The adverse effect of the third wave of COVID-19, which is mainly affecting the last quarter of 2021-22, may call for a further downward adjustment in the growth rate to about 9%.
Growth in FY 2021-22
As per the NSO’s advance estimates, at the end of 2021-22, the magnitude of GDP in real terms is estimated at INR₹147.5-lakh crore that is only a shade higher than INR₹145.7-lakh crore in 2019-20.
Thus, due to the three waves of COVID-19 that India has experienced, two years of real growth in economic activities have been wiped out.
As per the advance estimates, the gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) relative to GDP at current prices stands at 29.6% in 2021-22.
Capacity utilisation in India continues to have considerable slack.
Private final consumption expenditure (PFCE) also shows a low growth of 6.9% in 2021-22.
Any pick-up in demand would continue to be constrained by low-income growth in sectors characterised by a high marginal propensity to consume (MPC) such as the trade, transport, et al. sector and the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector more broadly.
It may thus be prudent to expect a real GDP growth in the range of 6%-7%.
Growth in 2022-23 would also continue to be constrained by supply-side bottlenecks and high prices of global crude and primary products.
Growth in 2022-23 would depend on the basic determinants such as the saving and investment rates in the economy.
Suggestions
Extend GST compensation period: The GST compensation provision would also come to an end in June 2022.
This would cause a major revenue shock at least for some States such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.
While this matter may be considered by the GST Council, the compensation arrangement should be extended by two years in some modified form.
With respect to non-tax receipts, the scope of the National Monetization Pipeline (NMP) may be extended to cover monetisation of government-owned land assets.
Disinvestment initiatives may have to be accelerated.
Expenditure prioritisation in 2022-23 should focus on reviving both consumption and investment demand.
Urban counterpart to MGNREGA: Since consumption demand remains weak, some fiscal support in the form of an urban counterpart to Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) may be considered.
Focusing on fiscal consolidation
It would be appropriate now to consider a graduated return to fiscal consolidation while using fiscal policy to lay the base for faster growth in the years to come.
The Fifteenth Finance Commission had suggested a fiscal consolidation path where the Centre’s fiscal deficit was benchmarked at 5.5% of GDP for 2022-23.
In their pessimistic scenario, it was kept at 6% of GDP.
It may be prudent to limit the reduction in fiscal deficit-GDP ratio to about 1% point of GDP in 2022-23.
This would imply a fiscal deficit in the range of 5.5%-6% of GDP.
From here on, a stepwise reduction of 0.5% points per year would enable a level of about 4% of GDP by 2025-26.
By this time, as suggested by the Fifteenth Finance Commission, a high-powered inter-governmental group should be constituted to re-examine the sustainability parameters of debt and fiscal deficit of the central and state governments.
Conclusion
Expenditure prioritisation in 2022-23 should focus on reviving both consumption and investment demand while aiming for the gradual return to the fiscal consolidation.
Many experts would like to say that the weightage of Current affairs in prelims has declined since 2018. The truth is far from true. Current Affairs has been revived and is now included in questions from static syllabus topics. This approach has given rise to questions with more analytical dimensions that are thought oriented.
You might be reading a question and trying to remember it from a book, when it’s actually from the newspaper! Certain Current affairs questions of the 2021 Prelims have surprised us as well. Let’s try to understand this better with an example:
Consider the following statements regarding Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’.
The Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’ or the Circum-Pacific Belt, is an area along the Pacific Ocean that is characterised by active volcanoes.
About 90 per cent of the world’s earthquakes occur here.
It traces from New Zealand clockwise in an almost circular arc and extends upto western coast of North America.
This question is from the topic, ‘World Geography’. Also it was in the news this week.
Free Open to All Webinar to Tackle Current Affairs Questions From Static Topics
Here’s an exercise for all UPSC 2022 aspirants. Take a look at your syllabus, select a topic. Do you know atleast ten current affairs news related to this topic from the last one year?
If not, then it’s never too late. You still have 4.5 months left. So take the first big step by registering for this free live webinar by Prelims veteran Santosh sir.
Santosh sir has cleared prelims 6/6 times and scored 145+ in all of them. In his Smash Prelims 2020 program, 15 out of 25 students cleared the exam to write Mains 2021.
Key Takeaways of Free Live Webinar by Santosh Sir —
1. How to tackle static questions based on current affairs with accuracy? Using pre-existing knowledge to find the right option.
2. Learn 360 degree approach to current affairs. How can you read daily compilation, PIB, newspapers, Yojana and Kurushetra all in 1.5 hours?
3. Keywords approach to reading newspapers. How to make shorthand notes based on this?
4. Learn to interlink Static and Current affairs topics. Should reading for current affairs and a chapter in the static book happen at the same time?
5. How to handle the surprise questions from current affairs? The surprise questions from 2021 prelims exams.
6. Current affairs trend analysis. What are the topics where most of the current affairs questions come from?
Webinar Details
Current affairs is not merely about knowing, but it has become a game of linking and interlinking. Don’t miss the chance to get value addition inputs to score better in the examination! This webinar is absolutely free. All aspirants are welcome to attend.
Date – 24 January 2022 (Monday)
Time – 7:00 P.M.
Limited slots are available. Please registerimmediately.
The Supreme Court has asked the Government if it will create an Indian Environmental Service (IES) as recommended by a committee headed by former Cabinet secretary T.S.R Subramanian in 2014.
Why is the IES debate back in the news?
The Supreme Court was responding to a petition whose counsel pointed out that the matters of environment required special expertise.
Currently, matters of environmental regulation rest on scientists of the Ministry of Environment and Forests as well as bureaucrats from the Indian Administrative Services (IAS).
The apex court expressed reluctance at getting into administrative matters of the Government but nevertheless asked the Centre if it expects to go about constituting such a mechanism.
TSR Subramanian Committee Report on Environment
The Subramanian committee was set up in August 2014 to review the country’s green laws and the procedures followed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
It suggested several amendments to align with the Government’s economic development agenda.
The report had suggested amendments to almost all green laws, including those relating to the environment, forest, wildlife and coastal zone clearances.
The committee suggested that another committee, with more expertise and time, be constituted to review the environmental laws.
Key recommendations
(a) Establishment of Environment Management Authorities
The report proposed an ‘Environmental Laws (Management) Act’ (ELMA), that envisioned full-time expert bodies to be constituted at the Central and State levels respectively:
National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA)
State Environmental Management Authority (SEMA)
(b) Project clearances
These authorities evaluate project clearance (using technology and expertise), in a time bound manner, providing for single-window clearance.
It suggested a “fast track” procedure for “linear” projects (roads, railways and transmission lines), power and mining projects and for “projects of national importance.”
It also suggested an appellate mechanism against the decisions of NEMA/SEMA or MoEF&CC, in respect of project clearance, prescribing a three-month deadline to dispose appeals.
(c) Expanding Environment Protection Act
The Air Act and the Water Act is to be subsumed within the EP Act.
The existing Central Pollution Control Board and the State PCBs, which monitor and regulate the conditions imposed on the industries to safeguard environment be integrated into NEMA and SEMA.
The report also recommends that an “ERC” should be assessed for each project on the basis of the damage caused by it to the environment and this should be added into the cost of the project.
This cost has to be recovered as a cess or duty from the project proponent during the life of the project.
(e) Research and Development
It proposed the establishment of a National Environment Research institute “on the lines of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education”.
It would bring in the application of high-end technology in environment governance.
(f) Establishment of Indian Environment Service (IES)
Finally, an Indian Environment Service should be established to recruit qualified and skilled human resource in the environment sector.
How were the recommendations received?
The Centre never formally accepted this report and neither constituted a new committee as recommended by the Parliamentary Standing Committee.
The Parliamentary rejected the report on the grounds that it ended up diluting key aspects of environmental legislation designed to protect the environment.
However, many of these recommendations are implicitly making their way into the process of environmental regulation.
Back2Basics: All Indi Services
The All India Services (AIS) comprises three civil services: the Indian Administrative Service, the Indian Police Service and the Indian Forest Service.
A unique feature of the AIS is that the members of these services are recruited by the centre (Union government in federal polity), but their services are placed under various State cadres.
They have the liability to serve both under the State and under the centre.
Officers of these three services comply to the All India Services Rules relating to pay, conduct, leave, various allowances etc.
The All India Services Act, 1951, provides for the creation of two more All India Services, namely, the Indian Engineering Service and the Indian Medical Service.
In public discourse, the popular imagination of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose is increasing all across the length and breadth of our country these days.
Back in 2016, when there was ruckus over de-classification of some files associated with Netaji, a question too appeared in UPSC CSE Mains:
Q. Highlight the differences in the approach of Subhash Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi in the struggle for freedom.
We can expect a repetition again considering the scale of ongoing debate around Netaji and the vitality of his INA leading to immediate withdrawal of British rulers from India.
The Bose-Gandhi rivalry is frequently understood as the biggest dichotomy of the Indian nationalist movement.
Bose: A complex character of freedom movement
Bose was a complex character. His complexity comes alive when one realizes his disagreement with the Congress leadership, when Bose took over the Indian National Army (INA).
He constituted four regiments, three of which were named after Gandhi, Nehru and Maulana Azad.
He had profound respect for his colleagues.
In 1943, while Gandhi was in jail, Bose on the former’s birthday gave a moving address over the Azad Hind Radio where he referred to Gandhi as ‘father of the nation’.
This was probably the first time this epithet was used for Gandhi, and soon it became ubiquitous.
Bose and his association with INC
Bose was a key member and a frontline leader of the Indian National Congress.
He plunged into the anti-colonial movement under Gandhi’s leadership in 1921 and rose to be the president of the Congress in 1938 and 39.
There were certain differences of opinion with the Gandhian high command in 1939, but he remained true to the Congress ideal of freedom.
Joining the Indian National Congress
On July 16, 1921, Bose had returned to Bombay from London where he had gone on his father’s insistence to prepare for the Indian Civil Services examination.
Despite qualifying for the services he had refused to take up the opportunity.
Such was Bose’s zeal to join the freedom struggle that on the very afternoon he arrived in India he went to meet Gandhi at Mani Bhawan.
Relations with the mainstream leaders
(A) Bose vs. Gandhi
Bose wanted to know how the different aspects of the movement were going to culminate in the non-payment of taxes, the last stage of the campaign.
Secondly, he wanted to know how the non-payment of taxes would eventually force the British to leave and thirdly how Gandhi could promise Swaraj in one year.
On Gandhi’s advice Bose moved to Calcutta, where he worked closely with the lawyer and Congress leader C R Das.
As president of the Congress, his first disagreement with Gandhi happened in December 1938 when Bose was eager to form a coalition government in Bengal along with the Krishak Praja Party.
The following year, Bose was hopeful for re-election as Congress president. A second term was very rare and Gandhi was pretty much against the idea of re-electing Bose.
Bose found support from the younger and left leaning members of the Congress and also from the literary giant Rabindranath Tagore.
Tagore had personally written to Gandhi requesting a second term for Bose. However, Bose was aggrieved to know that Gandhi saw this as a ‘personal defeat’.
(B) Bose vs. Nehru
Both leaders were of same age, similar political leanings and often finding themselves frustrated by Gandhi’s commitment to non-violence.
However, while Nehru was starry-eyed in his reverence for Gandhi, Bose though immensely respectful of Gandhi, found his political strategies to be ambiguous.
Bose and Nehru had been in prison at that time and both expressed disappointment and anger over unilateral withdrawal of non-cooperation movement over Chauri Chaura incident.
Both were left-leaning radical men, unswerving in their commitment to ‘purna swaraj’ and to the forming of a socialist state in independent India.
When Bose sought the support of the Nazi government in Germany, he found himself ideologically at the farthest end to Nehru’s views.
(C) Bose vs. Patel
In response to Bose’s re-election, several members of the Congress Working Committee resigned including Vallabhbhai Patel and Rajendra Prasad.
Patel had an old rivalry with Bose, which was both personal and political.
Their relationship had deteriorated rapidly with the death of Patel’s elder brother Vithalbhai in 1933.
Bose had been very close to Vithalbhai and had nursed him during his last days.
In his will, Vithalbhai had left a substantial portion of his property to Bose.
Vallabhbhai had cast aspersions on the authenticity of the will and a long legal battle had followed culminating in the victory of Patel.
As Congress president
In February 1938 Bose had taken over as president of the Congress and the next two years would be defining in creating his political profile as a Congressman and in drawing the rift with Gandhi and Nehru.
At the Haripura session of the Congress, Bose made his presidential address, which is known to be the lengthiest and most important speech he ever made to the party.
He made it clear that he stood for unqualified Swaraj.
However, it needs to be noted that nowhere in the speech did Bose suggest any criticism or deviation from Gandhi’s methods.
Resignation from INC
On April 29, 1939 Bose resigned from his post as president of the Congress Party.
In a statement to the press, he mentioned the efforts he had made to find a common ground with Gandhi.
These having failed, he felt his presidency may be a sort of obstacle or handicap in the path of the Congress as it sought to reconcile its two wings.
Life after leaving Congress
(A) World War II
In September 1939 German tanks invaded Poland, marking the beginning of the Second World War.
The war was to have a most significant impact in the history of modern India.
Bose was a special invitee in the three-day meeting of the Congress Working Committee from September 9 to decide India’s position on the war.
For Bose, the war served as a golden opportunity for India to launch a civil disobedience movement in order to win independence.
For Bose the stance taken by the resolution to support British was completely unacceptable.
Nehru had nothing but hatred towards Fascism and Nazism and sought for some concessions from the British government to fight Mussolini and Hitler.
(B) Escape to Germany
Bose organized mass protests in Calcutta for the removal of the Holwell monument that stood in Dalhousie Square as a memorial to those who died in the Black Hole of Calcutta.
He was arrested by the British government for the protests, but was released soon after he went into a seven-day hunger strike.
Bose’s arrest and the subsequent release set the scene for him to escape to Germany via Afghanistan and the Soviet Union.
After Netaji’s demise ( rather disappearance)
It is also worth noting that at the end of the Second World War, Nehru put on his barrister’s gown and joined the defense team for the INA prisoners at the time of the Red Fort trials.
In the several speeches of Nehru after Bose’s death, the former referred to Netaji in the most affectionate way.
In August 1947, in his first speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Nehru mentioned only two people by name and were Gandhi and Bose. It was quite a warm reference.
As an aspirant if you have taken many test series, but are unable to score above 100 marks and want to improve your scores before Mains 2022, then this program is for you!
If coaches of sportspersons have themselves been players, then shouldn’t mentors of UPSC aspirants have cleared UPSC Mains themselves?
It’s about time you find a Rahul Dravid or a Pullela Gopichand to mentor your Upsc preparation. Just practising test series without knowing the ways to present an answer is not the way to clear Mains. An ideal test series program should have 1-on-1 mentorship and guidance by veterans who have themselves topped the exams!
Instead of getting demotivated and comparing yourself to other students, get mentorship support like Kunal Aggrawal IRS did when he could only score 75/250 marks in Mains mock tests.
Why UPSC toppers are convinced that Smash Mains helped them succeed?
A serving IPS officer, who had written the Mains exam again in 2021 to aim for IAS posting, gave us his feedback of our Smash Mains Test Series
How has Smash Mains helped 2021-2022 Aspirants in Preparing for UPSC?
What do aspirants need in their UPSC preparation journey? They need a senior who will give them moral support and the required logistics to prepare for the tough exam in a simplified manner.
You can clear the exam only with confidence and consistency. And to achieve both, you require a personalised mentor. Many aspirants feel just attending classes or tests is not beneficial for them. So we tweaked our program to include mentorship both in our tests series and classes. Aspirants feel they can reach out to us anytime with their concerns and we are available to sort them out.
Message from Sajal Sir
Dear Students,
For some of you prelims has never been a challenge for you. You have been missing the mains cut-off with a small margin (repeatedly). This means that there are some fundamental issueswith your approach. You might be aware or not about this. But just realization is not enough, you have to work on its execution as well. And bringing that to fruition will be possible through a guided process under a meticulously designed plan.
Smash mains is a highly personalized and intensive handholding program for the crème-de-la-crème (veterans) amongst UPSC aspirants (the intake is 50 students).
Note: The Entry is Restricted to those who have appeared in UPSC interview in the past 2 years or have missed the mains cut off by a whisker.
The focus is on identifying and highlighting the issues with your preparation (information / analysis / utilization). According to your strength and weaknesses, a tailor-made strategy is developed. Under Sajal sir’s strict monitoring, incremental improvements are aimed every day, after every session.
My marks in UPSC 2017 GS Mains paper were:
GS Paper 1 – 132
GS Paper 2 – 125
GS Paper 3 – 130
Key Takeways About Smash Mains 2022
Every 3rd Ranker in the Top 100 of UPSC 2020 is a Civilsdaily Student.
Your mentor, Sajal Sir is himself the 2017 topper of GS Mains. He has appeared for interview many times.
Over 400 students have emerged as toppers under Sajal Sir’s mentorship in the last 7 years.
Sajal Sir will daily motivate you on our chat-based platform, Habitat and have weekly 1-on-1 discussions with you after every test.
You don’t have to waste any more time finding the strategy (value added notes, test series or timetable ) for the next 3 months. You will get the guidance for it.
You will gain access to Civildaily’s Samachar Manthan – For holistic and comprehensive coverage of Current Affairs.
You will have exclusive membership to Smash Mains club in Habitat.
One of our other Civilsdaily Student cleared the exams in 2020 to become an IPS Officer. He wrote the 2021 exam again as he aims for an IAS posting. This is what he said about our program
If you are still not convinced then go through this video by UPSC 2020 AIR 425 topper Divyansh Singh who tells us how Sajal sir helped him develop 1-2 pages notes for every topic.
After completing the Mains Test series, you will have a one-to-one detailed and in-depth interaction with Sajal sir. Final refinements are done to every answer. Value addition material, as well as pointers, will be provided here. We will work with you to ensure you have enough material for value addition. Our focus will be on providing tips that add the missing X factor to your answers.
Why is Smash 2022 the best way to prepare for mains?
Individual attention and approachability are the USPs of this program. Listen to what our Smash Mains 2020 student and topper Pooja Gupta (AIR 42) says about the program.
Not putting Penguins among the Fowls – You already know how to write an average answer (you’re missing it by a few marks actually). You want to know how to increase your score from 90 to 110-115. The approach followed by other institutes in their Test series is the same for a veteran and a complete newbie and here lies the problem. Without personalizedone-to-one interaction with someone like Sajal sir (who has scored these awesome marks), it will be difficult for you to rectify these minute yet very important shortcomings.
Evaluation is a strength of this program and we put it on a high priority. Sajal sir himself is involved in the process, unlike other institutes where evaluation is outsourced to those who themselves might not have appeared for mains (It’s bizarre). It shouldn’t be based on ‘model answers’ as there are 3-4 ways of approaching an answer. Only a seasoned player will be able to go beyond these model answers and be able to appreciate your approach (If it’s innovative) even if it differs from the model answers provided.
Test copies get checked in a time-bound manner. The questions, answers and material provided are of the highest quality.
Emphasis on execution and utilization of knowledge – Mains is not only about knowledge but the way you express the relevant knowledge in the most optimum manner.
Sajal sir’s interventions are highly specific and not generalized. Sitting right in front of you he walks you through each and every question. Always there, he will not let you lose your focus.
AIR 148 UPSC 2020 topper and our Civilsdaily student, Ponmani explains why answer writing with mentorship is necessary for Mains.
Some legislators were suspended for one year by the Maharashtra Assembly for alleged disorderly conduct.
The unusually long period of suspension has been questioned by the Supreme Court, which is hearing a challenge to the Assembly’s action.
A case in apex court
The court has reserved its judgment after hearing elaborate arguments.
The main question before the court is whether suspension for a whole year is valid.
Suspending MLAs: A fact check
Each state has their individual rules for the conduct of assembly. These rules provides for the suspension of MLAs.
Under Rule 53 of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Rules, 1960, only the Speaker has the power to suspend MLAs indulging in unruly behavior.
Therefore, the motion to suspend cannot be put to vote as this would allow the Government to suspend as many Members of Opposition as it sees fit.
Constitutional ground behind this suspension
The Court referred to Article 190 (4) of the Constitution which says that if for a period of 60 days, a member of a House, without its permission, is absent; the House may declare his or her seat vacant.
Suspension of MLAs beyond this period would lead to their disqualification.
What did the Supreme Court observe?
Suspension of the MLAs would amount to punishing the constituencies as a whole.
Each constituency has equal amount of right to be represented in the House, observed the court.
The apex court observed that any state cannot create a constitutional void, a hiatus situation for any constituency.
It said the House cannot suspend a member beyond 59 days.
What does the State government say?
Counsel for the State government has argued that there is no limitation on the power of the legislature to punish for breach of privilege or disorderly conduct in the course of its proceedings.
Once the power to punish a member for disorderly conduct is recognized, there can be no judicial review of the manner in which it is exercised.
Further, during suspension, a member continues to hold office, but only loses their voice in the legislature.
The Kerala Bird Atlas (KBA), the first-of-its-kind State-level bird atlas in India, has created solid baseline data about the distribution and abundance of bird species across all major habitats, giving an impetus to futuristic studies.
Kerala Bird Atlas (KBA)
The KBA has been prepared based on systematic surveys held twice over 60 days a year during the wet (July to September) and dry (January to March) seasons between 2015 and 2020.
It was conducted as a citizen science-driven exercise with the participation of over 1,000 volunteers of the birdwatching community.
The KBA accounts for nearly three lakh records of 361 species, including 94 very rare species, 103 rare species, 110 common species, 44 very common species, and 10 most abundant species.
It was found that the species count was higher during the dry season than in the wet season while species richness and evenness were higher in the northern and central districts than in the southern districts.
Significance of KBA
The KBA offers authentic, consistent and comparable data through random sampling from the geographical terrain split.
It is arguably Asia’s largest bird atlas in terms of geographical extent, sampling effort and species coverage derived from the aggregation of 25,000 checklists.
The KBA is considered to be a valuable resource for testing various ecological hypotheses and suggesting science-backed conservation measures.
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has underlined some green rules for the living root bridges of Meghalaya to get the UNESCO World Heritage Site tag.
Living Root Bridges
A living root bridge is a type of simple suspension bridge formed of living plant roots by tree shaping.
They are common in the southern part of the Northeast Indian state of Meghalaya. Such a bridge is locally called jingkieng jri.
They are handmade from the aerial roots of rubber fig trees (Ficus elastic) by the Khasi and Jaintia peoples of the mountainous terrain along the southern part of the Shillong Plateau.
Most of the bridges grow on steep slopes of subtropical moist broadleaf forest between 50m and 1150m above sea level.
Why is it so unique?
As long as the tree from which it is formed remains healthy, the roots in the bridge can naturally grow thick and strengthen.
New roots can grow throughout the tree’s life and must be pruned or manipulated to strengthen the bridge.
Once mature some bridges can have as many as 50 or more people crossing, and have a lifespan of up to 150 years.
Work is going apace on the 216-ft tall ‘Statue of Equality’ of the 11th century reformer and Vaishnavite saint, Sri Ramanuja, to be unveiled by PM Modi next month in Hyderabad.
Statue of Equality
The ‘Statue of Equality’, as it is called, is being installed to mark the 1,000th birth anniversary of Sri Ramanuja.
It was built of panchaloha, a combination of gold, silver, copper, brass and zinc, by the Aerospun Corporation in China and shipped to India.
It is the second largest in the world in sitting position of the saint.
The monument will be surrounded by 108 “Divya Desams” of Sri Vaishnavite tradition (model temples) like Tirumala, Srirangam, Kanchi, Ahobhilam, Badrinath, Muktinath, Ayodhya, Brindavan, Kumbakonam and others.
The idols of deities and structures were constructed in the shape at the existing temples.
Who was Sri Ramanuja?
Ramanuja or Ramanujacharya (1017–1137 CE) was a philosopher, Hindu theologian, social reformer, and one of the most important exponents of Sri Vaishnavism tradition within Hinduism.
His philosophical foundations for devotionalism were influential to the Bhakti movement.
His works
Ramanuja’s philosophical foundation was qualified monism and is called Vishishtadvaita in the Hindu tradition.
His ideas are one of three subschools in Vedanta, the other two are known as Adi Shankara’s Advaita (absolute monism) and Madhvacharya’s Dvaita (dualism)
Important writings include:
Vedarthasangraha (literally, “Summary of the Vedas meaning”),
Sri Bhashya (a review and commentary on the Brahma Sutras),
Bhagavad Gita Bhashya (a review and commentary on the Bhagavad Gita), and
The minor works titled Vedantapida, Vedantasara, Gadya Trayam (which is a compilation of three texts called the Saranagati Gadyam, Sriranga Gadyam and the Srivaikunta Gadyam), and Nitya Grantham.
Mobile apps have become a significant part of the lives of smartphone users. Almost every person seems to be dependent on them.
However there is a huge flipside of this flourishing mobile app environment which has become evident quite often in the recent past in cases like that of Bulli Bai App.
These apps were used to target women and communities.
So how do we deal with such challenges and what are the provisions in the legal framework to tackle such issues.
Bulli Bai App Controversy: A Backgrounder
On New Year’s Day, hundreds of Muslim women in India including journalists, social workers, and other prominent personalities found their images and derogatory content about them on a new app called “Bulli Bai”.
The app, created on hosting platform Github, offered an online “auction” of women.
It derives its name from the derogatory term used for women of a particular community.
A critical case of abuse
The app is clearly an example of online trolling where the dignity and modesty of a woman is highly downgraded.
This has not been the very first time. Earlier, no arrests were ever made showing Police inaction.
The authorities were using the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to obtain information about the creators of such apps from California-based GitHub.
Why is it a cause of worry?
Large user-base: There are about 40 crore internet users and about 25 crore social media users in India.
Behavioral impact: Apart from having a huge impact on the life of people, the apps also influence how a person thinks, behaves, or perceives.
Lack of regulatory framework: India currently does not have a dedicated legal framework to govern mobile applications.
No self regulations: There is no government or self guidelines currently in place in India, regulating the apps.
Legal provisions against such Crimes
For making arrests, the police have invoked Sections 153A, 153B, 295A, 354D, 500 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act.
Section 153A pertains to the offence of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony
Section 153B relates to imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration
Section 295A provides punishment for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings
Section 354D provides that any man who monitors the use by a woman of the internet, email or any other form of electronic communication with malintent, commits the offence of stalking.
Section 500 defines the punishment for defamation
Section 509 addresses the offence of word, gesture or act intended insulting the modesty of a woman
Section 67 of the IT Act lays down the punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form
What are the other provisions related to cybercrimes?
Section 66E of the IT Act prescribes punishment for violation of privacy.
IPC sections 354A (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment) and 354C (voyeurism) of the IPC were introduced along with sections 354B and 354D in 2013.
Threats posed by such apps
Foreign scams: These apps are run by scammers in Pakistan and China.
Money laundering: More than 40,000 crore hawala transactions took place in India through the distribution of instant loans.
Espionage: Mobile apps which are being operated by India’s hostile countries were also used for espionage.
Online betting: There are also gaming and betting apps that are currently being used extensively by mobile users in India.
Revenue bypass: PUBG (though a banned) gaming app reportedly raised a profit of 2500 crores functioning in India but did not pay any taxes in India.
Psycho-social impacts
These applications pose challenges such as addiction and induce violent behavior among children.
There are also examples of apps being used to promote hate crime and hate speeches as recently seen in the case of the Bulli Bai app.
Need for Regulations
No legal liability on intermediaries: The intermediaries are not liable for any third-party data or communication link hosted or stored on their platforms.
Inadequacy of cyber laws: Despite having provisions that address mobile applications, the entire aspect of regulating the affairs of mobile applications has not been defined or adequately dealt with under the Indian cyber laws.
Lack of holistic approach: The existing regulations hence do not cover the holistic challenges that are posed by the mobile applications and are to be updated and regulated to tackle the current challenges.
Way Forward
There is a need for a comprehensive umbrella IT Law that needs to be proactive and be reviewed from time to time to check the new challenges posed by the technology.
The available laws should be enforced in a stringent manner and strict actions should be taken against any violations.
Industry interventions should also be allowed in the implementation of the policies to make them dynamic and compliant with economic interests.
Every hour is speeding fast, as you try your best to complete the vast Prelims syllabus. You will be attempting an exam which will test your hardwork of a year in just two hours.
Now is not the time to slow down and get distracted, make each day count by measuring your outcomes. If one day, you don’t know about the east-flowing and west-flowing rivers of India, by next day you should have them on the tips of your fingers!
Toppers who have cleared UPSC, have always said that even if they at the outset prepared casually, they streamlined their timetable in the last six months. You need a different approach than what you have been following all these days — an approach that pushes your limits for a very uncertain exam with increasing competition and decreasing vacancies.
That’s why Civilsdaily has come up with a free new initiative — Nikaalo Prelims in it’s telegram channel.
What is Nikaalo Prelims
Nikaalo Prelims is a free initiative of Civilsdaily IAS to help aspirants to streamline their preparation during the peak months of prelims preparation. Our mentors work day and night to ensure that our aspirants get the best out of it.
What is covered in Nikaalo Prelims?
1. Detailed daily time table
2. Daily sessions on specific topics
3. Daily mcqs
4. Notes
5. All India open test
What is new in Nikaalo Prelims 4.0?
1. This time the program is divided into 3 parts.
2. Part-A: It will continue till February 28, 2022. Under part A, we will cover the Syllabus along with conceptual understanding and better subject wise clarity. There will be daily MCQ based sessions along with Doubt Clearing Sessions.
3. Part-B: It will start from March 1, 2022. Part B includes- daily sessions, daily Prelims Intensive spotlights notes, daily MCQs based quiz, All India test, Doubt Sessions.
4. CSAT: There will be one session dedicated to CSAT.
Many experts would like to say that the weightage of Current affairs in prelims has declined since 2018. The truth is far from true. Current Affairs has been revived and is now included in questions from static syllabus topics. This approach has given rise to questions with more analytical dimensions that are thought oriented.
You might be reading a question and trying to remember it from a book, when it’s actually from the newspaper! Certain Current affairs questions of the 2021 Prelims have surprised us as well. Let’s try to understand this better with an example:
Consider the following statements regarding Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’.
The Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’ or the Circum-Pacific Belt, is an area along the Pacific Ocean that is characterised by active volcanoes.
About 90 per cent of the world’s earthquakes occur here.
It traces from New Zealand clockwise in an almost circular arc and extends upto western coast of North America.
This question is from the topic, ‘World Geography’. Also it was in the news this week.
Free Open to All Webinar to Tackle Current Affairs Questions From Static Topics
Here’s an exercise for all UPSC 2022 aspirants. Take a look at your syllabus, select a topic. Do you know atleast ten current affairs news related to this topic from the last one year?
If not, then it’s never too late. You still have 4.5 months left. So take the first big step by registering for this free live webinar by Prelims veteran Santosh sir.
Santosh sir has cleared prelims 6/6 times and scored 145+ in all of them. In his Smash Prelims 2020 program, 15 out of 25 students cleared the exam to write Mains 2021.
Key Takeaways of Free Live Webinar by Santosh Sir —
1. How to tackle static questions based on current affairs with accuracy? Using pre-existing knowledge to find the right option.
2. Learn 360 degree approach to current affairs. How can you read daily compilation, PIB, newspapers, Yojana and Kurushetra all in 1.5 hours?
3. Keywords approach to reading newspapers. How to make shorthand notes based on this?
4. Learn to interlink Static and Current affairs topics. Should reading for current affairs and a chapter in the static book happen at the same time?
5. How to handle the surprise questions from current affairs? The surprise questions from 2021 prelims exams.
6. Current affairs trend analysis. What are the topics where most of the current affairs questions come from?
Webinar Details
Current affairs is not merely about knowing, but it has become a game of linking and interlinking. Don’t miss the chance to get value addition inputs to score better in the examination! This webinar is absolutely free. All aspirants are welcome to attend.
Date – 24 January 2022 (Monday)
Time – 7:00 P.M.
Limited slots are available. Please registerimmediately.
Smash Prelims Program is back after a thumping success in Prelims 2021. Out of 25 students Santosh sir has mentored, 15 have cleared prelims this time.Our students were kind enough to take time out of their hectic Mains preparation and let us know how Santosh sir’s mentorship benefitted them in the exams. We wish them all the very best for the upcoming Mains exam from 7th January onwards!
https://youtu.be/oTRUMSOQEY4
Why Your Focus for Next 5 Months Must be About Scoring Above Cut-Off Marks in UPSC-CSE Prelims? Isn’t the last 1 Month Enough for This?
Every year, the competition for UPSC-CSE is increasing while vacancies are decreasing drastically. This year there are only 712 vacancies as against 2019 which had 927 vacancies. However, atleast 10 lakh students will attempt the prelims exam. This is why right now, it’s important to start having an Olympic Athlete mindset. You need to daily focus on scoring above the cut-off marks in your test series.
Civilsdaily Student and 2019 UPSC-CSE AIR 8 Topper Abhishek Saraf had practiced nearly 6000+ MCQs under us to clear prelims!
What makes prelims tough? It’s because the paper is unpredictable. If this year, science questions are a breeze then the next year you will have to answer advanced concept-based questions. Unlike Mains, Prelims has negative markings.
Toppers like Pranav Vijayvergiya (AIR 65) andSwati Sharma(AIR 17) have found Prelims to be tougher than Mains. In fact, Pranav failed to clear Prelims thrice. But, in his fourth attempt he took Civilsdaily mentorship and cleared Prelims, Mains and Interview in one shot!
Are you feeling low that you are unable to get the required cut-off marks in your test series. Worry not, for about 65% of the UPSC toppers have said that they scored below cut-off marks till December. But by June, they were able to boost their marks to get through the prelims hurdle. It’s time to be like them now.
One has to be good at elimination methods to choose the right option amongst two similar ones. Our Smash Prelims Program started as a pilot project last year with an aim to introduce step-wise improvement in our chosen 25 aspirants. Over a period of 2 months, Santhosh sir inculcated confidence in aspirants who were either newbies or gave too many attempts. This year, we achieved a remarkable 60% success ratio. Next year, we have set our eyes on 100%. Yes, we are ambitious and aspirational just like any other UPSC aspirant.
Why is Mentorship Required for UPSC-CSE Prelims in Every Step – From Test Series, to Study Materials, Classes to Doubt Resolution?
If you are appearing for UPSC-CSE 2022 exams, you might have completed your entire prelims and mains syllabus right now. So what are your main priorities right now? To succeed in UPSC-CSE Prelims 2022, you have to check all these boxes in terms of preparation—
You need clear strategy for next 150 days.
You need to revise effectively to remember whole syllabus at the eve of exam.
You need to practice lots of tests to score accurately, to understand elimination techniques and reduce exam anxiety.
You need to revise current affair of 1.5 years that you have been studying daily.
You need a mentor to fill the critical gaps that have been ignoring till now as you had no one to address them for you.
Santhosh Sir’s Weekly Zoom Session
Do you want to have a mentor who conducts and evaluates medium to advanced test series regularly? A mentor explains to you the different kinds of elimination techniques after you have taken a test series. Before attending a test do you want the mentor to discuss with you the study materials required for the test and provide the right notes with integrated current affairs? While studying a subject, you might have umpteen number of questions. Having someone who responds quickly and explains the topics in simple terms saves your time. And, after a test do you want an experienced mentor to discuss the right answers and motivate you? Do you want the mentor to provide you classes on static+dynamic prelims topics? If yes, then this is the right program for you! The registrations are open for all UPSC 2022 aspirants
Self Preparation with Mentorship: What do Civilsdaily Students think of Santosh Sir’s Mentorship for UPSC-CSE Prelims?
Santhosh Sir, Core Civilsdaily Mentor. He has attended Interview Thrice & Cleared Prelims 6/6 times with above 145 marks.
We asked Santosh sir’s students about their opinion on mentorship — if it was something that saved their time or wasted their time in studies and this is what they had to say:
Kamini: “If I can say in one word, then Santosh sir’s mentorship is unique. Before I joined his program, I used to score 90 marks in Full Length Test Series. Santhosh sir had done in depth analysis of my test papers and suggested ways to reduce the negatives. Right now I am able to score 100+ in advanced test series of not only Civilsdaily but other institutes. He is always available to clear my doubts and solve my issues on call or phone. No issue is too big enough for Santosh sir. He has always told me after you finish a test series, read the same topics again and take another test series the same day to see if your marks improve. From Santosh sir’s polity and economic survey notes, we got questions in 2021 Prelims. I always feel its better to do self studies with mentorship than join coaching institutes and get spoon fed with information.”
Sweetie Raj: “I am a banking professional, living with a joint family. Attending coaching classes is out of question because I won’t have time to read the books myself. Santosh sir helps me self-study by providing me mentorship daily. I study daily from 9PM to 3AM. Santosh sir has been available for 1 hour strategy calls even during this time. No other teacher would have wanted me to succeed as much as he wants me to. I can understand concepts by myself and don’t need help in that. I want someone who pushes me to complete the target modules, checks if I did my mains answer writing for the day and analyses the previous year question papers with me. Because of Santosh sir, I understood that its just not enough reading one book but at the same time I dont have to waste time reading many books. He tells me the topic-wise sources to refer. Also he has designed a study plan for me that I can follow every week. Once, I told Santhosh sir I was missing test series discussion classes as it was conducted at 7PM. Immediately, he provided me recorded videos and kept the session at 8.30PM.”
Specific Features of Smash Prelims 2022 by Santosh Sir
Sincere aspirants who are scoring in the range of 80-90 marks must not attend last minute crash courses right now. They should instead focus on self revision, test series practice and guided mentorship to qualify for UPSC Prelims 2022. Here are the features of Prelims Focused Program by Civilsdaily —
Pillar-1
PRELIMS TESTS:
40 Full Length Tests(12 Basic + 6 Advanced + 10 CA tests + 8 Full tests + 4 CSAT).
In addition to this, in the month of January, we will have 60 sectional tests for practice. This will have 50 questions each. Hence, totally 100 Test Papers (40 FLTs + 60 Sectional Test Papers)
FIRST TEST WILL START ON JANUARY 15TH. SO, REGISTER ASAP.
VALUE ADDITIONS NOTES AND CLASSES BY VETERAN CIVILSDAILY MENTORS like SUDHANSHU SIR, SAJAL SIR & SUKANYA MA’AM
Polity: Sudhanshu sirwill conduct two sessions covering all the Polity Fundamentals, a session analyzing past year papers, another session on important current affairs related to polity this year and will discuss your test solutions.
History: Santosh Gupta sir will conduct a session on Sectoral Developments in Modern History, a session analyzing past year papers, and test discussion.
Economy: Sajal sir will conduct sessions on economic survey, trend analysis, discussion of most important economic current affairs, past year paper analysis, and economy final test discussion.
Geography: Santosh sir will conduct sessions on the most difficult aspects like Geography Mapping, Economic Geography, and Indian Agriculture.
Environment:Sukanya Ma’amwill cover sessions on Environment innovatively. Key concepts like vegetation and biome, Indian wildlife, conventions and protocols, national parks and sanctuaries, agriculture and sustainable development, and environment current affairs will be covered.
Science & Technology: This year’s prelims paper questioned on the basic concepts of science. Keeping this in mind, Santosh Gupta sir will conduct 2 sessions on One basic concept and current affairs of science and technology.
2. Civilsdaily Current Affairs Magazines for 1 year
3. Civilsdaily compilations of Yojna, Kurukshetra, PRS and RS TV.
4. Civilsdaily Budget And Economic Survey Summary.
5. Handouts on key subject-wise static topics to remember the terms and definitions for Prelims 2022.
Pillar-3
Santosh Gupta sir’s mentorship program
1. Introductory mentor call to every aspirant immediately upon commencement of program.
2. Weekly zoom strategy session by Santosh sir for doubt clearance and continuous improvement.
3. 1-1 mentor calls after 3-4 tests by mentor. After every test series, zoom sessions will be conducted by Birendra sir with all members of the batch for test discussion.
4. Support from mentors on the Habitat Group.
5. Frequent sessions with toppers for support and guidance. will have these special features for aspirants.
6. Mentor will guide on the FCE Approach i.e the Factual and Conceptual Methods of Elimination.
7. Mentor call as per request and mandatory check up call by mentor once a month.
Toppers’ Speak: How Civilsdaily Mentorship Helped Me Clear UPSC?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSwO38weHAA
About Santosh Gupta Sir
Santosh sir has scored above 140 twice in UPSC prelims and 120 plus in all 6 attempts. He has written all 6 mains and has appeared for Interviews 3 times. He has qualified UPSC EPFO and BPSC 56-59th also. As the Prelims coordinator at Civilsdaily, he has helped 15 out of 25 students clear the prelims examination this year.
As an aspirant if you have taken many test series, but are unable to score above 100 marks and want to improve your scores before Mains 2022, then this program is for you!
If coaches of sportspersons have themselves been players, then shouldn’t mentors of UPSC aspirants have cleared UPSC Mains themselves?
It’s about time you find a Rahul Dravid or a Pullela Gopichand to mentor your Upsc preparation. Just practising test series without knowing the ways to present an answer is not the way to clear Mains. An ideal test series program should have 1-on-1 mentorship and guidance by veterans who have themselves topped the exams!
Instead of getting demotivated and comparing yourself to other students, get mentorship support like Kunal Aggrawal IRS did when he could only score 75/250 marks in Mains mock tests.
Why UPSC toppers are convinced that Smash Mains helped them succeed?
A serving IPS officer, who had written the Mains exam again in 2021 to aim for IAS posting, gave us his feedback of our Smash Mains Test Series
How has Smash Mains helped 2021-2022 Aspirants in Preparing for UPSC?
What do aspirants need in their UPSC preparation journey? They need a senior who will give them moral support and the required logistics to prepare for the tough exam in a simplified manner.
You can clear the exam only with confidence and consistency. And to achieve both, you require a personalised mentor. Many aspirants feel just attending classes or tests is not beneficial for them. So we tweaked our program to include mentorship both in our tests series and classes. Aspirants feel they can reach out to us anytime with their concerns and we are available to sort them out.
Message from Sajal Sir
Dear Students,
For some of you prelims has never been a challenge for you. You have been missing the mains cut-off with a small margin (repeatedly). This means that there are some fundamental issueswith your approach. You might be aware or not about this. But just realization is not enough, you have to work on its execution as well. And bringing that to fruition will be possible through a guided process under a meticulously designed plan.
Smash mains is a highly personalized and intensive handholding program for the crème-de-la-crème (veterans) amongst UPSC aspirants (the intake is 50 students).
Note: The Entry is Restricted to those who have appeared in UPSC interview in the past 2 years or have missed the mains cut off by a whisker.
The focus is on identifying and highlighting the issues with your preparation (information / analysis / utilization). According to your strength and weaknesses, a tailor-made strategy is developed. Under Sajal sir’s strict monitoring, incremental improvements are aimed every day, after every session.
My marks in UPSC 2017 GS Mains paper were:
GS Paper 1 – 132
GS Paper 2 – 125
GS Paper 3 – 130
Key Takeways About Smash Mains 2022
Every 3rd Ranker in the Top 100 of UPSC 2020 is a Civilsdaily Student.
Your mentor, Sajal Sir is himself the 2017 topper of GS Mains. He has appeared for interview many times.
Over 400 students have emerged as toppers under Sajal Sir’s mentorship in the last 7 years.
Sajal Sir will daily motivate you on our chat-based platform, Habitat and have weekly 1-on-1 discussions with you after every test.
You don’t have to waste any more time finding the strategy (value added notes, test series or timetable ) for the next 3 months. You will get the guidance for it.
You will gain access to Civildaily’s Samachar Manthan – For holistic and comprehensive coverage of Current Affairs.
You will have exclusive membership to Smash Mains club in Habitat.
One of our other Civilsdaily Student cleared the exams in 2020 to become an IPS Officer. He wrote the 2021 exam again as he aims for an IAS posting. This is what he said about our program
If you are still not convinced then go through this video by UPSC 2020 AIR 425 topper Divyansh Singh who tells us how Sajal sir helped him develop 1-2 pages notes for every topic.
After completing the Mains Test series, you will have a one-to-one detailed and in-depth interaction with Sajal sir. Final refinements are done to every answer. Value addition material, as well as pointers, will be provided here. We will work with you to ensure you have enough material for value addition. Our focus will be on providing tips that add the missing X factor to your answers.
Why is Smash 2022 the best way to prepare for mains?
Individual attention and approachability are the USPs of this program. Listen to what our Smash Mains 2020 student and topper Pooja Gupta (AIR 42) says about the program.
Not putting Penguins among the Fowls – You already know how to write an average answer (you’re missing it by a few marks actually). You want to know how to increase your score from 90 to 110-115. The approach followed by other institutes in their Test series is the same for a veteran and a complete newbie and here lies the problem. Without personalizedone-to-one interaction with someone like Sajal sir (who has scored these awesome marks), it will be difficult for you to rectify these minute yet very important shortcomings.
Evaluation is a strength of this program and we put it on a high priority. Sajal sir himself is involved in the process, unlike other institutes where evaluation is outsourced to those who themselves might not have appeared for mains (It’s bizarre). It shouldn’t be based on ‘model answers’ as there are 3-4 ways of approaching an answer. Only a seasoned player will be able to go beyond these model answers and be able to appreciate your approach (If it’s innovative) even if it differs from the model answers provided.
Test copies get checked in a time-bound manner. The questions, answers and material provided are of the highest quality.
Emphasis on execution and utilization of knowledge – Mains is not only about knowledge but the way you express the relevant knowledge in the most optimum manner.
Sajal sir’s interventions are highly specific and not generalized. Sitting right in front of you he walks you through each and every question. Always there, he will not let you lose your focus.
AIR 148 UPSC 2020 topper and our Civilsdaily student, Ponmani explains why answer writing with mentorship is necessary for Mains.
Many experts would like to say that the weightage of Current affairs in prelims has declined since 2018. The truth is far from true. Current Affairs has been revived and is now included in questions from static syllabus topics. This approach has given rise to questions with more analytical dimensions that are thought oriented.
You might be reading a question and trying to remember it from a book, when it’s actually from the newspaper! Certain Current affairs questions of the 2021 Prelims have surprised us as well. Let’s try to understand this better with an example:
Consider the following statements regarding Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’.
The Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’ or the Circum-Pacific Belt, is an area along the Pacific Ocean that is characterised by active volcanoes.
About 90 per cent of the world’s earthquakes occur here.
It traces from New Zealand clockwise in an almost circular arc and extends upto western coast of North America.
This question is from the topic, ‘World Geography’. Also it was in the news this week.
Free Open to All Webinar to Tackle Current Affairs Questions From Static Topics
Here’s an exercise for all UPSC 2022 aspirants. Take a look at your syllabus, select a topic. Do you know atleast ten current affairs news related to this topic from the last one year?
If not, then it’s never too late. You still have 4.5 months left. So take the first big step by registering for this free live webinar by Prelims veteran Santosh sir.
Santosh sir has cleared prelims 6/6 times and scored 145+ in all of them. In his Smash Prelims 2020 program, 15 out of 25 students cleared the exam to write Mains 2021.
Key Takeaways of Free Live Webinar by Santosh Sir —
1. How to tackle static questions based on current affairs with accuracy? Using pre-existing knowledge to find the right option.
2. Learn 360 degree approach to current affairs. How can you read daily compilation, PIB, newspapers, Yojana and Kurushetra all in 1.5 hours?
3. Keywords approach to reading newspapers. How to make shorthand notes based on this?
4. Learn to interlink Static and Current affairs topics. Should reading for current affairs and a chapter in the static book happen at the same time?
5. How to handle the surprise questions from current affairs? The surprise questions from 2021 prelims exams.
6. Current affairs trend analysis. What are the topics where most of the current affairs questions come from?
Webinar Details
Current affairs is not merely about knowing, but it has become a game of linking and interlinking. Don’t miss the chance to get value addition inputs to score better in the examination! This webinar is absolutely free. All aspirants are welcome to attend.
Date – 24 January 2022 (Monday)
Time – 7:00 P.M.
Limited slots are available. Please registerimmediately.
Many experts would like to say that the weightage of Current affairs in prelims has declined since 2018. The truth is far from true. Current Affairs has been revived and is now included in questions from static syllabus topics. This approach has given rise to questions with more analytical dimensions that are thought oriented.
You might be reading a question and trying to remember it from a book, when it’s actually from the newspaper! Certain Current affairs questions of the 2021 Prelims have surprised us as well. Let’s try to understand this better with an example:
Consider the following statements regarding Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’.
The Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’ or the Circum-Pacific Belt, is an area along the Pacific Ocean that is characterised by active volcanoes.
About 90 per cent of the world’s earthquakes occur here.
It traces from New Zealand clockwise in an almost circular arc and extends upto western coast of North America.
This question is from the topic, ‘World Geography’. Also it was in the news this week.
Free Open to All Webinar to Tackle Current Affairs Questions From Static Topics
Here’s an exercise for all UPSC 2022 aspirants. Take a look at your syllabus, select a topic. Do you know atleast ten current affairs news related to this topic from the last one year?
If not, then it’s never too late. You still have 4.5 months left. So take the first big step by registering for this free live webinar by Prelims veteran Santosh sir.
Santosh sir has cleared prelims 6/6 times and scored 145+ in all of them. In his Smash Prelims 2020 program, 15 out of 25 students cleared the exam to write Mains 2021.
Key Takeaways of Free Live Webinar by Santosh Sir —
1. How to tackle static questions based on current affairs with accuracy? Elimination Techniques for Prelims that can be used.
2. Learn 360 degree approach to current affairs. How can you read daily compilation, PIB, newspapers, Yojana and Kurushetra all in 1.5 hours?
3. Keywords approach to reading newspapers. How to make shorthand notes based on this?
4. Learn to interlink Static and Current affairs topics. Should reading for current affairs and a chapter in the static book happen at the same time?
5. How to handle the surprise questions from current affairs? The surprise questions from 2021 prelims exams.
6. Current affairs trend analysis. What are the topics where most of the current affairs questions come from?
Webinar Details
Current affairs is not merely about knowing, but it has become a game of linking and interlinking. Don’t miss the chance to get value addition inputs to score better in the examination! This webinar is absolutely free. All aspirants are welcome to attend.
Date – 24 January 2022 (Monday)
Time – 7:00 P.M.
Limited slots are available. Please registerimmediately.
Recent developments warrant a comprehensive review of border management to ensure the all-weather security of our borders.
What makes India’s border management difficult?
India shares land borders with Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, which stretch approximately 15,106 km.
In addition, we have an approximately 3,323 km-long LoC with Pakistan, which further extends to the rechristened 110 km stretch of “Actual Ground Position Line” (AGPL) dividing the Siachen glacier region.
Further east, we have the 3,488 km LAC with China.
We share maritime boundaries with Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar and Indonesia; we have a 7,683 km coastline and an approximately 2 million sq km exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
This makes India’s task more complex than most other countries.
Multiple agencies securing borders
Complexity is accentuated by the fact that along with the army, we have multiple other security agencies — the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and the Paramilitary Forces (PMF) — sharing the responsibility.
While the army is deployed along the LoC and AGPL, the Border Security Force (BSF) looks after the international border with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Guarding the LAC has been assigned to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Assam Rifles.
The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) is responsible for guarding the borders with Nepal and Bhutan.
The Assam Rifles looks after our border with Myanmar.
In a nutshell, in addition to the army, we have four agencies guarding borders with six neighbours.
Conversely, maritime borders are guarded by a single agency — the Coast Guard.
Need for review of the border management
There is a lack of a coherent policy on training, planning and the conduct of guarding operations among various outfits.
Overall coordination is also affected.
Our adversary on the western border has often escalated violations by resorting to the prolonged use of military resources.
Chinese provocations along the LAC are military operations.
Clearly, the peace-time scenario is now by and large militarised.
Way forward
Single security agency: In this scenario, India needs a single security agency adequately equipped, suitably armed and trained in advanced military drills and sub-unit tactics to guard our borders.
Manpower from Army: Further, to augment the battle efficiency, a fixed percentage of manpower, including the officer cadre, should be drawn on deputation from the army.
Paramilitary force under Ministry of Defence: To ensure the desired training and operational standards, this single security agency should be designated as a paramilitary force under the Ministry of Defence and operate under the army.
Mergers: The ITBP and the SSB should be fully merged into the new outfit; the BSF and CRPF still have important internal security duties and can be partially merged.
The reorganised Assam Rifles too should retain its role of conducting counter-insurgency operations and act as a reserve for the army for conventional operations.
Most countries have raised specialised and dedicated armed bodies for border security.
Iran has the Border Guard Command, Italy has the Border Police Service, Russia has created a Border Guard Service, whereas in the US, it is under Homeland Security.
Most of these countries, based on threat perception and for better combat cohesion, have placed these organisations under the command of the armed forces.
Conclusion
India should adopt a single agency with adequate resources and training to deal with the evolving challenges.
It is time that we took a fresh look at the Tenth Schedule to our Constitution.
Shortcomings of the anti-defection law
Partisan nature of Speaker: Paragraph 3 of the Tenth Schedule was omitted by the Constitution (91st Amendment) Act, 2003, which came into effect on January 1, 2004.
Paragraph 3, as it existed prior to the amendment, protected defectors as long as one-third of the members of a political party formed a separate group.
In the context of small assemblies, one-third of the members could easily be cobbled together.
Often, the speaker of the assembly was seen to be collaborating with the political party in power to protect the defectors under the one-third rule.
Such partisan conduct of the speakers is at the heart of a non-functional Tenth Schedule.
The seeming political bias of the speakers acting as tribunals is apparent from how disqualification petitions are dealt with.
We have seen this happen in Manipur, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and other jurisdictions.
Allowing two-third members to merge with another party: After the omission of paragraph 3, paragraph 4 allowed for the protection of defecting members provided two-thirds of the members of the legislative party merged with another political party.
This provision has invariably been misused.
Constitutional flaw in provisions of paragraph 4: Third, there is a constitutional flaw in the manner in which the provisions of paragraph 4 have been enacted.
Paragraph 4(1) stipulates that a member of the house will not be disqualified from his membership where his original political party merges with another political party and he claims that he and other members have become members of the other political party or a new political party is being formed by such merger.
However, paragraph 4(2) provides that such a merger would be deemed to have taken place only if not less than two-thirds of the members of the legislative party agreed to such a merger.
This allows for clandestine corruption where two-thirds of the members of the legislative party are bought over, by means fair or foul, to either topple governments or to strengthen a razor-thin majority of the party in power.
This makes the entire provision unworkable and unconstitutional.
Prolonging the proceedings: We have witnessed situations where, even though the provisions of paragraph 4 are not ex-facie attracted, the speaker of the assembly makes sure that the proceedings are interminably prolonged so that the term of the assembly comes to an end before the proceedings under the Tenth Schedule against those ex-facie defectors have been concluded.
Need for urgent attention to Article 164(1B)
This allows for the toppling of governments by inducements of various kinds.
The motivation is that a fresh election allows the disqualified member to be re-elected.
He then becomes a member of the assembly once again, as its term is not over and can also be appointed a minister.
Under Article 164(1B), such a defection has no real consequences.
Way forward
1] Ensure impartiality of Speaker: Speakers, when elected must resign from the party to which they belong.
At the end of their term, there should be a cooling-off period before they can become members of any political party.
2] Omit Paragraph 4 through Amendment: Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule should be omitted by moving a constitutional amendment.
3] Make disqualification for 5 years: All those disqualified under paragraph 2 of the Tenth Schedule should neither be entitled to contest elections nor hold public office for five years from the date of their disqualification.
Article 164(1B) should be omitted by moving a constitutional amendment.
Set time limit to decide petition for disqualification: All petitions for disqualification of members under paragraph 2 of the Tenth Schedule should be decided, by adopting a summary procedure, within a period of three months.
Consider the question “Has anti-defection law succeeded in curbing the defections and ensuring the stability of the elected governments? Give reasons in support of your argument.”
Conclusion
If our polity wants to get rid of open corruption, it needs to take urgent steps to plug existing loopholes that have made the Tenth Schedule unworkable.
A member of the Legislative Assembly of a State or either House of the Legislature of a State having Legislative Council belonging to any political party who is disqualified for being a member of that House under paragraph 2 of the Tenth Schedule shall also be disqualified to be appointed as a Minister under clause (1) for duration of the period commencing from the date of his disqualification till the date on which the term of his office as such member would expire or where he contests any election to the Legislative Assembly of a State or either House of the Legislature of a State having Legislative Council, as the case may be, before the expiry of such period, till the date on which he is declared elected, whichever is earlier.
The iconic Amar Jawan Jyoti (AJJ) at India Gate was extinguished as a part of its merger with the flame at the National War Memorial (NWM). This has sparked a political controversy.
What is the Amar Jawan Jyoti?
The eternal flame at the AJJ underneath India Gate in central Delhi was an iconic symbol of the nation’s tributes to the soldiers who have died for the country in various wars and conflicts since Independence.
Established in 1972, it was to mark India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 War, which resulted in the creation of Bangladesh.
The then PM Indira Gandhi had inaugurated it on Republic Day 1972, after India defeated Pakistan in December 1971.
Description of the bust
The key elements of the Amar Jawan Jyoti included a black marble plinth, a cenotaph, which acted as a tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The plinth had an inverted L1A1 self-loading riflewith a bayonet, on top of which was a soldier’s war helmet.
How the eternal flame was kept burning?
For 50 years the eternal flame had been burning underneath India Gate, without being extinguished.
But on Friday, the flame was finally put off, as it was merged with another eternal flame at the National War Memorial.
Since 1972, when it was inaugurated, it used to be kept alive with the help of cylinders of liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG.
One cylinder could keep one burner alive for a day and a half.
In 2006 that was changed. Though a project that cost around Rs 6 lakh the fuel for the flames was changed from LPG to piped natural gas, or PNG.
It is through this piped gas that the flame marking the tribute to Indian soldiers had been kept alive eternally.
Why was it placed at India Gate?
The India Gate, All India War Memorial, as it was known earlier, was built by the British in 1931.
It was erected as a memorial to around 90,000 Indian soldiers of the British Indian Army, who had died in several wars and campaigns till then.
Names of more than 13,000 dead soldiers are mentioned on the memorial commemorating them.
As it was a memorial for the Indian soldiers killed in wars, the Amar Jawan Jyoti was established underneath it by the government in 1972.
Reasons for its relocation
The correct perspective is that the flame will not be extinguished, but just moved to be merged with the one at the National War Memorial.
The flame which paid homage to the soldiers killed in the 1971 War, does not even mention their name, and the India Gate is a “symbol of our colonial past”.
The names of all Indian martyrs from all the wars, including 1971 and wars before and after it are housed at the National War Memorial.
Hence it is a true tribute to have the flame paying tribute to martyrs there.
Further, it can also be seen as part of the government’s redevelopment of the entire Central Vista, of which India Gate, the AJJ and the National War Memorial are parts of.
What else is planned with the extinguish?
The canopy next to the India Gate will get a statue of the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
The new statue will be 28 feet high.
Till the statue is completed, a hologram statue of Bose will be placed under the canopy, which he will unveil on January 23.
The canopy used to have a statue of Kind George V, which was removed in 1968.
Why Netaji?
January 23 this year marks his 125th birth anniversary.
From this year onwards, Republic Day celebrations will start on January 23, as opposed to the usual practice of starting it on January 24, to mark the birth anniversary of Bose.
It will end on January 30, the day Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated.
The government had earlier announced that Bose’s birth anniversary would be celebrated as Parakram Divas.
What is the National War Memorial and when was it made?
The National War Memorial, which is around 400 meters from India Gate was inaugurated in February 2019, in an area of around 40 acres.
It was built to commemorate all the soldiers who have laid down their lives in the various battles, wars, operations and conflicts of Independent India.
There are many independent memorials for such soldiers, but no memorial existed commemorating them all at the national level.
Discussions to build such a memorial had been ongoing since 1961, but it did not come up.
Its architecture
The architecture of the memorial is based on four concentric circles.
Largest is the Raksha Chakra or the Circle of Protection which is marked by a row of trees, each of which represent soldiers, who protect the country.
The Tyag Chakra, the Circle of Sacrifice, has circular concentric walls of honour based on the Chakravyuh.
The walls have independent granite tablets for each of the soldiers who have died for the country since Independence.
As of today, there are 26,466 names of such soldiers on these granite tablets etched in golden letters.
A tablet is added every time a soldier is killed in the line of duty.
The final is the Amar Chakra, the Circle of Immortality, which has an obelisk, and the Eternal Flame.
Busts of the 21 soldiers who have been conferred with the highest gallantry award of the country, Param Vir Chakra, are also installed at the memorial.
At COP-26 in Glasgow, countries got together to sign the Declaration on Forests and Land Use (or the Deforestation Declaration). However, India was among the few countries that did not sign the declaration.
What is this Deforestation Declaration?
It was signed by 142 countries, which represented over 90 percent of forests across the world.
The declaration commits to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation.
The signatories committed $19 billion in private and public funds to this end.
Why did India abstain from joining?
India had concerns about the linkage the declaration makes between deforestation, infrastructure development and trade.
Any commitment to the environment and climate change should not involve any reference to trade, cited India.
Analysts in India have linked the decision to a proposed amendment to the Forest Conservation Act 1980 that would ease the clearances presently required for acquiring forest land for new infrastructure projects.
India abstained from many things
A look at India’s positions on some other recent critical pledges and decisions related to climate change reveals a clear pattern of objections or absence.
At CoP26, India was not part of the dialogue on Forests, Agriculture and Commodity Trade (FACT).
FACT, which is supported by 28 countries seeks to encourage “sustainable development and trade of agricultural commodities while protecting and managing sustainably forests and other critical ecosystems”.
India also voted against a recent draft resolution to allow for discussions related to climate change and its impact on international peace and security to be taken up at the UNSC.
Why should India join this declaration?
Broadly speaking, all of India’s objections are based on procedural issues at multilateral fora.
Although justifiable on paper, these objections seem blind to the diverse ways in which climate change is linked to global trade, deforestation, agriculture, and international peace, among other issues.
For context, consider India’s palm oil trade. India is the largest importer of crude palm oil in the world.
Palm oil cultivation, covering roughly 16 million acres of land in Indonesia and Malaysia, has been the biggest driver of deforestation in the two countries.
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