May 24, 2016 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance: Book Review – The Hindus – Wendy Doniger

The Hindus - An Alternative HistoryThe Hindus – An Alternative History by Wendy Doniger is one of the most comprehensive books on the origin and development of one of the world’s greatest and ancient religions, Hinduism.At just about 800 pages, it covers almost all the important historical events connected to Hinduism. The Hindus is not just a book about Hinduism; but rather a detailed account of history and culture in and around the Indian Peninsula.Although the book has been controversial, and considered by some as a blasphemy on the Hindu culture, it contains insights that will shine light on the origin, functioning and development of the Hindu Culture.The book is marvelously scientific and precise in its research and understanding of a culture through archeology, architecture, religion, society and natural phenomenon.The Hindus can be read not just for its enormous depth and insight on the Hindu culture; but also to understand the structure and make up of ancient civilizations. ‘The Hindus’ explores the causes and circumstances under which major civilizations flourish and perish.This book is sure to transport you back in time to the ruins of the Harappa and Mohenjo Daro cities, their intricate and sophisticated architecture and to the life and culture of the people who lived there. It will also expand your understanding of one of the world’s most ancient civilizations. Copyright Disclaimer“This Book Review is a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.”

May 24, 2016 60 Days Plan 2019 - Daily Prelims Test

IASbaba '60 Day Plan' - Prelims Test 2016 [Day 8]

Click here to get all the Tests- Archives Hello Friends Hope you are enjoying Daily questions. The link for Day 7 solution is active now.  Note- Once in every 10 Days, we will release a document on doubts and controversial questions. So keep pointing. :) Why we asked you to comment? Now go back to check your answers that you posted with honest effort. Edit your answers with marks. Everyday like this you can self monitor your progress for all 60 days. Accountability to self is the only way for success IASbaba '60 Day Plan' - Prelims Test 2016 [Day 8] Q.1) “Kalileh-wa-Dimneh” is a Persian translation of which of the following Indian works a) Mahabharata b) Ramayana c) Panchtantra d) Bhagavatgeeta Q.2) Consider the following Diesel vehicles emit more carbon monoxide then petrol cars. Diesel cars emit more nitrogen oxide air pollutants than petrol cars Which of the following is/are the prime reason for banning of diesel cars? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both d) None Q.3) The conservation of Galapagos Islands was in news recently. Consider the following statements with respect to Galapagos Islands Galapagos Islands are located off coast of Peru It is a UNESCO world heritage site Galapagos Islands passes through Equator Select the correct option a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 3 only d) All Q.4) Recently a Cancer-causing chemical found was in bread samples from Delhi has alarmed the authorities. Consider the following statements Potassium bromate / Iodate are carcinogenic chemicals that are used while making confectionary items despite banning in India. Potassium Iodate/Bromate was found to cause tumour of the kidney and thyroid, and cancer of the abdominal lining in laboratory animals. Select the correct option a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both d) None Q.5) Consider the following Mahanadi and Godavari Krishna and Pennar Ken and Betwa Narmada and Krishna Which of the following are the proposed inter basin water transfer links a) 2, 3 and 4 only b) 1, 3, and 4 only c) 1, 2 and 3 only d) All Q.6) Consider the following statements regarding India’s Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20 It aims at increasing India’s exports in goods and services to 900 billion by 2019-20. Previous reward schemes of goods and services for export have been merged into two schemes- Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS) and Service Export from India Scheme (SEIS). It seeks to raise India’s share in World exports from 2% to 3.5% Select the correct option a) 1 only b) 2 only c) 1 and 2 only d) All Q.7) Map of Africa Identify the countries located in the Map a) 1-Niger ,2-Somalia, 3-Burkino Faso ,4-Alegeria b) 1-Somalia ,2-Niger, 3-Algeria, 4-Burkino Faso c) 1-Algeria, 2-Niger,3-Somalia,4-Burkino Faso d) 1-Burkino Faso,2-Somalia,3-Algeria,4-Niger Q.8) Consider the following statements regarding Amaravathi. It was the capital of Satavahanas who ruled from 2nd century BCE to 3rd century CE It is located on the banks of river Godavari. Amaravati has been chosen as one of the sites for Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme of Government of India. Choose the correct answer using the codes given below a) 1 and 2 only b) 1 and 3 only c) 2 and 3 only d) All the above Q.9) As per Ease of Doing Business Rank 2015, India ranked 142 out of 189 countries. Which of the following parameters are used in calculating ease of doing business rank? Starting a business Getting electricity Trading across borders Getting credit Protecting minority investors Select the correct answer using the code given below. a) 1, 2, 3 and 4 only b) 1, 3 and 4 only c) 1, 4 and 5 only d) All the above 10) Match list 1 with list 2 and choose the correct answer using the codes given below BrahMos- Anti tank guided missile Akash-   Stealth cruise missile Prithvi- Surface to air missile NAG- Short range ballistic missile Code 1        2         3        4 a) B          A         C        D b) A         B         D        C c) B          C         D        A d) D         B         C        A Q.11) Consider the following statements  Lord Mayo became the first Viceroy of India He gave the policy of financial decentralization The first ever Census conducted in India was under his patronage Select the correct code       a) Only 1 b) 1 and 2 c) 2 and 3 d) None Q.12) Identify the personality based on given statements  He believed that self-government is the highest and noblest principles of politics. He abolished Vernacular Press Act Hunter commission was appointed under his rule Select the correct option a) Lord Canning b) Lord Rippon c) Lord Mayo d) Lord Lytton Q.13) Identify the personality associated with the institution of the following act/regulations.  Indian Universities Act, 1904 Ancient Monuments Act, 1904 Calcutta Corporation Act, 1899 Police Commission in 1902 Select the correct code a) Warren Hasting b) Lord Wellesley c) Lord Dalhousie d) Lord Curzon Q.14) Which of the following were formed before 1857 Revolt?  The British Indian Association The Bombay Association East India Association Madras Native Association Poona Sarvojanik Sabha The Madras Mahajana Sabha Select the correct code a) 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 b) 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 c) 1, 2, 3 and 4 d) 1, 3, 4 and 5 Q.15) The Indian Factory Act, 1881 dealt primarily with the problem of child labour. Its significant provisions were: Increased the minimum age (from 7 to 9 years) and the maximum (from 12 to 14 years) for children, Reduced maximum working hours for children to 7 hours a day, Fixed maximum working hours for women at 11 hours per day with an one-and-a-half hour interval (working hours for men were left unregulated), Provided weekly holiday for all Select the correct code a) 1, 2, 3 and 4 b) 2 and 3 Only c) 1, 2 and 3 d) None Q.16) Which among the following statements were associated with Aligarh Movement? It was the foremost movement for social reforms among the Indian Muslims The aim of the movement was to organize the Muslim peasants against Hindu landlords and British indigo planters All-India Muslim League was the outcome of this movement The movement offered a serious threat to the British supremacy in India Choose the appropriate answer a) 1 and 2 only b) 1 and 3 only c) 1, 2 and 4 only d) All the above Q.17) Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s work Anandmath, one of the most important novels in the history of Bengali and Indian literature, was set in the background of a) Ramosi Uprising b) Santhal Rebellion c) Sannyasi-Faqir Rebellion d) Sawantwadi Revolt Q.18) Which one of the following observations is not true about the Polygar Rebellions?  Polygars were the offshoots of the Nayankara system prevalent in the Vijayanagar administration Polygars were traditional classes, quite similar to Rajputs of North India, often acted as sovereigns and extracted taxes from the people First Polygar war was lead by a confederacy consisting of Marudu Pandian, Gopal Nayak, Kerala Verma and Dhoondaji Kattabomma Nayak was considered as the main leader of the rebellion during Secong Polygar war, also known as South Indian Rebellion Choose the appropriate answer a) 1 and 2 only b) 1, 2 and 3 only c) 1, 3 and 4 only d) All the above Q.19) What were the causes that triggered tribal movements? Imposition of land revenue settlement Expansion of non-tribals to tribal areas Eminent Domain Work of Christian missionaries Reactions against Dikus Choose the appropriate answer a) 1, 2 and 5 only b) 1, 2, 4 and 5 only c) 1, 3 and 4 only d) All the above Q.20) Match the following (Part I) with (Part II) from the codes given below Part I                                                   Part II (Revolt/Movement)                          (Leader associated with it) a) Pagal Panthis                                         1. Karam Shah b) Kuka Revolt                                           2. Bhagwat Jawar Mal c) Sawantwadi                                            3. Anna Sahib d) Ramosi                                                    4. Chittur Singh             A-B-C-D a) 3-2-1-4 b) 2-4-1-3 c) 2-1-3-4 d) 1-2-3-4 Q.21) Consider the following with regard to Telegraph in India:  The first director general of telegraphs in India was William Brooke O'Shaughnessy Lord Dalhousie had authorised him to construct an experimental line and in 1852 he was appointed director general of telegraphs It was "telegraph" that saved India in mutiny of 1857 Telegraph communication between India and England was opened in 1865 by the Persian Gulf line Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) 1 and 2 only b) 1, 2 and 3 only c) 1, 3 and 4 only d) All the above Q.22) What were the causes for failure of Revolt of 1857? Lack of complete nationalism Lack of coordination between sepoys, peasants and zamindars and other classes Disunity of Indians and poor organisation especially between Hindu and Muslim Many had different motives for participating in the revolt Choose the appropriate answer a) 2, 3 and 4 only b) 1, 2 and 3 only c) 1, 2 and 4 only d) All the above Q.23) Who among the following was the founder of the organisation - Indian Home Rule Society (India House), London established in 1904? Veer Savarkar Tarak Nath Das Shyamji Krishna Verma Lala Hardayal Q.24) Which among the following characterizes the important events/works during Viceroy Lord Curzon period?  Swadeshi movement Foundation of Muslim League Idea to build Victoria Memorial Indian Coinage and Paper Currency Act Choose the appropriate answer a) 2 and 4 only b) 3 and 4 only c) 1, 3 and 4 only d) All the above Q.25) Who among the following Viceroys introduced financial decentralization in India? He was also known for introduction of State Railways.  a) Lord Lytton b) Lord Minto c) Lord Mayo d) Lord Hardinge Download the Solution- Click here  P.S- Attempt these questions within 20 minutes with full honesty and write your results in the comment box. Next day, come back and check your result. You can also discuss the important concepts and issues, in case of doubts (among peers) All the best IASbaba

May 23, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 23rd May, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 23rd May, 2016   INTERNATIONAL   TOPIC: General studies 2 India and its neighborhood- relations, International 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, Indian diaspora.   Chabahar Port: crucial gateway for India’s objectives India and Iran Ties: PM Modi’s visit to Iran has three primary objectives: First, to diversify (and increase) India’s oil and gas supplies (Recently, Iran became second-biggest oil supplier to India) Second, to enhance connectivity and trade with Afghanistan, Central Asia and beyond via Iran and Third, — given Iran’s growing regional influence—to hedge its geopolitical bets in the region vis-à-vis other players, notably Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council members Secondary objectives: First, to balance China’s growing influence and Second, to engage the US in ensuring that India’s interests are protected in the region Chabahar Port: crucial gateway for India’s objectives For India’s objectives, the port of Chabahar has become the crucial gateway to step up relations with Iran. About Chabahar Port Located on the Makran coast South-eastern coast of Iran It is relatively underdeveloped free trade and industrial zone (compared to the sprawling port of Bandar Abbas further west) (See fig: http://www.factophile.com/media/content/society/nations/maps/iran.gif) For India, Chabahar is of strategic importance for two reasons: First, it is the nearest port to India on the Iranian coast, which provides access to the resources and markets of Afghanistan and Central Asia. Second, it is located 76 nautical miles (less than 150km) west of the Pakistani port of Gwadar, being developed by China; this makes it ideal for keeping track of Chinese or Pakistani military activity based out of Gwadar. (See fig: http://www.joc.com/sites/default/files/resize/field_feature_image/chabahar-400x299.JPG) Despite the strategic importance of Chabahar for India, there has been very little progress on it for several reasons: First, is Iran’s unenthusiastic support and reluctance to allow an Indian presence at Chabahar. The idea of developing Chabahar was first mooted in 2003 But it was only in 2012 (on the sidelines of the 16th Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Tehran), Iran conceded to set up a joint working group to operationalize the port project as part of the trilateral cooperation agreement between Afghanistan, India and Iran on investment cooperation, trade and transit. Second, its strategic significance notwithstanding, the economic viability of the project is suspect. India had trouble raising funds for the project. It has so far been able to invest only $85 million to build a couple of berths. While India recently indicated that it was willing to invest up to $20 billion—one of its largest overseas ventures—to develop the port, petrochemical and fertilizer plants in the Chabahar SEZ, it remains to be seen if it can raise the funds. Third, presence of Gwadar next door Given the presence of Gwadar next door, where China has already invested over $1 billion and committed another $46 billion for the 3,000-km long economic corridor to link Gwadar to Kashgar in Xinjiang province and its One Belt, One Road project, it is unclear whether the Chabahar route will generate enough trade and traffic to justify the investment. In fact, Tehran, which has been playing hardball with India and demanding greater Indian investment in Chabahar, itself plans to invest $4 billion to build a refinery in Gwadar to process 400,000 barrels of oil per day.   Why Iran was reluctant to allow an Indian presence at Chabahar? Since, Indian navy in 2011 had detained Nafis 1, a vessel that sailed from Chabahar, on suspicion of carrying arms and ammunition for terrorist groups in Somalia - the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution (the so-called Revolutionary Guards) were annoyed of the incident The Revolutionary Guards reportedly uses the port to ship arms to Yemen and militant groups in the region Therefore, there was strong opposition by the Revolutionary Guards   The way ahead: Resolving the Chabahar conundrum is vital to securing India’s interests in Iran and beyond. The successful launch of the Chabahar project allows India to circumvent the geographic limitations imposed by Partition and the enduring hostility with Pakistan. However, given the challenges in manifesting this project, New Delhi is unlikely to succeed on its own. India might be better off building an international consortium with the likes of Japan and South Korea to invest in the project. Otherwise, the future of India’s interests will remain uncertain. Connecting the dots: With recent opening up of sanctions, Iran is likely to emerge as a one of the most prominent player in the region. Analyse this impact on India and the world in brief. Examine the significance of “Chabahar port as a crucial gateway for India’s objectives”. Despite the strategic importance of Chabahar for India, there has been very little progress on it. Discuss the challenges faced by India in this regard and suggest some strategies for the same?   ECONOMICS TOPIC:  General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation; Governance issues Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections by the Centre and State and the Performance of these schemes; Mechanisms, laws, institutions constituted for protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.  Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.    Labour law reforms Labour reforms is sine qua non for achieving employment growth in India and have been long been pending in India. Almost 90 per cent of the labour community is casual and not protected by laws and regulations. On the other hand, government’s thrust on Make in India and Ease of Doing Business would fail to boost economic productivity, in the wake of low priority being given to labour health, safety, and welfare, high industrial accidents, weak medical insurance and social security, and the routinely violated minimum wage guidelines. Indian policymakers have seemed to realize the importance of manufacturing in providing jobs, but with the share of manufacturing in India’s gross domestic product stagnating between 14% and 18%, it is also equally important to realize that the path leading to higher manufacturing employment needs to build up on the magic named ‘labour reforms’.   Real impact of labour reforms on the employment growth, firm growth, plant productivity, etc. is important— Do labour regulations hinder economic performance in India? Found that that rigid labour laws lead to significant reduction in employment, productivity and growth—documentation of a strong relationship between labour laws and increased urban poverty Therefore, the impact is higher in industries that are heavily dependent on labour and also for those, who face a lot of volatility. Case Study Lack of initiatives curb Indian manufacturing growth High labour costs, Poor infrastructure Inefficient logistics services To become an apparel manufacturing and exporting major as China— Reduce tariffs and import barriers: To ease access to manmade fibres -- such as more transparency for duty drawback schemes and bonded warehouses Removing anti-dumping duties on manmade fibres Lower excise taxes or provide other incentives to develop a domestic manmade fibre industry Ease labour norms: Take advantage of economies of scale with less complex labour policies Promote foreign investment for apparel by adopting clear and transparent policies on foreign ownership (already in place for textiles) and within Export Promotion Zones Promote foreign investment— needs to move quickly to ease barriers to the import of manmade fibres, facilitate market access and encourage foreign investment to reach more end markets, which would also yield dividends for other light manufacturers like footwear and toys Could shorten lead times by using industrial parks to provide better infrastructure Look at ways to help its apparel sector connect to global value chains (where production processes are situated in different countries) Consider joining mega free trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership to get preferential access to huge and lucrative markets such as the U.S. Encash the rising costs of apparel manufacturing in China— provides a window of opportunity for India to focus on apparel in productively employing its huge working-age population (could create at least 1.2 million new jobs in the Indian apparel industry)   IASbaba’s Views: Government needs to not only focus on skill enhancement and flexible labour markets but also conduct an assessment of Proper enforcement of the laws Situation of different categories of employers Coverage of the social protection system Labour-intensive industrialization carries the potential to break the cycle of distress and therefore, more efforts needs to be taken for building up on a consensus-derived decision by taking the trade unions as well as the State government into confidence. Steps should be employed to address the issues like lack of appropriate planning, inappropriate coverage, the applicability depends on wage ceilings, number of employees in an establishment, type of establishment, etc. Need to encourage industry-academia collaborations to understand innovation requirements better— Funds should be attracted from private sector to support research at academic and research & development (R&D) institutions Refer: Minimum Wage Labour in the 21st century Child Labour Issue Jobs & Economic Growth   MUST READ Why sea ice cover around Antarctica is rising Hindu   Fishermen in troubled waters Hindu   India, US and an eastward tilt- Why does India-US military cooperation not include northern Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf — a region of great importance for India’s security? Indian Express   Crime and punishment- Harsh punishments are an unhealthy trend Business Standard   For diabetes, insurers are becoming risk managers too- Insurers are also introducing indemnity-based outpatient department (OPD) products that enable customers to avail insurance benefits for consultation, diagnosis as well as pharmacy Live Mint   A heavy financial sector reform agenda-The one reform that will go a long way in improving the working environment for investors and lenders in the long run, is introduction of the Bankruptcy Code Live Mint   Maximum government, minimum governance- Has Narendra Modi been able to bring the ‘efficiency’ and ‘decisiveness’ he was known for as chief minister into running the country? Live Mint

May 23, 2016 60 Days Plan 2019 - Daily Prelims Test

IASbaba '60 Day Plan' - Prelims Test 2016 [Day 7]

Click here to get all the Tests- Archives Hello Friends Hope you are enjoying Daily questions. The link for Day 6 solution is active now.  Note- Once in every 10 Days, we will release a document on doubts and controversial questions. So keep pointing. :) Why we asked you to comment? Now go back to check your answers that you posted with honest effort. Edit your answers with marks. Everyday like this you can self monitor your progress for all 60 days. Accountability to self is the only way for success IASbaba '60 Day Plan' - Prelims Test 2016 [Day 7] Q.1) Consider the following statements with respect to “Reusable launch vehicle”(RLV) It is co developed by ISRO and DRDO The RLV will be a dummy flight, i.e. The RLV will not be a powered flight Select the correct option a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both d) None Q.2) Consider the following Gwadar port is the only port in Iran that has the direct access to ocean located in close proximity to Gulf of Oman The Gwadar port will help India to bypass Pakistan and open up a route to land-locked Afghanistan and Central Asia With Gwadar port India hopes to compete with the Chinese, who are building Chabahar port, in Pakistani Baluchistan. Select the correct answer a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 3 only d) None of the above Q.3) Consider the following statements with respect to Pradhan Mantri Jhan Dhan Yojana The scheme is run by Dept of Financial services Ministry of Finance Anybody above the age of 10 can open the bank account with zero balance The account holder can take loan benefit of Rs 50000 from the bank after six months from opening the account. Select the correct answer a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 3 only d) All the above Q.4) Consider the following statements with respect to “Kalaripayattu” It is a type of dance form originated in Kerala It got developed during the time of Sangam age. Select the correct one a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both d) None Q.5)”Jagor” is a folk dance observed in which of the following states of India a) Gujarat b) Chattisgarh c) Jharkhand d) Goa Q.6) Consider the following statements Oligotropic lakes have more oxygen present in the hypolimnion (Bottom layer) than eutrophic lakes The total number of plants and animal species in eutrophic lakes is more than oligotropic lakes. Select the correct answer using the codes given below a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both d) None Q.7) Consider the following statements with respect to National youth policy 2014 The National youth policy 2014 replaces National youth policy 2003 to reap the benefits of Demographic dividend. The National youth policy defines the age of youth from 18 to 29 years. Select the correct answer using the codes given below. a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both d) None Q.8) Consider the following statements with respect to Conference of Parties It is organised by United Nations framework convention on climate change. 2015 edition of COP was held in Nairobi Kenya. It is conducted annually. Select the correct answer using the codes given below. a) 1 and 3 only b) 2 only c) 2 and 3 only d) 3 only Q.9) Consider the following statements with respect to “Sukanya samridhi yojana” It was launched as a part of Beti Bachao Beti padhao campaign. The scheme is related to Girls health. The account will remain operative for 21 years from the date of opening or marriage of the girl child attaining 18 years of age, whichever is earlier. Select the correct answer using the code given below. a) 1 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 3 only d) All the above Q.10) “Satyameva Jayate” is a slogan given by which of the following freedom fighter a) Madan Mohan Malviya b) Bal Gangadar Tilak. c) Mahatma Gandhi d) Gopala Krishna Gokale Q.11) Consider the following statements: Mughal Emperor Shah Alam was the first to grant the English the exclusive rights to reside and establish factories in parts of India Battle of Buxar paved the way for English to obtain ‘diwani’ rights to collect and manage the revenues Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q.12) The message, ‘the name Ezhava does not denote a caste or a religion and he made temple rights to everyone. Therefore people can be admitted to this organization without paying heed to differences of caste’ said in relation to Temple Entry Movement, was by a) Chattambi Swamikal b) K. Madhavan c) Rajaram Mohan Roy d) Narayana Guru Q.13) Which of the following are the establishments by Pandita Ramabai Saraswati? Arya Mahila Samaj in Pune Sharda Sadan in Bombay Brahmo Samaj in Belgaum Select the correct answer a) 1 and 2 b) Only 1 c) Only 2 d) All of the above Q.14) Consider the following statements with regard to Young Bengal group of students: They were influenced by Henry Vivian Derozio and were responsible for the establishment of the Society for Translating European Sciences They posed an intellectual challenge to the religious and social orthodoxy of Hinduism They had complete faith in everything British and Western learning which alienated them from the masses Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) 1 and 2 only b) 1 and 3 only c) 2 and 3 only d) All of the above Q.15) Consider the following statements, in regard to Raja Rammohan Roy His emphasis was on the ethico-religious thought common to all religions of the world. He accepted British rule as a fait accompli (irreversible accomplishment) and believed that it would work as a ‘regenerative force’ for the advancement of India. Select the correct answer from the following options: a) Only 1 is correct b) Only 2 is correct c) Both 1 and 2 are correct d) Neither 1 nor 2 is correct Q.16) Which among the following were the characteristics of early nineteenth century socio-religious reformers? These reformers gained from western education but were not West-sponsored The reforms promoted by these reformers were not meant to structurally reorganize the whole society Issues dealt by these reformers were applicable and common to the higher classes of the Hindu society and had no meaning for the lower classes Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) 1 and 2 only b) 1 and 3 only c) 2 and 3 only d) All of the above Q.17) What was the purpose with which Lord Ripon was sent to India as Viceroy by British Prime Minister William Gladstone? a) To reform the structure of the Indian Government and take steps to promote local self-government b) To facilitate a discussion on India’s Independence in the British Parliament c) To campaign for the entry of Indians into the Imperial Judiciary d) To abolish the office of the secretary of state and transfer his functions to the secretary of state for Commonwealth Affairs Q.18) Which of the following are the ones associated with Dadabhai Naoroji? Gyan Prasarak Mandali Poverty and un-British Rule in India Bombay Association Bombay Gazette Select the correct answer from the codes given below: a) 1 and 2 b) 1, 2 and 4 c) 1, 2 and 3 d) 2 and 3 Q.19) The Deoband School, a revivalist school of 19th century, has been started with the objective To extend contacts with Muslims and organize them in accordance with original principles of Islam. To keep alive the spirit of jihad against the foreign rulers. Select the correct answer from the following options: a) Only 1 is correct b) Only 2 is correct c) Both 1 and 2 are correct d) Neither 1 nor 2 is correct Q.20) Consider the following statements: The Wahabi Movement named after its founder Abdul Wahab originated with a view of restoring Islam to its pristine purity and order. In India, the Wahabi movement was started by Vilayet Ali. It was a revivalist movement which held that the return to the true spirit of Islam was the only way to get rid of the socio- political oppression. It offered a serious threat to the British supremacy in India. Select the correct answer from the following: a) 1, 3 and 4 b) 1, 2 and 3 c) Only 1 d) All are correct Q.21) Consider the following statements regarding ‘Permanent Settlement’ introduced by British Government The zamindars of Bengal were not recognised as the owners of land The amount of revenue that the zamindars had to pay to the Company was firmly fixed and would not be raised under any circumstances. The ryots became tenants since they were considered the tillers of the soil. This settlement took away the administrative and judicial functions of the zamindars. Which of the above were the main features of Permanent Settlement? a) 1, 3 and 4 b) 2, 3 and 4 c) 1, 2 and 3 d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 Q.22) Consider the following Permanent Settlement Ryotwari System Mahalwari System Which of the above removed concept of ‘middle men’? a) 1 and 3 b) 1 and 2 c) Only 2 d) 2 and 3 Q.23) Which among the following was one of the causes for the Vellore Mutiny? a) Doctrine of lapse b) Collection of Tributes c) Introduction of new army regulations d) Economic exploitation of the British rule. Q.24) Consider the following statements regarding The Regulating Act of 1773 The Governor General became very powerful The act put an end to the arbitrary rule of the Company This Act promoted the servants of the Company including the Governor-General, members of his council and the judges of the Supreme Court from receiving directly or indirectly any gifts in kind or cash Select the incorrect code a) 1 and 2 b) 1 and 3 c) 2 and 3 d) 1, 2 and 3 Q.25) Match the following Tripartite Alliance                                                       a. 1784 Treaty of Salbai                                                            b. 1782 Treaty of Srirangapattinam                                       c. 1786 Treaty of Mangalore                                                   d. 1783 Select the correct match a) 1, 2, 3 b) 1, 3 and 4 c) 2 and 4 d) 1 and 3 Download the Solution- Click here  P.S- Attempt these questions within 20 minutes with full honesty and write your results in the comment box. Next day, come back and check your result. You can also discuss the important concepts and issues, in case of doubts (among peers) All the best IASbaba

May 23, 2016 RSTV Video

The Big Picture - SC Upholds Criminal Defamation – Effect on Free Speech

Archives     The Big Picture – SC Upholds Criminal Defamation – Effect on Free Speech   The SC passed its judgement on a series of petition on Criminal defamation filed by famous politicians like A Kejriwal, Subramanian Swamy, and Rahul Gandhi. In its judgement supreme court upheld the Sec 499 and 500 of IPC which amounts to criminal defamation and ruled that right to freedom of speech and expression is not absolute. This judgement is viewed by some with positivity while others view this as an effective tool to silence dissent and free speech. This article deals with the issues associated with the supreme court ruling and its impact on free speech The Supreme Court has categorically mentioned through its judgement that the right to freedom of expression cannot be used to malign the reputation of the person. This being the crux of the judgement has to be viewed with more prudence as it tries to strike a balance between Freedom of speech & expression and individual reputation. Through this judgement SC has given a right message to all the people who use defamation as per their whims and fancies. The motive to defame a person may be to gain undue advantage however there are instances where people have used this draconian section of 499 & 500  to malign the reputation of a person which is accumulated over years with much hard work and perseverance. This judgement is a stern message to all those who consider freedom of speech as absolute and to think twice before defaming a person. However on the other side of the discourse they are sections arguing that it curtails any form of criticism. Media which expresses  the above concern has a view that  people with deep pockets can go on and on by dragging the person to court considering all forms of criticism as defaming. Finally with this judgement the court has cautioned indirectly to not to take judiciary for granted in solving issues like defamation which are of not that important. This judgement has come at a time when the judiciary is overburdened with crores of pending cases. Politics in a democracy should be fought by having constructive criticism of each other and not by maligning a person in a public domain. Politicians need to play politics in a more sensible and mature way to develop the country and not to set personal scores or with power motive. India is a country with still millions of people deeply engrained in poverty; our entire discourse should focus on how to get these people out of poverty than settling insults in courts. With the new judgement media needs to be more diligent and prudent while reporting issues that have serious implications. The Supreme Court in its wisdom has given its judgement in true sense at a time when we need to focus on development and not on defamation.

May 23, 2016 PIB

IASbaba Press Information Bureau (PIB)- 16th May to 22nd May, 2016

ARCHIVES   Shri Nitin Gadkari Launches INFRACON, ePACE and up-Scaled INAM PRO: Syllabus – Infrastructure (GS3)   The schemes are aimed at making the road building procedure faster, more transparent and more efficient, to make maximum use of the innovations relevant to their areas of operation and to build a strong system of performance audit and accountability. ePACE(Projects Appraisal & Continuing Enhancements) is an online integrated Management Information System that brings projects from all wings of the  Ministry under a common platform,  ensuring  their effective and real time tracking.More than 2000 projects being executed by multiple agencies are currently listed on the portal and it is possible to get any information about their real time status, fund utilization etc. INFRACONis the National Portal for Infrastructure Consultancy Firms and Key Personnel. This portal acts as a kind of bridge between consultancy firms working in the road engineering and construction sector and domain experts and key personnel who are deployed both for project preparation and supervision. The portal hosts the credentials of consultancy firms and key personnel and has linkages to Aadhar and Digi-locker for data validation and purity. INAM PROhas been developed as a web-based application (inampro.nic.in) for Infrastructure and Material Providers. It is a kind of a web based market place that brings together the material providers and the prospective buyers on a common platform.  The platform was launched in March 2015 to facilitate contractors and cement buyers engaged in executing central/state funded roads and highways and bridge construction projects to place cement orders online with the registered cement companies offering cement at competitive rates in the vicinity of project execution locations.   National Conference on ‘Gaushalas’ Inaugurated  Topic – Technology missions  The conference dealt with fodder for animals and scientific management of cows post reproductive phase How to increase the milk productivity of Indian cows; Making provision for feed, fodder and ancillary requirements for Indian cows Management of cows in the post-productive phase. Some statistics mentioned in the conference: There are 19 crore livestock in the country, which is about 14% of the world’s livestock and out of this, 15 crore are indigenous livestock. Government has granted funds to establish National Breeding Centres for the promotion and protection of indigenous livestock. The annual increase in milk production for 2014-15 & 2015-16 is 9.59%. America, Brazil, Australia and other countries are importing Indigenous Indian milch animals to develop heat resistant species. Odisha and Karnataka have been granted Rs. 2 crore each for marketing of A – 2 type milk. 582.09 crore have been allocated for 35 proposals under the National Gokul Mission. States have been granted permission to establish 14 Gokul Grams.   Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourer Scheme – 2016  Topic – Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourer Scheme – 2016 to be Made Central Sector Scheme Revised Scheme Proposes Increase in Quantum of Financial Assistance Annual Budget Raised from Rs.5 Crore to Rs.47 Crore; Cash Assistance from Rs. 20,000 to Rs. One Lakh Cash Assistance may extend to Rs Two Lakh in Special Cases and to Rs.Three Lakh in Cases of Extreme Deprivation Special features of the new scheme is that it aims to address new forms of bondage such as organised begging rings, forced prostitution and child labour for which females, disabled and transgender are mercilessly used by the powerful elements. The responsibility to disburse funds will lie with DM Bonded Labour System is a social evil which though has declined over a period, however still exists in India despite constitutional provisions for its total eradication. The BLS (A) Act, 1976 for the last 40 years has not been able to eradicate Bonded Labour System completely. Even the Rehabilitation Scheme of 1978 have been able to free 2.82 lakh Bonded Labourers in 18 States across 172 districts in the country during the past 38 years. There is no correct estimation of the extent of bondage which has also transformed its form under the compulsions of transitional economy.   Joint issue between Department of Posts and United Nations Postal Administration A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Department of Posts and United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA)  In this Joint issue, the stamps were printed in the form of sheetlet of 20 se-tenants and Miniature Sheet of two stamps on the occasion of International Women’s Day. UN Women HeForShe campaign is a solidarity movement for gender equality that brings together one half of humanity in support of the other half of humanity for the benefit of all in social terms. This Joint issue is dedicated for the empowerment of women around the world. This would promote great cause of gender equality which the Indian government has been championing in the recent times.   Improved voluntary retirement scheme package for employees of Hindustan Vegetable Oils Corporation  Topic – Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population Hindustan Vegetable Oils Corporation (HVOC) is a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Department of Food and Public Distribution It comes under Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. The employees of HVOC have been adversely impacted due to sickness of the company. The improved VRS package will give fair amounts of compensation to the employees and help them in their post retirement rehabilitation.   ‘Government has taken pollution seriously, remains committed to reduce pollution’: Topic – Environment Pollution and conservation   Following are the proposed measures: The minister proposed the establishment of a new Pollution Research Institute to look into all pollution-related aspects. Call for more widespread participation of State Pollution Control Boards and suggested that such Conferences should be held every six months, both at the central and regional level. Emphass on establishing a compliance regime and penalty for violating the norms. All this is necessary for the government to provide ‘Ease of Doing Responsible Business’, but pollution-related challenges will have to be addressed. Conferences that addresses Development without destruction, sustainable development; discussion on air pollution, industrial pollution, sand mining, pollution of rivers and waste management is a good development, as it increases awareness in the society.   Government constitutes a five Member Committee to comprehensively review and give recommendations on the FRBM roadmap for the future  Topic – Economy and issues relating to planning mobilisation of resources, growth, development and employment Objective of the committee: To review the working of the FRBM Act over last 12 years and to suggest the way forward, keeping in view the broad objective of fiscal consolidation and prudence and the changes required in the context of the uncertainty and volatility in the global economy; To look into various aspects, factors, considerations going into determining the FRBM targets To examine the need and feasibility of having a ‘fiscal deficit range’ as the target in place of the existing fixed numbers(percentage of GDP) as fiscal deficit target; if so, the specific recommendations of the Committee thereon; and To examine the need and feasibility of aligning the fiscal expansion or contraction with credit contraction or expansion respectively in the economy.   WCD Minister Smt Maneka Gandhi releases Draft National Policy for Women, 2016 for consultation  Topic – Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population PRIORITY AREAS Health including food security and nutrition: Focus on recognizing women’s reproductive rights, shift of family planning focus also to males, addressing health issues in a life cycle continuum  such as psychological and general well-being,  health care challenges related to nutrition/ hygiene  of adolescents, geriatric health care, expansion of health insurance schemes and addressing the intergenerational cycle of under-nutrition Education:Improve access to pre-primary education, enrolment and retention of adolescent girls, implement innovative transportation models for better schooling outcomes, advocate gender champions and address disparities with regard to ICTs. Economy:Raising visibility, engendering macro-economic policies and trade agreements, generate gender-disaggregated land ownership database, skill  development and training for women, entrepreneurial development, review of labour laws and policies, equal employment opportunities with appropriate benefits related to maternity and child care services, address technological needs of women. Governance and Decision Making: Increasing women’s participation in the political arena, administration, civil services and corporate boardrooms, Violence Against Women:  Address all forms of violence against women through a life cycle approach, Legislations affecting /relating to women will be reviewed/harmonized to enhance effectiveness, Improve Child Sex Ratio (CSR), strict implementation of advisories, guidelines, Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) and protocols, prevention of trafficking at source, transit and destination areas for effective monitoring of the networks. Enabling Environment: Gender perspective in housing and infrastructure, ensuring safe drinking water and sanitation, gender parity in the mass media & sports, concerted efforts towards strengthening social security and support services for all women especially the vulnerable, marginalized, migrant and single women. Environment and Climate Change:addressing gender concerns during distress migration and displacement in times of natural calamities due to climate change and environmental degradation. Promotion of environmental friendly, renewable, non–conventional energy, green energy sources for women in rural households. The policy also describes emerging issues such as making cyber spaces safe place for women Redistribution of gender roles For reducing unpaid care work Review of   personal and customary laws in accordance with the Constitutional provisions Review of criminalization of marital rape within the framework women’s human rights etc. relevant in the developmental paradigms.   Indigenously developed fecal incontinence management system ‘Qora’ launched  Topic – Health Aim : To train the next generation of medical technology innovators in India to develop innovative and affordable medical devices to augment unmet clinical needs of India Fecal incontinence (FI) is a medical condition marked by inability to control one’s bowel movements, causing stool (feces) to leak unexpectedly from the rectum. It affects nearly 100 million bed ridden patients worldwide. Furthermore, about 50% of the psychiatric ward patients have FI due to long-term neurological diseases. Absorbent pads and fecal drainage catheters are the only available solutions for this condition a need for a better solution was felt by the team. This Program is implemented at AIIMS and IIT, Delhi in collaboration with International partners such as Stanford University, USA, Queensland University of Technology, Australia and Tottori University and Japan.   WCD Ministry and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation sign MoC for technical support to strengthen the nutrition programme in India  Topic – Health Aim : To provide technical support at the National and State level for strengthening the delivery of nutrition goals, especially during pre-conception, pregnancy and first two years of life. The four priorityareas of work as part of this MoC would include: Development and deployment of ICT solutions for improving and strengthening ICDS Service Delivery System. Support Ministry of Women & Child Development in developing a shared national communications campaignfor maternal and child nutrition among target populations. Provision of technical support for the National Nutrition Mission, Restructured ICDS Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement Project (ISSNIP) and Restructured ICDS through a Technical Support Unit at thenational and state level for strengthening their capacities to deliver nutrition especially during pre conception, pregnancy and first two years of life. Technical support and Knowledge management support to strengthen human resource  capabilities atvarious  levels  in order to  deliver effective  nutrition interventions.

May 22, 2016 Topper's From IASbaba

TOPPER’S STRATEGY: ROHAN BOTRE (Rank 187) CSE – 2015

Read about other Topper's Strategy Hello Friends Rohan Botre who secured 187 rank in UPSC 2015 has shared some insight and words of wisdom about his preparation and follow ups. We are happy to share this with you all :) Rohan Botre. Rank 187 4th attempt Educational qualifications Masters of sciences (MS) Civil engineering—Purdue University, USA Bachelors of Engineering— Pune university, India When I was in 10th standard I came across a documentary related to the IAS training academy at mussorrie. I was inspired by that documentary and later tried to explore more information about the services like IAS and IPS. I was very much influenced by the work done by some renowned IAS and IPS officer , that I decided to study for this exam i,e UPSC. I was in the United states for a masters in civil engineering program at the famous Purdue University in the state of Indiana. Being from a educational background (both parents are professors in pune), I had decided to first complete my education with a MS degree. Even when I was in USA, I always kept this at the back of my mind that I have to go back to India after the MS program gets completed and start my ups preparation. During my stay abroad I constantly read articles from THE HINDU AND INDIAN EXPRESS. I started my UPSC preparation in 2012. I selected Public administration and sociology as my optional subjects. Before 2013 prelims there were two optional subjects. But in 2013 attempt I dropped sociology and selected Public administration as my optional. Prelims: This is the most crucial part of the process. Due to heavy competition prelim has become a cause of concern. I suggest you to complete as much as syllabus as possible for prelims. Here are the sources: 1. Spectrum: History 2. NCERT for ancient and medieval history( do not neglect this part) 3. CCRT plus Art NCERT( very important for mains also) 4. GC leong, 11th and 12th NCERT for geography 5. Shankar IAS material for Envo 6. Ramesh singh for economy. 7. Laxmikant for polity 8. IAS baba website for current happening through which you can solve many question related to IR, international organizations, polity etc. 9. CSAT — any local class material (only 66 marks are needed now) Read these sources thoroughly and completely..   Optional Preparation. I never took any classes for optional. My mother, being a professor of political science taught me this optional. Most important thing i would suggest aspirants is to focus on answer writing and notes making in public administration. This attempt i was able to score 226 (110 + 116) in PA. I made extensive notes from various books like 1. stephen robbins 2. mohit bhattacharya 3. Fadia 4. IIPA journals 5. ARC reports. 6. rajni goyal. 7. if possible punch commission report. 8. most important is laxmikant ( public administration wali) I had revised these notes a number of times.. The challenge in PA is to comprehend the question that is asked in the paper… the questions are not at all straight forward. This skill comes by extensive reading, notes making and answer writing. General studies: IASBABA has been a very important part of my preparation till now. I had focused on many sections of IAS baba like yojana compilations, various articles, discussions of LS and RS TV apart from TLP. Today is the time when paper reading becomes very difficult because of the vast nature of the syllabus. So i focused much more on time management. In reality, I devoted very less time on news paper reading. My mains focus was to collect as much as information as possible and produce that information in the exam papers…. for this I had a great benefit from IASBABA This website is an ocean of knowledge and information. Personally it has benefited me immensely. As GS 2 and 3 are mostly current affairs , we need to have a good hold of the basics first. Then IASbaba can be of greatest use for supporting that theoretical part with numbers , graphs, schemes, most important thing in GS papers in the variety of angle and inter-linking that you make in your answers. I strongly believe that this website can be very helpful to those who do not have the resources to join classes in Delhi. This can be a treat for rural aspirants also. Time Management Most crucial thing in upsc prep is time management. I was very strict about time management. Every day i used to set a target for completion on some part of syllabus… and i used to try to complete my syllabus 2-4 days before the exams start… may it be prelims or mains… It is most crucial to stay relaxed before the exams…. revision of IAS baba notes and material used to be done on a regular basis..   Dedication and consistency: Failures are part of the process of UPSC.. i had to face a number of failures. In 2014 I couldn't clear prelims. This was the most toughest period of my life. But it is most important to stay focused and clam. Make a new plan after your failures and new plan should correct your past mistakes and lacunaes. IAS baba had given me a ray of hope that by systematic preparation success can be achieved. I hope this article helps every UPSC aspirant…stay blessed and healthy Rohan Botre Rank 187

May 22, 2016 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Handling Stress – Inspirational & Educative Articles

Handling Stress: If there is any one key distinguishing factor between people; it is their ability to handle stress in important and deciding situations. The better one is able to handle stress; the better is one’s chance of winning. More often than not, stress is an ultimate decider between two individuals with equal opportunities and capabilities. In reality most of you possess the necessary ability to succeed; the important question is how your ability to handle stress affects your performance. Performance is a combination of intelligence, awareness, memory and state of mind. While one can increase their knowledge, awareness and memory; state of mind has to be handled in a completely different way. To begin with, you cannot increase your state of mind; you need to manage it. Managing your inner emotional and psychological states during critical phases of your life becomes the difference between winning and losing. All your knowledge, understanding and memory are of no use if you cannot handle stress. The only way to handle stress is to expand your vision beyond the task that needs to be accomplished. Preparation is the phase where you spend all your time and energy in gaining knowledge and expertise necessary to succeed; it is a phase where you are only concerned with the task that needs to be accomplished. But the execution stage requires a larger perspective of your action and the consequences of it. One of the easiest and simplest ways of handling stress during executing a task is by looking at yourself and your life infinitely larger than the task that is being accomplished. You have to be much more than just the executioner of the task at hand. People who are too concerned about how they accomplish their task, usually end up stressing themselves to a point of losing the much necessary calm state of mind that is necessary to accomplish the task. On the other hand, those who are sincere in their preparation and look at themselves as much beyond the process they are going through can maintain a fabulous calm state of mind which makes all the difference. You have to begin your preparation for handling stress, much before the day when it is actually required. You need to cultivate the right mindset and learn to put things in perspective much before the day when you are tested the most. The best time to start working on your ability to handle stress is now. Take a few critical tests to check your ability to handle stress. As with all other skills, if you can work at handling your stress levels a few months before your examination, it will do wonders for your results. Remember, for all you know, the only difference between a successful you and a disappointed you is your ability to handle stress. “The articles are a copyright of The Ahamo Movement and IASBABA.” Read more such articles– Click Here

May 21, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 21st May, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 21st May, 2016   NATIONAL   TOPC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation; Governance issues Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections;   PAHAL—Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme for (LPG) PAHAL is the first major programme in India that provides subsidies through DBT—with nearly 150 million registered beneficiaries, it is probably the world’s largest DBT programme ever. Note: Accounts for only about 3.5% of the total annual flow of government subsidies The provision of around Rs.20, 000 crore for the scheme is about 8% of the total provision of Rs.250, 433 crore for subsidies in the 2016-17 Union budget Lessons learned from PAHAL— Targeting:  The goal of the government in subsidy reform is targeting them effectively so that they flow only to the intended beneficiaries. Such targeting of subsidies is extremely problematic when the subsidy is embedded in the physical delivery of a product at a price that is below the open market price as this price gap— Distorts the market, Provides opportunities for arbitrage, Diverts supplies Leads to profiteering in the black market Thus, maintenance of an elaborate administrative apparatus is necessary to manage the rationing of subsidized commodities; but despite this, there exists problems like— Product adulteration, Leakages, Ghost ration cards Harassment of beneficiaries by the rationing bureaucracy Very often, the cost of maintaining this elaborate PDS bureaucracy is much higher than the amount of subsidy it is supposed to save by enforcing, unsuccessfully, the exclusion of this small group of non-poor consumers from access to subsidized commodities—Switching to DBT System would pave way for huge savings Backbone of the DBT System—The Banking Network: Subsidies are transferred to beneficiaries directly through their bank accounts—the scheme will not work without a bank account Even post the Jan Dhan Yojana campaign, banking penetration among the target beneficiaries is still quite limited, especially in rural areas. Also, bank staff is reluctant to cooperate in opening accounts, especially unprofitable ‘zero balance’ accounts, for poor customers   Solution— Villages can be served through the new payments banks and banking correspondents (not viable to have a commercial bank branch in every village) Linking of Jan Dhan Yojana with Aadhaar, the unique biometric identification system, as Aadhaar is now backed by an Act of Parliament and is reported to have covered virtually the entire population— The intended beneficiary receives the money in his account Reduction in the government’s subsidy burden Effective solution to leakages and mis-targeting problems Linking Postal Account with Aadhaar The Post Bank accounts should be Aadhaar seeded so that various Government schemes for Direct Benefit Transfer could be rolled out through the Post Bank. Department should step up its efforts to ramp up its capabilities to book, process, transmit & deliver e-Commerce articles An aggressive awareness campaign is an urgent need not just for beneficiaries but even more so for front-line commercial bank staff—need to be made aware that the humble act of opening an account for poor beneficiaries is, in fact, a critical link in what could become best practice for the largest welfare delivery system in the world. A consumer-friendly delivery system— Disincentive of travelling to other villages to fetch the LPG cylinders The initial outlay required for getting an LPG connection, by way of deposit, cost of a burner, regulator, etc.— To overcome this constraint, the Ujjwala Yojana scheme has been initiated to provide free or subsidized connections to some 50 million poor households over the next four years at a total cost of about Rs.8,000 crore. Switching from 15kg cylinders to 5kg cylinders in rural areas will also help ease the cash-flow constraint for these households by reducing the outlay required for each refill Exclusion of the ‘rich’: The CEEW study estimates that the richest 15% of the population account for about 25% of the LPG consumer base. ‘Give It Up’ campaign— Only 6% of consumers actually gave up their subsidy claim—only 14% of the rich consumers actually ‘gave it up’ (This attitude thus, calls for their enforced exclusion from subsidy) Distinction between subsidies and income transfers— Subsidy: When a government meets a part of the cost of providing a good or service to a beneficiary Transfer Payment: When a government provides income support to a beneficiary Connecting the Dots: Comment on the relationship between Aadhaar, LPG and smokeless kitchen Discuss the need to conduct a comprehensive social audit and expenditure assessment of the market across different geographies and social segments to ascertain whether the intended benefits have indeed been achieved or not. Refer: http://iasbaba.com/2016/01/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-8th-january-2016/ NATIONAL   TOPIC:   General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability and institutional and other measures   Right to Information (RTI) Act: Boon or Bane? The RTI Act has been the most empowering legislation for citizens It has initiated the vital task of redistributing power in a democratic framework In other words, the law gives citizens power to control and hold government responsible for their activities It protects everyone from being wrongly or inappropriately informed or misinformed. Issue: However, this paradigm shift in the locus of power is not well received by some of the public functionaries. There have been consistent efforts by the powerful to denigrate the law. The latest attack on the legislation was witnessed recently in the Rajya Sabha, with several members of Parliament, across party lines, demanding amendments to the act. Why there are demands for amendments to the RTI Act? Many MPs have alleged that the RTI is being widely misused It is used as a tool to blackmail public functionaries They argued that government servants are unable to take decisions objectively for fear of the RTI A large number of frivolous and vexatious RTI applications are being filed resulting in a negative impact on the efficiency of the government Some argued that many are using the RTI to ask questions on sensitive issues from the government such as national secrets related to missile programs and international relations. An extra burden to the authorities (Note: These assertions, however, are not backed by data or evidence)   Is RTI really misused? Two national studies on the implementation of the RTI was carried out by the RTI Assessment and Advocacy Group (RaaG) in collaboration with the National Campaign for Peoples’ Right to Information (NCPRI) As part of the assessments, 20,000 RTI applications filed to different public authorities in the country were collected, of which detailed analysis of a randomly selected sample of 5000 applications was undertaken. The result of these studies/assessments tell a completely different story: Less than 1 per cent of the RTI applications analysed pointed towards the misuse of the law in terms of frivolous or vexatious information requests. The majority of applicants sought basic information about decisions and action taken by the government, norms related to the functioning of public authorities and the use of public resources. In fact, the studies showed that close to 70 per cent of the RTI applications sought information that should either have been made public proactively or communicated to the applicant without needing to file an RTI application. The analysis also revealed that a little over 1 per cent applications were voluminous, in terms of requiring a lot of information, which could divert time of public servants. Again, a majority of the voluminous applications were asking for information that should have been disclosed proactively.   Key take away from the studies – Clearly, the poor compliance by public authorities with statutory provisions related to proactive disclosure of information is forcing people to file applications for information that should be publicly available to them. Even a government-sponsored nation-wide study in 2009 did not find any evidence to flag misuse. Is RTI data used as a tool to blackmail or harass anyone? As the above assessment shows, most of RTI applicants sought information that should either have been made public proactively or communicated to the applicant without needing to file an RTI application. It raises the question - In any case, how can objective government information, obtained under the RTI, be used to blackmail or harass anyone? On the other hand, if there is some wrongdoing, the RTI applicant would be rendering a service to the society by exposing it.   Is RTI compromising national security? Some MPs had claimed that anyone can use the RTI to ask questions on sensitive issues from the government such as national secrets related to missile programs and international relations, which would prejudicially affect the security of India. The above assertion that the RTI can be used to compromise national security is totally unfounded. Section 8 of the RTI Act spells out the restrictions to peoples’ right to information. It exempts disclosure of various categories of information, including information, which would prejudicially affect the security of India and its relations with a foreign state, and personal information, which has no bearing on public activity or interest. Conclusion: The Right to Information Act 2005 is hailed as a revolution in India's evolution as a democracy. It empowers the ordinary citizen who has hither-to been armed with only his vote, with the tools of information that propel government decisions. When the poorest of the poor put votes, elect their representatives and also pay taxes (indirect taxes), then why there is hesitation to be answerable to them? The RTI Act is premised on the idea that democracy requires an informed citizenry. Members of Parliament would be well advised to look at the evidence before mulling amendments to it. Connecting the dots: There have been consistent efforts by the powerful to denigrate the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Do you agree? Give arguments in favour of your answer. Critically comment on the implementation and performance of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.   MUST READ Days and nights in Kathmandu Hindu Related Articles: http://iasbaba.com/2015/09/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-28th-29th-september-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/10/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-11th-12th-october-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/08/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-4th-august-2015/   It’s time to regulate the auto industry- The Global NCAP has highlighted that cars made in India are unsafe, and pointed out the casual approach of automakers towards improving quality Live Mint   Currency wars, global growth top agenda at G7 meeting in Japan- Japan, which is hosting the two-day talks, is keen to win an endorsement for its position that fiscal stimulus is the way to kick-start the world economy Live Mint   Criminal defamation survives: a blot on free speech- The criminal defamation judgement reiterates the apex court’s lukewarm commitment to free speech in recent times Live Mint Related Articles: Upholding Criminal Defamation   There’s no rule book for eradicating corruption- In post-Soviet states, some of the world’s most corrupt, bureaucracy is inherited from a time when cheating the state was a national pastime Live Mint Related Articles: TLP 2016 TLP 2015   No Make in India impact visible yet in exports-Manufacturing exports contracted in 2015-16 for the first time in six years Live Mint   Finally, there’s a thaw in relations - Indian industry should be quick off the block to benefit from Modi’s visit to Iran and capitalise on the opportunity Business Line Related Articles: http://iasbaba.com/2016/01/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-19th-january-2016/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/07/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-15th-july-2015/ http://iasbaba.com/2015/07/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-2nd-july-2015/

May 21, 2016 60 Days Plan 2019 - Daily Prelims Test

IASbaba '60 Day Plan' - Prelims Test 2016 [Day 6]

Click here to get all the Tests- Archives Hello Friends Hope you are enjoying Daily questions. The link for Day 5 solution is active now.  Note- Once in every 10 Days, we will release a document on doubts and controversial questions. So keep pointing. :) Why we asked you to comment? Now go back to check your answers that you posted with honest effort. Edit your answers with marks. Everyday like this you can self monitor your progress for all 60 days. Accountability to self is the only way for success IASbaba '60 Day Plan' - Prelims Test 2016 [Day 6] Q.1) Consider the following about Global Environment Facility (GEF) It serves as financial mechanism for? Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Montreal Protocol UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Minamata Convention on Mercury Select the correct code a) 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 b) 2, 4 and 5 c) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 d) 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 Q.2) Consider the following International Day for Biological Diversity is celebrated on 29th December It is held on December 29 to celebrate the day the Convention on Biological Diversity went into effect. Select the correct code a) Only 1 b) Only 2 c) Both d) None Q.3) Consider the following Nagoya Protocol came into force before Cartagena Protocol Nagoya Protocol comes under Convention on Biological Diversity The Nagoya Protocol on Biosafety is an international agreement on biosafety as a supplement to the Convention on Biological Diversity Select the correct code a) Only 1 b) Only 2 c) 1 and 3 d) 1, 2 and 3 Q.4) National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) is An autonomous organization A statutory organization A regulatory organization Select the correct code a) 1 and 2 b) Only 2 c) 2 and 3 d) 1, 2 and 3 Q.5) Consider the following statements regarding Mangroves India accounts for nearly 10% of world’s mangrove vegetation There has been a net decreases in the mangrove cover of India over last few years Andhra Pradesh has more mangrove cover than Gujarat Select the correct code a) Only 1 b) 1 and 2 c) 1, 2 and 3 d) None Q.6) According to Ramsar Convention definition of ‘Wetland’ includes Area that is saturated with water permanently Areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed eight metres Select the correct code a) Only 1 b) Only 2 c) Both d) None Q.7) Consider the following w.r.t ‘Ecotones and Ecoclines’ an ecocline describes a variation in species prevalence and is often not strictly dependent on a major physical factor separating an ecosystem from another, with resulting habitat variability. an ecotone is a variation of the physicochemical environment dependent of one or two physico-chemical factors of life, and thus presence/absence of certain species. Select the correct code a) Only 1 b) Only 2 c) Both d) None Q.8) Consider the following regarding ‘Keystone Species’ Keystone species have lower levels of biomass in the trophic pyramid relative to the importance of their role. Sea Otters are example of keystone species Select the correct code a) Only 1 b) Only 2 c) Both d) None Q.9) Consider the following regarding ‘Fly Ash’ It is used as a fertilizer It can be used in soil stabilization It is used as a replacement for Portland cement in concrete. Select the correct code a) 2 and 3 b) 1 and 2 c) Only 3 d) 1, 2 and 3 Q.10) Electronic waste or e-waste describes discarded electrical or electronic devices. Consider the following regarding E- waste Beryllium Cadmium Gold Lithium Uranium Silver Which of the above are found in e-waste? a) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 b) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 c) 1, 2, 3 and 4 d) 1, 2 and 4 Q.11) Consider the following statements: Eurythermal organisms can tolerate and thrive in wide range of temperature. Warm blooded animals can maintain a constant body temperature even when the surrounding temperature is changing. Stenothermal organisms are restricted to a small range of temperature. Cold blooded animals generally hibernate to protect themselves from extreme climatic conditions. Which of the above statements are correct: a) 1 and 3 b) 2 and 4 c) All of the above d) None of the above Q.12) In Equatorial rainforest, the undergrowth on the floor is very less. The correct reason behind this is: a) Very less sunlight reaches the ground for survival of plants due to thick canopies. b) The hardwood trees excrete toxic resins which do not allow the plants to grow. c) Due to high population of herbivorous species. d) The soil of rainforest is less fertile due to heavy leaching of minerals. Q.13) Which of the following statements are correct about life processes of plants. The process of making of food with the help of photosynthesis takes place only during the day. The process of respiration takes place during day and night both. Which of the above statements are incorrect: a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q.14) Consider the following statements: Despite various external conditions, the organisms maintain constant internal environment like temperature and osmotic pressure. This process is called Homeostasis. During winters the human body shivers to generate heat and maintain the body temperature of 37o During summers the body sweats profusely to maintain the temperature. Plants also have the same mechanism as animals to maintain homeostasis. Which of the above statements are correct: a) 1 only b) 1,2 and 3 c) 1, 3 and 4 d) All of the above Q.15) Which of the following statements are correct about ‘Keoladeo National Park’. It is a man-made and man-managed wetland. It is famous for migratory birds which come to visit the park during winters. It is a World Heritage Site. Select the code from the following: a) 1 and 2 b) 2 and 3 c) 1 and 3 d) All of the above Q.16) Consider the following statements: The exchange of air (breathing) in plants takes place only through stomata present in the leaves. Many desert plants have their stomata in deep pits to minimize water loss by evaporation. Desert plants have a mechanism that their stomata remain closed during day time. Which of the above statements are incorrect: a) 1 and 2 b) 2 and 3 c) 1 and 3 d) None of the above Q.17) At higher elevations, people generally have breathing problems due to low pressure and lack of oxygen. This is called altitude sickness. Soon the body acclimatise this situation and and breathing becomes normal. Which of the following functions does the body take to adapt to this situation: The body increases red blood cell production. Body decreases the binding capacity of hemoglobin. Body increases the breathing rate. Select the correct code from the following: a) 1 only b) 2 and 3 c) 1 and 3 d) All of the above Q.18) Consider the following statements: Detrivores like earthworm, breakdown detritus into smaller particles. This process is called fragmentation. Bacterial and fungal enzymes degrade detritus into simpler inorganic substances. This process is called as catabolism. Which of the above statements are correct: a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q.19) Consider the following statements regarding ‘Humus’: Humus is a finely divided partially decomposed organic material in soil, whose origin cannot be traced by looking at it. Humus is colloidal and helps in binding minerals in the top soil and making them available to the roots of trees. It is highly resistant to microbial action and decomposes at a very slow rate. Which of the above statements are correct: a) 1 and 2 b) 2 and 3 c) 1 and 3 d) All of the above Q.20) Consider the following statements regarding energy flow from one tropic level to other tropic level: The energy flow is always unidirectional, i.e. from lower tropic level to higher tropic level. The energy transfer in tropic levels follows a 10% law, i.e. only 10 percent energy is transferred from lower tropic level to the next tropic level. Which of the above statements are correct: a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q.21) The ordinance making power of president lies with which of the following articles of Indian constitution a) Article 122 b) Article 123 c) Article 124 d) Article 125 Q.22) “Anuradhapura” is an ancient Buddhist town found in which of the following country a) Thailand b) Sri Lanka c) Cambodia d) Nepal Q.23) Consider the following  Algae prepare food by the process of photosynthesis Plants can synthesise not only carbohydrates but also proteins and fats All plants are autotrophs Which of the statements is true with respect to plants and algae a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 3 only d) All the above Q.24) Consider the following Copper – Anaemia Vitamin B1 – Beri Beri Vitamin C – Scurvy Which of the above mineral deficiency and its disorder is rightly matched a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 3 only d) All the above Q.25) Which of the following statements with respect to e – Sahayog  is correct a) It is launched by the ministry of heavy industries to facilitate production of capital goods b) It is launched by ministry of consumer affairs to facilitate new start ups in the area of supply chain management c) Launched by ministry of finance to facilitate taxpayers d) Launched by law ministry to facilitate e filing of cases Download the Solution- Click here  P.S- Attempt these questions within 20 minutes with full honesty and write your results in the comment box. Next day, come back and check your result. You can also discuss the important concepts and issues, in case of doubts (among peers) All the best IASbaba