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Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for May 31, 2024. If you missed the May 30th, 2024 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here.
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance
Mains Examination: GS-II: Governance, Constitution and Polity.
What’s the ongoing story- JNU scholar Sharjeel Imam got bail on Wednesday in a case in which he is charged with sedition and unlawful activity under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for an alleged inflammatory speech.
Prerequisites:
— What is sedition?
— What are the provisions related to arrest in Indian Constitution?
Key takeaways:
— A two-judge Bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Manoj Jain granted statutory bail to Imam after he had spent nearly four years in prison as an undertrial for an alleged inflammatory speech.
— The charges under Section 13 of the UAPA carry a maximum sentence of seven years. Sedition, under section 124A of the Indian Panel Code, carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. In a case involving life sentence, 10 years is considered as half the sentence for the purposes of granting statutory bail (more on that later).
— However, in a 2021 ruling, SC stayed the operation of Section 124A, which penalizes sedition. Till the constitutional validity of the provision is determined, all trials on sedition, including Imam’s, are effectively stayed..
— This is bail granted on technical grounds under the statute — hence statutory bail. Under Section 436-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), an accused is granted bail if he has served half of the maximum period of imprisonment prescribed for the offence.
— The provision for statutory bail was introduced in 2005 to tackle the issue of the rising population of undertrials in prison. This is especially helpful for undertrials who are booked for offences that carry a shorter sentence.
— In all bailable offences, it is mandatory for Courts to grant bail under Section 436 CrPC. An accused willing to furnish a bail bond has to be granted bail in such cases. In case of non-bailable offences, it is the Court’s discretion to grant bail.
Points to Ponder:
— What is the Supreme Court’s stand on section 124A of IPC?
— What are the three kinds of bail provided in CrPC?
— What are the issues associated with the sedition law?
— What are the issues associated with UAPA?
Post Read Question:
With reference to India, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2021)
1. Judicial custody means an accused is in the custody of the concerned magistrate and such accused is locked up in police station, not in Jail.
2. During judicial custody, the police officer in charge of the case is not allowed to interrogate the suspect without the approval of the court.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Delhi HC grants bail to Sharjeel Imam in sedition case
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- Days after former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif admitted that Islamabad had “violated” the Lahore pact, India on Thursday said an “objective view” was emerging on the issue in Pakistan.
Prerequisites:
— What is the Lahore Declaration?
— Know in brief about the history of India-Pakistan bilateral relations.
— What was the Kargil conflict?
Key takeaways:
— On Tuesday, Sharif, who has been elected as the PML(N) chief again, said Pakistan had “violated” the 1999 Lahore Declaration with India, which was signed by him and then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. “On May 28, 1998, Pakistan carried out five nuclear tests. After that, Vajpayee Saheb came here and made an agreement with us. But we violated that agreement… it was our fault,” Sharif said.
— Vajpayee and Sharif had signed the Lahore Declaration on February 21, 1999, after a historic summit in Lahore. The agreement, which talked about a vision of peace and stability between the two countries, signalled a breakthrough. However, a few months later, Pakistani intrusion in Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir led to the Kargil conflict.
— In May 2014, Modi had invited Sharif, who was then the Pakistan Prime Minister, for his swearing-in ceremony. But the terror attacks in Pathankot and Uri derailed the engagement process. The ties between the two countries have nosedived, with both sides not posting High Commissioners in each other’s capitals since 2019, after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. However, the two sides have more or less adhered to the ceasefire along the Line of Control since February 2021.
Points to Ponder:
— What were the circumstances that led to the Lahore declaration and what were key highlights of the declaration?
— What was Operation Shakti?
— What are the areas of cooperation and conflict between India and Pakistan?
— What is the present status of India-Pakistan relations?
Post Read Question:
Analyse the circumstances that led to the Tashkent Agreement in 1966. Discuss the highlights of the Agreement. ( UPSC CSE 2013)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change- that do not require subject specialisation, polity and governance.
Mains Examination: GS-I, GS-II, GS-III: Important Geophysical Phenomena, Climate Change Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Government Policies & Interventions.
What’s the ongoing story- The Rajasthan High Court (HC) on Thursday took suo motu cognizance of deaths due to heat wave and stated that there is a need to declare heat wave as national calamity.
Prerequisites:
— What are heatwaves and the criteria for declaring them?
— What are cold waves and the criteria for declaring them?
— What do you understand by the term “national calamity”?
Key takeaways:
— The single-judge bench of Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand said that now the time has come when heat waves and cold waves should be declared as national disaster and advance preparations should be made to deal with them.
— The court has also directed the state government to provide proper compensation in case of deaths due to heat wave. Along with this, the court has also issued several guidelines for the government.
— The HC also directed the state authorities to sprinkle water on roads that see huge public movement, to provide cooling spaces, shades at traffic signals, roads, highways including drinking water, ORS and aam panna where required, arrangement of possible facilities at health centres for treatment of heat wave patients and issue advisory for all workers who work in open including porters, cart-and-rickshaw pullers, to allow them to rest between 12 noon and 3 pm during extreme heat wave conditions.
— The government is further directed to issue alerts in the form of Short Message Service (SMS), FM, Radio, Television, Mobile apps, Print and Electronic Media, Newspapers, etc., to alert the people about extreme heatwave conditions, the HC said.
Points to Ponder:
— What causes heatwaves?
— What are the impacts of heatwaves?
— What are some heat-related illnesses (HRIs)?
— What measures should be taken to mitigate the impacts of heatwaves?
— Is there any fixed criterion to declare any calamity as a national calamity in India?
Post Read Question:
Consider the following statements:
1. Heatwaves typically occur between March and June, and in some rare cases even extend till July.
2. Heatwaves need not be considered till the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40°C for Plains and at least 30°C for Hilly regions.
3. A severe heatwave is declared when the departure from normal is more than 6.4 degrees Celsius.
How many of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) Only 1
(b) Only 2
(c) All three
(d) None
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
UPSC Issue at a Glance | Heatwaves: 5 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: General Science
Mains Examination: GS-III: Science and Technology- Developments and their Applications and Effects in Everyday Life, Achievementsof Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology, Awareness in the fields of Space.
What’s the ongoing story- Indian space startup Agnikul Cosmos on Thursday successfully launched its first sub-orbital test vehicle powered by the world’s first single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine, after calling off its launch at least four times previously.
Prerequisites:
— What is 3D Printing and its usage?
— What is a cryogenic engine?
— What is IN-SPACe?
Key takeaways:
— Agnibaan SOrTeD (Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator) lifted off at 7.15 am on Thursday in a mission of many firsts. While it is the second launch by a private startup in India, it is the first to use a private launchpad that the company has set up at the country’s only operational spaceport at Sriharikota.
— Typically, engine parts are manufactured separately and assembled later. Using the 3D-printed manufacturing process is likely to lower the launch cost and cut down the vehicle assembly time.
— The launch vehicle, developed by the IIT Madras-incubated startup, also demonstrated India’s first semi-cryogenic engine. The engine—called Agnilet—uses sub-cooled oxygen as fuel. Cryogenic engines, such as the one used in the upper stages of India’s heaviest launch vehicle, LVM3, use gases liquified at extremely low temperatures as fuel.
— The launch vehicle has been designed to launch from its mobile launchpad, called Dhanush, from any location. While this was a suborbital launch, the vehicle can fly payloads ranging from 30 kg to 300 kg.
For Your Information:
— Previously called GSLV-MkIII, the LVM3 is ISRO’s most powerful rocket so far. It can carry up to 4-tonne satellites into the geostationary orbit and up to 8-tonne satellites into the lower earth orbits.
Points to Ponder:
— What are the benefits and disadvantages associated with the usage of 3D-Printing?
— What are the advantages and disadvantages of a cryogenic engine?
— What are the opportunities and challenges with private sector participation in space missions?
— What are the initiatives taken by the government to promote the privatisation of the space sector?
Post Read Question:
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
(c) 1 and 2
(d) 3 only
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Space Dept’s commercial arm seeks pvt partners to manufacture its largest rocket
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance, Rights issues.
Mains Examination: GS-II: Polity, Constitution of India, historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
What’s the ongoing story- The Madhya Pradesh High Court has observed that a marriage between a Muslim man and a Hindu woman is not valid under Muslim personal law. The court made the observation as it turned down a plea by a couple seeking police protection to register an inter-faith marriage under the Special Marriage Act, 1954.
Prerequisites:
— What is Special Marriage Act (SMA), 1954?
— What is Muslim personal law?
— What is Hindu Marriage Act?
Key takeaways:
— Justice Gurpal Singh Ahluwalia said that a marriage between a Muslim man and a Hindu woman would be treated as an “irregular (fasid) marriage” under Muslim personal law even if they married under the SMA.
— The court said “marriage under Special Marriage Act would not legalise the marriage which otherwise is prohibited under personal law”. “Section 4 of the Special Marriage Act provides that if the parties are not in a prohibited relationship, then only marriage can be performed,” the court said.
For Your Information:
— The SMA, 1954 was passed by Parliament on October 9, 1954. It governs a civil marriage where the state sanctions the marriage rather than the religion.
— Issues of personal law such as marriage, divorce, adoption are governed by religious laws that are codified. These laws, such as the Muslim Marriage Act, 1954, and the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, require either spouse to convert to the religion of the other before marriage.
— The Indian system, where both civil and religious marriages are recognised, is similar to the laws in the UK’s Marriage Act of 1949.
Points to Ponder:
— What are the issues asscoiated with personal laws?
— How SMA, 1954 is different from religious codes of marriage?
— Who can get married under the Special Marriage Act?
— What is Uniform Civil Code?
Post Read Question:
Consider the following provisions under the Directive Principles of State Policy as enshrined in the Constitution of India: ( UPSC CSE 2012)
1. Securing for citizens of India a uniform civil code
2. Organising village Panchayats
3. Promoting cottage industries in rural areas
4. Securing for all the workers reasonable leisure and cultural opportunities
Which of the above are the Gandhian Principles that are reflected in the Directive Principles of State Policy?
(a) 1, 2 and 4 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Special Marriage Act: What is the Act, how does it work, what is the notice period?
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation.
Mains Examination: GS-I, GS-II, GS-III: Important Geophysical Phenomena, Climate Change Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Government Policies & Interventions.
What’s the ongoing story- Shalini Sinha, Aravind Unni writes- “As northern India reels under a brutal heat wave, it is workers who are facing the brunt of it. Delhi has reportedly breached the 50-degree Celsius mark, halfway to the boiling point of water. Following the death of a 40-year-old labourer due to extreme heat, the office of the Lieutenant Governor has intervened by issuing instructions for water provision, sprinkling water on roads and change in timings for construction workers considering the “unprecedented heat wave”
Prerequisites:
— What are heatwaves and the IMD criteria for declaring them?
— What is “heat island effect”?
— What are Heat Action Plans (HAPs)?
Key takeaways:
— “For many who do hard physical labour in this heat, this is an emergency, not only on the immediate health front but also for their work and incomes. Our cities exacerbate the situation, due to high density and built environment, resulting in the heat island effect.”
— “In India, four out of five urban workers are informal, with minimal job security, irregular incomes, no social protection, unsafe worksites and vulnerability to economic fluctuations. This precarity, along with pre-existing socio-economic vulnerabilities, makes the majority of workers more susceptible to heat waves.”
— “HAPs list preparatory, adaptive, and responsive measures for government departments to tackle the heat and its impacts. They are mandated to be drafted — not in an ad hoc manner — at the city, district, and state levels for effective implementation and as per the guidelines of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).”
— “It is undeniable that HAPs have aided in reducing the casualties due to heatwaves,..but it misses the varied nature of impacts on different vulnerable groups, like workers in the informal economy in cities.”
— “As of now, a vast majority of the cities in India do not have HAPs. Most of the existing HAPs barely mention the workers. If they do, they refer only to “outdoor workers”, with no mention of related interventions specific to their nature of work….”
— “There must be policy measures to mitigate the impact of heat waves on workers. First, it is essential to reimagine heat waves as not conventional disaster events, but as prolonged disasters, thereby moving from ad hoc, instruction-based response to linking HAPs with other long-term measures of urban planning and climate action plans (CAPs)….”
— “Second, there must be mandatory inclusion of wide categories of informal workers in urban areas and clearer guidelines at the national level, that can help states broaden them and innovate as per their contexts.”
— “Third, the general divisions of indoor-outdoor work and the nature of impacts need to be investigated further to frame holistic guidelines and interventions as, in many cases, indoor workers also face extreme heat.”
— “Fourth, there is a clear need for the inclusion of worker communities and voices in the preparation of action plans…”
— “Fifth, the impact of heat is not gender-neutral and has a harsher bearing on women workers’ lives — heat stress plans need to factor in these realities. Sixth, recognise that heat waves mean losses — of income, health, and livelihoods — and welfare measures must compensate for these.”
Points to Ponder:
— What are the challenges faced by the workers in the state of frequent heatwaves?
— How working in extreme heat conditions impacts productivity and income for informal workers?
— What are the causes of heatwaves?
— What measures should be taken to mitigate the impacts of heatwaves?
Post Read Question:
“For many who do hard physical labour in this heat, this is an emergency, not only on the immediate health front but also for their work and incomes.” In the light of this statement, explain the impacts of extreme heat conditions on different sections of society and what the way forward should be?
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
UPSC Issue at a Glance | Heatwaves: 5 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains
Not just Delhi: temperature records are tumbling across the world
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: History of India
Mains Examination: GS-I: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present significant events, personalities, issues.
What’s the ongoing story- Aditi Narayani Paswan writes- “Today, we celebrate the 300th birth anniversary of the Maratha queen Ahilya Bai Holkar — a great administrator and visionary with a spiritual inclination.”
Prerequisites:
— Who was queen Ahilyabai Holkar?
— Read about the Holkar dynasty of the Maratha Empire.
Key takeaways:
—- “ Born in 1725 to a shepherd (Dhangar/Gadariya) family in what is today Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district, Ahilya Bai strove to be recognised not just as the wife of Khande Rao Holkar but also as a leader in her own capacity, who helped preserve and encourage India’s spiritual integrity and displayed administrative ingenuity and political impartiality. Breaking the shackles of patriarchy, she took over the role of monarch after her husband’s death. Her exceptional leadership skills were evident in the 30 years of peace and financial stability that her kingdom experienced under her reign.”
— “For the sake of her state and subjects’ welfare, she appointed Tukoji Holkar — a trusted soldier who had served under her father-in-law Malhar Rao Holkar — as the commander of her army.”
— “Ahilya Bai resurrected the jyotirlingas across the country as a tribute to Lord Shiva. Renovations in Somnath, Varanasi, Trambak, Gaya, Pushkar, Vrindavan, Nathdwara, Haridwar, Badrinath, Kedarnath and many other sacred sites were undertaken during her reign. To defend against attacks and iconoclasm, she came up with the idea of installing the idols in secret shrines under the temples, providing an additional layer of security…”
— “The beautiful Maheshwari saris that we wear today are also part of the queen’s legacy. She not only promoted the traditional weave but also paved the way for skilling women, thus empowering them.”
Points to Ponder:
— What was the battle of Kumbher?
— What was the contribution of Ahilyabai Holkar to the temple building?
— What reforms did Ahilyabai Holkar bring to the administration?
— Read about the Maheshwari sari.
Post Read Question:
With reference to Indian freedom struggle, Usha Mehta is well-known for (UPSC CSE 2011)
(a) Running the secret Congress Radio in the wake of Quit India Movement
(b) Participating in the Second Round Table Conference
(c) Leading a contingent of Indian National Army
(d) Assisting in the formation of Interim Government under Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Who was queen Ahilyabai Holkar?
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Economy
Mains Examination: GS-III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation, of resources, growth, development and employment.
What’s the ongoing story- The outlook on growth of the Indian economy remains robust, given the government’s sustained focus on capital expenditure while maintaining fiscal consolidation, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said in its annual report for 2023-24.
Prerequisites:
— What is real GDP and how is it different from nominal GDP?
— What is capital expenditure and how is it different from revenue expenditure?
— What is disinflation?
Key takeaways:
— Strong corporate balance sheets, rising capacity utilisation, double digit credit growth, healthy financial sector, and the ongoing disinflation are likely to be other growth levers for the domestic economy, it added.
— Indian economy expanded at a robust pace in 2023-24, with real GDP growth accelerating to 7.6 per cent from 7 per cent in the previous year — the third successive year of 7 per cent or above growth…The real GDP growth for 2024-25 is projected at 7 per cent with risks evenly balanced.
— The report said that the geopolitical tensions, geoeconomic fragmentation, global financial market volatility, international commodity price movements and erratic weather developments pose downside risks to the growth outlook and upside risks to the inflation outlook.
For Your Information:
From: RBI to allow opening of rupee account outside India
— The RBI will permit opening of rupee (INR) accounts outside India by persons resident outside India (PROIs) as part of the 2024-25 agenda for internationalisation of the domestic currency.
— The RBI will also permit rupee lending by Indian banks to PROIs in the ongoing financial year, according to annual report.
— It will enable foreign direct investment (FDI) and portfolio investment through special accounts, such as special nonresident rupee (SNRR) and special rupee vostro account (SRVA).
Points to Ponder:
— What are the factors that effect the growth of economy?
— What is inflation and factors causing high inflation?
— What challenges do rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and recurrent climate shocks poses for the economy?
— What is fiscal consolidation?
Post Read Question:
Public expenditure management is a challenge to the Government of India in the context of budget-making during the post-liberalization period. Clarify it. (UPSC CSE 2019)
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Economy
Mains Examination: GS-III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation, of resources, growth, development and employment.
What’s the ongoing story- The RBI balance sheet grew 11.07 per cent to Rs 70.47 lakh crore in the fiscal ended March 31, 2024 compared to Rs 63.44 lakh crore in the fiscal 2022-23.
Prerequisites:
— What is a contingency fund?
— What is the role of RBI in Indian economy?
— What is monetary policy?
Key takeaways:
— During the fiscal 2023-24, the RBI’s income grew 17.04 per cent while provision towards contingency fund (CF) declined 67 per cent, leading to a record high surplus transfer of Rs 2.11 lakh crore to the government in the fiscal.
— The balance sheet of the RBI plays a critical role in the functioning of the country’s economy largely reflecting the activities carried out in pursuance of its currency issue function as well as monetary policy and reserve management objectives.
— In FY24, increase on assets side was due to a rise in foreign investments, gold, and loans and advances by 13.9 per cent, 18.26 per cent and 30.05 per cent, respectively, the RBI said in the annual report for 2023-24.
For Your Information:
— Contingency Fund represents the provision made by the RBI on a year-to-year basis. This is specific provision meant for meeting unexpected and unforeseen contingencies, including depreciation in the value of securities, risks arising out of monetary/exchange rate policy operations, systemic risks and any risk arising on account of the special responsibilities enjoined upon the RBI.
Points to Ponder:
— What are the functions of RBI?
— What are the various instruments of monetary policy?
— What are the challenges faced by the RBI?
Post Read Question:
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
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