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  • India’s investment in research unsatisfactory: UNESCO report

    While India has made ‘solid progress’ towards the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets concerning the industry, infrastructure, and innovation, the country’s investment in research remains unsatisfactory, the UNESCO Science Report has observed. UNESCO Science Report.

    This newscard provides useful data about India’s expenditure on R&D and its adequacy.

    UNESCO Science Report

    • The UNESCO Science Report is a global monitoring report published regularly by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
    • Every five years, this report maps the latest trends and developments in national and regional policy landscapes, against the backdrop of shifting socio-economic, geopolitical and environmental realities.

    Data on research funding in India

    • India has one of the lowest GERD/GDP ratios among the BRICS nations, according to the report.
    • The gross domestic expenditure on research (GERD) has been stagnant at 0.7% of the GDP for years, although, in absolute terms, research expenditure has increased.

    Why flag such slowdown?

    • India’s research intensity has been declining since 2014.
    • The Science and Technology Policy of 2003 fixed the threshold of devoting 2% of GDP to research and development (R&D) by 2007.
    • This target date was set back to 2018 in the new Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (2013) then again to 2022 by the Economic Advisory Council of the Prime Minister.
    • In 2020, the task force drafting the country’s new Science and Technology Policy recommended pushing back the target date to a more realistic 2030.

    Rise of private enterprises

    • R&D in the government sector has been in steady decline since 2015, whereas the share of private business enterprises in it has shot up to 42%.
    • While in theory this is a positive trend, the R&D is focused primarily on sectors such as pharmaceuticals, automotive, and information technology.
    • Even in these industries, it is concentrated in a small number of firms, the report said.
    • It further noted that investment in R&D by foreign multinationals is on the rise, accounting for as much as 16% of private-sector investment in R&D in 2019.
    • The report noted that the majority of the software-related patents were being bagged by MNCs operating from Indian soil, while pharma patents were obtained mostly by domestic firms.

    Few successes to count

    • On the bright side is the encouraging increase in scientific publications by Indian researchers on cutting-edge technologies.
    • Total publications have risen from 80,458 in 2011 to 1.61 lakh in 2019.
    • Indian researchers are publishing between 1.5 and 1.8 times the global average on green technologies, complementing the government’s push to expand green energy sources.
    • But then again, patenting by domestic corporations, research institutes, universities, and individuals remain low in India.

    Key suggestions

    • The UNESCO Science Report underscores the need for ‘policy bridges’ for fostering a more effective interaction between foreign and local research firms.
    • Given the large number of multinational corporations now engaged in R&D, it is imperative that the host economy benefits from this activity the report said.
    • It also called for improved linkages between the start-up ecosystem and manufacturers to push technological development in sectors where India enjoys a global presence.

  • Rare Earth Metals at the heart of China-US rivalry

    Beijing’s dominance in rare earth minerals, the key to the future of manufacturing, is a cause for concern for the West.

    Answer this question from CSP 2011 in the comment box:

    Q.What is the difference between a CFL and an LED lamp? 

    1. To produce light, a CFL uses mercury vapor and phosphor while an LED lamp uses semi-conductor material.
      2. The average life span of a CFL is much longer than that of an LED lamp
      3. A CFL is less energy-efficient as compared to an LED lamp.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) Only 1

    (b) 2 and 3 only

    (c) 1 and 3 only

    (d) 1, 2 and 3

    What are Rare Earth Metals?

    • The rare earth elements (REE) are a set of seventeen metallic elements. These include the fifteen lanthanides on the periodic table plus scandium and yttrium.
    • Rare earth elements are an essential part of many high-tech devices.
    • They have a wide range of applications, especially high-tech consumer products, such as cellular telephones, computer hard drives, electric and hybrid vehicles, and flat-screen monitors and televisions.
    • Significant defense applications include electronic displays, guidance systems, lasers, and radar and sonar systems.
    • Rare earth minerals, with names like neodymium, praseodymium, and dysprosium, are crucial to the manufacture of magnets used in industries of the future, such as wind turbines and electric cars.

    Curbing dependence on China

    • At a time of frequent geopolitical friction among those three powers, Washington and Brussels want to avoid this scenario.
    • They are investing in the market for 17 minerals with unique properties that today are largely extracted and refined in China.
    • The expected exponential growth in demand for minerals that are linked to clean energy is putting more pressure on US and Europe to take a closer look.
    • Amid the transition to green energy, in which rare earth minerals are sure to play a role, China’s market dominance is enough to sound an alarm in western capitals.

    Why such a move?

    • In 2019, the U.S. imported 80% of its rare earth minerals from China.
    • The EU gets 98% of its supply from China.

  • Mustard oil blending is now banned

    The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India had decided this on March 31. This would end the practice to add other edible oil (like palms, rice bran, etc) to mustard oil.

    Why such move?

    • This is good news for mustard farmers whose fortunes were adversely hit as up to a fifth of mustard oil volume could earlier be blends of other oils.
    • But why did India start the practice in the first place? And how has it affected consumer health?

    Answer this question from CSP 2018:

    Q.Consider the following statements:

    1. The quantity of imported edible oils is more than the domestic production of edible oils in the last five years.
    2. The Government does not impose any customs duty on all the imported edible oils as a special case.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 only

    (c) Both 1 and 2

    (d) Neither 1 nor 2

    Why did the blending begin?

    • The Union health ministry had allowed blending in edible vegetable oil in a notification in 1990.
    • In 1998, Delhi and other north Indian states witnessed the dropsy epidemic — a disease that caused swelling in the body due to the build-up of fluid in tissues.
    • At least 60 people died and 3,000 were hospitalized in the national capital.
    • Researchers believed the consumption of mustard oil caused the disease.

    Adulteration is hazardous

    • Upon investigation, it was found to be adulterated with Argemone Mexicana, a kind of weed that grows with yellow flowers.
    • The adulteration, however, was highly suspicious: While mustard is a rabi crop that is cultivated in the winters, Argemone Mexicana grows in April-May.
    • This meant that the possibility of mixing mustard seeds with that Argemone mexicana was rare.
    • The suspicious adulteration stoked fear among the masses.  It started a campaign against the consumption of oil.
    • Several studies have found mustard oil unsafe for consumption.

    The 1990 decision

    • Experts have claimed that the blending of mustard oil was not only dangerous to health but also adversely impacted mustard farming.
    • Some groups have also flagged the blending of refined oil.
    • Following the Union health ministry’s 1990 notification allowing for the blending of edible vegetable oil, the FSSAI rolled out regulations in the regard in 2006.
    • Producers and other companies involved in blending were regularised through the Agriculture Produce (Grading and Marking) Act (AGMARK).
    • It also made it mandatory to write the kind of oil used for blending over the packet.
    • The companies involved in blending strongly advocated for the cause, despite reports about its excess and unregulated use. The governments over the years have been tight-lipped about it.

    Has blending led to dependence over the import of oil?

    • In 1990-91, India was self-reliant in mustard oil production and produced 98 percent of the oil needed.
    • Blending mustard oil with other edible oils considered to bolster nutritional profile, taste, and quality.
    • Despite the harmful effects, the processing industry took advantage of blending.
    • Cheap palm oil would be blended up to 80 percent in mustard oil sometimes.
    • As a result, profits of mustard farmers dried up, which discouraged them from cultivating the crop.
    • This could be one of the reasons behind India’s increasing dependency on oil imports over the last two decades.

  • Polar-Areas Stellar-Imaging in Polarisation High-Accuracy Experiment (PASIPHAE)

    The development of a vital instrument PASIPHAE, which will be used in upcoming sky surveys to study stars, is being led by an Indian astronomer.

    What is PASIPHAE?

    • PASIPHAE stands for Polar-Areas Stellar-Imaging in Polarisation High-Accuracy Experiment.
    • It is an international collaborative sky surveying project. Scientists aim to study the polarisation in the light coming from millions of stars.
    • The name is inspired by Pasiphae, the daughter of Greek Sun God Helios.
    • The survey will use two high-tech optical polarimeters to observe the northern and southern skies, simultaneously.
    • It will focus on capturing starlight polarisation of very faint stars that are so far away that polarisation signals from there have not been systematically studied.
    • By combining the data, astronomers will perform a maiden magnetic field tomography mapping of the interstellar medium of very large areas of the sky using a novel polarimeter instrument known as WALOP.

    Why is PASIPHAE important?

    • Since its birth about 14 billion years ago, the universe has been constantly expanding, as evidenced by the presence of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation which fills the universe.
    • Immediately after its birth, the universe went through a short inflationary phase during which it expanded at a very high rate before it slowed down and reached the current rate.
    • However, so far, there have only been theories and indirect evidence of expansion associated with the early universe.
    • A definitive consequence of the inflationary phase is that a tiny fraction of the CMB radiation should have its imprints in the form of a specific kind of polarisation (known scientifically as a B-mode signal).
    • All previous attempts to detect this signal met with failure mainly due to the difficulty posed by our galaxy, the Milky Way, which emits copious amounts of polarized radiation.
    • Besides, it contains a lot of dust clouds that are present in the form of clusters. When starlight passes through these dust clouds, they get scattered and polarized.

    What will PASIPHAE do?

    • The PASIPHAE survey will measure starlight polarisation over large areas of the sky.
    • This data along with distances to the stars will help create a 3-Dimensional model of the distribution of the dust and magnetic field structure of the galaxy.
    • Such data can help remove the galactic polarized foreground light and enable astronomers to look for the elusive B-mode signal.

    What is WALOP?

    • Wide Area Linear Optical Polarimeter (WALOP) is an instrument when mounted on two small optical telescopes, that will be used to detect polarized light signals emerging from the stars along high galactic latitudes.
    • The images will simultaneously have the finest of details of a star along with its panoramic background.
    • WALOP will operate on the principle that at any given time, the data from a portion of the sky under observation will be split into four different channels.
    • Depending on the manner in which light passes through the four channels, the polarisation value from the star is obtained.
    • That is, each star will have four corresponding images which when stitched together will help calculate the desired polarisation value of a star.

  • Operation Olivia to protect Olive Ridley Turtles

    Every year, the Indian Coast Guard’s “Operation Olivia”, initiated in the early 1980s, helps protect Olive Ridley turtles as they congregate along the Odisha coast for breeding and nesting from November to December.

    Answer this question from CSP 2012 in the comment box:

    Q.Which one of the following is the national aquatic animal of India?

    (a) Saltwater crocodile

    (b) Olive ridley turtle

    (c) Gangetic dolphin

    (d) Gharial

    Olive Ridley Turtles

    • The Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) is listed as vulnerable under the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red list.
    • All five species of sea turtles found in India are included in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and in the Appendix I of the CITES, which prohibits trade in turtle products by signatory countries.
    • Odisha has also formulated laws for protecting Olive Ridley turtles, and the Orissa Marine Fisheries Act empowers the Coast Guard as one of its enforcement agencies.
    • Studies have found three main factors that damage Olive Ridley turtles and their eggs — heavy predation of eggs by dogs and wild animals, indiscriminate fishing with trawlers and gill nets, and beach soil erosion.
    • Dense fishing activity along the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal, especially ocean-going trawlers, mechanized fishing boats, and gill-netters pose a severe threat to turtles.

    Their habitats

    • The Olive Ridley has one of the most extraordinary nesting habits in the natural world, including mass nesting called arribadas.
    • The 480-km-long Odisha coast has three arribada beaches at Gahirmatha, the mouth of the Devi river, and in Rushikulya, where about 1 lakh nests are found annually.
    • They generally return to their natal beach, or where they were born, to lay eggs as adults.
    • Mating occurs in the offshore waters of the breeding grounds and females then come ashore to nest, usually several times during a season.
    • They crawl ashore, dig a flask-shaped nest about 1.5 to 2 foot deep, and lay 100 to 150 eggs in each clutch.
    • Hatchlings emerge from their nests together in about seven to 10 weeks.

  • Species in news: Bharitalasuchus Tapani

    In the mid 20th century, researchers from the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, carried out extensive studies on rocks of the Yerrapalli Formation in what is now Telangana, uncovering several fossils of Bharitalasuchus Tapani.

    Bharitalasuchus Tapani

    • This reptile belongs to a genus and species previously unknown to science. It is named Bharitalasuchus tapani considering Telugu etymology.
    • In the Telugu language, Bhari means huge, Tala means head, and Suchus is the name of the Egyptian crocodile-headed deity.
    • The species is named after paleontologist Tapan Roy Chowdhury in honour of his contribution to Indian vertebrate paleontology and especially his extensive work on the Yerrapalli Formation tetrapod fauna.

    Details of the reptile

    • The reptile belonged to a family of extinct reptiles named Erythrosuchidae.
    • A precise identification had not been possible earlier because the family was not known from other examples in India.
    • It was neglected because the fossil specimen was not as complete as those of other erythrosuchids from other countries.
    • The team notes that tapani were robust animals with big heads and large teeth, and these probably predated other smaller reptiles.
    • They were approximately the size of an adult male lion and might have been the largest predators in their ecosystems.

  • Species in news: Pyrostria Laljii

    A 15-meter-tall tree that belongs to the genus of the coffee family has recently been discovered from the Andaman Islands by a team of researchers from India and the Philippines.

    Observe this PYQ from CSP 2016:

    Q.Recently, our scientists have discovered a new and distinct species of banana plant which attains a height of about 11 metres and has orange-coloured fruit pulp. In which part of India has it been discovered?

    (a) Andaman Islands

    (b) Anamalai Forests

    (c) Maikala Hills

    (d) Tropical rain forests of northeast

    Pyrostria Laljii

    • The new species, Pyrostria laljii, is also the first record of the genus Pyrostria in India.
    • Plants belonging to the genus Pyrostria are usually found in Madagascar but the recently discovered species is new to science.
    • The tree is distinguished by a long stem with a whitish coating on the trunk, and oblong-obovate leaves with a cuneate base, and was first reported from South Andaman’s Wandoor forest.
    • Pyrostria laljii has been assessed as ‘Critically Endangered’ based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List criteria.

  • 14th June 2021| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement(AWE)

    Topics for Today’s questions:

    GS-1  World History;

    GS-2 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources

    GS-3 Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-laundering
    and its prevention

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

     

    Following are the questions:

    Question 1)

     

    Q.1) Examine the causes of Russian Revolution of 1917 and indicate its significance in World History. (15 marks)

     

    Question 2)

    Q.2) Vaccine hesitancy and the digital divide are among the biggest challenges in Covid-19 vaccination in India. Discuss the various aspects related to these challenges and suggest measures to deal with these challenges. (15 marks)

    Question 3)

    Q.3) 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. (10 marks)

    Question 4)  

    Q.4) Bring out the difference between persuasion and social influence. Illustrate with suitable examples how Persuasion can be used as an effective tool to bring about attitudinal change. (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

  • HOW TO WRITE PERFECT ANSWERS IN UPSC MAINS?

    HOW TO WRITE PERFECT ANSWERS IN UPSC MAINS?

    Click here to register and get a free handout on Important tips for Mains answer writing

    One of the greatest student in Indian History is Arjuna. His dedication and hard work to improve his skill of archery are unmatched.

    Guru Dronacharya had instructed the cook at the ashram to not serve his students food at night. One day, however, the dinner got delayed. While everyone was eating at night, suddenly, the lights went off. As Arjuna ate in the dark, he realized that there was automatic coordination between his hands and mouth. He did not require vision to put his hand into his mouth. This was an amazing discovery for him. This meant that he could orient himself to shoot the target even in the night, through his other senses. He immediately took up his bow and arrow to practice in the dark. And from then on, the entire month, he would practice day and night!

    Day and night- just practice.

    If you want to ace your mains answer writing, then PRACTICE is your only option. Arjuna had practiced for decades before his real test in the Mahabharata war. Even you need to start your answer writing from day one and not leave it for “after the prelims” approach.

    Be Arjuna of Answer writing!

    Why Answer writing from Day 1 is necessary?

    Let me first develop enough knowledge to write answers: This is the biggest lie we tell ourselves. There is no such thing as “ENOUGH” in UPSC preparation. It is better to train ourselves from Day 1 – How to apply the knowledge that I have?

    Your knowledge is tested through your answers: If you have not learned the art to articulate your thoughts on paper, then that’s a disaster waiting to happen. Studying and writing answers is a symbiotic relationship and one reinforces the other.

    Prelims Magic: We all want quick results, we want our answers to be brilliant within a week after we clear prelims. Hence, the common excuse – I will deal with answer writing after prelims. Sorry to break it to you but magic is limited to Harry Potter books.

    Advantages of starting writing answer early:
    • Helps you retain concepts, facts, and figures.
    • Learning the trick to formulate the structure of the answer.
    • Helps to revise things and learn new things not covered by conventional books.
    • Improves your writing speed, and handwriting.

    Click here to register and get a free handout on Important tips for Mains answer writing

    Some common mistakes students make in answer writing

    • Not understanding the demand of the Question: Words like ‘Examine’, ‘Comment’, or ‘Discuss’ are used for a reason in the questions. Why would UPSC use different words if it wants the same structure from each question?
    • Structure a Mental Framework: If you lack the practice then, you are not able to create a mental framework. This leads to poor answers- you write points as you remember in a haphazard manner. This completely compromises your presentation.
    • Introduction, body, and conclusion: This is the ideal structure for the mains answer. One very common mistake is that students have a tendency to generalize the introduction and conclusion. Along with this, the scope of dimensions in the body is limited.
    • Low hanging fruits: Some elements in your answer like a diagram, reports/commissions, and supreme court judgments can uplift the quality of your answers. Students have a tendency to skip them.

    These are just a few mistakes, in the initial phase of answer writing, students make a lot of such mistakes which can cost them marks. The real Smart study is to overcome such silly mistakes in your answer writing from the very start.

    Click here to register and get a free handout on Important tips for Mains answer writing

    This Handout is drafted by SAJAL SIR himself which deals with 20 key points for Mains answer writing. This handbook can give you a new insight into what mistakes you are making while writing answers.

    This is absolutely free. So, go register yourself NOW! and GET the handbook in your email WITHIN 72 HOURS.

    Also, you will get a FREE MAINS MENTOR call post-registration.

    About the Author

    Sajal Singh

    Sajal sir is known to make Economics and IR as easy as a cakewalk. He scored one of the highest marks in GS in the 2017 UPSC exam. Under his guidance, more than 80 percent of Students qualified for UPSC interview 2020 in Smash mains Program.

    Sajal sir’s marks in UPSC 2017 GS Mains paper were:

    • GS Paper 1 – 132
    • GS Paper 2 – 125
    • GS Paper 3 – 130

  • HOW TO WRITE PERFECT ANSWERS IN UPSC MAINS?

    HOW TO WRITE PERFECT ANSWERS IN UPSC MAINS?

    Click here to register and get a free handout on Important tips for Mains answer writing

    One of the greatest student in Indian History is Arjuna. His dedication and hard work to improve his skill of archery are unmatched.

    Guru Dronacharya had instructed the cook at the ashram to not serve his students food at night. One day, however, the dinner got delayed. While everyone was eating at night, suddenly, the lights went off. As Arjuna ate in the dark, he realized that there was automatic coordination between his hands and mouth. He did not require vision to put his hand into his mouth. This was an amazing discovery for him. This meant that he could orient himself to shoot the target even in the night, through his other senses. He immediately took up his bow and arrow to practice in the dark. And from then on, the entire month, he would practice day and night!

    Day and night- just practice.

    If you want to ace your mains answer writing, then PRACTICE is your only option. Arjuna had practiced for decades before his real test in the Mahabharata war. Even you need to start your answer writing from day one and not leave it for “after the prelims” approach.

    Be Arjuna of Answer writing!

    Why Answer writing from Day 1 is necessary?

    Let me first develop enough knowledge to write answers: This is the biggest lie we tell ourselves. There is no such thing as “ENOUGH” in UPSC preparation. It is better to train ourselves from Day 1 – How to apply the knowledge that I have?

    Your knowledge is tested through your answers: If you have not learned the art to articulate your thoughts on paper, then that’s a disaster waiting to happen. Studying and writing answers is a symbiotic relationship and one reinforces the other.

    Prelims Magic: We all want quick results, we want our answers to be brilliant within a week after we clear prelims. Hence, the common excuse – I will deal with answer writing after prelims. Sorry to break it to you but magic is limited to Harry Potter books.

    Advantages of starting writing answer early:
    • Helps you retain concepts, facts, and figures.
    • Learning the trick to formulate the structure of the answer.
    • Helps to revise things and learn new things not covered by conventional books.
    • Improves your writing speed, and handwriting.

    Click here to register and get a free handout on Important tips for Mains answer writing

    Some common mistakes students make in answer writing

    • Not understanding the demand of the Question: Words like ‘Examine’, ‘Comment’, or ‘Discuss’ are used for a reason in the questions. Why would UPSC use different words if it wants the same structure from each question?
    • Structure a Mental Framework: If you lack the practice then, you are not able to create a mental framework. This leads to poor answers- you write points as you remember in a haphazard manner. This completely compromises your presentation.
    • Introduction, body, and conclusion: This is the ideal structure for the mains answer. One very common mistake is that students have a tendency to generalize the introduction and conclusion. Along with this, the scope of dimensions in the body is limited.
    • Low hanging fruits: Some elements in your answer like a diagram, reports/commissions, and supreme court judgments can uplift the quality of your answers. Students have a tendency to skip them.

    These are just a few mistakes, in the initial phase of answer writing, students make a lot of such mistakes which can cost them marks. The real Smart study is to overcome such silly mistakes in your answer writing from the very start.

    Click here to register and get a free handout on Important tips for Mains answer writing

    This Handout is drafted by SAJAL SIR himself which deals with 20 key points for Mains answer writing. This handbook can give you a new insight into what mistakes you are making while writing answers.

    This is absolutely free. So, go register yourself NOW! and GET the handbook in your email WITHIN 72 HOURS.

    Also, you will get a FREE MAINS MENTOR call post-registration.

    About the Author

    Sajal Singh

    Sajal sir is known to make Economics and IR as easy as a cakewalk. He scored one of the highest marks in GS in the 2017 UPSC exam. Under his guidance, more than 80 percent of Students qualified for UPSC interview 2020 in Smash mains Program.

    Sajal sir’s marks in UPSC 2017 GS Mains paper were:

    • GS Paper 1 – 132
    • GS Paper 2 – 125
    • GS Paper 3 – 130

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