Civilsdaily

Subject: Trivia

  • Lancet’s analysis of population trends for 2017-2100

    When this century ends, India may no longer be a country of a billion, says a projection that appears in the online edition of the Lancet. The reference forecasts for China and India peaked before 2050 and both countries thereafter had steep declining trajectories.

    Try this question from CSP 2011:

    Q.India is regarded as a country with ‘Demographic Dividend’. This is due to

    (a) Its high population in the age group below 15 years

    (b) Its high population in the age group of 15-64 years

    (c) Its high population in the age group above 65 years

    (d) Its high total population

    World to see the peak

    • A new analysis published in The Lancet has projected that the world population will peak much earlier than previously estimated.
    • It projects the peak at 9.73 billion in 2064, which is 36 years earlier than the 11 billion peaks projected for 2100 by last year’s UN report World Population Prospects.
    • For 2100, the new report projects a decline to 8.79 billion from the 2064 peak.

    5 most populated countries

    • The five largest countries in 2100 are projected to be India, Nigeria, China, the U.S. and Pakistan.
    • However, these forecasts showed different future trajectories between countries.
    • Nigeria is forecast to have continued population growth through 2100 and was expected to be the second-most populous country by then.

    Predictions on India’s population

    • For India, the report projects a peak population of 1.6 billion in 2048, up from 1.38 billion in 2017.
    • By 2100, the population is projected to decline by 32% to 1.09 billion.
    • However, meeting UN Sustainable Goal Development targets, the peak would be earlier and see a population decline to 929 million.
    • Conventional wisdom is that though a decline in population is expected, it is expected to begin only around 2046.
    • The fall according to the latest 2019 assessment by the UNDP calculation, is expected to see India’s population settle at a little over 1.4 billion.

    Reasons for fall

    • The sharper fall is due to the assumption that all women globally will have much higher access to contraception and education.
    • This scenario will lead to a sharper reduction in the Total Fertility Rate, a metric that shows on average how many children a woman must have to keep replenishing the population.
    • A TFR is lower than 2.1leads to a decline in a country’s population.

  • Mapping: Islands of Polynesia

    How did the Polynesian peoples come to live on the far-flung islands of the Pacific? The question has intrigued researchers for centuries.

    The newscard contains some trivial facts. However, aspirants are advised to observe the map.

    Study on Polynesia

    • Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl brought the topic to public attention when he sailed a balsa-wood raft called the Kon-Tiki from Peru to Polynesia in 1947.
    • His goal was to demonstrate such voyages were possible, supporting theories linking Polynesian origins to the Americas.
    • Decades of research in archaeology, linguistics and genetics now show that Polynesian origins lie to the west, ultimately in the islands of Southeast Asia.

    New evidence for American interlopers

    • A new study published in Nature reports genetic evidence of Native American ancestry in several Polynesian populations.
    • Other researchers have previously found evidence of indigenous American DNA in the genomes of the modern inhabitants of Rapa Nui.
    • Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, is the part of Polynesia closest to South America.
    • This suggests the “Amerindian” genetic component was likely introduced later via Chilean colonists.

  • Sindhu Darshan Puja

    During his day-long whirlwind visit, PM Narendra performed Sindhu Darshan Puja at Nimu, the forward brigade place in Ladakh.

    Sindhu Darshan Puja.

    ⦁ Sindhu Darshan Festival is a festival of India held every year on full moon day (on Guru Purnima) in the month of June.
    ⦁ It is held at Leh, in Ladakh District of Ladakh. It stretches for three days.
    ⦁ It was first started in the October by veteran politician L.K. Advani, 1997 and continues to be held every year since then, attracting large number of foreign and domestic tourists.
    ⦁ The main reason behind the celebration of Sindhu Darshan Festival is to endorse the Indus River (Sindhu River) as an icon of the communal harmony and unity of India.

  • Timbuktu: The faraway land

    Timbuktu is a western African city whose name is a metaphor for a place too exotic and remote to even imagine, now is in the grasp of Covid-19.

    Try this question from CSP 2018:

    Q.Very recently, in which of the following countries have lakhs of people either suffered from severe famine/acute malnutrition or died due to starvation caused by war/ethnic conflicts?

    (a) Angola and Zambia

    (b) Morocco and Tunisia

    (c) Venezuela and Colombia

    (d) Yemen and South Sudan

    Timbuktu

    • Timbuktu is a city in Mali, situated 20 km north of the Niger River.
    • The mystique of Timbuktu owes a lot to its inaccessibility, which continues even today.
    • It is located on the southern tip of the Sahara desert where there is nothing but thousands of miles of barren desert to its north.
    • It was a regional trade centre in medieval times, where caravans met to exchange salt from the Sahara Desert for gold, ivory, and slaves from the Sahel, which could be reached via the nearby Niger River.

  • Oculudentavis khaungraae

    Scientists have found the skull of a 99-million-year-old flying dinosaur that is tinier than the tiniest bird known to humans.

    • The bird-like dinosaur was found stuck in a gob of tree resin that eventually hardened into amber, preserving it for millions of years to come.
    • The fossil was dug up in 2016 from a mine in Myanmar. It was so slight; it likely weighed just 2 grams.
    • The dinosaur skull holds around 100 sharp teeth, which hints at its ferocious nature despite its small size.
    • It even had teeth in the back of its jaw, under its eye.

     

  • Changes in SDGs

    Thirty-six major changes to the global indicator framework for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were approved and adopted by the UN Statistical Commission (UNSC).

    Sustainable Development Goals

    • The UN General Assembly in its 70thSession considered and adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the next 15 years.
    • The 17 SDGs came into force with effect from 1stJanuary, 2016.
    • Though not legally binding, the SDGs have become de facto international obligations and have potential to reorient domestic spending priorities of the countries during the next fifteen years.
    • Countries are expected to take ownership and establish a national framework for achieving these Goals.
    • Implementation and success will rely on countries’ own sustainable development policies, plans and programmes.

    About the changes

    • These changes are based on the ‘2020 comprehensive review’ conducted by the UN Inter-Agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDGs).
    • The revised global framework will have 231 indicators, approximately the same number as in the original framework, the statement said.
    • The global indicator framework was adopted by the UN General Assembly on July 6, 2017.

    Eight additional indicators were added across six SDG goals — 2, 3, 4, 10, 13 and 16.

    These include:

    • Indicator 13.2.2 on the total greenhouse gas emissions per year for the SDG target 13.2 to integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.
    • Prevalence of anaemia in women aged 15-49 years, by pregnancy status (percentage) under the target 2.2 to end forms of malnutrition by 2030.
    • A new indicator on reducing the percentage of bloodstream infections due to selected antimicrobial-resistant organisms has been added under the Global health goal (SDG 3).
    • Indicator 10.7.3 on the number of migrants killed while attempting to cross maritime, land and air borders.
    • Indicator 10.7.4 on the proportion of the population who are refugees, by country of origin.

    Six indicators across six SDG goals — 1, 4, 8, 11, 13 and 17 — have been deleted.

     These include:

    • Indicator 1.a.1 on the proportion of domestically-generated resources allocated by the government directly to poverty reduction programmes.
    • Indicator 4.2.1 on the proportion of children under five years of age who are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being, by sex.
    • The portion of the indicator that measures progress for children between 0 and 23 months of age, which is currently in tier III was proposed for deletion by the IAEG.
    • Under the SDG goal on combating climate change, the indicator 13.3.2, quantifying the number of countries that have communicated the strengthening of capacity-building for implementing adaptation, mitigation and technology transfer, and development actions has been deleted.

  • International Mother Language Day

     

    Friday, February 21 was International Mother Language Day.

    International Mother Language Day

    • It has been observed since 1999 to promote “linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism”, according to the UN.
    • Of the world’s 6,000 languages, 43% are estimated as endangered, according to the UN.
    • On the other hand, just 10 languages account for as many as 4.8 billion speakers — over 60% of the world population.
    • Globally, English remains the most widely spoken language with 1.13 billion speakers in 2019, followed by Mandarin with 1.17 billion, according to the online database Ethnologue.

    Why February 21?

    • UNESCO declared International Mother Language Day in 1999, to commemorate a 1952 protest against West Pakistan’s imposition of Urdu as the official language of East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh).
    • According to a report, police opened fire on demonstrating Dhaka University students and “some people were killed”.
    • When thousands thronged the university the next day, police fired again, killing more people.
    • In Bangladesh, since 1953, February 21 is observed as Ekushe Day, after the Bengali word for twenty-one.
    • According to the South Asia Democratic Forum, five among those killed were recognised as “language martyrs — Abul Barkat, Abdul Jabbar, Rafiquddin Ahmad, Abdus Salman and Shafiur Rahman.

    Data on Indian languages

    • Hindi is third with 615 million speakers while Bengali is seventh with 265 million.
    • In India, Hindi is the most spoken language with over 528 million speakers in 2011, as per the Census.
    • Bengali had 97.2 million speakers in 2011, followed by Marathi (83 million), while other languages with over 50 million speakers are Telugu (81 million), Tamil (69 million), Gujarati (55.5 million) and Urdu (50.8 million).
    • Percentage trends from 1991 to 2011 underline the growth of the most widely spoken language, Hindi, which was spoken by 39.29% of the Indian population in 1991, and whose share grew to 43.63% in 2011.
    • For other languages in India’s top 12, the 2011 percentage share has fallen when compared to that in 1991.

  • ‘2 Billion Kilometers to Safety’ campaign

     

    The UN Refugee Agency UNHCR has announced a new global campaign urging people worldwide to cover the total distance travelled by refugees each year – 2 billion kilometers – by running, jogging or walking.

    About the campaign

    • The “2 Billion Kilometers to Safety” campaign vies to encourage people to support refugees by championing individual acts of solidarity.
    • The goal is to acknowledge the resilience and strength of refugees.
    • It calls on the public to show their solidarity with refugees by running, walking or cycling to collectively cover two billion kilometers.
    • Participants can use their fitness apps or the campaign website to log the kilometers and contribute to the global total.

    Distance covered by refugees 

    • UNHCR traced the journeys of refugees around the world and calculated that, collectively, people forced to flee travel approximately two billion kilometers every year to reach the first point of safety.
    • This is roughly the distance that separates Earth from somewhere between the planets Saturn and Uranus.
    • According to UNHCR estimates, Syrian refugees travelled over 240 kilometers each to reach Turkey.
    • South Sudanese refugees travelled more than 640 kilometers to reach Kenya. Rohingya refugees from Myanmar travelled approximately 80 kilometers to reach Bangladesh.

  • Global Go To Think-Tank Index

    Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) was placed No. 16 among 2019’s ‘top environment policy think tanks’ of the world in Global Go To Think Tank Index.

    Think-Tank Index

    • The Index is released by University of Pennsylvania each year since 2008.
    • It evaluates public-policy research analysis and engagement organisations that generate policy-oriented research, analysis, and advice on domestic and international issues.
    • It claims to enable policy makers and the public to make informed decisions on public policy.
    • The 2020 report raised some critical threats and opportunities that think tanks across the globe face.
    • It called upon such organisations to develop national, regional, and global partnerships and create new, innovative platforms to deliver for an ever-expanding audience of citizens, policy makers and businesses.

    India’s performance

    • CSE climbed up two notches in the 14th version of the report.
    • The organisation also moved up three places among ‘best independent think tanks’ to be at No.123 in the world and sixth among Indian think tanks.
    • Globally, it was ranked 41 of 60 organisations committed to energy and resource policy. It remained at No.58 among organisations working on science and technology policy in the world — fifth in India.

    CSE as forerunner

    • CSE was named the ‘national climate leader’ from India for 2019 in the first National Climate Leader Awards published in the Global Spotlight Report #22 by Climate Scorecard.
    • CSE also received the prestigious Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2018 in 2019 for ‘pioneering work on environment and sustainable development’.
    • CSE also featured in four other rankings in the report: ‘top water security think tanks’; ‘top energy and resource policy think tanks’; ‘top science and technology policy think tanks’ and ‘best independent think tanks’.
    • It also ranked 18 among 78 global think tanks for its work on ‘water security’ — second in India after Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment.

  • Beating Retreat Ceremony

    The Beating Retreat ceremony recently took place at Vijay Chowk. The ceremony, which takes place on January 29 every year, marks the culmination of the four-day Republic Day celebrations.

    What is the Beating Retreat function?

    • ‘Beating Retreat’ marks a centuries old military tradition, when the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield and returned to the camps at sunset at the sounding of the Retreat.
    • The military tradition began in 17th century England, when King James II ordered his troops to beat drums, lower flags and organise a parade to announce the end of a day of combat.
    • The ceremony was then called ‘watch setting’ and took place at sunset after firing a single round from the evening gun.
    • The ceremony is currently held by Armed Forces in the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and India, among others.

    How did it begin in India?

    • Beating the Retreat’ has emerged as an event of national pride when the Colours and Standards are paraded.
    • The ceremony traces its origins to the early 1950s when Major Roberts of the Indian Army indigenously developed the unique ceremony of display by the massed bands.
    • Section D (Ceremonials) at the Ministry of Defence conducts the event.
    • The ceremony consists of musical performances by the bands, who each year play Indian and western tunes.

  • ‘Time to Care’ Report

     

    The report ‘Time to Care’  was recently released ahead of the 50th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

    ‘Time to Care’ Report

    • It is published by Oxfam International.
    • Its calculations are based on the latest data sources available, including from the Credit Suisse Research Institute’s Global Wealth Databook 2019 and Forbes’ 2019 Billionaires List.

    Findings of the report

    • Although global inequality has declined over the past three decades, domestic income inequality has risen in many countries, particularly in advanced economies and reached historic highs.
    • The report said that the world’s 2,153 billionaires have more wealth than the 4.6 billion people who make up 60 per cent of the planet’s population.
    • The report flagged that global inequality is shockingly entrenched and vast and the number of billionaires has doubled in the last decade, despite their combined wealth having declined in the last year.
    • The Oxfam report further said “sexist” economies are fuelling the inequality crisis by enabling a wealthy elite to accumulate vast fortunes at the expense of ordinary people and particularly poor women and girls.

    Income inequality in India

    • India’s richest 1 per cent hold more than four-times the wealth held by 953 million people who make up for the bottom 70 per cent of the country’s population.
    • The total wealth of all Indian billionaires is more than its full-year budget.
    • Regarding India, Oxfam said the combined total wealth of 63 Indian billionaires is higher than the total Union Budget of India for the fiscal year 2018-19 which was at Rs 24,42,200 crore.
    • It further said women and girls put in 3.26 billion hours of unpaid care work each and every day — a contribution to the Indian economy of at least Rs 19 lakh crore a year, which is 20 times the entire education budget of India in 2019 (Rs 93,000 crore).
    • He said women and girls are among those who benefit the least from today’s economic system.
    • They spend billions of hours cooking, cleaning and caring for children and the elderly. Unpaid care work is the ‘hidden engine’ that keeps the wheels of our economies, businesses and societies moving.

    Data on earnings

    • Oxfam said governments are massively under-taxing the wealthiest individuals and corporations and failing to collect revenues that could help lift the responsibility of care and tackle poverty and inequality.
    • As per the report, it would take a female domestic worker 22,277 years to earn what a top CEO of a technology company makes in one year.
    • With earnings pegged at Rs 106 per second, a tech CEO would make more in 10 minutes than what a domestic worker would make in one year.
    • Besides, direct public investments in the care economy of 2 per cent of GDP would potentially create 11 million new jobs and make up for the 11 million jobs lost in 2018, the report said.

  • Global Social Mobility Report 2020

     

    The Global Social Mobility Report was recently released at the ongoing World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland.

    Global Social Mobility Report

    • The World Economic Forum organizes the well-known annual gathering of the world’s most influential business and political decision-makers at Davos.
    • It has come out with its first-ever Global Social Mobility Report, which has ranked India a lowly 72 out of the 82 countries profiled.
    • According to the report, the Nordic economies such as Denmark and Finland top the social mobility rankings while countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and South Africa languish at the bottom (see Table 1).

    Table 1: WEF’s Global Social Mobility Rankings

    Country Rank (out of 82)
    Denmark 1
    Germany 11
    United Kingdom 21
    United States 27
    Russia 39
    China 45
    Saudi Arabia 52
    Brazil 60
    India 76
    Pakistan 79

     

    What is the context for this report?

    • Notwithstanding fast global growth, inequalities have been growing across the world.
    • The rise of inequality has not only created massive social unrest but also adversely affected the global consensus on the kind of economic policies that countries follow.
    • A good example of this is the rise of trade protectionism across the world over the past few years.
    • Be it US or the UK several countries have started looking inwards in the hope that greater trade protectionism will help allay the fears and apprehensions of domestic workers.

    What is Social Mobility?

    • Typically, inequalities are measured in income terms. And this measure has been found inadequate.
    • As the report states, “many situations exist where, despite high levels of absolute income mobility, relative social mobility remains low.
    • For example, in economies such as China and India, economic growth can lift entire populations upward in terms of absolute income, but an individual’s status in society relative to others remains the same”.
    • The report states: “The notion of relative social mobility is more closely related to the social and economic status of an individual relative to their parents. I
    • n a country with a society with perfect relative mobility, a child born in a low-income family would have as much chance to earn a high income as a child born to parents who earn a high income”.

    Thus, the concept of social mobility is much broader than just looking at income inequality. It encompasses several concerns such as:

    • Intragenerational mobility: The ability for an individual to move between socio-economic classes within their own lifetime.
    • Intergenerational mobility: The ability for a family group to move up or down the socio-economic ladder across the span of one or more generations.
    • Absolute income mobility: The ability for an individual to earn, in real terms, as much as or more than their parents at the same age.
    • Absolute educational mobility: The ability for an individual to attain higher education levels than their parents.
    • Relative income mobility: How much of an individual’s income is determined by their parents’ income.
    • Relative educational mobility: How much of an individual’s educational attainment is determined by their parents’ educational attainment.

    Why does social mobility matter?

    • How far an individual can move up in the society determines a lot whether one is closer to the income “floor” (or poor) or “ceiling” (or rich).
    • Social mobility levels, then, can help us understand both the speed – that is, how long it takes for individuals at the bottom of the scale to catch up with those at the top – and the intensity – that is, how many steps it takes for an individual to move up the ladder in a given period – of social mobility.
    • Research also shows that countries with high levels of relative social mobility—such as Finland, Norway or Denmark— exhibit lower levels of income inequality.
    • Conversely, countries with low relative social mobility—such as India, South Africa or Brazil—also exhibit high levels of economic inequality.
    • That’s why it matters for countries like India to increase social mobility.

     

    As shown in Table 2, it would take a whopping 7 generations for someone born in a low-income family in India to approach mean income level; in Denmark, it would only take 2 generations.

     

    Table 2: Income Mobility across Generations

    Country Number of generations required by a poor family member to achieve mean income level
    Denmark 2
    United States/ United Kingdom 5
    Germany/ France 6
    India/China 7
    Brazil/South Africa 9

     

    So, how is social mobility calculated?

    The WEF’s Global Social Mobility Index assesses the 82 economies on “10 pillars” spread across the following five key dimensions of social mobility:

    1. Health;
    2. Education (access, quality and equity, lifelong learning);
    3. Technology;
    4. Work (opportunities, wages, conditions);
    5. Protection and Institutions (social protection and inclusive institutions).

    How did India perform on each of the 10 pillars of social mobility?

    India’s overall ranking is a poor 76 out of the 82 countries considered. Thus it should not come as any surprise that India ranks lowly in individual parameters as well.

    Table 3 below provides the detailed breakup.

    Table 3: Where India ranks on the 10 Pillars of Social Mobility

    Parameter Rank (out of 82 countries)
    Health 73
    Access to Education 66
    Quality and Equity in Education 77
    Lifelong learning 41
    Access to Technology 73
    Work Opportunities 75
    Fair Wage Distribution 79
    Working Conditions 53
    Social Protection 76
    Inclusive Institutions 67

     

    Back2Basics

    World Economic Forum (WEF)

    • The WEF based in Cologny-Geneva, Switzerland, is an NGO founded in 1971.
    • The WEF’s mission is cited as “committed to improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas”.
    • It is a membership-based organization, and membership is made up of the world’s largest corporations.
    • The WEF hosts an annual meeting at the end of January in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland.

    Various reports published by WEF:

    [Tikdam: Most (Not all) reports titled with ‘Global’ are released by WEF.]

    1. Global Competitiveness Report
    2. Global Information Technology Report
    3. Global Gender Gap Report
    4. Global Travel and Tourism Report
    5. Global Enabling Trade Report etc.

  • Yada Yada Virus

    A new virus detected in Australian mosquitoes has been provisionally named the Yada Yada virus (YYV).

    Yada Yada

    • It is an alphavirus, a group of viruses that the researchers described as small, single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses.
    • It includes species important to human and animal health, such as Chikungunya virus and Eastern equine encephalitis virus.
    • They are transmitted primarily by mosquitoes and (are) pathogenic in their vertebrate hosts.
    • Unlike some other alphaviruses, Yada Yada does not pose a threat to human beings.

  • Ethical Veganism

    An employment tribunal in the UK has ruled that “ethical veganism” is a philosophical belief and has to be protected by law against discrimination.

    What’s the issue about?

    • A man was fired from an animal welfare charity for raising concerns about its pension funds’ alleged investment in companies that use animal testing.
    • He for gross misconduct on insisting to ban fox-hunting and other types of recreational hunting in Britain.
    • The tribunal had to determine if ethical veganism fit the criteria of a religious or philosophical belief.
    • The tribunal determined that ethical veganism meets the test required to be a philosophical belief, because of which it is protected under the British Equality Act, 2010.
    • Many vegetarians claimed that they were discriminated at workplace for not eating meat. In his case, the tribunal had dismissed the case, calling his vegetarianism a lifestyle choice.

    Veganism, ethical veganism, and ethical vegetarianism

    • Broadly, a vegan person does not consume meat products and also products that are derived from animals (such as milk, eggs, etc).
    • ‘The Ethical Case for Veganism’ in the Oxford Handbook of Food Ethics, loosely defines veganism as a lifestyle choice to refrain from eating meat as well as products made from or by animals.
    • Ethical veganism, on the other hand, has been defined as the view that attaches a positive ethical valuation to a vegan lifestyle.
    • Significantly, ethical veganism is different from ethical vegetarianism — the latter makes a distinction between products made from animals, such as meat, and products made by animals, such as milk.
    • Ethical vegetarianism is opposed to products made from animals in particular.
    • There is also an ethical omnivorism, which permits the use of some animal products and may restrict the use of others based on some ethical criterion, say the authors of the Food Ethics paper.

    Types of ethical veganism

    • They mention two types of ethical veganism: broad absolutist veganism, under which it is always wrong to use any product made by or from animals, and modest ethical veganism, under which it is typically wrong to use products made from or by a range of animals including cats, dogs, cows, pigs, etc.
    • An example of the former category is a person who would not press a leather button, “even if doing so were necessary in order to avert global nuclear war”.
    • The reasons for adopting veganism as a lifestyle can range from wanting a better and healthier lifestyle, environmental, or religious reasons.

    Britain’s Equality Act

    • The act protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in the wider society in the UK.
    • The Act offers a basic framework of protection against direct and indirect discrimination, harassment, and victimisation in services and public functions, etc.
    • Under the Act, a belief is defined as any religious or philosophical belief.
    • Since the tribunal has ruled that ethical veganism is a philosophical belief, it is a protected characteristic under the Act.

  • Why did the February Revolution in 1917 ultimately fail? What were the consequences for Russia of the failure of Kerensky’s Provisional Government? (250 W/15M)

    Mentors Comment:

    Question is quite straightforward and you may not have problem in attempting it.

    Start with introducing Feb Revolution and what changes it bought.

    Then in the first part of the answer, discuss why the provisional government, established after Feb Revolution, failed. WW1, Land, Bread and Peace were the major factors.

    After here, discuss the impact of this failure of Feb Revolution on Russia. The failure of the Feb Revolution resulted in Russia getting Lenin its leader; Russia went out of WW1 and through treaty with Germany, ceded many territories; first full communist government of the world was created; birth of USSR; new ideas of economics and politics came into prominence etc.

    Model Answer:

    Russia at the beginning of 20th century was ruled by Czar, Nicholas II. He was an autocrat & his policies were not popular among masses. The Russian Revolution was a series of revolutions in early 20th century that ultimately resulted in the overthrow of Tsar Nicholas II and the establishment of a communist government or Kerensky’s Provisional Government through February Revolution of 1917. But in October same year, Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin, overthrew the Provisional Government and established a communist in the October Revolution. Hence the February Revolution failed.

    Reasons for the failure of February Revolution:

    • The February Revolution ultimately failed due to the nature of the Provisional Government
    • As one of its goals, the policies of the Provisional Government regarding the key issues of bread, land and peace were unsuccessful
    • These issues were not resolvable in the short term
    • Provisional Government was a coalition of parties who wanted different things: Kadets with their advocation of a constitutional democracy and the Mensheviks who wanted a temporary capitalist government
    • Provisional Government often withheld decisions so that the new government could make them, making them even weaker
    • The Provisional Government failed to recognize the need for peace and thus did not prioritize the withdrawal from the world war, and there was a naval mutiny
    • The government was too focused on the war, and the economic and social problems began to worsen
    • World War had affected the Provisional Government negatively, inflation and hunger soared
    • There was anarchy in the countryside as peasants started taking nobles’ land and the government used militaristic means to take it back.
    • The Provisional Government allowed freedom of speech and the press which gave way to the July Days and Lenin’s April Theses which advocated for peace, land, bread and Soviet Power
    • Bread Rationing was very unpopular among masses.
    • On the other hand, Bolsheviks championed the idea of peace, and gained many supporters eventually because of this October revolution happened.
    • During October,1917, the Provisional Government was removed and replaced with a Bolshevik government in Russia which led to formation of USSR.
    • This was the October revolution which got over in a matter of hours. Kerensky and his colleagues disappeared from the scene.

    Consequences for Russia as a result of failure of Kerensky’s Provisional Government

    • The main result of the failure of the Provisional Government is the seizure of power by the Bolsheviks in October 1917.
    • Lenin returned to Russia from his exile in Switzerland and denounced the new government and wished to break off support
    • The government lost all support due to its ineffectiveness. This gave way for a new party to gain power.
    • Victory of communist philosophy & marxian ideology which first time brought working class into power.
    • In March 1918 Russia and Germany signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. Via this treaty, Russia surrendered a large chunk of its territory to Germany and its allies.
    • As a result of this, eventually, Russia had been transformed greatly
    • The humiliating terms of this treaty triggered widespread anger and objection to the policies of the Bolsheviks. It led to civil war in Russia between 1918 to 1921.

    Conclusion:

    Failures of February Revolution had significant impact on World History as it led to first success of the Communist philosophy which was later adopted by China and Vietnam. Even in India, Bhagat Singh was deeply inspired by Lenin and the practical implementation of Karl Marx’s philosophy. It generated a new way of thinking about economy, society and the government. Still, the revolution marked the end of a dynasty that had lasted 300 years and concluded with the seizure of power by a small revolutionary group.

  • 10 Feb 2018 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions & [Tikdams]

    Dear student,

    Tikdams are smart hacks which help you arrive at the right answer with basic knowledge. Broadly speaking, there are 2 types:

    1. Elimination Tikdams: Extrapolate your basic knowledge to eliminate options which appear out of context. Zero down on 2 choices and then mark the question as per your risk appetite
    2. Estimation Tikdams: Read the question well and work out the answer from within the options – Most of the times UPSC plays with words or embeds clues within the question. A smart aspirant figures them out!

    With strong basics and regular practice, you will be able to arrive at a very robust Tikdam framework of your own. To know more, read about this technique here, IAS 2016 by Dr. V & Tikdams 

    Note: Please comment your responses to questions in the comment section. It will help you in assessing yourself.

    Q.1) With reference to the Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (MHS) which of the statements given below is/are correct?
    1. The scheme was launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
    2. It was aimed to reach girls aged 10 to 19.
    Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
    a) 1 only
    b) Both 1 and 2
    c) Neither 1 nor 2
    d) 2 only
    Inspired by: Use of sanitary pads sparse despite govt schemes: studies

    Q.2) With reference to the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Amendment) Bill of 2017, consider the following statements:
    1. The amendments primarily seek to transfer the RBI’s balance equity in NABARD to the Central government.
    2. It seeks to decrease private sector share in the NABARD.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    a) 2 only
    b) 1 only
    c) Both 1 and 2
    d) Neither 1 nor 2
    Inspired by: [oped snap] A boost to rural entrepreneurship

    Q.3) The international Intellectual Property (IP) index is relased by
    a) National Company of Industrial Property Attorneys (CNCPI)
    b) European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO)
    c) Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC)
    d) Centre for International Industrial Property Studies (CEIPI)
    Inspired by: India ranks 44 out of 50 nations in global IP index

    Q.4) Quasars are amazingly bright due to:
    1. Tectonic waves present in their periphery.
    2. Supermassive black holes found at their centres.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    a) Both 1 and 2
    b) Neither 1 nor 2
    c) 1 only
    d) 2 only

    Q.5) The Operation Cactus, recently seen in news, was conducted by Indian Army in which of the following countries?
    a) Sri Lanka
    b) Bangladesh
    c) Maldives
    d) Myanmar
    Inspired by: Click2read

    Q.6) Ibadat Khana at Fatehpur Sikri was
    a) the mosque for the use of Royal Family
    b) Akbar’s private chamber prayer
    c) the hall in which Akbar held discussions with scholars of various religions.
    d) the room in which the nobles belonging to different religions gathered to discuss religious affairs

    Q.7) In the context of food and nutritional security of India, enhancing the ‘Seed Replacement Rates’ of various crops helps in achieving the food production targets of the future. But what is/are the constraint/ constraints in its wider / greater implementation?
    1. There is no National Seeds Policy in place.
    2. There is no participation of private sector seed companies in the supply of quality seeds of vegetables and planting materials of horticultural crops.
    3. There is a demand­ supply gap regarding quality seeds in case of low value and high volume crops.
    Select the correct answer using the code given below.
    a) 1 and 2
    b) 3 only
    c) 2 and 3
    d) None

    Q.8) With reference to ‘Eco­ Sensitive Zones’, which of the following statements is/are correct?
    1. Eco­ Sensitive Zones are the areas that are declared under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 .
    2. The purpose of the declaration of Eco­ Sensitive Zones is to prohibit all kinds of human activities, in those zones except agriculture.
    Select the correct answer using the code given below.
    a) 1 only
    b) 2 only
    c) Both 1 and 2
    d) Neither 1 nor 2

    IMPORTANT STUFF: 

    1. Daily newscards have been enriched with back2basics and note2students – Make notes daily

    2. Liked Tikdams? Join our Flagship TS which helps you perfect this approach – Flagship Prelims for IAS 2018

    3. For attempting previous Prelims Daily Questions – Click here

    4. Click here for Solutions.

  • 04 feb 2018 | Target Mains | Question 9

     

    Q.9) What do you understand by coking coal. Despite having World’s 4th largest coal reserves why do India import coking coal.?

     

  • 23 Jan 2018 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions & [Tikdams]

    Dear student,

    One of these questions would have application of Tikdams. Tikdams are smart hacks which help you arrive at the right answer with basic knowledge. Broadly speaking, there are 2 types:

    1. Elimination Tikdams: Extrapolate your basic knowledge to eliminate options which appear out of context. Zero down on 2 choices and then mark the question as per your risk appetite
    2. Estimation Tikdams: Read the question well and work out the answer from within the options – Most of the times UPSC plays with words or embeds clues within the question. A smart aspirant figures them out!

    With strong basics and regular practice, you will be able to arrive at a very robust Tikdam framework of your own. To know more, read about this technique here, IAS 2016 by Dr. V & Tikdams 

    Note: Please comment your responses to questions in the comment section. It will help you in assessing yourself.

    Q.1) Which of the following statements is incorrect?
    a) Banks and non-banking financial companies in India are due to switch to Indian Accounting Standards (IndAS) in upcoming times
    b) These norms are in line with international norms, the International Financial Reporting Standards
    c) These were designed to avoid credit shocks like those seen in the aftermath of the global financial crisis in 2008
    d) Banks and NBFCs currently do not have any well defined accounting principles and hence the need for new standards
    Inspired by: RBI, govt may give banks more time to switch to IndAS

    Q.2) The alternative investment fund (AIF) is related to which of the following regulatory body in India?
    a) Association of Mutual Funds
    b) Securities and Exchange Board of India
    c) Small Industries Development Bank of India
    d) Foreign Investment Promotion Board
    Inspired by: Online filing system stumps investors and intermediaries

    Q.3) With reference to the India Post Payments Bank, consider the following statements:
    1. The Government of India has 100% equity in the bank.
    2. The bank offers demand deposits of upto Rs 1 Lac only.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    a) 1 only
    b) Both 1 and 2
    c) 2 only
    d) Neither 1 nor 1
    Inspired by: [op-ed snap] Long live India Post Payments Bank

    Q.4) Which of the following are the objectives of AYUSH mission, sometimes seen in the news?
    1. To draw up schemes for promotion, cultivation and regeneration of medicinal plants used in these systems.
    2. To upgrade the educational standards in the Indian Systems of Medicines and Homoeopathy colleges in the country.
    3. To eventually scrap the Medical Council of India and esatablishment of a new National Medical Council.
    Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
    a) 1 and 3 only
    b) 1, 2 and 3
    c) 1 and 2 only
    d) 2 and 3 only
    Inspired by: [op-ed snap Capacity building for primary health care

    Q.5) With reference to the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) which of the following statements is/are correct?
    1. The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO designated Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITWEC) of the INCOIS as a Regional Tsunami Service Provider (RTSP).
    2. It is a founding member of the Indian Ocean Global Ocean Observing System (IOGOOS).
    Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
    a) Both 1 and 2
    b) 1 only
    c) 2 only
    d) Neither 1 nor 2
    Inspired by: India’s automated ocean pollution system to begin this year

    Q.6) Consider the following statements:
    1. National Development Council is an organ of the Planning Commission.
    2. The Economic and Social Planning is kept in the Concurrent List in the Constitution of India.
    3. The Constitution of India prescribes that Panchayats should be assigned the task of preparation of plans for economic development and social justice.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    a) 1 only
    b) 2 and 3 only
    c) 1 and 3 only
    d) 1,2 and 3

    Q.7) Consider the following statements:
    1. The Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha are not the members of that House.
    2. While the nominated members of the two Houses of the Parliament have no voting right in the presidential election, they
    have the right to vote in the election of the Vice President.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    a) 1 only
    b) 2 only
    c) Both 1 and 2
    d) Neither 1 nor 2

    Q.8) With reference to National Legal Services Authority, consider the following statements :
    1.Its objective is to provide free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society on the basis of equal opportunity.
    2.It issues guidelines for the State Legal Services Authorities to implement the legal programmes and schemes throughout the
    country.
    Which of the statements given above is / are correct?
    a) 1 only
    b) 2 only
    c) Both 1 and 2
    d) Neither 1 nor 2

    IMPORTANT STUFF: 

    1. Daily newscards have been enriched with back2basics and note2students – Make notes daily

    2. Liked Tikdams? Join our Flagship TS which helps you perfect this approach – Flagship Prelims for IAS 2018

    3. For attempting previous Prelims Daily Questions – Click here

    4. Click here for Solutions.

  • 22 Jan 2018 | Prelims Daily with Previous Year Questions & [Tikdams]

    Dear student,

    One of these questions would have application of Tikdams. Tikdams are smart hacks which help you arrive at the right answer with basic knowledge. Broadly speaking, there are 2 types:

    1. Elimination Tikdams: Extrapolate your basic knowledge to eliminate options which appear out of context. Zero down on 2 choices and then mark the question as per your risk appetite
    2. Estimation Tikdams: Read the question well and work out the answer from within the options – Most of the times UPSC plays with words or embeds clues within the question. A smart aspirant figures them out!

    With strong basics and regular practice, you will be able to arrive at a very robust Tikdam framework of your own. To know more, read about this technique here, IAS 2016 by Dr. V & Tikdams 

    Note: Please comment your responses to questions in the comment section. It will help you in assessing yourself.

    Q.1) Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has decided to bring out a Liveability Index. Consider the following about it:
    1. The index will cover all the cities and census towns in India
    2. The cities will be assesed by Ministry of Housing in order of the quality of life they offer
    Select the correct statement/s using the codes given below:
    a) 1 only
    b) 2 only
    c) Both 1 and 2
    d) Neither 1 nor 2
    Inspired by: Govt plans liveability index of 116 cities

    Q.2) With reference to the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, often seen in the news, consider the following statements:
    1. The scheme is based on public private partnership model(PPP) model.
    2. The mission is a part of Housing for All by 2022.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    a) Both 1 and 2
    b) 2 only
    c) Neither 1 nor 2
    d) 1 only
    Inspired by: National Urban Policy: Single policy for multiple states

    Q.3) Recently, thhe ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has decided to bring out a liveability index. Consider the following statements regarding it:
    1. The index includes all the 99 smart cities.
    2. The ministry has also decided to involve the Economist Intelligence Unit, which brings out an annual liveability index of cities across the world.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    a) Both 1 and 2
    b) Neither 1 nor 2
    c) 1 only
    d) 2 only
    Inspired by: Govt plans liveability index of 116 cities

    Q.4) With reference to the Australian Group which of the following statements is/are correct?
    1. It works against the proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
    2. India is the first Asian member of the group.
    Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
    a) Neither 1 nor 2
    b) 2 only
    c) 1 only
    d) Both 1 and 2
    Inspired by: India joins chemical weapons parts export control bloc Australia Group

    Q.5) Consider the following statements regarding the ‘Indo-Tibetan Border Police’:
    1. It comes under the Ministry of Defence.
    2. It was raised under the CRPF Act.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    a) 2 only
    b) Both are correct
    c) 1 only
    d) Neither 1 nor 2

    Q.6) Consider the following statements :
    1. Inflation benefits the debtors.
    2. Inflation benefits the bond­holders.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
    a) 1 only
    b) 2 only
    c) Both 1 and 2
    d) Neither 1 nor 2

    Q.7) Disguised unemployment generally means
    a) large number of people remain unemployed
    b) alternative employment is not available
    c) marginal productivity of labour is zero
    d) productivity of workers is low

    Q.8) Consider the following statements:
    1. The Council of Ministers in the Centre shall be collectively responsible to the Parliament.
    2. The Union Ministers shall hold the office during the pleasure of the President of India.
    3. The Prime Minister shall communicate to the President about the proposals for Iegislation.
    Which of the Statements given above is/are correct?
    a) 1 only
    b) 2 and 3 only
    c) 1 and 3 only
    d) 1,2 and 3

    IMPORTANT STUFF: 

    1. Daily newscards have been enriched with back2basics and note2students – Make notes daily

    2. Liked Tikdams? Join our Flagship TS which helps you perfect this approach – Flagship Prelims for IAS 2018

    3. For attempting previous Prelims Daily Questions – Click here

    4. Click here for Solutions.

  • can anyone clear my question?

    how can a bill passed n parliament without drafting rules and laws of it?
    eg: CAMPA, it has been saying that bill was passed in parliament. but for release of funds to states they are saying that government still drafting the laws….