Pilot Programme to Connect Out-of-School Children with NIOS Context: The Union Government is launching a pilot programme to connect out-of-school children aged 14–18 years with the National Institute of Open Schooling through distance learning. The initiative moves beyond the earlier voluntary enrolment framework and aims for proactive identification and inclusion. Objective of the Initiative To identify and reconnect children who have dropped out of school. To provide flexible distance education opportunities through NIOS. To improve educational access for vulnerable adolescents. Coverage of Pilot Programme The pilot will be implemented in 10 districts across nine States: Odisha, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi Key Features App-based mapping of out-of-school children aged 14–18 Monitoring and tracking systems Incentive mechanisms for enrolment and participation District-level convergence strategies among departments Important Data According to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS): More than two crore children in the 14–18 age group are currently out of school in India. AI-Based Helpbot “Abhay” Launched by CBI Context: The Central Bureau of Investigation has introduced an AI-driven helpbot named “Abhay” to verify the authenticity of notices issued by the agency. Need for the Initiative Cyber-related frauds are emerging as a serious challenge to India’s criminal justice system. Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and deepfake tools are making it increasingly difficult for people to distinguish genuine information from fake or manipulated content. About “Abhay” “Abhay” is an AI-enabled chatbot system created to help citizens confirm whether CBI notices are genuine. It has been developed to counter: Cyber fraud, Digital arrest scams, Fake notices circulated in the name of the CBI. Key Features Provides a secure and user-friendly verification mechanism. Designed with strong safeguards for data privacy and confidentiality. Offers a publicly accessible authentication system to enhance trust and transparency. Project Saksham Context: National…
