INTEGRATED MAINS AND PRELIMS MENTORSHIP (IMPM) 2025 Daily KEY
| Exclusive for Subscribers Daily: Road Safety in India and Twin Deficit for the UPSC Exam? Why are topics like James webb telescope important for both preliminary and main exams? Discover more insights in the UPSC Exam Notes for November 21, 2024 |
🚨 UPSC EXAM NOTES presents the November edition of our comprehensive monthly guide. Access it to enhance your preparation. We value your input - share your thoughts and recommendations in the comments section or via email at Support@upscexamnotes.com 🚨
Critical Topics and Their Significance for the UPSC CSE Examination on November 21, 2024
Daily Insights and Initiatives for UPSC Exam Notes: Comprehensive explanations and high-quality material provided regularly for students
The "India Status Report on Road Safety 2024," compiled by the TRIP Centre at IIT Delhi, highlights the country’s slow progress in achieving international targets for reducing road accident fatalities. The report underscores the relationship between road construction, mobility, and the need for a tailored approach to reduce road accidents.
Key Findings of the Report
The report examines road safety in India using First Information Reports (FIRs) from six states, along with audits of state compliance with Supreme Court road safety directives. It reveals disparities in road traffic death rates across states, highlighting the vulnerability of motorcyclists and the high fatality rates in crashes involving trucks. Road traffic injuries continue to pose a significant public health challenge in India, with limited progress in reducing fatalities, despite developments in other sectors. Most Indian states are unlikely to meet the UN’s Decade of Action for Road Safety target of halving traffic fatalities by 2030.
In 2021, road traffic injuries ranked as the 13th leading cause of death in India and the 12th leading cause of health loss, measured by Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). In six states (Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh), these injuries were among the top 10 causes of health loss.
Why Crash Surveillance is Crucial
India's road safety data systems are inadequate for shaping effective policy. The country lacks a national database of individual crash data. Current road safety statistics are aggregated from police station records at various levels before being published, allowing for only basic analysis, which hinders the creation of effective interventions. Additionally, comparisons with other datasets, such as the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study and the Sample Registration System (SRS), show inconsistencies, particularly concerning the mode of transport involved in accidents—a critical element in road safety management.
Due to the absence of a comprehensive crash surveillance system, the report relied on FIRs from six states and road safety governance audit reports.
State-Level Road Safety Performance
The report highlights significant variations in road safety across India, with death rates per capita differing by more than threefold between states. In 2021, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh recorded the highest fatality rates, with 21.9, 19.2, and 17.6 deaths per 100,000 people, respectively, while West Bengal and Bihar had the lowest rates, at 5.9 per 100,000. Six states—Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu—accounted for almost half of all road fatalities in India.
The report also notes that pedestrians, cyclists, and motorized two-wheeler riders are the most frequent victims of road accidents, while trucks are responsible for the majority of collisions. Despite the proven effectiveness of helmets in reducing fatalities, helmet usage among motorized two-wheeler riders exceeds 50% in only seven states. Additionally, many states lag in basic road safety measures, such as proper signage, road markings, and traffic calming techniques. Rural areas suffer from low helmet usage and inadequate trauma care facilities, necessitating region-specific strategies to address these issues.
Global Comparison and India’s Road Safety Challenges
When compared to developed nations like Sweden and other Scandinavian countries that have excelled in road safety, India fares poorly. In 1990, an Indian was 40% more likely to die in a road accident than a person in these countries; by 2021, this disparity had increased to 600%, highlighting the sharp rise in road fatalities. The report questions whether better vehicle safety features alone can address this issue, as two-wheeler riders and cyclists constitute the majority of road fatalities.
The Path Forward
The report calls for central and state governments to scale up road safety initiatives. Establishing a national database for fatal crashes would provide crucial insights into the risks faced by road users and the effectiveness of various interventions across states. Public access to this data could further improve road safety measures and policy implementation
After a strong start to goods exports in the first quarter of 2024-25, momentum has slowed down. Export values dropped by 1.5% in July, hitting an eight-month low, and the decline worsened to 9.3% in August. This decline coincided with a record-high import bill of $64.4 billion in August, resulting in a merchandise trade deficit of $29.7 billion, the second largest after the $29.9 billion gap in October 2023.
Reasons for the widening trade deficit:
- Although exports have declined over the past two months, imports have not followed suit, increasing by 7.5% in July and 3.3% in August. This pushed the trade deficit to a nine-month high of $23.5 billion in July, widening further by $6.2 billion in August.
- While several of India’s top export sectors, such as petroleum and gems and jewellery, experienced significant drops (oil exports fell by 22.2% in July and 37.6% in August, and jewellery exports shrank by over 20% in both months), imports continued to rise.
- In August, slower growth in sectors like pharmaceuticals and electronics was observed. Additionally, with the slowdown in China’s economy, exports of certain goods such as stone, cement, and iron ore declined.
- However, as oil prices fell by $6 per barrel in August, India’s oil import bill dropped by a third to $11 billion, bringing the petroleum deficit to a three-year low, as noted by QuantEco Research economists.
- “The widening trade deficit was mainly driven by gems and jewellery, alongside smaller contributions from miscellaneous products and electronics,” the economists noted.
- While exports of gems and jewellery fell below $2 billion, India’s gold imports more than doubled in August to an unprecedented $10.1 billion.
- This contrasts with a 10.7% drop in gold imports in July and the $3 billion to $3.4 billion range seen since April. Trade officials attributed the surge to a reduction in the gold import duty from 15% to 6% in the Budget, rising gold prices, and jewellers stocking up for the festive season. Economists predict that the full effect of duty cuts on gold and other items will continue to impact the import bill in the coming months.
Could a wider trade deficit pose risks?
- “For a developing economy with high growth, the trade deficit should not be concerning as long as there are no foreign exchange issues,”
- Foreign capital inflows have remained positive in recent months, and India’s foreign exchange reserves reached a record $675 billion as of August 2, which the Finance Ministry noted is enough to cover 11.6 months of imports.
- Although this coverage may decrease if imports stay above $60 billion, strong services exports, which increased by over 10% from April to August, offer some reassurance.
What about foreign trade in goods?
While global trade is expected to grow faster in 2024 compared to 2023, demand remains weak in most developed markets. In addition to geopolitical tensions, the upcoming U.S. elections and increased tariffs on Chinese goods, coupled with China’s struggling domestic economy, pose challenges for countries like India.
As China's import demand weakens, it may seek to offload products in non-U.S. markets at lower prices. Furthermore, these factors are likely to keep oil prices down, negatively impacting India’s oil exports. Overall, concerns about global demand are increasing, and although India aims to increase goods and services exports to a trillion dollars each by 2030, the path forward will likely be challenging
1.The term "Twin Deficit" in the context of an economy refers to which of the following?
- Fiscal deficit and Revenue deficit
- Fiscal deficit and Current account deficit
- Trade deficit and Revenue deficit
- Trade deficit and Primary deficit
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 4 only
|
Answer (b)
The Twin Deficit refers to a situation where a country is facing both a fiscal deficit and a current account deficit. A fiscal deficit occurs when the government's total expenditures exceed the revenue that it generates, excluding money from borrowings. A current account deficit occurs when a country imports more goods, services, and capital than it exports. Both these deficits together can signify deeper economic issues, such as unsustainable borrowing or low competitiveness in international trade
|
For Preliminary Examination: Space technology, Hubble telescope
A telescope is an optical instrument designed to observe distant objects by collecting and magnifying light or other forms of electromagnetic radiation. It is primarily used in astronomy to study celestial bodies like stars, planets, and galaxies, but it can also be used for terrestrial observations.
There are several types of telescopes:
-
Optical Telescopes: These use lenses (refracting telescopes) or mirrors (reflecting telescopes) to gather and focus visible light.
- Refracting Telescope: Uses lenses to bend and focus light.
- Reflecting Telescope: Uses mirrors to reflect and focus light.
-
Radio Telescopes: Detect radio waves from astronomical objects.
-
Infrared, X-ray, and Gamma-ray Telescopes: Designed to detect non-visible wavelengths of light.
-
Space Telescopes: Located in space to avoid Earth's atmospheric interference, like the Hubble Space Telescope
The primary function of a telescope is to collect and magnify light (or other electromagnetic radiation) from distant objects, making them appear closer and clearer for observation. This enables astronomers and scientists to study celestial bodies and distant objects in greater detail than is possible with the naked eye.
Key aspects of the primary function include:
- Light Collection: Telescopes gather more light than the human eye can, allowing faint and distant objects to become visible.
- Magnification: Telescopes enlarge the image of distant objects, making their details more observable.
- Resolution: Telescopes improve the clarity and sharpness of images by reducing blurring from the atmosphere or imperfections in the instrument.
-
Less Atmospheric Distortion: At higher altitudes, there is less atmosphere above the telescope, which means less atmospheric turbulence (also known as "seeing"). This improves the clarity and sharpness of the images by reducing the distortion caused by the air.
-
Reduced Light Pollution: Mountainous regions are usually far from cities and other sources of artificial light, reducing light pollution. This makes it easier to observe faint celestial objects without interference from human-made lights.
-
Clearer Air: The air at higher altitudes is generally thinner and drier, which means fewer water vapor particles and other atmospheric particles that could scatter or absorb light. This enhances visibility, particularly for infrared observations.
-
Better Weather Conditions: Many observatories are located on mountains with favorable, consistent weather conditions, which allow for more clear nights throughout the year.
Will Mission Mausam improve weather forecasts?
For Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
For Mains Examination: GS II - Governance
Context:
On September 11, the Cabinet cleared a ₹2,000 crore programme called Mission Mausam to upgrade infrastructure used to make atmospheric observations. It will involve a major upgrade of instruments used by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology
Read about:
What is Mission Mausam?
What is India Meteorological Department (IMD)?
Key takeaways:
On September 11, the Cabinet approved a ₹2,000 crore initiative named Mission Mausam aimed at enhancing infrastructure for atmospheric observations. This program will involve a significant upgrade to the instruments used by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.
Objectives of the Mission
Mission Mausam aims to advance atmospheric observation capabilities to improve the accuracy of monsoon forecasts, enhance alerts for deteriorating air quality, and provide warnings for extreme weather events and cyclones. Key components of the mission include the deployment of advanced radars, satellite systems with high-performance sensors, and supercomputers. It also involves developing sophisticated earth-system models and a GIS-based automated Decision Support System for real-time data dissemination. The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) will oversee the mission, which plans to acquire and install up to 60 weather radars, 15 wind profilers, and 15 radiosondes by 2026. These instruments will offer regular updates on wind speeds, atmospheric pressure, humidity, and temperature at various atmospheric levels.
Historical Context
This mission follows the earlier 'Monsoon Mission' launched in 2012. Traditionally, the IMD used statistical methods to predict monsoon performance, which often led to broad estimates and missed regional variations and drought probabilities. The Monsoon Mission introduced a novel approach, employing high-performance computing and dynamical models to simulate weather patterns and provide more accurate medium-range forecasts. These models, developed since 2004, can be adjusted for various forecasting needs, including daily weather and seasonal monsoon predictions, and can also be adapted for heatwaves, cold waves, and localized forecasts. However, this method is costly and demands sophisticated technology and equipment.
Innovations in Mission Mausam
Mission Mausam not only continues the advancement of dynamical models but also proposes ambitious plans for "weather management," including cloud seeding to alter weather conditions and attempts to control lightning. Lightning strikes are a major cause of natural deaths in India, with a significant number of fatalities recorded in recent years. The mission includes plans to set up a large ‘cloud chamber’ at IITM to study and potentially control lightning by modifying the electrical characteristics of clouds. While weather modification research has been ongoing since the 1950s and has included various experiments, managing the outcomes of cloud seeding remains a challenge. Mission Mausam aims to enhance understanding of these processes and refine weather modification techniques
Follow Up Question
1.In the context of which of the following do some scientists suggest the use of cirrus cloud thinning technique and the injection of sulphate aerosol into stratosphere? (UPSC CSE 2019)
(a) Creating the artificial rains in some regions
(b) Reducing the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones
(c) Reducing the adverse effects of solar wind on the Earth
(d) Reducing the global warming
|
Answer (d)
Some scientists suggest the use of cirrus cloud thinning and the injection of sulphate aerosols into the stratosphere as techniques to reduce global warming. These methods are considered forms of geoengineering aimed at reflecting more sunlight away from Earth or altering cloud properties to influence the global climate
|
Organ-on-chip tech could boost BioE3 objective to personalise medicine
For Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and inyternational importance
For Mains Examination: GS II & III - Science & Technology
Context:
Researchers currently take a decade and $2.3 billion on average to bring a drug from lab to the market. One big roadblock is that drugs that clear animal-testing in a clinical trial’s early stages often fail when tested with humans. Organ-on-chip technology offers a solution to this problem
Read about:
What is BioE3 Policy?
What is Biotechnology and its applications?
Key takeaways:
Follow Up Question
1.It is possible to produce algae-based biofuels, but what is/are the likely limitation(s) of developing countries in promoting this industry? (UPSC 2017)
1. Production of algae-based biofuels is possible in seas only and not on continents.
2. Setting up and engineering the algae-based biofuels production requires a high level of expertise/technology until the construction is completed.
3. Economically viable production necessitates the setting up of large-scale facilities which may raise ecological and social concerns.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
|
Answer (B)
|
What is natural farming?
What is the significance of natural farming?
Natural farming is an agricultural method that relies on nature's processes, minimizing external inputs like chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and intensive tillage. It focuses on maintaining and enhancing the health of the soil, environment, and ecosystem through natural processes. This farming technique was popularized by Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese farmer and philosopher, and is widely practiced in India today, particularly under the Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) model.
Key Principles of Natural Farming:
-
No Tillage (No Plowing): Natural farming discourages the use of heavy machinery and soil disturbance, allowing the natural ecosystem in the soil to remain intact and healthy.
-
No Use of Chemical Fertilizers or Pesticides: Instead of synthetic inputs, natural farming promotes the use of organic fertilizers, like compost or manure, and relies on natural pest predators for crop protection.
-
Mulching: The use of plant residues and organic material as ground cover helps conserve moisture, protect soil from erosion, and suppress weeds.
-
Intercropping and Crop Diversity: Multiple crops are grown together to enhance biodiversity, improve soil fertility, and reduce pest outbreaks.
-
Livestock Integration: Animals are an integral part of the system, contributing manure and enhancing nutrient cycling within the farm.
-
Natural Resource Use: Emphasizes using locally available resources like indigenous seeds, and promotes minimal dependence on external inputs.
The National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) is a government initiative in India aimed at promoting and supporting natural farming practices across the country. It is part of the larger vision of sustainable agriculture, aiming to reduce dependency on chemical fertilizers and pesticides while enhancing soil health, biodiversity, and farm resilience. The mission encourages farmers to adopt natural farming techniques, which emphasize low-cost, eco-friendly, and regenerative agricultural practices.
Key Objectives of NMNF:
-
Promotion of Natural Farming: Encourage farmers to switch from conventional farming methods to natural farming practices to reduce input costs and improve crop resilience.
-
Environmental Sustainability: Enhance soil fertility, conserve water, reduce pollution from chemical inputs, and increase biodiversity through eco-friendly agricultural practices.
-
Farmer Welfare: Improve the livelihoods of farmers by lowering the cost of cultivation and reducing their dependence on expensive external inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides.
-
Climate Resilience: Build farming systems that are more resilient to climate change and extreme weather conditions, reducing the risk to farmers.
-
Soil Health Improvement: Enhance soil health by fostering practices that regenerate soil ecosystems, improve organic matter content, and increase the soil’s capacity to retain moisture and nutrients.
|
Answer (E)
Which one of the following most appropriately describes the nature of Green Revolution of the late sixties of 20th century? (BPSC CCE 2015)
A.Intensive cultivation of green vegetable
B.Intensive agriculture district programme
C.High-yielding varieties programme
D.Seed-Fertilizer-Water technology
E.None of the above/More than one of the above
|
| Subject | Topic | Description |
| History | Modern Indian History | Company rule and Crown rule 1773 - 1947 |
| History | Modern Indian History | Fall of Mughals |
| History | Modern Indian History | Establishment of British rule in India |
| History | Modern Indian History | Economic Policies of the British |
|
UPSC EXAM NOTES will be conducting both Prelims and Mains exams every Sunday as part of the Integrated Mains and Prelims (IMPM) Program. This program provides a comprehensive approach to UPSC exam preparation, ensuring that candidates are well-prepared for both stages of the exam. Program Highlights:
Duration: The IMPM plan is a one-year program, ensuring continuous and structured preparation over 12 months. With regular testing and consistent study guidance, this program is designed to maximize your chances of success in the UPSC exams |