Must watch. Take notes.

https://youtu.be/aHuuyIb0MZo

UPSC CSE 2018 - GS3 - ECONOMY,ENVIRONMENT,.. MAINS QUESTION PAPER

UPSC MAINS 2018 GS3
To download as pdf : click here

UPSC MAINS 2018 - GS4 - ETHICS QUESTION PAPER

UPSC CSE MAINS 2018 - GENERAL STUDIES PAPER 2 - GS2 - POLITY,GOVERNANCE,BILATERAL RELATIONS

1. In the light of recent controversy regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), what are the challenges before the Election Commission of India to ensure the trustworthiness of elections in India? (10)
2. Whether National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) can enforce the implementation of constitutional reservation for the Scheduled Castes in the religious minority institutions? Examine. (10)
3. Under what circumstances can the Financial Emergency be proclaimed by the President of India? What consequences follow when such a declaration remains in force? (10)
4. Why do you think the committees are considered to be useful for parliamentary work? Discuss, in this context, the role of the Estimates Committee. (10)
5. “The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has a very vital role to play.” Explain how this is reflected in the method and terms of his appointment as well as the range of powers he can exercise. (10)
6. “Policy contradictions among various competing sectors and stakeholders have resulted in inadequate ‘protection and prevention of degradation to environment.” Comment with relevant illustrations.
7. Appropriate local community level healthcare intervention is a prerequisite to achieve ‘Health for All’ in India. Explain.
8. E-governance in not only about utilization of the power of new technology, but also much about critical importance of the ‘use value’ of information. Explain. (10)
9. “India’s relations with Israel have, of late, acquired a depth and diversity, which cannot be rolled back.” Discuss. (10 )
10. A number of outside powers have entrenched themselves in Central Asia, which is a zone of interest to India. Discuss the implications, in this context, of India’s joining the Ashgabat Agreement, 2018. (10)
11. Whether the Supreme Court Judgement (July 2018) can settle the political tussle between the Lt. Governor and elected government of Delhi? Examine. (15)
12. How far do you agree with the view that tribunals curtail the jurisdiction of ordinary courts? In view of the above, discuss the constitutional validity and competency of the tribunals in India. (15)
13. Indian and USA are two large democracies. Examine the basic tenets on which the two political systems are based.
14. How is the Finance Commission of India constituted? What do you know about the terms of reference of the recently constituted Finance Commission? Discuss. (15)
15. Assess the importance of the Panchayat system in India as a part of local government. Apart from government grants, what sources the Panchayats can look out for financing developmental projects? (15)
16. Multiplicity of various commissions for the vulnerable sections of the society leads to problems of overlapping jurisdiction and duplication of functions. Is it better to merge all commissions into an umbrella Human Rights Commission? Argue your case. (15)
17. How far do you agree with the view that the focus on lack of availability of food as the main cause of hunger takes the attention away from ineffective human development policies in India? (15)
18. The Citizen’s Charter is an ideal instrument of organisational transparency and accountability, but it has its own limitations. Identify the limitations and suggest measures for greater effectiveness of the Citizen’s Charters. (15)
19. What are the key areas of reform if the WTO has to survive in the present context of ‘Trade War’, especially keeping in mind the interest of India? (15)
20. In what ways would the ongoing US-Iran Nuclear Pact Controversy affect the national interest of India? How should India respond to its situation? (15)

UPSC 2018 MAINS QUESTION PAPER GENERAL STUDIES PAPER 1 - Gs1

1. Safeguarding the Indian art heritage is the need of the moment. Comment (10)
2. Assess the importance of the accounts of the Chinese and Arab travellers in the reconstruction of the history of India. (10)
3. Throw light on the significance of the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi in the present times. (10)
4. Why is Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) needed? How does it help in navigation? (10 )
5. Why is India taking keen interest in the Arctic region? (10)
6. Define mantle plume and explain its role in plate tectonics. (10)
7. What are the consequences of spreading of ‘Dead Zones’ on marine ecosystem? (10)
8. “Caste system is assuming new identities and associational forms. Hence, caste system cannot be eradicated in India.” Comment. (10)
9. ‘Despite implementation of various programmes for eradication of poverty by the government in India, poverty is still existing’. Explain by giving reasons. (10)
10. How the Indian concept of secularism different from the western model of secularism? Discuss. (10)
11. The Bhakti movement received a remarkable re-orientation with the advent of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Discuss. (15)
12. Discuss whether formation of new states in recent times is beneficial or not for the economy of India. (15)
13. Why indentured labour was taken by the British from India to their colonies? have they been able to preserve their cultural identity over there? (15)
14. “The ideal solution of depleting ground water resources in India is water harvesting system.” How can it be made effective in urban areas? (15)
15. Defining blue revolution, explain the problems and strategies for pisciculture development in India. (15)
16. What is the significance of Industrial Corridors in India? Identifying industrial corridors, explain their main characteristics. (15)
17. Mention core strategies for the transformation of aspirational districts in India and explain the nature of convergence, collaboration and competition for its success. (15)
18. ‘Women’s movement in India has not addresses the issues of women of lower social strata.’ Substantiate your view. (15)
19. ‘Globalisation is generally said to promote cultural homogenisation but due to this cultural specificities appear to be strengthened in the Indian society.’ Elucidate.
20. ‘Communalism arises either due to power struggle or relative deprivation.’ Argue by giving suitable illustrations. (15)

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Upsc CSE mains 2018 - ESSAY QN. PAPER

ESSAY PAPER: UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination – 2018

SECTION – A

1. alternative technologies for a climate change resilient India
2. A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge
3. Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere
4. Management of Indian border disputes – a complex task

SECTION – B

1. Customary morality cannot be a guide to modern life
2. “The past’ is a permanent dimension of human consciousness and values
3. A people that values its privileges above its principles loses both
4. Reality does not conform to the ideal, but confirms it

08 + 09 AUGUST 2018 CA

A recent move by the Centre seeking applications from ‘outstanding individuals’ to fill in 10 posts of Joint Secretary, has caused anxiety amongst bureaucrats.

Some apprehensions over lateral entry:

• Many serving IAS officers think this move may cause threat to their primacy.
• This move may end a “neutral and impartial” civil service with the likely induction of loyalists and politically indoctrinated persons into the system.
• This may mark the “privatisation of the IAS”. Private business houses may “plant” their people in order to influence government policies.
• The political leadership, by creating a ‘divide and rule’ mechanism, would further demoralise the ‘steel frame of governance’.

How the Secretariat functions?

• The key officials in the secretariat decides on, how an abstract idea is to be given a concrete, implementable shape.
• Higher bureaucracy in the secretariat often has to examine proposals received from specialised departments/corporations.
• With the consultation of other ministries/departments they prepare a cohesive note to facilitate the Minister concerned or the Cabinet to take a final decision.
• The detailed procedures have been formulated for proper functioning which requires both expertise and experience.
• Though the original proposal is often prepared by technical experts, after the file moves through this long internal and hierarchical process, the final decision rests with the higher bureaucracy and finally the Minister/Cabinet.

Generalist v. specialist

Generalist view:

• The best leadership is provided by generalists who have a breadth of understanding and experience.
• Specialists, no matter how competent, tend to have a narrow vision and are not equipped to take a broader view.
• The domain knowledge has to feed into policy-making, but that can be accomplished by domain experts advising the generalist leader in decision-making.
• In this view, a good IAS officer can head the Department of Agriculture as competently as she would the Department of Shipping.

Specialist view:

• Specialists like engineers, doctors, agricultural scientists, etc. have always had a substantial say not only in the decision-making process also in its implementation.
• Secretaries to the Departments of Atomic Energy, Science & Technology, Scientific and Industrial Research, Health Research, and Agricultural Research have always been scientists of eminence.
• Similarly, in departments like the Railways, Posts, etc., all senior positions are manned by Indian Railway or Postal Service officers.
• Generalised bureaucracy is not equipped to comprehend complex economic and technical issues in order to properly aid and advise the Minister. For increasingly complex matrix of decision-making is, specialists are more efficient than generalists.

How apprehensions can be resolved?

• The government must ensure that only candidates, the likes of whom are not available in the existing system, are appointed.
• If they turn out to be truly outstanding, there should be provisions to induct them permanently in the government, with approval of the UPSC, and consider them for higher postings.
• Ideas have also been advanced for IAS and other officers to gain work experience, for a limited period, in the private sector.
• These fears can be reduced by letting the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) handle the recruitment process, after defining the job requirements more explicitly.

Conclusion:

• The apprehensions on lateral entry are based on perceptions, a reality check is necessary. Also this is a bold decision that should be given a fair trial.
• The lateral entry scheme, if implemented properly, may foster more competitive spirit, break the complacency of the higher civil servants and eventually prove to be a pioneering initiative in public interest.

 Introduction:

Latest GST Council meeting held on issues facing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Do you know?

What are MSME?

MSME are units producing goods and rendering services in terms of annual turnover as follows:

• A micro enterprise will be defined as a unit where the annual turnover does not exceed five crore rupees;
• A small enterprise will be defined as a unit where the annual turnover is more than five crore rupees but does not exceed Rs 75 crore;
• A medium enterprise will be defined as a unit where the annual turnover is more than seventy five crore rupees but does not exceed Rs 250 crore.

What is GST Council?

• Goods & Services Tax Council is a constitutional body for making recommendations to the Union and State Government on issues related to Goods and Service Tax.
• The GST Council is chaired by the Union Finance Minister and other members are the Union State Minister of Revenue or Finance and Ministers in-charge of Finance or Taxation of all the States.

(For further details: http://www.gstcouncil.gov.in/gst-council)

Recent GST meetings’ decisions (Regarding MSME):

• Firms with an annual turnover of less than Rs. 5 crore constitute 93% of the registered taxpayers under the GST. Such businesses need no longer file cumbersome returns every month, but only on a quarterly basis.
• GST Council returned to a consensual approach on decisions.
• There is a proposal to push digital payments by offering a cash-back to consumers using RuPay cards or the UPI platform, final decision will be taken after a detailed system-wide evaluation of such incentives.

Way Forward: GST with respect to MSME

• Further easing of compliance for micro firms with turnover far below Rs. 5 crore is needed.
• There is a need to review the Rs. 50,000 threshold for mandatory use of e-way bills to track movement of taxable goods.

• About Scrub typhus (definition in pic above)
• Majority of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) patients have scrub typhus.
• Scrub typhus can be treated easily if detected early.
• Mites present in the soil carried Orientia tsutsugumashi, the bacterium which causes scrub typhus.

The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2018

Introduction:

The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2018 has been introduced in the Parliament, with a view to creating a national DNA database for solving crimes and identifying missing persons.

About the Bill:

• The purpose of the bill is to expand the application of DNA-based forensic technologies to support and strengthen the justice delivery system of the country.
• By providing for the mandatory accreditation and regulation of DNA laboratories, the Bill seeks to ensure that the DNA test results are reliable and the data remain protected from misuse or abuse in terms of the privacy rights of our citizens.
• Bill’s provisions will enable the cross-matching between persons who have been reported missing on the one hand and unidentified dead bodies found in various parts of the country on the other, and also for establishing the identity of victims in mass disasters.
• The Bill includes provisions for the destruction of DNA samples and removal of innocent people’s DNA profiles from the database.

Criticism on DNA bill:

• Creating large databases is often not a cost-effective way to solve more crimes, and limited resources must be targeted effectively.
• Using DNA effectively during criminal investigations requires proper crime scene examination, trained and reliable policing, a trusted chain of custody of samples, reliable analysis, and proper use of expert evidence in court. Without these prerequisites, a DNA database will worsen rather than solve problems in the criminal justice system (false matches or misinterpretation or planting of evidence, etc.).
• The Bill’s proposed DNA Regulatory Board is still too powerful and insufficiently transparent or accountable.
• There are provisions which give the government or the Board the power to amend aspects of the safeguards in the Bill, and to avoid accountability in court.
• A number of other privacy protections are also missing — the need to restrict DNA profiling so that it uses only non-coding DNA, a commonly used international standard for one.
• There is no attempt to assess the cost effectiveness of these provisions or to estimate the database’s likely size.

Way Forward:

• Consideration should be given to an independent forensic science regulator.

• An independent ethics board should be set up.
• The Board’s responsibilities for privacy protections need an independent regulator.
• Privacy or data protection bill should be adopted first.
• Any international sharing of DNA profiles should also be covered by a privacy or data protection law, and meet international human rights standards.
• There should be separate the databases for missing persons and for criminals set up by the Bill, so that people who volunteer their DNA to help find their missing relatives are not treated as suspects for criminal offences.
• It is needed to specify that volunteers must be fully informed about future storage and uses of their genetic information before they give consent.
• International evidence shows that the success of a DNA database is driven primarily by the number of crime scene DNA profiles loaded on to it, not by the number of DNA profiles from individuals, so proper crime scene analysis should be the top priority.

Conclusion:

In short, important safeguards and a cost-benefit analysis are still lacking for this Bill, which needs full parliamentary scrutiny.

ALSO IN NEWS

Restricted Area Permit (RAP) regime

The Union government has decided to exclude 29 inhabited Andaman & Nicobar Islands from the Restricted Area Permit (RAP) regime, subject to certain conditions, to boost tourism and overall development of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

• RAP regime was notified under the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963.
• Under it, foreign nationals are not normally allowed to visit protected or restricted area unless Government is satisfied that there are extra-ordinary reasons to justify their visit.
• Every foreigner, except citizen of Bhutan, who desires to enter and stay in protected or restricted area, is required to obtain special permit from competent authority having power to issue such permits to foreigner, seeking it.
• Citizens of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan and foreign nationals of Pakistani origin are exception and are not allowed to enter such areas.

FALL ARMYWORM (FAW)

• Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) has sounded the alarm after the invasive agricultural pest, Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), was discovered in Karnataka.
• Fall Armyworm is a major maize pest in North America, arrived in Africa in 2016. Since then, it has threatened the continent’s maize crop.
• The Karnataka finding is the first report of the pest in Asia.
• Scientists warn the insect could spread throughout Asia to become a major threat to global food security.
• The discovery is more worrisome because the pest feeds on around 100 different crops, such as vegetables, rice, and sugarcane.

THERMAL BATTERY

India has become home to the world’s first-ever thermal battery plant. The thermal battery facility, inaugurated in Andhra Pradesh, will be owned by Bharat Energy Storage Technology Private Limited (BEST).

A thermal energy battery is used for storing and releasing thermal energy. It allows for available energy to be temporarily stored and be released for use whenever necessary. Standard battery technology is based on charging and discharging cycles mainly operated by electricity. The most commonly used Lithium-ion battery works on electrical energy. However, thermal batteries operate on thermal energy, which can be defined as energy created by temperature differences.

Applications with power grids:

• The possible integration of thermal batteries with power grids is one of its main applications. This will help boost industrial demand and provide substantial support to public transport and telecom grids.
• Thermal batteries can function as long as heat is available for them to operate, which can be helpful in power transmission to remote areas. India’s rising regional energy requirements can be resolved using this technology.
• The telecom industry will also benefit as thermal batteries will help boost signal strength and network connectivity, which will thereby increase internet and smartphone penetration. 

Use in e-vehicles technology:

The thermal batteries can be used in electric vehicles as well. India’s automobile industry has an ambitious target of going completely electric by 2030. Car manufacturers can use thermal battery technology to manufacture vehicle with clean energy at minimal maintenance cost and set up charging stations for the same. 

Why is it good compared to other technologies?

• Although solar power is considered the most reliable source of energy yet it has pitfalls. The energy generation is not possible after sunset and high rainfall areas, which brings in the need for a robust energy storage infrastructure. Thus, the coming of thermal battery is a landmark development in the field of technology and environmental protection.
• Existing energy storage technologies depend on Lithium-based batteries, which are limited by life cycles, making it a very expensive proposition with replacements needed every six to seven years. They are also low on energy density and need a high footprint.
• Furthermore, Lithium’s sensitivity to extreme temperatures requires the energy storage systems to be placed in conditioned temperatures, requiring about eight to ten per cent energy storage for the cause.

 The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has called for transforming heritage buildings in Rajasthan into “economic assets” for the society. Economic benefits could be derived from these properties as an alternative to paying for their upkeep on a regular basis.

About Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH):

• The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is a non-profit charitable organisationregistered under the Societies’ Registration Act, 1860.
• Aim: It was founded in 1984 with the vision to create a membership organisation to stimulate and spearhead heritage awareness and conservation in India.
• Contributions: Since 1984, INTACH has pioneered the conservation and protection of India’s natural and cultural heritage and is today the largest membership organisation in the country dedicated to conservation.
• In 2007, the United Nations awarded INTACH a special consultative status with United Nations Economic and Social Council.

TRAI MyCall App , DND 2.0 App :

Recognizing the importance of reaching out to the consumers and to safeguard their interests, TRAI has now integrated its Mobile Apps namely DND 2.0 & MyCall with UMANG Platform.

Niryat Mitra:

Ministry of Commerce & Industry has launched Niryat Mitra – mobile App.

• The app has been developed by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO).
• It provides wide range of information required to undertake international trade right from the policy provisions for export and import, applicable GST rate, available export incentives, tariff, preferential tariff, market access requirements – SPS and TBT measures. All the information is available at tariff line.
• The app works internally to map the ITC HS code of other countries with that of India and provides all the required data without the users bothering about the HS code of any country. Presently the app comes with the data of 87 countries.

FOCUS(a prelims 2019 prespective)

#1  The Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve has become the 11th Biosphere Reserve from India to be included in the UNESCO designated World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR).

This decision was taken at the recently concluded 30th Session of International Coordinating Council (ICC) of Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme of UNESCO held at Palembang, Indonesia.

Facts:

India has 18 Biosphere Reserves. With the inclusion of Khangchendzonga, the number of internationally designated World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) has become 11, with 7 Biosphere Reserves being domestic Biosphere Reserves.

Biosphere reserves:

• Launched in 1971, UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an Intergovernmental Scientific Programme that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments.
• MAB combines the natural and social sciences, economics and education to improve human livelihoods and the equitable sharing of benefits, and to safeguard natural and managed ecosystems, thus promoting innovative approaches to economic development that are socially and culturally appropriate, and environmentally sustainable.
• Its World Network of Biosphere Reserves currently counts more than 600 sites in 122 countries all over the world, including 20 transboundary sites.
• The first of India’s reserves to make it to UNESCO’s list was Tamil Nadu’s Niligiri Biosphere Reserve in 2000.
• Protection is granted not only to the flora and fauna of the protected region, but also to the human communities who inhabit these regions, and their ways of life.

Key facts on Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve:

• Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve is a National Park and a Biosphere Reserve located in Sikkim, India. The park is named after the mountain Kangchenjunga, which with a height of 8,586 metres (28,169 ft), is the third-highest peak in the world.
• The Biosphere Reserve is one of the highest ecosystems in the world, reaching elevations of 1, 220 metres above sea-level. It includes a range of ecolines, varying from sub-tropic to Arctic, as well as natural forests in different biomes, which support an immensely rich diversity of forest types and habitats.
• The core zone – Khangchendzonga National Park was designated as a World Heritage Site in 2016 under the ‘mixed’ category. 

BIOSPHERE RESERVES- DEFINITION:

A Biosphere Reserve is a unique and representative ecosystem of terrestrial and coastal areas which are internationally recognized, within the framework of UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme. The biosphere reserve should fulfill the following three objectives:

• In-situ conservation of biodiversity of natural and semi-natural ecosystems and landscapes.
• Contribution to sustainable economic development of the human population living within and around the Biosphere Reserve.
• Provide facilities for long term ecological studies, environmental education and training and research and monitoring.

In order to fulfill the above objectives, the Biosphere Reserves are classified into zones like the core area, buffer area. The system of functions is prescribed for each zone.

#2 The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is being observed across the world on August 9, 2018.

Aim: To strengthen international cooperation for solving problems faced by indigenous peoples in areas such as human rights, the environment, education, health and social development.

Theme: ‘Indigenous peoples’ migration and movement’.

Significance of the day: The United Nations General Assembly on December 23, 1994 proclaimed 9 August as the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. The date marks the day of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in 1982.

#3 India’s largest bank State Bank of India (SBI) has launched its Multi Option Payment Acceptance Device (MOPAD) for digital payments convenience of merchants and consumers. It aims at providing digital convenience to customers and ease of doing business for merchants at the same time. SBI will roll-out this new initiative on all SBI PoS terminals in a phased manner.

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TO DO : A self study guide

RCEP and INDIA

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