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  • Indian Antarctic Bill Introduced in Lok Sabha

    The government has introduced the ‘Antarctica Bill, 2022’ in the Lok Sabha that envisages regulating visits and activities to Antarctica as well potential disputes that may arise among those present on the continent.

    Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022

    Aims and objectives:

    • To provide for national measures to protect the Antarctic environment and associated ecosystems and to give effect to the Antarctic Treaty
    • To provide a harmonious policy framework for India’s Antarctic activities through a well-established legal mechanism
    • Facilitate activities of the Indian Antarctic programme, including management of Antarctic tourism and sustainable development of fisheries
    • To prohibit Indian expedition to Antarctica or carrying of certain activities in Antarctica without a permit or the written authorisation of another party to the protocol
    • To provide for inspection in India by an officer designated by the Central government as an Inspector and to constitute an inspection team to carry out inspections in Antarctica

    Key feature: Committee on Antarctic governance

    • It will empower the government to establish a committee on Antarctic governance and environmental protection to monitor, implement and ensure compliance with the relevant international laws, emissions standards and rules of protection.
    • The panel is to be headed by the secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, as ex officio chairperson.
    • Among other roles, he has also been the vice-president of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research of the International Science Council since 2018.
    • The committee will have ten members from various ministries, departments and organizations of the Union government, plus two experts on the Antarctic environment or other relevant areas.

    About Antarctica Treaty

    • Antarctica has a geographical area of 14 million sq. km and has had no indigenous population (i.e. “Antarcticans” don’t exist).
    • However, a few thousand people reside there, in some 40 research stations spread across the continent, throughout the year.
    • In 1959, 12 countries – Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the USSR, the UK and the US signed the ‘Antarctic Treaty’.
    • Their aim was to prevent the continent from being militarised and to establish it as a centre of peaceful activities.
    • Later, more countries, including India, have become party to the treaty, and today it counts more than 54 members.
    • The treaty requires each party to take appropriate measures within its competence, including the adoption of laws and regulations, administrative actions and enforcement measures, to ensure compliance with the protocol.
    • Countries also signed the ‘Protocol on Environmental Protection’ to the Antarctic Treaty in 1991, which designates Antarctica as a “natural reserve, devoted to peace and science”.

    Need for the Antarctic Legislation

    • The growing presence of Indian scientists in Antarctica and the commitment to Antarctic research and protection prompted the government to adopt domestic legislation consistent with its obligations as a member of the Antarctic Treaty system.
    • These laws will enable India’s courts to deal with disputes or crimes committed in parts of Antarctica, and help build credibility vis-à-vis India’s participation.

    India at the Poles

    • India maintains two research stations on the continent: ‘Maitri’ (commissioned in 1989) at Schirmacher Hills and ‘Bharati’ (2012) at Larsemann Hills.
    • It has also launched 41 scientific expeditions every year thus far.
    • Together with the ‘Himadri’ station in Svalbard, above the Arctic circle, India is among an elite group of countries with multiple research in the polar regions.

     

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  • Tripura’s Darlong community in included in ST List

    The Lok Sabha recently passed a bill to amend a constitutional order to include Darlong, a tribal clan in Tripura which was among the generic Halam community till now, in the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST).

    Who are Darlongs?

    • Darlong is a tribal community of 11,000 people.
    • Despite its small population, the community has a high prevalence of education, cultural activities and members of the community are serving in different high positions in the local administration.
    • Darlongs, despite being Scheduled Tribes, were never given ST certificates.
    • Since they were considered a generic tribe under the Kuki community, they were handed their tribal certificates as members of ‘Kuki’ community.
    • The subsequent identity crisis among them, especially Darlong youths, who were equipped with modern education, culminated in the demand for a separate statutory identity of their own in 1995.
    • The group is a small tribal clan but has produced a high number of educated people proportionate to its population in the state.
    • People from the Darlong community, like many other tribal communities, are now serving in high positions in the state administration, academia, and public services.
    • Tribal musicologist and Rosem (tribal instrument) maestro Thanga Darlong was conferred the prestigious Padma Shri award a few years back for his contribution to culture.

    Why is tribal identity a big issue in Tripura?

    • Out of 37 lakh people of Tripura, nearly 30 per cent are tribals, who mostly live in areas under jurisdiction of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).
    • They are spread in patches across all eight districts and covering 70 per cent of the state’s geographical area.
    • The state saw tribals become minority in their own state due to arrival of East Pakistani refugees who fled their country.
    • Tribal identity is a major issue in Tripura, which is also one of the major subjects dominating the state politics now.
    • There is rising demand of Greater Tipraland – a proposed separate state for Tiprasa or Tripuris (tribal and non-tribal) living in the state.

    Back2Basics: Tribes of Tripura

    • Tripura, the tiny Northeast state of 37 lakh people houses 19 tribal communities.
    • These include Tripuri or Debbarma, Reangs or Brus, Jamatia, Noatia, Uchoi, Chakma, Mog, Lushai, Kuki, Munda, Kour, Oram, Santhal, Bhil, Bhutia, Chaimar or Sermai, Garo, Khasi, Lepcha and Halam.
    • Many of these communities are further divided into sub-tribes.
    • For example, Kukis have nearly 17-18 sub-tribes within the community.
    • It is an umbrella tribal community including many smaller clans like Khasi, Lushai, Hmars and other generic clans.
    • In course of time, Lushai, Hmar, Garo etc. came out of Kuki as separate communities.
    • Halam community also has several sub-tribes such as Rangkhawl, Ranglong, Dab, Chaimar or Sermai, Bong, Korbong, Harbong, Bongcher etc.

     

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  • What is a Look Out Notice?

    Delhi High Court has sought the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED’s) response on a journalist’s challenge to its action of restraining her from leaving the country. She was stopped in Mumbai on Tuesday evening based on a look out circular (LOC) issued by the ED.

    Look out notice: What is it, when is it issued?

    • An LOC is issued to make sure that an individual who is absconding or wanted by law enforcement agencies is not able to leave the country.
    • It is mostly used at immigration checkpoints at international airports and seaports by the immigration branch.
    • In certain cases, the police can approach a court asking for the restriction of a person’s movement outside the country, when that person is a suspect and there is an apprehension that they may not join the investigation at a later stage.
    • The subject of an LOC can challenge the circular and get relief from a court.

    Who can issue an LOC?

    • An LOC can be initiated by a large number of authorised officers, including an officer not below the rank of deputy secretary, an officer not below the rank of joint secretary in the state government, a district magistrate or superintendent of police.
    • Also, designated officers of various law enforcing and security agencies, a designated officer of Interpol, an officer not below the rank of additional director in the Serious Fraud Investigation Office, and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs can also issue LOC.
    • In 2018, the government also empowered the heads of public sector banks to directly request the authorities to issue an LOC against wilful defaulters to prevent them from leaving the country.
    • So now, an officer not below the rank of chairman/managing director/chief executive of any public sector bank can make a request.
    • An LOC can be modified/deleted/withdrawn by the Bureau of Immigration only on the specific request of the authorised originator on whose request the LOC was issued.

    Does an LOC lead to arrest?

    • Not necessarily. LOCs can be of several types.
    • They can seek to merely stop a person against whom the circular has been issued from travelling outside the country, to prevent a person from entering the country, or inform the concerned investigation agencies.
    • The proforma of the LOC also contains a request to detain the individual at the local police/investigation agency, which generally leads to arrest.

    Back2Basics: Directorate of Enforcement (ED)

    • ED is a law enforcement agency and economic intelligence agency responsible for enforcing economic laws and fighting economic crime (esp Money Laundering) in India.
    • It is part of the Department of Revenue of the Ministry of Finance.
    • It is composed of officers from the Indian Revenue Service, Indian Police Service and the Indian Administrative Service as well as promoted officers from its own cadre.
    • The total strength of the department is less than 2000 officers out of which around 70% of officials came from deputation from other organizations while ED has its own cadre, too.
    • The prime objective of the Enforcement Directorate is the enforcement of two key Acts namely, the Foreign Exchange Management Act 1999 (FEMA) and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 (PMLA)

     

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  • [pib] Festivals in news: Gudi Padwa

    The President of India has sent his greetings to fellow citizens on the eve of Chaitra Sukladi, Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Cheti Chand, Navreh and Sajibu Cheiraoba.

    Gudi Padwa

    • Gudi Padwa is a spring-time festival that marks the traditional New Year for Marathi and Konkani Hindus, but is also celebrated by other Hindus as well.
    • It is celebrated in and around Maharashtra, Goa, and the union territory of Damaon on the first day of the Chaitra month, to mark the beginning of the New Year according to the luni-solar method of the Hindu calendar.
    • Padava or paadvo comes from the Sanskrit word pratipada, which is the first day of a lunar fortnight.
    • The spring festival is observed with colourful floor decorations called rangoli, a special Gudhi dvaja (flag garlanded with flowers, mango and neem leaves, topped with upturned silver or copper vessels), street processions, dancing& festive foods.

    Significance

    • Gudhi Padva signifies the arrival of spring and to the reaping of Rabi crops.
    • The festival is linked to the mythical day on which Hindu god Brahma created time and universe.
    • To some, it commemorates the coronation of Rama in Ayodhya after his victory over evil Ravana, or alternatively the start of Shalivahan calendar after he defeated the Huns invasion in the 1st century.

    State-wide celebrations

    • Bihu among the Assamese of Assam.
    • Cheti Chand among the Sindhi people
    • Navreh among the Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu and Kashmir.
    • Pahela Baishakh among the Bengalis in West Bengal and Bangladesh.
    • Puthandu among the Tamils in Tamil Nadu.
    • Samvatsar Padvo among Hindu Konkanis of Goa and Konkani diaspora in Kerala
    • Vaisakhi or Baisakhi among the Punjabis in Punjab.
    • Vishu or among the Malayalis in Kerala.
    • Ugadi among the south-Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
    • Sajibu Cheiraoba in Manipur

     

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  • [Burning Issue] Groundwater Depletion in India

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    Context

    The theme of this year’s World Water Day was ‘Groundwater: Making the Invisible Visible’. The primary focus is to draw attention to the role of groundwater in water and sanitation systems, agriculture, industry, ecosystems, and climate change adaptation. Groundwater helps reduce the risk of temporary water shortage and caters to the needs of arid and semiarid regions, but its value has not been fully recognized in policymaking. Due to its high storage capacity, groundwater is more resilient to the effects of climate change than surface water. The international conference on ‘Groundwater, Key to the Sustainable Development Goals’ and the UN­Water Summit on Groundwater are part of global initiatives to highlight the significance of groundwater in sustainable development.

    Important Facts

    • Estimates: 85% of the rural and 50% of the urban population in India is dependent on groundwater for fulfilling their needs.
    • With an annual groundwater extraction of 248.69 billion cubic meters (2017), India is among the largest users of groundwater in the world.
    • Almost 89% of the groundwater extracted is used for irrigation and the rest for domestic and industrial use (9% and 2%).
    • High water stress: India is one of 17 countries facing extremely high water stress, according to a report by the World Resources Institute.
      • According to the Fifth Minor Irrigation Census, the groundwater level in India has declined by 61 percent between 2007 and 2017. It was further observed that more than 1,000 blocks in India have become water-stressed.
    • Composite Water Management Index (CWMI), 2018 by NITI Aayog: The water demand will exceed the supply by 2050. Groundwater in India depleted at 10-25 mm per year between 2002 and 2016.
      • 54 percent of India’s groundwater wells are declining.
      • It added that about 40% of India’s population possibly would have no access to drinking water by 2030.
    • Extraction value: According to the Central Ground Water Board, the annual groundwater withdrawal is considered to be safe when the extraction rate is limited to below 70% of the annual replenishable recharge.
      • Available data indicate that the level of extraction for the country in 2017 was 63%, from 58% in 2004.
    • Variation across regions: However, the level varied across regions. Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry have crossed the 70% mark.
      • Of 534 districts in 22 States/UTs, 202 districts had stage of extraction ranging from 71% to 385%. NITI Aayog has set the 70% extraction value as the target to be achieved by 2030.
      • Recent studies suggest that groundwater levels are declining in several parts of northern India, especially in regions of high population densities.
    • Quality concern: A quantity­wise safe district may be vulnerable due to deterioration of water quality. Fluoride, iron, salinity, nitrate, and arsenic contamination are major problems.
      • As many as 335 districts reported nitrate pollution compared to 109 in 2006. A high level of nitrate affects human health.
      • Sources of nitrates are mainly anthropogenic and depend on local actions.
      • Biological contamination has also been reported from different parts of the country.

    Reasons for Depletion

    • Increased demand for water for domestic, industrial and agricultural needs and limited surface water resources lead to the over-exploitation of groundwater resources.
    • Limited storage facilities owing to the hard rock terrain, along with the added disadvantage of lack of rainfall, especially in central Indian states.
    • Green Revolution enabled water-intensive crops to be grown in drought-prone/ water deficit regions, leading to over-extraction of groundwater.
    • Frequent pumping of water from the ground without waiting for its replenishment leads to quick depletion.
    • Subsidies on electricity and high MSP for water-intensive crops is also leading reasons for depletion.
    • Water contamination as in the case of pollution by landfills, septic tanks, leaky underground gas tanks, and overuse of fertilizers and pesticides leads to damage and depletion of groundwater resources.
    • Inadequate regulation of groundwater laws encourages the exhaustion of groundwater resources without any penalty.
    • Deforestation, unscientific methods of agriculture, chemical effluents from industries, and lack of sanitation also lead to pollution of groundwater, making it unusable.
    • Natural causes include uneven rainfall and climate change that are hindering the process of groundwater recharge.

    Impact

    • Lowering of the water table: Groundwater depletion may lower the water table leading to difficulty in extracting groundwater for usage.
    • Reduction of water in streams and lakes: A substantial amount of the water flowing in rivers comes from seepage of groundwater into the streambed. Depletion of groundwater levels may reduce water flow in such streams.
    • Subsidence of land: Groundwater often provides support to the soil. When this balance is altered by taking out the water, the soil collapses, compacts, and drops leading to subsidence of land.
    • Increased cost for water extraction: As the depleting groundwater levels lower the water table, the user has to delve deep to extract water. This will increase the cost of water extraction.
    • Contamination of groundwater: Groundwater that is deep within the ground often intermingles with saltwater that we shouldn’t drink.
    • Constraints in food supply: If groundwater availability faces difficulties then there will be hindrances in agricultural production leading to a shortage of food.
    • Limitations to biodiversity and creation of sinkholes: Water table plays a major role in sustaining biodiversity. Often, sinkholes are created when the water table lowers. These sinkholes are dangerous for buildings and towers.

    Policy challenges

    • Estimation of groundwater resources: There is a lack of data available for estimation of groundwater sources and even if they are available, they are indicative and not representative.
    • Crop pricing and water-intensive crops: Decisions such as cropping pattern and cropping intensity are taken independent of the groundwater availability in most areas.
      • Minimum Support Price (MSP) is also available for water-intensive crops leading to widespread cultivation of such crops.
    • Energy subsidies: The challenge is to find a balance between the needs of farmers and the need to ensure the sustainable use of groundwater.
    • Inadequate regulation: Lack of proper regulations and their further implementation has been one of the major challenges in managing groundwater levels in India.
    • Lack of local management: There is a lack of local management of groundwater resources. Local communities have an important role to play in groundwater management and there is a need for devolution of power for local management of such resources.

    Government initiatives

    (1) National Water Policy (2012) by Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation. The policy advocates –

    • Rainwater harvesting and conservation of water.
    • Highlights the need for augmenting the availability of water through direct use of rainfall.
    • Conservation of river, river bodies and infrastructure in a scientifically planned manner through community participation.

    (2) Creation of a new Ministry of Jal Shakti for dealing with all matters relating to water at one place in an integrated manner.

    (3) Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal): It is a Central Sector Scheme, for sustainable management of groundwater resources with community participation in water-stressed blocks.

    (4) Mass awareness programs (Training, Seminars, Workshops, Exhibitions, Trade Fares and Painting Competitions, etc.) are conducted from time to time each year under the Information, Education & Communication (IEC) Scheme.

     (5) Encouraging farmers to adopt micro-irrigation techniques such as drip irrigation and micro-sprinklers.

    • The government has initiated schemes like the DRIP program, more drop per crop, Krishi Sinchai Yojana to ensure economical water use practices in agriculture.

    (6) Use of tensiometer: The tensiometer gives visual information about the availability of soil moisture conditions. Irrigating the field based on this information will help conserve groundwater.

    Way Forward

    • Routine survey at regular intervals: There should be regular assessment of groundwater levels to ensure that adequate data is available for formulating policies and devising new techniques.
    • Assessment of land use pattern: Studies should be carried out to assess land use and the proportion of agricultural land falling under overt-exploited units.
      • This will help in determining suitable crop patterns in water-stressed areas.
    • Changes in farming methods: To improve the water table in those areas where it is being overused, on-farm water management techniques and improved irrigation methods should be adopted.
      • Methods for artificial recharge of groundwater are also welcome.
      • Bottom-up approach by empowering the local community to become active participants in managing groundwater.
      • Creating regulatory options at the community level such as panchayat is also one among the feasible solutions.
      • Traditional methods of water conservation should be encouraged to minimize the depletion of water resources.
    • Reforms in power supply subsidies for agriculture: The agricultural power-pricing structure needs to be revamped as the flat rate of electricity adversely affects the use of groundwater.
    • Monitoring groundwater extraction: There should be a policy in place to monitor the excessive exploitation of groundwater resources to ensure long-term sustainability.
      • Water meters could be installed to monitor overuse.
      • There should be restrictions to cut off the access to groundwater in areas identified as “critical” and “dark zones”, where the water table is overused or very low.
      • There is a need to treat water as a common resource rather than private property to prevent its overexploitation
    • Preventing groundwater pollution – Steps to minimize and control the dumping of industrial waste into surface water and underground aquifers should also be taken to prevent groundwater from getting polluted.
      • Problems and issues such as waterlogging, salinity, agricultural toxins, and industrial effluents, all need to be properly looked into.
    • The synergy between Central, State and Local governments – Steps need to be taken to achieve optimum benefits of groundwater conservation schemes.
      • This can be done by ensuring coordination between all the ministries and departments of government at the Central, State, and Local levels.
    • Water to be brought under Concurrent List – If water is brought under the Concurrent List of the Indian Constitution, this can help in the development of a comprehensive action plan.
      • Consensus between the centre and states will result in better conservation, development and management of water, including groundwater.
    • Surface water body management: Restoration of ponds, lakes and other traditional water resource structures should be an integral part of the development projects of urban and rural areas and it will substantially develop groundwater potential.
    • Wastewater management: Dual sewage system for grey water and black water and promoting reuse of the recycled water in agriculture and horticulture.
      • Industries should also be encouraged to increase water use efficiency, effluent treatment, reuse of used water, zero liquid discharge, etc.
    • Implementing Mihir Shah Committee (2016) recommendations: Central Water Commission and the Central Ground Water Board could be united and a national water framework with an integrated perspective developed.
      • There is also a need to work out local­level plans covering water resources in all their forms: rainwater, surface water, soil water and groundwater and the resource use sectors.

    Conclusion

    Groundwater depletion is becoming an alarming issue day by day. It is high time that the causes are paid attention to and appropriate measures are taken to prevent a possible water crisis in the future. Leveraging schemes like Atal Bhujal Yojana which seeks to strengthen the institutional framework and bring about behavioral changes at the community level for sustainable groundwater resource management is vital.

    The new paradigm for groundwater management is a socio­ecological challenge, where localism matters. It warrants technical, economic, legal and governance remediation with space for active public participation and community regulatory options to maintain groundwater balance at the village/watershed level.

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    Civilsdaily Team is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

    Join Zoom Meeting

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    register here for free live webinar on csat preparation by ravi sir

    Most of the aspirants don’t think about CSAT preparation until the fag end of UPSC Prelims only because it’s a qualifying paper. You have to get 33% of total marks i.e 66 marks to be clear Prelims. Failure to do so, will prevent you from writing Mains even if you have scored above 100+ marks in the GS Paper.

    Since the last two years, the English Comprehension passages are getting lengthier and the Mathematical questions trickier. Let’s take a look at the 2012 CSAT Paper and compare it with the 2021 CSAT paper.

    2014 CSAT Paper

    Here the questions are asked chapter by chapter and are basic-to-moderate. Questions are direct and straightforward without much combination numerals.

    2021 CSAT Paper

    There is no particular order of questions asked. Immediately after LR questions, we have a question on time and distance. Also the questions are moderate-to-advanced. One cannot find out the answer in first glance itself. There is no one-size fits for all approach or a uniform formula by which you can crack the sequential questions.

    Free Open to All CSAT Session by Civilsdaily Mentor Ravi Sir

    REGISTER HERE FOR FREE LIVE WEBINAR ON CSAT PREPARATION BY RAVI SIR

    If you have to clear the paper, then you have to attempt atleast 50 questions out of 80. Out of these 50 questions, 27 need to be right. There is also negative marking of 1.5 marks for every wrong answer. Hence, for aspirants from a non-mathematics background the challenge lies in practising for CSAT without reducing time for GS Preparation.

    Do you want to know how you can complete both the lengthy comprehension passages and tricky mathematical questions within the stipulated time? Then it’s time you attended Civilsdaily Mentor Ravi sir’s webinar on Sunday.

    Ravi sir has cleared UPSC Prelims six times and attended the Interview round thrice. As a mentor, Ravi sir is a lifelong UPSC aspirant because he daily reads, checks and evaluates the right study materials for his students. On Monday, he will conduct a session on CSAT which is free for every aspirant to attend. All you have to do is register yourself for the session.

    Key Takeaways in the CSAT Session Conducted by Ravi Sir

    1. Topic-wise live demonstration on how to solve problems.

    2. Examples of easy, moderate and advanced questions to solve.

    3. Variety of questions under each topic.

    4. Previous year question paper analysis from 2013 onwards. How to be ready for the new paper pattern.

    5. Books one can refer for CSAT test series practice and to understand the concepts.

    6. How to practice CSAT without compromising on GS paper studies.

    7. Topic-wise weightage in Quantitative Aptitude.

    8. Ravi sir will solve your doubts in a Q&A discussion towards the end of the session.

    Webinar Details

    If you want to know the secrets of finishing the CSAT paper in 2 hours, then this webinar is for you! We hope this webinar will help all 2022 aspirants implement the suggestions of Ravi sir

    Date: 1st April 2022 (Friday)

    Time: 7 P.M.

    REGISTER HERE FOR FREE LIVE WEBINAR ON CSAT PREPARATION BY RAVI SIR
  • Register for Free Live Session on Important Formulas to Ace CSAT – Quantitative Aptitude & Logical Reasioning|| Limited Slots Available, LINK INSIDE

    Register for Free Live Session on Important Formulas to Ace CSAT – Quantitative Aptitude & Logical Reasioning|| Limited Slots Available, LINK INSIDE

    register here for free live webinar on csat preparation by ravi sir

    Most of the aspirants don’t think about CSAT preparation until the fag end of UPSC Prelims only because it’s a qualifying paper. You have to get 33% of total marks i.e 66 marks to be clear Prelims. Failure to do so, will prevent you from writing Mains even if you have scored above 100+ marks in the GS Paper.

    Since the last two years, the English Comprehension passages are getting lengthier and the Mathematical questions trickier. Let’s take a look at the 2012 CSAT Paper and compare it with the 2021 CSAT paper.

    2014 CSAT Paper

    Here the questions are asked chapter by chapter and are basic-to-moderate. Questions are direct and straightforward without much combination numerals.

    2021 CSAT Paper

    There is no particular order of questions asked. Immediately after LR questions, we have a question on time and distance. Also the questions are moderate-to-advanced. One cannot find out the answer in first glance itself. There is no one-size fits for all approach or a uniform formula by which you can crack the sequential questions.

    Free Open to All CSAT Session by Civilsdaily Mentor Ravi Sir

    REGISTER HERE FOR FREE LIVE WEBINAR ON CSAT PREPARATION BY RAVI SIR

    If you have to clear the paper, then you have to attempt atleast 50 questions out of 80. Out of these 50 questions, 27 need to be right. There is also negative marking of 1.5 marks for every wrong answer. Hence, for aspirants from a non-mathematics background the challenge lies in practising for CSAT without reducing time for GS Preparation.

    Do you want to know how you can complete both the lengthy comprehension passages and tricky mathematical questions within the stipulated time? Then it’s time you attended Civilsdaily Mentor Ravi sir’s webinar on Sunday.

    Ravi sir has cleared UPSC Prelims six times and attended the Interview round thrice. As a mentor, Ravi sir is a lifelong UPSC aspirant because he daily reads, checks and evaluates the right study materials for his students. On Monday, he will conduct a session on CSAT which is free for every aspirant to attend. All you have to do is register yourself for the session.

    Key Takeaways in the CSAT Session Conducted by Ravi Sir

    1. Topic-wise live demonstration on how to solve problems.

    2. Examples of easy, moderate and advanced questions to solve.

    3. Variety of questions under each topic.

    4. Previous year question paper analysis from 2013 onwards. How to be ready for the new paper pattern.

    5. Books one can refer for CSAT test series practice and to understand the concepts.

    6. How to practice CSAT without compromising on GS paper studies.

    7. Topic-wise weightage in Quantitative Aptitude.

    8. Ravi sir will solve your doubts in a Q&A discussion towards the end of the session.

    Webinar Details

    If you want to know the secrets of finishing the CSAT paper in 2 hours, then this webinar is for you! We hope this webinar will help all 2022 aspirants implement the suggestions of Ravi sir

    Date: 1st April 2022 (Friday)

    Time: 7 P.M.

    REGISTER HERE FOR FREE LIVE WEBINAR ON CSAT PREPARATION BY RAVI SIR

  • Crisis and sustainability in the face of climate change

    Context

    The footprint of the Covid-19 pandemic across the sectors of the economy has instilled a new reckoning for resilience and sustainability on the economic, social and environmental (ESG) front.

    IPCC reports suggest adaption for resilience

    • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its latest report on climate impacts, vulnerability and adaptation last month.
    • The report suggests that adaptation to climate impacts in the near to medium term can help communities and ecosystems become resilient against the threats from current and future levels of warming.
    •  Ecosystem-based adaptation, for instance, is recommended for taking care of communities and social well-being, while restoring forests, lands and marine ecosystems.
    • The report details the variability in projected climate impacts and the vulnerabilities that can be expected across regions the world over due to differences in the range of warming, geographical location, demographics and the unique biophysical, social and cultural contexts.
    • Cost-effective adaptation: It depends on a host of enablers on which global partnerships need to deliver.
    • Enablers include international cooperation, inclusive technology, financial flows, knowledge sharing and capacity building, with institutions and innovations to support policy development and on-ground implementation.

    Gaps in the literature, acknowledge the uncertainties in climate science

    • The IPCC has been consistently drawing attention to the lack of adequate science from and on developing countries.
    • These countries have in turn been asking for the inclusion of what is broadly termed as “grey literature” or non-peer-reviewed literature in the IPCC process.
    • Good science encompasses the formal and the informal, theory and empiricism, the traditional along with the modern.
    • It relies on evolution through acknowledging the gaps and unknowns, the negatives and positives of past knowledge.
    • The understanding of adaptation finance, adaptation costing, and mapping of climate impacts and adaptation needs of communities in geographically remote locations, for instance, could improve with suitable sourcing of information.

    Way forward

    • Sustainable development, inclusive of climate resilience, calls for an ensemble approach — one that places contextually appropriate emphasis on tackling climate change impacts and development needs in a world with growing challenges.
    • The pathway to be adopted is one of an integrated risk assessment approach, where solutions are interventions that impact the immediate, near and medium-term outcomes for developing economies.
    • Striking the right balance is at any time a choice driven as much by enablers (capabilities, lifestyles and values, financial flows, technical know-how) as by constraints (warming levels, poverty, inequality, lack of health and education).

    Conclusion

    The pandemic highlighted the need for balance in nature-people relationships, even as it tested the ability of the developing world.

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  • UPSC 2021 Free Mock Interview [LAST 2 SLOTS] || Unlimited Practice Sessions with India’s Most Experienced & Eminent IAS Interview Panel|| Limited Slots Available, Register Now

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    After beating lakhs of aspirants to be among the top two thousand UPSC candidiates, you might think the final round would be a breezer and requires no prior preparation. For someone who has prepared current affairs intensively for a year, they feel that they can answer the questions in the interview rounds impromptu.

    However, let’s not forget that though the amount of competition decreases substantially in the interview round so much that you have 50% chances of clearing it, the quality of competition increases. You are set up against those aspirants whose average score in Mains is between 900-1000 marks. Most of the candidates fall in this marks bracket. The only way you can create a difference, is by performing exceeding well in the interview.

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    Rahul Reddy AIR 218, 2020 tries his best to answer international crisis issues in a diplamtic way

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  • Privacy concerns in the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill 2022

    Context

    The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs introduced the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill 2022.

    Purpose of the introduction of the Bill

    • The Bill aims to replace the Identification of Prisoners Act 1920 that has been in need of amendment for several decades.
    • The criticism and the need for amendment was predominantly in respect of the limited definition of ‘measurements’ as under that Act.
    • Back in the 1980s, the Law Commission of India (in its 87th Report) and the Supreme Court of India in a judgment titled State of U.P. vs Ram Babu Misra had nearly simultaneously suggested the need to amend the statute.

    What are the issues with the provisions in the Bill?

    1] Definition of ‘measurement’ includes analysis of the data

    • The definition of measurements is not restricted to taking measurements, but also their “analysis”.
    • The definition now states “iris and retina scan, physical, biological samples and their analysis, behavio[u]ral attributes including signatures….”
    • It goes beyond the scope of a law that is only designed for taking measurements and could result in indirectly conferring legislative backing for techniques that may involve the collection of data from other sources(For instance, using facial recognition).
    • At present there are extensive facial recognition technology programmes for “smart policing” that are deployed all across the country.
    • Such experimental technologies cause mass surveillance and are prone to bias, impacting the fundamental rights of the most vulnerable in India.

    2] Power of the police and prison officials widened

    • The existing law permits data capture by police and prison officers either from persons convicted or persons arrested for commission of offences punishable with a minimum of one year’s imprisonment.
    • Parallel powers are granted to judges, who can order any person to give measurements where it is in aid of investigation.
    • While the judicial power is left undisturbed, it is the powers of the police and prison officials that are being widened.
    • The law removes the existing — albeit minimal — limitation on persons whose measurements could be taken.
    • It is poised to be expanded to all persons who are placed under arrest in a case.
    • Here, the proposed Bill also contains muddied language stating that a person, “may not be obliged to allow taking of his biological samples”.

    3] Storage and retention of data for a long period

    • The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shall for a period of 75 years from the date of collection maintain a digital record, “in the interest of prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of any offense”.
    • The provision permits the NCRB to, “share and disseminate such records with any law enforcement agency, in such manner as may be prescribed”.
    • The NCRB already operates a centralised database, namely the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS), without any clear legislative framework.
    • The existence of such legislative power with a technical framework may permit multiple mirror copies and parallel databases of the “measurements” being stored with law enforcement, beyond a State Police department which will be prosecuting the crime and the NCRB which will store all records centrally.
    • For instance, in response to a Standing Committee of Parliament on police modernisation, Rajasthan has stated that it maintains a ‘RajCop Application’ that integrates with “analytics capabilities in real-time with multiple data sources (inter-department and intra-department)”.
    • Similarly, Punjab has said that the “PAIS (Punjab Artificial Intelligence System) App uses machine learning, deep learning, visual search, and face recognition for the identification of criminals to assist police personnel.
    • Hence, multiple copies of “measurements” will be used by State government policing departments for various purposes and with experimental technologies.
    • This also takes away the benefit of deletion which occurs on acquittal and will suffer from weak enforcement due to the absence of a data protection law.
    •  The end result is a sprawling database in which innocent persons are treated as persons of interest for most of their natural lives.

    Conclusion

    To protect individual autonomy and fulfil our constitutional promises, the Supreme Court of India pronounced the Justice K.S. Puttaswamy judgment, reaffirming its status as a fundamental right. The responsibility to protect it falls to each organ of the government, including the legislature and the union executive.

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