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DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 5th February 2022

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) 'Cancer Moonshot’ Project Part of: Prelims and GS-II -Health Context: US President Joe Biden has announced a goal of bringing down cancer death rates by 50 per cent by the year 2047 in light of the progress made in cancer therapeutics, diagnostics and patient-driven care. Key takeaways The ‘cancer moonshot’ programme was first launched in 2016 by Biden, when he was the Vice President, during the final year of the Barack Obama administration. The programme includes various cancer-related projects such as improving immunotherapy, mapping tumours, engaging with patients, addressing drug resistance, early detection and expanding cancer research. About cancer It is a large group of diseases that can start in almost any organ or tissue of the body when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably, go beyond their usual boundaries to invade adjoining parts of the body and/or spread to other organs. The latter process is called metastasizing and is a major cause of death from cancer. Most common types of cancer in men: Lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach and liver cancer Most common types of cancer among women: Breast, colorectal, lung, cervical and thyroid cancer. Cancer remains as one of the leading causes of adult illness and death due to chronic and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) world-over including in India. Do you know? “Moonshot” evokes the space race first triggered by president John F Kennedy in 1962 during the Cold War, when he took up the challenge of sending a man on the Moon before the Russians could. His declaration led to the Apollo 11 mission, resulting in the first footsteps taken on the Moon in 1969. News Source: IE Vande Bharat Trains Part of: Prelims and GS-III Infrastructure Context: The Budget has announced 400 more of these semi-high-speed trains in the next 3 years. It comes in addition to the current plan — to be able to run 75 Vande Bharats across India by Independence Day in 2023. About Vande Bharat Vande Bharat is a semi-high speed trainset, each of 16 coaches, and self-propelled — they do not require an engine. This is called a distributed traction power system, which is increasingly becoming the norm the world over for passenger operations. Distributed power gives the train higher acceleration and deceleration compared to loco-hauled trains, which take a much longer time to reach top speed or to gradually come to a halt. Introduced in 2019, the Vande Bharat semi-high speed trains have been a novelty so far. Two Vande Bharat trainsets (originally called Train 18) are currently running, both from Delhi — to Varanasi (UP) and Katra (J&K) News Source: IE Copper-Based Nanoparticle - Coated Antiviral Face Mask Part of: Prelims and GS-III Science and technology Context: A team of Indian Scientists in collaboration with an industry partner have developed a self-disinfecting ‘Copper-based Nanoparticle-coated Antiviral Face Mask to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The mask exhibits high performance against the COVID 19 virus as well as several other viral and bacterial infections. It is biodegradable, highly breathable and washable. It has been developed under the DST (Department of Science and Technology) sponsored Nano-Mission project, to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. About Nano Mission The Government of India launched the Nano Mission in 2007 under the Department of Science and Technology. The Ministry of Science and Technology allocated up to Rs 1000 crores to this mission to fulfill its following objectives: Basic Promotion of Nanotechnology Infrastructure Development Establishment of R&D in Nanoscience Applications Establishment of Development Centre for Nanosciences Human Development in Nanotechnology International Collaborations What is Nanotechnology? Nanotechnology (also called nanotech) is a technology that involves the manipulation of matter on atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scales. This includes particles of a scale of 1 to 100 nanometers. News Source: TH (News from PIB) High wave activity in regions over Bay of Bengal, South China Sea, & South Indian Ocean  Part of: Prelims and Mains GS-I: World Geography In News: A recent study conducted by Indian Scientists has indicated that regions over Bay of Bengal, South China Sea, and South Indian Ocean can experience higher wave activity in the future, posing serious threat for coastal communities in the region. Importance of the Study Coastal communities are one of those most vulnerable to impacts of climate change and other environmental drivers due to their exposure to severe inundation and its frequency associated with extreme water levels in the nearshore regions. Impact resulting from coastal inundation can significantly affect the shoreline configuration, damage to infrastructure, saltwater intrusion into groundwater, destruction of crops, and affect the human population with a range of socio-economic consequences. Scientists around the world are trying the estimate the magnitude of this impact. Expected to augment more advanced research on extreme wind-wave activity for the North Indian Ocean region Provide the scope for a detailed investigation on the possible linkages and teleconnection with climate indices in a changing climate. Analysis of the projections have indicated Maximum extreme wind and wave activity over the South Indian Ocean region during June-July-August and September-October-November. Regions over the central Bay of Bengal show extreme wind activity from the end-century projections, signifying the likelihood for more extreme events. Extreme wave heights are seen to intensify by about 1 m over the South Indian Ocean during the June-July-August months. An increase of 0.4 m in maximum significant wave heights are projected over regions in the North Indian Ocean, northwest Arabian Sea, northeast Bay of Bengal, and South China Sea. Significant increment in sea surface temperature is projected over the Arabian Sea during December-January-February and June-July-August months ranging between 1.5 and 2.0º C, that is 0.5º C greater than Bay of Bengal. Regions over the Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf can experience higher warming rates exceeding 2º C under RCP8.5 by the end-century. Seasonal signatures in the extreme wind-wave patterns over the Indian Ocean directly correlate with the location of extreme wind activity. News Source: PIB Completion of Hundred years of Chauri Chaura incident Part of: Prelims and Mains GS-I: Modern Indian History In News: The day marks the completion of the 100 years of the ‘Chauri Chaura’ incident, a landmark event in India’s fight for independence. Important value additions The Chauri Chaura incident took place on 4 February 1922 at Chauri Chaura in the Gorakhpur district of the United Province (modern Uttar Pradesh) in British India. In this, a large group of protesters participating in the Non-cooperation movement, clashed with police who opened fire. In retaliation the demonstrators attacked and set fire to a police station, killing all of its occupants. The incident led to the death of three civilians and 22 policemen. Mahatma Gandhi, who was strictly against violence, halted the non-co-operation movement on the national level on 12 February 1922, as a direct result of this incident. News Source: PIB Agricultural Schemes Part of: Prelims and Mains GS-II: Agriculture Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojna (PMKMY) Aims to provide social security net for the Small and Marginal Farmers (SMF) by way of pension, as they have minimal or no savings to sustain their livelihood during their old age and to support them in the event of consequent loss of livelihood. Under this scheme, a minimum fixed pension of Rs.3,000/-per month will be provided to the eligible small and marginal farmers, subject to certain exclusion clauses, on attaining the age of 60 years. The Scheme is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme, with entry age of 18 to 40 years. Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP) A sub scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) for the promotion of traditional indigenous practices including Natural Farming. The scheme mainly emphasises on exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs and promotes on-farm biomass recycling with major stress on biomass mulching, use of cow dung-urine formulations and other plant-based preparations. ICAR (Indian Council of Agriculture Research) has constituted a committee for developing syllabus and curricula of Natural farming at under graduate and post graduate level. Organic farming schemes Government is implementing dedicated organic farming schemes of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and Mission Organic Value Chain Development in North East Region (MOVCDNER) since 2015-16 to encourage farmers to produce organic manure and to promote organic farming of foodgrains in the country. Under these schemes, farmers are primarily encouraged to adopt organic cultivation using organic inputs and support is provided to the farmers for various components from production to value addition, certification and marketing of organic produce. Hands-on training to farmers for on-farm production of   organic manure/ organic fertilisers and its use are integral part of these schemes. National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) Aiming at strategic research on adaptation and mitigation, demonstration of technologies on farmers’ fields and creating awareness among farmers and other stakeholders. Steps that have been taken in the field of climate smart agriculture: Developed climate resilient varieties for different abiotic and biotic stresses in major crops. So far 8 climate resilient varieties have been released in rice, green gram, maize and lentil; Developed and popularized 65 location-specific climate resilient/smart technologies for wider adoption among the farming communities; Prepared 650 district agricultural contingency plans and sensitized State officials for preparedness through 54 State-level interface meetings; Developed, evaluated and commercialized implements (raised bed planter-cum-herbicide applicator, maize harvester, zero till planter, etc.) for small farm mechanization suiting to dryland ecologies; Climate smart technologies developed involving farmers in risk assessment and adaptation techniques in 151 clusters covering 446 villages, with a footprint of 2,13,421 households, on 2,35,874 hectares of land; Capacity building programs have been taken up involving 5.15 lakhs comprising researchers, farmers, entrepreneurs, line department officials, policy makers and NGOs in the field of climate resilient agriculture. Note: There is no proposal for creation of National Agriculture Disaster Management scheme to tackle the issues of sudden climatic changes and other issues which are becoming more frequent. However, every Ministry/Department is mandated to prepare a Disaster Management plan under Sections 36/37 of Disaster Management (DM) Act, 2005. Accordingly, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has prepared a National Agriculture Disaster Management Plan (NADMP) to include key aspects of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) that address climate change adaptation and sustainable development goals related to the agriculture sector. News Source: PIB Miscellaneous Defence Industrial Corridors (DICs) Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC) Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor (TNDIC) Aim: To attract investment of about Rs 10,000 crore in each corridor Significance: To catalyse indigenous production of defence and aerospace-related items, thereby reducing our reliance on imports and promoting export of these items to other countries which may create ample employment opportunities and growth of private domestic manufacturers; Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); and start-ups. (Mains Focus) WOMEN/ GOVERNANCE GS-1: Issues relating to Women GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Sex and violence: On Marital Rape Context: Union government informed the Delhi High Court that it was having a relook at its position on marital rape spelt out over five years ago. Union Minister for Women and Child Development remarked in Parliament that the Government was engaged in a process to introduce comprehensive amendments to criminal law and that it was considering criminalising of marital rape as a part of it. Do You Know? About 70% of women in India are victims of domestic violence. National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) ‘Crime in India’ 2019 report shows that a woman is raped every 16 minutes, and every four minutes, she experiences cruelty at the hands of her in-laws. An analysis of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2015-16 data indicates that an estimated 99.1 per cent of sexual violence cases go unreported The average Indian woman is 17 times more likely to face sexual violence from her husband than from others. What is Marital Rape? Marital rape, the act of forcing your spouse into having sex without proper consent It is an unjust yet not uncommon way to degrade and disempower women. How does Indian Law regime deal with Marital Rape? One of the most horrifying and repressive issues with the Indian legal regime is that marital rape is perfectly legal Section 375 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) defines the offence of rape with the help of six descriptions. One of the exceptions to this offence is “Sexual intercourse or sexual acts by a man with his own wife, the wife not being under 18 years of age, is not rape”. What is the Criticism of India’s Legal regime on Marital Rape? Against Right to Life and Right to Equality: The Supreme Court has included sanctity of women, and freedom to make choices related to sexual activity under the ambit of Article 21. Therefore, this exception clause is violative of Article 14 and Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. Patriarchal outlook of Laws: Rape laws in our country continue with the patriarchal outlook of considering women to be the property of men post marriage, with no autonomy or agency over their bodies. They deny married women equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Indian constitution. Differentiates Married & Unmarried women: A married woman has the same right to control her own body as does an unmarried woman. Unfortunately, this principle is not upheld in Indian rape laws. Marital Rape is more dangerous to Women’s life: Rape is rape, irrespective of the identity of the perpetrator, and age of the survivor. A woman who is raped by a stranger, lives with a memory of a horrible attack; a woman who is raped by her husband lives with her rapist. Not a threat to institution of Family: The country has adopted a domestic violence law that enables complaints against physical and sexual abuse. Therefore, making marital rape a criminal offence is unlikely to ruin the institution of marriage any more than a complaint of domestic violence or cruelty would. Against International Norm: Today, it has been impeached in more than 100 countries but, unfortunately, India is one of the only 36 countries where marital rape is still not criminalized Concerns of Implied Consent: The concept of marital rape in India is the epitome of what we call an “implied consent”. Marriage between a man and a woman here implies that both have consented to sexual intercourse and it cannot be otherwise. The Indian Penal Code, 1860, also communicates the same. Outdated notion of Marriage: The exception given to marital rape harks back, as the report by the Justice J.S. Verma committee noted while recommending its removal, to an outdated notion of marriage that treated the wife as the husband’s property. Against Autonomy of Married Women: Looking at marriage through the lens of ‘coverture’ — the view that the wife is under the husband’s authority always — should not be allowed to override the autonomy of married women over their person. Colonial Hangover:  Our penal laws, handed down from the British, have by and large remained untouched even after 73 years of independence. But English laws have been amended and marital rape was criminalised way back in 1991. No Indian government has, however, so far shown an active interest in remedying this problem. Violative of UN Convention: Section 375 (Exception) of IPC is inconsistent with and violative of these principles of United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women Does not pass the test of “intelligible differentia”: Essentially, Section 375 (Exception) creates a classification not only between consent given by a married and unmarried woman, but also between married females below 15 years of age and over 15 years old. Such a classification does not pass the test of “intelligible differentia Why is government reluctant on criminalising marital rape? Government is of the opinion that criminalising marital rape will destabilises the institution of marriage, given the immense significance the institution has in Indian Society. Government also remarked in the Parliament that it would not be advisable to condemn every marriage as a violent one, and every man a rapist. In 2016, the Government had rejected the concept of marital rape, saying it “cannot be applied to the Indian context due to various factors like level of education/illiteracy, poverty, myriad social customs and values, religious beliefs and the mindset of the society to treat marriage as a sacrament”. In 2017, the Government had opposed the removal of the exception in Section 375 of the IPC that deals with rape. Way Ahead Criminalising Marital Rape: In 2013, the UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) recommended that the Indian government should criminalize marital rape. JS Verma committee set up in 2012 also recommended the same. Judicial Guidelines: Courts should not indefinitely delay in ruling on the constitutionality of the existing exception in rape law. Revamp of other legislations: The notion of ‘implied consent’ within marriage is also reflected in marriage laws that allow for “restitution of conjugal rights”, a remedy that either party to a marriage may avail of. Thus, there is a need to revamp whole range of legislations that are continues with Victorian morality. Connecting the dots: Women Issues Women Employment Women Friendly Cities Women with disabilities POLITY/ GOVERNANCE GS-2:  Indian Constitution—significant provisions and basic structure.  GS-2: Fundamental Rights Freedom of religion and attire Context: Six students wearing a hijab were banned from entering a college in Karnataka’s Udupi district. This has revived the debate on over whether educational institutions can impose a strict dress code that could interfere with rights of students. The issue throws up legal questions on reading the freedom of religion and whether the right to wear a hijab is constitutionally protected How is religious freedom protected under the Constitution? Article 25(1) of the Constitution guarantees the “freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion”. It is a right that guarantees a negative liberty — which means that the state shall ensure that there is no interference or obstacle to exercise this freedom. However, like all fundamental rights, the state can restrict the right for grounds of public order, decency, morality, health and other state interests. Over the years, the Supreme Court has evolved a practical test of sorts to determine what religious practices can be constitutionally protected and what can be ignored. In 1954, the Supreme Court held in the Shirur Mutt case that the term “religion” will cover all rituals and practices “integral” to a religion. The test to determine what is integral is termed the “essential religious practices” test.  What are the criticisms of “Essential religious practices” test? A judicial determination of religious practices that are considered as essential, has often been criticised by legal experts as Judicial Overreach as it pushes the court to go into theological spaces. In several instances, the court has applied the test to keep certain practices out. In a 2004 ruling, the Supreme Court held that the Ananda Marga sect had no fundamental right to perform Tandava dance in public streets, since it did not constitute an essential religious practice of the sect. In criticism of the test, scholars agree that it is better for the court to prohibit religious practices for public order rather than determine what is so essential to a religion that it needs to be protected. There are instances in which the court has applied the test to individual freedoms as well. For example, in 2016, a three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court upheld the discharge of a Muslim airman from the Indian Air Force for keeping a beard. It distinguished the case of a Muslim airman from that of Sikhs who are allowed to keep a beard. The court essentially held that keeping a beard was not an essential part of Islamic practices.  How have courts ruled so far on the issue of a hijab? While courts have dealt on the right of Muslim women to dress according to the tenets of Islam, two set of rulings of the Kerala High Court throw up conflicting answers. In 2015, at least two petitions were filed before the Kerala High Court challenging the prescription of dress code for All India Pre-Medical Entrance by CBSE which prescribed wearing “light clothes with half sleeves not having big buttons, brooch/badge, flower, etc. with Salwar/Trouser” and “slippers and not shoes”. Kerala HC directed the CBSE to put in place additional measures for checking students who “intend to wear a dress according to their religious custom, but contrary to the dress code”. Keral HC noted that is also desirable that the CBSE issue general instructions to its Invigilators to ensure that religious sentiments be not hurt and at the same time discipline be not compromised. In Amna Bint Basheer v Central Board of Secondary Education (2016), the Kerala HC examined the issue more closely. Justice P B Suresh Kumar, who allowed the plea by the student, held that the practice of wearing a hijab constitutes an essential religious practice but did not quash the CBSE rule. The court once again allowed for the “additional measures” and safeguards put in place the previous year. But both these cases involve restrictions placed on the freedom of religion for a specific purpose — to ensure a fair examination process — and the CBSE had cited a resource crunch to check every candidate if they allowed autonomy in choosing their dress. However, on the issue of a uniform prescribed by a school, another Bench ruled differently in Fathima Tasneem v State of Kerala (2018). A single Bench of the Kerala HC held that collective rights of an institution would be given primacy over individual rights of the petitioner. Connecting the dots The future of Secularism Right to Privacy (Down to Earth: Agriculture) Feb 2: Union Budget 2022-23: How will ‘Kisan Drones’ benefit farmers? - https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/agriculture/union-budget-2022-23-how-will-kisan-drones-benefit-farmers-experts-ask-81371 TOPIC: GS-3: Agriculture Union Budget 2022-23: How will ‘Kisan Drones’ benefit farmers? Context: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced during her Budget speech that the Centre will promote ‘Kisan Drones’ to help farmers assess crops, digitise land records as well as spray insecticides and nutrients. Experts are skeptical about the plan and questioned what it has for the farmers. “Will it increase the farmers’ income?” Criticisms Drones are not a crying need of the sector as there are bigger problems plaguing the sector that need urgent attention On doubling farmer’s income The government set 2022 as a target for doubling farmers’ income. But there is no indication on whether it can be accomplished by this year in the Budget. On spraying pesticides and nutrients Spraying pesticides and fertilisers might help but will benefit industries the most. In 2021, the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare brought out a standard operating procedure for spraying pesticides and nutrients through drones. The document provides instructions on the effective and safe use of these flying robots. The idea behind using drones could be to reduce human exposure to poisonous chemicals, the experts said. But considering India’s huge employment crisis, it might not be a wise move. One way to make it safe for farmers is to use less harmful chemicals and organic pest management methods. That would be a better way than replacing humans with machines to do dangerous work. Crop assessment using drones will help crop insurance companies and big farmers, not small and marginal farmers. On digitizing land records The Centre had earlier envisioned using drones to digitise land records. These flying objects will survey the land, the government proposed, and officials can use the data to match with recorded information, according to the plan. This technology, however, will not help solve property disputes, and instead, they will recreate the problem in the digital world. The digitised data could be used to build Agristak, a collection of technology-based interventions in agriculture proposed by the Centre. Relying on this application, however, the government runs the risk of excluding women (if the land is in the name of the male head of the household), tenant farmers, sharecroppers and agricultural labourers from schemes. Digitisation could also lead to privacy issues. There is no data protection law as of now. The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019, was tabled in Parliament December 16, 2021. On investment The centre has set aside Rs 60 crore for digital agriculture. At this point, it is not clear if ‘Kisan Drones’ will receive a share of it. The government has also not clearly outlined how it plans to promote the drones  Potential Use of drones in Agriculture Drone services is an emerging market that finds application in agriculture, construction, search and rescue, package delivery, industrial inspection, insurance and videography. The Union Civil Aviation Ministry estimated India’s drone sector’s turnover will reach Rs 12,000-15,000 crore by 2026 from Rs 8,000 lakh in 2021.But the government needs to provide more details. Multi-features: Drones are well-equipped with many features like multi-spectral and photo cameras. Monitor: It can be used in many areas of the agriculture sector such as monitoring crop stress, plant growth, predicting yields, and delivering props. Assessment: Drones can be used for assessing the health of any vegetation or crop, field areas inflicted by weeds. Optimisation: Based on this assessment, the exact amounts of chemicals needed to fight these infestations Planting systems: Drone planting systems have also been developed which allow drones to shoot pods. This technology increases consistency and efficiency of crop management. Mitigating attacks: The drones were also used for the first time in warding off the locust attacks in various states.  Conclusion The idea is not to ignore these technologies but use them in a manner that benefits farmers effectively. Can you answer the following questions? How will ‘Kisan Drones’ benefit farmers? Discuss (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Q.1 Consider the following statements regarding Nano Mission: 1. It was launched under the Ministry of Education. 2. Recently self-disinfecting ‘Copper-based’ face mask has been developed under the mission. Which of the above is or are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding Vande Bharat trains: 1. It is self-propelled and does not require an engine. 2. It is the fastest operating train running between Delhi and Mumbai. Which of the above is or are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3 Cancer Moonshot Project is launched by  Which of the following country? a) Russia b) China c) USA d) India ANSWERS FOR 4th Feb 2022 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 B 2 A 3 C Must Read On merit-reservation binary: The Hindu  On India-UK Free trade deal: The Hindu

IASbaba’s Think Learn Perform (TLP - Phase 1) 2022 - UPSC Mains Answer Writing Essay Questions [5th February, 2022] – Day 6

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Everyone,  TLP being an integral formula for success for many toppers over the years including Rank 1 is no secret. In their ‘must to-do' list for the UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination, TLP by far occupies the first place. The popularity stems from the unparalleled quality of questions and synopsis posted in TLP. We strive hard to ensure that you get the real feel of UPSC standard before you write the actual Mains. You already know the features of TLP. Just to reiterate briefly, we will post 3 questions daily for a certain number of weeks (12 for this one). We follow a micro plan that is designed to give you daily targets. The questions are from the day’s syllabus and also from current affairs and you are expected to write the answers and post them on the portal. From this year we have integrated the TLP free answer writing page in the main website itself, unlike previous years. So all the answers should be posted under the questions for the evaluation.   Join our bandwagon, you won’t regret it. To Know More about TLP  -> CLICK HERE Note: Click on Each Question (Link), it will open in a new tab and then Answer respective questions! 1. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.  कृतज्ञता हमारे अतीत का बोध कराती है, आज के लिए शांति लाती है और कल के लिए एक दृष्टि बनाती है। 2. The purpose of life is a life of purpose. जीवन का उद्देश्य उद्देश्यपूर्ण जीवन है। 3. There is little that can withstand a man who can conquer himself. ऐसा बहुत कम है जो एक आदमी का सामना कर सके जो खुद को जीत सके। 4. When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace. जब प्रेम की शक्ति शक्ति के प्रेम पर विजय प्राप्त कर लेगी तो दुनिया को शांति का पता चल जाएगा। P.S: The review from IASbaba will happen from the time every day. We would also encourage peer reviews. So friends get actively involved and start reviewing each other's answers. This will keep the entire community motivated. All the Best :)

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 5th February 2022

For 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

Motivational Articles

[MI-STORIES]MOTIVATIONAL AND INSPIRATIONAL STORIES - Struggles Shape Us!

For Previous Story -> CLICK HERE Inspirational Stories: Here is the story for this week from the new series of Inspirational and Motivational stories. One of the oldest known forms of communication is story telling. There is something primordial within us that loves stories and their tremendous impact. In this series, we aim to bring you the best of real-life stories that can inspire and motivate you. Stories always try to teach us something useful. It is one of the best ways of learning from other's mistakes and avoiding our own. Although each story has its own moral, in the comments section you can share your opinion on the moral of the story. If you are able to see something that others might have missed, you can share it for the benefit of all. Apart from just reading these awesome stories, you can also share some of the stories that have inspired you. If we find the story appropriate and useful, we will share it with all. More importantly, read these stories every week without a miss, and stay inspired.   So Here is the story for this week - Struggles Shape Us! A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Until it suddenly stopped making any progress and looked like it was stuck. So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily, although it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man didn’t think anything of it and sat there waiting for the wings to enlarge to support the butterfly. But that didn’t happen. The butterfly spent the rest of its life unable to fly, crawling around with tiny wings and a swollen body. Despite the kind heart of the man, he didn’t understand that the restricting cocoon and the struggle needed by the butterfly to get itself through the small opening; were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings. To prepare itself for flying once it was out of the cocoon. Moral of the story: Our struggles in life develop our strength. Without struggles, we never grow and never get stronger, so it’s important for us to tackle challenges on our own, and not be relying on help from others.

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 4th February 2022

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Supercomputer Param Pravega Part of: Prelims and GS-III -Science and technology Context: The Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) has installed and commissioned Param Pravega. Key takeaways  It is one of the most powerful supercomputers in India, and the largest in an Indian academic institution, under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM).  The system is expected to power diverse research and educational pursuits. It has a supercomputing capacity of 3.3 petaflops (1015 operations per second). It has been designed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).  A majority of the components used to build this system have been manufactured and assembled within India. What is the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM)? The mission was announced in 2015. NSM envisaged setting up a network of 70 high-performance computing facilities with an aim to connect national academic and R&D; institutions across India over a seven-year period at an estimated cost of Rs 4500 Crores. Parent Body: Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) and Department of Science and Technology (DST). Nodal Agencies of NSM– Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune, and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. Under NSM, the long-term plan is to build a strong base of 20,000 skilled persons over the next five years who will be equipped to handle the complexities of supercomputers. In 2020, a RTI reply revealed that India has produced just three supercomputers since 2015 under NSM PARAM Shivay installed in IIT-BHU, Varanasi with 837 TeraFlop capacity Second one at IIT-Kharagpur with 1.66 PetaFlop capacity PARAM Brahma at ISER-Pune, has a capacity of 797 TeraFlop News Source: TH Punaura Dham Part of: Prelims and GS-I Culture  Context: As per the request received from the State Government of Bihar, Ministry of Tourism has included Punaura Dham in the Ramayana circuit of Swadesh Darshan Scheme.  The destination of Punaura Dham has been recently included under PRASHAD Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism. Punaura Dham, considered to be the birthplace of Hindu Goddess Sita. The shrine compound has a Ram Janki temple, a pond called Sita Kund and a hall. PRASHAD Scheme The ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive’ (PRASAD). Launched by: Ministry of Tourism (2014-15). It was changed from PRASAD to “National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)” in October 2017. Objective:  Holistic development of identified pilgrimage destinations;  Rejuvenation and spiritual augmentation of important pilgrimage and heritage sites;  Follow community-based development and create awareness among the local communities; Strengthen the mechanism for bridging the infrastructural gaps. Swadesh Darshan Scheme It is a Central Sector Scheme launched in 2014 -15. Objective:  Integrated development of theme based tourist circuits in the country;  To position the tourism sector as a major engine for job creation The Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) for infrastructure development of circuits. News Source: TOI Statue Of Equality Part of: Prelims and GS-I History  Context: Indian Prime Minister will inaugurate the Statue of Equality, a gigantic statue of Ramanujacharya on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Who was Ramanujacharya? Born in 1017 in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu, Ramanujacharya is revered as a Vedic philosopher and social reformer.  He travelled across India, advocating equality and social justice. Ramanuja revived the Bhakti movement, and his preachings inspired other Bhakti schools of thought.  He is considered to be the inspiration for poets like Annamacharya, Bhakt Ramdas, Thyagaraja, Kabir, and Meerabai. He went on to write nine scriptures known as the navaratnas, and composed numerous commentaries on Vedic scriptures. Why is it called the Statue of Equality? Ramanuja was an advocate of social equality among all sections of people centuries ago. He encouraged temples to open their doors to everyone irrespective of caste or position in society at a time when people of many castes were forbidden from entering them. He took education to those who were deprived of it.  His greatest contribution is the propagation of the concept of “vasudhaiva kutumbakam”, which translates as “all the universe is one family”. News source: IE  (News from PIB) Chandrayaan-3 Part of: Prelims and Mains GS-III: Space Science & technology  In News: Chandrayaan-3 is scheduled for launch in August 2022. Same configuration like Chandrayaan-2 but it will not have an orbiter. The orbiter launched during Chandrayaan-2 will be used for Chandrayaan-3. Chandrayaan-3 is critical for ISRO as it will demonstrate India's capabilities to make landings for further interplanetary missions. The Chandrayaan-3 takes cues from the first Chandrayaan mission launched in October 2008 that made major discoveries including finding evidence of water on the lunar surface. What happened to Chandrayaan-2? Chandrayaan-2, India’s second mission to the Moon, had failed to make a soft-landing on the lunar surface. The lander and rover malfunctioned in the final moments and crash-landed, getting destroyed in the process Key information gathered till now Presence of water molecules on moon which is the most precise information about water till date. Presence of Minor elements: Chromium, manganese and Sodium have been detected for the first time through remote sensing.  Information about solar flares: A large number of microflares outside the active region have been observed for the first time. It shall help in understanding the mechanism behind heating of the solar corona. News Source: PIB India's Stand at COP-26 Part of: Prelims and Mains GS-III: Climate Change In news: The Government of India has articulated and put across the concerns of developing countries at the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Glasgow, United Kingdom. Further, India presented the following five nectar elements (Panchamrit) of India’s climate action: Reach 500GWNon-fossil energy capacity by 2030. 50 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable energy by 2030. Reduction of total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from now to 2030. Reduction of the carbon intensity of the economy by 45 per cent by 2030, over 2005 levels. Achieving the target of net zero emissions by 2070. Key Points: The transfer of climate finance and low-cost climate technologies have become more important for implementation of climate actions by the developing countries.  The ambitions on climate finance by developed countries cannot remain the same as they were at the time of Paris Agreement in 2015.  Just as the UNFCCC tracks the progress made in climate mitigation, it should also track climate finance.  India understands the suffering of all other developing countries, shares them, and hence raises the voice of developing countries. The mantra of LIFE- Lifestyle for Environment to combat climate change was shared: Lifestyle for Environment has to be taken forward as a campaign to make it a mass movement of Environment Conscious Lifestyles. The message conveyed by India was that the world needs mindful and deliberate utilization, instead of mindless and destructive consumption. As a part of its overall approach, India emphasized the foundational principles of equity, and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.  All countries should have equitable access to the global carbon budget, a finite global resource, for keeping temperature increase within the limits set by the Paris Agreement and all countries must stay within their fair share of this global carbon budget, while using it responsibly.  India also called on the developed countries for climate justice, and for undertaking rapid reductions in emissions during the current decade so as to reach net zero much earlier than their announced dates, as they have used more than their fair share of the depleting global carbon budget. Many nations in the World have applauded the five nectar elements (Panchamrit) of India’s climate action. News Source: PIB. (Mains Focus) HEALTH/ ECONOMY GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in Health sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. GS-3: Budgeting Budget’s missed healthcare opportunity Context: The Covid pandemic has amply demonstrated the health sector’s direct and indirect intersectoral impacts. Given the learnings of the pandemic, it was reasonable to expect a “health-centred” budget but it was not the case. The budget’s main focus is on increasing capital expenditures for expanding the economic infrastructure under the PM Gati Shakti scheme. Pandemic induced Poverty and Hunger An estimated Rs 70,000 crore have been spent by the people out-of-pocket in this short time for medical treatment that the government ought to have provided.  Spending at a time when earnings were down, pushed millions below the poverty line. As a result, hunger has emerged as a major issue placing India low on the malnutrition and hunger index rankings.  How did Budget deal with Healthcare Sector? Low Proportion of GDP: The budget allocation for 2022-23 is Rs 83,000 crore, up by 16.4 per cent over last year’s Rs 71,268 crore. Health budget have been stuck at about 1.5 per cent of the GDP. On average, OECD countries are estimated to have spent 8.8% of GDP on health care in 2018. Marginal Increase for NHM: The budget for the flagship National Health Mission that funds all health initiatives in partnership with the states has been increased from Rs 36,576 crore to Rs 37,000 crore. Symbolic Focus on mental health: Government announced establishing 23 telehealth centres of excellence for mental health. However, the mental health budgetary allocation was increased only nominally — from Rs 597 crore to Rs 610 crore Mental health impacts over 6-8% of our population and is a major unaddressed epidemic, estimated to cost the economy $1.03 trillion and accounting for 2,443 disability-adjusted life years per 1 lakh population — equal to cardiovascular diseases and more than stroke or COPD. Budget outlays for public hospitals has increased by 30%— from Rs 7,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore — though the much-needed investment for strengthening the surveillance system has a nominal 16.4% increase. Underfunding of Health Insurance: The flagship Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme (PMJAY) continues to be grossly underfunded at Rs 6,412 crore — the same as last year.  Investment in health research: It has seen a miserable 3.92 per cent increase from Rs 2,663 crore to Rs 3,200 crore. Why NHM needed much larger boost in funding? It is under the NHM that all disease control programmes and reproductive and child health programmes including immunisations are implemented. These programmes pertain to ailments that cost little to treat, but are life and death for the large masses of the poor Covid resulted in an over 30% shortfall of coverage under all these programmes giving rise to fears of drug-resistant HIV and tuberculosis and left lakhs of children unprotected from vaccine-preventable diseases. These programmes required a much bigger boost alongside strategies to ensure they are insulated from another viral outbreak.  Criticisms of Government’s Healthcare Budget The government policy focus has been on digitisation of health system instead of enhance the availability of doctors and nurses and access to drugs and diagnostics. Addressing mental healthcare problem requires the implementation of the Mental Health Act through an infusion of substantial money, ideas and imagination so as to address the issues of  shortage of trained human resources expensive drugs and services are scarce  unavailability of services in most parts of the country. PMJAY had, quite strangely, spent only Rs 3,199 crore (out of Rs 6,412 crore)  despite the huge medical needs people faced on account of the pandemic. Therefore, there is a need to focus on implementation. This year, the health budget was required to build the required resilience so that India never goes through the disruptions that it witnessed. Sadly, it contained neither a vision nor a direction towards bridging the glaring gaps in the health system. Conclusion Given that India too needs a massive building up of its economy to ensure a minimum quality of life for all its people, we need to envision a transformative change by attacking inequality, disease and ignorance by investing in health, education, nutrition and employment to ensure equal opportunities. UNION BUDGET 2022-23 Connecting the dots Mental Healthcare: Issues & solutions Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.  Budget: Critical Analysis of Fiscal Consolidation Context: The Union Budget for FY23 has projected a fiscal deficit of 6.4% of nominal GDP, a narrowing from the 6.9% assumed in the revised estimates of FY22. Finance Minister said the move was consistent with the broad path of fiscal consolidation announced in 2021 in order to reach a fiscal deficit level below 4.5% by 2025-26.  What was the economic context to this year’s Budget formulation? Sharper reduction in Labour Incomes: Though every economic crisis involves sharp reduction in output growth rate, the uniqueness of the present crisis in India lies in the sharper reduction in labour income as compared to profits.  Low Consumption: The consequent reduction in income share of labour was associated with fall in consumption-GDP ratio as well as absolute value of consumption expenditure during the pandemic.  While the GDP in 2021-22 is estimated to attain the pre-pandemic level, real consumption expenditure remains to be lower as compared to 2019-20. Pre-Pandemic Slowdown: The slowdown during the pandemic was itself preceded by what turned out to be the longest episode of growth slowdown in the Indian economy since the liberalisation period. What were the broad challenges with the budget 2022? The first challenge is specific to the pandemic and pertained to the need of undertaking policies that boosts labour income and consumption expenditure.  The second challenge pertained to addressing the structural constraints of the Indian economy that restricted growth even during the pre-pandemic period. How has the Budget fared in this backdrop and what are the key shortcomings? Continuing with the objective of fiscal consolidation, the Budget falls short of addressing both the above said challenges. There are three distinct features of this fiscal consolidation process.  1. Revenue Expenditure Cut Down as path for Fiscal Consolidation Firstly, while share of revenue and non-debt receipts in GDP has remained more or less unchanged, the objective of fiscal consolidation has been sought to be achieved primarily by reducing the expenditure-GDP ratio (see figure 1).  The brunt of this expenditure compression fell on revenue expenditure.  The allocation of capital expenditure as a share of GDP has been marginally increased in 2022-23 as compared to 2021-22. Additional capital expenditure could be financed either by postponing fiscal consolidation process or by increasing revenue. However, the budget has sought to increase capital expenditure and achieve fiscal consolidation by reducing the allocation for revenue expenditure-GDP ratio. 2. Labour Income not given boost Secondly, since the bulk of the revenue expenditure comprises of expenses in social and economic services like subsidies, reduction in the allocation for revenue expenditure has adversely affected the income and livelihood of labour (see figure 2).  For example, allocation for both agriculture and allied activities and rural development registered a sharp decline in nominal absolute terms in 2022-23 as compared to 2021-22.  3. Increased Tax Concessions Thirdly, despite sharp increase in profits during the pandemic, the corporate tax-GDP ratio has continued to remain below the 2018-19 level due to tax concessions.  The last decade registered a sharp rise in the share of corporate tax concessions in GDP, which reached its peak at 3.9% by 2020-21 (see figure 3).  As a result, corporate tax-GDP ratio registered a decline particularly since 2018-19 when corporate tax-ratio declined sharply from 3.5% to 2.7%.  Despite the objective of fiscal consolidation, the corporate tax ratio continues to remain low and restrict revenue receipts. What are the implications for development spending? The objective of fiscal consolidation along with the inability to increase revenue receipts has posed a constraint on development expenditure.  With non-development expenditure comprising of interest payments, administrative expenditure and various other components, the brunt of expenditure compression has fallen on development expenditure. Figure 4 shows the trend in share of centre’s development expenditure (development expenditure is calculated as the sum of expenditures on social services and economic services) in GDP since 2008-09.  While the decade of 2010s was characterised by different governments meeting fiscal targets by adjusting their expenditure, it registered a sharp decline in the development expenditure ratio till the advent of the pandemic in 2019-20.  The fiscal stimulus implemented in the first year of the pandemic brought about a brief recovery in 2020-21.  The fiscal consolidation strategy carried out in the last years has once again led the development expenditure ratio to slide downward. The reduction in the allocation for development expenditure ratio for 2022-23 reflects reduction in the allocation for food subsidies, national rural employment guarantee program, expenditure in agriculture, rural development and social sector. The reduction in the allocation for development expenditure would have adverse impact on labour income and consumption expenditure.  The positive impact of higher capital expenditure on the recovery process would be largely curtailed by the adverse impact of more than proportionate fall in revenue expenditure. What are the prospects of export-led growth? Given the fiscal consolidation strategy of the Government, the prospect and extent of economic revival at the present remains heavily dependent on external demand.  Despite the limited recovery in exports in the last few quarters, the possibility of sustained economic recovery relying exclusively on the export channel appears to be bleak at the present as different countries have already started pursuing fiscal consolidation.  Conclusion  What the Indian economy lacks at the moment is an effective policy instrument that can boost labour income and aggregate demand.  Can you attempt this? Analyse the relevance of FRBM Act for a developing economy like India. Also elaborate on the recommendations of the N K Singh panel in this regard (Down to Earth: Agriculture) Feb 1: Union Budget 2022-23: Agriculture sees little cause for cheer - https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/agriculture/union-budget-2022-23-how-will-kisan-drones-benefit-farmers-experts-ask-81371   TOPIC: GS-3: Agriculture Union Budget 2022-23: Agriculture sees little cause for cheer Context: Union Budget 2022-23 released February 1, saw limited focus on the agriculture sector and related policies.  What did the Budget say? The overall allocation increased by a meagre 4.4 per cent for the year, even as important schemes for crop insurance and minimum support price (MSP) saw a drastic slashing of funds.  The Budget speech saw no mention of the Union government’s ambitious plan to double farm incomes, which reaches its deadline this year (2022). The overall allocation for the sector increased marginally to Rs 132,513.62 crore in 2022-23, from the 2021-22 revised estimates (RE) of Rs 126,807.86 crore. However, the Market Intervention Scheme and Price Support Scheme (MIS-PSS) was allocated Rs 1,500 crore, 62 per cent less than Rs 3,959.61 crore in revised estimates (RE) of FY 2021-22. The Pradhan Mantri-Annadata Aya Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) saw an even deeper cut. It was allocated just Rs 1 crore for the year as against an expenditure of Rs 400 crore in 2021-22. Both schemes ensure MSP-based procurement operations in the country, especially for pulses and oilseeds. Cut in the Pradhan Mantri-Annadata Aya Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) The reductions come at a time when an assured MSP continues to be one of the key demands of farm unions that ended their year-long protest against the Union government’s three agricultural laws related to marketing reforms and stocking of essential commodities. The protest ended on the Centre’s assurance that a committee on MSP would be established. Either the government is anticipating that prices of pulses and oilseeds will remain expensive (due to the ongoing food inflation) in 2022-23 and will not be sold at MSP The other reason could be that it is looking to wind up the scheme — an indication that is not faring well. But the low allocation is questionable on the grounds that the government has been saying that it will procure under MSP and talking about nutrition security. Cut in the food and nutritionál security The Budget document mentions an aim to provide special emphasis on pulses and nutri cereals, beyond 2021-22, to achieve self-sufficiency in these crops along with nutritional security. However, even allocation under food and nutritionál security has come down to Rs 1,395 crore from Rs 1,540 crore in RE 2021-22. The ‘Distribution of Pulses to state / Union territories for Welfare Schemes’ that aims to dispose pulses procured for utilisation under midday meals, public distribution system, among others, saw an allocation of just Rs 9 crore. The 2021-22 budget estimate for the same was Rs 300 crore but actual expenditure was Rs 50 crore. This shows that the government is not anticipating procurement and distribution of pulses at MSP. 16.3 million farmers benefited from 120.8 million tonnes of paddy and wheat procurement at MSP in 2021-22. This is a reduction from the 19.7 million farmers that benefited from procurement of 128.6 million tonnes in 2021. The Rs 2.37 lakh made in direct payments for the procurement is also less than the Rs 2.48 lakh crore made in 2020-21. Other Cuts Allocation for Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) or crop insurance scheme was also reduced marginally to Rs 15,500 crore for this year from Rs 15,989 crore in 2021-22. This is significant in the backdrop of a gradual fall in the number of farmers under the scheme as they do not find it useful. Allocation to the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) increased to Rs 500 crore in 2022-23 from Rs 200 crore in RE for 2021-22. It was, however, Rs 900 crore in last year’s budget estimate. The Rs 1 lakh crore AIF was announced in May 2020 as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan and was meant for spending over the subsequent six years. However, experts said its dismal expenditure indicated poor implementation. Bright Spot: Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) & PM-KISAN The programme has been restructured to include schemes like: Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna-Per Drop More Crop Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna National Project on Soil and Health Fertility Rainfed Area Development and Climate Change Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization including Management of Crop Residue These schemes were earlier a part of the Green Revolution programme. This scheme has been running since 2007-08 and allocations had reduced over the years. But the government has resurrected it in this budget, which is a welcome step. The scheme will give more autonomy to states and they can prioritise their spending under this. Allocation under PM-KISAN, which provides income support by way of cash benefit to all land holding farmers, has also increased marginally to Rs 68,000 crore from Rs 67,500 crore last year. Can you answer the following questions? Does agriculture see little cause for cheer in this year’s budget? Discuss (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Q.1 Consider the following statements regarding Supercomputer Param Pravega? It is the first supercomputer designed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).  It was developed under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM).  Which of the above is or are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding PRASHAD scheme:  It was launched by Ministry of Education The destination of Punaura Dham has been recently included under PRASHAD Scheme which is located in Bihar. Which of the above is or are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  Q.3 Statue of equality is a gigantic statue of Which of the following?  Raja Rammohan Roy Ramanujacharya Mahatma Gandhi  Lala Lajpat Rai ANSWERS FOR 4th Feb 2022 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 B 2 B 3 B Must Read On India-China relations: The Hindu On crypto assets and regulation: The Hindu On anti-scientific beliefs: Indian Express

[INTERVIEW INITIATIVE] Think, Rethink and Perform (TRP) [DAY 2] 2021 for UPSC/IAS Personality Test!

ARCHIVES (of TRP) - > CLICK HERE Those who have appeared for UPSC Mains 2021, fill up the Google form given below. Students who fill the form will be added to a telegram group so that there can be healthy discussions with other students who will be appearing for the Interview/Personality Test. Also, Mohan sir, Bureaucrats and Ex-Bureaucrats will be interacting one on one with all the students who will be appearing for the same. REGISTER HERE – CLICK HERE   Interview Discussion: Think, Rethink and Perform; (TRP)- Day 2 Set 1: Ask these questions to yourself; contemplate and come out with a concrete answer (not to be discussed on this forum). Invest at least 30 minutes on this set of questions.  What will be your order of priority in life among the following- money, family, love and success? Why? Will you compromise one over the other.  What will a career in the civil services give you from the above? Can you achieve all of them?  What if you don’t qualify for the civil services? Will you be able to achieve the above? Do you have a back up plan? Think about it.  Set 2: Analyse the following issue:  We often come across stories of police brutality over innocent citizens including students. Can you think and come up with the main factors responsible for such behaviour? Please don’t be biased in your assessment. Be empathetic and try to develop a reasoned response.  Once you have identified the responsible factors, can you suggest some concrete measures to address those?  We expect you to discuss the above question (Set 2) in the comments below and come out with a balanced view of the issues. Thank You IASbaba

IASbaba’s Think Learn Perform (TLP - Phase 1) 2022 - UPSC Mains Answer Writing General Studies Paper 4 Questions [4th February, 2022] – Day 5

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Everyone,  TLP being an integral formula for success for many toppers over the years including Rank 1 is no secret. In their ‘must to-do' list for the UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination, TLP by far occupies the first place. The popularity stems from the unparalleled quality of questions and synopsis posted in TLP. We strive hard to ensure that you get the real feel of UPSC standard before you write the actual Mains. You already know the features of TLP. Just to reiterate briefly, we will post 3 questions daily for a certain number of weeks (12 for this one). We follow a micro plan that is designed to give you daily targets. The questions are from the day’s syllabus and also from current affairs and you are expected to write the answers and post them on the portal. From this year we have integrated the TLP free answer writing page in the main website itself, unlike previous years. So all the answers should be posted under the questions for the evaluation.   Join our bandwagon, you won’t regret it. To Know More about TLP  -> CLICK HERE Note: Click on Each Question (Link), it will open in a new tab and then Answer respective questions! 1. Do you think morality can always be upheld by a public servant? What if moral behavior is inconsistent with the law? Comment. (10 Marks) क्या आपको लगता है कि नैतिकता हमेशा एक लोक सेवक द्वारा कायम रखी जा सकती है? क्या होगा यदि नैतिक व्यवहार कानून के साथ असंगत है? टिप्पणी करें। 2. What do you understand by journalistic ethics? Explain with the help of suitable examples. (10 Marks) पत्रकारिता नैतिकता से आप क्या समझते हैं? उपयुक्त उदाहरणों की सहायता से स्पष्ट कीजिए। 3. What do you understand by the term ‘k shaped recovery’? Explain. Discuss the recent context in which it was used. (15 Marks) 'k शेप्ड रिकवरी' शब्द से आप क्या समझते हैं? समझाएं। उस हाल के संदर्भ की चर्चा कीजिए जिसमें इसका उपयोग किया गया था। P.S: The review from IASbaba will happen from the time every day. We would also encourage peer reviews. So friends get actively involved and start reviewing each other's answers. This will keep the entire community motivated. All the Best :)