Category: Ranker Webinars

Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Key words related to History : Kaivalya

Dynasty/era : Mahavira period

Meaning : 1.Kaivalya is a state of solitude, aloneness, isolation and detachment. The word is derived from the Sanskrit kevala, meaning “alone” or “isolated.” 2.It is a separation of purusha (Self or Soul) from prakriti (primal matter). The state of kaivalya is the main goal of Raja yoga. 3.It is a detachment and independence from relationships, egoism, attraction, aversion and the cycle of birth and death. One can achieve this state by performing austerities, yoga practice and discipline. One who achieves this state is called a Kevalin.

Key words related to History : Parigraha

Dynasty/era : Mahavira period

Meaning : 1.Parigraha-parimana is one the 12 vratas or vows of a layperson in Jainism. Specifically, it is a vow to limit attachment to worldly possessions. 2.Unlike monks or ascetics who observe such vows more strictly, the layperson may make a vow to limit his or her attachment to certain possessions or a certain number of possessions, or they may vow to limit attachment for a specified period of time.

Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Name : Aditya-L1

Details : It is India’s first solar mission. It will study the sun’s outer most layers, the corona and the chromospheres and collect data about coronal mass ejection, which will also yield information for space weather prediction.

Significance of the mission : The data from Aditya mission will be immensely helpful in discriminating between different models for the origin of solar storms and also for constraining how the storms evolve and what path they take through the interplanetary space from the Sun to the Earth.

Position of the satellite : In order to get the best science from the sun, continuous viewing of the sun is preferred without any occultation/ eclipses and hence, Aditya- L1 satellite will be placed in the halo orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) of the sun-earth system. What are Lagrangian points and halo orbit? Lagrangian points are the locations in space where the combined gravitational pull of two large masses roughly balance each other. Any small mass placed at that location will remains at constant distances relative to the large masses. There are five such points in Sun-Earth system and they are denoted as L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5. A halo orbit is a periodic three-dimensional orbit near the L1, L2 or L3.

Here are  Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

B2B #1:  [pib] Special AYUSH Clinics for the Elderly

National AYUSH Mission

1. Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India has launched National AYUSH Mission (NAM) during 12th Plan for im­plementing through States/UTs.
2. The basic objective of NAM is:

• to promote AYUSH medical systems through cost-effective AYUSH services,
• strengthening of educational systems,
• facilitate the enforcement of quality control of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani & Homoeopathy (ASU &H) drugs and sustainable availability of ASU & H raw-materials.

3. It envisages flexibility of implementation of the programmes which will lead to a substantial participation of the State Governments/UT.
4. The NAM contemplates the establishment of a National Mission as well as corresponding Missions in the State level.

Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Name : Prahaar

Defence Forces : Army

Module Type : Missiles

Brief Intro : Prahaar is a solid-fuelled Surface-to-surface guided short-range tactical ballistic missile that would be equipped with omni-directional warheads and could be used for hitting both tactical and strategic targets

Here are  Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

B2B #1: [pib] Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0

Unnat Bharat Abhiyan

1. This is an HRD Ministry initiative launched in 2014 with the two-fold aim to provide rural India with professional resource support from institutes of higher education in the field of STEM
2. And Building institutional capacity in Institutes of higher education in research & training relevant to the needs of rural India
3. This programme will be launched in collaboration with the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), Indian Institutes of Science Education & Research (IISERs) and the National Institutes of Technology (NITs) throughout the country
4. Each IIT/NIT/IISER will identify 10 villages in its neighbourhood and work out technologies to solve the most pressing issues of the region
5. Various teams from these institutes will visit the villages, identify problems and then aim to find financially-viable schemes.

B2B #2:  NCTE amendment Bill passed

National Council for Teacher Education

1. National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) is a statutory body of Indian government set up under the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993 in 1995
2. It has been established to formally oversee standards, procedures and processes in the Indian education system
3. This council functions for the central as well as state governments on all matter with regard to the Teacher Education
4. Functions

• undertake surveys and studies pertaining to all aspects of the teacher education and publish the corresponding results
• For the preparation of suitable plans and programmes regarding the field of teacher education, it makes recommendations to both the state and central governments, universities, University Grants Commission (UGC), and other recognised institutions.
• it coordinates and monitors the teacher education system throughout the country.
• it lays down the guideline for the minimum qualifications need for an individual to be a teacher in schools and recognised institutions.
• it lays downs guidelines for the provision of physical and infrastructural facilities, staffing pattern etc. for the compliance by recognised institutions.
• it lays down standards with respect to examinations, the major criteria for such admission as well as schemes for courses or training.
• it promotes and conducts research and innovation in schools and recognised institutions and then disseminates the results thereof.
• it examines its own laid-down guidelines, norms and standards for the improvement.
• it identifies the recognised institutions and set up new institutions for the developmental programmes of teacher education system.
• it takes up necessary steps for the prevention of the commercialisation of teacher education.
• it also performs other function that is entrusted to it by the central government

Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Name : BIOFIN

Objective : UNDP in October 2012 launched the Biodiversity Finance Initiative – BIOFIN

Category : Environment

Reading News for UPSC is utmost important and rising number of questions year on year in UPSC Prelims is a testimony of this

We are starting a daily series where we will analyze news covered in The Hindu, Indian Express and other newspapers which are important from exam perspective and which are not

Important news would have been covered in our daily news coverage in form of newscards.

Unimportant ones will be mentioned here and a short description regarding why it is not relevant for the exam

Click on news headlines to read the full news

High relevance news

India to expand polar research to Arctic as well

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/india-to-expand-polar-research-to-arctic-as-well/

After China’s stride on poles to search for hydrocarbons and other resources, it was inevitable for India to follow the suit. Arctic research has been in focus in India and a question related to it was asked in Prelims 2015. Read more and make notes.

[op-ed snap] Why private hospitals should join AB-NHPM

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/op-ed-snap-why-private-hospitals-should-join-ab-nhpm/

NHPM is a very ambitious scheme for the turnaround of the health sector. Participation of private hospitals will surely help in achieving its objectives. Note important points from editorial to quote in mains answers.

[op-ed snap] Who’s responsible for modernizing a 150-year-old law?

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/op-ed-snap-whos-responsible-for-modernizing-a-150-year-old-law/

A very nice editorial tracing the history of section 377 as well its judicial discourse. Must read for Mains

Low Relevance News

Centre mulls changes in IPC to deal with mob lynching

The Centre is considering the possibility of amending the Indian Penal Code (IPC) to define ‘mob lynching’ as a penal offence. If the IPC is amended, the government will not have to bring a stand-alone law on mob lynching.

Nothing important as this proposal is still in nascent stage. Will become substantial if amendment takes place

Women and Child Development Ministry to move proposal to amend POCSO Act

The Women and Child Development (WCD) Ministry is set to move a proposal before the Cabinet for enhanced punishment in cases of sexual assault of male children which the Law Ministry has cleared

Not important now. Will become once the amendment is approved by Cabinet

Govt. Poster for easy recall

Here are  Back2Basics collections from today’s news items

B2B #1: From news- [pib] New SAFAR system with Air Quality Early Warning System

System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR)

1. Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Govt. of India, has introduced a major national initiative “SAFAR” for greater metropolitan cities of India to provide location-specific information on air quality in near real time and its forecast 1-3 days in advance for the first time in India
2. It was started under the plan scheme “Metropolitan Advisories for Cities for Sports, Tourism (Metropolitan Air Quality and Weather Services)
3. The SAFAR system is developed by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, along with ESSO partner institutions namely India Meteorological Department (IMD) and National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF)
4. The implementation of SAFAR is done with an active collaboration with local municipal corporations and various local educational institutions and governmental agencies in that Metro city.
5. It was started on a Pilot basis in the cities of Pune, Ahmadabad, New Delhi and Mumbai

B2B #2: From news- India to expand polar research to Arctic as well

Indian mission on the Antarctic

1. The Indian Antarctic Program is a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional program under the control of the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.
2. It was initiated in 1981 with the first Indian expedition to Antarctica.
3. The program gained global acceptance with India’s signing of the Antarctic Treaty and subsequent construction of the Dakshin Gangotri Antarctic research base in 1983, superseded by the Maitri base from 1990.
4. The newest base commissioned in 2015 is Bharati, constructed out of 134 shipping containers.

Indian mission on the Arctic

1. Himadri Station is India’s first Arctic research station located at Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway. It is located at the International Arctic Research base, Ny-Ålesund.
2. It was inaugurated on the 1st of July, 2008 by the Minister of Earth Sciences. It is followed by IndARC.
3. The United States Geological Survey estimates that 22% of the world’s oil and natural gas could be located beneath the Arctic.
4.  ONGC Videsh has signed joint-venture with Russia for oil exploration there.

Arctic Council

1. It is an advisory body that promotes cooperation among member nations and indigenous groups as per the Ottawa Declaration of 1996.
2. Its focus is on sustainable development and environmental protection of the Arctic,
3. The Arctic Council consists of the eight Arctic States: Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States.
4. India and China are one of the observer countries since 2013.

B2B #3: From news- Niti Aayog nod to panel for denotified, semi-nomadic, nomadic tribes

Denotified, Semi-Nomadic and Nomadic Tribes

1. Denotified tribes are those that were labelled as criminals through a legislation by the British government and were denotified post-independence
2. The Nomadic tribes maintain constant geographical mobility
3. Semi-nomads are those who are on the move but return to fixed habitation once a year, mainly for occupational reasons
4. The DNT, NT, SNT communities have been identified as the most marginalised by several commissions set up since Independence
5. From these communities 90 percent or more members are landless

Here’s a Factoid to brush up your concepts

Name of the scheme : Swadhar Grehs

Objectives : Homes for relief and rehabilitation of women in difficult circumstances including survivors of rape/assault etc. Provision for food clothing, councelling. training, clinical and legal aid ; long term

Nodal Ministry : Ministry of Women & Child