Indian, US warships conduct exercise
In a strong strategic signal to China amidst the military confrontation in eastern Ladakh, a US carrier strike group led by aircraft carrier USS Nimitz on 20 July 2020 conducted an exercise with Indian warships near the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/24544-indian-us-warships-conduct-exercise.html
#Indian #US #warships #USSNimitz #Malabar
In a strong strategic signal to China amidst the military confrontation in eastern Ladakh, a US carrier strike group led by aircraft carrier USS Nimitz on 20 July 2020 conducted an exercise with Indian warships near the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/24544-indian-us-warships-conduct-exercise.html
#Indian #US #warships #USSNimitz #Malabar
Ksgindia
Indian, US warships conduct exercise | KSG India | Khan Study Group
In a strong strategic signal to China amidst the military confrontation in eastern Ladakh, a US carrier strike group led by aircraft carrier USS Nimitz on 20 July 2020 conducted an exercise with Indi
Indian antigen testing kits get ICMR nod
Molecular diagnostics company, Mylab Discovery Solutions, which launched the first indigenous RT-PCR testing kit, has got the nod to commercially make antigen testing kits for Covid-19.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/24619-indian-antigen-testing-kits-get-icmr-nod.html
#testingkits #ICMRnod #antigentestingkits #Indian
Molecular diagnostics company, Mylab Discovery Solutions, which launched the first indigenous RT-PCR testing kit, has got the nod to commercially make antigen testing kits for Covid-19.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/24619-indian-antigen-testing-kits-get-icmr-nod.html
#testingkits #ICMRnod #antigentestingkits #Indian
Ksgindia
Indian antigen testing kits get ICMR nod | KSG India | Khan Study Group
Molecular diagnostics company, Mylab Discovery Solutions, which launched the first indigenous RT-PCR testing kit, has got the nod to commercially make antigen testing kits for Covid-19. It will be
New asteroid discovered by Indian
A new Earth-bound asteroid has been discovered by two school girls from Surat, Gujarat. According to SPACE India, the girls discovered the asteroid by poring through images from a University of Hawaii telescope.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/24715-new-asteroid-discovered-by-indian.html
#Newasteroid #Indian #RadhikaLakhani #Hawaiitelescope #SPACEIndia
A new Earth-bound asteroid has been discovered by two school girls from Surat, Gujarat. According to SPACE India, the girls discovered the asteroid by poring through images from a University of Hawaii telescope.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/24715-new-asteroid-discovered-by-indian.html
#Newasteroid #Indian #RadhikaLakhani #Hawaiitelescope #SPACEIndia
Ksgindia
New asteroid discovered by Indian | KSG India | Khan Study Group
A new Earth-bound asteroid has been discovered by two school girls from Surat, Gujarat. According to SPACE India, the girls discovered the asteroid by poring through images from a University of Hawai
Watch: KSG DYK - Who is known as the “liberator of the Indian Press”? #SHORTS #UPSC #IAS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wypsjXqG2xA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wypsjXqG2xA
YouTube
KSG DYK - Who is known as the “liberator of the Indian Press”? #SHORTS #UPSC #IAS
#upsc #indian #indianpress #freedom #pressfreedom #liberatorofIndianpress #famouspresslaw #newspaperinIndia #indianpresshistory #pressfreedomstruggle #presslaw #pressunderbritishrule
Who is known as the “liberator of the Indian Press”?
(a) Lord Wellesley…
Who is known as the “liberator of the Indian Press”?
(a) Lord Wellesley…
Watch: African and Indian Defense Dialogue| KSG India
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RaGu1HaPIFg
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RaGu1HaPIFg
YouTube
African and Indian Defense Dialogue| KSG India
#upsc #iascoaching #ksgindia #african #indian #india Feel Free to Ask Query @ https://bit.ly/3uqy26rSubscribe KSG India Youtube Channel & Do not Miss any imp...
Today's Headlines - 26 July 2023
Parliamentary panel's nod for inter-services organisations bill
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)
As India gets set to create unified theatre commands for integrated war-fighting machinery in a cost-effective manner, a parliamentary panel has approved the proposed law to empower military commanders of all tri-service organisations with full administrative and disciplinary powers. Agreeing with the provisions of The Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control & Discipline) Bill, 2023, which was introduced in Lok Sabha on 15 March, the parliamentary standing committee on defence recommended the bill be passed “without any amendments” and enacted as a statute.
More about the Bill
The enactment of the bill will herald greater integration and jointmanship in inter-services organisations (ISOs) and establishments, the committee said.
India was once again resolutely working towards the creation of integrated theatre commands (ITCs) – which stalled after the first chief of defence staff Gen Bipin Rawat’s death in a helicopter crash in December 2021 -- after achieving a “consensus” among the Army, Navy and IAF.
This most radical military reorganization since Independence will see two “adversary-specific” ITCs -- one for the northern borders with China at Lucknow and the other for the western front with Pakistan at Jaipur.
Then there will be the Maritime Theatre Command (MTC) at Karwar in coastal Karnataka for the Indian Ocean Region as well as the larger Indo-Pacific.
Why this legislation?
The proposed legislation will ensure the requisite command and control of the existing ISOs such as the regional Andaman Nicobar Command and the functional Strategic Forces Command as well as the impending ITCs.
The new law will “empower” the government to constitute ISOs as well the commander-in-chief of an ISO to maintain discipline and ensure proper discharge of duties of all the personnel from the Army, Navy and IAF serving under his command.
At present, military personnel are governed by different acts and rules of their own respective services. These are the Army Act, 1950, the Air Force Act, 1950, and the Navy Act, 1957.
Consequently, personnel serving in ISOs currently have to be sent back to their parent service for disciplinary or administrative action.
Once the theatre commands are in place, they will take over the “operational role” of the single-service commands under them.
Flashback
At present, India has as many as 17 single-service commands (Army 7, IAF 7 and Navy 3), which have very little synergy in planning, logistics and operations.
China, in contrast, re-organised its 2.3-million People’s Liberation Army into five theatre commands in early-2016 to boost offensive capabilities and establish better command-and-control structures.
Its Western Theatre Command, for instance, handles the entire 3,488-km Line of Actual Control from eastern Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. India, in contrast, has four Army and three IAF commands for the northern borders with China.
#upsc #news #parliamentary #panel #todayheadline #interservices #organisations #polity #bill #MTC #legislation #indian #ocean #region #indopacific #andaman #nicobar #command #strategic #empower #airforce #army #act1950
Parliamentary panel's nod for inter-services organisations bill
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)
As India gets set to create unified theatre commands for integrated war-fighting machinery in a cost-effective manner, a parliamentary panel has approved the proposed law to empower military commanders of all tri-service organisations with full administrative and disciplinary powers. Agreeing with the provisions of The Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control & Discipline) Bill, 2023, which was introduced in Lok Sabha on 15 March, the parliamentary standing committee on defence recommended the bill be passed “without any amendments” and enacted as a statute.
More about the Bill
The enactment of the bill will herald greater integration and jointmanship in inter-services organisations (ISOs) and establishments, the committee said.
India was once again resolutely working towards the creation of integrated theatre commands (ITCs) – which stalled after the first chief of defence staff Gen Bipin Rawat’s death in a helicopter crash in December 2021 -- after achieving a “consensus” among the Army, Navy and IAF.
This most radical military reorganization since Independence will see two “adversary-specific” ITCs -- one for the northern borders with China at Lucknow and the other for the western front with Pakistan at Jaipur.
Then there will be the Maritime Theatre Command (MTC) at Karwar in coastal Karnataka for the Indian Ocean Region as well as the larger Indo-Pacific.
Why this legislation?
The proposed legislation will ensure the requisite command and control of the existing ISOs such as the regional Andaman Nicobar Command and the functional Strategic Forces Command as well as the impending ITCs.
The new law will “empower” the government to constitute ISOs as well the commander-in-chief of an ISO to maintain discipline and ensure proper discharge of duties of all the personnel from the Army, Navy and IAF serving under his command.
At present, military personnel are governed by different acts and rules of their own respective services. These are the Army Act, 1950, the Air Force Act, 1950, and the Navy Act, 1957.
Consequently, personnel serving in ISOs currently have to be sent back to their parent service for disciplinary or administrative action.
Once the theatre commands are in place, they will take over the “operational role” of the single-service commands under them.
Flashback
At present, India has as many as 17 single-service commands (Army 7, IAF 7 and Navy 3), which have very little synergy in planning, logistics and operations.
China, in contrast, re-organised its 2.3-million People’s Liberation Army into five theatre commands in early-2016 to boost offensive capabilities and establish better command-and-control structures.
Its Western Theatre Command, for instance, handles the entire 3,488-km Line of Actual Control from eastern Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. India, in contrast, has four Army and three IAF commands for the northern borders with China.
#upsc #news #parliamentary #panel #todayheadline #interservices #organisations #polity #bill #MTC #legislation #indian #ocean #region #indopacific #andaman #nicobar #command #strategic #empower #airforce #army #act1950
Today's Headlines - 28 July 2023
Kargil Vijay Diwas
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)
Leaders across India’s political spectrum paid their tributes to India’s armed forces and the fallen martyrs on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas. The Kargil war was imposed on India. At that time, India had tried to solve the issues with Pakistan through talks. During Operation Vijay, the Indian Army sent a message not only to Pakistan but to the whole world that when it comes to our national interests, our Army will not back down at any cost.
The Kargil War
The Kargil War officially ended on 26 July 1999, with the eviction of the last remaining Pakistani troops and infiltrators from positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC).
The conflict was triggered when infiltrators from Pakistan crossed the LoC and occupied high positions in Ladakh’s Kargil district.
The infiltrators were initially thought to be jihadis. But over the first few weeks, as the sheer scale of the invasion came to light, the role of the Pakistani state became undeniable.
Between mid-May and July, the Indian forces slowly recaptured critical positions from the Pakistanis, in the face of heavy casualties and numerous strategic and logistic difficulties, culminating with the Army announcing the complete withdrawal of all Pakistani regular and irregular troops from Kargil on 26 July 2023.
Indian casualties at the end of the War stood at 527 dead, 1,363 wounded and 1 PoW (Fl Lt K Nachiketa, whose MiG-27 was shot down during a strike operation).
Challenging conditions
The Kargil War posed multiple challenges to the Indian armed forces. On one hand, were the enemy infiltrators, well armed and supported by non-stop shelling by Pakistan artillery from across the border. On the other, were the conditions of Kargil itself.
Kargil is located at the northern edge of the LoC some 200 km northeast of Srinagar and 230 km west of Leh.
While the town of Kargil is itself at an altitude of 2,676 m (8,780 ft), Dras lies at a height of 3,300 m (10,800 ft) and the surrounding peaks rise to altitudes of 4,800 m (16,000 ft) to 5,500 m (18,000 ft).
These are extremely high altitudes, which cause severe physiological effects on the human body while also posing logistical and strategic challenges.
How the Army conquered Kargil’s conditions
The initial stages of the War taught some valuable lessons, as both the Army and the Air Force discovered that it was unprepared for such high-altitude combat at this scale.
Many soldiers suffered from altitude sickness which event caused a few casualties. The lack of equipment for fighting in such cold weather was another challenge.
On the other hand, the terrain and Pakistan’s constant shelling on the crucial NH 1A caused major logistical challenges.
Eventually, the Army modified its methods to overcome these challenges. Units initiated acclimatisation and training programs to better prepare the soldiers for the conditions.
Better cold-weather equipment was procured (though the Army remained lacking in this regard throughout the War).
Techniques for high-altitude assault were further honed. Instead of daytime frontal attacks, assaults increasingly featured small groups scaling near-vertical terrain.
#upsc #news #todayheadline #kargil #vijaydiwas #polity #pakistan #ladakh #indian #forces #loc #physiological #strategic #army #war #logistical #equipment
Kargil Vijay Diwas
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)
Leaders across India’s political spectrum paid their tributes to India’s armed forces and the fallen martyrs on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas. The Kargil war was imposed on India. At that time, India had tried to solve the issues with Pakistan through talks. During Operation Vijay, the Indian Army sent a message not only to Pakistan but to the whole world that when it comes to our national interests, our Army will not back down at any cost.
The Kargil War
The Kargil War officially ended on 26 July 1999, with the eviction of the last remaining Pakistani troops and infiltrators from positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC).
The conflict was triggered when infiltrators from Pakistan crossed the LoC and occupied high positions in Ladakh’s Kargil district.
The infiltrators were initially thought to be jihadis. But over the first few weeks, as the sheer scale of the invasion came to light, the role of the Pakistani state became undeniable.
Between mid-May and July, the Indian forces slowly recaptured critical positions from the Pakistanis, in the face of heavy casualties and numerous strategic and logistic difficulties, culminating with the Army announcing the complete withdrawal of all Pakistani regular and irregular troops from Kargil on 26 July 2023.
Indian casualties at the end of the War stood at 527 dead, 1,363 wounded and 1 PoW (Fl Lt K Nachiketa, whose MiG-27 was shot down during a strike operation).
Challenging conditions
The Kargil War posed multiple challenges to the Indian armed forces. On one hand, were the enemy infiltrators, well armed and supported by non-stop shelling by Pakistan artillery from across the border. On the other, were the conditions of Kargil itself.
Kargil is located at the northern edge of the LoC some 200 km northeast of Srinagar and 230 km west of Leh.
While the town of Kargil is itself at an altitude of 2,676 m (8,780 ft), Dras lies at a height of 3,300 m (10,800 ft) and the surrounding peaks rise to altitudes of 4,800 m (16,000 ft) to 5,500 m (18,000 ft).
These are extremely high altitudes, which cause severe physiological effects on the human body while also posing logistical and strategic challenges.
How the Army conquered Kargil’s conditions
The initial stages of the War taught some valuable lessons, as both the Army and the Air Force discovered that it was unprepared for such high-altitude combat at this scale.
Many soldiers suffered from altitude sickness which event caused a few casualties. The lack of equipment for fighting in such cold weather was another challenge.
On the other hand, the terrain and Pakistan’s constant shelling on the crucial NH 1A caused major logistical challenges.
Eventually, the Army modified its methods to overcome these challenges. Units initiated acclimatisation and training programs to better prepare the soldiers for the conditions.
Better cold-weather equipment was procured (though the Army remained lacking in this regard throughout the War).
Techniques for high-altitude assault were further honed. Instead of daytime frontal attacks, assaults increasingly featured small groups scaling near-vertical terrain.
#upsc #news #todayheadline #kargil #vijaydiwas #polity #pakistan #ladakh #indian #forces #loc #physiological #strategic #army #war #logistical #equipment
Today's Headlines - 03 August 2023
ISRO rocket debris on Australian shore
GS Paper - 3 (Space Technology)
A large object found on the shores of western Australia a couple of weeks ago has been confirmed to be the debris of an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) rocket, the Australian Space Agency said. ISRO has agreed with the assessment, saying the debris could be from one of its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rockets. The ISRO said the agency was still to decide on the future course of action.
Are such incidents normal?
Junk from space objects falling to the earth are not unheard of. Most such incidents involve relatively small fragments from rockets that survive the friction of the atmosphere.
These usually do not make big news, also most of the time the space junk falls into oceans thus posing little danger to human populations.
But there have been a few highly publicised falls as well. In recent times, a large chunk of a 25-tonne Chinese rocket fell into the Indian Ocean in May 2021.
The most famous such case remains that of the Skylab space station, a predecessor to the currently operational International Space Station, which disintegrated in 1979.
Large chunks from this disintegration fell into the Indian Ocean, some of them falling on land in Western Australia.
Isn’t it dangerous?
The threat to life and property from falling space junk is not negligible. Even when falling into the oceans, which is more likely since 70 per cent of the earth’s surface is ocean, large objects can be a threat to marine life, and a source of pollution.
However, there are no recorded incidents of these falling objects causing any appreciable damage anywhere on the earth. When they have dropped over land, so far, it has been over uninhabited areas.
What happens if these objects cause damage?
There are international regulations governing space debris, which include junk falling back on the earth.
Most space-faring countries are signatories to the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects.
This convention is one of the several international agreements that complement the Outer Space Treaty, the overarching framework guiding the behaviour of countries in space.
The Liability Convention deals mainly with damage caused by space objects to other space assets, but it also applies to damage caused by falling objects on earth.
The Convention makes the launching country “absolutely liable” to pay compensation for any damage caused by its space object on the earth or to a flight in air. The country where the junk falls can stake a claim for compensation if it has been damaged by the falling object.
In the current case, if the PSLV junk had caused any damage in Australia, India could have been liable to pay compensation, even if the object fell into the ocean and was then swept to the shores.
The amount of compensation is to be decided “in accordance with international law and the principles of justice and equity”.
This provision of the Convention has resulted in compensation payment only once so far — when Canada sought damages from the then Soviet Union, for a satellite with radioactive substance that fell into an uninhabited region in its northern territory in 1978. The Soviet Union is reported to have paid 3 million Canadian dollars.
#upsc #news #headline #ISRO #rocket #australian #space #technology #PSLV #satelite #launch #Vehicle #atmosphere #Indian #ocean #western #marine #earth #damage #countries #liability #canada #soviet #canadian #dollars #territory #shores #satellite
ISRO rocket debris on Australian shore
GS Paper - 3 (Space Technology)
A large object found on the shores of western Australia a couple of weeks ago has been confirmed to be the debris of an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) rocket, the Australian Space Agency said. ISRO has agreed with the assessment, saying the debris could be from one of its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rockets. The ISRO said the agency was still to decide on the future course of action.
Are such incidents normal?
Junk from space objects falling to the earth are not unheard of. Most such incidents involve relatively small fragments from rockets that survive the friction of the atmosphere.
These usually do not make big news, also most of the time the space junk falls into oceans thus posing little danger to human populations.
But there have been a few highly publicised falls as well. In recent times, a large chunk of a 25-tonne Chinese rocket fell into the Indian Ocean in May 2021.
The most famous such case remains that of the Skylab space station, a predecessor to the currently operational International Space Station, which disintegrated in 1979.
Large chunks from this disintegration fell into the Indian Ocean, some of them falling on land in Western Australia.
Isn’t it dangerous?
The threat to life and property from falling space junk is not negligible. Even when falling into the oceans, which is more likely since 70 per cent of the earth’s surface is ocean, large objects can be a threat to marine life, and a source of pollution.
However, there are no recorded incidents of these falling objects causing any appreciable damage anywhere on the earth. When they have dropped over land, so far, it has been over uninhabited areas.
What happens if these objects cause damage?
There are international regulations governing space debris, which include junk falling back on the earth.
Most space-faring countries are signatories to the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects.
This convention is one of the several international agreements that complement the Outer Space Treaty, the overarching framework guiding the behaviour of countries in space.
The Liability Convention deals mainly with damage caused by space objects to other space assets, but it also applies to damage caused by falling objects on earth.
The Convention makes the launching country “absolutely liable” to pay compensation for any damage caused by its space object on the earth or to a flight in air. The country where the junk falls can stake a claim for compensation if it has been damaged by the falling object.
In the current case, if the PSLV junk had caused any damage in Australia, India could have been liable to pay compensation, even if the object fell into the ocean and was then swept to the shores.
The amount of compensation is to be decided “in accordance with international law and the principles of justice and equity”.
This provision of the Convention has resulted in compensation payment only once so far — when Canada sought damages from the then Soviet Union, for a satellite with radioactive substance that fell into an uninhabited region in its northern territory in 1978. The Soviet Union is reported to have paid 3 million Canadian dollars.
#upsc #news #headline #ISRO #rocket #australian #space #technology #PSLV #satelite #launch #Vehicle #atmosphere #Indian #ocean #western #marine #earth #damage #countries #liability #canada #soviet #canadian #dollars #territory #shores #satellite
Today's Headlines - 03 August 2023
UIDAI is using AI to tackle payment frauds
GS Paper - 3 (ITC)
As more frauds related to the Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS) come to the fore, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), has turned to artificial intelligence-based systems in a bid to limit the cases — this includes developing technologies around fingerprinting and facial recognition. The UIDAI has rolled out an in-house Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning technology-based Finger Minutiae Record – Finger Image Record (FMR-FIR) modality which is able to check the liveness of a fingerprint to detect the use of cloned fingerprint during the authentication process.
How does the Aadhaar fingerprint technology work?
The technology was rolled out in February this year and uses a combination of both finger minutiae and finger image to check the liveness of the fingerprint captured.
The measure was implemented after instances of people creating fake fingerprints using silicone to syphon off money from unsuspecting individuals’ bank accounts were reported.
The problem gets compounded on account of the fact that a large part of the AePS user base is in rural areas.
In effect, the AI-based technology is able to identify whether the fingerprint is from a real, or ‘live’ finger, or a cloned one.
Payment frauds on the rise
According to the Home Ministry, in the financial year 2020-21, 2.62 lakhs financial crimes, such as money laundering, bribery, corruption and different kinds of frauds, were reported. The number jumped to 6.94 lakhs in 2022, a report, released by the Standing Committee on Finance — headed by BJP MP Jayant Sinha — said.
Citing data it received from the supervised entities of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the committee noted that payment-related frauds are on the rise in India – In FY21, the volume of such frauds was a little over 700,000, which by FY23, increased to close to 20 million.
According to the information submitted to it by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), in the year 2022, out of 6,94,424 complaints related to financial frauds only in 2.6 per cent of cases an FIR was registered.
The details shared with Parliament revealed that between November 2021 and March 2023, more than 2,000 complaints related to AePS were received by the offices of the RBI’s ombudsman.
#upsc #news #headline #UIDAI #payment #frauds #ITC #adhaar #system #FMR #FIR #machine #work #syphon #rural #areas #RBI #reserve #bank #india #ombudsman #cases #financial #bribery #corruption #silicone #cloned #I4C #indian #cyber #crime #coordination #tackle
UIDAI is using AI to tackle payment frauds
GS Paper - 3 (ITC)
As more frauds related to the Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS) come to the fore, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), has turned to artificial intelligence-based systems in a bid to limit the cases — this includes developing technologies around fingerprinting and facial recognition. The UIDAI has rolled out an in-house Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning technology-based Finger Minutiae Record – Finger Image Record (FMR-FIR) modality which is able to check the liveness of a fingerprint to detect the use of cloned fingerprint during the authentication process.
How does the Aadhaar fingerprint technology work?
The technology was rolled out in February this year and uses a combination of both finger minutiae and finger image to check the liveness of the fingerprint captured.
The measure was implemented after instances of people creating fake fingerprints using silicone to syphon off money from unsuspecting individuals’ bank accounts were reported.
The problem gets compounded on account of the fact that a large part of the AePS user base is in rural areas.
In effect, the AI-based technology is able to identify whether the fingerprint is from a real, or ‘live’ finger, or a cloned one.
Payment frauds on the rise
According to the Home Ministry, in the financial year 2020-21, 2.62 lakhs financial crimes, such as money laundering, bribery, corruption and different kinds of frauds, were reported. The number jumped to 6.94 lakhs in 2022, a report, released by the Standing Committee on Finance — headed by BJP MP Jayant Sinha — said.
Citing data it received from the supervised entities of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the committee noted that payment-related frauds are on the rise in India – In FY21, the volume of such frauds was a little over 700,000, which by FY23, increased to close to 20 million.
According to the information submitted to it by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), in the year 2022, out of 6,94,424 complaints related to financial frauds only in 2.6 per cent of cases an FIR was registered.
The details shared with Parliament revealed that between November 2021 and March 2023, more than 2,000 complaints related to AePS were received by the offices of the RBI’s ombudsman.
#upsc #news #headline #UIDAI #payment #frauds #ITC #adhaar #system #FMR #FIR #machine #work #syphon #rural #areas #RBI #reserve #bank #india #ombudsman #cases #financial #bribery #corruption #silicone #cloned #I4C #indian #cyber #crime #coordination #tackle
Today's Headlines - 07 August 2023
Draft National Deep Tech Startup Policy
GS Paper - 3 (Economy)
The office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government put out a draft National Deep Tech Startup Policy (NDTSP) for public comment, following two versions that were iterated at high levels with other government departments, academia and stakeholder firms. The policy seeks to “ensure India’s position in the global deep tech value chain,” in areas such as semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and space tech.
More about the Policy
The policy seeks to bolster research and development in deep tech start-ups, which work on fundamental and technical problems, unlike firms that monetise technology with distinguished business models.
The policy also seeks to find approaches to provide financing to deep tech start-ups at critical moments, such as before they go to market with their products or ideas.
Additionally, the policy seeks to simplify the intellectual property regime for such start-ups, ease regulatory requirements, and proposes a slew of measures to promote these firms.
For instance, the NDTSP suggests that an Export Promotion Board be created to ease barriers of entry for Indian deep tech start-ups into foreign markets and those clauses to ease such market access be included in foreign trade agreements.
The policy also includes resource-intensive policy approaches to attract global talent, such as offering “networking opportunities to international deep tech startups and experts interested in relocating and contributing to the local ecosystem.
Since expertise and regulatory overview of different aspects of deep tech and its supply chains are under different Ministries, the policy suggests the creation of an “Inter Ministerial Deep Tech Committee” to regularly review the requirements of enabling the deep tech ecosystem to function better.
International agreement
The policy restates the government’s disappointment with international agreements that it argues have left India on the backfoot in terms of manufacturing and development power.
India’s experience with some aspects of international cooperation has had a deleterious effect on the domestic ecosystem. A key example of this is the Information Technology Agreement-I that India joined in 1997.
The policy calls for a more multi-pronged approach to protect Indian interests. The need of the hour is a coordinated, comprehensive push to optimally engage with international partners and multilateral institutions to push the Indian Deep Tech Ecosystem, the policy says.
#upsc #news #headline #Draftnational #Deeptech #Startup #policy #economy #principal #scientific #adviser #NDTSP #global #AI #semiconductors #artificial #intelligence #spacetech #fundamental #technical #technology #monetise #critical #property #resource #networking #indian #internationalagreement #ecosystem
Draft National Deep Tech Startup Policy
GS Paper - 3 (Economy)
The office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government put out a draft National Deep Tech Startup Policy (NDTSP) for public comment, following two versions that were iterated at high levels with other government departments, academia and stakeholder firms. The policy seeks to “ensure India’s position in the global deep tech value chain,” in areas such as semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and space tech.
More about the Policy
The policy seeks to bolster research and development in deep tech start-ups, which work on fundamental and technical problems, unlike firms that monetise technology with distinguished business models.
The policy also seeks to find approaches to provide financing to deep tech start-ups at critical moments, such as before they go to market with their products or ideas.
Additionally, the policy seeks to simplify the intellectual property regime for such start-ups, ease regulatory requirements, and proposes a slew of measures to promote these firms.
For instance, the NDTSP suggests that an Export Promotion Board be created to ease barriers of entry for Indian deep tech start-ups into foreign markets and those clauses to ease such market access be included in foreign trade agreements.
The policy also includes resource-intensive policy approaches to attract global talent, such as offering “networking opportunities to international deep tech startups and experts interested in relocating and contributing to the local ecosystem.
Since expertise and regulatory overview of different aspects of deep tech and its supply chains are under different Ministries, the policy suggests the creation of an “Inter Ministerial Deep Tech Committee” to regularly review the requirements of enabling the deep tech ecosystem to function better.
International agreement
The policy restates the government’s disappointment with international agreements that it argues have left India on the backfoot in terms of manufacturing and development power.
India’s experience with some aspects of international cooperation has had a deleterious effect on the domestic ecosystem. A key example of this is the Information Technology Agreement-I that India joined in 1997.
The policy calls for a more multi-pronged approach to protect Indian interests. The need of the hour is a coordinated, comprehensive push to optimally engage with international partners and multilateral institutions to push the Indian Deep Tech Ecosystem, the policy says.
#upsc #news #headline #Draftnational #Deeptech #Startup #policy #economy #principal #scientific #adviser #NDTSP #global #AI #semiconductors #artificial #intelligence #spacetech #fundamental #technical #technology #monetise #critical #property #resource #networking #indian #internationalagreement #ecosystem
Today's Headlines - 08 August 2023
Chandrayaan enters moon orbit
GS Paper - 3 (Space Technology)
TWENTY-THREE days after it left earth, Chandrayaan-3, aiming to become the first Indian spacecraft to make a soft landing on the moon, entered lunar orbit, completing another milestone in its journey. This means that the spacecraft which had been moving towards the moon for the last five days — since it emerged out of its earth-bound orbit — has now begun to circle around the moon.
More about the Mission
MOX, ISTRAC, this is Chandrayaan-3. I am feeling lunar gravity, said ISRO, putting words to what must only be an electronic signal from the spacecraft to the Mission Operations Complex (MOX) at the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC).
As of now, the spacecraft is in an elliptical orbit around the moon, that is 18,074 km from the lunar surface at its farthest and 164 km at the nearest.
This orbit altitude would be lowered progressively over the next few days, ultimately achieving a circular orbit of 100 km x 100 km, from which a final descent on the lunar surface is planned around 23 August 2023.
This is the third time that an Indian spacecraft has entered lunar orbit. The previous two Chandrayaan missions had also reached this phase.
Flashback
Chandrayaan-1 was only meant to be an orbiter, it did send out an instrument called Moon Impact Probe to crash land on the lunar surface.
Chandrayaan-2 was supposed to make a soft landing but could not, faltering in the last few seconds of its journey.
Chandrayaan-3 has taken slightly less time to reach the lunar orbit compared to Chandrayaan-2, which reached this destination in 30 days. But Chandrayaan-3 will spend more time in the lunar orbit, before attempting the soft landing.
If the soft landing is successful, it will make India the fourth country in the world to do so after the US, Russia and China.
Chandrayaan-3 is attempting to become the first mission to land near the lunar south pole. Other missions have so far landed close to the moon’s equator.
#upsc #news #headline #chandrayaan #moon #orbit #space #technology #indian #spacecraft #softlanding #milestone #mission #ISRO #MOX #telemetry #tacking #network #ISTRAC #lunar
Chandrayaan enters moon orbit
GS Paper - 3 (Space Technology)
TWENTY-THREE days after it left earth, Chandrayaan-3, aiming to become the first Indian spacecraft to make a soft landing on the moon, entered lunar orbit, completing another milestone in its journey. This means that the spacecraft which had been moving towards the moon for the last five days — since it emerged out of its earth-bound orbit — has now begun to circle around the moon.
More about the Mission
MOX, ISTRAC, this is Chandrayaan-3. I am feeling lunar gravity, said ISRO, putting words to what must only be an electronic signal from the spacecraft to the Mission Operations Complex (MOX) at the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC).
As of now, the spacecraft is in an elliptical orbit around the moon, that is 18,074 km from the lunar surface at its farthest and 164 km at the nearest.
This orbit altitude would be lowered progressively over the next few days, ultimately achieving a circular orbit of 100 km x 100 km, from which a final descent on the lunar surface is planned around 23 August 2023.
This is the third time that an Indian spacecraft has entered lunar orbit. The previous two Chandrayaan missions had also reached this phase.
Flashback
Chandrayaan-1 was only meant to be an orbiter, it did send out an instrument called Moon Impact Probe to crash land on the lunar surface.
Chandrayaan-2 was supposed to make a soft landing but could not, faltering in the last few seconds of its journey.
Chandrayaan-3 has taken slightly less time to reach the lunar orbit compared to Chandrayaan-2, which reached this destination in 30 days. But Chandrayaan-3 will spend more time in the lunar orbit, before attempting the soft landing.
If the soft landing is successful, it will make India the fourth country in the world to do so after the US, Russia and China.
Chandrayaan-3 is attempting to become the first mission to land near the lunar south pole. Other missions have so far landed close to the moon’s equator.
#upsc #news #headline #chandrayaan #moon #orbit #space #technology #indian #spacecraft #softlanding #milestone #mission #ISRO #MOX #telemetry #tacking #network #ISTRAC #lunar
Today's Headlines - 11 August 2023
MPC has kept interest rate unchanged
GS Paper - 3 (Economy)
Interest rates in the Indian financial system will remain unchanged following the decision of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to keep the main policy instrument – the Repo rate – unchanged at 6.50 per cent on 10 August 2023. Equated monthly instalments (EMIs) of home, vehicle and other loans are expected to remain steady for the time being.
Why is the RBI in pause mode?
The pause in the Repo rate – the rate at which RBI lends money to banks to meet their short-term funding needs – on 10 August 2023 is for the third time since the RBI started hiking the Repo rate in May 2022 to check inflation.
In April policy, the MPC members, in a surprise move, had unanimously decided to pause the rate hike cycle.
Monetary policy transmission is still underway after the RBI slashed the Repo rate by 250 basis points since May 2022 and headline inflation is expected to remain above the five per cent level and even touch even 6.2 per cent in the second quarter of this year.
While the vegetable price shock may reverse quickly, possible El Nino weather conditions along with global food prices need to be watched closely against the backdrop of a skewed southwest monsoon so far.
Why RBI has hiked inflation projection and its impact
On 10 August 2023, the RBI revised its FY2024 inflation projection to 5.4 per cent from 5.1 per cent announced in June.
It said CPI inflation is expected to be at 6.2 per cent in the second quarter, 5.7 per cent in the third quarter and 5.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of FY2023-24.
This means the high policy rates will remain high for long and, therefore, a rate cut can be expected only in Q1 FY25.
The spike in tomato prices and the rise in cereal and pulses contributed to inflation. However, vegetable prices may see a significant correction.
Retail inflation (measured using the consumer prices index or CPI) had declined to an 18-month low of 4.3 per cent in May from 5.7 per cent in March, remaining under the RBI’s comfort zone of 2-6 per cent for two consecutive months.
However, inflation has picked up since then and it’s likely to rise in the range of 6-6.8 per cent in July from 4.81 per cent in June. The RBI is mandated to keep CPI at 4 per cent with a band of +/- 2 per cent.
Why has RBI retained the stance of withdrawal of accommodation?
The RBI has focused on its stance of ‘withdrawal of accommodation’ until all risks to inflation dissipate. An accommodative stance means the central bank is prepared to expand the money supply to boost economic growth.
Withdrawal of accommodation will mean reducing the money supply in the system which will rein in inflation further.
#upsc #news #headline #MPC #rate #economy #indian #financial #system #policy #EMI #RBI #bank #hiked #CPI #zone #withdrawal #level #monetary #committee #instalments #mode
MPC has kept interest rate unchanged
GS Paper - 3 (Economy)
Interest rates in the Indian financial system will remain unchanged following the decision of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to keep the main policy instrument – the Repo rate – unchanged at 6.50 per cent on 10 August 2023. Equated monthly instalments (EMIs) of home, vehicle and other loans are expected to remain steady for the time being.
Why is the RBI in pause mode?
The pause in the Repo rate – the rate at which RBI lends money to banks to meet their short-term funding needs – on 10 August 2023 is for the third time since the RBI started hiking the Repo rate in May 2022 to check inflation.
In April policy, the MPC members, in a surprise move, had unanimously decided to pause the rate hike cycle.
Monetary policy transmission is still underway after the RBI slashed the Repo rate by 250 basis points since May 2022 and headline inflation is expected to remain above the five per cent level and even touch even 6.2 per cent in the second quarter of this year.
While the vegetable price shock may reverse quickly, possible El Nino weather conditions along with global food prices need to be watched closely against the backdrop of a skewed southwest monsoon so far.
Why RBI has hiked inflation projection and its impact
On 10 August 2023, the RBI revised its FY2024 inflation projection to 5.4 per cent from 5.1 per cent announced in June.
It said CPI inflation is expected to be at 6.2 per cent in the second quarter, 5.7 per cent in the third quarter and 5.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of FY2023-24.
This means the high policy rates will remain high for long and, therefore, a rate cut can be expected only in Q1 FY25.
The spike in tomato prices and the rise in cereal and pulses contributed to inflation. However, vegetable prices may see a significant correction.
Retail inflation (measured using the consumer prices index or CPI) had declined to an 18-month low of 4.3 per cent in May from 5.7 per cent in March, remaining under the RBI’s comfort zone of 2-6 per cent for two consecutive months.
However, inflation has picked up since then and it’s likely to rise in the range of 6-6.8 per cent in July from 4.81 per cent in June. The RBI is mandated to keep CPI at 4 per cent with a band of +/- 2 per cent.
Why has RBI retained the stance of withdrawal of accommodation?
The RBI has focused on its stance of ‘withdrawal of accommodation’ until all risks to inflation dissipate. An accommodative stance means the central bank is prepared to expand the money supply to boost economic growth.
Withdrawal of accommodation will mean reducing the money supply in the system which will rein in inflation further.
#upsc #news #headline #MPC #rate #economy #indian #financial #system #policy #EMI #RBI #bank #hiked #CPI #zone #withdrawal #level #monetary #committee #instalments #mode
Today's Headlines - 11 August 2023
Manipur Police have filed an FIR against AR
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)
Police in Manipur have registered an FIR accusing the Assam Rifles (AR) of preventing police from doing their duty, including blocking their way with armoured vehicles, which allegedly allowed Kuki militants suspected of killing Meiteis to escape.
Who are the Assam Rifles, and what is their role?
The AR is one of the six central armed police forces (CAPFs) under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The other five forces are the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
The AR is tasked with maintaining law and order in the Northeast along with the Indian Army. It also guards the Indo-Myanmar border.
The AR have a sanctioned strength of more than 63,000 personnel, organised in 46 battalions, apart from administrative and training staff.
The AR is unique
It is the only paramilitary force with a dual control structure. While the administrative control of the force is with the MHA, its operational control is with the Indian Army, which is under the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
This means that salaries and infrastructure for the force is provided by the MHA, but the deployment, posting, transfers, and deputation of AR personnel is decided by the Army.
All its senior ranks, from DG to IG and sector headquarters are manned by officers from the Army. The force is commanded by a Lieutenant General of the Indian Army.
The AR is in effect a central paramilitary force (CPMF) — its operational duties and regimentation are on the lines of the Indian Army.
However, being a CAPF under the MHA, the recruitment, perks, and promotion of AR personnel, and their retirement policies are governed according to rules framed for CAPFs by the MHA.
There are demands within the AR that only one Ministry should have full control over the force.
A large section within the AR wants to be under the administrative control of the MoD, as that would mean perks and retirement benefits that are far better than those enjoyed by the CAPFs under MHA.
However, Army personnel retire early — at age 35 — while the retirement age of CAPFs is 60 years.
Also, CAPF officers have recently been granted non-functional financial upgradation (NFFU) to at least financially address the issue of stagnation in their careers due to lack of avenues for promotions.
But Army personnel also get‘one rank, one pension’ (OROP) which is not available to CAPFs.
#upsc #news #headline #manipur #FIR #polity #police #AR #CAPF #ministryofhome #affairs #MHA #CRPF #BSF #CISF #SSB #tibetan #border #CISF #ITBP #myanmar #indian #army #MoD #OROP
Manipur Police have filed an FIR against AR
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)
Police in Manipur have registered an FIR accusing the Assam Rifles (AR) of preventing police from doing their duty, including blocking their way with armoured vehicles, which allegedly allowed Kuki militants suspected of killing Meiteis to escape.
Who are the Assam Rifles, and what is their role?
The AR is one of the six central armed police forces (CAPFs) under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The other five forces are the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
The AR is tasked with maintaining law and order in the Northeast along with the Indian Army. It also guards the Indo-Myanmar border.
The AR have a sanctioned strength of more than 63,000 personnel, organised in 46 battalions, apart from administrative and training staff.
The AR is unique
It is the only paramilitary force with a dual control structure. While the administrative control of the force is with the MHA, its operational control is with the Indian Army, which is under the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
This means that salaries and infrastructure for the force is provided by the MHA, but the deployment, posting, transfers, and deputation of AR personnel is decided by the Army.
All its senior ranks, from DG to IG and sector headquarters are manned by officers from the Army. The force is commanded by a Lieutenant General of the Indian Army.
The AR is in effect a central paramilitary force (CPMF) — its operational duties and regimentation are on the lines of the Indian Army.
However, being a CAPF under the MHA, the recruitment, perks, and promotion of AR personnel, and their retirement policies are governed according to rules framed for CAPFs by the MHA.
There are demands within the AR that only one Ministry should have full control over the force.
A large section within the AR wants to be under the administrative control of the MoD, as that would mean perks and retirement benefits that are far better than those enjoyed by the CAPFs under MHA.
However, Army personnel retire early — at age 35 — while the retirement age of CAPFs is 60 years.
Also, CAPF officers have recently been granted non-functional financial upgradation (NFFU) to at least financially address the issue of stagnation in their careers due to lack of avenues for promotions.
But Army personnel also get‘one rank, one pension’ (OROP) which is not available to CAPFs.
#upsc #news #headline #manipur #FIR #polity #police #AR #CAPF #ministryofhome #affairs #MHA #CRPF #BSF #CISF #SSB #tibetan #border #CISF #ITBP #myanmar #indian #army #MoD #OROP
Today's Headlines - 16 August 2023
Rule to prescribe generic drugs
GS Paper - 3 (Health and Diseases)
After the National Medical Commission notified new guidelines on professional conduct recently, doctors have been protesting one of the stipulations — using generic names of medicines on the prescription instead of a particular brand name. The Indian Medical Association, the largest body of doctors in the country, said in a statement this was akin to “running trains without tracks.”
What do the guidelines say?
The guidelines say that doctors can only write the generic names of the medicine on the prescription.
For example, a doctor will have to prescribe paracetamol for fever, instead of Dolo or Calpol Every RMP should prescribe drugs using generic names written legibly, the guidelines say.
This practice can only be relaxed for medicines with narrow therapeutic index (drugs where a small difference in dosage may lead to adverse outcomes), biosimilars (a different version of biologic products that are manufactured in living systems), and “similar other exceptional cases.”
The guideline says that generic medicines, on average, are 30% to 80% cheaper than the branded versions, and are hence likely to bring down healthcare costs.
What does it mean for you?
The new guidelines do not allow doctors to write a specific brand, which means that you will get whichever medicine with the relevant active ingredient your pharmacist stocks.
If a pharmacy does not have a generic version of a medicine — which drug stores usually do not stock because of very low profit margins — the responsibility to substitute it with a branded medicine will shift to the pharmacist instead of the doctor. This will promote brands that have good profit margins, irrespective of how good they are.
Additionally, doctors say it will also take away their choice of prescribing the medicine they think is the best for a patient.
Taken in the context of the quality of generics varying across companies, this could result in ineffective treatment.
What are the issues with generic medicines?
Doctors, drug manufacturers, and the government all agree that there is much to be done when it comes to the quality of generic medicines in the country.
While the doctors in the IMA statement said that only 0.1% medicines are tested for quality checks, manufacturers said it is not possible for the government to test every batch, but following good manufacturing practices to the T can assure quality by design.
Many have also questioned the tests that a company needs to do to get approval. Until a few years ago, it was not mandatory for companies making generics to carry out bio-equivalence or stability studies.
Bioequivalence studies are done to show that the generic drug elicits the same response as a branded version.
Stability studies are done to see how the quality of the drug varies over a period under specific environmental conditions.
Experts from the pharmaceutical sector admit that there are drugs still in the market that never underwent these studies.
Data from the Union health ministry shows that around 3% of all medicines tested over the last three years — including generics, branded generics, and branded medicines — were found to be not of standard quality.
#upsc #news #headline #rule #prescribe #generic #drugs #health #diseases #national #medical #commission #medicines #indian #doctors #tracks #trains #indian #guidelines #paracetamol #RMP #Biosimilars #index #therapeutic #cases #healthcare #pharmacist #version
Rule to prescribe generic drugs
GS Paper - 3 (Health and Diseases)
After the National Medical Commission notified new guidelines on professional conduct recently, doctors have been protesting one of the stipulations — using generic names of medicines on the prescription instead of a particular brand name. The Indian Medical Association, the largest body of doctors in the country, said in a statement this was akin to “running trains without tracks.”
What do the guidelines say?
The guidelines say that doctors can only write the generic names of the medicine on the prescription.
For example, a doctor will have to prescribe paracetamol for fever, instead of Dolo or Calpol Every RMP should prescribe drugs using generic names written legibly, the guidelines say.
This practice can only be relaxed for medicines with narrow therapeutic index (drugs where a small difference in dosage may lead to adverse outcomes), biosimilars (a different version of biologic products that are manufactured in living systems), and “similar other exceptional cases.”
The guideline says that generic medicines, on average, are 30% to 80% cheaper than the branded versions, and are hence likely to bring down healthcare costs.
What does it mean for you?
The new guidelines do not allow doctors to write a specific brand, which means that you will get whichever medicine with the relevant active ingredient your pharmacist stocks.
If a pharmacy does not have a generic version of a medicine — which drug stores usually do not stock because of very low profit margins — the responsibility to substitute it with a branded medicine will shift to the pharmacist instead of the doctor. This will promote brands that have good profit margins, irrespective of how good they are.
Additionally, doctors say it will also take away their choice of prescribing the medicine they think is the best for a patient.
Taken in the context of the quality of generics varying across companies, this could result in ineffective treatment.
What are the issues with generic medicines?
Doctors, drug manufacturers, and the government all agree that there is much to be done when it comes to the quality of generic medicines in the country.
While the doctors in the IMA statement said that only 0.1% medicines are tested for quality checks, manufacturers said it is not possible for the government to test every batch, but following good manufacturing practices to the T can assure quality by design.
Many have also questioned the tests that a company needs to do to get approval. Until a few years ago, it was not mandatory for companies making generics to carry out bio-equivalence or stability studies.
Bioequivalence studies are done to show that the generic drug elicits the same response as a branded version.
Stability studies are done to see how the quality of the drug varies over a period under specific environmental conditions.
Experts from the pharmaceutical sector admit that there are drugs still in the market that never underwent these studies.
Data from the Union health ministry shows that around 3% of all medicines tested over the last three years — including generics, branded generics, and branded medicines — were found to be not of standard quality.
#upsc #news #headline #rule #prescribe #generic #drugs #health #diseases #national #medical #commission #medicines #indian #doctors #tracks #trains #indian #guidelines #paracetamol #RMP #Biosimilars #index #therapeutic #cases #healthcare #pharmacist #version
#upsc #news #headline #private #rockets #3D #printed #engines #emerging #technology #chennai #spacetech #agnikul #cosmos #rocket #developed #launchpad #flight #suborbital #company #hyderabad #skyroot #indian #commence #integration #aerospace #vikram #privatespace #industry #vehicle #agnilet #agnibaan #LEO #payloads #earth #orbit #diameter #mass #cryogenic #supercold #kerosene #dhawan #superalloy #globally #economy #indiannationalspacepromation #authorisationcenter #satellite #market #research #ISRO #NASA #scientificmisssion
The 640-page NCF, an update on the draft released in April, was developed by a 13-member steering committee led by former ISRO chief K Kasturirangan.
#upsc #news #headline #national #curriculim #NCF #education #indian #school #vision #national #policy #interdisciplinarity #proposals #preparatory #secondary #grades #middlestage #nativetoindia #mathematics #arteducation #physical #enviromental #subjects #period #communication #writingskills #local #global #twolanguages #mandatory #history #journalism #semestersystem #bank #comprehensive #annualsystem #NCERT #development #academicsession #NEP #NCF #kKasturirangan #ISRO #commerce #science #humanities #english #sanskrit
#upsc #news #headline #national #curriculim #NCF #education #indian #school #vision #national #policy #interdisciplinarity #proposals #preparatory #secondary #grades #middlestage #nativetoindia #mathematics #arteducation #physical #enviromental #subjects #period #communication #writingskills #local #global #twolanguages #mandatory #history #journalism #semestersystem #bank #comprehensive #annualsystem #NCERT #development #academicsession #NEP #NCF #kKasturirangan #ISRO #commerce #science #humanities #english #sanskrit
Today's Headlines - 05 September 2023
A sunrace of significant global missions
GS Paper - 3 (Space Technology)
In the wake of the Indian Space Research Organisation's successful launch of its inaugural solar mission, Aditya-L1,, let's embark on a journey through key missions from space agencies worldwide, all dedicated to unravelling the enigmatic secrets of the Sun.
A Sunrace
USA
US: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the US space agency, launched the Parker Solar Probe in August 2018. In December 2021, Parker flew through the Sun's upper atmosphere, the corona, and sampled particles and magnetic fields there. This was the first time ever that a spacecraft touched the Sun, according to NASA.
In February 2020, NASA joined hands with the European Space Agency (ESA) and launched The Solar Orbiter to collect data to find out how the Sun created and controlled the constantly changing space environment throughout the solar system.
Other active solar missions by NASA are Advanced Composition Explorer launched in August, 1997; Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory in October, 2006; Solar Dynamics Observatory in February, 2010; and Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph launched in June, 2013.
Also, in December, 1995, NASA, ESA and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) jointly launched the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).
Japan
JAXA, Japan's space agency, launched its first solar observation satellite, Hinotori (ASTRO-A), in 1981. The objective was to study solar flares using hard X-rays, according to JAXA. JAXA's other solar exploratory missions are Yohkoh (SOLAR-A) launched in 1991; SOHO (along with NASA and ESA) in 1995; and Transient Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE), along with NASA, in 1998.
In 2006, Hinode (SOLAR-B) was launched, which was the successor to Yohkoh (SOLAR-A), the orbiting solar observatory. Japan launched it in collaboration with the US and the UK. The objective of Hinode, an observatory satellite, is to study the impact of the Sun on the Earth.
Yohkoh's objective was to observe solar flares and the solar corona. It was the first satellite to track almost an entire 11-year solar activity cycle.
Europe
In October, 1990, the ESA launched Ulysses to study the environment of space above and below the poles of the Sun, giving scientists information about the variable effect the Sun has on the space surrounding it. Other than solar missions launched in collaboration with NASA and the JAXA, the ESA launched Proba-2 in October, 2001.
Proba-2 is the second of the Proba series, building on nearly eight years of successful Proba-1 experience, even as Proba-1 was not a solar exploratory mission. On-board Proba-2 were four experiments, two of them were solar observation experiments.
Proba stands for Project for On-Board Autonomy. Upcoming solar missions of the ESA include Proba-3, scheduled for 2024 and Smile, scheduled for 2025.
China
The Advanced Space-based Solar Observatory (ASO-S) was successfully launched by the National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in October, 2022. The ASO-S mission is designed to reveal connections among the solar magnetic field, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
Solar flares and CMEs are eruptive solar phenomena, thought to be driven by changes in the Sun's magnetic field.
#upsc #news #headline #sunrace #significant #global #missions #spacetechnology #indian #space #organisation #AdityaL1 #NASA #Solar #magnetic #fields #spacecraft #firsttime #orbiter #ESA #enviroments #spectrograph #JAXA #SOHO #japan #USA #EUROPE #CHINA #ASO #CMEs #autonomy #mission
A sunrace of significant global missions
GS Paper - 3 (Space Technology)
In the wake of the Indian Space Research Organisation's successful launch of its inaugural solar mission, Aditya-L1,, let's embark on a journey through key missions from space agencies worldwide, all dedicated to unravelling the enigmatic secrets of the Sun.
A Sunrace
USA
US: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the US space agency, launched the Parker Solar Probe in August 2018. In December 2021, Parker flew through the Sun's upper atmosphere, the corona, and sampled particles and magnetic fields there. This was the first time ever that a spacecraft touched the Sun, according to NASA.
In February 2020, NASA joined hands with the European Space Agency (ESA) and launched The Solar Orbiter to collect data to find out how the Sun created and controlled the constantly changing space environment throughout the solar system.
Other active solar missions by NASA are Advanced Composition Explorer launched in August, 1997; Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory in October, 2006; Solar Dynamics Observatory in February, 2010; and Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph launched in June, 2013.
Also, in December, 1995, NASA, ESA and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) jointly launched the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).
Japan
JAXA, Japan's space agency, launched its first solar observation satellite, Hinotori (ASTRO-A), in 1981. The objective was to study solar flares using hard X-rays, according to JAXA. JAXA's other solar exploratory missions are Yohkoh (SOLAR-A) launched in 1991; SOHO (along with NASA and ESA) in 1995; and Transient Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE), along with NASA, in 1998.
In 2006, Hinode (SOLAR-B) was launched, which was the successor to Yohkoh (SOLAR-A), the orbiting solar observatory. Japan launched it in collaboration with the US and the UK. The objective of Hinode, an observatory satellite, is to study the impact of the Sun on the Earth.
Yohkoh's objective was to observe solar flares and the solar corona. It was the first satellite to track almost an entire 11-year solar activity cycle.
Europe
In October, 1990, the ESA launched Ulysses to study the environment of space above and below the poles of the Sun, giving scientists information about the variable effect the Sun has on the space surrounding it. Other than solar missions launched in collaboration with NASA and the JAXA, the ESA launched Proba-2 in October, 2001.
Proba-2 is the second of the Proba series, building on nearly eight years of successful Proba-1 experience, even as Proba-1 was not a solar exploratory mission. On-board Proba-2 were four experiments, two of them were solar observation experiments.
Proba stands for Project for On-Board Autonomy. Upcoming solar missions of the ESA include Proba-3, scheduled for 2024 and Smile, scheduled for 2025.
China
The Advanced Space-based Solar Observatory (ASO-S) was successfully launched by the National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in October, 2022. The ASO-S mission is designed to reveal connections among the solar magnetic field, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
Solar flares and CMEs are eruptive solar phenomena, thought to be driven by changes in the Sun's magnetic field.
#upsc #news #headline #sunrace #significant #global #missions #spacetechnology #indian #space #organisation #AdityaL1 #NASA #Solar #magnetic #fields #spacecraft #firsttime #orbiter #ESA #enviroments #spectrograph #JAXA #SOHO #japan #USA #EUROPE #CHINA #ASO #CMEs #autonomy #mission
Today's Headlines - 06 September 2023
Revamped ‘Adopt a Heritage 2.0’ programme
GS Paper - 1 (Art and Culture)
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) launched a revamped version of the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ programme apart from an Indian Heritage app and an e-permission portal.
More about the Programme
Initially launched in 2017 under the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the ASI which invited corporate stakeholders to adopt from over 3,000 protected monuments spread across the country, ‘Adopt a Heritage 2.0’, is the upgraded version of ‘Adopt a Heritage’ programme.
The programme encourages corporate stakeholders to utilise their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds to enhance facilities at historically-important monuments.
The app, on the other hand, provides a comprehensive guide to monuments under ASI’s ambit. It lists historical structures along with pictures, public facilities available on site and geo-tagged locations.
The e-permission portal has been designed to simplify and speed up the process for acquiring approvals for photography, filming, and developmental initiatives concerning heritage monuments, with the goal of expediting the permission-granting process.
The Adopt a Heritage 2.0 has incorporated a host of changes to the programme after a leaner management and supervision structure for the partner agencies, clear guidelines for semi-commercial activities and detailed scope of work and amenities required for monuments was proposed in the earlier version. 1,000 additional monuments have also been added to the list for adoption.
In the updated programme, more freedom has been given to companies such as the option to either adopt a monument in whole and develop its tourism infrastructure, or provide a particular amenity such as drinking water facility or cleaning services for one or several sites.
#upsc #news #headline #Ravamped #Adopt #Heritage #programme #artandculture #ASI #launched #ministry #tourism #CSR #funds #developmental #monuments #historical #corporate #social #indian #survey #locations #freedom #geotagged #speed #commercial
Revamped ‘Adopt a Heritage 2.0’ programme
GS Paper - 1 (Art and Culture)
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) launched a revamped version of the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ programme apart from an Indian Heritage app and an e-permission portal.
More about the Programme
Initially launched in 2017 under the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the ASI which invited corporate stakeholders to adopt from over 3,000 protected monuments spread across the country, ‘Adopt a Heritage 2.0’, is the upgraded version of ‘Adopt a Heritage’ programme.
The programme encourages corporate stakeholders to utilise their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds to enhance facilities at historically-important monuments.
The app, on the other hand, provides a comprehensive guide to monuments under ASI’s ambit. It lists historical structures along with pictures, public facilities available on site and geo-tagged locations.
The e-permission portal has been designed to simplify and speed up the process for acquiring approvals for photography, filming, and developmental initiatives concerning heritage monuments, with the goal of expediting the permission-granting process.
The Adopt a Heritage 2.0 has incorporated a host of changes to the programme after a leaner management and supervision structure for the partner agencies, clear guidelines for semi-commercial activities and detailed scope of work and amenities required for monuments was proposed in the earlier version. 1,000 additional monuments have also been added to the list for adoption.
In the updated programme, more freedom has been given to companies such as the option to either adopt a monument in whole and develop its tourism infrastructure, or provide a particular amenity such as drinking water facility or cleaning services for one or several sites.
#upsc #news #headline #Ravamped #Adopt #Heritage #programme #artandculture #ASI #launched #ministry #tourism #CSR #funds #developmental #monuments #historical #corporate #social #indian #survey #locations #freedom #geotagged #speed #commercial
Today's Headlines - 08 September 2023
JAXA successful launch lander SLIM on Moon
GS Paper - 3 (Space Technology)
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) congratulated Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on 7 September 2023 for the successful launch of the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM).
More about SLIM
Japan launched its H-IIA rocket on 7 September 2023 carrying the JAXA Moon lander which is scheduled to land on the Moon early next year.
The rocket carried an X-ray telescope called the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM), which will study the origins of the universe. XRISM will measure the composition and speed of intergalactic space.
This space mission aims to help scientists to understand celestial object formation and the universe's creation.
This mission was conducted in collaboration with NASA, and it will involve studying light at various wavelengths, temperature assessments, and analysing the shapes and brightness of celestial objects.
Onboard the rocket is JAXA's Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) spacecraft also known as the "Moon Sniper" for its precision landing technology.
This launch follows India's recent achievement of becoming the fourth nation to successfully land a spacecraft on the Moon with its Chandrayaan-3 mission. The launch comes two weeks after India successfully landed Vikram lander on the lunar South Pole.
Japan had previously experienced two unsuccessful attempts to land on the Moon. The first resulted in a loss of contact with a lander carried by a NASA rocket, and the second, an attempt by a Japanese start-up, ended in a crash during the lunar descent in April.
#upsc #news #headline #JAXA #launch #lander #SLIM #Moon #space #technology #indian #research #organisation #ISRO #japan #rocket #telescope #spectroscopy #intergalactric #XRISM #formation #spacecraft #moon #sniper #fourthnation #vikramlander #lunar #southpole #india #southpole
JAXA successful launch lander SLIM on Moon
GS Paper - 3 (Space Technology)
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) congratulated Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on 7 September 2023 for the successful launch of the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM).
More about SLIM
Japan launched its H-IIA rocket on 7 September 2023 carrying the JAXA Moon lander which is scheduled to land on the Moon early next year.
The rocket carried an X-ray telescope called the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM), which will study the origins of the universe. XRISM will measure the composition and speed of intergalactic space.
This space mission aims to help scientists to understand celestial object formation and the universe's creation.
This mission was conducted in collaboration with NASA, and it will involve studying light at various wavelengths, temperature assessments, and analysing the shapes and brightness of celestial objects.
Onboard the rocket is JAXA's Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) spacecraft also known as the "Moon Sniper" for its precision landing technology.
This launch follows India's recent achievement of becoming the fourth nation to successfully land a spacecraft on the Moon with its Chandrayaan-3 mission. The launch comes two weeks after India successfully landed Vikram lander on the lunar South Pole.
Japan had previously experienced two unsuccessful attempts to land on the Moon. The first resulted in a loss of contact with a lander carried by a NASA rocket, and the second, an attempt by a Japanese start-up, ended in a crash during the lunar descent in April.
#upsc #news #headline #JAXA #launch #lander #SLIM #Moon #space #technology #indian #research #organisation #ISRO #japan #rocket #telescope #spectroscopy #intergalactric #XRISM #formation #spacecraft #moon #sniper #fourthnation #vikramlander #lunar #southpole #india #southpole
Today's Headlines - 08 September 2023
Genome secrets of Indian oil sardine
GS Paper - 3 (Biotechnology)
In a major breakthrough in marine fisheries research, a team of scientists at the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has decoded the whole genome of the Indian oil sardine, a popular food fish. This is the first time that the genome of a marine fish species from the Indian subcontinent has been decoded, a CMFRI statement said.
More about the News
This development is a 'milestone' in Indian marine fisheries, the decoded genome will be a valuable resource for understanding the biology, ecology and evolution of the oil sardine (Sardinella longiceps).
This critical genome data could be used to improve the management strategies for the conservation and sustainable utilisation of this fish.
The decoded genome is 1.077 Gb in size and contains a total of 46316 protein coding genes.
This landmark research accomplishment was achieved through the cutting-edge Next Generation Sequencing technology by a group of researchers led by Dr Sandhya Sukumaran, Principal Scientist at Marine Biotechnology division of the CMFRI. This research has been published in the high-impact journal Scientific Data of the Nature Group.
Indian oil sardine is a vital fisheries resource in the Indian subcontinent, contributing substantially, approximately 10 per cent, to the total marine fisheries industry in India.
This fish is a trans-boundary resource and the whole genome information can also be utilised for certification of the fishery and identification of the origin of catch for monitoring clandestine trade and tracking the movement of this enigmatic fish.
Small pelagic fishes like the Indian oil sardines can be considered as model organisms to study the climatic as well as fishing impacts on the Indian Ocean resources, as they respond to variations in environmental and oceanographic parameters.
About Sardines
Sardines are an ecologically important part of the marine ecosystem, as they form an intermediate link in the food web and serve as prey for larger predators.
The genome assembly of the sardines is a valuable tool for studying how fish adapt to climate change.
Genetic and genomic investigations found that Indian oil sardines exist in two highly distinct stocks, one in Indian waters and another in the Gulf of Oman.
Understanding these genetic differences could help researchers comprehend how environmental and oceanographic conditions impact this species in different regions of the Northern Indian Ocean.
The CMFRI statement said the researchers have also identified the genes involved in the biosynthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) of the oil sardine, offering insights into the genomic mechanisms behind the high nutritional quality of these sardines.
Oil sardines are a good source of these fatty acids, which play a crucial role in maintaining human health.
#upsc #news #headline #genome #indian #oil #sardine #biotechnology #secerts #subcontinent #CMFRI #foodfish #ICAR #species #marine #milestone #genes #protein #boundary #resourse #enigmatic #gulf #oman #stocks #enviromental #oceangraphic #PUFA #fattyacids #waters #foodweb #pelagicfishes #resource #DrSandhyaSukumaran #scientist
Genome secrets of Indian oil sardine
GS Paper - 3 (Biotechnology)
In a major breakthrough in marine fisheries research, a team of scientists at the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has decoded the whole genome of the Indian oil sardine, a popular food fish. This is the first time that the genome of a marine fish species from the Indian subcontinent has been decoded, a CMFRI statement said.
More about the News
This development is a 'milestone' in Indian marine fisheries, the decoded genome will be a valuable resource for understanding the biology, ecology and evolution of the oil sardine (Sardinella longiceps).
This critical genome data could be used to improve the management strategies for the conservation and sustainable utilisation of this fish.
The decoded genome is 1.077 Gb in size and contains a total of 46316 protein coding genes.
This landmark research accomplishment was achieved through the cutting-edge Next Generation Sequencing technology by a group of researchers led by Dr Sandhya Sukumaran, Principal Scientist at Marine Biotechnology division of the CMFRI. This research has been published in the high-impact journal Scientific Data of the Nature Group.
Indian oil sardine is a vital fisheries resource in the Indian subcontinent, contributing substantially, approximately 10 per cent, to the total marine fisheries industry in India.
This fish is a trans-boundary resource and the whole genome information can also be utilised for certification of the fishery and identification of the origin of catch for monitoring clandestine trade and tracking the movement of this enigmatic fish.
Small pelagic fishes like the Indian oil sardines can be considered as model organisms to study the climatic as well as fishing impacts on the Indian Ocean resources, as they respond to variations in environmental and oceanographic parameters.
About Sardines
Sardines are an ecologically important part of the marine ecosystem, as they form an intermediate link in the food web and serve as prey for larger predators.
The genome assembly of the sardines is a valuable tool for studying how fish adapt to climate change.
Genetic and genomic investigations found that Indian oil sardines exist in two highly distinct stocks, one in Indian waters and another in the Gulf of Oman.
Understanding these genetic differences could help researchers comprehend how environmental and oceanographic conditions impact this species in different regions of the Northern Indian Ocean.
The CMFRI statement said the researchers have also identified the genes involved in the biosynthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) of the oil sardine, offering insights into the genomic mechanisms behind the high nutritional quality of these sardines.
Oil sardines are a good source of these fatty acids, which play a crucial role in maintaining human health.
#upsc #news #headline #genome #indian #oil #sardine #biotechnology #secerts #subcontinent #CMFRI #foodfish #ICAR #species #marine #milestone #genes #protein #boundary #resourse #enigmatic #gulf #oman #stocks #enviromental #oceangraphic #PUFA #fattyacids #waters #foodweb #pelagicfishes #resource #DrSandhyaSukumaran #scientist