In the intro, mention India’s commitment under COP26 for net-zero emissions.
In the body, mention the current laws dealing with the various aspects of climate change. In the next part, mention the issues such as unique conditions in India and inadequacies in the current laws to deal with the challenges. In the suggestions mention need for integrating climate action.
Conclude by mentioning the need for a separate law to deal with the challenges posed by climate change.
In the intro, mention the new era of great power competition between the US and China.
In the body, mention two dynamics that shaped the great power competition viz. global economic interdependence and common challenges fostering greater global competition. In the next part, mention the lack of cooperation among countries on Covid-19 issue and how it does not bode well for the above two dynamics.
Conclude by mentioning that global problem solving will require countries to be collaborative when they should be, rather than merely when they can be.
In introduction, briefly state what do you understand by the Gandhian phase of national movement.
In the body, discuss the role of various leaders and their movements during the Gandhian phase.
You can talk about the Khilafat movement, role of Swarajists and No-changers, role of socialist leaders, role of revolutionaries, role of women leaders etc
Every aspirant studies the same standard book for Ethics and gets the same time during exam. And yet, only a few score above 110+ while others don’t. Why?
Answer writing for GS4 Ethics is not an inborn talent, it is a skill you can masterwith the right approach and guidance.
Join Sukanya Rana Ma’am as she takes you through the advanced nuances of GS4 Ethics and solves a few case studies in thefree webinaron 10 November (Wednesday)
Why Should you Attend this Webinar?
Every time and every year almost 90% of the GS4 questions come from topics covered in standard books. This is unlike your GS2 and GS3 papers. Hence, it has the least syllabus out of all the papers. The challenges faced by most aspirants in Ethics is not syllabus coverage.
But writing what is covered in the standard books alone won’t fetch you extra marks. Do you think most of your time is spent understanding the case study than framing an answer for it? Do you want ready-made answers in your mind and write as you go?
Then this free webinar is the for you! Advance your possibility of success by learning from Sukanya Rana Ma’am who scored 140 in 2019 Ethics paper.
What will you Learn in this Webinar?
1. Five years paper analysis of Ethics. What are the trends you shouldn’t miss?
2. Get an extra edge in your answers. How to have an analytical approach in your answers?
3. The 3 common types of questions asked in the exam. What are they?
4. The trickier aspects of the exam. How to answer quote based questions?
5. Time-management techniques for GS4 Ethics. How not to compromise quality in your answers?
All aspirants are welcome to interact with Sukanya Ma’am and clear their doubts in the Q&A session. This webinar is absolutely freeand only requires prior registration.
Date: 10 November (Wednesday)
Time: 3 P.M
About Sukanya Rana Ma’am
Sukanya ma’am has the experience of 4 mains and 2 interviews in UPSC. She has also appeared in the State PCS interview. Before being a mentor at Civilsdaily, she worked as an officer in a public sector bank. Sukanya Rana Ma’am is passionate about guiding future officers in finding success.
As an aspirant, she consistently scored 100+ marks in Ethics paper. Notably, in 2019 her marks were 140 in GS 4. Under her mentorship, many Smash Mains 2020 students were able to secure 110+ marks.
One97 Communications-owned Paytm will launch its initial public offering for subscription in the coming week.
This is the largest-ever public issue in the history of Indian capital markets. Before this, state-run coal mining company Coal India had the biggest IPO of more than Rs 15,000 crore in October 2010.
Context
Driven by excess liquidity and a rising stock market, Indian companies has already raised approximately 72000 Crore rupees through IPOs this year, the highest amount over the last 20 years.
With several more IPOs of companies such as Paytm and Policybazaar, the overall figure is likely to cross 1 Lakh crore by the end of this year.
In this article, we shall discuss the reason behind the IPO Boom’ this year, how are these issues performing on the market after listing and what kind of value addition do they bring to the table.
What is an IPO?
Every company needs money to grow and expand.
They do this by borrowing or by issuing shares.
If the company decides to opt for the second route of issuing shares, it must invite public investors to buy its shares.
This is its first public invitation in the stock market and is called the Initial Public Offering (IPO).
Do you know?
The Dutch are credited with conducting the first modern IPO by offering shares of the Dutch East India Company to the general public.
What does it mean for investors to buy shares?
When one buys such shares, he/she makes an IPO investment.
He/she gets ownership in the company, proportionate to the value of your shares.
These shares then get listed on the stock exchange.
The stock exchange is where you can sell your existing shares in the company or buy more.
How does an IPO work?
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) regulates the entire process of investment via an IPO in India.
A company intending to issue shares through IPOs first registers with SEBI.
SEBI scrutinises the documents submitted, and only then approves it.
Who can hold IPOs?
It could be a new, young company or an old company which decides to be listed on an exchange and hence goes public.
Trading of shares
The company which offers its shares, known as an ‘issuer’, does so with the help of investment banks.
After IPO, the company’s shares are traded in an open market.
Those shares can be further sold by investors through secondary market trading.
Why are IPOs held?
Some of the main motivations for undertaking an IPO include:
Raising capital from the sale of the shares
Providing liquidity to company founders and early investors and
Taking advantage of a higher valuation
Benefits offered by IPO
Cheaper avenues of raising capital
More exposure, prestige and enhanced public image
Creating multiple financing opportunity through equity, convertible debt etc
Limitations of IPO
Disclosure of sensitive financial and business information
Risk of company performance in future
Risk of litigation by investors
Market pressure
Cost of trading (transaction cost) borne by the investors
Why is there a boom of IPOs in India?
There are multiple reasons for the spike IPOs:
Monetary push: In in a bid to boost the economy, central banks and governments over the world have been pumping money into the economy.
Liquidity: This money with people is finding its way into the stock markets.
Lower interest rates: As long as the interest rates remain low, investor enthusiasm remains and investors keep making listing gains on the last few issues.
Retailers’ entry: Besides big institutional investors, recent months have seen a hoard of first-time retail investors entering the markets.
Regulatory boosts: Positive changes in the regulatory environment are also forging IPOs as a sustainable path for scaled companies. The SEBI has been highly proactive in this regard.
Ever since the release of a web series on the stock market, every other person/aspirant is seen talking about share markets. This seems to be the rising awareness and sensation created among young investors in the stock market.
Concerns raised
The RBI has warned that there is a disconnect between Indian stock markets and the economy, which could pose a risk to the country’s financial stability.
There is a question of sustainability of the spike in stock market.
Conclusion
As a growing economy, India offers tremendous opportunities for entrepreneurs to build global companies.
A very active early-stage VC ecosystem enables entrepreneurs to take that risk in the early stages, and a buoyant private equity market enables strong early-stage businesses to access growth capital.
It is only natural to see a lot more IPOs in the future as these companies scale up.
A knowledgeable and active public market ecosystem with active retail participation alongside FIIs is expected to make the country a solid story for the years to come.
Every aspirant studies the same standard book for Ethics and gets the same time during exam. And yet, only a few score above 110+ while others don’t. Why?
Answer writing for GS4 Ethics is not an inborn talent, it is a skill you can masterwith the right approach and guidance.
Join Sukanya Rana Ma’am as she takes you through the advanced nuances of GS4 Ethics and solves a few case studies in thefree webinaron 10 November (Wednesday)
Why Should you Attend this Webinar?
Every time and every year almost 90% of the GS4 questions come from topics covered in standard books. This is unlike your GS2 and GS3 papers. Hence, it has the least syllabus out of all the papers. The challenges faced by most aspirants in Ethics is not syllabus coverage.
But writing what is covered in the standard books alone won’t fetch you extra marks. Do you think most of your time is spent understanding the case study than framing an answer for it? Do you want ready-made answers in your mind and write as you go?
Then this free webinar is the for you! Advance your possibility of success by learning from Sukanya Rana Ma’am who scored 140 in 2019 Ethics paper.
What will you Learn in this Webinar?
1. Five years paper analysis of Ethics. What are the trends you shouldn’t miss?
2. Get an extra edge in your answers. How to have an analytical approach in your answers?
3. The 3 common types of questions asked in the exam. What are they?
4. The trickier aspects of the exam. How to answer quote based questions?
5. Time-management techniques for GS4 Ethics. How not to compromise quality in your answers?
All aspirants are welcome to interact with Sukanya Ma’am and clear their doubts in the Q&A session. This webinar is absolutely freeand only requires prior registration.
Date: 10 November (Wednesday)
Time: 3 P.M
About Sukanya Rana Ma’am
Sukanya ma’am has the experience of 4 mains and 2 interviews in UPSC. She has also appeared in the State PCS interview. Before being a mentor at Civilsdaily, she worked as an officer in a public sector bank. Sukanya Rana Ma’am is passionate about guiding future officers in finding success.
As an aspirant, she consistently scored 100+ marks in Ethics paper. Notably, in 2019 her marks were 140 in GS 4. Under her mentorship, many Smash Mains 2020 students were able to secure 110+ marks.
Now that UPSC CSE prelims results are out, you would have started answer writing practice for mains. Keep in mind that answering for mains is not like answering your university papers. Over here, examiners expect pointers, examples, flowcharts, mind maps, diagrams than long paragraphs. Given the time and word limit, it’s better not to beat around the bush while answering.
Open to All, Free Webinar on 20 Best Practices of Answer Writing
Sajal sir will share his experiences of scoring 120+ in all the UPSC 2017 GS papers through a webinar. This webinar about the new age formula to ace UPSC Mains is absolutely free for all to attend.
For a better understanding on the format of the webinar, here’s Sajal sir’s explanation on how to approach a sample question.
It is commented that Electoral bonds instead of cleansing India’s electoral system distort India’s democracy. Do you agree? Critically analyse.
Sajal Sir Suggests: Understand the key demand of the question. Don’t get swayed by only seeing the theme of the question. Question is not about electoral bonds only. Many aspirants write everything they know about electoral bonds. You need to first mention how it will cleanse India’s electoral system. After that, link it with democracy. How it violates key features of democracy like transparency, accountability and level playing field. Writing only Pros and Cons will not fetch you marks.
Do you know that toppers use certain techniques of answer-writing to score higher marks? Are you aware of the PESTLE approach or the 7-5-3 technique of answer writing? If not, then its time you attended this webinar
Sajal sir in the past 7 years has mentored over 400 students who went onto become UPSC toppers. Apart from this, his course SMASH Mains 2020 had a turnover of 80% interview recommended candidates.
This is how the UPSC Toppers scored in test series before Sajal sir’s intervention —
They had tried everything but were not able to score high in the exams. From their approach to answering to the body of answers, they faced problems. They faced problems with things like putting proper headings, how to frame dimensions, introductions, conclusions, etc. They never even got the right feedback which could have helped them!
And this is how they improved after learning the best answer writing practices from him —
Anyone who is going to attend UPSC mains now or 2022 UPSC Aspirants, will gain valuable insights from this webinar. Register now for an invite. And, keep the date saved in your calendars!
Now that UPSC CSE prelims results are out, you would have started answer writing practice for mains. Keep in mind that answering for mains is not like answering your university papers. Over here, examiners expect pointers, examples, flowcharts, mind maps, diagrams than long paragraphs. Given the time and word limit, it’s better not to beat around the bush while answering.
Open to All, Free Webinar on 20 Best Practices of Answer Writing
Sajal sir will share his experiences of scoring 120+ in all the UPSC 2017 GS papers through a webinar. This webinar about the new age formula to ace UPSC Mains is absolutely free for all to attend.
For a better understanding on the format of the webinar, here’s Sajal sir’s explanation on how to approach a sample question.
It is commented that Electoral bonds instead of cleansing India’s electoral system distort India’s democracy. Do you agree? Critically analyse.
Sajal Sir Suggests: Understand the key demand of the question. Don’t get swayed by only seeing the theme of the question. Question is not about electoral bonds only. Many aspirants write everything they know about electoral bonds. You need to first mention how it will cleanse India’s electoral system. After that, link it with democracy. How it violates key features of democracy like transparency, accountability and level playing field. Writing only Pros and Cons will not fetch you marks.
Do you know that toppers use certain techniques of answer-writing to score higher marks? Are you aware of the PESTLE approach or the 7-5-3 technique of answer writing? If not, then its time you attended this webinar
Sajal sir in the past 7 years has mentored over 400 students who went onto become UPSC toppers. Apart from this, his course SMASH Mains 2020 had a turnover of 80% interview recommended candidates.
This is how the UPSC Toppers scored in test series before Sajal sir’s intervention —
They had tried everything but were not able to score high in the exams. From their approach to answering to the body of answers, they faced problems. They faced problems with things like putting proper headings, how to frame dimensions, introductions, conclusions, etc. They never even got the right feedback which could have helped them!
And this is how they improved after learning the best answer writing practices from him —
Anyone who is going to attend UPSC mains now or 2022 UPSC Aspirants, will gain valuable insights from this webinar. Register now for an invite. And, keep the date saved in your calendars!
Now that UPSC CSE prelims results are out, you would have started answer writing practice for mains. Keep in mind that answering for mains is not like answering your university papers. Over here, examiners expect pointers, examples, flowcharts, mind maps, diagrams than long paragraphs. Given the time and word limit, it’s better not to beat around the bush while answering.
Open to All, Free Webinar on 20 Best Practices of Answer Writing
Sajal sir will share his experiences of scoring 120+ in all the UPSC 2017 GS papers through a webinar. This webinar about the new age formula to ace UPSC Mains is absolutely free for all to attend.
For a better understanding on the format of the webinar, here’s Sajal sir’s explanation on how to approach a sample question.
It is commented that Electoral bonds instead of cleansing India’s electoral system distort India’s democracy. Do you agree? Critically analyse.
Sajal Sir Suggests: Understand the key demand of the question. Don’t get swayed by only seeing the theme of the question. Question is not about electoral bonds only. Many aspirants write everything they know about electoral bonds. You need to first mention how it will cleanse India’s electoral system. After that, link it with democracy. How it violates key features of democracy like transparency, accountability and level playing field. Writing only Pros and Cons will not fetch you marks.
Do you know that toppers use certain techniques of answer-writing to score higher marks? Are you aware of the PESTLE approach or the 7-5-3 technique of answer writing? If not, then its time you attended this webinar
Sajal sir in the past 7 years has mentored over 400 students who went onto become UPSC toppers. Apart from this, his course SMASH Mains 2020 had a turnover of 80% interview recommended candidates.
This is how the UPSC Toppers scored in test series before Sajal sir’s intervention —
They had tried everything but were not able to score high in the exams. From their approach to answering to the body of answers, they faced problems. They faced problems with things like putting proper headings, how to frame dimensions, introductions, conclusions, etc. They never even got the right feedback which could have helped them!
And this is how they improved after learning the best answer writing practices from him —
Anyone who is going to attend UPSC mains now or 2022 UPSC Aspirants, will gain valuable insights from this webinar. Register now for an invite. And, keep the date saved in your calendars!
Now that UPSC CSE prelims results are out, you would have started answer writing practice for mains. Keep in mind that answering for mains is not like answering your university papers. Over here, examiners expect pointers, examples, flowcharts, mind maps, diagrams than long paragraphs. Given the time and word limit, it’s better not to beat around the bush while answering.
Open to All, Free Webinar on 20 Best Practices of Answer Writing
Sajal sir will share his experiences of scoring 120+ in all the UPSC 2017 GS papers through a webinar. This webinar about the new age formula to ace UPSC Mains is absolutely free for all to attend.
For a better understanding on the format of the webinar, here’s Sajal sir’s explanation on how to approach a sample question.
It is commented that Electoral bonds instead of cleansing India’s electoral system distort India’s democracy. Do you agree? Critically analyse.
Sajal Sir Suggests: Understand the key demand of the question. Don’t get swayed by only seeing the theme of the question. Question is not about electoral bonds only. Many aspirants write everything they know about electoral bonds. You need to first mention how it will cleanse India’s electoral system. After that, link it with democracy. How it violates key features of democracy like transparency, accountability and level playing field. Writing only Pros and Cons will not fetch you marks.
Do you know that toppers use certain techniques of answer-writing to score higher marks? Are you aware of the PESTLE approach or the 7-5-3 technique of answer writing? If not, then its time you attended this webinar
Sajal sir in the past 7 years has mentored over 400 students who went onto become UPSC toppers. Apart from this, his course SMASH Mains 2020 had a turnover of 80% interview recommended candidates.
This is how the UPSC Toppers scored in test series before Sajal sir’s intervention —
They had tried everything but were not able to score high in the exams. From their approach to answering to the body of answers, they faced problems. They faced problems with things like putting proper headings, how to frame dimensions, introductions, conclusions, etc. They never even got the right feedback which could have helped them!
And this is how they improved after learning the best answer writing practices from him —
Anyone who is going to attend UPSC mains now or 2022 UPSC Aspirants, will gain valuable insights from this webinar. Register now for an invite. And, keep the date saved in your calendars!
The power sector in India is at an inflection point. Three developments are triggering a shift across the power chain, generation and distribution in particular, and are in the process deepening existing faultlines, and exacerbating the distress.
Three changes driving the shift in power sector
1) Central government’s approach towards distribution segment
Till recently, the Centre had preferred to incentivise states, nudging them to address the issue that lies at the heart of the power sector’s woes — turning around the operational performance and financial position.
However, despite multiple attempts, not much has changed.
But over the past few months, the Centre appears to have changed tack.
The Centre no longer appears content to simply nudge states into acting.
This change in stance is evident from enforcing the tripartite agreement to recover the dues owed to power producers like NTPC by discoms in Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to now regulating coal supplies to states where power generating companies have been delaying payments.
2) Covid impact on government finances and ability to support discoms
Notwithstanding buoyant tax revenues this year, Covid has wreaked havoc on government finances.
The general government debt stands at 90 per cent of GDP.
Add to this demands for greater welfare spending, uncertainty over state government finances once the five year GST compensation period ends next year, and the limits to which states can continue to support discoms will increasingly be tested.
To what extent accounting jugglery can be used once again to clean up discom debt is debatable.
After all, even the liquidity facility arranged by the Centre to help discoms pay off their obligations will have to be paid back.
3) Loss of monopoly and shift towards renwable
Until now, consumers had little recourse to alternate sources of supply.
Consequently, discoms, which are essentially geographical monopolies, were able to charge higher tariffs from commercial and industrial consumers to cross-subsidise agricultural and low-income households.
But the situation appears to be changing.
Migration of high tariff paying consumers through open access and investments in captive power plants is gaining traction, driven in large part by the emergence of solar as an alternative at seemingly competitive tariffs.
This reduced reliance of high tariff paying consumers on discoms will only exacerbate their already precarious financial position.
The pace at which this transition is occurring will only accelerate in the coming years.
On the supply side, at the global and the national level, there is a push towards cleaner fuel, solar in particular.
Flowing from this — though with debatable relevance given the current levels of per capita emissions — is the domestic policy thrust towards renewables.
Solar, in particular, benefits from both explicit and implicit subsidies — land at concessional rate, exemption from interstate transmission charges, discounted wheeling charges, cross-subsidies for open access, SECI taking on counterparty risk, and others.
It also enjoys “Must Run” status.
On the demand side, at current tariffs, solar is emerging as an attractive alternative for the high tariff paying commercial and industrial consumers.
On their part, discoms are trying to salvage a losing situation.
To stem the flow of high paying customers, some have begun levying an additional surcharge on whoever opts for open access to lower the cost differential.
Others are shifting from net metering to gross metering — essentially charging consumers higher tariffs — above particular consumption levels.
Conclusion
Continuously subsidising discoms for their AT&C losses (operational inefficiencies), and for not supplying power at commensurate tariffs to low-income households and agricultural customers (for political considerations) will become fiscally untenable.
The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26, from October 31 to November 12, 2021), at Glasgow, Scotland is important as it will call for practical implementation of the 2015 Paris Accord, setting the rules for the Accord.
Indian proposals
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced, on November 1 at Glasgow, a ‘Panchamrit solution’ which aims at reducing fossil fuel dependence and carbon intensity.
This also includes ramping up India’s renewable energy share to 50% by 2030.
Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav has reasserted the call for the promised $100 billion a year as support (from the developed world to the developing world).
But as we consider new energy pathways, we must also consider the question of climate hazard, nature-based solutions and national accountability.
This is the right time for India to mull setting up a climate law while staying true to its goals of climate justice, carbon space and environmental protection.
Why India needs climate law
There are a few reasons for this.
Existing laws not adequate: Our existing laws are not adequate to deal with climate change.
We have for example the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA), 1986, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
Yet, climate is not exactly water or air.
The Environment (Protection) Act is grossly inadequate to deal with violations on climate. Clause 24 of the Act, “Effect of Other Laws”, states that if an offence is committed under the EPA or any other law, the person will be punished under the other law (for example, Code of Criminal Procedure).
This makes the EPA subordinate to every other law.
There is a need to integrate climate action: Integration includes adaptation and mitigation — and monitoring progress.
Comprehensive climate action is not just technological such as changing energy sources or carbon intensity, but also nature-based such as emphasising restoration of ecosystems.
India’s situation is unique: Climate action cannot come by furthering sharpening divides or exacerbating poverty, and this includes our stated renewable energy goals.
The 500 Gigawatt by 2030 goal for renewable can put critically endangered grassland and desert birds such as the Great Indian Bustard at risk, as they die on collision with wires in the desert.
Suggestions on climate law
A climate law could consider two aspects.
Commission on climate change:Creating an institution that monitors action plans for climate change.
A ‘Commission on Climate Change’ could be set up, with the power and the authority to issue directions, and oversee implementation of plans and programmes on climate.
The Commission could have quasi-judicial powers with powers of a civil court to ensure that its directions are followed in letter and spirit.
System of liability and accountability: We need a system of liability and accountability at short-, medium- and long-term levels as we face hazards.
This also means having a legally enforceable National Climate Change Plan that goes beyond just policy guidelines.
A Climate Commission could ideally prevent gross negligence in fragile areas and fix accountability if it arises.
Conclusion
We have an urgent moral imperative to tackle climate change and reduce its worst impacts. But we also should Indianise the process by bringing in a just and effective law — with guts, a spine, a heart, and, most importantly, teeth.
The World Trade Organization (WTO)’s 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) is being convened in Geneva, Switzerland at the end of this month.
Ministerial Conferences
The topmost decision-making body of the WTO is the Ministerial Conference, which usually meets every two years. It brings together all members of the WTO, all of which are countries or customs unions.
The Ministerial Conference can take decisions on all matters under any of the multilateral trade agreements
The task ahead for MC12
Recent WTO estimates show that global trade volumes could expand by almost 11% in 2021, and by nearly 5% in 2022, and could stabilise at a level higher than the pre-COVID-19 trend.
The MC12 needs to consider how in these good times for trade, the economically weaker countries “can secure a share in the growth in international trade commensurate with the needs of their economic development’, an objective that is mandated by the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization.
Some of the areas are currently witnessing intense negotiations, these include adoption of WTO rules on electronic commerce, investment facilitation, and fisheries subsidies.
Following issues will form the basis of MC12 discussions
1) IPR waiver for Covid-19 related technologies
Pharmaceutical companies have used monopoly rights granted by their IPRs to deny developing countries access to technologies and know-how, thus undermining the possibility of production of vaccines in these countries.
To remedy this situation, India and South Africa had tabled a proposal in the WTO in October 2020, for waiving enforcement of several forms of IPRs on “health products and technologies including diagnostics, therapeutics, vaccines, medical devices.
This proposal, supported by nearly two-thirds of the organisation’s membership, was opposed by the developed countries batting for their corporates.
The unfortunate reality of the current discussions is that an outcome supporting affordable access to COVID-19 vaccines and medicines looks distant.
2) Fisheries subsidies
Discussions on fisheries subsidies have been hanging fire for a long time, there is considerable push for an early conclusion of an agreement to rein in these subsidies.
The current drafts on this issue do not provide the wherewithal to rein in large-scale commercial fishing.
Large scale commercial fishing is depleting fish stocks the world over, and at the same time, are threatening the livelihoods of small fishermen in countries such as India.
3) E-commerce
Discussions on e-commerce are being held in the WTO since 1998, wherein WTO members agreed to “continue their practice of not imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions”.
The more substantive outcome was the decision to “establish a comprehensive work programme” taking into “account the economic, financial, and development needs of developing countries”.
However, in 2021, a key focus of the 1998 e-commerce work programme, namely “development needs of developing countries”, is entirely missing from the text document that is the basis for the current negotiations.
On the negotiating table are issues relating to the liberalisation of the goods and services trade, and of course guarantee for free flow of data across international boundaries, all aimed at facilitating expansion of businesses of e-commerce firms.
In fact, the decision on a moratorium on the imposition of import duties agreed to in 1998 has become the basis for a push towards comprehensive trade liberalisation — a perfectly logical way forward, given that the sole objective of the negotiations on e-commerce is to facilitate expansion of e-commerce firms.
4) Investment facilitation
Inclusion of substantive provisions on investment in the WTO has been one of the more divisive issues.
In 2001, the Doha Ministerial Declaration had included a work programme on investment, but developing countries were opposed to its continuation because the discussions were geared to expanding the rights of foreign investors through a multilateral agreement on investment.
An investment facilitation has reintroduced the old agenda of concluding such an investment agreement.
Issues with the negotiations
The negotiations on e-commerce and investment facilitation are being conducted not by a mandate given by the entire membership of the WTO in a transparent manner.
Instead, these negotiations owe their origins to the so-called “Joint Statement Initiatives” (JSI) in which a section of the membership has developed the agenda with a view to producing agreements in the WTO.
This entire process is “detrimental to the very existence of a rule-based multilateral trading system under the WTO”, as India and South Africa have forcefully argued in a submission against the JSIs early this year.
Conclusion
Current favourable tidings provide an ideal setting for the Trade Ministers from the WTO member-states to revisit trade rules and to agree on a work programme for the organisation, which can help maintain the momentum in trade growth.
PM has unveiled a 12-foot statue of Adi Shankaracharya at Kedarnath, where the acharya is believed to have attained samadhi at the age of 32 in the ninth century.
Adi Shankaracharya (788-820 AD)
Adi Shankaracharya was an Indian philosopher and theologian whose works had a strong impact on the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta.
He founded mathas, which are believed to have helped in the historical development, revival and propagation of his philosophy.
The story recounted today has been reconstructed from multiple Shankaravijayas (Conquests of Shankara) written over the centuries.
Birth and death
He is said to have been born in Kaladi village on the bank of the Periyar, the largest river in Kerala.
He is believed to have attained samadhi at Kedarnath; however, Kanchi and Thrissur are also talked about as places where Adi Shankara spent his last days.
His literary works
Adi Shankara is generally identified as the author of 116 works.
Among them the celebrated commentaries (bhashyas) on 10 Upanishads, the Brahmasutra and the Gita, and poetic works including Vivekachudamani, Maneesha Panchakam, and Saundaryalahiri.
He composed the Kanakadhara Stotram, following which there was a rain of golden amlas, which brought prosperity to the household.
It has also been claimed that Adi Shankara composed texts like Shankarasmrithi, which seeks to establish the social supremacy of Nambuthiri Brahmins.
His great standing is derived from his commentaries of the prasthanatrayi (Upanishads, Brahmasutra and Gita), where he explains his understanding of Advaita Vedanta.
His philosophy: Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedanta articulates a philosophical position of radical nondualism, a revisionary worldview which it derives from the ancient Upanishadic texts.
According to this, the Upanishads reveal a fundamental principle of nonduality termed ‘brahman’, which is the reality of all things.
Advaitins understand brahman as transcending individuality and empirical plurality.
They seek to establish that the essential core of one’s self (atman) is brahman. It is pure non-intentional consciousness.
It is one without a second, nondual, infinite existence, and numerically identical with brahman.
This effort entails tying a metaphysics of brahman to a philosophy of consciousness.
Do you know?
There are six major schools of Vedic philosophy—Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mīmāṃsā and Vedanta, and five major heterodox (sramanic) schools—Jain, Buddhist, Ajivika, Ajñana, and Charvaka.
Shankara’s contested legacy
Custodians of the caste system cite from Shankara’s commentaries to justify the unequal and unjust social order.
It is argued that the Advaita Vedanta borrowed the categories of Buddhist thinkers and called him the Prachhanna Buddha (Buddha in disguise).
Sri Narayana Guru offered a radical reading of Advaita Vedanta to dismantle the theory and praxis of caste.
His political appropriation
His works transcends the political boundaries of his time.
The mathas are believed to have established in Sringeri, Dwaraka, Puri, and Joshimath for the spread of Advaita Vedanta.
They are seen as custodians of Hinduism, and Shankara’s digvijaya (conquest) often interpreted as a near nationalistic project where faith, philosophy and geography are yoked together to imagine a Hindu India.
Try this PYQ:
Q. Which one of the following pairs does not form part of the six systems of Indian Philosophy?
The National Highway Authority of India’s first infrastructure investment trust has raised more than Rs 5,000 crore, informed the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of India.
What are InvITs?
InvITs are like a mutual fund, which enables direct investment of small amounts of money from possible individual/institutional investors in infrastructure to earn a small portion of the income as return.
They work like mutual funds or real estate investment trusts (REITs) in features.
They can be treated as the modified version of REITs designed to suit the specific circumstances of the infrastructure sector.
How are they notified in India?
SEBI notified the Sebi (Infrastructure Investment Trusts) Regulations, 2014 on September 26, 2014, providing for registration and regulation of InvITs in India.
The objective of InvITs is to facilitate investment in the infrastructure sector.
Their structure
InvITS are like mutual funds in structure. InvITs can be established as a trust and registered with Sebi.
An InvIT consists of four elements:
Trustee: He inspects the performance of an InvIT is certified by Sebi and he cannot be an associate of the sponsor or manager.
Sponsor(s): They are people who promote and refer to any organisation or a corporate entity with a capital of Rs 100 crore, which establishes the InvIT and is designated as such at the time of the application made to SEBI, and in case of PPP projects, base developer.
Investment Manager: It is an entity or limited liability partnership (LLP) or organisation that supervises assets and investments of the InvIT and guarantees activities of the InvIT.
Project Manager: It is the person who acts as the project manager and whose duty is to attain the execution of the project and in case of PPP projects.
Now that UPSC CSE prelims results are out, you would have started answer writing practice for mains. Keep in mind that answering for mains is not like answering your university papers. Over here, examiners expect pointers, examples, flowcharts, mind maps, diagrams than long paragraphs. Given the time and word limit, it’s better not to beat around the bush while answering.
Open to All, Free Webinar on 20 Best Practices of Answer Writing
Sajal sir will share his experiences of scoring 120+ in all the UPSC 2017 GS papers through a webinar. This webinar about the new age formula to ace UPSC Mains is absolutely free for all to attend.
For a better understanding on the format of the webinar, here’s Sajal sir’s explanation on how to approach a sample question.
It is commented that Electoral bonds instead of cleansing India’s electoral system distort India’s democracy. Do you agree? Critically analyse.
Sajal Sir Suggests: Understand the key demand of the question. Don’t get swayed by only seeing the theme of the question. Question is not about electoral bonds only. Many aspirants write everything they know about electoral bonds. You need to first mention how it will cleanse India’s electoral system. After that, link it with democracy. How it violates key features of democracy like transparency, accountability and level playing field. Writing only Pros and Cons will not fetch you marks.
Do you know that toppers use certain techniques of answer-writing to score higher marks? Are you aware of the PESTLE approach or the 7-5-3 technique of answer writing? If not, then its time you attended this webinar
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This is how the UPSC Toppers scored in test series before Sajal sir’s intervention —
They had tried everything but were not able to score high in the exams. From their approach to answering to the body of answers, they faced problems. They faced problems with things like putting proper headings, how to frame dimensions, introductions, conclusions, etc. They never even got the right feedback which could have helped them!
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The institutionalization of police brutality, as an unofficial policy of the State, poses a serious challenge to every modern civilization. It doesn’t just raise obvious questions around respect for human rights and the rule of law but is also a serious threat to the survival of democracy in a state where the Constitution is supreme. This threat stares in our faces today.
While the debate around police reforms across the globe has slowly intensified, there is a lack of any meaningful discourse on the same in India. There is very little public outrage and, in many cases, strong public support for police misconduct. It is the failure of the citizenry to meaningfully engage with the State on critical and key issues that have led to such an unfortunate development. Let us critically analyses key issues with the help of several recent domestic developments.
Understanding police brutality
Cases of custodial deaths, extra-judicial killings, torture, and violence against protesters, are all illustrations of this form of brutality.
Methods of torture by the police include inhuman, degrading and barbaric practices that fall squarely within the description of third-degree torture.
These are not sporadic incidents of police brutality, but appear to be part of the police administration machinery and have been normalized to an alarming extent in society at large.
In complete defiance of the Constitution and the laws
Extra-judicial killings by the police, for instance, are legally permitted and do not amount to a criminal offence in only three types of cases:
when it is caused in the exercise of the right to private defense underSection 96 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
when it is caused under Section 100 (when the right of private defense of the body extends to causing death) or Exception 3 of Section 300 of the IPC (when the public servant exceeds his power for the advancement of justice).
if it is necessary to exert force against the accused to arrest him for a crime punishable with death or imprisonment for life. This is mandated under Section 46 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
Constitutional provisions such as Article 21, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty and Article 22 which grants every accused person the right to an advocate stand violated in cases of fake police encounters.
A collective failure
The rise in police brutality in India is due to the failure of three key stakeholders:
the Parliament and the Executive (that is, the political component of the State),
the Judiciary, and
the citizenry
Thefailure of the parliament to decolonize statutes, remove unreasonable immunity granted to police officers under the laws and create foolproof legislations after due consultation from every stakeholder, is evident.
The failure of the executive to control and discipline the police force is equally obvious. Accountability for law enforcement misconduct is flawed, and has huge structural problems.
The judiciary has also failed in the sense that its judgments are given little importance and are virtually not implemented for all practical purposes by police officers on the ground.
For instance, in its landmark judgment in the case of Prakash Singh & Ors. vs. Union of India (2006), the Supreme Court issued several directives for police reforms.
15 years since that judgment was delivered, no state or Union territory has fully complied with its directives.
Failure of implementation of landmark judgments: Landmark judgments like this therefore end up becoming good pieces of jurisprudential literature and only have a symbolic value.
It makes no sense when landmark judgments that prohibits the police to commit acts of torture and violence and yet, there are large scale violations of those judgments that take place regularly.
A citizens’ failure
Failure of the citizenry is critical: The failure of the State is a consequence of the failure of the citizenry to meaningfully engage with it and raise questions that are vital for democratic survival.
The political system is merely a reflection of its masses: As a key stakeholder, citizens form the backbone of any democracy and act as counter-narrative to forces that promote democratic backsliding.
Their actions and nature of engagements define politics and policies of the State.
In the case of police brutality there are three issues that the citizens have failed to engage with the State on:
the rise in majoritarian politics,
increasing corruption, and
the rise in predatory capitalism.
Rise in majoritarianism
India is a democracy and not a rule of the majority: While democracy functions with the belief that the majority will continue to change with changing issues, majoritarianism, on the other hand, is characterized by an organized majority.
Majoritarianism is forged by introducing factors (such as religion) that make the division between the majority and the minority more definite and permanent.
Usethe police force as a tool for political mobilization: Majoritarianism has led to huge transformation in the Indian political ecosystem. It has inter alia given birth to populist leaders and their politics of appeasement.
It is because of this rise in the latter that we now see a new tendency of the State to use the police force as a tool for political mobilization.
It is happening in Uttar Pradesh where the state government highlights encounters as its achievements on a Republic Day. The trend in UP has now spilled over to states like Assam and other areas.
In the communal riots broke out during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests and post the police attacks on the Jamia Milia Islamia University campus, almost 53 citizens lost their lives.
All of the above instances are examples of how a majoritarian state suppresses the minority in order to reinforce and perpetuate the division on which its politics survives. Such a suppression is in the form of police brutality.
Increasing corruption
Police force is by far, the most corrupt institution in India. There are two kinds of corruption within the police force in this country:
One is the monetary compensation that police officers receive from common citizens to deliver preferential treatment in matters of law enforcement.
Second is a specific kind of political corruption in the form of receiving personal gains, career advancements and such other kinds of favors from their political bosses in return for acting or not acting in a certain way.
A report by IndiaSpend states how 28% of police respondents mentioned that political pressure is the biggest hindrance in police investigations.
Public outrage against corruption in the police force has been rare and discourse over its relationship with police brutality rarer still. Corruption within the police force is directly proportional to police brutality.
It is purely an economic model – the ones who pay will get away and the ones who don’t will either be met with state sponsored violence or eventually faces the wrath of an extremely hostile administration.
This is primarily also because of the huge powers and discretion that the police enjoy under our laws.
Support for predatory capitalism
The police force in India was formed under the British Raj through the Indian Councils Act of 1861.
The idea for a special police force was inherited from the East India Company, which had introduced the ‘Cornwallis System’ or the ‘Daroga System’ in 1764.
The company had brought in the Cornwallis system only to strengthen its hold over the Indian population and to check any act of conspiracy or revolution against the company.
This is evidence of the fact that the origin of the police force itself was to protect the capitalists and their interests and not prevention of crime.
Capitalism itself has undergone massive transformation. From being once regarded as a tool to prosperity, it has now become a means to oppress the working class and further deepen divides and differences among people.
The gap between the rich and poor is at an all-time high. Human relationships and social interactions are increasingly shaped by economic considerations through a cost and benefit analysis.
The role of the state in perpetuating capitalism
In a State where there is increasing level of competition, cops do policing only to serve the interest of the capitalist class and protect the ‘rule of the capital’.
The role of the State under a capitalist system has also changed. It has today assumed the position of a facilitator rather than a regulator. This is primarily because of its financial dependence on businesses.
For predatory capitalism to succeed the working class will have to be necessarily silenced. That’s when the capitalists, with the help of bourgeois politicians, use the police to propagate violence against the working class in order to suppress their voices of dissent.
The state of police infrastructure and capitalism
The state of police infrastructure in the country is also evidence of how the police exist today to further the interests of the capitalists.
The unequal distribution and subsequent utilization of resources for police infrastructure in Delhi vis-à-vis rural Bihar shows how we treat those who are at the bottom of the pyramid versus those at the top.
This also shows that support for predatory capitalism and resentment against police brutality cannot go hand in hand and are rather contradictory.
One cannot protest against police brutality without protesting against predatory capitalism and its excesses.
This has not been seen in India. Public outrage has therefore been misplaced, and will need an overhaul to tackle the problem more effectively.
The Way Forward
Curbing Criminalization of Politics: The criminal nexus with politics will have to be broken and reforms must start with the political system. Thus, there is a need for laws which debars persons with serious criminal cases from entering the assemblies and the Parliament.
Revamping Criminal Justice System: There is a need to incorporate the Menon Committee and Malimath Committee recommendations for devising a national policy paper on the criminal justice system. Some of the key recommendations are as follows:
Creation of a fund to compensate victims who turn hostile from the pressure of culprits.
Setting up of separate authority at the national level to deal with crimes threatening the country security.
A complete revamp of the entire criminal procedure system.
Independent Complaints Authority: The Supreme Court has observed that there is a need to have an independent complaints authority to inquire into complaints of police misconduct.
The Model Police Act, 2006 requires each state to set up an authority comprising retired High Court Judges, civil society members, retired police officers and public administrators from another state.
Implementing the Supreme Court’s Directive: The Supreme Court’s directions in Prakash Singh case 2006 on police reforms must be implemented. The court laid out seven directives where considerable work in police reforms is still needed.
Iran’s atomic agency has said that its stockpile of 20% enriched uranium has reached over 210 kilograms, the latest defiant move ahead of upcoming nuclear talks with the West.
What is Uranium Enrichment?
It is a process that is necessary to create aneffective nuclear fuel out of mined uranium.
It involves increasing the percentage of uranium-235 which undergoes fission with thermal neutrons.
Nuclear fuel is mined from naturally occurring uranium ore deposits and then isolated through chemical reactions and separation processes.
These chemical processes used to separate the uranium from the ore are not to be confused with the physical and chemical processes used to enrich the uranium.
Why is enrichment carried out?
Uranium found in nature consists largely of two isotopes, U-235 and U-238.
Natural uranium contains 0.7% of the U-235 isotope.
The remaining 99.3% is mostly the U-238 isotope which does not contribute directly to the fission process (though it does so indirectly by the formation of fissile isotopes of plutonium).
The production of energy in nuclear reactors is from the ‘fission’ or splitting of the U-235 atoms since it is the main fissile isotope of uranium.
Naturally occurring uranium does not have a high enough concentration of Uranium-235 at only about 0.72% with the remainder being Uranium-238.
