Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 03-03-2021

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 03-03-2021

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. World Economy - Uber's shock will reverberate worldwide - Britain’s Supreme Court delivered a final blow to Uber in a long legal battle with its drivers about their employment status in the country, when it ruled that the drivers are “workers” and not “independent third-party contractors”, and are therefore entitled to benefits and protections. Britain is a big market for Uber, but it has come up against many regulatory problems, especially in London. The implications of the court’s decision could put the brakes on Britain’s wider carefree gig economy, too. Since such 'gig economy firms' operate everywhere, including in India, there are serious implications of the same here too. Once car drivers (say) are treated as regular workers (employees), the entire business model will financially get altered. Interesting times ahead!
2. Science and Technology - DRDO’s Sindhu Netra satellite deployed - The 'Sindhu Netra' satellite which has been developed by DRDO was deployed in space on February 28, 2021. It will strengthen the surveillance capabilities of India to monitor the activities of both merchant shipping and military warships in the Indian Ocean Region. It was launched aboard PSLV C51 of ISRO which took off from Andhra Pradesh on February 28, 2021. Sindhu Netra is one of the first in the series of satellites that would help the nation in enhancing its surveillance capabilities on land in areas such as the Ladakh region with China and the border areas with Pakistan. Seeking to keep a closer eye on the activities of the Chinese military both near the Indian territory as well as in its depth areas all along the 4,000 kilometre Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Indian security agencies feel there is a requirement of four to six dedicated satellites which can help them keep a check on the adversary's moves.
3. Science and Technology - Dinosaur fossils discovered in Argentina -  Researchers discovered the fossils of Dinosaurs from 140 million years ago, in Argentina. The incomplete skeletal remains belong to the Patagonian wilderness of Argentina, which is the oldest known member of the dinosaur group known as Titanosaurs. According to researchers, the fossils represent a species of dinosaur called Ninjatitan Zapatai, that lived during the Cretaceous period. The dinosaur's incomplete skeletal remains demonstrated that the titanosaurs as a group first appeared longer ago than previously known. Titanosaurs are recorded on various sides of the world, but the oldest-known records were more modern than this find. At a length of about 65 feet (20 meters), Ninjatitan was a large dinosaur, but much smaller than later titanosaurs such as Argentinosaurus that reached a length of around 115 feet (35 meters). The researchers said the presence of such an early titanosaur in Patagonia supports the idea that titanosaurs originated in the Southern Hemisphere. The Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event was a sudden mass extinction of three-quarters of the plant and animal species on Earth, approximately 66 million years ago. With the exception of some ectothermic species such as the sea turtles and crocodilians, no tetrapods weighing more than 25 kilograms survived.
4. Governance and Institutions - Launch of Sugamya Bharat App - The Union Minister for Social justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot launched the "Sugamya Bharat App" in virtual mode on March 2, 2021. The Minister released a handbook called "Access-The Photo Digest". About Sugamya Bharat App: It is a crowdsourced mobile application developed to improve accessibility in the 3 pillars of the Accessible India Campgin (i.e. the transportation sector, the built environment and India’s ICT ecosystem). This mobile application contains five main functions, four directly related to enhanced accessibility, and one a special function for Divyangjan's COVID-19 related issues. The accessibility-related function of the app is-register complaints about the inaccessibility of the 3 main pillars of Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan.  It also includes various user-friendly features such as simple drop-down menus, Hindi and English videos, sign language translation, and complaint uploading with photos. Registration on the App: The mobile application is simple to use because it is easy to register. Registration only requires 3 required fields, namely name, mobile phone number and email ID. After users register in the app, they will ask questions about accessibility.
5. World Politics - Switzerland's policy of neutrality - International Neutrality Day is a day recognized by the United Nations held on December 12. The Switzerland’s Ambassador said that due to changes in world political realities, its traditional foreign Policy of Neutrality (Swiss Neutrality) has once again become attractive. This is a foreign policy position in which the country intends to remain neutral in future wars. Sovereignty is preserved, and the right to war is in a state of armed neutrality in the event of an attack by one of the parties. A state that is permanently neutral is a sovereign state, bound by an international treaty or its own declaration, and remains neutral to all warring parties in future wars. Switzerland is an example of a permanently neutral country. Other countries are Ireland, Austria and so on. The concept of neutrality in war is narrowly defined and imposes specific restrictions on neutral parties in exchange for the internationally recognized right to maintain neutrality. International Neutrality Day is a day recognized by the United Nations held on December 12 each year to raise public awareness of the value of neutrality in international relations.
6. Governance and Institutions - Revising National Food Security Act, 2013 - NITI Aayog, through a discussion paper, has recommended reducing the rural and urban coverage under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, to 60% and 40%, respectively. It has also proposed a revision of beneficiaries as per the latest population which is currently being done through Census-2011, notified on 10th September, 2013. Objective is to provide for food and nutritional security in the human life cycle approach, by ensuring access to adequate quantities of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity. Covered 75% of the rural population and upto 50% of the urban population for receiving subsidized foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). Overall, NFSA caters to 67% of the total population.
7. Governance and Institutions - Spectrum auction ends with Rs. 77,815 cr bids; Jio top buyer - Government's two-day telecom spectrum auction ended on 02-03-2021, with Rs. 77,814.80 crore of airwaves being bought. Three bidders, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio participated in the auction, with Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio ending up as the biggest buyer with ?57,122.65 crore bids. Airtel bought radio waves worth ?18,698.75 crore and Vodafone Idea bought spectrum worth ?1,993.40 crore. The telecom market has become monopolised in the past four years, with Reliance Industries racing ahead of everyone else, and most firms collapsing financially. Hurun Rich List 2020 has put Mukesh Ambani, RIL owner, as one of the top 10 richest persons in the world.
8. Indian Politics - PM exploiting post - TMC writes to EC against his pic on vaccine certificates - The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has written to the Election Commission alleging that use of PM Narendra Modi's photo in digital COVID-19 vaccination certificates violates the Model Code of Conduct. The party accused the PM of "exploiting his post" and stealing credit from vaccine makers. TMC urged the EC to stop PM from "taking unfair advantages and undue publicity at tax payer's cost". The vaccination certificates now carry a message from, and picture of, Narendra Modi.
9. Governance and Institutions - Maritime India Summit 2021 - Denmark is a partner country for the three-day summit held in India. This was a virtual summit organized by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. The summit will formulate a roadmap for the Indian maritime sector in the next ten years and will push India to the forefront of the global maritime sector. It is expected that many countries will discuss potential business opportunities and investments in Indian waters. India's territorial jurisdiction extends to territorial water up to 12 nautical miles from the nearest point of the baseline; beyond territorial waters is the Contiguous Zone extending up to 24 nautical miles; and beyond that up to 200 nautical miles is the Exclusive Economic Zone of India.
10. People and Personalities - Richie Rich list by Hurun - Reliance Industries Ltd’s (RIL) chairman Mukesh Ambani is the richest Indian and the eighth richest person in the world, according to the Hurun Global Rich List 2021. While in Asia, Mukesh Ambani has acquired the second spot in 10th Edition of Hurun Global Rich List 2021 released 02-03-2021 with a total net worth stood at Rs 6.05 lakh crore. Mukesh Ambani’s net worth has jumped to $83 billion from $66 billion in 2020. The other Indian billionaires in the list were Gautam Adani & family with Rs 2.34 lakh crore wealth, Shiv Nadar & family with a net worth of Rs 1.94 lakh crore, Lakshmi N Mittal Rs 1.40 lakh crore net worth, Cyrus Poonawalla of Serum Institute with Rs 1.35 lakh crore net worth, Hinduja Brothers with Rs 1.31 lakh crore net worth and Uday Kotak with Rs 1.08 lakh crore net worth, among others. This is the tenth year of the ranking and has 3,228 billionaires from 68 countries and 2,402 companies. India has now 209 billionaires, of which 177 reside in India. The list includes 118 self-made billionaires and 91 inherited billionaires. Indian wealth creation is dominated by cyclical/traditional industries compared to tech-driven wealth creation in the US and China. India has added more than one billionaire every week.

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• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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• 1. ECONOMY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper)

India's services growth rise due to domestic demand 

• The story: India's dominant services activity grew at its fastest pace in a year last month, driven by an extended robust recovery in domestic demand though input costs rose at the quickest rate in eight years, as per private surveys. As Asia's third largest economy came out of a technical recession and expanded 0.4% annually in Q3 of FY 21, the recovery was expected to gather pace in the year ahead amid hopes a successful vaccine rollout will boost business activity.
• PMI: The Nikkei/IHS Markit Services Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 55.3 last month from 52.8 in January, its highest since February 2020, just before the coronavirus pandemic hit the economy. It has stayed above the 50-level mark separating growth from contraction for the fifth straight month as a sub-index tracking new business orders hit a year high. The positive impulse came despite a persistent contraction in foreign demand, albeit the pace of the downturn was the slowest since March 2020.
• Costs: The economic rebound and the solid recovery in manufacturing activity helped boost the composite PMI to a four-month high of 57.3 in February 2021. Still, services firms reduced headcount at the sharpest pace in three months, signalling the bruised labour market will take more time to fully recover. Firms faced the strongest increase in input costs in eight years but were unable to transfer it on to customers as they tried to maintain their market share and stimulate new orders.
• Fuel price pressure: That along with a recent spike in oil prices - a key component of headline inflation - mean overall price pressures are likely to intensify, making it difficult for the Reserve Bank of India to remain so accommodative. Inflation remains a topic of concern. Once firms' additional cost burdens start to feed through to clients via price hikes, demand strength may come under pressure. But optimism was at a 12-month high last month, driven by the ongoing economic recovery and hopes for a successful vaccine rollout.

Knowledge centre:

1. PMI - The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) is an index of the prevailing direction of economic trends in the manufacturing and service sectors. It provides information about current and future business conditions to company decision makers, analysts, and investors.
2. Recession - A recession is when a nation's GDP contracts for two consecutive quarters. It is a period of economic contraction, where businesses see less demand and begin to lose money. To cut costs and stem losses, companies begin laying off workers, generating higher levels of unemployment.

 

India's exports dip in February 2021

• The story: India's exports dipped marginally by 0.25 per cent to $27.67 billion in February 2021, while imports grew by 6.98 per cent to $40.55 billion during the month, as per commerce ministry. The trade deficit widened to $12.88 billion in February as compared to $10.16 billion in the year-ago period, the ministry said in a statement.
• Details: The exports during April-February 2020-21 period stood at $255.92 billion. In the same period a year ago, it was at $291.87 billion, showing a negative growth of 12.32 per cent. Imports during April-February period too dipped 23 per cent to $340.88 billion.
• Sectorwise: In February, oil imports declined 16.63 per cent to $8.99 billion. It was down 40.18 per cent to $72.08 billion during the 11-month period of the current fiscal. Major commodities of export which recorded positive growth in February include oil meals, iron ore, rice, meat, dairy and poultry products, carpet, spices, pharmaceuticals and chemicals. Many export commodities recorded negative growth during the same period. They are petroleum products (-27.13 per cent), leather (-21.62 per cent), cashew (-18.6 per cent), gems and jewellery (-11.18 per cent), engineering goods (-2.56 per cent), tea (-2.49 per cent) and coffee (-0.73 per cent).

• Knowledge centre:

1. Trade deficit - A trade deficit occurs when a country's imports exceed its exports during a given time period. It is also referred to as a negative balance of trade (BOT).
2. Currenct account deficit - The current account deficit (CAD) is a measurement of a country's trade where the value of the goods and services it imports exceeds the value of the products it exports. The 'current account' is a country's foreign transactions and is a component of a country's balance of payments (BOP) {like the capital account is}.

 

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• 2. ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper

Plastic and Biomedical waste post COVID-19

• The threat of plastic pollution: Plastic pollution has grown to become one of the greatest sustainability challenges of the 21st century. Its increasing release into the environment stresses the integrity of ecosystems, and poses various threats to human health. Plastic production has increased from 300 to 360 million tonnes during the past 5 years, out of which 50 per cent are purportedly single-use plastic items. Plastic particles (here in the form of tiny 'microplastics') have become so ubiquitous that they were even discovered in the placenta of an unborn child, and otherwise find their way into aquatic ecosystems, particularly the ocean. Previous studies have estimated that 8 million metric tonnes of macroplastic and 1.5 metric tonnes of primary microplastic enter the world's oceans every year.
• How pandemic hit: The COVID-19 induced pandemic and related control measures have had devastating impacts on societies in 2020, and its immediate threat has overshadowed a multitude of environmental concerns, including climate change. A linked dimension of concern is the pandemics' disruptive effects on the roadmap towards agenda 2030, and achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The increasing use of health-related single-use plastic (SUP) items, including personal protective equipment (PPEs) has been essential to contain the COVID-19 virus, but adds to the plastic pollution problem, if not properly managed.
• A new road ahead: While the pandemic caused setbacks on progress towards achieving the SDGs, 2021 also offers opportunities to reflect and think ahead. In the aftermath of crisis, avenues to learn and precipitate change that departs from a status quo may open. A sustainable development agenda post COVID-19 must focus on sustainability and justice, building back greener and developing inclusive solutions that leave no one behind. This prominent theme will also figure at the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2021 under the umbrella of 'Redefining our Common Future: Safe and Secure Environment for All'.
• Plastic and PPEs: Plastic waste generation in India during 2018–19 was estimated at 3.36 million tonnes per year, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). But plastic waste generation and waste released indiscriminately into the environment are different. The latter is more difficult to measure and mainly becomes a marine pollution challenge, if mismanaged. India is the 12th largest releaser of plastic waste into the oceans. While India's per capita plastic waste generation is relatively low compared to the global average, a growing population and fast-paced economic development contributes to a sharp increase in SUP consumption.
• Biomedical waste: Unlike plastic waste, biomedical waste is usually managed in a closed loop system in tune with the Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016 (BMWM Rules) but capacities to handle waste volumes safely differ across regions and localities. The growth in single-use plastic for PPEs, such as face shields, gloves, goggles and PPE suits, has added to the pressure on municipal waste management systems. A staggering 129 billion disposable face masks and 65 billion plastic gloves are estimated6 to be used globally every month and have become a visible manifestation of a new normal. They are found littered or washed up at beaches across India affecting wildlife and human health. COVID-19 has, perhaps, partly flipped the narrative of the plastic debate, as SUPs played the role of 'saviour' through its widespread application in protective health functions.
• Role of Informal Sector in Plastic Waste Management: Data from the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) highlights that employment in India remains overwhelmingly informal; for instance, among waste pickers and intermediaries, 75 per cent are informally employed. Limited data exists on the size of the sector, with estimates suggesting that between 2 and 4 million people are engaged in it. The socio-economic impacts from the pandemic were felt acutely by the entire informal sector and its workers, whose access to social security, government insurance schemes, and health care is limited. Following the initial lockdown in March 2020, limited livelihood opportunities in the cities triggered a massive reverse migration of mostly informal workers, whose long and arduous journey home—shocked the collective consciousness of the nation. The informal waste management sector has typically been characterized by small-scale and unskilled recycling activities, providing a source of income for workers living under conditions of economic insecurity.

• Aligning Goals: The COVID-19 induced pandemic proved to be a stark reminder of the societal value that essential services and their providers hold, from health care to informal waste workers. It also reminded us of unequally distributed crisis-impacts and the inherent fragility of our economic, ecological, and social systems. What does this mean for the SDGs and a future roadmap towards environmental justice and sustainability?

1. Principles of environmental justice imply that the responsibility and burden for environmental degradation and pollution are shared equally. It also implicitly links to questions of power, and empowerment. The informal waste management sector remains highly vulnerable, and poor safety standards exacerbate health risks for informal sector workers, which combined with little access to social security provisions, domicile benefits and market volatility cause livelihood insecurities.
2. More efforts are required to support and recognize informal workers, assess the sectors' capacity, and leverage it towards targeting environmental goals such as reducing wastage, and ill-managed plastic pollution. Possible support mechanisms range from infrastructure support to legal and economic instruments.
3. As India moves towards a framework for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), opportunities exist for EPR mechanisms to foster infrastructure investment and introduce economic incentives that support informal sector collection of low-value plastics, such as buy-back or deposit refund schemes for SUPs15.

• Looking beyond crisis: Plastic pollution embodies a multifaceted environmental issue, structurally anchored in our modern-day consumer societies. The increasing use of SUPs is both a boon and bane, as we can gauge from the COVID-19 pandemic. But plastic pollution is also symptomatic of the contradictions and challenges we face when dealing with this versatile material, in its various garbs and manifestations; it can be both a saviour and pollutant based on how waste is used and managed. Responsible production, consumption, and recycling enforced through regulation and supported by technological innovation will play a major role in its safe management. There is however no magic bullet. The looming challenge of mass vaccination and related biomedical waste, involving hundreds of millions of people will be a major task for waste management systems. 

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• 3. FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper)

Remaining neutral, a Swiss policy that worked  

• We don't align: In 2021, the Swiss Ambassador said that its traditional foreign Policy of Neutrality (Swiss Neutrality) has become attractive again because of the changing political reality in the world.

• Policy of Neutrality: It is a foreign policy position wherein a state intends to remain neutral in future wars. A sovereign state that reserves the right to become belligerent if attacked by a party to the war is in a condition of armed neutrality. A permanently neutral power is a sovereign state which is bound by international treaty, or by its own declaration, to be neutral towards the belligerents of all future wars. An example of a permanently neutral power is Switzerland. Other being Ireland, Austria, etc.

1. The concept of neutrality in war is narrowly defined and puts specific constraints on the neutral party in return for the internationally recognized right to remain neutral.
2. The International Day of Neutrality is a United Nations recognized day held on 12th December each year to raise public awareness of the value of neutrality in international relations.
3. National policies of neutrality are aimed at promoting the use of preventive diplomacy, which is a core function of the United Nations.
4. The term "Preventive diplomacy" refers to diplomatic action taken to prevent disputes from escalating into conflicts and to limit the spread of conflicts when they occur.

• Evolution of Swiss Neutrality: Switzerland is renowned for its neutrality, but this should not be confused with pacifism. The country maintains an army, including obligatory conscription for men, and did so throughout both World Wars. The last time Switzerland (Swiss) fought a military battle was 500 years ago, against the French (the Swiss lost). In 1783, Switzerland was acknowledged as a neutral state in the Treaty of Paris. The Treaty of Paris was signed in Paris by Great Britain and the United States of America and Canada on 3rd September, 1783, and it officially ended the American Revolutionary War. Switzerland maintained its impartial stance through World War I (1914-18), when it mobilized its army and accepted refugees but also refused to take sides militarily. IIn 1920, meanwhile, the newly formed League of Nations officially recognized Swiss neutrality and established its headquarters in Geneva.
• Second World War: A more significant challenge to Swiss neutrality came during World War II, when the country found itself encircled by the Axis powers. However even then Switzerland maintained its independence by promising retaliation in the event of an invasion. Since World War II, Switzerland has taken a more active role in international affairs by aiding humanitarian initiatives, but it remains fiercely neutral with regard to military affairs. It has never joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or the European Union, and only joined the United Nations in 2002. In the 21st century, Switzerland is again becoming a destination for dialogue on difficult issues.
• Significance for India: India’s policy of Non-alignment and Switzerland’s traditional policy of neutrality have led to a close understanding between the two countries. In 1948, a Treaty of Friendship was concluded between both the countries. Both believe in the spirit of democracy and pluralism.

• Non-Aligned Movement: It is a forum of 120 developing world states that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. The group was started in Belgrade, Yugoslavia in 1961. It was created by Yugoslavia’s President, Josip Broz Tito, India’s first PM, Jawaharlal Nehru, Egypt’s second President Gamal Abdel Nasser, Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah, and Indonesia’s first President, Sukarno. The most important antecedent to the formation of the Non-Aligned Movement was the Bandung Conference of 1955.

1. Objectives - It sought to "create an independent path in world politics that would not result in member States becoming pawns in the struggles between the major powers." It identified the right of independent judgment, the struggle against imperialism and neo-colonialism, and the use of moderation in relations with all big powers as the three basic elements that have influenced its approach. At present, an additional goal is facilitating a restructuring of the international economic order.
2. Principles - Respect for fundamental human rights and of the objectives and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. Recognition of equality among all races and of equality among all nations, both large and small. Non-interference or non-intervention into the internal affairs of another country. Respect the right of every nation to defend itself, either individually or collectively, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations. Non-use of collective defence pacts to benefit the specific interests of any of the great powers. Refraining from acts or threats of aggression and use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any nation.

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• 4. GOVERNMENT SCHEMES (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

Private Covid vaccine centres 

• Broadening the scope: Till date, only those private hospitals that were empanelled under Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PM JAY) and similar State Health Insurance Schemes could function as CVCs. But now, those not empanelled under any central or state government health scheme can now also operate as COVID Vaccination Centre (CVCs) subject to them mandatorily adhering to some specific norms.
• What happens now: With the decision, all private hospitals have been permitted to operate as CVCs if they have adequate number of vaccinators, adequate space for observation of the vaccinated, adequate cold chain arrangement and adequate arrangement for management of adverse event following immunisation (AEFI). The centre asked States/UTs to proactively make efforts to use these private hospitals as CVCs.
• Centre to states: The centre asked states to ensure adequate allocation of vaccines to all hospitals (government and private) for the entire duration for which sessions has been planned, to enable them to function as CVCs in a smooth and obstruction free manner. It was reiterated that there is no shortage of COVID vaccines, hence adequate vaccine doses should be allocated to the CVCs. States/UTs should not store, reserve, conserve or create a buffer stock of the COVID vaccines at the State and district levels.

• Stock: The Central Government has adequate stock and will provide the required vaccine doses to the States and UTs. All Private Vaccination Centres should have in place effective crowd management protocols along with facilities for seating, water, proper signage etc. They should also ensure adherence of Covid-appropriate behaviour among the citizen beneficiaries. State and District administration would proactively facilitate this.

1. The central government said that States/UTs in consultation with the Private Hospitals should open the vaccination slots for 15 days to a month and announce this as part of their Vaccine Time Table. “The Co-WIN2.0 portal can be scaled up to accommodate all potential and eligible citizen beneficiaries. This portal should be put to effective use as the backbone of the vaccination program, as per the Health Ministry.
2. The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare took his first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at Delhi Heart and Lung Institute, New Delhi.
3. He admitted that there were some glitches in Co-WIN platform due to high number of registrations all of a sudden. India has so far administered more than 1.5 crore vaccine doses.

• Cases rising: As India continues vaccination of population to control covid-19 pandemic, some states in the country continue to report high number of cases. At least 12,286 new cases were recorded in last 24 hours with 80.33% of the new cases from 5 States. Maharashtra continues to report the highest daily new cases at 6,397. It is followed by Kerala with 1,938 while Punjab reported 633 new cases.

1. India’s total Active Caseload stands at 1,68,358. Two states, Maharashtra and Kerala alone account for 67.84% of total active cases, the union health ministry said. Five States cumulatively account for 84.16% of the total active cases in the country. Maharashtra alone accounts for 46.82% of India’s total active cases, followed by Kerala with 28.61%.
2. At least 91 deaths were also reported in the last 24 hours. Six States account for 85.71% of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (30). Punjab follows with 18 daily deaths. Kerala reported13 deaths, the health ministry data showed.
3. The country’s present active caseload now consists of 1.51% of total positive cases. Although certain states in the country are seeing a surge in the number of active cases the fact remains that the recovered cases are more than 97% and active cases are still less than 2 %.

 

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• 5. POLITY AND CONSTITUTION (Prelims, GS Paper 2, GS Paper 3)

Lateral Entry into bureaucracy and issue of Reservation 

1. Changing norms: In 2021, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) issued an advertisement to recruit through lateral entry in the second round. This 'lateral entry' refers to the induction of new personnel at middle and senior management levels in the central government.
2. Where they go: These ‘lateral entrants’ would be part of the central secretariat. The secretariat, in the normal course, has only career bureaucrats from the All India Services/ Central Civil Services.
3. Recent appointments: Applications were open for appointment of 30 persons at the Joint Secretary and Director level in the Central administration. These individuals, who would make a “lateral entry” into the government secretariat, would be contracted for 3 to 5 years. These posts were “unreserved”, meaning no quotas for SCs, STs and OBCs. The new advertisement is for the second round of such recruitments.
4. Earlier case: The lateral appointments were made for 10 positions of Joint Secretary in different Ministries/Departments and 40 positions at the level of Deputy Secretary/Director. A Joint Secretary, appointed by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), has the third highest rank (after Secretary and Additional Secretary) in a Department. S/he functions as administrative head of a wing in the Department. Directors are a rank below that of Joint Secretary.
5. Government’s rationale: Government has, from time to time, appointed some prominent persons for specific assignments in government. This is keeping in view their specialised knowledge and expertise in the domain area. Lateral recruitment is thus aimed at achieving the twin objectives of bringing in fresh talent and augmenting the availability of manpower. However, groups representing SCs, STs and OBCs have protested the fact that there is no reservation in these appointments. The move is seen as another ploy to sideline and reduce reservations for deprived sections.
6. Why are these posts “unreserved”: As per the currently applicable “13-point roster”, there is no reservation up to three posts. The expression “13-point roster” reflects the fact that 13.33 (or 14) vacancies are required to complete one cycle of reservations. Based on this, every 4th, 7th, 8th, 12th, and 14th vacancies are reserved for OBCs, SCs, OBCs, OBCs, and STs respectively in the 13-point roster. In a single post cadre, reservation does not apply.
7. So each post to be filled under the above scheme is a Single Post, reservation is not applicable. Each of the nine individuals appointed in 2019 was recruited as a separate appointment. If they had been considered as a group of nine, there would have been at least two seats for OBCs and one seat for an SC candidate as per the Centre’s reservation rules. But presently too, the posts have been advertised/ considered separately for each Department. So, all of them have been declared “unreserved”.

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• 6. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

Covid-19 variants - Naming system

• A complex experience: The convoluted strings of letters, numbers and dots are deeply meaningful for the scientists who devised them, but how was anyone else supposed to keep them straight? Even the easiest to remember, B.1.351, refers to an entirely different lineage of the virus if a single dot is missed or misplaced. Examples - 20H/501Y.V2; VOC 202012/02; B.1.351.

• What are these: Those were the names that scientists proposed for a new variant of the coronavirus that was identified in South Africa. The convoluted strings of letters, numbers and dots are deeply meaningful for the scientists who devised them, but how was anyone else supposed to keep them straight? Even the easiest to remember, B.1.351, refers to an entirely different lineage of the virus if a single dot is missed or misplaced.

1. The naming conventions for viruses were fine as long as variants remained esoteric topics of research. But they are now the source of anxiety for billions of people. They need names that roll off the tongue, without stigmatizing the people or places associated with them.
2. “What’s challenging is coming up with names that are distinct, that are informative, that don’t involve geographic references and that are kind of pronounceable and memorable,” as per scientists. “It sounds kind of simple, but it’s actually a really big ask to try and convey all of this information.”
3. The solution is to come up with a single system for everyone to use but to link it to the more technical ones scientists rely on. The World Health Organization has convened a working group of a few dozen experts to devise a straightforward and scalable way to do this.
4. This new system will assign variants of concern a name that is easy to pronounce and recall and will also minimize unnecessary negative effects on nations, economies and people,” the WHO said. “The proposal for this mechanism is currently undergoing internal and external partner review before finalization.”

• WHO's approach: The WHO’s leading candidate so far, according to two members of the working group, is disarmingly simple: numbering the variants in the order in which they were identified — V1, V2, V3 and so on.

1. There are thousands and thousands of variants that exist, and scientists need some way to label them.
2. Naming diseases was not always so complicated. Syphilis, for example, is drawn from a 1530 poem in which a shepherd, Syphilus, is cursed by the god Apollo. But the compound microscope, invented around 1600, opened up a hidden world of microbes, allowing scientists to start naming them after their shapes.
3. Still, racism and imperialism infiltrated disease names. In the 1800s, as cholera spread from the Indian subcontinent to Europe, British newspapers began calling it “Indian cholera,” depicting the disease as a figure in a turban and robes.
4. In 2015, the WHO issued best practices for naming diseases: avoiding geographic locations or people’s names, species of animal or food, and terms that incite undue fear, like “fatal” and “epidemic.”
5. Scientists rely on at least three competing systems of nomenclature — Gisaid, Pango and Nextstrain — each of which makes sense in its own world.

• Scientists name variants when changes in the genome coincide with new outbreaks, but they draw attention to them only if there is a change in their behavior — if they transmit more easily, for instance (B.1.1.7, the variant first seen in Britain), or if they at least partly sidestep the immune response (B.1.351, the variant detected in South Africa).

1. Encoded in the jumbled letters and digits are clues about the variant’s ancestry: The “B.1,” for instance, denotes that those variants are related to the outbreak in Italy last spring. (Once the hierarchy of variants becomes too deep to accommodate another number and dot, newer ones are given the next letter available alphabetically.
2. When scientists announced that a variant called B.1.315 — two digits removed from the variant first seen in South Africa — was spreading in the United States, South Africa’s health minister “got quite confused” between that and B.1.351!

• People seek simplicity: With no easy alternatives at hand, people have resorted to calling B.1.351 “the South African variant.” Calling it the “China virus” or the “Wuhan virus” fed into xenophobia and aggression against people of East Asian origin all over the world. The potential harms are grave enough to have dissuaded some countries from coming forward when a new pathogen is detected within their borders. Geographical names also quickly become obsolete: B.1.351 is in 48 countries now, so calling it the South African variant is absurd.

1. It is not entirely clear that the variant arose in South Africa: It was identified there in large part thanks to the diligence of South African scientists, but branding it as that country’s variant could mislead other researchers into overlooking its possible path into South Africa from another country that was sequencing fewer coronavirus genomes.
2. Over the past few weeks, proposing a new system has become something of a spectator sport. A few of the suggestions for name inspiration: hurricanes, Greek letters, birds, other animal names like red squirrel or aardvark, and local monsters.

• Tough: Sometimes, identifying a new variant by its characteristic mutation can be enough, especially when the mutations gain whimsical names. The numbering system the WHO is considering is straightforward. But any new names will have to overcome the ease and simplicity of geographic labels for the general public. And scientists will need to strike a balance between labeling a variant quickly enough to forestall geographical names and cautiously enough that they do not wind up giving names to insignificant variants. Whatever the final system is, it also will need to be accepted by different groups of scientists as well as the general public.

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• 7. SOCIAL ISSUES (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

Surgery and Ayurveda 

1. Controversy over notification: When the government notification listed out specific surgical procedures that a postgraduate medical student of Ayurveda must be practically trained to acquaint with, as well as to independently perform, it was criticised by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
2. IMA: It is a national voluntary organisation of Doctors of Modern Scientific System of Medicine, which looks after the interest of doctors as well as the well being of the community at large.
3. History: The Rigveda is the earliest account of ancient Indian civilization which mentions that Ashwini Kumaras known as Dev Vaidya were the chief surgeons of Vedic periods, who had performed rare legendary surgical operations. There are many Granthas and Samhitas dealing with Ayurveda; among them, Charak Samhita, Sushrutaa Samhita, and Ashtanga Sangraha are the three main pillars of Ayurveda. The Charak Samhita and Ashtanga Samhita mainly deal with medicine knowledge while Sushrutaa Samhita deals mainly with surgical knowledge. Sushruta is the father of surgery, his works are compiled as Sushrutaa Samhita. He described 60 types of upakarma for treatment of wounds, 120 surgical instruments and 300 surgical procedures. Sushruta considered surgery the first and foremost branch of medicine and stated that surgery has the superior advantage of producing instantaneous effects by means of surgical instruments and appliances and hence is the highest in value of all the medical tantras.
4. Present debate: It revolves around allowing postgraduate students in Ayurveda undergoing ‘Shalya’ (general surgery) and ‘Shalakya’ (dealing with eye, ear, nose, throat, head and neck, oro-dentistry) to perform 58 specified surgical procedures.
5. Details: There are two branches of surgery in Ayurveda, Shalya Tantra and Shalakya Tantra. All postgraduate students of Ayurveda have to study these courses, and some go on to specialise in these, and become Ayurveda surgeons. Postgraduate education in Ayurveda is guided by the Indian Medical Central Council (Post Graduate Education) Regulations. The 2016 regulations allow postgraduate students to specialise in Shalya Tantra, Shalakya Tantra, and Prasuti evam Stree Roga (Obstetrics and Gynecology). Students of these three disciplines are granted MS (Master in Surgery in Ayurveda) degrees.
6. Education: The process of education, internship and learning for Ayurveda students is similar to that of Modern Medicine students. Medico-legal issues, surgical ethics and informed consent is also part of the course apart from teaching Sushruta’s surgical principles and practices. For several surgeries, Ayurvedic procedures almost exactly match those of modern medicine, however there is significant divergence in post-operative care. The National Institute of Ayurveda in Jaipur, claims that at least 1,000 major surgeries are performed every year at the hospital.
7. Objections: IMA doctors claim that the new notification gives the impression that the skills or training of the Ayurveda doctor in performing modern surgeries are the same as those practising modern medicine which is misleading and an encroachment into the jurisdiction and competencies of modern medicine. Just because Ayurveda institutions prescribe textbooks from modern medicine, or that they carry out surgeries with the help of practitioners of modern medicine, is not reason enough to allow this encroachment. IMA doctors have asked the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM- functions under the Ministry of Ayush) to explain, with proof, how each of the procedures mentioned in Ayurveda literature is equivalent to the modern surgical procedures.
8. Gaps in Healthcare Infrastructure: India has only 0.55 beds per 1,000 people. According to a government statement in Parliament in 2019, there is only one modern medicine doctor for every 1,445 Indians. The World Health Organisation’s norm is one doctor per 1,000 people. The shortage of allopathic doctors, including surgeons is compounded by the concentration of medical colleges in Southern States, as well as the unwillingness of doctors to serve in rural areas despite measures such as compulsory rural internships.
9. Summary: The government has to take steps to improve healthcare service however it should make sure that safety standards should not be compromised while inducting Ayurveda practitioners to perform surgery. Government should rethink and introduce bridge courses as mentioned in the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill 2017 which should be aimed to serve an important part of a broader effort to empower and better utilise the capabilities of Ayush practitioners for healthcare delivery. It needs to explore creative ways of addressing this gap by evidence-based approaches, such as task-sharing, supported by efficient and quality referral mechanisms. India should achieve Medical pluralism which is already a reality in several countries like China, Japan, etc.

 

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• 8. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, GS Paper 1, GS Paper 2)

India at WTO- TRIPS Waiver demanded

1. The demand: India has made a fresh proposal at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for the establishing the mechanism of true vaccine internationalism. India has also warned developed nations who are blocking proposal of temporary waiver of the intellectual property obligations.
2. Key points: India warned that even if they vaccinate all the citizens, they will be at the risk of sluggish recovery in case the infection continues to spread with same pace in the emerging markets. With that, India has called for the immediate start of text-based negotiations so as to work out on the modalities for TRIPS waiver.
3. History: The WTO General Council also received a status report from Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) council regarding the proposal that was put forward by India and South Africa. Both the countries had put the proposal for a temporary waiver from some provisions of the TRIPS agreement in October, 2020.  This was done in a bid of the prevention, containment and treatment of the Covid-19 pandemic.
4. Support: The waiver proposal was co-sponsored by 57 members mainly comprising of the developing countries and Least Developed Countries. Many of the countries have supported it on the floor. However, developed nations & members like United States (US), European Union (EU), Switzerland and Japan are opposing the proposal.
5. TRIPS: The Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is an international legal agreement between the members of World Trade Organization (WTO). The agreement establishes a minimum standard regarding the regulation different forms of intellectual property (IP) by national governments. The agreement was negotiated in between 1989 & 1990 at the end of the Uruguay Round of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). TRIPS is administered by WTO.

NCSM inaugurates Science Centre at Udaipur

1. Inaugrated: The Governor of Tripura, Ramesh Bais, has inaugurated the “Udaipur Science Centre” on February 28, 2021 at Udaipur in Tripura.
2. Key points: The Udaipur Science Centre was developed at the cost of Rs 6 crore. This amount is funded by both the Ministry of Culture, Govt of India and Department of Science, Technology & Environment, Tripura Government. With the establishment of the science centre, the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) has also set-up science centres across the north eastern states.
3. National Council of Science Museums (NCSM): It is an autonomous organisation working under parent head of the Ministry of Culture. NCSM is the largest chain of science centres or museums which works under a single administrative umbrella across the world. The organisation comprises of 24 own science centres or museums, training centre and one R & D laboratory. It has been built in order to coordinate all the informal science communication activities in the arena of museum. The first science museum was the “Birla Industrial and Technological Museum (BITM)” that works under CSIR 43. It was opened in May 1959. The second museum was established in July 1965 and was named as Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum (VITM). In the 1970s a Union Planning Commission was constituted after the popularisation of science and technology thorough science museums.

Nasscom launches program to accelerate AI-led innovation in India

1. What it is: The National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) is all set to launch its ‘AI Game Changers’ program in India.
2. Details: The programme will be launched to promote the artificial intelligence (AI)-led innovation across the country. The programme is being run in collaboration with the innovation partner for the programme, Microsoft. It was launched under the “AI for India” Mission. It seeks to recognize the impactful and scalable AI-based innovation in India. The Nasscom and Microsoft will work in collaboration to develop and promote the AI Gamechangers program. It was built with the shared commitment of adopting the Artificial Intelligence across all the key sectors.
3. Purpose: The AI led program will help in recognizing the innovators for their successful AI implementation at the Xperience AI Summit of NASSCOM. It is one among the largest AI summits in India. The summit will serve as a platform for the start-ups, academia, governments, enterprises and NGOs to showcase their AI based products & solutions. It also provides reach & impetus to drive AI innovation in India. The program was launched with the aim of spotlighting several leading AI-based innovations and recognizing their efforts. It also seeks to motivate the ecosystem to leverage the opportunity in order to help India in becoming a global powerhouse in AI-led innovation.
4. NASSCOM: THe National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) is a non-governmental trade association and advocacy group in India. It mainly focuses the Information Technology (IT) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry. The group was established in the year 1988.

Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill introduced

1. A new bill to set all free: The BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has introduced the “Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021” in the assembly. This bill has replaced the ordinance that the government had brought to check the religious conversions through any fraudulent means.
2. Highlights: The new bill has replaced the ordinance which the government cleared in December 2020 and promulgated in January 2021. The bill comprises the provisions of 10 years imprisonment for some cases and fine for violators. The bill was presented by the Home Minister, Narottam Mishra. Now this bill will be put up for consideration. Members can suggest amendments to the bill. The bill was passed in the assembly on the line of law passed by Uttar Pradesh which have similar provisions.
3. History: The Governor of the Madhya Pradesh, Anandiben Patel, given her assent to the “Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Ordinance, 2020” on January 9, 2021. This ordinance comprised of the provision of penalising the religious conversions through fraudulent means and the marriage.  Till date, 23 cases were registered under this ordinance.
4. What does SC say: The supreme court of India have pronounced in several judgements that state and courts have no jurisdiction on the absolute right of adult to choose their life partner.

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• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

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