Context
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on his three-day visit to Poland and Ukraine. Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Poland is the first visit of an Indian PM to Poland in 45 years since Morarji Desai’s Warsaw visit in 1979. The timing of this visit coincides with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Poland.
Context
In India, pornography and sex toys are regulated under a complex web of laws aimed at curbing obscenity and protecting public morals. While specific laws address the production and distribution of obscene material, sex toys fall into a legally ambiguous area, often regulated through broader obscenity and import restrictions. Judicial interventions have clarified some of these ambiguities, but challenges remain in balancing societal norms with legal regulations.
Context
The discussion surrounding the inclusion of caste enumeration in the upcoming Census has intensified recently. The Union government has yet to finalize its decision on conducting the next Census, but there is active discourse about expanding the data collection to include caste data beyond just Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
Arguments For Caste Census |
Arguments Against Caste Census |
Caste remains a significant social factor affecting various aspects of life. |
The enumeration may exacerbate existing social divisions. |
Necessary for implementing constitutional reservation policies effectively. |
Managing enumeration of numerous state-specific castes can be complex |
Helps in accurate allocation and avoids wrongful inclusions/exclusions in reservations. |
May lead to increased and potentially arbitrary demands for reservations. |
Addresses issues of equity and prevents disproportionate benefits to dominant castes |
Caste was not enumerated post-Independence, and social changes may not necessitate its return. |
Fact Box: India’s Caste System
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Context
The digital age of online shopping (which has become the norm), has brought countless benefits for the consumers, it has also impacted traditional retailers and the broader economy. The functioning of the E-commerce sector is eating into the small retailers (12 million kirana stores) by giving heavy discounts on products (predatory pricing).
The earning gap
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Fact Box:
Factors responsible for growth:
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Context
Employment in India has been a contentious issue, with recent claims by Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggesting that the country created "eight crore new jobs" in the last few years. This claim is based on data from the India-KLEMS database, which shows a rise in the number of workers from 56.6 crore in 2020-21 to 64.3 crore in 2023-24. This increase of 7.8 crore workers has sparked debate, especially given the stagnation or decline in employment-to-population ratios observed in other regions.
SBI Report and Comparison with ASUSE
Context
NASA’s recent mission to test the Boeing Starliner crew capsule has hit unexpected snags, leading to a significant delay in the return of astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams from the International Space Station (ISS). Originally intended to be a straightforward eight-day mission, the test has now extended to an eight-month stay due to technical issues with the Starliner.
Fact Box: About Boeing Starliner
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Context
As a prelude to Mysuru Dasara, a 10-day festival observed on the tenth day in the Hindu calendar month Ashvina, ‘Dasara Gajapayan’ was held recently.
Context
A case of vaccine-derived polio (VDPV) has been confirmed in a two-year-old child from West Garo district, Meghalaya. Although polio was declared eradicated in India in 2011, the emergence of vaccine-derived polio in an immuno-deficient child (iVDPV) has raised concerns about the continued use of the oral polio vaccine (OPV).
Fact Box: About Poliomyelitis (Polio)
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Context
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Poland and Ukraine is a significant step in India's evolving foreign policy. This visit marks the first time an Indian Prime Minister has traveled to Poland since 1979 and to Kyiv since Ukraine's independence.
Geopolitical and Economic Context
Q. Analyze the strategic implications of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Poland and Ukraine. How does this visit fit into India's broader European policy, and what are the potential benefits and challenges of deepening ties with Central European nations in the current geopolitical climate?
Context
The effectiveness of “naming and shaming” as a strategy for enforcing human rights standards has been highlighted in recent discussions. The approach involves publicly condemning governments that violate human rights, with the aim of exerting moral pressure. While some authoritarian regimes have largely ignored such efforts, there have been notable instances where naming and shaming has led to improvements or reforms.
Q. Discuss the effectiveness of “naming and shaming” as a tool for enforcing human rights standards. What are its limitations, and how can it be complemented by other strategies to ensure greater accountability for human rights violations?
Context
Sikkim has recently experienced a landslide that damaged six houses and a National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) building. This incident is the second major natural disaster impacting hydropower projects along the Teesta River, following last year's glacier outburst that severely affected the Teesta-3 project. The situation highlights ongoing challenges and controversies surrounding hydropower development in the region.
Environmental and Structural Concerns
Q. Examine the challenges and implications of hydropower projects in the Teesta River basin. How do natural disasters and structural issues affect the viability of such projects, and what measures can be implemented to address these concerns effectively?
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