[Mission 2023] Insights SECURE SYNOPSIS: 29 November 2022

NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same

General Studies – 1

Topic: Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.,

1. Compare and contrast Tropical cyclone and Extratropical cyclone. Throw light on the Fujiwhara effect and its impact on cyclones. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: Down to Earth , en.wikipedia.org , Insights on India

Why the question:

Super typhoon Hinnamnor, the strongest tropical cyclone of the year, was hurtling towards Taiwan from the western Pacific Ocean. Another tropical storm called Gardo was moving towards Hinnamnor from its southeast. As the two approached each other, they started a dance around the central line between them, showcasing a textbook example of what is known as the Fujiwhara Effect.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about differences between tropical and extratropical cyclone and the Fujiwhara effect.

Directive word: 

Compare and contrast – provide for a detailed comparison of the two types, their features that are similar as well as different. One must provide for detailed assessment of the two.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by defining a cyclone and its types.

Body:

First, write about the differences between tropical and extratropical cyclone on various parameters – formation, source of energy, central cores and impact etc.

Next, write about the Fujiwhara effect and its impact on cyclones.

Conclusion:

Conclude by summarising.

Introduction

Tropical Cyclone is any large system of winds that circulates about a centre of low atmospheric pressure in a counter-clockwise direction north of the Equator and in a clockwise direction to the south. Cyclonic winds move across nearly all regions of the Earth except the equatorial belt and are generally associated with rain or snow. Extratropical cyclones are also called wave cyclone or mid-latitude cyclone or temperate cyclones. The systems developing in the mid and high latitude, beyond the tropics are called the middle latitude or extra tropical cyclones.

Body

Differences between tropical and Extra-tropical cyclones

• Winds:
  • Unlike tropical (warm core) storms, winds are not as concentrated near the center of the storm, but can spread out for hundreds of miles from it.
• Direction
  • The extratropical cyclones move from west to east but tropical cyclones, move from east to west.
• Precipitation:
  • The extratropical cyclones have a clear frontal system which is not present in the tropical cyclones.
  • It is in a cold core (non-tropical cyclone) can also spread far away from the center of the storm. Most mid-latitude storms are cold core including nor’easters.
  • The precipitation is more intense in tropical cyclone than non-tropical cyclone.
  • Also, precipitation in tropical cyclones are localized while in case of non-tropical cyclone the precipitation is widespread.
• Shape:
  • Tropical cyclones are nearly symmetric in shape and are without fronts. Mid-latitude (cold core) cyclones are comma shaped and have fronts associated with them.
• Impact
  • Extratropical cyclones cover a larger area and can originate over the land and sea. Whereas the tropical cyclones originate only over the seas and on reaching the land they dissipate.
  • The extratropical cyclone affects a much larger area as compared to the tropical cyclone. The wind velocity in a tropical cyclone is much higher and it is more destructive.
• Transition:
  • Hurricanes and tropical storms often transition to cold core cyclones, meaning that it has technically lost many of its tropical characteristics and is more closely related to a mid-latitude (non-tropical) storm.
  • The transition often occurs when a tropical cyclone moves to higher latitudes and interacts with atmospheric features that are more common there.
• Troughs:
  • Tropical cyclones don’t form troughs whereas non-tropical cyclones form troughs in upper level of atmosphere.

Fujiwhara effect and its impact on cyclones

• The Fujiwhara Effect is any interaction between tropical storms formed around the same time in the same ocean region with their centres or eyes at a distance of less than 1,400 km, with intensity that could vary between a depression (wind speed under 63 km per hour) and a super typhoon (wind speed over 209 km per hour).
• The Fujiwhara effect can turn two cyclones into one megacyclone.
• The interaction could lead to changes in the track and intensity of either or both storms systems.
• In rare cases, the two systems could merge, especially when they are of similar size and intensity, to form a bigger storm.
• During a merger interaction between two tropical cyclones the wind circulations come together and form a sort of whirlpool of winds in the atmosphere.
• Fujiwhara effect was identified by Sakuhei Fujiwhara, a Japanese meteorologist whose first paper recognising the Fujiwhara cases was published in 1921. The first known instance of the effect was in 1964 in the western Pacific Ocean when typhoons Marie and Kathy merged.

Recent example of fujiwhara effect

• Recently, super typhoon Hinnamnor, the strongest tropical cyclone of the year, was hurtling towards Taiwan from the western Pacific Ocean.
• Another tropical storm called Gardo was moving towards Hinnamnor from its southeast.
• As the two approached each other, they started a dance around the central line between them, showcasing a textbook example of what is known as the Fujiwhara Effect.
• an increasingly warming world, a dance and merger between two large enough tropical cyclones over any of the global oceans could lead to the formation of a mega cyclone, causing devastation along coast-lines.

Conclusion

Global warming has presented us with new challenges such as rapid intensification of cyclones, which need to be closely monitored at higher resolution and accuracy using on-site platforms such as buoys and moorings. Improving the Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS) and incorporating the global warming signals in the weather models can help us tackle the challenges of intense cyclones in the future.

Topic: Social empowerment

2. As relationships change, constitutional rights on freedoms and liberties must expand. Do you think it is time to allow same-sex marriage under a special law? Critically comment. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: The Hindu , The Hindu , Insights on India

Why the question:

A Supreme Court Bench led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on November 25, issued notices to the Centre and the Attorney General of India, seeking their response to two petitions filed by gay couples to allow solemnisation of same-sex marriage under the Special Marriage Act, (SMA) 1954.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about legalising same-sex marriages in the country.

Directive word: 

Critically comment – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary. When ‘comment’ is prefixed, we must express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by giving context with respect to same-sex marriages.

Body:

In the first part, write about the need to legalise same-sex marriages in the country post the Navtej Johar judgement – Equal rights, granting protection, for true inclusivity etc.

Next, mention write about the impediments and legal obstacles to legalising same-sex marriages.

Next, write a way forward.

Conclusion:

Conclude with a balanced opinion on the issue.

Introduction

The debate over same-sex marriages is more of morality than on law. People try to establish a line of distinction between the ‘societal norms’ and ‘individual liberty’ especially in the culture where religion enjoys more prominence. The law on same-sex marriages in India is already indirectly established by the apex court. In March 2018, the Supreme Court of India has held that an adult has a fundamental right to marry a person of their own choice. The collective reading of this case with Navtej Singh Johar (September 2018) can be taken as a tacit recognition of same-sex marriage. Further in 2019, The High Court of Madras decreed and allowed the marriage under the Act.

Body

Background

• With a steady advance in LGBTQ+ rights, a growing number of countries are legalising same sex weddings.
• The institution of marriage in its current form, encompasses love, conversations, sex, procreation, sharing responsibilities and happiness.
• There are technical aspects like property, inheritance, insurance, visitation rights in healthcare and custody and so on.
• Marriage is the building block of stable communities. By what logic then should the government regulate the relationship between two consenting adults.
• Specifically denying same sex couples the full rights of marriage is obviously discriminatory.
• In India we have seen the Court intervene in cases of inter-religion and inter-caste marriages to protect our choices. This must extend to other groups. The law must ensure equality in the truest sense.
• The battle for gay rights has been long and difficult. It took years for the courts to accept it is not an ‘unnatural offence’.
• There was much reason to celebrate the abolishment of Article 377, but that is just the beginning.

Time for allowing same-sex marriage in India

• The domain of marriages cannot be immune to reform and review.
• Reform of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 to bring self-respect marriagesunder its very umbrella, is seen as a strong move towards breaking caste-based practices within the institution of marriage.
• Self-respect marriages were legalised in Tamil Nadu (later, in Puducherry) through amendments to the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.
• Self-respect marriages have done away with priests and religious symbols such as fire or saptapadi.
• Solemnisation of such marriages requires only an exchange of rings or garlands or tying of the mangalsutra.
• Similarly, understanding the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community, the law must expand the institution of marriage to include all gender and sexual identities.

Global laws

• Globally, the recognition of the unequal laws discriminating against the LGBTQIA+ community has acted as a trigger to reform and modernise legal architecture to become more inclusive and equal.
• As a result of a verdict by the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Civil Union Act, 2006 was enacted, enabling the voluntary union of two persons above 18 years of age, by way of marriage.
• In Australia, the Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws – General Law Reform) Act 2008was enacted to provide equal entitlements for same-sex couples in matters of, inter alia, social security, employment and taxation.
• In England and Wales, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013enabled same-sex couples to marry in civil ceremonies or with religious rites.
• In 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States decided that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples.It held the denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples to be a grave and continuing harm, serving to disrespect and subordinate gays and lesbians.

Conclusion

At least 29 countries in the world have legalised same-sex marriage. It is time that India thinks beyond the binary and reviews its existing legal architecture in order to legalise marriages irrespective of gender identity and sexual orientation. The law is however a dynamic concept. Inevitably the nature of marriage would change if there is a change in society.

General Studies – 2

Topic: Issues relating to poverty and hunger.

3. How is poverty measured in India? Examine the various issues in the measurement of poverty by the multidimensional poverty index (MPI). Do you think poverty has declined considerably post 2014 in the country? State your opinion. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Tough

Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India

Why the question:

A recent article by Jean Dreze (‘Poverty, uncensored’, November 24) looks at our commentary on multidimensional poverty decline (‘Poverty is down, period’, November 4) and concludes that the debate on relative performance towards poverty alleviation during the UPA years and Narendra Modi’s tenure as prime minister should continue to be “open” even as his own conclusion is that multidimensional poverty (MPI) declined considerably faster in the Modi years.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the measurement of poverty, issues in MPI and commenting on the rate of poverty decline post-2014.

Directive word: 

Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin the answer by giving context regarding the reduction in poverty by citing a statistic.

Body:

First, write about the various ways to measure poverty – National Sample Survey (NSS) based per capita consumption, Income based poverty line, consumption-based poverty line, Poverty line basket, multi-Dimensional poverty index, Various committees and international standards etc.

Next, write about the various in measurement of poverty via the multidimensional poverty index (MPI).

Next, write about nature of the poverty decline post-2014 in the country. Cite facts and statistics to substantiate.

Conclusion:

Conclude with a balanced opinion forward.

Introduction

Poverty is a state or condition in which a person or community lacks the financial resources and essentials for a minimum standard of living. Poverty means that the income level from employment is so low that basic human needs can’t be met. In India, 21.9% of the population lives below the national poverty line in 2011.

The all-India poverty ratio in 2020-21 is 17.9%, compared to 21.9% in 2011-12, with lower poverty in urban India compared to rural India. Poverty ratios have declined over this period, though by not as much as they might have.

Body

Poverty measurement in India

• Planning Commission Expert Group (1962), working group constituted by the Planning Commission formulated the separate poverty lines for rural and urban areas (₹20 and ₹25 per capita per year respectively).
• VM Dandekar and N Rath (1971), made the first systematic assessment of poverty in India, based on National Sample Survey (NSS) data.
  • Unlike previous scholars who had considered subsistence living or basic minimum needs criteria as the measure of poverty line, VM Dandekar and N Rath were of the view that poverty line must be derived from the expenditure that was adequate to provide 2250 calories per day in both rural and urban areas.
  • Expenditure based Poverty line estimation, generated a debate on minimum calorie consumption norms.
• Alagh Committee (1979): Task force constituted by the Planning Commission under the chairmanship of YK Alagh, constructed a poverty line for rural and urban areas on the basis of nutritional requirements and related consumption expenditure.
  • Poverty estimates for subsequent years were to be calculated by adjusting the price level for inflation.
• Lakdawala Committee (1993): Task Force chaired by DT Lakdawala, based on the assumption that the basket of goods and services used to calculate Consumer Price Index-Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) and Consumer Price Index- Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL) reflect the consumption patterns of the poor, made the following suggestions:
  • Consumption expenditure should be calculated based on calorie consumption as earlier.
  • State specific poverty lines should be constructed and these should be updated using the CPI-IW in urban areas and CPI-AL in rural areas.
  • Discontinuation of scaling of poverty estimates based on National Accounts Statistics.
• Tendulkar Committee (2009): Expert group constituted by the Planning Commission and, chaired by Suresh Tendulkar, was constituted to review methodology for poverty estimation and to address the following shortcomings of the previous methods:
  • Obsolete Consumption Pattern: Consumption patterns were linked to the 1973-74 poverty line baskets (PLBs) of goods and services, whereas there were significant changes in the consumption patterns of the poor since that time, which were not reflected in the poverty estimates.
  • Inflation Adjustment: There were issues with the adjustment of prices for inflation, both spatially (across regions) and temporally (across time).
  • Health and Education Expenditure: Earlier poverty lines assumed that health and education would be provided by the state and formulated poverty lines accordingly.
• The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for price changes since 2011-12, to arrive at corresponding poverty lines for 2020-21.
• PLFS 2020-21 household monthly consumption data: using this the percentage of population living below that poverty line has been estimated.

Achievements in poverty alleviation over the years

• Decline in Extreme Poverty:Extreme poverty in India was 3% points lower in 2019 compared with 2011, as poverty headcount rate declined from 22.5% in 2011 to 10.2% in 2019, with a comparatively sharper decline in rural areas.
  • Slight moderation in consumption inequality since 2011, but by a margin smaller than what is reported in the unreleased National Sample Survey -2017.
  • The extent of poverty reduction during 2015-2019 is estimated to be notably lower than earlier projections based on growth in private final consumption expenditure reported in national account statistics.
  • The World Bank defines “extreme poverty” as living on less than USD 1.90 per person per day.
• Rural vs Urban Poverty:Poverty reduction was higher in rural areas compared with urban India as rural poverty declined from 26.3% in 2011 to 11.6% in 2019, while in urban areas the decline was from 14.2% to 6.3% in the corresponding period.
  • Rural and urban poverty dropped by 7 and 7.9% points during 2011-2019.
  • Urban poverty in India rose by 2% in 2016, coinciding with the demonetisation, and rural poverty rose by 10% in 2019.
• Small Farmers:Smallholder farmers have experienced higher income growth. Real incomes for farmers with the smallest landholdings have grown by 10% in annualized terms between the two survey rounds (2013 and 2019) compared to a 2% growth for farmers with the largest landholding.
  • The growth in incomes of smallest landholders in rural areas provides more evidence of moderation in income disparity in rural areas.
  • Smallest landholders comprise a larger share of the poor population.This income includes wages, net receipt from crop production, net receipt from farming of animal farming and net receipt from non-farm business. Income from leasing out land has been exempted.

Issues in measurement of MPI

• 2005-06 figures from an outdated MP series: Comparison between 2005-06 and “2011-12” is actually a comparison between two different sets of estimates for 2005-06 (indeed, the respective figures are very close to each other).
  • The comparison between “2011-12” and 2019-21 is actually a comparison between 2005-06 and 2019-21.
• Figures projected as indicator-specific HCRs: They are not headcount ratios. They are “censored headcount ratios.
• India Human Development Survey (IHDS) data: It is not comparable with NFHS in any case.
• Censored HCR: Even if there is no improvement in nutrition, the censored HCR for nutrition deprivation would decline over time simply because multidimensional poverty is declining.
• The rate of HCR decline was not uniformly faster in the second period: It was faster for most household amenities, but slower for most other indicators.
• In MPI: The convention is to give equal weight (one third each) to health, education and amenities, and then equal weight to individual indicators within each domain.
  • Based on the conventional MP weights: overall rate of decline of deprivation was the same in both periods.
• Multidimensional poverty” HCR: It declined faster in the second period.
  • The fast decline of multidimensional poverty in the second period is largely driven by the rapid improvement of amenities.
• The rate of growth of per-capita consumption(according to national accounts figures): crashed in the second period (after the demonetisation self-goal).

 Conclusion

Rapid economic growth and the use of technology for social sector programs have helped make a significant dent in extreme poverty in the country.

Despite rapid growth and development, an unacceptably high proportion of our population continues to suffer from severe and multidimensional deprivation. Thus, a more comprehensive and inclusive approach is required to eradicate poverty in India.

General Studies – 3

Topic: Technology missions;

4. A detailed long-term assessment of the potential social and economic benefits of using genetically engineered (GE) mustard, vis-à-vis its potential drawbacks is necessary before a full-fledged launch. Critically analyse. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Tough

Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India

Why the question:

The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change recommended the “environmental release” of the transgenic hybrid mustard DMH-11 for seed production and conduct of field demonstration studies with respect to its effects, if any, on honey bees and other pollinating insects.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the impact of clearance granted for the cultivation of GM-Mustard.

Directive word: 

Critically analyze – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a balanced judgment on the topic.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by giving context.

Body:

First, in brief, write about the needed for GM crops in the country to meet the challenges of food security and make farming commercially viable and tackle challenges posed by climate change.

Next, write about the positive aspect of the lifting the ban on G-Mustard and its impact on the farmers as well as scientific community in the country.

Next, write about the concerns associated with the above.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a way forward.

Introduction

Genetic engineering aims to transcend the genus barrier by introducing an alien gene in the seeds to get the desired effects. The alien gene could be from a plant, an animal or even a soil bacterium. In most cases, the aim is to introduce a new trait to the plant which does not occur naturally in the species.

The recent clearance by the government for the release of GM Mustard Hybrid DMH 11 — based on the recommendations of GEAC under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change — is a bold decision in the best interest of our farmers and the nation.

Body

Need for the GM Crops other than pest resistance:

• Food Security: Given the increased growth of global population and increased urbanisation, GM crops offer one of the promising solutions to meet the world’s food security needs.
• Improved Stress Tolerance: Genes that give greater tolerance of stress, such as drought, low temperatures or salt in the soil, can also be inserted into crops. This can extend their range and open up new areas for food production.
• Faster Growth: Crops can be altered to make them grow faster, so that they can be cultivated and harvested in areas with shorter growing seasons. This again can extend the range of a food crop into new areas or perhaps allow two harvests in areas where only one is currently practical.
• More Nutritious Crops: Plants and animals can be engineered to produce larger amounts of essential vitamins and minerals, such as iron, helping to solve nutrition problems in some parts of the world. They can also be altered to change the amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and saturated and unsaturated fats that they contain. This could lead to the production of foods designed specifically for a healthy diet for all consumers.
• Production of Medicines and Vaccines by Crops: It may be possible to have plants and animals produce useful medicines and even vaccines, so that prevention and treatment of human diseases in some places can be achieved cheaply and efficiently through the diet.
• Resistance to Herbicides: Crops can be modified to be resistant to specific herbicides, making it much easier to control troublesome weeds. Farmers can simply apply the weed killer to a crop field, killing the unwanted plants and leaving the food crop unaffected. For example, GM oilseed rapeseed – the source of canola oil – is resistant to one chemical that’s widely used to control weeds.
• Better Tasting Foods: Foods can be engineered to taste better, which could encourage people to eat healthier foods that are currently not popular because of their taste, such as broccoli and spinach. It may be possible to insert genes that produce more or different flavours as well.
• Economic benefits: GM crops can increase yield and thus income. Genetically modified foods have a longer shelf life. This improves how long they last and stay fresh during transportation and storage.

Positive aspect of the lifting the ban on G-Mustard and its impact on the farmers as well as scientific community in the country

• It helps to meet our current challenges — over-exploitation of natural resources (soil, water, biodiversity), declining factor productivity, urgency to achieve sustainable development goals, especially ending poverty and hunger, and addressing timely the adverse effects of climate change
• A major concern of our farmers is that yields of mustard are low and have stagnated for a long time at around 1,260 kg/ha, much lower than the global average of 2,000 kg/ha.
• Mustard is a very important oilseed crop, grown in 6.0 -7.0 million hectares, mostly in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. Thus, the government’s decision to allow the production of GM Mustard hybrids will go a long way in increasing our yields, while reducing the use of pesticides.
• Allowing the production of GM Soybean and GM Maize going forward will also be a positive step, increasing both the productivity and profitability of these crops and doubling farmers’ income — a goal envisioned by the Prime Minister.

Concerns/Challenges associated with GM Crops:

• Human Health Risks:
  • Potential impact on human health including allergens and transfer of antibiotic resistance markers.
  • The impact of growing GM crops poses risks to human health as their resistance to antibiotics can turn medicines ineffective and may result in the formation of new toxins and allergens.
  • Toxins produced by GM crops can not only affect non-target organisms but also pose the danger of unintentionally introducing allergens and other anti-nutrition factors in foods.
• Bio safety concerns:
  • They can reduce species diversity.
  • For example, Insect-resistant plants might harm insects that are not their intended target and thus result in destruction of that particular species.
  • Cross-pollination in GM crops paves the way for herbicide-resistant super weeds that can further threaten the sustenance of other crops and pests because of its uncontrolled growth
  • GM technology could also allow the transfer of genes from one crop to another, creating “super weeds”, which will be immune to common control methods.
  • Viral genes added to crops to confer resistance might be transferred to other viral pathogens, which can lead to new and more virulent virus strains.
• Implications on Farmers and Consumers:
  • Critics claim that patent laws give developersof the GM crops a dangerous degree of control over the food supply. The concern is over domination of world food production by a few companies
  • National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research’santicipation that Bt brinjal’s high yield and increased shelf life will benefit consumers and farmers owing to cut in retail price of brinjals ignores the scenario that companies might charge premium prices for Bt brinjal seeds, in which case farmers may not benefit at all.
• Economic Concerns:
  • Introduction of a GM crop to market is a lengthy and costly process. It has not resulted in high yields as promised.
  • For instance, the highest yields in mustard are from the five countries which do not grow GM mustard — U.K., France, Poland, Germany and Czech Republic — and not from the GM-growing U.S. or Canada.
• Inefficient Regulatory system:
  • Seeing the lapses in the regulatory system and irregularities in the assessment of Bt brinjal (in terms of labelling and unapproved and illegal sowing of GM crops) Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Science & Technology, Environment and Forests recommended:
  • A thorough probe by a team of eminent independent scientists and environmentalists for commercialization of GM crops.
  • Endorsed labelling GM foods to protect a consumer’s right to know.
• Ethical Concerns:
  • Violation of natural organisms’ intrinsic values by mixing among species.
  • There have also been objections to consuming animal genes in plants

Way Forward:

• The government must take decisions on GM technologies on the basis of scientific evidence.
• Need to start cultivating an environment of openness and transparency to allay genuine fears
• The government should adopt a participatory approach to bring together all stakeholders to develop regulatory protocols that restore trust in the process.
• There is a significant uncertainty over their safety, so precautionary principle is that country shall wait till a broader scientific consensus is achieved.
• Need for better policy, pricing and to rationalize the input costs
• GEAC needs to be a transparent body. it should put it in the public domain that on what grounds it has approved GM mustard
• There has to be strong liability laws if there are any environmental hazards or if something goes wrong in future
• Agriculture is a state subject; therefore, it is important for the Centre to take into consideration the views of State Governments as well.
• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has rightly pointed out in 2004, “Science cannot declare any technology completely risk free. Genetically engineered crops can reduce some environmental risks associated with conventional agriculture, but will also introduce new challenges that must be addressed”.

Conclusion:

Clearly, there can be no credible argument against scientific experiments in agriculture that advance the goal of developing plant varieties that can withstand drought, resist pests and raise yields to feed the growing world population. But this should be done through a transparent regulatory process that is free of ethical conflicts. All this underscores the need for a cautious approach — one that fosters scientific inquiry, allows for scrutiny and is underpinned by regulation. Enacting a comprehensive law that covers all aspects of GM crops should be a priority.

Topic: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

5. What is metaverse? Discuss its applications and concerns associated with the development of metaverse ecosystem in India.  (250 words)

Difficulty level: Easy

Reference: Insights on India

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus (revision) of General studies paper – 3 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about metaverse, its applications and concerned associated with it.

Directive word:

Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Start the answer by defining metaverse.

Body:

First, elaborate on the various components of the metaverse and its possible applications. Healthcare, Military, Real Estate, Education applications and Manufacturing. Substantiate with examples.

Next, write associated with metaverse – Infrastructure development, interoperability, Payments system, Preventing Cartelization by big companies, Security, Privacy and regulatory issues

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a forward.

Introduction

The term “metaverse” is used to describe the vision whereby the internet will evolve into a virtual world. The idea was first conceptualised in 1992 by the American novelist Neal Stephenson in his science fiction classic, Snow Crash. It foresees the internet as a 3D virtual living space, where individuals dip in and out, interacting with one another in real time.

The metaverse is a form of mixed reality that is fast becoming commonplace in everyday tech products. The combination of augmented and virtual reality will not only introduce digital elements in the real world, but it will also merge Internet with the virtual world.

Body

Potential of Metaverse

• Metaverse will incorporate current Meta products, like WhatsApp and Messenger, but also offer plenty of new tools like virtual homes, offices, and ecommerce opportunities for businesses and content creators.
• In Meta’s metaverse imagining, users will have complete creative control over their virtual worlds, designing everything from waterfront homes to space stations where you can work collaboratively, chat with friends, or study.
• Using VR, AR, and our current tech tools, the metaverse will combine both the physical and digital worlds.
• Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg believes augmented reality glasses will eventually be as widespread as smartphones. If that is the case, this will be a very big market.
• Huge scope in the development of software applications to support the meta-verse ecosystem.
• Heightened sales of physical goods and services will be linked to the virtual ecosystem in the future.
• Immersive Learning is a training methodology that uses Virtual Reality (VR) to simulate real-world scenarios and train students in a safe and engaging immersive training environment.
• Decentralized commerce (dCommerce) in-world transactions to happen peer-to-peer.
• Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) – the claim of ownership for a unique, non-interchangeable digital asset that is stored on a blockchain – may be widely adopted.

Factors that needs to be considered for creation of a seamless and accessible metaverse ecosystem in India:

• To achieve this, we will need to agree on a set of open standards that govern its essential aspects, ensuring interoperability across environments.
• We may ultimately need to pass regulationto ensure that other aspects of the metaverse—the devices we use to interface with it, the payment systems that drive its economy and the portals that connect the virtual world to the physical—comply with open protocols framed to ensure that we are not locked into any single device or service provider.
• India needs to put in place regulations that encourage the development of these new virtual environments while ensuring that they can still function in an open, interoperable manner.
• The government’s involvement in Metaverse is also a significant aspect as it may change the whole dynamic of the Metaverse since cryptocurrency is one of its driving forces.
• The metaverse is being seen as the Internet 2.0 and for a smooth transition to it, new tech infrastructure needs to be created and protocols written. Today’s internet as a file-sharing protocol will need to be re-imagined for the metaverse.
• If this is the next evolution of internet technology, we should ensure that the many features it is likely to offer are deployed to our advantage.
• Educating visitors about what constitutes potentially criminal behaviour would help mitigate harassment, too.
• India’s digital payments platforms, on the other hand, have demonstrated that they can operate at population scale—processing 10 billion transactions a month without breaking a sweat.
• Digital Indiaand the componentsunder it such as – Aadhar, Digital Health IDs and Digital Payments System, therefore, is the preparatory infrastructure that is needed for the transition to a digital economy and to the metaverse.

Conclusion

A new iteration of the internet is being worked on and this will have massive implications for society. Marketing, communications, and branding professionals will face new challenges but also new opportunities. This new era of the metaverse will unleash amazing creativity and open up new frontiers and horizons for brands and businesses.

India was a relatively late adopter of the internet, and, as a result, was unable to take advantage of its many features until much later. We have an extraordinary opportunity now to actively participate in the development of the metaverse. We would do well to dive right in.

Topic: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

6. Emphasis on biofuels will pave the way for Make in India drive thereby leading to reduction in import of petroleum products and give an impetus to Prime Minister’s vision of India becoming ‘energy independent’ by 2047. Analyse. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: Insights on India

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus (revision) of General studies paper – 3 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the importance of biofuels in energy security of the country.

Directive word:

Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Start by defining biofuels.

Body:

First, write about the various advantages associated with biofuels

Next, write about the National Biofuel Policy, 2018 – to propel the use of biofuels in India, discussion should debate about the availability of resources, technology etc. and justify that one policy alone would not change the energy scenario but a framework regulating the energy sector in a multi-pronged approach is the need of the hour.

Next, write about the recent amendment to the National Biofuel Policy, 2018 and concerns associated with scaling up biofuels in general.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a forward.

Introduction

Any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from an organic matter (living or once living material) in a short period of time (days, weeks, or even months) is considered a biofuel. Globally, biofuels have caught the attention in last decade and it is imperative to keep up with the pace of developments in the field of biofuels. Biofuels in India are of strategic importance as it augers well with the ongoing initiatives of the Government and offers great opportunity to integrate with the ambitious targets of doubling of Farmers Income, Import Reduction, Employment Generation, Waste to Wealth Creation.

Biofuels programme in India has been largely impacted due to the sustained and quantum non-availability of domestic feedstock for biofuel production which needs to be addressed.

Body

National biofuel policy: Objectives

• The Policy categorises biofuels as “Basic Biofuels” viz. First Generation (1G) bioethanol & biodiesel and “Advanced Biofuels” –Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)to drop-in fuels, Third Generation (3G) biofuels, bio-CNG etc. to enable extension of appropriate financial and fiscal incentives under each category.
• The Policy expands the scope of raw material for ethanol production by allowing use of Sugarcane Juice, Sugar containing materials like Sugar Beet, Sweet Sorghum, Starch containing materials like Corn, Cassava, Damaged food grains like wheat, broken rice, Rotten Potatoes, unfit for human consumption for ethanol production.
• Farmers are at a risk of not getting appropriate price for their produce during the surplus production phase. Taking this into account, the Policy allows use of surplus food grains for production of ethanol for blending with petrol with the approval of National Biofuel Coordination Committee.
• With a thrust on Advanced Biofuels,the Policy indicates a viability gap funding scheme for 2G ethanol Bio refineries of Rs.5000 crore in 6 yearsin addition to additional tax incentives, higher purchase price as compared to 1G biofuels.
• The Policy encourages setting up of supply chain mechanisms for biodiesel productionfrom non-edible oilseeds, Used Cooking Oil, short gestation crops.

Role of biofuel policy in promoting biofuels

• Reduce Import Dependency: One crore lit of E10 saves Rs.28 crore of forex at current rates. The ethanol supply year 2017-18 is likely to see a supply of around 150 crore litres of ethanol which will result in savings of over Rs.4000 crore of forex.
• Cleaner Environment: One crore lit of E-10 saves around 20,000 ton of CO₂For the ethanol supply year 2017-18, there will be lesser emissions of CO₂to the tune of 30 lakh ton. By reducing crop burning & conversion of agricultural residues/wastes to biofuels there will be further reduction in Green House Gas emissions.
• Health benefits: Prolonged reuse of Cooking Oil for preparing food, particularly in deep-frying is a potential health hazard and can lead to many diseases. Used Cooking Oil is a potential feedstock for biodiesel and its use for making biodiesel will prevent diversion of used cooking oil in the food industry.
• MSW Management: It is estimated that, annually 62 MMT of Municipal Solid Waste gets generated in India. There are technologies available which can convert waste/plastic, MSW to drop in fuels. One ton of such waste has the potential to provide around 20% of drop in fuels.
• Infrastructural Investment in Rural Areas: It is estimated that, one 100klpd bio refinery will require around Rs.800 crore capital investment. At present Oil Marketing Companies are in the process of setting up twelve 2G bio refineries with an investment of around Rs.10,000 crore. Further addition of 2G bio refineries across the Country will spur infrastructural investment in the rural areas.
• Employment Generation: One 100klpd 2G bio refinery can contribute 1200 jobs in Plant Operations, Village Level Entrepreneurs and Supply Chain Management.
• Additional Income to Farmers: By adopting 2G technologies, agricultural residues/waste which otherwise are burnt by the farmers can be converted to ethanol and can fetch a price for these waste if a market is developed for the same. Also, farmers are at a risk of not getting appropriate price for their produce during the surplus production phase. Thus conversion of surplus grains and agricultural biomass can help in price stabilization

Conclusion and way forward

• Promotion of the use of biofuels in transportation in the countries like India will help in reducing the crude import bill.
• Biofuels can help in rural and agricultural development in the form of new cash crops.
• Efforts for producing sustainable biofuels should be made by ensuring use of wastelands and municipal wastes that get generated in cities.
• A properly designed and implemented biofuel solution can provide both food and energy.
• A community-based biodiesel distribution programme that benefits local economies, from the farmers growing the feedstock to local businesses producing and distributing the fuel to the end consumer, can be tried.

Value addition

Issues with biofuels

• Efficiency:Fossil Fuels produce more energy than some of the biofuels. E.g. 1 gallon of ethanol produces less energy as compared to 1 gallon of gasoline (a fossil fuel).
• Cost:Pumping fossil fuels from the ground is a difficult and expensive process leading to high costs. Production of biofuels require land, this impacts cost of biofuels as well as that of food crops. Also, though growing engineered biofuel crops can benefit farmers commercially but the excess number of such crops can also lead to loss of biodiversity.
• Food shortages:There is concern that using valuable cropland to grow fuel crops could have an impact on the cost of food and could possibly lead to food shortages.
• Water use:Massive quantities of water are required for proper irrigation of biofuel crops as well as to manufacture the fuel, which could strain local and regional water resources.

General Studies – 4

Topic: moral and political attitudes;

7. Political attitude plays a great role in shaping our society. It is important that as much as possible, we focus not only on fixing issues, but also find ways to change people’s mindsets. Elaborate. (150 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Conceptual Tuesdays’ in Mission-2023 Secure.

Directive:

Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by defining political attitudes.

Body:

Elaborate upon how political attitudes shape our society – it’s helpful to discuss politics with a variety of people from different backgrounds. By listening to their perspectives, we can make sure that our views are well-rounded. This will help us develop an informed opinion about what is going on in our country. Substantiate with examples.

Conclusion:

Conclude by summarising

Introduction

A political attitude refers to an individual’s or group’s sentiments regarding certain political issues, including social/cultural issues, economic issues, religious beliefs, etc. These attitudes are usually shaped by family, friends, media outlets (television, newspapers), historical events (e.g., war), geographical location (e.g., rural vs urban), as well as personal experiences with these topics. The term political attitude is most often used in a sociological context.

Body

Positive and Negative Political Attitudes

Positive political attitudes include feelings of enthusiasm, hope, patriotism, and love. On the other hand, negative political attitudes include resentment, hatred, distrust, apathy, anxiety and fear. In general, positive political attitudes lead to a better quality of life while negative ones do not. For example, people with positive political attitudes are more likely to have healthy relationships with others. They also feel more satisfied with their lives in general and are less likely to be depressed or anxious. People with negative political attitudes, on the other hand, are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol. They’re also more likely to suffer from mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

Changing the Political Attitude

Political attitude plays a great role in shaping our society. It is important that as much as possible, we focus not only on fixing issues, but also find ways to change people’s mindsets. For us to move forward, we must be able to work together towards achieving common goals. This can be done by changing how we think of each other and how we treat one another. By doing so, we will be able to bring positive changes to our society.

The process of political socialization (sometimes referred to as political indoctrination) can be defined as a set of processes through which individuals learn to view themselves as politically relevant actors and come to adopt specific values, beliefs, opinions, and behaviours. In other words, it is how people acquire their political attitudes. It involves formal and informal learning experiences in many different settings, such as at home, school, work, religious institutions or clubs. It also involves interaction with peers and role models who may reinforce or challenge existing views.

Impact of Political Attitude on Society

Political attitude refers to something that affects society in a manner that is deemed to be positive or negative. It also applies to politics where someone’s attitude towards politics determines whether they are part of a certain party or not. For example, if you incline toward conservative views, then you will be part of a conservative party. However, if you support liberal views, then you will end up being associated with liberal parties. In other words, your political attitude determines your affiliation with a particular group. In addition to that, it also determines how people perceive you based on your personal beliefs as well as affiliations.

Conclusion

An important aspect of politics is how it impacts societies as a whole. Though people’s attitudes towards politics differ from country to country, certain political ideologies exist in all countries throughout the world. Individuals need to understand their political ideology and learn more about other political ideologies so they can make informed decisions when voting or participating in government programs. By understanding each other’s political ideologies, we can come together to create a better future for our children.

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