QS Quacquarelli Symonds, a global higher education analyst, recently published the second edition of the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2024.

• Among the 56 Indian universities listed, the University of Delhi (DU) claimed the top spot, securing the 220th position worldwide.
• This university, also ranking 30th in Asia, demonstrated commendable performance across various areas, including the implementation of environmental and climate strategies, delivering high-quality education in environmental and climate-related fields, and tackling challenges in diversity and inclusivity.
• In contrast, the IITs lagged behind, with IIT Madras, Kharagpur, Roorkee, and Delhi securing ranks of 344th, 349th, 387th, and 426th, respectively. Following closely behind is BITS Pilani at the 444th position in the global QS World University Rankings: Sustainability.
• The University of Toronto leads as the world's most sustainable university, followed by the University of California, Berkeley, and The University of Manchester in second and third places, respectively.

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) received an order of Rs 580 crore from Indian Army for AMC of Radars. This project will have participation of Indian electronics and associated industries, including MSMEs, which are sub-vendors of BEL. 

• The company has also received additional orders worth Rs 3,335 crore since the last disclosure on September 15 2023 and the said orders pertain to AMC for AEW&C system (Airborne Early Warning & Control), Uncooled TI sights, Software Defined Radios, SWIR pay load, AMC for IACCS, Passive Night Vision Binoculars etc. 
• All the equipment manufactured by BEL are part of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ program.
• With the above, cumulatively BEL has received orders worth Rs 18,298 Crore in the current financial year 2023-24.

Industry chamber CII expects the country's economy to grow at 6.8 per cent in the current fiscal and accelerate to 7 per cent in 2024-25, driven by the government's continued focus on infrastructure development and promotion of ease of doing business.

CII President R Dinesh, who is also the Executive Vice Chairman of TVS Supply Chain Solutions, said even on a conservative basis, the expected gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6.8 per cent will be more than the 6.5-6.7 per cent estimated earlier by the industry body.

Sharing growth projections, the CII President said: "In the beginning, we had said 6.5-6.7 per cent. Now, actually, we are saying it is going to be 6.8 per cent for this year, and we are looking at 7 per cent for next year. Obviously, the first half has given the comfort for 6.8 per cent. In fact, I would say it is a conservative number because if you look at what has happened in the first half, we are being conservative here".

On the recent state elections, he said the stock market and the industry favour continuity in policy.

DIPAM Secretary on Wednesday( 6 December 2023) announed that government will sell up to 8% stake in Ircon International Ltd through an Offer For Sale (OFS).

• Floor price for the OFS has been fixed at Rs 154 per share, which is a 10% discount as compared to Ircon scrip's closing of Rs 171.65 on Wendesday. 52-week-low of the scrip is Rs 65 and 52-week-high is Rs 180.
• The plan includes selling 4% of the company, with an option to sell an additional 4% if the offer is oversubscribed, it said in a stock exchange filing. 
• Ircon International, or Indian Railway Construction International Limited, is an engineering & construction corporation, specialized in transport infrastructure.

The 5th Nagaland Honey Bee Day was celebrated under the theme “Bee & Honey Trials”, with deputy chief minister, Planning & Transformation and National Highway, T.R. Zeliang at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama on Tuesday( 5 December)

• A DIPR report informed that the TR congratulated the mission and all the winners of Honey Bee farmers both at the State and District levels.
• He said Nagaland has a unique age-old tradition of beekeeping practices and endowed with the potential to be the epicenter of Apicultural activities due to abundant nectar-rich flowering plants and favorable climatic conditions, rich vegetation and ideal topography.
• Due to this reason, training on honey production and rearing have been imparted to the villagers on regular basis. TR said once the traditional hobby of beekeeping has been improved, it will be transformed into a livelihood.
• The theme of the 5th Nagaland Honey Bee Day was “Bee & Honey Trials.”

The Government of India has approved several high-profile appointments, including the elevation of Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi to the position of Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, according to people aware of the matter.

• Vice Admiral Tripathi, currently serving as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command, is set to take on the crucial role of Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, effective early January 2024.
• Vice Admiral Su Singh, the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, will assume the role of Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command, succeeding Vice Admiral Tripathi.
• Both appointments are slated to come into effect early in the new year.

IDFC First Bank has officially announced the resignation of its Executive Director and key managerial personnel, Madhivanan Balakrishnan, effective 6 December.

• The bank disclosed that the Nomination and Remuneration Committee and the Board of Directors accepted Balakrishnan's resignation and would relieve him of his duties with immediate effect, though he will continue to assist in necessary handovers until 15 December.
• In his resignation letter, Balakrishnan cited an opportunity in the healthcare sector aligned with his family's long-term plans. He explained that his daughter, a recent medical graduate, aspires to venture into healthcare entrepreneurship.
• Madhivanan Balakrishnan had joined IDFC First Bank in 2019. The bank expressed its intention to assess potential internal candidates for the position of Whole-time Director (Executive Director).

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the licence of Urban Co-operative Bank (UCB), Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh.

• RBI said the bank ceases to carry on banking business, with effect from the close of business on December 07, 2023.
• The Commissioner and Registrar of Cooperative, Uttar Pradesh has also been requested to issue an order for winding up the bank and appoint a liquidator for the bank.
• On liquidation, every depositor would be entitled to receive deposit insurance claim amount of his/her deposits up to a monetary ceiling of Rs.5 lakh from Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC).
• As per the data submitted by the bank, 98.32 per cent of the depositors are entitled to receive full amount of their deposits from DICGC, RBI said.

Veteran actor Junior Mehmood passed away in the wee hours of Friday, December 8.

• The 67-year-old actor, best known for his role in films like Caravan, was battling with cancer.
• It is reported that his condition worsened on Thursday night. He was rushed to the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai’s Parel area after his condition deteriorated.
• He was put on oxygen support but he couldn’t survive. The news of his death comes just days after Johnny Lever had revealed Jr Mehmood was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.
• Junior Mehmood, who was originally named Naeem Sayyed.
• The star worked in several movies, including Naunihal, Caravan, Haathi Mere Saathi, Mera Naam Joker, Suhaag Raat, Brahmachari, Kati Patang, Hare Raama Hare Krishna, Geet Gaata Chal, Imaandaar, Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri, Aaj Ka Arjun, Gurudev, Chhote Sarkar and Judaai. He also had a brief TV career.

UNICEF's Generation Unlimited, in collaboration with India's Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change will unveil the "Green Rising" initiative at COP28 in Dubai.

• The global "Green Rising" initiative and the "Green Rising India Alliance" marks a collaborative effort involving UNICEF, Generation Unlimited, and a diverse network of public, private, and youth partners.
• The main goal is to mobilize millions of young people worldwide, encouraging their active participation in green initiatives addressing and adapting to the severe impacts of climate change on their communities.
• The "Green Rising" initiative focuses on engaging youth for impactful environmental actions at the grassroots level, aligning with the global effort to address the severe impacts of climate change.
• Through the YuWaah campaign in India, the focus is on engaging youth to drive impactful environmental actions at the grassroots level, inspired by the Mission Life movement. Over 83 billion dollars have been mobilized within the first seven days of the COP28, marking a new era of climate action. 

The cultural calendar of the country is getting yet another big event as the first India Art, Architecture & Design Biennale (IAADB) 2023 is set to launch on Friday( 08 December 2023).

• The event will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Delhi’s historic Red Fort. 
• As part of the preparations, the Ministry extended an open call on social media for artists and curators to submit their work.
• The response was substantial, with 560 queries and 260 submissions. From these, 150 entries were chosen to be showcased at the event.
• The inclusivity extends to a parallel Student Biennale named Samunnati, set to take place from December 9 at Lalit Kala Akademi, offering a platform for emerging talent. 
• The Red Fort will not only host IAADB but will also witness the inauguration of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design and the Student Biennale, Samunnati. The Ministry envisions IAADB as a recurring and progressively larger cultural phenomenon, occurring biennially.

The Indian Navy has planned to deploy both its aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant on the eastern seaboard during Milan-2024, a flagship international naval exercise hosted by Vizag from February 19-27 next year.

• The event will be held under the aegis of the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) of the Indian Navy with likely participation from nearly 50 friendly countries as a delegation, and 20 foreign warships along with one maritime patrol aircraft, said Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag-Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) Eastern Naval Command.
• Navies from the US, Japan, Australia, France, Bangladesh, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia are set to be among the participating nations in the Milan-2024 exercise to be conducted off Visakhapatnam next year, he added. 
• The upcoming exercise will be the biggest multilateral military war game to be hosted by India ever.