💥Join UPSC 2027,2028 Mentorship (August Batch) + XFactor Notes & Microthemes PDF

Category: Ranker Webinars

  • [Prelims Spotlight] Mass Movements

     

    Prelims Spotlight is a part of “Nikaalo Prelims 2020” module. This open crash course for Prelims 2020 has a private telegram group where PDFs and DDS (Daily Doubt Sessions) are being held. Please click here to register.


    18 March 2020

    Mass Movements

     

    The Non-Cooperation Movement-  1920-22

    Following events acted as the catalysts which finally resulted in the launch of the Non-Cooperation Movement by Gandhiji on August 1, 1920.

    Backdrop

    • The Rowlatt Act (February 1919), the Jallianwala Bagh massacre (13 April 1919) and martial law in Punjab had belied all the generous wartime promises of the British.
    • The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms satisfied few.
    • The treatment meted out to Turkey after the World War-I incensed had incensed the Indian Muslim, which led to the launch of Khilafat movement.

    What were the aspects of Non-Cooperation Movement?

    • The program of the non-cooperation included within its ambit-
      • Surrender of titles and honours.
      • Boycott of government-affiliated schools and colleges, law courts, foreign cloths and could be included to resignation from government service.
      • Mass civil disobedience.
      • Non-payment of taxes.
    • On the other hand, it also included-
      • Establishing national schools and colleges.
      • Establishing panchayats to settle the disputes.
      • Encouraging hand spinning and weaving.
      • Maintaining Hindu-Muslim unity.
      • Observing strict non-violence.
    • Several changes were made in Congress’ creed and organisation, which include-
      • The goal of the Congress was changed from attainment of self-government to attainment of Swaraj by peaceful and legitimate means.
      • The Congress was now to have Working Committee of fifteen members to look after its day-to-day affairs (the same proposal made by Tilak in 1916 was not accepted!).
      • The provincial Congress Committees were now to be organized on linguistic basis.
      • Congress was to use Hindi as far as possible.

    How the movement unfolded?

    • Gandhiji, along with Ali Brothers (who were the foremost Khilafat leaders) undertook nationwide tour during which he addressed hundreds of meetings and met a large number of students.
    • R. Das played a major role in promoting the movement and Subhas Bose became the principal of the National College in Calcutta.
    • The spirit of unrest and defiance of authority engendered by the Non-Cooperation Movement contributed to rise of many local movements in the different parts of the country.
    • In May 1921, the British Government tried through Gandhi-Reading talks to persuade Gandhiji to ask Ali brothers to withdraw from their speeches those passages that contained suggestions of violence.
      • This was an attempt to drive the wedge between the Khilafat leaders and Gandhiji.
    • By December 1921, the Government had changed the policy and started repression of the movement.
    • Public meeting and assemblies were banned, newspapers gagged, and midnight raids on Congress and Khilafat movement became common.
    • In response, Gandhiji declared mass civil disobedience movement would begin in Bardoli taluqa of Surat district.
    • But before the launch of the mass civil disobedience, the Chauri Chaura incident on February 5, 1922, resulted in the withdrawal of the movement by Gandhiji.

     

    The Civil Disobedience Movement 1930-31

    On 2 March 1930 Gandhiji addressed his historic letter to the Viceroy Irwin in which he first explained at great length why he regarded British rule as a curse. He then informed the Viceroy his plan of action. When Gandhiji reached the Dandi on 6 April 1930 by picking up a handful of salt he inaugurated the Civil Disobedience Movement.

    Backdrop

    • An announcement on 8 November 1927 of an all-White Simon Commission to recommend whether India was ready for further constitutional progress and on which lines.
    • The response in India was immediate. That no Indian should be thought fit to serve on a body that claimed the right to decide the political future of India was an insult no Indian of even the most moderate political opinion was willing to swallow.
    • The Congress resolved on the boycott of the commission at its annual session in Madras in December 1927.

    How the movement unfolded?

    • Once the way was cleared by Gandhiji’s ritual beginning at Dandi, the defiance of salt laws started all over the country.
    • The Government’s failure to arrest Gandhiji for breaking the salt law was used by the local level leaders to impress upon the people that ‘the Government is afraid of persons like ourselves’.
    • In Tamil Nadu, C. Rajagopalachari led a salt march from Trichinopoly to Vedaranniyam on the Tanjore coast.
    • On 23 April, the arrest of Congress leaders in the North-West Frontier Province led to the mass demonstration of unprecedented magnitude in Peshawar.
    • In Peshawar, the atmosphere created by the Khudai Khidmatgars contributed to the mass upsurge in Peshawar during which the city was virtually in the hands of non-violent revolutionaries.
    • It was increasingly becoming clear that the Government’s gamble of non-interference with the movement would result in its spending itself out.
    • On May 4, the Viceroy finally ordered Gandhiji’s arrest.
    • Gandhiji’s announcement that he would now proceed to continue his defiance of the salt laws by leading a raid on the Dharasana Salt Works had forced the Government to act.
    • Coming as it did at a high point in the movement, it only acted as a further spur to activity, and caused endless trouble for the government.
    • Dharsana Satyagraha carried out in the absence of Gandhiji with Sarojini Naidu in the lead, in which Satyagrahis were beaten with the lathis till they fell down.
    • This form of Satyagraha was adopted by the people who soon made it a mass affair.
    • But the salt Satyagraha was only the catalyst and the beginning, for a rich variety of forms of defiance that it brought in its wake.
    • Eastern India became the scene of a new kind of no-tax campaign-refusal to pay the chowkidara tax levied specifically on the villagers.
    • In Gujarat, in Kheda district, in Bardoli taluqa in Surat district, and Jambusar in Broach district a determined no-tax movement was in progress.
    • P. was setting up another kind of movement- a no-revenue no-rent campaign.
    • On January 5, 1931, the Viceroy announced the unconditional release of Gandhiji and all other members of the Congress working committee.
    • On March 5, 1931 the fortnight-long discussion culminated in Gandhi-Irwin Pact which was variously described as a truce and a provisional settlement and ended the Non-Cooperation Movement.

     

    The Quit India Movement

    ‘Quit India’, this powerful slogan launched the legendary struggle which also became famous by the name of the ‘August Revolution’.

    Backdrop

    • The failure of the Cripps Mission in April 1942 made it clear that Britain was unwilling to offer an honourable settlement and real constitutional advance during the war.
    • The empty gesture of the Cripps offer convinced even those Congressmen like Nehru and Gandhiji, who did not want to do anything to hamper the anti-fascist War efforts.
    • Other factors that made a struggle both inevitable and necessary were-
      • Popular discontent product of rising prices and war-time shortages.
      • The growing feeling of an eminent British collapse.
      • The manner in which British evacuated from Malaya and Burma leaving the people there to their fate

    How the movement unfolded?

    • A fortnight after Cripps’ departure Gandhiji drafted a resolution for the Congress Working Committee, calling for Britain’s withdrawal and the adoption of non-violent non-cooperation against any Japanese invasion.
    • Congress edged towards Quit India while Britain moved towards arming itself with special powers to meet the threat.
    • The historic August meeting at Gowalia Tank in Bombay marked the beginning of the movement. The meeting was unprecedented in the popular enthusiasm it generated.
    • The Government, however, was in no mood to either negotiate with the Congress or wait for the movement to be formally launched.
    • In the early hours of 9 August, in a single sweep, all the top leaders of the Congress were arrested and taken to an unknown destination.
    • The sudden attack by the government produced an instantaneous reaction among the people.
    • As soon as the news of the arrest spread lakhs of people flocked to Gowalia Tank where a mass meeting had been scheduled.
    • There were similar disturbances on 9 August in Ahmedabad and Poona.
    • On the 10th, Delhi and many towns in U.P. and Bihar, including Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, and Patna followed the suit with hartals, public demonstrations and processions in defiance of the law.
    • Meanwhile, many provincial and local level leaders who had evaded arrest returned to their homes through devious routes set about organising resistance.
    • As the news spread in the rural areas, the villagers joined the townsmen in recording their protest.
    • For the first six or seven weeks after 9 August, there was a tremendous mass upsurge all over the country.
    • The brutal and all-out repression succeeded within a period of six or seven weeks in bringing about a cessation of the mass phase of the struggle.
    • But in the meantime, underground networks were being consolidated in various parts of the country.
    • This leadership saw the role of the underground movement as being that of keeping up the popular morale by continuing to provide the line of command and a source of guidance and leadership to the activists all over the country.
  • UPSC IAS Prelims just around the corner and Coronavirus outbreak! Here’s how to ensure your preparation is back on track

    Dear students,

    As you know, all sorts of precautions are being taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

    While the virus as such is not fatal(as compared to ebola and others), it spreads really fast and can affect anyone with low immunity and pre-existing conditions. Moreover, our healthcare system doesn’t have the capacity to deal with such large scale epidemics.

    Hence, it’s imperative that we act with prudence to ensure we break the transmission chain before it becomes a systemic problem.

    Having said this, it’s very important that you only refer to official sources like WHO, Ministry of Health, etc.

    https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

    Do not spread videos/posts that have been produced by people claiming to be doctors/ healthcare professionals. As students preparing to get into the services, it is important that you identify fake news and stop its spreading.


    Since all of Old Rajinder Nagar, libraries and other physical communications have been blocked, most students are panicking and experiencing anxiety. It is quite natural.

    Here are some tips to boost your spirits up and get you back on track

    1. Among other things please revise the definition and differences between outbreak/ epidemic/ pandemic. 😉 

    2. Of course, a change in study environments at this crucial time leads to a break in a well-developed flow and schedule. Please understand this is not a disadvantage uniquely targetted at you. It impacts the majority.

    3. Get a study regime up. Lock your room, put a headset on and block the noise.

    4. Join our Nikaalo Prelims Program. The daily discussions ensure you read and learn something without putting much effort. The registration will be done here: Click & Register here

    5. We have seen an increase in our online-lecture viewership. But most institutes have a very poor online infrastructure. If you belong to one such institute then please email us with your enrollment proof and we will aid your access to our programs.    

    Lastly, check out an inspiring lecture from Vishal Singh who beat all odds to get through. Clearly you can face the challenge of quarantine.

  • [Prelims Spotlight] Locations in the News

     

    Prelims Spotlight is a part of “Nikaalo Prelims 2020” module. This open crash course for Prelims 2020 has a private telegram group where PDFs and DDS (Daily Doubt Sessions) are being held. Please click here to register.


    17th March 2020

     

    Locations in the news

    1. Wuhan City, China

    • Wuhan city is the capital of Hubei province, the People’s Republic of China.
    • The COVID-19 outbreak was first identified in Wuhan in December 19 and recognised as a pandemic by WHO on 11 March 2000.
    • The new coronavirus emerged from Wuhan wet market, where live animal that would never normally meet in the wild live side by side, facilitating the trans-species mutations of pathogens.

    2. Idlib province of Syria

    • Capital City-Idlib
    • The northern Syrian province of Idlib was the last remaining stronghold controlled by forces opposed to President Bahar-al Assad.
    • The opposition once controlled large parts of the country but the Syrian army has retaken most of the territory over the past five years with the help of Russian air power and Iran-backed militiamen.

    3. Middle-East peace plan

    • The concept map of the proposed plan by the US shows the occupied Jordan valley under Israeli control.
    • And a West Bank split north and south around Jerusalem.
    • In a concession to the Palestinians, however, a plan to link Gaza to the West Bank by road has been revived.

    4.Abqaiq and Khurais oilfields

    • A drone attack on the oil processing plant at Abqaiq and the country’s second-largest oil field at Khurais in the eastern province north of Riyad created uncertainties in the global oil market.
    • These attacks along with the attacks on the oil tankers in the sea were events that led to the US strike that killed the Iranian general.

    5. New Ramsar sites in India

    • The Ramsar Convention has declared 10 more wetlands in India as sites of international importance.
    • This brings the total number of Ramsar sites in India to 37. Some of the newly added sites are-
      • Nandur Madhameshwar- First site in Maharashtra.
      • Saman Bird Sanctuary-Mainpuri, UP
      • Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary- Unnao, UP
      • Samaspur Bird Sanctuary- Raebareli UP
      • Sandi Bird Sanctuary- Hardoi UP
      • Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary –UP
      • Sarsai Nawar Jheel- Etawah UP
      • Beas conservation reserve-Punjab

    6. Archaeological excavation at Dhaba

    • An archaeological excavation carried out at Dhaba in the upper Son valley in Madhya Pradesh has found evidence of continuous human occupation in this area almost 80,000 years ago.
    • The large Megalithic tools were dated between approximately 80,000 years and 65,000 years and small tools were dated approximately 50,000 years.

     

  • [Prelims Spotlight] Important Straits

     

    Prelims Spotlight is a part of “Nikaalo Prelims 2020” module. This open crash course for Prelims 2020 has a private telegram group where PDFs and DDS (Daily Doubt Sessions) are being held. Please click here to register.


    16th March 2020

    Important straits in the news.

    A strait is a naturally formed, narrow, typically navigable waterway that connects two larger bodies of water. Most commonly it is a channel of water that lies between two landmasses. Some straits are not navigable, for example, because they are too shallow, or because of an unnavigable reef or archipelago.

    Strait of Hormuz

     

    • It links the Persian Gulf (west) with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea (southeast).
    • On the north coast lies Iran, and on the south coast the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman. 
    • The strait is 35 to 60 miles (55 to 95 km) wide and separates Iran from the Arabian Peninsula.
    • It contains the islands of Qeshm (Qishm), Hormuz, and Hengām (Henjām) and is of great strategic and economic importance, especially as oil tankers collecting from various ports on the Persian Gulf must pass through the strait.
    • OPEC members Saudi Arabia, Iran, the UAE, Kuwait and Iraq export most of their crude via the Strait
    • Qatar, the world’s biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter, sends almost all of its LNG through the Strait
    • The UAE and Saudi Arabia have sought to find other routes to bypass the Strait, including building pipelines.

    2. Strait of Malacca

    • Strait of Malacca connects the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) and the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean).
    • Stretching about 800km, it is the longest straits in the world and facilitates not just shipping and the movement of people in the surrounding communities but is a confluence of trade, cultures, ideas, and knowledge between the East and West.
    • It runs between the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the west and peninsular (West) Malaysia and extreme southern Thailand to the east and has an area of about 25,000 square miles (65,000 square km).
    • The strait derived its name from the trading port of Melaka (formerly Malacca)—which was of importance in the 16th and 17th centuries—on the Malay coast.
    • As the link between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, the Strait of Malacca is the shortest sea route between India and China and hence is one of the most heavily travelled shipping channels in the world.
    • Singapore, one of the world’s most important ports, is situated at the strait’s southern end.
    • The global shift in economic power from the West to the East coupled with burgeoning trade, investments, and production in areas spanning the Indian and Pacific Ocean regions has given increasing importance to this region.

    3. Bab-el-Mandab

    • The Bab al-Mandab strait is the narrow waterway that separates the Arabian Peninsula from the Horn of Africa.
    • It links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
    • At its narrowest point, the strait is only 29 km wide between Yemen on one side and Djibouti and Eritrea on the other.
    • It is a key strategic channel for commerce and trade, with an estimated 4 percent of global oil supply passing through it.

    4. Palk Strait

    • It connects the Bay of Bengal in the northeast with Palk Bay in the southwest.
    • The strait is 40 to 85 miles (64 to 137 km) wide, 85 miles long, and less than 330 feet (100 metres) deep.
    • It receives several rivers, including the Vaigai (India), and it contains many islands on the Sri Lankan side.
    • The Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project (SSCP) is a 167 km long shipping canal, and envisages the creation of a navigable canal from the Gulf of. Mannar to the Bay of Bengal to facilitate the movement of ships.
    • The Adam’s Bridge is a series of sand shoals created by sedimentation over a period of time.
    • All islands are made up of a calcareous framework of dead reef and sand.
    • In India, the Gulf of Mannar region in Tamil Nadu is one of the four major coral reef areas and the others are Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat, Lakhsadweep and Andaman and Nicobar islands.
    • With its rich biodiversity of over 4,000 species of various flora and fauna, part of this Gulf of Mannar between Rameswaram and Tuticoirin covering 21 islands and the surrounding shallow coastal waters was declared as a Marine National Park in 1986.

    5.Sunda Strait

    • It links the Java Sea (Pacific Ocean) with the Indian Ocean (south).
    • Sunda Strait, Indonesian Selat Sunda, is a channel, 16–70 miles (26–110 km) wide, between the islands of Java (east) and Sumatra.
    • The Sunda Strait is an important passage connecting the Indian Ocean with eastern Asia.
    • The strait stretches in a roughly northeast/southwest orientation, with a minimum width of 24 km (15 mi) at its northeastern end between Cape Tua on Sumatra and Cape Pujat on Java.
    • It is very deep at its western end, but as it narrows to the east it becomes much shallower, with a depth of only 20 m (65 feet) in parts of the eastern end.
    • It is notoriously difficult to navigate because of this shallowness, very strong tidal currents, sandbanks, and man-made obstructions such as oil platforms off the Java coast.
    • The strait’s narrowness, shallowness, and lack of accurate charting make it unsuitable for many modern, large ships, most of which use the Strait of Malacca instead.

    6.Mozambique Channel

    • It is located between the island nation of Madagascar on the east and Mozambique on the African mainland (west).
    • About 1,000 miles (1,600 km) long, it varies in width from 250 to 600 miles (400 to 950 km) and reaches a maximum depth of 10,000 feet (3,000 m).
    • The Comoro Archipelago marks the northern entrance, and the islands of Bassas da India and Europa lie in the south.
    • An important route for shipping in eastern Africa, it receives all major Madagascar rivers and has the ports of Mahajanga (Majunga) and Toliary (Tuléar) on the same coast.
    • Along the opposite coast are the mouth of the Zambezi River and the ports of Maputo (formerly Lourenço Marques), Moçambique, and Beira.
    • The Mozambique Current passes through the strait.

    7.Gibraltar Strait

    • It is a channel connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, lying between southernmost Spain and northwesternmost Africa.
    • It is 36 miles (58 km) long and narrows to 8 miles (13 km) in width between Point Marroquí (Spain) and Point Cires (Morocco).
    • It is one of the most significant global sea lanes because it provides a means of seaborne transit for shipping between the Atlantic and Mediterranean, and via the Suez Canal into the Indian Ocean and beyond.
    • After the English Channel, the Strait is the world’s busiest shipping lane.

    8. Bosphorus strait and Dardanelles strait

    • Bosphorus,also known as the Strait of Istanbul, is a narrow, natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in northwestern Turkey.
    • The Bosporus connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, and, by extension via the Dardanelles, the Aegean and Mediterranean seas.
    • It is the world’s narrowest strait used for international navigation.
    • Dardanelles is a narrow, natural strait and internationally significant waterway in northwestern Turkey that forms part of the continental boundary between Europe and Asia, and separates Asian Turkey from European Turkey.
    • The Dardanelles connects the Sea of Marmara with the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, while also allowing passage to the Black Sea by extension via the Bosphorus.
    • The Dardanelles is 61 kilometres (38 mi) long, and 1.2 to 6 kilometres (0.75 to 3.73 mi) wide, averaging 55 metres (180 ft) deep with a maximum depth of 103 metres (338 ft) at its narrowest point abreast the city of Çanakkale

    9. Yucatan Strait

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies : Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea

    Location: Mexico-Cuba

    10. Mesina Strait  

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies : Mediterranean Sea

    Location: Italy-Sicily

    11. Otranto Strait

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies :Adriatic Sea & Ionian Sea

    Location: Italy-Albania

    12. Cook Strait 

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies :South Pacific Ocean

    Location:  New Zealand (North & South Islands)

    13. North Channel

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies :Irish Sea & Atlantic Ocean

    Location: Ireland-England

    14. Hudson strait     

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies : Gulf of Hudson & Atlantic Ocean

    Location: Canada

    15. Magellan strait   

    Join: Pacific and South Atlantic Ocean

    Location: Chile

    16. Makassar Strait

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies: the Java Sea & Celebes Sea

    Location: Indonesia

    17. Tsugaru Strait 

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies: Japan Sea and Pacific Ocean

    Location: Japan (Hokkaido-Honshu Island)

    18. Tatar Strait  

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies: Japan Sea & Okhotsk Sea

    Location: Russia (East Russia-Sakhalin Islands)

    19. Fovex Strait 

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies: South Pacific Ocean

    Location: New Zealand (South Island- Stewart Island)

    20. Formosa Strait  

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies: the South China Sea & East China Sea

    Location: China-Taiwan

    21. Taurus Strait

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies:Arafura Sea & Gulf of Papua

    Location: Papua New Guinea — Australia

    22. Bass Strait

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies: the Tasman Sea & South Sea

    Location: Australia

    23. Bering Strait

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies: the Bering Sea & Chukchi Sea

    Location: Alaska-Russia

    24. Bonne-Fasio Strait

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies: Mediterranean Sea

    Location: Corsica — Sardinia

    25. Davis Strait  

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies : the Baffin Bay & Atlantic Ocean

    Location: Greenland-Canada

    26. Denmark Strait 

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies: North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean

    Location: Greenland-Iceland

    27. Dover strait  

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies: The English Channel & North Sea

    Location: England-France

    28. Florida Strait

    Joining seas/ Water Bodies: Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean

    Location: USA-Cuba

     

  • UPSC Interview – The battle remains.

     

    Get registered for Mock Interviews and DAF questionnaire. 

     

     

    Click here to Register 

    As we have reached the second half of the UPSC interviews, transcripts are coming from all sides, which, this year too have proven the efficacy of Civilsdaily’s novel approach to Interview preparation. All our students who have appeared in the interview so far, have expressed deep thanks and satisfaction for the guidance they received owing to which they performed well.

    The need of the hour is to adapt in such a way that you are well prepared to tackle the unpredictability of UPSC and Civilsdaily is your launchpad to success.

    Continuing with our tradition of constant up-gradation and innovation, our Mock Interviews have evolved to reflect the nuances and changing shades of UPSC. Our evidence-based questioning and innovative methodology, for example, the incorporation of rapid-fire round to unearth deep-seated & hidden biases, situational questions and case studies to reveal personality traits like leadership, emotional stability, critical power of assimilation, etc. has been a great success. 

     Click here to Register 

    ***     

    Another innovation by Civilsdaily – DAF questionnaire

    DAF contains a lot of information about the candidates, including the places one has been to, their educational background, work experience, and their personality through achievement, sports, and hobbies among other things.

    UPSC Interview candidates must prepare for all the information provided in the DAF, making it the base of their preparation. The things mentioned in DAF, have in one way or the other, shaped their personality, attitude, beliefs and values. Based on the interview, the UPSC panel judges their suitability for the services.

    DAF questionnaire is prepared after extensive research and discussion with the candidate by the experienced faculty at Civilsdaily. An effort is made to link the information provided in the DAF with the current and controversial issues of national and international importance. All the necessary dimensions are touched by the questions so as to ensure that the student is fully prepared from the DAF , to ensure that no topic on their DAF has been left untouched.

     Sample DAF questionnaire 1

    Sample DAF questionnaire 2

     

    To get your personalized DAF based Questionnaire, submit your DAF 1 and DAF 2 at  atul@civilsdaily.com

     

  • SAMANVAYA: Students Preparing for UPSC 2021 > Come join US !

    SAMANVAYA: Students Preparing for UPSC 2021 > Come join US !

     

    At the core of Samanvaya lies the fact that each one of you will have a unique journey while preparing for the exam. Some will get through on the first attempt without much effort while others will take both more time and more effort.

    We want to understand you better to help you optimize your journey so you can focus on the right things and not waste time on the wrong ones. We are asking you to tap into the valuable experiences of mentors who underwent the same grind and realize the pitfalls and understand the shortcuts to make it.

     

    Samanvaya program involves the following – 

     
    1. Identifying your weaknesses
    Over 80% of students who claimed to have revised NCERTs twice were unable to answer basic questions. Many were not comfortable with at least 1 GS subject and Optional. Many struggled with ‘What went wrong’ after 2-3 years of hard work. Our mentors will provide free preliminary assignments so we can assess your preparedness and suggest accurate strategies.
     
    2. Strategy and study plan discussions
    Over 90% of students couldn’t stick to a plan. Study plans and strategies are iterative in nature and we want to help you with that. Many are unable to perform in tests despite preparing hard. This could be due to a variety of factors – lack of adequate prep, jitters in the exam hall, inadequate revision, lack of practice of test series or just a bad day at work. Tell us what you think went wrong and we’ll figure out a way to get you over the line next time.
     
    3. Helping you understand the exam better – which books to read, different approaches, etc. Over 60% of students we talked to did not find NCERTs relevant and saw no point in being thorough with them.
     
    4. Lack of motivation
    We have all had those days when it’s been hard to motivate ourselves to hit the books and just study. It happens to the best of us sometimes and for some of us, it happens more frequently. And it is understandable, Civil Service preparation is a long and often lonely process. Every aspirant, from toppers to those who have quit have been overwhelmed by this process at some point in time. Working alone is monotonous and Help you keep motivated by ensuring you are actively and passively studying every day. Focused telegram groups to foster discussions.

    Samanvaya Code of Conduct to be followed

    • Be honest with your mentors about your preparation levels and stage.
    • Follow their advice and participate in tests and assignments that they set for you
    • Stay active in the telegram groups, ask doubts, don’t hold yourself back.
    • Don’t expect spoonfeeding. You have to drive the initiative.

    Click here to fill the form. We will call on a first-come, first-serve basis

     

    Here’s the feedback that we got from some of our students:


     

    Fill the form below or click here. 

     

  • [Prelims Spotlight] Key terms related to Medieval and Ancient history.

     

    Prelims Spotlight is a part of “Nikaalo Prelims 2020” module. This open crash course for Prelims 2020 has a private telegram group where PDFs and DDS (Daily Doubt Sessions) are being held. Please click here to register.


    14th March 2020

     

    Important officers and their role in the Maurya Empire

    1. Sannidhata – Treasurer and keeper of the stores in Maurya Period. He was in charge of the collection of revenue from various parts of the kingdom and looked after the income and expenditure by supervising the works of akshapataladhyaksha (Accountant-General)
    2. SamhartaHis function was to collect Revenue both in cash and kind.
    3. AmatyasThey were some sort of administrative personnel or civil servants who filled the highest administrative and judicial appointments.
    4. RajukasAshoka appointed a class of officers known as the Rajukas, who were vested with the authority of rewarding as well we punishing people.
    5. Adhyaksas-­ The officers who looked after the various departments.
    6. Yuktas- They appear to have been the subordinate official whose duties were largely secretarial works and accounting.
    7. Gopa and Sthanika- There was an intermediate level of administration between the district level and village level, which was administered by the Gopa and Sthanikas.
    8. Gramika- Head of the village. He was not a paid servant and was chosen among village elders.
    9. Grambhojaka- Gramika was helped by Grambhojaka.
    10. Pramukha- Eighteen chief handicrafts of the time were organised in guilds called as Shrenis, the president of Shrenis was known as Pramukha.

    Important officers of the Gupta empire

    1. Uparika- He was directly appointed by the king as a provincial governor.
    2. Kumaramatyas- A link between the central and the provincial administration under the Guptas was provided by the officers called Kumaramatyas and Ayuktas. Kumaramatyas was a body of top-ranking officials attached not only to the king but also to the crown-prince and sometimes placed in charge of district.
    3. Gopasramin- In Samudraguptas period an officer working as akshapataladhikrita. Their function was to enter numerous matters in the accounts register, recover royal dues and to check embezzlement and recover fines.
    4. Sandhivigrahika-The foreign minister, minister of war and peace. First appeared under the rule of Samudragupta.
    5. Mahabaldikarta-Commander-in-Chief.
    6. Mahadandanayaka-
    7. Mahapratihara- Chief of palace guards.
    8. Pustapala- Record-keeper. Maintained record of land transactions in a district. They were also known as Karanika.
    9. Vishaya- Vishayas were divided into smaller parts called Vithis which were the villages and consisted of the lowest unit of administration.
    10. Mahattama,Mahattaka and Mahattara- Elder who assisted the Gramika in the village administration.
    11. Agharikas- During the reign of Harsha, Agharikas looked after the land given in charity.
    12. Samantas- Feudal chiefs.

    Important officers of Satvahana Period

    1. Uparakshita- In Satvahanas kingdom, their function was building caves for monks.
    2. Gaulamika- Administration of the villages was placed under them in the Satvahana period.
    3. Valaikkarars- Troops in the royal service and were the bodyguard of the monarch

     

     

    Medieval India

    Amils Revenue officers

    Arz-i-mamalik Minister in-charge of the army of the whole country.

    Ahl-i-qalam– Reporter

    Baqqal– Trader, grain-dealer

    Batai– Division of crop between the cultivator and landlord or the government, payments may be in

    kind or cash

    Barid- An intelligence officer appointed by the state to collect information

    Chachar– Land out of cultivation for 3-4 years.

    Chaauth or Chauthaai– One-fourth of the land revenue, originally a Zamindari charge in Gujrat demanded by Shivaji as a war expense.

    Charai– A tax on cattle.

    Dagh System– A system of branding of horses and animal.

    Dam- A copper coin considered as 1/40* the silver rupee for the official purposes.

    Dastur-al-amal- Rule book

    Dhimmi-  A non-Muslim client or subject

    Darul Mulk- Capital

    Gumashta- An agent or representative

    Hamam– A room for the bath of hot and cold water

    Hundi- A bill of exchange

    Jamabandi– Settlement of the amount of revenue assessed upon an estate or district

    Jarib– A measurement, land measurement or survey

    Jihat– Extra cesses

    Jizya– (a) In the literature of Delhi sultanate, any tax which is not kharaj or land tax

    (b) In the Shariat, a personal and yearly tax on non-Muslims.

    Kankut– Estimation of land revenue

    Karori– A revenue officer.

    Khiraj– Land revenue

    Mahal- A group of land regarded as a unit for land revenue purposes.

    Mansab– A military rank conferred by the Mughal emperor.

    Mauza- Revenue term for village

    Mokasa- Grant of land for military service, rent-free land.

    Nabud– Remission of land revenue on account of natural disasters.

    Paibaqi- Land reserved for allotment in jagir

    Polaj- Land continuously in cultivation

    Sarrafs– Money Chargers, bankers

    Saurghal-Rent-free land

    Taqavi- Advance of money for sowing or extending cultivation

    Upari- Temporary occupant; tenant at will.

    Usar- Barren land

    Zawabit- Secular laws.