Articulate English November-2022-1

November, 2022
Articulate
An Initiative by Unacademy
MONTHLY CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR UPSC CSE
Download Monthly Articulate Magazine Articulate | 1

CONTENTS
POLITY 5
EWS RESERVATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
FIRST AMENDMENT TO INDIAN CONSTITUTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
ARTICLE 142 OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
22ND LAW COMMISSION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
SEALED COVER JURISPRUDENCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
NINTH SCHEDULE OF THE CONSTITUTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
TWO-FINGER TEST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
CHILD WELFARE POLICE OFFICER (CWPO). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
NARCO TEST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
ECONOMY 14
NATIONALISED BANKS (MANAGEMENT AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) AMENDMENT SCHEME, 2022 . . . 15
SOVEREIGN GREEN BONDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
OLD PENSION SCHEME & NATIONAL PENSION SYSTEM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
COMMON INCOME TAX RETURN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
US CURRENCY MONITORING LIST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
VOSTRO & NOSTRO ACCOUNT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
NUTRIENT-BASED SUBSIDY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
FARMER PRODUCER ORGANISATIONS (FPOS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
NATIONAL BIOENERGY PROGRAMME. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
CRITICAL INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
NATIONAL INVESTMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE FUND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
FRIENDSHORING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
INDIA INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT FUND SCHEME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
EKLAVYA MODEL RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS (EMRS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
UNIFIED DISTRICT INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR EDUCATION PLUS (UDISE+) 2021-22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
IR/DEFENSE 24
G-20: 2022. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
G20 PRESIDENCY: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
G20: 2023 SUMMIT LOGO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
ASEAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
BLACK SEA GRAIN INITIATIVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
UN SECURITY COUNCIL’S COUNTER-TERRORISM COMMITTEE MEETING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
NO MONEY FOR TERROR CONFERENCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
MOSCOW FORMAT CONSULTATIONS ON AFGHANISTAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (GPAI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
“DEFENSE: MISC. TERMS IN NEWS” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
2 I Articulate Download Monthly Articulate Magazine

• INDO-PACIFIC ENDEAVOUR 2022 (IPE 22). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
• DIRTY BOMB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
• C295 AIRCRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
GEOGRAPHY 33
CYCLONE SITRANG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
DEVELOPMENT OF GREAT NICOBAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
GUJARAT MORBI BRIDGE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
ENVIRONMENT 38
GLOBAL REPORTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
• SUSTAINABLE FOOD COLD CHAINS REPORT: UNEP & FAO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
• EMISSION GAP REPORT 2022 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
• ADAPTATION GAP REPORT, 2022. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
COP 27. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
GLOBAL OFFSHORE WIND ALLIANCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
MATHURA-VRINDAVAN CARBON NEUTRAL TARGET 2041. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
LEADIT (LEADERSHIP FOR INDUSTRY TRANSITION). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
FORESTS AND CLIMATE LEADERS PARTNERSHIP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
REDD+. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
GLOBAL SHIELD CLIMATE FINANCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
CARBON BORDER TAX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
METHANE ALERT AND RESPONSE SYSTEM (MARS). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
EMIT MISSION : NASA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
INDIA JOINS MANGROVE ALLIANCE FOR CLIMATE AT COP27. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
INDIA’S LONG-TERM STRATEGY TO A ‘LOW EMISSIONS’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
INTERNATIONAL DROUGHT RESILIENCE ALLIANCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
14TH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO RAMSAR CONVENTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
CITES COP-19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
BLUE FLAG CERTIFICATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
AIR QUALITY INDEX (AQI). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
GREENWASHING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
WORLD HERITAGE GLACIERS UNDER THREAT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
EARTHQUAKE IN INDONESIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
GLYPHOSATE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
JUMPING SPIDER OF THE TANZANIA GENUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
SCIENCE 55
SPACE:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

• CORONAL HOLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
• NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
• PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
• BEAVER BLOOD MOON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
• SPACE: SONAR TESTING FACILITY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
• LOFTID MISSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
• MISSION PRARAMBH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
MOSQUIRIX: THE FIRST MALARIA VACCINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
INDIAN BIOLOGICAL DATA CENTER (IBDC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
GEAC APPROVED COMMERCIAL CULTIVATION OF GM MUSTARD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
SANDALWOOD SPIKE DISEASE (SSD). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
MASTODON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
HISTORY/CULTURE 63
PM’S GIFTS FOR G20 LEADERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
WANGALA FESTIVAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
GANDHI MANDELA AWARD 2022 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
KALANAMAK RICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
BHOOTA KOLA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
MOTHER TONGUE SURVEY OF INDIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
KEMPEGOWDA STATUE INAUGURATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
NICOBARI HODI CRAFT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
KASHI TAMIL SANGAMAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI SWORD ‘JAGADAMBA’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
HISTORICAL PERSON IN NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
• AFZAL KHAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
• LACHIT BARPHUKAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
PIN-GK 70
ELA BHATT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
MCQs 72

EWS RESERVATION
Why in the News?
By a majority of 3:2, a five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court has upheld the validity of the
Constitution (103rd) Amendment.
Image Source: Times of India
Key Points:
Judges Verdict on Indira Sawhney judgment:

• EWS quota did not breach the ceiling limit of 50% placed by the Indira Sawhney judgment on reservations.
• State can make special provisions from time to time towards an “all-inclusive egalitarian society”.
• Thus, the EWS quota is an “affirmative action” on the part of the state.
Image Credits: Supreme Court Observer

EWS Judgement Opinion(s) » It inserted clauses 15(6) and 16(6) in the
Constitution.
Favor
• The amendment empowered both the centre and
• There was nothing wrong in addressing economic state governments to provide reservations on the
weakness through reservation as an instrument of basis of economic backwardness.
affirmative action.
• Eligibility Criteria:
• Reservation need not only be for socially and
backward classes, but can also cover any » People who are not covered under the existing
disadvantaged section. reservations for BCs, SCs, and STs and whose gross
annual family income is below Rs 8 lakh per annum.
• EWS reservations do not impinge on reservations
for backward classes, and do not erode their rights. What were the challenges associated with 103rd
Constitution amendment?
However, some critics opined that:
• Violates the basic structure of the Constitution:
• The 103rd Amendment violated the basic structure Special protections guaranteed to socially
of the Constitution: disadvantaged groups are part of the basic structure,
» by excluding OBC/SC/ST candidates from the EWS and the 103rd Amendment provides special
category; protections on the basis of economic status.
» by breaching the 50% ceiling on total reservation; • Violates the SCs 1992 ruling in Indra Sawhney: The
ruling upheld the Mandal commission report and
» by the introduction of economic criterion when capped reservations at 50 percent.
reservation was only meant for groups that were
socially and educationally backward. » The court had held that economic backwardness
could not be the sole criterion for identifying a
• Benefit is being given to a small fraction of the backward class.
privileged class who are not among the backward
class, making the 10% arbitrary and a fraud on the • Private and unaided educational institutions: They
Constitution. have argued that their fundamental right to practice
a trade/ profession is violated when the state
103rd Constitution Amendment Act: compels them to implement its reservation policy.
• The EWS reservation was granted based on the Probable Question:

recommendations of a Major Sinhoo commission.
Q. Discuss the significance of the Economically
• The Constitution (103rd) Amendment Act 2019 Weaker Sections (EWS) judgment as an
provides up to 10 percent reservation in employment instrument of affirmative action.
and educational institutions.
News Source: The Indian Express
FIRST AMENDMENT TO INDIAN CONSTITUTION
Why in the News?
Recently, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a petition challenging the changes made to the right to freedom of
speech and expression by the first amendment to the Constitution.

Key Points: Challenges:
• Petitioner has argued that 1st Amendment act
What was the first amendment act 1951 to the protects various provisions of law, which infringe
Constitution? with fundamental Rights of the citizens. For ex.
• Socially and Economically Backward Classes
» As per 1st amendment, Sedition Act (124A) under IPC
(SEBC): Empowered the state to make special
are NOT unconstitutional, therefore it restrict the
provisions for the advancement of socially and
Freedom of Speech (Article 19).
economically backward classes.
» Critiques argue that arresting activists/
• Anti-Zamindari laws: Provided for the saving of laws
journalists under the sedition provisions in IPC is
providing for acquisition of estates, etc.
unconstitutional.
» Added Ninth Schedule to protect the land reforms
» Now, there is petition filed in SC to review the First
and other laws included in it from the judicial review.
Constitutional Amendment Act.
After Article 31, Articles 31A and 31B were inserted.
• The amendment neglects national security by
• Added three more grounds of restrictions on
dropping the expression ‘tends to overthrow the
freedom of speech and expression:
State’.
– Public Order
Additional Information:
– Friendly relations with foreign states
• Article 19(1)(a): It guarantees the fundamental
– Incitement to an offence
right to freedom of speech and expression.
» Also, it made the restrictions ‘reasonable’ and thus, • But this freedom is not absolute, It is followed by
justiciable in nature. Article 19(2), which lists exceptions or “reasonable
• PSU/Nationalisation: Provided that state trading restrictions” on that right.
and nationalisation of any trade or business by the
state is not to be invalid on the ground of violation of
the right to trade or business. Probable Question
Q. Discuss the significance of First Constitutional
Amendment Act 1951.
ARTICLE 142 OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION
Why in the News?
The Supreme Court ordered the premature release of convicts who were serving life sentences in the Rajiv
Gandhi assassination case.
• The Court invoked its exceptional jurisdiction under Article 142 of the Indian Constitution.
• In May 2022 the Court released their co-convict A G Perarivalan and extended the same benefit to them.

Supreme Court Observation: » To adversely affect social harmony.
• The TADA or Terrorist and Disruptive Activities • Killing a person bound by oath under the
(Prevention) Act trial court had initially sentenced Constitution to uphold the sovereignty and
26 people to death. integrity of India or any public servant was deemed a
• In 1999, Supreme Court upheld the conviction disruptive activity.
of only seven people and observed that none of
the convicted was part of the nucleus of the Government Position:
assassination team. • Centre has moved to the Supreme Court seeking
a review of its order for premature release of six
• Supreme Court didn’t find Rajiv Gandhi assassination
convicts.
case convicts guilty of terror.
• It emphasised the procedural lapse, claiming that
• Prosecution failed to convince the court of charges
the convicts seeking remission did not formally
under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities
include the Centre as a party.
(Prevention) Act.
• The SC noted that the six had spent over three What is Article 142?
decades in jail and said their conduct was satisfactory
• It provides a unique power to the Supreme Court,
in this period.
to do “complete justice” between the parties,
» On Nalini (one of the female convicts), the court where at times law or statute may not provide
took into account that she was a woman. a remedy.
Definition of terrorism under TADA:

• Terrorism involves any of the following – Probable Question:
» Intent to overawe/threaten Government; Q. The jurisdiction of the Supreme court under

Article 142 supersedes the executive and the
» To strike terror in the people; legislature. Discuss.
» To alienate a section of the people;

22ND LAW COMMISSION
Why in the News? Why has the 22nd Law Commission been constituted?
• To identify laws that are no longer needed.
The Centre constituted the 22nd Law Commission of
India with Justice (retd) Rituraj Awasthi, at its head. • Examine the existing laws in the light of Directive
Principles of State Policy.
Key Points
• To simplify the Central Acts of general importance.
About
Recommendations of Earlier Law Commission:
Law Commission of India • 262nd Report of the Law Commission
• It is a non-statutory body that is constituted by recommended abolition of the death penalty for
a notification of the Centre with definite terms of all crimes except terrorism-related offences and
reference to carry out research in the field of law. waging war against the state.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Law & Justice, • The Law Commission in its report in 1999 on
Department of Legal Affairs electoral reforms had suggested simultaneous
Lok Sabha and state assembly elections.
• It makes recommendations to the Government in
the form of reports which are not binding in nature. • 2018: The 21st Law commission in its
recommendation outlined that Uniform Civil
Code (UCC) is “neither necessary nor desirable
at this stage”.
SEALED COVER JURISPRUDENCE
Why in the News?
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud criticized the practice of “sealed cover” jurisprudence.

Key Points: NINTH SCHEDULE OF THE CONSTITUTION
About Why in the News?
Sealed Cover Jurisprudence Recently, the Jharkhand Assembly outlined that its
• It is a practice used by the courts, of asking for two bills will come into effect after the Centre included
information from government agencies in sealed them in the Ninth Schedule of the constitution.
envelopes, that can only be accessed by judges.
Key Points:
• Its origin lies in the Indian Evidence Act of 1872.
What are the two bills passed by the Jharkhand
When can the Court ask for information in a sealed Assembly?
cover?
• First bill proposes increasing reservations in vacant
• When information is connected to government posts in the state to 77 percent.
» An ongoing investigation • Second bill, has been introduced to determine
» Involvement of personal or confidential information. domicile status the definition of ‘local residents.
» If its publication is not considered to be in the

Ninth Schedule
interest of the public.
• 1st Constitutional Amendment (1951) added the
Ninth Schedule.
• It contains a list of central and state laws which
cannot be challenged in courts or are beyond
judicial review.
• Most of the laws protected under the Schedule
concern agriculture/land issues.
Recent Cases Involving Sealed Cover Jurisprudence: • Retrospective in nature: If a law is added to the
• Rafale Fighter Jet Deal: the Centre to submit details Ninth Schedule after it is declared unconstitutional,
related to the deal’s decision-making and pricing in a it will be considered valid and part of the schedule
sealed cover. from the date of its commencement.
• In the 2G case, in which it had canceled a large • In I R Coelho v State of Tamil Nadu case, the
number of licenses, the court had relied on sealed Supreme Court ruled that laws cannot escape the
covers. “basic structure” test if inserted into Ninth Schedule
after 1973.
Probable Question:
Probable Question:
Q. What are the conditions and issues involved with
the practice of Sealed cover jurisprudence? Q. Discuss the concept of the judicial review
with reference to the Ninth Schedule of the
News Source: The Indian Express constitution.
TWO-FINGER TEST

Why In the News?
Previous Year Question
Recently, the Supreme Court said that the ‘two-finger
test’ on alleged rape victims is regressive, and has no Q. We are witnessing increasing instances of sexual
scientific basis. violence against women in the country. Despite
existing legal provisions against it, the number
Key Points: of such incidences is on the rise. Suggest some
innovative measures to tackle this menace. (2014)
What is a two-finger test?
• It is also referred to as the Per-Vaginum examination.
• It is conducted on alleged victims of sexual assault
and rape to determine whether they are habituated
to sexual intercourse. CHILD WELFARE POLICE OFFICER
(CWPO)
SC’s earlier comments:
• 2013: The court held that the two-finger test violates Why in the News?
a woman’s right to privacy.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked the States/
Union Territories to appoint a Child Welfare Police
Government’s guidelines:
Officer (CWPO) in every police station.
• 2014: The Union Health Ministry released guidelines
that state that the ‘two-finger test’, must not be Key Points:
conducted for establishing rape/sexual violence.
• The NCPCR issued an advisory under the Juvenile
• However, these guidelines are not legally binding. Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
to designate at least one CWPO not below the rank
Recommendations: of an Assistant Sub-Inspector in every police station.
• The Justice Verma Committee (2013) recommended • India is a signatory to the United Nations Convention
the discontinuation of the two-finger test. on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and has taken
several steps to safeguard the rights of children.
• As per WHO two-finger test has no scientific validity.
Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences Act

Criticism
(POCSO) Act, 2012:
• Unscientific in nature.
• It provides for the establishment of Special Courts
• Against the dignity of the victim for the trial of such offences and related matters and
incidents.
• Violates women right to privacy
• Objectives:
Way Ahead
» To safeguard children from offences of sexual assault,
• Workshops should be held for health providers to sexual harassment and pornography.
prevent the test from being conducted on rape
survivors. » To safeguard the interests of children at every stage
of the judicial process.
• Ministry guidelines should be circulated to private
and government hospitals. About National Commission for Protection of Child
• Any person who conducts the two-finger test in Rights (NCPCR):
sexual assault cases shall be guilty of misconduct. • It is a statutory body established in 2005.
• Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child
Development.
News Source: The Hindu

NARCO TEST
Why in the News? » It makes the person into a hypnotic or sedated

state, in which their imagination is neutralised.
The accused in the Shraddha Walkar murder case
will be made to do a narco test as part of the police’s Narco Test Provisions under the Law:
investigation in the case.
• In Selvi & Ors vs State of Karnataka & Anr (2010):
The Supreme Court has ruled that narco analysis,
About Narco Test:
brain mapping and polygraph tests cannot be
• In a ‘narco’ or narcoanalysis test, a drug called sodium conducted on any person without his or her consent.
pentothal is injected into the body of an individual.
• Statements made during narco analysis test are
• Sodium Pentothal: not admissible in the court, except under certain
» Sodium pentothal or sodium thiopental is a fast- circumstances.
acting, short-duration anesthetic drug.
» It is used in larger doses to sedate patients during
surgery.

NATIONALISED BANKS (MANAGEMENT AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS)
AMENDMENT SCHEME, 2022
Why in the News?
Recently, the Ministry of Finance issued the Nationalised Banks (Management and Miscellaneous Provisions)
Amendment Scheme.
Key Points:
Amendments:
Maximum tenure of the managing director Before After

and chief executive officer of Public Sector
Banks (PSBs) 5 years 10 years
• Benefits: Enable the PSBs to have relatively young leadership teams.

credits, making them a more attractive investment

SOVEREIGN GREEN BONDS compared to a comparable taxable bond.
Why in the News? • To qualify for green bond status, a bond is often
verified by a third party such as the Climate Bond
Recently, the centre has approved the Sovereign Green Standard Board.
Bonds framework, with aim to mobilise Rs 16,000
• Green bonds will be used for:
crore through green bonds this fiscal year.
» funding renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean
About transportation, water and waste management,
pollution prevention and control and green buildings
Green Bonds: among others.
• A green bond is a fixed-income instrument designed » Equity Investment Only For metro projects under
specifically to support specific climate-related or the ‘Clean Transportation’ category.
environmental projects.
• The money will be deposited in the Consolidated
• Green bonds will get tax exemption and tax Fund of India (CFI)
Significance of Framework:
Probable Question
• Help achieving Nationally Determined Contribution
Q. Critically examine the obstacles impediments in
(NDCs) targets.
achieving 50% energy to renewable sources.
• It will attract global and domestic investments in
eligible green projects. News Source: Press Information Bureau

OLD PENSION SCHEME & NATIONAL PENSION SYSTEM
Image Source mrunal.org
Key Points:
About
Old Pension Scheme National Pension System
Based on the concept of ‘Defined Pension Benefit Based on the concept of “defined contribution”
Scheme’ • Employees contribute to pension corpus from
• The government bears the expenditure incurred on their salaries, with matching contributions from
the pension. the government.
• No deduction from the salary in it. • Individual savings are pooled into a pension fund
which is invested in Government securities,
corporate bonds/debentures, and shares of
companies.
• Salary deduction in NPS.
Concerns: Concerns:
• Burden on Public Exchequer: Under it, Pension is • The amount of pension is not fixed i.e so if financial
paid to retirees by today’s tax payers money. market is down, pension will get reduced.
Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority: Functions:

• It is a statutory authority set up under PFRDA Act • Protect Clients, pensioners
enacted in 2014 under the Ministry of Finance for
overall supervision and regulation of pensions in • Power of civil court-can order witness to come
India. • Documentation, Financial Awareness
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Regulate all public and private pension funds
» Except EPFO, Seaman, Coalminers, Assam tea
plantations schemes
COMMON INCOME TAX RETURN
• Implement NPS,select its fund managers.
• Regulate the fees paid to agents, liquidity, auditing, Why in the News?
investment norms.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has proposed

a single income tax return (ITR) form for all taxpayers.
Key Points:
• All taxpayers, except trusts and non-profit
organizations (ITR-7), will be able to use a common
ITR form.
• Benefits: Ease of paying taxes.
US CURRENCY MONITORING LIST
Why in the News?
Recently, the United States Department of Treasury

has taken off India’s name from its Currency Monitoring
List of major trading partners.
Image Credits: Mrunal.Org
Key Points:
Key Points
About
About
Currency Monitoring List
Vostro account
• It monitors the currency policies of the US’ major
• Vostro account is an account that a domestic bank
trade partner countries.
holds for a foreign bank in the domestic bank’s
• If a country appears on this list, it is regarded as a currency i.e rupee.
“currency manipulator”.
• If a country artificially lowers the value of its currency, How does the Vostro account function?
it gives an advantage over others in the trade. • When an Indian importer wants to make a payment
to a foreign trader in rupees, the amount will be
• As, a lower currency value leads to reduced export
credited to this Vostro account.
costs from that country.
• Similarly, when an Indian exporter has to be paid for
News Source: The Indian Express goods and services in rupees, this Vostro account
will be deducted and the amount credited to the
exporter’s regular account.
VOSTRO & NOSTRO ACCOUNT What is a Nostro account?

• Both Vostro and Nostro are technically the same,
Why in the News?
with the difference being who opens the account
and where.
The Government announced that nine special Vostro
accounts have been opened to facilitate trade in the
Utility of Vostro-Nostro Account:
rupee with Russia.
• Faciltates international trade settlements in rupee.
• Trade through Vostro-Nostro could marginally
narrow India’s widening trade deficit by reducing
the price of commodity imports.
News Source: Indian Express

NUTRIENT-BASED SUBSIDY manufacturers on the basis of cost of production.
• Urea fertiliser to be sold at the government-set
Why in the News? Maximum Retail Price (MRP).
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved • But the major issue with this:
nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) for phosphatic & » For Example: If there is a deficiency of phosporous
potassic fertilizers for the rabi season. in black soil in Maharashtra, so for that region
customised fertilizer is needed rather than Urea.
Key Points:
About
Background
• Earlier, the Centre paid subsidy on urea to fertiliser Nutrient Based Subsidy

• Under it, a fixed rate of subsidy (in ₹per Kg basis) The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has
is announced on nutrients namely Nitrogen (N), designated the National Dairy Development Board
Phosphate (P), Potash (K), and Sulphur (S) on (NDDB) as the implementing agency for setting up 100
annual basis. FPOs in 2022-23.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers.
Key Points:
• Aim: To boost the consumption of P&K fertilizers
to reach the ideal balance (N:P: K= 4:2:1) of NPK About FPOs:
fertilization. • It is a generic name, which refers to a farmer producer
organization.
Issue with NBS
• The concept behind FPOs is that farmers, who are
• Subsidy on fertilizers encourages their use which in the producers of agricultural products, can form
turn decreases soil fertility. groups.
• Urea is left-out in the scheme and hence it remains • The Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium
under price control as NBS has been implemented (SFAC) was mandated to support the State
only in other fertilizers. Governments in the formation of Farmer Producer
Organizations (FPOs).
Significance
• NBS absorbs the fluctuations in the international Need for FPOs:
prices of fertilizers and raw materials. • Nearly 86 per cent of farmers are small and marginal
• NBS will increase the consumption of P&K fertilizers with average land holdings being less than 1.1
which will result in balanced fertilization. hectare.
• Overuse of Urea will decline and every region will get • These farmers face challenges during agriculture
subsidy from the government upon those fertilizers production, such as.,access to technology, quality
which are needed at particular location. seed, fertilizers and pesticides including requisite
finances.
Probable Question:
Benefits of FPOs
Q. Enumerate the steps taken by government to
prevent the over use of urea. • It helps in collectivization of such small, marginal and
landless farmers in order to give them the collective
News Source: The Indian Express strength to deal with such issues.
• Additional Employment Generation because of the
increased intensity of farming.
FARMER PRODUCER ORGANISATIONS • Provide quality and low-cost inputs to member
(FPOS) farmers such as the purchase of machinery, loans for
crops, input agri-inputs (pesticides, fertilisers, etc.)
Why in the News?

Probable Question:
Q. Farmer producer organizations (FPOs) have the
CRITICAL INFORMATION
potential to act as a solution to agrarian distress. INFRASTRUCTURE
Comment.
Why in the News?
The Union Home ministry under the Information
Technology Act, 2000, (Amended 2008) has declared
the Census & National Population Register database as
NATIONAL BIOENERGY PROGRAMME critical information infrastructure.
Why in the News? Key Points:
The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy said it will About Critical Information Infrastructure(CII):
continue National Bio Energy Programme till 2025-26 • National Critical Information Infrastructure
Protection Centre (NCIIPC) created under the
Key Points: Information Technology Act, 2000 (amended 2008)
as a Statutory body.
About
• It acts as the nodal agency for taking all measures
National Bio Energy Programme to protect the nation’s critical information
infrastructure.
• It will include the three Sub-schemes:
» Waste to Energy Programme: Setting up of large
BioCNG, and Power plants.
» Biomass Programme: Setting up of pellets and Protection of CIIs in India:
briquettes for use in power generation and non- • As per the Information Technology Act, 2000,
bagasse-based power generation projects. ‘Critical Information Infrastructure’ means a
computer resource, destruction of which, shall have
» Biogas Programme: Support to family and medium
a negative impact on national security, economy,
size Biogas in rural areas.
public health, or safety.
News Source: Press Information Bureau • Any person who tries to hack or damage a protected
system will be jailed for 10 years.
Why is CII Protection Necessary?

• Backbone of Countless Critical
Operations such as Banking, Nuclear
Power etc.
• IT Failure leads to Crippling other
Sectors.
Probable Question
Q. Explain the significance of critical
information infrastructure for
India’s strategic and economic
independence.

NATIONAL INVESTMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE FUND
FRIENDSHORING Key Points:
Why in the News? About the IIPDF Scheme:

• It is a central sector scheme for financial support for
The United States is pursuing ‘friendshoring’ to project development expenses of Public-Private
minimize supply chain vulnerabilities. Partnership (PPP) Projects.
Key Points: • To meet the cost of transaction advisors and

consultants engaged in the development of PPP
About projects.
‘Friendshoring’ Significance:
• Friendshoring is a strategy of relocating supply • Improve the quality and pace of infrastructure
chains to countries where there is political stability. development.
» For Example: • Encourage private sector participation in the

infrastructure sector.
– The purpose of Frienshoring is to insulate
countries’ supply chains from less like-minded
nations, such as China in case of the US.
– Apple’s announcement to shift its iPhone
manufacturing facilities from China to India.
EKLAVYA MODEL RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS
News Source: Business Standard (EMRS)
Why in the News?
INDIA INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT The Union government is pushing to set up 740 Eklavya
DEVELOPMENT FUND SCHEME Model Residential Schools (EMRS) for tribal students
— one each in every sub-district that has at least a
Why in the News? 20,000-odd Scheduled Tribe population.
The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) under the Key Points:

Ministry of Finance notified India Infrastructure Project
Development Fund Scheme (IIPDF Scheme). About Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS):
• 1997-98:It was first introduced to provide quality

education to tribal students with residential Key Points:
facilities in remote corners.
About UDISE+:
• Aim: To build schools at par with the Jawahar
Navoday Vidyalayas and Kendriya Vidyalayas. • It is an online system of data collection from the
school.
• Ministry: Ministry of Tribal Affairs
• It was developed by the Department of School
News Source: The Hindu Education & Literacy in the year 2018-19.
• In UDISE+ 2021-22, additional data on important
indicators viz.,
UNIFIED DISTRICT INFORMATION SYSTEM » Digital libraries, peer learning, hard spot
FOR EDUCATION PLUS (UDISE+) 2021-22 identification, number of books available in school
libraries, etc have been collected for the first time to
Why in the News? align with the NEP 2020 initiatives.
The Ministry of Education released a detailed Report Key Findings:

on Unified District Information System for Education
Plus (UDISE+) 2021-22 on school education of India.
News Source: PIB

Enroll for FREE
G-20: 2022
Why in the News?
Recently, the 17th annual summit of G-20 was held in Bali, Indonesia.
Key Points: • Pandemic preparedness: G20 welcomed the

• Theme: ‘Recover Together, Recover Stronger’. establishment of a new Financial Intermediary Fund
for Pandemic PPR (the ‘Pandemic Fund’) hosted by
• India has assumed the charge of the 18th summit of the World Bank.
the G20 presidency in 2023.
» It aims to address critical pandemic PPR gaps and
• The 2023 G20 summit will be held in New Delhi, build capacity at national, regional and global levels.
India.
What are the Challenges before the G-20 Member
G20 Bali Declaration: Countries?
• Ukraine War: Most members strongly condemned • Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: The war has created
the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense geopolitical uncertainty and increased global
human suffering and economic difficulty. inflation.
• Digital Ecosystem: They acknowledged affordable » This has reduced the purchasing power across the
and high-quality digital connectivity is essential for countries, thus reducing global economic growth.
Digital inclusion and digital transformation.
• High Inflation: In response to high inflation, central
• Energy security: Underline the urgency to rapidly banks across countries have raised interest rates,
transform and ensure clean sustainable and which, in turn, have diminished economic activity
inclusive energy transitions. further.
• Cryptocurrency: It welcomes ongoing work to • Slowdown in Major Economies: Some of the biggest
ensure that the clip-to-asset ecosystem including so- major economies such as the US and the UK are set
called stablecoins is closely monitored and subject to face a recession.
to robust regulation supervision and oversight to
mitigate potential risks to financial stability. » China, one of the major engines of global growth, is
witnessing a sharp slowdown as it struggles with a
• Terror Finance: It recognised the need for the real estate crisis.
international community to step up their efforts
to effectively combat money laundering terrorism • Geopolitical rifts: The world economy is struggling
financing. with geopolitical rifts such as the tensions between
the US and China.
• Climate Crisis: The G20 sees the countries “make
progress on loss and damage at COP27”. It does not » The decline in trade between the UK and the euro
mention the possibility of setting up a separate fund area in the wake of the Brexit decision.
to address loss and damage.

Way Forward: » Joint action requires securing peace in Ukraine and
• The G20 countries should come together and find also “help prevent further fragmentation”.
common ground and smooth out the problems in • Trade: The G20 leaders need to push for a “more
the policy landscape. open, stable, and transparent rules-based trade”
• Contain Inflation: The overarching priority for that would help address global shortages of goods.
policymakers in most economies is to ensure » Strengthening the resilience of global value chains
price stability while bringing down debt levels and would help protect against future shocks.
protecting the most vulnerable.
• Multilateral Action: A durable recovery requires
• Joint action by the G-20: A strong, sustainable, multilateral action on climate, debt, taxation, and
balanced, and inclusive recovery requires joint pandemic preparedness.
action by the G-20.

Probable Question: disappeared on account of its newfound role in
the emerging global order.’ Elaborate(UPSC 2019)
Q. India has a unique opportunity as G-20 host in
2023 to emerge as the voice of Global South.
Comment

G20: 2023 SUMMIT LOGO
G20 PRESIDENCY: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR Why in the News?

INDIA
The Prime Minister unveiled the logo, theme and
website of India’s G20 presidency.
Why in the News?
On December 1, India will take over the G20 presidency

from Indonesia.
Key Points:
Opportunity for India:

• An opportunity to assume leadership of the Global
South: This is an opportunity for India to emerge as
a leader to solve some of the most pressing issues.
» The growing relevance of the G20 in a world facing
challenges like climate change, the Covid-19 Image Source: The Indian Express
pandemic, and the war in Ukraine
Key Points:
• Financial: India’s priorities may include climate
financing, global coordination on Crypto-Asset • Logo: The logo bears a lotus and the theme of
Reporting Framework(CARF), the conclusion of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — One Earth, One Family,
Global minimum tax and the catalysing of private One Future.
capital flows. • The seven petals in the logo signify the seven seas
» India may direct the G20 towards providing adequate and the coming together of seven continents at G20
finance to the ‘Global South’, keeping in line with India 2023.
climate justice. • The earth reflects India’s pro-planet approach to life.
• Reforms in Multilateral institutions: India can push
for reforms in institutions like the World Bank, the News Source: The Indian Express
International Monetary Fund, and the WTO
» The aim is to make them more attuned to the needs
and aspirations of the developing nations. ASEAN
• Food Security: G20 offers a historical opportunity
for India to share its successful journey in moving Why in the News?
from a food-deficit nation to a food-surplus nation.
The 19th ASEAN-India summit was held in Phnom Penh,
» India can address the growing challenges of food Cambodia.
security for creating resilient and equitable food
systems. Key Points:
• Tourism Sector: The G-20 offers the best opportunity
About
for India to showcase its culture, history and tourism
potential and to position itself as a major tourist
ASEAN:
destination in the world.
• It is a regional grouping that promotes economic,
Previous Year Question political, and security cooperation. It was established
on 8 august 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Q. The long sustained image of India as a leader of
the oppressed and marginalized nations has • ASEAN brings together ten Southeast Asian states
– Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,

Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
• Its chairmanship rotates annually, based on the alphabetical order of the English names of Member states.
Why is ASEAN important for India?

rest of the world due to a favorable demographic
Strategically profile and growing market for goods and services.
• ASEAN nations are at the intersections of major land • India’s trade relations are shifting from West
and sea routes. economies towards the East, comprising Japan,
China, Korea, and ASEAN.
• ASEAN is central to India’s Act East policy and its
wider vision of the Indo-Pacific. • India-ASEAN linkage provides for large-scale
movement of people, capital, ideas, and creativity.
Energy
Performance of ASEAN:
• ASEAN countries, particularly Myanmar, Vietnam,
and Malaysia can potentially contribute to India’s • ASEAN Failed to prevent the 1997 financial crisis.
energy security. • ASEAN has been too soft on the authoritarian regime
• Oil and natural gas deposits in the South China Sea of Myanmar.
region.
Probable Question:
Economy Q. How does ASEAN help India in achieving its
• In terms of income, the India-ASEAN community is strategic objectives in the Indo-Pacific region?
roughly the size of the EU
• India – ASEAN is expected to grow faster than the

BLACK SEA GRAIN INITIATIVE technologies for terrorist purposes.
Why in the News? About Nations Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism

Committee (CTC):
Recently, Russia pulled out of the Black Sea Grain • It was established by the UN Security Council
initiative due to a drone attack on its naval ships in the resolution in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks in
port of Sevastopol. the US.
Key Points • The Committee comprises all 15 Security Council

members.
About Black Sea Grain Initiative » Five permanent members: China, France, Russian
• Key Partners: Russia, Ukraine, Türkiye and the Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United
United Nations States, and ten non-permanent members elected
for two-year terms by the General Assembly.
• Objective: To provide a safe maritime humanitarian
corridor for Ukrainian exports (particularly for food
grains) to limit food price inflation. Highlights of the Meet:
• Countering Terrorist Exploitation of ICT and
Emerging Technologies.
• Threats and opportunities related to new payment
technologies and fundraising methods.
• Threats posed by the misuse of unmanned aerial
systems (UAS) by terrorists.

Q. Discuss the impediments India is facing in its
pursuit of a permanent seat in UN Security
Council. (2015)
NO MONEY FOR TERROR CONFERENCE
Why in the News?
Image Source: Al Jazeera Recently, the Prime-Minister addressed the third No

Money for Terror (NMFT) conference, held in New Delhi.
Key Points:
Key Highlights of PM’s Address to NMTF:

UN SECURITY COUNCIL’S COUNTER- • Underlined organised crime as another source of
TERRORISM COMMITTEE MEETING terror funding.
• Long term impact of terrorism is particularly hard
Why in the News?
on the poor and on the local economy.
Recently, India hosted United Nations Security • Need for adoption of uniform, unified and zero-
Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC). tolerance approach to defeat terrorism.
Key Points: • Dark Net and private currencies have posed new
challenges before the security apparatus
• It adopted the Delhi Declaration — on countering
the use of new and emerging technologies for • Technology must be used to track, trace and tackle
terrorist purposes. terrorism.
• This was the first such meeting of the UNSC-CTC in

No Money for Terror (NMFT) Conference
India since its establishment in 2001.
• 2018: NMFT started as an initiative of the France to
• Theme: Countering the use of new and emerging
MOSCOW FORMAT CONSULTATIONS ON
specifically focus on cooperation between countries AFGHANISTAN
to choke terror funding.
• Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Home Affairs Why in the News?
• Aim: To measure progress made in the discussions in
India joined the latest meeting of the ‘Moscow format
earlier conferences on combating terrorist financing.
consultations on Afghanistan’ that was held in Moscow.
• During the Conference, deliberations were held in
four sessions with a focus on: Key Points:
» Global Trends in Terrorism and Terrorist Financing About

» Use of Formal and Informal Channels of Funds for
Terrorism The Moscow format
• Participating Countries: Russia, China, Pakistan,
» Emerging Technologies and Terrorist Financing
Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan,
» International Co-operation to Address Challenges in Turkmenistan, and India.
Combating Terrorist Financing
• It discussed the humanitarian situation in
Afghanistan, intra-Afghan talks, formation of an
Significance:
inclusive and representative government.
• NMFT offer a unique platform to deliberate on
effectiveness of the international regime on News Source: The Indian Express
Counter Terrorism Financing.
• It will enhance the global cooperation to restrict the
sources of terror financing.
GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP ON ARTIFICIAL
Previous Year Question INTELLIGENCE (GPAI)
Q. Analyse the complexity and intensity of terrorism,
Why in the News?
its causes, linkages and obnoxious nexus. Also
suggest measures required to be taken to India takes over as Council Chair of Global Partnership
eradicate the menace of terrorism (2021) on AI from France.
News Source: Press Information Bureau

Image Source: World Atlas
Key Points: • Formed : June 15, 2020.

• Headquarter: Secretariat is located at OECD
About Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence
headquarters, Paris
(GPAI):
• It is an international initiative to support responsible • Member: 25 Countries (India joined the GPAI in
and human-centric development and the use of 2020 as a founding member)
Artificial Intelligence.
“DEFENSE: MISC. TERMS IN NEWS”
Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2022 • It is a Maritime Partnership Exercise involving Royal Australian Navy and
Indian Navy in the Bay of Bengal.
Dirty Bomb • The term ‘dirty bomb’ refers to explosive devices that disperse radioactive
material, such as Uranium, or Plutonium after a blast.
• They are designed to spread toxic waste.
C295 Aircraft • C295 is a transport aircraft of the Tata-Airbus consortium manufactured
in Vadodara.

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CYCLONE SITRANG • Cyclone Shelters: Cyclone Shelters are necessary
for vulnerable areas.
Why in the News? • Flood Management: Embankments along the rivers,
and sea walls along the coasts may keep water away
Recently, tropical cyclone Sitrang made landfall on the from the flood plains.
Bangladesh Coast.
• Eco-barriers: Mangroves protect the coastal area
Key Points: from storm surges and winds accompanied by
cyclones.
• Tropical Cyclone Sitrang name is given by Thailand.
• Improved Information Dissemination System:
• It developed in the Bay of Bengal before turning
Information dissemination about the landfall and
north toward Bangladesh’s coast.
trajectory of the cyclone through satellite data on a
• Conditions for the formation of tropical Cyclone real-time basis.
are:
• Awareness: Public awareness through education is
» Large sea surface with a temperature higher than important for saving many lives.
27° C;
» Presence of the Coriolis force; Government Initiatives for Cyclone management:
• National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP):
» Small variations in the vertical wind speed;
It undertakes measures to mitigate the effects of
» A pre-existing weak low-pressure area or low-level- cyclones in the coastal states and UTs of India.
cyclonic circulation;
• Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)
» Upper divergence above the sea level system. Project:
» ICZM focuses on management of the coast using an
integrated approach.
• Color Coding of Cyclones: Issued by the India
Meteorological Department (IMD)
» IMD uses 4 color codes:
– Green: No advisory is issued.
– Yellow: Be Aware
– Orange/Amber: Be Prepared
– Red: Take Action

Q. Discuss the meaning of colour-coded weather
warnings for cyclone prone areas given by India
Meteorological Department.(2022)
DEVELOPMENT OF GREAT NICOBAR
Mitigation and Preparedness Measures for Cyclone: Why in the News?

• Hazard Mapping: Hazard mapping shows the
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
frequency/probability of occurrences of various
Change gave environmental clearance for the ambitious
intensities or durations.
Rs 72,000 crore development project for Great Nicobar
Island.

Great Nicobar Island
• Great Nicobar is the southernmost of the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Vegetation Cover: Tropical wet evergreen forests
• Nicobar Islands are separated by the Andaman
islands Ten Degree Channel.
• The Andaman Islands lie to the north of the
channel, and the Nicobar Islands to the south.
• Indira Point on the southern tip of Great Nicobar
Island is India’s southernmost point.
• Great Nicobar is home to the Shompen and
Nicobarese tribal peoples.
• It is equidistant from Colombo to the southwest
and Port Klang and Singapore to the southeast.
• It is positioned close to the East-West
international shipping corridor, through which
a very large part of the world’s shipping trade
passes.
GUJARAT MORBI BRIDGE
Why in the News?
Key Points Recently, a suspension bridge collapsed over the river

Machchu killing hundreds of people in Gujarat’s Morbi
About
district.
What are the proposals under development project?
Key Points:
• Development of a greenfield city including an
• It is more than a century old bridge and has long
International Container Transhipment Terminal
been a major tourist attraction.
(ICTT)
• Machchhu is a small river that rises in the Madla
• A Greenfield international airport
Hills and flows into the Rann of Kutch.
• A Power plant & a Township
How suspension bridges work?
Significance: • A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the
• Facilitate Great Nicobar participation in the regional deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical
and global maritime economy. suspenders.
• It depends on the balance of the forces of
Concerns: compression and tension.
• Development of infrastructure in an ecologically
• All of this balancing has to happen within the
important requires deforestation.
permissible weight restrictions for the bridge.
• Loss of tree cover will lead to increased runoff and
sediment deposits in the ocean, impacting the coral
reefs in the area.

Possible reasons for the collapse of Morbi Bridge:
• Structure Flaws: The sudden collapse suggests
that most or all the suspension cables were weak or
corroded.
• Overloaded: Overload on the bridge can have a
disproportionate impact on the bridge.
How to mitigate these types of disasters?

• Safety and environmental audits should be done on
regular basis.
• Crowd management and safety protocols should be
in place to avoid such tragedies.
• Campaigns to promote tourism must also raise
awareness of safety among tourists and local
Image Source: Indian Express authorities.
Image Source: Map of India

Q. How important are vulnerability and risk assessment for pre-disaster management? As an administrator,
what are key areas that you would focus on in a Disaster Management System? (2013)

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GLOBAL REPORTS
SUSTAINABLE FOOD COLD CHAINS REPORT: UNEP

& FAO
Key Takeaways:
• Food cold chains are critical to meeting the challenge
of feeding an additional two billion people by 2050
and harnessing rural communities’ resilience.
• The number of people affected by hunger in the
world rose to 828 million in 2021.
• In developing countries, post-harvest food loss
reduces the income of 470 million small-scale
farmers by 15 percent, due to lower refrigeration
capacity.
• To reach its full potential, Indian agriculture needs a
third revolution — the blue or cool revolution.
Blue/Cool revolution:
• It will help to build a sustainable cold chain
connecting farms to cities.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

• It is a leading global environmental authority
EMISSION GAP REPORT 2022
established on 5th June 1972.
Why in the News? • It sets the global environmental agenda and
serves as an authoritative advocate for global
Recently, the Emissions Gap Report, 2022 has environment protection.
been released by the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP). News Source: The Indian Express
Key Points:
About ADAPTATION GAP REPORT, 2022
Emissions Gap Why in the News?

• It represents the gap between promised and needed
emission reductions. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
has released the Adaptation Gap Report, 2022.
Key Points
About
Key Findings of Adaptation Gap Report

• It looks at progress in planning, financing, and
implementing adaptation actions.
• Global efforts in adaptation planning, financing,
and implementation are not enough to prepare
vulnerable communities.
• Urgent need to enhance finance flows for climate
change adaptation.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• It is a leading global environmental authority
established on 5th June 1972.
• It sets the global environmental agenda and
serves as an authoritative advocate for global
environment protection.
News Source: Down to Earth
COP 27
Key Points:
Why in the News?
About COP
Recently, the United Nations Climate Change
Conference 2022 — COP27 was held in Sharm el- • The Conference of Parties (COP) is the apex decision-
Sheikh, Egypt. making body of the United Nations Climate Change
Framework Convention (UNFCCC).
• It has representatives from each country that signed
the Paris Agreement.
• It meets annually to assess the progress in
implementing decisions taken in earlier COPs.
UNFCCC
• UNFCCC was formed in 1994 to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions and to protect the earth from the threat
of climate change.

Key Highlights of COP 27 GLOBAL OFFSHORE WIND ALLIANCE
• Mitigation: Urged nations to lead by example in
reducing emissions to limit global warming below Why in the News?
2°C.
Recently, Britain, Germany and the United States
• Adaptation: Enhance climate change resilience and joined Global Offshore Wind Alliance.
assist the world’s most vulnerable communities.
• COP27 agreed to include ‘loss and damage’ in the Key Points
main agenda.
About
» It seeks to accelerate global climate action through
emissions reduction and the building-up of Global Offshore Wind Alliance
adaptation efforts.
• It is initiated by International Renewable Energy
Agency (IRENA), Denmark, and Global Wind Energy
What is ‘Loss and Damage’?
Council (GWEC).
• The term “loss and damage” in UN climate
• The alliance was formed to accelerate the
negotiations refers to costs the developed countries,
deployment of offshore wind power.
should pay to poorer nations that have made a
negligible contribution to emissions but are more • It plans to fetch at least 380 Giga Watt installed
vulnerable to extreme climate events. capacity by the end of 2030.
» For example, the devastating floods in Pakistan • New Joinee: Belgium, Colombia, Ireland, Japan, the
recently Netherlands, Norway.
• It is an extension of the universally acknowledged
“Polluter Pays” principle. News Source: The Indian Express
• Challenge:
» It is difficult to define and assess the damage caused
MATHURA-VRINDAVAN CARBON
purely due to climate change.
NEUTRAL TARGET 2041
Why in the News?
Mathura-Vrindavan aims to become a “net zero carbon

emission” tourist destination by 2041.
Key Points:
How the plan of “net zero carbon emission” will be

achieved?
• Small circuits called ‘Parikrama Paths’ will be built
which the pilgrim can use either on foot or using
electric vehicles.
• Tourist vehicles will be banned from the entire Braj
region, which includes famous pilgrim centres such
as Vrindavan and Krishna Janmabhoomi.
• Revival of water bodies and forests in the area.
Image Source: Mrunal.org
What is Net Zero?

Probable Question
• Net-zero, which refers to carbon neutrality, means
Q. Describe the major outcomes of the 27th a balance between the amount of earth-warming
session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions produced and the
to the United Nations Framework Convention on amount eliminated from the atmosphere.
Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Way to achieve Net Zero Target: which is aimed to deliver the commitment made at
• Planting trees or restoring forests. COP26.
• Use of nature-friendly technology to store and • FCLP’s action areas:

capture carbon emitted from burning oil and coal. » International collaboration on the sustainable land
use economy;
» Mobilising public and donor finance to support
implementation;
LEADIT (LEADERSHIP FOR INDUSTRY News Source: www.gov.uk/

TRANSITION)
• Launched by Sweden and India at the UN Climate
Action Summit in 2019 and is supported by the REDD+
World Economic Forum.
• Brings together countries and companies that are Why in the News?
committed to action to achieve the Paris Agreement.
The renewed political and financial commitment
towards forest climate action shown at COP27 is
creating new momentum for REDD+.
Key Points
FORESTS AND CLIMATE LEADERS
About
PARTNERSHIP
REDD+
Why in the News?
• Recently, the World Leaders from 26 countries and 1. REDD stands for “Reducing Emissions from
the EU launched the Forests and Climate Leaders’ Deforestation and forest Degradation”; the “+”
Partnership (FCLP). signifies the role of conservation, sustainable
management of forests, and enhancement of
Key Points: forest carbon stocks.
About 2. Activities under REDD+:
Forests And Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FLCP) a. Reducing emissions from deforestation and
forest degradation
• FLCP is a voluntary partnership of 26 countries

b. Conservation of forest carbon stocks carbon border taxes policy at the COP27 in Sharm El
Sheikh.
GLOBAL SHIELD CLIMATE FINANCE
Why in the News?
Recently, the Global Shield Initiative was launched

by the G7 and Vulnerable Twenty (V20) countries at
COP27.
Key Points:
What is Carbon Border Tax?

• A carbon border adjustment tax is a duty on imports
based on the number of carbon emissions resulting
from the production of the product.
» Such as iron and steel, cement, fertiliser, aluminium
Image Source: Mrunal.org and electricity generation.
• The European Union(EU) came up with the Carbon
Key Points Border Adjustment Mechanism(CBAM) in 2021.
About • It proposed to tax products such as cement and

steel, that are extremely carbon intensive, with
Global Shield Against Climate Risks effect from 2026.
• Objective: To better protect poor and vulnerable
people from disasters by pre-arranging more Issues:
financing before disasters strike. • BASIC Countries: They have opposed this policy
and called for an unfair shifting of responsibilities
• So far, Germany is the largest contributor to it.
from developed to developing countries.
• Beneficiaries: Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Fiji, Ghana,
» BASIC is a group constituting Brazil, India, South
Pakistan, the Philippines, and Senegal.
Africa and China.
Vulnerable Twenty(V20) • Impact on India: India has stated that carbon
• V20 is group of countries that are systemically border taxes could result in market distortion and
vulnerable to climate change. aggravate the trust deficit amongst parties and
must be avoided.
• It was established in Lima, Peru (2015).
» It will negatively impact the Indian export industry
» Green Protectionism: There is a risk that the
European Union will use it as a protectionist
tool to protect domestic industries from foreign
CARBON BORDER TAX competition in the name of ‘green protectionism.’
Why in the News? News Source: Indian Express
A group of countries including India has opposed the

METHANE ALERT AND RESPONSE • MARS will alert governments, companies and
SYSTEM (MARS) operators about large methane sources to foster
rapid mitigation action of this potent gas.
Why in the News? • It will be operated as part of the UN Environment
Programmes International Methane Emissions
Recently, at COP 27 UN announced a high-tech, Observatory.
satellite-based global methane detection system called
MARS. About Methane (CH4):
• Methane is the second-most common of the six
major greenhouse gases.
• It accounts for 80 times more potent greenhouse
gas than carbon dioxide.
• Methane is about 17 percent of the current global
greenhouse gas emissions.
• It is blamed for having caused at least 25 to 30
percent of temperature rise since the pre-industrial
times.
Global Methane Pledge:

• At the Glasgow climate conference (COP 26)
100 countries had come together in Pledge to cut
methane emissions by at least 30 percent by 2030
from the 2020 levels.
Image Source: Mrunal.org
Key Points:
About the Methane Alert and Response System

(MARS): EMIT MISSION: NASA
• It is a satelite-based monitoring system for tracking
Why in the News?
methane emission from space.
• It will integrate data from a large number of existing Recently, NASA spotted 50 methane super-emitters
and future satellites that have the ability to detect on Earth. Most of these sites have ties with agriculture
methane emission. and fossil fuel industries.
Image Source: NASA

Key Points: » Raise global awareness about the role of mangroves
as a nature-based climate change solution.
About Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source
» Ensure the rehabilitation of mangrove forests on a
Investigation instrument (EMIT):
global level.
• It is an instrument made by NASA to examine how
dust impacts climate. About Mangroves
• EMIT was installed on the International Space • Mangroves are salt-tolerant plant communities
Station in July 2022. serving as transition between marine and terrestrial
• Since then, It has been mapping the chemical environments.
composition of dust throughout the Earth’s deserts • They are found in tropical and sub-tropical
• EMIT is proving to be a critical tool in our toolbox to intertidal regions
measure this potent greenhouse gas. » Conditions:
– High Rainfall (between 1,000 to 3,000 mm),
– Temperature range (26OC-35OC) and calm water
with sufficient sediments to set down roots.
Provide a wide range of ecosystem services
INDIA JOINS MANGROVE ALLIANCE FOR
CLIMATE AT COP27 • Significance of Mangrove Forest:
» Protects coastal erosion
Why in the News?
» Sequesters carbon
India has joined the Mangrove Alliance for Climate » Act as a buffer for ocean acidification
(MAC) at the 27th session of the Conference of the
Parties (COP27) at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt. News Source: Business Standard
Key Points:
About Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC): INDIA’S LONG-TERM STRATEGY TO A ‘LOW
• MAC is an intergovernmental alliance that seeks EMISSIONS’
to expand and expedite the progress towards
conservation and restoration of mangrove Why in the News?
ecosystems.
Recently, India announced its long-term strategy to
• Member: India, Australia, Japan, Spain, and Sri transition to a “low emissions” pathway at the United
Lanka. Nations Conference of Parties (COP) in Sharm el-
• Significance: Sheikh, Egypt.

Key Points: vehicles, with ethanol blending to reach 20% by
2025.
What is India’s Long-Term Strategy to reduce carbon
» Shift to public transport for passenger and freight
emissions (LTS)?
traffic.
• 195-member countries who are signatories to the
UN climate agreements, were obliged to submit the » Electrification of both public and private vehicles,
long-term document by 2022. » Introduction of intelligent traffic systems.
» India is the 57th country to submit LTS. • Urban design: Sustainable and climate resilient
• India made a commitment to net zero, or being urban development will be driven by-
carbon neutral by 2070 at Glasgow (COP 26). » Smart city initiatives,
• It has been prepared in the framework of India’s right » Effective green building codes and
to an equitable and fair share of the global carbon
budget. » Rapid developments in innovative solid and liquid
waste management.
• India is planning largescale interventions in five
sectors — energy and electricity, transport, urban • Industries: India will focus on improving energy
design, industries, and forestry. efficiency by the Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT)
scheme, the National Hydrogen Mission, increasing
electrification, enhancing material efficiency, and
Key Focus Area:
recycling and ways to reduce emissions.
• Energy and Electricity: It includes expanding
the share of renewable energy, rationalising the » Such as steel, cement, aluminium and others
utilisation of fossil fuels, and focusing on demand- • Forestry: India’s forest and tree cover are a net
side management. carbon sink absorbing 15% of CO2 emissions in 2016.
• Transport: India aims to maximise the use of electric

14TH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO
Limitations:
RAMSAR CONVENTION
• Legal Backing: Currently, half of the 50+ long-term
strategies submitted by countries have full or partial Why in the News?
legal backing.
» India should create a legal or institutional framework The Wuhan Declaration was adopted at the 14th
to pursue policies based on its long-term goal. Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties
to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP14) in
• Carbon Pricing: It could have included carbon Wuhan (China).
pricing through a domestic emissions trading
scheme. Key Points:
• Agriculture & animal husbandry: India has not
mentioned agriculture in its long-term strategy, About Wuhan declaration:
which is mainly responsible for methane emissions. • It calls for “strong will and practical actions”
to promote the conservation, restoration and
• No Mid-Term Goals: There are no mid-term goals or
management of wetlands worldwide.
indicative pathways. In fact, the document is entirely
devoid of any numbers or projections. • Incorporate wetlands into national actions to
contribute to domestic legislation, plans and
Probable Question: implementation of SDGs.
• Q. Enumerate the commitments made by India in
COP 27 to combat climate change. About Ramsar Convention:
• Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty
News Source: The Hindu adopted in 1971.
• It is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran.
• It provides a framework for the conservation and
INTERNATIONAL DROUGHT RESILIENCE wise use of wetlands and their resources.
ALLIANCE
News Source: DTE
Why in the News?
Spain and Senegal led the launch of the International

Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA) at the 27th CITES COP-19
Conference of Parties (COP27).
• IDRA is a collaborative platform to promote Why in the News?
cooperation to increase preparedness against future
droughts. The 19th Conference of the Parties (COP19) to CITES is
being held in Panama.
Key Points:
About CITES:
• CITES is an international agreement that stands for
the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
• Adopted in 1963 by the members of the International Union for Conservation of

Establishment Nature (IUCN).
• Enforced in 1975
• 184 parties (including countries or regional economic integration organizations).

Members
• India became the 25th party in 1976.
Secretariat • Geneva, Switzerland (administered by UNEP).

• CoP: The Conference of the
Parties (CoP) to CITES is the
supreme decision-making body
of the Convention and comprises
all its parties.
• Aim: To ensure that international
trade in specimens of wild
animals and plants does not
threaten their survival.
• CITES is legally binding on its
members.
About CoP-19:
• India’s Shisham (Dalbergia
sissoo): India and other countries
had asked for delisting Dalbergia
sissoo from CITES Appendix II.
» However, CITES did not agree to
de-list the species, but it gave
relief in terms of the weight of
each item.
» This will solve the problem of
Indian artisan communities to
an extent and will give a boost to
exports of articles.
• Ivory Trade:
BLUE FLAG CERTIFICATION
Why in the News?
Minicoy Thundi Beach, and Kadmat Beach from Lakshadweep are new entrants to the coveted list of Blue
Beaches.
Key Points:
About Blue Flag Certification

• Blue Flag certification is given to beach, marina, or sustainable boating tourism operators by Foundation for
Environmental Education (FEE).
• The Blue Flag beaches are considered the cleanest beaches in the world.
• Along the lines of Blue Flag certification, India launched its own eco-label BEAMS (Beach Environment &
Aesthetics Management Services).

News Source: All India Radio
AIR QUALITY INDEX (AQI)
Why in the News?
Recently, the AQI in NCR dipped to the

‘severe’ category
Key Points:
About Air Quality Index:

• AQI measures air quality. The higher
the AQI, the worse the air.

Image Credits: India Today
Reasons of Air Pollution in Delhi- NCR • National Clean Air Program: NCAP is a five-year
• City’s landlocked geographical location action plan to curb air pollution, build a pan-India air
quality monitoring network.
• Crop burning in neighbouring states (Punjab,
Haryana and Rajasthan) • Odd-even Scheme: It is a traffic rationing measure
under which private vehicles with registration
• Vehicular emissions numbers ending with an odd digit are allowed on
• Industrial pollution roads on odd dates, and those with an even digit can
apply on even dates.
• Large-scale construction activities
• Burning of waste and energy sector Previous Year Question
Q. Describe the key points of the revised Global Air
Measures to Control Air Pollution: Quality Guidelines (AQGs) recently released by
• Graded Response Action Plan(GRAP): Approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO). How are
the Supreme Court in 2016, the GRAP was formulated these different from its last update in 2005? What
as an emergency measure to tackle air pollution. changes in India’s National Clean Air Programme
are required to achieve revised standards? (2021)
• Promoting CNG Vehicles and car pooling.
• Government has been implementing Ethanol News Source: The Indian Express
Blended Petrol (EBP) to promote the use of
alternative and environment friendly fuels.
• Regulation of truck moving GREENWASHING
• Ban on construction activities.
Why in the News?
• For Checking Vehicular Pollution:
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres acknowledged
» BS-VI Vehicles
‘greenwashing’ at the ongoing COP27 climate meeting
» Promoting Electric Vehicles (EVs) in Sharm el-Shaikh, Egypt.
» Odd-Even Policy of Vehicles
Key Points:
• For Checking Stubble Burning:
About Greenwashing
» Zero till seed drill: It is used for land preparations
directly sowing seeds in the previous crop stubble. • Greenwashing is a bogus claim to deceive
consumers into believing that a company’s products
» Paddy Straw Chopper: It involves cutting paddy are environmentally friendly.
stubble for easy mixing with the soil.
• It presents a false picture of the progress being

made on the climate change front. Ethical Issue Involved
• Example: • Misleads investors and consumers that are genuinely
seeking environmentally friendly companies or
» Volkswagen Diesel gate scandal products.
Image Source: Terrachoice
WORLD HERITAGE GLACIERS UNDER » The increased risk of natural disasters such as
THREAT flooding
» Millions more may be displaced by the resulting rise
Why in the News? in sea levels
Recently a study conducted by the UN body has found Recommendation:

that one-third of the glaciers on the UNESCO World
Heritage list are under threat. • Rapid reduction in CO2 emission levels.
• Due to CO2 emissions, which are warming • Creation of a new international fund for glacier
temperatures. monitoring and preservation.
• They are currently losing 58 billion tons of ice every • Comprehensive research, promote exchange
year and are responsible for nearly 5% of observed networks between all stakeholders.
global sea-level rise.
• Effects of melting Ice Glacier:
» When glaciers melt rapidly, millions of people face
water scarcity

EARTHQUAKE IN INDONESIA About Ring of Fire:
• The Ring of Fire, also referred to as the Circum-
Why in the News? Pacific Belt, is a path along the Pacific Ocean
characterized by active volcanoes and frequent
Recently, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck western earthquakes.
Indonesia.
• It is a horseshoe-shaped belt about 40,000km long
• Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, causing and about 500 km wide that contains two-thirds
it to experience frequent earthquakes. of the world’s total volcanoes and 90% of Earth’s
• Indonesia is at the meeting point of three major earthquakes.
continental plates – the Pacific, the Eurasian and
the Indo-Australian plates – and the much smaller
Philippine plate.
GLYPHOSATE • These include Sri Lanka, Netherlands, France,

Colombia, Canada, Israel, and Argentina.
Why in the News? • In India, glyphosate has been approved for use
only in tea plantations and non-plantation areas
Recently, The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers accompanying the tea crop.
Welfare restricted the use of glyphosate.
What are the Concerns?
Key Points:
• Health impacts of glyphosate range from cancer,
What is Glyphosate? and reproductive and developmental toxicity to
neurotoxicity and immunotoxicity.
• It is a widely used herbicide applied to the leaves of
plants to kill both broadleaf plants and grass. • Symptoms include irritation, swelling, burning of the
skin, oral and nasal discomfort, unpleasant taste,
• Some 35 countries have banned or restricted the
and blurred vision.
use of glyphosate.

• Endanger the agroecological nature of Indian farms,
apart from spreading the toxic effects to people,
animals, and the environment.
JUMPING SPIDER OF THE TANZANIA

GENUS
Why in the News?

Image Source: The Indian Express
A new species of jumping spider of the Tanzania genus
have been discovered on the outskirts of Rajkot, Key Points:
Gujarat.
• The new species have been named after Indian
biochemist Yellapragada Subbarao.
• It is the first species of the Tanzania genus to be
recorded anywhere in Asia.

MAG10
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SPACE
CORONAL HOLES
Why in the News?
Recently, a phenomenon called “coronal holes” was spotted in the sun.
Key Points:
About Coronal Holes

Probable Question:
• These are regions on the sun’s surface from where
the fast solar wind flows out into space. Q. What are Coronal Holes? Discuss their impact on
earth.
• They have lower temperatures and thus appear
much darker than their surroundings. News Source: The Indian Express
• Can be seen in ultraviolet light but are typically
invisible to our eyes.
• Coronal holes are most prevalent and stable at the NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID
solar north and south poles.
Why in the News?
• They occur when the Sun’s magnetic field is open to
interplanetary space.
A team of astronomers has discovered three massive
» Interplanetary Space: The region of space around near-Earth asteroids hiding in the glare of the Sun.
the sun and planets of the solar system. • One of these asteroids is the largest “potentially
• Significance: hazardous” object.
» Helps to understand Solar wind pattern flow.

Key Points:
– High Solar winds cause geomagnetic storms
leading to changes in the ionosphere and About
disrupting GPS signals.
What are Near Earth Objects?
» Helps to understand the space environment around
• A near-Earth object is an asteroid or comet which
the earth.
passes close to the Earth’s orbit.

• Composed mostly of water ice with embedded dust BEAVER BLOOD MOON
particles.
Why in the News?
• They occasionally approach close to the Earth as
they orbit the Sun. ‘Beaver Blood Moon’ is all set to take over the night
skies of East Asia to North America.
DART
• NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Key Points:
is the world’s first full-scale mission to test
technology for defending Earth against potential About
asteroid or comet hazards.
Beaver Moon
• It was launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from
Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg • “Beaver moon,” is a moniker for November’s full
Space Force Base in California. moon.
• Purpose: To make a controlled collision with an • When it coincides with a total lunar eclipse, it is
asteroid that poses a threat to Earth. referred to as a “Beaver blood moon” in the United
States.
Why it is called ‘Blood Moon’?
• During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth casts a shadow
on the full moon which blocks the reflection of all
PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE
direct sunlight.
Why in the News? • As a result, the color of the moon gets dim, giving it a
reddish hue, further shorter wavelengths of sunlight
Recently, a partial solar eclipse was observed in some are scattered by Earth’s atmosphere.
parts of the country.
Key Points
About
Partial Solar Eclipse

• A partial solar eclipse takes place when the moon
passes directly between the Sun and the Earth.
• In it, the moon partially blocks the Sun’s light which
creates a dark shadow and gives it a crescent shape.
News/Image Credits: The Indian Express
SPACE : SONAR TESTING FACILITY

• SPACE stands for Submersible Platform For
Acoustic Characterization & Evaluation.
• It is a testing and evaluation facility for sonar
systems of the Indian navy and onboard various
platforms, including ships, submarines, and
helicopters.
News Source: The Indian Express • Developed by: Defence Research & Development
Organization (DRDO)

LOFTID MISSION
Why in the News?
Recently, NASA completed Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) technology
demonstration designed to land humans on Mars.
Source: NASA
MISSION PRARAMBH
About LOFTID Technology:
• It will have an inflatable structure that is capable of Why in the News?
holding its shape against drag forces.
India’s first privately developed rocket, Vikram-S has
• It will also have a protective flexible thermal
been launched from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
protection system that will protect it from the heat
generated during re-entry.
Key Points:
• Uses: It can be used in the future to land humans
and large payloads on Mars or for atmospheric entry About Mission Prarambh:
on other planets on moons. • Mission name: Prarambh
News Source: The Indian Express • Rocket name (launch vehicle): Vikram-S (after
Vikaram Sarabhai)
• The Vikram-S rocket is a single-stage sub-orbital
launch vehicle.
• Benefits:
» Cost-efficient satellite launch services make
spaceflights affordable.

MOSQUIRIX: THE FIRST MALARIA Key Point:
VACCINE
About Indian Biological Data Center’ (IBDC):
Why in the News? • It is the first national data repository for life science
data in India where the data can be submitted from
In October 2021, Mosquirix, the first malaria vaccine across India and can be accessed by researchers
was recommended by the World Health Organisation across the country.
(WHO).
• Located at: Regional Centre of Biotechnology (RCB),
Faridabad-Haryana
Key Points:
• Mandate: To store all life science data generated
Mosquirix Vaccine: from publicly-funded research in India.
• The Mosquirix vaccine or RTS, S/AS01 has been • Capacity: The digitised data will be stored on a four-
developed by British drugmaker Glaxo SmithKline, petabyte supercomputer called ‘Brahm’.
using proteins found on the surface of the
Plasmodium falciparum parasite. » A petabyte equals 10,00,000 gigabytes (GB).
• It acts against P. falciparum, the most deadly Benefits:

malaria parasite globally.
• Reduce the dependency on American and European
» P. falciparum is the most prevalent in Africa. data banks.
• Provide a platform for researchers to securely store
About Malaria:
their data within the country.
• Malaria kills nearly 600,000 people every year, the
majority of whom are children under the age of five • Provide access to a large database of indigenous
in sub-Saharan Africa. sequences for analyses.
• Malaria is a disease caused by the Plasmodium News Source: The Hindu

(protozoan) parasite.
• Plasmodium enters the human body as sporozoites
(infectious form) through the bite of infected female GEAC APPROVED COMMERCIAL
Anopheles mosquito and initiates infection. CULTIVATION OF GM MUSTARD
• Transmission: Spread by female Anopheles
Why in the News?
mosquitoes.
The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC)
News Source: The Indian Express cleared the proposal for the commercial cultivation of
genetically modified (GM) mustard.
INDIAN BIOLOGICAL DATA CENTER (IBDC) • The GEAC had earlier cleared the proposal in 2017
but Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Why in the News? Change had vetoed it.
Recently, the Ministry of Science and Technology Key Points:

unveiled India’s first national repository for life science
data ‘Indian Biological Data Center’ (IBDC) at Faridabad, What are genetically modified crops?
Haryana. • A genetically modified organism (GMO) is any living
organism whose genetic material has been modified
to include certain desirable techniques.
• Genetic modification has previously been used for
the large-scale production of insulin, vaccines, and
more.
• In crops, genetic modification involves the
manipulation of DNA instead of using controlled
pollination to alter certain characteristics of the
crop.

GM Crops in India: • Bt Brinjal: In 2007, The GEAC had recommended the
• Bt cotton: It is the first GM Crops approved for the commercial release of Bt Brinjal, the initiative was
commercial cultivation in 2002-03. blocked in 2010.
» It is resistant to bollworm, a pest that destroys • GM soybean: The Union government has allowed
cotton plants. the import of crushed genetically modified (GM)
soybean, which is a major ingredient of poultry feed.
What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of GM Crops?
What is GM or Hybrid Mustard (DMH-11)?

• Mustard is a self-pollinating crop that is difficult to
hybridize naturally as it cross-pollinates itself.
• DMH (Dhara Mustard Hybrid)-11 is a genetically
modified variety of mustard developed by crossing
the Indian mustard variety (Varuna) and east
European ‘Early Heera-2’).
• It was created through transgenic technology,
primarily involving the Bar, Barnase and Barstar gene
systems.
• It is claimed to have shown an average 28% yield
increase over Varuna.
• Developed by: The Centre for Genetic Manipulation
of Crop Plants (CGMCP) at Delhi University.

• Recommendation by GEAC: SANDALWOOD SPIKE DISEASE (SSD)
» Environmental release of “genetically engineered
mustard parental containing barstar and bar genes”. Why in the News?
» Environmental release of mustard hybrid DMH-11 Recently, Several Sandalwood plants tested positive
for seed production and testing as per existing ICAR for Sandalwood Spike Disease (SSD).
guidelines.
» Conduct field demonstration studies with respect Key Points:
to the effect of GM mustard on honey bees and other
About Sandalwood Spike Disease (SSD):
pollinators post-environmental release.
• First reported in Kodagu in 1899.
• Issues with the GM Mustard Crops:
• Caused by: Phytoplasmas (Bacteria)
» It would open a gate to several genetically modified
food crops. • Transmission: Through seeds of infected trees
» Environmentalists are raising biosafety concern • Prevention: Cutting down of Infected trees
with GM crops as their introduction may adversely
affect environment, human and animal health. About Sandalwood Tree:
• Benefits: • Known as Red Sandalwood/Chandan or “Srigandha”
» Reduce the use of pesticides and insecticides during • Found in the southern Eastern Ghats.
farming. • Uses:
» Lead to better yield production. » Used as an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory substance.
» Boost edible mustard oil production. • Protection Status:
» Reduce huge import costs for edible oil. » IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable
Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC): • Major Growing Areas:
• GEAC under the Ministry of Environment, » Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka,
Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is the Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu.
apex biotech regulatory body in India.
• It is responsible for granting approvals relating to
the release of genetically engineered organisms
and products into the environment including
experimental field trials. MASTODON
• Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest &
• Mastodon is a decentralized, open-source social
Climate Change (MoEFCC).
media platform.
• It is a statutory body under the Environment
Protection Act, of 1986. News Source: The Indian Express
Probable Question:
Q. Discuss the potential benefits and risks involved
with Genetic modification in crops.

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and source, i.e. leading newspapers like
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magazines like Yojana, Kurukshetra, Down
to earth, core subjects like International
Relations, Economy, Polity, Science &
Technology, Environment, and others.

History/Culture

PM’S GIFTS FOR G20 LEADERS
PM’s Gifts for G20 leaders

Craft/Art form Description
Kangra Miniature Paintings • It is a type of Pahari paintings from Himachal Pradesh
that depict Puranic tales and stories from Ramayana and
Mahabharata in minute detail.
Mata Ni Pachedi • It is a sacred textile piece made by nomadic communities

in Gujarat.
Kinnauri shawl • It is a specialty of Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh.

• The art originated from the ancient tradition of wool
milling and textile manufacturing in the region.
• The designs show influence from Central Asia and Tibet.
Agate bowls • They are made in Kutch and is a semi-precious stone

obtained from underground mines of Rajpipla and
Ratanpur in riverbeds.

Pithora Paintings • It is a ritualistic tribal folk art by the Rathwa artisans from
Chhota Udaipur in Gujarat.
• It is based on the cave paintings that tribal people used to
make, reflecting their social, cultural and mythological life
and beliefs.
• These paintings resemble the aboriginal dot paintings of
the indigenous communities of Australia.
Patan Patola Scarf • Patola is a double ikat woven sari, usually made from
silk, made in Patan, Gujarat which dates back to the 11th
century.
• The Patola fabrics bear an equal intensity of colors and
design on both sides.
• One of the major practitioners of this art form is the Salvi
family from North Gujarat.
Key Points:
WANGALA FESTIVAL
• Two varieties: Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1638 and
• It is a harvest festival, celebrated in Garo community Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1652.
of Meghalaya.
• Kalanamak is a traditional variety of paddy with a
• Also known as a 100 drums festival. black husk and a strong fragrance.
• It is protected under the Geographical Indication
(GI) tag system
• Location: Grown in the Terai region of northeastern
Uttar Pradesh and in Nepal.
GANDHI MANDELA AWARD 2022
• Concern: It’s tall and the plant becomes heavy
• The 14th Dalai Lama was conferred the Gandhi because of grain formation, the stem becomes weak,
Mandela Award 2022 in recognition of his efforts to and the plant falls on the ground.
inspire citizens for peace, unity, and freedom.
• Benefits: Bring dwarfness into the variety and make
the plant sturdy.
KALANAMAK RICE
Why in the News?

BHOOTA KOLA
• Bhoota Kola is an annual folk ritual of Tulu-speaking
Recently, Indian Agriculture Research Institute(IARI) people in Karnataka where local spirits or deities
has successfully tested two new dwarf varieties of are worshiped.
Kalanamak Rice.
• It is performed by a trained person who is believed
to have temporarily become a god himself.

» It displays an aggressive outlook, dances fiercely,
and performs multiple rituals.
Image Source: The Indian Express
News Source: The Indian Express Image Source: The Indian Express
Key Points:
• Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, a feudatory ruler
MOTHER TONGUE SURVEY OF INDIA
under the erstwhile Vijayanagara Empire founded
Bengaluru in 1537.
Why in the News?
• He provided financial assistance to build Bengaluru
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has completed city and erect forts around its periphery in the late
the Mother Tongue Survey of India (MTSI) with field 1530s for its protection.
videography of the country’s 576 languages.
• He is revered, especially by the Vokkaliga community
that is dominant in Old Mysuru and other parts of
Key Points:
southern Karnataka.
Mother Tongue Survey of India (MTSI):
• Objective: To preserve and analyze the original
flavor of each indigenous Mother Tongue.
Status of Mother tongue in India: NICOBARI HODI CRAFT

• As per the 2011 linguistic census in 2018, more than
19,500 languages or dialects are spoken in India as Why in the News?
mother tongues.
The Andaman & Nicobar Islands have filed an
• They were grouped into 121 mother tongues. application, seeking the Geographical Indication (GI)
• The new National Curriculum Framework (NCF) tag for the Nicobari Hodi craft.
has recommended that mother tongue should be
the primary medium of instruction in schools for
children up to eight years of age.
News Source: PIB
KEMPEGOWDA STATUE INAUGURATION
Why in the News?

Image Source: The Hindu
The Prime Minister unveiled the “Statue of Prosperity”,
the 108-feet bronze statue of Bengaluru founder Nicobari Hodi:
Nadaprabhu Kempegowda.
• The hodi is the Nicobari tribe’s traditional craft.
• It is an outrigger canoe, very commonly operated in
the Nicobar group of islands.

• Built using either locally available trees or from Key Points:
nearby islands.
About Kashi Tamil Sangamam:
• Hodis are used for transporting people and goods
from one island to another. • It celebrates the historical and civilisational
connection between India’s North and South.
What is a GI Tag? • Organized by: Ministry of Education
• A Geographical Indication (GI) is a sign used on • Objective: To rediscover, reaffirm and celebrate the
products that have a specific geographical origin age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi.
and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to
that origin. » Two of the country’s most important and ancient
seats of learning.
• Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration &
Protection) Act, 1999 governs the GI tag in India. • Significance: This will create an understanding of
shared heritage and deepen the people-to-people
• Darjeeling Tea was the first Indian product to get a bond between the regions.
GI tag.
• Cultural Significance:
• It is issued by the Geographical Indications Registry
(Chennai). » King Parakrama Pandya, who ruled over the region
around Madurai in the 15th century, wanted to build
• Tenure: Ten-year a temple to Lord Shiva, and he travelled to Kashi
(Uttar Pradesh) to bring back a lingam.
» For devotees who could not visit Kashi, the Pandyas
had built the Kasi Viswanathar Temple in Tenkasi in
southwestern Tamil Nadu.
KASHI TAMIL SANGAMAM
Why in the News?
Recently, Kashi Tamil Sangamam began in Varanasi.

CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI SWORD
‘JAGADAMBA’
Why in the News?
Recently, the Maharashtra government announced

that it is working to bring back the sword of Chhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj from the United Kingdom to India.
Key Points:
History of the sword of Shivaji:

• It was given to Edward, the Prince of Wales (the
later King Edward VII), by Shivaji IV in 1875-76.
• This was not so much a genuine “gift” and a mark
of respect as it was a coercive extraction by the
British.
• Shivaji possessed three swords which were named
Image Source: Newsonair
Bhawani, Jagdamba and Tulja.

HISTORICAL PERSONS IN NEWS subjugate Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
» He was defeated and killed by Chhatrapati Shivaji
AFZAL KHAN Maharaj at the Battle of Pratapgarh.
Why in the News? • He was buried at the fort and Shivaji erected a tomb
over the remains of Afzul Khan and built a tower in
Recently, the Supreme Court agreed to hear an his honour, which is still known by the name ‘Afzul
application seeking the protection of the 17th Century Buruj’ at Pratapgarh.
tomb of Afzal Khan.
LACHIT BARPHUKAN
Why in the News?
Recently, the Assam government celebrated the 400th

birth anniversary of Ahom General Lachit Barphukan.
Key Points
About
Lachit Borphukan
Image Source: The Hindu
• Lachit Borphukan was a commander and councilor
in the Ahom Kingdom.
Key Points:
• During the battle of Saraighat in 1671, the Ahoms
About Afzal khan: led by Lachit Borphukan successfully defeated the
• He was a general in the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur Mughals.
Sultanate in India. » The ‘Battle of Saraighat’ was fought on the banks of
• He played an important role in the southern Brahmaputra in Guwahati.
expansion of the Sultanate by subjugating the • On 24 November each year, Lachit Divas is
Nayaka chiefs who had taken control of the former celebrated statewide in Assam.
Vijayanagara territory.
• The Lachit Barphukan gold medal, instituted in
• In 1659, the Bijapur government sent Afzal Khan to 1999, is given to the best cadet from the National
Defence Academy.

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September 2022
ELA BHATT
Why in the News?
Recently, women’s rights activist Ela Bhatt passed

away.
• She founded the Self-Employed Women’s
Association (SEWA), a trade union representing
self-employed female textile workers in India.
Enroll Now

MCQs (a) 1 only
1. The term ‘Coronal Hole’ is associated with which (b) 2 only
of the following?
(c) Both 1 and 2
(a) Black Spots found on Sun
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
(b)
Lungs infection occurred due to the
Coronavirus.
7. Global South refers to the developing and less
(c) Holes in arteries due to the high cholesterol
developed countries in
level in human body
1. Latin America
(d) None of the above
2. Asia
3. Africa
2. The Machchhu river seen recently in news is
located in which of the following State? 4. Canada.
(a) Maharashtra Select the correct answer using the code given
below:
(b) Gujarat
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(c) Rajasthan
(b) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) Madhya Pradesh
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
3. The term ‘DMH-11’ is often seen in the news in the
context of:
(a) Virus 8. Which of the following is/are correct about Global
Methane Pledge?
(b) Hybrid variety of GM Mustard
1. It was announced before the 26th Conference
(c) New kind of Corona Vaccine
of the Parties (COP26) of the United Nations
(d) Advance Air Defence System Framework Convention on Climate Change
2. It aims to cut CH4 emissions by 50% from 2020
4. Consider the following statements about to 2030 level
Vikram-S: Select the correct answer using the code given
1. Vikram-S is India’s first privately built rocket. below:
2. Its capacity is up to 3000-5000kg (a) 1 only
3. It uses liquid and cryogenic fuel (b) 2 only
Which of the statements given above is/are (c) Both 1 and 2
correct? (d) Neither 1 nor 2
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 3 only 9. Consider the following Statements about the
(c) 1 only Conference of the Parties:
(d) 1, 2, and 3 1. The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the
5. The world’s largest active volcano, is: Parties (COP26) was held in Scotland, Glasgow
(a) Arenal 2. The 27th Conference of the Parties to the

United Nations Framework Convention on
(b) Mauna Loa Climate Change, held in Baghdad Egypt.
(c) Erta Ale Which of the statements given above is/are
(d) Sheveluch correct?
(a) 1 only
6. Consider the following about G20-2023 Summit (b) 2 only
in India: (c) Both 1 and 2
1. Its logo is Earth on the lotus. (d) Neither 1 nor 2
2. Its theme is “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”
Which of the statements given above is/are
correct?

10. UNEP launched MARS Initiative related to: 15. Which of the following is/are correct about
(a) New mission to Mars Nadaprabhu Kempegowda?
(b) Methane Alert and Response System 1. He was chieftain under the Adilshahi Emperor
(c) Global Malnutrition Program for Africa 2. He founded the city bengaluru
(d) New Disease control System 3. He belongs to Lingayat Community

Select the correct answer using the code given
below:
11. Agriculture Ministry of India has restricted the
use of glyphosate. It is related to (a) 1 and 3 only
(a) Pesticides (b) 2 and 3 only
(b) Herbicide (c) 2 only
(c) Fungicides (d) 1, 2, and 3
(d) Antibiotic drugs for Animals

19. CDRI’s IRIS is related to
12. Cyclonic Storm Sitrang is primarily associated (a) The IRIS replacement technique for Eye
with patients
(a) Tamil Nadu (b) Infrastructure for the Resilient Island States
(b) Kerala (c) The Satellite Vigilance system for counter-

terrorism
(c) Gujarat
(d) The Surgery technique for eye patients
(d) West Bengal
20. Mission Prarambh is

13. The C295 is a
(a) India’s first privately developed rocket
(a) Tactical military transport aircraft
(b) India’s first privately developed Nuclear Plant
(b) The new variant of Monkey Fox
(c) India’s first privately developed Tanks
(c) Newly discovered solar object in space
(d) India’s first privately developed learning toolkit
(d) Spyware related to hacking
for primary education
14. The first amendment to the Constitution was

21. Which of the following is/are correct about
related to
Sovereign Green Bonds Guidelines?
1. SEBC reservation
1. It will mobilize 2 lakh crore rupees
2. Anti-Zamindari laws
2. It can be used for nuclear power generation
3. Nationalisation of private sector industries
3. This investment can be used for equity
4. Freedom of speech and expression investment in metro projects
Select the correct answer using the code given 4. The proceeds of this bond will go to the public
below: account of India
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only Select the correct answer using the code given
(b) 1, 3 and 4 only below:
(c) 2 and 3 only (a) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (b) 3 and 4 only
(c) 3 only
15. A new species of jumping spider of the Tanzania (d) 1, 2, and 3 only
genus to be recorded anywhere in Asia is recently
found in
22. Mother Tongue Survey of India (MTSI) has been
(a) Jammu Kasmir conducted by which of the following Ministries?
(b) Chattisgarh (a) Ministry of Home Affairs
(c) Maharashtra (b) Ministry of culture
(d) Gujarat (c) Ministry of Tourism
(d) Ministry of tribal affairs

2. In I R Coelho v State of Tamil Nadu case, the
23. Which of the following is/are correct about Supreme Court ruled that laws cannot escape
Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC)? the basic structure test if inserted into Ninth
Schedule after 1973.
1. It was launched at COP 26 at Glasgow
Which of the statements given above is/are
2. It includes India, Srilanka and USA
correct?
(a) 1 only
below:
(b) 2 only
(a) 1 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(b) 2 only
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
26. Which projects are excluded from using Green
Bonds Proceeds?
24. Who was Afzal Khan, killed by Chatrapati Shivaji
1. Nuclear power generation
Maharaj?
2. Direct waste incineration
(a) A general of the Adil Shahi dynasty
3. Alcohol, weapons, tobacco, gaming, or palm oil
(b) Son of Aurangzeb
industries
(c) Nawab of Bhopal
4. Landfill projects
(d) Subedar of Surat
5. Hydropower plants larger than 25 MW
Select the correct answer using the codes given
25.
Consider the following statements ‘EWS below:
Reservation’:
(a) 1 and 3 only
1. The EWS reservation was granted based on
(b) 2, 4 and 5 only
the recommendations of a Major Sinhoo
commission. (c) 1, 2 and 4 only
2. It inserted clauses 15(6) and 16(6) in the (d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 only

Constitution.
Which of the statements given above is/are 27. Which of the following infrastructure is regarded
correct? as the ‘Critical Information Infrastructure’?
(a) 1 only 1. Transportation
(b) 2 only 2. Energy
(c) Both 1 and 2 3. Military
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 4. e-Government
24. With reference to ‘22nd Law Commission of India’, below:
consider the following statements: (a) 1 and 2 only
1. It’s recommendations are binding in nature. (b) 2 only
2. It is a statutory body. (c) 2 and 3 only
Which of the statements given above is/are (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
correct?
(a) 1 only 28. Consider the following statements about ‘National
(b) 2 only Pension System’:
(c) Both 1 and 2 1. Individual savings are pooled into a pension
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 fund which is invested in Government Bonds,
Bills, and Shares.
2. The amount of pension is fixed.
25. Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct
about ‘Ninth Schedule’? Which of the statements given above is/are not
correct?
1. 1st Constitutional Amendment added the
Ninth Schedule. (a) 1 only
(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2 33. ‘No Money for Terror (NMFT) Conference’ is held
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 under the aegis of:
29. The term ‘friendshoring’ often seen in news is (a) Ministry of External Affairs
related to: (b) Ministry of Home Affairs
(a) Strategy of relocating supply chains to countries (c) Ministry of Defence
where there is political stability. (d) Ministry of Finance
(b) help given by NATO to Ukraine in the ongoing
conflict.
34. The term ‘Loss and Damage’ often seen in news is
(c) India’s strategy of launching foreign satellites. related to which of the following?
(d) Aid provided by UN to flood affected Pakistan (a) CITES
(b) Global Environment Facility
30. Which of the following countries constitute (c) Moscow Format Consultations On Afghanistan
‘Association of Southeast Asian Nations’
(d) COP 27
(ASEAN)?
1. Philippines
35. Emissions Gap Report, 2022 has been released by:
2. Cambodia
(a) United Nations Environment Programme
3. Indonesia (UNEP)
4. Singapore (b) Global Environment Facility
5. Malaysia (c) Climate Action Network
Select the correct answer using the codes given (d) World Meteorological Organization
below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
36. The term ‘Mastodon’, often seen in news is:
(b) 1, 3 and 4 only
(a) a decentralized, open-source social media
(c) 3, 4 and 5 only platform.
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 only (b) a drone supplied by Iran to Russia.
(c) a mission send by NASA to study moon’s
31. Which of the following group of countries are surface.
participant in ‘East Asian Summit’? (d) a humanoid robot developed by Japan.
(a) Australia, New Zealand, the United States
(b) Mexico,Ukraine, Saudi Arabia 37. Bhoota Kola is an annual folk ritual of:
(c) South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom (a) Andhra Pradesh
(d) Italy,European Union, Republic of Korea (b) Karnataka
(c) Telangana
32. Which of the following is/are partners to ‘ Black (d) Kerala
Sea Grain Initiative’?
1. Russia
38. Which of the following pairs is/are correctly
2. Ukraine matched?
3. Bulgaria Space craft Planet
4. United Nations 1. Juno Saturn
Select the correct answer using the code given 2. Cassini Jupiter
below:
3. Orion Moon
(a) 1 and 2 only
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) 1, 2 and 4
(d) None

39. Which one of the following pairs of islands is 2. Asteroids are found mostly between the orbits
separated from each other by the ‘Ten Degree of Jupiter and Mars, while comets are found
Channel’? (2014) mostly between Venus and Mercury.
(a) Andaman and Nicobar 3. Comets show a perceptible glowing tail, while
(b) Nicobar and Sumatra asteroids do not.
(c) Maldives and Lakshadweep Which of the statements given above is/are
correct?
(d) Sumatra and Java
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
40. The term ‘Regional Comprehensive Economic
Partnership’ often appears in the news in the (c) 3 only
context of the affairs of a group of countries (d) 1, 2 and 3
known as (2016)
(a) G20 44. In the cities of our country, which among the
(b) ASEAN following atmospheric gases are normally
(c) SCO considered in calculating the value of Air Quality
Index? (2016)
(d) SAARC
1. Carbon dioxide
2. Carbon monoxide
41. Consider the following statements (2018):
3. Nitrogen dioxide
1. The Parliament of India can place a particular
law in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution 4. Sulfur dioxide
of India. 5. Methane
2. The validity of a law placed in the Ninth Select the correct answer using the code given
Schedule cannot be examined by any court and below:
no judgement can be made on it. (a) 1, 2 and 3 only
Which of the statements given above is/are (b) 2, 3 and 4 only
correct?
(c) 1, 4 and 5 only
(a) 1 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 45. Which of the following statements is incorrect ?
1. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has
42. Consider the following pairs: completed the Mother Tongue Survey of India
Art form Region (MTSI).
1. Kangra Miniature Paintings : Himachal Pradesh 2. There were only 22 languages mentioned in
the 8th schedule at the time of writing the
2. Mata Ni Pachedi : Gujarat Constitution of India.
3. Pithora Paintings : Punjab (a) Only 1
4. Patan Patola Scarf : Uttar Pradesh (b) Only 2
(a) Only one pair (c) Both 1 and 2
(b) Only two pair (d) Neither 1 nor 2
(c) Only three pair
(d) All pair 46. The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee is
constituted under the (2015)
43. What is the difference between asteroids and (a) Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
comets? (2011) (b) Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration
1. Asteroids are small rocky planetoids, while and Protection) Act, 1999
comets are formed of frozen gases held together (c) Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
by rocky and metallic material.
(d) Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972

47. With reference to G-20, consider the following coun-
tries 49. With reference to the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna
1. Argentina
(CITES) CITES, consider the following statements
2. Mexico
1. It is administered by the United Nations
3. India under its UNEP (United Nations Environment
4. South Korea Programme) Wing.
5. Australia 2. India joined the CITES in 1976.
6. Iran 3. It is not legally binding on its members.
7. Saudi Arabia Which of the statements given above is/are correct
?
Which of the above countries are a part of G20
(a) 1 and 2 only
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
(b) 1 and 3 only
(b) 1, 3, 4, 5, 7
(c) 2 only
(c) 3, 4, 5, 6
(d) 1,2 and 3
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
50. Article 142 of the Indian constitution, deals with

48. The 2004 Tsunami made people realize that
which of the following?
mangroves can serve as a reliable safety hedge
against coastal calamities. How do mangroves (a) Powers of the President to promulgate
function as a safety hedge? (2011) Ordinances during recess of parliament.
(a) The mangrove swamps separate the human (b) Enforcement of decrees and orders of the
settlements from the sea by a wide zone in Supreme Court.
which people neither live nor venture out (c) Establishment of the Supreme Court.
(b) The mangroves provide both food and (d) Comptroller and Auditor- General of India
medicines that people are in need of after any
natural disaster.
(c) The mangrove trees are tall with dense canopies
and serve as an excellent shelter during a
cyclone or tsunami.
(d) The mangrove trees do not get uprooted by
storms and tides because of their extensive
roots.
ANSWER BOX:
1 (a) 6 (c) 11 (b) 16 (c) 21 (d) 26 (d) 31 (a) 36 (a) 41 (a) 46 (c)
2 (b) 7 (a) 12 (d) 17 (b) 22 (a) 27 (d) 32 (d) 37 (b) 42(b) 47(b)
3 (b) 8 (a) 13 (a) 18 (a) 23 (c) 28 (b) 33(b) 38 (b) 43 (b) 48 (d)
4 (c) 9 (a) 14 (d) 19 (c) 24 (d) 29 (a) 34 (d) 39 (a) 44 (b) 49 (a)
5 (b) 10 (b) 15 (d) 20 (a) 25 (c) 30 (d) 35 (a) 40 (b) 45(b) 50 (b)

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November, 2022

MONTHLY CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR UPSC CSE

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Why in the News?

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Judges Verdict on Indira Sawhney judgment:

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• The EWS reservation was granted based on the Probable Question:

FIRST AMENDMENT TO INDIAN CONSTITUTION

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ARTICLE 142 OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION

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Definition of terrorism under TADA:

» Intent to overawe/threaten Government; Q. The jurisdiction of the Supreme court under

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SEALED COVER JURISPRUDENCE

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» If its publication is not considered to be in the

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Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences Act

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Why in the News? » It makes the person into a hypnotic or sedated

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Maximum tenure of the managing director Before After

• Benefits: Enable the PSBs to have relatively young leadership teams.

credits, making them a more attractive investment

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Old Pension Scheme National Pension System

Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority: Functions:

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US CURRENCY MONITORING LIST

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Recently, the United States Department of Treasury

VOSTRO & NOSTRO ACCOUNT What is a Nostro account?

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Why in the News? Key Points:

Why is CII Protection Necessary?

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FRIENDSHORING Key Points:

Why in the News? About the IIPDF Scheme:

Key Points: • To meet the cost of transaction advisors and

» For Example: • Encourage private sector participation in the

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