💥UPSC 2026, 2027, 2028 UAP Mentorship (March Batch) + Access XFactor Notes & Microthemes PDF
Talk to mentor

Civilsdaily

Login

Search results for: “”

  • Prelims Spotlight: Key/Important Terms related to Ancient/ Medieval History

    Dear Aspirants,

    This Spotlight is a part of our Mission Nikaalo Prelims-2022.

    You can check the broad timetable of Nikaalo Prelims here

    Session Details

    Morning 12 PM  – Prelims Spotlight Session

    Evening 06:30  PM  – TIKDAM/MCQs Session

    Noon 03:00 PM – CSAT Google Meet Session

    Evening 08 PM  – Tests on Alternate Days

    Join our Official telegram channel for Study material for GS and CSAT Here

    28th March 2022
    Important officers and their role in the Maurya Empire
    1. Sannidhata – Treasurer and keeper of the stores in Maurya Period. He was in charge of the collection of revenue from various parts of the kingdom and looked after the income and expenditure by supervising the works of akshapataladhyaksha (Accountant-General)
    2. Samharta– His function was to collect Revenue both in cash and kind.
    3. Amatyas–They were some sort of administrative personnel or civil servants who filled the highest administrative and judicial appointments.
    4. Rajukas–Ashoka appointed a class of officers known as the Rajukas, who were vested with the authority of rewarding as well we punishing people.
    5. Adhyaksas-­ The officers who looked after the various departments.
    6. Yuktas- They appear to have been the subordinate official whose duties were largely secretarial works and accounting.
    7. Gopa and Sthanika- There was an intermediate level of administration between the district level and village level, which was administered by the Gopa and Sthanikas.
    8. Gramika- Head of the village. He was not a paid servant and was chosen among village elders.
    9. Grambhojaka- Gramika was helped by Grambhojaka.
    10. Pramukha- Eighteen chief handicrafts of the time were organised in guilds called as Shrenis, the president of Shrenis was known as Pramukha.

    Important officers of the Gupta empire

    1. Uparika- He was directly appointed by the king as a provincial governor.
    2. Kumaramatyas- A link between the central and the provincial administration under the Guptas was provided by the officers called Kumaramatyas and Ayuktas. Kumaramatyas was a body of top-ranking officials attached not only to the king but also to the crown-prince and sometimes placed in charge of district.
    3. Gopasramin- In Samudraguptas period an officer working as akshapataladhikrita. Their function was to enter numerous matters in the accounts register, recover royal dues and to check embezzlement and recover fines.
    4. Sandhivigrahika-The foreign minister, minister of war and peace. First appeared under the rule of Samudragupta.
    5. Mahabaldikarta-Commander-in-Chief.
    6. Mahadandanayaka-
    7. Mahapratihara- Chief of palace guards.
    8. Pustapala- Record-keeper. Maintained record of land transactions in a district. They were also known as Karanika.
    9. Vishaya- Vishayas were divided into smaller parts called Vithis which were the villages and consisted of the lowest unit of administration.
    10. Mahattama,Mahattaka and Mahattara- Elder who assisted the Gramika in the village administration.
    11. Agharikas- During the reign of Harsha, Agharikas looked after the land given in charity.
    12. Samantas- Feudal chiefs.

    Important officers of Satvahana Period

    1. Uparakshita- In Satvahanas kingdom, their function was building caves for monks.
    2. Gaulamika- Administration of the villages was placed under them in the Satvahana period.
    3. Valaikkarars- Troops in the royal service and were the bodyguard of the monarch.

     

    Medieval India

    Amils– Revenue officers

    Arz-i-mamalik– Minister in-charge of the army of the whole country.

    Ahl-i-qalam– Reporter

    Baqqal– Trader, grain-dealer

    Batai– Division of crop between the cultivator and landlord or the government, payments may be in

    kind or cash

    Barid- An intelligence officer appointed by the state to collect information

    Chachar– Land out of cultivation for 3-4 years.

    Chaauth or Chauthaai– One-fourth of the land revenue, originally a Zamindari charge in Gujrat demanded by Shivaji as a war expense.

    Charai– A tax on cattle.

    Dagh System– A system of branding of horses and animal.

    Dam- A copper coin considered as 1/40* the silver rupee for the official purposes.

    Dastur-al-amal- Rule book

    Dhimmi-  A non-Muslim client or subject

    Darul Mulk- Capital

    Gumashta- An agent or representative

    Hamam– A room for the bath of hot and cold water

    Hundi- A bill of exchange

    Jamabandi– Settlement of the amount of revenue assessed upon an estate or district

    Jarib– A measurement, land measurement or survey

    Jihat– Extra cesses

    Jizya– (a) In the literature of Delhi sultanate, any tax which is not kharaj or land tax

    (b) In the Shariat, a personal and yearly tax on non-Muslims.

    Kankut– Estimation of land revenue

    Karori– A revenue officer.

    Khiraj– Land revenue

    Mahal- A group of land regarded as a unit for land revenue purposes.

    Mansab– A military rank conferred by the Mughal emperor.

    Mauza- Revenue term for village

    Mokasa- Grant of land for military service, rent-free land.

    Nabud– Remission of land revenue on account of natural disasters.

    Paibaqi- Land reserved for allotment in jagir

    Polaj- Land continuously in cultivation

    Sarrafs– Money Chargers, bankers

    Saurghal-Rent-free land

    Taqavi- Advance of money for sowing or extending cultivation

    Upari- Temporary occupant; tenant at will.

    Usar- Barren land

    Zawabit- Secular laws

    Read More keywords here

  • What is the 3-2-1-0 E Method of Solving UPSC Prelims Paper? || Free Q& A Webinar by IAS Officer Kunal Chavan, Orissa Cadre [2020 Batch]|| Limited Slots Available, Register Now to Get Tikdam: Art of Elimination Handbook for Free|| Also Read: 41 out of 50 Smash Mains 2021 Aspirants Qualify for Interview This Year, They Share Their Joy with Us

    What is the 3-2-1-0 E Method of Solving UPSC Prelims Paper? || Free Q& A Webinar by IAS Officer Kunal Chavan, Orissa Cadre [2020 Batch]|| Limited Slots Available, Register Now to Get Tikdam: Art of Elimination Handbook for Free|| Also Read: 41 out of 50 Smash Mains 2021 Aspirants Qualify for Interview This Year, They Share Their Joy with Us

    Civilsdaily Team is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

    Ask Me Anything || What is the 3-2-1-0 E Method of Solving UPSC Prelims Paper? || by IAS Kunal Chavan (2020 Batch)
    Date & Time: Mar 27, 2022 @08:00 PM (Start Login By 07:45 PM) India

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://zoom.us/j/92159262670?pwd=Vit5azdNaUdpUnZGRFJmU1dGalFFZz09

    Meeting ID: 921 5926 2670
    Passcode: 537992

    register for the free live q&A webinar with ias officer kunal chavan
    Quick Note Before Webinar Annoucement:

    As UPSC Mains results were announced last week, Sajal sir (Co-Founder of Civilsdaily and Mentor of Smash Mains 2021 Program) was flooded with calls by delighted aspirants who thanked him for his mentorship. Sajal Sir himself is the topper of GS 2017 Mains paper and mentor of 400 UPSC Toppers.

    After a quick check, we found out 41 Smash Mains students are qualified to attend the interview this year. As we are waiting for their interview results, we will not be announcing their names right now. However, we are sharing the testimonials of the qualified aspirants. We wish them all the very best!

    How Do You Solve UPSC-CSE Prelims Papers?

    register here for the free live webinar by kunal chavan sir

    What would you do if UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam was conducted right now? What method would you use to solve the question paper? Would you start with Question 1 and work your way  up to the 100th question, or would you take a different approach? Given  the possibility of negative marking, how many questions would you  generally  attempt?

    Any UPSC-CSE topper who has successfully cleared the Prelims exam, use the 3-2-1-0 E method, otherwise also called the 100-50-33-25 per cent method. What’s that?

    Free Live Q&A Webinar with IAS Officer Kunal Chavan

    register here for the free live webinar by kunal chavan sir

    The 3-2-1-0 E Method is nothing but the 4 stages of answering the UPSC Prelims paper. In the first round, you have to answer those questions you are 100% sure of (i.e you can eliminate all the 3 options), in the second round, answer those questions you are 50% sure of (can eliminate only 2 options) and the third round answer those question you are only 33% sure of (can eliminate only 1 option). Finally, just check those questions where you are unable to eliminate any options. To be on a safer side, leave those questions unanswered.

    However, since UPSC prelims is a competitive exam, what can we do about those questions where you are 50-25% sure of? How do you find the right answers using your exisiting knowledge? This free live webinar, we have invited IAS officer Kunal Chavan to help you out.

    IAS Officer Kunal Chavan belongs to the Orissa cadre. He started his UPSC-CSE preparation in 2015. The first time he was unable to clear prelims. In the next three attempts, he reached the interview stage. Finally he cleared the exam with an All India Rank 211 to become an IAS officer.

    What Will You Learn in This Q&A Webinar with IAS Officer Kunal Chavan

    1. Analysing a test when attempting the paper. How to save time while answering each question?

    2. What was the change in Kunal’s strategy after 2015? He will talk about the mistakes he made while studying for his first attempt.

    3. The online revision sources Kunal used in the last few days to prelims. Why is it important to revise online sources of those topics you couldn’t score well in your test series?

    4. The static part of current affairs and the dynamic part of NCERTs and standard books. What’s that?

    5. How to use elimination techniques for each of the 4 rounds? Kunal Chavan speaks from his experience.

    6. Finding hints in prelims questions. Kunal Chavan IAS will conduct live demonstration of certain UPSC questions.

    7. The important prelims topics for 2022. Kunal Chavan IAS will list out the important topics for every subject.

    Webinar Details

    The free live webinar will be mostly in Q&A format, where IAS officer Kunal Chavan will answer every aspirant’s doubts. Since, it’s only a 1-hour session, the intake is limited. Hence, fill the registration form ASAP to confirm you slot!

    Date: 27 March, 2022

    Time: 8PM

    register here for the free live q&A webinar by kunal chavan sir

  • Free Live Webinar Today @ 8PM, Registrations Closing in 4Hrs||What is the 3-2-1-0 E Method of Solving UPSC Prelims Paper? || Free Q& A Webinar by IAS Officer Kunal Chavan, Orissa Cadre [2020 Batch]|| Limited Slots Available, Register Now to Get Tikdam: Art of Elimination Handbook for Free|| Also Read: 41 out of 50 Smash Mains 2021 Aspirants Qualify for Interview This Year, They Share Their Joy with Us

    Free Live Webinar Today @ 8PM, Registrations Closing in 4Hrs||What is the 3-2-1-0 E Method of Solving UPSC Prelims Paper? || Free Q& A Webinar by IAS Officer Kunal Chavan, Orissa Cadre [2020 Batch]|| Limited Slots Available, Register Now to Get Tikdam: Art of Elimination Handbook for Free|| Also Read: 41 out of 50 Smash Mains 2021 Aspirants Qualify for Interview This Year, They Share Their Joy with Us

    register for the free live q&A webinar with ias officer kunal chavan
    Quick Note Before Webinar Annoucement:

    As UPSC Mains results were announced last week, Sajal sir (Co-Founder of Civilsdaily and Mentor of Smash Mains 2021 Program) was flooded with calls by delighted aspirants who thanked him for his mentorship. Sajal Sir himself is the topper of GS 2017 Mains paper and mentor of 400 UPSC Toppers.

    After a quick check, we found out 41 Smash Mains students are qualified to attend the interview this year. As we are waiting for their interview results, we will not be announcing their names right now. However, we are sharing the testimonials of the qualified aspirants. We wish them all the very best!

    How Do You Solve UPSC-CSE Prelims Papers?

    register here for the free live webinar by kunal chavan sir

    What would you do if UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam was conducted right now? What method would you use to solve the question paper? Would you start with Question 1 and work your way  up to the 100th question, or would you take a different approach? Given  the possibility of negative marking, how many questions would you  generally  attempt?

    Any UPSC-CSE topper who has successfully cleared the Prelims exam, use the 3-2-1-0 E method, otherwise also called the 100-50-33-25 per cent method. What’s that?

    Free Live Q&A Webinar with IAS Officer Kunal Chavan

    register here for the free live webinar by kunal chavan sir

    The 3-2-1-0 E Method is nothing but the 4 stages of answering the UPSC Prelims paper. In the first round, you have to answer those questions you are 100% sure of (i.e you can eliminate all the 3 options), in the second round, answer those questions you are 50% sure of (can eliminate only 2 options) and the third round answer those question you are only 33% sure of (can eliminate only 1 option). Finally, just check those questions where you are unable to eliminate any options. To be on a safer side, leave those questions unanswered.

    However, since UPSC prelims is a competitive exam, what can we do about those questions where you are 50-25% sure of? How do you find the right answers using your exisiting knowledge? This free live webinar, we have invited IAS officer Kunal Chavan to help you out.

    IAS Officer Kunal Chavan belongs to the Orissa cadre. He started his UPSC-CSE preparation in 2015. The first time he was unable to clear prelims. In the next three attempts, he reached the interview stage. Finally he cleared the exam with an All India Rank 211 to become an IAS officer.

    What Will You Learn in This Q&A Webinar with IAS Officer Kunal Chavan

    1. Analysing a test when attempting the paper. How to save time while answering each question?

    2. What was the change in Kunal’s strategy after 2015? He will talk about the mistakes he made while studying for his first attempt.

    3. The online revision sources Kunal used in the last few days to prelims. Why is it important to revise online sources of those topics you couldn’t score well in your test series?

    4. The static part of current affairs and the dynamic part of NCERTs and standard books. What’s that?

    5. How to use elimination techniques for each of the 4 rounds? Kunal Chavan speaks from his experience.

    6. Finding hints in prelims questions. Kunal Chavan IAS will conduct live demonstration of certain UPSC questions.

    7. The important prelims topics for 2022. Kunal Chavan IAS will list out the important topics for every subject.

    Webinar Details

    The free live webinar will be mostly in Q&A format, where IAS officer Kunal Chavan will answer every aspirant’s doubts. Since, it’s only a 1-hour session, the intake is limited. Hence, fill the registration form ASAP to confirm you slot!

    Date: 27 March, 2022

    Time: 8PM

    register here for the free live q&A webinar by kunal chavan sir

  • Free Live Webinar Today @ 8PM, Registrations Closing Soon||What is the 3-2-1-0 E Method of Solving UPSC Prelims Paper? || Free Q& A Webinar by IAS Officer Kunal Chavan, Orissa Cadre [2020 Batch]|| Limited Slots Available, Register Now to Get Tikdam: Art of Elimination Handbook for Free|| Also Read: 41 out of 50 Smash Mains 2021 Aspirants Qualify for Interview This Year, They Share Their Joy with Us

    Free Live Webinar Today @ 8PM, Registrations Closing Soon||What is the 3-2-1-0 E Method of Solving UPSC Prelims Paper? || Free Q& A Webinar by IAS Officer Kunal Chavan, Orissa Cadre [2020 Batch]|| Limited Slots Available, Register Now to Get Tikdam: Art of Elimination Handbook for Free|| Also Read: 41 out of 50 Smash Mains 2021 Aspirants Qualify for Interview This Year, They Share Their Joy with Us

    register for the free live q&A webinar with ias officer kunal chavan
    Quick Note Before Webinar Annoucement:

    As UPSC Mains results were announced last week, Sajal sir (Co-Founder of Civilsdaily and Mentor of Smash Mains 2021 Program) was flooded with calls by delighted aspirants who thanked him for his mentorship. Sajal Sir himself is the topper of GS 2017 Mains paper and mentor of 400 UPSC Toppers.

    After a quick check, we found out 41 Smash Mains students are qualified to attend the interview this year. As we are waiting for their interview results, we will not be announcing their names right now. However, we are sharing the testimonials of the qualified aspirants. We wish them all the very best!

    How Do You Solve UPSC-CSE Prelims Papers?

    register here for the free live webinar by kunal chavan sir

    What would you do if UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam was conducted right now? What method would you use to solve the question paper? Would you start with Question 1 and work your way  up to the 100th question, or would you take a different approach? Given  the possibility of negative marking, how many questions would you  generally  attempt?

    Any UPSC-CSE topper who has successfully cleared the Prelims exam, use the 3-2-1-0 E method, otherwise also called the 100-50-33-25 per cent method. What’s that?

    Free Live Q&A Webinar with IAS Officer Kunal Chavan

    register here for the free live webinar by kunal chavan sir

    The 3-2-1-0 E Method is nothing but the 4 stages of answering the UPSC Prelims paper. In the first round, you have to answer those questions you are 100% sure of (i.e you can eliminate all the 3 options), in the second round, answer those questions you are 50% sure of (can eliminate only 2 options) and the third round answer those question you are only 33% sure of (can eliminate only 1 option). Finally, just check those questions where you are unable to eliminate any options. To be on a safer side, leave those questions unanswered.

    However, since UPSC prelims is a competitive exam, what can we do about those questions where you are 50-25% sure of? How do you find the right answers using your exisiting knowledge? This free live webinar, we have invited IAS officer Kunal Chavan to help you out.

    IAS Officer Kunal Chavan belongs to the Orissa cadre. He started his UPSC-CSE preparation in 2015. The first time he was unable to clear prelims. In the next three attempts, he reached the interview stage. Finally he cleared the exam with an All India Rank 211 to become an IAS officer.

    What Will You Learn in This Q&A Webinar with IAS Officer Kunal Chavan

    1. Analysing a test when attempting the paper. How to save time while answering each question?

    2. What was the change in Kunal’s strategy after 2015? He will talk about the mistakes he made while studying for his first attempt.

    3. The online revision sources Kunal used in the last few days to prelims. Why is it important to revise online sources of those topics you couldn’t score well in your test series?

    4. The static part of current affairs and the dynamic part of NCERTs and standard books. What’s that?

    5. How to use elimination techniques for each of the 4 rounds? Kunal Chavan speaks from his experience.

    6. Finding hints in prelims questions. Kunal Chavan IAS will conduct live demonstration of certain UPSC questions.

    7. The important prelims topics for 2022. Kunal Chavan IAS will list out the important topics for every subject.

    Webinar Details

    The free live webinar will be mostly in Q&A format, where IAS officer Kunal Chavan will answer every aspirant’s doubts. Since, it’s only a 1-hour session, the intake is limited. Hence, fill the registration form ASAP to confirm you slot!

    Date: 27 March, 2022

    Time: 8PM

    register here for the free live q&A webinar by kunal chavan sir

  • What is the 3-2-1-0 E Method of Solving UPSC Prelims Paper? || Free Q& A Webinar by IAS Officer Kunal Chavan, Orissa Cadre [2020 Batch]|| Limited Slots Available, Register Now to Get Tikdam: Art of Elimination Handbook for Free|| Also Read: 41 out of 50 Smash Mains 2021 Aspirants Qualify for Interview This Year, They Share Their Joy with Us

    What is the 3-2-1-0 E Method of Solving UPSC Prelims Paper? || Free Q& A Webinar by IAS Officer Kunal Chavan, Orissa Cadre [2020 Batch]|| Limited Slots Available, Register Now to Get Tikdam: Art of Elimination Handbook for Free|| Also Read: 41 out of 50 Smash Mains 2021 Aspirants Qualify for Interview This Year, They Share Their Joy with Us

    register for the free live q&A webinar with ias officer kunal chavan
    Quick Note Before Webinar Annoucement:

    As UPSC Mains results were announced last week, Sajal sir (Co-Founder of Civilsdaily and Mentor of Smash Mains 2021 Program) was flooded with calls by delighted aspirants who thanked him for his mentorship. Sajal Sir himself is the topper of GS 2017 Mains paper and mentor of 400 UPSC Toppers.

    After a quick check, we found out 41 Smash Mains students are qualified to attend the interview this year. As we are waiting for their interview results, we will not be announcing their names right now. However, we are sharing the testimonials of the qualified aspirants. We wish them all the very best!

    How Do You Solve UPSC-CSE Prelims Papers?

    register here for the free live webinar by kunal chavan sir

    What would you do if UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam was conducted right now? What method would you use to solve the question paper? Would you start with Question 1 and work your way  up to the 100th question, or would you take a different approach? Given  the possibility of negative marking, how many questions would you  generally  attempt?

    Any UPSC-CSE topper who has successfully cleared the Prelims exam, use the 3-2-1-0 E method, otherwise also called the 100-50-33-25 per cent method. What’s that?

    Free Live Q&A Webinar with IAS Officer Kunal Chavan

    register here for the free live webinar by kunal chavan sir

    The 3-2-1-0 E Method is nothing but the 4 stages of answering the UPSC Prelims paper. In the first round, you have to answer those questions you are 100% sure of (i.e you can eliminate all the 3 options), in the second round, answer those questions you are 50% sure of (can eliminate only 2 options) and the third round answer those question you are only 33% sure of (can eliminate only 1 option). Finally, just check those questions where you are unable to eliminate any options. To be on a safer side, leave those questions unanswered.

    However, since UPSC prelims is a competitive exam, what can we do about those questions where you are 50-25% sure of? How do you find the right answers using your exisiting knowledge? This free live webinar, we have invited IAS officer Kunal Chavan to help you out.

    IAS Officer Kunal Chavan belongs to the Orissa cadre. He started his UPSC-CSE preparation in 2015. The first time he was unable to clear prelims. In the next three attempts, he reached the interview stage. Finally he cleared the exam with an All India Rank 211 to become an IAS officer.

    What Will You Learn in This Q&A Webinar with IAS Officer Kunal Chavan

    1. Analysing a test when attempting the paper. How to save time while answering each question?

    2. What was the change in Kunal’s strategy after 2015? He will talk about the mistakes he made while studying for his first attempt.

    3. The online revision sources Kunal used in the last few days to prelims. Why is it important to revise online sources of those topics you couldn’t score well in your test series?

    4. The static part of current affairs and the dynamic part of NCERTs and standard books. What’s that?

    5. How to use elimination techniques for each of the 4 rounds? Kunal Chavan speaks from his experience.

    6. Finding hints in prelims questions. Kunal Chavan IAS will conduct live demonstration of certain UPSC questions.

    7. The important prelims topics for 2022. Kunal Chavan IAS will list out the important topics for every subject.

    Webinar Details

    The free live webinar will be mostly in Q&A format, where IAS officer Kunal Chavan will answer every aspirant’s doubts. Since, it’s only a 1-hour session, the intake is limited. Hence, fill the registration form ASAP to confirm you slot!

    Date: 27 March, 2022

    Time: 8PM

    register here for the free live q&A webinar by kunal chavan sir

  • What is the 3-2-1-0 E Method of Solving UPSC Prelims Paper? || Free Q& A Webinar by IAS Officer Kunal Chavan, Orissa Cadre [2020 Batch]|| Limited Slots Available, Register Now to Get Tikdam: Art of Elimination Handbook for Free|| Also Read: 41 out of 50 Smash Mains 2021 Aspirants Qualify for Interview This Year, They Share Their Joy with Us

    What is the 3-2-1-0 E Method of Solving UPSC Prelims Paper? || Free Q& A Webinar by IAS Officer Kunal Chavan, Orissa Cadre [2020 Batch]|| Limited Slots Available, Register Now to Get Tikdam: Art of Elimination Handbook for Free|| Also Read: 41 out of 50 Smash Mains 2021 Aspirants Qualify for Interview This Year, They Share Their Joy with Us

    register for the free live q&A webinar with ias officer kunal chavan
    Quick Note Before Webinar Annoucement:

    As UPSC Mains results were announced last week, Sajal sir (Co-Founder of Civilsdaily and Mentor of Smash Mains 2021 Program) was flooded with calls by delighted aspirants who thanked him for his mentorship. Sajal Sir himself is the topper of GS 2017 Mains paper and mentor of 400 UPSC Toppers.

    After a quick check, we found out 41 Smash Mains students are qualified to attend the interview this year. As we are waiting for their interview results, we will not be announcing their names right now. However, we are sharing the testimonials of the qualified aspirants. We wish them all the very best!

    How Do You Solve UPSC-CSE Prelims Papers?

    register here for the free live webinar by kunal chavan sir

    What would you do if UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam was conducted right now? What method would you use to solve the question paper? Would you start with Question 1 and work your way  up to the 100th question, or would you take a different approach? Given  the possibility of negative marking, how many questions would you  generally  attempt?

    Any UPSC-CSE topper who has successfully cleared the Prelims exam, use the 3-2-1-0 E method, otherwise also called the 100-50-33-25 per cent method. What’s that?

    Free Live Q&A Webinar with IAS Officer Kunal Chavan

    register here for the free live webinar by kunal chavan sir

    The 3-2-1-0 E Method is nothing but the 4 stages of answering the UPSC Prelims paper. In the first round, you have to answer those questions you are 100% sure of (i.e you can eliminate all the 3 options), in the second round, answer those questions you are 50% sure of (can eliminate only 2 options) and the third round answer those question you are only 33% sure of (can eliminate only 1 option). Finally, just check those questions where you are unable to eliminate any options. To be on a safer side, leave those questions unanswered.

    However, since UPSC prelims is a competitive exam, what can we do about those questions where you are 50-25% sure of? How do you find the right answers using your exisiting knowledge? This free live webinar, we have invited IAS officer Kunal Chavan to help you out.

    IAS Officer Kunal Chavan belongs to the Orissa cadre. He started his UPSC-CSE preparation in 2015. The first time he was unable to clear prelims. In the next three attempts, he reached the interview stage. Finally he cleared the exam with an All India Rank 211 to become an IAS officer.

    What Will You Learn in This Q&A Webinar with IAS Officer Kunal Chavan

    1. Analysing a test when attempting the paper. How to save time while answering each question?

    2. What was the change in Kunal’s strategy after 2015? He will talk about the mistakes he made while studying for his first attempt.

    3. The online revision sources Kunal used in the last few days to prelims. Why is it important to revise online sources of those topics you couldn’t score well in your test series?

    4. The static part of current affairs and the dynamic part of NCERTs and standard books. What’s that?

    5. How to use elimination techniques for each of the 4 rounds? Kunal Chavan speaks from his experience.

    6. Finding hints in prelims questions. Kunal Chavan IAS will conduct live demonstration of certain UPSC questions.

    7. The important prelims topics for 2022. Kunal Chavan IAS will list out the important topics for every subject.

    Webinar Details

    The free live webinar will be mostly in Q&A format, where IAS officer Kunal Chavan will answer every aspirant’s doubts. Since, it’s only a 1-hour session, the intake is limited. Hence, fill the registration form ASAP to confirm you slot!

    Date: 27 March, 2022

    Time: 8PM

    register here for the free live q&A webinar by kunal chavan sir

  • Forging a social contract for data

    Context

    The Draft India Data Accessibility and Use Policy 2022 released in February for public consultation, is silent on the norms, rules, and mechanisms to bring to fruition its vision.

    Aims of the policy

    • The Draft Policy aims for harnessing public sector data for informed decision-making, citizen-centric delivery of public services, and economy-wide digital innovation.
    • It seeks to maximise access to and use of quality non-personal data (NPD) available with the public sector, overcoming a number of historical bottlenecks.
    • This GovTech 3.0 approach — to unlock the valuable resource of public sector data — does upgrade the OGD vision of the National Data Sharing and Accessibility Policy (NDSAP), 2012.
    • It seeks to harness data-based intelligence for governance and economic development.

    What is lacking in the draft policy?

    • Lacking in norms and rules: The Draft Policy is silent on the norms, rules, and mechanisms to bring to fruition its vision of data-supported social transformation.
    • Ignores the canons of RTI: Any attempt to promote meaningful citizen engagement with data cannot afford to ignore the canons of the Right to Information (RTI), and hence, the need for certain citizen data sets with personal identifiers to be in the public domain, towards making proactive disclosure meaningful.
    •  The unfinished task of the NDSAP in bringing coherence between restrictions on the availability of sensitive personal information in the public domain and India’s RTI, therefore, has been lost sight of.
    • Risks to group privacy: With respect to government-to-government data sharing for citizen-centric service delivery, the Draft Policy highlights that approved data inventories will be federated into a government-wide, searchable database.
    •  But even in the case of anonymised citizen data sets (that is no longer personal data), downstream processing can pose serious risks to group privacy.
    • Lack of data trusteeship framework: The Draft Policy adheres to the NDSAP paradigm of treating government agencies as ‘owners’ of the data sets they have collected and compiled instead of shifting to the trusteeship paradigm recommended by the 2020 Report of the MEITY Committee of Experts on non-personal data governance.
    • The lack of a data trusteeship framework gives government agencies unilateral privileges to determine the terms of data licensing.

    Suggestions

    • Taking on board a trusteeship-based approach, the proposed Draft Policy must pay attention to data quality, and ensure that licensing frameworks and any associated costs do not pose an impediment to data accessibility for non-commercial purposes.
    • Create common and interoperable data spaces: In the current context, where the most valuable data resources are held by the private sector, it is increasingly evident to policymakers that socioeconomic innovation depends on the state’s ability to catalyse wide-ranging data-sharing from both public and private sector actors across various sectors.
    • The European Union, for instance, has focused on the creation of common, interoperable data spaces to encourage voluntary data-sharing in specific domains such as health, energy and agriculture.
    • Mandatory data sharing arrangement: Creating the right conditions for voluntary data-sharing is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for democratising data innovation.
    • In this regard, the data stewardship model for high-value data sets proposed by the MEITY’s Committee of Experts in their Report on Non-Personal Data Governance (2020) is instructive.
    • In this model, a government/not-for-profit organisation may request the Non-Personal Data Authority or NPDA for the creation of a high-value data set (only non-personal data) in a particular sector, demonstrating the specific public interest purpose.
    • Once such a request is approved by the NPDA, the data trustee has the right to request data-sharing from all major custodians of data sets corresponding to the high-value data set category in question – both public and private.

    Conclusion

    • What we need is a new social contract for data whereby:
    • a) the social commons of data are governed as an inappropriable commons that belong to all citizens;
    • b) the government is the custodian or trustee with fiduciary responsibility to promote data use for public good; and
    • c) democratisation of data value is ensured through accountable institutional mechanisms for data governance.

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • What is the 3-2-1-0 E Method of Solving UPSC Prelims Paper? || Free Q& A Webinar by IAS Officer Kunal Chavan, Orissa Cadre [2020 Batch]|| Limited Slots Available, Register Now to Get Tikdam: Art of Elimination Handbook for Free|| Also Read: 41 out of 50 Smash Mains 2021 Aspirants Qualify for Interview This Year, They Share Their Joy with Us

    What is the 3-2-1-0 E Method of Solving UPSC Prelims Paper? || Free Q& A Webinar by IAS Officer Kunal Chavan, Orissa Cadre [2020 Batch]|| Limited Slots Available, Register Now to Get Tikdam: Art of Elimination Handbook for Free|| Also Read: 41 out of 50 Smash Mains 2021 Aspirants Qualify for Interview This Year, They Share Their Joy with Us

    register for the free live q&A webinar with ias officer kunal chavan
    Quick Note Before Webinar Annoucement:

    As UPSC Mains results were announced last week, Sajal sir (Co-Founder of Civilsdaily and Mentor of Smash Mains 2021 Program) was flooded with calls by delighted aspirants who thanked him for his mentorship. Sajal Sir himself is the topper of GS 2017 Mains paper and mentor of 400 UPSC Toppers.

    After a quick check, we found out 41 Smash Mains students are qualified to attend the interview this year. As we are waiting for their interview results, we will not be announcing their names right now. However, we are sharing the testimonials of the qualified aspirants. We wish them all the very best!

    How Do You Solve UPSC-CSE Prelims Papers?

    register here for the free live webinar by kunal chavan sir

    What would you do if UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam was conducted right now? What method would you use to solve the question paper? Would you start with Question 1 and work your way  up to the 100th question, or would you take a different approach? Given  the possibility of negative marking, how many questions would you  generally  attempt?

    Any UPSC-CSE topper who has successfully cleared the Prelims exam, use the 3-2-1-0 E method, otherwise also called the 100-50-33-25 per cent method. What’s that?

    Free Live Q&A Webinar with IAS Officer Kunal Chavan

    register here for the free live webinar by kunal chavan sir

    The 3-2-1-0 E Method is nothing but the 4 stages of answering the UPSC Prelims paper. In the first round, you have to answer those questions you are 100% sure of (i.e you can eliminate all the 3 options), in the second round, answer those questions you are 50% sure of (can eliminate only 2 options) and the third round answer those question you are only 33% sure of (can eliminate only 1 option). Finally, just check those questions where you are unable to eliminate any options. To be on a safer side, leave those questions unanswered.

    However, since UPSC prelims is a competitive exam, what can we do about those questions where you are 50-25% sure of? How do you find the right answers using your exisiting knowledge? This free live webinar, we have invited IAS officer Kunal Chavan to help you out.

    IAS Officer Kunal Chavan belongs to the Orissa cadre. He started his UPSC-CSE preparation in 2015. The first time he was unable to clear prelims. In the next three attempts, he reached the interview stage. Finally he cleared the exam with an All India Rank 211 to become an IAS officer.

    What Will You Learn in This Q&A Webinar with IAS Officer Kunal Chavan

    1. Analysing a test when attempting the paper. How to save time while answering each question?

    2. What was the change in Kunal’s strategy after 2015? He will talk about the mistakes he made while studying for his first attempt.

    3. The online revision sources Kunal used in the last few days to prelims. Why is it important to revise online sources of those topics you couldn’t score well in your test series?

    4. The static part of current affairs and the dynamic part of NCERTs and standard books. What’s that?

    5. How to use elimination techniques for each of the 4 rounds? Kunal Chavan speaks from his experience.

    6. Finding hints in prelims questions. Kunal Chavan IAS will conduct live demonstration of certain UPSC questions.

    7. The important prelims topics for 2022. Kunal Chavan IAS will list out the important topics for every subject.

    Webinar Details

    The free live webinar will be mostly in Q&A format, where IAS officer Kunal Chavan will answer every aspirant’s doubts. Since, it’s only a 1-hour session, the intake is limited. Hence, fill the registration form ASAP to confirm you slot!

    Date: 27 March, 2022

    Time: 8PM

    register here for the free live q&A webinar by kunal chavan sir

  • Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022

    The Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022 was tabled in Lok Sabha.

    What is the MCD Amendment Bill?

    • The Bill seeks to amend The Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, to effectively undo the earlier 2011 amendment to the Act.
    • Under the 2011 Act, the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was trifurcated into separate North, South, and East Delhi Municipal Corporations.

    Key features of the Bill

    (1) Unification of Municipal Corporations in Delhi:

    • The Bill replaces the three municipal corporations under the Act with one Corporation named the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

    (2) Powers of the Delhi government:

    • The Act as amended in 2011 empowers the Delhi government to decide various matters under the Act.
    • These include:
    1. Total number of seats of councillors and number of seats reserved for members of the Scheduled Castes,
    2. Division of the area of corporations into zones and wards,
    3. Delimitation of wards,
    4. Matters such as salary and allowances, and leave of absence of the Commissioner,
    5. Sanctioning of consolidation of loans by a corporation, and
    6. Sanctioning suits for compensation against the Commissioner for loss or waste or misapplication of Municipal Fund or property
    • Similarly, the Act mandates that the Commissioner will exercise his powers regarding building regulations under the general superintendence and directions of Delhi government.
    • The Bill instead empowers the central government to decide these matters.

    (3) Number of councillors:

    • The Act provides that the number of seats in the three corporations taken together should not be more than 272.
    • The 14th Schedule to the Act specifies 272 wards across the three Corporations.
    • The Bill states that the total number of seats in the new Corporation should not be more than 250.

    (4) Removal of Director of Local Bodies:

    • The Act provides for a Director of Local Bodies to assist the Delhi government and discharge certain functions which include:
    1. Coordinating between Corporations,
    2. Framing recruitment Rules for various posts, and
    3. Coordinating the collecting and sharing of toll tax collected by the respective Corporations.
    • The Bill omits this provision for a Director of Local Bodies.

    (5) Special officer to be appointed by the central government:

    • The Bill provides that the central government may appoint a Special Officer to exercise powers of the Corporation until the first meeting of the Corporation is held after the commencement of the Bill.

    (6) E-governance system for citizens:

    • The Bill adds that obligatory functions of the new Corporation will include establishing an e-governance system for citizen services on anytime-anywhere basis for better, accountable, and transparent administration.

    (7) Conditions of service for sweepers:

    • The Act provides that a sweeper employed for doing house scavenging of a building would be required to give a reasonable cause or a 14 day notice before discontinuing his service.
    • The Bill seeks to omit this provision.

    Issues with the Amendment Bill

    The Bill, when passed, will not return the MCD exactly to its pre-2011 situation.  There are many sections in the Bill that will make the new MCD very different from the older one.

    • New delimitation exercise: Reducing the number of seats means a new delimitation exercise will have to be conducted, which experts say will take at least three months, but is more likely to take six months.
    • Bureaucratization: Appointing a Special Officer means that until the elections are concluded, the Centre will likely appoint an officer to run the corporation. The Bill also does away with the provision of appointing a Director of Local Bodies by the Delhi government.
    • Central hegemony: The other significant change is the replacement of the word “government” with “Central government” in all places. The bill hence seeks to curtail the powers of the elected govt of New Delhi by introducing central hegemony.

     

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • How does the CBI take up cases?

    The Calcutta High Court has ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the killings in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, where eight persons were burnt alive.

    About CBI

    • The Bureau of Investigation traces its origins to the Delhi Special Police Establishment, a Central Government Police force, which was set up in 1941 by the Government of India.
    • It then aimed to investigate bribery and corruption in transactions with the War and Supply Department of India.
    • It then had its headquarters in Lahore.
    • After the end of the war, there was a continued need for a central governmental agency to investigate bribery and corruption by central-government employees.
    • The DSPE acquired its popular current name, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), through a Home Ministry resolution dated in 1963.

    Mandate of the CBI

    • The CBI is the main investigating agency of the GoI.
    • It is not a statutory body; it derives its powers from the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946.
    • Its important role is to prevent corruption and maintain integrity in administration.
    • It works under the supervision of the CVC (Central Vigilance Commission) in matters pertaining to the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
    • The CBI is also India’s official representative with the INTERPOL.

    Cases to investigate

    • Cases connected to infringement of economic and fiscal laws
    • Crimes of a serious nature that have national and international ramifications
    • Coordination with the activities of the various state police forces and anti-corruption agencies.
    • It can also take up any case of public importance and investigate it
    • Maintaining crime statistics and disseminating criminal information.

    How does the CBI take up cases?

    • Unlike the NIA, CBI cannot take suo motu cognizance of a case in a state — whether in a matter of corruption involving government officials of the Centre and PSU staff, or an incident of violent crime.
    • In order to take up corruption cases involving central government staff, it either needs general consent (see last question) of the state government, or specific consent on a case-to-case basis.
    • For all other cases, whether involving corruption in the state government or an incident of crime, the state has to request an investigation by the CBI, and the Centre has to agree to the same.
    • In case the state does not make such a request, the CBI can take over a case based on the orders of the High Court concerned or the Supreme Court.

    Can the CBI decline to take up a case for investigation?

    • After a state makes a request for an inquiry by the CBI, the Centre seeks the opinion of the agency.
    • If the CBI feels that it is not worthwhile for it to expend time and energy on the case, it may decline to take it up.
    • In the past, the CBI has refused to take over cases citing lack of enough personnel to investigate, and saying it is overburdened.

    What is the CBI’s workload currently?

    • According to the latest Annual Report of the Central Vigilance Commission, the CBI registered 608 FIRs in 2019 and 589 FIRs in 2020.
    • In 2020, a total 86 cases related to demands for bribes by public servants for showing favour, and 30 cases for possession of disproportionate assets were registered.
    • Out of 676 cases in the year (including FIRs and Preliminary Enquiries), 107 cases were taken up on the directions of constitutional courts and 39 on requests from state governments/ Union Territories.
    • Also, there are over 1,300 vacancies in the CBI.

    What is the CBI’s progress on cases?

    • At the end of 2020, the CBI had 1,117 cases (both FIRs and PEs) pending investigation. In 2019, this number stood at 1,239.
    • During 2020, investigation was finalised in 693 FIRs and 105 PEs.
    • The conviction rate during the year was 69.83% against 69.19% in 2019.
    • At the end of 2020, 9,757 cases were pending in various courts.
    • The conviction rate in corruption cases was slightly lower at 67% in 2020.
    • Almost 2,000 corruption cases are pending trial for more than 10 years.

    What is the role of state consent in an investigation by the CBI?

    • Since 2015, as many as nine states — Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Mizoram and Meghalaya — have withdrawn general consent to the CBI.
    • Opposition-ruled states have alleged the CBI has become its master’s voice, and has been unfairly targeting opposition politicians.
    • Withdrawal of general consent means that to probe any case in these states, CBI would have to take prior permission from the state government.
    • CBI has claimed that this has tied its hands.

    Also read

    [Burning Issue] Central Bureau of Investigation

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • [Burning Issue] Delhi-Centre Tussle

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

    Context

    Recently, the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022 was introduced in Lok Sabha. The Bill seeks to amend the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 passed by Parliament. The Act was earlier amended in 2011 by Delhi Legislative Assembly to trifurcate the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Delhi into:

    1. North Delhi Municipal Corporation
    2. South Delhi Municipal Corporation
    3. East Delhi Municipal Corporation

    The Bill seeks to unify the three corporations.

    What are the key features of the Bill?

    (1) Unification of Municipal Corporations in Delhi:

    • The Bill replaces the three municipal corporations under the Act with one Corporation named the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

    (2) Powers of the Delhi government:

    • The Act as amended in 2011 empowers the Delhi government to decide various matters under the Act.
    • These include:
    1. Total number of seats of councillors and number of seats reserved for members of the Scheduled Castes,
    2. Division of the area of corporations into zones and wards,
    3. Delimitation of wards,
    4. Matters such as salary and allowances, and leave of absence of the Commissioner,
    5. Sanctioning of consolidation of loans by a corporation, and
    6. Sanctioning suits for compensation against the Commissioner for loss or waste or misapplication of Municipal Fund or property
    • Similarly, the Act mandates that the Commissioner will exercise his powers regarding building regulations under the general superintendence and directions of Delhi government.
    • The Bill instead empowers the central government to decide these matters.

    (3) Number of councilors:

    • The Act provides that the number of seats in the three corporations taken together should not be more than 272.
    • The 14th Schedule to the Act specifies 272 wards across the three Corporations.
    • The Bill states that the total number of seats in the new Corporation should not be more than 250.

    (4) Removal of Director of Local Bodies:

    • The Act provides for a Director of Local Bodies to assist the Delhi government and discharge certain functions which include:
    1. Coordinating between Corporations,
    2. Framing recruitment Rules for various posts, and
    3. Coordinating the collecting and sharing of toll tax collected by the respective Corporations.
    • The Bill omits this provision for a Director of Local Bodies.

    (5) Special officer to be appointed by the central government:

    • The Bill provides that the central government may appoint a Special Officer to exercise powers of the Corporation until the first meeting of the Corporation is held after the commencement of the Bill.

    (6) E-governance system for citizens:

    • The Bill adds that obligatory functions of the new Corporation will include establishing an e-governance system for citizen services on anytime-anywhere basis for better, accountable, and transparent administration.

    (7) Conditions of service for sweepers:

    • The Act provides that a sweeper employed for doing house scavenging of a building would be required to give a reasonable cause or a 14 day notice before discontinuing his service.
    • The Bill seeks to omit this provision.

    What is the need for this unification?

    1. Creating compact municipalities in Delhi to provide more efficient civic services to the public has not been achieved.
      1. Instead, owing to inadequacies in resources and uncertainty in fund allocation and release, the three corporations have been facing huge financial hardships.
      1. This was making it difficult for them to maintain the civic services in Delhi at the desired levels.
    2. Trifurcation of the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Delhi was uneven in terms of territorial divisions and revenue generating potential.
      1. As a result, there was a huge gap in the resources available to the three corporations compared to their obligations.
      1. It says that the gap has grown, leading to delay in the payment of salaries and retirement benefits which have resulted in frequent strikes.

    What are the concerns, if enacted?

    • New delimitation exercise: Reducing the number of seats means a new delimitation exercise will have to be conducted, which experts say will take at least three months, but is more likely to take six months.
    • Bureaucratization: Appointing a Special Officer means that until the elections are concluded, the Centre will likely appoint an officer to run the corporation.
      • The Bill also does away with the provision of appointing a Director of Local Bodies by the Delhi government.
    • Central hegemony: The other significant change is the replacement of the word “government” with “Central government” in all places.
      • The bill hence seeks to curtail the powers of the elected govt of New Delhi by introducing central hegemony.

    But this is not the first time that there is a political tussle between the Delhi government and the center. There are various issues earlier which are important from the exam point of view. Let us discuss them.

    Jurisdictional conflict in the running of Delhi

    • Delhi Government had accused Lieutenant Governor (LG) of referring the decisions of an elected government to President and thus causing hurdles in governance 
    • The Centre, which appoints the L-G, contends that “for any Centrally administered territory and especially Delhi responsibility is on the Union Government”.
    • Also, Delhi, being a Union territory, does not have a cadre of officers of its own and is part of a common cadre shared with other UTs. Thus, the elected government of Delhi has less control over its officers.

    Supreme Court on Delhi Governance Structure

    •  Supreme Court view: Delhi Lieutenant Governor cannot act independently and must take the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.
    • All decisions by Delhi’s council of ministers must be communicated to the L-G but that does not mean his concurrence is required.
    • Except for issues of public order, police and land, the Lieutenant Governor is bound by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.
    • The LG has no independent authority to take decisions except in matters under Article 239 or matters outside the purview of the government.
    • L-G cannot act as an obstructionist and can refer issues to the President when there is the difference of opinion on any matter (Article 239AA(4)). 
      • This should happen only in exceptional matters and not as a general rule
    • The government need not obtain LG concurrence in every issue of day-to-day governance. The national capital enjoys a special status and is not a full state.

    Government of National Capital Territory (GNCT) of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021

    The Act defines the responsibilities of the elected government and the L-G along with the “constitutional scheme of governance of the NCT” interpreted by the Supreme Court in recent judgments regarding the division of powers between the two entities.

    Provisions of the GNCT of Delhi (Amendment) Act 2021

    • It amended the Sections 21, 24, 33 and 44 of the 1991 Act.
    • States that the “government” in the National Capital Territory of Delhi meant the Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi.
    • It gives discretionary powers to the L-G even in matters where the Legislative Assembly of Delhi is empowered to make laws.
    • It seeks to ensure that the L-G is “necessarily granted an opportunity” to give her or his opinion before any decision taken by the Council of Ministers (or the Delhi Cabinet) is implemented.
    • It bars the Assembly or its committees from making rules to take up matters concerning day-to-day administration, or to conduct inquiries in relation to administrative decisions.

    Way Forward

    Greater transparency, improved governance, and more efficient delivery of civic service

    • According to Article 239AA of the Constitution of India, the Parliament has the power to amend or form laws on any matter formulated by the Delhi Assembly.
    • At the time when the MCD was trifurcated, the expectation was that it would lead to Delhi’s progress. It was thought that the services provided by the MCDs will improve and there will be welfare of its workers. But, the result was unsatisfactory in the last 10 years.
    • The Bill has been introduced for greater transparency, improved governance and more efficient delivery of civic service for the people of Delhi, and also to ease the financial crisis faced by MCDs at present.

    Delhi cannot be unitary

    • What distinguishes Delhi from other federal districts is sheer size. Its population would subsume the populations of the above-mentioned cities.
    • Its closest peer is Mexico City. In a significant development, Mexico City was upgraded from federal district to the country’s 32nd state in 2016.
    • This was driven by the desire to provide more responsive government for residents.

    Decentralization of decision-making is important

    • There are alternative ways in which both the central government as well as state authorities can partake jointly in the management of the city.
    • This might be achieved by a two-tier metropolitan authority.

    Control over police

    • Control over-policing has been a major point of contention in Delhi.
    • With the lone exception of Abuja, in other federal districts, the local governments have jurisdiction over at least some aspects of policing.

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • Noise Pollution in India

    The city of Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh is the second-most noise polluted city globally, according to a recent report title Frontier 2022 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

    What is Noise Pollution?

    • Noise pollution, also known as environmental noise or sound pollution, is the propagation of noise with ranging impacts on the activity of human or animal life, most of them harmful to a degree.
    • It is generally defined as regular exposure to elevated sound levels that may lead to adverse effects in humans or other living organisms.
    • The source of outdoor noise worldwide is mainly caused by machines, transport, and propagation systems.
    • Poor urban planning may give rise to noise disintegration or pollution, side-by-side industrial and residential buildings can result in noise pollution in the residential areas.
    • Some of the main sources of noise in residential areas include loud music, transportation (traffic, rail, airplanes, etc.), maintenance, construction, electrical generators, wind turbines, explosions, and people etc.

    Defining Noise Pollution

    • Sounds with a frequency over 70 db are considered harmful to health.
    • The World Health Organization (WHO) had recommended a 55 db standard for residential areas in the 1999 guidelines, while for traffic and business sectors, the limit was 70 db.
    • The WHO set the limit of noise pollution on the road at 53 db in 2018, taking into account health safety.

    Noise Pollution in India

    • The report identifies 13 noise polluted cities in south Asia. Five of these, including Moradabad, are in India, which have recorded alarming levels of noise pollution:
    1. Kolkata (89 db)
    2. Asansol (89 db)
    3. Jaipur (84 db)
    4. Delhi (83 db)
    • The noise pollution figures given in the report relate to daytime traffic or vehicles.
    • Moradabad has recorded noise pollution of a maximum of 114 decibels (db). The Frontier 2022 report mentions a total of 61 cities.

    Case in the neighborhood

    • The highest noise pollution of 119 db has been recorded in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.
    • At third place is Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, where the noise pollution level has been recorded at 105 db.

    Hazards created

    • High levels of noise pollution affect human health and well-being by having an effect on sleep.
    • This has a bad effect on the communication of many animal species living in the area and their ability to hear.
    • Regular exposure for eight hours a day to 85 decibels of sound can permanently eliminate the ability to hear.
    • Not only that, exposure to relatively low noise pollution for long periods in cities can harm physical and mental health.

     

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • Who are the Bucharest Nine (B9) Countries?

    The envoys to India of nine Eastern European countries called Bucharest Nine jointly wrote to acquaint the Indian public with the basic facts on the ground” about the “premeditated, unprovoked and unjustified Russian aggression in Ukraine”.

    What is Bucharest Nine?

    • The “Bucharest Nine” is a group of nine NATO countries in Eastern Europe that became part of the US-led military alliance after the end of the Cold War.
    • The Bucharest Nine or Bucharest Format, often abbreviated as the B9, was founded on November 4, 2015, and takes its name from Bucharest, the capital of Romania.
    • The group was created on the initiative of Klaus Iohannis, who has been President of Romania since 2014, and Andrzej Duda, who became President of Poland in August 2015.

    Composition

    • The B9 are, apart from Romania and Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the three Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
    • All members of the B9 are part of the European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
    • All nine countries were once closely associated with the now dissolved Soviet Union, but later chose the path of democracy.
    • Romania, Poland, Hungary, and Bulgaria are former signatories of the now-dissolved Warsaw Pact military alliance led by the Soviet Union.
    • The other Warsaw Pact countries were the erstwhile Czechoslovakia and East Germany, and Albania. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were part of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

    Functions of B9

    • The B9 offers a platform for deepening the dialogue and consultation among the participant allied states, in order to articulate their specific contribution to the ongoing processes across the North-Atlantic Alliance.
    • It works in total compliance with the principles of solidarity and indivisibility of the security of the NATO Member States.

    Opposition to Russian expansion

    • The B9 countries have been critical of President Vladimir Putin’s aggression against Ukraine since 2014, when the war in the Donbas started and Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula.
    • After the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the B9 met in Warsaw.
    • Ukraine’s President has also appealed to the B9 for defense aid, sanctions, pressure on the aggressor Russia and create one anti-war coalition.

     

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • Places in news: Solomon Islands

    The Solomon Islands has defended plans to sign a security deal with Beijing that could allow China to boost its military presence in the South Pacific island nation. This has left Australia very concerned.

    Solomon Islands

    • Solomon Islands is a sovereign country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and northwest of Vanuatu.
    • It has a land area of 28,400 square kilometres and a population of 652,858.[10] Its capital, Honiara, is located on the largest island, Guadalcanal.
    • The country takes its name from the Solomon Islands archipelago, which is a collection of Melanesian islands.
    • It also includes the North Solomon Islands (a part of Papua New Guinea), but excludes outlying islands, such as the Santa Cruz Islands and Rennell and Bellona.
    • The islands have been settled since at least some time between 30,000 and 28,800 BCE, with later waves of migrants, notably the Lapita people, mixing and producing the modern indigenous Solomon Islanders population.

     

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • 25th March 2022 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions

    [WpProQuiz 941]

    [WpProQuiz_toplist 941]

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • 25th March 2022 | Nikaalo Prelims-Current Affairs Test 3: September 2021

    [WpProQuiz 942]

    [WpProQuiz_toplist 942]

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • What is the 3-2-1-0 E Method of Solving UPSC Prelims Paper? || Free Q& A Webinar by IAS Officer Kunal Chavan, Orissa Cadre [2020 Batch]|| Limited Slots Available, Register Now to Get Tikdam: Art of Elimination Handbook for Free|| Also Read: 41 out of 50 Smash Mains 2021 Aspirants Qualify for Interview This Year, They Share Their Joy with Us

    What is the 3-2-1-0 E Method of Solving UPSC Prelims Paper? || Free Q& A Webinar by IAS Officer Kunal Chavan, Orissa Cadre [2020 Batch]|| Limited Slots Available, Register Now to Get Tikdam: Art of Elimination Handbook for Free|| Also Read: 41 out of 50 Smash Mains 2021 Aspirants Qualify for Interview This Year, They Share Their Joy with Us

    register for the free live q&A webinar with ias officer kunal chavan
    Quick Note Before Webinar Annoucement:

    As UPSC Mains results were announced last week, Sajal sir (Co-Founder of Civilsdaily and Mentor of Smash Mains 2021 Program) was flooded with calls by delighted aspirants who thanked him for his mentorship. Sajal Sir himself is the topper of GS 2017 Mains paper and mentor of 400 UPSC Toppers.

    After a quick check, we found out 41 Smash Mains students are qualified to attend the interview this year. As we are waiting for their interview results, we will not be announcing their names right now. However, we are sharing the testimonies of the qualified aspirants. We wish them all the very best!

    How Do You Solve UPSC-CSE Prelims Papers?

    register here for the free live webinar by kunal chavan sir

    What would you do if UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam was conducted right now? What method would you use to solve the question paper? Would you start with Question 1 and work your way  up to the 100th question, or would you take a different approach? Given the possibility of negative marking, how many questions would you generally  attempt?

    Any UPSC-CSE topper who has successfully cleared the Prelims exam, use the 3-2-1-0 E method, otherwise also called the 100-50-33-25 per cent method. What’s that?

    Free Live Q&A Webinar with IAS Officer Kunal Chavan

    register here for the free live webinar by kunal chavan sir

    The 3-2-1-0 E Method is nothing but the 4 stages of answering the UPSC Prelims paper. In the first round, you have to answer those questions you are 100% sure of (i.e you can eliminate all the 3 options), in the second round, answer those questions you are 50% sure of (can eliminate only 2 options) and the third round answer those question you are only 33% sure of (can eliminate only 1 option). Finally, just check those questions where you are unable to eliminate any options. To be on a safer side, leave those questions unanswered.

    However, since UPSC prelims is a competitive exam, what can we do about those questions where you are 50-25% sure of? How do you find the right answers using your exisiting knowledge? This free live webinar, we have invited IAS officer Kunal Chavan to help you out.

    IAS Officer Kunal Chavan belongs to the Orissa cadre. He started his UPSC-CSE preparation in 2015. The first time he was unable to clear prelims. In the next three attempts, he reached the interview stage. Finally he cleared the exam with an All India Rank 211 to become an IAS officer.

    What Will You Learn in This Q&A Webinar with IAS Officer Kunal Chavan

    1. Analysing a test when attempting the paper. How to save time while answering each question?

    2. What was the change in Kunal’s strategy after 2015? He will talk about the mistakes he made while studying for his first attempt.

    3. The online revision sources Kunal used in the last few days to prelims. Why is it important to revise online sources of those topics you couldn’t score well in your test series?

    4. The static part of current affairs and the dynamic part of NCERTs and standard books. What’s that?

    5. How to use elimination techniques for each of the 4 rounds? Kunal Chavan sspeaks from his experience.

    6. Finding hints in prelims questions. Kunal Chavan IAS will conduct live demonstration of certain UPSC questions.

    7. The important prelims topics for 2022. Kunal Chavan IAS will list out the important topics for every subject.

    Webinar Details

    The free live webinar will be mostly in Q&A format, where IAS officer Kunal Chavan will answer every aspirant’s doubts. Since, it’s only a 1-hour session, the intake is limited. Hence, fill the registration form ASAP to confirm you slot!

    Date: 27 March, 2022

    Time: 8PM

    register here for the free live q&A webinar by kunal chavan sir

  • Time for India to redefine its relationship with Russia

    Context

    Russia’s war on Ukraine has decisively shaped international opinion. Indian foreign policy is also going to be affected in a profound manner.

    India’s foreign policy conundrum

    • Russia’s attack on Ukraine has put New Delhi in a foreign policy conundrum that will not disappear soon because Russia’s action has changed the global order.
    • India has not directly criticised Moscow’s action.
    • Memories of the historic Indo-Soviet partnership still seem to tip the scales when it comes to India’s vote at the UNSC.
    • Western countries have criticised India’s repeated abstentions at the UNSC on the issue of the Russian invasion.
    • The Western world has imposed unprecedented sanctions against Russia and banned energy imports.
    • New Delhi is concerned about the impact of these sanctions on global finance, energy supplies, and transportation, amid growing signs that they will constrain India’s ability to import Russian oil.

    India’s challenges

    • Russia’s increasing dependence on China: What must worry India is the fact that Russia will now become increasingly dependent on Chinese support to defend its policies.
    • The collapsing ruble, the punishing sanctions, and the dire state of the Russian economy will push Russia further into China’s military and economic orbit.
    • China’s challenge in Indo-Pacific: India’s real strategic challenge is surfacing in the Indo-Pacific with the rise of China, as Beijing has consistently sought to expand its zone of military, economic and political influence through the Belt and Road Initiative.
    • Though India would like the U.S. to continue to focus on China, it is not possible for Washington to ignore Russia’s aggression along NATO’s periphery.

    How India’s ties with Russia changed over time

    • Since the end of the Cold War, Indians have been debating the contours of strategic autonomy.
    • For one section the doctrine of ‘multi-alignment’ is the 21st century avatar of strategic autonomy as India has been expanding its engagement with all the major powers.
    • Following the disintegration of the USSR, India joined Russia and China against the unipolarity of the U.S.
    •  For some time, this common concern about unipolarity put the three countries on the same path towards mutual cooperation and understanding.
    • Later, Brazil and South Africa were also brought into this coalition.
    • However, it soon became clear that India and China did not see eye to eye.
    • Moreover, India was determined to maintain its partnership with Russia, an important arms supplier.
    • Its ties with the U.S. have also improved significantly since the end of the Cold War.
    • But continuing dependence on Russian weaponry has become India’s strategic headache.

    Way forward for India

    •  Under Mr. Putin, Russia is in a state of transition, swinging wildly from one crisis to another.
    • Therefore, it is too risky for India to pursue vague aims vis-à-vis Russia in these uncertain times.
    • A NATO-Russia Council was formed specifically to alleviate Russia’s concerns, and that Russia was recognised as one of the world’s leading industrial powers through a formal admission into the elite G-7.
    • Though Moscow has drifted much closer to Beijing, and is sharply critical of India’s engagement with the U.S. and the Quad, India finds it difficult to extend support to Ukraine.
    • It goes without saying that the U.S. is the country most likely to bolster India’s future as a great power.

    Conclusion

    It is not going to be easy for New Delhi to maintain its balancing act in the future as Washington hardens its position further. It is inevitable that during this time of diplomatic and strategic uncertainty, New Delhi needs to be ready to radically redefine its relationship with Moscow.

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • Smart Policing

    Context

    On March 11, speaking at the NCRB Foundation Day, the Union Home Minister remarked that the second phase of the Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) is set to be completed by 2026.

    Increasing use of technology for policing

    • the Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS), a Rs 3,500 crore project, is set to be completed by 2026 with increased use of artificial intelligence, fingerprint systems and other tools of predictive policing.
    • One crore fingerprints had already been uploaded and if these were available to all police stations as part of the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS), there would no longer be any need to pursue criminals.
    • The existing systems of ICJS and CCTNS empower the state to cross-reference data between different pillars of the criminal justice system.
    • Recently, the Indore Police Commissioner unveiled a “fingerprint-based criminal record data fetching system” in which a small thumb impression machine can be added to a phone.
    • If the fingerprint recorded matches with the police database, all information about a person’s criminal record will be pulled up.

    Issues with the use of technologies

    • Privacy concerns: The enthusiasm for generating and cross-referencing data to make policing more efficient ignores privacy concerns and structural faults of policing.
    • The Supreme Court in K.S Puttaswamy declared a fundamental right to informational privacy as paramount and noted that any measure that sought to collect information or surveil must be legal, necessary, and proportionate.
    • Fear of mass surveillance: Integrating “fingerprint-based criminal record data fetching system” to the list of predictive policing practices will give birth to mass surveillance, particularly of certain oppressed caste communities, based on little evidence.
    • Nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes were ascribed “criminality by birth” and considered as “hereditary criminals addicted to systematic commission of non-bailable offences” under the colonial Criminal Tribes Act, 1871.
    • It has been replaced with the murky Habitual Offenders (HO) provisions, which have acted as a tool for police to continue to attribute criminality to Vimukta communities, by mandating their surveillance through regular check-ins at police stations.
    • Mere suspicion or FIRs filed against an individual are sufficient to trigger the discretionary powers of the police.

    Consider the question “Use of technology in policing can make it better at the same time run the risk of making it more dangerous.” Critically examine.

    Conclusion

    With the increasing adoption of technology in policing, we must pay attention to the risks involved and the issue of misuse.

    UPSC 2022 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

  • 25th March 2022| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement(AWE)

    Topics for Today’s questions:

    GS-1       Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

    GS-2         Role of Civil Services in a democracy

    GS-3        Indian Economy, Environment Conservation

    GS-4       Case Studies

    Question 1)

     

    Q.1 The colonial period brought the influence of Western architectural forms to India. In this context, giving examples, highlight the contribution of Europeans to Indian architecture. (15 Marks)

     

    Question 2)

    Q.2 What are the issues with appointing civil servants to the post of Secretary-General of the Houses of the Parliament? Suggest the way forward. (10 Marks)

    Question 3)

    Q.3 As a part of the government’s overall market borrowings in 2022-23, sovereign green bonds will be issued. In the context of this, discuss the advantages of green bonds as means of finance and a tool to achieve sustainable development goals. (10 Marks)

    Question 4)  

    Q.4 You are the Chairman of a Committee, constituted by the government, to suggest measures to improve the quality of education in state-run schools. In view of the increasing dropout rate and the widening gap between students’ learning ability in state-run and private schools, answer the following questions: (a) Examine the role of government in the education sector, especially providing primary and secondary education through state-run schools. (b) Identify the principles and values that would guide your recommendations in this regard. (c) Suggest some ways in which quality of education in state-run schools can be improved. (20 Marks)

     

    HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?

    1. Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.

    2. 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.

    3. You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.

    4.  Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.

    5. Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.

    6. If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 11th  February is uploaded on 11th February then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis

    7. If you are writing answers late, for example, 11th February is uploaded on 13th February , then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.

    8. 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*. 

    1. For the philosophy of AWE and payment: 
    CLICK HERE To join Daily AWE

More posts