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Type: Prelims Only

  • What is a Caveat in Judiciary?

    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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  • CCR5-delta 32 Gene Transplant: Permanent cure of HIV

    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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  • CJI announces launch of ‘Neutral Citations’ for SC judgements

    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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  • Key findings about Keeladi Excavation

    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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  • ‘HD 3226’ Wheat can beat the heat

    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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  • Dickinsonia Fossil found in Bhimbetka turns out to be decayed beehive

    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

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”2pwq42fb8z” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

     

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  • India, Singapore launch UPI-PayNow Linkage

    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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  • In news: Survey of India

    survey

    The Survey of India (SOI), India’s 250-year-old map maker, will no longer have a monopoly on making high-resolution maps. SOI will however remain the arbiter of maps that deal with State borders and national boundaries.

    Key announcements by SOI

    • Focus on map accuracy: The SoI will now take action against digital platforms that violate its guidelines and will develop a framework to ensure the accuracy of maps.
    • Regulating use by digital platforms: The SoI has also asked digital platforms to comply with its guidelines and to seek its permission before publishing maps of the country.
    • Ensure territorial integrity: The move is aimed at ensuring that the country’s borders and territorial integrity are accurately depicted in maps, and that sensitive locations are not compromised by the publication of maps that violate the country’s security interests.

    In a nutshell: The Survey of India (SOI) will now be more like a regulatory body.

    What is Survey of India?

    • The SOI is India’s central engineering agency in charge of mapping and surveying.
    • First modern scientific survey of India” was undertaken by W. Mather in 1793–96 on instructions of Superintendent of Salem and Baramahal (TN), Col. Alexander Read.
    • Set up in 1767 to help consolidate the territories of the British East India Company, it is one of the oldest Engineering Departments of the GoI.
    • Its members are from Survey of India Service cadre of Civil Services of India and Army Officers from the Indian Army Corps of Engineers.
    • It is headed by the Surveyor General of India.

    Responsibilities

    • Advisor to Govt: Survey of India acts as adviser to the Government of India on all cartography of India related matters, such as geodesy, mapping and map reproduction.
    • Geo names: It is responsible for the naming convention and spellings of names of geographical features of India.
    • Certification and publication: Scrutiny and certification of external boundaries of India and Coastline on maps published by other agencies including private publishers.
    • Surveys: geodetic datum, geodetic control network, topographical control, geophysical surveys, cadastral surveying, geologic maps, aeronautical charts within India, such as for forests, army cantonments, large scale cities, guide maps, developmental or conservation projects, etc.
    • National borders: Demarcation of the borders and external boundaries of India as well as advice on the demarcation of inter-state boundaries.

     

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  • Telangana’s Teja Chilli is hot property in many nations

    chilli

    The burgeoning demand for the popular Teja variety of red chilli, famous for its culinary, medicinal and other wide-ranging uses, in the export market is proving to be a boon for the Telangana Agriculture Market.

    Teja Chilli

    • Teja or S17 is one of the hottest varieties of red chillies produced in India. (GI tag not accorded yet.)
    • The chilli is known and liked across the country for its fierce hot flavor and rich aroma.
    • Southern India is the main region of Teja or S17 red chilli production.
    • It has a capsaicin content of 0.50-0.70% making it more pungent and spicy.
    • The huge demand for Oleoresin, a natural chilli extract, is mainly driving the export of Teja variety to various spice processing industries in several Asian countries.

    Where it is produced?

    • Khammam district is the largest producer of Teja variety of red chilli.
    • It is the leading exporter of the pungent fruit.
    • The Mudigonda-based Oleoresin extraction firm of a Chinese company is engaged in export of the by product to its clients.

    Trade significance of this chilli

    • Teja variety of red chilli is being exported to China, Bangladesh and a few other south Asian countries from Khammam mainly through the Chennai port.
    • The export of Teja variety of red chilli is expected to grow from the present ₹2000 crore per annum to ₹2500 crore next year.

     

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  • APJ Abdul Kalam SLV: India’s 1st Hybrid Rocket launched

    rocket

    India’s first hybrid sounding rocket by private players was launched by some students from Pattipulam village off Tamil Nadu coast.

    About APJ Abdul Kalam SLV

    • Martin Foundation in association with Dr APJ Abdul Kalam International Foundation and Space Zone India successfully completed the project known as Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Satellite Launch Vehicle Mission 2023.
    • The student team included 200 from the fishermen community in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, 100 students from tribal communities across India, and 60 from Tamil Nadu.

    What is a Hybrid Rocket?

    • A hybrid rocket is a type of rocket engine that combines features of both liquid-fueled and solid-fueled rockets. In a hybrid rocket, a solid fuel is burned in combination with a liquid or gaseous oxidizer to produce thrust.
    • The solid fuel in a hybrid rocket is typically made of a polymer, such as hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB), which is cast into a cylindrical shape and placed inside the rocket motor.
    • The oxidizer, which is typically nitrous oxide (N2O), is stored in a separate tank and fed into the combustion chamber of the rocket motor.

    How does it work?

    • When the oxidizer is introduced into the combustion chamber, it reacts with the solid fuel, producing a hot gas that is expelled through a nozzle at the end of the rocket.
    • The combustion process can be controlled by adjusting the flow rate of the oxidizer, making hybrid rockets more controllable than solid rockets.

    Benefits offered over conventional rockets

    • Hybrid rockets are generally simpler and less expensive to manufacture than liquid rockets, while providing more control than solid rockets.
    • They are also safer than both liquid and solid rockets, since the fuel and oxidizer are stored separately and can be easily shut off in case of an emergency.

     

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