30 May 2023: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

CNA 30 May 2023:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
EDUCATION
1. The lack of teachers in higher education
C. GS 3 Related
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Faster, stronger
INDIAN CONSTITUTION AND POLITY
1. From Master of the Roster to Master of all Judges?
F. Prelims Facts
1. India’s GSLV launches NVS-01 NavIC satellite
2. Central Vigilance Commission
3. Kashmir’s ‘Sufiyana Mausiki’ & ‘Tchakri’ folk songs
G. Tidbits
1. CAG voted in as WHO auditor for a second term
2. UN peacekeeping mission: India to train women from ASEAN
3. Northeast gets its first Vande Bharat Express
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
FIP Magazine

Category: INDIAN CONSTITUTION AND POLITY

1. From Master of the Roster to Master of all Judges?

Syllabus: Judiciary.

Mains: Issues related to cases and the Chief Justice of India.

Prelims: Powers and functions of Chief Justice of India.

Introduction:

  • In Ritu Chhabria v. Union of India case, the division bench of the Supreme Court (SC) affirmed the undertrial’s right to be released on the default bail in case of incomplete investigation and proceedings beyond the statutory time limit.
    • It was held that an accused’s right to seek default bail would be terminated only upon completion of the investigation within the statutory time limit.
  • However, this decision was recalled in early May 2023.

For detailed information, read here: A Court recall that impacts the rights of the accused

Other Details:

  • Consequently, the only recourse available now is the review petition.
    • However, it is highlighted that the review petition is also decided by the same bench that has stripped the decision of the Ritu Chhabria case.
  • The only way through which CJI can enter the entire matter is through another Coordinate Bench on the same issue but different case. This will result in CJI referring the matter to a larger Bench.
  • It is argued that in an intra-court appeal within the Supreme Court against an order passed by a Bench that did not include the CJI, the Court has effectively instituted a mechanism that is entirely devoid of legislative or constitutional backing.

First Amongst Equals:

  • As per the constitution, all Supreme Court Judges are equal in terms of their judicial powers.
  • However, CJI has some special administrative powers like constituting Benches and assigning tasks and references for reconsideration of a larger Bench. Thus, he is ‘first amongst equals’ and called the ‘Master of the Roster.’
  • It should be noted that in any Bench the vote or power given to CJI is the same as the other fellow judges. This is in contrast to the U.S. where all the judges collectively exercise power and render decisions, reflecting the collective strength of the court.

Also read: Supreme Court Judge – Appointment and Removal – UPSC Indian Polity

Associated Concerns:

  • It is argued that the decision of the Ritu Chhabria vs Union of India case was undone by a doubtful procedure that is not a part of the Constitution or Supreme Court Rules.
  • There are many recorded instances of abuse of the ‘Master of Roster’ system. For example, serious infirmities were highlighted by the four seniormost judges of the Supreme Court four years ago.
  • The recent order might enlarge the powers of the CJI on the judicial side and create an unprecedented intra-court appellate mechanism within the SC (disregarding the review petition).

Way Ahead:

  • It is suggested that the practice of constituting Benches and allocating cases should be made computerized.
  • The concept of ‘Master of Roster’ should be used only for the smooth administrative functioning of the court.
  • The CJI should refrain from expanding his own power.

Related Link: 

Issues in news; Master of Roster; Chief Justice of India; Supreme Court

Nut Graf: The Supreme Court’s decision to recall its earlier judgment of default bail has raised various concerns like enlarging the powers of Chief Justice of India and bypassing the established procedure of review petition. These concerns should be addressed in a timely manner to ensure the trust of people in the Indian Judiciary.

F. Prelims Facts

1. India’s GSLV launches NVS-01 NavIC satellite

Syllabus: GS-3; Science and Technology; Awareness in the field of Space

Prelims: About ISRO, NVS-01 Satellite and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)

Context

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully placed the NVS-01 navigation satellite into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

NVS-01 navigation satellite

  • ISRO, using its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), successfully placed the NVS-01 navigation satellite into the GTO.
    • The latest mission was carried out using GSLV-F12 which is the 15th flight of India’s GSLV and the 9th flight with indigenous cryo stage. 
    • The latest mission was also the 6th operational flight of a GSLV with an indigenous cryogenic stage. 
  • NVS-01 navigation satellite is the first in the series of five second-generation satellites for Navigation by Indian Constellation (NavIC)
  • The NVS-01 navigation satellite weighs about 2,232 kg and carries navigation payloads for L1, L5 and S bands.
  • For the first time ever an indigenous atomic clock was flown in NVS-01.
  • The NVS-01 navigation satellite will enhance India’s regional navigation system by providing accurate and real-time navigation.
  • The signals from NavIC are designed to provide user position to better than 20 metres and timing accuracy of better than 50 nanoseconds.
  • The NVS-01 satellite has a mission life of over 12 years, which is longer than the 10-year life of the first-generation satellites in the NavIC system.
  • The NavIC system has been hindered by failing atomic clocks and satellites nearing the end of their mission life. Thus efforts are underway to replace the ageing satellites and make the NavIC system fully functional and operational.
  • The second-generation NavIC satellites are equipped with enhanced features for terrestrial, aerial and maritime navigation, precision agriculture, location-based services in mobile devices and marine fisheries.

2. Central Vigilance Commission

Syllabus: GS-1; Polity; Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.

Prelims: About Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and the appointment of members

Context

Praveen Kumar Srivastava was recently sworn in by President Droupadi Murmu as the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC).

Central Vigilance Commission

  • The Indian government introduced the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) in 1964. 
  • It was originally introduced through an executive resolution. 
  • The commission was set up on the recommendation of the K.Santhanam Committee on Prevention of Corruption. 
  • Central Vigilance Commission was established with the aim to exercise superintendence over the vigilance administration of the organisations in respect of which the executive powers of the Government of India extended.
  • The Ordinance of 1998 conferred statutory status to the CVC.
    • It also extended the powers to exercise superintendence over the functioning of the Delhi Special Police Establishment, and also to review the progress of the investigations pertaining to alleged offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 conducted by them.
  • The Central Vigilance Act came into effect in the year 2003 after the CVC Bill was passed by both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
  • The vision of CVC is to ensure a common and effective approach with the aim to eliminate corrupt and unethical practices in public administration and to bring about transparency, fair-play, objectivity, accountability and responsiveness to the aspirations of the citizen from administration.
  • CVC works on the policy of ‘Zero Tolerance Against Corruption.’
  • To promote effective vigilance, CVC has adopted various preventive, punitive and participative vigilance tools.
  • CVC, since 1998, is a three-member body that includes one Central Vigilance Commissioner and two Vigilance Commissioners.

Appointment of CVC Members:

  • The President of India appoints CVC members by warrant under his hand and seal
  • As per the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003, the President’s appointment comes after the recommendation by a three-member committee consisting of:
    • The Prime Minister 
    • The Union Minister of Home Affairs
    • The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha
  • Term of Office: Four years or if they attain 65 years of age (whichever is earlier)
  • After they retire, they are not eligible for reappointment in any central or state government agency.
  • First Chief Vigilance Commissioner of India was Nittoor Srinivasa Rau.

Learn more – Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)

3. Kashmir’s ‘Sufiyana Mausiki’ & ‘Tchakri’ folk songs

Syllabus: GS-1; Art and Culture; Salient aspects of Art Forms

Prelims: About Sufiyana Mausiki and Tchakri folk songs

Context

Sufiyana Mausiki and Tchakri folk songs were played during ‘Dastaan-e-Bahaar’ event in Baramulla to pay tributes to the master weavers of shawls and carpets, and prominent folk singers and celebrated the onset of summer.

Read more – Pashmina Shawls

Details

  • Sufiyana Mausiki and Tchakri are forms of devotional folk songs that have assumed centrality for carpet and shawl weavers of Kashmir for centuries.
  • Sufiyana Mausiki and Tchakri songs are famous among the tribe of artisans from Kashmir.
  • Sufiyana music has about 180 mukaams or stages. However, several stages are lost due to the decline in the tradition. 
    • The Mukaam-e-Bahaar is sung at a low pitch and just before sunset.
  • Sufiyana music has been granted classical status.
  • Artisans feel that Sufiyana Mausiki and Tchakri songs help them engross themselves in the artwork. 
    • They believe that it is a powerful tool to focus and maintain attention on meticulous details while weaving carpets and shawls. 
    • It is also believed that sufiyana music helps to have peace at heart.
  • Sufiyana Mausiki got prominence in Kashmir during the time of Sultan Ju Saaznawaz, a famous Sufiyana Musician from Iran who migrated to Kashmir.
    • Sultan Ju Saaznawaz is said to be the pioneer of Sufiyana Mausiki in Kashmir and was soon to be known as Ustaad Sultan Ju Saaznawaz i.e. a “magician with the strings”.
  • The instruments used while singing Sufiyana Mausiki and Tchakri songs include the harmonium, the rubab, the sarangi, the nout, the geger, the tumbaknaer and the chimta.

Also read – Folk Music in India

G. Tidbits

1. CAG voted in as WHO auditor for a second term

  • The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, Girish Chandra Murmu has been re-elected as the External Auditor of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for a four-year term from 2024 to 2027.
    • The CAG of India was already holding the position of External Auditor in the WHO for a four-year term from 2019 to 2023. 
    • The re-election was held at the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva and the CAG of India was re-elected with a majority of 114 out of 156 votes.
  • The CAG of India was also selected for the post of External Auditor of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Geneva (2024-2027) in March 2023.
  • Apart from WHO and ILO,  the CAG of India is currently the External Auditor of:
    • The Food and Agriculture Organisation (2020-2025)
    • International Atomic Energy Agency (2022-2027)
    • Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (2021-2023) 
    • Inter Parliamentary Union (2020-2022)
  • Furthermore, the CAG of India is a Member of the United Nations Panel of External Auditors, the Governing Boards of the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions and ASOSAI.
  • The CAG also chairs the INTOSAI Knowledge Sharing Committee, its Working Group on IT Audit, and the Compliance Audit Sub-Committee.

2. UN peacekeeping mission: India to train women from ASEAN

  • India is likely to conduct initiatives for women personnel from South East Asia in the coming days, in line with the Defence Minister of India’s proposal for an initiative on ‘women in United Nations Peacekeeping (UNPK) operations’ as part of expanding India-ASEAN defence cooperation.
  • The 29th of March 2023 marked the 75th U.N. Peacekeepers Day.
    • The day marks the start of the first UN peacekeeping mission “U.N. Truce Supervision Organisation” in Palestine in 1948.
  • India is one of the largest troop contributing nations to the UNPK and at present about  5,900 troops have been deployed on 12 missions. 
    • India has contributed around 2,75,000 troops to peacekeeping missions so far and 159 Indian Army soldiers have lost their lives across the globe.
  • The initiatives under the ‘India-ASEAN initiative for women in UNPK operations’ include:
    • Conducting tailor-made courses for women peacekeepers of ASEAN member-states at the Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK) 
    • “Tabletop exercise” for women officers from ASEAN, incorporating facets of UNPK challenges.

3. Northeast gets its first Vande Bharat Express

  • The Prime Minister Narendra of India flagged off the first Vande Bharat Express of the northeast region of India.
  • This Vande Bharat train will connect Guwahati (Assam) with New Jalpaiguri (West Bengal) and help reduce the duration of journey from 6.5 hours to 5.5 hours.
  • The new Guwahati-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat express is expected to strengthen the centuries-old ties between Assam and West Bengal. 
    • It will also enhance the ease of travel, benefit students and also help generate more job opportunities through tourism and business.
  • The Prime Minister also dedicated 182 route km of newly electrified sections to the nation which help provide pollution-free transportation at higher speeds and less running time.
  • Efforts are being made to connect the capitals of Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Sikkim to the rest of the country.

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following Provisions: (Level – Difficult)
  1. Allocation of seats in the House of the People
  2. Allocation of equitable sharing of time
  3. Electoral roll for every constituency
  4. Free supply of copies of electoral rolls

How many of these provisions are covered under the Representation of the People Act, 1950?

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

Answer: b

Explanation:

  • The Representation of the People Act, 1950 include the provisions for:
    • Seat allocation in the Lok Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies through direct elections.
    • The voters’ qualifications for the elections.
    • The delimitation of constituencies for both Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The extent of the constituencies would be determined by the Delimitation Commission.
    • The Indian President can alter the constituencies after due consultation with the Election Commission.
    • Preparation of the electoral roll. A person cannot be enrolled for over one constituency. He or she can be disqualified and barred from voting if found to be of unsound mind or is not an Indian citizen.
  • Section 39A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 deals with the “Allocation of equitable sharing of time”.
  • Section 78A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 deals with the “Free supply of copies of electoral rolls.
Q2. Consider the following statements with respect to the Official Secrets Act of 1
923? (Level – Moderate)
  1. The act applies to servants of the Government and to citizens of India outside India
  2. Lahore Conspiracy Case trial was held by a Special tribunal constituted under the Official Secrets Act.
  3. Second Administrative Reforms Commission recommended that the Official Secrets Act should be scrapped.

How many of the above statements are incorrect?

  1. Only one
  2. Only two
  3. All three
  4. None
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is correct, The Official Secrets Act of 1923 is India’s anti-espionage. 
    • The Official Secrets Act, 1923 extends to the whole of India and applies also to servants of the Government and to citizens of India outside India.
  • Statement 2 is not correct, Lahore Conspiracy Case trial was held by a Special tribunal constituted under the Defence of India Act 1915.
  • Statement 3 is correct, The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC), in its Report of June 2006 had recommended that the Official Secrets Act (OSA) of 1923 should be repealed, and substituted by a chapter in the National Security Act, containing provisions relating to official secrets.
Q3. Consider the following statements: (Level – Easy)

Statement—I

POCSO Act sets a gender-neutral tone for the legal framework available to child sexual abuse victims.

Statement— II

The act does not distinguish between perpetrators of child sexual abuse on the grounds of gender, and there have been instances where the courts have convicted women for such abuse.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. Both Statement—I and Statement—II are correct and Statement—II is the correct explanation for Statement—I
  2. Both Statement—I and Statement—II are correct and Statement—II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
  3. Statement—I is correct but Statement—II is incorrect
  4. Statement—I is incorrect but Statement—II is correct
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) was passed by the parliament in the year 2012 with an intent to effectively address the evil of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children.
  • The act aims at making offences against children gender-neutral and sets a gender-neutral tone for the legal framework available to child sexual abuse victims.
  • Thus, the act also does not distinguish between perpetrators of child sexual abuse on the grounds of gender, and there have been instances where the courts have convicted women for such abuse.
Q4. With respect to Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, which of the 
following statements is/are correct? (Level – Easy)
  1. The administrative expenses of the office of the CAG, including all salaries, allowances and pensions of persons serving in that office are charged upon the Contingency Fund of India.
  2. The CAG submits three audit reports directly to the Parliament—audit report on appropriation accounts, audit report on finance accounts, and audit report on public undertakings.

Options:

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

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • Statement 1 is not correct, According to Article 148 (6) of the Constitution, the administrative expenses of the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, including all salaries, allowances and pensions payable to or in respect of persons serving in that office, shall be charged upon the Consolidated Fund of India.
  • Statement 2 is not correct, The reports of the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India relating to the accounts of the Union namely audit report on appropriation accounts, audit report on finance accounts, and audit report on public undertakings, are to be submitted to the President.
    •  President shall cause them to be laid before each House of Parliament.
Q5. Salinization occurs when the irrigation water accumulated in the soil evaporates,
leaving behind salts and minerals. What are the effects of salinization on the 
irrigated land?  (Level – Moderate) PYQ (2011)
  1. It greatly increases the crop production
  2. It makes some soils impermeable
  3. It raises the water table
  4. It fills the air spaces in the soil with water
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation:

  • Salinisation occurs when the irrigation water accumulated in the soil evaporates, leaving behind salts and minerals. 
  • Salinisation makes some soils of the irrigated land impermeable.
  • Excess soil salinity, therefore, causes poor and spotty stands of crops, uneven and stunted growth and poor yields.

CNA 30 May 2023:- Download PDF Here

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