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| Exclusive for Subscribers Daily: Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) and India-Japan for the UPSC Exam? Why are topics like Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) and Super Blue Moon important for both preliminary and main exams? Discover more insights in the UPSC Exam Notes for September 18, 2024 |
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Critical Topics and Their Significance for the UPSC CSE Examination on September 18, 2024
Daily Insights and Initiatives for UPSC Exam Notes: Comprehensive explanations and high-quality material provided regularly for students
For Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
For Mains Examination: GS II - Consumer Protection rules
Context:
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed penalty of ₹ 3 lakh for misleading advertisement on Sriram’s IAS. The decision was taken to protect & promote the rights of consumers as a class and ensure that no false or misleading advertisement is made of any goods or services which contravenes the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019
Read about:
What is Central COnsumer Protection Authority (CCPA)?
What is State Consumer Protection Council?
Key takeaways:
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a ₹3 lakh fine on Sriram’s IAS for disseminating misleading advertisements. This action aims to safeguard and advance consumer rights and to ensure that no advertisements for goods or services breach the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
The penalty was issued under the leadership of Chief Commissioner Smt. Nidhi Khare and Commissioner Shri Anupam Mishra, following violations related to misleading advertising about the UPSC Civil Service Exam 2022.
Many coaching institutes and online edtech platforms use images and names of successful candidates to attract potential students, without disclosing which courses these candidates completed or the duration of their studies.
Sriram’s IAS made claims in its advertisements such as:
- “200 plus selections in UPSC Civil Service Exam 2022”
- “We are India's No.1 Prestigious UPSC/IAS Coaching Institute”
The CCPA found that while Sriram’s IAS advertised various courses, it intentionally withheld information about the courses taken by the successful candidates in the UPSC Civil Service Exam. This omission misled consumers into believing that all the claimed successful candidates had enrolled in the paid courses advertised by the institute.
According to Section 2(28)(iv) of the Consumer Protection Act, misleading advertisements that deliberately hide critical information are prohibited. Knowing the course details chosen by successful candidates is essential for consumers to make informed decisions about which course and coaching institute to select.
In response, Sriram’s IAS provided details for only 171 out of the 200-plus claimed successful candidates. Of these, 102 were from the Free Interview Guidance Programme (IGP), 55 from the Free Test Series, 9 from the GS Classroom course, and 5 from an MoU arrangement with state governments for free coaching. This information was not disclosed in their advertisements, misleading potential consumers.
Successful candidates in the Civil Services Examination must pass all three stages: Prelims, Mains, and the Personality Test (PT). Marks from Mains and PT contribute to the final selection, with PT accounting for 13.5% of the total marks. Many candidates had cleared the Preliminary and Mains exams independently, with Sriram’s IAS providing guidance only after these stages. By concealing this fact, the misleading advertisements misinformed UPSC aspirants, violating their right to be accurately informed and protecting themselves from unfair practices
Follow Up Question
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Answer (D)
The Consumer Protection Act 2019 actually includes provisions for mediation as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism. The Act aims to simplify and expedite the resolution of consumer disputes and includes mechanisms for mediation, among other methods, to resolve conflicts efficiently
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India and Japan, co-creators of new solutions
For Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
For Mains Examination: GS II - International relations
Context:
The friendship between Japan and India is built on a common foundation of long historical ties and democracy. As the world faces various challenges and stands at a turning point in history, Japan and India are expected to make a significant contribution to peace and stability
Read about:
India - Japan relations
Act East Policy of India
Key takeaways:
- Japan and India share a long history of connections, beginning with the introduction of Buddhism in the 6th century. My hometown, Shizuoka Prefecture, has a particularly strong relationship with India.
- Notably, while Shizuoka is renowned for its green tea, a local tea merchant named Tada Motokichi, who operated in the 19th century, is believed to have learned black tea production techniques in India and adapted them to enhance green tea production in Japan.
- Building on these deep-rooted ties, Japan and India established the "Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership" in 2014. Over the past decade, our bilateral relationship has grown significantly across various sectors.
- First, in the realm of defense and security, my visit will include the third Japan-India Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting (“2+2”), marking the first such meeting in nearly two years.
- In recent years, security cooperation between our nations has advanced considerably, including joint exercises between Japan's Self-Defense Forces and India's Armed Forces across all domains—land, sea, and air—as well as initiatives to enhance cooperation in defense equipment and technology. During this “2+2” meeting
- Second, in the economic sphere, we have made consistent progress in key initiatives, including the High-Speed Rail project, the development of India's northeastern region—an area of great importance to Prime Minister Narendra Modi—and the industrial value chain concept that connects the northeastern region to the Bay of Bengal.
- Additionally, both countries are strongly committed to achieving the goal of 5 trillion yen in public and private investment and financing within five years, as set by our leaders in 2022.
- Building on this foundation of collaboration, we will continue to advance cooperation in emerging areas such as Green Transformation and Digital Transformation, as well as improving the investment and business climate, to elevate our partnership to new heights.
- Third, the bond between the people of Japan and India is the cornerstone of our bilateral relationship, and we aim to significantly expand the scope of people-to-people exchanges in the future.
- The extension of the “Japan-India Tourism Exchange Year” into fiscal year 2024 was announced during the Japan-India Strategic Dialogue in March. From September to October, India will host numerous events under the banner of "Japan Month," and similar events will take place in Tokyo as "India Month." We hope these initiatives will further enhance mutual exchanges between our two countries.
- Fourth, I look forward to collaborating with India in the area of Women, Peace, and Security (WPS), which has been a key focus of the Japanese government in recent years and is also a personal commitment of mine.
- The WPS agenda emphasizes that achieving sustainable peace is more likely when women are actively involved in leadership roles, especially in prevention, humanitarian aid, and reconstruction efforts, while also protecting vulnerable groups such as women during crises.
- India, a country with significant female participation in peacekeeping operations, played a vital role in the Japan-Australia-India-US (Quad) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Tokyo last month, where we, along with Minister Jaishankar, pledged to contribute to and implement the WPS agenda, including its application to disaster risk reduction. We now seek to explore ways to materialize cooperation with India on the WPS front
1.Consider the following projects:
1. Renewable energy
2. E-mobility
3. Waste Management
4. Low carbon emission
How many of the above projects will be covered under India-Japan Fund (IJF)?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
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Answer (d)
The India-Japan Fund (IJF) is intended to cover a broad range of sustainable and environmentally-friendly projects. Given the nature of the listed projects—Renewable energy, E-mobility, Waste Management, and Low carbon emission—all four are likely to align with the objectives of the IJF. Therefore, the correct answer is: (d) All four |
The moon's orbit around Earth is elliptical, meaning it is an elongated circle. It takes the moon 27.3 days to complete one orbit around the Earth, though the time between new moons is about 29.5 days. This difference occurs because both the Earth and the moon are also moving around the sun, requiring additional time for the moon to reach the same phase in its cycle.- The closest point in the moon’s elliptical orbit to Earth is called perigee, while the farthest point is known as apogee. A super moon occurs when the moon is near or at perigee and is also a full moon. Although this can also happen with a new moon, it is not visible.
- A full moon occurs when the moon is directly opposite the sun, fully illuminating its dayside, and appears as a bright circle in the sky that rises around sunset and sets around sunrise. The moon appears 'full' not just on Purnima but also on the nights immediately before and after.
Although the phrase "once in a blue moon" suggests a rare event, a blue moon is not as uncommon as one might think. There are a couple of definitions for a blue moon. The most widely recognized, and endorsed by NASA, describes it as the occurrence of two full moons within a single month.- Since the new moon to new moon cycle lasts 29.5 days, sometimes a full moon appears at the beginning of a month, leaving enough time for another full moon to occur by the end of the month. This happens roughly every two to three years.
- Another accepted definition refers to the occurrence of a third full moon in a season that has four full moons, as defined by the astronomical season between a solstice and an equinox.
- The current astronomical summer began with the solstice on June 21 and will end with the equinox on September 22. According to the Maine Farmers’ Almanac in 1937, this phenomenon is also classified as a blue moon.
- The August super blue moon marks the first of four consecutive super moons this year, with the next ones appearing on September 18, October 17, and November 15.
- No. Sometimes, dust or smoke in the atmosphere can scatter red wavelengths of light, causing the moon to appear more blue than usual in certain locations, but this has nothing to do with the term "blue moon."
When the moon is close to the horizon, it often appears yellow or orange because its light passes through more of the Earth’s atmosphere, scattering the shorter blue wavelengths and leaving behind the longer red wavelengths. Dust or pollution can intensify this reddish hue.
- According to NASA, a super moon at perigee appears about 14% larger and 30% brighter than a full moon at apogee (known as a "micro moon"). Although approximately 25% of all full moons are super moons, only 3% are blue moons. The time interval between super blue moons is irregular and can be as long as 20 years, though it typically averages around 10 years.
- Most people may not notice the size difference, but the moon might appear somewhat brighter. However, factors like the "Moon illusion" and local atmospheric conditions, such as cloud cover or pollution, will influence how noticeable these differences are
1.Which of the following statements regarding a Super Blue Moon is/are correct?
- A Super Blue Moon occurs when there are two full moons in a calendar month, and the second full moon is at its closest point to Earth (perigee).
- A Super Blue Moon is an astronomical event where the moon appears blue in color due to the scattering of shorter wavelengths of light.
- The occurrence of a Super Blue Moon is a rare event that happens approximately every 2 to 3 years.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3
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Answer (b)
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Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the same family of viruses as the variola virus, the cause of smallpox. Mpox is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans, but it can also spread between humans.
Key Characteristics of Mpox:
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Transmission: Mpox can spread through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or skin lesions of infected animals or humans. It can also spread through respiratory droplets during prolonged face-to-face contact and through contaminated materials like bedding.
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Symptoms: The symptoms of mpox are similar to, but milder than, those of smallpox. They include fever, headache, muscle aches, and exhaustion, followed by a rash that typically begins on the face and then spreads to other parts of the body. The rash goes through several stages before eventually forming scabs that fall off.
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Incubation Period: The incubation period (time from infection to symptoms) is usually 7-14 days but can range from 5-21 days.
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Severity: While mpox is generally less severe than smallpox, it can still be serious, particularly in children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
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Treatment and Prevention: There is no specific treatment for mpox, but the smallpox vaccine has been found to be about 85% effective in preventing mpox. Antiviral drugs and supportive care can also help manage the symptoms. Preventative measures include avoiding contact with animals that could harbor the virus and practicing good hygiene.
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Outbreaks: Mpox has been primarily found in central and west African countries, but there have been cases and outbreaks reported in other regions, often linked to travel or imported animals. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) renamed the disease from "monkeypox" to "mpox" to reduce stigma and discrimination associated with the name
1.The term ‘ACE2’ is talked about in the context of (UPSC CSE 2021)
(a) genes introduced in the genetically modified plants
(b) development of India’s own satellite navigation system
(c) radio collars for wildlife tracking
(d) spread of viral diseases
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Answer (d)
ACE2 (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2) is a protein on the surface of many cell types. It is the entry point for certain coronaviruses, including the virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), to infect human cells. The interaction between the virus's spike protein and the ACE2 receptor allows the virus to enter and infect the cells, which is why ACE2 has been widely discussed in the context of viral diseases, particularly COVID-19
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Causes of Food Inflation:
- Supply-side Factors: Poor agricultural productivity, natural disasters (such as floods, droughts), pest attacks, and disruptions in the supply chain can reduce the availability of food, driving prices up.
- Demand-side Factors: Increased demand for food due to population growth, higher incomes, or changes in dietary preferences can lead to food inflation.
- Global Factors: International trade policies, exchange rate fluctuations, and global food shortages can affect domestic food prices.
- Government Policies: Policies such as minimum support prices (MSP), subsidies, or import-export restrictions can influence food prices.
- Costs of Inputs: Increases in the prices of inputs like seeds, fertilizers, fuel, and labor can raise the cost of food production, leading to higher food prices.
- The CFPI covers a basket of food items including cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat, fish, eggs, oils, fats, sugar, spices, and beverages, among others. The selection of these items is based on their significance in the average household's consumption pattern
- The CFPI is used to measure food inflation, which is a critical component of overall inflation as food expenditures typically make up a substantial portion of household budgets, especially in developing countries like India.
- The CFPI is calculated by comparing the current prices of food items in the consumer basket to the prices in a base year. The percentage change between the two gives the rate of food inflation
CFPI vs CPI:
- CFPI is a sub-index of the CPI. While the CPI includes a broad range of goods and services consumed by households (including housing, clothing, transportation, education, healthcare, etc.), the CFPI specifically focuses on food items.
- Changes in the CFPI can significantly influence the overall CPI, given that food is a major component of consumer spending
1.Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2020)
- The weightage of food in Consumer Price Index (CPI) is higher than that in Wholesale Price Index (WPI).
- The WPI does not capture changes in the prices of services, which CPI does.
- Reserve Bank of India has now adopted WPI as its key measure of inflation and to decide on changing the key policy rates.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
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Answer (a)
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| Subject | Topic | Description |
| History | Modern Indian History | National Movements between 1919 to 1939 |
| History | Modern Indian History | Governor generals of India |
| History | Modern Indian History | Doctrine of Lapse |
| History | Modern Indian History | Religious reform Movements |
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NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR MINORITIES
For Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
For Mains Examination: GS II - Indian Polity & Governance
Context:
The judicial powers of NCM are similar to the powers of NCSC and NCST except for point (vi) wherein the NCSC and NCST the provision is “any other matter which the President may, by rule, determine”. While for the NCM it is “any other matter which may be prescribed”
Read about:
What is the National Commission for Minorities?
What is the National Commission for Scheduled Caste(NCSC)?
Key takeaways:
1.Which of the following powers are granted to the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) under Section 9(4) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992?
- Summoning and enforcing the attendance of individuals from any part of India and examining them on oath.
- Requiring the discovery and production of documents.
- Receiving evidence through affidavits.
- Requisitioning public records from any court or office.
- Issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses and documents.
- Issuing executive orders for the appointment of judges.
Choose the correct answer from the options below:
A. 1, 2, 3, and 4
B. 1, 2, 3, and 5
C. 2, 3, 4, and 6
D. 1, 4, 5, and 6
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Answer (B)
Under Section 9(4) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, the NCM is granted the following powers:
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Mains
1.In 2001, RGI stated that Dalits who converted to Islam or Christianity are not a single ethnic group as they belong to different caste groups. Therefore, they cannot be included in the list of Scheduled Castes (SC) as per Clause (2) of Article 341, which requires a single ethnic group for inclusion. (UPSC CSE Mains GS2 2014)
2. Whether the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) can enforce the implementation of constitutional reservation for the Scheduled Castes in the religious minority institutions? Examine. (UPSC CSE Mains GS2 2018)