UPSCVerse Weekly Summary #43
Important UPSC articles and links of week #43 [20-26th Oct 24]
Welcome to UPSCVerse Weekly Summary #43! This week, we have compiled a collection of important topics from major news sources that will be useful for UPSC preparation. We hope you find this summary and recommendations helpful!
UPSC Gyan
207 Days, roughly that is the time left for prelims 2025. As most of you already know, the gap between prelims and mains next year is less and that will be a stress test of its own. Until January, you can invest your energy on making your basics strong, if already strong, then invest on Mains preparation, not the writing stuff, content development, for all this to happen you need to be in the right ecosystem, who are your biggest Energy Boosters and Energy Vampires.
“Tṛishṇā: Weekend Recommendations for Curious Minds”
Movies: Munich is a 2005 film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg. It is based on the 1984 book Vengeance by George Jonas, an account of Mossad assassinations following the Munich massacre.
Books: Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty Why are some nations more prosperous than others? Why Nations Fail sets out to answer this question, with a compelling and elegantly argued new theory: that it is not down to climate, geography or culture, but because of institutions.
Podcast: Taking On India's Patriarchal Political Order Political scientist Soledad Artiz Prillaman and Milan Vaishnav explore the reasons behind Indian women's low levels of political involvement and how patriarchy plays a role.
YouTube:
Others in UPSCVerse: PMF IAS Is killing it with Infographics highly recommended.
Quotes I liked:
"Rebellion is when you look society in the face and say, I understand who you want me to be - but I'm going to show you who I actually am."
- Anthony Anaxagorou
You don't have to be understood by everyone, you're not a whatsapp forward.
You're a classic piece of literature, meant for people with high comprehension skills and good taste.
“Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. Nathaniel Hawthorne
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Essay, Ethics and International Relations
EC orders removal of Jharkhand’s acting DGP over past complaints of bias
The Election Commission directed Jharkhand to replace its acting DGP after repeated complaints of bias from political parties, emphasizing the need for neutrality in state law enforcement during elections.
Linkage: This reflects the values of impartiality and non-partisanship in public administration, crucial for institutional accountability and electoral integrity.
Jharkhand gangster with 160 cases plans to run for Assembly elections from jail
Political parties in India often nominate candidates with criminal records due to their perceived “winnability” factor. Candidates with criminal backgrounds are seen as capable of leveraging muscle and money power, which can influence voter behavior, deter opposition, and navigate complex political landscapes, especially in constituencies where the state struggles to maintain law and order. Voters may also view these candidates as “strong” leaders capable of delivering resources and addressing local issues effectively, despite their criminal backgrounds.
Linkage: This tendency highlights the complex ethical dilemmas within electoral governance and the challenges of criminalization in politics, which hinder the pursuit of clean administration and ethical leadership critical for democratic integrity.
Suggested Read Criminalization, Political Parties, and India’s Political Economy Milan Vaishnav
Company uses mining dust to enhance carbon capture
Alt Carbon, a Darjeeling-based company, has developed an innovative carbon capture solution using mining waste from basaltic rock dust sourced from Rajmahal mines. The company spreads this dust on tea estates, where it both acts as an organic fertilizer and captures atmospheric carbon by forming bicarbonates that eventually flow to the oceans. The process can sequester 1 tonne of carbon using 3-4 tonnes of basalt dust in 2-4 years, significantly faster than the natural weathering process that takes 1,000 years.
Celebration and vigil: On India, kala-azar and trachoma
India has achieved significant public health milestones by bringing kala-azar (a deadly parasitic disease transmitted by sandflies) to near elimination and successfully eliminating trachoma (a major cause of blindness). With kala-azar cases reduced to under one per 10,000 population for two consecutive years - just 595 cases in 2023 and 339 cases so far in 2024 - India is now seeking WHO certification for its elimination. This success, particularly notable as India previously contributed to 11.5% of global kala-azar cases and trachoma caused 5% of all blindness in the 1970s, demonstrates the effectiveness of sustained public health campaigns, though continued vigilance remains crucial to maintain these achievements.
How will a classical status help languages?
The Union Cabinet recently granted classical status to five languages - Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Pali, and Prakrit - by modifying the eligibility criteria, which no longer requires languages to have an original literary tradition. The classical status brings significant benefits, including central funding for research, translation projects, language preservation, and establishment of academic centers, with previous classical languages like Tamil and Sanskrit receiving substantial grants ranging from ₹51 crore to ₹3.7 crore for development initiatives.
While historically, post-menopausal women, especially in rural areas, were relegated to roles of caregivers with limited personal ambitions, there's a growing call to change this narrative by recognizing this life stage as an opportunity for women to pursue personal growth, financial independence, and community leadership. The article advocates for better education, support systems, and resources to help women, particularly homemakers and rural women, navigate this transition positively, emphasizing that menopause should be celebrated as the beginning of a vibrant new chapter rather than viewed as an end to vitality.
India, Spain condemn attacks in Lebanon on UN peacekeepers
The UN peacekeeping operations, particularly UNIFIL (UN Interim Force in Lebanon), are facing significant challenges as peacekeepers come under direct attack from Israeli Defense Forces, including recent incidents where IDF tanks damaged UNIFIL positions and injured peacekeepers. Despite having 100,000 peacekeepers globally and a robust mandate under the UN Charter, the UN has been reduced to a 'bystander' status in major conflicts like Ukraine and Gaza. While India and Spain, as major troop-contributing countries, have condemned these attacks and emphasized the importance of peacekeeper safety, there are growing calls for UN Security Council reform, including expanding permanent membership and modifying the veto power system.
Sources:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-spain-condemn-attacks-in-lebanon-on-un-peacekeepers/articleshow/114708007.cms
https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-world-needs-blue-helmets-who-act-as-blue-helmets/article68784163.ece
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/unifil-peacekeepers-under-attack/article68773775.ece
What does the new ‘lady justice’ statue signify? | Explained
Reasons for Removing the Blindfold from the New Lady Justice Statue in India:
Modern Interpretation of Justice
The open-eyed symbol reflects the belief that "law is not blind; it sees everyone equally," as stated by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud.
It signifies a shift from the concept of blind justice to a more conscious and equitable system that values India’s diverse social fabric.
Decolonization Effort
The change aligns with India’s broader initiative to remove colonial symbols from its legal system.
Moving away from British-era legacies, the open-eyed Lady Justice represents an interpretation rooted in Indian cultural and legal ideals.
Emphasis on Constitutional Values
The unveiled eyes symbolize a justice system that is vigilant, aware, and dedicated to upholding constitutional principles.
Replacing the sword with the Constitution further underscores that justice should be guided by constitutional values rather than a purely punitive approach.
Heightened Social Awareness
With open eyes, the statue embodies a judiciary aware of India’s social diversity and attentive to the needs of marginalized groups.
This symbolizes a thoughtful approach to justice that considers the specific contexts of each case, acknowledging socio-economic disparities.
Delhi High Court orders Wikipedia to take down page on ANI defamation suit
The Delhi High Court has ordered Wikimedia Foundation to remove a Wikipedia page about ANI's defamation suit within 36 hours, deeming it "prima facie contemptuous." The court,made this ruling while hearing WMF's appeal against an earlier order requiring disclosure of four Wikipedia administrators' details. The controversy stems from edits made to ANI's Wikipedia page, with the court taking particular issue with the platform's description of the single judge's order as "censorship and a threat to the flow of information." The court viewed this characterization as interference in court proceedings and a violation of sub judice principles, with WMF ultimately assuring compliance with the court's directives.
India launches 4th nuclear-missile submarine
India has launched its fourth nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), codenamed S4*, at Visakhapatnam's Ship Building Center, featuring 75% indigenous content and equipped with 3,500km range K-4 nuclear ballistic missiles.
Cyberfraud losses could amount to 0.7% of GDP, projects Ministry’s study
According to a study by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Indians could lose over ₹1.2 lakh crore (0.7% of GDP) to cyber frauds in the next year, with mule bank accounts being a major contributor. About half of these cybercrimes originate from China, Cambodia, and Myanmar, with the I4C identifying around 4,000 mule bank accounts daily.
The government has identified “scam compounds” in South East Asian countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos which resemble call centres and have emerged as a hub of investment scams.
Researchers meld AI and genomics to find thousands of new viruses
Chinese researchers have made a breakthrough in virus discovery by combining genomics with transformer-based machine learning, identifying over 160,000 new RNA viruses, with more than half being first-time discoveries.he discovery is particularly important as RNA viruses, which include pathogens like COVID-19, Ebola, and influenza, are known for rapid mutation and adaptation, making them crucial for public health monitoring and understanding potential zoonotic threats.
Centre to launch AI-powered chatbot to handle public grievances soon
The Indian government is set to launch an AI-powered chatbot on its Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) to streamline the public grievance process. Developed by Bhashni under the Digital India Corporation, this ChatGPT-like system will help users file complaints and appeals, building upon existing AI capabilities that already categorize grievances into 22,000 categories.
World headed for 3.1°C warming: UN’s warning ahead of COP29
A new UN report warns that current environmental policies will lead to 3.1°C warming by century's end, significantly missing Paris Agreement targets. Even with full implementation of both conditional and unconditional NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions), warming would still reach 2.6-2.8°C, while greenhouse gas emissions have hit a record 57.1 gigatons in 2023. To maintain the 1.5°C target, emissions must drop 42% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels, with the report highlighting significant disparities among nations - India's per capita emissions remain at 2.9 tCO2e/capita compared to China's 11 and USA's 18.
4,300 tonnes of space junk and rising: Another satellite breakup adds to orbital debris woes
The recent breakup of the Intelsat 33e communications satellite into at least 20 pieces has highlighted the growing space debris crisis, with Earth's orbit now containing approximately 4,300 tonnes of space junk. According to the European Space Agency, there are over 40,000 pieces larger than 10 centimeters and 130 million pieces smaller than 1 cm in orbit, with the total mass of human-made objects reaching 13,000 tonnes.
Four of every 10 people who died as a result of conflict in 2023 were women: UN Report
According to the latest UN report on Women, Peace, and Security, the proportion of women killed in armed conflicts doubled in 2023, with four out of ten conflict-related deaths being women, while conflict-related sexual violence cases increased by 50%. The situation is particularly dire with 500 women and girls in conflict zones dying daily from pregnancy complications, and 180 women giving birth daily in Gaza without proper medical care.
Despite evidence that women's involvement leads to more lasting peace agreements, they comprised only 9.6% of peace negotiators in 2023, highlighting a severe gender disparity in conflict resolution. The report also reveals a stark funding gap, with global military spending reaching $2.44 trillion while women's rights organizations receive just 0.3% of total aid, and gender-based violence prevention getting less than 1% of humanitarian spending.
According to the 2024 Global Nature Conservation Index, India ranks 176th out of 180 countries with a score of 45.5/100, placing it among the world's five worst performers in nature conservation. The assessment reveals critical challenges including the conversion of 53% of land for urban and agricultural use, minimal marine protection (only 0.2% of waterways), significant biodiversity losses (23,300 sq km tree cover loss between 2001-2019), and concerning wildlife population declines (67.5% marine and 46.9% terrestrial species).
As the world's fourth-largest illegal wildlife trader with annual sales of £15 billion, India faces severe conservation challenges, exacerbated by high population density, habitat fragmentation, and poor performance in marine and terrestrial conservation goals (SDG 14 and 15), highlighting the urgent need for stronger environmental policies and enforcement measures.
PM Modi hails Arjun Erigaisi crossing 2800 mark in live chess ratings https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1850399367380992491
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as usual, excellent compilation sir. thank you bringing out. please bring them out on a regular basis for benefit of upsc community.