Sriram's Notice Board Q&A

8/17/2019 Sriram's Notice Board Q&A

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SRIRAM’s IAS Q&A

From the Notice Board

Que. Write on the recent history of Sinai Peninsula and the reasons why it is in

news.

Ans. The Sinai Peninsula is a triangular peninsula in Egypt. It is situated between the

Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of

Egyptian territory located in Asia, as opposed to Africa, serving as a land bridge

between two continents. Israel invaded and occupied Sinai during the Suez Crisis of

1956, and during the Six-Day War of 1967. By 1982, as a result of Israel-Egypt Peace

Treaty of 1979( Camp David Agreement), Israel had withdrawn from all of the Sinai

Peninsula.

Today, Sinai has become a tourist destination due to its natural setting, rich coral reefs,

and biblical history. Mount Sinai is one of the most religiously significant places in

Abrahamic faiths.

ISIS launched terror attacks in Sinai in July 2015 that killed about 70 people.

http://www.sriramsias.com/management/admin/upload/e-brochure%20upsc%202017_120416113923.pdf


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Que. What is disruptive technology? Give ample examples.

Ans.

A disruptive technology is one that displaces an established technology and

shakes up the industry or a ground-breaking product that creates a completely new

industry. Here are a few examples of disruptive technologies:

The personal computer (PC) displaced the typewriter and forever changed the way we

work and communicate.

The Windows operating system's combination of affordability and a user-friendly

interface was instrumental in the rapid development of the personal computing industry

in the 1990s.

Personal computing disrupted the television industry, as well as a great number of other

activities.

Email transformed the way we communicating, largely displacing letter-writing and

disrupting the postal and greeting card industries.

Cell phones made it possible for people to call us anywhere and disrupted the telecom

industry.

The laptop computer and mobile computing made a mobile workforce possible and

made it possible for people to connect to corporate networks and collaborate from

anywhere. In many organizations, laptops replaced desktops.


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Smartphones largely replaced cell phones and PDAs and, because of the available

apps, also disrupted: pocket cameras, MP3 players, calculators and GPS devices,

among many other possibilities. For some mobile users, smartphones often replace

laptops. Others prefer a tablet.

Cloud computing has been a hugely disruptive technology in the business world,

displacing many resources that would conventionally have been located in-house or

provided as a traditionally hosted service.

Social networking has had a major impact on the way we communicate and -- especially

for personal use -- disrupting telephone, email, instant messaging and event planning.

E-commerce is disrupting physical departmental stores and malls.

Thus, it is a technology that significantly alters the way that businesses operate. A

disruptive technology may force companies to alter the way that they approach their

business, risk losing market share or risk becoming irrelevant. Recent examples of

disruptive technologies include smart phones and the e-commerce retailing. Clayton

Christensen popularized the idea of disruptive technologies in the book “The Innovator's

Dilemma” in 1997.

Que. What is "shock therapy" in economics? Critically comment.

Ans. it is a sudden and dramatic change in national economic policy that turns a

state-controlled economy into a free-market one. Characteristics of shock therapy


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include the ending of price controls, the privatization of publicly-owned entities and trade

liberalization. Shock therapy is intended to cure economic maladies such as

hyperinflation, shortages and other effects of market controls in order to jump-start

economic production, reduce unemployment and improve living standards.

Shock therapy can trigger a rough transition while prices increase from their controlled

levels and people in formerly state-owned companies lose their jobs, creating citizen

unrest that may lead to forced changes in a country's political leadership.

The opposite of shock therapy, gradualism, indicates a slow and steady transition from

a controlled to an open economy.

It was implemented in Russia and its erstwhile communist partners in eastern and

central europe in 1990's and early last decade.

Que. Differentiate between Bank Run, Bank Panic and Systemic Bank Crisis.

What can be the Causes and Remedies?

Ans. Bank run is a situation that occurs when a large number of banks or other financial

institution's customers withdraw their deposits simultaneously due to concerns about the

bank's solvency. It may be beginning to happen in Greece as rthere is uncertainty about

Greece's future in the Eurozone.As more people withdraw their funds, the probability of

default increases, thereby prompting more people to withdraw their deposits. In extreme

cases, the bank's reserves may not be sufficient to cover the withdrawals. A bank run is


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typically the result of panic, rather than a true insolvency on the part of the bank;

however, the bank does risk default as more and more individuals withdraw funds -

what began as panic can turn into a true default situation.

Because banks typically keep only a small percentage of deposits as cash on hand,

they must increase cash to meet depositors' withdrawal demands. One method a bank

uses to quickly increase cash on hand is to sell off its assets, sometimes at significantly

lower prices than if it did not have to sell quickly. Losses on selling the assets at lower

prices can cause a bank to become insolvent.

A "bank panic" occurs when multiple banks endure runs at the same time.

A systemic banking crisis is one where all or almost all of the banking capital in a

country is wiped out. Something like what happened in 2008 in the USA after the

Lehman bankrupcy was filed. The resulting chain of bankruptcies can cause a long

economic recession as domestic businesses and consumers are starved of capital as

the domestic banking system shuts down.

Several techniques have been used to try to prevent or mitigate the effects of bank

runs. They have included government bailouts of banks, supervision and regulation of

commercial banks, central banks acting as a lender of last resort, the protection of

deposit insurance systems and after a run has started, a temporary suspension of

withdrawals.


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Que. Why does Raghuram Rajan think that 1929 type of Crash could recur soon?

Ans. In order to comprehend Raghuram Rajan's warning, the causes of 1930's

Depression as they were linked to the Stock Crash of 1929 need to be understood.

The 1929 crash brought the Roaring Twenties to a shuddering halt. The crash marked

the beginning of widespread and long-lasting consequences for the United States.

Businesses found it difficult securing capital markets investments for new projects and

expansions. Business uncertainty affected job security for employees, and as the

American worker (the consumer) faced uncertainty with regards to income, the

propensity to consume declined. The decline in stock prices caused bankruptcies and

severe macroeconomic difficulties including contraction of credit, business closures,

firing of workers, bank failures and other economic depressing events.

The resultant rise of mass unemployment is seen as a result of the crash. The Wall

Street Crash is usually seen as having the greatest impact on the events that followed

and therefore is widely regarded as signaling the downward economic slide that initiated

the Great Depression. The consequences were dire for almost everybody. It wiped out

billions of dollars of wealth in one day, and this immediately depressed consumer

buying.

About 4,000 banks and other lenders ultimately failed.

Exuberance on stock markets drove the crisis. According to Raghuram Rajan, same

could be happening now also with stock markets going higher by the day with real


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economy not supporting it and thus financial bubbles building that could eventually take

down the real and financial economy with it.

Que. What is the rationale for gender sensitization training for police?

Ans.

In order to make police officers behave and act in a gender sensitive manner in

cases of violence against women and in the discharge of their duties in general, there is

an urgent need to conduct gender sensitization training courses for police. At present,

the concept of gender is grossly misunderstood by a large majority of police officers.

There is also a lack of proper awareness of the prevailing gender inequalities among

police officers. Even if there is awareness, the cult of masculinity prevailing in the police

organizations does not easily permit a change in the attitude and behaviour of male

police personnel toward women. The stereotypes held by the police about sexual

violence/harassment and domestic violence (blaming the victim etc) indicate the general

attitude of police towards women. The following findings of a research study about the

opinion of male police personnel regarding the role of women colleagues also reflect the

attitude of a majority of police officers towards women and the lack of awareness about

the concept of gender:-

1. There is no need to integrate women into the mainstream of police.

2. Women police personnel should be given specific tasks related to women and

children.


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3. Women are not enthusiastic about their jobs.

4. Women may work as cooks in the police mess.

5. Women should escort only female prisoners and not male prisoners.

6. Women should not be engaged in operations against militants, extremists and

insurgents.

7. Women police officers are very gentle and are not capable of handling hardened

criminals.

In order to remove the prejudices and biases of police officers towards women in

general and women victims as well as women colleagues in particular and to develop in

them the required professionalism (in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes) for

dealing with cases of violence against women more effectively, it is imperative that all

State police organizations undertake suitable initiatives, including organizing of training

programmes to sensitize the police personnel at all levels. Such biases have serious

consequences for morale of women, justice meted out to them, entry of women into

police force etc.

Que. Discuss India’s Defense Offset policy, rationale and its advantages.

Ans. The global arms trade is increasingly becoming a two-way process. Instead of the

traditional off-the-shelf procurement involving goods/ services being exchanged for


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money, more and more arms buyers are now demanding that some form of work should

also directly flow from the contracts they sign with foreign entities. The flow back

arrangement in the contract, widely known as offsets, is usually demanded as a certain

percentage of the contract value. Offsets are also demanded in various other forms

ranging from traditional counter trade practices (barter, buying goods from the

purchasing country of defence equipment) to practices such as co-production,

investment, and technology transfer. The purpose for demanding offsets also varies

from country to country, depending upon their priorities. While some countries seek

offsets in the form of foreign investment and the like for general economic development,

others demand technology transfer and a definite work share in the items being

procured.

India, predominantly an arms importer country, has evolved its offset policy over the

years. Defence Offset Policy will enable creation of local employment, upgradation of

technology levels while ensuring substantial increase in both domestic production and

export capability. Offset also provides leverage to the domestic industry specifically the

SMEs [Small and Medium Enterprises] to enter the sophisticated markets of defence

products.

Offset obligations were introduced in 2005 to develop the defence industrial base in the

country. It stipulates that for deals worth over Rs. 300 crore, the Original Equipment

Manufacturer (OEM) has to reinvest 30 per cent of the contract value in the country.


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Que. Comment on the role of major powers of the world in Central Asia

Ans. Central Asia is the core region of the Asian continent and stretches from the

Caspian Sea in the west to China in the east and from Afghanistan in the south to

Russia in the north. Central Asia includes five republics of the former Soviet Union:

Kazakhstan (pop. 17 million), Kyrgyzstan (5.7 million), Tajikistan (8.0 million),

Turkmenistan (5.2 million), and Uzbekistan (30 million), for a total population of about

66 million as of 2013–2014. Afghanistan (pop. 31.1 million) is also sometimes included.

Central Asia is rapidly changing after the world started taking more notice of this

energy-rich region. Already the flow of capital and expansion of trade is triggering

large-scale infrastructure, shipment of goods and flow of people across the region.

Owing to its energy resources and economic potential coupled with radicalism, great

powers rivalry in the region has also increased. The major powers have responded in

many ways to benefit from region’s strategic and energy resources. Russia is the

traditional player and wishes to exert political influence. Moscow has strengthened the

Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and now it is aggressively pushing the

Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) to keep Central Asia under its stiff economic control.

The main contestant in the region is China, which has been waiting in the wings, since

the Soviet collapse, for fully entering into the region with multiple motives. China

considers this region as a source of energy and a critical partner for stabilizing its

restive Xinjiang province. China has fully used its geographical proximity to the region

and while pursuing an ingenious soft-power policy, it has successfully converted every


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challenge in Central Asia into an opportunity. China has pursued its interest while using

the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a multilateral vehicle for promoting

multiple interlocking of economic, security and even cultural ties. In fact, China has

rapidly challenged Russian monopoly over Central Asia’s energy exports. Massive

infrastructure development including building of pipelines, roads, and railways

completed in the recent years are facilitating transport of oil, gas, uranium and other

minerals to the Chinese towns. Beijing’s latest Silk Road Economic Belt scheme

envisages $40 billion fund for promoting infrastructure, industrial and financial

co-operation from Asia to Europe through Central Asia. The countries have quickly

pledged support to the ‘Silk Route Belt’ idea for deepening their ancient ties with China.

Chinese-led multilateral development institutions such as the Asian Infrastructure

Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Shanghai-based BRICS New Development Bank can

also be helpful to China.

During an October 2013 visit to Kazakhstan, Chinese President Xi Jinping outlined his

vision of a Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB).SREB will encourage economic

development in China’s restive Xinjiang region, and will boost Chinese exports to

Central Asia. In addition, expanded land transit allows China to diversify its import and

export channels, diffusing risk from maritime lanes still controlled by the U.S. The

investment in new infrastructure also cements Chinese economic and, some fear,

political influence. Part of the SREB vision is the creation of new institutions with a

strong Chinese voice, like the AIIB, that could challenge existing U.S.-led alternatives.

China has deployed massive diplomatic, military, academic, and business resources to

support the realization of the SREB and this synergy of resources gives its vision the


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best likelihood of success. While the initial focus is economic, over the long term these

developments could even pave the way for increased Chinese-led Asian security

cooperation.

The US and its allies remained deeply engaged in the region and used it as a valuable

supply hub for the Afghanistan war effort. However, against the backdrop of the crisis in

Ukraine, the United States is likely to review its Central Asia strategy. Washington, it

seems, is getting concerned about the situation in Central Asia. Russia’s standoff with

the West, declining oil prices and overall Western sanctions is already having ripple

effects on Central Asian economies, especially on the remittances from millions of

migrants from the region working in Russia

The West is also worried about uncertainty looming in Central Asia stemming from the

succession issue of regional leaders.

Europe is also taking a renewed interest in Central Asia following the crisis in Ukraine.

The European Union is now trying to import energy directly from the source to offset

fears of disruption by Russia. The EU is considering for the 3,300-kilometer Nabucco

pipeline project to import gas directly from Azerbaijan and Central Asian nations to the

heart of Europe. The EU has unveiled recently a new “Southern Corridor-New Silk

Route” strategy for a multiple road, rail and pipeline links between the Caspian area and

Europe.


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Central Asia and regional and global security

The region is the northern frontier of the Islamic world hitherto unaffected by

fundamentalist wave. There is a major shift to, religious pattern of society, underway in

the region. Central Asia is now emerging as the next radical Islamic region. A series of

serious explosions and terrorist acts by Islamists have been taking place in Kazakhstan

since 2011. The area extending from Chechnya, Ferghana to Xinjiang, comprising 100

million people could form new arc of instability. The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan

(IMU) is more entrenched not only in Af-Pak region but in Central Asia as well. The IMU

has strong links with al Qaeda and is now expected to get stronger in Afghanistan after

the NATO’s withdrawal. Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has heavily recruited more

and more Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Tajiks, and Kyrgyz. China’s concerns in Xinjiang

underscore the gravity of extremist threat including from ISIS.

India’s interests also center around energy, uranium, trade, investment, national

security. India “Connect central asia policy 2012” sumps up all these. Our entry into

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in July at Ufa will enable us to some extent to

realize these goals.

Que. Discuss the Battle of Waterloo and the impact of it.

Ans. The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday, 18 June 1815, near Waterloo in

present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. A French

army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by the armies of the Seventh


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Coalition, comprising an Anglo-allied army under the command of the Duke of

Wellington combined with a Prussian army.

Upon Napoleon's return to power in March 1815, many states that had opposed him

formed the Seventh Coalition and began to mobilize armies. Two large forces

assembled close to the north-eastern border of France. Napoleon chose to attack in the

hope of destroying them before they could join in a coordinated invasion of France with

other members of the coalition. The defeat at Waterloo ended Napoleon's rule as

Emperor of the French.

The bicentenary of Waterloo has prompted renewed attention to the geopolitical and

economic legacy of the battle and the century of relative transatlantic peace which

followed.

The Battle ended the First French Empire and the political and military career of

Napoleon Bonaparte, one of the greatest commanders and statesmen in history.

It was followed by almost four decades of international peace in Europe. No further

major conflict occurred until the Crimean War. Changes to the configuration of

European states, as refashioned after Waterloo, included the formation of the Holy

Alliance of reactionary governments intent on repressing revolutionary and democratic

ideas. Every generation in Europe up to the outbreak of the First World War looked

back at Waterloo as the turning point that dictated the course of subsequent world

history. In retrospect, it was seen as the event that ushered in the Concert of Europe, an

era characterised by relative peace, material prosperity and technological progress.


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Why do we attach "gate" at the end of each scam? It all began with Watergate.

Here we go:

The Watergate scandal was a major political scandal that occurred in the United States

in the 1970s as a result of the 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee

(DNC) headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the

Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement. When the conspiracy was

scooped up and investigated by the U.S. Congress, the Nixon administration's

resistance to its probes led to a constitutional crisis. The term Watergate has come to

encompass an array of clandestine and often illegal activities undertaken by members

of the Nixon administration. Those activities included such "dirty tricks" as bugging the

offices of political opponents and people of whom Nixon or his officials were suspicious.

Nixon and his close aides ordered harassment of activist groups and political figures,

using the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency

(CIA). The scandal led to the discovery of multiple abuses of power by the Nixon

administration.

In India we have so many "gates" like Coalgate, Lalitgate and now Chikki-gate.

Needless to say, each one of these "gates" threw up its own Bill Gates!


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Que. What do you understand by the term “Youth”? Can we treat it as a social

group?

Ans. “Youth” is best understood as a period of transition from the dependence of

childhood to adulthood’s independence and awareness of our interdependence as

members of a community. Youth is a more fluid category than a fixed age-group.

However, age is the easiest way to define this group, particularly in relation to education

and employment.

The UN, for statistical consistency across regions, defines ‘youth’, as those persons

between the ages of 15 and 24 years.

Youth is the time of life when one is young, but often means the time between childhood

and adulthood (maturity). Its definitions of a specific age range varies, as youth is not

defined chronologically as a stage that can be tied to specific age ranges

Young workers are not a homogenous group. There are certain social groups that face

distinct disadvantages which, intersecting with the social exclusion experienced by

youth, broaden the challenge of their finding opportunities for decent work.

In general, young women have more difficulty in securing decent work opportunities.

Unemployment rates for young women in the Middle East and North Africa are nearly

twice as high as those of young men.


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The very young in most countries also face difficulty in securing decent work

opportunities. Unemployment rates among ethnic minorities tend to be higher.

Que. What is "middle income trap" and how can it be avoided?

Ans. The middle income trap is an economic development situation, where a country

which attains a certain income (due to given advantages) will find further growth

difficult.The concept was coined in 2007.A country in the middle income trap may lose

competitive edge in the export of manufactured goods because wages are on a rising

trend. An emerging market brimming with potential really starts growing rapidly,

generating growth and prosperity, but as it moves into the middle of the global economic

table, growth slows down. Hopes for future wealth diminish. It’s trapped.

For examples of this trend, you might look to Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, or Thailand,

countries that saw per capita income stagnate after achieving middle-income status.

There are counter-examples, though: consider South Korea and Taiwan, which went

from the range of 10% to 20% of US income up to the 60%-70% range with nary a

pause.

Avoiding the middle income trap entails identifying strategies to introduce new

processes and find new markets to maintain export growth. Ramping up domestic

demand is also important—an expanding middle class can use its increasing

purchasing power to buy high-quality, innovative products and help drive growth.


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draft policy has been formulated so as to work towards making India a global hub of

production and innovation in medical devices. Towards this, it details the various

measures and concessions that the union government is keen to put in place to help

indigenous businesses to face competition, access foreign markets and find new

business partners abroad. In the fourth largest market for medical devices in the world,

the domestic producers have only a 25% share.

Over the last many months, there have been complaints about overcharging, with

regulators investigating cases where patients have coughed up almost three to four

times the landed cost (price at which these are imported) for certain devices like cardiac

stents and, hence, sold with huge mark-ups of 250-400%.

In a patient-friendly measure, the draft mentions adopting policies on efficacy and safety

testing, and quality control through a 'Made in India' marking (BIS) specific to medical

devices in line with global standard.

It proposes creating an autonomous body — the National Medical Devices Authority

(NDMA) — pricing control for medical devices by including them under the Essential

Commodities Act and, most importantly, floating a separate pricing division in the drug

pricing regulator, NPPA.

Significantly, the draft says the government may announce a separate policy for

regulating prices of identified medical devices and implement it through a separate

medical devices control order. Currently, prices of medicines are notified through the

Drug Prices Control Order, by the department of pharmaceuticals.


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Que. Elaborate on MERS. Differentiate between MERS and SARS.

Ans. An outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers) has claimed lives in

South Korea. The World Health Organization (WHO) says the new coronavirus appears

to be passing between people in close contact. It is the biggest outbreak of Mers, which

is similar to the Sars virus, outside the Middle East.

It is a type of coronavirus. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which includes

the common cold and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars).The first Mers fatality

was recorded in June 2012 in Saudi Arabia. According to the World Health Organization

(WHO), at least 449 people have now died from the virus.

Mers is a virus that is transmitted from animals to humans. The WHO says that camels

are likely to be a source of Mers infection but the exact route of transmission is not yet

known. There have been cases where the virus has spread between two people but

close contact seems to be needed.

Cases have been confirmed in 25 countries in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. The

majority of the cases have been reported in Saudi Arabia. In May 2015, two new

countries joined the list: China and South Korea.

Coronaviruses cause respiratory infections in humans and animals. Symptoms are a

fever, cough and breathing difficulties. It causes pneumonia and, sometimes, kidney

failure.


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It is possible the virus is spread in droplets when an infected person coughs or

sneezes. The fact that close contacts appear to have been infected suggests that the

virus does have a limited ability to pass from person to person.

Mers is not thought to be very contagious. Up to now, most human cases have

been the result of human-to-human transmission in a healthcare setting, the WHO says.

How that infection occurs is still not fully understood.

Experts believe the virus is not very contagious. If it were, we would have seen

more cases. Coronaviruses are fairly fragile. Outside of the body they can only survive

for a day and are easily destroyed by common detergents and cleaning agents.

The greatest global concern, however, is about the potential for this new virus to spread

far and wide. So far, person-to-person transmission has remained limited to some small

clusters. There is no evidence yet that the virus has the capacity to become pandemic.

Doctors do not yet know what the best treatment is, but people with severe symptoms

will need intensive medical care to help them breath. There is no vaccine. As of June

2015, the WHO said about 36% of reported patients with Mers had died.

Experts do not yet know where the virus originated. It may have been the result of a

new mutation of an existing virus. Or it may be an infection that has been circulating in

animals and has now made the jump to humans.

Coronaviruses are common viruses that most people get some time in their life. Their

name comes from the crown-like spikes that cover their surface. Human coronaviruses


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were first identified in the mid-1960s.Other variants infect many different animals,

producing symptoms similar to those in humans.

Sars is thought to have infected more than 8,000 people, mainly in China and

South-East Asia. Most coronaviruses usually infect only one animal species or, at most,

a small number of closely related species. Sars was different: being able to infect

people and animals, including monkeys, cats, dogs, and rodents.

Sars is thought to have infected more than 8,000 people, mainly in China and

South-East Asia, in an outbreak that started in early 2003. The illness spread to more

than two dozen countries in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia before the

global outbreak was contained. Experts established that Sars could spread by close

person-to-person contact. According to the WHO, 774 people died from the infection.

Since 2004, there have not been any known cases of Sars reported anywhere in the

world.

It's not known exactly how people catch this virus. However, some general measures

may help prevent its spread - avoid close contact, when possible, with anyone who

shows symptoms of illness (coughing and sneezing) and maintain good hand hygiene.

In the basket of currencies that determine the value of the International Monetary

Fund’s reserve asset, the Special Drawing Right (SDR), the following currency

does not find a place


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a. Euro

b. Japanese yen

c. British pound

d. US dollar

Choose your answer from below:

1. b only

2. c only

3. a only

4. None of the above

Que. What was the background against which the imposition of national

emergency should be understood in India? What was the criticism? How justified

is it?

Ans.

In India, " Emergency" refers to a 21-month period in 1975–77 when Prime

Minister Indira Gandhi unilaterally had a state of emergency declared across the

country. Officially issued by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352(1) of the


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Constitution for "internal disturbance", the Emergency was in effect from 25 June 1975

until its withdrawal on 21 March 1977.

It was preceded by turbulence in India for some years. During 1973–75, political unrest

against the Indira Gandhi government increased across the country. The most

significant of the initial such movement was the Nav Nirman movement in Gujarat,

between December 1973 and March 1974. Student unrest against the state's education

minister ultimately forced the central government to dissolve the state legislature,

leading to the resignation of the chief minister, Chimanbhai Patel, and the imposition of

President's rule. After the re-elections in June 1975, Gandhi's party was defeated by the

Janata alliance, formed by parties opposed to the ruling Congress party.

Raj Narain, who had been defeated in parliamentary election by Indira Gandhi, lodged

cases of election fraud and use of state machinery for election purposes against her in

the Allahabad High Court. Shanti Bhushan fought the case for Narain. Gandhi was also

cross-examined in the High Court which was the first such instance for an Indian prime

minister.

In June 1975, Allahabad High Court found the prime minister guilty on the charge of

misuse of government machinery for her election campaign. The court declared her

election null and void and unseated her from her seat in the Lok Sabha. The court also

banned her from contesting any election for an additional six years.


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Strikes in trade, student and government unions swept across the country. Led by JP

and Morarji Desai, protestors flooded the streets of Delhi close to the Parliament

building and the Prime Minister's residence.

Indira Gandhi challenged the High Court's decision in the Supreme Court. Justice V. R.

Krishna Iyer upheld the High Court judgement but she was allowed to continue as Prime

Minister. The next day, JP organised a large rally in Delhi, where he said that a police

officer must reject the orders of government if the order is immoral and unethical as this

was Mahatma Gandhi's motto during the freedom struggle. Such a statement was taken

as a sign of inciting rebellion in the country. Indira Gandhi asked President Fakhruddin

Ali Ahmed to issue a proclamation of a state of emergency. The proposal was sent

without discussion with the Union Cabinet, who only learnt of it and ratified it the next

morning.

Criticism of the Emergency-era may be grouped as:

1. Detention of people by police without charge or notification of families

2. Abuse and torture of detainees and political prisoners

3. Use of public and private media institutions, like the national television network

Doordarshan, for government propaganda Forced sterilisation.

4. Destruction of the slum and low-income housing in the Turkmen Gate and Jama

Masjid area of old Delhi.


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5. Large-scale and illegal enactment of laws (including modifications to the

Constitution).

On 18 January 1977, Gandhi called fresh elections for March and released all political

prisoners. The Emergency officially ended on 23 March 1977.

Shah Commission was a commission of inquiry appointed by Government of India in

1977 to inquire into all the excesses committed in the Indian Emergency.

Some say that Mrs.Gandhi imposed Emergency for her own survival. Others say that it

was called for as the protests did not allow normal functioning of government. The

question was: Should the democratically elected government be allowed to function for

five years or civil and political agitation be permitted to derail it?

Que. Describe the "Total revolution" of Jayaprakash Narayan.

Ans. Bihar Movement was a movement initiated by students in Bihar in 1974 and led by

the veteran Gandhian socialist Jayaprakash Narayan, popularly known as JP, against

misrule of and corruption in the government of Bihar. It later turned against Prime

Minister Indira Gandhi's government at the centre. It was also called Total Revolution

Movement and JP Movement

Total Revolution of JP is a combination of seven revolu tions, viz., political, social,

economic, cultural, ideological or intellectual, educational and spiritual; and the main

motive being to bring in a change in the existing society that is in tune with the ideals of


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the Sarvodaya. JP had a very idealistic notion of soci ety and it is in this endeavor, he

shifted from Marxism to Socialism and later towards Sarvodaya.

By the early 1970s, JP completely withdrew from party and power politics, and

con

centrated more on social regeneration through peaceful means. In order to better

the situation, despite his old age, he embarked on the task of working towards bringing

in a complete change in the political and economic life of India.

JP began to organize youth to save the democracy from degeneration and called this

revolution as Total Revolution. The momentum to the movement came when there were

agitations in Gujarat and followed in Bihar as well.

In 1974, the Bihar agitations spiralled into massive protests by the people to bring about

a change in the political, social and educational system. Explaining the term ‘peoples

government’, JP stated that it would be a small unit of democracy at the village,

panchayat, or the block level, at all the three levels, if possible.

These units were regarded as the sources of the power of the people in times of peace,

as well injustice or tyranny, and mainly for the reconstruction of the society on the basis

of equality and the elimination of poverty, oppression and exploitation. JP further called

upon the people of Bihar as well as the entire India to unite by cutting across their

individual and party interests.


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His motive behind charging up the Bihar students was to bring about a complete change

in the entire governmental structure and the system of Indian polity. It is for this reason

he called it a Total Revolution.

He was aiming at uprooting of corruption from political and social life in India. Besides

this, JP wanted to create conditions wherein the people living below the poverty line

could get the minimum necessities of life. Thus, total revolution was a device for

bringing about a Gandhian humanist version of an ideal society.

Que. Trace the origins of the term "Sarvodaya" and state its post-Independence

impact.

Ans. Sarvodaya is a term meaning 'universal uplift' or 'progress of all'. The term was

first coined by Mahatma Gandhi as the title of his 1908 translation of John Ruskin's tract

on political economy, Unto This Last, and Gandhi came to use the term for the ideal of

his own political philosophy. Later Gandhians, like the Indian nonviolence activist

Vinoba Bhave, embraced the term as a name for the social movement in

post-independence India which strove to ensure that self-determination and equality

reached all strata of Indian society.

Gandhi's ideals have lasted well beyond the achievement of one of his chief projects,

Indian independence (swaraj). His followers in India (notably, Vinoba Bhave) continued

working to promote the kind of society that he envisioned, and their efforts have come to

be known as the Sarvodaya Movement. Sarvodaya workers associated with Vinoba,


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Jaya Prakash Narayan and others undertook various projects aimed at encouraging

popular self-organisation during the 1950s and 1960s, including Bhoodan and Gramdan

movements. Many groups descended from these networks continue to function locally

in India today.

Que. Partially hydrogenated oils (PHO): Why do we hydrogenate edible oils and

what is wrong with it?

Ans. Fatty acids are characterized as either saturated or unsaturated based on the

presence of double bonds in its structure. If the molecule contains no double bonds, it is

said to be saturated; otherwise, it is unsaturated to some degree.

To convert soybean, cottonseed, or other liquid oil into a solid shortening, the oil is

heated in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst. That hydrogenation process

converts some polyunsaturated fatty acids to monounsaturated and saturated fatty

acids. It also converts some monounsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids. Thus,

a healthy oil is converted into a harmful one. The problem arises when some of the fatty

acids are converted to the “trans” form. The term “trans” comes from the fact that two

parts of fatty acid molecules are on opposite sides

of double bonds. In the usual “cis” fatty acids, the two parts are on the same side of the

double bonds. The degree of hydrogenation determines how solid the final product will

be


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international entity. The information disseminated via notices concerns individuals

wanted for serious crimes, missing persons, unidentified bodies, possible threats, prison

escapes etc.

There are eight types, seven of which are colour-coded by their function: Red, Blue,

Green, Yellow, Black, Orange, and Purple. The most well-known notice is the Red

Notice which is the "closest instrument to an international arrest warrant in use today."

Red Notice: To seek the location and arrest of a person wanted by a judicial jurisdiction

or an international tribunal with a view to his/her extradition.

Blue Notice: To locate, identify or obtain information on a person of interest in a

criminal investigation.

Green Notice: To warn about a person’s criminal activities if that person is considered

to be a possible threat to public safety.

MCQ

AP Shah committee was recently set up by the Union Government for the following

purpose

1. to look into the minimum alternate tax (MAT)

2. General Anti-Avoidance Rule (GAAR)


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3. mobilisation of resources for major railway projects

4. Euthanasia

Que. How revolutionary is the "organ on a chip" technology?

Ans. The paradigm used by pharmaceutical companies to discover and develop new

drugs is broken. Clinical studies take years to complete and testing a single compound

can cost more than $2 million. Meanwhile, innumerable animal lives are lost, and the

process often fails to predict human responses because traditional animal models do

not accurately mimic human physiology. For these reasons, the pharmaceutical industry

needs alternative ways to screen drug candidates in the laboratory. Therefore, organ

chips are being tried.

An organ-on-a-chip (OC) is a multi-channel 3-D microfluidic cell culture chip that

simulates the activities, mechanics and physiological response of entire organs and

organ systems. It constitutes the subject matter of significant biomedical engineering

research, more precisely in bio-MEMS. The convergence of labs-on-chips (LOCs) and

cell biology has permitted the study of human physiology in an organ-specific context,

introducing a novel model of in vitro multicellular human organisms. Soon, they will

perhaps abolish the need for animals in drug development and toxin testing.

Research Institutes are engineering microchips that recapitulate the microarchitecture

and functions of living organs, such as the lung, heart, and intestine. These microchips,


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called organs-on-chips, could soon form an accurate alternative to traditional animal

testing. Each individual organ-on-chip is composed of a clear flexible polymer about the

size of a computer memory stick that contains hollow microfluidic channels lined by

living human cells. Because the microdevices are translucent, they provide a window

into the inner workings of human organs.

However, building valid artificial organs requires not only a precise cellular manipulation,

but a detailed understanding of the human body’s fundamental intricate response to any

event.

Que. As far as bad loans of banks are concerned, who is a wilful defaulter and

what can be done?

Ans.

Wilful default broadly covers the following:

a. Deliberate non-payment of the dues despite adequate cash flow and good networth;

b. Siphoning off of funds to the detriment of the defaulting unit;

c. Assets financed either not been purchased or been sold and proceeds have been

misutilised;

d. Misrepresentation / falsification of records;

e. Disposal / removal of securities without bank's knowledge;


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f. Fraudulent transactions by the borrower.

Steps to be taken

1. While dealing with wilful default of a single borrowing company in a Group, the banks

/ FIs should consider the track record of the individual company, with reference to its

repayment performance to its lenders. However, in cases where a letter of comfort and /

or the guarantees furnished by the companies within the Group on behalf of the wilfully

defaulting units are not honoured when invoked by the banks / FIs, such Group

companies should also be reckoned as wilful defaulters.

2. Role of auditors: In case any falsification of accounts on the part of the borrowers is

observed by the banks / FIs, and if it is observed that the auditors were negligent or

deficient in conducting the audit, they should lodge a formal complaint against the

auditors of the borrowers with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to enable the ICAI to examine and fix accountability of the auditors.

3. Grievances Redressal Mechanism should be set up

4. Banks/FIs should take quick measures in identifying and reporting instances of wilful

default:like : decisions to classify the borrower as wilful defaulter should be entrusted to

a Committee of higher functionaries headed by the Executive Director and consisting of

two GMs/DGMs as decided by the Board of the concerned bank/FI; The decision taken

on classification of wilful defaulters should be well documented and supported by


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requisite evidence. The decision should clearly spell out the reasons for which the

borrower has been declared as wilful defaulter vis-à-vis RBI guidelines.

5. Monitoring of End Use

6. Criminal Action by Banks / FIs: It is essential to recognise that there is scope even

under the existing legislations to initiate criminal action against wilful defaulters

depending upon the facts and circumstances of the case under the provisions of Indian

Penal Code (IPC) 1860.

Que. What is extradition and how far is extradition a judicial process?

Ans. Extradition is the legal process by which a person is transferred from one place to

another without the person’s consent. This is a legal method to prevent people from

evading justice. When a person commits a crime in a state and then goes to a different

one, the person can be sent back to face charges in the state where the crime was

committed. Generally, a country’s power to arrest a fugitive only extends within its

borders. If there is no provision for extradition, people can evade justice by moving from

one place to another. Extradition treaties are signed between nations with the intention

to transfer criminals from a requested country to a requesting country. International

extradition is allowed by nations only after imposing conditions to the process. When an

extradition treaty is signed, the parties to the treaty provide the offenses for which an


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individual can be extradited. International extradition matters are negotiated by the

executive branch of federal government.

Role of judiciary

However, even if the executive branch is in favor of the foreign nation’s request,

extradition requests can be turned down by the judicial branch. The judiciary can

dismiss an extradition request if the charges the foreign government leveled against the

captive are not crimes in the country where the criminal has escaped to. The judicial

branch can also dismiss an extradition request if the captive has a reasonable fear of

facing cruel and unusual punishment if s/he was extradited, or if the captive had a

reasonable fear that s/he would not face a fair trial.

A nation cannot surrender a fugitive to another nation or demand return of an offender

from the nation if it is against the constitution of the nation.

In India the provisions of Indian Extradition Act, 1962, govern the extradition of a fugitive

from India to a foreign country or vice-versa. The basis of extradition could be a treaty

between India and a foreign country.

Underworld don and prime accused in the Mumbai blasts Abu Salem was extradited

from Portugal along with wife Monica Bedi.

When India requested Portugal government for the extradition of Abu Salem,

Portuguese court ordered their extradition after the Indian government, through its

lawyer, gave an assurance that if convicted they would not be sentenced to death. The


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assurance was given since European law prohibits extradition of any accused to such a

country where capital punishment is in vogue. As per the Portuguese Constitution, no

one can be extradited in respect of offences punishable by death penalty under the law

of the state requesting extradition.

* Lalit Modi episode fallout

Que. What is Magna Carta? Why is it important? How is it relevant today?

Ans. Magna Carta, which means ‘The Great Charter’, is one of the most important

documents in history as it established the principle that everyone is subject to the law,

even the king, and guarantees the rights of individuals, the right to justice and the right

to a fair trial.In 1215 King John agreed to the terms of the Magna Carta following the

uprising of a group of rebel barons in England.Magna Carta was created as a peace

treaty between the king and the rebels.Magna Carta, among other things, gives all

English subjects the right to justice and a fair trial. It says: “No free man shall be seized

or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or

deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or

send others to do so, except by the lawful judgement of his equals or by the law of the

land.

Why is it significant today?


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The Magna Carta is considered one of the first steps taken in England towards

establishing parliamentary democracy.

What wider role has it played?

There are strong influences from the Magna Carta in the American Bill of Rights, written

in 1791. Indian Constitution has Fundamental Rights that were inspired by American Bill

of Rights.

Even more recently, the basic principles of the Magna Carta are seen very clearly in the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

Ethics and Integrity

Propriety and Public Life

Propriety means conformity to established standards of morals and appropriateness for

the purpose or circumstances; suitability

rightness or justness. It is an essential attribute of those in public service.

The meaning of the term propriety encompasses ‘appropriateness’, ‘rightness’,

‘correctness in behaviour or morals’, ‘conformity with convention in conduct’, ‘the


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standards of behaviour considered correct by society’. The core principles of the

concept of propriety could be summarised as under:

v Integrity

v Openness

v Objectivity

v Honesty

v Selflessness

The concept of propriety can be related to various other concepts. To list a few:

v Accountability

v Legality

v Probity

v Value for money

v Fraud & Corruption

v Governance


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Though the concept of propriety is generally associated with public sector activities, the

time has now come to apply this concept even in the private sector. With the changing

environment, there is a greater emphasis on conformance with prescribed values,

customs, procedures and practices, keeping in mind the public interest.

In India there is a Statement of Judicial Values that sets high benchmarks for judicial

behaviour in line with propriety.

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of all civil

servants, for example, participation of government servants in political activities and

attendance by government servants at political meetings.

No member of the Civil Service shall use his position or influence directly or indirectly to

secure employment for any member of his family with any private undertaking or Non-

Government Organisation.

Civil servants should not abuse office and official power.

Auditors and companies also have demands of propriety. For example, recent examples

of Nestle's Maggi being contaminated and the auditors of Satyam Computer Services

Ltd overlooking best practices.

* Fallout of Sushma Swaraj episode


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Que. How does one resolve the “Calorie Consumption Puzzle” in the case of

India?

Ans. India's “Calorie Consumption Puzzle” has attracted the attention of many scholars

in recent years. The relevant question is: why has the country’s nutritional intake been

declining over the past few decades while people’s purchasing power is increasing.

When it is generally true that richer people consume more calories, why is the Indian

trend the opposite? Why do China and Vietnam show normal trend of rising food

consumption with growth while only India is going the other way?

Several explanations for the puzzle have been offered by researchers. One theory that

has become popular is declining calorie needs – people are choosing to consume fewer

calories since they need less energy as s the workforce shifts from physically

demanding agricultural work to while collar occupations in cities and as agriculture

becomes mechanised, calorie requirements of the population are expected to decline.

Another explanation centres on diseases such as diarrhoea that result in loss of energy.

Greater availability of safe drinking water and better sanitation in India has led to better

epidemiological conditions, resulting in fewer cases of diarrhoea and other diseases,

and ultimately leading to falling calorie requirements.

Other explanations include increase in food inflation, supplies not matching demand in

protein food, vegetarianism that shifts from cereals but can’t have protein as it costs

more nor meat, voluntary choice of luxuries like TVs over food, and underreporting of

calorie intake due to eating outside the home.


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Que. Write on Sufism in Indias: Its origins, Main Silsilas and Impact

Ans. The early Sufi mystics stressed on the virtues of repentance, abstinence,

renunciation, poverty and trust in God. The early Sufis were wanderers but in due

course of time the Sufi groups had become orders and we notice the formation of Sufi

orders or Salsilas. After the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate, many Sufi orders were

established in different parts of India and Sufism became very influential by the 14th

century. They believed in the equality of all human beings and brotherhood of man.

Their concept of universal brotherhood and the humanitarian ideas of the Sufi saints

attracted the Indian mind. A movement similar to Sufism, called the Bhakti cult, was

already afoot in India on the eve of the Muslim conquest of the country. The

liberal-minded Sufis were, therefore, welcomed in India. The Sufi movement proved

very helpful in bridging the gap between the followers of the two religions and in

bringing the Hindus and the Muslims together.

Three of the most important Silsilas during the period of the Sultanate are as follows:

1.

The Suhrawardi Silsila which was founded in India by Shaik Bahauddin Zakaria (AD

1182-1262).After his death in 1236 A.D., his devotees continued to celebrate an annual

Urs festival at Ajmer.


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2. Nizamuddin Auliya. He led a simple austere life and lived in Delhi. By his vast

learning, religious knowledge, and tolerant attitude to all religions, he earned devotion of

both the Hindu and Muslim masses.

3.

The Chisti Silsila introduced in India by Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, who died in AD

1236. Even today he is venerated by Muslims and his tomb is located at Ajmer, which

became a sacred pilgrimage. Besides the above two orders, there existed the orders of

the Firdausi, the Qadiri, the Shatauri, Qalandari, etc.

While Sufism reached India in the 12th century A.D, ts influence grew considerably

during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. In India, Chisti and Suhrawardi Silsila

were most prominent.

A critical study of the tenets of Sufism indicates that it was acquainted with Hinduism

and Hindu thought and had imbibed certain elements of Indian idealism and adopted

many Yogic practices and also was influenced by Upanishadic idealism and Vedanta.

The early Sufis were not only ascetics but also lived a life of voluntary poverty shunning

all types of worldly pleasures. Khwaja Fariduddin, popularly known as Baba declared,

“The main purpose of this path is the concentration of heart which can be achieved only

by the abstination from prohibited means of livelihood and association with kings”. Thus,

most of the Sufis in India conceived and preached divine unity in terms of idealistic

monoism while many Hindus found the Sufi ideas very similar to those of Vedantic

philosophy.


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The lower strata of Hindu community appear to be greatly attracted by the ideas of

social equality and fraternity of Islam. Thus the simplicity, toleration and liberation of the

Sufis in India released syncretic forces and led to a sort of cultural synthesis.

The Sufi movement gained impetus during the reign of Akbar who adopted a liberal

religious policy under the influence of the Sufi saints.

Abul Fazal had mentioned the existence of 14 Silsilahs in India. A close link that existed

between the leader or Pir and his murids or disciples was a vital element of the Sufi

system.

The Sufi Movement in India helped in establishing peace and amity among the Hindus

and Muslims.

Impact of Sufism

The liberal ideas and unorthodox principles of Sufism had a profound influence on

Indian society. The liberal principles of Sufi sects restrained orthodox. Muslims in their

attitude and encouraged many Muslim rulers to pursue tolerant attitude to their

non-Muslim subjects. Most Sufi saints preached their teachings in the language of

common man that contributed greatly to the evolution of various Indian languages like

Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Kashmiri and Hindi. The impact of Sufi Movement was deeply felt

on some renowned poets of the period, like Amir Khusrau and Malik Muhammad Jayasi

who composed poems in Persian and Hindi in praise of Sufi principles.


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Que. What is a social dilemma? How is it related to social capital?

Ans. A social dilemma occurs when an individual faces the choice of incurring a

personal cost for a greater benefit for others. When social capital (trust, cooperation,

understanding and sharing among members of society) is high, individuals are more

prepared to incur such individual costs for the greater good; and when most people in

society behave in that manner, society as a whole benefits in higher economic

productivity, stronger social insurance, greater social resilience to natural hazards, and

greater mutual care (such as Good Samaritans coming to the emergency aid of others).

Many social dilemmas occur in countless face to-face encounters in daily life and

business dealings. When two individuals engage in a business encounter, there are the

possibilities that they may engage in deceitful behavior such as theft, fraud, or even

violence. Some of these threats can be controlled by legal contracts, but writing and

enforcing contracts can be costly or even impossible in some circumstances. Thus, trust

is critical: the confidence that the counterparty will behave honestly or morally and

transparently.

Without social trust, a wide range of mutually beneficial economic and social

arrangements may be impossible to negotiate, much less to sustain.

Other social dilemmas occur at the societal scale. When social capital is high, individual

citizens are more prepared to pay their taxes honestly, more prepared to support

investment in public goods, and more likely to support social insurance policies. The

Scandinavian countries, with perhaps the highest social capital in the world, also have


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the most extensive social welfare systems (broadly classified as social democracy).

High social capital is conducive to electoral support for a strong social safety net and

extensive social services.

Social capital is best built by exemplary laws, execution, systems and behaviour of

leaders in all walks of life.

Que. Differences between pre-emptive strike, preventive strike, covert and

clandestine operations, under cover operations and hot pursuit. Where does the

recent Army operation in Myanmar fit in?

Ans. A preemptive war is a war that is commenced in an attempt to repel or defeat a

perceived imminent offensive or invasion, or to gain a strategic advantage in an

impending (allegedly unavoidable) war shortly before that attack materializes. The term:

'preemptive war' is sometimes confused with the term: 'preventive war'. The difference

is that a preventive war is launched to destroy the potential threat of the targeted party,

when an attack by that party is not imminent or known to be planned, while a

preemptive war is launched in anticipation of immediate aggression by another party.

A covert operation is "an operation that is so planned and executed as to conceal the

identity of or permit denial by the sponsor." Covert operations aim to fulfill their mission

objectives without any parties knowing who sponsored or carried out the operation.


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To go "undercover" is to avoid detection by the entity one is observing, and especially to

disguise one's own identity or use an assumed identity for the purposes of gaining the

trust of an individual or organization to learn or confirm confidential information or to

gain the trust of targeted individuals in order to gather information or evidence.

Traditionally, it is a technique employed by law enforcement agencies or private

investigators, and a person who works in such a role is commonly referred to as an

undercover agent. It is a part of covert/clandestine operations.

Covert operations and clandestine operations are distinct. A covert operation differs

from a clandestine operation in that emphasis is placed on concealment of identity of

sponsor rather than on concealment of the operation itself."

An overt operation is one conducted openly, without concealment.

In a covert operation, the identity of the sponsor is concealed, while in a clandestine

operation the operation itself is concealed. Put differently, clandestine means "hidden,"

while covert means "deniable."

What then is stealth? The term stealth refers to tactics aimed at providing and

preserving the element of surprise and reducing enemy resistance; and to a set of

technologies (stealth technology) to aid in those tactics. Secrecy and stealthiness are

often desired in clandestine and covert operations.

Covert operations are employed in situations where openly operating against a target

would be disadvantageous. Covert operations may include sabotage, assassinations,


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support for coups d'état, or support for subversion. Tactics include the use of a false flag

or front group.

Hot pursuit implies pursuit without unreasonable delay and generally is immediate

pursuit. It can also refer to chasing a suspect into a neighboring jurisdiction in an

emergency, without time to alert law enforcement people in that area.

Now, how do we characterise the Indian army's killing of the insurgents in Myanmar? It

was clandestine and covert till it lasted. It has become overt when declared. Undercover

agents must have been active. Stealth, there was. Hot pursuit, it was not as we did not

chase them after they ambushed. We took time to plan and execute. Pre-emptive, it

was for future militant actions. The question of it being "preventive" does not arise.

Que. What is the controversy around Monosodium glutamate (MSG) in India and

elsewhere?

Ans.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer commonly added to Chinese

food, canned vegetables, soups and processed meats. Authorities classified MSG as a

food ingredient that's "generally recognized as safe," but its use remains controversial.

For this reason, when MSG is added to food, it is required that it be listed on the label.

MSG has been used as a food additive for decades. Over the years, many complaints

have been received of adverse reactions to foods containing MSG. These reactions —

known as MSG symptom complex — include:


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Headache

Sweating

Numbness

Heart palpitations

Chest pain

Nausea

Weakness

However, researchers have found no definitive evidence of a link between MSG and

these symptoms. Researchers acknowledge, though, that a small percentage of people

may have short-term reactions to MSG. Symptoms are usually mild and don't require

treatment. The only way to prevent a reaction is to avoid foods containing MSG.

In May 2015 Food Safety Regulators from the Uttar Pradesh, India found that Maggi 2

Minute Noodles had up to 17 times beyond permissible safe limits of lead in addition to

monosodium glutamate in it. On 3 June 2015, New Delhi Government banned the sale

of Maggi in New Delhi stores for 15 days because it found lead and monosodium

glutamate in the eatable beyond permissible limit. The Gujarat FDA on June 4, 2015

banned the noodles for 30 days after 27 out of 39 samples were detected with

objectionable levels of metallic lead, among other things. Some of India's biggest

retailers like Future Group, Big Bazaar, Easy day and Nilgiris have imposed a


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nationwide ban on Maggi. Thereafter multiple state authorities in India found

unacceptable amount of lead and it has been banned in many states in India. On June 4

2015 Govt. Of Tamil Nadu also bans maggi and other four brand noodles due to

unacceptable amount of lead and other components.

On June 5, 2015, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) ordered recall

of all nine approved variants of Maggi instant noodles from India, terming them "unsafe

and hazardous" for human consumption. On the same day, Food Safety Agency of

United Kingdom launched an investigation to find levels of lead in Maggi noodles. Nepal

also indefinitely banned Maggi over concerns about lead levels in the product.

Que. What is lead poisoning and how is it harmful to humans?

Ans. Lead poisoning (also known as plumbism, colica pictorum, saturnism, Devon colic,

or painter's colic) is a type of metal poisoning and a medical condition in humans and

other vertebrates caused by increased levels of the heavy metal lead in the body. Lead

interferes with a variety of body processes and is toxic to many organs and tissues

including the heart, bones, intestines, kidneys, and reproductive and nervous systems.

It interferes with the development of the nervous system and is therefore particularly

toxic to children, causing potentially permanent learning and behavior disorders.

Symptoms include abdominal pain, headache, anemia, irritability, and in severe cases

seizures, coma, and death.

Routes of exposure to lead include contaminated air, water, soil, food, and consumer

products. One of the largest threats to children is lead paint that exists in many homes.


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Prevention of lead exposure can range from individual efforts (e.g., removing

lead-containing items such as piping or blinds from the home) to nationwide policies

(e.g., laws that ban lead in products, reduce allowable levels in water or soil, or provide

for cleanup and mitigation of contaminated soil, etc.)

Elevated lead in the body can be detected by the presence of changes in blood cells

visible with a microscope and dense lines in the bones of children seen on X-ray. No

safe threshold for lead exposure has been discovered—that is, there is no known

sufficiently small amount of lead that will not cause harm to the body.

Que. Comment on the causes for the increasing incidence of woman-headed

households in India.

Ans. According to census 2011, a little over 13% of households in the country are

headed by women. With about four in every ten houses headed by a women,

Lakshadweep has the highest proportion of such households. It is followed by Kerala,

Goa, Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh. Apart from the matrilineal tradition, there are

other social and economic reasons behind the presence of female headed households.

These include widowhood, divorce, separation, migration of male members for long

periods and loss of economic ability of males because of disability.


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Que Differentiate between "essential amino acids" and others and also define

"complete protein".

Ans. Proteins are composed of 21 biological amino acids. 9 of these are “essential

amino acids”, which means our bodies cannot produce them, and they must be derived

from food sources. The essential amino acids are phenylalanine (25 milligrams per kg of

body weight), leucine (39), lysine (30), valine (26), threonine (15), methionine (15),

isoleucine (20), histidine (10), and tryptophan (4). When we digest a food with protein, it

breaks down into its amino acids, and each is used by the body for slightly different

purposes.

A complete protein is one that includes all 9 essential amino acids. Most animal sources

are complete proteins, and some plant proteins are as well. By combining several types

of plant proteins (beans and rice for example), even non-meat eaters get complete

protein.

Que. What is biological value and its importance to diet?

Ans. Biological value (BV) is a measure of the proportion of absorbed protein from a

food which becomes incorporated into the proteins of the organism's body. It captures

how readily the digested protein can be used in protein synthesis in the cells of the

organism. Proteins are the major source of nitrogen in food. BV measures the

proportion of this nitrogen absorbed by the body which is then excreted. The remainder

must have been incorporated into the proteins of the organisms body. The higher the


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Biological Value of the protein you use, the more nitrogen your body can absorb, use,

and retain. Whey protein has the highest BV value, rating as a 104. Egg protein is only

second to whey rating as a 100 with milk proteins being a close third rating as 91Beef

rates as an 80 with soy proteins a distant 74. High biological value proteins are provided

by animal sources of protein, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese and yogurt.

Low biological value proteins are found in plants, legumes, grains, nuts, seeds and

vegetables. The topic assumes relevance in the context of the recent decision of some

state governments in India like Madhya Pradesh where egg is being replaced with

vegetable and fruit.

Que. Write a short note on “ Goldilocks economy.”*

Ans. In economics, a Goldilocks economy sustains moderate economic growth and low

inflation, which allows a market-friendly monetary policy. Goldilocks economy is

characterized by a low unemployment rate, increasing asset prices (stocks, real estate,

etc.), low interest rates, steady GDP growth and low inflation.

A bullish economy, with steep growth in market values and low losses due to inflation,

denotes strong economic growth, though it may lead to rising inflation. In contrast, a

bearish economy is the opposite, with stagnant economic performance and inflation

rates soaking up any gains. In either extreme, the RBI acts to either cool off or heat up

the economy, primarily by raising or lowering the official interest rates. When there is a

balance, i.e. not rapid or stagnant growth, but sustained growth and a reasonably low


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inflation rate, it is a comfortable zone for investors to find long term growth and

attractive values in various asset classes. Therefore, experts have labeled this balance

between a bull economy and a bear economy, the Goldilocks Economy.

The name Goldilocks economy comes from children's story, The Three Bears, when

Goldilocks proclaims that the porridge is "not too hot and not too cold…it is just right."

Indeed, with sustained growth and a low inflation rate, the economic is usually

considered "just right."

* RBI Governor used the term while delivering the bimonthly credit and monetary policy

yesterday.

Que. Is altruism a core value for civil servants? Answer with an introduction of

altruism.

Ans.

Altruism or selflessness is the principle or practice of concern for the welfare of

others. It is a traditional virtue in many cultures and a core aspect of various religious

traditions and secular worldviews. Altruism or selflessness is the opposite of

selfishness. The word was coined by the French philosopher Auguste Comte as the

opposite of egoism.


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Altruism is when we act to promote someone else’s welfare, even at a risk or cost to

ourselves. Studies have found that people’s first impulse is to cooperate rather than

compete.

Altruism has deep roots in human nature because helping and cooperation promote the

survival of our species. Darwin himself argued that altruism, which he called “sympathy”

or “benevolence,” is “an essential part of the social instincts.”

This does not mean that humans are more altruistic than selfish; instead, evidence

suggests we have deeply ingrained tendencies to act in either direction. Our challenge

lies in finding ways to evoke the better angels of our nature.

Individuals come to exhibit charitable, philanthropic, and other pro-social, altruistic

actions for the common good both by nature and by training. Moral education, law, civic

leadership also establish ethos to develop altruism. Building social capital is crucial for good governance, economic development and social harmony. At its heart lies altruism

and cooperation.

In a welfare state like ours that has the responsibility to eradicate poverty; bring about

social equality and deliver goods and services to the deprived and vulnerable, civil

service has to be altruistic. It is written in the Code as well. The welfare schemes that

we have require our Civil Service to be sensitive , compassionate and generous which

is the crux of altruism.


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Que. Comment on " currency manipulation" and its effects.

Ans. Currency manipulation occurs when countries sell their own currencies in the

foreign exchange markets, usually against dollars, to keep their exchange rates weak

and the dollar strong. These countries thereby subsidize their exports and raise the

price of their imports, sometimes by as much as 30-40%. They strengthen their

international competitive positions, increase their trade surpluses and generate

domestic production and employment at the expense of others. It becomes competitive

devaluation whcih is a form of " Beggar , thy neighbour policy" in which those

economies that can afford to devalue lose.

Currency manipulation extends throughout the Pacific Rim: in Japan, where Tokyo’s

central bank has printed more yen to help its slumbering economy grow; in China,

where the renminbi has long been fixed to the dollar rather than allowed to fluctuate in

response to market forces; and in Malaysia, where the government has intervened to

protect the ringgit against currency traders.The Swiss National Bank (SNB) undervalued

swiss francs saying the high value of the franc is a threat to the economy. The SNB said

it would enforce the minimum rate by buying foreign currency in unlimited quantities.

India is running a huge trade deficit with China and is becoming de-industrialised

because of the undervaluation of Chinese renminbi through manipulation.

The U.S. trade deficit has been several hundred billion dollars a year higher as a result

and lost several million additional jobs during the Great Recession. As a result, it joined

the currency wars through QE. Currency manipulation is, by far, the world’s most


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protectionist international economic policy in the 21st century, but e International

Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization failed to check it.

Que. What is " big data" ? How is it useful in commerce and governance?

Ans.

The basic idea behind the phrase ‘Big Data’ is that everything we do is

increasingly leaving a digital trace (or data), which we (and others) can use and

analyse. Big Data therefore refers to that data being collected and our ability to make

use of it.Data collection itself isn’t new. We as humans have been collecting and storing

data since as far back as 18,000 BCE. What’s new are the recent technological

advances in chip and sensor technology, the Internet, cloud computing, and our ability

to store and analyze data that have changed the quantity of data we can collect.Things

that have been a part of everyday life for decades — shopping, listening to music,

taking pictures, talking on the phone — now happen more and more wholly or in part in

the digital realm, and therefore leave a trail of data.

The other big change is in the kind of data we can analyze.Now data analysts can also

look at “unstructured” data like photos, tweets, emails, voice recordings and sensor data

to find patterns.

As with any leap forward in innovation, the tool can be used for good or nefarious

purposes. Some people are concerned about privacy, as more and more details of our


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lives are being recorded and analyzed by businesses, agencies, and governments

every day.

Companies are using big data to better understand and target customers. Using big

data, retailers can predict what products will sell, telecom companies can predict if and

when a customer might switch carriers etc.

It’s also used to optimize business processes. Retailers are able to optimize their stock

levels based on what’s trending on social media, what people are searching for on the

web, or even weather forecasts. Supply chains can be optimized so that delivery drivers

use less gas and reach customers faster.

Big data analytics enable us to find new cures and better understand and predict the

spread of diseases. Police forces use big data tools to catch criminals and even predict

criminal activity and credit card companies use big data analytics to detect fraudulent transactions.

As the tools to collect and analyze the data become less and less expensive and more

and more accessible, we will develop more and more uses for it — everything from

smart yoga mats to better healthcare tools and a more effective police force.

Que. Is organic farming the answer to climate change?


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Ans. Organic farming, as an adaptation strategy to climate change is a concrete and

sustainable option and has additional potential as a mitigation strategy. The careful

management of nutrients and carbon sequestration in soils are significant contributors in

adaptation and mitigation to climate change.

Organic agriculture is a holistic production managemen

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Sriram's Notice Board Q&A