Apr 12, 2017 PIB

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB)- 4th Feb to 10th Feb, 2017

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB) – 4th Feb to 1oth Feb 2017 ARCHIVES GS-2 Single vaccine for dual protection against measles and rubella as part of Universal Immunization Programme (Topic: Issues related to health) About: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched Measles Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign in the country. The campaign against these two diseases will start from five States/UTs (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Goa and Lakshadweep) covering nearly 3.6 crore target children. Target: Following the campaign, Measles-Rubella vaccine will be introduced in routine immunization, replacing the currently given two doses of measles vaccine, at 9-12 months and 16-24 months of age. MR Vaccine The MR campaign targets around 41 crore children across the country, the largest ever in any campaign. All children aged between 9 months and less than 15 years will be given a single shot of Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination irrespective of their previous measles/rubella vaccination status or measles/rubella disease status. MR vaccine will be provided free- of- cost across the states from session sites at schools as well as health facilities and outreach session sites. Measles vaccine is currently provided under Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). However, rubella vaccine will be a new addition. After the completion of the campaign, MR vaccine will be introduced in routine immunization and will replace measles vaccine, given at 9-12 months and 16-24 months of age of child. Measles Measles is a deadly disease and one of the important causes of death in children. It is highly contagious and spreads through coughing and sneezing of an infected person. Measles can make a child vulnerable to life threatening complications such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and brain infection. Globally, in 2015, measles killed an estimated 1, 34,200 children—mostly under-5 years. In India, it killed an estimated 49,200 children. BIMSTEC Meet (Topic: International Relations) About— The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional organization comprising seven Member States namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand. The regional group acts as a bridge between South and South East Asia and represents a reinforcement of relations among these countries. Objective: To harness shared and accelerated growth through mutual cooperation in different areas of common interests by utilizing regional resources and geographical advantages. BIMSTEC Unlike many other regional groupings, BIMSTEC is a sector-driven cooperative organization. Starting with six sectors—including trade, technology, energy, transport, tourism and fisheries—for sectoral cooperation in the late 1997, it expanded to embrace nine more sectors—including agriculture, public health, poverty alleviation, counter-terrorism, environment, culture, people to people contact and climate change—in 2008. BIMSTEC was created with objectives to create an enabling environment for rapid economic development through identification and implementation of specific cooperation projects in the sectors of trade, investment and industry, technology, human recourse development, tourism, agriculture, energy, and infrastructure and transportation ; through joint endeavours and active collaboration, provide mutual assistance in the form of training and research facilities, on matters of common interest in the economic, social, technical and scientific fields. Quality of Higher Education (Topic: HRD) About— The Central Government and the University Grants Commission (UGC) are constantly endeavouring to improve quality of higher education in the country. Initiatives by Central Government National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), Impacting Research Innovation & Technology (IMPRINT), Uchchtar Avishkar Yojna (UAY) and Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) UGC The UGC undertakes maintenance of standards in teaching, research and quality assurance in Universities, Deemed to be Universities and Colleges through framing and notifying regulations, schemes and disbursing grants to the eligible institutions. The UGC has notified several regulations with a view to sustain and improve the quality of higher education and to undertake academic reforms. Some of the initiatives taken by UGC for improving quality of Higher Education are Choice-based Credit System (CBCS) Universities with Potential for Excellence Centre with potential for excellence in particular area Special Assistance Programme (SAP) Basic Science Research Major Research project Voc. Degree Programme DDU KAUSHAL KENDRAS Scholarship Scheme (ISHAN UDAY) for North Eastern Region New Methodology of Grading by NAAC UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of M.Phil / Ph.D. Degrees) Regulations, 2016 UGC (Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through SWAYAM) Regulation, 2016. The Universities are established either under Central Act, Provincial Act or State Act and are free to grant affiliation to colleges as per the provisions made under the respective Acts. Schemes for Minority Women (Topic: Social justice) About: Ministry of Minority Affairs implements three specific schemes for women as below. Nai – Roshni Objective: Leadership quality development in Minority Women. And aim to empower and instill confidence in women by providing knowledge, tool and techniques for interacting with Government system and others at all levels. The scheme is implemented through selected Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) all over the country. Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship Scholarship for meritorious girls belonging to minorities implemented through Maulana Azad Education Foundation. Mahila Samridhi Yojana This scheme is implemented through National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) wherein skill development training is imparted to group of women in women friendly trades. Training period is of maximum six months and raw material cost of upto Rs.1,500/- per trainee and stipend @ Rs.1000/- per trainee is provided. During the period of training, the women formed into Self Help Group, followed by infusion of micro-credit maximum upto Rs.1.00 lacs per member for the purpose of using the skill developed during the training, for income generation activities. TAMRA portal (Topic: Government Acts and Policies) About— To enhance transparency and accountability as a part of the Ease of Doing Business, TAMRA (Transparency, Auction Monitoring and Resource Augmentation) portal and Mobile Application will be launched. Uses of TAMRA It will facilitate all the stakeholders to track the status of the statutory clearances associated with mining blocks for getting mines to reach till operationalisation for the same. TAMRA covers block-wise, state-wise and mineral-wise information of the blocks to be auctioned, monitors various statutory clearances, and also highlights the additional resources generated through e-Auction. Flow chart of TAMRA Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (Topic: Infrastructure Development) About: Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan' (PMGDISHA) to make 6 crore rural households digitally literate. This is in line with the announcement made by Finance Minister in the Union Budget 2016-17. Target: To usher in digital literacy in rural India by March,.2019 Digitally literate persons 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. PMGDISHA PMGDISHA is expected to be one of the largest digital literacy programmes in the world. Under the scheme, 25 lakh candidates will be trained in the FY 2016-17; 275 lakh in the FY 2017-18; and 300 lakh in the FY 2018-19. To ensure equitable geographical reach, each of the 250,000 Gram Panchayats would be expected to register an average of 200-300 candidates. Background: As per the 71st NSSO Survey on Education 2014, only 6% of rural households have a computer. This highlights that more than 15 crore rural households do not have computers and a significant number of these households are likely to be digitally illiterate. The PMGDISHA being initiated under Digital India Programme would cover 6 crore households in rural areas to make them digitally literate. This would empower the citizens by providing them access to information, knowledge and skills for operating computers / digital access devices. GS-3 Direct Benefit Transfer in Fertilizer Sector (Topic: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices) About: Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) being implemented in fertilizer subsidy payment is slightly different from the normal DBT being implemented in LPG subsidy. Under the DBT in fertilizer sector, the subsidy will be released to the fertilizer companies instead of the beneficiaries, after the sale is made by the retailers to the beneficiaries. Subsidy At present direct transfer of subsidy to beneficiaries like in LPG cannot be introduced in fertilizer sector as the beneficiaries and their entitlement is not clearly defined. Multiple subsidized products, urea and 21 grades of Phosphatic & Potassic fertilizers have different subsidy rates. The subsidy rate in respect of urea varies from company to company due to different production processes, energy efficiencies of plants, vintage etc. As the amount of subsidy in some fertilizers, particularly urea is more than double the MRP, it will be a huge financial burden on the farmers to pay the MRP and subsidy upfront and receive the subsidy amount subsequently. Indigenous Technologies Developed by DRDO (Topic: Science and Technology) About: Based on technologies developed by DRDO, major systems/ products inducted or approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) during 2016 for induction into Services are given below Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Long Range Surface to Air Missile (LR-SAM) Surface to Surface Missile System Electronic Warfare System Shakti Hull Mounted Sonar- New Generation Varunastra Torpedo Commander’s Thermal Imaging Sight for T-90 NBC Protection System for BMP 2/2K Low Level Light Weight Radar Mk-II Multi Mission Maritime Aircraft Akash Weapon System 7 Ton Heavy Drop System Electro-Optical Fire Control System for Naval Ships Mareech- Anti Torpedo Decoy System Abhay Sonar Near Field Acoustic Characterization System (NACS) Advanced Indigenous Distress Sonar System (AIDSS) for Submarines. BARAK Missile System (Topic: Science and Technology) About— Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LR-SAM) and Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MR-SAM) are jointly developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), India and Israel Aerospace Industry (IAI) LR-SAM and MR-SAM LR-SAM is the Ship Launch Version and Project MR-SAM is the Land Launch Version of Barak-08 Missile system. MR-SAM detects incoming enemy aircraft while they are well over 100 km away and destroys them at range upto 70 km. LR-SAM has got long range engagement capability to penetrate in deep water/land to intercept all types of aerial targets (like Subsonic & Supersonic Missiles, Fighter Aircraft, Maritime Patrolling Aircraft (MPA), Helicopter and Sea Skimming Missiles. Medicines Developed by DRDO (Topic: Science and Technology) About— Defence Research and Development Establishment (DRDE), a Gwalior based laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed the following medicines and medical equipments. These Medicines and Medical Kits/ Equipment are very specific for Services for use during Nuclear, Biological & Chemical (NBC) warfare scenario. Therefore, these have not been brought out in the open market.  However, DRDO developed herbal medicine “Lucoskin ointment and syrup” for treatment of Lucoderma has already been in the market since 2011. Medicines Monoisoamyl dimcracaptosuccinic acid (miDMSA) as a treatment for chronic arsenic poisoning. Alpha-ketoglutarate (A-KG) as an antidote for cyanide poisoning. 2-deoxiglucose (2-DG) as radio-modifier and cancer therapy. Medical kits/Equipment: First Aid Kit Chemical Warfare (CW) Type A (for 03 persons). First Aid Kit CW Type B (for 30 persons) specially for field hospitals. Auto injector for on-field application of medicaments for treating Nerve Agent poisoning. Steps taken to Prevent Coal Mine Accidents (Topic: Disaster Management) About— To check the recurrence of coal mine accidents, following steps had taken by the Government. Safety audit of all the coalmines has been taken up. Coal India Limited (CIL) has taken up a training programme with “Safety in Mines Testing and Research Station (SIMTARS)”, Govt of Queensland, Australia for training of trainers. A special safety awareness campaign has been launched to increase awareness of mine workers with the motto: ‘Safety is My Responsibility’. From time to time, DGMS issues guidelines for safer operations in identified thrust areas. Risk based inspection system through Shram Suvidha Portal has been implemented for coal mines. Adoption of online safety monitoring systems, establishment of geo-technical cells, installation of gas chromatographs for monitoring and analysing underground mine gases, installation of proximity warning devices to avoid collision of heavy earth moving machinery, environmental tele-monitoring systems in all degree-III gassy mines, slope monitoring systems for overburden benches and over burden (OB) dumps etc. are some of the other important steps taken by coal companies for improving safety of miners and mining operations in the coal mines. Cases of Nuclear Exposure (Topic: Science and Technology) About— In the last two decades, there has been a continuous increase in availability of Radiation Oncology facilities for cancer care in India. The newer Radiation facilities, though lesser than the actual requirement in the country, do have advanced facilities for catering to radiotherapy cancer treatment. The radioisotopes produced by use of nuclear energy are being effectively utilized in the fields of medicine (both diagnostic and therapeutic), agriculture and industry. Since radioisotopes are produced in reactors, increase in the numbers of reactors will increase the availability of indigenously made radioisotopes in medical treatment and agriculture. DAE also has developed technology in recovering Cs137 radioisotope from the radioactive waste generated from the fission products of the reactor, which has got application in medical field. BARC and agriculture BARC has a major agricultural research programme on improvement of oilseeds, pulses, wheat and rice using radiation-based mutation breeding methods for the past several decades. Already 42 varieties of different crops have been developed by BARC that include groundnut (15 varieties), mustard (3 varieties), soybean (2 varieties), sunflower (1 variety), mungbean (8 varieties), uridbean (5 varieties), pigeonpea (5 varieties), cowpea (1 variety) and 1 variety each of rice and jute. It is well received by the farmers Atomic Energy Act, 1962 It empowers the Government to produce, develop, use and dispose of atomic energy either by itself or through any authority or Corporation established by it or a Government company. In this regard, an indigenous sequential three-stage nuclear power programme based on optimum utilization of the country’s nuclear resources of modest uranium and abundant thorium is being pursued. Large capacity nuclear power reactors based on foreign cooperation are also being implemented as additionalities. Measures to facilitate nuclear power capacity addition In principle approval of sites to locate nuclear power plants in future. Creation of India Nuclear Insurance Pool to cover the Operator’s Liability under provisions of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act, 2010. Amendment to the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 to facilitate establishment of Joint Venture Companies (JVC) by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) with other Central Public Sector Undertakings.  

Apr 12, 2017

IASbaba's 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2017 Geography and Current Affairs [Day 15]

Hello Friends So, here we are with the 15th 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 15]: GEOGRAPHY & CURRENT AFFAIRS  ARCHIVES TOPICS:  Indian Geography– Minerals, Climate Minerals – Major areas where they are found, Characteristics of the minerals, Its Uses and Environmental impact. Climate – Factors determining the Climate of India, Indian Monsoon, It’s nature/characteristics, significance and impact, Upper Air circulation- Jet streams, Westerlies, Cyclones – tropical and temperate. PRELIMS MCQ’s: Q.1) Which among the following includes the elements that influence the making of climates? Temperature Precipitation Humidity Air pressure Winds Choose the appropriate answer from the code given below: 1, 2 and 3 only 1, 2, 3 and 4 only 1, 2, 3 and 5 only 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5  Q.2) Consider the below statements with regard ‘dew’: The ideal conditions for formation of dew are clear sky, calm air, high relative humidity, and cold and long nights. For the formation of dew, it is necessary that the dew point is below the freezing point. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 None  Q.3) Consider the below statements: Barysphere is associated with lower layer of the earth’s mantle (below Astenosphere). Asthenosphere is associated with the upper layer of the earth's mantle (below the lithosphere). Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 None Q.4) Which of the statements given below is/are correct in regard to Manganese? It is found abundantly as a free element in nature. The most important manganese ore is pyrolusite. Manganese is primarily used in iron and steel industry. Manganese is also used in the manufacturing of bleaching powder, insecticides, paints, and batteries. Choose the appropriate answer: 1 and 2 only 1, 2 and 3 only 2, 3 and 4 only 1, 2, 3 and 4 Q.5) Which among the statements given below is not correct about Chinook/Fohn winds? They are strong, dry and warm winds These winds are formed when ascending air becomes compressed with increased pressure These winds develops on the leeward side of the mountains The winds helps animal grazing by melting snow and fastens the ripening of grapes Q.6) Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists: List I                            List II Stratus/strato              Medium level Cumulus/cumulo         High up/wispy Cirrus/cirro                 heaped up/puffy, like cauliflower Alto                              flat/layered and smooth A-B-C-D 1-2-3-4 1-3-2-4 4-3-2-1 4-2-3-1 Q.7) Select the appropriate climatic zone/type having the below given characteristics: Precipitation level: 35-75cm Warm, dry summer and cool, wet winter Shifting of wind belts Choose the appropriate answer: Laurentian type Mediterranean climate Steppe/Temperate grasslands Coniferous forest Siberian climate Q.8) Variations in the length of daytime and night time from season to season are due to – the earth’s rotation on its axis the earth’s revolution round the sun in an elliptical manner latitudinal position of the place revolution of the earth on a tilted axis Q.9) Which among the following is not a warm wind? Foehn Loo Mistral Sirocco Q.10) Consider the following statements and choose the incorrect statement? Coriolis force is zero at the poles. There are no cyclones at equator because of zero Coriolis Force. Fast-moving objects such as airplanes and rockets are influenced by the Coriolis effect. Coriolis force at 5° latitude is significant enough to create a storm [cyclonic vortex]. Q.11) Consider the following about cyclones: The cyclonic wind movements are anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere. Tropical cyclones are violent storms that originate over oceans in tropical areas and move over to the coastal areas. Tropical cyclones are irregular wind movements involving closed circulation of air around a low pressure center. 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.12) Consider the following statements: It is governed by topography. Large changes in mean temperature occur over short distances. Precipitation types and intensity also vary spatially. The above characteristics are related with which of the following climate type? Select the correct code: Polar Climates Cold Snow Forest Climates Highland Climates Tundra Climate  Q.13) Arrange the following Iron ores based upon their quality or pure iron content: Limonite Siderite Magnetite Haematite Choose the appropriate code: 1-2-3-4 3-4-1-2 3-4-2-1 4-3-2-1 Q.14) Consider the following: Mesas and Buttas are associated with arid areas. Peneplains are associated with humid conditions. Dissected plateaux are associated with humid areas. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only 1 and 2 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.15) Which of the statements given below is/are correct in regard to Aluminium? Aluminium production starts with the raw material bauxite, a clay like soil type found in a belt around the equator Alumina is separated from the bauxite by using a hot solution of caustic soda and lime Three different raw materials are needed to make aluminium, aluminium oxide, electricity and carbon Aluminium is known for its ductile nature and can be recycled over and over again with 100 percent efficiency Which of the statements given above is/are not correct? 1 and 2 only 1, 2 and 3 only 2, 3 and 4 only 1, 2, 3 and 4 Q.16) Recently, India’s satellite GSAT-18 was successfully launched. With reference to GSAT-18, consider the following statements It is a communication-based satellite It is India’s heaviest satellite It was launched by India’s heavy duty launch vehicle GSLV It was built by ISRO Choose the appropriate code 1, 2 and 4 1, and 2 Only 1, 2 and 3 1, 2, 3 and 4 Q.17) Consider the following statements about Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) It is a technique used in molecular biology to amplify a single copy or a few copies of a piece of DNA across several orders of magnitude, generating thousands to millions of copies of a particular DNA sequence It is a recombinant DNA method It is used for Chick Sexing Which of the following statements is/are correct? Only 1 1 and 2 1 and 3 All of the above Q.18) Consider the following statements about MPLADS Scheme It is a centrally-sponsored plan scheme fully funded by the government of India The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has been responsible for the policy formulation, release of funds and prescribing monitoring mechanism for implementation of the Scheme Funds from MPLADS Scheme can be converged with MGNREGA with the objective of creating more durable assets Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.19) Living Planet Index is released by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) IUCN Q.20) The folk art of Alpana is from which of the following states? Rajasthan Maharashtra West Bengal Assam Q.21) Food Fortification is Addition of beneficial substance to food Addition of harmful substances to food Extraction of beneficial substances from food Extraction of harmful substances from food Q.22) Indian Roller Bird is the state bird of which of the following states? Andhra Pradesh Odisha Telangana Karnataka Select the correct code: 1 and 3 1, 3 and 4 Only 2 All of the above Download The Solution : Click here

Apr 11, 2017 AIR

All India Radio - Road Safety Week

Road Safety Week ARCHIVES Search 9th January 2017 http://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. General Studies 3 Infrastructure: Roads 11th to 17th January is celebrated as the road safety week. Celebrating the road safety campaign was initiated by the ISS India HSE (Health Safety and Environment) in order to make people aware about the national road safety in the Indian subcontinent. ISS India had declared to celebrate the Road Safety Week all through the country in the first week of the month of January. The aim of this campaign was to emphasize and accentuate people about the need of safe roads travel by applying just simple rules. The theme for road safety week 2017 is “Your safety, secures your family-Be cautious on Roads”. Roads make a wider contribution to the Indian economy. India has largest road network in the world coming to 3 million kms road. But there are lot of challenges with the roads, especially the road accidents. Road safety It is a major concern for India. It is a side effect of urbanisation but often forget that speed often needs safety. There were more than 1 lakh deaths due to road accidents in 2016. Its an issue that has mainly 3 levels. Infrastructure Its not just government issue. It is a city planning issue around city design, planning, architecture etc. With advancement of technology, the most developed project undertaken along with real estate are the massive road building projects. While new roads are being build, faster automobiles are being invented in high numbers making road safety a crucial problem. Number of cars over roads has increased over time period. Most of the new constructions are around highways and flyovers. The most affected by these constructions are pedestrians and cyclists who face utmost problem while on roads. Hence, its not just a policy issue but also about city planning. When a road is planned, crossing, overbridges, underbridges has to be also thought about. Dealing with road accident How quickly the person who has met with the road accident is responded has to be improved. Citizen behaviour is important- how quickly bystanders reach out, how quickly an ambulance or police calls, how quickly ambulance reaches patient, it reaches hospital and how quickly the person gets critical care. Behavioural attitude Are the traffic rules followed? Are seatbelts and helmets worn? Is quality of equipment, taking care of vehicle etc. maintained regularly? Two wheelers are important in lane driving which is almost absent in India. Drivers’ behaviour, especially of the two wheeler riders, is very rude. Not many are ready to accept the importance of helmet and also there is a need of making better quality of helmets. In many countries, there are designated lane driving for cycles, and two wheelers. In western countries, the pedestrian rights are respected where there is dedicated time and space allotted for them on roads. More and more people in India are using seatbelt because of the fear of traffic police. Penalties can get to change the people’s behaviour for sometime, but for long term behaviour change, it has to come from inside. Wearing the seatbelt correctly reduces the risk of death and crash by 61%. Often the driver wears the seatbelt but not the co-passenger along with people in backseat. There needs behaviour change from both sides. Pedestrian should know when to cross the road and when not to. The driver should respect the pedestrian rights. According to WHO, more than 2 million people die in road accidents every year and 50 million people are injured or disabled by road traffic rashes every year.  In 2014, the National Crime and Records Bureau recorded 142,000 deaths, a sharp rise from 98,000 deaths in 2005. The hospitalisation is also a concern during road accident. It is something state governments are starting to work on. There are 31 lakh serious injuries and more than 1 crore minor injuries. So how is the cost going to be borne by the government and the patient is to be known. In some states, there are unique schemes. In Karnataka, in first 48 hours, government provides free cashless hospitalisation. The private hospitals ask is if there is medical insurance or not before giving critical care treatment. So the idea is to give cash and give healthcare treatment to the injured atleast in first 48 hours. This is where cashless and insurance schemes help. They help in buffering cost that patient has to pay in crisis time. There is also a famous number 108 which assures speediest ambulance service. Guidelines on good Samaritans Lack of awareness about SC guidelines about ‘good Samaritan’ is visible. Though it says that the helper of victims of road accident will not be harassed by police, yet people are scared of getting involved in legal matter. It can only change when there is greater awareness. Awareness starts early, and the best medium is school and colleges. India’s legal system is more complicated. But the simple guidelines of SC hopes to encourage people to help victims of road accident. Golden hours of safety The more critical kind of crashes, the first 48 hours are most critical. Governments have recognised and implemented policies. It doesn’t depend on person who is in crash or the driver because often the driver themselves are hurt. Here bystanders have to take action. Scheme 108 ambulance is very helpful in this area. However, there are enough services in cities but on highways and rural areas, these kind of schemes need to play a major role. Conclusion Efforts from different stakeholders such as the community, transport sector, insurance sector, health sector, police, legal sector, educational institutions, highway engineers, vehicle manufacturers, public agencies, NGOs and etc. are needed. Students should be given big opportunity to be participated in the road safety week programme as to change something, youths of the country must understand first. Here, India can learn from Sweden’s ‘Vision Zero’ approach which focuses on three things Safety comes first- human life and health above all other transportation challenges Account for the human error- transportation systems, including roads and vehicles, need to be designed taking into account that people might make mistakes, so that when crashes occur owing to human error, it does not result in fatalities or serious injuries. We’re in it together- there is a joint responsibility for safety between the road user and road authorities. Conventional thinking is to attribute the cause of most road accidents to a single factor, and more often than not, to driver or pedestrian behaviour. Coordinated strategy- comprehensive and consolidated strategy to road safety that involves all authorities and agencies responsible for road transport systems. Thus, departments working in silos will have limited impact, as road safety is a multi-disciplinary problem. It requires unified strategic vision to be set that lays out the mechanisms for coordination between all stakeholders. Connecting the dots: What is the importance of road safety in the Indian economy and society? Discuss

Apr 11, 2017 MindMaps

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue - India - Australia

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue - India - Australia 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

Apr 11, 2017

IASbaba's 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2017 Polity and Current Affairs [Day 14]

Hello Friends So, here we are with the 14th 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 14]: POLITY & CURRENT AFFAIRS  ARCHIVES TOPICS: Union Legislature - Parliament   PRELIMS MCQ’s: Q.1) The speaker of the Lok Sabha derives his powers and duties from which of the following sources? Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Lok Sabha Constitution of India Parliamentary Conventions Select the correct code: 2 only 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only All the above Q.2) Consider the following statements All financial bills are money bills Money bill can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha and on the recommendation of President Which of the above statement[s] is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements The joint sitting is governed by the Rules of Procedure of Lok Sabha and not of Rajya Sabha Chairman of Rajya Sabha presides over a joint sitting in the absence of Speaker. Joint sitting is applicable to money bills Select the correct code: 1 only 2 only 1 and 3 only All the above Q.4) Who among the following is/are elected by Single transferable vote system (Proportional representation)? Members of Legislative Assembly Vice- President Members of Rajya Sabha Deputy speaker Select the correct code: 2 only 1, 2 and 4 2 and 3 only 1, 2, 3 and 4 Q.5) Consider the following statements about Zero Hour The zero hour is not mentioned in the Rules of Procedure It is an Indian innovation in the field of parliamentary procedures and has been in existence since 1962 Select the correct code 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.6) Who among the following issues notification for Prorogation of a session of the Parliament? Speaker President Vice-President Chairman Q.7) In India, no discussion on a matter of general public importance can take place except on a motion made with the consent of the presiding officer. With regard to resolutions and motions, consider the following statements Every resolution is a particular type of motion All motions are not necessarily put to vote, hence all the resolutions are also not voted upon Select the correct code: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.8) The ‘Excess grant’ must be approved by which of the following committee before being submitted for voting? Business advisory committee Estimates committee Public accounts committee Committee on Public Undertakings Q.9) Which of the following are credited to Public Account of India? Provident fund deposits Loans raised by issuing Treasury bills Remittances Saving bank deposits Select the correct code: 1 and 3 only 1, 3 and 4 only 2 and 4 only 1, 2, 3 and 4 Q.10) In Indian federal system, the Rajya Sabha has been given some special powers that are not enjoyed by the Lok Sabha. Consider the following statements with regard to powers of Rajya Sabha It can authorise the Parliament to make a law on a subject enumerated in the Concurrent List It can authorise the Parliament to create new All-India Services common to both the Centre and States Which of the above statement[s] is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1and 2 only Neither 1 nor 2 Q.11) Consider the following The charged expenditure is non-votable by the Parliament Salaries, allowances and pensions of the judges of the Supreme Court and High Court come under the category of charged expenditure Select the correct code: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.12) Consider the following statements The Appropriation Bill becomes Appropriation Act only after it is assented to by the President The government cannot withdraw money from the Contingency Fund of India till the enactment of the appropriation bill Amendments cannot be proposed to the Appropriation Bill Select the correct code: 2 only 1 and 3 only 2 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.13) Consider the following statements Consultative committees consists of members of both the houses of Parliament These committees are constituted under the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs Select the correct code 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.14) Who among the following are entitled to Parliamentary Privileges? Attorney General Comptroller and Auditor General Union ministers President Vice-President Select the correct code 1, 3 and 4 1, 3, 4 and 5 1 and 3 only 2, 3 and 4 only Q.15) With regard to Parliamentary Forums, consider the following The Speaker of Lok Sabha is the President of all the Parliamentary Forums Each Forum consists of not more than 31 members, excluding the President and ex-officio Vice-Presidents Members of these forums are elected by the Speaker/Chairman from amongst the members of the Parliament Select the correct code 2 only 1 and 2 only 1 only 1 and 3 only Q.16) Consider the following statements about Swayam Shikshan Prayog It is an organization that studies and practices more natural and sustainable approaches to learning and development, most of which differ radically from typical approaches to “education” or “fixing poverty.” It bagged the UN climate award 2016 for clean energy project Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.17) Consider the following statements about Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme It was originally introduced in 2008 following the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission It would ensure one minimum promotion for every 10 years till 30 years of service for Central employees Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.18) The 2016 International Buddhist Conclave was held in Tawang Dharmashala Nalanda Sarnath Q.19) International Court of Justice rejected nuclear disarmament cases filed by Marshall Islands against Britain, India and Pakistan, saying it did not have jurisdiction. Marshall Islands is located in which of the following oceans? Pacific Ocean Atlantic Ocean Indian Ocean Arctic Ocean Q.20) The world’s largest marine protected area (MPA) has been established in Ross Sea Weddell Sea Beaufort Sea Greenland Sea Q.21) Laffer curve is related to Inflation Balance of Payment Taxation Employment Q.22) The scheme ‘Urja Ganga’ is concerned with Gas Pipeline Project River Ganga Rejuvenation Hydro Electric Projects in Ganga Basin Mekong Ganga Cooperation Q.23) The Foreign exchange reserves of India consists of Foreign Currency Assets Gold SDRs Loans from World Bank & foreign countries Select the correct code: 1, 2 and 4 1, 2 and 3 1 and 2 All of the above Download The Solution : Click here 

Apr 10, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 10th April, 2017

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 10th April 2017 Archives NATIONAL/ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Development processes and the development industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders. General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Infrastructure: Digital. Cashless Economy - Challenges Introduction Digital revolution started in India in the 90s with the rise of IT and ITES sectors. After the radical measure of demonetization by government in November 2016 the idea of cashless economy got a serious push. But India does face serious challeneges. Issue: Cash-less digital transactions (CDT), are increasing under compulsion of various avenues. Data has evidenced signaling decreasing transactions since February 2017. The public seem to have gone back to cash transactions following the rapid re-monetisation since December 2016. Some slowdown of digitisation of Indian economy was inevitable as CDT has not yet become a mass movement. Key Challenges Faced: For an economy with a vast rural base India faces critical challenges w.r.t. cashless digital transactions. Some of them are- Customer protection Customers’ interest needs to be protected, failing which the very purpose of digitisation shall be defeated. Presenting the Budget, finance minister Arun Jaitley had proposed to create a Payment Regulatory Board in the RBI. The proposed Board should have customer protection in the back of its mind while formulating policy for payment and settlement systems. Further, the dispute resolution system relating to the payment systems need to be strengthened through legal reforms. Cost to users Cash transactions involve both direct and indirect costs. The benefits of CDT are immense and therefore the cost of providing CDT service should be subsidised. The government should subsidise such cost to begin with as it can save a lot of expenses arising out of cash transactions in case of B2G, G2B, G2C and C2G transactions. Banks can also bear this cost as they also benefit due to decline in transaction costs. Besides, service providers such as Paytm gain, as they have access to float funds depending upon the magnitude of digital activities. Cyber security Digital services are currently provided by multiple institutions/agencies such as banks, NPCI, Paytm, Mobikwik, mPesa, Idea Money and such other agencies authorised by the RBI. E-wallets and mobile-based payments are gaining ground. Cyber security is important for a customer covering confidentiality, interoperability, privacy, availability (24x7), non-repudiation, incident response and customer protection. Service providers are expected to prevent data theft, hacking, loss of money, denial of service and software malfunctioning. Unless cyber security covering these aspects is reasonably robust, it will be difficult to gain customers’ confidence in CDT. Conclusion: Government has to take all challenges into serious consideration if the idea of cashless transactions has to spread boundless. To bridge the digital divide in the way as the immense potential the idea of cashless transactions has for the economy is immense. Connecting the dots: Critically analyse the potential and challenges of cashless digital transactions can have to a diverse economy like India.   INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2 India and its International relations, Foreign Policy Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. India-Russia: 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations Background: Until 1990-91, India and Russia — the main constituent of (the erstwhile) Soviet Union — had enjoyed robust trade ties. In 1990, the Soviet Union was India’s top goods exports destination with shipments to the tune of $2.9 billion, according to data from the World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS) software. In the list of nations from where India imported goods, Soviet Union figured seventh in value terms with $922 million. Then in 1991, two watershed moments happened — economic liberalisation was introduced in India, and the Soviet Union was dissolved. In the following two-and-a-half decades, Russia remained India’s strong politico-diplomatic and defence partner like the erstwhile Soviet Union used to be. However, since 1990-91, India’s trade underwent further diversification and Russia is now not anywhere near the top in the list of India’s trade partners. Current position: Russia continues to be among India’s major politico-diplomatic and defence partner nations. Russia emerges as the most important strategic partner of India (followed by the U.S., France, the U.K., Germany and Japan in that order), according to New Delhi-based think tank ‘Foundation for National Security Research’. While India has inked separate strategic partnership pacts with more than two dozen countries, the Indian and Russian governments in December 2010 elevated their bilateral ‘Strategic Partnership’ to what they termed a “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.” This year, the world’s largest democracy, India, and the biggest country by area, Russia, are celebrating the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between them. Both the countries are renewing efforts to bolster their seven-decade-old relationship regardless of the perception of India’s increasing closeness to the U.S., Russia’s growing friendship with China and even with Pakistan especially in the context of defence and strategic partnership, as well as criticism that India and Russia are neglecting the glory of their past ties due to their preoccupation with other parts of the world. Current concerns: Russia had provided strong political and diplomatic support to India and helped enormously in building India’s defence capability. However, the “economic content of the India-Russia partnership is extremely weak”. India’s 2015 goods exports to Russia were worth just $1.6 billion, compared with $40.3 billion to the U.S. (India had shipped more items in value terms to 37 other countries compared to Russia) In 2015, India’s imports from Russia were valued at $4.5 billion, but had imported goods worth more than that from 23 other nations. If one takes into account India’s GDP of about $2 trillion and Russia’s GDP of $1.3 trillion, it becomes clear that their bilateral trade and investment ties are far below potential. While Russia comprised just 1% of India’s total trade, India accounts for a minuscule 1.2% of Russia’s overall trade. Recent ties/developments: In June this year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to take part as the Chief Guest in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum — also known as the ‘Russian Davos’ after the World Economic Forum, which is an international organisation whose flagship annual meeting is held in Davos, Switzerland. Both the countries have set a target to raise bilateral trade to $30 billion by 2025 and increase bilateral investment from $10 billion to $15 billion. India should be cautious of following developments: However, Russia and China have proposed to bring the EEU closer to China’s One-Belt-One-Road (OBOR) initiative (a massive project to develop infrastructure in more than 60 countries, primarily in Asia and Europe). Therefore, India should study the impact of this development in the context of the proposed India-EEU FTA. India should also look into the impact of EEU being supportive of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (or CPEC — the so-called ‘flagship’ project of OBOR), as India has strategic concerns regarding the OBOR as the CPEC is expected to cover areas including Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. India should also carry out an assessment of U.S.-Iran ties and its impact on INSTC as part of a study on the strategic relevance of INSTC. Need of the hour: Urgent and vigorous steps need to be taken to improve economic relations if India-Russia partnership is to be sustained and made durable. Swift conclusion of negotiations of the proposed India-Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) Free Trade Agreement would provide opportunities to India and Russia for regional cooperation and development as well as concessional trade and investment in the region. Expeditious implementation of the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) project — a multi-modal transportation route connecting the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf to the Caspian sea through Iran and onward to Northern Europe through St. Petersburg in Russia — will enhance trade and investment linkages between these regions. Expeditious launch of the ‘Green Corridor’ project for Customs facilitation (by easing Customs norms) – would be major step towards better connectivity and trade facilitation. Instead of focusing only on the geo-political dimension of OBOR and CPEC, India should consider if it could gain from such mega infrastructure projects from a developmental perspective. India-Russia trade ties have been below-potential and lopsided (in favour of Russia) as it is primarily a buyer-seller relationship and not one based on collaborations through investments. Besides, if the emphasis continues to be on sectors such as defence, hydrocarbons and nuclear power, it would result in Russia gaining more. Therefore, to ensure a balance, sectors such as IT/ITeS, pharmaceuticals and healthcare — where India has considerable strength — should also be encouraged, apart from seeking Russian investments in India in areas including defence manufacturing to push the ‘Make In India’ programme and in infrastructure and space technology to take forward the Smart City and Digital India initiatives respectively. Trading in local currencies, setting up pipelines for direct gas delivery from Russia to India as well as operationalisation of the proposed $1-billion fund through India's National Investment & Infrastructure Fund and the Russian Direct Investment Fund for investment in infrastructure and technology projects – will further boost bilateral ties. Connecting the dots: Even though Russia continues to be among India’s major politico-diplomatic and defence partner nations, economic content of the India-Russia partnership is extremely weak. Do you agree? Elucidate. What are the salient features of the political and economic relationship between India and Russia? Urgent and vigorous steps need to be taken to improve economic relations if India-Russia partnership is to be sustained and made durable. Discuss the recent developments between both the countries in this regard. MUST READ Clarity and facts on the ground Hindu Stirring up the nuclear pot Hindu Stepping up to a shared potential Hindu Prelude to a contagion Indian Express A court order, a consensus from below Indian Express   Attacks on Africans are a modern, violent manifestation of deep-seated societal prejudice Indian Express   Beyond governance by intentions Livemint   Can unarmed states prohibit nuclear weapons? Livemint We need a bank just for long-term credit Business Line Piecemeal approach Business Line

Apr 10, 2017 AIR

All India Radio - Model Code of Conduct

Model Code of Conduct ARCHIVES Search 4th January 2017 http://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. Parliament and State Legislatures - structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these. Model Code of Conduct Post the announcement of General elections or Legislative elections by the Election Commission of India, Model Code of Conduct applies in the relevant area. MCC is some sort of gentleman’s agreement in common parlance. It was framed by all political parties to guide themselves and to conduct themselves along with election management authorities like state election commission and national election commission. It lays down the rules of the game to guide all the state holders- candidates, political parties, officials and others. Features The code prohibits parties and candidates from indulging in activities that can cause tension between people of regions, castes, communities or religions. Places like temples, mosques, churches or other places of worship should not be used for election propaganda. Parties must ensure their supporters do not obstruct functions other parties organize. Removal of another party's poster is considered a code violation. It disallows comments on private lives of leaders or workers of other parties No party or candidate is permitted to use any individual's land, building, compound wall etc without permission, to erect flag-staffs, suspend banners, paste notices, write slogans etc. Voters are not to be intimidated or bribed to vote for a party or candidate. Restrictions on ruling party The code ensures a party in power, at Centre or in state, cannot use official machinery or personnel for electioneering. Thus, use of government transport, official aircraft and other vehicles, for poll campaign is barred. Poll-related advertisement at the cost of public money and misuse of official mass media for coverage of political news and publicity is not allowed. sanctioning grants and related payments out of discretionary funds is prohibited Ministers and politicians are barred from laying foundation stones of new projects. Recruitments or their announcements are disallowed. It is unique system developed by India which is extremely beneficial. Normally all the stakeholders-political parties, candidates, government officials abide by the MCC. Though public does feel sometime that MCC is violated by few through paid news, extravagant expenditures, bribing voters. Even if somebody violates it, not much is done. People involved in election management authority- may be at district level or return officer level or state level, are not totally ineffective. However, it also depends on how the matter is picked up. Such incidences are sparsely occurring during elections. Budget and elections The opposition was of the opinion that government should not be allowed to present the budget after the announcement of elections as it would skew the level playing field. But such a debate is irrelevant as a union budget is going to be represented which pertains to the nation rather than states. Every year elections are conducted in India with state and general elections spread over 5 years. At no point of time there will be an opportunity to escape the budget. Thus, the ECI has to just observe that no announcement is made that violates the MCC. The doubt with the budget presentation is that the ruling party might misuse the position. The MCC has evolved to ensure that ruling power should not abuse their power and position at the detriment of opposition or other governments. The ruling party should provide a level playing field during the elections. Any action which deviates any particular activity which normally disturbs the rule of game should not be attempted. Use of government machinery One part of MCC also is how can the government machinery be used or not or the benefits and infrastructure of people and things should be brought to work. This is to create a level playing field. Any government, whether at centre or state, when it does good things over the period of five years, will get benefits out of it. But when it does something that is perceived as wrong or is wrong, then there will be negative reactions. MCC insists that government does not misuse its authority by appropriating things under its control. Sanction of new projects, roads, hospitals, educational institutions and other public assets which is going to benefit particular section of society are disallowed. But MCC never says not to continue with existing schemes. In one of the state of northeast, the money from MPLADS is not spent for three and half years and entire 5 crores is spent in remaining one and half years of election. So this is misusing of position and using money for one’s personal benefit. Things like this should be stopped so as to give everyone a fair chance to win. Synchronising elections There are number of elections in India- Panchayat elections, local body elections, zila panchayat elections, municipal elections, cooperative elections. Repeated elections causes disruption of public life, budget, economy and too much expenditure. Thus it needs to have a viable solution. The case of simultaneous elections has emerged once again. The Election Commission has supported the possibility of the move along with PM’s favour to the same. Once all elections are held together, after the mammoth election process is over, the government will get a clear four years in which to carry out important reforms. It is debated that voters get confused since national and state-level elections are quite different. But ideally it shouldn’t happen since voters are quite savvy—in 2014, in any case, elections to Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim took place along with the general elections and there weren’t same results. On a thought, elections to states can be clubbed together but held within six months of the general elections. Though a larger discussion will bring out more solutions to the suggestion. Connecting the dots: What do you understand by the Model Code of Conduct. Discuss its significance and drawbacks.

Apr 10, 2017 MindMaps

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue - Rail Development Authority

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue - Rail Development Authority 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

Apr 10, 2017

IASbaba's 60 Day Plan- Prelims Test 2017 Polity and Current Affairs [Day 13]

Hello Friends So, here we are with the 13th 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 13]: POLITY & CURRENT AFFAIRS  ARCHIVES TOPICS: Constitutional Amendment Union Executive   PRELIMS MCQ’s: Q.1) In the Indian Constitution which of the following provisions can be amended by a Simple Majority? Fifth Schedule- administration of scheduled areas and scheduled tribes Delimitation of constituencies Provisions related to Directive principles of State Policy Citizenship- acquisition and termination Choose correct codes from the above options: 2 and 3 only 2 and 4 only 2, 3 and 4 1, 2 and 4 Q.2) Basic structure as a new doctrine was laid down by which of the following? Golaknath case Minerva Mills case Kesavananda Bharati case Shankari prasad case Q.3) Consider the following: Secular character of the Constitution Welfare state Harmony and balance between Fundamental rights and Directive Principles Rule of law Free and Fair elections Which of the above is/are the feature[s] of Basic Structure of the Constitution? 1, 2 ,3 and 5 2,3 and 5 only 2, 3, 4 and 5 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Q.4) Consider the following statements: To promote equal justice and to provide free legal aid to the poor To secure for all citizens a uniform civil code throughout the country To protect and improve the environment and to safeguard forests and wild life Which of the following Directive Principles were added to the original list by 42nd Amendment Act of 1976? 1 only 1 and 3 only 2 and 3 only 1,2 and 3 Q.5) With regard to President of India, which of the following statement is incorrect? Can be elected any number of terms Should be qualified for election as a member of the Lok Sabha Can resign by addressing the resignation letter to the Supreme court of India Has veto power with respect to State Legislation Q.6) In case of vacancy (caused by the expiration of the term of the sitting President) in the President’s office, which of the following statements is correct? An election to fill the vacancy must be held before the expiration of the term. In case of any delay in conducting the election of new President, the Vice-President discharges the functions of the President. Choose the correct statement[s] 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.7) With regard to procedure for amendment of the Constitution as per Article 368, consider the following statements An amendment bill can be introduced by both minister and private member. An amendment bill is introduced only in Lok Sabha and must be passed with Special majority. President can neither withhold his assent to the amendment bill nor send it back for reconsideration of the Parliament Choose correct code 1 and 3 only 1 and 2 only 3 only 1 only Q.8) Match the following: 1.      The amendment provides for the formation of a National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC). a.      99th amendment 2.      Amendment related to the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) between India and Bangladesh. b.      100th amendment 3.      Amendment provided special provisions for the Hyderabad-Karnataka region of the state of Karnataka c.       98th amendment   Match the codes: 1-a, 2-c, 3-b 1-c, 2-b, 3-a 1-b, 2-c, 3-a 1-a, 2-b, 3-c Q.9) Consider the following statements: Council of ministers cannot exist without the Prime Minister Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Parliament Council of Ministers shall not exceed 15 percent of the total number of members of the House of People. Choose correct statements: 1 and 3 only 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.10) Consider the following statements: Cabinet Committees are non-constitutional bodies Cabinet Committees are set up by the Prime Minister Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.11) Consider the following statements A resolution to impeach the President must be passed by a majority of not less than two-third of those present in the house Members of Legislative Councils of the States participate in the election of the President of India When the offices of both the President and the Vice-President are vacant, Chief Justice of India performs the function of the office. Choose the correct codes: 1 and 3 only 1 and 2 only 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.12) The Constitution of India can be amended by Simple majority of the Parliament Special majority of the Parliament Special majority of the Parliament and the ratification of half of the state legislatures Choose the correct code 2 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.13) Which of the statements is not true with regard to office of the Vice-President of India? A person seeking election to this office must be at least 35 years of age The Electoral College for election to this office consists of the elected members of both the Houses of Parliament and holds office for a term of six years In the event of death of the President, he/she can hold that office for a period not exceeding six months The incumbent of this office is the ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha Q.14) In comparison to the offices of President and Vice-President, consider the following statements While office of President is designed on British model, office of Vice-President of India is designed on lines of American Vice-President. While Presidential candidate should be qualified to be a Rajya Sabha MP, Vice-Presidential candidate should be qualified to be a Lok Sabha MP. While the President holds the office for a term of five years, the Vice President holds the office for a term of six years Choose correct codes 1 only 2 only 1 and 3 only 3 only Q.15)  In Indian context, which of the following statements is not true with regard to the Prime Minister The Constitution does not contain any procedure for the selection and appointment of the Prime Minister As per the constitutional provisions, the President has to appoint the leader of the majority party in the Lok Sabha as the Prime Minister A person who is not a member of either House of Parliament can be appointed as Prime Minister for six months Constitutionally, the Prime Minister may be a member of any of the two Houses of parliament Q.16) In India, the Prime Minister is the chairman of which of the following institution/organizations? National Integration Council Inter-State Council National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) National Board for Wild Life Department of Atomic Energy Select the correct code 1, 2 and 5 only 1, 3 and 4 only 1, 2, 3 and 5 only 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Q.17) 'Project C.A.T is A trap-neuter-return initiative for community cats in Mumbai A project aimed at conserving the wild tiger population, by Discovery Communications and NGO World Wildlife Fund (WWF) A concept for a unmanned single-stage reusable spaceplane capable of horizontal takeoff and landing by HAL None of the above Q.18) Consider the following statements about ‘Helmeted Hornbill’ It is found in the Western Ghats It is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ under the IUCN Red List The helmeted hornbill is revered by ancient forest-dwelling Dayak communities of the Borneo Island Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.19) Borneo Island is politically divided among which of the following countries? Philippines Malaysia Brunei Indonesia Select the correct code: 1, 2 and 4 2 and 4 2, 3 and 4 All of the above Q.20) Global Hunger Index is released by World Economic Forum Food and Agriculture Organization World Bank None of the above Q.21) Consider the following statements about Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) It promotes institutional delivery among the poor pregnant women It is a 100 % centrally sponsored scheme and it integrates cash assistance with delivery and post-delivery care It has identified ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) as well as AWC (Anganwadi Workers), as an effective link between the Government and the poor pregnant women Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.22) Which of the following Ministries deals with the management of Haj Pilgrimage and including administration of the Haj Committee Act, 1959? Ministry of Minority Affairs Ministry of External Affairs Ministry of Home Affairs Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Q.23) Recently the New Delhi Declaration on Education was adopted by Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) SAARC BRICS None of the above Download The Solution : Click here

Apr 9, 2017 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Learning Strategies – Inspirational & Educative Articles

Learning Strategies to Maximize Retention: One of the most difficult things to understand about learning is how to retain, remember and recollect information long after you have acquired it. It goes without saying that any competitive examination requires you to remember wide range of information from various sources. The difficulty is never in grasping the information; the difficultly almost always is in retaining that information and recollecting it. This is where a few simple learning strategies will help in enhancing your ability to learn, retain and recollect information. First a few basic things about learning; there are two fundamental streams of knowledge. Knowledge acquired through emotions and factual knowledge acquired through repetitive learning. All the information we gather around us can be grouped into two main categories of emotional and factual information. The way we grasp emotional information and factual information are very different and it is important to understand this difference. If you are able to clearly understand the difference between these two streams of information, it becomes extremely easy to remember and recollect. Emotional information is always remembered through thought associations and personal experiences. Emotional information can only be understood and experienced by connecting it to our personal experiences. The more deeply one is involved in the emotional content, the easier it becomes to remember and recollect it. For example there is a lot of difference between reading about the Bhopal gas tragedy and living through it. And yet when you are reading about it, if you are able to experience the pain and suffering of the people; understand their story and connect with it; it becomes that much easier to remember what exactly happened that day. This type of information is purely emotional and requires great involvement and intensity while reading about them. The more involved you are, the easier it becomes for your mind to form thought associations that make this type of reading real, hence very easy to remember. So the simplest way to remember an emotional content is by feeling the experience and making it real. The second type of factual information can only be remembered through repetitive learning. Remembering names, dates, places and events can best be done if you are able to come back to it again and again. It is impossible to remember factual information through emotional connectivity. You have to develop a system of learning that allows you to come back to factual information again and again till it becomes a part of your memory. In short, divide your learning into factual and emotional content. Approach both of them differently. This will allow you to remember, retain and recollect information very easily. “The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.”