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Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for June 5th, 2024. If you missed the June 4th, 2024 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here.
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System
Mains Examination: GS-II: Governance, Constitution, Polity
What’s the ongoing story- Contrary to exit polls that predicted a landslide for the ruling alliance, the BJP Tuesday fell short of a majority on its own – with 272 as the halfway in the House of 543, it won 240 seats – and appeared heavily dependent on alliance partners especially the TDP and JD(U), ending a decade of single-party dominance and heralding the return of a coalition government at the Centre.
Prerequisites:
— What are exit polls?
— What are the Election Commission guidelines on the exit polls?
— What is the composition of Lok Sabha?
— What is the first-past-the-post system?
— What is the duration of Lok Sabha?
— Which states have maximum and minimum seats in the Lok Sabha?
— What is the difference between the national party and the regional party?
Key takeaways:
— The total number of parliamentary constituencies is 543. BJP emerged victorious on 240 seats, Indian National Congress (INC) won 99 seats, Samajwadi Party (SP) won 37 seats, and All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) secured 29 seats.
— To form a government a party requires a minimum of 272 seats and none of the parties got the majority of seats. It means a coalition government will be formed at the center.
— The Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Party is getting 293 seats and it may form the government.
— Even though the BJP has gained the majority vote, it suffered a major setback by going down 63 from its 2019 tally of 303.
— The Indore Lok Sabha constituency saw 218674 polled for “None Of The Above” (NOTA). The previous NOTA record-holder was Gopalganj, Bihar, in 2019, when 51,660 voters chose this option.
— The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to introduce the NOTA option for voters in September 2013, to protect the secrecy of voters’ choice. NOTA has no legal consequence attached to it — even if the highest number of votes in a seat are polled for NOTA, the second most successful candidate wins.
— India has elected 74 women MPs to Lok Sabha this year, four fewer than in 2019 and 52 more than in India’s first elections in 1952. These 74 women make just 13.63% of the elected strength of the Lower House.
— According to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, India created a world record with 64.2 crore voters, including 31.2 crore women, participating in the Lok Sabha elections this year. It is 1.5 times the voters of all G7 countries. A total of 1.5 crore polling and security personnel were involved in holding the elections
For Your Information:
— Article 81 of the Constitution defines the composition of the House of the People or Lok Sabha. It states that the House shall not consist of more than 550 elected members of whom not more than 20 will represent Union Territories.
— Under Article 331, the President can nominate up to two Anglo-Indians if he/she feels the community is inadequately represented in the House. At present, the strength of the Lok Sabha is 543, of which 530 have been allocated to the states and the rest to the Union Territories.
— However, the 104th Amendment Act has removed the reservation for the Anglo-Indians in legislative bodies.
— Article 81 also mandates that the number of Lok Sabha seats allotted to a state would be such that the ratio between that number and the population of the state is, as far as possible, the same for all states. This is to ensure that every state is equally represented.
— However, this logic does not apply to small states whose population is not more than 60 lakh. So, at least one seat is allocated to every state even if it means that its population-to-seat-ratio is not enough to qualify it for that seat.
Points to Ponder:
— What are the criticisms of exit polls?
— What is the role of the delimitation commission?
— How are states divided into territorial constituencies?
— Who is elected as the presiding officer of the Lok Sabha?
— What is a caretaker government?
— What is a hung parliament?
— What are the pros and cons of a coalition government?
Post Read Question:
Prelims
Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2021)
1. In India, there is no law restricting the candidates from contesting in one Lok Sabha election from three constituencies.
2. In 1991 Lok Sabha Election, Shri Devi Lai contested from three Lok Sabha constituencies.
3. As per the existing rules, if a candidate contests in one Lok Sabha election from many constituencies, his/her party should bear the cost of bye-elections to the constituencies vacated by him/her in the event of him/her winning in all the constituencies.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 2 and 3 only
Mains
What does a coalition government mean for economic reforms in India?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Explained- Coalition government and economic reforms
Two lakh plus NOTA votes in Indore: Why NOTA was introduced, its consequences
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Polity, Economy
Mains Examination: GS-II, III: Governance, Constitution, Economy
What’s the ongoing story- Nilesh Shah writes: The election outcome seems to be against the market and exit polls expectations. But the show must go on. The incoming government should aim for a rapid increase in per capita GDP through accelerated, inclusive and environmentally sustainable growth.
Prerequisites:
— What is per capita GDP?
— What is the difference between globalisation and protectionism?
— What is disguised unemployment?
— What is gold monetisation scheme?
— What are Production Linked Incentives (PLI) schemes?
Key takeaways:
— Nilesh Shah has provided an agenda for the next government through fifteen points.
— “One, our crucial challenge is the disguised employment in the agriculture sector. We must create adequate employment opportunities in industry or services in India or abroad.”
— “Two, there is a need to boost consumption at the bottom end of the pyramid and in mass market products.”
— “Three, a large part of Indians depend upon agriculture. Agriculture will hold the key in creating inclusive and sustainable growth.”
— “Four, seek free labour movement with long-term work permits in our FTAs. We should provide preferential access to our markets on trade and investment in exchange for preferential access to our labour on long-term work permits.”
— “Five, provide skills through institutional mechanisms across India…..
— “Fifteen, Indians are good savers but not so good investors. Crores of Indians remain poor due to suboptimal savings allocation to cryptos, Ponzi schemes and derivatives trading. We must encourage investor education initiatives to ensure better financial awareness.”
Points to Ponder:
— What is the significance of skill development?
— Why the government need to increase its capital investments?
— What are carbon credit schemes?
Post Read Question:
Disguised unemployment generally means (UPSC CSE 2013)
(a) large number of people remain unemployed
(b) alternative employment is not available
(c) marginal productivity of labour is zero
(d) productivity of workers is low
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
The pros and cons of investing in govt’s gold monetisation scheme
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importanc
Mains Examination: GS-I: History of the world
What’s the ongoing story- The 1989 crackdown, in which government troops opened fire on student-led pro-democracy protesters, resulting in hundreds, if not thousands, dead, remains a taboo subject in mainland China.
Prerequisites:
— What is the significance of Tiananmen square in the history of China?
Key takeaways:
— In April 1989, students from universities in Beijing convened in Tiananmen Square to outline a series of demands focused primarily on political and economic reforms. They also called for an end to corruption, censorship, and restrictions on fundamental rights.
— Over the ensuing weeks, their demands garnered extensive public backing, attracting support from various segments of society, including pensioners, veterans, and farmers. Millions participated in peaceful protests that spread throughout China.
— The Chinese government was unable to convince the demonstrators to disperse. As the situation in Beijing grew more intense, martial law was declared on May 20, 1989. On the night of June 3, 1989, heavily armed soldiers and hundreds of armored vehicles advanced into the city center to forcibly remove the pro-democracy protesters from Tiananmen Square.
Points to Ponder:
— What was the Boxer rebellion?
— What was Chinese revolution?
— Role of China in opium war
Post Read Question:
Tiananmen Square Massacre is related with which of the following countries?
(a) Japan
(b) China
(c) South Korea
(d) Myanmar
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Hong Kong detains an artist on the eve of the 35th anniversary of China’s Tiananmen Square crackdown
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance, Science and Technology
Mains Examination: GS-III: Science and Technology
What’s the ongoing story- China’s Chang’e-6 probe has lifted off from the far side of the moon, starting its journey back towards Earth, China’s national space agency announced on Tuesday.
Prerequisites:
— What is Chang’e-6?
— Why landing on the far side of the Moon is challenging?
Key takeaways:
— The probe’s successful departure from the moon means China is closer to becoming the first country to return samples from the far side of the moon, which permanently faces away from Earth.
— Compared with its predecessor Chang’e-5, which retrieved samples from the near side of the moon, Chang’e-6 faced an additional technical challenge of operating without direct communications with ground stations on Earth, according to CNSA. Instead, the probe relied on relay satellite Queqiao-2, put into orbit in April, for commu
Points to Ponder:
— What is the significance of the south pole of the Moon?
— What are the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) moon exploration missions?
— What are the other lunar missions of China?
Post Read Question:
Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched? (UPSC CSE 2014)
| Spacecraft | Purpose | |
| 1. | Cassini-Huygens | Orbiting the Venus and transmitting data to the Earth |
| 2. | Messenger | Mapping and investigating the Mercury |
| 3. | Voyager 1 and 2 | Exploring the outer solar system |
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: GS-II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
What’s the ongoing story- Israeli airstrikes near Aleppo, Syria, in the early hours of Monday killed a general in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps who had been deployed to the country as an adviser, according to Iranian media reports.
Prerequisites:
— What is the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps?
— Know in brief about the history of Iran-Isarel relations.
Key takeaways:
— The Iranian was identified as Gen. Saeed Abyar by Tasnim News Agency, a media outlet affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards. General Abyar was a member of Iran’s Quds force, a branch of the Revolutionary Guards taht operates largely in other countries.
— He was believed to be the first Iranian killed by Israel since the two countries nearly went to war in April. Since then, however, the two countries stepped back from direct confrontations, facing intense international pressure to not ignite a wider regional war.
For Your Information:
— The IRGC was set up in 1979 after Ayatollah Khomeini’s Islamic Revolution as an ideologically-driven branch of the armed forces of Iran, to protect the newly established Islamic system from hostile foreign powers and internal dissensions.
Points to Ponder:
— What is Iran’s Quds force?
— What is India’s stake in and stand on the Iran-Israel conflict?
— What is the history of Iranian-Israeli cooperation and conflict?
— What is Israel’s problem with the Quds Force?
Post Read Question:
Consider the following statements:
1. The Quds Force is the paramilitary and intelligence wing of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRCG).
2. IRCG was created to deal with external threats only.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are not correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 Nor 2
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
UPSC Issue at a Glance | Iran-Israel Conflict: 5 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development
Mains Examination: GS-III: Economy
What’s the ongoing story- Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) seemed to have some indication about the outcome of Lok Sabha elections as their selling in stocks intensified since January this year.
Prerequisites:
— Who are the foreign portfolio investors (FPIs)?
— Who are the domestic institutional investors (DIIs)
— What are bond yields?
Key takeaways:
— With China beckoning them again as an alternative investment destination, foreign players pulled out around Rs 125,000 crore from the cash market (excluding IPO investments) since January this year.
— However, domestic institutional investors, led by mutual funds and insurance companies, bought stocks worth Rs 300,000 crore during the five-month period, aiding benchmark indices to hit new peaks.
Points to Ponder:
— What is the difference between FPIs and Foreign Development Investment (FDI)?
— What are the benefits of FPIs?
— What are the challenges with FPIs in India?
Post Read Question:
Prelims
With reference to Foreign Direct Investment in India, which one of the following is considered its major characteristic? (UPSC CSE 2020)
(a) It is the investment through capital instruments essentially in a listed company.
(b) It is a largely non-debt creating capital flow.
(c) It is an investment which involves debt-servicing.
(d) It is the investment made by foreign institutional investors in the Government securities.
Mains
Justify the need for FDI for the development of the Indian economy. Why is there a gap between MoUs signed and actual FDIs? Suggest remedial steps to be taken for increasing actual FDIs in India. (UPSC CSE 2016)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Foreign portfolio investors stepped up selling in the run-up to elections
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Economy
Mains Examination: GS-III: Economy
What’s the ongoing story- On a day when both the Sensex and the Nifty 50 tanked by nearly 6 per cent, key FMCG stocks including Dabur, Hindustan Unilever, and Colgate-Palmolive stood out with significant gains.
Prerequisites:
— What are Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG)?
— What is the status of FMCGs in the Indian economy?
— What is government capex?
Key takeaways:
— In recent quarters, rising inflation has affected consumption, especially in rural areas, and the margins of FMCG majors.
— “The GDP growth is driven a lot by government capex, but also — and that trickle down effect will take time. But if we — if all of those jobs and livelihoods that get created, there is — I mean that money should end up going back to the households more in the mass end, and that should democratise consumption.”
Points to Ponder:
— What are the factors responsible for the growth of the FMCG sector?
— What initiatives have been taken by the government to promote FMCG sector?
— What are the challenges associated with the FMCG sector?
Post Read Question:
How have recent economic trends and policy shifts impacted the FMCG sector in India, and what strategies can ensure its sustained growth?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
FMCG firms crushing the millet year as govt pushes the healthiest grain
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development
Mains Examination: GS-III: Economy
What’s the ongoing story- India VIX, or the fear index, jumped 23.65 per cent to close at 26.75, indicating heightened volatility after Lok Sabha results showed below-expected seats for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Prerequisites:
— What is India Volatility Index?
— What factors influence the VIX?
Key takeaways:
— The index, which is an indicator of the market’s expectation of volatility over the near term, zoomed 51 per cent to 31.71 during intraday trade.
— The volatility index is a measure of the market’s expectation of volatility over the near term. Volatility is often described as the ‘rate and magnitude of changes in prices’ and in finance often referred to as risk. Usually, during periods of market volatility, the market moves steeply up or down and the volatility index tends to rise. As volatility subsides, the volatility index declines.
— India VIX is a volatility index computed by the NSE based on the order book of NIFTY Options. For this, the best bid-ask quotes of near and next-month NIFTY options contracts which are traded on the F&O segment of NSE are used.
For Your Information:
— India VIX indicates the investor’s perception of the market’s volatility in the near term i.e. it depicts the expected market volatility over the next 30 calendar days. The higher the India VIX values, the higher the expected volatility and vice versa, as per NSE.
Points to Ponder:
— How election verdict impact the volatility Index?
— What is the difference between NIFTY and VIX?
— How VIX Index can be used for trading?
— What is the relationship between VIX Index and economic stability?
Post Read Question:
Consider the following statements:
1. India VIX is calculated by the NSE to measure the market’s anticipation for volatility and fluctuations in the near term.
2. It represents the investors’ perception of the market over the next near term, that is the next 60 days.
Which of the srarements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both a and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
India VIX Index rallies: What does market volatility mean for investors?
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