Contents

1. Jaishankar Meets Putin, Confident of Resuming Annual India-Russia Summits in 2024
   
2. SLIM’s Moon Landing: A New Era in Lunar Exploration
3. Former Supreme Court Judge on Judiciary’s Role in Political Landscape
4. Decade-High Improvement in Indian Banks’ Asset Quality: RBI Report
5. Editorial Analysis – 1
6. Editorial Analysis – 2
7. Practice MCQs for UPSC CSE Prelims

 

 

 

 

Jaishankar Meets Putin, Confident of Resuming Annual India-Russia Summits in 2024

Provides insight into India’s foreign policy and diplomatic relations with a key partner.

Highlights the areas of cooperation that are relevant to India’s strategic and economic interests.

Offers a perspective on managing bilateral relations amid global political changes, useful for International Relations topics in UPSC syllabus.

 

UPSC CSE Mains Question

Discuss the strategic significance of India-Russia relations in the contemporary geopolitical scenario. How can India leverage this partnership to further its national interests?

 

Why in the News?

• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to Moscow and his meeting with President Putin.
  
• Discussions on the India-Russia bilateral relationship and the potential resumption of annual leadership summits.
  

Background

• The annual India-Russia summit, a key aspect of the bilateral relationship, has been paused since 2021.
  
• The relationship between India and Russia includes cooperation in various sectors like trade, nuclear energy, military technology, and geopolitical interests.
  

Key Points of the News

• Meeting Between Jaishankar and Putin:
  
  • Highlighted the strong and steady nature of India-Russia relations.
    
• Discussions on Various Sectors:
  
  • Agreements on trade, nuclear energy, military technology, and arms supplies.
    
• Renewal of Diplomatic Protocols:
  
  • Renewing diplomatic consultation protocols for 2024-2028.
    
• Economic Cooperation:
  
  • Focus on the International North-South Transport Corridor,
    Chennai-Vladivostok shipping route, and Polar Northern Sea routes.
    
• Trade Growth:
  
  • Increase in trade, especially in oil and fertilizer imports from Russia to India.
    
• Annual Summits:
  
  • Jaishankar expressed confidence in the resumption of annual leadership summits in 2024.
    

Important Terms Meaning

• Bilateral Relations:
  
  • Cooperation or agreements between two countries.
    
• Eurasian Economic Union:
  
  • An economic union of states located in central and northern Asia and Eastern Europe.
    
• Strategic Partnership:
  
  • Long-term cooperation between countries on key strategic issues.
    
• Geopolitical Interests:
  
  • Political interests influenced by geographic factors.
    

Way Forward

• Strengthening the multifaceted bilateral relationship between India and Russia.
  
• Focus on balancing trade and economic cooperation while navigating geopolitical challenges.
  
• Continuing diplomatic engagements and consultations to enhance mutual strategic interests.
  

 

 

SLIM’s Moon Landing: A New Era in Lunar Exploration

Provides insight into recent advancements in lunar exploration and the role of international cooperation.

Highlights technological innovations in space exploration, relevant for science and technology syllabus.

Encourages understanding of global space missions’ strategic and scientific importance, useful for UPSC aspirants in comprehending international relations and technological advancements.

UPSC CSE Mains Question

Examine the significance of international collaborations in space exploration, specifically in the context of lunar missions like SLIM and LUPEX. How do such missions advance scientific understanding and international cooperation?

 

Why in the News?

• Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) spacecraft’s recent lunar orbit entry and its upcoming moon-landing attempt.
  
• Potential implications for future lunar missions, including the India-Japan joint Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) mission.
  

Background

• SLIM is a lightweight lunar exploration mission developed by Japan.
  
• India’s successful Chandrayaan-3 mission and the upcoming LUPEX mission.
  
• Global interest in lunar exploration for scientific and strategic purposes.
  

Key Points of the News

• SLIM’s Lunar Orbit Entry:
  
  • Successful orbit entry around the moon, ahead of its landing attempt.
    
• Lightweight Design:
  
  • SLIM’s significantly lower weight compared to other missions like Chandrayaan-3.
    
• Fuel-Efficient Trajectory:
  
  • Adoption of a fuel-efficient path to the moon using weak-stability boundary theory.
    
• Precision Landing:
  
  • SLIM’s attempt to achieve an unprecedented precise landing near the Shioli Crater.
    
• Scientific Objectives:
  
  • Plans to deploy rovers and study the lunar surface,
    temperature, radiation, and potentially the moon’s mantle.
    
• Implications for LUPEX:
  
  • The success of SLIM could influence the technologies and strategies for the upcoming joint India-Japan lunar mission.
    

Important Terms Meaning

• Weak-Stability Boundary Theory:
  
  • A trajectory design that reduces fuel consumption for space missions.
    
• Feature-Matching Algorithm:
  
  • Technology used in spacecraft navigation for precise landing.
    
• Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX):
  
  • A joint lunar exploration mission by India and Japan focused on the moon’s South Pole region.
    
• Hohmann Transfer Orbit:
  
  • An efficient path for spacecraft to travel between two celestial bodies.
    

Way Forward

• Monitoring SLIM’s performance to gain insights for future lunar missions.
  
• Collaborative efforts in space technology, especially between India and Japan for the LUPEX mission.
  
• Continued research and development in space exploration technologies for more efficient and precise lunar missions.
  

   

 

Former Supreme Court Judge on Judiciary’s Role in Political Landscape

 

Highlights the crucial role of judiciary in maintaining democracy and the rule of law.

Provides insights into the challenges and reforms needed in judicial appointments and case management.

Encourages understanding of the balance of power between different branches of government, relevant for Polity and Governance in the UPSC syllabus.

UPSC CSE Mains Question

Discuss the importance of judicial independence in a democracy. How can reforms in judicial appointments and case management enhance the efficacy of the judiciary in India?

 

 

Why in the News?

• Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul’s remarks on the judiciary’s impartiality and its relationship with the government and opposition.
  
• His views on the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) and the case listing process in the Supreme Court.
  

Background

• Concerns about the judiciary’s role in either supporting or opposing government actions.
  
• Discussions on judicial independence, transparency in appointments, and case management in the Supreme Court.
  

Key Points of the News

• Judiciary’s Impartiality:
  
  • Emphasis on the judiciary acting with an equal hand and not being perceived as favoring the government.
    
• Handling of Crucial Cases:
  
  • Discussion on delays in hearing significant cases like Article 370, electoral bonds, and demonetization.
    
• Chief Justice’s Role:
  
  • The Chief Justice of India’s responsibility in case listing and prioritization.
    
• NJAC and Judicial Appointments:
  
  • Perspectives on tweaking the NJAC for balancing judicial
    appointments between the judiciary and government.
    
• Judiciary-Executive Relationship:
  
  • The need for balance and check-and-balance dynamics between the judiciary and the executive.
    
• Pendency and Court Efficiency:
  
  • Concerns over high case pendency and suggestions on regional benches or appellate courts.
    

Important Terms Meaning

• National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC):
  
  • A proposed body intended for the appointment and transfer of judges in India.
    
• Judicial Independence:
  
  • The concept that the judiciary should be independent from the other branches of government.
    
• Master of the Roster:
  
  • The role of the Chief Justice in determining which cases are heard by which judges.
    

Way Forward

• Enhancing transparency and dialogue in judicial appointments.
  
• Addressing the high pendency of cases through innovative solutions like virtual courts.
  
• Maintaining the balance of power and independence between the judiciary and the executive.
  

 

 

 

Decade-High Improvement in Indian Banks’ Asset Quality: RBI Report

 

Provides insight into the current health of the Indian banking sector and the effectiveness of regulatory measures.

Highlights the importance of banking sector stability in the broader economic context, relevant for economics and governance topics in the UPSC syllabus.

Encourages an understanding of financial indicators like GNPA and CRAR, essential for the economy section of UPSC.

UPSC CSE Mains Question

Evaluate the role of regulatory measures in improving the asset quality of Indian banks. How does the improvement in banking sector health contribute to the overall economic stability of the country?

 

 

Why in the News?

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reports significant improvement in the asset quality of Indian banks, reaching a decade-high.
  

Background

• Indian scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) have faced challenges with high levels of non-performing assets in the past.
  
• Efforts have been made to improve the banking sector’s health, including regulatory changes and recovery initiatives.
  

Key Points of the News

• GNPA Ratio Decline:
  
  • Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) ratio of Indian SCBs has dropped to a decadal low.
    
• Contributors to GNPA Reduction:
  
  • 45% of the reduction in GNPAs was due to recoveries and upgradations.
    
• Growth in Balance Sheet:
  
  • SCBs’ consolidated balance sheet grew by 12.2% in FY23, the highest in nine years, driven by bank credit expansion.
    
• Profitability and Capital Positions:
  
  • Improved profitability due to higher lending rates and lower provisioning, enhancing banks’ capital positions.
    
• CRAR Levels:
  
  • The Capital to Risk Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) of SCBs was well above the regulatory minimum at 16.8%.
    
• Urban Co-operative Banks and NBFCs:
  
  • Expansion in balance sheets, improved profitability, and asset quality.
    

Important Terms Meaning

• Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA):
  
  • Loans on which the borrower is not making interest payments or principal repayments for a certain period.
    
• Capital to Risk Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR):
  
  • A measure of a bank’s capital, used to protect depositors and promote stability of financial systems.
    
• Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs):
  
  • Financial institutions that offer various banking services but do not have a banking license.
    

Way Forward

• Continuation of prudent banking practices to guard against credit losses.
  
• Emphasizing qualitative metrics like enhanced disclosures, strong code of conduct, and clear governance structures.
  
• Monitoring global economic uncertainties and their impact on the Indian banking sector.
  

 

Editorial Analysis – 1    

    Insight into how global standards like WHO’s are adapted in different national contexts.

Develops skills to critically evaluate the applicability of international standards in Indian scenarios.

Links child nutrition to broader socio-economic factors like poverty, women’s education, and healthcare access.

Offers perspective on the complexities involved in creating and implementing health policies in a diverse country like India.

 

 

Key Points for UPSC CSE

• WHO Growth Standards and India
  
  • India uses WHO standards to measure malnutrition.
    
  • WHO’s Multicentre Growth Reference Study (MGRS) included children from six countries, including India.
    
  • Concerns arise over the representation and applicability of these standards in the Indian context.
    
• Issues with WHO-MGRS in India
  
  • MGRS based on children in healthy environments, which may not represent the majority in India.
    
  • The Indian sample in MGRS was from privileged backgrounds in South Delhi.
    
  • Comparisons with large Indian datasets show potential overestimation of undernutrition using WHO standards.
    
• Genetic Growth and Maternal Influence
  
  • Indian children’s growth potential may differ due to genetic factors and maternal height.
    
  • Maternal height, influenced by long-term poverty and women’s status, affects child growth.
    
• Misdiagnosis and Overfeeding Concerns
  
  • High standards might lead to misclassification and overfeeding, increasing obesity risks.
    
  • Improving meal quality in government programs is crucial for addressing this.
    
• ICMR’s Response
  
  • Indian Council of Medical Research considers revising growth references for India.
    
  • A new study across India proposed to develop national growth charts.

Suggested Questions for UPSC CSE

1. Evaluate the effectiveness of WHO Growth Standards in the Indian context, considering the socio-economic diversity of the population.
   
2. How do the WHO-MGRS standards align or misalign with the ground realities of child nutrition in India? Discuss with examples.
   
3. What are the implications of adopting a country-specific growth standard for India in terms of policy formulation and international comparisons?
   

 

Editorial Analysis – 2

Provides insights into various development paradigms beyond mere economic growth.

Helps in analyzing the effectiveness of different development models and their impact on society.

Keeps students informed about current national development agendas and policy discussions.

Encourages an understanding of how economics, sociology, and psychology intersect in policy making.

 

 

Key Points for UPSC CSE

• Viksit Bharat and its Emphasis
  
  • Viksit Bharat aims to make India a developed nation by 2047.
    
  • Current focus predominantly on economic development, following a Euro-centric model.
    
• Critique of Conventional Development Models
  
  • Critics argue that economic growth alone is insufficient for true progress.
    
  • Development models often overlook social and psychological well-being.
    
• Happiness as a Development Goal
  
  • Proposal to shift focus to ‘Happy India-Developed India’ (Khushhal Bharat-Viksit Bharat).
    
  • Happiness should be a central pursuit, as evidenced by the World Happiness Report 2023.
    
  • India’s low happiness ranking despite being the fifth-largest economy.
    
• The World Happiness Report’s Parameters
  
  • Happiness measured through factors like GDP, social support, freedom, and perception of corruption.
    
  • Emphasis on trust, benevolence, and social connections.
    
• Need for a Happiness-Induced Development Model in India
  
  • India’s societal fabric is deeply rooted in social relationships and cultural norms.
    
  • Mere economic development can disrupt social order and quality of life.
    
• Moving Beyond GDP
  
  • Inclusion of social indicators in development models.
    
  • Alternative indices like Human Development Index, Social Development Index, and Green Index suggested.

Suggested Questions for UPSC CSE

1. Discuss the limitations of GDP as the sole indicator of a country’s development and the necessity to include happiness and well-being indicators.
   
2. ‘Viksit Bharat: Redefining Development from Economic Growth to General Well-being.’ Critically analyze this shift in development strategy.
   
3. Evaluate the relevance and feasibility of incorporating the World Happiness Report’s parameters in India’s development policies.
   

Practice MCQs for UPSC CSE Prelims

1.  
   1. Which of the following characteristics is not related to the Presidential System?
      
      1. Governance of the Prime Minister    
         
      2. Single Executive
         
      3. Single Membership    
         
      4. Dissolution of lower house is banned
         

      Ans: a
      

   2. In the Federal Government:
      
      1. All the powers and functions are vested in the Central Government and Regional Government.
         
      2. All powers are divided into Central Government and Regional Government
         
      3. Both A and B
         
      4. None of the above
         

      Ans: b
      

   3. Which of the following is not matched correctly?
      
      1. Right to Equality: Article 14-18
         
      2. Rights against exploitation: Article 20-22
         
      3. Right to Religious Freedom: Article 25-28
         
      4. Right to Cultural and Education freedom: Article 29-30
         

      Ans: b
      

   4. The Federal System in India is based on the model of which country?
      
      1. Canada    
         
      2. UK    
         
      3. America    
         
      4. Japan
         

      Ans: a
      

   5. Which of the following committee recommended for Panchayati Raj System in India?
      
      1. Punchhi Samiti    
         
      2. Balwantrai Mehta Committee
         
      3. Singhvi Committee    
         
      4. None of the following
         

      Ans: b
      

   6. How many posts are reserved for women at all levels in Panchayati raj system.
      
      1. 1/3    
         
      2. 1/2    
         
      3. 2/3    
         
      4. 1/4
         

      Ans: a
      

   7. Which statement is true about Panchayati Raj?
      
      1. The Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad should be constituted with directly elected members.
         
      2. Minimum age should be 18 years to contest election at the Panchayat level
         
      3. Election of the Panchayati Raj institutions is conducted under the guidance of the State Election Commission.
         
      4. For the financial review of Panchayats, the state Finance Commission is established after 6 years
         

      Ans: c
      

   8. How many tiers are in the Panchayati Raj system of India?
      
      1. One tier    
         
      2. Two tier    
         
      3. Three tier    
         
      4. Four tier
         

      Ans: c
      

   9. Which of the following state was the first to establish Panchayati raj institutions?
      
      1. Rajasthan    
         
      2. Andhra Pradesh    
         
      3. West Bengal    
         
      4. Gujarat
         

      Ans: a
      

   10. The Panchayat system was adopted to:
       
       1. To decentralise the power of democracy    
          
       2. Make people aware of politics
          
       3. Educate the peasants    
          
       4. None of this
          

       Ans: a
       

   11. Which of the following states have no Panchayati raj institution at all?
       
       1. Nagaland    
          
       2. Assam    
          
       3. Kerala    
          
       4. Tripura
          

       Ans: a
       

   12. Which of the following system is established on the basis of direct election?
       
       1. Gram Panchayat    
          
       2. Block Committee    
          
       3. Zila Parishad    
          
       4. Both b and c
          

       Ans: a
       

   13. Which of the following statements is not correct?
       
       1. Panchayati Raj was established in India by Jawahar Lal Nehru
          
       2. Madhya Pradesh was the first state which implemented the The Panchayati Raj system in India
          
       3. 73rd Constitutional amendment was implemented in 1992
          
       4. Tamil Nadu has adopted bicameral method
          

       Ans: b
       

   14. Which statement is not correct regarding “Gram Sabha”?
       
       1. It is a body consisting of persons registered in the electoral rolls of a village comprised within the area of the Panchayat level.
          
       2. It is a village assembly consisting of all the registered voters in the area of the Panchayat.
          
       3. Its powers have been determined by the Central Government
          
       4. Its powers and functions at village level are like state legislature at the state level.
          

       Ans: c
       

   15. Where was the first Municipal Corporation set up in India?
       
       1. Bombay    
          
       2. Calcutta    
          
       3. Madras    
          
       4. Surat
          

       Ans: c