Comprehensive News Analysis - 12 April 2017

Table of Contents:

A. GS1 Related:
B. GS2 Related:

POLITY

1. Malayalam made mandatory in all Kerala schools

2. Banning online pre-natal sex determination content dangerous: SC

3. UNICEF seeks help from Islamic bodies to achieve vaccination goal

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. G7 stand united on Syria

2. Nepal tables new Bill amending Constitution

C. GS3 Related:

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Robotic hand rocks manufacturing cradle

2. Global collaboration project Belle-II moves a step forward

D. GS4 Related:
E. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn
F. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS
G. Fun with Practice Questions 🙂
H. Archives

************************************************************************************************************

Need Expert Guidance on how to prepare for Current Affairs

.

************************************************************************************************************

Useful News Articles for UPSC Current Affairs


A. GS1 Related
Nothing here for Today


B. GS2 Related
Category: POLITY
1. Malayalam made mandatory in all Kerala schools

What’s in news?

  • Ordinance promulgated in Kerala to make teaching of Malayalam mandatory up to the Std. X in all schools.
  • Applicable to government, aided, unaided and self-financing institutions following the State, CBSE and ICSE syllabi.
  • The Ordinance exempts students from other States and countries from learning Malayalam.
  • Linguistic minorities are given option to learn Malayalam.

Hefty fines-

  • Schools violating the new law would attract hefty fines
  • CBSE and ICSE schools would be denied NOC or face cancellation of NOC.
  • Fine of up to Rs.5000 – Schools should not put up boards or notices or conduct campaigns against speaking Malayalam. 

 Why such a move now?

  • Malayalam is not taught in certain schools.
  • Some schools have even imposed a ban on Malayalam on their premises.

1
2. Banning online pre-natal sex determination content dangerous: SC

What’s in news?

  • Background Information: In February, the court ordered Google, Microsoft and Yahoo to immediately set up their own in-house expert bodies to keep tabs and delete prohibited online prenatal sex determination ads.

Recent Verdict

  • The Supreme Court observed that a general ban on all online content about prenatal sex determination will curtail the fundamental right under Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution to know of a genuine information-seeker who is driven by curiosity.

3. UNICEF seeks help from Islamic bodies to achieve vaccination goal

Facts round up:

  • India has one of the largest immunisation programs in the world, with nearly 26 million children targeted annually for immunisation.
  • UNICEF reports – only 65% of children in India received all vaccines during the first year of their life.
  • India’s newest MR (measles rubella) vaccine also protects children from measles, a major cause of fatalities in small children.
  • For the first time, the rubella vaccine has been introduced in India’s childhood immunisation program.

What’s in news?

  • Misinformation about the vaccine in minority communities.
  • UNICEF has engaged with Urdu media in efforts to create trust in vaccines and address myths around immunization.

Basic Information: Rubella

  • Commonly referred to as German Measles
  • A mild infection, but can have serious consequences if it occurs in pregnant women.
  • The introduction of these new vaccines in the Universal Immunisation Programme aims to reduce childhood mortality and protect children from three major highly preventable and potentially fatal diseases — measles, pneumonia and diarrhoea. 


Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. G7 stand united on Syria
Highlights of the meet

Foreign Ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) countries and several other West Asian countries meets in Lucca, Italy.

  • Condemned chemical attack in Syria that left 89 people dead.
  • The G7 also lent support to the U.S. for its attack on the Syrian government-controlled Shayrat airfield in Homs province.
  • G7 united to isolate Mr. Assad diplomatically and urged Russia to do the same, no agreement was reached on sanctions against Russia for supporting the Syrian regime.

Key Point:

  • The U.S. and its allies hold Syrian President Bhashar al-Assad responsible for the attacks.

2. Nepal tables new Bill amending Constitution

What’s in news?

  • The Nepal government tabled a new Constitution amendment Bill in Parliament.
  • Demands addressed – Madhesi parties are demanding for more representation and re-demarcation of state boundaries (ahead of next month’s local elections).

Important Provision in the bill

  • The government may form a federal commission to recommend it on the issues relating to the number of provinces and their boundaries.

 


C. GS3 Related
Category: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Robotic hand rocks manufacturing cradle

What’s in news?

  • ‘Brabo’– Designed and manufactured by TAL, a Tata Motors subsidiary.
  • India’s first indigenously made industrial articulated robot for micro, small and medium enterprises.
  • Part of the Make In India

Features of Barbo

  • Brabo can handle payloads of up to 10 kg, mapping it to human lifting potential.
  • Its arm length was also chosen to compare well with that of a human.
  • It can manage raw material as well as product packaging in the final stage.

Advantages

  • Improved competitiveness.
  • The robots will ensure product quality is maintained.
  • Growth in small and medium enterprises.
  • Cheaper than imported robot (at 5 lakh to 7 lakh, it is up to 40% cheaper than imported robots).

2. Global collaboration project Belle-II moves a step forward

What’s in news?

  • The High Energy Accelerator Research Organisation (KEK) completed the much-awaited ‘rolling-in’ of the Belle-II experiment in Tsukuba, Japan,
  • Belle-II is designed to study violations of the Standard Model of particle physics.

 


D. GS4 Related

Nothing here for Today

 

PIB Articles    Editorials Roundup

 


E. Concepts-in-News: Related Concepts to Revise/Learn

 

Prelims worthy Factual Information
India built a barrage at the Gazaldoba point on the Teesta when the Bangladesh National Party was in power. But the then government did not raise its voice against this. “Now we are facing the consequence of the barrage,” Ms. Hasina, president of the ruling Awami League.
F. BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGS IN NEWS
BILLS/ACTS/SCHEMES/ORGANISATIONS IN NEWS About the Article
Article 19. Protection of certain rights regarding freedom of speech etc.

(1) All citizens shall have the right

(a) to freedom of speech and expression;
(b) to assemble peaceably and without arms;
(c) to form associations or unions;
(d) to move freely throughout the territory of India;
(e) to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India; and
(f) omitted
(g) to practise any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade or business

(2) Nothing in sub clause (a) of clause ( 1 ) shall affect the operation of any existing law, or prevent the State from making any law, in so far as such law imposes reasonable restrictions on the exercise of the right conferred by the said sub clause in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence

(3) Nothing in sub clause (b) of the said clause shall affect the operation of any existing law in so far as it imposes, or prevent the State from making any law imposing, in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India or public order, reasonable restrictions on the exercise of the right conferred by the said sub clause

(4) Nothing in sub clause (c) of the said clause shall affect the operation of any existing law in so far as it imposes, or prevent the State from making any law imposing, in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India or public order or morality, reasonable restrictions on the exercise of the right conferred by the said sub clause

(5) Nothing in sub clauses (d) and (e) of the said clause shall affect the operation of any existing law in so far as it imposes, or prevent the State from making any law imposing, reasonable restrictions on the exercise of any of the rights conferred by the said sub clauses either in the interests of the general public or for the protection of the interests of any Scheduled Tribe

(6) Nothing in sub clause (g) of the said clause shall affect the operation of any existing law in so far as it imposes, or prevent the State from making any law imposing, in the interests of the general public, reasonable restrictions on the exercise of the right conferred by the said sub clause, and, in particular, nothing in the said sub clause shall affect the operation of any existing law in so far as it relates to, or prevent the State from making any law relating to,

(i) the professional or technical qualifications necessary for practising any profession or carrying on any occupation, trade or business, or

(ii) the carrying on by the State, or by a corporation owned or controlled by the State, of any trade, business, industry or service, whether to the exclusion, complete or partial, of citizens or otherwise

Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 Objective: Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted to stop female foeticides and arrest the declining sex ratio in India. The act banned prenatal sex determination.

Features: Offences under this act include conducting or helping in the conduct of prenatal diagnostic technique in the unregistered units, sex selection on a man or woman, conducting PND test for any purpose other than the one mentioned in the act, sale, distribution, supply, renting etc. of any ultra sound machine or any other equipment capable of detecting sex of the foetus. Main provisions in the act are

  • The Act provides for the prohibition of sex selection, before or after conception.
  • It regulates the use of pre-natal diagnostic techniques, like ultrasound and amniocentesis by allowing them their use only to detect :
    • genetic abnormalities
    • metabolic disorders
    • chromosomal abnormalities
    • certain congenital malformations
    •  haemoglobinopathies
    • sex linked disorders.
  • No laboratory or centre or clinic will conduct any test including ultrasonography for the purpose of determining the sex of the foetus.
  • No person, including the one who is conducting the procedure as per the law, will communicate the sex of the foetus to the pregnant woman or her relatives by words, signs or any other method.
  • Any person who puts an advertisement for pre-natal and pre-conception sex determination facilities in the form of a notice, circular, label, wrapper or any document, or advertises through interior or other media in electronic or print form or engages in any visible representation made by means of hoarding, wall painting, signal, light, sound, smoke or gas, can be imprisoned for up to three years and fined Rs. 10,000.

Compulsory registration:The Act mandates compulsory registration of all diagnostic laboratories, all genetic counselling centres, genetic laboratories, genetic clinics and ultrasound clinics.

Amendment in 2003: Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994 (PNDT), was amended in 2003 to The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition Of Sex Selection) Act (PCPNDT Act) to improve the regulation of the technology used in sex selection.

  • Implications of the amendment are
  • Amendment of the act mainly covered bringing the technique of pre conception sex selection within the ambit of the act
  • Bringing ultrasound within its ambit
  • Empowering the central supervisory board, constitution of state level supervisory board
  • Provision for more stringent punishments
  • Empowering appropriate authorities with the power of civil court for search, seizure and sealing the machines and equipments of the violators
  • Regulating the sale of the ultrasound machines only to registered bodies.


G. Practice Questions for UPSC Prelims Exam:)

Question 1: Consider the following statements with reference to Bele-II 
experiment which was in news recently:
  1. Belle-II is designed to study violations of the Standard Model of particle physics.
  2. Belle-II experiment is being conducted at IISC ,Bangalore

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2
See
Answer


(a) 

 

Type: Science and Technology
Level: Moderate

Explanation:

  • The High Energy Accelerator Research Organisation (KEK) completed the much-awaited ‘rolling-in’ of the Belle-II experiment in Tsukuba, Japan.
  • Belle-II is designed to study violations of the Standard Model of particle physics.
Question 2: Consider the following statements with reference to Rubella vaccine:
  1. It prevents the children from measles, pneumonia and diarrhea.
  2. Universal Immunization programme does not cover rubella vaccine.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2
See
Answer


(a)

 

Type: Schemes
Level: Moderate

Explanation:

Basic Information: Rubella

  • Commonly referred to as German Measles
  • A mild infection, but can have serious consequences if it occurs in pregnant women.
  • The introduction of these new vaccines in the Universal Immunisation Programme aims to reduce childhood mortality and protect children from three major highly preventable and potentially fatal diseases — measles, pneumonia and diarrhoea.
Question 3: Consider the following statements with respect to  Global Fissile
Material Report:
  1. International Panel on Fissile Material’s (IPFM) releases the report.
  2. Report estimates the global stockpile of nuclear fissile material

Select the correct options.

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. None of the above
See
Answer


(c)

Type: Reports
Level: Moderate

Explanation:

  • The International Panel on Fissile Materials (IPFM) was founded in January 2006. It is an independent group of arms-control and nonproliferation experts from sixteen countries, including both nuclear weapon and non-nuclear weapon states. The mission of the IPFM is to analyze the technical basis for practical and achievable policy initiatives to secure, consolidate, and reduce stockpiles of highly enriched uranium and plutonium. These fissile materials are the key ingredients in nuclear weapons, and their control is critical to nuclear disarmament, halting the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and ensuring that terrorists do not acquire nuclear weapons.
  • The Global Fissile Material Report is released by IPFM

“Proper Current Affairs preparation is the key to success in the UPSC- Civil Services Examination. We have now launched a comprehensive ‘Online Current Affairs Crash Course’. Limited seats available. Click here to Know More.”

 

 

H. Archives

You can check out some more recent News Analysis sections to build even more context

List of all DNA Articles

Practice More: Enroll for India’s Largest All-India Test Series

Comments

Leave a Comment

Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published.

*

*