09 Apr 2022: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

CNA 09 Apr 2022:-Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. Strict regime necessitated by experience of abuse: SC
C. GS 3 Related
ECONOMY
1. RBI adds a standing deposit facility to ‘normalize’ liquidity
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
GOVERNANCE
1. Closing the gaps in criminal justice
EDUCATION
1. To begin with, the UGC needs to get the credits right
F. Prelims Facts
1. India tests missile system successfully
2. World food prices rose to a new record in March
G. Tidbits
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
FIP Magazine

E. Editorials

Category: GOVERNANCE

1. Closing the gaps in criminal justice

Syllabus: Policies and interventions for development in various sectors

Mains: Details about the Supreme Court Guidelines regarding Inadequacies and Deficiencies in Criminal Trials and their significance

Context

Supreme Court Guidelines regarding Inadequacies and Deficiencies in Criminal Trials.

Background

  • In 2021, the Supreme Court of India identified various deficiencies that popped up in the course of criminal proceedings. Thus the Supreme Court issued Guidelines in regard to the Deficiencies in Criminal Trials, 2021.
  • These guidelines proposed changes to the process of presentation of site plans, inquest reports and body sketches, photographs and videographs of a post-mortem and the separation of prosecution from the investigation.
  • The High Courts and the State governments are directed to notify the draft “Rules of Criminal Practice, 2021”.
  • The Guwahati High Court has already issued the notification and has introduced amendments to their police procedures in January 2022.

Changes in the presentation of site plan

  • According to the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), an officer-in-charge upon receiving information about an offence is required to go to the crime scene in person and investigate the crime.
  • The conventional practice is to devise a site plan that includes the information of the crime scene and collect the evidence to connect the dots.
  • The Court has held the site plan devised is acceptable only if the witnesses confirm these statements of the draftsman that they showed him the places.
    • The contents of the site map will not be accepted as evidence just by its presentation by the officer.
  • The new guidelines provide that the site plan devised by the officer should be accompanied by a scaled site plan by another police draftsman or any draftsman authorised by the State.

Changes made to inquest report and post-mortem report

  • The inquest report is developed to find out if a person has died under suspicious circumstances or died an unnatural death. If evidence is found during the process, a criminal case is registered and investigations are taken up even without any official complaint.
  • The contents of the inquest report are not treated as evidence, but they are used to testify the authenticity of the witnesses. However, if the officer himself has identified and recorded evidence, it will be treated as “direct or primary evidence”.
  • Likewise, the post-mortem report “is the statement of the doctor in court, which has the credibility of substantive evidence”.
  • The post-mortem report can be used only to help refresh the memory of the doctor while testifying evidence. The significance of the evidence of the doctor lies in the identification of the type of injuries appearing on the body of the deceased person and the use of a weapon.
  • The guidelines order that all medico-legal certificates and post-mortem reports be like a printed format of the human body.

Changes in the collection of photographic and videographic evidence

  • The Supreme Court has ordered that “in case of death of a person in police action or police custody, the investigating officer shall inform the hospital to arrange for photography and videography for conducting a post-mortem examination”.
  • Along with cases of custodial death, scenes of heinous offences are photographed using digital cameras as a “desirable and acceptable practice”, and they are collected as tamper-proof evidence.
  • The draft code mandates the investigating officer to seize all such photographs and videographs and preserve the original and obtain a certificate under Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (admissibility of electronic evidence).

Changes in the investigation process

  • Currently, in many States, a public prosecutor guides the investigating officer about the deficiencies in the case before submitting the charge sheet to the court.
  • The Supreme Court has now mandated the state governments to appoint advocates, other than public prosecutors, to guide the investigating officer.

Benefits of new guidelines

  • The use of body sketches in an inquest report and a post-mortem have high significance.
  • Standardisation of reports will help the court to efficiently analyse these reports and scrutinise the evidence thoroughly.
  • The guidelines also help the investigating officers and doctors to provide more clarity.
  • The new guidelines regarding the collection of photographic and videographic evidence ensure that there will be uniformity in dealing with cases of custodial deaths without any tampering with the evidence.
  • The formation of an opinion by the police is the final step in the investigation process and this has to be done only by the police without the interference of any authority. Hence by restricting the role of a public prosecutor in the investigation process, the Supreme Court has rightly separated the two wings of investigation and prosecution.

Nut Graf
The Supreme Court has mandated the State governments and the High Courts to bring in amendments to their “Rules of Criminal Practices”. The States should adopt these guidelines in order to address various deficiencies and inadequacies which occur during the course of criminal trials.

Category: EDUCATION

1. To begin with, the UGC needs to get the credits right

Syllabus: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education

Mains: Various issues with the credit system followed in Indian higher education institutions and key recommendations

Context

This article talks about the issues surrounding undergraduate degree programmes in India.

Details

  • Flexibility and liberal ethos are enshrined in the vision of various rigid and outdated course structures of degrees in Indian universities.
  • With the proposed changes in higher education under the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Indian students will finally have access to true education rather than just degree certificates.
  • However, despite this significant vision, there are various issues at the conceptual level of the higher education machinery such as the credit system that needs to be addressed before implementing the policy.

Implications of the credit system

  • The credit structure mentioned in the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) and the Learning Outcomes-Based Curriculum Framework (LOCF) has serious consequences on the teaching workload.
    • This credit structure assigns six credits for core subjects and four credits for elective subjects.
    • With six credits for a core course, a faculty member would end up teaching about eight hours per week per course and as proposed by the NEP, a faculty should be responsible for course content, assessments, and grading; this would increase the hours of preparation by the faculty by two times.
  • The University Grant Commission (UGC)’s draft National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) document continues to equate one credit to one teaching hour.
    • This ambiguity in the UGC’s description of faculty workload will force institutions to burden faculty members.

National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF)
  • The UGC has formulated the draft National Higher Educational Qualification Framework (NHEQF) document.
  • The document is in line with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
  • The NHEQF document aims to develop a nationally accepted and international standard framework to facilitate transparency and comparability of higher education qualifications at all levels.
  • The NHEQF intends to award diplomas and degrees based on the students’ competence to understand and their ability to apply the knowledge at the end of their programme of study
  • The framework has been classified into six levels based on the complexity of learning outcomes.
  • Level 5 of the NHEQF represents learning outcomes in the first year of the U.G. course and Level 10 represents learning outcomes with respect to the doctoral-level programmes.
  • At the entry level, the student’s performance will be evaluated based on aspects such as understanding of theory; cognitive and technical skills; application of knowledge; decision-making abilities; constitutional, humanistic and ethical values; employment-ready skills and entrepreneurship skills.
  • The draft framework addresses various issues like the type of courses and the associated nomenclatures for exit options.
  • The draft framework also fixes the number of credits required to clear various levels of the U.G. courses, master’s degrees and doctoral degrees.

Analysis of the credit system

  • The concept of academic credit is used to explain the workload for students.
  • Its description and interpretation differ across various countries.
  • In the United Kingdom,
    • A core undergraduate subject has been assigned six to seven credits.
    • This includes the total engagement of the student including the time spent in lectures and tutorials.
    • This system mandates about two hours of teaching per week for a faculty member with the remaining time available for preparation and assessment.
  • In the United States,
    • On average, in most universities, an undergraduate course is assigned three credits and hence it mandates about three hours of teaching for a faculty per course.
    • Based on the nature of the university, the faculty members could be allotted two to four courses per year.
    • Faculty with less classroom teaching load will have higher research productivity, hence ensuring better performance in teaching.
    • A credit also mandates the minimum skill required for graduating from one level to another.
  • In India
    • The common thing between credit systems in the U.S. and the U.K. is that the burden on the faculty member in terms of teaching hours per course is much lesser than in Indian universities.
    • The regulatory bodies in India must take this issue seriously to increase the prospects of research productivity of faculty while staying true to the liberal ethos of NEP.

Recommendations

  • The regulating institutions must undertake measures that provide the faculty with enough time to develop quality teaching content and engage in research.
  • Students are to be trained to take up self-learning programmes which reduce a certain degree of burden on the faculty.
  • Considering the fact that there are a large number of students in India, creative solutions such as technology-aided classrooms can be established.
  • The graduate students can be employed as teaching assistants which can make the course both efficient as well as reduce the burden on the faculty.

Nut Graf
The vision of the National National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is grand but the current challenges in the educational fabric like that of the credit system undermine the objectives of the NEP. Therefore, it is crucial for the policymakers to devise regulations that incentivise stakeholders in the sector which leads to appropriate results.

F. Prelims Facts

1. India tests missile system successfully

Syllabus: GS3: Security Challenges: Defense equipment

Prelims: Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)

Context: India successfully flight-tested Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) booster at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur off the Odisha coast.

Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)

  • Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) will pave the way for the development of long-range air-to-air missiles in the country
  • The ramjet propulsion system used in the SFDR acts as an oxidizer and the solid propellant reacts as air flows through a solid propellant duct.

Features of SFDR:

  • Ramjet uses the air as an oxidizer just like a jet engine. Therefore the weight of the fuel required is eliminated.
  • The SFDR propulsion is designed in such a way that it allows for an up and down throttling.
  • The speed increases until the point when sharp turns are required to search for highly manoeuvring targets.
  • The SFDR-based propulsion enables the missile to intercept aerial threats at supersonic speeds and the test demonstrated the reliable functioning of all components.

2. World food prices rose to a new record in March

Syllabus: GS2: International Relations: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

Prelims: About Food Price Index

Context: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released the Food Price Index 2022.

About Food Price Index:

  • The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) is a measure of the monthly change in international prices of a basket of food commodities.
  • It consists of the average of five commodity group price indices weighted by the average export shares of each of the groups over 2014-2016.
  • The Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) food price index tracks the most globally-traded food commodities.

Food Price Index 2022:

  • FAO warned food and feed prices could rise by up to 20% as a result of the conflict in Ukraine, triggering a jump in global malnourishment.
  • Russia and Ukraine are major exporters of wheat, corn, barley and sunflower oil via the Black Sea, and Moscow’s invasion of its neighbour has stalled Ukrainian exports.
  • FAO also cut its estimate of world wheat production in 2022 as it factored in the possibility that at least 20% of Ukraine’s winter crop area would not be harvested.
  • It also lowered its projection of global cereals trade in the 2021/22 marketing year.

G. Tidbits

Nothing here for today!!!

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), who cannot receive foreign 
contribution?
  1. A candidate for election
  2. Judge, government servant or employee of any Corporation or any other body controlled or owned by the Government
  3. Association or company engaged in the production or broadcast of audio news or audio visual news or current affairs programmes through any electronic mode
  4. Correspondent, columnist, cartoonist, editor, owner, printer or publisher of a registered newspaper

Options:

  1. 1, 2 and 3 only
  2. 2, 3 and 4 only
  3. 1, 3 and 4 only
  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

As defined in Section 3(1) of FCRA, 2010, foreign contributions cannot be accepted by any: 

(a) candidate for election; 

(b) correspondent, columnist, cartoonist, editor, owner, printer or publisher of a registered newspaper; 

(c) Judge, government servant or employee of any Corporation or any other body controlled on owned by the Government; 

(d) member of any legislature; 

(e) political party or office bearer thereof; 

(f) organization of a political nature as may be specified under sub-section (1) of Section 5 by the Central Government 

(g) association or company engaged in the production or broadcast of audio news or audio visual news or current affairs programmes through any electronic mode,

(h) correspondent or columnist, cartoonist, editor, owner of the association or company referred to in clause (g).

  • Hence all the statements are correct.
Q2. Which of the following differences between Hindustani and Carnatic music is/are correct?
  1. Hindustani music is Kriti-based while Carnatic is raga based.
  2. Raga essays (alapanas) are elaborated from note to note in Hindustani and from phrase to phrase in Carnatic.

Options:

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both
  4. None
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • Both the statements are correct.
Q3. Consider the following statements with respect to Rice Fortification:
  1. The cooking of fortified rice does not require any special procedure.
  2. Rice Fortification process increases the cost of Rice

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both
  4. None
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) defines fortification as “deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients in a food so as to improve the nutritional quality of food and to provide public health benefit with minimal risk to Health”.
  • There are no special instructions for cooking fortified rice. Before cooking, the rice must be cleaned and washed in the traditional manner. Fortified rice retains the same physical properties and micronutrient levels after cooking as it did before. Hence Statement 1 is correct.
  • The price of upgrading an existing rice mill varies depending on how much fortified rice is produced. Rice Fortification process increases the cost of Rice. Hence Statement 2 is correct.
Q4. ‘AVSAR’ Scheme recently seen in news is a/an
  1. Scheme implemented under the Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) with a view to ease lending of loans and enhance credit availability to small-scale exporters.
  2. Scheme to assist cooperatives to play an important role in the creation of healthcare infrastructure in the country.
  3. Airports Authority of India (AAI) initiative to allocate space to Self Help Groups (SHGs) at its airports for selling/showcasing the self-made products of their region
  4. Flagship Scheme for Capacity Building in the Textiles Sector
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has launched the “AVSAR” initiative to promote women’s, artisans’, and craftsmen’s talent and provide them with appropriate opportunities. AVSAR stands for ‘Airport as a Venue for Regional Skilled Artisans.’ An opportunity has been provided under “AVSAR” to assist the poor in mobilising their households into functionally effective self-earned groups for self-reliance and self-dependence.

Hence Option C is correct.

Q5. Which one of the following is used in preparing a natural mosquito repellent?
  1. Congress grass
  2. Elephant Grass
  3. Lemongrass
  4. Nut Grass
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • Lemongrass is a tall herb that grows abundantly in Asia, Africa, and Australia’s tropical and sub-tropical regions. Lemongrass is produced in the largest quantities in China and India.
  • Lemongrass has a reputation for being an effective mosquito repellent. It contains the citronella compound, which helps to mask the scents that mosquitoes use to find their prey. According to a study conducted in 2011, the intense odour of lemongrass oil killed or completely repelled around 95 percent of mosquitos from a specific range of species.

Hence Option C is correct.

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

  1. Criminal justice system in India faces multiple lacunae. Elaborate on these lacunae and suggest measures to eliminate them. (250 words; 15 marks)[GS-2, Governance]
  2. Explain the University Grants Commission’s Choice Based Credit System. How would this impact the students and teachers? (250 words; 15 marks)[GS-2, Education]

Read the previous CNA here.

CNA 09 Apr 2022:-Download PDF Here

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