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

Civilsdaily

Login

GS Paper: GS1

  • Sex Ratio in India

    A 2018 report on “vital statistics of India based on the Civil Registration System” shows crucial data of sex ratios of major states in India.

    Sex Ratio

    • Sex ratio at birth is the number of females born per thousand males.
    • Sex ratios are among the most basic of demographic parameters and provide an indication of both the relative survival of females and males and the future breeding potential of a population.

    Try this PYQ

    Q.Consider the following specific stages of demographic transition associated with economic development:

    1. Low birth rate with a low death rate
    2. High birth rate with a high death rate
    3. High birth rate with a low death rate

    Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

    (a) 1, 2 and 3 only

    (b) 3, 2 and 1 only

    (c) 2, 3 and 1 only

    (d) 3, 2 and 1 only

    Statewise data

    • Arunachal Pradesh recorded 1,084 females born per thousand males, followed by Nagaland (965) Mizoram (964), Kerala (963) and Karnataka (957).
    • The worst was reported in Manipur (757), Lakshadweep (839) and Daman & Diu (877), Punjab (896) and Gujarat (896).
    • Delhi recorded a sex ratio of 929, Haryana 914 and Jammu and Kashmir 952.
    • The number of registered births increased to 2.33 crore in 2018 from 2.21 crore registered births the previous year.

  • Leonid Meteor Shower

    The Leonid meteor showers are currently making their yearly appearance and will reach their peak in India on November 17 and 18.  In August this year, there was another meteor called Perseids Shower.

    Try this question from CSP 2014:

    Q.What is a coma, in the content of astronomy?

    (a) Bright half of material on the comet

    (b) Long tail of dust

    (c) Two asteroids orbiting each other

    (d) Two planets orbiting each other

    What is Leonid Meteor Shower?

    • Meteor showers are named after the constellation they appear to be coming from.
    • The Leonids originate from the constellation Leo the Lion– the groups of stars which form a lion’s mane.
    • They emerge from the comet Tempel-Tuttle, which requires 33 years to revolve once around the Sun.
    • These meteors are bright and among the fastest moving– travelling at speeds of 71 km per second.
    • During this year’s showers, peaks of around 10 to 15 meteors are expected to be seen every hour.
    • The Leonid showers include fireballs– bright and large meteors than can last longer than average meteors, and “earthgazers”– meteors which appear close to the horizon with colourful and long tails.

    What is a meteor shower?

    • On its journey around the Sun, the Earth passes through large swathes of cosmic debris.
    • The debris is essentially the remnants of comets — great frigid chunks of matter that leave behind dirty trails of rocks and ice that linger long after the comets themselves have passed.
    • As the Earth wades through this cloud of comet waste, the bits of debris create what appears from the ground to be a fireworks display in the sky — known as a meteor shower.
    • Several meteor showers can be seen around the year. According to NASA, over 30 meteor showers occur annually and are observable from the Earth.

    Back2Basics:

  • Religious Code for Sarna Tribals

    The Jharkhand government convened a special Assembly session to pass a resolution to recognise Sarna religion and include it as a separate code in the Census of 2021.

    The Sarna Religion

    • The followers of Sarna faith believe pray to nature.
    • The holy grail of the faith is “Jal (water), Jungle (forest), Zameen (land)” and its followers pray to the trees and hills while believing in protecting the forest areas.
    • Jharkhand has 32 tribal groups of which eight are from Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups.
    • While many follow Hindu religion, some have converted to Christianity — this has become one of the planks of demanding a separate code “to save religious identity”— as various tribal organisations put it.

    A sacred grove is any grove of trees that are of special religious importance to a particular culture. Can you link this concept with the traditional practice of Sarna Tribals?

    Why need Sarna Code?

    • It is believed that 50 lakhs tribal in the entire country put their religion as ‘Sarna’ in the 2011 census, although it was not a code.
    • The resolution will seek a special column for followers of the Sarna religion in the Census, 2021. At present, they are not classified as a separate entity.

    Politics around the code

    • Many of the tribals who follow this faith have later converted to Christianity—the state has more than 4% Christians most of whom are tribals.
    • Some who still follow the Sarna faith believe the converted tribals are taking the benefits of reservation as a minority as well as the benefits are given to Schedule Tribes.
    • They also believe that benefits should be given specifically to them and not those who have converted.

    What sense does a separate code make?

    • The protection of their language and history is an important aspect of tribals.
    • Between 1871 and 1951, the tribals had a different code. However, it was changed around 1961-62.
    • Experts argue that when today the entire world is focusing on reducing pollution and protecting the environment, it is prudent that Sarna becomes a religious code as the soul of this religion is to protect nature and the environment.

    Back2Basics: Census of India

    • The decennial Census of India has been conducted 15 times, as of 2011.
    • While it has been undertaken every 10 years, beginning in 1872 under British Viceroy Lord Mayo, the first complete census was taken in 1881.
    • Post-1949, it has been conducted by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
    • All the censuses since 1951 were conducted under the 1948 Census of India Act.
    • The last census was held in 2011, whilst the next will be held in 2021.

  • Interfaith marriages and religious conversions

    Forced religious conversions for interfaith marriages cases are widely seen in news these days. And many states are attempting to ban religious conversion for the sole purpose of marriage.

    Try answering this:

    Q. The recent withdrawal of a TV commercial advertisement showing an interfaith marriage has led to an astonishing blowback. In light of this, discuss the various ethical and rights issues involved in interfaith marriages.

    Context

    • Though the Special Marriage Act, 1954 (SMA) was enacted to facilitate the marriage of couples professing different faiths, and preferring a civil wedding.
    • However, some practical problems arise in registering such marriages.
    • The law’s features on prior public notice being given and objections for the safety and privacy of those intending to marry across religions.
    • To overcome this, many settle for marriage under the personal law of one of them, with the other opting for religious conversion (accusingly termed as Love-Jihad).

    What are the features of the SMA?

    • Age: The marriage of any two persons may be solemnized under the SMA, subject to the man having completed 21 years of age and the woman 18.
    • Consent: Neither should have a spouse living; both should be capable of giving valid consent, should not suffer from any mental disorder of a kind that renders them unfit for marriage and procreation.
    • Liability: They should not be within the degrees of prohibited relationship — that is, they should not be related in such a way that their religion does not permit such marriages.
    • Registration: Parties to an intended marriage should give notice to the ‘marriage officer’ of the district in which one of them had resided for at least 30 days.
    • Objections: Any person can object to the marriage within 30 days of the publication of the notice on the ground that it contravenes one of the conditions for a valid marriage.
    • Publication: The notice will have to be entered in a ‘Marriage Notice Book’ and a copy of it displayed at a conspicuous place in the office. The Notice Book is open for inspection at all reasonable times without a fee.
    • Inquiry and approval: The marriage officer has to inquire into the objection and give a decision within 30 days. If he refuses permission for the marriage, an appeal can be made to the district court. The court’s decision will be final.
    • Severance from family: Also, the Act says that when a member of a Hindu undivided family, gets married under SMA, it results in his or her “severance” from the family.

    Threats after such marriages

    • The provisions relating to notice, publication and objection have rendered it difficult for many people intending to solemnize inter-faith marriages.
    • Publicity in the local registration office may mean that family members objecting to the union may seek to stop it by coercion.
    • In many cases, there may be a threat to the lives of the applicants.
    • There have been reports of right-wing groups opposed to inter-faith marriages for communal propaganda.

    Issues with the publication of notices

    • In July, the Kerala Registration department decided to discontinue the practice of uploading marriage notices on its websites following complaints that these were being misused.
    • However, the notices will be displayed on the notice boards of the offices concerned.
    • These provisions have been challenged in the Supreme Court recently on the grounds that they violate the privacy of the couples, their dignity and right to marry.
    • In the case of Hindu and Muslim marriage laws, there is no requirement of prior notice and, therefore, such a requirement in the SMA violates the right to equality of those opting for marriage under it.

    States against conversion for the sake of marriage

    • Even though Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) and Karnataka have spoken about a separate enactment, at least two States have legal provisions to the effect.
    • The Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, 2019, and the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018, both prohibit conversion by misrepresentation, force, fraud, undue influence, inducement, allurement and ‘by marriage’.
    • There is a separate section in both laws under which, not conversion for the purpose of marriage, but marriage has done solely for the purpose of conversion, may be declared null and void by a family court based on a suit by either party.
    • The U.P. State Law Commission has recommended a similar Freedom of Religion law in the State and favours a provision under which marriages solemnized solely for the conversion of one of the parties may be nullified by a family court.

  • Himachal Pradesh’s law against religious conversion

    Haryana government is considering a law against forced religious conversions and has sought information about such a law already in force in Himachal Pradesh.

    Try this question

    Q. How forced or misguided religious conversions pose a grave threat to the secular fabric of the Indian Society? Discuss.

    The Himachal anti-conversion law

    • The state had already enacted a law in 2007 which prohibited conversion from one religion to another by force or fraud. Last year it introduced a more stringent version of the legislation.
    • There was a rise in conversions by fraudulent means and unless checked well in time.
    • Such practice may erode the confidence and mutual trust between the different ethnic and religious groups in the state.

    What does the law say?

    • According to the Act, “no person shall convert or attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any other person from one religion to another by use of misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, inducement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage; nor shall any person abet or conspire such conversion”.
    • The Act does not cover a person re-converting to his “parent religion”.
    • It further says that any marriage done for the sole purpose of religion conversion may be declared null and void by a court on a petition by either party.

    What happens if anyone wants to convert to any other religion?

    • As per the Act, anyone who wishes to convert to any other religion will give a declaration to the district authorities at least one month in advance, specifying that one is doing so as per his/her “own volition or free consent”.
    • In fact, even the religious priest who performs the conversion ceremony has to inform the authorities at least one month in advance.
    • The district magistrate will then conduct an inquiry regarding the “intention, purpose and cause of proposed conversion”.
    • The conversion will be rendered illegal if the authorities are not informed in advance.

    The burden of proof

    • The Act says that the burden of proof as to whether a religious conversion was not effected through force or fraud lies on the person so converted, or the person who has facilitated the conversion.

    Penal provisions

    • All offences under the Act are cognizable and non-bailable. The violator can be punished with a prison term ranging from one to five years, along with a fine.
    • In case the victim is a minor, woman or member of a Scheduled Caste or Tribe, the imprisonment may extend upto seven years.
    • Failure to declare the conversion in advance can also result in imprisonment of upto two years.

  • Glacial Lake Outburst in Ladakh

    In August 2014, a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) hit the village of Gya in Ladakh, destroying houses, fields and bridges. Researchers now have mapped the evolution of Gya glacial lake and note the cause of the flood.

    What is glacial lake outburst flood?

    • A GLOF is a type of outburst flood that occurs when the dam containing a glacial lake fails.
    • An event similar to a GLOF, where a body of water contained by a glacier melts or overflows the glacier, is called a Jökulhlaup.
    • The dam can consist of glacier ice or a terminal moraine.
    • Failure can happen due to erosion, a buildup of water pressure, an avalanche of rock or heavy snow, an earthquake, volcanic eruptions under the ice, or glacier collapses into it.

     How did it happen in Ladakh?

    • It was not a spillover but rather a tunnelling of drainage process that caused GLOF in Gya lake.
    • Imagine a bucket full of water. It can overflow when you drop a stone, or the water can drain if there is a hole under the bucket.
    • Similarly, here the flooding did not happen due to the spillovers due to an avalanche or landslide, rather there was a thawing of the ice cores in the moraine.

    Back2Basics: Glacial Landforms

    Glacial landforms are landforms created by the action of glacier movements.

    As the glaciers expand, due to their accumulating weight of snow and ice they crush and abrade and scour surfaces such as rocks and bedrock.  The resulting erosional landforms include striations, cirques, glacial horns, arêtes, trim lines, U-shaped valleys, over-deepening and hanging valleys.

    • Cirque: Starting location for mountain glaciers
    • Cirque stairway: a sequence of cirques
    • U-shaped, or trough, valley: U-shaped valleys are created by mountain glaciers. When filled with ocean water so as to create anthe glacial action erodes through, a spillway (or col) forms
    • Valley step: an abrupt change in the longitudinal slope of a glacial valley

    When the glaciers retreated leaving behind their freight of crushed rock and sand (glacial drift), they created characteristic depositional landforms.  Examples include glacial moraines, eskers, and kames. Drumlins and ribbed moraines are also landforms left behind by retreating glaciers.

    • Esker: Built-up bed of a subglacial stream
    • Kame: Irregularly shaped mound
    • Moraine: Feature can be terminal (at the end of a glacier), lateral (along the sides of a glacier), or medial (formed by the merger of lateral moraines from contributary glaciers)
    • Outwash fan: Braided stream flowing from the front end of a glacier

  • Cyclonic storms during October

    October to December period is among the favourable months for the development of cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. This year, however, October passed without witnessing a cyclonic storm.

    Must read: [Burning Issue] Tropical Cyclones and India

    https://www.civilsdaily.com/burning-issue-tropical-cyclones-and-india/

    When do cyclones form and hit Indian coasts?

    • About 80 cyclones are formed around the world annually, out of which five are formed in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, together known as the North Indian Ocean.
    • India’s east and west coasts are prone to cyclones with the maximum associated hazards—rain, heavy winds and storm surge— faced by coastal districts of West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
    • Cyclones in the North Indian Ocean are bi-modal in nature, that is, they occur during two seasons— April to June (pre-monsoon) and October to December (post-monsoon).
    • Of these, May and November remain the most conducive for the development of cyclones.

    When have cyclones skipped October, previously?

    • Cyclonic disturbances— either in the form of a well-marked low pressure, depression or a deep depression— are common in October.
    • Ocean disturbances enter the Bay of Bengal from the South China seaside and head towards the Indian coast.
    • IMD officials have attributed it to the weak La Nina conditions along the equatorial Pacific Ocean.
    • Cooler than normal sea surface temperatures over this region—termed as La Nina— has been prevailing since August this year.

    Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO)

    • Because Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) was positioned in a favourable phase, the low-pressure systems intensified maximum up to a deep depression.
    • MJO is kind of an eastward-moving cyclic weather event along the tropics that influences rainfall, winds, sea surface temperatures and cloud cover. They have a 30 to 60-day cycle.
    • Most importantly, there was the high wind shear noted between the different atmospheric levels, last month.
    • The vertical wind shear— created due to significant wind speed difference observed between higher and lowers atmospheric levels— prevented the low-pressure systems and depression from strengthening into a cyclone.

  • Brown Carbon ‘Tarballs’

    A study has highlighted that brown carbon ‘tarballs’ that fasten the glacial melting has been found in the Himalayan atmosphere.

    We are still to find a solution for the ill-fated Delhi air,  and here comes another blow from the stubble burnings.

    What are Brown Carbon ‘Tarballs’?

    • Tarballs are small light-absorbing, carbonaceous particles formed due to burning of biomass or fossil fuels that deposit on snow and ice.
    • They are formed from brown carbon, emitted during the burning of fossil fuels.
    • The median sizes of externally mixed tarballs and internally mixed tarballs were 213 and 348 nanometre respectively.
    • Primary brown carbon (BrC) co-emitted with black carbon (BC) from biomass burning is an important light-absorbing carbonaceous aerosol.
    • The black carbon from the Indo-Gangetic Plain can reach the Himalaya region and influence glacial melting and climatic change.

    Highlights of the study

    • Until now, black carbon was found to be transported long distances by the wind to the Himalayan atmosphere.
    • The study revealed that a dense array of active fire spots — corresponding to large-scale wheat-residue burning on the Indo-Gangetic Plain — occurred along the pathways of Himalaya.
    • The percentage of the tarballs increased on days of higher levels of pollution and could contribute to the hastening of glacial melt and global warming.
    • The researchers concluded that tarballs from long-range transport can be an important factor in the climatic effect and would correspond to a substantial influence on glacial melting in the Himalaya region.

  • Supreme Court’s guidelines for deserted Wives and Children

    The Supreme Court has laid down uniform and comprehensive guidelines for family courts, magistrates and lower courts to follow while hearing the applications filed by women seeking maintenance from their estranged husbands’.

    Debate: Alimony as a right of women or a feminist taboo

    Why such a judgement?

    • Usually, maintenance cases have to be settled in 60 days, but they take years, in reality, owing to legal loopholes.
    • The top court said women deserted by husbands are left in dire straits, often reduced to destitution, for lack of means to sustain themselves and their children.
    • Despite a plethora of maintenance laws, women were left empty-handed for years, struggling to make ends meet after a bad marriage.

    What did the Court say?

    • The Supreme Court has held that deserted wives and children are entitled to alimony/maintenance from the husbands from the date they apply for it in a court of law.
    • To ensure that judicial orders for grant of maintenance are duly enforced by husbands, the court said a violation would lead to punishments such as civil detention and even attachment of the property of the latter.
    • The plea of the husband that he does not possess any source of income ipso facto does not absolve him of his moral duty to maintain his wife, if he is able-bodied and has educational qualifications, the court declared.
    • Both the applicant wife and the respondent-husband have to disclose their assets and liabilities in a maintenance case.
    • Other factors such as “spiralling inflation rates and high costs of living” should be considered, but the wife should receive alimony which fit the standard of life she was used to in the matrimonial home.

    Covering expenses

    • The expenses of the children, including their education, basic needs and other vocational activities, should be factored in by courts while calculating the alimony.
    • Education expenses of the children must be normally borne by the father. If the wife is working and earning sufficiently, the expenses may be shared proportionately between the parties.

    Permanent alimony

    • The court opined it would not be equitable to order a husband to pay his wife permanent alimony for the rest of her life, considering the fact that in contemporary society marriages do not last for a reasonable length of time.
    • Anyway, the court said, the duration of marriage should be accounted for while determining the permanent alimony.

  • Char-chaporis of Assam

    A proposed museum reflecting the “culture and heritage of the people living in char-chaporis” has stirred up a controversy in Assam.

    Do you know?

    Phumdis are a series of floating islands, exclusive to the Loktak Lake in Manipur. They cover a substantial part of the lake area and are heterogeneous masses of vegetation, soil and organic matter, in different stages of decay.

    What are char-chaporis?

    • A char is a floating island while chaporis are low-lying flood-prone riverbanks.
    • They are used interchangeably as they keep changing shapes — a char can become a chapori, or vice versa, depending on the push and pull of the Brahmaputra.
    • Prone to floods and erosion, these areas are marked by low development indices.
    • While Bengali-origin Muslims primarily occupy these islands, other communities such as Misings, Deoris, Kocharis, Nepalis also live here.
    • In the popular imagination, however, chars have become synonymous to the Bengali-speaking Muslims of dubious nationality.

    Who are the Miyas?

    • The ‘Miya’ community comprises descendants of Muslim migrants from East Bengal (now Bangladesh) to Assam.
    • They came to be referred to as ‘Miyas’, often in a derogatory manner.
    • The community migrated in several waves — starting with the British annexation of Assam in 1826, and continuing into Partition and the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.