InstaLinks : help you think beyond the issue but relevant to the issue from UPSC prelims and Mains exam point of view. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background. This helps you study a topic holistically and add new dimensions to every current event to help you think analytically
2. The case of the missing scientific Indian
1. What is the controversy around the revision of electoral rolls in J&K?
3. India’s sex ratio at birth normalises slightly
4. Supreme Court strikes down the provision of the 1988 Benami law
Content for Mains Enrichment (Ethics/Essay)
1. Garba Dance nominated for UNESCO Heritage List
2. Makhana gets a GI Tag
3. 75th Anniversary of diplomatic ties between India- Egypt
5. Observatory to monitor space activity
7. Cow Dung to compressed biogas Project
12. Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile
Direction: This topic can come in Indian Society as well as ethics. Go through the ethical aspect of the debate.
Moonlighting simply refers to the act of having a second job, or working for extra projects, gigs, or employers, that counts as a secondary source of income, outside one’s working hours.
Moonlighting should be a choice unless it affects the efficiency and integrity of employees’ primary work duty.
“Quite Quitting”: When an employee chooses not to take any additional work, beyond the scope of his job description or refuses to answer work-related stuff outside of his scheduled work hours. It is seen as quite quitting.
It should not necessarily be seen as inefficient working rather employees may be having a work-personal life balance.
In society (link it with changing nature of jobs, gig economy) and in ethics (link it with whether the practice is justified- think it from different perspectives). Answer this Question.
Q.Examine the role of the ‘Gig Economy’ in the process of empowerment of women in India. (Answer in 150 words) (UPSC 2021)
Context: This is an editorial piece. The author argues that India has failed to propagate scientific literacy not only among the public but also among scientists themselves
Scientific temper is an open-minded examination—a temper ever ready to welcome new knowledge and experiments, even when their results are unfavourable to preconceived opinions or theories.
Constitution: Propogate scientific temper (a duty in Article 51A) (included through the 42nd Amendment)
Pseudoscience in the US: E.g. Christian revivalist groups in the U.S. have been fighting to bring Creationism into the science curriculum as an alternate theory to the origin of the human species.
This 75th year of Independence should be seen as an opportunity for India to critically assess its successes and failures and prepare for a promising future. Science and scientific literacy have a key role in bringing home that future.
Q. What is scientific temper? Discuss the need for inculcating scientific temper among the masses. (250 words)
Syllabus: Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.
Directions: Kee a note on ECI, delimitation commission and voting rights.
Context: As per the J&K Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), anyone “who is living ordinarily in J&K” can avail of the opportunity to get enlisted as a voter in the Union Territory. Previously, only ‘Permanent Residents’ were eligible to vote.
Who else is eligible to vote?
Why are electoral rolls being revised?
What did the CEO announce?
Previously, those ‘ordinarily residing ‘ in J&K were eligible to vote only in the parliamentary election (as Non-Permanent Resident (NPR). This included West Pakistan refugees living in J&K since 1947.
Mandate and functions of ECI, RPA, Delimitation Commission, and De-freezing of constituency after 2026 (esp. those giving Mains this time) are important for both prelims and Mains
Q. In the light of recent controversy regarding the use of the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), what are the challenges before the Election Commission of India to ensure the trustworthiness of elections in India? (UPSC 2018)
Mandate and functions of ECI, RPA, and Delimitation Commission are important for both prelims and Mains
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Refer to the article above
Syllabus: Government policies and Intervention: Health
Direction: Although it is a detailed report. These are the basic highlight given on Nasscom webpages. For Mains answer writing, this is sufficient (just quote that Nasscom report has suggested this….)
Context: A report by NASSCOM “Healthcare in India- Transforming Through Innovation” highlights how emerging technologies and innovations are transforming Health.
Status of India’s Health Sector:
What is driving this growth?
Some unique technology innovations (not from the report)
People-centred primary healthcare built upon digitalisation and innovation will lead the way to universal health care in India.
Health Care sector in India
Digitization of healthcare has been in news recently, especially with government interventions such as Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and Health Stack. Those giving mains plz keep a note ready on it.
Q. Discuss the role that the national Digital health mission can play in changing the healthcare market dynamics positively for India. (15M)
Know the basic features of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and Health Stack and other initiatives.
Syllabus: Issues related to the development and management of the social sector relating to health, social sector schemes etc
Directions: Remember the trend and some unique findings of the report.
Context: The latest study by Pew Research Center has pointed out that “son bias” is on a decline in India and the average annual number of “baby girls missing” in India fell from approx. 4.8 lakh in 2010 to 4.1 lakh in 2019.
Key Highlights of the report:
Sex Selection among Muslims and Christians:
Q. What are the continued challenges for women in India against time and space? (UPSC 2019)
With reference to sex Ratio, consider the following statements:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Syllabus: Structure, organization and functioning of the judiciary, Benami laws in India etc
Direction: Know the crux of the issue, why the Benami act was amended and why SC has now struck down the amendments.
Context: A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice declared Sections 3(2) and section 5 introduced through the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act of 2016, as unconstitutional
The 2016 law amended the original Benami Act of 1988, expanding it to 72 Sections from a mere nine. Amendments were opposed in SC and SC had to decide on three main issues:
Key Highlights of the judgement:
Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act of 2016
Q. Discuss how emerging technologies and globalization contribute to money laundering. Elaborate measures to tackle the problem of money laundering both at national and international levels. (UPSC 2021)
Do remember the basic provisions of the act (section number is not important)
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Syllabus: Issues related to the development of the social sector relating to health, education, SDGs etc
Direction: Most of the points are generic here. Go through it once.
Context: This is an editorial piece. The author wishes that India at 100 will be an equitable country, built on firm access to high-quality education and healthcare along with gender parity, employment opportunities for all, etc. He gives prescriptions of what should be done.
Improvements in schooling and skills:
A World Bank report: Reports from the early 2000s made the case for education of women as the major driver of change in the health status of societies.
The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for 2030: They are unlikely to be addressed in full measure by 2047 if we do not address health, health emergencies and catastrophic health expenditures.
2047 may seem distant, but to create the foundation for the next century, we need to invest in education and health in the next 25 years — not just for the elite, but for all.
Q. Besides being a moral imperative of the Welfare State, primary health structure is a necessary precondition for sustainable development.” Analyze. (UPSC 2021)
Link it with World Bank, Club of Rome etc.
Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2016)
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A sociological concept that explains the changes that occur when two or more groups come in contact with each other and exchange aspects of their cultures such as values and practices of the other while still retaining their own distinct identity.
E.g. assimilation of many American Indian groups into the white culture of America in the nineteenth century
Acculturation affects various aspects of life, including dietary patterns, fashion, art, architecture, work culture, and literature. The process can occur at both individual and group levels, as well as between groups that may not be a majority or a minority in society.
The video of the PM of Finland had raised controversy over how ideal leaders should be – Sanna Marin was judged for dancing with her friend and partying.
The opposition party had raised concerns about her capability to handle the responsible position of being PM. Even asked to take a drug test. Which she did and it came back negative. She later gave an explanation that partying, dancing and spending time with friends is a normal part of any human being’s life and there was nothing illegal in what she did.
This issue had raised a debate:
How do we expect our elected leaders to be:- normal humans like us or superhumans??
Context: Google dedicated a doodle to Anna Mani, India’s first female physics scientist. She was a physicist as well as a meteorologist. She is popularly known as the Weather Woman of India.
After graduation, she taught at WCC for a year and won a scholarship for postgraduate studies at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
This can be used as an example of the achievement of women, values of innovation, and courage.
Garba is a form of dance, as well as a religious and social event that originated in Gujarat. If approved for the list, it will become the first intangible cultural heritage of Gujarat to be listed by UNESCO.
Direction: Go through it once.
Context: Makhana ( a variety of fox nuts) has been granted a GI tag.
A GI is primarily an agricultural, natural or manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory.
Context: In a unique move Egypt Post released a commemorative postage stamp to celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations between Egypt and India
Diplomatic relations between India and Egypt began when Egypt recognized India’s independence on 18 August 1947, three days after India’s independence. The two countries became even closer in the 1950s, which resulted in a historic friendship treaty in 1955.
Context: New species of bent-toed gecko found at Agasthyamalai.
Species have been given the common name Aravind’s ground gecko scientific name Cyrtodactylus aravindi after noted malacologist N.A. Aravind, it has been described based on its distinctness in the morphological and molecular DNA data.
Context: India’s first commercial space observatory will be set up in the Garhwal division of Uttarakhand.
This observatory will monitor the 10 cm size of microscopic particles moving in the space around the Earth. This space situational awareness (SSA) observatory will help in monitoring space waste and military satellites hovering in space around the Earth.
SSA refers to the knowledge of the space environment, including location and function of space objects and space weather phenomena. It covers:
Context: Recently, DBT (department of biotechnology) and BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council) have given 75 Amrit Grants for supporting high-risk, ambitious research projects in the biotech sector under PPP mode.
Other initiatives for improving research:
Direction: Go through it once
Context: The Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) commenced its first cow dung-to-compressed biogas project at Sanchore, in Rajasthan, under a waste-to-energy project.
What are wastes to energy plants?
Waste-to-Energy (WtE) or Energy-from-Waste (EfW) is a form of energy recovery and the process of generating energy in the form of electricity and/or heat by the processing of waste into a fuel source.
Context: Russia-Ukrain war has exacerbated ( shortage already existed after COVID induced shutdown) the chip crisis as the supply of key ingredients such as Palladium and Neon has been affected.
Semiconductor: It lies between the conductor and insulator and controls the flow of electric current in electronic equipment and devices. Used in making electronic chips.
Direction: As CDRI is India-led and India HQ international coalition, do keep a short note on it.
Context: CDRI (Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure) was given an ‘independent and international legal entity’ tag as India sighed “Headquarter agreement’ with CDRI.
It is an agreement between an international organization and the host country ( India is hosting CDRI Hq) to determine the privileges, immunities and facilities of an independent body.
Benefit: The pact will enable CDRI to pursue functions internationally with all rights, immunities, and privileges, as per the United Nations (Privileges & Immunities) Act, 1947.
Coalition for Climate Resilient Investment (CCRI): It was launched at the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019 as a private sector-led initiative, to support investors and policy makers to better understand and manage physical climate risks.
Direction: Often UPSC asks Qn based on biometric technology. Do have a basic understanding of the system.
Context: National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) has been launched by the Home Ministry to allow a country-wide search of crime-related fingerprints.
Direction: Can be read once.
Context: IAF sacks 3 officers in BrahMos missile firing case
Context: Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy successfully flight tested the indigenously developed Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
The VL-SRSAM system has been designed to strike high-speed airborne targets at the range of 40 to 50 km and at an altitude of around 15 km.
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