CURRENT AFAIRS PROGRAM 2023

TARGET MAINS 2023

BOOKLET-3; S&T-3
COMPUTER AND IT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Syllabus .......................................................................................................................................... 2
2. Computer and IT ............................................................................................................................. 2
1) 5G ............................................................................................................................................................ 2
A) Launch of 5G services in India (Oct 2022) ..................................................................................................................... 4
B) Standalone vs NON-STANDALONE 5G........................................................................................................................... 4
C) Challenge of Fiberization ahead of India’s 5G deployment .......................................................................................... 6
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2) Internet of THings (IoT)............................................................................................................................. 6

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3) Deepfakes ................................................................................................................................................ 8
4) Block Chain ............................................................................................................................................... 9
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A) National Strategy on Blockchain (dec 2021) ............................................................................................................... 11

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B) Various other initiatives using Blockchain .................................................................................................................. 12

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C) Blockchain Bill of Rights .............................................................................................................................................. 12

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5) NFTs ....................................................................................................................................................... 14
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6) Web 3.0 .................................................................................................................................................. 15

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7) Cloud COmputing ................................................................................................................................... 16

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8) Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning ........................................................................................... 17

1) Advancements in Machine Learning ....................................................................................................... 18
A) Neural Networks ......................................................................................................................................................... 18
B) Deep Learning ............................................................................................................................................................. 19
9) Quantum Computing (already done in weekly CA) .................................................................................. 21
10) India’s Semiconductor Mission (Jan 2022) .......................................................................................... 21
11) Recent Initiatives to promote Semiconductor sector in India .............................................................. 21

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1. SYLLABUS
- Awareness in Computer and IT

2. COMPUTER AND IT

1) 5G

­ 5G refers to the fifth generation of cellular wireless communication technologies.

- The Next Generation Mobile Network Alliance has defined requirements that a 5G standard should
fulfill. Some of the features are as follows
- Higher Speed (data rates): Peak internet speeds on 5G could touch 10 Gbps compared
to 100 Mbps in 4G;
- Lower latency: Latency in 4G is between 10 and 100 milliseconds and in 5G it is
expected to be under 1 ns.
- Greater network stability to ensure that business critical mobile functions do not go
offline and the speed necessary to give employees a fully equipped virtual office almost
anywhere.
- Device Intelligence: Unlike 4G, 5G has the capability to differentiate between fixed
and mobile devices. It uses cognitive radio techniques to identify each device and offer
the most appropriate delivery channel. This will allow a much more customized internet
connection – according to device capability and local reception environment.
- Other technical features of 5G
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ú 5G will use higher frequencies of wireless spectrum (~ 30 GHz to 300 GHz) range
when compared to 4G which uses frequencies below 6 GHz.
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§ Higher Frequency -> Huge quantity of data; Shorter Wavelength -> smaller
antenna sizes.
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ú Building on the multiplexing technology of its predecessor, 5G ushers in a new

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standard called 5G New Radio (NR), which uses the best capabilities of LTE. 5G NR
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will enable increased energy savings for connected devices and enhance
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connectivity.
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ú These frequencies are highly directional and thus can be used right next to other
wireless signals without causing interference.
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ú Several hundreds of thousands of simultaneous connections for wireless sensors

ú Spectral efficiency significantly enhanced compared to 4G
ú Improved Coverage
ú Enhanced signal efficiency

­ How 5G will impact various sectors: It can unleash new economic opportunities and societal
benefits giving it the potential for being a transformational force for Indian Society.
▫ Economic Benefits:
§ According to A.J. Paulraj Committee report, the overall impact of 5G on Indian economy
can be upto $1 trillion by 2035. It will help business especially those that operate outside
the reach of broadband networks or suffer from slow fixed line services.

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 § 5G would shape Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0
▫ 5G along with technologies like Artificial Intelligence provides a new dimension to connected
and autonomous systems. It provides a chance to Indian policy makers to educate and
empower citizens and businesses
▫ Fast Rural connectivity: Cost of putting up mobile data will be lower than fiber optics cable,
5G will help rural areas get faster connectivity. It will have huge positive impact on health,
education, and other services in rural areas.
▫ Better Health services: Lower Latency -> Remote surgeries more effective.
▫ Better disaster management: -> Faster image transfers by drones – Faster Processing.
▫ Driverless cars – large number of sensors in these cars will generate massive amount of data
that will need to be communicated to other vehicles.
§ Internet of Things (IoT): 5G is considered backbone of IoT due to its high data rate,
reduced end-to-end latency and improved coverage.
▫ Better Energy management -> A smart network identifies the grid connectivity issues and
takes appropriate action in real time by analyzing the data that originates from the two
way communication infrastructure.
▫ Better Law and Order Services -> 5G adoption would ensure the best performance of
police devices such as body cams, facial recognition technology, automatic number-plate
recognition, drones and CCTVs.
▫ Other potential uses
§ Download time for a high-definition full-length movie will be seconds, not minutes
§ It will allow simultaneous language translation between people attending
teleconference.
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­ Concerns which 5G may create:

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▫ Cyber Security: Deploying 5G when we have a shaky cyber security foundation is like erecting a
structure on soft sand.
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§ Previous networks were hardware based. So, India could practice cyber hygiene. But 5G is
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a software-defined digital routing. This makes it susceptible to cyber threats such as

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botnet attacks, man-in-the-middle attacks, and distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)

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overloads.
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ú Criminal elements will also have all the benefits like faster and real time coordination.
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- How to fight new age (5G based) crimes:

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▫ First, the police need to be trained so that they recognize new 5G enabled crimes.
▫ Second, training programs focused on 5G based crimes must be developed. This includes
identifying potential scenarios for new types of crimes and their prevention.
▫ Third, government and telecom companies may think of setting up a 5G crime monitoring task
force to monitor and identify new crimes and develop counter measures.
▫ Fourth, bring changes in laws/rules/ regulations to prevent these kind of crimes

­ Conclusion1 (Crime based)

▫ The 5G roll-out will be a game-changer for law enforcement agencies. It will enable the police
fight crime effectively. At the same time, criminal use of 5G is inevitable. In this context, the
recent recommendation of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to the government to

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 develop a national road map for India to implement 5G in the best possible manner should
encompass law enforcement requirements

­ Conclusion2 (General)

A) LAUNCH OF 5G SERVICES IN INDIA (OCT 2022)

- Why in news?
» PM Modi on 1st Oct 2022, launched 5G services in select cities in India, ushering in what promises
to be an era of ultra-high-speed internet on mobile phones and devices (Oct 2022)

- India’s 5G journey so far:

» In 2017, India formed a panel headed by A J Paulraj (of Stanford University). It was to keep India’s
roadmap aligned with global standards. This panel submitted its report in 2018 and suggested
focusing on areas including regulatory and spectrum policy, application, and use-case labs for
developing locally tailored solutions.
» Meanwhile government allocated spectrum to operators to conduct trials.
» In Aug 2022, the Auction of 5G spectrum was completed. It was one of the final steps towards
launching the service.

- Where would 5G services be available first?

» In the first phase, Ahemedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Gandhinagar, Gurugram,
and Hyderabad will be connected to the network.

» Bharti Airtel has said that 5G would be available in all urban areas of the country by the end of
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2023. It would be available in town and key rural areas by 2024.

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- 5G devices in India:
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» 5G enabled smartphones will account for 35% of overall smartphone shipments by the end of
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2022: Analytics firm Counterpoint Research.

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- Analysis:
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» Delays: 5G launch in India came after 70 countries had already deployed it in close to 2,000 cities
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since 2019 when South Korea kicked off 5G.

» Why?
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§ High reserve prices for the airwave sale (e.g. for the 700 MHz band, there was no buyer in
March and even in recent Aug 2022 auction, only Jio was a bidder)
§ Poor infrastructure: India simply doesn’t have adequate fibre network.

B) STANDALONE VS NON-STANDALONE 5G

» 5G networks are deployed on two modes: standalone and non-standalone.

» Each architecture has its advantage and disadvantages. The method used by the operators primarily
reflect their view of the market for the new technology, and consequent rollout strategy.

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» Standalone Mode: In this mode, the 5G network operates with dedicated equipment and runs parallel to
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the existing 4G network. In this architecture, Radio Access Network (RAN) and the core are completely
new, and there will be a clear separation of different network functions in line with the 3GPP
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recommendations.
§ Jio has chosen this method. It has committed an investment of Rs 2 lakh crore for its standalone 5G
network.
§ Advantages: Provides full 5G capabilities and new network functionalities such as slicing that
provides greater flexibility to operators to efficiently use their spectrum holding; Simplify network
operations; much faster than NSA 5G -> improved user experience; Long term solution.
§ Limitations: High Initial Investment

» Non-Standalone Mode (NSA): It this, the 5G network is supported by the 4G Core infrastructure. The
operators can use their existing capacities and LTE architecture to deploy 5G services while implementing

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 a new radio access network (RAN). The operations in the core network will be supported by the existing
evolved packed (EPC) from LTE. Germany for e.g., used the NSA model to roll out 5G services in 2019.

§ Advantages: Reduce initial cost/investment; Maximizes the utilization of existing network; Reduces
time of deployment; first national coverage
§ Limitation: Only short term/medium term solution; Not as fast as pure 5G

» Given that the non-standalone networks are built on existing infrastructure, the initial cost and rollout
times are significantly lower. It lets operators maximize the utilization of existing network infrastructure
with relatively lower investment.

» Compatibility with existing device ecosystems: Most smartphones today have compatibility to connect
to non-standalone 5G network – which are essentially 5G airwaves transmitted through 4G networks. It
will require software updates by their OEMs to be able to connect to standalone networks.

C) CHALLENGE OF FIBERIZATION AHEAD OF INDIA’S 5G DEPLOYMENT

- What is Ferberization: The process of connecting radio towers with each other via optical fibre cables is
called fiberisation. It helps in providing full utilization of network capacity and carry large amounts of data
once 5G services are rolled out. It will also aid in providing additional bandwidth and stronger backhaul
support.
- As a result, fiber backhaul remains an important part of transport across all telecoms.
- Where does India stand with respect to tower fiberisation?
» To transition into 5G, India needs at least 16 times more fiber: According to estimates by STL. In
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India, currently only 33% of towers are fiberized compared to 65%-70% in South Korea and around
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90% in USA, Japan, and China.

» There is also a need to increase data capacity in the fiberized towers.
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Challenges:
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» Investment: Around 2.2 lakh crore investment is needed to reach targeted level of fiberisation
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» Government initiatives like Bharat Net and Smart Cities will futher add to the demand of fibre
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deployment.
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» Right of Way (ROW) rules are a big hurdle in fiberisation. The Indian Telegraph RoW Rules 2016 are
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there which provide nominal one time compensation and uniform procedure for establishment of
Overground Telegraph Line (OTL) anywhere in the country. All states are required to implement these
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rules but there are not complete alignment.

- Way Forward:
» Satellite (space based backhaul) can be an alternative solution. It can also serve underserved remote
areas, play important role during disasters.
Low earth orbit satellites will be well suited not only to provide backhaul, but also direct connectivity.

2) INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT)

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 ▫ Introduction

§ The Internet of Things (IoT) is a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital
machines, objects, animal, or people that are provided with unique identifiers and the ability to transfer
data over a network without human to human or human to computer interaction.

§ A thing in the internet of Things, can be a person with a heart monitor implant, a farm animal with a
biochip transponder, an automobile with a built-in-sensors to alert the driver when tire pressure is low -
or any other natural or manmade object that can be assigned an IP address and provided with the ability
to transfer data over a network.

§ This is achieved by finely fabricated micro-controllers, which are small computers themselves and are
used internally by various single board computers like Arduino and Raspberry Pi. Sensors (to detect and
collect information) and micro-controllers to transport information, together, can make anything a thing
in IoT.

§ IPv6's (16 bytes or 128bits) huge increase in address space is an important factor in the development of
the Internet of Things.

• Now we can assign IP address to every atom on the surface of the earth more than 100 times.

▫ Advantages

§ Reduce waste, loss, and cost -> by early detection of problems and taking corrective steps
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§ We would know what things needed replacing, repairing, or recalling and whether they were fresh or
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past their best. This helps in increasing the reliability of a device.

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- Applications
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1. Health Care Sector: IoT can be used to complement the life-critical systems thereby increasing the
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reliability and performance of the latter. For e.g., IOT based devices can be used in combination with
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cardiac monitor to raise an alarm to the doctors in case of an abnormality.

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2. Agriculture Sector: IoT can be used to gather live pedological data that can be used by scientists to
improve the yield of the land. It can also help in implementing precision agriculture.
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3. Transportation Sector:
- Early detection of wear and tear (preventing accidents)
- Self-Driving Cars – will need IOT for real time decisions
- Traffic Management – real time traffic data -> better traffic management.
4. Energy Management
- Managing temperature in a Nuclear Power Plant (using sensors and IoT)
- Real time efficiency analysis of Solar Power panels.
5. Research and Development:
- E.g. – Recent development of wireless communication system for satellites by NASA through which
Satellites can communicate with each other.

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 6. Safety and Security
- Real time tracking of criminals – using tagging and IoT.
7. Industrial Internet of Things (IoT):

▫ Some Limitations of IoT

ú High Initial cost of set up -> Since IoT is based on expensive sensors
ú Increased cyber security concerns -> with increased number of devices connected to internet
ú Compatibility issues -> due to lack of the international standardization on IoT devices.

▫ Way Forward for India:

ú Framing of Guidelines -> Currently India lacks an official set of guidelines on the use and spread of IoT
technology. This is required to help India achieve its full potential in IoT.

ú Promote Exploration of IoT by more financial allocation to this sector. The impact of IoT is going to be
huge and it’s important that India should be ready for it.

ú Strengthening Cyber Security Framework -> with IoT will come increased vulnerability of various sectors.
The chances of cyber-terrorism or cyber warfare will increase. And therefore, India needs to strengthen
its cyber-security framework to ensure that that IoT’s positives are enhanced, and limitations are reduced

3) DEEPFAKES
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- Why in news?
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▫ Deepfakes have emerged as a new tool to spread computational propaganda and disinformation at scale and
with speed
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- Basics: Deepfakes refers to media manipulation rooted in deep neural networks (a form of AI). They make it possible
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to fabricate media – swap faces, lip syncing, and puppeteer – mostly without consent. They are basically synthetic
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media content. They have emerged as a new tool to spread computational propaganda and disinformation at scale
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with speed.
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- Advantages: Synthetic Media/ Deepfakes can create possibilities and opportunities for all people, regardless of how
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people listen, speak, or communicate. It can give people voice, purpose, and ability to make an impact at scale and
with speed.

- Concerns: - can be weaponized to inflict harm, political misuse, increased crime against women, Endanger social
harmony etc.
▫ Like most new technologies, it can also be weaponized to inflict harm. It can inflict damage to individuals,
institutions, businesses, and democracy. They can be threat to psychology, security, political stability, and
business disruption.

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 ▫ Nation state actors with geopolitical aspirations, ideological believers, violent extremists, and economically
motivated enterprises can manipulate media narratives using Deepfakes, with easy and unprecedented reach
and scale.
▫ Crime against women can increase with malicious use of Deepfakes in pornography and can inflict emotional,
reputational and in some cases violent outcome for some individuals.

▫ Endanger Social Harmony – Communal/caste-based statements

▫ Decrease trust towards institutions like government/media – by propagating false propaganda against them.
▫ Undermine democracy and impair diplomacy – false information about institutions, public policy, and
politicians powered by a Deepfakes can be exploited to spin the story and manipulate belief.

- Way Forward: To defend the truth and secure freedom of expression, we need a multi-stakeholder and multi-modal
approach. Collaborative actions and collective techniques across legislative regulations, platform policies,
technology intervention and media literacy can provide effective and ethical countermeasures to mitigate the threat
of malicious Deepfakes.
▫ Legislative Regulation: Come up with a Deepfakes accountability act which ensures that Deepfakes creators
ensure appropriate disclosures such as watermarks and descriptions; the right of the victim to sue the creator
etc.
▫ Consumer awareness and Media Literacy by Consumers and Journalists will be the key to fighting Deepfakes.
Media literacy efforts should be enhanced to cultivate a discerning public. A consumer should have the ability
to decipher, translate, understand and use the information we encounter.
▫ Technological intervention with easy to use and accessible technology solutions to detect Deepfakes,
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authenticate media, and amplify authoritative sources will be crucial in fighting Deepfakes.
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4) BLOCK CHAIN
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- Why in news?
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▫ The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeITY) releases National Strategy on blockchain
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for its adoption in government systems (Dec 2021)

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- Example Questions
▫ By embracing blockchain, we can create a bureaucracy that focuses on innovation and experimentation, a
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government that seeks to maximize efficiency and governance, and an economy sustained on the promise of
technology. In this light discuss the key socio-economic applications of Block Chain. How can Blockchain
contribute in improving governance in the country? Suggest some key measures to deal with short supply of
blockchain-aware workforce in the country. [15 marks, 250 words]
-
- Introduction
▫ Blockchain is an incorruptible, decentralized, digital ledger of transactions that can be programmed to
record not just financial transactions but virtually anything of value. Using this technology, participants can
confirm transactions without the need of central certifying authority. In other words, blockchain is a
distributed database that is used to maintain a continuously growing list of records/transaction, called
blocks.
▫ It was first used in the design and development of Bitcoin – Cryptocurrency in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto.

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 ▫ It offers all parties involved in a business network a secured and synchronized record of transactions. It
records every sequence of transaction from beginning to end, whether it is 100s of transaction in supply
chain or a single online payment.
▫ Block: As each transaction occurs it is put into a block.
▫ Chain: Each block is connected to one before and after. Groups of transactions are blocked together, and a
fingerprint of each block is added to the next thus creating an irreversible chain.
- Data/Transactions stored in the blocks are secured against tempering using cryptographic hash algorithm and
are validated and verified through consensus (consensus protocol) across nodes of blockchain network.

- How blockchain transaction functions

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­ Positives/Advantages
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▫ Security -> Built in robustness -> no single point of failure i.e. no centralized points of vulnerability that
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hackers can exploit;

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▫ Trust -> Increased Transparency and incorruptibility

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▫ Data is embedded within network as a whole, by definition it is public.

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▫ Altering any unit of information on the blockchain would mean using a huge amount of computing power
to override the entire network.
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• In theory, this would be possible. In practice, it's unlikely to happen.

▫ Permanent Ledger
▫ Reduces the role of intermediary
▫ Speeds up the process
▫ Lowers transaction cost
▫ Applications in various sectors

­ Applications (Current and Future Potential)

▫ Economy and Finance offers the strongest use cases for the technology.
§ Financial transactions are typically granted by third party and block chain could be used to automate
the process, reducing overall costs, by cutting out the middleman with autonomous smart contract
acting as trusted intermediaries between parties on the network.

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 § Faster, Cheaper settlements could save billions of dollars from transaction costs while improving
transparency.
§ Stocks, mutual funds, bonds, and pensions may one day be stored on blockchains as many financial
organizations explore the technology.
▫ Automotive: Consumers could use the blockchain application to manage the fractional ownership in
autonomous cars.
▫ Public Ledger Information: Many governments are looking to adopt this technology to store information about
the citizens and census. A decentralized platform to safely store data regarding, birth, death crime etc. can
contribute to effectively curbing fraudulent activities. Even our judiciary can benefit by using this platform to
store court judgments, making our legal system more transparent and accessible to litigants.
▫ Voting: Using a blockchain code, constituents could cast votes via smartphone, tablet etc. resulting in
immediately verifiable results. Voting by blockchain can eliminate election frauds by making each vote stored
as a block on the block chain, rendering it impossible to tamper with.
▫ Healthcare: Patients encrypted information could be shared with multiple providers without the risk of privacy
breaches.
▫ Smart Contracts: Every agreement, every process, every task, and every payment would have a digital record
and signature that could be identified, validated, stored, and shared. Intermediaries like lawyers, brokers,
bankers might not be necessary.
▫ Secure File storage
§ Distributing data throughout the network protects files from getting hacked or lost.
▫ Identity Management: Decentralized, used controlled digital identity holds the potential to unblock economic
opportunity for refugees and others who are disadvantaged, while concurrently improving the lives of those
simply trying to navigate cyberspace securely and privately.
§ There is definite need for better identity management on the web.
▫ Supply chain auditing
§ Consumers increasingly want to know that the ethical claims companies make about their products are
real. Distributed ledgers provide an easy way to certify that the backstories of the things we buy are
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genuine. Transparency comes with blockchain-based timestamping of a date and location — on ethical
diamonds, for instance — that corresponds to a product number.
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▫ Protection of intellectual property

§ Smart contracts can protect copyright and automate the sale of creative works online, eliminating the
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risk of file copying and redistribution.

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§ Further, a blockchain storage can provide a consolidated platform where trademark and copyright filings
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can be stored. With entries that can’t be tampered with and accurate time stamps, the number of
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disputes concerning IP may well decrease.

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▫ Anti-Money laundering and Know Your Customer (KYC)

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§ AML and KYC practices have a strong potential for being adapted to blockchain.
▫ Changing the nature of ownership of assets and managing titles
§ Blockchains will make all kinds of record keeping more efficient. Property titles are a case in point. They
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tend to be susceptible to fraud, as well as costly and labour intensive.

A) NATIONAL STRATEGY ON BLOCKCHAIN (DEC 2021)

- Why in news?
▫ MeitY releases national strategy on blockchain for its adoption in government systems, especially e-
governance services (Dec 2021)
- Key highlights
▫ Vision and Objective:
ú Create Trusted digital platforms through shared blockchain infrastructure
ú Promote R&D, HR, entrepreneurship, innovation etc. in Blockchain sector

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 ú Promote India as a hub of blockchain based technologies and make India a global leader in the sector
ú Ensure state of art, high quality digital service delivery to citizens and businesses.
▫ The National Strategy on Blockchain provides insights on the government’s strategies and offers
recommendations for creating digital platforms.
▫ It quotes Gartner report and lays out the potential of the use of blockchain, which is expected to reach
business value of $176 billion by 2025 and $1.3 trillion by 2030.
▫ It has identified 44 key areas where blockchains can be applied, including transfer of land and property,
managing digital certificates, pharmaceutical supply chain, e-notary services, e-voting, smart grid management
and electronic health record management.
▫ It has taken into consideration the blockchain-based platforms operated by governments in China, Brazil, the
UAE, and Europe.
▫ The ministry has also recommended the formation of a National Blockchain Framework (NBF) that can be
utilized in areas such as health, agri, education, and finance.
ú It will have three types of participants:
i. Confident user of the technology (application developers),
ii. Provider or operator of technology (infrastructure and services, Blockchain as a service)
iii. Complete technology stack builder (IP creator)
▫ A dedicated team would be identified to hand-hold the implementers at various central/state government
applications.
▫ It says that “geographically distributed national-level shared infrastructure” is needed to “enable citizen
services at large scale and enable cross domain application development”.
▫ The strategy seeks to “create a trusted digital platform through shared blockchain infrastructure” and promote
“R&D, innovation, technology and application development” around the technology.
▫ Five key areas of weakness in the technology – Scalability, Security, interoperability, data localization, and
disposal of records.
▫ Key challenges to such widespread adoptions are – Adoption of technology, Regulatory compliance,
identification of suitable use cases, finding the right data format, and awareness and skill set.
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B) VARIOUS OTHER INITIATIVES USING BLOCKCHAIN

- In 2018, NITI aayog partnered with Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited (GNFC) to implement
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a ‘Proof of Concept’ application using Blockchain technology for Fertilizer Subsidy Management.
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- In 2020, National Informatics Centre (NIC) has set up a Center of Excellence (CoE) in Blockchain Technology in
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Bengaluru, Karnataka. The aim is to provide blockchain as a service and allowing all stakeholders to benefit from
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shared learning, experience, and resources, etc.

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C) BLOCKCHAIN BILL OF RIGHTS

▫ Why in news?
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ú A blockchain “bill of rights” was announced by World Economic Forum in May 2020 to establish a
global baseline for developers, corporates and governments building blockchain applications (May
2020)
▫ Details
ú WEF launched the Presidio Principles for blockchain, which aims to help in protecting user rights in
the development of blockchain applications.
ú The hope is that this Bill of Rights will “create foundational value for decentralized futures”. It is
expected to unlock the potential technology that is poised to massively transform multiple sectors.
ú Blockchain is not just about improved efficiencies and new business models and new revenue stream.
It is also about distribution of power, such as the ability of people, including the stateless and
voiceless, to exert their rights and values and ownership.

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 ú The UN is using the technology to deliver money for food to refugees in camps and to establish digital
identities for the 1.1 billion people who don’t have rights because they don’t’ have any kind of
government papers.

» Rights in the document are grouped in four broad pillars:

▫ Transparency and Accessibility which covers the right to information about the system;
▫ Privacy and Security, which covers the rights to data protection;
▫ Agency & Interoperability which covers the right for individuals to own and manage their data; and
▫ Accountability & Governance, which covers the right for system users to understand available
recourse.
» 16 principles have been identified under these four pillars

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- How block chain can help governance in India?

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▫ Optimize the delivery of public services

▫ Reduce Corruption
▫ Creates considerable value for citizens
ú Government not yet focused on it: Blockchain’s applications in the public sphere, however, have yet to catch
the eye of the Indian government. This is baffling; the technology is not only promising, but has even begun
to be utilized by governments globally. Across the world, innovation-friendly governments are launching
blockchain-based programmes to enable them to get a head start on the future of government
- Key factors hindering India from progressing on Blockchain/ Adopting Blockchain
▫ Lack of regulatory clarity to experiment with blockchain and digital assets in India, meaning that proficient
blockchain developers may be forced to move abroad or work only on foreign projects.
▫ Lack of trained human resource in India. This is in spite of the fact that Blockchain related jobs are the second
fastest growing in today’s labor market.

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 - Way forward
▫ With Aadhaar cards becoming nearly ubiquitous in India, adopting blockchain could be the next logical step
in India’s pursuit of becoming a digital economy.
▫ Blockchain can play an important role in storing individuals’ data, helping conduct secure transactions,
maintaining a permanent and private identity record, and turning India into a digital society
▫ India needs to train its workers in block chain literacy and provide a supportive regulatory framework to
become a trendsetter.
▫ Blockchain development programs should be introduced right from the school level itself
▫ Blockchain, however, is not a panacea. While it can help enhance the delivery of government services, it
cannot replace an inefficient system. Although it can deter corruption by making governments more
accountable and transparent, it cannot prevent the entering of false information into the network.
▫ Yet, it presents the government with a powerful opportunity. By embracing blockchain, it can create a
bureaucracy that focuses on innovation and experimentation, a government that seeks to maximize
efficiency and governance, and an economy sustained on the promise of technology

5) NFTS

- Anything that can be converted into a digital form can be an NFT. An NFT is a token (a digital asset) that exist on
blockchain. It can include a picture, drawing, photos, in game items, tweets etc. An NFT can be traded online using
cryptocurrencies. NFT is different from other digital forms as it is backed by blockchain.

- NFTs are becoming very popular as they are becoming an increasingly popular way to showcase and sell your digital
artwork. Some early NFTs were Terra Nulius, Curio cards, Cryptopunks, Cryptocats etc., before NFTs slowly moved into
public awareness in early 2021.

- How do NFTs work?

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» NFT work on blockchain as it gives users complete ownership of a digital asset. For instance, if you’re a sketch artist,
and if you convert your digital asset to an NFT, what you get is proof of ownership powered by Blockchain.
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- Why are people spending millions on something they could easily screenshot or download?
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» Exclusive rights:
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ú When you list your NFT on marketplace, you pay something called a gas fee (transaction fee) for using the
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Blockchain, following which your digital art is then recorded on Blockchain, mentioning that you (your address)
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own the particular NFT. This gives the full ownership – which can’t be edited or modified by anyone, including
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the marketplace owner.

ú Thus, NFTs could have only one owner at a time. Apart from exclusive ownership, NFT owners can also digitally
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sign their artwork and store specific information in their NFTs metadata. This will be only viewable to the
individual who bought the NFT.

- Scale:
» The sale of NFTs surged $25 billion in 2021 as the popularity of NFT (a crypto asset) increased.

- Difference between NFT and Crypto Currencies: They are altogether different things, though they are both built on
blockchain.
» Cryptocurrency is a currency and is fungible, meaning that it is interchangeable. (For instance, if you hold one crypto
token, say one bitcoin, the next bitcoin that you would hold will also be of the same value) But NFTs are non-
fungible, that means that the value of NFTs is not equal to another. Every art is different from another making it
non fungible and unique.

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- Who can buy NFTs?
» Anyone who holds a cryptocurrency wallet can buy an NFT. It is only prerequisite to purchase an NFT. You don’t
need any KYC documents to purchase an art. All you need is a cryptocurrency wallet powered by Metamask, and
an NFT marketplace where you can buy and sell NFTs.
» Some largest NFT marketplace are:
ú OpenSea.io: It is the largest NFT marketplace, you can find digital art, there are collectible including game items,
domain names, even digital representations of physical assets at OpenSea. The platform is like an eBay for NFTs
with millions of digital assets organized into hundreds of categories.
ú Rarible, Foundation etc. are some other NFT marketplaces.

- Risks associated with buying NFTs:

» Several NFT Scams have been reported: emergence of fake marketplaces, unverified sellers often impersonating
real artists and selling copies of their artwork for half prices.
» Negative environmental Impact: Blockchain validation needs to run on several high-powered computers creating
a very large carbon footprint.

6) WEB 3.0

- Background: Understanding Web 1.0 and Web 2.0

▫ Web 1.0 is the world wide web or the internet that was invented in 1989. It became popular in 1993. The internet
in the Web 1.0 was mostly static web pages. Here most of the users visited websites and read and interacted with
the static material available there. It was a closed environment and users themselves couldn’t create post content
and reviews.

▫ Web 2.0 started in some form by late 1990s. By 2004, most of the features of web 2.0 was available for
implementation. Here websites were more dynamic where users could create content, post comment, write
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reviews etc. They could also upload photos and videos. Primarily, a social media kind of interaction is the
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differentiating trait of Web 2.0.

- Concerns of Web 2.0:

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» Most of the data on internet is owned and controlled by a few behemoth companies. It has created issues
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related to data privacy, data security and abuse of such data. It has kind of disappointed experts that the
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original purpose of internet has been distorted.

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- Web3 or Web 3.0 is a term used to describe the next phase of the internet.
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▫ It runs on the decentralized technology of blockchain and would be different from web 1.0 and web 2.0. Here,
users have ownership stakes in platforms (unlike now where tech behemoths control everything). Here users will
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control their own data.

▫ Thus, the need of intermediaries (like Amazon, Facebook, etc.) is removed. This will end data monopoly.
▫ The key concepts in Web3 seen so far are peer to peer transactions and block chain.

- The spirit of Web3 is Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) which is that all business rules and governing
rules in any transaction are transparently available for anyone to see and the software will be written conforming to
these rules.
▫ Crypto-Currency and Blockchain follow the DAO principle. With DAO, there is no need for a central authority to
authenticate or validate.

- Summarizing significance of web3.0:

▫ Prevents monopoly over data.

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 ▫ Promotes data privacy.
▫ Increase competition in fields like search engine businesses as control over content now restricted to just a few
companies would end.
▫ New technology, will give India an opportunity to innovate and develop.

- Future of Web 3.0: Will it take off?

▫ It is still in its formative stage and only the future would tell if this would be accepted by wider internet users or
not. Tech honchos like Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey don’t see a future for Web3.
▫ There are technological changes required: For e.g., it will require deviation from the current architecture where
there is a front-end, middle layer and back-end. Web3’s architecture will need backend solutions for handling
block chain, persisting and indexing data in block chain, peer to peer communications and so forth. Similarly,
middle layer would also need to change to handle block-chain based backend.

Conclusion: Web3 may or may not become dominant mode of internet, but it has definitely raised some relevant
questions

7) CLOUD COMPUTING

▫ Why in news?
ú Running business on Cloud (Source: The Hindu – 29th Nov 2021)
▫ Intro
ú Cloud computing is a type of Internet-based computing that provides shared computer processing
resources and data to computers and other devices on demand. It is a model for enabling ubiquitous, on-
demand access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources which can be rapidly provisioned
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and released with minimal management efforts.

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ú E.g.
§ Computer networks, Storage (OneDrive, Google Drive etc.), Servers, applications, and services
▫ Advantages – Reduced upfront cost; focus on core business; Faster deployment of application; Scalability and
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Elasticity; pay as you Go model; Agility; Device and Location independence; Maintenance, Multitenancy,
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Performance and Better Security.

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Concerns
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Loss of control over certain sensitive data

§
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Limited customization options

§
§ E.g., a restaurant with a limited menu is cheaper than a personal chef who can cook anything you
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want.
- Technology behind cloud: There are two vital technologies at the heart of Cloud Computing:
▫ Virtualization: It lets computer resource to be shared through multiple virtual machines.
▫ Network: It lets data requests flow to and from the datacenters or the Cloud through the Internet.

In cloud computing hardware resources are distributed across multiple locations and there is diverse choice of
software that is available to consumers.

- Service Models
§ Infrastructure as service (IaaS)
§ Refers to online services that abstract the user from the details of infrastructure like physical
computing resources, location, data partitioning, scaling, security, back up etc.

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 § E.g. AWS, Microsoft Azure.
§ Platform as Service (PaaS)
§ The provider typically develops toolkit and standards for development and channels for distribution
and payment.
§ In PaaS model, cloud providers deliver a computing platform, typically including operating system,
programming-language, execution environment, database, and web server.
§ Software as a Service (SaaS)
§ User gain access to application software and databases (e.g. Google Photos – In this consumer pays
based on the giga-bytes that is required to store photos.)
§ Cloud providers manage the infrastructure and platforms that run the applications.
Conclusion: When cloud computing’s potential is used well, one can launch rich features faster and put customers
on cloud nine.

8) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING

▫ Why in news?
ú RAISE (Responsible AI for Social Empowerment 2020) Summit saw experts from across the world discussing
themes like the role that Artificial Intelligence can play in powering financial inclusion, and its potential to
empower over a billion Indians by helping build robust and ahead of the curve public digital platforms (Oct
2020)

▫ Intro
ú Artificial Intelligence is the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent
computer programs which can complete tasks that typically require human intelligence.
▫ With the explosion of available data and expansion of computing capacity, the world is witnessing
rapid advancements in AI, ML, and deep learning.
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- Machine learning is a science that involves development of self-learning algorithms. Machine learning uses
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statistics (mostly inferential statistics) to develop self-learning algorithm. It is a type of artificial intelligence.
▫ Note: All Machine Learning is AI, but not all AI is machine learning
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▫ For e.g., symbolic logic (rules engines, expert systems, and knowledge graphs) as well as evolutionary
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algorithms and Bayesian statistics could all be described as AI, and none of them are machine learning.
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▫ In Machine Learning the computer program should learn from experience "i.e., given data" such that the
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overall performance on doing a certain task increase.

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i. Input data
ii. Model Training
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iii. Output

- Applications of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

ú Advertisements, Online shopping suggestions etc.
ú Spam filtering
ú Search engines
ú Fighting Black Money (e.g., Project Insight of India)
ú Space Exploration (e.g., identifying exoplanets from pictures)
ú Health Sector (e.g., identifying cancerous lumps, development of new medicines/molecules etc, early
detection and prevention of diseases.)
- E.g., a Bengaluru based startup has developed a non-invasive, AI-enabled technology to screen
for early signs of breast cancer.

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 - For COVID-19, AI enabled chatbot was used by MyGov for ensuring communications.
ú Education (e.g., Personalized learning through adaptive tools; customizing professional development
courses etc.)
ú Agriculture: AI enabled solutions for water-management, crop insurance, and pest control are also
being developed. Technologies like image recognition, drones, and automated intelligent monitoring
of irrigation systems can help farmers kill weeds more effectively, harvest better crops, and ensure
higher yields.
- ICRISAT has developed an AI-power sowing app, which utilises weather models and data on
local crop yield and rainfall to more accurately predict and advise local farmers on when they
should plant their seeds
ú Disaster Management: An AI-based flood forecasting system has been deployed in Bihar and is now
being deployed throughout the country. It gives warnings 48 hours earlier about impending floods.
ú Improve Ease of Doing Business
ú Natural Language Processing (NLP)
ú Image Processing (Facial Recognition)

- Researchers generate molecular structures using machine learning algorithms, trained on small datasets (April
2022)
ú Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and IBM have together devised a method
to generate molecules computationally which combines the power of machine learning with what are
called graph grammars.
ú This approach requires much smaller datasets (for e.g., about 100 datasets in the place of 81,000, as
the researchers mention) and builds up the molecules in a bottom-up-approach.
ú The group has demonstrated this method on naphthalene diisocynate molecule in a paper that has
been reviewed and accepted for presentation at the International Conference on Learning
Representations.
ú Generating molecules computationally involves the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine
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learning algorithms that require large data sets to train on.

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1) ADVANCEMENTS IN MACHINE LEARNING

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A) NEURAL NETWORKS
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- Neural network, also known as Artificial Neural Network (ANNs) or simulated neural networks (SNNs), are
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a subset of machine learning and are at the heart of deep learning algorithms. Their name and structure
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are inspired by the human brain, mimicking the way biological neurons signal to each other.
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- ANNs consist of node layers, containing an input layer, one or more hidden layers, and an output layer.
Each node, or artificial neurons, connects to another and has an associated weight and threshold. If the
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output of any individual node is above the specified threshold value, that node is activated, sending data
to the next layer of the network. Otherwise, no data is passed along the next layer of the network.

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 - Note: ANN also rely on training data to learn and improve their accuracy over time.

- Neural Networks vs. Deep Learning:

ú Terms are sometimes used interchangeably. ‘Deep’ in deep learning is just referring to the depth of
layers in a neural network. A neural network that consists of more than three layers – which would be
inclusive of the inputs and output – can be considered a deep learning algorithm. A neural network
that only has two or three layers is just a basic neural network.

B) DEEP LEARNING
- Deep learning is a machine learning technique that teaches computers to do what comes naturally to
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humans: learn by example. In deep learning, a computer model learns to perform classification tasks
directly from images, text, or sound. It can achieve state of art accuracy, sometimes exceeding human-
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level performance. Models are trained by using a large set of labeled data and neural network
architecture that contain many layers.
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- Most deep learning methods use neural network architecture, which is why deep learning models are
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often referred as Deep Neural networks. The term deep usually refers to number of hidden layers in the
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neural network.
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- Where is it being used today?

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▫ Automated Driving: Automotive researchers are using deep learning to automatically detect objects
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such as stop signs and traffic lights. In addition, deep learning is used to detect pedestrians, which
helps decrease accidents
▫ Aerospace and Defence: Deep learning are used to identify objects from satellites that locate areas
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of interest and identify safe or unsafe zones for troops.

▫ Medical Research: To detect cancer
▫ Industrial Automation: Improve work safety around heavy machinery by automatically detecting
when people or objects are within an unsafe distance of machines.
▫ Electronics: Used in automated hearing and speech translation. For e.g., home assistance devices
that respond to your voice and know your preferences are powered by deep learning applications.

▫ Some Criticism of AI
ú Idea of intelligent machines is obscene anti human and immoral.
ú Would make life more mechanical.
ú A lot of investment has taken place -> many AI companies going bankrupt
ú Taking away the human jobs

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 1) India: Promotion of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- India has been ranked second on the Stanford AI Vibrancy Index primarily on account of its large AI-trained
workforce.
- In 2018, NITI Aayog launched National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence detailing core strategies and
recommendations of promoting the use of AI in key areas of governance.
- Five Key Sector identified by NITI Aayog to focus its efforts towards implementation of artificial intelligence
(AI) to serve societal needs.
i. Healthcare: increased access and affordability of quality healthcare
ii. Agriculture: enhanced farmers income, increased farm productivity and reduction of wastage
iii. Education: Improved access and quality of education
iv. Smart Cities and infrastructure
v. Transportation
- CBSE has integrated AI in the school curriculum to ensure students passing out have basic knowledge and
skills of data science, machine learning and Artificial intelligence.
- Responsible AI for Youth – A National Program for the youth launched by MEITY – Launched in May 2020
ú The program is designed to reach out to students from Government schools pan India and provide them
with opportunity to become part of the skilled workforce in an inclusive manner.
ú It is open to students of classes 8 - 12 from Central and State government-run schools (including KVS,
NVS, JNV) from across the country - all 28 States and 8 Union Territories.
- National Education Policy 2020 provides for setting up of the National Research Foundation, which should
boost research in AI.
- RAISE (Responsible AI for Social Empowerment) 2020
ú It is a first of its kind, global meeting of minds on Artificial Intelligence to drive India’s vision and
roadmap for social transformation, inclusion and empowerment through Responsible AI.
ú It was organized by GoI through MEITY and NITI Aayog.
- India joins Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) as a founding member to support the
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responsible and human centric development and use of AI (July 2020)

ú GPAI is an international and multi-stakeholder initiative to guide the responsible development and use
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of AI, grounded in human rights, inclusion, diversity, innovation, and economic growth.
ú This is also a first initiative of its type for evolving better understanding of the challenges and
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opportunities around AI using the experience and diversity of participating countries.

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ú In order to achieve this goal, the initiative will look to bridge the gap between theory and practice on
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AI by supporting cutting-edge research and applied activities on AI-related priorities

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ú GPAI will be supported by a Secretariat, to be hosted by Organization for Economic Cooperation and
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Development (OECD) in Paris, as well as by two Centers of Expertise- one each in Montreal and Paris.
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- MEITY launches National AI Portal of India – www.ai.gov.in (May 2020)

ú The portal has been jointly developed by the MEITY and IT Industry.
ú National E-Governance Division of MEITY and NASSCOM from IT Industry will jointly run the portal.
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ú It will be a one stop digital platform for AI related developments in India, sharing of resources such as
articles, startups, investment funds in AI, resources, companies and educational institutions related to
AI in India.
- Key Pain Points challenges involved in the implementation of Artificial Intelligence in India
i. Human Resource Shortfall in terms of number of AI experts including PhDs.
ii. Lack of trained professionals: Only around 4% of Indian AI professionals are trained in emerging
technologies such as deep learning.

- Way Forward
▫ Promote More R&D in AI
ú Better facilities at HEIs
ú More academia-Industry collaboration

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 ▫ Human Resource Development: Rejuvenate Higher Education Sector for AI
ú Come up with a clear-cut action plan for rejuvenating Higher education system for development
of AI
ú Dealing with faculty shortage by increasing attractiveness of Indian HEIs for highly qualified
PHDs and experienced faculties (salaries, infrastructure, recognitions etc.)
» AI-Startups should be encouraged through tax breaks, reduced compliance burden and increased
support from R&D institutions.
▫ Institutional commitment to excellence, politically open environment and the motivation of
individual researchers to unlock the potential of AI will, in long run success of AI in a country.
▫ Strong, high tech regulatory framework to deal with problems which may be created by deep fakes
etc.
- Conclusion: India, with its “AI for ALL” strategy, a vast pool of AI-trained workforce and an emerging startup
ecosystem, has a unique opportunity to be a major contributor in AI-driven solutions that can revolutionize
healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, education and skilling.

9) QUANTUM COMPUTING (ALREADY DONE IN WEEKLY CA)

10) INDIA’S SEMICONDUCTOR MISSION (JAN 2022)

- Why in news?
» Semiconductor Mission launched by IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav (Dec 2021)
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- Details:
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» The Indian Semiconductor Mission is a specialized and independent business division within the Digital India
Corporation. It has been set up with the aim to build a vibrant semiconductor and display ecosystem to enable
India’s emergence as a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design.
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» The mission is authorized to negotiate with the applicants under the semiconductor fab scheme and display fab
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scheme. The mission has also been given autonomy to decide the appropriate technology mix, applications, node
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generation, capacity building, among others and propose the structure and quantum of fiscal support for the
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selected applicants.
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- Understanding some key words:

» A fab is short for fabrication plant where raw silicon wafer is processed and turned into integrated circuits.
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11) RECENT INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE SEMICONDUCTOR SECTOR IN INDIA

- Do before Mains:
» https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/when-the-chips-are-down-the-hindu-editorial-on-indias-
semiconductor-mission/article37980954.ece
- Why in news?
» India’s Union Cabinet approved the Semicon India Program (Program for Development of Semiconductors and
Display Manufacturing Ecosystem in India), with an outlay of 76,000 crores. (Dec 2021)

- Broad Incentives for the development of semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in India:

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 » Semiconductor Fabs and Display Fabs:
ú The scheme for setting up of semiconductor Fabs and Display Fabs in India shall extend fiscal support of
upto 50% of project cost on Pari-passu basis to applicants who are found eligible and have the technology
as well as capacity to execute such highly capital intensive and resource intensive projects.
ú Government of India will work closely with the State Governments to establish High-Tech Clusters with
requisite infrastructure in terms of land, semiconductor grade water, high quality power, logistics and
research ecosystem to approve applications for setting up at least two greenfield Semiconductor fabs and
two display fabs in the country.

» Compound Semiconductor/ Silicon Photonics/ Sensors (including MEMS) Fabs and Semiconductor ATMP/ OSAT
Units: The scheme for this will extent support of 30% of capital expenditure to approved units.
» Semiconductor Design Companies: The Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme shall extend produce design linked
incentives of upto 50% of eligible expenditure and produce deployment linked incentives of 6%-4% on net sales for
five years. Support will be provided to 100 domestic companies of semiconductor design for Integrated Circuits
(ICs), Chipsets, System of Chips (SoCs), System & IP Cores and semiconductor linked design and facilitating the
growth of not less than 20 such companies.
» Semi-conductor Laboratory (SCL): Cabinet has also approved the MeITY will take requisite steps for modernization
and commercialization of semi-conductor Laboratory (SCL). MeITY will explore the possibility of joint venture of SCL
with a commercial fab partner to modernize the brownfield fab facility.

» Indian Semiconductor Mission: A specialized and independent “Indian Semiconductor Mission (ISM)” is being set
up. It is led by global experts in semiconductor and display industry.

» Comprehensive Fiscal Support for Semiconductors and Electronics

ú Program for development of semiconductors and display manufacturing ecosystem has been approved with
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an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore (>10 billion USD). Every part of the supply chain has been incentivized.
- PLI for Larges Scale Electronics Manufacturing, PLI for IT Hardware, SPECS Scheme and Modified
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Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC 2.0) Scheme has been allocated Rs 55,392 crores.
ú PLI for allied sectors comprising of ACC battery, auto components, telecom & networking products, solar PV
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modules and white goods have been allocated 98,000 crores.

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ú In total GoI have committed a total support of Rs 2,30,000 crore (USD 30 billion) to position India as global hub
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for electronics manufacturing with semiconductors as the foundational building blocks.

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- Significance:
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» Scenario of geopolitical instability -> semiconductors and display hold strategic importance and are key to the
security of critical information infrastructure.
» Propel innovation and build domestic capacities to ensure digital sovereignty for India.
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» Highly skilled employment opportunities to harness the demographic dividend of the country.
Multiplier effect on different sectors of the economy with deeper integration to the global value chain. It will
promote higher domestic value addition in electronics manufacturing and will contribute significantly to achieving
a USD 1 Trillion digital economy a USD 5 Trillion GDP by 2025.

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