GS4 (Ethics)
Mass media depicts women in a variety of ways in advertisements etc. How do these depictions influence our attitudes towards women? Should there be changes in such depictions? If yes, what kind of changes should be made?
Search results for: “”
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2 Nov 2016 | GS3 | What do you mean by biosimilar drugs? What are the advantages and disadvantages of biosimilars over generic drugs? Discuss the market of these drugs in India.
GS3 (Science and Technology)
What do you mean by biosimilar drugs? What are the advantages and disadvantages of biosimilars over generic drugs? Discuss the market of these drugs in India.
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2 Nov 2016 | GS2 | There is a very thin line between judicial activism and judicial overreach. Do you think so-called judicial overreach is the direct result of legislative and executive under reach?
GS2 (Polity and Governance)
There is a very thin line between judicial activism and judicial overreach. Do you think so-called judicial overreach is the direct result of legislative and executive under reach?
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2 Nov 2016 | GS1 | It is said that India is shining but Bharat is drowning. Do you think the gap between India and Bharat is increasing? Critically examine.
GS1 (Poverty and Development issues)
It is said that India is shining but Bharat is drowning. Do you think the gap between India and Bharat is increasing? Critically examine.
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2 Nov 2016 | Prelims Daily: CA Questions with Tikdams & Tidbits
Dear students,
When you submit your answer, if possible, give some reasoning & more info. along with the ABACAA format. Elaborate on what you know. This helps the whole community to know more and learn more!
Q.1) Consider following statements
1. Children suffer greater damage from air pollution since they breathe twice as quickly
2. UNICEF publishes a report titled The State of the World’s Children
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q.2) Which of the following is correct about benami transactions as defined by the recent Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act
a) Those transactions which bring disrepute upon a person
b) Transactions involving advanced financial techniques
c) Those transactions where a property is held by one person, but has been provided or paid for by another person
d) Everyday transactions involving sale and purchase of property
Q.3) Avian influenza is also referred to as
a) H1N1
b) HIV
c) H1N2
d) H5N8
Q.4) In which landmass does Trinidad and Tobago lie?
a) Americas
b) Africa
c) Eurasia
d) Australia
Q.5) Consider the following statements about PUSA Arhar-16
1.It is a early maturing, semi dwarf high yielding variety
2.It has been developed by seed MNC Monsanto
Select the correct option –
a) 1 Only
b) 2 Only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
IMPORTANT STUFF:
1. These questions are mostly derived from our daily newscards. Reading daily news from Civilsdaily’s App (click here) or website + solving these questions will help you reinforce the basics.
2. For a comprehensive preparation of IAS Prelims 2017 – consider joining one of the three Prelims Modules by CD – prelims.civilsdaily.com
3. Solutions will be uploaded at 8 p.m. Click here for solutions.
4. For attempting previous Prelims Daily Questions – Click here
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how to calculate the Rate of interest Paid and suggest is it beneficial?
A guy has debt of 5 lakhs INR, he pays10K PA(every month)+ 5K(interest)=10,500 in 1st month ,Rs.10,40 in 2nd, Rs4800,4700 and so on.? what is %interest he is paying,how to calculate it?
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I'm late on test series..
I am joining on November but I’m confused how I will cover past syllabus?
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Important World Reports & their Organisations | Important for IAS Prelims
Recently, UPSC has been asking questions on reports published by various international organisations. It is very important to look for reports where India’s performance is less than satisfactory or where the gains have been marginal on an year on year basis.
Here is a list of a few IAS Prelims questions before we deep dive into some of the very important reports, their issuing agencies and their modern day relevance.
Prelims 2014:
Question: Which of the following organizations brings out the publication known as ‘World Economic Outlook’?
(a) The International Monetary Fund
(b) The United Nations Development Programme
(c) The World Economic Forum
(d) The World BankAnswer: (a)
Prelims 2015:
Question: Which one of the following issues the ‘Global Economic Prospects’ report periodically?
(a) The Asian Development Bank
(b) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(c) The US Federal Reserve Bank
(d) The World BankAnswer: (d)
Prelims 2016:
Question:Which of the following is/ are the indicator/ indicators used by IFPRI to compute the Global Hunger Index Report?
- Undernourishment
- Child stunting
- Child Mortality
Select the correct answer using the code given below
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1,2 and 3
- 1 and 3 only
Answer: C
Question: India’s ranking in ease of doing Business Index’ is sometimes seen in the news. Which of the following have declared that ranking?
- Organization of Economic Cooperation and development (OECD)
- World Economic Forum
- World Bank
- World trade Organization (WTO)
Answer: C
Question: ‘Global Financial Stability Report’ is prepared by the
- European Central Bank
- International Monetary Fund
- International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
Answer: B
Here is a list of important indexes and reports published by various international organisations for quick revision.
Economics
Global Economy
Report name – Asian Development Outlook
Issuing agency – Asian Development Bank
Latest in News – Asian Development Bank in Asian Development Outlook 2016 has lowered India’s growth forecast to 7.4 per cent from an earlier estimate of 7.6 per cent for the financial year ending March 31, 2017.
Report name – World Economic Outlook
Issuing agency – International Monetary Fund
Latest in News – According to World Economic Outlook October 2016, global growth is projected to slow to 3.1 percent in 2016 before recovering to 3.4 percent in 2017.
Report name – Global Economic Prospects
Issuing agency – World Bank
Latest in news – The World Bank revised its 2016 global economic growth forecast down to 2.4 percent from the 2.9 percent pace projected in January. The move is due to sluggish growth in advanced economies, stubbornly low commodity prices, weak global trade, and diminishing capital flows.
Development
Report name – World Development Report
Issuing agency – IBRD (World Bank)
Latest in news – According to World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends, digital technologies have spread rapidly in much of the world. But, digital dividends—that is, the broader development benefits from using these technologies—have lagged behind.
Report name – Ease of Doing Business
Issuing agency – IBRD (World Bank)
Latest in news – India has moved one rank up to the 130th position in the World Bank’s ‘ease of doing business’ ranking for 2017. This marginal improvement came on the back of slight improvement in four indicators — getting electricity, enforcing contracts, trading across borders and registering property. To read in detail about the Ease of Business ranking, click here.
Report name – Industrial Development Report
Issuing agency – UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization)
Latest in news – Theme of Industrial Development Report 2016: The Role of Technology and Innovation in Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development
Report name – World Investment Report
Issuing agency – UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development)
Latest in news – According to the World Investment Report 2016, India has retained its ranking as the 10th highest recipient of foreign direct investment in 2015, receiving $44 billion of investment that year compared to $35 billion in 2014. India also jumped a place in terms of attractiveness as a business destination in 2015, to 6th place, with 14% of the respondents naming it as their destination of choice.
Report name – Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report
Issuing agency – WEF (World Economic Forum)
Latest in news – India ranks 52 in the World Economic Forum’s 2015 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index .The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report ranks 141 countries across 14 separate dimensions, revealing how well countries could deliver sustainable economic and societal benefits through their travel and tourism sector.
Report Name – World Cities Report
Issuing Agency – UN-Habitat
Index name – Logistics Performance Index
Issuing agency – World Bank
Latest in news – The 2016 Logistics Performance Index (LPI) allows for comparisons across 160 countries. India’s ranking jumped from 54 in 2014 to 35 in 2016. India is ahead of comparatively advanced economies like Portugal and New Zealand.
Global Financial System
Report name – Global Financial Stability Report
Issuing agency – International Monetary Fund
Latest in news – According to the October 2016 report, the transmission of monetary policy is stronger in economies with larger nonbank financial sectors.
Report name – Global Financial System Report
Issuing agency – BIS (Bank for International Settlements)
Report name – Global Money Laundering Report
Issuing agency – FATF (Financial Action Task Force)
Environment
Report name – India State of Forest Report
Issuing agency – Forest Survey of India
Latest in news – The India State of Forest Report released in Dec 2015 showed an increase in India’s forest and tree cover. Click here to read more.
Report name – Actions on Air Quality
Issuing agency – UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)
Latest in news – As per the 2016 report, with the decline of the global air quality, action in some air quality areas points to political will to tackle this global public health emergency although current efforts still fall short.
Report name – Global Environment Outlook
Issuing agency – UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)
Latest in news – According to the ‘Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-6): Regional Assessments’, worst impacts of climate change will occur in pacific, south and south-east Asia. By 2050, around 40 million people of India may get affected due rising sea levels, storms, and cyclone. It will affect India, China, Bangladesh coastal regions.
Report name – The Rise of Environmental Crime
Issuing agency – UNEP & INTERPOL
Latest in news – The 2016 report revealed that environmental crime grew up by 26 % larger than previous estimates of 2014. Environmental crime is the world’s 4th largest criminal enterprise after drug smuggling, counterfeiting and human trafficking. Environmental Crime includes the illegal trade in wildlife, corporate crime in the forestry sector, the illegal exploitation and sale of gold and other minerals, illegal fisheries, the trafficking of hazardous waste and carbon credit fraud.
Report name – Global Assessment Report
Issuing agency – UNISDR (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction)
Latest in news – According to the 2015 report, average annual loss (AAL) from multi-hazard disasters in India is to the tune of $9.8 billion per year as 58.6 per cent of its land is prone to earthquakes and 8.5 per cent vulnerable to cyclone.
Report name – The Living Planet Report
Issuing agency – WWF (World Wildlife Fund)
Latest in news – With wildlife disappearing at an “unprecedented” pace across the world, the Living Planet Report 2016 identifies India as an ecological black spot where around half of the wildlife lives in the danger of being wiped out. The report highlights the pressure on water and land India faces because of unsustainable human activities. Around 70% of surface water is polluted and 60% of ground water will reach critical stage — where it cannot be replenished — in the next one decade,
Technology and Energy Security
Report name – Technical Cooperation Report
Issuing agency – IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)
Report name – Nuclear Technology Review
Issuing agency – IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)
Report name – Safety Reports
Issuing agency – ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization)
Latest in news – No safety concerns were raised by United Nations watchdog, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), during its recent safety audit of India’s aviation standards. Indian compliance rates as regards quality control, regulatory framework and in-flight, passenger and cargo security were assessed to be 99.25 per cent against a world average of about 66 per cent.
Report name – Global Innovation Index
Issuing agency – Cornell University INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
Latest in news – India scored a major improvement in its Global Innovation Index ranking this year, moving up to the 66th place from 81 in 2015. India’s better performance in the latest index readings was due to its strengths in tertiary education, software exports, corporate R&D and market sophistication. Click here to read more.
Report name – World Energy Outlook (WEO)
Issuing agency – International Energy Agency
Latest in news – The World Energy Outlook 2015 (WEO-2015), in light of low energy prices, calls for no complacency on energy security front and sees clear signs that the energy transition is underway, that is, from fossils to renewable. India, which will move to the centre stage of global energy, is the subject of an in-depth focus in WEO-2015.
Report name – Southeast Asia Energy Outlook
Issuing agency – International Energy Agency
Report name – OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report
Issuing agency – OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries )
Report name – World Oil Outlook
Issuing agency – OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)
Latest in news – As per the 2015 OPEC World Oil Outlook (WOO), oil and gas, combined, are expected to supply around 53 percent of the global energy demand by 2040.
Report name – World Intellectual Property Report (WIPR)
Issuing agency – WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)
Latest in news – Overall, India leapt 14 places from the 85th rank last year to the 61st in the 2016 Global Innovation Index (GII). India has also been ranked the world’s top exporter of information and communication technology and the report recommends that India should leverage this lead to innovate in emerging areas where biology and materials sciences intersect with computing.
Report name – Global Information Technology Report
Issuing agency – WEF (World Economic Forum)
Latest in news – India ranks 91 on the Networked Readiness Index (NRI) 2016, a key component of the World Economic Forum’s The Global Information Technology Report 2016. The report assesses the state of networked readiness of 139 economies using the NRI and examines the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in driving innovation. The NRI is thus a key tool in assessing a country’s preparedness to reap the benefits of emerging technologies and capitalize on the opportunities presented by the digital transformation.
Report name – The Energy Report
Issuing agency – WWF (World Wildlife Fund)
Social development
Report name – Global Wage Report
Issuing agency – ILO (International Labour Organization)
Latest in news – The Global Wage Report 2014/15 warns of stalled wages in many countries and points to the labour market as a driver of inequality.
Report name – World Employment and Social Outlook
Issuing agency – ILO (International Labour Organization)
Latest in news – The World Employment and Social Outlook – Trends 2015 (WESO) warned that unemployment will continue to rise in the coming years, as the global economy has entered a new period combining slower growth, widening inequalities and turbulence. According to the report, by 2019, more than 212 million people will be out of work, up from the current 201 million.
Report name – World Social Protection Report
Issuing agency – ILO (International Labour Organization)
Report name – Global Hunger Index
Issuing agency – IFPRI (International Food Policy Research Institute)
Latest in news – India ranks 97th out of 118 countries in the According to index. Also, according to the report, two out of five children below five years of age are stunted in India. To read more on Global Hunger Index, 2016 click here.
Report name – World Happiness Report
Issuing agency – Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)
Latest in news – In the World Happiness Report 2016, Denmark took the top spot as the ‘happiest country’ in the world. India is among a group of 10 countries witnessing the biggest happiness decline with a 118th rank in the index.
Report name – Global Corruption Report (GCR)
Issuing agency – Transparency International
Latest in news – India ranks 76th in global corruption index 2016, Denmark is least corrupt country.
Report name – Levels and Trends in Child Mortality Report
Issuing agency – UN Inter-agency Group
Latest in news – According to the 2015 report, child (0-5 years) mortality rates (U5MR) in 2015 have plummeted to less than half of what they were in 1990.
Report name – The State of the World’s Children reports
Issuing agency – UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund )
Latest in news – The 2016 report states that five countries account for more than half of the global burden of under-five deaths. These countries are India (17 per cent), Nigeria (15 per cent), Pakistan (8 per cent), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (7 per cent) and Angola (5 per cent).
Report name – Report on Regular Resources
Issuing agency – UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund )
Report name – The Global Report
Issuing agency – UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). To read more about UNHCR, click here and here.
Report name – State of world population
Issuing agency – UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund)
Latest in news – According to State of World Population 2015 Report, more than 100 million people today require humanitarian aid because of natural disasters and violence, more than at any time since World War II. About one-quarter of these people are women of reproductive age.
Report name – Global education monitoring Report
Issuing agency – UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)
Report name – Global Gender Gap Report
Issuing Agency – World Economic Forum (WEF)
Latest in news – Out of the 144 countries surveyed, while Iceland topped the Gender Gap Index for the eighth consecutive year in a row, India stood at 87th position, from the 108th position in 2015. Through the Global Gender Gap Report, the World Economic Forum quantifies the magnitude of gender disparities and tracks their progress over time, with a specific focus on the relative gaps between women and men across four key areas, namely health, education, economy and politics.
Report name – Human Capital Report 2016
Issuing agency – World Economic Forum
Latest in news – The Human Capital Index 2016 ranks 130 countries on how well they are developing and deploying their human capital potential. India occupied the 105th position among the 130 countries surveyed in the Index. In 2015, India’s position was 100th among the 124 countries surveyed in the Index. In the Asia-Pacific region, it is placed behind Sri Lanka (50), China (71), Indonesia (72), Iran (85), Bhutan (91) and Bangladesh (104)
Security Issues
Report name – World Wildlife Crime Report
Issuing agency – UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Latest in news – The inaugural report in 2016 highlights how the poaching and illegal trade of thousands of different species across the globe present real environmental dangers.
Report name – World Drug Report
Issuing agency – UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Report name – Global Report on Trafficking in Persons
Issuing agency – UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Report name – Reports on Counterfeiting and Organized Crime
Issuing agency – UNICRI (United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute)
Report name – Global Money Laundering Report
Issuing agency – FATF (Financial Action Task Force)
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[update] Special GS columns with an interdisciplinary approach for Mains Examination 2017 by K Siddhartha
K Siddhartha (http://www.ksiddhartha.com) is an internationally known Earth Scientist, Advisor to Governments, Educationist, Author and and Mentor with 40 books, and 1401 qualified Civil Servants to his credit. We will be carrying a series of his articles having an intra & interdisciplinary approach for IAS Mains 2017.
New Columns
Urban Drainage – Components, Case of Chennai floods
Essay pointers – The only meaning of success is leading your life the way you want
Essay pointers – Justice is not in Law, Justice is all about how we treat each other
Geophysical Events: Thunderstorm and Lightning
Nuclear and Radiological Disasters
Smart cities have a viability gap
Should India aim for soft power or hard power?
What is heritage erosion and how can we manage it?
What are the components of heritage?
World History – European Dominance
The Ethics of Environment is Environmental Ethics
India – Challenges of External Security | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
Let us know the perils of interlinking as a drought proofing mechanism – In the light of water scarcity that has plagued Maharashtra, a lot of talk is going to revive the interlinking of the rivers plan.
Everything that you need to know about recent advances in Nuclear Fusion – Chinese just came a step closer to creating an artificial sun. Get to know what India is upto!
It’s all about corals – Corals that have been in news on account of El Nino. Let’s take a quick byte at it!
What do we mean by Glacial Harvesting? – Artificial glaciers created by diverting meltwater to prepare for the uncertain future!
Arctic Sea melting and its impact on geopolitics – Implications of the melting of Arctic ice on geopolitics.
Everything that you want to know about blizzards | Part 1 | Part 2 – Everything you wanted to know about blizzards!
Shale gas can transform energy geopolitics. But how? – Significance of exploring this avenue of energy in the Indian context.
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Economics made easy by Manasi Phadke
These are columns by Manasi Phadke, and after you read these you will realise how to integrate economics into your everyday life!
Manasi is a consultant economist and analyst. She is visiting Faculty @Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, and has a column in The Hindu Business Line.
Articles below are reproduced with her permission –
Will NOTA work for India? – Pulses and teenagers!
The Metaphorical Faux Pas of the Central Banker – A one-eyed king in the land of the blind. Uh-oh!
Budget Humour – Should budgets be philosophical or filmy?
Thought for food: Coco(a) Bonds and Dosa Economics! – It’s not the dosa, stupid. It’s the tawa!
A brief history of the Greek crisis: A ppt format – Greek Crisis summarised in a ppt.
Hard targets – Inside the FM’s mind.
Econ Mom as the Finance Commission, Hubby as the Planning Commission – Using pocketmoney to explain planning!
A new Parliament building, please! – Let’s put nation building on hold. First, the Parliament building, please.
Delhi traffic: At odds and evens – Delhi’s GDP and pollution.
Cop out at COP 21! – Simple explanation of COP21.
Pay Commission 007: Bond’s Spectre pales before India’s Spectre!
Divine Humor: When Deity goes wrong!
US Fed Funds Rate will rise in 2016
Econ Mom talks Mann ki Baat on Land Ordinance
The Bahubali of a Devaluation!
Making the “Most” out of Indian “Post” Office Payment Banks
Will the US raise interest rates in September?
Nursery Rhymes, SDRs and Devaluation of the Yuan
