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

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 18th April 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Chenchus The Chenchus are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group, living in dense jungles spread across Andhra and Telangana. The Chenchus are considered to be the most primitive and one of the two tribes in south India that still largely depend for its survival on food gathering and hunting which are their traditional occupations. The Chenchus speak the Chenchu language, a member of the Dravidian language family. Since time immemorial they have inhabited the forest-clad hills on either sides of the Krishna River, and even today the forests are their true habitat. There is no community in India poorer in material possessions than the Chenchus. They are inveterate forest dwellers, who have, over centuries, steadfastly refused to move out of their woods regardless of the perils of such life. If patriotism be defined as love for the land, Chenchus are patriots in true spirit. Mars base simulator unveiled in Gobi desert Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Science and Technology; Space Missions In news: Mars base simulator was unveiled in the middle of China’s Gobi desert. “Mars Base 1” was opened with the aim of exposing teens — and soon tourists — to what life could be like on the planet. The facility’s unveiling comes as China is making progress in its efforts to catch up to the United States and become a space power, with ambitions of sending humans to the moon someday. The company behind the project, C-Space, plans to open the base — currently an educational facility — to tourists in the next year, complete with a themed hotel and restaurant to attract space geeks. Do you know? As budding astronauts explore “Mars” on Earth, China is planning to send a probe to the real red planet next year. Beijing is pouring billions into its military-run space programme, with hopes of having a crewed space station by 2022. Earlier this year, it made the first ever soft landing on the far side of the moon, deploying a rover on the surface. (MAINS FOCUS) POLITY TOPIC: General studies 1 and 2 Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure. The legacy of Ambedkar Intoduction: B R Ambedkar is regarded as the principal architect of our Constitution. He believed that freedom and democratic values of the people can be protected only when the moral values of a constitution are upheld. Ambedkar also attached great importance to constitutional morality in the working of the Constitution. Below are some of his views on different areas: 1. On the question of whether the President was bound by ministerial advice (whether he could act independently of it or contrary to it) – Ambedkar was of the firm view that “the President could not act and will not act except on the advice of the Ministers. He will never be able to act independently of the Ministers”. Shamsher Singh case – In this case, SC accepted Ambedkar’s above view. 2. On Fundamental Rights and Article 32 Ambedkar was passionate about the guarantees of fundamental rights being appropriately incorporated in the Constitution. He said - guarantees of fundamental rights remain ornamental promises unless they can be judicially enforced. With that objective in mind, the draft Constitution provided that a person can move the Supreme Court directly for the enforcement of his or her fundamental rights without going through the high court. Article 32 - the right to Constitutional remedies to enforce fundamental rights. Commenting about Article 32, Dr. B R Ambedkar said – “If I was asked to name any particular article of the Constitution as the most important—an article without which this Constitution would be a nullity—I would not refer to any other article except this one. It is the very soul of the Constitution and the very heart of it.” 3. On functioning of democracy Ambedkar expressed that if democracy should be maintained, first thing to do is to hold fast to constitutional methods of achieving our social and economic objectives. It means people should abandon the bloody methods of revolution. It means that people should abandon the method of civil disobedience, non-cooperation and satyagraha. Ambedkar felt – where constitutional methods are open, there can be no justification for unconstitutional methods. 4. On religion and politics – Ambedkar warned that Bhakti in religion may be a road to the salvation of the soul. But in politics, Bhakti or hero-worship is a sure road to degradation and to eventual dictatorship. 5. On social justice – Social justice was Ambedkar’s mission. He believed that mere equality on paper was not sufficient. He said if equality in our social and economic life is denied then political democracy will be in peril. Therefore, it is important remove this contradiction at the earliest possible moment else those who suffer from inequality will blow up the structure of democracy which the Constituent Assembly has so laboriously built up. Conclusion: If Dr. Ambedkar was not there in the formation of constitution, then perhaps the kind of emphasis that social justice got would not have been possible. This explains the importance of Dr. Ambedkar. As was his ideas of nation building so strong, so were his concerns about what was following to be there. He had cautioned fellow legislators against the use of non-constitutional methods of protest and was worried about limitless powers provided to the person whom the people worshipped. He also underlined the importance of creating not just a political democracy, but also a social and economic one. He supported the minority rights and opined that there should be solution wherein existence of the minorities are recognized as well as enable majorities and minorities to merge somebody into one. Being a social thinker, political reformer, philosophical writer with progressive ideas, he has been able to bring forward the basic human survival principles. Unfortunately, many of Ambedkar’s hope and ideas have not fructified. Social justice, the signature tune of our Constitution, still eludes us. The struggle for social justice must continue with determination and its achievement would be the best tribute we can pay to one of the greatest sons of India. Connecting the dots: Examine in detail the ideas and ideals of Dr. Ambedkar to make India a modern nation. What is the meaning and significance of a ‘Modern Nation’? Describe the role of father of constitution to make India into one such nation. NATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Sealed disclosure: SC order on electoral bonds Introduction: Electoral Bonds are instruments for the funding of political parties. It was introduced with following objectives: to ensure that the funds being collected by the political parties is accounted money or clean money it will also boost digital transactions However these bonds raises the question about the anonymity-based funding scheme on the grounds that it promotes opacity, opens up the possibility of black money being donated to parties through shell companies and empowers the ruling party, which alone is in a position to identify the donors and, therefore, well placed to discourage donations to other parties. Recent Supreme Court Verdict: The Supreme Court's interim order asks political parties to disclose to the Election Commission in sealed covers, details of the donations they have received through anonymous electoral bonds. The court notes in its order that the case gives rise to “weighty issues which have a tremendous bearing on the sanctity of the electoral process in the country”. However experts claim that it is an inadequate and belated response to the serious concerns raised about the opaque scheme. Analysis of the interim order: It was considered that the time available was too limited for an in-depth hearing. Hence to address the concern about the dangers of anonymous political funding, it directed political parties to have the names, subscriber of Electoral bonds scheme to the EC, albeit in sealed envelopes, until the court decides if they can be made public. However, the order, unfortunately, preserves the status quo, and any effect that the possible asymmetry in political funding would have on the election process will stay as it is. There is some concern that a disproportionately large segment of the bonds purchased by corporate donors has gone to the party in power because the government can know who donated what money and to whom. This donor anonymity may end if the court decides that the EC should disclose the names at the end of the litigation, but the influence such donations would have had on the electoral outcome would remain undisturbed. Given this premise, it could be asked whether the judicial intervention could not have come earlier. However, all it has done now is to ensure that its interim arrangement does not ‘tilt the balance’ in favour of either side. Conclusion: For the last two decades, the Supreme Court has been proactive in empowering voters and in infusing transparency in the system. It has developed a body of jurisprudence that says the electoral process involves the voter being given information about candidates, their qualifications, assets and crime records, if any. Now that there is no stay on the operation of the scheme, the court must render an early verdict on the legality of the electoral bond scheme. The glass is half filled and half empty. We have very precious things in the parliamentary democracy but we also have a very long way to go. Connecting the dots: How can electoral bonds help in redefining the process of initiating electoral reforms? Examine. The need for transparency in electoral funding for a level playing field in elections is a fundamental requirement. Discuss. Also suggest measures needed to address the problem of unchecked money power visible during every election. There has been an impetus on streamlining political funding in India. In this light, discuss the potential of electoral bonds. MUST READ A crisis of credibility? The Hindu The ethical act of voting The Hindu What a community has lost Indian Express Closing the gender gap Indian Express Mining political gold Indian Express The repeal of Article 370 would harm the children of Kashmir Livemint

Topper's From IASbaba

TOPPER’S STRATEGY: An Inspiring Story of a Parent, a Working Professional – SAURABH BHUWANIA, Rank 113 UPSC CSE 2018, IASbaba’s ILP Student!!

Hi Friends, TOPPER’S STRATEGY: An Inspiring Story of a Parent, a Working Professional – SAURABH BHUWANIA, Rank 113 UPSC CSE 2018, IASbaba’s ILP Student!! A real inspiration – MUST READ for all the UPSC Aspirants, especially Married and Working Professionals! I can in no words show my gratitude for the support from IASbaba in this journey of mine of having secured Rank 113 in CSE 2018. I am writing now to ensure that all the Working Professionals who are in full-time job can breathe easily and can be single-mindedly focused at their goal. In fact, I must admit that being in full-time job, at times, inspired me to push myself extra hard in order to ensure that I am ready for the challenge. In no time I will give my background so that it might be easy for you to relate to my situation. I began my preparation when I was approaching 30 (years old), I was married for more than 7 years and was about to be a father in next few months and had no choice but to be in a full-time job at RBI. So, despite these, if I could manage to find my name in pdf, there is no reason for anyone else to do the same. As for my strategy, I was too determined to study minimum 4-5 hours daily on weekdays and 7-9 hours on weekends. I also tried to squeeze some 15 minutes here and there at offices in bunches to be more effective. The time in transit can be used optimally by listening to story-type videos on Modern History or World History. Also, I divided my papers into three tranches - 1. Essay and Ethics 2. GS1, GS2 and GS3   3.Optional papers. I ensured that I am being very regular with 2 and 3 on all weekdays and on weekends and holidays I devoted 2-3 hours on tranche 1. I have demonstrated this to show that a proper plan is very much needed before we embark on this journey. Cost-benefit analysis, not getting bogged down by the syllabus, maintaining mental fitness, curtailing the sources to just enough and remaining firm are certain traits which worked wonders for me. My association with IASbaba was so helpful in the terms that I had to rely on very less material which will be just enough for the examination as I did not have the luxury to go deep in the subjects. PDFs, questions in prelims and mains and a directed approach helped me all through these 2 years to remain focused. For me, there was no choice to keep on compiling notes from various sources and in fact, this worked in my favour. I focused less on reading stuff and instead was working hard on how would I present my answer in the best possible way. I dwelt a lot on solving questions in prelims and doing answer writing practice in mains. For the once who are married, support of their spouses plays a big role in determining the consequences. I did my entire preparation being at home and my spouse took the responsibility as a single mother all this while. The likes of us need to stop comparing with the ones who are doing coaching and studying 10-14 hours a day and instead need to see the positives of being in the job. I was less anxious in mains and interview just because I had a job in hand in case I don't make it to the list. This sense of security cannot be discounted at any cost. In nutshell, all we need to do is to make the most out of which is there at our disposal. Collect all the energies, stay focused, draw a strategy, don't get cluttered with too much material and read and write and read and write. In the contemporary state of UPSC examinations, questions seem to have got more generalized which works in favour of working professional. So, just count on the positives and embark on the journey. All the best! Below is my Detailed Strategy: Background: I am Saurabh Bhuwania and have secured Rank 113 in CSE 2018. My journey to UPSC has a great deal of destiny in it and will need some background. I was born and brought up in Dumka, Jharkhand before I came to Kolkata for further studies. I am a commerce graduate from St Xavier’s, Kolkata and also have completed CA and CS. Even after I did MBA from FMS Delhi in 2015, I was cruising for a career in bank or investment firm. It was my selection in RBI which allowed me a faint thought of preparing for this exam. Joining RBI and coming across so many serious aspirants and at the same time a great deal of self-contemplation helped me figure out Civil services as my prime goal. I was almost 30 when I started and so I can talk on behalf of a person who wants to be a Civil servant and is also in a full-time job, is nearing the deadline age, is married for many years and a father of a child. My first attempt was in 2017 and due to a multiplicity of reasons including lack of writing practice, I failed to clear mains examination. My optional is Commerce & Accountancy. Mistakes in my First Attempt and Learnings: In my first attempt, I was definitely underprepared as it was less than 10 months with a full-time job since I started preparing. But the biggest crime according to me was lack of writing practice. I felt like a novice in the examination hall where I was searching for the right words, structure, balance in answers and also right speed. I was very determined to rectify this in 2018. I did a great deal of writing and even joined a test series for practice. Daily questions of IASbaba were a daily ritual for me. And I also used to read others' answers as a matter of reflection. My General Studies (GS) Strategy: I had to be very smart about these things. I had only 4 to 5 hrs at my disposal on weekdays. I had selected a few books and sources which I'll refer to. I avoided any duplicity just because I need to read more books. UPSC is more about wide coverage and not about research on all topics. I could not afford to make notes but relied a great deal on PDFs of online platforms like IASbaba and Vision IAS. Prelims: Basics have to be covered and practising question-solving (Tests) is super helpful. It helps to develop a knack for eliminating the wrong options. Mains: Write more and read less. I was more mindful of the way I will write an answer whenever I used to read any topic. Most of the times, I used to imagine a question and just roughly write it down on paper. It helped me develop the spontaneity during the exam hall where time is not a luxury. One needs to balance the cost-benefit analysis topic wise and subject wise. In my case, I could not have dwelt much on Art and Culture. But I managed to have a fair idea by watching videos on YouTube and reading online PDFs from IASbaba. So, understanding the significance and ensuring that the preparation is exam-oriented holds the key. My Optional Strategy – Commerce: Commerce was an automatic choice for me. I was a CA and an MBA already and almost entire syllabus was within my reach. I simply focused on relying on my background instead of looking for an alternate lucrative optional. I will also advise believing in your strength and area of interest for choosing optional instead of a trend analysis of marks given by UPSC. Paper 1: For any chartered accountant,  this will not be much of a challenge given the fact that the difficulty level of this paper is not more than PE II exam or B.Com. However one needs to respect the fact that almost everyone who has taken commerce optional is a commerce graduate or have some background in the paper. So it becomes important to emphasize on what UPSC is demanding. There are more theory questions in exams than practical ones which are not usual for a CA student. So being thorough with the theoretical part becomes pivotal. I depended primarily on Ranker's/Topper's notes and also took help from CA PE2 study material. Working on x-factors like structure notes to accounts, diagrams etc might add good value to the answers. Paper 2: It is almost entirely theoretical in nature and for this paper, I depended again on Ranker's/Topper's notes. I also did some work on diagrams, charts, etc to enhance the quality of my answers. Small concise notes can do wonders in this paper given the fact that those last minutes notes can add value to the answers. Time Management – between GS and Optional: This question has to be the highlight of my preparation. My best time management could leave me with only 4-5 hrs of tangible study hours. However, I ensured that be it any festival or family occasion or mild health issues, I won’t lose the momentum. So, consistency holds the key for someone who is starved of time. Even while going for my child vaccination, I could sneak in some prelims questions on the mobile app. This gave me the feeling that I am doing my optimum which helped in keeping my morale high. The balance between GS and Optional is significant because GS normally fetches 40 to 45 per cent marks while Optional have the potential of 60% or more marks. Also, Ethics and Essay, though seem routine, are too technical and marks can improve if one keeps on practising and keeps on getting the feedback. Role of IASbaba in my Preparation: For a novice like me, something as readymade as Integrated Learning Programme (ILP) in 2017 was so important that I cannot stop thanking for. Even in 2018 preparation, I enrolled for the same and also wrote all the questions which were made available for practice. Significance of ILP: In my case, I couldn't afford any coaching which always leads to fear of going directionless while preparing such a myriad syllabus. ILP helped me set targets, maintain sanity in my routine and also helped me assess the level of preparation. Even for revision, I found the Value Added Notes (VAN) very useful for both Prelims and Mains. Within 2-3 months of starting preparation, I had started feeling that I have gained momentum and a lot of credit for that has to go to this program. I stayed very regular with the course structure which was set by them and it helped me remain in the domain of confidence during preparation. My Final Gyan and few tips related to Prelims: Don’t see it as 1-year process and don’t bother about the next process, next day or next anything. Life, if led in small fragments, becomes very easy. I was simply concerned about ensuring my daily target of studying whole-heartedly for 4-6 hrs and never cared about the lengthy process of this examination. Instead of reading or dwelling on bulky motivational quotes, one needs to stay simple and pragmatic. Prelims has become trickier in the last few years. Practising Prelims questions (AIPTS/ILP of IASbaba) is important according to me along with regular revision. Mental health has to be ensured so that the efforts materialise in reality. I was one of the most unlikely aspirants who began preparation at the age of 30. If I could manage to do it with a full-time job and a small kid, so can you! Wish you all the best!! MARKSHEET: MAINS MARKSHEET : PRELIMS Regards, Saurabh Bhuwania

60 Days Plan: UPSC IAS Prelims 2019- Geography and Current Affairs (Day 40)

60 Days Plan: UPSC IAS Prelims 2019 - Geography and Current Affairs (Day 40) 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

Topper's From IASbaba

Kanishak Kataria, Rank 1 UPSC HIGHLY RECOMMENDS IASbaba's TLP Answer Writing Programmme as the Best ONLINE Platform!!!

Heartiest congratulations to Kanishak Kataria, Rank 1 UPSC CSE 2018. The difference in MAINS marks between Rank 1 and Rank 2 is 60 marks, which is no small feat in the race of UPSC Examination which is considered to be the toughest exam to crack. He secured Rank 1, in his 1st attempt. The entire credit goes to his hardwork and determination! On behalf of IASbaba team, we congratulate Kanishak and wish him to reach greater heights in his career. At IASbaba we have a single guideline before starting any initiative “Can we at IASbaba, do the best in comparison to any existing system, can we redefine the way things are delivered”.  Kanishak’s words as 'Iasbaba as the Best ONLINE platform' stands testimony to the efforts and Vision of IASbaba. We are humbled to have such self driven and genuine feedback from Rank 1 himself! As we always say " It's quality that matters , not quantity"  With Iasbaba we always believe in least efforts and high rewards .This has been the guiding force of Integrated Learning Programme (ILP),and C2C -Mentorship Based Answer writing Programme, Think Learn and Perform (TLP).   In the words of Kanishak Katria, the feedback on ONLINE platforms: 1. Unacademy: tried in my 1st month of preparation. Didn't find it relevant for me. Sometimes had a look if I had to find some information. NOT A REGULAR LEARNER. 2. IASbaba: Followed TLP Platform for Answer Writing Practice (AWP) after Prelims. It helped me get into the AWP groove. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND to those who want to get started with AWP. Quality of Questions is good. But feedback is difficult as many peple upload their answers. If you are able to get in touch with 3-4 people, it'll certainly be mutually beneficial. Otherwise you might get a little lost. 3. Insightsonindia: utilised for prelims (as explained earlier). Didn't find Mains answer writing platform relevant for me. Preferred IASbaba more for their quality of questions. 4. ForumIAS: ustilised for prelims and few offline tests at home.     For the Complete Strategy and Notes of Kanishak Kataria Rank 1 , you can join the Telegram channel @Kanishak2018NotesAndStrategy   MARKSHEET - PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION MARKSHEET -  MAINS EXAMINATION

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

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 17th April 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) SC to decide on entry of women into mosques Part of: GS Prelims and Mains I and II – Indian Society; Women issue and empowerment; Secularism; Fundamental Rights In news: Supreme Court to consider a plea by a Muslim couple to lift the ban on Muslim women’s entry into all mosques across the country. The court issued notice to the government and various bodies, including the National Commission for Women. Muslim couple told the court that the ban was illegal, unconstitutional and a violation of their dignity and right to equality. Tackling hate speech Part of: GS Prelims and Mains I and II – Polity;  Communism; Secularism In news: There were many instances of leading politicians involved in communally provocative and divisive speeches. Below are some laws that can be used in speeches that are communally sensitive or incite religious feelings. Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2019/04/17/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_01/17960ce8_2876028_101_mr.jpg (MAINS FOCUS) ECONOMY TOPIC: General studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Clouds on the horizon: IMF forecast on global growth and India’s GDP growth Introduction: At recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank meeting, Finance Ministers and central bank Governors by and large played down fears about a slowing global economy. Pause in the U.S.’s interest rate policy in February, ease in the country’s trade tensions with China, and receding risk of a hard Brexit have brought some respite. However, IMF has consistently emphasised a cautious stance on the current growth trajectory for some months. Key points: IMF has projected that global growth will be 3.3% in 2019, down from 3.6% in 2018 and 4% in 2017. This lower projection is due to a slower global expansion in the second half of 2018 caused by U.S.-China trade tensions, macroeconomic stress in Turkey and Argentina, growing uncertainty over Britain’s exit from the European Union, tighter credit policies in China and financial tightening, apart from a normalisation of monetary policy in advanced economies. World has witnessed deteriorating trade climate in the last two years. The pace of exports and imports was 4.6% in 2017, the strongest since the rebound after the 2007-08 financial crisis. But the 2018 figures were a modest 3% and could fall much further this year, says the WTO. Beyond 2020, the report said global growth would be sustained at about 3.6% because of the increase in the relative size of economies such as China and India, which are projected to have robust growth. IMF on India India GDP growth seen at 7.3% in 2019-20 and 7.5% in 2020-21, 20 basis points lower than earlier IMF estimates. Continued economic reforms, with efforts to reduce public debt, is essential to Indian economy’s growth, says IMF. The IMF report emphasized enhancing governance of public sector banks and reforms to hiring and dismissal regulations that would incentivize job creation and absorb the country’s large demographic dividend. Also efforts should also be enhanced on land reform to facilitate and expedite infrastructure development. This should be supported by strengthening Goods and Services Tax compliance and further reducing subsidies. IMF commended the government for taking steps to strengthen financial sector balance sheets through accelerated resolution of non-performing assets (NPAs) under a simplified bankruptcy framework. Pic: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/incoming/xepon0/article26785348.ece/alternates/FREE_435/Growth-chart Connecting the dots: Enumerate the list of various reports and their importance released by IMF World Bank World Economic Forum Critically examine the reasons for slowdown in the global economy with special reference to US and China. NATIONAL/ENVIRONMENT TOPIC: General studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General studies 3 Conservation, Environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. Water Pollution, Wastewater management How to deal with India’s imminent water crisis? Introduction: Recently, Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has projected that more than 60 large and small cities in India are on the verge of water scarcity. According to the NITI Aayog report published last year – Many Indian cities to face water supply crisis soon. Delhi and 20 other large cities are going to run out of water by 2020. The reason for this imminent crisis is an over-reliance on groundwater extraction, for most Indian cities are simply unable to meet their water demand with existing supply. This rampant extraction will likely lead to zero groundwater levels in Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad by 2020. Major Concerns: Excess groundwater extraction Excess groundwater extraction has already led to a 61% decline in groundwater level in wells in India between 2007 and 2017. The depth of this crisis will only grow severe, if we do not take immediate action. Do you know? Today, nearly three-fourths of Indian households do not have access to drinking water supply at home. Nearly 70% of water is contaminated and, as a result, India is placed 120th amongst 122 countries in the water quality index. Poor agriculture practices Poor agriculture practices can be blamed for the most part for depleting groundwater reserves. As of today, use of water for irrigation accounts for 80% of the total available water. Water-intensive crops like rice and sugar cane are widely grown in many northern states, often in blatant disregard to the available water supply. The dominance of paddy-wheat crop rotation in Punjab is a case in point—it led to a rapid decline of water table. Free or cheap electricity As per a recent study, on average, a 10% reduction in electricity subsidy generated a 6.7% increase in groundwater extraction. In order to make this move go down well with farmers who are used to free electricity, governments can incentivise power saving per unit with cash compensation for farmers. The way ahead: To avert or postpone this crisis, we need to act. The government must disincentivise paddy and sugar cane cultivation in areas where soil and water supply conditions are not conducive for these crops. States with sinking groundwater need to appropriate those cropping patterns that suit their agro-climatic zones. Switching to less water-intensive crops will enhance their irrigation water efficiency. Policymakers at both the Centre and states must encourage adoption of precision farming technologies, such as laser-guided land levelling, which can cut water use by as much as 30%. At the same time, drip or micro irrigation ought to be incentivised amongst farmers in severely water-deficient states, like Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana and Tamil Nadu. Another key focus point can be command area development (CAD). Now a part of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, the CAD initiative centres on “more crop per drop” to increase water-use efficiency in irrigation. Promoting rainwater harvesting and conducting systematic analysis of groundwater conservation methods. Connecting the dots: Many parts of the country are facing severe water crisis and drought conditions. There are many traditional water harvesting and conservation practices in various parts of India which can be employed locally to fight the ongoing crisis. Can you identify few such practices? Also mention the states where they are more prevalant. Why has water become a stressed resource in many parts of the world? Analyse. MUST READ Indian elections, South Asian concerns The Hindu Sealed disclosure: SC order on electoral bonds The Hindu Reviving growth requires better coordination between fiscal and monetary policies  Indian Express Monetary policy: Smaller rate revisions may not gain traction Financial Express How India-US partnership can steer the global economic future  Financial Express Let’s get back to being globally competitive Livemint A single-rate GST is neither doable nor desirable in India Livemint

60 Days Plan: UPSC IAS Prelims 2019- Geography and Current Affairs (Day 39)

60 Days Plan: UPSC IAS Prelims 2019 - Geography and Current Affairs (Day 39) 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

RSTV Video

RSTV IAS UPSC – Model Code of Conduct

Model Code of Conduct Archives 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. Elections; Role of media and social networking sites in Elections What is Model Code of Conduct? Election Commission of India's Model Code of Conduct is a set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India for conduct of political parties and candidates during elections mainly with respect to speeches, polling day, polling booths, portfolios, election manifestos, processions and general conduct. This is in keeping with Article 324 of the Constitution, which gives the Election Commission the power to supervise elections to the Parliament and state legislatures. These set of norms has been evolved with the consensus of political parties who have consented to abide by the principles embodied in the said code in its letter and spirit. The philosophy behind the MCC is that parties and candidates should show respect for their opponents, criticise their policies and programmes constructively, and not resort to mudslinging and personal attacks. The MCC is intended to help the poll campaign maintain high standards of public morality and provide a level playing field for all parties and candidates. When does it come into force? The Model Code of Conduct comes into force immediately on announcement of the election schedule by the commission for the need of ensuring free and fair elections. At the time of the Lok Sabha elections, both the Union and state governments are covered under the MCC. Evolution: A form of the MCC was first introduced in the state assembly elections in Kerala in 1960.  It was a set of instructions to political parties regarding election meetings, speeches, slogans, etc. In the 1962 general elections to the Lok Sabha, the MCC was circulated to recognised parties, and state governments sought feedback from the parties.  The MCC was largely followed by all parties in the 1962 elections and continued to be followed in subsequent general elections. In 1979, the Election Commission added a section to regulate the ‘party in power’ and prevent it from gaining an unfair advantage at the time of elections. In 2013, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to include guidelines regarding election manifestos (introduced Part VIII), which it had included in the MCC for the 2014 general elections. Part I deals with general precepts of good behaviour expected from candidates and political parties. Parts II and III focus on public meetings and processions. Parts IV and V describe how political parties and candidates should conduct themselves on the day of polling and at the polling booths. Part VI is about the authority appointed by the EC to receive complaints on violations of the MCC. Part VII is on the party in power. Part VIII provide that election manifestoes shall not contain anything repugnant to the ideals and principles enshrined in the Constitution and further that it shall be consistent with the letter and spirit of other provisions of Model Code. Key provisions of the Model Code of Conduct? The MCC contains eight provisions dealing with general conduct, meetings, processions, polling day, polling booths, observers, party in power, and election manifestos.   General Conduct: Criticism of political parties must be limited to their policies and programmes, past record and work.  Activities such as: (a) using caste and communal feelings to secure votes, (b) criticising candidates on the basis of unverified reports, (c) bribing or intimidation of voters, and (d) organising demonstrations or picketing outside houses of persons to protest against their opinions, are prohibited. Meetings: Parties must inform the local police authorities of the venue and time of any meeting in time to enable the police to make adequate security arrangements. Processions: If two or more candidates plan processions along the same route, organisers must establish contact in advance to ensure that the processions do not clash.  Carrying and burning effigies representing members of other political parties is not allowed. Polling day: All authorised party workers at polling booths should be given identity badges.  These should not contain the party name, symbol or name of the candidate. Polling booths: Only voters, and those with a valid pass from the Election Commission, will be allowed to enter polling booths. Observers: The Election Commission will appoint observers to whom any candidates may report problems regarding the conduct of the election. Party in power: The MCC incorporated certain restrictions in 1979, regulating the conduct of the party in power.  Ministers must not combine official visits with election work or use official machinery for the same.  The party must avoid advertising at the cost of the public exchequer or using official mass media for publicity on achievements to improve chances of victory in the elections.  Ministers and other authorities must not announce any financial grants, or promise any construction of roads, provision of drinking water, etc. Other parties must be allowed to use public spaces and rest houses and these must not be monopolised by the party in power. Election manifestos: Added in 2013, these guidelines prohibit parties from making promises that exert an undue influence on voters, and suggest that manifestos also indicate the means to achieve promises. Is the Model Code of Conduct legally binding? The MCC is not enforceable by law.  However, certain provisions of the MCC may be enforced through invoking corresponding provisions in other statutes such as the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and Representation of the People Act, 1951. The Election Commission has argued against making the MCC legally binding; stating that elections must be completed within a relatively short time (close to 45 days), and judicial proceedings typically take longer, therefore it is not feasible to make it enforceable by law. On the other hand, in 2013, the Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, recommended making the MCC legally binding.  In a report on electoral reforms, the Standing Committee observed that most provisions of the MCC are already enforceable through corresponding provisions in other statutes, mentioned above. It recommended that the MCC be made a part of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. But how does the EC enforce the MCC without statutory backing? There are examples of the EC taking punitive action against violators. For instance, during Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh in 2003, the then Chief Minister of Punjab Amarinder Singh used state government aircraft to travel from Chandigarh to Indore for an official purpose. From there he travelled to Bhopal to campaign. The EC forced him to pay the government the cost of the entire air journey from Chandigarh to Bhopal and back for having violated the provision of the MCC that forbids ministers from combining official work with electioneering. Among the strictest of punitive actions under the MCC was taken by the EC during the Lok Sabha elections of 2014, when it banned BJP leader Amit Shah and Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan from campaigning in Uttar Pradesh, and ordered criminal proceedings against both politicians for making “provocative” and “prejudicial” statements while canvassing. The ban on Shah was lifted after he apologised and promised to not violate the MCC again. Khan showed no remorse, and he remained banned from campaigning for the rest of the election season. Is social media covered under the MCC? The Election Commission has taken the view that the MCC will also apply to content posted by political parties and candidates on the Internet, including on social media sites. On October 25, 2013, the Commission laid down guidelines to regulate the use of social media by parties and candidates. Candidates have to provide their email address and details of accounts on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc., and add the expenditure on advertisements posted on social media to their overall expenditure for the election. Must Read: Election Code and New Age Media Connecting the Dots: What is the model code of conduct during elections? Does Election Commission have adequate powers to enforce it? Discuss.

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

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 16th April 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) Global measles cases up by 300%, says WHO Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Health issue; Role of international organization In news: According to the WHO – Measles cases rose 300% worldwide through the first three months of 2019 compared to the same period last year. Measles, which is highly contagious, can be entirely prevented through a two-dose vaccine. The reason for rise is attributed to impact of anti-vaccination stigma. Most measles-related deaths are caused by complications associated with the disease. Serious complications are more common in children under the age of 5, or adults over the age of 30. The most serious complications include blindness, encephalitis (an infection that causes brain swelling), severe diarrhoea and related dehydration, ear infections, or severe respiratory infections such as pneumonia. Severe measles is more likely among poorly nourished young children, especially those with insufficient vitamin A, or whose immune systems have been weakened by HIV/AIDS or other diseases. Important Value Additions: About Measles Measles is a deadly disease. It can lead to following complications – Pneumonia Diarrhoea Other deadly threats Measles remains a leading cause of death among young children, despite the fact that a safe and effective vaccine has been available for 40 years. Measles is an acute illness caused by a virus of the paramyxovirus family. Wildlife Sactuary in news: Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Environment and Biodiversity; Protected Areas Why in news? Tiger reserve status for Nandhaur sought. With the number of tigers steadily on the rise at Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarakhand, the authorities feel upgrading it to a tiger reserve is necessary for the conservation of tigers at the facility. Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary is situated close to the Nandhaur river in Kumaon region of the State and spread over an area of 269.5 square km. The number of tigers at the sanctuary when it came into being in 2012 was nine which rose to 27 in 2018. The number is set to cross 32 this year. The official said the steady rise in tiger population at the sanctuary over the years and the growing trend indicate that the sanctuary with the limited resources at its disposal may not be able to efficiently handle its responsibilities for long. Do you know? Though the Wildlife Institute of India and the Forest Department are working hard with financial help from the Zoological Society of London to maintain the sanctuary as a safe habitat for tigers, the task may get difficult in the long run, the situation becomes rather delicate from the point of view of tiger conservation as the sanctuary at present does not come formally under the ambit of the National Tiger Conservation Authority. The State government can play a role in its elevation as a tiger reserve so that it gets central government funds and the expertise of national level zoological scientists to conserve the growing population of tigers at the sanctuary. Sub-sonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’ successfully test-fired Part of: GS Prelims III - Defence In news: India successfully test-fired its first indigenously designed and developed long-range sub-sonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’ from a test range in Odisha. It is capable of loitering and cruising at 0.7 Mach at altitude as low as 100 metres, covered the designated target range in 42 minutes and 23 seconds. The flight test achieved all the mission objectives, right from lift off till the final splash, boosting the confidence of all the scientists associated with the trial, sources said, adding it has an engine with rocket booster and turbofan/jet. The last successful trial of the missile was conducted on November 7, 2017. (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary; Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity. Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act. State financing for fair and transparent poll funding Context: Indian elections are the world’s biggest exercise in democracy but also among the most expensive. India’s campaign spend is only rivalled by the American presidential race, the world’s most expensive election. In just 28 days since the announcement of the general election, the Election Commission (EC) has seized cash, drugs, alcohol, precious metals and other items worth Rs 1,800 crore. Rs 70 lakh is the legal upper limit of expenditure per candidate for Lok Sabha elections. The law prescribes that the total election expenditure shall not exceed the maximum limit prescribed under Rule 90 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961. However, simple arithmetic would show that the seized amount can fully finance up to five candidates from each of the 543 constituencies. And the amount seized is just the tip of the iceberg. The expenditure in any election is estimated to be several times the legal upper limit. Just remember – Rule 90 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 Rs 70 lakh is the legal upper limit of expenditure per candidate The EC has identified unchecked money power as one of the biggest concerns and has been rooting for capping party and campaign expenditure to ensure a level-playing field for all parties and to check the money power visible during every elections. However, expenditure in any election is estimated to be several times the legal upper limit. Do you know?       Under Section 29B of the Representation of the People Act 1951, political parties are free to accept donations from any person, except from a foreign source. Reasons: money wields the ability to disrupt political agenda and foreign money dilutes electoral integrity. Can state financing of elections ensure free and fair elections? State funding of elections has been suggested in the past in response to the high cost of elections. A few government reports have looked at state funding of elections in the past, including: Indrajit Gupta Committee on State Funding of Elections (1998) Law Commission Report on Reform of the Electoral Laws (1999) National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2001) Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2008) State financing will establish a fair playing field for parties with less money. Absence of a level playing field reduces the effectiveness of our democracy. Corporate donations constitute the main source of election funding in India which is flooded with black money, with business and corporate donations to political parties commonly taking this form. Therefore, evolving a transparent method of funding political parties is vital to the system of free and fair elections. But the concern for transparency in political funding is at complete odds with the electoral bonds scheme notified by the government. Simply put, anybody can buy electoral bonds in the form of bearer bonds from specified branches of the State Bank of India and donate it anonymously to a political party of their choice; the party must cash the bonds within 14 days. All donations given to a party will be accounted for in the balance sheets but without exposing the donor details to the public. The anonymity provision under the scheme is antagonistic to transparency — the bonds merely enable an “on-the-books” secretive transfer. Far from reducing the large-scale corporate funding of elections, the introduction of electoral bonds does not even address this issue. Alternately, state funding of the recognised political parties and outlawing of corporate funding could be instrumental in making the electoral process fairer and more participatory. State financing as a viable alternative Thus, necessity would dictate that the task of electoral funding be given to the EC under Article 324. A fair and transparent manner to finance the political parties would require a censure of unaccounted money and direct donations by corporates and non-voters to political parties. State funding of recognised political parties is a viable alternative. A state funding scheme would be viable through the levy of an election cess on the direct taxes. A National Election Fund could be maintained by the EC, into which the proceeds from this cess may be deposited Parties would be inclined to adopt a more inclusive agenda when in government since more votes will translate into more state funding. Parties will also vie for votes in absolute numbers than merely be the first past the post. Democracy will then truly be of the people, for the people and by the people. Connecting the dots: State funding of elections is a potential solution to reduce the role of unaccounted cash in the electoral process and ensure level playing field. Comment. If corruption-free and fair elections are a pillar of democracy, the taxpayers should pay for elections because they have a real stake in corruption-free good governance. Do you agree? Substantiate. What are various electoral and political funding reforms which need to be undertaken to bring in transparency and accountability in the Indian political environment. Describe. The need for transparency in electoral funding for a level playing field in elections is a fundamental requirement. Discuss. Also suggest measures needed to address the problem of unchecked money power visible during every election. NATIONAL/GOVERNANCE TOPIC: General studies 2 Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Weathervane of democracy Context: For the first time since the general election of 1996, the reputation of the Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken a beating. Surveys showed that trust in the ECI was the highest among the major public institutions in India. However, there are now perceptions that the ECI has responded inadequately, or not at all, to violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) Model Code of Conduct The MCC, like the ECI itself, is a unique Indian innovation and encapsulates an important story about democracy in India — the conduct of free and fair elections. Though just a brief set of guidelines, not law, the MCC is a powerful instrument. It comes into force when the ECI announces election dates and comprises directions to government functionaries, political parties and candidates aimed at an impartial election process. Important provisions include barring governments from making policy announcements to sway voters and restraining political actors from inciting hatred against any group, or bribing or intimidating voters. Origin of MCC The emergence of the code (during 1962 Lok Sabha elections) and its voluntary acceptance by political parties showed the commitment of the political elite to the holding of free and fair elections. However, from 1967 till 1991, as political competition intensified, political actors began to resort to corrupt electoral practices. Governments made populist announcements on the eve of elections, had pliant officials in key positions while intimidation of voters and booth capturing increased. After 1991, the ECI refined the code, making it more stringent by including a section about the misuse of powers by ruling parties and renamed it the MCC. ECI began to command a new respect and electoral malpractices declined dramatically. Though it demanded that the MCC be incorporated in the law, no such law could be passed. MCC in contemporary times Today, the MCC is at a crossroads, as is the ECI. Electoral malpractice has appeared in new forms. Voter bribery and manipulation through the media have become the techniques of unethically influencing voters in place of voter intimidation and booth capturing. These malpractices are harder to stem. The misuse of the media is difficult to trace to specific political parties and candidates. The ECI’s response to the new challenges has been inadequate, even though it has evolved a code for social media. At the same time, the misuse of money and media power has intensified since the last two elections. ECI’s capacity to respond to the older types of violations of the MCC has weakened. Political actors are regaining the confidence to flout the MCC without facing the consequences. Today, the ECI’s own commitment to the MCC (which is considered to be the weathervane of our democracy) seems to have weakened, a bad omen for our democracy. Connecting the dots: What is the model code of conduct during elections? Does Election Commission have adequate powers to enforce it? Discuss. What do you understand by the Model Code of Conduct. Discuss its significance and drawbacks. MUST READ The road to Kashmir The Hindu Embracing the Islamic world Indian Express In a post-Brexit world, India can leverage its trading relationship with EU Financial Express Think before getting machines to take moral decisions for us Livemint

60 Days Plan: UPSC IAS Prelims 2019- Polity and Current Affairs (Day 38)

60 Days Plan: UPSC IAS Prelims 2019 - Polity and Current Affairs (Day 38) 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 – 15th April 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 15th April 2019 Archives (PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS) India short of 6 lakh doctors, 2 million nurses: U.S. study Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Health issue; Welfare/Social issue In news: According to report by the U.S.-based Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy (CDDEP) – India has a shortage of an estimated 600,000 doctors and 2 million nurses. Lack of staff who are properly trained in administering antibiotics is preventing patients from accessing life-saving drugs. High out-of-pocket medical costs to the patient are compounded by limited government spending for health services. In India, 65% of health expenditure is out-of-pocket, and such expenditures push some 57 million people into poverty each year. Do you know? WHO recommends that out of pocket expenditure (OOPE) on health should not exceed 15-20 per cent. In India, there is one government doctor for every 10,189 people (the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends a ratio of 1:1,000), or there is a deficit of 600,000 doctors, and the nurse:patient ratio is 1:483, implying a shortage of two million nurses. Issue of EVM malfunctioning: Demand for verification of 50% of VVPAT machines Part of: GS Mains II – National issue; Accountability and Transparency issues In news: Leaders of major Opposition parties to move SC again for 50% of the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines with the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Opposition parties argued that the confidence of voters can be gained only through paper trail. VVPAT ensures the accuracy of the voting system. We had read recently that the SC had directed the Election Commission to increase random matching of VVPAT slips with EVMs from one polling booth to five booths in every Assembly segment to instil confidence in voters. C-295 plane deal in final stages Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Defence; Science and Tech In news: Major IAF deals pending approval C-295 transport aircraft: Negotiations for the C-295 deal have been completed. However, the deal needs clearance from the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) as there is a change from earlier parameters. C-295s to replace the ageing Avro fleet of Indian Air Force (IAF). Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for 114 fighter jets and the fresh proposal for six mid-air refuellers are pending. pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2019/04/15/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_07/d05dc3e7_2872648_101_mr.jpg Oil consuming bacteria found below ocean Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Environment and Biodiversity; pollution In news: Scientists have discovered a unique oil eating bacteria in the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the earth’s oceans. The findings may pave way for sustainable ways to clean up oils spills. Miscellaneous Animal in news: Yangtze giant softshell turtle In news: The only known female member of one of the world’s rarest turtle species has died at a zoo in southern China. The animal was one of four Yangtze giant softshell turtles known to be remaining in the world. The Suzhou zoo, where the female turtle lived, also houses a male Yangtze giant softshell turtle. The other two live in Vietnam. pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2019/04/15/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_18/38194107_2872537_1_mr.jpg World’s largest plane makes first test flight In news: The world’s largest aeroplane — with two fuselages and six Boeing 747 engines — made its first test flight on 14th April, 2019 in California. The mega jet, called Stratolaunch, carried out its maiden voyage over the Mojave desert. It is designed to carry into space, and drop, a rocket that would in turn ignite to deploy satellites. It is supposed to provide a more flexible way to deploy satellites than vertical takeoff rockets because this way all that is needed is a long runway for takeoff. Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2019/04/15/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_18/38194107_2872540_1_mr.jpg Do you know? Stratolaunch was financed by Paul Allen, a co-founder of Microsoftas a way to get into the market for launching small satellites. But Allen died in October of last year. (MAINS FOCUS) HEALTH ISSUE TOPIC: General studies 2 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Issues relating to poverty and hunger Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes Health of a nation: Need for a effective UHC Key pointers: World Health Day is celebrated every year on 7th April, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO). 2019 WHD Theme: Universal Health Coverage: : everyone, everywhere Through this 2019 WHD theme, WHO sought to highlight the importance and urgency of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has also set a target that all countries must achieve UHC by 2030. India, too, accepted that target date while signing up to the SDGs. Definition of UHC According to WHO, UHC “means that all individuals and communities receive the health services they need without suffering financial hardship. It includes the full spectrum of essential, quality health services from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care.” Country’s performance or success of UHC depends on – How well UHC is defined and monitored? What services are to be universally provided? What level of financial protection is considered acceptable? Whether UHC will commence by offering the same set of services to the entire population and progressively expand the service package to all Or whether UHC first prioritise certain services to the poor and vulnerable sections, to ensure both access and affordability, while leaving the rest of the population for coverage at a later stage? Or whether UHC provide a basic package of services to all, with full financial protection, along with an additional set of publicly funded services to the poor and vulnerable sections. These are all possible beginnings in the path of progressive universalisation that ultimately leads to UHC for everyone. India’s UHC To meet the standard set by the WHO and the SDGs, India’s UHC should include all persons in a population, even if the service package is modest to begin with. In terms of financial protection, the WHO recommends that out of pocket expenditure (OOPE) on health should not exceed 15-20 per cent. And this requires a high level of public financing. Even countries which follow an insurance model have a high level of public funding to support several health services. Mandated contributory insurance model will not work in India which has over 90 per cent of the workforce in the informal sector. How does India measure up presently and how can we achieve the 2030 target? India’s out of pocket expenditure (OOPE) on health is currently around 63 per cent (WHO recommends 15-20%) Impoverishment due to unaffordable healthcare expenditure affects 7 per cent of our population. Healthcare induced financial distress is a leading cause of suicide among farmers. Access to health services varies widely among states and between rural and urban populations. Qualified healthcare providers are in short supply nationally and those available are maldistributed. It’s a long way before we reach the base camp of UHC, even as the ascent to the 2030 summit seems very steep. The way ahead: What should India need to do? Public financing is the lifeline of UHC. Important to raise public spending on health to at least 2.5 per cent by 2022 and 3 per cent by 2024. Primary health care has to be recognised as the foundational basis of an efficient and equitable healthcare system. Primary care needs to be the fulcrum of UHC. Emergency health services are also a high priority, to provide the link between these services and also lifesaving care on location and during transport. All such services have to be provided free of cost. Right from start, UHC has to cover several services like commonly needed surgeries and treatments that can protect life. Government funded programmes should ensure that financial barriers should not stop access to needed advanced care. As UHC evolves, the poor and near-poor must get full cost coverage while others may seek protection through employer funded schemes or privately purchased insurance. Even for them, OOPE must remain low. The health work force has to be expanded to make available multi-layered, multi-skilled teams which can deliver the needed services. Basic and specialist doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists and an array of allied health professionals need to be developed in large numbers and deployed across the country. This needs reforms in health professional education, cadre planning and incentives for rural postings. UHC has to be cashless at the point of care and health benefits under the programme have to be available for access anywhere in the country. Strengthening of primary care infrastructure and district hospitals has to be a government priority. Free provision of essential drugs and diagnostics at public healthcare facilities will have an immediate impact on OOPE. Connecting the dots: What do you understand by universal health coverage? Explain the measures taken by the government to achieve universal health coverage in India. Discuss the merits and challenges associated with ‘Universal Health Coverage’. Analyse the ways to improve India’s health profile. The idea of a ‘Universal Health Coverage’ is gaining traction across the world. Do you think India is prepared to adopt this scheme? Critically evaluate. Why India’s health achievements are very modest and has poor health indicators compared to its neighbours? Examine. Also suggest ideas to improve the status of public healthcare in India. NATIONAL/GOVERNANCE TOPIC: General studies 2 Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions. Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation ‘Politicization’ of the military Context: In recent weeks, much has been written about the likely politicisation of the army, especially after more than 150 senior military veterans, including several former service chiefs, wrote a letter to the President expressing their anguish over the ‘politicisation’ of the military. They requested him “to take all necessary steps to urgently direct all political parties that they must forthwith desist from using the military, military uniforms or symbols, and any actions by military formations or personnel, for political purposes or to further their political agendas”. Why military should be kept out of politics? The President is the supreme commander of the armed forces, not the head of any political party or alliance in power, including the Prime Minister. The forces serve the nation and not the government in power. It has no role in government decision making nor interferes with its functioning. It only advices on military matters, for which it is the sole authority. Therefore, any politicization will lead to violation of the very secular environment and the vibrant democracy. Using military activities to shop for votes will lead to political mud-slinging, to the detriment of the honour and sanctity of the special forces. The use of the armed forces as a political tool is just one side of the coin. Even more dangerous is the fact that it sends the signal to the top brass that there is nothing wrong in intermixing politics with the military. The eventual lesson they will learn is that they can interfere in the political process with impunity since the civilian leadership has already legitimised the military’s use in the political realm. Conclusion: In recent years, many senior serving officers have commented on important domestic and international issues, such as immigration and India-Pakistan relations, that until recently had been off limits for the military brass. This is an unprecedented development that needs to be reversed in order to preserve civilian supremacy over the armed forces and keep the political and military arenas distinct. Unlike the neighbouring countries, the Indian Armed Forces have practised the constitutionally mandated “civilian supremacy over the military,” even though the reciprocal dignity of the apolitical existence has not been maintained by the politicos in recent times. Therefore, the nexus between military and politics does not bode well for Indian democracy. Politicisation of the armed forces is a self defeating exercise in a democracy and political parties who attempt it, do so at their own peril. Once the armed forces are politicised they become law unto themselves. Connecting the dots: Changing the apolitical nature of the military forces is a dangerous trend and can have serious repercussions for democracy, the morale of soldiers and the security of the country. Elucidate. Discuss the need for keeping military or armed forces insulated from the effects of religion and politics. (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 among the following helps to clean up oil spill in open sea or ocean? Chemical dispersants Biodegradation Bioremediation Bacteria Choose the appropriate answer: 1, 2 and 4 1, 2 and 3 1 and 2 1, 2, 3 and 4 Q.2) The term ‘oil zapper’ is concerned with Remediation of oily sludge and oil spills Under­sea oil exploration Genetically engineered high biofuel yielding maize variety Technology to control the accidentally caused flames from oil wells Q.3) Consider the following statements: The Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is the deepest known point in Earth's oceans. Deep ocean trenches occur most along subduction zones. Mariana Trench resulted from the Philippine Plate subducting under the Pacific Plate. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 and 2 only 2 only 1 only 1, 2 and 3 Q.4) Consider the following about Yangtze giant softshell turtles: They are extremely rare species of softshell turtle found only in China. It is listed as critically endangered in the IUCN Red List. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.5) Consider the following statements and indentify the incorrect one – World Health Day is celebrated every year on 7th April, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO). 2019 WHD Theme: Universal Health Coverage: : everyone, everywhere UN SDG has set a target that all countries must achieve UHC by 2030. 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