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Baba's Gurukul 2022

[LAST DAY TO REGISTER] REGISTER NOW for Baba’s GURUKUL ADVANCED for Veterans’ 2023 - ENTRANCE TEST on 12th June (SUNDAY)

GURUKUL ADVANCED FOR VETERANS 'A Rigorous, Intensive Tests & Mentorship Based Programme'   Today is the last day to Register for Baba’s GURUKUL ADVANCED for Veterans’ 2023 - Entrance Test. The Registrations for Baba’s GURUKUL ADVANCED 2023 Entrance Test which is scheduled for 12th June (Sunday), will close on 11th June (5 PM). Hurry Up and Register Now! REGISTER NOW! - CLICK HERE Only a limited number of students who are highly dedicated will be selected through multiple rounds of scrutiny. Seats are limited as one on one mentorship is possible only with a limited number of students. The selection process will be similar to UPSC standards, comprising of Prelims Test (50 MCQs – 100 marks; Syllabus will include current affairs of last year and static GS topics + Objective CSAT questions), Mains Test – 150 marks (it will include an essay based on Current Issues and case studies of Ethics to check the approach of candidates) and Personality Test (it will be conducted to check the dedication of candidates and their level of understanding of Current Issues). Date of Entrance Test - 12th June (Sunday) at 11 AM. Last Date to Register - 11th June (5 PM) Mode of Test - ONLINE only. Timings – 11:00 am (2 Hours and 30 Minutes). The results of the Entrance Test will be out on the 16th of June (Thursday). Interviews will be starting on 17th June (Friday). The final results will be out on 18th June (Saturday). The login credentials for the Entrance Test will be shared with registered students on 11th June (10 PM). KNOW MORE ABOUT BABA's GURUKUL ADVANCED 2023 - CLICK HERE RANK 44, ANJALI SHROTRIYA - BABA's GURUKUL PROGRAM   RANK 22, RAJESH PONNAPPA - BABA's GURUKUL PROGRAM     One on One Mentorship for UPSC/IAS - GURUKUL ADVANCED     Mentor Monitored Group Discussion - GURUKUL ADVANCED     Meenakshi Sundaram Sir (Retd. IAS) on Baba's Gurukul     KNOW MORE ABOUT BABA's GURUKUL ADVANCED 2023 - CLICK HERE CONTACT US Email ID: support@iasbaba.com Contact No. : 9169191888 (10 AM – 6 PM) Please do not make calls before or after the given time.  

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 10th June 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) Manas National Park Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Environment In News: Assam rhino estimation Manas National Park – Stats The current rhino population in the park was estimated at 40 The park’s rhinos have a male-female sex ratio of 1:1, arrived at without considering 10 calves and five sub-adults The one-horned rhinos in Manas National Park, have an age structure pyramid, indicating higher life expectancy and significant growth in the population. There is no wider representation of calves and sub-adults to sustain the population structure Population pyramid for calves is clearly an indicative of a low birth rate, but is also suggestive of a lower death rate, which means that there is higher life expectancy But such a population may suffer losses if not supplemented through translocations, the report warned. A suitable strategy to bring in more rhinos from other rhino-bearing areas is required so as to have a wider representation of calves and sub-adults over time, the report stated Counting limitations “Total count” or direct count method adopted for the population estimation in Manas has a few limitations. A total count is generally used when a single species is targeted to be counted in a well-defined, specific area. This method assumes the detection probability to be one, which means that each and every animal has a 100% chance of being seen during the counting. The limitations of this method include undercounting, as the assumption of a detection probability of 1 is unrealistic, especially if the population closure cannot be established satisfactorily within a small area of 10-20 sq. km. Manas National Park:   Manas national park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a Project Tiger reserve, an elephant reserve and a biosphere reserve. It is located in the Himalayan foothills in Assam. It is contiguous with the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan. The name of the park is originated from the Manas River. Significance: The Park is known for its rare and endangered endemic wildlife such as the Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur and pygmy hog. It is also famous for its population of wild water buffalo. River: The Manas River flows through the west of the park. Manas is a major tributary of Brahmaputra river. Previous Year Questions Q.1) Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat”? (2020) Corbett Ranthambore Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Sunderbans Q.2) Which one of the following protected areas is well-known for the conservation of a sub-species of the Indian swamp deer (Barasingha) that thrives well on hard ground and is exclusively graminivorous? (2020) Kanha National Park Manas National Park Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary Tal Chhaper Wildlife Sanctuary Source: The Hindu Compensatory Afforestation Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Environment Mains – GS 3 (Environment) In News:  The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is currently facing a shortage in land for compensatory afforestation. This issue of shortage of land for compensatory afforestation was raised by the agency in a letter to the Union Environment Ministry in March The DDA, in its letter to the Union Environment Ministry, cited paragraph 2.3 (v) of chapter 2 of the Handbook of Forest Conservation Act, which states: “In exceptional cases where non-forest land for CA is not available in the same State/UT in which the diversion of forest land is proposed, land for CA can be identified in any other State/UTs, preferably in neighboring State/UTs.” Forest Conservation Act 1980 Alarmed at India’s rapid deforestation and resulting environmental degradation, the Centre Government enacted the Forest (Conservation) Act in 1980. The Forest Conservation Act, 1980 stipulated that central permission is necessary to practice sustainable agro-forestry in forest areas. Violation or lack of permit was treated as a criminal offense. An Advisory Committee constituted under the Act advises the Centre on these approvals. The Act deals with the four categories of forests, namely reserved forests, village forests, protected forests, and private forests. Features Section 2 of the act lists four criteria where permission of the Central Government is required for any action of State regarding – Declaring that any reserved forest ceases to be reserved. Use of forestland for non-forest purposes. Leasing forest to any private person. Declaring that any forest land may be cleared of trees that have grown naturally in that land, for the purpose of using it for reforestation. Removing self-regenerating forest for the creation of plantation is also the non-forest purpose. Under the act compensatory afforestation has to be carried out for the diversion of forest land, or deemed forest land, for non-forest purposes. Agencies carrying out development works are required to compensate for the loss of “land by land” and loss of “trees by trees”. The land for CA has to be free of encroachments and legal tussles Source: The Hindu Aegean sea & islands Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Geography – Map based In News: Turkish President Greece to demilitarise islands in the Aegean Sea Turkey says Greece has been building a military presence in violation of treaties that guarantee the unarmed status of the Aegean islands It argues the islands were ceded to Greece on the condition they remained demilitarised. Greece and Turkey are NATO allies, but the neighboring countries have a history of disputes over a range of issues, including mineral exploration in the eastern Mediterranean and rival claims in the Aegean Sea. Greece maintains Turkey has deliberately misinterpreted the treaties and says it has legal grounds to defend itself following hostile actions by Ankara, including a long-standing threat of war if Greece extended its territorial waters. Aegean Sea It is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It is located between the Balkans and Anatolia, and covers an area of some 215,000 square kilometres. In the north, the Aegean is connected to the Marmara Sea and the Black Sea by the straits of the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus. The Aegean Islands are located within the sea and some bound it on its southern periphery Aegean Islands The Aegean Islands are the group of islands in the Aegean Sea, with mainland Greece to the west and north and Turkey to the east; the island of Crete delimits the sea to the south, those of Rhodes, Karpathos and Kasos to the southeast. The vast majority of the Aegean Islands belong to Greece, being split among nine administrative regions. The only sizable possessions of Turkey in the Aegean Sea are Imbros and Tenedos in the northeastern part of the Sea. Various smaller islets off Turkey’s western coast are also under Turkish sovereignty. The Aegean Islands are traditionally subdivided into seven groups, from north to south: Northeastern Aegean Islands Euboea Sporades (Northern Sporades) Cyclades Saronic Islands Dodecanese (Southern Sporades) Crete Previous Year Questions Q.1) Consider the following pairs: Sea-Bordering Country Adriatic Sea – Albania Black Sea – Croatia Caspian Sea – Kazakhstan Mediterranean Sea- Morocco Red Sea – Syria Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched? 1, 2 and 4 only 1, 3 and 4 only 2 and 5 only 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Source: The Hindu Thirukokarnam Ranganayaki Ammal Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – History – Current Affairs Context: One of the first women to enter the male-dominated world of Carnatic percussion Thirukokarnam Ranganayaki Ammal Born on May 28, 1910 she was the second of seven siblings. Her father Thirukokarnam Sivaraman was a renowned natuvanar, who was also known for his avadhana pallavis — an art of playing different talas by using both hands, legs and the head. Ranganayaki took to the mridangam and went under the guidance of the legendary Pudukottai Dakshinamurthi Pillai She was also well trained in Bharatanatyam She blazed a trail by playing complex mathematical combinations with ease. In the All India music conference held in 1927 in Madras Ranganayaki Ammal was the only woman among the 23 mridangam artistes who performed at the event. In the 1940s, she performed with several leading artistes such as Brinda and Muktha and Flute Mali. In 1966, she joined the Padmavati College in Tirupati as faculty, and later worked at the Sadguru Sangita Samajam in Madurai. Source: The Hindu Vale do Javari Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science and Technology Mains – GS 3 (Science and Technology) Syllabus Prelims – Geography – Places in News In News: British journalist and a Brazilian indigenous affairs expert recently went missing in a remote corner of the Amazon rainforest. The duo were last seen in Vale do Javari — the western section of the Brazilian Amazon named after the Javari river, which forms the country’s border with Peru. Why is the region significant? The region where Phillips and Pereira went missing is spread over 85,444 sq km and, according to the Brazilian government, it is home to “the greatest concentration of isolated groups in the Amazon and the world”. The area is home to 14 different indigenous tribes with nearly 6,000 inhabitants. These tribes are known to reject contact with the outside world. But in spite of that there are repeated attempts to forcibly enter their resource-rich territory. Vale do Javari also forms part of an international cocaine trafficking route, with gold being exchanged for drugs and arms, consequently making it a hotspot for violent crimes. Besides the Javari it is transected by the Pardo, Quixito, Itaquai and Ituí rivers. The Brazilian government has made it illegal for non-indigenous people to enter the territory Previous Year Questions Q.1) Consider the following pairs: (2022) Regions in News                     Country Anatolia –                       Turkey Amhara –                       Ethiopia Cabo Delgado –             Spain Catalonia –                     Italy How many pairs given above are correctly matched? Only one pair Only two pairs Only three pairs All four pairs Source: Indian Express Fast radio burst Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science and Technology Context: In a study, astronomers have reported a fast radio burst (FRB) whose characteristics are different from almost all other FRBs previously detected, except one. FRBs are bright flashes of light that appear for a few milliseconds and then vanish. Since the first FRB was discovered in 2007, 140 more were discovered until June 2021 The new study in Nature describes FRB 20190520B, first discovered in 2019, is idifferent is different from other FRBs, it emits frequent, repeating bursts of radio waves. And between bursts, it constantly emits weaker radio waves. Only one FRB has been previously observed to behave this way. Called FRB 121102, that was discovered in 2012. Calling the behaviour strange the US National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) stated that the discovery raises new questions about the nature of these mysterious objects and also about their usefulness as tools for studying the nature of intergalactic space. What are Fast Radio Bursts? Fast Radio Bursts are brief (few millisecond) bursts of radio waves coming from far beyond our Milky Way galaxy. The phenomenon was first reported in 2007 A defining property of these bursts is their dispersion the bursts produce a spectrum of radio waves, and as the waves travel through matter, they spread out or disperse with bursts at higher radio frequencies arriving at telescopes earlier than those at lower frequencies. This dispersion allows researchers to learn about two important things: They can measure this dispersion to learn about the stuff that radio bursts pass through as they travel toward Earth They can indirectly determine how far apart things are. Origin of FRBs: FRBs have been spotted in various and distant parts of the universe, as well as in our own galaxy. Their origins are unknown and their appearance is highly unpredictable. Previous Year Questions Q.1) Which one of the following is a reason why astronomical distances are measured in light-years? (2021) Distances among stellar bodies do not change. Gravity of stellar bodies does not change. Light always travels in a straight line. Speed of light is always same. Source: Indian Express Reintroduction of Cheetahs Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Environment Context: The Union Environment Ministry stated that India is set to bring cheetahs from South Africa to Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno-Palpur National Park by August this year. The cheetah is the only large carnivore to have gone extinct in India, primarily due to hunting and habitat loss. Maharaja Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo of Korea, Madhya Pradesh, is widely believed to have killed the last three recorded cheetahs in India in 1947. In 1952, the Indian government officially declared the Cheetah extinct in the country. Extiction Hunting with the cheetahs For centuries, hunting was a favoured activity for royalty in India. The cheetah, which was relatively easy to tame and less dangerous than tigers, was frequently used by Indian nobility for sport-hunting. The earliest available record for cheetahs being used for hunts in India, comes from the 12th century Sanskrit text Manasollasa, which was produced by the Kalyani Chalukya ruler, Someshvara III (reigned from 1127-1138 CE). Cheetah coursing, or the use of trained cheetahs for hunting, had become a highly specialized activity in the medieval period and was carried out on a large scale during the Mughal Empire. Emperor Akbar, who reigned from 1556-1605, was particularly fond of the activity and is recorded to have collected 9,000 cheetahs in total. The demand for cheetahs for hunting purposes was so high that specific areas, which had a high population, were designated for their capture, such as Rajasthan’s Jodhpur and Jhunjhunu, Punjab’s Bathinda and Haryana’s Hisar. The capture of wild cheetahs for hunting and the difficulty to breed them in captivity was leading to a decline in the cheetah population, even before the entry of the British. Near extinction under the British Raj Unlike the Mughals, the British were not very interested in coursing with the cheetahs. Rather, they preferred to hunt big game, such as tigers, bison and elephants. While tigers were the choice animals for the British shikar, Indian and British “sport” hunters also targeted cheetahs. There is evidence to suggest that British officials considered the animal as “vermin” and also distributed monetary rewards for the killing of cheetahs from at least 1871 onwards. The rewards for bounty hunting likely caused the decline of cheetahs, as even the removal of a small number would have negatively affected the ability of wild cheetahs to reproduce even at the lowest level required for survival. As a result, wild cheetahs became very rare in India by the 20th century. International trade of cheetahs Unlike the British, Indian elites and rulers of princely states continued the old practice of hunting with cheetahs in the 1920s. However, by this time it had become increasingly difficult to find cheetahs in the wild. Cheetah The cheetah is one of the oldest of the big cat species, with ancestors that can be traced back more than five million years to the Miocene era. The cheetah is also the world’s fastest land mammal that lives in Africa and Asia Features Asiatic Cheetah African Cheetah Physical Characteristics Smaller and paler than the African cheetah. Has smaller head and a longer neck. Usually have red eyes and they have a more cat-like appearance. Bigger in size as compared to Asiatic Cheetah.   Image Distribution Around 40-50 found only in Iran. Around 6,500-7,000 African cheetahs present in the wild. Status IUNCN: Critically Endangered CITES: Appendix-I of the List IUNCN: Vulnerable CITES: Appendix-I of the List Previous Year Questions Q.1) Consider the following statements: (2019) Asiatic lion is naturally found in India only. Double-humped camel is naturally found in India only. One-horned rhinoceros is naturally found in India only. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 Source: Indian Express Daily Practice MCQs Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) Arrange the following water bodies from north to south Black Sea Sea of Marmara Aegean Sea Sea of Crete Choose the correct code: 1-2-3-4 1-3-2-4 1-3-4-2 2-1-4-3 Q.2) Consider the following statements Forest Conservation Act, 1980 deals only with reserved forests and protected forests only Leasing forest to any private person under Forest Conservation Act requires Central Government permission The Act mandates the land for compensatory afforestation has to be free of encroachments and legal tussles Choose the correct statements: 1 only 1 and 3 2 only 2 and 3 Q.3) Vale do Javari, the region recently in news is located in which of the following country? Spain Ecuador Brazil Myanmar Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR ’10th JUNE 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs. Baba’s Explainer – Uniform Civil Code Uniform Civil Code Syllabus GS-2: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure. Context: Uttarakhand Chief Minister recently set up a committee to prepare a draft Uniform Civil Code (UCC) for the State. Assam chief minister recently said the uniform civil code will provide justice and relief to Muslim women. Himachal Pradesh chief minister has announced that the state will have its own uniform civil code. Goa chief minister held up the Goa Civil Code as the model that other states can emulate. Read Complete Details on Uniform Civil Code ANSWERS FOR 9th JUNE 2022 – Daily Practice MCQs Answers- Daily Practice MCQs Q.1) – d Q.2) – b Q.3) – a

हिन्दी - Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC हिन्दी Quiz– 2022: IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz 10th June 2022

For Previous Daily Quiz (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE करेंट अफेयर्स के प्रश्न 'द हिंदू', 'इंडियन एक्सप्रेस' और 'पीआईबी' जैसे स्रोतों पर आधारित होते हैं, जो यूपीएससी प्रारंभिक परीक्षा के लिए बहुत महत्वपूर्ण स्रोत हैं। प्रश्न अवधारणाओं और तथ्यों दोनों पर केंद्रित हैं। दोहराव से बचने के लिए यहां कवर किए गए विषय आम तौर पर 'दैनिक करंट अफेयर्स / डेली न्यूज एनालिसिस (डीएनए) और डेली स्टेटिक क्विज' के तहत कवर किए जा रहे विषयों से भिन्न होते हैं। प्रश्न सोमवार से शनिवार तक दोपहर 2 बजे से पहले प्रकाशित किए जाएंगे। इस कार्य में आपको 10 मिनट से ज्यादा नहीं देना है। इस कार्य के लिए तैयार हो जाएं और इस पहल का इष्टतम तरीके से उपयोग करें। याद रखें कि, "साधारण अभ्यर्थी और चयनित होने वाले अभ्यर्थी के बीच का अंतर केवल दैनक अभ्यास है !!" Important Note: Comment अनुभाग में अपने अंक पोस्ट करना न भूलें। साथ ही, हमें बताएं कि क्या आपको आज का टेस्ट अच्छा लगा । 5 प्रश्नों को पूरा करने के बाद, अपना स्कोर, समय और उत्तर देखने के लिए ‘View Questions’ पर क्लिक करें। उत्तर देखने के लिए, इन निर्देशों का पालन करें: 1 - 'स्टार्ट टेस्ट/ Start Test' बटन पर क्लिक करें प्रश्न हल करें'टेस्ट सारांश/Test Summary'बटन पर क्लिक करें'फिनिश टेस्ट/Finish Test'बटन पर क्लिक करेंअब ‘View Questions’बटन पर क्लिक करें - यहां आपको उत्तर और लिंक दिखाई देंगे।To take the Test - Click Here

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 10th June 2022

Previous Daily Quiz (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE The Current Affairs questions are based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, which are very important sources for UPSC Prelims Exam. The questions are focused on both the concepts and facts. The topics covered here are generally different from what is being covered under ‘Daily Current Affairs/Daily News Analysis (DNA) and Daily Static Quiz’ to avoid duplication. The questions would be published from Monday to Saturday before 2 PM. One should not spend more than 10 minutes on this initiative. Gear up and Make the Best Use of this initiative. Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!” Important Note: Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :)After completing the 5 questions, click on 'View Questions' to check your score, time taken, and solutions.To take the Test - Click Here

Baba’s Explainer

Baba's Explainer - Uniform Civil Code

ARCHIVES Syllabus GS-2: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure. Context: Uttarakhand Chief Minister recently set up a committee to prepare a draft Uniform Civil Code (UCC) for the State. Assam chief minister recently said the uniform civil code will provide justice and relief to Muslim women. Himachal Pradesh chief minister has announced that the state will have its own uniform civil code. Goa chief minister held up the Goa Civil Code as the model that other states can emulate. [su_spoiler open="yes" title="What are Personal Laws?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Personal laws regulate marriage, divorce, maintenance, inheritance and succession for Indian citizens. We can see that personal law governs and regulates subjects or areas of a private sphere. These laws are largely influenced by religious customs of different communities. This is to say that, the Hindus, have their separate personal laws; as do the Muslims, Christians, Parsis, Jews and others. British legal traditions and even those of the Portuguese and the French remain operative in some parts. For example: Law relating to marriage and/or divorce has been codified in different enactments applicable to people of different religions. These are The Converts’ Marriage Dissolution Act, enacted during 1866 The Indian Divorce Act, enacted in 1869 The Indian Christian Marriage Act, enacted during 1872 The Kazis Act, enacted during 1880 The Anand Marriage Act, enacted in 1909 The Indian Succession Act, enacted during 1925 The Child Marriage Restraint Act, enacted in 1929 The Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, enacted in 1936 The Dissolution of Muslim Marriage Act, enacted during 1939 The Special Marriage Act, enacted during 1954 The Hindu Marriage Act, enacted during 1955 The Foreign Marriage Act, enacted in 1969 and The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, enacted in 1986. Hindu personal law is codified in four bills: the Hindu Marriage Act, Hindu Succession Act, Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, and Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act. The term ‘Hindu’ also includes Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists for the purpose of these laws. A 1939 Act enacted by the British said that Muslims would be governed by their personal Law (ie, the Shariat). The Shariat allows Muslims to follow their rites of passage in accordance with Islamic practices, be it marriage, divorce, children’s custody or inheritance. However, the Shariat is not codified, which means that whatever guidelines are spelt out in the Quran and Hadith have not been spelt out in English like in all laws. Also, there are more ‘secular’ laws, which disregard religion altogether, such as the Special Marriage Act, under which Inter-religion marriages take place, and the Guardians and Wards Act, which establishes the rights and duties of guardians. In the Northeast, there are more than 200 tribes with their own varied customary laws. The Constitution itself protects local customs in Nagaland. Similar protections are enjoyed by Meghalaya and Mizoram. The origin of the separate personal dates back to colonial India when the British government submitted its report in 1840 (Lex Loci Report) stressing the need for uniformity in the codification of Indian law relating to crimes, evidence, and contracts, specifically recommending that personal laws of Hindus and Muslims be kept outside such codification. The Queen’s 1859 Proclamation- It promised absolute non-interference in religious matters. So while criminal laws were codified and became common for the whole country, personal laws continue to be governed by separate codes for different communities. Post-Independence, Personal laws were included in the Concurrent List (entry No. 5) meaning that both Parliament and State Legislatures have the power to legislate on the subject. However, once a legislative field is occupied by parliamentary legislation, states do not have much freedom to enact laws. Such laws would require Presidential assent under Article 254. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What is Uniform Civil Code?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] A uniform civil code here refers to a single law, applicable to all citizens of India in their personal matters such as marriage, divorce, custody, adoption and inheritance. The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in India proposes to replace the personal laws based on the scriptures and customs of each major religious community in the country with a common set governing every citizen. UCC is based on the premise that there is no connection between religion and law in modern civilization. Goa is, at present, the only state in India with a uniform civil code. The Portuguese Civil Code of 1867, which continues to be implemented after India annexed the territory in 1961, applies to all Goans, irrespective of their religious or ethnic community. It doesn’t matter whether you're Hindu, Muslim or Christian; if you’re a Goan domicile, the same set of civil laws will apply to you. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What does the Constitution say about UCC?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Article 44 of the Constitution, which is one of the Directive Principles of State Policy, says the state shall endeavour to secure for citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India However, governments since Independence have allowed respective religion-based civil codes to respect the diversity of India. The Constitution’s framers used the term “uniform” in Article 44 and not “common”, because “common” means “one and the same in all circumstances”, while “uniform” means “the same in similar conditions”. Different people may have different laws, but the law within a particular group should be uniform. Such a classification is permissible even under the right to equality under Article 14. “Civil” means matters where personal rights (not public rights) are in question —such as a contract, or sale and purchase of goods/services or properties. Even “code” does not necessarily mean one single law in every circumstance. It may mean either one enactment such as Indian Penal Code, or the Hindu Code Bill that includes three different Acts. While Article 43 mentions that the “state shall endeavour by suitable legislation”, the phrase “by suitable legislation” is absent in Article 44. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What has been the Judiciary’s view of UCC?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] In order to bring uniformity, the courts have often said in their judgements that the government should move towards a UCC. Shah Bano Case, 1985 Under Muslim personal law, maintenance, after divorce, was to be paid only till the period of iddat. (three lunar months-roughly 90 days ). However, Section 125 of CrPC (criminal procedure code) that applied to all citizens, provided for maintenance of the wife for a lifetime or until she is remarried. A 73-year-old woman called Shah Bano was divorced by her husband using triple talaq (saying “I divorce thee” three times) and was denied maintenance. She demanded living allowance whereas husband refused saying that he had fulfilled all his obligations under Islamic law. Supreme Court ruled in Shah Bano’s favour and passed the verdict to pay maintenance each month. However, the government of the day overturned the judgement by passing the Muslim Women (Protection on Divorce Act), 1986. This law said the maintenance period can only be made liable for the iddat period. The new law said that if a woman wasn’t able to provide for herself, the magistrate had the power to direct the Wakf Board for providing the aggrieved woman means of sustenance and for her dependent children too. Sarla Mudgal Case:- In this case, the question was whether a Hindu husband married under the Hindu law, by embracing Islam, can solemnise a second marriage. The court held that the Hindu marriage solemnized under Hindu law can only be dissolved on any of the grounds specified under the Hindu Marriage Act 1955. Conversion to Islam and marrying again, would not by itself dissolve the Hindu marriage under the act and thus, a second marriage solemnized after converting to Islam would be an offence under section 494 of the Indian Penal Code(IPC). John Vallamattom Case:- In this case, a priest from Kerala, John Vallamattom challenged the Constitutional validity of Section 118 of the Indian Succession Act, which is applicable for non-Hindus in India. Mr Vallamatton contended that Section 118 of the act was discriminatory against Christians as it imposes unreasonable restrictions on their donation of property for religious or charitable purposes by will. The bench struck down the section as unconstitutional. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What are the merits of having Uniform Civil Code?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Promotes Real Secularism: Secularism is the objective enshrined in the Preamble, a secular republic needs a common law for all citizens rather than differentiated rules based on religious practices. Simplification of the Laws: The code will simplify the complex laws around marriage ceremonies, inheritance, succession, adoptions making them one for all. Promotes Equality: A Uniform Civil Code would, in theory, provide equal status to all citizens irrespective of the community they belong to. The same civil law will then be applicable to all citizens irrespective of their faith. Supports national integration: A Common Civil Code will help the cause of national integration by removing disparate loyalties to laws which have conflicting ideologies. Promotes Gender Justice: It is commonly observed that personal laws of almost all religions are discriminatory towards women. Men are usually granted upper preferential status in matters of succession and inheritance. Uniform civil code will bring both men and women at par. Muslim men being allowed to marry multiple wives, but women being forbidden from having multiple husbands Even after the 2005 amendment to the Hindu Succession Act, women are still considered part of their husband's family after marriage. So, in case a Hindu widow dies without any heirs or will, her property will automatically go to her husband's family. Men (fathers) are also treated as ‘natural guardians’ and are given preference under the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act. Reformative & aligned with Constitutional Ideals: The reason why Hindu Code Bill was introduced in the Constituent Assembly in 1947 by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was to liberalise the personal laws and broaden the freedom of the individual. It is also meant to address the issue of equality of men and women in the Hindu social system. Therefore, having UCC that will cover entire society will remove any oppressive practices and bring reforms in society that upholds Constitutional ideals of equality & liberty. Reduces Burden on Judiciary: Judiciary will also be better off with lesser litigation originating from religious customs and personal laws. The nation can also focus on more important issues such as economy, quality of life of its citizens, and politics of development. Sign of Modern Progressive Nation: Personal laws were formulated in specific spatio-temporal context and should not stand still in a changed time and context. Having UCC will help the society move forward based on modern constitutional value system of liberty, equality & justice. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What are the Challenges with enacting UCC?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Diversity poses challenge: It is practically tough to come up with a common and uniform set of rules for personal issues like marriage due to tremendous cultural diversity India across the religions, sects, castes, states etc. Dilutes Freedom of Religion: The constitution provides for the right to freedom of religion of one’s choice. With codification of uniform rules and its compulsion, the scope of the freedom of religion will be reduced. In the Constituent Assembly, there was division on the issue of putting Uniform Civil Code in the fundamental rights chapter. By a 5:4 majority, the fundamental rights sub-committee held that provisions of UCC were outside the scope of fundamental rights and therefore the Uniform Civil Code was made less important than freedom of religion. Tool of Majoritarianism: Many communities, particularly minority communities fear that a common code will neglect their traditions and impose rules which will be mainly dictated and influenced by the majority religious communities. Sensitive & Tough Task: Such a code, in its true spirit, must be brought about by borrowing freely from different personal laws, making gradual changes in each and adopting expansive interpretations on each of the aspects of personal law. Hence, the government has to be accommodative & sensitive lest it becomes the basis for communal violence. Reforming the majority community’s laws is easier than reforming those of the minorities. Several Muslim countries, including Pakistan, have been able to reform Muslim laws but not the laws of their minority communities. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What is the way forward?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] At the end of the day, a UCC can only emerge through an evolutionary process, which preserves India’s rich legal heritage, of which all the personal laws are equal constituents. Major sensitization efforts are needed to reform current personal law reforms which should first be initiated by the communities themselves. The law commission of India was adjoined with the responsibility of formulating a uniform civil code and has opined that a country of such diverse dimensions in the matter of religion and culture does not require uniformity of laws. What is required is reforms to all the personal laws making them gender just. If each of the existing law of every community is made progressive and gender just, we may not even require a uniform law for all the communities [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What is Goa Civil Code?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] In 1867, Portugal enacted a Portuguese civil code and in 1869 it was extended to Portugal’s overseas provinces (that included Goa). Uniform Provisions When it comes to marriages, the law uniformly mandates that there will be a two-stage process commonly referred to as the first and second signature. The first being the statement of intentions (and calling for objections) and the second signature being the formal marriage. During the course of a marriage, all the property and wealth owned or acquired by each spouse is commonly held by the couple. Each spouse in case of divorce is entitled to half of the property and in case of death, the ownership of the property is halved for the surviving member. The parents cannot disinherit their children entirely. At least half of their property has to be passed on to the children. This inherited property must be shared equally among the children. Exceptions The law also doesn’t recognise bigamy or polygamy, including for Muslims but grants an exception to a Hindu man to marry once again if his wife doesn’t conceive a child by the age of 21 or a male child by the age of 30. There exist differences in how the law recognises a valid marriage when it comes to Roman Catholics and non-Catholics. While the first signature is common across all religions, the church ceremony is considered a valid ‘second signature’ for Catholics with the law recognising a Church marriage as valid for civil purposes. For non-Catholics, however, both signatures are required to be before a civil registrar. Similarly, a divorce granted by the ecclesiastical (Church) authorities is treated as a valid divorce for civil purposes, while non-Catholics have to secure a divorce before a civil court. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What is the history of Hindu Code Bill?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] The Hindu Code Bill Committee was constituted in 1941 but it took 14 years to pass the legislation — and not as one uniform Act but as three different ones: The Hindu Marriage Bill outlawed polygamy and contained provisions dealing with inter caste marriages and divorce procedures; Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Bill had as its main thrust the adoption of girls, which till then had been little practised; Hindu Succession Bill placed daughters on the same footing as widows and sons where the inheritance of family property was concerned. Moreover, not all reforms could be incorporated because of opposition from the Hindu right In the debate on the Hindu Code Bill in 1949, 23 of the 28 speakers opposed it. In 1949, the Hindu right formed an All-India Anti Hindu Code Bill Committee, who justified unregulated polygamy. Dr B R Ambedkar had to resign as Law Minister. On September 15, 1951, President Dr Rajendra Prasad threatened to return the Bill or veto it. PM Jawaharlal Nehru yielded; the Bill was not passed. When eventually passed after several years, it did not give daughters a share in a Hindu joint family’s property. This amendment came in 2005, during the UPA regime. [/su_spoiler] Mains Practice Question - What are the hurdles in implementing the directive principle of the Uniform Civil Code? Note: Write answers to this question in the comment section.  

Topper's From IASbaba

162 Ranks UPSC CSE 2021 Topper's from IASbaba- 30 in Top 100 Ranks makes it even more special!

Dear Friends, It is wonderful news for us here at IASbaba. The sense of joy has no bounds today as something that we started with pure passion has borne the fruit. At IASbaba the focus from day one has been on quality and every year thousands of students realize why we are the most trusted and reliable portal! We are happy to announce that our students have bagged 30 out of the top 100 ranks, and over 162 have been successful in UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2021. These 162 students have been part of our Baba's Foundation Couse (Baba's FC), Integrated Learning Program (ILP), Gurukul, Think Learn Perform (TLP) Mains Test Series, TLP Connect (Prelims + Mains Test Series), and Prelims Test Series (AIPTS) and Interview Mentorship Program (IMP) and 60 Days RaRe Series. List of IASbaba’s Toppers UPSC CSE 2021 Rank Roll Number Name Programme 12 859275 YASHARTH SHEKHAR AIPTS - Prelims Test Series 13 511100 PRIYAMVADA ASHOK MHADDALKAR 60 Days RaRe Prelims Programme IMP - Interrview Mentorship Programme 15 7600782 C YASWANTHKUMAR REDDY TLP+ Mains Test Series 16 849748 Anshu Priya TLP Mains Test Series 20 854091 Arpit Chauhan TLP+ Mains Test Series 24 5110593 PUSAPATI SAHITYA TLP Mains Test Series 26 4121721 UTSAV ANAND 60 Days RaRe Prelims Programme TLP Mains Test Series 29 7102140 BHAVISHYA IMP - Interrview Mentorship Programme 33 3516855 JASPINDER SINGH TLP Mains Test Series 34 6305384 SHASHVAT SANGWAN TLP+ Mains Test Series 40 854740 KUSHAL JAIN ILP - Integrated Learning Programme 41 807878 Sonali Dev IMP - Interrview Mentorship Programme 43 623772 SHUBHAM SHUKLA 60 Days RaRe Prelims Programme IMP - Interrview Mentorship Programme 44 7808206 ANJALI SHROTRIYA Baba's Gurukull Geography Optional Foundation Course Prelims Exclusive Program (PEP) 54 6000943 ARPIT GUPTA TLP Mains Test Series 55 861023 PRATIBHA DAHIYA TLP+ Mains Test Series 58 861281 DIVYA SHAKTI ILP - Integrated Learning Programme 61 3512239 MOHIT KASNIYA TLP Mains Test Series 62 6206389 TIRUMANI SRI POOJA TLP Mains Test Series 71 6808285 SHREYA SHREE TLP Mains Test Series 75 7002601 SURBHI SINGLA TLP Mains Test Series 78 810011 SURBHI GOYAL TLP Mains Test Series 80 3532741 NIKHIL MAHAJAN ILP - Integrated Learning Programme TLP Mains Test Series 84 6306576 Sujawal Jagga TLP Mains Test Series 86 5304116 GOURAB KUMAR AGARWAL TLP Mains Test Series 87 1203664 S SIVANANDHAM TLP Mains Test Series 88 8102300 AMAN AGARWAL TLP Mains Test Series 93 879483 DEEPESH KUMARI TLP Mains Test Series 94 623878 INDRASHIS DATTA TLP+ Mains Test Series 96 6903989 Mini Shukla IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 97 6402953 BHAISARE SHUBHAM ASHOK TLP+ Mains Test Series 102 4904842 PRAKHAR CHANDRAKAR TLP Mains Test Series 105 1530989 SANKET KUMAR TLP Mains Test Series 107 3402427 PANKAJ YADAV TLP Mains Test Series 108 1908437 Roja S Rajan TLP Mains Test Series 109 0811577 Areeba Nomaan IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 111 2402341 C B REX TLP+  Mains Test Series 120 1134168 TANUSHREE MEENA TLP Mains Test Series 121 3516891 Uttam TLP Mains Test Series 122 3512910 Shivani TLP Mains Test Series 123 2606278 Kritika Shukla TLP+  Mains Test Series 124 403759 RIJU SHRIVASTAVA TLP+ Sociology Mains Test Series 131 210332 ATULESH JHA TLP+ Sociology Mains Test Series 133 0835604  KISHLAY KUSHWAHA TLP+  Mains Test Series 134 0336768 SAM VARGHESE ILP - Integrated Learning Programme 138 0820560 Twinkle Jain TLP Mains Test Series 140 419129 LIPI NAGAYACH 60 Days RaRe Prelims Programme 146 830201 Abhinav IMP - Interrview Mentorship Programme 150 3539134 NAVDEEP AGGARWAL TLP+  Mains Test Series 151 0307435 Vinay Kumar Gadge TLP Mains Test Series 155 1035728 S CHITHARANJAN IMP - Interrview Mentorship Programme 156 4905633 PRATIK AGRAWAL TLP Mains Test Series 169 2608780 Ankita Mishra Baba's Gurukul ILP - Integarted Learning Programme TLP+ Mains Test Series 175 1415491 Amit Ranjan ILP - Integrated Learning Programme PEP - Prelims Exclusive Programme 176 5809230 Smriti Bharadwaj TLP MAINS TEST SERIES 189 2403312 P K SIDHARTH RAMKUMAR ILP - Integrated Learning Programme 193 1420086  ASHU PANT 60 Day Rapid Revision Series (RARE) TLP- Mains Test Series 196 308349 Shruti TLP Mains Test Series 200 0855930 ADITYA VERMA TLP MAINS TEST SERIES 202 6613135 RAMESHWAR SUDHAKAR SABBANWAD IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 60 Days RaRe Prelims Programme 207 316826 NITHYA R TLP Mains Test Series 212 6506988 MAHADIK AKSHAY SANJAY 60 Day Rapid Revision Series (RARE) 213 3902598 MANOJ RAMANATH HEGDE TLP Mains Test Series 215 848857 RISHABH TRIVEDI IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme TLP - Mains Test Series 220 6314064 GARIMA TLP Mains Test Series 222 319546 M P RAJESH PONNAPPA Baba's Gurukul 225 5400496 ADITYA RAJ TLP Mains Test Series 235 6210633 ASWIN MANI DEEP KAKUMANU TLP Mains Test Series 239 8500058 GEETIKA TLP Mains Test Series 240 6311881 UTSAV PANDEY TLP+ Geography Optional Foundation Course 241 2617076 Anuja trivedi TLP Mains Test Series 249 6013920 Prafull Kumar Sharma TLP Mains Test Series 250 3910447 Sahithya Aladakatti TLP+ Sociology Mains Test Series 251 850765 Rahul Bansal TLP Mains Test Series 257 6406439 Archita Goyal 60 Days Rapid Revision Series (RARE) 266 875941 ANURADHA TLP Mains Test Series 268 870289 ABHINAV JAIN TLP Mains Test Series 272 879559 VIDYASAGAR TLP Mains Test Series 273 814479 Samir kumar Jena ILP - Integrated Learning Programme 277 1525595 KUMAR ANIKET TLP Mains Test Series 282 405359 ABHI JAIN TLP+ Mains Test Series 284 838018 PRIYA RANI TLP Mains Test Series 289 6903490 PEEYUSH DUBEY TLP Mains Test Series 291 314182 KALPASHREE K R IMP - Interrview Mentorship Programme 296 857918 RITURAJ PRATAP SINGH TLP Mains Test Series 304 5404917 Garima Nagpal IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 311 312332 DEEPAK RAMACHANDRA SHET IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme IASbaba's Team 313 3601556 GAURAV KUMAR TLP Mains Test Series 314 1012216 JEENU SRI JASWANTH CHANDRA IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 323 310765 DIVYA P TLP+ Mains Test Series 324 823314 AJIT KUMAR TLP Mains Test Series 325 6607403 KAJALE VAIBHAV NITIN IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 327 6305247 HEMANT KUMAR TLP Mains Test Series 331 0833887 Vandana Meena IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 342 407963 AKARSH SONI TLP Mains Test Series 344 6404515 Nazish Umar Ansari IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 345 6317832 Usha Yadav TLP Mains Test Series 352 310144 VINAY KUMAR D H TLP+ Mains Test Series 355 0829978 PRATIBHA TLP Mains Test Series 368 0844663 Shumaila Choudhary IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 381 885161 Manoj Kumar Yadav TLP Mains Test Series 386 506335 MAVIS TAK IMP - Interrview Mentorship Programme 388 848197 UMESH GOYAL TLP Mains Test Series 394 0827313 Suvigya S Chandra IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 400 1222390 MADHIVANAN S TLP Mains Test Series 403 6312383 Aashish Kumar TLP Mains Test Series 405 823411 MANJEET KUMAR TLP Mains Test Series 409 6604949 More Shivhar Chakradhar TLP+ Mains Test Series 413 5812513 ALOK KUMAR TLP Mains Test Series 421 1523385 SUMAN SAURABH TLP Mains Test Series 424 6606201 MANE AJINKYA BABURAO IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 425 7306447 MEGHANA K T TLP+ Mains Test Series 427 7602888 POLUR SREELEKHA TLP+ Mains Test Series 429 1209936 SANGEETHA K IMP - Interrview Mentorship Programme 433 6617205 SHINDE OMKAR RAJENDRA TLP+ Mains Test Series 438 854715 DIVYA TLP Mains Test Series 440 850871 VAISHALI JAIN TLP Mains Test Series 442 866416 NEELESH KUMAR SINGH ILP - Integarted Learning Programmme 447 1121275 JITENDRA SHARMA TLP Mains Test Series 449 335906 PREETI PANCHAL TLP Mains Test Series 457 6404830 MASOOM RAJA KHAN TLP Mains Test Series 461 8200826 BAIRY RUTHVIK IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 462 6619699 PATIL DEVRAJ MANISH TLP Mains Test Series 467 1111749 SANYA TLP Mains Test Series 468 4115126 KUMAR KISLAY TLP Mains Test Series 469 806670 Y V R SASHI SEKHAR TLP Mains Test Series 473 3912873 VINEET KUMAR TLP Mains Test Series 474 0833416 MUSKAN DAGAR TLP Mains Test Series 478 6312184 Rshabh TLP Mains Test Series 482 0504688 Tahseenbanu IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 492 3800698 KULKARNI ANIKET LAXMIKANT TLP+ Mains Test Series 494 329658 ABHINANDAN KUMAR TLP Mains Test Series 497 807702 SHUBHAM SATYAM TLP Mains Test Series 498 853389 Deepak Kumar TLP Mains Test Series 506 911936 Shilpa Khanikar 60 days Rapid Revision Series (RARE) 510 831821 Atul Kumar Singh TLP Mains Test Series 512 820114 Rohit singh TLP Mains Test Series 517 8104768 ASHISH TLP Mains Test Series 521 1016153 P SRAVAN KUMAR TLP+ Mains Test Series 526 5814251 VIKRANT KUMAR SINGH TLP Mains Test Series 527 1225246 Arunkumar S TLP Mains Test Series 532 311525 CHETHAN K IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 538 878142 RAJESH RANJAN IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 550 325390 NEERAJ KUMAR IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 551 2204578 PAWAN KUMAR TLP Mains Test Series 552 6204937 MANDA JAVALI ALFONS IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 556 6805260 SHUBHAM KUMAR SHARMA TLP Mains Test Series 557 3533364 Shweta Kamboj IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 569 877568 ANURAG DARU TLP Mains Test Series 572 1224948 NIVEDITA R TLP Mains Test Series 574 325344 RANJITH KUMAR PARVATHI TLP Mains Test Series 579 2621988 HARSHIVANI SINGH IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 582 7002240 NAVKIRAN KAUR ILP - Integarted Learning Programme 589 826832 Akshat Kumar Singh TLP Mains Test Series 591 1140599 ANNU TATU ILP - Integarted Learning Programme 600 1800124 Anwar Hussain IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 611 1124695 Vikas Meena TLP Mains Test Series 619 7003104 Vaishavdeep Mattu TLP+ Sociology Mains Test Series 621 3524489 RAJNISH MEHRA TLP Mains Test Series 629 5920417 ABHISHEK VYAS TLP Mains Test Series 635 1100724 Kuldeep Meena TLP Mains Test Series 641 316469 PRASHANTH KUMAR B O IMP - Interview Mentorship Programme 644 2600288 Sparsh Verma Regular Current Affairs Follower 654 303382 VAIBHAV MEENA TLP Mains Test Series 655 336662 VENKATRAM TLP Mains Test Series 664 861961 Umesh Meena TLP Mains Test Series 669 335453 CHETANKUMAR B TLP Mains Test Series 670 1135714 ABHISHEK MEENA TLP Mains Test Series   NOTE: We are fully aware that Toppers receive guidance from multiple institutes and sources, with the complete credit going to their dedication and hard work, we have carefully made a list of the Toppers along with the programmes/initiatives they were a part of. (Which made us take these many days to publish this list). If any Topper from the list has any objection to their name being included in the list, please drop us a mail at support@iasbaba.com. We will do the needful immediately.

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 9th June 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) [su_box title="Government announces hike in MSP for Kharif season" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Agriculture Mains – GS 3 (Agriculture) In News: The Union Cabinet hiked the minimum support price (MSP) for 2022-23 Kharif season. The rates for 14 Kharif crops have been increased, the hikes ranging from 4% to 8%. MSP The MSP is the rate at which the government purchases crops from farmers, and is based on a calculation of at least one-and-a-half times the cost of production incurred by the farmers. The Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) recommends MSPs for 22 mandated crops and fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane. CACP is an attached office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The mandated crops include 14 crops of the kharif season, 6 rabi crops and 2 other commercial crops. In addition, the MSPs of toria and de-husked coconut are fixed on the basis of the MSPs of rapeseed/mustard and copra, respectively. Factors for Recommending the MSP: The CACP considers various factors while recommending the MSP for a commodity, it considers following factors Cost of production Changes in input prices Input-output price parity Trends in market prices Demand and supply Inter-crop price parity Effect on industrial cost structure Effect on cost of living Effect on general price level International price situation Parity between prices paid and prices received by the farmers Effect on issue prices and implications for subsidy Crops covered The list of crops is as follows. Cereals (7) - paddy, wheat, barley, jowar, bajra, maize and ragi Pulses (5) - gram, arhar/tur, moong, urad and lentil Oilseeds (8) - groundnut, rapeseed/mustard, toria, soyabean, sunflower seed, sesamum, safflower seed and nigerseed Raw cotton Raw jute Copra De-husked coconut Sugarcane (Fair and remunerative price) Virginia flu cured (VFC) tobacco Source: The Hindu [/su_box] [su_box title="Kheer Bhavani Temple" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Current Affairs In News: Around 18,000 Kashmiri Pandits and other devotees visited the Kheer Bhavani temple in Kashmir Valley’s Ganderbal district on Jyeshtha Ashtami. The religious sanctity of the Mata Kheer Bhavani temple, built atop a holy spring, has a special spiritual significance among Kashmir Pandit devotees across the world. About Kheer Bhavani temple Mata Kheerbhawani temple at Tulmulla in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Ragnya Devi. Situated 30 km from Srinagar city, it is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for Kashmiri Hindus. The temple gets its name from kheer, or milk and rice pudding, that pilgrims pour into the spring inside the temple complex as an offering to the goddess. Legend has it that the water of the temple’s spring changes colour from white to red and black. The colour of the water is said to predict the impending future. Maharaja Pratap Singh of Jammu and Kashmir and Maharaja Hari Singh contributed to building and renovating the temple. Source: The Hindu , Indian Expres [/su_box] [su_box title="Environment Performance Index" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Environment – Current Affairs Mains – GS 3 (Environment) In News: Environment Performance Index-2022, an international ranking system that measures environmental health and sustainability of countries India's Performance India was ranked last among 180 countries that have been ranked With a score of 18.9, India’s 180th ranking comes after Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Myanmar — the bottom five together make up the poorest performing countries for environmental health. India has also scored low on rule of law, control of corruption and government effectiveness India was ranked 168th in EPI-2020, with a score of 27.6 About EPI The EPI, a biennial index, was started in 2002 as Environmental Sustainability Index. EPI is published by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy and the Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network Using 40 performance indicators across 11 issue categories, EPI ranks 180 countries on climate change performance, environmental health, and ecosystem vitality. Top five rank holders this year are - Denmark, UK, Finland, Malta and Sweden Findings of the report It has found that good policy results are associated with wealth, meaning economic prosperity makes it possible for nations to invest in policies and programmes that lead to desirable outcomes This is especially true under environmental health, as building the necessary infrastructure to provide clean drinking water and sanitation, reduce air pollution, control hazardous waste etc yields large returns for human well-being The report says that top-performing countries have paid attention to all areas of sustainability, while their lagging peers tend to have uneven performance. It highlights that countries making concerted efforts to decarbonize their electricity sectors have made the greatest gains in combating climate change, with associated benefits for ecosystems and human health. Source: Indian Express [/su_box] [su_box title="India and Vietnam relations" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – International Relations Mains – GS 2 (International Relations) In News: India and Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on mutual logistics support Also signed the ‘Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030’, which will significantly enhance the scope and scale of existing defence cooperation And agreed for early finalization of $US 500 million Defence Line of Credit extended to Vietnam What are Logistics agreements? Logistics agreements are administrative arrangements facilitating access to military facilities for exchange of fuel and provisions on mutual agreement simplifying logistical support and increasing operational turnaround of the military when operating away from India. India- Vietnam Relations Relations between India and Vietnam have been governed by several areas of shared political interests. Areas of Cooperation: Economic ties: India is now the 8 th largest trading partner of Vietnam. Vietnam is the 4th largest trading partner of India among ASEAN countries Vietnam is also the second largest export destination for India after Singapore in the ASEAN region. India is investing in development and capacity assistance for Vietnam through quick impact projects (QIP), proposals in the area of water resource management in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and digital connectivity. Defence Cooperation: The relations between the two countries especially defence ties, benefited extensively from India's Look East policy. Vietnam is interested in India’s Akash surface-to-air systems and Dhruv advanced light helicopters and Brahmos missiles. Apart from this, the defence relations include capacity building, dealing with common security concerns, training of personnel, and cooperation in defence R&D. Both countries reaffirm the strong India-Vietnam Defence cooperation which is a key pillar of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Strategic partnership: Bilateral relations were upgraded to a "Strategic Partnership" in 2017, and upgraded to a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" in 2016 Cooperation in the UN Security Council has been exemplary. The shared respect for international law, including UNCLOS 1982, and a rules-based order is a strong commonality. Cooperation at Multiple Fora: India and Vietnam closely cooperate in various regional forums such as East Asia Summit, Mekong Ganga Cooperation, Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM), and UNSC. Tourism: Around 169,000 Indians visited Vietnam and over 31,000 Vietnamese visited India in 2019, recording a growth of 28% and 32% over 2018 respectively. India is a favored spiritual destination for many Vietnamese because it is home to many famous Buddhist temples China factor: Both countries have border problems with China. China aggressively continues to encroach in the territories of the two countries. Hence, it is natural for both the countries to come closer with a view to restrain China from its aggressive actions. Way Forward Mutual Co-ordination and Co-operation: Considering the unique challenges of Indo-Pacific region, both the countries should work in close coordination at multiple forums Promoting Common areas: India and Vietnam both can mutually benefit each other in the arena of Blue Economy and ocean security. Providing financial resources, improving connectivity and establishing good relations in the region, helps both the country to fight Chinese presence in the region Source: The Hindu [/su_box] [su_box title="Next-generation Corvettes" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science and Technology Mains – GS 3 (Science and Technology) In News: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has given the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for several capital acquisition projects of the Indian defence forces. This includes the procurement of next-generation Corvettes for the Indian Navy at an approximate cost of Rs 36,000 crore. What is a Corvette? A Corvette is the smallest class of naval ships and it falls below the warship class of a frigate. These are highly agile ships and are categorised as missile boats, anti-submarine ships, coastal patrol crafts and fast attack naval vessels. The word corvette itself is derived from French and Dutch origin. Corvettes date back to the 18th and the 19th century when they were extensively used in the naval warfare duels that were fought at high seas During World War II, the term Corvette was used to describe vessels which had anti-submarine roles assigned to them. Modern Corvettes can go up to 2,000 tons in displacement which helps in keeping them agile. What kind of Corvettes does the Indian Navy possess? The Indian Navy at present has the Kamorta Class Corvettes, which are also known as Project 28. These ships have an anti-submarine role and are manufactured at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers in Kolkata. The four Kamorta Class Corvettes that the Indian Navy possesses are named INS Kamorta, INS Kadmatt, INS Kiltan and INS Kavaratti. The first of these was commissioned in 2014 and the last one in 2020. What new capabilities will the new generation Corvettes have? The next-generation Corvettes will be manufactured for various roles like surveillance missions, escort operations, deterrence, surface action group operations, search and attack and coastal defence. As per the AoN accorded by the DAC, these next-generation generation Corvettes will be constructed based on new in-house design of the Indian Navy using latest technology of ship buildings and would contribute to further the government’s initiative of Security and Growth for all in the region (SAGAR). Source: Indian Express [/su_box] [su_box title="Treatment of Mismatch repair deficient cancer" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Science and Technology Mains – GS 3 (Science and Technology) In News: In a medical trial, 12 patients in the United States were completely cured of rectal cancer without requiring any surgery or chemotherapy. The trial used a monoclonal antibody called dostarlimab every three weeks for six months for the treatment of a particular kind of stage two or three rectal cancer. The trial showed that immunotherapy alone – without any chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery that have been staples of cancer treatment – could completely cure the patients with a particular kind of rectal cancer called ‘mismatch repair deficient’ cancer”. No cases of progression or recurrence had been reported during the follow-up What is this deficiency, and how was it cured? ‘Mismatch repair deficient’ cancer is most common among colorectal, gastrointestinal, and endometrial cancers. Patients suffering from this condition lack the genes to correct typos in the DNA that occur naturally while cells make copies. The immunotherapy belongs to a category called PD1 blockades that are now recommended for the treatment of such cancers rather than chemotherapy or radiotherapy. PD1 is a type of protein that regulates certain functions of the immune system, including by suppressing T cell activity, and PD1 blockade therapy looks to release the T cells from this suppression. By giving the PD1 blockades, we release and T cells to destroy the cancerous growth If PD1 therapy was already in use, what’s new in the trial? Earlier, this therapy was used post-surgery, but the study has shown that a surgery may not be required. Although the therapy is usually used for cancers that have metastasised (spread to locations other than where the cancer formed), it is now recommended for all mismatch repair deficient cancers as they result in quicker improvement and lesser toxicity as compared to traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This study shows that even the surgery was not needed in these patients Cost is a concern Immunotherapies are expensive and unaffordable for most people in India An immunotherapy treatment can cost around Rs 4 lakh per month, with patients needing the treatment for six months to a year. Source: Indian Express [/su_box] [su_box title="Repo Rate" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Economy – Banking In News: In its bi-monthly review the Reserve Bank of India hiked the repo rate by another 50 basis points. Also RBI removed the word “accommodative” from the policy stance Why has RBI hiked the repo rate? The 50-basis-point hike, which follows a 40-basis-point hike in May has been done with a view to taming inflation The RBI aims to bring inflation down to its targeted 4% (±2%). The two hikes in repo rates over the last five weeks, totalling 90 bps, takes the rate to 4.9%. How will it impact borrowers and depositors? Banks and housing finance companies, which have already raised their lending rates between 40 bps and 50 bps points following the 40 bps hike in repo rate in May, are now expected to raise the rates again. Both borrowers and depositors are expected to see a hike in lending rates and offering on deposit rates, respectively What will be the impact of withdrawing the accommodative policy? RBI removed the word “accommodative” from the policy stance. RBI has decided to remain focused on withdrawal of accommodation to ensure that inflation remains within the target. The RBI had pumped huge liquidity into the system in 2020 to counter the impact of the pandemic. While this did support economic recovery, it has also been the main reason for the rise in inflation. Recent RBI’s market operations had led to a decline in liquidity in May. Still, overall system liquidity remains in large surplus, with the average daily absorption under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) moderating in consonance with the policy of gradual withdrawal of accommodation. The withdrawal will also put upward pressure on interest rates. Will consumer spending be impacted? The policy withdrawal and the rate hike are expected to impact consumption and demand in the economy. The impact is likely to be more pronounced in non-discretionary spending by consumers. According to the RBI policy panel, the forecast of a normal monsoon should boost kharif sowing and agricultural output. This will support rural consumption. The rebound in contact-intensive services is expected to sustain urban consumption. RBI’s surveys suggest further improvement in consumer confidence and households’ optimism for the outlook a year ahead. Monetary Policy Measures Monetary policy refers to the policy of the central Bank with regard to use of monetary instruments under its control to manage money supply and interest rates. In 2016, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Act, 1934 was amended to provide a statutory basis for the implementation of the flexible inflation targeting framework. Under amended RBI Act, 1934, the central government is empowered to constitute a six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). Composition: the MPC shall consist of 6 members: RBI Governor as its ex officio chairperson, Deputy Governor in charge of monetary policy, An officer of the Bank to be nominated by the Central Board, Three persons to be appointed by the central government Tools Features Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) The average daily balance that a bank is required to maintain with the Reserve Bank as a share of such per cent of its Net demand and time liabilities (NDTL) that the Reserve Bank may notify from time to time. Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) The share of NDTL that a bank is required to maintain in safe and liquid assets, such as, government securities, cash and gold. Repo Rate The interest rate at which the Reserve Bank provides overnight liquidity to banks against the collateral of government and other approved securities under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF). Reverse Repo Rate The interest rate at which the Reserve Bank absorbs liquidity, on an overnight basis, from banks against the collateral of eligible government securities under the LAF. Marginal Standing facility (MSF) It is the rate at which Banks can borrow short term funds from RBI. Under MSF, banks can borrow funds from the RBI by pledging government securities within the limits of the SLR. Open Market Operations (OMOs) These include both, outright purchase and sale of government securities, for injection and absorption of durable liquidity, respectively. Market Stabilisation Scheme (MSS)  It is a monetary policy intervention by the RBI to withdraw excess liquidity (or money supply) by selling government securities in the economy, the mobilised cash is held in a separate government account with the Reserve Bank. Source: Indian Express [/su_box] [su_box title="Linking Credit cards with UPI" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Economy In News: The Reserve Bank of India has proposed to allow the linking of credit cards with the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). RBI also stated integration will first begin with the indigenous RuPay credit cards. What is the significance of the move? Experts believe that the linkage of UPI and credit cards could possibly result in credit card usage zooming up in India given UPI’s widespread adoption. The integration also opens up avenues to build credit on UPI through credit cards in India, where in the last few years, a number of startups have emerged The move could also be a push to increase adoption by banking on UPI’s large user base. So far, UPI could only be linked to debit cards and bank accounts. Unified Payments Interface (UPI): It is an advanced version of Immediate Payment Service (IMPS)- round–the-clock funds transfer service to make cashless payments faster, easier and smoother. UPI is a system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application  merging several banking features, seamless fund routing & merchant payments into one hood. UPI is currently the biggest among the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) operated systems including National Automated Clearing House (NACH), Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), Aadhaar enabled Payment System (AePS), Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), RuPay etc. The top UPI apps today include PhonePe, Paytm, Google Pay, Amazon Pay and BHIM, the latter being the Government offering. NPCI launched UPI with 21 member banks in 2016 Source: Indian Express [/su_box] Daily Practice MCQs [su_box title="Daily Practice MCQs" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Q.1)The Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) considers various factors while recommending the MSP for a commodity, which among the following factors are considered by CACP Changes in input prices Effect on cost of living International price situation Inter-crop price parity Effect on issue prices and implications for subsidy Choose the correct code: 1, 2 and 3 2, 4 and 5 1, 3, 4 and 5 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Q.2) Consider the following statements about Corvette It is the smallest class of naval ships It falls below the warship class of a frigate It is categorised as missile boats and anti-submarine ships Presently there are no corvette ships with Indian Navy Choose the correct code: 2 and 4 1, 2 and 3 1, 3 and 4 1, 2, 3 and 4 Q.3) The term PD1 recently seen in news, is related to? A type of protein that regulates certain functions of the immune system Radio collar for wildlife tracking New Genetically modified variety of Wheat Pesticide to fight Bacterial blight of cotton Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR '9th JUNE 2022 - Daily Practice MCQs' will be updated along with tomorrow's Daily Current Affairs. [/su_box] Baba's Explainer - War Crimes [su_box title="War Crimes" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Syllabus GS-2: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. Context: On May 23, a domestic court in Ukraine sentenced a 21-year-old Russian soldier to life in prison for committing war crimes. The soldier had shot dead an unarmed civilian in Ukraine. This was the first conviction related to the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. Since the war began, Ukrainian authorities have claimed commission of around 10,000 war crimes by the Russian soldiers. Read Complete Details on War Crimes [/su_box] ANSWERS FOR 8th JUNE 2022 - Daily Practice MCQs [su_box title="Answers- Daily Practice MCQs" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Q.1) - d Q.2) - d Q.3) - c [/su_box]

हिन्दी - Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC हिन्दी Quiz– 2022: IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz 9th June 2022

For Previous Daily Quiz (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE करेंट अफेयर्स के प्रश्न 'द हिंदू', 'इंडियन एक्सप्रेस' और 'पीआईबी' जैसे स्रोतों पर आधारित होते हैं, जो यूपीएससी प्रारंभिक परीक्षा के लिए बहुत महत्वपूर्ण स्रोत हैं। प्रश्न अवधारणाओं और तथ्यों दोनों पर केंद्रित हैं। दोहराव से बचने के लिए यहां कवर किए गए विषय आम तौर पर 'दैनिक करंट अफेयर्स / डेली न्यूज एनालिसिस (डीएनए) और डेली स्टेटिक क्विज' के तहत कवर किए जा रहे विषयों से भिन्न होते हैं। प्रश्न सोमवार से शनिवार तक दोपहर 2 बजे से पहले प्रकाशित किए जाएंगे। इस कार्य में आपको 10 मिनट से ज्यादा नहीं देना है। इस कार्य के लिए तैयार हो जाएं और इस पहल का इष्टतम तरीके से उपयोग करें। याद रखें कि, "साधारण अभ्यर्थी और चयनित होने वाले अभ्यर्थी के बीच का अंतर केवल दैनक अभ्यास है !!" Important Note: Comment अनुभाग में अपने अंक पोस्ट करना न भूलें। साथ ही, हमें बताएं कि क्या आपको आज का टेस्ट अच्छा लगा । 5 प्रश्नों को पूरा करने के बाद, अपना स्कोर, समय और उत्तर देखने के लिए ‘View Questions’ पर क्लिक करें। उत्तर देखने के लिए, इन निर्देशों का पालन करें: 1 - 'स्टार्ट टेस्ट/ Start Test' बटन पर क्लिक करें प्रश्न हल करें'टेस्ट सारांश/Test Summary'बटन पर क्लिक करें'फिनिश टेस्ट/Finish Test'बटन पर क्लिक करेंअब ‘View Questions’बटन पर क्लिक करें - यहां आपको उत्तर और लिंक दिखाई देंगे। To take the Test - Click Here

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 9th June 2022

Previous Daily Quiz (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE The Current Affairs questions are based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, which are very important sources for UPSC Prelims Exam. The questions are focused on both the concepts and facts. The topics covered here are generally different from what is being covered under ‘Daily Current Affairs/Daily News Analysis (DNA) and Daily Static Quiz’ to avoid duplication. The questions would be published from Monday to Saturday before 2 PM. One should not spend more than 10 minutes on this initiative. Gear up and Make the Best Use of this initiative. Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!” Important Note: Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :)After completing the 5 questions, click on 'View Questions' to check your score, time taken, and solutions. To take the Test - Click Here

Baba’s Explainer

Baba's Explainer - BIMSTEC

ARCHIVES Syllabus GS-2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.  Context: June 6 marked the completion of 25 years since the 1997 Bangkok Declaration launched the grouping of BIMSTEC. [su_spoiler open="yes" title="What is BIMSTEC?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a multilateral regional organisation established with the aim of accelerating shared growth and cooperation between littoral and adjacent countries in the Bay of Bengal region. It has a total of seven member countries- five from South Asia, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, and two from Southeast Asia, including Myanmar and Thailand. It was founded as BIST-EC, in June 1997, with the adoption of the Bangkok Declaration, with Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand as members. It became BIMST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation) with the entry of Myanmar in late 1997. And eventually, it was named in its current form, when Nepal and Bhutan became members in 2004. It has its secretariat at Dhaka, Bangladesh. The BIMSTEC Secretariat coordinates, monitors and facilitates the implementation of BIMSTEC activities and programmes. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="Geography of Bay of Bengal" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] The Bay of Bengal (Bay) is in the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It is bound by land on three sides; on the west and northwest by India on the north by Bangladesh on the east by Myanmar and the Andaman &Nicobar Islands of India. Its southern limit is a line between Sri Lanka and the northwestern-most point of Sumatra (Indonesia). Important ports on the Bay include Paradip, Kolkata, Haldia, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Pondicherry, Dhamra, Gopalpur in India and Chittagong, Mongla, Payra Ports in Bangladesh. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What are the objectives of BIMSTEC?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] To revive Connectivity: The Bay of Bengal region, was one of the world’s most integrated regions until the early twentieth century, but after the 1940s, when members of the region became independent and pursued separate goals and alliance systems, the region’s sense of community eroded. So, the aim of setting up the regional grouping was to revive the connectivity and common interests of the members of the Bay of Bengal region. The shared goal now is to head towards “a Peaceful, Prosperous and Sustainable Bay of Bengal Region”. To revive focus on Blue Economy: The region, though united historically with a rich cultural heritage, but post decolonisation got impregnated with crimes like insurgency, terrorism, narcotics smuggling, trafficking, illegal immigration which prompted the member states to consider internal and border security issues on priority. Except for addressing security issues, development of the blue economy of the Bay of Bengal never received the required thrust. The grouping provides littoral countries to come together to exploit the potential of Blue economy that the region offers. Bridge between two sub-regions: BIMSTEC not only connects South and South-East Asia, but also the ecologies of the Great Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal. With shared values, histories, ways of life, and destinies that are interlinked, BIMSTEC represents a common space for peace and sustainable development. Sector Driven Organisation: What makes BIMSTEC different from other regional groupings such as SAARC or ASEAN is that it is a sector-driven organisation. This means the goals or areas of cooperation are divided between members. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What are the Principles of BIMSTEC?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Principles of BIMSTEC are: Sovereign Equality Territorial Integrity Political Independence No-interference in Internal Affairs Peaceful Co- existence Mutual Benefit Constitute an addition to and not be a substitute for bilateral, regional or multilateral cooperation involving the Member States. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What is the significance of BIMSTEC?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Major Shipping route: A fourth of the world’s traded goods cross the Bay of Bengal every year. Huge Market: BIMSTEC grouping is home to around 1.5 billion people that constitute around 22% of the global population. High Growth Potential: With a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of 3.8 trillion economy, BIMSTEC member States have been able to sustain an average 6.5% economic growth trajectory in the recent past. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="Significance of BIMSTEC from maritime perspective" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Ecological Importance: Bay of Bengal is home to mangrove forests of around 15,792 square kilometres, coral reefs of around 8,471 sq.km, sea grass meadows, fragile estuaries and mass nesting sites of sea turtles. Fish resources: It is an important fishing region with an annual fish catch of around six million tonnes, constituting 7% of the world’s catch and valued at around U.S.$4 billion. Support to Livelihood: Approximately 185 million people are dependent on the natural resources provided by the bay. The fishermen population alone is estimated to be around 3.7 million. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="How BIMSTEC is Important for India?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Platform to manifest its foreign policy: BIMSTEC allows India to pursue two core policies- Neighborhood First (primacy to the country’s immediate periphery), Act East (connect India with Southeast Asia) and Security & Growth for all In the Region (SAGAR). Development of India’s North-East: The grouping also provides opportunity for economic development of India’s northeastern states – by linking them to the Bay of Bengal region via Bangladesh and Myanmar. Counter China: The grouping allows India to counter China’s creeping influence in countries around the Bay of Bengal due to the spread of its Belt and Road Initiative. Alternative to SAARC: A new platform for India to engage with its neighbors with South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) becoming dysfunctional because of differences between India and Pakistan. Showcases Leadership in region: India aspires to be a global power & “Vishwaguru” and through this platform, India can prove to the world the inherent capabilities in its eminent leadership to create a new world order. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What are the Institutional Mechanisms of BIMSTEC?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] BIMSTEC Summit – highest policymaking body in BIMSTEC process and is comprised of heads of state/government of member states. Ministerial Meeting – second apex policy-making forum of BIMSTEC attended by the External/Foreign Ministers of Member States. Senior Officials’ Meeting – represented by Senior Officials of Foreign Ministries of the Member States. BIMSTEC Working Group – attended by Ambassadors of BIMSTEC Member Countries to Bangladesh or their representatives on a monthly basis at the BIMSTEC Secretariat in Dhaka. Business Forum & Economic Forum – the two important forums to ensure active participation of private sector. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What are the Key Highlights of the recently held Fifth Summit of BIMSTEC?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] BIMSTEC grouping’s fifth summit took place in Colombo, Sri Lanka in March 2022. The key highlights of the summit were BIMSTEC Charter: The signing of the BIMSTEC Charter was the main outcome of this summit. With the Charter, the BIMSTEC now has an international personality. It has an emblem and a flag. It has a formally listed purpose and principles that it is going to adhere to. Under this Charter, the members were expected to meet once every two years. Rationalising Sectors of Cooperation: In line with the development of the organisation into a formal structure, the leaders of the member-countries have agreed to divide the working of the grouping into seven segments, with India providing leadership to the security pillar (details of sectors given in achievements section) Connectivity Framework: The Summit adopted the ‘Master Plan for Transport Connectivity’ by Leaders which lays out a guidance framework for connectivity related activities in the region in the future. Other Agreements: Member countries also signed a treaty on mutual legal assistance on criminal matters. A Memorandum of Association (MoA) on the establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility (TTF) in Colombo, Sri Lanka. India will provide the (BIMSTEC) secretariat USD 1 million US dollars to increase its operational budget. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What are the achievement of BIMSTEC?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Creation of Charter- It has crafted a new Charter for itself ( during its fifth Summit in 2022), spelling out the grouping’s vision, functions of its constituent parts and has secured a legal personality. Survival amidst internal tensions- The BIMSTEC region witnessed Rohingya refugee crisis; Political instability in Myanmar due to military coup and economic crisis in Sri Lanka. Despite these, the summit was held in 2022. Multi-sectoral Cooperation- The grouping has also registered progress in combating terrorism, forging security cooperation, better management of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Institutions such as an Energy Centre and the Centre on Weather and Climate are in place to push sectoral cooperation forward. Prioritisation of sectors- The organisation which started with six sectors of cooperation expanded to 14 sectors which was becoming unwieldy. However, during the fifth summit, it has prioritised the sectors of cooperation (7 sectors) with each member-state serving as the lead country for the assigned sector. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What are the major concerns with BIMSTEC?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Inconsistency in Meetings: BIMSTEC planned to hold summits every two years, ministerial meetings every year, but only five summits have taken place in 25 years upto 2022. Neglect by member states: It seems that India has used BIMSTEC only when it fails to work through SAARC in the regional setting and other major members like Thailand and Myanmar are focused more towards ASEAN than BIMSTEC. Bilateral Issues: A strong BIMSTEC presupposes cordial and tension-free bilateral relations among all its member-states. This has not been the case, given the trajectory of India-Nepal, India-Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh-Myanmar ties in recent years. China’s increasing footprint in subcontinent: China’s decisive intrusion in the South-Southeast Asian space has cast dark shadows about the cohesiveness of the grouping on issues like trade pacts, investments & security. Untapped potential of Business cooperation: It lacks an effort to enthuse and engage the vibrant business communities of these seven countries, and expand their dialogue, interactions and transactions. Poor implementation of FTA: A major failure relates to the continuing inability to produce a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) 18 years after the signing of the Framework Agreement in 2004. Out of the seven agreements needed to operationalise the FTA, only two are ready. Poor intra grouping Connectivity- The connectivity in infrastructure, energy, digital and financial domain institutions that bring people closer together for trade, tourism and cultural exchanges is disappointing.  Only limited progress has been achieved so far, despite the adoption of the Master Plan for Transport Connectivity supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Low Collaboration amongst private players- Business chambers and corporate leaders are yet to be engaged fully with the activities of BIMSTEC leaving the grouping largely in the hands of officials and experts. Ocean Governance neglected: Though the Bay has been an intrinsic part of the economy of the BIMSTEC nations, Ocean governance has been a low priority issue for the member states. Most of these member states have outdated colonial laws still governing the waters of the region Over exploitation of fish resources: In the 2017-18 fiscal year, 6.5 lakh ton of fish was produced from the Bay which is more than seven percent of the world’s catch. The issues affecting fishing industry in the Bay are declining availability of fish; illegal and destructive fishing; changes in species composition and loss of vulnerable & endangered species. Inadequate cold storage facilities leading to huge wastage of fish catch Countries providing excessive fishing subsidies and unable to adopt ecosystem approach to fisheries. Ineffective Developmental Regulation: Other issues of concern within the Bay economy pertain to lack of coastal development plans, ineffective marine protected areas and lack of enforcement, upstream development that affects water-flow, intensive upstream agricultural practices, and increasing ad-hoc tourism. If these issues are not managed systematically with a correct policy and a regulatory mechanism, they will start eating into the economy rather than resulting in development. Criminal Activities: Terrorism, smuggling of drugs, human trafficking, smuggling of contraband items are a very common feature across the Bay. IUU (Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated) fishing in the EEZ of other member states has been a cause of tension between member states of the BIMSTEC. Environmental Degradation: Destruction of natural protection against floods such as mangroves, sea erosion. The annual loss of mangrove areas is estimated at 0.4% to 1.7% and coral reefs at 0.7%. Climate Change: It is predicted that the sea level will increase 0.5 metres in the next 50 years. It is also prone to extreme weather events. for ex: 13 cyclonic storms in the last five years. Marine Pollution: Industrial growth in the coastal areas is leading to huge quantities of untreated waste flow in the Bay. As a result, we are witnessing the emergence of a dead zone with zero oxygen where no fish survive primarily caused by leaching of plastic & untreated waste from rivers as well as the Indian Ocean Refugee Crisis: This subregion is one of the biggest sources of humanitarian crisis in the Indo-Pacific region, which primarily emanates from the Rohingya crisis and domestic political upheavals in Myanmar. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What is the difference between SAARC & BIMSTEC?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Founded in 1985, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an economic and political organization of eight countries in South Asia- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan (joined in 2007). SAARC BIMSTEC ·       A regional organisation looking into South Asia ·       Established in 1985 during the cold war era. ·       Member countries suffer for mistrust and suspicion. ·       Suffers from regional politics. ·       Asymmetric power balance. ·       Intra-regional trade only 5 percent. ·       Interregional organisation connecting South Asia and South East Asia. ·       Established in 1997 in the post-Cold War. ·       Members maintain reasonably friendly relations. ·       Core objective is the improvement of economic cooperation among countries. ·       Balancing of power with the presence of Thailand and India on the bloc. ·       Intra-regional trade has increased around 6 precent in a decade. [/su_spoiler] Mains Practice Question - As BIMSTEC  celebrates the silver jubilee of its formation, it faces a serious challenges to bring in a paradigm shift in raising the level of cooperation and regional integration. Elucidate. Note: Write answers to this question in the comment section. MIND MAP

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