There is a huge pool of unemployed university graduates with unfulfilled aspirations. This group of dissatisfied, disgruntled youth can lead to disastrous consequences for our society.
Enhanced enrollment
Reservation: The extension of reservations to OBCs and EWS increased the enrollment of students from these socio-economic backgrounds.
Increased education institutions: In addition, the massive increase in the number of higher education institutions has led to an enlargement of the number of available seats — there are more than 45,000 universities and colleges in the country.
The Gross Enrollment Ratio for higher education, which is the percentage of the population between the ages of 18-23 who are enrolled, is now 27 per cent.
Issues of employment opportunities
Unfortunately, the spectacular increase in enrollment in recent years has not been matched by a concomitant increase in jobs.
Employment opportunities in the government have not increased proportionately and may, in fact, have decreased with increased contractualisation.
Even in the private sector, though the jobs have increased with economic growth, most of the jobs are contractual.
Worse, the highest increase in jobs is at the lowest end, especially in the services sector — delivery boys for e-commerce or fast food for instance.
Thus what we see is a huge pool of unemployed university graduates with unfulfilled aspirations.
This group of dissatisfied, disgruntled youth can lead to disastrous consequences for our society, some of which we are already witnessing.
Way forward
A reduction in the rate of increase of universities and colleges might not be politically feasible given the huge demand for higher education.
Increase vocation institutions: A concurrent increase in the number of high-quality vocational institutions is something that can be done.
There are upwards of 15,000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the country currently.
Upgrading the existing ITIs, opening many more new ones with high-quality infrastructure and updated curriculum is something which should be done urgently.
There is a scheme to upgrade some ITIs to model ITIs.
However, what is required is not a selective approach but a more broad-based one that uplifts the standards of all of them besides adding many more new ones.
Industry might be more than willing to pitch in with funding (via the CSR route) as well as equipment, training for the faculty and internships for students.
Conclusion
These steps could help mitigate the mismatch between employment opportunities and the increasing number of educated youth in the country.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) faces a negative net balance of Rs. 8,686 crores, including payments due.
About MGNREGA
It stands for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act of 2005.
This is labour law and social security measure that aims to guarantee the ‘Right to Work’.
The act was first proposed in 1991 by P.V. Narasimha Rao.
The objectives of the MGNREGA are:
To enhance the livelihood security of the rural poor by generating wage employment opportunities.
To create a rural asset base that would enhance productive ways of employment, augment and sustain a rural household income.
Features of MGNREGA
MGNREGA is unique in not only ensuring at least 100 days of employment to the willing unskilled workers, but also in ensuring an enforceable commitment on the implementing machinery i.e., the State Governments, and providing a bargaining power to the labourers.
The failure of provision for employment within 15 days of the receipt of job application from a prospective household will result in the payment of unemployment allowance to the job seekers.
Employment is to be provided within 5 km of an applicant’s residence, and minimum wages are to be paid.
Thus, employment under MGNREGA is a legal entitlement.
News: MGNREGS runs out of fund
The MGNREGS has run out of funds halfway through the financial year.
Supplementary budgetary allocations will not come until the next Parliamentary session begins.
Implications on laborers
Delayed payment: Due to this, payments for MGNREGA workers as well as material costs will be delayed, unless States dip into their own funds.
Livelihood loss: MGNREGA data shows that 13% of households who demanded work under the scheme were not provided work.
Halt of work: Many workers are simply turned away by officials when they demand work, without their demand being registered at all.
Fall in demands: This has led to stop the generation of work. There is an artificial squeezing of demand.
Why has MGNREGS acquired so much importance?
The MGNREGA, a demand-driven scheme, has provided many returnees relief during the covid imposed a lockdown for a year.
During last year’s COVID-19 lockdown it has provided a critical lifeline for a record 11 crore workers.
Try this PYQ:
Q. Which principle among the following was added to the Directive Principles of State Policy by the 42nd Amendment to the constitution?
(a) Equal pay for equal work for both men and women
(b) Participation of workers in the management of industries
(c) Right to work, education and public assistance
(d) Securing living wage and human conditions of work to workers
[wpdiscuz-feedback id=”nptq4a88id” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]
Last month, researchers from the Geological Survey of India collected some meteorite fragments near the town of Katol in Nagpur in 2012. Studying this, IIT Kgp researchers have unravelled the composition expected to be present in the Earth’s lower mantle which is at about 660 km deep.
Katol L6
Initial studies revealed that the host rock was mainly composed of olivine, an olive-green mineral.
Olivine is the most abundant phase in our Earth’s upper mantle.
Our Earth is composed of different layers including the outer crust, followed by the mantle and then the inner core.
Key findings: Presence of Bridgmanite
The study reported for the first time, presence of veins of the mineral bridgmanite, which is the most abundant mineral in the interior of the Earth, within the Katol L6 Chondrite meteorite.
Bridgmanite consists of magnesium, iron, calcium aluminium oxide and has a perovskite structure. It is the most volumetrically abundant mineral of the Earth’s interior.
It is present in the lower mantle (from 660 to 2700 km), and it is important to understand its formation mechanism to better comprehend the origin and evolution of planetary interiors.
What is the hypothesis of moon-formation?
The discovery of Bridgmanite in Katol L6 adds evidence to the Moon-forming giant impact hypothesis.
The Moon-forming giant impact hypothesis occurred nearly 4.5 billion years ago.
The Earth collided with a planet the size of Mars named Thela.
The force of this impact was so huge as to melt the Earth down from the surface to a depth of 750 km to 1,100 km.
The hypothesis goes that this caused the Earth to be bathed in a magma ocean, and the ejecta from the collision led to the formation of the Moon.
Note: Earth was an ocean of magma in the past. The heavier iron and nickel went to the core while the lighter silicates stayed in the mantle.
Future prospect of the study
This finding could help investigations of high-pressure phase transformation mechanisms in the deep Earth.
Back2Basics: Interior of Earth
Earths Structure
The earth is made up of three different layers: the crust, the mantle and the core.
The crust
This is the outside layer of the earth and is made of solid rock, mostly basalt and granite. There are two types of crust; oceanic and continental. Oceanic crust is denser and thinner and mainly composed of basalt. Continental crust is less dense, thicker, and mainly composed of granite.
The mantle
The mantle lies below the crust and is up to 2900 km thick. It consists of hot, dense, iron and magnesium-rich solid rock. The crust and the upper part of the mantle make up the lithosphere, which is broken into plates, both large and small.
The core
The core is the centre of the earth and is made up of two parts: the liquid outer core and solid inner core. The outer core is made of nickel, iron and molten rock. Temperatures here can reach up to 50,000 C.
GS-1 Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc, geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
GS-2 Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
GS-3 Inclusive Growth and issues arising from it.
GS-4 Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships
HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?
Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.
A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.
You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.
Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.
Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.
If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 11th October is uploaded on 11th October then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis
If you are writing answers late, for example, 11th October is uploaded on 13th October, then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.
We encourage you to write answers on the same day. However, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Staff so that the mentor is notified about your answer.
*In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*.
The Punjab Police has proposed that the birth anniversary (Gurpurab) of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev be declared as ‘World Pedestrian Day’.
Why is Guru Nanak Dev considered the world’s most notable and revered pedestrian?
The founder of Sikhism, Shri Guru Nanak Dev had traveled far and wide during the 15th and 16th centuries.
It is believed that Nanak Dev, along with his companion Bhai Mardana, undertook most part of his journeys on foot.
He aimed to spread the message of oneness and to break barriers across faiths by engaging in spiritual dialogues.
Places visited by him
From Mecca to Haridwar, from Sylhet to Mount Kailash, Guru Nanak visited hundreds of interfaith sites related to Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and Jainism.
His journeys are referred are also called udaasis. At some sites, gurdwaras were constructed to commemorate his visit.
Later his travels were documented in texts called ‘janamsakhis’.
These sites are now spread across nine nations as per current geographical divisions — India, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, China (Tibet), Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan.
Motive behind Punjab Police’s proposal
The idea is to spread awareness on road safety for pedestrians by introducing Guru Nanak Dev’s own life as an inspiration.
The best results are achieved only when the community is mobilized for a cause.
Walking is a universal form of travel. It is the best way which convey equality amongst all.
Try answering this PYQ:
Q. Consider the following Bhakti Saints:
Dadu Dayal
Guru Nanak
Tyagaraja
Who among the above was/were preaching when the Lodi dynasty fell and Babur took over? (CSP 2018)
(a) 1 and 3
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 1 and 2
[wpdiscuz-feedback id=”tue49ypt5a” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]
The Prime Minister has recalled the rich contributions of Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar on Thevar Jayanthi.
Who was M. Thevar (1908-1963)?
Muthuramalingam was a politician and a patriarch of Thevar community in the state of Tamil Nadu.
He was elected three times to the national Parliamentary Constituency.
His legacy:
(a) Association with INC
Thevar attended the 52nd annual session of the Indian National Congress, held in Tripuri in March 1939.
At this meeting the presidency of Subhas Chandra Bose was challenged by Pattabhi Sitaramayya. Sitaramayya had the active support of Gandhi.
Bose was elected president again over Gandhi’s preferred candidate Pattabhi Sitaramayya.
Thevar strongly supported Bose in the intra-Congress dispute and joined the Forward Bloc.
(b) Opposition to the Criminal Tribes Act (CTA)
The CTA had been enacted in 1920 by the government of the Madras Presidency and was subsequently implemented in a piecemeal fashion.
CTA criminalized entire communities by designating them as habitual criminals.
Adult males of the groups were forced to report weekly to local police, and had restrictions on their movement imposed.
Thevar mobilised resistance to it, touring villages in the affected areas and leading protest rallies for the rights of the individuals registered under it.
(c) Temple entry movement
The Temple Entry Authorisation and Indemnity Act was passed by the government of C. Rajagopalachari in 1939.
This removed restrictions prohibiting Dalits from entering Hindu temples.
Thevar supported this reform and on 8 July 1939 he helped the activist A. Vaidyanatha Iyer take Dalits to Meenakshi Temple in Madurai.
Paper 4 aka Ethics is the most dynamic General studies paper out of the lot. There is no “ONE WAY approach” in ethics. In our experience of working with 1000+ students, ethics is a gamechanger for the UPSC examination. As compared to other paper, it has less syllabus and require less time to master but can be very rewarding.
The TRICK is to learn the static portion, link them to current affairs and bring it in writing. So, ethics needs hold over ART OF ANSWER WRITING as well as STATIC MATERIAL.
The Smash ethics program will focus on both the needs of answer writing and static coverage of the syllabus.
REMEMBER: General studies paper 4 is the only paper where you can score 110+ marks easily. Considering the fact that the syllabus is least out of all the other General studies papers. The amount of time this paper requires is also relatively less. Thus, this paper can play a major role in boosting your score in the final mark sheet.
TRENDS IN ETHICS PAPER
Shift towards more conceptual questions than direct static questions
Consider the first questions of 2 years:
What do you understand by ‘values’ and ‘ethics’? In what way is it important to be ethical along with being professionally competent? (PYQ 2013)
Discuss the role of ethics and values in enhancing the following three major components of Comprehensive National Power viz. human capital, soft power, and social harmony. (PYQ 2020)
The difficulty level of paper has more or less increased. This requires more practice and smart work.
More current affairs focused
The number of questions linked to current affairs is increasing. So, here you have to be careful to link the theory with current affairs.
“Education is not an injunction, it is an effective and pervasive tool for all-round development of an individual and social transformation”. Examine the New Education Policy, 2020 (NEP, 2020) in light of the above statement. (PYQ 2020)
There is a view that the Official Secrets Act is an obstacle to the implementation of the Right to Information Act. Do you agree with the view? Discuss. (PYQ 2019)
Complex case studies
Parmal is a small but underdeveloped district. It has rocky terrain that is not suitable for agriculture, though some subsistence agriculture is being done on small plots of land. The area receives adequate rainfall and has an irrigation canal flowing through it. Amria, its administrative center, is a medium-sized town. It houses a large district hospital, an Industrial Training Institute, and some privately owned skill training centers. It has all the facilities of a district headquarters. A trunk railway line passes approximately 50 kilometers from Amria. Its poor connectivity is a major reason for the absence of any major industry therein. The state government offers a 10 years tax holiday as an incentive to the new industries.
In 2010 Anil, an industrialist decided to take benefits to set up Amria Plastic Works (APW) in Noora village, about 20 km from Amria. While the factory was being built, Anil hired the required key labor and got them trained at the skill training centers at Amria. This act of his made the key personnel very loyal to APW.
APW started production in 2011 with the labor drawn fully from Noora village. The villagers were very happy to get employment near their homes and were motivated by the key personnel to meet the production targets with high quality. APW started making large profits, a sizeable portion of which was used to improve the quality of life in Noora. By 2016, Noora could boast of a greener village and a renovated village temple. Anil liaised with the local MLA to increase the frequency of the bus services to Amria. The government also opened a primary health care center and primary school at Noora in buildings constructed by APW. APW used its CSR funds to set up women’s self-help groups, subsidize primary education to the village children and procure an ambulance for use by its employees and the needy.
In 2019, there was a minor fire in APW It was quickly extinguished as fire safety protocols were in place in the factory. Investigations revealed that the factory had been using electricity in excess of its authorized capacity. This was soon rectified. The next year, due to a nationwide lockdown, the requirement of production fell for four months. Anil decided that all employees would be paid regularly. He employed them to plant trees and improve the village habitat. APW had developed a reputation for high-quality production and a motivated workforce.
Critically analyze the story of APW and state the ethical issues involved. Do you consider APW as a role model for the development of backward areas? Give reasons. (PYQ 2020)
Not only the length but also, complexity levels of the case studies has also increased.
Lengthier paper
Gone are the days when solving Ethics papers within the time limits without practicing mocks seemed achievable. Today, with lengthy case studies and tricky Section A questions, this paper demands more answer writing practice.
Here’s what the program includes:
VIDEO LECTURES
Structured video lectures of Paper 4 for a concrete understanding of the syllabus. Our novel methodology accompanied by an in-depth explanation ensures comprehensive coverage of every topic in the syllabus. Added to this, we have made sure to add that extra element of fun.
FLT tests will help to bring together the ideas and concepts to the art of answer writing. Practice full-length tests to evaluate your levels. With every test and discussion on strategies to follow, one can improve with every test.
Questions framed are from the most important UPSC relevant themes and papers are based on the latest pattern of UPSC. Get model answers covering all the aspects of a question and providing enriching points to the student.
MENTORSHIP SUPPORT ON ZOOM CALL
A schedule is created where dedicated days are kept to discuss your doubts regarding each test and lecture. Weekly zoom calls can help boost ideas and discussion on various techniques, also among peers so that one can get a lot of exposure on various answer writing techniques and points to write in the answer.
Also, the best answer copy of the week can be taken for discussion so that you can get an idea of how to write better.
CIVILSDAILY’S HANDHOLDING
You’ll be given membership to an exclusive group on Civilsdaily’s Habitat. The group will be headed by Sukanya ma’am herself. From doubt resolution and discussion will be done by Sukanya ma’am only. Here you can directly connect with ma’am.
Habitat is where everything comes together learning, doubt clearing, mentor’s support, and a focused community. You’re going to learn and discuss it like never before.
Program inclusion
Comprehensive Video Lectures covering Paper 4
8 FLT tests with dedicated days for test discussion
Mentorship support over weekly zoom calls by Sukanya ma’am
Membership of Ethics group (exclusive) on Civilsdaily’s Habitat
*Note: The test in the module will be uploaded as per the 2021 schedule…2022 students can follow their respective schedules or flexible ones*
About the mentor:
Sukanya Rana:
Sukanya ma’am has firsthand experience of 4 mains and 2 interviews of UPSC. She has also appeared in the State PCS interview. Before she has worked as an officer in a public sector bank and now as a Mentor at Civilsdaily, she aims to guide future aspirants in finding success.
Sukanya Ma’am has scored consistently 100+ marks in ethics and in 2019 her marks were 140 in GS 4. In 2020, under her mentorship, many smash mains students were able to secure 110+ marks.
Spanning thousands of years, toy manufacturing in India is as old as civilization itself. Some of the earliest evidence of terracotta toys being found in Harappa (c. 2500 BCE)- a key site of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
It is remarkable to note that the history of toy manufacturing in India is inextricably linked to the larger story of India’s past.
Toy Industry in India
Presently, the Indian toy industry is only 0.5% of the global industry size indicating a large potential growth opportunity.
The domestic toy demand forecasted to grow at 10-15% against the global average of 5%.
The report ‘State of play: India’s toy story- Unboxing fun and beyond’ said India could also target a 2% share of global exports by 2025.
There is high growth potential for India in exports of plastic toys and board games in the US, EU and Middle East among other markets.
Toy Industries & Women Empowerment
Employment in the toy manufacturing sector offers its female majority workforce avenues for socio-economic empowerment, financial security, and skill development.
It also offers opportunities for women to act as agents of change by preserving local toy forms, intrinsic to their regions.
Toy manufacturing also creates possibilities for men and women artisans to work together, thereby promoting equal task division and partnerships.
For instance, in Tamil Nadu the manufacturing processes of ‘Vilachary‘ clay toys are divided between men and women.
Toy Industries and Women
According to a report by the National Productivity Council, India’s toy industry employs 3million workers, of which 70 per cent are women.
Challenges
Unorganized and fragmented: It continues to be significantly fragmented, with 90 per cent of the market being unorganised.
Small scale: 75 per cent of domestic manufacturing originates in micro-industries, while 22 per cent comes from MSMEs. Less than 3 per cent of the domestic toy manufacturing processes come from large units.
Less competitive: The retail value of the Indian toy market is INR 16, 000 crores of which close to three-fourths are Chinese imports.
Govt Initiatives
Toycathon: In January 2021, it launched ‘Toycathon’, a hackathon to develop toys and games based on Indian culture and ethos.
Atmanirbhar Bharat: To promote the indigenous toy manufacturing industry, this multi-Ministerial effort sought to create an ‘Aatmanirbhar’ eco-system for local manufactures by exploring their untapped potential.
Formal recognition in years: Toy manufacturing clusters across the country have come to be formally recognised and supported by the govt.
Cluster based production: State govts. are in the process of allocating spaces for toy parks. For instance, Koppal District in Karnataka has recently been recognised as the country’s first toy manufacturing cluster.
Conclusion
As India looks to build its ‘toyoconomy — women workers will continue to play a significant role in fulfilling domestic demand, reducing imports and raising India’s share of toy manufacturing in the global marketplace.
A paper has recently published in the US has found that Integrated farming with intercropping increases food production while reducing environmental footprint.
What is the finding?
This work found that:
Relay planting enhances yield
Within-field rotation or strip rotation allowing strips for planting other plants (such as grass, fruits) besides the major crop was more fruitful
Soil munching that is, available means such as crop straw, in addition to the major crop such as wheat or rice, and
No-tillor reduced tillage, which increases the annual crop yield up by 15.6% to 49.9%, and decreasing the environmental footprint by 17.3%, compared with traditional monoculture cropping
Various terms mentioned
[A] Relay planting
Relay planting means the planting of different crops in the same plot, one right after another, in the same season.
Examples of such relay cropping would be planting rice (or wheat), cauliflower, onion, and summer gourd (or potato onion, lady’s fingers and maize), in the same season.
Benefits: It is less risk since you do not have to depend on one crop alone. It also means better distribution of labour, insects spread less, and any legumes actually add nitrogen to the soil.
[B] Strip cropping
Strip cropping has been used in the U.S. (where the fields are larger than those in India), where they grow wheat, along with corn and soybean, in the same farm in an alternative manner.
However, this needs large lands. The land is divided into strips, and strips of grass are left to grow between the crops.
Benefits: Planting of trees to create shelters has helped in stabilising the desert in Western India.
[C] Soil mulching and no-till
Soil mulching requires keeping all bare soil covered with straw, leaves, and the like, even when the land is in use.
Benefits: Erosion is curtailed, moisture retained, and beneficial organisms, such as earthworms, kept in place. The same set of benefits are also offered by not tilling the soil.
Significance of the findings
This research has led to the conclusion that small farm holders can grow more food and have reduced environmental footprint.
Current statistics reveal that our country has a significant population of small farmers, many owning less than 2 hectares of land.
About 70% of its rural households still depend primarily on agriculture for their livelihood, with 82% of farmers being small and marginal.
“When the results were out and I knew I finally made it, I sat down and cherished all the 8 years of preparation. For me, they are the best years of my life, regardless I cleared the exam or not. The civil services exam is worth your time, efforts and sacrifices even if there is a 1% chance of clearing it!”
So many aspirants in Shahansha’s position would have given up by now. They will not wait until all the attempts got exhausted. They would have already decided UPSC is not for them. But Shahansha is among the 1% who wanted to show up sincerely for every attempt given to him. And that’s why he cleared an exam where the probability of failure is 99%.
UPSC or Job? Better still, UPSC and Job!
Shahansha had a demanding job as an Indian Railway Protection Force Officer, he was a son and a husband as well. Yet, he wouldn’t have had it any other way. “If I was preparing for this exam with no job, with no family and friends to support me, then I don’t think I would have been successful.”, he says. According to him, stability in life is essential to deal with the psychological and emotional stress of the exam.
Don’t miss the chance to interact with him, get answers to all your questions and discover solutions to the issues bothering you! This webinar is free for all aspirants to attend.
Why Attend this Webinar?
“You are your own best friend and enemy”, says Shahansha as he believes negativity feeds on more negativity.
More than IQ, one requires EQ (Emotional Intelligence) to clear this exam. UPSC is looking for just above-average marks in all the subjects. But, it requires officers who don’t have excuses or run away from solving people’s issues. The more mentally adept you are, the more happy UPSC will be to select you. So, work on controlling your emotional impulses early on.
Shahansha will teach how to inculcate patience, perseverance and study through the stress. For anyone struggling in this area, this webinar is going to be useful.
1. Despite qualifying for IAS why did Shahansha choose IPS?
2. Why is it important to unwind when you’re feeling low? Importance of hobbies and friends.
3. The brighter side of his failures.How did Shahansha improve with every attempt?
4. Shahansha’s Prelims and Mains Strategy.How did he divide his time into before-work and after-work slots?
5. Six years of wrong optional versus one year of right optional — How did it make the difference for him in Mains?
6. General Do’s and Don’ts while preparing. What are the mistakes of his previous attempts he avoided?
All aspirants are encouraged to participate in the Q&A Session by Shahansha. Learn from your doubts, learn from others’ doubts and learn from Shahansha’s answers.
This Ask me Anything session is free for all aspirants to attend but is perfect for anyone looking for a refreshing break from their grueling studies. Only limited slots are available, so register ASAP.
Date: 31 October, 2021
Time: 3 P.M.
About Shahansha
Son of a shopkeeper father and school teacher mother, Shahansha was a professional athlete, trained by the Sports Authority of India (SAI). He cleared prelims in all his seven attempts and even reached the interview round thrice. He gave multiple government exams and worked as the Assistant Commander in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Indian Railway Protection Officer.
