Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for December 9, 2021. If you missed the December 8, 2021 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here. FRONT PAGE Gen Bipin Rawat, highest defence officer, and wife among 13 killed in chopper crash Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Main Examination: General Studies‐III: Internal Security and challenges to internal security Key Points to Ponder: • Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat • Need for Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)- Kargil Review Committee (KRC) 1999, Naresh Chandra Task Force on National Security 2011 • Appointment of Chief of Defence Staff-Who Appoints? • Office of the Chief of Defence Staff-Role and Functions • CDS-A ‘dual-hatted role’ • The Mi-17V5 helicopter • Nilgiri Hills-Geographical Location Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍 First CDS, Celebrated Soldier 📍 The helicopter Rawat was in 📍 No clear line of succession, CCS to decide on next CDS 📍 Functions of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) 📍 Explained: What are role, powers of CDS? GOVT & POLITICS Cabinet extends PMAY-Rural plan till March 2024, nod to Ken-Betwa river inter-linking Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Main Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Key Points to Ponder: • Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G)-Features of the Scheme and Nodal Ministry • PMAY (Rural or Gramin) and PMAY (Urban)-Difference • Other Infrastructure and Rural development related schemes • Ken-Betwa River linking project • Ken and Betwa Rivers-Source and Location • Other tributaries of the Yamuna River • Panna Tiger Reserve Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍 Explained: What is the Ken-Betwa Link Project; which regions will benefit from it? 📍 Varun steers private Bill for MSP guarantee Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance and Economic and Social Development Main Examination: General Studies-II: Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these. General Studies‐III: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices Key Points to Ponder: • Who is Private Member? • What do you understand by Private Bill? • Who decides admissibility of a private member’s Bill? • Public Bill vs Private Bill-Difference • Has a private member’s bill ever become a law? • MSP (minimum support price) and effectiveness of MSP implementation • How MSP is calculated (paid out costs, labour etc.) and Crops covered under the MSP • What are the demands by Farmers in the context of MSP in the recent scenario? • Recommendation of M. S. Swaminathan Committee on MSP • What do you understand by the term ‘comprehensive cost of production of a crop’? • Demand for legal guarantee for MSP-Pros and Cons Question asked in UPSC CSE Prelims Examination 2017 with Similar/Same Theme: Q: With reference to the Parliament of India, consider the following statements: 1) A private member’s bill is a bill presented by a Member of Parliament who is not elected but only nominated by the President of India. 2) Recently, a private member’s bill has been passed in the Parliament of India for the first time in its history. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (Please refer UPSC CSE Prelims 2017 Question Paper) No coercive action against digital media without our approval, says Madras HC Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance Main Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Key Points to Ponder: • The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 • Indian Broadcasters and Digital Media Foundation • Different types of media • Why Media Is Called as The Fourth Pillar of Democracy? • Freedom of the press in India • Facets of Speech and Expression and right to profession under Article 19(1)(a) and 19 (1) (g) of the Constitution respectively • World Press Index and India • How Media Is Regulated in India? Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍 The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 IN PARLIAMENT Growing voice in favour of reintroducing NJAC Bill, Law Minister tells Lok Sabha Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance Main Examination: General Studies-II: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary Key Points to Ponder: • National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act 2014 • Supreme Court on NJAC Act 2014 (99th Constitutional Amendment Act) • Collegium system of appointing judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts • First Judges Case (1982), Second Judges Case (1993) and Third Judges Case (1998) • Executive Vs Judiciary for appointment of judges in higher judiciary Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍 Supreme Court strikes down NJAC, revives collegium system THE EDITORIAL PAGE • State against Constitution Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance and Current events of national importance Main Examination: • General Studies‐II: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure • General Studies‐III: Security challenges and their management in border areas - linkages of organized crime with terrorism Key Points to Ponder: • Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 • AFSPA a “state of exception”? • Framework agreement of 2015 • The Supreme Court guidelines for the use of AFSPA in 1997 • “Disturbed Area” and the power to declare “Disturbed Area” lies with whom? • Other States under AFSPA • Recommendation of Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy Committee in 2005, Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) in 2007 and Santosh Hegde Committee appointed by Supreme Court in 2013 ECONOMY ‘Recovery turning broad-based, warrants continued support’ Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development Main Examination: General Studies‐III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. Key Points to Ponder: • Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) • Finance Act, 2016 • Monetary Policy in India • Benchmark rate (Repo Rate, Reverse Repo Rate) decided by MPC • Accommodative and Tight Monetary Policy • Repo Rate, Reverse Repo Rate-Definition and Role in the Economy • Impact of excess Liquidity in the Economy? • How Central Bank Controls Excess Liquidity in the Economy? • What are other Instruments of monetary policy? Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍 The liquidity challenge 📍 Explained: Why the RBI kept repo rates unchanged 📍 Digital currency: Cyber security, frauds concerns Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Main Examination: General Studies-III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. Key Points to Ponder: • Digital Currency • Fiat money • Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Technology • Central bank digital currency (CBDC)-Meaning, Issues and Challenges Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍 Explained: Digital currencies and how they work 📍 Cryptocurrency: How the needle moved from ban to regulation 📍 Explained: How are cryptocurrencies regulated in countries around the world? UPI-based products for feature phones soon Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Key Points to Ponder: • Unified Payment Interface (UPI) • National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) • UPI is Regulated by whom? Get an e-paper subscription via our special offer – click here For any queries and feedback, contact priya.shukla@indianexpress.com
