Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Paper 2- Issues with higher education
The issues of quality of higher education explain the lack of employability of Indian youth. This article examines the issue and suggests the approach to deal with the issue.
Three learning outcomes
- The first is to provide knowledge in the relevant discipline to the students.
- Second, imparting students with the skills needed for their jobs/enterprises.
- Third, students are expected to play a constructive role in shaping the society and the world at large, the values and ideals of a modern, progressive society.
- The teaching-learning process is expected to mould their character accordingly.
Issues with the education system
- Apart from a handful of institutions in the technology, management and liberal arts streams a vast majority of other students just meander through college and acquire a degree.
- There is a huge gulf between the curriculum taught in the colleges and actual job requirements.
- It is common to hear even the brightest of students mention that they learnt more on the job than through their curriculum in college.
Focus more on training
- If most of the students learn so much on the job, it raises several questions.
- Why should we bestow so much importance on a syllabus?
- And why do we take such massive efforts to evaluate students’ knowledge of that syllabus through exams?
- What we can do is completely re-evaluate the syllabus frequently considering the changing needs of the time.
- We can have substantive industrial internships while retaining only a very basic outline of essential concepts.
- The evaluation too can be a mix of regular assignments, performance in the internship.
Consider the question “The lack of employability in the youth of India could be a huge hurdle in India’s aim to reap the benefits of demographic dividend. Examine the reasons for and suggest the measures to deal with the issue.”
Conclusion
The higher education sector has multiple stakeholders and multiple vested interests. In normal times, maintaining the status quo or implementing incremental and marginal reforms was all one could hope for. The pandemic has opened the doors for ushering in massive, bold and transformational reforms. As John Lewis said, “If not now, then when?”
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Jask Port
Mains level: Paper 2- Iran-China deal and concerns for India
Two events which happened in quick succession raised concern in India. Iran’s decision to continue the railway project on its own and the reports of deal with China, both the events weighs heavily on India’s interests. This article examines the future course of action which India must adopt in such a situation.
Context
- Iran and China are close to concluding a 25-year strategic partnership.
- This is being linked to reports that Iran has decided to undertake the construction of the Chabahar-Zahedan railway line on its own.
- The project has not been handed over to China — at least not yet — so the “India loses, China wins” narrative is premature.
What does the China-Iran deal indicate?
- China attaches importance to Iran, which is a key source of energy supplies, a part of Belt and Road Initiative, and a potentially lucrative market.
- However, like India, China has also in parallel cultivated closer relations with Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
- China continues to have a strong relationship with Israel.
- As China’s economic, military and technological capabilities have increased, its profile in this strategically important region has also expanded.
What should be India foreign policy approach towards Iran
- While acknowledging changed regional geopolitical landscape, India should pursue continue the policy of maintaining positive relations with Iran, the Arab states and Israel.
- India will have more room for manoeuvring in the region by continuing to maintain a strong and friendly relationship with Iran.
- One should also not exclude the possibility of a Democratic US President reviving the Iran nuclear deal.
- The revival of the deal will open the door for US and European companies to resume business with Iran.
- It is the reinstatement of severe economic sanctions that has led Iran to turn to China, but the latter has remained cautious.
- The pursuit of a closer security partnership with the US does not mean that India should follow the US lead on its other important relationships.
Concerns for India
- While maintaining the relations, India should not monitor closely the development of relations between China and Iran, which could complicate our security interests on our western flank.
- Of particular concern is a reference to China constructing a new port at Jask at the mouth of the Hormuz strait.
- If the port were operated by China, India’s maritime security would be at further risk.
- It would also be of deep concern to the Arab states who will suffer from any closing of the Hormuz Strait while Iran remains less affected.
- This is an issue on which the Arab states may well react adversely to China.
- India, too, should press its concerns on Iran while working on a counter-strategy.
Consider the question “Balancing the contrasts has been the basis of India’s relations with Iran. Comment.”
Conclusion
India should continue its engagement with Iran while pressing for its concerns at the same time in particular when it comes to Iran’s relations with China endangering India’s interest.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Provisions under 10th Schedule
Mains level: Paper 2- Anti-defection law, 10th Schedule
The growing trend of the toppling of the government by luring the MLAs of ruling party. The SC needs to reconsider the floor test usually ordered in such cases. The article analyses this issue here.
Reading Article 191(2) and 10th Schedule
- Article 191(2) declares that a person shall be disqualified from being a member of the legislative assembly or legislative council of a state if he is so disqualified under the Tenth Schedule.
- The Tenth Schedule to the Constitution contains “provisions as to disqualification on ground of defection”.
- Tenth Schedule also fixes the relationship between a member and a political party which selected him as a candidate.
- It also provides one of the grounds for disqualification: “If he voluntarily gives up his membership of such political party”.
- The decision as to disqualification is left to the absolute discretion of the Speaker.
Constitutional morality and 10th Schedule
- Tenth Schedule brings to the fore the need to emphasise “constitutional morality”.
- Constitutional morality means “strict adherence to the core principles of constitutional democracy”.
- So, Constitutional transgressions by MLAs coming through a “party platform” to serve the people for five years (Article 172), cannot be accepted.
- In so doing, these MLAs forget the oath, taken under Article 188 of the Constitution to bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as established by law.
- Legislators do not have absolute freedom to behave in any way they like.
Issues with the floor test
- When ruling party MLAs are lured with rewards, political or otherwise, then the “floor test” becomes constitutionally immoral and unjust.
- This will amount to circumventing the Tenth Schedule through engineered defections through the judicial process.
- It is high time the judiciary revisited the use of a “floor test” to prove a majority in a legislature.
Consider the question “Examine the ways in which a member of the house is deemed to have given up his membership under the 10th Schedule as interpreted in the various judgements. Also, analyse the implications of conducting a floor test in a situation when members of the ruling party are lured with rewards.”
Conclusion
Judiciary must take note of the toppling of the majority government through luring of the MLAs and subsequent floor test by the courts. The floor test in such a situation needs reconsideration.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Strategic and non-strategic sectors
Mains level: Disinvestment of CPSEs
The government will soon come out with a policy on strategic sectors and simultaneously kick into motion a process of complete privatization for companies in the non-strategic sectors.
Try this question for mains:
Q. “Privatisation of CPSEs can lead to the conversion of public monopoly to a private monopoly.” Analyse.
What are Strategic and Non-strategic Sectors of India?
- An industry is considered strategic if it has large innovative spillovers and if it provides a substantial infrastructure for other firms in the same or related industries.
- Earlier, the strategic sectors were defined on the basis of industrial policy.
- The government classified Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) as ‘strategic’ and ‘non-strategic’ on the basis of industrial policy that keeps on changing from time-to-time.
According to this, the Strategic sector PSUs are:
- Arms & Ammunition of defence equipment
- Defence aircraft & warships
- Atomic energy
- Applications of radiation to agriculture, medicine and non-strategic industry
- Railways
Banking, insurance, defence, and energy are likely to be part of the strategic sector list. All other PSUs apart from the strategic sectors fall under Non-strategic Sector including Power Discoms.
A change in policy post-Atmanirbhar
- Under the Self-sufficiency move, the proposed policy would notify the list of strategic sectors requiring the presence of at least one state-owned company along with the private sector.
- In all other sectors, the government plans to privatize public sector enterprises, depending upon the feasibility.
- The number of enterprises in strategic sectors will be only one to four, and others would be privatized/merged/brought under a holding company structure.
Will it help privatization?
- The government has already set in motion privatization plans for large PSU companies BPCL, Air India, Container Corporation of India, and Shipping Corporation of India.
- Budget 2020-21 had announced plans to sell part of the Centre’s stake in LIC through an initial public offer (IPO), and the sale of equity in IDBI Bank to private, retail and institutional investors.
- The emphasis on privatization could see companies in chemicals and infrastructure space being privatized, while the government has stated its intent to reduce the number of state-owned banks.
- This could see some smaller banks being privatized in due course.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Tenth Schedule
Mains level: Issues over Judicial discretion in Anti-defection
A Supreme Court Bench is scheduled to hear an appeal filed by the Rajasthan Assembly Speaker’s office challenging the State High Court order to defer anti-defection proceedings against former Deputy CM.
Try these questions:
Q. “The anti-defection law works best as an insurance against violation of the people’s mandate for a party, but it cannot be made a tool to stifle all dissent.” Discuss.
—–
Q.Which one of the following Schedules of the Constitution of India contains provisions regarding anti-defection? (CSP 2014)
(a) Second Schedule
(b) Fifth Schedule
(c) Eighth Schedule
(d) Tenth Schedule
What is the issue?
- The petition said the HC has crossed its jurisdiction by asking the Speaker to put off his decision on the disqualification notices issued to dissident MLAs.
- The HC order was an affront to the powers of the Speaker.
- The High Court’s interim order granting extended time to rebel MLAs to file their replies to anti-defection notices amounted to a violation of Article 212 (courts not to inquire into the proceedings of the legislature).
Backed by Tenth Schedule
- The petition said that judicial review of ongoing anti-defection proceedings was limited.
- Notice is much prior to any final determination or decision on disqualification.
- The proceedings, including the notice, are in the realm of the legislative proceedings under Paragraph 6(2) of the Tenth Schedule, the Speaker’s office argued.
Citing the Kihoto Hollohan case
- The petition referred to the Constitution Bench judgment of the top court in the Kihoto Hollohan case in 1992 in this context.
- Judicial review cannot be available at a stage prior to the making of a decision by the Speaker/Chairman and a prior action would not be permissible.
- Nor would interference be permissible at an interlocutory stage of the proceedings, the verdict says.
Must read:
Kihoto Hollohan Order (1992)
What does the dissident MLAs have to say?
- The dissident MLAs had challenged the constitutionality of Paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule which makes “voluntarily giving up membership of a political party” liable for disqualification.
- The MLAs had argued that the provision infringed their right to dissent.
- But the Speaker’s office countered that Paragraph 2 (1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule was the law of the land.
- A mere challenge to its constitutionality cannot efface it from the statute book.
Back2Basics
Explained: Anti-defection law and its evolution
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Criticality of the nuclear reactors
Mains level: India's nuclear energy policy
The indigenously designed 700 MWe reactor at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project has achieved Criticality.
Try this PYQ from CSP 2013:
Q. The known forces of nature can be divided into four classes, viz, gravity, electromagnetism, weak nuclear force and strong nuclear force. With reference to them, which one of the following statements is not correct?
(a) Gravity is the strongest of the four
(b) Electromagnetism act only on particles with an electric charge
(c) Weak nuclear force causes radioactivity
(d) Strong nuclear force holds protons and neutrons inside the nuclear of an atom.
What is ‘Criticality’ in Atomic/Nuclear Power Plants?
- Reactors are the heart of an atomic power plant, where a controlled nuclear fission reaction takes place that produces heat, which is used to generate steam that then spins a turbine to create electricity.
- Fission is a process in which the nucleus of an atom splits into two or smaller nuclei, and usually some by-product particles.
- When the nucleus splits, the kinetic energy of the fission fragments is transferred to other atoms in the fuel as heat energy, which is eventually used to produce steam to drive the turbines.
- For every fission event, if at least one of the emitted neutrons on average causes fission, a self-sustaining chain reaction will take place.
- A nuclear reactor achieves criticality when each fission event releases a sufficient number of neutrons to sustain an ongoing series of reactions.
Controlling Criticality
- When a reactor is starting up, the number of neutrons is increased slowly in a controlled manner. Neutron-absorbing control rods in the reactor core are used to calibrate neutron production.
- The control rods are made from neutron-absorbing elements such as cadmium, boron, or hafnium.
- The deeper the rods are lowered into the reactor core, the more neutrons the rods absorb and the less fission occurs.
- Technicians pull up or lower down the control rods into the reactor core depending on whether more or less fission, neutron production, and power are desired.
- If a malfunction occurs, technicians can remotely plunge control rods into the reactor core to quickly soak up neutrons and shut down the nuclear reaction.
Why is this achievement significant?
- It is the biggest indigenously developed variant of the Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR).
- The PHWRs, which use natural uranium as fuel and heavy water as moderator, is the mainstay of India’s nuclear reactor fleet.
- Until now, the biggest reactor size of the indigenous design was the 540 MWe PHWR, two of which have been deployed in Tarapur, Maharashtra.
- India works to ramp up its existing nuclear power capacity of 6,780 MWe to 22,480 MWe by 2031.
- The 700MWe capacity constitutes the biggest component of the expansion plan.
Back2Basics: India’s PHWR technology
- PHWR technology started in India in the late 1960s with the construction of the first 220 MWe reactor, Rajasthan Atomic Power Station, RAPS-1 under the joint Indo-Canadian nuclear co-operation.
- Canada supplied all the main equipment for this first unit, while India retained responsibility for construction, installation, and commissioning.
- For the second unit (RAPS-2), import content was reduced considerably, and indigenization was undertaken for major equipment.
- Following the withdrawal of Canadian support in 1974 after Pokhran-1, Indian nuclear engineers completed the construction, and the plant was made operational with a majority of components being made in India.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Madhubani paintings
Mains level: Not Much
An artist known as the ‘mask man’ of Bihar dispatches masks with hand-painted Madhubani motifs all over India.
Also read:
[Prelims Spotlight] Indian Paintings and Handicrafts
Madhubani Paintings
- Madhubani art (or Mithila painting) is a style of Indian painting, practised in the Mithila region of Bihar.
- This painting is done with a variety of tools, including fingers, twigs, brushes, nib-pens, and matchsticks and using natural dyes and pigments.
- It is characterized by its eye-catching geometrical patterns.
- It was traditionally created by the women of various communities in the Mithila region of the Indian subcontinent.
- This painting as a form of wall art was practised widely throughout the region; the more recent development of painting on paper and canvas mainly originated among the villages around Madhubani.
- It is these latter developments that led to the term “Madhubani art” being used alongside “Mithila Painting.”
Its features
- It uses two-dimensional imagery, and the colours used are derived from plants. Ochre, Lampblack and Red are used for reddish-brown and black, respectively.
- It mostly depicts people and their association with nature and scenes and deities from the ancient epics.
- Natural objects like the sun, the moon, and religious plants like tulsi are also widely painted, along with scenes from the royal court and social events like weddings.
- Generally, no space is left empty; the gaps are filled by paintings of flowers, animals, birds, and even geometric designs.
- Madhubani art has five distinctive styles: Bharni, Kachni, Tantrik, Godna and Kohbar.
- This painting has also received a GI (Geographical Indication) status.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Lonar Crater Lake, Pleistoscene epoch
Mains level: Not Much
The colour of Lonar lake water in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district turned pink due to a large presence of the salt-loving ‘Haloarchaea’ microbes, a probe carried out by a Pune-based institute has concluded.
Make a note of all saltwater lakes in India. Few of them are Pulicat, Pangong Tso, Chilika, and Sambhar Lakes etc.
Haloarchaea’ microbes
- Haloarchaea or halophilic archaea is a bacteria culture which produces pink pigment and is found in water saturated with salt.
- The increased salinity and pH facilitated the growth of halophilic microbes, mainly Haloarchaea.
- Basically, it is the biomass of these microbes and because of that, the surface of the water turned red or pink and as soon as the biomass subsided, the colour disappeared.
- The scientist said the colour of the lake is now returning to original as the rainy season has kicked in, allowing dilution of the water.
- Initially, it was thought for the red-pigmented Dunaliella algae due to which the water might have turned pink.
- Because of that, the salinity and pH/alkalinity levels have also come down and green algae have started growing in the water body.
About Lonar Lake
- Lonar Lake, also known as Lonar crater, is a notified National Geo-heritage Monument, saline (pH of 10.5), Soda Lake, located at Lonar in Buldhana district, Maharashtra.
- It was created by an asteroid collision with earth impact during the Pleistocene Epoch.
- It is one of the four known, hyper-velocity, impact craters in basaltic rock anywhere on Earth.
- It sits inside the Deccan Plateau—a massive plain of volcanic basalt rock created by eruptions some 65 million years ago.
- Its location in this basalt field suggested to some geologists that it was a volcanic crater.
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