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Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 20th October 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

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[UPDATE] BABA’S GURUKUL 2022 – Congratulations for those who are selected for the Next Round (Personality Test)!

Dear Students, Thank you all for such an overwhelming response for BABA’S GURUKUL for UPSC IAS 2022.  Over 1564 students had registered and around 1248 had taken the Entrance Test on 16th October in our online portal and offline Centres (Bangalore, Delhi, Lucknow). Based on your performance we have shortlisted 320 students to the next round – The Personality Test. Congratulations to all those who have got selected for the next round of BABA’S GURUKUL 2022 Confirmation Mails have been sent to the Selected Students for the Personality Test.    For any Queries: Email ID: support@iasbaba.com Contact No. :  9169191888 (10 AM – 6 PM) Please do not make calls before or after the given timing. Thank You  

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 19th October 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Keravan Kerala project Part of: Prelims and GS-III - Tourism Context Kerala has recently launched its tourism project on Caravans - Keravan Kerala. It is an unique initiative to promote stakeholder-friendly Caravan Tourism.  Features of the project The caravan parks will be located in natural settings. Emphasis on the safety and security of tourists. Sustainable use of local resources in creating caravan parks. Each caravan park will have a sewage treatment plant.  The basic theme of the project is to club the luxury of caravan with the natural look of the park. Attractive incentives, including investment subsidy for purchase of caravan vehicles. Caravan parks can be developed in the private, public or joint sector. Operational 24x7 during the tourist season. Connected with fair-weather roads from the main road. Trade talks between India, Israel to resume Part of: Prelims and GS II - International Relations  Context India and Israel agreed to resume long-pending negotiations on a free trade agreement. The FTA talks would begin in November and concluded by June 2022 Key takeaways  During the last round of talks, both sides had explored the possibility of a limited trade deal or a Preferential Trade Agreement for about 200 goods, which could not be concluded.  The Indian government is also working to resume a number of trade negotiations. The government has thus far committed to resumed talks with the U.K., Australia and the European Union. India and Israel also agreed to mutually recognise each other’s vaccination process “in principle”. Israel also announced it would join the India-France led International Solar Alliance (ISA), ahead of the next U.N. Climate Change COP26 summit in Glasgow in November 2021. Do you know? Both also joined a virtual quadrilateral meeting with U.S. Secretary of State and UAE Foreign Minister. The quadrilateral meeting can be seen as an outcome of last year’s Abraham Accords brokered by the U.S. that saw the UAE and Israel establish diplomatic relations. Part-time employees not entitled to regularisation: SC Part of: Prelims and GS-II - Judiciary  Context: The Supreme Court has held that part-time employees are not entitled to seek regularisation as they are not working against any sanctioned post in the Government. It said that Regularisation could be only as per the policy declared by the State/Government and “nobody can claim the regularisation as a matter of right”. The status of permanency cannot be granted when there is no post.  Mere continuance every year of seasonal work during the period when work was available does not constitute a permanent status. Kushinagar International Airport Part of: Prelims and GS I- History; and GS III - Infrastructure  Context Kushinagar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh shall be inaugurated on 20th October by the Indian Prime Minister. The airport is expected to provide seamless connectivity to tourists from Sri Lanka, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and so on.  The Sri Lankan contingent, led by a member of the first family, will also be present, owing to the historical importance of the place. Mural painting as a token of gift To mark the occasion, Sri Lanka will present to India photographs of two murals painted by renowned Sri Lankan artist Solias Mendis at the Kelaniya Rajamaha Vihara, a popular Buddhist temple near Colombo One of the murals depicts ‘Arahat Bhikkhu’ Mahinda, son of Emperor Ashoka delivering the message of the Buddha to King Devanampiyatissa of Sri Lanka.  The other shows the arrival of ‘Theri Bhikkhuni’ Sanghamitta, the daughter of the Emperor Ashoka, in Sri Lanka, bearing a sapling of the ‘sacred Bodhi tree’ under which Siddhārtha Gautama is believed to have attained enlightenment. Importance of Kushinagar Kushinagar is the centre of the Buddhist circuit, which consists of pilgrimage sites at Lumbini, Sarnath and Gaya.  Buddhist pilgrims consider Kushinagar a sacred site where, they believe, Gautama Buddha delivered his last sermon and attained ‘Mahaparinirvana’ or salvation. Miscellaneous Integrated Unmanned Road Map for Indian Navy Context Defence Minister recently launched the Integrated Unmanned Road Map for Indian Navy at the second edition of the Naval Commanders’ Conference. This will outline all the unmanned aerial and underwater platforms and efforts of the Navy as part of its force modernisation. It will also help in maintaining peace and stability within the Indian maritime zones Flower scorpionfish Hoplosebastes Armatus, also known as the flower scorpionfish, belongs to the order of ray-finned fish that are also known Scorpaeniforme. This unique, lesser-known fish species that was till now thought to be found only in the Pacific Ocean has been found in the Indian Ocean too. The length of the species ranged from 75-127 mm, while its body width was from 14-22 mm. The head of the species was comparatively large and greater than the body. (News from PIB) eSanjeevani Part of: Prelims and Mains GS-II- Governance In News: eSanjeevani, India’s leading telemedicine service, under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, clocked 1.4 crore consultations. Operating in two variants i.e., eSanjeevaniAB-HWC and eSanjeevaniOPD, this initiative has over the time gained immense popularity in being able to deliver healthcare services through digital platforms. eSanjeevani AB-HWC, a Doctor-to-Doctor teleconsultation system Launched with an intent to alleviate the Urban-Rural divide in terms of health services Works on Hub-and-Spoke Model The ‘Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centres’ (HWCs) set up at State Level, act as Spokes, which are mapped with the HUB (comprising MBBS/ Specialty/Super-Specialty doctors) at Zonal level. This enables a patient residing in rural areas to avail quality health services.  eSanjeevani OPD Launched in 2021 Aims to provide safe Doctor-to-Patient consultations Has continued to grow in demand as it allows citizens to consult doctors from the comfort and in the confines of their homes, bypassing wait time, travel, risks of infection etc.  Significance Addressing the shortage of doctors and specialists at the ground levels Reducing the burden on secondary and tertiary level hospitals Aims to constantly improve the digital health infrastructure of the country News Source: PIB Geospatial Energy Map of India Part of: Prelims and Mains GS-II- Governance In News: NITI Aayog in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed a comprehensive Geographic Information System (GIS) Energy Map of India with the support of Energy Ministries of Government of India. Provides a holistic picture of all energy resources of the country which enables visualisation of energy installations through 27 thematic layers Attempts to identify and locate all primary and secondary sources of energy and their transportation/transmission networks to provide a comprehensive view of energy production and distribution in a country A unique effort aimed at integrating energy data scattered across multiple organizations and to present it in a consolidated, visually appealing graphical manner Leverages latest advancements in web-GIS technology and open-source software to make it interactive and user friendly.  Will be useful in planning and making investment decisions.  Will also aid in disaster management using available energy assets. News Source: PIB Fourth International Solar Alliance General Assembly Part of: Prelims and Mains GS-II- Global Groupings & GS-III – Energy  In News: The Fourth Assembly of the ISA will deliberate on  The key initiatives around the operationalisation of the OSOWOG initiative, The $1 trillion Solar Investment Roadmap for 2030 Approval of a Blended Financial Risk Mitigation Facility Discuss the strategic plan of the ISA for the next five years encompassing a Country Partnership Framework, Strategy for Private Sector Engagement, and initiatives such as Viability Gap Financing scheme to facilitate affordable finance for solar energy projects across ISA’s membership.  Discuss the partnership with Global Energy Alliance (GEA) to scale up technical and financial support to LDCs and SIDS. ‘One Sun One World One Grid’ (OSOWOG) initiative proposed by India  Proposed by India to set up a framework for facilitating global cooperation which aims at building a global ecosystem of interconnected renewable energy resources that can be easily shared Envisions building and scaling inter-regional energy grids to share solar energy across the globe, leveraging the differences of time zones, seasons, resources, and prices between countries and regions Help decarbonise energy production, which is today the largest source of global greenhouse gas emissions.  With India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the World Bank and the ISA signing a tripartite agreement on OSOWOG, the initiative could be the world’s most important renewables catalyst. It can unlock unprecedented economies of scale in energy generation and transmission.  Rigorous assessments and modelling have confirmed the initiative’s technical and economic viability, building a strong business case.  Its commercial feasibility has been further augmented by multilateral development banks such as World Bank, which are helping create markets by driving down costs of solar power. News Source: PIB (Mains Focus) ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE GS-3: Agriculture & Allied Sectors GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors Improving Livestock Breeding  Context: Approximately 200 million Indians are involved in livestock farming, including around 100 million dairy farmers.  Major issues with Livestock in India Livestock breeding in India has been largely unorganised because of which there have been gaps in forward and backward integration across the value chain. Roughly 80% bovines in the country are low on productivity and are reared by small and marginal farmers.  Such a scenario negatively impacts the return on investment for livestock farmers.  Government Initiative to promote Livestock Sector To enhance the productivity of cattle, the Rashtriya Gokul Mission was initiated in 2014 with a focus on the genetic upgradation of the bovine population through widespread initiatives on artificial insemination, sex-sorted semen, and in vitro fertilization.  The revised version of the Rashtriya Gokul Mission focuses on entrepreneurship development and breed improvement in livestock by providing incentives to individual entrepreneurs, farmer producer organisations, farmer cooperatives, self-help groups, Section 8 companies for entrepreneurship development and State governments for breed improvement infrastructure. The breed multiplication farm component of the Rashtriya Gokul Mission is going to provide for capital subsidy up to ₹200 lakh for setting up breeding farm with at least 200 milch cows/ buffalo using latest breeding technology.  The strategy of incentivising breed multiplication farm will result in the employment of 1 lakh farmers This initiative will be further amplified by web applications like e-Gopala that provide real-time information to livestock farmers on the availability of disease-free germplasm in relevant centres, veterinary care, etc.  The poultry entrepreneurship programme of the National Livestock Mission (NLM) will provide for capital subsidy up to ₹25 lakh for setting up of a parent farm with a capacity to rear 1,000 chicks. This is expected to provide employment to at least 14 lakh people. In the context of sheep and goat entrepreneurship, there is a provision of capital subsidy of 50% up to 50 lakh. An entrepreneur under this model shall set up a breeder farm, develop the whole chain will eventually sell the animals to the farmers or in the open market. For piggery, the NLM will provide 50% capital subsidy of up to ₹30 lakh. Each entrepreneur will be aided with establishment of breeder farms. Conclusion The revised scheme of NLM coupled with the Rashtriya Gokul Mission and the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund has the potential to dramatically enhance the productivity and traceability standards of our livestock. Connecting the dots: Special Livestock Sector Package Crisis in Dairy Sector GEOGRAPHY GS-1: Indian geography & Monsoons Unusual Heavy Rains in October Context: The monsoon is over but several parts of the country are still receiving rainfall. Delhi, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand, for example, have received very high rainfall, resulting in loss of life and property in some places. Scientists say a combination of factors — delayed monsoon and development of low-pressure areas at multiple places — have resulted in these rainfall events at several places. Are October rains unusual? Rain in October is not unusual.  October is considered a month for transition, during which the southwest monsoon withdraws and gives way to the northeast monsoon that largely affects southern peninsular India, mainly on the eastern side. Western disturbances, which begin to have significant interference in local weather over the extreme northern parts of India, commonly cause either rain or snowfall.  Since second week of October, Ladakh, the higher reaches of Kashmir and Uttarakhand have reported the season’s first snowfall. However, two low-pressure systems were active simultaneously, one each over the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal regions. Collectively, these triggered severe weather events over Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Odisha and West Bengal. Delayed monsoon withdrawal  The four-month southwest monsoon season normally withdraws completely by early October. During the withdrawal phase, it causes thunderstorms and localised heavy rainfall. This year, however, the withdrawal began only on October 6 against a normal of September 17.  So far, the monsoon has withdrawn completely from the Western, Northern, Central and Eastern India regions. But it remains active over the southern peninsula. Thus, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have had significant rainfall during the last 10 days. Normally, by mid-October, the monsoon winds reverse their direction of flow from the southwest to the northeast. “Even though the easterlies are beginning to replace the westerlies, the former is yet strengthen and fully establish. The easterly winds indicate the arrival of the northeast monsoon. This year, conditions for the onset of the northeast monsoon are expected to develop around October 25. Due to climate change, there is definitely a rising frequency in the extreme weather events round the year. But these specific occurrences of heavy to very heavy rains that we are seeing right now can be attributed to the formation of low-pressure systems. Whenever there is a low-pressure system, depending on its strength, it results in heavy to very heavy rainfall activity. In addition, when a low-pressure system interacts with western disturbance, further intense rainfall occurs, Conclusion: Normal Monsoon & Sowing Weather Predicting System (Down to Earth) Oct 18: Has Kerala learnt anything from extreme weather? Apparently not, say experts - https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/climate-change/has-kerala-learnt-anything-from-extreme-weather-apparently-not-say-experts-79741  TOPIC: GS 3: Climate change GS 3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment Kerala & Extreme Weather Events In news: At least 20 people have lost their lives and several others are missing as heavy rains led to flash floods and landslides in several parts of Kerala.  Cited reasons:  The heavy rainfall was caused by two low pressure weather systems which evolved over peninsular India.   But other climate experts have cited cloudbursts as the cause. Lack of climate change literacy leading to higher economic activities like rock quarrying, construction of new buildings and roads and destruction of natural forest in the highly economic zones. The sorry state of Kerala’s rivers, backwaters and wetlands also contributes to the situation as they fail to absorb the excess amounts of water being discharged from dams and other storage. Floods and Kerala The situation, which may turn out to be a repeat of the 2018 floods if rain continues, has also led to widespread criticism from environmentalists calling it an "invited disaster" by the region.  In the floods that occurred in August 2016, around 341 major landslides were reported from 10 districts, while Idukki, considered as a highly sensitive zone by Gadgil, was ravaged by 143 landslides. The 2018 floods had claimed close to 500 lives. In August 2011, the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel chaired by Madhav Gadgil had submitted its report.  Even after 10 years and appointment of another committee led by K Kasturirangan, the highly ecologically sensitive region in Kerala continued to be an epi-centre of construction activities. No action was taken on these reports after widespread protests from farmers, the church and political parties. The Way Forward – What should Kerala do? The situation demands long-term mitigating actions from Kerala rather than short-term rehabilitation and rescue activities during every calamity. Kerala should follow a development model taking note of the change in monsoon behaviour. A renewed focus on illegal constructions. There is a need for soil study and examining possibilities of soil piping phenomena while undertaking more significant construction works. Change in land use patterns in the sensitive Western Ghats that have occurred in last 25 years Climate-resilient construction and agricultural practices Improve the water management system of Kerala Work through the limitations in forecasting rain, especially extreme rainfall events Prioritise fair and transparent environmental impact assessments when it takes up larger development projects requiring massive infrastructure and changes in land-use patterns. Can you answer the following question? Cloudbursts and extreme rainfall events leading to flash floods are the new normal for Kerala. Discuss. Kasturirangan Report Madhav Gadgil Report Flood protection to flood governance  (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. Q.1 Abraham accords is associated with which of the following? Secret ceasefire agreement  between Palestine and Israel Five- point strategy for de-escalating tension in Afghanistan New terrorist strategy to target migrants in J&K Diplomatic relations between UAE and Israel Q.2 consider the following statements: Gautama Buddha is believed to have delivered his last sermon and attained ‘Mahaparinirvana’ or salvation in Kushinagara Gautama Buddha propounded the philosophy of Ashtangika Marga (eightfold path). Lumbini in Bihar is the birthplace of Gautam Buddha. Which of the above is or are correct  1 and 2 only 2 only 2 and 3 only None of the above  Q.3 The octopus shaped lake in Kerala is?  Kayamkulam  Akkulam Ashtamudi Vembanad ANSWERS FOR 18th Oct 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 D 2 D 3 A Must Read On New Quad in West Asia: Indian Express On GST & Cooperative Federalism: The Leaflet

UPSC हिन्दी Quiz– 2021: IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz 19th October 2021

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

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 19th October 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 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 1 Questions [19th October, 2021] – Day 2

Hello Students   TLP has been an integral ingredient of success for many toppers is no secret. In the ‘must do’ list for the civil services exam, TLP is by far the most popular initiative. The popularity stems from the unparalleled quality of questions and synopsis posted in TLP. We strive hard to ensure that you get the real feel of UPSC standard before you write the Mains.   You already know the features of TLP. Just to reiterate briefly, in the TLP initiative, we post 5 questions daily for a certain number of weeks (11 for this one). We follow a micro plan that is designed to give you daily targets. The questions are from the day’s syllabus and also from current affairs and you are expected to write the answers and post them on the portal.   This year onwards TLP will have a Dedicated Portal for Focused Preparation (tlpmains.iasbaba.com). There will be a separate dedicated portal similar to (RaRe Series) which students loved and appreciated. The Portal will help you stay focused and keep your preparation streamlined. The Registration link for the dedicated portal is given at the end of the post. We are charging a token amount of 10/- for registration to the dedicated portal. We are doing it because we want to create a community of sincere aspirants who are focused and motivated till the Mains Examination. Please don’t take it otherwise. It is our honest effort to give you the best and at the same time expect students to come with the same energy and dedication to the dedicated platform specially designed for YOU! Join our bandwagon, you won’t regret it. UPSC 2022 Aspirants are encouraged to participate as well. Register Here - CLICK HERE  To Know More About TLP 2022 (Phase 2) - CLICK HERE To Access Day 2 Questions - 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 

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

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Heron-I unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)  Part of: Prelims and GS III - Defence and Security  Context The Army Aviation has recently got control of Heron-I unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in the eastern sector. This brings all aviation assets under one roof which will augment its ability to keep an eye on Chinese activities across the border. In the future battlefield, manned and unmanned aircraft teaming will reap huge dividends.  The aviation Brigade at Missamari, Assam, operates the Cheetah and Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv utility helicopters, Rudra weaponsied ALH and Heron-I UAVs. What are the possible benefits of this move? Optimised employment of remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs)/UVAs  Upgradation of flight safety management and practices Boost to training infrastructure  Better maintenance and serviceability by optimising the supply chain  Smoothening of the command and control process during operations. WHO group to consider emergency use listing of Covaxin Part of: Prelims and GS - II - Health and GS-III - Sci and tech  Context The World Health Organization’s technical advisory group will consider the Emergency Use Listing (EUL) of Covaxin. What is Emergency Use Listing (EUL)? The WHO Emergency Use Listing Procedure (EUL) is a risk-based procedure for assessing and listing unlicensed vaccines, therapeutics and in vitro diagnostics. Aim: Expediting the availability of these products to people affected by a public health emergency.  This also assists interested UN procurement agencies and Member States in determining the acceptability of specific products The following criteria must be met: The disease for which the product is intended is serious or immediately life threatening. Existing products have not been successful in eradicating the disease or preventing outbreaks The product is manufactured in compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). The applicant undertakes to complete the development of the product and apply for WHO prequalification once the product is licensed. What is Covaxin? Covaxin is India’s first indigenous, whole-virion, inactivated vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Medical Research Council (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV). It has been formulated with ‘Algel-IMDG’, which contains chemically absorbed TLR7/8 as an adjuvant onto aluminium hydroxide gel to generate the requisite type of immune responses without damaging the body.  China tests nuclear capable hypersonic missile Part of: Prelims and GS II - International Relations and GS-III - Defence and Security  Context China’s military has carried out its first-ever test of a “nuclear capable hypersonic missile”. It circled the globe through low-orbit space before speeding towards its target,  demonstrating an advanced space capability  Only the U.S, Russia and China were developing hypersonic glide vehicles that are launched on rockets and then orbit the earth at their own speed.  They are difficult to track because unlike ballistic missiles, they “do not follow the fixed parabolic trajectory”. Challenge for USA: The weapon could, in theory, fly over the South Pole which would pose a big challenge for the U.S. military because its missiles defence systems are focused on the northern polar route What is a hypersonic missile? Hypersonics are defined as being able to travel at velocities of at least five times the speed of sound — Mach 5, or more than 6,100 kilometres (3,800 miles) per hour.  They can also manoeuvre in mid-flight, making them much harder to track and intercept than traditional projectiles. By cutting flight times, they also reduce the opportunity to respond. Depending on the design, they can be capable of carrying nuclear warheads or conventional only, and have the potential to alter the strategic balance. Which countries possess them?  Russia, USA and China Russia is generally seen as the world leader in technology so far, developing a range of new hypersonic weapons that In July it successfully tested the Zircon, a ship-launched hypersonic missile travelling at seven times the speed of sound. It already has Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles and the air-launched Kinzhal (Dagger) missiles in its arsenal. A novel target to treat prostate cancer identified  Part of: Prelims and GS-II - Health and GS-III - Sci and tech  Context Researchers at the IIT, Kanpur, have discovered that a particular gene (DLX1) has an important role to play in the growth and development of prostate cancer. DLX1 plays an important role in the development of jaws, skeleton, and interneurons in the brain. It is also expressed at higher levels in the prostate cancer cells Key findings   The team of researchers at the institute has now found that the DLX1 protein has a huge role in the growth and development of the tumour and the spread of the cancer to other organs in the body (metastasis). Using small molecules as inhibitors, the researchers have shown in mice a new therapeutic strategy to treat people with DLX1-positive prostate cancer. What is Prostate cancer? Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate.  The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that surrounds the urethra just below the bladder.  Most prostate cancers are slow growing. Factors that increase the risk of prostate cancer include older age, family history and race. The DLX1 protein is found at elevated levels in prostate cancer patients, the reason why the DLX1 protein has been used as a urine-based biomarker.  First movie shoot in space Part of: Prelims  Context Russian film crew returned to Earth after spending 12 days on the International Space Station (ISS) shooting scenes for the first movie in orbit. The filmmakers had blasted off from the Russia-leased Baikonur Cosmodrome in ex-Soviet Kazakhstan earlier this month, travelling to the ISS to film scenes for ‘The Challenge’ . The Russian movie’s plot centres around a surgeon who is dispatched to the ISS to save a cosmonaut. (News from PIB) e-Shram Portal Part of: Prelims and Mains GS-II- Governance In News: More than 4 crore unorganized workers have been registered at e-Shram Portal, India’s first national database on unorganized workers. Highest number of registrations: Odisha, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh Largest number of workers register from agriculture and construction sector Registration at E-shram will facilitate unorganized workers to get the benefits of various social security and employment-based schemes  4.09 crore workers have registered on the portal. Of these around 50.02% beneficiaries are female and 49.98% are male. e-Shram portal  It is a portal through which the government aims to register 38 crore unorganised workers, such as construction labourers, migrant workforce, street vendors and domestic workers, among others.  The workers will be issued an e-Shram card containing a 12-digit unique number, which, going ahead, will help in including them in social security schemes. Significance of e-Shram portal – National Database on Unorganized Workers (NDUW) Targeted identification of the unorganized workers was a much-needed step and the portal which will be the national database of our nation builders will help take welfare schemes to their doorstep, who are the builders of our Nation. Targeted delivery and last mile delivery, has been a major focus of the schemes of government of India and the National Database of Unorganised workers (E-Shram portal) is another key step towards that. News Source: PIB Miscellaneous World Food Day: 16th October Prime Minister of Norway: H. E. Jonas Gahr Store Mitra Shakti: Joint military exercise between the Indian Army and the Sri Lankan Army (Mains Focus) ENVIRONMENT/ INTERNATIONAL GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. GS-3: Indian Economy & Challenges Building Water Security Context: PM Narendra Modi spoke of the need to focus on long-term water security at the recent launch of the Jal Jeevan Mission app. Water Crisis in India As per the Groundwater Resource Estimation Committee’s report (from 2015), 1,071 out of 6,607 blocks in the country are over-exploited; this is likely to have worsened over the years. More than a third of the country’s population lives in water-stressed areas, and this number is expected to shoot up.  Per capita water availability in the country had fallen to just under a third of 1950 levels by 2011, both because of rising population and increasing unsustainable use. 82% of rural households in India do not have individual piped water supply and 163 million live without access to clean water close to their homes. Reasons for Water Crisis in India Agriculture:  Agriculture accounts for 78% of all freshwater used annually in the country, with 64% of this chunk being from groundwater  The rapid rise in tubewell-irrigation and the acreage under water-guzzling crops like sugarcane and paddy has left India under acute groundwater distress. Over half of India’s cultivated land is under water-intensive crops. Fifty-four percent of India’s 141.4 million hectares of cultivable land is under water-intensive crops—rice, wheat, sugarcane, and cotton. Poor Water efficiency: India uses at least twice the amount of water to grow one unit of food versus comparable countries Growing Population: By 2030, India’s water demand will exceed supply by two times, indicating severe water scarcity in the country.  In fact, 820 million Indians living in 12 river basins have a per capita water availability close to or lower than 1,000 cubic metres—the official threshold for water scarcity.  The average all-India per capita water availability is expected to be 1,341 cubic metres by 2025, and touch a low of 1,140 cubic metres by 2050, close to the official water scarcity threshold. Slow Implementation of Schemes: The Atal Bahujal Yojana (ABY) dashboard shows that the expenditure against the targets set under various heads, as also the release of funds, has been alarmingly low for the past as well as the present year. Other factors include wastage of water due to lack of awareness, lack of water conservation methods in Industries, poor water recycling & inadequate usage of rainwater. Way Forward National Water Policy 2020 gives the “highest priority to groundwater governance and management” through a “Participatory Groundwater Management (PGWM)” approach. All stakeholders have to implement this policy in right spirit. Government needs to stop encouraging (via MSP-led procurement, SAP/FRPs) cultivation of water-intensive crops; crop diversification is a crucial step towards this. 2018 PM-AASHA (Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan) proposes up to 40% procurement of crops that are not as water-intensive (millets, nutricereals)  Pricing of water, timely data on usage/availability/depletion, etc, also need policy attention. Connecting the dots: Ensuring Water Security Jal Jeevan Mission Can you answer this question? Enlightened water policy needs infrastructure. But more than that, it requires institutions with local and village ownership. Analyse. GOVERNANCE/ HUNGER GS-2: Issues relating to poverty and hunger.  GS-2: Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections. Hunger: Analysis of GHI Context: In the recently released Global Hunger Index (GHI) ranking, India ranked at 101st out of a total 116 countries (India’s 2020 rank was 94). This year’s slide in the rank assumes significance especially in the context of COVID-19.   India is also behind most of the neighbouring countries. Pakistan was placed at 92 rank, Nepal at 76 and Bangladesh also at 76. The government has questioned the methodology and claimed that the ranking does not represent the ground reality.  This calls for careful scrutiny of the methodology, especially of the GHI’s components. What are the components of GHI? The GHI has four components.  Components Applicability Weightage Data Sourced from 1. Undernourishment (Insufficient Calorie Intake) All age groups 33.3% Food and Agriculture Organization’s Suite of Food Security Indicators (2021) 2.  Wasting (low weight for height) Children under five years 16.6% WHO, UNICEF and World Bank, complemented with the latest data from the Demographic and Health Surveys. 3.  Stunting (low height for age) Children under five years 16.6% WHO, UNICEF and World Bank, complemented with the latest data from the Demographic and Health Surveys. 4.  Mortality Children under five years 33.3% UN Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.  India’s wasting prevalence (17.3%) is one among the highest in the world.  Child stunting in India declined from 54.2% in 1998–2002 to 34.7% in 2016-2020,  Child wasting remains around 17% throughout the two decades of the 21st century. Had the GHI been estimated using the latest data on calorie intake, usually provided by the National Sample Survey Office, things might have looked even worse given that the leaked report of 2019 indicated that consumption expenditure in India declined between 2011-12 and 2017-18 by 4% (rural India by 10%) Issues with GHI Conceptually, the GHI is largely children-oriented with a higher emphasis on undernutrition than on hunger and its hidden forms, including micronutrient deficiencies. The first component — calorie insufficiency — is problematic for many reasons.  The lower calorie intake, which does not necessarily mean deficiency, may also stem from reduced physical activity, better social infrastructure (road, transport and healthcare) and access to energy-saving appliances at home, among others. For a vast and diverse country like India, using a uniform calorie norm to arrive at deficiency prevalence means failing to recognise regional factors. For instance: Larger proportion of population in developed states like Kerala & Tamil Nadu may require less calorie due to high levels of mechanisation of economy. Hence, they can be wrongly counted as undernourished. Relation between Stunting & Wasting Stunting is a chronic, long-term measure of undernutrition, while wasting is an acute, short-term measure.  Child wasting can result due to immediate lack of nutritional intake and sudden exposure to an infectious atmosphere.  Quite possibly, several episodes of wasting without much time to recover can translate into stunting.  A higher order of priority should be accorded to stunting as it is a stable indicator and does not oscillate with minor changes in circumstances, while wasting does. If India can tackle wasting by effectively monitoring regions that are more vulnerable to socioeconomic and environmental crises, it can possibly improve wasting and stunting simultaneously. There seems to be no short-cut way of improving stunting without addressing wasting.  India’s better tackling of Child Mortality Studies suggest that child undernutrition and mortality are usually closely related, as child undernutrition plays an important facilitating role in child mortality.  India’s relatively better performance in child mortality merits a mention.  India’s child mortality rate has been lower despite it having higher levels of stunting This implies that though India was not able to ensure better nutritional security for all children under five years, it was able to save many lives due to the availability of and access to better health facilities.  Conclusion This ranking should prompt us to look at our policy focus and interventions and ensure that they can effectively address the concerns raised by the GHI, especially against pandemic-induced nutrition insecurity. Connecting the dots: 2020 Global Hunger Index Hunger Hotspots Report (Sansad TV – Perspective) Oct 13: GatiShakti: Push for Multi-Modal Connectivity- https://youtu.be/wMqQ1k5zW-E  TOPIC: GS 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation GS 3: Infrastructure & Economy GatiShakti: Push for Multi-Modal Connectivity In news: ‘PM Gati Shakti Master Plan’ – a national master plan for multi-model connectivity and extension of holistic governance which will give impetus to 21st century India, has been launched. A target of making India energy independent by 2047 has been set – by replace petroleum with other forms of energy  National Hydrogen Mission has been announced noting the country spends Rs 12 trillion on energy imports every year. What is Gati Shakti Master Plan? It is a Rs. 100 lakh-crore project for developing ‘holistic infrastructure’. It will be a digital platform that connects 16 ministries — including Roads and Highways, Railways, Shipping, Petroleum and Gas, Power, Telecom, Shipping, and Aviation — with a view to ensuring holistic planning and execution of infrastructure projects. It is aimed at easier interconnectivity between road, rail, air and waterways to reduce travel time and improve industrial productivity. The push for infrastructure is in line with the government’s efforts to step up capital expenditure in infrastructure to promote economic growth. What are the focus areas of the project? Source of employment opportunities for the youth in future. Will create a multiplier effect with every rupee invested, yielding much higher returns. Raise the global profile of local manufacturers and help them compete with their counterparts worldwide.  Increased possibilities of new future economic zones. Increase both manufacturing and exports Significance Logistics Grid: With Gati Shakti, India will be able to build an integrated, harmonised transportation and logistics grid. Such a grid will help bring down logistics & supply cost of India. Enhances Supply Chain Efficiency: It helps build new supply-side capacities & enhances supply chain efficiency that can set the wheels of growth in motion and move towards the ambitious mission of a $5-trillion economy Coordinated Governance: To have all utility and infrastructure planning under an umbrella framework will ensures coordinated planning, cut down ministerial delays, and leads to faster decision making. Attracts FDI: Having an umbrella framework under Gati Shakti provides clarity & stability to investors thereby attracting Foreign Direct investment into infrastructure sector. Scope for New Economic Corridors: Increased investment by domestic & foreign investors for new infrastructure creations open the doors for new future economic zones Improves Connectivity: It will ensure last-mile connectivity to economic zones in a definite timeframe.  Increased Competitiveness of exports: Supply chain inefficiencies add to product costs, and thus, run the risk of making our exports uncompetitive vis-à-vis other international export players. Dedicated infrastructure development under Gati Shakti, therefore, improves India’s infrastructure capacity and global export competitiveness with regard to manufacturing in India.  Data for Policy Making: The geographic information system (GIS)-enabled digital platform under Gati Shakti will provide useful data — including a region’s topography, satellite images, physical features, maps of existing facilities and so on — for ministries, thus, helping them save on funds and time for approvals. Enhances India’s share in cargo business: India’s share in the international cargo business was worth ₹1,686 crore in 2019-20, which rose to ₹2,644 crore in 2020-21 (a 57% increase). Having a harmonised & integrated logistics hub will help increase this share. Some concerns The effectiveness of a platform in ensuring better coordination among ministries is debatable. Breaking down bureaucratic silos may prove to be harder than expected.  Critical to the success of some of these infrastructure projects will be the participation of state governments. The Centre will need to devise political interventions and ways to coax and incentivise state government participation and cooperation. Conclusion By bringing together 16 ministries to help remove the hurdles in project implementation, the Gati Shakti digital platform could provide an effective mechanism for closely monitoring the public sector infrastructure projects. This technology-led integrated approach could help align all stakeholders, ease the problems with attaining clearances, and bring about greater coordinated action across government departments. Can you answer the following question? Will Gati Shakti prove to be the dawn of a new age in infrastructure development? (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. Q.1 Emergency Use Listing (EUL), recently seen in news, is associated with which of the following? Buffer stock of India  Foreign exchange reserves  Coal crisis Vaccines Q.2 consider the following statements regarding Arecanut: The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that surrounds the bladder just below the urethra.  Most prostate cancers are fast growing. It usually affects young males. Which of the above is or are correct  1 and 2 only 2 only 2 and 3 only None of the above  Q.3 Which of the following is not true with regard to Hypersonic missile?  Hypersonics can travel at velocities of at least three times the speed of sound. They can manoeuvre in mid-flight. They are known to reduce the opportunity to respond. Depending on the design, they can be capable of carrying nuclear warheads or conventional only. ANSWERS FOR 16th Oct 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 D 2 D 3 D Must Read On manual scavenging: The leaflet On decentralisation: The News Minute

UPSC हिन्दी Quiz– 2021: IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz 18th October 2021

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

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 18th October 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 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 1 Questions [18th October, 2021] – Day 1

Hello Students   TLP has been an integral ingredient of success for many toppers is no secret. In the ‘must do’ list for the civil services exam, TLP is by far the most popular initiative. The popularity stems from the unparalleled quality of questions and synopsis posted in TLP. We strive hard to ensure that you get the real feel of UPSC standard before you write the Mains.   You already know the features of TLP. Just to reiterate briefly, in the TLP initiative, we post 5 questions daily for a certain number of weeks (11 for this one). We follow a micro plan that is designed to give you daily targets. The questions are from the day’s syllabus and also from current affairs and you are expected to write the answers and post them on the portal.   This year onwards TLP will have a Dedicated Portal for Focused Preparation (tlpmains.iasbaba.com). There will be a separate dedicated portal similar to (RaRe Series) which students loved and appreciated. The Portal will help you stay focused and keep your preparation streamlined. The Registration link for the dedicated portal is given at the end of the post. We are charging a token amount of 10/- for registration to the dedicated portal. We are doing it because we want to create a community of sincere aspirants who are focused and motivated till the Mains Examination. Please don’t take it otherwise. It is our honest effort to give you the best and at the same time expect students to come with the same energy and dedication to the dedicated platform specially designed for YOU! Join our bandwagon, you won’t regret it. UPSC 2022 Aspirants are encouraged to participate as well. Register Here - CLICK HERE  To Know More About TLP 2022 (Phase 2) - CLICK HERE To Access Day 1 Questions - 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