UPSC Key- January 2, 2023: Why you should read ‘Passport a Fundamental Right’ or ‘Millets’ or ‘Schengen Area’ for UPSC CSE

Supreme Court demonetisation judgment today

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

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.

• General Studies III: Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- The Supreme Court will deliver Monday, the first day post its winter recess, the verdict on a batch of petitions challenging the government’s November 2016 decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. According to the apex court cause-list — the list of business of the court, there will be two judgments, one by Justice B R Gavai and another by Justice B V Nagarathna. It remains to be seen whether these are concurring or dissenting views.

• What is Demonetization?

• Demonetisation of Rs 500 and 1000 currency notes-Know the background

• According to the apex court cause-list — the list of business of the court, there will be two judgments, one by Justice B R Gavai and another by Justice B V Nagarathna- why there will be two judgments?

• But, what exactly are the petitions?

• The court’s ruling is scheduled in 2023, despite the demonization taking place in 2016. Why did it take so long?

• In the past six years, both the Indian economy and society have recovered from the shock of the demonetisation decision. What impact will the decision have now, then?

• Why Centre is calling this matter an academic issue only?

• How demonetization impacted on the GDP for the current year? (Know short-term and Long term effect)

• “The issue needs to be examined on the doctrine of proportionality too as 86% currency notes were rendered invalid by the decision”- What is doctrine of proportionality?

• What is doctrine of proportionality in administrative law?

• Does demonetization served the purpose of curbing black money and terror funding? (What economic survey said about it?)

• Demonetisation has been implemented twice in the past-When, why and how?

• Demonetisation in 1946 and 1978 and Demonetisation in 2016-compare and contrast

• Demonetisation in 2016 was the decision taken in haste and not gone into the nitty-gritties of this step-Do you agree?

• What effects has the demonetization had on your family and you?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍Demonetization: Meaning, Example, and How It Works

📍Four years since demonetisation: Cash in system steadily rising, at all-time high

EXPRESS NETWORK

Passport office can’t act as CID mouthpiece: HC

Syllabus:

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

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court slammed the Passport Office, Srinagar, for not considering the application of the mother of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, saying it “cannot act as the mouthpiece of the CID”.

• What matter has the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court criticised the Srinagar Passport Office over? A case is exactly what?

• Is passport a fundamental right?

• Is right to travel abroad a fundamental right?

• The Supreme Court of India significantly broadened the interpretation of Article 21 of the Indian Constitution in Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India, a historic judgement. What exactly happened?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍Ex-CM Mehbooba Mufti denied passport: ‘detrimental to security of India’

Massive turnout at Koregaon Bhima event amid heavy police deployment

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance and History of India

Main Examination: 

• General Studies I: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present significant events, personalities, issues.

• 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- The programme to mark the 205th anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima at the ‘Jaystambh’ in Perne village of Pune district passed off peacefully on Sunday. ‘Jaystambh’ is a ‘military monument’ erected by the British government in 1821 in memory of its soldiers, who fought against the Peshwas during the Maratha rule at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818. Later, the British had appointed their soldier Kandojibin Gajoji Jamadar (Malvadkar), who was injured in the battle, as in-charge of the ‘Jaystambh’ on December 13, 1824.

• Battle of Koregaon Bhima-Know the Historical background

• Why Battle of Bhima Koregaon symbolises long history of Dalit warriorship?

• For Your Information-As per historical records, the Jaystambh was erected by the British government in 1821 in memory of its soldiers who fought against the Peshwas at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818. Later, the Britishers had appointed their soldier Kandojibin Gajoji Jamadar (Malvadkar), who was wounded in the Battle of Koregaon Bhima, as the in-charge of the Jaystambh on December 13, 1824. According to the descendants of Jamadar, who are from the Maratha community, both British and Peshwa forces consisted of soldiers from different castes (upper and lower) and religions and so the history of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon “should not be distorted and used for making any casteist remarks”.

• Do You Know-Every year on January 1, thousands of people belonging to the Mahar community in Maharashtra gather near the ‘victory pillar’ in Koregaon to commemorate an event that took place 200 years back. The Koregaon memorial is almost a pilgrimage site for the Mahars, a Dalit community, who take tremendous pride in the battle that the pillar celebrates.

• The Battle of Koregaon was, in essence, a clash over territory between the British and the Maratha ruler, Peshwa Baji Rao II. But why, it held much significance for the Dalits, particularly the Mahars?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍What was the Battle of Koregaon?

📍Huge turnout at 205th anniversary of battle of Koregaon Bhima

EXPLAINED

The Millets Manifesto

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, – different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- The United Nations has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets. Since that was at the initiative of India, which also accounts for a fifth of the world’s millets production, the Narendra Modi government would be expected to do something different this year to promote these “nutri-cereals” — going beyond just spreading awareness, or organising “special millets lunch” for parliamentarians and journalists.

• What is Millet?

• For Your Information-The word millets is used to describe small-grained cereals like sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (bajra), foxtail millet (kangni/ Italian millet), little millet (kutki), kodo millet, finger millet (ragi/ mandua), proso millet (cheena/ common millet), barnyard millet (sawa/ sanwa/ jhangora), and brown top millet (korale).

• Where millets lag?

• Millets aren’t the first choice either of consumers or of farmers-Why?

• Why 2023 is Year of Millets?

• Can robust cereals like millets offer a cheap and nourishing alternative as the global agrifood systems struggle to feed a population that is constantly expanding?

• How the IYM 2023 will contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development?

• Map Work- The major millet producing countries

• What geographical parameters are necessary for millets?

• India and Millets-Know in detail

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023 kick starts with Focussed Activities being undertaken by Central Ministries, State Governments and Indian Embassies

📍Why India’s push for millets is yet to gain widespread traction

THE WORLD

Croatia becomes fully integrated EU member

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- More than nine years after Croatia became the European Union’s newest member, the country is on a roll to make the most of its status as the EU member in the Western Balkans. Croatia is adopting the EU’s common currency, the euro, and joining the Schengen Area, Europe’s visa-free travel area, on January 1.

• ‘Adopting the euro offers economic benefits stemming from deeper financial ties with the currency’s 19 other users and with the European Central Bank’-Discuss

• Map Work-Croatia and other EU Countries

• European Union-Know in detail

• What are the Functions of European Union (EU)?

• What are the Objectives of the European Union (EU)?

• What caused the European Union (EU) to be created?

• Which are the Schengen areas?

• Why is it called the Schengen Area?

• What is the difference between the EU and Schengen?

• ‘Becoming a member of the EU is a complex procedure which does not happen overnight. Once an applicant country meets the conditions for membership, it must implement EU rules and regulations in all areas’-How a country becomes member of EU?

• What are the conditions for membership?

• European Union and ‘Copenhagen criteria’-Know in brief

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍European Union

ECONOMY

Why rupee fell 10% against the US dollar in 2022

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

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 Indian rupee depreciated by around 10 per cent against the US dollar in 2022 on account of sharp appreciation of the greenback as the US Federal Reserve tightened its interest rate to check inflation amid the uncertainties surrounding the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

• How did the rupee perform in 2022?

• What was the reason for capital outflows?

• Why the Dollar is higher than the Indian Rupee?

• What do you understand by the ‘rupee exchange rate’?

• Why are the rupee-dollar exchange rate and forex reserves falling?

• Some experts also attribute “outflow of foreign portfolio investment (FPI) for rupee plunging”-What FPIs’ market exit means?

• How does outflow of foreign portfolio investment impacts the markets and the rupee?

• What will be the effect on the economy?

• What do you understand by Rupee depreciation?

• Appreciation vs Depreciation of Currency-Compare and Contrast

• How RBI has been intervening from time to time to contain the volatility in rupee?

• What should policymakers do to prevent the fall?

• What is the outlook on rupee for 2023?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍Strengthening dollar, weakening rupee: what the numbers show

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