UPSC CSE Key – January 31, 2022: What you need to read today

Govt misled House on Pegasus, says Cong; moves privilege motion

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Main Examination:

• General Studies II: Parliament and State legislatures

• General Studies III: Basics of Cyber Security

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is Pegasus Software? How does it work?

• How is Pegasus different from another spyware?

• What kind of devices are vulnerable and What information can be compromised?

• Types of Cyber Attacks

• Pegasus in India-What is the Controversy?

• Surveillance laws in India- Section 5(2) of The Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, Section 69 of the Information
Technology Act, 2000, and Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Interception, Monitoring and Decryption of Information) Rules, 2009.

• Cyber Security in India- Computer Emergency Response Team – India (CERT-IN), Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative, National Cyber Security Coordination Centre (NCCC), Cyber Swachhta Kendra, Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Cyberdome (Kerala)

• Snooping and Surveillance in the name of National Security-Where to draw the line?

• Supreme Court of India on snooping and surveillance-People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) vs Union of India
case in 1996, Rule 419A of the Indian Telegraph Rules, 1951

• Justice Raveendran Committee appointed by Supreme Court

• Personal Data Protection Bill 2019-key Highlights

• Know about Parliamentary Privileges and Privilege Motion

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Proof of Pegasus use on phones, Cyber experts tell SC panel

📍 Explained: How Pegasus spyware infects a device; what data may be compromised

📍 NSO says criticisms ’hypocritical, denies violation charges

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

Budgeting for farmers

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Main Examination: General Studies III: Government Budgeting.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What do you understand by “Inflation tax”?

• What is PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana? Is it similar to Rythu Bandhu scheme by the Government of Telangana?

• Role of Agriculture in Indian Economy

• Characteristics and features of Indian Agriculture

• Issues with Agriculture in India

• MSP and Doubling Farmers Income

• Recommendation of Ashok Dalwai Committee and M. S. Swaminathan Committee

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Swaminathan Report: National Commission on Farmers

THE IDEAS PAGE

Case for a health booster

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Main Examination: General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Public Health Systems in India-Background

• Current state of India’s health infrastructure- World Bank data:

• COVID-19 Pandemic and India’s Healthcare System:

• Steps required to strengthen the existing state of Health infrastructure in India

• What do you understand by Universal Health Coverage (UHC)?

• Pm Atma Nirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana and Ayushman Bharat Scheme-Key Highlights

• Is there any explicit/implicit recognition of the right to health or healthcare under the Constitution? (Hint: Directive
Principles of State Policy in Part IV of the India Constitution provide a basis for the right to health)

• Supreme Court of India on Right to Health

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Declaring the right to health a fundamental right

📍 Reset and reform

EXPLAINED

Ukraine, Russia and India

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:

• Russia and Ukraine-Historical Connection

• New Delhi’s stand on Russia-Ukraine ongoing tensions.

• India-Russia and India-Ukraine-Bilateral Relations (Importance of both for India)

• Ukraine, NATO, USA and Russia- where is this Heading?

• Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty (Collective Security)

• Developing polarization in Russia-Ukraine conflict like the USA, Europe on one hand, and Russia, China on the
other hand

• What is India’s concern in this entire Russia-Ukraine conflict?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 India must track the dangerous developments in Ukraine

📍 Why Ukraine matters to Russia

In India visit by Oman’s Al Zaabi, old friendship and strategic ties

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

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

Key Points to Ponder:

• Map Work-Oman, Muscat, Duqm Port

• India-Oman-Bilateral Relations

• India-Oman and Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMMC)-Importance

• Why is Oman important from a defence and strategic point of view?

• What’s the significance of the Duqm port?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 INDIA-OMAN BILATERAL RELATIONS

THE WORLD

NATO concerned over Europe’s energy security amid tension

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Main Examination: General Studies II: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)?

• Why was North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) formed?

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-Members

• Europe’s Energy Security and Russia-Ukraine Conflict-how they are interconnected?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Europe’s energy security worries NATO amid standoff with Russia

📍 Explained: What happened at the NATO-Russia Council talks?

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