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  • Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV-TD) – Everything that you need to know

    source: NDTV

    First things first, let’s hold your excitement down – these are baby steps towards a fully functional RLV. What ISRO tested few days is a TD HEX-01 (Technology demonstrator) – It is a small, aircraft-like, winged structure.

    Before we go into the details of

    The RLV-TD is a series of technology demonstration missions that has been considered as a first step towards realising a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) fully re-usable vehicle.

    Technology demonstration (TD) project by ISRO is to test different parameters related from the launch to landing of a Reusable launch Vehicle viz.

    1. Testing the characterisation of aero-thermo dynamics of hypersonic flight
    2. To test autonomous mission management of hypersonic vehicles 
    3. To test re-entry technology for the vehicle

    Important Points 

    1. RLV-TD-HEX1, a prototype of actual vehicle, successfully launched on 23 May 2016 
    2. Launched From – SDRC, Sriharikota, AP
    3. 2 Stage Process – launching rocket (HS9 Solid state booster) & RLV-TD (atop the rocket)

    1st phase of testing RLV – Launched beyond the atmosphere after which RLV-TD separated & atmospheric reentry began @Ma5 (Hypersonic speed) – Navigation guidance and control system steered it accurately for a controlled descent  – landed in Bay of Bengal, 450km from Sriharikota. 

    RLV will require 5km landing airstrip which is not available as of now. Will be build at SDRC, Sriharikota in near future. 

    Ultimate Aim & Advantages of the RLV would be to send manned missions, including satellites into space and re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere without extreme P and Heat condition (T)

    1. Successful launch of RLV will have a huge impact on launching cost – will slash it down by 80% – RLV aims to achieve a low cost, reliable and on-demand space access 
    2. Future Moon and Mars missions, Inter-Planetary missions 
    3. Make India competitive Space player globally in terms of cheap affordable satellite launched (for LDCs), regular and periodic space missions and various space exercises like building its own Space Station in future similar to ISS, Tiangong-1
    4. India will join select league of nations – Only USA (Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Endeavour, Atlantis), Russia (Soyuz) & China (Shenzhou) have their own Space flights. After successful induction of RLV, India will also have its own manned spacecraft capability.

    Development Process 

    1. In Jan 2012 – Prototype of RLV-TD was approved to be built & tested 
    2. RLV-TD developed at VSSC, Thiruvananthapuram
    3. Aerodynamic characterisation – done by National Aerospace Laboratories in India

    Thermal tiles does at VSSC, Trivandrum – Critical component during atmospheric reentry of the flight – to prevent the structure damage due to sudden rise in T due to Hypersonic speed (Ma5)

    Total 4 phases of Technology demonstration and assessment

    Technology will be developed and tested in phases through as series of experimental flights 

    1. HEX – Hypersonic Flight Experiment – Done May 23, 2016 
    2. LEX – Landing Experiment 
    3. REX – Return Flight Experiment 
    4. SPEX – Scramjet Propulsion Experiment

    The final version will take 10-15 years to be ready. Still long time to go!! Other agencies involved in building reusable launch vehicles 

    1. SpaceX – Elon Musk 
    2. ESA
    3. JAXA – Japan 
    4. Blue Origin (Jeff Bezos – Amazon) 
    Published with inputs from Gaurav

  • [Arts & Heritage Institutions #3] Sahitya Akademi and Sangeet Natak Akademi

    Continuing the series on Cultural Institutions, today we’ll exclusively focus on Art Institutions. While earlier we learnt about Institutions that preserve Tangible Heritage such as Architecture (ASI and INTACH), following Institutions are noteworthy because they promote Intangible Heritage of our culture; notably- Literature, Music and Dance.

    These are especially important considering recent furore of Sahitya Akademi awardees returning their awards in what was referred to as “Award Wapasi”. We’ll also learn about another Institution and various awards & means through which they promote arts in India. So, let’s get started!

    1. Sahitya Akademi (1954)

    source
    • Its an Autonomous organization fully financed by the Government
    • Also referred to as India’s National Academy of Letters
    • Entrusted with promotion of Literature (“Sahitya” means Literature in Hindi) through following mechanisms:
    1. Literary dialogue, publication and promotion
    2. Undertakes literary activities in Twenty-four Indian languages
      • Trap Info: Note that it goes beyond 22 languages of the 8th Schedule to include English + Rajasthani
    3. Development of Indian literature

    Awards and Fellowships

    1. Sahitya akademi award (Plaque and Cash of 1 lac)
      • Poetry, Novel, Essay, Autobiography, Literary Criticism in 24 languages
    2. Bhasha samman
      • Awards to writers for significant contribution to Indian languages other than the above 24 major ones
      • Contribution to classical & medieval literature
      • Given to writers, scholars, editors, collectors, performers or translators
    3. Premchand fellowships (started in 2005)
      • Given to persons of eminence in the Field of Culture from SAARC countries <thus its scope extends to beyond (i) India and (ii) Literature>
    4. Coomarswamy fellowships
      • Given to scholars from Asian countries <not just SAARC> to spend 3 to 12 months in India to pursue a literary project
    5. Sahitya Akademi fellowship
      • Given to the “immortals of literature“
      • Limited to 21 people at a time
      • First recipient was 2nd president of India Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
      • Other notable ones: Khushwant Singh, VS Naipaul

    Issues faced by Sahitya Akademi

    • Although Sahitya Akademi awards are notable for its merit based selections it is not untouched by controversies.
    • A jury comprising of Literary Stalwarts selects awardees (as opposed to Prime Minister for Civilian Awards such as Bharat Ranta, Padma Shree etc)
      • This is a good reason why the Sahitya Akademi awardees shouldn’t be returning their awards, as they’ve been conferred on their artistic merit. Returning the award would be demeaning the jury’s decision and the historic institution.
    • Transparency issues regarding nomination of litterateurs for the coveted Sahitya Akademi Award
      • Interference of Bureaucrats in nomination procedure, who aren’t qualified to make any kind of literary selections (they narrow down the pool of nominees for Jury to make final selection from)
    • Due to this reason, past awardees such as Khushwant Singh had criticized the process for ignoring eminent writers and awarding below-par writers and sub-standard literary works.

    2. Sangeet Natak Akademi  (1953)

    source

    Mandate/Objectives:

    • Another Autonomous Institution under Ministry of Culture
    • Promotion of performing arts– Indian music, dance and drama
    • Maintains a Gallery of Musical Instruments
    • Maintenance of standards of training in the performing arts
    • Teaching institutions
      • Kathak Kendra, Delhi (Classical Dance from Uttar Pradesh)
      • Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Akademi in Imphal
      • Sattriya Centre (Classical Dance from Assam)
      • Centre for Kutiyattam (Age-old Sanskrit theatre of Kerala; Also an Indian Intangible Cultural Heritage as per UNESCO)
      • Chhau Centre (Tribal martial dance in Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal)

    Awards:

    1. Sangeet Natak Akademi Award:
      • Highest national recognition conferred on eminent artistes.
    2. Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, Ratna Sadsya
      • To distinguished individuals for their contribution to the field of arts, music, dance and theatre.
    3. Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puruskar:
      • Given to young artists for their talent in the fields of music, dance and drama
      • Notable info about Ustad Bismillah Khan:
        • Known for popularizing the shehnai, a subcontinental wind instrument of the oboe class
        • Awarded India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 2001, becoming the Third classical musician after M. S. Subbulakshmi and Ravi Shankar to be accorded this distinction

     

    Published with inputs from Amar

  • Prelims tit-bits- Polity part 6

    Most Imp. Constitutional doctrines

    1. Basic structure doctrine- Keshvananda Bharati Case (1973)

    • Constitution has some basic structure which can not be amended even if all members of both the houses vote to amend that provision
    • Federalism, Judicial review, Separation of power, art 20, art 21 etc are part of basic structure

    2. Doctrine of Colorable Legislation –

    • Whatever legislature can’t do directly, it can’t do indirectly
    • It is most commonly applied wrt article 246 (3 lists)
    • when a Legislature does not possess the power to make law upon a particular subject but nonetheless indirectly makes one

    3. Doctrine of Pith and Substance- 

    • Pith means true nature” or “essence and substance means the essential nature underlying a phenomenon.
    • Thus, the doctrine of pith and substance relates to finding out the true nature of a statute.
    • This doctrine is widely used when deciding whether a state is within its rights to create a statute that involves a subject mentioned in Union List of the Constitution.
    • The basic idea behind this principle is that an act or a provision created by the State is valid if the true nature of the act or the provision is about a subject that falls in the State list <contrast it with doctrine of colorable legislation>

    4. Doctrine of Repugnancy- 

     

    • REpugnancy is an inconsistency or contradiction between two or more parts of a statute
    • So. if a state passes any law on concurrent list subject which is inconsistent with the central law on that subject, it would be repugnant and liable to be struck down to the extent of repugnancy.

    5. Doctrine of Harmonious Construction  

    • Constitutional provisions should not be construed in isolation from all other parts of the Constitution, but should be construed as to harmonize with those other parts.
    • As we discussed in judgement series when article 368 and 13 were found to be inconsistent, supreme court in Shankari Prasad case applied this principle to opine that parliament can amend fundamental rights and constitutional amendment would not be considered law for the purpose of article 13

    6. Doctrine of Separation of Power –

    Separation of power among executive, legislature and judiciary so that no one branch of govt wields excessive absolute power

    Discuss – Other important constitutional doctrines

    Discuss- Compare and contrast doctrine of separation of power with doctrine of checks  and balances

    Discuss- Compare Separation of Power in parliamentary democracies (India) v/s presidential democracies (USA)

    A few most imp. DPSPs

    • To secure for all citizens a uniform civil code (art 44)
    • To protect and improve the environment (art 48A)
    • To separate judiciary from executive (art 50)
    • To promote international peace and security (art 51)
    • To provide free legal aid to the poor (art43A)

    Discuss– DPSPs which trump fundamental rights under article 14 and 19

    Three types of cut motions

    • Policy cut: to be reduced to Rs. 1 <you disagree with govt policy>
    • Economy cut: reduce by a specific amount.<done in more thrifty manner, no disagreement with policy>
    • Token cut: reduce by Rs. 100 < to ventilate a specific grievance>
    • Note- If any cut motion is accepted, govt is defeated in LS and has to resign

    Discuss- Parliamentary oversight of executive in financial sphere

  • sri

    who are MLC’s what they do and why this post.brief explanation please.

  • Prelims tit-bits- History part 1

    1. Important sessions of Congress

    • 1885- 1st, Bomaby, presided by W.C. Banerjee
    • 1887- Badruddin Tyabji became 1st muslim to preside over congress session
    • 1907- Surat, Ras Bihari Ghosh not Bose, split in Congress b/w moderates and extremists
    • 1916- Lucknow, Reunion on congress, Lucknow pact b/w congress and muslim league
    • 1920- Nagpur, A new constitution for congress, congress reorganized
    • 1929-Lahore, J.L. Nehru, Purna Swaraj Resolution
    • 1931-Karachi, Vallabh Bhai, Resolution on Fundamental rights and National Economic Programme
    • 1938- Haripura, S.C. Bose, National Planning Committee under J.L. Nehru

    Discuss- New things in new constitution of congress

    Discuss- 1st non Indian and 1st woman president of congress

    2. Gandhi’s styagrahas

    • Champaran (1917)- 1st civil disobedience movement, against tinkathia system of indigo planters <3/20th>, Followers- Rajendra Prasad, Mahadeo Desai, J.B.Kriplani
    • Ahmedabad Mill strike (1918)-1st hunger strike, over the discontinuation of plague bonuses, increase in wages
    • Kheda (1918)- 1st non cooperation movement, for compensation in the event of crop loss, Followers- Sardar Patel, Indulal yagnil
    • Rowlatt Satyagrah (1919)- 1st mass strike, roped in younger elements of Home Rule Leagues and Pan-Islamists

    Discuss- Gandhi’s Satyagrahas in South Africa

    3. Important Peasant movements

    • Mapiilla revolt (1920s)- malabar region, Muslim tenants, Hindu landlords (Jennies), anti govt, anti landlord movement acquired distinct communal overtones
    • Eka movement (1921)- against high rents, oppression of thikadars, in northern districts of UP, led by Madarai Pasi and low caste leader, symbolic religious rituals to unify <eka means ekta or unity>
    • Bardoli Satyagraha (1926-28)- against increase in land revenue, Kunbi-Patidars, led by VAllabh Bhai, women of bardoli gave him the name, Sardar <eventually revenue hike reduced from 30% to 6%>
    • Tebhaga movement (1946)- in Bengal to increase share of bargadars (share croppoers) to 2/3rd from ½ ,<tebhaga meaning three parts>
    • All India Kisan Congress/ Sabha in 1936- President swami sahjanand, secretary N.G. Ranga

    Discuss- Contribution of Kisan sabhas

     

    4. Important Working class movement

    • All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) founded in 1920 under Lala Lajpat, Dewan Chaman Ali 1st general secretary
    • Meerut Conspiracy Case (1929-33)- Sedition charges on labour leaders (Dange, Shaukat Usmani, Muzaffar Ahmed and 30 others)
    • Huge participation of workers in Civil disobedience movement /(1930)
    • Workers opposed the 2nd world war but supported British (allies) when Russia joined on their side in 1941 and communist did not support quit India movement

    Discuss– Socialist tendencies in national movement

     

                            

  • sri

    dear CD are you covered all govt.schemes and polices or any remaining ones iam only depended on you please help.

  • [Arts & Heritage Institutions #2] INTACH

    Of late, UPSC has shown a liking for asking questions on Institutions beyond that of Government. Few examples include International NGOs such as Amnesty International in 2015 and Domestic charities such as Bombay Natural History Society in 2014.

    Keeping prelims in mind, within the context of ongoing series of Heritage Institutions, let us understand about INTACH. It is also important from Mains GS-2 perspective (Role of NGOs) because some call it a Civil Society alternative to Archaeological Survey of India <we’ve already covered that in detail in the 1st part of this series, do read up on it>

    source

    Background

    • INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) was founded in 1984, is an autonomous NGO for preservation of Indian Art and Cultural Heritage
    • Its motto is “Dedicated to Conservation“

    Tasks undertaken by INTACH

    • Restoration of monuments that fall outside the coverage of Archaeological Survey of India and other government agencies <Remember that ASI hasn’t shown much interest towards working with INTACH>
    • Advocacy for heritage property conservation
    • Public awareness through heritage walks and buses <Just like Bombay Natural History Society does, its a common feature of these type of NGOs>
    • Establishment of heritage clubs in schools
    • Holding of awareness workshop for teachers of schools and colleges

    Some notable works done by INTACH

    1. It had developed Raghurajpur, Orissa, a place famous for its ‘Pattachitra’ artists and ‘Gotipua’ dance troupes as a heritage village, which has now become a major rural tourist destination
      • Pattachitra is a cloth-based scroll painting of Odisha. Patta = Cloth and Chitra = Picture. Most of these paintings depict stories of Hindu deities of Jagannath and Vaishnava Sect. It has also been given a GI tag. To know more about GI tags, click here to read.
      • Gotipua is a traditional dance form of Odisha, and the precursor of Odissi. Its name comes from Gopi (Single boys), who dress as women to praise Jagannath and Krishna. The dance is executed by a group of boys who perform acrobatic figures inspired by the life of Radha and Krishna.
    2. It later used the same pattern to develop Padmanabhpur village, Ganjam district, Orissa, famous for its weavers and folk dancers, into another heritage destination

    What can we learn from INTACH’s mission?

    • Sensitizing the public about the pluralistic cultural legacy of India
    • Instill a sense of social responsibility towards preserving India’s common heritage <Similar to our Fundamental Duty as per Article 51A>
    • Undertake emergency response measures during natural or man-made disasters and support the local administration whenever heritage is threatened

    In the next article, we will learn about few notable Autonomous Institutions promoting Arts under Ministry of Culture. This will include Sahitya Akademi and others.

     

    Published with inputs from Amar | Pic: Hindu, Tvsarts

  • CAG AND Article 148(4) – Vinod Rai as BBB chairman

    APPOINTMENT OF VINOD RAI AS CHAIRMAN OF Banks’ Board Bureau (BBB)
    The Comptroller and Auditor-General shall not be eligible for further office either under the Government of India or under the Government of any State after he has ceased to hold his office.

    The argument that the BBB Chairman does not draw any salary from Consolidated Fund of India and post of BBB Chairman being part-time exclude application of article 148(4).

    Is BBB not a office under Government of India ?

  • Coal is parching the planet as well as cooking it!

    source: Greenpeace Report

    The coal industry’s effects on water-deficient areas in the near future poses the most serious threat to water security around the world.

    Greenpeace’s analysis of the global coal-water conflict shows that the five countries with the highest water consumption by current coal power plants in red-list areas are, in order of magnitude, China, India, US, Kazakhstan and Canada.

    The world is reliant on coal for around 40% of its electricity generation and fast-growing countries such as Pakistan, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand are expected to join Asia’s three largest economies China, Japan and India in becoming big burners of coal.

    Although countries agreed to include 1.5C and 2C temperature targets in the Paris Climate Agreement signed in Paris last December, only a scaling up of national climate targets, and a major reallocation of energy finance, are likely to deliver a decisive shift away from coal in the power generation mix.

    Recommendations

    To reduce the coal industry’s demands on water use, Greenpeace says water management should be taken into account in all regional planning, and major restrictions placed on coal industry projects when their water demand exceeds the availability of water.

    A phase-out of coal, a long-held goal of environmental groups, should be prioritised in areas of water stress, the report adds. Policymakers should also opt for renewables, which use much less water than coal.

     

    Published with inputs from thethirdpole

  • Prelims tit-bits- Polity part 5

    1. Sources of constitution

    • Fundamental rights from USA
    • DPSP from Ireland
    • Liberty, equality, fraternity, republic from France
    • Federation with strong centre and residuary powers with centre from Canada
    • Emergency provisions from Weimar constitution, Germany
    • Justice and Fundamental duties from USSR

    Discuss– Ideas borrowed from Australian and South African constitution

    2. Preamble of Constitution

    • It is based on objective resolution drafted and moved by Pt. Nehru
    • 3 words socialist, secular and integrity were added by 42nd amendment
    • Preamble is a part of constitution but not justiciable
    • Preamble can be amended subject to condition that no amendment is done to the basic features

    Discuss- Significance and importance of preamble

    3. Vidhan Parishads

    • Creation or abolition– Only parliament can do so by simple majority if concerned state legislature passes a resolution by special majority <2/3rd present and voting + majority of total>
    • Only instance where state legislature uses special majority
    • Minimum strength 40, maximum 1/3rd of assembly <maximum strength of assembly is 500>
    • It’s not coequal with assembly as-
    • If the bill originated in the council is rejected by assembly, it becomes dead
    • Bill originating in the assembly can be held back by the council for maximum 4 months <3 +1>
    • No provision for joint sitting

    Discuss- States with bicameral legislature

    Discuss- What happens if bill originating in assembly is rejected by the council

    4. Devices of Parliamentary Proceedings

    • 1st hour is question hour not zero hour
    • Zero hour is an indian innovation and not mentioned in the rule of procedure
    • Calling attention motion <call attention of minister> is also Indian innovation but mentioned in the rules of procedure
    • Adjournment motion is an extraordinary device to draw attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance.It involves an element of censure, thus can be moved only in LS
    • Motion of thanks is passed in both the houses after presidential address at the start of 1st session of every fiscal year <amendment to motion in RS is embarrassment to govt while in LS would amount to defeat of govt>

    Discuss – differences b/w no confidence motion and censure motion

    5. Executive

    • President is the head of state not the PM while PM is head of govt i.e all actions in the name of president not PM
    • In presidential system like US, president is both head of state and head of govt <no PM there >
    • President is bound by the advice of CoM though he can send back the advice for reconsideration once
    • President has vet power-
    • Absolute Veto – President refuses to give assent to the bill <private member’s bill, cabinet resigns>
    • Suspensive Veto – send the bill for reconsideration of house <can do it only once>
    • Pocket veto <Just sits on the bill, neither rejects nor ratifies

    Discuss – Veto power of Indian president v/s that of of Us president

    Discuss – Qualified Veto

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