ between the two countries
on mutual recognition of educational qualifications, the first of its kind.
Current policy framework
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According to government data, there were
an estimated 5 lakh Indian students pursuing degrees in higher education abroad
in 2017, mostly in the U.S., the U.K., and the European Union.
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However, it is ironical that many who are
trained at the best universities abroad are unable to share their expertise in
Indian universities. This can be principally attributed to the problem of
degree recognition.
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In the current policy framework, the issue
of recognition of academic qualifications is dealt with on a case-by-case basis
by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), which provides Indian students
with equivalence certificates based on eligibility requirements and the
duration of courses.
ü
The agreement with France is the first
such MoU where the two countries have reached a consensus despite a difference
in the duration of their various academic programmes. This means that even a
one-year master’s degree will be recognised here.
Robust policy for higher education
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The aim of establishing “world-class”
institutions in India cannot materialise without first utilising the knowledge
and expertise that their own Indian scholars have to offer.
ü
The MoU between France and India means
that India is now in the position to hold bilateral talks for degree
recognition with other countries too, such as the U.K. with which India shares
deep historical ties.
Vocabulary words:
- Overturn (verb) = Invalidate, reverse (उथल-पुथल होना)
- Intent (noun) = Intention or purpose (इरादा)
- Nurture (verb) = Rear, protect (पालन - पोषण करना)
- Cavern (noun) = A large dark place, tunnel
- Proximity (noun) = Nearness in space (निकटता)
- Consent (noun) = Agreement, concurrence (सहमति)
- Proponent (noun) = Advocate, promoter (समर्थक)
- Unaccredited (adj) = Not recognized as having attained an acceptable standard (निषिद्ध)
- Plausible (adj) = Credible, appreciable (प्रशंसनीय)
- Notwithstanding (pre) = In spite of (के बावजूद)
- Precedent (noun) = An exemplar (मिसाल)
- Equivalence (noun) = Equality (समानक)
- Ink (verb) = Sign a contract
- Seamlessly (adv) = Smoothly and continuously
- Integrating (adj) = Link, connect (एकीकृत)
- Ironical (adj) = Sarcastic (विडंबना)
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