1. To end violence, raise human consciousness READ MORE
2. The Practice Of Listening READ MORE
3. Educate to achieve attitudinal changes READ MORE

1. Explained | Why is India facing bouts of extreme weather? READ MORE
2. In Glasgow, all eyes on 2030: COP26 must focus sharply on reducing emissions till 2030, rather than on net-zero 2050, which is too distant a goal READ MORE
3. No lessons learnt from past flood disasters READ MORE

1. A new vision of the education system READ MORE
2. Avoid jail for drug users, seizure of small amounts: Social justice ministry READ MORE

1. It’s time for regulation READ MORE
2. Quasi-judicial bodies: Inordinate delay in appointments defeating their purpose READ MORE
3. NCB is high on NDPS — the law with loopholes. Rhea Chakraborty to Aryan Khan READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. India’s First Banni Buffalo IVF Calf Born READ MORE
2. Is genetically modified rice grown in India? READ MORE
3. What is ‘conscious possession’ of drugs? READ MORE
4. China’s new law ‘formalises’ its LAC actions READ MORE
5. Leopardess released back into the wild READ MORE

Main Exam   

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. It’s time for regulation READ MORE
2. Quasi-judicial bodies: Inordinate delay in appointments defeating their purpose READ MORE
3. NCB is high on NDPS — the law with loopholes. Rhea Chakraborty to Aryan Khan READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. A new vision of the education system READ MORE
2. Avoid jail for drug users, seizure of small amounts: Social justice ministry READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. How Palestine is distinct, de-linked from India’s Israel policy READ MORE
2. Indian aid and flag need to touch down in Afghanistan. ‘Influencers’ are already flying in READ MORE
3. India Needs Independent Foreign Policy to Exert Influence in Afghanistan: New Delhi’s participation in the Troika Plus initiative meeting with the Taliban in Moscow has failed to get the desired results READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Intellectual property rights and wage inequality READ MORE
2. Peanut penalty and reputation risks for banks READ MORE
3. The Bad Bank, good intentions and bad lending READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY  

1. Explained | Why is India facing bouts of extreme weather? READ MORE
2. In Glasgow, all eyes on 2030: COP26 must focus sharply on reducing emissions till 2030, rather than on net-zero 2050, which is too distant a goal READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. No lessons learnt from past flood disasters READ MORE

SECURITY

1. Artificial Intelligence in counter-terrorism READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. To end violence, raise human consciousness READ MORE
2. The Practice Of Listening READ MORE
3. Educate to achieve attitudinal changes READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Do you think the view that PM Gati Shakti will transform Indian infrastructure and logistics to compete with the world’s leading economies? Justify your view.
2. Discuss the need for the shifting of Agriculture in North India from nutritional security crops to sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• The dramatic developments in Afghanistan have catalysed new geostrategic and geoeconomic concerns for the region.
• An advisory issued by the National Medical Commission does not offer specific guidelines for changes, puts onus on medical colleges and authors of textbooks alone and has no clarity on how to tackle queerphobia among current set of health professionals.
• We are violent towards each other because we identify ourselves with different things and have forgotten that we are human beings.
• We are violent towards each other because we identify ourselves with different things and have forgotten that we are human beings.
• By shifting from rice to maize and diversifying to fruits and vegetables, farmers can earn more, while practising sustainable farming.
• It will transform Indian infrastructure and logistics to compete with the world’s leading economies.
• It is difficult to fully visualise the sheer scale of development and investments planned under the PM Gati Shakti Masterplan. It will be an inflection point in the history of our nation.
• The harms of social media are coming into view and the solutions for it must involve the best minds of the world.
• The marginalisation of the Palestinian question in India’s policy has been gradual. If the past is an indication, the EAM will visit Palestine in the future but without going to Israel.
• The NEP 2020 recommends the integration of academic and vocational knowledge, which indicates the impact of the Gandhian education philosophy.
• New ways to improve the standard of education need to be adopted for a work culture of intimacy, involvement and best work practices.

50- WORD TALK

• A close look at the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021, and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, makes it clear that there is an attempt to assert executive dominance in appointments to the discomfort of the judiciary. While the judiciary and the government indulge in a slugfest over who controls appointments to tribunals and consumer commissions, the consumers continue to suffer. This unpleasant situation must end at the earliest.
• Along with better forecasts, we need better monitoring and reporting of actual rainfall, water levels in rivers and incidents of landslides. More timely and location-specific forecasts that would enable the disaster management authorities to take the necessary advance actions would help. Such emergency action plans would follow only if there is a functional, accountable and participatory disaster management mechanism in place.

Things to Remember:

• For prelims-related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
• Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and also exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains, rivers, etc. same applies to the national places.)
• For economy-related news (banking, agriculture, etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects, for example, if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates, etc.
• For main exam-related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occur frequently and are important from the main point of view will be covered in ED.
• Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment to your writing.

INDIAN POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. CONSCIOUS POSSESSION OF DRUGS

THE CONTEXT:  A special court in Mumbai denied bail to Aryan Khan, even though the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) did not find any drugs on him during his arrest on October 3 after a raid on a cruise ship off Mumbai. The court rejected his bail application on the ground that he had “conscious possession” of drugs.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Section 35 of the Act recognises the ‘presumption of culpable mental state’. Possession need not be physical and could be ‘constructive.
• The Supreme Court defines the word ‘conscious’ as “awareness about a particular fact” — a state of mind which is deliberate or intended. That is, a person can still have power and control over the article in question, while another to whom physical possession is given holds it, subject to that power or control.
• An illustration of ‘conscious possession’ is if a person keeps his gun in his mother’s flat, which is safer than his own home, he must be considered to be in possession of the firearm.
• The liability is on the accused to dispel the court’s presumption of his culpable mental state.
• Section 54 of the Act also allows for a similar presumption in the possession of illicit articles.

ABOUT NCB

• The government constituted the NCB on March 17, 1986, to coordinate with other departments and ministries to fight illicit traffic in drugs and drug abuse.
• One of the Directive Principles in the Constitution (Article 47) directs the state to act against narcotic activities injurious to health.
• The NDPS Act mandates the formation of a central authority to exercise its powers and functions under the statute.

SOURCE:  PIB

ENVIRONMENT, GEOGRAPHY AND AGRICULTURE

2. DATA ON EXPORT OF RICE FROM INDIA

THE CONTEXT: About 500 tonnes of broken rice imported from India were claimed to be genetically modified (GM) by a French manufacturer. This has drawn sharp reactions from the European countries as the European Union (EU) does not permit GM rice. An American company recalled four of its product lines fearing GM contamination. Data show that rice exports form the fifth-highest share in terms of India’s total exports. India is also the biggest exporter of rice globally, forming over 30% of the world’s exports. However, less than 5% of the rice exported from India is destined for the European countries. But for many European countries, India is their primary source for rice imports.

SOURCE:TH

3. INDIA’S FIRST BANNI BUFFALO IVF CALF BORN

THE CONTEXT: At a farmer’s house in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district, India’s first in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) calf of the Banni breed of buffaloes was born.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Banni buffalo breed is mostly found in Gujarat’s Kutch region.
• The IVC procedure was used to increase the number of genetically superior buffaloes in order to increase milk output.
• A dairy farmer’s Banni buffalo from Dhanej village gave birth to an IVF male calf.
• Using IVF technology, Banni donors’ embryos were implanted in 18 recipient buffaloes.
• At the farmer’s farm, the Banni breed had produced six pregnancies, one of which was a calf. In a few days, more will be born.
• JKBovagenix of NGO JK Trust, a social project of Raymond Group, carried out this technique.

ABOUT BUFFALO BANNI

• Buffaloes from Banni are also called “Kutchi” or “Kundi.” The Kutch area of Gujarat is home to this kind of buffalo.
• The term ‘Banni’ refers not just to buffaloes, but also to pasture grass species native to this region.
• The ‘Maldharis,’ a Kutch-based community, is dedicated to preserving this breed of buffalo.
• A typical Banni buffalo produces 12 to 18 litres of milk each day. They’re noted for their better milk production capacity as well as their ability to withstand arid conditions.
• They have a different genetic makeup than other breeds, which allows them to have longer lactation periods and higher milk production capacity.

SOURCE: PIB

4. ONE IN THREE SPECIES OF SHARKS AND RAYS IS NEARING EXTINCTION 

THE CONTEXT: Sharks, rays and chimaeras are now the second-most threatened vertebrate group, after amphibians. In a recent study, we found that over one-third of sharks and rays are threatened with extinction.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The IUCN Shark Specialist Group reassessed the extinction risk of all species of sharks and rays. This eight-year project took hundreds of experts from all over the world to compile the data we needed to shed light on the status of sharks and rays.
• Of the 1,199 species of sharks and rays, 391 (32.5%) are classified in one of the three threatened categories: “critically endangered”, “endangered” and “vulnerable.” Additionally, 123 (10.4%) are “near threatened,” 529 (44.1%) are of “least concern”, and 156 (12.9%) are “data deficient”. Overall, as many as 450 species (37.5%) of sharks and rays may be “threatened” if the “data deficient” species are as threatened as the species for which we have sufficient data.
• Nearly all species of sharks and rays (99.6%) are captured in fishing operations and all threatened species are imperiled by overfishing.
• Shark and ray populations are in free fall, with little effective management to halt or even slow down their decline.
• Whether the capture of sharks and rays is intentional or not, most species end up being retained at some level to be eaten or processed into animal feed. The skins of sharks and rays are made into leather for apparel and accessories (wallets and belts) and the liver oil is used for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and even as a form of biodiesel.

SOURCE: Scroll

5. INDIA FACING BOUTS OF EXTREME WEATHER

THE CONTEXT: Even as the southwest monsoon began to retreat from the subcontinent, Kerala and Uttrakhand received record rainfall in October. In both these States over the last few years, there have been variations in the pattern and intensity of rainfall.

THE EXPLANATION:

• There are different factors at play in Kerala and Uttrakhand. There have been two rain-bearing ‘low-pressure systems’ that are active in the Arabian Sea as well as the Bay of Bengal.
• The low-pressure system in the Arabian Sea contributed to the heavy rain in Kerala, whereas western disturbances, which are periodic influxes of moisture-laden clouds from the Mediterranean, and common during winter, are what caused the rain in northern India.
• The Bay of Bengal is still warm and strong winds from there are reaching as far as Uttrakhand and will contribute to rainfall in several parts of north-eastern India.
• October is the month when the southwest monsoon entirely retreats from India and the northeast monsoon sets in, bringing rain over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. Both low pressures, as well as western disturbances, are tangentially connected to the larger pattern of global warming.
• The Bay of Bengal is historically the warmer ocean that seeds low pressures and cyclones that bring rain to India. In recent years, however, the Arabian Sea, too, has been warmer than normal, and leading to significant cyclonic activity.
• Overall elevated temperatures are also contributing to warmer waters in the Arctic Ocean and drawing colder air from the poles with greater intensity. This added to the increased moisture, thereby seeding more intense western disturbance activity over north India.
• The monsoon cycle is prone to large variations, and every year regional factors get accentuated — it’s hard to predict which in advance — that then lead to extreme climate events.

SOURCE : TH

6. LEOPARD RELEASED IN WILD

THE CONTEXT: A female leopard, rescued from a forest in Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district over two months back, has now been released in the Satpura Tiger Reserve in Hoshangabad district.  It was subsequently brought to Bhopal’s Van Vihar National Park where it was treated by a team of veterinarians.

Source: ZEE

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

7. CHINA’S NEW LAW ‘FORMALISES’ ITS LAC ACTIONS

THE CONTEXT: China’s legislature has adopted a new border law, to take effect on January 1, that calls on the state and military to safeguard the territory and “combat any acts” that undermine China’s territorial claims.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The law was first proposed in March this year, a year into tensions that erupted along the Line of Actual Control(LAC) with India after the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) mobilised two divisions in forwarding areas and carried out multiple transgressions.
• China has unresolved border disputes with India and Bhutan. The new law would formalise some of China’s recent actions in disputed territories with both India and Bhutan, including the PLA’s massing of troops in forwarding areas along the India border, multiple transgressions across the LAC, and the construction of new “frontier villages” along the border with Bhutan.
• The law stipulates that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the People’s Republic of China are sacred and inviolable.
• The state shall take measures to safeguard territorial integrity and land boundaries and guard against and combat any act that undermines territorial sovereignty and land boundaries.
• It also calls on the state to take measures to strengthen border defence, support economic and social development as well as opening-up in border areas, improve public services and infrastructure in such areas, encourage and support people’s life and work there, and promote coordination between border defence and social, economic development in border areas.

SOURCE: TH

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Q1. Which of the following Tiger reserve is not located in Madhya Pradesh?

a) Satpura Tiger Reserve

b) Achanakmar Tiger Reserve

c) Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

d) Panna Tiger Reserve

Q2. Which community/tribe is dedicated to preserving banni breed of buffalo

a) Chenchus

b) Gaddis

c) Todas

d) Maldharis

ANSWER FOR OCTOBER 23, 2021 PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Answer: B

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Loktak lake is located in Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India. Also, it is included as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. 
• Statement 2 is correct: It is famous for the phumdis(heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil and organic matter at various stages of decomposition) floating over it.
• Statement 3 is correct: KeibulLamjao National Park located on this phumdis, is the only floating national park in the world. The park is the last natural refuge of the endangered Sangai (state animal), or Manipur brown-antlered deer, one of three subspecies of Eld’s deer.