Zoom Link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83276376890?pwd=UDlSMlVjS216YVRrVy9MbHl0MmZHdz09

Meeting ID: 832 7637 6890
Passcode: 918210

---

29th December, at 7 PM | UPSC Workshop with AIR 109, Areeba Nomaan on a 5-month plan for UPSC 2023 & 18-month plan for 2024 and set daily weekly, and monthly targets | FREE Registration Open

According to UPSC Topper AIR 109, UPSC 2021, Areeba Nomaan, those who can not govern the clock, but get governed by it, will not be eligible for UPSC CSE. Because the foundation of every strategy lies in proper time management. And you can’t value your time without a workable strategy. 

Once you master your time, you will understand how easy it is that most of the rankers hit their target of what they can accomplish in under 12 months.

So whether you’re sitting for UPSC 2023 or have made up your mind for UPSC 2024 as your first and final attempt, don’t waste a single minute.

AIR 109, UPSC 2021, Areeba Nomaan, CD’s Super Mentor took the IMP masterclass on cracking UPSC 2023-24 in just one attempt + Important Time management skills and strategy.

---

Webinar Details:

• 29th December (Thursday) at 7 PM
• Zoom link will be emailed to you post-registration

---

Key takeaways: How to make a timetable for UPSC?

• What should be your approach for the next 5 months even if you have just started the preparation for UPSC 2023? Strategy for the next 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and like that, will be shared with you.
• What should be your approach for the next 18 months even if you have not yet started the preparation? Strategy for the next 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and like that, will be shared with you.
• How to cover the UPSC syllabus? The syllabus, and not the books, must be completed. Focussing on the essentials first.
• Time management You just need to invest effectively 5 hours per day for UPSC success. How to effectively manage preparation time? Make a timetable and set targets. Learn from the UPSC Topper Areeba herself.
• Managing UPSC preparation with a serious time crunch; job – working professionals, college students, and family (especially for homemaker aspirants)
• She made a UPSC trend analysis and based on that decoded the expectations and pattern of UPSC 2023. Areeba ma’am shared 10 important themes for the upcoming exams that one must not ignore whether it’s UPSC 2023 or 2024.
• Short-time smart Revision techniques that are common, standard, and used frequently. What exactly are they?
• How to take full advantage of the FREE CivilsDaily’s Preparatory Package and personalized mentorship session

---

CivilsDaily’s FREE Webinar package

Post-webinar we will share important PDFs, timetable framework, and notes.

Other than this a strategy package will be emailed to you.

---

What The Hindu opined about Civilsdaily Mentorship

Context

• National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval recently hosted a meeting of his counterparts from five Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan — in New Delhi.
• This is the first time India is hosting a conclave of top security officials from Central Asian countries focussing on the evolving security situation in Afghanistan and ways to deal with the threat of terrorism.

About the meet

• Central Asia is seen as the northern boundary of the Islamic world.
• With the Taliban’s return in Afghanistan, the threat of radicalism and possible regrouping of the Islamic State poses a serious security challenge for the countries in the region.
• From the security perspective, the NSAs discussed the challenges of extremism, terrorism, and radicalisation in the region.
• NSA said financing is the “lifeblood” of terrorism, and countering it should be a priority.

What is the Central Asia Region?

• Central Asia is a region in Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north.
• It includes the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

India-Central Asia Ties

• India has decades-old wish to connect with the resource and fuel-rich Central Asian nations.
• Since the emergence of the Central Asian Republics as independent countries in the early 1990s, New Delhi has been trying to establish ties with them.

Trade and collaboration

• India’s trade with the five Central Asian Republics—Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan—was below $ 2 billion in 2018.
• The potential areas for collaboration include construction, sericulture and pharmaceuticals to IT and tourism.
• Much of this trade was routed through Iran, Russia or the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Efforts for connectivity

1. Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline
2. Development of Iran’s Chabahar Port
3. Zaranj-Delaram Highway
4. International North-South (Transit) Corridor (INSTC)

Central Asia’s importance for India

• Russian backyard: Central Asia has always been seen as Russia’s backyard — some 20-30% of the population is of Russian origin, and Russian is spoken widely.
• Fossil fuels: While Central Asia is seen as fuel-rich and, hence, important for an energy-starved India.
• Mineral richness: Central Asian states are also mineral-rich, and Kazakhstan, for one, has been a source of uranium for India’s nuclear power plants.
• Market for India: A country like India which is seen as a major economy has to have a presence in these markets. INSTC also offers a safe and cost-effective route to the EU (European Union) market.
• Convergence against Terrorism: India can forge a common position on terrorism and radicalization, which is a matter of concern to the region as much as it is to India.

Hurdles for India

• China’s opportunism: China’s trade with Central Asia was $50 billion-$60 billion in the same period. The obvious advantage in China’s favour is geographical proximity.
• Lack of mutual trust: Unfortunately, many connectivity options are not open to them today due to the lack of mutual trust.
• Pakistan factor: Tensions with Pakistan mean there is no viable land route towards Central Asia.
• Iran and the US sanctions: Efforts to look for a circuitous route via Iran (and Afghanistan) have stalled due to US sanctions on Iran.

Issues in the Iran-Afghanistan bypass route

Recent events acquire broader geopolitical relevance for India in this route:

• Taliban true-face: The takeover of Afghanistan by the Pakistan-backed Taliban has severely set back India’s plans in Central Asia.
• Iran’s bypassing of India: Iran’s overtures has been clearly visible after itself allocating Farzad-B Gas exploration contract to another company bypassing India.

India’s recent engagement

• Defence collaboration: In recent years, New Delhi has engaged with Central Asian Republics in the defence sphere through military exercises (say Ex Kazind).
• Engagement at UN: Political and economic engagement is also important, given the imperatives of working together at a body such as the United Nations (UN).
• Technological ties: India has set up universities there—Sharda and Amity are examples.

Scope for expansion

• Dairy Sector: There is scope for collaboration in the dairy sector.
• Pharma: Indian firms have been setting up pharmaceutical units in Russia that can serve these countries as well.
• Info Technology: IT and IT-enabled services are two other areas.
• Cultural connect: Bollywood movies are quite famous in these countries.

Way forward

• India needs to develop into stronger bond of trade and commercial bonds which will be possible once the INSTC crystallizes.
• The road ahead in the short term is difficult as India doesn’t seem to have any real leverage to get the connectivity projects with Central Asia going.
• India has been negotiating with individual bilateral partners though.

Conclusion

• India does not want the post-Soviet space to be captured by the Chinese, and the NSAs engagement is a key mechanism in Delhi’s toolkit.
• In June 2002, Vajpayee had said in Almaty that the new “Silk Route Initiative” of India’s foreign policy seeks to build a new Silk Road of Friendship and Cooperation between India and Central Asia.
• Twenty years later, New Delhi remains on the road, and on the job.

Click and get your FREE Copy of CURRENT AFFAIRS Micro Notes

(Click) FREE 1-to-1 on-call Mentorship by IAS-IPS officers | Discuss doubts, strategy, sources, and more

Context

• Parliament recently passed the Maritime Anti-Piracy Bill 2022, with the Rajya Sabha passing it by voice vote.
• Although the Bill was supported by members cutting across party lines, some concerns over certain provisions in the Bill were raised.

What is Maritime Piracy?

• Essentially piracy is any illegal act, broadly defined as robbery on the high seas (i.e. outside of the 12nm limit of Territorial Waters).
• However, robbery occurring within the 12nm limit is treated as a crime of robbery under the laws of the coastal state.

The aim of piracy is to extract the maximum monetary value possible by:

• Hit and Run – Theft of ships’ cash and/or stores
• Kidnap for ransom– removal of persons to extort release money
• Hijack for Ransom– detention of the target to extort release money
• Stealing ship and cargo – targeting of vessels (often during Ship-Ship operations) to remove cargo. 

What factors favour pirate operations?

1. Legal and jurisdictional opportunities
2. Favourable geography
3. Conflict and disorder
4. Under-funded law enforcement/inadequate security
5. Permissive political environments
6. Cultural acceptability/maritime tradition ex. in Somalia
7. Reward

Maritime Anti-Piracy Bill 2022: Key Features

Defining Piracy: The Bill defines piracy as any illegal act of violence or detention or damage or destruction committed by any person, or by the crew or any passenger of a private ship. Such illegal acts come under the definition of piracy if they are committed against another ship or any person or property on board a ship, on the high seas. 

Compliance with UNCLOS: The Bill will bring the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) into domestic law and empower Indian authorities to take action against piracy on the high seas. The Bill covers the sea beyond the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which is 200 nautical miles off the coast of India.

Penal provisions: The Bill provides for a maximum punishment of life imprisonment or fine or both, for anybody who commits any act of piracy. This punishment can increase to a life imprisonment or death penalty if any person is found to have caused somebody’s death or attempts to cause somebody’s death while committing the act of piracy. 

Designated courts: The Bill also provides for designation of a specific sessions court in the States for speedy trial of offences under the law. Notably, this court would have the jurisdiction to handle cases against any person apprehended by or in the custody of the authorised personnel or police– irrespective of their nationality or citizenship of the person.

Broader jurisdiction: These courts would be able to handle trials against foreigners caught under this law as well, along with Indian citizens, or resident foreign nationals in India or stateless people. 

Need for such law

• Global compliance: India is a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea adopted by the United Nations on 10 December 1982, and ratified the convention on 29 June 1995.
• Filling the legislative gap: Up until now, it did not have any domestic law on maritime piracy.
• Narrow scope of IPC: The Indian Penal Code provisions relating to armed robbery are usually used to prosecute pirates. However, this has proven to be inadequate in the past.
• Rising cases of Piracy: The Gulf of Aden has seen a spurt in attacks by pirates operating from Somalia since 2008.
• Vicinity to major shipping routes: This route is used by 2,000 ships each month for trade between Asia and Europe and the East coast of Africa.  
• Increasing India’s naval capabilities: India on its part is actively engaged in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and the Eastern Arabian Sea.

Issues with the Bill

• Capital Punishment: Under the Bill, if a person, while committing an act of piracy causes or seeks to cause death, he will be punished with death. This implies a mandatory death penalty for such offences.
• Ambiguity over imprisonment: The Bill provides for imprisonment of up to 14 years if a person participates in an act of piracy. However, committing an act of piracy is punishable with life imprisonment.
• 12Nm boundary: The Bill applies to all parts of the sea adjacent to and beyond the limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of India, i.e., beyond 200 nautical miles from the coastline.

Way ahead

• Maritime security: By bringing a strong legislation, India has taken a lead on the issue of maritime security at a multilateral forum.
• Protection of maritime trade: More than 90 percent of trade taking place by sea routes. So Anti-Piracy Bill is the need of the hour as the Bill will give the right to take action on high seas.
• Secured Freedom of navigation (FON): The Bill will strengthen India’s credentials as a partner with other countries to make the world more piracy free.

Click and get your FREE Copy of CURRENT AFFAIRS Micro Notes

(Click) FREE 1-to-1 on-call Mentorship by IAS-IPS officers | Discuss doubts, strategy, sources, and more

All India FREE Mock Test (GS + CSAT) for UPSC-CSE 2023: 24th-25th December || Online at Delhi Center; Offline/Online at Pune Center

How to attempt the test?

After registration go to https://prelims.civilsdaily.com/
Log in with your registered username and password
Go to Learn
Find all the tests there.

---

GET READY TO EXPERIENCE THE COMPLETE EXAMINATION PATTERN!

We are conducting both GENERAL STUDIES and CSAT Prelims mock tests with high-quality UPSC-level questions along with Test Discussion.

This is going to be an eye-opener.

Details: Time & Venue

Date: 24th December 2022 in both Delhi, Pune Center; 25th December at Delhi center

• GS: 9:30 AM to 11: 30 AM
• CSAT: 2:30 Pm to 4: 30 PM

Language: English

Mode: Both Offline and Online at Pune Center || Only Online at Delhi Center

Test Fee: FREE (Open to all)

👉Delhi Offline Center: CivilsDaily IAS, 1 LGF, Apsara Arcade, Pusa Rd Next to Gate No 7, Karol Bagh, Delhi

👉Pune Offline Center: Civilsdaily IAS, First floor, 518, Ramprasad, opposite Radhika Bhel, Sadashiv Peth, Pune, Maharashtra 411030

What students will get after the mock-Tests

1. Detailed analysis over a call
2. Mentorship session to help you with situational awareness wrt UPSC Prelims 2023
3. Smash Prelims select notes

Concluded successfully | Zeeshan sir shared PDF notes (GS And Current Affairs), and Imp Lecture videos.

To get recorded video + Webinar PDF , register here

Click and Learn Why to start UPSC 2024 Prep Today

Srushti Jayant Deshmukh, Tina Dabi, and Satyam Gandhi

What is common in these toppers?

It’s an early start. All these toppers started at least 1.5 years before the Prelims.

UPSC 2024 is almost 18 months away and it is the right time when you should start your preparation.

Aspirants, to triumph over UPSC 2024 battle and become an IAS in your first attempt, all you need is to become the Master of your time and take the early mover advantage.

UPSC is such a race where you needn’t run fast to win, You need to pace slow, steady and absolutely early.

Zeeshan Hashmi, Senior IAS mentor

If you have made up your mind for UPSC 2024 as your first and final attempt, don’t waste a single minute. Zeeshan sir’s 18 month Rock-Steady strategies will get you started towards success.

---

Webinar Details:

• 24th December (Saturday) at 7 PM
• Zoom link will be emailed to you post-registration

Key takeaways: absolute clarity on a number of issues

1. Trend analysis of UPSC based on the previous 10 years’ CSE exam, Understanding the expectations of UPSC, and devising an evolving adaptive strategy for UPSC 2024 Prelims and Mains.

2. What should be your approach for the next 18 months even if you have just started the preparation? Strategy for the next 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and like that, will be shared with you.

3. How to cover the UPSC syllabus? The syllabus, and not the books, must be completed. Focussing on the essentials first.

4. Time management You just need to invest effectively 5 hours per day for UPSC success. How to effectively manage preparation time? Make a timetable and set targets. Learn from the UPSC guru Sajal sir himself.

5. Managing UPSC preparation with a serious time crunch; job – working professionals, college students, and family (especially for homemaker aspirants)

6. Building a strong foundation: NCERT, current affairs, and standard books. How and which one to focus more on? Best sources for GS and Current Affairs.

7. Breaking the inertia towards answer writing, and attempting mock tests. When and how to attempt tests and start mains answer writing?

8. Do’s and Dont’s; and breaking the myths around UPSC. Eg. Aspirants from rural or non-engineering backgrounds are at a disadvantage.

9. How to take notes and organize information/content for UPSC prelims and Mains answers? Making notes of case studies, schemes, examples, etc. Basically the skill of taking notes. What topics necessitate notes and which do not?

10. UPSC Hacks and tricks like Tikdams that worked for UPSC rankers. A PDF will be shared with you all.

11. Revision techniques that are common, standard, and used frequently. What exactly are they?

12. How to take full advantage of the FREE CivilsDaily’s Preparatory Package and personalized mentorship session

Other than this you will get clarity on

• Why Start Now?
  • Reduced vacancies – Extremely high competition. Due to the separation of the Railway services exam, the vacancies for UPSC CSE will get reduced. And the cut-off for prelims and mains is going to go up.
  • More opportunities to make improvements in preparation. Beginners are prone to making mistakes in the first attempt but due to lack of time, they can’t make amends. But if you have ample time you can make it in one go.
• A huge UPSC syllabus and long journey require an aspirant to develop a mindset. That takes time for first-timers.
  • Answer writing notes revision everything could be started eyes and plan with surgical precision if started early
  • You get more time to unlearn certain habits which might be detrimental to UPSC prep and build new habits.
• How to prepare?
  • First, the dynamic nature of the gigantic syllabus must be acknowledged.
  • Second, Complete coverage of the syllabus with a smart technique and a minimum number of sources.
  • Third, Segregate the syllabus, identifying the core areas of the CSE.
  • Fourth, Follow 3R: Revise, Revise and Revise
  • Fifth, Most importantly how to improvise & customize your preparation plan as per your own strength and weakness
• Advantages of the early beginning:  
  • How to set your goals and build your habit. Habit formation, after all, takes time and effort
  • Having sufficient time, how to re-schedule your planning.
  • If you think you’re a fainted heart, better start IAS preparation soon. It makes you stone-hearted.

Our on-demand UPSC Seminar will help you with 6 key components of your UPSC 2024 preparation-

1. Direction – Strategy and plan
2. Discipline – Timetable
3. Consistency – Monitoring
4. Value addition – Notes and material
5. Evaluation – Of UPSC prep on a regular basis
6. Motivation – Managing the highs and lows of aspirants

---

What The Hindu opined about Civilsdaily Mentorship