Category: Ranker Webinars

Topics for Today’s questions:

GS-1           Role of women and women’s organization

GS-2          Issues relating to poverty and hunger.

GS-3          Indian Economy

GS-4          Case Studies

Question 1)

Q.1 India is one of the only 36 countries where marital rape is still not criminalized. Do you think it is high time to criminalize marital rape in India? (10 Marks)

Question 2)

Q.2 Poverty is an outcome of lack of development as well as a by-product of it. Critically analyse the statement & suggest remedial measures. (10 Marks)

Question 3)

Q.3 Highlighting the instruments of monetary policy available with RBI, discuss how it not only acts as a banker to the commercial banks but also to the government. (10 Marks)

Question 4)  

Q.4 A private company has proposed a large-scale hydel power project to tap the potential of a fast-flowing river in a state predominantly occupied by indigenous tribal groups. The state is backward and badly needs funds for socio-economic development. The state government is deliberating on the issue and is yet to take a final decision on the matter. While the project is expected to generate substantial revenue and employment, it will submerge the surrounding areas eventually displacing the tribals. Another issue of concern is that the tribal community regards this land and the river as sacred and integral to their cultural heritage. Thus, the tribals are not in favour of going ahead with the project and are already protesting against it. Their leader has threatened to initiate a hunger strike if the government goes ahead with the project. This has caught the attention of the mainstream media and social activists. Based on the information given above, answer the following: (a) Identify the stakeholders involved in the case and their respective interests. (b) Keeping in mind the issues involved, how can differing interests be reconciled for ensuring sustainable development in the area? (20 Marks)

HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?

1. Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.

2. A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.

3. You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.

4.  Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.

5. Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.

6. If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 11th  February is uploaded on 11th February then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis

7. If you are writing answers late, for example, 11th February is uploaded on 13th February , then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.

8. We encourage you to write answers on the same day. However, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Staff so that the mentor is notified about your answer.

*In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. 

1. For the philosophy of AWE and payment: 

Topics for Today’s questions:

GS-1          Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.

GS-2          Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting  India’s interests

GS-3          Indian Economy

GS-4         Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service, integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker sections.

Question 1)

Q.1 In India, it is said that the wealth hierarchy mimics the caste hierarchy. In the above context, establish the relationship between caste and economic inequality in India. Also, discuss the initiatives taken to address the caste inequality in India. (15 Marks)

Question 2)

Q.2 Highlighting the relevance of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) for India, discuss how the forum can be utilized by India. (10 Marks)

Question 3)

Q.3 The recent cut in India’s growth forecast for 2022-23 by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has sent mixed signals on the country’s post-pandemic economic recovery. Critically analyze. (15 Marks)

Question 4)  

Q4. What are favouritism, cronyism, and nepotism? How do these issues impact the working of administration? (10 Marks)

HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?

1. Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.

2. A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.

3. You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.

4.  Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.

5. Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.

6. If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 11th  February is uploaded on 11th February then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis

7. If you are writing answers late, for example, 11th February is uploaded on 13th February , then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.

8. We encourage you to write answers on the same day. However, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Staff so that the mentor is notified about your answer.

*In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. 

1. For the philosophy of AWE and payment: 

Topics for Today’s questions:

GS-1          Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.

GS-2         Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure

GS-3         Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

GS-4        Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.

Question 1)

Q.1 Malnutrition affects different strata of the society differently. Elaborate with examples. (15 Marks)

Question 2)

Q.2 There have been multiple instances of friction between the elected government of a state and the governor in recent times. Examining the causes of such friction, suggest a way forward. (15 Marks)

Question 3)

Q.3 Highlighting the issues with stubble burning in India, suggest some measures to tackle this challenge. (10 Marks)

Question 4)  

Q.4 “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference”. Comment. What do you think is a good and bad attitude for civil servants? (10 Marks)

HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?

1. Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.

2. A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.

3. You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.

4.  Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.

5. Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.

6. If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 11th  February is uploaded on 11th February then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis

7. If you are writing answers late, for example, 11th February is uploaded on 13th February , then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.

8. We encourage you to write answers on the same day. However, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Staff so that the mentor is notified about your answer.

*In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. 

1. For the philosophy of AWE and payment: 

Click and get your FREE copy of Current Affairs micro notes

Context

• The Competition Commission of India has imposed a provisional penalty of Rs. 1337.76 crore on Google for abusing its dominant position in multiple markets in the Android Mobile device ecosystem.
• The regulator also issued cease and desist directions to the tech giant on a number of its business practices.
• Big tech companies have faced similar actions in various other countries as well.

Broader Issue: Big Tech Competition

• During the course of inquiry, Google argued about the competitive constraints being faced from Apple.
• However the Commission noted the differences in the two business models which affect the underlying incentives of business decisions.
• Google manages the Android operating system as well as other licences, which gives it advantage over its competitors to pre-install most prominent apps and widget like Chrome browser on Android devices.

Major contention with Google: Tech Monopoly and Hegemony

• Monopolies like Amazon and other Big Tech companies have been allowed to conduct blatantly anti-competitive and discriminatory disinformation practices.
• This is no new thing for a huge market like India.
• Google is facing more antitrust scrutiny at home and abroad.

What is Monopoly?

• A monopoly that occurs when a single firm controls manufacturing methods necessary to produce a certain product, or has exclusive rights over the technology used to manufacture it.
• Technological monopolies differ from those based on vertical or horizontal consolidation in that the exclusivity derives from the production process itself.

What is a Technology Monopoly?

• Facebook, Google, Rogers, Microsoft, and Amazon – you have heard their names and you might even use them on a day to day basis.
• Turning trillions of consumer dollars each year, these tech giants have dominated the global market.
• These companies have wiped out any competition in order to maintain their monopolies on power.
• Or Facebook, which has acquired over 94 companies, the most notable being Instagram, WhatsApp Messenger, Oculus Virtual Reality, Giphy, and more.
• These are just a few examples of how these companies consolidate power and monopolize the industry.

Issues with Big-tech Monopoly

(1) Data Privacy

• A major issue with technology monopolies is the accumulation of users’ data.
• We never read the privacy policies under the terms and conditions of a website.
• Technology monopolies get to set the bar in what they do with our data instead of the individual deciding.
• This accumulation of data in a centralized domain makes it more enticing for hackers to breach these companies’ security measures.

(2) User manipulation

• Especially regarding media companies like social media or news outlets, these large corporations can push their personal agendas and biases on the public.
• The lack of variety in major media sources can result in a reduction of different perspectives and a narrowed personal point of view.
• Censorship can also aid in manipulating what the public gets to see (or does not get to see) and can obstruct religious, political, social, and other viewpoints.

(3) Ability to bypass regulator

• Due to rapid innovation and advancement by the Big Tech firms, the regulators are only able to react, not be in readiness.
• Before the policymakers could realize prospects of a disrupting tech, the technology replaces itself. Ex. Intellectual Property manipulations by Pharma companies.
• Due to this, they can avoid any negative repercussions for their continued violations.

Does this really affect us?

• Sudden disruptions: Recently, the WhatsApp went down for no known reasons. Also Instagram and Netflix do.  Luckily for us it was a network system failure.
• Lack of alternatives would disrupt everything: But if this is what a mere maintenance mistake, imagine what a cyber-attack on one of these companies could do.

How vulnerable is India to such monopolies?

• Use of the targeted algorithm: You might have seen a video in which Google CEO admits that it records and monitors every movement or click by a user.
• Consumer manipulation: Tech giants are using users’ search data to push advertisements to the users. The ads are specifically targeted to users based on their recent search over the internet.
• Ambiguity over data control: This has raised serious privacy concerns and also created anti-trust investigations by various governments. The Cambridge Analytica scandal of Facebook is one such example. The recent WhatsApp privacy policy also created widespread concern.
• Predatory pricing: The tech giants usually drive out competitors using anti-competitive behaviour. For example, accusations on Amazon favouring their self-branded products over third-party products.
• Societal impact: The big techs are the foremost medium of fake news, hate speech, etc. These were seen as un-democratic activities by countries.
• Impact on economy: The combined market capitalization of the big techs is more than the GDP of most countries except China and the USA. The sheer economic presence and their market presence make them create aggressive clauses in their terms and conditions, contract agreements etc.

Steps taken in India

• Competition Act, 2002 established the Competition Commission of India (CCI). The CCI has been established to eliminate practices having an adverse effect on competition.
• Information and Technology Act, 2000 governs all activities related to the use of computer resources in India.  
• Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) seeks to promote open networks, which are developed using the open-source methodology. The project is aimed at curbing “digital monopolies”.

Way Forward

• Capitalizing information: Big Tech companies must negotiate a fair payment with all the stakeholders for using their content in Facebook’s newsfeed and Google’s Search.
• Personal data protection bill: At a point in time where data is the new gold standard, the regulation of how tech companies use consumers’ personal data needs to be established by a proper legislation.
• Comprehensive regulation: One umbrella legislation is far better than having multiplicity of legislations.

Conclusion

• The implications of tech monopolies have real life consequences, and the actions of these corporations have a direct effect on each of us as individuals.

Click and get your FREE copy of Current Affairs micro notes

Topics for Today’s questions:

GS-1          Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.

GS-2         Functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary

GS-3         Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

GS-4        Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.

Question 1)

Q.1 Fully unlocking the value of India’s diversity will depend on the ability to manage contradictions and conflicts arising out of cultural differences. Discuss. (15 Marks)

Question 2)

Q.2 With the help of relevant Supreme Court judgements, analyse whether death penalty as a method of delivering justice should remain or go. (15 Marks)

Question 3)

Q.3 Although the adoption of genetically modified (GM) food crops is in our broader national interest, there are some concerns associated with it. Discuss. (10 Marks)

Question 4)  

Q.4 Social media has played a key role in influencing political opinions and social attitudes in India. Comment. (10 Marks)

HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?

1. Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.

2. A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.

3. You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.

4.  Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.

5. Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.

6. If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 11th  February is uploaded on 11th February then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis

7. If you are writing answers late, for example, 11th February is uploaded on 13th February , then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.

8. We encourage you to write answers on the same day. However, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Staff so that the mentor is notified about your answer.

*In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. 

1. For the philosophy of AWE and payment: 

Topics for Today’s questions:

GS-1          Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone. etc., geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes. 

GS-2         Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure

GS-3        Land reforms in India.

GS-4        Ethics and Human Interface; Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators

Question 1)

Q.1 Give an account of the global distribution of volcanoes and explain why they are mainly concentrated along the Pacific Ring of Fire. (10 Marks)

Question 2)

Q.2 Despite the constitutional division of powers, Centre-state disputes have been a perennial feature of Indian democracy. Discuss with examples. (10 Marks)

Question 3)

Q.3 Digitizing land records will go a long way in ensuring land reforms as well as lessening the burden on the Indian Judiciary. Elaborate. Also, state the measures taken in this context. (10 Marks)

Question 4)  

Q.4 Elucidate Swami Vivekananda’s ideas on nationalism. (10 Marks)

HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?

1. Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.

2. A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.

3. You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.

4.  Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.

5. Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.

6. If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 11th  February is uploaded on 11th February then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis

7. If you are writing answers late, for example, 11th February is uploaded on 13th February , then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.

8. We encourage you to write answers on the same day. However, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Staff so that the mentor is notified about your answer.

*In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. 

1. For the philosophy of AWE and payment: 

Topics for Today’s questions:

GS-1          Factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India).

GS-2         Development processes and the development industry —the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.

GS-3        Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

GS-4        Ethics and Human Interface

Question 1)

Q.1 Enlist the factors responsible for the location of jute industry in India. Also, discuss the challenges faced by the industry. (15 Marks)

Question 2)

Q.2 What do you understand by pressure groups? Citing examples, state the different types of techniques used by pressure groups. (10 Marks)

Question 3)

Q.3 Highlighting the significance of forests, elaborate upon the challenges of forest management in India. (10 Marks)

Question 4)  

Q.4 Man is not only a product of his environment but can also modify the environment. Do you agree with this view? Justify your answer with suitable examples. (10 Marks)

HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?

1. Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.

2. A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.

3. You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.

4.  Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.

5. Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.

6. If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 11th  February is uploaded on 11th February then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis

7. If you are writing answers late, for example, 11th February is uploaded on 13th February , then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.

8. We encourage you to write answers on the same day. However, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Staff so that the mentor is notified about your answer.

*In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. 

1. For the philosophy of AWE and payment: