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Jul 2, 2019 RSTV Video

RSTV IAS UPSC – India at G20 Summit 2019

India at G20 Summit 2019 Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. Eleven years after its creation, the Group of 20 (G-20) has emerged as an important forum of most of the world’s systemically important economies. Iran is among the very few important countries left out. India made its mark within the G-20 from its very inception with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh being one of the important voices at the first three summit meetings in 2008-09. As the host of the 2022 summit, India has a stake in ensuring the continued relevance of G-20 for global policy. The G20 Summit concluded in Japan’s Osaka Saturday after two days of hectic meetings, bilateral talks and series of dialogues between leaders of top 20 economies of the world. On the final day of the summit, 19 countries committed to the Paris climate agreement, with the US reiterating President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the pact “because it disadvantages American workers and taxpayers”. After Osaka, New Delhi will become part of the troika that includes the next of set of G20 chairs - Saudi Arabia (2020), Italy (2021) and India (2022). Takeaways from the G20 Summit India-US Meet Leaders of both the countries acknowledged the breadth and depth of bilateral ties, including economic, trade, energy, defence and security, counterterrorism and space. They reiterated their commitment to provide strong leadership to address global challenges and build prosperity for their citizens in the decades to come. India on Iran: It is in India’s fundamental interest to maintain peace and stability in the region. India’s interests in the region: Indian diaspora in the region Energy requirements Economic interest in the region India’s stand on 5G and data storage: On technological issues such as data storage and 5G network, India ranged itself across the divide from Japan and the U.S., and alongside leaders of BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa). The need for framing rules on data within the WTO and not at the G-20, running counter to Japan’s initiative as the host of this year’s G-20 summit, to push for “Data Free Flow with Trust, (DFFT)”. Prime minister Modi refered data as a “new form of wealth”. On the issue of 5G technology, where the U.S. has demanded that countries ban Chinese telecom major Huawei’s 5G network because of its ability to spy on them, India had given no assurances to US. Terrorism as the biggest threat to humanity: Describing terrorism as the biggest threat to humanity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the scourge not only kills innocents but also severely affects economic development and social stability. There is a need to stop all the mediums of support to terrorism and racism. On Disaster Management: Modi also invited the G20 countries to join a global coalition on disaster resilience, saying disasters require quick and effective remedial measures as they invariably affect the poor the most. 19 countries vow support to Paris agreement: In the final communique at the G20, world leaders vowed to tackle climate change, which is showing its impact globally with rising temperatures and ever-changing weather patterns. Japan has pushed for the Osaka summit to become a landmark for progress on environmental issues, including tackling the global problem of plastic waste and recommitting to efforts to counter climate change. Tackling ocean plastic waste Group of 20 Environment Ministers agreed to adopt a new implementation framework for actions to tackle the issue of marine plastic waste on a global scale. One of the top issues was ocean plastic waste as images of plastic debris-strewn beaches and dead animals with stomachs full of plastic have sparked outrage with many countries banning plastic bags outright. The new framework is aimed at facilitating further concrete action on marine waste, though on a voluntary basis, after the G20 Hamburg Summit in Germany adopted the “G20 action plan on marine litter” in 2017. Life-cycle approach Under the new framework, G20 members will promote a comprehensive life-cycle approach to prevent and reduce plastic litter discharge to the oceans through various measures and international cooperation. They will also share best practices, promote innovation and boost scientific monitoring and analytical methodologies. US-China trade talks dominate Summit: Trump said he would not lift existing import tariffs but would refrain from slapping new levies on an additional $300 billion worth of Chinese goods – which would have effectively extended tariffs to everything China exports to America. China warns of ‘severe threats’ to global order: China also held a meeting with three African leaders and said protectionism and “bullying” were threatening the world order Three major challenges highlighted at the Summit Instability and downfall in the global economy. Unilateralism and competitiveness are overshadowing the rule-based multilateral global trade systems. The second challenge is to make development sustainable and all-inclusive. Terrorism is the third major challenge. With Saudi Arabia hosting the next G-20 in 2020, followed by Italy in 2021, all eyes will soon turn to the agenda India plans to highlight when it holds the G-20 summit in 2022. Many global challenges, such as climate change and its impact, the balance between the needs for speed and national security with 5G networks being introduced, as well as technology-driven terrorism, will become even more critical for the grouping, and the government must articulate its line. India should lead the exercise in making the G-20 more effective in dealing with some of the inequities in its system. The G-20 is an important platform to discuss pressing issues, and it must not be detracted from its original purpose of promoting sustainable growth and financial stability by grandstanding by one or two members. Brief on G20 G20: The G20 (or Group of Twenty) is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 19 countries and the European Union. It was founded in 1999 with the aim to discuss policy pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability. India: Member of G20 Other members: The G20, short for “Group of 20”, is made up of 19 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States, plus the European Union. Spain is a permanent guest and always participates in the G20 summits. Together, the G20 members represent – Two thirds of the world population. 85% of the global gross product. 75% of international trade. 80% of global investments in research and development. Because the G-20 is a forum, its agreements or decisions have no legal impact, but they do influence countries’ policies and global cooperation. Why was the G20 created? The G20 was conceived in 1999, while the repercussions of the Asian financial crisis of 1997 still lasted. The committee’s inaugural meeting took place in Berlin in December 1999. In a meeting of finance ministers and presidents of central banks of the G7, it was decided to expand the group and make it more representative in order to generate policies that have an impact In the economy. They decided to invite a group of key emerging economies to a new forum of finance ministers and presidents of Central Banks, which would later become the G20. With the start of the global financial crisis of 2008, the G20 became the main instrument to face the debacle. And for that it was essential to involve the highest ranking officials. Thereafter, presidents and heads of state joined the G20. Note: India will chair the G20 in 2022 for the first time; coinciding with the country’s 75th anniversary of Independence. The G20 Troika: Every year, when a new country assumes the presidency (Argentina in 2018), it works hand in hand with the previous presidency (Germany) and the next presidency (Japan) in what is known as the troika. This ensures continuity in the group’s agenda. Where is the G20 headquarters? The G20 does not have permanent offices or employees. The country that presides over the group (in a year) takes care of all the organization and the logistical coordination of the meetings. Connecting the Dots: What is mandate of G20? How does it help India to achieve its bilateral objectives? Discuss. Is G20 really what the world really needs? Or is this merely a club where leaders meet annually to issue insipid and irrelevant communiqués? Examine

Jul 2, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 2nd July 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 2nd July 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) AFSPA in Nagaland extended Part of: GS Prelims and Mains Paper II and III – Polity, Governance issues and Internal Security In News: The Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the operation Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Nagaland for another six months. The Centre had declared the state a “disturbed area” to extend the Act. Important Value Additions: About Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) AFSPA was enacted in 1958 to bring under control what the government of India considered ‘disturbed’ areas. The state or central government considers those areas as ‘disturbed’ by reason of differences or disputes between members of different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities. Section (3) of AFSPA empowers the governor of the state/Union territory to issue an official notification declaring the state or a region within as a “disturbed area”, after which the centre can decide whether to send in armed forces. Do you know? The AFSPA offers powers to the Army and Central forces deployed in disturbed areas to kill anyone acting in contravention of law, arrest and search any premises without a warrant. These armed forces are immune from prosecution unless Union Government provides sanction to the prosecuting agencies. Currently, AFSPA Act, 1958 is operational in the whole of Nagaland, Assam, Manipur (excluding seven assembly constituencies of Imphal) and parts of Arunachal Pradesh. Panel of CMs to suggest agriculture reforms Part of: Main GS Paper III – Government Policies & Interventions; Agriculture In News: The Centre has set up a high powered committee of seven chief ministers, led by Maharashtra’s CM as its convenor, to suggest measures to transform Indian agriculture and raise farmers’ income. Terms of reference (ToR) of the panel The panel will suggest on modalities for adoption and time-bound implementation of two key model Acts (a) agriculture market reforms act and (b) contract farming act by the states. The panel will also examine various provisions of Essential Commodity Act (ECA),1955 and suggest a mechanism for linking of market reforms with e-NAM, GRAM and other relevant centrally sponsored schemes. The panel will also recommend policy measures to boost agricultural exports, raise growth in food processing and attract investments in modern market infrastructure, value chains and logistics. The panel will also suggest measures to upgrade agri-technology to global standards and improve access of farmers to quality seed and proposing any other relevant reforms for transformation of agriculture sector and raising farmers income. The panel will also study various proposals of the inter-ministerial committee on Doubling Farmers’ Income (DFI) which had suggested specific action points for reforms in the farm and allied sector. EWS quota: SC to hear pleas for Constitution Bench Part of: Main GS Paper II– Indian Polity – Constitution and Amendment; Fundamental Rights In News: The Supreme Court has agreed to hear plea to have a Constitution Bench to examine the validity of a constitutional amendment providing 10% economic reservation in government jobs and educational institutions. The Constitution (103rd Amendment) Act provides for 10% reservation in government jobs and educational institutions for the economically weaker section in the unreserved category. The Act amends Article 15 and 16 to provide for reservation based on economic backwardness. Do you know? The petitioner has said that economic reservation violated the 50% reservation ceiling limit fixed by a nine-judge Bench in the Indra Sawhney case. Further,the 1992 judgment had barred reservation solely on economic criterion. The petitioner has also said that the bill violates the basic feature of the Constitution as reservation on economic grounds cannot be limited to the general category. The Centre has defended the amendment by stating that the newly inserted provisions are in conformity with the principle of affirmative action. The government said that the argument that EWS quota will breach 50% limit of reservation is not true as this limit imposed by the Supreme Court in Indira Sawhney case is not applicable after constitution amendment. The Centre also negates the petitioners argument that reservation cannot be provided only on the basis of economic criteria. It highlighted that several Committees have been set up wherein quantifiable data has been collected highlighting the need for having reservation for the economically weaker sections of the society. Go Tribal campaign Part of: GS Prelims and Mains Paper II – Issues Related to SCs & STs Key PT pointers: The campaign aims to create awareness and promote tribal arts and crafts as aid in socio economic welfare of over 700 Indian tribes. Central focus: The Tribal Affairs Ministry and Trifed has launched the Go tribal campaign in association with Amazon Global. The event also saw the global Launch of Tribes India through Amazon Global Selling under which Tribes India and Amazon Global Marketing will launch TRIBES India products globally. Note: The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) was established in 1987. The basic objective of the TRIFED is to provide good price to the products made or collected from the forest by the tribal peoples. International Whaling Commission (IWC) Part of: GS Prelims and Mains Paper III – Coastal Security; Environment and Biodiversity; Conservation of biodiversity In News: Japan has resumed commercial whale hunts after more than three decades. This came after Japan has withdrawn from the International Whaling Commission in 2018. About International Whaling Commission (IWC) IWC is an international body set up under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW). It aims to provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry. The main duty of the IWC is to keep under review and revise as necessary the measures laid down in the Schedule to the Convention which govern the conduct of whaling throughout the world. The commercial whaling was banned by the IWC in 1986 after some species were almost driven to extinction. IWC consists of 89 countries and all the member countries are signatories to this convention.India is a member of the IWC. Miscellaneous: Body cameras for cops Delhi High Court asked the Centre and the Delhi government to consider the suggestion of an advocate for providing body cameras to police officials to monitor their conduct as also of the public. (Example for Police Reforms) Body cameras will help to monitor and ensure proper conduct, behaviour of officials as well as public and to ensure foolproof and transparent prosecution in case of any violation. Do you know? ‘Police brutality’ is a civil rights violation that occurs when a police officer acts with excessive force by using an amount of force with regards to a civilian that is more than necessary. App to track your carbon footprint to be launched Maharashtra government to launch app that will track citizens’ carbon footprint and reward those who achieve an emission neutral status. The move aims to reduce pollution and carbon emission in Maharashtra. The idea of the app was initiated after Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised international organisations to bring India’s pollution levels to 2005 levels by 2030. The footprints of an individual, as per the app, will include his use of electricity, air conditioning, kitchen activities among others. Do you know? India has, as part of the Paris Summit, promised to reduce green house gas emission by 20% to 25%. (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education, Human Resources. It’s time to act, not do more research: On National Education Policy Background Government has begun to rethink of higher education policies through the draft NEP (National Education Policy) and EQUIP (Education Quality Upgradation and Inclusion Programme). Before this draft education policy and EQUIP, there are many reports aimed at improving higher education in independent India such as Radhakrishnan Commission of 1949, the National Education Policies of 1968 and 1986, the Yashpal Committee of 2009, the National Knowledge Commission in 2007, etc. Recommendations of most of these reports are similar. Therefore the time, energy and resources that EQUIP will require can be better spent on implementing rather than further research. Challenges before Current Higher Education System Inadequate allocation of funds Higher education in India has been chronically underfunded — it spends less than most other BRICS countries on higher education. Inadequate funding is evident at all levels. The last Budget allocated only ₹37,461 crore for the higher education sector. Other related ministries and departments such as Space, Scientific and Industrial Research, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Science and Technology, Health Research and Agricultural Research have been allocated only modest support. Funding for basic research, which is largely a Central government responsibility, lags behind peer countries. Low enrollment and Non completion At present, India’s gross enrolment ratio is 25.8%, significantly behind China’s 51% or much of Europe and North America, where 80% or more young people enroll in higher education. India’s challenge is even greater because half of the population is under 25 years of age. It is interesting to note that while the draft NEP aims at increasing the gross enrolment ratio to at least 50% by 2035, EQUIP targets doubling the gross enrolment ratio to 52% by 2024. The challenge is not only to enrol students, but to ensure that they can graduate. Non-completion is a serious problem in the sector. Standard of quality of education It is universally recognised that much of Indian higher education is of relatively poor quality. Employers often complain that they cannot hire graduates without additional training. Poor quality and commercial interests of private sector The private sector is a key part of the equation. India has the largest number of students in private higher education in the world. But much of private higher education is of poor quality and commercially oriented. Structure and governance of higher education system There is too much bureaucracy at all levels, and in some places, political and other pressures are immense. Professors have little authority and the hand of government and managements is too heavy. At the same time, accountability for performance is generally lacking. Way forward India needs; Dramatically increased funding from diverse sources, and the NEP’s recommendation for a new National Research Foundation is a welcome step in this direction; Significantly increased access to post-secondary education, but with careful attention to both quality and affordability, and with better rates of degree completion; Longitudinal studies on student outcomes; To develop “world class” research-intensive universities, so that it can compete for the best brains, produce top research, and be fully engaged in the global knowledge economy; To ensure that the private higher education sector works for the public good; To develop a differentiated and integrated higher education system, with institutions serving manifold societal and academic needs; Reforms in the governance of college and universities to permit autonomy and innovation at the institutional level; Better coordination between the University Grants Commission and ministries and departments involved in higher education, skill development, and research. Connecting the dots: What are the challenges before current higher education system of India? Critically analyse in context of draft national education policy 2019. NATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Human Resources, etc. Self care in India: Miles to go Introduction World Health Organization has released self-help guidelines for sexual and reproductive health. Need of self care With the ability to prevent disease, maintain health and cope with illness and disability with or without reliance on health-care workers, self-care interventions are gaining more importance. Millions of people, including in India, face the twin problems of acute shortage of healthcare workers and lack of access to essential health services. According to WHO reports over 400 million across the world already lack access to essential health services and there will be a shortage of about 13 million health-care workers by 2035. About Self care Self-care would mean different things for people living in very diverse conditions. While it would mean convenience, privacy and ease for people belonging to the upper strata who have easy access to healthcare facilities anytime, for those living in conditions of vulnerability and lack access to health care, it becomes the primary, timely and reliable form of care. The WHO recognises self-care interventions as a means to expand access to health services. Soon, the WHO would expand the guidelines to include other self-care interventions, including for prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases. Self care in India Pregnancy and abortion India has some distance to go before making self-care interventions for sexual and reproductive health freely available to women. Home-based pregnancy testing is the most commonly used self-help diagnostics in this area in India. Interventions include self-managed abortions using approved drugs that can be had without the supervision of a healthcare provider. While the morning-after pills are available over the counter, mifepristone and misoprostol are scheduled drugs and need a prescription from a medical practitioner, thus defeating the very purpose of the drugs. HIV self test The next commonly consumed drug to prevent illness and disease is the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention. India is yet to come up with guidelines for PrEP use and include it in the national HIV prevention programme. One of the reasons why people shy away from getting tested for HIV is stigma and discrimination. The home-based testing provides privacy. WHO approved the HIV self-test to improve access to HIV diagnosis in 2016. Conclusion Self-care, which mostly happens outside the formal health system, is nothing new. India has some distance to cover before making self-care interventions freely available. Connecting the dots: Self-care interventions can act as a means to expand access to health services. Comment. (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Featured Comments and comments Up-voted by IASbaba are the “correct answers”. IASbaba App users – Team IASbaba will provide correct answers in comment section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Q.1) With reference to Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which of the following statements is/are incorrect? AFSPA is currently operational in Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir Section (3) of the AFSPA empowers the governor of the state or Union Territory to declare a region ‘disturbed’ Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements: Index of Industrial Production (IIP) is released by the Central Statistics office. The Eight Core Industries comprise more than 60% of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements about International Whaling Commission (IWC) India is a member of the IWC It is one of the United Nations Agencies It acts under the Law of the Sea Convention Select the INCORRECT statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above MUST READ Lessons from Bhutan The Hindu GST: Two years on, birth pangs have been addressed, the system has stabilised Indian Express Imitation registry: on Nagaland NRC The Hindu

Jul 2, 2019 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 17

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 17 Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘International Whaling Commission (IWC)’ It allows non-zero whaling quotas for aboriginal subsistence Japan is the only country who opposes a moratorium on commercial whaling adopted by IWC Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) ‘Cirrochroa thais’ was in news recently. It is a State Butterfly of Maharashtra Tamil Nadu Sikkim Arunachal Pradesh Q.3) Which of the following countries are members of ‘International Security Alliance’? United Arab Emirates France India Singapore Select the correct code: 1 and 2 Only 1, 2 and 3 2 and 3 1,2 and 4 Q.4) ‘ISALEX’ is joint security exercise of Shanghai Cooperation organisation International Security Alliance European Union Gulf Cooperation Council Q.5) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Strum Ataka’ It is an anti-tank missile It is being developed jointly by India and Israel Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best IASbaba

Jul 1, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 1st July 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 1st July 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) GST enters its third year Part of Mains GS III Indian Economy In news: The Goods and Services Tax (GST) has entered its third year. There is a need to ease the complexity surrounding procedures, especially with regard to registration and return filing. Addressing procedural complexities of the GST portal system, implementation concerns and making compliance easier will further accelerate ease of doing business for industry in India A key highlight of the new indirect tax system, according to trade bodies, has been the way the GST Council, the nodal body deciding rates and procedures, has addressed industry’s concerns and modified rules to make the system easier. While the proactive manner in which the GST Council has addressed concerns has put industry at ease, there are still several procedural issues that need resolution. (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 1 Changes in critical geographical features(including water-bodies and ice-caps) and the effects of such changes. General studies 3 Environmental degradation and conservation Things to do to avoid another water crisis Introduction Chennai has been reeling under its worst water crisis in decades with its four main reservoirs nearly empty. Groundwater too has been over extracted. Background Rainwater harvesting is mandatory in Tamil Nadu since 2003. This meant that building approval for new apartments and dwellings were not to be granted by the Chennai City Corporation unless the building plan included a RWH component. The order also mandated that all existing buildings in Tamil Nadu install RWH structures. Sixteen years later, an audit by the non-governmental organisation Rain Centre has shown that most government buildings in Chennai do not have a functioning RWH structure; these include several police stations and municipality buildings. Do you know? Rain Water Harvesting Rain water harvesting is collection and storage of rain water that runs off from roof tops, parks, roads, open grounds, etc. This water run-off can be either stored or recharged into the ground water. Suggestions to solve water crisis Need for water governance According to a recent NITI Aayog report, 21 Indian cities will run out of groundwater by 2020 if usage continues at the current rate. Water governance in cities across India has been ad hoc. Learning their lessons from the Chennai crisis, other metropolitan cities should now set up urban water planning and management boards, a permanent body similar to urban development authorities, that regulate the supply, demand and maintenance of water services and structures. The authorities shall monitor and regulate groundwater supply in these metropolitan areas. Desalination plants must also be set up especially in coastal cities to increase drinkable supply of water for citizens. Increased supply of drinking water will reduce the dependency on water tankers which in times of crisis charge exorbitant prices. Considering opinion of experts, beds of existing lakes can be deepened for greater water storage and better water percolation. The urban water management board should also oversee the desilting of lakes in the city on a regular basis. Water Tariff Government can apply water tariff on the line of electricity supply especially in areas where there is extreme water crisis. Government can apply differential pricing and cross-subsidise households based on per capita income and water usage. Practices adopted across the world We can benefit from best practices adopted in cities across the world facing severe water crisis. For eg. Cape Town introduced the idea of Day Zero to reduce water usage and manage water consumption as per need. Day Zero refers to when most of the city’s tap will be switched off. Nal se Jal Scheme Providing drinking water to all households including rural areas is an important mission for the new government and in this regard Nal se Jal scheme aims to provide piped drinking water to every rural home by 2024. Jal Shakti Abhiyan The Centre is set to initiate the Jal Shakti Abhiyan to ramp up rainwater harvesting and conservation efforts in 255 water-stressed districts from July 1, in line with the government’s promise to focus on water. Though water is a State issue, the campaign will be coordinated by 255 central IAS officers of Joint or Additional Secretary-rank, drawn from ministries as varied as Space, Petroleum and Defence, according to a notification issued by the Department of Personnel and Training. The campaign will run from July 1 to September 15 in States receiving rainfall during the south-west monsoon, while States receiving rainfall in the retreating or north-east monsoon will be covered from October 1 to November 30. It would aim to accelerate water harvesting, conservation and borewell recharge activities along with existing water body restoration and afforestation schemes. Progress would be monitored in real time through mobile applications and an online dashboard at indiawater.gov.in A major communications campaign on TV, radio, print, local and social media will be carried out, with celebrities mobilized to generate awareness for the campaign. Conclusion The issue with any crisis in India is the fire-fighting strategy that we adopt in response as opposed to systematised solutions. These stop-gap arrangements are soon forgotten when things temporarily go back to normal instead of making an attempt to deeply ingrain these practices in the system. The scarcity of essential resources not only leads to economic losses but also social unrest. A sustainable governance solution to this problem along with public participation is essential to ensure that our future generations do not suffer as a result of our failures. Connecting the dots: Comment on the need of Water governance in India. NATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors Development processes and the development industry Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance, applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential A digital power Introduction The visionary initiative of Digital India was launched in 2015. Digital India strives to bring inclusive growth and bridge the digital divide by leveraging technology solutions that are low cost, developmental, transformative and designed to empower ordinary Indians. Four years down the line, the success of Digital India is finding global resonance and its transformative character is being appreciated. Achievements of Digital India Internet connectivity One of the largest digital infrastructures of the world was conceived to connect all the 250,000 gram panchayats by a high-speed optical fiber network. Today with 3.40 lakh km of optical fiber laid, Bharat Net has reached 1.29 lakh gram panchayats. India of 2019 is recognised as a country with the second largest internet user base, and which offers internet access, data and mobile at the cheapest tariffs in the world. Aadhaar and Mobile Aadhaar-based eKYC has made it easy to open bank accounts or to get instant mobile SIMs without any paperwork. The Aadhaar-linked universal account number (UAN) has made it a hassle free transfer of provident fund deposits. The eHospital services have made it easy to take online appointments in 322 major hospitals. The UMANG mobile app has created a mega digital mobile platform where 362 services of 18 states and the union government can be accessed in 13 Indian languages. Online scholarships, e-Visa, soil health cards etc. have made the delivery of services faster. The trinity of Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile (JAM) has facilitated direct benefit transfers of financial entitlements of various government schemes directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries. This has resulted in saving of Rs 1.41 lakh crore of tax payers’ money by plugging leakages, curbing corruption and eliminating fake beneficiaries. PMGDISHA The world’s largest digital literacy programme, the Pradhan Mantri Grameen Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA), which aims to train six crore rural adults, has trained 2.21 crore beneficiaries. Common Service Centres Retired persons can withdraw their pensions from common service centres (CSC) in villages by making a simple biometric authentication. About 3.76 lakh CSCs started offering a wide variety of digital services like banking, insurance, utility bill payment, pension, MGNREGA wage payments, ticket booking, digital skilling, public Wi-Fi in villages, tele-medicine services and are playing a key role in developing digital villages. This has created a new breed of rural digital entrepreneurs across the country, and have created 12 lakh jobs locally. Digital payments In March, 2019, the total number of digital payment transactions hit an all-time high of 332.34 crore. India’s home grown fin-tech innovation, BHIM-UPI, whose humble beginning in December, 2016, is scaling new heights of popularity. IT industry and BPO To promote the IT industry beyond a few big urban clusters, and to provide IT jobs to youth in semi-urban areas, a humble beginning was made under the BPO promotion scheme. Today 202 BPO centres at 100 locations across India are giving jobs to thousands of young men and women. Electronics manufacturing Electronics manufacturing in India has doubled in last few years. India was home to only two mobile phone manufacturing units in 2014. Now, India stands tall in the global community as the second largest mobile phone manufacturer, with 268 mobile handset and accessories manufacturing units having started functioning in last five years. Future Skills Changes in the economy due to growing digitisation will also require frequent training and retraining of human resources. Future Skills online platform has been launched for continuous skill development and upgradation of workforce. Way forward Digital initiatives like smart cities, digitisation of governance, digital villages, high speed internet in every part of India, digital inclusion and digital empowerment shall be fueled by emerging technologies like the internet of things, data analytics and artificial intelligence. The next level of digitisation in governance will strive to digitise internal processes of the government. The use of data analytics and artificial intelligence will also help in effective monitoring of performance and develop system automation for future. Besides friendly policies, the government shall strive to explore more ways to improve participation of India’s startups in the digital transformation. India’s growing digital profile has made it a data powerhouse. A personal data protection law should be brought soon that will not only address the privacy concerns of individuals, curb misuse of personal data, but will also be an enabler for creating a vibrant data economy. Conclusion Creating a faceless, paperless, cashless and digital interface between government and citizens has immensely helped in curbing corruption, delays in service delivery and leakages. India has taken a leap towards digital transformation. Its successes in leveraging digital technologies for transforming governance and lives of ordinary Indians is being appreciated by the world. Connecting the dots: India is emerging as a data powerhouse. Comment in the light of achievements of 'Digital India'. (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Featured Comments and comments Up-voted by IASbaba are the “correct answers”. IASbaba App users – Team IASbaba will provide correct answers in comment section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Q.1) The Jal Shakti Abhiyan mission is related to, Water harvesting and conservation. It is a mission against agencies running illegal water tankers. Checking encroachment of water bodies. None of the above Q.2) Consider the following statements about Nal se Jal scheme It aims to provide piped drinking water to households in rural areas. It aims to do so by 2024. Select the Correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ Start with preventive care The Hindu A thumbs down to unilateralism The Hindu It’s time to act, not do more research The Hindu Be soft, smart and quite Indian Express

Jul 1, 2019 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 16

UPSC Quiz - 2020 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 16 Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘PUNCH Mission’ It is a joint mission by ISRO and JAXA. It is aimed at clearing space debris around Indian and Japanese Satellites and make way for Indian workable space station. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC)’ It is legally binding in nature UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) serves as Secretariat for the UNCAC. It does not address the cross-border nature of corruption Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.3) Which of the following statements is/are correct? In India capital punishment is a statutory provision. The 20th Law Commission in 2015 recommended the abolition of death penalty in a swift manner except in terror related cases. Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) NASA’s Dragonfly mission is associated with Mars Saturn Jupiter Bennu Asteroid Q.5) ‘Aruna Sundararajan Committee’ is associated with Groundwater Recharge Telecom Sector Interchange Fee Disaster Management Policy To Download the Solution - Click here All the Best IASbaba

Jun 30, 2019 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Logic and Belief – Inspirational Educative Articles

Logic & Belief: There certainly is no contest between knowledge that is based on logic and knowledge that is based on some belief. We have almost fully accepted the importance of knowing and believing in things that can be backed by scientific and logical evidence. But, can everything be logically proven? Is there no place for belief in our lives? Or are we simply delusional in thinking that logic has replaced our beliefs fully? Firstly, we have to understand that logic and belief are not mutually exclusive entities. They are mutually inclusive; it is impossible for logic to exist without some form of underlying belief. Even belief in logic is a form of belief. In fact, it is our ability to believe that makes any form of logic and science possible. Of course, there is an ocean of difference between blind belief that goes contrary to all logic, and belief that supports and sustains our way of life. Believing just for the sake of believing is always a serious problem, but is it really possible to live without beliefs? Just imagine living one day of your life by throwing away all your beliefs. Do you think you will be able to live even a single day without relying on any of your beliefs to make important life decisions? Even if you are able to get through such a day, what would such a day be like? How different would such a day be to your normal day? I am sure you are able to see the point – It is impossible to live without beliefs. It almost seems like; precisely because beliefs are so important to us and logical thinking is just an extension of our belief system, we tend to value logic more than belief – It’s like valuing the cherry on top of the cake and forgetting that the cherry wouldn’t be there in the first place if not for the cake. If belief is a cell phone then logic is an app that we use to make life easier; the app can never replace the cell phone! While science is modern, relevant and evolving, belief is ancient, deep and basic; both have their important places in life. The debate of logic vs belief is no longer relevant. We are rapidly moving towards a world in which it is becoming more and more difficult to believe. This is the reason for a lot of our mental stress and strife. The single biggest reason for our daily frustration is that we are no longer able to simply believe or not believe in certain things – we need a logical and empirical proof for everything. Since life at its core is a set of beliefs we hold dearly to us, we are becoming disoriented in an all too logical world that is making it difficult for us to hold on to our beliefs. The solution to this problem is quite simple. The solution lies in embracing both logic and belief as essential ingredients of life. In today’s predominantly logical and scientific world, if we have to maintain our sanity, we have to pick and choose our beliefs wisely and hold on to those beliefs that help us and discard those that don’t. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Inner-Revolution and IASBABA.”

Jun 29, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 29th June 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 29th June 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) President’s rule for 6 more months in J&K Part of: Prelims and Mains GS II Polity and Governance In news The Lok Sabha on 28 June 2019 approved the extension of President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir for another six months, beginning July 3. The democratic, free and fair Assembly elections will be held in the State by the year-end. Do you know? President's rule According to Article 356 of the constitution, President’s rule can be imposed in a state “if a situation has arisen in which the government of the state cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the constitution." In other states, the Centre invokes Article 356 to impose President’s rule. Governor's Rule in J&K In Jammu and Kashmir the failure of governmental function results in Governor’s rule under Section 92 of the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir. The Governor later obtains the consent of the President of India. It is only when the Governor’s rule is not revoked for six months that the President’s rule is imposed in the state under Article 356. In Governor’s rule, lawmaking power, financial power, budgetary sanction, all these powers are with the Governor. Once President’s rule is imposed, lawmaking power is transferred to the parliament; the Budget is also passed by Parliament. Meetings on the Sidelines of G20 Part of: Prelims and Mains GS II International Relations In news India-US Meet Leaders of both the countries acknowledged the breadth and depth of bilateral ties, including economic, trade, energy, defence and security, counterterrorism and space. They reiterated their commitment to provide strong leadership to address global challenges and build prosperity for their citizens in the decades to come. On Iran It is in India’s fundamental interest to maintain peace and stability in the region. India's intrests in the region: Indian diaspora in the region Energy requirements Economic interest in the region India's stand on 5G and data storage On technological issues such as data storage and 5G network, India ranged itself across the divide from Japan and the U.S., and alongside leaders of BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa). Data storage The need for framing rules on data within the WTO and not at the G-20, running counter to Japan’s initiative as the host of this year’s G-20 summit, to push for “Data Free Flow with Trust, (DFFT)”. Prime minister Modi refered data as a “new form of wealth”. 5G Technology On the issue of 5G technology, where the U.S. has demanded that countries ban Chinese telecom major Huawei’s 5G network because of its ability to spy on them, India had given no assurances to US. On BRICS informal meeting Terrorism as the biggest threat to humanity Describing terrorism as the biggest threat to humanity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the scourge not only kills innocents but also severely affects economic development and social stability. There is a need to stop all the mediums of support to terrorism and racism. Three major challenges First major challenge; Instability and downfall in the global economy. Unilateralism and competitiveness are overshadowing the rule-based mutilateral global trade systems. The second challenge is to make development sustainable and all-inclusive. Terrorism is the third major challenge. ‘SHE Team’ on the patrol in Odisha Part of: Prelims and Mains GS II Polity and Governance In news ‘SHE Team’, the innovative pilot project launched by Odisha’s Gajapati district police to ensure safety and security of young girls and women. About SHE Team SHE stands for ‘Safety, Health and Environment’. This project is modelled on the lines of Hyderabad ‘SHE Team’. The ‘SHE Team’ is headed by a lady sub-inspector and includes mobile patrolling teams. Four female and three male police personnel will assist her. They will patrol schools, colleges, other local institutions and public places, where young girls and women are allegedly subjected to eve teasing, stalking and harassment. The website of ‘SHE Team’ has been launched and a mobile app is under construction. ‘SHE Team’ will also try to prevent harassment of working women at workplaces and public places where they move for their job. It will teach self-defence and cyber space safety to young girls and children. It will visit child care institutions and make children aware about sexual abuse. NASA to send a drone to Saturn’s largest moon Part of Prelims and Mains GS III Science and Tech In news For its next mission in our solar system, NASA plans to fly a drone copter to Saturn’s largest moon Titan in search of the building blocks of life. The Dragonfly mission The Dragonfly mission, which will launch in 2026 and land in 2034, will send a rotorcraft to fly to dozens of locations across the icy moon, which has a substantial atmosphere and is viewed by scientists as an equivalent of very early-era earth. It is the only celestial body besides our planet known to have liquid rivers, lakes and seas on its surface, though these contain hydrocarbons like methane and ethane, not water. NASA said the vehicle would have eight rotors and fly like a large drone. During its 2.7-year baseline mission, Dragonfly will explore diverse environments from organic dunes to the floor of an impact crater where liquid water and complex organic materials key to life once existed together for possibly tens of thousands of years. (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL TOPIC:General studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections Redefining & Rethinking Poverty Introduction: According to the Tendulkar poverty line, poverty is today around 4.5 per cent of the population or less than 70 million. According to the World Bank poverty line poverty in India is estimated at 31 per cent down from 57 per cent in 2011/12. There is a 26 ppt decline in poverty over six years. Rethinking poverty: We are not a poor country any more, not with just 4.5 per cent of the population classified as poor (the Tendulkar poverty line of Rs 44 per person per day in 2017-18 prices). We have always considered food consumption as the ultimate criterion of poverty. Hence, we have built up an elaborate (too elaborate) ecosystem of food production, consumption, and distribution. Time has come to dismantle this ecosystem — an ecosystem that is biased against the poor farmer, against climate change mitigation and also against efficient use of water and energy. Poverty is now not just about food but living standards — sanitation, housing, piped water, electricity, education, health, and jobs. And on each of these elements, the focus should shift to quality, not quantity. Defining poverty in relative, not absolute terms. Most European nations have a relative definition of poverty — that is, a fixed proportion of the median income. Contribution of the DBT system: A large part of this decline took place due to better targeting of government programmes — made possible by expanded (and extensive) use of direct benefit transfers (DBT). The direct benefit transfer mechanism has been able to resolve targeting problems for a bulk of the 430 government schemes and subsidies. The current PM-Kisan programme that provides income support to approximately 14 crore farmers is an example of how, through DBT, the government can provide direct income support as its focal policy towards poverty alleviation. Such a policy is likely to help in rationalising and consolidating poverty reduction programmes, thereby freeing up resources for other sectors in the economy. Going forward: Targeted basic income programme: The new approach towards poverty alleviation should involve targeted income transfers. The government can transfer the poverty gap (difference between per capita consumption of the household and the poverty line faced by the household) into the bank account of the poor. The cost of such a programme is likely to be between Rs 2.5 and 3 trillion and it will ensure nobody has a consumption below the poverty line. India’s current expense on poverty alleviation programmes is approximately Rs 3.4 trillion. A basic income programme is likely to cost substantially less that the current policies. Bringing more people under the tax net at the higher income brackets: To improve revenue realisation from direct taxes, the government should focus on improving compliance by reducing the highest slabs of the tax rate. The Indian economy requires adequate investments in critical areas such as road, railways and water. Therefore, the government needs to rationalise its expenditure and tax rates to ensure reallocation of resources. Conclusion: Our pace of poverty reduction has improved over the last five years. We can augment this through a targeted basic income policy and free up resources for other sectors of the economy. Times have changed and so should our policies towards poverty alleviation. Connecting the dots: While India has seen a great decline in poverty rates over last few years. It is time we rethink on the definition of poverty and on the policies intended to remove it. Comment. SOCIAL ISSUES TOPIC: General studies 2: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections. Basic rights for all What are basic needs? Needs are different from wants. You may want a chocolate every morning but don’t need it. But basic needs are different: their non-fulfilment can cause great harm, even kill. The failure to get an antibiotic if you have a bacterial infection can hurt badly. Wants are subjective. Needs depend on the way human bodies are constituted. They are a solid necessity; one cannot get on without them. Nor can they be fulfilled by substitutes. For us, nothing can take the place of water, food and air. People suffer if basic needs are met inadequately or with delay. They are then denied a minimally decent life. Elementary justice requires that before anything else, the state does everything at its disposal to satisfy all basic needs of its citizens, particularly of those who cannot fend for themselves. What are Basic rights? A right is something that is owed to us; it is not a favour. Basic rights are claims on the state to provide us with goods and services that satisfy our basic needs. When something is identified as a basic right, it puts the state under a duty to enable its exercise. The state becomes its guarantor. When society and government reneges on its commitment to do so, we hold them accountable. Basic rights: The right to minimum economic security and subsistence, that includes clean air, uncontaminated water, nutritious food, clothing and shelter. Credible threats to these rights can be reduced by the government by establishing institutions and practices that assist the vulnerable; for example, by setting up hospitals with adequate number of doctors, nurses, beds, medical equipment, intensive care units, essential drugs and emergency treatments. Vulnerability, accountability- The right to free public expression of helplessness and frustration, if deprived of other basic rights. The right to make one’s vulnerability public, be informed about the acts of commission and omission of the government regarding anything that adversely affects the satisfaction of basic needs, to critically examine them and to hold state officials publicly accountable is a basic right on a par with right to physical security and subsistence and inseparably linked to them. What needs to be done: Like the constitutional principle of a basic structure, it is time to articulate an equally robust doctrine of basic rights. These basic rights must be viewed primarily as positive, rights not against interference from the state (negative rights) but to the provision of something by it. Just as individuals are punished for legal violations, the government of the day must also be punished for the violation of these basic rights. Defaulting governments must be held legally accountable. The systematic violation of basic rights must be treated on a par with the breakdown of constitutional machinery. Conclusion: The above basic rights can be summed up in a single phrase, the right to a minimally decent life. The point of having a threshold of minimal decency is that our life must not fall below a certain level of existence. Anything short of a minimally decent life is simply not acceptable. Governments must be made accountable when they undermine the exercise of these basic rights. Connecting the dots: What in your definition are basic needs? In order to fulfill these needs it is time to articulate an equally robust doctrine of basic rights. Critically analyse. (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Featured Comments and comments Up-voted by IASbaba are the “correct answers”. IASbaba App users – Team IASbaba will provide correct answers in comment section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Q.1) The Dragonfly mission is related to - Saturn Mars Saturn’s Moon: Titan None of the above Q.2) Consider the following statements about SHE Team SHE stands for ‘Safety, Health and Environment’. ‘SHE Team’ will try to prevent harassment of working women at workplaces and public places only. Select the Correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements regarding state of Jammu and Kashmir, Governor’s Rule and President’s Rule are one and the same. Once President’s rule is imposed, lawmaking power is transferred to the parliament. Select the Correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ Even central banks needs ‘capital’ infusion The Hindu Things to avoid another water crisis The Hindu

Jun 29, 2019 Important Articles

UPDATE : ONLINE INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAMME (ILP)2020 – (15 % DISCOUNT till 15th of July 2019 for Previous ILP/AIPTS Subscribers)!

UPDATE : ONLINE INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAMME (ILP)2020 – (15 % DISCOUNT till 15th of July 2019 for Previous ILP/AIPTS Subscribers)! Hello Friends, The most trusted and the most sought after online initiative for CSE 2020 is ready to take off. We will be starting off from 1st July 2019. We have been getting many requests from students (Previous ILP Subscribers) to provide discount. Infact there are many who had enrolled for two consecutive years appreciating the quality of the programme. We are thankful to all of you to make this programme such a huge success and one of the Best ONLINE Initiatives. As a token of gratitude, we are giving a discount of 15% for our previous ILP/AIPTS Subscribers. Invite has already been sent via mail to all our Previous subscribers (2016/2017/2018/2019 AIPTS or ILP), to let them avail this opportunity. Please check you mail. For NEW FEATURES of ILP and Topper’s Testimonials of our ILP Programme – CLICK HERE This post is for those ILP/AIPTS students who are not aware of the discount. Important Steps to follow while making the payment to avail the discount: The Registration would remain the same (Just like previous year's). This time, you will be given the option to enter the coupon which will be Instamojo Payment ID of Previous ILP/AIPTS something like MOJOxxx5000xx6xxx6x3. Note, you have to use the previously registered Email address of ILP/AIPTS in order to make the coupon work. ILP Online(Freshers/Veterans) – 8,400 + GST (18%) = Rs.9,912/- PAYMENT LINK For any Queries : Email id: ilp@iasbaba.com Thank You IASbaba

Jun 28, 2019 AIR

All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Salient Features of New National Education Policy

Salient features of New National Education Policy ARCHIVES Search 2nd June, 2019 Spotlight News Analysis here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education In News: The Government of India is bringing out a National Education Policy to meet the changing dynamics of the population’s requirement with regards to quality education, innovation and research. The main thrust of the draft policy is on breaking the “rigid boundaries of disciplines” in higher education and moving towards broad-based, flexible learning. Institutions offering single streams (such as technical education) must be phased out, and all universities and colleges must aim to become multidisciplinary by 2030, the report proposes. Committee: By former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan. Why: The great demographic dividend of India can easily turn into a curse if over the next decade the education system is not overhauled completely to transform from input-based system to outcome driven education model that boosts critical thinking and not rote learning. What ails school education? Learning Outcomes The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) by the NGO, Pratham, and the NCERT’s National Achievement Survey have shown that — There is a decline in learning levels from lower to higher grades, even as the country has been inching closer to achieving the Right to Education Act’s objective of universal enrollment for six to 14-year olds. More than 25 per cent of the youth in the age group of 14 to 18 can’t even read a basic text fluently — though more than 90 per cent of them were in school. Issues related to Teachers As per a report by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), about 74 countries face grave shortage of teachers, with India being second on the list. ASSOCHAM found that the dearth of school teachers is a problem that is pervasive at all levels of government schools in India, with 50 per cent vacancies in schools across India beside 30,000 vacancies for teachers in Haryana alone where more than 800 schools are being run without principals. Among 36 States and Union Territories, Jharkhand has the most acute secondary school teacher shortage at 70 per cent. Half of all secondary school teacher posts in Uttar Pradesh are vacant, as are a third in Bihar and Gujarat. Unique features The idea that lifelong education is based on four pillars — learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be — has inspired the committee to cover every aspect of the education sector: school, higher, vocational and adult education. Early childhood education: In school education, the idea is to cover children of 3-18 years [instead of the present 6-14 years under the Right to Education (RTE) Act], three years under early childhood care and education (ECCE) and four years under secondary education. Restructuring the 10+2 education structure into a 5+3+3+4 structure so that the five years from age’s three to seven or till the end of Std 2 are seen as one “foundational stage”. The next two stages, of three years each, are “preparatory” and “upper primary”, first ensure the acquisition of foundational skills and then their development. These stages are not only consistent with the development of children, but they are also useful to meet the overall goal of ensuring basic learning outcomes stage-by-stage. Higher education: The aim is to double the Gross Enrolment Ratio from 25% to 50% by 2035 and make universities the hubs of research. Tier I universities/institutions devoted primarily to research and some teaching. Tier 2 universities devoted to teaching and some research,. Tier 3 institutions comprising mainly colleges that are to be converted gradually into degree-giving autonomous institutions. Achieve ‘universal foundational literacy and numeracy’ through initiatives like the National Tutors Programme and the Remedial Instructional Aides Programme. Introduction of school complexes, a system of modular Board Examinations to allow flexibility, setting up Special Education Zones in disadvantaged regions, recognising teachers at the heart of the system, moving teacher education into the university system, and stressing the importance of learning new languages are among the key recommendations. The policy recommends community and volunteer participation in collaboration with schools to overcome the current crisis. Schools generally work in isolation from the community they serve. The policy recognises the crucial importance of liberal arts(it recommends setting up five Indian Institutes of Liberal Arts offering four-year courses) and the study of modern and classical languages (it recommends setting up National Institutions for Pali, Prakrit and Persian). Reintroduction of the four-year undergraduate programme in Liberal Arts Science Education (LASE) with multiple exit options, and scrapping of the MPhil programme. The LASE curriculum will be designed to develop broadly “useful capacities” (critical thinking, communication skills, scientific temper, social responsibilities etc), while offering rigorous education in specialisations (called majors or dual majors) across disciplines. It proposes separate institutions for regulation, funding, standard setting and accreditation, a National Research Foundation, and a Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog/ National Education Commission. Vocational education, meant for 50% of the students, is sought to be integrated with school and higher education. Technology in Education Training of teachers in the use of educational technology, and use of educational technology for professional development of teachers Classroom tools and curriculum, such as “computational training”, online course software etc. Access for those disadvantaged students who cannot attend a physical school. Overall educational records management with a National Repository of Educational Data. Challenges in implementation: Doubling of public funding to 6% of the GDP and increasing overall public expenditure on education to 20% from the current 10%. This is desirable but does not appear to be feasible in the near future given that most of the additional funding has to come from the States. Though innovative financing schemes have been proposed, involving the private sector, how those schemes will shape up remains to be seen. Expanding coverage under the RTE Act is extremely important, but should be introduced gradually, keeping in mind the quality of infrastructure and teacher vacancies. The idea of regulation being brought under the National Higher Education Regulatory Authority, standard setting under the General Education Council and funding under the Higher Education Grants Council may require a revisit so that there is synchronisation with the current Bill for the Higher Education Commission of India. Language issues have to be handled sensitively in view of their emotional overtones, as witnessed recently. Conclusion There is an addendum to the policy called “Make it Happen”. It outlines the issue of financing in detail. In short, the projection is that the expenditure of the government on education, which is at 10 per cent of all public expenditure today, will need to be doubled. The “learning crisis” is very deep. The education system — public and private — has been deteriorating rapidly and has affected the quality of our human resources. If this trend is not reversed, the dysfunctional system will become more and more expensive but will not deliver the goods. It will require a huge commitment and conviction to make it happen. Mindmap: Right to Education Connecting the Dots: Low standards in education, lack of requisite skills and unemployment form a vicious cycle which is detrimental to India’s demographic dividend. Comment. Discuss unique features of the draft National Education Policy, 2019. Also comment on the challenges in implementation of suggested recommendations. Education is termed as the growth engine for any country in this century. Examine if India’s potential demographic divided is ready for the challenge Education and skills are complementary to each other. However, institutional set up is required to give them fillip and sustain their growth. Analyse.

Jun 28, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 28th June 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 28th June 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) National mission on natural language translation soon Part of Prelims and Mains GS III Science and Tech In news The Ministry of Electronics and IT will soon place before the Union Cabinet a proposal for Natural Language Translation — one of the key missions identified by the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC). The national mission on natural language translation The national mission on natural language translation aims to make science and technology accessible to all by facilitating access to teaching and researching material bilingually — in English and in one’s native Indian language. To achieve this, the government plans to leverage a combination of machine translation and human translation. The IT ministry is the lead agency for implementation of the mission along with Ministry of Human Resource Development and Department of Science and Technology. Significance Translation activities can also help generate employment for educated unemployed. The mission would help not just students who find it difficult to access knowledge because of language barrier, but also teachers, authors, publishers, translation software developers and general readers. PM-STIAC The PM- STIAC is an overarching body that identifies challenges in certain areas of science and technology. Police station in Satara tops SMART police survey Part of Prelims and Mains GS II Polity and governance In news Recently the Quality council of India, executed a survey based on the SMART police concept. In the survey , the Kalu police station in Rajasthan’s Bikaner topped the survey followed by PS in Andaman and West Bengal. The survey was commissioned by Union Home Ministry and was executed by the Quality council of India. Do you know? About SMART Police Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 called for making the police a ‘SMART’ force — Strict and Sensitive, Modern and Mobile, Alert and Accountable, Reliable and Responsive, Techno savvy and Trained. About QCI Quality Council of India (QCI) was set up in 1997 by Government of India jointly with Indian Industry as an autonomous body under the administrative control of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. Indian industry is represented in QCI by three premier industry associations namely ASSOCHAM; CII; and FICCI. (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL TOPIC:General studies 3 Government policies and interventions Economic Growth and Development UK Sinha Panel on MSMEs In news: The RBI-appointed U K Sinha panel on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) has made a slew of sensible recommendations. From a new code to rid the sector of inspector raj to improving credit access and tackling distress, the report covers a lot of ground. MSMEs: Key engine of growth The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector in India is not only a key engine of growth, contributing more than 28% of the GDP and about 45% to manufacturing output. It is also a true reflection of economics where people really matter. Providing employment to about 111 million people, the sector’s health is crucial to the economy’s vitality and society’s well being. Multiple challenges faced by the sector includes the absence of formalisation, stilted access to credit, delayed payments and infrastructural bottlenecks. Recommendations: 13-year-old law, the MSME Development Act, 2006 — be changed to prioritise market facilitation and ease of doing business. Observing that many Indian start-ups that are at the forefront of innovation are drawn to look overseas, given the conducive business environment and the availability of infrastructure and exit policies, the committee suggest that a new law ought to address the sector’s biggest bottlenecks, including access to credit and risk capital. Reimagining solutions to improve credit flow to MSMEs. Repurposing the Small Industries Development Bank of India. In its expanded role, it is envisaged that the SIDBI could not only deepen credit markets for MSMEs in under-served regions by being a provider of comfort to lenders including NBFCs and micro-finance institutions, but also become a market-maker for SME debt. The panel has made a case for greater adoption of technology-facilitated solutions to a plethora of problems encountered by the sector. To address the issue of delayed payments, the mandatory uploading of invoices above a specified amount to an information utility has been recommended. The aim is to name and shame buyers of goods and services from MSMEs to expedite settlements to suppliers. Expediting the integration of information on the Government e-Marketplace, or GeM, platform with the Trade Receivables Discounting System. The goal here is to boost liquidity at MSMEs. Banks should switch to cash flow-based lending, especially once account aggregators are operational and able to provide detailed data on borrowings. The report has suggested banks to base credit decisions on cash flow rather than collateral. Doubling collateral-free loans for MSMEs to Rs 20 lakh, raising the loan limit sanctioned under Mudra to Rs 20 lakh, creating a stressed asset fund of Rs 5,000 crore and a government-sponsored fund of funds of Rs 10,000 crore to support MSME equity. Conclusion: The RBI and the Centre should act on the above recommendations in order to help actualise the sector’s true economic potential. Connecting the dots: The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector in India is a key engine of growth. In this light discuss the recommendations of UK Sinha panel. DISASTER MANAGEMENT TOPIC: General studies 3: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Disaster and disaster management. Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. Funding Disaster Management Background: Cyclone Fani wreaked havoc in Odisha in May last year. In the current year, more than 10 states have faced drought conditions. Natural disasters are increasingly affecting large parts of the country. The impact of these is asymmetric as the poor suffer more. Effective management of disasters is not only required for preserving growth, but equally for addressing poverty and reducing inequality. The sine qua non for effective disaster management is adequate funding. Three stages in disaster management: Disaster mitigation—taking long-term steps such as putting in place early warning systems and rainwater harvesting structures to reduce the impact of disasters. Disaster relief—affected persons are provided assistance and essential services are restored. Disaster reconstruction—damaged infrastructure is rebuilt. The Disaster Management Act, 2005, requires that a disaster management plan and a mitigation plan be formulated at the district, state and national levels. Each is to be supported at every level by disaster relief and mitigation funds that must be set up. Thus, six plans and six funds are required to be created to manage disasters in India. Issue: Disaster management plans have been formulated. The National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Relief Funds (SDRF) have been set up. However, mitigation plans have not been prepared at any level. Also, the corresponding funds have not been set up. When disasters occur, states are driven to unorthodox sources of funding for following reasons. The NDRF through which the centre assists states when they face severe calamities is available only for disaster relief and not for mitigation or restoration. A similar provision applies to the SDRF. States must meet outlays for disaster mitigation and restoration, which are as important as relief, on their own. State governments underestimate the probability of adverse events occurring. They do not make adequate provision in their budgets for mitigation and reconstruction. The borrowing capacity of states is constrained under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act. Unorthodox measures adopted by states: The Kerala government levies a cess of 1% on its SGST for up to two years after approval from GST council. Such a cess will not be eligible for input tax credit and militates against the very idea of GST. Further, other states may make similar requests. No longer will it be “one tax for one nation". This option is thus not sustainable. Kerala issued rupee-denominated bonds overseas (masala bonds). Such an instrument of debt infringes Article 293(1) of the Constitution, which prohibits state governments from borrowing outside the territory of India. Way ahead: States facing calamities of rare severity should receive additional assistance. Such assistance should be drawn from a strengthened NDRF, which is financed by the National Calamity Contingency Duty (NCCD), the proceeds of which have fallen sharply after the introduction of GST. As its own resources are limited, the centre may consider expanding the tax base of the NCCD. This is a sustainable option to fund disaster management nationally. It will enable the creation of a national disaster mitigation fund as envisaged and required. In parallel, India’s states should set up state disaster mitigation funds on their own. Connecting the dots: When disasters occur, states are driven to unorthodox sources of funding. In this light highlight the importance of funding disaster management. (TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE) Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section) Note: Featured Comments and comments Up-voted by IASbaba are the “correct answers”. IASbaba App users – Team IASbaba will provide correct answers in comment section. Kindly refer to it and update your answers. Q.1) The national mission on natural language translation will be implemented by, Department of Science and Technology The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Ministry of Human Resource Development All of the above Q.2) Consider the following statements Recently the Quality council of India, executed a survey based on the SMART police concept. Quality Council of India (QCI) was set up by Government of India jointly with Indian Industry as an autonomous body. Select the Correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ Will the idea of one nation one poll work in India The Hindu Prudent prescription The Hindu BIMSTEC, a viable option The Hindu

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