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Jun 9, 2022 Baba’s Explainer

Baba's Explainer - War Crimes

ARCHIVES 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. [su_spoiler open="yes" title="What are war crimes?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] War crimes are violations of rules of international humanitarian law that create direct criminal responsibility under international law. A war crime occurs when superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering is inflicted upon an enemy. At the heart of the concept of war crimes is the idea that individuals can be held criminally responsible for the actions of a country or its soldiers. They are considered so serious that there is no period of limitation for such crimes - which means that those who commit them can be prosecuted and punished no matter how much time has elapsed since the crimes were committed. The meaning of war crimes was clarified in the four 1949 Geneva Conventions. International humanitarian law regulates the actions of warring parties of a war or armed conflict. These laws are provided for under the four Geneva Conventions, which protect ‘Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field’ ‘Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea’, ‘Prisoners of War’ ‘Civilian Persons in Time of War’. In addition to these four conventions, there are three Additional Protocols which provide further rules for protection of victims in international and non-international armed conflicts. Combined, these documents govern war, and protect combatants and civilians. India domesticated the Geneva Conventions by enacting the Geneva Conventions Act, 1960. Serious offences such as murder, rape or mass persecution of a group are known as "crimes against humanity" or, in some circumstances, "genocide". [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="How has the concept of War Crimes evolved over period?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] The concept of war crimes is a recent one. Before modern times, it was generally accepted that the horrors of war were part of the nature of war, and recorded examples of war crimes go back to Greek and Roman times. Before the twentieth century armies frequently behaved brutally to enemy soldiers and non-combatants (civilians) alike - and whether there was any punishment for this depended on who eventually won the war. Commanders and politicians usually escaped any punishment for their role in war - or, if they lost, were summarily executed or imprisoned. There was no structured approach to dealing with 'war crimes' nor any general agreement that political and military leaders should take criminal responsibility for the acts of their states or their troops. The term war crime has been difficult to define with precision, and its usage has evolved constantly. The first systematic attempt to define a broad range of war crimes was the Instructions for the Government of Armies of the United States in the Field—also known as the “Lieber Code” after its main author, Francis Lieber—which was issued by S. President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War (1861-65) For example, the Lieber Code held that it was a “serious breach of the law of war to force enemy subjects into service for the victorious government” and prohibited “wanton violence committed against persons in the invaded country,” including rape, maiming, and murder. Immediately following World War I (1914-18), the victorious Allied powers convened a special Commission which recommended that war crimes trials be conducted before the victors’ national courts and, when appropriate, before an inter-Allied tribunal The Allies prepared an initial list of about 900 suspected war criminals and submitted the list to Germany. The commission’s main target was Germany’s Emperor (Kaiser) William II, who took refugee in Netherlands that refused to extradite him. Most of the remaining suspected war criminals on the list similarly managed to avoid prosecution, because Germany was reluctant to turn them over to the Allies. Only a small number of suspects to be tried in Germany which resulted in few convictions with most sentences ranging from a few months to four years in prison. Attitudes changed during World War II (1939-45) when the murder of several million people - mainly Jews - by Nazi Germany, and the mistreatment of both civilians and prisoners of war by the Japanese, prompted the Allied powers to prosecute the people they believed to be the perpetrators of these crimes. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="Have individuals been prosecuted for War Crimes before?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Individuals were prosecuted for war crimes for the first time at the Nuremberg Tribunal in the aftermath of the Second World War. The Nuremberg trials, series of trials held in Nürnberg, Germany, in 1945–46 were held by the Allies against representatives of the defeated Nazi Germany for plotting and carrying out invasions of other countries and other crimes in World War II. Subsequently, many prosecutions have happened at international and ad-hoc criminal tribunals. For example, the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda prosecuted individuals for, inter alia, war crimes. Today, the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) both have roles upholding the rules of war. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) rules on disputes between states, but cannot prosecute individuals. Ukraine has begun a case against Russia. If the ICJ ruled against Russia, the UN Security Council (UNSC) would be responsible for enforcing that. But Russia - one of council's five permanent members - could veto any proposal to sanction it. The International Criminal Court (ICC) investigates and prosecutes individual war criminals who are not before the courts of individual states. It's the permanent modern successor to Nuremberg, which prosecuted key Nazi leaders in 1945. The court is also investigating war crimes committed by Russian soldiers related to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. But Russia has denounced the court and denied all allegations of war crimes. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What is International Criminal Court (ICC)?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Governed by an international treaty called 'The Rome Statute' of 2002, the ICC is the world’s first permanent international criminal court. On 17 July, 1998 Rome Statute was adopted by 120 States in direction of creating a more just world. On 1 July, 2002 Rome Statute took effect upon ratification by 60 states, officially establishing the ICC. ICC investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: Genocide War crimes Crimes against humanity Crime of aggression. Through international criminal justice, ICC aims to hold those responsible for their crimes and to help prevent these crimes from happening again. India is not a party to Rome Statute along with US and China. Today the ICC has over 900 staff members from approximately 100 States. ICC Headquarters at The Hague, the Netherlands. Currently, ICC is prosecuting 27 defendants for charges of war crimes. The ICC is intended to complement, not to replace, national criminal systems; it prosecutes cases only when States do not are unwilling or unable to do so genuinely. ICC is not a UN organization but is has a cooperation agreement with the United Nations. When a situation is not within the Court’s jurisdiction, the United Nations Security Council can refer the situation to the ICC granting it jurisdiction. This has been done in the situations in Darfur (Sudan) and Libya. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="Limitations/ Concerns with ICC" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] As a judicial institution, the ICC does not have its own police force or enforcement body; thus, it relies on cooperation with countries worldwide for support, particularly for making arrests, transferring arrested persons to the ICC detention centre in The Hague, freezing suspects’ assets, and enforcing sentences. ICC has been accused of being a tool of Western imperialism and biased in favour of powerful countries against weak states. ICC cannot impose a death sentence; it can impose lengthy terms of imprisonment of up to 30 years or life when so justified by the gravity of the cases. The ICC court has no retrospective jurisdiction as it can deal only with crimes committed after 1 July 2002 when the 1998 Rome Statute came into force. ICC has automatic jurisdiction only for crimes committed on the territory of a state which has ratified the treaty; or by a citizen of such a state; or when the United Nations Security Council refers a case to it. Procedural and substantive deficiencies leading to delays and frustration, have questioned the efficacy of the court. It also faces scarcity of human resources and funds. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What has been Russia’s historical stance on international crimes?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Historically, Russia has played a significant role in the evolution and development of the field of international criminal law. Soviet Union was on the forefront of arguing that hostage taking is illegal as per international law. After the Second World War, the Soviet Union’s position was recognised through Article 34 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which states that “The taking of hostages is prohibited”. In the aftermath of the Second World War, it was the Soviet Union, through then Premier Joseph Stalin, which first mooted the idea of individual criminal responsibility for committing war crimes. In 1941, Stalin had asked for “punishment of Hitler’s criminals”. It was the Soviet Union which pushed for trial by an international tribunal, a suggestion opposed by the United Kingdom and the U.S.A. However, subsequently, both the countries, along with other victors of the Second World War, agreed for an international tribunal. They signed the Nuremberg Charter and tried German soldiers for crimes against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity Despite being a proponent of trials for war crimes, Russia is trying to evade responsibility for the same when its soldiers are under trial in Ukraine. This takes us to another question – can Russian soldiers be tried at an international tribunal like the ICC? [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="Can Russian soldiers be tried at the International Criminal Court?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Russia had signed the Statute in 2000, but did not ratify it. When the ICC started investigating the Crimean annexation, Russia officially withdrew from the process of joining the court. In theory, the UN Security Council could ask the ICC to investigate this offence. But again, Russia could veto this. Neither Ukraine nor Russia is a member of the ICC. But via Article 12.3 of the Rome Statute, which allows non-members to accept the Court’s jurisdiction, Ukraine has accepted the ICC’s jurisdiction. This is not the first time Ukraine has accepted the ICC’s jurisdiction. Earlier, when Russia had annexed Crimea, Ukraine had used Article 12 to bring Russia’s actions before the ICC. Despite this, it will be difficult to bring Russian soldiers to trial before the ICC. The court doesn’t try individuals in absentia and hence getting custody of the individuals will be a tough task. The court is already facing a similar situation in the Afghanistan case, in which members of the Central Intelligence Agency of the U.S.A. are to be investigated. Another hurdle, which is not being discussed right now, is the possibility of Ukrainian soldiers being investigated and prosecuted for committing war crimes. Ukraine’s acceptance of ICC’s jurisdiction does not mean that only Russian soldiers can be prosecuted. The court now has jurisdiction over the entire conflict, and it means, if a Ukrainian soldier commits any crime which is within the court’s jurisdiction, they too can be prosecuted. Such a scenario might force Ukraine to withdraw its consent to the court’s jurisdiction. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="Can President Putin be tried for Crime of Aggression at the ICC?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Such a scenario is far-fetched because he is a Head of State (HoS). Under international law, a HoS enjoys immunity from prosecution. There have undoubtedly been instances of HoSs being tried for international crimes. Examples include former Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic, former Liberian President Charles Ghankay Taylor, and former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. One important distinction between these cases and that of Putin is that the latter is an incumbent HoS. ICC has in the past unsuccessfully tried to prosecute an incumbent HoS when it issued an arrest warrant against former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. Even after Bashir was removed from his office, the ICC has been unable to get him under its custody till date. Even if tomorrow Putin is voted out of his office, and if the ICC issues an arrest warrant against him, it is very improbable that he will land in its custody. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler open="no" title="What is genocide?" style="fancy" icon="chevron"] Genocide is considered one of the most severe crimes against humanity. It means the deliberate attempt to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. The term was coined in 1943 by the Jewish-Polish lawyer Raphael Lemkin who combined the Greek word 'genos' (race or tribe) with the Latin word 'cide' (to kill). After witnessing the horrors of the Holocaust - in which every member of his family except his brother and himself was killed - Dr Lemkin campaigned to have genocide recognised as a crime under international law. His efforts led to the adoption of the UN Convention on Genocide in December 1948, which came into force in January 1951. Individuals are chosen as victims purely, simply and exclusively because they are members of the target group, and not because of anything an individual has done. Genocide is a crime under international law even if it is not a crime in the country where it takes place, and incitement to commit genocide is also a crime. [/su_spoiler] Mains Practice Question - Critically analyse the role & significance of International Criminal Court. Note: Write answers to this question in the comment section. MIND MAP

Jun 8, 2022 TLP Connect/TLP+

[UPSC 2022 MAINS] Toppers’ Recommended TLP+ 2022 Mains Test Series cum Mentorship Program – Starts 13th June!

Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort Over the years, IASbaba’s TLP+ initiative has become synonymous with success. We are happy to announce the next cycle of TLP+ for Mains 2022. In this brief write up, we touch upon the factors that make TLP+ an indispensable tool in your preparation kitty for Mains. The importance of answer writing practice can’t be stressed much. As a sincere aspirant, you already know this. But what sort of practice do you need? One obvious answer is to join a test series. But there are many test series out there.READ MORE - CLICK HERE

Jun 8, 2022 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 8th June 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) [su_box title="Religious Tolerance and Social Harmony" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Mains - GS 1 (Social Issues) Context: The atmosphere of religious intolerance which has seen a sharp rise in the last several years has been a serious cause for concern in the country. India is the beloved home for practitioners of all major religions in the world. Indian culture accepts diversity of faiths and beliefs. Religious harmony and social cohesion are two core elements for progress and development. As per Pew Research Survey 2021, Indians of diverse religious backgrounds overwhelmingly say they are very free to practice their faiths But there is growing intolerance towards diverse religions leading to communal violence and ripples in social harmony. Instances of intolerance Recent incident of ruling party spokesperson commenting on Islam and the Prophet Haridwar Hate speech incident Frequent use of National Security Act (NSA) for ‘cow slaughter’ by some state governments As per pew research on the question of inter-religious marriage, most Hindus (67%), Muslims (80%), Sikhs (59%), and Jains (66%) felt it was ‘very important’ to stop the women in their community from marrying outside their religion Why is there raise in intolerance? Political parties polarize naive voters in the name of religion Various cultural organisations are misinterpreting and propagating truths to affirm revivalist predispositions Irresponsible Reporting by Media: Many a times media broadcasts unconfirmed, sensitive and often biased reports on national television For instance: Tablighi Jamaat case during first Covid lockdown State’s support: India has many hostile neighbors, who wish to make it weak through a communal divide. Struggle for identity Consequences Threat to minority: Rise in intolerance and communal disharmony lead to majoritarianism Mob-violence: Rise in disharmony has led to targeting of religious minorities and led to a rise in mob-violence Threat to Rule of law: With rise in incidence of mob lynchings, there is a threat to rule of law - Lynching on cow smuggling, lynching of youth in golden temple Freedom of speech: It has also impacted freedom of speech-shows of comedians being banned by vigilante groups Regionalism: The anti-national elements get adequate opportunity to fan regional feelings and work on creating an atmosphere to break the cohesiveness of our society. Damage social fabric: The social fabric of the society gets irreparably damaged and the conditions of mistrust serve as a catalyst for future conflicts Degrading International image where countries are losing faith in India’s diverse credentials Way forward Political and moral support to the minorities Effective administration - fair probe, media guidelines Implementation of constitutional and legal safeguards We, the people of India, must strive hard to generate compassion, strength, sincerity and commitment to ensure the safety and security of the people of India. And uphold the values which are synonym with the word "INDIA" - tolerance, compassion and peace. Source: Indian Express [/su_box] [su_box title="Judicial Accountability" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Mains - GS 2 (Judiciary) In News: In a rare exhibition of transparency the Orissa High Court has published an annual report taking stock of its performance in a difficult year that was punctuated by the resurgence of the pandemic. By subjecting itself to the scrutiny of the common citizen, the court has shown exceptional humility. The report provides a district-wise breakup of cases and availability of judges. It contains a section explaining the reasons for delays and backlog at the level of the district judiciary. The report also sheds light on the administrative functioning of the court. Importance of Judicial Accountability Annual reports have traditionally been an important way of ensuring accountability of public bodies to Parliament and citizens. Unlike the executive, the judiciary is not under any legal obligation to prepare annual reports or table them before Parliament or the state legislature. Making annual reports mandatory will lead to judicial accountability to the citizens of India Helps Higher judiciary to take measures to avoid delays in resolving cases, appointments of judges and administration of sub ordinate courts The report helps to introspect on the challenges facing the institution. Source: Indian Expres [/su_box] [su_box title="Governor’s Role in Universities" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Polity Mains – GS 2 (Polity) In News: The West Bengal government’s decision to make the Chief Minister the Chancellor of State-run universities, instead of the Governor has refocused the attention on the Governor’s Role in Universities The area of conflict here are the appointment of Vice-Chancellors and the functioning of universities VCs were appointed by the Chancellor of the universities Similar Instances: Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu recently passed Bills to empower the State government, instead of the Chancellor, to appoint VCs. It also passed a separate bill to establish a new university for alternative systems of medicine with the Chief Minister as its Chancellor. Kerala In Kerala, the situation is different, with Governor asking the Chief Minister to take over the Chancellor’s role in the light of alleged political interference in the functioning of universities. These developments underscore that the conferment of statutory roles to Governors may be a source of friction between elected regimes and Governors who are seen as agents of the Centre Governor’s role in: State Universities: In most cases, the Governor of the state is the ex-officio chancellor of the universities in that state. While the Governor’s powers and functions as the Chancellor are laid out in the statutes that govern the universities under a particular state government. Their role in appointing the Vice-Chancellors has often triggered disputes with the political executive. Central Universities: Under the Central Universities Act, 2009, and other statutes, the President of India shall be the Visitor of a central university. Chancellors are appointed by the President in his capacity as Visitors. They are titular heads with their role limited to presiding over convocations in central universities. The VCs too are appointed by the Visitor from panels of names picked by search and selection committees formed by the Union government. The President, as Visitor, shall have the right to authorize inspections of academic and non-academic aspects of the universities and also to institute inquiries The original intent of making Governors hold the office of Chancellor and vesting some statutory powers on them was to insulate universities from political influence Sarkaria Commission Justice R.S. Sarkaria Commission noted the use of discretion by some Governors in some university appointments had come in for criticism. It acknowledged the distinction between the Governor’s constitutional role and the statutory role performed as a Chancellor, and also underlined that the Chancellor is not obliged to seek the government’s advice. M.M. Punchhi Commission Noted that Governor should not be “burdened with positions and powers, which may expose the office to controversies or public criticism, it advised against conferring statutory powers on the Governor, it advised against conferring statutory powers on the Governor. Previous Year Questions Q.1) Consider the following statements: (2016) No criminal proceedings shall be instituted against the Governor of a State in any court during his term of office. The emoluments and allowances of the Governor of a State shall not be diminished during his term of office. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Source: The Hindu [/su_box] [su_box title="Ream Naval Base" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – International Relations – Current Affairs Mains – GS 2 (International Relations) Context: A Chinese base in Cambodia could become a chokepoint in the Gulf of Thailand close to the strategically important Malacca Strait that has prompted global concern that it will be used by Beijing as a naval outpost on the Gulf of Thailand. Cambodia's official described the expansion of the Ream Naval Base as “cooperation between China and Cambodia” Background China and Cambodia have reportedly signed a secret pact allowing China exclusive use of a naval base on the Gulf of Thailand, although officials from both countries have denied such a deal exists. Ream Naval Base Location: Ream Naval Base is a facility operated by the Royal Cambodian Navy on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand in the province of Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Ream faces the Gulf of Thailand, adjacent to the South China Sea Significance This would be china’s second overseas naval foothold, after a base in Djibouti opened in 2017. A Chinese base in Cambodia could become a chokepoint in the Gulf of Thailand close to the strategically important Malacca Strait. China’s strategic military footprint in Southeast Asia would help it bolster its territorial claims in the disputed South China Sea. Source: The Hindu [/su_box] [su_box title="Draft amendments to IT Rules, 2021" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Polity Mains – GS 2 (Governance) In News: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has published a fresh draft of amendments to the Information Technology Rules, 2021 What are the proposed amendments to the IT Rules, 2021? The draft proposes to create government-appointed appeal committees that will be empowered to review and possibly reverse content moderation decisions taken by social media companies. It means in case a user is not satisfied with the content moderation decision taken by a company’s grievance officer, they can appeal that decision before the proposed government-appointed appeals committee. Every order passed by the Grievance Appellate Committee shall be complied with by the concerned intermediary Currently, the only recourse a user has against companies’ content decisions is to approach the courts Responsibility on grievance officers appointed by social media companies - if a user complains about content which is “patently false”, infringes copyright, and threatens the integrity of India, among other things, a grievance officer will have to expeditiously address it within 72 hours. Under current rules, grievance officers have 15 days to act on and dispose of users’ complaints. What prompted the amendments? The IT Rules, 2021 provide for a robust grievance redressal mechanism. However, there have been many instances that grievance officers of intermediaries either do not address the grievances satisfactorily and/or fairly. In such a scenario, the need for an appellate forum has been proposed to protect the rights and interests of users Concerns The proposal, without any legislative basis, seeks to subject content on social media to the direct scrutiny of the government by permitting users to appeal decisions of social media platforms to a Grievance Appellate Committee constituted by MeitY IT Rules, 2021 These new rules deal with social media and over-the-top (OTT) platforms. These rules have been framed in exercise of powers under section 87 (2) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 New Guidelines for Social Media/Intermediaries: Categories of Social Media Intermediaries: Based on the number of users, on the social media platform intermediaries have been divided in two groups: Social media intermediaries. Significant social media intermediaries. Features In case, due diligence is not followed by the intermediary, safe harbor provisions will not apply to them. The safe harbor provisions have been defined under Section 79 of the IT Act, and protect social media intermediaries by giving them immunity from legal prosecution for any content posted on their platforms. Grievance Redressal Mechanism is Mandatory: Intermediaries shall appoint a Grievance Officer to deal with complaints and share the name and contact details of such officers. The grievance Officer shall acknowledge the complaint within twenty-four hours and resolve it within fifteen days from its receipt. Ensuring Online Safety and Dignity of Users: Intermediaries shall remove or disable access within 24 hours of receipt of complaints of contents that exposes the private areas of individuals, show such individuals in full or partial nudity or in sexual act or is in the nature of impersonation including morphed images etc. Additional Due Diligence for the Significant Social Media Intermediaries: Appointments: Need to appoint Chief Compliance Officer, a Nodal Contact Person and a Resident Grievance Officer, all of whom should be resident in India. Rules for News Publishers and OTT Platforms and Digital Media: For OTT: Self-Classification of Content: The OTT platforms, called as the publishers of online curated content in the rules, would self-classify the content into five age based categories- U (Universal), U/A 7+, U/A 13+, U/A 16+, and A (Adult). Parental Lock: Platforms would be required to implement parental locks for content classified as U/A 13+ or higher, and reliable age verification mechanisms for content classified as “A”. Display Rating: Shall prominently display the classification rating specific to each content or program together with a content descriptor informing the user about the nature of the content For Publishers of News on Digital Media: They would be required to observe Norms of Journalistic Conduct of the Press Council of India and the Programme Code under the Cable Television Networks Regulation Act 1995 thereby providing a level playing field between the offline (Print, TV) and digital media. Grievance Redressal Mechanism: A three-level grievance redressal mechanism has been established under the rules with different levels of self-regulation. Self-regulation by the Publisher: Publisher shall appoint a Grievance Redressal Officer based in India who shall be responsible for the redressal of grievances received by it. The officer shall take decision on every grievance received by it within 15 days. Self-Regulatory Body: There may be one or more self-regulatory bodies of publishers. Such a body shall be headed by a retired judge of the SC, a High Court or independent eminent person and have not more than six members. Such a body will have to register with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. This body will oversee the adherence by the publisher to the Code of Ethics and address grievances that have not been resolved by the publisher within 15 days. Oversight Mechanism: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting shall formulate an oversight mechanism. It shall publish a charter for self-regulating bodies, including Codes of Practices. It shall establish an Inter-Departmental Committee for hearing grievances. Source: Indian Express [/su_box] [su_box title="Rajya Sabha Election" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Polity Mains – GS 2 (Polity and Constitution) In News: The Assemblies of 4 states will elect 16 MPs to Rajya Sabha Rajya Sabha, or the Council of States, has 245 seats No ruling party has ever touched the 100 mark in the last three-and-a-half decades Every Rajya Sabha seat counts as any Bill, barring Money Bills, needs the assent of the second chamber to become law. How often are Rajya Sabha elections held? Rajya Sabha is a permanent House and cannot be dissolved. To ensure continuity, one-third of its members retire after every second year, under Article 83(1) of the Constitution, and “biennial elections” are held to fill these vacancies. The term of a member is six years. Out of the 245 members, 12 are nominated by the President and 233 are representatives of the States and Union territories of Delhi and Puducherry. Rajya Sabha polls: Who votes, and how? Rajya Sabha MPs are elected by MLAs through an indirect election. Article 80(4) provides that members shall be elected by the elected members of state Assemblies through a system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote. The Fourth Schedule to the Constitution provides for allocation of Rajya Sabha seats to the states and Union Territories, on the basis of the population of each state. How are the votes counted? The number of votes a candidate requires depends on the number of vacancies and the strength of the House. If there is only one vacancy, the required quota is calculated by taking the number of votes polled, divided it by 2, and adding 1. If there is more than one vacancy, the equation is based on an assigned value of 100 for every first-preference vote. The values of the votes credited to all candidates are totalled. The total is divided by 1 more than the number of vacancies, and 1 is added to this quotient. If for any seat, candidates fail to get the specified number, the second-preference votes will be taken into account, but with a lower value. Beyond passing Bills, why do Rajya Sabha numbers matter? Rajya Sabha enjoys some special powers It can pass resolution to enact laws on state subject Recommend creation of one or more All India Services common to the Union and the states Rajya Sabha has a role to play if the President proclamations national emergency, in the event of failure of constitutional machinery in a State, or in the case of financial emergency. Every such proclamation has to be approved by both Houses of Parliament within a stipulated period If a proclamation is issued at a time when Lok Sabha has been dissolved or the dissolution of Lok Sabha takes place within the period allowed for its approval, then the proclamation remains effective, if the resolution approving it is passed by Rajya Sabha within the period specified under Articles 352, 356 and 360 of the Constitution. Previous Year Questions Q.1) Rajya Sabha has equal powers with Lok Sabha in (2020) the matter of creating new All India Services amending the Constitution the removal of the government making cut motions Source: Indian Express [/su_box] [su_box title="Carbon bombs" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Environment Mains – GS 3 (Environment) In News: A group of environmentalists, lawyers, and activists have come together to identify and ‘defuse carbon bombs’– coal, oil and gas projects that have the potential to contribute significantly to global warming. The usage of the term ‘carbon bombs’ picked up after an investigative project of The Guardian The project reported the plans of countries and private companies all over the world to engage in 195 ‘carbon bomb’ projects. Each such project, will release huge amounts of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. What are carbon bombs? It is an oil or gas project that will result in at least a billion tonnes of CO2 emissions over its lifetime. Whenever coal, oil, or gas is extracted it results in pollution and environmental degradation. In total, around 195 such projects have been identified world over, including in the US, Russia, West Asia, Australia and India. These projects will collectively overshoot the limit of emissions that had been agreed to in the Paris Agreement of 2015. What does the investigation say? More than 60% of these carbon bomb projects are already underway Apart from coal, oil, and gas operations, the report highlighted the threat of methane, which routinely leaks from gas operations and is a powerful greenhouse gas, trapping 86 times more heat than CO2 over 20 years The report criticized reliance on fuel from conventional sources and not making use of emerging, green sources of energy. What is the plan for ‘defusing’ carbon bombs? The network working towards this goal is called Leave It In the Ground Initiative (LINGO). Its mission is to leave fossil fuels in the ground and learn to live without them. It believes the root of climate change is the burning of fossil fuels, and the 100% use of renewable energy sources is the solution. LINGO aims to organise ground support for protesting such projects, challenge them through litigation, and conduct analysis and studies for the same. Previous Year Questions Q.1)Which one of the following best describes the term 'greenwashing'? (2022) Conveying a false impression that company's products are eco-friendly and environmentally sound Non-inclusion of ecological/environmental costs in the Annual Financial Statements of a country Ignoring the disastrous ecological consequences while undertaking infrastructure development Making mandatory provisions for environmental costs in a government project/programme Source: Indian Express [/su_box] Daily Practice MCQs [su_box title="Daily Practice MCQs" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Q.1) 'Ream Naval Base', recently in news is located in? Sea of Azov Mediterranean Sea Horn of Africa Gulf of Thailand Q.2) Consider the following statements While the Governor of the state is the chancellor of State Universities, the President of India is the Chancellor of Central Universities. Vice-Chancellor of both Central and State Universities are appointed by respective State Government. Choose the correct statements: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Which one of the following best describes the term 'carbon bomb'? It is the amount of Carbon stored in methane hydrates of Artic region It is the amount of carbon released into atmospehere during Industrial Revolution It is an oil or gas project that will result in at least a billion tonnes of CO2 emissions over its lifetime It is a newly invented technology that captures and stores carbon di oxide from Coal power plants Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR '8th JUNE 2022 - Daily Practice MCQs' will be updated along with tomorrow's Daily Current Affairs. [/su_box] ANSWERS FOR 7th 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) - d [/su_box]

Jun 8, 2022 हिन्दी - Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC हिन्दी Quiz– 2022: IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz 8th 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

Jun 8, 2022 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 8th 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

Jun 8, 2022 Important Articles

ANSWER KEY & OPEN DISCUSSION: UPSC PRELIMS 2022 CSAT - Paper 2

Dear Students Please find the answer key for UPSC PRELIMS 2022 CSAT PAPER 2 OPEN DISCUSSION -Any Queries/Corrections with respect to the Answer key can be discussed with proof/justification. Also, you can use the Comment Section below to discuss/share your thoughts about UPSC Prelims 2022 Question Paper. DOWNLOAD UPSC PRELIMS 2022 QUESTION PAPER WITH SOLUTION for CSAT PAPER 2 (SET A) - CLICK HERE DOWNLOAD ANSWER KEY for CSAT PAPER 2 (SET A) - CLICK HERE DOWNLOAD ANSWER KEY for PAPER 1 (SET A,B,C, D) - CLICK HERE [Video] UPSC PRELIMS 2022 Analysis, Expected Cut Off, Trends & Takeaways by Mohan Sir – CLICK HERE CLICK HERE

Jun 7, 2022 IASbaba's Courses

[MOST AWAITED COURSE] ILP 2023 – INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAM – The Most Comprehensive and Trusted 365 Days Plan recommended by Toppers for UPSC 2023 – Starts 27th June

Click HereDear Students We are back with the 2nd batch of the Most Awaited Programme – Integrated Learning Programme (ILP) 2023. ILP has been helping hundreds of rankers every year to achieve their dream of getting into Civil Services. This year as well ILP had helped many aspirants including Rank 58 – Divya Shakti, Rank 134 – Sam Varghese, Rank 169 – Ankita Mishra, Rank 189 – P K Siddharth Kumar and many more. ILP was conceptualized in order to reach the motto of IASbaba i.e., a person in the remotest corner of India can get a chance to achieve Rank – 1. The program is designed in such a way that it can reach the maximum number of aspirants who cannot afford to coach or wants to study from the comfort of their home. In fact, there are many aspirants who have joined the ILP program despite taking coaching from other institutes. It is also designed to keep the tight schedule of working professionals in mind. It gives us immense pleasure to be a part of the successful journey of so many candidates.Read Complete Details -> Click Here

Jun 7, 2022 Baba’s Explainer

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 7th June 2022

Archives (PRELIMS & MAINS Focus) [su_box title="Surrogacy Regulation Act, 2021" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims - Polity; Social Issues Mains - GS 1 (Social Issues) Context: Petitioners in the Delhi High Court questioned why marital status, age, or gender were the criteria for being allowed to commission or not commission surrogacy in India. What is the Surrogacy Act, 2021? The Act sought to regulate the surrogacy in India The Act defines ‘surrogacy’ as a practice where a woman undertakes to give birth to a child for another couple and agrees to hand over the child to them after birth Why is there a need for a Surrogacy Act in India? India has emerged as a hub for infertility treatment, attracting people from the world - due to prevailing socio-economic inequities, underprivileged women found an option to ‘rent their wombs’ and thereby make money to take care of their expenses By 2012, India had become the ‘surrogacy capital’ of the world with surrogacy tourism valued at approximately $500 million annually. Thus, it has become more than imperative to regulate surrogacy in the country. To curb unethical practices: Lack of specific legislation had led to unregulated growth of Commercial Surrogacy services. Hence, to curb unethical practices related to issues of sex selection and exploitation of the surrogate, specific legislation was required. To curb the exploitation of women: Due to the absence of legal regulations and lack of implementation, surrogate mothers faced multiple challenges - there had been many cases of death related to surrogacy which neither commissioning parents nor the doctors were ready to take responsibility of. Legal Issues: Sometimes, Indian adoption laws or citizenship laws of some other countries also create problems. For example, Germany gives citizenship by mother; this creates issues in determining the nationality of child. In 2008, a Japanese couple began the process with a surrogate mother in Gujarat, but before the child was born they split and there were no takers for the child. In 2012, an Australian couple commissioned a surrogate mother, and arbitrarily chose one of the twins that were born. Ethical Issues: Surrogacy leads to commoditization of the child. Renting of the womb breaks the bond between a mother and the child, interferes with nature Key Provisions of the Act The Act prohibits commercial surrogacy, but allows altruistic surrogacy. Eligibility criteria for intending couple: Any couple that has ‘proven infertility’ are candidates. The ‘intending couple’ as the Act calls them, will be eligible if they have a ‘certificate of essentiality’ and a ‘certificate of eligibility’ issued by the appropriate authority. Eligibility criteria for surrogate mother: Only a close relative of the couple can be a surrogate mother, one who is able to provide a medical fitness certificate. She should have been married, with a child of her own, and must be between 25 and 35 years, but can be a surrogate mother only once. Appropriate authority: The central and state governments shall appoint one or more appropriate authorities. The functions of the appropriate authority include; granting, suspending or cancelling registration of surrogacy clinics; enforcing standards for surrogacy clinics; National and State Surrogacy Boards: The central and the state governments shall constitute the National Surrogacy Board (NSB) and the State Surrogacy Boards (SSB), respectively. Parentage and abortion of surrogate child: An abortion of the surrogate child requires the written consent of the surrogate mother and the authorisation of the appropriate authority. This authorisation must be compliant with the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. The surrogate mother will have an option to withdraw from surrogacy before the embryo is implanted in her womb. What are the controversies behind the Act? Exclusion: The eligibility criteria for legally availing surrogacy excludes a chunk of society like unmarried females, LGBTQ+ persons, live-in couples, and single parents who wish to have surrogate child. Paternalistic: The altruistic model expects a woman to go through the physical and emotional tolls of surrogacy free of cost and only out of compassion. Autonomy of Woman: The banning of commercial surrogacy moves from the rights-based approach to a needs-based approach, thus removing the women’s autonomy to make their own reproductive decisions and right to parenthood. Limitations of Altruistic Surrogacy: Having a relative as a surrogate mother may lead to emotional complications. Altruistic surrogacy also limits the option of the intending couple in choosing a surrogate mother as very limited relatives Children with Disability: The Act considers having children with physical and special needs as childless. It further encourages considering surrogacy if the couple has a child with a life-threatening disorder. This clause directly violates the right of the children with the disability, thus denying them treatment with dignity. As India is one of the major hubs of these practices, the Act is certainly a step in the right direction. More reforms are still needed recognize the rights of all stakeholders involved. The law needs to keep up with rapidly evolving demands of morality and societal changes. Source: The Hindu [/su_box] [su_box title="BIMSTEC " style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – International Relations Mains – GS 2 (International Relations) In News: June 6 marked the completion of 25 years since the 1997 Bangkok Declaration launched a grouping BIMSTEC What is BIMSTEC? The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional organisation comprising seven Member States: five deriving from South Asia, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and two from Southeast Asia, including Myanmar and Thailand. This sub-regional organisation came into being on 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration. Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar joined the grouping later The BIMSTEC Secretariat is in Dhaka. Institutional Mechanisms: BIMSTEC Summit Ministerial Meeting Senior Officials’ Meeting BIMSTEC Working Group Business Forum & Economic Forum Key achievements It has crafted a new Charter for itself, spelling out the grouping’s vision, functions and has secured a legal personality. It has prioritized the sectors of cooperation with each member-state serving as the lead country for the assigned sector Survival through the turns and twists of internal tensions: influx of over a million Rohingya refugees, Military coup in Myanmar and political and economic crisis afflicting Sri Lanka Unlike SAARC and IORA, BIMSTEC has continued to hold its summits and meetings of Foreign Ministers and it has now resolved to hold regular summits once in two years The grouping has also registered progress in combating terrorism, forging security cooperation, and creating mechanisms and practices for the 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. The faultlines 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. Connectivity: Only limited progress has been achieved so far, despite the adoption of the Master Plan for Connectivity supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Access to financial resources: For greater regional connectivity, more financial resources are needed. The movement towards establishing the BIMSTEC Development Fund is minimal. The grouping has talked about the Blue Economy but is yet to begin any work on it. Way Ahead In this Indo-Pacific century, BIMSTEC has the potential to play a pivotal role, deepening linkages between South Asia and Southeast Asia. It should accelerate the region’s economic development by collaborating with the newly minted Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). New synergy should be created between BIMSTEC and the IPEF. Previous Year Questions Q.1) In the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, an initiative of six countries, which of the following is/are not a participant/ participants? (2015) Bangladesh Cambodia China Myanmar Thailand Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 2, 3 and 4 1 and 3 1, 2 and 5 Source: The Hindu [/su_box] [su_box title="Gulf region" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – International Relations; Geography (map) Mains – GS 2 (International Relations) In News: Recently, the ruling party of India suspended its national spokesperson and expelled its Delhi spokesperson, following comments they had made about Islam and the Prophet The move came after three countries in the Gulf region had summoned the Indian ambassadors to their nations to register their protest The ruling party's action underlines the significance of the Gulf region for India Barring the Jewish state of Israel, the 10 other countries of the Gulf region — Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Jordan and Yemen — together account for one-fifth of the world’s Muslim population, and are among the strongest voices of the Muslim world. Why is the region important for India? The two most important reasons for the relationship are oil and gas, and trade. Two additional reasons are the huge number of Indians who work in the Gulf countries, and the remittance they send back home. Trade UAE: The UAE was India’s third-largest trading partner in 2021-2022, and second-largest for both exports ($28 billion) and imports ($45 billion) The UAE accounted for 6% of India’s total exports and 7.3% of imports in the last financial year Saudi Arabia: At a total volume of $42.9 billion in 2021-22, Saudi Arabia was India’s fourth-largest trading partner. Iraq: It was India’s fifth-largest trading partner in 2021-22 at $34.3 billion. Qatar: The total trade was $15 billion, accounting for just 1.4% of India’s total trade, but the country is India’s most important supplier of natural gas. Qatar accounts for 41% of India’s total natural gas imports. The UAE accounts for another 11%. Oil The share of Persian Gulf countries in India’s crude imports has remained at around 60% over the last 15 years. In 2021-2022, the largest exporter of oil to India was Iraq, whose share has gone up from 9% in 2009-2010 to 22%. Indian Diaspora in Gulf Countries The Gulf has the largest Indian Diaspora working there. The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait together account for over half of all NRIs. In terms of remittances from abroad, India was the largest recipient in 2020 at $83.15 billion. The largest contributor is the huge Indian diaspora in the Gulf. India has underlined the importance of Gulf countries by frequent visit by Indian delegations to the region and the Gulf countries have reciprocated the same. It is highly important that India maintain a cordial relationship with these countries given their importance in India growth and development. Previous Year Questions Q.1) Consider the following statements (2022) Armenia Azerbaijan Croatia Romania Uzbekistan Which of the above are the members of the Organization of Turkic states? 1, 2 and 4 1 and 3 2 and 5 3, 4 and 5 Source: Indian Express [/su_box] [su_box title="Agni-4 Missile" 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: India successfully tested the Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) Agni-4, which met all parameters The successful test was part of routine user training launches carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command The successful test reaffirms India’s policy of having a ‘Credible Minimum Deterrence’ Agni-IV Agni-IV is the fourth in the Agni series of missiles which was earlier known as Agni II prime. Agni-IV bridges the gap between Agni II and Agni III. CLASS: Intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) It is surface to surface missile WARHEAD: Nuclear or conventional RANGE: 3,000 – 4,000 km PROPULSION: Two-stage solid propellant PAYLOAD: 1,000 kg Previous Year Questions Q.1) With reference to the Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statement(s) is/are correct? (2014) It is a surface-to-surface missile. It is fuelled by liquid propellant only. It can deliver a one-tonne nuclear warhead about 7500 km away. Select the correct answer using the codes given below. 1 only 2 and 3 only 1 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3 [/su_box] [su_box title="Zaporizhzhia and Sievierodonetsk" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims - Geography (Map) Zaporizhzhia In News: Russian troops intend to capture Zaporizhzhia, a large city in the country's (Ukraine) southeast, which would allow the Russian military to advance closer to the centre of the country. In the south of Ukraine, Russia has already seized the large Ukrainian cities of Kherson and Mariupol. The Zaporizhzhia region, with the population of 1.6 million, is one of the biggest industrial hubs of Ukraine's southeast. The city itself has 722,000 people. Sievierodonetsk In News: More than 100 days after Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, it is the strategic eastern city of Sievierodonetsk that remains in the focus Located nearly 140 km south of the Russian border, Sievierodonetsk is one of the largest cities of the Donbas region. It is located near the left bank of the Siverskyi Donets River, and has a population of over a lakh. It is a big industrial hub known for chemical works and machine-building factories. Strategic importance Russia aims for complete liberation of Donbas. When Russia talks about ‘liberating’ Donbas, it broadly refers to controlling Ukraine’s eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. If the city of Sievierodonetsk falls, then it will allow Russia to control the entire Luhansk region. 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 [/su_box] [su_box title="Sant Kabir" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Open in new window Syllabus Prelims – Medieval History of India Mains – GS 1 (History, Art & Culture) In News: President of India inaugurated the Sant Kabir Academy and Research Centre Swadesh Darshan Yojana and paid tribute to the Bhakti saint, Kabir at Maghar (Uttar Pradesh) According to legends, Kabir is said to have departed from the mortal world in Maghar. Sant Kabir Das Sant Kabir Das was born in the city of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. He was a 15th century mystic poet, saint and social reformer and a proponent of the Bhakti Movement. Teacher: His early life was in a Muslim family, but he was strongly influenced by his teacher, the Hindu bhakti leader Ramananda. He belonged to Nirguni tradition, in this tradition, God was understood to be a universal and formless being. Kabir’s compositions can be classified into three literary forms – dohas (short two liners), ramanas (rhymed 4 liners), sung compositions of varying length, known as padas (verses) and sabdas (words). Kabir Das' writings had a great influence on the Bhakti movement and includes titles like Kabir Granthawali, Anurag Sagar, Bijak, and Sakhi Granth. His verses are found in Sikhism's scripture Guru Granth Sahib. The major part of his work was collected by the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev. He was best known for his two-line couplets, known as 'Kabir Ke Dohe'. Language: Kabir's works were written in the Hindi language which was easy to comprehend. He used to write in couplets to enlighten people. Kabir’s critique of religion and caste: Kabir synthesized Islam and Hinduism While he did borrow elements from different traditions, he proclaimed his independence from them He did not only target the rituals and practices of both Hinduism and Islam, but also dismissed the sacred authority of their religious books Instead of God being an external entity that resided in temples or mosques, Kabir argued that God existed inside everyone. Kabir’s revolt against the caste system also sought to do away with the complex rituals and ceremonies performed by the Brahmins. He argued that it was only through bhakti, intense love or devotion to God could one attain salvation. He sought to eradicate caste distinctions and attempted to create an egalitarian society, by stressing the notion that a Bhakt (devotee) was neither a Brahmin nor an ‘untouchable’ but just a Bhakt. Kabir's legacy Kabir's legacy is still going on through a sect known as Panth of Kabir, a religious community that considers him as the founder. A sect in northern and central India, many of their members are from the Dalit community Today, the sect exists as a large and distinct community, with various sects under different spiritual leaders. However, all regard Kabir as their guru and treat the Bijak as their holy scripture. The Bijak contains works attributed to Kabir Previous Year Questions Q.1) With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following statements: (2018) Most of the Tyagaraja Kritis are devotional songs in praise of Lord Krishna. Tyagaraja created several new ragas. Annamacharya and Tyagaraja are contemporaries. Annamacharya kirtans are devotional songs in praise of Lord Venkateshwara. Which of the statement is given above is/are correct? 1 and 3 only 2 and 4 only 1, 2 and 3 2, 3 and 4 Source: Indian Express [/su_box] Daily Practice MCQs [su_box title="Daily Practice MCQs" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Q.1) Consider the following statements about Surrogacy Regulation Act, 2021 The act allows both commercial surrogacy and altruistic surrogacy Only a close relative of the intending couple can be a surrogate mother The act excludes unmarried females and single parents to have surrogate child Choose the correct statements: 1 and 2 1 and 3 1, 2 and 3 2 and 3 Q.2) Which of the following countries borders the Persian Gulf? Oman UAE Kuwait Saudi Arabia Iraq Yemen Choose the correct code: 1, 2, 4 and 5 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Q.3) Consider the following statements about the Agni IV missile It is an Intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) It is surface to surface missile It is fuelled by a two-stage solid propellant It can deliver one-tonne nuclear warheads about 3500km away Choose the incorrect statements: 1 and 2 1, 2 and 3 4 only None Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!! ANSWERS FOR '7th JUNE 2022 - Daily Practice MCQs' will be updated along with tomorrow's Daily Current Affairs. [/su_box] ANSWERS FOR 6th JUNE 2022 - Daily Practice MCQs [su_box title="Answers- Daily Practice MCQs" style="soft" box_color="#f3f3f3" title_color="#d45f07"] Q.1) - a Q.2) - b Q.3) - c [/su_box]

Jun 7, 2022 हिन्दी - Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC हिन्दी Quiz– 2022: IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz 7th 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

Jun 7, 2022 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2022 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 7th 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

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