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  • [Sansad TV] Perspective: New Law for CBI

    [Sansad TV] Perspective: New Law for CBI

    Context

    • Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice has recommended that there is a need to enact a new law and define the status, functions and powers of the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation).

    Issues highlighted by the committee

    • Impartial working: It emphasized about laying down safeguards to ensure objectivity and impartiality in its functioning.
    • Working at the behest of states: Highlighting withdrawal of general consent for CBI probe by many states, parliamentary committee in its report has said that the existing law – Delhi Special Police Establishment Act governing the federal probe agency has many limitations.
    • Filling up vacancies: The Parliamentary panel also said that every effort should be made to fill up vacancies in CBI at the earliest. 1,709 posts are vacant in the CBI against its sanctioned strength of 7,295.
    • Lack of permanent staff: CBI needs to reduce its dependence on deputations and strive to recruit permanent staff in the ranks of inspector of police and deputy superintendent of police.
    • No data on cases registered: Details of cases registered with the CBI, the progress made in their investigation and the final outcome are not available in public domain.

    All these issues can be easily sorted by a proper and separate legislation (since CBI is governed by the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act).

    cbi

    CBI: A quick backgrounder

    • The CBI traces its origins to the Delhi Special Police Establishment, a Central Government Police force, which was set up in 1941 by the Government of India.
    • It then aimed to investigate bribery and corruption in transactions within the War and Supply Department of India.
    • It then had its headquarters in Lahore.
    • After the end of the war, there was a continued need for a central governmental agency to investigate bribery and corruption by central-government employees.
    • The DSPE acquired its popular current name, CBI, through a Home Ministry resolution dated in 1963.

    Mandate of the CBI

    • The CBI is the main investigating agency of the GoI.
    • It is not a statutory body; it derives its powers from the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946.
    • Its important role is to prevent corruption and maintain integrity in administration.
    • It works under the supervision of the CVC (Central Vigilance Commission) in matters pertaining to the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
    • The CBI is also India’s official representative with the INTERPOL.

    Cases to investigate

    • Cases connected to infringement of economic and fiscal laws
    • Crimes of a serious nature that have national and international ramifications
    • Coordination with the activities of the various state police forces and anti-corruption agencies.
    • It can also take up any case of public importance and investigate it
    • Maintaining crime statistics and disseminating criminal information.

    Why need CBI when we have state police?

    • Cases of national importance: If the case is of national importance or has inter-state ramifications, it is necessary for a central agency like the CBI to take charge.
    • Special powers and expertise: Another reason could be that the state police might not have the required expertise, resources, or independence to handle the case.
    • Credible policing: In such cases, the CBI, being an independent investigating agency, can bring more credibility and transparency to the investigation.
    • Fair investigation: Some cases may involve high-ranking government officials, politicians, or influential individuals, and referring the case to the CBI can help avoid conflicts of interest and ensure a fair investigation.

    Issues with CBI

    • Caged parrot: The Supreme Court has criticised the CBI by calling it a “caged parrot speaking in its master’s voice”.
    • Political interference: It has often been used by the government of the day to cover up wrongdoing, keep coalition allies in line and political opponents at bay.
    • Investigation delay: It has been accused of enormous delays in concluding investigations due to political inertia.
    • Loss of Credibility: CBI has been criticised for its mismanagement of several cases involving prominent politicians and mishandling of several sensitive cases like the Bofors scandal, the Bhopal gas tragedy.
    • Lack of Accountability: CBI is exempted from the provisions of the Right to Information Act, thus, lacking public accountability.
    • Acute shortage of personnel: A major cause of the shortfall is the government’s sheer mismanagement of CBI’s workforce.
    • Limited Powers: The powers and jurisdiction of members of the CBI for investigation are subject to the consent of the State Govt., thus limiting the extent of investigation by CBI.
    • Restricted Access: Prior approval of Central Government to conduct inquiry or investigation on the employees of the Central Government is a big obstacle in combating corruption at higher levels of bureaucracy.

    Way Forward

    • Need for autonomy:   As long as the government of the day has the power to transfer and post officials of its choice in the CBI, the investigating agency will not enjoy autonomy and will be unable to investigate cases freely.
    • Selection of director/ Officers: To ensure that the CBI is a robust, independent and credible investigation agency, there is an urgent need to work out a much more transparent mechanism for selection and induction of officers on deputation.
    • Lokpal scrutiny: The Lokpal Act already calls for a three-member committee made up of the PM, the leader of the opposition and the CJI to select the director.
    • Bifurcation of Cadre: CBI should be bifurcated into an Anti-Corruption Body and a National Crime Bureau.
    • Develop its own cadre: One of the demands that have been before the Supreme Court, and in line with international best practices, is for the CBI to develop its own dedicated cadre of officers.
    • Annual social audit should be carried out by ten reputed, knowledgeable persons with backgrounds in law, justice, public affairs and administration and the audit report should be placed before the parliament.

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  • Nikaalo Prelims Spotlight || ISRO and its Missions/Important Submarines in News

    Dear Aspirants,

    This Spotlight is a part of our Mission Nikaalo Prelims-2023.

    You can check the broad timetable of Nikaalo Prelims here

    Session Details

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    24th Mar 2023

    1. RISAT-2B: An all-seeing radar imaging satellite

    • The PSLV-C46 is set to launch RISAT-2B from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

    RISAT Constellation

    • RISAT-2B, short for “Radar Imaging Satellite-2B”, is the second in a series of satellites used to observe weather conditions on Earth using radar imagery.
    • RISAT-2 was the first satellite in the series, launched for the purpose of surveillance. RISAT-1 was launched later, to become India’s first all-weather radar imaging satellite.
    • RISAT-2B is to be followed by RISAT-2BR1, 2BR2, RISAT-1A, 1B, 2A and so on.
    • ISRO orbited its first two radar satellites in 2009 & 2012 and it plans to deploy four or five of them in 2019 alone.
    • A constellation of such space-based radars means a comprehensive vigil over the country.
    • Once operational, the satellite will be capable of monitoring weather day and night, in all weather conditions.

    2.Phase 4 of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)

    • The Union Cabinet has approved ongoing GSLV continuation programme Phase-4 consisting of five GSLV flights during the period 2021-2024.
    • The will enable the launch of 2 tonne class of satellites for Geo-imaging, Navigation, Data Relay Communication and Space Sciences.
    • It will meet the demand for the launch of satellites at a frequency up to two launches per year, with maximal participation by the Indian industry.

    About GSLV

    • GSLV Continuation Programme was initially sanctioned in 2003, and two phases have been completed and the third phase is in progress and expected to be completed by Q4 of 2020-21.
    • GSLV has enabled independent access to space for 2 tonne class of satellites to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
    • One of the significant outcomes of the GSLV Continuation Programme is the mastering of the highly complex cryogenic propulsion technology, which is an essential technological capability to launch communication satellites to GTO.
    • This has also paved the way for the development of a high thrust Cryogenic engine & stage for the next-generation launch vehicle i.e. GSLV Mk-lll.
    • With the recent successful launch of GSLV-F11 on 19th December 2018, GSLV has successfully orbited 10 national satellites.
    • GSLV with the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage has established itself as a reliable launch vehicle for communication, navigation and meteorological satellites and also to undertake future interplanetary missions.

    3.Mission Shakti (Anti-Satellite Missile Test)

    • In an incremental advance, India has successfully conducted an Anti-Satellite (ASAT) missile test, named Mission Shakti.
    • India becomes the fourth country in the world to demonstrate the capability to shoot down satellites in orbit.
    • So far, only the United States, Russia and China have this prowess.

    Mission Shakti

    • While Mission Shakti may have targeted an object in outer space, India has long developed the ability to intercept incoming missiles.
    • In 2011, a modified Prithvi missile mimicked the trajectory of a ballistic missile with a 600-km range.
    • The DRDO-developed Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Interceptor Missile successfully engaged an Indian orbiting target satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in a ‘Hit to Kill’ mode.
    • The interceptor missile was a three-stage missile with two solid rocket boosters.

    4.Young Scientist Programme (YUVIKA)

    Young Scientist Programme

    • ISRO has launched a special programme for School Children called “Young Scientist Programme” “YUva VIgyani KAryakram from this year.
    • The Program is primarily aimed at imparting basic knowledge on Space Technology, Space Science and Space Applications to the younger ones with the intent of arousing their interest in the emerging areas of Space activities.
    • The residential training programme will be of around two weeks duration during summer holidays and it is proposed to select 3 students each from each State/ UTs to participate in this programme covering state, CBSE, and ICSE syllabus.
    • Those who have just finished 9th standard (in the academic year 2018-19) and waiting to join 10th standard (or those who have started 10th Std just now) will be eligible for the programme.
    • The selection will be based on the 8th Std marks.
    • Students belonging to the rural area have been given special weightage in the selection criteria.

    5.PSLV-C45/ Emisat Mission

    • For the sheer number of ‘firsts’ to its credit, the scheduled PSLV-C45/Emisat mission scheduled will be a memorable one for the ISRO.

    PSLV-C45/Emisat

    • C-45, which is set for lift-off from the second launchpad at Sriharikota, will mark the 47th flight of the PSLV.
    • It is meant for electromagnetic spectrum measurements, according to the ISRO.
    • It will be released into an orbit at 749 km.
    • EMISAT is primarily based on on the famous Israeli spy satellite called SARAL or (Satellite with ARgos and ALtika), and inherits its SSB-2 bus protocol for conducting sharp electronic surveillance across the length and breadth of India.
    • The satellite would serve as the country’s roving device for detecting and gathering electronic intelligence from enemy radars across the borders as it circles the globe roughly pole to pole every 90 minutes or so.
    • For the third successive PSLV mission, the ISRO plans to reuse the rocket’s spent fourth stage or PS4 to host short experiments.

    6.ISRO, French agency to set up a maritime surveillance system

    • ISRO and its French counterpart CNES has sealed an agreement to set up a joint maritime surveillance system in the country.
    • The two nations will explore putting up a constellation of low-Earth orbiting satellites.

    Oceansat-3-Argos Mission

    • The system will be augmented with the launch of Oceansat-3-Argos mission in 2020 along with a joint infrared Earth-observation satellite.
    • These will identify and track the movement of ships globally – and in particular, those moving in the Indian Ocean region where France has its Reunion Islands.
    • Before that, they will initially share data from their present space systems and develop new algorithms to analyse them, according to the Paris based National Centre for Space Studies.
    • They work together for the design and development of joint products and techniques, including those involving Automatic Identification System (AIS), to monitor and protect the assets in land and sea.

    7. Use of Space Technology in Agriculture Sector

    • The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has been pro-active in using the space technology in the agricultural sector. Take a look of various initiative in the aid of farmers:

    Various institutional measures

    1. The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare established a Centre, called Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre, in 2012.
    2. It works for operationalization of the space technology developed in the Indian Space Research Organization, for crop production forecasting.
    3. The Soil and Land Use Survey of India uses satellite data for soil resources mapping.

    8. India’s communication satellite GSAT-31 launched successfully

    GSAT-31

    1. It was launched in an elliptical Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit with a perigee (nearest point to Earth) of 250 km and an apogee (farthest point to Earth) of 35,850 km, inclined at an angle of 3.0 degree to the equator.
    2. With a lift-off mass of 2536 kg, GSAT-31 will augment the Ku-band transponder capacity in Geostationary Orbit.
    3. The satellite will provide continuity to operational services on some of the in-orbit satellites.
    4. GSAT-31 will provide DTH Television Services, connectivity to VSATs for ATM, Stock-exchange, Digital Satellite News Gathering (DSNG) and e-governance applications.
    5. The satellite will also be used for bulk data transfer for a host of emerging telecommunication applications.
    6. It is India’s 40th communication satellite which is configured on ISRO’s enhanced ‘I-2K Bus’, utilising the maximum “bus capabilities” of this type.

    9.ISRO launches Human Space Flight Centre in Bengaluru

    Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC)

    1. The HSFC, the hub of ISRO’s future manned missions, was inaugurated at ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru.
    2. Announced on August 15 2018, the country’s first crewed mission is set to happen by 2022, the 75th year of Independence.
    3. HSFC shall be responsible for the implementation of Gaganyaan project — which involves mission planning, development of engineering systems for crew survival in space, crew selection and training and also pursue activities for sustained human space flight missions.
    4. HSFC will take the support of ISRO centres to implement the first developmental [crewed] flight.

    10.ISRO’s first mission of 2019 to put military satellite Microsat-R in space

    • ISRO’s first mission of 2019 will put into space a 130-kg military imaging satellite, Microsat-R.
    • C-44 will be launched from the older First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

     Details of Launch

    1. The satellite would be placed within 15 minutes after take-off in a polar orbit 274 km away from Earth.
    2. This is much lower than any of its civil Earth observation spacecraft, which fly pole to pole over the globe at between 400 km and 700 km.

    Payload Details

    Microsat-R

    1. Microsat-R and its payload come assembled from a handful of laboratories of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
    2. It is meant for military use.
    3. The satellite was assembled outside and ISRO only interfaced it” with its own systems and the launch vehicle, just as it treats any customer satellite.

    11.Unispace Nanosatellite Assembly & Training Programme of ISRO

    NNATI Programme

    1. It is a capacity-building programme on Nanosatellite development.
    2. It is an initiative by ISRO to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations conference on the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space (UNISPACE-50).
    3. The programme provides opportunities to the participating developing countries to strengthen in assembling, integrating and testing of Nanosatellite.
    4. UNNATI programme is planned to be conducted for 3 years by U.R. Rao Satellite Centre of ISRO in 3 batches and will target to benefit officials of 45 countries.

    About UNISPACE+50

    1. It is an event marking the 50th year of the first UN Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
    2. It is an initiative of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).
    3. Three such conferences held earlier recognized the potential of space and laid the guidelines for human activities and international cooperation related to outer space.

    11.ISRO successfully launches hyperspectral imaging satellite HysIS

    HysIS

    1. HysIS stands for Hyper Spectral Imaging Satellite.
    2. The objective of the probe is to provide observations within the visible, near-infrared and shortwave infrared bands of the electromagnetic spectrum.
    3. The imaging tools will help the HysIS satellite monitor atmospheric activity and climate change, while also assisting studies of Earth’s magnetic field.
    4. These observations will have a host of applications, prime among which relate to agriculture, forestry, water management, and coastal patterns.
    5. The satellite’s payload also consists of a 730W power backup, and a 64Ah Li-ion battery.
    6. It will continue to make observations until 2023 when the mission ends.
    7. After this launch, the next big event for the Indian space organisation will be its awaited mission to the moon – Chandrayaan-2 – in early 2019.

    12.GROWTH-India telescope’s first science observation

    GROWTH-India Telescope

    1. The GROWTH-India telescope was commissioned six months ago soon after which it saw first light, on the night of June 12.
    2. It is part of a multi-country collaborative initiative – known as the Global Relay of Observatories Watching Transients Happen (GROWTH) – to observe transient events in the universe.
    3. The fully robotic telescope is designed to capture cosmic events occurring over relatively shorter periods of the cosmological timescale: years, days and even hours.
    4. Universities and research institutes from the US, the UK, Japan, India, Germany, Taiwan and Israel are part of the initiative.
    5. Their primary research objective is time-domain astronomy, which entails the study of explosive transients and variable sources (of light and other radiation) in the universe.

    13.ISRO telemedicine nodes for soldiers in high-altitude areas

    Telemedicine Nodes by ISRO

    1. In a major effort to improve emergency medical support to soldiers posted in high-altitude areas, especially Siachen, the Integrated Defence Staff of the Defence Ministry and the ISRO signed an MoU to set up telemedicine nodes in critical places across the country.
    2. ISRO will establish 53 more nodes in the first phase over and above the existing 20, in various establishments of the Army, Navy and Air Force across the country.

    14.Chandrayaan-1 data confirms the presence of ice on Moon: NASA

    NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) is testimony

    1. M3, aboard the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, launched in 2008 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), was uniquely equipped to confirm the presence of solid ice on the Moon.
    2. Scientists used data from NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) instrument to identify three specific signatures that definitively prove there is water ice at the surface of the Moon.
    3. It collected data that not only picked up the reflective properties we would expect from ice, but was also able to directly measure the distinctive way its molecules absorb infrared light, so it can differentiate between liquid water or vapour and solid ice.
    4. Most of the new-found water ice lies in the shadows of craters near the poles, where the warmest temperatures never reach above minus 156 degrees Celsius.
    5. Due to the very small tilt of the Moon’s rotation axis, sunlight never reaches these regions.

    15.ISRO set to launch its TV channel

    1. The ISRO is all set for a year-long Vikram Sarabhai centenary celebration starting in August 2019 to honour the visionary scientist and its legendary founding father.
    2. In a few months’ time, it plans to roll out a dedicated ISRO TV channel showcasing space applications, developments and science issues, targeting young viewers and people in remote areas in their language.

    Satellite launches now open to public

    1. As it strengthens its public outreach, ISRO will shortly start allowing the public to watch satellite launches from its Sriharikota launch centre.
    2. Selected students of classes 8 to 10 will be trained at ISRO for a month and taken to various laboratories and centres across the country.

    Vikram Sarabhai- the legend

    1. Sarabhai, the architect of the Indian space programme, the first ISRO chief and renowned cosmic ray scientist, was born on August 12, 1919.
    2. ISRO’s tributes to Sarabhai start with naming the first Indian moon landing spacecraft of the Chandrayaan-2 mission ‘Vikram’.
    3. Sarabhai was only 28 when he sowed the seeds of a space agency around the late 1940s and 1950s.

    16. Upgraded Vikas engine will soon boost ISRO’s rockets

    Adding more thrust

    1. The Vikas engine will improve the payload capability of PSLV, GSLV and GSLV Mk-III launch vehicles.
    2. The space agency has improved the thrust of the Vikas engine that powers all of them.

    Main beneficiary: GSLV Mk III

    1. The main beneficiary of the high-thrust Vikas engine is said to be the heavy-lifting GSLV-Mark III launcher, which ISRO expects will now put 4,000-kg satellites to space.
    2. This would be the third Mk-III and the first working one to be designated Mk III Mission-1 or M1.
    3. The first MkIII of June 2017 started with a 3,200-kg satellite and the second one is being readied for lifting a 3,500-kg spacecraft.
    4. The Vikas engine is used in the second stage of the light lifting PSLV; the second stage and the four add-on stages of the medium-lift GSLV; and the twin-engine core liquid stage of Mk-III.

    17.ISRO’s PRL scientists discover an ‘EPIC’ planet

    India in elite planet-spotting club

    1. A team from the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, has spotted for the first time a distant planet six times bigger than Earth and revolving around a Sun-like star about 600 light-years away.
    2. EPIC 211945201b (or K2-236b) is the name given to the planet by the discovery team. The host star is named EPIC 211945201 or K2-236.
    3. With this discovery, India has joined a handful of countries which have discovered planets around stars,” PRL’s parent ISRO has announced.
    4. The discovery was made using a PRL-designed spectrograph, PARAS, to measure and confirm the mass of the new planet.

    About EPIC

    1. EPIC was found circling very close to the Sun-like star, going around it once in about 19.5 days and unlikely to be inhabitable because of its high surface temperature of around 600°C.
    2. The team found the planet to be smaller in size than Saturn and bigger than Neptune.
    3. Its mass is about 27 times Earth’s and six times that of Earth at the radius.
    4. The scientists estimate that over 60% of its mass could be made up of heavy elements like ice, silicates and iron.

    GSAT-30 spacecraft

    1. India’s telecommunication satellite GSAT-30 was successfully launched into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) on January 17, 2020, from Kourou launch base, French Guiana by Ariane-5 VA-251.
    2. GSAT-30 is configured on ISRO’s enhanced I-3K Bus structure to provide communication services from Geostationary orbit in C and Ku bands. The satellite derives its heritage from ISRO’s earlier INSAT/GSAT satellite series.
    3. Weighing 3357 kg, GSAT-30 is to serve as a replacement to INSAT-4A spacecraft services with enhanced coverage. The satellite provides Indian mainland and islands coverage in Ku-band and extended coverage in C-band covering Gulf countries, a large number of Asian countries and Australia.
    4. The designed in-orbit operational life of GSAT-30 is more than 15 years.

    Important Submarines in News:

    1. Indian Naval ship Sahyadri reaches Darwin, Australia for exercise KAKADU 2018

    Exercise KAKADU

    1. After having been deployed to the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean for over four months, which included representing Indian Navy in multinational exercises MALABAR 18 at Guam and RIMPAC 18 at Hawaii, INS Sahyadri entered the Port of Darwin, Australia to participate in Exercise KAKADU 2018
    2. Indian Navy’s participation in KAKADU 18 provides an excellent opportunity to engage with regional partners and undertake multinational maritime activities ranging from constabulary operations to high-end maritime warfare in a combined environment
    3. It is aimed at enhancing interoperability and development of common understanding of procedures for maritime operations

    About the exercise

    1. Exercise KAKADU, which started in 1993, is the premier multilateral regional maritime engagement exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and supported by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
    2. The exercise is held biennially in Darwin and the Northern Australian Exercise Areas (NAXA)
    3. Exercise KAKADU derives its name from Kakadu National Park, which is a protected area in the northern territory of Australia, 171 km south-east of Darwin
    4. KAKADU 2018 is the 14th edition of the exercise
    5. During the exercise, professional exchanges in harbour and diverse range of activities at sea, including complex surface, sub-surface and air operations would enable sharing of best practices and honing of operational skills.

    2.Operation NISTAR Successfully Culminates with Safe Disembarkations of 38 Indian Nationals at Porbandar

    Operation NISTAR

    • INS Sunayana successfully evacuated 38 Indian Nationals at/ off Socotra Islands during a swift Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Operation (HADR), code named Operation NISTAR.
    • The Indian Nationals were stranded after severe Cyclonic Storm – Mekunu devastated the area around Socotra Island.
    • INS Sunayana was diverted from Gulf of Aden deployment to Socotra Island for search and rescue operations.

    Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) in India’s National Strategy

    • HADR operations have attracted the attention of the global community in recent years.
    • The Indian armed forces have a wide experience of disaster relief operations both at home and abroad, where they have been the core of relief operations.
    • Due to its sub-continental size, geographical location and its vulnerability to disasters, India has kept its forces ready to render assistance at short notice.
    • In the six decades since independence, India has experienced a number of natural and man-made disasters such as floods, earthquakes, famines, industrial accidents etc.
    • At the same time, India has partnered the global community in providing relief in affected regions.

    3.INS Karanj boosts Navy’s firepower

    Third Scorpene class submarine joins Naval fleet

    1. The Navy’s third state-of-the-art Scorpene class submarine, INS Karanj, has been launched
    2. The new submarine is named after the earlier Kalvari class INS Karanj, which was decommissioned in 2003
    3. This launch follows the launch of the first two Scorpene submarines — INS Kalavari and INS Khanderi.

    4.Indian Navy inducts its first Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle

    • The Indian Navy has inducted its first Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) System at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.

    About DSRV

    1. DSRV is used to rescue crew members stranded in submarines that get disabled. The Indian Navy joins a select group of naval forces in the world that boasts of this niche capability.
    2. The DSRV can be operated at a depth of 650 meters and can hold around 15 people.
    3. The Indian Navy in March 2016 had commissioned two DSRVs, the second will deployed at the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam.
    4. The induction of the DSRV marks the culmination of years of effort of the Indian Navy in acquiring this niche submarine rescue capability.

    Why need DSRV System?

    1. The Indian Navy currently operates submarines of the Sindhughosh, Shishumar, Kalvari Classes as well as nuclear powered submarines.
    2. The operating medium and the nature of operations undertaken by submarines expose them to high degree of inherent risk.
    3. In such an eventuality, traditional methods of search and rescue at sea are ineffective for a disabled submarine.
    4. To overcome this capability gap the Navy has acquired a third generation, advanced Submarine Rescue System considering of a Non-tethered Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) and its associated equipment.

    What makes Indian DSRV special?

    1. The Indian Navy’s DSRV System is considered to be the most advanced system currently in operation globally for its capability of undertaking rescue from a disabled Submarine upto 650 m depth.
    2. It is operated by a crew of three, can rescue 14 personnel from a disabled Submarine at one time and can operate in extreme sea conditions.

    5.Indian Navy’s Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) Capability

    Context

    • The Indian Navy has inducted a Submarine Rescue System with a Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) along with associated equipment.

    Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV)

    1. The Indian DSRV has the capability to rescue personnel from a distressed submarine (DISSUB) up to a depth of 650 m and it is the latest in terms of technology and capabilities.
    2. It has been designed and supplied to meet unique requirements of our submarines by M/s James Fishes Defence, UK.
    3. This System has a Side Scan Sonar for locating the position of the submarine in distress at sea.
    4. It will be providing immediate relief by way of posting Emergency Life Support Containers with the help of Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) for the rescue.
    5. To ensure early mobilization, the System permits rapid transportation of the Rescue System from the base to the exact location of the distressed submarine by transportation using air/land/sea vessels.

    5.INS Tarangini returns after Vogage across the World

    Context

    • The sail training ship of Indian Navy, INS Tarangini based at Kochi, returned after a seven month long sailing across the world.

    Lokayan 18

    1. The Voyage named “Lokayan 18” was flagged off on 10 Apr 18 from Kochi in INS Tarangini.
    2. During the voyage, the ship has proudly ‘shown the flag’ and highlighted the diverse culture of India across 15 ports in 13 countries.
    3. The ship sailed across the Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Mediterranean Sea, Strait of Gibraltar, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, English Channel and North Sea, right up to Norway before commencing her homeward passage back to Kochi.
    4. The ship also participated in the culminating event of the ‘Three Festival Tall Ships Regatta’ at Bordeaux, France.
    5. Over the years, INS Tarangini has been extensively deployed for long voyages away from her base port of Kochi, which includes one circumnavigation of the globe (2003-04) and three previous ‘Lokayans’ (2005, 2007 and 2015).

    About INS Tarangini

    1. INS Tarangini is a three masted ‘square rigged’ barque which carries a total of 20 sails.
    2. She is the First Sail Training Ship in Indian Navy and was commissioned on 11 Nov 1997.
    3. In her 21 years of glorious service, she has sailed over 2,20,000 nautical miles to date across the world’s oceans.
    4. She is the first of two Sail Training Ships in the First Training Squadron, the other being INS Sudarshini.
    5. The primary role of these Sail Training Ships is to develop character and professionalism, as well as inculcate the qualities of initiative, courage, resilience and spirit amongst the Sea Trainees.
    6. The ship also imparts practical training to them, primarily on navigation, sailing and seamanship.

    6.EyeROV TUNA: India’s first Underwater Robotic Drone

    India’s first Underwater Drone

    1. India’s first underwater robotic drone was launched and handed over to the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) of DRDO.
    2. The Remotedly Operated Vehicle (ROV)/underwater drone, named EyeROV TUNA, was developed by EyeROV Technologies, a company incubating at Kalamassery-based Maker Village, Kochi.
    3. NPOL, a laboratory of Delhi-headquartered Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), made the first order of the product.
    4. The drone will be used by NPOL for research and development activities which in turn would result in a commercial product for defense purposes.

    Features of EyeROV TUNA

    1. It can be navigated up to a depth of 50 metres to take real-time HD video images to examine ship hulls or undersea cables or bridge moorings, eliminating the need for costlier and riskier manual inspection by divers.
    2. It weighs less than 10 kilogram and can be used for inspection of ship hulls, ports, dams and nuclear power plants
    3. EyeROV is a light rover which can be easily accessed and controlled with the supporting attached and connected hardware such as laptops and joysticks.
    4. It can be used for inspection of ship hulls, ports, dams and nuclear power plants.

    7.India’s first missile tracking ship is readying for sea trials

    VC 11184

    1. This will be the first of its kind ocean surveillance ship being built as part of the efforts to strengthen the country’s strategic weapons programme.
    2. Its induction will put India in the elite of club of a few countries that have such a sophisticated ocean surveillance ship.
    3. It has the capacity to carry 300-strong crew with hi-tech gadgets and communication equipment, powered by two diesel engines, and a large deck capable of helicopter landing.
    4. The keel of the ship which was laid on June 30, 2014, is being built for the National Technical Research Organisation.
    5. This technical intelligence agency working directly under the supervision of the Prime Minister’s Office and the National Security Adviser.

    Strategic Weapons Programme

    1. Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) is gearing up to undertake sea trials of India’s first missile tracking ship by the first week of October.
    2. Visakhapatnam is considered a strategic location on the East Coast for the Indian defence forces as it is home for Ship Building Centre to build nuclear powered submarine INS Arihant class.

    INS Chakra

    • Nuclear powered submarine under a 10-year lease from Russia since 2012.
    • Negotiations are underway to lease an additional Akula-class attack submarine

    Arihant Class Submarine

    • A class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines being built for the Indian Navy
    • The lead vessel of the class, INS Arihant was launched in 2009
    • Arihant is the first ballistic missile submarine to have been built by a country other than one of the five permanent members of the UNSC
    • The 6,000 tonne vessel was built under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project at the Ship Building Centre in the port city of Visakhapatnam
    • INS Arihant is to be the first of the expected five in the class of submarines designed and constructed as a part of the Indian Navy’s secretive Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project

    Project 17 – Shivalik class Frigate

    • The Shivalik class or Project 17 class is a class of multi-role frigates in service with the Indian Navy.
    • They are the first stealth warships built in India – built by Mazagon Dock Limited
    • A total of three ships were built between 2000 and 2010, and all three were in commission by 2012

    Project 15 – Delhi Class destroyers

    • Delhi-class destroyers are guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy
    • Three ships of this class are in active service – INS Delhi, INS Mysore, INS Mumbai
    • The Delhi-class vessels are the third-largest warships to be fully designed and built in India, after the Kolkata-class destroyers and the Shivalik-class frigates

    Project 15A – Kolkata Class Destroyer

    • The Kolkata class (Project 15A) are a class of stealth guided missile destroyers
    • The class comprises three ships – Kolkata, Kochi and Chennai – built by Mazagon Dock Limited
    • The destroyers are a follow-on of the Project 15 Delhi-class destroyers, but are considerably more capable than them

    Project 15B – Visakhapatnam Class Destroyer

    • The Visakhapatnam class (Project 15B) is a class of stealth guided missile destroyers currently being built for the Indian Navy.
    • Based on the Kolkata-class design, the Visakhapatnam class will be an extensively improved version.
    • 1st ship of Project 15B, a Guided Missile Destroyer Visakhapatnam– largest missile destroyer commissioned in India till now
    • Will carry 8 BrahMos missiles
    • Future Ships under this project – Porbandar, Mormugao, Paradip

    Project 17A

    • The Project 17A-class frigate is follow-on of the Project 17 Shivalik-class frigate for the Indian Navy.
    • A future project aimed at building country’s most advanced warships
    • Seven frigates will be built indigenously with stealth features to avoid easy detection by Mazagon Dock and GRSE

    Project 75I

    • 6 Diesel submarines with Air Independent Propulsion System (AIP) technology for Indian Navy by 2022
    • Conventional diesel-electric submarines have to surface every few days to get oxygen to recharge their batteries.
    • With AIP systems, they can stay submerged for much longer periods.
    • Will have both anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare viz. vertical launched BrahMos for the sea & land targets + Tube-launched torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare
    • AIP significantly improves stealth, as it enables a submarine to generate electricity for services and battery charging and propulsion while completely submerged.

    Scorpene submarine to carry AIP

    • A class of diesel-electric submarine jointly developed by the French DCN and the Spanish company Navantia & now by DCNS under Project 75.
    • It features diesel-electric propulsion and an additional air-independent propulsion (AIP) system.
    • A DRDO-developed critical propulsion system will go into the last two of the six Scorpene submarines, being built under technology transfer at Mazagon Dock, Mumbai.

    Aircraft Carriers –  INS Vikrant

    • Maiden indigenous aircraft carrier in India
    • Largest aircraft carrier after induction
    • Previous aircraft carriers in India – INS Vikramaditya from Russia & INS Viraat from UK
    • Puts India in the elite group of four nations – the US, Russia, the UK and France – in the world capable of designing and constructing aircraft carriers

    INS Alleppey Decommissioned

    • Was one of the six Ponchicherry class coastal minesweepers, designed to detect and destroy underwater mines

  • Nikaalo Prelims Spotlight || Pollutants, Important Keywords in Environment

    Dear Aspirants,

    This Spotlight is a part of our Mission Nikaalo Prelims-2023.

    You can check the broad timetable of Nikaalo Prelims here

    Session Details

    YouTube LIVE with Parth sir – 1 PM  – Prelims Spotlight Session

    Evening 04 PM  – Daily Mini Tests

    Telegram LIVE with Sukanya ma’am – 06 PM  – Current Affairs Session

    Join our Official telegram channel for Study material and Daily Sessions Here


    23rd Mar 2023

    Pollutants, Important keywords in Environment

    What are Air Pollutants?

    Pollutants are the substances which cause pollution; air pollution is caused by air pollutants.

    Types of Air Pollutants

    Primary Pollutants Secondary Pollutants
    The pollutants that directly cause air pollution are known as primary pollutants.  The pollutants formed by the intermingling and reaction of primary pollutants are known as secondary pollutants.

    Classification of Pollutants

    Particulate Pollutants  Gaseous Pollutants
    1. Lead
    2. Fly Ash
    3. Metallic Oxides
    4. Nanoparticles
    1. Carbon monoxide (CO)
    2. Carbon dioxide (CO2)
    3. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
    4. Ozone (O3)
    5. Nitrogen oxide (NOx)
    6. Sulphur dioxide (SO2)
    • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
    • Benzene
    • Ethylene
    • Biological pollutants
    • Asbestos
    • Radon

    Particulate Pollutants

    The particles that pollute the air by being suspended can be defined as particulate pollutants.

    These particles are results of some anthropogenic processes like vehicles, industries, construction sites/activities, etc. or natural sources like pollen, volcanic eruptions, natural gaseous precursors, etc.

    • Their size ranges from 0.001 to 500 micrometers (µm) in diameter.
    Heavy Particulate Matter Suspended Particulate Matter Nanoparticulate Matter
    • More than 10 µm
    • Less than 10 µm
    • Less than 0.02 µm
    • Settles down after a point
    • Floats and moves freely with air currents
    • Very light and harmful
    • Form aerosols

    Gaseous Pollutants

    Gaseous Pollutants Description Impacts
    Carbon monoxide (CO)
    • Highly toxic.
    • Produced from internal combustion engines due to incomplete combustion.
    • Other sources are volcanoes, forest fires, etc.
    • Greenhouse gas.
    • Carbon monoxide poisoning.
    • Produces carboxyhemoglobin reducing the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
    Carbon dioxide (CO2)
    • Heavier than air.
    • Source are volcanoes, fire, etc.
    • Greenhouse gas.
    • CO2 is an asphyxiant gas (asphyxia: a condition arising when the body is deprived of oxygen, causing unconsciousness or death.).
    • Has other harmful effects if a high concentration of CO2 is inhaled like dizziness, headache, etc.
    • Carbonic rain in high polluted areas.
    Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
    • Used in refrigerators, air conditioners, aerosols, etc.
    • Highly destructive to the Ozone layer.
    Ozone (O3)
    • Very useful in the Stratosphere but harmful at the ground layer.
    • It’s produced due to industries and vehicles.
    • Greenhouse gas.
    • Has toxic effects.
    • Causes watery and itchy eyes.
    Nitrogen oxide (NOx)
    • Various oxides of Nitrogen come under NOX.
    • Caused due to the reaction between oxygen and nitrogen at high temps such as in combustion engines and industries.
    • Aggravates Ashtamatic conditions and other respiratory issues in humans.
    • Plays a major role in the formation of SMOG, acid rain (nitric acid), and the greenhouse effect.
    Sulphur dioxide (SO2)
    • Pungent smelling colorless gas produced from mostly volcanic activities, industrial processes, and production of sulphuric acid.
    • Respiratory issues, premature deaths, and death of certain nerves when inhaled.
    Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
    • Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are a large group of carbon-based chemicals that easily evaporate at room temperature.
    • Irritations in eyes, skin, nose, and throat.
    • Long-term exposure can cause serious damage to the liver and other organs.
    Benzene
    • Found in petrochemicals and used as a fuel additive
    • Increases cancer risk and a major cause of bone marrow failure.
    Ethylene
    • Used in plastic and chemical industries in the production of Polyethylene and other polymers.
    • Excess exposure can cause headaches and dizziness.
    • Ethylene oxide is a carcinogen.
    Asbestos
    • Occurs naturally as a fibrous mineral.
    • Prolonged exposure and inhalation can be very harmful and can cause fatal illness.
     
  • [Sansad TV] Perspective: Inter-Services Organizations Bill, 2023

    [Sansad TV] Perspective: Inter-Services Organizations Bill, 2023

    Context

    The Inter-services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023, was introduced in Lok Sabha on March 15, 2023.  

    Inter-Services Organisations Bill, 2023

    • It seeks to empower the Commander-in-Chief or Officer-in-Command of Inter-services Organisations to exercise disciplinary or administrative control over the service personnel under their command, irrespective of their service.  
    • It will empower commanders-in-chief or any other officers posted in tri-services organisations with disciplinary and administrative powers in respect of personnel serving in them.

    Key features

    • Inter-services Organisation (ISO):  Existing ISO will be deemed to have been constituted under the Bill.  These include the Andaman and Nicobar Command, the Defence Space Agency, and the National Defence Academy.  The central government may constitute an ISO which has personnel belonging to at least two of the three services: the army, the navy, and the air force.  These may be placed under the command of an Officer-in-Command.  These organisations may also include a Joint Services Command, which may be placed under the control of a Commander-in-Chief.
    • Control of ISO:  Presently, the Commander-in-Chief or Officer-in-Command of ISO are not empowered to exercise disciplinary or administrative powers over the personnel belonging to other services.  The Bill empowers the Commander-in-Chief or the Officer-in-Command of an ISO to exercise command and control over the personnel serving in or attached to it.  He/She would be responsible for maintaining discipline and ensuring the proper discharge of duties by the service personnel.
    • Superintendence of ISO:  The superintendence of an ISO will be vested in the central government.  The government may also issue directions to such organisations on the grounds of national security, general administration, or public interest.
    • Other forces under central government: The central government may notify any force raised and maintained in India to which the Bill will apply.  This would be in addition to army, navy, and air force personnel.
    • Commander-in-Chief: The officers eligible to be appointed as the Commander-in-Chief or Officer-in-Command are: (i) a General Officer of the regular Army (above the rank of Brigadier), (ii) a Flag Officer of the Navy (rank of Admiral of the Fleet, Admiral, Vice-Admiral, or Rear-Admiral), or (iii) an Air Officer of the Air Force (above the rank of group captain).
    • Commanding Officer: The Bill provides for a Commanding Officer who will be in command of a unit, ship, or establishment.   The officer will also perform duties assigned by the Commander-in-Chief or Officer-in-Command of the ISO.  The Commanding Officer will be empowered to initiate all disciplinary or administrative actions over the personnel appointed, deputed, posted, or attached to that Inter-services Organisation.

    Need for this Bill

    • Multiple legislations: Currently, the service personnel of Indian Air Force, Army and Navy are governed by the provisions of the Air Force Act, 1950, the Army Act, 1950 and the Navy Act, 1957 respectively.
    • No integrated staff: Under current norms only officers of the respective services are empowered to exercise disciplinary powers over the service personnel under the respective service Acts.
    • Others: The Bill will also pave the way for various other tangible benefits such as expeditious disposal of cases, saving of time and public money by avoiding multiple proceedings and greater integration and joint manship among armed forces personnel.

    Significance of the proposed Bill

    • Integration of forces: There has been a long-felt demand to streamline armed forces due to two hostile neighbors. The legislation seeks to avoid resource duplication and enable synergistic deployment.
    • Increase operational efficiency: The bill along with theaterisation will help reduce the current 17 commands to half a dozen for greater operational capability.
    • Better personnel management: The bill would addresses disciplinary issues in a tri-service environment with personnel from different services.
    • Official integration: With this, equivalence and power will be given to the Commander-in-Chief irrespective of their service.
    • Broader realization of security: Need for three services to collaborate to address emerging challenges in modern warfare. Ultimate objective of national security will become easier to achieve.

    Existing challenges

    • Fixed rules of the three services pose a challenge to change.
    • Incorporating technologies like AI and drone technology in modern warfare is challenging.
    • Logistical issues in certain services make it difficult to formulate joint rules and collaboration.
    • Logistics pose a major challenge to smooth and coordinated implementation.
    • Chief of Defence Services (CDS) is overburdened with multiple roles.

    Way forward

    • Operational power should be given within the joint service command at various levels.
    • Powers should be divided to reduce the workload on service headquarters in operational issues.
    • Synergy can be developed on promotion and marking standards between services.
    • CDS should be the Theatre Commander and the charge of the Department of Military Affairs should be given to another officer.
    • Assets of all services should be placed in a central pool until concrete steps of joint operations are taken
    • A Group of Ministers can be formed to take inputs and suggest a well-coordinated policy.
    • Immediate changes like land use and logistics should be made while complicated issues are deliberated.

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  • Nikaalo Prelims Spotlight || Species In News

    Dear Aspirants,

    This Spotlight is a part of our Mission Nikaalo Prelims-2023.

    You can check the broad timetable of Nikaalo Prelims here

    Session Details

    YouTube LIVE with Parth sir – 1 PM  – Prelims Spotlight Session

    Evening 04 PM  – Daily Mini Tests

    Telegram LIVE with Sukanya ma’am – 06 PM  – Current Affairs Session

    Join our Official telegram channel for Study material and Daily Sessions Here


    22nd Mar 2023

    Species In News

    Indian Bullfrogs

    • The Indian Bullfrog Hoplobatrachus Tigerinus (native to
      the Indian subcontinent) has rapidly invaded the Andaman
      islands after it was introduced there in the early 2000s.
    • In human-dominated areas, it now shares space with other
      native (and often endemic) frog species.
    •  The bullfrogs are prolific breeders: they have short breeding
      seasons, and each egg clutch can contain up to 5,750 eggs.
    • Its tadpoles are carnivorous and eat other tadpoles (including their own species).
    • The proportion of bullfrog tadpoles surviving was greater
      in the presence of both endemic frog tadpoles.
    • This is worrying because other native frog species – many
      of which are only being described – could also be affected

    Balsams of Eastern Himalayas

    • Consisting of both annual and perennial herbs, balsams
      are succulent plants with high endemism.
    • Because of their bright beautiful flowers, these groups of
      plants are of prized horticultural significance.
    • The details of the new species, including several new
      records, have been highlighted in the book, recently published by the Botanical Survey of India.
    • Of the 83 species described, 45 are from Arunachal Pradesh,
      24 from Sikkim and 16 species common to both states.

    Threats:

    • Prior to 2010, specimens of Impatiens that had potential
      of being identified as new species would be collected but
      the dried-up specimens looked identical to the species
      discovered earlier and their effort yielded no results.
    • Other than high endemism, what sets Impatiens apart is
      their sensitivity to climate change.
    • Most of the species of Impatiens cannot endure persistent
      drought or extended exposure to direct sunlight.
    • As a result Impatiens species are typically confined
      to stream margins, moist roadsides, waterside boulders, near waterfalls and wet forests.

    Miracle Plant Arogyapacha

    • This ‘miracle plant’ is known for its traditional use by the
      Kani tribal community to combat fatigue.
    • Studies have also proved its varied spectrum of pharmacological properties such as anti-oxidant, aphrodisiac, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-tumour, anti-ulcer, anti-hyperlipidemic, hepatoprotective and anti-diabetic.

    Dracaena Cambodiana: India’s first dragon blood-oozing tree

    • A group of researchers has discovered Dracaena cambodiana, a dragon tree species in the Dongka Sarpo area of West Karbi Anglong, Assam.
    •  This is the first time that a dragon tree species has been
      reported from India.
    • In India, the Dracaena genus belonging to the family Asparagaceae is represented by nine species and two varieties in the Himalayan region, the northeast and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
    • But Dracaena cambodiana is the only true dragon tree species.
    • The Dracaena seeds are usually dispersed by birds. But due
      to the large fruit size, only a few species of birds are able
      to swallow the fruits, thus limiting the scope of its nature
      conservation.

    7 New Species Of Insects That Can Walk On Water Discovered

    • The newly described species belong to the genus Mesovelia
      whose size ranges from 1.5 mm to 4.5 mm and are equipped
      with hydrophobic setae (bristles) on their legs.
    • The combination of hydrophobic setae and water surface
      tension prevents them from sinking.
    • The insects are pale green with silver-white wings with
      black veins on the basal half which make them stand out
      over the green mat of aquatic weeds.
    • Among the new discoveries, Mesovelia andamana is from
      Andaman Islands, bispinosa and M. isiasi are from Meghalaya, M. occulta and M. tenuia from Tamil Nadu and M.brevia and M. dilatata live both in Meghalaya and Tamil Nadu.

    Evolution

    •  These bugs are hemimetabolous insects without having
      larval stage i.e., they go from egg to nymph to adult.
    • They are found on freshwater bodies such as ponds, lakes,
      pools, streams, rocks with moss and sometimes on estuaries.
    • These bugs serve as predators and scavengers (feed on
      midges, water fleas, feed on dead and dying mosquitoes),
      thereby removing organic waste and also providing a natural sanitation service.
    • The females of Mesovelia are larger than males and dig
      several holes on plants and insert eggs in plant tissues with
      a specially adapted long serrated ovipositor (genital organ).

    Emperor Penguin Colony In Antarctica Vanishes

    • The emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) is the tallest
      and heaviest of all living penguin species and is endemic
      to Antarctica.
    • Like all penguins, it is flightless, with a streamlined body,
      and wings stiffened and flattened into flippers for a marine habitat.
    • Its diet consists primarily of fish, but also includes crustaceans, such as krill, and cephalopods, such as squid.
    • The only penguin species that breeds during the Antarctic winter, emperor penguins trek 50–120 km over the ice to breeding colonies which can contain up to several thousand individuals.
    • In 2012 the emperor penguin was uplisted from a species of least concern to near threatened by the IUCN.

    Arctic Kelp Forests

    • Kelp is a type of large brown seaweed that grows in shal-low, nutrient-rich saltwater, near coastal fronts around the world.
    • They occur on rocky coasts throughout the Arctic.
    • Kelp is a type of large brown seaweed that grows in shallow, nutrient-rich saltwater, near coastal fronts around the world.
    • They occur on rocky coasts throughout the Arctic.
    • The longest kelp recorded in the Arctic in Canada was 15 metres, and the deepest was found at 60-metre depth (Disko Bay, Greenland).
    • Kelps function underwater in the same way trees do on land. They create habitat and modify the physical environment by shading light and softening waves.
    • The underwater forests that Kelps create are used by many animals for shelter and food.More than 350 different species – up to 100,000 small invertebrates – can live on a single kelp plant, and many fish, birds and mammals depend on the whole forest.
    • Kelp forests also help protect coastlines by decreasing the power of waves during storms and reducing coastal erosion.

    Neelakurinji Blossom

    • Kurinji or Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthianus) is a shrub that is found in the shola forests of the Western Ghats in South India
    • Nilgiri Hills, which literally means the blue mountains, got their name from the purplish-blue flowers of Neelakurinji that blossoms only once in 12 years.
    • It is the most rigorously demonstrated, with documented bloomings in 1838, 1850, 1862, 1874, 1886, 1898, 1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 and 2018
    • Some Kurinji flowers bloom once every seven years, and then die. Their seeds subsequently sprout and continue the cycle of life and death.

    Kashmir Stag (Hangul)

    • Hangul, the state animal of Jammu & Kashmir, is restricted to the Dachigam National Park some 15 km north-west of Jammu & Kashmir summer capital Srinagar.
    • The Hangul is placed under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and the J&K Wildlife Protection Act, 1978.
    • The Hangul was once widely distributed in the mountains of Kashmir and parts of Chamba district in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh.
    • The IUCN’s Red List has classified it as Critically Endan-gered and is similarly listed under the Species Recovery Programme of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the Environmental Information System (ENVIS) of the MoEFCC.
    • From a population of 5,000 in the early 1900s, the Hangul’s numbers have constantly declined over the decades.
    • The Hangul is considered equally significant to the state of Jammu & Kashmir as the tiger is to the whole of India.
    • The Paliyan tribal people living in Tamil Nadu used it as a reference to calculate their age.
    • It is the only Asiatic survivor or subspecies of the European red deer.
    • But the state animal’s decreasing population remains a big concern.
    • According to the latest survey in 2017, the population of Hangul is 182 in Dachigam and adjoining areas. Earlier population estimates suggest that there were 197 deer in 2004 and 186 in 2015. T
    • The IUCN Red Data Book — which contains lists of species at risk of extinction — has declared the Hangul as one of three species that were critically endangered in J&K.
    • The other two are the Markhor — the world’s largest species of wild goat found in Kashmir and several regions of central Asia — and the Tibetan antelope or ‘Chiru’.

    Great Indian Bustard

    • The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) is one of the few species that the Government of India has included in its ‘recovery programme for critically endangered species’.
    • With less than 200 GIBs remaining in the world, most of them were found in Rajasthan’s ‘Desert National Park’. We are on the brink of forever losing a majestic bird species, which was once a strong contender to be declared as India’s National Bird.
    • Habitat: Arid and semi-arid grasslands, open country with thorn scrub, tall grass interspersed with cultivation.
    • It avoids irrigated areas. It is endemic to Indian Sub-continent. found in central India, westem India and eastern Pakistan.
    • Currently, it is found in only six states in the country Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka. Protection: Listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
    • It is also listed in Appendix I of CITES and covered under CMS or Bonn Convention.
    • Bustard Species Found in India: Great Indian Bustard, the Lesser Florican and the Bengal Florican; Houbara also belong to Bustard family but it’s a migratory species.
    • Importance to Ecosystem: GIB is an indicator species for grassland habitats and its gradual disappearance from such environments shows their deterioration. Once the species is lost. there will be no other species to replace it, and that will destabilise the ecosystem of the grassland and affect critical bio-diversities, as well as blackbucks and wolves, who share their habitat with the GIB.
    • Conservation Steps: Great Indian Bustard, popularly known as ‘Godawan is Rajasthan’s state bird. The state government has started “Project Godawan” for its conservation at Desert National Park (DNP) in Jaisalmer. It’s one of the Spades for The Recovery Programme under the Integrated Development of  Wildlife Habitats of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

    Tasmanian Tiger

    • The Tasmanian tiger or thylacine (a dog headed pouched dog) was an exclusively carnivorous marsupial that is considered to be extinct.
    • It has resemblance to a dog, with its distinguishing features being the dark stripes beginning at the rear of its body and extending into its tail, its stiff tail and abdominal pouch.
    • The last known thylacine died in captivity over 80 years ago, in Tasmania’s Hobart Zoo in 1936.
    • It may also be the only mammal to have become extinct in Tasmania since the European settlement.

    Adratiklit boulahfa

    • Named Adratiklit boulahfa, it is also the first stegosaurus to be found in North Africa.
    • Its remains were discovered in the Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco.
    • The scientists believe it is not only a new species but also belongs to a new genus.
    • The name is derived from the words used by the Berber (an ethnic group indigenous to North Africa) for mountains (Adras), lizard (tiklit) and and the area where the specimen was found. (Boulahfa).

     
  • IAS Toppers’ strategy for Current Affairs | LIVE session on How to actually cover current affairs for UPSC 2023-24? and FIVE point agenda | Sajal sir, Dimple ma’am & Dinesh sir | Get FREE Samachar Manthan Module | Register FREE

    IAS Toppers’ strategy for Current Affairs | LIVE session on How to actually cover current affairs for UPSC 2023-24? and FIVE point agenda | Sajal sir, Dimple ma’am & Dinesh sir | Get FREE Samachar Manthan Module | Register FREE

    The three most important figures in UPSC current affairs space will discuss the most important aspect of your prep. (Click here for details)

    Register for Recorded Video

    Preparing for UPSC Current Affairs is akin to being tossed into a turbulent sea of information, leaving most aspirants disoriented and unsure where to focus their attention. The struggle to navigate through the endless news cycle and discern what’s essential for the UPSC exam is real.

    But fret not, for that we already have the Samachar Manthan, Civilsdaily’s flagship program for current affairs, helmed by the illustrious Sajal Sir. Packed with fresh perspectives and exciting features, it’s designed to make your current affairs preparation journey smoother and more enjoyable than ever before.

    But today we have something special to announce.

    Coming Thursday, the Triumvirate of Samachar Manthan, Sajal sir, Dimple ma’am, and Dinesh sir will be LIVE for a detailed Round table level Conference where they will discuss everything that is important for UPSC Current Affairs.

    This is open to all and is an online meeting, we will share the Zoom link with you after registration for this event.

    What is Current Affairs RTC?

    Senior IAS mentors like Sajal sir, Dinesh sir, and Dimple ma’am will be LIVE for detailed session on UPSC current affairs

    1. Pain points faced by UPSC aspirants.
    2. A comprehensive guideline on the how to exactly cover and prepare Current Affairs for UPSC-CSE.
    3. What are the common Blindspots and Loopholes in the preparation for Current Affairs that are faced by most of the aspirants?
    4. How to have a comprehensive analysis covering all the relevant current affairs topics, with a focus on interlinkages, answer writing and retention of information?
    5. Seven most common mistakes an aspirants must avoid while covering current affairs.

    Details

    Date: 23 March 2023

    Time: 7:30 pm

    FREE for all, Entry on first come first served basis

    Zoom link will be emailed to all on registration


    About Samachar Manthan

    Guaranteed results

    • 85% of UPSC 2022 Prelims and Mains Questions were from CivilsDaily’s Current Affairs Test Series
    • 100+ rankers vouch for the efficacy of Samachar Manthan, a result-oriented Current Affairs program

    Samachar Manthan registered the highest turnout of UPSC rankers from any Current Affairs program available in the market

    And if that’s not convincing enough, just watch the video below of AIR 2 Jagrati Awasthi, 49 Abhijit Ray, and many more, who will vouch for the efficacy of Samachar Manthan.

    That will help you improve your ability to read newspapers and analyze current events.


    Samachar Manthan Batch 4 for UPSC CSE 20232024

    This is going to be a special batch as the focus would be on two things:

    1. Covering the backlog from June 2022 to the current month along with answer writing and note making.
    2. Side by side continuing and covering the current issues for Prelims 2023 and then Mains 2023.

    Click & enroll: Samachar Manthan Batch 4 for UPSC 2023 (details here)

    Because Samachar Manthan is a weekly current affairs program, we will design it for you to cover multiple weeks of current affairs in a single week. For example, Week 1 (the first weeks of June 2022) will be paired with SM Week 39. (current weeks).

    Schedule a FREE call to know how to cover the current affairs backlog for UPSC 2023 Prelims & Mains.

    Click & schedule a 1-1 call with senior IAS faculty for strategy

    We will be sharing a personalized strategy and timetable for you as per your UPSC preparation situation.

    Samachar Manthan Yearly for UPSC CSE 2024

    This will be the full-fledged batch of UPSC 2024 aspirants that will continue till Mains.

    This is what our students have to say about Samachar Manthan, Sajal Sir & other faculties.

    Feedback from our students.

    Our ex-students are now rankers.

    Check out Shahansha’s excerpt on how he cleared UPSC 2020:

    https://youtu.be/6WA8nhi9g8I

    Schedule a FREE call to know how to cover the current affairs backlog for UPSC 2023 & 2024. We will be sharing a personalized strategy and timetable for you as per your UPSC preparation situation.

  • Nikaalo Prelims Spotlight || National Parks, Biosphere Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries in India

    Dear Aspirants,

    This Spotlight is a part of our Mission Nikaalo Prelims-2023.

    You can check the broad timetable of Nikaalo Prelims here

    Session Details

    YouTube LIVE with Parth sir – 1 PM  – Prelims Spotlight Session

    Evening 04 PM  – Daily Mini Tests

    Telegram LIVE with Sukanya ma’am – 06 PM  – Current Affairs Session

    Join our Official telegram channel for Study material and Daily Sessions Here


    21st Mar 2023

    National Parks, Biosphere Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries in India

    National Parks, Biosphere Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries in India

    NATIONAL PARKS STATES
    Papikonda National Park Andhra Pradesh
    Rajiv Gandhi National Park Andhra Pradesh
    Lanjamadugu Wildlife Sanctuary Andhra Pradesh
    Namdapha National Park Arunachal Pradesh
    Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary Arunachal Pradesh
    Manas National Park (UNESCO) Assam
    Nameri National Park Assam
    Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park Assam
    Kaziranga National Park (UNESCO) Assam
    Dibru Sai Khowa National Park Assam
    Gautam Budha Wildlife Sanctuary Bihar
    Valmild National Park Bihar
    Rajgir Wildlife Sanctuary Bihar
    Indravati National Park Chhattisgarh
    Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary Chhattisgarh
    Kanger Valley National Park Chhattisgarh
    Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary Chhattisgarh
    Guru Ghasi Das (Sanjay) National Park Chhattisgarh
    Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary Chhattisgarh
    Bhagwan Mahavir National Park Goa
    Vansda National Park Gujarat
    Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary Gujarat
    Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary Gujarat
    Marine National Park (First Marine National Park) Gujarat
    Black Buck National Park Gujarat
    Gir Forest National Park Gujarat
    Kalesar National Park Haryana
    Sultanpur National Park Haryana
    Lippa Asrang Wildlife Sanctuary Himachal Pradesh
    Tundah Wildlife Sanctuary Himachal Pradesh
    Inderkilla National Park Himachal Pradesh
    Great Himalayan National Park Himachal Pradesh
    Pin Valley National Park Himachal Pradesh
    Khirganga National Park Himachal Pradesh
    Simbalbara National Park Himachal Pradesh
    Sechu Tuan Nala Wildlife Sanctuary Himachal Pradesh
    Salim All National Park Jammu & Kashmir
    Kishtwar National Park Jammu & Kashmir
    Hemis National Park (Largest in Area) Jammu & Kashmir
    Changtang Wildlife Sanctuary Jammu & Kashmir
    Dachigam National Park Jammu & Kashmir
    Kara Koram Wildlife Sanctuary Jammu & Kashmir
    Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary Jammu & Kashmir
    Lachipora Wildlife Sanctuary Jammu & Kashmir
    Betla National Park Jharkhand
    Hazaribagh National Park Jharkhand
    Lawalong Wildlife Sanctuary Jharkhand
    Nagarhole National Park Karnataka
    Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary Karnataka
    Kudremukh National Park Karnataka
    Bannerghatta National Park Karnataka
    Bandipur National Park Karnataka
    Arabithittu Wildlife Sanctuary Karnataka
    Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary Karnataka
    Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary Karnataka
    Chinnar Wild Life Sanctuary Kerala
    Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary Kerala
    Periyar National Park Kerala
    Silent Valley National Park Kerala
    Eravikulam National Park Kerala
    Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary Kerala
    Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary Kerala
    Anamudi Shola National Park Kerala
    Pampadum Shola National Park Kerala
    Pench National Park Madhya Pradesh
    Bandhavgarh National Park (Highest Numbers of Tigers) Madhya Pradesh
    Kanha National Park Madhya Pradesh
    Madhav National Park Madhya Pradesh
    Panna National Park Madhya Pradesh
    Satpura National Park Madhya Pradesh
    Van Vihar National Park Madhya Pradesh
    Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary Madhya Pradesh
    National Chambal Sanctuary Madhya Pradesh
    Mandla Plant Fossils National Park Madhya Pradesh
    Pachmari Wildlife Sanctuary Madhya Pradesh
    Phen Wildlife Sanctuary Madhya Pradesh
    Ratapani Tiger Reserve Madhya Pradesh
    Sanjay National Park Madhya Pradesh
    Chandoli National Park Maharashtra
    Gugamal National Park Maharashtra
    Sanjay Gandhi (Borivilli) National Park Maharashtra
    Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary Maharashtra
    Navegaon National Park Maharashtra
    Tadoba National Park Maharashtra
    Dhakna Kolkaz Wildlife Sanctuary Maharashtra
    Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary Maharashtra
    Wain Ganga Wildlife Sanctuary Maharashtra
    Keibul Lamjao National Park Manipur
    Yagoupokpi Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary Manipur
    Nokrek National Park Meghalaya
    Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary Meghalaya
    Balphakram National Park Meghalaya
    Khawnglung Wildlife Sanctuary Mizoram
    Murlen National Park Mizoram
    Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary Mizoram
    Phawngpui Blue Mountain National Park Mizoram
    Pulebarze Wildlife Sanctuary Nagaland
    Intanki National Park Nagaland
    Simplipal National Park Orissa
    Chilka Wild Life Sanctuary Orissa
    Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary Orissa
    Bhitarkanika National Park Orissa
    Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary Orissa
    Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary Orissa
    Ranthambore National Park Rajasthan
    Sariska National Park Rajasthan
    First National Park in the world, which was successfully adapted by Royal Bengal Tiger]  
    Darrah National Park Rajasthan
    Desert National Park Rajasthan
    Keoladeo National Park (UNESCO) Rajasthan
    Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary Rajasthan
    Jawaharsagar Wildlife Sanctuary Rajasthan
    Phulwari Wildlife Sanctuary Rajasthan
     Keladevi Wildlife Sanctuary Rajasthan
    Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary Sikkim
    Khangchendzonga National Park Sikkim
    Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary Sikkim
    Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary Sikkim
    Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary Sikkim
    Mukurthi National Park Tamilnadu
    Shenbagathoppu Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary Tamilnadu
    Satyamanglam wild Life Sanctuary Tamilnadu
    Indira Gandhi (Annamalai) National Park Tamilnadu
    Guindy National Park Tamilnadu
    Mudumalai National Park Tamilnadu
    Vettangundi Wildlife Sanctuary Tamilnadu
    Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park Tamilnadu
    Mrugavani National Park Telangana
    Sipahijola Wildlife Sanctuary Tripura
    Bisan (Rajbari) National Park Tripura
    Gumti Wildlife Sanctuary Tripura
    Clouded Leopard National Park Tripura
    Chandra Prabha Wildlife Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
    Dudhwa National Park Uttar Pradesh
    Ranipur Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
    Rajaji National Park Uttarakhand
    Gangotri National Park Uttarakhand
    Nanda Devi National Park (UNESCO) Uttarakhand
    Jim Corbett National Park (Oldest Park) Uttarakhand
    Valley of Flowers National Park (UNESCO) Uttarakhand
    Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary Uttarakhand
    Govind Pashu Vihar Uttarakhand
    Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary Uttarakhand
    Sundarbans National Park West Bengal
    Gorumara National Park West Bengal
    Buxa National Park West Bengal
    Jaldapara National Park West Bengal
    Neora Valley National Park West Bengal
    Singalila National Park West Bengal
    Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park Andaman & Nicobar Islands
    Rani Jhansi Marine National Park Andaman & Nicobar Islands
    Saddle Peak National Park Andaman & Nicobar Islands
    Middle Button Island National Park Andaman & Nicobar Islands
    South Button Island National Park Andaman &Nicobar Islands
    Mount Harriet National Park Andaman &Nicobar Islands
    North Button Island National Park Andaman & Nicobar Islands
    Campbell Bay National Park Andaman & Nicobar Islands
    Galathea National Park Andaman & Nicobar Islands

     

     
  • Attempt All India Smash Open Test for UPSC 2023-2024. No Issues, Give your Best and get up to 100% Scholarship || Registration is open for Limited Entry

    Guys, Are you a beginner who has no idea about UPSC, but want to check if you have the aptitude for the same? Do you want to assess your performance and interest in UPSC before targeting 2024 preparation?

    We have got the perfect opportunity for you. Presenting, Civilsdaily’s UPSC-CSE 2024, Free-To-Register National Scholarship on 26th march (Sunday) 2023. Both in Online and Offline Mode.

    Last year’s scholarship test by Civilsdaily has seen a phenomenal response and pan-India interest in the test. Many toppers have emerged out of the test to be subsequently mentored in the Civilsdaily Foundation Program. So aspirants, ensure you don’t miss out on the benefits of the test.

    It can be the best kick-start opportunity to save your Time, Money, and Energy up to 100%.


    1. Details of the Civilsdaily All India Smash Open National Scholarship Test

    • Scholarship: 100% on Our Flagship Programs
    • Date: 26th March 2023
    • Mode: Online
    • Registration Fee – Free
    • Language: English
    • Time: 2 Hours
    • Syllabus: GS Paper 1 (Preliminary exam)
    • No. of Questions: 100
    • Time: 10 AM
    • Result: 5/04/2023

    UPSC Prelims FREE Mock test:

    1. One open test in both online and offline mode.
    2. Questions will be from the most important topics.
    3. There will be a detailed session on which question was supposed to be left or must attempt etc along with the number of questions that could’ve been attempted and should attempt etc
    4. Also one pdf on the 100 most important topics.

    Target 130+ marks in UPSC GS Prelims paper, 100+ in UPSC CSAT prelims with an overall accuracy of 90% to avail this 100% scholarship


    Table of Content

    ‘Realize your worth. Know the difference between what you’re chasing and what you deserve…’

    1. What is the All India Smash Open Test for UPSC 2024?

    Guys, the UPSC 2024 All India Smash Open Test is a national scholarship test program for UPSC 2024 hopefuls. For a novice who is unfamiliar with UPSC but wants to determine whether he has the aptitude for it, this is the ideal opportunity. The Civilsdaily Flagship Foundation Course will be fully funded for you if you ace the upcoming free UPSC national scholarship exam and pass with flying colors.

    Ultimate Assessment Program and Foundation Program includes – 

    • Mentorship (1:1, throughout the preparation till the Interview stage)
    • Masterclasses (complete GS syllabus covered, Only provided in Foundation course)
    • Samachar Manthan (Current affairs Programme)
    • Decimate Prelims (Prelims Crash course)
    • Mains Answer Writing Initiative (On a weekly basis)
    • Smash Mains (upon Qualifying prelims 2024)
    • Essay Guidance Program (To score above 120+ in Essay Mains Paper)
    • Interview Guidance Program (more than 1 mock interview will be conducted with a panel)
    • Civilsdaily IAS Community for Peer-to-Peer Interaction
    Get all the Civilsdaily courses under Smash Foundation Course for 100% off after you attend our scholarship test and score above the cut-off marks!


    2. What students will get after the mock-Test?

    An average aspirant pays for Prelims Course, Mains Program, Interview Guidance, Test Series & Study Materials all separately. The fees then come up to 2-3 Lakhs for one attempt alone.

    Identifying this issue, Civilsdaily has designed the Flagship mentorship cum Foundation Course for 2023 aspirants. This course covers the entire 3-stage journey of a UPSC aspirant. From Prelims to Interview –

    • 1:1 Mentorship: Dedicated mentor to each student
    • Weekly, Monthly, and Quarterly Study Plans
    • Weekly Test Series
    • Classes & Study Materials will be provided.

    Another benefit of the program is that it’s an umbrella course wherein an aspirant can access other paid courses of Civilsdaily for FREE.

    The main objective of the program is to identify and nurture serious aspirants to become future UPSC toppers. And that’s why we have designed a scholarship test.

    Our foundation course will be intensive yet personalized. You will be getting individual coaching on how to conquer the basics, develop analytical skills, inculcate conceptual clarity, and acquire the necessary knowledge to face the unpredictable and dynamic UPSC.

    Apart from conducting subject-wise classes that cover all the Prelims-Mains syllabus from scratch, aspirants will follow a customized timetable and will complete their revision on a daily basis to attempt our weekly prelims and mains tests. Once the test is over, they will get a strategy call from a mentor, who will clear their doubts and tell them how to improve their performance from the next test onwards.

    Simply put, you will be getting a unique coaching experience that eludes other UPSC aspirants. Even aspects like Essays, Ethics, and CSAT which are ignored in other normal coaching programs, will be covered over here with tests, mentorship, classes, and notes.


    3. Why should you take the CD’s Scholarship Test? 

    1. Test your preparation on UPSC-CSE grade questions, at the national level.

    2. Chance to compete against the best. See where you stand.

    3. Identify your subject-wise strengths, weak points, and problem areas before you start preparation.

    4. Mentors will provide personalized counseling based on your performance on the scholarship test. 

    5. A detailed discussion will help you navigate through the challenges during the preparation.

    6. Achieve up to 100% scholarship in our exclusive umbrella foundation course.

    As the program is rigorous and involves individual attention, we can take only limited enrollments. Hence, we are conducting a Scholarship Exam to identify serious UPSC aspirants on the 19th of Feb. Depending on your relative score, you can get up to a 100% scholarship.

    We are looking for

    1. Serious and hardworking aspirants.

    2. Ready to dedicate a minimum of 5-8 hours daily.

    3. Can complete assigned targets and tests without fail.

    4. Only 1 thought in mind and that is – to clear UPSC Civil Services 2024.

    5. Willing to take constructive feedback from mentors after each test.


    What The Hindu mentioned about Civilsdaily Mentorship

  • (Launched) Dominate Prelims 2023 with Zeeshan sir | Final 60 days UPSC Prelims 2023 program | Last 10 seats left, Enrollment Open now

    (Launched) Dominate Prelims 2023 with Zeeshan sir | Final 60 days UPSC Prelims 2023 program | Last 10 seats left, Enrollment Open now

    Predicted Prelims Workshop, Destroy Prelims Workshop, Weekly Zoom sessions, 50 value addition GS & CA lectures, 60 Tests, all under Zeeshan sir’s mentorship (Timetable below)


    With less than three months remaining until the UPSC Prelims 2023 exam, it is crucial to approach preparation with an intensive, smart, and efficient plan of action.

    We are excited to announce our new program for UPSC Prelims 2023, led by Senior IAS Faculty, Zeeshan Hashmi.

    It is 60 days, exclusive program (intake of only 100 students) that integrates course completion, mock tests, mentorship, and practical workshops into one comprehensive package.


    Table of content:

    1. Program inclusion
    2. Why Dominate Prelims?
    3. Details of workshops- Predicted Prelims 2023, Destroy Prelims, and more
    4. Date, Course Fee, Duration, etc.

    https://youtu.be/Ori9XcksfEM
    Predicted Prelims 2023 Workshop is a part of this program (details below)

    Program Inclusion

    1. Predicted Prelims Workshop on Zoom Meetings: 10 days practical session (access till Prelims 2023)
    2. Destroy Prelims Workshop on Zoom Meetings: 10 days practical session (access till Prelims 2023)
    3. Weekly Zoom sessions
      ○ Make a strategy – micro and macro for the remaining days till Prelims
      ○ Incorporate syllabus coverage, test series, and revision into it
      ○ Make sure you are executing the plan efficiently
    4. UPSC Level Prelims Mock Tests: Total 60 Tests
      ○ 12 Basic tests
      ○ 10 Current Affairs
      ○ 14 Practice tests
      ○ 6 Advanced
      ○ 8 Full-Length Tests
      ○ 4 CSAT tests
    5. 50 Value addition classes and notes covering
      ○ Static syllabus that is linked with
      ○ Entire Current affairs of 1.5 years (Jan 2022 – April 2023)
    6. Budget and Economy survey of 2023 (Handouts + Videos)

    Predicted Prelims Workshop, Destroy Prelims Workshop, Weekly Zoom sessions, 50 value addition GS & CA lectures, 60 Tests, all under Zeeshan sir’s mentorship (Timetable below)

    Why DOMINATE PRELIMS 2023?

    This program led by Zeeshan sir integrates everything from course completion, mock tests, mentorship, intelligent elimination techniques, and practical workshops into one comprehensive package.

    1. Predicted Prelims 2023: 10 days workshop
      • Using methodical PYQ analysis, Zeeshan sir was able to predict 42 questions in UPSC Prelims 2022
      •  Using the same methodology Zeeshan sir will help you predict at least 34 questions for UPSC Prelims 2023
      • Developing an attitude of active learning.
      • 10 days Zoom workshop (access till Prelims 2023)
    2. Destroy Prelims Workshop: Imparting skills to attempt and solve Prelims paper
      • Using logical paper-solving skills to solve questions with limited knowledge
      • Targeting an accuracy rate of 90% and attempting maximum questions.
      • 10 days Zoom workshop (access till Prelims 2023)
    3. Syllabus completion – Current affairs for 1.5 yrs and linked GS topics
      • Most important and probable topics will be covered in a timely manner leaving ample time for multiple revisions.
      • Special classes on topics including Polity, History, Economics, Geography, Sessions to cover Environment innovatively, Science & Technology, and more.
      • To be done through lectures, Notes will be shared.
      • Comprehensive and exhaustive notes covering everything that is important.
    4. Test Series: Evidence-based questions based on the UPSC’s current trends
      • To keep your preparation relevant to UPSC 2023 pattern
      • Bringing efficiency to your preparation. Leaving out what is not important.
    5. Time management and result-oriented preparation
      • Strategy and plan- both micro and macro by Zeeshan sir. This will ensure syllabus completion and rigorous practice through the test series.
      • Zeeshan sir’s personal guidance through weekly Zoom sessions
    6. Constant and gradual improvement through Zeeshan sir’s guidance
      • Weekly Zoom sessions with Zeeshan sir
      • Interaction and doubt session on Telegram group
    7. Evolving your personal approach for attempting UPSC prelims paper
      • Accuracy vs a high number of attempts. Accuracy improvement sessions.
      • Attempting from question 1 or go section-wise.

    Other Details

    • Duration of the program: 75 days
    • Program starts date: 13th March
    • Course fee: Rs 8000 + GST
    • Students Intake: 100

    Predicted Prelims Workshop, Destroy Prelims Workshop, Weekly Zoom sessions, 50 value addition GS & CA lectures, 60 Tests, all under Zeeshan sir’s mentorship (Timetable below)