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Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 22nd September 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

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 21st September 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) COVID-19 vaccine export to resume Part of: Prelims and GS II - International Relations  Context India will resume the export of COVID-19 vaccines under its ‘Vaccine Maitri’ programme to fulfil the commitment towards COVAX (COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access). What is COVAX (COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access)? The COVAX program is led by the vaccine alliance GAVI, WHO and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) in partnership with UNICEF, vaccine manufacturers and the World Bank, among others. Aim: To ensure equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally  It is supposed to be the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history. The program wants to vaccinate roughly 20 percent of the population in the 92 Advance Market Commitment (AMC) countries, which include middle and lower-income nations that cannot afford to pay for COVID-19 vaccines.  Countries with a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of less than US $4000 and some other countries eligible under the World Bank International Development Association (IDA) shall be given top priority. What is Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance? It was Created in 2000. Gavi is an international organisation - a global Vaccine Alliance, bringing together public and private sectors with the shared goal of creating equal access to new and underused vaccines for children living in the world’s poorest countries. Its core partners include the WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Vishnuonyx Part of: Prelims and GS-III- Biodiversity  Context Newly found fossils of Vishnuonyx have been found in the area of Hammerschmiede, which is a fossil site in Bavaria, Germany. Between 12.5 million and 14 million years ago, members of a genus of otters called Vishnuonyx lived in the major rivers of southern Asia.  Key takeaways Fossils of these now extinct otters were first discovered in sediments found in the foothills of the Himalayas.  Now, the newly found fossil indicates it had travelled as far as Germany. The newly discovered fossils have been named Vishnuonyx neptuni, meaning ‘Neptune’s Vishnu’. This is the first discovery of any member of the Vishnuonyx genus in Europe.  It is also its most northern and western record till date. About Vishnuonyx Vishnuonyx were mid-sized predators that weighed, on average, 10-15 kg.  Before this, the genus was known only in Asia and Africa. Vishnuonyx depended on water and could not travel long distances over land.  How did it travel as far as Europe?  According to the researchers, its travels over 6,000 km were probably made possible by the geography of 12 million years ago, when the Alps were recently formed. These Alps and the Iranian Elbrus Mountains were separated by a large ocean basin, which would have made it easier for the otters to cross it. Plant Discoveries 2020: The Botanical Survey of India Part of: Prelims and GS III - environment  Context The Botanical Survey of India, in its new publication Plant Discoveries 2020 has added 267 new taxa/ species to the country’s flora. An assessment of the geographical distribution of these newly discovered plants reveals that 22% of the discoveries were made from the Western Ghats. About Botanical Survey of India (BSI)  It is the apex research organization under the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEFCC)  It carries out taxonomic and floristic studies on wild plant resources of the country. It was established in 1890  It has nine regional circles  Headquarter: Kolkata, West Bengal. Rail Kaushal Vikas Yojana Part of: Prelims and GS - II - policies and interventions Context  Recently, the Ministry of Railways launched Rail Kaushal Vikas Yojana (RKVY) under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY). What is Rail Kaushal Vikas Yojana (RKVY)? This is a skill development programme, where training will be provided to youth with a special focus on jobs that are relevant to the Railways. The training will be provided in four trades viz. Electrician, Welder, Machinist and Fitter and other trades will be added by zonal railways and Production units based on regional demands and needs assessment. Training will be provided to apprentices under the Apprentice Act 1961. Objectives:  To impart training skills to the youth in various trades to bring qualitative improvement. To train 50,000 candidates over the next three years. Eligibility: Candidates who are 10th passed and between 18-35 years shall be eligible to apply.  Significance: It will not only improve the employability of the youth but also upgrade the skills of employed. What is Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana? Launched in 2015, it is a flagship program of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). Aim: To mobilize youth to take up skill training with the aim of increasing productivity and aligning the training and certification to the needs of the country. Key Components: Short Term Training: Training as per National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) is provided to those who are either school/college dropouts or unemployed. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): An individual with a certain set of skills or with prior learning experience is assessed and certified under RPL with grade according to the NSQF. Special Projects: This component ensures training in special areas and premises of government bodies and corporate. It aims to encourage training in vulnerable and marginalized groups of society. Training Partners (TPs) are mandated to organize Kaushal and Rozgar Melas every six months Sea Cucumber Part of: Prelims and GS III - Conservation  Context Recently, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has seized two tonnes of sea cucumber, a banned marine species, in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay areas in Tamil Nadu. What is Sea Cucumber? Sea cucumbers are marine invertebrates that live on the seafloor found generally in tropical regions.  They're named for their unusual oblong shape that resembles a fat cucumber. Significance: They are crucial to maintain the balance of ocean habitats. The main by-products of the sea cucumbers digestion of sand is calcium carbonate and this is essential for the survival of the coral reefs. They act like garbage collectors of the ocean world, and they recycle nutrients Threats: Illegal Trading and smuggling Protection: IUCN Red List: Brown Sea Cucumber (Endangered), Blackspotted Sea Cucumber (Least Concern), Blue Sea Cucumber (Data Deficient), etc. Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I. Conservation Efforts: In 2020, the Lakshadweep Islands administration created the world’s first conservation area - 239 sq. km - for sea cucumbers (News from PIB) EXERCISE ‘SAMUDRA SHAKTI’ Part of: GS-Prelims  In News: Indian Navy and Indonesian Navy Participate in Exercise ‘Samudra Shakti’. To strengthen the bilateral relationship Enhance mutual understanding and interoperability in maritime operations between the two navies Provide an appropriate platform to share best practices and develop a common understanding of Maritime Security Operations. Note: Sunda Strait- the strait between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. It connects the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean. News Source: PIB EXERCISE SURYA KIRAN Part of: GS-Prelims  In News: Indo-Nepal Joint Military Training Exercise Surya Kiran begins at Pithoragarh (UK) An Infantry Battalion each from the Indian Army and the Nepali Army will be training together to develop inter-operability and share their experience of counter terrorism operations and disaster relief operations. News Source: PIB Global Innovation Index 2021 Part of: GS-Prelims  India has climbed 2 spots and has been ranked 46th by the World Intellectual Property Organization in the Global Innovation Index 2021 rankings. India has been on a rising trajectory, over the past several years in the Global Innovation Index (GII), from a rank of 81 in 2015 to 46 in 2021. Global Innovation Index (GII):  The GII provides new data and analysis on the state of global innovation, and allows readers and policy-makers to benchmark the innovation ecosystem performance of more than 130 economies.  This year, a novel new feature, the Global Innovation Tracker, gives a snapshot on the pulse of global innovation, including throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. As the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be felt around the world, the 2021 GII assesses the impact of the crisis on global innovation performance. Read more: The India Innovation Index News Source: PIB Miscellaneous National Florence Nightingale Award 2020: Brigadier S V Saraswati; The highest national distinction a nurse can achieve for selfless devotion and exceptional professionalism. (Mains Focus) POLITY/ GOVERNANCE GS-2: Citizenship, Federalism GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Done and dusted: On NRC process Context: Foreigners’ Tribunal (FT) in Karimganj district of southern Assam, while removing the ambiguity around a man’s citizenship, has pronounced that there is no doubt that the NRC published on August 31, 2019, is the final one. What is the background of National Register of Citizens (NRC)? At its core, the NRC is an official record of those who are legal Indian citizens. It includes demographic information about all those individuals who qualify as citizens of India as per the Citizenship Act, 1955.  The register was first prepared after the 1951 Census of India and since then it has not been updated until recently. So far, such a database has only been maintained for the state of Assam.  In 2014, the SC ordered the updation of the NRC in Assam.  The main purpose for updating of the NRC in Assam was the identification of the illegal immigrants in the state who had migrated to Assam from Bangladesh during the 1971 war with Pakistan. One of the basic criteria for identification was that the names of the family members of the applicant should be present in the NRC prepared in 1951 or in the electoral rolls up till March 24, 1971. The entire updation process was executed by the Assam’s administrative machinery. In the run-up to the publication of the final document, Assam and the Centre had petitioned the Supreme Court for re-verification of a sample of names included in the draft NRC — 20% in the border districts and 10% elsewhere — but this was dismissed after the State NRC Coordinator, said re-verification of 27% names had been already done.  Final NRC was published on 31st Aug 2019 (Supreme Court deadline). The list left out over 1.9 million from a list of around 33 million applicants. The citizenship of those who have been left out would be determined at the Foreigner’s Tribunals What are the challenges post publication of NRC? Political Opposition: NRC publication on 31st Aug 2019 has annoyed political parties across the ideological divide, with some alleging it victimised document-less Bengali Hindus and indigenous Assamese people and others alleging that it targeted the State’s Bengali-origin Muslims.  Re-verification demand: In May 2021, the State NRC authority has filed a petition in Supreme Court seeking re-verification of the August 31, 2019 list, citing inclusion and exclusion errors. Assam Chief Minister has on record stated that the State government wants 20% re-verification in the districts bordering Bangladesh and 10% in others.  Another repetition of the NRC even on smaller scale, whether led by the judiciary or the executive, would rely on the same administrative set-up.  Slow post-publication progress: On the execution side, the issuance of rejection slips to those left out of the NRC has not begun, a necessary step to file appeals in the Foreigner Tribunals. Legal Approval awaiting: Also, a Registrar General of India notification has not conferred the stamp of legality on the NRC yet. Conclusion Providing legal stamp on NRC and kick-starting the appeals process is perhaps the most prudent path ahead.  Connecting the dots: Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 Assam Protests against CAA, 2019 ENVIRONMENT/ INTERNATIONAL GS-3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation GS-2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Difficulties for India to attain Net Zero Context: On his recent visit to India ahead of the U.N. Climate Change conference in Glasgow, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said he had not received any assurance that India was working to raise its ambition to cut carbon dioxide emissions. India, as the country with the third largest emissions, is under pressure to come up with a higher ambition on cutting CO2 emissions.  The net zero concept, according to the United Nations, has appealed to 130 countries that have either committed themselves to carbon neutrality by 2050, or are considering that target. The net-zero goal Net-zero, which is also referred to as carbon-neutrality, does not mean that a country would bring down its emissions to zero.  Rather, net-zero is a state in which a country’s emissions are compensated by absorption and removal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.  Absorption of the emissions can be increased by creating more carbon sinks such as forests, while removal of gases from the atmosphere requires futuristic technologies such as carbon capture and storage. How are other big countries pursuing net zero? As the largest emitter of GHGs, China told the U.N. in 2020 that it would move to net zero by 2060. It has pledged to peak CO2 emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality three decades later. The U.S., as the second biggest emitter with large historical emissions, returned to the Paris Agreement under President Joe Biden with an ambitious 2050 net zero plan.  The European Union (EU) member-states have committed themselves to reducing emissions by at least 55% by 2030 over 1990 levels. In July, the EU published a climate law that binds the bloc to its 2030 emissions target and carbon neutrality by 2050. Why do some analysts see net zero as controversial? Although a global coalition has been reached around the concept, an increasingly vocal group views net zero as a distraction, useful only to score political points.  Carbon neutrality looks to nascent technology to suck out CO2 from the atmosphere, which is expensive especially for developing countries. Youth movements and some scientists call this postponement, since it enables the fossil fuel industry to continue expanding. Many fossil fuel companies support net zero goals. What is India doing to lower emissions? India is working to reduce its emissions and has pledged to cut the emissions intensity of GDP by 33%-35% by 2030 over the 2005 level. India also has set ambitious renewable energy targets i.e. 450 GW by 2030. But India has not favoured a binding commitment towards carbon neutrality. It is also not aligned with the more ambitious goal of 1.5°C temperature rise.  Among the contentious issues India faces is heavy reliance on coal accounting 70% of electricity generation.  Cutting greenhouse gases which heat the atmosphere and contribute to climate change involves shifting power production away from coal, greater adoption of renewables, and transforming mobility through electric vehicles.  What are India’s choices? Getting a stronger economic dividend for the same volume of CO2 emitted by reforming energy, industry and buildings, and achieving higher energy efficiency in all sectors can slow emissions.  State governments must be part of such a climate plan, and climate governance institutions must be set up at the national and State levels. Connecting the dots: Net Zero Carbon Emissions may not be enough Paris Climate Accord India’s Opposition to Net Zero China’s Climate Commitments (AIR Spotlight) Spotlight Sep 18: Seva aur Samarpan- Bees Saal Sushashan ke Series- Theme: Jal Jeevan Mission - https://youtu.be/xs6zwVnSuQ0  GOVERNANCE/ ECONOMY 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 Government of India has restructured and subsumed the ongoing National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) into Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to provide Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every rural household i.e., Har Ghar Nal Se Jal (HGNSJ) by 2024. What is Jal Jeevan Mission? It is envisioned to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India.  It envisages supply of 55 litres of water per person per day to every rural household through Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) by 2024. It also includes functional tap connection to Schools, Anganwadi centres, GP buildings, Health centres, wellness centres and community buildings The programme will also implement source sustainability measures as mandatory elements, such as recharge and reuse through grey water management, water conservation, rain water harvesting.  JJM focuses on integrated demand and supply-side management of water at the local level. The Mission is based on a community approach to water. It looks to create a jan andolan for water, thereby making it everyone’s priority. It promotes and ensure voluntary ownership among local community by way of contribution in cash, kind and/ or labour and voluntary labour. Parent Ministry: Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti Funding Pattern: The fund sharing pattern between the Centre and states is 90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern States, 50:50 for other states, and 100% for Union Territories. Four-tier implementation & monitoring of the scheme at National, State, District & village level. There is a Water Quality Management Information System as well which is a dedicated one-stop information portal that provides information about the quality of water. Jal Jeevan Mission emphasizes that each local village should be able to test the quality of water not only at the source but also at the delivery points. For that purpose, the National Jal Jeevan Mission with the help of states is giving training to at least five women in one village, implying out of the 6 lakh villages, 30 lakh women will be trained. So far, 6 lakh women have been trained and they are assigned the task of testing the tap water quality which they get at their village level. Therefore, all three aspects are taken care of under the Jal Jeevan Mission.:  The source of water and its sustainability,  The operation maintenance and providing tap water supply to each and every household, and The treatment of the greywater or used water Unburdening lives of women For a country with 16 per cent of the world’s population, and only 4 per cent of the world’s freshwater resources, with the changing weather patterns and frequent droughts, over 250 of the 700 districts of India’s districts are now water stressed. Two hundred and fifty six of our approximately 700 districts have groundwater levels which are “critical” or “over-exploited” as per the latest data from the Central Ground Water Board (2017). To put it simply, this means that fetching water in these districts is now that much harder, as the water table has fallen that much deeper.  According to a report by the National Commission for Women, on an average, a rural woman in Rajasthan walks over 2.5 km to reach a water source. This is probably an underestimate, but the bottomline is that our women and girls spend a significant proportion of their time on fetching water. With women playing a leadership role in managing their community’s water resources, minus the drudgery of walking for miles to fetch water for their families, the Jal Jeevan Mission will provide a massive fillip to the ease of living for women, and they will no longer be beasts of burden. Challenges involved: Bigger states have bigger challenges. In water scheme though focus is village level scheme but many times support is not available very close to the villages. So, for that, there is provision of multi village scheme. Example is Rajasthan. Also, in the Ganga belt, water quality issues are present in the form of impurity (arsenic, sulfur, etc.) contamination or other water quality issues and hence, providing water to households in these areas does take time. But the states have taken this mission very seriously and they are doing their best to provide water to each household. Way Forward: Be it at the water conservation level, or greywater treatment, or the operation and maintenance level, all the levels require the community involvement as the main focus of the Jal Jeevan Mission is the community. Therefore, without community involvement it is not possible to successfully achieve the target.  Earlier, all the programs were basically engineering-based programs so, most of the stress was on creating engineering water infrastructure. But this time, the emphasis is on service delivery not on infrastructure creation. Service delivery has its own challenges such as supplying adequate water, maintaining the sources, etc. Hence, all these aspects should be taken care of. The empowerment of capacity building of the local village communities is very important. With the involvement of not only Ph.D. engineers but also the local people, the challenges will hopefully be met. Can you answer this question? Enlightened water policy needs infrastructure. But more than that, it requires institutions with local and village ownership. Analyse. (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 consider the following statements regarding Botanical Survey of India (BSI): It is the apex research organization under the Ministry of Science and technology  It carries out taxonomic and floristic studies on wild plant resources of the country. Select the correct answer from the codes given below: 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  Q.2 Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana is implemented by Which of the following? Ministry of education  Ministry of minority affairs  Ministry of skill development and Entrepreneurship  None of the above Q.3 Which one of the following is the boundary between India and Sri Lanka ? Gulf of Mannar Palk bay Palk Strait Malacca Strait ANSWERS FOR 20th Sept 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 B 3 C Must Read On Hate Speech: The Hindu On AUKUS and India: Indian Express On Earth Observation Satellites: ORF

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 21st September 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

Baba's Gurukul 2022

[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 1824 students had registered and around 1638 had taken the Entrance Test on 18th September in our online portal and offline Centres (Bangalore, Delhi, Lucknow). Based on your performance we have shortlisted 350 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

Important Articles

[FINAL COMPILATIONS] IASbaba’s Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series NOTES - English & Hindi - UPSC PRELIMS 2021

Dear Students If you ask any topper about their secret of success, you’ll find one common answer. And that is – Revision. Revision is key to success. As if you have not revised the topics, you won’t be able to recall them in the exam and there will be a very high probability of getting confused and marking an incorrect answer. To assist all of you in Revision, we are providing you with the Compilations of RaRe Notes (English and हिन्दी) ENGLISH RaRe Notes COMPILATIONS   POLITY PART 1 - CLICK HERE POLITY PART 2 - CLICK HERE ECONOMY PART 1 - CLICK HERE ECONOMY PART 2 - CLICK HERE HISTORY PART 1 - CLICK HERE HISTORY PART 2 - CLICK HERE GEOGRAPHY PART 1 - CLICK HERE GEOGRAPHY PART 2 - CLICK HERE ENVIRONMENT AND SCIENCE & TECH PART 1 - CLICK HERE ENVIRONMENT AND SCIENCE & TECH PART 2 - CLICK HERE हिन्दी RaRe Notes COMPILATIONS   POLITY PART 1 & 2 - CLICK HERE ECONOMY PART 1 & 2 - CLICK HERE HISTORY PART 1 & 2 - CLICK HERE GEOGRAPHY PART 1 & 2 - CLICK HERE ENVIRONMENT AND SCIENCE & TECH PART 1 & 2 - CLICK HERE Note - Static Quiz and Current Affairs Quiz Compilations will be updated very soon. All the Best  IASbaba

FULL MOCKS 1 : UPSC PRELIMS 2021- Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series

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

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 20th September 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Helina Missile Part of: Prelims and GS III - Defence and security  Context The helicopter-launched Nag Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM), Helina, being developed indigenously, has completed all trials.  About Helina Helina is a third-generation, Lock on Before Launch (LOBL) fire and forget class anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system.  It has all- weather day and night operational capabilities.  It can defeat battle tanks with conventional and explosive reactive armour (ERA).  It can engage targets both in direct hit mode as well as top attack mode. About Nag Missile Nag is a third-generation, fire-and-forget, anti-tank guided missile developed by DRDO to support both mechanized infantry and airborne forces of the Indian Army. It is an all-weather condition with day and night capabilities and with a minimum range of 500m and a maximum range of 4 km. Nag can be launched from land and air-based platforms. The land version is currently available for integration on the Nag missile carrier (NAMICA). DRDO has developed nag Missiles under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program. The five missiles (P-A-T-N-A) developed under this program are: Prithvi: Short-range surface to surface ballistic missile. Agni: Ballistic missiles with different ranges, i.e., Agni (I, II, III, IV, V). Trishul: Short-range low-level surface to air missile. Nag: 3rd generation anti-tank missile. Akash: Medium range surface to air missile. News Source: TH  Humboldt Penguin Part of: Prelims and GS III - Conservation  Context Two new Humboldt penguin chicks, join seven adult Humboldt penguins at Mumbai’s Byculla Zoo. About Humboldt penguins Humboldt penguin is named after the cold ocean current, known as Humboldt current. Humboldt Current, also called the Peru Current, is a cold, low-salinity ocean current that flows north along the western coast of South America. Habitat: Humboldt penguin is a South American penguin that breeds in coastal Chile and Peru. When not raising chicks, these penguins have been known to travel long distances at sea to find food. Humboldt penguins can breed at any time of year. IUCN status: Vulnerable  Energy-efficient Low-C bricks Part of: Prelims and GS-III- Sci and Tech Context Researchers have developed a technology to produce energy-efficient walling materials using construction and demolition waste and alkali-activated binders. Key takeaways The researchers developed low embodied carbon bricks from construction and demolition waste through an alkali activation process using fly ash and ground slag.  Called Low-C bricks, they do not require high-temperature firing and avoid the use of high-energy material such as Portland cement.  The technology will also solve the disposal problems associated with construction and demolition waste mitigation. What is fly ash? Fly ash is a fine powder that is a byproduct of burning pulverized coal in electric generation power plants. When mixed with lime and water, fly ash forms a compound similar to Portland cement. It is used in concrete and cement products, road base, metal recovery, and mineral filler among others. Fly ash particles are toxic air pollutants. They can trigger heart disease, cancer, respiratory diseases and stroke. Shankhalipi script Part of: Prelims and GS - I - History Context  Recently, Archeologists of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have found ‘Shankhalipi’ inscriptions on the stairs on an ancient temple dating back to the Gupta period in Uttar Pradesh’s Etah district. Bilsarh, in Etah-Uttar Pradesh, where the remains were found has been a protected site from the colonial times and is a known Gupta period settlement. Key findings The ‘shankhalipi’ inscriptions were deciphered by the archaeologists as saying, ‘Sri Mahendraditya’, the title of Kumaragupta I of the Gupta dynasty. The discovery becomes significant since only two other structural temples from the Gupta age have been found so far — Dashavatara Temple (Deogarh) and Bhitargaon Temple (Kanpur Dehat). About the Shankhalipi script This script is assumed to be Brahmi derivatives that look like conch shells or shankhas.  They are found in inscriptions across North-Central India and date to between the 4th and 8th centuries.  The inscriptions consist of a small number of characters, suggesting that the shell inscriptions are names or auspicious symbols or a combination of the two. The script was discovered in 1836 on a brass trident in Uttarakhand’s Barahat by English scholar James Prinsep. Prominent sites with shell inscriptions include the Mundeshwari Temple in Bihar, the Udayagiri Caves in Madhya Pradesh, Mansar in Maharashtra and some of the cave sites of Gujarat and Maharashtra.  The shell inscriptions are also reported in Indonesia’s Java and Borneo. Kumaragupta I of the Gupta dynasty The Guptas were the first to build structural temples, distinctly different from the ancient rock-cut temples. Kumaragupta I was the son of Chandragupta II and grandson of the Great Samudragupta of Gupta dynasty.  He built the world famous ancient Nalanda University. Among the Gupta kings, he issued the largest varieties of coins. World Bank Stops ‘Ease of Doing Business’ Report Part of: Prelims and GS II - International relations Context The World Bank would discontinue the practice of issuing ‘Doing Business report’ following an investigation reported “data irregularities” in its 2018 and 2020 editions (released in 2017 and 2019, respectively) and possible “ethical matters” involving bank staff. It will be working on a new approach to assessing the business and investment climate. About Ease of Doing Business Report The report was introduced in 2003 to provide an assessment of objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement across 190 economies on ten parameters affecting a business through its life cycle. Notably, in three reports, released in 2017, 2018 and 2019, India ranked among the top 10 economies showing “the most notable improvement”. About World Bank It was created in 1944, as the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) along with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).  The IBRD later became the World Bank. It works for sustainable solutions that reduce poverty and build shared prosperity in developing countries. Major reports: Ease of Doing Business. Human Capital Index. World Development Report. Its Five development institutions: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD): provides loans, credits, and grants. International Development Association (IDA): provides low- or no-interest loans to low-income countries. International Finance Corporation (IFC): provides investment, advice, and asset management to companies and governments. Multilateral Guarantee Agency (MIGA): insures lenders and investors against political risk such as war. International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID): settles investment-disputes between investors and countries. New Study on Ninth Planet Part of: Prelims and GS III - Awareness in space  Context: In the continued search for the hypothetical ninth planet in our Solar System, Michael Brown, the astronomer who led the demotion of Pluto to a dwarf planet in 2006, has co-written a new study that claims to have narrowed the region the potential new planet could be located. Key takeaways The study proposes "Planet Nine" exists beyond Neptune and is six times the mass of Earth. The new study also includes a "treasure map" of the planet’s likely orbit that the scientists said lasts around 7,400 Earth years and is closer to the Sun than the 2016 study found. A closer orbit to the Sun would make the planet brighter and easier to see. Planet Nine would probably be a cold gas giant like Neptune, the farthest known planet in a Solar System from the Sun. Neptune has a nonsolid surface made up mostly of hydrogen, helium, and methane, according to NASA. (News from PIB) Meeting of G-20 Agriculture Ministers Part of: GS-Prelims  Context: Agriculture is contributing to the three biggest challenges of the 21st century – achieving food security, adapting to climate change and mitigating climate change. Important resources like water, energy and land are depleting rapidly. There is a need for sustainability in agriculture along with increasing production and income simultaneously, adapting to climate change by balancing crop, livestock, fisheries and agroforestry systems, increasing resource efficiency, protecting the environment and maintaining ecosystem services. Agricultural research  Has played an important role in tackling the problem of food security, improving the income of farmers and agriculturists and sustainable use of natural resources for the subsistence of the people.  Research contributes significantly to the three aspects of food security – availability, access and affordability. Integrated research efforts can develop a package of techniques and methodologies for improving soil productivity, water management for storage, expansion and efficiency.  Efforts by India United Nations has accepted the proposal of the Government of India and declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, the government is providing income support of Rs.6,000 per year to small farmers. So far, Rs 1.58 lakh crore has been deposited in the bank accounts of more than 11.37 crore farmers under this scheme. The 'Per Drop- More Crop' scheme for irrigation and 'Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana' for organic farming is being successfully implemented. Implemented the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to provide insurance cover for the farmers. Oilseeds Technology Mission doubled the production of oilseeds in 10 years.  India has made great progress in pulses production in recent times due to the introduction of new varieties in the seed system. Developed and released 17 varieties of different crops which are resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses.  Developing bio-fortified varieties to meet the nutritional requirement of the people. National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture has been launched which promotes integrated farming systems approach in agriculture. Presidency of G20: Italy News Source: PIB E-shram portal Part of: GS-Prelims  In News: Registration of Unorganized Workers has picked up pace across the country. More than 1 crore have been registered on e-shram portal. States of Bihar, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal at the fore front Common Service Centre’s playing crucial role in facilitating registrations, nearly 68 percent registration done via CSC’s First ever concentrate step towards generating a comprehensive database of the unorganized workers from different sectors like construction, apparel manufacturing, fishing, gig and platform work, street vending, domestic work, agriculture and allied, transport sector and so on As per Economic Survey 2019-20, there are an estimated 38 crore unorganised workers (UW) in the country, which would be targeted to register on this portal.  e-shram portal: e-Shram portal 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. 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 (Mains Focus) AGRICULTURE/ GOVERNANCE/ ECONOMY GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. GS-3: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prics and food security Increase in MSP for oilseeds Context: Recently, Union government announced higher Minimum Support Price (MSP) for rabi crops to boost their production.  Notably, crops such as oilseeds and pulses have witnessed a higher percentage rise in their MSP when compared to major crops such as wheat. Is the move aimed at ending dependence on imports? The prices of edible oils such as palm oil, sunflower oil, mustard oil etc. have increased by well over 50% in the last one year.  This price rise has been attributed mainly to labour shortages and crop failures in major edible oil-producing nations such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Argentina, and Ukraine.  The government thus hopes to cut down India’s dependence on foreign oil imports by boosting domestic production. At the moment, over 60% of India’s edible oil needs are met through imports The government also aims to protect Indian consumers from price shocks due to global factors.  In order to boost domestic production, the MSP for rapeseed and mustard seed has been increased by as much as 8% in contrast to a mere 2% increase in the MSP for a major crop like wheat.  It is also worth noting that the Centre had last month announced the National Edible Oil mission worth ₹11,040 crore to encourage the domestic production of palm oil.  Will it offer immediate benefits? The greater percentage increase in the support prices for oil seeds when compared to that of other crops could increase the amount of land and other resources used to cultivate oil seeds.  But it is unlikely to offer immediate benefits in terms of higher domestic production of oil seeds and lower edible oil prices for consumers. Farmers say that it takes at least four years for certain freshly sown oil crops such as the palm oil crop to yield increased output.  However, if these measures can help improve oilseed supply in the long run, they can indeed benefit consumers.  There could also be other crucial factors that might play a role in the success of the Centre’s plan.  For one, the price that farmers get paid for their crops is often well below the MSP. So the actual implementation of the MSP programme will be the key.  Further, the cost of producing oil seeds may vary significantly from that of other crops, so production will depend not just on the MSP but on the expected returns from different crops. Is a higher MSP necessary to boost oil seed production? A higher support price for any crop can potentially increase its production as it offers farmers more financial incentive to cultivate it.  However, many believe that the price and supply of edible oils is adversely affected by factors beyond just the lack of sufficient domestic supply.  Import taxes are considered a major culprit behind the high edible oil prices. Oils such as soya bean oil and sunflower oil are taxed at around 30% today while their refined varieties are taxed at around 40% even after the Centre slashed import taxes last week.  So the increase in the support price for oil seeds and the National Edible Oil Mission are seen more as efforts to encourage domestic production under the Atma Nirbhar plan to attain self-sufficiency.  It should also be noted that there may be genuine economic reasons for edible oils to be produced predominantly in certain countries and not in others.  If so, the mere volatility in the price of imported edible oils may not be a good enough reason to subsidise domestic production. Connecting the dots: The basis of MSP Ashok Dalwai Committee on Doubling Farmer’s income New Agriculture Bills and opposition to it INTERNATIONAL/ SECURITY GS-2: India and its neighborhood- relations.  GS-2: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests How the 9/11 wars changed the world Context: After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the U.S. went to Afghanistan to defeat al-Qaeda and topple the Taliban regime.  Critical Analysis of USA’s actions post 9/11 Unmet US Objectives: Twenty years later after 2001, when the U.S. exited Afghanistan, the Taliban, which never fully severed its ties with al-Qaeda, was back in power in Afghanistan. Diminished Presence in the region: US has not only lost its base in Afghanistan but its alliance with Pakistan, which goes back to the Cold War, is over.  Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries also refuse to host an American base. This diminished presence of US in the region will impact its intelligence operations. War on Terror weakened: US says that its war on terror will continue. Howeever, if U.S. wants to carry out a drone strike against terror groups in Afghanistan, it will have to fly the machines from the Gulf, which is not an effective counter-terrorism strategy. Misuse of Global Support for regime change: After the 9/11 attacks, with global support and sympathy, there was a legal and moral argument in favour of its military action against al-Qaeda. However, US launched regime change wars to remake the Muslim world.  Iraq war provided a new base for al-Qaeda: The invasion of Iraq, based on false intelligence that Iraq’s President Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, diffused the U.S.’s focus in Afghanistan. This war in Iraq created condition for growth of Al-Qaeda’s branch in Iraq. US Clueless on Instability caused: In subsequent years, US brought down regimes in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria. However, it remained clueless about how to tackle the instability that followed. The chaos and lawlessness that followed these regime change created conditions for Jihadists to thrive. US actions indirectly spread terrorism: The repeated attacks on Muslim-majority countries by US and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of locals, mostly Muslims, in these wars helped strengthen the jihadist narrative that the ‘Christian West’ is launching ‘a crusade’ against Muslims. This helped in recruiting young Muslims into terror groups & spread of terrorism Divided World: On one hand, Anti-Americanism emerged as a dominant political theme across Muslim-majority countries. On the other hand, terror attacks in different parts of world led to the strengthening of Islamophobic politics in West. Humanitarian Crisis: The wars by US also triggered a massive outflow of refugees from the affected countries to neighbouring nations. Rise of China: The most unexpected setback that the U.S. suffered was in geopolitics. When the U.S. was busy in the Muslim world, China was steadily rising. America’s withdrawal and the perception of its weakness has also emboldened its rivals like Iran, Russia and China.  Conclusion This doesn’t mean that the global hegemony of the U.S. is over. The U.S. suffered setbacks in the past and bounced back.  The 1970s were particularly a bad decade for the U.S. during the Cold War – US withdrawal from Vietnam in 1975, Communists assumed control of Afghanistan in 1978 and US lost Iran in 1979.  Yet, by 1980 US was back in action, thanks to the USSR intervention in Afghanistan. Currently, the U.S. might wait for its rivals, especially China, to commit blunders — like the Soviets did in 1979 with Afghanistan — or it might grab other strategic opportunities. Connecting the dots: March 2021: Joe Biden’s initial Peace Plan  April 2021: Final Biden’s Plan of US Exit from Afghanistan  Rise of Taliban India must directly engage with Taliban 2.0 India and Taliban (AIR Spotlight) Spotlight Sep 16: Production Linked Incentives in Key Sectors: A Boost To Make In India - https://youtu.be/NzQ2DH_6vEU  ECONOMY GS-3: Indian Economy Production Linked Incentives in Key Sectors – Part 2 Context: Production linked incentive (PLI) scheme aims at boosting domestic manufacturing and exports, is expected to - Increase the country’s production by USD 520 billion in the next five years Make India self-reliant in manufacturing goods for local and export markets, positioning it as a global manufacturing hub Make domestic manufacturing competitive and efficient, build capacity, and benefit from economies of scale, enhance exports, attract investment and create jobs.  Click here for Part-1 F. For Specialty Steel: With a budgetary outlay of Rs 6,322 crore over a period of five years from 2023-24. It is value-added steel, which is made by processing normal finished steel. It is done by converting normal finished steel into high value-added steel by way of coating, plating and heat treatment. Apart from the automobile sector and specialised capital goods, they can be used in various strategic applications such as defence, space, power etc. SS are categorized in various types such as, coated/plated steel products, high strength/wear resistant steel, speciality rails, alloy steel products and steel wires, electrical steel etc. G. For India’s textile sector: To help India regain its historical dominant status in global textiles trade. The incentives shall encourage investment in new capacities in man-made fibre (MMF) apparel, MMF fabrics, and 10 segments or products of technical textiles.  The scheme shall help attract investment of more than Rs. 19,000 crore, creating an additional 7.5 lakh direct jobs. There will be two levels of investment with different sets of incentives.  In the first category, any person or firm can invest a minimum Rs. 300 crore in plant, machinery, and civil works to produce the identified products to ensure eligibility for the PLI. In the second category a minimum investment of Rs. 100 crore would make an individual or firm eligible to apply for the incentives. Priority would be given for investment in aspirational districts, tier-three, tier-four towns and rural areas.  The scheme is expected to benefit States such as Gujarat, U.P., Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Andhra, Telangana and Odisha. Applicants would have two years as investment period and 2024-2025 would be the ‘performance’ year. The incentive flow would start in 2025-2026 and extend for five years. H. For auto sector: Approved a Rs. 26,058 crore production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme to enhance manufacture of advanced technology and green vehicles, auto parts and drones. Benefits: It will attract Rs. 42,500 crore in fresh investment into the automobile and auto components industry over five years It will help create more than 7.5 lakh jobs. The scheme has been devised for both existing automotive firms and new investors. The ‘sales value linked’ scheme includes a ‘champion OEM’ incentive applicable on battery electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. A ‘component champion’ incentive is for advanced automotive technology components. I. For Drone Industry: Will incentivize emergence of Advanced Automotive Technologies global supply chain in India Help create additional employment of over 7.6 lakh people Incentives worth ₹ 26,058 crore will be provided to industry over five years It will bring fresh investments of over₹5,000 crore in three years and incremental production of over ₹ 1,500 crore J. For The Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage Aim: To achieve a manufacturing capacity of 50 GigaWatt Hour of ACC and five Giga Watt Hour of Niche ACC with an outlay of 18,100 crore. ACCs are the new generation of advanced storage technologies that can store electric energy either as electrochemical or as chemical energy and convert it back to electric energy as and when required.  It will also give a big push to electric mobility, benefiting three-wheelers, four-wheelers and heavy vehicles. India is currently importing Battery Storage Equipment  K. National Programme on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules: For achieving manufacturing capacity of Giga Watt (GW) scale in high efficiency solar PV modules with an outlay of Rs.4,500 crore. Solar PV manufacturers will be selected through a transparent competitive bidding process. PLI will be disbursed for 5 years after commissioning of solar PV manufacturing plants, on sales of high efficiency solar PV modules. The outcomes/ benefits expected from the scheme: Additional 10,000 MW capacity of integrated solar PV manufacturing plants Direct investment of around Rs.17,200 crore in solar PV manufacturing projects Demand of Rs.17,500 crore over 5 years for ‘Balance of Materials’ Direct employment of about 30,000 and Indirect employment of about 1,20,000 persons Import substitution of around Rs.17,500 crore every year Impetus to Research & Development to achieve higher efficiency in solar PV modules. L. For White Goods (Air Conditioners and LED Lights) - with a budgetary outlay of Rs. 6,238 crore. Shall extend an incentive of 4% to 6% on incremental sales of goods manufactured in India for a period of five years to companies engaged in manufacturing of Air Conditioners and LED Lights. An entity availing benefits under any other PLI Scheme of Govt. India will not be eligible under this scheme.  It will be implemented as a pan India scheme.  A number of global and domestic companies, including a number of MSMEs are likely to benefit from the Scheme. It is estimated that over the period of five years, the PLI Scheme will lead to incremental investment of Rs. 7,920 Crore, incremental Production worth Rs. 1,68,000 Crore, exports worth Rs 64,400 Crore, earn direct and indirect revenues of Rs 49,300 crore and create additional four lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities. (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 Which of the following are correctly matched? Prithvi: Short-range surface to surface ballistic missile. Agni: Ballistic missiles with different ranges  Trishul: Short-range low-level surface to air missile. Nag: 3rd generation anti-tank missile. Akash: Medium range surface to air missile. Select the correct answer from the quotes given below: 1 and 2 only 1, 2 and 5 only 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 2 and 4 only Q.2 Human capital index is published by Which of the following? World economic forum World Bank ASEAN International monetary fund Q.3 Where are Udayagiri caves located? Maharashtra  Uttar Pradesh Madhya Pradesh  Rajasthan ANSWERS FOR 18th Sept 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 A 2 D 3 B Must Read On Social and Educational Learning: The Hindu On Urbanisation: Indian Express On Urbanisation and Agriculture: Hindustan Times

[CURRENT AFFAIRS] IAS UPSC REVAMPED Current Affairs Magazine AUGUST 2021

ARCHIVES Hello Friends, This is August 2021 of IASbaba’s REVAMPED Current Affairs Monthly Magazine. Current Affairs for UPSC Civil Services Examination is an important factor in this preparation. An effort towards making your Current Affairs for IAS UPSC Preparation qualitative. We hope you make the best use of it! This edition covers all Important current affairs issues that were in news for the month of AUGUST 2021. Kindly leave your feedback in the comment section below on the new design and presentation of the magazine. We would love to hear from you 🙂   DOWNLOAD THE MAGAZINE- CLICK HERE To get Regular Updates from IASbaba, follow- TELEGRAM Channel – https://t.me/IASbabaOfficialAccount YOUTUBE – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChvbVdio9Wgj7Z3nQz1Q0ZQ FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/iasbaba/ Also, SUBSCRIBE to the WEBSITE Below, so that you don’t miss out on important posts! Thank You IASbaba  

Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Just give it a try – Inspirational Educative Articles

Just Give it a Try: You can experience deeper states of bliss. Bliss cannot be explained. Bliss is not happiness. Bliss is a deep state of feeling connected with yourself, with life, and with existence. Only when you experience it will you know. Beyond that, there are a hundred more things that you can experience. They are all things that cannot be put in words. Somewhere, you’ve got to begin. So, instead of worrying too much about the benefits, just dive in. Believe in yourself that you can understand meditation, that you can figure it out. It might take some time, but don’t give up. If you succeed in meditation, you succeed in everything. If you fail in meditation, then life is an absolute uncertainty. It will always be uncertain. Meditation is the last struggle. The only struggle. If you are able to struggle and understand what meditation is, from different perspectives, from different angles, to use your mind, your creativity, and your wisdom; if you’re able to get the hang of it and you get one drop of the actual taste of meditation, you will know for sure that this is what you need. You need that one glimpse, that one absolute understanding, that, “Yes, meditation is relaxing me, it’s relaxing my mind.” You have to be very scientific in understanding it. You cannot be prejudiced. You cannot be partial. When you are very honest you can clearly see how it is benefiting you. Then, nobody has to tell you how to meditate or what are the benefits. You just keep on figuring out different ways of transforming every experience of life into meditation. What you are looking for is a moment of decision, a moment of commitment, a moment of courage, to say, “I want to give this a try.” “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Nirvana Foundation and IASBABA.”

Motivational Articles

[MI-STORIES]MOTIVATIONAL AND INSPIRATIONAL STORIES - Take Time!

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 - Take Time !   Once upon a time, a very strong woodcutter asked for a job as a timber merchant and he got it. The pay was really good and so was the work conditions. For those reasons, the woodcutter was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work. The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees. “Congratulations,” the boss said. “Go on that way!” Very motivated by the boss' words, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he could only bring 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he could only bring 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees. “I must be losing my strength”, the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on. “When was the last time you sharpened your axe?” the boss asked. “Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees…” Our lives are like that. We sometimes get so busy that we don’t take time to sharpen the “axe”. In today’s world, it seems that everyone is busier than ever, but less happy than ever. Why is that? Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay “sharp”? There’s nothing wrong with activity and hard work. But we should not get so busy that we neglect the truly important things in life, like our personal life, taking time to get close to our Creator, giving more time for our family, taking time to read etc. We all need time to relax, to think and meditate, to learn and grow. If we don’t take the time to sharpen the “axe”, we will become dull and lose our effectiveness. What do you think is the moral of the story?