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60 Days Plan: UPSC IAS Prelims 2019 - Geography and Current Affairs (Day 52)

60 Days Plan: UPSC IAS Prelims 2019 - Geography and Current Affairs (Day 52) 60 Day plan has been published on the website (www.iasbaba.com -Click here). Since we have come up with the 'Quiz Format', it will not be feasible to publish it on the app. For feasibility and getting to know where you stand among your peers (we have a leaderboard which gives your marks and rank) it would be advisable to take the test on the website. All the best. make the best use of the initiative ! Before taking the Test, read the post below, ARCHIVES Hello Friends,  The most beloved 60 Days for UPSC IAS Prelims 2019  has finally begun :) Once again the time has come for the battle (Prelims). And who else than your best companion in the last preparatory phase for UPSC IAS Prelims 2019 i.e 60 days plan. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.  Hope the message given above makes sense to you all. The productive utilization of this programme demands consistency, honesty, faith and strong determination to be in the process of learning and unlearning. You might not be fully prepared to solve all the questions but the learning and unlearning through these questions will prepare you for the real battle on 2nd June 2019. You have to unlearn your repetitive mistakes, gut feeling on which you mark doubtful questions. You have to learn new things and also those concepts that you were very sure of but somehow because of traps in the option, got it wrong. You have to learn 'how to convert knowledge into marks' (Because most of the times, after ending the exam, you regret making mistakes in known concepts).  Secondly, keep a long distance from following too many things at this point. It will always backfire. Once you are here, put complete faith and follow this initiative along with whatever you were doing. It is very important to consolidate your preparation with many revisions. Simply following many things will leave you in despair. You can cross check this with veterans. Everything that seems attractive is not productive. You should always go for productivity. Be wise! Let us pledge to make it a big game changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days of this plan! Importance of Self - Tracking: Learning from Last Year Last year, aspirants used to type/post their answers in the comment box on a daily basis. There were huge participation and discussion below the test post. Putting answers in the comment box has been very effective to self-track yourself after updating the score. In the end, you can cross check your performance through Disqus profile. It was highly effective in the last edition of 60 Days that propelled aspirants to monitor their performance and learn through discussion. Let you solve these questions with full honesty and write your result in the comment box. Interact with peers to know your mistakes. The importance of this initiative stands time-bound and aggressive reverse engineering to learn the concepts. Many of you must be busy with your own strategy but let us tell you honestly that in the last few months, it is very important to revise and consolidate your learning. Just reading won’t suffice. So, take out a few hours from your schedule and make it a revision exercise. How can you make the best use of it? Be honest to your effort and do not start competing with XYZ aspirants just for the sake of marks. It is more important for you to introspect and check your learning than focusing on others. Try to answer the questions in 25 minutes only.  Do not get into negative feeling that I don’t have enough knowledge to answer these questions. Feel like you are taking the real exam. What would be your response then? The same will be replicated in the UPSC exam. Here, you get marks only and nothing else matters. So, make effort to know the answers to all questions. Do not cheat :P DETAILED MICRO ANALYSIS MATRIX SAMPLE- is given here. You can download this and do an assessment for yourself (the excel sheet must be modified as per this years planning. The provided excel sheet is only for reference).  DOWNLOAD You can copy paste the same format/modify as per your need in Google Spreadsheet and update it on daily basis. Feedback talks about daily test results. Follow-up talks about daily target achieved from sources and the number of revisions to do/done and dates. Sources column is to ensure that aspirants do not run behind various sources and follow the same throughout. Would like to end on this quote:  Either you run the day or the day runs you.  Are you ready? Let's start! Important Note Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :)  You can post your comments in the given format  (1) Your Score (2) Matrix Meter (3) New Learning from the Test

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

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 1st May 2019 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) U.N. listing of Azhar Part of: GS Mains II and III – Role of UNSC, international organization; Security/Terrorism related issues In news: China indicated that it was willing to change its decade-old stand opposing the move to list Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as a terrorist at the UN Security Council. Azhar could be placed on the UNSC’s 1267 Committee’s list of sanctioned individuals and entities soon. Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2019/05/01/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_01/be7315f5_2908319_101_mr.jpg Do you know? The listing of Azhar, who’s organisation JeM was listed in 2001, has been pending for more than a decade. This is the fourth attempt by countries at the UNSC and India to bring Azhar under UN sanctions. China had vetoed each of the previous proposals citing it had not received enough evidence against Azhar, who was released in 1999 during the IC-814 hijacking in exchange for hostages. Madras HC curbs L-G role in Puducherry Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Polity; Role of Judiciary; Centre versus UTs In news: Madras High Court ruled that the Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) of Puducherry could not interfere with the day-to-day administration of the Union Territory when an elected government was in place. The court said incessant interference from the L-G would amount to running a “parallel government”. Otherwise, the constitutional scheme of the country of being democratic and republic would be defeated. The judge made it clear that government secretaries were bound to take instructions from the Ministers and the Council of Ministers, headed by the Chief Minister. Do you know? Articles 239A and 239AA of the Constitution deals with special powers conferred on the legislatures of Puducherry and Delhi respectively. ASI unearths treasure at U.P. site In news: Archaeological Survey of India during its excavation of 4,000-year-old burial sites in Uttar Pradesh’s Sanauli unearthed underground “sacred chambers”, decorated “legged coffins” as well as rice and dal in pots and animal bones buried with the bodies. Three chariots, some coffins, shields, swords and helmets had been unearthed, pointing towards the existence of a “warrior class in the area around 2,000 BCE”. According to the ASI, the site is different from the Harappan culture. “Sanauli is located on the left bank of the River Yamuna, 68 km north-east of Delhi which brought to light the largest necropolis of the late Harappan period datable to around early part of second millennium BCE”. Tourist footfall in Hampi down by nearly a lakh About Hampi Hampi, also referred to as the Group of Monuments at Hampi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in east-central Karnataka, India. It became the centre of the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire capital in the 14th century. According to foreign travelers, Hampi was a prosperous, wealthy and grand city near the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 CE, Hampi-Vijayanagara was the world's second-largest medieval-era city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at that time, attracting traders from Persia and Portugal. In news: Tourist flow was expected to increase after a group of monuments at the world heritage site, Hampi, was listed number two on the “must see” tourist spots by the New York Times. However, tourist flow has dipped by nearly a lakh between April 2018 and March 2019. About Virupaksha Temple Virupaksha Temple is located in Hampi in the Ballari district of Karnataka, India. It is part of the Group of Monuments at Hampi, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple is dedicated to Virupaksha, a form of Shiva. The temple was built by Lakkan Dandesha, a nayaka (chieftain) under the ruler Deva Raya II of the Vijayanagara Empire. Do you know? The stone chariot at the Vittala temple complex is a major tourist attraction in Hampi. Miscellaneous: Army claims climbers sight Yeti footprints In news: The Indian Army has claimed that one of its mountaineering teams had sighted footprints of a Yeti, a mythical creature that is believed to reside in the Himalayas. Yeti is a mythical creature believed to exist in the Himalayan ranges in Nepal and Tibet. The existence of the creature, which has been an issue of debate since the last century, again resurfaced when the Indian Army claimed it had discovered fresh “mysterious footprints” of Yeti during an Army expedition to Mount Makalu, Nepal. Do you know? The term Yeti comes from the Nepali dictionary and means ‘abominable snowman’. It is also called Meh-Teh in the Tibetan folklore. According to urban legends, Yeti is a two-legged white, shaggy ape-like animal and is described to be 10-20 feet tall. It is believed to reside in the Himalayas, Central Asia and Siberia. The footsteps found by the Army had measured 32×15 inches, clearly suggesting that they did not belong to a human. Background: The first account of Yeti dates back to 1921 when British explorer Charles Howard-Bury found the footsteps of Yeti near Lakhpa La pass while on an expedition in the Himalayas. In 1951, noted English Himalayan explorer Eric Shipton caught on camera footprints left behind by the Yeti, which showed a thumb-like impression instead of a toe. Sir Edmund Hillary, in 1960, brought back what he thought was the Yeti’s scalp, shaped like a helmet, but it was later proved to be from a serow, a goat-like animal. In 2010, Chinese hunters caught a hairless, four-legged animal which they said was the Yeti, but was identified as a civet that had lost its hair after suffering from a disease. In 2011, researchers claimed they had found the Yeti’s finger; but its DNA proved to be from a human. In 2013, the National Geographic released a documentary on the legend of Yeti in the Himalayas. Despite no authentic evidence of its existence, Yeti became a popular figure in folklore and cartoons. From Tintin and Scooby Doo to Monsters Inc, Yeti has been recreated several times in popular culture. Turf battle derails future of Train 18 In news: Production of indigenously-built, fastest train (Train 18) sets hit by departmental tussle. Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai is the world’s largest rail coach manufacturing unit. ICF rolled out the Train 18 with a maximum operating speed of 160 kmph in a record time of just 18 months in 2018. The indigenous design and development was done by an in-house team of the ICF. The self-propelled train set, comprising 16 air-conditioned coaches, was built at a cost of ₹100 crore, about half the cost of importing such a rake, with about 80% indigenous components in alignment with the Prime Minister’s call for ‘Make in India’. However, Vigilance Directorate is contemplating an inquiry into allegations that the development team compromised on the safety of the train by not obtaining technical approval for the electrical systems from a particular officer of the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow. (The RDSO is a standardisation organisation of the Indian Railways). But enquiries revealed that approvals were obtained from the Train Set Directorate of the RDSO RDSO is a multi-departmental entity created to provide single window clearances for faster production. Ministry of Railways has constituted a committee of Additional Members of the Railway Board to sort out the differences between the two departments and bring about a working synergy to take the mission forward. (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 Energy and Infrastructure Iranian oil dilemma for China, Turkey and India as US ends waiver Context: Trump administration has announced that the US would not issue any additional ‘Significant Reduction Exceptions’ to existing importers of Iranian oil who had received such exemptions before. It has declared that the objective is to bring Iranian oil exports to “zero”. India, China and Turkey, the principal remaining oil importers from Iran, are expected to feel the greatest impact of this policy. What end of the waivers mean to these countries? China China, one of the largest importers of Iranian oil, is likely to defy the American demand because as a great power and potential challenger to U.S. hegemony it will not want to be seen as bowing to American pressure. Also China is firmly opposed to unilateral sanctions, as it fears that one day it may be subjected to similar treatment. Turkey Turkey and Iran have overlapping strategic interests regarding Kurdish secessionism, the territorial integrity of Iraq, and shared antipathy towards Saudi Arabia. Iran is the second largest supplier of energy to Turkey and a leading trading partner as well. Turkey’s relations with the U.S. are currently rocky over U.S. support to the Syrian Kurdish militia, the YPG, that Turkey considers a terrorist organisation. The threat of American sanctions on Turkey for its decision to buy S-400 missile defence systems from Russia has also contributed greatly to tensions between the two countries. Therefore, it is unlikely that Turkey will bend completely to American will although it may do so partially to placate its NATO ally. India India is likely to comply with American demands, as India’s relations with the U.S. in the economic sphere are very important to it. The U.S. is India’s largest trading partner and a leading source of foreign investment. It has become increasingly important in the strategic arena as well because of the convergence of American and Indian interests regarding containing China in the Indo-Pacific region. The civil nuclear relationship with the U.S. is very important for India, as is American support for India’s bid to enter the Nuclear Suppliers Group. However, compliance with the US demands will cost India high as - India is heavily involved in building the Chabahar port in southern Iran. This port is expected to become a major access route for India to Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia bypassing hostile Pakistani territory. Iran is also important in the context of Afghanistan as both are unequivocally opposed to the Pakistan-supported Taliban returning to power. Therefore, India’s decision to stop importing oil from Iran at America’s behest could create gaps between New Delhi and Tehran that will be very difficult to repair and cost India strategically. What US want from Iran? Iran should totally give up its right to enrich uranium and close down all nuclear facilities including those engaged in research for peaceful purposes. Iran should curtail and eradicate its ballistic missile programme and radically change its west-Asia policy to fall in line with American preferences in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. However, Iran has stood up to unprecedented sanctions for four decades and remained unbowed. The current American policy of forcing Tehran to cut its oil exports to zero will only aid Iranian hardliners and end up with Tehran adopting an even more virulent anti-American posture, further impeding the realisation of American strategic objectives in the region. Connecting the dots: How can India ensure that its relations with the US and Iran, and particularly its energy interests are not affected? Suggest. How do global sanctions operate? How does it affect India’s interests? Comment in the light of US sanctions against Iran. NATIONAL/GOVERNANCE 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 Health, Education, Human Resources. Governance issues Why medical devices need their own law? Context: Thirty years have gone by since the first medical device was regulated as a drug but a comprehensive regulatory framework still remains elusive. Successive governments in India have neglected the medical devices sector. For over 12 years, a proposed legislation, the Medical Device Regulation Bill, has awaited enactment. Do you know? In 2016, a Group of Ministers (GoM) was constituted to decide upon the above legislation. However, it instead introduced Medical Device Rules and Regulations. According to GoM, a separate legislation will bring in “more control” and “curtail growth and innovation” in the fast-expanding medical devices industry. Therefore, just rules and regulations seemed adequate for the sector. The new rules were circulated in 2017 and notified on January 1, 2018. Medical Device Rules and Regulations The 241-page guidelines laid down the fundamental design and manufacturing requirements for 594 medical devices. It classified them into four categories (A, B, C and D) depending on their being high-risk or low-risk. The new rules brought medical devices in conformity with the framework of the Global Harmonization Task Force (GHTF). It did away with the system of periodic renewal of licences for medical device manufacturers or importers. Concerns: While the new Rules might be a step in the right direction, experts and medical device bodies see this as an easy way out for politicians of the day. They remain critical of the single factor which has remained the bane for the medical device industry in India — the fact that despite India emerging as the fourth-largest medical device market in Asia, its regulation and management is done under the 1940 Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Medical Devices, thus, ride piggyback on the drug and pharma industry and have never got their share of sectoral importance. Lacunae in law India imports 70-90% of its medical devices of which the vast majority are unregulated for quality and safety. While many of these products may have regulatory certifications in other countries, the reality is that a considerable number of them are being exported from countries that do not regulate their exports. Our policymakers are surprisingly undecided and seem to be in no urgency to usher in a “Patient Safety Medical Devices Law” to protect patients. Devices do need to be regulated but, once again, the DTAB (Drugs Technical Advisory Board) has suggested notifying all medical devices that are engineering products as ‘medicines’ under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act. At present, only 23 out of over 5,000 medical devices are regulated by being notified as ‘drugs’. Conclusion: The medical devices market in India is over $10 billion (Rs 70,000 crore) and projected to grow to $50 billion by 2025 and is the fourth-largest in Asia. It’s imperative to have a separate law as devices are engineering items and not medicines. A beginning has been made to correct the anomalous situation with the introduction of the Medical Device Rules in 2018. The Drugs Act itself needs reforms as it does not uniformly and equitably regulate quality from state-to-state in the absence of a national singular regulatory authority and there is no point of replicating this limitation for devices too. Connecting the dots: Analyze the need for separate law and a national singular regulatory authority to regulate medical devices sector. (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) Consider the following statements The Parliament can make laws on any subject of the three lists (including the State List) for the union territories. The legislative assembly of Puducherry and Delhi can make laws on any subject of the State List. Select the correct statement/s Only 1 Only 2 Both None Q.2) 4,000-year-old burial sites found in Sanauli is located in Haryana Gujarat Punjab Uttar Pradesh Q.3) Consider the statements regarding the new ₹ 200 denomination banknote introduced by RBI It has a motif of Hampi with Chariot on it For visually impaired people, it has raised Identification mark H with micro-text ₹ 200 and five angular bleed lines with two circles in between the lines both on the right and left sides Which of the given statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both None Q.4) Consider the below statements: Hampi is situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in the eastern part of central Karnataka. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 MUST READ An employment-oriented economic policy  The Hindu Transparency road: on India-China relations The Hindu Off the mark: on Telangana Intermediate exam fiasco The Hindu Tamil Nadu’s success in education underlines empowering, assertive populism Indian Express A resurgence foretold: On ISIS’ evolving modus operandi Indian Express Economic geography central to India’s regional inequality woes Livemint

60 Days Plan: UPSC IAS Prelims 2019 - Geography and Current Affairs (Day 51)

60 Days Plan: UPSC IAS Prelims 2019 - Geography and Current Affairs (Day 51) 60 Day plan has been published on the website (www.iasbaba.com -Click here). Since we have come up with the 'Quiz Format', it will not be feasible to publish it on the app. For feasibility and getting to know where you stand among your peers (we have a leaderboard which gives your marks and rank) it would be advisable to take the test on the website. All the best. make the best use of the initiative ! Before taking the Test, read the post below, ARCHIVES Hello Friends,  The most beloved 60 Days for UPSC IAS Prelims 2019  has finally begun :) Once again the time has come for the battle (Prelims). And who else than your best companion in the last preparatory phase for UPSC IAS Prelims 2019 i.e 60 days plan. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.  Hope the message given above makes sense to you all. The productive utilization of this programme demands consistency, honesty, faith and strong determination to be in the process of learning and unlearning. You might not be fully prepared to solve all the questions but the learning and unlearning through these questions will prepare you for the real battle on 2nd June 2019. You have to unlearn your repetitive mistakes, gut feeling on which you mark doubtful questions. You have to learn new things and also those concepts that you were very sure of but somehow because of traps in the option, got it wrong. You have to learn 'how to convert knowledge into marks' (Because most of the times, after ending the exam, you regret making mistakes in known concepts).  Secondly, keep a long distance from following too many things at this point. It will always backfire. Once you are here, put complete faith and follow this initiative along with whatever you were doing. It is very important to consolidate your preparation with many revisions. Simply following many things will leave you in despair. You can cross check this with veterans. Everything that seems attractive is not productive. You should always go for productivity. Be wise! Let us pledge to make it a big game changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days of this plan! Importance of Self - Tracking: Learning from Last Year Last year, aspirants used to type/post their answers in the comment box on a daily basis. There were huge participation and discussion below the test post. Putting answers in the comment box has been very effective to self-track yourself after updating the score. In the end, you can cross check your performance through Disqus profile. It was highly effective in the last edition of 60 Days that propelled aspirants to monitor their performance and learn through discussion. Let you solve these questions with full honesty and write your result in the comment box. Interact with peers to know your mistakes. The importance of this initiative stands time-bound and aggressive reverse engineering to learn the concepts. Many of you must be busy with your own strategy but let us tell you honestly that in the last few months, it is very important to revise and consolidate your learning. Just reading won’t suffice. So, take out a few hours from your schedule and make it a revision exercise. How can you make the best use of it? Be honest to your effort and do not start competing with XYZ aspirants just for the sake of marks. It is more important for you to introspect and check your learning than focusing on others. Try to answer the questions in 25 minutes only.  Do not get into negative feeling that I don’t have enough knowledge to answer these questions. Feel like you are taking the real exam. What would be your response then? The same will be replicated in the UPSC exam. Here, you get marks only and nothing else matters. So, make effort to know the answers to all questions. Do not cheat :P DETAILED MICRO ANALYSIS MATRIX SAMPLE- is given here. You can download this and do an assessment for yourself (the excel sheet must be modified as per this years planning. The provided excel sheet is only for reference).  DOWNLOAD You can copy paste the same format/modify as per your need in Google Spreadsheet and update it on daily basis. Feedback talks about daily test results. Follow-up talks about daily target achieved from sources and the number of revisions to do/done and dates. Sources column is to ensure that aspirants do not run behind various sources and follow the same throughout. Would like to end on this quote:  Either you run the day or the day runs you.  Are you ready? Let's start! Important Note Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :)  You can post your comments in the given format  (1) Your Score (2) Matrix Meter (3) New Learning from the Test

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 30th April 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 30th April 2019 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Cyclone Fani gathers force, to hit Odisha Part of: GS Prelims and Mains I and III – Geography; Disaster management In news: Cyclone Fani intensified into a “severe cyclonic storm” and is headed towards the Odisha coast, the IMD said. It could become an “extremely severe cyclone” prompting the government to put the NDRF and the Coast Guard on high alert. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea and fishermen in deep sea have been asked to return at the earliest. Do you know? Tropical cyclones form over oceans with surface temperatures above 26°C as strong low pressure systems that can reach diameters of more than 500 km. Evaporation of immense amounts of water vapour under these high temperature conditions and the related condensation aloft provide ample energy for the cyclone dynamics, leading to high wind speed and extreme precipitation. These usual natural phenomena are occurring more frequently than usual due to various anthropogenic and changing natural factors. Tropical cyclones: It is a weather system of low pressure, originating in the tropics within a single air mass, but may move into temperate waters if water temperature is high enough to sustain it. Tropical cyclone gets its energy from latent heat of condensation. The energy in an average hurricane may be equivalent to more than 10,000 atomic bombs the size of Nagasaki bomb. These storms range in size from a few kilometers to several hundred kilometers in diameter. In the middle is an eye that can be as large as 65km across. The total area involved may be as much as 52000 sq km. the tropical cyclones originate between 10o and 25o latitudes in both the hemispheres. Conditions conducive for tropical cyclone: There should be continuous supply of abundant warm and moist air. The sea temperature in lower latitude should be around 26-27oC. Existence of weak tropical depression. There should be presence of coriolis force. Rare stucco statue put on show in Hyderabad Part of: GS Prelims I - Indian Heritage and Culture 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 Protected area in news: Horsley Hills In news: Failure of rain and fast depletion of water sources in forests surrounding Horsley Hills, spread over Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, have affected wildlife. To protect wild animals from the scorching heat and to quench their thirst, A.P. Forest Department has initiated steps on a war-footing to set up drinking water pits and salt licks in the forests. Do you know? Horsley Hills has a rich presence of the antelope species, including sambhar and black-buck, in addition to wild boar, rabbits, bears, wild dogs, leopards, peacocks and a variety of birds and reptile species. Army invokes emergency powers for missile deal Part of: GS Prelims III – Defence; Security In news: The Army is in the process of procuring Spike-LR Anti-Tank Missiles from Israel and Igla-S Very Short Range Air Defence Systems (VSHORAD) from Russia through a set of new financial powers for emergency procurements sanctioned by the Defence Ministry earlier this month. Under the latest emergency financial powers, armed forces have been given a free hand to procure equipment worth up to ₹300 crore on a priority basis. The Request for Proposal (RFP) for the two deals have been issued and negotiations are ongoing. Entirely new systems not in use can also be procured under the new powers. Under the emergency route, the Army is looking to procure about 12 launchers and around 250 missiles for each system. VSHORAD deal The deal for VSHORAD, to replace the legacy Igla systems in service, began in 2010 and has since seen several trials and re-trials with three contenders in the fray — MBDA of France, Rosoboronexport of Russia and SAAB of Sweden. Eventually, all three were declared technically complaint last year. Spike-LR Anti-Tank Missiles: Spike-LR is a portable anti-armour weapon system with a range of up to 4km, which can be operated in fire-and-forget mode and in fire, observe and update mode using the fibre-optic data link. Spike-LR is equipped with a fibre-optic data link guidance system, which sends commands to the missile from the launch system and receives, into the gunner’s field of view, images from the seeker. The gunner can update his aim point while the missile is in flight using the fibre-optic link. As well as update target information, the datalink allows the gunner to switch targets and also receive real-time intelligence and perform battle damage assessment. The Spike system can work in non-line-of-sight (NLOS) mode allowing the gunner to operate from a covered position. Spike-LR, which can also be installed on light combat vehicles, can be used to engage tanks, armoured vehicles, hardened shelters and low flying slow targets such as helicopters. Committee constituted to oversee clean air programme Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II and III - Environment and ecology; Pollution; Government schemes and programmes; Governance In news: The Union Environment Ministry has constituted a committee, chaired by the Secretary, Union Environment Ministry, to implement the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) NCAP unveiled in January is envisaged as a scheme to provide the States and the Centre with a framework to combat air pollution. NCAP aims to reduce particulate matter (PM) pollution by 20%-30% in at least 102 cities by 2024. The NCAP is envisioned as a five-year action plan with 2019 as the first year. There would be a review every five years. Do you know? The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) database on air pollution over the years has listed Tier I and Tier II Indian cities as some of the most polluted places in the world. In 2018, 14 of the world’s 15 most polluted cities were in India. Genes of climate-resistant chickpea varieties identified Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Science and Technology In news: An international team led by the Hyderabad-based International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has identified in chickpea four important genes for heat tolerance and three important genes for drought tolerance. With rising temperatures and increasing climatic fluctuations due to climate change, the identification of these genes will help in developing newer chickpea varieties that can tolerate temperatures up to 38°C. Also, the identification of other genes with useful traits will help in increasing the yield and providing better resistance to pests and diseases. Do you know? The study was based on complete genome sequencing of 429 chickpea lines from 45 countries. More than 90% of chickpea cultivation area is in South Asia, including India. Globally, more than 70% yield is lost due to drought and increasing temperatures. Chickpea is a cool season crop, so in general any further increase in temperature is expected to further reduce the yield. The study has found that chickpea originated in the Mediterranean/south-west Asia and migrated to south Asia. It reached India about two centuries ago, apparently through Afghanistan. In parallel, it migrated from the Mediterranean to east Africa and central Asia. The study provides insights into chickpea’s genetic diversity and domestication too. Drug-resistant diseases could kill 10 million a year by 2050 Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Health/Social issue In news: According to a report released by UN Ad Hoc Interagency Coordinating Group on Antimicrobial Resistance – Drug-resistant diseases could cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050 It added that by 2030, antimicrobial resistance could force up to 24 million people into extreme poverty. Currently, at least 7,00,000 people die each year due to drug-resistant diseases, including 2,30,000 people who die from multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Do you know? Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest threats we face as a global community. The report recommended that countries prioritise national action plans to scale-up financing and capacity-building efforts, put in place stronger regulatory systems and support awareness programs for responsible and prudent use of antimicrobials by professionals in human, animal and plant health and invest in ambitious research and development for new technologies to combat antimicrobial resistance. Person in news: Alfred Brownell Why in news? Alfred Brownell, an environmental lawyer and activist, is among six activists to be honoured ecology prize. Brownell blamed the devastation on the palm oil company Golden Veroleum Liberia. Brownell Environmental Prize for exposing alleged abuse by the company and helping to prevent it from converting about 50 km2 of forest that is home to elephants, pygmy hippopotamuses and chimpanzees. Brownell won the Goldman prize along with five others for grassroots environmental activism. About Goldman prize The prize was created in 1989 by philanthropists Richard and Rhoda Goldman. Winners are selected from nominations made by environmental organisations and others. The prize carries a $200,000 award. The other winners are: Linda Garcia of Vancouver, Washington, who rallied local communities to successfully prevent the construction of North America’s largest oil terminal. Ana Colovic Lesoska of North Macedonia, whose seven-year campaign helped stop hydroelectric projects from being built in the country’s largest national park. Bayarjargal Agvaantseren of Mongolia, who led the fight to create the Tost Tosonbumba Nature Reserve. Jacqueline Evans of the Cook Islands, whose work led to the conservation and sustainable management of all of the Cook Islands’ ocean territory and creation of 15 marine protected areas. Alberto Curamil of Chile, a jailed indigenous activist who had protested several hydroelectric projects in the country. (MAINS FOCUS) HEALTH/SOCIAL ISSUE 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 Health, Education, Human Resources Issues and policies related to health For a malnutrition-free India Context: Despite programme commitments since 1975, such as creating Integrated Child Development Services and national coverage of the mid-day meal scheme, India continues to grapple with a high rate of undernutrition. Improving nutrition and managing stunting continue to be big challenges. Concerns: According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4, India has unacceptably high levels of stunting, despite marginal improvement over the years. According to NFHS-4 data, India has more stunted children in rural areas as compared to urban areas, possibly due to the low socio-economic status of households in those areas. Almost double the prevalence of stunting is found in children born to mothers with no schooling. Stunting has lifelong consequences on human capital, poverty and equity. It leads to less potential in education and fewer professional opportunities. India ranks 158 out of 195 countries on the human capital index. Lack of investment in health and education leads to slower economic growth. Do you know? In terms of geographical regions, Bihar (48%), Uttar Pradesh (46%) and Jharkhand (45%) have very high rates of stunting, while States with the lowest rates include Kerala, and Goa (20%). National Nutrition Strategy NITI Ayog came with a national strategy to fight maternal and child malnutrition and anaemia among women and girls. The aim of the National Nutrition Strategy of 2017 is to achieve a malnutrition-free India by 2022. The plan is to reduce stunting prevalence in children (0-3 years) by about three percentage points per year by 2022 from NFHS-4 levels, and achieve a one-third reduction in anaemia in children, adolescents and women of reproductive age. This is an ambitious goal, especially given that the decadal decline in stunting from 48% in 2006 to 38.4% in 2016 is only one percentage point a year. Measures need to address the challenges of under-nutrition There is a need for serious alignment among line ministries, convergence of nutrition programmes, and stringent monitoring of the progress made in achieving these goals. Stunting prevalence tends to increase with age and peaks at 18-23 months. Timely nutritional interventions of breastfeeding, age-appropriate complementary feeding, full immunisation, and Vitamin A supplementation have been proven effective in improving outcomes in children. India must improve in areas like breastfeeding children within one hour of their birth, breastfeeding for minimum next 6 months, providing timely complementary foods and adequate diet. About 40% of children don’t get full immunisation and Vitamin A supplementation. Vitamin A deficiency can increase infections like measles and diarrhoeal diseases. They must be provided these for disease prevention. Stunting shows a steady decline with increase in household income and years of schooling or education. Conclusion: It is imperative to push for convergence of health and nutrition programmes right from pregnancy until the child reaches five years of age. India must adopt a multi-pronged approach in bringing about socio-behavioural change. What is really needed is effective monitoring and implementation of programmes to address malnutrition. Connecting the dots: Malnutrition in Indian children has reached alarming proportions. Explain how it affects India’s social performance? Despite rapid economic growth, hunger and malnutrition remain a challenge in many districts of India. Why? Analyse. ECONOMY/SECURITY TOPIC: General studies 2 and 3 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests India and its neighborhood- relations. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora. Indian Economy and issues related to employment and trade Role of external state and nonstate actors in creating challenges to internal security. Security challenges and their management in border areas Suspension of LoC trade Context: In the last decade, the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir has often been re-interpreted as the line of commerce and co-operation. This paradigm shift was the result of initiation of two confidence-building measures (CBMs) between India and Pakistan — cross-LoC trade and cross-LoC travel. It was representative of a constructive bilateral engagement process in the midst of political upheavals. However, recently, the government of India announced the suspension of trade across LoC at the two designated points expressing concerns over ‘illegal inflows of weapons, narcotics and currency’ in the country. ‘A stricter regulatory regime’ is expected for re-initiation of trade. The unexpected suspension of the trade has affected locals. Traders have incurred significant losses as most of the goods were in transit while some goods were sold at a lower price in the local markets of Jammu and Kashmir. Do you know? Cross-LoC trade is an intra-Jammu and Kashmir trade, in the form of barter of goods on a reciprocal basis. Started on October 21, 2008, the trade has been conducted through a standard operating procedure (SOP) mutually agreed by both the countries. The SOP enlists the 21 categories of items to be traded on zero tariffs. As per the SOP, LoC trade takes place four days a week, wherein traders are allowed to exchange 70 trucks per day. The trade-in (import) and trade-out (export) goods have to be balanced to zero for each trading firm within a period of three months. Cross-Border trade The total number of traders registered is approximately 600. Since 2008, trade has shown an average year-on-year growth of about 19%, reaching a cumulative value of over ₹6,500 crore to date. It has generated more than 1.6 lakh job days. Generated approximate freight revenue of ₹66.50 crore The above figure indicates the potential that this trade holds for social and economic development within Jammu and Kashmir. Limitations: Despite its success in generating economic benefits, the operational and policy level deficiencies render the trade vulnerable to misconceptions and malpractices. Lack of clarity in the SOP towards rules of origin, items list, goods and services tax (GST)/local taxation mechanisms are some of the limitations. A practice of ‘trade number selling’ was prevalent at Trade Facilitation Centres (TFCs) wherein few trading firms sell their registration/token numbers to other trading firms to send the latter’s goods across the LoC out of turn in the roster system. This practice has created a gap between the number of genuine traders and traders involved only in ‘trade number selling’. Presence of ‘seasonal traders’ - traders who are active only for few months led to a negative balance overall in the barter trade. Infrastructural issues such as a non-functional weighbridge, lack of CCTV cameras and truck scanners, and an absence of regular communication channels – warrant reforms in the trade practices. The way out: Streamlining LoC trade would require both infrastructural and policy level interventions. A revision in the SOP is required to highlight the trader re-registration process. There should be clarity on the ‘rules of origin’ of goods and tradeable commodities need to be identified. Eight-digit HS (harmonised system) codes must be assigned to ensure clarity on the items. A token system on a first-come-first-serve basis should be explored. This will check the misuse of trade registration number in the roster system. Digitisation of the TFCs must take place, therefore, process of record keeping becomes easy, transparent and accessible. Digitised TFCs should be enabled with a ‘trader notification system’ for timely reminders to achieve zero barter balance for continuation of trade. In case of non-compliance, a strict ‘trader de-listing policy’ needs to be put in place. Regular meetings must also be held between the trade facilitation officers of both sides of the LoC to ensure co-ordination of such activities and exchange of the list of suspended/banned traders. Infrastructure upgradation such as installation of truck scanners, functional CCTV cameras for security, and calibration of weighbridges, are essential to check the inflow of banned items, narcotics and weapons. Sustenance of a CBM requires regular policy and operational-level interventions. Connecting the dots: Do you think suspension of LoC trade is a poorly-thought move that shrinks the space for manoeuvre in Kashmir and with Pakistan? Discuss why India and Pakistan resort to informal trade? (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) Which of the following are preconditions for the formation of a tropical cyclone? A low pressure center High temperature Presence of moisture Absence of Coriolis force Select the code from the following: 1, 2 and 3 2, 3 and 4 1 and 2 1, 3 and 4 Q.2) The reason why tropical cyclones are not formed over the equator is: Lack of large water bodies around the equatorial region Absence of Coriolis force near the equator Due to availability of sun’s rays throughout the year Shifting of ITCZ to the north during summer Q.3) 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 MUST READ No good options in Afghanistan The Hindu The ideological crisis of liberal democracy The Hindu A healthy signal  Indian Express Rethinking India's space policy Indian Express Why medical devices need their own law? Financial Express Explained: RBI’s new data localisation rules and what’s missing Financial Express Financial liberalization and the politicization of finance in India Livemint

60 Days Plan: UPSC IAS Prelims 2019 - Polity and Current Affairs (Day 50)

60 Days Plan: UPSC IAS Prelims 2019 - Polity and Current Affairs (Day 50) 60 Day plan has been published on the website (www.iasbaba.com -Click here). Since we have come up with the 'Quiz Format', it will not be feasible to publish it on the app. For feasibility and getting to know where you stand among your peers (we have a leaderboard which gives your marks and rank) it would be advisable to take the test on the website. All the best. make the best use of the initiative ! Before taking the Test, read the post below, ARCHIVES Hello Friends,  The most beloved 60 Days for UPSC IAS Prelims 2019  has finally begun :) Once again the time has come for the battle (Prelims). And who else than your best companion in the last preparatory phase for UPSC IAS Prelims 2019 i.e 60 days plan. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.  Hope the message given above makes sense to you all. The productive utilization of this programme demands consistency, honesty, faith and strong determination to be in the process of learning and unlearning. You might not be fully prepared to solve all the questions but the learning and unlearning through these questions will prepare you for the real battle on 2nd June 2019. You have to unlearn your repetitive mistakes, gut feeling on which you mark doubtful questions. You have to learn new things and also those concepts that you were very sure of but somehow because of traps in the option, got it wrong. You have to learn 'how to convert knowledge into marks' (Because most of the times, after ending the exam, you regret making mistakes in known concepts).  Secondly, keep a long distance from following too many things at this point. It will always backfire. Once you are here, put complete faith and follow this initiative along with whatever you were doing. It is very important to consolidate your preparation with many revisions. Simply following many things will leave you in despair. You can cross check this with veterans. Everything that seems attractive is not productive. You should always go for productivity. Be wise! Let us pledge to make it a big game changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days of this plan! Importance of Self - Tracking: Learning from Last Year Last year, aspirants used to type/post their answers in the comment box on a daily basis. There were huge participation and discussion below the test post. Putting answers in the comment box has been very effective to self-track yourself after updating the score. In the end, you can cross check your performance through Disqus profile. It was highly effective in the last edition of 60 Days that propelled aspirants to monitor their performance and learn through discussion. Let you solve these questions with full honesty and write your result in the comment box. Interact with peers to know your mistakes. The importance of this initiative stands time-bound and aggressive reverse engineering to learn the concepts. Many of you must be busy with your own strategy but let us tell you honestly that in the last few months, it is very important to revise and consolidate your learning. Just reading won’t suffice. So, take out a few hours from your schedule and make it a revision exercise. How can you make the best use of it? Be honest to your effort and do not start competing with XYZ aspirants just for the sake of marks. It is more important for you to introspect and check your learning than focusing on others. Try to answer the questions in 25 minutes only.  Do not get into negative feeling that I don’t have enough knowledge to answer these questions. Feel like you are taking the real exam. What would be your response then? The same will be replicated in the UPSC exam. Here, you get marks only and nothing else matters. So, make effort to know the answers to all questions. Do not cheat :P DETAILED MICRO ANALYSIS MATRIX SAMPLE- is given here. You can download this and do an assessment for yourself (the excel sheet must be modified as per this years planning. The provided excel sheet is only for reference).  DOWNLOAD You can copy paste the same format/modify as per your need in Google Spreadsheet and update it on daily basis. Feedback talks about daily test results. Follow-up talks about daily target achieved from sources and the number of revisions to do/done and dates. Sources column is to ensure that aspirants do not run behind various sources and follow the same throughout. Would like to end on this quote:  Either you run the day or the day runs you.  Are you ready? Let's start! Important Note Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :)  You can post your comments in the given format  (1) Your Score (2) Matrix Meter (3) New Learning from the Test

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

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 29th April 2019 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Tannery industries shut to prevent their effluents from contaminating the Ganga Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Environment and ecology; Pollution In news: Kanpur contributes the highest pollution load among all of the cities of Uttar Pradesh, which itself accounts for 75% of the pollution load in the Ganga. Consequently, Kanpur has garnered about ₹1,000 crore of funds — more than any other city — from the ₹20,000 crore-plus Namami Gange Programme, the government’s flagship programme to clean the river. NGT and CPCB had pointed out that chromium content from tanneries lead to contamination of river Ganga. About Namami Gange Programme The government launched the Namami Gange Programme, an integrated conservation mission with a budget of Rs. 20,000 crore to accomplish the objectives of effective abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of the Ganga. The project covers eight states and seeks to fully connect all 1,632 Gram Panchayats along the Ganga to a sanitation system by 2022. It is a flagship programme of Government of India with a renewed impetus to decrease river pollution and conserve the revered river ‘Ganga’. SC: filthy language not criminal intimidation Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Polity In news: Supreme Court recently held that – ‘abusing a person with filthy language alone does not constitute the offence of criminal intimidation’. The judgment held that - the threat must be with intention to cause alarm to the complainant to cause that person to do or omit to do any work. Mere expression of any words without any intention to cause alarm would not be sufficient to bring in the application of this section. In other words, intentional insult must be of such a degree that it should provoke a person to break the public peace or commit any other offence. The mere allegation that the appellant came and abused the complainant does not satisfy the ingredients of criminal intimidation. Srinagar-Leh NH open for traffic after 4 months Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Geography In news: The 434-km strategic Srinagar-Leh National Highway, connecting the Kashmir Valley with the Ladakh region was thrown open after being closed for over four months due to heavy snowfall. Zojila Pass, at 11,516 feet above sea level, connects the picturesque Kashmir Valley with the cold Indus valley desert through the 434-km long Srinagar-Leh road. Border Road Organisation was involved in the snow clearance operation. Do you know? Zojila: Asia’s longest bi-directional road tunnel Zoji La will provide all-weather connectivity between Ladakh and Kashmir. It is said to be Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel Situated at an altitude of 11,578 feet on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh National Highway The project, on completion, would lead to enormous boost in employment as local businesses will get linked to the national market and the beautiful region is able to receive round-the-year tourist traffic. It will also be of strategic value to the armed forces. Part of Bharatmala project The government has set an ambitious target of construction of 35,000 km of national highways in the next five years involving an investment of Rs 5,35,000 crore under Bharatmala. Miscellaneous: Karnataka’s Ishad mango is becoming rare In news: Karnataka’s local mango variety called Ishad, the pulp of which has been extracted for over a century for making value-added products, is facing the threat of becoming rare in its homeland, Ankola. Reason for this - competition from hybrid varieties. The production of pulp dropped from 20,000 tins a year a decade ago to between 10,000 to 12,000 tins now, owing to shortage of mangoes, as the trees are becoming rare. The mango has two variants — Kari Ishad, which has thin skin, more pulp and is sweeter, and Bili Ishad, which has thick skin and has less pulp and sweetness. (MAINS FOCUS) ENVIRONMENT/CLIMATE CHANGE TOPIC: General studies 3 Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment Impact of Climate Change and Global Warming Why the world needs to deal with climate change, now? Context: The below article focuses on – All types of disastrous impacts of climate change or global warming on all forms of life on planet Earth. What environmental calamities are currently happening and what are very likely to happen in the future if ‘climate change’ is not tackled in right earnest with all urgency? Concerns: We are aware that nothing is being taken seriously by the world political leaders and particularly rich nations (esp. US President Donald Trump), even though it is their rampant overconsumption, pollution and food wastage over more than 150 years (since the advent of the Industrial Revolution) that has greatly contributed to climate change. The International Energy Agency (IEA) recently reported that energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in 2018 rose by 1.7% to 33.1 billion tonnes from the previous year—the fastest since 2013. We had earlier covered (in our previous DNAs’) about the latest UN report ‘Global Environment Outlook 6 (GEO 6)’ According to GEO 6, the current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under Paris Agreement (2015) are just a ‘third’ of carbon emissions mitigation required to keep the average global temperature rise below 2 degree Celsius over pre-industrial levels. It means even if NDCs are fulfilled, the temperature will still shoot up to 2.7-3 degrees and may even go beyond 3 degrees with the US withdrawing from the agreement. The report emphasises adverse health impacts for all people in the world (1,000 crore by 2050) due to environmental degradation of atmosphere, land, oceans and biodiversity, which would be of irreversible nature. Status of India India may fail to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) despite its many national action plans to achieve them. About 60 crore people in India depend on perennial rivers, which are in jeopardy due to glaciers receding and the ground water resources too being adversely affected. If the world fails to keep the temperature rise under 2 degrees Celsius, rivers of the world (such as Yellow, Ganges, Yangtze, Yamuna and Mekong) would shrink. There would be more uncontrollable droughts, floods, intense landslides and avalanches. India is likely to see the greatest extremes because of its vulnerability and crores of Indians would have to move. The vast areas of Indo-Gangetic plains will become non-liveable by the middle and the end of this century. A rise beyond 1.5 degrees would mean heat waves, heavy rainfall, water shortage, reduced farm output, coral bleaching and sea levels rising. Coastal nations and agricultural economies like India, already facing climate extremes, would bear the greatest burnt. Linkage between climate change and social tensions Another aspect of severely adverse impacts of climate change – it will lead to conflicts among civilian population the world over. World Meteorological Organisation in its recent annual report has particularly focused on this issue of linkage between climate change and social tensions creating imbalances and instability in many parts of the world in the future. This is because climate change adversely affects agriculture, fishing, etc, and thus livelihood; coastal areas get submerged due to rise in sea levels and water scarcity is created. All this induces migration to other parts of the region or urban areas, leading to riots over limited resources. Rebel activities and Maoist movements may gain momentum because of climate-related impact on livelihood pushing up migration of civilians to cities, adding to strife. Conclusion: To conclude, rich nations must sufficiently enhance their existing NDCs. They have the financial power to do so. India and China should combine efforts and play strong leadership role by bringing all nations on a common platform at COP 26 in 2020, which would a critical moment for our planet. This is the only way to save humanity. Connecting the dots: Critically analyze why the world needs to deal with climate change in right earnest with all urgency. Critically evaluate the emerging trends in global climate change negotiations. Is the world heading in the right direction in its fight against climate change? Critically examine. NATIONAL/POLITY TOPIC: General studies 2  Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these. Role of Constitutional bodies (Election Commission) and Judiciary (Supreme Court); Elections Role of Judiciary in ensuring Free and Fair Election Introduction: Free and fair election is the bedrock of democracy, as it legitimates the democracy through citizen's right to vote. Democratic legitimacy is periodically renewed and the foundations of the republic remain stable with the exercise of the citizen's right to vote and voting must take place as part of a free and fair election, which is ensured by Election Commission of India and complemented and enabled by the Supreme Court, where ECI lacks power and political will does not want reform due to parochial narrow political gain. Enabling role of Supreme Court to Free and Fair Election: In many judgments over the years, the court has set out the enabling conditions that guarantee that voting remains a meaningful activity. For example – SC had held that the citizen's right not to be arbitrarily denied the vote. Therefore, the court has held that voting is a fundamental freedom guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. The right to know (thus, requiring compulsory declaration of certain information by candidates) and The right to a secret ballot (that has prompted the court to order the inclusion of a NOTA, or None of the Above option). From the above judgments and ruling, the Supreme Court has reminded us many times, public faith in the electoral process is crucial to the continued survival of republican democracy, and it is these institutional safeguards that come together to ensure it. However in recent conduct of Indian courts reveals an unfortunate gap between judicial rhetoric and actual enforcement. Judicial Inaction in ensuring Free and Fair Election: Electoral Bond issue: The electoral bond scheme allows limitless, secret donations to political parties, including (and especially) by corporations. It strikes a dagger through the heart of the right to know, because it denies to voters the knowledge of who funds the people who ask for their vote. The electoral bonds scheme was challenged immediately after it came into force; the Supreme Court, however, held off on hearing the case until a few weeks ago, and then it postponed the case to after the elections, citing a paucity of time. In the meantime, significant sums of anonymous donations have come in through electoral bonds, and an overwhelming percentage of them have gone to the ruling party. Totaliser Machines Case and Right to Secret Ballot: Scholar Mukulika Baneriee had pointed out as early as 2017, and as journalist Ishita Trivedi demonstrated more recently, political parties are now able to determine voting outcomes at the level of individual booths because of the use of EVMs without totaliser machines. This destroys the very concept of the secret ballot, and makes threats to distorting the electoral process. However, when in 2018 a case was filed before the Supreme Court asking for the use of totaliser machines in elections — that would restore the secrecy of the ballot — the court dismissed it without even according it a hearing. Freedom to Vote: The issue of voter deletions surfaced late last year, especially in the context of Assembly elections in Telangana, where the Election Commission of India (EC) itself admitted to the existence of the problem due to unaudited software to cleanse the electoral rolls. Accordingly, a case has been filed before the High Court, asking that the EC be required to reveal the source code of the algorithm it was using, and open it up for auditing. Months have passed, the general election has come, but the High Court has failed to decide the petition. Conclusion: With recent electoral issues it seems that judiciary have dodged and ducked the issues, instead of solving them. While in popular imagination, the primary role of the courts is to protect the fundamental rights of individuals against the state, another — equally critical — task of courts is to ensure that the ground rules of electoral competition, which are necessary to ensure free and fair elections, are maintained. This, therefore, is an arena where courts have to be even more vigilant than usual, because what is at stake is the foundational legitimacy of democracy itself. Connecting the dots: Analyze the complementary role of Supreme Court in ensuring free and fair election along with Election Commission of India. Illustrate the contribution of Election Commission and Supreme Court in strengthening electoral democracy in India. MUST READ The government’s anti-corruption scorecard The Hindu An ineffectual angel The Hindu The government’s anti-corruption scorecard The Hindu Women don’t need saving  Indian Express From Plate to Plough: Cow and cane Indian Express Farm production: Are we growing enough pulses? Financial Express Cyberspace danger: Can we really prevent internet fraud?  Financial Express The case against Chinese apps eyeing Indian smartphones Livemint

AIR

All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Launching of EMISAT – A Boost to Space Technology

Launching of EMISAT – A Boost to Space Technology ARCHIVES Search 12th March, 2019 Public Speak here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC: General studies 3 Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights. Security challenges and their management in border areas Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology. The Launch EMISAT and 29 other commercial satellites have been launched to orbit onboard the polar rocket PSLV-C45. This is a first-of-its-kind mission for the space agency as it tried to put the satellites in three different orbits in one single satellite launch mission. Following the success of this mission, ISRO is eyeing orbital experiments, including on maritime satellite applications. EMISAT A very powerful electronic intelligence/surveillance satellite which has been developed in India jointly by ISRO and Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) under Project KAUTILYA. To measure the electromagnetic spectrum and to read the location of radar emitters both ground and naval – This capacity will help India in surgical warfare which is supposed to have become a permanent option for India to check Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. EMISAT is modelled after an Israeli spy satellite called SARAL (Satellite with ARgos and ALtika), according to a report. The main capability of EMISAT is in signal intelligence — intercepting signals broadcast by communication systems, radars, and other electronic systems on the ground from hundreds of kilometers away in space. The Ka-band frequency that EMISAT is sensitive to allows it to scan through ice, rain, coastal zones, land masses, forests and wave heights relatively easily The unique features First, it was the first time ISRO launched a rocket that injected satellites in three different orbits. Second, the fourth and last stage of the rocket will function as a satellite itself for some time, instead of being rendered junk after ejecting its payloads. The fourth stage is what remains of the rocket after most of it is discarded — in three stages — during the flight to reduce weight, after running out of the propellant they carry. Significance of the achievement Reaching three different orbits gives ISRO a new technological edge. It demonstrated its capability to reuse the fourth-stage engines multiple times, and also showed that the guidance and navigation systems aboard the launch vehicle could be used for much longer times than in earlier missions. In practical terms, it will help ISRO pack its future rockets with multiple satellites even if they require to be placed in very diverse but precise orbits. Currently, this could be done only in multiple missions. The foreign satellites include a majority from the US, and the rest are from Lithuania, Spain, Switzerland and goes to show India as an attractive destination when it comes to launching satellites. The global commercial space market is an expanding one and India’s advantage with the PSLV gives it an edge when it comes to launching these nanosatellites. Also, it is a reconnaissance intelligence satellite meant to keep a watch on and provide location inputs on enemy radar sites deep in the enemy territory, a function that was done by using electronic warfare planes until now. Project Kautilya — For Space Borne ELINT System which involves the development of Electronic Intelligence payload for integration on an indigenous minisatellite. The ELINT includes recordings and analysis of intercepted signals and helps create an RF signature of a radar which can, in turn, be used for locating and quickly identify the radar in subsequent encounters. The project is named after the ancient Indian economist who emphasised the importance of spying for a king to protect his kingdom. Connecting the Dots: Space is considered to be the fourth frontier. Any effort to weaponise it would pose serious security threats to the world as whole. Do you agree? Examine India’s preparedness to tackle such threats.

60 Days Plan: UPSC IAS Prelims 2019 - Polity and Current Affairs (Day 49)

60 Days Plan: UPSC IAS Prelims 2019 - Polity and Current Affairs (Day 49) 60 Day plan has been published on the website (www.iasbaba.com -Click here). Since we have come up with the 'Quiz Format', it will not be feasible to publish it on the app. For feasibility and getting to know where you stand among your peers (we have a leaderboard which gives your marks and rank) it would be advisable to take the test on the website. All the best. make the best use of the initiative ! Before taking the Test, read the post below, ARCHIVES Hello Friends,  The most beloved 60 Days for UPSC IAS Prelims 2019  has finally begun :) Once again the time has come for the battle (Prelims). And who else than your best companion in the last preparatory phase for UPSC IAS Prelims 2019 i.e 60 days plan. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.  Hope the message given above makes sense to you all. The productive utilization of this programme demands consistency, honesty, faith and strong determination to be in the process of learning and unlearning. You might not be fully prepared to solve all the questions but the learning and unlearning through these questions will prepare you for the real battle on 2nd June 2019. You have to unlearn your repetitive mistakes, gut feeling on which you mark doubtful questions. You have to learn new things and also those concepts that you were very sure of but somehow because of traps in the option, got it wrong. You have to learn 'how to convert knowledge into marks' (Because most of the times, after ending the exam, you regret making mistakes in known concepts).  Secondly, keep a long distance from following too many things at this point. It will always backfire. Once you are here, put complete faith and follow this initiative along with whatever you were doing. It is very important to consolidate your preparation with many revisions. Simply following many things will leave you in despair. You can cross check this with veterans. Everything that seems attractive is not productive. You should always go for productivity. Be wise! Let us pledge to make it a big game changer (better than last year) in the next 60 days of this plan! Importance of Self - Tracking: Learning from Last Year Last year, aspirants used to type/post their answers in the comment box on a daily basis. There were huge participation and discussion below the test post. Putting answers in the comment box has been very effective to self-track yourself after updating the score. In the end, you can cross check your performance through Disqus profile. It was highly effective in the last edition of 60 Days that propelled aspirants to monitor their performance and learn through discussion. Let you solve these questions with full honesty and write your result in the comment box. Interact with peers to know your mistakes. The importance of this initiative stands time-bound and aggressive reverse engineering to learn the concepts. Many of you must be busy with your own strategy but let us tell you honestly that in the last few months, it is very important to revise and consolidate your learning. Just reading won’t suffice. So, take out a few hours from your schedule and make it a revision exercise. How can you make the best use of it? Be honest to your effort and do not start competing with XYZ aspirants just for the sake of marks. It is more important for you to introspect and check your learning than focusing on others. Try to answer the questions in 25 minutes only.  Do not get into negative feeling that I don’t have enough knowledge to answer these questions. Feel like you are taking the real exam. What would be your response then? The same will be replicated in the UPSC exam. Here, you get marks only and nothing else matters. So, make effort to know the answers to all questions. Do not cheat :P DETAILED MICRO ANALYSIS MATRIX SAMPLE- is given here. You can download this and do an assessment for yourself (the excel sheet must be modified as per this years planning. The provided excel sheet is only for reference).  DOWNLOAD You can copy paste the same format/modify as per your need in Google Spreadsheet and update it on daily basis. Feedback talks about daily test results. Follow-up talks about daily target achieved from sources and the number of revisions to do/done and dates. Sources column is to ensure that aspirants do not run behind various sources and follow the same throughout. Would like to end on this quote:  Either you run the day or the day runs you.  Are you ready? Let's start! Important Note Don't forget to post your marks in the comment section. Also, let us know if you enjoyed today's test :)  You can post your comments in the given format  (1) Your Score (2) Matrix Meter (3) New Learning from the Test

Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – Mind Games – Inspirational Educative Articles

Mind Games: “If you don’t want to know the answer to the question, then don’t ask the question.” I had a boss years ago who used to say, “If you don’t want to know the answer to the question, then don’t ask the question.” At first I thought that was a stupid saying but the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. Let’s say for example that you ask your significant other, “In all your relationships, who have you been the closest to?”. They answer with a matter-of-fact honest answer that it was their high school sweetheart, who left them for someone else. Nothing else has changed, your significant one still acts the same way toward you, but you just heard them say something that you hadn’t heard before. It changes the way you feel inside, doesn’t it? We get so caught up in constantly “doing things” that we forget that most of what we perceive as reality is in fact the part of life that we can’t see, like happiness, jealousy, sadness, joy, anger, and love. Dealing with these tidbits of information that are unsettling to us can be a challenge. That’s where having a regular routine of sitting quietly and letting the mind relax helps out. When you sit quietly and just watch your thoughts it’s easier to keep thoughts from upsetting you. After practicing this for some time, you’ll see how your mind goes on its own little tangents, coming up with things you don’t want to think about, nonsensical things, and how you perceive and react to this “inner world” is what you have complete control over. It’s what is known as “the mind game”. When you wake up in the morning, it’s totally up to you to start each day fresh or pick up baggage from the day, weeks, or even years before. Forcing our minds to take a break from thinking is the secret to controlling what we think, and sitting quietly on a regular basis is the method of forcing our minds to take a break and stop controlling our lives. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Inner-Revolution and IASBABA.”

AIR

All India Radio (AIR) IAS UPSC - Generic Medicines- A fillip to India’s healthcare system

Generic Medicines- A fillip to India’s healthcare system ARCHIVES Search 12th March, 2019 Public Speak here: http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx TOPIC:  General Studies 2 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health  General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment Indigenization of technology No government can allow market forces a free hand in the pricing of medicines. Affordability of medicines has to be ensured so that no person in need of it has to suffer. This is especially true in India where a large number of people are still poor. The present government has been focussing on making medicines affordable by making them available through Jan Aushadhi Kendras, enabling price control of essential medicines, promoting prescription of generic medicines by medical practitioners and focussing on a conducive intellectual property regime (IPR). What are Generic drugs? Nearly all drugs have three types of names, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), the non-proprietary or generic, most commonly the International Non-proprietary Name (INN) administered by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the brand name. Some countries, such as the U.S., Britain and Japan, have their own generic names or approved names. Once patents have expired, companies other than the original manufacturer can produce and sell the drug. This usually results in significant reduction in costs. These off-patent drugs are called generics internationally. However, the term ‘generic’ has a different meaning in India’s pharma trade. Medicines marketed exclusively with INN names are called generics or generic medicine. The WHO advocates generic prescribing as part of an overall strategy to ensure rational medical treatment and prescribing tailored to local conditions. In India, there are many barriers to rational prescribing. Generic drugs tend to cost less than branded ones. These drugs form the largest segment of the Indian pharmaceutical sector. The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and ever-rising costs of hospitalisation and medicines are responsible for the growth of the generic drugs market. Directive on prescriptions Mandatory Name on packaging: Due to sustained efforts by the government to put in place a legal framework to promote generic medicines, the Medical Council of India issued a directive in September 2016, making it mandatory — by amending the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002 — to prominently mention the generic names of drugs along with brand names in prescriptions. There is an advisory to State drug controllers that all branded drugs, imported or domestically manufactured, should mandatorily have generic names mentioned in bold letters while packaging. Balance between health of consumers and financial health of pharmaceuticals: The instrument of price control is also being used to restraint companies from pricing their medicines exorbitantly. ‘Every few years, the Health Ministry, in consultation with experts, draws up a National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM). These medicines, deemed essential for the treatment of common conditions, automatically come under price control. Under NLEM 2015, a total of 376 drugs are under price control. In addition, the government has the power to bring any item of medical necessity under price control — paragraph 19 of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013. This provision was used to regulate the prices of cardiac stents and knee implants’. There has been an attempt by the government to strike a fine balance between the health interests of consumers and the financial health of Indian pharmaceutical companies. India as a supplier: India has also emerged as the low-cost supplier of medicines to other countries and is the largest provider of generic medicines globally in terms of volume. The Indian pharmaceutical sector industry supplies over 50% per cent of the global demand for various vaccines, 40% of generic demand in the U.S. and 25% of all medicines in the U.K. At present, over 80% of antiretroviral drugs (used globally to combat AIDS) are supplied by Indian pharmaceutical firms. Patents and rights: A serious threat to affordability of medicines comes from big global firms. These pharmaceutical companies and their governments have been trying to lobby with the Indian government to make patent protection more stringent despite the fact that both compulsory licensing and prohibition of evergreening, provided under the Indian Patents Act, 1970, are valid under the TRIPS agreement of the World Trade Organisation. India has resisted any change in its intellectual property laws that can have the effect of making medicines unaffordable. Challenges we Face Will of the pharmicists: There is the moral hazard that pharmacists will dispense the brand which offers them the biggest margin. The current diktat by the MCI therefore will not reduce prices for the consumer. Brand names ensure quality: This belief is ill-founded. The recent quality survey by the government found 26 of 32 samples from a particular plant of a prominent multinational drug company to be not of standard quality (NSQ). The most effective way to maintain quality is to have periodic testing and stringent disincentives for poor quality. The best insurance for good quality is good regulation. Bioavailability and Bioequivalence: Some argue that bioavailability and bioequivalence (BA and BE) of generics may not be equal to the original brand. Bioavailability refers to the rate and extent to which the active ingredient of the drug present becomes available at the site of action of the drug. In order for a new generic drug to be licensed, it has to be bioequivalent to the reference drug. It means that BA of the generic drug is similar to that of the reference drug. Of the approximately 800 useful drugs known to modern medicine, bioequivalence is really only important for a few drugs with low solubility and high or low permeability, so the debate about BA and BE is somewhat misinformed. The Way Ahead Self-certification: The government should require companies to self-certify their drugs to indicate whether they are in fact bioequivalent. A simple logo on the drug’s packaging to indicate whether a drug has been tested for proof of bioequivalence, along with the trial ID number listed on the Clinical Trials Registry India, should be made mandatory. Awareness of the consumer: The challenge for the government is to balance its policy objectives of taking the power of the doctor away to prescribe brand name drugs with the reality that generic drugs in India are of questionable quality. The solution does not lie in more laws, but in providing more information to the consumer. Drug regulators in India have a vast trove of information on substandard drugs which they need to release into a searchable database. If this information is made available over the Internet, the government will truly empower hospital procurement officers, pharmacists and patients with information required to avoid products of manufacturers with a poor-quality record. Go Digital: The government must seriously consider using IT tools to network all 36 drug regulators into one integrated national database. This can then be accessed by every citizen over a smartphone. The essence of the ‘Digital India’ initiative is to empower the citizen. What better way to do this than to provide them with information that will protect them from substandard drugs? Conclusion It is increasingly clear that the segment of the pharmaceutical market where we will see demand grow the fastest in the coming years is products that treat non-communicable diseases. We should, therefore, strive to promote strong, indigenous producers of complex generics and biosimilars as this has enormous potential to improve public health in emerging markets. The core issues are affordable access to medicines and their rational prescription and use. These objectives require an enlarged list of essential and life-saving medicines under price control, elimination of all irrational FDCs, no brands for drugs off patent, and briefer officially approved names to make it easier for doctors to prescribe generics including the rational FDCs. Must read: How are drug prices regulated? Connecting the Dots: What are generic drugs? Why generic drugs are essential for a developing country like India? India is a very long way from realising its potential for bio-pharmaceutical innovation. Do you agree? Discuss. Is the ‘generics-only model’ a panacea for India’s disease burden? Are we willing to trade affordability for quality and safety? Examine.