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

Civilsdaily

Login

Type: Prelims Only

  • International Space Agencies – Missions and Discoveries

    How James Webb Telescope seeks to unlock Universe’s Secrets

    Prelims Only | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: JWST

    Mains level: Not Much

    Today, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the largest and most powerful space telescope ever built, will be launched from French Guiana, on the northeast coast of South America on the European Ariane 5 rocket.

    James Webb Space Telescope

    • JWST is a space telescope jointly developed by NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
    • It is planned to succeed the Hubble Space Telescope as NASA’s flagship astrophysics mission.
    • It will conduct a broad range of investigations across the fields of astronomy and cosmology, including:
    1. Observing some of the most distant events and objects in the universe such as the formation of the first galaxies
    2. Detailed atmospheric characterization of potentially habitable exoplanets

    How is it different from other telescopes?

    • JWST is much more powerful and has the ability to look in the infrared spectrum, which will allow it to peer through much deeper into the universe, and see through obstructions such as gas clouds.
    • As electromagnetic waves travel for long distances, they lose energy, resulting in an increase in their wavelength.
    • An ultraviolet wave, for example, can slowly move into the visible light spectrum and the infrared spectrum, and further weaken to microwaves or radio waves, as it loses energy.
    • Hubble was designed to look mainly into the ultraviolet and visible regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
    • JWST is primarily an infrared telescope, the first of its kind.

    Special features of JWST

    (1) Time machine in space

    • Powerful space telescopes, like JWST or the Hubble Telescope, are often called time machines because of their ability to view very faraway objects.
    • The light coming from those objects, stars or galaxies, which is captured by these telescopes, began its journey millions of years earlier.
    • Essentially, what these telescopes see are images of these stars or galaxies as they were millions of years ago.
    • The more distant the planet or star, the farther back in time are the telescopes able to see.

    (2) Farthest from Earth

    • JWST will also be positioned much deeper into space, about a million miles from Earth, at a spot known as L2.
    • It is one of the five points, known as Lagrange’s points, in any revolving two-body system like Earth and Sun, where the gravitational forces of the two large bodies cancel each other out.
    • Objects placed at these positions are relatively stable and require minimal external energy to keep them there. L2 is a position directly behind Earth in the line joining the Sun and the Earth.
    • It would be shielded from the Sun by the Earth as it goes around the Sun, in sync with the Earth.

    (3) Engineering marvel

    • JWST has one large mirror, with a diameter of 21 feet (the height of a typical two-storey building), that will capture the infra-red light coming in from the deep universe while facing away from the Sun.
    • It will be shielded by a five-layer, tennis court-sized, kite-shaped sunscreen that is designed to block the heat from Sun and ensure the extremely cool temperatures that the instruments are built to operate at.
    • Temperatures on the sun-facing side can get as high as 110°C, while the other side would be maintained at –200° to –230°C.
    • The extremely cold temperatures are needed to detect the extremely faint heat signals from distant galaxies.
    • The mirror as well as the sunscreen is so large they could not have fit into any rocket. They have been built as foldable items and would be unraveled in space.

     

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

    Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

    Attend Now

  • Swachh Bharat Mission

    Meendum Manjappai Scheme

    Prelims Only | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Meendum Manjappai Scheme

    Mains level: Not Much

    Tamil Nadu CM has launched the ‘Meendum Manjappai’ Scheme to promote the use of cloth bags by the public and discourage the use of plastic bags.

    Meendum Manjappai Scheme

    • This awareness campaign on using ‘yellow’ cloth bag or ‘manjapai’ as it is called in Tamil, is aimed at encouraging the people to return to the use of this eco-friendly bag and discard the plastic bags.
    • Manjal means turmeric in Tamil which has curative power. The manjapai was an integral part of daily life in the past.
    • Traditionally the manjapais were used for shopping, carrying books, ration and even cash.
    • The state government had enforced a ban on the production, use, storage, distribution, transportation or sale of 14 types of plastics with effect from January 1, 2019.

     

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

    Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

    Attend Now

  • Indian Army Updates

    Indian Army inducts Armoured Engineer Reconnaissance Vehicle (AERV)

    Prelims Only | Security Issues | Mains Paper 3: Indigenization Of Technology

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Armoured Engineer Reconnaissance Vehicles (AERV)

    Mains level: Not Much

    The first batch of next-generation indigenously designed Armoured Engineer Reconnaissance Vehicles (AERV) was inducted by the Indian Army.

    About AERV

    • AERV is indigenously designed and developed by DRDO and manufactured by the Pune unit of Bharat Electronics Limited.
    • It has more than 90% indigenous content.
    • It is a versatile BMP-IIK amphibious Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV) fitted with instruments for water reconnaissance, land reconnaissance, navigation, and data backup.

    Unique capabilities of AERV

    • AERV is capable of measuring soil bearing capacity on riverbanks.
    • It works to determine if they are motorable for military vehicles on Go-No Go basis (critical parameters for bridge laying), dry and wet gaps in day and night conditions, slopes and height of river banks or canals.”
    • AERVs can navigate terrain using Military Grid Coordinate System, measure and plot underwater beds and water currents of rivers or canals.
    • They can store data from various instruments on Control Console for further analysis and decision-making.

     

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

    Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

    Attend Now

  • Festivals, Dances, Theatre, Literature, Art in News

    ‘Chillai Kalan’ begins in Kashmir

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

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Chillai Kalan

    Mains level: Not Much

    Kashmir is in a deep freeze as the 40-day harshest spell of winter, locally called ‘chillai kalan’ has started with the minimum temperature already sub-zero in the entire Valley.

    Chillai Kalan

    • Chillai Kalan is the coldest 40-day period of harsh winter of winter in the Jammu and Kashmir region.
    • It is traditionally defined as a seasonal period of harsh winter accompanied by a change in increase in both frequency and quantity of precipitation usually snow.
    • It begins from December 21 and ends on January 31 next year.
    • It is followed by a 20-day long Chillai-Khurd (small cold) that occurs between January 31 and February 19 and a 10-day long Chillai-Bachha (baby cold).
    • According to Persian tradition, the night of 21st December is celebrated as Shab-e Yalda-“Night of Birth”, or Shab-e Chelleh “Night of Forty”.

    Its’ celebration

    • In the Persian tradition, the night of December 21, the longest of the year, is celebrated as Shab-e-Yalda (night of birth) or Shab-e-Chelleh.
    • Dozens of netizens from Kashmir named it the ‘Pheran Day’, after the long woollen gown worn during the winters in Kashmir.
    • Use of a traditional firing pot called Kangri increases.
    • Tap water pipelines partially freeze during this period. The Dal Lake also freezes.
    • The famous tourist resort of Gulmarg receives heavy snow which attracts skier’s from every part of the world.

     

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

    Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

    Attend Now

  • Capital Markets: Challenges and Developments

    SEBI suspends Futures Trading in key farm crops

    Prelims Only | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Indian Economy

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Derievatives, Commodity trading

    Mains level: NA

    Market regulator Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has issued an order suspending futures trading in paddy (non-basmati), wheat, Bengal gram (chana dal), mustard seeds and its derivatives, soyabean and its derivatives, crude palm oil and green gram (moong dal) for a year.

    What are Derivatives?

    • A derivative is a contract between two parties which derives its value/price from an underlying asset.
    • The value of the underlying asset is bound to change as the value of the underlying assets keep changing continuously.
    • Generally, stocks, bonds, currency, commodities and interest rates form the underlying asset.

    Types of Derivatives

    The most common types of derivatives are futures, options, forwards and swaps:

    (1) Futures

    • Futures are standardized contracts that allow the holder to buy/sell the asset at an agreed price at the specified date.
    • The parties to the futures contract are under an obligation to perform the contract. These contracts are traded on the stock exchange.
    • The value of future contracts is marked to market every day.
    • It means that the contract value is adjusted according to market movements till the expiration date.

     (2) Options

    • Options are derivative contracts that give the buyer a right to buy/sell the underlying asset at the specified price during a certain period of time.
    • The buyer is not under any obligation to exercise the option.
    • The option seller is known as the option writer. The specified price is known as the strike price.

    (3) Forwards

    • Forwards are like futures contracts wherein the holder is under an obligation to perform the contract.
    • But forwards are unstandardized and not traded on stock exchanges.
    • These are available over-the-counter and are not marked-to-market.
    • These can be customized to suit the requirements of the parties to the contract.

    (4) Swaps

    • Swaps are derivative contracts wherein two parties exchange their financial obligations.
    • The cash flows are based on a notional principal amount agreed between both parties without the exchange of principal.
    • The amount of cash flows is based on a rate of interest.
    • One cash flow is generally fixed and the other changes on the basis of a benchmark interest rate.
    • Swaps are not traded on stock exchanges and are over-the-counter contracts between businesses or financial institutions.

    What are Agri-Futures?

    Like equity, currency or interest rate futures, they allows to buy or sell an underlier at a preset price on a future date. All agri contracts end in compulsory delivery.

    • Agri products available for trade include wheat, sugar, chana, soyabean, castor, chilli , jeera futures, etc. Edible oil seeds and oils, spices and items like guar are among the more liquid contracts.
    • An objective of futures trading is gains reaching farmers, by establishing an efficient price-discovery platform.
    • This has been achieved to a large extent on NCDEX, in products such as castor, chana, soy complex, mustard, guar, cumin, etc.

    National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX) is an Indian online commodity and derivative exchange. It is under the ownership of Ministry of Finance.

    What are the reasons for this ban?

    (1) To cool off Food Inflation

    • India’s retail inflation rose to a three-month high of 4.91 % in November from 4.48 % in the previous month primarily because of a rise in food inflation to 1.87 % from 0.85 % over this period.

    (2) Double Digits WPI

    • Wholesale Price Index-based inflation has remained in double digits for eight consecutive months beginning in April, mainly because of the surging prices of food items.
    • In November, the wholesale price-based inflation surged to a record high of 14.23 % amid the hardening of prices of mineral oils, basic metals, crude petroleum, and natural gas.

    (3) To insulate future Price Shock

    • In view of Rabi Output that might be affected morbidly because of fertilizer shortage faced in many parts of the country.
    • By banning future’s trade, the government is trying to insulate any price shock the market might feel in the days to come in case the production is not up to par.

    What will be the impact?

    (1) The imports in such commodities, especially edible oils, would reduce in the short term as traders will not have a hedging platform.

    • Hedging, which is speculative in nature, has been made difficult.
    • This will lead to the release of blocked local produce supplies into the market, which should cool the prices.
    • Imports of commodities for speculative gains will be discouraged.

    (2) It is believed that speculators have a role in jacking up prices and this needed to be discouraged to curb inflation and support growth as the economy is recovering from the COVID-19 impact.

    (3) India is the world’s biggest importer of vegetable oil and this measure will make it difficult for edible oil importers and traders to transact business since they use Indian exchanges to hedge their risk.

    (4) Agri-futures, driven mainly by NCDEX, have a checkered history with bans often pushing NCDEX back.

    • Such frequent bans are not a good development for the market as it affects confidence levels.
    • Often, a contract that is banned may not return to the table, which were very effective in price-discovery.
    • Even when the contracts are restored, traders hesitate because of the fear of bans.
    • As it involves losses for market participants with open positions as they must square off contracts before maturity.

    What are the other steps taken?

    • Supply-side interventions by the Government had limited the fallout of continuing high international edible oil prices on domestic prices.
    • The Union Government substantially reduced taxes on imports of palm, soy and sunflower oil.
    • Union and State Governments had also recently reduced excise duty and VAT on petrol and diesel, aimed at bringing down inflation.
    • It has both direct effects as well as indirect effects operating through fuel and transportation costs.

    Way Forward

    • The ban is expected to be lifted by March when the next mustard crop starts hitting the market and prices cool down.
      • If the weather remains benign in the coming weeks, India is on course to harvest a bumper 11 million tonnes of mustard in 2021-22, up from 8.5 million tonnes in 2020-21.
    • The way out is not to ban any contract, but make sure to correct any serious aberration through a combination of higher margins so that if at all the price is getting distorted due to market manipulation, the correction takes place immediately.
    • Further, talking to potential wrongdoers is another way out, provided trading patterns noticed by the exchange reveal such tendencies.
      • Position limits can be changed to ensure undue influence is not exerted by any set of traders.

     

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

    Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

    Attend Now

  • Mother and Child Health – Immunization Program, BPBB, PMJSY, PMMSY, etc.

    Risks of mandatory Iron Fortification

    Prelims Only | Governance | Mains Paper 2: Health & Education

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Iron fortification

    Mains level: Isuses with fortified food

    Many things have been said about the necessity for mandatory iron fortification of foods in India.

    Iron fortification

    • Iron fortification of food is a methodology utilized worldwide to address iron deficiency.
    • A critical problem in some food fortification programs is the lack of bioavailability of iron compounds.

    Why need iron fortification?

    Ans. Prevalence of Anaemia

    • Iron deficiency anaemia is due to insufficient iron.
    • National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 provides insights into anaemia prevalence in the country, indicating that 57.2% of women ages 15 to 49 are anaemic, up from 49.7% in NFHS-4.
    • Without enough iron, the body can’t produce enough of a substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen (hemoglobin).
    • Severe anemia during pregnancy increases your risk of premature birth, having a low birth weight baby and postpartum depression.
    • Some studies also show an increased risk of infant death immediately before or after birth.

    Concerns over iron fortification

    Ans. Fear of diabetes and heart ailments

    • Iron increases the risk for many non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension and even high blood cholesterol.
    • A US based survey shows that high ferritin level had a four-fold higher risk of having diabetes.
    • The Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey of Indian adolescents to resulted in such scary outcomes.
    • There was a clear and significant risk for each of these conditions as serum ferritin increased.

    India’s vulnerability

    Ans. India is world capital of diabetes and hypertension

    • No less than 50% of Indian children, aged 5-19 years, already had a biomarker of either high blood sugar or high blood lipids, even when thin or stunted.
    • Thus, the risk of chronic disease is already very high in our children.
    • Thus mandatory cereal fortification has severe hazards for India.

    Why mandatory fortification is not a feasible option?

    • Occurrence of deficiencies: We do not even know if anaemia is as rampant to warrant such mandatory measures.
    • Manipulating food choices: When mandatory fortification is enforced in parts of the population that do not need this, it removes their choice of foods, or autonomy.
    • Morbidities due to excess: It could even be unethical if the risk of other morbidities is increased.
    • No successful example: Rice fortification has not been shown to work in a combined analysis.

    Conclusion

    • Food fortification is not a magic bullet.
    • It should be viewed as a complementary strategy for the prevention and control of micronutrient deficiencies.
    • As dietary patterns and deficiency states change, monitoring and periodic evaluation will be essential in helping to make necessary changes.

     

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

    Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

    Attend Now

  • What is Nord Stream Pipeline?

    Prelims Only | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: Effect Of Policies & Politics Of World On India’S Interests

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Nord Stream Pipeline

    Mains level: Not Much

    Germany has warned about severe consequences for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany if Moscow attacked Ukraine.

    Nord Stream 2 Pipeline

    • It is a system of offshore natural gas pipelines running under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany.
    • It includes two active pipelines running from Vyborg to Lubmin near Greifswald forming the original Nord Stream, and two further pipelines under construction running from Ust-Luga to Lubmin termed Nord Stream 2.
    • In Lubmin the lines connect to the OPAL line to Olbernhau on the Czech border and to the NEL line to Rehden near Bremen.
    • The first line Nord Stream-1 was laid and inaugurated in 2011 and the second line in 2012.
    • At 1,222 km in length, Nord Stream is the longest sub-sea pipeline in the world, surpassing the Langeled pipeline.

    Why is the pipeline controversial?

    • The US believed that the project would increase Europe’s dependence on Russia for natural gas.
    • Currently, EU countries already rely on Russia for 40 percent of their gas needs.
    • The project also has opponents in eastern Europe, especially Ukraine, whose ties with Russia have seriously deteriorated in the aftermath of the Crimean conflict in 2014.
    • There is an existing land pipeline between Russia and Europe that runs through Ukraine.
    • The country feels that once Nord Storm 2 is completed, Russia could bypass the Ukrainian pipeline, and deprive it of lucrative transit fees of around $3 billion per year.
    • Ukraine also fears another invasion by Russia once the new pipeline is operational.

     

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

    Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

    Attend Now

  • Modern Indian History-Events and Personalities

    [pib] Durga Puja gets UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage tag

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

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Intangible Cultural Heritages in India

    Mains level: Not Much

    UNESCO has inscribed ‘Durga Puja in Kolkata’ on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

    What is Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)?

    • ICH means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated with them that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as a part of their cultural heritage.
    • Furthermore, its importance is not in the cultural manifestation itself, but in the wealth of knowledge, know-how and skills that are transmitted from one generation to the next.

    About Durga Puja

    • Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is an annual Hindu festival that reveres and pays homage to the goddess Durga.
    • It is an important festival in the Shaktism tradition of Hinduism.
    • It is celebrated because of Durga’s victory over Mahishasur.
    • It is particularly popular and traditionally celebrated in the Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha among other states.
    • It is a ten-day festival, of which the last five are of the most significance.

    Citation for the UNESCO tag

    • The UNESCO Committee commended its initiatives to involve marginalized groups, and individuals as well as women in their participation in safeguarding the element.
    • The festival is also marked by scripture recitations, performance arts, revelry, gift-giving, family visits, feasting, and public processions.
    • Durga Puja not only is a celebration of the feminine divinity but is a consummate expression of dance, music, crafts, rituals, practices culinary and cultural aspects.
    • The festival transcends the boundaries of caste, creed and economic classes and joins the people together in its celebration.

    Also read: National List for Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)

    Other ICH in India

    • With the inscription of Durga Puja in Kolkata, India now has 14 intangible cultural heritage elements on the prestigious UNESCO Representative List of ICH of Humanity.
    • In recent years, the ICH elements that saw inscriptions are Kumbh Mela (inscribed 2017), Yoga (inscribed 2016) among others.
    • Also, India is a SIGNATORY of the 2003 UNESCO Convention which aims for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage along with traditions and living expression.

     

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

    Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

    Attend Now

  • NPA Crisis

    Co-Lending Model for Banks-NBFCs

    Prelims Only | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Inclusive Growth & Issues

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: NBFCs

    Mains level: Co-Lending and associated issues

    A November 2020 decision by the RBI to permit banks to “co-lend with all registered NBFCs based on a prior agreement” has led to unusual tie-ups between the banks and companies.

     The ‘Co-Lending Model’

    • In September 2018, the RBI had announced “co-origination of loans” by banks and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) for lending to the priority sector.
    • The arrangement entailed joint contribution of credit at the facility level by both the lenders as also sharing of risks and rewards.
    • Subsequently, based on feedback from stakeholders, the RBI allowed the lenders greater operational flexibility, while requiring them to conform to regulatory guidelines.
    • The primary focus of the revised scheme, rechristened as ‘Co-Lending Model’ (CLM), was to “improve the flow of credit to the unserved and underserved sector of the economy.

    Repercussions of Co-Lending

    (1) Bank-NBFC tie-ups at indiscriminate scale

    • Several banks have entered into co-lending ‘master agreements’ with NBFCs, and more are in the pipeline.
    • SBI, the country’s largest lender, signed a deal with Adani Capital, a small NBFC of a big corporate house, for co-lending to farmers to help them buy tractors and farm implements.

    (2) Greater risk in co-lending

    • NBFCs are required to retain at least a 20 per cent share of individual loans on their books.
    • This means 80 per cent of the risk will be with the banks — who will take the big hit in case of a default.

    (3) Corporates in banking

    • While the RBI hasn’t officially allowed the entry of big corporate houses into the banking space, NBFCs — mostly floated by corporate houses — were already accepting public deposits.
    • They now have more opportunities on the lending side through direct co-lending arrangements.

    Back2Basics: Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC)

    • An NBFC is a company incorporated under the Companies Act 2013 or 1956.
    • According to section 45-I (c) of the RBI Act, a Non–Banking Company carrying on the business of a financial institution will be an NBFC.
    • It further states that the NBFC must be engaged in the business of Loans and Advances, Acquisition of stocks, equities, debt etc issued by the government or any local authority or other marketable securities.

    NBFC business:

    The NBFC business does not include business whose principal business is the following:

    1. Agricultural Activity
    2. Industrial Activity
    3. Purchase or sale of any goods excluding securities
    4. Sale/purchase/construction of any immovable property – Providing of any services

    Difference between Banks and NBFCs:

    • NBFCs lend and make investments and hence their activities are akin to that of banks; however there are a few differences as given below:
    1. NBFC cannot accept demand deposits;
    2. NBFCs do not form part of the payment and settlement system and cannot issue cheques drawn on itself;
    3. Deposit insurance facility of Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation is not available to depositors of NBFCs, unlike in the case of banks.

     

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

    Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

    Attend Now

  • Telecom and Postal Sector – Spectrum Allocation, Call Drops, Predatory Pricing, etc

    5G Network and Aviation Safety

    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: 5G technology

    Mains level: Issues with 5g rollout

    The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued directives to create a framework as well as gather more information about the potential effects of 5G on crucial aviation safety equipment.

    What is 5G technology?

    • 5G or fifth generation is the latest upgrade in the long-term evolution (LTE) mobile broadband networks.
    • It mainly works in 3 bands, namely low, mid and high-frequency spectrum — all of which have their own uses as well as limitations.

    Three bands of 5G

    • The low band spectrum has shown great promise in terms of coverage and speed of internet and data exchange, the maximum speed is limited to 100 Mbps (Megabits per second).
    • This means that while telcos can use and install it for commercial cellphones users who may not have specific demands for very high-speed internet, the low band spectrum may not be optimal for specialised needs of the industry.
    • The mid-band spectrum, on the other hand, offers higher speeds compared to the low band but has limitations in terms of coverage area and penetration of signals.
    • Telcos and companies, which have taken the lead on 5G, have indicated that this band may be used by industries and specialised factory units for building captive networks that can be moulded into the needs of that particular industry.
    • The high-band spectrum offers the highest speed of all the three bands, but has extremely limited coverage and signal penetration strength.
    • Internet speeds in the high-band spectrum of 5G have been tested to be as high as 20 Gbps (gigabits per second), while, in most cases, the maximum internet data speed in 4G has been recorded at 1 Gbps.

    What is the issue?

    • There is a threat of potential radar altimeter interference from 5G cellular in the 3700 MHz-3800 MHz frequency or the C-band.
    • The 3700-4200 MHz band is close to the 4200 MHz-4400 MHz range used by aircraft radio altimeters.

    Potential impacts

    • Operations by aircraft including large jets could be limited or prohibited from using certain landing and navigation systems in places where there is scope for potential interference from new 5G cellular networks.
    • The restrictions could be severe for smaller aircraft and helicopters.
    • Overall, these could result in flight cancellations, delays or diversions in 46 places where these towers are, according to an aviation report.

    What is the aircraft equipment that can be affected?

    • The radio altimeter measures height (not altitude) of the aircraft above the surface immediately below the plane. It transmits a radio signal directly below.
    • There are various other systems that depend on inputs from the radio altimeter — for example, predictive wind shear, ground proximity warning system, traffic collision avoidance system, and auto land.
    • These effects are only when the aircraft is close to the ground, i.e. up to 2,500 ft above ground level (depending on the aircraft make).
    • Any disturbance to internal radio altimeter readings caused by 5G or other equipment transmitting in frequency bands close to it can result in disastrous effects on crucial systems during approach/landing.

    Impact of mobile phones

    • 5G devices can interfere with aircraft altitude instruments and recommended that they should be turned off (or put to flight mode) during flight.
    • Experts believe that electrical interference from a mobile phone could have been a factor in the crash of a small aircraft.
    • The navigation system of the small aircraft could be disrupted by mobile phone signals.
    • But up until now, there has been no evidence of a mobile phone having caused a crash.

    What about the implications for India?

    • Pilots in India are aware of the implications of 5G in the country.
    • However, in India, 5G could be rolled out in the 3.2 GHz-3.6 GHz band, which may not have the potential to interfere with aircraft operations.

     

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

    Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

    Attend Now