May 10, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 10th May 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 10th May 2019 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Chandrayaan-2 will carry 14 payloads from India Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Science and Technology; Space Missions In news: According to ISRO – Chandrayaan-2, the lunar lander mission planned to be launched during July 9-16, will have 14 Indian payloads or study devices. The 3,800-kg spacecraft includes an orbiter which will circle the moon at 100 km; a five-legged lander called Vikram that will descend on the moon on or around September 6; and a robotic rover, Pragyan, that will probe the lunar terrain around it. ISRO has chosen a landing area at the hitherto unexplored lunar south pole, making it the first agency to touch down at the south pole if it succeeds in its first landing attempt. Do you know? Chandrayaan-2 will be India’s second outing to the moon. ISRO will send the mission on its heavy lift booster, the MkIII, from Sriharikota. Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2019/05/11/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_05/d15da60b_2930604_101_mr.jpg Fani’s fury creates four new mouths in Odisha’s Chilika Lake Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Environment and Ecology In news: The extremely severe cyclone Fani has created four new mouths in Chilika Lake connecting to the Bay of Bengal. Chilika Lake is considered to be Asia’s largest brackish water lake. Chilika Development Authority (CDA) officials have started studying the impact of saline ingression into the lake. Do you know? Rise in salinity would alter Chilika’s ecosystem, as it will lead to increase in productivity. Trump raises tariffs on Chinese goods Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II and III – International affairs; Economy and related issues In news: The trade war between the U.S. and China took a turn for the worse as the Trump administration increased tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. Trade war has been haunting the global economy since 2018, hurting investors’ confidence worldwide. Do you know? One of the big immediate risks of the U.S.-China trade war for India and a number of other countries may be “trade diversion”. That means products and merchandise, hit with retaliatory or counter-retaliatory tariffs by the U.S. and China respectively, will get diverted or even dumped on markets like India. Miscellaneous: Amazon unveils space vision, moon lander In news: Jeff Bezos, who heads both Amazon and space company Blue Origin, unveiled a lunar lander that he said would be used to transport equipment, and possibly human beings, to the south pole of the moon by 2024. Space agencies prepare to return humans to the moon and top engineers are racing to design a tunnel boring machine capable of digging underground colonies for the first lunar inhabitants. Harsh conditions on the surface of the moon mean that, once up there, humans need to be shielded from radiation and freezing temperatures in structures which maintain atmospheric pressure in a vacuum. (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL/TECHNOLOGY TOPIC: General studies 2 and 3 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology EVs are an idea whose time is yet to come Introduction: Electric vehicles (EVs) are hailed as the future of mobility, considering its important role in containing carbon emissions and hold off global warming. India has an EV conversion policy in place. Last month, the Indian government announced the second phase of its Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid and) Electric Vehicles (FAME-2) scheme, aimed at weaning various modes of public transport off fossil fuels. About FAME India Scheme and 1st phase of FAME FAME India Scheme [Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India] was implemented with the objective to support hybrid/electric vehicles market development and Manufacturing eco-system. The phase-I of the scheme was designed for a period of 2 years i.e. FY 2015-16 and FY 2016-17 commencing from 1st April 2015. However, the scheme, which was initially upto 31st April 2017, was extended upto 31st March, 2019 or till Notification of FAME-II, whichever is earlier. Department of Heavy Industry implemented FAME-1. The Phase-II of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME-India) Scheme proposes to give a push to electric vehicles (EVs) in public transport and seeks to encourage adoption of EVs by way of market creation and demand aggregation. Total outlay of Phase-I of the FAME-India Scheme was enhanced from Rs. 795 Crore to Rs. 895 Crore. However, Fund allocated was 580 crores. FAME-2 Under FAME-2, incentives are offered to manufacturers of three-wheelers, four-wheelers and buses that run on electric power. Department of Heavy Industry to implemented FAME-2. Do you know? The latest guidelines issued by the department of heavy industries insist that to avail of the benefits under the scheme – Half of all EV components (especially, lithium batteries and charging units) must be manufactured within the country. (to boost domestic production) However, for local companies, it remains risky to invest a lot of money in plants to make such products without clarity on the specifications that are likely to become industry standards across the world. This is an emerging industry even for western countries or China. The Chinese government has provided generous tax incentives and subsidies to car makers and consumers alike to make things happen. It also restricted the sale of fossil-fuel cars. Its EV industry is set to boom. India’s position India has no major firm making controllers, batteries or magnet motors; nor has sufficient lithium reserves. Therefore, EV success is hard and calls for an entirely new strategy. EVs are still too costly to replace fossil fuel vehicles in the broad consumer market. Local EV makers would be better off waiting for component standardization and then forging tie-ups with successful foreign players to achieve volumes and the viability granted by economies of scale. Instead of an incentive scheme that tries to electrify public transport systems and prod the local manufacturing of parts, Indian policy would achieve more by assessing the global state of play, working out which battery and motor designs will come to dominate, and then setting up a grid to support a market switchover bit by bit as EV costs fall. Also interchangeable batteries would ease the process, as would a reliable network of charging stations where drained batteries could be swapped with fully-charged ones in a jiffy, as a plug-in-and-wait model would demand too much patience. Indian policy should finely calibrate interplay of regulatory and market forces. Premature electrification is best avoided. As of now, India’s goal of clearing its city streets of fumes looks a distant dream. Connecting the dots: Discuss in brief how vehicular pollution can be controlled by adopting a strategic roadmap. Also suggest measures to boost hybrid/electric vehicles in India. India’s automotive industry is headed for an inflection point. To make India an EV hub setting up the required infrastructure is most crucial. Discuss. NATIONAL/HEALTH 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 Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate What a new Lancet study reveals about HIV and ART? Introduction: According to a new Lancet study – Extending anti-retroviral therapy (ART) outreach with early testing and support for HIV treatment could help eradicate the disease. Condomless sex between serodifferent couples in which the HIV-positive partner was receiving virally suppressive ART didn’t result in HIV transmission from seropositive partner to the seronegative one. Serodifferent couple means one person is living with HIV and the other person is HIV-negative. In simple words, if the person living with HIV is on effective ART treatment, his viral load will drop and he will be HIV-undetectable. This means he cannot pass on HIV. Therefore, a HIV negative person will not be at risk if they have sex with someone who is HIV-undetectable. Significance of Lancet study to India Approximately 2.1 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in India, and only 79% are aware of their HIV status—and just 56% receive ART. Build awareness that ART intervention at an early stage could help stop transmission, and thus, preventing new infections altogether could become easier. The finding by Lancet helps to remove stigma and discrimination surrounding the disease. Measures taken by India In 2017, India moved to the ‘test and treat’ protocol prescribed by the WHO, which meant every HIV-positive individual within the country was to be put on ART treatment. India had adopted the UNAIDS 90-90-90 goal, under which, by 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90% of all people with HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression. NACO’s Link Workers Scheme under which volunteers from at-risk groups were trained to link their communities with HIV information, commodities and services. Conclusion: Despite a marked rise in ART coverage, many people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) are unable to access the clinics. India needs to make the most of ART by ensuring a 100% outreach, and adherence. Connecting the dots: What is HIV and how is it a life threatening disease? How has India battled against HIV? Critically examine. Discuss some of the provisions of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Act of 2017. Elaborate on the Policy actions initiated by the government w.r.t. HIV AIDS and the necessary concerns associated. Highlight the provisions of the recent legislation. MUST READ By established law and procedure The Hindu Endless war: on U.S. putting pressure on Taliban  The Hindu Soldiers for peace Indian Express SC must re-examine procedure to probe allegations against CJI Gogoi Indian Express Economic data: Govt should focus on accuracy than speed Financial Express How US steadily upping the game to counter China Financial Express

May 9, 2019 Topper's From IASbaba

TOPPER'S STRATEGY: Rohit Kumar, Rank 469 UPSC CSE 2018 –a Regular Follower of IASbaba's initiatives (IASbaba’s TLP Student)!

TOPPER'S STRATEGY: Rohit Kumar, Rank 469 UPSC CSE 2018 –a Regular Follower of IASbaba's initiatives (IASbaba’s TLP Student)!   "Hard work beats talent if talent doesn't work hard".  This is very true in case of UPSC preparation. Irrespective of our background, we need to word hard to achieve the feat in this examination. We may be competing with the guy who is a working professional or IITian or IIM pass out. We should keep this in mind, this examination is a good level setter so we get a fair chance of selection irrespective of level of competition, if we are honest to ourselves. Coming from humble background and very little exposure to English as a medium of writing and speaking it was a mammoth task before me to even thinking about cracking this examination. This is because of popular perception about the examination that it needs very good English. But, these difficulties were the part of preparation and with the kind support of family, friends and platforms like IASBABA, it became a reality for me. Background: I am Rohit Kumar and secured 469th rank in CSE 2018. I am from a small town in Hamirpur District of Uttar Pradesh. I did my primary and secondary education from the government school in my village. Then, due to unavailability of higher secondary schools in neighbourhood, I shifted to Kanpur. I completed by secondary education from M. D. B. Inter College Umri Kanpur (Nagar). After completing this, I sat for JEE examination but couldn't clear with a wide margin. Then I joined coaching in Kanpur itself and cleared it. I got IIT Delhi as my first preference. I also did job as software developer in Vmock Inc in Gurugram for 3 months so as to get exposure of private sector and have financial ease. I started preparing for UPSC since September 2016. I joined coaching (Vajiram for GS and DIAS for Chemistry) because till last year of my graduation, I didn't even know the basics of UPSC like who elect President ? Or What is capitalism?  You are amazed, right ?  But what can you expect from a person coming from a rural background and have never read anything other than what is written in syllabus. Preparing for just 8 months or so, I had written prelims in 2017 with very much lack of confidence and result was expected. I couldn't clear prelims by 2 marks.   Mistakes in my First Attempt and Learnings: There was the only one mistake that I sat for examination. One is not expected to clear prelims with just 8 months of preparation and specially the person like me who doesn’t know A B C D of UPSC. I feel, one should sit the examination only when he is confident enough otherwise why to waste attempt. Anyway, one can clear prelims with bit of a luck, but Mains will be a big hurdle for him since it require good understanding of concepts. Apart for this, I did not attempt good number of questions in  that attempt and did only one test series. My learning is that we should do two test series of any institutes for prelims and keep revising the questions which we are not able to do. We should be well versed with the NCERTs (specially modern history, Ancient History, Geography). For Current Affairs, I followed Vision monthly CA. I kept my sources limited but revised them for good number of times. In last month, I followed IASBABA 60 days plan so that important topics are not left. Apart from doing hard work, we should also keep ourselves energetic by participating in any one sports, talking to loved one. This is necessary in prelims because we have to keep so many things in mind and it is possible only when we are stress free. Further, try to attempt as many questions as you can. This strategy worked for me, I attempted 92 questions this year. And during examination, keeping believing in yourself, take deep breath, these things really work !!   My GS strategy: Before starting for mains, please have a look on the syllabus. This will guide your preparation and help in writing questions according to need. For mains, two things are needed, first is to complete the paper in time and second is to write quality answers. While former can be managed via test series, later can be managed by writing in peer review platform. IASBABA helped me in writing quality answers by providing review of answers and motivating me for best answer 'Award' (For beginners, If you will write best answer, your answers will be highlighted and will be given place in compilations). Paper1: mostly covered by NCERTs. For history (modern, ancient, world), social issues, geography NCERTs are enough. But this basics should be supplemented by the current event. (For example: if you read migration topic from NCERT then should cover issues of migration from CA such as Gujrat violence, fake news etc.) Try to give as many examples as you can. Paper2: Polity (LaxmiKant is just enough), IR (mostly CA) and Governance (I read ARC reports, NITI Aayog three Year plan and CA) Paper3: Economy (my coaching notes + CA + budget), Environment (Shankar book + CA) Paper4: Lexicon book (revised for 5-6 times, made short notes), IASBABA TLP compilation for last one year (I gained lot of confidence of writing answer of ethics and got examples for several issues) I would recommend to do preparation in integration rather than separately studying for prelims for 3 months before prelims and then starting for mains. This is because of the nature of exam these days, we find many questions in prelims which can be solved only when we have deeper knowledge of syllabus of mains. Other than this, making short notes of each material that you read is very much needed. This saves time for us and help in recalling all the important points during revision. For a beginner, it is necessary to go through all the basic NCERTs so that we can get the feel of syllabus and key terms which play vital role in writing mains answers. My strategy was to divide equal time among all GS (2 Hrs each) and Optional (4 Hrs) + 4 Hrs (For answer writing and newspaper). This was the broader time division and it fluctuated specially one month before mains. I kept Sunday easy for me with target of writing two essays, just to regain energy for next whole week.   My Optional strategy:  My optional is Chemistry. I chose this because had interest in this subject since my JEE preparation. While choosing optional, apart from performance of optional (give this less preference),  interest is very much required. It is because, you have to read it for 2-3 years regularly and this is not possible without interest.  For optional, I did coaching from DIAS chemistry in Delhi. Apart from coaching, Basic NCERTs and required books I read. If anyone interested in detailed strategy for chemistry, mail me at below address.   Role of IASBABA: During this attempt, this platform helped in Prelims and Mains preparation. For prelims, I followed 60 days plan of IASBABA and made short notes out of it. For Mains, it helped me a lot. I liked the TLP platform (Mains Answer Writing Platform) very much, here one can write 5 questions daily and these answers will be reviewed by peers and BABA itself. I feel it is like fun to write in this platform because of several other aspirant like us. They keep me motivated not only by reviewing but also by guiding me at every steps. For ethics, TLP platform is unique because it helped me to get several examples for particular question by viewing others' answers. And everyone know ethics paper is all about examples. Here, I would like to thank mona sharma (@disqus_5OJJlWz6nx), @disqus_ISHAQ_ALI @ZyotiSingh and IASBABA for all the support and motivation. (please tag all if possible).   My suggestions and few tips before prelims: Don't forget your true friends, family and loved ones even during preparation because they give positive energy to us. Further, keep limit to your sources and keep revising them. Make small targets and complete them, this will not let stress win over you. In prelims, most of the aspirants are able to solve 50 questions, but key lies to solve other 20 or 30 questions. Here comes the role of educated guesses that we make. It is the need of examination I feel, it is very difficult to get cutoff marks without this. For educated guess, apart from knowledge, confidence and alertness is the key. So, night before prelims sleep well, take some energy drink with you during examination  and finally don't fear too much. If prelims is tough, then it is tough to all and if easy then easy for all, so be balanced.   Prelims Marksheet:   Mains Marksheet:   Thank You Rohit Kumar

May 9, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 9th May 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 9th May 2019 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Iran says it will not honour nuclear curbs Part of: GS Mains II – International affairs; Security issues In news: Iran said it had stopped respecting limits on its nuclear activities agreed under a 2015 deal with major powers until they find a way to bypass renewed U.S. sanctions. The announcement came as the US imposed sweeping unilateral sanctions against Iran. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said that it no longer considered itself bound by the agreed restrictions on stocks of enriched uranium and heavy water. Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Part of: GS Mains III – Environment and Ecology; Human impact on biodiversity and ecosystem In news: According to global assessment report of the (IPBES) – Human beings have aggressively exploited nature. Species belonging to a quarter of all studied animal and plant groups on earth are gravely threatened (due to human impact). Ecosystem losses have accelerated over the past five decades universally Any devastation to tropical areas, which are endowed with greater biodiversity than other regions, is worrisome. If the world continues to pursue the current model of economic growth without factoring in environmental costs, one million species could go extinct, many in a matter of decades. Concerns: Catastrophic erosion of ecosystems is being driven by – unsustainable use of land and water direct harvesting of species climate change pollution and release of alien plants and animals in new habitats The global rate of species extinction is at least tens to hundreds of times higher today than the average rate over the past 10 million years, and it is accelerating alarmingly. Marine plastic pollution has increased tenfold since 1980, affecting at least 267 species, including 86% of marine turtles, 44% of seabirds and 43% of marine mammals. Ecological economists have always warned about ever-increasing consumption which courts modifying terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecosystems to suit immediate needs, such as raising agricultural and food output and extracting materials. Such modifications severely affect other functions such as water availability, pollination, maintenance of wild variants of domesticated plants and climate regulation. US and China account for half of world’s military spending Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – International affairs; Defence/Security issues In news: According to think-tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) – Total world military expenditure rose to $1,822 billion in 2018, representing an increase of 2.6% from 2017. The five biggest spenders in 2018 were the United States, China, Saudi Arabia, India and France, which together accounted for 60% of global military spending. Military spending by the US increased for the first time since 2010, while spending by China grew for the 24th consecutive year. In 2018, India increased its military spending by 3.1% to $66.5 billion while military expenditure by Pakistan grew by 11% (the same level of growth as in 2017), to reach $11.4 billion in 2018. Pic: https://images.indianexpress.com/2019/05/defence.jpg In news: Pattachitra paintings Context Cyclone Fani teared down artists’ village in Odisha. Many pieces of art (especially Pattachitra, a traditional cloth-based scroll painting) in heritage hub have been damaged. About Pattachitra Pattachitra is a general term for traditional, cloth-based scroll painting, based in the eastern Indian state, Odisha. In the Sanskrit language, "Patta" literally means "cloth" and "Chitra" means "picture". Most of these paintings depict stories of Hindu deities. The Pattachitras are known for its intricate designs and was given the GI tag in 2008. These paintings are made on a canvas, which is prepared by mashing an old cotton cloth and palm leaves. When the canvas dries up, it is hardened using a paste of tamarind, turmeric, chalk and granite powder. The colours used in these paintings are made from from coal, conch shells, turmeric, chalk powder, leaves of selected plants and soft stones. Person in news: Subhash Kapoor ASI identifies rare Indian artefacts seized from smuggler In news: A range of Indian antiquities and artefacts that were smuggled by Subhash Kapoor have been identified by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) during a team’s recent visit to the United States. Idols dating back to the Gupta period (5th-6th Century AD) to terracotta objects of the Harappan culture were seized by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement of U.S. Department of Homeland Security from the storage of Kapoor. The smuggler was extradited to India and is currently in the custody of Tamil Nadu police, the ASI said. (MAINS FOCUS) INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2  Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate India-US ties face tough terrain Below are some of the major issues between India and US Issues in India-US trade 1. U.S.’s decision to not extend Iran sanctions waivers to India This decision will have notable implications for India-U.S. relations, given the importance of New Delhi’s energy relationship with Tehran. 2. U.S.’s decision to withdraw GSP benefits for Indian exports Trump administration decided to withdraw GSP benefits for Indian exports in retaliation for Indian tariffs that the U.S. deemed to be prohibitively high US has also expressed deep discontent over India’s policies on e-commerce, intellectual property rights and data localisation. 3. India’s tariff structure According to Trump administration, India was at number 13 in the list of US export markets because of its “overly restrictive market access barriers”. India’s average applied tariff rate was “the highest of any major world economy”. According to World Trade Organisation (WTO) data, India’s average applied tariff is now around 13.5% — and there are plans to move towards ASEAN tariff rates progressively (approximately 5% on average). Over the last five years, however, there has been a move by the government to increase duties on a number of items. 4. Disputes under the WTO Seven disputes between India and US are at various stages of the Dispute Settlement Mechanism under the WTO. These pertain to – poultry and poultry products from the US countervailing duties against India’s export of steel products measures against import of solar cells and modules under the National Solar Mission, the US’s Sub-Federal Renewable Energy Programmes US measures concerning non-immigrant visas India’s export promotion schemes and the US tariff hike on steel and aluminium products. 5. Capping prices of cardiac stents and knee implants In 2017, India capped the prices of cardiac stents and knee implants, slashing prices by over 70% and 60% respectively. The move impacted US giants like Abbott, Medtronic and Boston Scientific. 6. Walmart issue and data localization Two other issues that the US side has specifically raised during the latest round of negotiations are the “treatment of Walmart after their acquisition of Flipkart”, and the problems on data localisation reportedly faced by companies such as MasterCard and Visa. Impact: India will scale up oil imports from other top producers GSP withdrawal will have minimal impact on India’s economy (we have covered comprehensively in previous month DNA articles) S.-India CEO Forum and the India-U.S. Commercial Dialogue is expected to ease tensions However, a full-fledged strategic partnership, which both countries endorse, will be difficult to achieve amid such multiple and long-standing disconnects on the trade and economic side. Conclusion: Bilateral ties should go beyond technology transfers, arms sales, joint exercises, and foundational agreements on defence in order to achieve a robust and multifaceted strategic partnership. India-U.S. relations have potential to extend well beyond security, especially initiatives ranging from clean energy to innovation. The U.S. and India have long struggled to agree on what a strategic partnership should look like. Any strategic partnership must be broad-based, with trust and cooperation present across a wide spectrum of issues and not just limited to close collaborations in the guns-and-bombs category. In this regard, a true strategic partnership remains, at least for now, elusive between India and the U.S. Connecting the dots: India’s “US” policy has seen both continuity and change. Comment. India and US share a strong strategic partnership in the changing global order. Critically analyse. Has the dynamics of Indo-US relations changed after the election of Donald Trump as the President? Critically evaluate. (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) Pattachitra is A cloth-based scroll painting of Odisha A traditional dance form of Odisha Block painting of Buddhism faith Paintings done on dry leaves and preserved Q.2) With regard to ‘Pattachitra’ consider the following statements These are paintings based on Hindu mythology and specially inspired by Jagannath and Vaishnava sect. Pattachitra is registered under the identity of Odisha Pattachitra (GI tag). Which of the above statements is/are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 None MUST READ A travesty of justice The Hindu A wake-up call on proprietary seeds The Hindu Forcing a woman to adhere to purdah system is unconstitutional, so is dragging one out of it  Indian Express How China, followed by India, has led greening efforts across world  Indian Express Democratic values and the role of our educational institutions Livemint

May 8, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 8th May 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 8th May 2019 Archives (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL/POLITY TOPIC: General studies 2  Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies. Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Need for Judicial Reforms Context: The below article highlights why there is a need for judicial reforms and how judiciary and its judges have become even more powerful than ever before, and the institution even more opaque. We are aware that Indian judiciary is facing its worst hour of crisis. Below is a look at some of the issues or incidents where the judiciary has been in the news for all the wrong reasons – Sexual harassment allegation against CJI The manner in which the sexual harassment allegation against CJI is handled and the opaque in-house committee findings has brought the judiciary to a tipping point. The announcement of constituting an internal Supreme Court committee to examine the sexual harassment charges against CJI was always a bad idea since, at the end of the day, the judges reported to the CJI. In addition the in-house committee was an all-male bench (headed by the CJI) The complainant was not allowed to have her lawyer with her; she wasn’t even given a written copy of her statement to the committee, and there was no audio/video recording of the proceedings which is critical to ensure that all witnesses were interviewed and that their statements were taken into account by the committee. With the in-house committee giving the CJI a clean chit, definitely proves that judges have become more powerful than ever before, and the institution even more opaque. Appointment process In the 1990s, over the course of three cases, the judges created the collegium which had the sole right to recommend appointing/promoting judges. Till then, this was done by the government, and when the government tried to strike a balance by proposing a National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) which gave both the government and the Supreme Court an equal say in selecting judges – and both had a veto – the SC struck this down even as its own judgment made it clear the collegium system had serious shortcomings. Not open to any reforms Recently, four judges went public with their protest against the then CJI and a letter written by Justice CS Karnan gave a list of 20 corrupt sitting/retired Supreme Court and high court judges. While the letter spoke of the need to “revisit the process of appointment of judges and to set up a mechanism for corrective measures other than impeachment”, nothing of the sort took place. A Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill was brought into Parliament in 2000 to address these issues by setting up a National Judicial Oversight Committee, a Complaints Scrutiny Panel and an Investigation Committee, but nothing came of it. Lack of gender diversity The judiciary is one of the least diverse institutions in India. Since 1950, the SC has had only eight female judges out of 239, with the present three out of 27 being the highest concurrent representation women have ever had on the SC bench. In the subordinate judiciary, merely 27.6 per cent of the judges are female. Even if a female advocate crosses many barriers and thrive in her profession, the current collegium system for the appointment of judges is simply not designed to ensure her elevation to the bench. This appointments process in itself is severely lacking in women’s representation. This lack of women on the bench, at all levels of the judiciary, is at the very root of the impunity with which the top court has, in a single stroke, destroyed decades worth of progress made in deterring sexual harassment of women from all walks of life. Conclusion: The present calamity in the judiciary provides an unprecedented opportunity to course correct on several accounts. Judiciary is now left with no choice but to undertake a massive exercise in introspection and reform. Effective reforms are essential to keep the judiciary from becoming irrelevant and severed from the idea of justice. And, in the absence of that, it is difficult to see how the dignity of the Supreme Court and the judiciary can be restored. Connecting the dots: If the judiciary is strong, the constitutional values of India can be successfully upheld. Critically examine. Judiciary is no longer a ‘secret’ organisation when it comes to its functioning. Discuss the various transparency initiatives taken by Indian judiciary. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TOPIC: General studies 2 and 3  Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology. Technology as an agent of social change India’s digital pathway Context: India is digitising faster than almost every other country. Roti, kapda, makaan … and internet – is now the updated version of an Indian’s bare necessities of life Supreme Court even granted Indians the internet as a fundamental right. India’s digital future 40% growth in internet users expected in the next five years Absence of connectivity for 65% of the country Worrisome challenges on infrastructure readiness and shortcomings in policy approaches Inadequate progress to implement the policy items There is much to be done – India needs humongous investments and critical infrastructure to realise our true potential as future leaders in digital communications. Concerns India’s mobile broadband speeds are only about one-third the global average of 23.6 Mbps (EY). With regard to fixed broadband speeds, India ranks a low 67 in the world (according to Speedtest Global Index). High broadband speeds are required to extract maximum economic benefits from broadband and reduce the quality issues that plague us. Only 7% of our country has internet through fixed-line connections (TRAI). The world average is 46%. Top quality downloads at high speeds with minimum delay need fixed-line internet. Mobile internet cannot shoulder this burden alone. India’s mobile broadband is crunched at over 90% utilisation. The international best practice is 60-70% to ensure a high quality with next-generation services. India has to augment resources to enhance its mobile broadband capacity. One reason for the capacity crunch is the limited broadband spectrum allocation. As much as 40% of unused spectrum is lying idle at unrealistically high reserve prices that inhibit spectrum take-up. Enormous value loss to the economy. Consumers, businesses and individuals only get limited access to high-quality, high-speed fixed-line internet, thus hindering productivity. If reformed, we can create 60-65 million jobs across sectors by 2025 (according to McKinsey). Measures taken or needed: National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP 2018) gazette-notified recently has outlined a clear way forward with goals to fiberise India, improve spectrum usage and satellite communications, and get 5G-ready. (Need effective implementation) There is a need to improve broadband speed and capacity to enhance economic benefits. While fiberising India is imperative, we need to upgrade the quality of our fibre networks, and provide fibre-to-home services. It is difficult to envisage digital leadership without domestic manufacturing capacity growing concurrently with foreign players in India. Both customer-facing equipment like smartphones and the digital network infrastructure need to be fully developed and operational. India has more than 150 domestic units producing mobile phones, but a closer look reveals that these are mere assembly units and the value added is in single digits. We need to move up the value chain rapidly or else India will continue to slide behind its global peers. Ensuring a digital future does not come cheap. India needs an investment of Rs 4.2 lakh crore just to get India 5G-ready (EY). Added to this the costs of smart cities, fiberisation, satcom modernisation and digital skill-building. India would be needing nearly Rs 1 lakh crore over the next five years. Significance of high-speed broadband It will help the IT, BPM, digital communications services, and electronics manufacturing sectors to double their GDP contribution to $435 billion in the five years. Newer sectors are digitising at a rapid pace and can accelerate productivity. Agriculture, education, energy, financial services, healthcare, logistics, retail, government services and labour markets could create $10-150 billion of incremental economic value. Do you know? Indian telecom service providers (TSPs) offer lowest user tariffs but are laden with some of the highest levies in the world. Licence fees and 12% levies of revenue, GST and exorbitant spectrum auction reserve prices make it prohibitive for the businesses to operate. In most countries, such regulatory fees are negligible. A reduction in levies and duties will allow TSPs to compete freely, embrace innovations, and invest in infrastructure to move forward. India’s overwhelming percentage of data usage is video—which is mostly entertainment. Policies should focus to proactively boost the amount of digital business-to-business, financial, industrial and other data transactions. We need government initiatives to educate and bring awareness about the benefits of digitising to the agriculture, healthcare, public safety, logistics management and other sectors. Only then will we see strong benefits across sectors. Connecting the dots: Discuss the significance of improving broadband speed and capacity in India. Can a digitally backward India ensure financial inclusion? Examine. MUST READ The National Register of Cruelty The Hindu Belt and Road 2.0 The Hindu Surveillance wars in space The Hindu Ranked-choice voting system could deepen democracy, prevent polarization Indian Express  India needs national and state missions to modernise the brick sector Financial Express

May 7, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 7th May 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 7th May 2019 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Tiger Reserve in news: Rajaji Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Environment and Conservation; Protected areas Why in news? NGT constituted a committee to provide it a factual report on alleged illegal construction of a road for use by commercial vehicles in the ecologically sensitive Rajaji Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand. Petitioner has alleged that road is being built in the tiger reserve without statutory clearances and requisite safeguards. And the construction of the road may potentially damage the biological diversity and resources of the reserve. Animal in news: grizzled giant squirrel Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Environment and Conservation of Animals; Protected areas In news: For the first time, researchers have sighted as many as 363 nests of the grizzled giant squirrel at Pakkamalai Reserve Forests near Gingee in the Eastern Ghats. Several diverse and endangered species including the Golden Gecko, Bamboo Pit Viper and Mouse Deer have also been spotted in the Pakkamalai Reserve Forests. Conservationists argue that the government should immediately declare the forests as a sanctuary for the grizzled giant squirrel. About grizzled giant squirrel It is an endangered species listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The grizzled giant squirrel is usually known to nest in the Western Ghats in Southern India ranging from Chinnar Wildlife sanctuary in Kerala to Anamalai Tiger Reserve and Palani hills in Tamil Nadu. Owing to habitat loss and poaching, the species has been categorised as near threatened by the Red List and listed under Schedule II of CITES. (IUCN Status: near threatened) 1 million species at risk of extinction: UN Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Environment and Biodiversity; Climate change In news: According to UN report – Relentless pursuit of economic growth and impact of climate change has put an ”unprecedented” one million species at risk of extinction. This loss is a direct result of human activity and constitutes a direct threat to human well-being in all regions of the world. The report said that the world may need to embrace a new “post-growth” form of economics if it is to avert the existential risks posed by the mutually-reinforcing consequences of pollution, habitat destruction and carbon emissions. Profound economic and social changes would be needed to curb greenhouse gases quickly enough to avert the most devastating consequences of a warming world. Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2019/05/07/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_12/7458af30_2920807_101_mr.jpg Justice Bobde panel gives CJI a clean chit Part of: GS Mains II – Credibility of Supreme Court; Women/Social issue; Judicial reforms In news: The Justice S.A. Bobde in-house committee has found “no substance” in the sexual harassment allegations levelled by a former Supreme Court staff member against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi. (MAINS FOCUS) NATIONAL/ENVIRONMENT TOPIC: General studies 2 and 3 Protection of primitive tribes Social issues; vulnerable sections of the society Policy interventions and issues arising out of their design and implementation Environment conservation; Community-led conservation Conservation minus the people? Introduction: In February, India, one of the world’s 17 megadiverse countries, issued a court order which stood to evict more than a million forest-dwelling people from their homes. But, India, a state that supports about 8% of global species diversity and over 100 million forest-dwellers, did not even put up a legal defence before its top court. However, this court order was subsequently stayed temporarily. The above incident provides valuable insights into India’s conservation objectives and approaches. Given the country’s size and biodiversity-richness, a decision of this nature has consequences for global natural heritage. International and Domestic laws that deals with involving communities living in and around natural resource-rich areas Involving communities living in and around natural resource-rich areas in the management and use of these resources is an effective tool of conservation that has been recognised across the world. International conventions – 1980 World Conservation Strategy of IUCN Earth Summit’s 1992 Statement of Forest Principles and Convention on Biological Diversity IUCN’s Policy Statement on Sustainable Use of Wild Living Resources in 2000 Convention on Biological Diversity’s 2004 Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines for the Sustainable Use of Biodiversity. Domestic legislations – Indian Forest Act, 1927 Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 1988 National Forest Policy 1990 Joint Forest Management Guidelines (JFM) 1992 National Conservation Strategy National Environment Policy of 2006 and 2006 Forest Rights Act 2007 Biosphere Reserves Guidelines Concerns: India has been a vocal member of above conventions. But at home, things operate rather differently, despite there were a number of policies that mirrored the global shift towards inclusive conservation. For instance, India’s different laws Indian Forest Act, 1927 and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 create different types and grades of protected areas, and contain provisions to restrict or outlaw local use of natural resources and landscapes. 1990 Joint Forest Management Guidelines (JFM) created community institutions for co-management, in collaboration with the forest bureaucracy. Although it initially registered some success stories in certain parts of the country, JFM committees are widely critiqued as being bureaucracy-heavy, with little real devolution of powers to local communities. 2006 Forest Rights Act went beyond sanctioning local usage, to conferring rights to local communities over forest land and produce. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs was mandated with operationalising the Act, while conservation remained under the domain of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. However, given a hostile bureaucratic environment, the legislation faltered, except in certain pockets. The Third National Wildlife Action Plan, introduced in 2017, is categorically of the view that locals hinder conservation. Where communities are to be involved, it distinctly avoids the attribution of rights and instead frames usage within a bureaucracy-controlled format. The 2018 Draft National Forest Policy left little room for communities. The Supreme Court’s order in early 2019 mandated the eviction of those forest-dwellers whose claims under the Forest Rights Act have been rejected, in disregard of the bureaucratic violations, lapses and technical constraints that have played a part in such rejections. In March 2019, amendment to Indian Forest Act was proposed for extinguishing rights granted under the Forest Rights Act. Further, it grants the forest bureaucracy unprecedented powers to enter and search the premises of forest-dwellers on suspicion, arrest without warrant and use firearms to meet conservation goals. Conclusion: India’s conservation policies and legislation over the years reveal a dichotomy of intent and action. While other countries are recognising the value of community-involved conservation models, India is stridently and steadfastly moving in the opposite direction. Certain progressive policy documents are put in place on lines of international commitments. However, a wholly different picture emerges during the course of its operation on the ground. Connecting the dots: Do you think unlike the rest of the world, India is stridently moving away from community-involved conservation models? Substantiate. India’s conservation policies and legislation over the years reveal a dichotomy of intent and action. Elucidate. “Conservation is best achieved by those who know the forest”. In the light of the statement, critically discuss the present status and issues related with Forest Right Act. INTERNATIONAL TOPIC: General studies 2  Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Way forward for RCEP Introduction: Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) and the six states with which ASEAN has existing free trade agreements (Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand) Do you know? Talks have been under way for over six years now, with over 25 rounds of negotiations between all FTA partner countries. The 16 member countries have now set a deadline of end-2019 to conclude the negotiations. India is among the countries that will have to take a call at this point considering the seriousness of the situation. The negotiations, until now, have been fraught with difficulties, with India accused of being ‘conservative’ in its approach towards tariff negotiations. Concerns with respect to India and RCEP India is the one country that doesn’t have an FTA with China. The greater access Chinese goods will have to the Indian market, bigger the problem given India’s massive trade deficit. To circumvent this, the government has proposed a “differential market access” strategy for China, which others are inclined to accept. Both Indian negotiators and the domestic industry have been vocal about their discomfort with respect to opening up of the domestic market to Chinese exports. This is because of the massive Chinese overcapacity in key manufacturing industries, and major support programmes in the form of financial, non-financial and trade measures for the domestic industry, which give an edge to Chinese producers over other trade partners. There are also demands by other RCEP countries for lower customs duties on a number of products and greater access to the market than India has been willing to provide. The more developed RCEP countries such as Australia and Singapore have been unwilling to accommodate India’s demands to liberalise their services regime and allow freer mobility of Indian workers. The way ahead: India suggests for appropriate safeguard clauses need to be put in place within RCEP in case injury to domestic industry is found, resulting due to impacts of massive support that China offers its industries, leading to overcapacity and price undercutting. India suggests introduction of clause on provisional safeguard measures. Also, given the current state of Indian industry, phased elimination of tariffs is necessary, especially with respect to some key manufacturing industries that have long gestation periods until they start running on full capacity. Therefore, at least a 15-25 years’ tariff elimination schedule should be negotiated for key sectors like chemicals, metals, automobiles, machinery, food products and textiles, which individually contribute more than 5% to India’s manufacturing GDP and employment, respectively. Phased elimination of few key manufacturing industries is absolutely essential with respect to China. Policymakers should be cognisant of the use of non- tariff barriers (NTBs) by China. Even though China has agreed to open almost 92% of their tariff lines, expecting India to reciprocate in the same manner, India’s concerns over China’s complex NTBs merit serious attention. Conclusion: Indian negotiators bargain hard for an inclusive and balanced RCEP. However, domestically India must fiercely focus on problems plaguing manufacturing sector and exports. RCEP is an opportunity for India to play a greater role in Asia-Pacific, the fastest growing and developing region the globe. India must not take the easiest way out on the trade deal and walk out of talks, rather it should move forward and fill the vacuum being created by the protectionism of US. If negotiated well, the RCEP has the potential to be a game-changer for India. Connecting the dots: India with RCEP, critically examine the challenges and opportunities ahead. Do you think RCEP is a must for India? Analyze. (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 about Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) It is associated with ASEAN All the members of RCEP are members of Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Cambodia is the only land-locked country among RCEP members Select the INCORRECT statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 Only 2 Q.2) Which of the following countries is NOT a part of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)? Myanmar Japan Bangladesh Singapore Q.3) Which of the following countries is/are NOT a part of RCEP? India Russia China Japan Select the appropriate option using the code below 2 only 1 and 4 only 2 and 3 only 2 and 4 only Q.4) Rajaji Tiger Reserve is located in Rajasthan Uttar Pradesh Madhya Pradesh Uttarakhand MUST READ A miscarriage of justice The Hindu The Election Commission must act tough The Hindu The Supreme Court belongs to everyone The Hindu The quest for a military footprint  Indian Express Can India learn from the US and get public healthcare right?  Financial Express The motives behind India’s A-SAT experiment? Financial Express Power sharing: Why states are failing decentralization Financial Express

May 7, 2019 Topper's From IASbaba

TOPPER’S STRATEGY: Abhishek Kumar Singh, Rank 244 UPSC CSE 2018- a Regular Follower of IASbaba’s initiatives (IAS baba’s TLP Student)!

TOPPER’S STRATEGY: Abhishek Kumar Singh, Rank 244 UPSC CSE 2018- a Regular Follower of IASbaba’s initiatives (IAS baba’s TLP Student)! Hello fellow aspirants, My name is Abhishek Kumar Singh (IAS baba TLP Student 2018), I have secured an All India Rank 244 in the Civil Services Examination 2018, and this feeling after failing twice in this examination before finally securing a rank is both overwhelming and incredibly rewarding at the same time. I am here to discuss my saga of efforts that helped me crack this examination. Before I start, I would recommend every fellow aspirant to not to be driven by the strategy of other successful candidates, because your strategy and your success story should be unique and just yours. So why not create our own? Ofcourse, knowing about others and their personal battles can generate motivation and zeal to serve the country as a part of our bureaucracy.   MARKSHEET: MAINS BACKGROUND: I belong to the city of Munger in Bihar and I come from a modest family background with just enough resources to make both ends meet. I had my schooling from Sainik School Tilaiya and Sainik school Kapurthala. With failures knocking the doors quite early in my career, I could not crack the UPSC NDA examination due to medical reasons. But the dream of serving the country runs deep in my family line, and that pushed me to aspire differently. I pursued Engineering in Bionformatics from Amity University, Uttar Pradesh and later joined various software firms post graduation. Preparations along with work comes with its own set of challenges but the very dream of serving the country kept my hopes high and my heart ignited.   Learnings from my Previous mistakes: Previous Attempts : I have seen my fair share of failures in CSE examination, twice(UPSC) and otherwise, but it was very important for me to know why I failed and I worked on that constantly. It is okay to fail, but never let your instincts say that you can not clear this exam. I can tell this as I have always been an average student and had to work very hard to even get recognised as a good student at school and college level. So believe in your potential and do a regular SWOT analysis of yourself.   My Driving Force: Your self-belief and the belief that the nation needs your services and you have a role to play if you dream of a better society for tomorrow. Plus a small pool of family and friends who are there to have your back when you fall is very crucial. My father always said this and it became a MANTRA for my preparation: this examination is all about knowing your country, understanding our hurdles and having a vision for your motherland and its issues. While I studied, I used to keep this in mind, it actually made my answer writing skills better with each passing day.   GENERAL STUDIES (GS) Preparation: MOST Critical part of preparation is mock tests and writing practise, target should be at least 10000 MCQs practise for prelims in these 12 months and at least 1 mains full length test series every week, for mains. Habit of writing even 2 answers daily and sticking to time limits, structure and demand of question will have a monumental impact on your mains Marks-sheet. Prelims: Over the last couple of years, prelims has become more challenging, making informed guesses is a very important part of this. Solving mock question papers will nurture that aptitude that helps one attempt the right questions. One undermined aspect is the role of NCERTS. It is fundamental to our understanding of any question asked in prelims, the better one reads and understands NCERTS, better are his/her chances of solving even the questions which one is doubtful about. Mains: Writing, reviewing and writing again, is the only mantra, sticking to time, well structured answers covering every dimension that is demanded in the question comes only when answer writing is done on a daily basis. Ethics: Creating a set of examples, quotes and poems from school days books on each topic mentioned in the syllabus, and using them in answer writing practise is very crucial. Case studies need a well structured writing approach, real-life examples and giving a bureaucratic solution if possible in your answers will boost the quality of answers.   Interview: My interview was on 14th feb afternoon session. I was the first candidate. It was around 30 -35 minutes long. It was solely about my DAF and a few standalone current affairs questions. The Idea behind PI is solely to see the spark in you that says you have a bureaucrat in you. You have a vision and you possess officer-like qualities. Its a personality test and not a knowledge test. Be true to the best of your knowledge, in DAF and work on individual elements you have mentioned in DAF. Have a confident body language and maintain a humble and cheerful eye contact with all the panel members. Making notes: The best study materials are your own notes. Use the least number of books to cover specific topics which is in the syllabus, more than reading a 1000 books, this exam is about your writing skills and to-the-point knowledge. REDUCE the habit of buying every book suggested by toppers every year. Stick to one good book for each subject, may be 2  if you have a passion for reading. REVISE NCERTs again and again, they are the key. RETAIN the summary of every topic you read in the form of your own notes. During exam days going through your notes eases the stress and saves you a lot of time.   Sources and BOOKS: GEOGRAPHY GS: NCERT 11 and 12 , 6th 7th and 8th if you want to start from scratch. GC Leong if you have enthusiasm and need more clarity. History : NCERT 11th 12th, tamilnadu board history book is also very brief and good for revision, Spectrum for modern India or Bipin Chandra along with playlist on modern history of India by fantastic fundas and crash course world history (youtube) Economy: Shankar Ganesh and NCERT MACROECONOMICS for basics, economic survey summary is a must read from any portals, and mrunal Patel sirs’ playlist on surveys from youtube can be helpful in understanding few topics that are in focus. Science and technology: basics from NCERTs 8th 9th 10th and biology from 12th, IAS BABA Daily current affairs and IASBABA Daily Quiz cover comprehensively S&T related topics in news. Environment: any good theory book published by various institutes, and more importantly current affairs and MCQs practise is a must. Polity: M. Lakshmikant is the most popular book, for GS answer writing in mains book on governance by Lakshmikant and Subash Kashyap is also a good read. Others: International Relations- keep a tab on current affairs, use atlas on daily basis even for 10 minutes.  Generate a habit of map making. Art and Culture: CCRT website, current affairs newspaper readings of tribes, festivals, researches if any on daily basis (Tally own notes). For GS mains: Dutta and Sundaram is very helpful in GS paper 1,2 and 3. For ethics: I focused on understanding and answer writing more than books. Lexicon is the only book I read a few times before exam. Current affairs: make it a habit to read current affairs compilation of any renowned website like IAS BABA on daily basis. Also during the short time before prelims read any one good monthly CA booklet rather than many different institutes'. If time permits revise the same over and over again but do not change the source.     GEOGRAPHY OPTIONAL Preparation: I chose Geography my optional subject due to my understanding that a logical and scientific discipline like geography seemed more relatable and relevant. 3 things one should keep in mind while choosing optional subject especially if your subject of specialisation is either not in the list of optionals or you do not feel too comfortable with it. Familiarity : Going through the syllabus, keyword to keyword, and the previous year question papers of the subject, how familiar and comfortable you are with the demand of the subject. Aptitude: While writing a specific subject’s answer, your verbiage needs to conform to the technical language of the subject. This comes from reading and covering the syllabus. (For e.g.: a Law optional answer will have more legal terms and verbiage that gives it a legal outlook, while geography will have scientific-geographic terminologies and verbiage). You need to be aware whether you can develop and hone that skill after reading a certain subject you want to choose. Interest: Perhaps the most important of all the three. How interested you remain in the subject as you proceed through the months of preparation, and how you handle temptation to switch from one subject to another just because you hear that a particular subject/faculty/institute has provided the topper this year, or any other fellow aspirant says that his optional subject is easy or interesting. Nevertheless, selection of optional subject is one of the most important decisions you have to make as it will impact the majority of your marks and probably your final results the maximum. Physical Geography: Savindra Singh Human Geography : Majid Hussain  Indian geography: Khullar's (do not switch from one book to another from time to time due to nervousness and fears read and re read) Examrace playlist on geography optionals also.   Role of IASbaba in my Success: It is important here to mention how IAS BABA and fellow aspirants help on a portal-based writing challenge like TLP. While you get reviewed instantly for what you have written, you learn a lot more from the answers of fellow aspirants on daily basis and that help one get better day after day. Being a TLP student, this portal was one of the best things I banked on for my mains preparation. it is like a mentorship on the go and freely available to one and all. I used to write answers and make a diary of feedback given by fellow aspirants and faculties on daily basis. The goal was to keep in mind that specific feedback next day while writing answers.  It helped me improve on daily basis and seeing myself improve, it made me confident of good outcomes. If coaching is compulsory for working aspirants: Not at all, but guidance is surely required. A good guide and a mentor is sin qua non to success in Upsc examination.   Time Management: How long is it sufficient to prepare for CSE: For an average student who is willing to work hard and is motivated, 12 months are sufficient to be ready to take this exam. How many hours of study: this is quite a common question and quite exaggerated one too but I seriously feel, 6 hours of studies plus an hour of current affairs daily upto 50 days from prelims examination and 10 hours (3 optional + 3 GS + 3 hours of answer writing + 1 hour for self review/ essay/ map work Diagrams for geography optional) is sufficient.  During exam days as well one should study only as much as our mind can retain. NOTE: Number of hours are not important, sticking to a daily plan and finishing what you started is. Time management: can be best learned by setting a 2 and half hours deadline to full length tests for mains. And writing on a daily basis will only help you reach that feat. It is most important to not leave any question in mains examination. Stick to word limits in every question. For working professionals, it is very important to stick to to daily goals and not worry about number of hours one studies. Our daily target of covering certain topics should be met. Make a planner for a week and try to stick to it religiously. Review your plan in 15 days, make amendments and be very disciplined towards your daily targets.   My personal thoughts: Everyday that one does not study or meet his/her targets, deducts 10 ranks from the top(in your mind), charge yourself up to cover up for that lethargy and get back to the goal of this dream opportunity. Stress/personal problems and the rollercoster of emotions: This examination is not just a career option, its a life lesson. To be a better citizen, a balanced individual and an emotionally intelligent human being are some of the other takeaways. Never forget the fact that the fear and stress of failing, losing your job, family and financial issues, lacking motivation for a few days are some of the challenges every single one of us face while preparing, even the toppers, you are not alone and so just like the toppers, you can handle them too. Never let that instinctive voice say to you that you can not clear this examination, and if your inner voice believes in your potential you will keep going. Draw on motivations from your dreams rather than drawing fears out of your dreams. IF you are brave enough to dream of this pristine goal, YOU and only you can achieve it. Say this to your self “My country needs me, if not me, then who else?”. JAI HIND Regards, ABHISHEK KUMAR SINGH

May 6, 2019

UPSC IAS 2020: INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAMME (ILP) ONLINE-2020, All India Prelims Test Series (AIPTS) 2020- Surprising Features (ADMISSIONS OPEN!)

UPSC IAS 2020: INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAMME (ILP) ONLINE-2020, All India Prelims Test Series (AIPTS) 2020- Surprising Features (ADMISSIONS OPEN!) Better and Bigger with Surprising New features this Year (ILP -2020)!!! “Achievers don’t do different things, they do things differently” Integrated Learning Programme (ILP) OFFLINE -2020 Offline Classroom Programme- ADMISSION OPEN - Click Here Dear Friends, Yes!! The wait is finally over! The wait for the most reliable, effective and affordable programme for UPSC  2020 preparation – ILP 2020. Let us begin by thanking all of you who have made ILP a grand success beginning from the year 2016. The years 2018 and 2019 is a monument year for IASbaba for two reasons. One, way back in 2015 we had said that ILP would stand out as the most comprehensive tool for UPSC preparation and yes now most of you would have realised the same in 2018. Two, when the storm brews and brews strong, its IASbaba who has been standing tall! 200+ selections in the span of just three years (2016, 2017, 2018) including Ranks 4, 5, 6 and 9 in TOP 10. 100+ selections in ILP alone. This year as well, we have many Ranks from ILP. You can check this year’s result here- Click Here And our offline classroom program which has delivered and built as the most trusted in the whole of the South! People working in regular organisations and attending our weekends batches have cleared the exam! That’s why IASbaba is the smartest tool around!! Hundreds of time we have told students not to depend on mere last minute tools, some compilations or series (which UPSC tracks) and blindly trust them and finally end up in the ditch. Aspirants fail to realise that it is not the last minute miracle but consistent effort throughout the journey. It is the process that is important. It is the process that is sustainable. And yes ILP is that!! And this is not a mere coincidence, we have done it year on year from the day of our genesis. Year on Year ILP has proven to be the indestructible tool!! Hitting the bull’s eye year after year: In the last three years, ILP has been bang on target with a hit ratio of more than 65%, a figure remarkably high keeping in mind the unpredictable nature of UPSC. With a knack of getting it right ILP has become a reliable name: 2016 Prelims: 68+ questions 2017 Prelims: 70+ questions 2018 Prelims- 63+ questions 2019 Prelims- Wait for it! Our Hit Ratio in Mains and Prelims- 2017, which is close to 85 % and 70% respectively – How IASbaba was helpful in Mains 2017  and 68+ in UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2017-How IASbaba Helped One to Get MAINS Call! Our Hit Ratio in Mains and Prelims- 2018, How IASbaba was helpful in Mains 2018 and 60+ in UPSC Prelims 2018 82+ UPSC CSE 2018 TOPPER’S from IASbaba Hear from the Topper’s - the instrumental role that ILP played in their Success.    See what our current followers have to say about ILP Programme: So many good things are going to end this year! The series of superheroes films from the Marvel universe reached its finale with Avengers Endgame. The Game of Thrones saga is going to complete its trip in another two episodes. The much loved Star Wars series is also going to end its 42 years long journey this year. Well, that’s the law of nature. Everything good comes to an end but leaves an impression that stays forever. What has been so striking about these cinematic marvels is that with each passing year, they set the benchmark higher, generated more and more anticipation, enlarge their fan base, got loved by millions of audiences. That is what is excellence- the desire to do better and better without any sense of complacency.   Something similar is happening to us as well. When the Integrated Learning Programme (ILP) was first launched in 2015, we were overwhelmed by the faith and support bestowed upon by our followers. That gave us the push to do even better. With each passing year, we have improved ILP, introduced unparalleled features and in return our support base has grown manifold. Each year, we generate a lot of anticipation, receive thousands of mails and get appreciation from hundreds of candidates. Like all good things, ILP has been able to leave its unparalleled mark in the ecosystem of UPSC preparation. ILP as a  tool of civil services preparation is not only unique but also necessary to have. Let us see how.   We are all living in a competitive world. While there are many reasons for the stiff competition that exists everywhere, we can’t afford to overthink it. We need a committed vision, a dedicated mindset and sincere efforts to succeed in different walks of life. One such walk of life for the young generation of India is the coveted civil services. With the opportunities, powers and perks on offer, the civil services attract a substantial number of aspirants. In fact for a measly 700-800 seats, lakhs of aspirants appear in the civil services examination. It translates into a success rate of merely 0.15-0.16%! No other prominent examination has such a low success percentage. Despite such low rates of success, the number of aspirants is actually increasing. There are numerous examples of well settled, highly paid individuals leaving their jobs and preparing for civil services. It only shows the ever-increasing popularity of civil services and the associated rise in competition.   What is the best way to face this competition? The answer, of course, is- hard work! But is that enough? Hard work is necessary but never a sufficient factor for success in civil services. What one needs is SMART work. What does smart work mean? Try to understand this. Smartness is a paradigm that is changing everything around us. Smart solutions are changing the way we live. Take for example the spectrum of mobile applications that we use. These smart apps help us to order food, book a cab, request home cleaning, hire consultants, read books online, listen to music or watch films anywhere anytime and so on! These changes have been so rapid that the present generation of kids don’t even realise the way in which even the smallest of our needs took so much time and efforts to be met. The key idea here is that with “smartness” being the buzzword, the preparation for civil services can’t be left untouched. Unfortunately, the domain of civil services preparation could hardly integrate the smartness paradigm within its fold. The age-old traditional ways and means of preparation have been failing the candidates. Novelty and innovation were missing from this field.   IASbaba takes pride in the fact that we revolutionised the paradigm of civil services preparation by introducing the Online Integrated Learning Programme (ILP)- our flagship online initiative that is smart, accessible, affordable and highly effective. In the three years of ILP, we have become an integral part of numerous success stories. ILP was launched with a vision to enable a candidate sitting in the remotest corner of the country to have a shot at Rank 1 in the civil services examination. With ILP, an internet connection, an electronic data device and the determination to work hard are what one needs to taste success in UPSC. We are delighted that we have been able to positively transform the ecosystem of civil services preparation with ILP. But what makes ILP so special? How is it different from other initiatives? How does it increase your chances in civil services examination? Well, the answer is simple! ILP acts as your longtime partner in preparation, ever ready and capable to help you at each stage of your preparation- day by day, hour by hour. It reduces your efforts, micromanages your time in the most productive way and allocates your attention in a well-defined priority. It makes your preparation planned, seamless and enjoyable! As every Year, this year too there are Surprises - we are coming up with 3 ONLINE Programmes: ILP-VETERANS ILP-FRESHERS ALL INDIA PRELIMS TEST SERIES BASIC FEATURES OF ILP PROGRAMME  Integration of prelims, mains and interview preparation: Smartness is to integrate your preparation in a common string of theme based understanding of concepts. ILP has been designed minutely to meet this need. You will prepare for concepts in entirety keeping in mind the needs and orientation required for each stage of the examination. Detailed Study Plan (First to introduce day wise micro planning): Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. ILP does the planning for you in the most systematic and logical way. The plans are made to keep you on track as well on your toes. In the plan, you will get pointwise coverage of the syllabus, sources to refer and focus areas. Comprehensive Value Add Notes (VAN): With our value add notes (VAN), you will be able to declutter the complexity of UPSC syllabus. The VANs are high-quality specialised reading materials to give you an edge over your competitors. VANs have been designed intelligently to give separate prelims and mains focus pointers to make your understanding seamless and smooth. You need not look beyond sources other than the standard ones and our VAN. Babapedia for comprehensive current affairs coverage: All your current affairs woes will be gone with Babapedia (PRELIMS)- one of its kind compendium of current affairs. It gets updated on a daily basis. You will never be required to do the drudgery of note making for current affairs. The only thing required of you is to log into your ILP account every morning and go through the precise and crisp current affairs notes updated daily on Babapedia! Isn’t that awesome? Mainspedia (Mains Data hub): One of its kind platform (New Feature this Year) for Mains Answer Writing Skills; best data organisation and usage for examination. It is arranged and organized into various subtopics for all the contemporary aspects related to Paper 1, 2, 3 and 4. Under each topic, various subsections will be created and it will be updated regularly for you to have the best material/data at one place. You can keep making your own notes taking inputs from the data updated in Mainspedia on a regular basis. Mainspedia will have inputs from all possible contemporary issues and from all possible resources like newspapers, government websites etc. Abhivyakti (The social media of ILP) for query resolution and discussions: Each year we have a vibrant and engaging ILP community. Abhivyakti gives the ILP members a platform to get their queries addressed by IASbaba and peers and also initiate discussions/debates on important issues. You can shift your attention away from the time-wasting online forums that take away the sheen from your preparation. Prelims mock tests with detailed solutions: High-quality tests with detailed solutions will help you keep a track on your preparation. You will also get the chance to compete with thousands of sincere aspirants from the ILP community. Mains mock tests with detailed synopsis: What makes ILP even more special is the integration of mains mocks. With the VAN and mains mocks with detailed synopsis, your mains preparation will always be on track. Essay guidance and many more: We always strive to deliver more than we promise. You will be getting many surprises during your engagement with ILP.   ILP 2020 - Veterans Considering the importance of aspirants who are not fresher or beginner, we have modified the ILP-Planning to suit aspirants who fall under this category. Note that content and quality-wise, there will be no difference between ILP-Veterans or Freshers. The only difference will be in approach and planning. Content delivery and focus will vary accordingly. DETAILED STUDY PLAN-MICRO PLANNING OF SYLLABUS It is a detailed plan covering the Prelims Syllabus which will take care of your overall preparation in the form of planned targets, sources to refer and introspective tests. This is the heart and soul of ILP-2020 that needs to be followed with utmost sincerity. Sources- The sources to be referred have been kept to the minimum. It has been done to prevent a candidate from wasting their precious time in going through the repetitive and irrelevant sources available in the market. Revision- Due consideration has been given for Revision that will help to consolidate what you have learnt in a week’s time. Since the process is long and intensive, the lack of revision can be fatal. Therefore, we have given adequate room for revision and consolidation. VALUE ADD NOTES (VAN)- MAINS & PRELIMS MIND MAPS FOR MAINS MAINSPEDIA (MAINS DATAHUB) - ONE OF ITS KIND PLATFORM FOR MAINS ANSWER WRITING SKILL, BEST DATA ORGANIZATION & USAGE FOR EXAM. BABAPEDIA- PRELIMS CURRENT AFFAIRS ABHIVYAKTI (THE SOCIAL MEDIA OF ILP) PRELIMS TEST- 40 General Studies Tests and 10 CSAT Tests. IASbaba is known for its quality coverage and it is a testimony that we have been able to HIT the bull's eye in Prelims and Mains both over the period of last 4 years. The closeness and exact repetition of Questions from our Tests needs no mention. The Prelims Tests are designed carefully and with a lot of efforts to match the standards set by UPSC. Through these tests, the candidates will be able to gauge their performance and standing on a regular basis. Detailed solutions will be provided after the tests. Detailed Solution Techniques to Decipher the Correct Answer (Elimination Technique). Since the scores and ranks will be displayed after every test, one can clearly monitor his/her progress in a continuous manner. All India Ranking and Detailed Assessment of your performance based on Subject Areas will be provided so that one can introspect the strength and weaknesses in their preparation level. REVISION TEST AND FULL MOCK TESTS Tests intended to make the candidates revise the previously covered topics shall be posted on a regular basis along with detailed solutions, scores and ranking (as per the given Plan) CSAT TESTS-10 FULL MOCKS MAINS MOCKS AND SYNOPSIS- Before and after Prelims (More than 35 in numbers). Note that ILP does not include Mains Answer Evaluation. For Evaluation, interested aspirants can join our C2C Mains Answer Evaluation Programme which will start in November 2019. Till then consolidate your preparation through ILP and Mainspedia. Along with that, you can participate in our flagship TLP programme also. ESSAY GUIDANCE- MODEL ESSAY & MAINSPEDIA CONTENT NOTE- Post-Prelims Plan for Mains will be provided once UPSC finalize the Examinations Dates IMPORTANT NOTE ILP-Platform Activation will be done by 28th June 2019. (Programme starting on 1st July) Activation of Test Platform- 14th July 2019 First Test Date- 15th July 2019   Go through the ILP 2020- Veterans- Detailed Course Plan Document, Mainspedia Document and Topic Listing Document.    DOWNLOAD- ILP-VETERANS COURSE PLAN DOWNLOAD-MAINSPEDIA DOWNLOAD-TOPIC LISTING FOR PRELIMS ILP 2020- Freshers Considering the importance of aspirants who are fresher or beginner, we have modified the ILP-Planning to suit aspirants who fall under this category. Note that content and quality-wise, there will be no difference between ILP-Veterans or Freshers. The only difference will be in approach and planning. Content delivery and focus will vary accordingly. DETAILED STUDY PLAN-MICRO PLANNING OF SYLLABUS It is a detailed plan covering the Prelims Syllabus which will take care of your overall preparation in the form of planned targets, sources to refer and introspective tests. This is the heart and soul of ILP-2020 that needs to be followed with utmost sincerity. Sources- The sources to be referred have been kept to the minimum. It has been done to prevent a candidate from wasting their precious time in going through the repetitive and irrelevant sources available in the market. Revision- Due consideration has been given for Revision that will help to consolidate what you have learnt in a week’s time. Since the process is long and intensive, the lack of revision can be fatal. Therefore, we have given adequate room for revision and consolidation. VALUE ADD NOTES (VAN)- MAINS & PRELIMS MIND MAPS FOR MAINS MAINSPEDIA (MAINS DATAHUB) - ONE OF ITS KIND PLATFORM FOR MAINS ANSWER WRITING SKILL, BEST DATA ORGANIZATION & USAGE FOR EXAM. BABAPEDIA- PRELIMS CURRENT AFFAIRS ABHIVYAKTI (THE SOCIAL MEDIA OF ILP) PRELIMS TEST- 52 General Studies Tests and 10 CSAT Tests. IASbaba is known for its quality coverage and it is a testimony that we have been able to HIT the bull's eye in Prelims and Mains both over the period of last 4 years. The closeness and exact repetition of Questions from our Tests needs no mention. The Prelims Tests are designed carefully and with a lot of efforts to match the standards set by UPSC. Through these tests, the candidates will be able to gauge their performance and standing on a regular basis. Detailed solutions will be provided after the tests. Detailed Solution Techniques to Decipher the Correct Answer (Elimination Technique). Since the scores and ranks will be displayed after every test, one can clearly monitor his/her progress in a continuous manner. All India Ranking and Detailed Assessment of your performance based on Subject Areas will be provided so that one can introspect the strength and weaknesses in their preparation level. REVISION TEST AND FULL MOCK TESTS Tests intended to make the candidates revise the previously covered topics shall be posted on a regular basis along with detailed solutions, scores and ranking (as per the given Plan) CSAT TESTS-10 FULL MOCKS MAINS MOCKS AND SYNOPSIS- Before and after Prelims (More than 35 in numbers). Note that ILP does not include Mains Answer Evaluation. For Evaluation, interested aspirants can join our C2C Mains Answer Evaluation Programme which will start in November 2019. Till then consolidate your preparation through ILP and Mainspedia. Along with that, you can participate in our flagship TLP programme also. ESSAY GUIDANCE- MODEL ESSAY & MAINSPEDIA CONTENT NOTE- Post-Prelims Plan for Mains will be provided once UPSC finalize the Examinations Dates IMPORTANT NOTE ILP-Platform Activation will be done by 28th June 2019. (Programme starting on 1st July) Activation of Test Platform- 14th July 2019 First Test Date- 15th July 2019   Go through the ILP 2020- Freshers- Detailed Course Plan Document, Mainspedia Document and Topic Listing Document.    DOWNLOAD-ILP-FRESHER COURSE PLAN DOWNLOAD-MAINSPEDIA DOWNLOAD-TOPIC LISTING FOR PRELIMS All India Prelims Test Series (AIPTS) 2020   FINE PRINTS OF ALL INDIA PRELIMS TEST SERIES (AIPTS) 2020 All India Prelims Test Series-2020 is available in ENGLISH only (For Hindi, we will announce after Prelims 2019) Total Number of Tests- 40 General Studies (Paper 1) + 12 CSAT (Paper 2) Tests = Total 52 There will be a detailed solution for each test. PDFs of questions and solutions will be sent to registered email ID. It can also be downloaded after taking the tests online. To be part of All India Ranking, one has to appear for the exam as per mentioned Rank Publish Date (preferably before the next test date). For each test, there will be THREE attempts. Ranks will be calculated based on the very first attempt. There is no fixed time to take the test. It’s flexible. Tests will be uploaded on the respective dates as mentioned in the plan. The validity of the tests is from July 2019 to June 2020. You have to take tests/download PDFs between the given period only. In no case, there will be any assistance from our side after the expiry of the programme. You can join AIPTS 2020 anytime. There is no deadline. ILP 2020 users need not join AIPTS 2020. IMPORTANT NOTE Test Platform will be activated 1 day before the first test. Activation of Test Platform- 14th July 2019 First Test Date- 15th July 2019   Go through the AIPTS 2020- Detailed Course Plan Document and Topic Listing for Prelims Document   DOWNLOAD-AIPTS-2020 COURSE PLAN DOWNLOAD-TOPIC LISTING FOR PRELIMS FEE DETAILS Like last year, we have not increased the FEE of ILP and AIPTS, not even the taxable amount.  The FEE remains the same for both Veterans and Freshers. ILP 2020-FRESHERS- 10K+Tax ILP 2020- VETERANS-10K+Tax AIPTS 2020-  6K + Tax PAYMENT <- CLICK HERE For any query related to ILP 2020 contact us at ilp@iasbaba.com Offline Payment Details: Please mail us the acknowledgement at ilp@iasbaba.com if making offline payment.  Bank details BANK Name CANARA BANK BANK BRANCH BANGALORE KLE SOCIETY ACCOUNT NAME IASBABA ACCOUNT NUMBER 8418201003785 IFSC CODE CNRB0008418 ACCOUNT TYPE CURRENT ACCOUNT   For Civil Services aspirants, the launch of ILP every year brings in new energy and motivation. More than anyone else, the aspirants residing in the remotest parts of the country now feel that they have a chance. IASbaba feels proud to have played a part in building this confidence. The reach of ILP and its success has crossed the boundaries of coaching hubs of India. We hope that this year too, ILP plays an even better role in the success of aspirants.  ILP is EMPOWERMENT What to Do after You Join? Course Plan Document is given. Start preparing as per the plan Go through Previous Years Papers (Both Prelims and Mains) Start Optional Preparation also. Read Newspapers and Daily Current Affairs of IASbaba So what are you waiting for? Come, join us and let us write your success story! On an ending note, we reiterate our AIM – “To help an aspirant preparing in the remotest part of the country to secure Rank 1” All the best IASbaba Team

May 6, 2019 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 6th May 2019

IAS UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 6th May 2019 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Person in news: Swami Atmabodhanand Why in news? Swami Atmabodhanand, a 27-year-old hermit in Haridwar, has broken his 194-day fast in protest against sand mining and the upcoming dams on key rivers that feed the Ganga. Atmabodhanand had begun fasting days after G.D. Agrawal, 86, a former professor and hermit, died of a heart attack on October 11 after a 111-day fast. The fasting activists had demanded that all hydroelectric projects along the Alaknanda, Dhauli Ganga, Mandakini and Pindar rivers be stopped and legislation to protect the Ganga be enacted. Anti-dumping duty put on saccharine In news: Finance Ministry has imposed an anti-dumping duty of $1,633.17 per tonne on the import of saccharine from Indonesia. Saccharine is a compound most commonly used in sugar-substitute sweeteners. Indonesia, until recently, accounted for a large chunk of India’s saccharine imports. The product under consideration has been exported to India from subject country below their normal values and consequently, the domestic industry has suffered material injury. India, U.K. in talks to build a naval supercarrier In news: India and U.K. to build a new state-of-the-art aircraft carrier along the lines of Britain’s HMS Queen Elizabeth as part of the ongoing ‘Make in India’ negotiations. The talks are under way for the Indian Navy to buy detailed plans for the 65,000-ton British warship to build a so-called “copycat supercarrier” to be named INS Vishal in 2022. Do you know? Second supercarrier, HMS Prince of Wales, is now being built at Rosyth dockyard in Scotland where HMS Queen Elizabeth was assembled. The new naval carrier would serve alongside India’s 45,000-ton carrier INS Vikramaditya — bought from Russia in 2004 — and the currently under-construction 40,000-ton INS Vikrant, and could give India a larger carrier fleet than Britain. (MAINS FOCUS) INTERNATIONAL/ECONOMY TOPIC: General studies 2 and 3 Important International institutions, agencies and forums, their structure, mandate. Economic Developments WTO issues: Talking fair trade in Delhi Introduction: India to host the second mini-ministerial meet of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Do you know? 12th WTO Ministerial Conference will be held in June 2020 at Astana, Kazakhstan. 11th Ministerial Conference (Buenos Aires, December 2017) collapsed despite efforts by 164 WTO members to evolve a consensus on several issues. The U.S. had refused a reduction in subsidies and also pulled back on its commitment to find a perennial solution to public stockholding. Major areas and issues needs to be addressed: The 2nd mini-ministerial meet will be held to discuss the interests of developing and least developed countries in global trade. US had accused that developing countries like India and China benefit from exemptions meant for the poorer nations. Therefore, this meet acts as a preparatory meeting to set a common agenda at the 12th Ministerial Conference which will be held next year. Negotiations on issue of subsidies and public stockholding – issues central to developing and less developed countries. The other issues under discussion will relate to protectionist measures, digital trade, fisheries, subsidies, environmental goods, standardisation and implementation of sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and other matters ripe for negotiation and agreement, mainly investment facilitation. Issue of agricultural subsidies WTO replaced the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) as an international organisation mainly to overcome tussles over trade interests. The economies of the developing and less developed world (with little bargaining power) were unable to gain market access in most of the developed economies (which were influential in negotiations), especially when it came to agricultural commodities. However, there is still deadlock on the issue of agricultural trade negotiations. The disagreements between developed countries (the European Union and the U.S.) and developing countries (Malaysia, Brazil and India) to discipline the farm regime in their favour continue, thereby threatening the WTO’s comprehensive development agenda. The expectations of developing countries from trade also get belied due to sizeable support by the developed nations to their farmers in a situation of market failure and other uncertainties. The support through subsidies tends to bring distortions in commodity prices. According to OECD, the quantum of subsidies by developed nations vary from $300 to $325 billion annually, which is much higher than that estimated for developing countries. This has become a bone of contention in trade talks as farm lobbies in the U.S., Europe and Japan have steadily exercised political clout to influence officials and lawmakers to continue giving subsidies to farmers. Stringent non-tariff measures (NTMs) Another major concern is that developed countries design and implement stringent non-tariff measures (NTMs) which exacerbate the problems faced by poor countries that are willing to export. NTMs significantly add to the cost of trading. Developing economies are unable to compete in international markets and hardly gain from sectors with comparative advantage such as agriculture, textiles and apparels. Conclusion: Therefore, in the 2nd mini-ministerial meet, developing countries are willing to break the deadlock on these issues and are preparing a common ground to jolt the mandate of the global trade body. India, in particular, seeks amendment of laws on unilateral action by members on trade issues and a resolution of the WTO’s dispute settlement system. The Delhi meeting can be a breakthrough if members negotiate these issues in a convergent manner. The meeting is expected to lead to policy guidance on issues such as global norms to protect traditional knowledge from patenting by corporates, protection through subsidies, e-commerce, food security and continuation of special and differential treatment to poor economies. The time is opportune for developing countries to voice their concerns and push for a stable and transparent environment for multilateral trade. India must do its homework to focus on the unresolved issues and address the newer ones which are of interest to developed nations, mainly investment facilitation. Connecting the dots: Are we witnessing the decline of WTO in an era of heightened regional cooperation and bilateral alliances? Critically examine. The Protectionist stand of Developed nations and assertiveness of Developing countries has left the WTO ineffective, Comment. Do agricultural subsidies have a distorting effect in free markets? Illustrate. INTERNATIONAL/SOCIAL ISSUE TOPIC: General studies 1 and 2 Capitalism, Socialism Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health. Why we need socialism today? Context: The below article deals with Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels ideas of socialism and the negatives of capitalism. The author believes that country like India, which is plagued with various social problems, need socialism rather than capitalism today. Key facts: May 5, 2018 marked 200th birth anniversary of Karl Marx, German Philosopher, revolutionary, sociologist, historian, and economist. Marx is known for his popular work - The Communist Manifesto, the most celebrated pamphlet in the history of the socialist movement. He also was the author of the movement’s most important book, Das Kapital. Ideas of Marx and Engels: Marx was not like other philosophers who interpreted the world in various ways; he made it a point to change it. Marx questioned the role of religion in society and contributed to his desire for social change. Marx and Friedrich Engels laid the formulations for the theory and practice of scientific socialism. They applied dialectics to the study of human society and human consciousness. They strove for the liberation of humanity from all forms of discrimination and exploitation. They argued that Parliament should be used as a forum to articulate the concerns of the working people. Marxism as a science, as an ideology, and as a methodology keeps demonstrating its relevance every day. The march of capitalism and its limitations After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, some proclaimed that there was no alternative to neoliberalism. Since then, the so-called triumphant march of neoliberal capitalism has seen many hurdles. For instance, 2008 financial crisis. The worst victims of this march of capitalism and its consequent crises have always been the disadvantaged sections. This shows the presence of class conflict in society. The vulnerabilities of the disadvantaged are a creation of capitalism itself. Neoliberalism has led to unprecedented inequalities and disparities. Indian context: In India, liberalisation of the economy was initiated on the premise that the seemingly socialist and centrally planned economy had outlived its utility and that private ownership and market forces would efficiently replace public sector undertakings and provisions. Such an opening up of the economy was also tried in other parts of the world with only one consequence — unprecedented concentration of wealth in the hands of a few and a marked shift in the actual centres of power. Crony capitalism soon made fast inroads into the policymaking and inequality increased. According to Credit Suisse Research Institute’s Global Wealth Report, India is the second most unequal society in the world 1% of the Indian population owns 51.5% of the wealth in the country Top 10% own about three-fourths of the wealth On the other hand, the bottom 60%, the majority of the population, own 4.7% of the total wealth Public education and health are the worst hit by capitalism Education spending by the Centre has been showing a downward trend. Instead of expanding higher education horizontally (to more far-flung areas of the country) and vertically (to the disadvantaged sections of society), the Central government is allowing the Higher Education Financing Agency to allow the private sector to dominate the education sector and make higher education a distant dream for the deprived classes. Similarly, in the health sector, the government has chosen private insurance companies and private healthcare lobbies as its partners, effectively taking away the attention from public healthcare infrastructure and its upgradation. Conclusion: In a country like India, which is plagued with social problems such as widespread poverty, a deepening agricultural crisis, a very high unemployment rate, and abysmal health indicators, giving away public sector assets to private players and shifting the discourse away from realising socialism could prove fatal for a vast majority of the population. India is doing badly on many parameters — nutrition, peace, human development, and press freedom — while a section of the media is celebrating improvement in the Ease of Doing Business Index, rather than Human Development Index. In other words, ensuring that people live a decent life is subordinate to ensuring that business becomes easier for crony capitalists. Providing employment to the youth, providing remunerative prices to farmers, ensuring social justice to the marginalised sections, and creating a conducive environment for the overall development of society should be the major focus of the government. However, the government has presided over the gradual undermining of constitutional institutions, the giving away of national assets to the private sector and the increase in violence against minorities. Marx and Engels wrote in The Communist Manifesto: “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles... [where] oppressor and oppressed, stood in constant opposition to one another, carried on an uninterrupted, now hidden, now open fight.” It is the duty and the responsibility of socialism to carry on that struggle for humanity, and to bring politics back to where it belongs — to the people. Only by saying a big ‘no’ to brutal capitalism and by following what the Constitution envisages in its Preamble — social justice — can we remedy the problems that we face today. Connecting the dots: What do you understand by crony capitalism? What are its adverse impacts on the society? Discuss. The romance for socialism had done more bad for the contemporary socio-economic landscape in India than good. How far do you agree with this assessment? Critically examine. Is Karl Marx still relevant today? What are his major contributions? ‘The history of the hitherto existing societies is the history of class struggle.’ Critically comment on this Marxian thesis. (Only for Sociology Optional) MUST READ Surviving Fani: on Odisha government's preparedness The Hindu Indian civil services run the risk of producing just clones who seek precedence not innovation in work Indian Express ‘In Good Faith: The Socratic question’  Indian Express America versus the rest Indian Express Why the Reserve Bank is playing with fire with currency swaps Livemint

May 5, 2019

IAS UPSC Current Affairs Magazine APRIL 2019

IAS UPSC Current Affairs Magazine APRIL 2019   ARCHIVES Hello Friends, This is the 47th edition of IASbaba’s Current Affairs Monthly Magazine. Current Affairs for UPSC Civil Services Examination is an important factor in this preparation. An effort towards making your Current Affairs for IAS UPSC Preparation qualitative. We hope you make the best use of it! This edition covers all important current affairs issues that were in news for the month of APRIL 2019 DOWNLOAD THE MAGAZINE- CLICK HERE  

May 5, 2019 Motivational Articles

Creative Guidance – How To Stay Motivated – Inspirational Educative Articles

How to stay motivated? Why is it difficult to stay inspired and motivated all the time? What is it in the nature of life that makes it so hard to be motivated all the time? Let us try and understand the science of motivation. More importantly let us try and understand why we lose the ability to stay motivated all the time as we grow up. There is no debate in the argument that we were a lot more motivated during our younger days. Irrespective of our age now, we can all reflect back on the time when we had more energy and enthusiasm. We can all recollect a time from our past when were a lot more inspired and motivated. So what is it that makes it difficult for us to stay inspired as we grow up? One important reason is our changing understanding of life. As we grow, our understanding of life changes and accordingly our attitude towards what inspires and motivates us changes. Since the very definition of growing up is a process of changing, staying motivated all the time is a big challenge. This does not mean that there is no way for us to stay inspired and motivated all the time. The trick to staying inspired all or rather most of the time lies in our mind. Our mind holds the key to the secret of our motivation. If we are able to understand the nature of our minds clearly, we will be able to learn how to keep ourselves motivated. As far as the mind is concerned, motivation is simply a state. In fact our mind does not understand motivation at all. The only thing it understands and recognizes is different states of our mind. Mainly, it recognizes positive and negative states. For the mind, being in a positive state of mind corresponds to being motivated. Similarly being in a negative state of mind corresponds to demotivation and lack of enthusiasm. It is amazing how much time, money and effort is spent in trying to motivate people. One of the biggest challenges every organization faces is keeping its people inspired and motivated. Most people understand motivation as a surge of energy; hence fall into the age old trap of instant energizing, only to lose their energy all too quickly. We cannot approach our personal motivation as a quick surge of energy. Rather, we have to understand it is a way of keeping our mind in a positive state of mind. The biggest secret to motivation is knowing the difference between a negative state of mind and a positive state of mind. When we know what triggers a negative or a positive state of mind, it becomes possible for us to control our motivation levels. The easiest way to stay motivated is by listening to continuous conversation of our minds and not encouraging negative conversation. This sounds too simplistic to work, but it works brilliantly. Just by listening to our thoughts we can weed out negative and unnecessary conversations and cultivate an internal atmosphere of positivity and energy. “This article is a part of the creative endeavor of Inner-Revolution and IASBABA.”