1. THE FIN WHALES
TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT
THE CONTEXT: Iceland’s government in September 2023 said it would resume hunting fin whales after a two-month halt but with new guidelines which aims at killing them as quickly as possible to reduce suffering.
The Fin Whales:
- After blue whale, the fin whale is the second largest mammal in the world.
- It is the fastest swimming of the large whales, known as the greyhound of the seas.
- They are given the conservation status of vulnerable as per IUCN Red List.
- They are streamlined in shape but rather “fuller” than the blue whale, although it isn’t as long.
- They grow to 20 meters in length and weigh approximately 70,000 kilograms.
- They are dark grey to brownish-black in colour along the top of the body, with an asymmetrically pigmented head.
- Fin whales have a very unusual feature: the lower right jaw is bright white, and the lower left jaw is black.
- Lifespan: They can live for 80 to 90 years.
- Females are slightly longer than males.
Distribution:
- They inhabit the temperate and polar zones of all major oceans and open seas and, less commonly, in tropical oceans and seas.
- Some populations are migratory, moving into colder waters during the spring and summer months to feed. In autumn, they return to temperate or tropical oceans.
THE INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION (IWC):
- The IWC was established in 1946 as the global body responsible for management of whaling and conservation of whales.
- It is an inter-governmental organisation with a current membership of 88 governments from all over the world.
- The IWC work programme also includes bycatch & entanglement, ship strikes, ocean noise, pollution and debris, and sustainable whale watching.
- The Commission’s work is divided into five main areas: Science, Conservation, Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling, Whale Killing & Welfare Issues, Infractions and Finance & Administration Committee.
- India is a member of this commission and it joined in 1981.
Whaling:
- The Convention recognises three different types of whaling: commercial, aboriginal subsistence and special permit (also known as scientific) whaling.
- A Commercial whaling moratorium was adopted in 1982 and came into full force in 1986.
- The Commission continues to regulate Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling, which is conducted by indigenous communities, often in remote parts of the world.
- Regulation of aboriginal whaling has always been a core responsibility of the Commission and remains so today.
- It recognises nutritional and cultural needs and is underpinned by a rigorous scientific process.
- The Convention contains a separate category of special permit whaling for scientific research purposes.
- Special permit whaling is not regulated by the Commission but by national governments, although none currently undertake this type of whaling.
2. THE FIRST AI SCHOOL OF INDIA
TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
THE CONTEXT: Kerala introduced the first AI school of India.
EXPLANATION:
- This pioneering development was launched by Santhigiri Vidhyabhavan in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
- It is the result of a collaboration between iLearning Engines (ILE) USA and Vedhik eSchool.
- The school’s curriculum aligns with the National School Accreditation Standards, which are based on the New National Education Policy (NEP 2020).
- The school predominantly teaches its students deep on Artificial Intelligence and other advanced technologies to boost the learning experiences of students.
- It includes the integration of AI technologies like machine learning, natural language processing and data analysis, into several aspects of education.
- For e.g., school curriculum design, personalised assessment, learning and student support.
SIGNIFICANT FEATURES OF THE AI SCHOOL:
- Personalised support service
- It caters to students from 8 to 12 grade with various multifaceted support services.
- They will get many benefits like support from multitude of teachers, different test levels, aptitude tests, career planning, memory techniques and counselling.
- The holistic skill development
- The AI system offered by the Vedhik eSchool nurtures the skills like interview techniques, group discussion aptitude, emotional well-being as well etc.
- Competitive exam preparations
- It equips its students to prepare for competitive exams like JEE, NEET, CUET, CLAT GMAT and IELTS, for a better higher education.
- Better guidance for future
- The guidance on scholarship opportunities is another significant feature of this AI school.
- It helps students get opportunities for esteemed foreign universities and paves the way for students to pursue their higher studies in foreign countries.
- Advanced technology in low cost
- Even though the AI school uses cutting-edge technology, it is inexpensive. The online resources that are made using AI are available in the school website which makes students use them at any time without spending too much on them.
Various Initiatives/Programmes for AI
- The Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) launched the US-India Artificial Intelligence Initiative in March 2021 to foster AI innovation by sharing ideas and experiences, identifying new opportunities in research and development and bilateral collaboration.
- Responsible AI for Youth is a national programme for government schools to empower the young generation to become AI-ready and reduce the skill gap in India.
- The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) launched a new version of its portal, version 3.0, MCA 21, which will leverage data analytics, AI, and ML, to simplify regulatory filings for companies.
- The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is preparing a new National Curriculum Framework for School Education in pursuance of the National Education Policy 2020. This will also aim at introducing a basic course on AI at the secondary level.
SOURCE: https://indiaai.gov.in/news/india-s-first-ai-school-launched-in-kerala
3. ADITYA L1 MISSION
TAG: GS 3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
THE CONTEXT: The Indian Space & Research Organization (ISRO) has launched the Aditya L1 on 2nd September 2023 after the successful landing of Chandrayaan 3.
WHAT IS ADITYA L1 MISSION?
- Aditya L1 is the first space based Indian mission to study the Sun.
- The spacecraft shall be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system, which is about 1.5 million km from the Earth.
- A satellite placed in the halo orbit around the L1 point has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any occultation/eclipses.
- This will provide a greater advantage of observing the solar activities and its effect on space weather in real time.
- The spacecraft carries seven payloads to observe the photosphere, chromosphere, and the outermost layers of the Sun (the corona) using electromagnetic and particle and magnetic field detectors.
- Using the special vantage point L1, four payloads directly view the Sun, and the remaining three payloads carry out in-situ studies of particles and fields at the Lagrange point L1.
- It will provide important scientific studies of the propagatory effect of solar dynamics in the interplanetary medium.
Layers of the sun
PHASES OF THE MISSION:
- Following its scheduled launch on September 2, 2023, Aditya-L1 stays Earth-bound orbits for 16 days, during which it undergoes 5 maneuvres to gain the necessary velocity for its journey.
- Subsequently, Aditya-L1 undergoes a Trans-Lagrangian1 insertion maneuvre, marking the beginning of its 110-day trajectory to the destination around the L1 Lagrange point.
- Upon arrival at the L1 point, another maneuvre binds Aditya-L1 to an orbit around L1, a balanced gravitational location between the Earth and the Sun.
- The satellite spends its whole mission life orbiting around L1 in an irregularly shaped orbit in a plane roughly perpendicular to the line joining the Earth and the Sun.
WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES OF ADITYA-L1 MISSION?
The major objectives of Aditya-L1 mission are:
- Study of Solar upper atmospheric (chromosphere and corona) dynamics.
- Study of chromospheric and coronal heating, physics of the partially ionized plasma, initiation of the coronal mass ejections, and flares.
- Observe the in-situ particle and plasma environment providing data for the study of particle dynamics from the Sun.
- Physics of solar corona and its heating mechanism.
- Diagnostics of the coronal and coronal loops plasma’s temperature, velocity, and density.
- Development, dynamics, and origin of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs).
- Identify the sequence of processes that occur at multiple layers (chromosphere, base, and extended corona) which eventually leads to solar eruptive events.
- Magnetic field topology and magnetic field measurements in the solar corona.
- Drivers for space weather (origin, composition, and dynamics of solar wind.
ADITYA-L1 PAYLOADS:
- The instruments of Aditya-L1 are tuned to observe the solar atmosphere mainly the chromosphere and corona.
- In-situ instruments will observe the local environment at L1.
- There are total seven payloads on-board with four of them carrying out remote sensing of the Sun and three of them carrying in-situ observation.
|
Type |
Sl. No. | Payload | Capability |
| Remote Sensing Payloads | 1 | Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) | Corona/Imaging & Spectroscopy |
| 2 | Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) | Photosphere and Chromosphere Imaging- Narrow & Broadband | |
| 3 | Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS) | Soft X-ray spectrometer: Sun-as-a-star observation | |
| 4 | High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS) | Hard X-ray spectrometer: Sun-as-a-star observation | |
| In-situ Payloads | |||
| 5 | Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX) | Solar wind/Particle Analyzer Protons & Heavier Ions with directions | |
| 6 | Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya (PAPA) | Solar wind/Particle Analyzer Electrons & Heavier Ions with directions | |
| 7 | Advanced Tri-axial High Resolution Digital Magnetometers | In-situ magnetic field (Bx, By and Bz). |
SOURCE: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/aditya-l1-launch-live-updates-sept-2/article67262515.ece
4. THE RAMON MAGSAYSAY AWARD
TAG: PRELIMS SPECIFIC
THE CONTEXT: Oncologist Ravi Kannan has been named one of the four winners of the 2023 Ramon Magsaysay Award.
EXPLANATION:
- Ravi Kannan serves as the Director of the Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (CCHRC) located in Assam.
- Transformation of Cancer Treatment: He is credited with revolutionizing cancer treatment in Assam through a people-centric and pro-poor healthcare approach. He hails from Chennai and had previously worked at the Cancer Institute, Adyar, before relocating to Silchar in 2007.
Ramon Magsaysay:
- Ramon Magsaysay born on 31 August 1907 and passed away on 17 March 1957, was the 7th President of the Philippines.
- His tenure as the president was from 30th December 1953 – to 17th March 1957.
- He has done outstanding service as a guerrilla leader during the Pacific War.
- The Ramon Magsaysay Award is presented in formal ceremonies in Manila, Philippines on August 31st, the birth anniversary of the much-esteemed Philippine President whose ideals inspired the Award’s creation in 1957.
Indian winners in the past:
- Prominent Indians who have won the award include Vinoba Bhave in 1958, Mother Teresa in 1962, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay in 1966, Satyajit Ray in 1967, and Mahasweta Devi in 1997.
- In recent years, Arvind Kejriwal (2006), Anshu Gupta of Goonj (2015), human rights activist Bezwada Wilson (2016), and journalist Ravish Kumar (2019) have won the award.
Ramon Magsaysay Award:
- The Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia’s premier prize and highest honour, recognizes greatness of spirit shown in selfless service to the peoples of Asia.
- The Ramon Magsaysay Awardees, annually selected by the RMAF board of trustees, are presented with a certificate and a medallion with an embossed image of Ramon Magsaysay facing right in profile.
From 1958 to 2008, the Award was given in six categories annually:
- Government Service: to recognize outstanding service in the public interest in any branch of government, including the executive, judicial, legislative, or military.
- Public Service: to recognize outstanding service for the public good by a private citizen.
- Community Leadership: to recognize leadership of a community toward helping the disadvantaged have fuller opportunities and a better life.
- Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts: to recognize effective writing, publishing, or photography or the use of radio, television, cinema, or the performing arts as a power for the public good.
- Peace and International Understanding: to recognize contributions to the advancement of friendship, tolerance, peace, and solidarity as the foundations for sustainable development within and across countries; and
- Emergent Leadership: to recognize an individual, forty years of age or younger, for outstanding work on issues of social change in his or her community, but whose leadership may not yet be broadly recognized outside of this community.
5. ONE NATION, ONE ELECTION
TAG: GS 2: POLITY
THE CONTEXT: The government has constituted a committee headed by the former President of India Ram Nath Kovind to explore the possibility of “one nation, one election”.
EXPLANATION:
- In line with the government’s commitment for “One nation One election”, on 1st September 2023 the government reportedly announced a committee to look into this issue. Although official notification has not been released. The ex-president Mr Kovind will be heading the committee on “One nation One election”.
- The composition, term of reference and other details will be available once the notification is issued.
- “One Nation, One Election” concept envisions a system in which all state and Lok Sabha elections must be held simultaneously.
- This will require changing the Indian election cycle such that the national and state elections take place at the same time.
- This would suggest that voters will elect members of the LS and state assemblies simultaneously (or in a phased manner, as the case may be).
- Assembly polls are due in five states in November-December of 2023, and they will be followed by the Lok Sabha elections in May-June next year.
- However, the recent moves by the government have thrown open the possibility of advancing the general elections and some state polls, which are scheduled after and with the Lok Sabha contest.
Reintroduction of simultaneous elections as a possibility:
- The Election Commission’s 1983 annual report mentioned the possibility of holding simultaneous elections once more. Additionally, it was also mentioned in the Law Commission’s 1999 Report.
- The NITI Aayog prepared a working paper on the subject in 2017, following the Prime Minister of India’s reintroduction of the idea in 2016.
- The Law Commission stated in its 2018 working paper that at least “five Constitutional recommendations” would be required to make simultaneous elections a reality in India again.
- The prime minister announced in June 2019 that a committee would be formed to examine the matter and a meeting with party leaders would be scheduled.
- The issue of holding simultaneous Parliamentary and Assembly elections in July 2022, has been referred to the Law Commission in order to develop a workable roadmap and framework.
Benefits of simultaneous elections:
- The massive expenditure that is currently incurred for the conduct of separate elections, simultaneous polls will reduce enormous costs involved in separate elections.
- Simultaneous Election would mean saving on transport, accommodation, storage arrangements, training, remuneration, and so on.
- This will also mean saving in terms of human resources. Another area of saving would be in the deployment of the Central Police Force.
- The policy paralysis that results from the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during election time.
- Burden on crucial manpower that is deployed during election time.
Constitutional Challenges:
- The Indian Constitution provides for the dissolution of the legislature if the ruling party loses majority by passing a vote of no confidence.
- Article 83, Article 172(1) of Indian constitution deals with the term of Lok Sabha and State Assemblies respectively.
- These Houses can be dissolved ahead of the scheduled expiry of the term of five years [Articles 85(2)(b) and 174(2)(b)].
- However, there is no provision for extension of the term unless a proclamation of Emergency is in operation.
- Simultaneous elections could be held together through amendments to the Constitution. Since it will affect federal character, at least 50% of the states will require to ratify the constitutional amendments.
