May 10, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 9th May, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 9th May 2017 Archives SOCIAL/ISSUE TOPIC: General Studies 1 Effects of globalization on Indian society Social empowerment General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General Studies 4 Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships. Law against torture Introduction In the age of global push for rights to all sections of the society laws against torture and inhuman treatment is a seminal necessity. India as a global voice against extreme violence should lead the way by bringing globally acceptable laws against torture. UN Convention against Torture: The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (commonly known as the United Nations Convention against Torture) is an international human rights treaty, under the review of the United Nations, that aims to prevent torture and other acts of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment around the world. The Convention requires states to take effective measures to prevent torture in any territory under their jurisdiction, and forbids states to transport people to any country where there is reason to believe they will be tortured. The text of the Convention was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1984 and, following ratification by the 20th state party, it came into force on 26 June 1987. 26 June is now recognized as the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, in honor of the Convention. Since the convention's entry into force, the absolute prohibition against torture and other acts of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment has become accepted as a principle of customary international law. As of February 2017, the Convention has 161 state parties. Issue: Two decades after signing the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, India is yet to ratify it. In recent times there is a fresh note of urgency attached to the need for early ratification, as the country has pending requests for the extradition of its nationals from other countries. For, as pointed out by the Supreme Court, the absence of a stand-alone law prohibiting torture may prevent many countries from agreeing to India’s extradition requests. Such a law may be in the national interest, the Chief Justice of India observed during the course of a hearing on a public interest petition seeking the enactment of an anti-torture law in accordance with the country’s commitment. The court also noted that India was subjected to close questioning during the Universal Periodic Review of its human rights obligations at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. It cannot be forgotten that an extradition request relating to Purulia arms drop case suspect Kim Davy failed owing to the apprehension that he may be ill-treated in India. In an era of increasing international cooperation on criminal matters, India will be better served if it is seen as adhering to international treaties, especially its obligations under the Convention Against Torture, which it signed in 1997. Does India needs an Anti torture law? There may be some doubt whether India needs a fresh law to prevent and punish torture. Provisions relating to causing hurt or grievous hurt, especially with a view to extracting a confession, criminal intimidation and wrongful confinement already exist in the Indian Penal Code. However, the idea of a stand-alone law ought to be ultimately seen as a more tangible way of expressing commitment to eliminating torture. A concrete step towards enacting a law was made when the Prevention of Torture Bill, 2010, was passed by the Lok Sabha in 2010, but it was referred to a Select Committee in the Rajya Sabha. In its report submitted in the same year, the committee recommended exhaustive amendments to the Bill to make it consistent with the language and intent of the Convention. Thereafter the Bill lapsed. Given the pervasive nature of custodial violence and its complex policing requirements, the present legislative and administrative framework is obviously inadequate to prevent torture in a country of India’s size. Conclusion: It is imperative that a strong law that criminalises torture, imposes stringent punishment for it and contains liberal provisions for those suffering torture to complain against their perpetrators, prosecute them and be compensated and rehabilitated, is passed at the earliest. Connecting the dots: Analyse the need for an exclusive anti torture law of global standards in India. Elaborate.   NATIONAL/ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it Government Budgeting New Financial Year Introduction In replacement of the present financial year we are following i.e. April-March which is a colonial legacy government is planning normal calendar year to be coinciding the same. The measure can have a number of benefits and concerns. Issue: In a recent Niti Aayog meeting, Prime Minister asked members to get to the task of aligning the country’s financial year with the calendar year. The PM, wants destroy a vestige of the colonial era — the period considered for the country’s financial year. Taking cue, BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh was the first off the block announcing its decision to go for the change last week. What is it? To ensure uniformity and enable comparison, countries tend to have a fixed 12-month period as their accounting year. This period is called fiscal or financial year. Companies, States and other entities also generally toe the line. In some countries however, the fiscal years followed by the Government and companies are different. India’s fiscal year is from April 1 to March 31. This came about because the British preferred to begin their financial year on Lady’s Day, on March 25, since this was one of the days in the year when rents were paid in the UK; eons ago. When the Gregorian calendar was adopted by the British, the fiscal year for Britain moved to April 6, and there it stays, till date. When the British Raj spread across the world, its financial year was imposed in all colonies including India, Hong Kong and Canada. Why is it important? The Centre says that changing the financial year will help in aligning it with the farmers’ income flows. While that argument is a little weak given the falling share of agriculture in the country’s economy, the change will help Indian companies that have associated entities in overseas jurisdictions. Since most countries use the Gregorian calendar year (January to December) as their financial year, consolidating financial statements will be easier. Comparing the macro data with other countries will also be much simpler as many multi-lateral agencies such as the IMF and the World Bank give projections for the calendar year. But implementation needs to be well planned to prevent disruptions of the kind witnessed during the recent demonetisation. Also, the changeover can be put off until companies have settled down with the GST laws and new accounting standards. How does it affect a citizen? It will make life simpler for those who find it confusing to figure out what happened to the country and companies in a period that straddles two calendar years. Financial year 2017 for instance, begins in April 2016 and ends in March 2017. It would have been easier if FY 2017 started in January and ended in December 2017. Shankar Acharya Committe: A high-level committee formed to study the feasibility of shifting financial year to January 1 from the current practice of starting from April 1 has submitted its report to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. The government had in July set up a committee headed by former Chief Economic Adviser Shankar Acharya, to examine “desirability and feasibility” of having a new financial year. The Committee has given reasoning for the change and its effect on the different agricultural crop periods and its impact on businesses, taxation systems and procedures, statistics and data collection. Conclusion: It is important for any policy measure to be well thought out and not for the sake of a change. The change in the financial year can be beneficial if done taking all stakeholders into consideration. The decision should be after taking public and all into confidence. Connecting the dots: India’s financial architecture is undergoing a host of changes. Elaborate the need of the same and the effect of the same on the economy. MUST READ Towards a unique digital South Asian identity Hindu   Joint Doctrine for Armed Forces: the single-service syndrome Hindu   Exit, pursued by press Indian Express   Network is the key Indian Express   NPA resolution: Let’s try again Indian Express   India’s solar mission can cause new debt problems Livemint   French correction Business Line   How lopsided industrialisation has hurt India Business Line  

May 10, 2017

IASbaba's 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2017 Geography and Current Affairs [Day 39]

Hello Friends So, here we are with the 39th Day of 60 Days Plan. It is the third edition of 60 Days program but seems like the first one because of the excitement involved everywhere, including us :) We are equally excited and pumped. Our Team is working hard to make you realize your dream. Do not take it insincerely and let us down. Your faith and participation has to be in sync with the amount of hard work and effort we do. Let us pledge to make it a big game changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days! Importance of Self - Tracking: Learning from Last Year Last year, aspirants used to comment their answers in the comment box on daily basis. There were huge participation in discussion. Putting answers in comment box has been very effective to self track yourself after updating the score. In the end you can cross check your performance through disqus profile. It was highly effective in the last edition of 60 Days that propelled aspirants to monitor their performance and learn through discussion. Let you solve these questions with full honesty and write your result in the comment box. Interact with peers to know your mistakes. The importance of this initiative stands time bound and aggressive reverse engineering to learn the concepts. Many of you must be busy with your own strategy but let us tell you honestly that in the last two months, it is very important to revise and consolidate your learning. Just reading won’t suffice. So, take out few hours from your schedule and make it a revision exercise. How you can make the best use of it? Be honest to your effort and do not start competing with XYZ aspirants here just for the sake of marks. It is more important for you to introspect and check your learning than focusing on others. Try to answer the questions in 20 minutes only.  Do not get into negative feeling that I don’t have enough knowledge to answer these questions. Feel like you are taking the real exam. What would be your response then? The same will be replicated in UPSC exam. Here, you get marks only and nothing else matters. So make effort to know the answers of all questions. Do not cheat :P Baba's Gyan for REVISION Many of you, almost all, asks about effective revision strategy! Can there be any? Let us tell you something Baba does :D  You guys study a lot and there is no issue with the hard work that has been put in. But when it comes to input-output comparison, your performance is questionable. What to do? Just do this for a Week: Go to bed before stipulated time of your sleep, at least 1 hour before. Close your eyes and try to relax your mind. You should attain full comfort and calmness. Do this on the First Day: Imagine the full story of a recent movie that you have watched. Try to recollect from starting to end. See, whether you are able to depict the clear picture or not! Now, do the same for everything you learnt from morning specially the ones you struggled with. Since it is fresh, most of the things should flow into your mind smoothly. Check what is your recollecting capacity. For example, if you prepared Polity Day 2: Topics- Try to collect all important concepts and learning of the day. Trust us, this exercise if done with sincerity will give you immense confidence as well as boost your performance. There is no ideal time for revision and there cannot be any specific date put for it, as commonly done. This will always expose your weaknesses the very same day and if you tend to forget something, can always get back to consolidate and cement it. REPEAT IT FOR A WEEK & SEE THE MAGIC :D  Must to Do: Read the detailed article regarding Micro Analysis Matrix and follow the guidelines- Click Here Try to hold your nerves and learn to control the temptation. This is very important art to learn and implement! Are you ready? Let's start [Day 39]: GEOGRAPHY & CURRENT AFFAIRS  ARCHIVES Q.1) Consider the following statements: The rise and fall of the tides on Earth is caused by the Moon. A person would weigh much less on the Moon as it has much weaker gravity than Earth, due to its smaller mass. The Moon has quakes, which are caused by the gravitational pull of the Earth. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 2 and 3 only 1 and 2 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3  Q.2) With reference planets in our solar system, consider the below statements: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are only the planets which are part of Inner planets. Saturn orbits around the sun in a clockwise direction from east to west. Mars is often considered as ‘Earth’s twin’. Choose the appropriate answer from the codes given below: 1 only 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3  Q.3) Which of the statements given below are correct? Asthenosphere is associated with the upper layer of the earth's mantle (below the lithosphere) whereas Barysphere is associated with inner layer of the earth’s core (below outer core) The main mineral constituents of the continental mass are silica and alumina. The oceanic crust mainly consists of silica and iron. Choose appropriate answer from the codes given below: 2 and 3 only 1 and 2 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.4) Plate tectonic theory is the most accepted theory, which explains the location and movement of continents as well as formation of different landmasses. Consider the following statements regarding plates and plate tectonics: Lithosphere consists only of upper crust which is floating over mantle. Lithosphere is fragmented into different pieces. These pieces are called plates. Pacific plate is the only major plate which is completely oceanic. Theory of Plate tectonics propounded that there was a supercontinent called Pangaea and a super ocean called Panthalasa. Which of the above statements are incorrect? 4 only 1 and 4 2 and 3 1,3 and 4  Q.5) Consider the following surface winds: Doldrums Trade winds Westerlies Polar winds Which one among the following is the idealized global pattern of these winds from the Equator to the pole? 1-2-3-4 1-3-2-4 2-1-4-3 3-1-2-4 Q.6) Consider the following statements: Places having same mean annual rainfall are joined by a line on map is called Isonephs. Places having an equal degree of cloudiness are joined by lines known as Isohyet. Places with equal sunshine duration joined by lines are known as Isohels. Choose correct codes from the options given below: 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 3 only 1, 2 and 3  Q.7) Identify the incorrect statement: The general movement of the currents in the northern hemisphere is clockwise and anticlockwise in the southern hemisphere. The shape and position of coasts play an important role in guiding the direction of currents. In the lower latitudes the warm currents flow on the western shores and cold on the eastern shore, while situation is reversed in higher latitudes. Convergence along which the warm and cold currents meet and divergence from which they move out in different directions also control the currents.  Q.8) Consider the following statements: Coriolis force is weakest along the equator but increases progressively towards the poles. Trade winds are deflected in anti-clockwise direction in northern hemisphere and Clock-wise direction in the southern hemisphere. Choose codes from below options: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 None  Q.9) We know that all rocks whether igneous or sedimentary may become metamorphic or changed rocks under great heat and pressure. Consider the below lists and match List I with List II based upon the alteration they undergo: List I                List II Clay                   A. Slate Sandstone        B. Quartzite Limestone        C. Gneiss Granite             D. Schist Shale                 E. Marble 1-2-3-4-5 A-E-C-D-B A-B-E-C-D B-A-E-C-D B-A-E-D-C  Q.10) Consider the following statements: When the sun, the earth and the moon are in a position of right angle, this position is called quadrature. The position of the sun, the moon and the earth in a straight line is called syzygy. When the position of the earth is in between the sun and moon, this is called conjunction. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.11) Consider the following countries: Australia Namibia Brazil Chile Through which of the above does the Tropic of Capricorn pass? 1 only 2, 3 and 4 1, 2 and 3 1, 2, 3 and 4 Q.12) Consider the following statements: Instruments used to measure direction of the wind is anemometer Instruments used to measure relative humidity is hygrometer Instruments used to measure wind speed is wind vane Choose correct codes from the options given below: 1 and 2 only 2 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3  Q.13) Which is the difference between asteroids and comets? Asteroids are small rocky planetoids, while comets are formed of frozen gases held together by rocky and metallic material. Asteroids are found mostly between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars, while comets are found mostly between Venus and Mercury. Comets show a perceptible glowing tail, while asteroids do not. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 1 and 3 only 3 only 1, 2 and 3  Q.14) Which is the correct sequence from the smallest to the largest grain of the following types of clastic rocks? Shale, sandstone, conglomerate, siltstone Shale, siltstone, sandstone, conglomerate Conglomerate, sandstone, shale, siltstone Sandstone, siltstone, conglomerate, shale Q.15) Lapland is a cultural region largely within the Arctic Circle in the north of the Scandavian Peninsula. Who inhabited the Lapland? Himba people Padaung people Hamar people Sami people Q.16) Consider the following pairs Disputed territory                          Territorial Entities Kuril Islands                                          Japan and China Guantanamo Bay                                  USA and Mexico Chagos Archipelago                             Mauritius and the United Kingdom Which of the following is/are incorrectly matched? 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.17) The Houthi rebels are from China Yemen Syria Ukraine Q.18) Consider the following statements about Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) India is a founding member of the OECD International Energy Agency (IEA) was established by OECD India is one of the member jurisdictions of Financial Action Task Force (on Money Laundering) (FATF), which is established by OECD Select the correct statements Only 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 1 and 2 Q.19) Recently Health Ministry launched single vaccine for dual protection against which of the following diseases as part of Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) Measles Whooping Cough Tuberculosis Both (a) and (c) Q.20) Consider the following statements Chasma Boreale is a large canyon in Mars's north polar ice cap NASA’s THEMIS Mission purpose is to study the possibility of life on Mars Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.21) The LINPACK Benchmarks is concerned with Trade Facilitation Agreement in Services Missile’s payload delivery Light Detection and Ranging Supercomputers Q.22) ‘Sathiya Resource kit’ has been launched by the Union Government recently. The aim of this kit is to: Provide information on pregnancy related issues Provide information on adolescent related issues Provide information on self-defence for girls. Provide information about nearest police stations Q.23) Which of the following is/are correctly matched?             Archipelago                     Country Svalbard           ::               Sweden Faroe Islands  ::               Norway Azores               ::               Portugal Canary Islands ::             Spain Select the correct code: 1, 3 and 4 3 and 4 2, 3 and 4 1, 2 and 3 Q.24) McGurk effect is concerned with Youngs modulus and Hooke’s Law Anomalous behaviour of pendulums or gravimeters Filling of an inner-shell vacancy of an atom is accompanied by the emission of an electron from the same atom None of the above Q.25) Arun – III hydroelectric project is being developed as Storage hydroelectric Pumped-storage hydroelectric Offshore hydroelectric Run-of-river hydroelectric Download The Solution - Click here

May 9, 2017 MindMaps

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue - Joint Indian Armed Forces Doctrine

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue - Joint Indian Armed Forces Doctrine Archives P.S- Right Click on the image and open it in new tab. From there you can save it in your system.   Reference - Link

May 9, 2017

IASbaba's 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2017 Polity and Current Affairs [Day 38]

Hello Friends So, here we are with the 38th Day of 60 Days Plan. It is the third edition of 60 Days program but seems like the first one because of the excitement involved everywhere, including us :) We are equally excited and pumped. Our Team is working hard to make you realize your dream. Do not take it insincerely and let us down. Your faith and participation has to be in sync with the amount of hard work and effort we do. Let us pledge to make it a big game changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days! Importance of Self - Tracking: Learning from Last Year Last year, aspirants used to comment their answers in the comment box on daily basis. There were huge participation in discussion. Putting answers in comment box has been very effective to self track yourself after updating the score. In the end you can cross check your performance through disqus profile. It was highly effective in the last edition of 60 Days that propelled aspirants to monitor their performance and learn through discussion. Let you solve these questions with full honesty and write your result in the comment box. Interact with peers to know your mistakes. The importance of this initiative stands time bound and aggressive reverse engineering to learn the concepts. Many of you must be busy with your own strategy but let us tell you honestly that in the last two months, it is very important to revise and consolidate your learning. Just reading won’t suffice. So, take out few hours from your schedule and make it a revision exercise. How you can make the best use of it? Be honest to your effort and do not start competing with XYZ aspirants here just for the sake of marks. It is more important for you to introspect and check your learning than focusing on others. Try to answer the questions in 20 minutes only.  Do not get into negative feeling that I don’t have enough knowledge to answer these questions. Feel like you are taking the real exam. What would be your response then? The same will be replicated in UPSC exam. Here, you get marks only and nothing else matters. So make effort to know the answers of all questions. Do not cheat :P Baba's Gyan for REVISION Many of you, almost all, asks about effective revision strategy! Can there be any? Let us tell you something Baba does :D  You guys study a lot and there is no issue with the hard work that has been put in. But when it comes to input-output comparison, your performance is questionable. What to do? Just do this for a Week: Go to bed before stipulated time of your sleep, at least 1 hour before. Close your eyes and try to relax your mind. You should attain full comfort and calmness. Do this on the First Day: Imagine the full story of a recent movie that you have watched. Try to recollect from starting to end. See, whether you are able to depict the clear picture or not! Now, do the same for everything you learnt from morning specially the ones you struggled with. Since it is fresh, most of the things should flow into your mind smoothly. Check what is your recollecting capacity. For example, if you prepared Polity Day 2: Topics- Try to collect all important concepts and learning of the day. Trust us, this exercise if done with sincerity will give you immense confidence as well as boost your performance. There is no ideal time for revision and there cannot be any specific date put for it, as commonly done. This will always expose your weaknesses the very same day and if you tend to forget something, can always get back to consolidate and cement it. REPEAT IT FOR A WEEK & SEE THE MAGIC :D  Must to Do: Read the detailed article regarding Micro Analysis Matrix and follow the guidelines- Click Here Try to hold your nerves and learn to control the temptation. This is very important art to learn and implement! Are you ready? Let's start [Day 38]: POLITY & CURRENT AFFAIRS  ARCHIVES TOPICS: Emergency provisions Judiciary   PRELIMS MCQ’s: Q.1) Consider the following statements The President can declare a national emergency even before the actual occurrence of war or armed rebellion The President can proclaim a national emergency only after receiving a written recommendation from the cabinet Which of the above statement[s] is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Article 358 and 359 describes the effect of National emergency on Fundamental Rights. With regard to this, which of the following statements is incorrect?  Article 358 deals with the suspension of the Fundamental Rights guaranteed by Article 19 only Article 359 empowers the Parliament to suspend the enforcement of the specified Fundamental Rights in the Presidential order Legislative and Executive actions taken during the national emergency cannot be challenged even after the emergency ceases to operate Article 359 operates in case of both External Emergency as well as Internal Emergency Q.3) Consider the following The Constitution has not fixed the tenure of a judge of the Supreme Court A judge of the Supreme Court can resign his/her office by writing to the President Supreme Court acts as the custodian of the Constitution of India Which of the above statement[s] is/are correct? 1 only 1 and 2 only 2 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.4)Which of the following statement is incorrect?  The district judge possesses original and appellate jurisdiction in both civil and criminal matters The district judge exercises both judicial and administrative powers A sessions judge has the power to impose any sentence including life imprisonment and capital punishment None Q.5) What is the provision to safeguard the autonomy of the Supreme Court of India? While appointing the Supreme Court Judges, the President of India has to consult the Chief Justice of India. The Supreme Court Judges can be removed by the Chief Justice of India only. The salaries of the Judges are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India to which the legislature does not have to vote. All appointments of officers and staffs of the Supreme Court of India are made by the Government only after consulting the Chief Justice of India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 and 3 only 3 and 4 only 4 only 1, 2, 3 and 4 Q.6) Consider the following The Parliament can curtail the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court The Constitution authorises the Chief Justice of India to appoint other place or places as seat of the Supreme Court Which of the above statement[s] is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.7) Which of  the following statement is not true with regard to President’s rule in India? A proclamation imposing President’s Rule must be approved by both the Houses of Parliament within one month from the date of its issue It has no effect on the Fundamental Rights of the citizens It can be extended to a maximum period of three years None Q.8) Every resolution of Parliament approving the proclamation of President’s Rule or its continuance can be passed only by a simple majority by either House of Parliament only by a special majority by either House of Parliament only by a simple majority of Lok Sabha only by a special majority of Lok Sabha Q.9) Consider the following statements The power to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court of India is vested in the Parliament The Judges of the High Court of the States in India are appointed by the Governor of the State just as the Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President Which of the above statement[s] is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.10) According to the Constitution, a Judge of the Supreme Court or a High Court can be impeached by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of each House present and voting a majority of not less than two-thirds of total membership of each House a majority of the total membership of each House and a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of each House present and voting None Q.11) With regard to the structure of judiciary in India, consider the following statements The organisational structure and jurisdiction of the subordinate judiciary are laid down by the respective State government Munsiff’s Courts are the lowest in the hierarchy of criminal courts in India Which of the above statement[s] is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.12) With regard to Financial emergency, consider the following statements A resolution approving the proclamation of financial emergency can be passed by either House of Parliament only by a simple majority Financial Emergency continues indefinitely till it is revoked Which of the above statement[s] is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.13) With regard to the writ jurisdiction of Supreme and High Court, consider the following The writ jurisdiction of the Supreme Court is wider than that of the High Court The High Court can issue writs for the enforcement of both fundamental rights and ordinary legal rights of the citizen When the fundamental rights of a citizen are violated, the aggrieved party has the option of moving either the high court or the Supreme Court directly Choose the correct code 1 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1 and 2 only Q.14) Which of the following are included in the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court? A dispute between the Government of India and one or more States A dispute regarding elections to either House of the Parliament or that of Legislature of a State A dispute between the Government of India and a Union Territory A dispute between two or more States Select the correct answer using the codes given below: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 4 3 and 4 Q.15) Which of the following is incorrect? A resolution for disapproval of National Emergency requires to be passed by the Lok Sabha only A resolution of approval for the continuation of National Emergency needs to be passed by the both Houses of Parliament by a simple majority A resolution for disapproval of National Emergency is adopted by a simple majority only A resolution of approval for the continuation of National Emergency is adopted by a special majority only Q.16) The Constitution has conferred extensive jurisdiction and powers to both Supreme and High Court. Which of the following jurisdiction or power is exclusive to Supreme Court? Original Jurisdiction Appeal by Special Leave Advisory Jurisdiction A Court of Record Looking into the disputes regarding the election of President and Vice-President Administrative control over subordinate courts Choose the correct code 2, 3 and 5 only 1, 2, 4 and 6 1, 2, 3 and 5 2 and 3 only Q.17) Consider the following statements about ‘The Lisbon Treaty’ It amended the Maastricht Treaty, Treaties of Rome, and other documents to simplify and streamline the institutions that govern the European Union It established procedures for a member country to leave the European Union Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.18) Consider the following statements about Zircons’ It contains trace amounts of uranium and thorium It can survive geologic processes like erosion, transport and high-grade metamorphism India leads the world in zircon mining Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.19) Consider the following statements about Tribal Health Care Project It was started by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare The objective of the project is to collect and document the folk claims and local health traditions to enable research Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.20) Consider the following statements about Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee Only the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) are on the Sanctions Committee India is not on the Sanctions Committee The 10-member 'Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team' comprising independent experts assists the Sanctions Committee Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.21) Consider the following statements about ‘Composite Floor Testing’ If there is more than one person staking claim to form the government and the majority is not clear the governor may call for a special session to see who has the majority. It was a Supreme Court innovation in 1998 in Jagadambika Pal case The vote can either be orally, secret, ballot or electronic Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.22) Consider the following statements about South Asia Training and Technical Assistance Centre (SARTTAC) It is a venture by the National Development Bank India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka are members of SARTTAC Which of the following statements is/are correct? Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.23) Country “X” became the world's first country to stop investing in fossil fuels. Which is that country? Sweden Ireland Iceland Denmark Q.24) Consider the following statements about Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 Parents can opt to claim maintenance either under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 or under Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 Only biological and adoptive parents can claim maintenance under the Act and not step parents Which of the following statements is/are correct? Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.25) Supreme Court has named a four-member Committee of Administrators to run the affairs of the Board of Control for Cricket in India as part of a continuing judicial exercise to reform the way the body is administering the game. It is chaired by Vinod Rai RamchandraGuha Sunil Gavaskar Harsha Bhogale Download The Solution - Click here

May 9, 2017 AIR

All India Radio - PM Gramin Digital SakshartaAbhiyan

PM Gramin Digital SakshartaAbhiyan ARCHIVES Search 9th February 2017http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC:General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Union cabinet has approved PM Gramin Digital SakshartaAbhiyan (PMGDISHA) to make 6 crore households digitally literate. This is a significant scheme which aims to help the common man to understand the nuances of the changing medium of communication, especially payment. The outlay for this project is Rs.2,351.38 crore to usher in digital literacy in rural India by March,.2019. The ICRIER had carried out a survey which revealed that penetration of ordinary mobiles would increase by 10% then the GDP would increase by 1.2%, if broadband penetration increased by 10% then the increase in the GDP was 2.7% and if the local, state and central government services, land records, tax information, health information, agricultural information is provided on mobile phones then GDP could as much increase by 3.2%. Thus, PMGDISHA is a very ambitious scheme on the part of PM. Now the infrastructure has to be greatly improved to provide these digital services. India’s infrastructure is not at the stage where it can reap the benefits of the Information and Communications technologies and revolutions. World Economic Forum had conducted an Annual Network Readiness Index where they assess the Information and Communication capabilities of 140 nations. In 2013, India was at 68th position but in 2016 India has slipped to 98th position. This is demands the stepping up of efforts in increasing the building of infrastructural capabilities. It involves bringing optical fibre connectivity in each gram panchayat and also increase the 4G coverage in the villages.Till the time people don’t get the connections, they wont use the smartphones or computers. Together with it, there needs to be sync between content and user interface. The regional language content has been developed and needs to be more widely propagated. Huge amount of government records have been brought online in a user friendly manner where people with low levels of literacy will be able to understand them. The government has allocated large amount of resources for the BharatNet project. There is not such a connectivity issue in urban areas but there is a congestion problem because of overuse that there are call drops. So, when the medium of digital payments is being propagated, connections shouldn’t fail during net banking transactions Another challenge in digital and financial transaction is the security and privacy due to increased threat of cybercrimes. There are lot of apps which are not very secure. The PM said that ‘your fingerprint will be your bank account’. This app is based solely on biometrics which makes it inherently insecure as nowadays, cameras have become so advanced that anything touched by a person can lead to capturing its fingerprints. The digital images of fingerprints are so good that many of the fingerprint scanner cannot distinguish between the fingerprint and its photograph. So, there is lot of scope for cyber criminals. Hence people have to be trained and given education about the safety of their information, especially financial. At the same time, it is difficult for rural people to immediately follow the new and on-going developmentsas they have to initially understand the technologies, the procedures and train them to keep information secure. India needs atleast 1-1.5 million cybersecurity professionals each year to make banking secure. In the smart phones, the apps are vulnerable to man in the browser attacks and man in middle attacks. So a sophisticated cyber-criminal can siphon of thousands and crores of rupees in seconds. Also, these transactions need not be carried out only from India. Internet hackers in European or Latin American countries are already targeting Indian markets. So there is need to see how the apps are structured and whether they adhere to international security standards. ISO has series called 27004 which means that information is to be kept secured by the organisation. The banks have to follow the standards too but so far they haven’t especially the 20022 standards. The private players are also in the fray and have to take similar initiatives to train their consumers. They have been taking part in cyber security, digital literacy campaigns etc.becauseif they get hit by fraudulent transactions, then they become liable. So they are educating the consumers. So far there is no individual regulator who will look after the individual responsibilities, liabilities for fraudulent transactions. Hence, consumer education has to be done because even well educated and technically conversant people are also falling prey to the scams. Most people ignore such practices despite having knowledge as they prefer ease of use over security. The public needs to be educated on various fronts like they should not give their bank account number, PIN, OTP, passwords to any one on email or phone. Training for PMGDISHA Here, 100% reimbursement is provided to a person if he/she trains someone from SC/ST/BPL people/ASHA workers etc. If someone teaches person from general or OBC category, 75% of the cost to be reimbursed by government and 25% charged from candidate. The cost of training is 500rs. The recipients can be taught how to email, send and read SMS from banks, when not to click on unknown links or visit websites etc and that it has to be always done by typing the URL, how not to answer to the person who say they are calling from bank and want personal details, how to be careful while giving thumbprints on scanner etc. The basic training can be imparted to people as government has provided money for it and such teaching takes less than few hours/days depending upon the rural population. Conclusion As per 71st NSSO Survey on education 2014, only 6% of rural households have a computer. This means that more than 15 crore rural households (@ 94% of 16.85 crore households) do not have computers and a significant number of these households are likely to be digitally illiterate. Thus, PMGDISHA is a step forward in this direction to make these households digitally literate. Digitally literate persons would be able to operate computers/digital access devices (like tablets, smart phones, etc.), send and receive emails, browse internet, access Government Services, search for information, undertaking cashless transactions, etc. and hence use IT to actively participate in the process of nation building. Key words: Man in the browser It is a proxy Trojan horse that infects a web browser by taking advantage of vulnerabilities in browser security to modify web pages, modify transaction content or insert additional transactions, all in a completely covert fashion invisible to both the user and host web application. Man in the middle It is a computer attack where the attacker secretly relays and possibly alters the communication between two parties who believe they are directly communicating with each other. Connecting the dots: Digital India is the new mission of the decade for India. Identify the major roadblocks in achieving this milestone and state how can it be resolved.  

May 8, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 8th May, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 8th May 2017 Archives HEALTH/NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health Anti Microbial Resistance Introduction India is severely affected by anti microbial resistance and this has increased the burden of diseases. It is important for the government to initiate several measures from creating awareness to policies that shall be instrumental to address the same. Chennai Declaration: “The Chennai Declaration” named after the city where the meeting took place, is the consensus evolved out of the meeting and co-authored by representatives of various medical societies. The document is based on realistic goals and objectives, with a deep understanding of the background Indian scenario. Over the last decade or two, the Indian health-care infrastructure underwent significant changes. While possessing many world-class corporate hospitals and institutes, the facilities available in many villages and remote areas are still vastly inadequate. Medication including antibiotics may be purchased over the counter and/or are prescribed by practitioners from alternative medical branches and healers. Formulating and implementing an antimicrobialstewardship program in one of the largest countries, with an enormously heterogenic and diverse health-care system, is indeed a huge challenge. Strict control on over
the counter sale (OTC) as well as in hospital antibiotic usage should be the first steps of the policy. Whether such a policy is implementable on the Indian subcontinent is an issue that warrants serious debate. The lack of (qualified) doctors in many remote places possibly makes the complete ban of OTC antibiotics throughout the country obsolete. Consequently, a targeted strategy of absolute control in densely populated areas, where qualified doctors will be available, and a more liberal approach in remote places, with monitoring of a selected list of oral antibiotics, should be more feasible. Issue: One of the most critical concerns facing the global health fraternity today is the escalating burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR develops as result of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites becoming immune to antimicrobial drugs such as antibiotics. These microorganisms are commonly known as superbugs. Over the past decades, antimicrobial agents have been instrumental in alleviating communicable diseases across the world. While antibiotic resistance is a global hazard to public health, India, the largest consumer of antibiotics in the world, is notoriously seen as the epicentre of this threat. Increasing infections: Last year, India saw a 70-year-old woman from the US died after contracting a superbug during a two-year residence in the country. Doctors in the US say the patient was infected with a multidrug-resistant organism known as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) which is immune to all available antibiotics. In the recent past, India has witnessed many large outbreaks of emerging infections and most of them were of zoonotic origin (diseases transmitted from animals to humans). While exact figures are hard to come by, WHO’s Global Burden of Disease report of 2004 suggests a 15-times greater burden of infectious diseases per person in India than in the UK. According to the calculations based on World Bank data and the Global Burden of Disease report of 1990, the crude infectious disease mortality rate in India today is 416.75 per 100,000 persons, which is twice the rate prevailing in the US. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in the US, more than two million people fall sick every year due to antibiotic-resistant infections, resulting in at least 23,000 deaths. In India, the threat is much more pressing. According to the Indian Network for Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance (INSAR), there is widespread existence of superbugs throughout the country including a startling 41 per cent of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Multi-resistant Entero-bacteriaceae has also become rampant. On the one hand, infectious diseases are on the rise; on the other, AMR is posing a serious impediment in their cure. Hospital-acquired infection in vulnerable patients with resistant strains is another major threat. Resistance to antimicrobial drugs also means that the success of treatments for medical procedures such as chemotherapy and organ transplantation and post-surgical recovery come under immense risk. All these effects of AMR have substantial repercussions on the socio-economic set up. Possible Solutions: A mix of poor public health systems and hospital infections, high rates of infectious diseases, inexpensive antibiotics and rising incomes are all coming together to increase the prevalence of resistant pathogens. Some important factors responsible for the rising antibiotic resistance in India are – Indiscriminate use of antimicrobial drugs, Over-the-counter availability of antibiotics, Laxity of regulatory bodies in approval of antibiotics, Lack of public awareness about antibiotic resistance, Injudicious use in veterinary practices, Overburdened health infrastructure Inequity in healthcare. The dire issue of AMR needs to be addressed immediately. The first step towards optimising the use of antimicrobials to halt the spread of infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms is antibiotic stewardship. This involves coordinated intervention designed to improve and measure the appropriate use of antimicrobials by promoting the selection of the most appropriate antimicrobial drug regimen, dose, duration of therapy, and route of administration. Capacity building and sensitisation of all the stakeholders is an integral pre-requisite of this programme. The multidisciplinary team members comprise an infectious diseases physician, a clinical pharmacist, a microbiologist, an infection control team, a hospital epidemiologist, an information system specialist, quality improvement staff, laboratory staff and nurses. If ever a post antibiotics era becomes inevitable, Bacteriophage Therapy or simply phage therapy holds promise as an alternative treatment option. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. The revitalisation of phage therapy has received increased global attention since the appearance of multidrug-resistant bacteria. The most striking advantage of bacteriophage therapy is the ability to tailor treatment accurately to kill the pathogenic bacteria — provided the diagnostic procedures are highly accurate Conclusion: Efforts should be concerted and holistic in nature. In the absence of involving stake holders at levels the real issue will not be solved. Further it is important to take required steps at the earliest, else it will hurt the health profile of the nation as such. Connecting the dots: Elaborate on the criticality of antimicrobial resistance in India. How does it affect the socio economic set up of India?   NATIONAL /SECURITY TOPIC: General Studies 3 Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security. Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. The Joint doctrine of the Indian armed forces A brief look at border security stats in 2016 As per a government report, terror incidents came down by around 25% after the surgical strikes carried out by Indian Army in PoK in September. There was also a drastic reduction in the number of stone-pelting incidents in Jammu and Kashmir after the surgical strikes. On infiltration side, 371 attempts of infiltration were made in 2016 out of which 118 militants were able to infiltrate, while 217 had to return. 35 militants were killed and three were arrested during their infiltration bids. A parliamentary panel on home affairs however has said that after the 1971-Pakistan war, this is the first time the borders have become so vulnerable as a significant spurt in ceasefire violations in 2016 has been recorded. India is currently facing a challenging situation at its borders with cross border infiltrations, security breaches and terrorist attacks, especially from its western fronts. A military doctrine serves as a cornerstone document for application of military power in a “synergised manner leading to enhanced efficiency, optimum utilisation of resources and financial savings”. In news: India’s latest military doctrine was released after 10 years with the first one being released in 2006. The highlight of the doctrine has been inclusion of surgical strike Surgical strikes were not intending to put an end on terrorism but it did reverse a discourse which began in 1998 post Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests that India was out of conventional options to tackle its continued cross-border terrorism. The latest military doctrine has embedded ‘surgical strikes’ as a part of sub-conventional operations. It means that now onwards it is among a range of options at the military’s disposal to respond to terrorist attacks. The scope of surgical strike has been left open as there is no mention of their employment being within the country or beyond its borders. This ambiguity is intended to send the message to the troublesome neighbouring countries. In the last two years, the Army had carried out surgical strikes across the border with Myanmar and Line of Control (LoC) Pakistan, targeting terrorist camps. Some of the other objectives are: Acknowledging that a conventional war by two nuclear powers is not an immediate possibility due to “political and international compulsions”.It mentions that the possibility of sub-conventional escalating to a conventional level would be dependent on multiple influences, principally: politically-determined conflict claims; strategic conjuncture; operational circumstance; international pressures and military readiness. It notes the need for training of ‘‘Special Operations Division’’ for execution of precision tasks. It reiterates the basic tenets of the Indian nuclear doctrine, no-first use (NFU) and minimum credible deterrence, contrary to recent calls to revise the NFU and speculation in the West that India would resort to a first strike. It adds that conflict will be determined or prevented through a process of credible deterrence, coercive diplomacy and conclusively by punitive destruction, disruption and constraint in a nuclear environment across the Spectrum of Conflict. It also declares about the guiding philosophy for evolution of force application and war fighting strategies which shall be undertaking the ‘Integrated Theatre Battle’ with an operationally adaptable force, to ensure decisive victory in a network centric environment, in varied geographical domains. The broader objective states that Special Forces units will be “tasked to develop area specialisation in their intended operational theatres” to achieve an optimum effect. Another important announcement under the “National Military Objectives” is: “Enable required degree of self-sufficiency in defence equipment and technology through indigenization to achieve desired degree of technological independence by 2035.”Though a grand announcement was made during ‘Make In India’ initiative to make defence industry self-sufficient, it has been observed that most of the projects are given to foreign companies, thereby defeating the purpose of the initiative. Conclusion These objectives open up a variety of capability addition and process optimisation for the Indian military to be able to enforce it. It also mention about the collaboration in past decade in the Indian armed forces, especially integration in the field of operations, training, management, and perspective planning. However, though the document makes a bold announcement of its objectives, it will remain toothless unless necessary elements are not in place. This document pertains to national security and in no circumstances should be treated as par with other documents of policy formulations or become a political tool for sloganeering. To achieve these broad objectives, it requires seamless synergy between the three services which has been demanded since a long time now. The decisions on appointment of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), formation of cyber, space and Special Forces commands and carving out inter-service theatre commands have to be now taken over in urgency. Also, more funds and talent should be accorded to military R&D organisations such as DRDO to facilitate the growing indigenisation of military. Connecting the dots: The armed forces of India have released a joint military doctrine recently. Critically analyse the importance of such doctrine and possible steps to be taken for its successful implementation. MUST READ Space for all Hindu   India-Turkey relations: Turkish delight turned sour Hindu   Dissent and Aadhaar Indian Express   Note ban philosophy Indian Express   India must oppose surging protectionism Livemint   Why governments make poor economic choices Livemint   Getting Narendra Modi’s generic medicines policy right Livemint   Why aren’t we prouder of India? Business Line  

May 8, 2017 MindMaps

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue - Cyber Security

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue - Cyber Security Archives P.S- Right Click on the image and open it in new tab. From there you can save it in your system.   Reference - Link

May 8, 2017 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Overcoming Negativity – Inspirational & Educative Articles

Overcoming Negativity: One simple discouraging thought can ruin years of hard work and effort. Whether we like it or not, we have to accept the fact that negativity is more powerful and detrimental to our progress than any other factor. All one has to fight is negativity. What is negativity? Is it a derogatory remark by someone? Is it failure to accomplish something? Is it rejection of your actions and way of life? It is all of this and a little more. The most important form of negativity one needs to pay attention to is internal negative thought process. Of all the different forms of negativity, our own negative thinking and false interpretation of something is the most damaging form of negativity. We quite literally create obstacles on our path by ourselves, just by unnecessary imagination fuelled by fear. Our own mind is the birth place of negativity. All of us face similar challenges and obstacles. The key differentiating factor that sets one apart is his/her ability to understand the obstacle or situation accurately without too much prejudice driven by fear. When you are able to see things clearly without too much of negative thought process, the path becomes easy. It takes constant and consistent practice to observe your negative thought process and overcome it. It takes courage to observe and accept your negativity. Negativity can be jealousy, anger, frustration, mistrust and fear. To observe each of these happenings within you is the first step to overcoming negativity. All else is just a matter of time and fate. The only thing that is in our control is our ability to derive strength from our past experiences to overcome negativity within us. A mind that is free from negative thoughts can achieve almost anything. Success is simply a journey of overcoming negativity. Even real external negativity of the world can only affect us through our thoughts. If we learn how to watch, observe and understand our thought process; it becomes infinitely easier to overcome negativity. Observing our thoughts and actions is the key to overcoming negativity. “The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.”  

May 8, 2017

IASbaba's 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2017 Polity and Current Affairs [Day 37]

Hello Friends So, here we are with the 37th Day of 60 Days Plan. It is the third edition of 60 Days program but seems like the first one because of the excitement involved everywhere, including us :) We are equally excited and pumped. Our Team is working hard to make you realize your dream. Do not take it insincerely and let us down. Your faith and participation has to be in sync with the amount of hard work and effort we do. Let us pledge to make it a big game changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days! Importance of Self - Tracking: Learning from Last Year Last year, aspirants used to comment their answers in the comment box on daily basis. There were huge participation in discussion. Putting answers in comment box has been very effective to self track yourself after updating the score. In the end you can cross check your performance through disqus profile. It was highly effective in the last edition of 60 Days that propelled aspirants to monitor their performance and learn through discussion. Let you solve these questions with full honesty and write your result in the comment box. Interact with peers to know your mistakes. The importance of this initiative stands time bound and aggressive reverse engineering to learn the concepts. Many of you must be busy with your own strategy but let us tell you honestly that in the last two months, it is very important to revise and consolidate your learning. Just reading won’t suffice. So, take out few hours from your schedule and make it a revision exercise. How you can make the best use of it? Be honest to your effort and do not start competing with XYZ aspirants here just for the sake of marks. It is more important for you to introspect and check your learning than focusing on others. Try to answer the questions in 20 minutes only.  Do not get into negative feeling that I don’t have enough knowledge to answer these questions. Feel like you are taking the real exam. What would be your response then? The same will be replicated in UPSC exam. Here, you get marks only and nothing else matters. So make effort to know the answers of all questions. Do not cheat :P Baba's Gyan for REVISION Many of you, almost all, asks about effective revision strategy! Can there be any? Let us tell you something Baba does :D  You guys study a lot and there is no issue with the hard work that has been put in. But when it comes to input-output comparison, your performance is questionable. What to do? Just do this for a Week: Go to bed before stipulated time of your sleep, at least 1 hour before. Close your eyes and try to relax your mind. You should attain full comfort and calmness. Do this on the First Day: Imagine the full story of a recent movie that you have watched. Try to recollect from starting to end. See, whether you are able to depict the clear picture or not! Now, do the same for everything you learnt from morning specially the ones you struggled with. Since it is fresh, most of the things should flow into your mind smoothly. Check what is your recollecting capacity. For example, if you prepared Polity Day 2: Topics- Try to collect all important concepts and learning of the day. Trust us, this exercise if done with sincerity will give you immense confidence as well as boost your performance. There is no ideal time for revision and there cannot be any specific date put for it, as commonly done. This will always expose your weaknesses the very same day and if you tend to forget something, can always get back to consolidate and cement it. REPEAT IT FOR A WEEK & SEE THE MAGIC :D  Must to Do: Read the detailed article regarding Micro Analysis Matrix and follow the guidelines- Click Here Try to hold your nerves and learn to control the temptation. This is very important art to learn and implement! Are you ready? Let's start [Day 37]: POLITY & CURRENT AFFAIRS  ARCHIVES TOPICS: Administration of Special Areas – Scheduled and Tribal Areas Federal System Central State Relations Inter-State relations   PRELIMS MCQ’s: Q.1) Consider the following statements The term Federation is not mentioned in the constitution. The Indian federal system is based on the American model In Keshvanandabharathi case the Supreme Court laid down that the Constitution is federal and characterised federalism as its ‘basic feature’ Which of the above statement[s] is/are correct? 1 only 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only Q.2) According to Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956 The Act empowers the Parliament to set up an ad hoc tribunal for the adjudication of a dispute between two or more states in relation to inter-state river waters The decision of the tribunal set-up would be final and binding on the parties to the dispute Select the correct code 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) With regard to Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, consider the following statements The Governor is empowered to organise and re-organise the autonomous districts Each autonomous district has a district council consisting of both elected and nominated members Which of the above statement[s]is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2  Q.4) Consider the following statements Under Article 263, the Parliament can at any time establish a Inter-State council to serve the public interest The Inter-State Council was established under the recommendation of Sarkaria Commission Which of the above statement[s] is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2  Q.5) Which of the following statement[s]  is/are correct with regard to Zonal Councils? The Zonal Councils are statutory bodies. SardarVallabhbhai Patel is associated with the idea of creation of Zonal Councils for National Integration The Prime Minister acts as the common chairman of the six Zonal Councils Select the correct code: 1 only 1 and 2 only None 1, 2 and 3 Q.6) Which of the following is/are Federal features of the Constitution of India? Bicameral Legislature Written Constitution President’s Veto over State Bills Supremacy of the Constitution Parliament’s Authority over State List Select the correct code 2 and 4 only 1, 2 and 4 only 1, 3 and 4 only 2 , 3 and 5 only  Q.7) With regard to 5th Schedule of the Constitution, consider the following statements Each state having scheduled areas has to establish a tribes advisory council The Governor is empowered to make regulations for the peace and good government of a scheduled area after consulting the tribes advisory council Select the correct code: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.8) With regard to Inter-State Council, established under Article 263 of the Constitution of India, consider the following statements It looks into issues between Central Government and Union Territories It is not a permanent constitutional body for coordination between the states and union government Prime Minister is the chairman of the council Choose the correct code 3 Only 1 and 3 Only 1 and 3 Only 1, 2 and 3 Q.9) The Constitution of India contains  “Full Faith and Credit” clause, to make sure that the public acts and public records of one state may be recognised in another state. With regard to the above statement, consider the following Public Acts includes both legislative and executive acts of the government. Public record can include any official book, register or record made by a public servant in the discharge of his official duties. Which of the above statement[s]is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.10) Which of the following states have scheduled areas? Himachal Pradesh Gujarat Karnataka Maharashtra Tamil Nadu Select the correct code 1,3 and 5 1,2 and 4 2 and 4 2,3 and 5 Q.11) Consider the following statements Laws of the Parliament are applicable to the Indian citizens and their property in any part of the world The Parliament can make laws on any matter in the State List for implementing the international treaties or agreements Select the correct code 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.12) The Constitution of India provides for a three-fold distribution of legislative subjects between the Centre and State. Which of the following subjects fall under concurrent list? Education Public Health Labour Welfare Economic and Social planning Prisons Forests Select the correct code 1, 3, and 6 1, 3, 4 and 5 3, 4 and 6 1, 3, 4, and 6  Q.13) The Parliament can make any law for whole or any part of India for implementing international treaties  without the consent of any State with the consent of all the States with the consent of the majority of States with the consent of the States concerned  Q.14) The service tax you pay for availing insurance in India is a tax imposed, collected and appropriated by the Central Government. tax imposed by the Central Government but collected and appropriated by the State Government tax imposed by the State Government but collected by the Central Government tax imposed by the Centre Government but collected and appropriated both by Centre and State Government Q.15) Which of the following is not correct? A cess is a tax on tax, levied by the government for a specific purpose Surcharge collected by the government can be used for any purpose The money collected out of Cess goes to the Consolidated fund of India None Q.16) Consider the following statements A mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) is an agreement between two or more countries for the purpose of gathering and exchanging information in an effort to enforce public or criminal laws Ministry of External Affairs is the nodal Ministry and the Central authority for seeking and providing mutual legal assistance in criminal law matters Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.17) Consider the following statements about National Productivity Council (NPC) It is under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry NPC is a constituent of the Tokyo-based Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an Inter-Governmental Body, of which the Government of India is a founder member Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.18) Consider the following statements about ‘Network for Improving Quality of Care for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health’ It is supported by World Health Organisation (WHO), UN International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) India Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are the only Asian countries to be a part of this network Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.19) Consider the following statements about Middle Income Group Scheme It is a self-supporting scheme which provides legal services to litigants whose gross income does not exceed ₹60,000 per month or ₹7.5 lakh per annum in the Supreme Courtonly The members of the governing body include the Chief Justice of India as patron-in-chief, the Attorney General as ex-officio vice-president, the Solicitor General as honorary secretary Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.20) "Lectures from Colombo to Almora" is based on the experiences of which one of the following? Annie Besant RamkrishnaParamhansa Swami Vivekanand Veer Savarkar Q.21) Incontex with the business and banking, what is CRAR? Credit to Risk Asset Ratio Capital to Risk Asset Ratio Credit to Risk Assessment Ratio Credit Rate Asset Ratio Q.22) ‘GyanSangam’ is concerned with Water Sharing Banks Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Observer Research Foundation Q.23) “Northwest Africa 7635” is a A coastal road along Mauritiana, Morocco, Algeria and Libya A meteorite, discovered in Algeria A free trade agreement between Maghreb countries None of the above Q.24) Cholanaickan tribe primarily inhabit the state of Odisha Kerala Mizoram Jharkhand Q.25) The term ‘oil zapper’ is concerned with Remediation of oily sludge and oil spills Under­sea oil exploration Genetically engineered high biofuel yielding maize variety Technology to control the accidentally caused flames from oil wells Download The Solution - Click here

May 7, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs 6th May, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 6th May 2017 Archives INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2 India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests India’s dominance in Indian Ocean is intact Introduction: Previously, we had covered an article dealing with China’s increasing naval expansion and influence in the Indian Ocean. The author had highlighted about China launching its first indigenous aircraft carrier, Type 001A carrier which may be named Shandong, and about China getting an edge for the first time in the carrier race with its Asian rival, a literal two-to-one advantage. Link: http://iasbaba.com/2017/04/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-25th-april-2017/ A senior Chinese official was quoted as saying: “China needs two carrier strike groups in the Western Pacific and two in the Indian Ocean. So we need at least five to six aircraft carriers.” The article had also warned about India’s present naval capabilities, failure of carrier-first strategy and India getting encircled by a growing ring of Chinese power and influence. However, today’s article discusses about the intactness of India’s dominance in Indian Ocean - reply from the editor of Defence Forum India and a commentator on defence and strategic affairs. India does not have to match China in the number game Type 001A carrier or Shandong is likely to be commissioned in 2020. It will be China’s second carrier after it commissioned a modified Ukrainian Kuznetsov class aircraft cruiser Varyag into its navy as Liaoning in 2012. Many Indian commentators have written about the implication of China acquiring its second aircraft carrier on India’s security and China getting an edge for the first time in the carrier race with its Asian rival. However, the premise is wrong on various counts. Reasons: First, China’s existing carrier, the Liaoning, is being used to train the crew to operate aircraft carriers and is not on operational deployment yet. Compare this with India’s aircraft carrier: The INS Vikramaditya is fully operational. And India also has decades of experience in operating aircraft carriers, it has used them in warfare. Second, the Shandong has only been launched, it doesn’t mean it’s ready for operational deployment. It will undergo outfitting with various systems and then undergo sea trials before being commissioned around 2020. India launched its first indigenous carrier, Vikrant, in 2013 and it is likely to be commissioned in the early 2020s after delays for various reasons. Imagery expert Colonel Vinayak Bhat, who analysed the pictures of the Shandong, said that the engines of the carrier have not yet been started and no radar or weapons installed.  It also does not have the arrestor cables and work in lot of areas are yet to be completed ( such as the ammunition elevator and jet blast deflectors). Moreover, they don’t have enough J-15 fighter jets for the carrier. Third, even after China commissions the Shandong, it will not send both its carriers on permanent deployment in the Indian Ocean. China’s primary areas of interest are the hotly contested waters and islands of the East and South China Sea. The US maintains a potent naval presence in the area. China will maintain both its carriers there although it will make symbolic port visits in the Indian Ocean region especially to Gwadar in Pakistan. China plans a four- to six-carrier navy which will give it the capability to permanently deploy in the Indian Ocean. But that will take a couple of decades at best and depends on the trajectory of the Chinese economy, which is slowing down. By that time, India will have three aircraft carriers in service. Fourth, the two Chinese carriers are conventionally powered, not nuclear, which means they cannot be put on extended deployment. They lack the logistics capability to operate far away from Chinese shores. Fifth, China has to contend with India’s two unsinkable aircraft carriers: the Andaman and Nicobar Islands located close to the choke point of Malacca Strait and the Indian mainland itself which juts into the Indian Ocean. The Andamans has India’s only tri-services command and there are plans to beef up military presence there. India will be able to target PLAN (People’s Liberation Army Navy) warships and interdict supplies using land-based assets like aircraft and missiles. India has deployed its premier fighter aircraft, the Su-30MKI, in the Andamans and also in southern India. To break India’s dominance in the Indian Ocean, China has invested in a number of port projects in India’s neighbourhood, referred to as string of pearls. All of them, including China’s expected naval base in Gwadar in Pakistan, are within range of India’s land-based fighters and missiles. Finally, India does not have to match China in the numbers game. The former has the geographical advantage. With over 40 warships under construction, it will have nearly 200 warships by 2025. China has to contend with multiple naval powers in its core areas of interest. The US navy looms large. Japan has a powerful navy with advanced warships and submarines. It recently commissioned its second helicopter carrier, which could carry the F-35B stealth fighter. South Korea has a potent navy and Vietnam has acquired Russian Kilo-class submarines to counter the mightier Chinese navy. India has multinational cooperation in the maritime domain primarily with the US and Japan. India and the US share information on China’s maritime movements and train extensively during Exercise Malabar. India’s chief of naval staff has said that India has plans in place for China’s naval presence in Gwadar. India should beef up its air defence and land-based anti-ship missiles India has to prepare for any Chinese threat. It should beef up its air defence and land-based anti-ship missiles in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as well as peninsular India. Stationing the S-400 surface-to-air missile system that India plans to acquire in the Andamans will cover 500,000 sq. km of airspace over the Bay of Bengal. All major Indian warships are being equipped with Barak 8 long-range surface-to-air missiles along with the supersonic Brahmos anti-ship cruise missiles. India is going to acquire nuclear and diesel-electric attack submarines. While there are delays in the acquisition process, there is no need to panic as the Chinese dragon will not be in a position to breathe fire on India in the Indian Ocean anytime soon. Connecting the dots: Many Indian commentators have written about the implication of China acquiring its second aircraft carrier on India’s security and China getting an edge for the first time in the carrier race with its Asian rival. Do you agree? MUST READ India launches satellite to help South Asian nations Hindu   Why immunise? Hindu   Curious case of dip, rise in Indian seas Hindu   A Maruti For Rail Indian Express   Supreme Test   Indian Express   How to make India tax compliant Business Line   A new economics for better world Business Line   Smarter development Business Line