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Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for November 14, 2022. If you missed the November 11, 2022 UPSC key from the Indian Express, read it here
FRONT PAGE
PM heads to Bali for G-20 meet in Ukraine shadow
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Main Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s Interests
Key Points to Ponder:
• What’s the ongoing story- A DAY before Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads for the G-20 summit in Bali, where India will be handed the group’s presidency for the year ahead, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra underlined Sunday the key challenges that confront world leaders, including the “ongoing conflict” in Ukraine and “its knock-on effect, such as food security challenges, energy crisis and inflation”.
• What is G20?
• Know the origin of G20
• How G20 Works?
• G20 or Group of Twenty-About, Purpose and Member Countries
• What is the theme of India’s G20 Presidency?
• For Your Information-The G20 Presidency steers the G20 agenda for one year and hosts the Summit. The G20 consists of two parallel tracks: the Finance Track and the Sherpa Track. Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors lead the Finance Track while Sherpas lead the Sherpa Track. The Group does not have a permanent secretariat.
• India is currently part of the G-20 Troika (current, previous and incoming presidencies) comprising Indonesia, Italy and India-What is G20 ‘Troika’?
• G20 ‘Troika’ and India-Know in detail
• Procedure for taking over the G20 presidency-How it is Decided?
• G20-Relevance in today’s Changing Geopolitical Dynamics?
• Map Work-G20 member Countries
• In the context of India’s G-20 presidency, what will be India’s “evolving priorities”?
• “Greater voice for the global south” in economic cooperation and the need to “reform 21st century institutions”-Why the term ‘Global South’ is gaining currency?
• ‘G-20 deliberations have acquired a greater salience in the current global economic and political context’-Discuss
• Do You Know-The G-20, or Group of 20, is an intergovernmental forum of major developed and developing economies. It comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and nations under the European Union (EU). The G-20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation representing around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world’s population.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Ukraine war, tensions with China loom over big Bali summit
Punjab govt bans public display of firearms, songs glorifying weapons
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
Main Examination: General Studies I: Effects of globalization on Indian society.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What’s the ongoing story-AMID SHARP Opposition criticism over an allegedly deteriorating law and order situation, Punjab’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government Sunday ordered a complete ban on public display of weapons and songs glorifying violence. In a communication to the Director General of Police, Commissioners of Police, District Magistrates and Senior Superintendents of Police, the Punjab Home Department also directed a review of all firearm licences issued in the state so far within three months.
• Why Punjab government ordered a complete ban on public display of weapons and songs glorifying violence?
• What is the extent of weapons glorification and associated violence Punjab?
• Glorifying gun culture in Punjab or Hollywood’s depiction of guns- How glorification of weapons is a risk to society’s health?
• ‘Songs idolising weapons have an adverse effect over the youth’- elaborate
• ‘Punjab is a land of rich culture and heritage, but because of the glorification of weapons in Punjabi songs, the folk heritage and culture of songs are diminishing’-Comment
• What are the Weapons control laws in India?
• Why has the gun culture grown in India, despite the fact that the rules governing firearms are far stricter?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Row over Moosewala: Singers should not promote gun culture, says Olympic shooter
THE CITY
‘POCSO Act not meant to criminalise consenting young adult relationships’
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
Main Examination: General Studies I: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What’s the ongoing story- While granting bail to a man booked for kidnapping and offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), the Delhi High Court recently held that the Act intends to protect children from sexual exploitation and not “criminalise consensual romantic relationships between young adults”.
• What is the meaning of perversion of justice?
• What Delhi High Court said in this particular case?
• What is the case or the issue?
• Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012- Know the Salient features of the Act and its amendment
• Who is regarded as child as per the provisions of POCSO Act, 2012?
• Why Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012?
• What are the challenges associated with child sexual abuse?
• What are the Initiatives, legislations and laws taken by the Government of India in this direction?
• What are the Rights of a child in India as per the Indian Constitution?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Explained: How the POCSO Act has been amended
GOVT & POLITICS
Dhankhar highlights EAS role in free Indo-Pacific
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 interests.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What’s the ongoing story-Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday addressed the 17th East Asia Summit (EAS) here, during which he highlighted global concerns on food and energy security, and emphasised the role of the EAS mechanism in promoting free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific with freedom of navigation and overflight. The US, India and several other world powers have been discussing the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China’s rising military manoeuvring in the region.
• What is the East Asia Summit?
• What is the rationality behind the East Asia Summit?
• Map Work-East Asian Countries
• For Your Information-The East Asia Summit (EAS) is the Indo-Pacific’s premier forum for strategic dialogue. It is the only leader-led forum at which all key Indo-Pacific partners meet to discuss political, security and economic challenges facing the region, and has an important role to play in advancing closer regional cooperation. Australia participated, as a founding member, in the inaugural EAS held in Kuala Lumpur on 14 December 2005.
• Who is hosting the East Asia Summit 2022?
• What is the significance of East Asia Summit?
• The ASEAN and EAS-connect the dots?
• The ASEAN and EAS and India-Connect the dots
• When and Where the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established?
• What was Bangkok Declaration?
• Who were the Founding Fathers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)and East Asia Summit?
• Which are the current members of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)?
• Know the ASEAN-led Forums name and their objectives
• ASEAN and EAS commands greater influence on Asia-Pacific trade, political, and security issues, together they contributes what percentage to world economy?
• Know the Economic relations between India and ASEAN in detail
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍At summit, India & ASEAN reaffirm importance of freedom of navigation
EXPRESS NETWORK
One-time poll sop OK but revival of pension scheme sinful: Panagariya
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
Main Examination: General Studies II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What’s the ongoing story- Amid a political tussle over the issue of freebies for voters, and the Supreme Court referring a plea on the matter to a larger bench, former NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya said that a poll promise is “fair game” if it is a one-time sop and does “not create long-term liability” for the next government. Panagariya, however, described as “sinful” and “immoral” poll promises, such as reviving the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), which will result in significant financial burden for governments in the future.
• The demand for restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) has emerged as a major poll plank both in Gujrat and in Himachal Pradesh-why?
• What is the Old Pension Scheme (OPS)?
• Why the old pension scheme was discontinued?
• What is the New Pension Scheme (NPS)?
• What is the difference between the old and new pension schemes?
• Why have some employees criticised the New Pension Scheme?
• What is the argument over the financial burden of OPS?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍With elections due in Gujarat, AAP and Congress promise a return to old pension scheme
THE IDEAS PAGE
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- Ashok Gulati , Ritika Juneja writes: The agriculture of tomorrow is going to be science-based, and the winners will be those who adopt it and develop it further today.
• Quick Recap-As soon as the government took the decision to release India’s first genetically-modified (GM) food crop — Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11) — for “environment release”, some activists approached the Supreme Court to ban it for various reasons. The Supreme Court has ordered the status quo to be maintained till the next hearing on the matter on November 17.
• Why opposition to GM food crops?
• “Despite of the opposition to GM crops, they have spread around the world since 1996 and By 2019, roughly 190 million hectares were under GM crops, led by corn and soyabean in the US, Brazil, Argentina, and Canada”-What led to the spread of the GM crops?
• India’s tryst with GM crop-Know the background and chronology
• According to the writers, “Bt Cotton led the production of cotton increased remarkably from a mere 13.6 million bales in 2002-03 to 39.8 million bales in 2013-14, registering an increase of 192 per cent in just 12 years, ushering the famous gene revolution”-Discuss
• What is “gene revolution”?
• What happens in gene revolution?
• How Bt Cotton led to the gene revolution?
• The success of Bt cotton holds many lessons for policymakers but it is not free from controversy and debate-What
sort of controversy and debates associated with Bt Cotton?
• What exactly is hybrid mustard or Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11?
• So, how has hybridisation been achieved in mustard?
• What has Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) now done?
• Why did it take so long for Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) to clear?
• So, will Indian farmers finally plant GM mustard?
• For Your Information-DMH-11 contains two alien genes isolated from a soil bacterium called Bacillus amyloliquefaciens that enable breeding of high- yielding commercial mustard hybrids. Proponents of the GM technology-based crop say it is necessary for boosting domestic oilseed and vegetable oil production. India annually produces only 8.5-9 million tonnes (mt) of edible oil, while importing 14-14.5 mt that entailed a record foreign exchange outgo of $18.99 billion in 2021-22 (April-March).
• Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC)-Know in detail
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
EXPLAINED
NINTH SCHEDULE (OF CONSTITUTION)
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
Main Examination: General Studies I: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What’s the ongoing story- The Jharkhand Assembly on Friday (November 11) cleared two Bills, one increasing reservation in vacant government posts and services in the state to 77 per cent, and the second to use land records with 1932 as the cut-off year to determine domicile status the definition of ‘local residents’. However, the Bill came with a caveat — Chief Minister Hemant Soren said they would into force only after the Centre carries out amendments to include these in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.
• What are the key provisions of ‘Jharkhand Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services (Amendment) Bill, 2022’ and ‘Jharkhand Definition of Local Persons and for Extending the Consequential, Social, Cultural and Other Benefits to Such Local Persons Bill, 2022’?
• Why the need to include in Ninth Schedule
• What is the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution?
• Are laws in the Ninth Schedule completely exempt from judicial scrutiny?
• What Supreme Court of India said in I R Coelho v State of Tamil Nadu?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Explained: LJP wants quota law to be included in Ninth Schedule; what is this?
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development
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-India’s agriculture exports have grown 16.5% year-on-year in April-September, and look set to surpass the record $50.2 billion achieved in 2021-22 (April-March). Interestingly, even commodities whose exports have been subjected to curbs — wheat, rice and sugar — have shown impressive jumps in shipments.
• India’s agriculture exports have grown 16.5% year-on-year in April-September, and look set to surpass the record $50.2 billion achieved in 2021-22 (April-March)-Know India’s Farm Exports
• What do you understand by ‘Exports’ and ‘Imports’?
• Despite curbs, Why exports have increased?
• The impressive growth in exports is, however, offset somewhat by imports that have surged even more-Why?
• Almost 60% of India’s total agri imports is accounted for by a single commodity: vegetable oils-Know the reasons
• How sustainable is the growth in Agri-exports, given India’s resource endowments and the country’s domestic need?
• Know the composition of Agri-exports in detail
• India’s Agricultural Trade-Know the data
• India’s Farm Exports and World food Prices-Compare and Contrast
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Farm exports hit high, so do imports
The sword of Shivaji, which Maharashtra wants back
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: History of India and Indian National Movement.
Main 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:
• What’s the ongoing story- The Maharashtra government on Thursday (November 10) announced that it is working to bring back the sword of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj from London to India.
• What is the history of the sword of Shivaji?
• Where is the sword of Shivaji now in London?
• Why was the sword of Shivaji gifted to Prince Edward?
• What efforts have been made in the past to bring the sword back?
• What is the difference between the “Bhavani” and “Jagdamba” swords?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Maharashtra will discuss return of Shivaji sword with UK PM: minister
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