Top News Highlights-11 November 2024

Supreme Court Restores Minority Status to Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)

• The SC set aside the 1967 S. Azeez Basha judgment which had ruled that the AMU lacked minority status being established for Muslims.
• It ruled that neither the fact that an institution was statutorily created nor governmental funding derailed the minority character of an institution.
• It noted that what mattered is the “brain behind” the institution, a principle that must be found while determining its minority character, to that extent, the Article 30(1) rights for religious and linguistic minorities are well-supported.

NTPC Launches World’s First CO₂ to Methanol Plant in Vindhyachal

• NTPC’s new produces methanol by synthesizing CO2 captured from a flue gas from a PEM electrolyzer.
• This technology reduces energy demands for methanol production and supports India’s ‘Methanol Economy’.
• Energy storage is enhanced, importing dependence on oil is decreased, and carbon capture utilization efforts are boosted.

India’s Diplomatic Re-engagement with Afghanistan

• India reopened selective contacts with Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban, which set up a technical team for humanitarian assistance.
• Over 3,000 Afghan students were awarded scholarships in 2023, and India attended the Afghanistan Regional Cooperation meeting in Kabul.
• Main concerns include to balance Pakistan’s power, maintaining regional order, and protecting strategic investments such as the Salma Dam and Zaranj-Delaram highway.

Global Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in Bogotá

• Co-hosted by the countries of Colombia, Sweden, UNICEF, and WHO, the conference reviewed child maltreatment, which affected 50% of children in the world.
• Three out of five children face corporal punishment at home, which causes mental health issues and dropout at school.
• Some proposals made for preventing it include digital safety, anti-bullying programs, and child exploitation prevention.

SC Rules Compromise Invalid for Sexual Assault Cases under the POCSO Act

• The SC has upheld the contention that under the POCSO Act cases relating to sexual assault cannot be compounded due to its significant societal consequence.
• Citing the case of 2019 Laxmi Narayan the court asserted, that the crime against society can never be bargained
• POCSO Act being gender-neutral the crime against child sexuality attracts draconian penalty and the same can extend even up to capital punishment also.

Scheme for Strengthening the Medical Device Industry Launched

• Launched ₹500 cr scheme for the development of the Indian medical device sector as a self-reliant initiative
• Key constituents are support for R&D labs, skill development, and clinical studies
• Target Market is $30 bn by 2030.
• Challenges high import dependency, lack of infrastructure, and low capital investment.

Supreme Court Rules on NCLT Operational Challenges

• The SC emphasized problems of staff and operational issues at NCLT that led to inefficiencies in handling insolvency and restructuring cases.
• Founded under the Companies Act, decisions of NCLT can be appealed at NCLAT and further in the Supreme Court, which are final appeals.

Key Terms and Concepts

• Article 30(1): It ensures that the rights of the linguistic and religious minorities are granted for establishing and running educational institutions.
• Methanol Economy: An initiative by which methanol becomes an alternate fuel to reduce dependence on oil and the emission of harmful gases.
• POCSO Act: A law is created that protects a child against sexual abuse, in which ample penalties are laid based on the category of offenses.
• NCLT and NCLAT: They deal with disputes relating to the company law and insolvency matters, under the Companies Act, 2013.
• Government schemes: The Government of India has launched a Medical Device Industry Scheme, where the focus is given to the development of infrastructure, skill development, and R&D to boost the Indian medical device sector.