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Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2021 Reserve List  https://www.upsc.gov.in/sites/default/files/ReserveList-CSM-21-Eng-101022.pdf 

Naxalism is a violent movement that claims to fight for the social and economic rights of Underprivileged groups who want to overthrow the Indian Government and replace it with a different regime. Social, economic and developmental causes of Naxalism: Poverty amongst ST and Dalit e.g. The National Family health survey shows 45.9% of ST members are in the lowest wealth.  Lack of access to Basic forest Resources –poor implementation of FRA 2006 and PESA 1996.  Land Alienation and Displacement with little or no rehabilitation e.g. The Sardar Sarovar Project displaced 57% of tribal among total displaced people.  Skewed Mining Policy.  Labor, Unemployment and issue of Minimum Wages. Environmental Degradation. Above cause leads to Discontent, Distrust and Alienation Emerging issues: Organized Crime  Illegal opium cultivation  Coming together of different groups together  Foreign contact ex:- Phillipines Recent initiatives: SAMADHAN It is a strategy of MHA to...

Cyber Security is protecting cyber space including critical information infrastructure from attack, damage, misuse and economic espionage. Elemets of Cyber security Architecture: Network Elements : Network nodes like computers, NICs, repeaters, hubs, bridges, switches, routers, modems, gateways.  Security Elements : like firewalls, Intrusion Detection/Protection Systems [IDS/IPS], encryption/decryption devices.  Security Frameworks & Standards : Cybersecurity framework architecture standards like NIST Risk Management Framework. Vulnerabilities to the Architecture: Data Diddling : Attack floods systems, servers, or networks with traffic to exhaust resources and bandwidth.  Ransomware : Blocks access to key components of the network and demand money to unlock it.  Phishing : The goal is to steal sensitive data like credit card and login information or to install malware on the victim’s machine  Malware : Covertly obtains information by transmitting data from t...

It is the loss or displacement of land, or the long-term removal of sediment and rocks along the coastline due to the action of waves, currents, tides, wind driven water, or other impacts of storms.  Causes of Coastal Erosion: Natural Factors 1. Action of Breaking Waves  2. Effect of Severe Cyclonic Storms  3. Rise in Sea Level  4. Deflation  5. Tidal Current  Anthropogenic Factors  1.Construction of Unplanned Structures  2.Reduction of sediment supply due to damming of rivers  3.Removal of sand from beaches  4.Dredging of inlet channels  5.Unplanned reclamation   Effects of Coastal Erosion: Ecological Degradation: Mangroves, coral reefs, and the majority of wetlands along the coast have all been severely damaged. Eg: Coastal erosion is damaged coral reefs near Kovalam coast in Kerela.  Vulnerability of population: increasing loss of land, with many people migrating or having already migrated. E.g., Current trend of e...

As per IPCC 5th Assessment Report, Global Warming is defined as an increase in combined surface air and sea surface temperatures averaged over the globe and over a 30-year period. Effects of Global Warming on Global Climate: Rise in temperature leading to ice melt : Thinning ice of Northern Seas will make the atmospheric conditions vulnerable to control.  Threat to Marine Life : Leads to destruction to marine and coral life underwater.  Loss of Settlements : Rise to Sea level threatens infrastructure and human settlements.  Impact on Health : Crop failure due to global warming leads to food insecurity and malnutrition. Control measures, in light of Kyoto protocol (KP) (1997):- It commits industrialised countries to stabilise greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). It binds emission reduction targets only for developed countries. However, the Protocol also offers three market-based mechanisms: 1. Emissions trading (Carbon trading): A new commodity was created in the form of emiss...

According to WHO vaccination is a simple, safe, and effective method of protecting individuals against dangerous diseases before they are exposed to them.” Principle of vaccination: Vaccines stimulate the immune response (T-cells and B-cells together work) to recognise a pathogen (a disease-causing organism) or part of a pathogen.  It induces protection against a pathogen by mimicking its natural interaction with the human immune system. Vaccines Work: When the vaccine is introduced into the body, the white blood cells come in the response.  The WBCs recognise the vaccine as foreign substance by the surface molecule on the vaccine.  After recognition the B and T cells start dividing rapidly.  T-cytotoxic and B killer cells started responding to the vaccine. That's why fever is common after vaccination.  Some WBCs differentiate as B- memory cells which are stored within the body.  When the pathogen attack takes place or is given a booster dose, the B-memory ...

James Webb Telescope: The telescope is the result of an international collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency. It can see backwards in time to just after the Big Bang by looking for galaxies that are so far away that the light has taken many billions of years to get from those galaxies to our telescopes.  It's the successor to Hubble Telescope. Unique Features of James Webb Space Telescope (JWST): Wavelength : Hubble telescope use Ultraviolet rays of wavelength, whereas James Webb use Infrared rays.  Orbit : Hubble telescope orbits around the Earth, whereas James Webb orbits around the Lagrange point(L2).  The JWST is capable of detecting the heat of a bumblebee as far away as the moon.  The James Webb Space Telescope is expected to be about 100 times more sensitive than the Hubble telescope which has the capability to transform scientific understanding of the universe. Key Goals of the JWST: To search for the first g...

Integrated Farming System (IFS) is an innovative approach wherein solo agriculture systems are integrated with livestock, aquaculture, forestry, or other inter-related set of enterprises to multiply gains and reduce input cost. Waste from one enterprise becomes an input for other, thus cost is reduced, production is increased and the ultimate income gets multiplied. Integrated Farming System is best suited for small-sized farms with limited resources in the following ways: More output can be produced from small-sized farmers due to integration of different agricultural systems  Major focus in IFS is on high value crops resulting in more income per acre  Regular stable income through the products like egg, milk, mushroom, vegetables, honey and silkworm cocoons from the linked activities in integrated farming  IFS has more resource use efficiency resulting in less cost and more income for farmers  Sustainable soil fertility and productivity through organic waste recycl...

The agriculture sector in India is growing at around 3.5%. In the last few years the growth in the agriculture sector is constrained due to the challenges on the marketing side. The following are the challenges on the upstream and the downstream process of agricultural marketing: Upstream challenges: Lack of cold storage facilities for perishable agricultural commodities  Lack of processing facilities Lack of assaying facilities Downstream challenges: Lack of transportation facilities linking the rural areas  Most of the states not allowing private wholesale mandis  Direct sale by farmers to retails chains (contract farming) is also restricted by most states  Lack of formal/organized players in retail sector The reforms launched in the last few years like Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing Act 2017, ‘Model Contract Farming Act 2018, SAMPADA scheme etc. will definitely help in resolving the above-mentioned challenges and will play a critical role in do...

India has set a target of 50% electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030. India presently has non-fossil fuel based installed capacity of 155 GW (39%). India in most likelihood will be able to achieve this target as: The growth in the non-fossil fuel-based installation capacity is much higher as compared to the fossil fuel-based energy.  Govt. is running various schemes like establishment of 50 Solar Parks of 500 MW with the help of state governments.  Government has launched Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for manufacturing domestic solar modules  Govt. is providing various subsidies on renewable energy generation and moving away from the subsidies provided for fossil fuel: Government provides subsidies on solar rooftops and agriculture solar pumps under KUSUM scheme.  Government imposing ‘Clean Energy Cess’ of Rs. 400/tonne on coal used for power projects.  Ministry of Power in consultation with Ministry of N...

In the post liberalization period, our economic growth increased to 6% in 1990s and then it touched 7% to 8% in the 2000 decade. But this higher growth was mainly driven by service sector (IT, telecom, finance etc.) which touched 10% while agriculture and manufacturing sector remained around 3% and 5% respectively. Our economic growth is being termed as jobless growth with the declining employment elasticity which is the ratio of percentage change in employment to percentage change in GDP. So, India has been the fastest growing economy but without creation of much jobs. This means that we are able to produce more output with the same amount of labour which proves that our labour productivity has increased. Labour productivity = Output (GDP)/Labour As the output is increasing without the increase in labour/employment, this means that our economic growth is driven by an increase in productivity of labour. And our labour is becoming more productive because of use of more capital/machines....

The term maritime security is defined as comprising those issues which pertain to the sea and have a critical bearing on the country’s security. The threats are of Traditional and Non-traditional (Pirates, Climate Change, Smuggling) types. Issues in Maritime Security:- Multi-level structure: There are approximately 15 agencies involved in various facets of coastal security that lead to inadequate utilization of resources, overlapping jurisdiction.  Structural Gap: Sufficient attention has not been paid to provide police stations with essential requirements.  Technology: The latest audit showed only about 1,000 vessels were actually equipped with the tracking facility.  Domestic industrial base: There is a lack of industrial base to reduce the demand for security related equipment.  Absence of a comprehensive policy formulation mechanism:- There is no coordinating body which could formulate national strategies for countering existing and emergent threats.  Discon...

Terrorism can be differentiated from organized crime by the fact that aims of the former is political/ideological while that of organized crime is profit and money making. Types of organized crime:  - Drug dealing  - Trafficking  - Money Laundering  - Fake currency notes Symbiotic relation between Terrorism and Organized Crime: - Drug trafficking, gun running, extortion, kidnapping, contract killing are used to raise money for their organization. Network of people, resources and logistics symbiotically support each other. For example, members of Dawood Ibrahim gang conducted a series of bomb blasts in Mumbai in 1993.  Terrorist groups conduct drug trafficking’s to ensure channels of terror finance.  Terrorist groups also support drug trafficking networks through arms, ammunitions as well as support criminals in border crossings. For example: terror movement in Punjab coincided with rise of Golden Crescent as hub for drug smuggling. Problems in control effor...

1. Contingency Fund of India has been established by an act of the parliament.  2. The advances from the Contingency Fund of Indian are re-appropriated from the Public Accounts of India.  Which of the statements given above is/are correct?  a) 1 only  b) 2 only  c) 1 and 3 only  d) 1 and 2 only Solution:  Contingency Fund of India was established by an act of the parliament.  The Parliament has enacted the Contingency Fund of India Act in 1950.  The fund is held by the finance secretary on behalf of the president.  The money spent from Contingency Fund is again re-appropriated from.  Consolidated Fund, which needs parliamentary approval.  Ans: (a)

a) The Rajya Sabha can either reject or amend the financial bills under Article 117.  b) A joint sitting can be convened to resolve the deadlock with regard to financial bills under Article 117.  c) President can either withhold his assent or give his assent to the Financial Bills under Article 117.  d) All financial bills are money bills, but all money bills are not financial bills. Solution:  The Rajya Sabha can either reject or amend the financial bills (I) and (II) under Article 117.  A joint sitting can be convened to resolve the deadlock with regard to financial bills (I) and (II) under Article 117.  In case of Financial Bill (I) and (II) under Article 117, President has all the veto powers i.e. he can either give his assent or withhold his assent or send the bill back for the reconsideration of the house.  All money bills are financial bills but all financial bills are not money bills. Money bills are just a part of larger group o...

1. The power of adjournment sine die lies with the presiding officer of the House.  2. The Speaker can prorogue the Lok Sabha while in session.  3. Prorogation does not affect the bills or any other business pending before the House.  Which of the statements given above is/are correct?  a) 1 only  b) 1 and 3 only  c) 2 and 3 only  d) 1, 2 and 3 Solution:  Adjournment sine die means terminating a sitting of Parliament for an indefinite period.  In other words, when the House is adjourned without naming a day for reassembly, it is called adjournment sine die.  The power of adjournment as well as adjournment sine die lies with the presiding officer of the House.  The power of prorogation of the house is with the President of India (not speaker).  The President can summon, prorogue both the houses of Parliament and can dissolve the Lok Sabha.  Under Article 107 (3) of the Constitution, a bill pending in Parliame...

1. He can be removed from his office only by a resolution passed by a majority of total membership of Lok Sabha.  2. The Speaker has to vacate the office immediately after the dissolution of Lok Sabha.  3. His salaries and allowances are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India.  Which of the statements given above is/are correct?  a) 1 and 2 only  b) 1 and 3 only  c) 3 only  d) 1, 2 and 3 Solution:  The Speaker can be removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members of the Lok Sabha (effective majority, not absolute). Such a resolution can be moved only after giving 14 days’ advance notice.  Whenever the Lok Sabha is dissolved, the Speaker does not vacate his office and continues till the newly elected Lok Sabha meets.  Salaries and allowances of the Speaker are fixed by the Parliament. They are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India and thus are not subject to the annual vote of Parliament. ...

1. The Parliament can make laws for the whole or any part of the territory of India.  2. The Parliament can make laws for the peace, progress and good government of the Union Territory of Ladakh.  3. The laws of the Parliament can also be made applicable to the Indian citizens and their property in any part of the world. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?  a) 1 and 2 only  b) 2 and 3 only  c) 1 and 3 only  d) 1, 2 and 3  Solution:  The Constitution defines the territorial limits of the legislative powers vested in the parliament.  The Parliament can make laws for the whole or any part of the territory of India.  The territory of India includes the states, the union territories, and any other area for the time being included in the territory of India.  The President can make regulations for the peace, progress and good government of the Union Territories – the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep,...

1. Parliamentary Privileges are not extended to the Attorney General of India.  2. Parliament has recently made a special law to exhaustively codify all the privileges enjoyed by the members of the Parliament.  Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?  a) 1 only  b) 2 only  c) Both 1 and 2  d) Neither 1 nor 2 Solution:  The privileges belonging to each House of Parliament collectively includes prohibition of courts to inquire into the proceedings of a House or its committees.  The Constitution has extended the parliamentary privileges to those persons who are entitled to speak and take part in the proceedings of a House of Parliament or any of its committees.  These include the attorney general of India and Union ministers.   Parliament has not made any special law to codify the privileges.  They are based on five sources, namely,  1) Constitutional provisions,  2) Various laws made by Parl...

1. It acts as the Centre of all democratic processes in the country.  2. It forms a very basis of representative democracy.  Select the correct answer using the code given below:  a) 1 only  b) 2 only  c) Both 1 and 2  d) Neither 1 nor 2 Solution:  Legislature is not merely a law-making body.  It is the centre of all democratic political process.  Indeed, a genuine democracy is inconceivable without a representative, efficient and effective legislature.  The legislature also helps people in holding the representatives accountable.  This is, indeed, the very basis of representative democracy.  Ans: (c) 

1. Loan given by Central government to a particular state is charged on the consolidated fund of that state.  2. At present, the states can borrow up to 5% of their gross state domestic product (GSDP).  Which of the statements given above is/are correct?  a) 1 only  b) 2 only  c) Both 1 and 2  d) Neither 1 nor 2 Solution:  Article 293(3) of the Constitution requires states to obtain the Centre’s consent in order to borrow in case the state is indebted to the Centre over a previous loan.  The Central government can make loans to any state or give guarantees in respect of loans raised by any state.  Any sums required for the purpose of making such loans are to be charged on the Consolidated Fund of India.  The Centre increased the borrowing limit of states to 5% of gross state domestic product (GSDP) in 2020-21 from 3%.  However, incremental borrowing beyond 3.5% of GSDP will be linked to certain reforms undertaken by th...

  Current Affairs  Important Newspaper Highlights for UPSC Civil Services Examination. 10 October 2022 The HINDU 🧡 (Page 1) : At *7.45 lakh crore, direct tax receipts cross half the target 💚 (Page 4) : NCST expresses concern over continued distress in Odisha's 'village of widows' 🧡 (Page 6) : Why India Inc. is not taking a Hanuman leap 💚 (Page 6) : The fate of chips will determine the fate of nations 🧡 (Page 6) : Status beyond faith 💚 (Page 6) : Peace, Prize, politics 🧡 (Page 7) : The coalition of the world 💚 (Page 7) : Inflation peaks in Europe as Russia squeezes oil supply 🧡 (Page 8) : The action plan against Delhi's air pollution 💚 (Page 8) : The programming languages running the crypto-economy 🧡 (Page 10) : Campaign against drugs will be a national drive, says Amit Shah 💚 (Page 10) : Indian Navy to join Malabar exercise and International Fleet Review in Japan in Nov. 🧡 (Page 11) : Modi begins three-day Gujarat visit, to launch projects ahead of election...