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  • The best strategy for IAS exam! | Let us make one ‘for you’ | Fill Samanvaya for IAS 2021-22 (Free 1-to-1 mentorship)

    The best strategy for IAS exam! | Let us make one ‘for you’ | Fill Samanvaya for IAS 2021-22 (Free 1-to-1 mentorship)

    Without a proper strategy, execution is aimless. Let us make one.. your strategy.. just for you!
    Samanvaya: FREE 1-ON-1 MENTORSHIP SESSION (click)

    So, you’ve decided upon this goal. Now, this is life. You want to crack this prestigious IAS exam. And you have started, but feel stuck.

    Did you pick up NCERT or a standard book and started reading it, mindlessly, without purpose or process? Is doing current taking you 4-5 hrs but still you aren’t able to make sense of it for the exam? Is UPSC preparation becoming unmanageable for you with a job?

    Just stop wherever you are. It is not just about walking. It is about walking in the right direction. Take a deep breath and answer this question – Do you have a strategy?

    Last month we had a discussion with around 1900 students who were not able to clear prelims even after more than 2 attempts. Many were stuck on mains.

    But why? Even after taking multiple attempts, covering the full syllabus, or taking tests?

    Lack of direction, no guidance, inability to make required necessary changes in their preparation, and an absence of a well-defined strategy were issues common to all. (What issues are you facing? tell us)

    Fill the Samanvaya form for a free on-call mentorship session. We’ll call you within 24 hours.

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    How to prepare for upsc 2021? Strategy for upsc 2021? Answer writing for 2020 Abhishek Saraf rank 8 Civilsdaily
    Abhishek has benefited from Civilsdaily’s approach, so did 70+ candidates who cleared UPSC IAS 2019

    UPSC IAS preparation is not just about memorizing and information gathering. Neither is it about mindlessly picking up random NCERTs, standard books or spending 5 hours on the Hindu.

    More than 10.5 lakh applied, but only 796 are going to clear UPSC IAS 2020. It is going to be much more challenging in 2021 and 2022.

    IAS exam, by design, is such that it should take just one attempt to clear it. Any further attempt, if you’re taking, should only be to improve your rank.

    Did you have a look at Prelims 2020 paper? In many ways, it has highlighted the changing nature of UPSC, and to be successful you need to adapt to the expectations of UPSC and adopt a new approach.

    Civilsdaily’s Hall of Fame.

    For 2021 aspirants, your preparation should be highly outcome-oriented (enabling you to fetch more marks). Every action of yours must be very objectively defined, every step as a part of your strategy. Whatever you are learning must be utilizable in the exam (both pre and mains). Your preparation should have an element of measurability.

    Moreover, you need to balance both Prelims and Mains on one hand and current-static-optional on the other. Fill Samanvaya form to know how it should be done.

    It’s about how ‘you’ should be doing it instead of how someone else did it. That is the ‘elephant in the room’.

    All this stands true for 2022 aspirants as well. This is the right time to start preparation.

    Fill Samanvaya form given at the bottom of this post.

    Broadly, six factors determine your success in cracking this prestigious IAS exam and the most important being understanding the expectations of UPSC and according to that planning and strategizing; other being, Learning – Knowledge and information; Analyzing – making linkages, connections, etc.; Executing and utilizing information; and Constant course correction – because mistakes are inevitable, need to rectify them asap.

    These are the areas where most of the aspirants fail to create a balance. Where are you facing an issue?

    Integrate them in your preparation. We’ll tell you how to do it

    To address the problems in your preparation, guidance and mentorship are the first steps. And here comes our three tiered mentorship.

    CLICK HERE FOR A FREE 1-ON-1 MENTORSHIP SESSION: Samanvaya

    Our 3 tier mentoring:

    1. First step starts with this Samanvaya call: Once you fill in the form, our senior mentors will have a 1-to-1 detailed discussion (on-call) with you to understand your prep level, working/ study constraints, current strategies, and create a step by step plan for next week, next month and so on.

    2. You are given access to our invite-only chat platform, Habitat where you can connect with mentors, ask your daily doubts, discuss your test-prep questions and have real-time live sessions on news and op-eds, and find your optional groups.

    How to prepare for upsc 2021? Strategy for upsc 2021? Answer writing for 2020
    Daily target monitoring.

    3. The third and the most personalized tier is the dedicated 1 on 1 mentor allotment who stays with you through the course of your UPSC preparation – always-on chat and on scheduled calls to help you assess, evaluate, and chart the next milestone of your IAS 2021/2022 journey.

    Daily target monitoring on Habitat
    Samanvaya: CLICK HERE FOR A FREE 1-ON-1 MENTORSHIP SESSION

    Who are you?

    1. Working Junta? If you are preparing for IAS 2021/2022 and working simultaneously, we can help you strategize and decipher the IAS exam and design a timetable that fits right in your hectic schedule.
    2. First-time prep? If you are in the last year of college or thinking of dropping a year and preparing for IAS 2021/2022 full time, we’ll help you pick the right books and craft a practical & personal strategy.
    3. Have appeared before? and weren’t successful. We’ll help you identify your mistakes, rectify them for the necessary course correction. Let this be your final and successful attempt.

    You just have to take 5 minutes out and fill this form: Samanvaya For IAS 2021/2022

    Talk to senior mentors from Civilsdaily: Fill Samanvaya form for IAS 2021 and IAS 2022. Once done, we will call you within 24 hours or so.

    Fill up the following details in Samanvaya form given below to schedule a free one-on-one mentorship session with senior mentors from Civilsdaily. We’ll call you within 24 hours.
    Samanvaya: click here for a free 1-on-1 mentorship session

  • Art in news: Tholpavakkoothu

    A shadow leather puppet in Kerala’s famous temple art Tholpavakkoothu is being animated by a robot in Palakkad.

    Tholpavakkoothu

    • Tholpavakkoothu or shadow puppetry is a temple art form which is prevalent in the Bhagavathy temples (mother Goddess) in Palakkad district and nearby regions in Kerala.
    • Tholppava (Thol means leather, Pava means puppet) are moved with the help of strings, and their shadows are depicted on a screen with the help of a row of oil lamps in the background.
    • The story of Tholpavakkoothu performance is from the Indian epic, Ramayana.
    • In the olden days, it was performed elaborately over a period of forty-one days.
    • The narrative used for the performance is a mixture of prose and poetry called Adalpattu.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.With reference to Manipuri Sankirtana, consider the following statements:

    1. It is a song and dance performance.
    2. Cymbals are the only musical instruments used in the performance.
    3. It is performed to narrate the life and deeds of Lord Krishna.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) 1, 2 and 3.

    (b) 1 and 3 only

    (c) 2 and 3 only

    (d) 1 only

    Setup of the art

    • Tholppavas are made of the skin of deer and the puppet forms are made by making small holes in the leather that is then attached vertically to a bamboo stick.
    • Accompanying instruments include Ezhupara, Chenda and Maddalam.
    • The artists have to undergo several years of rigorous training to master this art form.
    • The puppetry is staged on a special structure in temple premises called Koothumadam.
  • Day 2 of the workshop starts at 11 am(FREE)| Prelims-1000 Club by Amit sir | Link inside

    Day 2 of the workshop starts at 11 am(FREE)| Prelims-1000 Club by Amit sir | Link inside

    The second session of Prelims-1000 workshop will start from 11:00 am today. Do join the session.

    Amit sir had organised a three days workshop-cum-preparatory session for Prelims-1000 club, yesterday was the first session.

    Join free Habitat workshop by amit sir today, 11:00 Am (click)

    Focus areas of workshop:

    1. Three Prelims-1000 sessions
    2. Approach to Prelims 2021 through MCQs
    3. How to cover NCERTs, standard books and making notes?
    4. Important topics and doubt sessions

    Prelims-1000 program will start from 15th Feb 2021.

    click here to enroll in Prelims-1000 by amit sir

    What is Prelims-1000 by Amit sir?

    With 1000 MCQs in 40 days, we’re going to cover and revise Current affairs + related static parts for IAS Prelims 2021.

    Weekly schedule released

    To make the program accessible to working aspirants, we will be having classes on weekends as well. Join today’s workshop to discuss how to make the most out of Prelims-1000 program.

    click here for more details: Prelims-1000 by amit sir
    Join free Habitat workshop by amit sir today, 11:00 Am (click)

  • [Burning Issue] Key Highlights of Economic Survey 2020-21

    Union Minister for Finance recently presented the Economic Survey 2020-21 in the Parliament. The key highlights are as follows:

    [1] Saving Lives and Livelihoods amidst a Once-in-a-Century Crisis

    • India focused on saving lives and livelihoods by its willingness to take short-term pain for long-term gain, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic
    • Response stemmed from the humane principle that Human lives lost cannot be brought back
    • GDP growth will recover from the temporary shock caused by the pandemic
    • An early, intense lockdown provided a win-win strategy to save lives, and preserve livelihoods via economic recovery in the medium to long-term
    • The strategy also motivated by the Nobel-Prize winning research by Hansen & Sergeant (2001): a policy focused on minimizing losses in a worst-case scenario when uncertainty is very high.

    [2] State of the Economy in 2020-21: A Macro View

    Growth and recovery

    • COVID-19 pandemic ensued global economic downturn, the most severe one since the Global Financial Crisis
    • The lockdowns and social distancing norms brought the already slowing global economy to a standstill
    • Global economic output estimated to fall by 3.5% in 2020 (IMF January 2021 estimates)
    • India adopted a four-pillar strategy of containment, fiscal, financial, and long-term structural reforms:
    • India’s real GDP to record a 11.0% growth in FY2021-22 and nominal GDP to grow by 15.4% – the highest since independence.
    • Agriculture set to cushion the shock of the pandemic on the Indian economy in FY21 with a growth of 3.4%
    • Industry and services estimated to contract by 9.6% and 8.8% respectively during FY21
    • V-shaped recovery is underway, as demonstrated by a sustained resurgence in high frequency indicators such as power demand, e-way bills, GST collection, steel consumption, etc.

    External sector

    • India remained a preferred investment destination in FY 2020-21 with FDI pouring in amidst global asset shifts towards equities and prospects of quicker recovery in emerging economies:
    • Net FPI inflows recorded an all-time monthly high of US$ 9.8 billion in November 2020, as investors’ risk appetite returned

    Vaccination boost

    • Economy’s homecoming to normalcy brought closer by the initiation of a mega vaccination drive
    • India became the fastest country to roll-out 10 lakh vaccines in 6 days and also emerged as a leading supplier of the vaccine to neighbouring countries and Brazil

    [3] Does Growth lead to Debt Sustainability? Yes, But Not Vice- Versa!

    Growth causes debt to become sustainable in countries with higher growth rates; such clarity about the causal direction is not witnessed in countries with lower growth rates. Fiscal multipliers are disproportionately higher during economic crises than during economic booms. 

    Hue over debts

    • Growth leads to debt sustainability in the Indian context but not necessarily vice-versa:
    • Debt sustainability depends on the ‘Interest Rate Growth Rate Differential’ (IRGD), i.e., the difference between the interest rate and the growth rate
    • Negative IRGD in India – not due to lower interest rates but much higher growth rates – prompts a debate on fiscal policy, especially during growth slowdowns and economic crises
    • In India, the interest rate on debt is less than the growth rate – by the norm, not by exception

    Policy goals

    • Active fiscal policy can ensure that the full benefit of reforms is reaped by limiting potential damage to productive capacity
    • Fiscal policy that provides an impetus to growth will lead to a lower debt-to-GDP ratio
    • Given India’s growth potential, debt sustainability is unlikely to be a problem even in the worst scenarios
    • Desirable to use countercyclical fiscal policy to enable growth during economic downturns
    • Active, counter-cyclical fiscal policy – not a call for fiscal irresponsibility, but to break the intellectual anchoring that has created an asymmetric bias against fiscal policy

    [4] Does India’s Sovereign Credit Rating Reflect Its Fundamentals? No!

    • The fifth-largest economy in the world has never been rated as the lowest rung of the investment-grade (BBB-/Baa3) in sovereign credit ratings
    • Reflecting the economic size and thereby the ability to repay debt, the fifth-largest economy has been predominantly rated AAA
    • China and India are the only exceptions to this rule – China was rated A-/A2 in 2005 and now India is rated BBB-/Baa3

    No proper reflection

    • India’s sovereign credit ratings do not reflect its fundamentals
    • A clear outlier amongst countries rated between A+/A1 and BBB-/Baa3 for S&P/ Moody’s, on several parameters
    • Rated significantly lower than mandated by the effect on the sovereign rating of the parameter
    • Credit ratings map the probability of default and therefore reflect the willingness and ability of the borrower to meet its obligations
    • India’s ability to pay can be gauged by low foreign currency-denominated debt and forex reserves

    Transparency is inherent

    • India’s fiscal policy reflects Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s sentiment of ‘a mind without fear’
    • Sovereign credit rating methodology should be made more transparent, less subjective and better attuned to reflect economies’ fundamentals

    [5] Inequality and Growth: Conflict or Convergence?

    • The relationship between inequality and socio-economic outcomes vis-à-vis economic growth and socio-economic outcomes is different in India from that in advanced economies
    • Both inequality and per-capita income (growth) have similar relationships with socio-economic indicators in India, unlike in advanced economies
    • Economic growth has a greater impact on poverty alleviation than inequality
    • India must continue to focus on economic growth to lift the poor out of poverty
    • Expanding the overall pie – redistribution in a developing economy is feasible only if the size of the economic pie grows

    [6] Healthcare takes centre stage, finally!

    • COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the importance of the healthcare sector and its inter-linkages with other sectors – showcased how a health crisis transformed into an economic and social crisis
    • India’s health infrastructure must be agile so as to respond to pandemics – healthcare policy must not become beholden to ‘saliency bias’
    • National Health Mission (NHM) played a critical role in mitigating inequity as the access of the poorest to pre-natal/post-natal care and institutional deliveries increased significantly

    Reforms are indispensable

    • An increase in public healthcare spending from 1% to 2.5-3% of GDP can decrease the out-of-pocket expenditure from 65% to 35% of overall healthcare spending
    • Emphasis on NHM in conjunction with Ayushman Bharat should continue.
    • Telemedicine needs to be harnessed to the fullest by investing in internet connectivity and health infrastructure

    [7] Process Reforms

    • India over-regulates the economy resulting in regulations being ineffective even with relatively good compliance with the process        
    • The root cause of the problem of over-regulation is an approach that attempts to account for every possible outcome
    • Increase in complexity of regulations, intended to reduce discretion, results in even more non-transparent discretion
    • The solution is to simplify regulations and invest in greater supervision which, by definition, implies greater discretion
    • Discretion, however, needs to be balanced with transparency, systems of ex-ante accountability and ex-post resolution mechanisms
    • The above intellectual framework has already informed reforms ranging from labour codes to removal of onerous regulations on the BPO sector

    [8] Regulatory Forbearance an emergency medicine, not a staple diet!

    • During the Global Financial Crisis, regulatory forbearance helped borrowers tide over temporary hardship
    • Forbearance continued long after the economic recovery, resulting in unintended consequences for the economy
    • Banks exploited the forbearance window for window-dressing their books and misallocated credit, thereby damaging the quality of investment in the economy
    • Forbearance represents emergency medicine that should be discontinued at the first opportunity when the economy exhibits recovery, not a staple diet that gets continued for years

    To promote judgement amidst uncertainty, ex-post inquests must recognize the role of hindsight bias and not equate unfavourable outcomes to bad judgement or malafide intent

    • An Asset Quality Review exercise must be conducted immediately after the forbearance is withdrawn
    • The legal infrastructure for the recovery of loans needs to be strengthened de facto

    [9] Innovation: Trending Up but Needs Thrust, Especially from the Private Sector

    India entered the top-50 innovating countries for the first time in 2020 since the inception of the Global Innovation Index in 2007, ranking first in Central and South Asia, and third amongst lower-middle-income group economies.

    Need for thrust

    • India’s gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) is lowest amongst the top ten economies
    • India’s aspiration must be to compete on innovation with the top ten economies
    • The government sector contributes a disproportionately large share in total GERD at three times the average of the top ten economies
    • The business sector’s contribution to GERD, total R&D personnel and researchers is amongst the lowest when compared to the top ten economies
    • This situation has prevailed despite higher tax incentives for innovation and access to equity capital
    • Indian resident’s share in total patents filed in the country must rise from the current 36% which is much below the average of 62% in the top ten economies

    India’s business sector needs to significantly ramp up investments in R&D. For achieving higher improvement in innovation output, India must focus on improving its performance on institutions and business sophistication innovation inputs.

    [10] JAY Ho! PM‘JAY’ Adoption and Health outcomes

    PM Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) – the ambitious program launched by Government of India in 2018 to provide healthcare access to the most vulnerable sections demonstrates strong positive effects on healthcare outcomes in a short time.

    The impact of PM-JAY on health outcomes by undertaking a Difference-in-Difference analysis based on National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4 (2015-16) and NFHS-5 (2019-20) is following:

    1. Enhanced health insurance coverage: The proportion of households that had health insurance increased in Bihar, Assam and Sikkim from 2015-16 to 2019-20 by 89% while it decreased by 12% over the same period in West Bengal
    2. Decline in  Infant Mortality rate: from 2015-16 to 2019-20, infant mortality rates declined by 20% for West Bengal and by 28% for the three neighbouring states
    3. Decline in under-5 mortality rate: Bengal saw a fall of 20% while, the neighbours witnessed a 27% reduction
    4. Birth Control: Modern methods of contraception, female sterilization and pill usage went up by 36%, 22% and 28% respectively in the three neighbouring states while the respective changes for West Bengal were negligible
    5. Low cost care: PM-JAY is being used significantly for high frequency, low cost care such as dialysis and continued during the Covid pandemic and the lockdown.

    Overall, the comparison reflects significant improvements in several health outcomes in states that implemented PM-JAY versus those that did not.

    [11] Bare Necessities

    Access to the ‘bare necessities’ has improved across all States in the country in 2018 as compared to 2012

    • It is highest in states such as Kerala, Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat while lowest in Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Tripura
    • Improvement in each of the five dimensions viz., access to water, housing, sanitation, micro-environment and other facilities
    • Inter-State disparities declined across rural and urban areas as the laggard states have gained relatively more between 2012 and 2018
    • Improved access to the ‘bare necessities’ has led to improvements in health indicators such as infant mortality and under-5 mortality rate and also correlates with future improvements in education indicators.

    What next?

    • The thrust should be given to reduce variation in the access to bare necessities across states, between rural and urban and between income groups
    • The schemes such as Jal Jeevan Mission, SBM-G, PMAY-G, etc. may design an appropriate strategy to reduce these gaps
    • A Bare Necessities Index (BNI) based on the large annual household survey data can be constructed using suitable indicators to assess the progress on access to bare necessities.

    References

    https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/economicsurvey/

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1601273

  • 12th February 2021| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement

    Important Announcement:  Topics to be covered on 15th February

    GS-1  Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc. 

    GS-4 Case Studies.

    Question 1)

    Social control and socialization are two faces of same coin. Do you agree? Critically analyse. 10 marks

    Question 2)

    What are the objectives of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill,2020. What are the concerns with some provisions of the bill? 10 marks

    Question 3)

    What are the factors that make Uttarakhand vulnerable natural disasters? Suggest the steps that need to be taken to deal make the state disaster resilient? 10 marks

    Question 4)  

    What are some of the key sources of ethics and their ideals in India? Discuss. 10 marks

    home

    Reviews will be provided in a week. (In the order of submission- First come first serve basis). In case the answer is submitted late the review period may get extended to two weeks.

    *In case your answer is not reviewed in a week, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. If Parth Sir’s tag is available then tag him.

    For the philosophy of AWE and payment, check  here: Click2Join

  • The U.S. policy options and its implications for the world order

    The article spells out the U.S.’s foreign policy approach in the changing global order. Though the article doesn’t mention India, the U.S.’s policies and it’s bearing on India need no mention. From that perspective, we should follow their approach.

    Decision on the JCPOA

    • During the U.S. presidential election campaign, Joe Biden had criticised the U.S. withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
    • He had then promised that subject to Iran’s compliance with its obligations, the U.S. would re-enter the agreement.
    • In office, Mr. Biden has shown little urgency on the JCPOA matter.
    • Israel has given the opposite message and said that the nuclear agreement was “bad and must not be allowed”.
    • Israel and the U.S.’s Gulf allies, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have also insisted that they be involved with the discussions with Iran on the revival of the agreement.

    U.S.’s Policy approach

    •  The U.S. policy is likely to show more continuity than change where the U.S.’s core interests are concerned, specifically in its ties with Russia, China and Iran.
    •  Mr. Biden is likely to reverse his predecessor Donald Trump’s personal accommodative approach towards Russia and adopt the U.S.’s traditional confrontational posture.
    • Mr. Biden’s Iran policy is likely to match Mr. Trump’s hardline approach on substantive matters.
    • This approach also panders to Iran’s regional rivals who wish to see the Islamic republic weakened and isolated.
    • There will thus be no dramatic change in the U.S.’s approach to Iran on the nuclear question.

    Regional concerns and role of global powers

    • Despite the sanctions, Iran’s regional influence remains significant.
    • The Iranian ability to mobilise militants across the region is viewed by Israel and some the Gulf Arab states as threatening their security.
    • Gulf states are also concerned about Iran’s influence with their Shia populations.
    • The capabilities of Iran’s precision missiles and drones are also a matter of regional anxiety.
    •  Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will be in a face-off with Iran and its allies, Iraq, Syria and its Shia militia.
    • Alternatively, we could see a genuine regional effort to ease tensions and promote regional confidence, spearheaded by Qatar, working with Russia and, possibly, China.
    • Perhaps, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, already facing heat from the Biden administration, will see the value of this approach.
    • Russia now an influential player in the region, China, too, with its Belt and Road Initiative, has high stakes in regional stability.
    • The Sino-Iran 25 years agreement, envisages their substantial and long-term cooperation in political, security, military, economic, energy and logistical connectivity areas.

    Consider the question “How far Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) has been successful in achieving its goals? How peace in the Middle East influence India’s interests?” 

    Conclusion

    The new U.S. administration will thus witness a new world order, shaped by a coalition of Russia, China and Iran, in which the U.S. is no longer the most significant role-player.

  • Contours of Twitter-government faceoff

    What is the faceoff about

    • Recently, Indian government issued direction to Twitter, ordering it to shut down user accounts connected with farmers’ protests.
    • The government has to exercise powers under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act to block user accounts critical of the farm bills.
    • The accounts which were sought to be censored are back online.
    • This is due to Twitter’s evident refusal to comply with the directions after a constitutional appraisal.
    • It has, as per press statements, cited the doctrine of proportionality in its defence.

    Concerns with the directive

    • This direction presents a clear breach of fundamental rights but also reveals a complex relationship between the government and large platforms on the understanding of the Constitution of India.
    • The specific legal order issued is secret.
    • This brings into focus the condition of secrecy that is threshold objection to multiple strands of our fundamental rights.
    • It conflicts against the rights of the users who are denied reasons for the censorship.
    • Secrecy also undermines the public’s right to receive information, which is a core component of the fundamental freedom to speech and expression.
    • This is an anti-democratic practice that results in an unchecked growth of irrational censorship but also leads to speculation that fractures trust.
    • The other glaring deficiency is the complete absence of any prior show-cause notice to the actual users of these accounts by the government.
    • This is contrary to the principles of natural justice.
    • This again goes back to the vagueness and the design faults in the process of how directions under Section 69A are issued.

    Constitutionality of Section 69A of IT Act

    • The secrecy clause represents a failure on the part of the Union executive, which framed the process for blocking websites in 2009.
    • he Supreme Court also failed to substantively examine the clause.
    • This is despite the opportunity offered by its celebrated judgment Shreya Singhal v. Union of India, when it struck down Section 66A of the IT Act as unconstitutional.
    • At the same time, the court stated in Shreya Singhal, that an aggrieved party could approach a court for remedy if their website or user account was blocked under Section 69A.
    • More recently, the court, when adjudicating the constitutional permissibility of the telecommunications shutdown in Jammu and Kashmir by its judgment in Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India directed pro-active publication of all orders for internet shutdowns.
    • After this, a decent argument may be made that directions for blocking now need to be made public. 
    • However, several state governments are actively refusing compliance on the publication of orders on internet shutdowns.

    Consider the question “Use of Section 69 of the IT Act to suspend the account of the users on a social media platform has raised concern. Examine these concerns.”

    Conclusion

    The episode leaves a sense of confusion and wonder about why our own government formed under the Constitution may be failing to fulfil its obligations when strangers who trade in our data for profit are seemingly more eager.

  • Major Port Authorities Bill, 2020

    Rajya Sabha has passed the Major Ports Authorities Bill 2020 with 88 votes for and 44 against it. The Bill was passed in Lok Sabha in September last year.

    Major Ports Authorities Bill 2020: Major: Highlights

    • The Bill provides for the regulation of major ports and will replace the Major Port Trusts Act of 1963, and a board of Major Port Authority for each major port will replace the current port trusts.
    • The Bill will apply to the major ports of Chennai, Cochin, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Kandla, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Mangalore, Mormugao, Paradip, VO Chidambaranar and Vishakhapatnam.

    Boards to replace trusts

    • Under the 1963 Act, all major ports are managed by the respective Board of Port Trusts that have members appointed by the central government.
    • The Bill provides for the creation of a Board of Major Port Authority for each major port.
    • These Boards will replace the existing Port Trusts.
    • It will have a member each from the state governments, the Railways Ministry, the defence ministry, and the customs department.
    • The Bill allows the Board to use its property, assets and funds as deemed fit for the development of the major port.

    Board has financial powers

    • Under the 1963 Act, the Board had to seek the prior sanction of the Centre to raise any loan.
    • Under the new Bill, to meet its capital and working expenditure requirements, the Board may raise loans from any scheduled bank or financial institution within India, or any financial institution outside India.
    • However, for loans above 50% of its capital reserves, the Board will require prior sanction of the central government.

    The board will fix rates

    • At present, the Tariff Authority for Major Ports fixes the scale of rates for assets and services available at ports.
    • Under the bill, which now awaits President’s accent to become a law, the Board or committees appointed by the Board will determine these rates for services that will be performed at ports.
    • The services would include the access to and usage of the port assets, and different classes of goods and vessels, among others.

    Punishments

    • Under the 1963 Act, there are various penalties for contravening provisions of the Act.
    • The penalty for setting up any structures on the harbours without permission, for example, may extend up to Rs 10,000, and the penalty for evading rates may extend up to 10 times the rates.
    • Under the new Bill, any person contravening any provision of the Bill or any rules or regulations will be punished with a fine of up to Rs one lakh.

    Opposition criticism

    • Opposition parties had opposed the legislation terming it the move to privatize ports.
    • They said that this Bill is nothing but a retraction of the Singapore model.
    • When there were hue and cry that there cannot be the privatization of ports, it adopted a policy of so-called corporatization. Thereafter, it ultimately privatized its ports.
    • So, corporatization is the first step. The next in the offing is privatization said the opposition.

    What did the govt. say?

    • The government has brought in a provision that will allow ports to take their own decisions. To change tariffs, the ports have to now approach the ministry.
    • The port sector in the last six years has doubled the profit. Profit has increased, liabilities have come down. For modernization, 300 projects are ongoing.
    • This Bill is not to privatize any port, but it is to ensure that our ports can properly compete with private ports.

  • OTT players adopt ‘toolkit’ for self-regulation

    Online streaming providers have announced the adoption of an ‘implementation toolkit’, under the aegis of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).

    What is the news?

    • Various OTT platforms say that this is in furtherance to the Universal Self-Regulation Code the body had introduced in September.
    • The government had rejected this USRC code.

    Q.What is Over the Top (OTT) media services? Critically analyse the benefits and challenges offered by the OTT media services in India.

    What are OTT Media?

    • An over-the-top (OTT) media service is a streaming media service offered directly to viewers via the Internet.
    • OTT bypasses cable, broadcast, and satellite television platforms, the companies that traditionally act as a controller or distributor of such content.
    • The term is most synonymous with subscription-based video-on-demand (SVoD) services that offer access to film and television content.
    • They are typically accessed via websites on personal computers, as well as via apps on mobile devices (such as smartphones and tablets), digital media players, or televisions with integrated Smart TV platforms.

    Regulating OTT

    • Currently, there is no law or autonomous body governing digital content. The recent move will give the government control over OTT platforms, which were unregulated till now.
    • From time to time, the government had indicated the necessity to monitor these platforms.
    • In October 2019, the government had indicated that it will issue the “negative” list of don’ts for the video streaming services like Netflix and Hotstar.
    • It also wanted the platforms to come up with a self-regulatory body on the lines of the News Broadcasting Standards Authority.

    What is the toolkit about?

    • The effort of the signatories, through this toolkit, is to also address feedback received from the ministry of information and broadcasting inter-alia, on the issues of conflict of interest and prohibited content.

    The all-inclusive implementation toolkit will assist signatories in a seamless transition to self-regulation and guide them on various dimensions like:

    • Relevant laws of the land which will be adhered to by the signatories
    • Fair and transparent functioning of the grievance redressal mechanism, with escalation to an advisory panel with independent members
    • Training programs for creative and legal teams of OCCPs to enhance the knowledge and nuances of laws that govern content
    • Awareness programs for consumers to help increase understanding and use of age rating, content descriptor & parental controls
    • Implementation of a detailed audit and compliance mechanism

    Why such code?

    • The code comes into force at a time when the government has put OTT platforms on the anvil of content regulation after a spate of complaints on the ‘sensitive’ and ‘objectionable’ nature of certain shows.
    • Earlier this week, I&B minister has assured the Parliament that guidelines for the regulation of OTTs have been practically hammered out and will be implemented soon.

  • New disengagement agreement in eastern Ladakh

    In the first major breakthrough in talks China’s Defence Ministry that PLA and Indian troops on the southern and northern shores of Pangong Tso began synchronized and organized disengagement.

    This newscard presents a holistic report on the ground situation of Sino-India border disputes in Ladakh.

    Also, try this PYQ from CSP 2020:

    Q.Siachen Glacier is situated to the

    (a) East of Aksai Chin

    (b) East of Leh

    (c)North of Gilgit

    (d) North of Nubra Valley

    New plan in eastern Ladakh

    • As of now, the disengagement process seems restricted to the north and south banks of Pangong Tso.
    • The process has started with the pulling back of certain columns of tanks from the south bank region by both sides.
    • At the moment, there is no pullback of troops from the friction points and the heights they are positioned on.
    • That will happen in a phased and verified manner.

    Disengagement from Pangong Tso

    • China will pull its troops on the north bank towards the east of Finger 8.
    • Similarly, India will also position its forces at its permanent base near Finger 3.
    • Similar action will be taken by both the parties in the south bank area as well.
    • Both sides have also agreed that the area between Finger 3 and Finger 8 will become a no-patrolling zone temporarily, till both sides reach an agreement through military and diplomatic discussions to restore patrolling.
    • Further, all the construction done by both sides on the north and south banks of the lake since April 2020 will be removed.

    Why is this area important?

    • The north and south banks of Pangong Tso are two of the most significant and sensitive regions when it comes to the current standoff that began in May 2020.
    • What makes the areas around the shores of the lake so sensitive and important is that clashes here marked the beginning of the standoff.
    • It is one of the areas where the Chinese troops had come around 8 km deep west of India’s perception of the Line of Actual Control.
    • China had positioned its troops on the ridgeline connecting Fingers 3 and 4, while according to India the LAC passes through Finger 8.

    Take a glimpse of all friction points along Indian borders:

    India is at an advantage

    • Further, it is in the south bank of the lake that Indian forces in an action in late August had gained a strategic advantage by occupying certain peaks, outwitting the Chinese.
    • Indian troops had positioned themselves on heights of Magar Hill, Mukhpari, Gurung Hill, Rezang La and Rechin La, which were unoccupied by either side earlier.
    • Since then, the Chinese side had been particularly sensitive as these positions allowed India to not only dominate Spanggur Gap.
    • It is a two-km wide valley that can be used to launch an offensive, as China had done in 1962, they also allow India a direct view of China’s Moldo Garrison.

    Why has this taken so long?

    • Since September, China has insisted that India first pull its troops back from the south bank of Pangong Tso, and the Chushul sub-sector.
    • However, India has been demanding that any disengagement process should include the entire region, and troops should go back to their April 2020 positions.
    • However, it seems that for now, both sides have agreed to first disengage from the Pangong Tso area only.

    Principles of disengagement

    In military and diplomatic discussions with China India expects a solution to the issue on the basis of three principles:

    1. LAC should be accepted and respected by both parties.
    2. Neither party should attempt to change the status quo unilaterally.
    3. All agreements should be fully adhered to by both parties.

    Does this mean that the standoff is resolved?

    • There are still some outstanding issues that remain regarding deployment and patrolling on LAC.
    • The Pangong Tso region is just one of the friction areas. There are other friction points, all north of the Pangong Tso, where the troops have been face-to-face since last year.
    • The situation in Depsang Plains continues to be a concern.
    • Both sides agree that complete disengagement under bilateral agreements and protocols should be done as soon as possible.
    • After the talks so far, China is also aware of our resolve to protect the sovereignty of the country.

    Need for confidence building

    • Two of the main stumbling blocks in finding a permanent resolution are lack of trust and no clarity on intent.
    • Any permanent resolution will include first, disengagement of troops from the frontlines from all friction points.
    • Then de-escalation will entail sending the troops from the depth areas to their original bases.
    • Both sides have around 50,000 troops in the region, along with additional tanks, artillery and air defence assets.

    Conclusion

    • A resolution has to include sending these troops and military equipment where they came from on both sides.
    • But neither side had been willing to take the first step to reduce their troop or military strength, as it does not trust the other side.

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