20 Jan 2024: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

20 Jan 2024 CNA
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
C. GS 3 Related
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
GEOGRAPHY
1. Gearing up for change
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. The problem with India’s science management
F. Prelims Facts
1. Andhra becomes 2nd state to take up ‘caste census’
2. NASA spacecraft pings Chandrayaan 3 lander on the moon
3. Think Tank warns WhatsApp users of scams and data breach
4. How do you plan to save the Great Indian Bustard, SC asks govt.
G. Tidbits
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
FIP Magazine


Category: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. The problem with India’s science management

Syllabus: GS-3, Developments in Science and Technology, Applications of scientific developments in everyday life

Mains: Issues with India’s science management

Context:​ India’s pursuit of sustained economic progress relies heavily on scientific advances translated into deployable technologies. Recognizing this, the government is revamping the science establishment, with initiatives like the National Research Foundation (NRF) and restructuring the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). However, a critical examination of the current administrative capabilities is crucial to optimize efficiency and resilience in Indian science.

Low Expenditure on Research and Development

  • Inadequate Funding: India’s low research and development expenditure (0.7% of GDP) hampers scientific outcomes.
  • Need for Wise Allocation: Given the low budget, prioritizing high-impact projects becomes pivotal for scientific progress.

Failures in Space Program and Nuclear Energy

  • Diminished Space Program: ISRO ranks eighth globally in launch numbers, indicating a decline in technological leadership.
  • Missed Opportunities in Nuclear Energy: Lagging in small modular reactors and unrealized thorium ambitions showcase setbacks in nuclear energy.

Challenges in Critical Science and Technology Themes

  • Alarming Situation: Genomics, robotics, and artificial intelligence lack strategic direction and organizational efficiency.
  • Inconsistent Management: The administration’s inconsistency is inappropriate for the crucial role science must play.

Dominance of Public Sector and Administrative Issues

  • Bureaucratic Hurdles: Government bureaucracy causes delays in crucial funding and equitable decision-making.
  • Lack of Long-Term Commitment: The inability to commit to long-term funding for critical projects poses a significant challenge.

Outsized Role of Senior Scientists

  • Centrality of Scientists: Senior scientists play a defining role in India’s science administration.
  • Mismatched Skill Sets: Good scientists may not possess the necessary administrative skills required for effective science management.
  • Conflicts of Interest: Academic roles within administrative positions lead to conflicts of interest, affecting the overall quality of science administration.

Historical Context and Institutional Capture

  • Gatekeepers and Monopoly: Historical concentration of equipment led to gatekeepers controlling power, patronage, and appointments.
  • Oppressive Network: Scientists indebted to gatekeepers perpetuate conflicts and hinder genuine scientific outcomes.
  • Need for Change: As India remoulds its scientific establishment, a reassessment of the role of scientists in administration is essential.

Way forward

  • Separation of Roles: Advocate for the separation of administrative and scientific roles within science establishments.
  • All-India Science Administration Central Service: Consider adopting a system similar to the U.S., where scientists are selected and trained in a dedicated science administration central service.
  • Training Programs: Establish training programs to groom administrators separately, emphasizing skills like tact, realism, flexibility, and firmness.

Nut Graf: The current state of India’s science management demands a paradigm shift. The separation of administrative and scientific roles, along with dedicated training programs, can foster a more efficient and resilient science establishment. Without addressing these core concerns, India’s aspirations in economic and strategic domains through scientific progress will face ongoing challenges.

F. Prelims Facts

1. Andhra becomes 2nd state to take up ‘caste census’

Context: A special phone app has been designed by the government to conduct the census. Andhra Pradesh has become the second state in the country, after Bihar, to launch such a caste census. More than 700 caste groups are available on the mobile application for the public to choose theirs. The ‘No caste’ option has also been provided.

Significance

  • Such data will ensure that no intended beneficiary for the “Navaratnalu” (nine welfare schemes of the Andhra Pradesh government) is left out.
  • Assist in adjusting existing policies and devising new policies for education and employment as needed. 
  • Help the government understand how they sustain themselves, their livelihoods, and how they can be better supported.
  • To gain a comprehensive understanding of population dynamics, especially in regions with dominant BC groups, to address issues faced by the most marginalised populations.
  • Aid in studying the below poverty line (BPL) population among BCs, SCs, STs, minorities, and other communities.

Background of Census

  • Census in India – 1881.
  • The Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) – 1931 – With the primary objective of gathering data on the economic status of Indian families in both rural and urban areas.
  • Census offers a broad overview of the Indian population, and SECC serves the purpose of identifying recipients eligible for state support.
  • Implementation of a caste census – Article 340 – There is a mandate to appoint a commission to examine the conditions of socially and educationally backward classes and provide recommendations regarding the measures that governments should take.

2. NASA spacecraft pings Chandrayaan 3 lander on the moon

About

  • A NASA spacecraft has successfully pinged India’s Chandrayaan-3 lander on the moon.
  • According to NASA, a laser beam was transmitted and reflected between its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and the Vikram lander for the first time on the lunar surface.
  • This successful experiment opens the door to a new style of precisely locating targets on the moon’s surface. 

Retroreflectors

  • Small arrays of mirrors sending laser pulses toward an object and measuring how long it takes the light to bounce back is a commonly used way to track the locations of Earth-orbiting satellites from the ground.
  • LASER Retroreflector Array (LRA) on board Chandrayaan 3 – NASA’s LRA was accommodated on the Vikram lander under international collaboration. It comprises eight corner-cube retroreflectors on a hemispherical support structure.

3. Think Tank warns WhatsApp users of scams and data breach

Context: The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) has warned users of different scams perpetrated through messaging platform WhatsApp. The police think tank under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs while listing “do’s and don’ts” – the social media intermediary has been informed about the “data-breach acts” and numerous government bodies and Ministry officials are already working on it.

Details: 

  • India is one of the largest markets of WhatsApp with more than 400 million users.
  • Screen Sharing Feature: One of the vulnerabilities flagged by BPRD relates to the “screen share” feature introduced by the platform recently.
  • It said that scammers impersonate officials from banks, financial institutions, government bodies, etc. On successfully convincing the victim to share the screen, the scammers surreptitiously install malicious Apps/software to get their sensitive information like bank details, and passwords and even access their banking services.
  • Scammers on WhatsApp are quite active in committing fraud.
  • Such acts may commence with missed calls on WhatsApp, messages offering jobs or business opportunities, or a video call/weblink to follow.
  • All such acts aim to menace the victim and lead them to severe situations, costing them huge amounts of money. 

Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D)

  • Established in 1970, BPR&D replaced the Police Research Advisory Council, formed in 1966.
  • Objective – To identify the needs and requirements of the police force in the country, undertake research projects, and offer recommendations to address the challenges encountered by the police.
  • Operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the government’s focus is on creating a modern, effective, and responsive security architecture that fosters a sense of safety across all segments of society.
  • Initially, the Bureau commenced operations with two divisions: the Research, Publication & Statistics Division and the Development Division. 

Objectives of Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D)

  • Examines the underlying reasons for criminal activities, preventive measures, and strategies to enhance investigation techniques, administrative structures, and juvenile delinquency.
  • Platform for engagement with various stakeholders in policing and correctional administration. 
  • The collaborative insights from practitioners, academia, and civil society contribute to policy considerations in the realms of policing and prisons.
  • Extends support through police research programs at the state level.
  • Conducts regular evaluations of the equipment utilized by Indian police forces, ensuring the provision of new and upgraded tools in areas such as arms and ammunition.

4. How do you plan to save the Great Indian Bustard, SC asks govt.

Great Indian Bustard

  • State bird of Rajasthan.
  • Scientific name: Ardeotis nigriceps.
  • Recognized as the flagship species for grassland ecosystems, it serves as an indicator of the overall health of these habitats.
  • Habitat: Rajasthan and Gujarat, with smaller populations found in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. 
  • IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
  • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Appendix I
  • Convention on Migratory Species (CMS): Appendix I
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

Read more on the Great Indian Bustard.

G. Tidbits

Nothing here for today!!!

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the National Institute of 
Oceanography (NIO):
  1. It is one of the 37 constituent laboratories of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi.
  2. It has numerous state-of-the-art laboratories at its headquarters in Goa as well as the regional centres.
  3. It operates two research vessels RV Sindhu Sankalp and RV Sindhu Sadhana.
  4. It provides consultancy on marine environmental protection and coastal zone regulations.

How many statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Only one
  2. Only two
  3. Only three
  4. All four
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation: National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) – It is one of the 37 constituent laboratories of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi. It has numerous state-of-the-art laboratories at its headquarters in Goa as well as the regional centres. It operates two research vessels RV Sindhu Sankalp and RV Sindhu Sadhana. It provides consultancy on marine environmental protection and coastal zone regulations. Multi-disciplinary oceanographic research institution and stands as one of the constituent laboratories under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi. The main office is situated in Dona Paula, Goa, with additional regional centres located in Kochi (Kerala), Mumbai (Maharashtra), and Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh). Established on January 1, 1966, in the wake of the International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE). It is dedicated to comprehensively studying the distinctive oceanographic features of the Indian Ocean. 

Q2. Consider the following statements regarding wheat:
  1. This rabi crop requires a cool growing season and bright sunshine at the time of ripening.
  2. It requires 50 to 75 cm of annual rainfall evenly distributed over the growing season.
  3. There are two important wheat-growing zones in the country – the Ganga-Satluj plains in the north-west and the black soil region of the Deccan.
  4. The major wheat-producing states are Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan.

Which of the above statements are correct?

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

Answer: d

Explanation: Wheat – This is the second most important cereal crop. It is the main food crop, in the north and north-western parts of the country.  This rabi crop requires a cool growing season and bright sunshine at the time of ripening. It requires 50 to 75 cm of annual rainfall evenly distributed over the growing season. There are two important wheat-growing zones in the country – the Ganga-Satluj plains in the northwest and the black soil region of the Deccan. The major wheat-producing states are Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan.

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding Nagara & Dravida temples:
  1. Nagara temples are built on a raised plinth, with the Garbha Griha.
  2. In the Dravida-style temples, vimanas are typically smaller than the gopurams.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation: Nagara temples – Built on a raised plinth, with the Garbha Griha (sanctum sanctorum) — where the idol of the deity rests — the most sacred part of the temple. Towering over the Garbha Griha is the shikhara (literally ‘mountain peak’), the most distinguishable aspect of Nagara-style temples. Comprises a circumambulatory passage around the Garbha Griha, and one or more mandapas (halls) on the same axis. Elaborate murals and reliefs often adorn its walls. In the Dravida-style temples, vimanas are typically smaller than the great gatehouses or gopurams, which are the most immediately striking architectural elements in a temple complex.

Q4. Consider the following statements regarding Maldives and Lakshadweep:
  1. Both archipelagos are part of the same chain of coralline islands that extend southward beyond the equator to the Chagos archipelago.
  2. The Maldives offers visa-free arrivals to its major source markets, which include India, Russia, and China except Kazakhstan.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation: Maldives – An archipelago of 1,190 coral islands and sandbanks clustered in 20-odd atolls, sprawls over a patch of North Central Indian Ocean southwest of Kerala and Sri Lanka; Male, the capital, lies about 600 km southwest of Thiruvananthapuram. Today, the Maldives is an international tourism hotspot. Tourism directly contributes almost 30% of the country’s GDP, and generates more than 60% of its foreign currency earnings. The Maldives offers visa-free arrivals to its major source markets, which include India, Russia, China, and Kazakhstan. 

Lakshadweep – Translates into Sanskrit and Malayalam as “hundred thousand islands”, is a group of 36 coral islands with a total area of only 32 sq km — India’s smallest Union Territory. The islands, which are at distances between 220 km and 440 km from Kochi, lie to the north of the Maldives.

Q5. The world's second tallest statue in the sitting pose of Ramanuja was 
inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India at Hyderabad recently. Which one 
of the following statements correctly represents the teachings of Ramanuja?
  1. The best means of salvation was devotion.
  2. Vedas are eternal, self-existent and wholly authoritative.
  3. Logical arguments were essential means for the highest bliss
  4. Salvation was to be obtained through meditation.
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation: Ramanuja, also known as Ramanujacharya or Ilaiya Perumal – South Indian theologian and philosopher. Hinduism’s significant thinker. Landed in Srirangam after a long journey, where he established temple worship and founded centres to spread his theory of devotion to God Vishnu and his consort Shri (Lakshmi). In three major commentaries, he laid an intellectual basis for the practice of bhakti (devotional worship): the Vedartha-samgraha (on the Vedas), the Shri-bhashya on The Bhagavadgita bhashya, and the Brahma-sutras (on the Bhagavadgita). Ramanuja believed that the existence of souls and matter is reliant on Brahman. Brahman is the ultimate Soul, which may be found in both finite souls and matter. Brahman resides in unknown souls till it attains emancipation. Although finite souls become aware of their divine essence, they do not become identical to God. Ramanuja surrounded himself with a group of followers who were his closest colleagues. KurathAzhwan, Mudaliandan, and KidambiAcchan, as well as his five followers who were also his gurus, were among them. Koorathazhwan, also known as Kuresa and Srivatsanka Mishra, was Acharya Ramanuja’s primary disciple.

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