UPSC Key-June 10, 2022: Why are ‘Fast Radio Burst’ or ‘Hasdeo Aranya’ and ‘Marijuana’ Important for the UPSC CSE?

Next President will be elected on July 18, Opp for contest against NDA

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance

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:

• The President of India is integral part of the Union Executive-True or False

• Know in detail about Article 54 to Article 58 of the Indian Constitution

• Who elects the President of India?

• The President is elected by members of the electoral college rather than by the general public. What does the electoral college entail?

• What is the term of the office of the President?

• When is the election of the Office of President of India held?

• Who conducts the election to the Office of President of India?

• What electoral system/process is followed for the election to the office of the President?

• What is System of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote?

• Why System of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote is used for President’s Election in India?

• The voting at the President’s election shall be by secret ballot-True or False?

• How Constitution of India provides uniformity in the scale of representation of different states as well as parity between the states as a whole and the Union at the election of the President?

• What are the Qualifications required by a candidate to contest the election to the Office of the President of India?

• Who is appointed the Returning Officer/Assistant Returning Officer for the election to the Office of President of India? Who makes such appointment?

• Can the result of the election to the Office of President be challenged? If so, what is the proper procedure for doing so?

• Are the provisions of the Anti-Defection Law applicable in Presidential elections?

• The oath of office to the President is administered by Whom?

• The President can be removed from office by a process of impeachment for ‘violation of the Constitution’-True or False?

• The Constitution of India defines the meaning of the phrase ‘violation of the Constitution’-True or False?

• What are the powers enjoyed and the functions performed by the President of India?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Presidential elections: Over 70 years, 14 Presidents, 15 big fights

📍Presidential Election

📍Explained: How the President is elected

We agree on need to respect religions: Iran FM after Delhi talks

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s Interest

Key Points to Ponder:

• The recent Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian’s first visit to India has many implications for bilateral relations-What are they?

• India-Iran Bilateral Relations-Know the background

• India and Iran-What are the areas of Cooperation?

• India and Iran-What are the issues and diplomatic tussles between the two nations in the recent time?

• Know in detail about Infrastructure projects like Chahbahar Port, International North South Transport Corridor

• Know the significance of Chahbahar Port for India

• Map Work-Location of Chabahar Port

• Why there is Geopolitical Competition Over Chabahar Port?

• India-Iran Bilateral Relations-Know the Challenges

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Chabahar Port and Iran’s Strategic Balancing with China and India

📍Indo-Iran relations down the ages: Blow hot, blow cold

GOVT & POLITICS

Wheat stock in Central pool at lowest level since 2008

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development and employment, Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country

Key Points to Ponder:

• Wheat stock in the Central pool stood at 311.42 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) on June 1, which is the lowest since 2008-What can be the possible reasons for low stock?

• From an all-time high last year, procurement of wheat is set to hit a 15-year low this season, falling below existing stocks for the first time. What are the main reasons for procurement plunging to a 15-year-low this time?

• Wheat Production in India-Know all the facts like Highest producing States, Geography and Environment associated with Wheat Production like Soil, temperature, Rainfall and Humidity etc.

•Why there is a lower procurement in the ongoing rabi marketing season 2022-23?

• Wheat Production in India-Wheat is a Rabi or Kharif Crop?

• Wheat production in India-Know the statistics

• How does the government procure wheat-Know about government’s wheat procurement policy

• What is the procurement scale against the total production of wheat in India?

• From how many states is wheat procured for the central pool?

• How much wheat is procured for the central pool by the Food Corporation of India every year?

• What is the procurement scale against the total production of wheat in India?

• What is the share of wheat contribution of various states to the central pool?

• Food Corporation of India (FCI)-About, Role, Functions

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Behind low wheat procurement

📍Caught with Chaff

EXPRESSNETWORK

Baghel govt puts mining in Hasdeo Aranya on hold

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance

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 III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact

Key Points to Ponder:

• Locate on Map-Hasdeo Aranya Forest

• Why Hasdeo Aranya forest was in News?

• Which is the largest coal field in Chhattisgarh?

• Deforestation and mining in Hasdeo Aranya Forest-Why it is against the development of people?

• Know the overlapping National Park or wildlife sanctuary with Hasdeo Aranya forest like Tadoba Tiger Reserve or lemru elephant reserve etc.

• What are the possible consequences of mining in this region?

• The Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), a government body comes under which Ministry?

• Earlier deemed Hasdeo Aranya area as a “no-go area”. What is “no-go-Area”?

• Know more about Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education

• What do you understand by the term ‘Environmental Impact Assessment’ (EIA)?

• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environment Protection Act, 1986-How they are related with each other?

• Why Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is Important?

• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and India-connect the Dots

• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Rules Amendment, 2006-Key features

• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification 2020-Key Highlights

• Environmental Impact Assessment-Achievements, Issues and Challenges

• Supreme court of India on Environment Impact Assessment (ex-post facto environmental clearance)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Hasdeo Aranya: Chhattisgarh government puts three mining projects on hold ‘indefinitely’

📍UPSC Ethics Simplified: What is Environmental Ethics?

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

MSP And More

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices

Key Points to Ponder:

• Minimum support price (MSP) and effectiveness of MSP implementation

• How MSP is calculated (paid out costs, labour etc.) and Crops covered under the MSP

• Legal backing for minimum support prices (MSP)-Know in detail

• “Right to MSP”-is it possible to implement and if not, then what are the issues and Challenges?

• MSP and Doubling Farmers Income

• Recommendation of Ashok Dalwai Committee and M. S. Swaminathan Committee

• The Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP)-Know in Detail

• The Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) and Minimum support prices (MSP)-Connect the dots

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Swaminathan Report: National Commission on Farmers

📍Explained: What are MSPs, and how are they decided?

THE WORLD

In a new high, Thailand becomes first in Asia to make marijuana legal

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 is Cannabis or Marijuana?

• What is the main psychoactive component of cannabis?

• What is Tetrahydrocannabinol and how it works in Human Body?

• Recently, Thailand made it legal to cultivate and possess marijuana. Why?

• Who are the other countries that have legalized marijuana so far?

• In India, how does the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 define cannabis?

• Are substances made from cannabis leaves also illegal under the NDPS Act?

• What are its medicinal qualities of Marijuana?

• What are the Challenges and Issues with Marijuana?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍The anatomy of the cannabis plant: what is illegal under NDPS Act, what is not?

📍Explained: The implications as UN removes cannabis from its ‘most dangerous drug’ category

EXPLAINED

Fast Radio Burst

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General Science

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is a ‘Fast Radio Burst (FRB)’?

• Fast radio bursts (FRB)-Know the key Features

• When was the first Fast radio bursts (FRB) discovered?

• How Fast radio bursts (FRB) will help scientists to understand the nature of intergalactic space?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Fast Radio Burst: Scientists detect second mysterious radio signal coming from space

What new corvettes will add to Navy capabilities

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate

Key Points to Ponder:

• What are corvettes in Indian Navy?

• What kind of Corvettes does the Indian Navy possess?

• What new capabilities will the new generation Corvettes have?

• India’s Naval Strength in terms of presence of corvette and frigate in Indian Navy-Know the Data

• What is Defence Acquisition Council?

• Defence Acquisition Council comes under which ministry?

• Who is the Chairman of the Defence Acquisition Council?

• What is ‘Digital Coast Guard’ project?

• What is the difference between Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy?

• What is the Point of Contention between Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Corvettes, Su-30 engines: Rs 76,390-cr procurement boost to Indian industry

Get an e-paper subscription via our special offer – click here
For any queries and feedback, contact priya.shukla@indianexpress.com
The UPSC KEY Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest Updates.