Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – HISTORY

Context: Among the various criticisms levelled at the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, signed on March 5, 1931, is that it failed to secure the commutation of Bhagat Singh’s death sentence.

Background: –

• Some argue that it is unfair to claim that the Mahatma was indifferent to Bhagat Singh, as he had repeatedly appealed to Irwin on behalf of the revolutionaries. This assertion is not entirely incorrect.

Key takeaways

• Bhagat Singh was arrested for bombing the Central Assembly in Delhi on April 8, 1929. But it was the Lahore Conspiracy Case for which he would eventually be sentenced to death by a Special Tribunal set up by Viceroy Lord Irwin.
• The Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), led by Bhagat Singh and Chandra Shekhar Azad, had killed British police officer John P Saunders on December 17, 1928 to avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai.
• Three HSRA members — Bhagat Singh, Shivram Rajguru, and Sukhdev Thapar — were sentenced to death on October 7, 1930 after a controversial trial.
• Because of the way the Tribunal was set up, little legal recourse was available after the sentencing. A political settlement was the only plausible way to save Bhagat Singh from the gallows.

Gandhi, Irwin, and a pact to end Civil Disobedience

• In 1930, Gandhi launched the Civil Disobedience Movement with his 24-day march to Dandi. After he broke the salt laws, protests erupted across the country.
• Police launched a crackdown, and thousands of freedom fighters including Gandhi were arrested. On January 25, 1931, Viceroy Irwin announced the unconditional release of Gandhi and other leaders to facilitate negotiations.
• The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was followed by the release of all political prisoners who were not convicted of violence, remission of fines, and return of some confiscated lands. Government employees who had resigned from service were treated leniently.
• The Congress agreed to end the Civil Disobedience Movement and take part in the Second Round Table Conference later that year.

Bhagat Singh: A glaring omission in Gandhi-Irwin Pact

• Gandhi’s talks with Irwin began less than a week after Bhagat Singh’s final appeal was rejected. As the negotiations progressed, there was expectation that Gandhi would ensure that the young revolutionary did not hang.
• In his autobiography Sinhavalokan (1951-55), Bhagat Singh’s comrade Yashpal wrote: “Gandhi considered it moral to put government pressure on the people for prohibition [of alcohol] but he considered it immoral to put people’s pressure on a foreign government to commute the sentence of Bhagat Singh.”

Gandhi and Bhagat Singh

• Gandhi described the bombing of the Central Assembly in Delhi as the “criminal act of two mad youth”. At the Congress’ Karachi session, held three days after Bhagat Singh’s execution on March 23, 1931, Gandhi spoke of the revolutionary’s “error”.
• Gandhi and Irwin discussed Bhagat Singh on multiple occasions. As early as May 4, 1930, Gandhi had objected to the creation of the Special Tribunal.
• During the negotiations for the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, he brought up the case of Bhagat Singh on February 18, 1931, although he did not take a particularly strong position.But Gandhi never officially asked for commutation, and the Viceroy refused to suspend the execution.
• On the morning of March 23, the day of Bhagat Singh’s execution, Gandhi once again wrote to the Viceroy asking for a suspension of the sentence. But his pleas were rejected.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims  – CURRENT EVENT

Context: Suggestions that Ukraine could lose access to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite Internet system, which has been vital in maintaining its military communications, have focused investor interest on Starlink’s smaller European rival Eutelsat.

Background: –

• The stock price of Eutelsat, a Franco-British company, has more than quadrupled since the February 28 public showdown between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump.

Key takeaways

• Starlink users access the Internet for data or voice communication by using a small satellite dish to bounce signals off a constellation of satellites overhead.
• Ukraine’s fixed-line and mobile networks have been badly damaged by bombing since Russia invaded in February 2022, and Starlink has helped Kyiv fill the void by sending tens of thousands of its dishes with terminals.
• Some are made available to civilians, but most are used by Ukraine’s armed forces. Ukrainian units often talk to each other via Starlink, and its services have become virtually indispensable for battlefield command and control.
• Initially, SpaceX helped to fund the provision of Starlink to Ukraine. The US government then took over, though last month Poland said it had been paying Ukraine’s Starlink subscription and would continue to do so.

Eutelsat and Starlink

• Eutelsat already supports government and institutional communications in Ukraine, and can provide an alternative for certain government and defence applications, according to the company.
• Since its merger in 2023 with Britain’s OneWeb, Eutelsat controls the only operational global-coverage constellation, besides Starlink, of satellites in low earth orbit (LEO).
• Starlink’s more than 7,000 LEO satellites, suited to real-time communication, allow it to reach more users around the world and offer higher data speeds.
• But Eutelsat says that even with only 630 LEO satellites, backed up by 35 linked satellites in higher, geostationary orbit, it offers the same capabilities as Starlink in Europe.
• Starlink promises broadband at up to 200 megabits per second, Eutelsat 150.
• OneWeb terminals, however, cost as much as $10,000, plus a monthly subscription. Starlink charges Ukrainian users a one-time payment of $589 in addition to a monthly subscription of $95-$440, depending on the usage.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – CURRENT EVENT

Context: Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana (PM-SYM) completes six years.

Background:

• The scheme is a tribute to the workers in the Unorganized sectors who contribute around 50 per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Key takeaways

• Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM), is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme launched by the Government of India to provide social security to unorganised workers.
• The scheme is administered by the Ministry of Labour and Employment in collaboration with Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and Common Service Centres e-Governance Services India Limited (CSC SPV) for seamless implementation. 
• LIC is the Pension Fund Manager and responsible for Pension pay out.

Key Features of PM-SYM

• Minimum Assured Pension: ₹3,000 per month after 60 years of age.
• Government Contribution: The Government of India matches the worker’s contribution on a 1:1 basis.
• Voluntary and Contributory: The scheme is voluntary, allowing workers to contribute based on their affordability and requirement.
• Family Pension: If the beneficiary passes away, the spouse receives 50% of the pension amount as a family pension. Family pension is applicable only to spouse.
• Exit Provisions: Participants can exit the scheme under specified conditions.
• Easy Enrolment: Eligible workers can register at Common Service Centres (CSCs) or through the Maandhan portal.
• The contribution amount varies based on the age at the time of enrolment.
• To enroll in PM-SYM, individuals must meet the following eligibility conditions:      
  • Age Requirement: 18 to 40 years.
  • Income Limit: Monthly income should be ₹15,000 or less.
  • Workers engaged Unorganised.
• Exclusion Criteria:
  • Should not be covered under the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), or National Pension Scheme (NPS).
  • Should not be an income taxpayer.
  • Should not be receiving benefits from any other government pension scheme.

Source: PIB

Syllabus:

• Mains & Mains – GEOGRAPHY

Context: A groundbreaking study has revealed that the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC)—the world’s most powerful ocean current—is slowing down due to melting ice sheets.

Background: –

• The research suggests the Antarctic Circumpolar Current will be 20% slower by 2050 as the world warms, with far-reaching consequences for life on Earth.

Key takeaways 

• The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is a major ocean current that flows clockwise from west to east around Antarctica. It is the largest and strongest ocean current in the world, transporting more water than any other current.
• The ACC flows between 50°S and 60°S latitude, and is the only current that circumnavigates the globe uninterrupted by landmasses.
• The ACC is approximately 21,000 kilometers long and 1,000 kilometers wide.

Key Features of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current:

• Location: The ACC is located in the Southern Ocean, encircling the continent of Antarctica. It extends from the surface to depths of over 4,000 meters.
• Direction and Flow: The current flows in an eastward direction, driven by the strong westerly winds known as the “Roaring Forties” and “Furious Fifties.” The ACC connects the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, allowing for the exchange of water, heat, and nutrients between these basins.
• Strength and Volume: The ACC is the strongest ocean current, with a flow rate of approximately 135 to 145 million cubic meters of water per second. 
• Temperature and Salinity: The ACC transports cold, dense water from the Antarctic region northward and brings relatively warmer, saltier water from the subtropics southward. This exchange of water masses helps regulate the global climate by redistributing heat and influencing oceanic temperature gradients.
• Ecological Importance: The ACC brings nutrient-rich deep waters to the surface, promoting the growth of phytoplankton, which forms the base of the marine food web. This, in turn, supports various marine species, including krill, fish, birds, and marine mammals.
• Climate Influence: The ACC acts as a barrier that isolates Antarctica from the warmer waters of the subtropics. This helps maintain the continent’s cold climate. The current also influences global weather patterns.

Source: Economic Times

Syllabus:

• Prelims – ENVIRONMENT

Context: Kangaroos and cockatoos are synonymous with Australia and tigers and orangutans with Asia. Both these continents boast rich biodiversity that is also very unique. A simple yet popular way to understand these unique and distinct species distribution is Wallace line.

Background: –

• Named after the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, who first identified it in the 19th century, the Wallace Line is a crucial concept for understanding biodiversity, evolution, and ecological distribution

Key takeaways

• The Wallace Line is a significant biogeographical boundary that separates the distinct flora and fauna of Asia and Australasia.
• Location: The Wallace Line runs between the islands of Bali and Lombok in Indonesia, extending northward through the Makassar Strait between Borneo (Kalimantan) and Sulawesi, and further into the Philippine Sea.
• It marks the boundary between the Indo-Malayan ecozone (to the west) and the Australasian ecozone (to the east). These regions have distinct evolutionary histories and biodiversity.

Key Features of the Wallace Line:

• Biodiversity Divide:
  • West of the Wallace Line: The flora and fauna are predominantly of Asian origin, including species like tigers, rhinoceroses, and primates.
  • East of the Wallace Line: The flora and fauna are predominantly of Australian origin, including marsupials, cockatoos, and eucalyptus trees.
• Evolutionary Significance: The Wallace Line represents a deep historical separation caused by plate tectonics and continental drift. The regions on either side of the line evolved in isolation for millions of years.
• Ecological Transition: The area between the Wallace Line and the Lydekker Line (further east) is known as Wallacea, a transitional zone with a mix of Asian and Australian species.

Factors Contributing to the Wallace Line:

• Geological History: During the Ice Ages, sea levels dropped, exposing land bridges that allowed species to migrate between continents. However, the deep Wallace Trench between Bali and Lombok acted as a barrier, preventing the mixing of Asian and Australian species.
• Ocean Currents: Strong ocean currents in the region further limited the dispersal of species across the line.
• Climatic Differences: Variations in climate and habitat types on either side of the line also contributed to the distinct evolutionary paths of species.

Source: The Hindu

Q1.) Which of the following is the largest ocean current in the world?

a) Gulf Stream

b) Antarctic Circumpolar Current

c) Kuroshio Current

d) North Atlantic Drift

Q2.) Which of the following statements about the Wallace Line is correct?

a) It separates the floral regions of Asia and Africa.

b) It is a deep-sea trench located in the Pacific Ocean.

c) It marks the boundary between the faunal regions of Asia and Australasia.

d) It is the name of a tectonic fault line in the Indian Ocean.

Q3.) Which of the following statements regarding the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) Yojana is correct?

a) It is a mandatory pension scheme for all unorganised sector workers.
b) The scheme provides a minimum assured pension of ₹5,000 per month after 60 years of age.
c) The Government of India contributes an equal amount to the beneficiary’s contribution.
d) The scheme is applicable to individuals covered under the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and National Pension Scheme (NPS).

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  Today’s – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs

Q.1) – c

Q.2) – a

Q.3) – a