12 Nov 2022: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

CNA 12 Nov 2022:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
C. GS 3 Related
ECONOMY
1. Moody’s pares India growth hopes to 7%
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
SOCIAL JUSTICE
1. Autonomy and Higher Education
F. Prelims Facts
1. Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF)
2. Himalayan Gray Langur
G. Tidbits
1. In a win-win, Punjab to supply paddy straw to fodder shortage-hit Kerala
2. Sept. industrial output grows 3.1%, manufacturing stays weak
3. SC orders release of all life convicts in Rajiv case
4. U.S. Treasury removes India from Currency Monitoring List
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

Category: ECONOMY

1. Moody’s pares India growth hopes to 7%

Syllabus: Indian Economy and issues relating to growth and development

Mains: Analysis of Moody’s growth projections for India and G-20 Countries

Context: Global rating agency Moody’s Investors Service has cut down India’s growth projection for 2022-23 to 7% from 7.7%.

Moody’s growth projections for India

• Moody’s has quoted the weakening of the Rupee and the prevailing high oil prices as the key reasons for scaling down India’s growth projections.
• The weakening of the Rupee and the high oil prices have increased the pressure on inflation resulting in higher inflation and high interest rates which along with the slowing global growth are expected to dampen economic momentum by more than what was expected.
• According to Moody’s report, growth is expected to slow down to 4.8% in 2023 and then rise to around 6.4% in 2024.
  • These growth projections of Moody’s for 2023-24 are said to be significantly lower when compared to other agencies. 
  • Example: the S&P Global Ratings has forecasted India’s growth to be 7.3% in 2022-23 and expected a 6.5% uptick in 2023-24. 
• However, India’s 7% growth projections in 2022 are still higher than China’s growth projections of 3%.

Moody’s growth projections for G-20 countries

• In its recent global macro outlook for 2023-24, Moody’s has scaled down the forecasts of various G-20 countries such as the U.S., China, Japan, India and many European countries. 
• As per the report, the Real GDP of the G-20 economies is predicted to slow down from 2.5% in 2022 to 1.3% in 2023 which is lower than Moody’s previous estimate of 2.1%.
• According to Moody’s, the growth outcomes for the G-20 emerging countries will change based on the economic structures and large domestically driven emerging market economies such as India and Brazil are expected to be less vulnerable to the weakening G-7 growth than export-oriented countries. 
• Despite a negative trend in the global growth drivers, Moody’s has noted that in domestically driven economies such as the U.S., Brazil and India, country-specific characteristics like consumer resilience due to post-COVID recovery and increased expenditure on services have provided a degree of strength.

Path ahead

• According to Moody’s, the country’s underlying growth dynamics are fundamentally strong and are boosted by the recovery in service activities, an increase in the capital expenditure by the government and the improvement in manufacturing capacity utilization. 
  • These domestic strengths will support the domestic growth narrative while the global financial tightening and slowing external demand pose downward pressure on growth in 2023.
• As the retail inflation has breached the 7.5% mark in September 2022 after dipping below 7% in July, Moody’s expects the RBI to increase the repo rate by another 50 basis points in order to anchor inflation expectations and support the Rupee’s exchange rate. 
• Moody’s further notes that in the due course, the RBI would shift from inflation management to growth considerations if the rate increases have desired effects on balancing inflationary pressures.
• Acknowledging that India’s deleveraged private sector is currently poised to increase capital expenditure, Moody’s also expects India to benefit from the shift in global capital investment away from China, amid the diversification of supply chains.

Nut graf: The global rating firm Moody’s has reported that the global economy is witnessing a downturn due to high levels of uncertainty on account of inflation, monetary policy tightening, fiscal challenges, geopolitical changes and financial market volatility. This requires concerted efforts by the governments and central banks to navigate their economies through the current challenges.

D. GS 4 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

E. Editorials

Category: SOCIAL JUSTICE

1. Autonomy and Higher Education

Syllabus: Issues Relating to Development & Management of Social Sector/Services-Education

Mains: Various Issues in Indian Higher Education System

Context: The QS Asia University Rankings 2023 was released recently.

Introduction: 

• The QS Asia Universities Ranking was released by Quacquarelli Symonds, a global higher education think-tank and compiler of the world’s most-consulted university rankings portfolio.
• Around 19 Indian universities are featured in the top 200 list of 2023 rankings.
• Indian Institute of Technology Bombay has maintained its position as the country’s top university by ranking 40th in the QS Asia Universities Ranking. It was followed by IIT Delhi which stood at 46th place. Then came the IISc Bangalore which stood at 52.
• The QS World University Rankings 2023 was released in June 2022.
• The QS World University Rankings are annually released and comprise an overall and subject-wise analysis of global institutes which is achieved by evaluating six metrics:

1. Academic Reputation
2. Employer Reputation
3. Faculty/Student Ratio
4. Citations per faculty
5. International Faculty Ratio
6. International Student Ratio

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the top university in the world for the 11th consecutive year.
• The 2023 edition features 41 Indian universities, of which 12 improved their positions, 12 remained stable, 10 declined and seven are new entries.
• The top-100 list doesn’t feature any Indian university for the sixth year straight.
• The IISc ranks 155th globally, and is the global leader in the citations per faculty (CpF) indicator, which QS uses to evaluate the impact of the research produced by universities.
• IISc Bengaluru, IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi are the only three Indian universities in the top 200. 
• IIT Bombay saw a big dip from Rank 117 last year to Rank 172 this year.
• The report shows that India’s presence in the top 500 category is also IIT-driven like other IITs around the world.

Image Source: Business Standard

 Poor performance of Indian Institutes in world ranking:

• None of India’s institutions of higher education appears in the list of the top 100 universities of the world. 
• Only three of India’s higher educational institutions are among the top 200 in the world. Another three are counted among the top 300 whereas two more are in the top 400.
• Overall, 41 Indian education institutes which made it to the rankings, have performed poorly across many key metrics.
  • For example, 30 out of 41 ranked universities have suffered declines in the Faculty Student Ratio (FSR) indicator, with only four recording improvements.
• No other Indian university, public or private, has found a place in the top 500 category globally, since the launch of the Institute of Eminence scheme.
• Only one Indian institution (IISc) is ranked among the top 400 worldwide institutions by Times Higher Education University rankings (THE). The Academic Ranking of World Universities follows a similar pattern (ARWU). 

Autonomy in Top ranked institutions:

• Autonomy is regarded as a necessary and sufficient condition to attain excellence.
• The best universities in the world are flush with funds and they have a great degree of academic, administrative and financial autonomy. 
• The top-ranked universities in the world are continuously sensitised about the importance of their autonomy and are trained and enabled to make their own decisions.
• The European University Association (EUA), for example, prescribes a ‘university autonomy tool’ that lets each member university compare its level of autonomy vis-à-vis the other European higher education systems across all member countries. 

Autonomy in Indian Universities:

• India has a poor record with both the UGC and AICTE being seen more as controllers of education than facilitators.
• Funded through the UGC, universities are all subject to a very strict regulatory regime. 
• The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are better funded and also generally self-governed, enjoying a greater degree of autonomy as they fall outside the regulatory purview of agencies like UGC and AICTE.
• UGC regulations and AICTE guidelines encompass almost all aspects of higher education institutions functioning such as faculty recruitment, student admission and the award of degrees. In many cases, they are micro-managed by the regulatory authorities.
• Regulatory bodies with licensing powers hurt the autonomy of professional higher education, leading to a serious imbalance in the diarchy they were under, and partitioning general from professional higher education in several crucial areas of knowledge.

New Education Policy and Autonomy: 

• A large number of commissions and committees, including the national policies on education and the National Education Policy 2020 have highlighted the need for higher education autonomy. 
• The NEP recognises the importance of effective governance and leadership and that a common feature of all world-class institutions globally including India is the existence of strong self-governance and merit-based appointments of institutional leaders. It states that over a period of 15 years, all Higher Educational Institutions in India will become independent self-governing institutions. 
• The NEP regards academic and administrative autonomy as essential for making higher education multidisciplinary, and that teacher and institutional autonomy is essential in promoting creativity and innovation.
• The policy considers a lack of autonomy as one of the major problems of higher education and promises to ensure faculty and institutional autonomy through a highly independent and empowered board of management which would be vested with academic and administrative autonomy.
• The NEP also argues for a ‘light but tight’ regulatory framework and insists that the new regulatory regime would foster a culture of empowerment. 
• As per the NEP, a robust system of accreditation will gradually give full academic and administrative autonomy to all higher education institutions.
• But the selective execution of the policy based on a convenient interpretation of the text is pushing higher education in the opposite direction.

Read more on Higher and Technical Education in India.

Nut Graf: The below-par performance of Indian universities in various rankings reflects the poor autonomy provided for higher education institutes in the country. Forcing higher educational institutions to follow standardised rules and regulations runs counter to what the NEP provides for. Micromanagement of these educational institutions takes higher education farther away from excellence.

F. Prelims Facts

1. Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF)

Syllabus: GS-3; Security

Prelims: About Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter 

Context: A project to develop a Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) that can operate from aircraft carriers is underway.

Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF)

Image Source: idrw.org

• The TEDBF is a twin-engine, carrier-based, medium-weight, multirole combat aircraft currently under development for the Indian Navy.
• The TEDBF is being designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and will be manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
• The TEDBF aircraft is seen as a replacement for the existing and ageing fleet of Mig-29K fighters.
• The TEDBF is a 4.5++ Gen deck-based fighter jet that is in the same class as Rafale M but is 1.5 tonnes heavier due to the wing folding mechanism and higher take-off weight from the carrier.
• The TEDBF is capable of performing various missions such as air supremacy, air interdiction, anti-access/area denial (A2/AD), anti-ship warfare (ASW) and electronic warfare (EW).
• At present, the high-speed modelling to test the supersonic characteristics is being conducted with internal funds by the DRDO and TEDBF aircraft are expected to be inducted into the Navy by 2031-32.

2. Himalayan Gray Langur

Syllabus: GS-3; Environment and Biodiversity

Prelims: Himalayan Gray Langur

Context: A recent study published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa has found that differing elevations of habitation make one group of Himalayan Gray Langur prefer fruits and another group like flowers.

Himalayan Gray Langur

Image Source: The Hindu

• The Himalayan Gray Langur or the Chamba Sacred Langur, scientifically known as Semnopithecus ajax is a species of colobine (leaf-eating monkeys).
• Before 2001, Semnopithecus entellus (Hanuman Langur) was considered only one species, with several subspecies. In 2001, these subspecies were separated as species under the genus Semnopithecus. 
  • Accordingly, seven different species have been recognised which include Semnopithecus ajax.
• The Himalayan Gray Langurs are widely distributed in the Indian subcontinent across Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and other parts of Pakistan and Nepal.
• The distinguishing feature of the Himalayan Grey Langur is the adult male’s shoulder mane.
• The Himalayan Grey Langurs are seen in a particular area only during some parts of the year as they change their locality during different seasons, depending upon the availability of food and environmental conditions.
• IUCN Status: Endangered
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972:  Schedule II 

2. Sept. industrial output grows 3.1%, manufacturing stays weak

• The country’s industrial output posted a growth of 3.1% in September, rebounding from the contraction in the month of August on account of a double-digit increase in electricity generation which has offset the weakness in manufacturing output growth at 1.8%.
• The estimates of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) released by the Statistics Ministry also note that the mining output increased by 4.6% in September after about a 4% dip in August.
• Additionally, the estimates note that inflation continues to impact the consumption demand, with the output of consumer durables as well as non-durables contracting by 4.5% and 7.1%, respectively.
  • This is the third successive month of shrinking output for consumer non-durables
  • Whereas, the consumer durables output slowed down for the second straight month

3. SC orders release of all life convicts in Rajiv case

• The Supreme Court ordered the immediate release of six life convicts who have been in prison for more than 30 years in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
• The SC bench said that the Tamil Nadu Cabinet had recommended the premature release to the Governor in September 2018 and the Governor, instead of taking a decision, had passed on their files to the Centre. 
  • The Bench held that the Governor was bound by the advice of the Cabinet in cases of murder as their convictions were under the Terrorism and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA Act) which has now lapsed.
• The SC Bench also referred to the judgment of the SC which had ordered the release of former co-convict A.G. Perarivalan by exercising its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution. 
• While ordering their release, the SC bench also took note of the fact that each of these convicts had shown satisfactory conduct during their imprisonment and had also earned postgraduate degrees and diplomas while serving their sentence.

4. U.S. Treasury removes India from Currency Monitoring List

• The U.S. Department of Treasury removed India, Italy, Mexico, Thailand and Vietnam from its Currency Monitoring List of major trading partners.
• Currency Monitoring attracts close attention to their currency practices and macroeconomic policies and India was on the list for the last two years. 
• The countries that have been removed from the list have met only one out of three criteria for two consecutive reports.
• Countries and economies namely China, Japan, Korea, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan are part of the Currency Monitoring List currently.

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements: (Level – Difficult)

1. Justice Sikri was the first lawyer to be appointed directly to the Supreme Court Bench.
2. When it comes to appointing judges to the Supreme Court, the government can send recommendations of the Collegium back to them for reconsideration and if the Collegium reiterates those names, the government cannot object any further.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both
4. None

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is correct, In 1964 Justice Sikri became the first lawyer to be appointed directly to the Supreme Court Bench
• Statement 2 is correct, If the Supreme Court Collegium sends its recommendations to the union government, the government may send the name back for reconsideration by the Collegium. However, if the collegium reiterates its recommendation unanimously, the government cannot object any further and the President is bound to issue the warrant of appointment.

Q2. With respect to Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, which of the following statements is/are 
correct? (Level – Medium)

1. He was a chieftain under the Hoysala Empire.
2. He is known as the founder of Bengaluru. After taking permission from the emperor Nripa Kama, he built Bangalore Fort.
3. He was multilingual and authored Kavirajamarga, a Yakshagana play in Telugu.

Options:

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 3 only
3. 1, 2 and 3
4. None

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is not correct, Nadaprabhu Kempegowda was a 16th-century chieftain of the Vijayanagara empire.
• Statement 2 is not correct, Kempegowda is known as the founder of Bengaluru and he built the Bangalore Fort after taking permission from the Vijayanagar emperor Achyutharaya.
• Statement 3 is not correct, Kavirajamarga was written and motivated by King Nrupatunga Amoghavarsha-I of the Rashtrakuta dynasty. 
  • Kavirajamarga is co-authored by Sri Vijaya and is the earliest available work on poetics, grammar, and rhetoric in the Kannada language.

Q3. Which of the following statements is/are correct? (Level – Difficult)

1. Pratapgad Fort is a mountain fort located in the Sangli district.
2. It is the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
3. The historic battle between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Afzal Khan, the commander of the Bijapur Sultanate took place at Pratapgad.

Options:

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 3 only
3. 1, 2 and 3
4. None

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is not correct, Pratapgad fort is a mountain fort located in the Satara district of Maharashtra.
• Statement 2 is not correct, Shivaji Maharaj was born in the hill fort of Shivneri, close to the town of Junnar, which is currently in the Pune district.
• Statement 3 is correct, In the Battle of Pratapgarh (c. 1659 CE), the Sultan of Bijapur (Adil Shah) sent Afzal Khan, a premier Bijapuri noble against Shivaji Maharaj. 
  • But Afzal Khan was murdered by Shivaji Maharaj in a daring manner and the Maratha troops overran the powerful fort of Panhala and poured into south Konkan and the Kolhapur districts, making extensive conquests. 

Q4. Consider the following statements: (Level – Difficult)

1. The IUCN status of Himalayan Grey Langur is Critically Endangered.
2. Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary is an animal sanctuary in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh.

Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both
4. None

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is not correct, The IUCN status of Himalayan Grey Langur (Semnopithecus ajax) is Endangered.
• Statement 2 is correct, Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary is located at Kalatop and Khajjiar in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh.

Q5. In India, which one of the following is responsible for maintaining price 
stability by controlling inflation? (Level – Easy) PYQ (2022)

1. Department of Consumer Affairs
2. Expenditure Management Commission
3. Financial Stability and Development Council
4. Reserve Bank of India

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

• As per the Reserve Bank of India, Act, 1934 (as amended in 2016), the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is entrusted with the responsibility of conducting monetary policy in India with the primary objective of maintaining price stability while keeping in mind the objective of growth.

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

1. “The higher Education Ecosystem in India needs a light but tight regulatory framework”. Discuss. (150 Words, 10 marks) (GS-2; Education)
2. “Cooperative Federalism may be the answer to the stubble burning issue in India”. Comment. (150 words, 10 marks) (GS-3; Environment)

CNA 12 Nov 2022:- Download PDF Here

Read the previous CNA here.