Monthly Archives: October 2019

Headline : The Table that defines chemistry turns 150 Details : The News 2019 is celebrated as ‘The International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements’ as the Period Table of Elements has turned 150 years in 2019. Periodic Table of Elements: A backgrounder The ‘Periodic Table of Elements’ was written by Dmitri Ivanovich MendeleevContinue reading “The Table that defines chemistry turns 150”

Headline : The forms of federalism in India Details : Why in News? The Union government has withdrawn the special status conferred on Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) under Article 370 of the Constitution. It has also divided the State into two regions and declared them as Union Territories.   The debate concerning with federalism: Nations areContinue reading “The forms of federalism in India”

Vultures in India: Endangered: Experts said that breeding and conservation of vultures has become very important as the bird species are now endangered. Almost 95% of vultures in India have disappeared. They were said to have perished after consuming carcasses of cattle, which were tainted with Diclofenac, a pain-killer drug. Vulture breeding: The NBP isContinue reading “Vultures in India:”

Inland Waterways in India: A Background Inland Waterways Transport is the transportation of cargo over rivers, backwaters, canals and creeks.   Advantages of IWT IWT is the most inexpensive mode of transportation. According to RITES Report of 2014 on “Integrated National Waterways Transportation Grid (INWTG)” the cost comparison is as below: Mode Total Rs /Continue reading “Inland Waterways in India”

CYCAS Cycas are one of the most ancient plants whose fossils date to the Jurassic period and are often referred to as “living fossils”. According to scientists, Cycas evolved on the earth as the first seeded plants and they grow very slowly, adding only a few centimetres every year. Nearly 65% of Cycas are threatenedContinue reading “CYCAS”

Northern River Terrapin (Batagur baska): Physical features: It is a 60 cm long turtle, recognized by 4 claws in front feet where as other turtles have 5. Habitat: The terrapin is found in tidal areas of large rivers, sandbars and riverbanks. Status: Presumed to be extinct in several Southeast Asian countries. Described as the world’sContinue reading “Northern River Terrapin (Batagur baska):”

Background of issue: Issues within Supreme Court (SC): On January 12, four senior judges of SC, in an unprecedented public airing of grievances, questioned the conduct of CJI over allocation of cases to judges.  The judges have since met the CJI but there has been no indication so far of any headway made in breakingContinue reading “Removal of Judge”

What is the Ramsar concept of “wise use” of wetlands? What is the significance of Ramsar Convention in wetland conservation? (15 marks) Approach: Introduce with wetlands Explain ‘wise use’ concept – ecological character, ecosystem approach and sustainable development Explain significance of Ramsar Convention for wetland conservation Conclude appropriately Model Answer : Wetlands are transitional zonesContinue reading “What is the Ramsar concept of “wise use” of wetlands? What is the significance of Ramsar Convention in wetland conservation? (15 marks)”

Headline : Assam announces two-child limit for jobs in govt Details : In News In a revolutionary move, the Assam Cabinet has approved Two Child norms and Prohibition of Child Marriage Act norms for entry and continuation in government service. The move comes two months after Prime Minister flagged the issue of “population explosion” in his Independence Day speech. TheContinue reading “Assam announces two-child limit for jobs in govt”

Headline : World’s northernmost coral reef bleached Details : Bleaching in Japanese waters: Researchers found that bleaching has damaged the world’s northernmost coral reef off the coast of Tsushima island in Japan. This lies in the temperate zone, near the Kyushu islands. Earlier, there was large-scale coral bleaching in Japan’s subtropical Okinawa chain of islands last summer. InContinue reading “World’s northernmost coral reef bleached”

Headline : Explained: Monsoon out, monsoon in Details : In News A rare meteorological coincidence was recently observed by the country. Thesouthwest, or summer, monsoon, finally withdrew from the country, having overstayed and delayed its retreat by a record time. On the same day, the northeast, or winter, monsoon made its onset, on time. The two events rarely happen simultaneously,Continue reading “Explained: Monsoon out, monsoon in”

The Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) among the globally threatened vulture species found in India. The species is popularly known as safed giddh (white vulture) in Hindi. According to BirdLife International, the present global breeding population of the Egyptian vulture is estimated to be 12,000 to 38,000 individuals. Habitat: They build their nests on ledges, in caves,Continue reading “Egyptian vulture”

“Independent India is a faithful reflection of the legacy of our national movement.” Explain with reference to the philosophy and policies pursued by independent India. (10 marks) Approach Introduce with the freedom struggle and key ideals involved in it Enumerate the various ideas by linking it with different policies adopted by new independent India –Continue reading ““Independent India is a faithful reflection of the legacy of our national movement.” Explain with reference to the philosophy and policies pursued by independent India. (10 marks)”

Danziger Flower Farm: The farm was founded in 1953, it is one of Israel’s leading floriculture companies. It has approximately 80,000 square meters of state-of-the-art greenhouses specialising in reproduction of plants. It specialises in research and development of new varieties and cultivars of plants and flowers. Features of Chrysanthemum Flower: Chrysanthemum is perennial herb andContinue reading “Danziger Flower Farm:”

Cotton in Maharashtra: Maharashtra is the largest cotton-growing state in the country. Nearly 40 lakh hectares or 35% of the cultivatable area is under cotton production. Nearly 96% cotton-growing farmers in the state use BG-II Bt cotton seeds for cultivation. Pink bollworm is a major pest in Maharashtra. Pink Bollworm: It is a small, thin,Continue reading “Bt Cotton”

Headline : A crusade for women’s rights Details : The News The Supreme Court is being seen as a crusade for women’s rights because of its various verdicts in favour of women rights. Recent important Supreme Court verdicts Candidates contesting elections cannot be disqualified on framing of charges A Constitution Bench ruled that candidates contesting elections cannot be disqualified on theContinue reading “A crusade for women’s rights”

What are Biodiversity Hotspots? The British biologist Norman Myers coined the term “biodiversity hotspot” in 1988. They are the biogeographic regions characterised both by exceptional levels of plant endemism and by serious levels of habitat loss. To qualify as a hotspot a region must meet two strict criteria: It must contain at least 1,500 speciesContinue reading “Biodiversity Hotspots”

Elephant census: It is the first ever synchronised elephant census carried out in the country’s eastern region. With the count of 1,976 elephants in this census, it has been seen that the jumbo population has gone up marginally by 22 elephants from 2015. Methods used to Count: Direct method like direct sighting was used. IndirectContinue reading “Elephant Census”

About Ramsar Convention The Convention on Wetlands, called the Ramsar Convention, is an inter-governmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. The convention on Wetlands was signed at Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. It is the only global environment treaty dealingContinue reading “About Ramsar, Wetlands”

Aerosols: Aerosols are solid or liquid particles suspended in a mixture of gases. Aerosols covers a wide spectrum of small particles, like sea salt particles, mineral dust, pollen, drops of sulphuric acid and many others. Sources: Aerosols originate from a wide variety of natural and anthropogenic sources. Some of them are:- Vehicular exhaust Half-burnt cropContinue reading “Aerosols”

About Leader of Opposition No provision for LoP in Constitution: There is no provision in the Constitution or even in the Lok Sabha Rules of Procedure in regard to the recognition of the Leader of Opposition (LoP). By norm, second largest party with 10% of the seats was LoP: Right from the first Lok Sabha, theContinue reading “About Leader of Opposition”

About Mekedatu dam project Being set up by the Karnataka government, the project is near Mekedatu, in Ramanagaram district, across the river Cauvery from Tamil Nadu. Its proposed capacity is 48 TMC (thousand million cubic feet). Its primary objective is to supply drinking water to Bengaluru and recharge the groundwater table in the region.     BackgroundContinue reading “About Mekedatu dam project”

Mangroves Mangroves are salt-tolerant plants. They are present in tropical and subtropical inter-tidal regions of the world. The specific regions where these plants occur are termed as ‘mangrove ecosystem’. They are highly productive but extremely sensitive and fragile.   Threats to the Mangroves The threats to the mangrove ecosystem could be broadly grouped into two:Continue reading “Mangroves”

What is NOTA? None of the above (NOTA) is a ballot option in some jurisdictions or organizations, designed to allow the voter to indicate disapproval of all of the candidates in a voting system. The idea behind the use of NOTA is to allow the voter to register a “protest” vote if none of theContinue reading “NOTA and RS Election”

National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 The National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 was enacted in 1992 for the effective implementation of safeguards for the protection of the interests of Minorities. The Act extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir. It empowers the Union Government to set up theContinue reading “National Commission for Minorities”

Lingayats They are the worshippers of Lord Shiva. The community derives its name from the pendant of the Shivalinga, the symbol of Siva, worn by its members in a chain around their neck. They are spread across Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and other States. They do not believe in birth-based caste system and superstition(Continue reading “Lingayats”

Noise Pollution: Noise pollution refers to the presence of noise or sound to such a level in the environment that is disturbing, irritating and annoying to living beings. Factors responsible for Noise Pollution: Urbanisation Industrialisation Growth in Population Poverty & Illiteracy Non-Cooperation of Governmental Agencies Customs, Festivals or Religious Ceremonies Sources: The sources of noiseContinue reading “Noise Pollution”

Headline : Journey of the MP’s code Background of code of conduct Codes of conduct for high constitutional functionaries and representatives of the people have been discussed for long. A code for Union ministers was adopted in 1964, and state governments were advised to adopt it as well. A conference of Chief Justices in 1999 resolvedContinue reading “Journey of the MP’s code”

Reasons 1. Seepage of urea One of the prime reasons is the seepage of water from the damaged roof of the godown and mixing with the urea stored in it. When urea mixes with sea water, it increases the ammonia level. Ammonia drastically reduces the presence of dissolved oxygen in the water. Lack of oxygenContinue reading “Reasons behind the mass death of fish and other marine animals in Ganjam district.”

Meaning: Rivers as Legal Entities The status accorded to the Ganga and the Yamuna would mean that if anyone was found polluting the rivers, it would amount to harming a human being. Recognizing the rivers as a living entity grants them new found legal identity and all rights laid out in the Constitution of India.Continue reading “Meaning: Rivers as Legal Entities”

About Current Account Deficit (CAD) The current account measures the flow of goods, services and investments into and out of the country. A country runs into a deficit if the value of the goods and services it imports exceed the value of those it exports. The current account includes net income, including interest and dividends,Continue reading “About Current Account Deficit (CAD)”

Spread of CO2 over India Satellite imagery revealed that in India :- Southern India and the western coast has somewhat lower CO2 concentrations between 395 ppm and 400 ppm. Central and northern regions registered between 400 and 405 ppm. Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh has CO2 concentrations between 405 ppm and 410 ppm.Continue reading “Spread of Co2”

Background of livestock census Livestock census actually covers the census of livestock, poultry, implements and machinery used for livestock rearing. It is the only source for providing various kind of detailed information for these groups. The human counting was started in 1872 and 47 years after that the importance of a livestock census was first recognisedContinue reading “Livestock census”

Headline : When DNA is the new hard drive Details : Why in News? The Scientists were able to store a Film Clip in a fragment of DNA (Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid). The very first motion picture ever made of a galloping mare filmed in 1878 is now the first movie to be coded in the DNAContinue reading “When DNA is the new hard drive”

  Approach: Introduce with the office of Lokpal and Lokayuktas in India. Highlight the key provisions of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013. Discuss the shortcomings of this Act. Conclude Appropriately. Model Answer : On the model of the Ombudsman followed in the Scandinavian countries, the 1st Administrative Reforms Commission of India recommended the settingContinue reading “Highlight the key provisions of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013. Are there any shortcomings that may hamper the effectiveness of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013?”