UPSC Key— 11th April, 2024: Curative plea, Time standard for Moon, God particle and more

Preliminary Examination: Science and technology

Mains Examination: GS III: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

What’s the ongoing story- The United States officially directed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to create a time standard for the Moon, which different international bodies and private companies can use to coordinate their activities on the lunar surface.

— According to Reuters, the head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) told the space agency to work with other parts of the US government to finalise the strategy by the end of 2026 for establishing what it called a Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC).

Prerequisites: 

— What is Greenwich Meridian?

—Theory of General Relativity

Key takeaways: 

— Most of the clocks and time zones are based on coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which is set by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Paris, France.

What is UTC?

— UTC is essentially an internationally agreed upon standard for world time.

— It is tracked by a weighted average of more than 400 atomic clocks placed in different parts of the globe.

— If a country lies on the west of the Greenwich meridian, it has to subtract from the UTC, and if a country is located on the east of the meridian, it has to add.

— UTC cannot be used to determine time on the Moon because time on the Moon flows differently than it does on the Earth.

Why do we need a time standard for the Moon?

— Time flows differently on the Moon, and cannot be determined using UTC. Time is not absolute and it ticks slightly faster on the Moon as compared to the Earth. It is due to Einstein’s theory of general relativity which tells us that gravity bends space and time.

— On the Moon, the Earth-based clock will appear to lose on average 58.7 microseconds per Earth day with additional periodic variations.

— Improper time standards can create problems for spacecraft trying to dock on the Moon, transfer of data at a specific time, navigation, and communication.

— There may be a problem with multiple spacecraft working together at the same time. For example, NASA’s Artemis program aims to send humans back to the Moon after September 2026, and China and India intend to send their own astronauts to the lunar surface by 2030 and 2040 respectively.

For Your Information: 

— According to a 2023 report by the journal Nature, there will be a need to place at least three atomic clocks on the lunar surface that will tick at the Moon’s natural pace, and whose output will be combined by an algorithm to generate a more accurate virtual timepiece.

— These clocks have to be placed on the Moon at different locations since the Moon’s rotation and even local lumps of mass, called mascons, beneath the crust of the Moon affect the flow of time ever so slightly.

— These effects are minor but the output from these clocks can be synthesised to give the Moon its own independent time, which can be tied back to UTC for seamless operations from Earth as well.

What are atomic clocks?

— Atomic clocks measure time in terms of the resonant frequencies — the natural frequency of an object where it tends to vibrate at a higher amplitude — of atoms such as cesium-133.

— In atomic time, a second is defined as the period in which a caesium atom vibrates 9,192,631,770 times.

What is the problem with atomic clocks?

— Even on Earth, atomic clocks have been placed at different locations or rather latitudes. These clocks tick at different rates due to changes in Earth’s rotational speed varying from the Equator to the poles, which also affects time. The planet rotates faster at the Equator than it does at the poles as it is wider at the Equator.

Points to Ponder: 

 — Lunar Standard Time

 —Lunar missions of various countries

Post Read Question:

 —With reference to the atomic clocks, consider the following statements:

1. It measures time in terms of the antiresonant frequencies.
2. In atomic time, a second is defined as the period in which a germanium atom vibrates.
3. When atomic clocks are placed at different locations on the Earth, they tick at same rates.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

White House asks NASA to create time standard for the Moon: Report

 

Why the ‘God particle’, theorised by Peter Higgs, matters

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General Science

Mains Examination: GS III: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

What’s the ongoing story- The man, after whom the particle is named, Peter Higgs, died on Tuesday (April 9) aged 94.

— An elementary particle like electrons, quark, photons or neutrinos, the Higgs boson, is known to impart mass to every other particle. Its existence was predicted in the 1960s, but it was found only in 2012 through elaborate experiments carried out at the Large Hadron Collider, located on the border of France and Switzerland.

Prerequisites: 

— What is Higgs boson?

 —Large Hadron Collider

 —Concepts of Higgs field and Higgs particle

Key takeaways: 

— The discovery of the Higgs boson, known as the Standard Model of Particle Physics, describes all the fundamental particles, like electrons and protons, and the forces, like electromagnetism, gravitation or nuclear forces, that build up the material part of the world.

— The major work of Peter Higgs was the prediction of the Higgs field and the Higgs boson.

— Higgs was not the only one behind the prediction of the particle and the field that was named after him. He along with François Englert was awarded the 2013 Physics Noble Prize for the theoretical discovery of a mechanism that contributes to our understanding of the origin of mass of subatomic particles, and which recently was confirmed through the discovery of the predicted fundamental particle, by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider.

What is God’s particle?

— The expression was first used by Nobel Prize winning physicist Leon Lederman who wrote a book by that title in the 1990s about the continuing search for the Higgs boson.

— Boson is the name given to a family of elementary particles that are known to be carriers of fundamental forces like electromagnetism. Photon, which carries the electromagnetic force, is a boson. On the other hand, the matter particles, like electron or protons, belong to the class called fermions.

For Your Information: 

— The big significance of Higgs boson is that it is the particle that is supposed to account for the mass of every other fundamental particle.

— A photon, which is a light particle, does not interact with this field at all, and is thus massless. There are other particles that are massless as well. But particles like electrons and protons, do interact, and have masses. The Higgs boson itself interacts with this field, and thus has mass.

— The concepts of Higgs field and Higgs particle are not very intuitive, but these are fundamental to our current understanding of the way nature works.

Points to Ponder: 

— Mass of Higgs boson

— Nobel Prize Committee

—European Organization for Nuclear Research

Post Read Question:

— Consider the following statements:

1. Photon does not interact with Higgs field.
2. Peter Higgs was awarded the Physics Noble Prize in 2013 for the discovery of Higgs boson.

How many of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Point to ponder:

— How did Peter Higgs change our understanding of the nature of the universe?

(Thought process: Higgs’ discovery validated the Standard Model, the present framework for accessing the building blocks of the universe and paved the way for his work on spontaneous symmetry breaking, the mechanism behind the particle’s existence. It continues to influence critical research into areas such as Dark Matter and the unification of forces, the latter first broached by Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell in the 1860s.)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Nobel laureate Peter Higgs, who proposed existence of ‘god particle’, dies at 94

How Peter Higgs changed our understanding of the nature of the universe

 

GOVT & POLITICS

NGT to Punjab: Explain how you plan to manage 19 mn tonnes of straw in 2024

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance

Mains Examination: GS III: Environmental pollution and degradation

What’s the ongoing story- The National Green Tribunal has told Punjab to submit by May 5 its detailed plan to manage the 19.52 million tonnes of paddy stubble it is estimated to generate in 2024.

Prerequisites: 

 — What is NGT?

 — What is stubble burning?

Key takeaways: 

— Many farmers in North India, especially in Punjab and Haryana, burn the residue of their wheat and paddy crop in order to prepare their fields for the next round of planting.

— The resulting smoke contributes to the National Capital Region’s dense pre-winter smog, sending air pollution levels spiralling.

— According to the report filed by the Punjab government, the state generated 19.50 million tonnes of paddy straw in 2023 of which 15.86 million tonnes were utilised. Of the 15.86 million tonnes, 11.5 million tonnes were managed on site and 3.66 million tonnes were used off site — in boilers, biomass plants, biogas plants, bio-ethanol plants, thermal power plants and brick kilns.

For Your Information: 

National Green Tribunal

— The National Green Tribunal, established in 2010, as per the National Green Tribunal Act is a specialised judicial body equipped with expertise solely for the purpose of adjudicating environmental cases in the country.

— The Tribunal has a presence in five zones- North, Central, East, South and West. The Principal Bench is situated in the North Zone, headquartered in Delhi.

— The decisions of the Tribunal are binding.

— The Tribunal is an open court and its proceedings can be attended in person.

(Source: http://www.greentribunal.gov.in)

Points to Ponder: 

 — How do baler machines help manage stubble?

 —Crop residue management

 —Control of Stubble Burning

Post Read Question:

With reference to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), consider the following statements:

1. It was established in 2005.
2. It is a constitutional body equipped with expertise solely for the purpose of adjudicating.
3. The decisions of the Tribunal are not binding.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

How baler machines help manage stubble

How farm fires are counted, why the data has some limitations

 

FRONT PAGE

PM: To put behind abnormality in ties, India & China must address border issue

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination:Current events of national importance

Mains Examination: GS II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the two countries need to “urgently address the prolonged situation” on the border to put behind “the abnormality in our bilateral interactions”.

— In an interview with the Newsweek magazine, Modi, referred to the slide in ties with China following the military standoff that began four years ago along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh.

Prerequisites: 

Quad

SCO

BRICS

Key takeaways: 

— Regarding the Quad alliance, which is perceived as a rival to China in the Indo-Pacific region, Modi stated “The US, Australia, Japan, India, China: All these countries are members of many groups. We are present in different combinations in different groups. Quad is not aimed against any country. Like many other international groupings, like SCO, BRICS and others, Quad is also a group of like-minded countries working on a shared positive agenda.”

— On competing with China, he said, “India, as a democratic polity and global economic growth engine, is a natural choice for those looking to diversify their supply chains.”

— India is now globally considered most suited for manufacturing world-class goods at competitive cost. Apart from producing for the world, the vast Indian domestic market is an added attraction. India is a perfect destination for those who want to set up trusted and resilient supply chains.

For Your Information: 

What is Quad?

— India, Japan, Australia, and the US formed an unofficial alliance to work together on disaster relief efforts in the wake of the Indian Ocean tsunami. The partnership was formally established as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, in 2007 by then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

— Quad is not structured like a typical multilateral organisation and lacks a secretariat and any permanent decision-making body.

— The Quad has focused on expanding existing agreements between member countries and highlighting their shared values.

Points to Ponder: 

— New members of BRICS

— India and the SCO

 — Places in news on India-China border

Post Read Question:

Consider the following countries:

1. Iran
2. Saudi Arabia
3. UAE
4. Argentina

How many of the countries given above have been invited to become full members of the BRICS grouping?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

BRICS is bigger now. Is it better too?

Explained: How was the Quad formed, and what are its objectives?

India and the SCO: Takeaways from the recent summit

 

Allowing curative plea, how Supreme Court pushes the envelope

UPSC Syllabus

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance 

Mains Examination: GS-II : Structure, organization and functioning of the Judiciary

What’s the ongoing story – Setting aside the 2017 arbitral award that required the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to pay nearly Rs 8000 crore to Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Infrastructure, the Supreme Court has expanded the scope of its “extraordinary powers” to intervene beyond constitutionally prescribed processes. A curative writ petition, that the Supreme Court has invoked in reviving the 2019 Delhi High Court judgment that partially set aside the Delhi Metro arbitration award, is a sparingly used judicial innovation to correct a “grave miscarriage of justice”. 

Prerequisites:

—  What is a review petition?

 —  What is Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996?

Key takeaways: 

—  Constitutionally, a final ruling of the Supreme Court can only be questioned in a review petition, that, too, on narrow procedural grounds.

 — In 2002, in Rupa Hurra v Ashok Hurra, the SC allowed curative writs as the last resort to correct judgments that are “oppressive to judicial conscience and would cause perpetuation of irremediable injustice.”

 — However, exercising curative jurisdiction in a commercial case pushes the envelope and raises questions on the finality of a ruling of the highest court in the country.

 — In November 2021, the Supreme Court had dismissed a review petition against its judgment delivered a month before on the Delhi Metro Arbitration. In doing so, a bench of Justices Nageswara Rao and Ravindra Bhat had underlined the need for judicial restraint in interfering with arbitral awards.

For Your Information:

From the Explained Page: 

 — A curative writ petition as a layer of appeal against a Supreme Court decision is not prescribed in the Constitution. It is a judicial innovation, designed for correcting “grave injustices” in a ruling of the country’s top court.

 — The SC first articulated the concept of a curative writ in Rupa Ashok Hurra vs Ashok Hurra (2002). If there was a significant miscarriage of justice due to a final decision of the Supreme Court, could the court still correct it? One the one hand was the issue of finality and closure to a case, and on the other hand was the substantive question of rendering justice in its true sense. In answering this question, the SC said that its “concern for rendering justice in a cause is not less important than the principle of finality of its judgment”.

—  However, curative writs are sparingly used. There are narrow, mostly procedural grounds that permit the filing of a curative writ. A claim must be made that principles of natural justice were not followed — for example, that a party was not heard, or that a judge was biased, or had a conflict of interest. These petitions need to be approved by a senior advocate designated by the court.

 — Curative writs are filed mostly in death penalty cases. 

 — The SC in the Yakub Memon case (2015) and the Delhi gang rape convicts case (2020) dismissed curative writs challenging death sentences. In 2023, in the Bhopal gas tragedy case, the SC refused to exercise its curative powers to enhance the compensation provided to victims that was deemed grossly inadequate.

Points to Ponder: 

—  With reference to the Indian Judiciary, consider the following statements. (UPSC CSE 2021)

1. Any retired judge of the Supreme Court of India can be called back to sit by the Chief Justice of India with prior permission of the President of India.
2. A High court in India has the power to review its own judgement as the Supreme Court does.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

—  What are different writs issued by the Courts in India?

Post Read Questions:

 — What is the relevance of Rupa Ashok Hurra vs Ashok Hurra (2002).

Other Important Article Covering the same topic:

Why Supreme Court’s curative petition relief for Delhi Metro is significant

 

THE IDEAS PAGE

Nari Shakti lessons from Japan

UPSC Syllabus

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development 

Mains Examination: GS III: Indian Economy and issues relating growth and employment. GS I: Woman and associated issues

What’s the ongoing story– Mitali Nikore writes: Change, they say, begins from the top. And in one of Asia’s richest economies, it began with a commitment to gender equality from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2014.

— Even as Japan was grappling with falling fertility rates, a declining population, and stagnant growth, a series of reforms on “womenomics” were introduced as part of the “Abenomics” era. And today, they are showing results. Women’s labour force participation rate (WLFPR) in Japan has grown by ten percentage points, from 64.9 per cent in 2013 to 75.2 per cent in 2023. This is not only the fastest growth in Japan’s WLFPR in the past few decades, but also the highest amongst the G7 countries in the last decade. Notably, the largest increase in WLFPR is in the 30-34, and 35-39 years age groups — signalling the return of mothers to the workforce.

— Moreover, adding roughly three million women to its workforce is helping Japan bridge labour shortages. Estimates suggest this increase in WLFPR could have increased Japan’s GDP per capita by between 4 per cent to 8 per cent.

The Central Question: Why and what India can learn from Japan’s ‘womenomics’ reforms?

Prerequisites:

— What are Gender Gap and Women’s labour force participation rate?

— ‘Abenomics’ and ‘womenomics’ – what do these terms mean?

— What is care economics?

For Your Information: 

— Mitali Nikore writes “After nearly declining continuously for five decades, India’s WFLPR has begun showing a rising trend, increasing from 23 per cent in 2017-18 to 37 per cent in 2022-23. To keep this momentum going, we will require a continued long-term focus on the care economy for unleashing #NariShakti to achieve a Viksit Bharat @2047.”

—  The LFPR is a measure of the total population demanding work, and it is presented as a proportion of the total population that is above 15 years of age.

 — According to The Indian Express Explained article: There have been “paradoxical improvements” in labour market indicators such as the labour force participation rate, workforce participation rate, and unemployment rate in India in recent years after long-term deterioration from 2000-2019. The improvement has coincided with periods of economic distress, both before and during the Covid-19 pandemic, says the India Employment Report 2024 released by the Institute for Human Development and International Labour Organisation on March 26.

Key takeaways: 

— “Womenomics” Reforms in Japan

— They have been linked to investments in the care economy and rebalancing gender norms. Japan is reaping benefits of bringing more women into the workforce.

— Greater flexibility in paternity leave provisions.

— Japan’s Act on Promotion of Women’s Participation and Advancement in the Workplace made disclosures of diversity action plans and diversity data mandatory. This led to the introduction of the “Eruboshi” certification, a five-star system recognising companies committed to workforce diversity. 

Points to Ponder: 

— According to India Employment Report 2024 which of the below statements is not true?

(a) Self-employment remains the primary source of employment 

(b) There has been a decline in youth employment, and the quality of work remains a concern, especially for qualified young workers.

(c ) The female labour force participation rate (LFPR) in India remains among the world’s lowest. 

(d) The ‘employment condition index’ has improved between 2004-05 and 2021-22.

— Why must India recognise and invest in the care economy?

— What is Nari Shakti Adhiniyam?

 — What are the various welfare programs in India that have been designed to support women at different stages, enabling them to overcome socio-economic barriers?

Post Read Questions:

 — India and Japan share several cultural similarities — one that stands out relates to the social norms surrounding domestic work. Explain. 

—  How can enhancing WLFPR push the country’s GDP?

— What can India learn from Japan?

(Thought Process: Interventions for bridging the gender gaps in domestic and care work- long-term public investments in care infrastructure and services, especially childcare- changing people’s mindsets around social norms- it is essential to invest in a wide range of care infrastructure and services solutions.) 

— What are the five pillar strategies suggested by the author to unlock business opportunities in India’s care economy?

— What is “Eruboshi” certification?

Other Important Article Covering the same topic:

ExplainSpeaking: How to read India’s latest employment data

State of employment in India: What a new report says about youths and women, concerns and caution

 

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

Summer warming

UPSC Syllabus

Preliminary Examination: Geography and Climate change

Mains Examination: GS I: Important Geophysical phenomena 

What’s the ongoing story–  Rajib Dasgupta writes: 2023 was the world’s warmest year on record and it has been 47 years since the Earth has had a colder-than-average year. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), 2023 was the second warmest year in India in 122 years — the warmest ever recorded was 2016. The IMD predicts that most of India is likely to experience both above-normal maximum and minimum temperatures in April, May, and June.

States or regions most prone to increased heatwaves include Gujarat, Maharashtra, North Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, North Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh.

The Central Question: In theory, all or most heat-related deaths and illnesses are preventable while in practice, gauging the public health impact of extreme temperatures is difficult. So, in a heatwave, how do we protect our most vulnerable?

Prerequisites:

— What are heat waves?

 — What are the following bodies – IMD, NDMA, NCRB, National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH)?

— What are some heat related illnesses (HRIs)?

Key takeaways: 

— The nature of the rising threats from heatwaves can be gauged from an EnviStats-IMD analysis which noted that the total average number of heatwave days annually has been increasing each decade.

— Mortality statistics on account of heatwaves are reported by several agencies and those often do not agree on the exact numbers.

— Notwithstanding these differences, there is apparent unanimity on three aspects. One, the actual number of deaths is likely to be higher than those reported; two, deaths peaked around 2015-16 and, three, they have been on the decline since. 

— These trends are to be seen in the backdrop of two more statistics: the number of heatwave-affected states increased from nine in 2015 to 23 in 2019 and the number of average heatwave days recorded in this period increased nearly five-fold, from 7.4 to 32.2. This underscores heat as a growing public health challenge.

—The US National Association of Medical Examiners defines “heat-related death” as a death in which “exposure to high ambient temperature either caused the death or significantly contributed to it”.

For Your Information: 

—  The Union Health Minister reviewed public health preparedness for the management of HRIs on April 3. Updated Heat Action Plans are available in 23 states and about 100 districts have initiated awareness campaigns. 

— Who are at greater risks: children, pregnant women and the elderly; those with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and heart disease; those who are socially isolated and the poor.

— According to IMD “A Heat Wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, more than the normal maximum temperature that occurs during the summer season in the North-Western parts of India. Heat Waves typically occur between March and June, and in some rare cases even extend till July. The extreme temperatures and resultant atmospheric conditions adversely affect people living in these regions as they cause physiological stress, sometimes resulting in death.”

—  The El Nino conditions — the abnormal warming of the sea surface recorded along the equatorial Pacific Ocean — had commenced last June. After peaking in December last year, El Nino conditions had begun to ease, but warm conditions continued to prevail and significantly drove up the global temperatures. El Nino conditions are known to suppress rainfall over India and increase temperatures, globally.

 — “We cannot attribute a single phenomenon for the prolonged heatwave spells. But during El Nino years, the number and intensity of heatwaves remain higher than normal,” said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general, IMD, during the release of the temperature outlook for April-June season explained.

—Multiple global climate models have forecast that the ongoing El Nino conditions will wane off completely and be replaced by El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) neutral conditions by June, when India’s southwest monsoon onset is realised.

Points to Ponder: 

— The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has given criterias for Heat Waves. What are they?

 — How can civil society will be tasked with watching out for the extra-vulnerable?

Post Read Questions:

—  Why are cases of Ballia and Deoria district worth recounting?

 — Environmental health experts draw attention to the fact that non-biomedical external factors are often missed on death certificates leading to inaccuracies in cause-of-death reporting or estimations. What is the classic example? 

— Analyses from Europe are instructive. Why? Why is it important for India pay attention to Europe’s data? 

(Thought process: 35 countries of Europe have a combined population of 543 million, a little less than half of India’s. Among them, those around the Mediterranean Sea experienced the highest mortalities — Italy, Greece, Spain, and Portugal. Despite the experience of 2003 and with most countries institutionalising adaptation measures, the magnitude of heat-related deaths underscores the enormity of the challenge.)

Other Important Article Covering the same topic:

Express View on IMD’s heat wave alert: Act Now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cktWt0W1EFE?si=xmURmYasoBG73E9d&w=560&h=315