InstaLinks : help you think beyond the issue but relevant to the issue from UPSC prelims and Mains exam point of view. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background. This helps you study a topic holistically and add new dimensions to every current event to help you think analytically
1. Issues with India’s public examination System
2. Supreme Court: Places of worship act can’t be enforced within the same religion
3. Need for a new legal framework governing telecommunication in India
Content for Mains enrichment (Ethics/Essay)
3. The Family Courts (Amendment) Bill 2022
5. Seekho aur Kamao (Learn and Earn) scheme
6. UN declares access to a clean and healthy environment as a universal human right
10. India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX)
11. Aid for Trade (A4T)
12. India’s jute economy is faltering while Bangladesh’s is flourishing
13. No New construction in ‘Core Areas’
Context: Governor of Tamil Nadu was recently criticised for his views on the Aryan-Dravidian divide.
Direction: Although not a very important topic, however, UPSC can ask about language and culture-related themes based on this issue.
The pattern of migration from ancient times and the evolution of languages
Waves of migration over millennia have left their mark on what we speak and how we speak, but over time indigenous languages have also continued to survive (India has 453 ‘living’ indigenous languages in the world). Also, the outmigration of Indian ideas, religion, people, and languages has had a profound impact on other countries esp. East and Southeast Asia.
AI4Bharat is an initiative by IIT Madras. This initiative would contribute to and accelerate Indic language AI work as a public good.
Q. Discuss in what ways Sanskrit Literature has imparted diversity and richness to Indian Literature. (10M)
Which one of the following was given classical language status? (UPSC 2015)
Six languages in India namely Tamil, Telugu, Sanskrit, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia have been given the status of classical language. The first language to be accorded with that status is Tamil. Tamil was declared a classical language back in 2004.
Syllabus: Government Policies and intervention
Context: Editorial by Varun Gandhi in which he highlighted how the recruitment process for some government posts never ends. It’s diminishing the demographic dividend. As per CMIE data, India needs to create 20 million jobs annually
Direction: Non-political articles by Varun Gandhi are generally good with sufficient data and points and can be followed. Just go through the article to understand the issue. No need to make notes.
National Recruitment Agency (NRA): NRA is a national testing agency which would conduct the Common Eligibility Examination (CET) for non-gazetted Group B and C posts. In the initial years, NRA will conduct the recruitment examinations for Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) and Staff Selection Commission(SSC) and would gradually expand its operations in other examination process as well.
India needs to face the challenge of job creation and upskilling of youth for the labour market to ensure that India’s demographic dividend does not become a demographic disaster.
Create more jobs, revamp employment policy
Q. With more young adults entering higher education and increasing job aspirations not matching their educational profile, the new National Employment Policy must accommodate these trends. Discuss (250 Words)
Syllabus: Indian Constitution- evolution, features
Context: SC has rejected a petition by a sect of the Jain community under Art 32 to enforce the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act 1991 against the alleged conversion of its religious places by another sect of the same religion.
What do the places of worship act, of 1991 say?
The following are exempt from these provisions:
Criticisms: It has been challenged on the ground that it bars judicial review and imposes an “arbitrary irrational retrospective cutoff date”, and also abridges the right to religion of Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs.
SC observation about the Act: SC ( during the 2019 Ayodhya verdict) said that the law manifests the secular values of the Constitution and prohibits retrogression. It protects the secular features of the Indian polity.
Q. Enactment of the Places of Worship Act, 1991 in its current format damages the liberty of belief, faith and worship to all. Critically examine. (250 Words)
Q.Consider the following statements: (UPSC 2020)
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Constitution doesn’t explicitly provide for ‘Judicial Review’ but does it implicitly through Art 13 and 32. The term ‘judicial review’ is not mentioned in the Constitution.
Syllabus: Governance/ S&T
Context: Given emerging technologies such as 5G, IoT, etc., the Ministry of Communication has underscored the need to have a legal framework for these technologies.
Direction: Just go through it once. This is just a draft framework and may change in the future.
Proposals of the New Law:
Energy travels in the form of waves known as electromagnetic waves. These waves differ from each other in terms of frequencies. This whole range of frequencies is called the spectrum. In telecommunication like TV, radio and GPRS, radio waves of different wavelengths are used.
Mobile phones use two technologies based on different parts of the radio spectrum— GSM (global system for mobile communications) and CDMA (code division multiple access). Most of the radio spectrum is reserved in countries for defence. The rest is available for public use. But following an increase in the number of phone users and new services, countries started auctioning the frequencies to telecom companies.
Q. Discuss the advantages that 5G technology holds as compared to previous mobile technology. (10M)
With reference to street lighting, how do sodium lamps differ from LED lamps? (UPSC 2021)
Select the correct answer using the code given below
Sodium vapour bulbs contain metals that are evaporated into inert gas within the glass casing while LEDs are a solid-state technology. The difference is that sodium vapour lights were the most efficient technology of the 1970s while LEDs are the modern-day equivalent and have more life span.
Q.With reference to Visible Light Communication (VLC) technology, which of the following statements are correct? (UPSC 2020)
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Visible light communication is a short-range data communications variant which uses visible light between 400 and 800 THz. VLC is a subset of optical wireless communications technologies. The technology uses fluorescent lamps to transmit signals at 10 kbit/s or LEDs for up to 500 Mbit/s over short distances.
India’s rural areas are catching fast with urban areas. Around 37% of the rural population has internet ( Internet and Mobil Association of India). Goa has maximum while Bihar has the least internet penetration ( due to lack of awareness and low digital literacy)
Context: Under the programme “Linking Textile with Tourism”, eight craft villages have been taken up to promote craft and tourism at a single location.
Aim: It will develop handicrafts as a sustainable and remunerative livelihood option for artisans in the cluster.
Context: Jain festival in which Jain Monks and Nuns stay with the community and provide them instructions and guidance. It is also a festival of “Forgiveness”.
Context: Statutory cover has been provided to family courts in Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland
The act was enacted for the establishment of Family Courts in order to promote conciliation and secure speedy settlement of disputes relating to marriage and family affairs and related matters. The judges are appointed by the State government in concurrence with the High court. The state government may provide for Social welfare agencies or individuals working in the field of social welfare, to be attached to Family Court for help in mediation and conciliations.
Context: On the occasion of 2 years completion of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the central government has launched several educational initiatives
Direction: NEP is important (keep a not on it handy). Just go through these schemes ( no need to learn by heart as there are 100s of such smaller schemes; the cost-benefit ratio is low)
Context: The scheme has nearly 59% female trainees (far greater than earmarked 33%) in 2020-21.
Nodal ministry: Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Minority Affairs (since 2013-14)
Aim: Upgrading the skills of minority youth (14-35 years age group) and ensure 75% placements, out of which 50% should be in the organized sector. Post placement support of Rs. 2000/- per month is provided to placed trainees for two months as placement assistance.
Implementation: Through selected Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs).
Other Schemes of Ministry of Minority Affairs:
Context: At a meeting of the UN General Assembly, India voted in favour of the UNGA resolution for a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a human right. Previously it was not included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948.
Status: It is not legally binding
UN Human Rights Council has already recognized access to a healthy and sustainable environment as a universal right (2021)
Context: Recently Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) released the Index for the month of July
Direction: Remember the percentage of India under dry land and their locations.
Large Arid regions are found in the desert of Rajasthan, Rann of Kutch and semi-arid regions of Punjab and Gujarat, rain shadow areas of Western Ghats.
What can be done: Further intensify drought-prone area programme (DPAP), crop diversification, cultivation of traditional varieties, mulching, intercropping, micro-irrigation, etc.
Three types of drought: Meteorological (actual rainfall is significantly less than the climatological mean); Hydrological (a marked depletion of surface water); Agriculture ( low soil moisture leading to acute crop stress)
Context: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has launched the 11th Agriculture Census (2021-22)
Background: The census is part of the World Census of Agriculture of FAO and has been conducted every 5 years from 1970-71.
Unique feature of the 11th Census:
Aim: It will provide updated information number and area of operational holdings, their size, class-wise distribution, land use, tenancy and cropping pattern, etc.
Operational holding is defined as “all land which is used wholly or partly for agricultural production and is operated as one technical unit by one person alone or with others without regard to title, legal form, size or location”. It is taken as a statistical unit for data collection in Agriculture Census.
10th agriculture census (2015-16): As per the census, the land holding was inequitably distributed, Small and marginal farmers (less than two hectares of land) accounted for 86.2% of all farmers but owned just 47.3% of the crop area.
World Census of Agriculture (WCA): Started in 1950 by FAO. Unlike FAO’s definition, Indian operational holding doesn’t include holdings under livestock, poultry, fishing, etc.
Context: As per the Ministry of Commerce, the total FDI received in 2021-22 was the US $ 84bn (highest annual inflow)
FDI: A foreign direct investment is an investment in the form of a controlling ownership in a business in one country by an entity based in another country. It is thus distinguished from a foreign portfolio investment by a notion of direct control.
India’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Routes
Context: PM launched India’s 1st IIBX at International Financial Services Centres (IFSC) at GIFT City (Gujarat)
Bullion is a metal that has been refined to a high standard of elemental purity. The term is ordinarily applied to the bulk metal used in the production of coins and especially to precious metals such as gold and silver.
Bullion Exchange: It is a market through which buyers and sellers trade gold and silver as well as associated derivatives. E.g. London Bullion Market is known as the primary global market trading platform for gold and silver.
It is a multi-service Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which houses India’s first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) and an exclusive Domestic Tariff Area (DTA).
Fig: Zimbawawe’s Gold currency
Context: India has been the highest recipient of aid from developed countries in 2020 and WTO’s Aid for Trade Initiative (launched in 2005)
A4T is aimed at promoting trade for poverty reduction, by helping developing countries (esp. least developed countries) in addressing issues e.g. Supply-side and trade-related issues.
Developed countries provide grants and concessional loans (as part of Official Development Assistance) — targeted at trade-related programmes and projects e.g. Trade Portal and Trade Repository ( Myanmar) provides helpful information to exporters and importers has been assisted by USAID.
Direction: Not very important, just go through it once
India is still the largest producer of jute but in terms of acreage, Bangladesh is the largest cultivator. It also accounts for nearly 75 per cent of the global jute exports, while India’s share is just 7 per cent.
Reasons: Lack of market, government procurement and diversification, poor infrastructure as well as the sorry state of Indian jute mills is responsible for this.
For more on Jute click here
Context: This is in continuation of yesterday’s article.
NTCA has said that No new construction will be carried out in the Core areas of the Tiger Reserve.
Tiger comes under Endangered (IUCN), Schedule I (WPA 1972) and Appendix I (CITES)
Context: This is marked as the day when humanity has exhausted nature’s budget for the year. This year it falls on 28th July (last year it was 29th July)
It is calculated by Global Footprint Network ( an international research organization)
Context: Manipur government’s Loktak Development Authority (LDA) issued a notice to remove/dismantle all ‘athaphums’ (circular fish culture ponds) and huts on ‘phumdis’ (floating organic mass) from the lake, in order to safeguard the environment and biodiversity of the lake.
Context: The government is promoting the production of Vitamin B1 under the “Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Bulk Drugs”
Thiamine is a water-soluble vitamin, an essential micronutrient, which cannot be made in the body. It is found in food and commercially synthesized to be a dietary supplement or medication. Food sources of thiamine include whole grains, legumes, and some meats and fish. Beriberi is a deficiency of thiamin.
Context: World Hepatitis Day (July 28)
Theme: “Bringing hepatitis care closer to you”
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. The liver is a vital organ that processes nutrients, filters the blood, and fights infections. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be affected.
India has 11% of the estimated global burden of Hepatitis cases. Hepatitis B has been included in India’s universal Immunization Programme to provide free-of-cost vaccination.
Q. Which one of the following statements is not correct? ( UPSC 2019)
(a) Hepatitis B virus is transmitted much like HIV. (b) Hepatitis B unlike Hepatitis C, does not have a vaccine. (c) Globally, the number of people infected with Hepatitis B and C viruses arc several times more than those infected with HIV. (d) Some of those infected with Hepatitis B and C viruses do not show the symptoms for many years.
As per WHO, 296mn people are infected by Hepatitis B and 58mn have Hepatitis C. While the number of people infected with HIV is 37.7mn. Sometimes, hepatitis B and C viruses do not show the symptoms for many years and remain latent.
Context: India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant was handed over to the Indian Navy
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