UPSC Key- December 16, 2022: Why you should read ‘US Fed Taper’ or ‘Simultaneous Polls’ or ‘Bihar Hooch Tragedy and Policy Failure’ for UPSC CSE

Collegium target again: Govt says new system to appoint judges is the need

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary-Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- Linking the huge pendency of cases in courts to vacant posts of judges, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, referring to the Supreme Court’s Collegium system of appointments to the higher judiciary, told Rajya Sabha Thursday that this issue will not be resolved until a “new system” on appointments is evolved.

• Huge pendency of cases in courts-What data’s and statistics sayss about this issue?

• Why are cases still pending in court?

• What is Criminal Justice System in India?

• What are the different stages of the criminal justice system?

• Why there is a need for Reforms in criminal justice system?

• Which committee is related to reforms in Criminal Justice System of India (CJSI)?

• Know Malimath Committee Report in detail

• Do You Know-Replying to a question in the parliament, the Law Minister said the number of pending cases in the country was nearing 5 crore, having reached 4.90 crore. He said there were many reasons for this, but the “primary one is the appointment of judges” and vacancies in the sanctioned strength. the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court, High Courts, district and subordinate courts was 25,011 and the working strength was 19,192 as on December 12, 2022.

• What are the Executives reasons for criticising the collegium system these days?

• In an interview recently, the Law Minister described the Collegium system as “alien” to the Constitution-what is your take for the collegium system?

• First of all, what is your understanding about the collegium system?

• What is the issue of conflict between Judiciary and Executive with respect to the appointment of Judges?

• What is the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court Judges in India?

• Who appoints the Judges of the Supreme Court?

• What does the Collegium consider while making the recommendation?

• National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act 2014-Know the key highlights

• Supreme Court on NJAC Act 2014 (99th Constitutional Amendment Act)-know in detail

• First Judges Case (1982), Second Judges Case (1993) and Third Judges Case (1998)-Know in detail

• What was the Supreme court’s ruling in the Second Judges case (1993), with respect to the appointment of a judge?

• Third Judges case (1998) and Supreme Court’s ruling in case of the appointment-What was the Supreme Court’s ruling?

• The National Judicial Appointments Commission Act of 2014 and the Collegium System-Compare and Contrast

• The Constitution has made certain provisions to safeguard and ensure the independent and impartial functioning of a Judges-Know in detail

• Executive Vs Judiciary for appointment of judges in higher judiciary-Know in detail

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:  

📍All got together to pass NJAC, now Opp rethink: ‘need to protect judiciary’

THE CITY

After acid attack on teen, notices sent to Flipkart, Amazon

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains 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-The Delhi Commission for Women has issued notices to Flipkart and Amazon after it emerged that the two men who threw an acid-like substance on a 17-year-old girl near her home in Dwarka on Wednesday had bought it online through Flipkart. The commission has sought from Flipkart complete details of sellers who sell “acid” on the platform. It also sought a detailed action-taken report from the two online marketplaces by December 20.

• The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act of 2013 added the definition of acid to the Indian Penal Code, 1860-What is acid in this regard?

• What is the law on acid attacks?

• How prevalent are acid attacks?

• For Your Information-According to data compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), there were 150 such cases recorded in 2019, 105 in 2020 and 102 in 2021. West Bengal and UP consistently record the highest number of such cases generally accounting for nearly 50% of all cases in the country year on year.

• What are the rates of conviction in acid attacks?

• Do You Know-The chargesheeting rate of acid attacks stood at 83% and the conviction rate at 54% in 2019. In 2020, the figures stood at 86% and 72% respectively. In 2021, the figures were recorded to be 89% and 20% respectively. In 2015, MHA issued an advisory to all states to ensure speedy justice in cases of acid attacks by expediting prosecution.

• What is the law on the regulation of acid sales?

• The Supreme Court of India rendered a significant ruling in favour of acid attack survivors whose lives have been significantly affected by their physical and mental suffering in the landmark case of Laxmi vs. Union of India. What directives did the Supreme Court issue regarding this?

• Patriarchy and acid attack-connect the dots

• Acid attack and its consequences-Elaborate

• What are the Government of India’s initiatives on Acid Attacks survivors?

• What are the present issues and challenges?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:  

📍What is the law on acid attacks in India?

 IN PARLIAMENT

Kalpakkam fast breeder reactor nearly complete, says minister

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance and General Science

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

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story--The prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) at the Kalpakkam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu is “nearly complete”, Union Minister of State for Atomic Energy Jitendra Singh told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

• What is Prototype fast breeder reactor?

• What is the advantage of prototype fast breeder reactor?

• What is Nuclear Energy?

• Why do we need nuclear energy?

• Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor, Light Water Reactor and Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor-Compare and contrast

• What is European Pressurized Water Reactor?

• How European Pressurized Water Reactor is different from other water reactor?

• A nuclear reactor is a device used to initiate and control a fission nuclear chain reaction or nuclear fusion reactions-True or False?

• How does a nuclear reactor work?

• What are the Components of a nuclear reactor?

• What are the types of nuclear reactor?

• Kalpakkam Nuclear power Project-Key Highlights

• What is the current Status of Nuclear Energy and Nuclear power plants in India?

• Map Work-Mark Nuclear power plants

• Issues and Challenges with Kalpakkam Nuclear power Plant-Brainstorm

• The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is under the direct charge of the Prime Minister through a Presidential Order-True or False?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍Understanding the fusion energy breakthrough announced by US scientists

Elections costly, holding at same time will save money: Rijiju

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-Elections have become a “big budget affair” and holding simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and state assemblies would result in huge saving to the exchequer, the government said on Thursday. Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said the need for simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and legislative assemblies has been felt as polls have become “big budget affair and expensive”. he said the Law Commission in its report on Reforms in Electoral Laws had suggested simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state assemblies for the sake of stability in governance

• What purpose would simultaneous polls serve, if held?

• When elections were first held in independent India, were they not simultaneous to begin with?

• Has the idea of simultaneous polls been explored before?

• Has there been an effort to address the concerns that would arise?

• What the Law Commission of India recommended on the idea of simultaneous polls?

• What is ‘One Nation, One Election’?

• What purpose would simultaneous polls serve?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:  

📍Explained: PM Narendra Modi calls for ‘One Nation, One Election’. What does this idea mean?

📍Explained: What purpose would simultaneous polls serve?

GOVT & POLITICS

Agni-5 ballistic missile test-fired successfully

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- India on Thursday carried out a successful night time flight test of the long-range surface-to-surface Nuclear Capable Ballistic missile, Agni-5 amidst increased tension with China following the recent clashes along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh.

• What is the Agni-V missile?

• Agni-V missile-Know the key features and specifications

• What was the latest test for?

• Who undertook the test?

• Prithvi, Trishul, Aakash, Nag and Agni-Compare and Contrast

• Do You Know-The name Agni originates from Sanskrit word for fire and is taken in the context of Agni being one five primary elements or Panch Mahabhutas. Others being Prithvi (Earth), Aapa (Water), Wayu (Air), Akash (Space). Of these names, Prithvi and Akash have been given to missiles developed by the DRDO.

• Know in detail about Integrated Guided Missile Development Program

• Integrated Guided Missile Development Program and Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam-Connect the Dots

• What is ballistic missile?

• What is the difference between a missile and a ballistic missile?

• Cruise Missiles and Ballistic Missiles-How Are They Different?

• The missile research and development in India happens under which organisation?

• What is the history of missile technology in India?

• What kind of missiles does India have?

• Which of India’s missile systems are most important?

• What about hypersonic technology?

• What makes India good in missile technology?

• Where do China and Pakistan stand compared to India?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍What is Agni-5, the long-range nuclear capable missile that India has tested?

EXPRESS NETWORK

Toll at least 26: Struck by biggest hooch tragedy since liquor ban, Bihar forms SIT

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

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- As Saran district recovers from grief after 26 hooch-related deaths were reported —officially — since Tuesday night from three blocks, the administration on Thursday decided to form a special investigation team (SIT) to crack the state’s biggest tragedy involving alleged consumption of spurious country liquor since prohibition was imposed in April 2016.

• What is hooch?

• How is hooch produced?

• Why hooch tragedies in Bihar are increasing

• Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016-Know the highlights and features of this act

• Why the Bihar government forbade the sale of alcohol in the state in 2016?

• “The Bihar government’s decision to prohibit sale of alcohol in the state in 2016 is a classic example of policy failure”-critically analyse

• Any policy having political, social, economic, or other worth should first be assessed on the scale of implementability, according to one of the thumb rule of governance-Do you believe that this decision was rushed and that the Bihar assembly did not fully consider all the options?

• Former Chief Justice of India N V Ramana also cited the prohibition law in Bihar as an example of “lack of foresight” in drafting legislation that leads to courts being inundated with cases, and said it appears that the legislature has “not been able to make optimum use” of the Parliament Standing Committee system to “enhance scrutiny of Bills”-Do you agree with the same?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍Bihar prohibition: An unmitigated disaster

📍CJI: No foresight in drafting law clogs courts, Bihar prohibition is example

EXPLAINED

Bangladesh reaches out to IMF: What’s wrong with its economy?

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: India and its neighbourhood- relations.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- Last month, Bangladesh reached out to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) seeking help. According to an IMF press release, Bangladesh will receive economic assistance worth $4.5 billion (around Rs 37,000 crore). This is a significant reversal for an economy that overtook India’s in terms of per capita income in 2020 on the back of robust economic growth for the better part of the last two decades, and especially since 2017.

• What’s wrong with Bangladesh’s economy?

• What is the current economic situation in Bangladesh?

• Bangladesh’s economy is-it in trouble?

• India’s Economy and Bangladesh’s economy-Compare

• How will IMF’s monetary assistance help?

• “Bangladesh is at the cusp of a political shift that it has not witnessed since 2009”-Elaborate

• “Bangladesh’s macroeconomic improvements, considerably important and celebrated the world over, don’t automatically translate into redistribution of wealth and institutional integrity”-Discuss.

• “The dual shock of the pandemic followed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine dislocated Dhaka’s macroeconomic growth story”-How have the pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war impacted Bangladesh’s economy?

• For both Delhi and Dhaka, the reinvention of the bilateral relationship has been one of the most significant successes of their recent foreign policies-Know bilateral relationship between India and Bangladesh

• Know bone of contention between India and Bangladesh

• Why engagement with Bangladesh is of the immense benefits of deeper economic for the India’s north-eastern states?

• How India can help Bangladesh in this current situation?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍Behind churn in Bangladesh

ECONOMY

Markets fall 1.4% as Fed signals more rate hikes

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-The domestic equity markets fell 1.4 per cent on Thursday tracking weak global cues after the US Federal Reserve signaled of more rate hikes in the future to tame inflation even as it slowed the pace of its rate increases. In its policy announced on December 14, the US Federal Reserve raised the policy interest rate by 50 basis points to 4.5 per cent. This was a slower rate hike after four consecutive hikes of 75 basis points in previous meetings. The US inflation eased to 7.1 per cent in November compared to 7.7 per cent in the previous month.

• What is the Federal Funds Rate (FFR)?

• How the Federal Reserve Manages Money Supply

• US Fed Taper-Meaning

• US Federal Reserve Policies and its Impact on India

• What is a recession?

• So, is the US in recession?

• What is the outlook for the US economy?

• How is inflation measured in USA?

• Inflation measured in USA and inflation measured in India-Compare and Contrast

• Inflation in USA vs Inflation in India-Compare and Contrast

• What goods or services are driving the increase in prices in USA and also in India?

• Why is USA’s inflation a matter of concern for India?

• How inflation in USA will impact India’s Import and Export?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:  

📍Explained: US inflation and its impact on India

📍Explained: Federal Reserve signals, and Indian markets

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