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  • How to become an IAS step by step

    Hi Guys, today we’re going to see the best 10 simple steps to become an IAS. The UPSC exam cannot be passed simply by being a bookworm. The personality test round is the final stage of the UPSC exam process. The UPSC board interviews the candidate to assess their personality and suitability for a service career. Aside from academic knowledge, this necessitates an individual’s overall development. Even in academics, the emphasis should be on constantly acquiring information and insight into the latest happenings/current affairs in the country and beyond, rather than simply finishing the syllabus.

    Step 1: Come out of your comfort zone

    All of your efforts will end in smoke until & unless you come out from your comfort zone. It’s an adamant attitude that can make you an IAS. you may explore many career options but never underestimate IAS dream before them.

    Step 2: Start your IAS journey as soon as possible 

    ‘The opportunity that God sends does not wake up him who is asleep’. If you don’t think about second option, start IAS preparation as sson as possible. Many toppers echoed that they had started their IAS journey while in college.

    Step 3: Get mentally and physically prepared

    You’are not going to sit for a lucrative career. Be fully prepared for spend months after months with books, magazines, etc. you have to revise all your learnings again and again, whenever you get time. Actually it’s a process to train your mind and body to cope with any situation and find solution.

    Besides, you have to bear if failure meets you. Patience is the key here. Because, if you fail in any stage, you have to start from prelims again. So, healthy mind with clamness is required.

    Step 4: Know the syllabus, and exam pattern, and work on the basics

    The most important things are these. 

    IAS Prelims Exam Pattern 2023

    The UPSC IAS prelims exam will consist of two papers. Both papers will be an objective type multiple choice questions exam. This stage of the exam will consist of Paper – I (General Studies) and Paper-II (Aptitude Test). The candidates who qualify for this stage will be considered for the next stage, which will be the mains examination. Check below to know the detailed UPSC prelims exam pattern.

    SubjectExam TypeNo. of QuestionsMarksExam Duration
    Paper I – General StudiesObjective1002002 Hours
    Paper II – Aptitude Test (CSAT)Objective802002 Hours

    Understanding the Scheme for UPSC IAS Prelims Exam 2023

    • General Studies and Aptitude Test will be the two papers under the prelims exam.
    • Paper – I and Paper – II will be of 200 marks each in the exam.
    • In the paper – I (General Studies), each question carries 2 marks.
    • In paper – II (Aptitude Test), each question carries 2.5 marks.
    • Both the papers will be of 2 hours duration each.
    • The question paper will be set in the English language.
    • Paper-II (Aptitude Test) will be qualifying in nature and candidates should score a minimum of 33% in this paper to qualify for the next stage of the examination.

    Know the penalty Scheme in IAS Prelims Exam

    • There will be a negative marking of ⅓ for each wrong answer.
    • If a candidate gives more than one answer, it will be treated as wrong even if one of the given answers is correct. The penalty will be the same as above.
    • Candidate can also get Negative Marks in UPSC IAS Exam in the case of three incorrect answers.
    • If a question is left unanswered, there won’t be a penalty for it.

    IAS Mains Exam Pattern 2023

    The UPSC IAS Mains exam will consist of a compulsory Indian language, English paper, essay, four general papers and two optional subjects. We can now take a look at the detailed UPSC Mains exam pattern.

    PaperSubjectDurationTotal marksTime AllottedNature of paper
    Paper ACompulsory Indian language3 hours3003 hoursQualifying
    Paper BEnglish3 hours3003 hoursQualifying
    Paper IEssay3 hours2503 hoursMerit
    Paper-IIGeneral Studies I3 hours2503 hoursMerit
    Paper IIIGeneral Studies II3 hours2503 hoursMerit
    Paper IVGeneral Studies III3 hours2503 hoursMerit
    Paper VGeneral Studies IV3 hours2503 hoursMerit
    Paper VIOptional I3 hours2503 hoursMerit
    Paper VIIOptional II3 hours2503 hoursMerit

    Key Point to be kept in mind for preparing for UPSC IAS Mains 2023

    • The IAS Mains exam will be an objective type paper. 
    • The Mains exam will contain 9 papers where each paper is for 3 hours and extra 30 minutes will be given to the blind candidates. 
    • The candidates will be tested on the basis of their knowledge and understanding of the subjects. 
    • The questions will be subjective in nature and will be asked in both Hindi and English.
    • The Mains exam is further divided into two types qualifying and merit. 

    Qualifying Papers for IAS Exam:-

    Paper A: (One of the Indian Languages to be selected from the ones included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution – 300 Marks)

    Paper B: English – 300 Marks

    IAS Mains Exam Marks Distribution

    • To qualify for the test, applicants will have to score a minimum percentage in the qualifying exam.
    • The question papers are prepared to test the candidate’s analytical and interpersonal abilities. The essay style questions will assess the student’s knowledge of the topic and the idea.
    • On the strength of an Indian language, the learners will be tested. Two optional papers will have to be chosen by the candidates.
    • Applicants will be ranked on the basis of opinion, material flow, problem/situation comprehension, viable solutions/strategies, presentation and language.
    • The UPSC IAS Mains exam optional subjects are as follows. Candidates can choose any two for the exam.

    Step 5: Don’t wait for the best preparation

    In the journey of UPSC, there is no definition of the best preparation found. Follow some simple steps:

    When the destination is IAS or IPS, the UPSC syllabus and previous year’s question papers go hand in hand. So, don’t wander off, you may lose track. 

    • Bring the syllabus to your fingertip. Because you have to complete the syllabus and not the books.
    • Hook at least 5 years of previous years’ MCQs (Prelims + Mains + Optional)

    According to mentor heads, there are 2 types of syllabus patterns

    • Raw static syllabus
    • and Dynamic syllabus

    In incipient stage, finish the static syllabus at least once. Because static parts boost aspirants’ confidence, besides, it’s the very foundation of grip on current affairs. To finish the static parts, an aspirant may need around 6 months and not more than that.

    Now, start investing time in the dynamic syllabus.

    • Take PYQs, revise chapters accordingly
    • Learn Current affairs and tangle with static questions.

    It’s worth remembering that balancing study is the key to excellence for either the MCQs or writing for mains.

    Another key point to be noted here is ‘Evaluation of preparation’. It’s also an indirect and inseparable part of your UPSC syllabus.

    Civilsdaily’s centralized mentorship is recommended here. 

    UPSC preparation not a 1 day ending journey rather a year or more long one.So you should and must keep up your health and fitness.But if you are a beginner it is rather advisable for you to consult mentors than decide on own,for easier journey.

    Because, when the is long, more important is neither destination nor path, it’s the company.

  • How to start preparing for UPSC

    Hi aspirants, 

    We are delighted that you have chosen UPSC. It’s not only a lucrative career option but an opportunity also to get empowered & to do something for our society. 

    But the pain is that, a beginner aspirant is usually confused ‘how to start preparing for UPSC’? After mentoring 5000+ aspirants we, the Civilsdaily team, advice you to follow the steps ahead:

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    Important Links:

    UPSC Syllabus

    UPSC Exam Pattern

    Don’t spend time, instead invest your time

    It’s not an exam of school or colleges. It’s a journey of life. So, ‘the more you read, the better you perform’ concepts won’t work. You should follow 3 steps:

    • Give at least 60 days to Syllabus & PYQs. Because, these 2 will be the torch bearer through out the whole journey.
    • Never haste to choose your resources. When it’s done, stick to them.
    • Chart out your own strategy. Listen to toppers& get ideas but never follow them blindly. Because, you can’t succeed mere copying others. 

    Decide limited resource

    A goal without proper planning remains a mere dream. Remember, there is a thin line between confidence and arrogance. Again follow 2 simple steps:

    • Read ‘The Hindu’ & ‘Indian Express’ for a week. And decide which one to read. Don’t follow both.
    • Stick to only 2 sets of text book. 1) Basic NCERTs 2) Advanced (Example: M.Laxmikant)

    So, don’t act like an arrogant and cover as many newspaper as you can. Read only 1 consistently and build your confidence.

    Start with elementary books & The subject you like most

    UPSC are not taking PhD exam. Serving as an IAS/IPS means understanding the basic need of our society & resolve them. Considering this, UPSC emphasis more on the basics comprehensively. So, strengthen your basics to the next level. Simple 3 steps to follow:

    • Revise NCERTs for atleast 2 times & then start advanced books
    • Don’t try to cover entire books in a short time. Set weekly strategy & go forward.
    • Always start with the subject/subjects you like most. 

    Reading habits, understanding the needful are the key to success.

    Figure out your optional subject from the very beginning

    Choosing study material is not a simple task. It is always a suitable idea to begin preparation by getting subject fundamentals in place. The best source to get clarity and a good hold on various subjects are the NCERT books (from class VI to class XII). Clearing prelims and sitting for mains never lead to LBSNAA. Again some effective tips:

    • You have to figure out an optional subject from the 1st day of your journey. Make a list & pick maximum 3 subjects. Download PYQs. If you understand 50% questions of a paper, you can go for it.
    • Choose a subject whose notes are easily available in the market.
    • Try to get mentor’s guidance.

    Improve your writing skill by making notes

    UPSC doesn’t want the best answer, It checks 200 words that you write on paper. To the point, relevant and demanding answers are required. No flowery language will be awarded. Beginners. now follow:

    • Don’t write as you wrote in school & college. 
    • Decide a clear structure of writing from the 1st day & stick to the same.
    • Make your own self made cripsy notes on every subjects. Skill of making summary, precis should be developed.

    Finally, starting UPSC preparation is not a difficult task. But Getting an idea to start”, “Thinking to start” and “Making a commitment to start” is one aspect of success. Actually “Starting” what you truly want to do in life, is a completely different ball game. 

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  • Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BNCAP)

    The government is planning a new car assessment programme (NCAP) in India, to be called the Bharat NCAP or BNCAP.

    What is Bharat NCAP?

    • Bharat NCAP is a new car safety assessment programme which proposes a mechanism of awarding ‘Star Ratings’ to automobiles based upon their performance in crash tests.
    • BNCAP standard is aligned with global benchmarks and it is beyond minimum regulatory requirements.
    • The proposed Bharat NCAP assessment will allocate Star Ratings from 1 to 5 stars.
    • The testing of vehicles for this programme will be carried out at testing agencies, with the necessary infrastructure.

    Its implementation

    • BNCAP will be rolled out from April 1, 2023.
    • It will be applicable on type-approved motor vehicles of category M1 with gross vehicle weight less than 3.5 tonnes, manufactured or imported in the country.
    • M1 category motor vehicles are used for the carriage of passengers, comprising eight seats, in addition to driver’s seat.

    Significance of Bharat NCAP

    • BNCAP rating will provide consumers an indication of the level of protection offered to occupants by evaluating the vehicle in the areas of:
    1. Adult occupant protection
    2. Child occupant protection
    3. Safety assist technologies
    • It will serve as a consumer-centric platform, allowing customers to opt for safer cars based upon their Star-Ratings.
    • It will also promote a healthy competition among original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in India to manufacture safer vehicles.
    • It will ensure structural and passenger safety in cars, along with increasing the export-worthiness of Indian automobiles.
    • It will prove to be a critical instrument in making our automobile industry Aatmanirbhar.

    Why does India need to crash-test vehicles?

    • Indian vehicles have historically not been crash-tested in the country.
    • Despite being home to only 1% of the world’s vehicles, India shoulders 11% of the global road crash fatality burden.

    What about existing testing standards?

    • India’s Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) mandate a safety and performance assessment, including a basic conformity crash test by agencies like the ARAI and ICAT when vehicles go in for type approvals.
    • However, this does not involve a crash test rating.
    • Many international automakers have been found to sell products in India which score much lower on safety and structural performance parameters.
    • This is done to reduce costs in the price-sensitive Indian market.
    • However, safety is moving up nowadays the list of key purchase criteria in India as well.

    How will a homegrown NCAP help?

    • Global NCAP (GNCAP) crash tests for many best-selling Indian vehicles have dismal ratings, many of them rated zero in a bias.
    • The government hopes that by facilitating these tests by in-house agencies, more automakers will voluntarily undergo safety assessments and build vehicles that hold up to global standards.

    How will it compare with GNCAP?

    • The government wants the two tests to be in congruence with each other.
    • It intends to design the BNCAP to resemble the GNCAP, the global gold standard, as closely as possible, including the speed for crash testing at 64kmph.
    • Central Motor Vehicle rules encompass standards with respect to pedestrian protection and seat belt reminders among others and will be retained in the testing under the BNCAP.
    • The government hopes the move will increase the export-worthiness of Indian automobiles.

     

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  • Road Safety in India

    The United Nations is holding a high-level meeting on Global Road Safety on June 30 and July 1, 2022 to review the progress and challenges.

    Road Accidents in India: A lookover

    • In spite of several years of policymaking to improve road safety, India remains among the worst-performing countries in this area.
    • Total 1,47,913 lives lost to road traffic accidents in 2017 as per Ministry of Road Transport and Highways statistics.
    • The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) figure for the same year is 1,50,093 road accident deaths.

    Why in news?

    • The persistently high annual death toll brings into question the country’s ability to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.6.
    • This aims to halve the fatalities and injuries from road traffic accidents by 2030.

    Lancet’s findings on road safety

    • A new analytical series on road safety worldwide, published by The Lancet, proposes that India and other countries could cut accident-related deaths by 25 to 40%.
    • This is based on evidence that preventive interventions produce good outcomes when applied to four well-known risk factors:
    1. High speed
    2. Driving under the influence of alcohol
    3. Not using proper helmets
    4. Not wearing seat-belts and not using child restraints

    Issues highlighted in developing countries

    • The structural problems linked to unplanned motorisation and urbanisation remain.
    • In India, speedy highway construction takes place without reconciling fast and slow-moving traffic.
    • There is a rampant presence of ramshackle vehicles, wrong-side driving, absence of adequate traffic police forces etc.

    Why are there so many road fatalities in India alone?

    • Weak enforcement of traffic laws: People hardly oblige to traffic rules and find easier to bribe policemen rather than paying hefty challans.
    • Speeding issue: More accidents on the highways have been attributed to higher vehicle speeds and higher volume of traffic on these roads.
    • Engineering bottlenecks: Issues such as gaps in the median on the national highways, untreated intersections, and missing crash barriers are some of the biggest engineering issues.
    • Behavioural issue: Driver violations such as wrong-side driving, wrong lane usage by heavy vehicles, and mass violation of traffic lights, intoxication are the biggest behavioural issues.
    • Lack of Golden hour treatment: Lack of rapid trauma care on highways leads to such high fatalities.

    Various steps taken by India

    • India amended Motor Vehicles Act in 2019, but its implementation by State governments is not uniform or complete.
    • A National Road Safety Board was constituted under the Act, with advisory powers to reform safety.
    • The World Bank has approved a $250 million loan to support for India State Support Programme for Road Safety.

    Issues with implementation

    • The focus of State governments, however, remains conventional, with an emphasis on user behaviour (drivers and other road users), education and uneven enforcement.
    • Low emphasis is placed on structural change such as raising engineering standards for roads, signages, signals, training for scientific accident investigation, raising policing skills and fixing responsibility on government departments for design, creation and maintenance of road infrastructure.

    What can be done to cut death and injury rates?

    • The ambitious amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act in 2019 (MV Act) have not yielded significant results.
    • Major interventions in India, first suggested by the Sundar Committee (2007) and ordered by the Supreme Court in Rajasekaran vs Union of India have not made a dent in the problem.

    Key findings of Sundar Committee

    • The Sundar Committee pointed out that India lacked a technically competent investigation arm that could determine the cause of accidents.
    • There is little clarity on whether the States have formed such units to aid traffic investigation, or whether the insurance industry has pressed for these to accurately determine fault.
    • In the absence of scientific investigation, perceptions usually guide the fixing of liability.

    Solutions provided by the Lancet

    • The Lancet calculated that 17% of road traffic injury-related deaths could be avoided if trauma care facilities improved.
    • This is significant as several accidents take place in rural areas on highways, and victims are taken to poorly-equipped district hospitals or medical college hospitals.
    • While positive user behaviour — slower travel, wearing of helmets, seat belts and so on — could save thousands of lives.
    • In the short term, slowing down traffic, particularly near habitations, segregating slower vehicles, enforcing seat belt and helmet use and cracking down on drunken drivers could produce measurable gains.

    Imbibing road safety: Way forward

    • Road safety education
    • Better road design, maintenance and warning signage
    • Crackdown on driving under influence of alcohol and drugs
    • Strict enforcement of traffic rules
    • Encouraging better road behaviour
    • Ensuring road worthiness of a vehicle
    • Better first aid and paramedic care

    Do you know?

    The ‘golden hour’ has been defined as ‘the time period lasting one hour following a traumatic injury during which there is the highest likelihood of preventing death by providing prompt medical care.

     

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  • UAPA necessary to act against terrorists: Minister

    A Union Minister has said it was necessary to have certain laws like the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) so that action could be taken against terrorists and those who “behead other people”.

    Unlawful (Activities) Prevention Act (UAPA)

    • The UAPA is aimed at effective prevention of unlawful activities associations in India.
    • Its main objective was to make powers available for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India
    • It is an upgrade on the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act TADA, which was allowed to lapse in 1995 and the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) was repealed in 2004.
    • It was originally passed in 1967 under the then Congress government led by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
    • Till 2004, “unlawful” activities referred to actions related to secession and cession of territory. Following the 2004 amendment, “terrorist act” was added to the list of offences.

    Major feature: Designation of Terrorists

    • The Centre had amended UAPA, 1967, in August 2019 to include the provision of designating an individual as a terrorist.
    • Before this amendment, only organisations could be designated as terrorist outfits.
    • Section 15 of the UAPA defines a “terrorist act” as any act committed with intent to threaten or likely to threaten the unity, integrity, security, economic security, or sovereignty of India or with intent to strike terror or likely to strike terror in the people or any section of the people in India or in any foreign country.
    • The original Act dealt with “unlawful” acts related to secession; anti-terror provisions were introduced in 2004.

    Who makes such designation?

    • The UAPA (after 2019 amendment)seeks to empower the central government to designate an individual a “terrorist” if they are found committing, preparing for, promoting, or involved in an act of terror.
    • A similar provision already exists in Part 4 and 6 of the legislation for organizations that can be designated as a “terrorist organisations”.

    How individuals are declared terrorists?

    • The central government may designate an individual as a terrorist through a notification in the official gazette, and add his name to the schedule supplemented to the UAPA Bill.
    • The government is not required to give an individual an opportunity to be heard before such a designation.
    • At present, in line with the legal presumption of an individual being innocent until proven guilty, an individual who is convicted in a terror case is legally referred to as a terrorist.
    • While those suspected of being involved in terrorist activities are referred to as terror accused.

    What happens when an individual is declared a terrorist?

    • The designation of an individual as a global terrorist by the United Nations is associated with sanctions including travel bans, freezing of assets and an embargo against procuring arms.
    • The UAPA, however, does not provide any such detail.
    • It also does not require the filing of cases or arresting individuals while designating them as terrorists.

    Removing the terrorist tag

    • The UAPA gives the central government the power to remove a name from the schedule when an individual makes an application.
    • The procedure for such an application and the process of decision-making will is decided by the central government.
    • If an application filed by an individual declared a terrorist is rejected by the government, the UAPA gives him the right to seek a review within one month after the application is rejected.
    • The central government will set up the review committee consisting of a chairperson (a retired or sitting judge of a High Court) and three other members.
    • The review committee is empowered to order the government to delete the name of the individual from the schedule that lists “terrorists” if it considers the order to be flawed.
    • Apart from these two avenues, the individual can also move the courts to challenge the government’s order.

     

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  • What is PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM)?

    The ISRO has launched three Singaporean satellites in precise orbit through the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module or ‘POEM’.

    What is POEM?

    • The POEM is a platform that will help perform in-orbit experiments using the final, and otherwise discarded, stage of ISRO’s workhorse rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
    • The PSLV is a four-stage rocket where the first three spent stages fall back into the ocean, and the final stage (PS4) — after launching the satellite into orbit — ends up as space junk.
    • However, in PSLV-C53 mission, the spent final stage will be utilised as a “stabilised platform” to perform experiments.
    • POEM is carrying six payloads, including two from Indian space start-ups Digantara and Dhruva Space.

    Features of POEM

    • POEM has a dedicated Navigation Guidance and Control (NGC) system for attitude stabilisation, which stands for controlling the orientation of any aerospace vehicle within permitted limits.
    • The NGC will act as the platform’s brain to stabilize it with specified accuracy.
    • POEM will derive its power from solar panels mounted around the PS4 tank, and a Li-Ion battery.
    • It will navigate using four sun sensors, a magnetometer, gyros & NavIC.
    • It carries dedicated control thrusters using Helium gas storage. It is enabled with a telecomm and feature.

    Has ISRO repurposed and used PS4 rocket junk earlier?

    • The Indian space agency first demonstrated the capability of using PSLV-C44 as an orbital platform in 2019.
    • It injected Microsat-R and Kalamsat-V2 satellites into their designated orbits.
    • The fourth stage in that mission was kept alive as an orbital platform for space-based experiments.
    • While in that mission, the fourth stage had Li-Ion batteries, solar panels are an addition this time.
    • The latest repurposing and upgrade of the fourth stage of the PSLV rocket involves the stabilization of the orbital platform.

     

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  • 1st July 2022 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    1st July 2022 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    [WpProQuiz 1049]

    [WpProQuiz_toplist 1049]

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  • 30th June 2022 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    30th June 2022 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    [WpProQuiz 1048]

    [WpProQuiz_toplist 1048]

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  • Russia withdraws from Snake Island

    Russian forces abandoned the strategic Black Sea outpost of Snake Island, in a major victory for Ukraine that could loosen the grip of Russia’s blockade on Ukrainian ports.

    I will give you a trick to remember countries bordering Black Sea. It is ‘GURRBUT’.

    Now please take effort to write those names of countries here.

    Snake Island

    • Zmiinyi Island, also known as Snake or Serpent Island, is a small piece of rock less than 700 metres from end to end, that has been described as being “X-shaped”.
    • It is located 35 km from the coast in the Black Sea, to the east of the mouth of the Danube and roughly southwest of the port city of Odessa.
    • The island, which has been known since ancient times and is marked on the map by the tiny village of Bile that is located on it, belongs to Ukraine.

    Why does Russia seek to control the Black Sea?

    • Domination of the Black Sea region is a geostrategic imperative for Moscow.
    • The famed water body is bound by Ukraine to the north and northwest, Russia and Georgia to the east, Turkey to the south, and Bulgaria and Romania to the west.
    • It links to the Sea of Marmara through the Bosporus and then to the Aegean through the Dardanelles.
    • It has traditionally been Russia’s warm water gateway to Europe.
    • For Russia, the Black Sea is both a stepping stone to the Mediterranean as well as a strategic buffer between NATO and itself.
    • Cutting Ukrainian access to the Black Sea will reduce it to a landlocked country and deal a crippling blow to its trade logistics.

     

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  • [Sansad TV] Perspective: Yoga- India’s Soft Power

    UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

    Recently, the world celebrated 8th edition of International Yoga day. Along with speeches about India’s ancient culture, the World Yoga Day inevitably invokes talk of India’s contemporary soft power.

    In this article, we will analyse how Yoga is exemplifying India’s soft power.

    “India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great grandmother of tradition”

    ― Mark Twain.

    What is Soft Power in diplomacy?

    • In politics (and particularly in international politics), soft power is the ability to co-opt rather than coerce (contrast hard power).
    • It is the capacity to attract and persuade others to do things they otherwise wouldn’t.
    • It involves shaping the preferences of others through appeal and attraction.
    • Soft power resources are the assets that produce attraction or centre of attraction in geopolitical arena.

    Etymology of the word

    • Joseph Nye, a US foreign policy veteran, coined the phrase soft power in 1990.
    • He encourages readers of his book The Future of Power to think of soft power in terms of resources
    • Power is derived from resources, and soft power is no different.
    • Hard power rests on military resources like navy fleets, attack aircraft and a capacity to inflict harm.
    • Soft power rests on three primary resources:
    1. Culture,
    2. Political values and
    3. Foreign policy

    How is Yoga a soft power?

    India has a tremendous cultural power or civilizational shakti that has maintained a profound impact on the world for thousands of years.

    • The very fact that the celebration as an international day at all is itself considered an example of India’s soft power.
    • International Day of Yoga reflects yoga’s immense popularity worldwide, underscoring its richness as a soft power resource.
    • Since 2006, yoga gurus were trying to lobby the UN to declare a world yoga day. Now these yog gurus have got their due recognition.
    • After a vigorous diplomatic push from PM Modi in 2014, the United Nations General Assembly put the date in the calendar.
    • By exposing and familiarising citizens of a globalised world with its own historic-cultural customs, India will gain geopolitical muscle to flex.
    • Yoga is a highly secular physical activity. Though originated form a Vedas, it does not represent any political religion. Ex. OIC, Commonwealth of Nations
    • Cultural power is perhaps the main diplomatic power in this era of global travel and the global economy. It must form an integral part of any realistic foreign policy.

    Major declared objectives of Yoga

    • Optimism: It involves building a positive self-concept in oneself. Having a positive outlook helps a person to value himself and life in all forms.
    • Compassion: Being Compassionate means having empathetic qualities such as love, kindness, friendliness and doing no harm to others.
    • Inner Peace: Inner Peace as a theme is concerned with resolution of one’s own psychological conflicts and problems and discovering peace of mind. It includes ways of understanding the self and the process of thought, controlling emotions such as anger, art of soothing the mind etc.
    • Self-realization: The concept ‘Be your true self’ means the strength of the character to be honest and direct in expressing one’s needs, feelings and thoughts without letting others down. The skills in such behaviour are necessary for resolving conflicts and effective social interaction.
    • Peaceful existence: People need to learn to work harmoniously in groups with others. The theme living together can accommodate such subtopics as sharing, mutual help, trust building, taking group responsibility, leading and following. Learning cooperation reduces egoistic competitive tendencies in human beings.
    • Scientific temperament: Critical thinking on the part of the citizens is a necessary feature of a democratic society. It involves analysis, syntheses, looking at the other sides of an issue, searching for alternatives and logical thinking.
    • Non-violent conflict resolution: It encompasses such skills necessary for conflict resolution as conflict analyses, negotiation, active listening, mediation, creative problem-solving and alternative solution seeking.
    • Respect for human dignity: Respect for human dignity is based on the concepts of human rights, duties and justice. It attempts to develop a consciousness that recognizes and respects one’s own and others’ rights.
    • Communal Harmony: Building peace in community means providing opportunities for its members to be open to social realities and understand people’s problems and work with them.
    • Care for the planet: The health of the planet has direct and immediate influence on the destiny of mankind. Values like peace with nature, preservation of nature, appreciation and admiration of natural environment, reuse, repair, recycling natural resources, etc. are included in this theme

    Limitations of soft power

    • Soft power has been criticized as for being ineffective or less effective tool in diplomacy.
    • Actors in international relations respond to only two types of incentives: Economic incentives and Forceful coercion.
    • As a concept, it can be difficult to distinguish soft power from hard power.
    • Rising powers such as China, are creating new approaches to soft power ex. Debt Traps, thus using it defensively.
    • Soft power can backfire, leading to reputational damage or loss, or what has been termed ‘soft disempowerment’. Ex. India’s perception in Maldives.

    Initiatives by India showcasing its soft power

    • Principle of ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam’
    • Non-Alignment Movement
    • ‘Neighborhood First’ Policy
    • Vaccine diplomacy
    • Aid to Sri Lanka
    • Developmental aids in Afghanistan
    • Humanitarian assistance for disaster relief (HADR) in neighborhood
    • Political sensitization of leaders e. Late foreign minister responding to Tweets

    Major achievements

    • India has moral high ground at the world forum especially due to the non-violent manner in which we had achieved our independence.
    • International support for tough decisions like abrogation of article 370, and maintaining neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine War. 
    • It keeps India distant from world conflicts like recently in Syria, Sudan, Israel-Palestine issue. So India earns goodwill from all over the world.

    Threats to India’s soft power

    • India’s older regimes and academia did little to encourage, protect or to benefit from Yoga.
    • Perhaps no other country in recent times has so ignored the potential value of its soft power.
    • There is a cultural battle occurring in the media and academia, in which India’s civilizational views are poorly represented.
    • India’s cultural diplomacy is often labeled by the left liberals as a Hindutva Politics.

    Way forward

    • India should move beyond asanas and analysis and take action.
    • Having the Indian story merely out there, jostling with a hundred other stories, isn’t necessarily winning the war of narrative.
    • Our cultural outreach must be well-oiled, well-funded, and primed to produce geopolitical clout.
    • Our moves — whether they be hard-to-power thrusts or soft power maneuvers — must emanate from consistent strategy.
    • In the age of the internet, India must amplify its strengths and work rapidly to right the wrongs.

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