Militarisation of Space - By K C Shekhar
Outer space has been the arena of some of the most memorable technology demonstrations be it Russia’s Sputnik, the U.S.’s Apollo 11 or India’s Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan- all were symbols of national prideand metaphors of geopolitical competition. But, in recent times the launch of Mars missions by China,UAE and the USA; the first astronaut trip to orbit on a commercial enterprise built by Space X;NASA’s Artemis program of crewed lunar exploration;
Harnessing Frontier Technologies for Sustainable Development - By Rishabh Srivastava
By definition, frontier technologies are consistently at the forefront of innovation and cutting edge of development. These advancements can give pivotal arrangements that might be executed later for an enormous scope and accomplish worldwide mainstream adoption. Frontier technologies can add to expanding overall life expectancy and quality of life as we get more established. They can give enormous scope answers for genuine real world issues. Frontier Technologies The frontier technologies which are
India’s Smart Power Geostrategy in South Asia’s Changing Geopolitical Landscape - By Satish Kumar Karna
Power in International Relations is defined in relational terms, as the ability to influence others to get the desired outcomes. The term “Soft Power” was coined by eminent scholar Joseph Nye in his book “Bound to Lead: The Changing Nature of American Power.” Nye identified three dimensions of power- use of military force, offering economic incentives and by spreading the nation’s culture and values. The foreign policy of any country
Abhishek Saraf - All India Rank - 8AIR - Civil Services Examination - 2019
C.S.C. : Heartiest congratulations to you from Civil Services Chronicle for your success. How are you feeling about it?Abhishek Saraf : Honestly, it is a feeling of relief. The CSE chapter of my life has ended and it ended on a happy note. It also feel humbled and overwhelmed at the same time by the result. I never expected such a high rank. I was expecting a rank around 100. C.S.C. : What is your inspiration for becoming an IAS officer? Whom do you give credit for your success?What is the role of family and others (teacher, friends) in your preparation and success?Abhishek Saraf : I am naturally inquisitive. I like to learn new things from a wide variety of sources, apply what I learn in daily life. IAS provides the best opportunity for that. This motivated me to join IAS. The fact that IAS officers along with other civil servants contribute to the largest cross section of society and in the most direct manner inspired me to become an IAS officer. I am eternally grateful to God Almighty for bestowing this success upon me. I owe an immense debt of gratitude to my mother. I would give the biggest credit to her. But credit also goes to my brother and sister-in-law, my whole maternal family and dear friends (especially Shubhanshu Jain, IPS) without whose support it would not have been possible. My family supported me financially, logistically as well as emotionally. They gave me full freedom to write as many attempts as I wanted to no matter how much strain it put upon them. They dealt will all the problems that arose themselves without even telling me so that I can study free of any stress. I would like to thank my friend Shubhanshu Jain, IPS for his critical inputs to my essays without which such result would not have been possible. I got 105 marks in essay paper in CSE 2017 and 79 marks in CSE 2018.. this is 40 marks below average. Hence, improvement in essay paper was critical for my success and I thank Shubhanshu for it. I would also like to thank Anmol Jain (AIR-14 CSE 2019) for his help in interview preparation. C.S.C. : What strategy one should follow for preparing Examination General Studies Prelims & Mains? Did you integrate your Prelims and Mains preparation or was it separate?Abhishek Saraf : As the name suggests, general studies is about working understanding of things. One has to balance depth with width of knowledge of the subject matter. Other than that, memorize the syllabus because that will help you sort out exam relevant material from whatever you read. It is advisable to read the toppers answer booklets. That will enable one to understand the depth of content that needs to be covered and also tricks topper use to improve presentation. It is advisable to do answer writing practice for at least 8-10 months in the first attempt. Answer writing practice will help only if answers are either reviewed by senior aspirant, selected candidates or self review based on top voted answer if one is using websites. Writing practice can be reduced further as one proceeds to second third attempts. Special mention can be made of the ethics paper, it is more about application and less about theory. Not more than 20% of the answer should be composed of theory and 80% should discuss real life application of ethical principles. Examples from one’s own life and life of other accomplished people can be used. Essay preparation- Two years of subpar performance (105 marks in CSE 2017 and 79 marks in CSE 2018) made me realise that essay paper is not about volume of content and the depth of knowledge. It is about diversity and broadness of perspective. The closest analogy I can give to make my point is that of a balanced diet. A balanced diet is supposed to contain all the major and micro-nutrients needed for human survival. Just like that in an essay there has to be a balance between a various perspectives of the topic. UPSC expects candidates to be knowledgeable thinking and analytical persons. Knowledge gets tested in GS papers and thinking and analytical capacity gets tested in essay paper. Lastly, you have to write only 2400 words at the maximum in 3 hours. GS papers make you write 4000 words. Less written words means UPSC has given time to think. So if you have brainstormed on a topic for 20 or so minutes, then UPSC has the right to expect some sort of learning or a logical way ahead that can help make improvement to the state of affairs. That is what the essay should be about- a discussion on the state of affairs from positive and negative perspectives, an analysis of the cause and a solution for a better future. Dear candidates, kindly do not just spill the existing knowledge in the paper. It will not yield you marks. Give your new perspective and an insight. I oriented my preparation and answer writing strategy as per the above approach. And hopefully it yielded benefits. For Prelims- Yearlong preparation with self-notes. Revision in last one month with test series. Overall target was to finish 4000-5000 question including quizzes and full length mock tests for Paper 1 of prelims. Quizzes had to be solved all year long and notes have to be made. Preparation for prelims and mains has to go all year round but separately. Even in the 1-2 months same books have to be read for prelims as well as mains but focus has to be on facts for prelims and analytical part for mains. C.S.C. : How much time did you devote for This exam Prelims, Mains,Interview,Optional ? How did you manage your time in both prelims and mains examinations?PrelimsPrelims preparation has to go all year round. Candidates can devote last 1-2 months for interview preparation as per one’s own convenience. Along with yearlong preparation as mentioned above, I used to devote 1 full month for prelims preparation. MainsMy optional was
Pradeep Singh - All India Rank–IstAIR - Civil Services Examination 2019
C.S.C. : Heartiest congratulations to you from Civil Services Chronicle for your success. How are you feeling about it?Pradeep Singh : Thank you I am feeling very happy and satisfied. C.S.C. : What is your inspiration for becoming an IAS officer? Whom do you give credit for your success? What is the role of family and others (teacher, friends) in your preparation and success?Pradeep Singh : My inspiration for becoming IAS to is to work for the downtrodden sections mainly farmers and daily wage labourers. There has been immense support from family friends and teachers during my preparation. I would like to give them all the credit for my success. C.S.C. : What strategy one should follow for preparing for General Studies Prelims & Mains? Did you integrate your Prelims and Mains preparation or was it separate?Pradeep Singh : I think prelims and mains are the two different phases of the single exam and therefore one should prepare for each phase with a different mindset. However there is some syllabus that is common between prelims and mains and one need to focus on the factual aspects for the prelims and need to focus on building the opinion for mains. C.S.C. : How much time did you devote for Prelims, Mains, Interview, Optional ? How did you manage your time in both prelims and mains examinations?Pradeep Singh : I've been giving this exam since 2016 but started preparing seriously for this exam since 2017. I think one need to give focus to the mains and optional upto 6 months before the exam but last 6 months should be totally devoted to the prelims preparation. C.S.C. : Did you prepare notes? How helpful are the notes? What is your advice on notes-making?Pradeep Singh : Yes I also prepared the notes. notes are very handy when you have very less time for revision. One should make notes at least for the miscellaneous topics which you will not find normally in the conventional books. C.S.C. : What was your optional? What was the basis of selecting this optional? What strategy one should follow for optional?Pradeep Singh : My optional is public administration. I chose this optional because I have done BTech in Computer Science in Engineering which was not an available optional in the UPSC optional list and also I find it interesting and relevant to the service for which you are preparing. C.S.C. : What was your preparation strategy and books which you referred for Ethics Paper?Pradeep Singh : I have prepared some handwritten notes for the terms that is being given in the ethics paper 4 syllabus. for case studies I have practiced them enough before going to the exam. C.S.C. : Tell us something about preparation of Essay paper.Pradeep Singh : Essay is one paper which gives you the freedom to write freely in the exam. one should feel the freedom to write the essay. for preparing essay one should take cues from the topper’s copies of essay and from videos available on YouTube etc. C.S.C. : What was your style of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?Pradeep Singh : I did not have a single writing style in the exam . Actually one has to write the answer to the question according to the demand of the question. one needs to do enough answer writing practice to develop a style. C.S.C. : How did you prepare for interview? Which type of questions were asked in interview? Did you answer all? Was there any specific area they emphasised upon?Pradeep Singh : I prepared for the interview from various sources like internet newspaper magazine etc. interview mainly emphasized upon the government schemes , farmers problems , india china relations etc. there were some of the question whose Answer I wasn't able to give. C.S.C. : Importance of coaching in the preparation of exam.Pradeep Singh : The requirement of coaching depends upon various factors like availability of resources, study material , proper guidance. If it is available by any other means then there is no need of coaching. Otherwise you need someone while you start preparation and teach you if you are a fresh candidate. C.S.C. : Suggested Book list for Prelims, GS & CSAT and Mains Paper 1 to 4 and Essay.Book list for prelims Spectrum for modern history Laxmi kant for polity NCERTs for geography, Ramesh Singh or coaching notes for economics Pradeep Singh : Answer writing practice for mains for CSAT no specific book, just focus on basic reasoning and arithematic
Dipankar Choudhary - All India Rank–42AIR - Civil Services Examination 2019
C.S.C. : Heartiest congratulations to you from Civil Services Chronicle for your success. How are you feeling about it? Dipankar Choudhary : I am very happy. I am also very excited for new challenges and opportunities. Finally all my hard work and patience has paid off and I can take a sigh of relief. C.S.C. : What is your inspiration for becoming an IAS officer? Whom do you give credit for your success? What is the role of family and others (teacher, friends) in your preparation and success? Dipankar Choudhary : My father who is a retired civil servant was my primary inspiration. I could see myself working like him. Civil services give you diverse opportunities and the chance to grow to your full potential. That itself was a huge inspiration for me. I give credit to my parents, my elder sister, my mentor Mr Smar Ranjan he is associate members of indian institute of public administration. He has always stood besides me throughout my preparation. He is truly my mentor in all respect. my friends and my fiancé (Tanwika) for my success. Family, friends and your mentor are your support systems, your pillars of strength and a source of constant motivation and guidance in this long and arduous preparation. They help in every possible way be it mental support, emotional support, financial support or guidance of any sort. C.S.C. : What strategy one should follow for preparing for General Studies Prelims & Mains? Did you integrate your Prelims and Mains preparation or was it separate? Dipankar Choudhary : Yes, the strategy should be integrated but there are times when you need to prepare separately too. 3 months prior to prelims, you should be more prelims oriented and after prelims you have to be Mains oriented. C.S.C. : How much time did you devote for Prelims, Mains, Interview, Optional ? How did you manage your time in both prelims and mains examinations? Dipankar Choudhary : I started preparing in 2016 and in 2018 I was selected with a rank of 166 and was serving as an IPS in Kerala. So almost 2.5 to 3 years of dedicated preparation. Intially, like I said my preparation was integrated. For optional, it took me 5-6 months to finish it once and cover my basics. Thereafter I polished it; added more material, examples, theories; wrote test series and kept discussing with Smar Ranjan Sir. I used to put in 8-10 hours of dedicated study everyday after I left my job. C.S.C. : Did you prepare notes? How helpful are the notes? What is your advice on notes-making? Dipankar Choudhary : Yes, I prepared notes for optional, ethics and modern history. For current affairs and everything else, I relied on the books and magazines but I used to scribble at the margins, cross reference everything and highlight using a marker. They served as my notes and I revised them over and over again for, maybe, I guess 7-8 times. I also prepared diagrams and flowcharts for many topics in my notes. Notes are very important. They help you to revise speedily. As far as my advice goes, you can and should make notes specially for optional. The notes should be as concise as possible. You should be able to revise the entire paper 1 or paper 2 of your optional with the help of those notes in 2-3 hours. The same goes for any subject you choose to make notes for. Making notes for current affairs can get very bulky in my opinion, so better rely on magazines and newspapers. But if one feels that some topic for current affairs is difficult to follow and understand then one can make notes for it. C.S.C. : What was your optional?What was the basis of selecting this optional? What strategy one should follow for optional? Dipankar Choudhary : My optional was Public Administration. I chose it because I had a very good mentor and the syllabus was simple. Moreover it overlapped with GS Paper 2, Indian economy, social issues and ethics. For optionals it is very important to make notes and read good books. One shouldn’t completely rely on readymade notes but make it for oneself. Also keep reading Yojana, newspaper, NITI Aayog website etc for case studies, examples etc. Write test series to gauge your level of preparation. C.S.C. : What was your preparation strategy and books which you referred for Ethics Paper? Dipankar Choudhary : I relied on class notes of Mr Sanjeev Kumar, my public administration notes wherever they overlapped and examples from various sources like newspapers and Yojana. I also wrote test series for it. C.S.C. : Tell us something about preparation of Essay paper. Dipankar Choudhary : For essay I practiced a lot and focused on my flow and lucidity. The essay shouldn’t look abrupt and bumpy. The connection from one paragraph to another should be smooth. You don’t have to prepare extra GS topics for essay. All you should do is practice and focus on your writing skills. The trick is moderation. Use of examples, stories, anecdotes, facts, case studies, personal life examples, quotations from eminent people, poems or couplets etc, but all in moderation. To develop these practice a lot and get it reviewed from peers and mentors. Read good essays written by toppers. C.S.C. : What was your style of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style? Dipankar Choudhary : I focused a lot on presentation i.e. use of diagrams and flowcharts. I used it in almost 8-9 questions in every paper. Don’t overdo it though. Interlink your content by using cross referencing when revising as I have already mentioned. Focus on an edge of 1-2 marks in each question. Write answers point wise and also number all your points. You can use paragraph for introduction, conclusion and to connect two different parts of the answer but these should be brief, to the point and crisp. Avoid flowery and flamboyant language. C.S.C. : How did you prepare for interview? Which type of questions were asked in interview? Did you answer all?
Map Study
Indonesia
Mount Sinabung volcano, one of two currently erupting in Indonesia, was dormant for four centuries before exploding in 2010 and in 2014. Recently, this volcano exploded and belched a massive column of ash and smoke 5,000 metres (16,400 feet) into the air plunging local communities into darkness with a thick
Parliament Q & A
Impact of Coronavirus on Trade
Question by: Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik; Sudheer Gupta; ShrirangAppa Barne; Asaduddin Owaisi; Imtiaz Jaleel Syed Question whether Indian economy has started showing decline in the import duty received by the Government from Chinese goods due to impact of Coronavirus and if so, the details thereof along with the assessment made by the Government
Setting up of Centres to Create Awareness among People about Indian Culture
Question by: Ravindra Shyamnarayan alias Ravi Kishan Shukla; Vishnu Dayal Ram Question whether the Government proposes to set up any centre in the country for spreading of awareness of the cultural heritage of India; if so, the State-wise/Union Territory-wise details thereof; the steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government for creating
Skill Development in Backward Districts
Question by: Devji Mansingram Patel; Pratima Bhoumik; Gitaben Vajesingbhai Rathva; Ranjeetsinha Hindurao Naik-Nimbalkar Question whether the Government has set any target to provide employment and self-employment especially in States having underdeveloped and backward districts under various skill development schemes; if so, the details thereof, State-wise, Scheme-wise along with the number of semi-employed and
Unemployment
Question by:Annasaheb Shankar Jolle Question whether the recent initiatives taken by the Government has yielded any fruits to bring down the unemployment amongst the youth which is stated to be about 17 per cent; if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; the manner in which the Government aims to
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PIB Corner
Amendments in FDI Policy for Commercial Coal Mining The Government of India had amended the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Policy, 2017 recently to allow 100 percent Foreign Direct Investment in coal mining activities including associated processing infrastructure. Further, on 3rd August, 2020 the Union Government clarified in a statement that any Foreign
Agriculture
Pokkali Variety of Rice
Farmers in West Bengal are betting on the pokkali variety of rice from Kerala to tide over a crisis-like situation created by severe seawater incursion into paddy fields in vast areas of the Sundarbans after the cyclone Amphan hit West Bengal in May, 2020. About 80% of the rice paddies in
Industry
National Handloom Day
The 6th National Handloom Day was celebrated on 7th August, 2020, to honour the handloom community, and acknowledge their contribution towards India’s socio-economic development. The first National Handloom Day was organised in 2015 by the government in Chennai. This day seeks to highlight the contribution of handloom to the socioeconomic development of
Reports & Indices
Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2020
On 26th August, 2020, NITI Aayog in partnership with the Institute of Competitiveness released the first Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2020. Objectives of EPI It aims to assess the readiness of the states, in terms of their export potential and their performance. The primary goals of the Index are to inculcate
Infrastructure
Kisan Rail
On 7th August, 2020, the Railways began the first Kisan Rail train service from Devlali in Maharashtra to Danapur in Bihar. The announcement regarding the "Kisan Rail" was made in the current year's Budget. Indian Railways aims to help double farmers’ income with the launch of Kisan Rail. Key Features It is aimed
India’s Longest River Ropeway Opened in Assam
On 24th August, 2020, Assam government inaugurated a ropeway across the river Brahmaputra and described it as the country’s longest river ropeway. The project was cleared by the state government in March 2006 at a cost of Rs28 crore and work on it started in December 2009. However, the work came
Government Policy
Gujarat Launches New Industrial Policy 2020
On 7th August, 2020, Gujarat government announced the new Industrial Policy 2020 for the State. The earlier industrial policy of the state was published in 2015 that came to an end in December 2019. It has been extended up to the release of a new policy or December 31, 2020, whichever is
News Bytes
Sahakar Cooptube Channel
On 6th August, 2020, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare launched the National Cooperative Development Corporation's YouTube channel, 'SahakarCooptube NCDC India Channel. It aims to facilitate the involvement of the youth in the cooperative movement. Impact The channel will act as platform to reach to the inaccessible farmers and pull them into the
Sin Goods and Sin Tax
Recently, Finance Ministry said that two-wheelers are neither a luxury nor sin goods and so, merit a GST rate revision. Two-wheelers currently attract 28% GST. Last year, the country’s largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp had urged the government to consider a phase-wise reduction in GST on the segment, starting with bringing bikes
Food System Vision Prize-2020
On 7th August, 2020, US-based Rockefeller Foundation selected Naandi Foundation, a Hyderabad based non-profit organisation, as one of the top 10 ‘Visionaries’ in the world for the Food Vision 2050 Prize. The organisation was recognised for the application of Arakunomics model in regions of Araku (Andhra Pradesh), Wardha (Maharashtra) and New
First Silk Production Center in Arunachal Pradesh
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is set to open the first-of-its-kind silk training cum production centre in Arunachal Pradesh’s far-flung tribal village of Chullyu. KVIC has also planned design intervention by engaging professional design institutes like NIFT Shillong, NID Jorhat and even local designers in Arunachal to develop new
Krishi Megh
On 11th August, 2020, government virtually launched the Krishi Megh (National Agricultural Research & Education System -Cloud Infrastructure and Services) along with the KVC ALUNET (Krishi Vishwavidyalaya Chhatr Alumni Network) and Online Accreditation System for Higher Agricultural Educational Institutions (HEI). Krishi Megh is expected to meet the services and infrastructure
In Focus
Transparent Taxation- Honoring the Honest
In a bid to reward the taxpaying citizens of India, the government on 13th August, 2020, launched a new platform to“Transparent Taxation – Honoring the Honest”, to honour the honest taxpayers of the country. This new scheme is an extension of E-assessment scheme- 2019 launched by Government in September 2019. The aims
National Strategy for Financial Education
On 20th August, 2020, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the National Strategy for Financial Education(NSFE): 2020-2025 document in order achieve the vision of creating a financially aware and empowered India. This is the second national strategy; the first was launched in 2013. Background and Rationale of NSFE India has a large
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Legislative
Arunachal Pradesh Seeks Inclusion in Sixth Schedule
Recently Arunachal Pradesh Assembly unanimously passed a resolution for the entire state to be included in the Sixth Schedule of the constitution and to amend Article 371(H) to protect the rights of its indigenous population. Arunachal Pradesh comes under the Fifth Schedule, which deals with provisions related to the administration and
Executive
National Council for Transgender Persons
The Central government has constituted the National Council for Transgender Persons in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 16 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019. Highlights Composition of the Council Chairperson: The Union Minister of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (ex-officio). Vice-Chairperson: The Union Minister of State
Clause 6 of Assam Accord
In February 2020, a government-appointed committee headed by retired High Court judge Biplab Kumar Sarma had submitted its recommendations for implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. Since then, the government has not made the report public. However, recently, All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), one of the signatories to the
National Recruitment Agency to Transform Recruitment Process
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Ministerhas given its approval for creation of National Recruitment Agency (NRA), paving the way for a transformational reform in the recruitment process for central government jobs. The Government has sanctioned a sum of Rs. 1517.57 crore for the National Recruitment Agency (NRA). The expenditure
Judiciary
SC’s verdict on Hindu women’s inheritance rights
Through itslatest verdict, the Supreme Court expanded on a Hindu woman’s right to be a joint legal heir and inherit ancestral property on terms equal to male heirs. Supreme Court Ruling A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court ruled that a Hindu woman’s right to be a joint heir to the ancestral
Social Issues
Swachh Survekshan 2020
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) released the Swachh Survekshan 2020 , the fifth edition of the annual cleanliness urban survey, recently, in which 4,242 cities, 62 cantonment boards and 97 Ganga towns were surveyed, with feedback received from 1.87 crore citizens. In a bid to sustain on ground
ARIIA 2020 Rankings
The Ministry of Education’s Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) 2020 was released recently. Highlights The Indian Institute of Technology Madras bagged the first place followed by IIT Mumbai and IIT Delhi at second and third place respectively. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore stood at the fourth place,
New Population Projections for India
India’s population is expected to grow by 25%, with reference to 2011, to 1.52 billion by 2036, according to the final report of the Technical Group on Population Projections dated July 2020. The group was constituted by the National Commission on Population (NCP) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Art And Culture
Lingaraj Temple to be Refurbished Soon
Recently Odisha government declared its plan to renovate and beautify Bhubaneshwar’s largest temple – the Lingaraj Temple. The project is part of a larger 66-acre Ekamra Kshetra Yojana that will also include the renovation of water tanks, the development of the Mukteswara and Kedar Gouri temple premises and the creation of
Nagara Architecture of Ayodhya's Ram Temple
Recently Shri Ram JanmbhoomiTeerth Kshetra released some photos of the proposed model of the grand temple at Rama Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya which will follow the Nagara style of temple architecture. Salient Features of Ayodhya Ram Temple Reportedly, the stones from Banshi mountains in Rajasthan will be used for the construction. The temple
Naukhai Juhar Festival
Recently Prime Minister extended greetings on the occasion of Naukhai Juhar to farmers. About NaukhaiJuhar Naukhai Juhar is one of the most ancient festivals celebrated in Odisha, Chhattisgarh and areas of neighbouring states to welcome the new crop of the season. It is an agricultural festival which is also known as Nuakhai Parab
Warli Painting
National Fertilizers Limited (NFL), a central Public Sector Undertaking, and country’s leading fertilizers manufacturer, is promoting warli painting. It engaged a few artists who were rendered jobless in the last few months due to COVID-19 to paintthe outer wall of its Noida head office. About Warli Painting Warli painting is a style
News Bytes
Narmadashankar Dave 'Narmad'
On 24th August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the Gujarati poet, playwright, lexicographer and social reformer Narmadashankar Dave 'Narmad' on his 187th birth anniversary. Narmadashankar Dave ‘Narmad’ born on 24th August 1833 in Surat, Gujarat, was a visionary creator, philosopher, pioneer of social justice and a poet.
KIRAN Helpline Service for Mental Health Rehabilitation
On 27th August 2020, the Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, launched ‘Kiran’, a toll- free helpline number for mental health rehabilitation. About KIRAN Helpline Number The helpline number (1800-599-0019) has been developed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and will be supported by the 660 volunteer clinical/rehabilitation
In Focus
National Digital Health Mission
During the independence day speech from the ramparts of Red Fort, Prime Minister of India, announced the launch of National Digital Health Mission (NDHM). The mission envisages improving the efficiency, effectiveness and transparency of health service delivery by leveraging open digital systems and integrating current digital health services. The NDHM comes
Contempt of Court
Recently a controversy emerged when the Supreme Court of India took Suo moto action for contempt of court against Social Activist and Lawyer Prashant Bhushan and held him guilty of contempt of court for his tweets which undermined the sanctity of the highest institution of law. Contempt of court refers to
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PIB Corner
ILO Child Labour Convention (No. 182) Achieves Universal Ratification On 4th August, Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour achieved universal ratification, following last submission by the Kingdom of Tonga. It is for the first time in the ILO’s history, an International Labour Convention has been ratified by all
World Issues
Abraham Accords: Israel-UAE Peace Agreement
Israel and the United Arab Emirates have announced an agreement that will lead to full normalization of diplomatic relations between the two states, a move that reshapes the order of West Asia politics from the Palestinian issue to Iran. It is a landmark agreement, given that the UAE is only
Myanmar’s Pushback against China-funded Economic Corridor
Myanmar has decided to involve international partners in the Chinese funded mega Yangon City Project, a key pillar of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the Southeast Asian country, marking another pushback against China. Myanmar’s pushback against China, which is trying to widen its influence through China Myanmar Economic
Turkey Discovers a Large Natural Gas Reserve in Black Sea
Turkish President announced recently that Turkey had discovered its largest-ever deposit of natural gas in the Black Sea, a move that could help the country reduce its dependence on energy imports from other countries such as Russia, Iran, and Azerbaijan. The discovery included 320 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Turkey
India And Its Bilateral Relations
India and Israel Sign Cultural Agreement
On 20th August 2020, India signed a cultural agreement with Israel, which outlines a three year programme of cooperation for 2020 to 2023, to strengthen the strategic bilateral relations through promoting people to people exchange. The agreement was signed between Israel’s Foreign Minister and India’s Ambassador to Israel, at the foreign
India- Bangladesh to Open New Trade Connectivity Route
India and Bangladesh will open a new chapter in regional connectivity from September 3, 2020 by expanding the scope of inland water transport mechanism that would enable them to boost trade in the region. Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) routes In May, 2020, India and Bangladesh signed the addendum to the Protocol on Inland
Organisations
BRICS Innovation Base
China has proposed the creation of a BRICS innovation base to strengthen cooperation among the five-country bloc i.e. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africain sectors like 5G, AI and digital economy. China has urged that BRICS countries should cooperate to promote economic recovery, strengthen communication and share their experiences in
6th Round Table of ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks
The Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand organized 6th Round Table of ASEAN-India network of think tanks (AINTT) on August 20-21, 2020. The theme of this round table meeting was“ASEAN-India: Strengthening Partnership in the Post COVID Era”. Thematic Sessions The round table had five
News Bytes
WHO Declares African Continent Free of Wild Polio
The continent of Africa was declared free from wild polio by the Africa Regional Certification Commission (ARCC), a WHO-appointed independent body. The Africa Regional Certification Commission confirmed that all 47 countries in the WHO's Africa region have eradicated Polio. Polio Battle in Africa In 1996, 75,000 children in Africa were
ASEAN-India Business Council Meet
On 28th August, 2020 Union Minister for Commerce and Industry addressed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India Business Council Virtual Meet. Outcome of the Meet India extended its friendship and partnership to ASEAN countries and expected to achieve a target of $300 billion trade through Business with them. The Union minister,
In Focus
Supply Chain Resilience Initiativea in Resilience Initiative
India, Australia, and Japan have started the discussions for the launch of a trilateral Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI). These nations are seeking to build stronger supply chains to counter China’s dominance as trade and geopolitical tensions escalate across the region. About the Initiative The initiative, first proposed by Japan, is
India-Nepal to hasten India-aided Development Projects
Senior diplomats of India and Nepal in August 2020 held a virtual meeting during which they comprehensively reviewed the progress made on various India-aided developmental projects in the Himalayan nation and decided to expedite their implementation.The discussions were the eighth round of talks under the India-Nepal Oversight Mechanism. Outcome of the
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Space Bricks Research scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have developed a process to make bricks on the moon for habitation using biology and mechanical engineering together. The process involves extracting lunar soil and using bacteria and guar beans to harden the soil
Astronomy
Dwarf Planet Ceres Is an Ocean World: NASA
Ceres is a dwarf planet and the largest object in the Great Asteroid Belt, and it has a new distinction today: ocean world. The latest data from NASA’s Dawn mission proves the almost Ocean-planet has a vast repository of salty water hiding below its surface. That makes it a possible
ASTROSAT DetectsOne of the Earliest Galaxies
India’s first Multi-Wavelength Space Observatory ASTROSAT detected extreme-UV light originating from a galaxy called AUDFs01 that is 9.3 billion light-years away from Earth. There are four subdivisions of ultraviolet radiation: near-ultraviolet (NUV), middle ultraviolet (MUV), far-ultraviolet (FUV), and extreme ultraviolet (EUV). The galaxy called AUDFs01 was discovered by a team of
Earth Sciences
Splitting Dent in Earth’s Magnetic Field
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has reported a splitting dent in Earth’s magnetic field over the southern Atlantic Ocean which can be bad news for satellites. This unusual weak spot in Earth’s magnetic is called the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA). Genesis of SAA The SAA is caused by the tilt of
Space Exploration
Vikram Sarabhai: A Crater on Moon
Chandryaan-2 has captured images of the Moon and one of the craters has been named after Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian space programme. The crater has been named by ISRO after Vikram Sarabhai on his birth centenary year. Prelims Facts Vikram Sarabhai Dr.Vikram Sarabhai is considered as the Father of the Indian
Beidou: Chinese Version of GPS
China has recently completed its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System constellation, that can potentially rival the US Global Positioning System (GPS) as the final satellite needed to complete China’s own navigation and positioning satellite system has passed final on-orbit tests. Highlights It has a constellation of 35 satellites- 27 satellites in medium
Planet Hunter: Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite
On July 4, NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) finished its primary mission, imaging about 75% of the starry sky as part of a two-year-long survey. NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite is an all-sky survey mission that seeks to discover thousands of exoplanets around nearby bright stars. Major Findings Among the mission’s
Bio Science
Trans-fats must Go from IndianFoods by 2022: Experts
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified removing TFA from global food systems a "best buy" (a measure that is cost-effective and feasible to implement) that can have an exponential positive impact on global health. With close to 5.8 million people dying of non-communicable diseases (NCD) annually, India already had a
NCRP Report 2020: Cancer Cases to Rise by 12% by 2025
According to the National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP) Report 2020 released by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (NCDIR), Bengaluru has predicted that the number of cancer cases in the country will rise to 15.6 lakhs by 2025 - a 12%
Indigenous Technology
ITIHAS: IT-enabled lntegrated Hotspot Analysis System
ITIHAS is a predictive, back-end tool to fine-tune Aarogya Setu data strictly for surveillance purposes.It was developed by an IIT-Madras professor, for surveillance and containment strategies, apart from manual contact tracing of Covid-19 patients. In Gujarat, it was first used in Ahmedabad from May 23, and is now expanded to Surat,
News Bytes
Student Entrepreneurship Programme 2.0
On 11th August 2020, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, in collaboration with Dell Technologies has launched Student Entrepreneurship Programme 2.0 (SEP 2.0) for young innovators of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs). It will build on the success of SEP 1.0 and would mentor eight teams to foray into the world of
Eye in the sky: Ninja Drones to Protect Rail Assets
The Railways has procured Ninja unmanned aerial vehicles for monitoring its assets and ensure safety for passengers. With real-time tracking, video streaming & automatic fail-safe mode, the drones will enhance monitoring of the railway assets and ensure additional safety for passengers. Impact According to the Railway Ministry, the drone deployment’s purpose is
In Focus
Impending Threat from Sunspot Activity&Solar Flares
A massive Sunspot group, AR2770, was observed using images of the Sun’s surface from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). According to a report, the sunspot AR2770, is expected to grow in size. Moreover, it is turning towards our planet and this could result in strong solar flares. According to the report,
PIB CORNER
PIB Corner
Fire in World's Largest Wetland ‘Pantanal’ Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetland is burning with the worst fires in last 15 years. It sprawls across three South American countries—Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. The region is a vast flood plain that normally fills with water during the rainy season, roughly from November to March.
Climate Change
Nationally Determined Contributions –Transport Initiative for Asia
On 27th august, 2020, NITI Aayog virtually launched the India Component of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)–Transport Initiative for Asia (TIA). NDC-TIA It is a joint programme, supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and implemented by a consortium
Greenland’s Ice sheet Melting beyond “Point of No Return”
According to a recent study published by a team of researchers from the Ohio State University, the world’s second largest body of ice, the Greenland Ice Sheet, is melting at an unprecedented rate due to rising temperatures induced by climate change, and may now be past the point of no
Sustainable Development
NGT Sets Stringent Conditions for Commercial Use of Groundwater
In a major overhaul of regulations, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has set out stringent conditions for commercial use of groundwater . In addition, NGT has also struck down the Central Ground Water Authority’s (CGWA) 2020 guidelines, pronouncing that they were against the law. The 2018 version of the guidelines had
India Water Resources Information System
On 6th August, 2020, the Jal Shakti Ministry launched a new version of the India Water Resources Information System (India-WRIS) with new functionalities and features. The first version of India-WRIS was launched in July, 2019 under the National Hydrology Project. Key Features The portal contains information related to Water Resources through dashboards for
Pollution
World Biofuel Day
World Biofuel Day is observed annually on August 10 to raise awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels. In India, a webinar was organizedon the occasion of the World Biofuel day, with the theme “Biofuels towards Atmanirbhar Bharat”. The day is being celebrated
Antibiotic-Resistant "Priority Pathogens" found in Yamuna Water
A research paper from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, has shown that the river Yamuna sheltered some of the critical group, multidrug-resistant bacteria that a World Health Organisation (WHO) report had red-flagged in 2017. Key Findings The team found bacteria that produces Extended-spectrum Beta-lactamases - enzymes that help bacteria resist many commonly-used
Disaster Management
Tsunami Ready Village
On 7th August, 2020, two coastal villages of Odisha- Venkatraipur village in Ganjam district and Noliasahi village in Jagatsingpur district were declared “Tsunami Ready” by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO-IOC) for their overall preparedness to face the calamity. With this recognition, India became the first country to implement the
Landslide Menace
Recently, due to heavy rainfall, landslides occurred in different parts of India like in Kerala, Karnataka, Assam, etc. A landslide is the gravitational movement of a mass of rock, or mass of earth or debris, downwards on a slope. It generally occurs when a hilly slope becomes unstable due to natural
Conservation In Biodiversity
India’s First Snow Leopard Conservation Centre
Uttarakhand is all set to develop India’s first Snow Leopard Conservation Centre in Uttarkashi forests. It will be built at the entry point of Gangotri National Park above 2800 meters sea level. Key Features The centre will be developed by the Uttarakhand forest department along with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and
Flora
Seagrasses
The UN environmental programme has released a report warning that fishing trawlers, seaweed farming, and tourism is threatening the survival of seagrasses. About Seagrass These are angiosperm or flowering plants that hold a vital role in the complex coastal ecosystem, and are one of the most productive coastal habitats. There are
Fauna
Hoolock Gibbons
Hoolock Gibbons, the only species of apes found in India, are threatened with extinction in the Ukhrul and Kamjong districts of Manipur. Rampant deforestation for timber, forest fires and indiscriminate hunting has led to the decline in their population. Without the tree canopies, the gibbons cannot swing from branch to branch and
Species In News
Dhole: Asiatic Wild Dog
A new study identified priority actions and locations for conserving population of the endangered Asiatic wild dog or dhole in India. The paper titled ‘A strategic road map for conserving the endangered dhole Cuonalpinus in India’ was published recently. Key Findings Karnataka, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradeshare adequately equipped for consolidating forest habitats and
African Cheetah
Recently, Mysuru Zoo in Karnataka has acquired 3 African hunting Cheetah from Ann Van Dyke Cheetah Centre at Johannesburg, South Africa as part of the Animal Exchange Programme. Mysuru zoo is the second zoo in the country to house hunting cheetahs after Hyderabad zoo which has a pair of big cats. The
News Bytes
Dragonfly Festival- Thumbimahotsavam 2020
Kerala is preparing to host the first-ever State Dragonfly Festival- Thumbimahotsavam 2020. The Dragonfly Festival started in 2018 to educate and inform the public about the integral role that dragonflies, and their lesser known siblings damselflies, play in our environment. Thumbimahotsavam 2020 This is part of a National dragonfly festival being organised by
India & Maldives Contract for Development of Eco-tourism Zones
On 10th August, 2020, India and Maldives signed a contract for development of five eco-tourism zones in Addu atoll of the island nation. These eco-tourism zones are part of grant projects being implemented under the High-Impact Community Development project (HICDP) scheme which involves a total grant assistance of 5.5 million
World Elephant Day
The World Elephant Day is celebrated on 12th August every year to spread awareness for the conservation and protection of the largest mammal on land. It creates awareness of elephant conservation and shares knowledge and positive solutions for the better protection and management of wild and captive elephants. The day was launched
Seed Bombs
Encouraged by germination and subsequent growth in bamboo plantations, Odisha’s Athagarh Forest Division has begun casting seed balls inside different reserve forest areas to enrich food stock for wild elephants. The prime objective is to meet the needs of the elephants, thus avoiding man-animal conflict since Athagarh Forest Division is one
In Focus
Microplastic Pollution: An Oceanic Menace
A new study published in Nature Communications has estimated nearly 11.6-21.1 million tonnes of microplastic pollution in the Atlantic Ocean, indicating that the inputs and stocks of ocean plastics are much higher than determined previously. Key Findings Scientists studied pollution of the Atlantic Ocean caused by three types of plastics: polyethylene, polypropylene,
News Notes
Newsmakers
On The Hot Seat
Girish Chandra Murmu
He was the first Lt Governor Jammu and Kashmir and now been appointed as the 14th Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.He replaced Rajiv Mehrishi.The Comptroller and Auditor General of India audits all receipts and expenditure of the Government of India and the state governments, including those of bodies
Faces Only In Memory
Pranab Mukherjee
Former President Pranab Mukherjee has passed away at the age of 84.Mr Mukherjee served as 13th President of India from 2012 to 2017. He also served as Union Minister of Finance, Defence, External Affairs and Commerce. He was also Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission. He was elected to Rajya Sabha
States In News
UP Launches ‘Major Dhyan Chand Vijaypath Yojana’
The Uttar Pradesh Govt. has launched ‘Major Dhyan Chand Vijaypath Yojana’ under which 19 International Players will get road connectivity to their homes.The initial list includes 19 International Players from the state, and later on more players are expected to be added to the list.The list includes Indian Cricketers Bhuvneshwar
Places In News
Organisations In News
NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL)
It is a subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) that has been created recently.NIPL will facilitate NPCI’s ambition to venture into newer international markets and co-create payment systems with participating nations.Ritesh Shukla to head NIPL as the newly appointed
Art/Culture/Heritage
Andhra's Etikoppaka Toys Craft
The wooden lacquer craft toys of Andhra Pradesh or 'EtikoppakaBommalu' has a long history said to be dating back to Bahamani times. The craft was originally started in Nakkapalli village but was later moved to Etikoppaka after the area's landlords resettled the artisans there.The artisans mainly use the wood from
Committee/Commission
Miscellaneous
World Of Awards
International Booker Prize
At the age of 29, Dutch Author Marieke Lucas Rijneveld became the youngest to win the 2020 International Booker Prize for her literary fiction book ‘The Discomfort of Evening’.The Book was first published in Dutch in 2018 and eventually translated into English by Michele Hutchison. The International Booker Prize
Persons In News
World Of Sports
PLAN/POLICY/SCHEMES
‘Namath Basai’
The State Govt. of Kerala has initiated ‘Namath Basai’ programme that involves the teaching of tribal children in their mother tongue.The programme, implemented by the SamagraSiksha Kerala (SSK), has succeeded in retaining hundreds of tribal children in their online classes by making them feel at home with the language of
SCIENCE
NATIONAL SPORTS AWARDS -2020
National Sports Awards 2020
President Ram Nath Kovind virtually conferred the National Sports and Adventure Award 2020 on the occasion of National Sports Day (August 29, birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand). In a first, this year the awards function was held virtually at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, instead of the Rashtrapati
Prelims Specials
Mock Test
Prelims
Mains Specials
Cyber Security Framework of India
Following the outbreak of COVID-19, attackers have become more motivated and the number of phishing and ransomware attacks have seen an extraordinary rise. Cyber intrusions and attacks have increased in scope and sophistication targeting sensitive personal and business data, and critical information infrastructure, with impact on national economy and security. Ransomware-related
Chemical Disaster Management
Chemical Disaster India is developing as a key global player in the industrial and technology sector. Rapid industrialization has increased the hazard, risk and vulnerability to Chemical Disaster in recent times. Chemical disasters are occurrence of emission, fire or explosion involving one or more hazardous chemicals in the course of industrial activity
Flood Management
Floods India is highly vulnerable to floods. Out of the total geographical area of 329 million hectares, about 45.64 million hectares is flood prone. Almost every year floods of varying magnitude affect some parts of the country or the other. Different regions of the country have different climates and rainfall patterns
Factoring Diaspora in India’s Growth Story
Diasporas have emerged as powerful entities since they are recognized as ‘soft power’ in the realm of foreign policy strategy and also as an agent or catalyst of economic development of countries of origin beside their active role in the host countries. The International Organisation for Migration said in its ‘Global
Tapping India’s Demographic Dividend
Demographic dividend, as defined by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) means, “the economic growth potential that can result from shifts in a population’s age structure, mainly when the share of the working-age population (15 to 64) is larger than the non-working-age share of the population (14 and younger, and
Scourge of Gender Discrimination in India
In the past decade, while Indian GDP has grown by around 6%, but India’s female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) - the share of working-age women who report either being employed, or being available for work - has fallen to a historic low of 23.3% in 2017-18, meaning that over
Case Study
Case Study
A poor village studying in a government school has topped 12th exam from her district. Her family sustains on daily wages. In the felicitation program organized by the school, the state education minister announced that the government will bear all the education expenses of girl’s higher education and later it
Model Solved Paper Mains 2020
Mains
1.Despite heavy floods in different statesof India, there exists a critical dangers of national water emergencies.Elaborate on the aggravated problem by providing some possible solutions.
Approach of the Answer Introduction: Introduce the answer by describing the current water crisis and also provide government data or report if possible. Body: Provide the details ofgovernment initiatives that they are performing to cater the demands of current ground water supply. Also, write briefly about rain water harvesting methods.
