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Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for June 24th, 2024. If you missed the June 23rd, 2024 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here.
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UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-III: Awareness in the field of Space
What’s the ongoing story- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully demonstrated the landing of the Pushpak reusable launch vehicle for the third time on Sunday, bringing it one step closer to using the vehicle for an orbital mission.
Prerequisites:
— What is a reusable launch vehicle (RLV)?
— What is the RLV Landing EXperiment (LEX)?
— What are the various space launch vehicles of ISRO?
Key takeaways:
— Interestingly, the third demonstration of Pushpak reused the winged body and flight systems from the second experiment without any modifications.
— To bring down launch costs and to remain competitive, the reusable launch vehicle is designed to take satellites up to space and return and land on a runway like an aeroplane. Unlike the SpaceX vehicle that lands back vertically, to achieve the horizontal landing ISRO’s vehicle has wings to help it glide.
— The third demonstration, undertaken using a helicopter in Chitradurga, Karnataka, was to test the vehicle in more challenging conditions—when there is a higher degree of deviation from the intended orbit while the launch vehicle comes down and when there are more severe wind conditions.
— Sunday’s demonstration validated one of the critical technologies needed for the reusable launch vehicle—an advanced algorithm for correcting longitudinal and lateral plane errors. The vehicle uses multiple sensors such as inertial sensor, radar altimeter, pseudolite system (a ground-based positioning system), as well as the country’s own NaVIC satellite-based positioning system.
Points to Ponder:
— What is the significance of the RLV landing experiment?
— What are the benefits of reusable launch vehicles?
— What are the other space agencies using RLV?
Post Read Question:
Prelims
With reference to India’s satellite launch vehicles, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2018)
1. PSLVs launch the satellites useful for Earth resources monitoring whereas GSLVs are designed mainly to launch communication satellites.
2. Satellites launched by PSLV appear to remain permanently fixed in the same position in the sky, as viewed from a particular location on Earth.
3. GSLV Mk III is a four-staged launch vehicle with the first and third stages using solid rocket motors; and the second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) 3 only
Mains
Discuss India’s achievements in the field of Space Science and Technology. How the application of this technology has helped India inits socio-economic development? (UPSC CSE 2016)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
ISRO completes its Reusable Launch Vehicle technology demonstrations through LEX trio Bengaluru
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity
Mains Examination: GS-II: Constitution and Polity
What’s the ongoing story- The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will start on Monday. Before the House can begin its legislative functioning, the newly elected members will have to take the oath of Members of Parliament (MP), which is provided in the Constitution.
Prerequisites:
— Which schedule of the Indian Constitution contains the forms of oath and affirmation?
— What are the key provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951?
— What is a pro-tem speaker and what are its duties?
Key takeaways:
— The day will begin in Rashtrapati Bhavan, where Bhartruhari Mahtab will be the first one to take the oath of a Lok Sabha MP in front of President Droupadi Murmu.
— The President has entrusted him with the duties of the Speaker (pro tem) under Article 95(1) of the Constitution till the election of the new Speaker. Mahtab will preside over the House as his colleagues take oath.
— The five-year term of a Lok Sabha MP begins when the Election Commission of India (ECI) declares the results according to Section 73 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. From that day onward, MPs are eligible for certain rights as elected representatives. After the 2024 general elections, the ECI declared results on June 6.
— To debate and vote in Lok Sabha, an MP has to take her seat in the House by making and subscribing to an oath or affirmation prescribed in the Constitution (Article 99). The Constitution also specifies a financial penalty (the only one in the document) of Rs 500 if a person participates or votes in House proceedings without taking an oath (Article 104).
— However, there is an exception to this rule. An individual can become a minister without being elected to Parliament. They have six months to secure a seat in either Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. During this time, they can participate but not vote in House proceedings.
— The Constitution’s third schedule contains the text of the parliamentary oath.
— The last change in the oath was the Constitution (Sixteenth Amendment) Act, 1963, which added that the oath-takers would uphold India’s sovereignty and integrity. The amendment was made on the recommendations of the National Integration Council.
— The Constitution specifies that if an MP does not attend Parliament for 60 days, their seat can be declared vacant. Courts have used this ground to allow MPs in jail to take an oath in Parliament.
Points to Ponder:
— What is the significance of the parliamentary oath?
— Does the Constitution of India mention the post of pro-tem Speaker?
— How is the pro-tem Speaker chosen?
Post Read Question:
Consider the following statements:
1. The Constitution’s second schedule contains the text of the parliamentary oath.
2. The five-year term of a Lok Sabha MP begins when the Election Commission of India declares the results of elections.
3. The President administers the oath to the Speaker pro-tem in the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1,2 and 3
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Who is the pro-tem Speaker of Lok Sabha?
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
What’s the ongoing story- Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent Pyongyang visit culminated with a landmark pact between Russia and North Korea for “immediate military assistance if either faces armed aggression”.
Prerequisites:
— What is the history of Russia-North Korea bilateral relations?
— Read about the Ukraine-Russia war and western countries stand on it.
— Map work: Location of North Korea, Russia, South Korea, Japan,and important geographical aspects. (Refer Atlas)
Key takeaways:
— After World War II, the erstwhile Soviet Union wanted the installation of a communist regime in Korea, and offered significant military assistance to North Korea founder Kim Il Sung during the Korean War.
— The two nations solidified their alliance in 1961, with the signing of the Russo-North Korea Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, which like the latest pact contained a mutual defence agreement. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, this treaty was voided and relations temporarily deteriorated.
— Since the early 2000s, however, Putin-ruled Russia has gotten closer to the Kim-family ruled North Korea regime.
— Things changed for good in 2022, as Russia invaded Ukraine and Putin found himself increasingly isolated, internationally. Today, the world is as divided as it has been since the end of the Cold War, Russia and North Korea stand together against the Western liberal order, based on highly pragmatic considerations.
— The pact between Russia and North Korea talks about cooperation on a wide range of issues, including mutual military support, and unspecified technological assistance. Crucial is the mutual defence provisions.
— For South Korea and Japan, this treaty is likely to be perceived as a direct security threat. Both countries have long been concerned about North Korea’s nuclear program, and military strength. The Russian security umbrella will only add to these concerns.
Points to Ponder:
— What was the Korean War?
— What can be the strategic implications of the Russia-North Korea Mutual Defence Pact? How can it affect the global order’s dynamics?
— What is India’s stand on the Ukraine-Russia war?
Post Read Question:
How the growing cooperation between Russia and North Korea presents a diplomatic challenge for India. Elaborate.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Russia’s North Korea defense deal could create friction with China: US general
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: General Science
Mains Examination: GS-III: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
What’s the ongoing story- Exploration of lithium, a critical mineral used to make lithium-ion batteries, in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district has moved a step further with one block advancing to the second round of auctions and promising deposits now being found in the initial exploration of another block, according to latest information available with the Union Mines Ministry.
Prerequisites:
— What is lithium?
— Read about the National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET).
— Map work: Check the top 5 lithium-producing countries worldwide, sites in India where lithium blocks have been found. (Refer Atlas)
Key takeaways:
— In Korba, just south of the lithium block currently under auction, a private exploration company funded by the NMET has found hard rock lithium deposits ranging from 168 to 295 parts per million (ppm). Further exploration could pin down the reserves estimate to a large number. Lithium exploration in other states, however, has not been as fruitful, latest meeting minutes of a top NMET committee revealed.
— The primary end-use of lithium, a critical mineral, is in lithium-ion batteries, which are extensively used in electric vehicles (EVs) and consumer electronics. Lithium is also used in energy storage systems. With lithium demand having grown significantly over the past few years and set to rise further going forward, there is a global rush for mining the critical mineral. India, too, has been trying to scout for opportunities in lithium mining domestically as well as overseas.
— Since November, the mines ministry has put 38 blocks of critical minerals up for auction, including two lithium blocks — one in J&K’s Reasi district and another in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district. Of the two lithium blocks, only the Korba block garnered enough investor interest for the auction process to continue, while the Reasi block had to be annulled and was reoffered in a fresh tranche of auction in March.
— Preliminary surveys in Korba found lithium concentrations in bedrock samples ranging from 10 to 2,000 ppm, whereas exploration in Reasi showed lithium deposits exceeding 200 ppm.
For Your Information:
— Lithium is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal, which is a vital ingredient of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles, laptops, and mobile phones. India currently imports all the lithium it needs.
— Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL), a joint venture of three public sector companies under the Mines Ministry, secured rights to explore, develop, and extract lithium across five blocks in Argentina’s Catamarca province earlier this year.
Points to Ponder:
— What is the significance of lithium?
— What are lithium-ion batteries?
— How do underdeveloped mineral reporting standards in India hinder direct investment in the mining sector?
Post Read Question:
With reference to Lithium, consider the following statements:
1. The lithium Triangle comprises Argentina along with Brazil and Ecuador.
2. India and Argentina have signed for the first ever lithium exploration and mining project.
3. India is the third highest producer of lithium.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Lithium ‘inferred’ in J&K — how significant is this find, what next?
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: GS-III: Internal Security
What’s the ongoing story- Two jawans of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) were killed Sunday afternoon after Maoists set off an improvised explosive device (IED) targeting their truck near Timapuram village in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district.
Prerequisites:
— What is CoBRA?
— What is Left-wing-extremism (LWE)?
— What is the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA)?
— What are the maoist affected areas in Chhattisgarh?
Key takeaways:
— The CoBRA jawans in the truck were taking ration material for security forces stationed at the newly built Tekalgudem police camp.
— They were part of the CoBRA force – also known as “jungle warriors” – a specialised force established to counter guerrilla and jungle warfare, specifically tailored towards addressing the Maoist insurgency. CoBRA operates as an integral part of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) framework.
Points to Ponder:
— What do you understand by Red corridor?
— Why do Maoists continue to have a significant presence in Chhattisgarh?
— What are the government initiatives to control LWE?
Post Read Question:
What are the determinants of left-wing extremism in the Eastern part of India? What strategy should the Government of India, civil administration and security forces adopt to counter the threat in the affected areas? (UPSC CSE 2020)
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-II: India and its neighbourhood- relations.
What’s the ongoing story- Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi have been relentless in advancing the bilateral relations between Delhi and Dhaka over the last decade and turning India and Bangladesh into valuable partners of each other.
Prerequisites:
— What is the history of India-Bangladesh bilateral relations?
— Map work: Location of Bangladesh and Indian states sharing boundaries with Bangladesh.
Key takeaways:
— The two countries have promised to focus on the unfinished agenda of connectivity that includes the easing of visa procedures, freer movement of goods, cross-border energy and electricity flows, and the building of digital bridges. Bangladesh has also emerged as one of India’s most important trade partners.
— Delhi and Dhaka now propose to commence the long overdue negotiations on a CEPA. As one of the world’s fast-growing economies, Bangladesh is a natural partner for India in rearranging of the South Asian regional economic order.
— Hasina and Modi have also outlined the ambition to modernise the bilateral defence relationship that has fallen behind the pillars of commerce and connectivity. This would involve wide-ranging collaboration between the armed forces of the two countries, defence industrial partnership, and Delhi’s support for the modernisation of Dhaka’s armed forces. A substantive bilateral defence partnership will contribute to maintaining stability in the wider Indo-Pacific region through collaboration on disaster mitigation and building resilient infrastructure.
— Expanded regional and international collaboration between Delhi and Dhaka will also help promote the Global South’s collective interests.
For Your Information:
— Bangladesh is India’s biggest trade partner in South Asia and India is the second biggest trade partner of Bangladesh in Asia.
Points to Ponder:
— What is the significance of Bangladesh for India?
— What are the joint military exercises of India and Bangladesh?
— What are the areas of cooperation and conflict between India and Bangladesh?
— How does growing Chinese influence in Bangladesh pose a new challenge for India?
Post Read Question:
With reference to river Teesta, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2017)
1. The source of river Teesta is the same as that of Brahmaputra but it flows through Sikkim.
2. River Rangeet originates in Sikkim and it is a tributary of river Teesta.
3. River Teesta flows into the Bay of Bengal on the border of India and Bangladesh.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Delhi, Dhaka set new ball rolling on economy, trade, strategic ties
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Geography and economic development
Mains Examination: GS-I, GS-III: Important Geophysical phenomena, Agriculture
What’s the ongoing story- Rainfall deficit in June is likely to be made up. Government should plan ahead, free agriculture from curbs.
Prerequisites:
— What is the Southwest Monsoon?
— What are the El Niño and La Niña?
— What are Kharif and Rabi Crops?
Key takeaways:
— Despite the arrival of southwest monsoon over Kerala and northeast India on May 30, two days and six days before their respective normal dates, the monsoon hasn’t advanced much thereafter.
— That isn’t a great start to the monsoon season (June-September). It is expected that the monsoon will, hopefully, revive by the month-end.
— Most global weather models are pointing to the development of La Niña conditions during July-September and persisting through November-February. La Niña is known to bring copious rains to India and also colder and prolonged winters, which are good for both the kharif and the succeeding rabi crops. This is opposite of the just-ended El Niño, which contributed to last year’s patchy monsoon and hotter temperatures in the months that followed.
— In this scenario, some of the measures that the government has taken — allowing import of most pulses and edible oils at zero/low duty — are sensible. So is the hike in the minimum support prices of kharif pulses and oilseeds announced last week. These send the right signals to farmers to plant more area under these crops.
— But the government needs to also scrap the 40 per cent import duty on wheat, considering its own 16-year-low stocks and uncertainty over the next paddy crop. While the immediate focus has to be on augmenting domestic availability — preferably through freeing imports than curbs on exports and the trade — this is also the time to draw a long-term plan for the agriculture sector.
Points to Ponder:
— What are the implications of El Nino and La Nina for India and the southwest monsoon?
— What are the mechanism and characteristics of the Indian monsoon?
Post Read Question:
Prelims
Consider the following crops: (UPSC CSE 2013)
1. Cotton
2. Groundnut
3. Rice
4. Wheat
Which of these are Kharif crops?
(a) 1 and 4 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3 only
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only
Mains
Why is the South-West Monsoon called ‘Purvaiya’ (easterly) in has this directional seasonal wind system influenced the region? (UPSC CSE 2023)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
How India’s monsoon rain pattern has been changing amid climate change
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic Development
Mains Examination: GS-III: Economic Development
What’s the ongoing story- Ashok Gulati writes- “In the recently formed NDA cabinet, Shivraj Singh Chouhan is an appropriate choice for heading the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) as well as the Ministry of Rural Development. The challenge before him now is whether he can boost the all-India agri-GDP growth to say more than 5 per cent per annum and augment farmers’ incomes? How can it be done? Here are a few suggestions..”
Prerequisites:
— What is climate-smart agriculture?
— What are the various challenges faced by the Indian agriculture sector?
— What is the status of Indian agriculture?
Key takeaways:
— “He has to increase productivity in the face of climate change which is increasingly threatened by extreme weather events. There is no better way than to invest heavily in creating a climate-smart agriculture, from heat-resistant varieties of various crops to farming practices that give “more crop, per drop” of water…He has to immediately raise expenditure on agri-R&D..”
— “He must ensure that farmers have access to the best technologies in the world as well as the best markets for their produce…”
— “Build value chains from farm to mega cities and foreign markets so that farmers get the best prices possible. Inviting organised private sector or cooperatives/farmer producer companies to build these value chains is necessary. They can be incentivised on the lines of the PLI scheme that exists in industry, or what India did while building value chains for milk in the domestic market on the lines of the AMUL model.”
— “This (fertiliser subsidy) subsidy needs to go directly to farmers’ accounts, and fertiliser prices need to be freed. Digital fertiliser coupons can be issued to farmers of equivalent value and they can be given the freedom to use chemical fertilisers or bio-fertilisers or opt for natural farming.”
Points to Ponder:
— How do extreme weather events affect Indian agriculture?
— What steps have been taken by the government for the growth of the agriculture sector and farmers income?
— What measures should be taken to tackle the challenges of the agriculture sector and to make it economically viable?
Post Read Question:
Prelims
In the context of India’s preparation for Climate-Smart Agriculture, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2021)
1. The ‘Climate-Smart Village’ approach in India is a part of a project led by the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), an international research programme.
2. The project of CCAFS is carried out under Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) headquartered in France.
3. The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in India is one of the CGIAR’s research centres.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Mains
Explain various types of revolutions, took place in Agriculture after Independence in India. How these revolutions have helped in poverty alleviation and food security in India? (UPSC CSE 2017)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
On agriculture front, an agenda for the new government
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, basics of cyber security; International relations.
What’s the ongoing story- Estonia, one of the world’s most advanced digital countries, is looking to partner with India to collaborate on strengthening the two countries’ cybersecurity infrastructure, multiple officials from the Baltic country’s government said.
Prerequisites:
— What is a cyber attack?
— What are the various types of cyberattacks?
— What is a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack?
Key takeaways:
— Estonia, courtesy its vicinity to Russia, faces a barrage of cyberattacks from the country, more so because of the former’s stance on the war between Russia and Ukraine. India, meanwhile, faces a similar threat from its neighbour China.
— Estonia, with a population of about 1.3 million, was a former member of the Soviet Union, and faced one of the largest cyberattacks on its digital infrastructure in 2007 by means of a distributed denial of service (DDoD) attack.
— Since the war between Russia and Ukraine, the country has experienced similar threats from Russian actors, government officials said. Government officials in India have previously said that New Delhi faces much of a similar challenge from Beijing, where a group of independent, and state-backed actors have increased attacks on critical infrastructure in New Delhi.
— The ties between Estonia and India are increasingly growing. An Indian contingent was, for the first time, observers in an NATO-run cyber security exercise in Estonia last month. The exercise was the largest of its kind in Europe.
For Your Information:
— The NATO (CCDCOE) is a NATO-accredited knowledge hub, which was established in 2008, and offers an interdisciplinary approach to the most relevant issues in cyber defence. It has a group of international experts from the military, government, academia and industry from 39 countries.
Points to Ponder:
— What are the areas of cooperation between India and Estonia?
— What are the challenges related to cyber security in India?
— What measures can be taken to combat cyber crimes in India?
— What are the initiatives taken by the government to tackle the cyber crimes in India?
(Thought Process: Know Cyber Security initiatives in India- Computer Emergency Response Team – India (CERT-IN), Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative, National Cyber Security Coordination Centre (NCCC), Cyber Swachhta Kendra, I4C)
Post Read Question:
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
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Southeast Asia origin of at least 45% cyber frauds targeting Indians: Official
‘Wordly Wise’ from The Editorial Page
“If agriculture goes wrong, nothing else will have a chance to go right.”
— M.S Swaminathan
(Thought Process: How and why does agriculture play a critical role in the economic and social development of the country? Who was M.S. Swaminathan and what was his contribution to Indian agriculture? Why is the agriculture sector facing various challenges? Is it because of the policy fallacy or are there other reasons? Elaborate.)
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