Apr 12, 2021 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 12th April 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) SC's views on religious conversions Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – Fundamental Rights In news The SC said that people are free to choose their religion and it lashed out at a petition claiming there is mass religious conversion happening “by hook or by crook” across the country. Key takeaways  It said that people have a right under the Constitution to profess, practise and propagate religion. Article 25: It grants Fundamental right to freely profess, practise and propagate religion, subject to public order, morality and health. Every person is the final judge of his/her choice of religion or who their life partner should be. Courts cannot sit in judgment of a person’s choice of religion or life partner. Religious faith is a part of the fundamental right to privacy.  The Constitution Bench judgment had earlier upheld inviolability of the right to privacy, equating it with the rights to life, of dignity and liberty. USA carries out Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP) in the Indian EEZ Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – International Relations  In news India has protested the U.S. decision to conduct a patrol in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the western Indian Ocean.  Key takeaways  U.S. Navy announced that its ship, USS John Paul Jones, had carried out Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP) in the Indian EEZ, adding that its operations had “challenged” what the U.S. called India’s “excessive maritime claims”. The ship asserted navigational rights and freedoms approximately 130 nautical miles west of the Lakshadweep Islands, inside India’s exclusive economic zone, without requesting India’s prior consent, consistent with international law.  The Government of India’s stated position on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is that the Convention “does not authorise other States to carry out in the EEZ and on the continental shelf, military exercises or manoeuvres, in particular those involving the use of weapons or explosives, without the consent of the coastal state. While India ratified UNCLOS in 1995, the U.S. has failed to do it so far. Technique to improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries developed  Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III Sci & tech   In news Researchers from IIT Guwahati have developed a technique to improve the performance of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which power most of the portable devices used today. Important value additions  The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was jointly awarded to Stanley Whittingham, John Goodenough and Akira Yoshino for work that led to the development of lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are used in most mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, laptops and power banks, among other devices. Today, most Electrical Vehicles (EV) use Li-ion batteries as well, but are slowly reaching their theoretical limits of being able to provide roughly up to 300-watt hour per kilogram of energy. These batteries can also be used to store solar and wind power, which means that with their widespread use it may even be possible to live in a fuel free society. Disadvantages Li-ion batteries are susceptible to overheating and are prone to damage at high voltages since they are made with flammable and combustible materials. Such batteries also start losing their capacity over time  Alternatives to Li-ion batteries In January 2020, researchers from Australia claimed that they developed the world’s most efficient lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery, capable of powering a smartphone for five continuous days  Li-S batteries are generally considered the successors of Li-ion batteries because of their lower cost of production, energy efficiency and improved safety. Their cost of production is lower because sulfur is abundantly available. Population of dolphins in Chilika lake doubled this year  Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III – Biodiversity; Environment  In news The population of dolphins in Chilika, India’s largest brackish water lake, and along the Odisha coast has doubled this year compared with last year. Key takeaways  The State Environment Department released the final data on the dolphin census conducted in January and February 2021, indicating a spectacular growth in numbers. Three species were recorded during the census,.  544 Irrawaddy, bottle-nose and humpback dolphins were sighted this year, compared with 233 last year. The endangered Irrawaddy dolphins are mostly found in Chilika lake.  The highest growth has been noticed in the case of humpback dolphins with a population of 281. These humpback dolphins were not part of any riverine systems, so they cannot be identified as residential mammals. They were spotted travelling along the Odisha coast and the number is likely to fluctuate in the next census. SAAMAR Campaign by Jharkhand government Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – Policies and interventions  In news SAAMAR (Strategic Action for Alleviation of Malnutrition and Anemia Reduction) campaign has been launched by Jharkhand government to tackle malnutrition in the state. Key takeaways  The campaign aims to identify anaemic women and malnourished children and converge various departments to effectively deal with the problem  It has a 1000 days target, under which annual surveys will be conducted to track the progress. To tackle severe acute malnutrition children, every Anganwadi Centres will be engaged to identify these children and subsequently will be treated at the Malnutrition Treatment Centres. In the same process the anaemic women will also be listed and will be referred to health centres in serious cases. Angawadi’s Sahayika and Sevika will take them to the nearest Health Centre where they will be checked again and then registered on the portal of State Nutrition Mission. Miscellaneous 2001 Mars Odyssey NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft marks 20 years of mapping it. It is the oldest spacecraft still working at the Red Planet. It was sent to map the composition of Mars in 2001.  The feasibility of humans traveling to Mars was also the focus of an instrument aboard Odyssey that measured how much space radiation astronauts would have to contend with  The most complete global maps of Mars were made using Odyssey's infrared camera, called the Thermal Emission Imaging System, or THEMIS. (Mains Focus) SOCIETY/ GOVERNANCE/ SECURITY Topic: GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation  GS-2: Rights and Freedoms India’s Refugee Problem Context: Myanmarese citizens, including little children fleeing from a Myanmar’s military, being turned away at the Indian border in the Northeast has once again revived the domestic debate about refugee protection in India. India’s Refugee Problem Refugee flows to India are unlikely to end any time soon given the geopolitical, economic, ethnic and religious contexts of the region.  There is an urgent need to clinically address the issue of refugee protection in India and put in place appropriate legal and institutional measures. Issues/Challenges Lacks differentiation b/w Refugees & illegal Immigrants: Illegal Immigration and Refugees are two different things. However, as per Indian law, both categories of people are viewed as one and the same and are covered under the Foreigners Act, 1946. Due to this, government’s policies and remedies to deal with these issues suffer from a lack of clarity as well as policy utility. Lack of Proper Legal Framework: India is legally ill-equipped to deal with refugees and illegal immigrants separately due to a lack of legal provisions. India is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol the key legal documents pertaining to refugee protection. Ad-hocism in dealing with refugees: The absence of such a legal framework also leads to policy ambiguity whereby India’s refugee policy is guided primarily by ad hocism which, of course, often has its own ‘political utility’.  Domestic politicisation of refugee protection Absence of a legal framework and Ad hoc measures enable the government in office to pick and choose ‘what kind’ of refugees it wants to admit for whatever political or geopolitical reasons, and what kind of refugees it wants to avoid giving shelter, for similar reasons.  Complicates geopolitical faultlines: Absence of legal framework & politicization of refugee problem opens the door for geopolitical considerations while deciding to admit refugees or not.  Example: Consider the most recent case of Myanmarese refugees fleeing to India for protection from the junta at home.  New Delhi’s concern is that if it takes a decision that irks the Generals in Myanmar, Beijing would get closer to the junta and use the opportunity to hurt India’s interests in Myanmar.  If New Delhi had a domestic legislation regarding refugees, despite not being a signatory to the relevant international conventions, it could have tempered the expectations of the junta to return the fleeing Myanmarese. Credibility of India as responsible power questioned: India, for the most part, has had a stellar record on the issue of refugee protection, a moral tradition that has come under great stress of late. New Delhi has been one of the largest recipients of refugees in the world in spite of not being a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. Why India has not signed 1951 Refugee Convention? Lop-sided definition of Refugee that favours West The definition of refugees in the 1951 convention only pertains to the violation of civil and political rights, but not economic rights, of individuals, for instance.   If the violation of economic rights were to be included in the definition of a refugee, it would clearly pose a major burden on the developed world.  Poor Track record of Developed Countries India should not accede to the 1951 convention at a time when the North is violating it in both letter and spirit.  India should argue that their accession is conditional on the Western States rolling back the non-entrée (no entry) regime they have established over the past two decades.  The non-entrée regime is constituted by a range of legal and administrative measures that include visa restrictions, carrier sanctions, restrictive interpretations of the definition of ‘refugee’, withdrawal of social welfare benefits to asylum seekers, and widespread practices of detention Way Ahead – New Domestic Law A domestic refugee law should allow for temporary shelter and work permit for refugees.  This is crucial because in the absence of proper legal measures, refugee documentation, and work permit, refugees may end up becoming illegal immigrants using illicit means. Make a distinction between temporary migrant workers, illegal immigrants and refugees and deal with each of them differently through proper legal and institutional mechanisms.  Connecting the dots: Rohingya Refugee Problem GOVERNANCE/ SOCIETY Topic: GS-2: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States; Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors Uttarakhand’s Char Dham Board Context: Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Act was enacted by Uttarakhand State legislature in 2019.  Under the same Act, the State government constituted the Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Board on January 15, 2020. Under this board, at present there are 53 temples, including four shrines – Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri – and other temples located around these shrines. The shrine board is the highest governing body for the management of the temples with powers to frame policies, make decisions to give effect to the provisions of this Act, of budget formulation and to sanction expenditure, among others.  The board may also give directions for the safe custody, prevention and management of funds, valuable securities, jewellery and properties vested in the temples. Through the Devasthanam board, the government has taken control over the financial and policy decisions What was the previous arrangement? Earlier, the Shri Badrinath-Shri Kedarnath Act, 1939 was in place for the management of two shrines (Badrinath and Kedarnath) and 45 temples by Shri Badrinath- Shri Kedarnath Mandir Samiti.  The Samiti was chaired by a government appointed person whereas an official of all India service used to be the CEO.  All the decisions related to utilization of the donations, funds and development works in and around those 45 temples including Badrinath and Kedarnath were taken by that committee and the government did not intervene into it.  In Gangotri and Yamunotri, management of the shrines was earlier in the control of local trusts and the government was not getting any share from the donations made by devotees. Who are protesting and why? Priests, Pandas, Dimris and others who run dharmshalas and shops at the Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines staged protests in Dehradun.  They alleged that with the shrine board, the government will get control of the entire area and donations. Some argue that Hindu temples should be governed by the Hindu society and the governments should not have any control over management of temples, its properties and religious systems. What does the government say? Constitutional Validity of Act upheld by Judiciary: The Uttarakhand High Court in July 2020 had dismissed a PIL challenging the constitutional validity of 2019 Act. The Court held that Char Dham and associated temples are public temples whose secular functions can be regulated by a law made by the competent legislature. Responsibility & Right of Government: When the government looks after the security and other arrangements for convenience of pilgrims, the government should have control over utilization of funds and planned development of the area. Devasthanam board gives such power to the government Enhances Public Services: The State government argues that the public is in support of the devasthanam board because they want good services there and the government only provides these services to them Stakeholders Rights Safeguarded: The government has introduced the clause protecting the rights of teerth-purohits, rawals and pandas. The act is therefore not interfering with the traditions & religious activities but only regulating the secular functions of the Temples (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 is the largest brackish water lake in India?  Dal Lake  Chilika Lake  Sambhar Lake  Vembanad lake Q.2 Which of the following is the IUCN status of Irrawaddy dolphin?  Endangered Critically endangered  Least concerned  Vulnerable Q.3 Which of the following article deals with Fundamental right to freely profess, practise and propagate religion, subject to public order, morality and health?  Article 26  Article 25  Article 27  Article 28 Q.4 SAAMAR (Strategic Action for Alleviation of Malnutrition and Anemia Reduction) campaign has been launched by which of the following state government?  Rajasthan  Madhya Pradesh  Jarkhand  Uttar Pradesh ANSWERS FOR 10th April 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 C Must Read On significance of Indo-Pacific for Europe: Indian Express On US challenging India’s maritime rights: The Hindu On Personal Data Protection Bill: The Hindu

Apr 12, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1 – ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies Paper 1 Questions [12th April,2021] – Day 79

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1- ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing – General Studies 1 Questions [12th April 2020] – Day 79 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. Discuss the natural resource endowment of Russia. How does it shape Russia’s worldview? Examine. रूस के प्राकृतिक संसाधन पर चर्चा करें। यह रूस के विश्वदृष्टि को कैसे आकार देता है? जांच करें। 2. What are the emerging frontiers in the field of conventional energy resources? Discuss the key issues surrounding those. पारंपरिक ऊर्जा संसाधनों के क्षेत्र में उभरती सीमाएँ क्या हैं? इससे सम्बंधित मुद्दों पर चर्चा करें। 3. What are the key issues related to the extraction and processing of rare earth elements? Discuss. दुर्लभ पृथ्वी तत्वों के निष्कर्षण और प्रसंस्करण से संबंधित प्रमुख मुद्दे क्या हैं? चर्चा करें। 4. What are the major areas of dispute related to water resources between India and its neighbours? Analyse. भारत और उसके पड़ोसियों के बीच जल संसाधनों से संबंधित विवाद के प्रमुख मुद्दे क्या हैं? विश्लेषण करें। 5. The South China Sea conflict is essentially a manifestation of energy skirmishes. Comment. दक्षिण चीन सागर संघर्ष अनिवार्य रूप से ऊर्जा झड़पों की अभिव्यक्ति है। टिप्पणी 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 :)

Apr 12, 2021 RSTV Video

Preventing Agro Brain Drain

Archives   In News: Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu has called for measures to prevent agro brain drain and attract educated youth to take up farming as a profession.  He opined that the future of Indian agriculture lies in the hands of technology-driven farming practices, powered by well- informed and modern-minded farmers.   Agriculture is the pillar of India’s ecology, culture and civilisation. There is a need for changing focus from food security to nutrition security.  The Vice President stressed on the need to reduce agri-input costs and called for promoting organic farming in a big way.  Emphasizing the need to move away from chemical farming, he said, organic farming is beneficial for all stakeholders including the farmers, the consumers and the environment.  He called for making organic agriculture a mass movement not only for a ‘wealthy nation’ but also a ‘healthy nation’. In 2016, the average age of an Indian farmer was 50.1 years. This is worrying because the next generation of the current farmers is quitting the profession. It means we are approaching a situation where one of the biggest consumers of food will be left with few farmers. Today, both middle-aged and young people are shunning agriculture. There might not be a next generation of farmers left in the country. In 2011, 70 per cent of Indian youths lived in rural areas where agriculture was still the main source of livelihood. According to the 2011 Census, every day 2,000 farmers give up farming. The income of a farmer is around one-fifth of a non-farmer. The Indian Agro Brain Drain The youth among the farming communities are hardly interested in agriculture — so much that a majority of students graduating from agricultural universities switch to other professions.  As it emerges, those who work in family farms or are in some other way involved in farming are also doing so with compulsion. Only 1.2 per cent of 30,000 rural youth surveyed by non-profit Pratham for its 2017 Annual Status of Education Report aspired to be farmers. While 18 per cent of the boys preferred to join the army and 12 per cent wanted to become engineers. Similarly, for girls, who play a major role in traditional farming, 25 per cent wanted to be teachers. Recognising the fact that the farmers are unorganized and voiceless, the 4 Ps–Parliament, political leaders, policymakers and press must pro-actively adopt a positive bias towards agriculture. There is a need to kindle the interest and contribution of rural youths towards agriculture to ensure the prosperity of the agriculture sector because youth have the zeal to make things work in an innovative manner. The government on regular intervals has appealed to the youth to explore career opportunities in agriculture, livestock research. It is the time to understand that it is the youth who can extract the needed benefits and evolve an innovative way of farming keeping in mind the conditions like climate change and other seasonal abnormalities. The focus is needed on the strategy to make agriculture an occupation that not only ignites youth’s interest but also convert it into a financially promising sector. Link Social Media to Agriculture: By interconnecting agriculture and social media, youth can be directed towards re-routing the needed innovation and technology into the agriculture sector.  Image management: Farming is never presented as a young mind’s game in media. There is a crucial need of awareness and the advantages of having a prosperous agricultural economy. The prospects of agriculture as a career should be made clear to the youth to engage them into the fields. The media, ICT and social media can all be used to cater to the need. Strengthening the education system in agriculture: Very few students opt to study agriculture. One of the main reasons behind the same can be a lack of quality training in the sector. The academic curriculum needs to be linked with the practicality and the real-life challenge, focusing on the research part and troubleshooting aiming at agribusiness and entrepreneurship as well as engaging the youth. Both the government and the corporate sector must increase the number of scholarships for agriculture students to enhance research and development. This will help them become better professionals and improve their earning capacities. The government must also enhance their professional status so that more youth take up jobs in this sector. The youth should also be taught about profitable farming techniques and systems so that less land and resources are used. They should not only be taught about integrated farming, but also about latest techniques in mushroom farming, freshwater aquaculture and dairy farming. They should also be given subsidy or loans to start food processing units. They must be trained to incorporate the latest technological breakthroughs in agriculture. The solutions lie in precision agriculture and organic farming. Agricultural institutions must hold training programmes to teach young farmers about post-harvest management and value additions. There is also a need to integrate the agro-economy through value chains and market linkages using cold storage systems. They must be also trained to be market savvy and produce foodstuff that use less land, water and inputs. Utilizing ICT (Information and Communication Technology): ICT can be relied upon for education and training purposes. Those sections can be targeted which are unable to attend higher education and also to disseminate the recent technology updates.  Facilitate easy access to credit and land: The land is a scarce resource when it comes to agriculture, especially to youth. Without the presence of collateral, getting credit is impossible. Hence there is a need of a simpler system that can work through this challenge.  Indian Agriculture Service: There is an immediate need to start a separate Indian Agriculture Service, on the lines of the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Forest Service. This will not only make the agro- regulatory mechanism more robust but also generate jobs for students pursuing agriculture. Agriculture as a subject should be taught from the school level itself. It is time to bring little cheer to the farming community. The Way Forward Incorporate all dimensions of sustainability—the economic, the social and the ecological into agricultural policy-making and planning. There should be a wider and more holistic view of agriculture, wherein the sustainability of plants, fishes, forests and livestock and their natural interdependence with the well-being of people are given due attention. Policymakers need to pay special attention to the welfare of women farmers. Farmers should be encouraged to take up allied activities like poultry, dairy, fisheries and horticulture to have income in case of a failed crop. Agricultural universities and Krishi Vignan Kendras to adopt a pro-active approach in bringing the latest research and innovation to the farmers. The lab-to-land concept has to be effectively implemented Loan waivers and subsidies provide temporary relief to farmers and are not sustainable solutions, both long-term and short-term measures are needed to ensure remunerative prices to farmers. There is a tendency that the young generation may see agriculture as a non-profitable and obsolete sector to choose a career. Government must ensure that agriculture does not pose as a neglected sector and the existing farmers don’t feel left out. Appropriate investments and payouts are necessary for any business to flourish and agriculture should be made a sector that should more effectively reduce poverty than any other investment.  Connecting the Dots: Teach them to become farm entrepreneurs. Comment. Agriculture is the biggest sector in India, yet the sector and its workforce are not valued. Do you agree? What can be the possible solutions?

Apr 12, 2021 IASbaba Prelims 60 Day Plan

IASbaba’s 60 Day Plan - IAS Prelims Test Series 2021 - GEOGRAPHY, CURRENT AFFAIRS & CSAT [Day 19]

For Previous (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends,    [embed]https://https://www.youtube.com/embed/x5ldu2jV8N0[/embed] ARCHIVES OF 60 DAYS NOTE: IASbaba's 60 DAY questions will be posted around 10 AM. The solution will be released around 6 PM Daily.  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 6 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.   GEOGRAPHY [DAY 19] - 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    

Apr 11, 2021 TLP Mains Answer Writing

SYNOPSIS [6th April,2021] Day 74: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE   SYNOPSIS [6th April,2021] Day 74: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 1): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. What are the effects of globalisation on India’s medium scale enterprises? Examine. Approach: Question is straight forward, the student is expected to write the impact of globalisation on Medium Scale Enterprise in India. The student should focus on the economic as well as the regulating changes happened after the LPG reforms particularly.  Introduction: The  process  of  globalization is  an  inevitable  phenomenon  in  human  history which  has  been  bringing  the  world  closer  since  the  time  of  early  trade   and  exploration,   through   the   exchange   of   goods,   products, information,  jobs,  knowledge  and  culture. Globalization  is the  process  of  integration  of  the  world  into  one  huge  market.  It  provides  several  things to several  people  with  removal  of  all  trade  barriers  among  countries. Globalization happens through three channels: trade in goods & services, movement   of   capital   and   flow   of   finance.   Globalization   in   India   is  generally taken to mean ‘integrating’ the economy of the country with the world economy. The real thrust to the globalization process was provided  by the new economic policy introduced by the Government of India in July 1991 at the behest of the IMF and the World  Bank. Body: Indian     small     scale     industry is  playing an  imperative  role  in  the  economic expansion  of  the  country  and  have  vast  approaching  for  employment  generation Increasing    small    scale    sector  units  also    results    in decentralized industrial development, better distribution of  wealth   and   investment   and   entrepreunial   talent.   The  government  has  initiated  several  policies  for  the  growth  and     development     of     small     scale     industries.     Post liberalization  economic  conditions  have  created  immense  growth  prospect  for  the  small  scale  industries.  The  Micro,  Small and  Medium Enterprises in India are acting as power  and  spirit  of  economic  growth  in  the  21st  century.   Positive Impact:  Invasion of foreign investment and technology. The SSIs in India suffer from outdated technology and sub-optimal scale of operation. Many foreign companies have ed up with Indian SSIs and helped them to use better technology, managerial skill etc.  Opportunities to enter the world markets: Globalization has opened up the economy and integrated it with the world economy. The SSIs enjoy the benefits of selling their products and services to the world market rather than being confined into domestic market. The free economy ushers inaccessibility to bigger markets, greater linkages for SMEs with larger companies and marketing outfits, improved manufacturing techniques and processes.  Expanding the areas of business: SSIs have been able to identity many uncommon but highly promising business areas like outsourcing, medical transcription, clinical research trials, sub-contracting, ancillarization and many new technologies like biotechnology, nanotechnology etc which are attractive for the new generation SSI entrepreneurs.  Free flow of capital: In a liberalized economy, banks would try to find out new avenues of giving credits to increase their profitability. Thus, supply of funds may be easier. Development in money market would initiate development in capital market  Less procedural problem: As the economy is mainly market driven; there is less Govt. intervention, red tapes, less control on import and export etc. The SSIs would be allowed to work in a free environment.  Increased Customer Satisfaction: As the domestic market gets competitive, small and medium firms try to satisfy the consumers in every possible way. They try to produce products as per the needs and preferences of the consumers anti satisfy the customers in best possible way.  Opportunities for generation of employment: Being labour-intensive in nature, the SSIs make significant contribution in employment generation and expanding industrial network in rural areas. This sector nurtures the traditional skills and knowledge based small and cottage industries.  Regional disparity Removal: People from remote areas have the tendency to migrate to urban areas in search of jobs. This creates excessive pressure on urban areas and initiates social and personal problems. This problem can be addressed by sethng up a network of micro, small and medium enterprises in economically backward areas.  Negative impact Though there are many benefits derived from the process of Globalisation, it has resulted in some serious constraints on the growth of SSIs in India High level competition. The SSIs face ruthless competition from the large domestic firms and multinationals armed with improved technology, managerial ability, skilled workers, marketing skills, better product quality, and wide range of products. The small firms find it difficult to maintain their existence as the cases of merger and acquisition are continuously increasing. Problems related to finance: Financing has always been a major problem for the small and medium industries in India. The SSIs mostly depend on internal sources of finance (personal savings, loan from relatives, and loan from local money lenders) than that of institutional financing by banks and other financing institutions. Poor Technology Base: There exists considerable heterogeneity among the SSIs in India. A small percentage of firms operate with sophisticated technology base whereas majority of firms use outdated technology. They suffer from low productivity and poor product quality. Due to their small size, they cannot enjoy large-scale production economies.  Delayed payments: The small firms find it difficult to recover their dues from the large firms and even from Government Departments due to complex payment procedure and corruption. Due to lack of funds, they cannot employ credit collection machineries (like factoring services). The large firms force them to offer long credit period and even pay advance to ensure timely supply of materials Inadequate infrastructure facility: Infrastructural lacking includes inadequate power supply, transportation, water supply etc. Small firms cannot bear the cost of setting up independent power supply unit. They have to depend on irregular power supply from the electricity boards. Inadequate transportation system increases cost of production.  Shortage of Skilled workers Though India has no shortage of human resource, most of them are unskilled workers. Large firms pay higher remuneration and employ skilled workers. The SSIs have to operate with unskilled or semi-skilled workers. Thus, the SSIs suffer from low managerial capabilities.  Problems of Marketing and Distribution:  Marketing is probably the most neglected and less explored problem for Micro and Small firms. Most of them do not have any well formulated marketing strategy, market research programmes, innovative advertisement techniques etc. Most of the SSIs do not have adequate monetary support to develop marketing section and many are not aware of modern low-cost marketing techniques (blogging, sending mails, developing web site for the company). Conclusion: Small industry in India finds itself in an intensely competitive environment since 1991, Thanks to globalization, domestic economic liberalization and dilution of sector specific protective measures. As a result, its growth in terms of units, employment, output and exports has come down. This has resulted in less impressive growth in its contribution to national income and exports though not in terms of employment in the 90s. Lack of reliable and stable economic infrastructure, reduced growth of credit inflow and technological obsolescence, which together would have led to inferior quality and low productivity are the major banes of small industry in India. But at the same time, international and national policy changes have thrown open new opportunities and markets to Indian small industry. Technological upgradation and in house technological innovations and promotion of inter-firm linkages need to be encouraged consciously and consistently. Financial infrastructure need to be broadened and adequate inflow of credit to the sector be ensured taking into consideration the growing investment demand including the requirements of technological transformation. Small industry should be allowed to come up only in designated industrial areas for better monitoring and periodic surveys through DlCs should enable policy corrections from time to time. A technologically vibrant; internationally competitive small industry should be encouraged to emerge, to make a sustainable contribution to national income, employment and exports.  2. Has globalisation led to deterioration of societal values? Critically examine. Approach The candidate needs to examine whether globalisation has led to deterioration of societal values and also provide counter views, while also substantiating with proper examples. Introduction Social values refer to wider notions of collective identity like religious values, attitudes towards materialism, moral beliefs, and a sense of collective awareness and are a broader and more encompassing concept than social capital where a more globalized world both changes and interacts with nationally based value systems. Body Globalization is a combination of economic, technological, sociocultural and political forces and it refers in general to the worldwide integration of humanity and the compression of both the temporal and spatial dimensions of planet-wide human interaction. Broadly speaking, the process of globalization has two aspects. The first refers to those factors - such as trade, investment, technology, cross-border production systems, flows of information and communication - which bring societies and citizens closer together. The social dimension of globalization refers to the impact of globalization on the life and work of people, on their families, and their societies. Beyond the world of work, the social dimension encompasses security, culture and identity, inclusion or exclusion and the cohesiveness of families and communities. Like the two faces of Janus, globalization at times has been inclusive and integrating and at other times disintegrating and exclusivist. Here, Globalisation and its deteriorating effects on globalisation can be seen from the following points – Nuclear Families: The western influence of individualism has led to an aspirational generation of youth. Concepts of national identity, family, job and tradition are changing rapidly and significantly. Old Age Vulnerability: The rise of nuclear families has reduced the social security that the joint family provided. This has led to greater economic, health and emotional vulnerability of old age individuals. Pervasive Media: Foreign media houses have increased their presence in India. India is part of the global launch of Hollywood movies which is very well received here. It has a psychological, social and cultural influence on our society. McDonaldization: A term denoting the increasing rationalization of the routine tasks of everyday life. It becomes manifested when a culture adopts the characteristics of a fast-food restaurant. These effect traditional sources of livelihood as well as societal norms. The penetration of global music has resulted in the marginalisation of traditional music among different cultures of the world. Today, pop music and its local variations can be heard in all social settings from weddings to religious festivals and birthday celebrations. One of the most vehement criticisms of globalization is that it threatens to create one homogeneous worldwide culture in which all children grow up wanting to be like the latest pop music star, eat Big Macs, vacation at Disney World, and wear blue jeans, and Nikes. But at the same time, globalisation also has its benefits in terms of societal values, which is evident from the following points – Globalization promotes the integration of socio-cultural, political and economic systems of nations into global ones. Sociologists consider this process as cultural and intellectual assimilation.  Under the influence of globalization, openness, information coming from the media, and contact with other cultures, traditional values are changing.  Access to education - On one hand globalisation has aided in the explosion of information on the web that has helped in greater awareness among people. It has also led to greater need for specialisation and promotion of higher education in the country. The Global Village/ Global Consciousness - This means that more and more people have a more ‘global outlook’ and increasingly identify with a global audience – for example, television reporting of natural disasters in developing countries result in people in wealthier countries donating money to charities such as Oxfam to assist with relief efforts. As globalization may lead to one single world culture or a homogenized culture, it is also likely to lead to new permutations, new combinations, new options and new cultures. Conclusion Globalization has made the world as a small village, and it tends to go further, like wiping all borders among countries where societal values are changing under its influence but they do not change simultaneously, giving rise to the phenomenon of ‘glocalisation’. 3. How does globalisation differ from westernisation? In the Indian context, what has been more profound of the two? Discuss. Approach Candidates are expected to write about globalisation and westernisation first. And explain how both differ from each other. Also discuss in Indian context which one has profound impact. Introduction Globalisation and Westernisation are two sides of the same coin. Globalisation is a phenomenon that has born since the human race first made it to this world and Westernisation is an ever occurring phenomenon that has existed since the 19th century when the Ottoman Empire began modernising from the powerful, industrialised Western civilisations. Body Globalisation and westernisation: Globalisation refers to the growing interdependence between different people, regions and countries in the world as social and economic relationships come to stretch world-wide. Westernisation is the changes brought about in Indian society and culture as a result of over 150 years of British rule, the term subsuming changes occurring at different levels of technology, institutions, ideology and values. Difference between globalisation and westernisation: Globalisation is neither a purely economic process nor is related to communications only. It is a broad process of increasing socio-economic-industrial-trade-cultural relations among the people living in all parts of the globe. Whereas emphasis on humanitarianism and rationalism is a part of westernisation which led to a series of institutional and social reforms in India. The evil institutions of sati, untouchability and purdah got condemnation from the spread of the notions of equalitarianism and secularisation. Globalisation accepts and advocates the value of free world trade, freedom of access to world markets and a free flow of investments across borders. It stands for integration and democratisation of the world’s culture, economy and infrastructure through global investments. Establishment of scientific, technological and educational institutions, rise of nationalism, new political culture and leadership in the country, are all by-products of westernisation. As a matter of fact, both the processes go hand in hand. It is found that sometimes increase in westernisation also boosts the process of globalisation and vice versa. Both highly influenced the Indian society let us study which process has profound impact. It was with 1991 reforms in India led to greater economic liberalisation which has in turn increased India’s interaction with the rest of the world. Globalisation have facilitated the world in becoming a “global village”. Increasing interaction between people of different countries has led to internationalisation of food habits, dress habits, lifestyle and views. Impact of westernisation starts in India with interaction of European powers and it has profound impact then globalisation. In contemporary India, when we talk about westernisation, a tremendous change has come in rural India where most of India resides. The European missionaries worked in the different parts of the country, particularly in those which were backward and inhabited by tribals and untouchables. This brought the weaker sections closer to westernisation. Westernisation also introduced science and technology in Indian society. This brought railways, steam engines and technology. As a result of this, the Indian society moved towards industrialisation. This also gave encouragement to urban development and Migration from village to town and cities also increased. Due to British rule freedom struggle gave the Constitution of India it introduced new value of secularisation. Secular India is conceived as a nation charged by the idiom of a rational and bureaucratic society. The impact of five year plans a western idea has brought the village people in the wider network of communication and modernisation. The democratic institutions such as Panchayati Raj and massive spread of education have brought the villagers to come closer to westernisation. Also science and technology came as a setback to village industries and local arts and artefacts, Subjugation of the local culture, loss of world diversity, conflict between core and peripheral values etc. For example, harassment against women is blamed on westernisation, diseases due to adoption of lifestyles or eating habits that are not supported by the local climatic conditions. Conclusion We cannot say that the impact of globalisation and westernisation has been totally positive or totally negative. It has been both and are still associated as in modern times, rationalism and scientific education, that fuel modernisation, have their origin in globalisation and westernisation is often perceived as a sub-process of modernisation. 4. What are your views on the process of de-globalisation? How will it affect the countries of the world in general and India in particular? Approach- Candidate is expected to define de-globalisation and outline the effects of the process on advanced economies and developing world including India. Answer can be concluded by stating importance of globalisation in modern world. Introduction The term de-globalisation is used by economic and market commentators to highlight the trend of several countries wanting to go back to economic and trade policies that put their national interests first. These policies often take the form of tariffs or quantitative barriers that impede free movement of people, products and services among countries. The idea behind all this protectionism is to shield local manufacturing by making imports costlier. Body Globalisation Globalization refers to the economic, social, and political integration of nations. It entails the spread of products, technology, information, and jobs across national borders and cultures. In economic terms, it describes an interdependence of nations around the globe, fostered through free trade. De-globalisation It is the process of diminishing interdependence and integration between the nations. It is characterised by the decline in economic trade and investment between countries. Effects of de-globalisation Trade Protectionism: The recent trade war between the US and China indicates a change in attitude of AEs in protecting their interests at the cost of developing countries. Trade is not growing as quickly as before the Great Financial Crisis of 2008 that may be the consequence of decreased investment in technological innovation. Immigration Control: Instances of immigration control by US, UK and other European countries have been dominant in past one decade. Brexit Movement: Brexit and ‘Make America Great Again’ are symptoms of underlying processes of de-globalization that have already generated significant trade and investment uncertainty. This has had a concrete impact on trade & investment flows as firms and consumers are adjusting behaviour in anticipation of further trade shocks. Flow of Capital: Cross-border financial flows have been reduced due to uncertainty in the global policy making and increased protectionism by Advance economies. Labour Market Loss: The major hurdle faced by the AEs is the death of relatively low skilled sectors like textile and the support economies that grew around it. There are varying estimates of the job losses caused by cheaper imports from China and other emerging economies. Growing Inequality: The slow pace of technological change in AEs had resulted in the stagnation of blue collar incomes which seems to be the major cause of rising inequality in the AEs. Impact of de-globalisation on India Economic impact-It will lead to protectionism with reduced cooperation among countries that will hurt Indian trade and exports. It will destroy employment opportunities because as it will prevent outflow of skilled people due to protectionist measures like visa regulations. This will impact their employability and remittance to the nation. It may lead to increased import costs due to lesser choice and options and manufacturers and producers would have to pay more for equipment, commodities, and intermediate products from foreign markets. Political impact: It would affect polity leading to instability in political framework of nations due to rise in prices and cost of living may lead to civil Uprisings. Impact on technology: These tendencies limit technological advancement of the world as whole and of developing countries in particular. Limited knowledge sharing, lack of flow of technology to developing countries limit advancement in science. Impact on Environmental conversation: Due to non-cooperation among nations it will impact environment conservation efforts in India. It will reduce required funding and would jeopardise efforts to conserve environment and tackle environment change. It would lead to lack of coordination at international organisations. Impact on security: Due to lack of coordination among various nations, security around the world along with India would impact. It will not only increase economic risks, but would provide an opportunity for terrorists to carry out violence due to lack of coordination among various law enforcement agencies. Conclusion De-globalisation erodes the advances made by globalisation. Integrated world economy as a one family enables not just free flow of goods and services but also free flow of people, ideas, cultures and strengthens the spirit of humanity. Beyond economy it hampers the speed of our new evolution in global direction. Rise of hatred, intolerance, racism and suspicion are the result of our narrow outlook. We have to embrace the spirit of globalisation minimizing its ill effects.  5. What measures have been initiated by the government to make Indian enterprises more competitive in the global market? Discuss. Approach Since the question is asking you to discuss, it necessitates a debate where reasoning is backed up with evidence to make a case for and against an argument and finally arriving at a conclusion. In simple terms an examiner expects one to discuss various perspectives and present a logical argument. Introduction Manufacturing in India was high-cost and not really competitive. If there is strong competition, you will make all efforts to improve your products, reduce your costs. That has not happened. Only a few sectors such as telecom and auto became competitive, and that has led to products in India being world class, but those are very limited sectors. Body The government is taking a series of measures to make India highly competitive in the global economy. These includes: The government announced Production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for 10 key sectors to spur growth in manufacturing in a big way. This (PLI scheme) is one of the biggest schemes that the government has come out with to support the private sector in manufacturing with objective to provide a major impetus to manufacturing and exports. It is a $26-billion scheme, which provides production-linked incentives in 10 champion sectors and this five years of support should spur growth in manufacturing in a big way. And, the PLI scheme for other sectors is going through the process of approval. In the auto industry, there is a lot of push from the government on domestic manufacturing.  There is effort from the government in creating an assured demand visible to investors in the future.  Indian government has adopted “Make in India” as a core policy initiative to encourage and accelerate growth in manufacturing sector and make Indian market highly competitive in global economy. Indian government is trying to make  smart investments in asset productivity in order to increase the manufacturing productivity such as efficient line balancing, lean plant layout, and process de-bottlenecking. In order to enable itself  to expand economic hubs beyond tier 1 cities, the government is trying to develop localized services and local networks across the country. Conclusion Indian manufacturing, for decades, has been operating at a growth rate of 6-8% a year. The government is trying to get back to it by the end of this year. But the real issue is that it is not enough, as the finance minister said in the budget speech. A double-digit growth in manufacturing is required if the $5 trillion economy target is to be met. The Union Budget is an important milestone. It’s a forward-looking growth centric, capacity building and debt-funded budget aimed at securing long-term economic growth and global competitiveness. TLP HOT Synopsis Day 74 PDF

Apr 11, 2021 AIR

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas contributing to AatmaNirbhar Bharat - All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC

ARCHIVES   Search 9th January, 2021 Spotlight News Analysis here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2 Indian Diaspora In News: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 16th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas convention.  Addressing the event, he told Indians across the world that they are connected in minds because of 'Maa Bharti' and lauded the efforts of the overseas Indians in fighting the challenges last year.  He assured the Indian diaspora that the country always stands with them, while mentioning that over 45 lakh people were repatriated under the Vande Bharat mission during the pandemic.  The Prime Minister said the lessons learnt by India during the pandemic have become an inspiration for the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, and this movement for self-reliance is meant to help others as “Made in India” products and solutions will benefit the world.  In this regard, he spoke about the two “Made in India” coronavirus vaccines. He said India will continue to play its role as the world’s pharmacy and protect humanity from Covid-19, adding that the world is not only waiting for India’s vaccine, but everyone is watching how India runs the world’s largest vaccination programme.  Role of Indian Diaspora There are close to 32.1 million NRIs and PIOs residing outside India. They are huge reservoirs of talent and potentiality that India needs to draw upon. The Indian diasporic community are “unnamed ambassadors” promoting and maintaining the rich Indian culture and interests on foreign lands. Indian diaspora as a biggest strategic asset for India: Global labour source: With one of the largest pools of relatively low wage semi-skilled and skilled labour, India can become a critical centre of global labour sources. The past few decades has seen an upsurge of migration from India to the Gulf and, to North America. Given these emerging realities, India take advantage of these future trends to not only maximise the welfare of Indians outside the country, but also those within the country Can international migration and the Diaspora be a strategic asset for the country instead of just depleting its best and brightest. Influential Positions: From Google CEO Sundar Pichai to Nobel laurete scientist Har Gobind Khorana and Microsoft CEO Sathya Nadella to world’s one among the leading music conductors Zubin Mehta, the list of NRIs and their contribution to the world goes endlessly. The President of Singapore, Governor-General of New Zealand and prime ministers of Mauritius and Trinidad and Tobago were all of Indian descent. As a Pressure groups: The influential Indian diaspora affects not just the popular attitude, but also government policies in countries where they live, to the benefit of India. India benefits tremendously through these people in luring large multinational companies as well as entrepreneurial ventures. Example: lobbying for the US-India Civilian Nuclear Agreement Bill in 2008 Agents of change: Diaspora acts as ‘agents of change’ facilitating and enhancing investment, accelerating industrial development, and boosting international trade and tourism. Another tangible long-term advantage in nurturing ties with an active Diaspora is an accelerated technological sector. Soft Power:  The spread of Yoga, Ayurveda, Indian spiritualism, Bollywood, Indian cuisine across the world has made India famous. It has even led to revival of many lost relationships with many countries. Humanitarian Assistance: There are many instances where diaspora has stood up for their Indian kins in times of disaster. Example: during the recent Kerala floods, immense help in the form of men, material and money from diaspora was given. Indian diaspora residing in China’s Shanghai has contributed Rs. 32.13 lakh to the Chief Minister’s distress relief fund for Kerala floods. Political power: Many people of Indian origin hold top political positions in many countries, in the US itself they are now a significant part of Republicans and Democrats, as well as the government. The three ministers Rishi Sunak, Alok Sharma, and Priti Patel have held top roles in the UK government currently. Measures taken by the Government to help the distressed diaspora during COVID-19 Vande Bharat Mission was the biggest evacuation exercise to bring back Indian citizens stranded abroad amidst the coronavirus-induced travel restrictions. It was also considered as the largest exercise to bring back Indian citizens since the evacuation of 177,000 from the Gulf region in the early 1990s at the start of hostilities between Iraq and Kuwait during the first Gulf War. The mission has given priority to Indian citizens with “compelling reasons to return” – like those whose employment have been terminated, those whose visas have expired and not expected to be renewed under the present circumstances and those who have lost family members in recent times. The program named Samudra Setu by Indian navy entails to bring back around two thousand Indians in two ships during the first phase of evacuation. INS Jalashwa and INS Magar are being operated as part of efforts to repatriate Indian nationals from foreign shores. Way forward –  Deepening links within existing Diaspora: India needs to court two important, but untapped, segments of the existing Dia-spora: the young, second generation of overseas Indians; and those approaching retirement. Diversify: Currently, Indias migration is concentrated in English-speaking countries for obvious reasons. The EU, Japan, Latin America and Russia should also be targeted over the next few decades. Also, there is greater scope for jobs at all skill levels in global transportation, health and home care. This requires major investments in specific educational services. Increase investment engagement: Diaspora should be treated at par with other Indian citizens, including the right to work, both in the private and public sectors, and the right to buy and sell property to attract talented persons into the public sector. The Indian diaspora is the bridge between their nation and India where they can grow simultaneously for betterment of their citizens. With the versatile role of Diaspora, India could fulfil its cherished dream of being a super power and it could make much head way in its international and foreign affairs. The diaspora can provide the requisite strategic impulse, which makes it all the more important to unlock their potential. Connecting the Dots: Indian Diaspora is India’s asset in disguise. Elaborate with suitable examples.

Apr 11, 2021 Very Important : MUST READ - For BEGINNERS

SUPER 100 – SCHOLARSHIP TEST for Baba’s Foundation Course (FC) 2022

Dear Students The Day is finally here!! The Super-100 Scholarship Test will be conducted in ONLINE MODE (ONLY) in 2 Slots- 1st Slot: 11 AM - 12:30 PM (100 MCQs, 1 hour 30 mins) 2nd Slot: 5 PM - 6:30 PM ( 100 MCQs, 1 hour 30 mins) Registered Students have already received the login credentials. Please check your email for the same. You can take the test in any of the slots according to your convenience. Attempting tests in both slots will automatically lead to disqualification. Link to take the test -  test.iasbaba.com/login If you still face any issues after following the above-mentioned steps, please mail us at support@iasbaba.com. (Please mail us only after following the steps mentioned above, do not mail us in a hurry. There might be genuine aspirants who might face an issue. Since we are also humans! We can only attend one query at a time. Only emails are entertained, please do not call) All the Best!! Thank You  Team IASbaba

Apr 11, 2021 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – A Meditator's Personal Experience – Inspirational Educative Articles

A Meditator's Personal Experience: I realized, after several years of practice, that I was constantly moving my focus around the body, trying to be aware. Sometimes I used to be with the inner silence, and sometimes I used to watch my thoughts. I started with watching the breath, and then eventually I began to watch anything and everything that was happening within me; body sensations, pain and disturbance, temperature changes, emotional changes, and anything else I could observe became my focal point. At one point during my meditation, I realized that the stress of the spine is very easy to watch, because it’s always there. Your spine is the most stressed part of your body. Even now, your spine is in more stress than any other part of your body. It takes a little bit of awareness to observe this. Your spine is screaming in pain, but you don’t realize it because you’re totally used to being in this constant pain. Throughout the day, there is a lot of pain and pressure on your spine, but you don’t pay any attention to it. You don’t notice it, because you don’t know what it means to not be in this state of constant physical stress of the spine. When your spine is fully relaxed, you are usually asleep. The only time you are not experiencing any stress on the spine is when you are asleep. Throughout the day, you have a choice to use and rest your various body parts. You don’t have to use your hands or legs continuously throughout the day - you use them when you need to. But, with the spine, you simply don’t have this choice. As long as you are awake, you are using your spine, and it is in constant stress. The day I realized this, I began to pay full attention to my spine. My spine became a perfect anchor for my meditation. Now, when I sit in meditation, I directly go to the pain of the spine, and intensely focus on it. There is something magical that happens when you continuously watch pain. When you don’t escape pain and watch it intensely, there comes a moment when the pain simply disappears. You will have some trouble believing this, because you have never tried this method of going beyond pain. Usually, when you are in pain, you try to divert your attention away from it. In meditation, you do the exact opposite. When you watch the pain intensely, the energy of watching completely transforms the way you experience pain. Although the source of pain is in the body, it is the mind that makes it real. Mind controls everything, including the sensations of physical pain. When you gain control over your mind, you gain control over physical pain as well. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Meditation Farm and IASBABA.”

Apr 10, 2021 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 10th April 2021

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) India -Netherlands Virtual Summit Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – International Relations  In news Indian Prime Minister and Prime Minister of the Netherlands held a Virtual Summit. Key takeaways It was the first high level Summit attended by Netherlands’ PM Mark Rutte after the general elections held in March 2021.  During the Summit, the two leaders exchanged views on further expanding the relationship in trade and economy, water management, agriculture sector, smart cities, science & technology, healthcare and space. The two Prime Ministers also agreed on instituting a ‘Strategic Partnership on Water’ to further deepen the Indo-Dutch cooperation in the water related sector, and upgrading the Joint Working Group on water to Ministerial-level. Netherlands’ Indo-Pacific Policy was also welcomed. Launch of NanoSniffer Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III – Security; Sci & tech In news Union Education Minister launched NanoSniffer. It is the world’s first Microsensor based Explosive Trace Detector (ETD). Developed by: NanoSniff Technologies, an IIT Bombay incubated startup  Marketed by: Vehant Technologies, a spin-off from a former IIT Delhi incubated startup Kritikal Solutions. Key takeaways This home-grown Explosive trace detector device (ETD) - NanoSniffer can detect explosives in less than 10 seconds.  It also identifies and categorizes explosives into different classes. It detects all classes of military, conventional and homemade explosives.  It gives visible & audible alerts with sunlight-readable color display. NanoSniffer is a 100% Made in India product in terms of R&D and manufacturing.  This affordable device will reduce India's dependence on imported explosive trace detector devices. INS Sarvekshak on a deployment to Mauritius Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – International Relations  In news INS Sarvekshak, a hydrographic survey ship, is on a deployment to Mauritius for undertaking joint hydrographic surveys along with their Mauritian counterparts. Key takeaways  During the deployment, training of Mauritian personnel on advanced hydrographic equipment and practices will also be undertaken.  The ship commenced the hydrographic survey of ‘Deep sea area off Port Louis’. INS Sarvekshak, a specialised survey ship is fitted with state-of-the-art survey equipment like Deep Sea Multi-Beam Echo Sounder, Side Scan Sonars and a fully automated digital surveying and processing system. In addition, the ship carries an integral Chetak helicopter, which would be extensively deployed during the survey. INS Sarvekshak has undertaken various foreign cooperation surveys over the last few years in Mauritius, Seychelles, Tanzania and Kenya. E9 Partnership meeting Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – Education; International Relations  In news Minister for Education (India) addressed the consultation meeting of Education Ministers of E9 countries on E9 initiative: Scaling up digital learning to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 – Quality Education. Important value additions  Spearheaded by the United Nations (UN), the E9 Partnership was first established in 1993. E9 Countries: Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Aim: To advance the SDG 4 agenda by driving rapid change in education systems in three of the 2020 Global Education Meeting priorities: (i) support to teachers; (ii) investment in skills; and (iii) narrowing of the digital divide. The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021 Part of: GS Prelims and GS – II – Policies and interventions  In news Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021 has been passed.  It seeks to put seven castes under one nomenclature of “Devendrakula Vellalars” with some exceptions for some of the castes in certain districts of Tamil Nadu. Key takeaways  The castes include Devendrakulathan, Kadaiyan, Kalladi, Kudumban, Pallan, Pannadi and Vathiriyan. The change in nomenclature was a long pending demand of the community and did not involve either the deletion or addition of any community in its ambit. Miscellaneous Whitsun Reef Whitsun Reef, also known as Whitson Reef, Whitsum Reef, and Julian Felipe Reef  It is a reef at the northeast extreme limit of the Union Banks in the Spratly Islands of the West Philippine Sea.  It is the largest reef of the Union Banks. (Mains Focus) POLITY/ GOVERNANCE Topic: GS-2: Dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.  GS-2: Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies. GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.  Lok Adalats About Access to justice for the poor is a constitutional mandate to ensure fair treatment under our legal system.  Hence, Lok Adalats (literally, ‘People’s Court’) were established to make justice accessible and affordable to all.  It was a forum to address the problems of crowded case dockets outside the formal adjudicatory system. The Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act, 1976, inserted Article 39A to ensure “equal justice and free legal aid”.  To this end, the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, was enacted by Parliament and it came into force in 1995 “to provide free and competent legal services to weaker sections of the society” and to “organise Lok Adalats to secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice on a basis of equal opportunity”. As an alternative dispute resolution tool, Lok Adalats are regularly organised to help parties reach a compromise.  Motor-accident claims, disputes related to public-utility services, cases related to dishonour of cheques, and land, labour and matrimonial disputes (except divorce) are usually taken up by Lok Adalats. The State Legal Services Authorities (SLSAs) have been organising Lok Adalats on a daily, fortnightly and monthly basis. Litigants are forced to approach Lok Adalats mainly because it is a party-driven process, allowing them to reach an amicable settlement.  Lok Adalats offer parties speed of settlement, as cases are disposed of in a single day; procedural flexibility, as there is no strict application of procedural laws such as the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872; economic affordability, as there are no court fees for placing matters before the Lok Adalat; finality of awards, as no further appeal is allowed. Supreme Court, in State of Punjab vs Jalour Singh (2008), held that a Lok Adalat is purely conciliatory and it has no adjudicatory or judicial function. Data Lok Adalats organised across the country from 2016 to 2020 disposed of 52,46,415 cases.  National Lok Adalats (NLAs) organised under the aegis of NALSA settle a huge number of cases across the country in a single day. For instance, NLAs conducted on February 8, 2020, disposed of 11,99,575 cases. From 2016 to 2020, NLAs have disposed of a total of 2,93,19,675 cases. Concerns As compromise is its central idea, there is a concern, and perhaps a valid one, that in the endeavour for speedy disposal of cases, it undermines the idea of justice. In many cases, compromises are imposed on the poor who often have no choice but to accept them.  In most cases, such litigants have to accept discounted future values of their claims instead of their just entitlements, or small compensations, just to bring a long-pending legal process to an end.  Similarly, poor women under the so-called ‘harmony ideology’ of the state are virtually dictated by family courts to compromise matrimonial disputes under a romanticised view of marriage. Way Ahead Besides efficiency and speed, Lok Adalats both online and offline should focus on the quality of justice delivered. A just outcome of a legal process is far more important than expeditious disposal. (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 Nanosniffer: It also identifies and categorizes explosives into different classes. It detects all classes of military, conventional and homemade explosives.  Which of the above is/are correct? 1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  Q.2 Whitsun Reef is located in which of the following sea? Bering Sea Red Sea Caribbean Sea Philippine Sea ANSWERS FOR 9th April 2021 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 D 2 A 3 A Must Read On India-Russia relations: The Hindu On refugee problem in India: The Hindu On erstwhile Planning Commission of India: Indian Express

Apr 10, 2021 Motivational Articles

[MI-STORIES]MOTIVATIONAL AND INSPIRATIONAL STORIES - Building your House!

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 - Building your House! [caption id="attachment_102545" align="aligncenter" width="500"] A new home being built with wood, trusses, supports and a foundation.[/caption]   Building your house: A carpenter who was nearing retirement told his boss that he was ready to end his career and spend his time with his wife and family. He would miss his work, but he felt it was time to spend his time with the people who were important to him. His boss was saddened by this news, as this carpenter had been a good, reliable employee for many years. He asked the carpenter if he could do him a favor and build just one more house. The carpenter reluctantly conceded, even though his passion for building had faded. While he was building this last house, his normal work ethic faded and his efforts were mediocre, at best. He used inexpensive and inferior materials and cut corners wherever he could. It was a poor way to finish such a dedicated career that he once had. When the carpenter was finished, his boss came to look at the house. He gave the key to the carpenter and said, “This house is my gift to you for all of the hard work you have done for me over the years.” The carpenter was astonished. What a generous gift this was to receive from his boss, but if he had known he was building a house for himself, he would have made his usual efforts to create a high-quality home. Moral: The same idea applies to how you build your life. Every day that you wake up offers an opportunity for you to put your best foot forward, yet we often do mediocre work, saving the more important things for another day. Then one day, we find ourselves shocked that our lives aren’t what we had hoped they would be. The “house” we built to live in has a lot of flaws due to a lack of effort. However, you can’t go back and rebuild it in a day or two. As people say, “Life is a do-it-yourself project.” Your attitude and choices help build the life you will live tomorrow. Build carefully.