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NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you extra points in the form of background information.
General Studies – 1
Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the contributions of Ancient India to science and technology and its link to the present.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Briefly give context of India’s ancient calibre of development in science.
Body:
First, write about like people in any other part of the world Indians too, have a rich legacy of scientific ideas. A desire to now the unknown, accompanied with experimentation and observation have always generated scientific temper. The dependence on nature could be overcome by developments in science. In ancient India, religion and science worked in close proximity
Next, write about the linkages with modern science and the science of past with examples.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
India has a rich heritage of science and technology. The dependence on nature could be overcome by developments in science. In ancient India, religion and science worked in close proximity. India belongs to one of the oldest civilized cultures with a long tradition in science and technology. Her history of science can be studied in a different context compared to that of other modern civilizations
Body
- Astronomy: Jyotishvedanga texts established systematic categories in astronomy but the more basic problem was handled by Aryabhatta (499 AD). His Aryabhattiya is a concise text containing 121 verses. It contains separate sections on astronomical definitions, methods of determining the true position of the planets, description of the movement of the sun and the moon and the calculation of the eclipses.
- Mathematics: The town planning of Harappa shows that the people possessed a good knowledge of measurement and geometry. By third century AD mathematics developed as a separate stream of study. Indian mathematics is supposed to have originated from the Sulvasutras.
- Brahmagupta’s Brahmasputa Siddhanta is the very first book that mentioned ‘zero’ as a number, hence, Brahmagupta is considered as the man who found zero. He gave rules of using zero with other numbers.
- Aryabhatta discovered algebra and also formulated the area of a triangle, which led to the origin of Trignometry.
- Medicine: From 600 BC began the period of rational sciences. Takshila and Varanasi emerged as centres of medicine and learning. The two important texts in this field are Charak Samhita by Charak and Sushrut Samhita by Sushruta.
- Metallurgy: The vedic people were aware of fermenting grain and fruits, tanning leather and the process of dyeing. By the first century AD, mass production of metals like iron, copper, silver, gold and of alloys like brass and bronze were taking place. The iron pillar in the Qutub Minar complex is indicative of the high quality of alloying that was being done
Linkages between modern sciences and ancient scientific heritage
- Ayurveda: The plants and herbs mentioned in Charaka Samhita is relevant even today and is the foundation of Ayurveda.
- In the last few decades there has been growing interest in alternative forms of therapy globally.
- There are attempts by biomedical and Ayurvedic researchers to correlate Ayurvedic understanding of the nature of disease with modern biomedical concepts
- Yoga: Many western nations have adopted Yoga for mental and physical well-being. More research is being done in this regard.
- Yoga has been found to lessen symptoms of depression and anxiety, ease chronic back pain, lower stress levels, boost brain function and improve heart health.
- Decimal system: What we use as the modern decimal system was compiled in its entirety in India. Although other cultures had introduced some features of the numeric system beforehand, it was completed in India by the 9th century AD.
- Chandrasekhar Limit: Indian Nobel Prize-winning physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar discovered the calculation used to determine the future of what would happen to a dying star.
- If the star’s mass is less than the Chandrasekhar Limit it will shrink to become a white dwarf, and if it is great the star will explode, becoming a supernova.
- It is said that he was influenced by ancient astronomical texts.
- Physics and nuclear energy: The concept of atom can be traced to Acharya Kanad. Kanad founded the Vaisheshika school of philosophy where he taught his ideas about the atom and the nature of the universe. Today India is one of the few countries that possesses nuclear technology.
Conclusion
As illustrated above, modern sciences that exists today in India and elsewhere has roots to the ancient scientific past of India. Many advancements in fields of science and technology can be traced to the basic foundational knowledge that exists in India. In medieval times, this knowledge was disseminated through translation of ancient Indian books by Arabs and Persians. Such developments are believed to have taken India’s wisdom to Europe and other western nations.
Topic: Effects of globalization on Indian society.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Indian Express
Why the question:
Ukraine crisis forces rethink on hyper-globalisation. Nations need to de-risk against overdependence on few suppliers.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about hyper-globalisation, its impact on the society and measures needed to counter its impact.
Directive word:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Begin the answer by defining hyper-globalisation.
Body:
First, write about the various features of hyper-globalisation citing a few examples.
Next, write about the impact of hyper-globalisation on the various aspects of Indian society – freer movement of goods, resources and enterprises, and ultimately more jobs, cheaper products and increasing economic growth, prosperity and wealth. Also, mention the negative impacts like – increasing inequalities, lack of opportunities, dependence and political disconnect etc.
Next, write about the ways in which risks posed by hyper-globalisation could be overcome.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
‘Hyper-globalisation’ is used to describe the dramatic increase in international trade witnessed for about a decade and a half from the early 1990s. It led to an unprecedented movement of capital and of people. It covers all three main dimensions of economic globalization, cultural globalization, and political globalization.
Body
Impact of hyper-globalisation on Indian Society
- Economic inequality: Hyper Globalization is increasing the inequality around world.
- GAFA (Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon) are the wealthiest companies in the world. The wealth created is enjoyed by only few individuals.
- The increased income of persons with required new skills (such as knowledge of Artificial Intelligence) is far less than decreased income of unskilled person, leading to decrease in net prosperity.
- FDI and investment: Some countries are unable to attract FDI, other developing countries who have the ability to attract FDI, are unable to maximise the benefits for indigenous firms.
- Against the poor: WTO Agreement on Agriculture, are result of hyper globalism, which have capability to reduce the prosperity of farmers by limiting government’s support to them.
- Intellectual property: Similarly, agreements such as TRIPS do not let all to enjoy the benefits of innovation there by reducing their chance to increase their prosperity. All these are threatening human prosperity directly or indirectly.
- Ecology and indigenous people: Hyper globalism is also leading to increased extraction of raw materials, de-forestation without any value addition to indigenous people. Moreover, these people need to bear cost of resulting damage to ecology, increased pollution, hence reducing their prosperity.
- This can be better understood when we look at the plight of millions of climate refugees from island nations etc.
- Technological warfare: Technology is going to make warfare more dreadful. Buying and selling dangerous weapons is never as easy as it is in era of hyper globalism.
- If at all war occurs, the damage to property is un-predictable. Eg: Russia-Ukraine war.
- Moreover, if the money used for defence is used for welfarist policies, it would have helped the poor and destitute by making them prosperous.
- Overdependence and disruption: The increasing price risk due to disruption of supplies (eg crude oil and edible oil crisis due to Ukraine war) will have direct impact on poor due to inflation.
- Eg: Dependence on API’s from China during Covid-19 pandemic and people running from pillar to post for common cold medicines.
Measures needed to counter the risks
- Reduce over-dependence: In the real world, countries need to de-risk against overdependence on few suppliers, especially of products entailing heavy foreign exchange outgo.
- Halving import dependence in edible oils from the current 60-65 per cent is a goal worth pursuing, provided such Atmanirbharta does not degenerate into protectionism.
- Domestic producers can be given one-time capital subsidy and tariff support based on long-term import parity pricing.
- Domestic investment: When the global economy is sluggish, only domestic investment can move demand.
- India has an intrinsic advantage of population and its vibrant domestic demand.
- If enough manufacturing capacity as per the policy can be achieved, India can provide good market and employment its products and population.
- Eg: PLI scheme for electronics.
- Monetary policy: Appropriate monetary policy decisions should be made to boost investment. Moreover, reigning in inflation
- Infrastructure: Any policy should be accompanied with public infrastructure especially the transport sectors which also increase would demand. This would also reduce cost of logistics and make Indian goods competitive in the global market in turn increasing India’s prosperity.
Conclusion
Hyper globalisation is not entirely detrimental to India, rather it has increased technology transfer and increased investment flow. India must reduce the risks to leverage the benefit of hyper globalism. Upskilling youth with new age technology can lead to reaping of rich demographic dividends while decreasing poverty.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
It augurs well for the future that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the first authentic indication that the operation of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) may come to an end in the whole of the north-eastern region, if ongoing efforts to normalise the situation bear fruit.
Key Demand of the question:
To write critically examine whether or not there is a need to repeal AFSPA which is considered draconian.
Directive word:
Critically examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we have to look into the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a fair judgment.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by writing about aims and objectives behind enactment of AFSPA.
Body:
First, write about the reasons as to why AFSPA considered draconian – AFSPA allows civilian authorities to call on the armed forces, de facto immunity from prosecution, AFSPA has uncanny similarities with emergencies and effectively suspends fundamental freedoms etc.
Next, write about the need of AFSPA in the present day in regards to India’s internal security.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a balanced way forward regarding AFSPA.
Introduction
The Armed Forces Special Powers Act commonly known as AFSPA came in to force decades ago in the context of increasing violence in the North Eastern states. Passed in 1958 for North East and in 1990 for Jammu and Kashmir , the law gives armed forces necessary powers to control disturbed areas which are designated by the govt.
Following the recent killings of 14 civilians in Nagaland, the Chief Minister has demanded the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.
Body
Key features of act
- In simple terms, AFSPA gives armed forces the power to maintain public order in “disturbed areas”.
- They have the authority to prohibit a gathering of five or more persons in an area, can use force or even open fire after giving due warning if they feel a person is in contravention of the law.
- If reasonable suspicion exists, the army can also arrest a person without a warrant; enter or search premises without a warrant; and ban the possession of firearms.
- Under the provisions of the AFSPA armed forces are empowered with immunity from being prosecuted to open fire , enter and search without warrant and arrest any person who has committed a cognizable offence.
- As of now this act is in force in Jammu and Kashmir , Assam , Nagaland and parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.
AFSPA – a draconian act
- It has been dubbed as a license to kill. The main criticism of the Act is directed against the provisions of Section 4, which gives the armed forces the power to open fire and even cause death, if prohibitory orders are violated.
- Human rights activists object on the grounds that these provisions give the security forces unbridled powers to arrest, search, seize and even shoot to kill.
- Activists accuse the security forces of having destroyed homes and entire villages merely on the suspicion that insurgents were hiding there. They point out that Section 4 empowers the armed forces to arrest citizens without warrant and keep them in custody for several days.
- They also object to Section 6, which protects security forces personnel from prosecution except with the prior sanction of the central government. Critics say this provision has on many occasions led to even non-commissioned officers brazenly opening fire on crowds without having to justify their action.
- Critics say the act has failed to contain terrorism and restore normalcy in disturbed areas, as the number of armed groups has gone up after the act was established. Many even hold it responsible for the spiralling violence in areas it is in force.
- The decision of the government to declare a particular area ‘disturbed’ cannot be challenged in a court of law. Hence, several cases of human rights violations go unnoticed.
Should AFSPA be repealed?
- The Army clearly sees AFSPA as a capstone enabling Act that gives it the powers necessary to conduct counter-insurgency operations efficiently.
- If AFSPA is repealed or diluted, it is the army leadership’s considered view that the performance of battalions in counter-insurgency operations will be adversely affected and the terrorists or insurgents will seize the initiative.
- Many argue that removal of the act will lead to demoralising the armed forces and see militants motivating locals to file lawsuits against the army.
- Also, the forces are aware that they cannot afford to fail when called upon to safeguard the country’s integrity. Hence, they require the minimum legislation that is essential to ensure efficient utilization of combat capability.
- AFSPA is necessary to maintain law and order in disturbed areas, otherwise things will go haywire. The law also dissuades advancement of terrorist activities in these areas.
- Also, extraordinary situations require special handling.
Way forward
- Security forces should be very careful while operating in the Northeast and must not give any chance to the militants to exploit the situation.
- Indiscriminate arrests and harassment of people out of frustration for not being able to locate the real culprits should be avoided. All good actions of the force get nullified with one wrong action.
- Any person, including the supervisory staff, found guilty of violating law should be severely dealt with.
- The law is not defective, but it is its implementation that has to be managed properly.
- The local people have to be convinced with proper planning and strategy.
Conclusion
The practical problems encountered in ensuring transparency in counter-insurgency operations must be overcome by innovative measures. The army must be completely transparent in investigating allegations of violations of human rights and bringing the violators to speedy justice. Exemplary punishment must be meted out where the charges are proved.
Value addition
Expert recommendations
- A committee headed by Justice Jeevan Reddy was appointed in 2004 to review AFSPA. Though the committee found that the powers conferred under the Act are not absolute, it nevertheless concluded that the Act should be repealed.
- However, it recommended that essential provisions of the Act be inserted into the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967.
- The Second Administrative Reforms Commission headed by then Union law minister M Veerappa Moily also recommended that AFSPA should be repealedand its essential provisions should be incorporated in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Times of India , Insights on India
Why the question: .
India and the European Union (EU) are looking to conclude negotiations on comprehensive trade and investment agreements before the beginning of electoral cycles on both sides in 2024, EU ambassador Ugo Astuto said.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the need for great cooperation between India-EU in critical areas and ways to achieve it.
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with brief background of the context of the question.
Body:
Explain first that after limited economic gains from its FTAs with Asian partners, India is reassessing its FTA options. While a good beginning has been made with the UK, India must also renegotiate with the EU—the bloc is very important for India as far as trade relations are concerned, and an FTA with the EU is, thus, based on sound reasoning.
Discuss that FTAs need to be designed in a manner that they enhance complementarities amongst partners and overcome regulatory hurdles that inhibit trade. Account for potential of India –EU trade relations.
Present the challenges before India in realizing this potential.
Conclusion:
Suggest way forward and conclude.
Introduction
India-EU relationship dates back to 1960s when India was the first country to establish relationship with European economic union which later evolved into common market -European union. For more than a decade, the EU and India partnership had been slow-moving and fragmented, struggling to maintain momentum. India was acknowledged as a strategic partner in 2004. But seventeen years on there is still no mutually agreed set of clear priorities. The EU-India relationship fails to acknowledge each partner’s individual realities. Today’s changed circumstances provide the two sides with a new set of opportunities to move forward on the long-stalled agenda of stronger ties between India and European Union.
India and the European Union (EU) are looking to conclude negotiations on comprehensive trade and investment agreements before the beginning of electoral cycles on both sides in 2024, EU ambassador Ugo Astuto said.
Body
Various facets of India-EU bilateral relations:
- Trade and Investment:
- The EU is India’s largest trading partner, accounting for 12.9% of India’s overall trade. Further the trade in services have almost tripled in last decade.
- Overall, the EU is the second largest investor in India, with €70 billion of cumulative FDI from April 2000 to March 2017, accounting for almost one quarter of all investments flows into India.
- EU and India remain close partners in the G20 and have developed a regular macroeconomic dialogue to exchange experience on economic policies and structural reforms.
- Energy Cooperation: EU – India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership.
- Research and Development: India, participates in international ITER fusion. India also participates in research and innovation funding programme ‘Horizon 2020’
- Environment and Water: The EU and India also cooperate closely on the Indian Clean Ganga initiative and deal with other water-related challenges in coordinated manner.
- Migration and mobility: The EU-India Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility (CAMM) is a fundamental cooperation agreement between India and EU.
- Development cooperation: Over €150 million worth of projects are currently ongoing in India.
Opportunities for stronger India-EU ties
- The EU wants to pivot away from China. It recently signed a Comprehensive Agreement on Investment with China, which has drawn a lot of flak and its ratification has now been suspended because of diplomatic tensions.
- The European Parliament remains overwhelmingly opposed to this deal after China imposed sanctions on some of its members, in response to the EU imposing sanctions against China for its treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority in the Xinjiang region.
- With the EU being India’s largest trading partner and the second-largest export destination, the economic logic of strong India-EU economic relations is self-evident.
- The virtual summit saw India and the EU launching an ambitious “connectivity partnership” in digital, energy, transport, and people-to-people sectors, enabling the two to pursue sustainable joint projects in regions spanning from Africa, Central Asia to the wider Indo-Pacific.
- Exports to EU: India has an untapped export potential of $39.9 billion in the EU and Western Europe. The top products with export potential include apparel, gems and jewellery, chemicals, machinery, automobile, pharmaceuticals and plastic.
- India benefits from tariff preferences under the EU’s Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) for several of these products.
- In fact, India is among the major beneficiaries of the EU’s GSP, with exports under the GSP valued at nearly $19.4 billion in 2019, accounting for nearly 37% of India’s merchandise exports to the EU.
- New emerging world order after COVID-19:As EU seeks to move away from a global supply chain that is overly dependent on China, India can emerge as its most natural ally.
- There is a significant untapped potential to expand India-EU bilateral trade relation through an FTA.
- The FTA will deliver on enhancing India’s market access in key services.
- For this to happen, regulatory barriers in cross-border supply as well as provision of services through temporary movement of professionals will need to be addressed.
Concerns in India-EU ties
- Stalled EU-India BTIA: It is being negotiated since 2007 and both sides have major differences on crucial issues such as: –
- EU’s demands: significant duty cuts in automobiles, tax reduction on wines, spirits etc, a strong intellectual property regime, relaxation in India’s data localisation norms, protection to all its items with Geographical Indication etc.
- India’s demands:‘Data secure’ status (important for India’s IT sector); Ease norms on temporary movement of skilled workers, relaxation of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) norms etc.
- Trade imbalance:India accounts for only 1.9% of EU total trade in goods in 2019, well behind China (13.8%). Trade imbalance is expected to further increase with ratification of the European Union Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement, which will make Indian exports less competitive.
- India’s perception of EU:It views EU primarily as a trade bloc, preferring bilateral partnerships with Member States for all political and security matters. This is evident from lack of substantive agreements on matters such as regional security and connectivity.
- Brexit:It is unclear how U.K.’s withdrawal from EU will affect India’s relation with EU as whole.
- Human Rights concerns of EU: The European Parliament was critical of both the Indian government’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019 and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
Way Forward
- To translate their common values into common action, EU and India in can work in third countries to consolidate democratic processes and build capacities of transitioning regimes through strengthening electoral and parliamentary institutions.
- EU can collaborate with India to facilitate connectivity and infrastructure projects in third countries, particularly smaller states in South Asia that often fall prey to power politics and fiscal instability resulting from China’s loans and political influence as part of its BRI.
- Thus, as highlighted by EU strategy on India, adopted in 2018, India EU should take their relations beyond “trade lens”, recognizing their important geopolitical, strategic convergence.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Disaster and disaster management.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
Amid rising temperature and heatwave across the nation, the Centre has urged states/UTs to review their health facility preparedness.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the impact of heat waves and the need for accounting impact of heatwaves in long term policy making.
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining heatwaves and give context to extreme heatwave conditions observed across India.
Body:
First, write about the impact of heatwaves on human health.
Next, write about impact of extreme weather on the quality of people’s – livelihood, increase in power demand, impact on farmers and resultant strain on resources.
Next, write about measures required to counter the above in longer term policy making.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Heat wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, more than the normal maximum temperature that occurs during the pre-monsoon (April to June) summer season. According to Indian Meteorological Department, Heat wave is considered if maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40°C or more for Plains, 37°C or more for coastal stations and at least 30°C or more for Hilly regions.
India has been in the grip of what seems like an eternity of heatwaves. April temperatures over north-west and central India are the highest in 122 years.
Body
Impacts of Heatwaves
On human health:
- Extreme heat can lead to dangerous, even deadly, consequences, including heat stress and heatstroke.
- Severe heat stroke can lead to multiple organ failure, seizures, and death.
- Children, the elderly and those with pre-existing morbidities are particularly vulnerable.
- Heat wave also cause death of cattle and wildlife besides affecting animals in various zoos in India.
Social:
- Heatwaves are associated with increased rates of heat stress and heat stroke, worsening heart failure and acute kidney injury from dehydration.
- Children, the elderly and those with pre-existing morbidities are particularly vulnerable.
- Promote the spread of diseases like cholera and dengue fever across endemic areas.
- Increased poverty due to failure of crops and reduced economic activities.
Economic:
- The Lancet countdown on health and climatehas reported that India was particularly affected by the rising frequency of heatwave events and lost about 75 billion hours of work, a significant part of it in the agricultural sector.
- India lost nearly 75 billion hours of labour in 2017 as a result of rising temperatures.
- This made sustained work increasingly difficult and negatively affecting workers’ output.
- The agriculture sector experienced the largest increase in labour loss.
- Almost 153 billion hours of labour were lost globally in 2017 due to heat, an increase of 62 billion hours from the year 2000.
- Agriculture sector was more vulnerable compared to the industrial and service sectors because workers there were more likely to be exposed to heat.
- Since 1990, every region of the globe has become steadily more vulnerable to extreme increases of heat.
Way forward:
- In 2016, the National Disaster Management Agency prepared guidelines for state governments to formulate action plans for the prevention and management of heat waves, outlining four key strategies:
- Forecasting heat waves and enabling an early warning system
- Building capacity of healthcare professionals to deal with heat wave-related emergencies
- Community outreach through various media
- Inter-agency cooperation as well as engagement with other civil society organizations in the region.
- Scientific Approach:
- Climate data from the last 15-20 years can be correlated with the mortality and morbidity data to prepare a heat stress index and city-specific threshold.
- Vulnerable areas and population could be identified by using GIS and satellite imagery for targeted actions.
- Advance implementation of local Heat Action Plans, plus effective inter-agency coordination is a vital response which the government can deploy in order to protect vulnerable groups.
- This will require identification of “heat hot spots”, analysis of meteorological data and allocation of resources to crisis-prone areas.
- The India Cooling Action Plan must emphasize the urgency and need for better planning, zoning and building regulations to prevent Urban Heat Islands.
- Provision of public messaging (radio, TV), mobile phone-based text messages, automated phone calls and alerts.
- Promotion of traditional adaptation practices, such as staying indoors and wearing comfortable clothes.
- Popularisation of simple design features such as shaded windows, underground water storage tanks and insulating housing materials.
Value addition
State actions towards Heat waves assessing their geographic variations:
- Key element of many states response strategy has been enhancing health risk communications on the impact of heat waves and how citizens can take simple steps to reduce their exposure and protect their health.
- Andhra Pradesh:
- Andhra Pradesh has strong inter-agency coordination across multiple departments
- Andhra Pradesh has also set up 1168 stations approximately one for every hundred square kilometers for weather forecasting and modelling.
- It has developed a mobile app to disseminate information about heat waves and advice on precautionary steps; the app is available in English and Telugu.
- Telangana:
- Telangana developed one of the first state-wide heat action plans in 2016.
- The state is now integrating the heat action plan with its action plan on climate change.
- The Telangana plan focuses on training district officials and health staff
- Odisha:
- It has declared heat waves as a state specific disaster.
- It is developing local thresholds and analyzing vulnerability of communities in different parts of the state.
- Odisha’s activities focus on awareness raising, capacity building and training of healthcare staff, interagency coordination, and enabling provision of water for vulnerable communities.
- Various states and municipalities have introduced early warning systems, public awareness campaigns and increased training for medical professionals.
- Ahmedabad, Nagpur and Odisha have made pioneering efforts with respect to heat-health warning systems (HHWS).
- Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has adopted a heat action plan which necessitates measures such as building heat shelters, ensuring availability of water and removing neonatal ICU from the top floor of hospitals.
- Such warning systems include providing weather forecasts in advance, issuing warnings to people, providing readiness of emergency response systems, and preparing doctors and health facilities to handle a sudden influx of patients. Warnings facilitate people in taking appropriate actions against heat-related harm.
- Access to cool environments remains the mainstay of preventing heat stress:
- In rural areas, where electricity access is a challenge, supplementing power supply of primary health centres with solar-based systems should be undertaken. Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Tripura have already deployed such systems.
Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, Nano-technology, biotechnology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3.
Key Demand of the question:
To analyse the role of private sector as a partner with the government to harness space technology and innovations for social welfare.
Directive word:
Comment– here we must express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by mentioning ISRO being the prime entity for space research so far allowing very limited space for other private parties to pitch in.
Body:
First, highlight the possible positive outcomes of letting in the private sector to bring in innovations in the space sector.
Next, suggest few examples that would link the use of space technology in public welfare and also boosting of security through better navigation and geolocation capabilities.
Also, discuss the employment opportunities this move would bring in, by giving opportunities to start-ups in this sector.
Conclusion:
Conclude by stating that the government being an enabler in the space research sector would bring in the best of all stakeholder’s capabilities to the table.
Introduction
Indian Space Association or ISpA is a premier industry association of space and satellite companies. In line with the recent measures taken to expand the role of private players in the space sector, the Indian Space Association aims to serve as a body that brings public and private entities together so that they can work in tandem for the expansion of the Indian space programme.
India is lagging in harnessing the power of private innovation in the space domain. This not only limits the exploitation of space for economic development, but has serious national security implications.
Body
Potential of private sector in the space sector
- Today, the space industry is undergoing a paradigm shift, moving from Space 3.0 to Space 4.0, driven by changes in motivations, actors, roles, and technologies.
- While Space 3.0 has been characterized by large government investments and public-public collaborations, Space 4.0 is a more democratized and accessible field with more public-private and private-private collaborations.
- It entails the emergence of a plethora of small to medium-sized private companies.
- As military uses of space and prestige projects like Moon-landing emerged, major private sector entities already in the aviation industry like Boeing and Lockheed won space contracts in the US.
- Significant expansion of satellite-based telecommunication, navigation, broadcasting and mapping, and lent a significant commercial dimension to the space sector.
- As the digital revolution in the 21st century transformed the world economy, the commercial space sector has begun to grow in leaps and bounds.
- The global space business is now estimated to be around $ 400 billion and is expected easily rise to at least trillion dollars by 2040.
- One example of the rise of private sector companiesin the space sector is SpaceX run by the US entrepreneur Elon Musk. Hired for a resupply mission for the space station, it now launches more rockets every year than NASA.
- The entry of private sector has begun to drive down the cost-per-launch through innovations such as reusable rockets.
- India, however, is quite some distance away from adapting to the unfolding changes in the global space business.
- In its early years, India’s space programme that was constrained by lack of resources found innovative ways of getting ahead in space.
- Although the ISRO encourages private sector participation in the national space programme, its model is still very 20th century — in terms of governmental domination.
Challenges for private space entities in India:
- Monopoly: In India ‘Space’ means Indian Space Research Organisation. Globally the technology is highly protected because of its dual use capability. Even if it was not, it would be prohibitively expensive.
- Funding: A major challenge in setting up a space business in India is funding. Space industry is capital intensive and upstream activities come with a long gestation period.
- Investor’s Dilemma: The lack of clarity among the investors and lack of the ecosystem required for significant contribution is a challenge for the investors.
- Lack of Regulation: India is a party to the Outer Space Treaty, where one of the fundamental requirements laid upon states is the supervision of space activities within its borders, the country did not have any formally legislated laws. This is a potential roadblock for commercialization.
- Growth Challenges: Scaling up, international marketing and funding are challenges.
- Lack of Support: The Indian ecosystem has neither incubation support nor pointers to seek support of leaders such as ISRO for space start-ups.
- Political and bureaucratic hurdles limit private space operations in India.
- Low in-house capacity of ISRO restricts them to very few launches in a year. Privatization can offload 30-40% of the work and help them work more efficiently.
Way forward:
- India should have national space activities legislation which takes on board all stakeholders.
- A public-private partnership (PPP) model can be looked into to realise ISRO’s workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), with a joint venture between ISRO and the private sector.
- In the UK, space ventures are treated as a complement to big organizations and not a competitor. This should be encouraged in India too.
- A supportive international partner and likeminded local partners helps to set up a space business.
- The idea should be to let the private industry build their own facilities after gaining enough expertise.
- ISRO has built a space technology park spread over 25 acres in Bengaluru where the entire range of facilities have been set up for use by the industry.
Conclusion
The private sector already supplies majority of the sub-systems in satellite manufacturing. This can be further scaled up into other activities with proper regulation and partnership of the ISRO and private sector. The country must deregulate the space sector to encourage private enterprise if we are to compete in the new space economy.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.
Difficulty Level: Easy
Reference: stanford.edu
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about about Kantian Categorical Imperative and its role in evaluating moral right actions.
Directive word:
Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining Categorical Imperative of Emmanuel Kant.
Body:
Begin the body by explaining in detail about your understanding of Categorical Imperative with examples. Mention how it can be used to evaluate moral actions. You can use simple but effective examples to put forward your ideas regarding Universal Moral Law etc.
Conclusion:
Give a concise summation of your views to conclude the answer.
Introduction
Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) argued that the supreme principle of morality is a standard of rationality that he dubbed the “Categorical Imperative” (CI). Kant characterized the CI as an objective, rationally necessary and unconditional principle that we must always follow despite any natural desires or inclinations we may have to the contrary.
Body:
The CI states that it is immoral to use another person merely as a means to an end and that people must under all circumstances be treated as ends in themselves. This is in contrast to some interpretations of the utilitarian view, which allow for use of individuals as means to benefit the many.
Kantian ethics refers to a deontological ethical theory ascribed to the German philosopher Immanuel Kant. The theory, developed as a result of Enlightenment rationalism, is based on the view that the only intrinsically good thing is a good will; an action can only be good if its maxim – the principle behind it – is duty to the moral law.
CI provide a way for us to evaluate moral actions and to make moral judgments
- Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.
- It states that one should choose our ‘codes of conduct’ only if they serve perfect / imperfect duty and are good for all.
- Perfect duties are blameworthy if not met and are the basic requirements for a human being.
- An example of perfect duty is the avoidance of suicide.
- Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end and never merely as a means to an end.
- This states that we should not use humanity of ourselves or others as a means to an end.
- An example would be that of slavery or prostitution.
- For Kant to treat people with dignity was to treat them morally. This idea became a rallying point for those struggling against social hierarchies and for human rights. It represent what is called the moral conception of rights.
- Taking the example of forced labour and jajmani system where human beings are treated as “means” for achieving the “ends” that is profit motive. Human intrinsic worth i.e. dignity is not respected and they are exploited for petty gains. This led to inequality in society where one section of people exploiting other section for self-motive.
- Every rational being must so act as if he were through his maxim always a legislating member in the universal kingdom of ends.
- This states that we should consider ourselves to be members in the universal realm of ends.
- We should consider our actions to be of consequence to everyone else in that our actions affect not only ourselves but that of others.
- g.: Eviction of tribes from forest land for construction of a dam and rendering them homeless.
Conclusion
Kant’s philosophy of human individuals as end in itself endorses the golden rule of “treating others as one’s self would wish to be treated”. As no one would wish to be used simply as a means, therefore one should not also use other human beings as means to achieve their ends. This philosophy can be of great help in resolving the ethical dilemmas where there is debate between relative importance of means and ends.
Value addition
Kant’s Categorical Imperative:
- Kant believed that there was a supreme principle of morality, and he referred to it as The Categorical Imperative.
- The CI determines what our moral duties are. Kant thought that all acts should be judged according to a rule he called the Categorical Imperative.
- A categorical imperative denotes an absolute, unconditional requirement that exerts its authority in all circumstances, both required and justified as an end in itself.
- He gives the highest honor for the categorical imperative because it became universal law that can be applied to any and every one.
- Kant is saying that simply willing that our moral rule become a universal law produces a logical contradiction.
- His categorical imperative ensures that we aren’t doing these acts in mimic of others but rather in line with one universal law.
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