23 May 2023: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

CNA 23 May 2023:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Prime Minister extols value of Pacific island nations at third FIPIC summit
C. GS 3 Related
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
ECONOMY
1. It’s time to ensure safer skies
F. Prelims Facts
1. PARAKH
2. Comb-jellies and their nervous system
3. INS Sindhuratna
G. Tidbits
1. U.S. signs security pact with Papua New Guinea amid competition with China
2. Aim to lift AFSPA from Assam by 2023-end: CM
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
FIP Magazine

F. Prelims Facts

1. PARAKH

Syllabus: GS-2; Education; Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education

Prelims: About PARAKH

Context

The Education Ministry organised a workshop on PARAKH with the aim of unifying a network of 60 school examination boards of various States and Union Territories under one umbrella.

PARAKH

  • PARAKH stands for Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development.
  • PARAKH was set up as a National Assessment Centre for standard setting and prescribing the norms to improve the educational system of the country as a part of the National Education Policy – NEP 2020
  • PARAKH has been established as an organisation under the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
  • PARAKH will act as a common platform for the interaction of all stakeholders with an aim to develop a holistic approach that ensures a fair assessment system that promotes equity in performance and equivalence in the assessment of students.
  • PARAKH is also mandated to undertake efforts to bring the school boards across States and Union Territories on a common platform.
  • PARAKH would also facilitate the sharing of best practices across educational institutions.
  • PARAKH would oversee the process and conduct surveys such as the National Achievement Survey (NAS) and State Achievement Surveys.

2. Comb-jellies and their nervous system

Syllabus: GS-3; Science and Technology

Prelims: About comb-jellies and their nervous system

Context

A recent study published has taken a close look at the nervous system of the comb-jelly.

Comb-jellies 

Comb jellies

Image Source: The Hindu

  • Comb jellies (ctenophores) belong to a phylum of marine invertebrates named Ctenophora.
  • Comb jelly is a marine animal with a jelly-like body surrounded by iridescent combs.
  • Comb jellies are one of the oldest animal lineages with a defined nervous system. 
  • Ctenophores are hermaphroditic, i.e. they possess both male and female reproductive organs.
  • Ctenophores have also been at the centre of a debate over the identity of the first animal.

Findings of the study

  • The nerve net is a diffuse nervous system made up of interconnected neurons and is commonly found in simple marine animals such as comb jellies and jellyfish.
  • With the help of a recent study, researchers have found that nerve-net neurons in Comb-jellies are continuously connected by a single plasma membrane, instead of being connected by synapses (junctions between neurons in all other animals, including humans).
  • It was seen that the neurites, which are branches from the neuron that form synapses, were all interconnected by a single plasma membrane.

3. INS Sindhuratna

Syllabus: GS-3; Security; Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate. 

Prelims: About INS Sindhuratna

Context

INS Sindhuratna which underwent a major upgrade in Russia reached Mumbai after sailing for 97 days and close to 10,000 miles.

INS Sindhuratna 

  • INS Sindhuratna is a Sindhughosh/Kilo-class diesel-electric submarine of the Indian Navy.
    • The Sindhughosh or Kilo-class submarines were designed under Project 877.
    • They were built under a contract between Rosvooruzhenie and the Ministry of Defence (India).
  • INS Sindhuratna was commissioned into the Navy in December 1988.
  • In February 2014, a major accident took place involving INS Sindhuratna which led to the death of two officers. 
  • Post the incident, INS Sindhuratna was sent for an upgrade and Medium Refit Life Certification (MRLC) process in Russia.
  • The submarine with its modernised weapon and sensor suite will enhance the force level in the Western Seaboard, opening a new & exciting chapter in submarine operations in the Indian Ocean Region.

G. Tidbits

1. U.S. signs security pact with Papua New Guinea amid competition with China

  • The U.S. has signed a new security agreement with Papua New Guinea as it competes with China for influence in the Pacific.
  • Papua New Guinea’s location just north of Australia makes it strategically significant.
    • Papua New Guinea was a site of fierce battles during World War II, and it is the most populous country among Pacific Island nations.
  • The new agreement between the two countries establishes a framework to help improve security cooperation, enhance the capacity of Papua New Guinea’s defence force and increase regional stability.
  • However, there have been protests against the agreement due to concerns about the increasing militarisation of the region.

2. Aim to lift AFSPA from Assam by 2023-end: CM

  • The Chief Minister of Assam reiterated that there are plans to lift the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the State by the end of 2023.
    • The AFSPA, which empowers armed forces to arrest and search without warrants and use force without a magistrate’s permission, has been lifted from most Assam districts except eight and one sub-division.
  • The Chief Minister also said that the military personnel will be roped-in to train the police forces in the State.
  • Plans are on to appoint retired Army personnel as Additional Superintendents of Police to impart training to the police force in Assam.
    • This will facilitate the replacement of central police with Assam police battalions.

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. How many of the following philosophy and founder pairs are correctly matched? 
(Level – Moderate)
  1. Yoga: Patanjali
  2. Vaisheshika: Jaimini
  3. Samkhya: Kapila
  4. Nyaya: Gouthama

Options:

  1. Only 1 pair
  2. Only 2 pairs
  3. Only 3 pairs
  4. All 4 pairs
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • Pair 1 is correct, Though Yoga was practised in the pre-Vedic period, the great Sage Maharshi Patanjali systematized and codified the then-existing practices of Yoga, its meaning and its related knowledge through his Yoga Sutras.
    • Yoga school introduces the methods of the discipline of body and mind. 
  • Pair 2 is not correct, Vaisheshika school was founded by the sage Kanada. 
    • Vaisheshika School deals with metaphysics.
  • Pair 3 is correct, Sankhya is one of the oldest philosophies and was put forth by the sage Kapila. 
  • Pair 4 is correct, Sage Gautama is the founder of the Nyaya school.
    • Nyaya School follows a scientific and rational approach. 
Q2. Who among the following is/are eligible for an OCI Card? (Level – Difficult)
  1. A person whose mother is an Indian citizen, but whose father is a citizen of the USA.
  2. An 80-year-old lady whose mother and father were Indian Citizens, but they left India in 1946.
  3. A person whose parents were citizens of India, and the person serves in the Australian Defence Forces.
  4. A person whose grandparents acquired briefly (less than 5 years) the citizenship of Pakistan, before getting the citizenship of Canada.

Options:

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

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • A person must meet the following eligibility criteria to get an OCI Card:
    • He/She is a citizen of another country having an Indian origin. He/She was a citizen of India on or before the commencement of the Constitution; or
    • He/She is a citizen of another country, but was eligible for the citizenship of India at the time of the commencement of the Constitution; or
    • He/She is a citizen of another country and belonging to a territory that became a part of India after 15th August 1947; or
    • He/She is a child/grandchild/great-grandchild of such a citizen; or
    • He/She is a minor child, whose parents are both Indian citizens or one parent is a citizen of India and is a spouse of foreign origin of an Indian citizen or of an OCI cardholder.
  • Furthermore:
    • Any person having citizenship of Bangladesh or Pakistan is not eligible to apply for the OCI card. 
    • Even a person having a background of serving in any foreign military is also not eligible to apply for the OCI card. 
  • Thus, Option a is the correct answer.
Q3. Which of the following statements is/are true? (Level – Moderate)
  1. The International Day of Biological Diversity is celebrated on 22nd May every year.
  2. The theme for this year was “From Agreement to Action: Build Back Biodiversity”.
  3. India has a dedicated act for Biodiversity, passed in the year 2002.

Options:

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

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct, The International Day for Biological Diversity is celebrated on May 22nd every year. 
    • It aims to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.
  • Statement 2 is correct, The theme of the International Day for Biological Diversity 2023 is “From agreement to action: Build back biodiversity”.
  • Statement 3 is correct, India passed the Biological Diversity Act in 2002 in order to protect biodiversity and facilitate the sustainable management of biological resources with the local communities.
    • The main objective of the Act is to ensure the conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components and fair usage of its resources in order to prevent overuse or eventual destruction of biodiversity.
Q4. The General Data Protection Regulations, in the news recently, are related 
to: (Level – Easy)
  1. Indian government’s proposed regulations for e-commerce firms.
  2. WTO’s regulations for cross-border data exchange.
  3. Regulations in place by the European Union to protect the data of its citizens.
  4. A proposed bill in the USA’s Senate regarding net neutrality.
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is an EU law on data protection and privacy in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA).
  •  It was approved by the EU in April 2016 and came into force on 25th May 2018.
Q5. Consider the following statements: (Level – Moderate) [PYQ 2017]
  1. In India, the Himalayas are spread over five states only.
  2. Western Ghats are spread over five states only.
  3. Pulicat Lake is spread over two States only.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Answer: b

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is not correct, The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is the section of the Himalayas within India, spanning the States and UTs of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, as well as the hill regions of Assam and West Bengal.
  • Statement 2 is not correct, The Western Ghats traverse the States of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
  • Statement 3 is correct, Pulicat Lake (formerly Pralaya Kaveri) straddles the border of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu states with over 40% of it in Andhra Pradesh and 60% in Tamil Nadu.
    • It is the second largest brackish water lake or lagoon in India, after Chilika Lake. 
    • The lake encompasses the Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary. 
    • The barrier island of Sriharikota separates the lake from the Bay of Bengal.

CNA 23 May 2023:- Download PDF Here

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