Posts

TLP Mains 2020

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2 - ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing - General Studies Paper 1 Questions[11th NOVEMBER,2020] - Day 27

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2 - ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing - General Studies Paper 1 Questions[11th NOVEMBER,2020] - Day 27   We will make sure, in the next 3 months not a single day is wasted. 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 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. Development of bicultural identity is an important effect of globalisation in India. Elucidate.  द्विसंस्कृतिय पहचान का विकास भारत में वैश्वीकरण का एक महत्वपूर्ण प्रभाव है । स्पष्ट करें। 2. Poor people’s involvement in local associations and inter-community cooperation mechanisms can contribute to social empowerment. Do you agree? Substantiate.  स्थानीय संगठनों और अंतर-सामुदायिक सहयोग तंत्र में गरीब लोगों की भागीदारी सामाजिक सशक्तिकरण में योगदान कर सकती है। क्या आप सहमत हैं? पुष्टि करें। 3. Examine the role of economic competition, especially among the lower and middle class strata, in fuelling communal ideology.  सांप्रदायिक विचारधारा को बढ़ावा देने में, विशेष रूप से निम्न और मध्यम वर्ग के स्तर के बीच आर्थिक प्रतिस्पर्धा की भूमिका की जांच करें। 4. In a pluralistic society, the best way to promote secularism is to expand religious freedom rather than strictly practicing state neutrality. Do you agree? Critically comment.  एक बहुलवादी समाज में, धर्मनिरपेक्षता को बढ़ावा देने का सबसे अच्छा तरीका राज्य की तटस्थता का सख्ती से अभ्यास करने के बजाय धार्मिक स्वतंत्रता का विस्तार करना है। क्या आप सहमत हैं? समालोचनात्मक टिप्पणी करें। 5. Linguistic aspirations have played a major role in promoting regionalism. Analyse. भाषाई आकांक्षाओं ने क्षेत्रवाद को बढ़ावा देने में प्रमुख भूमिका निभाई है। विश्लेषण 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 :)

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 10th November 2020

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Department of Telecom eases rules for other service providers Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Infrastructure In news The Department of Telecom eased rules for other service providers (OSP) in the business process outsourcing (BPO) and information technology-enabled services (ITes). Key takeaways  OSPs are companies or firms which provide secondary or tertiary services such as telemarketing, telebanking or telemedicine for various companies, banks or hospital chains. The new rules remove the registration requirement for OSPs.  Such BPOs that are engaged only in data work have been taken out of the category of OSPs altogether. With the government recognising OSP employees as extended or remote agents, companies providing such services will no longer have to carry the additional compliance burden of providing the details of all such employees to the DoT. There will be no need for renewal of licenses and therefore foreign companies can be invited to set up or expand their other service providing units in India. This important change, which takes data-based OSPs completely out of the ambit of BPOs would mean that such firms can function like any other service firm without the strict and cumbersome guidelines such as presence of agent on location. Indian diplomat elected to UN Advisory Committee On Administrative And Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – International Relations; Important organisations In news Recently, Indian diplomat Vidisha Maitra was elected to the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ).  ACABQ is a subsidiary organ of the UN General Assembly. Key takeaways The UN General Assembly appoints members of the Advisory Committee. Members are selected on the basis of broad geographical representation, personal qualifications and experience. The Fifth Committee of the General Assembly, which deals with administrative and budgetary issues, made the recommendation  She has been elected for a three-year term beginning January 1, 2021. India was also elected recently to the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member for a two-year term beginning January 2021. Important value additions  Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) ACABQ consists of 16 members appointed by the Assembly in their individual capacity. ACABQ ensures that fund contributions to the UN system are put to good effect and that mandates are properly funded. Functions: (1) To examine and report on the budget submitted by the Secretary-General to the General Assembly; (2) To advise the General Assembly concerning any administrative and budgetary matters referred to it. DRDO develops Fire Detection and Suppression System (FDSS) Part of: GS Prelims and GS-I – Disaster Management In news The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed a technology called ''Fire Detection and Suppression System (FDSS)'' for passenger buses.  Key takeaways  FDSS technology can detect fire in buses in less than 30 seconds and extinguish it in 60 seconds thereby reducing the risk to life and property to a significant extent. Demonstrations were given on water mist-based FDSS for passenger compartment and aerosol-based FDSS for engine fire. The FDSS for passenger compartment comprises a water tank of 80 litre capacity, a 6.8 kg nitrogen cylinder pressurised to 200 bar installed at appropriate location in the bus. The FDSS for engine comprises an aerosol generator with which the fire suppression could be achieved within 5 seconds of the system activation. Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) Missile installed inside the DRDO Bhawan Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Defence & Security In news Recently, Defence Minister inaugurated a model of an anti-satellite missile at the DRDO Bhawan.  The anti-satellite missile system is seen as a symbol of national technological advancement Important value additions  ‘Mission Shakti’ was India’s first ever Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile Test successfully conducted on 27th March 2019 from Dr AP J Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha. A fast-moving Indian orbiting target satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) was neutralised with pinpoint accuracy. This was a highly complex mission, conducted at extremely high speed with remarkable precision. The successful conduct of Mission Shakti made India the fourth nation in the world with the capability to defend its assets in outer space. Miscellaneous U.S Presidential Elections Democrat Joe Biden has been declared the winner of the 2020 US presidential election, defeating Donald Trump, to become the 46th President of the United States. Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris has also secured her position as the first woman to be the Vice President of the USA. Harris, is also credited to be the first woman of Indian-American and African-American origin to be a member of the United States Senate. The electoral college representatives elected by the popular votes will cast their votes to officially elect the new president on the 14th of next month. The new president will thereafter assume office on the 20th of January next year after the inauguration ceremony. Ministry Of Ports, Shipping And Waterways Indian Prime Minister has said that the Government of India is changing the name of the Ministry of Shipping.  It will be known as the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. (MAINS FOCUS) INTERNATIONAL/ ECONOMY Topic: General Studies 2, 3: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.  Lessons from Vietnam and Bangladesh Context: Bangladesh has become the second largest apparel exporter after China, while Vietnam’s exports have grown by about 240% in the past eight years.  Reason for Vietnam’s success story A less inexpensive workforce Open trade policy mainly through Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) which ensure that its important trading partners like the U.S., the EU, China, Japan, South Korea and India do not charge import duties on products made in Vietnam Domestic laws modified to attract foreign firms: Foreign firms can compete for local businesses. For example, EU firms can open shops, enter the retail trade, and bid for both government and private sector tenders. They can take part in electricity, real estate, hospital, defence, and railways projects.  FDI linked export strategy: In 2019-20, Vietnam received investments exceeding $16 billion. As a result, Vietnam’s exports rose from $83.5 billion in 2010 to $279 billion in 2019. Success Story of Bangladesh In Bangladesh, large export of apparels to the EU and the U.S. make the most of the country’s export story.  The EU allows the import of apparel and other products from least developed countries (LDCs) like Bangladesh duty-free.  India, as a good neighbour, accepts all Bangladesh products duty-free (except alcohol and tobacco). Sadly, Bangladesh may not have such advantages in four to seven years as its per capita income rises and it loses the LDC status. Bangladesh is working smartly to diversify its export basket.  Which elements of Vietnam and Bangladesh models can India emulate? Supporting Large firms: The key learning from Bangladesh is the need to support large firms for a quick turnover. Large firms are better positioned to invest in brand building, meeting quality requirements, and marketing. Small firms begin as suppliers to large firms and eventually grow. Focus on Specific Sectors to kick start trade: Vietnam has changed domestic rules to meet the needs of investors. Most of Vietnam’s exports happen in five sectors which has helped increase its growth in trade. In contrast, India’s exports are more diversified which are slow to grow but nevertheless provides resilience to global shocks in long term. Vulnerabilities in Vietnam’s growth model High export to GDP ratio (EGR). Vietnam’s EGR is 107%. Such high dependence on exports brings dollars but also makes a country vulnerable to global economic uncertainty.  The EGR of large economies/exporting countries is a much smaller number. The U.S.’s EGR is 11.7%, Japan’s is 18.5%, India’s is 18.7%. Even for China, with all its trade problems, the EGR is 18.4% Lack of Organic economic growth: The quick build-up of exports in Vietnam resulted from large MNC investments. But most of its electronics exports are just the final assembly of goods produced elsewhere. In such cases, national exports look large, but the net dollar gain is small Conclusion India, unlike Vietnam, has a developed domestic and capital market. To further promote manufacturing and investment, India could set up sectoral industrial zones with pre-approved factory spaces. Even if India follows an Open Trade Policy, it should have a healthy mix of domestic champions and MNCs. While export remains a priority, it should not be pursued at the expense of other sectors of the economy.  INTERNATIONAL/ ECONOMY/ SECURITY Topic: General Studies 2,3: India and its neighborhood- relations.  Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests ‘Strategic comfort’ with the Maldives Context: The visit of Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla to the Maldives is significant for taking forward bilateral relations Under Maldivian President Ibrahim Solih, bilateral cooperation, especially on the economic front, has become a ‘model’ that New Delhi can adopt to make the government’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy a sustained success. India’s strategic interests in Maldives are: Geographical Proximity: Maldives is very close to the west coast of India -it is barely 70 nautical miles away from Minicoy and 300 nautical miles away from India’s West coast. Hence a friendly relationship is needed to avoid any maritime territorial disputes. Value Addition: The one-time claim of Maldives to Minicoy Island was resolved by the Maritime Boundary Treaty of 1976 between the two countries, whereby Maldives has recognized Minicoy as an integral part of India. Close to Commercial Sea lines of Communication: Its situation at the hub of commercial sea-lanes running through Indian Ocean (particularly the 8° N and 1 ½° N channels). Therefore, close cooperation of Maldives government is needed for prevent piracy in the region and ensure safety of trade routes Third Country’s interference: Maldives potential to allow a third nation’s naval presence in the area imbues it with significant strategic importance to India, where India considers itself as an unofficial security guaranteer in the region. Radicalization and Threat of Terrorism: Radicalisation grew rapidly during last decade and it was often said that archipelago accounted for one of the highest numbers of foreign fighters in Syria in terms of per capita. India can ill-afford a neighbour which fails to check Islamic radicalisation.  Indian Diaspora: Indians are the second largest expatriate community in Maldives with an approximate strength of around 25,000 (accounting for ~5.6% of Maldivian population). Close cooperation with Maldives is also important for safety & security of Indians staying in Maldives Multi-lateral Forum: Maldives is also a member of SAARC. It is important for India to have Maldives on board to maintain its leadership in the region. Through the decades, India has rushed emergency assistance to the Maldives Operation Cactus: In 1988, when armed mercenaries attempted a coup against President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, India sent paratroopers and Navy vessels and restored the legitimate leadership under Operation Cactus. The 2004 tsunami was another occasion where India sent its assistance in terms of food and supplies to rebuild the region The 2014 Drinking Water Scarcity in Male was prevented from becoming an humanitarian disaster when attended by India sent packaged drinking water to Maldives through five C17 and IL17 transport aircrafts of the Indian Air Force COVID-19 Assistance: At the peak of the continuing COVID-19 disruption, India rushed $250 million aid in quick time. New Delhi also rushed medical supplies to the Maldives, started a new cargo ferry and also opened an air travel bubble Political Challenges in Bilateral Relationship Abdulla Yameen (presently leader of opposition Party and jailed for corrption) was in power when the water crisis occurred. Despite early strains in relations, India rushed help on a humanitarian basis.  Anti-India Protests by Opposition camp: Now, the Yameen camp has launched an ‘India Out’ campaign against New Delhi’s massive developmental funding for creating physical, social and community infrastructure Internal Rumblings in Ruling Party: India should be concerned about the protests as well as the occasional rumblings within the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of Mr. Solih. The political instability in the ruling party can impact the country’s ties with India. Conclusion Despite challenges, India can take respite in the ‘strategic comfort’ of the ‘India First’ policy of the Solih government.  Given India’s increasing geostrategic concerns in the shared seas, India should be proactive in taking forward the multifaceted cooperation with its maritime neighbour. (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 Recently, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed a technology called ''Fire Detection and Suppression System (FDSS)''. For which purpose is it developed? For passenger trains For passenger buses For high rise buildings For navy ships Q.2 Consider the following statements: ‘Mission Shakti’ was India’s first ever Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. India is the only nation in the world with the capability to defend its assets in outer space. Which of the above is/are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  ANSWERS FOR 9th November 2020 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 C 2 A 3 C Must Read About NGT ban on sale and use of firecrackers: The Hindu About Ethiopia’s political situation: The Hindu About significance on Voltaire in the wake of rising fanaticism: The Indian Express

Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Quiz 10th Nov 2020

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. This is a part of our recently launched, NEW INITIATIVE IASbaba’s INTEGRATED REVISION PLAN (IRP) 2020 – Road Map for the next 100 Days! FREE INITIATIVE! We will make sure, in the next 4 months not a single day is wasted. 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. 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 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

PIB

PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU (PIB) IAS UPSC – 1st November to 7th November – 2020

Press Information Bureau(PIB) IAS UPSC – 1st November to 7th November – 2020 ARCHIVES GS-2 Health Ministry’s telemedicine service eSanjeevani completes 7 lakh consultations (Topic: Govt. schemes and initiatives; Health) With over 10,000 consultations being recorded on eSanjeevani per day, it is shaping into the largest OPD services set up in the country. An innovative intervention to deliver health services, eSanjeevani has started making impact in smaller towns and rural areas. It is a national telemedicine service that offers tele-consultations enabling patient to doctor consultations from the confines of their home, as well as doctor to doctor consultations.  This eSanjeevani platform has enabled two types of telemedicine services viz. Doctor-to-Doctor (eSanjeevani) and Patient-to-Doctor (eSanjeevani OPD) Tele-consultations  The former is being implemented under the Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centre (AB-HWCs) programme.  The telemedicine platform is hosting over 40 online OPDs, more than half of these are speciality OPDs which include Gynaecology, Psychiatry, Dermatology, ENT, Ophthalmology, antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the AIDS/HIV patients, Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) etc. The need and impact While telemedicine is beneficial for the patients, it also is favourable for the doctors practicing telemedicine as it limits the contact with patients who are present virtually.  Removed the requirement of doctor to be at a specific location to provide services Enables States especially the ones with large geographical area, to better management of their human resources Through eSanjeevani, patients desirous of seeking medical consultations are placed in a virtual queue and upon their turn can see a doctor who is available virtually but present in another city.  Each online OPD consultation generates an ePrescription which can be used to buy medicines or go for diagnostic investigations. States like Kerala and Tamil Nadu have already issued government orders to ensure that ePrescriptions are honored. India-Italy Virtual Summit (Topic: India and other countries) A Virtual Bilateral Summit between Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Italy Prof. Giuseppe Conte was held on 6th November, 2020. The Summit provided an opportunity to the two leaders to comprehensively review the broad framework of the bilateral relationship. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen cooperation against common global challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic. They discussed on –  The leaders discussed a wide range of issues including political, economic, scientific & technological, space and defence cooperation.  On regional and international issues, both sides agreed to coordinate closely at multilateral fora especially G-20. Italy will assume the Presidency of G-20 in December 2021 followed by India in 2022.  Together, India and Italy will be part of the G20 Troika from December, 2020.  India welcomed Italy’s decision to join ISA as soon as the ratification process is completed. 15 MoUs/Agreements in various sectors such as energy, fisheries, ship building, design etc. were signed coinciding with the Summit. Cabinet approves  Rs 1810 crore Investment Proposal of 210 MW Luhri Stage-I Hydro Power Project Located on river Sutlej which is situated in Shimla & Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh This project will generate 758.20 million units of electricity annually. The power generated from the Project will help in providing Grid stability and will improve the power supply position.  Besides adding valuable renewable energy to the Grid, the project would also lead to reduction of 6.1 lakh Tons of carbon dioxide from environment annually, thus contributing to improvement in air quality. The construction activities of the project will result in direct & indirect employment to around 2000 persons and will contribute to overall socio-economic development of the State.  Further, Himachal Pradesh will benefit with free power worth around Rs. 1140 crore from Luhri Stage-I Hydro Electric Project, during Project Life Cycle of 40 years.  The Project Affected Families will be provided with 100 units of free electricity per month for ten years. Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between India and Spain to develop scientific and technical collaborations in astronomy The activities to be carried out under this MoU will lead to (i) new scientific results; (ii) new technologies; (iii) Capacity building through increased scientific interaction and training; (iv) joint scientific projects etc. The joint research projects, training programmes, conferences, seminars etc. under the MoU will be open to all qualified scientists, students and technologists and will be supported solely on the basis of scientific merit and experience.   The development of segmented telescope technologies as well as the development of robotic telescopes and other future potential specific collaborations. Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between India and United Kingdom on cooperation in the field of Telecommunication/ICTs The MoU will contribute in strengthening bilateral cooperation and mutual understanding in the field of Telecommunications/ICTs.  Post-Brexit, the MoU is also aiming for enhanced scope of cooperation and opportunities for India. The Parties have identified the following areas of common interest for cooperation in:- Telecommunications/ICT policy and regulation; Spectrum Management; Telecommunication connectivity including mobile roaming; Telecommunications/ICT technical standardizations and testing & certification; Wireless Communications; Technological development in Telecommunications/ICT including 5G, Internet of Things/Machine to Machine, Cloud Computing, Big Data etc,; Security of Telecommunication Infrastructure, Security in the provision and use of telecommunication services; Building capacity in high technology areas and exchange of expertise wherever possible; Collaboration and Sharing of information on Research & Development on emerging technologies and innovation where appropriate; Exploring opportunities for joint work in signatory countries and third countries on Telecommunications/ICT; Facilitating Trade, investment and technology activities through Telecommunication/ICT industry delegations and visits, events, exhibitions etc. as mutually agreed; and Other forms of cooperation in Telecommunications/ICT as mutually agreed upon by the Parties Memorandum of Understanding between India and Israel on cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine The MoU covers the following areas of cooperation: Exchange and training of medical doctors and other health professionals; Assistance in development of human resources and setting up of health care facilities; Exchange of information regarding regulation of pharmaceutical, medical devices and cosmetics; Sharing expertise for vulnerability assessment for health of citizens against climate risk and public health actions targeted towards mitigation and adaptation; Sharing of expertise for facilitating climate resilient infrastructure as well as providing support for development of 'Green Healthcare' (climate resilient hospitals); Promote mutual research in various relevant areas; and Any other area of cooperation as may be mutually decided upon. Each Party shall encourage the participation of the representatives of their countries in round tables, seminars, symposia, workshops and conferences on issues of cooperation, organized by the other Party's relevant bodies. Memorandum of Understanding between India and United Kingdom on cooperation in the field of Medical Products Regulation The MoU will help in establishing a framework for fruitful cooperation and exchange of information between the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and the United Kingdom Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (UKMHRA) of United Kingdom in matters relating to Medical products regulation in line with their international responsibilities. The main areas of cooperation between the two Regulatory Authorities include the following: Exchange of safety information, including Pharmacovigilance where there is a particular safety concern related to the other party. This includes safety concerns relating to medicines and medical devices. Participation in scientific and practical conferences, symposia, seminars and fora organized by India and the United Kingdom Exchange of information and cooperation on Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), Good Clinical Practices (GCP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Distribution Practices (GDP) and Good Pharmacovigilance Practices (GPvP) Capacity building in mutually agreed areas. Promote an understanding between the Parties of each other's regulatory framework, requirements and processes; and to facilitate future regulatory strengthening initiatives for both Parties. Exchange of information on laws and regulations regarding medicines and medical devices Information exchange to support efforts to control unlicensed exports and imports Coordination at the international fora It would facilitate better understanding of the regulatory aspects between the two sides and could help in increased cooperation in the field of medical products regulation and better coordination in international fora. GS-3 Bamboo – A part of India’s Growth Story (Topic: Major crops, Agricultural Marketing) India is destined to play a major role in Post-COVID economic resurgence and North Eastern Region will play a crucial role in it with full exploitation of huge Bamboo resources. It is imperative to make Bamboo a Pan India perspective for its growth and utilization. Bamboo will be the new fuel of New Engine that is North East for India’s growth story. Recently, 22 bamboo clusters in 9 states were virtually inaugurated  States covered: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Karnataka. Ministry: Union Ministry for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare A logo for the National Bamboo Mission (NBM) has also been released. Government’s Efforts India is the world’s second-largest cultivator of bamboo after China, with 136 species and 23 genera spread over 13.96 million hectares, according to the State of Environment report 2018.  The National Bamboo Mission, under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, has been initiated to provide a boost to livelihood and environmental acreage.  Additionally, in 2017, Parliament ‘declassified’ bamboo as ‘a tree’ on non-forest lands. Similarly, a scheme called SFURTI (Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries) is being implemented by the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in order to boost traditional industries and bamboo artisans. Amendment has been brought about in the 100 year old Indian Forest Act brought about by the Central government in 2017, as a result of which, home grown bamboo has been exempted from it in order to enhance livelihood opportunities through bamboo. Bamboo Technology Parks were also set up in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh – Objective: To make Bamboo basketry, Agarbatti and Bamboo Charcol. A Mega Bamboo Industrial Park at Ghati near Jammu and Bamboo Technology Training Centre will also come up in the region. It will provide direct employment to nearly 25 thousand people. Bamboo shoots  Bamboo shoots are emerging as high-value and safe edibles. They are being grown globally along with all other value-added bamboo products. The protein content in fresh bamboo shoots, considered as nutraceutical, can range between 1.49-4.04%.  They also contain 17 amino acids, eight of which are essential for the human body. Important value additions According to the National Bamboo Mission, India has the highest area (13.96 million hectares) under bamboo and is the second richest country after China in terms of bamboo diversity with 136 species.  The annual production of bamboo in India is 14.6 million tonnes and the bamboo-rattan industry in the country was worth ₹28,005 crore in 2017. Bamboo could be among the cheapest immunity boosters for increasing the human body’s resistance to viral attacks. Bamboo sticks may be reduced to bamboo bales so that moisture is removed therefore making transportation easier and further cheaper as also increasing its calorific value.  Do you know? The bamboo is considered the grass of life in the northeast India. Bamboo has been a key ingredient in new antimicrobial soaps and hand mists developed by Filipino scientists to fight the novel coronavirus. The term ‘nutraceutical’ is used to describe medicinally or nutritionally functional foods. Bamboo shoots are the edible sprouts of the perennial grass. Ganga Utsav 2020 (Topic: Environment) The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) celebrates the festival every year. Aim: To promote stakeholder engagement and ensure public participation. It celebrates river Ganga through storytelling, dialogues with eminent personalities, displaying traditional art forms, dance and music performance, etc.  Ganga Task Force (GTF) also conducted an afforestation drive with National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets and educational tour for youth. Mini Ganga Quest was also held which was designed to make youth and students aware of environmental issues and explain their role in conservation. Ganga Rejuvenation Monitoring Recently, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has observed that the pollutants are still being discharged into the river Ganga, despite several directions of various courts. Constitutional Right: Pollution-free environment is the constitutional right of every citizen and constitutional obligation of States. However, the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar and West Bengal are certainly failing in providing pollution free Ganga. Monitoring: The NGT has directed the above states to periodically monitor the rejuvenation of the Ganga. Joint Meetings: It has also called for periodic joint meetings of the above states to consider vital issues like pooling of human resources and sharing best practices for rejuvenation of Ganga. The meetings shall be focussed on preventing discharge of sewage and other pollutants in Ganga directly or through its tributaries or drains connected thereto. Initiatives Taken to Clean Ganga: Ganga Action Plan: It was the first River Action Plan that was taken up by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 1985, to improve the water quality by the interception, diversion, and treatment of domestic sewage. The National River Conservation Plan is an extension to the Ganga Action Plan. It aims at cleaning the Ganga river under Ganga Action Plan phase-2. National River Ganga Basin Authority (NRGBA): It was formed by the Government of India in the year 2009 under Section-3 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986. National Ganga Council (NGC) The National Ganga Council (NGC), which is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi met for the first time at Kanpur since its inception in 2016, with the proposal to save and enhance the population of the Gangetic Dolphin The council also discussed the concept of “River Cities” and an action plan to provide sewer connection to every household in towns along the Ganga and its tributaries. The council consists of chief ministers from five states along the Ganga — Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Jharkhand along with nine Union ministers and NITI Aayog vice-chairman. The central objective of the council is to work on the “protection, prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution in River Ganga and its rejuvenation to its natural and pristine condition and to ensure continuous adequate flow of water”.  About Gangetic River Dolphins The Gangetic river dolphins were officially discovered in 1801 and are one of the oldest creatures in the world along with some species of turtles, crocodiles and sharks, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). In 2009, the Gangetic dolphins were declared India’s National Aquatic animal It is placed under the “endangered” category by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).  The Gangetic river dolphins can only live in freshwater and prefer deep waters  They are blind and catch their prey in a unique manner, using ultrasonic sound waves. River Ganga It is the longest river of India.  It is revered by Hindus as the most sacred river on earth. It originates in the Gangotri Glacier in the Himalayas as the Bhagirathi River. The Ganga river basin is one of the most fertile and densely populated areas of the world.  The Ganges River Dolphin, an endangered animal, specifically habitats this river. It ends its journey by emptying into the Bay of Bengal. Ganga was declared as the National River of India on 4th November 2008. Successful launch of PSLV-C49/EOS-01 Mission (Topic: Space technology) India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its fifty first flight (PSLV-C49), successfully launched EOS-01 along with nine international customer satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota on November 07, 2020.  PSLV-C49 is the 2nd flight of PSLV in 'DL' configuration (with 2 solid strap-on motors). PSLV-C49 lifted-off from the First Launch Pad of SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota . After 15 minutes and 20 seconds, EOS-01 was successfully injected into its orbit.  Subsequently, nine commercial satellites were injected into their intended orbits.  After separation, the two solar arrays of EOS-01 were deployed automatically and the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network at Bengaluru assumed control of the satellite. In the coming days, the satellite will be brought to its final operational configuration. EOS-01 is an earth observation satellite, intended for applications in agriculture, forestry and disaster management support. The nine customer satellites from Lithuania (1), Luxembourg (4) and USA (4) were launched under a commercial arrangement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL). Enhanced version of PINAKA Rocket System successfully Flight Tested (Topic: Space technology) Developed by: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Development of Enhanced Pinaka system was taken up to achieve longer range performance compared to earlier design with reduced length.  The design and development has been carried out by Pune based DRDO laboratories, namely  Armament Research and Development Establishment, ARDE and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, HEMRL. A total of six rockets were launched in quick succession and the tests met complete mission objectives. Rockets tested have been manufactured by M/s Economic Explosives Limited, Nagpur, to whom the technology has been transferred. All the flight articles were tracked by Range instruments such as telemetry, radar and Electro Optical Tracking Systems which confirmed the flight performance. Enhanced version of the Pinaka rocket would replace the existing Pinaka Mk-I rockets which are currently under production. Prelims oriented News President of Tanzania: H.E. John Pombe Magufuli MALABAR-2.0 Phase 1 of the Exercise MALABAR 20 involving participation by Indian Navy (IN), United States Navy (USN), Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF), and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is set to commence off Visakhapatnam in Bay of Bengal from 03 to 06 November 2020. MALABAR series of maritime exercises commenced in 1992 as a bilateral IN-USN exercise. JMSDF  joined MALABAR in 2015. The 2020 edition will now witness participation of the RAN in this joint maritime exercise. The exercise, being conducted as a ‘non-contact, at sea only’ exercise in view of COVID-19 pandemic, will showcase the high-levels of synergy and coordination between the friendly navies, which is based on their shared values and commitment to an open, inclusive Indo-Pacific and a rules-based international order. MALABAR 20 Phase 1 would witness complex and advanced naval exercises including surface, anti-submarine and anti-air warfare operations, cross deck flying, seamanship evolutions and weapon firing exercises. Mission Sagar - II The Government of India is providing assistance to Friendly Foreign Countries to overcome natural calamities and COVID-19 pandemic, and towards the same INS Airavat is carrying a consignment of 100 Tonnes of food aid for the people of Sudan. Mission Sagar-II, follows the first ‘Mission Sagar’ undertaken in May-June 2020, wherein India reached out to Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros, and provided food aid and medicines. As part of Mission Sagar-II, Indian Naval Ship Airavat will deliver food aid to Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti and Eritrea.  Mission Sagar-II, is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region ‘SAGAR’ and highlights the importance accorded by India to relations with her maritime neighbours and further strengthens the existing bond. The Indian Navy is progressing this mission in close coordination with the Ministries of Defence and External Affairs, and other agencies of the Government of India. 360o video-immersive experience in circular dome and Digital Exhibits on Mahatma Gandhi: Installed at Gandhi Darshan, Rajghat, in New Delhi; this was part of two-year long commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Country’s first demonstration plant which produces compressed biogas from biomass: Developed by Praj technologies in Pune Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) Scheme: A major credit-linked subsidy programme aimed at generating self-employment opportunities through establishment of micro-enterprises in the non-farm sector. Any individual above 18 years of age is eligible to avail benefits of the program. Prasar Bharati signs MoU with Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-Informatics To ensure: Education for all Under the ambit of this MoU, 51 DTH education TV channels comprising of Swaymprabha (22 channels) (M/o Education), e-Vidya for classes 1 to 12 (12 channels) of NCERT, Vande Gujarat (Govt. of Gujarat) (16 channels) and DigiShala under M/o Electronics and IT (1 channel) shall be available as DD co-branded channels to all DD FreeDish viewers. This move aims to bring quality educational programmes to every household, including those in rural and remote areas. The services will be available free of cost for all the viewers 24x7, in line with Government’s commitment towards skill development and providing quality education to the last person in the country. Five years of historic decision to implement OROP Brought in: To benefit more than 2.5 million ex- servicemen and war widows; Armed Forces Personnel retired upto 30.06.2014 were covered under this Order. OROP implies that uniform pension be paid to the Armed Forces Personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service regardless of their date of retirement.  Thus, OROP implies bridging the gap between the rate of pension of current and past retirees at periodic intervals. India is a signatory to the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change As part of its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), India has three quantitative climate change goals viz.  Reduction in the emissions intensity of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 33 to 35 percent by 2030 from 2005 level,  Achieving about 40 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030 and  Creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030 New online system of MSME/Udyam Registration More than 11 lakh MSMEs have successfully registered themselves by now. This portal is seamlessly integrated with CBDT and GST networks  as also with the GeM. It may be noted that through this integration, now MSME registration is a totally paperless exercise. 3.72 lakh enterprises have registered under Manufacturing category whereas 6.31 lakh enterprises under Service sector. The share of Micro Enterprises is 93.17% whereas Small and Medium Enterprises are 5.62% and 1.21% respectively. 7.98 lakh enterprises are owned by Male whereas 1.73 lakh enterprises by Female entrepreneurs. 11,188 enterprises are owned by Divyangjan entrepreneurs. The Top 5 Industrial sectors of registrations are – Food Products, Textile, Apparel, Fabricated Metal products and Machinery & equipments. 1,01,03,512 persons have been given employment by these registered units. 5 leading States for Udyam registrations are Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. 132nd birth anniversary of Prof. C.V. Raman An acclaimed Physicist, Nobel laureate and Bharat Ratna recipient who was instrumental in India’s growth in the field of science and Physics in particular Sir C.V. Raman is known to have placed India on the world Science map. He was the first person from Asia to be awarded a Nobel Prize in any field of science for his work on Raman Effect.  The Raman effect has been very useful in many areas of science.  It was found that when light was passed through a substance, a series of colours were seen that could be thought of as a fingerprint of the substance.  This idea has been used in chemistry, medicine, biology and many other areas of science to find out what a substance is made of. National Science Day is celebrated every year on 28 February by the Government of India to commemorate the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’. designated 28 February as in 1986. On this day, Sir C.V. Raman announced the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’ for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930 Other contributions Professor C V Raman was first to investigate the harmonic nature of the sound of the Indian drums such as the Tabla and the Mridanga. Raman also discovered the quantum photon spin which later proved the quantum nature of light. Today Raman spectroscopy, which relies on these ‘fingerprints,’ is used in laboratories all over the world to identify molecules and to analyze living cells and tissues to detect diseases such as cancer. Iy is being used in life sciences, nuclear science, drugs, bomb-detection, in forensics, in disease diagnosis and in RNA/DNA diagnosis. In 1943, he established the ‘Raman Research Institute’, near Bangalore. Raman and his student, Nagendra Nath, provided the correct theoretical explanation for the acousto-optic effect (light scattering by sound waves), in a series of articles resulting in the celebrated Raman–Nath theory. Modulators, and switching systems based on this effect have enabled optical communication components based on laser systems. Raman was a great scholar, physicist and mentor who not only received Noble Prize for his work Raman’s effect but also encourages and trained hundreds of students in the field of science. He founded the Indian Journal of Physics and the Indian Academy of Sciences. In 1947, he was appointed as the first National Professor by the new government of Independent India. Films Division is paying tribute to him by streaming a biopic, C.V. Raman (18 Min./ English) – The documentary on Prof Raman throws light into his life and works including the groundbreaking work he did in the field of light scattering which later became famously known in the scientific community as ‘Raman Effect’.

TLP Mains 2020

SYNOPSIS [6th NOVEMBER,2020] Day 23: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE SYNOPSIS [6th NOVEMBER,2020] Day 23: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)   1. Belief in democratic processes and institutions is an important political attitude for a civil servant. Elucidate. Approach: It is straightforward question, where it expects students - to write about why Belief in democratic processes and institutions is very important political attitude for civil servant and give examples to support your view. Introduction: Political Attitude is the way of thinking in terms of political gains and losses. It is belief and action system that decides an action fruitfulness based on electoral gains. Political attitude on positive side can lead to showing zero tolerance toward corruption, pro-poor, welfare for weaker sections, listening to public grievances, but on negative side political attitude can take shape of regionalism, communalising public to polarise them during election. Body: Belief in democratic process and institutions: India is a democratic country where the power lies with the people. The power is exercised through the elected representatives who have the command to manage them for a specific period.  Civil servants are the face of any government. Their attitude towards the citizenry becomes a reflection of the state. The civil servants are the backbone of our country and are expected to be partners who work and carry out the policies of the government.  Civil servant should have political attitude like Liberal, democratic, plural, secular, humble, peace loving which will determine the strength of democratic process. It determines his belief in vibrancy in democracy. He constitutes the most vital pillar of good governance. His political attitude like faith in democratic process of our country is very crucial. The importance of civil servant’s political attitude in our country develops from the factors like civil servant’s service to society, Advice to political leadership, Effective policymaking and Co-ordination between different institutions of governance. Civil servant’s belief in various democratic institutions are key to good governance.  Democratic institutions like Gram Sabha plays pivotal role. For example, Gram Sabha in Orissa decline permission to mine in Malkangiri area. Recently, Election commission removed Former Chief Minister Kamal Nath star campaigner status but he appeal to Supreme court against it, and SC stays ECI order revoking 'star campaigner' status. Civil servant often comes under political pressure, transfer, threat but belief on institutions like judiciary will give way for independent functioning. Eg: Parakash Singh case - SC order states to setup Independent investigation authority in states for police complaints. Openness, transparency is important democratic process which are ensured by institutions like central information commission, hence civil servant should give complete access to information under RTI.  Conclusion: The above attitude of civil servant benefits the society in long run and increase the trust of people/society on bureaucracy and civil servant. 2. What are the different facets of moral attitude? How does moral attitude shape the behaviour of an individual? Illustrate. Approach: It expects students to write about - in first part write about different facets of moral attitude - in second part write about how moral attitude shape behaviour of individual. Introduction: Moral attitudes are grounded in moral beliefs of “Right” and “wrong” action. Moral attitudes are stronger than moral principles. It has been well documented that ethical values are the highest among all types of natural values. Moral values include Goodness, purity, truthfulness, humility of man rank higher than genius, brilliancy, exuberant vitality and the beauty of nature or of art, than the stability and power of a state. Body: Different facets of moral attitude: Goodness: Anything which is inherently bad even though may bring some positive effects can never be justified, as it is bad. Similarly, if a good thing brings about suffering, it should be tolerated just because the thing is inherently good. Goodness of means and ends makes the deed really a good one Reverence: One must hold reverence to all forms of life. Respect should not be limited to family members, peers, superiors but moral attitude should be such that one must be able to respect all forms of life and all kinds of good deeds Faithfulness: The greatest thing that one can earn is trust of others. So being trustworthy and investing trust on others requires a positive disposition towards faith to be able to perform our roles in all spheres of life. Tolerance: One must be able to accommodate diverging views, be able to behave morally with others whose views are diametrically opposite to that of ours. Lack of such attitude leads to fanatic behaviour leading to disputes, riots etc. Moral attitude shape behaviour of individual as follows: Moral attitudes encourage a person towards Altruism, volunteerism, social service.  It encourages people to help others in which they find happiness. Eg: Mother Teresa Impact of moral attitude also depend upon nature of socialisation and stages of moral development in society. Therefore, some positive moral attitude is: Empathy, it leads to action. We not only sympathies with an individual but also understand his/her pain and which led to action. Peace: - It help us in resolving critical situation with ease without any violence. Honesty: - If an individual is honest with them-self then it will led to commitment and honestly at work place. e.g. Suppose Mr/Ms. X is DM of tribal area and government is planning to build a road through jungle and that's the only option available. Since s/he have above moral attitude then s/he will understand tribal people sentiment but at the same time knows roads significance hence will honesty try to pursue tribal to best of his ability in a peaceful manner. Negative impact of moral attitude are that person can use such attitude to defend violence behaviour and insanity and still society will accept it because moral attitude is a strong emotions. It motivates a person towards riots, massacre and terrorism. Since moral attitude is tied with strong sentiments, people do not get along with those who do not share their moral attitude. Conclusion: Moral attitude is important aspect of good citizen and civil servant. This will help public servant to bring good governance practice in whole of his life and public service career. 3. In the age of social media influencers, ethics and morality have taken a backseat. Do you agree? Critically examine. Approach: As the directive here is critically examine, it is necessary to look deep at both aspects of the issue then arrive at fair judgment. In the intro part one can explain  who are social media influencers and how they influence society, people etc. It is necessary to connect social media influencers with our syllabus point of social influence and persuasion. In the main body part both aspects of the issue needs to be deeply checked and before conclusion a fair judgment with examples has to be given. One can conclude by showing how social media influencers can play a prominent role in maintaining ethics and morality in the world. Introduction: Social media Influencers are people who have built a reputation for their knowledge and expertise on a specific topic. They make regular posts about that topic on their preferred social media channels and generate large followings of enthusiastic, engaged people who pay close attention to their views. For instance, Footballer Chritiano Ronaldo  keeps his fans committed to his content with regular updates on his life and football practise sessions. Body: Social influence is the change in behaviour that one person causes in another, intentionally or unintentionally. Social influence and persuasion are the most efficient tools to bring about change in the participation levels of people in policy implementation. However in the age of social media we are witnessing a wide scale impact of social media influencers.  A Social media influencer has the tools and authenticity to attract many viewers consistently and can motivate others to expand their social reach. An influencer may be anyone from a blogger to a celebrity to an online entrepreneur.  Their audience isn't limited to their actual followers; they can connect with the followers of their followers who share their content. As a result, they engage in many sponsored posts, allowing them to be paid for what they share on social media.  Also, Social media influencers can have a significant impact on brand outreach considering influencers garner more social engagement than the advertising brand's account. Ethics and Morality at the backseat in the age of Social media influencers:  Spread of Hate: In this super competitive age of 21st century, survival of human beings is threatened by many factors. Hate speech and spreading fake news through social media handles became one of them. For instance, Social media influencer Jessy Taylor had to face wrath of people over her racist comments.  Growth of insensitivity: Human is a social animal and lives in a society which is interdependent. However, due to social media influencers sensitivity of human beings is getting hampered. For instance, many of the time a buzz on twitter is seen when attack on minority community takes place. Many of the social media influencers on twitter insensitively took the sides of convicts or criminals who did some of the horrible crimes against minorities.  Social media influencers even attain lowest level of not following ethics and morality in the social media sphere. For instance, a beauty YouTuber went to the worst rated salon in her area and claimed to get a skin infection, but was accused of lying by the owners. One such insane act is a famous YouTuber family sold replicas of their actual baby online, and people were weirded out. The Ingham Family, who have 1.2 million subscribers on YouTube, made a life-like replica doll of their four-month-old baby Jace in collaboration with dollmaker Mary Shortle. Some fans love the idea of getting their own Jace clone, complete with birth certificate and nappies. Others were horrified, calling it "unbelievably weird," "creepy," and "irresponsible." Throughout our life we heard this saying that 'lying is crime', however, in the age of social media influencers, 'lying is a trend'. For instance, Carissa Pinkston, a 20-year-old model for Rihanna's Savage X Fenty brand, made transphobic comments on Facebook, saying trans women aren't real women. She then backtracked and claimed to be transgender herself. People are getting mesmerised by the kind of glamour they can achieve through Social media influencing. For instance, An Instagram influencer who documented her motorcycle crash was accused of sponsoring the posts and glamorizing the accident. In this age it is also becoming difficult to understand who lies and who is telling the truth. For instance,in a recent controversy where the Baba ka dhaba owner got recognition due to a Youtuber was applauded by the public at large. However, the same owner later on accusd the Youtuber for cheating and stealing his money.  Role of society on shaping children personality is of utmost importance. However, recent instances of exposing nudity and behaving in an unethical way through tik tok like social media platforms left a bad impact on children's mind. It seems like social media influencers have left the ethics and morality.  Many of the social media influencers claim that they are more animal friendly or humane in nature but in reality they act in double standard way. However, a youtuber  through her vlog demonstrated how to eat a live octopus. It's an inhumane act where people are getting less sensitive towards the animals.  The basis of ethics and morality lies in respecting the individual. However, the incidence of a youtuber vs tik toker where they abused each other shows that both have left this basic principle and forgot to show respect to each other.  The rise of influencer marketing even led this issue to the next level. For instance, people are just running behind money. To get money they can do whatever they want. Marketing through social media platforms is such a move. For instance, the term 'influencer marketing's increased by 325% in Google search in 2017.  Social influence is one of the biggest tools to change the whole picture of society. It works in three types, i.e. Compliance, Identification and Internationalisation. We can relate the Identification, and internationalisation types with respect to social media influencers. For instance, people worship celebrities and follow them, the kind of social media influence celebrities have is identified by the public and they follow them. Though we have seen many incidences where social media influencers left a negative impression wrt ethics and morality. There are many incidences where they uphold the ethics and morality.  Ethics and Morality  upheld in the age of Social media influencers: Social influence in swachh bharat: Many of the social media influencers understood their responsibility towards the society and took part in promoting Swachh bharat abhiyan.  It shows they adhered moral responsibility. In some of the tragic incidences social media used their spread and reach to aware people about the gravity of the tragic incidences and what we should do when these kind of situations occur. For instance, Hathras tragedy.  Social media influencers even many of the times used their social media handles to spread the message against evils in society and spread awareness. For instance, campaign of selfie with daughter is one such example where people campaigned against female infanticide and promoted the campaign of 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao'.  It highlights that they adhered to their moral responsibility. Our prime minister also uses his influencing reach on social media to promote government campaigns and spread awareness.  For instance, wide scale use of social media influence by PMO to spread awareness regarding COVID-19 pandemic.  Following this move, social media influencers in India and across the globe too spread awareness regarding norms to follow during COVID-19. For instance, bollywood celebrities through their collective effort created a short film cum message to spread awareness regarding covid-19 pandemic. From the above mentioned arguments and examples it is evident that in the age of social media influencers ethics and morality have not taken a back seat, instead they promoted ethics and morality.  Conclusion: 'Technology is a two edged sword', hence it depends on the user who uses it and in which way the user use it. Though, ethics and morality have taken the back seat in the age of social media due to some irresponsible social media influencers, it is even upheld by some other social media influencers in the society. It's not a problem of the age of social media influencers but it's the problem of the way in which social media influencer uses their social influencing potential. Hence, it is of no doubt that the righteous and judicious use of social media influencing will bring sweet fruits of peace and harmony in the society there by ensuring ethics and morality take their front seat. 4. Effective persuasive skills are a must for a successful career in the civil services. Substantiate.  Approach - It expects students to write about persuasive skills and how effective persuasive skills are useful for successful career in the civil services with suitable examples. Introduction Persuasion is the process of convincing someone else to carry out an action or agree with an idea. Civil servant uses persuasion by written or oral communication to convince others to change their point of view, agree to a commitment and facilitate group decision-making. Body Effective persuasion skills are: Emotional intelligence. Effective communication. Active listening. Logic and reasoning. Interpersonal skills. Negotiation. Agitate. Establish trust and develop credibility. Use rhetoric and repetition. Nudging. Develop obedience, conformity and compliance. How effective persuasive skills are helpful in a successful career in the civil services: With Emotional intelligence: Controlling his emotions and channelise them in a positive way to ensure Krishnan Kumar district collector of Ganjam Odisha persuaded many people to leave their house during Phailin cyclone. With Nudging behaviour: Interventions can help individuals or communities to change behaviour. This tool was used by Parameswaran Iyer IAS in SBM to persuade people practising open defecation in India. Nudged into changing their behaviour to using the toilets provided under the programme. With developing conformity: Creating value of Obedience, to follow orders for maintaining law and order and harmonious environment. IPS officer Shivdeep lande took strong action against eve teasers and has arrested many criminals, worked towards women safety and took on the pharmaceutical mafia, under his tenure, the crime rate of Patna dropped drastically. Persuasion through negation skills: Need to influence others as part of role or negotiate with different stakeholder. For example, Diplomacy by foreign secretary, an Negotiation skills builds rapport and helps in achieving the goal. For instance, S. Jaishankar is known for his diplomacy skills, a reflection of his good communication skills. Use of rhetoric and repetition: Social Media is playing a major role today in persuading people with use of hashtags for good deeds. For Examples Gaurang rathi Varanasi IAS created campaign of “Wall of Gratitude" #MyDeCoronaChamps on social media to thank Corona warriors and help them against problems such as residential issue of health worker. With Effective communication: "Chuppi Todd" ('Break Silence') Initiative by Arif Shaikh SSP, Raipur in a bid to cope up with serious problem during the Covid-19 lockdown period. Use of telephonic communication to immediately address such as Domestic violence. Conclusion Persuasion consistently produces better results with bringing change in people’s internal beliefs and feelings. Effective Persuasion is skill which made many civil servants successful in career with assessing people’s needs, building rapport, focusing on the benefits, countering objections, and finding common ground.  5. What do you understand by the concept of ‘nudging’ in public affairs? Explain with the help of suitable examples.  Approach: It expects students to write about the concept of Nudging and give suitable examples of nudging tool used in India’s public affairs. Introduction: Nudging is very innovative tool to bring behavioral changes in masses. A relatively subtle policy shift encourages people to make decisions that are in their broad self-interest. It is not about penalizing people financially if they do not act in certain way. It is about making it easier for them to make a certain decision whilst allowing them to have ‘free will’. Body Concept of Nudging: Humans, being not so rational, often need encouragement or intervention called a nudge to get going and do what is best for the country or society. The ‘Nudge Theory’ recognizes this behavioral trait. It says that people, rather than being forced, can be encouraged and influenced to pursue or desist from certain actions through nudges.  Nudges are not mandates. Therefore, while there is encouragement, there is no compulsion to comply and people have the freedom to choose other options. E.g., Putting fruit at eye level counts as nudge. Banning junk food does not. While it is finding increasing applications, the ‘Nudge Theory’ has gotten its share of criticisms too. Among other things, critics accuse it of being used to manipulate behaviors. There is also the risk of the authorities using nudges to promote what is in their own best interest rather than the Nation. Nudging can be used to drive favorable behavior and avoid unfavorable ones, without resorting to drastic interventions such as penal action or outright bans. Examples of nudging in public affairs: Tax breaks under Section 80C are a nudge to encourage people to invest in financial instruments such as the Public Provident Fund and equity-linked savings schemes, in place of gold or property. Insurers use the ‘nudge’ of lower premiums on life covers to encourage customers to keep away from smoking. Stretching this a bit, mutual fund SIPs, by making regular investing the default option, are also a nudge to investors to avoid panicking during market falls. The not-so-effective SC ban on sale of firecrackers in Diwali season in Delhi could have been avoided had people been ‘nudged’ well in advance into realizing the adverse effect on air quality and public health due to widespread firecracker usage. Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) has emphasized behavior change in addition to the construction of toilets. It has succeeded in part because it has provided information, made the use of toilets more attractive, appealed to people’s emotions, emphasized new social norms, publicly celebrated Swachhata champions, and prominently connected the reform project to some of Gandhi’s teachings about cleanliness. Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao initiative, designed to address the decline in the child sex ratio and promote the empowerment of girls and women. A central goal has been to promote a social norm in favor of celebrating girls, rather than viewing them as burden. Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) of India launched an awareness campaign ‘Not all animals migrate by choice’. Under this, ‘Not all animals migrate by choice’ has displayed at major airports across the country. The campaign aims at creating awareness and garnering public support for the protection and conservation of wildlife, prevention of smuggling and reduction in demand for wildlife products.  Conclusion: Often, inertia, lack of knowledge, or poor incentives leads us to select sub-optimal choices. If a nudge helps us choose an option that is also socially desirable, it could mean better public healthcare, civic sense and social harmony.   TLP HOT Synopsis Day 23 PDF

TLP Mains 2020

IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2 - ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing - General Studies Paper 1 Questions[10th NOVEMBER,2020] - Day 26

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE Hello Friends, Welcome to IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2 - ENGLISH & हिंदी): UPSC Mains Answer Writing - General Studies Paper 1 Questions[10th NOVEMBER,2020] - Day 26   We will make sure, in the next 3 months not a single day is wasted. 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 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. True emancipation of women can occur only if representation of women in the political process and institutions increase substantially. Do you agree? Critically comment.  महिलाओं की सच्ची मुक्ति तभी हो सकती है जब राजनीतिक प्रक्रिया और संस्थानों में महिलाओं का प्रतिनिधित्व पर्याप्त रूप से बढ़े। क्या आप सहमत हैं? समालोचनात्मक टिप्पणी करें। 2. What is the National Population Register (NPR)? What is the need of having the NPR? How is it different from census? Examine.  राष्ट्रीय जनसंख्या रजिस्टर (NPR) क्या है? एनपीआर की क्या आवश्यकता है? यह जनगणना से कैसे अलग है? जांच करें। 3. Why does India fare poorly on the Global Hunger Index despite having surplus food? Analyse. What measures would you suggest to address this paradox? Discuss.   अभिशेष खाद्य संसाधन होने के बावजूद भारत ग्लोबल हंगर इंडेक्स पर पीछे क्यों है? विश्लेषण करें। इस विरोधाभास को दूर करने के लिए आप क्या उपाय सुझाएंगे? चर्चा करें। 4. What reforms would you suggest for improving the institutions of urban governance in India? Substantiate with help of suitable examples.  भारत में शहरी शासन की संस्थाओं में आप क्या सुधार सुझाएंगे? उपयुक्त उदाहरणों की सहायता से पुष्टि करें। 5. What are the social problems associated with the objectification of women in popular and social media? Examine. लोकप्रिय और सोशल मीडिया में महिलाओं की वस्तुकरण से जुड़ी सामाजिक समस्याएं क्या हैं? जांच 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 :)

Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance: Book Review – Who will cry when you die – Robin Sharma

Who will cry when you die? The monk who sold his Ferrari became an international best seller inspiring millions to pursue a more spiritual and meaningful way of life. “Who will cry when you die?” is an extension of the life lessons from the monk who sold his Ferrari. Robin Sharma has unique wealth of experiences from his Indian roots and American way of life. He has an unusual ability to offer profound spiritual teachings in a simple and subtle modern form. This is book is no exception in his long list of successful books. There are certain basic principles that each and every individual has to cultivate in order to experience a life of happiness, peace and abundance. Success is a mindset and there are specific ways of cultivating it. Robin Sharma offers pathways to one’s inner freedom and success. If you are looking for ways to make your life more meaningful, add a few additional good habits, or get rid of some bad ones, this book can help you do that. “Who will cry when you die?” is engaging and informing. Give it a try.  

TLP Mains 2020

SYNOPSIS [5th NOVEMBER,2020] Day 22: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies)

For Previous TLP (ARCHIVES) - CLICK HERE SYNOPSIS [5th NOVEMBER,2020] Day 22: IASbaba’s TLP (Phase 2): UPSC Mains Answer Writing (General Studies) 1. Give a brief description of the distribution and characteristics of the grasslands of the world. Approach: It expects students to write about – in first part write about distribution of grassland (you can also draw map) – in second part write about characteristics of grassland of world. Introduction: Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses. However, sedge and rush can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica and are found in most ecoregions of the Earth.   Body: Distribution and characteristics of the grasslands of the world: The grasslands of the world are classified into two categories: Temperate Grassland Areas of Livestock: Temperate grasslands are widespread in temperate regions across North and South America, Oceania and South Africa. These are known as mid-latitude or temperate or intermediate grasslands. These grasslands are known by different names in various continents such as Steppes in Russia, Prairies in North America, Pampas in Argentina, Veld in South Africa and Downs in Southern Australia. Generally, these are found in areas of moderate to heavy rainfall on land once occupied by natural forest. Soils in these areas are well supplied with moisture during much of the year, with some leaching occurring due to the percolation of excess water. Tropical Grassland Areas of Livestock: Intervening between the tropical forests and the dry deserts of the trade-wind belts, occur stretches of warm country with a moderate rainfall only. Here there are very few trees but grasses of various kinds which afford abundant food to herds of grazing animals. Such Savannas include the African Sudan, the Venezuelan Lanos of the Orinoco basin, the Brazilian Campos or Selvas of Amazon and Shola of India. These Savanna grasslands generally occupy those areas between the climatic extremes of humid woodlands and dry desert shrub, the transition belts, therefore, between typical grass Prairie and either of these extremes contain more or less tree growth on the one hand, or desert shrub on the other. Soil moisture, rather than total rainfall, usually determines the extent of natural grassland. If the upper layers of soil are moist during part of the year, but the deeper layers remain dry, tree growth cannot complete with grass. There are many different types of grasslands that can be categorised into prairies, savannas, veld, steppe and pampas based on the physical features of the grass in different areas. Prairies - This type of grassland is generally located in the Americas. There are many different types of grasses that grow in this grassland and colours can range from gold to green. Grasses grown in prairies can vary between different types however on average, grasses are 150 centimetres. Steppe - This grassland is similar to prairie, however, the grass in this grasslands a lot shorter. This type of grasslands is found commonly in Asia and Europe. This grassland is located between a rainforest and a desert. It cannot receive too much rain because it will turn into a rainforest and if it doesn’t receive enough rain, this grassland will turn into a desert through the process of desertification. The soil in steppes are very dry and not very fertile so many plants do not grow in this area and with very few trees scattered. Also, steppe is separated into two categories: meadow and dry steppes in the North and South respectively. Veld - A Dutch word for field, this temperate grassland is located in South Africa. This grassland has a very large variety of plants. Velds could be found at different types of altitude. Highvelds is covered with sweet grass which could be a food source for animals. Pampas - This temperate grassland is located in South America, Spanish word for plains. The land in this grassland is flat and is home to approximately 20 different types of species. The grass in pampas are usually found to be in clumps (small groups of plants grown closely to each other) Conclusion: Grasslands are the common lands of the community and while there have been robust traditional institutions ensuring their sustainable management in the past, today due to take-over by government or breakdown of traditional institutions, they are the responsibility of none. They are the most productive ecosystems in world, but they belong to all, but are controlled by none. The prevailing view of looking at grasslands as a single use should be replaced by looking them for multiple uses, incorporating sustainable use, ecosystem functions and biodiversity conservation. 2. What role does geology play in the resource endowment of a region? Explain with the help of suitable examples. Approach: It expects student to write about role played by geology in resource endowment in particular region - explain it with particular example. Introduction: Geology is the study of the Earth, the materials of which it is made, the structure of those materials, and the processes acting upon them. It includes the study of organisms that have inhabited our planet. An important part of geology is the study of how Earth's materials, structures, processes and organisms have changed over time. Body: Role played by geology in the resource endowment of a region: An understanding of local hydrogeology and environmental conditions is essential to managing water supply and quality. Hydrogeologists and other geoscientists investigate and map the subsurface in order to model and understand the movement of water, and to quantify and characterise aquifer resources. Seasonal and long-term groundwater monitoring can help predict and manage periods of aquifer depletion due to low rainfall. This information can then be used to design strategic drought, flooding and water provision plans. Eg: Chennai water crisis Geothermal energy - Integrated heating systems for modern building developments Using ground source heat and cooling can deliver reductions in CO2 emissions of up to 10%. Development of these resources requires the expertise of geologists to locate and test for viable geothermal capacity, and understanding of the sub-surface to design and engineer the necessary infrastructure, Geologists help meet this need, through their understanding of water movement and aquifer behaviour, as well as identifying and mitigating water contamination. Eg: Puga, Manikaran Nuclear power is likely to constitute an important part of the future energy mix. It depends on a reliable source of uranium, extracted from economically recoverable uranium ore – again, a process dependent on geological expertise.  Many of the raw materials required for renewable energy technologies, including wind turbines, hybrid motors and solar panels, include critical raw materials such as the Rare Earth Elements, all of which rely on geological research and skilled personnel to locate and extract safely. Eg: Orissa, Andhra Pradesh It is now possible to extract shale gas economically, using horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (‘fracking’), in which water, sand and small quantities of added chemicals are used to open up fractures in the rock, allowing the gas to flow more freely. Geological expertise is vital to locate shale gas resources, and to understand and manage possible risks linked with their extraction, such as induced seismicity or aquifer contamination due to poor well construction. Eg: Cambay, Krishna-Godavari, Cauvery, Damodar Valley, Upper Assam Geoscience skills are essential at every step of the energy cycle, from the location of energy resources through to their safe, reliable extraction and use, and the subsequent disposal or recycling of wastes Today, geologists use a variety of tools and instruments to help locate mineral resources. Airplanes and helicopters with photographic equipment are used by geologists. They also use magnetic and gravity-detecting equipment. This equipment gives information about the Earth’s subsurface. Geologists sometimes use pictures taken from satellites in their search for hidden mineral resources. By examining different kinds of rock formations and by studying the Earth’s surface, geologists know the geologic environments in which mineral resources may be found. It helps in defining the balance between society's demand for natural resources and the need to sustain healthy ecosystems. Conclusion: Today’s resource endowments reflect the past course of private investment decisions and public policies. Ensuring adequate and appropriate resources to promote future innovation and growth is the task of today’s decision-makers. Natural resource endowment offers great opportunities for achieving high levels of growth and development if properly managed.  3. What are gyres? What role do they play in shaping the coastal climate? Explain with the help of suitable examples.    Approach:  As the directive here is explain, it is expected from a candidate to look at the subject in the deep and mention details. In the introduction part one needs to explain what are gyres besides mentioning names of major gyres. In the main body part it is expected to specifically point out the role of gyres in shaping the coastline climate. While explaining their role it is necessary to cite examples in different parts of the world to show how gyres affect coastal climate differently.  One can  conclude by showing importance of gyres. For value addition one needs to add map and tag the locations of major gyres.  Introduction: Gyres are large system of circular ocean currents formed by global wind patterns and forces created by Earth’s rotation. The five major circulation patterns formed by the currents are the world's five major ocean gyres: North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian, North Pacific, and South Pacific.  Body: The movement of the world's major ocean gyres helps drive the "ocean conveyor belt." The ocean conveyor belt circulates ocean water around the entire planet. Also known as Thermohaline circulation, the ocean conveyor belt is essential for regulating temperature, salinity and nutrient flow throughout the ocean. Following Map 1 shows the five major ocean gyres across the planet.  Map 1: Five major ocean gyres and their locations Role of gyres in shaping the coastal climate: There are three major types of ocean gyres: Tropical, Subtropical, and Sub-polar.  Sub-polar gyres form in the polar regions of the planet, tropical gyres form near the equator whereas Subtropical gyres  form between the polar and equatorial regions of Earth. Ocean gyres are present in every ocean and move water from the poles to the equator and back again. The water warms at the equator and cools at the poles. Because ocean water temperatures can transfer to the air, the cold and warm waters circulated by the gyres influence the coastal climate. Along wind-blown coastlines, we may see areas of upwelling. Upwelling is the rising of cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface. As winds blow along the coast, they move the relatively warm surface water. This allows colder and nutrient-rich waters from the ocean floor to rise up and take its place. The ocean's bottom waters are rich in nutrients because sea plants and creatures decay and release their nutrients onto the ocean floor. As these waters rise up, they feed marine organisms in the area, so upwelling areas are usually rich in marine life. Along coastlines, the direction of movement of a gyre has a significant impact on continental climate. For example, a current moving from south to north in the northern hemisphere, or north to south in the southern hemisphere, will generally deliver warmer water to the coastal region, whereas a current moving from the north to south in the northern hemisphere or south to north in the southern hemisphere will generally deliver colder water.  The flow of warm water will generally cause a larger moderating influence on coastal climate than will the flow of cold water. Take, for example, the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic. This warm current has a major heating effect on the shores of Great Britain and other parts of Northern Europe, keeping these regions relatively balmy compared to locations at comparable latitudes. After it bathes the shores of Britain, the North Atlantic gyre bends towards the south, thus bringing relatively cold waters to the shores of Spain, Portugal, and Morocco further to the south, keeping these areas cooler than areas not influenced by the currents. In addition, the Coriolis force results in gyres, rotational systems in each of the ocean basins that are clockwise in the northern hemisphere, for example, the North Atlantic gyre, and counter clockwise in the southern hemisphere, for example, the South Atlantic gyre. These gyres move warm waters from the south towards the north and in addition, they move cool waters from the north towards the south. Each gyre has a major effect on ocean circulation in that part of the ocean basin. The Indian Ocean Gyre is a complex system of many currents extending from the eastern coast of Africa to the western coast of Australia. The northern part of the system circulates between the Horn of Africa and the Indonesian archipelago. It is sometimes called the Indian monsoon current. The Indian monsoon current takes its name from the wind—the monsoon—that drives it. It is one of the very few currents in an ocean gyre that change direction. In the summer, the current flows clockwise, as the monsoon blows in from the south western Indian Ocean. In the winter, the current flows counter clockwise, as the wind blows in from the Tibetan plateau in the northeast. As a result monsoon cycle over the  Indian subcontinent takes place. This monsoon cycle in its initial stages leaves an impact on coastal climate by bringing heavy rains to the region.  Conclusion: The  role played by ocean gyres in impacting coastal climate is of pivotal importance. However, Climate change may be driving changes in large-scale wind patterns that are causing ocean gyres to migrate. It might result in over all change in the climate of coastal areas. Hence, it becomes necessary to deeply understand gyres functions and their subsequent effect on climate of coastal regions to avoid large scale loss, damage in the near future which might get aggravated by climate change.  4. Explain the geomorphic processes leading to the formation of plateaus. How do plateaus affect the climate of a region? Illustrate. Approach - It expects students to write about how geomorphic processes leading to the formation of plateaus and how different plateaus are affecting the local climate in the region with examples. Introduction The endogenic and exogenic forces causing physical stresses and chemical actions on earth materials and bringing about changes in the configuration of the surface of the earth are known as geomorphic processes.  Formation of plateau is due to geomorphic process such as volcanism (Deccan Plateau), crustal shortening (Tibet) and thermal expansion (Ethiopian Highlands). Body Plateau is extensive area of flat upland usually bounded by an escarpment (i.e., steep slope) on all sides but sometimes enclosed by mountains. Geomorphic process leading to the formation of plateaus are discussed below: Thermal expansion - Thermal expansion of the lithosphere means the replacement of cold mantle lithosphere by hot asthenosphere. Those caused by thermal expansion of the lithosphere are usually associated with hot spots. Uplift of the overlying surface creates plateau. The high plateaus of East Africa and Ethiopia were formed this way. Crustal shortening - The great heights of some plateaus, such as the Plateau of Tibet or the Altiplano, are due to crustal shortening. In this process thickening of crusts creates high mountains that will be margin of such plateaus. In most mountain ranges, streams and rivers transport eroded material from the mountains to the neighbouring plains. Volcanic Flood Basalts – Traps - A third type of plateau can form where extensive lava flows (called flood basalts or traps) and volcanic ash bury pre-existing terrain, as exemplified by the Columbia Plateau in the north western United States, Deccan Traps of peninsular India, Laurentian plateau or The Canadian Shield and the Siberian Traps of Russia. The effects of topography on the climate of any given region are powerful. Plateau affects the climate of a region as seen below:  Tibetan plateau - Tibet Plateau is an enormous block of a high ground has huge impact on local climate. It acts as a formidable barrier as well as a heat source. It accents the northward displacement of the jet stream in the middle of the October. Deccan plateau - The climate of the region varies from semi-arid in the north to tropical in most of the region with distinct wet and dry seasons. The Deccan plateau is about 2,000 feet above sea level, so it's pretty high up. Because it's so high above the sea, the climate of the Deccan plateau is a lot drier than the climate in the rest of India.  Potwar plateau - This physiography relief of Potwar plateau affects temperature, air pressure, winds speed and direction also affect the rainfall distribution in area around Delhi ridge.  Chota-Nagpur plateau – Chota-Nagpur Plateau has effect on local climate receives less amount of an annual average rainfall, which is less than the rain forested areas of much of India. Due to upheaval of   plateau in central India. Meghalayan plateau - Rainfall on the Meghalaya plateau in north-eastern India has the interaction between large-scale circulation and the local topography. This monsoonal climate circulation causes a rain shadow effect on the northern Meghalaya. Colorado Plateau - The combination of high elevation of Colorado and a semi-arid climate makes Climate models predict that over the next 100 years, the Southwest will become warmer and even more arid, with more extreme droughts than the region has experienced in the recent past. Patagonian plateau - The ENSO phenomenon has a significant impact on regional precipitation which also depend on upliftment of Patagonian plateau in region. Spring precipitation, La Nina events has further impact on seasonal temperature. Conclusion India’s Peninsular Plateaus are one of its major physical features. These plateaus are one of the ancient landmasses on the surface of the earth. It has great economic significance such as grassland ecosystem, storehouse of minerals and importance for agriculture. Therefore, there is need for study and research related to plateaus for better understanding in policy making procedures.  5. If you send a probe to explore the ocean floor off the Pacific coast, what surface features would you see? Discuss.  Approach: It expects students to write about the surface features of the Pacific Ocean floor in detail.  Introduction: The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest ocean on Earth. It spans 60 million square miles from California to China, and in certain regions extends tens of thousands of feet below the surface of the water. Much of the ocean is still waiting to be explored, but human activities like industrial fishing, deep-sea mining, and fossil fuel burning are already changing it in a significant way. The vast body of water is home to some of the unique life forms on Earth and contains the deepest trenches known to humankind. Body: The Pacific basin can be divided into three major physiographic regions: Eastern, western, and central Pacific regions. Eastern region: The eastern Pacific region, which extends southward from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, is relatively narrow and is associated with the American cordilleran system of almost unbroken mountain chains, the coastal ranges of which rise steeply from the western shores of North and South America. Western region:  The seaward boundary of the western Pacific region is marked by a broken line of oceanic trenches, extending from the Aleutian Trench in the north through the Kuril and Japan trenches and southward to the Tonga and Kermadec trenches, terminating close to the northeast of North Island, New Zealand.  Central region: The central Pacific region lies between the boundaries of the eastern and western regions. The largest and the most geologically stable of the structural provinces of the Earth’s crust. When we send the probe to explore Ocean floor, beneath the smooth ocean surface extends an underwater landscape as complex as anything we might find on land. Continental Shelf: Along the Pacific shore, generally, the coast rises abruptly from a deep seafloor to mountain heights on land, and there is a narrow continental shelf. Example are the Baltic on North Sea, Yellow and East China sea. Continental Slope: The main features of the Pacific Ocean floor is the continental slopes. It is an area of relatively shallow water, usually less than a few hundred feet deep, that surrounds land. The waters along the continental shelf are usually productive, both from light and nutrients from upwelling and runoff.  Deep Sea Plain: The floor of the Pacific, like those of the other oceans, is actually very flat, even in areas with seamounts or deep trenches. The vast sediment-covered abyssal plains of the oceans are much flatter than any similar-sized areas on the continents.  Seamounts: The Pacific Ocean contains the vast majority of the world's seamounts. In part, this is because the Pacific is much larger than the other ocean basins. Example Tuamotus and Austral Seamounts. Guyots: Guyots are most commonly found in the Pacific Ocean it’s also known as a table mount, is an isolated underwater volcanic mountain with a flat top more than 200 m below the surface of the sea. Example Kuko Guyot, Suiko Guyot and the Pallada Guyot. Islands in the Pacific Ocean: The approximately 20,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean are concentrated in the south and west. Most of the larger islands are structurally part of the continent and rise from the continental shelf. Example Japanese island arc, the Malay Archipelago and Hawaiian Islands. Mid-Oceanic Ridges: The mountain ranges can have peaks as high as 2,500 m and some even reach above the ocean’s surface. Example East Pacific Rise. Submarine Canyons:  These are deep valleys, some comparable to the Grand Canyon of the Colorado river. They are sometimes found cutting across the continental shelves and slopes, often extending from the mouths of large rivers. Example Astoria Canyon. Ocean Trenches: The deepest ocean trenches ring the Pacific as part of the so-called “Ring of Fire” that also includes active volcanoes and earthquake zones. Examples are Middle America Trench, Chile Trench in the South Pacific and Marianas trench. Conclusion: The Pacific is not always peaceful. The lands around the Pacific Rim are full of volcanoes and often affected by earthquakes. Tsunamis, caused by underwater earthquakes, have devastated many islands and changed the surface structure of the Ocean. Also due to the effects of plate tectonics, the Pacific Ocean is currently shrinking which is directly affecting the overall flora and fauna of Pacific Ocean floor. TLP HOT Synopsis Day 22 PDF

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 9th November 2020

Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) PSLV-C49 successfully launches EOS-01 Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Achievements of Indians; Space In news India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its 51st flight (PSLV-C49), successfully launched EOS-01 along with nine international customer satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota  Key takeaways  PSLV-C49 is the 2nd flight of PSLV in 'DL' configuration (with 2 solid strap-on motors). EOS-01 is an earth observation satellite, intended for applications in agriculture, forestry and disaster management support. The nine customer satellites from Lithuania (1), Luxembourg (4) and USA (4) were launched under a commercial arrangement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL). Place in news: Tigray region, Ethiopia  Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – International Relations In news Ethiopia is on the brink of a civil war after Ethiopia’s Prime Minister announced that he had ordered troops to counter an allegedly violent attack by armed forces in the country’s northern Tigray region. Important value additions  The Tigray Region is the northernmost of the nine regions (kililat) of Ethiopia. It is the homeland of the Tigrayan, Irob and Kunama peoples. It is also known as Region 1 according to the federal constitution. Capital and largest city: Mekelle. It is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, the Amhara Region to the south and the Afar Region to the east and south east. Do you know?  In early November 2020, the region and the Ethiopian federal government entered into conflict, with some gunfire being reported in the capital of Tigray, Mekelle. There was conflict in September also, when Tigray held local elections in insubordination of the Ethiopian federal government.  These elections were considered “illegal” by the federal government, further leading to conflict with Tigray authorities. Various development projects to be inaugurated in Varanasi  Part of: GS Prelims and GS-I – Ancient history & GS-II – Policies and interventions;  In news Indian Prime Minister will inaugurate various development projects in Varanasi including Sarnath Light and Sound show. Important value additions  Sarnath Sarnath is a place located 10 km north-east of Varanasi city near the confluence of the Ganges and the Varuna rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India. The Deer Park in Sarnath: Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma and Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna. It is also referred to as Isipatana.  This city is mentioned by the Buddha as one of the four places of pilgrimage which his devout followers should visit. It was also the site of the Buddha's Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, which was his first teaching after attaining enlightenment.  Under this Sutta, he taught the four noble truths and the teachings associated with it. Do you know?  Singhpur, a village approximately 1km away from the site, was the birthplace of Shreyansanath, the Eleventh Tirthankara of Jainism. FASTags mandatory for all four wheelers Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Infrastructure In news Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a notification making FASTags mandatory for all four wheel vehicles from 1st January 2021. This will apply to old vehicles as well as M and N category of motor vehicles sold before 1st December, 2017. Key takeaways As per Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, the FASTag had been made mandatory for all registration of new four wheeled Vehicles since 1st December 2017.  Itis being supplied by the Vehicle Manufacturer or their dealers. It had further been mandated that the renewal of fitness certificate will be done only after the fitment of FASTag for the Transport Vehicles.  For National Permit Vehicles the fitment of FASTag has been mandated since 1st of October, 2019. The Ministry said that a valid FASTag is also mandatory while getting a new third Party Insurance through an amendment in certificate of Insurance, wherein the details of FASTag ID will be captured.  This will be applicable with effect from 1st of April 2021. This notification would be a major step for ensuring that the payment of fees be 100% at Toll Plazas through the Electronic Means only and that the vehicles pass seamlessly through the Fee Plazas. Important value additions  FASTag FASTag is an electronic toll collection system in India Operated by: National Highway Authority of India. It employs Radio Frequency Identification technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it or directly toll owner. Haryana State Employment Of Local Candidates Bill, 2020 Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II – Policies and interventions In news On the lines of Andhra Pradesh government, Haryana too has announced that it wants 75% of private sector jobs in the state, till a certain salary slab, reserved for local candidates. Key takeaways  The state Assembly has passed the Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Bill, 2020 paving way for more employment opportunities for locals in private sector. All the companies, societies, trusts, limited liability partnership firms, partnership firms and any person employing 10 or more persons shall come under the ambit of this Act.  It shall not include the central government or state government or any organisation owned by the central or state government. A candidate “who is domiciled in State of Haryana” is called a local candidate and shall be able to avail the benefit of this reservation while seeking employment in private sector. Every employer shall be required to employ 75% local candidates for the posts where the gross monthly salary or wages are not more than Rs. 50,000 or as notified by the government from time to time. An employer can claim exemption from this 75% recruitment restriction, but only after going through a long procedure and only if the government appointed officers believe that the employer’s request seeking exemption holds merit. The employer can be fined with a minimum Rs. 10,000 to a maximum Rs. 2 lakh once it is established that the employer has committed a violation of provisions of the Act. Do you know?  Does this reservation Bill violate Article 16 of the Constitution of India? Concerns were raised in Haryana Vidhan Sabha that the Bill violates Article 16 of the Indian Constitution However, Haryana government claims that while Article 16 talks about the “public employment”, the Bill only pertains to “private sector employment”. AIM–Sirius Innovation Programme 3.0 launched  Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – International Relations & GS-III - Innovation In news Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Sirius, Russia launched ‘AIM–Sirius Innovation Programme 3.0’. It is a 14-day virtual programme for Indian and Russian schoolchildren. Key takeaways  The first Indo-Russian bilateral youth innovation initiative, the AIM–Sirius programme seeks to develop technological solutions (both web- and mobile-based) for the two countries. Over a two-week programme, 48 students and 16 educators and mentors will create 8 virtual products and mobile applications addressing global challenges in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic. Innovations developed by the student teams will leverage 21st-century technologies such as app development, artificial intelligence, blockchain, machine learning etc. (MAINS FOCUS) EDUCATION / FEDERALISM/ GOVERNANCE Topic: General Studies 1, 2: Issues relating to development and management of Education Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure  Tamil Nadu NEET Quota Context: Tamil Nadu Governor gave his assent to a Bill that sought to reserve 7.5% seats in undergraduate medical admissions for government-school students who qualified NEET. The Tamil Nadu Assembly had passed a Bill on the quota in September this year. What Is NEET? It is an entrance exam for medical courses like MBBS, BDS, and Post Graduation in both government and private medical colleges.  NEET-UG replaced the All India Pre Medical Test (AIPMT) and all individual MBBS exams conducted by states or colleges themselves in 2013.  The NTA – National Testing Agency, the regulatory body for NEET UG Exam, conducts it every year in various parts of India in multiple languages. The responsibility of the NTA is limited to the conduct of the entrance examination, declaration of result and for providing an “All India Rank Merit List” to the Directorate General Health Service, Government of India for the conduct of counselling for 15% All India Quota Seats and for providing the result to States/other Counselling Authorities. NEET is based on a core curriculum approach, whereby the syllabi of all the school boards have been taken into consideration. Criticism of NEET: Click here Why was Tamil Nadu opposed to NEET? Among the States that were strident in their opposition to NEET (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test) was Tamil Nadu. One of the primary arguments that were made was that NEET would push certain categories of students out of the race for MBBS degrees, and its goal of providing equitable opportunities for all would be frustrated.  Students from government schools and rural areas would not be able to afford the coaching that would be essential for the competitive test, the State government argued.  Since 2017, when NEET was implemented in Tamil Nadu, only 14 students from government schools have managed to get admitted to the MBBS course. What did the State do? The inevitability of using NEET to select candidates for MBBS seats led critics to point to unique disadvantages for students from government schools, and seek redress on this front.  The government ran free coaching centres for NEET to help students prepare for the examination. In 2018-2019 and 2019-2020, of the nearly 700 government-school students who cleared the NEET, nine entered government medical colleges, according to data provided by Tamil Nadu health authorities.  A Commission was set by Tamil Nadu State government and headed by retired High Court judge P. Kalaiyarasan, to set right the “de facto inequalities” between government-school students and private-school students. The Commission, in its report, made the observation that students from government schools are placed at a disadvantage, compared to their counterparts in private schools, “due to a cognitive gap created by socio-economic factors such as caste, wealth, parental occupation, parental education, gender, etc., and these psychological and socio-economic barriers cannot be bridged by a few months of intensive coaching for NEET, even if provided for free”.  It recommended setting aside 10% seats for government students. As a result, the Assembly passed a Bill that sought to provide 7.5% horizontal reservation for government-school students in MBBS admissions. Horizontal reservations are applied irrespective of the community a student belongs to, just as in the case of quota for persons with disability or wards of ex-service personnel.  The government also specified that if a government-school student has scored high marks, she or he could also opt to be allotted a seat based on their community reservation. How many seats will students from government schools be eligible for this admission season? In the MBBS course in government medical colleges, 15% seats are set aside under the All India Quota, and the remaining 85% will be available for the State Quota, to be filled up according to the rule of reservation.  A further percentage of seats (65% in private self-financing colleges, and 50% in private, self-financing minority colleges) will also be added to the government’s quota.  This year, it adds up to a total of 4,058 seats, and 7.5% of that comes to 304 seats, according to State health authorities.  State government has reiterated that the integrity of the 69% caste-based reservation for medical admissions would be preserved while admitting students to ensure that it is not violated in any manner Conclusion Where 14 students were admitted in three years, 304 students from government schools will have the opportunity to take up medical education, provided they have cleared NEET. SOCIETY/ GOVERNANCE Topic: General Studies 2, 3: Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism  Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.  Special Marriages Act (SMA) Context: The Allahabad High Court in a recent ruling declared that the conversion for the sole purpose of marriage as ''null and void''. What is Special Marriage Act? The Special Marriage Act, 1954 (SMA) was enacted to facilitate the marriage of couples professing different faiths and preferring a civil wedding.  People from different castes or religions or states get married under SMA in which marriage is solemnized by way of registration. The prime purpose of the Act was to address Inter-religious marriages and to establish marriage as a secular institution bereft of all religious formalities, which requires registration alone. What are the features of the SMA? Basic age Criteria: The marriage of any two persons may be solemnised under the SMA, subject to the man having completed 21 years of age and the woman 18.  Basic Conditions needs to be met: Neither should have a spouse living; both should be capable of giving valid consent, should not suffer from any mental disorder of a kind that renders them unfit for marriage and procreation.  Restrictions related to Religious laws: They should not be within the degrees of prohibited relationship — that is, they should not be related in such a way that their religion does not permit such marriages. Notice Procedure: Parties to an intended marriage should give notice to the ‘marriage officer’ of the district in which one of them had resided for at least 30 days. The notice will have to be entered in a ‘Marriage Notice Book’ and a copy of it displayed at a conspicuous place in the office.  The marriage has to be solemnised within three months of the notice, and if it is not, a fresh notice will be needed. Provision for objections to the marriage: Any person can object to the marriage within 30 days of the publication of the notice on the ground that it contravenes one of the conditions for a valid marriage. The marriage officer has to inquire into the objection and give a decision within 30 days. If he refuses permission for the marriage, an appeal can be made to the district court. The court’s decision will be final. Member of Undivided Family: Also, the Act says that when a member of an undivided family who professes Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh or Jaina religions, gets married under SMA, it results in his or her “severance” from the family. What are the Criticisms of SMA i.e. the hurdles faced by inter-faith couples? Practical Difficulties: The provisions relating to notice, publication and objection have rendered it difficult for many people intending to solemnise inter-faith marriages.  Vulnerable to coercive tactics by family: Publicity in the local registration office may mean that family members objecting to the union may seek to stop it by coercion.  Danger posed by fringe groups: There have been reports of right-wing groups opposed to inter-faith marriages keeping a watch on the notice boards of marriage offices and taking down the details of the parties so that they can be dissuaded or coerced into abandoning the idea. Intrusion of Privacy: The law’s features on prior public notice being given and objections being called from any quarter, places a question mark on the safety and privacy of those intending to marry across religions.  Violation of Right to Equality: In the case of Hindu and Muslim marriage laws, there is no requirement of prior notice and, therefore, such a requirement in the SMA is considered as violation of the right to equality of those opting for marriage under SMA. Pushes for religious conversion: Due to complexities involved in SMA, the intending couple finds it easier to settle for marriage under the personal law of one of them, with the other opting for religious conversion.  While conversion to Islam and Christianity has formal means, there is no prescribed ceremony for conversion to Hinduism. Are there laws against conversion for the sake of marriage? The Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2019, and the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018, both prohibit conversion by misrepresentation, force, fraud, undue influence, inducement, allurement and ‘by marriage’. There is a separate section in both laws under which, not conversion for the purpose of marriage, but marriage done solely for the purpose of conversion, may be declared null and void by a family court based on a suit by either party. Conclusion Marriage being a personal matter has to be sparingly regulated, unless it leads to social evils. Freedom of choice should be given primacy in a liberal Democratic country like India. Connecting the dots: Minimum age of marriage for women (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 EOS-01 satellite recently launched by India: It is an Earth observation satellite.  It will be useful in agriculture, Forestry and disaster management. Which of the above is/are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  Q.2 Tigray region was in news recently. Where is it situated?  Ethiopia  Sudan  Eritrea  Tanzania Q.3 Consider the following statements regarding Sarnath:  It is mentioned by the Buddha as one of the four places of pilgrimage which his devout followers should visit.  Buddha gave his first teaching Dhammachakkapavattana Sutta after attaining enlightenment in this city. Which of the above is/are correct?  1 only  2 only  Both 1 and 2  Neither 1 nor 2  ANSWERS FOR 7th November 2020 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE (TYK) 1 A 2 A 3 A 4 D Must Read About comparison of Election Commission of US and India: The Hindu About PM Modi’s address at recent virtual global meet and challenges ahead: The Hindu About COVID-19, climate and carbon neutrality: The Hindu

RSTV Video

Natural Gas Economy – The Big Picture – RSTV IAS UPSC

Natural Gas Economy Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 & 3 Government schemes and policies Energy In News: The government allowed complete marketing freedom for natural gas produced from non-regulated fields.  Objective To prescribe standard procedure to discover market price of gas to be sold in the market by gas producers, through a transparent and competitive process Permit Affiliates to participate in bidding process for sale of gas Allow marketing freedom to certain Field Development Plans (FDPs) where Production Sharing Contracts already provide pricing freedom. Aim: The policy aims to provide standard procedure for sale of natural gas in a transparent and competitive manner to discover market price by issuing guidelines for sale by contractor through e-bidding. This will bring uniformity in the bidding process across the various contractual regimes and policies to avoid ambiguity and contribute towards ease of doing business. The policy has also permitted Affiliate companies to participate in the bidding process in view of the open, transparent and electronic bidding. This will facilitate and promote more competition in marketing of gas. However, rebidding will have to be done in case only affiliates participate, and there are no other bidders. The policy will also grant marketing freedom to the Field Development Plans (FDPs) of those Blocks in which Production Sharing Contracts already provide pricing freedom. These reforms in gas sector will further deepen and spur the economic activities in the following areas: The whole eco-system of policies relating to production, infrastructure and marketing of natural gas has been made more transparent with a focus on ease of doing business. These reforms will prove very significant for Atmanirbhar Bharat by encouraging investments in the domestic production of natural gas and reducing import dependence. These reforms will prove to be another milestone in moving towards a gas based economy by encouraging investments. The increased gas production consumption will help in improvement of environment. These reforms will also help in creating employment opportunities in the gas consuming sectors including MSMEs. The domestic production will further help in increasing investment in the downstream industries such as City Gas Distribution and related industries. Why Natural Gas? Natural gas is a superior fuel as compared with coal and other liquid fuels being an environment friendly, safer and cheaper fuel. Natural Gas is supplied through pipelines just like one gets water from the tap. There is no need to store cylinders in the kitchen and thus saves space. Natural Gas (as CNG) is cheaper by 60% as compared with petrol and 45 % w.r.t. Diesel. Similarly, Natural Gas (as PNG) is cheaper by 40 % as compared with market price LPG and price of PNG almost match with that of subsidised LPG (based on prices in Delhi). An autorickshaw owner can save Rs 7000-8000 on his monthly fuel bill by conversion from petrol to CNG. Thus, even on cost front as well, natural gas is preferable to petrol, diesel and LPG. Indian Gas Exchange (IGX) It is the first nationwide online delivery-based natural gas trading platform.  It is fully automated with a web-based interface.  It has been incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Indian Energy Exchange, which is India’s energy market platform. The trading platform will enable market participants to trade in standardised gas contracts. It is expected to facilitate transparent price discovery in natural gas. It shall also facilitate the growth of the share of natural gas in India’s energy basket. It provides hassle-free trading experience to the customers. It will allow buyers and sellers of natural gas to trade both in the spot market (financial instruments, such as currencies are traded for immediate delivery) and in the forward market (an over-the-counter marketplace that sets the price of a financial instrument for future delivery).  The trading of natural gas will be for imported natural gas across three hubs — Dahej and Hazira in Gujarat, and Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh. Imported Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) will be regassified and sold to buyers through the exchange.  The need for buyers and sellers to find each other shall be removed. The price of domestically produced natural gas is decided by the government which will not be sold on the gas exchange. Must Read: Role of Oil and Natural Gas in Economy Connecting the Dots: Energy Security in the post-COVID world Energy is a key driver of socio-economic growth. Discuss. Write a short note on the distribution of natural gas across the world. Do you think natural gas can address the challenge of global energy crisis in the long run? Critically examine.