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Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for July 16th, 2024. If you missed the July 15th, 2024 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here.
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UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance
Mains Examination: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation
What’s the ongoing story- The Education Ministry has stopped funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the flagship school education programme, to Delhi, Punjab and West Bengal because of their reluctance to participate in the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) scheme, The Indian Express has learnt.
Prerequisites:
— What is the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)?
— What is the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) scheme?
— What is the National Education Policy (NEP)?
Key takeaways:
— (PM-SHRI) scheme, with a budget of over Rs 27,000 crore for the next five years — the Centre is supposed to shoulder 60% of the financial burden and the states 40% — aims to upgrade at least 14,500 government schools into “exemplar” institutions to showcase the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
— States have to confirm their participation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Education Ministry. Five states — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Delhi, Punjab and West Bengal — are yet to sign the MoU.
— The three states have not received the third and fourth installments of SSA funds for the last financial year’s October-December…
— A senior ministry official said states cannot continue to receive funds under the SSA and not implement the PM-SHRI scheme, which is a part of the programme.
For Your Information:
— A centrally sponsored scheme is one in which the cost of implementation is mostly split in a 60:40 ratio between the Union government and the states/UTs. The mid-day meal scheme (now PM Poshan) or the PM Awas Yojana are examples of centrally sponsored schemes.
— In the case of the Northeastern states, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and UTs without legislatures, the Centre’s contribution can go up to 90 per cent.
Points to Ponder:
— What is the need for the NEP?
— What are the pros and cons of the PM-SHRI scheme?
— What are the challenges of the education system in India?
Post Read Question:
Prelims
Which of the following provisions of the Constitution does India have a bearing on Education? (UPSC CSE 2012)
1. Directive Principles of State Policy
2. Rural and Urban Local Bodies
3. Fifth Schedule
4. Sixth Schedule
5. Seventh Schedule
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3, 4 and 5 only
(c) 1, 2 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Mains
Discuss the main objectives of Population Education and point out the measures to achieve them in India in detail. (UPSC CSE 2021)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
PM SHRI: Schools upgraded to ‘NEP labs’
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-I, II: World History, Government policies and interventions
What’s the ongoing story- Ashutosh Varshney writes: “Every political assassination is a joint communiqué,” wrote Ashis Nandy four decades ago. “It is a statement which the assassin and his victim jointly… co-author… Even when the killer is mentally ill and acts alone, he in his illness represents larger historical and psychological forces which connect him to his victim.”
Prerequisites:
— What are the problems of gun culture in American society?
— Why bearing arms is a constitutional right in America?
Key takeaways:
— America has a substantial history of political assassinations. Four presidents lost their lives to the bullets of assassins, including Abraham Lincoln (1865) and John F Kennedy (1963). These assassinations, broadly speaking, were committed during a period of intense political polarisation. But Americans also sought to come together after each such act, at least in the short run.
— Will America come together this time? The chances are slim. Two of the Republican front-runners for Trump’s vice presidency have already blamed the attempted assassination on the Democratic party’s election campaign.
— Democracy is a system that, in principle, allows for a non-violent resolution of such conflicts. But America’s gun-owning laws add a violent edge to the political struggle. Virtually alone in the modern world, the US allows “bearing arms” as a constitutional right. The Second Amendment, ratified in 1791, affirms this right.
— The rationale was two-fold. James Madison, a founding father, argued that a militia could defend a community against oppressive federal armies…The second argument had to do with personal safety.
— Even today, as the Pew Research Report of 2023 showed, 47 per cent of adults in rural areas of the US are gun owners, a share that drops to 30 per cent in suburbs and 20 per cent in urban areas.
For Your Information:
— According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, there were over 600 mass shootings in the US in 2022 alone. The country has one of the highest rates of gun violence in the world, with more than 44,000 gun-related deaths reported in the same year.
— One of the key reasons for the lack of significant gun control legislation in the US is the powerful lobby of arms manufacturers. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and other pro-gun organisations have great influence on American politics.
Points to Ponder:
— What was the reason for the Civil War in America?
— What is the US Declaration of Rights?
— What is the American War of Independence?
— What is the Gun Control Legislation of India?
Post Read Question:
The American Revolution was an economic revolt against mercantilism. Substantiate. (UPSC CSE 2013)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
I admire US democracy. That’s why I think shooting at Trump rally must lead to stricter gun control
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economy
Mains Examination: GS-III: Economy
What’s the ongoing story- The latest inflation data points towards a continuing dilemma for the monetary policy committee. Retail inflation, as measured by the consumer price index, rose to 5.08 per cent in June, up from 4.8 per cent in May. But this increase was largely on the back of rising food prices.
Prerequisites:
— What is the role of the Monetary Policy Committee?
— What is the consumer price index?
— What is food inflation?
— What is core inflation?
Key takeaways:
— Core inflation, which excludes the volatile fuel and food components, remained subdued, indicating that the underlying price pressures in the economy are muted.
— Inflation is elevated in cereals, fruits, vegetables, and pulses. Vegetable inflation has now, in fact, been in double digits for several months, in part reflecting the impact of the heatwave.
— As food accounts for a higher share of the consumption basket of the poor, they are impacted to a greater extent by these high prices. Much now depends on the rains.
For Your Information:
— The Reserve Bank of India has left the repo rate — the rate at which it lends to banks — unchanged at 6.5 per cent on concerns over rise in food inflation, and revised upwards the real gross domestic product (GDP) growth projection for 2024-25 to 7.2 per cent.
Points to Ponder:
— What is the impact of monsoon on food inflation?
— How the increase or decrease in the Repo rate impact inflation?
— What are the different types of monetary policy?
— What are the different tools used by the RBI to control inflation in the economy?
(Thought process: Tools of RBI- Repo rate, Reverse repo rate, Bank rate, Open market operations, Statutory liquidity ratio (SLR), Cash reserve ratio (CRR), Liquidity adjustment facility (LAF), and Market stabilization scheme.)
Post Read Question:
Prelims
If the RBI decides to adopt an expansionist monetary policy, which of the following would it not do? (UPSC CSE 2020)
1. Cut and optimize the Statutory Liquidity Ratio
2. Increase the Marginal Standing Facility Rate
3. Cut the Bank Rate and Repo Rate
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Mains
Do you agree that the Indian economy has recently experienced V-shaped recovery? Give reasons in support of your answer. (UPSC CSE 2021)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
High food inflation, RBI retains rate at 6.5%; ups FY25 GDP forecast to 7.2%
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-II: Governance, Constitution and Polity
What’s the ongoing story- The Centre last Thursday constituted a single-member committee under the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to examine all documents submitted by probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar to secure her candidature in the civil services. Khedkar secured a rank of 821 in the 2022 UPSC Civil Services Examination, and was allotted the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Physically Handicapped (PH) quotas. Questions have been raised about her appointment under these categories.
Prerequisites:
— What is the role of UPSC?
— What is the process of recruitment of civil servants?
Key takeaways:
— Khedkar’s actions as a civil servant are governed primarily by two rules: the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, and the Indian Administrative Service (Probation) Rules, 1954.
— All IAS, Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service officers are governed by the AIS (Conduct) Rules from the time they are allotted their service, and begin training.
— Rule 4(1) is more specific about what is “unbecoming”. It states that officers must not use their “position or influence” to “secure employment for any member of his family with any private undertaking or NGO”.
— According to Rule 11(1), officers may accept gifts from “near relatives” or “personal friends” with whom they have “no official dealings”, on occasions such as “weddings, anniversaries, funerals and religious functions”. However, they must report (to the government) any gift whose value exceeds Rs 25,000. This threshold was last updated in 2015.
— There is an additional set of rules that govern the conduct of officers during their probation period, which lasts for at least two years after selection to the services. This includes the period of the officers’ training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie. At the end of two years, officers sit for an examination, after clearing which they are confirmed in their respective services.
— During the probation period, officers draw a fixed salary and travel allowance. But they are not entitled to, as a right, a number of benefits that confirmed IAS officers receive. These include, among other things, an official car with a VIP number plate, official accommodation, an official chamber with adequate staff, a constable, etc.
— Since the batch of 1995, 27% seats in the services have been reserved for the OBC category. The Physically Handicapped (PH) reservation was introduced with the batch of 2006 — 3% seats in every category (General, OBC, SC, and ST) are reserved for the differently abled.
For Your Information:
— There are 5 major areas where disability certificates are issued – locomotor, visual, hearing, mental (dyslexia and others) and blood disorders (like haemophilia , thalassaemia. There are another 21 subsets of disabilities under the five categories and accordingly the applications are processed.
— Once the application is submitted online the candidate then selects his/her preference of hospital where tests are carried out and accordingly certificates of disability are issued.
Points to Ponder:
— Who is concerned with the cadre management and training of the civil servants?
— What are the concerns in respect to the process of training of civil servants?
— What necessary changes can be made in this?
Post Read Question:
Which of the following committees has been formed to recommend reforms in the UPSC examination?
(a) Hota Committee
(b) Krishna Iyer Committee
(c) Shyam Benegal Committee
(d) PK Mohanty Committee
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Puja Khedkar has 7% physical disability, minimum 40% needed to avail benefits: YCM hospital dean
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-II: Government Policies & Interventions
What’s the ongoing story- The Supreme Court last week declared Assam resident Md Rahim Ali a citizen of India, throwing out the decision of a Foreigners’ Tribunal in the state. The historic judgment written by Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah for himself and Justice Vikram Nath also clarified the law in cases of allegations of foreign nationality, and discharge of the burden of proof by the person under scrutiny.
Prerequisites:
— What is the recent amendment to the Citizenship Act?
— What is the role of the Foreigners’ Tribunal?
— What is the National Register of Citizens (NRC)
Key takeaways:
— Section 9 of The Foreigners Act, 1946, puts the burden of proof on the person who is alleged to be a foreigner. However, as the SC said in its judgment, “the question is that does Section 9…empower the Executive to pick a person at random,…tell him/ her/ they/ them ‘We suspect you of being a foreigner’, and then rest easy basis Section 9?”
— While the burden of proof may be on the accused under the Foreigners Act, this burden is to be discharged only after the state has shared the material on which the allegation is founded, the court said.
— The supply of this material is an integral part of the classic rule of natural justice, audi alteram partem, i.e., no one shall be condemned unheard.
— The judgment will alleviate the anxieties of many people who, following the enactment of The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, and the proposal to have a nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC), are worried about minor spelling mistakes in their and their parents’ names, or similar discrepancies in dates.
— Foreigners’ Tribunals were established under The Foreigners Act, a colonial legislation that preceded the Constitution of India, and which was meant to deal with foreigners rather than citizens.
— They were established in 1964 by an executive order of the Home Ministry, even though under Article 323B of the Constitution, tribunals may be established by “the appropriate legislature” by “law”.
— Under Section 2(a) of the 1946 Act, “a foreigner means a person who is not a citizen of India”. Thus, it will be applicable only to persons against whom there is strong evidence of being a foreigner in the sense that they were caught while entering India, or they were in possession of a passport of another country.
For Your Information:
— The CAA aims to give citizenship to the target group of migrants even if they do not have valid travel documents as mandated in The Citizenship Act, 1955. The CAA presumes that members of these communities who entered India faced religious persecution in these countries. The law has also cut the period of citizenship by naturalisation from 11 years to five.
Points to Ponder:
— Which constitutional articles are responsible for Citizenship?
— What are the concerns with CAA?
— What are the ways of acquiring citizenship in India?
(Thought Process: The Citizenship Act of 1955 prescribes five ways of acquiring citizenship,
viz, birth, descent, registration, naturalisation and incorporation of territory.)
Post Read Question:
With reference to India, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2021)
1. There is only one citizenship and one domicile.
2. A citizen by birth only can become the Head of State.
3. A foreigner once granted citizenship cannot be deprived of it under any circumstances.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 2 and 3
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economy
Mains Examination: GS-II, III: International Relations, Economy
What’s the ongoing story- India is aiming to discuss ways to eliminate non-tariff barriers (NTBs) that Indian exporters are facing in Russia in order to boost exports to the region, Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal told reporters during a press briefing on Monday, adding that a visit for the same is being planned too.
Prerequisites:
— What are non-tariff barriers (NTBs)?
— What is the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU)?
Key takeaways:
— This comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss deeper trade ties, setting a bilateral trade target of $100 billion by 2030 and initiating talks for a trade deal with Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) that consists of five member states: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia, representing a $5 trillion economy.
— NTBs come in the form of quotas, embargoes or technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures that are used to ensure safety, quality and performance of goods. However, they often act as a deterrent to exports.
— Currently, the India-Russia trade is skewed in favour of Russia due to rapid rise in petroleum imports. Russia has ascended to become India’s top oil supplier after the start of the Ukraine war, but Indian exports to Russia have struggled, resulting in a $57 billion trade deficit in the bilateral trade worth $66 billion in FY24.
For Your Information:
— In a strategic move to curb its burgeoning oil import bill and reduce dependence on the expensive US dollar, New Delhi aims to bolster bilateral trade with Moscow to $100 billion by 2030.
— The biggest challenge has been the reluctance of private banks to facilitate trade with Russia due to fears of Western sanctions. Most private banks have significant business interests in Western countries and multiple branches that could face sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU) and the US.
Points to Ponder:
— What is the status of India-Russia bilateral trade?
— What are the measures taken by India to increase India’s exports to Russia?
— How do tariffs and non-tariff barriers (NTBs) act as a barrier to trade?
Post Read Question:
How can India mitigate the challenges posed by the trade deficit with Russia to internationalize the rupee?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
The Yuan Challenge: How India-Russia trade gap may threaten rupee internationalisation efforts
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-II, III: Initiatives of the government, International Organisations
What’s the ongoing story- Recognising India as a “leader” in the digital public infrastructure (DPI) sector, a G20 task-force has said that if the country wishes to retain its “leadership” role, it has to take on added responsibility so that these digital solutions can reach countries around the world, especially the Global South.
Prerequisites:
— What is the digital public infrastructure?
— Who constitutes the Global South?
— What is the G20 task force?
Key takeaways:
— The final ‘Report of India’s G20 Task Force on Digital Public Infrastructure’ by ‘India’s G20 Task Force on Digital Public Infrastructure for Economic Transformation, Financial Inclusion and Development’ released Monday said that the country needs to identify an existing body to harness the DPI ecosystem across various regions and countries, especially Global South countries.
— The Reserve Bank of India is continually engaging with various Indian Missions abroad for globalising the UPI payment rails, and the National Payment Corporation of India’s (NPCI’s) international arm has reached out for “UPI globalisation” to over 80 countries, and has executed agreements with more than 20 payment partners covering over 30 countries.
— The final report also said that integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with DPIs can amplify their capabilities, but cautioned that such integration should be done with guardrails of ethical use of AI and data privacy.
For Your Information:
— According to the report, DPI is an approach designed to solve multi-faceted complex societal problems that ultimately require both public and private participation and innovation.
— It allows nations to fast-track their economic development in an inclusive and competitive manner, leveraging cutting-edge technology, good governance and markets to drive outcomes such as health and financial inclusion, human development, access to jobs and employment, and improved public services, it said.
Points to Ponder:
— What are the concerns with the integration of AI with DPIs?
— What are the pillars of India’s DPIs ecosystem?
— What are the challenges of DPI?
— How has DPI transformed other sectors?
Post Read Question:
What are the transformations brought about by India’s Digital Public Infrastructure? Discuss the emerging challenges and suggest ways to address them.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
India pitches for global adoption of DPI for sustainable growth: G20 Task Force Report
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-I, II, III: Geography, Government initiatives, Disaster Management
What’s the ongoing story- Arupjyoti Saikia writes: Assam’s geography is a product of various influences. These include the mighty eastern Himalaya, its fragile geology and forested landscape, the effect of the southwest monsoon… The months of July and August are infamous for the suffering it brings to the state’s people and wildlife.
Prerequisites:
— What are the reasons for floods?
— What is the extent of the Brahmaputra river?
Key takeaways:
— A wide range of evidence suggests an increase in the intensity and impact of the annual floods after the Assam earthquake of 1950, recorded at a moment magnitude of 8.6.
— As early as 1950, Assam had asked the Government of India to build embankments to help the state overcome overwhelming floods. A committee appointed by the government in 1951, headed by G R Garg of the Central Waterways, Irrigation and Navigation Commission, thought otherwise. The Garg committee warned against any move to build embankments… embankments would probably cause more harm than good.
— Despite such apprehensions, Assam pushed for embankments. Between the 1950s and 1970s, thousands of kilometres of embankments were constructed along the Brahmaputra, the Barak, and their numerous tributaries.
— These embankments were the first major direct intervention aimed at controlling water flow on such a vast scale. Embankments had a simple goal: They would restrict the river from flooding fields, damaging crops, properties, livestock but they would keep the fields adequately wet.
—The embankments helped instil confidence among the rural population. But the sense of relief was short-lived. Aided by many forces, including holes made by rats, deluges continued to defy these walls. Yet, despite regular setbacks and the decided failure of the embankments, engineers, technocrats, contractors, elected representatives, and a section of the population collectively pushed for the expansion of embankments.
Points to Ponder:
— What are the pros and cons of using embankments as a solution to flood management?
— What is the impact of the flood on the economy and human life?
— What initiatives have been taken by the government to control floods?
Post Read Question:
Prelims
Which of the following is/are tributary/tributaries of Brahmaputra? (UPSC CSE 2016)
1. Dibang
2. Kameng
3. Lohit
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Mains
The frequency of urban floods due to high intensity rainfall is increasing over the years. Discussing the reasons for urban floods, highlight the mechanisms for preparedness to reduce the risk during such events. (UPSC CSE 2016)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
ALSO IN NEWS |
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| 1. Bill of wrongs | Claiming that the existing anti-terror laws are insufficient, the Maharashtra government last week tabled the Special Public Security Bill, 2024, to tackle “urban Naxalism.” |
| 2. Oli returns as Nepal’s fifth PM in five years, vows political stability | K P Sharma Oli, Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal -Unified Marxist Leninist, took the oath of office and secrecy Monday as the new Prime Minister of the country heading a four-party council of 22 ministers with members. |
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