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Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 26th 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 2 Questions [26th October, 2021] – Day 8

Archives 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 8 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 

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[COURSE] KANNADA LITERATURE Optional – Foundation Course 2022 by Kiran Kumar B Sir

Dear Aspirants, Hope you’re all are in good health and doing well. T.E Lawrence once said “All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.” The best way to make your dream true is to wake up. If you don’t build your dream, someone else will hire you to help them build theirs. Nobody can beat the person who never gives up. It’s time you start your journey of thousand miles with us taking a single step at a time. It’s time to construct your IAS dream. Preparing for UPSC Civil Service Examination is a strenuous task for every aspirant. The vastness of the syllabus, relentless competition, and the wrong choice of the optional subject adds many hurdles to reach the goal. It is imperative to pay attention to the choice of the optional subject for IAS mains. As Confucius correctly said Choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life, in the same way, choose an optional based on your interest, passion, and aptitude so that you need not mug up the concepts to produce the same in the answers. Fine-tune your UPSC preparation with IAS Baba’s Foundation Course of Kannada Literature starting from 29th OCTOBER 2021. For More Details about the Kannada Literature Optional – Foundation Course – CLICK HERE For more inquiries please reach us at – kirankumarbtsg@gmail.com and 8310859495  

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 25th October 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) National Fund to Control Drug Abuse Part of: Prelims and GS II - Policies and interventions  Context The Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry has recently recommended that the National Fund to Control Drug Abuse be used to carry out de-addiction programmes, rather than just policing activities. Key takeaways  The fund was created in accordance with a provision of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and had a nominal corpus of Rs. 23 crore. The Fund shall be applied by the Central Government to meet the expenditure incurred in connection with the measures taken for combating illicit traffic in, or controlling abuse of, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for all or any of the purposes specified in sub-section (1) of section 71. About The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 It is also known as the NDPS Act. It prohibits any individual from engaging in any activity consisting of production, cultivation, sale, purchase, transport, storage, and/or consumption of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance. About psychotropics and Narcotics  From a medical point of view, psychotropics designate chemical substances that act upon the mind, that is on the conscious or unconscious mental life of an individual. Narcotics include substances that cause stupor (unconscious), muscular relaxation and a reduction or elimination of sensitivity. Amended Technology Up-gradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS) Part of: Prelims and GS III - Economy   Context Union Minister of Textiles reviewed the Amended Technology Up-gradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS) to boost the Indian textile industry by enabling the ease of doing business, bolstering exports and fuelling employment. Key takeaways  The Ministry of Textiles had introduced Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) in 1999 as a credit linked subsidy scheme. Objective:  modernization and technology up-gradation of the Indian textile industry,  promoting ease of doing business,  generating employment and promoting exports. Since then, the scheme has been implemented in different versions. The ongoing ATUFS has been approved in 2016 and implemented through the web based iTUFS platform.  Capital Investment Subsidy is provided to benchmarked machinery installed by the industry after physical verification. ATUFS was approved for a period from 2015-16 to 2021-22 with an allocation of Rs. 17,822 crore  The scheme is administered with a two stage monitoring mechanism by Technical Advisory-cum-Monitoring Committee (TAMC) and Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee (IMSC).  In 2019, IMSC decided to introduce physical verification of machinery and computation of subsidy before releasing committed liability under previous versions of the schem Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) Part of: Prelims and GS-III - Economy  Context An acute shortage of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) in Haryana has seen desperate farmers pelting stones at the police, blocking roads in protest. Why is DAP important for farmers? Diammonium phosphate (DAP) is the world’s most widely used phosphorus fertilizer. DAP fertilizer is an excellent source of Phosphorus and nitrogen (N) for plant nutrition.  It’s highly soluble and thus dissolves quickly in soil to release plant-available phosphate and ammonium.  A notable property of DAP is the alkaline pH that develops around the dissolving granule. Being a basic nutrient for Rabi crops, the DAP fertiliser has to be sprinkled at the time of sowing crops like mustard and wheat.  Any delay in its supply could adversely impact the sowing of crops.  Non-agricultural uses DAP also acts as a fire retardant. For example, a mixture of DAP and other ingredients can be spread in advance of a fire to prevent a forest from burning. It then becomes a nutrient source after the danger of fire has passed. DAP is used in various industrial processes, too, such as metal finishing.  It’s commonly added to wine to sustain yeast fermentation and to milk to produce cheese cultures. Melioidosis Part of: Prelims and GS-II - Health  Context A made-in-India aromatherapy spray is being pulled off Walmart’s shelves in the United States after a medical investigation linked it to melioidosis. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), The spray was reported to contain a bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei, that causes a rare but deadly disease called melioidosis. What is Melioidosis? Melioidosis, also called Whitmore’s disease, is an infectious disease that can infect humans or animals.  The disease is caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. It is predominately a disease of tropical climates, especially in Southeast Asia and northern Australia where it is widespread.  The bacteria causing melioidosis are found in contaminated water and soil.  It is spread to humans and animals through direct contact with the contaminated source. Most people infected with B. pseudomallei experience no symptoms, but those who do experience symptoms have signs and symptoms that range from mild, such as fever, skin changes, pneumonia, and abscesses, to severe with inflammation of the brain, inflammation of the joints, and dangerously low blood pressure that causes death. Georissa mawsmaiensis Part of: Prelims and GS-III - Environment   Context Recently, researchers have discovered a micro snail species named Georissa mawsmaiensis in Mawsmai Cave in Meghalaya.  About the new snail species These snails are so small in size that an adult measures less than 2 millimetres in length. It has been discovered after 170 years. It was in 1851 that Georissa saritta, a member of the same genus as the latest find, was collected and described from the Musmai (Mawsmai today) valley near Cherrapunjee. The members of the Georissa genus are widely distributed across and reported from Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.  However, they are confined to microhabitats consisting of limestone caves or karst landscapes formed by the dissolution of limestone. Georissa is found in soil or subterranean habitats in lowland tropical forest as well as high altitude evergreen forests or on rock surfaces rich in calcium. The new species is different in its shell morphology, starting from shell size variation to the presence of four very prominent spiral striations on body whorls of the shell.  Until now, five snail species have been found from the caves of Meghalaya.  Mawsmai cave It is situated in the small village of Mawsmai, around four km from Cherrapunjee (Sohra) in the East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya.  The term ‘Mawsmai’ means ‘Oath Stone’ in the Khasi language.  The Khasi people use the local term ‘Krem’ for the cave. Mawsmai cave indirectly influenced by the streams of the Kynshi river originating from the East Khasi Hills. Three new species of fish of genus Aborichthys Part of: Prelims and GS-III - Environment   Context Recently, the Department of Zoology of Dera Natung Government College of Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh has discovered three new species of fish of genus Aborichthys of family Nemachelidae. About three new species of fish The species have been named Aborichthys uniobarensis, Aborichthys barapensis and Aborichthys palinensis. They are distributed in streams like Senki, Barap and Palin, which are the tributaries of Brahmaputra river system. Genus Aborichthys Aborichthys is an elongate and slender-bodied bottom dwelling freshwater stone loach that inhabits the moderate-to-fast flowing water of mountain rivers, streams and drainages of the Brahmaputra river basin.  They are freshwater, benthic (bottom-dwelling) fish. The species is characterised by narrow oblique bars on the body. It is endemic to the eastern Himalayas.  Eastern Himalaya is endemic to more than 20 per cent fauna of India, including the fish species. These species are vulnerable to climate change as it leads to their habitat alteration. (News from PIB) PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission Part of: Prelims and Mains GS-II: Government schemes related to Health In News: PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission will be one of the largest pan-India schemes for strengthening healthcare infrastructure across the country. It will be in addition to the National Health Mission. Objective of PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission: To fill critical gaps in public health infrastructure, especially in critical care facilities and primary care in both the urban and rural areas.   Targets to build an IT enabled disease surveillance system by developing a network of surveillance laboratories at block, district, regional and national levels, in Metropolitan areas. Integrated Health Information Portal will be expanded to all States/UTs to connect all public health labs. Work towards building up trained frontline health workforce to respond to any public health emergency. It will provide support for 17,788 rural Health and Wellness Centres in 10 High Focus States. Further, 11,024 urban Health and Wellness Centres will be established in all the States. News Source: PIB India’s First Banni Buffalo IVF Calf Born Part of: Prelims In News: With the birth of first IVF calf of a Buffalo breed namely Banni in the country, India’s OPU - IVF work has reached to next level.  This first IVF Banni calf is born out of 6 Banni IVF pregnancies established at the doorsteps of a farmer. Banni buffalo is known for its resilience and higher milk producing capacity in an arid environment. The process was carried out to enhance the number of genetically superior buffaloes to increase milk production Both the government and the scientist fraternity see a great potential in the field of IVF of buffaloes and are striving hard to improve cattle wealth in the country. India has more than 109 million buffaloes that are 56 per cent of the world's buffalo population. News Source: PIB Indian Telegraph Right of Way (Amendment) Rules, 2021  Part of: Prelims In News: The Central Government has notified the Indian Telegraph Right of Way (Amendment) Rules, 2021. Aim: To incorporate the provisions related to nominal one-time compensation and uniform procedure for establishment of Overground Telegraph Line in the Indian Telegraph Right of Way Rules, 2016.  Ease Right of Way related permission procedures for establishment and augmentation of Digital Communications Infrastructure across the country.  With a robust pan India digital infrastructure, the digital divide between rural-urban and rich-poor will be bridged; e-governance and financial inclusion will be strengthened; doing business will be easy; information and communication needs of citizens and enterprises will be fulfilled; and ultimately the dream of India’s transition to a digitally empowered economy and society will be translated into reality. News Source: PIB Anniversary of the formation of Azad Hind Government Part of: Prelims and Mains GS-I: The Freedom Struggle In News: As part of Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, events have been organized in the run up to and on 21st October in India and South East Asia to commemorate the Anniversary of the formation of Azad Hind Government by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The existence of the Azad Hind Government gave a greater legitimacy to the independence struggle against the British. Pertinently, the role of Azad Hind Fauj or the Indian National Army (INA) had been crucial in bequeathing a much needed impetus to India’s struggle for Independence. Founded on: 21st October, 1943 Constituted in: The Provisional Government of Free India, or, more simply, Free India (Azad Hind), was an Indian provisional government established in occupied Singapore in 1943 and supported by the Imperial Japan, Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and their allies. Known as Arzi Hukumat-e-Azad Hind, it was supported by the Axis powers of Imperial Japan, Nazi Germany, the Italian Social Republic, and their allies. Events leading to the formation of the Fauj: An important development in the struggle for freedom during the Second World War was the formation and activities of the Azad Hind Fauj, also known as the Indian National Army, or INA. Rash Behari Bose (supreme advisor), an Indian revolutionary who had escaped from India and had been living in Japan for many years, set up the Indian independence league with the support of Indians living in the countries of south-east Asia. When Japan defeated the British armies and occupied almost all the countries of south-East Asia, the league formed the Indian National Army from among the Indian prisoners of war with the aim of liberating India from the British rule. This first INA collapsed and was disbanded in December that year after differences between the INA leadership (Mohan Singh) and the Japanese military over its role in Japan’s war in Asia. It was revived under the leadership of Subhash Chandra Bose after his arrival in Southeast Asia in 1943. News Source: PIB Miscellaneous RK Laxman: 100th Birth Anniversary - an Indian cartoonist, illustrator, and humorist. He is best known for his creation The Common Man and for his daily cartoon strip, You Said It in The Times of India, which started in 1951. Gorias Indigenous Muslims in northern Assam’s Darrang district are now facing the threat of being evicted from the banks of the Brahmaputra. Goria is ethnic group of Assam. Apart from the religious aspect, no Muslim in India and the world has any  cultural, linguistic and traditional similarities with the Goria. (Mains Focus) INTERNATIONAL/ SECURITY GS-2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests India’s Central Asian outreach Context: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar was on three-nation Eurasian tour - Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Armenia with an aim to further expand bilateral ties in the backdrop of Taliban taking over Afghanistan after US withdrawal. Do You Know? Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Armenia are all members of Russia-led Eurasian security alliance CSTO that has held numerous drills in recent months to deter any spillover of terrorism from Afghanistan.  Key Takeaways from the visit In Kyrgyzstan, India extended a credit line of $200 million for the support of development projects and signed an memorandum of understanding (MoU) on High-Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP).  In Kazakhstan, India’s EAM attended the 6th Foreign Ministers’ Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA). At CICA, India targeted China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). India said while greater connectivity was essential for the promotion of regional stability, it must not be pursued for parochial interests.  India also confronted Pakistan for its support towards cross-border terrorism. The CICA meet among other issues discussed the possibilities of providing humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan.  Mr. Jaishankar has become the first Indian External Affairs Minister to visit Armenia India and Armenia agreed to enhance trade and cultural exchanges to boost bilateral relations.  During the visit, Mr. Jaishankar also supported efforts for a peaceful solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia under the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Minsk group.  India’s Evolution of Relationship with Central Asia After the breakup of the Soviet Union and the formation of the independent republics in Central Asia, India reset its ties with the strategically critical region.  India provided financial aid to the region and established diplomatic relations.  India signed the Strategic Partnership Agreements (SPA) with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to stimulate defence cooperation and deepen trade relations.  In 2012, India’s ‘Connect Central Asia’ policy aimed at furthering India’s political, economic, historical and cultural connections with the region.  However, India’s efforts were stonewalled by Pakistan’s lack of willingness to allow India passage through its territory. China took advantage of the situation and unveiled the much-hyped BRI in Kazakhstan. China, India and Central Asia The growing geostrategic and security concerns regarding the BRI’s China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its violation of India’s sovereignty forced India to step up its game in the region. Soon after assuming office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited all the Central Asian countries in July 2015.  Eventually, Central Asia became the link that placed Eurasia in India’s zone of interest.  India signed MoUs with Iran in 2015 to develop the Chabahar port that was in plans from 2003. Most of the Central Asian leaders view India’s Chabahar port as an opportunity to diversify their export markets and control China’s ambitions. China’s ill-treatment of their Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang province of China has created social discontent among Central Asian Leaders (Muslim majority countries) Central Asian countries have been keen to have India as a partner as they have sought to diversify their strategic ties.  They have admitted New Delhi into the Ashgabat Agreement, allowing India access to connectivity networks to facilitate trade and commercial interactions with both Central Asia and Eurasia, and also access the natural resources of the region.  Conclusion Rising anti-Chinese sentiments within the region and security threats from the Taliban allow India and Central Asia to reimagine their engagement. India should not lose any time to recalibrate its engagement with Central Asia. Connecting the dots: Belt & Road Initiative Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ECONOMY/ INTERNATIONAL GS-2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests GS-3: Economy, Taxation etc. Global Minimum Corporate Tax Context: As many as 136 countries entered into an agreement earlier this month to redistribute taxing rights and impose a global minimum corporate tax on large multinational corporations. Why do governments want a global minimum corporate tax rate? Large multinational corporations have traditionally been taxed based on where they declare their profits rather than where they actually do business.  This allowed several large companies to avoid paying high taxes in countries where they do most of their business by shifting their profits to low-tax jurisdictions.  So, an American company like Apple, for instance, can avoid paying high taxes in the United States by declaring its profits as belonging to a subsidiary company in Ireland, where tax rates are lower.  This practice of profit shifting has affected the tax revenues of governments and forced them to act. Why now? Governments have actually been deliberating on the idea of a global minimum corporate tax for a while.  Global corporate tax rates have steadily declined since the 1980s when the then U.S. President Ronald Reagan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher enacted significant tax cuts to boost their economies. The average global corporate tax rate was over 40% in the early 1980s and dropped to well below 25% in 2020 as governments competed against each other to lower their tax rates in order to attract businesses.  This “race to the bottom” has forced losing governments to wake up.  The most immediate trigger for the current tax agreement may be the COVID-19 pandemic, which has severely impacted economies and affected the tax revenues of governments.  What does the new agreement say? The new global tax agreement consists of two pillars, of which the second is about Global Minimum Corporate Tax rate. Countries will legislate a global minimum corporate tax rate of at least 15%. If companies have earning that go untaxed or lightly taxed in one of the world’s tax havens, their home country will impose a top-up tax that will bring the rate up to 15%. So, if an American company pays only 5% taxes on profits that it declares as that of its subsidiary in Ireland, the U.S. government will now be able to impose a 10% additional tax on these profits.  It is expected to add about $150 billion in additional annual revenues to the budgets of governments. The first pillar of the agreement has to do with the basis on which taxes should be collected. Traditionally, companies have been taxed based on where they declare their profits rather than based on where they do business.  Today, with many large technology companies carrying out a huge share of their business in foreign countries, many countries have begun to demand a share of their profits. So, pillar one of the new agreement ensures that 25% of residual profits, which is defined as profits in excess of 10% of revenue, is allocated to the relevant foreign country to tax.  This is expected to help shift the right to tax profits worth over $125 billion to countries where MNCs actually earn their profits. Will it help the global economy? Helps stop the “race to the bottom” where countries compete against each other to cut taxes to attract businesses.  It will increase tax revenues and help governments invest in social development.  Others, however, have not been impressed. Non-profit organisation Oxfam International has criticised the deal, arguing that the minimum corporate tax rate of 15% is in fact too low.  It has also argued that most of the tax collected under the new setup will go to rich countries and widen inequality between countries. Other critics believe that the global minimum corporate tax may kill the various economic benefits that come with tax competition among countries.  (Sansad TV – Perspective) Oct 20: Enhancing Cooperation in West Asia - https://youtu.be/zD0KEjR4oJ0  TOPIC: GS-II – Global Groupings Enhancing Cooperation in West Asia In News: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had a "fruitful" first quadrilateral meeting with his counterparts from the US, Israel and the UAE on ways to expand economic and political cooperation in the Middle East and Asia, including through trade, infrastructure, combating climate change, energy cooperation, and enhancing maritime security. The new “Quad" meeting comes on the back of the momentum created by the Abraham Accords. And it follows a meeting in Washington between Blinken, Lapid and Sheikh Abdullah that reviewed the progress of normalization of Arab-Israeli ties. India, Israel and the UAE have already established trilateral cooperation—in trade and investment—since the Abraham Accords. In May, India, Israel and the UAE had clinched their first trilateral partnership under which an Israeli company was to produce robotic solar cleaning technology in India for a project in the UAE. Main discussion points People-to-people ties in technology and science, and how to support global public health in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic Shared issues of concern in the region and globally, and the importance of expanding our economic and political collaboration Support for public health at the time of the covid-19 pandemic Israel –  The most important thing to look out for is synergy - synergy which will help us work together in all the areas that preoccupies us. Around this table we have a unique set of capabilities, knowledge and experiences that can be used to create a network that we all want to create The key to achieving what they were aiming at was quickly moving from government-to-government to business-to-business. Emphasised on the need for this quadrilateral grouping to quickly put adequate mechanisms in place to translate efforts into real businesses around the globe. USA –  Highlighted trade, climate change, energy, maritime security as the core points of debate, along with generally expanding economic and political cooperation in the region.  In September last year Israel, UAE and Bahrain had signed Abraham Accords brokered by the US which has subsequently led to normalising of relations between Israel and a number of Arab Gulf countries.  Continues to be the most important strategic and defence partner for Israel, UAE and India. India  New Delhi and Abu Dhabi have cultivated a deep and strategic allignment from diplomacy to military affairs.  India and Israel elevated bilateral relations to a strategic partnership during the historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel in July 2017. Since then, the relationship between the two countries has focused on expanding knowledge-based partnership, which includes collaboration in innovation and research, including boosting the 'Make in India' initiative. India has also welcomed the Abraham Accords. At the end of the conversation, it was decided that each minister will appoint senior-level professionals to a joint working group that will formulate options for cooperation in the areas identified by the ministers. The intention is to hold an in-person meeting of the ministers in the coming months at Expo 2020 in Dubai. The Way Forward for India The new “Quad" gives India the flexibility to engage more freely with Israel and India’s partners in the Gulf region. Israel is a key security partner with defence trade between the two countries seen as valued at about $1 billion annually.  Some of the Gulf countries with whom India has developed close are seen as key interlocutors on Afghanistan, Qatar being a case in point. The UAE has been an interlocutor for India when it comes to Pakistan. Cooperation with Iran is a key element of its strategy for Afghanistan given that Tehran has ties with the Taliban and is also crucial for the implementation of the Chabahar port. Increasing security congruence with the U.S. could enable growing cooperation in fields significant for India’s transformation: energy, trade, investment, education and health.  Other areas in which India and the U.S. could increase cooperation are: climate change and energy, on tech solutions for renewable energy, and on digital cooperation. Can you answer the following questions? Non-Alignment 2.0 Essay: India’s Path to Power; Strategy in a World Adrift Essay: Asia, the Nuclues - Cockpit of geopolitical rivalries How can India ensure that India’s role and influence abroad continue to serve the task of transforming India? Discuss. (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 Senki, Barap and Palin are tributaries of Which of the following rivers? Yamuna Barak Gumti River Myntdu River Q.2 Melioidosis, recently seen in news, is caused by which of the following?  Bacteria  Virus Fungi Protozoa Q.3 Which one is the largest tribal group in Meghalaya?  Garo Jaintias Karbi Khasis ANSWERS FOR 23rd Oct 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 B 2 B 3 A Must Read On Basic Structure and unwritten Constitutional Principles: The Leaflet On EWS Reservation Scheme: The Leaflet On transition from rice to maize: Indian Express

UPSC हिन्दी Quiz– 2021: IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz 25th 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 25th 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 2 Questions [25th October, 2021] – Day 7

Archives 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 7 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 

Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Memory and Recollection – Inspirational Educative Articles

Memory and Recollection: There is a strange connection between our memories and how we recollect information. We normally tend to think of our minds as data storage devices – when there is a need to recollect something, we simply access it from our minds and bring it to our awareness. But in reality the connection between memory, recollection and our mind, is more complicated. The single biggest difference between a computer gathering stored information, and a human being recollecting a stored memory is the involvement of emotions; while a computer is almost always impartial and simply logic driven, the human mind is never this simple. At any given moment our ability to recollect something entirely depends on our emotional state. It is the state of our mind that determines our ability to recollect something or not. In fact when the mind is perfectly calm and still, if it is utterly silent with no disturbance whatsoever, we can pretty much recollection anything that has happened in our lives, however insignificant they may be. This might sound impossible but that is the true power of the mind. Unlike a computer, our minds have the ability to recollect just about anything – because the mind has no restriction as to how far back it can go or how much information it can store; a computer might have limitations in memory, but there is no such limitation for a human mind. Our ability to recollect something depends a lot more on our emotional and mental state than we can possibly understand. The easiest way to improve your memory is not to increase your ability to store information, but simply to increase your ability to recollect it – by learning to be in the best possible state to recollect information. For example, we are all familiar with the fact that stress can devastate our ability to recollect even seemingly simple things, but we rarely pay attention to our internal stress levels, especially when we are trying to recollect something of consequential importance. As unconventional as this may sound, just by learning how to keep your mind calm, you can significantly improve your ability to remember and recollect things. Skills like mindfulness, meditation, and focusing exercises can go a long way in improving your ability to recollect things. Sometimes the very things we discard as useless might be of greatest help to us. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Nirvana Foundation and IASBABA.”

UPSC हिन्दी Quiz– 2021: IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz 23rd 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

Motivational Articles

[MI-STORIES]MOTIVATIONAL AND INSPIRATIONAL STORIES - Maturity!

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 - Maturity!   Maturity is many things. It is the ability to base a judgment on the big picture, the long haul. It means being able to resist the urge for immediate gratification and opt for the course of action that will pay off later. One of the characteristics of the young is “I want it now.” Grown-up people can wait. Maturity is perseverance–the ability to sweat out a project or a situation, in spite of heavy opposition and discouraging setbacks, and stick with it until it is finished. The adult who is constantly changing friends and changing mates is immature. He/she cannot stick it out because he/she has not grown up. Maturity is the ability to control anger and settle differences without violence or destruction. The mature person can face unpleasantness, frustration, discomfort and defeat without collapsing or complaining. He/she knows he cannot have everything his/her own way every time. He/she is able to defer to circumstances, to other people-and to time. He/she knows when to compromise and is not too proud to do so. Maturity is humility. It is being big enough to say, “I was wrong.” And, when he/she is right, the mature person need not experience the satisfaction of saying, “I told you so.” Maturity is the ability to make a decision and stand by it. Immature people spend their lives exploring endless possibilities and then doing nothing. Action requires courage. Without courage, little is accomplished. Maturity is the ability to harness your abilities and your energies and do more than is expected. The mature person refuses to settle for mediocrity. He/she would rather aim high and miss the mark than low-and make it. Maturity is the art of living in peace with that which cannot be changed, the courage to change that which should be changed, no matter what it takes, and the wisdom to know the difference.