Key Points to Ponder:
— Know the constitutional provisions related to the President and Chief minister of state.
— What are the powers and functions of the President?
— What is the ‘Blue Book’?
— What is the importance of official protocol during visits of high constitutional authorities in India?
— What is meant by constitutional conventions?
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— What is the relationship between the Union and State executives in India?
— What is the President’s Rule?
— What is the difference between constitutional provisions and conventions in governance?
Key Takeaways:
— There are several instances where chief ministers were missing from the official reception of the President, Vice-President and Prime Minister, but West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee not nominating even a minister to receive President Droupadi Murmu is unusual.
— Visits and all related arrangements of the President, Vice-President and Prime Minister are managed according to the Blue Book, which is prepared and updated time-to-time by the Union Home Ministry and numbered (every copy has a number) copies are circulated to those concerned. At the ground level, in every district the book is kept in the custody of the District Magistrate and the head of the district police.
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— The Blue Book defines all arrangements necessary for the visits of the dignitaries. Those who have dealt with such arrangements on a number of occasions told The Indian Express that protocol suggests that all these three dignitaries visiting a state should be welcomed by the Governor and the Chief Minister. However, on a number of occasions, the Chief Minister designates one of the ministers to receive them.
— In West Bengal, there has not been an instance when the Prime Minister or the President has not been received by the Chief Minister (or by a minister). In a much controversial visit of PM Narendra Modi to the state in May 2021, Mamata had skipped a meeting on cyclone chaired by the PM, but she had welcomed him at the airport when he landed there.
— The Blue Book provisions are very strict and even a minor deviation opens inquiries at many levels. One thing is very clear that whoever is going to welcome the three dignitaries at the airport, railway station, on road entry to the state or sea port, the list is sent to respective secretariats (President, Vice-President or PM as may be) and it is approved by them only.
Do You Know:
— According to Article 356 (1) of Constitution of India, If the President, on receipt of a report from the Governor of a State or otherwise, is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the Government of the State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution, the President may by Proclamation—
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(a) assume to himself all or any of the functions of the Government of the State and all or any of the powers vested in or exercisable by the Governor or any body or authority in the State other than the Legislature of the State;
(b) declare that the powers of the Legislature of the State shall be exercisable by or under the authority of Parliament;
(c) make such incidental and consequential provisions as appear to the President to be necessary or desirable for giving effect to the objects of the Proclamation, including provisions for suspending in whole or in part the operation of any provisions of this Constitution relating to any body or authority in the State.
UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:
(1) Under Article 356 of the Indian Constitution, the President can impose President’s Rule in a state:
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(a) Only upon receiving a report from the Governor of the state
(b) Only after the state legislature passes a resolution requesting it
(c) Suo motu or upon receiving a report from the Governor
(d) Only if the Supreme Court recommends it
FRONT
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
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Mains Examination: General Studies-I, II, III: Effects of globalisation on Indian society, Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation, Awareness in the fields of IT.
What’s the ongoing story: The government is not in favour of a ban on social media for children, and is instead considering a more nuanced and graded approach in specifying restrictions for children under 18 years, according to top government sources.
Key Points to Ponder:
— What are social networking sites?
— Why is social media called a double-edged sword?
— What is the regulatory framework for social media in India?
— What are the reasons for introducing a ban on social media for teenagers?
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— How is social media impacting different sections of the society?
— How does it impact the children?
— What are the criticisms related to the age-based restriction on social media?
— What measures should be taken for better regulation of social media?
Key Takeaways:
— “There will be a certain set of restrictions for those in the 8-12 years age bracket, another set for 12-16 year olds, and different measures for those aged 16-18 years,” a senior government functionary told The Indian Express.
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— While the IT Ministry has over the weeks discussed the possibility of allowing limited usage to children at certain fixed hours during the day in its internal meetings, top government sources said there have been informal discussions amongst Cabinet ministers on the need for social media curbs on children. The government is also keen to have a wider public discourse on the issue, and would move ahead with the law once a series of consultations is conducted.
— “We are in favour of restrictions, but not a ban,” said the functionary responding to the announcements by Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. While Andhra has proposed banning social media for children below 13 years within the next 90 days, Karnataka has said it will ban children below 16 years from using social media.
— “The younger generation has more exposure, they are more aware, more mature, compared to previous generations… Hence, we do not believe in very harsh measures such as a ban. The regulations have to be nuanced and graded,” the functionary said, adding there have been informal discussions amongst Cabinet ministers, and there is a broad consensus on the need for curbs.
— Last month, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said the Centre was discussing age-based restrictions with social media companies.
—- Another government official said time-based limits, like not allowing log-ins in the evening and night to children, or specifying a certain period of time per day for children to access social media, are some measures being currently discussed. “Like how China has placed a strict one-hour period per day for children to access online gaming services… of course, all this will be linked to platforms also being required to gather parental consent,” the official said.
— Calls for banning social media use for children are gaining traction across the world, with the precedent set by a landmark Australian legislation that went into effect last year. Indonesia also recently announced it will ban Instagram and other “high-risk” social media platforms for users under 16 years old later this month.
—- French President Emmanuel Macron had called on India to consider banning social media for children during his keynote address at the India-AI Impact Summit last month. As the current G7 chair, France will work towards ensuring the protection of children against AI and digital abuse, he said.
— Across these moves, the refrain is largely similar: that social media platforms, which are seeing an exponential increase in problematic and harmful content, aided now also by artificial intelligence, could have an adverse impact on children, and lead to mental health related issues, among other things.
— Earlier this year, the Economic Survey 2025-26 called on the government to implement age-based limits for social media usage for children and digital ads targeted at them. The Survey’s recommendation stemmed from larger concerns surrounding “digital addiction” among young users.
— It also said that simpler devices, such as basic phones or education-only tablets, should be promoted among children along with enforced usage limits and content filters. This could reduce their exposure to harmful material, including violent, sexual, or gambling-related content, the Survey said.
— The industry is also sceptical of various state-level interventions, fearing that different administrations could issue varying prescriptions, which might lead to an inconsistency in compliance.
— Beyond operational challenges, there are also concerns around access to online services and how a ban on usage for kids could lead to discriminatory access, based on gender lines.
Do You Know:
— In today’s world, social media has emerged as a powerful force, connecting people on local, national, and international levels like never before due to previous technological advancements. However, it is often referred to as a double-edged sword due to the negative impact it has on multiple fronts
— A report by cybersecurity firm McAfee Corp informs that as many as 85 per cent of children in India have been victims of cyberbullying. Given the lasting emotional harm caused by cyberbullying, coupled with the tender age of its victims, the world of social media becomes an exceptionally challenging turf for parents.
— On the one hand, these platforms offer opportunities to connect with others who share similar identities or who support them. On the other hand, social media platforms also remain active sites of brazen transphobic and homophobic cyberbullying.
— The government of India has taken various initiatives for the effective regulation of social media platforms. Such as, Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (“IT Rules”).
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | Social Media, the double-edged sword: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains
📍Karnataka and Andhra move to ban social media use by children
📍Why social media governance demands balancing free speech with accountability
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
(2) In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the following to report on cyber security incidents? (UPSC CSE 2017)
1. Service providers
2. Data centres
3. Body corporate
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
What are social networking sites and what security implications do these sites present? (UPSC CSE 2013)
Social media is triggering ‘Fear of Missing Out’ amongst the youth, precipitating depression and loneliness. (UPSC CSE 2024)
Iran apologises for attacks on neighbours, Trump calls it surrender, vows to hit hard
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, Indian diaspora.
What’s the ongoing story: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian apologised Saturday for attacks on “neighbouring countries” even as its missiles and drones flew toward Gulf Arab states and US President Donald Trump threatened over social media that the country would be “hit very hard”.
Key Points to Ponder:
— Read about the US-Israel attack on Iran.
— What key factors led to the United States and Israel’s attack on Iran?
— Know the status of India’s relations with the US, Israel and Iran.
— What can be the impact of the US-Israel and Iran conflict on India?
(Thought Process: Build on the following points – India has invested in a strategic relationship with major Arab countries, Iran, and Israel – India’s economic interests, energy security, and risk to the Indian community that is based in the region.)
— What diplomatic challenges can India face in balancing its ties with Israel, the US and Iran?
— What is India’s Middle East policy?
— What is the strategic significance of the strait of Hormuz?
— How are international waterways governed?
— What is the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)?
— Map work: Locate Iran, Strait of Hormuz, Island of Qeshm, Bandar Abbas, Konarak, Israel, and other places in the news related to the US-Israel attack on Iran on the map.
Key Takeaways:
— As the West Asia conflict entered a second week on Saturday, the Iranian President, seeking to calm regional anger at Tehran’s strikes on Gulf civilian targets, said, “I personally apologise to neighbouring countries that were affected by Iran’s actions.”
— At the same time, Pezeshkian dismissed Trump’s call for Iran to surrender unconditionally. “That’s a dream that they should take to their grave,” he said. Shortly after Pezeshkian’s message, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Today Iran will be hit very hard!” He added, “Under serious consideration for complete destruction and certain death, because of Iran’s bad behaviour, are areas and groups of people that were not considered for targeting up until this moment in time.”
From the Front Page- Iran ship in Kochi dock: Jaishankar says ‘humane…we did the right thing’
— In first official comments, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday confirmed that India has allowed an Iranian ship, IRIS Lavan, to dock in Kochi. This comes three days after IRIS Dena was torpedoed by a US submarine in the international waters of the Indian Ocean. Jaishankar, who was speaking at the Raisina Dialogue on Saturday, said, “You had these ships, and we got a message from the Iranian side that one of the ships, which presumably was closest to us… to our waters at that point of time… wanted to come into our port. They were reporting that they were having problems. And so, my recollection is this was on the 28th (February); and on the 1st (March), we said, ‘okay, you can come in.’”
— On March 7, The Indian Express had reported that even IRIS Dena, the torpedoed Iranian frigate, was offered shelter by India at one of its ports. The safe harbour offer was said to have been made in view of the rising tensions between the US and Iran, the report said.
— Days before the IRIS Dena incident south of Sri Lanka, India was approached by Iran to take in the Iranian ship IRIS Lavan, which was also in the region for the International Fleet Review.
— This request was received on February 28, indicating that a docking at Kochi was urgent as the vessel had developed technical issues. Approval was accorded for the docking on March 1. IRIS Lavan has docked at Kochi since March 4 and its crew of 183 are currently accommodated at naval facilities in Kochi.
— Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, while responding to a question at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi on Saturday, said, “Sri Lanka will act in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and international law” regarding the possible repatriation of Iranian sailors rescued off the island’s southern coast.
— Herath said Sri Lanka would follow established international legal frameworks. “Sri Lanka does not intend to support any side in this incident and will continue to handle the matter within the framework of international legal obligations,” he said.
— At the Raisina Dialogue, Jaishankar also flagged the issue of safety of merchant ships currently operating in waters that have come within the range of the ongoing West Asia conflict and the dangers faced by Indian seafarers.
From the World Page- “US still faces challenge from Iran’s ‘second navy’
— The Iranian naval forces have suffered heavy losses in the first week of U.S. and Israeli strikes, according to a New York Times analysis of satellite data and videos. At two bases, Iran lost at least seven moored ships, along with critical naval infrastructure, and the entrance to an underground naval facility in the Strait of Hormuz was hit. But challenges remain for U.S. and Israeli forces seeking to neutralize it completely.
— So far, the strikes have heavily targeted Iran’s regular navy, known as The Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, which operates conventional warships. The country also has a second navy, run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, that specializes in asymmetric warfare.
— In addition to traditional warships, some of which were destroyed this week, the Guards’ fleet includes lighter assets, such as large numbers of speedboats and uncrewed vessels that can be harder to target. The Revolutionary Guards navy is primarily responsible for securing the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.
Do You Know:
— The Strait of Hormuz—the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea—is seen as the most important oil transit chokepoint globally, handling approximately one-fifth of global liquid petroleum consumption and global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Knowledge Nugget | US-Israel war on Iran: 10 must-know tidbits for UPSC Exam
📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | How did the Israel-Iran conflict escalate? A look from history to its impact
📍The usual ambiguity will not work with US. India needs a clear, public position on what it will and will not accept
📍 ‘We are attacking US bases, not neighbours; India-Iran relations deep’
Previous year UPSC Prelims Questions Covering similar theme:
(3) The term “two-state solution” is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of (UPSC CSE 2018)
(a) China
(b) Israel
(c) Iraq
(d) Yemen
(4) What is the importance of developing Chabahar Port by India? (UPSC CSE 2017)
(a) India’s trade with African countries will increase enormously.
(b) India’s relations with oil-producing Arab countries will be strengthened.
(c) India will not depend on Pakistan for access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
(d) Pakistan will facilitate and protect the installation of a gas pipeline between Iraq and India.
Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme:
“India’s relations with Israel have, of late, acquired a depth and diversity, which cannot be rolled back.” Discuss. (UPSC CSE 2018)
OPINION
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Various Constitutional posts, powers, Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
What’s the ongoing story: Chakshu Roy writes- “In December 1954, passion was running high in the Lok Sabha. The House was debating the first-ever resolution to remove a Speaker, G V Mavalankar, from office. Dr N B Khare, a member representing Gwalior, whose voters had elected him on a Hindu Mahasabha ticket, was one of the resolution’s signatories. Highlighting his grievances against the Speaker, the impassioned Khare, a 72-year-old who was a doctor and had a long legislative career, accused Mavalankar of “mental murder, albeit effected non-violently”. He then raised some papers to show the House his rejected questions and stated, “Here are about two dozen death warrants of my poor dry dead questions. Not one was admitted in this Session.”
Key Points to Ponder:
— What are the constitutional mandates related to the Speaker?
— How is the Speaker elected?
— What are the roles and powers of the Speaker?
— Is a speaker always a speaker?
— What is the procedure for the removal of a Speaker of the Lok Sabha?
— What are the specific conditions which have to be met for the procedure of removal of a Speaker to take place?
— Why should the speaker rise above party loyalties and be ‘neutral’
Key Takeaways:
— “Parliament will witness a similar debate on March 9, when MPs are likely to discuss and vote on the motion to remove Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Opposition MPs have given a notice for the removal of the Speaker “because of the blatantly partisan manner in which he has been conducting the business of the Lok Sabha…”
— “The office of the Speaker can be traced to the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms and the Government of India Act of 1919. These provided that the central legislative assembly would be presided over by a president, the first appointed and subsequent ones elected by the assembly members. The law provided that the elected presidents could be removed by the members through a vote.”
— “In 1925, assembly members elected Vithalbhai Patel as their president. After his election, Patel declared, “From this moment, I cease to be a party man. I belong to no party. I belong to all parties.”
— “Ibrahim Rahimtoola and Shanmukham Chetty occupied the office from 1930 to 1935. Then came Abdur Rahim, a noted lawyer, who served for a decade until 1945. He was the first assembly president against whom a member moved a motion for removal, which was rejected on technical grounds.”
— “And then in 1946, Mavalankar stood for election to the post. Before coming to the national legislature, Mavalankar had been president of the Ahmedabad municipality and then presided over the Bombay Legislative Assembly.”
— “Mavalankar’s 1946 election was close. Everyone expected the government’s nominee to win by a few votes. Dr Khare recalls in his memoir that he helped sway two members to vote in favour of Mavalankar. In the end, Mavalankar won by three votes.”
— “Mavalankar’s 1946 election marked the start of his stint as presiding officer at the national level. He became the bridge between the pre- and post-Independence legislature, and his colleagues in the first Lok Sabha elected him as their Speaker in 1952.”
— “He laid the foundations for India’s independent legislature. He tried to ensure that Parliament held the government accountable and secured the independence of its secretariat. He established new committees and healthy conventions by appointing Opposition members as chairpersons.”
— “And when the government issued ordinances, bypassing Parliament, he told PM Nehru, “…We, as the first Lok Sabha, carry a responsibility of laying down traditions. It is not a question of present personnel in the Government but a question of precedents; and if this Ordinance issuing is not limited by convention, only to extreme and very urgent cases, the result may be that, in future, the Government may go on issuing Ordinances giving the Lok Sabha no option but to rubber-stamp the Ordinances.”
— “However, the Opposition was critical of his refusal to admit their adjournment motions (a parliamentary device for discussing a particular issue rather than the scheduled business of the House). Mavalankar was of the opinion that, after Independence, the government was responsible to the legislature, and MPs should utilise the rules available to hold the government to account. His rejection of adjournment motions drew the ire of Opposition MPs, who eventually moved a resolution for his removal.”
— “S S More, a first-time member who had stood against Mavalankar in the 1952 Speaker election, started the debate. He framed the debate as one of parliamentary rights and government accountability. He said that the Speaker’s rejection of questions and adjournment motions restricted the Opposition’s ability to hold the government accountable. He ended his speech by reminding PM Nehru that “democracy cannot be developed by developing a sort of partisan spirit — a fanatical partisan spirit — which is not proper according to the fundamental concepts of democracy…””
— “PM Nehru defended Mavalankar and called the Opposition’s motion “vicious” and the Opposition’s charges “an exhibition of incompetence, frivolity and lack of substance”. He reminded the House that the motion of removal is an extraordinary procedure, justified under extremely grave circumstances. He said that the wording used in the motion was “a gross abuse of one’s intelligence” and “to ask anybody in the House to support this is to consider that man utterly lacking in intelligence”. Lok Sabha MPs then defeated the motion to remove Speaker Mavalankar by a voice vote.”
Do You Know:
— The Lok Sabha, the Lower House of Parliament, is the highest legislative body in the country. The presiding officer of India’s Lower House of Parliament, the Lok Sabha Speaker, is the constitutional and ceremonial head of the House.
— According to Article 93 for the Lok Sabha and Article 178 for state assemblies, these houses must choose two of their members to be Speaker and Deputy Speaker “as soon as may be” after the House begins.
— According to practices and procedures governing the conduct of legislative business in the House, the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker can be removed from office by a resolution of Lok Sabha passed by a majority of all the then members of the House. This is procedurally possible under Article 94 (c) of the Constitution. Article 94, per se, provides for the vacation, resignation and removal of those occupying the offices of Speaker and Deputy Speaker; the rules in this regard, however, are stringent.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | Office of Speaker of Lok Sabha: 5 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
(5) With reference to the Speaker of Lok Sabha, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2024)
While any resolution for the removal of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is under consideration
1. He/She shall not preside.
2. He/She shall not have the right to speak.
3. He/She shall not be entitled to vote on the resolution in the first instance.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
‘Once a Speaker, Always a Speaker’! Do you think this practice should be adopted to impart objectivity to the office of the Speaker of Lok Sabha? What could be its implications for the robust functioning of parliamentary business in India? (UPSC CSE 2020)
ECONOMY
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies-I, II, III: Geography, Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development.
What’s the ongoing story: The hike in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), or cooking gas, for domestic consumers by Rs 60 per cylinder was done in view of the West Asia conflict-induced surge in international prices, which are weighing on public sector oil marketing companies (OMC) that have been retailing the fuel to households at a loss on a sustained basis, according to top government sources.
Key Points to Ponder:
— How do tensions in West Asia affect global energy security?
— How can it affect India?
— What is the strategic significance of the Strait of Hormuz?
— Know about the portfolio of India’s crude oil, LPG and LNG imports.
— How are LPG prices determined in India?
— What role does the Essential Commodities Act play in ensuring the availability of essential fuels in India?
— What is the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala scheme?
— What are the efforts taken by the government for energy security amidst conflict in west Asia?
Key Takeaways:
— They also said that currently there isn’t any expectation of a hike in retail prices of petrol and diesel despite a jump in global prices as the OMCs—Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL)—are financially well-positioned in respect of these fuels. Moreover, they also assured that sufficient fuel stocks are available in the country and the consumers need not panic about supply.
— Domestic LPG price was hiked by Rs 60 per 14.2-kg cylinder on Saturday to Rs 913 in Delhi, with corresponding changes in other parts of the country; for poor households covered under the Ujjwala scheme, the effective price will be Rs 613 after accounting for the Rs 300 cash subsidy.
— India has over 33 crore domestic LPG consumers; this is the second hike in domestic LPG prices in 11 months.
— According to a senior government official, despite the price increase, LPG for households continues to be sold below market-linked price levels in India, and is significantly cheaper than neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. The pricing calculations indicated that the required increase would have been around Rs 134 per cylinder, as per government sources. They also said that price increase effectively translates to a hike of just around 20 paise per person per day for a family of four based on current household LPG consumption levels in the country.
— India imports more than half of its LPG requirement, and domestic prices are linked to international benchmarks such as the Saudi Contract Price (CP).
— The conflict in West Asia has effectively halted vessel movement through the critical chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz—the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea—from where over 80% of India’s LPG imports transit. Around 40% of India’s oil imports and over half of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports also come through this chokepoint.
— The disruption in maritime traffic through Hormuz has led to a surge in international prices of crude oil, petroleum fuels, and natural gas. Since the start of the conflict on February 28, benchmark Brent crude has risen over 27% to $92.69 per barrel, the highest level since end-September 2023. India depends on imports to meet over 88% of its oil needs, and around half of its natural gas requirement.
— Despite the spurt in international oil and fuel prices, there are no immediate plans for hiking petrol and diesel prices, which is in line with the government’s policy of the past few years to keep pump prices stable despite the volatility in international energy markets, according to sources. Petrol and diesel prices have effectively been flat since April 2022, with the OMCs taking losses when global prices jump, and recouping them when they fall.
— In order to ensure continued availability of cooking gas to crores of Indian households amid the West Asia crisis, the government invoked emergency powers derived from the Essential Commodities Act to direct Indian refiners to maximise LPG production and ensure that all the gas is supplied solely to domestic LPG consumers and not used to produce petrochemicals.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍India may look at increasing Russian oil imports as flows via Hormuz dry up
UPSC Prelims Practice and Previous year Questions Covering similar theme:
(6) Which of the statements about the Strait of Hormuz is not correct?
(a) It is a critical region for international oil and gas supplies.
(b) It is a narrow waterway between Bahrain and Qatar.
(c) It connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
(d) Disruption of shipping in this strait can significantly affect global energy prices.
(7) In the context of global oil prices, “Brent crude oil” is frequently referred to in the news. What does this term imply? (UPSC CSE 2011)
1. It is a major classification of crude oil.
2. It is sourced from the North Sea.
3. It does not contain sulfur.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 2 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
|
ALSO IN NEWS
|
| Auto-settlement okayed by EPFO: What is the status of inoperative accounts |
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has a total of 31.83 lakh inoperative accounts, of which around 41% have been inoperative for over 5-10 years while about 22% are lying idle for over 20 years. In its latest (239th) meeting on Monday (March 2), EPFO’s Central Board of Trustees decided to address this issue by giving a nod for auto-settlement of such inoperative accounts, initially for those with unclaimed balance of Rs 1,000 or less, to their registered bank accounts. Inoperative accounts are those EPF accounts in which no interest is credited after a specified period. Mainly belonging to EPFO members who have retired after the age of 55 years, an EPF account is treated as inoperative if no contribution is received for a continuous period of three years after the member attains 55 years of age or from the date of retirement, whichever is later. If the member is below the age of 55 and there has been no contribution, such EPF accounts continue to earn interest till the age of 58. The Board approved a pilot project for auto-initiation of claim settlement in the inoperative EPFO accounts with unclaimed balances of Rs 1,000 or less. Over 1.33 lakh accounts with nearly Rs 5.68 crore will be covered in this phase, and based on the pilot’s results, it is then planned to be extended to accounts with balances above Rs 1,000. |
| Study: Rs 54K expenses per hospitalisation in pvt facilities under PMJAY |
Patients accessing private facilities under Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) had to incur on an average Rs 53,965 Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) per hospitalisation on medicine, transport and diagnostics services, reveals an evaluation study commissioned by the NITI Aayog. The PMJAY, which is a flagship scheme under the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat scheme, was launched on September 23, 2018 with a total outlay of Rs 40,112 crore for a period of five years 2019–20 to 2024–25. The scheme is touted as the “world’s largest” health assurance scheme, aimed to provide health coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. The government’s target is to cover over 12 crores families (about 55 crore individuals) under this scheme. The scheme provides cashless health services related to 1,961 procedures across 27 medical specialities. In September 2024, the PMJAY was expanded to cover all senior citizens aged 70 and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status. |
| West Asia conflict puts $11.8 bn worth of farm exports at risk: GTRI |
India’s agri and food products exports worth USD 11.8 billion to West Asia are at risk as the conflict in the region is disrupting shipping routes, raising insurance costs and creating uncertainty in logistics, think tank GTRI said on Saturday. In 2025, India exported about USD 11.8 billion of agricultural and food products such as cereals, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and spices to West Asia, accounting for 21.8 per cent of India’s total exports in this sector. India’s agricultural exports have developed a deep dependence on West Asian markets over the past decade, particularly for products such as rice, bananas, spices, meat and dairy products. |
| PRELIMS ANSWER KEY |
| 1. (c) 2. (d) 3. (b) 4. (c) 5. (a) 6. (b) 7. (b) |
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