Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for July 31, 2023. If you missed the July 28, 2023 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here FRONT PAGE UCC unlikely to be pushed before 2024 LS elections Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance Main Examination: • General Studies II: Indian Constitution—significant provisions etc. • 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: • What’s the ongoing story- The BJP-led government is unlikely to push through a Uniform Civil Code — one law applicable to all religious communities in their personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, etc — in the current term. The UCC is the last of the BJP’s ideological agenda after the scrapping of Article 370 and the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. • What is Uniform Civil Code? • Article 44 of the Indian Constitution and Uniform Civil Code-What is the ongoing debate? • Do You Know-A UCC would provide for one law for the entire country, applicable to all religious communities, in their personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption etc. Currently, Indian personal law is fairly complex, with each religion adhering to its own specific laws. Separate laws govern Hindus including Sikhs, Jains and Buddhist, Muslims, Christians, and followers of other religions. • What does the Constitution say about a Uniform Civil Code? • What was the debate in the Constituent Assembly? • What has the Supreme Court said? • What exactly the 22nd Law Commission of India said on Uniform Civil Code? • Why has the Opposition opposed the move? • And, what exactly the 21st Law Commission of India said on Uniform Civil Code? • 21st Law Commission of India on UCC and 22nd Law Commission of India on Uniform Civil Code-Compare and Contrast • For Your Information-In the paper, the 21st Law Commission, headed by former Supreme Court judge Balbir Singh Chauhan, held that the “formulation of a Uniform Civil Code is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage”. Its recommendations were far-reaching. The Commission had commented, “Mere existence of difference does not imply discrimination, but is indicative of a robust democracy”. It had noted that most countries are moving towards the recognition of difference in place of legal provisions that are founded on uniformity between culturally diverse people — these are unfair to the weaker and vulnerable sections. • “The most significant of the 21st Law Commission’s recommendations were about the economic rights of women”-Comment • What do you understand by “Hindu coparcenary system — the Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) property”? • Why is there no uniform code for personal law? • What is Directive principles of State Policy (DPSP)? • ‘Reform of Family Law’ report by 21st Law Commission of India on Article 44-Know in detail • Issues and Controversy with Uniform Civil Code and Why it has not been Implemented even after seven decades of Independence? • Know how the government’s stance on a uniform civil code (UCC) has evolved between the year 1991 to 2023? Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍The civil code debates 📍The 360° UPSC Debate: Is Uniform Civil Code ‘unnecessary and undesirable’ or ‘justice for all communities’ THE CITY Qila Rai Pithora: Scattered ruins narrate the tale of Delhi’s first city 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: • What’s the ongoing story- If one were to take a leisurely walk from Malviya Nagar Metro station, down the Press Enclave road, they would notice the remains of Qila Rai Pithora tucked away in a lush garden. Stretching from Saket across Mehrauli and Sanjay Van to Vasant Kunj, the fort contains the ruins of the first city of Delhi. • What do you know about Qila Rai Pithora? • Why the fort is in the limelight? • Do You Know-While the origins of the fort remain contested, it is widely believed it was first built by the Tomar dynasty surrounding the iron pillar after it was brought from Udayagiri (present-day Madhya Pradesh) by Anangpal II around 1050 CE. However, there seems to be no consensus on this either. While some say the pillar was moved by Anangpal, others argue that it was already in Delhi by the time the ruler came to power. According to historian Rana Safvi, the Tomar dynasty decided to place its headquarters at the Aravalli Hills for its strategic and military advantages. Initially named Lal Kot (Red Fort) — not to be confused with the Mughal-era Red Fort situated 23 km away on the banks of the Yamuna — the fort would serve as the first of the eight cities to come up in Delhi in centuries to come. According to Safvi, it is probable that the fort was constructed to avoid constant raids and attacks that Mahmud of Ghazni had unleashed on Kannauj. There, nestled in the rocky caverns of the Aravalli hills, the Tomars would rule for a century and construct dams and tanks. One can still see the remains of one in Surajkund in present-day Faridabad. Later, the Tomars would be overthrown by the Chahamanas and Lal Kot would be renamed Qila Rai Pithora, after Prithviraj Chauhan. However, according to Cynthia Talbot’s The Last Hindu Emperor: Prithviraj Chauhan and the Indian Past, while the ruins of the fort do place it in the pre-Sultanate period, no records exist of the Chahamana king either ruling over Delhi or even visiting it. Nevertheless, the ASI plaque at the fort claims that the fort was captured by Chahamana prince Vigraharaja IV and then reinforced with ramparts by Prithviraja III. The Chahamanas were ultimately defeated by Qutbu’d-Din Aibak in 1192 CE. According to Safvi, the victorious Ghurid army entered Qila Pithora through the Ranjit Gate and the fort thus became the capital of the Sultanate. The most notable addition to the fort was perhaps made by Aibak in the form of Qutub Minar to mark his victory over Chauhan. The fort then witnessed several dynasties come and go — the Khaljis, the Tughlaqs, the Sayyids and the Lodhis, to name a few. According to Safvi, the later Delhi Sultans shifted their base closer to the Yamuna for defence purposes. By the time Firoz Shah Tughlaq established the Firoz Shah Kotla on the banks of the Yamuna to aid the city’s growing demand for drinking water, Qila Rai Pithora was abandoned along with Siri, Tughlaqabad and Jahanpanah forts. • Who was Prithviraj Chauhan? • What is Prithviraj Raso? • What you know about battle of Tarain? • Legacy of Prithviraj Chauhan-Know in detail Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Expedite work on restoration of Qila Rai Pithora: L-G GOVT & POLITICS In the works, world’s largest museum with India’s story of 5,000 yrs Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: History of India and Indian National Movement 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: • What’s the ongoing story- The British Museum in London and the Grand Louvre in Paris are among the world’s largest museums, each covering around 70,000 square metres and housing millions of objects. That may change a few years down the line as India, in collaboration with France, works on creating the Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum in New Delhi which will cover 1.17 lakh sq. metres, said officials. • Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum-Know its objectives and key components • For Your Information-Divided into eight thematic zones, the museum will showcase historical events, personalities, ideas and achievements related to India’s past that have contributed to the making of India’s present. It will tell the story of 5,000 years of Indian civilisation, said officials, adding that the name signifies the civilisation’s “perennial” nature. The museum will be designed to have 950 rooms across three storeys and a basement, which will showcase India’s ancient town planning systems, the Vedas, Upanishads, ancient medical knowledge, and a number of empires including Mauryan, Gupta, Vijayanagara and Mughal. Though the project is slated for completion by 2026, no concrete deadline has been set yet. Sources said that North and South Block, where the museum will come up, are office buildings and will take time to be converted into visitor-friendly spaces. • What is the role of a Museum? • How museums play a crucial role in preserving culture and heritage? • Why museums are important? • What are the major issues and challenges with museums in India? Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍India@75, Looking at 100: Imagine the ideal museum EXPRESS NETWORK ISRO places seven Singaporean satellites into intended orbits Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Main Examination: General Studies III: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights. Key Points to Ponder: • What’s the ongoing story-ISRO successfully launched its proven PSLV rocket carrying seven Singaporean satellites Sunday from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh and placed them into intended orbits. Around 23 minutes after lift-off, the primary satellite got separated and it was followed by six other co-passenger satellites, which were deployed into the intended orbits sequentially, ISRO said. • What is ds-SAR? • What is Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)? • What is Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle? • How Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is different from Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle? • For Your Information-ISRO currently uses two launch vehicles – PSLV and GLSV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle), but there are lots of different variants of these. PSLV is the most reliable rocket used by ISRO till date, with 52 of its 54 flights being successful. GSLV is much more powerful rocket, meant to carry heavier satellites much deeper into space. Till date, GSLV rockets have carried out 18 missions, of which four ended in failure. The first rocket developed by ISRO was simply called SLV, or satellite launch vehicle. It was followed by the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle or ASLV. These two could carry small satellites, weighing up to 150 kg, to the lower earth orbits. ASLV operated till the early 1990s before PSLV came on the scene. PSLV’s first launch was in 1994, and it has been ISRO’s main rocket ever since. Today’s PSLV, however, is vastly improved and several times more powerful than the ones used in the 1990s. GSLV carried the Chandrayaan-2 mission, and is slated to take the Gaganyaan manned space mission as well. Its Mk-III version can carry satellites weighing up to 4,000 kg to the geosynchronous transfer orbit, close to 36,000 km from earth’s surface. It can take 10,000-kg satellites to the lower earth orbits. Mk-III versions have made ISRO entirely self-sufficient for launching its satellites. Before this, it used to depend on the European Arianne launch vehicle to take its heavier satellites into space. ISRO has also developed a launch vehicle specifically for small and micro-satellites. It is called Small Satellite Launch Vehicle, or SSLV, and is targeted at rising global demand for the launch of such satellites. SSLV is meant to offer cost-effective launch services for satellites up to 500 kg. The inaugural SSLV launch is slated for next month. It is supposed to carry an indigenous earth observation satellite EOS-03 into space. • What is Low Earth Orbit (LEO)? • Do You Know-PSLV has earned its title as the ‘Workhorse of ISRO’ through consistently delivering various satellites into low earth orbits, ISRO said. This is the second campaign to be undertaken by ISRO after the much awaited Chandrayaan-3 mission which was launched on July 14 from the second launch pad, at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, here. Currently, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is undergoing orbit raising manoeuvres. On July 25, ISRO scientists successfully performed the fifth orbit-raising manoeuvre of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft setting the stage for the planned August 1 journey towards the Moon after leaving the orbit of the Earth. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Everyday Science: What are ISRO’s launch vehicles, and how are satellites placed into space? EXPLAINED Bill to amend Forest Conservation Act: provisions, concerns 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. • General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. Key Points to Ponder: • What’s the ongoing story-The Bill to amend the Forest (Conservation) Act cleared the Lok Sabha test last week. The FC Act was legislated in 1980 to regulate the diversion of forests for construction and mining. After more than four decades, the government proposes to “broaden the horizons of the Act… to keep its provisions in tandem with the dynamic changes in the ecological, strategic and economic aspirations” of the country. Just four pages, the original Act itself is brief. Even with a preamble and a statement of reasons, the proposed amendments do not run beyond five pages. But the number of requests for re-drafting the Bill in explicit and specific terms that adequately reflect the various assurances offered by the Environment Ministry show that the amendments are open to too many interpretations. • What is the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023? • How the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023 is different from the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980? • The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023-What are the objectives? • For Your Information-In December 1996, the Supreme Court ruled that the FC Act would apply to all land parcels that were either recorded as ‘forest’ or resembled the dictionary meaning of forest. Until then, the FC Act applied to areas notified as forests under the Indian Forest Act, 1927. This blanket order made the FC Act applicable to all land recorded as forest and to all standing forests irrespective of their land status, restraining “development or utility-related work.” Further, notes the Bill’s statement of reasons, “apprehensions prevailed regarding applicability” of the FC Act in the plantations raised on private and non-forest land. As a remedy, the Bill proposes that the Act will be applicable only on notified forest land and land identified as forest on government records except such forests that were already put to other use prior to the 1996 SC order. To numerous objections received by the Joint Committee (JC) of Parliament on the Bill, the ministry responded by assuring that the amended Act would still apply to all unclassified forests, forests that were “proposed to be notified”, land recorded as forest by even local bodies recognised by a state government, and forest-like areas identified by the expert committees set up in pursuance of the 1996 SC order. The ministry also assured that any error would be taken care of “in the guidelines” to be issued after the amendment. This is a recurring pattern in the JC report: the ministry promises to provide specifics on various aspects of the Bill through guidelines, leaving critical issues “to the discretion of the Executive at subsequent junctures, creating scope for misinterpretation and misuse.” • What are the concerns and issues with the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023? • For Your Information-The Bill’s other primary goal is to satisfy the “need to fast track” projects of strategic importance, national security, and public utility within 100 km of the international borders and in “Left Wing Extremism affected areas”. While Himachal Pradesh wanted the Act to define ‘National importance and National Security’ and Chhattisgarh wanted it to “mention explicitly” the types of security-related infrastructure and the user agencies, the ministry said that the Defence and Home ministries would identify the qualifying projects. Mizoram was apprehensive that “any activity coming under the definition of linear project by any agency can be taken up mentioning it as a project of national importance or national security as all work in one way or another are of national importance and any work in states having international borders can be termed by the working agencies as of national security.” Sikkim was one of the smaller states to point out that exempting 100 km from the borders would “subsume the entire state and open up pristine forest areas” and wanted the proposed exemption limits to be reduced to 2 km. The ministry assured that the exemptions would not be for private projects. On the other hand, BRO and Arunachal Pradesh, wanted the exemption range of 100 km to be increased to 150 km in order to reduce the “infrastructure differential” with China. The ministry clarified that it could not give blanket exemption. To a number of submissions asking for specifics on public utility projects, the ministry said that the issue would be clarified subsequently through a guideline. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Missing The Woods 📍Lok Sabha passes Bill to let forest land be used for strategic needs 📍How the forest conservation Bill in Lok Sabha trades forests for trees FROZEN WORMS ARE REVIVED AFTER 46,000 YRS: MESSAGES THEY CARRY Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization. Main Examination: General Studies III: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nanotechnology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights. Key Points to Ponder: • What’s the ongoing story-Scientists discovered and reanimated two kinds of frozen microscopic nematodes or roundworms in Siberia five years ago. A new study on them published Thursday reveals their secrets, including the fact that they are 46,000 years old and one of them is an entirely new species that has never before been discovered. • What is meant by cryptobiosis? • What is permafrost? • Can animals go into cryptobiosis? • What is the difference between cryobiosis and cryptobiosis? • Is hibernation a cryptobiosis? • Why this research is significant? • For Your Information-Research like this can show how animals can adapt to habitat change caused by climate change at a molecular level and survive despite changing weather patterns. The researchers are now working to understand how long an organism can survive and be resurrected. It also raises the question of what it means for evolution and even the notion of extinction if animals that typically live for a few weeks can stretch out their lifespan by thousands of years. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Climate change can disrupt insect evolution, hurting biodiversity, finds study Monsoon and food inflation Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Main Examination: General Studies II: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment and Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country Key Points to Ponder: • What’s the ongoing story-The southwest monsoon had an abysmal start, arriving seven days late on June 8. Rainfall for the country was 52.6% below the normal (long period average) during the first two weeks, with 10.1% cumulative deficiency even at the end of June. The whole of eastern and southern India (except Tamil Nadu), besides Maharashtra, hardly got any rain. But from around the last week of June, the monsoon staged a recovery, covering the entire country by July 2 – six days before schedule. The current month so far has recorded 15.7% above normal rainfall, with the earlier cumulative deficit turning into an overall 6% surplus for June 1-July 30. • Is monsoon the backbone of Indian economy? • How Monsoon impacts on sowing? • For Your Information-The monsoon’s turnaround has led to a surge in kharif crop plantings – including the area under rice that was lagging behind last year’s levels till mid-July. But the gaps have since been significantly covered, barring in pulses, while forging ahead for rice (table). The bulk of kharif sowings happen from mid-June to mid-August. Rainfall in June-July decides how much area is covered. August-September rain matters for yields of the crops already sown. The same rain helps fill up reservoirs and ponds and recharge groundwater tables, which provide moisture for the subsequent rabi winter-spring crops. For now, the monsoon and kharif sowings have both been good. The initial worries, over whether there would be adequate rain to enable farmers to plant, are over. • What are the conditions which causes El Niño? • EL Nino Southern Oscillation or ENSO impact on Monsoon? • How El Niño Impacts-Know Sector and region wise • But why have El Niño conditions continued for three years? • What is Inter Tropical Convergence Zone? • Impact of Monsoons on Life in India-Economical, Cultural and Social Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍El Nino and the monsoon THE EDITORIAL PAGE Data beyond surveys Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc. 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: • What’s the ongoing story- In recent weeks, there has been a debate on these pages — (‘The sample is wrong’, IE, July 7, ‘Statisticians aren’t stupid’, IE, July 10, ‘Narrative in search of data’, IE, July 12) — on India’s statistical system. In light of this, there are five important points that warrant attention. • Why estimates related to poverty, growth, employment, and unemployment are fiercely scrutinised and debated? • In India, policymakers typically rely on the what? • What is National Sample Survey (NSS) and why it is important? • For Your Information-In India, policymakers typically rely on the estimates of sample surveys of households to assess previous policies or to frame new policies. For example, the National Sample Survey (NSS) of households has been conducted to determine the household consumption expenditure, including services or durables, or to provide estimates of persons with disabilities, or to provide estimates of expenditure related to domestic tourism, or to provide estimates related to drinking water, hygiene, conditions of the house, etc. For health, policymakers rely on the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) and the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for questions related to employment and unemployment. Even though academics and journalists lament the non-frequent nature of some of these surveys (in particular, the household consumption expenditure survey), and there is a constant demand for increasing frequency and size of surveys, there is practically a consensus on the robustness and the representativeness of the survey methodology. There have been virtually no concerns or studies on these surveys’ data quality. • What are the major gap or loopholes in India’s data collection? • Quick Recall-With an objective to review the existing data framework and issues related to all surveys, the government has renamed and expanded the scope of coverage of the Standing Committee on Economic Statistics (SCES) formed in December 2019 as Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS). This will be chaired by former Chief Statistician and former Chairman of the National Statistical Commission Dr Pronab Sen, who was also the head of the earlier SCES, an order dated July 13 by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) said. • Why new committee? • Standing Committee on Economic Statistics (SCES)-Know in detail • Do You Know-The new committee comes at a time when India’s statistical system is under criticism, especially from three members of the Economic Advisory Council to the PM (EAC-PM) including Chairman Bibek Debroy and members Shamika Ravi and Sanjeev Sanyal. In a column in The Indian Express earlier this month, Ravi had questioned the data quality of surveys, noting that it is imperative surveys for estimates related to poverty, growth, employment, and unemployment should be conducted at regular intervals in a predetermined timely manner and should be of the highest quality. Pointing out that all major surveys in India that were conducted post-2011 and used the Census 2011 for the sampling frame have overestimated the proportion of the rural population significantly, Ravi said, “These surveys use outdated sampling frames and hence, are not representative. In fact, the survey mechanisms are archaic and not adapted for rapid changes. As a consequence, these surveys grossly and systematically underestimate India’s progress and development and the misleading estimates from these surveys impede policy-making. Framing policies based on these estimates are unlikely to yield the desired results and we will continue to see a gap between ground realities and survey estimates.” Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍The sample is wrong 📍A narrative in search of data For any queries and feedback, contact priya.shukla@indianexpress.com The Indian Express UPSC Hub is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest Updates.
