UPSC Key-July 25, 2022: Why you should read ‘Athletics and Sports’ or ‘Sun Temple’ or ‘All India Services’ for UPSC CSE

Hit by Covid, small & micro units wait for Rs 8.7 lakh cr in pending dues

Syllabus:

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

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

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- A critical problem faced by the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector is delayed payments. It’s the smallest establishments — the micro and small units — which have been hit the hardest post-Covid with their pending dues touching Rs 8.73 lakh crore, almost 80 per cent of the total pending for the entire MSME sector until 2021.

• What is the definition of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME)?

• How many types of MSME are there?

• What is new criteria for the classification of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises-know in detail

• What are the Schemes and Programmes by union government related to MSME?

• Why Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector is important for Indian Economy?

• Know Issues and challenges faced by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Covid, lockdown hit MSMEs hardest, their bad loans spiked Rs 20,000 crore in 2020-21

Neeraj comes from behind to nail silver, India’s best showing in World Athletics

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

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:

• Personality in News-Neeraj Chopra

• World Athletics Championships-Know historical Background and present scenario

• Who was the host country for the 2022 World Athletics Championships?

• When and where is the next World Athletics Championships?

• What is the difference between Olympics and World Championships?

• Are athletics and sports the same?

• What is the difference between games and athletics?

• Who is considered an athlete?

• Is cricket an athletic sport?

• Why is India not enough compared to China, United kingdom and USA in Athletics?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Even as India’s sports federations are run abysmally, athletes perform well

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering Sports Theme:
📍 An athlete participates in Olympics for personal triumph and nation’s glory; victors are showered with cash incentives by various agencies, on their return. Discuss the merit of state sponsored talent hunt and its cultivation as against the rationale of a reward mechanism as encouragement. (UPSC Mains Examination GS-2, 2014)

Previous Year Prelims Questions Based on Sports theme:

📍 Consider the following statements in respect of the Laureus World Sports Award which was instituted in the year 2000 (Please refer Prelims 2021 GS question Paper for complete question)
1. American golfer Tiger Woods was the first winner of this award.
2. The award was received mostly by ‘Formula One’ players so far.
3. Roger Federer received this award maximum number of times compared to others.

📍Consider the following statements in respect of the 32nd Summer Olympics: (Please refer Prelims 2021 GS question Paper for complete question)
1. The official motto for this Olympics is ‘A New World’.
2. Sport Climbing, Surfing, Skateboarding, Karate and Baseball are included in this Olympics.

📍Consider the following statements in respect of the ICC World Test Championship (Please refer Prelims 2021 GS question Paper for complete question)
1. The finalists were decided by the number of matches they won.
2. New Zealand was ranked ahead of England because it won more matches than England.

EXPRESS NETWORK

Ahmedabad station to be developed on Modhera Sun temple model: Shah

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.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Modhera Sun Temple-Location

• Modhera Sun Temple-Architecture of the Temple

• Modhera Sun Temple and river Pushpavati-Connect the dot

• Who built Modhera Sun Temple?

• What are the main components of Sun Temple Modhera?

• Know in detail about the Chalukya dynasty

• How Maru-Gurjara temple architecture is different from Nagara and Dravidian style of Temple architecture?

• Know the name of some important architecture under Maru-Gurjara architecture or Chalukya style

• Which type of stone and materials were used to build the temples in western part of India?

• Other famous sun temples in India-Know about them

• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-Powers, Functions, Role and Mandate

• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-Significance

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍‘Temples of India’ an ode to geometry, architecture

Previous Year Mains Questions Covering the same theme:

📍 Safeguarding the Indian art Heritage is the need of the moment. Discuss (GS-1, 2018)

📍 Indian philosophy and tradition played a significant role in conceiving and shaping the monuments and art in India. Discuss (GS-1, 2020)

Previous Year Prelims Questions Covering the same theme:
📍 Which of the following is/are famous for Sun temples? (Please refer Prelims 2017 GS question Paper for complete question)
1. Arasavalli
2. Amarakantak
3. Omkareshwar

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

Expand Agnipath

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Role of civil services in a democracy.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- Prakash Singh writes: An Agnipath scheme for the AIS will help to remove complacency and smugness in bureaucracy, prod officers to become performance-oriented, acquire new skills and flair for innovation in administration.

• The Author of this Article wants ‘Similar Agnipath Scheme is perhaps called for with regard to the All India Services (AIS)’-Know his arguments why it is required?

• All India Services and Article 312 in Indian Constitution-Know in detail

• According to Author, “There is no agni in All India Services officers”-Analyse this statement

• According to Author, “The AIS have become very, very top-heavy”-Elaborate by attesting some examples

• According to Author, “the Government of India should think of an Agnipath scheme for the All India Services. The performance of all AIS officers should be subjected to a strict review at three stages-once when they have completed 15 years of service, then after 25 years of service, and, finally, after 30 years of service”-How far you agree with this statement given?

• The second Administrative Reforms Commission and All India Services reforms-Connect the dot

• Know about the recommendation of Alagh Committee on Recruitment and Selection Procedures (2001), Surinder Nath Committee on Performance Appraisal, Promotion, Empanelment and Placement for the All India Services and other Group ‘A’ Services (2003), Yugandhar Committee on In-Service Training (2003), Hota Committee on Civil Service Reforms (2004).

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Committee Reports

📍UPSC ethics simplified: From ‘babus’ to ‘civil servants’

📍UPSC Ethics Simplified: Indian Police and Ethics

EXPLAINED

Why monkeypox is spreading, but not as fast as Covid-19

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- On July 23, the WHO Director-General declared the escalating global monkeypox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

• What is Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in the International Health Regulations (2005)?

• What are the International Health Regulations (2005)?

• What does Monkeypox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) mean?

• Where has monkeypox occurred before?

• Is monkeypox sexually transmitted?

• Monkeypox and Monkeypox virus-Know in detail

• Viruses-Know their evolution

• What is the difference Between DNA and RNA Viruses?

• Good Viruses and Bad Viruses-Role in Ecosystem, Environment and in Human Body

• Viruses that help and protect-Know about them

• Anthropogenic zoonotic viral transmission-How?

• Virus and Future-Way ahead

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Viruses and Environment

📍Explained: What is monkeypox, a smallpox-like disease from Africa that has been reported in the UK?

Making use of forex reserves

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, mobilisation, of resources, growth, development and employment.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- From a peak of $642.45 billion on September 3, India’s foreign exchange reserves have dipped to $572.71 billion as of July 15. That’s a fall of almost $70 billion in just over 10 months.

• For Your Information-A country typically accumulates forex reserves when its earnings from export of goods and services exceed payments against imports. The current account surpluses result in a build-up of reserves, as the central bank mops up all the excess foreign currency flowing into the country.

• Do You Know- Foreign exchange reserves are held in the form of dollars as well as non-dollar currencies and gold, whose value is, in turn, influenced by movements in exchange rates and gold prices. A depreciation of the US dollar or higher gold prices, then, causes valuation gains in the existing stock of reserves.

• What is meant by foreign exchange reserves?

• Which country has highest forex reserves as of now? How do foreign exchange reserves increase?

• What is a Currency Reserve?

• Currency Reserve is a part of foreign exchange reserves?

• What is Current account deficit (CAD)?

• How Current Account Deficit and Fiscal Deficit reinforces each other?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Currency Reserve

📍Explained: Why has the forex kitty dipped $44.73 billion in 8 months?

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