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[UPSC 2021 Postponed] Baba's Revamped INITIATIVES/PROGRAMS for Targeted Preparation!

Hello Everyone! Who would have thought that living with a global pandemic would become a forced way of life for the entire population? As days pass by the cliched assurance “this too shall pass” doesn’t hold ground against the pervasive hopelessness around us. But then, reality is that we can’t avoid this situation. We have to survive this phase and that too by adding value to our present self to emerge with a smile when the shadows of gloom are lifted by the light of a normal tomorrow.  At IASbaba, not a single day passes without the team members discussing ways to extend all possible help to the aspirants community. We are limited by what our domain as an organisation is but there is no limit to our passion for helping you in a time of crisis. We can’t save lives like the way doctors do but we can ensure that you join the civil services with our support and contribute towards the creation of an India that is not limited by the predicaments of a crumbling health infrastructure and lack of medicines.  In the past couple of months, we have come up with a series of programs for the Prelims and Mains stages of the Civil Services Examination. All these programs (majority of them free of cost) combined provide a 360 degree solution to your preparation woes. These carefully curated programs are designed to keep you on your toes to ensure that you make full use of the ongoing lockdown. In this post, we are providing a snapshot of all the programs that will help you decide which one to follow: FREE INITIATIVES: Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series 2021: A separate dedicated portal and an integrated program for Prelims and Mains to help you utilise the next 120 days, due to extension of exam dates by UPSC. For more information about the initiative Click Here. 60 Day Plan 2021: IASbaba’s Most Trusted Initiative for UPSC Prelims 2021 Click Here. TLP+ 2021 (Phase 1) Compilations: GS Mains Answer Writing Program Click Here. Brainstorming On Ethics And Essay (BEE):  By Sunil Oberoi Sir (Retd. IAS) - A Youtube Initiative! Each week, Oberoi Sir will take 3 sessions, two for Essay (Issue-based & Philosophical) and one for Ethics. Click Here. Connect with Baba - Hotline, Phone-a-Friend: A dedicated helpline that allows you to talk to IASbaba’s top mentors and clarify your preparation strategy doubts. For more information about the initiative Click Here. Weekend with Baba: A couple of hours on the weekends where Mohan Sir (Founder, IASbaba), IASbaba faculty, eminent personalities come live on Youtube to interact with and answer to your preparation queries. For more information about the initiative Click Here. Daily Current Affairs: An initiative aimed at upgrading your current affairs preparation where you can add immense value to your knowledge by investing minimal time. For more information about the initiative Click Here. PAID PROGRAMS: Prelims Exclusive Program (PEP) 2021:‘One Stop Destination for Prelims Preparation'. It includes Discussion Classes, Strategy Classes, Hand-outs, Tests, Mentorship. For more information about the initiative Click Here. TLP+ 2021: A mentorship-based online answer writing initiative for Mains. For more information about the initiative Click Here. BABAPEDIA – Your 'One Stop Destination for Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains)'. For more information Click Here. Integrated Learning Program (ILP) 2021: IASbaba’s most famous flagship initiative for UPSC. An integrated & Self-Study Program. For more information about the initiative Click Here. All India Prelims Test Series(AIPTS) 2021: A high quality test series for Prelims. For more information about the initiative Click Here.  IASbaba’s Foundation Course For Fresher's 2022: A comprehensive mentorship-based online classroom programme for end to end preparation for the Civil Services Examination. For more information about the program Click Here.  Optional Test Series 2021 & Optional Foundation Course 2022: To Know More Information Click Here.  You must understand a universally accepted framework for life and success - try to control only the controllable. You have no control over the way COVID situation will shape in the coming months but you do you have full control over the way you are going to spend your days in isolation. Please utilise these days to upgrade your knowledge and skills that will make you sail through the examination. While it is not easy, it is worth a try. We understand that the times are tough. There is a possibility that you may have even lost your loved ones to the pandemic. Our heart goes for all the departed souls and we pray for their eternal peace. In this difficult phase of our life, we urge you to have patience and take all precautions. While there is nothing that can fill in the voids in our lives, we can at least ensure that we stay safe and healthy so that our friends and family can stay assured and calm.  We are here for you in your journey, UPSC and real both. Feel free to get in touch if you need any guidance or support.  You can also Read through the below important links, especially for aspirants appearing for UPSC Prelims 2021- PRELIMS SIMPLIFIED SERIES (Part 1,2,3): How to crack UPSC PRELIMS- IMPORTANT TIPS & TRICKS (using Common Sense – KCT Approach) by Mohan Sir MUST WATCH – STRATEGY [VIDEO]: PRELIMS  Tips (Do’s & Don’ts) from Mohan Sir, IASbaba Founder TOPPER’S STRATEGY (PRELIMS): Muthu Somasundaram, Rank 23 Indian Forest Service (IFoS) 2019, a regular follower of IASbaba -> CLICK HERE TOPPER STRATEGY: Shreyans Kumat Rank 4, UPSC CSE 2018 a Regular Follower of IASbaba’s TLP shares his Exclusive PRELIMS Strategy! -> CLICK HERE TOPPER’S STRATEGY-Shivashish Kumar Rank 368, UPSC CSE 2018 who has scored 129.34 and 126.66 in his 2 attempts shares his PRELIMS EXCLUSIVE Strategy!! -> CLICK HERE Topper Abhijeet Sinha, Rank 19 UPSC CSE 2017 – IASbaba’s ILP Student, who has scored 163 and 152.6 in his 2 attempts shares his Preparation Strategy with special focus on Prelims!-> CLICK HERE UPSC CSE 2019 Topper’s Strategy Videos -> CLICK HERE For Any Queries: Email id: support@iasbaba.com Mobile No: 84296 8885 / 91691 91888 (Please call between 10 am – 6 pm ONLY) Office @ BANGALORE, DELHI, LUCKNOW To get Regular Updates from IASbaba, follow- TELEGRAM Channel – https://t.me/IASbabaOfficialAccount YOUTUBE  –  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChvbVdio9Wgj7Z3nQz1Q0ZQ FACEBOOK  – https://www.facebook.com/iasbaba/ Also, SUBSCRIBE to the WEBSITE (on the right-hand side), so that you don’t miss out on important posts! Stay safe, stay strong. IASbaba Team

Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series for UPSC

[REGISTER NOW] Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series for UPSC 2021 - A FREE Initiative - Only 3 Days to Go!

Dear Students Rapid Revision Series (or RaRe Series) is an integrated and comprehensive revision programme for Prelims and Mains UPSC 2021. The RaRe series is meant to be a game-changer for your UPSC journey, taking your preparation to the next level. It is designed to make you work hard for 120 days with an intensive micro-plan and fill in the gaps in your preparation by adding value to your current knowledge base. Last year, RaRe Series (RRS) was just a video series, but this year we have come up with bigger surprises and have made the program more inclusive. The improvised version has 10 Features that will act as 10 stepping stones towards your success in this exam. The Programme starts from 31st May 2021 (Monday). Only 3 Days to Go, Register NOW!! [wpcdt-countdown id="107733"] Register Now - CLICK HERE (P.S: If you have issues regarding to login/registering to the program, please mail us on ilp@iasbaba.com) To Know More About the RaRe Series - CLICK HERE Rapid Revision (RaRe) Series Explainer Video by Mohan Sir - CLICK HERE To Know More About the Rare Series in Hindi/हिंदी - CLICK HERE Download Schedule - CLICK HERE To get Regular Updates from IASbaba, follow- TELEGRAM Channel – CLICK HERE YOUTUBE  –  CLICK HERE FACEBOOK  – CLICK HERE INSTAGRAM – CLICK HERE Also, SUBSCRIBE to the WEBSITE (on the right-hand side), so that you don’t miss out on important posts! For Any Queries: Mobile No: 84296 8885 / 91691 91888 (Please call between 10 am – 6 pm ONLY) Email id: ilp@iasbaba.com / support@iasbaba.com Our Office @ BANGALORE @DELHI @LUCKNOW Thank You IASbaba Team

Important Articles

[WEEK 2] ESSAY 3: Theme – Science & Technology | BRAINSTORMING ON ETHICS & ESSAY (BEE) by Sunil Oberoi Sir

Dear Students, As part of our new initiative, BRAINSTORMING ON ETHICS & ESSAY (BEE), here we have come up with the third session. BBE is a FREE ONLINE (YOUTUBE) initiative, exclusively for Essay and Ethics curated by IASbaba’s renowned faculty member, Shri Sunil Oberoi Sir (former IAS Officer). The third essay focuses on the theme, 'SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY'. Sunil Oberoi Sir has worked on Civil Services Reforms in India with UNDP and DoPT. He was a government nominee in interview boards and Examiner in various govt. exams. He was also associated with induction training of new entrants of Civil Services and In-Service training of Senior Civil Servants. To Know More about BEE Initiative -> CLICK HERE Download the schedule: Click Here For Any Queries: Email ID: support@iasbaba.com Mobile No: 91691 91888 (Please call between 10 AM – 6 PM ONLY)   Thank You IASbaba 

IASbaba Prelims 60 Day Plan

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan - IAS Prelims Test Series 2021 - SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, CURRENT AFFAIRS & CSAT [Day 59]

For Previous (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends,  ARCHIVES OF 60 DAYS NOTE:  Let us pledge to make it a big game-changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days!  Note- Download the OMR Sheet and attempt the questions exactly like UPSC Prelims. After you are done, please post your OMR in the comment section. Once the solution key is released (around 5 PM), cross-check the answers and, comment the marks (you scored) in the same comment thread. This will keep you accountable, responsible and sincere in days to come.  You can also take part in the discussion with peers.   S&T [DAY 59] - Click Here NOTE- Follow this for Comments Mention- Time Taken after solving the Test After the release of Solution, Edit your Comment to Mention-  Correct/Incorrect and Score 2 Marks for Correct/0.66 minus for Incorrect. What IMPACT can the ‘60 Day’ have on the final results? We will explain by taking a small example. Imagine you are sitting in the examination hall, appearing in Prelims Paper I. You have attempted 70 questions already but still unsure about a few. Then you stumble upon a question that was asked in 60 Day (and believe us, it has happened to hundreds of students countless times). You choose the right answer and submit your paper hoping for the best! Eventually, you go on to clear Mains as well as Personality Test and secure a good rank as well. When the cut off gets announced by UPSC, you realize that you have scored just one mark more than the cut off! Yes, that one mark can change your life (and it has done so to many of our students in the past). Now, imagine the kind of impact 60 to 80 marks can have! Isn’t that so fascinating to imagine?   One’s level of preparedness is always different for different subjects. Even within a subject, one’s comfort level may vary with topics. For example, one might be more comfortable in solving questions of Polity than Economics and within Polity also, one might be at ease with questions on fundamental rights than Parliament. The level of comfort and ease that one has with a subject/ topic gets manifested in the examination. However, there is no conscious effort by aspirants to micro analyze these aspects. Now, coming to the second aspect i.e. the mistakes that one commits in answering MCQs, it can be said that there are mainly four reasons behind incorrect responses in the OMR sheet. They are: Lack of information Lack of analytical ability Silly mistakes Excessive risk-taking Let’s analyze them one by one: Lack of information: You simply don’t know the information. You are clueless and that’s why you don’t attempt the question. For example, you may have never come across a regime called the ‘Wassenaar Agreement’ during your preparation and you can’t do much about it. The lack of information is pardonable and rectifiable. You can read more and gather more information. That is within your reach. Lack of analytical ability: You know the concept but the question is a twisted one and you are not able to apply the concept. For example, in a question asking you to identify the climate type of a region based on certain given parameters like precipitation, temperature, and air density, you might find it difficult to mark the correct option even if you are aware of all the options given in the question! That is clearly a lack of application and you can overcome it by developing a habit of framing questions in your mind while you study any topic. Silly mistakes: This habit is unpardonable. You know the concept, you become happy, you misread the question, you mark the incorrect answer and you are out of the race! Such mistakes reveal your hurriedness while answering the question. A simple mistake of reading ‘chose the incorrect option’ as ‘chose the correct option’ can destroy your chances. It means that you need to have patience and focus while attempting the paper. Excessive risk-taking: You are confused between the options and just in order to increase your attempts, you make wild guesses and try your luck only to repent eventually. Risk-taking is an art and one must be very careful while doing the guesswork in confusing questions. If you are not lucky enough, it can spoil your chances. You will realize that these problems will have different meanings for different people. For example, one might find a lack of information as the main culprit in answering wrong the questions on Culture while in Polity, lack of analytical ability is usually the culprit. The point here is that you must analyse your preparation on these yardsticks by applying them on different subjects/ topics. If one is having a headache, he/ she can’t have the same medicine for fever. Isn’t it. This is where our revamped '60 Day’ comes into the picture. It will give you an opportunity to micro analyze your preparation and perform better in the examination. Finally, it is up to you to take advantage of this framework. We are sure of only one thing- if you follow this program, assess yourself on the basis of the given framework and keep improving your weaker areas, success will be yours. We are providing you with the right platform, the right guidance, and the right competition. Do you have the right motivation to make full use of this initiative? We think you have. Come, be a part of this initiative and take the first step towards SUCCESS! Importance of self - tracking: We could have provided all of you with login id and passwords to monitor your daily performance in the 60-day program. Instead, a simple and most beautiful way which Disqus provides is profile based commenting! Yes, we have seen the most successful candidates who have taken the maximum benefit from this program monitoring themselves by commenting on their answers in the box given (Disqus comment). And reviewing their performance themselves once in 10 days on the progress meter.  DOWNLOAD THE 60 DAYS PLAN 2021   All the Best!  IASbaba  

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 28th May 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Launch of SeHAT OPD portal Part of: GS Prelims and GS -II - Polity and Governance  In news ‘Services e-Health Assistance & Tele-consultation (SeHAT) OPD portal was launched recently.  Ministry: Ministry of Defence Key takeaways  The portal provides tele-medicine services to the serving Armed Forces personnel, veterans and their families.  This is the final version of the SeHAT OPD portal with advanced safety features.  The trial version was made functional in August 2020. Developed by: Department of Military Affairs (DMA), Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) and Centre for Development of Artificial Computing (C-DAC) Mohali  The portal will help reduce the load on hospitals and patients will be able to get contactless consultations in an easy and effective manner.  Renaming of Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) Part of: GS Prelims and GS -II - Polity and Governance  In news The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) will be renamed the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF). IBF is the apex body of broadcasters.  It is now expanding its purview to cover digital streaming platforms Key takeaways  The move would bring broadcasters and OTT (over-the-top) platforms under one roof. OTT have seen a substantial jump in their viewership base after the COVID-19 pandemic. The IBDF would also form a self-regulatory body, the Digital Media Content Regulatory Council (DMCRC), for digital OTT platforms. Do you know?  The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) was founded in 1999. It is the parent organisation of the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) which was set up in 2011.  The BCCC examines content-related complaints relating to all non-news general entertainment channels in India. Important value additions  An over-the-top (OTT) media service is a media service offered directly to viewers via the Internet. OTT bypasses cable, broadcast, and satellite television platforms. Such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hotstar etc. Crop in news: Jackfruit Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III - Economy; Trade; Agriculture  In news Jackfruit was in news recently.  A shipment of fresh jackfruit was exported from Tripura to London. It is a major step towards harnessing exports potential of agricultural and processed food products from north-eastern region. Important value additions  Jackfruit is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family (Moraceae). It is a multiple fruit, composed of hundreds to thousands of individual flowers, and the fleshy petals.  Scientific Name: Artocarpus heterophyllus. Major producers in world: India, Thailand, Indonesia and Nepal. Major Production States of India: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa and Assam.  Kerala is the largest producer of jackfruit in the world.  It is the state fruit of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.  Do you know?  Recently, the first consignment of ‘red rice’ was sent to the USA from Assam.  Iron rich ‘red rice’ is grown in Brahmaputra valley of Assam, without the use of any chemical fertilizer.  The rice variety is referred to as ‘Bao-dhaan’, which is an integral part of Assamese food. Related articles Shahi Litchi Launch of Ayush Clinical Case Repository (ACCR) portal and Ayush Sanjivani App Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Policies and interventions; Health  In news Ayush Clinical Case Repository (ACCR) portal and the third version of Ayush Sanjivani App was recently launched.  Ministry: Ministry for Ayush Key takeaways  Ayush Clinical Repository (ACCR) portal: It will serve as a platform to support both Ayush practitioners and general public. Aim: To aggregate information about clinical outcomes achieved by Ayush practitioners on a large scale. It is expected to document the strengths of Ayush systems for treatment of various disease conditions. It has dedicated section for reporting and publishing details of Covid 19 cases treated through Ayush Systems.  Ayush Sanjivani App It facilitates a significant study/ documentation regarding the efficacy of selected Ayush interventions, including Ayush 64 and Kabasura Kudineer medicines in the management of asymptomatic & mild to moderate Covid 19 patients. Miscellaneous Auroville Aurovillian Christoph Pohl’s documentary EverSlowGreen has been officially selected for screening at the prestigious ChangeNow summit in Paris. It tells the story of Auroville’s unique afforestation project that took root on an eroded desert plateau at Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu. Auroville is an experimental township in Viluppuram district.  It was founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa (known as "the Mother") a French spiritual guru and a collaborator of Sri Aurobindo, who considered her to be of equal yogic stature to him and called her by the name "The Mother".  (Mains Focus) ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors Crisis in Dairy Sector Significance of Dairy Sector Livelihood: In the farm-dependent population comprising cultivators and agricultural labourers, those involved in dairying and livestock constitute 70 million. Women Empowerment: Moreover, in the total workforce of 7.7 million engaged exclusively in raising of cattle and buffalo, 69 per cent of them are female workers, which is 5.72 per cent of the total female workforce in the country, of which 93 per cent live in rural areas. Economic Growth: In the Gross Value Added (GVA) from agriculture, the livestock sector contributed 28 per cent in 2019-20.  Provides Safety Net: A growth rate of 6 per cent per annum in milk production provides a great support to farmers, especially during drought and flood. Milk production rises during crop failures due to natural calamities because farmers bank more on animal husbandry then. Issues High Susceptibility: Milk producers are highly susceptible to even minor shocks as the demand for milk and milk products are sensitive to changes in the employment and income of consumers. Lacks Political Clout: Unlike sugarcane, wheat, and rice-producing farmers, cattle raisers are unorganised and do not have the political clout to advocate for their rights. No MSP: There is no official and periodical estimate of the cost of production and Minimum Support Price for milk. Low Prices offered by Cooperatives: Even though dairy cooperatives handle about 40% of the total marketable surplus of the milk in the country, they are not a preferred option of landless or small farmers. This is because, on average, fat-based pricing in dairy cooperatives is 20 to 30% less than the price in the open market. Shortage manpower: In August 2020, the Animal Husbandry and Dairying department reported a requirement of 2.02 lakh artificial insemination (AI) technicians in India whereas the availability is only 1.16 lakh.  Slow disbursal of Loans: Out of the total 1.5 crore farmers in 230 milk unions in India, not even one-fourth of the dairy farmers’ loan applications had been forwarded to banks as of October 3, 2020. Inadequate measures by government: Dairying was brought under MGNREGA to compensate farmers for the income loss due to Covid-19. However, the budgetary allocation for 2021-22 was curtailed by 34.5 per cent in relation to the revised estimates for 2020-21.  COVID-19 impacts Increased Cost & Reduced demand: The closure of shops had cut down the demand for milk and milk products while severe shortage of fodder and cattle feed has pushed up the input cost.  Reduced Buyers: During the pandemic, there has been a self-imposed ban on door-to-door sale of liquid milk by households both in urban and rural areas, forcing farmers to sell the entire produce to dairy cooperatives at a much lower price. Reduced access to Veterinary service: Further, private veterinary services have almost stopped due to Covid-19, which has led to the death of milch animals Way Forward Dairy farmers need the following to continue their vocation:  One, a stable market and remunerative price (ignoring fat content or giving more weightage to the quantity of milk) for liquid milk;  Two, uninterrupted supply of fodder and cattle feed at a reasonable price; and  Three, regular supply of veterinary services and medicines Connecting the dots: Women and Dairy Cooperatives Impact of RCEP on India’s dairy sector How India can push its dairy cart ahead ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors Arrest the Economic Slide Context: Uday Kotak, the president of CII and MD of Kotak Mahindra Bank, has urged the government to provide another round of fiscal support aimed at protecting livelihoods, especially for the weaker sections of the economy.  Issues Economic Recovery difficult: After 2021-22 Union Budget, India’s GDP was expected to recover all the loss it suffered in 2020-21, when it contracted by around 8%, and would grow by over 12% this financial year. Thanks to the vicious second Covid wave, India may not be able to get back to the level of absolute GDP it had in March 2020 Disproportionate Burden on Poor: The second wave resulted in job losses and reduced wages across almost all income classes while making matters worse for the poor.  Reduced Aggregate Demand: In the wake of reduced incomes, people are expected to severely constrain their expenditures, especially on anything they consider non-essential. This would lead to depressed demand in economy Governments’ recovery strategy in danger: Depressed demand in turn, would delay, if not completely derail, the cornerstone of the government’s Covid recovery strategy — fresh investments from corporate India. Vicious Cycle:  Businesses will continue to hold back investments because there is not enough consumer demand, and consumers will not demand more because they do not have enough incomes. And this vicious cycle could get worse if the pace of vaccination doesn’t pick up or if there is a deadly third wave.  Way Ahead Given the widespread devastation due to the second wave of Covid-19, this is not the time for either the government or the companies to look at their financial balance sheets. Only one economic entity can break this cycle: The government. By providing additional direct monetary help to the poor and extending its existing schemes for collateral-free loans to small businesses, the government can arrest the slide. (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 launch of ‘Services e-Health Assistance & Tele-consultation (SeHAT) OPD portal:  The portal provides tele-medicine services to the serving Armed Forces personnel, veterans and their families.  It was launched by Ministry of Health 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 OTT Platforms: An over-the-top (OTT) media service is a media service offered directly to viewers via the Internet. The services provided are free of charge. Which of the above is or are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  Q.3 Which of the following is the largest producer of jackfruit in the world?  Kerala Dhaka New York Beijing ANSWERS FOR 27th May 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1  A 2  A Must Read On criticism of new IT rules: The Hindu On Vaccine hesitancy: The Hindu About Post-COVID actions: Indian Express

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 28th May 2021

For Previous Daily Quiz (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE The Current Affairs questions are based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, which are very important sources for UPSC Prelims Exam. The questions are focused on both the concepts and facts. The topics covered here are generally different from what is being covered under ‘Daily Current Affairs/Daily News Analysis (DNA) and Daily Static Quiz’ to avoid duplication. The questions would be published from Monday to Saturday before 2 PM. One should not spend more than 10 minutes on this initiative. Gear up and Make the Best Use of this initiative. Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!” Important Note: Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :) After completing the 5 questions, click on 'View Questions' to check your score, time taken, and solutions. To take the Test - Click Here

Important Articles

[ADMISSIONS OPEN] GEOGRAPHY OPTIONAL TEST SERIES for UPSC 2021 by Atyab Ali Zaidi Sir

Hello Everyone We hope that you all are fine and your loved ones are safe. In this time of crisis, the best thing that you can do is to stay indoors, safe with your family, eat healthily and study hard so that you can become part of the system and help in avoiding any future crisis. Since UPSC has postponed the exam to the 10th of October, you have got 5 months extra for your preparation. This has come as a blessing in disguise for some of the aspirants who were not sure about their mains preparation. Now is the time when you can integrate your mains preparation with the prelims. One important aspect of mains preparation is the Optional Subject. It is a make-or-break deal. Many students fall short of their success because they were not able to prepare according to the demand of UPSC. Optional preparation is not like GS preparation where you don’t have to study in-depth. In the case of Optional, you need proper guidance and a mentor who can tell you about the intricacies and pitfalls of the subject. For those candidates who want to polish their optional answer writing, we are starting a Geography Optional Test Series. The test series will be starting from 31st May and its validity will be up to the Mains 2021 exam. Features of the test series are as follows: Components of Geography Optional Test Series: A total of 8 Tests with 4 Sectional Tests and 4 Full-length Test. (Only online) All the students will get personal mentorship. Mentor will point out the individual mistakes and help in overall guidance. Quality Evaluation of the Answer Sheets and detailed feedback. Value Add notes for some specific topics will be provided. Schedule - CLICK HERE Payment Details - 10,000/- (Including Taxes) - CLICK HERE Note: Students who are unsure of their preparation can enroll for the Geography Optional Foundation Course. To Know about Geography Optional Foundation Course - CLICK HERE Geography Optional Strategy by Atyab Ali Sir - CLICK HERE Faculty Profile The Faculty needs no introduction due to his immense popularity with UPSC aspirants for geography. The Programme will be conducted by Atyab Ali Zaidi Sir. He is an alumnus of NIT Allahabad, Chemical Engineering, and is one of the Core members of the IASbaba team. He has been mentoring UPSC aspirants for the past 5 years and many of his students have qualified for this prestigious exam with flying colors. For any queries, you can reach us at atyab@iasbaba.com or can directly call us on 95911 06864

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 27th May 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III - Economy In news There has been an increase in FDI inflows into India recently. Measures taken by the Government regarding Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy reforms, investment facilitation and ease of doing business have contributed to the increase. Key takeaways  The trends in India’s FDI are: Highest ever total FDI inflow of US $81.72 billion during the year 2020-21. It is 10% higher as compared to last year (US$ 74.39 billion). Top investor countries: Singapore (29%), U.S.A (23%) and Mauritius (9%) Maximum FDI received sector-wise: Computer Software & Hardware (44%),  Construction (Infrastructure) Activities (13%) and Services Sector (8%) Maximum FDI received state-wise: Gujarat (37%), Maharashtra (27%) and Karnataka (13%). Related articles Government approval mandatory for FDI from neighbouring countries  COVID-19 and FDI Policy Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code  Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II - Policies and interventions In news The new rules for social media platforms and digital news outlets, called the Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code, came into effect recently. Key takeaways  The guidelines had asked all social media platforms to set up a grievances redressal and compliance mechanism, which included appointing a resident grievance officer, chief compliance officer and a nodal contact person. The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology had also asked these platforms to submit monthly reports on complaints received from users and actions taken. A third requirement from instant messaging apps was to make provisions for tracking the first originator of a message. Failure to comply with any one of these requirements would take away the indemnity (security) provided to social media intermediaries under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. Do you know?  Section 79 says any intermediary shall not be held legally or otherwise liable for any third party information, data, or communication link made available or hosted on its platform. Shahi Litchi  Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III – Trade; GI tags In news Shahi litchi was in the news recently. Season’s first consignment of Shahi Litchi from Bihar was exported to UK. It is a major boost to the export of GI certified products Key takeaways  Shahi litchi is the fourth agricultural products to get GI certification from Bihar in 2018. Jardalu mango, Katarni rice and Magahi paan are other GI certified products from the state. India is the second largest producer of litchi (Litchi chin) in the world, after China. Top producer: Bihar Important value additions Litchi is a sub-tropical fruit. It thrives best under moist sub-tropical climate. Ideal conditions for growth: Deep, well drained loamy soil, rich in organic matter and having pH in the range of 5 to 7 Mekedatu Multi-Purpose Project  Part of: GS Prelims and GS -III - Infrastructure In news The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has appointed a joint committee to look into allegations of unauthorised construction activity taking place in Mekedatu . The Karnataka government had proposed to construct a dam across the Cauvery River at the same place. Important value additions  The Mekedatu multi-purpose project involves building a balancing reservoir across the Cauvery River near Kanakapura in Ramanagaram district. It envisages supplying drinking water to Bengaluru and Ramanagaram districts, besides generation of power. However, Tamil Nadu has opposed it on the grounds that the project violates the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award. Miscellaneous Vineyard Wind Project  USA has approved the nation's first major offshore wind farm that will help eliminate emissions from the power sector. It is known as Vineyard Wind project. It will be located off the coast of Massachusetts. It shall create enough electricity to power 400,000 homes by the second half of 2023. It shall create 3,600 jobs as well (Mains Focus) ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE/ POLITY Topic: GS-2: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure GS-3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. Challenges ahead for India’s GST Context: The 43rd meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council is to be held on May 28. Of the 31 representatives that are expected to attend, 17 members are from the ruling BJP or its alliance partners and remaining 14 are from non-ruling alliance. Do You Know? The 17 members of the ruling dispensation and the 14 members of the non-BJP dispensation in the GST Council represent exactly one half of India’s population each. However, the non-BJP group contributes a higher share of 60% of overall GST revenues and accounts for 63% of the country’s GDP. Issues GST Meeting not held: The GST Council was mandated to meet at least once every quarter, but it had not met for two quarters, ostensibly due to the pandemic Increased dependency: States are dependent on GST collections for nearly half of their tax revenues. However, in the wake of economic slowdown the compensation to states have not been steady. Conditions for extra borrowings: Centre imposed sudden and stringent policy conditions to grant approval to States for extra borrowing in the middle of the pandemic last year. Differential Vaccine Pricing: There is a feeling of betrayal over how the States have been forced to pay a much higher price for COVID-19 vaccines than the Centre. Misuse of Cess: States are wary of the Centre’s duplicity in levying cesses that garner significant revenues for the Centre without sharing them with the States. Failure to deliver on early promises: GST was to deliver enormous economic efficiency gains, improve tax buoyancy and collections, boost GDP growth and usher in greater formalisation of the economy. However, 15th Finance Commission report formally acknowledges that GST has been an economic failure that did not deliver on its early promises. Problems underpinning GST continues: Economists point to the multiple rates structure, high tax slabs and the complexity of tax filings as the problems underpinning India’s GST. Uncertainty over guaranteed revenue after 2022: GST has endured so far primarily because the States were guaranteed a 14% growth in their tax revenues every year, which minimised their risks of this new experiment and compensated for their loss of fiscal sovereignty. This revenue guarantee ends in July 2022 and there is increasing demand from States to continue this compensation regime even after 2022. Conclusion The phrase ‘cooperative federalism’ was introduced into India’s political lexicon to justify the transition to GST in 2017. Cooperative federalism has a larger meaning beyond just fiscal federalism. It also entails cooperative political, administrative and governance federalism between the States and the Centre. Also Read GST reform needs a new grand bargain Critical working of GST SOCIETY/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-1: Indian Society & Challenges GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation COVID Orphans Context: According to the ministry of women and child development, 577 children have been orphaned by the second wave of the pandemic in the last two months. That number might well go up. Issues: Vulnerable to Trafficking: Child traffickers prey on helpless children, especially those who lost both their parents in the pandemic. Child Rights: Most fragile children were at the risk of being forced into marriage or child labour. Mental Trauma: The weight of loss of both parents will be borne by a generation of vulnerable children for many years to come. Access to Education Impacted: The pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to India’s children, with the closure of schools and a digital switch to education leaving a majority excluded. Measures Taken Joining hands together: Communities and governments have come together to ring-fence children from any such eventuality of child falling prey to traffickers. Active role by Child Welfare Committees: The government has done well to entrust the task of tracking vulnerable children to child welfare committees at district level. These CWC is actively working by networking with NGOs to protect children affected by Pandemic. Custody of Children: The Centre had also asked the ministry of health to ask patients admitted to hospitals to specify in whose custody they would wish to leave their children in case of death. Way Forward Preference to Kinship Care: It is important, as much as possible, to not uproot traumatised children and place them in institutional care, if kinship care is available. Kinship care provides better emotional support & interpersonal bonding, that is much needed for Child upbringing. Oversight of adopted families: Government should also make provision for oversight of families that take children in to ensure that they have a hospitable environment to grow and flourish in Easing Process of Adoption: The adoption process in India can sometimes run into years. The government can consider making an exception to ease the adoption of children orphaned by Covid-19, without compromising on checks and balances. Education: The state must make provisions for supporting the education of orphaned children. Mental Health Support: Finally, each child must also be provided mental health support, as unresolved trauma and grief of this scale increase the chances of producing a broken generation. Conclusion Both state and society owe these most vulnerable children empathy, kindness and protection. They cannot afford to fail them. Connecting the dots Hindu Adoption Changes in Juvenile Justice Act ECONOMY/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation GS-3: Awareness in the field of IT Rules and rulers: On social media curbs Context: New Social Media Code coming into effect. It seems that most if not all global social media giants will miss complying with the new rules The new rules were introduced in February 2021. Among other things, they require the bigger social media platforms to adhere to a vastly tighter set of rules within three months, which ended on May 25. The new rules require these platforms to appoint Chief compliance officers in order to make sure the rules are followed, Nodal officers to coordinate with law enforcement agencies, Grievance officers to look into complaints from users Another rule requires messaging platforms such as WhatsApp to trace problematic messages to its originators (Traceability) Issues Non-compliance were to trigger a further worsening of the already poor relationship between some social media players and the Government The latest stand-off between them, over Twitter tagging certain posts by BJP spokespeople as ‘manipulated media’, has resulted in the Delhi Police visiting the company’s offices. The traceability rule raises uneasy questions about how services that are end-to-end encrypted can adhere to this. These rules were introduced without much public consultation. There has also been criticism about bringing these new rules that ought to be normally triggered only via legislative action. Way Forward It is important that social media companies fight the new rules in a court of law if they find them to be problematic. Non-compliance by companies can never be justified, even if it is to be assumed that the U.S. Government has their back. Five industry bodies, including the CII, FICCI and the U.S.-India Business Council have sought an extension of 6-12 months for compliance. This is an opportunity for the Government to hear out the industry, and also shed its high-handed way of rule-making. Connecting the dots Dominance of Big tech Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code (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 Jardalu mango, Katarni rice and Magahi paan are GI certified products from Which of the following state? Bihar Jharkhand Rajasthan Uttar Pradesh Q.2 Mekedatu Multi-Purpose Project is proposed to be constructed across which of the following river? Cauvery Yamuna Krishna Godavari ANSWERS FOR 26th May 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK)   1  A 2  A 3 B Must Read  On vaccination: The Hindu On political turmoil in Nepal: The Hindu About rumour amidst Pandemic: Hindustan Times

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz – 2021 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz 27th May 2021

For Previous Daily Quiz (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE The Current Affairs questions are based on sources like ‘The Hindu’, ‘Indian Express’ and ‘PIB’, which are very important sources for UPSC Prelims Exam. The questions are focused on both the concepts and facts. The topics covered here are generally different from what is being covered under ‘Daily Current Affairs/Daily News Analysis (DNA) and Daily Static Quiz’ to avoid duplication. The questions would be published from Monday to Saturday before 2 PM. One should not spend more than 10 minutes on this initiative. Gear up and Make the Best Use of this initiative. Do remember that, “the difference between Ordinary and EXTRA-Ordinary is PRACTICE!!” Important Note: Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :) After completing the 5 questions, click on 'View Questions' to check your score, time taken, and solutions. To take the Test - Click Here

IASbaba Prelims 60 Day Plan

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan - IAS Prelims Test Series 2021 - ECONOMICS, CURRENT AFFAIRS & CSAT [Day 58]

For Previous (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends,  ARCHIVES OF 60 DAYS NOTE:  Let us pledge to make it a big game-changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days!  Note- Download the OMR Sheet and attempt the questions exactly like UPSC Prelims. After you are done, please post your OMR in the comment section. Once the solution key is released (around 5 PM), cross-check the answers and, comment the marks (you scored) in the same comment thread. This will keep you accountable, responsible and sincere in days to come.  You can also take part in the discussion with peers.   ECONOMICS [DAY 58] - Click Here NOTE- Follow this for Comments Mention- Time Taken after solving the Test After the release of Solution, Edit your Comment to Mention-  Correct/Incorrect and Score 2 Marks for Correct/0.66 minus for Incorrect. What IMPACT can the ‘60 Day’ have on the final results? We will explain by taking a small example. Imagine you are sitting in the examination hall, appearing in Prelims Paper I. You have attempted 70 questions already but still unsure about a few. Then you stumble upon a question that was asked in 60 Day (and believe us, it has happened to hundreds of students countless times). You choose the right answer and submit your paper hoping for the best! Eventually, you go on to clear Mains as well as Personality Test and secure a good rank as well. When the cut off gets announced by UPSC, you realize that you have scored just one mark more than the cut off! Yes, that one mark can change your life (and it has done so to many of our students in the past). Now, imagine the kind of impact 60 to 80 marks can have! Isn’t that so fascinating to imagine?   One’s level of preparedness is always different for different subjects. Even within a subject, one’s comfort level may vary with topics. For example, one might be more comfortable in solving questions of Polity than Economics and within Polity also, one might be at ease with questions on fundamental rights than Parliament. The level of comfort and ease that one has with a subject/ topic gets manifested in the examination. However, there is no conscious effort by aspirants to micro analyze these aspects. Now, coming to the second aspect i.e. the mistakes that one commits in answering MCQs, it can be said that there are mainly four reasons behind incorrect responses in the OMR sheet. They are: Lack of information Lack of analytical ability Silly mistakes Excessive risk-taking Let’s analyze them one by one: Lack of information: You simply don’t know the information. You are clueless and that’s why you don’t attempt the question. For example, you may have never come across a regime called the ‘Wassenaar Agreement’ during your preparation and you can’t do much about it. The lack of information is pardonable and rectifiable. You can read more and gather more information. That is within your reach. Lack of analytical ability: You know the concept but the question is a twisted one and you are not able to apply the concept. For example, in a question asking you to identify the climate type of a region based on certain given parameters like precipitation, temperature, and air density, you might find it difficult to mark the correct option even if you are aware of all the options given in the question! That is clearly a lack of application and you can overcome it by developing a habit of framing questions in your mind while you study any topic. Silly mistakes: This habit is unpardonable. You know the concept, you become happy, you misread the question, you mark the incorrect answer and you are out of the race! Such mistakes reveal your hurriedness while answering the question. A simple mistake of reading ‘chose the incorrect option’ as ‘chose the correct option’ can destroy your chances. It means that you need to have patience and focus while attempting the paper. Excessive risk-taking: You are confused between the options and just in order to increase your attempts, you make wild guesses and try your luck only to repent eventually. Risk-taking is an art and one must be very careful while doing the guesswork in confusing questions. If you are not lucky enough, it can spoil your chances. You will realize that these problems will have different meanings for different people. For example, one might find a lack of information as the main culprit in answering wrong the questions on Culture while in Polity, lack of analytical ability is usually the culprit. The point here is that you must analyse your preparation on these yardsticks by applying them on different subjects/ topics. If one is having a headache, he/ she can’t have the same medicine for fever. Isn’t it. This is where our revamped '60 Day’ comes into the picture. It will give you an opportunity to micro analyze your preparation and perform better in the examination. Finally, it is up to you to take advantage of this framework. We are sure of only one thing- if you follow this program, assess yourself on the basis of the given framework and keep improving your weaker areas, success will be yours. We are providing you with the right platform, the right guidance, and the right competition. Do you have the right motivation to make full use of this initiative? We think you have. Come, be a part of this initiative and take the first step towards SUCCESS! Importance of self - tracking: We could have provided all of you with login id and passwords to monitor your daily performance in the 60-day program. Instead, a simple and most beautiful way which Disqus provides is profile based commenting! Yes, we have seen the most successful candidates who have taken the maximum benefit from this program monitoring themselves by commenting on their answers in the box given (Disqus comment). And reviewing their performance themselves once in 10 days on the progress meter.  DOWNLOAD THE 60 DAYS PLAN 2021   All the Best!  IASbaba  

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