Year: 2016

GS1 (Indian Geography)

The IMD recently got its forecast for this year wrong. India will now get 3% less rain than normal. What are the phenomena that result in variations in Indian monsoon.

Best answer

Shashank Pander wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 4/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

If op-eds are like human beings then I mostly find that environment op-eds are like ARTS students and economics op-eds are like ENGINEERS. Confused Billi for one, is an engineer by training.

Why I make such an observation is because I always felt that environmentalists are rarely bothered about the developmental concerns. And the thing is that aside from UPSC preparation where I have to unwittingly mug up some quotes and write down some point of views –

Confusion Level 1: I always wonder if there an equation where we can put in some funda like:

Environmentalists ki concerns + Economist ki development optimism = NET ANSWER (Profit yaa Loss?)

You get the drift right? Engineers always feel that life would be much sorted if there were an equation available to understand the whole world view!

You want examples? Take this one

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s grand culture show: Positives due to the culture meet on tourism, soft power etc + Negatives due to environmental losses & Health issues post that = What net dollar gain?

Or should we have a happiness gain index (Just like Bhutan has a Gross National Happiness)

You get the drift right? Koi Prelims question nahi aaega iss discussion se but you can get some really cool mains & interview level points. How! I was reading this op-ed from Live Mint

1. Measures to safeguard the environment are often considered to be economic spoilers

2. World Bank did a new study – The cost of air pollution: strengthening the economic case for action

3. What’s different about this study? Usually economists rant about the costs of shutting down the factories due to environmental concerns. These guys said what about the “cost imposed on people living in regions where pollution and environmental degradation is higher.” Genius, right?

This right here is first point for your mains, essay and interview masala!

4. What were the findings? 

# The welfare costs and lost labour income due to air pollution amounted to 8.5% of India’s GDP in 2013! Big numbers right! Seedhe quote karne ka hai isko to

# The report ranks air pollution as the fourth biggest fatal risk factor in the world. Air pollution kills more people than tobacco, alcohol or drug use or unsafe sex in most countries. That’s a huge point of concern right?

If you are reading this line, then you know that you have enough ammo to beat the shit out of a crazy economics major who shuns the environmentalists. So, essentially the arts’ student won.

Infact – today’s Target Mains question was also on the similar lines – Read it later. This might also be a good time to revise PRELIMS specific basics on pollution and stuff – Air Pollution: Issues & Challenges and this Simple acts like brushing your teeth may be polluting the environment (this is more like a trivia blog).

So, what next? I was happy for a while that somehow, some study is able to marry economist and an environmentalist but then I thought okay, so what is the world doing for it!

But apne ko kya hai, apne ko to bass UPSC nikalna hai 🙂

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Now, the literature for environmental concerns & initiatives is huuuge! There is no way I can summarise everything in one post! I mean before entering into UPSC prep, I had no clue of UNEP and the Earth Summit of 1992 and then the Rio + 20 and so on. I am still grappling with its timeline and I still get confused with the outcomes of various talks, treaties, etc. etc.

This is a blog on the roadmap to Paris Climate Talk – Part 3 and this is the blog on outcome of Paris Talk and this is the update on Lima-Paris Action Agenda.

If someone can help this billi ki yahan pe chal kya raha hai, I will be forever indebted! For now, I am reading old cards listed on this story – NAPCC: India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change to understand the backstory on what India is doing.

Confusion Level 2: While reading up on these links, I wondered what if there is an essay question in general with a theme like – We are not doing enough for the environment  OR the famous old age – world has everything for your need but not for your greed etc. etc. What different can one write? What case studies can we give to give a simple, easy to understand narrative and voila, I found this nice interactive comparison done by guardian – Which countries are doing the most to stop dangerous global warming?

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Do read the links. You will like them (I hope). Tell me if you liked reading the post. What else do you want to be covered?

GS1 (Indian geography)

India is a rich source of renewable energy. What are these sources and what are the geographic factors which make it so rich?

Demand – Discuss sources of energy such as solar, wind etc and why India is rich in them.

Approach –

• What are the sources of renewable energy? (4 marks)
• Why is Indian rich in them? List factors such as latitude, longitude, vegetation etc. (6 marks)

GS2 (International relations)

The recent surgical strikes by India in PoK mark a watershed moment in India’s Pakistan policy. Critically comment.

Demand – Contrast India’s present approach towards Pakistan with previous approaches. Is there a difference?

Approach –

• Previous approaches by India to deal with Pakistan’s sponsoring terror activities (3.5 marks)
• Is the present response really different? Illustrate with examples. (3.5 marks)
• Future implications. (3 marks)

GS3 (Internal security)

Despite radical organisations coming up all over the world, Indian youth have largely stayed away. What could be the reasons for this? Is the internet leading to a reversal of this trend?

Demand – Discuss why ISIS, Al Qaeda have very limited influence among Indian youth, and how the internet could be changing this.

Approach –

• Radical organisations and factors which stop their growth in India, e.g. culture of India, democracy (5 marks)
• How is the internet being used to spread radical ideologies? (5 marks)

GS4 (Ethics and attitudes)

Since ancient times Indian society has concentrated more on the duty of an individual than his rights, in contrast to western society. Is this attitude changing in India today?

Demand – Are Indians today more aware/demanding of their rights? Are we forgetting our duties?

Approach –

• Ancient Indian attitudes towards duty and rights (2.5 marks)
• Views of leaders such as Gandhi (2.5 marks)
• Role of constitution and modernisation in making people demand their right (2.5 marks)
• Is this a good trend or bad? (2.5 marks)

GS1 (Indian Geography)

India is a rich source of renewable energy. What are these sources and what are the geographic factors which make it so rich?

Best answer

Rahul Jain wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

GS2 (International relations)

The recent surgical strikes by India in PoK mark a watershed moment in India’s Pakistan policy. Critically comment.

Best answer

Kunal Aggarwal wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

GS3 (Internal security)

Despite radical organisations coming up all over the world, Indian youth have largely stayed away. What could be the reasons for this? Is the internet leading to a reversal of this trend?

Best answer

Srishti Srivastava wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

GS4 (Ethics and attitudes)

Since ancient times Indian society has concentrated more on the duty of an individual than his rights, in contrast to western society. Is this attitude changing in India today?

Best answer

Aman Chauhan wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

Or maybe, let’s put it mildly – no nukes but everything else. What then? What strategies do we have in place, what weapons, what new amazing innovations etc etc.

If Subramanian Swamy were to be believed – 10CR Indians should be ready for sacrifice against a total annihilation of Pakistan!

“In the event of a nuclear war, Pakistani nuclear bombs can kill not more than 10 crore people. We are the country of 112 crore population. But our nuclear bombs can wipe off Pakistan altogether.”

10 CR volunteers who agree that they are fine being nuked if India can obliterate Pakistan. India won’t use nuclear missiles first no? Hope you know all that – India’s no first use nuke policy.

No first use (NFU) refers to a pledge or a policy by a nuclear power not to use nuclear weapons as a means of warfare unless first attacked by an adversary using nuclear weapons.

Who else signed NFU? China, India, North Korea

What about USA? Russia, UK, USA, Pakistan, Israel – These guys said that we will use nuclear weapons only defensively. Even Pakistan!

Question for you guys: What’s the difference between a strategic and tactical nuclear missile?

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Back to India’s war potential. I had a few questions while trying to research out this topic –

Confusion Level 1: What all new weapons have we made in recent past? UPSC might use this oppty to grill us on our awareness of our missiles and tanks and ships and what not?

CD has already done this compilation – Indian Missile Systems and other developments in 2015-16

Every year UPSC likes to ask the range, weight, body mass index etc of the new missiles so this should be a ready reckoner and you specifically need to cover the nuclear capabilities – Read this story on India’s Defence nuclear capabilities.

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Confusion Level 2: I know about Surgical Strikes and all and I did well to remember that we made similar strike in Myanmar. Read Ensuring Peace in the Northeast and Myanmar operation.

But what are some of the other military doctrines of India which we should know about. A friend asked me this question – cold start, some joint practices, tactical warfare etc etc so I did some research.

This is a bit heavy stuff – I got a paper written by a retd. Brigadier and he did well to explain it to a lay-cat like me. Read original paper here.

1. Doctrine, strategy and tactics are closely related but they are not the same.

2. Doctrine = encapsulates the current dominant thinking on an issue. So, it’s more like a flavour of the month. Something which we sit in close doors and decide basis our past war experiences etc etc.

One such and now prevalent doctrine is the COLD WAR DOCTRINE. Exact definition –

The main objective of the Cold Start Doctrine is to launch a retaliatory conventional strike against Pakistan inflicting significant harm on the Pakistan Army before any international community could intercede, but not in way Pakistan would be provoked to make a nuclear attack.

– May 2001, Operation Vijayee Bhava was done to check our prowess. In 2011, Operation Sudarshan Shakti was conducted to revalidate Cold Start Doctrine.

At this point, I just thought about the doctrine preceding this cold start one! And I googled to find that it was – Sundarji Doctrine (1981–2004). The limitation of the Sundarji doctrine was exposed on 13 December 2001, when five masked men attacked the Indian Parliament.

According to the Cold Start Doctrine, battle Groups will be well forward from existing garrisons. India’s elite strike forces will no longer sit idle waiting for the opportune moment, giving Pakistan the luxury of time.

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Confusion Level 3: By now I know about the might of Indian weapons and our latest war doctrine. It would be great if you can help me with this info…

#1. What are strike corps, holding corps and mixed corps?

#2. What are paramilitary forces and how are they different from Army, Navy, Airforce etc?

#3. The structure of Indian Army? I believe COAS = Chief of the Army Staff. Is this relevant for IAS?

#4. If Paramilitary forces do not come under the armed forces – then who are their controlling agencies?

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Confusion Level 4: I resolved this on my own. Do you know that India has 4 types of borders!

#1. International Border (IB) – This type of border is internationally recognised and legal. An agreement is signed between two countries regarding sharing this border. Clearly demarcated. India shares IB with Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan and a part of Pakistan ( Radcliffe line)

#2. Line of Control(LoC) – It is de facto border shared by India and Pakistan, dividing Kashmir controlled by India and Kashmir controlled by Pakistan. LoC has its roots in the ceasefire lines which were drawn up in 1948 ( first war between India and Pakistan). Please note – LoC is neither internationally recognised nor it has any legal status. 

#3. AGPL (Actual Ground Position Line) – The line that divides current positions of Indian and Pakistani troops in the Siachen Glacier region.The line extends from the northernmost point of the LOC (Line of Control) to Indira Col.

#4. LAC – The Line of Actual Control (LAC) is the effective border between India and China. The LAC is 4,057-km long and traverses three areas of northern Indian states: western (Ladakh, Kashmir), middle (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh) and eastern (Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh)

With Nepal, we have open borders!

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Questions from Prelims Daily

#1. Which reference to Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. It is a surface-to-surface missile.
2. It is fueled by liquid propellant only.
3. It can deliver one-tonne nuclear warheads about 7500 km away.

#2. Which one of the following is the best description of ‘INS Astradharini’, that was in the news recently?

(a) Amphibious warfare ship

(b) Nuclear-powered submarine

(c) Torpedo launch and recovery vessel

(d) Nuclear-powered aircraft carrier

#3. What is CA-MRSA ?

a) missile system developed by Israel.
b) computer worm designed to attack industrial programmable logic controllers.
c) bacteria resistant to certain antibiotics
d) California based exploration project of Mars.

#4. Which of the following is correct about India’s Missile Technology?

1. Astra is an Anti-Tank Missile.

2. Nag is an Air-to-Air Missile.

Select the correct option/options given below:

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both                     

d) None

#5. Which of the following is correct about Indian Navy?

1. INS Vikramaditya, India’s only Aircraft carrier was taken from United States.
2. INS Vikrant is a indigenous Aircraft Carrier of India.
3. INS Visakhapatnam is a destroyer ship of Indian Navy.

Select the correct option/options given below:
a) 1 and 2 only

b) 1 and 3 only

c) 2 and 3 only

d) All of the above

#6. Q.10. Which of the following is correct about INS Arihant?

1. INS Arihant is a nuclear powered submarine of India.
2. INS Arihant is fitted with India’s own K-15 ballistic missiles that can be launched from under water.
3. INS Arihant has bought India into league of top 3 countries that possess nuclear powered submarine.

Select the correct option/options given below:
a) 1 and 2 only

b) 1 and 3 only

c) 2 and 3 only

d) All of the above

#7. Which of the following is a centre for launching satellites?

a) Wheeler Island
b) Baikonur Cosmodrome
c) John F. Kennedy Space Centre
d) Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre