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Type: Prelims Only

  • International Space Agencies – Missions and Discoveries

    Upgrades in the ALMA Telescope

    Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: ALMA Telescope

    Mains level: NA

    alma

    The Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) — a radio telescope in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile is set to get software and hardware upgrades.

    What is ALMA?

    • ALMA is a state-of-the-art telescope that studies celestial objects at millimetre and submillimetre wavelengths which can penetrate through dust clouds.
    • It helps astronomers examine dim and distant galaxies and stars out there.
    • It also has extraordinary sensitivity, which allows it to detect even extremely faint radio signals.
    • The telescope consists of 66 high-precision antennas, spread over a distance of up to 16 km.
    • Each antenna is outfitted with a series of receivers, and each receiver is tuned to a specific range of wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum.

    Who operates ALMA?

    • ALMA is operated under a partnership among the United States, 16 countries in Europe, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Chile.
    • Fully functional since 2013, the radio telescope was designed, planned and constructed by US, Japan and EU.

    Why is ALMA located in Chile’s Atacama Desert?

    • ALMA is situated at an altitude of 16,570 feet (5,050 metres) above sea level on the Chajnantor plateau in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
    • The high altitude and low humidity of the site make it an ideal location for a radio telescope, as there is minimal atmospheric interference.
    • Moreover, the desert is the driest place in the world, meaning most of the nights here are clear of clouds and free of light-distorting moisture — making it a perfect location for examining the universe.

    Significant discoveries

    • One of the earliest findings came in 2013 when it discovered starburst galaxies earlier in the universe’s history than they were previously thought to have existed.
    • These newly discovered galaxies represent what today’s most massive galaxies looked like in their energetic, star-forming youth.
    • In 2015, the telescope helped scientists observe a phenomenon known as the Einstein ring, which occurs when light from a galaxy or star passes by a massive object en route to the Earth, in extraordinary detail.

     

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  • Capital Markets: Challenges and Developments

    SEBI approval to launch Social Stock Exchange

    Prelims Only | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Mobilization Of Resources

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Social Stock Exchange (SSE)

    Mains level: Not Much

    The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has received final approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to set up a Social Stock Exchange (SSE) as a separate segment of the NSE.

    What is a Social Stock Exchange?

    • Social Stock Exchange (SSE) is a platform that connects social enterprises with investors who are looking for social impact along with financial returns.
    • Social enterprises are organizations that prioritize social impact over profits.
    • SSE aims to provide these organizations with access to capital markets and raise awareness about social investment opportunities.

    Who can get listed for SSEs?

    • Any social enterprise, Non-Profit Organisation (NOPs) or For-Profit Social Enterprises (FPEs), that establishes its primacy of social intent can get registered or listed on the Social Stock Exchange segment.
    • Eligible NPOs can begin by registering on the SSE segment.
    • After onboarding, NPOs can initiate the fund mobilization process by issuing instruments such as Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP) via a public issue or private placement.
    • Currently, the regulations have prescribed a minimum issue size of Rs 1 crore and a minimum application size for the subscription of Rs 2 lakhs for ZCZP issuance.

    How will SSE work?

    • The SSE will be a separate segment on the NSE, where social enterprises can list their securities.
    • These securities will be available for trading to investors who are interested in social impact investing.
    • The SSE will also provide a range of services such as capacity building, impact measurement, and reporting to help social enterprises improve their operations and measure their social impact.

    Benefits of SSE

    • For social enterprises, SSE will provide access to capital markets and help them raise funds for their social projects.
    • For investors, SSE will provide a platform to invest in social enterprises and contribute to social impact.
    • SSE will also create a transparent marketplace where investors can assess the social impact of their investments.

     

     

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  • Freedom of Speech – Defamation, Sedition, etc.

    Section 153A: its use and misuse

    Prelims Only | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Indian Constitution – historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Section 153A of IPC

    Mains level: Free speech and defamation

    153

    Central idea: A politician was recently arrested under Section 153A of IPC for the alleged use of objectionable words against the Prime Minister.

    Section 153A: What the law says

    • Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) penalises “promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony”.
    • This is punishable with imprisonment up to three years, or with fine, or with both.
    • The provision was enacted in 1898 and was not in the original penal code.
    • At the time of the amendment, promoting class hatred was a part of the English law of sedition, but was not included in the Indian law.

    Charges laid for remarks against PM

    The FIR mentioned the use of Sections-

    • 153B(1) (Making imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration);
    • 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs);
    • 500 (Defamation); and
    • 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace).

    Conviction rates under Section 153A

    • Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) show that the rate of conviction for Section 153A is very low.
    • In 2020, 1,804 cases were registered, six times higher than the 323 cases in 2014.
    • However, the conviction rate in 2020 was 20.2%, suggesting that the process often becomes the punishment.

    Issues with the law

    • Hate speech laws have been invoked under regimes of all parties to crack down on criticism of public functionaries and to arrest individuals.
    • The invocation of Section 153A is often criticized for restricting free speech and misusing the legal processes for political purposes.

    Safeguards against misuse

    • Given that the provisions are worded broadly, there are safeguards against its misuse.
    • For example, Sections 153A and 153B require prior sanction from the government for initiating prosecution.
    • But this is required before the trial begins, and not at the stage of preliminary investigation.
    • To curb indiscriminate arrests, the Supreme Court laid down a set of guidelines in its 2014 ruling in Arnesh Kumar v State of Bihar.
    • As per the guidelines, for offenses that carry a sentence of fewer than seven years, the police cannot automatically arrest an accused before investigation.

     

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  • Judicial Pendency

    What is a Caveat in Judiciary?

    Prelims Only | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Executive & Judiciary

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Caveat

    Mains level: Not Much

    Recently, the Supreme Court bench reprimanded a law student for filing a caveat in a petition seeking menstrual leave for female students and working women across Indian institutions.

    What is a Caveat?

    • In common parlance, a caveat refers to “warning” or “caution”.
    • However, legally it connotes a “formal notice requesting the court to refrain from taking some specified action without giving prior notice to the person lodging the caveat.”
    • The person lodging the caveat is called a “caveator”.
    • The provision was inserted by the Amendment Act of 1976 after the Law Commission’s recommendation by Section 148A of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC).
    • However, the term is not expressly defined anywhere except in the Calcutta High Court’s 1978 ruling.

    Who can fill the Caveat?

    • Any person has a right to lodge a caveat in a Court.
    • Any person claiming a right to appear before the Court on the hearing of such application may lodge a caveat in respect thereof.
    • The caveator or the person lodging is also required to serve a notice of the caveat by “registered post” to the person on whose plea they are lodging the application

     

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  • Innovations in Biotechnology and Medical Sciences

    CCR5-delta 32 Gene Transplant: Permanent cure of HIV

    Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: CCR5-delta 32 mutation

    Mains level: Not Much

    hiv

    Central idea: This article discusses recent developments in the field of HIV research that have led to the possibility of a cure for the disease.

    What is HIV/AIDS?

    • HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks cells that help the body fight infection, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases.
    • First identified in 1981, HIV is the cause of one of humanity’s deadliest and most persistent epidemics.
    • It is spread by contact with certain bodily fluids of a person with HIV, most commonly during unprotected sex, or through sharing injection drug equipment.
    • If left untreated, HIV can lead to the disease AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).
    • The human body can’t get rid of HIV and no effective HIV cure exists.

    Present treatment of HIV

    • However, by taking HIV medicine (called antiretroviral therapy or ART), people with HIV can live long and healthy lives and prevent transmitting HIV to their sexual partners.
    • In addition, there are effective methods to prevent getting HIV through sex or drug use, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

    What is the new breakthrough?

    • Doctors selected a donor carrying two copies of a CCR5-delta 32 genetic mutation – a mutation that is known to make the carriers almost immune to HIV.
    • The CCR5-delta 32 genetic mutation is a rare genetic mutation that affects the CCR5 gene, which is involved in the immune system’s response to infection.
    • The mutation causes a deletion of 32 nucleotides in the gene, resulting in a truncated or shortened version of the CCR5 protein.
    • This truncated protein is not able to function normally, and people with this mutation are largely resistant to HIV infection.

    How has the CCR5-delta 32 mutation been used in HIV research?

    • Researchers have been studying the CCR5-delta 32 mutation as a potential avenue for developing an HIV cure.
    • One approach involves using gene editing technologies like CRISPR to induce the mutation in HIV-positive individuals, effectively making their immune cells resistant to HIV infection.
    • Another approach involves bone marrow transplantation from donors with the CCR5-delta 32 mutation.

    What are the risks associated?

    • Gene editing technologies like CRISPR are still in their early stages, and there are concerns about the safety and effectiveness of these methods.
    • Additionally, bone marrow transplantation is a complex and risky procedure that is not feasible for all HIV-positive individuals.
    • Finally, it is important to note that not all HIV infections are caused by the CCR5 strain of the virus, and therefore the use of the CCR5-delta 32 mutation as an HIV cure would not be effective for all cases of HIV.

    Prevalence of HIV/AIDS in India

    • As per the India HIV Estimation 2019 report, the estimated adult (15 to 49 years) HIV prevalence trend has been declining in India since the epidemic’s peak in the year 2000 and has been stabilizing in recent years.
    • In 2019, HIV prevalence among adult males (15–49 years) was estimated at 0.24% and among adult females at 0.20% of the population.
    • There were 23.48 lakh Indians living with HIV in 2019.
    • Maharashtra had the maximum at 3.96 lakh followed by Andhra Pradesh (3.14 lakh) and Karnataka.
    • ART is freely available to all those who require and there are deputed centres across the country where they can be availed from.

     

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  • Judicial Reforms

    CJI announces launch of ‘Neutral Citations’ for SC judgements

    Prelims Only | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Executive & Judiciary

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Neutral Citiation

    Mains level: Not Much

    The CJI expressed hope that High Courts too would follow neutral citation for their judgments. The Delhi, Kerala, and Madras HCs have already introduced neutral citation.

    What is a “Citation”?

    • A case citation is essentially an identification tag for a judgment.
    • Typically, it would contain a reference number, the year of the judgment, the name of the court that delivered that judgment, and a shorthand for the journal publishing the judgment.

    And what is a neutral citation?

    • A neutral citation would mean that the court would assign its own citation — distinct from those given by traditional Law Reporters.
    • Law Reporters are periodicals or annual digests that publish judgments, often with an editorial note to make it accessible for lawyers to refer to precedents.
    • For example, for the landmark Kesavananda Bharati case, the citation in ‘Supreme Court Cases’, a journal published by the Eastern Book Company, is (1973) 4 SCC 225.
    • In the All India Reporter (AIR), the citation is AIR 1973 SC 1461.

    Why is a neutral system good or necessary?

    • Judgments mention citations while referring to precedents and often use citations from different Law Reporters.
    • With artificial intelligence (AI) enabled translation of judgments and transcribing of court proceedings, a uniform citation is necessary.
    • Several High Courts including Delhi High Court have started a neutral citation format.
    • The Delhi HC neutral citation is, for example, in this format: No-YEAR/DHC/XXXXXX

    How will the SC implement the neutral citation system?

    • Our recent initiative is neutral citations for all judgments of the Supreme Court.
    • So all 30,000 judgments are going to have neutral citations.
    • First tranche will be till January 1, 2023, then the other tranche will be till judgments from 2014 and then finally we will go back to 1950.

     

     

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  • Historical and Archaeological Findings in News

    Key findings about Keeladi Excavation

    Prelims Only | History | Mains Paper 1: Arts & Culture

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Keeladi Civilization, Sangam Age

    Mains level: Major civilizations

    keeladi

    Central idea: Keeladi is an archaeological site that has been excavated by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology since 2014. Recent excavations here has pushed the Sangam age further back.

    About Keeladi

    keeladi

    • Keeladi is a tiny hamlet in the Sivaganga district in south Tamil Nadu.
    • It is about 12 km south-east to the temple city of Madurai and is located along the Vaigai River.
    • The excavations here from 2015 prove that an urban civilisation existed in Tamil Nadu in the Sangam age on the banks of the Vaigai River.

    How is Keeladi linked to Sangam age?

    • The Sangam age is a period of history in ancient Tamil Nadu which was believed to be from the third century BCE to the third century CE.
    • The name is derived from the renowned Sangam poets of Madurai from that time.

    Recent findings

    • In 2019, a TNSDA report dated the unearthed artefacts from Keeladi to a period between sixth century BCE and first century BCE.
    • Some samples sent for carbon dating in the US, dated back to 580 BCE.
    • The findings placed Keeladi artefacts about 300 years earlier than the previously believed third century BCE.

    Significance of the findings

    • Older than perceived: Recent finding at Keeladi has pushed the Sangam age to 800 BCE based on these archaeological findings.
    • Literary evidences: Keeladi, along with other Tamil Nadu sites which have over a thousand inscribed potsherds, clearly suggest the long survival of the script.
    • Substantial evidence to Sangam Age: It comes across as an industrious and advanced civilisation and has given evidence of urban life and settlements in TN during the Early Historic Period.
    • Another major civilisation: The unearthed Keeladi artefacts have led academics to describe the site as part of the Vaigai Valley Civilisation. It has all the characteristics of an urban civilisation, with brick structures, luxury items and proof of internal and external trade.
    • Filling in the cultural gaps: This could provide crucial evidence for understanding the missing links of the Iron Age (12th century BCE to sixth century BCE) to the Early Historic Period (sixth century BCE to fourth century BCE) and subsequent cultural developments.

    Links with Indus Valley

    Ans. A lot of digging and study has to be done to establish the links between these two civilisations.

    • The findings have invited comparisons with the Indus Valley Civilisation while acknowledging the cultural gap of 1,000 years between the two places.
    • Till now, the gap is filled with Iron Age material in south India, which serve as residual links.
    • However, some of the symbols found in pot sherds of Keeladi bear a close resemblance to Indus Valley signs.

    What has been unearthed so far?

    • Pottery: Unearthing of heaps of pottery suggest the existence of a pottery making industry, mostly made of locally available raw materials.
    • Inscriptions: Over 120 potsherds containing Tamil Brahmi inscriptions have been found.
    • Jewellery: There also existed a dyeing industry and a glass bead industry. Gold ornaments, copper articles, semi-precious stones, shell bangles, ivory bangles and ivory combs reflect the artistic, culturally rich and prosperous lifestyle of the Keeladi people.
    • Import of semiprecious stones: Agate and carnelian beads suggest import through commercial networks while terracotta and ivory dice, gamesmen and evidence of hopscotch have been unearthed revealing their pastime hobbies.

    Recent politicization of the excavation

    • The Keeladi site, since its discovery has been shrouded in controversies with several Dravidian and Left ideologues.
    • They claim that the archaeological finds prove that the Indus Valley Civilisation was a “Dravidian” culture and an independent “secular” Tamil civilisation.
    • The attempt to define the finds in narrow and racial terms is ideologically motivated to one, pump up Tamil exclusivist sentiments, and two, and challenge the view that sees India as one— unity in diversity.

     

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  • Genetically Modified (GM) crops – cotton, mustards, etc.

    ‘HD 3226’ Wheat can beat the heat

    Prelims Only | Agriculture | Mains Paper 3: Major Crops & Cropping Patterns

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: HD 3226 wheat variety

    Mains level: Not Much

    wheat

    Scientists at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) have developed a new variety of wheat ‘HD 3226’ that can withstand high temperatures.

    HD 3226 Wheat

    • The wheat, known as “HD 3226”, has been developed specifically for cultivation in the northwest region of India, where temperatures can reach up to 42 degrees Celsius.
    • It took 10 years for ICAR to develop this variety.
    • It has been specifically developed for cultivation in the northwest region of India.

    Features of HD 3226 Wheat

    • More resilient to heat stress: The HD 3226 wheat variety is reportedly more resilient to heat stress than other varieties of wheat.
    • Higher yields: The HD 3226 wheat variety can produce up to 12-15% higher yields in high-temperature conditions.

    Significance

    • The development of this new wheat variety is particularly important given the increasing frequency of heatwaves in the region due to climate change.
    • With rising temperatures, it is becoming more challenging for farmers to grow crops.

    Government approval and availability

    • The HD 3226 wheat variety has now been submitted to the Indian government for approval.
    • Once approved, it is expected to be available to farmers in the coming years.

     

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  • Historical and Archaeological Findings in News

    Dickinsonia Fossil found in Bhimbetka turns out to be decayed beehive

    Prelims Only | History | Mains Paper 1: Arts & Culture

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Bhimbetka, Dickensonia

    Mains level: NA

    bhim

    A Dickinsonia fossil found at Bhimbetka, previously believed to be one of the world’s earliest animals, and has been identified as a decayed beehive.

    About Bhimbetka

    bhim

    • The Bhimbetka rock shelters are an archaeological site in central India that spans the prehistoric Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods, as well as the historic period.
    • It exhibits the earliest traces of human life in India and evidence of Stone Age starting at the site in Acheulian times.
    • It is located in the Raisen District in Madhya Pradesh about 45 kilometres (28 mi) south-east of Bhopal.
    • It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that consists of seven hills and over 750 rock shelters distributed over 10 km (6.2 mi).
    • At least some of the shelters were inhabited more than 100,000 years ago.
    • Some of the Bhimbetka rock shelters feature prehistoric cave paintings and the earliest are about 10,000 years old (c. 8,000 BCE), corresponding to the Indian Mesolithic.
    • These cave paintings show themes such as animals, early evidence of dance and hunting.
    • The Bhimbetka rock shelters were found by V S Wakankar 64 years ago. Since then, thousands of researchers have visited the site, but this rare fossil went undetected.

    What is Dickinsonia?

    bhim

    • Dickinsonia is an extinct genus of basal animal that lived during the late Ediacaran period in what is now Australia, Russia and Ukraine.
    • The individual Dickinsonia typically resembles a bilaterally symmetrical ribbed oval.
    • Its affinities are presently unknown; its mode of growth is consistent with a stem-group bilaterian affinity, though some have suggested that it belongs to the fungi or even an “extinct kingdom”.
    • The discovery of cholesterol molecules in fossils of Dickinsonia lends support to the idea that Dickinsonia was an animal.

    Cambrian Explosion and Dickinsonia

    • The ‘Cambrian Explosion’ is the term given to the period of time in history when complex animals and other macroscopic organisms such as molluscs, worms, arthropods and sponges began to dominate the fossil record.
    • Researchers from Australian found the Dickinsonia fossil since its tissue contained molecules of cholesterol a type of fat that is the hallmark of animal life.

     

    Try this PYQ:

    Q. Which one of the following statements is correct?

    (a) Ajanta Caves lie in the gorge of Waghora River

    (b) Sanchi Stupa lies in the gorge of Chambal River

    (c) Pandu-lena Cave Shrines lie in the gorge of Narmada River

    (d) Amaravati Stupa lies in the gorge of Godavari River

     

    Post your answers here.

     

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  • Digital India Initiatives

    India, Singapore launch UPI-PayNow Linkage

    Prelims Only | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Money-Laundering & Its Prevention

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Unified Payment Interface (UPI)

    Mains level: UPI integration with global payment systems

    upi

    India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Singapore’s PayNow were officially connected to allow a “real-time payment linkage”.

    What are UPI and PayNow?

    [A] Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

    • UPI is India’s mobile-based fast payment system, which facilitates customers to make round-the-clock payments instantly, using a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) created by the customer.
    • It eliminates the risk of sharing bank account details by the remitter.
    • UPI supports both Person-to-Person (P2P) and Person-to-Merchant (P2M) payments and it also enables a user to send or receive money.

    [B] PayNow

    • It is a fast payment system in Singapore.
    • It enables peer-to-peer funds transfer service, available to retail customers through participating banks and Non-Bank Financial Institutions (NFIs) in Singapore.
    • It allows users to send and receive instant funds from one bank or e-wallet account to another in Singapore by using just their mobile number, Singapore National Registration Identity Card (NRIC)/Foreign Identification Number (FIN), or VPA.

    What is the UPI-PayNow linkage?

    • Cross-border retail payments are generally less transparent and more expensive than domestic transactions.
    • The project to link both the fast payment systems was initiated in September 2021 to facilitate faster, more efficient and transparent cross-border transactions relating to trade, travel and remittances between the two countries.

    Significance of the integration

    • Enhanced cross-border transactions: The integration will enable easier cross-border transactions between India and Singapore, reducing the need for intermediaries and associated costs.
    • Easier remittances: The integration will make it easier for Indian workers in Singapore to send money back home to their families.
    • Boost to trade and investment: The integration will facilitate smoother transactions between businesses in the two countries, potentially increasing trade and investment.
    • Strengthening of diplomatic ties: The integration is expected to improve diplomatic ties between India and Singapore.

    How the integration works?

    • The integration is made possible through the use of standardized QR codes.
    • The QR codes will allow users to transfer funds between the two systems in real-time, without the need for intermediaries.

    Implications for the future

    • More integrations: The success of the UPI-PayNow integration could pave the way for similar integrations between other countries.
    • Increased use of digital payments: The integration is expected to encourage the adoption of digital payments in both India and Singapore, potentially reducing the use of cash.

     

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