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[ADMISSIONS OPEN] ILP 2022- INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAM – The Most Comprehensive and Trusted ONLINE Course for UPSC 2022

It feels as if the journey has just started. These six years felt like a breeze, blowing past us in a jiffy. And we are really proud of what we have achieved in these six years. With a million-plus followers, IASbaba has become the common denominator in the success of thousands of candidates. With hundreds of top rankers from IASbaba, we are in a state of delight for what we have done for the student community. But this wouldn’t have been possible without you. In your success lies the success of IASbaba, in your faith lies our determination to walk the extra mile and, in your support, lies our resolve to always keep getting better. We take this moment to express our sincere gratitude to all the UPSC aspirants who have shown unwavering faith and love towards IASbaba. We owe you everything. Thank you so much. Today, we present you the most awaited initiative of 2021. Yes! We are talking about the most popular flagship initiative of IASbaba for the last 5 years, the one which we are highly proud of – the Integrated Learning Program (ILP), a name synonymous with much improved chances of success in the civil services. With more than 300 ranks in the last 5 years, ILP has become the most preferred choice of civil service aspirants. ILP is the result of constant improvement, with each of us creating content and designing routines to make the program highly relevant, impactful and lucid. ILP as a product has several components, each designed meticulously by a team of experts to ensure that you receive the best content and guidance. ILP has a unique self-assessment paradigm integrated with the program that keeps you on your toes, always testing your commitment to the process and outcomes. That is what we call as ‘smart’ in this context. Simply put, when you have well defined targets to achieve and there are a number of people who are aware of your commitment, you always strive to stick to it, whether willingly or out of fear of embarrassment. Frankly, it doesn’t matter. We ensure in the program that you constantly get reminded of the targets through daily routine, micro study plan and regular assessments. While there are many unique features of ILP (which are described in detail later), the presence of a community where thousands of dedicated and like-minded candidates compete makes a huge impact. We have supported thousands of candidates through ILP in the last 5-6 years. Each year we add many novel features to our offerings. This year also, we have introduced several new features to help you traverse the UPSC journey with ease and fun. As you go through the remaining write up, we expect you to keep the ‘smartness’ paradigm in mind. You will realise that each feature of ILP contributes towards this paradigm. Use it to your advantage and we are sure of your success.For More Details - CLICK HERE

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 18th June 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) OFB corporatisation gets Cabinet approval Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III - Defence and security  In news The Union Cabinet approved a plan to corporatise the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). OFB has 41 factories which will be divided into seven fully government owned corporate entities on the lines of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSU). Once implemented, the OFB will cease to exist. There will be no change in service conditions  of the employees Benefits of the approval Make the country self-sufficient in defence manufacturing Transform the ordnance factories into productive and profitable assets, Deepened specialisation in the product range Enhanced competitiveness Improved quality  Help in overcoming various existing shortcomings like eliminating inefficient supply chains  Tamil Nadu industrial corridor Part of: GS Prelims and GS -II – International relations and GS-III - Infrastructure In news The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $484 million loan to improve transport connectivity and facilitate industrial development in the Chennai–Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKIC) in Tamil Nadu. CKIC is part of India’s East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC). It stretches from West Bengal to Tamil Nadu  It connects India to the production networks of South, Southeast, and East Asia.  ADB is the lead partner of the Government of India in developing ECEC. About the CKIC The project shall provide:  seamless road connectivity across industrial clusters transport gateways and consumption centers help reduce logistics and production costs  Objective: To accelerate industrial transformation by providing essential transport, energy and urban infrastructure  It emphasises sustainability, climate change resilience, and road safety elements.  Features of the CKIC Seven-year contracts for long-term maintenance of road projects. Incorporating climate change adaptation measures in highway upgrades such as improved drainage, raised road embankments and resizing of bridges and culverts. Strengthening road safety improvement programs through advanced technologies. Pic courtesy: Wikipedia Children and Digital Dumpsites Report released by WHO  Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III - E-waste  In news The World Health Organization (WHO) in its recent report “Children and Digital Dumpsites” has highlighted the risk that children working in informal processing are facing due to discarded electronic devices or e-waste. It is the first ever WHO report on electronic waste and child health. E waste refers to old, end-of-life or discarded electronic items and their parts.  Key highlights of the report  Around 12.9 million women are working in informal waste sector exposing them to toxic e-waste (like Nickel, lead and Mercury) and put them and their unborn children at risk.  Children exposed to e waste are particularly vulnerable to the toxic chemicals they contain due to their smaller size, less developed organs and rapid rate of growth and Development.  Suggestions  Environmentally sound disposal of e-waste and safety of workers.  Monitor e waste exposure and health outcomes.  Facilitate better use of e waste Do you know? According to UN Global e waste monitor 2020 53.6 million metric tonnes of e waste was generated worldwide in 2009.  Out of this, only 17.4% of e waste was collected and recycled.  India is the third largest electronic waste generator after China and USA.  In 2016 India enacted E waste (Management) Rules under which e Waste is categorised under two broad categories: Information technology and Telecommunications equipment and consumer electrical and electronic.  Pic courtesy: Iasbaba India extends $100 mn loan to Sri Lanka for Solar Energy Projects Part of: GS Prelims and GS II - GS -II – International relations  In news  Recently, India has signed an agreement extending a USD 100 million Line of Credit (LOC) to Sri Lanka for Solar Energy projects.  The LOC is for a period of 20 years, with an interest of 1.75%. It was signed between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of India. EXIM Bank is a specialized financial institution, wholly owned by the Government of India. LOC will help Financing various projects in Sri Lanka's solar energy sector  India’s Initiatives for Global Cooperation Solar Energy International Solar Alliance (ISA): Launched by the Indian Prime Minister and the French President in 2015  ISA’ vision: To enable One World, One Sun, One Grid (OSOWOG). One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG): Focus: A framework for facilitating global cooperation, building a global ecosystem of interconnected renewable energy resources (mainly solar energy) that can be smoothly shared. Schemes for Promoting Solar Energy in India Recently, India achieved 5th global position in solar power deployment by surpassing Italy. National Solar Mission aims to establish India as a global leader in solar energy by creating the policy conditions for its deployment across the country. Rooftop Solar Scheme: To generate solar power by installing solar panels on the roof of the houses Production-linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to promote manufacturing of high efficiency solar PV modules in India. Miscellaneous New Norms on Hallmarking of Gold Recently, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution made it mandatory for the hallmarking of gold jewellery, which will be implemented in a phased manner. Hallmarking is a “guarantee of purity or fineness” of precious metal articles, which started in 2000. Earlier, it was optional for the jewellers In the first phase, jewellers having annual turnover above Rs. 40 lakh will come under its purview. The Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) operates the gold and silver hallmarking scheme in India, Till now, only 40% of gold jewellery has been hallmarked. Benefits:  Protect the public against cheating Transparency  Quality assurance  (Mains Focus) HEALTH/ SCIENCE & TECH Topic: GS-2: Issues relating to development and management of health GS-3: Awareness in the fields of IT Technology in India’s health sector Context: According to WHO “Universal health coverage (UHC) is the single most powerful concept that public health has to offer. It is a powerful social equalizer and the ultimate expression of fairness.”  Emerging technologies can be leveraged to move towards the goalpost of UHC, some of these are Robots: Hospitals can use robots to deliver medicines and food to COVID-19 patients. This helps to reduce the chances of hospital staff contracting the infection. Blockchain technology: The health blockchain would contain a complete indexed history of all medical data, including formal medical records and health data from mobile applications & wearable sensors. This can help in addressing the interoperability challenges that health information and technology systems face.  AI and the Internet of Medical Things: IoMT is defined as a connected infrastructure of medical devices, software applications, and health systems and services. IoMT can be utilized to provide health-care applications that can help in quick diagnosis of illness. Cloud computing is another application that can facilitate collaboration and data exchanges between doctors, departments, and even institutions and medical providers to enable best treatment. What are the possible challenges to above technologies? The possible constraints in this effort are  Standardisation of health data Developing a template for sharing data Reengineering many of the institutional and structural arrangements in the medical sector Organisational silos in bureaucracy Data security and Data privacy High investments Way Ahead Digital Strategy: India needs to own its digital health strategy that works and leads towards universal health coverage and person-centred care. Such a strategy should emphasise the ethical appropriateness of digital technologies, cross the digital divide, and ensure inclusion across the economy. Using Local Knowledge: In addition to robust health systems, an effective national response must also draw upon local knowledge. Primary health centres in India could examine local/traditional knowledge and experience and then use it along with modern technology. Connecting the dots: National Digital Health Mission Pandemic & inequality in Digital world Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors Deep Ocean Mission Context: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the Deep Ocean Mission of the Ministry of Earth Sciences with a view to explore the deep ocean for resources and develop deep-sea technologies for sustainable use of ocean resources. To be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 4,077 crore for a period of five years, the mission supports the blue economy initiatives of the Government of India.  Blue Economy is the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and ocean ecosystem health. Importance of Oceans for India For India, with 7,517 km long coastline, nice coastal states with 30 percent of the country's population and three sides surrounded by the oceans, the ocean is a major economic factor supporting fisheries and aquaculture, tourism, livelihoods and blue trade.  The oceans are also storehouse of food, energy, minerals, medicines. They are also modulator of weather and climate system of earth. Thus, oceanic health is important for Indian nonsoons. Oceans also provide ecosystem services like carbon sequestration, coastal protection, waste disposal and the existence of biodiversity. The Deep Ocean Mission will consist of six major components: Development of Technologies for Deep Sea Mining, and Manned Submersible:  A manned submersible will be developed to carry three people to a depth of 6,000 metres in the ocean with a suite of scientific sensors and tools.  An Integrated Mining System will also be developed for mining Polymetallic Nodules from a depth of 6,000 metres in the central Indian Ocean.  Development of Ocean Climate Change Advisory Services:  A suite of observations and models will be developed to understand and provide future projections of important climate variables on seasonal to decadal time scales under this proof of concept component.  Technological innovations for exploration and conservation of deep-sea biodiversity: The bio-prospecting of deep-sea flora and fauna including microbes and studies on sustainable utilisation of deep-sea bio-resources will be the main focus of the mission.  Deep Ocean Survey and Exploration: The primary objective of this component is to explore and identify potential sites of multi-metal Hydrothermal Sulphides mineralisation along the Indian Ocean mid-oceanic ridges.  Energy and freshwater from the ocean: Studies and detailed engineering design for offshore Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) powered desalination plant is envisaged in the concept proposal. Advanced Marine Station for Ocean Biology: This component is aimed at the development of human capacity and enterprise in ocean biology and engineering.  This component will translate research into the industrial application and product development through on-site business incubator facilities.  Conclusion One of the biggest bottleneck for this initiative is that the technologies required for deep-sea mining have strategic implications and are not commercially available. Thus, there is scope for indigenisation. Connecting the dots: Sagarmala Project Genome Mapping in Indian Ocean (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1 International Solar Alliance (ISA) was launched by Which of the following countries? India and France India and China India and USA India and Russia Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC): It stretches from Sikkim to Tamil Nadu  ADB is the lead partner of the Government of India in developing ECEC. Which of the following is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither  nor 2 Q.3 Which of the following will be the nodal Ministry for the Deep Ocean Mission (DOM)? Ministry of Environemnt Ministry of Defence Ministry of Sci and Technology Ministry of  Earth Sciences (MoES) ANSWERS FOR 17th June 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 D 2 D Must Read On Big Tech: Indian Express On Artificial Intelligence: Hindustan Times On UAPA: The Hindu

[Day 19]: UPSC PRELIMS 2021- Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series

Highlights/Features of Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series:  It is a FREE initiative! Program Duration - 120 Days (31st May, 2021 to 27th September, 2021). 1. Dedicated Portal for Focused Preparation There will be a separate dedicated portal to help you stay focused and keep your preparation streamlined for the next 120 Days. The Registration link for the dedicated portal is given at the end of the post. 2. 120 Days Integrated (Prelims + Mains) Time Table This year’s RaRe Series will include Integrated Revision Plan (IRP) where we will be syncing your mains and prelims syllabus together over next 120 Days. The Revision Plan is designed by integrating IASbaba's famous flagship initiatives - 60 Day Plan and TLP Mains Answer Writing. 3. Daily RaRe Series (RRS) Videos on High Probable Topics (Monday - Friday) In video discussions, special focus is given to topics which have high probability to appear in UPSC Prelims Question Paper. Each session will be of 20 mins to 30 mins, which would cover rapid revision of 10 high probable topics (both static and current affairs) important for Prelims Exam this year according to the schedule. 4. Daily Prelims MCQs from Static (Monday - Friday) Daily Static Quiz will cover all the topics of static subjects – Polity, History, Geography, Economics, Environment and Science and technology. 10 questions will be posted daily and these questions are framed from the topics mentioned in the schedule and in the RaRe videos. It will ensure timely and streamlined revision of your static subjects. Note: Should be integrated with the 60 Days Plan 2021. This will expose you to diverse questions from the same topics. 5. Daily Current Affairs MCQs (Monday - Saturday) Daily 5 Current Affairs questions, based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, would be published from Monday to Saturday. Note: Current Affairs questions covered in the 60 Days Plan and Daily Quiz Monthly Compilations should be covered retrospectively. 6. Daily CSAT Quiz (Monday - Friday) CSAT has been an achilles heel for many aspirants. Daily 5 CSAT Questions will be published. 7. Daily Mains Answer Writing (Monday - Friday) GS Mains will be covered along with Prelims in an integrated manner. Daily three Mains questions will be covered syllabus-wise according to the topics mentioned in the schedule. In total, it covers 250+ Mains Questions along with synopsis. 8. Brainstorming on Ethics & Essay (BEE) (Saturday & Sunday) Each week, Sunil Oberoi Sir (Retd. IAS) will take 3 sessions, two for Essay and one for Ethics. The two sessions earmarked for Essay will have a topic-based discussion where he will discuss the approach to write issue-based and philosophical essays. The topics will be picked from previous year question papers of UPSC and TLP initiative of IASbaba. 9. Full Mocks 3 GS Paper 1 Full Mocks will be provided along the lines of UPSC Prelims. 3 CSAT Paper 2 Full Mocks will be provided so that you are not overwhelmed during the D-Day. 10. Rapid Revision (RaRe) Notes Right material plays important role in clearing the exam and Rapid Revision (RaRe) Notes will have Prelims specific subject-wise refined notes. The main objective is to help students revise most important topics and that too within a very short limited time frame. Day-19 of RaRe Series - Click here To Register - Click here For complete details of the RaRe Series -  Click here

AIR

QUAD Talks and its Significance - All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC

ARCHIVES Search 13th March, 2021 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx  Topic: General Studies 2: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.  Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Background The grouping’s informal origins can be traced to 2004. In the wake of the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami, Australia, India, Japan and the US launched an ad-hoc humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) mission, which allowed them to come together operationally. Since then the four navies have worked together on several occasions. The Quad was formally initiated in 2007 at the prompting of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe. Formal Quad meetings were not possible following strong objections from China in 2007. In 2020, all four QUAD Countries - Japan, India, Australia and the USA took part in the Malabar exercise. Malabar exercise is an annual trilateral naval exercise between the navies of India, Japan, and the USA which is held alternately in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. How has the grouping evolved over time? Initial Reluctance: India’s involvement with the Quad was initially cautious due to its reluctance to join an overt anti-China coalition.  Expanded the scope: Since November 2017, the joint naval exercises of Quad members are being supplemented by extensive consultations on security issues. Elevation to Ministerial level: In September 2019, India agreed to elevate the Quad platform to ministerial level.  Possibility of Summit level: It is reported Quad would soon meet at summit level in 2021 thus signalling the importance attached to this grouping by the US administration.  During the QUAD meeting During the first-ever virtual summit on Friday, QUAD ((Quadrilateral Framework) leaders discussed regional and global issues of shared interest, and exchange views on practical areas of cooperation towards maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. A. The Quad Vaccine Partnership While ensuring that vaccines have been made available to our people, “Quad” partners will launch a landmark partnership to further accelerate the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. Together, Quad leaders are taking shared action necessary to expand safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing in 2021, and will work together to strengthen and assist countries in the Indo-Pacific with vaccination, in close coordination with the existing relevant multilateral mechanisms including WHO and COVAX. Drawing on each of their strengths, they will tackle this complex issue with multi-sectoral cooperation across many stages of action, starting with ensuring global availability of safe and effective vaccines. Quad partners are working collaboratively to achieve expanded manufacturing of safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines at facilities in India, prioritizing increased capacity for vaccines authorized by Stringent Regulatory Authorities (SRA). Quad partners will address financing and logistical demands for production, procurement, and delivery of safe and effective vaccines. They will work to use our shared tools and expertise, through mechanisms at institutions including the United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and, as appropriate, Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC), as well as others. What role will all four countries play? Australia will contribute US$77 million for the provision of vaccines and “last-mile” delivery support with a focus on Southeast Asia, in addition to its existing commitment of US$407 million for regional vaccine access and health security which will provide full vaccine coverage to nine Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste, and support procurement, prepare for vaccine delivery, and strengthen health systems in Southeast Asia. Japan will assist vaccination programs of developing countries such as the purchase of vaccines and cold-chain support including through provision of grant aid of $41 million and new concessional yen loans, ensuring alignment with and support of COVAX. The United States will leverage existing programs to further boost vaccination capability, drawing on at least $100 million in regional efforts focused on immunization. This commitment will be implemented by the launch of a senior-level Quad Vaccine Experts Group, comprised of top scientists and officials from our governments. This group will support Quad cooperation in the long term, and use science and evidence to: Design an implementation plan for the Quad COVID-19 vaccine effort; Identify hurdles impeding vaccine administration in the region; Work with financers and production facilities to monitor timely and sufficient capacity expansion that will lead to wider distribution of safe and effective vaccines; Share governmental plans to support Indo-Pacific health security and Covid-19 response, and identify practical cooperation on “last-mile” delivery for hard-to-reach communities in need; Strengthen and support the life-saving work of international organizations, including the WHO, COVAX, Gavi, CEPI, UNICEF, the G7, ASEAN, and governments, and call on other countries to do the same; Make additional concrete recommendations before the end of the year. B. The Quad Climate Working Group The climate challenge has been identified as a priority for the Quad and the Indo-Pacific region. They will establish a new Quad Climate Working Group focused on: Cooperation, both among ourselves and with other countries, to strengthen implementation of the Paris Agreement, including to keep a Paris-aligned temperature limit within reach Working together and with other countries to support, strengthen, and enhance actions globally; Committing to advancing low-emissions technology solutions to support emissions reduction; Cooperation on climate mitigation, adaptation, resilience, technology, capacity-building, and climate finance C. The Quad Critical and Emerging Technology Working Group Quad leaders recognize that a free, open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific requires that critical and emerging technology is governed and operates according to shared interests and values. In that spirit, they will convene a Critical and Emerging Technology Working Group, which will: Develop a statement of principles on technology design, development, and use; Facilitate coordination on technology standards development, including between our national technology standards bodies and working with a broad range of partners; Encourage cooperation on telecommunications deployment, diversification of equipment suppliers, and future telecommunications, including through close cooperation with our private sectors and industry; Facilitate cooperation to monitor trends and opportunities related to developments in critical and emerging technology, including biotechnology; Convene dialogues on critical technology supply chains. India’s engagement with QUAD China’s action: India’s engagement with the Quad goes back to China’s expanding footprint in South Asia and the Indian Ocean Region over the last few years. China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative was viewed as encroachments into India’s strategic space. India’s reaction: India responded with an upgradation of its naval capabilities and enhancement of ties with the Indian Ocean Region littoral states and other major powers in the region. Shared Concern with USA: Largely as a result of their shared concerns relating to the rise of China, India has been deepening its security ties with the U.S. focused on interoperability of defence equipment and training based on defence purchases, frequent land and sea exercises. Concerns for India Pulled into ambit of Indo-Pacific: The U.S.’s focus on the west Pacific due to aggressive Chinese maritime activity gradually pulled India into the ambit of the Indo-Pacific that views the western Pacific and the Indian Ocean as an integrated geopolitical space. India’s Security concerns ignored: By affiliating with the U.S.-led maritime coalition, India ignored the principal areas of its security concerns in northern borders. Recently with border clashes, China has given India a rude reminder that India’s security concerns lie in its northern borders, not the west Pacific. Divergence with US: New Delhi and Washington see eye to eye on maritime strategy, but not on what to do on the Asian mainland. Structural Issues due to QUAD’s pivot to US: The Quad has a core structural problem as well in that it pivots around the U.S. The U.S. is a super-power with global interests, but it is also self-centred in defining and pursuing its interests, even as its policies experience major shifts due to government change or domestic lobbies Doesn’t have strategic vision: Despite rhetoric relating to the promotion of a ‘rules-based’ world order (the rules being most frequently violated by the U.S. itself), the Quad neither shares a strategic vision nor is it animated by a shared agenda.  Connecting the dots: China’s Belt and Road Initiative Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) The Quad offers a great opportunity for reforming China-centred economic globalisation. Comment. 

SYNOPSIS [17th JUNE,2021] Day 114: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE   SYNOPSIS [17th JUNE,2021] Day 114: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. How do changes in the pattern of the Asian Monsoon affect various parts of the world? Explain with the help of recent examples. Approach  Introduction can be about definition of Monsoon. Explain the process of monsoon in brief. Link it with Indian and other part of world for example Australian bushfires etc,. Give a brief conclusion. Introduction  Monsoon is derived from the Arabic word ‘MAUSIM’, which means seasonal reversal of winds. Shift of ITCZ toward north in summers and change in direction of south-east trade winds once it crosses equator results into southwest monsoon. Once the land gets started cooling up the ITCZ regains its pre-summer position and there is reversal of wind resulting into retreating monsoon. Body The Asian monsoon is one of the most vigorous climatic phenomena on Earth and also one of the most societal important. The monsoon drives vital seasonal rainstorms that water crops and forests as well as damaging typhoons and floods. Research has confirmed that Monsoon in Asia is entwined with several aspects of global climate along with having an influence over the global atmospheric circulation as well.  Phenomenon: The fundamental driver of all monsoon systems is the solar heating of the land during the Spring season (February-March in India) which helps establish a land-sea temperature difference. Land heats up faster than water, causing the air to expand and lower the pressure, triggering winds from the seas to the land (wind flows from a high-pressure area to a lower-pressure area). This moisture is rained out through the process of convection (cloud-building) over the monsoonal regions, mainly India and South-East Asia, during the summer. Due to the change in season, peak solar heating moves towards the Equator and then into the Southern Hemisphere, thereby heating the adjacent ocean more than the Asian land. As a consequence, the winds reverse, and the monsoon rainfall moves to the opposite hemisphere during the Austral summer (summer in the South Hemisphere, December-February). Effect of change in pattern of the Asian monsoon on various parts of the world: Asian monsoon is considered a ‘textbook phenomenon’ clearly defined which has not changed much in the preceding century. However this process has hit an erratic front, with floods in the northwest and the northeast and rainfall deficit in southern part of the nation. Rainfall extremes have increased threefold over the last few years and now extend over all of central India – from Gujarat to Odisha. Onset of monsoon has delayed every year since 2002 and it also lasts for shorter duration, compressing the Indian monsoon. The interspersed breaks in the monsoon have increased resulting in larger drier periods in the monsoon itself. Rainfall intensity, duration, frequency and spatial distribution have significantly undergone change in the past decade or two. Cycles of droughts and floods have become more common in many parts of India and their intensity has changed over the time. e.g. Cyclone Amphan. Also now cyclones are also started to occur on the western coast of the countries. e.g. Cyclone Vayu. Areas that have traditionally received plenty of rainfall are often remaining dry, while places that are not expected to get a lot of monsoon rain have sometimes been getting flooded. The intensity and amount of rainfall over the region has increased drastically. For instance, Typhoon Kammuri in Phillipines and Flooding in parts of China. The agricultural cycle of sowing to harvesting is facing tremendous challenge as unprecedented breaks and excess rainfall in short period of time making difficulty to set sowing pattern. Many of the metro cities are receiving excessive rainfall as compared to their average normal. e.g. Recent flooding in Mumbai. Also some experts opined that Australian bushfires partly due to late monsoon ending in India. The lack of water in other areas has hit water table levels. By 2030, India is expected to require almost 1.5 trillion m3 of ground water, where the current supply is only 740 billion m3, putting a huge pressure on the river basins, which are facing challenges of their own due to fast-disappearing glaciers and reduced rainfall. The positive IOD, which warms the western basin of the Indian Ocean relative to the East, boosts an Indian monsoon and is considered the nemesis of the Australian summer monsoon. Delayed withdrawal of the Indian monsoon, with the Australian landscape primed for bushfire weather and heatwaves in summer resulted in raging bushfires witnessed in Australia this season. Conclusion Ongoing climate change has increased the unpredictability of monsoon rains, whose effects are now felt across the world. Need of the hour is a global effort, not just on paper but also in practice to arrest this climate change and save our coming generations. 2. Why are certain forests more susceptible to fires? How do local weather patterns add to this susceptibility? Explain. In this light, examine the factors that led to the recent Australian bushfires. Approach  Introduction can be either definition of forest fires, or any recent incident or new related to forest fires. In body, write the type of forests prone to fires and also what factors aid this fire. Explain factors behind Australian bushfires. Give a brief conclusion. Introduction Wildfire, also called forest, bush or vegetation fire, can be described as any uncontrolled and non-prescribed combustion or burning of plants in a natural setting such as a forest, grassland, brush land or tundra, which consumes the natural fuels and spreads based on environmental conditions (e.g., wind, topography). Wildfire can be incited by human actions, such as land clearing, extreme drought or in rare cases by lightning. Body The most common hazard in forests is forest fire. Forest fires are as old as the forests themselves. They pose a threat not only to the forest wealth but also to the entire regime to fauna and flora seriously disturbing the biodiversity and the ecology and environment of a region. As per the Sentinel-3 World Fires Atlas developed by European Space Agency (ESA), compared to August 2018, there were almost five times as many wildfires across the world in August 2019. The data revealed that 49% of the fires were detected in Asia, around 28% were detected in South America, 16% in Africa, and the remaining were recorded in North America, Europe and Oceania. Certain forests are more susceptible to fire: The bulk of forest fires occurs in the tropical dry forests, an umbrella category encompassing scrub, savanna grassland, dry and moist-deciduous forests.  Presence of fuel in certain forests make them more prone and hard to control the fire like the fires in Bandipur Tiger Reserve were immensely difficult to control because of ample fuel supplied by the alien invasive species Lantana camara. Impact of local weather conditions on forest: Lightning is the biggest natural cause of forest fires. Lightning fires are always more common immediately after dry seasons when vegetation is still dry.  Extremely hot and dry weather coupled with heat waves, can cause spontaneous combustion of dry leaves and vegetation resulting in huge forest fire in presence of fuel. In rare occurrences, volcanic activities such as eruptions and lava flow can cause fires which are difficult to put out because of the lava flow and other associated risks. Apart from weather conditions, human activities near or within forested areas are the number one cause of forest fires. Lightning, burning campfires or cigarettes, hot winds, and even the sun can all provide sufficient heat to spark a wildfire. Traditionally Indian forests have been affected by fires. Themenace has been aggravated with rising human and cattle population and the consequent increase in demand for Forest products by individuals and communities. Causes of forest fires can be divided into two broad categories: environmental (which are beyond control) and human related (which are controllable). Factors that caused Australian bushfires: Dry continent- Australia, where the summer starts around October, is known to be the most fire-prone of all continents. This is mainly because Australia is also the driest inhabited continent. Almost 70% of its area comprises arid or semi-arid land, with average annual rainfall less than 350 mm. Availability of fuel- The forests in Australia are susceptible to fires given the presence of a large volume of bark, leaf litter and other natural dry material that is consumed by the fire as fuel.  Prolonged drought- Much of Australia is facing a drought that is a result of three consecutive summers (36 months) with very little precipitation. Harshest summer- The prolonged blaze this year has coincided with Australia’s harshest summer. Parts of the country recorded their highest recorded temperature in December. Daytime temperatures were, on average, 2°C higher than normal, while the average rainfall for the country was 40% below normal. Positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)- In 2019, the problem has been compounded by the presence of one of the strongest-ever positive IOD events. Positive IOD events are often associated with a more severe fire season for South-east Australia. Delayed withdrawal of Indian monsoon- The 2019 monsoon in India started its withdrawal on October 9, against the normal date of September 1, and is the most delayed in recorded history. This led to late onset of summer monsoon in Australia resulting in prolonged increase in temperature. Wind speed- Stronger winds bring more fuel into the path of fires, allowing them to grow bigger and spread. Winds are also able to create new fires via the transference of embers, which then ignite other patches around the original fire. This process is known as ‘spotting’ and can happen up to 30km away from a fire. EFFECT OF FOREST FIRE: loss of biodiversity and extinction of plants and animals. loss of wildlife habitat and depletion of wildlife. loss of natural regeneration and reduction in forest cover. The needs of the fire management: For successful fire management and administration, a National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) and Fire Forecasting System are to be developed in the country. Prevention of human-caused fires through education and environmental modification. It will include silvicultural activities, engineering works, people participation, and education and enforcement. It is proposed that more emphasis be given to people participation through Joint Forest Fire Management for fire prevention. Conclusion Climate change has increased the frequency of extreme weather conditions and thus increased efforts are required at all fronts, enhancing disaster management capabilities, citizen awareness, adoption of cleaner technologies, geo-engineering etc. to thwart some of the risks posed by these incidents. 3. What is environmental economics? What are its key principles? With the help of suitable examples, discuss its applications in policy formulation and governance. Approach  Define environmental economics, simply write few key principles. Then discuss a few examples linked to government policies and there applications candidates can also mention few challenges in application, at last give brief conclusion. Introduction  Environmental economics is a discipline of economics that studies the economic effects of environmental policies around the world. Its main focus is on the efficient allocation of environmental and natural resources and how alternative environmental policies deal with environmental damage, such as air pollution, water quality, toxic substances, solid waste, and global warming. Body Principles of environmental economics: Valuation: Valuation is an important aspect of environmental economics, as it helps to evaluate a variety of options in managing challenges with the use of environmental and natural resources. The valuation of ecological resources is a complex process, as it is difficult to assign value to intangible benefits, such as clean air and an unpolluted environment. Market Failure:  Market failure occurs if the functioning of a perfect market is compromised; hence, it is unable to efficiently allocate scarce resources at a given price as conditions for laws of demand and supply are not met. An example can be an environmental good such as clean oceans. It is difficult to price the value of clean seas and oceans, and there exist no markets for clean water bodies where it is traded depending on the degree of cleanliness. It is a standard case of market failure. Externalities:  Externalities are inadvertent consequences of economic activity that affect people over and above those directly involved in it. Externalities are also another form of market failure. They can either be negative or positive. Cost-Benefit Analysis:  Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) involves weighing the benefits arising from a policy against the perceived benefits. Hence, the best policy is one in which there is the greatest surplus of benefits over costs. CBA starts with a base policy where no changes are made to the status quo. A time horizon is selected where the perceived costs and benefits are expected to be realized. Benefits are instances where human well-being is improved, and costs decrease human well-being. Application of environmental economics: Example of Environmental Economics A prominent contemporary example of the use of environmental economics is the cap and trade system. Companies purchase carbon offsets from developing countries or environmental organizations to make up for their carbon emissions. Another example is the use of a carbon tax to penalize industries that emit carbon. Corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) regulations are another example of environmental economics at work. These regulations are prescriptive and specify the gallons per mile of gas for cars for car makers. They were introduced during the 1970s to promote fuel efficiency in an era of gas shortages. Fuel economy standards set by the Environmental Protection Agencies are another example of the balancing act required by policy proposals related to environmental economics. Gujarat has launched the world's first "cap and trading" programme to curb particulate air pollution. Put simply, the government sets a cap on emissions and allows factories to buy and sell permits to stay below the cap. Environmental Economics Challenges: The challenge relating to environmental economics is the degree to which its findings affect other industries. Implementation of solutions proposed by environmental economists is equally difficult because of their complexity. The presence of multiple marketplaces for carbon credits is an example of the chaotic transnational implementation of ideas stemming from environmental economics. Conclusion The role of environmental economics in the design of environmental policies and their implementation is exponentially increasing. The measurement and estimation of the variables are an important aspect of environmental economics are useful for efficient allocation of environmental resources and crucial to find out if policies are yielding the intended objectives. TLP Synopsis Day 114 PDF

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 18th JUNE 2021

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

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 3 Questions [18th JUNE,2021] – Day 115

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 3 Questions [18th JUNE,2021] – Day 115 TLP (Phase 1) just got over on 8th May (Saturday) and we are extremely thankful for your active participation to make this program a success. Well, though TLP (Phase 1) got over, ‘Picture abhi baaqi hai mere dost’. There is a surprise for you. Since prelims is bound to get delayed once again this year, its not wise to leave the writing practice just now. Hence, we are extending the TLP program  We will be posting 3 questions per day (Monday to Friday). The questions will be based on Current Affairs, so that you don’t have to invest your time separately on exclusively mains oriented topics. So, keep practicing and keep improving. To Know More about TLP  -> CLICK HERE For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Note: Click on Each Question (Link), it will open in a new tab and then Answer respective questions! 1. What is India’s cyber security risk perception in the financial sector? What are the most common cyber security threats in this area? Examine. (10 Marks) वित्तीय क्षेत्र में भारत की साइबर सुरक्षा जोखिम धारणा क्या है? इस क्षेत्र में सबसे आम साइबर सुरक्षा खतरे क्या हैं? जांच करें। 2. Do you think a complete ban on single-use plastic can address the problem of pollution in a sustainable manner? Isn’t sustainable management of plastic use through the ‘reduce, reuse and recycle' approach a better way to handle pollution? Critically examine. (10 Marks) क्या आपको लगता है कि सिंगल यूज प्लास्टिक पर पूर्ण प्रतिबंध से प्रदूषण की समस्या का स्थायी तरीके से समाधान हो सकता है? क्या प्रदूषण को कम करने, पुन: उपयोग और रीसायकल ’दृष्टिकोण के माध्यम से प्लास्टिक के उपयोग का स्थायी प्रबंधन प्रदूषण से निपटने का एक बेहतर तरीका नहीं है? समालोचनात्मक जाँच करें। 3. What is sea snot? How can it affect marine ecology? Why was it in news recently? Discuss. (15 Marks) समुद्री स्नोट क्या है? यह समुद्री पारिस्थितिकी को कैसे प्रभावित कर सकता है? हाल ही में यह खबरों में क्यों था? चर्चा करें। AWARE ( Answer Writing REdefined) Series - 7 Steps to Master Answer Writing Skills by Mohan Sir - CLICK HERE P.S: The review from IASbaba will happen from the time the question is posted till 10 pm 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 :)

AIR

Prime Minister Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi and healthcare intitatives for the citizens - All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC

ARCHIVES Search 11th March, 2021 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx  TOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health In news Union Cabinet recently approved the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi (PMSSN), a single non-lapsable reserve fund for health from the proceeds of Health and Education Cess levied under Section 136-b of Finance Act, 2007. In the 2018 Budget, the Central government while announcing Ayushman Bharat Scheme, also announced replacement of existing 3% Education Cess by 4% Health and Education Cess. Major benefits of PMSSN - will enhance access to universal and affordable health care Health is vital for improved developmental outcomes. From an economic standpoint, better health improves productivity, and reduces losses due to premature death, prolonged disability and early retirement. Health and Nutrition also directly impact scholastic achievements and have a bearing on productivity and income.  Health Outcomes depend substantially on public spending on health.  One extra year of population life expectancy raises GDP per capita by 4%, Investment in health creates millions of jobs, largely for women, through a much needed expansion of the health workforce Features of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi scheme  A non-lapsable reserve fund for Health in the Public Account. Proceeds of share of health in the Health and Education Cess will be credited into PMSSN. Accruals into the PMSSN will be utilized for the flagship schemes of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare namely,  Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) Ayushman Bharat – Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) National Health Mission Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) Emergency & disaster preparedness and responses during health emergencies Any future programme/scheme that targets to achieve progress towards SDGs and the targets set out in the National Health Policy (NHP) 2017. Administration and maintenance of the PMSSN is entrusted to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. In any financial year, the expenditure on such schemes of the MoHFW would be initially incurred from the PMSSN and thereafter, from Gross Budgetary Support (GBS). Connecting the Dots: Critically examine the need for Prime Minister Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi scheme.

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 17th June 2021

(PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) 42nd Session of FAO Conference Part of: GS Prelims and  GS -II - International Relations   In news Recently, the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare addressed the 42nd session of Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Conference. The Conference takes place every two years.  India is a founder member of the FAO  Key notes from the address The Country Program Framework prepared by FAO India in collaboration with Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India has multi sectoral approach. India has been extending technical expertise and assistance in incidences of trans-boundary pests mainly Fall Army Worm and Desert Locust.  FAO also endorsed the Indian proposal for an International Year of Pulses (2016) and International Year of Millets (2023) . India has launched various projects under the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture to make agriculture resilient to adverse impacts of climate change.  India is promoting Organic farming at a large scale. Initiatives during COVID-19 by India  Indian Agriculture sector registered an all time high production of 305 million tons of food grains during COVID-19.  KISAN RAIL: Special parcel trains with refrigeration facilities were introduced to transport the essential commodities Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package was launched under which free food grains were provided to 810 million beneficiaries and the scheme has been further extended till November. PM Kisan Scheme: More than Rupees 1,37,000 Crore have been sent to the bank accounts of over 100 million farmers. Global Expansion of Nuclear Arsenal: SIPRI Report Part of: GS Prelims and GS -II - International Relations In news According to a recent report published in the SIPRI Yearbook 2021, the number of nuclear warheads which are ready and deployed have increased globally. The SIPRI Yearbook is released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) which researches international armament and conflict. Key highlights of the report  The overall number of warheads in global military stockpiles now appears to be increasing.  China is in the middle of a significant modernisation and expansion of its nuclear weapon inventory.  India and Pakistan also appear to be expanding their nuclear arsenals.  According to the year book, India possessed an estimated 156 nuclear warheads at the start of 2021 compared to 150 at the start of last year The nine nuclear armed states - the U.S., Russia, the U.K., France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea.  These countries together possessed an estimated 13,080 nuclear weapons at the start of 2021. Russia and the U.S. together possessed over 90% of global nuclear weapons  The five largest arms importers were: Saudi Arabia, India, Egypt, Australia and China. They together accounted for 36% of total arms imports. Policy for Declassification of War History Part of: GS Prelims and GS -II - Policies and interventions and GS-III - Defence and security  In news The Union Defence Minister has approved a policy on archiving, declassification, compilation and publication of war and operations histories by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). A policy on declassification of war histories was recommended by the Kargil Review Committee headed by K Subrahmanyam as well as the N.N. Vohra Committee.  Timely publication of war histories would give people accurate account of the events, help in academic research and counter the baseless rumours.  Key takeaways  A committee shall be formed for compilation of war and operations histories headed by Joint Secretary, MoD. According to the policy, records should ordinarily be declassified in 25 years.  Records older than 25 years should be appraised by archival experts and transferred to the National Archives of India after compilation.  The compiled history on wars and operations, within five years, will be for internal consumption first.  Later the committee may decide to publicly release considering the sensitivity of the subject, Declassification of older wars like the 1962 war will be taken up on case by case basis by a committee to be constituted under the new policy.  MoU for Seaplane Services in India Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III - Infrastructure  In news Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) and Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Development of Sea Plane Services in India.  Key highlights of the MoU Objective: Development of Non Scheduled/Scheduled operation of seaplane services within territorial jurisdiction of India under RCS-UDAN scheme  A Co-ordination Committee is to be set up for timely completion of operationalisation of Seaplane services at various locations. The members shall include officials of MoCA, MOPSW and Ministry of Tourism (MoT).  Benefits: Enhanced smooth connectivity by promoting eco-friendly transportation through Seaplanes.  Boost to the tourism industry. Help in expediting the development of new water aerodromes and operationalization of new seaplane routes in India.  Designated functions: MoPSW would identify and develop water front infrastructure of Aerodromes.  MoCA would carry out bidding and select potential airlines operators.  MoCA shall provide funds/financial support.  Pic courtesy: PIB Tulu Language speakers demand official language status Part of: GS Prelims and GS II - Constitution ; 8th Schedule  In news  The Tulu speakers have been requesting the governments to give it official language status and include it in the eighth schedule to the Constitution. Tulu is a Dravidian language spoken mainly in the coastal districts Dakshina Kannada and Udupi of Karnataka and Kasaragod of Kerala. Official language of the Union  Article 343 (1) state that Hindi written in the Devanagari Script is to be the official language of the Union.  Official language Act, 1963 provides for use of English in addition to Hindi for all official purposes of Union and business transactions in Parliament. Constitution does not specify the official language of different states. Legislature of each state may adopt any one or more languages used in the state or Hindi as official language of the state.  Until that is done, English will be used as official language of the state. Most States have adopted major regional language as the official language. Inclusion in the 8th Schedule  At present, there is no such Criterion for languages to be included in 8th Schedule.  Pahwa (1996) and Sitakant Mohapatra (2003) committees also failed to evolve any criteria. List of 22 languages in 8th schedule Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, SIndhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bodo, Santhali, Maithili and Dogri  Significance of inclusion under 8th Schedule Recognition as official language of the nation.  Sahitya Academy will start recognising the language.  Books would be translated into other recognised Indian languages.  Mps and MLAs could speak in this language in Parliament and state assemblies  Candidates could write all India competitive examinations like civil services exam in a scheduled language Miscellaneous Indo-Thai CORPAT Recently, the 31st edition of India-Thailand Coordinated Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT) between the Indian Navy and the Royal Thai Navy was conducted in the Andaman sea close to the Strait of Malacca. Aims:  To keep part of the Indian Ocean safe and secure for commercial shipping and international trade. To ensure effective implementation of the United Nations Conventions on Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS). Other Military Exercises between India and Thailand: Exercise MAITREE (Army). Exercise SIAM BHARAT (Air Force) (Mains Focus) GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-2: Fundamental Rights & Democracy GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Misuse of UAPA: Delhi HC bail to student activists Context: The recent Delhi High Court orders granting bail to three student activists - Asif Iqbal Tanha, Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita - jailed for over a year for their alleged role in the February 2020 riots in Delhi Do You Know? According to data provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs in Parliament, a total of 1126 cases were registered under UAPA in 2019, a sharp rise from 897 in 2015. UAPA, in relaxing timelines for the state to file chargesheets and its stringent conditions for bail, gives the state more powers compared to the Indian Penal Code. Why were student activists arrested & jailed for over a year? The three students had protested against the enactment of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). Delhi Police alleged that they had also fomented the riots and invoked Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act(UAPA) Under Section 43D(5) of the act, there is a legal bar on granting bail if the court is of the opinion that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the accusation against those held is prima facie true.  They also didn’t get bail as the provision of law are titled against accused The accused have to demonstrate to the court that the accusation is untrue.  A 2019 Supreme Court judgment bars a detailed analysis of the evidence at the bail stage and rules that bail can be denied on “the broad probabilities” of the case. These further added the burden on jailed student activists. Delhi High Court’s Bail Order ruling It has found that none of the three student activists were specifically or particularly accused of any ‘terrorist act’. Once the UAPA charges were not seen to be true, it was open to the court to admit them to regular bail and grant them the bail. New approach to grant bail: The High Court has ruled that the bail court can look at the available evidence to satisfy itself about the prima facie truth of the case. In other words, there is no statutory invincibility to the prosecution case merely because the UAPA has been invoked.  Calling out misuse of terror law: The court’s observed that the state, in its anxiety to suppress dissent, has blurred the line between the constitutionally guaranteed right to protest and “terrorist activity”. If such blurring gains traction, democracy would be in peril, The bail orders also refer to how the Supreme Court itself, in the 1994 case of Kartar Singh v State of Punjab, flagged similar concerns against the misuse of another anti-terror law, the Terrorists and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1987. Terrorism is beyond Public disorder: The Delhi HC said that the extent and reach of terrorist activity must travel beyond the effect of an ordinary crime and must not arise merely by causing disturbance of law and order or even public order; and must be such that it travels beyond the capacity of the ordinary law enforcement agencies to deal with it by ordinary law. Right to protest sacrosanct: Noting that protests against governmental and parliamentary actions were legitimate, the HC said the right to peaceful protest is not outlawed. It held that student activists protest cannot be termed as a ‘terrorist act’ within the meaning of the UAPA. Consequence of ruling on other dissenters:  High Court has made a clear distinction between those accused of offences against the country’s integrity and security on the one hand, and protesters or dissenters roped in unjustifiably under the rubric of ‘terrorism’ on the other.  If the Delhi High Court’s approach to grant bail is upheld by SC, it would help secure the liberty of other dissenters held under the UAPA elsewhere without sufficient basis. Connecting the dots: Delhi Riots & SC on Public Protests NRC+CAA SCIENCE & TECH/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-3: Awareness in the fields of IT GS-2: Judiciary Judiciary & AI Context: SUPACE- Supreme Court Portal for Assistance in Court’s Efficiency- was inaugurated recently by former CJI SA Bobde. The SUPACE follows the launch of the Supreme Court Vidhik Anuvaad Software (SUVAS), an Machine Learning(ML) tool for translating Supreme Court judgments into vernacular languages. What is SUPACE? It is an Artificial Intelligence(AI) based tool that collects relevant facts and laws and makes them available to a judge. It will produce results customized to the need of the case and the way the judge thinks. It is not designed to take decisions, but only to process facts and to make them available to judges looking for an input for a decision. Initially, it will be used on an experimental basis by the judges of Bombay and Delhi High Courts who deal with criminal matters. Other Potential Applications of AI in Judiciary Task-specific, narrowly tailored algorithms, trained through machine learning, can be deployed to automate administrative functions like scheduling hearings and creating causelists etc. Similarly, other procedural tasks which can benefit from the use of AI include interventions at the level of smart e-filing, intelligent filtering/prioritisation of cases or notifications and tracking of cases. AI tools can aid in augmenting of decision-making processes where computational tools can be used to expedite justice delivery such as those for traffic challans and motor vehicle compensation claims. Benefits of integrating AI & ML in Justice delivery Increases Speed: AI powered tools like SUPACE will not only help organise cases, it will also bring references into the judgment at a speed not seen so far. Improves Efficiency: It can unclog processes that slow justice down and increase efficiency of courts. In many cases, they ease administrative aspects of justice delivery. Lowers Pendency: Tools derived from AI could help expedite the case-flow management which in turn helps in lowering delays and pendency in courts Strengthens Right of access to Justice: AI will present a more streamlined, cost effective and time bound means to the fundamental right of access to justice. Precaution to be taken while using AI for Justice delivery  The ethical and responsible use of AI and ML for the advancement of efficiency enhancing can be increasingly embedded in legal and judicial processes.  AI powered tools help aid access to material, but should remain non-intrusive when it comes to decision making. AI and ML should assist but do not replace human decision making. The relevance of AI in justice delivery will be dependent on the availability of clear and well-labelled data sets. Thus humans have to be kept in loop to create robust necessary labelled data sets Since AI powered tools is intended to do what the human mind can do, but much more efficiently and methodically, there is apprehension of job losses which authorities needs to take care of. Connecting the dots: Women & Judiciary Language in Judiciary Judicial Administration Reform Responsible Artificial Intelligence (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1 Exercise MAITREE is conducted between Which of the following countries? India and Nepal India and China India and Vietnam India and Thailand Q.2 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution deals with? Schedule Tribes Disqualification of MPs and MLAs on the ground of defection Panchayats Recognized Official Languages ANSWERS FOR 16th June 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 B 2 A 3 D Must Read On Science & Pseudo-Science: The Hindu On FDI inflows: The Hindu On Women & Work: Deccan Herald

[Day 18]: UPSC PRELIMS 2021- Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series

Highlights/Features of Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series:  It is a FREE initiative! Program Duration - 120 Days (31st May, 2021 to 27th September, 2021). 1. Dedicated Portal for Focused Preparation There will be a separate dedicated portal to help you stay focused and keep your preparation streamlined for the next 120 Days. The Registration link for the dedicated portal is given at the end of the post. 2. 120 Days Integrated (Prelims + Mains) Time Table This year’s RaRe Series will include Integrated Revision Plan (IRP) where we will be syncing your mains and prelims syllabus together over next 120 Days. The Revision Plan is designed by integrating IASbaba's famous flagship initiatives - 60 Day Plan and TLP Mains Answer Writing. 3. Daily RaRe Series (RRS) Videos on High Probable Topics (Monday - Friday) In video discussions, special focus is given to topics which have high probability to appear in UPSC Prelims Question Paper. Each session will be of 20 mins to 30 mins, which would cover rapid revision of 10 high probable topics (both static and current affairs) important for Prelims Exam this year according to the schedule. 4. Daily Prelims MCQs from Static (Monday - Friday) Daily Static Quiz will cover all the topics of static subjects – Polity, History, Geography, Economics, Environment and Science and technology. 10 questions will be posted daily and these questions are framed from the topics mentioned in the schedule and in the RaRe videos. It will ensure timely and streamlined revision of your static subjects. Note: Should be integrated with the 60 Days Plan 2021. This will expose you to diverse questions from the same topics. 5. Daily Current Affairs MCQs (Monday - Saturday) Daily 5 Current Affairs questions, based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, would be published from Monday to Saturday. Note: Current Affairs questions covered in the 60 Days Plan and Daily Quiz Monthly Compilations should be covered retrospectively. 6. Daily CSAT Quiz (Monday - Friday) CSAT has been an achilles heel for many aspirants. Daily 5 CSAT Questions will be published. 7. Daily Mains Answer Writing (Monday - Friday) GS Mains will be covered along with Prelims in an integrated manner. Daily three Mains questions will be covered syllabus-wise according to the topics mentioned in the schedule. In total, it covers 250+ Mains Questions along with synopsis. 8. Brainstorming on Ethics & Essay (BEE) (Saturday & Sunday) Each week, Sunil Oberoi Sir (Retd. IAS) will take 3 sessions, two for Essay and one for Ethics. The two sessions earmarked for Essay will have a topic-based discussion where he will discuss the approach to write issue-based and philosophical essays. The topics will be picked from previous year question papers of UPSC and TLP initiative of IASbaba. 9. Full Mocks 3 GS Paper 1 Full Mocks will be provided along the lines of UPSC Prelims. 3 CSAT Paper 2 Full Mocks will be provided so that you are not overwhelmed during the D-Day. 10. Rapid Revision (RaRe) Notes Right material plays important role in clearing the exam and Rapid Revision (RaRe) Notes will have Prelims specific subject-wise refined notes. The main objective is to help students revise most important topics and that too within a very short limited time frame. Day-18 of RaRe Series - Click here To Register - Click here For complete details of the RaRe Series -  Click here