To accommodate start-ups, MeitY relaxes Al compute procurement norms 

The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has relaxed some provisions in its norms to procure computing capacity for artificial intelligence (Al) solutions under the country's ambitious Rs 10,300 crore Al Mission. 

A number of smaller companies had raised concerns that some of the ministry's requirements were exclusionary and would have benefitted only bigger companies. The relaxations come on account of a reduction in the annual turnover requirement for companies or consortia looking to set up such data centres, and on the computing capacity itself. 

The average turnover requirement for primary bidders has been lowered from Rs 100 crore to Rs 50 crore. For non-primary consortium members, the requirement has been halved to Rs 25 crore. 

This was one of the main asks by several Indian start-ups during a pre-bid meeting that took place in August. 

Bangladesh-India ties should be 'very close' despite regime change, says Yunus

Bangladesh Interim government's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has said that Dhaka-Delhi relations should be "very close" despite the recent regime change in the country, asserting that it is in the interest of both countries. 

"Relations between the two countries must be very close. There can be no alternative to this. They need this, we need this. This is essential from any angle, whether it's about economics, security or water," he was quoted. 

Discriminatory: Why SC struck down caste rules in jail manuals

The Supreme Court last week struck down a bunch of rules in several state prison manuals, saying they "reinforce caste differences" and target members of marginalised communities, especially those dubbed as "criminal tribes" in the colonial era. These rules violated the fundamental rights of the prisoners, the top court said. 

The petition and the ruling 

The 148-page ruling authored by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud came on a petition filed by journalist Sukanya Shantha on the rules and provisions in prison manuals across states. The day-to-day administration of prisons is governed by the Prisons Act and Prison Manual in the state or Union Territory concerned.

The rules in question deal with the classification of prisoners, and the prison work that is assigned to them. The court said the manuals assigned prison work in ways that "perpetuate caste-based labour divisions and reinforce social hierarchies".- 

Making machines learn

Artificial Intelligence, or Al tools are used by users of computers and phones around the world to seek information, create photos and videos, or interpret large amounts of data in ways that were not possible just two years ago. Al has the potential to bring about fundamental changes in the way people live and work. 

Nobel Prize in Physics recognises two scientists whose work laid the foundations of the Al revolution that is currently unfolding. 

John Hopfield, a 91-year-old American, and Geoffrey Hinton, a 76-year-old British- born Canadian, were awarded the Nobel Prize for their "foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks"