💥UPSC 2027,2028 Mentorship (April Batch) + Access XFactor Notes & Microthemes PDF
Talk to mentor

Civilsdaily

Login

Search results for: “”

  • [pib] Northern Limit of Monsoon (NLM)

    The Northern Limit of Monsoon (NLM) continues to pass through Diu, Surat, Nandurbar, Bhopal, Nowgong, Hamirpur, Barabanki, Bareilly, Saharanpur, Ambala & Amritsar.

    Try this question from CS Mains 2017:

    Q.What characteristics can be assigned to monsoon climate that succeeds in feeding more than 50 percent of the won population residing in Monsoon Asia?

    What is the Northern Limit of Monsoon?

    • NLM, is the northernmost boundary of India up to which monsoon rains have advanced on any given day.
    • So, it is a way of tracking the progress of monsoon clouds as they move over India’s landmass.
    • The India Meteorological Department (IMD) adds that the monsoon “advances northwards, usually in surges, and covers the entire country around July 15″.

    What are the Eastern and Western Arms?

    • It is the mountains of southern India that split the south-western winds, giving the Indian monsoon its ‘two arms.
    • The western arm of the monsoon is deflected northwards, by the Western Ghats, to (Mumbai) and then on to Pakistan.
    • The eastern arm travels up through the Bay of Bengal to (Kolkata) and Assam and is deflected north-westwards by the Himalayas.

    Also refer this link:

    Explain the formation of Indian monsoons. Highlight the link between monsoons and India’s cropping pattern. (15 marks)

  • 15th June 2021 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    [WpProQuiz 675]

    [WpProQuiz_toplist 675]

  • 15 June 2021 | Nikaalo Prelims Quiz- TS 28- Art and Culture Test 3: . Religion; Indian Music; Indian Theatre & Puppetry; Dances; Indian Cinema.

    [WpProQuiz 674]

    [WpProQuiz_toplist 674]

  • 15th June 2021| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement(AWE)

    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  Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics,  nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
    Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security

    GS-4  Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service;

    Questions:

    Question 1)

     

    Q.1) At times the cultural diversity in India has seen as hurdle to the process of national development. Do you agree? Justify your views. (10 marks)

     

    Question 2)

    Q.2) “The ideas that India is a natural ally of G-7 and India’s emphasis on shared democratic values bind it with the West are certainly not new to India’s foreign policy, but they acquire special importance at the current juncture.” Comment (10 marks)

    Question 3)

    Q.3) What are the national security threats posed by synthetic biology to India? What are the treaty and institutional arrangements to deal with the bio-weapons? Suggest the measures to deal with the threats posed by the bio-weapons. (10 marks)

    Question 4)  

    “Aptitude without attitude is blind, attitude without aptitude is lame”. In the light of given statement, among the two, which one do you think is more important for a civil servant. (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 1st June is uploaded on 1st June 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, 1st June is uploaded on 3rd June, 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 @Swatantra so that the mentor is notified about your answer.

    *In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. Swatantra Sir’s tag is available, tag him.

    For the philosophy of AWE and payment: 

    CLICK HERE To join Daily AWE

  • [RSTV ARCHIVE] Aspirational Model: Inspiration for the world

    The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has lauded the Centre’s Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP), saying that it should serve as a “best practice” for other countries where regional disparities in development status persist for many reasons.

    UNDP has termed ADP as the most successful model of the Local Area Development.

    Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP)

    • Launched in January 2018, the ‘Transformation of Aspirational Districts’ initiative aims to remove this heterogeneity through a mass movement to quickly and effectively transform these districts.
    • The broad contours of the program are Convergence (of Central & State Schemes), Collaboration (of Central, State level ‘Prabhari’ Officers & District Collectors), and Competition among districts driven by a spirit of mass Movement.
    • With States as the main drivers, this program will focus on the strength of each district, identify low-hanging fruits for immediate improvement, measure progress, and rank districts.

    Behind the name

    • Hon’ble PM has negated the idea of naming any scheme based on their backwardness.
    • Rather the name ‘Aspirational’ presents a more affirmative action-based execution of the scheme.

    Selection of districts

    • A total of 117 Aspirational districts have been identified by NITI Aayog based upon composite indicators.
    • The objective of the program is to monitor the real-time progress of aspirational districts based on 49 indicators (81 data points) from the 5 identified thematic areas.

    Weightage has been accorded to these districts as below:

    • Health & Nutrition (30%)
    • Education (30%)
    • Agriculture & Water Resources (20%)
    • Financial Inclusion & Skill Development (10%)
    • Basic Infrastructure (10%)

    Strategy of the ADP

    The core Strategy of the program may be summarized as follows.

    • Making development a mass movement in these districts
    • Identify low hanging fruits and the strength of each district, to act as a catalyst
    • for development.
    • Measure progress and rank districts to spur a sense of competition.
    • Districts shall aspire to become State’s best to Nation’s best.

    Features of the ADP

    • It has transformed into a Jan Andolan.
    • The ADP is different in trying to monitor the improvement of these districts through real-time data tracking.
    • The programme seeks to develop convergence between selected existing central and state government programmes.
    • District performance in the public domain and experience building of the district bureaucracy is another notable feature.
    • The programme is targeted, not towards any single group of beneficiaries, but rather towards the population of the district as a whole.

    What makes this program special?

    The program reflects what has become of the development project in India under neoliberalism, especially after the end of planning.

    • Long overdue sectors have been given more emphasis.
    • It is not a tailormade program with one-size-fit strategy. More onus has been laid on the districts. It has a district-intervention strategy.
    • It works on the principle of SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity and threats) model and comparison with national best parameters for effective resource management.
    • It is the most reviewed programme by the Prime Minister.
    • A general idea behind the idea is that a good work never goes un-noticed. It is duly appreciated on social media as well as by the officials.
    • Through ADP, momentum in expediting growth is maintained as well so for the success of the program to be scaled and replicated in other districts which are still ranking low.
    • In principle, the programme does note the importance of quality of life and quality of services available.

    COVID and ADP

    • ADP had found elderly citizens as the mist vulnerable in this pandemic.
    • Programs such as Surakshit Dada-Dadi Nana-Nani were held and almost every elderly person was reached.
    • Omnicus Platform with a panel of experienced doctors for COVID and ‘India Fights Covid’ Platform are other such initiatives.

    Programmatic Strengths

    • A key strength of the ADP is the collection of baseline data and follow-ups at regular intervals.
    • Sustaining this effort would create a robust compilation of statistics for use by both researchers and policy-makers.
    • In doing this, the government also brings much-needed attention to human development and a willingness to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
    • Incremental progress being made in the chosen districts as reflected in the rankings.
    • The programme also claims to be “non-partisan and unbiased” and geared towards all-India growth.
    • The selection of districts indeed suggests that the programme has not favored any bias either regional, political or any other.
    • The programme seeks convergence of central and state schemes anchored around specific activities.

    Issues with the programme

    • The programmatic limitations of the ADP with respect to agricultural development or poverty eradication are clearly visible.
    • Using the case of Bihar, they argue that the programmes selection of districts itself is problematic.
    • In fact, it actually excludes the most backward districts because per capita income, the most basic measure of development, has not been considered.
    • There seems to be some ambiguity around the issue of whether the programme is concerned only with improved access or also with the quality of service provided.
    • The indicators used are not defined relationally, rather they are static human development indicators that do not see people mired in dynamic social relations.
    • Similarly, the programme envisages “development’ in these districts as taking place in isolation from wider development.
    • For instance, under skill development, the programme seeks to encourage industry-relevant training and apprenticeship of youth in an environment of jobless growth.
    • It is also accused that the state is not making any new or focused public investment (except for possible use of Flexi-funds) into these districts, on the other hand, it is moralizing about their inability to improve (through rankings). 
    • The programme is carrying the burden of proving the government’s “developmental” work without addressing any of the fundamental issues around achieving equitable development.
    • Yet, the NITI Aayog justifies the overall approach as capitalizing on “low-hanging fruit.”

    Way forward

    • The program has been able to make difference in the lives of citizens of India, in education, health, nutrition, financial inclusion, skill development and this has made a difference to some most backward and most geographically far-flung districts of the nation.
    • ADP is ‘aligned to the principle of “leave no one behind—the vital core of the SDGs. Political commitment at the highest level has resulted in the rapid success of the program the report said.
    • UNDP has recommended revising a few indicators that are slightly close to reaching their saturation or met by most districts like ‘electrification of households’ as an indicator of basic infrastructure.

    Conclusion

    • The resounding success of the ADP is a testament to the efforts of the national, state and district level administrations, at the head of which is the empowering vision of our PM.
    • The transformational growth story of these districts would not have been possible without the continuous support of knowledge and development partners as well as civil society organizations.
    • A programme of this scale has redefined the contours of India’s development narrative and will continue to garner many more accolades as it achieves one progressive milestone after another.
    • The challenge of improving the country’s human development is real and pressing, as is the need to refocus on the most marginalized districts.

  • [Burning Issue] Should sedition law be scrapped?

    Two orders given by India’s Supreme Court in two separate cases early this month have, once again, brought into sharp focus the issue of the colonial-era law relating to sedition in the context of media freedom. Both cases involve journalists and their reporting.

    One of the cases relates to the booking of two journalists of Telugu language news channels under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for telecasting a speech by a dissident leader of Andhra Pradesh’s ruling YSR Congress Party. The other case pertains to an FIR filed against noted journalist Vinod Dua, who was accused of having made remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government’s handling of the migrant labor crisis during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020. In the hearings in both cases, the top court has made important observations that have a strong bearing on media freedom and the future of the sedition law.

    Background

    • Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code lays down the punishment for sedition. 
    • The Indian Penal Code was enacted in 1860, under the British Raj. The then British government in India feared that Muslim preachers on the Indian subcontinent would wage a war against the government. Particularly after the successful suppression of the Wahabi/Waliullah Movement by the British, the need was felt for such law. 
    • Throughout the Raj, this section was used to suppress activists in favor of national independence, including Lokmanya Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi, both of whom were found guilty and imprisoned.
    •  Sedition was made a cognizable offense for the first time in history in India during the tenure of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1973, that is, arrest without a warrant was now permissible.
    • In 1962 the Supreme Court of India interpreted the section to apply only if there is, say, “incitement to violence” or “overthrowing a democratically elected government through violent means”.

    What is Sedition?

    • The Indian Penal Code (IPC) defines Sedition (Section 124A) as an offence committed when “any person by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the government established by law in India”.
    • Disaffection includes disloyalty and all feelings of enmity. 
    • However, comments without exciting or attempting to excite hatred, contempt or disaffection, will not constitute an offence.
    • Sedition is a non-bailable offence.
    • Punishment under Section 124A ranges from imprisonment up to three years to a life term with/without a fine.

    The debate around

    Arguments in favor

    • Section 124A is needed in combating anti-national, secessionist and terrorist elements.
    • It protects the elected government from attempts to be overthrown with violence and illegal means.
    • Many districts in different states are affected by Maoist insurgency and rebel groups virtually run a parallel administration. These groups openly advocate the overthrow of the state government by revolution. Hence the abolition of Section 124A would be ill-advised.

    Arguments against

    • Before Independence, this charge was used by the British to suppress the freedom movement.
    • Ironically, the same draconian law has become a tool that the country is now using against its own people.
    • During the colonial period section, 124-A was interpreted by the Privy Council in a way to suppress every act that expressed discontent against the govt.
    • Many freedom fighters were slapped with these charges for invoking feelings of nationalism and educating the people of India against the policies adopted by the colonial power.
    • Instead of critically analyzing why citizens, be they in Kashmir or Chhattisgarh or Bhima Koregaon, are driven to dissent, the government is using an iron-fist policy with the sedition law playing a leading role to completely shut out contrarian views.
    • Despite the clearly set out guidelines for applying the charge of sedition, lower courts have routinely failed to apply these parameters while considering sedition cases. There is a complete lack of percolation of settled judicial opinion to lower levels of the judiciary. Judiciary should address this systemic lapse.
    • Magistrates have the power to order a police investigation into cognizable offenses. And the Supreme Court has, in Lalita Kumari vs. Uttar Pradesh (2013), laid down that registration of an FIR is mandatory if information received by the police discloses a cognizable offense, However, in recent cases, it is unclear how the court or the police could conclude that the contents were seditious.

    Supreme Court judgments on it

    • In 1962, the Supreme Court decided on the constitutionality of Section 124A in Kedarnath Singh v State of Bihar.
    • It upheld the constitutionality of sedition, but limited its application to “acts involving intention or tendency to create disorder, or disturbance of law and order, or incitement to violence”.
    • It distinguished these from “very strong speech” or the use of “vigorous words” strongly critical of the government.
    • Maneka Gandhi case, 1978:
    • The Maneka Gandhi judgment was a balanced judgment and is one of the best judgments that Indian Supreme Court has ever given.
    • The judgment’s importance can be seen today also because the way in which the bench construed Article 21and expanded its horizons has given way for the resolving of problems left unsolved by the Parliament.
    • The SC stated that Criticizing and drawing general opinion against the Govt. policies and decisions within a reasonable limit that does not incite people to rebel is consistent with the freedom of speech.
    • In 1995, the Supreme Court, in Balwant Singh v State of Punjab, held that mere sloganeering which evoked no public response did not amount to sedition.

    Way Forward

    • The sedition law should not be abolished as some measurements are needed to check communal violence & insurgency activities like Naxals.
    • The court also needs to examine the classification of the offense of sedition as cognizable and non-bailable.
    • India is the largest democracy in the world and the right to free speech and expression is an essential ingredient of democracy.
    • Section 124A should not be misused as a tool to curb free speech. The SC caveat, given in the Kedar Nath case, on prosecution under the law can check its misuse.
    • The definition of sedition should be narrowed down, to include only the issues pertaining to the territorial integrity of India as well as the sovereignty of the country.

  • Important British Commissions and Committees

    14th June 2021

    Educational Commissions

    Charles Wood Despatch – 1854

    • Wood’s despatch proposed several recommendations in order to improve the system of education.
    • According to the recommendations, it was declared that the aim of the Government’s policy was the promotion of western education. In his despatch, he emphasised on the education of art, science, philosophy and literature of Europe.
    • In short, the propagation of European knowledge was the motto of the Wood’s Despatch.
    • According to the despatch, for higher education, the chief medium of instruction would be English.
    • However, the significance of the vernacular language was no less emphasised as Wood believed that through the mediums of vernacular language, European knowledge could reach to the masses.
    • Wood’s Despatch also proposed the setting up of several vernacular primary schools in the villages at the lowest stage.
    • Moreover, there should be Anglo-Vernacular high schools and an affiliated college in the district level.
    • Wood’s Despatch recommended a system of grants-in-aid to encourage and foster the private enterprise in the field of education. The grants-in-aid were conditional on the institution employing qualified teachers and maintaining proper standards of teaching.

    Hunter Commission – 1882

    • Hunter Education Commission was a landmark commission appointed by Viceroy Lord Ripon with objectives to look into the complaints of the non-implementation of the Wood’s Despatch of 1854; the contemporary status of elementary education in the British territories; and suggest means by which this can be extended and improved.
    • This commission, headed by Sir William Wilson Hunter, had submitted its report in 1882.

    Commission suggestions:

    • There should be two types of education arrangements at the high school level, in which emphasis should be given on giving a vocational and business education and other such literary education should be given, which will help in admission to the university.
    • Arrangement for emphasis on the importance of education at the primary level and education in local language and useful subjects.
    • Private efforts should be welcomed in the field of education, but primary education should be given without him.
    • Control of education at the primary level should be handed over to the district and city boards.

    Hunter Commission of 1882 on Primary Education :

    • Primary education should be regarded as the education of the masses.
      Education should be able to train the people for self-dependence.
    • The medium of instruction in primary education should e the mother tongue.
      Normal Schools should be established for the training of teachers.
    • The curriculum should include useful subjects like agriculture, elements of natural and physical science and the native method of arithmetic and measurement, etc.
    • The spread of primary education for the tribal and backward people should be the responsibility of the Government.
    • Fees should be an example to students on the basis of their financial difficulties.

    Raleigh Commission – 1902

    • Raleigh Commission was appointed under the presidency of Sir Thomas Raleigh on 27 January 1902 to inquire into the condition and prospects of universities in India and to recommend proposals for improving their constitution and working.
    • Evidently, the Commission was precluded from reporting on primary or secondary education.
    • As a result of the report of the recommendations of the Commission the Indian Universities Act was passed in 1904.
    • The main objective of the Act was to improve the condition of education in India and upgrade the system to a better level.
    • The following important changes were introduced for the upliftment of University Education.
    • Universities were empowered to appoint their own staff including the teaching staff.
    • The number of Fellows of a University was limited within 50 to 100.
    • The number of elected Fellows was fixed at 20 for the Bombay, Madras and Calcutta Universities and 15 for others.
    • The Governor-General was now empowered to decide a University’s territorial limits and also affiliation between the universities and colleges.
    • After the implementation of the provisions of the University Act, though the number of colleges declined, yet the number of students increased considerably.

    Sadler Commission – 1917

    • In 1917, the Calcutta University Commission (Sadler Commission) was appointed by the Government of India under the Chairmanship of Mr. Michel Sadler, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds.
    • All the teaching resources in the city of Calcutta should be organized so that the Calcutta University may become entirely a teaching university.
    • A separate teaching and residential university should be established at Dacca.
    • There was a need for a coordinating agency. Hence an inter-University Board should be set up.
    • Honours courses should be instituted and they should be distinctly different from the Pass courses.
    • Full time and salaried Vice-Chancellor should be appointed to be the administrative head of the university.
    • The Senate and the syndicate should be replaced by the Court and the Executive Council respectively.
    • Universities should be freed from excessive official control.
    • Government interference in the academic matters of universities should stop.

    Hartog Commission – 1929

    • Sir Philip Joseph Hartog committee was appointed by the British Indian government to survey on the growth of education in India.
    • The Hartog committee 1929, had devoted more attention to mass education than the secondary and University education.
    • The Hartog committee highlighted the problem of wastage and stagnation in education at the primary level.
    • It recommended the policy of consolidation instead of multiplication of schools. The duration of the primary course was to be fixed to four years.
    • It recommended for the improvements in quality, pay, and service conditions of teachers and relating the syllabus and teaching methods to the local environment of villages and locality
    • The Hartog committee on education recommended for the promotion of technical and commercial education by universities to control the problem of unemployment.
    • The recommendation of the Hartog committee of 1929 was an attempt for consolidation and stabilization of education. The Hartog committee of 1929 was seen as a torchbearer of the government’s effort to improve the quality of education.
    • However, these recommendations of Hartog committee of 1929 remained only on paper and could not be implemented due to the great economic depression of 1930-31.

    Sargent Plan – 1944

    • The Sargent plan of education came after Sir John Sargent was given the task to prepare a comprehensive scheme of education for India in 1944 and he made the following recommendations:
    • Pre-primary education for children between 3 to 6 years of age.
      Universal, compulsory and free primary or basic education for all children between the ages 6—11 (junior basic) and 11—14 (senior basic).
    • High school education for six years for selected children between the years 11—17.
    • Degree course for three years beginning after the higher secondary examination for selected students
    • Technical, commercial, agricultural and art education for full time and part-time students, girls schools are to teach domestic science.
    • The liquidation of adult illiteracy and the development of a public library system in about 20 years.
    • Full provision for the proper training of teachers.
    • Educational provision is made for the physically and mentally handicapped children.
    • The organisation of compulsory physical education.
    • Provision be made for social and recreational activities.
    • The creation of employment bureaus.
    • The creation of the Department of Education in the centre and in the states.
    • The use of mother tongue is to be used as the medium of instruction in all high schools.

    Famine Commissions during British Rule in India

    Campbell Commission

    • In 1865-66, a famine engulfed Orissa, Bengal, Bihar, and Madras and took a toll of nearly 20 lakhs of lives with Orissa alone loosing 10 lakh lives, since the famine was most severe in Orissa; it is called the Orissa famine.
    • The Government officers though forewarned took no steps to meet the calamity.
    • The Government adhered to the principles of free trade and the law of demand and supply, the Government did provide employment to the table booked men leaving the work of charitable relief to the voluntary agency.
    • But the famine proved a turning point in the history of Indian famines for it was followed by the appointment of a committee under the chairmanship of Sir
      George Campbell.

    Stratchy Commission

    • It was set up in 1878 under the Chairmanship of Sir Richard Strachey.
    • The commission recommended state interference in food trade in the event of famine. India witnessed another major famine in 1896-97.

    Lyall Commission

    • It was constituted in 1897 under the Chairmanship of Sir James Lyall. This commission recommended the development of irrigation facilities.

    MacDonnell Commission

    • It was set up in 1900 under the Chairmanship of Sir Anthony (Later Lord) McDonnel to re-evaluate and recommend changes in report of the previous commission, based on the findings of the recent famine.
    • This Commission recommended that the official machinery dealing with a famine must work around the year so that the scarcity of food grains could be controlled well in time.

    Law Commission

    • Law Commissions in India have a pre-independence origin. The first Law Commission was formed in 1834 as a result of the Charter Act, 1833 under the chairmanship of TB Macaulay.
    • The first commission’s recommendations resulted in the codification of the penal code and the Criminal Procedure Code.
    • Three other law commissions were constituted before independence by the British government.
    • All four pre-independent law commissions have contributed to the statute books immensely.
    • After independence, the first Law Commission was constituted in 1955 in a continuance of the tradition of bringing law reforms in the country through the medium of law commissions.
    • Second Pre-Independence Law Commission,1853 – Sir John Romilly.
    • Third Pre-Independence Law Commission, 1862- Sir John Romilly.
    • Fourth Pre-Independence Law Commission, 1879 – Dr Whitley Stokes.

    Currency Commission

    Mansfield Commission by Dufferin in 1886

    • The Indian Currency Committee or Fowler Committee was a government committee appointed by the British-run Government of India on 29 April 1898 to examine the current situation in India.
    • Until 1892, silver was the metal on which Indian currency and coinage had largely been based. In 1892, the Government of India announced its intent to “close Indian mints to silver” and, in 1893, it brought this policy into force.

    Other Commissions on Currency:

    • Fowler Commission by Elgin II in 1898
    • Babington Smith Commission by Chelmsford in 1919
    • Hilton Young Commission by Linlithgow in 1926

    Other Important Commissions

    • Scott-Moncrieff Commission (Irrigation) by Curzon in 1901
    • Fraser Commission (Police Reforms) by Curzon in 1902
    • Hunter Commission (Punjab Disturbances) by Chelmsford 1919
    • Butler Commission (Indian States relation with British Crown) by Irwin in 1927
    • Whiteley Commission (Labour) by Irwin in 1929
    • Sapru Commission (Unemployment) by Linlithgow in 1935
    • Chalfield Commission (Army) by Linlighgow 1939
    • Floud Commission (Tenancy in Bengal) by Linlighgow in 1940
     
     

    Samanvaya: Free 1-to-1 mentorship for UPSC IAS

    Fill up this form to schedule a free on-call discussion with senior mentor from Civilsdaily. Once submitted we will call you within 24 hours.

    Civilsdaily Samanvaya 1-On-1 Mentorship Form

    Field will not be visible to web visitor
    Yes I want Mentorship

  • Synthetic biology and its implications for national security

    Against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, the article discusses the national security threat emanating from biological weapons.

    Synthetic biology

    • Synthetic biology is a revolutionary technology that can help us manipulate biological organisms and processes for human betterment, especially in treating diseases, by re-engineering cells.
    •  In 2014, the U.S. Department of Defense categorised synthetic biology as one of the six ‘disruptive basic research areas’.
    • Unlike the nuclear domain, the fields of biology or synthetic biology are not regulated internationally despite growing military interest in it.

    Risks involved

    • There is the possibility of deliberate misuse of synthetic biology.
    • There is a need to carefully review, especially in the wake of the pandemic, the biosecurity systems in place where such technologies are in use.
    • Accidental leaks of experimental pathogens are another concern.
    • There has been very little focus on threats emanating from biological sources as compared to the focus on nuclear weapons.
    • This is despite the fact that a well-orchestrated biological attack could have serious implications.
    • This was before synthetic biology came into play.
    • A well-planned attack using highly infectious pathogens synthetically engineered in a lab could be disastrous.
    • It would be difficult to pin responsibility on a specific actor if the incubation period is high,

    BTWC: An inadequate mechanism for regulation

    • Despite being the weapon of mass destruction (WMD) safety and security attention given to bio-weapons is not at par with nuclear and chemical weapons.
    • There is an international convention and an implementing body for both nuclear and chemical weapons.
    • However, for bio-weapons, all we have is the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) of 1972 with no implementing body.
    • The BTWC does not have a verification clause, nor does it have clearly laid down rules and procedures to guide research in this field.
    • Article 1 of the BTWC bans bio-weapons but research for medical and bio-defence purposes are allowed.
    • While this is understandable, the problem is that there is a thin line between bio-defence research and bio-weapons research. 
    • An Ad Hoc Group set up in 1994 to negotiate a Protocol to enhance the transparency of treaty-relevant biological facilities and activities to help deter violations of the BTWC submitted a report at the Fifth BTWC Review Conference in 2001 but was not accepted by the member states.

    Concerns for India

    • India is at a uniquely disadvantaged position in this area given poor disease surveillance, insufficient coordination among various government departments dealing with biosecurity issues, and the pathetic state of the healthcare system.
    • India has multiple institutions dealing with biosafety and biosecurity threats but there is no coordination among them.
    • Given the rising risk of diseases of zoonotic origin, the traditional ministry-wise separation might not be useful.
    •  India, with its porous borders and ill-trained border control institutions, will remain vulnerable to pathogens or dangerous biological organisms.

    Way forward

    • Pandemics have also highlighted that the traditional distinction at the international institutional level between biological weapons (a field governed by the BTWC) and diseases (governed by BTWC) may not be useful anymore.
    • There needs to be more conversation between health specialists and bio-weapons/defence specialists.
    • The November 2021 BTWC review conference must take stock of the advances in the field, address the thinning line between biotechnology research and bio-weapons research, and consider international measures for monitoring and verification.

    Consider the question “How synthetic biology poses security challenges for India and the rest of the world? Suggest the measures to deal with this challenge.” 

    Conclusion

    Covid-19 should serve as a wake-up call to give BTWC more teeth in dealing with the bio-weapons with a suitable institutional mechanism.

  • 14th June 2021 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    [WpProQuiz 673]

    [WpProQuiz_toplist 673]

  • Cyberattacks reveal vulnerabilities in critical infrastructures

    The article highlights the threat posed by cyberattacks to our critical infrastructure and suggest the ways to deal with the the ever evolving threat.

    Civilian targets of cyberattacks

    • Several high-profile cyberattacks were reported from the United States during the past several months.
    • These attacks were all primarily on civilian targets, though each one was of critical importance.
    • Obviously cyber, which is often referred to as the fifth domain/dimension of warfare, is now largely being employed against civilian targets.
    • Most nations have been concentrating till date mainly on erecting cyber defences to protect military and strategic targets, but this will now need to change.

    Challenges

    • Defending civilian targets, and more so critical infrastructure, against cyberattacks such as ransomware and phishing is almost certain to stretch the capability and resources of governments across the globe.
    • The distinction between military and civilian targets is increasingly getting erased and the consequences of this could be indeterminate.
    •  In the civilian domain, two key manifestations of the ‘cat and mouse game’ of cyber warfare today, are ransomware and phishing, including spear phishing.
    • Banking and financial services were most prone to ransomware attacks till date, but oil, electricity grids, and lately, health care, have begun to figure prominently.
    • Ransomware attacks have skyrocketed, with demands and payments going into multi-millions of dollars.
    • India figures prominently in this list, being one of the most affected.
    • Compromised ‘health information’ is proving to be a vital commodity for use by cybercriminals.
    • All indications are that cybercriminals are increasingly targeting a nation’s health-care system and trying to gain access to patients’ data.
    • The available data aggravates the risk not only to the individual but also to entire communities.
    • Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated, and are now engaged in stealing sensitive data in targeted computers before launching a ransomware attack.
    • Also, today’s cybercriminals, specially those specialising in ransomware and similar attacks, are different from the ordinary  criminals.
    • Many are known to practise ‘reverse engineering’ and employ ‘penetration testers’ to probe high secure networks.

    Way forward

    • The need to be aware of the nature of the cyber threat to their businesses and take adequate precautionary measures, has become extremely vital.
    • Cybersecurity essentially hinges on data protection. 
    • As data becomes the world’s most precious commodity, attacks on data and data systems are bound to intensify.
    • With mobile and cloud computing expanding rapidly cybersecurity professionals are now engaged in building a ‘Zero Trust Based Environment’, viz., zero trust on end point devices, zero trust on identity, and zero trust on the network to protect all sensitive data. 
    • Building deep technology in cyber is essential.
    • New technologies such as artificial intelligence, Machine learning and quantum computing, also present new opportunities.
    • Pressure also needs to be put on officials in the public domain, as also company boards, to carry out regular vulnerability assessments and create necessary awareness of the growing cyber threat.

    Consider the question “Several high-profile cyberattacks across the world have exposed vulnerabilities in the critical infrastructure of even advanced nations. In light of this, examine the challenges posed by cyberattacks and suggest measures to deal with these challenges.” 

    Conclusion

    The threat posed by the cyberattacks highlights the need for improved defences against actual, and potential, cyberattacks by all countries across continents.

More posts