GS2 (Indian Constitution)
What is the significance of the Directive Principles of State Policy in our Constitution? Discuss while giving examples of how the govt has implemented them, and how the Supreme Court has used them in interpreting the Constitution.
GS3 (Indian Economy)
Although Indiaâs GDP has grown, so has inequality. What are the reasons for the unequal distribution of wealth? What steps can be taken to achieve more equitable distribution?
Mint, Credit Suisse Report, Mint
Similar Previous Year Question –Â The nature of economic growth in India in recent times is often described as a jobless growth. Do you agree with this view? Give arguments in favour of your answer. [2015]
GS4 (Ethics)
Were nuclear weapons the reason the Cold War stayed Cold? Discuss whether nuclear weapons have actually prevented war in many circumstances. Also discuss in the context of India-Pakistan relations.
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 is going to help you retain & remember better.
NOTE:Â Prelims Daily compilation for October 2016 has been released for FREE – Click2Download
Q.1) Data exclusivity was frequently in the news, consider the following statements with regard to this term.
1. Data exclusivity refers to protection of clinical trial data required to be submitted to a regulatory agency to prove safety and efficacy of a new drug.
2. Data exclusivity provides a form of market exclusivity outside that provided by patent rights.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Â
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q.2) Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) publication is issued by joint association of
a) Germanwatch and Climate Action Network Europe
b) World Bank and UNESCO
c) G20 and IUCN
d) BRICS and CITES
Q.3) Which of the following is/are factors responsible for Delhi’s air pollution?
1. Drops in wind speeds
2. Cooler temperatures
2. Burning of agricultural residue in neighbouring States
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3 only
Q.4) Recently, Agni-I missile test-fired. Consider the following statements with regard to this test.
1. It is a single stage missile that is powered by solid propellants and can carry a nuclear warhead of 3000 kg.
2. Agni Missiles are designed and developed by the DRDO.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Â
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q.5) Consider the following statements about ‘Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In)’.
1. CERT-In is the security national agency under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
2. CERT-In has been designated under Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008 to serve as the national agency to perform the functions in the area of cyber security.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Â
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q.6) With reference to ‘Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)’, consider the following statements:
1.It is an organization of European Union in working relation with NATO and WHO.
2.It monitors chemical industry to prevent new weapons from emerging.
3.It provides assistance and protection to States (Parties) against chemical weapons threats.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Â (CSP-2016)
A. 1 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1,2 and 3
Q.7) With reference to ‘Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana’, consider the following statements:
1.Under this scheme, farmers will have to pay a uniform premium of two percent for any crop they cultivate in any season of the year.
2.This scheme covers post-harvest losses arising out of the cyclones and unseasonal rains.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Â Â (CSP-2016)
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 or 2
Q.8) In which of the following regions of India are you most likely to come across the ‘Great Indian Hornbill’ in its nature habitat? Â Â Â (CSP-2016)
A. Sand deserts of northwest India
B. Higher Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir
C. Salt marshes of western Gujarat.
D. Western Ghats
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Use this http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=154111
Everyday we read news, but do we do more than read it? The best way to learn from news is to find the issues and facts which we don’t know and research them. Starting today we will try to list some topics to help you do that.
Following topics are based on today’s news –
1. CERN in the news. What is CERN? What is its location? These organisations are a favorite of UPSC. – PRELIMS
2. There is a new defence policy regarding business dealings and blacklisting. Recently this has been a hot topic with many updates from the Defence ministry. Visit the ministry website and make relevant notes. – MAINS
3. News about Bangladesh and Myanmar. Note that they share a border. Look at the atlas in this region and note where they share a border. Also find out the Indian states which border both the countries. – PRELIMS
4. Another earthquake and tsunami, this time in Japan. Revise your notes on these topics. – PRELIMS + MAINS
5. In the oped on Asia, a no. of organisations have been mentioned. Do you what they are? Use this as an opportunity to look at this region in the atlas very closely. List the capitals of all countries in north-south order. – PRELIMS
The Bill defines a transgender person as one who is partly female or male; or a combination of female and male; or neither female nor male.
In addition, the personâs gender must not match the gender assigned at birth, and includes trans-men, trans-women, persons with intersex variations and gender-queers.
A transgender person must obtain a certificate of identity as proof of recognition of identity as a transgender person and to invoke rights under the Bill.Â
Such a certificate would be granted by the District Magistrate on the recommendation of a Screening Committee.Â
The Bill prohibits discrimination against a transgender person in areas such as education, employment, and healthcare. It directs the central and state governments to provide welfare schemes in these areas.
#1. The Supreme Court has held that the right to self-identification of gender is part of the right to dignity and autonomy under Article 21 of the Constitution.
However, objective criteria may be required to determine oneâs gender in order to be eligible for entitlements.
#2. The Bill states that a person recognised as âtransgenderâ would have the right to âself-perceivedâ gender identity.Â
However, it does not provide for the enforcement of such a right. A District Screening Committee would issue a certificate of identity to recognise transgender persons.
#3. The definition of âtransgender personsâ in the Bill is at variance with the definitions recognised by international bodies and experts in India.Â
The former version of the transgender bill (per NALSA case) honoured a better understanding through a broad definition that included those who identified themselves by a gender other than the one assigned to them at birth. That definition affirmed the right of a transgender person to have the option of choosing to identify themselves either as a âmanâ, âwomanâ or âtransgenderâ. The definition in the latest bill is narrower.
#4. Ill defined terms:Â The Bill includes terms like âtrans-menâ, âtrans-womenâ, persons with âintersex variationsâ and âgender-queersâ in its definition of transgender persons. However, these terms have not been defined.
#5. Certain criminal and personal laws that are currently in force only recognise the genders of âmanâ and âwomanâ. It is unclear how such laws would apply to transgender persons who may not identify with either of the two genders.
#6. The governmentâs bill has also dropped the provision for reservation in education and employment to transgender persons, which was directed by the Supreme Court
#7. Avoids discussing major issues including on personal law like the right to marriage, inheritance and adoption etc.
According to the 2011 Census, India has 6 lac people belonging to the transgender community. Transgender individuals in India are broadly called Hijras, Kinnars, and Aravanis in different parts of the country.
Odisha became the first state in the country to provide food grains, pension, health, education and housing benefits to the transgender community, including them in the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category.
Kerala came up with a âTransgender policyâ last year in december aiming to end the social stigma attached to the community.
Tamil Nadu has constituted the Aravanis Welfare Board in 2008, providing pensions for the community and creating awareness in schools on gender-variant people.
The SC recognised them as 3rd gender.
This judgement gave broad directives to the Central and state governments on affirmative action, public health, social welfare and other services to be made available for transgender people.
The Supreme Court noted that Section 377 of the IPC, though associated with specific sexual acts, targeted certain identities, including Hijras, and was used as an instrument of harassment and physical abuse against transgender persons.
#1. Tamil Nadu has been the pioneering state in bringing positive change in the lives of transgender people by granting ration cards, voters’ identity cards, housing, medical insurance and free gender reassignment surgery. Several other states have followed the Tamil Nadu model.
#2. The implementation has been unfortunately slow. Many states have not even done the ground work. The Prime Minister should intervene in this and direct the states to take action. The majority of the transgender people in our country are sex workers and beggars, and their lives need a desperate change, they need to live in dignity.
#3. If there are transgenders today begging on the streets or doing sex work for a livelihood, it is because their families rejected them. The root cause of their pathetic lives is the rejection and stigma from their families. This needs to be addressed.
To read more by Confused Billi â click here
His journey starts with running after train at 5:30 am in morning every day. He lived in Ghaziabad but his school was almost 35 km away from his home. It was a government school (at civil lines Delhi). Every day he used to spend 5 hours in travelling, till class 12th.
He had a dream to become a doctor but like many middle class boys it was just a dream. He got selected to BTC/JBT/ETE (TEACHER TRAINING). After training, he joined as a teacher at MCD school Delhi (September 2003), at the tender age of 19.
Then he strained his energy in the struggle for marriage â as love marriage is a taboo in Indian society, it took him almost 7 years to marry in 2008, at the age of 25. He then started thinking about taking up civil services exam.
Being a general candidate it was already late to start preparation to use all four attempts (then there were 4 attempts). He also had family responsibilities to look after. After arranging marriage for his younger brother and younger sister and after his own marriage, he thought it apt to start focussing on his dreams and needs (but it was almost March 2011 by then).
He gave one attempt without preparing well and had lost one precious attempt in 2010. He then started serious preparation for Civil Services after relieving himself from home responsibilities, with one attempt already down. Meanwhile, he had passed BA, MA, B.Ed. In addition he also did LL.B., LL.M from correspondence mode.
Inspiration for Civil Services:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
During his service as a teacher in MCD School, he joined Teacherâs Association in 2009 as a nominated General Secretary (of Shahdara south zone), there he worked for teachersâ issues and this work was one of the motivations for civil services. While working with the association he came in contact with higher officials and came to know that what a bureaucrat can do with his authority. Hence, he tried his luck in 2010 Prelims.
The great leap for UPSC started in 2011, with one attempt already down, his second attempt was lost by 7 marks in prelims (CSE 2012). After losing, he felt bad but also got courage that if he came so close, maybe I could clear the exam in another attempt. He says:
âThis is the dilemma of all the aspirants, itâs like YA TO ATTEMPT KAHATAM YA AADMI KHATAM HO TABHI MUKTI MILEGI.â
For his third attempt, he prepared well with the help of his wife and his friends. He was expecting score around 216 in Prelims and committed a mistake by exaggerating his score with friends and relatives. This kind of mistake is being committed by so many aspirants. In this attempt he got only 206 and cutoff was 209 (CSE 2012). He lost battle for the THIRD time with only ONE attempt left to go.
Now it was the D Day moment- final attempt with âZero Mainsâ experience. This time he scored 232 in the prelims (CSE 2013) and was very optimistic for the mains. But destiny had another shock for him, for the first time cutoff crossed 241 marks and it was his final attempt and hope at UPSC civil services.
Grief struck and disappointed, he came back to teaching with empty hands. Colleagues taunted him, laughed at him, and started teasing him with sarcasm. He had created a hope and hype around his civil services dream. After his failure, people around him didnât respect him much. He was considered a non- serious aspirant because he did not even clear prelims. At that moment he thought about giving State PCS exam.
Then came the opportunity of lifetime, UPSC gave 2 extra attempts. These two attempts were a life for him. He was 31 by then.
He gave his all to this attempt and could clear not only prelims but reached upto interview level. But when the final result came, he was out of the game once again. Failure after reaching at interview level is not an easy ordeal to bear with. His Fifth attempt was over and he was a failure for 5 years in a row. (CSE 2014)
In CSE 2015, he gave another final attempt, he gathered himself for another final fight. It was do or die for him (aged 32 now). He worked hard with more focused study, proper strategy for PRELIMS, Mains and moreover for INTERVIEW, & committed to himself that âI would crack exam this time, learned from my past mistakes and worked hardâ.
Finally, he was AIR 300 Rank. He proved with his result that simple middle class family boy with no formal education (all correspondence) can crack UPSC civil services.
His never say die attitude, perseverance, parents blessings and continuous effort towards his goal made him successful.
He requests his fellow aspirants that never lose your hope. Your perseverance, consistency and your passion will definitely pay for you.
GS4 (Ethics)
What role does the family play in instilling moral values in a child? How is the changing nature of families in India affecting this education?
