UPSC 2017: Comprehensive News Analysis - Sept 11

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS1 Related
B. GS2 Related
Polity
1. West Pakistan refugees in J&K move SC challenging Article 35A
2. Uttarakhand to bring special heritage law
3. Brahmin federation for quota based on economic status
4. All that data that Aadhaar captures
International Affairs/Bilateral Relations
1. Rohingya refugee issue: Dhaka plea made MEA shift stand
2. India, U.S. in talks for C-17 deal
C. GS3 Related
Internal Security and Defense
1. Around the world in seven months
D. GS4 Related
E. Prelims Fact
F. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
G. UPSC Mains Practice Questions 

 

A. GS1 Related

Nothing here for Today!!!

 

B. GS2 Related

Category: POLITY

1. West Pakistan refugees in J&K move SC challenging Article 35A

In news:

  • Refugees of West Pakistan, who had migrated to India during the 1947 partition, have moved the Supreme Court challenging Article 35A of the Constitution.
  • Article 35A:
  • Provision relates to special rights and privileges of permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir.
  • Added to the Constitution by a Presidenial Order in 1954
  • It also empowers the state’s legislature to frame any law without attracting a challenge on grounds of violating the Right to Equality of people from other states or any other right under the Indian Constitution.
  • Petition:
  • There were around 3 lakh refugees from West Pakistan but those settled in Jammu and Kashmir have been denied the rights gauranteed under Article 35A which are given to the original residents of the state.
  • The plea claimed that the refugees and their children are not allowed to hold any position higher than sweeper and the children are not entitled to gain education in government universities or avail any scholarship to gain education.
Basic Information:

Basic Information:

Article 35A: “Saving of laws with respect to permanent residents and their rights. — Notwithstanding anything contained in this Constitution, no existing law in force in the State of Jammu and Kashmir, and no law hereafter enacted by the Legislature of the State:

(a) defining the classes of persons who are, or shall be, permanent residents of the State of Jammu and Kashmir; or

(b) conferring on such permanent residents any special rights and privileges or imposing upon other persons any restrictions as respects—

      (i) employment under the State Government;

     (ii) acquisition of immovable property in the State;

    (iii) settlement in the State; or

   (iv) right to scholarships and such other forms of aid as the State Government may provide, shall be void on the ground that it is inconsistent with or takes away or abridges any rights conferred on the other citizens of India by any provision of this part.”

2. Uttarakhand to bring special heritage law

In news:

  • Uttarakhand government is planning to bring a special legislation to cover unprotected heritage in the state.
  • Aim: preserve buildings and sites of historic, aesthetic, cultural or environmental value which are not protected by the central law of the Archaeological Survey of India or any other existing government policies.
  • The Uttarakhand Heritage Act seeks to conserve landmarks such as the Almora Jail, where Pt Jawaharlal Nehru was imprisoned, the colonial-era Raj Bhawan in Nainital, historic precincts and trees, groves and natural fields of environmental significance.
  • The statute would also cover natural features of environmental significance and sites of scenic beauty and provide for conservation and protection of areas which are environmentally sensitive.
  • Key fact:
  1. Around 71 monuments in Uttarakhand are protected by the State government under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act.
  2. Another 40 archaeological sites are covered by the Central government, through the ASI, under the same

3. Brahmin federation for quota based on economic status

In news:

  • All India Brahmin Federation (AIBF) demands:
  1. Abolition of caste-based reservation and implementation of a new reservation policy based on economic status for admissions, employment and promotions.
  • Key Fact: The AIBF is the apex body of Brahmin organisations in the country.

4. All that data that Aadhaar captures

Context:

  • After denying the right to privacy for years, the government welcomed the judgement
  • CEO of the UIDAI, asserted, “The Aadhaar Act is based on the premise that privacy is a fundamental right and the judgement would not affect Aadhaar as the required safeguards were already in place.

Aadhaar and Right to Privacy

  • Aadhaar, in its current form, is a major threat to the fundamental right to privacy
  • Common perception that the main privacy concern with Aadhaar is the confidentiality of the Central Identities Data Repository (CIDR). This is misleading for two reasons.
  • One is that the CIDR is not supposed to be inaccessible.
  • On the contrary, the Aadhaar Act 2016 puts in place a framework for sharing most of the CIDR information.
  • It collects biometric information, identity information and personal information.
  • The first two are formally defined in the Aadhaar Act, and protected to some extent. The biggest threat to privacy, relates to the third type of information.
  • In the Aadhaar Act, biometric information essentially refers to photograph, fingerprints and iris scan, though it may also extend to “other biological attributes of an individual” specified by the UIDAI.
  • The term “core biometric information” basically means biometric information minus photograph, but it can be modified once again at the discretion of the UIDAI.
  • One concern is the confidentiality of personal information an individual may not wish to be public or accessible to others. The Aadhaar Act puts in place some safeguards in this respect, but they are restricted to biometric and identity information.

Sharing identity details

  • The strongest safeguards in the Act relate to core biometric information.
  • That part of the CIDR, is supposed to be inaccessible except for the purpose of biometric authentication.
  • There is a view that, in practice, the biometric database is likely to be hacked sooner or later.
  • Aadhaar Act puts in place a framework to share it with “requesting entities”. The core of this framework lies in Section 8 of the Act, which deals with authentication
  • Aadhaar Act includes a blanket exemption from the safeguards applicable to biometric and identity information on “national security” grounds.
  • This effectively makes identity information accessible to the government without major restrictions.

Mining personal information

  • Aadhaar is a tool of unprecedented power for mining and collating personal information.
  • For example, suppose Aadhaar number becomes mandatory for buying a railway ticket. With computerised railway counters, government will have all the details of your railway journeys, from birth onwards. The government can do exactly what it likes with this personal information
  • By the same reasoning, if Aadhaar is made mandatory for SIM cards, the government will have access to your lifetime call records, and it will also be able to link your call records with your travel records.
  • Nothing in the Aadhaar Act prevents the government from using Aadhaar to link different databases, or from extracting personal information from these databases.
  • Indeed, many State governments under the State Resident Data Hub (SRDH) project, which “integrates all the departmental databases and links them with Aadhaar number”
  • Some of the private agencies do have access to a fair amount of personal information from their own databases.
  1. Reliance Jio is in possession of identity information for more than 100 million Indians, harvested from the CIDR when they authenticate themselves to buy a Jio SIM card.

Category: : INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS/BILATERAL RELATIONS

1. Rohingya refugee issue: Dhaka plea made MEA shift stand

Context:

  • Rohingya’s deportation issue.

India’s shift in position on the Myanmar issue:

  • India-Myanmar joint statement during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit: didn’t include any reference to the refugee situation.
  • India has now expressed deep concerns about the outflow of Rohingya refugees for the first time in recent month. It was prompted by a series of requests from the Bangladesh government at the highest levels.

2. India, U.S. in talks for C-17 deal

In news:

  • India is in talks with the U.S. for buying another Boeing C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft to be added to its fleet of 10.
  • Since induction in 2013, the aircraft has become the mainstay of India’s humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.
  • Importance:
  1. The proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet the current and future strategic airlift requirements.
  2. India lies in a region prone to natural disasters and will use the additional capability [aircraft] for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

 

B. GS3 Related

Category: INTERNAL SECURITY AND DEFENSE

1. Around the world in seven months

In news:

  • Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman , hailed the global circumnavigation being attempted by an all-women Indian Navy crew of ‘Navika Sagar Parikrama.’
  • ‘Navika Sagar Parikrama,’
  1. The first-ever attempt by an all-women crew to circumnavigate the globe, will have stopovers at four ports — Fremantle (Australia), Lyttleton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands) and Cape Town (South Africa) — for replenishments and repairs.
  2. It will return to Goa in April next year.
  3. The crew will collate and update Meteorological/ Ocean/ Wave data on a daily basis for subsequent analysis by research and development organisations. They will also monitor and report marine pollution on the high seas.

 

D. GS4 Related

Nothing here for Today!!!

 

E. PRELIMS FACT

Nothing here for Today!!!

 

F. Practice Questions for UPSC Prelims Exam

Question 1.	Aedes aegypti transmits which among the following?
  1. Dengue, chikungunya , yellow fever and HIV
  2. Dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever
  3. Dengue, chikungunya , yellow fever and Zika virus
  4. Dengue, chikungunya , yellow fever and H1N1

See

Answer


(c)

Topic: Science
Level: Moderate

Explanation

  • Zika virus is primarily transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito from the Aedes genus, mainly Aedes aegypti in tropical regions.
  • Aedes mosquitoes usually bite during the day, peaking during early morning and late afternoon/evening.
  • This is the same mosquito that transmits dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever.
  • Sexual transmission of Zika virus is also possible.
  • Other modes of transmission such as blood transfusion are being investigated.
Question 2.	Consider the following statements
  1. Anopheles stephensi transmits Zika virus.
  2. Currently there is no vaccine for Zika.
  3. Zika has been linked to microcephaly in the new born infants.

Choose the correct statements

  1. 1 and 3
  2. 1 and 2
  3. 2 and 3
  4. All are correct
See
Answer


 (c)

Topic: Science
Level: Moderate

Explanation

    Question 3.	What is/are the eligibility criteria’s that needs to be fulfilled, in order 
    to be the member of a G7 group?
    1. A very high net national wealth.
    2. A very high Human Development Index.
    3. Both A and B
    4. Neither A nor B
    See
    Answer


     (c)

    Topic: International Organization
    Level: Moderate

    Explanation:

    A very high net national wealth and a very high Human Development Index are the main requirements to be a member of G7 group.

    Question 4.	Comets appear like a small rounded match-head-like halo followed by
    a long tail, mainly due to which phenomenon?
    1. Sublimation of icy nucleus.
    2. Evaporation of icy nucleus.
    3. Condensation of icy nucleus.
    4. None of the above.
    See
    Answer


     (a)

    Topic: Science
    Level: Moderate

    Explanation:

    • Solar wind consists of a plasma of electrons and protons flowing away from the sun at hypersonic speeds. Its existence was first inferred indirectly in the 1950s by observing the shapes of comet tails. Only later was its existence confirmed by the Mariner 2 spacecraft.
    • Comets, on the other hand, are icy wanderers that travel far into space and make an appearance periodically in the skies when they pass close to the Sun. Their shape is characteristic — a small rounded match-head-like halo followed by a long tail — and dictated by its interaction with the solar wind. The halo and the tail consist of material that has sublimated from its icy nucleus and has been dragged out by the solar wind.
    Question 5.	Consider the following statements
    1. Hodaigiri is the harvest dance associated with Reang tribes.
    2. Jhum cultivation is one of the primary occupations of Reang tribes.
    3. Majority of Reang population are literates.

    Select the correct answer using the code given below

    1. 1 and 3
    2. 1 and 2
    3. 2 and 3
    4. All are correct
    See
    Answer


     (b)

    Topic: Current Affairs
    Level: Moderate

    Explanation

    • One of the unique dances of the Reang is the Hodaigiri/Hojagiri, in which a group of women balance themselves on earthen pitchers and manage other props.The performance is associated with the harvest.
    • Jhum (shifting) cultivation has been one of the primary agricultural activities of the Reang tribe.
    • As per the 2001 census, 66.93% of the Reang population is illiterate.
    • The Reang dialect is of Tibetan-Burmese origin and is locally referred to as Kau Bru. Though there is no script for the language, some publications follow the Bengali or Roman script to keep the language alive.

     

    G. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

    GS Paper I
    1. Critically analyse urban transport challenges in Indian cities and policy responses needed to address these challenges.
    GS Paper II
    1. Critically evaluate the focus and performance of Centre’s Swachh Bharat Mission.
    GS Paper III
    1. Discuss the practical solutions that can plug loopholes in Public Distribution System.

     

    Also, check previous Daily News Analysis

     

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

     

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