UPSC Daily Current Affairs

NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING (NLP):SIMPLIFIER

Sep 11, 2024

NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING (NLP):SIMPLIFIER 1. What is Natural Language Processing (NLP)? • NLP is a branch of artificial intelligence that focuses on enabling computers to understand, interpret, and respond to human language. It combines linguistics with computer science to allow machines to process and analyze large amounts of natural language data, like text or speech. 2. How does NLP work? • NLP works by breaking down language into smaller parts, like words and sentences, and then analyzing these parts using algorithms. It involves tasks like tokenization (splitting text into words), parsing (underst... Read More...

NATIONAL FAMILY HEALTH SURVEYS IN INDIA: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Sep 11, 2024

NATIONAL FAMILY HEALTH SURVEYS IN INDIA: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1. What is the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)? • The NFHS is a large-scale survey conducted in India to gather data on health and demographic indicators across different states and districts. It provides crucial information on topics like family planning, maternal and child health, and population statistics. 2. How has the NFHS changed over time? • Initially, the NFHS focused on providing data at the state level. However, due to the need for more detailed information, it was later expanded to include district-level estimates. For ex... Read More...

Financialization

Sep 11, 2024

Financialization What is financialization? Financialization refers to the growing influence of financial markets, institutions, and actors on the economy, where financial considerations increasingly dominate economic policy and outcomes. What are the key characteristics of financialization? The expansion of financial services The rise in complexity and variety of financial instruments The growing importance of the stock market in economic decisions The emphasis on shareholder value as a key measure of corporate success How does financialization impact the economy? Read More...

CHEETAH CORRIDOR BETWEEN MADHYA PRADESH AND RAJASTHAN

Sep 11, 2024

CHEETAH CORRIDOR BETWEEN MADHYA PRADESH AND RAJASTHAN Intro Madhya Pradesh, the current host of translocated cheetahs from Africa, is in discussions with Rajasthan to establish a designated “cheetah corridor” between the two states. This initiative aims to expand the habitat of these wild cats, ensuring their protection across state borders. The corridor would link Kuno Palpur National Park and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh with several protected areas in Rajasthan. Analysis The creation of a cheetah corridor is crucial for enhancing the survival and adaptability of t... Read More...

SMART INDUSTRIAL CITIES IN INDIA

Sep 11, 2024

SMART INDUSTRIAL CITIES IN INDIA 1. What is the purpose of creating 12 smart industrial cities under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP)? The initiative aims to transform India’s manufacturing sector, create jobs, and boost the country’s integration into global value chains (GVCs). It is also intended to support sustainable industrial growth, improve infrastructure, and enhance India’s overall economic competitiveness. 2. How will these smart industrial cities boost India’s manufacturing sector? The cities are designed to provide high-grade industrial facilities, i... Read More...

INDIA-SINGAPORE RELATIONS: EXPLAINER

Sep 11, 2024

INDIA-SINGAPORE RELATIONS: EXPLAINER 1. Why is Singapore considered India’s strategic bridge to Southeast Asia? Singapore’s central location in Southeast Asia, coupled with its strong diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties with India, makes it a pivotal partner in India’s Act East Policy. This partnership helps India expand its strategic outreach and enhance its influence in the region. 2. How do India and Singapore cooperate in regional security? Both countries actively collaborate on maritime security and defense, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. Joint naval exercises like SIMBEX and co... Read More...

THANJAVUR VEENA

Sep 10, 2024

THANJAVUR VEENA 1. Why is Thanjavur famous for the veena? Thanjavur, a temple town in Tamil Nadu, is renowned for its tradition of handcrafting the veena, an ancient Indian musical instrument. The town has a rich heritage of artisans who have perfected the art of making veenas over generations, making it a hub for this craft. 2. What is special about the Thanjavur veena? The Thanjavur veena, specifically the Saraswati veena, is unique as it is the first musical instrument in India to receive a Geographical Indication (GI) tag. This recognition highlights the instrument's cultural and regional significance, as w... Read More...

SUNITA WILLIAMS AND BARRY WILMORE:IMPACT OF EXTENDED SPACE MISSIONS ON ASTRONAUTS

Sep 10, 2024

SUNITA WILLIAMS AND BARRY WILMORE:IMPACT OF EXTENDED SPACE MISSIONS ON ASTRONAUTS 1. Why are Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore staying longer on the International Space Station (ISS)? NASA extended the stay of astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore on the ISS until February 2025 due to safety concerns with the Boeing Starliner crew capsule, which was initially supposed to bring them back. They will now return to Earth in a SpaceX crew capsule set to launch in September 2024. 2. How does space affect the human body? Space environments, particularly microgravity, have several effects on the human body. These in... Read More...

UNIFIED PENSION SCHEME: FEATURES AND IMPLICATIONS

Sep 10, 2024

UNIFIED PENSION SCHEME: FEATURES AND IMPLICATIONS **1. Why did the Centre introduce the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS)?** The Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) was introduced to address concerns raised by government employees regarding the National Pension System (NPS). The NPS, implemented in 2004, replaced the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) but faced criticism for not guaranteeing a stable pension income, unlike the OPS. With increasing discontent among employees, particularly those nearing retirement under the NPS, the government felt the need to revise the pension system to balance employee expectations with fiscal sustainability. ... Read More...

TALIBAN’S NEW MORALITY LAW ON AFGHAN WOMEN

Sep 10, 2024

TALIBAN’S NEW MORALITY LAW ON AFGHAN WOMEN 1. What is the new morality law, and what does it enforce? The Taliban’s new law on “Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” enforces a strict interpretation of Islamic law, severely restricting women’s rights. Women are required to cover their entire bodies and faces, and their voices are considered intimate, meaning they must not be heard in public. The law also restricts interactions between unrelated men and women, bans entertainment, and imposes dress codes for men. The Muhtasib, or morality police, are authorized to enforce these rules, including searching perso... Read More...

GARLIC: NUTRITIONAL AND MEDICINAL BENEFITS

Sep 10, 2024

GARLIC: NUTRITIONAL AND MEDICINAL BENEFITS **1. Why does garlic have so many chemical compounds?** Garlic, like many other plants, is rooted in place and cannot escape predators. To protect itself, garlic has developed a vast array of chemical compounds, particularly in its underground bulbs, which are vulnerable to various threats like bacteria, fungi, and pests. A recent chemical analysis of garlic has revealed over 2,300 compounds, though only around 70 are currently recognized for their nutritional value. **2. What are some of the key nutrients found in garlic?** Garlic is rich in several important nutr... Read More...

CRISPR GENOME EDITING of PLANTS FOR FOOD AND CLIMATE SECURITY

Sep 10, 2024

CRISPR GENOME EDITING of PLANTS FOR FOOD AND CLIMATE SECURITY What is CRISPR genome editing? CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) associated with Cas endonuclease is a revolutionary genome editing tool that allows scientists to edit parts of the genome by removing, adding, or altering sections of the DNA sequence. How does CRISPR contribute to developing stress-tolerant crops? CRISPR technology is employed to modify the genetic makeup of plants to enhance their tolerance to abiotic stresses such as salinity and drought. By targeting specific genes that regulate stress respo... Read More...

CRISPR: Drought and Salt-Tolerant Rice From IARI

Sep 10, 2024

CRISPR: Drought and Salt-Tolerant Rice From IARI What is special about this new rice variety? This rice variety has been genetically modified to be more resistant to drought and salty soil conditions. It can produce better yields even in challenging environments. How did scientists create this rice? Scientists at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute used a precise gene-editing technique called CRISPR to modify the rice's DNA. They specifically changed a gene called DST (drought and salt tolerance), resulting in broader leaves with fewer pores (stomata). This helps the plant ... Read More...

LA NIÑA AND ITS IMPACT ON MONSOON IN INDIA

Sep 10, 2024

LA NIÑA AND ITS IMPACT ON MONSOON IN INDIA 1. What is La Niña? La Niña is a climate phenomenon characterized by the cooling of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. This event influences global weather patterns, leading to varied climatic conditions across different regions, including India. 2. How does La Niña affect the Indian monsoon? La Niña typically enhances the Indian monsoon by strengthening the easterly winds and increasing the moisture over the Indian Ocean. This leads to increased rainfall across the country, particularly in the northern regions. Read More...

FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE-FREE ZONES IN INDIA

Sep 10, 2024

FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE-FREE ZONES IN INDIA 1. What is the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)? Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. It causes fever and blisters in the mouth and on the feet, leading to severe losses in livestock production. 2. Why is the government creating FMD-free zones? The Indian government aims to establish FMD-free zones in eight States to improve the health of livestock and expand export opportunities for animal products. These zones are expected to help India enhance its presence in the ... Read More...