UPSC Daily Current Affairs

Supreme Court Split on Woman's Right to Abort 26-Week Pregnancy

Oct 14, 2023

What is the legal and constitutional issue in question? The case revolves around a married woman's decision to abort her 26-week pregnancy and the conflict with the government's stance to protect the rights of the "unborn child." The legal debate centers on the woman's right to exercise her reproductive autonomy versus the state's responsibility to safeguard the interests of the fetus. What was the outcome of the Division Bench's deliberations? The Division Bench, consisting of Justices Hima Kohli and B.V. Nagarathna, was unable t... Read More...

UN Security Council Reform

Oct 14, 2023

What is the UN Security Council, and why is reform being discussed? The UN Security Council is a vital body responsible for maintaining international peace and security. Reform discussions aim to address the issue of its outdated structure, as it reflects the geopolitical realities of 1945, not today's world. Who are the five permanent members of the UN Security Council? The five permanent members, often referred to as the P5, are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. They have the privilege of veto power over Council resolutions. Read More...

Guardian Ministers: For Good District Governance in Maharashtra

Oct 14, 2023

Overview: Guardian ministers in Maharashtra play a pivotal role in overseeing district development and governance. They wield significant influence in their respective districts and are essential for local political dynamics. Key Points: Appointment of Guardian Ministers: Guardian ministers are appointed by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Their primary responsibility is to supervise and facilitate various aspects of district administration and development. Key Responsibilities: These ministers oversee the allocation and utilization of ... Read More...

Remote Voting for Migrants: Trust and Concerns

Oct 14, 2023

Overview: The Election Commission of India (ECI) proposed a Remote EVM (R-EVM) system to facilitate domestic migrant voting. A survey among Delhi's slum-dwelling migrants aimed to assess their trust in the R-EVM system. Key Findings: Migration Patterns: The majority of migrants in Delhi come from Uttar Pradesh (48%), followed by Bihar (22%), West Bengal (8%), and Rajasthan (7%). Employment opportunities (58%) and family-related reasons (18%) were the main drivers of migration. Duration of Stay: Around 61% of Delhi's... Read More...

Intergenerational Justice in the Indian Context

Oct 14, 2023

Understanding the Concept: Intergenerational Justice implies the responsibility of each generation to ensure that its decisions and actions do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Cultural Roots in India: Indian traditions and customs emphasize values like sustainability and conservation. Concepts like ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family) signify the interconnectedness of all beings and the duty to preserve for descendants. Environmental Balance: Read More...

What is phenology and how does climate change impact it?

Oct 14, 2023

Phenology, the study of the timing of recurring life-cycle events in plants and animals, is a critical field in understanding how climate change affects our natural world. This scientific discipline investigates how environmental conditions, particularly climate-related factors like temperature, precipitation, and photoperiod (day length), influence the timing of events such as flowering, fruiting, migration, and hibernation. Climate change has emerged as a significant driver of phenological shifts. Rising temperatures and altered rainfall patterns are causing these events to occur earlier and earlier. For example, Japan's cherry ... Read More...

Cybersecurity Challenges in India's Key Sectors: A Review of the First Half of 2023

Oct 14, 2023

In the first half of 2023, India faced a significant cybersecurity challenge with a high number of malware attacks affecting various sectors. Here's a breakdown of the affected sectors and key findings: SRIRAM’s Classroom: Elevate Your Learning! Government Sector: The government sector in India experienced a staggering 18,862 malware attacks. This indicates a severe threat to critical government infrastructure and data. Banking Sector: The banking sector also faced a substantial cybersecurity threat, with 15,514 malware attacks. Fi... Read More...

BSNL's Siachen BTS Installation and Connectivity

Oct 14, 2023

What is the significance of BSNL's BTS installation at Siachen Glacier? A1: This marks the first-time Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has set up a base transceiver station (BTS) at the Siachen Glacier, the world's highest battlefield. It fulfills the critical need for mobile connectivity for soldiers deployed in challenging conditions along the Pakistan border. Who collaborated with BSNL for this initiative? A2: BSNL worked in collaboration with the Army, specifically the XIV Corps or the "Fire and Fury Corps," responsible for guarding borders with ... Read More...

India's Retail Inflation and Economic Factors

Oct 14, 2023

What is the current status of India's retail inflation? Retail inflation in India eased to a three-month low in September, standing at 5.02%, down from 6.83% the previous month. This figure was slightly below a forecast of 5.50%. What percentage of the overall consumer price basket does food inflation account for? Food inflation accounts for nearly half of the overall consumer price basket in India. What is the target inflation rate set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)? The RBI has set a target inf... Read More...

Infrastructure Development in a Climate-Resilient Manner in India: Concepts and Examples

Oct 14, 2023

India, a country vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, recognizes the critical need to develop infrastructure with climate resilience in mind. Here are some key concepts and examples of climate-resilient infrastructure development in India, including the latest addition: Concept 1: Climate Risk Assessment Before initiating any infrastructure project, thorough climate risk assessments are conducted to identify vulnerabilities and potential impacts of climate change, such as rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and sea-level rise. Example 1: Mumbai C... Read More...

e-Rupee in the call money Market

Oct 14, 2023

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched a pilot program for its central bank digital currency (CBDC) in the interbank call money market. Nine banks, including public and private sector banks, are participating in this e-rupee call money pilot. This marks the second use case for testing wholesale CBDC, with the first being in the government securities market introduced last year. The wholesale CBDC pilot is expected to expand to cover various segments, including asset tokenization and repo transactions. The impact on the call money market is expected to be minimal. Call Money Market Read More...

Share Buyback:Basics for UPSC

Oct 14, 2023

Q1: What is a share buyback? A share buyback, also known as a stock repurchase, is a financial strategy employed by companies to purchase their own outstanding shares from shareholders from the stock market. Q2: Why do companies engage in share buybacks? Companies undertake share buybacks for various reasons, including: Undervaluation of their stock. Having excess cash reserves. Improving earnings per share (EPS) as number of shares reduces and so share prices go up. Tax-efficiency compared to dividends. Read More...

Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)

Oct 14, 2023

What is the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)? The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a large-scale system of ocean currents that operates in the Atlantic Ocean. It moves warm water from the tropics toward the North Atlantic and returns cold water to the Southern Hemisphere. How does AMOC fit into the global ocean current system? AMOC is part of a global network of ocean currents known as the "global conveyor belt." This network circulates water throughout the entire world, from surface levels to deeper ocean layers. Read More...

NMC’s New MBBS Seat Rule: A Closer Look

Oct 13, 2023

The Issue: The National Medical Commission (NMC) decided to link the number of MBBS seats to a state’s population. Specifically, they’ve set a ratio of 100 MBBS seats for every 10 lakh people in a state. Rationale Behind the Decision: Address regional disparities in healthcare professional availability. Some courts had remarked on the crowding of medical colleges in the past years. By ensuring the right teaching environment and capping seats relative to the population, the NMC aims to enhance the quality of medical education.... Read More...

Claudia Goldin’s Findings on the Birth Control Pill and Its Impact on Women’s Economic Life

Oct 13, 2023

Introduction: Claudia Goldin, an esteemed economic historian and Nobel winner for economics in 2023, along with Katz, delved deep into the transformative role of the birth control pill, approved by the US FDA in 1960, on the socio-economic landscape of American women. Key Findings: Career Trajectory: The introduction of the pill witnessed a surge in women’s career advancements. From just 10% in 1970, women’s representation in first-year law students reached 36% by 1980. This significant shift was attributed to the pill’s effectiveness in prev... Read More...