ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. SUHELWA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

TAGS: GS-III-ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: In the recently released report on the tiger census in the country, it is said that Suhelwa Wildlife Sanctuary is a new area where photographic evidence of tigers has been recorded for the first time.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Located in Shravasti, Balrampur and Gonda districts of Uttar Pradesh, Suhelwa was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1988
• Occupying an area of 452 sq km, the sanctuary is covered with Sal, Sheesham, Khair, Sagaun (Teak), Asna, Jamun, Haldu, Phaldu, Dhamina, Jhingan and Bahera trees. The fauna found in the sanctuary includes Leopard, Tiger, Bear, Wildcat, Wild Boar and various birds.
• Sohelwa Wild Life Division is situated on the Indo-Nepal International Border.
• Fauna:Different types of mammals are found here viz. Leopard, Bear, Wolf, Hyena, Jackal, Wild Boar, Sambhar, Spotted Deer, Neelgaya, Barking Deer along with Monkeys of different types.
• Flora:In this Wild Life Sanctuary the main tree species are Sal, Asna, Khair, Teak etc. With these speciese Black Sheesham, Jamun, Haldu, Faldu, Zigna, Harra, Bahera, Rohani are other important species. The Sanctuary area is very rich in medicinal plants.

2. THE INTERNATIONAL BIG CATS ALLIANCE

THE CONTEXT: The Prime Minister of India recently launched the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) during an event commemorating 50 years of Project Tiger in Mysuru, Karnataka.

Aims and Objectives:

• The IBCA aims to conserve the planet’s seven big cats: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.
• India has extensive experience in big cat conservation, from the ongoing efforts for tigers, lions, snow leopards, and leopards to the recent translocation of the Cheetah to restore this extinct species to its natural habitat.
• The Alliance will expand its reach to 97 range countries, covering the natural habitats of these big cats, and strengthen global cooperation and efforts for their conservation.
• Big Cats as Mascots for Sustainable Development: The big cats can serve as mascots for sustainable development and livelihood security. Through the IBCA, India and other big cat range countries can promote environmental resilience and climate change mitigation.

Significance:

• The importance of conserving big cats and their habitats could secure crucial natural ecosystems, provide water and food security for millions, and support the livelihoods of forest communities.
• The Alliance will enhance global efforts and partnerships on big cat conservation while creating a platform for knowledge convergence, best practices, and support for existing species-specific intergovernmental platforms. It will also provide direct assistance to recovery efforts in potential range habitats.
• The initiative aims to ensure natural ecosystems continue to thrive and become central to economic and development policies in the “Amrit Kaal.”

The Seven Big Cats:

TIGER(PANTHERA TIGRIS)

SIZE:75-300 KG | STATUS: ENDANGERED

Tiger is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus Panthera.It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on ungulates, such as deer and wild boar. Tigers are the largest cat species and is both flagship and Umbrella species. It is the national animal of India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and South Korea.

LION (PANTHERA LEO)

SIZE: 100-250 KG | STATUS: VULNERABLE

Native to Africa and Asia, the lion is the most social cat, and lives in groups called ‘prides”. They prefer open forests such as males have a prominent mane. The widely recognised of animal symbols-from the pillar of Ashoka to the main entrance of Buckingham Palace.

CHEETAH (ACINONYXJUBATUS)

SIZE:20-70 KG|STATUS: VULNERABLE

The fastest land mammal and it is the only cat without retractable claws-the grip helps it accelerate faster than a sports car (0-100km/hr in 3 secs). They are not aggressive towards humans; they have been tamed since the Sumerian era. They don’t breed well in captivity-females play hard to get. Cheetahs are not big; they hunt during the day to avoid competing with other big cats.

JAGUAR (PANTHERA ONCA)

SIZE: 50-110 KG | STATUS: NEAR THREATENED

The largest cat in the America’s, the jaguar has the strongest bite the leopard was force of all wild cats, enabling it to bite wild cats and the most scrubland, and adult directly through the all animals” for its “grace cannot roar, and has the skull of its prey. Melanistic(black) animal, its range is the lion is among the most jaguars are common, most adaptable of all big for balance while hunt- and are often called black panthers. Jaguar was a powerful motif in the Mayan civilisations.

COUGAR (PUMA CONCOLOR)

SIZE:40-100 KG | STATUS:LEAST CONCERN

The Cougar is the second-largest cat in the Americas: jaguar is largest. Cougars are also called mountain lion/panther across their range from the Canadian Yukon to Southern Andes.

LEOPARD (PANTHERA PARDUS)

SIZE:30-90KG | STATUS: VULNERABLE

Leopards are similar in appearance to the jaguar with a rosette patterned coat, described by Jim Corbett as “the most beautiful of movement and beauty of colouring”. The cats, they occupy diverse habitats at all altitudes across Africa and Asia. Like black jaguars. melanistic leopards are called black panthers.

SNOW LEOPARD (PANTHERA UNCIA)

SIZE:25-55KG | STATUS: VULNERABLE

Snow Leopards known as Ghost of the mountains. This Smokey-grey cat lives above the snow line in Central and South Asia. The most elusive of big cats, it longest tail of all which comes in handy for balance while hunting along cliffs, and also gives warmth when wrapped around the body. The snow leopard is the state animal of Ladakh and Himachal.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

3. RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY

TAGS: GS-III-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Scientists have developed a new low-cost substrate that can increase the sensitivity of Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) — a vital analytical and sensing tool for detecting molecules. It can aid rapid detection of toxic pollutants present in water, food, etc.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has emerged as a vital analytical and sensing tool for detecting molecules. When molecules near the noble metal nanoparticles of gold, silver, platinum, etc., their Raman signals will substantially increase, which can help detect trace amounts of analyte molecules.
• However, as noble metals are expensive, have poor uniformity, and cannot be reused, there is a quest for alternative SERS active substrates involving non-noble metals. In this regard, semiconductor oxides have emerged as promising materials for the fabrication of SERS substrates.

What is Raman Spectroscopy?

• Raman Spectroscopy is a non-destructive chemical analysis technique which provides detailed information about chemical structure, phase and polymorphy, crystallinity and molecular interactions. It is based upon the interaction of light with the chemical bonds within a material.
• Raman is a light scattering technique, whereby a molecule scatters incident light from a high intensity laser light source. Most of the scattered light is at the same wavelength (or color) as the laser source and does not provide useful information – this is called Rayleigh Scatter.
• However a small amount of light (typically 0.0000001%) is scattered at different wavelengths (or colors), which depend on the chemical structure of the analyte – this is called Raman Scatter.

4. JUICE MISSION

THE CONTEXT: The JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) is a mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) set to launch on April 13, 2023, from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

THE EXPLANATION:

Science Goals of JUICE

• The primary focus of JUICE’s science goals is the Jupiter system, with a particular emphasis on Ganymede as a planetary body and potential habitat.
• The mission objectives for Ganymede include the characterization of the ocean layers and detection of putative subsurface water reservoirs, topographical, geological, and compositional mapping of the surface, studying the physical properties of the icy crusts, characterizing the internal mass distribution, dynamics, and evolution of the interiors, investigating the exosphere, and studying Ganymede’s intrinsic magnetic field and its interactions with the Jovian magnetosphere.
• JUICE’s investigations on Europa will be focusing on the chemistry essential to life, including organic molecules. It will help in the understanding the formation of surface features and the composition of non-water-ice material.

Mission Profile and Launch Details

• After launch, JUICE will take 7 to 8 years to reach Jupiter, utilizing Earth and Venus gravity assists. During the journey, the spacecraft will undergo multiple tests to ensure it can withstand the harsh conditions of space.
• Upon arrival at Jupiter in 2031, JUICE will flyby Ganymede and Callisto to optimize its orbit around Jupiter. These flybys will also include a flyby of Europa. After studying Jupiter and its moons, JUICE will enter a highly elliptical orbit around Ganymede, which will evolve to a 5000 km circular orbit, and will then be lowered into a 500 km circular orbit. After it maps and conducts other investigations at this altitude, it will move to a 200 km circular orbit.
• The nominal mission length for JUICE is about 3 years, with the possibility of an extension of 200 or more days. It will conclude with an impact on the Ganymede’s surface.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVES

5. INTERNATIONAL PRIZE IN STATISTICS 2023

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVES

THE CONTEXT: The Indian-American statistician Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao has been awarded the 2023 International Prize in Statistics, which is statistics’ equivalent of the Nobel Prize.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Rao, who is now 102 years old, is a ‘living legend’ whose work has influenced, in the words of the American Statistical Association, “not just statistics” but also “economics, genetics, anthropology, geology, national planning, demography, biometry, and medicine”.

About the Prize:

• The International Prize in Statistics is awarded every two years to an individual or team “for major achievements using statistics to advance science, technology and human welfare”. The International Prize in Statistics, along with the COPSS Presidents’ Award, are the two highest honours in the field of Statistics.
• The prize is modelled after the Nobel prizes, Abel Prize, Fields Medal and Turing Award and comes with a monetary award of $80,000. The award ceremony takes place during the World Statistics Congress.

The prize recognizes a single work or body of work, representing a powerful and original idea that had an impact in other disciplines or a practical effect on the world. The recipient must be alive when the prize is awarded.

Organisation:

The prize is awarded by the International Prize in Statistics Foundation, which comprises representatives of the following major learned societies:

1. American Statistical Association
2. International Biometric Society
3. Institute of Mathematical Statistics
4. International Statistical Institute
5. Royal Statistical Society

In addition to recognizing the contributions of a statistician, the Foundation also aims at educating the public about statistical innovations and their impact on the world and gaining wider recognition for the field.

HEALTH ISSUES

1. RADHUNI OR WILD CELERY (TRACHYSPERMUM ROXBURGHIANUM)

TAGS: GS-II- HEALTH ISSUES- PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT: Recent studies show that radhuni seeds can relax the gut and airways and improve digestion.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Radhuni or wild celery (Trachyspermum roxburghianum):-

• Radhuni is a popular spice in Bengali cuisine used abundantly in West Bengal.
• Its scientific name is Trachyspermum roxburghianum.
• It is not a plant seed but rather dried fruits.
• It is called ajmod in Hindi, asamtavomam in Tamil and ayamodakam in Malayalam.
• It belongs to the family of cumin and fennel fruits, known as
• Distribution: South Asia, South East Asia, and Indonesia.
• In some nations, these are employed as herbal medicines.
• It is usually consumed as part of panch phoron, a blend of five tempering spices traditionally used in Eastern Indian cuisine.

Health benefits of Radhuni masala:-

• This spice is supposed to aid in our bodies’ detoxification.
• Menstrual cramp reduction is another benefit.
• It is also traditionally used to treat coughs and colds, asthma, digestive issues, etc.
• It also aids in the management of inflammation and pain.

Use of radhuni masala:-

• In Bengal, radhuni is a widely used
• It is employed to temper dal.
• The lentil dish masoor dal with radhuni phoron , Shukto in bengal is prepared using radhuni masala.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

2. LIGO-INDIA PROJECT

TAGS: GS-III-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY- PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the government has given the final go-ahead to India’s Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO, project.

THE EXPLANATION:

LIGO India, project:-

• LIGO is an international network of laboratories.
• It aims to detect the ripples in spacetime produced by the movement of large celestial objects.
• LIGO-India is a collaborative project between a consortium of Indian research institutions and the LIGO Laboratory in the USA, along with its international partners.
• It will be located in the Hingoli district of Maharashtra.
• It was built by the Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Science and Technology with an MoU with the S. National Science Foundation
• Objective: To detect and study gravitational waves.
• LIGOs are designed to measure changes in distance that are several orders of magnitude smaller than the length of the proton.
• Significance: This project will see India join the global effort to detect and study gravitational waves, which were first theorized in Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity.
• Gravitational waves are extremely weak and difficult to detect.
• They were first directly detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) in 2015.
• LIGO-India is set to become the country’s largest scientific facility after the government gave the final green light for its construction.
• LIGO-India is intrinsically a multidisciplinary mega-science project that requires expertise from a variety of fields (e.g., laser, vacuum, optics, computer, etc., and of course Physics) and provides cutting-edge research opportunities.

3. INDIA’S FIRST 3D-PRINTED POST OFFICE

TAGS: GS-III-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY- PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT: As per recent announcements, Bengaluru will soon have India’s first post office constructed using 3D printing technology.

THE EXPLANATION:

About India’s first 3D-printed post office:-

• India’s first 3D-printed post office would be located in Cambridge Layout in Ulsoor, Bangalore.
• The project is being implemented by Larsen & Toubro, which has experience in constructing 3D-printed buildings.
• It is a 1,100 sq ft building which is expected to cost 30-40 per cent less than conventional buildings because of the technological intervention.

About 3D printing:-

• 3D printing is a process of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file.
• It is achieved using additive processes.
• In an additive process, an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created.
• Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced cross section of the object.
• 3D printing enables you to produce complex shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods.

4. NATIONAL MISSION IN INTERDISCIPLINARY CYBER PHYSICAL SYSTEMS (NM-ICPS)

TAGS: GS-III-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY- PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT: In recent deliberations the experts emphasized on ways to strengthen the National Mission in Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS).

THE EXPLANATION:

About National Mission in Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS):-

• National Mission in Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) is a comprehensive mission which would address technology development, application development, human resource development, skill enhancement, entrepreneurship and start-up development in Cyber-Physical Systems and associated technologies.
• It aims at establishment of 15 numbers of Technology Innovation Hubs, six numbers of Application Innovation Hubs and four numbers of Technology Translation Research Parks (TTRP).
• These Hubs & TTRPs will connect to Academics, Industry, Central Ministries and State Government in developing solutions at reputed academic, R&D and other organizations across the country in a hub and spoke model.
• They mainly focus on four areas:
• Technology Development,
• HRD & Skill Development,
• Innovation,
• Entrepreneurship & Start-ups Ecosystem Development and International Collaborations.

Cyber-physical systems:-

• They integrate sensing, computation, control and networking into physical objects and infrastructure, connecting them to the Internet and to each other.
• Potential applications:-
• Driverless cars that communicate securely with each other on smart roads
• Sensors in the home to detect changing health conditions
• Improving agricultural practices
• Enabling scientists to address issues arising out of climate change,etc.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. EXERCISE KAVACH

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Indian Armed Force’s only tri-service command, Andaman and Nicobar Command recently concluded Exercise KAVACH, a large-scale joint military exercise. The exercise, with the participation of assets from all three services and the Indian Coast Guard.

About the KAVACH Exercise:

• The joint-military exercise aimed at finetuning joint war-fighting capabilities and standard operating procedures besides enhancing interoperability and operational synergy.
• During the exercise, soldiers performed multiple activities such as amphibious landing, air landing operations, heliborne operations, and swift insertion of special forces commandos.
• The exercise also focused on joint activities for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. And also aimed to validate India’s ability to safeguard its island territories and perform joint operations with synergy during real war scenarios.
• The exercise is crucial for India, considering the current global situation and the country’s neighbours on the northern and western borders.

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. NATURAL JUSTICE AND PRINCIPALS OF PROPORTIONALITY

TAGS: GS-II- POLITY AND CONSTITUTION

THE CONTEXT: A recent ruling of the Supreme Court brought out the issues of Natural Justice and Proportionality to the surface.

THE EXPLANATION:

Natural justice is also known as universal justice, substantial justice, or fair play in action.

 It is an essential concept of divine law, which is based on the law of equity.

Principles of Natural Justice:-

The main principles of natural justice are based on these two legal maxims:

• Nemo judex in causa sua – It means no one shall be a judge in his own case.
• Audi alteram partem – It means both parties/sides must be heard. No man should be condemned unheard.

Prerequisites of Natural Justice:-

• Absence of bias, interest, or prejudice: the judge should be neutral, impartial, and free from bias is the first and foremost prerequisite of natural justice.

Types of Bias:

• Pecuniary bias – It concerns a financial interest in the subject matter.
• Personal bias – A judge may be a relative, friend, or associate of a party.
• Official bias – When a judge has a general interest in the subject matter.

Maneka Gandhi vs Union of India, 1978

• It is well established in the case that even when there is no specific law or provision in a statute or rules made for showing cause against the action made, which affects the right of any individual, the duty to give a reasonable opportunity to be heard will be implied from nature.
• The principles of natural justice are not only binding on all courts but also on judicial bodies and quasi-judicial authorities.

Exceptions to the Principle of Natural Justice:-

• Where a statute or act expressly excludes or a particular provision of it excludes the applicability of the rule.
• Where the action is legislative in nature.
• Where the doctrine of necessity applies.
  • Doctrine of necessity applies: If a decision is to be made urgently on shorter notice, then the rule may be excluded.
• Where facts are admitted or undisputed, then there is no need to call the party again for readmitting the admitted facts. The court can proceed further with admissions made.
• Where an enquiry is confidential, then there can be ignorance of the principles of natural justice.
• Where preventive action is to be taken.
  • For example section 144 CrPC, where immediate action is required, and no reasonable or due time can be given to the other party.
• Where urgent action is necessary for a government policy decision.

Principals of Proportionality:-

• The principle requires that the decision or action must be proportionate to the objective it seeks to achieve.
• It means employed to achieve the objective must be no more than necessary to achieve it, and the harm caused by the decision or action must not be excessive in relation to the benefit gained.
• The validity of the claim of involvement of national security considerations must be assessed on the test of whether there is material to conclude that the non-disclosure of information is in the interest of national security.
• Courts can assess the validity of public interest immunity claims based on the “structured proportionality standard”.

SOCIAL ISSUES

2. WHAT IS HIKIKOMORI?

TAGS: GS-II- SOCIAL ISSUES

THE CONTEXT: A new phenomenon of Isolation known as ‘Hikikomori’ or ‘Shut-ins’ is rapidly spreading in Japan – leading to nearly 1.5 million Japanese people of working age living as social recluses, revealed by a government survey. According to the survey, around a fifth of the isolation cases have been cited to the Covid-19 pandemic.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Hikikomori:

• The term Hikikomori was coined in Japan in the 1990s to describe young adults who had withdrawn from society and remained isolated in their homes for extended periods.
• It is not recognized as a clinical diagnosis but is rather a social phenomenon that affects people of all ages.

What is the factor behind Isolation?

• Several factors have contributed to the high prevalence of hikikomori in Japan. The country’s highly competitive and demanding education system is one of the key factors. Many young people in Japan face intense academic pressure to succeed in school and secure good jobs, leading to high levels of stress and anxiety.
• As per government survey, the most common reason respondents gave for their social withdrawal was “quitting jobs”. This was closely followed by the pandemic, which was cited as the main reason by 18 percent of recluses aged 15-39 and 20 percent of those aged 40-64.
• The traditional Japanese family structure has also played a role. In Japan, there is a strong emphasis on filial piety or respect for one’s parents and elders. This has led to a culture in which children often feel a sense of obligation to care for their parents in old age, which can cause feelings of guilt and anxiety.
• Additionally, Japan’s work culture is notorious for being intense and all-consuming. Long working hours, high levels of stress, and limited opportunities for career advancement can cause burnout and contribute to the prevalence of hikikomori.

What are the Consequences of Hikikomori?

• The consequences of hikikomori can be severe, both for individuals and for society as a whole. Hikikomori can lead to social Isolation, a lack of employment opportunities, and financial hardship. It can also result in mental health issues such as depression and anxiety disorders.
• The Japanese government has recognized the problem of hikikomori and has implemented several initiatives to address it. These initiatives include counselling services, support groups, and financial assistance for individuals and families affected by hikikomori.

HEALTH ISSUES

3. SQUIRRELPOX VIRUS IN WALES

TAGS: GS-II- HEALTH ISSUES

THE CONTEXT: Red squirrels are one of Britain’s most iconic species, and yet, they are under threat from a virus that causes a fatal disease known as squirrelpox. The virus is thought to have originated in North America and was accidentally introduced to the UK by grey squirrels. It is a major threat to the red squirrel population in Wales, where numbers have declined dramatically in recent years.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Grey squirrels are the usual carriers of SQPV (Squirrelpox virus), and although they are immune to the disease, they can still spread the virus to red squirrels through physical contact or contaminated food sources.

Anecdotal Evidence of Resistance

• Despite the devastating effects of the virus, there is some good news. There is anecdotal evidence to suggest that some red squirrels have developed resistance to squirrelpox.
• In Cumbria, there have been reports of healthy red squirrels with antibodies to the virus, which indicates that they have survived an infection and built up immunity.

Impact of Squirrelpox on Red Squirrels

• Squirrelpox has a mortality rate of 100% for untreated infected squirrels in the wild, and infected squirrels typically die within four to five days.
• The virus causes cuts, blisters, and growths on the skin, which can be painful and debilitating for the squirrels. Once infected, red squirrels can take up to three weeks to die.

Efforts to Protect Red Squirrels

• There have been calls for the Welsh government to fund vaccine research to protect red squirrels from squirrelpox. A petition signed by nearly 11,000 people was submitted to the government, but so far, no action has been taken. Despite this, there are still efforts being made to protect red squirrels in Wales.

Restoring Red Squirrels in Ceredigion

• A project is underway to restore red squirrels in Ceredigion, where numbers remain small. The project involves trapping grey squirrels and replacing them with red squirrels in the hope that the red squirrel population will grow. However, this project is only one of many, and more work needs to be done to protect red squirrels in other parts of Wales.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

4. EXTENDED RANGE ANTI SUBMARINE ROCKET (ER-ASR)

TAGS: GS-III- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket (ER-ASR) was successfully test-fired for the first time.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket:-

• The ER-ASR was designed by the Pune-based Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) of the DRDO.
• It is designed to intercept submarines at specific depths.
• Its rocket system will be deployed in anti-submarine operations.
• It will be fired from an indigenised rocket launcher mounted onboard various Indian naval ships.
• ER-ASR can be fired in single or in salvo mode depending on the tactical mission requirements.
• The maiden successful test from the ship is a step towards enhancing the capability of the Indian Navy in anti-submarine warfare and towards achieving ‘AtmaNirbharta’ in defence.
• ER-ASR has been designed to replace the existing Russian-origin Rocket Guided Bombs (RGBs) which are already fitted in ships.
• While the RGB has a range of five kilometres, the ER-ASR can achieve a range of over eight kilometres.

PLACES IN NEWS

5. IZU-OGASAWARA TRENCH

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: The Izu–Ogasawara Trench is an oceanic trench located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is known for being one of the deepest points in the world’s oceans. Here, the deepest ever fish was filmed, breaking the previous record of filming a fish swimming in the Mariana Trench.

THE EXPLANATION:

Depth and Location

• The Izu–Ogasawara Trench is also known as the Izu–Bonin Trench. It is some 9,780 meters (32,087 feet) deep. This oceanic trench is an extension of the Japan Trench and is composed of two trenches: the Izu Trench, located in the north, and the Bonin Trench, located in the south, west of the Ogasawara Plateau.
• The Izu–Ogasawara Trench is located in the western Pacific Ocean, southeast of Japan. It runs parallel to the Mariana Trench, which is the deepest point in the world’s oceans at approximately 10,935 meters (35,876 feet) deep.

Marine Life in the Trench

• Despite the extreme depths of the Izu–Ogasawara Trench, unique marine life has been found in this region. In 2019, the Minderoo-UWA Deep Sea Research Centre led a two-month expedition to explore the trench’s depths. During the expedition, the deepest fish ever caught on camera was filmed swimming at a depth of 8,336 meters (27,373 feet) in the trench. This juvenile snail fish is one of only two fish that have been collected from a depth greater than 8,000 meters.
• The slightly warmer water in the Izu–Ogasawara Trench is believed to be responsible for the survival of fish at such extreme depths. Scientists have also discovered other unique marine life forms in the trench, including the Xenophyophore Occultammina, which was first discovered at a depth of 8,260 meters (27,100 feet).

Significance of the Trench

• The Izu–Bonin–Mariana Arc system, which includes the Izu and Bonin Islands, is created by the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the Philippine Sea Plate in the Izu–Ogasawara Trench. This process is responsible for creating the unique geological features and marine life in the region.
• The Izu–Ogasawara Trench is also significant for its research potential. Professor Jamieson, the founder of the Minderoo-UWA Deep Sea Research Centre, led the expedition to the trench in 2019 to study the effects of extreme ocean depths on marine life. The research conducted in this trench can help us understand more about the ocean’s depths and the unique ecosystems that exist in these extreme environments.

HEALTH ISSUES

1. WHAT ARE RARE DISEASES AND WHY IS THEIR TREATMENT SO EXPENSIVE?

TAGS: GS-II HEALTH ISSUES

THE CONTEXT: The central government recently exempted all foods and drugs for rare diseases imported by people for personal use from custom duty. With most therapy for rare diseases priced very high, this will make a significant difference to families of people living with the conditions.

THE EXPLANATION:

What are the drugs that have been exempted from customs duty?

• Medicines and foods needed for the management of 51 rare diseases have been exempt from custom duty, with the government notification stating, “drugs, medicines or food for special medical purposes used for treatment of rare diseases specified.”
• The specified conditions include lysosomal storage disorder (a group of metabolic disorders that lead to a buildup of toxic materials in the cells), maple syrup urine disease (a hereditary condition where the body cannot process the building blocks of proteins resulting in buildup of harmful substances in blood and urine), Severe food protein allergy, Wilson’s disease (a disorder that results in the body accumulating copper) among others.
• These medicines usually attract a basic custom duty of 10 per cent, with some vaccines or medicines attracting a lower 5 per cent or nil as previously notified. Medicines for the treatment of spinal muscular athrophy and duchenne muscular dystrophy were already exempt from customs.

What are rare diseases?

• Rare diseases as the name suggests are conditions that affect very few people. The World Health Organisation defines it as any debilitating lifelong disease or disorder with a prevalence of ten or less per 10,000 population; other countries follow standards ranging between 1 and 10 cases per 10,000 to define a condition as rare disease.
• There are about 7,000 to 8,000 conditions globally that have been defined as rare diseases. The landscape of rare diseases keeps changing, with newer conditions being identified and reported constantly.

Why are drugs for rare diseases so expensive?

• Even though there have been developments in the treatment of rare diseases in the recent year, almost 95 per cent of the conditions do not have specific treatment.
• With a very small number of people suffering each of the 7,000- 8,000 rare conditions, they do not make a good market for drugs. This is the reason most pharmaceutical companies are reluctant to spend on research for treatments of the disease. This is the reason the medicine for rare conditions that do exist are known as “orphan drugs” and are prohibitively priced to recoup the cost of research and development.
• As per the National Rare Disease Policy, treatment for some rare disease can vary from Rs 10 lakh to 1 crore per year for a child weighing 10 kgs. The treatment has to be continued lifelong, with the costs going up along with the age and weight of the person.
• “At present, very few pharmaceutical companies are manufacturing drugs for rare diseases globally and there are no domestic manufacturers in India”.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

2. DEEP SEA MINING

TAGS: GS-III- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY- PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT:The UN’s decision to take deep-sea mining applications comes when there is no mining code in place. Several countries have insisted that industrial undersea mining should require strict rules.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Recently, the International Seabed Authority has decided that it will start taking permit applications in July from companies that want to mine the ocean’s floor.
• The undersea mining will be conducted to extract key battery materials — cobalt, copper, nickel, and manganese — from potato-sized rocks called “polymetallic nodules” found at depths of 4 kilometers to 6 kilometers (about 2.5 miles to 3.7 miles).
• The Jamaica-based ISA was established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. It holds authority over the ocean floors outside of its 167 member states’ Exclusive Economic Zones.

What is Deep Sea Mining?

• Deep-sea mining is the process of retrieving mineral deposits from the deep seabed – the ocean below 200m.
• Depleting terrestrial deposits and rising demand for metals mean deep-sea mining may begin soon, even though research suggests that it could destroy habitats and wipe out species.
• Deep-sea mining should be halted until the criteria specified by IUCN are met, including the introduction of assessments, effective regulation and mitigation strategies.
• Comprehensive studies are needed to improve our understanding of deep-sea ecosystems and the vital services they provide to people, such as food and carbon sequestration.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

3. WHAT IS MANUFACTURING PURCHASING MANAGERS’ INDEX (PMI)?

TAGS: GS-III- ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: According to S&P Global India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) New orders and output rose to a three-month high in March (2023) even as input cost inflation for manufacturing firms slipped to the second-lowest mark in two-and-a-half years.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The PMI reading rose to 56.4, from 55.3 in February, signalling the strongest improvement in operating conditions in 2023 so far. The PMI average for the January-March period was 55.7, lower than 56.3 in the previous quarter. New export orders grew at a faster pace in March than the previous month, but remained “slight and historically subdued.”

What is a PMI?

• PMI or a Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) is an indicator of business activity — both in the manufacturing and services sectors. It is a survey-based measures that asks the respondents about changes in their perception of some key business variables from the month before. It is calculated separately for the manufacturing and services sectors and then a composite index is constructed.

How is the PMI derived?

• The PMI is derived from a series of qualitative questions. Executives from a reasonably big sample, running into hundreds of firms, are asked whether key indicators such as output, new orders, business expectations and employment were stronger than the month before and are asked to rate them.

How does one read the PMI?

• A figure above 50 denotes expansion in business activity. Anything below 50 denotes contraction. Higher the difference from this mid-point greater the expansion or contraction. The rate of expansion can also be judged by comparing the PMI with that of the previous month data.
• If the figure is higher than the previous month’s then the econ-omy is expanding at a faster rate. If the figure is higher than the previous month’s then the econ-omy is expanding at a faster rate. If it is lower than the previous month then it is growing at a lower rate.

What are its implications for the economy?

• The PMI is usually released at the start of the month, much before most of the official data on industrial output, manufacturing and GDP growth becomes available.
•  It is, therefore, considered a good leading indicator of economic activity. Economists consider the manufacturing growth measured by the PMI as a good indicator of industrial output, for which official statistics are released later.
• Central banks of many countries also use the index to help make decisions on interest rates.

4. WHAT ARE ELECTORAL BONDS?

THE CONTEXT: The government recently announced the 26th tranche of electoral bond sales to be undertaken over a ten-day window at all authorized branches of the State Bank of India.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Electoral Bonds:

• The electoral bond scheme was launched by the Union government in 2018.
• It is a bearer instrument, like a promissory note that can be bought by any Indian citizen or company incorporated in India.
• The citizen or corporate can then donate the same to any eligible political party of his/her choice.
• The bonds are similar to bank notes that are payable to the bearer on demand and are free of interest.
• An individual or party is allowed to purchase these bonds digitally or through cheque.

Process:

• EBs are issued/purchased for any value, in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1,00,000, Rs 10,00,000 and Rs 1,00,00,000.
• The electoral bonds are available for purchase for 10 days at the beginning of every quarter.
• SBI is the only bank authorized to sell these bonds.
• Anonymous cash donations were capped at Rs 2,000.
• EBs have a life of only 15 days during which it can be used for making donations to political parties.

Eligibility:

• Only political parties registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and which secured not less than 1% of votes polled in the last general election to the House of the People or the Legislative Assembly of the State, are eligible to receive electoral bonds.
• The bond can be encashed by an eligible political party only through a designated bank account with the authorized bank.
• The political parties have to disclose the amount to the Election Commission.
• The electoral bonds will not bear the name of the donor.

MISCELLANEOUS

5. WHAT IS SARBAT KHALSA?

TAGS: MISCELLANEOUS

THE CONTEXT: The Sarbat Khalsa, a term meaning “all congregation,” refers to a traditional assembly of all factions of Sikhs (Khalsa) to discuss political, social, and religious issues of great importance to the community. The idea of a deliberative assembly of Sikhs originated in the 18th century and was convened twice a year.

THE EXPLANATION:

Origins and Significance of Sarbat Khalsa

• The word “sarbat” means all, and the Sarbat Khalsa was an assembly where all members of the Khalsa were represented. It was a democratic institution where members could participate in decision-making. The assembly was called at times of crisis and was considered the supreme authority in the Sikh community.
• During the Mughal period, Zakarya Khan, the governor of Lahore, offered the title of Nawab to the Sikhs as a reward for their services. The Sikhs, however, refused to accept the title and instead called for a Sarbat Khalsa to discuss the issue. This marked the beginning of the tradition of calling the Sarbat Khalsa.
• The tradition continued during the period of the Sikh misls, which were essentially confederacies of Sikh chiefdoms. However, after the establishment of the Sikh kingdom by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1799, the need for an institution like the Sarbat Khalsa was reduced with the formation of the SGPC.

Sarbat Khalsa in Modern Times

• The Sarbat Khalsa was called in 1920 to discuss control over gurdwaras, and again in 1984 after the Indian Army’s Operation Blue Star in the Golden Temple. In 1986, a panthic committee was formed that gave a call for Khalistan.
• The Sarbat Khalsa was called again on November 10, 2015, by Sikh bodies opposed to the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal). The gathering attracted a large number of Sikhs from all over the world, and its impact on Punjab politics was significant. It led to a demand for a separate Sikh state, the revival of the demand for the release of Sikh prisoners, and the establishment of a parallel committee to the SGPC

1. THE COMPREHENSIVE AND PROGRESSIVE AGREEMENT FOR TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP (CPTPP)

TAGS: GS- II-INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND PRELIMS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the United Kingdom has agreed to join an 11-country trans-Pacific trade pact to deepen ties in the region and build its global trade links after leaving the European Union.

THE COMPREHENSIVE AND PROGRESSIVE AGREEMENT FOR TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP (CPTPP)

About:

• CPTPP is a free trade agreement (FTA) that was agreed in 2018 between 11 countries – Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.The U.K will become the 12th member and the first to join since the partnership since its inception.
• It is the successor to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which was a key plank in the Obama administration’s “Pivot to Asia” strategy that aimed to create an economic counterweight to China’s regional influence.It emerged after the former US president Donald Trump withdrew the country from the TPP in 2017, soon after taking office.
• Also, it is important to note that, In September 2021, China submitted a formal application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). But for the entry, there must be a consensus among all 11 members.
• The CPTPP commission 2023 is currently chaired by New Zealand.

Objectives:

• The agreement mandates the duty-free entry of commercial samples having almost negligible value and printed advertising material from the territory of a signatory party.
• CPTPP covers virtually all sectors and aspects of trade in order to eliminate or reduce barriers. It establishes clear rules that help create a consistent, transparent and fair environment to do business in CPTPP markets.
• It eliminates tariffs and reduces barriers for 98% of exports to CPTPP member countries.
• It also includes trade-related technical cooperation among CPTPP members, including with respect to small and medium-sized enterprises, regulatory coherence and economic development.

Significance:

• The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will offer exporters a competitive advantage over exporters from other countries that do not have a free trade agreement with countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Once fully implemented, CPTPP will form a trading bloc representing 500 million consumers and 13.5% of global GDP, providing preferential access to key markets in Asia and Latin America.

2. IMF’S $15.6 BILLION LOAN FOR UKRAINE

TAGS: GS-II-INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a loan program worth $15.6 billion for Ukraine as part of a larger $115 billion package to aid its war-torn economy. With one-third of Ukraine’s population displaced, the IMF’s support comes as a crucial aid in reconstructing the country’s economy.

THE EXPLANATION:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the IMF for the support and called it an essential help in the fight against Russian aggression.

Two-Phase Loan Program for Ukraine

• The IMF’s loan program for Ukraine will span four years and run in two phases. The first phase aims to close Ukraine’s massive budget deficit and stabilize disinflation. The IMF’s support will ease the pressure on government spending by providing immediate financial assistance of $2.7 billion. Ukraine is required to focus on financial stability and undertake ambitious structural reforms, particularly in the energy sector.
• The second phase of the loan program will begin once active combat subsides and will focus on reforms to improve growth in the medium to long term. The IMF’s overarching goals are to sustain economic and financial stability at a time of exceptionally high uncertainty and promote reforms for Ukraine’s post-war accession to the European Union.

Requirements for the Loan Program

• The IMF’s loan program is designed to support Ukraine’s struggles in meeting its payments arising from the large exogenous shock of the war. Ukraine is required to meet stringent IMF targets while financing its possibly decisive spring counteroffensive, which is expected to commence in April, 2023.
• The program mandates Ukraine to develop independent and effective anti-corruption institutions to help mitigate corruption risks and boost donor confidence.

3. PIEZOELECTRIC EFFECT IN LIQUIDS

TAGS: GS-III- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, researchers have discovered that this effect can also occur in liquids, opening up a host of novel applications. Let’s take a closer look at this discovery and what it means.

THE EXPLANATION:

The piezoelectric effect is a phenomenon whereby certain materials, such as quartz crystal, generate an electric current when subjected to mechanical stress.

The Piezoelectric Effect and Liquid Composition

• The piezoelectric effect in solids is well known, with quartz crystal being one of the most famous examples. Quartz crystal is composed of silicon and oxygen arranged in an organized structure. When squeezed, the crystal generates an electric current due to the displacement of charges from the centre.
• In liquids, however, the piezoelectric effect has not been observed until now. Two liquids, one normal and one ionic, were studied to investigate this effect. The liquids were subjected to mechanical stress, and the resulting electric current was measured. The researchers found that both liquids exhibited the piezoelectric effect, with strengths of 16 mV/N and 17 mV/N, respectively.

The Structure of the Body and the Piezoelectric Effect

• The significance of the structure of the body in the piezoelectric effect is that it needs to have an organized structure. Quartz crystal is an excellent example of this, as the organized structure allows for the displacement of charges from the centre when squeezed.
• The same appears to be true for liquids, with the discovery of the piezoelectric effect suggesting that there is some manner of organization in ionic liquids that is not seen in normal liquids.

Dielectric Materials and Ionic Liquids

• Dielectric materials are materials that don’t conduct electricity but are mildly affected by an electric field. Ionic liquids, on the other hand, are made of ions instead of molecules and can be recycled with fewer environmental issues.
• The difference between normal and ionic liquids is that they respond very differently at the molecular level when an electric charge is imposed on them.

The Piezoelectric Constant in Liquids

• The piezoelectric constant is a measure of how strongly a material exhibits the piezoelectric effect. The piezoelectric constant calculated for the liquids tested in the study was lower than that of quartz by a factor of 10.
• This suggests that the piezoelectric effect in liquids may not be as strong as in solids, but it is still a significant discovery.

Applications of the Piezoelectric Effect in Liquids

• The discovery of the piezoelectric effect in liquids opens up a whole new avenue of research for novel applications.
• One potential use of the inverse piezoelectric effect, which is the distortion of liquids when an electric charge is applied, is to control how liquids bend light passing through them. Another possible use is in developing room-temperature ionic liquids for use in batteries and other electronic devices.

4. NEVADO DEL RUIZ VOLCANO

TAGS: PRELIMS-PLACES IN NEWS

THE CONTEXT: Nevado del Ruiz is a stratovolcano located in the central part of Colombia. It is considered one of the most active and dangerous volcanoes in the country, with a history of generating destructive lahars and pyroclastic flows. In this article, we will delve into the facts and information about the Nevado del Ruiz volcano.

THE EXPLANATION:

Geographical Location and Composition

• Nevado del Ruiz is situated in the Andes mountain range, approximately 129 km (80 mi) from the capital city of Bogotá. It is part of the Los Nevados National Natural Park, which is home to other volcanic peaks and glaciers.
• The volcano’s composition consists of layers of lava, volcanic ash, and pyroclastic rocks, which have built up over approximately two million years of volcanic activity.

Types of Eruptions and Hazards

• The Nevado del Ruiz volcano has a history of generating explosive eruptions, ranging from Vulcanian to Plinian. The eruption in 1985 caused the deadliest lahar in recorded history, known as the Armero tragedy.
• The lahar, which was triggered by the melting of snow and ice on the volcano’s summit during the eruption, swept away the town of Armero and claimed the lives of over 23,000 people.

Current Status and Risk Assessment

The Volcanic and Seismic Observatory of Manizales constantly monitors the Nevado del Ruiz volcano. The current status of the volcano is an orange alert due to an increase in seismic activity, which indicates a heightened risk of volcanic activity. Up to 500,000 people could be at risk from lahars and other hazards in the event of future eruptions.

The Ring of Fire

Nevado del Ruiz is situated in the Ring of Fire, a belt of intense seismic activity that encircles the Pacific Ocean. The Ring of Fire is known for its numerous active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.

5. WHAT IS UTKALA DIBASA?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Odisha Day, also known as Utkala Dibasa, is a significant day for the Indian state of Odisha. Celebrated on 1 April every year, the day commemorates the formation of the state as a separate entity out of Bihar and Orissa Province. This article delves deeper into the history behind Odisha Day and how it has become an essential part of the state’s cultural identity.

THE EXPLANATION:

Origins of Odisha Day

• Odisha’s history dates back to ancient times when it was known as Kalinga. It was ruled by several dynasties, including the Mauryas, Satavahanas, and Guptas. However, the state lost its political identity completely in 1568 after the defeat and demise of the last king, Mukunda Dev. For centuries, Odisha was ruled by different empires, including the Mughals and the British.
• In the early 20th century, Odisha witnessed a linguistic movement that aimed to establish a separate province based on the Odia language. The movement culminated in the formation of a separate state under British rule on 1 April 1936.

The Main Revolution

• The main revolution in this separate state continued for three decades, starting from the very day of the formation of Utkal Sammilani. The movement turned more intense under the leadership of Utkala Gouraba Madhusudan Das and other notable leaders such as Utkala mani Gopabandhu Das, Maharaja SriRam Chandra Bhanj Deo, and more.
• The leaders fought for the rights and development of Odisha and its people. They demanded a separate province based on the Odia language, which would help preserve and promote the state’s rich culture and heritage. Their efforts led to the creation of a politically separate state on April 1, 1936.

Role of the Public

The public played a significant role in supporting the leaders during the Odisha movement. They participated in protests, rallies, and demonstrations, demanding a separate state for Odisha. Their support and solidarity gave the leaders the strength and motivation to continue the struggle for their rights.

THE CONTEXT: Automation in this era is critical in understanding inequality dynamics as it affects different sections of society and different parts of the industry differently. In some cases as white collar jobs as designer and engineer have become more productive and sophisticated whereas in other cases automation has led to replacement of workers in blue collar jobs. In this context, let’s analyse the different dynamics of automation and the risk of widening inequality.

AUTOMATION AND ITS EVOLUTION

• Automation is the substitution of machines and algorithms for tasks previously performed by labor and it is nothing new and has often been seen as an engine of economic growth and at the same time debate about workers being replaced by machines is certainly not new.
• It started with the Industrial Revolution but however in the past its effect was counterbalanced by other technologies boosting human productivity and employment opportunities but this is not the case today.
• In fact, next phase of automation, relying on AI and AI-powered machines such as self-driving cars, may be even more disruptive, especially if it is not accompanied by other types of more human-friendly technologies.
• According to the World Bank Development Report, 77 percent of existing jobs in China 47 percent of US jobs, 69 per cent of Indian jobs and an average of 57 per cent of jobs in OECD countries are susceptible to automation and could be replaced by automated processes and robots.
• An MIT economist suggests automation has a bigger impact on the labor market and income inequality than the previous industrial revolution. Research indicates and identifies the year 1987 as a key inflection point in this process, the moment when jobs lost to automation stopped being replaced by an equal number of similar workplace opportunities. Within industries adopting automation, the study shows, the average “displacement” or job loss from 1947-1987 was 17 percent of jobs, while the average “reinstatement” (new opportunities) was 19 percent. But from 1987-2016, displacement was 16 percent, while reinstatement was just 10 percent.

HOW IS AUTOMATION REINFORCING INEQUALITY

NATURE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH

Nature of economic growth has become much less shared since the 1980s which led to wider inequality in much of the industrialized world and has led to disappearance of good, high-paying, secure jobs and decline in the real wages of less-educated workers.

TAKE OVER ROUTINE TASK

Regarding the effects of automation on the composition and nature of work, automation and robotic technologies tend to favour non-routine cognitive tasks while they are reducing demand for manual work. New technologies also have the capability to take over routine tasks, for example manufacturing assembly and back-office work, which fall under the middle-skilled category and thus replaces them.

COULD NOT UTILISE LOW SKILLED WORKERS

Automation increases the productivity and income of high-skilled workers but leaves productivity of low-skilled workers unchanged and redistribute income from poor low-skilled workers to rich high-skilled workers.

DIVERSION OF INVESTMENT

There is a shift in investment to advanced economies and new technology and automation widening the gap between rich and poor countries by shifting more investment to advanced economies where automation is already established. As a result, investment gets diverted from developing countries to finance this capital and robot accumulation in advanced economies, thus resulting in a transitional decline in GDP in the developing country.

NOT QUICK ADOPTION

In more recent years there has been some convergence in how quickly countries worldwide adopt new technologies, but once those technologies have been taken up by a minority of users those referred as ‘early adopters’, there is a divergence in how long they take to become widely used by large numbers of the population who are generally left behind.

LESS OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCESS TECHNOLOGIES

Opportunities to access technologies that address the needs of low-income groups is very less. Technologies available today do not necessarily respond to the needs of low-income and vulnerable groups. They are often developed by profit-seeking firms and naturally respond to the needs of more affluent markets.

REPLACING KNOWLEDGE INTENSIVE JOBS

Advances in automation as machine learning technology, coupled with increasingly available big data, could replace knowledge-intensive roles in sectors such as business and health care in the first half of the twenty-first century. Some estimate that machine learning algorithms could displace 140 million knowledge workers globally , further contributing to a ‘hollowing-out’ of middle-income jobs and to growing polarization of the labor market

LACK OF SKILL AND EDUCATION

Though increase in skill and education helps in growth. However, in a heterogeneous society, not everybody is able or willing to obtain higher education and skill and those who due to ability constraints, do not manage to acquire higher education and skills and are left behind.

EFFECTS OF AUTOMATION ON OTHER INEQUALITIES

GENDER INEQUALITY

• IMF data indicate that female workers are at a significantly higher risk for displacement by automation than male workers, with 11 percent of the female workforce at high risk of being automated given the current state of technology, with significant cross-country heterogeneity.
• Also recent research at the McKinsey Global Institute finds that automation is likely to displace men and women more or less equally over the next decade. But, as a result of that displacement, women will need to make far more significant transitions compared to men and may find it more difficult to capture new opportunities because of the persistent barriers they face.

REGIONAL DISPARITY

• Poorer regions in advanced economies are no longer catching up to the rich as fast as they used to before automation.
• As poorer regions tend to specialize in agriculture and manufacturing industries rather than high productivity service sectors such as information technology and communications and finance.
• Regional disparities has increased in terms of number and quality of new jobs created, unemployment and educational attainment due to automation.
• As new jobs created by new technology will require highly skilled workers which can cause uneven development and exacerbate regional inequalities.

GLOBAL INEQUALITY

• Inequality within countries can also be exacerbated by rapid changes in the nature of work due to automation.
• Developing countries have pursued rapid growth through manufacturing goods for export to rich country consumer markets. Automation will erode this pathway, as low labour costs become less important for manufacturing.
• Increasing automation in textile manufacturing, which has expanded opportunities for women in many developing countries, will have negative impacts on gender equality. And for Africa, with a high youth population, not being able to capitalise on low-cost labour to attract manufacturing investment is particularly concerning.
• Technological advances and automation tend to increase returns to capital (the owners of the machines) and decrease returns to workers. And digital technologies provide a huge boost to highly skilled workers’ productivity in some sectors, leading to lower demand for the less skilled worker leading to global inequality.

RURAL URBAN DIVIDE

• In the long term, the accelerated development of automation is likely to deepen the “digital divide” between urban and rural areas.
• Because of the problems of backward rural economic development and unbalanced urban and rural development there is urban–rural income gap created which is too large.
• It is argued that there are significant urban–rural gaps in network coverage and urban residents have greater employment opportunities than rural residents, leading to an increased urban–rural income gap.
• From an industry chain perspective, the development of smart technologies and automation will result in significantly higher wage growth rates for high-skilled workers in urban areas than low-skilled workers in rural areas.

EDUCATIONAL INEQUALITY

• Education is riddled with inequality as there is wide gap in disparate instructional quality, equipment, and outcomes among different sections and regions. Rather than providing a solution to wealth inequality, education now reinforces it.
• The effectiveness of online and blending learning is limited, yet ed-tech advocates and investors keep pushing the adoption of these technologies in low-income classrooms which tends to be ineffective.
• Without acceptance of these automation technologies it is considered that these styles of learning are flawed and real progress cannot be made. Until these learning methods are proven, their adoption will only help increase inequality, rather than help students.
• Automation is exacerbating the Digital Divide in Classrooms in across the nation as country have been flooded equipped with software, computers and high-speed internet. However, the technological disparity and literacy gap is increasing.

ANALYSIS OF THE ISSUE

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AUTOMATION AND INEQUALITY IS MULTIFACETED

As on one hand Technologies, notably ICT, have brought improved access to basic services such as finance and education but at the same time it has widened inequality as countries differ in terms of investments, policy support or technological capabilities, or because technology is skill- and capital-biased and enables rent seeking, or because certain conditions need to be in place for vulnerable populations to benefit from technology and access to appropriate technology solutions.

PRESENCE OF DIGITAL DIVIDE

Presence of “digital divide” has amplified the “technology divide” and widened inequalities, across all three of its dimensions, and between subregions, countries and people.

AUTOMATION OF LOW SKILLED JOBS

Trend of automation to replace routine manufacturing tasks and low-skilled jobs looks set to continue, and technological advances are also making it possible to automate a greater number of non-routine tasks.

ROLE OF FRONTIER TECHNOLOGY

Frontier technologies are likely to intensify these impacts because technological capabilities are not equally distributed across countries and people in the region.With Frontier technologies, such as AI, are likely to intensify both the divides and the dividends. New technologies can create and reinforce inequality of outcome and opportunity.

NEED OF REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Regulatory frameworks for AI and frontier technology also need to be in place before the digital divide becomes unbridgeable. This is important because automation may prove to be a double burden by reducing employment and limiting opportunities.

POSITIVES EFFECTS OF AUTOMATION

Automation though is widening inequality but there are also positive sides of automation which is mentioned below:

• Creation of New jobs: Automation entails not only innovation in the development of existing products, but also the development of entirely new products and ways of working, and thus the creation of new jobs.
• Implementation of SDGs: Automation can be used as a means for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and helps achieve the goals.
• Can even reduce inequality: There is potential in automation to reduce inequality in opportunities but it is not automatic. It largely depends on the capabilities of the poor to access and use technologies and solutions that respond to their needs.
• Economic growth: Automation together with the opportunities provided by trade and investment for capital accumulation and productive transformation can help achieve an unprecedented level of economic growth and enabling several countries to catch up with developed nations.

CHALLENGES RELATED TO AUTOMATION

• Exclusion of low skilled labour: There is low-skilled labor that does not benefit from automation and with the arrival of new machines. Skill-based technological progress induces more high skilled labour and thus a decline of low-skilled labor supply.
• Demographic transition: This is likely going to be much more challenging for developing countries which have hoped for high dividends from a much-anticipated demographic transition. The growing youth population in developing countries was hailed by policymakers as possibly a big chance to benefit from a transition of jobs and automation could risk that.
• Rising unemployment: Rising wage inequality due to automation may also trigger rising unemployment and there can be increasing involuntary unemployment of low-skilled individuals.
• Lack of infrastructure: Reliable and resilient broadband networks are often the foundation for developing and using frontier technologies such as AI. However, the lack of such broadband networks in many parts of the region means that AI uptake is and will continue to be uneven. Frontier technologies are based on huge quantities of real-time data, which are themselves critically dependent on high-speed (broadband) Internet. The existing lack of broadband connectivity is a hindrance.
• Availability, Affordability and Reliability: Extent of technological inequalities among countries broadly depends on three factors: availability, affordability and reliability of the infrastructure and this is a constant issue which is persisting in this era.
• Slowdown in economic growth: Excessive automation may also be a cause of the slowdown in productivity growth. This is because automation decisions are not reducing costs and, even more important, because a singular focus on automation technologies may be causing businesses to miss out on productivity gains from new tasks, new organizational forms, and technological breakthroughs that are more complementary to humans.

If current trends continue, AI and other frontier technologies may further increase income, opportunity and impact inequalities and widen development gaps among countries and people.

THE WAY FORWARD

• Investment in Infrastructure: To address technology-induced inequality in the region, ICT infrastructure, notably broadband networks, must be affordable, reliable and resilient. Where progress has stagnated, such as in many LDCs and countries with special needs, a big investment push is needed. Without this investment in infrastructure there will be no narrowing of the existing digital divide and mitigation of the widening disparities
• Redistribution through progressive income taxation: To maintain income equality redistribution through progressive income taxation by implementation of a robot tax has recently been proposed which can be a game changer.
• Address persistent inequalities in technological capabilities: To catch up with more advanced economies, and thus reduce income inequalities among countries, countries with low technological capabilities should consider strengthening technological learning through public policies that should focus on the adoption, adaptation and diffusion of existing technologies rather than on investing in cutting edge R&D.
• Domestic firms upgradation: Policies should aim to promote greater learning from trade and FDI, increasing productivity in existing productive sectors, and support the formation and growth of domestic firms by absorptive capacity of domestic knowledge systems, productive diversification and export upgrading.
• Skills development: It is important pathway to address growing inequalities, particularly in universities and institutes of higher learning. Skills and knowledge acquired should be able to help address challenges associated with automation.
• Promote regional and international cooperation: Promote regional and international cooperation to exploit technology dividends such as cooperation with States, regional and international partners, including donors, could prioritize funding for trans-border broadband infrastructure.
• Need of government policies: In lower-income countries, governments are advised to give due priority to the building of domestic technological capabilities and, accordingly, allocate the corresponding budget funds. In more advanced economies, there is a need for governance models to integrate and coordinate technological and innovation policies with other economic and social policies and to give voice to a wide range of agents throughout the policies.

THE CONCLUSION: Policymakers should act to mitigate those risks associated with increasing inequality especially in the face of these new technologically-driven pressures. There is a need for a drastic shift to rapidly improve productivity gains and investment in education and skills development that will capitalize on the much-anticipated demographic transition even in this era of automation.

MAINS QUESTIONS

1. How automation is reinforcing already perceived inequalities and discuss the steps needs to be taken to eliminate or reduce inequalities.
2. Role that automation plays in income and wealth inequality is complex and contested. Explain.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. WINDSOR FRAMEWORK

TAGS: PRELIMS-GS-II-INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT:Recently, the United Kingdom and the European Union struck a deal regarding post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland, with a view to remove the border between Britain and Northern Ireland running through the Irish Sea.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The fact that the Republic of Ireland remained with the EU after Brexit led to complications on the trade front, a wrinkle that the U. K.’s conservative government ironed out with the Northern Ireland Protocol.
• However, the Protocol, which allowed EU customs rules to apply across Northern Ireland, led to tensions in the province. The Windsor framework is the latest attempt at a remedy to the political complexities that have impacted trade and sentiments in the area.
• The ‘Windsor Framework’ will replace the Northern Ireland Protocol, which had proved to be among the thorniest of Brexit fall-outs, creating problems both economic and political.

What are the salient features of the Framework:

The framework has two crucial aspects:

• Introduction of a green lane and red lane system – For goods that will stay in Northern Ireland and those that will go to the EU respectively.
• The Stormont Brake – it allows Northern Ireland lawmakers and London to veto any EU regulation they believe affects the region adversely.
• The two-lane system– British goods meant for Northern Ireland will use the green lane at the ports and will be allowed to pass with minimal paperwork and checks.
• Physical checks will be conducted if the goods are deemed suspicious, in place of the routine checks now.
• Goods destined for Ireland or the rest of the EU will have to take the red lane, with the attendant customs and other checks.

The Northern Ireland Protocol:

• The Northern Ireland Protocol is a trading agreement that was negotiated in 2020 between the U.K. and the E.U.
• Under the protocol, both the U.K. and E.U. agreed that the inspection of goods would be conducted between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
• Northern Ireland remained in the EU single market, and trade-and-customs inspections of goods coming from Great Britain took place at its ports along the Irish Sea.

Issues related to the Northern Ireland Protocol :

• The protocol has led to political division in Northern Ireland.
• The checks made trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland cumbersome, with food products, especially, losing out on shelf life while they waited for clearance. Some taxation and spending policies of the UK government could not be implemented in Northern Ireland because of EU rules.
• The sale of medicines, too, was caught between different British and EU rules.

2. RAISINA DIALOGUE

TAGS: PRELIMS-GS-II-INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT:Prime Minister recently  inaugurated the eighth edition of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is the Chief Guest of the three-day Dialogue.

THE EXPLANATION:

The theme of the 2023 Edition is “Provocation, Uncertainty, Turbulence: Lighthouse in the Tempest.”

 About Raisina Dialogue:

• The Raisina Dialogue is a multilateral conference held annually in New Delhi, India. Since its inception in 2016, the conference has emerged as India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-economics. The conference is hosted by the Observer Research Foundation, an independent think tank, in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs of India.
• The conference is structured as a multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral discussion, involving a variety of global policymakers including heads of states, cabinet ministers and local government officials. In addition, the Dialogue also welcomes major private sector executives, as well as members of the media and academia. It is designed on the lines of Singapore’s Shangri-La Dialogue.
• The name “Raisina Dialogue” comes from Raisina Hill, an elevation in New Delhi, seat of the Government of India, as well as the Presidential Palace of India, Rashtrapati Bhavan.

3. PROTON BEAM THERAPY

TAGS: PRELIMS-GS-III- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT:Cancer patients in India face twin challenges when it comes to accessing proton beam therapy (PBT): there are not enough facilities offering the treatment, and the cost can run into tens of lakhs of rupees.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The PBT is considered a viable alternative to radiation for treating solid tumours, especially for head and neck cancers.
• According to hospitals, that it has treated up to 900 patients in its Chennai-based Proton Cancer Centre, of which 47% of cases are brain tumours. Patients with cancers of the prostate, ovaries, breast, lungs, bones and soft tissues have also seen promising results in terms of recovery through proton beam therapy.

ABOUT PROTON BEAM THERAPY:

• Proton beam therapy, is a type of radiation therapy. It uses protons rather than x-rays to treat cancer.
• A proton is a positively charged particle. At high energy, protons can destroy cancer cells. Doctors may use proton therapy alone. They may also combine it with x-ray radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and/or immunotherapy.
• Unlike radiation which uses X-rays, PBT uses protons to tackle cancer. While radiation can prove toxic to the whole body, protons can destroy cancer cells precisely by targeting tumours, thus saving adjoining organs.

4. INDIA’S FIRST PROSPECTIVE DNA VACCINE

TAGS: PRELIMS-GS-III- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT:In a significant development in DNA vaccination research, India’s first and only DNA vaccine candidate for dengue has shown promising results.

THE EXPLANATION:

• In preliminary trials on mice, the candidate generated a robust immune response and improved survival rates after exposure to the disease.
• According to researchers, the world’s first DNA vaccine—ZyCoV-D, developed by Ahmedabad-based pharmaceutical firm Zydus Cadila—was approved in 2021 for emergency use against COVID-19. Globally, DNA vaccines are being developed for diseases like tuberculosis and chikungunya. Some 19 DNA dengue vaccines are being evaluated, but yet to reach final clinical trials.

What is DNA Vaccine?

• A DNA vaccine is a type of vaccine that transfects a specific antigen-coding DNA sequence into the cells of an organism as a mechanism to induce an immune response.
• DNA vaccines work by injecting genetically engineered plasmid containing the DNA sequence encoding the antigen(s) against which an immune response is sought, so the cells directly produce the antigen, thus causing a protective immunological response.
• DNA vaccines have theoretical advantages over conventional vaccines, including the “ability to induce a wider range of types of immune response”.Several DNA vaccines have been tested for veterinary use.
• In some cases, protection from disease in animals has been obtained, in others not. Research is ongoing over the approach for viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases in humans, as well as for cancers.
• In August 2021, Indian authorities gave emergency approval to ZyCoV-D. Developed by Cadila Healthcare, it is the first DNA vaccine approved for humans.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL RIGHTS

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: The representatives of fugitive ‘godman’ Nithyananda’s self-proclaimed country, the United States of Kailasa (USK), attended a discussion conducted by the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) recently.

THE EXPLANATION:

About United Nations Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights:

• The Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (CESCR) is the body of 18 independent experts that monitors the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights by its States parties.
• It was established under ECOSOC Resolution 1985/17 in 1985.
• All States parties are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on how economic, social, and cultural rights are being implemented.
• States must report initially within two years of accepting the Covenant and thereafter every five years.
• The Committee examines each report and addresses its concerns and recommendations to the State party in the form of “concluding observations”.
• The Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which entered into force in 2013, gives the Committee competence to receive and consider communications from individuals claiming that their rights under the Covenant have been violated.
• The Committee meets in Geneva and normally holds two sessions per year.

Objectives :

• to carry out the monitoring functions assigned to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in Part IV of the Covenant.
• Drawing on the legal and practical expertise of its members.
• It also helps States in fulfilling their obligations under the Covenant by issuing specific legislative, policy, and other recommendations so that economic, social, and cultural rights are better protected.

It seeks to:

• develop a constructive dialogue with State parties
• determine whether the Covenant’s norms are being applied in State parties
• assess how the implementation and enforcement of the Covenant could be improved

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III- ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change recently sought a “factual report” on the rhino population enumeration conducted in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in March 2022.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Kaziranga National Park:

• Location: It is located in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of Assam.
• It was declared a national park in 1974.
• It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and houses two-thirds of the total world population of greater one-horned rhinoceros.
• It is the largest undisturbed area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplains.
• Vegetation: It is a mix of eastern wet alluvial grasslands, semi evergreen forests and tropical moist deciduous forests.

Flora:

• It is primarily famous for its dense and tall elephant grasses intermixed with small swamplands.
• It also includes an abundant cover of water lilies, water hyacinths and lotus.
• Rattan Cane, a type of climbing palm, is also found here.

Fauna:

• Important wildlife found are One-horned rhinoceros, Leopard, Fishing Cat, other Lesser cats, royal Bengal tiger, Large Indian Civet, Small Indian Civet, Sambar, Barking deer, Hog deer, Gaur, Hog Badger, Capped Langur, etc.
• It is also one of the last remaining homes of the endangered and endemic western hoolock gibbon, the only species of apes found in India.
• It is home to approximately 478 species of both resident and migratory birds.
• It is one of the last homes of the critically endangered Bengal florican.

2. EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III- ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: India’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for used tyres, batteries, and revised rules for e-waste and plastics kindled interest among the G20 countries.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Extended producers’ Responsibilities is a globally recognized policy used as an effective tool to put the onus on the producers for efficient end of life waste management of the plastic, electronic and electrical equipment.
• The concept of EPR responsibility is based on three foundation principles:
  o Pollution prevention approach
  o Life cycle thinking,
  o Polluter pay principle
  o EPR responsibility makes it the responsibility of the producers not only to take back products for recycling but also to design better and longer life products to minimize the amount of waste generated.

EPR in India:

EPR responsibility Certificate:

• EPR responsibility Certificate is authorized by Central Pollution Control Board which is mandatory for Producers/Importers of the Electronic products.
• Under these rules, the producers have a responsibility to delegate this responsibility to the third party or specialized organizations which manufacturers can financially aid for proper waste management.

EPR Responsibility Policies under E-Waste Management Rules:

• E-Waste (management and handling) Rules, 2016 adopted Extended Producers Responsibility for the first time in India.
• EPR responsibility under E-Waste (management) Rules, 2016 stipulates collection targets of E–Waste for producers.
• The producers are responsible for setting up collection centres for e-waste and financing and organizing a system for environmentally sound management of e-waste.
• The producers are required to have an arrangement with dismantlers and recyclers through either the Producers responsibility organization or the E-Waste exchange system.
• Marketing or selling any electronic equipment without EPR responsibility Authorization is considered a violation of the rules.

EPR responsibility Policy under Plastic Waste Management Rules:

• The Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022 provide guidelines for strengthening the circular economy of plastic packaging waste as well as promoting alternatives to plastic.
• Producers of waste are mandated to ensure that generation of plastic waste is minimized, and plastic waste is not littered and stored at the source, which is then handed over to local bodies or authorized agencies.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

3. WHAT IS MESSIER 92?

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Astronomers have recently released an image of the globular cluster Messier 92 (M92) captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Messier 92:

• It is a bright and large globular cluster in the constellation of Hercules.
• It is located at a distance of 26,700 light-years from Earth.
• It was first discovered by the German astronomer Johann Elert Bode in 1777.
• The predominant elements within Messier 92 are hydrogen and helium.
• Messier 92 has an estimated mass of up to 330,000 solar masses.
• The cluster is approaching the Milky Way galaxy at a speed of about 112 km/s (403,200 km/h; 250,500 mph).

What is a Globular Cluster?

• Globular clusters are spherical aggregates of several thousand to millions of stars bound by gravity.
• They orbit mostly in the extended stellar halos surrounding most spiral galaxies.
• They contain some of the oldest stars in a galaxy.
• These systems are thought to have formed early on in the Universe and can serve as perfect astrophysical laboratories for astronomers to understand how stars evolve through various phases.

What is Solar Mass?

• It is the mass of the sun, which is 1.989 x 10^30 kilograms — about 333,000 Earths.

4. K- 9 VAJRA- T HOWITZERS

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III-DEFENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The Indian Army recently ordered 100 additional K9 Vajra self-propelled howitzers.

THE EXPLANATION:

About K- 9 Vajra- T howitzers :

• It is a 155 mm, 52-caliber tracked self-propelled artillery system.
• It is built by Larsen & Toubro with technology transferred from South Korean defence major Hanwha Defense based on its K9 Thunder.
• Features:
• It has all-welded steel armour up to 19mm thick.
• The main weapon is the 155mm / 52 calibre gun.
• It has a burst rate of fire of three rounds per 15 seconds and a maximum rate of fire of six to eight rounds a minute for three minutes.
• Range: 40 km
• The K9 uses a digital fire control system, by which it can fire multiple rounds that can impact a given area at the same time.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. TEJA CHILLI

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Recently export demand for Teja variety of red chilli has gone up due to its culinary, medicinal and other wide-ranging uses.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Chilli was originally cultivated in North Mexico but is believed to be brought to India by the Portuguese.
• It is a fine variety of Guntur chilli.
• It is a fruit that belongs to genus Capsicum.

Health benefits of Teja Chilli:

• Rich in Vitamins and Minerals like Copper, Potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin B, Vitamin A.
• It is a powerful anti-oxidant.
• Studies suggest that it aids in weight loss.
• Clears congestion.
• Boosts mood and reduces pain.
• It has antibacterial properties that helps in curing skin infection.
• Decreases the risk of osteoporosis.
• Protects the body against prostate problems.

THE CONTEXT: ChatGPT is an AI-powered chatbot that has been developed by the Artificial Intelligence (AI) research company OpenAI. The chatbot understands natural language and responds in a human-like manner. Looking at the current scenario of what ChatGPT it is to be seen whether it is a threat or a boon to humans. On one side it has immense capabilities to help and assist humans but also potentially has an ability to replace the human effort, eventually wiping off many jobs in the industry. Jobs that are not just confined to one industry but many. The fact that it can write software and malware is itself a threat to the tech world. The ability to generate human-like written text has prompted suggestions that the technology could replace even journalists. However, at its current stage, the chatbot lacks nuance, critical-thinking skills, or ethical decision-making abilities. Thus there is a different viewpoint about the future consequences of ChatGPT. This current article analyse various aspects related to the ChatGPT.

BACK TO BASICS

WHAT IS ChatGPT

• ChatGPT is a variant of the GPT (Generative Pre-training Transformer) language model that was developed specifically for generating human-like text in a conversational context.
• ChatGPT is a chatbot that the startup called OpenAI released in November. The technology works by learning from vast amounts of data how to answer any prompt by a user in a human-like way, offering information like a search engine would or prose.

WHAT IS GPT

• Chat bots like GPT are powered by large amounts of data and computing techniques to make predictions about stringing words together in a meaningful way. They not only tap into a vast amount of vocabulary and information, but also understand words in context. This helps them mimic speech patterns while dispatching encyclopedic knowledge.

WHAT CAN IT DO?

• The potential use cases for such a tool are practically limitless. ChatGPT can tackle a range of assignments, from writing a sensitive condolence letter and explaining string theory in a child-friendly way to translating tax forms and providing first aid to a choking baby. Though the resulting text didn’t always sound natural and some phrases were generic to the point of feeling inappropriate, ChatGPT took within 5 to 15 seconds to provide a helpful reply that felt relatively human, though lacking a distinct personality or any quirks.

FUTURE OF SOCIETY

IMPACT ON LEARNING: Teachers and academicians have expressed concerns over ChatGPT’s impact learning outcome of the students.
ISSUE OF PLAGIARISM: Teachers and academicians have expressed concerns over ChatGPT’s impact on written assignments. Thus the learning outcome may be impacted. They note that the bot could be used to turn in plagiarised essays that could be hard to detect for time-pressed invigilators. Most recently, New York City’s education department banned ChatGPT in its public schools. The authorities have forbidden the bot’s use in all devices and networks connected to schools. It is not that plagiarism is new a problem in academic institutions; ChatGPT has changed the way AI is used to create new content. This makes it hard to single out copied content.
There are questions about how individuals such as exam invigilators, editors, and teachers will identify AI-generated content that others might pass off as their original work. Within seconds, ChatGPT provided a high-school level essay and a fake letter of recommendation for a job. ChatGPT also generated authentic-sounding news reports that were filled with misinformation. Thus, it can also generate the fake news.

IMPACT ON WORK

• HOW ChatGPT DISRUPTS INDUSTRIES: ChatGPT has the potential to take over certain roles traditionally held by humans, such as copywriting, answering customer service inquiries, writing news reports, and creating legal documents. As AI continues to improve, more and more current jobs will be threatened by automation. But AI presents opportunities as well and will create new jobs and different kinds of organisations. The question isn’t whether AI will be good enough to take on more cognitive tasks but rather how we’ll adapt.
• ChatGPT is designed to generate natural language responses when given input from a user — making it potentially useful in a variety of business applications where human-like conversation with customers or clients is desirable.
• The cybercriminal community has already shown significant interest and is jumping onto this latest trend to generate malicious code. THREAT OF CYBER SECURITY: The new AI-based chatbot tool developed by OpenAI can be leveraged to write code and malware that help cyber threat actors. ChatGPT, the new AI sensation, is helping even less skilled cyber threat actors write codes and launch cyberattacks effortlessly.it has become a new favourite tool for participants in the Dark Web.
• One instance of the use of ChatGPT that was carried out on New Year’s Eve of 2022 was the creation of Dark Web Marketplaces scripts. The marketplace’s main role is to provide a platform for the automated trade of illegal goods like stolen accounts or payment cards, malware, or even drugs and ammunition, with all payments in cryptocurrencies.
• PRIVACY CONCERNS: There are also potential privacy concerns. ChatGPT can be vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks, as it is connected to the internet and could potentially be used to spread malicious content or viruses. Malicious cybercriminals could also manipulate people into divulging personal information using the chatbot, then use that information for fraudulent purposes or for targeted phishing attacks.
• However, there are certain benefits of ChatGPT. Tools like ChatGPT can create enormous opportunities for companies strategically leveraging technology. Chat-based AI can augment how humans work by automating repetitive tasks while providing more engaging interactions with users.
• More Intelligent search engine can be built with this new technology. Microsoft is looking to implement ChatGPT into its search engine Bing. Microsoft has been battling to take Google on as a search engine for years now, looking for any feature that can help it stand out. Thus ChatGPT will help develop new interactive and advanced search engines than traditional search engines.

ChatGPT, GENERATIVE AI AND THE FUTURE OF CREATIVE WORK

Generative AI is an artificial intelligence, rather than simply analysing or acting on existing data. A “stunningly lifelike conversational language system” designed to “answer follow-up questions, admit its mistakes, challenge incorrect premises, and reject inappropriate requests,” The Times described it as the “world’s first truly useful chatbot”. Based on natural language generation technology, it is “implemented in such a way that you just chat with it in a web browser as if you were slacking with a colleague or interacting with a customer support agent on a website”. It could also transform how the internet itself functions. This is ‘the death of Google’, predicted many.

ChatGPT AND INNOVATION

ChatGPT listed as author on research papers however many scientists disapprove
Publishers are racing to create policies for the chatbot. Journal editors, researchers and publishers are now debating the place of such AI tools in the published literature, and whether it’s appropriate to cite the bot as an author. It would be difficult for the scientific community as authors are responsible for the validity and integrity of their work, and should cite any use of LLMs(ChatGPT is a large language model (LLM)) in the acknowledgements section.

WILL ChatGPT REPLACE HUMANS

• There has been speculation that professions dependent upon content production could be rendered obsolete, including everything from playwrights and professors to programmers and journalists.
• In the days since it was released, academics have generated responses to exam queries that they say would result in full marks if submitted by an undergraduate, and programmers have used the tool to solve coding challenges in obscure programming languages in a matter of seconds.
• The ability to generate human-like written text has prompted suggestions that the technology could replace journalists.
• However at its current stage, the chatbot lacks the nuance, critical-thinking skills or ethical decision-making ability that are essential for successful journalism.Its current knowledge base ends in 2021, rendering some queries and searches useless.
• ChatGPT can also give entirely wrong answers and present misinformation as fact, writing “plausible-sounding but incorrect or nonsensical answers”, the company concedes.
• OpenAI says that fixing this issue is difficult because there is no source of truth in the data they use to train the model and supervised training can also be misleading “because the ideal answer depends on what the model knows, rather than what the human demonstrator knows”.

ARE THERE ANY LIMITATIONS OF ChatGPT?

• ChatGPT , despite being the model being the latest generation of technology, is not without flaws.
• ChatGPT is not free from biases and its filters can easily be bypassed with simple tricks. So the answer to the question above – is ChatGPT capable of replacing Google search or humans – is a simple no. At least for now.

ISSUE OF BIAS AND ETHICS WITH ChatGPT

A new artificial intelligence chatbot has caused concern among its own policy researchers over its potential misuse to disseminate propaganda and disinformation campaigns online at a faster rate. There’s also the issue of bias. Many users have revealed instances of ChatGPT providing racist or sexist responses. Any nefarious commercial or governmental organization who wanted to weaponize these technologies for disinformation absolutely could.

THE WAY FORWARD:

• As ChatGPT touch several aspects of human life, regulations are needed to ensure safety of the people, protection of privacy, etc.
• Regulations may be linked to the performance of the products. In this case, further use depends on the performance. If ChatGPT-based applications / services are found to be safer than human-based applications/services, more use may be permitted. If it is found to be less safe, the use should be restricted till the further development of technology.
• Policy is needed to handle the impact on the job opportunity. Several critics predicted that the use of ChatGPT is likely to reduce the job opportunity in several sectors. Therefore, policy is needed to provide some type of social security to the workers who may be displaced. Infrastructure and policy are needed to retrain the workers to enable them take up new jobs which may emerge.
• Government has a major role to play in funding R&D and innovation projects. Most of the developed and several developing countries are investing heavily in R&D and innovation in the area of artificial intelligence. India needs to initiate a Programme to support R&D and innovation in this area.
• Centres of Excellence should be created in the academic institutions and R&D centres. Apart from R&D of long-term benefits, these centres should work on the ideas which can lead to startup companies. Industry should be invited to collaborate with these centres to work on the technology and applications of their interest.

THE CONCLUSION: India has a unique opportunity to apply the technology to solve some of its biggest problems such as healthcare facility shortage, low education quality, etc. It is impossible to meet the target of providing good healthcare or quality education using conventional methods. For instance, the number of doctors needed to to provide good quality healthcare is so large that it cannot be achieved in several years. AI technology provides an alternative to achieve the same. Chat GPT has emerged as a powerful tool to utilise the Artificial intelligence to effectively solve problems like health and education and skill development to enhance human capital and reap the benefit of demographic dividend.

MAINS QUESTION

1. Discuss the future of work due to advancements in AI.
2. “Innovation can take a back seat with increasing use of AI’. Analyse the given statement with respect to new developments in AI.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

1. WHAT IS FREE FLOAT IN STOCKS?

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III-ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, index provider MSCI said it has cut the free-float designations of four securities of India’s Adani group.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Free Float:

• The free float is also known as Public float which refers to the shares of a company that can be publicly traded and are not restricted.
• It generally excludes promoters’ holding, government / strategic holding and other locked-in shares, which will not come to the market for trading in the normal course.
• Free Float=(Outstanding shares-Restricted Shares-Closely held shares)
• Outstanding shares refer to the number of shares held by all of the company’s shareholders
• Restricted shares refer to shares that are not transferable until certain conditions are met. Restricted shares are generally held by corporate management, such as executives and directors.
• Closely-held shares refer to shares that are typically held onto for a very long-term basis. Examples include major long-term shareholders and insiders.
• Free Float Methodology is used to provide a more accurate reflection of market movements and stocks actively available for trading in the market.
• The free-float methodology has been adopted by many of the world’s major indexes.
• MSCI calculates free float-adjusted market capitalization for each security to calculate the weights of the securities in the MSCI indexes.

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

2. CORBETT TIGER RESERVE

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III-ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The Supreme Court recently banned all construction activities in the core areas of tiger reserves national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

THE EXPLANATION:

A Supreme court-appointed panel noticed that illegal constructions for the establishment of a tiger safari were being done within the buffer area of Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand.

About the Corbett Tiger Reserve

• It is located in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand. This reserve encompasses the Patli Dun valley.
• The Ramganga, Sonanadi, Palain and Mandal, and Kosi rivers form the prominent hydrological resource for the Corbett.
• The core area of the reserve contains the Corbett National Park and the Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary is part of its buffer area.
• Flora: The trees which contribute to the Flora of Corbett consist of evergreen Sal and its combined trees, the Sheesham, and the Kanju found extensively on the ridges.
• Fauna: Tiger, Leopard, Elephant, Hog deer, spotted deer, Samber etc.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

3. CAR T-CELL THERAPY

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-GS-III- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the researchers have said that India’s first indigenously developed Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T Cell T therapy for specific types of cancer.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies represent a quantum leap in the sophistication of cancer treatment.
• Unlike chemotherapy or immunotherapy, which require mass-produced injectable or oral medication, CAR T-cell therapies use a patient’s own cells.
• They are modified in the laboratory to activate T-cells, a component of immune cells, to attack tumors.
• These modified cells are then infused back into the patient’s bloodstream after conditioning them to multiply more effectively.

How does the therapy work?

• In CAR T-cell therapy, the patient’s blood is drawn to harvest T-cells which are immune cells that play a major role in destroying tumor cells.
• Researchers modify these cells in the laboratory so that they express specific proteins on their surface, known as chimeric antigen receptors (CAR).
• They have an affinity for proteins on the surface of tumor cells.
• This modification in the cellular structure allows CAR T-cells to effectively bind to the tumor and destroy it.
• The final step in the tumor’s destruction involves its clearance by the patient’s immune system.

4. QUAOAR

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-GS-III- SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT:Astronomers have recently spotted a ring around a Pluto-sized dwarf planet called Quaoar in the outer reaches of the solar system.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Quaoar:

• Quaoar is a dwarf planet that’s located in the Kuiper Belt at the solar system’s edge.
• It is about 697 miles wide (1,121 kilometers).
• It is roughly one-twelfth the diameter of Earth, one-third the diameter of the Moon, and half the size of Pluto.
• Quaoar is greater in volume than all known asteroids combined.
• Quaoar has its own moon, the 100-mile-wide (160 km) Weywot.
• Its surface is moderately red and composed of low-density ices mixed with rock.
• It takes about 288 years for Quaoar to go once around the sun in a roughly circular orbit.

What is Kuiper Belt?

• Kuiper belt, also called the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt, is a flat ring of small icy bodies that revolve around the Sun beyond the orbit of the planet Neptune.
• There are millions of these icy objects, collectively referred to as Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) or trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs), in this belt.
• The Kuiper Belt is a region of leftovers from the solar system’s early history.
• It is thought to be the source of most of the observed short-period comets, particularly those that orbit the Sun in less than 20 years.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. BRU TRIBE

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Over 14,000 Brus displaced from Mizoram have been registered to vote in Tripura since their rehabilitation process began in April 2021.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Bru Tribe:

• Bru or Reang is a community indigenous to the Northeast, living mostly in Tripura, Mizoram, and Assam.
• In Tripura, they are recognised as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group.
• They belong to Indo-Mongoloid racial stock. Their languages have an affinity with Austro-Asiatic groups under the Tibeto-Burman family.
• Ethnically they are divided into 2 major clans namely Meska and Molsoi.
• Their language is known as “Kaubru” which has a tonal effect on the Kuki language though broadly it is the Kok-Borok dialect.
• Occupation: They are still a nomadic tribe and a large number among them maintain their livelihood involving Hilltop Jhum Cultivation and other food gathering activities.
• They believe in spirits and the existence of a soul.
• By religion they are Hindus and most of their deities are akin to gods and goddesses of the Hindu faith. Among Reangs followers of Vaishnavism are found in good numbers.
• This tribal community traditionally are endogamous and does not marry outside their community.
• The village council chief known as “RAI” permits Divorce and Widow marriage.

Connect the dots:

• What is Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)?

GEOGRAPHY: NATURAL RESOURCES

1. NEW LITHIUM RESERVES

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-I-GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT: India’s Ministry of Mines recently announced that 5.9 million tonnes of lithium reserves have been found for the first time in the country in Jammu and Kashmir.

THE EXPLANATION:

• It is a soft, silvery-white metal that heads group 1, the alkali metals group, of the periodic table of the elements.

Features:

• It has the lowest density of all metals.
• It is the lightest of the solid elements.
• It reacts vigorously with water.
• It has a body-centered cubic crystal structure.
• Occurrence:
• Lithium does not occur as a metal in nature but is found combined in small amounts in igneous rocks.
• Lithium is found in brine deposits and as salts in mineral springs. Its concentration in seawater is 0.1 part per million (ppm).
• Major Reserves: Lithium reserves are concentrated in the lithium triangle in South America – Argentina, Bolivia & Chile, with 50% of the deposits concentrated in these regions.

FIG: LITHIUM TRIANGLE

Uses:

• Lithium is important in rechargeable batteries for mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras, and electric vehicles.
• It is also used in some non-rechargeable batteries for things like heart pacemakers, toys, and clocks.
• Lithium metal is made into alloys with aluminium and magnesium, improving their strength and making them lighter.
• Lithium oxide is used in special glasses and glass ceramics.
• Lithium stearate is used as an all-purpose and high-temperature lubricant.
• Lithium carbonate is used in drugs to treat manic depression.

INDIAN POLITY

2. MODES OF LOSING INDIAN CITIZENSHIP

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-II- POLITY

THE CONTEXT: Over 16 lakh Indians have renounced their Indian citizenship since 2011, including 2,25,620 people last year, the highest during the period, while the lowest of 85,256 was in 2020, according to government data.

THE EXPLANATION:

Modes of losing Indian Citizenship:

• The Citizenship Act 1955 lays down the three modes by which an Indian citizen, whether a citizen at the commencement of the Constitution or subsequent to it, may lose their citizenship. These are,

By Renunciation:

• An Indian Citizen of full age and capacity can renounce his Indian citizenship by making a declaration to that effect and having it registered.
• But if such a declaration is made during any war in which India is engaged, the registration shall be withheld until the Central Government otherwise directs.
• When a male person renounces his citizenship, every minor child of him ceases to be an Indian citizen.
• Such a child may, however, resume Indian citizenship if he makes a declaration to that effect within a year of his attaining full age, i.e. 18 years.

By Termination:

• If a citizen of India voluntarily acquires citizenship of another country, then the citizenship of India gets terminated.
• This provision does not apply during times of war.
• If any question arises as to whether, when, or how any person has acquired the citizenship of another country, it is to be determined by such authority and in such manner as may be prescribed by the rules.

By Deprivation:

• It is a compulsory termination of citizenship of India.
• A citizen of India by naturalization, registration, domicile and residence may be deprived of his citizenship by order of the Central Government if it is satisfied that:
• The citizen has obtained the citizenship by means of fraud, false representation, or concealment of any material fact;
• The citizen has shown disloyalty to the Constitution of India;
• The citizen has unlawfully traded or communicated with the enemy during a war;
• The citizen has, within five years after registration or neutralization, been imprisoned in any country for two years;
• The citizen has been ordinarily resident out of India for seven years.

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

3. THANE CREEK

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III-ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: A seven-km undersea tunnel will be constructed for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor project in a bid to save about 12 hectares of mangrove forests in Maharashtra’s Thane creek.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Thane creek:

• It is an inlet along the shoreline of the Arabian Sea that isolates the city of Mumbai from the Indian mainland.
• The east bank lies in the Thane and Navi Mumbai districts, while the west bank is in the Greater Mumbai district.
• It is Asia’s largest creek, with a length of 26 km.
• Thane Creek is fed by numerous freshwater sources (of which Ulhas river is the largest), making the water brackish.
• The creek is covered with mangroves on both sides.
• Thane Creek is a very important wintering ground for waterbirds. It supports over 1,00,000 birds during winter, including the iconic flamingos.
• A major part of the creek has been declared a bird sanctuary called Thane Creek Flamingo Bird Sanctuary (TCFS).

Thane Creek Flamingo Bird Sanctuary (TCFS):

• TCFS also referred to as the Airoli Flamingo Sanctuary, is the first flamingo sanctuary in India located along the western bank of the Thane creek.
• It encompasses more than 1600 hectares of mudflats, mangroves, and water bodies.
• The area was declared a flamingo sanctuary in 2015 and is home to substantial bird life – both residential and migratory.
• TCFS  was declared a Ramsar site by the International Wetlands Convention in 2022.
• Flora: Avicennia marina, Rhizophora mucronata, Acanthus ilicifolius, Aeluropus lagopoides, Sesuvium protulacastrumetc.
• Fauna: Over 205 species of birds have been reported from this area, including Lesser Flamingo, Greater Flamingo, Asian Openbill, White Stork, Pied Avocet, Eastern Golden Plover, etc.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

4. SMALL SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE (SSLV-D2)

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the second edition of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV-D2) from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan space centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

THE EXPLANATION:

About the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle:

• The new vehicle was developed to capture the emerging small and microsatellite commercial market.
• The SSLV caters to the launch of up to 500 kg satellites to low earth orbits on a ‘launch-on-demand’ basis.
• The launch vehicle uses three solid stages followed by a liquid-fuel-based Velocity Trimming Module (VTM) to place satellites in orbit
• The rocket provides low-cost access to space, offers low turn-around time and flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, and demands minimal launch infrastructure.
• It placed the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) earth observation satellite EOS-07 and two co-passenger satellites — Janus-1 and AzaadiSat2

What is Janus-1?

• Janus-1 is a technology demonstrator satellite built by United States-based Antaris and its Indian partners XDLinks and Ananth Technologies.
• It weighs only 10.2 kg and is a six-unit cube satellite with five payloads on board — two from Singapore, and one each from Kenya, Australia, and Indonesia.

What is AzaadiSat2?

• The payloads have been built by 750 girl students from across India.
• The payloads include: LoRa amateur radio, a sensor to measure radiation levels in space, and sensors to measure the health of the satellite such as temperature, reset count, and inertial data.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. ASBESTOS

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Brazil has sunk a decommissioned aircraft carrier despite the presence of asbestos and toxic materials in Atlantic,  many environmental groups claiming the former French ship was packed with toxic materials.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Asbestos:

• It is a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral.
• Asbestos is a group of six naturally occurring minerals made up of heat-resistant fibers.
• It consists of flexible fibers resistant to heat, electricity and corrosion.
• Asbestos is an excellent electrical insulator and is highly fire-resistant, so for much of the 20th century it was very commonly used across the world as a building material.
• Construction materials contained asbestos because it is an effective insulator.
• Asbestos in cloth, paper, cement, plastic and other materials makes them stronger.
• Asbestos mainly comes from Russia, Kazakhstan and China.
• The toxic mineral was once mined throughout North America.
• Asbestos has been used on ships as both a fire retardant and an insulator to protect sailors from the constant and jarring vibrations of ships’ engines.

Health Effects

• It is known to be a highly toxic material and a carcinogen.
• Inhaled or swallowed asbestos fibers can become trapped in the respiratory or digestive systems of the body, accumulating over time.
• Repeated exposure can cause inflammation and damage the DNA.
• The following illnesses have been associated with asbestos exposure: lung cancer, COPD, mesothelioma and asbestosis.

INDIAN POLITY

1. WHAT IS RES JUDICATA?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-II- POLITY

THE CONTEXT:The Madras High Court recently dismissed a civil revision petition filed by a woman against an order of a lower court that had allowed a second divorce petition filed by her husband on the ground of res-judicata.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The concept of res judicata has evolved from the English Common Law System.
• Res judicata literally means ‘the thing has been judged”.
• The principle of res judicata applies when a litigant attempts to file a subsequent lawsuit on the same matter after having received a judgment in a previous case involving the same parties.
• It is a judicial concept which means that the issue before the court has already been decided by another court, between the same parties, and the courts do not allow a petition to be filed in the same or to the other Court.
• Therefore, the court will dismiss the case before it as being useless.
• Res Judicata as a concept is applicable both in the case of the Civil as well as Criminal legal system.

Purpose:

• To prevent injustice to the parties of a case supposedly finished.
• To avoid unnecessary waste of resources and time of the Judicial System.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

2. WHAT IS THE LIBERALISED REMITTANCE SCHEME (LRS)?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III- ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT:The Union Budget 2023 proposes a Tax Collection at Source (TCS) for foreign outward remittance under LRS (other than for Education and medical purpose) of 20% on the entire value.

THE EXPLANATION:

About the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS):

• LRS allows Indian residents to freely remit up to USD $250,000 per financial year for current or capital account transactions or a combination of both. Any remittance exceeding this limit requires prior permission from the RBI. The scheme was introduced on February 4, 2004

Who can remit funds under LRS?

• Only individual Indian residents, including minors, are permitted to remit funds under LRS.
• Corporates, partnership firms, HUF, trusts, etc., are excluded from its ambit.

Frequency of Remittances:

• There are no restrictions on the frequency of remittances under LRS.
• Once a remittance is made for an amount up to USD 2,50,000 during the financial year, a resident individual would not be eligible to make any further remittances under this scheme.

Types of transactions permitted:

• Opening of foreign currency account abroad with a bank;
• Acquisition of immovable property abroad, overseas direct investment (ODI), and overseas portfolio investment (OPI);
• Extending loans, including loans in Indian Rupees to non-resident Indians (NRIs) who are relatives as defined in the Companies Act, 2013;
• Private visits abroad (excluding Nepal and Bhutan);
• Maintenance of relatives abroad;
• Medical treatment abroad;
• Pursuing studies abroad ;
• Tax liability on profit made: If any profit is made on foreign investments made under LRS, it is taxable in India based on how long the investment was held.

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

3. WHAT ARE VERMINS?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III-ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT:The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is working to develop immuno-contraceptive measures for population management of species that have become problematic for humans in many parts of the country.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Vermins:

• Vermin are usually considered problem or nuisance animals that attack humans, crops, livestock or property.
• Species which are classified as Vermin are placed under Schedule Vof the Wildlife Protection Act, of 1972.

Key facts about the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

• There are Six Schedules in this act. These Schedules give a different standard of protection.
• The Listed breeds and types of animals in Schedule I and part II of Schedule II get supreme protection. Offences under these are prescribed the highest penalties.
• For example Himalayan Brown Bear, Indian Elephant etc.
• The Listed breeds and types of animals in Schedule III and Schedule IV are also secured, but the penalties are comparatively much lower.
• For example, Barking Deer, Falcons, Kingfisher, Tortoise etc.
• Schedule V includes the animals which can be hunted.
• For example, Common Crow, Mice, Rats, Fruit Bats etc.
• The plants, trees and crops mentioned in Schedule VI are banned from Cultivation and Planting. For example, Kuth, Red Vanda, Pitcher Plant etc.

4. DICKINSONIA

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III-ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Recently, an alleged fossil discovered near Bhopal about two years ago and thought to be of the extinct Dickinsonia turned out to be the impression of a decayed beehive.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Dickinsonia:

• Dickinsonia is an extinct genus of basal animal that lived during the late Ediacaran period on ocean floors around present-day’s Australia, Russia and Ukraine.
• The individual Dickinsonia typically resembles a bilaterally symmetrical ribbed oval.
• Its affinities are presently unknown; its mode of growth is consistent with a stem-group bilaterian affinity, though some have suggested that it belongs to the fungi or even an “extinct kingdom”.
• The discovery of cholesterol molecules in fossils of Dickinsonia lends support to the idea that Dickinsonia was an animal.
• It is believed to be one of the key links between the early, simple organisms and the explosion of life in the Cambrian Period, about 541 million years ago.

About the Ediacaran period

• It consisted of tubular and frond-shaped organisms that lived during this period.
• The Ediacaran Period was about 20 million years before the emergence of modern animal life — a period known as the Cambrian explosion.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5. KEANUMYCINS

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT:Recently, researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI) have discovered a new antimicrobial agent.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Keanumycins :

• A group of molecules developed by bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas has proven to have such a strong antimicrobial effect that researchers have named them keanumycins.
• The researchers proved that the substance is effective against both plant fungal diseases and human-pathogenic fungi.
• The group of molecules works effectively against the planet pest Botrytis cinerea, which triggers grey mould rot in crops, causing massive harvest losses every year.
• It also affects fungi that are dangerous to humans, like Candida albicans and has been proven to be harmless to plant and human cells.
• Keanumycins can be an environment-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides.

What is Pseudomonas?

Pseudomonas is a type of bacteria (germ) that is found commonly in the environment, like in soil and water.

GOVERNANCE

1. WHAT IS NO FLY LIST?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-II-GOVERNANCE

THE CONTEXT: According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, In last 1 year, a total of 63 passengers have been placed in “No Fly List” for such period, as recommended by the airline’s Internal Committee constituted in accordance with Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR). These include 02 (two) incidents of urinating that have come to the notice of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

THE EXPLANATION:

What are the rules for putting a flier on the no-fly list?

• In 2017, the government issued rules for preventing disruptive behaviour by air travellers and laid down guidelines for a no-fly list. As per the rules, a complaint of unruly behaviour needs to be filed by the pilot-in-command, and this is to be probed by an internal committee to be set up by the airline.
• During the period of pendency of the inquiry, the rules empower the concerned airline to impose a ban on the passenger. The committee is to decide the matter within 30 days, and also specify the ban duration.
• The rules define three categories of unruly behaviour: Level 1 refers to behaviour that is verbally unruly, and calls for debarment up to three months; Level 2 indicates physical unruliness and can lead to the passenger being debarred from flying for up to six months; Level 3 indicates life-threatening behaviour for which the debarment would be for a minimum of two years.

Why is there a no-fly list?

• The Civil Aviation Requirements issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) note that unruly behaviour on board aircraft has been declared an offence and is a punishable act. Even one unruly passenger can jeopardise safety on board. The government kick-started the process of developing these rules after an incident involving then Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad assaulting an Air India staffer on a flight back in 2017.
• Subsequently, a clutch of airlines banned Gaikwad from travelling on their flights; this was in effect for two weeks. The government came out with the no-fly list in September that year.

How do other countries manage no-fly lists?

• India is one of the few countries where airlines have been empowered to straight away ban a person from taking their flights. In aviation markets like the US or Canada, the no-fly list is more oriented to be a terror-watch program.
• In the US, the no-fly list had less than 20 people prior to 9/11, but sky-rocketed to thousands following the attacks. Cases of disruption with unruly behaviour, however, has got people on the no-fly list in the US. In 2016, US-based Delta Airlines banned a passenger for life after he was caught on video shouting profane political comments on its flight.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

2. NISAR MISSION

TAGS: PRELIMS- GS-III- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: NASA-ISRO partnership’s satellite all set to arrive in India,Once launched into space, NISAR will provide critical information on Earth’s crust, ice sheets, and ecosystems, helping researchers better understand the causes and consequences of land surface changes.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Jointly developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), an Earth-observation satellite, called NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar), got a send-off ceremony at the American space agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California on (February 3)2023.
• The SUV-size satellite will be shipped to India in a special cargo container flight later this month for a possible launch in 2024 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh.

What is NISAR?

• NISAR has been built by space agencies of the US and India under a partnership agreement signed in 2014. The 2,800 kilograms satellite consists of both L-band and S-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instruments, which makes it a dual-frequency imaging radar satellite.
• While NASA has provided the L-band radar, GPS, a high-capacity solid-state recorder to store data, and a payload data subsystem, ISRO has provided the S-band radar, the GSLV launch system and spacecraft.
• According to NASA, another important component of the satellite is its large 39-foot stationary antenna reflector. Made of a gold-plated wire mesh, the reflector will be used to focus “the radar signals emitted and received by the upward-facing feed on the instrument structure”.

What is the mission?

• Once launched into space, NISAR will observe subtle changes in Earth’s surfaces, helping researchers better understand the causes and consequences of such phenomena. It will spot warning signs of natural disasters, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides. The satellite will also measure groundwater levels, track flow rates of glaciers and ice sheets, and monitor the planet’s forest and agricultural regions, which can improve our understanding of carbon exchange.
• By using synthetic aperture radar (SAR), NISAR will produce high-resolution images. SAR is capable of penetrating clouds and can collect data day and night regardless of the weather conditions.
• According to NASA, “the instrument’s imaging swath — the width of the strip of data collected along the length of the orbit track — is greater than 150 miles (240 kilometres), which allows it to image the entire Earth in 12 days.”

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

3. THE WORLD’S DEADLIEST EARTHQUAKES SINCE 2000

TAGS: PRELIMS & GS-III DISASTER MANAGEMENT

THE CONTEXT: Turkey has experienced powerful earthquakes since the early hours of 6th February 2023, with the first one, a quake of magnitude 7.8, being described as the strongest the country has experienced in over a century.

THE EXPLANATION:

• A magnitude 7.8 earthquake shook Turkey and Syria killing more than 3,400 people in the two countries.
• The death toll is expected to rise as rescuers search through the frigid night.
• The US Geological Survey (USGS) said while the quake was centred about 33 km from Gaziantep, around 18 km deep, its effect was felt across West Asia, Northern Africa and South Eastern Europe with residents of Lebanon, Cyprus, Greece, Israel and Egypt also reporting tremors.
• India is among the 45 countries, which have so far offered assistance to Turkey. It’s sending search and rescue teams of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and medical teams along with relief material to the West Asian nation.

What is an earthquake?

• An earthquake is an intense shaking of the ground caused by movement under the earth’s surface. It happens when two blocks of the earth suddenly slip past one another, according to USGS. This releases stored-up ‘elastic strain’ energy in the form of seismic waves, which spreads through the earth and cause the shaking of the ground.

What exactly causes earthquakes?

• The earth’s outermost surface, crust, is fragmented into tectonic plates. The edges of the plates are called plate boundaries, which are made up of faults. The tectonic plates constantly move at a slow pace, sliding past one another and bumping into each other.
• As the edges of the plates are quite rough, they get stuck with one another while the rest of the plate keeps moving. Earthquake occurs when the plate has moved far enough and the edges unstick on one of the faults.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

4. THIS WORD MEANS: NORTH STAR

TAGS:PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Vice President said Parliament is the “North Star” of democracy, “a place of discussion and deliberation to realise the aspirations and dreams of the people”.

THE EXPLANATION:

In January 2023, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud had described the basic structure of the Constitution, laid down by the Supreme Court in the 1973 Kesavananda Bharati judgment, as the “North Star” that “guides and gives certain direction to the interpreters and implementers of the Constitution when the path ahead is convoluted”.
Guide to navigation

• Polaris, known as the North Star or Pole Star, is a very bright star — around 2,500 times more luminous than the Sun. It is part of the constellation Ursa Minor, and is around 323 light years away from the Earth.
• Since Polaris is less than 1° away from the north celestial pole, almost in direct line with the Earth’s rotational axis, it appears to sit motionless in the northern sky, with all the other stars appearing to rotate around it.
• Its position and brightness have allowed humans to use it for navigation since late antiquity. Simply the elevation of the star above the horizon gives the approximate latitude of the observer. In the northern hemisphere, if you can spot Polaris, you can tell the north — and by extension, the other three directions as well. Upon crossing the equator to the south, however, the North Star is lost over the horizon, and hence stops being a useful navigational aid.

5. A NEW KIND OF ICE: ‘AMORPHOUS’ SOLID, WATER ‘FROZEN IN TIME’

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: Scientists have created a new type of ice that matches the density and structure of water, perhaps opening a door to studying water’s mysterious properties.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The ice is called medium-density amorphous ice. Theshook regular ice in a small container with centimetre-wide stainless-steel balls at temperatures of (–) 200 °C to produce the variant, which has never been seen before. The ice appeared as a white granular powder that stuck to the metal balls.
• Normally, when water freezes, it crystallizes and its molecules are arranged into the familiar hexagonal, solid structure that we call ice. Ice is less dense than its liquid form — an unusual property for a crystal. Depending on conditions such as pressure and the speed of freezing, water can also solidify in any of two dozen other regular arrangements. Amorphous ice is different: it has no such order.
• If confirmed, the new form of ice could enable studies of water in a manner that was not possible before.

HEALTH ISSUES

1. WHAT IS SICKLE CELL ANEMIA?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-II-HEALTH ISSUES

THE CONTEXT: Union Finance Minister recently announced the Central Government’s plan to launch a mission to eliminate sickle cell anemia by 2047.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Sickle cell anemia:

• It is an inherited blood disorder.
• It affects hemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to cells throughout the body.
• People with this disease have atypical hemoglobin molecules called hemoglobin S, which can distort red blood cells into a sickle, or crescent, shape.
• These sickle cells also become rigid and sticky, which can slow or block blood flow.

What causes it?

• The cause of Sickle cell disease is a defective gene, called a sickle cell gene.
• A person will be born with sickle cell disease only if two genes are inherited—one from the mother and one from the father.

Symptoms:

• Early stage: Extreme tiredness or fussiness from anemia, painfully swollen hands and feet, and jaundice.
• Later stage: Severe pain, anemia, organ damage, and infections.

Treatments:

• The only cure for this disease is bone marrow or stem cell transplantation.
• However, there are treatments that can help relieve symptoms, lessen complications, and prolong life.

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY & CLIMATE CHANGE

2. HEIMANG TREE

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III-ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Despite recent studies highlighting the Heimang’s remarkable adaptability, it hasn’t yet been used much in commerce.

THE EXPLANATION:

ABOUT HEIMANG

• The Heimang tree grows widely in Manipur and other north-eastern regions
• Its fruit have a citrus-like tartness and, it is packed with nutrients such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidants.
• Traditional healers of Manipur called Maibas or maibis, prescribe heimang for common gastrointestinal problems like diarrhoea and dysentery.
• It is also recommended to eat water-soaked fruit for indigestion and stomach ulcer.
• The research found that compounds isolated from the stem of the heimang tree can significantly suppress HIV-1 activity in vitro.
• Local communities in the state also use heimang leaves to prepare a herbal shampoo called chinghi by boiling them with rice water.

3. RED-HEADED VULTURE

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III-ENVIRONMENT

THE CONTEXT: Recently, The Red-headed vulture was spotted in the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Red-headed vulture

• This is one of the 9 species of Vulture which are found in India
• It is also called the Asian King vulture or Pondicherry Vulture was extensively found in India but its numbers drastically reduced after diclofenac poisoning.
• Conservation status
• IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1

ABOUT THE ASOLA BHATTI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

• It is located on the Southern Delhi Ridge of the Aravalli hill range on the Delhi-Haryana border and in Southern Delhi as well as northern parts of the Faridabad and Gurugram districts of Haryana.
• It is at the end of an important wildlife corridor that starts from Sariska National Park in Alwar, Rajasthan.
• Flora: Wide variety of trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses.
• Fauna: A large number of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies and dragonflies.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

4. CAESIUM-137

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, a Caesium-137 capsule lost in transit was discovered in Western Australia using specialised detection equipment that detected radiation.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is Caesium?

• Caesium is a soft, flexible, silvery-white metal.
• It becomes liquid near room temperature, but easily bonds with chlorides to create a crystalline powder.

About the Caesium-137

• It is the most common radioactive form of caesium.
• It is produced by nuclear fission which is also one of the byproducts of nuclear fission processes in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons testing.
• This radioactive metal has a half-life of 30.05 years – meaning in three decades it will have half of its original activity.
• Caesium-137 can cause serious illness when touched, leading to burns and acute radiation sickness.
• External exposure can increase the risk of cancer because of the presence of high-energy beta-gamma radiation. Prolonged exposure can even cause death.
• Internal exposure to it through ingestion or inhalation allows the radioactive material to be distributed in the soft tissues, especially muscle tissue, which increases cancer risk.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

5. WHAT IS THE ‘MAHILA SAMMAN SAVING CERTIFICATE’ SCHEME?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-II—ECONOMY-SCHEMES IN NEWS

THE CONTEXT: Finance Minister recently announced a new saving scheme ‘Mahila Samman Saving Certificate’ for women and girls in the Union Budget.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Mahila Samman Saving Certificate’ Scheme:

• The scheme offers deposit facility up to Rs 2 lakh in the name of women or girls for a tenor of 2 years.
• It offers fixed interest rate of 7.5 per cent.
• There are no tax benefits, but partial withdrawal is allowed in this scheme.
• This is a one-time scheme announced in Budget 2023 and will remain available for a two-year period i.e. up to March 2025.
• Benefit: It will encourage more women to adopt formal financial saving instruments.

Difference between Mahila Samman Saving Certificate and Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana

• The Sukanya Samriddhi Scheme is a small deposit scheme of the government of India meant exclusively for a girl child. The scheme is meant to meet the education and marriage expenses of a girl child.
• The current rate of interest offered by Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana is 7.6%, which is compounded annually.
• Account can be opened in the name of a girl child till she attains the age of 10 years.
• The total amount deposited in an account shall not exceed Rs 1,50,000 in a financial year.
• Sukanya Samriddhi scheme has tax benefits under Section 80C.
• The account matures after 21 years from the date of opening or on marriage of the girl child under whose name the account is opened, whichever is earlier.

INDIAN POLITY

1. 16TH FINANCE COMMISSION

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-GS-II POLITY

THE CONTEXT: The Union government will soon kick off the process to set up the 16th Finance Commission, with the Finance Ministry likely to notify the terms of references for the constitutional body, tasked with recommending the revenue sharing formula between the Centre and the States and their distribution among the States, towards the latter half of this year.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The 15th Finance Commission was set up in November 2017 with a mandate to make recommendations for the five-year period from 2020-21. While the Constitution requires a Finance Commission (FC) to be set up every five years, the 15th FC’s mandate was extended by a year till 2025-26, breaking the cycle.
• “In the normal course of things, the next Finance Commission should have been appointed by now, but since our report covered six years instead of five, it must be appointed this year,” the 15th FC’s chairperson N.K. Singh told The Hindu. In late 2019, the commission was asked to give a standalone report for 2020-21 and another report for an extended five-year period till 2025-26.
• The last time an FC was granted a six-year time frame was for the 9th Finance Commission, formed in June 1987. It was asked to submit a single year report for 1989-90 and a five-year report for the five years till 1994-95. These reports were submitted in 1988 and 1990, when the country’s Finance Ministers were S.B. Chavan and Madhu Dandavate, respectively. The 10th Finance Commission was still constituted in June 1992 within the five-year deadline specified by Article 280 of the Constitution, which has not been the case this time.
• “The commission is usually granted about two years to deliberate on its terms of reference, consult States and frame its recommendations, and the government should ideally have its report by October 2025 to consider it in time for Budget 2026-27 — where it will have to place its action taken report on the Commission’s report”.

VALUE ADDITION:

FINANCE COMMISSION

• Article 280 provides for this quasi-judicial body.
• It is constituted by the President every five years or even earlier.
• It is required to make recommendations to the President on the following matters:
  o Distribution of net proceeds of taxes shared between the centre and the states, and the allocation between the states, the respective shares of such proceeds
  o Principles which should decide the grants-in-aid as per article 275
  o Measures needed to augment the Consolidated Fund of the state to supplement the resources of panchayats and municipalities in the state based on the recommendation of the state finance commission
  o Any other matter referred to it by the President
  Some bills can be introduced in the Parliament only on the recommendation of the President so as to protect the financial interests of the states:
• A bill which imposes or varies any tax or duty in which states are interested
• A bill which varies the meaning of the term ‘agricultural income’ as defined for the purposes of the enactments relating to the income tax
• A bill which affects the principles on which moneys are or may be distributable to states; and
• A which imposes any surcharge on any specified tax or duty for the purpose of the centre.

HEALTH ISSUES

2. NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-GS-II-HEALTH ISSUES

THE CONTEXT: The recent World Health Organization (WHO) report said that Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) continue to disproportionately impact the most impoverished members of the international community.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Neglected Tropical Diseases

• Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of tropical infections which are common in low-income populations in developing regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
• They are caused by a variety of pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, protozoa and parasitic worms (helminths).
• There are a diverse group of 20 diseases that are affecting more than 1 billion people who live in impoverished communities.
• They include Buruli ulcer, Chagas Dengue, Chikungunya, Echinococcosis; foodborne trematodes; human African trypanosomiasis; leishmaniasis; leprosy; Lymphatic filariasis, mycetoma, etc

Global Initiative to end NTDs
The WHO’s new road map for 2021–2030 calls for three strategic shifts to end NTDs:

• From measuring process to measuring impact.
• From disease-specific planning and programming to collaborative work across sectors.
• From externally driven agendas reliant on programmes that are country-owned and country-financed.

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY & CLIMATE CHANGE

3. WHAT ARE INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-GS-III-ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The Nodal Centre for Biological Invasions (NCBI) at the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) has come out with a management plan to eradicate Senna spectabilis, the exotic invasive plant that is posing a severe threat to the State’s wildlife habitat.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Based on the results of the experimental study done at the Periyar Tiger Reserve, the plan envisages landscape-level management of the tree. The two key factors considered in developing the management protocol were the fast nature of the spread of the tree in natural forests, and restoration of natural forests based on landscape.

What are invasive species?

• Invasive alien species are plants, animals, pathogens and other organisms that are non-native to an ecosystem, and which may cause economic or environmental harm or adversely affect human health.
• In particular, they impact adversely upon biodiversity, including decline or elimination of native species – through competition, predation, or transmission of pathogens – and the disruption of local ecosystems and ecosystem functions.

The impacts of invasive species include:

• Reduced biodiversity.
• Decreased availability and quality of key natural resources.
• Water shortages.
• Increased frequency of wildfires and flooding.
• Pollution caused by overuse of chemicals to control infestations.

VALUE ADDITION:

Senna spectabilis

• It is an invasive species.
• It is introduced as an ornamental species and for use as firewood from South and Central America.
• The species has become highly invasive in the Sigur plateau in both the core and buffer zones of the MTR.
• Senna spectabilis, along with Lantana camara, is among five major invasive weeds that had taken over vast swathes of the Nilgiris.
• Eucalyptus and pine, though exotic, do not spread as quickly as the other species and are considered easier to manage.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

4. CHINA’S BAIDU MAY LAUNCH CHATGPT

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-GS-III-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: The BAIDU is a Chinese-based technology company. It offers a popular search engine in China called BAIDU. (Major search engines like Google are banned in China).

THE EXPLANATION:

• The company works on artificial intelligence and internet-related products. The headquarters of the company is in Beijing. The company is one of the largest AI companies in the world. The TECH giant is now planning to develop a chatbot similar to that of ChatGPT.

What is Baidu’s plan?

• The Beln Crypto report recently said that BAIDU is to launch a ChatGPT-like chatbot. Beln Crypto is one of the most popular and largest cryptocurrency news platforms in the world. BAIDU’s chat platform will have conversation-style interfaces just like ChatGPT.

Background

• BAIDU has been investing millions and millions of dollars in this AI platform. With this, the company is planning on shifting into a complete technology company and stopping all its online marketing services.

Features

• BAIDU’s chatbot is to be built on the Ernie system. ERNIE stands for Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment. It is a hardware random number generator. It was invented to be used in lotteries and casinos.

ChatGPT

• It is a Microsoft product. Today it is at the peak of its success. Apart from BAIDU, other Chinese investors are also looking for ways to develop an AI chatbot just like ChatGPT.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

5. ECONOMIC SURVEY: WHAT IS IT AND WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2023

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-GS-III-ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) will release the Economic Survey for the current financial year (2022-23). The survey is always presented a day before – typically January 31 since Union Budgets are scheduled for February 1 – the Finance Minister unveils the Union Budget for the next financial year (2023-24 in the present case).

THE EXPLANATION:

What is the Economic Survey?

• As the name suggests, the Economic Survey is a detailed report of the state of the national economy in the financial year that is coming to a close.
• It is prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) under the guidance of the CEA. Once prepared, the Survey is approved by the Finance Minister.
• The first Economic Survey was presented for 1950-51 and until 1964, it was presented along with the Budget.
• Similarly, for the longest time, the survey was presented in just one volume, with specific chapters dedicated to different key sectors of the economy – such as services, agriculture, and manufacturing – as well as key policy areas – such as fiscal developments, state of employment and inflation etc. This volume carries a detailed statistical abstract as well.
• However, between 2010-11 and 2020-21, the survey was presented in two volumes. The additional volume carried the intellectual imprint of the CEA and often dealt with some of the major issues and debates facing the economy.
• Last year’s (2022) survey reverted back to a single volume format, possibly because it was prepared and presented while there was a change in guard in the CEA’s office and the current CEA – V Anantha Nageswaran – took charge when the survey was released.

What is the Economic Survey’s significance?

• Even though it comes just a day before the Budget, the assessment and recommendations carried in the survey are not binding on the Budget.
• Still, the survey remains the most authoritative and comprehensive analysis of the economy that is conducted from within the Union government.
• As such, its observations and details provide an official framework for analysing the Indian economy.

What should one look for in this year’s survey?

• The Indian economy has been struggling to grow at a fast pace since the start of 2017-18. The years immediately after Covid may have registered fast growth rates but that was just a statistical illusion. Many outside economists have argued that India’s potential growth itself has fallen from 8% to 6%.
• Along with a deceleration in growth, the economy has also witnessed historically high unemployment and a sharp rise in poverty and inequality during the Covid pandemic.
• The survey is expected to diagnose the true extent of economic recovery in the Indian economy and whether India’s growth potential has lost a step or not.
• The survey can be expected to paint future scenarios and also suggest policy solutions. For instance, what can be done to boost manufacturing growth in the country? How can India continue to grow fast at a time when both global growth and world trade is likely to remain muted.

HEALTH ISSUES

1. NATIONAL ANTI-LEPROSY DAY 2023

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-II- HEALTH ISSUES

THE CONTEXT: In India, the World Leprosy Day is celebrated on January 30. It is celebrated as the Anti – Leprosy Day in India. This is to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi ji. Gandhiji had compassion towards the people affected by leprosy throughout his life.

THE EXPLANATION:

Leprosy

• Leprosy is also called Hansen disease. It is caused by bacterial infection. It is caused by the bacteria called Mycobacterium Leprae. It is a rod shaped bacteria. Leprosy is one of the oldest diseases and has still not been eradicated. The first occurrence of leprosy was reported as 600 BC. It has been mentioned in the oldest civilisations of the world such as India, Egypt and China.
• Leprosy is air borne. It affects peripheral nerves, skin, and respiratory tract. It takes three to five years for the symptoms to appear. If not treated on time, leprosy leads to disfigurement, disability and permanent nerve damage.
• Leprosy can be cured by Multi – Drug therapy.

Steps taken by GoI

• In 1955, the National Leprosy Control Programme was started.
• In 1993 – 93, the World Bank supported National Leprosy Elimination Project.
• National Leprosy Eradication Programme: It aimed to reduce the leprosy levels to less than one per 10,000 at national level by 2005.
• In 2019, Lok Sabha passed a bill on leprosy. The bill sought to remove leprosy as a ground for divorce.

National Leprosy Eradication Programme:

Objectives

• To reduce Prevalence rate less than 1/10,000 population at sub national and district level.
• To reduce Grade II disability % < 1 among new cases at National level
• To reduce Grade II disability cases < 1 case per million population at National level.
• Zero disabilities among new Child cases.
• Zero stigma and discrimination against persons affected by leprosy.

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY & CLIMATE CHANGE

2. NOBLE’S HELEN: NEW SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY FROM ARUNACHAL PRADESH

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III- ENVIRONMENT,ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

THE CONTEXT: The butterfly population has been increasing in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in recent times. The state is called the nature trove and is known for its biodiversity.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Recently, a new swallowtail butterfly was spotted in the state. It is called the Noble Helen. The species does not occur in India. Its origin is in China, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Cambodia. The butterfly has been disappearing in these countries and was recently spotted in India.

Butterflies

• The butterflies occur in all parts of the world except Antarctica. There are 18,500 butterfly species in the world.
• Of these 775 are Nearctic. The Nearctic includes tropical, subtropical, arctic, and temperate regions of North America.
• 7,700 are neo-tropical. Neotropical regions include eight biological terrains. They are south America, the Caribbean islands, Central America, Yucatan Peninsula, southern North America, southern Florida, and central Florida.
• 1,575 are Palearctic. Palearctic includes Eurasia, North Africa, and Arabian Peninsula
• 3650 are Afro-tropical. This includes Madagascar, Iran, the western Indian Ocean, and Pakistan
• 4800 are in Australian regions.

Butterflies in India

• In India, butterflies occur in Eastern Himalayas, Western Ghats, and in hills in the India – Myanmar border. These friends of humanity are becoming extinct mainly because of the loss of habitat.

VALUE ADDITION:

• A Himalayan butterfly named Golden Birdwing is India’s largest, a record an unknown specimen had held for 88 years.
• The smallest is the Quaker (Neopithecops zalmora) with a wingspan of 18 mm and forewing length of 8 mm.

Other State Butterflies:

• Maharashtra was the first in the country to announce its state butterfly (Blue Mormon).
• Uttarakhand has Common Peacock.
• Arunachal Pradesh has Kaiser-i-Hind Butterfly.
• Karnataka has the Southern Birdwing.
• Kerala has Malabar banded peacock or buddha butterfly.
• Tamil Nadu has declared the Tamil Yeoman Butterfly species (endemic to the Western Ghats) as the state butterfly.

3. WHAT IS ALBINISM?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III- ENVIRONMENT,ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

THE CONTEXT: Recently a partial albino dhole (Cuon alpinus) has been photo-documented in Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Albinism:

• Albinism is the result of cells that can’t produce melanin, the pigment needed to colour skin, scales, eyes and hair.
• This genetic condition gets passed to offspring when both parents carry the recessive gene. When albinism is present, the animal can appear white or pink.
• The production of melanin occurs within melanocytes, specialized cells that are present but not fully functional in albino mammals.

About Dhole

• The dhole or Asiatic Wild Dog is found in three clusters across India namely the Western and Eastern Ghats, the central Indian landscape and North East India.
• The Western and Eastern Ghats is a stronghold regions for dholes.

Conservation status

• IUCN Red List: Endangered
• The Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule II
• CITES: Appendix II

About Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.

• It is extended over three districts, namely, Chamarajanagar, Mandya and Ramanagara in
• The sanctuary provides a vital link between Bannerghatta National Park in the north and BRT Tiger Reserve and Male Mahadev Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in the south.
• The area is drained by three rivers, namely, Cauvery, Arkavathi and Shimsha.
• Flora: The forest is primarily of dry deciduous and scrub types, but a wide range of forest types including moist deciduous, semi-evergreen, evergreen, shola, riverine, Hardwicke forest, etc.
• Fauna: Important animals found in the sanctuary are tigers, elephants, leopards, bison, wild dog etc.

4. WHAT IS SOLIGA ECARINATA?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III- ENVIRONMENT,ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the scientific community has named a new genus of wasp after the Soliga community.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Soligaecarinata:

• The Soligaecarinata is a new wasp that belongs to the subfamily Metopiinae of the Darwin wasps family Ichneumonidae.
• These are seen only in the Palaearctic region, Neotropical and Nearctic regions.
• This is the second genus of this subfamily reported from India and the first from South India.
• Scientists have named this wasp after the Soliga community.

Who are Soligas?

• Soligas are an indigenous tribe of Karnataka, inhabiting the peripheral forest areas near Biligiri Rangana Hills and Male Mahadeshwara in the Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka.
• The Soligas were dependent on hunting and shifting agriculture traditionally.
• They are the first tribal community living inside the core area of a tiger reserve in India to get their forest rights officially recognised by a court of law.

Key facts about the BiligiriRangan Hills

• It is located northwest of the Western Ghats and on the westernmost edge of the Eastern Ghats.
• The unique geographical positioning and diversity of habitats make BRT one of the richest areas for biodiversity in India.
• The Kapila and Cauvery Rivers flow through these hills.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5. WHAT IS A SPIDER STAR SYSTEM?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Scientists at NASA have recently detected the first gamma-ray eclipses from a “spider” star system.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Spider Star System:

• It is a binary star system in which a super dense star (pulsar) spins quickly, eats another star.
• The super-dense object that begins to pull a matter from the companion resembles the habits of spiders of the genus Latrodectus, in which the female eats the male after mating, hence the name came.
• Initially, the dense pulsar strips material from the outer atmosphere of its companion, periodically shedding the gathered material in violent explosions.
• In the later stage of their lifetimes, the energetic particles streaming out of the pulsar can strip the atmosphere of its companion.
• In either case, the pulsar slowly erodes its companion over time.

Two Types:

• Black widows: Binary pulsar systems, in which the mass of a companion star is less than 5 percent of the pulsar.
• Redback: Binary pulsar systems in which mass of the companion star is from 10 to 50 percent of the pulsar.

What is a Binary star system?

• A binary system is one in which two stars orbit around a common centre of mass, that is they are gravitationally bound to each other.

What are pulsars?

• Pulsars are rapidly spinning neutron stars, extremely dense starscomposed almost entirely of neutrons and having a diameter of only 20 km (12 miles) or less.
• They emit concentrated streams of radiation far across the cosmos.

What are neutron stars?

• They are the remnants of giant stars that died in a fiery explosion known as a supernova.
• After such an outburst, the cores of these former stars compact into an ultradense object with the mass of the sun packed into a ball the size of a city.

SOCIAL ISSUES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. JHARKHAND’S FIRST SURVEY OF MIGRANTS

TAGS: GS-II- SOCIAL ISSUES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

THE CONTEXT: Around 8.5 lakh migrants returned to their home state, Jharkhand, during the COVID crisis. To help these migrants with a good livelihood, the State Government of Jharkhand started the State and Responsible Migration Initiative in 2021.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Creating a robust database of the migrants in the state is a part of this initiative. To achieve this, the Jharkhand Government recently launched the first survey of Migrants. Jharkhand is not the only state to launch such states. Several other states like Tamil Nadu and Punjab had already launched such surveys.

About the Survey

• The survey is to be conducted in 24 districts. Officers will knock on the doors of 11,000 households to take the survey
• The survey outputs will be used to create a state-level policy
• The survey will also help the State in identifying the cause of migration.

Why the Jharkhand people are leaving the state?

• The survey will find out the factors influencing migration in the state
• During the survey, the officers will talk to community leaders to get a greater insight into the problem
• The survey has blocks of questions to understand and decipher the issue. They are household characteristics, incoming migrants, outgoing migrants, quality of life of migrants, understanding the mindset of migrants, etc.
• The survey will also collect details on the nature of work the migrants are expecting and what is the role of women in the household and in the earnings.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

2. WHAT IS THE INDUS WATER TREATY?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-GS-II-INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE CONTEXT: India recently issued a notice to Pakistan for modification of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

THE EXPLANATION:

About Indus Water Treaty:

• It was signed in September 1960 between India and Pakistan.
• The treaty was brokered by the World Bank, which too is a signatory to the treaty.
• The treaty fixed and delimited the rights and obligations of both countries concerning the use of the waters of the Indus River system.
• It gives control over the waters of the three “eastern rivers’ — the Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej — to India, while control over the waters of the three “western rivers’ ‘ — the Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum — to Pakistan.
• The treaty allows India to use the western river waters for limited irrigation use and unlimited non-consumptive use for such applications as power generation, navigation, floating of property, fish culture, etc.
• It lays down detailed regulations for India in building projects over the western rivers.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

3. LUCY MISSION

TAGS:PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-GS-III- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: NASA recently announced that it is adding a new target for the Lucy mission as the spacecraft goes on its more than 6-billion-kilometre-long journey to study the Jupiter trojan asteroids.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Lucy Mission:

• NASA’s Lucy mission is the first spacecraft launched to explore the Trojan asteroids, a population of primitive asteroids orbiting in tandem with Jupiter.
• Lucy was successfully launched Oct. 16, 2021, and will visit eight asteroids over 12 years — one asteroid in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter, and seven Trojan asteroids leading and trailing Jupiter in its orbit.

 What are Trojan Asteroids?

• Asteroids sharing an orbit with a planet, but which are located at the leading (L4) and trailing (L5) Lagrangian points, are known as Trojan asteroids.
• These asteroids occupy a stable Lagrangian point in a planet’s orbit around the Sun.
• Trojan Asteroids are some of the oldest remnants from the formation of our solar system 5 billion years ago.
• There are currently over 4,800 known Trojan asteroids associated with Jupiter.
• They orbit the Sun in two loose groups: one group leading ahead of Jupiter in its orbit, the other trailing behind at the same distance from the Sun as Jupiter.
• Due to the combined gravitational influences of the Sun and Jupiter, these Trojan asteroids have been trapped on stable orbits (around what is known as the Lagrange Points) for billions of years.

 What is a Lagrange point?

• Lagrange Points are positions in space where the gravitational forces of a two body system like the Sun and the Earth produce enhanced regions of attraction and repulsion.
• The Lagrange Points are positions where the gravitational pull of two large masses precisely equals the centripetal force required for a small object to move with them.
• These can be used by spacecraft to reduce fuel consumption needed to remain in position.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INITIATIVES IN NEWS

4. EXTENDED REALITY (XR) STARTUP PROGRAM

TAGS:PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-GS-II- GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS

THE CONTEXT:The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), and Meta have recently announced the list of 120 startups and innovators for the Extended Reality (XR) Startup Program.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Extended Reality (XR) Startup Program:

• The XR Startup Program is a collaboration between Meta and MeitY Startup Hub (MSH).
• Aim: To accelerate India’s contribution towards building the foundations of the metaverse and nurturing the development of Extended Reality (XR) technologies in India.
• It includes two segments namely; an Accelerator and a Grand Challenge.

Accelerator:

• The Accelerator will nurture and foster 40 early-stage startups working with XR technologies through a well-designed 6-month program.
• Each startup will get access to many benefits, including a grant of ₹ 20,00,000, mentorship by industry experts and researchers, access to a network of potential strategic partners and investors, technology and infrastructure support, and opportunities to participate and present at relevant industry events.

Grand Challenge:

• The Grand Challenge is aimed at supporting early-stage innovators to upscale from the R&D phase to developing workable prototypes and Minimum Viable Products (MVPs).
• It will encourage early-stage innovators in sectors like Education, Learning and Skills, Healthcare, Gaming and Entertainment, Agritech& Climate Action and Tourism & Sustainability.
• It will include 4 sector-specific challenges to advance the XR technology ecosystem in India.
• A total of 80 shortlisted innovators will receive a grant of ₹ 50,000 and an opportunity to attend the boot camp.
• Of the 80 shortlisted innovators, 16 innovators will be supported with grants worth ₹ 20,00,000 to help them develop MVP(s)/ prototypes.

5. NATIONAL TECHNICAL TEXTILES MISSION

TAGS:PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-GS-II- GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS

THE CONTEXT:Recently, The Union Minister of Textiles cleared 15 R&D projects across key strategic areas such as Speciality fibre, Protective textiles, High-Performance Textiles , Medical Textiles etc under the National Technical Textiles Mission.

THE EXPLANATION:

What are Technical Textiles?

• Technical Textiles are textile products which are manufactured primarily for their functionality and use rather than aesthetic appeal.
• Technical textiles are classified into 12 major groups based on their application areas namely;Agrotech, Geotech, Buildtech, Mobiltech, Hometech, Clothtech, Indutech, Meditech, Sportstech, Protech, Packtech, Oekotech.

Key features of the National Technical Textiles Mission India

• The Ministry of Textiles has launched NTTM to increase the penetration level of technical textiles in India while leveraging the extraordinary growth rate of the sector.
• The mission aims to position India as a global leader in Technical Textiles.
• The mission will comprise the following four components:
• Research, Innovation and Development
• Promotion and Market Development
• Export Promotion
• Education, Training, Skill Development
• Implementation:It has been approved with an implementation period of four years starting from FY 2020-21 till FY 2023-24. The total outlay of the mission is INR 1480 Cr.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

1. WHAT IS T+1 SETTLEMENT?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III- ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT:After China, India will become the second country in the world to start the ‘trade-plus-one’ (T+1) settlement cycle in top listed securities bringing operational efficiency, faster fund remittances, share delivery, and ease for stock market participants.

THE EXPLANATION:

What’s the T+1 settlement plan?

• The T+1 settlement cycle means that trade-related settlements must be done within a day, or 24 hours, of the completion of a transaction. For example, under T+1, if a customer bought shares on Wednesday, they would be credited to the customer’s demat account on Thursday. This is different from T+2, where they will be settled on Friday. As many as 256 large-cap and top mid-cap stocks, including Nifty and Sensex stocks, will come under the T+1 settlement from Friday.
• Until 2001, stock markets had a weekly settlement system. The markets then moved to a rolling settlement system of T+3, and then to T+2 in 2003. T+1 is being implemented despite opposition from foreign investors. The United States, United Kingdom and Eurozone markets are yet to move to the T+1 system.

And what are the benefits of T+1?

• In the T+1 format, if an investor sells a share, she will get the money within a day, and the buyer will get the shares in her demat account also within a day.

Could it also make markets safer?

• According to a paper published by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), a T+1 settlement cycle not only reduces the timeframe but also reduces and frees up capital required to collateralise that risk.
• A shortened settlement cycle also reduces the number of outstanding unsettled trades at any point of time, and thus decreases the unsettled exposure to Clearing Corporation by 50 per cent. The narrower the settlement cycle, the narrower the time window for a counterparty insolvency/ bankruptcy to impact the settlement of a trade.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

2. INDIA’S FIRST MISSION TO STUDY THE SUN

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT:According to sources,  Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch the Aditya-L1 mission by June or July this year (2023). Aditya-L1 is the first Indian space mission to observe the Sun and the solar corona.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Aditya-L1 mission:

• The Aditya-L1 mission will be launched by ISRO to the L1 orbit (which is the first Lagrangian point of the Sun-Earth system). L1 orbit allows Aditya-L1 to look at the Sun continuously.
• Aditya-L1 has seven payloads in total, of which the primary payload is the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC), designed and fabricated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru.
• The other six payloads are being developed by the ISRO and other scientific institutions.
• It is a joint venture between ISRO and physicists from other institutes of India.
• Aditya- L1 satellite will be placed in the halo orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) of the sun-earth system
• Utility: The data from Aditya mission will be immensely helpful in discriminating between different models for the origin of solar storms and also for constraining how the storms evolve and what path they take through the interplanetary space from the Sun to the Earth

Objectives of mission

• Study dynamic nature of sun’s outer most layers, the corona and the chromosphere, and collect data about Coronal Mass Ejections (CME).
• Study on origin of solar storms and their path through the interplanetary space from the Sun to the Earth.
• The studies will also focus on collection of information for space weather prediction.

VALUE ADDITION:

What is Lagrange Point?

• The L1 point is about 1.5 million km from Earth or about 1/100th of the way to the Sun.
• L1 refers to Lagrangian/Lagrange Point 1, one of 5 points in the orbital plane of the Earth-Sun system.
• These can be used by spacecraft to reduce the fuel consumption needed to remain in position.
• A Satellite placed in the halo orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any occultation/ eclipses.
• The L1 point is home to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Satellite (SOHO), an international collaboration project of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency (ESA).

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

3. INDIA INKS PACT TO INTRODUCE DOZENS OF CHEETAHS FROM SOUTH AFRICA

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III- ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: According to sources, the Memorandum of Understanding between New Delhi and Pretoria to bring 12 cheetahs to India from South Africa was finally signed after a long delay.

THE EXPLANATION:

• These cheetahs will join the eight big cats from Namibia that arrived at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district on September 17, 2022.
• The dates of their arrival are still uncertain. The Madhya Pradesh Forest department had hoped the cheetahs would arrive by February, but the latest speculations suggest it will take at least until the first week of March 2023.
• Also, as per the sources Indian delegation will leave for South Africa sometime in the second week of February to bring the 12 big cats.

India’s effort related to the relocation of Cheetahs

• This isn’t the first time India has attempted the relocation of the Cheetah.
• In the early 1970s, negotiations were carried out with Iran on behalf of the Indira Gandhi administration.
• Assessed sites-Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve and Shergarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kuno National Park, Madhav National Park and Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.
• Kuno National Park is identified for the relocation.
• The site has been monitored since 2006 and identified for relocating the Asiatic Lion.

Significance of Reintroducing Cheetahs

• A section of conservationists has long advocated the reintroduction of the species in the country.
• It is a strategy to conserve threatened species and restore ecosystem functions.
• The Cheetah is the only large carnivore that has been extirpated, mainly by overhunting in India in historical times.
• India now has the economic ability to consider restoring its lost natural heritage for ethical as well as ecological reasons.”
• The conservation of the Cheetah will revive grasslands, and their biomes and habitat, much like Project Tiger have done for forests and all the species that have seen their numbers increase.

Kuno National Park

• Kuno National Park of Madhya Pradesh is a unique destination for all wildlife lovers and enthusiasts.
• It has a healthy population of chital, sambar, nilgai, wild pig, chinkara and cattle. Currently, the leopard and striped hyena are the only larger carnivores within the National Park, with the lone tiger having returned to Ranthambore earlier this year.

PLACES IN NEWS

4. LAKE VICTORIA

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT:According to the report “Lake Victoria: Roadmap for Management of Water Quality in Mwanza City-Tanzania” it has been suffering from a variety of unsustainable human activities over the last five decades.

THE EXPLANATION:

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:

• Lake Victoria and its flora and fauna support the livelihoods of about 45 million people. The ecologically unique water body is shared by three countries — Tanzania (51 per cent), Uganda (44 per cent) and Kenya (5 per cent).
• The discussion paper released in July 2022 identified Mwanza city as a hotspot, contributing a substantial pollution load in the form of industrial effluents, domestic sewage and dumping of solid waste.
• It also recognised two rivers — the Mirongo and the Nyashishi — as the major water bodies carrying domestic and industrial pollution loads, respectively.
• Only 3 per cent of households are connected to sewer lines managed by the Mwanza Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (MWAUWASA), while 93 per cent — especially those living on the hills — are dependent on onsite sanitation (pit latrine and septic tanks), the report highlighted.
• The city’s waste management practices have 70-80 per cent waste collection efficiency and there is no segregation of the garbage.
• Lake Victoria is shared by three countries, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

5. LAKE CHAD BASIN

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT:A recent report by a humanitarian organisation has highlighted the dangerous link between climate change and conflict in countries like Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria in the Lake Chad Basin.

THE EXPLANATION:

• Shrinking natural resources due to adverse weather are heightening tensions across communities and displacing people, said the report by Refugees International published January 19, 2023. Around 3 million people have been displaced and an additional 11 million are in need of humanitarian assistance.
• International actors and regional governments have ignored the interplay between climate change, community violence and the forced displacement of civilian populations.
• International responses to the Lake Chad Basin crisis have singularly focused on the presence of armed groups.
• For years, the lake has been supporting drinking water, irrigation, fishing, livestock and economic activity for over 30 million people in the region, as per the report. It is vital for indigenous, pastoral and farming communities in one of the world’s poorest countries.
• Lake Chad is located in the Sahel, the vast semi-arid region south of the Sahara desert. It is fed mainly by the Chari River through the Lagone tributary, which used to provide 90 per cent of its water.
• The area is particularly sensitive to drought and the lake has fluctuated dramatically in size during prolonged dry periods historically. As the lake shrinks, communities are struggling and there is competition for the dwindling resource.

THE CONTEXT: State behaviour is increasingly being shaped by a desire to acquire, secure or manipulate emerging technologies or the supply chains that produce them. This emerging friction will continue to accelerate as ‘techno-nationalism’ increasingly underpins industrial and trade policy choices.

HOW SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DIPLOMACY CAN SHAPE GLOBAL GEOPOLITICS?

• Science in Diplomacy: It means the scientific inputs going into diplomacy and foreign policy making.
  o Global challenges such as weapons of mass destruction, climate change, cyber security, human health, energy and environment, outer space etc., all require scientific inputs in order to understand and deal with them.
  o These challenges are trans-border and require the application of science and technology in order to resolve them in addition to normal diplomatic efforts.
• Science for Diplomacy: It offers alternative channels of engagement among countries that may have political differences, thus playing an important role by influencing the dynamics of power-balance between sovereign nations
  o Scientific values of rationality, transparency and universality are the same the world over. S&T cooperation, therefore, provides a non-ideological environment for the participation and free exchange of ideas.
• Diplomacy for Science: It means making use of diplomacy to gain benefits in science and technology – bilaterally as well as multilaterally.
  o It seeks to acquire science and technology knowledge to strengthen the national economy and capacity and to participate more effectively in international discussions where science and technology are involved.

HISTORIC SCIENCE DIPLOMACY APPROACH OF INDIA

• India’s global priorities in science and technology were clearly articulated by its first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru during his address to the country’s Science Congress on January 21, 1959.
• Nehru was aware of both the constructive and destructive power of science and made India’s intention of seeking international scientific advances for the country’s development and rise clear with added emphasis on averseness to inter-state rivalries.
• This template would set the tone for India’s international science and technology engagement for much of the 20th century and met with mixed results as more powerful states, such as the United States, sought to curb its ambitions in critical spheres such as its nuclear and space programmers.
• Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been categorical in placing science and technology at the forefront of the country’s diplomatic engagement.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SCIENCE DIPLOMACY

• Science diplomacy is analogous to economic diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, or sports diplomacy. The popular way of looking at science diplomacy is to regard it as composed of three components –‘science in diplomacy’, ‘diplomacy for science, and ‘science for diplomacy.
• Science in diplomacy means the scientific inputs going into diplomacy and foreign policy making. Diplomacy for science means making use of diplomacy to gain benefits in science and technology – bilaterally as well as multilaterally and globally. Science for diplomacy means using science and technology collaboration to bring countries which have differences together.
• Science diplomacy would be the integration of science and technology into the diplomatic and foreign policy framework, which not only determines its increasing importance in international relations but also determines global competitiveness, where the role of knowledge-based industries is becoming increasingly critical.

THE DEVELOPMENT MADE SO FAR

• The Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP) 2013 was one of the instances that an intersection of technology and diplomacy found a mention in an official government document.
  o The document states that the “policy framework will enable strategic partnerships and alliances with other nations through both bilateral and multilateral cooperation in science, technology and innovation.
  o Science diplomacy, technology synergy and technology acquisition models will be judiciously deployed based on strategic relationships.
• International Solar Alliance (ISA) 2015 was launched by India and France to boost solar energy in developing countries.
• It is an association of 121 signatory countries which majorly are sunshine countries (countries lying between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn), and is an excellent example of modern-day science diplomacy.
• Draft Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, 2020 discusses the role of Science & Technology in re-organising India’s foreign policy priorities and shaping the global technology ecosystem.
• In 2020, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) created technically specialised divisions, such as the cyber diplomacy division, e-governance and information technology division, and the new emerging and strategic technologies division.

Challenges

• Interdependence With China
  o China’s Communist Party shares an opaque relationship with the country’s industrial and business sectors. The convergence of policies such as the Make in China 2025 Initiative and the Civil-Military Fusion Initiative, and China’s national cyber security laws, have arguably turned China’s technology ecosystem into an effective extension of its intelligence and information power.
• Navigating Technological Protectionism
  o Another domain that needs immediate attention relates to new export controls, sanctions regimes, and a broader instinct to “guard” technology ecosystems that are fast emerging.
• Global Data Governance
  o The third domain is cross-border data flows and related rules and regulations. Once subject only to domestic regulation, the subject of data flows is fast becoming a contested issue of global governance.
• Coordinated drive
  o Government technology policy, whether it be externally or internally oriented, is often reactive rather than proactive. The Government of India was, for instance, a straggler on outlining a strategy for artificial intelligence. Moreover, while there is a coordinated push on capturing the data of Indian users of international platforms, there has been relatively little thought on how this data can be leveraged and on creating a policy ecosystem conducive to innovation.

THE WAY FORWARD

• NEST enters a milieu of entrenched processes within the MEA itself and, as a new division, must both define itself vis-à-vis these practices while not diluting its mandate as a nodal agency.
  o About NEST and it’s functions:
  o The division will act as the nodal point in India’s foreign ministry for all matters connected to new and emerging technologies, including exchange of views with foreign governments and coordination with domestic ministries and departments.
  o It will also help assess foreign policy and international legal implications of emerging technology and technology-based resources.
  o The desk will also be involved in negotiations to safeguard Indian interests at multilateral fora like the United Nations or the G20 where rules governing the use and access to such technologies could be decided.
• Fostering Multilateralism: In the technology sphere, diplomacy is not about seeking entry into an exclusive alliance or club but about maximising a state’s integration with the existing global value chains.
  o Promoting the growth of open source technologies (and built on open standards) which have very few entry barriers in the form of licences, can be a priority on the multilateral front. In this way, technology related diplomatic engagements will increase as well as improve India’s accessibility to key technologies.
• Science Tourism: India can conceptualise science tourism promoting scientific locations around the nation like National Science Centre, Delhi and Birla Science Museum, Hyderabad that the people across the globe can visit to quench their thirst for knowledge in the various fields of science and technology.

THE CONCLUSION: Internationally, the trade and data flows that have helped India prosper are now in the midst of sovereign tussles, necessitating strong regulation at home backed by a consistent and assertive position at international rulemaking bodies. India must back its claim as a technology power with a strong and clear message, which in turn can become a clarion call for other nations navigating similar waters.

Questions
1. Identify the various sectors where technology can be leveraged as a tool of foreign policy.
2. Analyse India’s foreign policy in the context of changing technology.

INDIAN POLITY

1. THE KARNATAKA-MAHARASHTRA BORDER ROW

TAGS:GS-II & III-INTER STATE BORDER DISPUTES

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, unanimously passed a resolution to protect its interests and called the dispute a “closed chapter”. For that the Maharashtra government retaliated by passing a unanimous resolution in its Assembly to legally pursue the inclusion of 865 Marathi-speaking villages from Belagavi, Karwar, Nipani, Bidar, Bhalki and others in Karnataka into the State.

THE EXPLANATION:

What are the claims of the two States?

• The raging boundary dispute between the two States dates back to the reorganisation of States along linguistic lines. In 1957, unhappy with the demarcation of boundaries, Maharashtra demanded realignment of its border with Karnataka.
• It invoked Section 21 (2)(b) of the Act, submitting a memorandum to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs stating its objection to Marathi-speaking areas being included in Karnataka. It filed a petition in the Supreme Court staking a claim over Belagavi.
• Karnataka has argued that the inclusion of Belagavi as part of its territory is beyond dispute. It has cited the demarcation done on linguistic lines as per the Act and the 1967 Mahajan Commission Report to substantiate its position.
• Karnataka has argued for the inclusion of areas in Kolhapur, Sholapur and Sangli districts (falling under Maharashtra) in its territory. From 2006, Karnataka started holding the winter session of the Legislature in Belagavi, building the massive Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in the district headquarters to reassert its claim.

What were the terms of the Mahajan Commission?

• In 1966, at Maharashtra’s insistence, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi established a one-man commission led by Mehr Chand Mahajan, which recommended that 264 villages be transferred to Maharashtra and that Belagavi (Belgaum) and 247 villages remain with Karnataka.
• Maharashtra rejected the report, while Karnataka welcomed it. Karnataka argued that either the Mahajan Commission Report should be accepted fully, or the status quo maintained.

Connect the dots: States Reorganisation Act 1956

2. WHAT IS TRIPLE TEST SURVEY?

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE-GS -II-POLITY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Allahabad High Court ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to hold urban local body elections without reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) because the ‘triple test’ requirement for the quota had not been fulfilled, the state set up a commission for this purpose.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The five-member commission will conduct a survey to ensure that the OBCs are provided reservation on the basis of the triple test, as mandated by the Supreme Court.
• This is the first time that the triple test exercise will be carried out in Uttar Pradesh. Sources said the law department and the urban development department will lay down the guidelines to be adopted for the process.
  a) To set up a dedicated commission to conduct a rigorous empirical inquiry into the nature and implications of the backwardness in local bodies;
  b) To specify the proportion of reservation required in local bodies in light of recommendations of the commission, so as not to fall foul of overbreadth;
  c) To ensure reservation for SCs/STs/OBCs taken together does not exceed an aggregate of 50 per cent of the total seats.
  d) These triple test/conditions were outlined by the Supreme Court in the case of Vikas KishanraoGawali vs. State of Maharashtra and others, decided on March 4, 2021.

Why triple test instead of rapid survey?

The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on said that any inquiry or study into the nature and implications of the backwardness with respect to local bodies involves ascertainment of representation in such bodies. The court said such an exercise cannot be confined to counting of heads alone, as is being done through the rapid survey.

SOCIAL ISSUES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

3. PROPOSAL TO SHIFT FROM “MINIMUM” TO “LIVING” WAGES

TAGS:GS-II & III- SOCIAL ISSUES-ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The Union Labour Ministry is currently mulling to shift from the “minimum wages” to “living wages” in a bid to bring more people from poverty in the country.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is a living wage?

• The term “living wage” is the theoretical income level that enables an individual or a family to afford adequate shelter, food, healthcare and other basic necessities. It is the minimum income of that helps support a satisfactory standard of living and prevents individuals from falling into poverty.

How is the living wage different from minimum wage?

• A living wage is defined as the minimum income necessary for workers to meet their basic necessities. It is different from the minimum wage, which is based on labor productivity and skill sets.
• Minimum wage is the lowest amount of money a laborer can earn as mandated by the law. It does not change based on inflation. It can increase only with the government intervention. This is not true for the living wage.
• The living wage is determined by the average cost to live comfortably, while the minimum wage is the fixed amount set by the government.
• The difference between the minimum wage and the living wage can range between 10 and 25 percent based on the cost of living in a specific place.

About India’s decision

• The Indian government is considering to shift from the minimum wage to the living wage to eliminate poverty in the country. If such a shift happens, it would have significant financial implications for India and the government. It will make Sustainable Development Goal commitments easily achievable.
• India is planning to receive assistance from the International Labour Organization (ILO) to understand what constitutes a living wage since it is highly subjective. The ILO member states, including India, have recently requested the ILO to contribute to the improved understanding of living wages by undertaking a peer-reviewed research on the theoretical concepts and theoretical estimations.

Connect the Dots: ILO

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

4. OMEGA CENTAURI

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE- GS-III-SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Astronomers and scientists at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), while studying the Omega Centauri found that hot stars and white dwarfs emitted less ultraviolet radiation than expected.

THE EXPLANATION:

• A team of Scientists at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics detected strange hot stars in the Globular clusters using the Ultra Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) images on AstroSat (India’s first dedicated space observatory, which has been operating since 2015).

What are Globular clusters?

• Globular clusters are spherical aggregates of several thousand to millions of stars bound by gravity. These systems are thought to have formed early on in the Universe and can serve as perfect astrophysical laboratories for astronomers to understand how stars evolve through various phases.
• Omega Centauri is a globular cluster in the constellation of Centaurus that was first identified as a non-stellar object by Edmond Halley in 1677.
• Located at a distance of 17,090 light-years, it is the largest-known globular cluster in the Milky Way at a diameter of roughly 150 light-years.

What is Galaxy?

• A galaxy is a huge collection of gas, dust, and billions of stars and their solar systems bound together by gravity.
• Milky Way, is stuffed with between 100 billion and 400 billion other stars, many of them with planets of their own. The Milky Way got its name from the way it looks from the ground: like a streak of spilt milk across the sky.

PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

5. GARRARNAWUN BUSH TOMATO

TAGS: PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

THE CONTEXT: A new species of bush tomato, christened Garrarnawun bush tomato (Solanum scalarium), was discovered in Australia recently.

THE EXPLANATION:

About the genus Solanum

• Genus Solanum has around 1,400 accepted species that are distributed across the world. The species belonging to this genus are found in all continents except Antarctica. It is the most species-rich genus in the Solanaceae family and is among the largest in the angiosperms (flowering plants).
• The genus includes 3 food crops having high economic value. These are the potato, tomato and eggplant (brinjal).
• Much of the species belonging to the Solanum are concentrated in circum-Amazonian tropical South America. However, its hotspots are also found in Africa and Australia.
• This genus is often recognized by its two-chambered superior ovary, fused sepals and petals, 5 stamens, poricidal anthers, and sometimes branched hairs and/or prickles.

About the new species

• The Garrarnawun bush tomato (Solanum scalarium) is currently found only in one site in world i.e., the Judbarra/Gregory National Park in the Australia’s Northern Territory.
• It is a perennial pale green shrub that is around 30 cm tall.
• This species belongs to the taxonomically challenging group called Kimberley dioecious clade in Australia. It is distinguished from other members of this group by its spreading decumbent habit and conspicuously prickly male floral rachis.
• Its common name recognizes the lookout point in the Judbarra/Gregory National Park. This point is the traditional meeting place of the Wardaman and Nungali-Ngaliwurru peoples, whose lands intersect in this region.
• This species is currently known from a single population of around 50 to 100 individuals. Hence, scientists are proposing to include in the “data deficit” category of the IUCN Red List.
• It is found on skeletal pink soil, dissected rocks and exposed sandstone pavements.
• It is expected to be found in more locations due to the prevalence of a similar and less accessible outcrops in the immediate region.

GEOGRAPHY

1. WHAT IS BOMB CYCLONE?

GS-I-GEOGRAPHY

THE CONTEXT: Millions of Americans have been recently warned to brace for a bomb cyclone with blizzard conditions, wind chills and temperatures plunging as low as -45.6C (-50.1F) – cold enough to get frostbite in less than five minutes.

THE EXPLANATION:

What is Bomb Cyclone?

• A bomb cyclone is a mid-latitude storm in which the central pressure drops fast at one millibar per hour for at least 24 hours. However, the millibar readings can change based on where the storm is forming.
• This quickly increases the pressure difference, or gradient, between the two air masses, making the winds stronger. This process of rapid intensification has a name: bombogenesis.
• As the winds blow, the rotation of the Earth creates a cyclonic effect. The direction is counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere (when viewed from above).

Formation:

• A bomb cyclone is formed when the air of different air masses (cold, dry) comes together.
• As the warm air rises, it creates a cloud system lowering air pressure and forming into a storm circulating counter clockwise around the low-pressure area.

Characteristics:

• The bomb cyclone will be characterised by cold winds, which are also expected to pick up, and wind chill temperatures could drop to dangerous lows far below zero — enough to cause frostbite within minutes.
• The dangerous storm is expected to hit everyone east of the Rockies — around two-thirds of the country.

HEALTH ISSUES

2. KALA AZAR

GS-2 -HEALTH ISSUES

THE CONTEXT: Recently, PM in his Mann Ki Baat programme on All India Radio,emphasised that India has eradicated diseases like Smallpox, Polio and ‘Guinea Worm’. He spoke about Kala Azar, another disease which is about to be eradicated.

THE EXPLANATION:

Till recently, the scourge of Kala-azar had spread in more than 50 districts across four states. The Prime Minister noted with satisfaction that this disease is confined to only four districts of Bihar and Jharkhand at present. He expressed confidence that people’s awareness in these states will help the government’s efforts to eliminate the disease from these districts as well.

What is Kala Azar Disease?

Kala Azar or black fever is a disease caused by infection with Leishmania parasites. It is transmitted by female sandfly – Phlebotomus argentipes. It is also known as visceral leishmaniasis or black fever or Dum-Dum fever.

Types:
Cutaneous leishmaniasis:

• This is another form of Kala-azar which results in skin lesions – mainly ulcers on the exposed parts of the body, which creates scars and serious disability. The lesions usually are painless but can be painful, particularly if open sores become infected with bacteria. Types of Cutaneous leishmaniasis:

Mucosal Leishmaniasis:

• In this type of Cutaneous leishmaniasis, the infection results from the dissemination of parasites from the skin to the naso-oropharyngeal mucosa.
• Symptoms
• Initially, leishmania parasites cause skin sores or ulcers at the site of the bite. If the disease progresses, it attacks the immune system.
• Kala azar presents after two to eight months with more generalized symptoms including prolonged fever and weakness.

Treatment: Treatment of Kala Azar is done through liposomal AmB – this is the drug of choice for immunocompetent patients. There are other treatment options available such as paromomycin, miltefosine and multidrug therapy treatment.

ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

3. CORAL BLEACHING

GS-III- ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Scientists working on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef have successfully trialled a new method for freezing and storing coral larvae they say could eventually help rewild reefs threatened by climate change.

THE EXPLANATION:

The Great Barrier Reef has suffered four bleaching events in the last seven years, including the first ever bleach during a La Nina phenomenon, which typically brings cooler temperatures.

Coral Bleaching:

• The stunning colours in corals come from marine algae called zooxanthellae, which live inside their tissues.
• These algae provide the corals with an easy food supply thanks to photosynthesis, which gives the corals energy, allowing them to grow and reproduce.
• When corals get stressed, from things such as heat or pollution, they react by expelling these algae, leaving a ghostly, transparent skeleton behind.
• This is known as ‘coral bleaching. Some corals can feed themselves, but without the zooxanthellae, most corals starve.
• Causes for Coral Bleaching include changes in Ocean Temperature, Runoff and Pollution, Overexposure to sunlight and extremely low tides.

About Great Barrier Reef:

• The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands.
• The reef is located in the Coral Sea (North-East Coast), off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
• The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world’s biggest single structure made by living organisms.
• The reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.

4. DELHI “REAL-TIME SOURCE APPORTIONMENT PROJECT”

GS-III- ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY- AIR POLLUTION

THE CONTEXT: Recently, Delhi Chief Minister reviewed the progress of the ‘Real-time Source Apportionment Project’, which is aimed at identifying the sources of Delhi’s pollution on a real-time basis.

THE EXPLANATION:

The project has been undertaken by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Kanpur (IIT-K), Indian Institute of Delhi (IIT-D) and TERI.

What is Real-time Source Apportionment Project?

• The real-time source apportionment project is being implemented by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee in collaboration with IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Delhi and TERI.
• It is one of the actions listed under the Delhi Government’s winter action plan.
• The Delhi government approved the project in October 2021 and launched it in November 2022.
• Under this project, a supersite with cutting-edge air analysers and a mobile air quality monitoring system will be used to measure the concentration of various substances in the air above Delhi.
• The project will identify various sources of PM2.5 on a real-time hourly basis and provide a 3-day hourly forecast of the total PM 2.5.
• The data obtained from this project will help the Delhi government to accurately identify the sources of air pollution like vehicular exhaust, dust, biomass burning, and industrial emissions.
• The supersite data will also be used to forecast air pollution levels on an hourly, daily and weekly bases. This will help the government take proactive measures to curb pollution and mobilize resources to ensure strict compliance with pollution control norms.
• The findings will further be complemented by a mobile van that will capture air pollution readings and sources from different corners of Delhi.

What are the outcomes of the recent meeting?

• During the recently held review meeting on the progress of the real-time source apportionment project, a team of scientists from IIT Kanpur informed that the secondary inorganic aerosols have traveled long distances to contribute to a large portion of the air pollution mix.
• Other major contributors of PM2.5 in the past one month are biomass burning (wood, stubble etc.), vehicular emissions and dust (road and construction).
• The Delhi Chief Minister has directed IIT Kanpur team to provide more detailed information on the real-time sources like the type of vehicles causing the pollution at different times and specific areas where biomass, including garbage, is burnt to help the government to eliminate these sources.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

5. DARK PATTERNS

GS-III SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, it is been found that some Internet ¬based firms have been tricking users into agreeing to certain conditions or clicking a few links.

THE EXPLANATION:

About Dark Patterns:

• It is a user interface that has been crafted to trick or manipulate users into making choices that are detrimental to their interests.
• The term ‘Dark Patterns’ was coined by user experience designer Harry Brignull in 2010.
• Dark patterns endanger the experience of internet users and make them more vulnerable to financial and data exploitation by BigTech firms.
• Dark patterns confuse users, introduce online obstacles, make simple tasks time-consuming, have users sign up for unwanted services or products and force them to pay more money or share more personal information than they intended.
• In the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken note of dark patterns and the risks they pose. In a report released in September, 2022, the regulatory body listed over 30 dark patterns.
• The FTC report outlined its legal action against Amazon in 2014, for a supposedly free children’s app that fooled its young users into making in-app purchases that their parents had to pay later for.

Types of dark patterns

In India, The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has recognised four dark patterns and these are the proposed areas of extension to the ASCI code on misleading ads.

• Drip pricing: It is a pattern when the total price is only revealed at the very end of the buying process.
• Bait and switch: It is a pattern that occurs when a user takes an action expecting one outcome, but instead is served an outcome they didn’t want.
• False urgency: It is a dark pattern that refers to misleading information on quantities of a particular product.
• Disguised advertising: It is a pattern when an advertisement mimics editorial content.