Archives
(PRELIMS & MAINS Focus)
SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANISATION (SCO)
Syllabus
Prelims & Mains – INTERNATIONAL
Context: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will travel to Islamabad to attend the Heads of Government meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on October 15 and 16.
Background: –
The last time an Indian External Affairs Minister travelled to Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj in 2015 for the Heart of Asia conference and bilateral talks.
About Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic, international security and defence organization.
Established: 2001
The SCO is the successor to the Shanghai Five, formed in 1996 between the People’s Republic of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. In June 2001, the leaders of these nations and Uzbekistan met in Shanghai creating SCO.
Current Members:
Presently 10.
In 2017, India and Pakistan joined. Iran joined the group in 2023, and Belarus in 2024.
The goals of the SCO are:
to strengthen mutual trust, friendship and good-neighbourliness between the Member States;
to encourage the effective cooperation between the Member States in such spheres as politics, trade, economy, science and technology, culture, education, energy, transport, tourism, environmental protection, etc;
to jointly ensure and maintain peace, security and stability in the region; and
to promote a new democratic, fair and rational international political and economic international order.
Internally, the SCO adheres to the “Shanghai spirit”, namely, mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations and pursuit of common development; and externally, it upholds non-alignment, non-targeting at other countries or regions and the principle of openness.
Structure
Council of Heads of States : The supreme decision-making body, meets annually.
Council of Heads of Government : Meets once a year to discuss the strategy of multilateral cooperation and priority areas within the Organization, determine fundamental and topical issues in economic and other spheres, and approve the budget of the SCO.
In addition to the meetings of the CHS and the CHG, there are also mechanisms for meetings on foreign affairs, national defense, security, economy and trade, culture, health, education, transport etc.
The Council of National Coordinators is the SCO coordination mechanism.
Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS): Based in Tashkent, focused on combating terrorism, extremism, and cyber threats.
The official languages of the SCO are Russian and Chinese.
Source: The Hindu
IMMANUEL KANT’S PHILOSOPHY
Syllabus
Mains – GS 4
Context: Anna Sebastian Perayil, working with multinational consulting firm Ernst & Young (EY) as a chartered accountant, died recently. Anna succumbed to extreme work pressure. This has ignited a debate around working hours which takes us nearer to Kant’s idea of moral rights and to ponder whether man is an end or means.
Background: –
Immanuel Kant came up with fundamental principles that completely changed the world of utilitarianism.
Basis for Moral Rights
Moral rights are entitlements that a person has regardless of utilitarian benefits.
According to Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), all human beings possess certain moral rights and duties.
Kant emphasized that it is not the result of an action but the moral intention behind the action that matters.
Influence of Rousseau and the French Revolution
Though Kant led a routine academic life, he was significantly influenced by Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the French Revolution.
Rousseau’s book Emile initially impressed Kant for its style, but upon rereading, he realized its deeper moral insights.
One of Kant’s core beliefs was that no person’s actions should be controlled by the will of another—this highlights individual autonomy.
Categorical and Hypothetical Imperatives
Kant introduced the concept of Categorical Imperative, which means certain actions are morally necessary without considering their outcomes.
Example: Helping others because it’s the right thing to do, not for any reward.
He contrasted this with the Hypothetical Imperative, which means you should act in a certain way to achieve a specific end.
Example: “If you want to be healthy, you must exercise.”
Example of John Stephen Akhwari
The story of Tanzanian marathon runner John Stephen Akhwari is a real-life example of the Categorical Imperative.
Despite falling and injuring himself during the race, Akhwari finished because his purpose was not just to start the race but to finish it, showcasing will and duty over outcome.
Treating Humans as Ends, Not Means
Kant believed that every person must be treated as an end in themselves, never as a means to an end.
This is a central principle of his philosophy—respecting the dignity and autonomy of each individual.
Relation to Modern Work Environment
The tragic case of Anna Sebastian Perayil, who died allegedly due to work pressure, is an example of people being treated as means rather than ends.
Many people leave jobs not because of the work but because they feel they aren’t treated with respect—echoing Kant’s belief that people should not be used merely as tools.
Kant’s Most Important Work
Kant’s major philosophical work, The Critique of Pure Reason, took him 12 years to complete, while his ideas about morality were formalized in The Metaphysics of Morals (1785).
He proposed the Categorical Imperative as the key principle to solve ethical issues.
Kant stated that the moral value of an action lies in performing it out of duty, not merely because it is required by law. Acting from a sense of duty reflects true moral worth.
Source: Indian Express
WHY NORTH BIHAR SEES FLOODS EVERY YEAR
Syllabus
Prelims & Mains – GEOGRAPHY
Context: Bihar is flooded yet again, with 11.84 lakh people affected.
Background:
Bihar is among India’s most flood-prone states. The reasons for this are the state’s unique geography, and a decades-old solution that has proved short-sighted.
Key Points
76 per cent of the population in north Bihar lives under the recurring threat of flood.
Bihar is crisscrossed by both snow-fed and rain-fed rivers, putting it at the risk of various kinds of floods.
The state’s Disaster Management Authority has categoried floods into four classes.
The first are flash floods, occurring due to rainfall in Nepal, lead time [time between forecast and flood] is short (8 hours), receding of flood waters is fast.
Then are river floods, where the lead time is 24 hours and receding of flood waters takes one week or more.
Class III: Drainage congestion in river confluence- lead time more than 24 hours, lasting full monsoon season (i.e. receding of flood water takes 3 months);
Class IV: Permanent water logged area.
A major reason for the first three kinds of flooding is that Bihar is located below Nepal, with its Himalayan rivers flowing down to the state.
Because the Himalayas are a young mountain range with a lot of loose soil, these rivers — Kosi, Gandak, Burhi Gandak, Bagmati, Kamla Balan, Mahananda, Adhwara — are full of sediments. Thus, when the volume of water increases due to rains, the rivers quickly overflow their banks.
The fourth category of permanent waterlogging is because of several factors. The reasons of water-logging are spilling of silted small rivers, encroachment of drainage channels, embankment-induced waterlogging, and presence of saucer type depression locally called Chaurs. Chaurs are created due to a river changing course and deposition of its sediments.
This year, the flood has been caused by heavy rainfall and flooding in Nepal and release of water from its barrage on the Kosi river.
Embankments, and the Kosi question
Among the more destructive rivers of the state is Kosi, known as the ‘sorrow of Bihar’. Soon after independence, in the 1950s, embankments were built along the Kosi to contain its flow. While they were seen as a lasting solution, not only have the embankments been breached several times, they have created a new problem.
Embankments narrowed the course of the river. Thus, while Kosi earlier had the option to distribute its sediments, now it was in a straitjacket. With nowhere for the sediments to go, the river’s bed has been rising by about 5 inches a year, making it more prone to overflowing.
This time, flooding is worse than the past few years because the Birpur barrage, built on the Kosi in Nepal, released 6.6 lakh cusec of water, the highest in almost six decades. On the Indian side, embankment breaches have been reported from seven places in four districts.
Effect of the Bihar floods
While Bihar floods may not result in loss of lives every year, their economic cost is steep.
The state government spends about Rs 1,000 crore annually for flood management and relief.
Possible solutions
For decades, the proposal of a dam on the Kosi has been mooted, but since that will require Nepal to come on board too, the plan has not progressed.
The state government is considering barrages over rivers.
There are two ways of dealing with floods — one is through structural solutions, which includes dams, embankments, etc., and the other is through non-structural solutions, which includes laws, policy, risk reduction, mitigation, etc.
Minimising the risk and damage from floods may be a more rational way of flood management rather than formulating structural measures along dynamic rivers such as the Kosi.
Source: Indian Express
CIRCULAR MIGRATION
Syllabus
Prelims & Mains – ECONOMY
Context: A notable example of circular migration is the recent initiative where 997 youth from Maharashtra, with only high school certificates, secured employment in Israel with a monthly salary of Rs 1.37 lakh. This migration model promotes temporary migration where workers gain valuable skills abroad and return to their home country.
Background: –
As artificial, non-economic barriers to the free movement of workers collapse due to skill deficits in regions with aging populations, India should position itself as a global source of human capital.
About circular migration
Circular migration refers to the temporary, repetitive movement of individuals between two or more places, often across international borders, for work, education, or other purposes.
It usually involves a person leaving their home region or country to seek employment elsewhere, but with the intention of returning periodically or eventually.
Key characteristics of circular migration include:
Temporary nature: Migrants do not settle permanently in the host country; they move back and forth.
Seasonal work: Many circular migrants engage in seasonal or temporary jobs, such as agriculture, construction, or tourism.
Benefit for both regions: The home country receives remittances and knowledge transfer, while the host country gains a flexible workforce.
Brain Drain:
In contrast, brain drain refers to the permanent emigration of highly skilled or educated individuals from their home country to another, usually for better employment opportunities, living conditions, or education.
Unlike circular migration, brain drain often results in a loss of talent, expertise, and human capital from the country of origin.
Key characteristics of brain drain include:
Permanent emigration: Once people leave, they typically do not return, causing a long-term loss of skilled workers.
Loss of investment: Countries spend resources on educating and training individuals, only to lose them to other nations.
Talent gap: It leads to a shortage of skilled professionals in critical sectors such as healthcare, technology, and education in the home country.
Unequal exchange: While the host country gains from the influx of talent, the country of origin suffers a net loss of intellectual capital.
Workforce Shortage in Developed Nations:
Europe and Japan face shortages in sectors like computing, infrastructure, and healthcare due to aging populations.
Circular migration agreements with countries like Germany, Japan, and Israel aim to address this shortage by sourcing skilled workers from India.
Unlike traditional brain drain, circular migration leads to skill exchange benefiting both India and destination countries. Labour mobility agreements ensure wages and social security for Indian workers, with a guaranteed return to India, boosting both economies.
Highly-qualified permanent migrants like doctors and engineers contribute only 32% of India’s remittances. In contrast, manual workers in the Gulf contribute 40%, highlighting the economic impact of low-skilled migration.
Source: Indian Express
NORTHEAST MONSOON (NEM)
Syllabus
Prelims & Mains – GEOGRAPHY
Context: India’s southwest monsoon has ended on an optimistic note, with 8% more rain than anticipated. Given the centrality of rainfall to the Indian economy, focus has already shifted now to the northeast monsoon.
Background: –
Because of its limited spread and quantity, the northeast monsoon does not get as much attention as the southwest monsoon.
What is the Northeast Monsoon?
The Northeast Monsoon occurs from October to December, bringing rainfall primarily to the southern part of India.
It is often referred to as the “post-monsoon season” or “retreating monsoon” in meteorological terms.
Wind Direction: Characterized by northeast trade winds blowing from the northeastern directions towards the Indian subcontinent.
Mechanism
One of the primary causes of the northeast monsoon is the southward movement of Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) — a dynamic region near the Equator where the trade winds of the northern and southern hemispheres come together.
During the southwest monsoon season, this ITCZ moves northwards over to the Indian landmass, where it is also referred to as the monsoon trough. But as the temperatures in the northern hemisphere begin to drop around September, the ITCZ starts moving towards the Equator and further into the southern hemisphere.
This southward movement of the ITCZ, coupled with the heating up of the Indian Ocean, reverses the direction in which the lower-atmosphere moisture-laden winds blow (from southwest to northeast), thereby triggering the NEM.
As the northeastern winds blow from land to sea, most parts of the country are dry in these months. But a portion of these monsoon winds blows over the Bay of Bengal, picks up moisture, and brings rain-bearing clouds to the southern subdivisions of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and southern parts of Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
Geographical Distribution of Rainfall
The Northeast Monsoon is crucial for the southeastern states of India. Unlike the Southwest Monsoon (which covers most of India), the Northeast Monsoon brings significant rainfall mainly to:
Tamil Nadu: About 48%–60% of Tamil Nadu’s annual rainfall is received during this season, making it vital for agriculture and water resources.
Southern Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala also receive rainfall but in lesser quantities.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands also receive rainfall during this season.
Importance of the Northeast Monsoon
Agricultural Impact:
Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh rely heavily on the Northeast Monsoon for agricultural activities, as the region doesn’t receive much rainfall from the Southwest Monsoon.
Rice cultivation is a significant beneficiary of the rainfall from this monsoon.
Water Resources:
It is vital for recharging reservoirs and water bodies in the southern states, which face severe water scarcity otherwise.
Groundwater recharge during this period is essential for drinking water and irrigation.
Fisheries:
The monsoon is crucial for the fishing communities along the Coromandel Coast, as it influences marine ecosystems and seasonal fishing patterns.
Source: The Hindu
Practice MCQs
Daily Practice MCQs
Q1.) With reference to the Northeast Monsoon in India, consider the following statements:
The Northeast Monsoon occurs from October to December and primarily brings rainfall to the southern states of India.
The southward movement of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is one of the factors contributing to the onset of the Northeast Monsoon.
Goa receives about 60-80% of its annual rainfall from the Northeast Monsoon.
The monsoon winds during this season blow from the southwest towards the Indian subcontinent, bringing rainfall to the northern states.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a)1 and 2 only
b) 1, 2, and 3 only
c)2 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3, and 4
Q2.) With reference to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), consider the following statements:
The SCO was established as a successor to the Shanghai Five, which included China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.
The SCO promotes mutual trust, cooperation in various fields, and the maintenance of peace and security among its member states.
The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) of the SCO is based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Belarus joined SCO and is its first exclusively European member.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2 and 4 only
c) 1, 2, and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3, and 4
Q3.) With reference to the flood situation in Bihar, consider the following statements:
Bihar’s flood-prone situation is exacerbated by its unique geography, being situated below Nepal with snow-fed and rain-fed rivers bringing large volumes of water and sediments.
The embankments built along the Kosi river have successfully prevented floods by allowing the river to distribute its sediments effectively.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!
ANSWERS FOR ’ 5th October 2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs
ANSWERS FOR 4th October – Daily Practice MCQs
Answers- Daily Practice MCQs
Q.1) – a
Q.2) – a
Q.3) – a