First ever SC uses AI for live transcription

GS Paper - 2 (Judiciary)

The Supreme Court (SC) on 21 February 2023 started a first-of-its-kind project to transcribe its proceedings live using Artificial Intelligence (AI). It helps judges and the lawyers, but it will also help our law colleges. They can analyse how matters are argued…It is a huge resource, Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud said.

What proceedings are being transcribed?

1. The AI transcript is seen on the live-streaming screen of courtroom number 1, which is the CJI’s court.
2. The five-judge Bench headed by the CJI is hearing the case related to the political crisis in Maharashtra.
3. The Bench had deferred the decision on the question of whether to reconsider the 2016 verdict of the court in Nabam Rebia vs Deputy Speaker, which had held that the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly cannot decide on disqualification petitions when a motion seeking his own removal is pending.

What is the AI powering the transcription and how is it doing?

1. The SC transcription is using Teres, which is a platform used often for transcribing arbitration proceedings.
2. The platform is run by Nomology Technology Private Limited, a Bengaluru based company.
3. If there are two or more voices at the same time that causes a little bit of a problem, CJI Chandrachud said. But they have personnel who will clean up the errors by the evening.
4. The transcript will also be shared with lawyers who argued cases for verification, and are likely to be uploaded on the SC website every evening.

What is the significance of this step?

1. The transcribing is the second major decision towards making the court more transparent after the SC’s decisions to livestream its proceedings before Constitution Benches.
2. The suggestion to transcribe hearings was made by senior advocate Indira Jaising in the plea she had filed seeking live telecast of court proceedings.

Are transcripts available for courts in other countries?

1. In the US, court transcripts are available to litigants and the public. The US Supreme Court provides audio and text transcripts of the proceedings. Many local courts in the US also make a stenographic record of most court proceedings.
2. In the UK, a litigant can ask for a transcript of the court proceedings for a fee if the hearing is recorded.

World's first payment link on cloud

GS Paper - 3 (Economy)

In the first such collaboration for India, the country’s flagship payment platform, the Unified Payments Interface and Singapore’s PayNow payment system have launched a real-time cross-border payment system linkage. The linkage was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong on 21 February 2023.

What

1. The newly launched linkage will enable users to transfer funds held in bank accounts or e-wallets to and from India using only the UPI ID, mobile number or Virtual Payment Address (VPA), the RBI said.
2. This facility will provide a low-cost and real-time option for cross-border remittances between our two countries.
3. The people who will especially benefit from this are migrant workers, professionals, students and their families, Modi said via videoconference.
4. More than 400,000 Indians reside in Singapore and the annual cross-border retail payments and remittances between the two countries amount to over $1 billion, Loong said.
5. Apart from marking India’s maiden cross-border real-time, person-to-person payments linkage, the partnership between UPI and PayNow marks the world’s first to feature cloud-based infrastructure and participation by non-bank financial institutions.

How much money can you send or receive daily?

1. The RBI said that customers of the participating banks can undertake cross-border remittances to Singapore using the bank’s mobile banking app/internet banking.
2. Initially, an Indian user will be allowed to remit up to Rs 60,000 (SGD 1000) in a day.
3. The RBI said that at the time of making the transaction, the system will dynamically calculate and display the amount in both the currencies for convenience of the user.

Flashback

1. In 2018, Singapore’s Network for Electronic Transfers worked with NPCI International Payments Limited to allow card and QR code payments between the two countries.
2. The idea of linking PayNow and UPI was first conceived in 2018 when PM Modi visited Singapore.
3. The PayNow-UPI linkage will offer cheaper, faster and safer cross-border retail payments and remittances for businesses and individuals alike directly between bank accounts or e-wallets.

International Mother Language Day 2023

GS Paper - 1 (Culture)

International Mother Language Day is observed on 21^st February each year to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. The day was first proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999, and has been observed every year since February 2000.

Objective

1. The main objective of International Mother Language Day is to promote linguistic and cultural diversity, multilingualism, and the preservation and protection of all languages, especially endangered ones.
2. The day aims to raise awareness about the importance of linguistic diversity in promoting cultural understanding, peaceful coexistence, and sustainable development.
3. The observance of International Mother Language Day also serves as an opportunity to celebrate and promote the use of mother tongues, which are an important part of people's cultural heritage and identity.
4. The day encourages people to take pride in their mother language and to use it in their daily lives, in education, and in other aspects of society.
5. Another objective of International Mother Language Day is to promote the use of multilingual education and to encourage the development of language policies that support linguistic diversity and promote social inclusion.
6. The day provides a platform for policymakers, educators, and other stakeholders to discuss and share best practices for language education and language policy.
7. Ultimately, the objective of International Mother Language Day is to promote the idea that linguistic and cultural diversity is a source of strength and a means of achieving a more peaceful and sustainable world.

History

1. International Mother Language Day was established by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999, in response to a tragic event that took place in Bangladesh in 1952.
2. On 21 February 1952, students and activists in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) protested against the Pakistani government's decision to impose Urdu as the only official language of the country. During the protest, police opened fire on the demonstrators, killing several of them.
3. The protest and the subsequent violence that followed became a turning point in the struggle for independence for East Pakistan, and it gave rise to a movement to promote the Bengali language and culture.
4. In 1999, the Government of Bangladesh proposed to UNESCO that 21^st February be declared as International Mother Language Day to commemorate the events of 1952 and to promote linguistic and cultural diversity around the world.
5. The proposal was accepted by UNESCO, and International Mother Language Day was first observed on 21 February 2000.