May 21, 2019 Motivational Articles

MOTIVATION-The Problem of Benchmarking: How to avoid the most vital blunder in Civil Services Preliminary (CSP) Examination? (OPEN MOCK 2 ACTIVE)

ALL INDIA OPEN MOCK 2 (Both OFFLINE / ONLINE) FOR PRELIMS 2019 – General Studies 1 and CSAT (Paper 2) (OPEN TO ALL )- 60 DAYS PROGRAMME- Will be Active from 9.30 AM READ HERE TO REGISTER AND TAKE PART IN THE TEST- CLICK HERE How many marks are you targeting for Prelims this 2nd June? 140 or 150? Oh, is that on the higher side? Then, what was the cut off last year? Was it 100 or 110? You need to score at least 115 then; isn’t it? But what about the cut off of 2017 Prelims? Was it higher or lower? And why not talk about the cut offs in 2016 or for that matter all the preceding years? Won’t it be better if the average of the cutoffs for the years 2013 to 2018 is calculated to set a benchmark for your performance this year? Sounds logical. But there is a problem. Anyone having some knowledge of statistics would know the concept of standard deviation. If the standard deviation of a particular year is high, it can’t be relied upon as a reasonable benchmark. That’s a simple matter of fact that the community of Civil Services aspirants isn’t ready to accept. Time wasting speculations and unreasonable benchmarking have left aspirants disillusioned. Let us see how. What does a typical aspirant do two weeks before the examination? For most of the aspirants, the last two weeks before the examination are completely devoted to revision. However, since no one is at complete ease with his/ her preparation, they start doing unnecessary or rather counterproductive things. For example, they start analysing the cut off trends of the last few years. They start browsing topper’s videos to see whether attempting 90+ questions is a must in Prelims. More funnily, they also search for tips and tricks to guess answers with the help of probability and human psychology (read UPSC’s psychology). They get bewildered by the diversity of opinions. Some toppers and websites recommend attempting only those questions in which you are confident whereas many others suggest attempting at least 90. On the basis of the information that filters through different sources, a typical aspirant sets a target in his/ her mind, say to attempt at least 85 questions come what may. This target gets fossilised with the passage of time and under no circumstance, he/ she will deviate from it. What does the same aspirant do during the examination? In the examination hall, the preconceived targets haunt the aspirant. He/ she browses through the paper and immediately realises that answering more than 85 questions appears far fetched as the standard of the paper is tough. In the first round, he/ she attempts 50 questions and marks 20 to revisit them. In the first revisit, with the help of forced recall and intelligent guessing, he/she attempts 15 more. Then, the counting starts. Realising that he/ she has managed to answer only 65 i.e. 20 short of the target, he/ she then venture out in the tricky category of questions. While all this is happening, he/ she remains completely oblivious of the fact that the question paper might have been tougher this year. Even though he/ she is struggling to answer more than 65 questions, the unreasonable benchmarking (thanks to some toppers’ suggestion) makes him/ her attempt more. What if 65 questions aren’t enough. What if others have marked more than 90. What about those discussions on the forum wherein everyone unequivocally agreed that a minimum of 125 is a must this year? What about last year’s cut off? What if I lose it by one mark? What if only I am finding the paper difficult? So, by stretching the imaginations and applying the “tricks” of guessing the correct answers, he/ she manages to touch the benchmark of 85. Then greed starts kicking. Why not attempt 5 more to enter into the elite category of aspirants who must have attempted more than 90? Well, to do so, one needs to have blind faith on one’s gut feeling or intuition. Finally, the golden figure of 90 is achieved. The aspirant feels happy and satisfied. He/ she has aced the examination. But has he/ she? Let’s see. Reality Check  What might have happened in this case is that the aspirant would have sabotaged his chances by marking too many wrong answers? To leave one’s career on the mercy of sheer luck is not a good move. One must understand that each year, the examination is different and so are the questions, their level and of course the cut-off. Let us make you understand this by taking a simple example. If you have ever seen any cricket team batting first on a ground, you must have realised that they set the target by keeping in mind the pitch conditions on that day. Sometimes, even at a traditionally high scoring ground, teams have to adjust their targets because of change in pitch or weather conditions. It means there can’t be uniformity of externalities in Cricket. In fact, it is the curator who decides whether a game would be high scoring or it would benefit the bowlers. The same applies to Prelims. The paper setters in UPSC are like curators. They decide the toughness of the paper. And while your benchmark reflects the reality of last year, the conditions have changed this year. Just like a team unable to lower their target gets bowled at a below-par score in a low scoring game, you can also fall below the cut off even if it is low this year. Just like a smart cricketer, you need to read the game, in this case, Prelims, so as to set your benchmark right. You don’t have to score the highest marks; you just need to clear the cut-off. It simply means don’t mark more question just for the sake of it. You should guess mark only those questions in which you have confusion between two options. If you are taking your chances in questions involving 3 or 4 confusing options, you will repent your decision. It is simply because each wrong answer makes a dent into the scores earned by marking the correct ones. Don’t enter the examination hall with a preconceived cut off in your mind and simply focus to give your best. Don’t overstretch your imagination and commit blunders. Believe in your knowledge and be reasonable with your guessing abilities. Endnote Guessing isn’t bad. In fact, you do need to guess in many questions asked by UPSC. However, in most of the questions, the guessing is intelligent and based on judgements derived out of the information bank stored somewhere in the mind. Blind guessing, on the other hand, is fatal and stupid. Don’t overdo it. MUST READ articles for PRELIMS - These articles are exclusively Prelims related, where the UPSC Topper's and IASbaba have shed some light on how to tackle Prelims, Elimination method, How to minimize negatives etc. Make the Best use of the articles below.  All Possible Scenarios-Where Do You Fall in Exam? Shreyans Kumat Rank 4, UPSC CSE 2018 a Regular Follower of IASbaba’s TLP shares his Exclusive PRELIMS Strategy! Final Words and Prelims Tips before the D-Day (3rd June 2018)- Vaibhava Srivastava Rank 1 IFoS and Rank 98 UPSC CSE 2017 Shivashish Kumar Rank 368, UPSC CSE 2018 who has scored 129.34 (2017) and 126.66 (2018) in his 2 attempts shares his PRELIMS EXCLUSIVE Strategy!! In his 2 attempts shares his Preparation Strategy with special focus on Prelims! Thanks and all the very best IASbaba Team

May 20, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 20th May 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 20th May 2019 Archives (MAINS FOCUS) INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2 International Relations  India and the World Policies of developed and developing countries and their impact on India’s interests  Setting up of Indo-Pacific wing in the MEA Introduction: The Indo-Pacific wing was set up in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in April 2019. This wing will provide a strategic coherence to the Prime Minister’s Indo-Pacific vision, integrating the IORA, the ASEAN region and the Quad to the Indo-Pacific dynamic. Given that the term Indo-Pacific has been gaining currency and how major regional actors are articulating their regional visions, it was becoming imperative for India to operationalise its Indo-Pacific policy. Many mechanisms: India’s Act East policy remains the bedrock of the national Indo-Pacific vision and the centrality of ASEAN is embedded in the Indian narrative. India has been an active participant in mechanisms like the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), in ASEAN-led frameworks like the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus, the ASEAN Regional Forum as well as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation and the Mekong-Ganga Economic Corridor. India has also been convening the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, in which the navies of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) participate. India has boosted its engagements with Australia and New Zealand and has deepened its cooperation with the Republic of Korea. Through the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation, India is stepping up its interactions with the Pacific Island countries. India’s growing partnership with Africa can be seen through the convening of mechanisms like the India-Africa Forum Summits. India’s multi-layered engagement with China as well as strategic partnership with Russia underlines its commitment to ensuring a stable, open, secure, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific. India’s notion of Indo-Pacific: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue in June 2018 underscored that for India the geography of the Indo-Pacific stretches from the eastern coast of Africa to Oceania (from the shores of Africa to that of the Americas) which also includes in its fold the Pacific Island countries. India views the Indo-Pacific as a geographic and strategic expanse, with the 10 ASEAN countries connecting the two great oceans. Inclusiveness, openness, and ASEAN centrality and unity, therefore, lie at the heart of the Indian notion of Indo-Pacific.  The term Indo-Pacific is gaining currency: The renaming of the U.S. Pacific Command to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command as well as the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act in December 2018 showcase Washington’s more serious engagement with the Indo-Pacific. The Free and Open Indo-Pacific concept was unveiled by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2016. Australia released its Foreign Policy White Paper in 2017, which details Australia’s Indo-Pacific vision centred around security, openness and prosperity.  Challenges ahead: India’s bureaucratic shift is an important move to articulate its regional policy more coherently and with a renewed sense of purpose. There are still challenges for India, especially: Integrating the Quadrilateral initiative which got revived in 2017 with its larger Indo-Pacific approach. The new MEA division to move beyond security and political issues and articulate a more comprehensive policy towards the region. Commerce and connectivity in particular will have to be prioritised if India is to take advantage of a new opening for its regional engagement. While India has been consistently emphasising “inclusiveness” in the Indo-Pacific framework, it will be challenging to maintain a balance between the interests of all stakeholders. There are differences between India’s vision and the U.S.’s strategy for the Indo-Pacific even as countries like China and Russia view the Indo-Pacific with suspicion. Security in the region must be maintained through dialogue, a common rules-based order, freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce and settlement of disputes in accordance with international law. More connectivity initiatives impinging on respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, consultation, good governance, transparency, viability and sustainability should be promoted.  Conclusion: As geopolitical tensions rise between China and the U.S., the MEA’s new division will have its task cut out if India’s long-term political and economic interests in the region are to be preserved. A bureaucratic change was indeed needed, but going forward the challenge would be to see how effectively this change manifests itself in managing India’s growing diplomatic footprint in the Indo-Pacific. Connecting the dots: The Indo-Pacific wing set up in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) recently was much needed. There are challenges which it needs to tackle. Comment. NATIONAL/ECONOMY TOPIC: General studies 2 and 3 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.  Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. Need to find a sustainable model of economic growth Background: Recent data from private sources on automobile sales and consumer durable sales suggest a worsening of the demand crisis despite some signs of inflation inching up. It is unlikely that the long spell of rural distress is going to end in the near future. The other issue of unemployment, particularly among the youth, is real and again requires an immediate response. The challenge is not just the need to respond to these immediate problems but also to find a sustainable model of economic growth and development for the country. The Indian economic model remains a model of crisis-driven responses rather than a coherent model based on a concrete assessment of the needs of a fast-changing economy.  Crisis-driven responses: The green revolution was an urgent intervention to tackle national food crisis in the mid-1960s. The 1991 reforms, which were a response to a fiscal and balance-of-payments crisis. The pro-poor economic strategy adopted after 2004, which was seen as a response to the rural crisis and farmer suicides between 1998 and 2004. Emanating rural crisis: The government as well as the opposition have proposed solutions of loan waivers and cash transfers. While these may provide some temporary relief, they are unlikely to prevent another crisis in the near future. The pressure to do something would involve bearing a large fiscal cost, which will have an impact on long-term investments and the sustainability of farming in the economy.  Issues: The recurrence of social and political unrest among disadvantaged and excluded groups may force some immediate relief measures from the government, but is unlikely to force a rethink of the economic model itself. Political parties are unlikely to think long-term, with elections held almost every year at the state level. Institutions such as the NITI Aayog and Reserve Bank of India have failed to act as independent watchdogs. There is unlikely to be any independent assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the economy if these institutions also start working at the behest of ruling political establishments. The statistical system also has come under criticism for compromising on its independence. Conclusion: Whatever be the outcome of the general elections, the challenge for the new government is not just to restore the economy to its path of growth and development, but also plan for the long-term sustainability of the growth process in a just and inclusive manner. A necessary condition for that is to restore the credibility of the existing institutions crucial to policymaking, and create new ones to cater to the needs of the new economy. Connecting the dots: The Indian economic model remains a model of crisis-driven responses rather than a coherent model based on a concrete assessment of the needs of a fast-changing economy. Comment. MUST READ The task of restoring democracy The Hindu Taking stock of Islamic state 2.0 The Hindu The unpeople of India Indian Express The new Supreme Court definition of merit is confusing Livemint

May 20, 2019 AIR

All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Necessity of Stringent measures for global security

Necessity of Stringent measures for global security ARCHIVES Search 30th April, 2019 Public Speak here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General Studies 3: Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism Terrorism has time and again raised its ugly head – it is a global menace that several countries are trying to deal with on a war footing. From the USA to Asia, no continent is free from the problems of terror. New Delhi has been raising the issue with other countries bilaterally and at international forums to try and tackle the problem over the years. India has had to deal with both foreign terrorists and local elements from time to time. If there is one common agenda as far as world leaders are concerned, it is to fight terror. Thousands of lives have been lost due to terror related activities. Yet there are some nations that use it as a tool of state policy and try to further their goals. Unfortunately, we as responsible nation-states, do not even agree to a common definition of terrorism. Tackling Terror Finance Pakistan was placed on the FATF grey list in June, 2018 and put on notice to be blacklisted by October this year if it did not curb money laundering and terror financing. The resolution against Pakistan was moved by the US, and supported by the UK, France, Germany, and India. It said Pakistan was not doing enough to comply with anti-terrorist financing and anti-money laundering regulations. Pakistan was then given a 27-point action plan that was to be implemented by September this year and the same is being monitored by FATF Asia Pacific sub group. Mechanism established internationally to curb it: The Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) made nine special recommendations for CFT (first eight then a year later added a ninth). These nine recommendations have become the global standard for CFT and their effectiveness is assessed almost always in conjunction with anti-money laundering. The FATF Blacklist (the NCCT list) mechanism was used to coerce countries to bring about change. Stringent measures by India for global security Is our preventive machinery able to match the changing terrorist methodology? – Unfortunately, governments follow linear thinking. What appear in our discourses are lists of new special squads, better weaponry, satellite imagery, coastal radars and transponders to prevent coastal infiltration. No doubt these are relevant in certain situations but is our counter-terrorist architecture flexible enough to match or surpass the exponential thinking of terrorists? Not having any reliable record of our overseas workers who are the source of such recruitment – The former Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA), which was trying to collect such data during the UPA government’s tenure, was merged with the Ministry of External Affairs after the present NDA government took over. This was a retrograde step as a single-point high-level attention on our overseas workers that had been going on since 2004 was relegated to a minor wing of our vast diplomatic apparatus due to inter-ministerial squabbles. Empowered Soldiers: For a country that takes pride in its modern, technologically advanced military, India still relies heavily on putting more boots on the ground and on the calibre of the soldier. It is time the Defence Ministry adopted a holistic approach, making sure that the soldier is fully backed by technology and calibrated security drills. Preventing terrorists from scoring a strike is the best defence. Intelligence Sharing: To deal with the terror threat, there must be far greater sharing of intelligence among agencies worldwide. One of the major challenges that all intelligence agencies face is a qualitative understanding of the newer, and many post-modern threats. These newer generation threats, including those by terror groups and outfits, often lie “below the radar” or beyond the horizon. Anticipating such threats and their nature requires intelligence agencies to be constantly ahead of the curve. Anticipating newer threats is only partly facilitated by today’s technical advances such as new computing and communication technologies. However, these alone are not often enough to meet today’s intelligence needs. Social Media and Youth: Impressionable minds are very easily lured on the World Wide Web. Terrorism has to be fought at the level of political subversion and that’s where social media plays an enormous role, both by the state and others including terrorists. So the actual fight is sometime misunderstood to be on the ground. That’s not where the fight is indeed. Fight on the ground often has a negative influence on state agencies and forces. Political subversion is the ultimate power of terrorism and that is the ultimate aim and that’s where it has to be fought and political engagement therefore is important. Must Read: Link 1 + Link 2 Note: Delhi Declaration of India: The Delhi Declaration of India and 10 ASEAN countries mentioned, for the first time, “cross-border movement of terrorists” and made a commitment to counter the challenge through “close cooperation”. In an endorsement of the longstanding Indian view, these leaders not only agreed on a comprehensive approach to counter “foreign terrorist fighters”, but also supported efforts to target terror groups and sanctuaries. FATF The FATF was established in July 1989 by a G-7 Summit in Paris to examine and develop measures to combat money laundering. In October 2001, it expanded its mandate to incorporate efforts to combat terrorist financing as well. The FATF’s objectives are “to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system”. The FATF monitors the progress of members and non-members in implementing the FATF Recommendations, “a comprehensive and consistent framework of measures which countries should implement in order to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, as well as the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction”. It identifies jurisdictions with “weak measures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing (AML/CFT) in two FATF public documents that are issued three times a year”. India is an FATF member; Pakistan is not. Connecting the dots: Examine the linkages that have evolved recently between terrorism and organised crime.   Terrorist organisations and organised crime cartels have not only appropriated each other’s methodologies but have also developed a symbiotic relationship. Do you agree? Illustrate. How does terrorism affect the socio-economic ecosystem of a country? Discuss.  

May 20, 2019 PIB

Press Information Bureau (PIB) IAS UPSC – 13th May to 18th May - 2019

Press Information Bureau (PIB) IAS UPSC – 13th May to 18th May – 2019 ARCHIVES GS-3 Namami Gange Mission (Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment) Aims at providing comprehensive and sustainable solutions for a cleaner ecosystem along the stretch of 97 towns and 4,465 villages on the Ganga stem Namami Gange is being implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), and its state counterparts—State Programme Management Groups. According to a map of Ganga river water quality presented by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to National Green Tribunal (NGT) in August 2018, only five out of 70-odd monitoring stations had water that was fit for drinking and seven for bathing Only 10 of 100 Ganga sewage projects completed The NDA government has only finished 10 of the 100 sewage infrastructure projects commissioned after 2015 under the Namami Gange mission, according to records. Nearly ₹23,000 crore has been sanctioned of the ₹28,000 crore outlay for sewage management work. Commissioning of sewage treatment plants (STP) and laying sewer lines are at the heart of the mission to clean the Ganga. However, river-front development, cleaning ghats and removing trash from the river, which are just the cosmetic side of the mission make up about for ₹1,200 crore of the mission outlay. Do you know? The bulk of the projects completed were those commissioned before the Ganga mission began work in earnest under programmes such as the Ganga Action Plan-1 and Ganga Action Plan-2, which began in 1987 and 1996 respectively. Ganga Gram Project The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) launched ‘Ganga Gram’ – a project for sanitation based integrated development of all 4470 villages along the River Ganga. Ganga Gram vision is an integrated approach for holistic development of villages situated on the banks of River Ganga with active participation of the villagers. After achieving ODF target in Ganga Villages, implementation of solid and liquid waste management and other integrated activities are remaining tasks. Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation is the nodal agency for implementation of the Ganga Gram Project. Link: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/water/namami-gange-5-reasons-why-ganga-will-not-be-clean-by-2020-61891 Link: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/water/namami-gange-5-reasons-why-ganga-will-not-be-clean-by-2020-61891 Must Read: Link 1 Connect the Dots: How far has the Namami Gange initiative succeeded in addressing the water quality of the Ganges? Critically examine. There are evidences that bacterial contamination along Varanasi’s ghats has actually increased increased in the past few years. What can be the possible reasons behind this? Why hasn’t the Namami Gange project taken up? Examine. India sets the tone at COP meetings of Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions (Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment Impact of Climate Change and Global Warming) The joint meetings of three conventions on chemicals and waste that is the fourteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal  (COP 14) was held along with the ninth meeting of the COP to Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade and the ninth meeting of the COP to Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. The theme of the meetings this year was “Clean Planet, Healthy People: Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste”. In Basel Convention, two important issues were discussed and decided, i.e Technical guidelines on e-waste Inclusion of plastic waste in the PIC procedure E-waste The draft technical guidelines stipulated the conditions when used electrical and electronic equipment destined for direct reuse, repair, refurbishment or failure analysis should be considered as non-waste. India had major reservations regarding these provisions as in the name of re-use, repair, refurbishment and failure analysis there was a possibility of dumping from the developed world to the developing countries including India in view of the growing consumption of electronic equipment and waste across the world.  The Indian delegation strongly objected the proposed decision on these guidelines during plenary and did not allow it to be passed by the conference of the parties (COP). The issues then resolved were: Dumping of e-waste in developing countries Recognition that the interim guideline has issues and further work is required specially on the provision on distinguishing waste from non-waste The guidelines were adopted on an interim basis only The tenure of the expert working group was extended to address the concerns raised by India The usage of interim guidelines to be done only on a pilot basis Inclusion of plastic waste in the PIC procedure Under the Basel Convention, another major achievement of COP 14 was the decision to amend the convention to include unsorted, mixed and contaminated plastic waste under PIC (Prior Informed Consent) procedure and improve the regulation of its transboundary movement. This is a significant step taken towards addressing plastic pollution which has become a major environmental concern across the globe. Further, Basel Convention has also adopted partnership on plastic which was welcomed by the Indian delegation. These steps will help prevent the illegal dumping of plastic wastes in developing countries. India has already imposed a complete prohibition of import of solid plastic waste into the country.   India has also made an international commitment to phase-out single-use plastic. India fully supported this exercise and one of the members of the Indian delegation was co-chair in the contact group which negotiated this agreement for amendment in the annexes of Basel Convention to bring plastic waste under PIC procedure. Under the Stockholm Convention the COP decided to list “Dicofol” in Annex A without any exemption. The “PFOA” was also listed with some exemptions in the Annex A of the Stockholm Convention.  Under the Rotterdam Convention, two new chemicals (Phorate and HBCD) were added in the list for mandatory PIC procedure in international trade. Prelims oriented news: Eve of Buddha Purnima Celebration of birth of the Prince Siddhartha Gautama, later the Gautama Buddha and founder of Buddhism According to the Theravada Tripitaka scriptures (from Pali, meaning "three baskets"), Gautama was born c. 563/480 BCE in Lumbini in modern-day Nepal, and raised in the Shakya capital of Kapilvastu, in the present day Tilaurakot, Nepal. At the age of thirty five, he attained enlightenment (nirvana) underneath a Bodhi tree at Bodhgaya (modern day India). He delivered his first sermon at Sarnath, India. At the age of eighty, he died at Kushinagar, India. Restoration of Ancient rock carving of Buddha: Swat Valley, Pakistan It was blown up by the Taliban as militants overran Pakistan’s Swat valley a decade ago. Key pointers: 7th-century Buddha of Swat valley, Pakistan Seated serenely in the lotus position (meditative posture) considered one of the largest rock sculptures in South Asia foothills of the Himalayas Italian government helped to preserve the cultural heritage and restore the six-metre-tall Buddha of Swat Swat, a picturesque valley in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan Pic: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQC5dhjv0OBp_S-LeGfPOaSsu88ZXmU4qw75hVOjnwUXxMBU7o4 Rare stucco statue put on show in Hyderabad In news: Nearly 1,700 years after a life-size stucco Bodhisattva was created by craftsmen at Phanigiri during the peak of the Ikshvaku dynasty rule, the 1.74-metre statue was put on display. Brown and white fragments of the statue covered with soil were laid out on two tables at the State Museum at Gunfoundry. This is a stucco statue and lot of soil and earth has accreted to the figure. Officials said it was one of the rare life-size figures in stucco to be unearthed in India. The unearthing of a large number of artefacts and structures at Telangana’s Phanigiri site has thrown light on the Buddhist civilization that thrived there. About Bodhisattva In early Buddhism, bodhisattva meant “the previous lives of a (or the) Buddha.” In Mahayana Buddhism, bodhisattva refers to a human being committed to the attainment of enlightenment for the sake of others. Becoming a bodhisattva is the goal of Mahayana Buddhism. Bodhisattva may also refer in Mahayana Buddhism to archetypal bodhisattvas: mythical beings such as Avalokiteshvara and Manjushri, who are objects of devotion. to protect wildlife as summer peaks Second century BCE Buddhist site at Thotlakonda in Visakhapatnam In news: Heritage conservationists and members of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has expressed concerns over proposed construction of amphitheatre, rest rooms and information centre at second century BCE Buddhist site, Thotlakonda in Visakhapatnam. Buildings might mar the original heritage site and are against the norms laid down by the courts. Court had ordered – no construction or development activity of any sort shall be permitted within the boundaries of the ancient site Tourism should be developed but not at the cost of protected areas Thotlakonda site was first discovered in 1976 The excavations conducted by ASI revealed the ruins of a well-established Theravada (Hinayana Buddhism) monastery Note: Under Article 49 of the Constitution, the State is under obligation to protect every monument, place or object of artistic or historic interest declared to be of national importance from spoilation, disfigurement, destruction, removal, disposal or export, as the case may be. (DPSP) Under Article 51A(f) of the Constitution, there is fundamental duty to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture. (Fundamental Duties) Revision Questions 1. With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following was/were common to both Buddhism and Jainism? (2012) Avoidance of extremities of penance and enjoyment Indifference to the authority of the Vedas Denial of efficacy of rituals Select the correct answer using the codes given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Solution (b)  2. Lord Buddha’s image is sometimes shown with the hand gesture called ‘Bhumisparsha Mudra’. It symbolizes (2012) (a) Buddha’s calling of the Earth to watch over Mara and to prevent Mara from disturbing his meditation (b) Buddha’s calling of the Earth to witness his purity and chastity despite the temptations of Mara (c) Buddha’s reminder to his followers that they all arise from the Earth and finally dissolve into the Earth, and thus this life is transitory (d) Both the statements (a) and (b) are correct in this context Solution (b)  3. Which of the following Kingdoms were associated with the life of the Buddha? (2014) Avanti Gandhara Kosala Magadha Select the correct answer using the code given below. 1, 2 and 3 2 and 4 3 and 4 only 1, 3 and 4 Solution (d) 4. Some Buddhist rock-cut caves are called Chaityas, while the others are called Viharas. What is the difference between the two? (a) Vihara is a place of worship, while Chaitya is the dwelling place of the monks (b)Chaitya is a place of worship, while Vihara is the dwelling place of the monks (c) Chaitya is the stupa at the far end of the cave, while Vihara is the hall axial to it (d) There is no material difference between the two Solution (b) 5. With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements: (UPSC 2016) The concept of Bodhisattva is central to Hinayana sect of Buddhism. Bodhisattva is a compassionate one on his way to enlightenment. Bodhisattva delays achieving his own salvation to help all sentient beings on their path to it. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 and 3 only 2 only 1, 2 and 3 Solution (b) Connect the Dots: Critically analyze the contributions of Buddha to the religion and philosophy of India. What were his main principles and how did he manage to have such a large following? “Buddhism was not just a religious revolution, but a social revolution too.” Comment. The theme of Lord Buddha in meditation finds a prominent place in the rich visual art forms of India. Discuss. Sasakawa Award 2019: United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) conferred Sasakawa Award 2019 for Disaster Risk Reduction to Dr. Pramod Kumar Mishra, Additional Principal Secretary to Prime Minister of India. The award was announced during the ongoing 6th Session of Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) 2019 at Geneva. Flight Test of ABHYAS Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted successful flight test of ABHYAS - High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) from Interim Test Range, Chandipur in Odisha Designed on an in-line small gas turbine engine and uses indigenously developed MEMS based navigation system for its navigation and guidance.

May 19, 2019 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Science of Success – Inspirational Educative Articles

Science of Success: Success is not a destination. It is a path one takes to live a complete and fulfilling life. True success is defined by our clear understanding of life and how we face its daily challenges. In this sense, more than anything else, success is a mindset. Success is not just a process of pursuing and accomplishing a goal; it is a way of living itself. One has to first cultivate a successful mindset to be able to reach to any kind of success in this fast-paced constantly-changing life. So what is a successful mindset? A successful mindset begins with a crystal clear understanding that success has very little to do with what is happening on the outside. A successful mindset begins with the understanding that we always succeed or fail within us. Of course, our mind rejects this idea completely, because it is always looking for an external reason to blame our failures and shortcomings on. A successful mindset is all about accepting personal responsibility for everything that is happening in our lives. Once the responsibility is accepted, the blame game stops and the real process of perfecting our minds and bodies begin. When we try to understand the lives of successful people, one of the most important things we fail to understand is the mindset that led to that success. We pay too much attention to external details and forget the thing that matters the most. Success is all about understanding, controlling and directing our minds and bodies in a desired direction. We should have great control over our minds and bodies to be able to succeed at anything. This is where people get differentiated. While a few constantly work on their minds and bodies and perfect their inner success mechanism, most approach success haphazardly and end up becoming confused, overwhelmed and lost. A systematic and scientific approach of understanding our mind and body is a must to succeed at anything. Without a clear guided approach, our success is simply left to chance. There is very little we can learn by studying the lives of successful people. Most successful people are not even aware of the internal process that helped them to succeed. A successful person can at the most talk about his chosen field of success. He cannot teach you the absolute fundamentals of success. With so many people running the race, it is obvious that a few will end up at the top. This is purely coincidental and circumstantial. We cannot succeed simply by studying the lives of successful people. Real success is all about getting the fundamentals right and ensuring that we don’t leave our success to chance. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Inner-Revolution and IASBABA.”

May 18, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 18th May 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 18th May 2019 Archives (MAINS FOCUS) INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2 International Relations  India and the World Policies of developed and developing countries and their impact on India’s interests  India intensifying its naval engagements in South Asia Introduction: India is setting a high tempo of naval operations in Asia. Recent instances show the Indian Navy’s resolve to preserve operational leverage in India’s near seas. In April, in their biggest and most complex exercise, Indian and Australian warships held drills in the Bay of Bengal. Above was followed by a much-publicised anti-submarine exercise with the U.S. Navy near Diego Garcia. Recently, the Indian Navy held a joint exercise ‘Varuna’ with the French Navy off the coast of Goa and Karwar. Rapid expansion of China’s naval footprint: The trigger for India’s newfound zeal at sea is the rapid expansion of China’s naval footprint in the Indian Ocean. Beyond commercial investments in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, China has established a military outpost in Djibouti, a key link in Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Reports suggest the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is planning an expansion of its logistics base for non-peacekeeping missions, raising the possibility of an operational overlap with the Indian Navy’s areas of interest. South Asian navies making their presence felt: In a quest for regional prominence, Sri Lanka has positioned itself as a facilitator of joint regional endeavours, expanding engagement with Pacific powers which includes Australia and the U.S. With China’s assistance, Pakistan too is becoming an increasingly potent actor in the northern Indian Ocean, a key region of Indian interest. Beijing has also been instrumental in strengthening the navies of Bangladesh and Myanmar, both increasingly active participants in regional security initiatives. In these circumstances, India has had little option but to intensify its own naval engagements in South Asia.  India: Most capable regional maritime force Widely acknowledged as the most capable regional maritime force, the Indian Navy has played a prominent role in the fight against non-traditional challenges in the Indian Ocean. Its contribution to the counter-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (including in cyclone-hit Mozambique) has been substantial. Partnerships are key: A paucity of assets and capacity has forced the Navy to seek partners willing to invest resources in joint security endeavours. Partnerships are vital to the Indian Navy’s other key undertaking: deterring Chinese undersea deployments in South Asia. African focus: Chinese investments in port infrastructure in Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania and Mozambique have grown at a steady pace. In response, India has moved to deepen its own regional engagement, seeking naval logistical access to French bases in Reunion and Djibouti, where the second phase of ‘Varuna’ will be held later this month.  More needs to be done: Notwithstanding improvements in bilateral and trilateral naval engagements, India hasn’t succeeded in leveraging partnerships for strategic gains. India’s political leadership is still reluctant to militarise the Quadrilateral grouping or to expand naval operations in the Western Pacific. In such a scenario the power-equation with China remains skewed in favour of the latter. New Delhi is yet to take a stand on a ‘rules-based order’ in littoral-Asia despite ts rhetoric surrounding the ‘free and open Indo-Pacific’, India’s engagements in the Indian Ocean reveal a tactically proactive but strategically defensive mindset. The limited approach to shape events in littoral-Asia needs a major transformation. Connecting the dots: India is most capable regional maritime force in the South Asian sub-continent. However, partnerships are key to Indian Navy’s key undertakings. NATIONAL/ECONOMY TOPIC: General studies 2 and 3 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.  Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. India needs an Industrial policy Introduction: The contribution of manufacturing to GDP in 2017 was only about 16%, a stagnation since the economic reforms began in 1991. The contrast with the major Asian economies is significant. For example, Malaysia roughly tripled its share of manufacturing in GDP to 24%, while Thailand’s share increased from 13% to 33% (1960-2014). Manufacturing is core to growth: No major country managed to reduce poverty or sustain growth without manufacturing driving economic growth. Productivity levels in industry (and manufacturing) are much higher than in either agriculture or services. Manufacturing is an engine of economic growth because it offers economies of scale, embodies technological progress and generates forward and backward linkages that create positive spillover effects in the economy. Manufacturing will create jobs. Its share in total employment fell from 12.8% to 11.5% over 2012 to 2016.  India still has no manufacturing policy: The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development or UNCTAD finds that over 100 countries have, within the last decade, articulated industrial policies. However, India still has no manufacturing policy. Focusing (as “Make in India” does) on increasing foreign direct investment and ease of doing business, important though they may be, does not constitute an industrial policy.  Why have an industrial policy in India now? The need to coordinate complementary investments when there are significant economies of scale and capital market imperfections (for example, as envisaged in a Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor). To address learning externalities such as subsidies for industrial training. A lack of human capital has been a major constraint upon India being able to attract foreign investment. The state can play the role of organiser of domestic firms into cartels in their negotiations with foreign firms or governments — a role particularly relevant in the 21st century. To avoid competing investments in a capital-scarce environment. Excess capacity leads to price wars, adversely affecting profits of firms — either leading to bankruptcy of firms or slowing down investment, both happening often in India (witnessed in the aviation sector). Similar is the case with the telecom sector. To ensure that the industrial capacity installed is as close to the minimum efficient scale as possible. Choosing too small a scale of capacity can mean a 30-50% reduction in production capacity. The missing middle among Indian enterprises is nothing short of a failure of industrial strategy. Contributing to the missing middle phenomenon was the reservation of products exclusively for production in the small-scale and cottage industries (SSI) sector (with large firms excluded) from India’s 1956 Industrial Policy Resolution onwards. When structural change is needed, industrial policy can facilitate that process.  The East Asian story: The East Asian miracle was very much founded upon export-oriented manufacturing, employ surplus labour released by agriculture, thus raising wages and reducing poverty rapidly. This outcome came from a conscious, deliberately planned strategy (with Five Year Plans). The growing participation of East Asian countries in global value chains (GVCs), graduating beyond simple, manufactured consumer goods to more technology- and skill-intensive manufactures for export, was a natural corollary to the industrial policy. India has been practically left out of GVCs. Increasing export of manufactures is another rationale for an industrial policy, even though India has to focus more on “make for India”. From 2014 to 2018 there has been an absolute fall in dollar terms in merchandise exports.  Lessons from IT taking root: If evidence is still needed that the state’s role will be critical to manufacturing growth in India, the state’s role in the success story of India’s IT industry must be put on record. The government invested in creating high-speed Internet connectivity for IT software parks enabling integration of the Indian IT industry into the U.S. market. The government allowed the IT industry to import duty-free both hardware and software. The IT industry was able to function under the Shops and Establishment Act; hence not subject to the 45 laws relating to labour and the onerous regulatory burden these impose. The IT sector has the benefit of low-cost, high-value human capital created by public investments earlier in technical education. Without these, the IT success story would not have occurred. These offer insights to the potential for industrial policy. Conclusion: No major country has managed to reduce poverty or sustain economic growth without a robust manufacturing sector. It is high time India gets a robust industrial policy. Connecting the dots: No major country managed to reduce poverty or sustain growth without manufacturing driving economic growth. In this background highlight the need of a robust Industrial policy in India. MUST READ Charting a clear course in the Indo-Pacific The Hindu Gulf crisis, India’s stakes Indian Express It’s about social justice, not welfare Indian Express

May 18, 2019 Yojana

IAS UPSC YOJANA & KURUKSHETRA Magazine ‘APRIL’ 2019

Archives Friends, Here we are with the APRIL 2019, edition of Yojana and Kurukshetra. Yojana/Kurukshetra: APRIL 2019 – Download

May 17, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 17th May 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 17th May 2019 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) New points-based green card system Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II - Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Indian diaspora. In news: U.S. President announces new points-based green card system Education, language skills to be rewarded in new proposal Do you know? The Green Card is an identification card indicating the holder’s status to live and work in the USA permanently. The easiest way to get a Green Card is by participating in the Green Card Lottery. About Green card: Green Card is the unofficial nickname for the permit allowing immigrants to permanently live and work in the United States of America. The official name of the US Green Card is “Lawful Permanent Resident Card”. Green Card holders are known as “Permanent Residents”. Those who possess a Green Card are allowed to emigrate to the USA and stay there for as long as they like. Those with a Green Card do not need to apply for an ESTA (travel authorization) or any another type of visa to enter the USA. US Green Card holders are not automatically American citizens. Green Card holders have the possibility to become American citizens after living in the USA for five years. Impact of new policy Proposal includes significant changes to the way green cards are allocated, by dramatically reducing the number of family-based green cards. It moves towards a points-based (“merit-based”) system that will reward, among other factors, education, skills and English language proficiency. The plan sought to boost border security and tighten asylum procedures. The new plan will dramatically increase the number of green cards that are given through the skills route versus the family-based route. Currently about 12% of those receiving green cards entered the U.S. based on skill-based visas (such as the H1B), while some 66% are family-based green cards. Wildlife Sanctuary in news: Balukhand-Konark Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Bio-diversity and Environment; Protected Areas  In news: Nearly 55 lakh trees in Balukhand-Konark sanctuary were damaged by Cyclone Fani. The effective area of the sanctuary has shrunk further due to human encroachments and ever growing anthropogenic pressures. Several institutions (educational) and small industries having come up all around this sanctuary more biotic pressure is being put on the sanctuary precincts. On an average more than 2000 people daily go inside the sanctuary for sustaining their livelihood, which results in habitat loss and degradation for the fauna residing. The animals stray into the fields of villagers in search of food by crossing the sanctuary limits which results in Man-animal conflict and road kills. The greatest threat to fauna residing in that place is the national highway connecting Puri and Konark which passes through the sanctuary. Do you know? Balukhand-Konark sanctuary The area under consideration is the marine-land mass interface belt in the Konark-Puri transition area in Odisha. The sanctuary was established on the sandy tract covered by plantation of casuarina and cashew trees, along the coast between Puri and Konark. Spotted-deer were found abound in the area but the star attraction is the rare Black-buck. Two rivers, namely the Nuanai and the Kushabhadra, which are subject to tidal influences, pass through the sanctuary and the river mouths are part of the sanctuary area. This sanctuary is stretched along the coast of Puri –Konark and is well known for spotted- deer and other wildlife. The other species found here are Black-Buck, Hare, Olive Ridley, Jackal, hyenas, Jungle cat, Monitor lizards, etc Animal in news: Slender Loris Scorching heat forces animals out Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Bio-diversity and Environment; Impact of climate change; Animal conservation In news: Scorching heat forces animals out of Seshachalam biosphere reserve. (Andhra Pradesh) With water and food depleting, even shy and critically endangered species are foraying into human habitations. Do you know? The summer heat touching 45 degree Celsius, wild animals in the Seshachalam biosphere spread over Chittoor and Kadapa districts are having a torrid time. The phenomenon, which is preceded by deficit rainfall in the region, is forcing the animals to enter forest fringe villages to quench their thirst. The intensity of heat this year is said to be the highest in the biosphere. Even shy and critically endangered species such as the pangolin and the slender loris (devanga pilli) are venturing out of their habitats. About Slender Loris Commonly found in the tropical scrub and deciduous forests as well as the dense hedgerow plantations bordering farmlands of Southern India and Sri Lanka. The Slender Loris is a small, nocturnal primate. It prefers to inhabit thick, thorny bushes and bamboo clumps where it can evade predators and also find insects, which is the main diet. IUCN status: Endangered They are listed under the Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972, according them the highest level of legal protection. WWF-India is working to protect the habitats of the Slender Loris through its wider conservation work in the Western Ghats - Nilgiris Landscape. COMCASA Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II: International Relations; India-US ties In news: The foundational agreement, Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), which India signed last year, would enable exchange of information on threats coming from sea. Pact will aid information exchange to fight terrorism Do you know? India and the U.S. on September 6 signed the foundational or enabling agreement COMCASA on the side-lines of the inaugural 2+2 dialogue. COMCASA stands for Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement and is one of the four foundational agreements that the U.S. signs with allies and close partners to facilitate interoperability between militaries and sale of high end technology. India had signed the General Security Of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) in 2002 and the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016. The last one remaining is the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-spatial Cooperation (BECA). About COMCASA COMCASA is an India-specific version of the Communication and Information on Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA). COMCASA allows India to procure transfer specialised equipment for encrypted communications for US origin military platforms like the C-17, C-130 and P-8Is. It will enable greater communications interoperability between the militaries of India and the US. Data acquired through such systems cannot be disclosed or transferred to any person or entity without India’s consent. Miscellaneous: International Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX) Three-day Asia-Pacific naval and maritime event, International Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX) happened in Singapore. Two warships, INS Kolkata and INS Shakti, are participating in IMDEX as also several Indian engineering and ship-building firms, including the Larsen & Toubro and the BrahMos aerospace corporation. After IMDEX, the Indian ships along with a Navy P-8I long range maritime surveillance aircraft will participate in the 26th edition of the Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) scheduled from May 16 to 22. SIMBEX is the longest uninterrupted naval exercise that India has with any other country. (MAINS FOCUS) INTERNATIONAL/ENERGY TOPIC: General studies 2 and 3  India and the World International Relations Policies of developed and developing countries and their impact on India’s interests Indian Economy and related issues India’s rising stature in global trade: Conflict with US Introduction: US Commerce Secretary recently visited India to raise the issue of supposedly high barriers to trade erected by India.  This visit was preceded by a series of measures announced by the US against India, including - India was put on the Priority Watch List in its annual Special 301 Report. Termination of Iran’s oil sanction waivers available to India along with other countries. Highlighting of data localisation requirements in India as a key barrier to digital trade in the USTR National Trade Estimate report. Announcement to terminate India’s designation as a beneficiary developing country under the Generalized System of Preferences. Increase in H1B visa fee, which will affect Indian IT services exports to the US. America’s interests: The American tactic of announcing threatening measures is to hit economically hard and arm-twist India so as to bring it to the negotiating table, and compel India to accept the American demands of: Increased market access through reduced tariffs on dairy products, wheat and Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Removing the price caps fixed by the Indian government on medical devices of interest to US producers. Change in India’s domestic IP laws for protecting windfall monopoly profits of the US IP holders, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector. No restrictions on cross-border data flows. Roll-back measures pertaining to data localisation in financial services taken by RBI.  India is not a ‘tariff king’: The US cherry-picked data to portray India as a highly protected country and described it as ‘tariff king’. But it is contrary to the fact. The highest tariff in India is 150% on alcoholic beverages, whereas in the US the highest tariff is 350% on tobacco products. India’s highest tariff is much lower than applied by many other countries such as South Korea, Japan, Australia, to name a few. Even from the average tariff perspective, India’s average applied tariff is 13.4%, much below its average bound tariff at the WTO. Issues at WTO: The US is also apparently unhappy with India’s submission in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), cosponsored with the European Union and other WTO members on reforming the dispute settlement mechanism of the WTO. The suggested reforms in India’s cosponsored paper widely differ from the position taken by the US on the functioning of the DSB and the reforms proposed by the US. The US has been blocking new appointments to the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB), arguing over its role and leaving it with the bare minimum needed to function. Issue: The US has earlier stated that India and some other developing countries had made great development strides over the years and hence should not be allowed to take benefits of the special and differential (S&D) provisions of the WTO. While there is no denial that India and other developing countries have made progress over the years, the development divide is still very much present between developed and developing countries, and hence the need for continuance of S&D provisions. Way ahead: The US is well aware that if there is any country after China that can challenge the hegemony of the US in the future, it is India. Therefore, the US is using these threatening and other tactics to suppress the rising stature of India in the global trading system, and to curtail the potential of the country to grow economically. India should stand firm on most of the above issues in its dealings with the US bilaterally as well as at the WTO. The government response and policy formulation should be driven by domestic requirements and not by any dictate from the US. At the same time, track II economic diplomacy through chambers of commerce and industry lobby groups could be encouraged to make the US aware of the losses that will incur to both sides, if such posturing by the US against India continues. Connecting the dots: The US has been suppressing India’s rising stature in the global trading system. Comment. NATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2 Constitution; Separation of powers Judiciary and its functions Judicial Review and Judicial Activism Introduction: Lawmaking is not the job of the judges, but of the legislature. The recent trend in the Supreme Court is resorting more to judicial activism rather than judicial restraint, which is problematic. Judicial review: It can be defined as the doctrine under which Legislative and Executive actions are subject to review by Judiciary. It is generally considered as a basic structure of independent judiciary (Indira Gandhi vs. Rajnarain case). It is the duty of judges to ensure that balance of power is maintained, to protect human rights, Fundamental Rights, and citizens’ rights of life and liberty. Limitations: As courts have wide powers of judicial review, these powers have to be exercised with great caution and control. The limitations of these powers are: It is only permissible to the extent of finding whether the procedure in reaching the decision has been correctly followed but not the decision itself. It is delegated to superior courts only, i.e. Supreme Court and High Courts. Cannot interfere in policy matters and political questions unless absolutely necessary. Directions given by court would be binding only till legislation is enacted, i.e. it is temporary in nature. Can interpret and invalidate a law but it cannot itself make laws. Judicial Activism It can be defined as a philosophy of judicial decision making whereby judges allow their personal views regarding a public policy instead of constitutionalism. A few cases of judicial activism in India are as follows: Golaknath case in which Supreme Court declared that Fundamental Rights enshrined in Part 3 are immutable and cannot be amended. Kesavananda Bharati case - whereby Supreme Court introduced doctrine of basic structure, i.e. Parliament has power to amend without altering basic structure of the Constitution. The Second Judges Case (1993) and Third Judges Case (1998), which created the collegium system of appointment of judges, were not based on any provision in the Constitution. Article 124, which prescribes how Supreme Court judges are to be appointed, does not talk of any collegium system. Recent instances of judicial activism: Ordering time limits to burst firecrackers on Diwali, which is a function of the legislature; Its judgment on linking rivers, for which there is no parliamentary legislation; Decisions in cases relating to freedom of speech and expression, such as Criticisms: It is often said that in the name of activism, judiciary often rewrites with personal opinions. In other words, the court can lay down anything as law according to its own subjective notions. The Theory of Separation of Powers is overthrown (Theory- Judges should not perform legislative or executive functions, and each organ of the state should remain within its own domain, in order to avoid chaos). Conclusion: There is only a thin line of separation between review and activism. While judicial review means to decide if the law/act is consistent with the Constitution, judicial activism is more of a behavioural concept of the judge concerned. The importance of judicial activism lies with position accorded to institution as a place of hope for aggrieved persons (Example- Striking down of Section 377 of the IPC). However, the Supreme Court should limit its usage of judicial activism to only the most exceptional situations, and employ restraint as far as possible. Connecting the dots: What do you understand by the term judicial activism? While judicial review is a welcome thing judicial activism isn’t. Comment. MUST READ Slippery slope The Hindu Is coalition government worse than single-party rule The Hindu Why an industrial policy is crucial The Hindu Is the future of Indian democracy secure? The Hindu Encourage citizen science The Hindu As Iran takes on US Indian Express Let’s redesign our economic model for sustainable growth Livemint

May 16, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 16th May 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 16th May 2019 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Monsoon and its forecast mechanism Part of: GS Prelims and Mains I - Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World In news: According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) Monsoon to reach Kerala on June 6 Southwest monsoon will be “slightly delayed” over Kerala The normal onset date is June 1 The IMD forecast is in line with the one by private forecaster Skymet Do you know? The IMD has been using a customised model, since 2005, to forecast the monsoon’s onset over Kerala. This model crunches six meteorological parameters: Minimum temperatures over northwest India; Pre-monsoon rainfall peak over the south peninsula; Outgoing long wave radiation (OLR) over the South China Sea; Lower tropospheric zonal wind over the southeast Indian Ocean; Upper tropospheric zonal wind over the east equatorial Indian Ocean; OLR over the southwest Pacific region. It has a built-in error margin of 4 days. About IMD & Skymet: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Government of India. It is the principal agency responsible for meteorological observations, weather forecasting and seismology. IMD is headquartered in Delhi and operates hundreds of observation stations across India and Antarctica. Skymet Weather Services is a private Indian company that provides weather forecast and solutions to Indians. Skymet provides wind and solar forecast for different renewable energy companies by running its own meso and micro scale NWP. Skymet along with few NGOs are closely working to improve the sustenance of farmer in different remote blocks of many states in India. Skymet also caters to different companies for marine weather forecast. State prepares to battle dengue Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II - Social/Health issue; Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.  In news: As monsoon approaches, State prepares to battle dengue Do you know? National Dengue Day, celebrated on May 16 According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the aim is to spread awareness about dengue and to increase preventive measures as well as find out ways to prevent and control the disease across the country. A viral disease caused by the dengue virus, it is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito (Aedes aegypti) bite infected with any one of the four dengue viruses. Facts about dengue Dengue is a viral disease caused by  dengue virus (DENV, 1–4 serotypes) Dengue is transmitted by bite of Aedes aegypti mosquito infected with any one of the four dengue viruses. Aedes aegepti  mosquito bites during daylight hours. Person develops symptoms 3-14 days after the infective bite. Patients who are already infected with the dengue virus can transmit the infection to other via Aedes mosquitoes during 4-5 days of onset of symptoms. Dengue prevention and control depends on effective vector control measures. National Institute of Nutrition Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections; Health and development In news: National Institute of Nutrition stands by its report on no onion, garlic in its meals The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) said that it stands by its findings certifying mid-day meals without onion and garlic provided by the Akshaya Patra Foundation (APF) in Karnatakaschools as compliant with nutritional norms laid down by the State government. Do you know? The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation headquartered in Bengaluru, India. The organisation strives to eliminate classroom hunger by implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in the government schools and government-aided schools. Alongside, Akshaya Patra also aims at countering malnutrition and supporting the right to education of socio-economically disadvantaged children.. About National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) NIN was founded by Sir Robert McCarrison in the year 1918 as ‘Beri-Beri’ Enquiry Unit in a single room laboratory at the Pasteur Institute, Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. Within a short span of seven years, this unit blossomed into a "Deficiency Disease Enquiry" and later in 1928, emerged as full-fledged "Nutrition Research Laboratories" (NRL) with Dr. McCarrison as its first Director. It was shifted to Hyderabad in 1958. At the time of its golden jubilee in 1969, it was renamed as National Institute of Nutrition (NIN). The NIN is part of Indian Council of Medical Research, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MAINS FOCUS) ENVIRONMENT/ECOLOGY TOPIC: General studies 3  International organisations and reports on climate change and its mitigation Climate financing The Politics of the Climate crisis and People’s movement Introduction: The atmosphere now has concentrations of over 415 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide, compared to 280 ppm in pre-industrial times. Policies and commitments being made by the governments to tackle climate crises shows that most governments and businesses are not interested in dealing with the crises. In news: A recent paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S.A. shows that global warming during the past half century has contributed to a differential change in income across countries. More recently, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services has reported that, worldwide, the abundance of species has reduced by at least one-fifth, about a million species are under threat of extinction in the next few decades and 85% of wetlands have been lost.  Ignorance of the challenge: The manifestos of the political parties contesting the Indian general election barely took note of questions relating to climate and environment. Instead, it is “business as usual” or “life as usual”. The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister did not hold an emergency meeting to discuss the loss of economic output because of climate change or the effects from loss of biodiversity in India. Instances of collusion: There have been instances of elite networks taking advantage of the situation to consolidate their control. These networks often involve governments colluding with fossil fuel companies, agro-industrial elites, financial elites and other big businesses that are ignoring climate change and making a fast buck. Fossil fuel companies and politicians have funded misinformation regarding climate directly. The documentary film Merchants of Doubt describes how a handful of scientists have obscured the truth on global warming so that business profits can continue to flow. The fossil fuel industry has also funded politicians, so their words and laws are already bought. The International Monetary Fund estimates in a recent working paper that fossil fuel subsidies were $4.7 trillion in 2015 and estimated to be $5.2 trillion in 2017. Efficient fossil fuel pricing would have reduced global carbon emissions by 28%. The Arctic is melting rapidly and the recent discussions among Arctic countries suggests that even as increasing glacier melt is responsible for opening up shipping in the area, superpowers are angling to access wealth from the oil, gas, uranium and precious metals in the region. It is the poorest and those without access to power who become victims of the fallout from these situations. Example- The draft Indian Forest Act of 2019 enhances the political and police power of the forest department and curtails the rights of millions of forest dwellers. People’s movement: A large-scale movement for “planet emergency”, climate and ecology is being witnessed. Greta Thunberg has been leading this among school-going children. She is a Swedish schoolgirl who, at age 15, began protesting about the need for immediate action to combat climate change outside the Swedish parliament and has since become an outspoken climate activist. She is known for having initiated the school strike for climate movement. Extinction Rebellion is a socio-political movement which uses nonviolent resistance to protest against climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, and the risk of human extinction and ecological collapse. It been organising “die-ins” in many parts of Europe and now in Asia. People’s movements, whether made up of students or adults, cannot be ignored for long and governments will have to pay attention. Conclusion: The planet is well past that point where small fixes can help take us on a long path to zero carbon earth. We are now at a stage where we need major overhaul of our lifestyles and patterns of consumption. The U.K. Parliament became the first recently to declare a climate emergency. It remains to be seen if appropriate actions will follow this declaration. The politics of the climate crisis must undergo a radical transformation. Connecting the dots: Policies and commitments being made by the governments to tackle climate crises shows that they are not interested in dealing with the crises. In such a scenario people’s movement is the ray of hope. Comment. NATIONAL/TECHNOLOGY TOPIC: General studies 2 and 3 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.  Science and Technology - developments and their applications and effects in everyday life; indigenization of technology and developing new technology. Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers. India’s ongoing transformation towards a Digital Economy  Background: India is taking a great digital leap. Having reaped substantial rewards from building up its core digital sectors, such as information technology and business process management, the country is now seizing new digital opportunities in many more sectors, such as agriculture, education, energy, financial services, health care, and logistics. These opportunities could deliver up to $500 billion of economic value by 2025.  Fast Digitisation facilitated by both Public & Private sectors: India’s digitisation process has been the second-fastest among the 17 mature and emerging economies we studied. In the last five years alone, the number of Internet subscribers has almost doubled, reaching 560 million. Both the public and private sectors have played an important role in driving digitization. Many public services are now accessible only when linked to the government’s Aadhaar biometric digital-identification program, in which over 1.2 billion people are now enrolled. Aadhaar has thus helped to propel the development of many other digital services. About 80% of Indians now have digital bank accounts, with the vast majority of government benefits paid directly into Aadhaar-linked accounts. The Goods and Services Tax Network—a government platform for taxing wholesale and retail sales—has likewise created a powerful incentive for businesses to digitize their operations. The private sector has facilitated this process, as competition has helped to reduce data costs by 95% from 2013 to 2017 and to make smartphones affordable. Together with rapid growth in telecom infrastructure, lower costs have also helped to reduce the digital divide: in the last four and a half years, India’s middle- and low-income states have accounted for 45% of the 293 million new Internet subscribers.  Huge potential: Some of the sectors where the most value stands to be created—such as financial services, agriculture, health care, logistics, education, and energy—have not traditionally had technology at their core. Each of these sectors could create between $10 billion and $150 billion of incremental economic value in 2025. In financial services, the surge in digital payments is already enabling flow-based lending, whereby actual patterns of receipts and payments are used to evaluate potential borrowers. State Bank of India has recorded a 50% increase in lending to small and medium-size enterprises since switching to an automated flow-based system. In agriculture, farmers are not only seizing the credit opportunities created by digital financial services; they are also using digital applications to gain specialised knowhow on, say, optimizing fertilizer and pesticide inputs. Moreover, farmers are increasingly selling their produce in online marketplaces, which offer better prices. One such platform, the government’s electronic National Agriculture Market (eNAM), is available in 585 locations in 16 states, and could increase the prices realized by farmers by 15%. In health care, companies like Apollo Hospitals are using telemedicine to improve access in rural areas, where doctors are often few and far between. Telemedicine could eventually account for half of all outpatient consultations in India, giving rural citizens access to more qualified practitioners than they would be able to reach in person. In logistics, online freight-forwarding platforms are offering services like instant pricing and booking, cargo tracking, and centralized documentation. Such platforms are already reducing costs and boosting efficiency in what has historically been a highly inefficient sector.  Way forward: The benefits of digitisation may also extend to workers. This will require retraining, skills upgrading, and redeployment in many cases. By 2025, technology could eliminate between 40-45 million mostly routine jobs in areas such as clerical services and data entry. But it will also help to create some 60-65 million higher-quality jobs. Workers will need to be ready to make the shift. The government should continue to use digital technology to improve public services, while working with the private sector to develop further the country’s digital infrastructure. Making data available to entrepreneurs creating useful apps and services would also help. Enacting legal provisions for data privacy and consent-based frameworks. Improving consumer literacy regarding the risks and benefits of digital technologies.  Conclusion: Between its huge and growing Internet-consumer base and its eagerness to innovate, India seems well positioned to unleash the dynamism of a truly digital economy. In order to tap the full potential of digitisation the government and the business must work in unison. Connecting the dots: India in recent times has undergone the process of digitisation at a very fast pace. This has been facilitated by both public and private sectors. Comment. MUST READ All out at sea The Hindu The need for judicial restraint The Hindu Reforms initiated by United Front Government have not got their due Indian Express Disaster and opportunity Indian Express The Kendrapara model Indian Express Seven likely outcomes of the US-China trade war Livemint

May 16, 2019 AIR

All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Global Economic Growth – Projection by IMF

Global Economic Growth – Projection by IMF ARCHIVES Search 10th April, 2019 Spotlight here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General studies 2 & 3 Important International institutions, agencies and forums, their structure, mandate. Indian Growth & Economy Economic Developments In News: A year ago, economic activity was accelerating in almost all regions of the world. One year later, much has changed.  What has changed? The escalation of US–China trade tensions, needed credit tightening in China Macroeconomic stress in Argentina and Turkey Disruptions to the auto sector in Germany Financial tightening alongside the normalization of monetary policy in the larger advanced economies The above have all contributed to a significantly weakened global expansion, especially in the second half of 2018. The Forecast The International Monetary Fund cut its outlook for global growth to the lowest since the financial crisis amid a bleaker outlook in most major advanced economies and signs that higher tariffs are weighing on trade. The world economy will be less vibrant this year than had been expected three months ago, according to the International Monetary Fund’s new World Economic Outlook report, which projects global 2019 gross domestic product will grow 3.3 percent, 0.2 percentage point lower than in forecasts in January. For the world’s two biggest economies, the revisions moved in opposite directions of each other, with the U.S. growth forecast lowered 0.2 percentage point to 2.3 percent while China’s rose 0.1 percentage point to 6.3 percent. The global volume of trade in goods and services will increase 3.4 percent this year, weaker than the 3.8 percent gain in 2018 but reduced from the IMF’s January estimate of 4 percent. IMF is warning that risks are skewed to the downside, with a range of threats menacing the global economy, including the possible collapse of negotiations between the U.S. and China to end their trade war, and the departure of Britain from the European Union without a transition agreement, known as the “no-deal” Brexit scenario. IMF scales down India's growth projection for current fiscal to 7.3% Reasons: Continued recovery of investment Robust consumption amid a more expansionary stance of monetary policy and some expected impetus from fiscal policy Higher trade policy uncertainty and concerns of escalation and retaliation would reduce business investment, disrupt supply chains, and slow productivity growth, Suggestion by IMF: Prescribed continued fiscal consolidation in the near term to trim the country’s elevated public debt. This should be “supported by strengthening goods and services tax compliance and further reducing subsidies” Governance of Indian public sector banks needs to be enhanced and reforms to hiring and dismissal regulations would help incentivise job creation The policy response this time cannot be in the form of a fiscal easing or another stimulus. Pic: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/incoming/xepon0/article26785348.ece/alternates/FREE_435/Growth-chart IMF said India’s growth is projected to pick up to 7.5 per cent in FY21, aided by the “continued recovery of investment and robust consumption amid a more expansionary stance of monetary policy and some expected impetus from fiscal policy”. Global growth beyond 2020 According to IMF, global growth is expected to level out at 3.6% over the medium term, driven by a moderation in expansion in advanced countries (caused by a weak productivity growth and a slow labour force growth) and the stabilisation of emerging market expansion at 2020 levels. Advanced economies are expected to slow down to 1.6% growth by 2022 and remain at that rate thereafter. For emerging markets and developing countries, growth is expected to steady at 4.8% over the medium term and given that these groups are growing faster than advanced economies, their contribution to global growth is expected to increase from 76% to 85% over the next five years. China is expected to slow down to 5.5% by 2024 as it moves towards increasing private consumption and services and regulatory tightening. India’s growth is expected to stabilise at 7.75% over the medium term, driven by structural reforms and the easing of infrastructure bottlenecks. Risks to global growth Tensions in trade policy could flare up again and play out in other areas (such as the auto industry), with large disruptions to global supply chains. Growth in systemic economies such as the euro area and China may surprise on the downside, and the risks surrounding Brexit remain heightened. Deterioration in market sentiment could rapidly tighten financing conditions in an environment of large private and public sector debt in many countries, including sovereign-bank doom loop risks. The Way Forward by IMF Policy front: Policymakers need to work cooperatively to help ensure that policy uncertainty doesn’t weaken investment. Fiscal policy will need to manage trade-offs between supporting demand, protecting social spending, and ensuring that public debt remains on a sustainable path, with the optimal mix depending on country-specific circumstances. Financial sector policies must address vulnerabilities proactively by deploying macroprudential tools (such as counter-cyclical capital buffers)—a task made more urgent by the possibility that interest rates will remain low for longer. Monetary policy should remain data dependent, be well communicated, and ensure that inflation expectations remain anchored. Need for increased Collaboration at a global level: Across all economies, the imperative is to take actions that boost potential output, improve inclusiveness, and strengthen resilience. There is a need for greater multilateral cooperation to resolve trade conflicts, to address climate change and risks from cybersecurity, and to improve the effectiveness of international taxation. Be Prelims Ready: World Economic Outlook (WEO) Publication by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Published biannually – April and October IMF Headquartered in Washington, D.C Working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world Acts as an international lender of last resort: Formed in 1944 at the Bretton Woods Conference primarily by the ideas of Harry Dexter White and John Maynard Keynes, it came into formal existence in 1945 with 29 member countries and the goal of reconstructing the international payment system. It now plays a central role in the management of balance of payments difficulties and international financial crises. Follows weighted voting and the members with higher quota get a higher voice. Gita Gopinath was appointed as Chief Economist of IMF from October 1, 2018. She received her Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University. Bretton Wood institutions: World Bank and IMF are called Bretton Wood institutions; they were established at Bretton Wood Conference in 1944 Connecting the Dots: Critically examine the reasons for slowdown in the global economy with special reference to US and China.