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IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan - IAS Prelims Test Series 2021 - POLITY, CURRENT AFFAIRS & CSAT [Day 2]

Hello Friends,  [embed]https://[/embed] ARCHIVES OF 60 DAYS The 60 Days Training has finally begun:) The questions will be posted around 10 AM. The solution will be released around 7 PM Daily.  Before any competition, there is a preparatory phase. That phase involves a lot of sessions on strengths and weaknesses. Throughout the preparatory phase, the athletes train in a gradual manner. In the last phase, just before the actual competition, the training is done so as to sharpen their skills. This training requires complete focus and dedication. In this phase, the athletes do not try anything new or train in a new fashion rather focus on the sharpening of skills, focusing on strength and precision. Similarly, the upcoming 60 days, is like the last phase (training session), just before the actual competition. Here, the focus should be on sharpening the concepts, consolidating the knowledge base and solidifying the learning with loads and loads of revision. You will come across many distractions in between in the name of sources and resources (exclusive and inclusive), beware of them. Be alert and objective in selecting your companions in this preparation. Trust your effort and revise more than falling prey to multiple resources and doing nothing in the end. Everything that seems attractive is not productive. You should always go for productivity.  Let us pledge to make it a big game-changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days! Note- Download the OMR Sheet and attempt the questions exactly like UPSC Prelims. After you are done, please post your OMR in the comment section. Once the solution key is released (around 7 PM), cross-check the answers and, comment the marks (you scored) in the same comment thread. This will keep you accountable, responsible and sincere in days to come.  You can also take part in the discussion with peers.   POLITY [DAY 2]-Click Here NOTE- Follow this for Comments Mention- Time Taken after solving the Test After the release of Solution, Edit your Comment to Mention-  Correct/Incorrect and Score 2 Marks for Correct/0.66 minus for Incorrect. What IMPACT can the ‘60 Day’ have on the final results? We will explain by taking a small example. Imagine you are sitting in the examination hall, appearing in Prelims Paper I. You have attempted 70 questions already but still unsure about a few. Then you stumble upon a question that was asked in 60 Day (and believe us, it has happened to hundreds of students countless times). You choose the right answer and submit your paper hoping for the best! Eventually, you go on to clear Mains as well as Personality Test and secure a good rank as well. When the cut off gets announced by UPSC, you realize that you have scored just one mark more than the cut off! Yes, that one mark can change your life (and it has done so to many of our students in the past). Now, imagine the kind of impact 60 to 80 marks can have! Isn’t that so fascinating to imagine?   One’s level of preparedness is always different for different subjects. Even within a subject, one’s comfort level may vary with topics. For example, one might be more comfortable in solving questions of Polity than Economics and within Polity also, one might be at ease with questions on fundamental rights than Parliament. The level of comfort and ease that one has with a subject/ topic gets manifested in the examination. However, there is no conscious effort by aspirants to micro analyze these aspects. Now, coming to the second aspect i.e. the mistakes that one commits in answering MCQs, it can be said that there are mainly four reasons behind incorrect responses in the OMR sheet. They are: Lack of information Lack of analytical ability Silly mistakes Excessive risk-taking Let’s analyze them one by one: Lack of information: You simply don’t know the information. You are clueless and that’s why you don’t attempt the question. For example, you may have never come across a regime called the ‘Wassenaar Agreement’ during your preparation and you can’t do much about it. The lack of information is pardonable and rectifiable. You can read more and gather more information. That is within your reach. Lack of analytical ability: You know the concept but the question is a twisted one and you are not able to apply the concept. For example, in a question asking you to identify the climate type of a region based on certain given parameters like precipitation, temperature, and air density, you might find it difficult to mark the correct option even if you are aware of all the options given in the question! That is clearly a lack of application and you can overcome it by developing a habit of framing questions in your mind while you study any topic. Silly mistakes: This habit is unpardonable. You know the concept, you become happy, you misread the question, you mark the incorrect answer and you are out of the race! Such mistakes reveal your hurriedness while answering the question. A simple mistake of reading ‘chose the incorrect option’ as ‘chose the correct option’ can destroy your chances. It means that you need to have patience and focus while attempting the paper. Excessive risk-taking: You are confused between the options and just in order to increase your attempts, you make wild guesses and try your luck only to repent eventually. Risk-taking is an art and one must be very careful while doing the guesswork in confusing questions. If you are not lucky enough, it can spoil your chances. You will realize that these problems will have different meanings for different people. For example, one might find a lack of information as the main culprit in answering wrong the questions on Culture while in Polity, lack of analytical ability is usually the culprit. The point here is that you must analyse your preparation on these yardsticks by applying them on different subjects/ topics. If one is having a headache, he/ she can’t have the same medicine for fever. Isn’t it. This is where our revamped '60 Day’ comes into the picture. It will give you an opportunity to micro analyze your preparation and perform better in the examination. Now, we present you the following scales (with weightage of each scale given in the bracket) to micro analyze your preparation on a daily basis and that too subject/ topic wise: Micro Analysis Matrix Number of questions not attempted or attempted wrongly Due to lack of information Due to the inability to apply the concept Due to silly mistake Due to excessive risk-taking Total Number (N) Weightage of scale (s) 1 2 3 4 NA N x S Scale 1: Information meter (1) Scale 2: Analysis meter (2) Scale 3: Anxiety meter (3) Scale 4: Risk meter (4) Suppose on Day 1, questions have been framed from Polity on the topic of Constitutional History. There are 15 questions and you are able to answer 12 out of which 7 are correct and 5 are incorrect. It means you have scored roughly 11.33 out of 30. Now you have to fill on a daily basis, the following matrix to micro analyze your preparation: Example: Suppose, the filled up matrix gets reflected in the following fashion: Micro Analysis Matrix- Day 1/ Polity/ Constitutional History Number of questions not attempted or attempted wrongly Due to lack of information Due to the inability to apply the concept Due to silly mistake Due to excessive risk-taking Total Number (N) 3 1 2 2 8 Weightage of scale (s) 1 2 3 4 NA N x S 3 2 6 8 19 Based on the total value in this matrix, you have to aim for the following measures on the scale: Information meter < 4 Course Correction: If you are scoring above 4, it means that there are serious gaps in your information base in the particular subject/ topic. Please refer to a standard textbook before it’s too late. Analysis meter < 4 Course Correction: If you are scoring above 4, you need to explore all possible questions in your mind while reading the topic. You should frame questions for your friends and try to trick them by twisting the questions. Anxiety meter < 3 Course Correction: A score above 3 indicates that you are either too excited or too callous to even read the question. You need to calm down and read the question twice, particularly those questions in which you feel too confident. Risk meter < 8 Course Correction: You need to curb your risk-taking instincts. Make an only intelligent guess and don’t leave your chance on fate. Don’t let the previous year’s cut off impact your mind. Total N x S score < 20 Moreover, IASbaba will give a cut-off figure along with the solutions each day. If your total marks exceed that cut off along with your total N x S score lying below 20, you are on the right track and just need to keep the momentum going. This exercise will hardly take 5 minutes of your daily time but it might do wonders for you as you will be able to gauge your strengths and limitations better. Finally, it is up to you to take advantage of this framework. We are sure of only one thing- if you follow this program, assess yourself on the basis of the given framework and keep improving your weaker areas, success will be yours. We are providing you with the right platform, the right guidance, and the right competition. Do you have the right motivation to make full use of this initiative? We think you have. Come, be a part of this initiative and take the first step towards SUCCESS! Importance of self - tracking: We could have provided all of you with login id and passwords to monitor your daily performance in the 60-day program. Instead, a simple and most beautiful way which Disqus provides is profile based commenting! Yes, we have seen the most successful candidates who have taken the maximum benefit from this program monitoring themselves by commenting on their answers in the box given (Disqus comment). And reviewing their performance themselves once in 10 days on the progress meter. DOWNLOAD THE 60 DAYS PLAN 2021  All the Best! IASbaba For Latest Materials, dedicated peer group, Motivation & Quick Updates - Join our official Telegram Channel - Click here

SYNOPSIS [19th March,2021] Day 59: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE   SYNOPSIS [19th March,2021] Day 59: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. Discuss the contribution of Sufi and Bhakti movements in the philosophical awakening of the masses. Approach- Question is straight forward. Student can give account of bhakti and sufi movements from medieval times and their impact on masses in the spiritual awakening. Introduction In medieval period, we see intense devotion or love of God of various kinds of bhakti and Sufi movements that have evolved since the eighth century. The idea of bhakti became so popular that even Buddhists and Jain adopted these beliefs. Body Bhakti movement Bhakti was accepted as a means to attain moksha along with jnana and karma. The development of this cult took place in South India when the Nayanars and Alwars moved against the austerities propagated by the Buddhist and Jain schools and professed that ultimate devotion to god was the means to salvation. People were no longer satisfied with a religion which emphasized only ceremonies. The cult is the combined result of the teachings of various saints, through the then times. Each of them had their own views, but the ultimate basis of the cult was a general awakening against useless religious practices and unnecessary strictness. The cult also emerged as a strong platform against casteism. Some of the important leaders of bhakti movement Namadeva and Ramananda (Maharashtra and Allahabad) – Both of them taught the concept of bhakti to all the four varnas and disregarded the ban on people of different castes cooking together and sharing meals. Sankara and Ramanuja – The propounders of Advaita (non-duality) and vishishta adwaitha (qualified non-duality) Vallabhacharya – propounder of shuddha adwaitha or pure non-duality. Chaitanya (Bengal) – relied on the use of music, dance and bhajans to get in touch with God. Kabir – was a disciple of Ramananda, and was raised by a Muslim weaver. He stood for doing away with all the unnecessary customs and rituals in both religions and bringing union between these religions. Nimbakacharya – founder of the Radha-Krishna cult. He expressed this relation to substantiate the importance of marriage. In South India 7th to 9th centuries saw the emergence of new religious movements, led by the Nayanars (saints devoted to Shiva) and Alvars (saints devoted to Vishnu) who came from all castes including those considered “untouchable” like the Pulaiyar and the Panars. Sufi movement In the early centuries of Islam a group of religious minded people called sufis turned to asceticism and mysticism in protest against the growing materialism of the Caliphate as a religious and political institution. They were critical of the dogmatic definitions and scholastic methods of interpreting the Qur’an and sunna (traditions of the Prophet) adopted by theologians. Instead, they laid emphasis on seeking salvation through intense devotion and love for God by following His commands. By the eleventh century Sufism evolved into a well developed movement with a body of literature on Quranic studies and sufi practices. Of the groups of sufis who migrated to India in the late twelfth century, the Chishtis were the most influential. This was because they adapted successfully to the local environment and adopted several features of Indian devotional traditions. Shaikh Muinuddin Sijzi, Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya are some of the prominent sufi saints. Pilgrimage, called ziyarat, to tombs of sufi saints is prevalent all over the Muslim world. This practice is an occasion for seeking the sufi’s spiritual grace (barakat).   Spiritual awakening Shankaraharya, from Kerala in the 8th century, salvation .was an advocate of Advaita or the doctrine of the oneness of the individual soul and the Supreme God which is the Ultimate Reality. Basavanna’s virshaivism movement began in Karnataka in the 12th century which argued for the equality of all human beings and against Brahmanical ideas about caste and the treatment of women. From Maharashtra Janeshwar, Namdev, Eknath and Tukaram as well as women like Sakkubai and the family of Chokhamela, who belonged to the “untouchable” Mahar caste. This regional tradition of bhakti focused on the Vitthala (a form of Vishnu) temple in Pandharpur, as well as on the notion of a personal god residing in the hearts of all people. For baba guru nanak the message is spelt out in his hymns and teachings. These suggest that he advocated a form of nirguna bhakti. He firmly repudiated the external practices of the religions he saw around him. He rejected sacrifices, ritual baths, image worship, austerities and the scriptures of both Hindus and Muslims. From the tradition and hierarchy ridden society this message of unity in diversity gave new impetus to the lower castes and a new form of awakening took place against the redundant traditions. Conclusion Bhakti and sufi movements gave rise to new Indian consciousness. Indian society became spiritually awakened with the new philosophical ideas instilling new sense of identity among lower castes seeking spiritual salvation and philosophical awakening. 2. Why is Rumi, the 13th century poet so famous? Can you discuss some of ideas and philosophies about life and love? Approach: Question is asking you to discuss, it requires you to write a debate where one has to use your skill at reasoning, backed up by deliberately selected evidence to make a case for and against an argument. Introduction: Rumi was 37, a traditional Muslim preacher and scholar, as his father and grandfather had been, He was this compelling figure in all cultures whose tomb draws reverent followers and heads of state each year for a whirling dervish ceremony on 17 December, the anniversary of his death. Body: RUMI’S IDEAS AND PHILOSOPHIES ABOUT LIFE AND LOVE Rumi believed passionately in the use of music, poetry and dance as a path to reach God. It was from these ideas that the practice of whirling dervishes developed into a ritual form. Rumi believed that all lives were sacred: Taa’shif nifaak b’astz sang (Even a seemingly lifeless stone has a degree of consciousness; respect it). He believed that all religions are only one religion. because all praises are directed towards God’s Light. He believed in THE SILENCE OF LOVE and that Love is the astrolabe of God’s mysteries. A lover may hanker after this love or that love, but at the last he is drawn to the KING of Love. However, much we describe and explain Love, when we fall in love, we are ashamed of our words. Explanation by the tongue makes most things clear, But Love unexplained is better. Rumi was a jurist and religion teacher until the age of 37, when he met a wandering dervish named Shams Tabrizi. He soon became Rumi’s spiritual mentor and intimate friend and eventually changed the course of his life. Rumi’s poetry is a series of mystical experiences – a reflection on nature’s beauty, a song, a dance, an idea, a feeling… anything that makes us human, everything we’re able to see with our eyes open or shut. Below you will find a lot of Rumi love quotes that prove how spiritual and intense his poems are. Rumi’s work continues to resonate and today, his tomb draws dervish followers and heads of state each year for a ceremony that marks the anniversary of his death. He is among the poets that show us the importance of every experience, be it good or bad. Conclusion: Rumi is a very mysterious and provocative poet and figure for our time, as we grapple with understanding the Sufi tradition and understanding the nature of ecstasy and devotion and the power of poetry. As new translations come into print, and his work continues to resonate, Rumi’s influence will continue. His inspiring words remind us how poetry can be a sustaining part of everyday life. 3. “Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.” Comment on this quote of Robert Frost. Approach: Question is straight forward in its approach, students are expected to explain the meaning of the quote in introduction then explain the quote using relevant examples. Introduction: The given statement emphasizes on the essence of education that it cultivates spirit of tolerance and boost self confidence. Education provides ability to take criticisms in a constructive manner. A well educated person develops a temperament of critical thinking and knows how to deal with success and failure properly. As such, an educated person, when confronted with conflicting views, will not lose temper. He/she will rather try to analyse others' views, try to learn from others; and thereafter come up with an appropriate response/strategy. Also, an educated person doesn't lose self-confidence easily, for he/she is aware of own limits and is confident of own abilities. ‘Volatire’ says that i don't agree with you but I respect your right to disagree with me . To make this statement his education could be inclusive, diverse, tolerant. Body: Education is manifestation of perfection already in men so a Person it helps person to make his mind strong, educated mind listen to all without any reaction. In the diverse country like India, Civil servants must possess ability to deal with diverse interests, political pressures and criticisms. Such ability can be cultivated through proper education. Issue of corruption among government officials is also a manifestation of lack of self confidence and character building ability of present status of education system. For example, Pame Armstrong, IAS wanted to build a road in Tamenglong, Manipur out of empathy for the local people. He tried to get it done through State projects but he faced hindrances. Later, he took to crowd-financing and built it, by mobilizing the public for the cause, without Government financing. His confidence, empathy and patience emanate from his education. Peace and Harmony can be brought only if we have tolerance in the society. Different culture and different ideas lead towards higher development goals. For example- American society is an amalgamation of different views, religions, culture and rights of individual freedom and thereby it has achieved a position of being a global destination. Whereas an intolerance to others may lead to downfall as happened with Myanmar at international forum. Mahatma Gandhi showed tolerance towards the agitated public when he withdrew non cooperation movement because he had true education of Freedom and how to achieve it. He had differences of opinion with Ambedkar, Subhas chandra Bose but have never show or spoken anything intolerant. Education in form of awareness , information related to health and hygiene helped in behavioural change among the society towards building toilets in houses who were earlier resisting to such changes siting religious reasons. As it is said "mind once enlightened can not go dark again". Such enlightenment can only be achieved through proper value education and concept based learning. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam also emphasized the importance of value education in his quote “Real education enhances the dignity of a human being and increases his or her self-respect. If only the real sense of education could be realized by each individual and carried forward in every field of human activity, the world will be so much a better place to live in.”meaning importance of education in overall development of human beings which includes respect, tolerance and dignity of individual. A well educated person develops a temperament of critical thinking and knows how to deal with success and failure properly. eg. Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned several times and also accused by many communities as being anti - Hindu, still he continued to work for independence and upliftment of all sections of society. In present times, where there is intolerance over religious ,castes, racial issues etc education holds key importance to make the society more tolerant and more inclusive Conclusion: As Arthur C Clarke said “Civilization will reach maturity only when it learns to value diversity of character and idea”. We must always be ready to learn and respect the diversity and educate ourselves. The peaceful coexistence and mutual trust would promote humanity and development of nation. An educated mind always accepts diversity prevalent and entertains the thought/view of others with/without accepting it. Tolerance is not built within a day, but is gradual of all the learning and education that we receive. 4. Truth can be stated in a thousand different ways, yet each one can be true. Elucidate. Approach The candidate needs to dwell upon the given statement and bring out its meaning through the help of different examples, which makes the understanding of ‘Truth’ more substantial. Introduction The above quote by Swami Vivekananda clearly demonstrates the nature of ‘Truth’ and the ideal way of understanding it in human society where in the present polarised times, truth can be seen from different perspectives which would help in healing the society. Body Truth is multi-faceted. Truth remains true from the point of view of an observer but may be seemingly false from other’s point of view. There has been a perpetual fight of perspectives and will always be as long as truth is concerned. There is no black or white but shades of grey. Proclaiming something as one absolute truth would be a recipe for disaster in matters where the outcomes can be subjective or unknown to humans. Here, Swami Vivekananda emphasized that truth can have different perspectives.            In this light, the Rig Veda states, ‘E-kam sad viprah bahudha vadanti’ i.e. the truth is one but is called by many names. Thus, it brings home the point that we need not quarrel over each and every difference of opinion in life. Different opinions must co-exist for the sake of a free world. Further, this is the basis for development of Indian way of thinking where all religions are considered as true and rightful approach to reach the almighty. Thus, theological discussions can go a long way in present times, if everyone considers the above approach. Also, each religion teaches its followers to be truthful and non-violent. However, the ways of saying the same is different for different religions. Leaders can’t lead without followers and unfortunately, some of the most passionate ideas die an early death because the leader is ineffective. To be able to take people along, inspire them with your vision, you need to know that there are a thousand sides to the same story.  This is even true for leaders in corporate sector, where if you can’t respect the diversity in your teams, you cannot establish a culture of tolerance and respect which could hamper improved performance by the team. What other person is saying may seem us to be false but when seen from his/her perspective can be true. Understanding this would help us solve issues in amicable ways. It helps us not be prejudiced against others’ opinions. Understanding the other side of the story and other faces of a situation/practice/thought is required before reaching to any conclusion. At the same time, it is important to understand that objective truths have no place for variations under the present discussions where the scientific truths are an example. The Earth is round and not flat is an objective truth, such facts can’t be under scrutiny through the argument of different perspectives. In the present age of fake news, such a differentiation becomes important to understand where facts and objective truths need to be upheld at all costs, where the facts and objective truths have been arrived at through rigorous academic scrutiny. But on a more theological and subjective levels, there must be scope for incorporating the variations of truth. Here, perspectives are different from truths where many people conflate perspectives with truths in present times.  Conclusion Thus, we need not quarrel over each and every difference of opinion in life. Different opinions can co-exist for the development of a free world and for ensuring global peace where competing political ideologies are making the world an unsafe place. In this light, people must strive towards the goal of reaching the eternal truth of human brotherhood and feelings of oneness. 5. What is your view on the following quote by Venkataraman Ramakrishnan: We are all human beings, and our nationality is simply an accident of birth. Approach: Candidates are expected to provide the context of the quote and explain the quote by Venkataraman Ramakrishna. And then express the personal view on the quote. Introduction Just when Nobel laureate Venkatraman Ramakrishnan flooded with goodwill emails from India on winning Nobel prize and many were taking pride of him being a Indian origin. He said "We are all human beings, and our nationality is simply an accident of birth," it doesn’t matter much as per Venkataraman on belonging to particular country. Body Nationality is not simply with accident of birth: Birth is not just a random momentary thing. It involves your parents. And they already had a nationality too. Nationality is a shared group identity in the significance of a geographical and sometimes demographic region seeking independence for its culture and/or ethnicity that holds that group together. This can be expressed as a belief or political ideology that involves an individual identifying with or becoming attached to one’s nation.  With identity of nationality the feelings of the high and low and cateism are banished from the minds of the people, and social unity is achieved. The nationalist leaders make the people understand with full force that our nation can progress and can have a prestigious place in the world only, when all disparities are removed. Nationality transforms into the nationalism. Nationalism as a ideology built on feeling of togetherness and belongingness of community but try to exclude those who are different from them. It has characteristics of heterogeneity whereas humanity is based on homogenous characteristics and try to be more inclusive rather than exclusive.  Nationality brings people together with the same mindset. Whereas humanism bring everyone to live together with or without the same mindset: Economically, nationality may give everyone equal rights to trade, practice profession or work, etc. Humanism is about fulfilling basic needs of an individual. India, as the birthplace of the Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam ideal and long-honored for its multiplicity of wisdom traditions and paths, is primed to become a model to lead a way out of this crisis. It is thus imperative that moral, spiritual and civil leaders work together to articulate universal ethical principles and values that can form the basis for social cohesion, shared agreements and lasting peace. Environmentally, nationalism and nationality cares about the environment related issues in their nation. They don’t care about the environmental issues of other countries. Humanism cares about the environment at global level. They know that humans can exist only at those places where environment is proper to live and carry out other activities. For example Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was criticised by all conservationist cross the world. Adherence to human values and humanity such as love and compassion is required in today’s world which is affected by many nationality based conflicts such as civil wars, refugee crises and terrorism. It is with humanity and human values that one becomes truly able to put into practice his/her ethical values, such as justice, integrity, refusal of violence and ban to kill  even in a crisis situation. Humanity convey a positive and affective surge, which reinforces the rationale of moral values. Humanity is value that permit us to live together in harmony and personally contribute to peace. Human values are a tool to manage human relations and a tool for peace when the tension is high.  National citizenship is an accident of birth; global citizenship is different. It is a voluntary association with a concept that signifies "ways of thinking and living within multiple cross-cutting communities cities, regions, states, nations, and international collectives.  It generates Cultural of empathy helps people see questions from multiple perspectives and move deftly among cultures sometimes navigating their own multiple cultural identities, sometimes moving out to experience unfamiliar cultures. When forces of Nationality and Patriotism try to take the front seat, there is a kind of hostility, protectionist feelings generated among the people of different countries. Therefore, Humanity should be always at a higher pedestal than other such values. Conclusion Since ancient times, the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the world is one family, has stood as an ideal of Indian civilization. This inclusive and compassionate spirituality recognizes that “the truth is one, sages call it variously”; this has allowed for groundbreaking advances in philosophical inquiry and civilizational advances throughout world history.   TLP HOT Synopsis Day 59 PDF

AIR

Dedicated Freight Corridors - All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC

ARCHIVES Search 29th Decmber, 2020 Spotlight News Analysis here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 3 Infrastructure In News: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday inaugurated a 306-km section of the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) in the Western arm between Rewari and Madar, weeks after he launched the 351-km section in the Eastern arm between Khurja and Bhaupur in Uttar Pradesh for commercial operations. The largest infrastructure of the Railways in independent India, the DFC is an ambitious project approved back in 2006, with the aim of decongesting the railway network by laying special tracks made exclusively for goods trains. The Project The project, which was facing several roadblocks over land acquisition and loan approvals for over a decade, will triple the movement of goods (from approximately 25 kmph to 65-70 kmph), double the railways’ freight capacity (from 5,400 to 13,000 tonnes), and also double the length of the trains being used currently to up to 1,300 metres from the current 700 m, according to railways ministry officials. At the same time, the DFC would reduce the high logistics cost in India, which averages from 13-15 per cent of the product cost as compared to the global average of 6 per cent. Why was it languishing for years? Slow pace: The DFC was approved under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)-I in 2006, but the first major civil contract for track construction for a stretch on the DFC was awarded only in 2013. Land Acquisition: Since the DFC passes through eight states, land acquisition remained slow and difficult, with state governments often not being very forthcoming. 88 per cent of the land for the project had been acquired by 2014. Yet, the capital expenditure remained very low. Loan Approvals: Loan approvals to fund the approximately Rs 87,600 crore project was also difficult. Eventually, after extensive negotiation, the World Bank gave a loan of around Rs 13,578 crore for the project, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) agreed to provide a loan worth Rs 37,960 crore. Conversation with States: Moreover, there are other issues which are encountered at the level of states. Significance of the Project The Eastern Freight Corridor arm (1,839 km) starts from Ludhiana (Punjab) and passes through the states of Punjab, Haryana Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, to terminate in Dankuni (West Bengal). The Western Freight Corridor arm (about 1,500 km) starts from Dadri in Uttar Pradesh and goes to Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai, passing through UP, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. The project’s significance lies in the fact that once fully operational, 70 per cent of the goods trains will shift to the DFC, thereby freeing up the existing tracks entirely for passenger trains. The Indian Railways carries the fourth highest tonnage of freight globally — at over 1,200 million tonnes — which includes coal, steel, petroleum products, iron ore, cement, fertilisers, foodgrains and containers. While there has been a jump of over 700 million tonnes of freight in India in the last decade and a half, there has not been a corresponding increase in the loading capacity of the trains. For example, while the Golden Quadrilateral corridor, which connects Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai carries 58 per cent of India’s freight, it accounts for just over 15 per cent of the total length of the Indian Railways network. As a result, a large part of the freight movement in India takes place through road transport, which raises the logistics cost of goods. According to the draft National Logistics Policy, the reason for a higher than global average logistics cost in India is that 60 per cent of transportation activities are conducted via road. While the railways has undertaken a series of measures to attract road traffic — last year, it decided to set up Business Development Units at all zonal and divisional levels to stay in touch with industries and advertise the willingness of Railways to attract new streams of traffic — the DFC remains the most crucial aspect of this endeavour. Since these freight corridors will be exclusively meant for goods trains, they will have one station every 50 km as compared to the existing railways, which has one every 10 km. This would mean that the cost of manpower, maintenance and operation for the DFC will be much lower. Once fully functional, the DFCs will carry the cargo carried by 1 lakh trucks in a single day, proving to be a game-changer. However, the trains will be able to run at their actual speed — envisioned at around 80 kmph — only once the project is complete. The western corridor will bring new opportunities to farmers, industrialists and traders Since the corridor will cover 133 railway stations in nine states, at these stations, new multi-modal logistics parks, freight terminals, container depots and parcel hubs will also come up. Freight trains plying on this section from now on will help decongest the existing Kanpur-Delhi main line of Indian Railways, which currently handles trains at 150% of its line capacity. This section currently has over 50 passenger trains and around 60 goods trains jostling for paths daily. The new section means on the Indian Railway main line, more passenger trains can be pumped in and those trains can, in turn, achieve better punctuality. Foodgrain and fertilisers from the northern region are transported to the eastern and Northeast regions. From East and Northeast, coal, iron ore, jute and petroleum products are transported North and West. Connecting the Dots: Dedicated Freights Corridors are aimed at bringing speed with efficiency in transport sector. Discuss the challenges in laying out planned DFCs in India. Essay: Less of government and more of governance

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 22nd March 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) NITI Aayog's ‘sustainable’ vision for Great Nicobar Island Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III – Infrastructure; Environment  In news More than 150 sq. km. (18%) of land is being made available for Phase I of a NITI Aayog-piloted ‘holistic’ and ‘sustainable’ vision for Great Nicobar Island.  The island is the southernmost in the Andaman and Nicobar group. Key takeaways  It will cover nearly a quarter of its coastline.  The overall plan envisages the use of a major portion being pristine forest and coastal systems. Projects to be executed include an airport complex, a transshipment port (TSP) at South Bay, a parallel-to-the-coast mass rapid transport system, a free trade zone, and a warehousing complex on the southwestern coast. Nodal agency: Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO)  In January 2021, the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) denotified the entire Galathea Bay Wildlife Sanctuary to allow for the port there. Do you know?  Nicobar megapode is the globally endangered bird unique to the Nicobars. The proposed project areas are important foraging grounds for the Shompen community  India's Helium import to get affected Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - International Relations & GS-III - Economy  In news The USA shall cut off exports of helium from 2021.  Due to this, the Indian industry stands to lose out heavily since India imports helium Important value additions  Helium is colorless, odourless, tasteless, inert, and a noble gas. Applications: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, in rockets and nuclear reactors. Dutch physicist Kamerlingh Onnes liquefied Helium by cooling the gas to -270 degrees Celsius. India’s Rajmahal volcanic basin in Jharkhand is the storehouse of helium trapped for billions of years.  At present, India is mapping the Rajmahal basin extensively for future exploration and harnessing of helium. Medicine Price Control Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – Health  In news National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority  (NPPA) has fixed the price of 81 medicines, including off-patent anti-diabetic drugs, helping to pass on the benefits to patients. Key takeaways  The decision was taken because the five-year price exemption given to these medicines on account of indigenous R&D; got over recently. Revision in existing ceiling prices of scheduled formulations based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) was also approved by the Authority. The revised prices will be effective from April 2021. It also decided to retain the revised ceiling price of Heparin injection up to September 2021.  Important value additions  The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is a government regulatory agency that controls the prices of pharmaceutical drugs in India. It was constituted in 1997 as an attached office of the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP),  Ministry: Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. Launch of Gram Ujala Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – Policies and interventions  In news Gram Ujala programme was recently launched in Arrah, Bihar. Ministry: Ministry of Power Key takeaways  Under the programme, 7 watts and 12-Watt LED bulbs with 3 years warranty will be given to rural consumers against submission of working Incandescent bulbs. LEDs will be available for only Rs 10 each for each household. Each household will get up to 5 LEDs. In the first phase, 15 million LED bulbs will be distributed across villages of Aarah (Bihar), Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), Vijaywada (Andhra Pradesh), Nagpur (Maharashtra), and village in western Gujarat. The Gram Ujala programme will be implemented in villages of the 5 districts only. These rural households will also have metres installed in their houses to account for usage. Do you know?  The programme will be financed entirely through carbon credits.  It will be the first such programme in India Carbon credits will be prepared under the Shine Program of Activities with an option for verifying under the Voluntary Carbon Standard, depending on the needs of buyers. Carbon Credit Buyers will also be sought through an open process based on initial discussions with the market.  The balance cost and margin on the LED cost will be recouped through the carbon credits earned. Milan-2T Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III –  Defence and Security  In news Acquisition Wing of Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract with Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU) Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for the supply of MILAN-2T Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs) to the Indian Army  Key takeaways  The Milan-2T is a Tandem Warhead ATGM with a range of 1,850 metres, produced by BDL under license from MBDA Missile Systems, France. These missiles can be fired from the ground as well as vehicle-based launchers These can also be deployed in Anti-Tank Role for both offensive & defensive tasks. Induction of these missiles will further enhance the operational preparedness of the Armed Forces which will be completed in three years. It is a step in achieving the goal of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ in the defense sector. Miscellaneous INAS 310 Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 310, The Cobras, is a maritime reconnaissance squadron of the Indian Navy based at Goa.  It was commissioned at Hyéres, France.  It holds the distinction of being the most decorated unit of the Indian Navy. INAS 310 continues to carry out daily surveillance operations over the coastline. In the last one year, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the aircraft of the squadron have delivered critical medical supplies, COVID test kits, and transported medical teams and samples, clocking close to 1000 sorties. (Mains Focus) ENVIRONMENT/ ECONOMY Topic: GS-3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development Himachal Pradesh Water Crisis Context: Himachal Pradesh State Water Minister repeatedly warned the Legislative Assembly that State is likely to face an acute water scarcity Why is the state with perennial sources of water such as Sutlej and Beas rivers staring at a water crisis? Deficient Rain and Snow: Himachal Pradesh received less snow and rain this winter. After winter, melt-water from glaciers and the snow cover regularly feeds the groundwater as well as other downhill water sources such as springs, wells, rivers etc. But water sources have already started drying up this year due to deficient snowfall.  69% less than normal precipitation: According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the state received only 59 millimetres of precipitation this winter (January 1 to February 28), which was 69 per cent less than normal. Increasing demand: Generally, over the decades, demand for water has been growing due to increasing population in the state, with people now relying more on piped water supply schemes rather than traditional sources such as springs and bawries etc. Climate Change: Rainfall patterns, too, have become erratic. During dry periods, water sources dry up quickly in some areas, especially in the Shiwalik hills where the water-holding capacity of the soil is low. Similar type of situation before also Himachal had received deficient snowfall in 2018, too, when drinking water shortage in the capital town of Shimla in summer had invited global media attention.  The situation has been better in Shimla since then because its water supply source from Gumma stream has been augmented to provide 10 million litres daily (mld) more water to the city. The extent of the problem this year will become clearer in the coming summer months, but government claimed that it has never been so dry before in Himachal so early during the year. There are parts of Beas river which can now simply be crossed by wading through on foot What are the proposed solutions? Installation of hand-pumps and borewells was stopped last year in view of depleting water table. But it will be resumed now wherever necessary. Water harvesting tanks will be built throughout the state and all MLAs are required to start building rainwater harvesting structures in their constituencies. A large number of habitations in Himachal Pradesh are not connected by road, but the connected villages will be provided water tankers during periods of shortage Government will try to explore the option of “snow harvesting” in the higher reaches. Connecting the dots: India’s Water Crisis Urbanisation and Water Crisis SOCIETY/ JUDICIARY/ LEGISLATURE Topic: GS-1: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.  GS-2: Role of Judiciary, Parliament & Separation of powers Places of Worship Act Context: Recently, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to respond to a petition that challenges the constitutional validity of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. What does the 1991 Act say? The law was enacted to freeze the status of all places of worship in the country as on August 15, 1947.  The Act says that no person shall convert any place of worship of any religious denomination into one of a different denomination or section. It contains a declaration that a place of worship shall continue to be as it was on August 15, 1947.  Significantly, it prohibits any legal proceedings from being instituted regarding the character of a place of worship, and declares that all suits and appeals pending before any court or authority on the cut-off date regarding the conversion of the character of a place of worship shall abate.  In other words, all pending cases will come to an end, and no further proceedings can be filed.  However, any suit or proceedings relating to any conversion of status that happened after the cut-off date can continue Penal Provision: Anyone contravening the prohibition on converting the status of a place of worship is liable to be imprisoned for up to three years, and a fine. Those abetting or participating in a criminal conspiracy to commit this offence will also get the same punishment. What are the exception under the act? An exception was made to keep the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi dispute out of its ambit as the structure was then the subject of litigation. The 1991 Act will not apply to ancient and historical monuments and archaeological sites and remains that are covered by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.  It will also not apply to any suit that has been finally settled or disposed of, any dispute that has been settled by the parties before the 1991 Act came into force, or to the conversion of any place that took place by acquiescence. What are the grounds of challenge? Constrains Judicial Remedy: The act amounts to taking away the right of the people to seek justice through the courts and obtain a judicial remedy. The petitioner argues that the Act takes away the rights of communities such as Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains to reclaim the sites of their places of worship through legal proceedings. Contention on Cut-off date: The petitioner also contends that the cut-off date of August 15, 1947, is arbitrary and irrational. Issue of Exemption: The petition contends that the legislation legalises the actions of invaders in the past who demolished places of worship. It wonders how the law could exempt the birthplace of Ram, but not that of Krishna. Restriction on Fundamental Right to Practise Religion: The petition also said the law violates the right to practise and propagate religion, as well as the right to manage and administer places of worship.  Not in spirit of Secularism: Further, petition has argued that that act goes against the principle of secularism and the state’s duty to preserve and protect religious and cultural heritage. What has the SC said on the status freeze? In its final verdict on the Ayodhya dispute, the Supreme Court had observed that the Act “imposes a non-derogable obligation towards enforcing our commitment to secularism”.  The court went on to say: “Non-retrogression is a foundational feature of the fundamental constitutional principles, of which secularism is a core component.” The court described the law as one that preserved secularism by not permitting the status of a place of worship to be altered after Independence.  In words of caution against further attempts to change the character of a place of worship, the five-judge Bench said, “Historical wrongs cannot be remedied by the people taking the law in their own hands. In preserving the character of places of public worship, Parliament has mandated in no uncertain terms that history and its wrongs shall not be used as instruments to oppress the present and the future.” What are the implications of the case? Contentious Places: Some Hindu organisations have been laying claim to the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi and the Shahi Idgah in Mathura.  Controversy in Mathura: Civil suits have been filed in a Mathura court seeking the shifting of the 17th-century mosque from the spot that some claim is the birthplace of Lord Krishna.  Dilution of 1991 law impacts outcome: Any order that strikes down or dilutes the 1991 law on the status of places of worship is likely to influence the outcome of such proceedings. Connecting the dots: Ram Temple History & Significance (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1 Which of the following are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups of Andaman and Nicobar Islands?  Great Andamanese  Onge Jarawa Shompens Sentinelese  Select the correct code:  1, 2, 3 only 2 and 4 only 1, 2, 3 and 4 only 1, 2, 3, 4 and  5  Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding Helium gas:  It is an inert gas.  India’s Rajmahal volcanic basin in Rajasthan is the storehouse of helium trapped for billions of years. Which of the above is or are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2    Q.3 Consider the following statements regarding Gram Ujala programme: Each household will get up to 10 LEDs. In the first phase, LED bulbs will be distributed in states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat Which of the above is or are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2    ANSWERS FOR 20th March 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 B 2 B 3 A Must Read On Election Commission of India: Indian Express On Vehicle Scrappage Policy: The Hindu On pandemic-induced disparities: The Hindu

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1 – ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 2 Questions [22nd March,2021] – Day 61

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1- ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies 2 Questions [22nd March 2020] – Day 61 We will make sure, in the next 100 days not a single day is wasted and your mains preparation is solidified. All your energies are channelized in the right direction. Trust us! This will make a huge difference in your results this time, provided that you follow this plan sincerely every day without fail. Gear up and Make the Best Use of this initiative. We are giving 5 Mains Questions on a daily basis so that every student can actively participate and keep your preparation focused. Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!” To Know More about the Initiative -> CLICK HERE SCHEDULE/DETAILED PLAN – > CLICK HERE Note: Click on Each Question (Link), it will open in a new tab and then Answer respective questions! 1. What are the factors responsible for the prevalence of wide regional disparity in terms of economic development? Explain. आर्थिक विकास के संदर्भ में व्यापक क्षेत्रीय विषमता के प्रसार के लिए कौन से कारक जिम्मेदार हैं? स्पष्ट कीजिए। 2. Do you think industrial expansion is an effective strategy to bring in economic growth in the hill states of India? Critically comment. क्या आपको लगता है कि भारत के पहाड़ी राज्यों में आर्थिक विकास लाने के लिए औद्योगिक विस्तार एक प्रभावी रणनीति है? समालोचनात्मक टिप्पणी करें। 3. What are the challenges of development in tribal pockets of India. Discuss the recent government initiatives for ensuring inclusive growth of tribal areas. भारत के आदिवासी क्षेत्रों में विकास की चुनौतियां क्या हैं। आदिवासी क्षेत्रों के समावेशी विकास को सुनिश्चित करने के लिए हाल की सरकारी पहलों पर चर्चा करें। 4. Should the government stop depending on petrol, diesel taxes to bridge its fiscal deficit? Share your views. क्या सरकार को अपने राजकोषीय घाटे को पाटने के लिए पेट्रोल, डीजल करों पर आश्रित होने से रुकना चाहिए? अपने विचार साझा करें। 5. Ensuring a stable and predictable policy environment is a prerequisite for sustained economic growth. Do you agree? Substantiate. निरंतर आर्थिक विकास के लिए एक स्थिर और अनुमानित नीति वातावरण सुनिश्चित करना महत्त्वपूर्ण है। क्या आप सहमत हैं? पुष्टि करें। P.S: The review from IASbaba will happen from the time the question is posted till 10 pm everyday. We would also encourage peer reviews. So friends get actively involved and start reviewing each others answers. This will keep the entire community motivated. All the Best :)

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan - IAS Prelims Test Series 2021 - POLITY, CURRENT AFFAIRS & CSAT [Day 1]

Hello Friends,   [embed]https://[/embed] ARCHIVES OF 60 DAYS The 60 Days Training has finally begun:) The questions will be posted around 10 AM. The solution will be released around 7 PM Daily.  Before any competition, there is a preparatory phase. That phase involves a lot of sessions on strengths and weaknesses. Throughout the preparatory phase, the athletes train in a gradual manner. In the last phase, just before the actual competition, the training is done so as to sharpen their skills. This training requires complete focus and dedication. In this phase, the athletes do not try anything new or train in a new fashion rather focus on the sharpening of skills, focusing on strength and precision. Similarly, the upcoming 60 days, is like the last phase (training session), just before the actual competition. Here, the focus should be on sharpening the concepts, consolidating the knowledge base and solidifying the learning with loads and loads of revision. You will come across many distractions in between in the name of sources and resources (exclusive and inclusive), beware of them. Be alert and objective in selecting your companions in this preparation. Trust your effort and revise more than falling prey to multiple resources and doing nothing in the end. Everything that seems attractive is not productive. You should always go for productivity.  Let us pledge to make it a big game-changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days! Note- Download the OMR Sheet and attempt the questions exactly like UPSC Prelims. After you are done, please post your OMR in the comment section. Once the solution key is released (around 7 PM), cross-check the answers and, comment the marks (you scored) in the same comment thread. This will keep you accountable, responsible and sincere in days to come.  You can also take part in the discussion with peers.   POLITY [DAY 1] - Click Here NOTE- Follow this for Comments Mention- Time Taken after solving the Test After the release of Solution, Edit your Comment to Mention-  Correct/Incorrect and Score 2 Marks for Correct/0.66 minus for Incorrect. What IMPACT can the ‘60 Day’ have on the final results? We will explain by taking a small example. Imagine you are sitting in the examination hall, appearing in Prelims Paper I. You have attempted 70 questions already but still unsure about a few. Then you stumble upon a question that was asked in 60 Day (and believe us, it has happened to hundreds of students countless times). You choose the right answer and submit your paper hoping for the best! Eventually, you go on to clear Mains as well as Personality Test and secure a good rank as well. When the cut off gets announced by UPSC, you realize that you have scored just one mark more than the cut off! Yes, that one mark can change your life (and it has done so to many of our students in the past). Now, imagine the kind of impact 60 to 80 marks can have! Isn’t that so fascinating to imagine?   One’s level of preparedness is always different for different subjects. Even within a subject, one’s comfort level may vary with topics. For example, one might be more comfortable in solving questions of Polity than Economics and within Polity also, one might be at ease with questions on fundamental rights than Parliament. The level of comfort and ease that one has with a subject/ topic gets manifested in the examination. However, there is no conscious effort by aspirants to micro analyze these aspects. Now, coming to the second aspect i.e. the mistakes that one commits in answering MCQs, it can be said that there are mainly four reasons behind incorrect responses in the OMR sheet. They are: Lack of information Lack of analytical ability Silly mistakes Excessive risk-taking Let’s analyze them one by one: Lack of information: You simply don’t know the information. You are clueless and that’s why you don’t attempt the question. For example, you may have never come across a regime called the ‘Wassenaar Agreement’ during your preparation and you can’t do much about it. The lack of information is pardonable and rectifiable. You can read more and gather more information. That is within your reach. Lack of analytical ability: You know the concept but the question is a twisted one and you are not able to apply the concept. For example, in a question asking you to identify the climate type of a region based on certain given parameters like precipitation, temperature, and air density, you might find it difficult to mark the correct option even if you are aware of all the options given in the question! That is clearly a lack of application and you can overcome it by developing a habit of framing questions in your mind while you study any topic. Silly mistakes: This habit is unpardonable. You know the concept, you become happy, you misread the question, you mark the incorrect answer and you are out of the race! Such mistakes reveal your hurriedness while answering the question. A simple mistake of reading ‘chose the incorrect option’ as ‘chose the correct option’ can destroy your chances. It means that you need to have patience and focus while attempting the paper. Excessive risk-taking: You are confused between the options and just in order to increase your attempts, you make wild guesses and try your luck only to repent eventually. Risk-taking is an art and one must be very careful while doing the guesswork in confusing questions. If you are not lucky enough, it can spoil your chances. You will realize that these problems will have different meanings for different people. For example, one might find a lack of information as the main culprit in answering wrong the questions on Culture while in Polity, lack of analytical ability is usually the culprit. The point here is that you must analyse your preparation on these yardsticks by applying them on different subjects/ topics. If one is having a headache, he/ she can’t have the same medicine for fever. Isn’t it. This is where our revamped '60 Day’ comes into the picture. It will give you an opportunity to micro analyze your preparation and perform better in the examination. Now, we present you the following scales (with weightage of each scale given in the bracket) to micro analyze your preparation on a daily basis and that too subject/ topic wise: Micro Analysis Matrix Number of questions not attempted or attempted wrongly Due to lack of information Due to the inability to apply the concept Due to silly mistake Due to excessive risk-taking Total Number (N) Weightage of scale (s) 1 2 3 4 NA N x S Scale 1: Information meter (1) Scale 2: Analysis meter (2) Scale 3: Anxiety meter (3) Scale 4: Risk meter (4) Suppose on Day 1, questions have been framed from Polity on the topic of Constitutional History. There are 15 questions and you are able to answer 12 out of which 7 are correct and 5 are incorrect. It means you have scored roughly 11.33 out of 30. Now you have to fill on a daily basis, the following matrix to micro analyze your preparation: Example: Suppose, the filled up matrix gets reflected in the following fashion: Micro Analysis Matrix- Day 1/ Polity/ Constitutional History Number of questions not attempted or attempted wrongly Due to lack of information Due to the inability to apply the concept Due to silly mistake Due to excessive risk-taking Total Number (N) 3 1 2 2 8 Weightage of scale (s) 1 2 3 4 NA N x S 3 2 6 8 19 Based on the total value in this matrix, you have to aim for the following measures on the scale: Information meter < 4 Course Correction: If you are scoring above 4, it means that there are serious gaps in your information base in the particular subject/ topic. Please refer to a standard textbook before it’s too late. Analysis meter < 4 Course Correction: If you are scoring above 4, you need to explore all possible questions in your mind while reading the topic. You should frame questions for your friends and try to trick them by twisting the questions. Anxiety meter < 3 Course Correction: A score above 3 indicates that you are either too excited or too callous to even read the question. You need to calm down and read the question twice, particularly those questions in which you feel too confident. Risk meter < 8 Course Correction: You need to curb your risk-taking instincts. Make an only intelligent guess and don’t leave your chance on fate. Don’t let the previous year’s cut off impact your mind. Total N x S score < 20 Moreover, IASbaba will give a cut-off figure along with the solutions each day. If your total marks exceed that cut off along with your total N x S score lying below 20, you are on the right track and just need to keep the momentum going. This exercise will hardly take 5 minutes of your daily time but it might do wonders for you as you will be able to gauge your strengths and limitations better. Finally, it is up to you to take advantage of this framework. We are sure of only one thing- if you follow this program, assess yourself on the basis of the given framework and keep improving your weaker areas, success will be yours. We are providing you with the right platform, the right guidance, and the right competition. Do you have the right motivation to make full use of this initiative? We think you have. Come, be a part of this initiative and take the first step towards SUCCESS! Importance of self - tracking: We could have provided all of you with login id and passwords to monitor your daily performance in the 60-day program. Instead, a simple and most beautiful way which Disqus provides is profile based commenting! Yes, we have seen the most successful candidates who have taken the maximum benefit from this program monitoring themselves by commenting on their answers in the box given (Disqus comment). And reviewing their performance themselves once in 10 days on the progress meter. DOWNLOAD THE 60 DAYS PLAN 2021   All the Best!IASbaba For Latest Materials, dedicated peer group, Motivation & Quick Updates - Join our official Telegram Channel - Click here

Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Why do we get bored? – Inspirational Educative Articles

Why do we get bored? Reality is only what you can perceive at this very moment. Everything beyond this moment belongs to the imaginary realm of the mind. Your world is simply how you have imagined it to be. I am not saying that there is no objective world out there, of course there is, but it is not your world. Your world is simply a collection of your experiences. It is impossible for your world to be anything more than what you have experienced, and it is impossible for it to exist in any other form independent of the language you have used to describe it. Your world is simply your story. You have used language to create your entire world. If you didn’t have the word world, you would not even know such a thing exists. Imagine you’re an aborigine living in some jungle, completely cut off from the rest of the world. What would your world be? Your world would not be a globe; it would simply be a collection of your experiences. We completely forget that it is language that gives meaning to these things: World, universe, space, time. These are just words. If you drop the word time, then where is time? Show it to me. Put it in a bottle and give it to me, let’s see! You have created your story using language. Your whole life is your story, and that is why it is very natural for you to get bored. The moment you feel that the same thing is happening again and again in your life, you will get bored. In your story, why do you want to look at the same leaf again every day? Why do you want to eat the same spaghetti every day? You want to experience something new all the time. Every moment and every experience in existence is new, but you are stuck in your separate world where you see the same things happening again and again. Your boredom is because you know how to describe your experience using language, and you have gotten into a set pattern of looking at things. Every day is new, but for you it is all the same, with a few minor changes. Boredom is one of the saddest things that can happen to a human being. Existence is so fresh and so new every moment. Every morning existence wakes you up with its fresh beauty, joy, and wonders, and yet somehow you are bored. Boredom is a human problem; it has nothing to do with existence. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Meditation Farm and IASBABA.”

SYNOPSIS [18th March,2021] Day 58: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE   SYNOPSIS [18th March,2021] Day 58: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. Do you think privatisation of banks would dilute their welfare focus? Critically examine. Do you support the idea of privatisation of public sector banks? Approach- Candidate can give context of privatisation in comparison to global credit availability and goal of welfare economics. By putting arguments for and against privatisation, way ahead can be given in the end. Introduction The new privatisation policy envisages that in each strategic sector, no more than four state-owned companies will exist. Currently, after the latest round of consolidation, there are 12 public sector banks (PSBs). This move has sparked debate of how this will affect the welfare focus of banking sector. Body What is the issue? The debate on the benefits and costs of public versus private banks is not new. Dating back to Alexander Gerschenkron in 1962, the development view sees government presence in the banking sector as a means to overcome market failures in the early stages of economic development. The core idea is that government-owned banks can improve welfare by allocating scarce capital to socially productive uses. By contrast, the political view argues that vested interests can commandeer the lending apparatus to achieve political goals. Political or special interest capture can distort credit allocation and reduce allocative efficiency in government-owned banking systems. Persuaded by the evidence that government ownership in the banking sector leads to lower levels of financial development and growth, waves of banking sector privatisations swept across emerging markets in the 1990s. Indeed, cross-country evidence suggests that bank privatisations improved both bank efficiency and profitability — specifically, increasing solvency and liquidity whilst reducing troubled or non-performing assets. What has been the so far experience of India? Public sector Banks (PSBs) dominate Indian banking, controlling over 60 per cent of banking assets. The private-credit to GDP ratio, a key measure of credit flow, stands at 50 per cent, much lower than international benchmarks. In the US credit to GDP ratio is 190 per cent, in the UK 130 per cent, in China 150 and in South Korea it is 150 per cent. The quality of credit is problematic as well. India’s Gross NPA ratio was 8.2 per cent in March 2020, with striking differences across PSBs (10.3 per cent) and private banks (5.5 per cent). The end result is much lower PSB profitability compared to private banks. Clearly, the rationale for privatisation stems from these considerations. What can be done? Banks provide two functions at a fundamental level: Payments and deposit-taking on the liability side and credit creation on the asset side. The payment services function, a hallmark of financial inclusion, is similar to a utility business — banks can provide this service, a public good, at a low cost universally. The lending side, in contrast, is all about the optimal allocation of resources through better credit evaluation and monitoring of borrowers. Private banks are more likely to have the right set of incentives and expertise in doing so. It comes as no surprise that the PSBs in India are better at providing the public good functions, whereas private banks seem better suited for credit allocation. The optimal mix of the banking system across public and private boils down to what you need out of your banking system and the particular friction your economy faces. When the wedge between social and private benefits is large, as with financial inclusion, there is a strong case for public banks. At this stage, inefficiency in capital allocation seems to be a bigger issue for the Indian banking sector. Way forward Public banks can be used for financial inclusion in line with the success of PMJDY in India. On the other hand, selective privatisation of inefficient PSBs is a welcome move for India’s banking sector. In order to improve the governance and management of PSBs, there is a need to implement the recommendations of the PJ Nayak committee. There is a need to follow prudential norms for lending and NPAs can be tackled through the establishment of the bad bank and speedy resolution of NPAs through Insolvency Bankruptcy Code. Conclusion Privatisation of banks is an idea whose time has come. For India to grow at faster growth rate private credit availability is a crucial factor. Public sector banks has failed to provide that, while they were at forefront when it comes to welfare policies, but equal share of private presence is necessary. A fine blend of credit availability and financial inclusion will fuel the necessary economic growth and for that we need privatisation not harming goal of walfare. 2. There has been an enhanced impetus on making available potable water through various central and state level schemes. What are your views on their performance? Approach: Question is asking you to simply give your views so write your views in a well-structured manner covering all angles. Introduction: As per estimation of UNICEF, less than 50 per cent of the population in India has access to safely managed drinking water. Chemical contamination of water, mainly through fluoride and arsenic, is present in 1.96 million dwellings. One of the challenges is the fast rate of groundwater depletion in India, which is known as the world’s highest user of this source due to the proliferation of drilling over the past few decades. Groundwater from over 30 million access points supplies 85 per cent of drinking water in rural areas and 48 per cent of water requirements in urban areas. Body: VIEWS ON AN ENHANCED IMPETUS ON MAKING AVAILABLE POTABLE WATER THROUGH VARIOUS CENTRAL AND STATE LEVEL SCHEMES  In 2019, after Prime Minister Modi’s re-election, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) was restructured under a new ministerial organogram, under which the MDWS’s mandate became one of two pillars under a new ministry named Jal Shakti (meaning “power of water”).  With UNICEF’s continued advocacy, technical assistance and engagement with Ministry of Jal Shakti, safe drinking water and sanitation remain high on the agenda of India’s new government. UNICEF is currently working closely with the Ministry of Jal Shakti on the Jal Shakti Abhiyan and Jal Jeevan Abhiyaan. UNICEF focuses on community-managed drinking water, including water safety and security planning, in support of the NRDWP which is a centrally sponsored scheme funded on 90:10 basis by Central & State Govt. At the institutional level, UNICEF focuses on developing improved water quality monitoring systems and strengthening operation and maintenance of water supply infrastructures. One current initiative is Swajal, which seeks to enable communities to self-manage safe water sources within their habitations, and is supported by UNICEF through policy development, training of trainers, and communication campaigns. The Ministry of Jal Shakti launched “Swajal” as a pilot project that is designed as a demand-driven programme involving the community to provide sustainable access to safe drinking water to people in rural areas.  The Swajal programme is empowering communities to plan, design, implement and monitor single village drinking water supply schemes, and organize community ownership for operation and maintenance. The target population for Swajal in 117 aspirational districts across 28 states is about 0.5 million a year. This Programme has helped in prioritizing integrated water safety planning, behaviour change and community participation in most deprived aspirational districts, and Water Quality Monitoring (WQM). This contributed to achieving 18.6 million people gaining access to safe drinking water. Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is the Centre’s flagship programme which aims to provide piped drinking water to all rural households by 2024. Besides providing piped water supply to all households, JJM emphasises on augmenting local water sources and recharging existing ones. It also promotes water harvesting and desalination.  Conclusion: Around 2 lakh people die in India every year because of the immense water shortage and 600 million people of this country don't have access to clean drinking water. Every individual in India has the right to clean water and basic sanitation. The ultimate aim of present government’s work in water, sanitation and hygiene is to ensure that all everyone fulfil this right, and that no one is left behind.      3. What are the ongoing insurance schemes of the central government? Do they provide an adequate safety net to the populace? Examine. Approach  The student is expected to write the major insurance schemes of the central government and analyze their importance in providing the adequate insurance penetration in India for the population. The students should write the reasons of low insurance penetration and then conclude with the measures needed to improve the insurance penetration in India.  Introduction: Insurance is the main element in the operation of national economies throughout the world today. It protects health and assets of the people and stimulates business activities to operate in a cost-effective manner. Citing this, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) has released guidelines for the insurance sector i.e. Saral Jeevan Bima (SJB). Saral Jeewan Bima provides for broad contours of a standard individual term life insurance product which must be adhered by insurance companies.While India’s insurance sector has been growing dynamically in recent years, its share in the global insurance market remains abysmally low Body: Various government schemes in the insurance sector are:  Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY):  Launched on 9th May, 2015, these schemes are offered/administered through both public and private sector insurance companies, in tie up with scheduled commercial banks, regional rural banks and cooperative banks. Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Beema Yojana:  It offers a renewable one-year term life cover of Rupees Two Lakh to all account holders in the age group of 18 to 50 years, covering death due to any reason, for a premium of Rs. 330/- per annum per subscriber, to be auto debited from subscriber’s bank account. Pradhan Mantru Swasth Beema Yojana: It offers a renewable one-year accidental death cum disability cover to all subscribing bank account holders in the age group of 18 to 70 years for a premium of Rs. 12/- per annum per subscriber to be auto debited from subscriber’s bank account. It provides a cover of Rs. Two Lakh for accidental death or total permanent disability and Rs One Lakh in case of permanent partial disability. The above schemes are on self-subscription basis and involves no Government contribution. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): Ministry of Agriculture implements PMFBY and Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS). It provides comprehensive crop insurance cover against non-preventable natural risks at an affordable rate to farmers. It is compulsory for loanee farmers availing crop loans for notified crops in notified areas and voluntary for non-loanee farmers. Uniform maximum premium of only 2%, 1.5% and 5% of the sum insured to be paid by farmers for all Kharif crops, Rabi crops and commercial/horticultural crops. The difference between premium and the rate of insurance charges payable by farmers is provided as subsidy and shared equally by the Centre and State. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) – Ayushman Bharat: A centrally sponsored and entitlement based scheme. It covers poor and vulnerable families based on deprivation and occupational criteria as per SECC data. It provides health coverage up to Rs. 5 lakh per family, per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalization to over 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families. It provides cashless and paperless services for the beneficiary at the point of service in any (public and private) empaneled hospitals across India. The ratio of premium under PMJAY is 60:40 between Centre and State except North Eastern States and 3 Himalayan States where the ratio is 90:10 with an upper limit for Centre. In the case of Union Territories, the Central contribution of premium is 100% for UTs without legislature, while it is 60:40 for those with legislature. Do they provide adequate safety net in India?  There are many underlying issues which affect the insurance sector in India such as low penetration and density rates, inadequate investment in insurance products, and the dominant position and deteriorating financial health of public-sector players. Therefore, the goal of making insurance accessible to all will remain difficult to achieve, until the above mentioned issues are addressed.  Prevalence of Insurance Gap: The insurance penetration (ratio of total premium to GDP (gross domestic product)) and density (ratio of total premium to population) stood at 3.69% and US$ 73, respectively for FY18 (fiscal year 2017-18), which is low in comparison with global levels.These low penetration and density rates reveal the uninsured nature of large sections of population in India, and the presence of an insurance gap. Public Sector Dominated: The insurance sector has transitioned from being an exclusive State monopoly to a competitive market, but public-sector insurers hold a greater share of the insurance market even though they are fewer in number. Nascent Non-life Insurance: Life insurance dominates the sector with a huge share of 74.7%, with non-life insurance accounting for the remaining 25.3%. In the non-life insurance sector, motor, health, and crop insurance segments are driving growth. India’s non-life insurance penetration is below 1%. In addition, insurance products catering to speciality risks such as catastrophes and cyber security are at a nascent stage of development in the country. Rural-Urban Divide: Low insurance penetration and density rates prevail in India. However, Rural participation of insurers remains deficient, and life insurers, especially private ones, gravitate towards the urban population. Capital Starved Insurers: Insurers in India lack sufficient capital, and their financial health, particularly that of the public-sector insurers, is in a precarious state. Further, investment in the insurance sector got dwindled due to the crisis in banks and NBFCs (non-banking financial companies) sector.  Conclusion: Insurance companies in India will have to show long-term commitment to the rural sector as well, and will have to design products which are suitable for rural people. In this context, government insurance schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana are notable steps in right direction. There is a need for complementary thrust to spread awareness and improve financial literacy, particularly the concept of insurance, and its importance. Another area that necessitates regulatory scrutiny is that of application of technology in insurance. An example is the emergence of ‘InsurTech’, designed to make the claim process simpler and more comprehensible. The regulator needs to exercise vigilance on three other aspects. Demographic factors, coupled with increasing awareness and financial literacy, are likely to catalyse the growth of the sector. An enhanced regulatory regime that focuses on increasing insurance coverage is the need of the hour. 4. What is the current approach of the US in terms of its engagement in Afghanistan? How is India going to get impacted in the long run? Discuss. Approach The candidate needs to address the question in two parts where the first part explains the current approach of the US in terms of its engagement in Afghanistan while the second part discusses its impact on India in the long run. Introduction Afghanistan was elevated as a significant U.S. foreign policy concern in 2001, when the United States, in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, led a military campaign against Al Qaeda and the Taliban government that harboured and supported it. Recently, the process for withdrawal of NATO forces is in process and the emerging dynamics will have far reaching effects on the region. Body  In the intervening 18 years, an elected Afghan government has replaced the Taliban, and most measures of human development have improved, although future prospects of those measures remain mixed.  According to a June 2020 U.S. Department of Defence report, “The vital U.S. interest in Afghanistan is to prevent it from serving as a safe haven for terrorists to launch attacks against the U.S. homeland, U.S. interests, or U.S. allies.”  After months of delays, on September 12, 2020, Afghan government and Taliban representatives officially met in Doha, Qatar to begin their first direct peace negotiations, a significant moment with potentially dramatic implications for the course of the ongoing Afghan conflict. The Joe Biden administration has proposed a new peace plan to the Afghan government and the Taliban, seeking to bring violence to a halt and form an interim government through the following means – Involving other Stakeholders: US has proposed an UN-led conference of representatives of Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India and the U.S. “to discuss a unified approach to support peace in Afghanistan”.  Written Proposal to enhance Trust: US will share written proposals with the Afghan leadership and the Taliban to accelerate talks.  Comprehensive Ceasefire and Inclusive government: US has urged both sides to reach a consensus on Afghanistan’s future constitutional and governing arrangements; find a road map to a new “inclusive government”; and agree on the terms of a “permanent and comprehensive ceasefire”.  Negotiations in third country: US has also proposed a senior level meeting of the Afghan government and the Taliban in Turkey to discuss power sharing, reduction of violence and other specific goals. Here, India’s inclusion in the regional conference format is a positive development. Overall, impact on India in the long term can be seen from the following points – India would be part of the regional conference, but the UN-led forum’s role and its relationship with the intra-Afghan dialogue have not been spelt out. In the 2001 Bonn conference, regional players had been part of the actual negotiations in the same venue. Similar role can be considered in this time. Among all the regional states, India has been the only nation that has never been comfortable with the peace process advocated by the US, as New Delhi believes that it is predicated on the notion of providing “comfort to the Pakistanis”. Indian assets in Afghanistan have been targeted by the Haqqani group, a major Taliban faction. India has also been able to invest in Afghanistan’s future partially because of the presence of U.S.-led troops and the relative stability it brought. With this stability at risk, India needs to urgently reposition its priorities. Further, India needs to come out of its traditional approach towards assessment of Taliban and engage with them actively, considering the ground situation and imminent withdrawal of NATO forces. This will help in denying Pakistan gain a strategic depth in the region, to be used for anti-India purposes. The growing tentacles of China through its belt and road initiative are also a long term threat for Indian interests in Afghanistan as China seeks to deepen its role with the help of Russia and Pakistan. Countering these efforts in the long run, would need a strategic approach to leverage India’s strengths. Way Forward – Broader Diplomatic Engagement: India should consider appointing a special envoy dedicated to Afghan reconciliation.  Continued Training and Investments: India should provide more military training to Afghan security forces and invest in longer-term capacity-building programs. India should expand its development assistance. Working With and Through Others: India should look to broaden its engagements with Iran and Russia, explore opportunities for cooperation. Conclusion Addressing Afghanistan’s challenges requires a comprehensive approach, involving civilian and military actors, aimed not only at providing security but also at promoting good governance, the rule of law and long-term development where regional stability is prioritised through multilateral approach. 5. Examine the potential of India as an exporter of weapons. What can be its economic and strategic benefits? Examine. Approach Candidates are expected to write about current India’s export capacity and India’s potential in exporting the weapons. Also then examine the economic and strategic benefits of exporting weapons. Introduction India is at a crucial juncture of its journey towards self-reliance in defense production which started primarily with imports, then gradually progressed towards licensed production from the 1970s, took substantial form in 1980s and 1990s and now we are talking about indigenous design, development, manufacturing and export capabilities. Body Potential of India as an exporter of weapons: At first glance, with India’s current status of defense imports, these objectives seem unlikely to succeed but careful observation reveals that India is making steady progress in reversing the existing trends. Throughout the last four and a half years, in between the headlines on some major trends about defense deals, some minor yet impactful moves and numbers remained out of focus. In the two fiscal years, 2017-18 and 2018-19, exports have witnessed a surge from 7,500 crore to 11,000 crore, representing a 40% increase in exports. Small naval crafts account for the bulk of India’s major defence exports. However, export of ammunition and arms remain low. India has finalised a new system to speed up sale of military equipment to friendly countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Myanmar and others through defence lines of credit (LoC). India is now looking at enhancing its defence exports  targeting $5 billion of all defence exports  to improve strategic relations with friendly foreign countries. The nation aims to achieve exporting defence equipment worth Rs. 35,000 crore by 2025, as per the defence production export promotion policy 2020.  India is in advanced talks with several countries, especially the Philippines, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), amongst others like Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa to sell them the BrahMos missile system. India has cleared 156 defence equipment for exports including the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, artillery guns, battle tanks and missiles, anti-tank mines and explosives. Economic and Strategic benefits of exporting the weapons: The new standard operating procedure (SOP) will substantially enhance the pace of utilisation of the defence LoCs extended to friendly countries. This will prevent third parties like China from undercutting India in countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar in terms of weapon supplies. India will also progressively leverage the various international collaborations it has built up through years of co-production and co-development as it joins global export control regimes such as the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). Export of weapons is critical to national security also. It keeps intact the technological expertise and encourages spin-off technologies and innovation that often stem from it.  Overall, India is likely to focus on a few key defence partners with which it has maximum strategic congruence for building up its position in the global defence market. In the last four and a half years, the contribution of small and medium scale sector to defence production has grown by 200 percent. India’s defence export can the strengthen the emerging defence startups and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) and labor-intensive industries. For export potential setting up of Defence Investor Cell, Society for Indian Defence Start-ups, innovations for defence excellence platform (iDEX), different startup challenges, hackathons or the decision to establish defence industrial corridors in UP and Tamil Nadu, all these moves will have a long term implications on India’s defence manufacturing. Defence exports will boost manufacturing that will lead to the generation of satellites industries that in turn will pave the way for generation of employment opportunities.  Private Sector boost with exports can infuse efficient and effective technology and human capital required for modernisation of indigenous defence industry. Wayforward: India need to invest in research and development, production facilities and quality standards to compete on platforms globally. Also strong export compliance programmes and intellectual property right protection measures to ensure defence exports will continue to be a long-term success story. Conclusion The economic, as well as strategic dividends of being a good defense exporter are numerous and for the first time, India seems to make some serious efforts in this direction. A continuous policy push, crucial administrative reforms and the responses from the industry give this hope that India can develop an ecosystem which is required for the growth and sustainability of our defense sector.   TLP HOT Synopsis Day 58 PDF

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

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) NewSpace India Limited to operate space assets of ISRO  Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Policies and interventions & GS-III - Space; Sci & Tech In news The NewSpace India Limited will own and operate capital intensive space assets of ISRO as part of the space reforms process.  Key takeaways  NewSpace India Limited is in advance stage of discussion with the Department of Space to take ownership of two new communication satellites for commercial purpose. The transponders on these satellites will be leased to the private companies with DTH and Broadband services. Important value additions  NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) is a Public Sector Enterprise (PSE) of Government of India.  It is a commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and a subsidiary company of Department of Science. Established in: 2019  Administrative control: Department of Space (DoS) and the Company Act 2013.  Objective: To scale up industry participation in Indian space programmes. Headquarter: Bengaluru. Related articles: CMS-01 successfully launched by PSLV-C50 Successes of ISRO India to implement GPS-based toll collection system  Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – Policies and interventions & GS-III - Infrastructure In news According to Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, India will implement a GPS-based toll collection system and remove all toll booths within a year. GPS-based toll collection system Toll collection will happen via GPS.  The money will be collected based on GPS imaging of vehicles. 93% of the vehicles were paying toll using FASTag but the remaining 7% had still not adopted it despite paying double the toll. Vehicle Scrapping Policy The policy was first announced in the Union Budget for 2021-22.  The automobile industry in India will see a jump in turnover to ₹10 lakh crore from ₹4.5 lakh crore. The new policy provides for fitness tests after the completion of 20 years in the case of privately owned vehicles and 15 years in the case of commercial vehicles. Any vehicle that fails the fitness test or does not manage renewal of its registration certificate may be declared as an End of Life Vehicle. The policy will kick in for government vehicles from April 1, 2022.  Mandatory fitness testing for heavy commercial vehicles will start from April 1, 2023.  For all other categories of vehicles, including personal vehicles, it will start in phases from June 1, 2024. The Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2021 Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III – FDI; Economy  In news The Rajya Sabha passed the Insurance Amendment Bill, 2021 recently.  The Bill amends the Insurance Act, 1938.  It increases the maximum foreign investment allowed in an insurance company from 49% to 74%. Key takeaways  The Act provides the framework for the functioning of insurance businesses and regulates the relationship between an insurer, its policyholders, its shareholders, and the regulator (the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India). The Act allows foreign investors to hold up to 49% of the capital in an Indian insurance company, which must be owned and controlled by an Indian entity. The Bill also removes restrictions on ownership and control. Foreign investment may be subject to additional conditions as prescribed by the central government. The Act requires insurers to hold a minimum investment in assets which would be sufficient to clear their insurance claim liabilities. If the insurer is incorporated or domiciled outside India, such assets must be held in India in trust and vested with trustees who must be residents of India. Hong Kong’s new amendment by NPC Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – International relations In news The National People’s Congress (NPC) of China has recently approved a decision on improving Hong Kong’s electoral system. Key takeaways This paves the way how Hong Kong shall choose its leaders. It gives Beijing-appointed politicians greater power in running the HKSAR’s politics. Now, the size of the Legislative Council will be expanded to 90, with the additional 20 members joining the 35 others who are nominated, thus reducing the share of directly elected representatives. The amendment also bestows greater power on a newly expanded Election Committee of 1,500 nominated members, up from 1,200 previously. The most controversial change is the setting up of a new “candidate qualification review committee”, which “shall be responsible for reviewing and confirming” the qualifications of candidates for Election Committee members, the Chief Executive, and Legislative Council members. Do you know? Hong Kong is the Special Administrative Region (SAR) that has been ruled under the “one country, two systems” model. Related articles: Hong Kong BNO Passports Volume on teachers & teacher education by Azim Premji University  Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – Education In news Azim Premji University released the First volume on teachers & teacher education.  It explores the landscape of Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) in India, corruption in private TEIs, the support system needed for teachers and the problem of those who are on contract. Key takeaways  There are 9 million teachers in around 1.5 million schools in India. It is equally important to impart good quality of education to aspiring teachers. Of the 17,503 TEIs in India, more than 90% are privately owned, stand-alone institutions, offering single programmes localised in certain geographies. Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, account for 54% of all TEIs in India.  Only 12 States/UTs have at least one TEI in each district. There are many substandard, dysfunctional TEIs functioning as ‘commercial shops’. TEIs deliberately neglected basic curricular requirements.  Classes are neither conducted seriously nor taken seriously by students.  Almost all private TEIs allowed students with a shortage of attendance to appear for examinations. There is an increasing prevalence of contract teachers, who are recruited for short periods on inadequate salaries with little or no benefits.  This has caused long-term damage to not just the teaching profession but has also affected student learning. (Mains Focus) GEOGRAPHY/ ENVIRONMENT Topic: GS-1: Indian Physiography Himalayan River System Importance The Himalayas-Hindu Kush region (known as the Third Pole because of the amount of water stored as ice) is home to 10 major river systems. More than half of India’s water resources are supplied by the tributaries of these river systems.  The melting glaciers supply year-round water and the average economic productivity of the Himalayan rivers is nearly twice that of peninsular river systems.  Beyond the large rivers are three million springs, which feed 64% of the irrigated land in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).  These springs are the lifeline of mountain communities (50 million people across 12 Himalayan states), even as the larger rivers support the livelihoods of more than 500 million in the Indo-Gangetic plains. These rivers are facing multiple stresses Reduced water flow  The Himalayan glaciers have been receding at alarming rates. Low rainfall and absent snowfall impact the springs, rivulets and rivers that moderate the hydrogeology of the region. NITI Aayog reported that nearly half the springs in IHR were drying up. Pollution  More than six billion litres of sewage is dumped into the Ganga daily, but the capacity to treat it is just a fifth of that quantity. Water pollution is affecting the upper reaches of the Himalayan rivers. Construction and deforestation The construction of large dams, canal diversions and hydropower projects has direct and indirect impacts.  Obstruction of the river flow, even for run-of-the-river projects, increases siltation, reduces the efficacy of hydropower projects over time, while reducing farm productivity downstream. For non-glacial rivers (such as Gomti, Panar, Kosi), deforestation is the main threat, thanks to ill-planned construction. As a result, water infiltration into the ground reduces. So, even when erratic rains arrive, mountain springs do not get recharged nor do non-glacial rivers get their water supply. Climate Crisis Decadal rise in temperatures in the Himalayan region is 0.4°C higher than the global average. Himalayan glaciers would retreat 45% by 2100 if surface temperatures rose by 1.8°C. Basically, even if the goals of the Paris Agreement were met, IHR is likely to face severe impacts. Pollution concentrations would also increase during droughts; warmer water temperatures and reduced dissolved oxygen reduce the self-purifying capacity of Himalayan rivers. Way Ahead IHR needs alternative development pathways, the absence of which makes the construction industry the default option.  More sustainable models — high-valued-added agriculture, less water-intensive natural farming, food processing, ecotourism, investments in non-hydropower forms of renewable energy, or monetising the preservation of natural capital — cannot be restricted to pockets or pilots.  Alternatives must be designed and deployed at scale to get buy-in from communities and policymakers. Decentralised water governance, especially of springs, is imperative.  Then communities can understand the conditions of their spring waters, determine appropriate use, and protect or increase forest cover, because their livelihoods depend on replenished water resources. (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Correct answers of today’s questions will be provided in next day’s DNA section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Comments Up-voted by IASbaba are also the “correct answers”. Q.1 Consider the following statements regarding recently passed the insurance Amendment Bill 2021: It increases the maximum foreign investment allowed in an insurance company from 49 % to 100%. The act allows for investors to hold up to 49% of the capital in an insurance company that must be owned and controlled by an Indian entity Which of the above is or are correct?  1 only  2 only Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  Q.2 Consider the following statements regarding vehicle scrapping policy:  It provides for fitness test after the completion of 20 years in the case of commercial vehicles and 15 years in the case of private vehicles  Any vehicle that fails the fitness test may be declared as an end of life vehicle  Which of the above is or are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2    Q.3 Consider the following statements regarding NewSpace India Limited:  It aims to scale up industry participation in Indian space programmes. It comes under administrative control of ISRO. Which of the above is or are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2    ANSWERS FOR 19th March 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 D 2 B 3 B Must Read On Inflation Targeting: Indian Express On US-China relations: The Hindu On allowing Taliban to share power in Afghanistan: The Hindu

Motivational Articles

[MI-STORIES]MOTIVATIONAL AND INSPIRATIONAL STORIES - Don't assume you are going to fail!

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 - Don't assume you are going to fail!   The marine biologist then inserted a strong piece of clear fiberglass into the tank, creating two separate partitions. She then put the shark on one side of the fiberglass and a new set of bait fish on the other. Again, the shark quickly attacked. This time, however, the shark slammed into the fiberglass divider and bounced off. Undeterred, the shark kept repeating this behavior every few minutes to no avail.  Meanwhile, the bait fish swam around unharmed in the second partition. Eventually, about an hour into the experiment, the shark gave up. This experiment was repeated several dozen times over the next few weeks. Each time, the shark got less aggressive and made fewer attempts to attack the bait fish, until eventually the shark got tired of hitting the fiberglass divider and simply stopped attacking altogether. The marine biologist then removed the fiberglass divider, but the shark didn’t attack. The shark was trained to believe a barrier existed between it and the bait fish, so the bait fish swam wherever they wished, free from harm.”   What do you think is the moral of the story?