Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

• He was born on 14 April 1891 in Madhya Pradesh in Hindu Mahar Caste.
• He had to face severe discriminations from every corner of the society as the Mahar caste was viewed as "untouchable" by the upper class.
• He became chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly and played an important role in framing the Indian Constitution.
• Article 32 was the most important article of the constitution and thus, he referred to it "soul of the Constitution and very heart of it".
  • It guarantees judicial protection to the Fundamental Rights which makes them meaningful.
• He supported a strong central government. He was afraid that Casteism is more powerful at the local and provincial levels, and the government at this level might not protect the interest of lower caste under pressure of upper caste.
• He was against 'Majoritarianism Syndrome' and provided many safeguards in the Constitution for the minorities. So democratic rule of 'One man one vote' is not sufficient and the minority should be guaranteed a share in power.
• In 1923, he set up the 'Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha (Outcastes Welfare Association)’, which was devoted to spreading education and culture amongst the downtrodden.
• The temple entry movement launched by Dr. Ambedkar in 1930 at Kalaram temple, Nasik is another landmark in the struggle for human rights and social justice.
• Dr. Ambedkar attended all the three Round Table Conferences (1930-32) in London and each time, forcefully projected his views in the interest of the 'untouchable'.
• In 1936, Babasaheb Ambedkar founded the Independent Labour Party.
• On October 14, 1956 he embraced Buddhism along with many of his followers. The same year he completed his last writing 'Buddha and His Dharma'.
• In 1990, Dr.B.R.Ambedkar, was bestowed with Bharat Ratna.
• The period from 14th April 1990 - 14th April 1991 was observed as 'Year of Social Justice' in the memory of Babasaheb.

Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)

• It aims at providing strategic funding to higher education institutions throughout the country.
• The scheme is being operated in mission mode for funding state universities and colleges to achieve the aims of equity, access and excellence.
• It is a centrally sponsored scheme launched in October 2013.
• Since 2016-17, the government has spent an average of Rs. 1,500 crore every year on RUSA.
• The University Grants Commission will monitor the progress of work done by Institutions which received funding under the RUSA Scheme.
• Objectives
• Improve the overall quality of state institutions by conforming to the prescribed norms and standards.
• Adoption of accreditation (certification of competency) as a mandatory quality assurance framework.
• Promoting autonomy in state universities and improving governance in institutions.
• Ensure reforms in the affiliation, academic and examination system.
• Ensure adequate availability of quality faculty in all higher educational institutions and ensure capacity building at all levels of employment.
• Create an enabling atmosphere for research in the higher education system.
• Correct regional imbalances in access to higher education by setting up institutions in unserved and underserved areas.
• Improve equity in higher education by providing adequate opportunities to the disadvantaged.

Raigad Fort

• Raigad fort is a hill fort situated in the Mahad, Raigad district of Maharashtra. The fort is located in the Sahyadri mountain range.
• Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj seized the fort in 1656, then known as the fort of Rairi from Raje Chandraraoji More, The King of Jawali.
• Shivaji renovated and expanded the fort of Rairi and renamed it as Raigad (King's Fort).
• Shivaji Maharaj was coronated on 6 June, 1674 at the Raigad fort, which later served as the capital of the Maratha Empire.
• The fort was looted and destroyed by the British after it was captured in 1818.

Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)

• AFSPA gives armed forces special powers to control “disturbed areas”, which are designated by the government when it is of the opinion that a region is in such a disturbed or dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of civil power is necessary.
• Under its provisions, the armed forces have been empowered to open fire, enter and search without warrant, and arrest any person who has committed a cognizable offence, all while having immunity from being prosecuted.
• The power to declare a territory “disturbed” initially lay with the states, but passed to the Centre in 1972.
• Section 3 of AFSPA (in J&K) says that an area can be declared disturbed if it is the “opinion of the Governor of the state or the central government” which “makes the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power necessary”.
• Currently, AFSPA is in effect in Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, Assam, Manipur (excluding seven assembly constituencies of Imphal) and parts of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The law has been repealed where insurgencies have subsided, and when governments have gained confidence of managing the region using the police force.
• Thus, AFSPA was repealed in Tripura in 2015, and in 2018 the Centre also removed Meghalaya from the list, while also restricting its use in Arunachal Pradesh.

Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary

• Kazhuveli or Kaliveli wetland system is one of the largest waterfowl congregation sites in Tamil Nadu, and a well-known raptor roosting site for species like the Eastern Imperial Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Red-necked Falcon and several harriers.
• It is in the Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu.
• The Grey-tailed Tattler, a rare migratory wader, has been recorded only here and in Pulicat across the country.
• Kazhuveli is unique as it falls in the Central Asian migratory path of birds and is home to the second-largest brackish water lake in South India.
• Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary will be the 16th Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu and will help to preserve the biological diversity of the region and conserve the future of threatened bird species in their natural environments.