Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for April 18, 2023. If you missed the April 17, 2023 UPSC key from the Indian Express, read it here FRONT PAGE Same-sex marriage: Elitist. outside court ambit, Centre tells SC Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Main Examination: General Studies I: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India. Key Points to Ponder: • What’s the ongoing story- Courts cannot create or recognise any institution called “marriage”, the Central government has said in its application challenging the maintainability of petitions seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriage, which the Supreme Court will take up on Tuesday. Reiterating that only the legislature can give legal sanctity to the institution of marriage, the government stated in its application that what has been presented to the court on the subject by the petitioners is “a mere urban elitist view” and “the competent legislature will have to take into account broader views” of various sections. • What exactly is the issue? • What is centre saying in this regard? • “A mere urban elitist view”-what you understand by the same? • Why Centre is urging the court to leave the issue to Parliament? • What is the Concept behind marriages in Indian Subcontinent or in the Indian Society? • The Institution of Marriage-Why marriage is referred as an institution? • “The question concerning legal recognition of same-sex marriage and its parity with the existing concept of marriage, as an exclusively heterogenous institution, which is governed by the existing legal regime and has a sanctity attached to it in every religion in the country” and “seriously affects the interests of every citizen”-analyse • What is Article 246 in The Constitution of India? • “The institution of marriage is “necessarily a social concept and a sanctity to it is attached under the respective governing laws and customs as it is given sanctity by law on the basis of social acceptance”-Analyse the statement • “Decriminalisation of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code is one thing and same sex marriage is another thing”-discuss • Why same-sex wedding is not legal in India? • Recently, the US President signed same sex marital law-know the highlight • How same sex marriage can be legalised in India? • What are the issues associated with the legalisation of same sex marriage in India? • What is the Special Marriage Act (SMA), 1954? • The legal recognition for same sex marriage is a little more complex-why? • What is the Concept behind marriages in Indian Subcontinent or in the Indian Society? • The Institution of Marriage-Why marriage is referred as an institution? • Influence of Legislations like the prevention of Sati Act, 1829, The Hindu widow Remarriage Act, 1856, The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 and The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 on Hindu Marriage-Know in detail Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Issues in same-sex marriage plea, before SC today Behind dehydration at Navi Mumbai event: Fierce sun, heated drinking water Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Main Examination: General Studies I: Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes. Key Points to Ponder: • What’s the ongoing story-ADEQUATE arrangements for water were in place for the gathering at the venue of the Maharashtra Bhushan Award function on Sunday, according to authorities. But what perhaps was not taken into account was the blazing sun, which made the water hot, leading to dehydration and heatstroke among many in the gathering and causing 13 deaths, eyewitnesses told The Indian Express. While 11 people died on Sunday, two more deaths were recorded on Monday. Preliminary autopsy reports suggest all of them died of heatstroke, according to sources in the Konkan Divisional Commissioner’s office. Around 650 people fell sick because of the heat conditions, officials said. • What is heatstroke? • What is a heat wave? • Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) criteria for Heat Waves? • What is the present situation of Heat Waves in India? • ‘High temperature in itself is not fatal. The combination of high temperature and high humidity, referred to as the wet bulb temperature, is what makes heatwaves deadly’-comment • What is dry and wet bulb temperature? • ‘Prodded by the NDMA, the Election Commission had, just ahead of the general elections in 2019, circulated a detailed advisory on precautions to be taken to conduct the polls in heatwave-like conditions’-what advisories by the ECI says? • ‘The local administration needs to be vigilant and pro-active in case of large crowd gathering’-Analyse Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍In Maharashtra heatstroke deaths, the critical factor of humidity GOVT & POLITICS LGBTQ welfare: Not under our purview, say three ministries Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc. Main Examination: General Studies II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections. Key Points to Ponder: • What’s the ongoing story- Striking down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that criminalised homosexuality in 2018, the Supreme Court had directed the government to take steps to “reduce and finally eliminate the stigma” against the LGBTQ community. Now, nearly five years later, at least three ministries deny that the welfare of gay, lesbian and bisexual persons fall under their purview. • What LGBTQ stands for? • What is Section 377 of IPC? • What is sexual orientation discrimination? • What is an example of sexual orientation harassment? • What percentage of Indian population is transgender? • Do you Know-India’s 2011 Census was the first census in its history to incorporate the number of ‘trans’ population of the country. According to the 2011 Census, the number of persons who do not identify as ‘male’ or ‘female’ but as ‘other’ stands at 4,87,803 (0.04% of the total population). This ‘other’ category applied to persons who did not identify as either male or female, and included transgender persons. • “Sex is biologically determined but gender is a social construct”-Critically Analyse • Transgenders in India are still discriminated even after the Supreme Court has held that the right to self-identification of gender is part of the right to dignity and autonomy under Article 21 of the Constitution-Why? • A National Council for Transgender (NCT) persons-role and objectives • What are the Yogyakarta Principles? • Employment rates of transgender in India-Know the data’s and Statistics • Know some landmark Judgements by the Supreme Court of India Contributing to LGBTQ Rights • What was the Supreme Court’s verdict in National Legal Services Authority vs Union Of India, 2014? • Decriminalisation of homosexuality was much needed for transgenders and Section 377-Connect the dots Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Non-binary genders need more visibility in India’s Census 2021 📍Next step to inclusion Buy mid-day meal pulses from Nafed, Centre tells states; UP, Bengal say no Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance Mains 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-The Union Ministry of Education has written to state governments to procure pulses (chana dal) for the Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition (POSHAN) from NAFED, the apex organisation of marketing cooperatives for agricultural produce. West Bengal and at least three NDA-ruled states including UP have rejected the proposal, and Punjab has sought clarification on the proposal. • What is National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India? • What is Midday Meal Scheme? • Midday Meal Scheme-Know Key provisions of the scheme • Midday Meal Scheme and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan-Connect the dots • Midday Meal Scheme and PM-POSHAN (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman) Scheme-How they are connected? • Convention on the Rights of the Child and India’s commitment to yielding “adequate nutritious food” for children-Know more in detail • Supreme Court of India on Midday meal Scheme-Know the landmark Judgements • What is POSHAN Abhiyaan? • Know the objectives of POSHAN Abhiyaan? • Poshan Abhiyaan and Midday Meal Scheme comes under which ministry? • For Your Information-The POSHAN earlier called the Mid-Day Meal – scheme was cleared by the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) in September 2021. It provided one hot cooked meal in government and government-aided schools from 2021-22 to 2025-26. A Centrally-Sponsored Scheme, it covers about 11.80 crore children in Classes I-VIII. For five-years beginning 2021-22, the financial outlay by the Centre is estimated to be Rs 54,061.73 crore and from states at Rs 31,733.17 crore. The Centre will also bear an additional cost of about Rs 45,000 crore on food grains. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Bengal over-reported midday meals worth over Rs 100 cr: Centre’s report Monks from 30 nations to attend Buddhist summit, says govt Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: History of India Mains Examination: • General Studies I: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times. • General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. Key Points to Ponder: • What’s the ongoing story-Days before a two-day Global Buddhist Summit is set to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Thursday, Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy on Monday said there is “still hope” that the Dalai Lama would attend the event, although it was not confirmed. Addressing the media, Reddy said the event will bring together Buddhist monks and scholars from 30 countries. He said 150 delegates from across the country and 171 from abroad are expected to attend the two-day summit, being organised by the Culture Ministry and the NGO ‘International Buddhist Confederation (IBC). • What is Global Buddhist Summit? • Global Buddhist Summit-Aim and objectives • Who conducts Global Buddhist Summit? • The rising role of Buddhism in India’s Bilateral Relations and in soft power strategy-Know in Detail • Rise of Buddhism in India and Gautam Buddha or Siddharth-Know in detail • Know in detail about Doctrines of Buddhism, the Four noble truths, The Five Precepts and Eight-fold Path • What are the special features of Buddhism and why it spread rapidly and widely? • When, where and under which King’s Patronage the first, Second, Third and fourth Buddhist Council held? • Know about the two main schools of Buddhism-Mahayana and Hinayana • Rajgriha, Vaishali Patliputra, Kundalvana-Know the Importance of these place in Buddhism • Map work-Mark Important Buddhist Sites in India • Account for the decline of Buddhism in India • Know the important Buddhist Mudras-Dhyani Mudra, (gesture of meditation), Vitarka Mudra, (teaching gesture), Dharmachakra Mudra, (gesture of turning the wheel of the teaching), Bhumisparsha Mudra, (gesture of touching the earth), Abhaya Mudra, (gesture of fearlessness and granting protection), Varada Mudra, (gesture of granting wishes), Uttarabodhi Mudra, (gesture of supreme enlightenment), Anjali Mudra, (gesture of greeting and veneration) and Vijrapradama Mudra, (gesture of unshakable confidence) • Map work-Mark Important Buddhist Sites in India • In his Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Ancient India, Ambedkar wrote that ancient Indian history was nothing but “a history of a mortal conflict between Buddhism and Brahmanism”-Discuss • “Buddhism was a revolution in ancient India, ushering in an era of equality, compassion, non-violence and rationality”-Elaborate further • “Ambedkar has been used as political currency by parties of all hues, who carefully select his views as per convenience.”-Do you agree with the same? Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍PM Shri Narendra Modi to inaugurate first Global Buddhist Summit on 20th April Okay with minority status for Hindus in J&K: NCM member Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Indian Constitution, 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 NATIONAL Commission for Minorities (NCM) has no problem if the central government wants to grant minority status to Hindus, including Kashmiri Pandits, in Jammu and Kashmir, its member Syed Shahezadi said on Monday. “What is our stand… If Parliament makes a law and if it wants to give them (Hindus) minority status, let the government do it,’’ said Shahezadi in response to a question on the NCM’s stand on declaring Hindus as a minority community in Jammu and Kashmir. • What exactly is the entire issue? • Quick Recall-The Supreme Court had in November last year given six more weeks to the Centre for completing consultations with states on the demand to grant minority status to Hindus in states where their numbers are below other communities. This followed the government submission before court that it had received comments from 14 states and UTs and has sent reminders to others to send in their views at the earliest. • Background-The petition by Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay has contended that the 2011 census showed that Hindus have become a minority in Lakshadweep (2.5%), Mizoram (2.75%), Nagaland (8.75%), Meghalaya (11.53%), J&K (28.44%), Arunachal Pradesh (29%), Manipur (31.39%), and Punjab (38.40%), but were being denied minority benefits that are currently being enjoyed by the respective majority communities in these places. • Who can be minority in India? • What is the definition of minority under Indian laws? • What does the Constitution say about minorities? • Who can grant minority status in India? • In which State of India Hindu is minority? • When can states in India declare Hindus as minority? • Why TMA Pai case came in the limelight with respect to this particular litigation? • What verdict Supreme Court of India delivered In the TMA Pai case? • What is the purposes of Article 30 as per the Constitution of India? • How Supreme Court of India interpreted Article 29 and Article 30 of the Indian Constitution? • However, there is a “general perception” regarding the Hindu community in India. What may this perception be? • What is the State-wise Percentage of Hindus as per Census 2011 in India? • Are Hindus in India are denied rights in States where they are minority? • What is Section 2(c) of the National Minorities Commission Act, 1992? • Religious and linguistic minority-Know the difference • Minority status with the principle laid down by the Supreme Court in 2002 TMA Pai Foundation and 2005 Bal Patil Case Ruling-Know in detail Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍An Expert Explains | Hindus as minority: Govt’s affidavit is consistent with the Constitution 📍Explained: Who is a ‘minority’ in India? What the Constitution says, how Supreme Court has ruled EXPRESS NETWORK G7 to decarbonise power grids by 2035, fails to agree on coal phase-out by 2030 Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s Interests. Key Points to Ponder: • What’s the ongoing story-At the conclusion of the G7 Climate and Environment Ministers’ meeting in Sapporo, Japan on Sunday, the G7 countries committed to decarbonise their power grids no later than 2035 and accelerate the phase-out of “domestic unabated coal power”. The G7 states further stated that there is an urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 43 per cent by 2030 and 60 per cent by 2035, aligned to 1.5 degrees in light of the most recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). • What is meant by Decarbonising? • ‘While the G7 committed to decarbonising their power sector by 2035, they failed to agree to a proposal made by the UK and Canada to phase out coal by 2030’-Discuss • Japan’s attempt to promote ammonia co-firing as a form of clean technology in the power sector domestically and in Asia via the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) was degraded by the rest of the group-Why? • What is ammonia co-firing? • What is Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework decision? • Why is it called Kunming-Montreal agreement? • What is G7 group? • Who are the members of G7? • Know the name of G7 countries • Map Work-G7 Countries • The G7 countries Global GDP • How did G7 become G8 and again G7-Reasons • The G7 countries, during the Leaders’ Summit in Germany, officially launched the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII)- What is G7’s PGII? • What is Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP) initiative? • G7 and India-Know in Brief • Know the difference between G7 and G20 Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Explained: Who are the G7, whose Summit in Germany India has been invited to? Rhino poaching suspect’s body found in river; police say he jumped in to escape 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: • What’s the ongoing story-Three weeks after Assam’s first rhino poaching case in more than a year was discovered in Kaziranga, the body of the suspected poacher was found floating in the Brahmaputra on Sunday. Police said they had apprehended the accused, Saidul Islam (45), and that he later attempted to escape by jumping in the river, during which he appeared to have drowned. • Map Work- Protected areas for one-horned rhino • For Your Information-A census conducted in March 2022 had counted 2,613 rhinos in Kaziranga at the time. Through the course of 2022, 48 rhino deaths were recorded and were attributed to ‘natural causes’ such as old age, illness and attacks by tigers. In records maintained by Kaziranga officials dating back to 1995, there have been cases of poaching recorded every single year till 2022. Since 2000, this peaked in 2017 and 2018, when 27 rhinos were poached each year. Since then, the numbers have been dropping from 17 and 18 in 2015 and 2016, respectively, to 6, 7 and 3 in 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively. • Why are Rhinos poached for horns? • What are the Key Points related to One-Horned Rhino? • What are the Conservation Efforts? • Which program started saving Indian rhino? • What is being done to stop rhino poaching in India? • What are the steps taken by government to protect rhinoceros? • Do You Know-The Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is found only in the Brahmaputra valley, parts of North Bengal, and parts of southern Nepal. It has a single black horn that can grow up to 60 cm, and a tough, grey-brown hide with skin folds, which gives the animal its characteristic armour-plated look. The Indian rhino is listed as vulnerable (better than endangered, worse than near threatened) in the IUCN Red List; it was earlier placed in the endangered category. The WWF says the “recovery of the greater one-horned rhino is among the greatest conservation success stories in Asia”. • What is IUCN Red List? • The one-horned rhino is listed under which schedule of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. • What are the major causes of human-animal conflict in India? Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Beyond poaching: How rhino dung offers clues on health and natural death THE EDITORIAL PAGE TERROR OF NARCO-NETWORKS Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: • General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. • General Studies III: Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security. Key Points to Ponder: • What’s the ongoing story-Rakesh Asthana Writes: The narcotics trade is assuming dangerous proportions all over the world. It is a social problem that harms youth and families and the money it generates is diverted for disruptive activities that have bearings on national security. The issue has kept security agencies and law enforcement agencies on the tenterhooks. India is no exception. • ‘Traditionally India has been seen as sandwiched between the Death (Golden) Crescent and Death (Golden) Triangle’-Discuss • Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle regions-what are they? • Map work-‘Golden Crescent’ and ‘Golden Triangle’ • Global drug Trade and Impact on India-Know in detail • What is heroin and methamphetamine and how they works in Human Body? • How the NDPS Act defines Drugs? • The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 and Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 • Essential Narcotic Drugs (ENDs) • Narcotics Control Bureau- Role and mandate • What is Cannabis or Marijuana? • What is the main psychoactive component of Charas and Ganja? • What is Tetrahydrocannabinol and how it works in Human Body? • In India, how does the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 define cannabis, Charas and Ganja? • United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and India-Know in detail Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Bhang, ganja, and criminality in the NDPS Act EXPLAINED Rohingya and Myanmar’s election as ICJ keeps heat on junta Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Key Points to Ponder: • What’s the ongoing story- Earlier this month, the International Court of Justice at The Hague rejected the Myanmar junta’s appeal for a 10-month reprieve to file a counter-memorial — or reply to The Gambia’s case that Myanmar was in breach of the international Genocide Convention. The case relates to the Myanmar military’s “clearing” operations in 2017 in Rakhine state, in which many Rohingya were killed or subjected to atrocities, and lakhs were forced to flee to Bangladesh. • Who is Myanmar junta? • Who is in charge of Myanmar now? • Who are Rohingyas? • International Provisions to Protect the Rights of Rohingyas • What is Difference between migrants and refugees? • What exactly is a refugee, an asylum-Seeker and a migrant? • Who is an illegal immigrant in India? How is an illegal immigrant different from a refugee? • How many Rohingya are currently in India? In which parts of the country are they concentrated? • Know about United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) • What is Global Refugee Forum (GRF)? • What is India’s Refugee Policy? • 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol and India-Know in detail • What do you understand by expression ‘right of non-refoulement’? • International Court of Justice (ICJ)-Background, Jurisdiction and Functioning • Limitation on the Functioning of International Court of Justice (ICJ) • International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ)-Difference Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍At Rohingya colony at centre of row, worry & confusion: ‘Are more restrictions coming?’ 📍Who are the Rohingya? For any queries and feedback, contact priya.shukla@indianexpress.com The Indian Express UPSC Hub is now on Telegram. 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