Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for January 8, 2024. If you missed the January 5, 2024 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here

FRONT PAGE

Maldives suspends 3 ministers after row over their remarks against Modi

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: India and its neighbourhood- relations.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-Under fire and grappling with a situation fast turning into a diplomatic row, the Maldives government of President Mohamed Muizzu, whose party rode to power last year on an ‘India Out’ poll campaign, suspended three ministers Sunday for making derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India.

• What is Maldives and India controversy?

• Why Maldives government suspended its three ministers?

• What Maldives government said in this matter?

• How PM Modi’s recent visit to Lakshadweep relate to the Maldives government’s position on India of late?

• How the comments against India started in the Maldives?

• What have Maldivian social media users accused India of?

• What explains these anti-India sentiments among a section of the Maldives’ population?

• Has there been criticism of these posts in the Maldives?

• India and Maldives Bilateral Relations-Know the Historical Background

• How are things between India and the Maldives now?

• What is the India Out campaign?

• Why Maldives is Geo-Strategically Important to India?

• India and Maldives-What are the Major issues in Bilateral Relations?

• Political developments in the Maldives in the last few years-Know in detail

• ‘The String of Pearls’, Maldives and India-Connect the dots

• What Steps India has taken in the recent years to ensure friendly relations with Maldives?

• Map Work-Maldives

• Is Maldives in Indian Ocean or Arabian Sea?

• Which water channel separates Maldives and Lakshadweep?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Why PM Modi’s Lakshadweep visit has the Maldives’ social media and govt officials up in arms against India

????How Lakshadweep’s unique cultural landscape developed

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

A god that failed

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story– Manish Sabharwal Writes: Jan Vishwas Bill 1.0 recognised this problem but couldn’t do enough. A Jan Vishwas 2.0 that aims higher is needed, so that job creation can be accelerated

• “The recent Jan Vishwas Bill, now a law, has reduced corruption demands on employers by removing 113 jail provisions across 23 laws”-What have you understood from the given statement?

• “Labour laws are the biggest culprit”-Analyse the statement

• From Jan Vishwas 1.0 to Jan Vishwas 2.0-What has changed?

• “The government has wisely signalled Jan Vishwas 2.0 with higher aims”-Discuss

• The Jan Vishwas Bill 2023-Know its key features

• The Jan Vishwas Bill 2023-Know the issues, scope and challenges

• What changes does the Jan Vishwas bill make to the drug law?

• What does the amended bill Propose?

• What kind of offences by drug manufacturers could be compounded?

• What has it got to do with good manufacturing practices?

• What is Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)?

• What are the basic principles of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)?

• What do manufacturers say?

• For Your Information-The Jan Vishwas Bill will make two changes to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The first amendment, which is not contentious, will do away with imprisonment under section 30 (2) of the current law for companies repeatedly using government analysis or test reports for promoting their products. At present, companies face up to two years imprisonment and a fine of not less than ten thousand rupees for a repeated violation. This will change to only a fine but not less than five lakh rupees as per the amendment proposed in the Jan Vishwas bill.

The second amendment – and this is the contentious one – will change section 32B (1) of the existing law to allow “compounding” of offences under section 27 (d). Compounding is a legal provision that allows one to pay a fine instead of undergoing criminal proceedings. What this essentially means is that companies violating the provisions of 27 (d) will continue to face imprisonment between one and two years and a fine not less than R20,000. But, now there will be an alternative mechanism where the company could agree to pay the fine instead of going through a criminal proceeding in court.

Section 27 of the existing Drugs and Cosmetics Act has provisions for punishments for different types of offences — a) adulterated or spurious drugs that lead to death or grievous injury carrying a sentence of up to life imprisonment, b) adulterated medicines that do not fall under the previous category of medicine manufactured without a licence carrying a sentence of up to five years, and c) spurious medicines other than the ones that fall under the first category carrying a sentence of up to seven years. Section 27(d) covers any offence not covered under a, b, and c category. While the existing drug law already allows for compounding other offences, the reason many have raised an issue with including section 27 (d) is because it also includes drugs that are not of standard quality (NSQ), colloquially referred to as substandard drugs.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Rajya Sabha passes Jan Vishwas, forest & mining Bills

????Jan Vishwas Bill: Will manufacturers of substandard drugs get away with just a fine?

EXPLAINED

How AI is being harnessed in the treatment of cancer

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-Given the escalating cases of cancer, the shortage of specialists poses a significant challenge in curbing fatalities. To address this gap, Mumbai’s Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), the biggest cancer hospital in India, is turning to artificial intelligence (AI). By established a ‘Bio-Imaging Bank’ for cancer, the hospital is utilising deep learning to craft a cancer-specific tailored algorithm that aids in early-stage cancer detection. It incorporated data from 60,000 patients into the biobank in the last year.

• What is a ‘Bio-Imaging Bank’, and how does AI come into the picture?

• Do You Know-The project’s overarching goal is to create a robust repository encompassing radiology and pathology images, intricately linked with clinical information, outcome data, treatment specifics, and additional metadata. This comprehensive resource is strategically designed for the training, validation, and rigorous testing of AI algorithms.

Initially focusing on head neck cancers and lung cancers, with a minimum of 1000 patients for each cancer type, the project aims to surpass the committed patient data for both cancer types by its completion date. Alongside database creation, the project involves training and testing multiple AI algorithms using the gathered data, addressing medically relevant tasks such as screening for lymph node metastases, nucleus segmentation and classification, biomarker prediction (for instance, HPV in oropharyngeal and EGFR in lung cancer), and therapy response prediction. The multi-institutional project is funded by the Department of Biotechnology, in collaboration with IIT-Bombay, RGCIRC-New Delhi, AIIMS-New Delhi, and PGIMER-Chandigarh.

• How does AI help in early cancer detection?

• Is this technology currently in use?

• So, can AI help reduce cancer fatalities in the future?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Tata Cancer Hospital teaches AI how to detect cancer from scans. Why this is a key step forward

What the GDP data show

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-India’s GDP will grow by 7.3% in the current financial year (2023-24), slightly faster than the 7.2% growth in 2022-23, the First Advance Estimates (FAEs) released by the government on Friday showed.

• What is Gross domestic product?

• What are the different types of Gross Domestic Product?

• GDP-How it is Calculated?

• Gross domestic product (GDP) and Gross National Product (GNP)-Key Differences

• What is Gross Value added (GVA)?

• How are GDP and GVA different?

• What do the GDP data show?

• What do the GVA data show?

• ‘Nominal’ GDP and ‘Real’ GDP-What is the difference?

• How can GDP be estimated when there are still almost three months to go in the year?

• For Your Information-The FAE are presented at the end of the first week of January every year. They are only the first estimates of growth for that financial year. By the end of February, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) will release the Second Advance Estimates and, by the end of May, the Provisional Estimates.

The GDP estimates continue to be revised as more and better data become available — and in the coming three years, MoSPI will release the First, Second, and Third Revised Estimates of this year’s GDP before settling on the final number, which is called the “Actuals”. The FAE are based on the performance of the economy over the first seven-odd months, and the data are extrapolated to arrive at an annual picture.

“The Advance Estimates of National Income are indicator-based and are compiled using the benchmark-indicator method, i.e. the estimates available for the previous year (2022-23) are extrapolated using the relevant indicators reflecting the performance of sectors,” the official press release said.

• If the data are not final, what is the point of the FAEs?

• So what do the FAE data show?

• What is contributing to India’s growth?

• For Your Information-India’s GDP is calculated by adding up all kinds of spending in the economy — the demand side of the economy. As such, there are four main “engines” of GDP growth. Spending by people in their individual capacity: Technically this is called Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE). It accounts for almost 60% of India’s GDP.

Spending towards investments in boosting the productive capacity of the economy: This could be the building of a factory, companies buying computers for their offices, or governments building roads. This is called Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF), and is the second-largest engine of growth that typically accounts for 30% of the GDP.

Spending by governments to meet daily expenditures such as salaries: This is Government Final Consumption Expenditure (GFCE). It is the smallest engine, accounting for around 10% of GDP. Net exports or net spending as a result of Indians spending on imports and foreigners spending on Indian exports: Since India typically imports more than it exports, this engine drags down GDP calculations, and shows up with a minus sign.

PRIVATE CONSUMPTION DEMAND: In the current year, the overall demand by people is expected to grow by 4.4%. This is similar to the CAGR (4.5%) in the second term of the Modi government but is substantially lower than the growth rate in the first term (7.1%). Muted private consumption is made worse by growing inequality — consumption in some parts of the economy (say, the urban rich) has grown quite fast while large sections of the economy (especially rural India) haven’t yet recovered enough. While people should not consume more than their income, the muted performance of the biggest engine of growth is a matter of concern.

INVESTMENT SPENDING: A high rate of investment spending is considered a salutary signal for the prospects of an economy because it shows businesses are optimistic about future consumption demand. On the face of it, investments have grown by 9.3% in the current financial year, thus helping to push up the CAGR in the second term (5.6%) closer to the CAGR in the first (7.3%). However, there are two lingering concerns: one, a large part of the investment spending is still coming from the government and, two, private consumption is still muted.

GOVERNMENT SPENDING: As weak as the growth in private demand has been in the current year, at 3.9%, government spending has grown even slower. Despite the Covid disruptions, government spending has barely grown in the second term. At a CAGR of 2.8%, it is far lower than the CAGR of 7.9% during the first term.

NET EXPORTS: When data for any particular year shows up with a negative sign, it suggests Indians are importing more than they are exporting. As such, negative growth rates here are a good development. For the current year, this drag effect has grown by 144%. However, over the two terms, the growth rate has decelerated from 19.6% to 13.3% — which is a mild improvement.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Explained: Reading GDP growth Data

????Service Sector: Place in Economy, Definition and Examples

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

????With reference to Indian economy, consider the following statements: (UPSC GS1, 2015) 1. The rate of growth of Real Gross Domestic Product has steadily increased in the last decade. 2. The Gross Domestic Product at market prices (in rupees) has steadily increased in the last decade. 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 ????A decrease in tax to GDP ratio of a country indicates which of the following? (UPSC GS1, 2015) 1. Slowing economic growth rate 2. Less equitable distribution of national income 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 Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: ????Define potential GDP and explain its determinants. What are the factors that have been inhibiting India from realizing its potential GDP? (UPSC GS3, 2020) ????Explain the difference between computing methodology of India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) before the year 2015 and after the year 2015. (UPSC GS3, 2021)

SUPREME COURT LEGAL SERVICES COMMITTEE

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies I: Social empowerment

• General Studies II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

• General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-Supreme Court judge Justice BR Gavai has been nominated as the Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC), replacing Justice Sanjiv Khanna – the senior most judge of the top court after the Chief Justice of India (CJI). A notification issued by the Department of Justice on December 29, 2023, announced Justice Gavai’s nomination.

• What is the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee?

• Do You Know-The Supreme Court Legal Services Committee was constituted under Section 3A of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, to provide “free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of society”, in cases falling under the top court’s jurisdiction.

Section 3A of the Act states that the Central Authority (the National Legal Services Authority or NALSA) shall constitute the committee. It consists of a sitting SC judge, who is the chairman, along with other members possessing the experience and qualifications prescribed by the Centre. Both the chairman and other members will be nominated by the CJI. Further, the CJI can appoint the Secretary to the Committee.

As of date, the SCLSC consists of chairperson BR Gavai and nine members nominated by the CJI. The Committee, in turn, can appoint officers and other employees as prescribed by the Centre, in consultation with the CJI.

Besides this, Rule 10 of the NALSA Rules, 1995, entails the numbers, experience, and qualifications of the SCLSC members. Under Section 27 of the 1987 Act, the Centre is empowered to make rules in consultation with the CJI, by notification, to carry out the provisions of the Act.

The need for providing legal services has been underlined in many provisions of the Indian Constitution. Article 39A states, “The State shall secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice, on a basis of equal opportunity, and shall, in particular, provide free legal aid, by suitable legislation or schemes or in any other way, to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities.”

Moreover, Articles 14 (right to equality) and 22(1) (rights to be informed of grounds for arrest) also make it obligatory for the State to ensure equality before the law and a legal system that promotes justice based on equal opportunity.

Although the idea of a legal aid programme was earlier floated in the 1950s, it was in 1980 that a committee at the national level was established under the chairmanship of then SC judge Justice PN Bhagwati. The Committee for Implementing Legal Aid Schemes started monitoring legal aid activities throughout India.

In 1987, the Legal Services Authorities Act was enacted to give a statutory base to legal aid programmes. It aims to provide free and competent legal services to eligible groups, including women, children, SC/ST and EWS categories, industrial workers, disabled persons, and others.

Under the Act, NALSA was constituted in 1995 to monitor and evaluate the implementation of legal aid programmes and to lay down policies for making legal services available. A nationwide network has been envisaged under the Act for providing legal aid and assistance. It also disburses funds and grants to State

Legal Services Authorities and NGOs for implementing legal aid schemes and programmes. Subsequently, in every state, State Legal Services Authorities (SLSA) were established to implement NALSA’s policies and directions, give free legal services to people, and conduct Lok Adalats. An SLSA is headed by the Chief Justice of the respective High Court and includes the senior HC judge as its Executive Chairman. While the HC Chief Justice is the patron-in-chief of the SLSA, the CJI is the patron-in-chief of NALSA. Similarly, District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) and Taluk Legal Services Committees were established in districts and most taluks. Situated in the District Courts Complex in every district, each DLSA is chaired by the District Judge of the respective district.

The Taluka or Sub-Divisional Legal Services Committees are headed by a senior civil judge. Collectively, these bodies organise legal awareness camps, provide free legal services, and supply and obtain certified order copies and other legal documents, among other functions.

• Who does the SCLSC comprise?

• What is the need for legal services and how is it dispensed to the people?

• What the Legal Services Authorities Act says

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Who is a ‘puisne’ judge, and what does the term mean?

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

????In India, Legal Services Authorities provide free legal services to which of the following type of citizens? (Please refer UPSC CSE GS1, 2020 question paper)

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