UPSC CSE Key – January 18, 2022: What you need to read today

In rare move, EC pushes Punjab polls to Feb 20

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance

Main Examination: General Studies II: Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies and Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act

Key Points to Ponder:

• What are Constitutional Bodies?

• Election Commission of India- Composition, Independence,

• Election Commission of India- Powers and Functions

• System of Election- First past the post electoral system.

• How Elections are conducted in India?

• How Election Commission Can Change dates for Election? (Any Past Precedence? Hint: 1991, Section 153 and Article 324 of the Constitution)

• Section 153 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951

• Article 324 of the Indian Constitution

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Election and Representation

📍 The Functions (Electoral System of India)

Kathak doyen who embodied virtuosity and expression, grace and control

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: History of India

Main Examination: General Studies I: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Brijmohan Nath Mishra Maharaj/Pt Birju Maharaj-About, His Massive Contributions in Dance and Legacy

• Kathak Dance-Origin, Style, and Revival in Modern India

• Role of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah in Revival of Kathak

• Difference between Nritta and Nritya

• Other Classical Dance forms in India

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Dance Like A Man

📍 Birju Maharaj

📍 Classical Dances

EXPRESS NETWORK

SC upholds NCLAT order to wind up Devas

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Main Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Key Points to Ponder:

• Antrix-Devas deal Controversy- Background (2005 Deal, 2011 UPA Government Cancelled the agreement, Legal Disputes etc.)

• National Company Law Tribunal decision on Devas Multimedia

• Supreme Court of India’s Decision on Antrix-Devas Deal

• National Company Law Tribunal- Quasi-Judicial Body, Established Under which Act?

• Know About Antrix, Restrictive Immunity

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Explained: Why did NCLAT term the Devas-Antrix agreement as fraud

📍 The story of a Rs 4,400 crore fiasco at ISRO

Centre cites Covid-19 risk, tells SC can’t let plea to allow Parsi last rites

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:

• Parsis and the “dokhmenashini” ritual

• Parsi community’s customary last rites during pandemic, Article 25 of the Indian Constitution and Rules and Protocols

• Why letting bodies decay is risky

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 COVID-19 Victims Have A Right To Decent Burial As Per Religion Under Articles 21 And 25: Calcutta HC issues Guidelines

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

Forest Fine Print

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change

Main Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Key Points to Ponder:

• India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021- Major Findings

• Loss of Natural Forests-Reasons and Long-Term Impact

• Other Significant Features of ISFR 2021 like the assessment of forest cover in the Tiger Reserves, Corridors and Lion conservation area of India

• New initiative by FSI like ‘Mapping of Climate Change Hotspots in Indian Forests’ and ‘Above Ground Biomass’ documented in IFSR 2021

• Significant losses of dense forests Cover-Bottom five States

• India’s national forest policy-What is the forest cover target set by India?

• Forest Survey of India-About, Role and Under which Ministry?

• Map Work-Locate top five and bottom five states, Tiger Reserves mentioned in IFSR 2021

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Forest Survey report 2021

📍 Explained: Takeaways from Forest Report

📍 Forest Survey Report 2021: 11 states have lost forest cover; 21 have lost good forests

A Natural Partnership

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Main Examination: General Studies Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s Interests

Key Points to Ponder:

• 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and India

• India-Japan Relations- Historical Background

• Buddhism in Japan

• Japan’s role in India’s struggle for independence

• Meaning of ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Japan’s unsung role in India’s struggle for independence

📍 How India’s independence movement influenced Korea’s struggle for freedom from Japanese rule

📍 What Does a ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ Actually Mean?

THE WORLD

Europe faces threat of prolonged ‘twindemic’

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What do you understand by the term ‘Twindemic’?

• Impact of Twindemic on Europe

• Twindemic and Health Infrastructure India

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Twindemic

China’s birth rate drops to record low in ‘21

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

Key Points to Ponder:

• China’s Birth Rate-Issues and Challenges

• One-child policy-Long term Impact on China’s Demography

• Know the terms- demographic dividend, Population Growth Rate, Birth rate, Death rate

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 China’s birth rate drops to record low in 2021

In Volcano’s wake, agonizing waits for news from Tonga

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian and World Geography

Main Examination: General Studies I: Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Volcanoes and Volcanic Landforms

• Types of Volcanoes

• What is a Tsunami and Causes of Tsunami

• Characteristics of Tsunami

• Plate Tectonics, Volcanoes and Earthquake

• Map work-Tonga and other subregion of Oceania (Polynesia)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 INTERIOR OF THE EARTH

📍 DISTRIBUTION OF OCEANS AND CONTINENTS

Previous Year question based on Same theme

📍 Mention the global occurrence of volcanic eruptions in 2021 and their impact on regional environment. (GS-1, 2021)

EXPLAINED

The Ravidassias of Punjab

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: History of India

Main Examination: General Studies I: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Guru Ravidas and Bhakti Movement

• Adi Granth of Sikhs and Guru Ravidas

• Who are the Ravidassias?

• Dera Sachkhand Ballan

• Significance of Guru Ravidas Jayanti

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Guru Ravidass, his teachings are relevant even today: Prof Santosh K Singh

📍 We hear about Kabir, not Ravidas. Why?’

How the Centre chooses the tableaux for the Republic Day parade

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Key Points to Ponder:

• How are the tableaux selected?

• When does the process to decide the tableaux start and who can participate?

• Can the participating states or central government departments depict anything through their tableaux?

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