IASbaba's Flagship Course: Integrated Learning Programme (ILP) - 2024  Read Details

Posts

Motivational Articles

[MI-STORIES]MOTIVATIONAL AND INSPIRATIONAL STORIES - It’s not that Complicated !

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 - It’s not that Complicated !   There was once a very wise man living in ancient times. He was elderly and educated and held knowledge and books to the highest regard. One day while on a walk, he realized that his shoes were really starting to wear out. Because he spent a lot of time walking on a daily basis, he knew he had to find the best shoes to support and protect his feet. But, back then, this wasn’t such an easy task, as he couldn’t jump online to do some research and have shoes delivered to his door. The man didn’t want to make things worse by purchasing the wrong shoes and having inadequate protection, which would lead to injuries and the inability to leave his home and walk to find new books to read. The man gathered all of the books he could that were written by only those that he admired the most to search for the answer to his question, “What do I do if my shoes have fallen apart?” He read through several books for many hours before finding out that he had no choice but to go buy a new pair of shoes. He then spent a lot of time reading about how to know if a pair of shoes fits properly. Once he was satisfied with the answers he found, he was proud of himself for doing the research and he felt confident in his ability to buy a high-quality replacement for his old shoes. He figured if he hadn’t done his research, he probably would have gone barefoot for the rest of his life, as he had no one to tell him how to fix his shoes. Following the books’ instructions, the man took a stick and measured his foot with it. He then went to the market and finally came upon a pair of shoes that he liked. However, he realized he had left the stick back at home, which was far away from the shop. By the time the man returned to the market, the shop was closed. And, by that point, his shoes were completely split, so he had to return home barefoot. The next morning, he walked back to the market with bare feet, but the shoes that he had chosen the day before had been sold. The wise man explained what had happened to the shopkeeper, who reacted with a sense of surprise, asking, “Why didn’t you buy the shoes yesterday?” The wise man replied, “Because I forgot the stick that I had used to measure my feet back home. And anyone who knows anything about shoes knows that you have to have the correct measurements of your feet before you can buy shoes. I didn’t want to buy the wrong size, and I was following the normal instructions.” Even more confused, the shopkeeper asked, “But your foot was with you, why didn’t you just try the shoes on?” The wise man was equally confused in return and responded, “All the books say shoes must be bought with the exact same measurements of the shoes you already own.” Laughing, the shop owner replied “Oh, no! You don’t need the advice from books to buy shoes. You just need to have your feet, some money, and some common sense to not complicate things.” The Moral: Sometimes you need to take action without overthinking things. Knowledge often comes in handy, but in some circumstances, if you lack experience or common sense, your knowledge will only get you so far. In fact, it could make things seem a lot more complicated than they actually are. If you’re facing an issue, don’t forget to use your reasoning skills in addition to anything you’ve learned in a formal learning environment.  

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1 – ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – HOT Questions [14th May,2021] – Day 3

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1 – ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – HOT Questions [14th May,2021] – Day 3 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 for a month - HOT (High Order Thinking) Questions! With the HOT initiative, 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. Why are lithium prices surging? Discuss. What are the issues associated with lithium mining? Examine. लिथियम की कीमतें क्यों बढ़ रही हैं? चर्चा करें। लिथियम खनन से जुड़े मुद्दे क्या हैं? जांच करें। 2. Discuss the challenges associated with space debris. Examine the need of having an international regulatory regime for tackling space debris. अंतरिक्ष मलबे से जुड़ी चुनौतियों की चर्चा करें। अंतरिक्ष मलबे से निपटने के लिए एक अंतरराष्ट्रीय नियामक शासन की आवश्यकता की जांच करें। 3. Discuss the evolving trends in the geopolitics of climate change. जलवायु परिवर्तन के भू-राजनीति के तत्काल रुझानों पर चर्चा करें। 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 :)

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan - IAS Prelims Test Series 2021 - SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, CURRENT AFFAIRS & CSAT [Day 47]

For Previous (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends,  ARCHIVES OF 60 DAYS NOTE:  Let us pledge to make it a big game-changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days!  Note- Download the OMR Sheet and attempt the questions exactly like UPSC Prelims. After you are done, please post your OMR in the comment section. Once the solution key is released (around 5 PM), cross-check the answers and, comment the marks (you scored) in the same comment thread. This will keep you accountable, responsible and sincere in days to come.  You can also take part in the discussion with peers.   S&T [DAY 47] - Click Here NOTE- Follow this for Comments Mention- Time Taken after solving the Test After the release of Solution, Edit your Comment to Mention-  Correct/Incorrect and Score 2 Marks for Correct/0.66 minus for Incorrect. What IMPACT can the ‘60 Day’ have on the final results? We will explain by taking a small example. Imagine you are sitting in the examination hall, appearing in Prelims Paper I. You have attempted 70 questions already but still unsure about a few. Then you stumble upon a question that was asked in 60 Day (and believe us, it has happened to hundreds of students countless times). You choose the right answer and submit your paper hoping for the best! Eventually, you go on to clear Mains as well as Personality Test and secure a good rank as well. When the cut off gets announced by UPSC, you realize that you have scored just one mark more than the cut off! Yes, that one mark can change your life (and it has done so to many of our students in the past). Now, imagine the kind of impact 60 to 80 marks can have! Isn’t that so fascinating to imagine?   One’s level of preparedness is always different for different subjects. Even within a subject, one’s comfort level may vary with topics. For example, one might be more comfortable in solving questions of Polity than Economics and within Polity also, one might be at ease with questions on fundamental rights than Parliament. The level of comfort and ease that one has with a subject/ topic gets manifested in the examination. However, there is no conscious effort by aspirants to micro analyze these aspects. Now, coming to the second aspect i.e. the mistakes that one commits in answering MCQs, it can be said that there are mainly four reasons behind incorrect responses in the OMR sheet. They are: Lack of information Lack of analytical ability Silly mistakes Excessive risk-taking Let’s analyze them one by one: Lack of information: You simply don’t know the information. You are clueless and that’s why you don’t attempt the question. For example, you may have never come across a regime called the ‘Wassenaar Agreement’ during your preparation and you can’t do much about it. The lack of information is pardonable and rectifiable. You can read more and gather more information. That is within your reach. Lack of analytical ability: You know the concept but the question is a twisted one and you are not able to apply the concept. For example, in a question asking you to identify the climate type of a region based on certain given parameters like precipitation, temperature, and air density, you might find it difficult to mark the correct option even if you are aware of all the options given in the question! That is clearly a lack of application and you can overcome it by developing a habit of framing questions in your mind while you study any topic. Silly mistakes: This habit is unpardonable. You know the concept, you become happy, you misread the question, you mark the incorrect answer and you are out of the race! Such mistakes reveal your hurriedness while answering the question. A simple mistake of reading ‘chose the incorrect option’ as ‘chose the correct option’ can destroy your chances. It means that you need to have patience and focus while attempting the paper. Excessive risk-taking: You are confused between the options and just in order to increase your attempts, you make wild guesses and try your luck only to repent eventually. Risk-taking is an art and one must be very careful while doing the guesswork in confusing questions. If you are not lucky enough, it can spoil your chances. You will realize that these problems will have different meanings for different people. For example, one might find a lack of information as the main culprit in answering wrong the questions on Culture while in Polity, lack of analytical ability is usually the culprit. The point here is that you must analyse your preparation on these yardsticks by applying them on different subjects/ topics. If one is having a headache, he/ she can’t have the same medicine for fever. Isn’t it. This is where our revamped '60 Day’ comes into the picture. It will give you an opportunity to micro analyze your preparation and perform better in the examination. Finally, it is up to you to take advantage of this framework. We are sure of only one thing- if you follow this program, assess yourself on the basis of the given framework and keep improving your weaker areas, success will be yours. We are providing you with the right platform, the right guidance, and the right competition. Do you have the right motivation to make full use of this initiative? We think you have. Come, be a part of this initiative and take the first step towards SUCCESS! Importance of self - tracking: We could have provided all of you with login id and passwords to monitor your daily performance in the 60-day program. Instead, a simple and most beautiful way which Disqus provides is profile based commenting! Yes, we have seen the most successful candidates who have taken the maximum benefit from this program monitoring themselves by commenting on their answers in the box given (Disqus comment). And reviewing their performance themselves once in 10 days on the progress meter.  DOWNLOAD THE 60 DAYS PLAN 2021   All the Best!  IASbaba  

Important Articles

[STRATEGY VIDEO] UPSC Prelims 2021 Postponed – What Should be your Strategy for the Next 5 Months? By Mohan Sir

Dear Students, The Final wait is over! Just a day before, UPSC has confirmed that the Prelims exam would be held on 10th October 2021. So the next obvious question is – What Should be your Strategy for the Next 5 Months? (Or) How to use these 5 Months effectively? There are 6 Smart Things you should do now! Watch the complete video by Mohan Sir (Founder, IASbaba) for the Practical Planning, (2+3) Strategy, and 6 Smart Things you should do now to effectively utilise the next 5 Months.

IASbaba's Courses

[IMPORTANT UPDATE] Baba's Foundation Course (FC) 2022 ONLINE SCHOLARSHIP to COVID Warriors!

Dear Students, As we find ourselves in the middle of a devastating pandemic, it is natural to lose hope. No words can explain the misery inflicted on families who have lost their loved ones. When things get back to normal and families reunite, things will never be the same again. People will be missed at dinner tables, in festivals, office meetings, and college get-togethers. There is nothing in the world that can fill in the void created by the brutal and untimely loss of lives. With deep sorrow in our hearts, we pray for the departed souls. While any level of assistance can’t compensate for the irreparable loss of lives, the least we can do is to ensure that the dreams of those who have lost their parents to the pandemic aren’t compromised. Therefore, we have decided to extend 50% funding for Baba's Foundation Course 2022 (ONLINE) to all such aspirants who had to suffer the tragic loss of any of their parents. We understand that you have a dream and we would like to make a small contribution towards its realization. Please consider it a tribute to the sacrifices made by your parents. We sincerely hope that you fulfill your dreams and make them proud. While we mourn the loss of our loved ones, we can’t forget the struggle of numerous those who are bravely fighting the pandemic. If you are reading this and you have defeated the disease, you must be grateful to the frontline COVID warriors working tirelessly to keep hopes alive. From doctors who are on duty 24X7 to medical staff who go hungry and thirsty for hours to serve patients, we have witnessed real-life superheroes saving thousands of lives. IASbaba salutes their spirit. We are aware that many frontline COVID warriors aspire to become civil servants. We are indebted for your selfless service to the society. To help you realize your cherished dream, we are extending 50% funding for Baba's  Foundation Course 2022 (ONLINE) to all the frontline COVID warriors. You have served us, let us serve you now. Finally, one must understand that acts of heroism are not confined to certain professions only. Individual acts of heroism inspire collective action and create a better society. The individuals who have recovered from COVID and donated their plasma deserve appreciation. If you are one of them, you have saved a precious life and that is a huge achievement. Let us show our gratitude by offering you 50% funding for Baba's  Foundation Course 2022 (ONLINE). We sincerely hope that this award will inspire you to keep doing the good work and always be the good human being that you are. To Know More About the Scholarship write to us at support@iasbaba.com For Complete Details of Baba's Foundation Course (Baba's FC 2022) - CLICK HERE Thanks and All the Best :) IASbaba Team 

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 14th May 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Indian Researchers sequence pangolin scales Part of: GS Prelims and GS - III -  Environment In news Indian Researchers have sequenced 624 pangolin scales, thereby categorising the Indian and Chinese pangolins. Key takeaways Pangolins, despite being listed in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 continue to be the world’s most trafficked mammal. The primary demand for its scales in the making of traditional East Asian medicines has led to an estimated illegal trade worth $2.5 billion every year. To enforce the appropriate national and international laws and to track the decline of the species, researchers of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kolkata, have now developed tools to tell apart the scales of Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) and Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla). They characterised the morphological features and investigated genetic variations between the two species by sequencing 624 scales of pangolins and comparing the sequences with all eight pangolin species. Based on the size, shape, weight and ridge counts on the scales, the team was able to categorise the two species of Indian and Chinese pangolins. Though the Chinese pangolin is distributed mostly in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, the north-eastern part of India is also its home. SWAMIH completes its first residential project. Part of: GS Prelims and GS - II - Policies and governance In news Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs handed over possession to homebuyers as Special Window for Affordable & Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) Fund completes its first residential project. Key takeaways The residential project - Rivali Park, located in suburban Mumbai, was the first housing project in India to have received funding under the SWAMIH Fund.  The SWAMIH Fund was launched in 2019.  Rivali Park Wintergreens is the first investment by the Fund and is also the first project to get completed. The SWAMIH Investment Fund is one of the largest private equity teams in India and has done commendable work despite COVID-19 related restrictions. The Fund is targeting to complete an aggregate of 1,16,600 homes. This Fund is bridging the trust deficit between homebuyers and developers by completing construction and delivering homes without depending on any other source of finance. Smokeless Cremation system developed Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III - Sci & tech In news Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar has developed a prototype of a moveable electric cremation system which claims to be using first of its kind technology that involves smokeless cremation despite using wood. Key takeaways It uses half of the wood otherwise required for the cremation. It is eco-friendly because of the technology that uses the combustion air system. It is based on wick-stove technology in which the wick when lighted glows yellow.  This is converted into smokeless blue flame with the help of combustion air system installed over the wicks. The cremation system or incinerator heats up at 1044 degree Celsius which ensures complete sterilization. Keeping in view the present pandemic situation, if this system is adopted, it may provide respectable cremation to the near and dear ones of those who cannot afford the financial burden of arranging wood. Idea of placing convicts under house arrest Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Legislature; Judiciary  In news The Supreme Court has thrown open the door to the legislature to “ponder” over the idea of placing convicts under house arrest to avoid overcrowding of prisons. Key takeaways  A Bench of Justices U.U. Lalit and K.M. Joseph, in a judgment, highlighted the “alarming” statistics of prisons. The suggestion is relevant considering the spread of COVID-19. A few days ago, a Bench, led by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana, issued a series of directions, including the grant of interim bail and parole to prisoners to decongest prisons. The occupancy rate in prisons had climbed to 118.5% in 2019.  National Crime Records Bureau’s figures of 2019 show that 18,86,092 inmates were admitted in jails. The number of undertrial prisoners in 2019 was 3,30,487, which, in fact, constituted 69.05% of the total number of prisoners.  Secondly, a very large sum (₹6818.1 crore) was the budget for prisons. The “tremendous” overcrowding of prisons and the huge budget were both relevant in the context of the possibilities that house arrest offers.  (Mains Focus) INTERNATIONAL/ HEALTH Topic: GS-2: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.  Reforms needed in WHO Context:  Recently, a report released by an independent panel co-chaired by former New Zealand PM Helen Clark linked the severity of the global outbreak to deficiencies across governments, the WHO and other multilateral organisations. Issues raised by the Panel Late warning: In the first weeks of the pandemic, the WHO could have warned countries to assume that the SARS-CoV-2 virus was spreading among people, as a precaution Late Declaration of Pandemic: WHO also could have declared the outbreak in Wuhan, China, a public health emergency of international concern — the highest level of global alert — earlier by at least January 22, 2020. Weak Body: The WHO should have the power to investigate outbreaks speedily, with guaranteed rights of access and with the ability to publish information without waiting for a member state’s approval (China) A month of lost opportunity: Most countries failed to heed the warning, choosing to “wait and see,” rather than take firmer measures that could have contained the virus. Need for greater role by International Organisations: WHO and WTO should help broker an agreement among major vaccine-producing countries and manufacturers on voluntary licensing and transferring vaccine technology to third parties. Need for specialised Council: The panel also called for the creation of a Global Health Threats Council that will maintain political commitment to pandemic preparedness and response and hold actors accountable A Pandemic Framework Convention within six months was recommended by the Panel to address gaps in international regulations, and to clarify responsibilities between states and international organisations Changes in Financing: An international pandemic-financing facility is needed that is capable of disbursing $5 billion to $10 billion a year for preparedness and $50 billion to $100 billion in the event of a crisis The panel also recommended single, seven-year term for the WHO director-general and regional directors. Conclusion Covid-19 is the 21st century’s Chernobyl moment — not because a disease outbreak is like a nuclear accident, but because it has shown so clearly the gravity of the threat to our health and well-being. Connecting the dots: WHO and its funding (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 National Crime Records Bureau comes under which of the following Ministry? Ministry of Defence Ministry of urban affairs Ministry of Home affairs None of the above Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding Special Window for Affordable & Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) Fund:  Rivali Park Wintergreens is the first project to get completed located in Rajasthan. The SWAMIH Investment Fund is one of the largest private equity teams in India. Which of the above is/are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  Q.3 Consider the following statements regarding Pangolins: Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked mammal. They are listed in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 of India. Which of the above is/are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  ANSWERS FOR 13th May 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 C 3 A Must Read On reforming medical education: The Hindu On Ethics in Ed-Tech: The Hindu On Israel’s action against Palestinians: Indian Express

AIR

Guidelines for Social Media Platform - All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC

ARCHIVES Search 25th February, 2021 Spotlight News Analysis here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. GS-3: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges In News: Amid the ongoing row with Twitter over the delay in the suspension of several accounts, the Union government informed Parliament that it is in the process of amending rules pertaining to the Information and Technology sector so that social media platforms could be made more responsive and accountable to Indian laws. The government stated that the new rules will also ensure digital media platforms adhere to the Code of Ethics.  The announcement came shortly after Union Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told the Rajya Sabha that the government will not shy away from acting against social media platforms if they are misused to spread fake news and incite violence.  A spat has been going on between Twitter and the Indian government over a suspension list, which contains mention of over 1000 accounts that need to be suspended or at least blocked in India for spreading fake news and hatred on ongoing farmers’ protest in the country. The social media firm has refused to act against all the accounts mentioned in the list, stating that it will not suspend accounts that belong to the media, journalists and activists to uphold freedom of speech and expression. Legitimate Voices: Twitter has said that the government’s blocking list had accounts of journalists, activists, and politicians whose accounts appear to be bonafide; that their posts are legitimate expression Disproportionate Order: Twitter has said that it reasonably believes that keeping them blocked would be a disproportionate act contrary to both Indian law and the platform’s charter objectives. Centre’s Notice to Twitter Background of the Notice issued Farmer protest & Social Media Campaign: The issue pertains to tweets put out by some handles on the ongoing farmer protests as also a hashtag that suggested that a farmer genocide was being planned.  Reaction by Ministry: The Ministry of Electronics and IT ordered these handles (257 URLs and one hashtag) to be blocked on the grounds that they were spreading dangerous misinformation about the protests.  Twitter’s Response: Twitter initially complied with the order but then restored these tweets and handles, which included those of media houses.  Basis of Government’s Order: The Government’s initial order was issued under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. What is Section 69A of IT Act, 2000? It empowers the government to direct an intermediary to block any information for public access in the interest of  sovereignty and integrity of India defence of India security of the State Friendly relations with foreign States  Public order or  Preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence relating to above This is the same Section under which hundreds of Chinese apps have been banned in recent months. Are platforms required to comply with government requests? Cooperation between technology services companies and law enforcement agencies is now deemed a vital part of fighting cybercrime, and various other crimes that are committed using computer resources.  These cover hacking, digital impersonation and theft of data.  The potential of the Internet and its offshoots such as mail and messaging services and social media networks to disseminate potentially harmful content such as hate speech, rumours, inflammatory and provocative messages and child pornography, has led to law enforcement officials constantly seeking to curb the ill-effects of using the medium.  Therefore, most nations have framed laws mandating cooperation by Internet service providers or web hosting service providers and other intermediaries to cooperate with law and order authorities in certain circumstances. What does the law in India cover? In India, the Information Technology Act, 2000, as amended from time to time, governs all activities related to the use of computer resources.  It covers all ‘intermediaries’ who play a role in the use of computer resources and electronic records.  The term ‘intermediaries’ includes providers of telecom service, network service, Internet service and web hosting, besides search engines, online payment and auction sites, online marketplaces and cyber cafes.  It includes any person who, on behalf of another, “receives, stores or transmits” any electronic record. Social media platforms would fall under this definition. Section 69 of the Act confers on the Central and State governments the power to issue directions “to intercept, monitor or decrypt…any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource”.  How does the government block websites and networks? Section 69A, for similar reasons and grounds on which it can intercept or monitor information, enables the Centre to ask any agency of the government, or any intermediary, to block access to the public of any information generated, transmitted, received or stored or hosted on any computer resource.  Any such request for blocking access must be based on reasons given in writing. Procedures and safeguards have been incorporated in the rules framed for the purpose. What are the obligations of intermediaries under Indian law? Intermediaries are required to preserve and retain specified information in a manner and format prescribed by the Centre for a specified duration. Contravention of this provision may attract a prison term that may go up to three years, besides a fine. When a direction is given for monitoring, interception or decryption, the intermediary, and any person in charge of a computer resource, should extend technical assistance in the form of giving access or securing access to the resource involved, and must comply with the request to intercept or monitor or decrypt the information concerned.  Failure to extend such assistance may entail a prison term of up to seven years, besides a fine.  Failure to comply with a direction to block access to the public on a government’s written request also attracts a prison term of up to seven years, besides a fine. The Act also empowers the government to collect and monitor data on traffic. When an authorised agency asks for technical assistance in this regard, the intermediary must comply with the request. Non-compliance may lead to a prison term of up to three years, besides a fine. Is the liability of the intermediary absolute? No, Section 79 of the Act makes it clear that “an intermediary shall not be liable for any third-party information, data, or communication link made available or hosted by him”.  This section protects intermediaries such as Internet and data service providers and those hosting websites from being made liable for content that users may post or generate. However, the exemption from liability does not apply if there is evidence that the intermediary abetted or induced the commission of the unlawful act involved.  Also, the provision casts a responsibility on intermediaries to remove the offensive content or block access to it upon getting “actual knowledge” of an unlawful act being committed using their resources, or as soon as it is brought to their notice. In Shreya Singhal vs U.O.I (2015), the Supreme Court read down the provision to mean that the intermediaries ought to act only “upon receiving actual knowledge that a court order has been passed, asking [them] to expeditiously remove or disable access to certain material”.  This was because the court felt that intermediaries such as Google or Facebook may receive millions of requests, and it may not be possible for them to judge which of these were legitimate. Critical Analysis of the issue Provocation over Social media can lead to violence: In a very sensitive setting, one that at least at one point was simmering with the potential for large-scale violence, provocation of any kind using social media platforms is unacceptable. Hence, regulation of internet intermediaries by government for the maintenance of Public Order & Peace is essential. Twitter’s action is slippery slope: The world over, technology platforms have enough safeguards to act as intermediaries without being liable for the content that is published. But Twitter’s act of defying the orders as per the law means it is on slippery territory.  Section 69 Upheld by SC: Though the use of Section 69A has been often criticised for the secrecy surrounding the process, it was upheld by the Supreme Court in the landmark Shreya Singhal vs Union of India (2015). Hashtag cannot be defended on grounds of Article 19(1)(a): While there are many grounds on which this Government’s handling of the farm protests can be criticised, it can be said that the hashtag that it wanted blocked was not merely distasteful but seriously problematic, and indefensible on the grounds of freedom of speech.  Global Issues and the Way Forward No one country or corporation in the free world can credibly preach to others on the right path to digital salvation. Democratic forces need to consult each other and collaborate in developing new norms for managing the digital world. In the US, both the left and right are demanding that digital behemoths like Amazon, Google, Facebook and Twitter are brought under greater control if not broken up. In December, the US government filed a lawsuit against Facebook for anti-competitive practices in more than 40 states. Google and Amazon are also under legal scrutiny. Last December, the European Commission proposed new rules to promote competition and fairness in digital markets. The EU is likely to approve a Digital Markets Act next year. For more than two decades, governments across the world were happy to buy into the claim that the tech companies will lead us to a world of innovation and plenty. Legal and financial concessions from governments at various levels allowed tech companies to rapidly gain ground and commercial muscle and dominate people’s lives. But governments are now questioning the sharp business practices of the tech giants. Labour Rights: While the tech giants have created a lot of new wealth, some of them have sharply squeezed the labour. Amazon is the most notorious. There are new efforts to unionise Amazon employees, but the company has been good at crushing these challenges in the past. In California, trade unions are battling against the success of Uber and Lyft to turn employees into “contract workers” to deny them multiple benefits. Taxes: Digital giants have been aggressive tax evaders. But Caesar is demanding his due now. Joe Biden, who has outlined a progressive platform, has promised to get big tech to pay their share of taxes in the US. His Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is under pressure from America’s G-7 partners to work out the rules for taxes on US digital giants operating in other geographies. Politics: On the political front, when Twitter and Facebook shut down President Donald Trump’s accounts, there was celebration among liberals. But social media companies are unlikely to always find themselves on the winning side in other democracies. The context and issues are inevitably different and applying the same tactics against political targets will backfire, as Twitter discovered in Delhi. If India raised Twitter’s differential treatment of the riots in Washington and Delhi, European leaders raised important questions about social media’s actions against Trump. German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke for many Europeans when she called it “problematic”. The answer lies in: democracies modernizing their laws to protect freedoms in the era of technological transformation.

RSTV Video

Changes in Juvenile Justice Act – The Big Picture – RSTV IAS UPSC

Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections. In News: The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the proposal of the Ministry of Women and Child Development to amend the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 to introduce measures for strengthening Child Protection set-up to ensure best interest of children.  What is the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children Act) 2015? Updated Legislation: It was introduced and passed in Parliament in 2015 to replace the Juvenile Delinquency Law and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children Act) 2000.  Change in nomenclature: The Act changes the nomenclature from Juvenile to child or ‘child in conflict with law’. Also, it removes the negative connotation associated with the word “juvenile”. Special Provisions for Age 16-18 years: One of the main provisions of the new Act was that juveniles charged with heinous crimes and who are between the ages of 16-18 years would be tried as adults and processed through the adult justice system. This provision received an impetus after the 2012 Delhi gangrape in which one of the accused was just short of 18 years, and was therefore tried as a juvenile. Juvenile Justice Board: The nature of the crime, and whether the juvenile should be tried as a minor or a child, was to be determined by a Juvenile Justice Board (set up in every district). Also Child Welfare Committees must be set up in every district. Both must have at least one woman member each. Adoption Related Clauses: Another major provision was that the Act streamlined adoption procedures for orphans, abandoned and surrendered children and the existing Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) has been given the status of a statutory body to enable it to perform its function more effectively Inclusion of New Offences: The Act included several new offences committed against children (like, illegal adoptions, use of child by militant groups, offences against disabled children, etc) which are not adequately covered under any other law. What are the amendments passed by the Union Cabinet? 1. The inclusion of serious crimes apart from heinous crimes It has included for the first time the category of “serious crimes” differentiating it from heinous crimes, while retaining heinous crimes. Both heinous and serious crimes have also been clarified for the first time, removing any ambiguity. What this means is that for a juvenile to be tried for a heinous crime as an adult, the punishment of the crime should not only have a maximum sentence of seven years or more, but also a minimum sentence of seven years. This provision has been made to ensure that children, as much as possible, are protected and kept out of the adult justice system.  Heinous crimes with a minimum imprisonment of seven years pertain mostly to sexual offences and violent sexual crimes. Crime like the possession and sale of an illegal substance, such as drugs or alcohol, will now fall under the ambit of a “serious crime’’. 2. Expanding the purview of district and additional district magistrates The NCPCR report pf 2019-19 had found that not a single Child Care Institution in the country was found to be 100 per cent compliant to the provisions of the JJ Act. DM and ADMs will monitor the functioning of various agencies under the JJ Act in every district. This includes the Child Welfare Committees, the Juvenile Justice Boards, the District Child Protection Units and the Special juvenile Protection Units. Amendment says that no new children’s home can be opened without the sanction of the DM. They are also responsible now for ensuring that CCIs falling in their district are following all norms and procedures (earlier the process was relaxed and lacked effective oversight) The DM will also carry out background checks of Child Welfare Committee members, who are usually social welfare activists, including educational qualifications, as there is no such provision currently to check if a person has a case of girl child abuse against him. To hasten the process of adoption and ensure the swift rehabilitation of children into homes and foster homes, the amendment further provides that the DM will also now be in charge of sanctioning adoptions, removing the lengthy court process. The challenges While the amendments have been welcomed by most, in its attempt to provide better protection to children in need of care, the challenge perceived is that of having given too many responsibilities to the DM.  The amendments, once approved by Parliament, will increase the role of district magistrates and empower them to undertake inspections of childcare institutions.

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan - IAS Prelims Test Series 2021 - ECONOMY, CURRENT AFFAIRS & CSAT [Day 46]

For Previous (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends,  ARCHIVES OF 60 DAYS NOTE: IASbaba's 60 DAY questions  Let us pledge to make it a big game-changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days!  Note- Download the OMR Sheet and attempt the questions exactly like UPSC Prelims. After you are done, please post your OMR in the comment section. Once the solution key is released (around 5 PM), cross-check the answers and, comment the marks (you scored) in the same comment thread. This will keep you accountable, responsible and sincere in days to come.  You can also take part in the discussion with peers.   ECONOMY [DAY 46] - Click Here NOTE- Follow this for Comments Mention- Time Taken after solving the Test After the release of Solution, Edit your Comment to Mention-  Correct/Incorrect and Score 2 Marks for Correct/0.66 minus for Incorrect. What IMPACT can the ‘60 Day’ have on the final results? We will explain by taking a small example. Imagine you are sitting in the examination hall, appearing in Prelims Paper I. You have attempted 70 questions already but still unsure about a few. Then you stumble upon a question that was asked in 60 Day (and believe us, it has happened to hundreds of students countless times). You choose the right answer and submit your paper hoping for the best! Eventually, you go on to clear Mains as well as Personality Test and secure a good rank as well. When the cut off gets announced by UPSC, you realize that you have scored just one mark more than the cut off! Yes, that one mark can change your life (and it has done so to many of our students in the past). Now, imagine the kind of impact 60 to 80 marks can have! Isn’t that so fascinating to imagine?   One’s level of preparedness is always different for different subjects. Even within a subject, one’s comfort level may vary with topics. For example, one might be more comfortable in solving questions of Polity than Economics and within Polity also, one might be at ease with questions on fundamental rights than Parliament. The level of comfort and ease that one has with a subject/ topic gets manifested in the examination. However, there is no conscious effort by aspirants to micro analyze these aspects. Now, coming to the second aspect i.e. the mistakes that one commits in answering MCQs, it can be said that there are mainly four reasons behind incorrect responses in the OMR sheet. They are: Lack of information Lack of analytical ability Silly mistakes Excessive risk-taking Let’s analyze them one by one: Lack of information: You simply don’t know the information. You are clueless and that’s why you don’t attempt the question. For example, you may have never come across a regime called the ‘Wassenaar Agreement’ during your preparation and you can’t do much about it. The lack of information is pardonable and rectifiable. You can read more and gather more information. That is within your reach. Lack of analytical ability: You know the concept but the question is a twisted one and you are not able to apply the concept. For example, in a question asking you to identify the climate type of a region based on certain given parameters like precipitation, temperature, and air density, you might find it difficult to mark the correct option even if you are aware of all the options given in the question! That is clearly a lack of application and you can overcome it by developing a habit of framing questions in your mind while you study any topic. Silly mistakes: This habit is unpardonable. You know the concept, you become happy, you misread the question, you mark the incorrect answer and you are out of the race! Such mistakes reveal your hurriedness while answering the question. A simple mistake of reading ‘chose the incorrect option’ as ‘chose the correct option’ can destroy your chances. It means that you need to have patience and focus while attempting the paper. Excessive risk-taking: You are confused between the options and just in order to increase your attempts, you make wild guesses and try your luck only to repent eventually. Risk-taking is an art and one must be very careful while doing the guesswork in confusing questions. If you are not lucky enough, it can spoil your chances. You will realize that these problems will have different meanings for different people. For example, one might find a lack of information as the main culprit in answering wrong the questions on Culture while in Polity, lack of analytical ability is usually the culprit. The point here is that you must analyse your preparation on these yardsticks by applying them on different subjects/ topics. If one is having a headache, he/ she can’t have the same medicine for fever. Isn’t it. This is where our revamped '60 Day’ comes into the picture. It will give you an opportunity to micro analyze your preparation and perform better in the examination. Finally, it is up to you to take advantage of this framework. We are sure of only one thing- if you follow this program, assess yourself on the basis of the given framework and keep improving your weaker areas, success will be yours. We are providing you with the right platform, the right guidance, and the right competition. Do you have the right motivation to make full use of this initiative? We think you have. Come, be a part of this initiative and take the first step towards SUCCESS! Importance of self - tracking: We could have provided all of you with login id and passwords to monitor your daily performance in the 60-day program. Instead, a simple and most beautiful way which Disqus provides is profile based commenting! Yes, we have seen the most successful candidates who have taken the maximum benefit from this program monitoring themselves by commenting on their answers in the box given (Disqus comment). And reviewing their performance themselves once in 10 days on the progress meter.  DOWNLOAD THE 60 DAYS PLAN 2021 All the Best!  IASbaba  

Important Articles

WEEKEND WITH BABA – Second Live Session on 15th May for UPSC 2022 Aspirants

Dear Students Thank you for an overwhelming response to the First Session of 'Weekend with Baba'. We hope that the video has helped you guys on how to tackle the issues which were discussed in the video. Those who are yet to watch the video can do it here - CLICK HERE The Second Session of 'Weekend with Baba' will be held live on 15th May at 6 PM. The Session will have discussions especially for freshers and beginners who are aiming for the UPSC-CSE 2022 Attempt. To Watch the First Session - CLICK HERE   Note - Please click on 'Set Reminder' so that you do not miss the video. How to make the best use of this LIVE Session? Post your queries with the #ASKBABA. In the first 20 minutes, the common questions which are shared on Disqus comment, Telegram, and email will be picked up and answered. Post that 10 minutes, Live questions posted on the YouTube chat will be answered. The time duration of this session can get extended based on the questions posted/asked. Students can post ‘any query’ related to UPSC Preparation Strategy for UPSC 2022 like planning, how to read, revision, or any other difficulties you come across when you are preparing for the exam. You can start sharing your questions/queries/doubts with #ASKBABA (related to UPSC 2022 Preparation) in disqus comment box below and Upvoting can follow. Remember maximum upvotes will be given priority. Feel free to share your queries because many of the questions that you are having, will be the same as other candidates. Your questions might help others in clarifying their doubts. Waiting to talk to you soon! P.S: 'CONNECT WITH BABA' consists of the following - Hotline, #AskBaba, Phone-a-Friend, (Monday - Friday between 10 AM to 6 PM), and 'Weekend with Baba' (Every Saturday on YouTube with Mohan Sir from 6 PM - 7 PM). To get Regular Updates from IASbaba, follow- TELEGRAM Channel – CLICK HERE YOUTUBE  –  CLICK HERE FACEBOOK  – CLICK HERE