DECEMBER

GS1
1. Calling the u.s.'s bluff in1971
2. Lessons from ambedkar
3. New rules, old problems
4. On gender sensitisation pdf final
5. Setting the clock back on intersex human rights
6. The return of the secular

GS2
7. An asian engine driven by india & china
8. Anti-microbial resistance
9. China at sea
10. Cl concept should not be applied to sc 1
11. Daring to recast a vision set in stone
12. Demonising the legal system won't help
13. Detention, 'not linked to nrc'
14. Doping to win
15. For a humane & autonomous police
16. Governance index
17. Gubernational restructuring pdf
18. Higher education system
19. Idea for three capitals in andhra pradesh
20. India's foriegn policy
21. Iraq's autumn of discontent
22. Justice for the rohingya
23. Meals that can educate the young
24. On citizen amendment bill
25. On creamy layer for
26. On gotabaya rajapaksa's visit to india
27. On judge vacancies
28. On protests against amended citizenship law
29. Personal data protection bill
30. Related to wto
31. Reservations anglo-indians
32. Return to the homeland
33. Spot the difference between sign & symbol
34. Strengthening grassroots democracy
35. Taking stock of the anti-aids fight
36. Testing judicial reforms
37. The three-step communal game plan
38. U.s. Turkey relations
39. Water planning failures
40. WTO

GS3
41. A decision without forethought
42. Animal rearing
43. Bearing the burnt of slack laws
44. Climate warnings
45. Counter economic stagnation
46. Fish in troubled waters
47. Food processing
48. Holding a mirror to our face
49. Inclusive growth
50. India needs a bottom-up growth model
51. India's black money problem
52. India's tourism industry
53. Informal workers
54. Key steps to kick-starting the economy
55. Making air india's disinvestment work pdf
56. Net loss
57. On anaj mandi fire tragedy
58. On faking anti-naxal fight
59. Psus disinvestment part 2
60. Retributive justice
61. Saving with a bonus
62. Seeds bill 2019
63. Telecom sector
64. Time to act
65. Twin troubles

GS4
66. A duty to publish on rti
67. Capital punishment
68. Significant reversal
 GS1 MODERN INDIAN
HISTORY FROM ABOUT THE
MIDDLE OF THE 18TH
CENTURY UNTIL THE
PRESENT-SIGNIFICANT
EVENTS, PERSONALITIES,
ISSUES
He advocated separate
electorate for the Dalits 6 DEC 2019
In his Communal Award
of 1932
Granted Dalits 18% of On his 63rd death
Demand was accepted
the total seats in Central anniversary on Dec 6
by British PM Ramsay
Legislature B.R. Ambedkar As the chief draftsman
71 seats in the remembered of the Indian Consti.
Provincial legislatures In the early 1930s
As a valiant fighter for
In return for an the cause of the Dalits
CONTEXT:
increased no. of seats Ambedkar gave up his
Shifted with changing
reserved for dalits demand(bcoz of Gandhi'
His strategies to achieve contexts
s fast unto death against
But elected by the
separate electorate) the goal of empowering Goal to attaining
general Hindu population
Dalits equality with caste
Gandhi called them " Hindus in all spheres of
Harijan" Both(Gandhi & life
In order to persuade Ambedkar) abhorred
caste hindus to stop untouchability Allows forces opposed
discvriminating against 1 Intra-Dalit differences to Dalit empowerment
them based on sub-castes To divide dalits & deny
He disillusioned after the them the clout
LESSONS FROM
Muslim League's Lahore 2 Interpersonal rivalry
AMBEDKAR
Resolution of March Ambedkar considered MAJOR PROBLEMS among Dalit politicians
SEPARATE ELECTORATE
1940 the Muslim League(ML) Inability of the Dalit
Demanding a separate a potential ally leadership to stick with
muslim majority state In the second half 3 their non-Dalit allies
of the 1930
If M.L. succeeded in Makes them appears as
gaining Pakistan,It allow unreliable political
caste Hindus a free hand partners
in country He felt this undercut
Dalit intertests in Ambedkar's repeated
The M.L. demand for two ways exhortations is that
parity in representation
unless they remain
with the Hindus(
united
especially the Dalits) IMPORTANT LESSON
The Dalits will be denied
To enhance Dalits rights
their due share of
from within the power After political power
structure Independence
Ambedkar believing
Became Law Min. &
Chairman of the Consti.
Drafting Committee

ALL THE BEST

 GS1 SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT

4 DEC 2019

Four lorry workers arrested on

charges of raping & killing the Needed to end sex crimes
Gender sensitisation & wider
2

veterinarian Protests demanding speedy
justi
2
Kept in solitary confinement
UN Human Rights chief called
A "national problem" which
rape & violence against women
would need "national solutions"
in India
A 6% rise compared to A total of 3.59 lakh cases of
2016 crimes against women
National Crime Records Bureau
To outrage her modesty which released 2017 data this
comprised 21.7% Oct
Assault on women with intent
And rape 7%
Patriarchal mindsets should
change
Better policing, fast-track
courts, quick sentencing are
the need of the hour as each
can serve as a deterrent
Public places must be made
safer for all
Right in an atmosphere of
freedom
Boys & girls should be raised
A culture of mutual respect
The cycle of rapes, outrage &
amnesia must end
Brutal rape & murder of a 26- Led to an outpouring of anger
societal changes
year-old veterinarian in across the country & in
Hyderabad parliament
CONTEXT:
To get away with lenient
CONCERN Several questioned the punishment
adequacy of criminal laws & a That permits-age convicts
Others sentenced to death to
judicial system
escape the noose through
mercy petitions
The Criminal Law (Amendment)
Act, 2013 was passed
ON GENDER SENSITISATION On the recommendations By bringing in changes to IPC,
After the 2012 Nirbhaya
of the Justice J.S. Verma the CrPC, 1973, the Indian
outrage in Delhi
Committee Evidence Act 1872
And the Protection of Children
from Sexual Offences Act, 2012
To provide for death penalty for
rape
CONCLUSION
Key amendments brought in Reduced the survivor to a
BACKGROUND persistent vegetative state
That led to death of the victim
Anyone found guilty of rape
more than once
For every perpetrator in a gang-
When the victim is less than 12
rape
And life-long imprisonment If the victim is less than 16
In 2018, changes introduced Sentenced 4 to death in Sept
death as the maximum 2013
punishment
Only juvenile accused freed
after a stint at a remand home
Eg- In Delhi case, a fast-track
trial court Supreme court dismissed their
appeals against conviction in
2017

ALL THE BEST The convicts have filled

curative petitions in the court

2
Whose legal protection it seeks
to recognise
To distinguishing between
transgender & intersex persons
International human rights
framework
Changing the title of the Bill
To Gender Identity, Gender
Expression & Sex
Characteristics Bill, 2019
Terms like"gender dysphoria'
should used to characterise
them
Medical procedures not a
necessity for self identification
Including sex reassignment
surgeries
Being performed on intersex
children
Help of appropriate diagnostic
tests
Only after taking a written
consent of a the patient
Imposed a ban on the practice
of sex reassignment surgeries
on intersex infants
From unnecessary medical
intervention
In light of the developments of
3
intersex human rights
Evolved a great deal in the last
decade
From lack of foundational
understanding
In access to education,
employment & marriage etc
GS1 SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT
The title of the Bill itself
accommodate all persons 4 DEC 2019
Instructive for the legislature to
appreciate the nuances
Multiple variations in intersex
itself
The Bill is not in alignment with ARGUMENTS ON THE
the evolving TRANSGENDER PERSONS
BILL 2019
Parliament well-advised to
consider
Without addressing the
concerns of the LGBTQ
The Transgender Persons Bill Bill, 2019 has continued to
Intersex traits not be community
does not distinguish between trigger protests across the
considered as genetic disorders transgender & intersex persons country Considering any amendment to
CONTEXT: the draft Bill
Court-based jurisprudence Transgenders have a different Intersex indicates diversity of
gender identity than what was gender based on biological
assigned to them at birth characteristics at birth
Union Health Min. admitted that
medical procedure Historic judgment in
SETTING THE CLOCK BACK
Arunkumar vs The Inspector
ON INTERSEX HUMAN
In April 2019, Madurai Bench of General of Registration
RIGHTS
Ministry given this is only done UNNECESSARY MEDICAL the Madras High Court delivered
Judgement marks the
after a thorough assessment of PROCEDURES Of intersex human rights in
beginning of a normative
the child India
journey
given on behalf of intersex For undergoing sex selective
Health Min. for its poor JOURNEY OF INTERSEX infants surgeries
understanding of consent rights HUMAN RIGHTS Issue of validity of consent
The consent of the child
It held the consent of the parent
Bill fails to protect intersex cannot be considered as Such surgeries should be
persons prohibited
Transgender Bill needs to be It recognioses the consent
And the right to bodily integrity
examined rights of intersex children
Discourse around gender &
sexuality
CONCLUSION
The current legislative
discourse on this issue suffers
Intersex persons are
particularly vulnerable &
experience barriers
ALL THE BEST
 India transforming into a
knowledge-based,skill-supported
India and China are expected to
and technology-driven society
contribute to global economic
Liberal FDI regime(makes growth in the future
India an attractive destination)
Such as the ‘Smart
Cities Mission’ and ‘Skill
India’ programmes Scope for China to GS2 BILATERAL, REGIONAL &
Bilateral participate in GLOBAL GROUPINGS &
trade today flagship initiatives AGREEMENTS INVOLVING
is INDIA &/OR AFFECTING INDIA'
approximately SHAPING s INTERESTS
$95 billion TRADE
The decision at the 9 DEC 2019
Mamallapuram Summit, in October
India faces a huge and rising
To set up a new trade imbalance
mechanism to discuss the trade The world is undergoing a There are several facets to the
imbalance fundamental transformation emerging uncertainty

Explore the potential to work Traditional and non-traditional

together on Asian infrastructure & CONTEXT: security threats grown in
connectivity development magnitude
“India-China Plus
On the basis of equality and an One” framework Nationalism and regionalism are Less multilateralism but
open & transparent model under on the rise greater multi-polarity
AIIB
In the form of
Favoured a more accommodating tariff and non-tariff barriers
position that addresses India’s It explains India’s service
concerns exports ($29.6 billion in the U.S.
Liberal trading order encountered
market & pharma products
Facilitates its protectionism
account for 20% of global generic
joining the RCEP medicine)
AN ASIAN ENGINE DRIVEN
BY INDIA & CHINA Barely able to scratch the
China too should pro-actively work surface in the Chinese market
ASPECT 1
to ensure India’s membership
Many of these concerns are Most countries appear to
As China’s presence in South central to India’s position on RCEP be financially vulnerable
Asia grows SUGGESTIONS
Low productivity growth
Need greater and ageing demographics
Momentum in manufacturing
transparency in its Key anchors in the global
activity has weakened
actions & closer economy(including China
consultations with India experiencing a
Also necessary to help slowdown)
allay concerns. OBSTACLES AHEAD First to the
Global engines of economic Asia-Pacific
China should also be mindful of its growth over the past 3
forays into the Exclusive Economic decades have shifted to Asia More broadly, to the Indo-Pacific
Zone of others region that includes South Asia
Over half the global population, For geo-economic & geo-
Asia’s rise is predicated on peace
has emerged as the new fulcrum strategic realignments
and stability
If the world is different, we
A stable regional security
need to think, talk and
architecture has yet to CONCLUSION
engage accordingly
emerge organically in Asia ASPECT 2
In automation, countries are
PM Narendra Modi had stated at Acc. to Minister undertaking structural reforms
the Raisina Dialogue in 2017 of MEA of India & emphasising skills-training to
raise productivity
Enough room for all Asia of rivalry will hold It is the Asia of
Asian us all back cooperation that will Development and adoption of
countries to prosper shape this century green technology is also a priority
together ALL THE BEST Eg-Saudi Arabia hydrocarbon-
dependent economy(to
diversify its economy through)
Saudi(Vision 2030 master-plan)

This add complexity to the nationwide
response
For the generation of reliable data on
the magnitude of the problem
For monitoring trends in response to
control activities
Result in annual mortalityreaching 10
million people
A 3.5% fall in global GDP by 2050
Developed a Global Action Plan on AMR
Based on the One Health Approach
Means that human health, animal
health & environment sectors
Have equal responsibilities & strategic
actions in combating AMR
Implementation of NAP needs to be
accelerated
Health of humans & animals falls in
domain of State authorities
Surveillance networks established in
human health & animal health
FAO assisted India in forging the Indian
Network for Fishery & Animals
Antimicrobial Resistance
AMR recognised worldwide as
important public health challenge
With serious impact on economy &
development
Sustainable Develompent Goals
articulated the importance of
containing AMR
Articulations made by the UN General
Assembly, G7, G20, EU & ASEAN
O'Neill report on AMR warned that
inaction in containing AMR
Inter-country development agencies(
WHO, FAO)
India developed its National Action
Plan on AMR(NAP) in 2017
1 ineffective as many infectious
2 ANTI-MICROBIAL
India's National Action Plan on AMR(
3 SUGGESTION ON NAP
NAP), 2017
4
Need to augment capacity for
regulatory mechanisms
Infection control practices &
diagnostics support
Availability & use of guidelines for
therapy
Biosecurity in animal rearing practices
Understanding the role of the
environment & the engagement of
communities
For this, the world must launch a global
movement to contain AMR
GS2 ISSUES RELATING TO
DEVELOPMENT & MANAGEMENT OF
SOCIAL SECTOR/SERVICES
RELATING TO HEALTH
2 DEC 2019
To antibiotics in disease-caught
1 germs
In Nov, the world observed Fight against the growing problem
Antibiotic Awareness Week of rtesistance to antibiotics Indian gov. banned the
manufacture, sale & use of colistin
in the poultry industry
2
To treat a person with life-
CONTEXT:
threatening infection
3
When fails to work, Doctors left
with Fosfomycin( very expensive
CONCERN Colistin considered the last-report antibiottic)
medicines
4 Contribute to global efforts to
preserve
5 Gov.'s move among the numerous To prolong the efficacy of
steps antibiotics
Prevent the wolrd from moving
towards a dark, post-antibiotic
future
6
Antibiotics saved millions of lives
till date
1 Unfortunately, now becoming
Have ceased to respond to
antibiotics
diseases
Common bugs develop a variety of
To develop antimicrobial resistance
mechanism
RESISTANCE (AMR)
2 Greayest driver in selection &
The indiscriminate use of antibiotics
propagation of resistance bugs
3 Potential to make fatal even minor
BACKGROUND
infections
Complex surgeries such as organ
4 transplantation become difficult
To undertake because of untreatable
1 infections complications
5 Pipeline for the discovery, development Of new antibiotics virtually dried out
2
No new class of antibiotics Discovered in the past three decades
3
Indiscriminate use results in resistance,
1 rendering it useless
WAY FORWARD Availability of a new antibiotic takes 10-
4 12 years
Resistance to antibiotics in germs is a
man-made disaster
5
2 Rampant in human health
REASONS/CAUSES Irresponsible use of antibiotics
Animal health, fisheries & agriculture
They offer economic shortcuts
3 Antibiotics used as growth promoters
in animals Use of antibiotics in animals expected
to increase by 67% by 2030 from 2010
levels
ALL THE BEST
 GS2 APPOINTMENT TO VARIOUS
CONSTITUTIONAL POSTS, POWERS,
FUNCTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES
OF VARIOUS CONSTITUTIONAL
BODIES

NOV 28 2019

Swearing-in ceremony to
The actions of the unceremonious pre-
Maharastra floor test resignation of CM
Governor invited
scrutiny Found itself in the centreof
controversy
CONTEXT:
Actions of Karnataka
The appointment process Governor also subjected to
To the influence of the judicial scrutiny
of Governors made the Karnataka Assembly
Union Gov.
office vulnerable elections earlier
On aspects of the Of governor with regard to
Granted by the Constitution discretionary powers formation of gov.
Governors enjoyed a legal
On account of their community CHALLENGES
Drafting Committee of the
sovereign functions
Constitution insisted
Supreme Court confirmed In April 1948
To omitting all references
its powers to review the
to the discretionary poers
actions of the Governors
of the Governor
1
GUBERNATIONAL
Must be accompanied by B.R. Ambedkar said in
answerability
RESTRUCTURING unequivocal terms
The powers & privileges
On May 31 1949
Transparency attached to the office of Governor is required to
Governor follow the advice of his
Accountability Ministry in all matters

Governors & their offices Governor is required

must be scrutinised as CONCLUSION to exercise
When there is no clear post-
much as any other public discretion in
poll majority
office deciding the
formation of Gov.
The no. of cases involving
The court must lay down
actions of Governors going 2 Eg- Cases of S.R. Bommai
guidelines in this regard
to Supreme Court v. Union of India
FOCUS Supreme Court
When no clear post-poll Rameshwar Prasad v.
clarify the role of Union of India
majority by few cases
governor
To provide unambiguous
Nabam Rebia v. Deputy
judicial guidance to
Speaker
governor

Reacommended State Gov.

be included in the
appointment process of
Tasked by Tamil Nadu Gov.
governors
to look into Centre-State
relations in 1969
To drastically reduce their
Justice P.V. Rajamannar
discretionary powers
Committee
To rectify the imbalance in
3 Address anomaly Begin with such a reform
Centre-State equations

Appointment & tenure of Need to undergo radical

governors reform

ALL THE BEST


Children seat together to consume
their food
It reduces castism
Because of mid-meal children
come to school
And they study
too
It solve the problem of malnutrition
in children
Through nutrient food(in mid-meal)
Mid-day meal scheme provide
employment
Mid-day meal would have been
implemented at private school as
well
Little effort has gone into making
the mid-day meal an aspect of the
curriculum
The clamour for moral education
has graduated to a new level of
sophistication
Apps & short videos are the latest That claim to inject high values &
in a long series of material devices tips for good conduct in young
minds
GS2 WELFARE SCHEMES FOR
VULNERABLE SECTIONS OF
THE POPULATION BY THE
CENTRE & STATES & THE
PERFORMANCE OF THESE
SCHEMES
7 DEC 2019
Mid-day meal became a part of
the daily routine in gov. schools
But accidents continue to occur
Funds from the Centre flow
Procedures have established smoothly
CONTEXT:
Procurement of food items faces
hurdles of different kinds
ADVANTAGES Such as- 1 ltr of milk mixed in a
bucketful of water(in rural U.P.)
Mid-meal stories
Plain chapatis being served with
salt to student
Cases of bad food, leading to food
MEALS THAT CAN EDUCATE poisoning
THE YOUNG The 2nd kind of reports are about
CHALLENGES 3 problems of implementation
cheating
Pertaining to caste bias &
discrimination
Scheme is perceived as charity, Gov. schools viewed as places for
CONCLUSION not a civic responsibility the poor
No one can argue that health &
nutrition pose no problem in
CONCERNS
private schools
Northern states strictly depend on
the Central grant
There are regional variations
Southern states augment it
ALL THE BEST significantly

There is no need for a test of
backwardness for SC/STs
They indubitably fall within the
expression 'backward class of
citizens'
Concept of creame layer ought to
be applied to SCs & STs
Form a seven-judge bench to
reconsider the formulation in this
case
Applied to the SCs & STs
communities
Quantifiable data
The inadequacy of its
representation in service
The lack of adverse impact on "
the overall efficiency of
administration"
Constitution Bench reaffirmed the
applicability of creme layer norms
to SCs/STs
GS2 MECHANISM, LAWS,
INSTITUTIONS & BODIES
CONSTIUTED FOR THE
PROTECTION &
BETTERMENT OF THESE
VULNERABLE SECTIONS
5 DEC 2019
Wheather the concept of 'creame
Indra Sawhney (1992) nine-
judge bench judgment The time may have come layer' ought to be applied to
SCs & STs
CONTEXT: To form a seven-judge bench
Union gov. has called upon To reconsider the formulation in
the Supreme Court M. Nagaraj vs Union of India(2006)
For applied to the SCs & STs
M. Nagaraj (2006) case communities
ON CREAMY LAYER FOR
SCs
TIMELINE
3 conditions of Supreme
court in M. Nagaraja case(
BASICS
2006)
Jarnail singh Case (2018)
ALL THE BEST

Port projects in Trincomalee
2 And the airport in Mattala
A cause for worry for New Delhi
as well as Chennai
Consistently urged the Sri
Lankan gov.
To ensure what the MEA
called "dignity, peace,
equality & justice"
Winning the peace & healing
3 people is an extended process
that takes decades
A process that India will follow
1
closely in Sri Lanka
GS2 INDIA & ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD-
RELATIONS
Reveal how much the new
regime will actually work to
engage
Apart from clearnace for
infrastructure projects in the
north
Mr. Rajapaksa attitude
topwards the less developed
CHALLENGES
areas of the North & East
His stated desire to place
developments over devolution
commitments
While a war can be won in a
defined & short span
CONCLUSION
ALL THE BEST
3 DEC 2019
The visit last week of Sri Lanka'
s new President Gotabaya
Rajapaksa to India
CONTEXT:
Mr Rajapksa aware of the
problems the relationship has
faced
ON GOTABAYA
RAJAPAKSA'S India's concerns about the
VISIT TO INDIA pace of reconciliation
Unhappiness over the slow
pace of clearance for Indians
projects
CONCERNS
In Colombo there has neen the
overhanging suspicion
In hour-long conversation the
two leadershad
India's & Sri Lanka's security
is "indivisible"
His extended talks with PM an
affirmation by the two nations
To make good bilateral ties a
priority for each
Due to both the proximity
between India & Sri Lanka
The interlinked & complicated
peoples' histories
He wants consistency & To avoid the problems of the
constant communication past
In the Tamil-majority North &
East
The welcoming of Chinese
investment for major projects
And other bilateral issues
That Indian intelligence
agencies play a role in
domestic politics
Including the 2015 defeat of
Mahindra Rajapaksa
Some clarity on all issues
And a will to build a new future
Indicating the need for more
high-level contacts
 GS3 ISSUES RELATING TO DEVELOPMENT &
MANAGEMENT OF SOCIAL SECTOR/SERVICES
RELATING TO HEALTH

3 DEC 2019
79% of all persons identified as being
infected by HIV

62% were on treatment At the end of 2018

Only 53% had achieved viral suppression

Due to gaps in service provision, 770,

1.7 million persons were newly affected
000 HIV-affected persons died in 2018
CONCERNS

Only 19 countries on track to reach the

2030 target
High rates of new infection in several
More than 95% of the new infections in parts of the world(among young persons)
Central Asia and Eastern Europe have
those regions occurring among the ‘key
had a setback
populations’

The expanded health agenda in the 1 The Sustainable

2 SDGs stretched the resources of Set a target of ending the
Development Goals (SDG),
national health systems epidemics of AIDS,
adopted by the member
Tuberculosis and Malaria
2 countries of the United
by 2030 (SDG 3.3).
Improved survival rates Nations in 2015

Not continue to pass on the risk-related REASONS FOR Indicator to track progress The number of new HIV infections per 1,
knowledge Information dissemination 3 SLOWDOWN IN CONTEXT in achieving the target for 000 uninfected population, by sex, age and
Public awareness on HIV prevention
blitz PROGRESS HIV-AIDS key populations”.
Prevention-oriented behaviours
People who use injected drugs; people in
Domineering male behaviours inflicting “Key populations” refers prisons.
HIV infection on unprotected women 4 to men who have sex with
Vulnerability of adolescent girls to
men Other closed settings; sex workers and
sexual exploitation by older men
Factors contributing to new infections in their clients, and transgender persons.
Africa

An ambitious treatment target was

Assam, Mizoram, Meghalaya and
Uttarakhand.
Showed an increase in numbers of
annual new infections
Prevention target set by the SDGs
HIV-related deaths declined by 71% adopted through UNAIDS
between 2005 and 2017
90% of those living with HIV will know
HIV infection now affects 22 out of 10,
TAKING STOCK OF their HIV status
000 Indians, compared to 38 out of 10, THE ANTI-AIDS
000 in 2001-03 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV
FIGHT “90-90-90” target – stated that by
infection receive sustained antiretroviral
NEED FOR VIGIL IN 2020
therapy
Nine states have rated higher than the
Estimated 2.14 million persons living
INDIA
national prevalence figure. Mizoram 90% of all people on such therapy will have
with HIV
leads viral suppression.
Severe morbidity and deaths
A cogent combination of prevention from undetected
The strength of India’s well established The gaps in detection, Effective viral control were to be bridged
National AIDS Control Programme initiation of drug therapy to reduce infectivity.
Case management strategies must be Inadequately treated persons
preserved already infected with HIV.

Prevention of new infections was targeted

An array of established and new anti-
viral drugs
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
And male circumcision is well-
documented
Drug treatment of HIV is now well-
founded
To prevent mother-to-child transmission,
pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
Development of a vaccine highly
challenging, but a couple of candidates
are in early-stage trialS
BRIDGING GAPS by SDG 3.3
Much success achieved in the past 20
years in the global battle against AIDS.
FOCUS Progress A slowdown in progress Seems to place the targets out of reach
Health system thrust, public education,
civil society engagement
A fresh surge of high-level political
commitment, financial support,
And advocacy by affected groups -,which
part of the recipe for rapid progress

Mere technical innovations will not win

World achieved a reduction in new HIV
the battle against HIV-AIDS
infections by 37% between 2000 and 2018

For resurrecting the combination of

political will, professional skill
Efforts to reach the 2030
Wide-ranging pan-society partnerships
The theme of the World AIDS Day this
year – “Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic:
Community by Community
With 13.6 million lives saved due to
HIV-related deaths fell by 45%
WAY AHEAD Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).
Result
Also widely available due to generic
Effective drugs developed to combat a
versions generously made available by
disease
Indian generic manufacturers.
Ignorance and stigma vigorously combated
by coalitions of HIV-affected persons

ALL THE BEST


Accelerated rates of loss of ice
2
in Greenland, the Arctic &the
Antarctic
2
Produce a destructive rise in
sea levels
It exacerbate catastrophic sea-
level events
Local sea level anomalies
occured once in a century
May become annual events due
to global sea level rise(over 21
century)
Whose population may go up to
one billion by 2050
And for those living in small
islands
Need for unprecedented &
3
urgent action in all countries
On creating a global system of
accounting for emissions
reductions
Introducing credible carbon
markets
High degree of certainity on
losses that will arise from
climate change
Needs to be done by 2030
To contain global temperature
rise at 1.5°C
In the case of oceans and
frozen areas on land
Increases in tropical cyclone
winds, rainfall
It will also hurt the health of
fish stocks
Countries with a long coastline,
including India
Alarming for the 680 million
residents of low-lying coastal
areas
The industrialized nations need
to provide liberal, transparent
funding to developing countries
under the Paris Agreement
The new IPCC assessment
The developed world will be
focusing
There must be steady progress
in addressing the damage
A gap between planned
emissions cuts
GS3 CONSERVATION,
ENVIRONMENTAL
POLLUTION & DEGRADATION
7 DEC 2019
CLIMATE
CHANGE
Impact of higher global
temperatures on land, oceans
Two reports of the and the cryosphere
CONTEXT: Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) Lend urgency to the task before
countries meeting for the UN
conference
Trying to finalize measures
CLIMATE WARNINGS: ON
under Article 6 of the Paris
UNMET EMISSIONS GOALS
Agreement
Member-nations of
UNFCCC have been and . To commodify carbon
emissions cuts
To make it financially attractive
UN CONFERENCE
to reduce emissions
International community decide
IPCC scientists’ research helps on actions to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
WAY AHEAD
ALL THE BEST
 GS3 INDIANS ECONOMY &
ISSUES RELATING TO
EMPLOYMENT

5 DEC 2019

Contract Labour Act,1970

Inter State Migrant Workmen Act, Act for Contract
1979 Labour
But non-compliance is the order of
the day Merger of BSNL & MTNL

Mostly Manual Scavengers Gov. announces To opt for lucartive voluntary

employed as contract labourers
But still forced to do cleaning jobs
In 2013, Act implemented to
Despite this remove manual scavanging
Barbaric practice Through successive pieces
having outlawed of legislation
Contract workers should be paid
the same wages as permanent
employees
These orders are not implemented
properly
Abolition of the exploitative
contract labour system
A contract worker be
After 2 years of working for an
treated as a permanent
organisation
worker
That Law does not provide for
automatic absorption of contract
labourers
Principal emplyoer has no liability
to regularise them
Example
The Supreme
Court judgement
Unorganised Workers' Social
Security Act, 2008 not
implemented properly too
In 2002, National Commission on
labour recommended
SAIL vs National Union of Water
front Workers & others(2001)
verdict of Supreme Court
overruled its earlier judgement
retirement schemes
Permanenrt employees planning
A generous package awaits the
CONTEXT: senior employees
What about contract labourers
Contractual & temporary workers
Acc. to Article
For several years for far less
They served the two wages
INFORMAL WORKERS
organisations Without any substantial social
NON-
security benefits
OBSERVANCE
Need reform in our labour laws to
enhance globalisation
CONCLUSION Also need a comprehensive
umbrella of social security for
these foot soldiers of growth &
development

ALL THE BEST


The government has put Air
India for disinvestment.
Spare itself of the
Centre’s anxiety to get rid of
responsibility of further
the airline
infusion of funds
Freedom to the potential
acquirer to transform it into a
successful player
Exercise is allowed to fail
Cost of further infusion of funds
mustn't be overlooked
Still commands a sizeable
market share
To evoke interest in a product
An extensive global network
All major stakeholders should
be convinced that
disinvestment is the best way
forward
The gov. has to make a plan to
address the medical-related
concerns of serving and retired
employees
Needs to be effectively
explained with facts & figures
Pursued with determination & The disinvestment exercise
issuccesssful this time is thought of wisely
It is linked the prospect of
Into a robust carrier
transforming Air India
GS3 INDIAN ECONOMY & ISSUES
RELATING TO PLANNING
2 DEC 2019
Air India has witnessed a
calamaitous fall in the last four
decades
CONTEXT: In a near- monopoly
environment
The diminution had been
gradual when it operated
The pace of descent intensified
when it faced competition
PRESENT The gradual decline in the
SITUATION airline's service standards
Referred it to the newly set up
Disinvestment Commission of
India
In the 1990s, the gov.
recognised Recommended dilution of gov.
ownership to 40%
Due to bureaucratic
shenanignas
This effort of gov. did not
succeed
And the role of a private airline
promoter
MAKING AIR
FALL OF AIR INDIA
WAY FORWARD INDIA'S Acquisition of aircraft in
DISINVESTME numbers far more than
NT WORK In 2004, airline's descent due a gainfully deploy
series of reckless decisions
Merger with Indians Airlines
The airline was also weak due
to doling out of seats by the
administration to foreign
airlines.
Air India's precarious financial
First made public in June 2009
situation
The lack of a strategic & The airline decided to focus on
operational direction a financial package
CONCLUSION
Applying a fresh coat of paint
to a crumbling house
Being infused over an eight- Not helped Air India evolve into
year span ending 2021 a robust carrier
LACK OF
STRATEGIC Professional management with
DIRECTION an effective leadership
The airline's survival depends A sound financial package not
on several factors come with political interference
Allowing changes in work
conditions & pay packages
Decided to not only retain 24%
equity
In 2017, Niti Aayog
recommended disinvestment Acquirer to absorb a major
ALL THE BEST
chunk of the non-aircraft
related debt
 GS3 SECURITY
CHALLENGES AND THEIR
MANAGEMENT

5 DEC 2019

That no evidence existed to

The entire operation botched from support the claim
Justice V. K. Agarwal judicial
the start by poor intelligence enquiry commission The 17 people who died in the
Findings make it clear encounter on 28 june, 2012(
Inadequate training, lack of
communication & hasty reaction CONTEXT: Chattisgarh)

Firing had not been in self-defence Hard for security forces in

Postmortem reports showed BOTCHED Chattisgarh to live down the
Bullets shots on some of the UP STORY assertion
heads & on back
The commission concluded that To outflank subversives
injuries sustained by the Two teams led by a DIG
To be surprised by gunfire
uniformed personnel were more
likely caused through friendly fire ON FAKING 17 Naxalites lay dead, and six
uniformed personnel hurt
ANTI-NAXAL FIGHT STORY
Training is to be imparted The commission found no
“to improve the mental evidence of a gunfight
fabric of security forces”
It held that firing had been one-
They act with equanimity sided beginning to end
It aims “to make them more
And do not succumb to panic balanced RECOMMENDATIONS
The findings catalog that truth can Officers who are supposed to
reaction even in a critical situation
be subverted enforce the law
Ways must be found to initiate WHAT IT MEANS
action against the officers involved The commission puts it down to a
in this unfortunate operation disproportionate reaction from the
anti-Naxal formation

ALL THE BEST

 GS3 MECHANISMS, LAWS,
INSTITUTIONS & BODIES
CONSTITUTED FOR THE
PROTECTION & BETTERMENT
OF THESE VULNERABLE
SECTIONS
Not just about
7 DEC 2019 retribution
Justice in any civilised
CONTEXT:
society Also about deterrence & in
Over the killings by the police
2
rehabilitation of the offenders
stems from the public anger
The jubilation on social media
And anguish over the platforms and on the streets Shook the collective
2
burgeoning crimes against conscience of India
women PUBLIC RESPONSE It resulted in an outcry for
The heinous rape and
To deal with such crimes There is a perception that the murder of a veterinarian justice for the victims
legal institutions are ill- Outrage over the persisting
And to bring the perpetrators
equipped lack of safety for women in
to justice
public spaces
And charge-sheeting of sexual Weighs upon legal
crimes by police Much more needs to be done institutions
And addressing the pendency in terms of registration
RETRIBUTIVE DISHA INCIDENT Such societal Police are required to find
in a court of such cases the culprits with alacrity
JUSTICE pressure for justice
For setting up a fast-track court
The judiciary to complete the
to try the four accused
The Telangana gov. had issued legal process without undue
This should have brought orders delay
closure to the case in a time- But these institutions must
bound manner uphold the rule of law and
Only be a disincentive for the procedure even in such
police to follow due process The political sanction of circumstances
“encounter killings” to deliver WAY AHEAD
May even deter them from swift retribution Police claim that accused
pursuing the course of justice And they killed them
snatched their weapons and
in self-defence
Existing laws on sexual crimes fired at them
and punishment need better The NHRC has deputed a fact-
application THE KILLING OF THE finding team to Hyderabad to
A recourse to brutal retribution POLICE probe the incident
as suggested unwisely by many To deal with such events
is no solution must be strictly observed
Guidelines set by the
Only undermine people’s Supreme Court To get to the bottom of this
Bending the law in ALL THE BEST
faith in the criminal justice episode
such cases
system
 GS3 STORAGE, TRANSPORT &
MARKETING OF
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE &
ISSUES & RELATED
CONSTRAINTS

6 DEC 2019
Compulsory reg. of seeds
PPVFR Act based on voluntary
1
reg. Seeds Bill
Many seeds may be reg. under
the Seeds Bill but may not under
PPVFR Act
Complete passport data of the
parental lines All applications for reg. should
contain Earlier versions of the Bill in
From seed variety was derived As per PPVFR
Act Seeds Bill 2019 now under 2004 & 2010
Allows for easier identification &
simpler benefits-sharing Parliament's consideration Present version promises to be no
2
processes different
Overlooked In 1994, India signed the On Trade-Related Aspects of
Result, Method of recording agreement Intellectual Property Rights(TRIPS)
Private companies are left free to the contributions of farmers
claim a derived variety as their In 2002, India joined the
own CONTEXT: International Union for the
Protection of New Varieties of
Based on IPR like breeders right
The PPVFR Act Plants(UPOV) Convention
Not allow re-reg. of seeds after
3 Introduction of some form of IPR
validity period Both TRIPS & UPOV led to
over plant varieties
Private seed companies can re- Seeds Bill not based on an PROVISIONS
Member countries had to Restrictions on the free use
reg. their seeds infinite times IPR like breeder's rights
introduce Exchange of seeds by farmers
Appears in draft of Seeds Bill
A vague provision for
Appears neither sufficient nor regulation of seed prices TRIPS & UPOV ran counter to
credible 4 other international conventions
Strict control on seed prices Provided for prior informed
Demand raised by farmers In 1992, Convention on consent of farmers
Official body to regulate seed
prices Biological Diversity(CBD) And Fair & equitable sharing of
Registered variety fails in its benefits
promise of performance Recognised farmers's rights as
This provision diluted in the seeds the rights to save
Acc. to PPVFR 5 In 2001, International Treaty on
bill Act Use, exchange & sell farm-saved
Plant Genetic Resources for
Disputes on compensation BALANCING seeds
Food & Agri.(ITPGRFA)
decided as per Consumer CONFLICTING India was a signatory to TRIPS &
Protection Act,1986 AIMS UPOV as well as CBD & ITPGRFA
SEEDS BILL 2019
Farmers become eligible for Sought to achieve
compensation if plant variety fails Protection of Plant Varieties & This Act retained the main spirit of
under given conditions Acc. to Seeds 6 Farmer's Rights(PPVFR) Act of TRIPS
Bill 2001
Given conditions almost IPRs as an incentive for
impossible to define in agri. technological innovation
Farmer-friendly pieces of seed Necessary to enhance seed
legislation are difficult to frame & replacement rates in Indian agri.
execute Specify standards for reg. of seed
A new Seeds Bill
Private sector grows and varities
technological advances shift seed Enforce reg. from seed producers
research towards hybrids rather to seed retailers
than
varieties It raise seed replacement rates
Farm-saved seeds to
In hybrids, reuse of seeds is certified seeds Certified seeds have higher &
technically constrained more stable yields
WAY AHEAD
Ensure the choices between Their low-volume, high-value
hybrids, varieties and farm-saved Strong public agricultural research Private seed companies business model
seeds remain systems prefer policing Forcing farmers to buy their seeds
open, every season
Seed prices can If hybrids are the appropriate CONCERN India encouraged the growth of
be kept affordable technological choice private seed companies
Laws to be truly farmer-friendly, From the late-1980s,
More than 50% of India's seed
the public production undertaken in the
sector has to recapture its lost private sector
space
Firms demanding favourable
changes in seed laws & freedom
ALL THE BEST to self-certify seeds

2
2 others signed in 2001 has
But all revenues of the
company
Eg- Sales proceeds on
handsets, renting of their
towers
Again India faced with the
prospect of a telecom
monopoly or duopoly.
Not considered suitable for 3G
telephony
4G was in its infancy
And won the whole spectrum
pan-India
Through a partner company at
a relatively lower price
4G services late in 2016
Caught the imagination of users
Offered good quality video
The older operators on the
defensive, facing serious
erosion in market share and
profitability
Like-Airtel, Idea, Vodafone and
come to haunt them
These companies are liable to
pay revenue share not just on
telecom revenue
Court has rightly interpreted
the written agreement of 2001
Time has come to relook the
role of telecom in the country.
The gov. should not look at the
telecom sector primarily as a
revenue-earner.
To help telecom reach the
remotest parts of the country
The service needs to continue
to be affordable
GS3 INDIAN ECONOMY & ISSUES
RELATING TO PLANNING,
MOBILIZATION OF RESOURCES
3 DEC 2019
Around 2013, gov. made Simple reason that the cost of
available some spectrum in the installing a landline telephone
2300-2500 MHz band In the early 1990s, India had was too high
merely seven million
telephones Required average revenue per 1250 per month, which was too
user(APRU) high
Reliance Jio(New company),
betted on it CONTEXT: In this context wireless
telephony was introduced
OLD VS NEW
Indian telecom grew at a slow Make telephones affordable in
Jio wait 4 years to get the
pace India
tech. ready & launched
Bring down the capital cost Easier to install
Made voice calls almost free
Bring in private investments
Others follow suit but paid
for a potentially profitable
higher amounts for spectrum in
business
later
auctions.
Telecom auctions for private
1 players in 1995
At this time that the revenue-
sharing agreement that
Financial bids were Bids were economically
companies
unbelievably high unsustainable
CHALLENGES TELECOM To cancel the license fees due
A group of telecom academics to the gov.
SECTOR In 1999, when Atal Bihari
advised him that the way out
Vajpayee became PM
of this imbroglio Introduce the "revenue share"
The Supreme Court ruled this model
October 2
The PM took the bold step &
licensees were offered an
option
India needed this bold step for
telecom to thrive
To switch to revenue-share
In such a precarious situation, instead of upfront license fees
that the gov. needs to act, just
like it did in 1999. Installation cost of wireless
This step got mobile telephony
telephony was less than 1/4 th
They could offer the operators going
3 pf a landline telephone
payment of principal in
instalments and Low APRU was no longer a bg
waive off interest and penalties concern
CONCLUSION
The PM has rightly emphasised Rapid
The CDMA mobioe licensees
the role digital connectivity Growth
BACKGROUND Airtel, Vodafone & Idea with had grown slowly
plays in society. their GSM mobile-license, were
the leaders Could not compete because of
technology
4
Money spent by operators to
improve today’s average But the GSM trio happy with
service-quality. the urban market
Rural markets required lower
tarrif
So market grew at a slow pace
since then
To give new GSM license using
primarily revenue-share
In 2007, gov. saw this
imbroglio & found ways And introduced per-second
Newcomers,Primarily RCom & biling
Tata teleservices, dropped
5 tariffs The market grew quickly to
900 million lines
India using only 2G telephony
Operators making descent
money Data & Internet at very low
speed
6 Gov. periodically conducting
Fetching large spectrum bids
auctions since 2010
ALL THE BEST

High time officials helming the
economy put aside the
bravado & bluster
Acknowledge the seriousness
of the structural elements
behind the slowdown
Even while taking steps to spur
consumption
By initiating meaningful policy
Through innovative fiscal reforms
measures
GS3 INDIAN ECONOMY & ISSUES RELATING TO
PLANNING
2 DEC 2019
Reaffirm the fact that the
The latest estimates on ongoing six-quarter slump
economic output & growth
Still in search of a bottom
GDP expanded by 4.5% from Marking the slowest pace of
a yea earlier in July-Sept expansion in six & a half
quarter years
CONTEXT:
Reflected in the mere 1%
Concern should be the
growth in gross fixed capital
stagnation in investment
formation
Clearly aimed at spurring
the private sector
Gov.'s decision in sept to
cut the corporate tax rate
The indication now are far
from encouraging
1
On private final
TIME TO ACT National Statistical Office's
consumption expenditure
2 data
CONCLUSION A slight pick-up to a 5.1%
expansion
From the preceding quarter'
3 s 3.1%
Sustainability of the uptick
in consumption spending
remains a moot point
BACKGROUND Six of the eight sectors
Analysis of the Gross Value posted decelerations
Added(GVA) reveals
From the fiscal first quarter
Though agriculture,
Nudging up from 2% in the
forestry & fishing grew by 2.
April-June period
1% in the second quarter
Showing output at the eight
infrastructure industries
Significantly, manufacturing
shrank by 1% That constitute the core
ALL THE BEST
sector contracted by 5.8%
in Oct.

To deny information on records of
public servants
Become another tool in the hands
of public servants
Which makes the restrictions "
indicative"
To deny access requests
Judgement in Girish Ramchandra
Deshpande v. Central Information
Commissioner(CIC) Needs to be recalled that the
Supreme Court's 2012
Being used as a precedent by the
DoPT & various CPIOs
The Nov 13 verdict could in
effects supersede the Girish
Ramchandra Deshpande verdict
This list is indicative & not
exhaustive
The Gov. is not only weakening
the RTI Act as well as the
Supreme Court also weakening it
It will only harm the public
GS4 RIGHT TO INFORMATION
28 NOV 2019
The five-judge bench
The Supreme Court's Nov 13
expanded
judgement on RTI reduced the
scope of 'information' & widened
The power, length & depth of
that of 'restrictions'
exceptions under Sec.8 of the Act
CONTEXT: It didn't deny that the apex court
is a public authority &
answerable under the RTI Act
Decision is welcome for two
reasons
Judicial independence wil only be
strengthened with greater
transparency
1 Personal information can be If it has any relationship with
disclosed public activity or interest
SUGGESTION
They can be given
2 Even if details have no
relationship with public interest If disclosure doesn't cause an
unwarranted invasion of privacy
1 PROVISIONS OF
SECTIONS 8(1)(J) & 8(2) Information causes unwarranted
OF THE RTI ACT invasion of privacy
A BLOW TO 3
CHALLENGES DISCLOSURE
It could if larger public interest
NORMS
2 justifies the Act
If no larger public interest
4
If public interest in disclosure
It could still be shared outweighs the interest in its
protestion
CONCLUSION
Including name, address,
Personal records physical, mental & psychological
status
All treated as personal information Evaluation reports, disciplinary
Professional records
proceedings, etc
Information relating to assets,
Medical records
liabilities, income tax returns
ABOUT
PARAGRAPGH 59 Personal information entitled to
protection from unwarranted
invasion of privacy
When stipulation of larger public
Conditional access is available
interest is satisfied
ALL THE BEST