• 06 Jan 2026

Barabanki Girl Wins PM Bal Puraskar for Dust-Free Wheat Thresher

Why in News?

A 17 year old girl from Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh has been selected for the Prime Minister’s Bal Puraskar for developing an innovative dust-free wheat threshing device, aimed at reducing health hazards to farmers.

Key Points:

• Award: Prime Minister’s Bal Puraskar – India’s highest civilian honour for children, conferred for exceptional achievements in innovation, science, social service, sports, art, and culture.
• Awardee: Pooja Pal, resident of Agehra village, Barabanki (UP).
• Innovation: A dust-free wheat thresher attachment (Bhusa-Dhool Prithakkaran Yantra) that separates chaff and traps dust, reducing airborne particulate matter during threshing.
• Recognition & Support:
  • Supported under the INSPIRE Award framework of the Ministry of Science & Technology.
  • Selected for the Sakura Science High School Programme (Japan).
  • Honoured by the Uttar Pradesh government as a child scientist.
• Problem Addressed: Respiratory illnesses and eye irritation caused by wheat dust during conventional threshing operations.
• Inspiration: Observation of dust affecting school children and farmers.
  • Ideas derived from traditional sieving practices used at home.
• Women in STEM: Serves as a major inspiration for young girls in science and technology from marginalized backgrounds.
• Significance: Highlights grass-roots innovation, student-led problem solving, and the role of science & technology in improving occupational health in agriculture.

NTPC-GCRI MoA for Cancer Care Infrastructure

Why in News?

NTPC Western Region signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Gujarat Cancer & Research Institute (GCRI) for the upgradation of radiotherapy services under a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.

Key Points

• Objective: To enhance radiotherapy services by procuring and installing a high-energy Linear Accelerator (LINAC) at the Siddhpur Satellite Centre  in Ahmedabad.
• Funding: ₹23.16 crore has been sanctioned by NTPC under its CSR initiative for capacity upgrade.
• Technology Upgrade: The support will help procure and install sophisticated radiotherapy equipment, improving advanced cancer treatment capabilities. 
• CSR Focus: This initiative reflects NTPC’s commitment to inclusive development and contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by strengthening critical healthcare infrastructure through meaningful CSR interventions. 
• Regional Healthcare Hub: Strengthening GCRI will reduce the out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) for patients.

IIT Indore Promotes Hindi as Working Language in S&T Education

The Indian Institute of Technology Indore (IIT‑I) has taken a significant step to promote Hindi as a working language in science and technology education.

Key Points

• Objective: To promote technical Hindi in higher education and remove linguistic barriers for students from Hindi‑medium backgrounds. 
• Event: The idea was highlighted during Abhyuday‑3, a two‑day National Technical Hindi Seminar organised by IIT Indore. 
• Implementation: At IIT Indore, some first-year lectures are taught in Hindi, classroom discussions use Hindi to explain scientific concepts, and research abstracts are compiled as per official Hindi language standards.
• Leadership: As per IIT‑I Director, this initiative supports the national vision of connecting science and technology with vernacular languages, reinforcing inclusivity and linguistic diversity.
• Outcome: A key result of Abhyuday‑3 was the release of “Smarika”, a compilation of 26 peer‑reviewed research papers written in Hindi across sessions on science, engineering, and digital technology.
• National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: This initiative directly aligns with NEP 2020's mandate to promote instruction in Indian languages to foster deeper thinking and innovation.
• Government Support: The Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme (BBPS), introduced in the Union Budget 2025-26, supports these efforts by providing digital books in Indian languages for higher education.

Human Capital Meeting on Inclusive AI at IIT Guwahati

Why in News?

IIT Guwahati hosted the Human Capital Working Group Meeting, focusing on inclusive adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), workforce transitions, and education reforms, ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

Key Points

• Key Stakeholders: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), IndiaAI Mission, and the Government of Assam.
• Education Reforms: Emphasis was on reshaping education to enhance critical thinking, adaptability, and cognitive skills, preparing students and workers for an AI-driven future.
• Gender-Inclusive AI: Discussions highlighted the need for gender-responsive strategies, addressing wage gaps, algorithmic bias, and equitable access to AI training opportunities.
• Human-Centric AI Vision: IndiaAI Mission promotes democratisation of AI resources, indigenous AI models, and support for the Global South to build equitable AI ecosystems.
• Significance: The meeting underscores the Government’s focus on human-centric AI adoption, inclusive technology integration, and preparing India’s workforce and education system for the AI era.

Two Judges Appointed to Patna High Court

Why in News?

Ritesh Kumar and Praveen Kumar have been appointed as judges of the Patna High Court by President Droupadi Murmu after approval from the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.

Key Points

• Appointing Authority: The President of India appoints High Court judges in consultation with the Chief Justice of India and the Governor of the state.
• Appointment Notification: The Ministry of Law and Justice, following the recommendations of the Supreme Court Collegium, issued the appointments under Article 217 of the Constitution.
• Judge Strength Increase: With their appointments the total number of judges in the Patna High Court is set to increase to 36.
• Significance: Increasing judicial strength at the Patna High Court aims to reduce case backlog and improve judicial efficiency.

Patna High Court 

• Established: 3 February 1916
• Legal Basis: Affiliated under the Government of India Act 1915.
• First Chief Justice: Hon’ble Justice Sir Edward Maynard Des Champs.
• Current Chief Justice of the Patna High Court: Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo