UPSC Key- January 4, 2023: Why you should read ‘Collective Responsibility’ or ‘Unilateralism and Multilateralism’ or ‘Cloud Computing’ for UPSC CSE

Rajnath in Arunachal: Indian Army can face any challenge on border

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance and Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

• General Studies II: India and its neighbourhood- relations.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- IN HIS first visit to Arunachal Pradesh after the clash between Indian and Chinese forces in Tawang last month, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in a veiled message to China on Tuesday, said that India does not believe in war but has the “capability to face any challenge along the border” and protect its territory. He made the remarks while inaugurating a 100-metre-long bridge over the Siyom river, close to the state’s northern border with China in Upper Siang district. Besides the strategically important Siyom bridge, Singh also inaugurated 27 other infrastructure projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), including 21 bridges, three roads and three other projects.

• Siyom river and Siyom bridge-Know in brief

• Why Siyom bridge is strategically important?

• Indian and Chinese troops clash in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector-Know in brief

• Quick Recall-Indian and Chinese troops clashed in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector in the early hours of December 9, beating each other up with sticks and canes in their closest encounter since the deadly Galwan incident in eastern Ladakh in June 2020. Soldiers of the two sides clashed in an area called Yangtse, in the upper reaches of Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh.

• Do You Know-Tawang, indeed nearly all of Arunachal, is claimed by China. It is one of the more serious dispute points between India and China in the overall border question. Tawang is the birthplace of the sixth Dalai Lama and an important pilgrimage centre for Tibetan Buddhists. The 14th Dalai Lama took refuge in Tawang after he crossed over from Tibet to India in 1959, spending some days in the monastery there before proceeding further.

• How are relations between China and India currently?

• ‘China-India relations have been worse over recent months. Along their contentious border in the Himalayan area, the two nations are at odds with one another’-Discuss

• “Yangtse is one of the 25 contested areas along the 3488-km Line of Actual Control between the two countries, stretching from the Western Sector to Middle Sector to Eastern Sector”-Know more in detail

• “Each time, however, and despite the great fount of expertise on China within its four walls, the Indian government has refused to publicly connect the dots between these transgressions and to educate and inform the Indian public about China”-Analyse

• “The 2005 Agreement on the Political Parameters and Guiding Principles between the two countries was a landmark treaty on the boundary dispute, which seemed to set explicit bookends and benchmarks for the eventual resolution of the boundary dispute”-What is that ‘2005 Agreement’?

• Map Work-Siyom river, Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh) and the Northeast states of India

• “Despite its beauty and natural resources, our Northeast region has been cut off from development for a long time, sometimes in the name of security issues, sometimes because of lack of connectivity… It is our opinion that the Northeast region is not just important for the development of the nation but also for our relationships with East Asia in trade, travel and tourism… The stronger this region is, the stronger the country will be”-Discuss

• The Northeast region of India comprises of which states?

• Northeast region is poorly connected to the Indian mainland by a small corridor-what is the name of that corridor?

• What are the main reasons that Northeast India is still lagging?

• What are the initiatives taken by Government specially targeting Northeast India’s development and growth?

• For Your Information-In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said the key functions of the Siyom bridge are to facilitate “speedy induction of troops, heavy equipment and mechanised vehicles to forward areas of Upper Siang district, Tuting and Yinkiong Region” and “boost socio-economic development of the region”.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍G Kishan Reddy writes: How the Northeast has been transformed in the last eight years

📍What we know about the clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh

No additional curbs on free speech by ministers: SC

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-The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a government cannot be held vicariously responsible for remarks made by its ministers even if the statement relates to affairs of the state. It said the right of free speech and expression, guaranteed under Article 19 (1) (a), cannot be curbed by any additional grounds other than those already laid down in Article 19 (2).

• “The right to free speech means nothing unless it includes the right to be heard, recognised, acknowledged”-What is exactly free speech?

• What is freedom of expression?

• What is Article 19 of the Constitution?

• What is the right to free speech in Parliament?

• “Under Articles 105 and 194, Members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies have a special right to free speech in Parliament and other legislative bodies, with the exception of any restrictions imposed by the Constitution or the body’s standing rules”-Elaborate

• Articles 105 and 194 of the Indian Constitution-Know in detail

• “A statement made by a minister, even if traceable to any affairs of the state or for protecting the government, cannot be attributed vicariously to the government by invoking the principle of collective responsibility,”-Decode the quote

• What do you understand by the term ‘Collective Responsibility’?

• What Justice B V Nagarathna said?

• In what context Justice B V Nagarathna said “Rights in the realm of common law which may be similar or identical in their content to the fundamental rights under Articles 19 or 21 operate horizontally. However, the fundamental rights under Article 19 and 21 may not be justiciable before the constitutional courts except those rights which have been statutorily recognised in accordance with the applicable law”?

• What are the Laws restricting the freedom of expression in India?

• What are the International Legal Regime on free speech?

• What are the International Legal Regime on Hate Speech?

• What is ‘Hate Speech’?

• Free Speech, Hate Speech and Hurting religious sentiments- Where and what is that thin line drawn between these three?

• In the context of Fundamental Rights, what do you understand by the term “Absolute” and “Reasonable Restrictions”?

• Absolute and Reasonable Restrictions-Where and what is that thin line drawn between the two?

• Laws restricting the freedom of expression

• Impact of Hate Speech on Freedom of Expression, Free speech and on the Right to Freedom of Religion

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍Hate speech denies right to dignity: Justice Nagarathna

GOVT & POLITICS

Collection of data and maps begins for Assam delimitation

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance

Main Examination: General Studies II: Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act, Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- A WEEK after the Election Commission (EC) announced that it would carry out delimitation of constituencies in Assam, the process of collection of statistical data and maps by the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) started Tuesday, sources said. The EC had on December 27, 2022, announced that it had been asked by the Union Law Ministry in November to carry out delimitation of constituencies in the state. The EC had also instructed the state government not to alter any administrative units with effect from January 1.

• What is delimitation?

• Who conducts delimitation and how is it done?

• What is Article 170 of Indian Constitution?

• For Your Information-On the eve of the deadline, the Assam Cabinet decided to re-merge four districts into the districts they were carved out from in the recent past. The mergers will bring down the count of districts in Assam from 35 to 31. Assam currently has 14 Lok Sabha and 126 Assembly constituencies.

• Delimitation Commission of India and Delimitation Commission Act-Know in detail

• Delimitation Commission-Members, Power and Independence

• Delimitation commissions in the past (1952, 1962, 1972 and 2002)-Know in brief

• Present Status-The delimitation will be done on the basis of the 2001 Census, as mandated by Article 170 of the Constitution. The delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in Assam was last conducted in 1976. While the last round of delimitation was done for the country starting in 2002, the exercise was suspended for Assam due to security concerns and demands that it should not be done till the National Register of Citizens was finalised. In March 2020, the Centre notified a Delimitation Commission for Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland. A year later, the Centre extended the term of the Delimitation Commission by a year, but excluded the Northeastern states from its mandate.

• Do You Know-Delimitation Commissions have been established exactly four times in India’s history: in 1952, 1963, 1973, and 2002. The delineation was absent following the 1981, 1991, and 2001 Censuses.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍Assam merges four districts ahead of Jan 1 delimitation deadline

EXPRESS NETWORK

Increased role of women in research, development proof of progress: PM

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.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- India is now one of the top three countries in the world when it comes to the number of PhD research works and startup ecosystems, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Tuesday. Inaugurating the 108th Indian Science Congress (ISC) being held in Nagpur via video conferencing, PM Modi told the gathered scientists that the country is now ranked 40th on the Global Innovation Index 2022, up from the 81st rank in 2015, and underlined that scientific developments should ultimately make the country atmanirbhar.

• What is Indian Science Congress?

• What was the aim of Indian Science Congress?

• For Your Information- This year, the Indian Science Congress is focused on ‘Science and Technology for Sustainable Development with Women Empowerment’ and will showcase achievements made by women scientists as well as young innovators across the country.

• Do You Know-With a history dating back to 1914, the Science Congress is a one-of-its-kind event in the country, bringing together scientists and researchers not just from the premier institutions and laboratories but also science teachers and professors from colleges and universities, and offering a platform for their interaction with students and the general public on matters related to science. It has had a glorious past, with the who’s who of Indian science not just participating but also serving as organisers.

• ‘It is said that the glory days of the Science Congress are over. In more recent times, the event has attracted attention for all the wrong reasons’-Discuss

• Know about Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA)

• Why is the Indian Science Congress significant?

• Know the achievements of Indian Science Congress

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍Science Congress: an appraisal

EXPRESS NETWORK

In a first, woman Army officer posted in Siachen

Syllabus:

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

Mains Examination: General Studies I: Role of women and Social empowerment

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- Captain Shiva Chauhan has become the first woman army officer to get operationally deployed on the Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battlefield. The officer was deployed at the Kumar post, located at an altitude of around 15,600 feet in Siachen, on Monday for a period of three months after she underwent rigorous training, Army officials said.

• Captain Shiva Chauhan “an encouraging sign”-why and how?

• Map Work-Siachen Glacier

• What is the present scenario for the women entry in the Indian armed forces?

• Women in the Indian armed forces-know in detail

• Women in armed forces and their right to equality of opportunities-connect the dots

• How Principle of non-discrimination on the ground of sex under Article 15 and Right to equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters of public employment under Article 16 is applicable in the armed forces?

• “The military opened its doors to women in 1992 when the Air Force inducted its first batch. It’s been three decades, and that women are still at the mercy of the courts is something to reflect upon”-How far you agree?

• Quick Recall-The Supreme Court recently directed the Centre and the Indian Air Force to consider granting Permanent Commission to 32 retired women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers based on their suitability with the purpose of giving them pensionary benefits. The military opened its doors to women in 1992 when the Air Force inducted its first batch. It’s been three decades, and that women are still at the mercy of the courts is something to reflect upon.

• What was the Supreme Court’s Verdict in Ministry of Defence vs Babita Puniya and others in February 2020?

• Permanent Commission and Short Service Commission-Compare and contrast

• What is number and percentage of women officers in Indian Army, Airforce and in the Indian Navy?

• Know the timeline of induction of women in the Indian Defence forces

• Why Women in the Indian defence forces should be given Permanent Commission?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Army criteria systemically discriminates against women: Supreme Court

📍SC asks IAF to consider 32 women ex-SSC officers for grant of permanent commission to give pensionary benefits

THE IDEAS PAGE

Power play beyond G20

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-C. Raja Mohan Writes: India’s G20 leadership would be a success if it can prevent the complete breakdown of the multilateral system and generate major power consensus on a few issues.

• “Although the G20 summit will consume India’s diplomatic energies in 2023, Delhi can’t take its eyes off the significant shifts in great power equations triggered by Russia’s war against Ukraine”-What are the shifts in great power equations the author is talking about?

• “When great powers cooperate, multilateralism has reasonable chances of success and when they don’t, failure looms large”-Analyse the statement with some recent examples

• What do you understand by the term ‘multilateralism’?

• What is the concept of multilateralism?

• What is the purpose of multilateralism?

• Unilateralism and Multilateralism in international relations-know in detail

• Do you think that the multilateralism declining?

• Why author thinks that the India’s chairmanship of G20 more challenging?

• “Major wars have always reshaped great power relations and rearranged the international system. Russia’s war against Ukraine will be no exception”-Analyse the statement

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍India’s G20 Presidency: Delhi’s opportunity

EXPLAINED

Jain protests: What are the issues linked to Jharkhand, Gujarat shrines

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-Members of the Jain community have been staging protests in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and New Delhi for the past two weeks over demands related to two holy sites — Sammed Shikhar on Parasnath hill in Jharkhand and Shetrunjay hill in Palitana of Gujarat. In Jharkhand, the issue is about Parasnath hill being declared a tourist spot and an eco-sensitive zone, while in Gujarat, the row is over the vandalising of a shrine and related security concerns.

• Map Work-Parasnath hill

• What is the Jharkhand issue?

• What has the Jharkhand govt said?

• What is the vandalism issue in Gujarat?

• What did the police say?

• What is the other case related to Shetrunjay hill?

• What do the protesters want?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍Jains conduct rally raising demands about holy sites

ECONOMY

Cloud is a big game changer; tremendous momentum: Nadella

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

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- Microsoft Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella on Tuesday said cloud is a big game changer and there is a tremendous momentum in its adoption. Nadella was speaking at the Microsoft Future Ready Leadership Summit in Mumbai as part of his four-day visit to India, starting today.

• What is a cloud?

• What are the types of cloud?

• The cloud has been a pretty big game changer-How?

• What is cloud computing?

• How does cloud computing work?

• What are the different types of cloud computing services?

• Know in detail-the characteristics and advantages of cloud computing

• What are the disadvantages of cloud computing?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:   

📍Explained: From the cloud, computing moves to the edge

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