[Mission 2024] Insights SECURE SYNOPSIS: 5 January 2024

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: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

1.  Sufi saints emphasized the universal message of love, tolerance, and brotherhood. They transcended religious boundaries and actively engaged with people from various faiths, promoting interfaith dialogue and understanding. Explain. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: Insights on India.

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 and mentioned as part of Mission-2024 Secure timetable.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the features of Sufi movement and its impact.

Directive word: 

Explain – Clarify the topic by giving 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 giving context of the origin and rise of Sufi movement

Body:

First, write about the various features of the Sufi movement – nature, austerity, liberalism, tolerance etc. Cite examples of Sufi saints.

Next, write about the detailed impact of Sufi movement on contemporary society.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing about the legacy of the Sufi movement.

Introduction

Sufis were a group of religious-minded people who turned to asceticism and mysticism in protest against the growing materialism of the Caliphate as a religious and political institution. Sufism entered India in the 12th century with Muslim invaders and became popular in the 13th century. The socio-religious movement saw many mystic Sufis, who were unorthodox Muslim saints. These Sufis had a deep study of vedantic philosophy and had come in contact with great sages and seers of India.  Sufism emphasizes upon leading a simple life. Sufi saints preached in Arabic, Persian and Urdu etc. The Sufis were divided into 12 orders each under a mystic Sufi saint like Khwaja Moinuddin Chisthi, Fariuddin Ganj-i-Shakar, Nizam-ud-din Auliya etc.

Body

The word ‘Sufi’ derives its name from another Arabic word ‘Suf which means wool. The Muslim saints who wore garments of coarse wool began to be called Sufi saints. The Sufi saints lived and worked in the midst of the common people. They needed to reach out to common people in order to spread their socio-religious and philosophical messages. They did everything to establish brotherhood, love and friendship between the Hindus and Muslims.

Features of Sufism in India

• Sufism derives is inspiration from Islam.
• While the orthodox Muslims depend upon external conduct and blind observance of religious rituals, the Sufi saints seek inner purity.
• They were critical of the dogmatic definitions and scholastic methods of interpreting the Qur’an and sunna (traditions of the Prophet) adopted by theologians.
• Instead, they laid emphasis on seeking salvation through intense devotion and love for God by following His commands, and by following the example of the Prophet Muhammad whom they regarded as a perfect human being.
• The sufis thus sought an interpretation of the Qur’an on the basis of their personal experience
• Devotion is more important than fast (Roza) or prayer (Namaz).
• Sufis bridged the communal divide as is evidenced by the reverence the Subcontinent’s non-Muslim population exhibited for Sufi saints. Sufism around the world and in the Subcontinent had the depth to connect beyond caste, creed and gender

Impact of Sufism:

• Sufism does not believe in caste system.
• They broke all societal rules and stereotypes, and lived their lives as they pleased.
• They awakened a new sense of confidence and attempted to redefine social and religious values. Saints like Kabir and Nanak stressed upon the reordering of society along egalitarian lines. Their call to social equality attracted many a downtrodden.
• The efforts of Sufi saints helped to lessen religious fanaticism in India.
• Their stress on social welfare led to the establishment of works of charitable naturee. opening of orphanages and women service centres.
• A notable contribution of the Sufis was their service to the poorer and downtrodden sections of society. Nizamuddin Auliya was famous for distributing gifts amongst the needy irrespective of religion or caste.
• The efforts of Sufi saints helped to promote equality and lessen the evils of casteism. They also tried to infuse a spirit of piety and morality.
• Sufism also inculcated a spirit of tolerance among its followers.
• At a time when struggle for political power was the prevailing madness, the Sufi saints reminded men of their moral obligations. To a world torn by strife and conflict they tried to bring peace and harmony.
• Other ideas emphasised by Sufism are meditation, good actions, repentance for sins, performance of prayers and pilgrimages, fasting, charity and suppression of passions by ascetic practices.

Conclusion

Sufi movement a deep-rooted change came about to lay the foundations of a liberal and composite Indian society. The Sufi movement is a characteristics feature of the medieval Indian Period. As the Sufi saints’ holiness, asceticism and relatively open hospices appealed to the masses and numerous followers thronged to them

Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

2. What were the factors and forces behind the rise of Bhakti movement in India? Throw light of nature of Bhakti movement in south India. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Easy

Reference: Insights on India

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 and mentioned as part of Mission-2024 Secure timetable.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about origins of Bhakti movement and its nature in south India.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by defining bhakti movement of medieval in India.

Body:

First, mention the factors behind rise of Bhakti – orthodoxy of priests, caste system, oppression of women, impact of Sufism, establishment of Turkish rule and role of Bhakti saints.

Next, mention the nature of bhakti movement in south India – the bhakti of Alvars and Nayanars, Basavanna etc and their important features.

Conclusion:

Conclude by mentioning the impact of Bhakti movement.

Introduction

Bhakti was accepted as a means to attain moksha along with jnana and karma. The Bhakti Movement originated in the seventh-century in Tamil, South India (now parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala), and spread northwards. It swept over east and north India from the 15th century onwards, reached its peak between the 15th and 17th century CE. The Bhakti Saints moved against the austerities propagated by the Buddhist and Jain schools and professed that ultimate devotion to god was the means to salvation.

Body

Factors that led to the Bhakti movement:

Political:

• It has been pointed out that as the popular bhakti movement could not take root in Northern India before the Turkish conquest because the socio-religious milieu was dominated by the Rajput-Brahman alliance which was hostile to any heterodox movement.
• The Turkish conquests brought the supremacy of this alliance to an end.
• The advent of Islam with the Turkish conquest also caused a setback to the power and prestige commanded by the Brahmans.
• Thus, the way was paved for the growth of non-conformist movements, with anti-caste and anti-Brahminical ideology.
• The loss of power and influence by the Brahmans and the new political situation ultimately created conditions for the rise of the popular monotheistic movements and other bhakti movements in Northern India.

Socio-economic:

• It has been argued that the bhakti movements of medieval India represented sentiments of the common people against feudal oppression.
• The Vaishnava bhakti saints broke away from orthodox Brahminical order only to the extent that they believed in bhakti and religious equality.
• Normally, they continued to subscribe to many basic principles of orthodox Brahmanism.

Religious:

• Evils in the Hindu Society: Hindu society was full of many social anomalies like rigidity of caste system, irrelevant rituals and religious practices, blind faiths and social dogmas. Common men in general had developed an adverse attitude towards these social evils and were in need of a liberal form of religion where they could identify themselves with simple religious practices.
• Complexity of religion: The high philosophy of the Vedas and Upanishads were very complicated for the common people. They wanted a simple way of worship, simple religious practices and simple social customs. Alternative was Bhakti marga—a simple way of devotion to get salvation from worldly life.
• Role of Religious Reformers: The chief exponents of the movement were Shankara, Ramanuja, Kabir, Nanak, Shri Chaitanya, Mirabai, Ramananda, Namdev, Nimbarka, Madhava, Eknath, Surdas, Tulsidas, Tukaram, Vallabhacharya and Chandidas. They were the propounders of Bhakti movement and gave a call to the people to worship in the simplest possible way of devotion and love.
• Challenge from Rival Religion: the impact of the Muslim rule and Islam put dread in the heart of Hindu masses. The Hindus had suffered a lot under some of the fanatic rulers. They wanted some solace to heal their despairing hearts.
• Influence of Sufism: The Sufi saints of the Muslim community also inspired the movement. Some similar chords in the two evoked resonance.

Nature of Bhakti movement in south India

• The Bhakti Movement was essentially founded in South India and later spread to the North during the late medieval period.
• This Movement itself is a historical-spiritual phenomenon that crystallized in South India during Late Antiquity.
• It was spearheaded by devotional mystics (later revered as Hindu saints) who extolled devotion and love to God as the chief means of spiritual perfection.
• The Bhakti movement in South India was spearheaded by the sixty-three Nayanars (Shaivite devotees) and the twelve Alvars (Vaishnavaite devotees), who disregarded the austerities preached by Jainism and Buddhism but instead preached personal devotion to God as a means of salvation.
• These saints, some of whom were also women, spoke and wrote in local languages like Tamil and Telugu and travelled widely to spread their message of love and devotion to everyone, irrespective of caste, colour and creed.
• The  South  Indian bhakti saints were  critical  of  Buddhists and Jains who enjoyed a privileged status at the courts of South Indian kings at that time.  They  won  over  many  adherents  of  Buddhism  and  Jainism  both  of  which  by now had become rigid and  formal religions.

Bhakti Saints from South India

• Shankaracharya, a great thinker, distinguished philosopher   and leader of the Hindu revivalist movement of the 9th century, who gave a new orientation to Hinduism.
• He was born in Kaladi (kerala) and propounded the Advaita (Monism) philosophy and Nirgunabrahman (God without attributes)
• Ramanuja (1017-1137) who hailed from modern Andhra Pradesh. He was a great Vaishnava teacher.
• He popularised the cult of devotion to a personal God and emphasized that salvation can be achieved through the bhakti marga alone.
• He redefined the Vedanta philosophy by laying greater stress on devotional worship to a personal God who constituted the supreme reality.
• Vallabhacharya was another prominent Vaishnava saint from the south. He advocated a system of pure non-dualism. He glorified the intense love of Radha and Krishna.
• He advocated a universal religion that did not believe in distinctions of caste, creed, sex, or nationality. He insisted on the complete identity of both soul and world with the supreme spirit. Hiss philosophy was known as shuddhadvaita or pure nondualism.
• Madhvacharya, a Vaishnava saint from the south wrote as many as thirty-seven works on Vaishnavism.
• His works mostly deal with the bhakti cult based on the concept of dualism (dvaita) as distinct from the monistic philosophy of Shankaracharya
• Basavanna or Lord Basaveshwara was an Indian 12th-century statesman, philosopher, a poet and Lingayats saint in the Shiva-focussed Bhakti movement and a social reformer in Karnataka.
• He was a philosopher and a social reformer, who fought against social evils of his time such as caste system and the ritual practices of Hinduism.
• His teachings were based on rational, progressive social thoughts. His teachings and philosophy transcend all boundaries and address the universal and eternal.
• Akkamahadevi:During the 12^th century CE, Akkamahadevi, also known as Akka or Mahadevi, belonging to the southern region of Karnataka, established herself as an ardent devotee of Shiva whom she addressed as Chennamallikarjuna.

Conclusion:

Bhakti cult was out-of-the-box thoughts on religion. It was mainly against the common religious views, and most importantly, it was strongly against the caste system. With such long-lasting impacts, the religious depression of the medieval society was set aside. The teachings acted as a healing balm to the suppressed classes. A deep-rooted change came about to lay the foundations of a liberal and composite Indian society.

Value addition

Salient features of the Bhakti movement:

• The Bhakti movement in many ways broke barriers of gender, class and caste.
• At the same time, it shattered stereotypes associated with the perception of spiritualism; denounced orthodoxy and the rigid ritualistic practices of worship, and established a more personal and informal connection between the devotee and the divine.
• During the Bhakti movement, the lower classes rose to a position of great importance.
• The Bhakti movement gave equal importance to men and women which gave way to the importance of women in society.
• The Alvars and Nayanars initiated a movement of protest against the caste system and the dominance of Brahmanas or at least attempted to reform the system. This is supported by the fact that bhaktas or disciples hailed from diverse social backgrounds ranging from Brahmanas to artisans and cultivators and even from castes considered “untouchable”
• Ramananda opposed the caste system and chose his disciples from all sections of society irrespective of caste. His disciples included Kabir, a weaver; Ravidasa, he was a cobbler; Sena, he was a barber; thus, emphasizing the equality among people of all occupations and caste.
• Sant Kabir aided the common people to shed age-old superstitions and attain salvation through Bhakti or pure devotion. He criticized all forms of worship of idols.
• Guru Nanak condemned caste difference and rituals like bathing in holy rivers. His idea of religion was highly practical and strictly moral.
• Nathpanthis, Siddhars and Yogis condemned the ritual and other aspects of orthodox religion and the social order, using simple, logical arguments. These groups became particularly popular among “low” castes.

General Studies – 2

Topic: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

3. Examine the factors that lead to a lack of attention given towards State Finance Commissions (SFCs) by the state governments. Suggest measures to rectify the same. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Tough

Reference: Live Mint

Why the question:

It seems that state finance commissions do not get any urgency from the state cabinets and consequently from the public too.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the role of State Finance Commission and lack of attention towards it and measures to make it more effective.

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 giving the context of article 243(I) and 243(Y) of the Constitution.

Body:

In the first part, write about the role of the State Finance Commission – financial needs and capacities of the local and state governments, promoting economic development, and ensuring that resources are distributed equitably etc.

In the next part, limited awareness and understanding of complex fiscal matters, short-term political considerations, lack of political will, competing priorities for resources, bureaucratic challenges, limited public perception, and resource constraints etc.

Next, write about measures to rectify the above.

Conclusion:

Conclude with a way forward to overcome the limitations.

Introduction

State Finance Commission (SFC) is an institution created by the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments (CAs) to rationalize and systematize State/sub-State-level fiscal relations in India. Article 243I of the Constitution mandates the State Governor to constitute a Finance Commission every five years. Article 243Y of the Constitution states that the Finance Commission constituted under article 243 I shall also review the financial position of the Municipalities and make recommendations to the Governor.

A State Finance Commission would review the financial position of local bodies every five years and decide how the revenue is to be distributed between state and local government functionaries. However, most states fail to adhere to the constitutional obligation of constituting State Finance Commissions at regular intervals.

Body

Current scenario

• According to a report by the standing committee on rural development and panchayati raj tabled in Lok Sabha
• By this time, all the states should have constituted the Sixth Finance Commission which operates over the years 2021-22 to 2026-27.
• However, so far, only nine states have constituted 6th SFC, of which only two are active.
• Some states have not even constituted 4th and 5th Finance Commissions.
• Gujarat, Jharkhand, and Goa have constituted just three (out of six) SFCs, running until 2011, while Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, and Tripura have constituted four SFCs. Arunachal Pradesh has constituted just two SFCs.

Challenges facing State Finance Commission

• There are many cases where the recommendations of an SFC have neither been formally accepted by the State government, nor was the SFC report laid before the State legislature.
• There are also instances where the State government, despite having accepted its SFC’s recommendations fully or partially, has not implemented them.
• These developments have affected empowerment and finances of local bodies.
• States like Manipur witnessed a gap prevailed between the recommendation of successive SFCs and the State government’s actual fund transfer to its hill districts’ local bodies.
• It results in accentuating the grievances of hill tribes against their counterparts in the plains.

Measures needed

• As per the existing system, all funds devolved to States on recommendations of CFC are directly transferred to State governments’ treasuries.
• The Fifteenth Finance Commission should recommend that the funds earmarked for PRIs and ULBs, should be managed through public financial management system.
• It would track flow of funds on a real-time basis and will eliminate delays in transfers to local bodies.
• A portion of the earmarked funds for PRIs and ULBs could be distributed as incentiveto States which constitute their SFCs as per the constitutional norm.
• This should empower them to raise tax and non-tax revenue in areas specified by FFC and SFCs.
• Local bodies of States performing better will gain, which should induce the other State governments to be more conscious of their responsibilities.
• Local bodies are the interface between State institutions and the public towards obtaining basic services.
• Hence, the 15^thFinance Commission must incentivise the States to constitute their SFCs and empower their local bodies.
• The role of governors is also crucial as a benevolent institution of oversight and ensuring vibrant functioning of local bodies.
• Digitising the data in a comparable classification code and accounting is crucial for building local-level data across States in India.

Conclusion

There are miles to go to ensure SFCs do their crucial function to empower local bodies. SFCs are constituted to reduce adhocism and arbitrariness in the fiscal transfers from states to local bodies. The delay in constituting SFCs might result in increased volatility in the flow of funds. The asymmetry between functions and finance results in imbalances between state and local bodies as well as across local bodies.

Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

4. The job market is evolving rapidly due to technological advancements, but higher education curricula is struggling to keep pace. In the context of the above statement, analyse the challenges facing the higher education system in India. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: The Hindu

Why the question:

Reports by private agencies state that fewer than half of India’s graduates were employable in 2021.

Key Demand of the question:

The write about the challenges facing the higher education system and measures needed to overcome them.

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 giving context.

Body:

First, Identify and explain the major challenges facing the higher education system in India – inadequate infrastructure, shortage of quality faculty, outdated curriculum, and limited research opportunities, challenges related to access and inclusivity, including affordability etc.

Next, write about the implications of these challenges on the quality of higher education – outdated curriculum and teaching methodologies on skill development and industry relevance, affordability, regional disparities, and social barriers etc.

Next, write about the steps that are needed to overcome the same.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a way forward.

Introduction

India’s higher education system is the third largest in the world, next to the United States and China. Higher Education sector has witnessed a tremendous increase in the number of Universities/University level Institutions & Colleges since Independence. Some institutions of India, such as IITs, NITs, IIMs have been globally acclaimed for their standard of education.

Reports by private agencies state that fewer than half of India’s graduates were employable in 2021.

Body

Challenges

• India’s focus on expanding the higher education sector to provide access has led to a situation where research and scholarship have been neglected.
• Funding issues:
  • The Central government’s slant toward premier institutions has continued ever since the Eleventh Five Year Plan where in spite of a nine-fold increase in Budget allocation State institutions have been left to fend for themselves with funding mainly directed towards starting more premier institutes.
  • Investment by State governments has been also dwindling each year as higher education is a low-priority area. The University Grant Commission’s system of direct releases to State institutions which bypasses State governments also leads to their sense of alienation.
  • There has been a demand to take spending on education to 6% of gross domestic product for decades.
• Low enrolment:
  • The gross enrolment ratio (GER) in higher education is 24.5 meaning out of every 100 youths eligible for higher education, less than 25 are pursuing tertiary education.
• Desired levels of research and internationalization of Indian campuses remain weak points
• It follows a largely linear model with very little focus on specialization. Both experts and academics feel Indian higher education is tilted towards social sciences.
  • Only 1.7% colleges run PhD programmes and a mere 33% colleges run postgraduate-level programmes.
• Regulatory issues
  • The country has a poor record with both the University Grants Commission (UGC) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) being seen more as controllers of education than facilitators.
  • As a regulator of India’s higher education, coordinator of vastly different kinds of institutions, and custodian of standards, the UGC had begun to look ill-equipped.
  • Regulatory bodies with licensing powers hurt the autonomy of professional higher education, leading to serious imbalance in the diarchy they were under, and partitioning general from professional higher education in several crucial areas of knowledge.
  • Privately set-up institutions in medicine, engineering, and other fields created the ground conditions in which strict regulation acquired justification. The power to license led to corruption.
  • The existing model is based on deep and pervasive distrust among regulators over the possibility of universities doing things on their own, and doing it well. The current framework that require universities to be constantly regulated by laws, rules, regulations, guidelines and policies set by the government and the regulatory bodies have not produced the best results.
• Lack of autonomy:
  • All aspects of academic life, including admission norms, syllabus design, and examination were controlled by the affiliating university.
  • In colleges set up and run by the government, recruitment of faculty was the state government’s prerogative.
  • When certain state governments stopped fresh recruitment altogether and moved over to the practice of hiring contractual or ad hoc teachers, no college could practise autonomy to alleviate its suffering.
  • Autonomy to function through their own structures of governance first began to diminish in many provincial or state universities in the sphere of appointment of vice chancellors. State universities could not resist the imposition by those with political power of poorly qualified and unsuitable individuals as vice chancellors.
• The vacancy crisis broke the sense of professional community among teachers and their organisations. Even teacher quality was abysmal
• Ranking systems:
  • Additional autonomy granted on the basis of NAAC rating and status in NIRF begs questions about these systems of evaluation. They are neither authentic nor valid. The reason they lack authenticity lies in the processes through which they are derived.
  • The NAAC is based on an inspectorial process. Its reliability suffers from both ends involved in any inspectorial system in our ethos.
  • NIRF’s need arose from India’s poor performance in global ranking systems but the question is if Indian institutions of higher learning were found to be generally too poor to be noticed globally, how would they get any better if ranked among themselves
• Roots of Vulnerability
  • Currently there is a dominant ideology of commercialisation of knowledge and teaching.
  • Higher education is not leading to graduates entering the work sector as the education is not in sync with the needs of the companies.

Measures needed to improve higher education

• Research cannot be improved merely by regulating universities, instead they need efforts to create enabling atmosphere for which it is imperative to grant more autonomy, better funding and new instruments to regulate work ethic.
• New initiatives like Hackathon, curriculum reform, anytime anywhere learning through SWAYAM, teacher training are all aimed at improving quality. These need to be effectively implemented.
• As India wants to transform its universities into world class institutions, it must safeguard the interests of young researchers and thousands of temporary faculty members by expediting the permanent appointments in a time-bound framework and transparent manner.
• Establish world-class multidisciplinary research universities
• Create a master plan for every state and union territory
• Each state must establish an integrated higher education master plan to provide an excellent education for all its residents.
• Attract the best and the brightest talent to be faculty members
• One of the fundamental changes India must institutionalize is a radically new compensation and incentive structure for faculty members. A flexibility to pay differential salaries based on market forces and merit must be part of this transformation.

Way forward

• Thus a complete revamp is needed to meet the present demand and address the future challenge that India is about to face.
• To reap the diverse culture demographic dividend and to maintain peace and social harmony among them quality education with values are the necessary area to focus.
• The higher education is facing many challenges as pointed
  above, most the challenges are difficult but are not impossible to resolve.
• Our goal to be a world power, the resolving and restructuring of higher education is must, then only we will be able to harness the human potential and resources of nation to the fullest and channelize it for the growth of the
• Youth is the most important asset for a country their future is the future of the Nation. So, the government must be compelled to provide basic education and skills.

General Studies – 3

Topic: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

5. What is superconductivity? Explain its capacity to bring about transformative advancements across diverse fields of science and technology. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Easy

Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India

Why the question:

A group of scientists affiliated with research institutes in China and Japan have reported finding a sign of superconductivity in a material that was at the centre of a controversy last year over similar claims.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about superconductivity and its various applications.

Directive word: 

Explain – Clarify the topic by giving 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 superconductivity.

Body:

In the first part, in brief explain the concept of superconductivity and how it works.

Next, write about the applications of superconductivity – from healthcare and energy to transportation and communications, MRI machines, power transmission, particle accelerators, transportation, and energy storage etc.

Conclusion:

Conclude with a way forward.

Introduction

Superconductivity is a state in which a material shows absolutely zero electrical resistance. While resistance is a property that restricts the flow of electricity, superconductivity allows unhindered flow Materials are said to be exhibiting superconductivity when they exhibit the following two characteristics after being cooled below their critical temperature: zero electrical resistance and expulsion of magnetic fields (Meissner effect). All the electrons align themselves in a particular direction, and move without any obstruction in a “coherent” manner. Because of zero resistance, superconducting materials can save huge amounts of energy, and be used to make highly efficient electrical appliances. IISc researchers have reported superconductivity at room temperature. Their finding, now under review, will be a breakthrough if verified.

Body

Background

In last week of July, researchers in South Korea said they had discovered that a material called LK-99 is a room-temperature superconductor. Scientists have been looking for such materials for several decades now for their ability to transport heavy currents without any loss – a property that could revolutionise a variety of industrial and medical applications.

Applications

• SQUIDs (Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices)can be used to take magnetic cardiograms based on magnetic fields generated by electrical currents in the heart.
• These are used in the memory components of computersand fast digital circuits (including those based on Josephson junctions and rapid single flux quantum technology).
• Transportation: powerful superconducting electromagnets used in maglev trains, magnetic confinement fusion reactors (e.g. tokamaks), and magnets used in particle accelerators
• Transforming the Electricity Grid: Superconductor technology provides loss-less wires and cables and improves the reliability and efficiency of the power grid. It saves power and with it the financial savings and the environmental benefits also accrue
• Medical diagnosis:One of the first large-scale applications of superconductivity is in medical diagnosis. Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, uses powerful superconducting magnets to produce large and uniform magnetic fields inside the patient’s body.
• Superconductors are also being employed forundersea communication, submarine detection and geophysical prospecting
• high sensitivity particle detectors, including the transition edge sensor, the superconducting bolometer, the superconducting tunnel junction detector, the kinetic inductance detector, and the superconducting nanowire single-photon detector
• rail gun and coilgun magnets
• electric motors and generators

Conclusion

Technical barriers have till now hindered the large scale usage of superconductivity phenomenon. With the new discovery, the true potential of super-conductivity can be reached out for socio-economic development of the country.

Topic: Security challenges and their management in border areas – linkages of organized crime with terrorism.

6. The situation of women and children who have been trafficked is marked not only by the initial trauma and suffering they endure during the trafficking process but also by the subsequent challenge of reintegration into the communities they left after their rescue. Analyse. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Tough

Reference: The Hindu

Why the question:

Not only do these women who were trafficked experience suffering during the process as children, but after their rescue, they face rejection when attempting to reintegrate into the communities they left.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the challenges faced by victims human trafficking and post rescue challenges.

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: 

Begin by giving context regarding the issue of human trafficking and its global prevalence.

Body:

First, Challenges in Combatting Human Trafficking in the country and globally.

Next, write about the challenges faced by the victim during trafficking and post rescue – social stigma, lack of awareness, fear, mistrust, cultural barriers, and psychological impacts on survivor etc.

Next, write about the steps needed to rectify the same.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a way forward.

Introduction

Human trafficking is a heinous crime that involves the exploitation and coercion of individuals, often for forced labor or sexual exploitation. Combatting human trafficking is a complex and challenging task due to various interconnected factors.

Last week, French authorities detained a Nicaragua-bound aircraft on suspicion over the weekend at Vatry airport, 150km from Paris, and put its passengers to questioning before letting it take-off.

Body

Human trafficking statistics for India

• National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Data (2019):
  • In 2019, there were 5,466 reported cases of human trafficking in India.
  • Out of these cases, 3,717 were related to sex trafficking, and 1,749 were for forced labor.
• Child Trafficking:
  • According to UNICEF, India is a source, destination, and transit country for child trafficking. It is estimated that around 135,000 children are trafficked in India every year.
• Women and Girls Trafficking:
  • Women and girls are disproportionately affected by human trafficking in India. They are often trafficked for forced labor, sexual exploitation, domestic work, and other forms of exploitation.
• Cross-Border Trafficking:
  • India shares porous borders with neighboring countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar, making it vulnerable to cross-border trafficking.

Challenges in combatting human trafficking

• Criminal Networks and Organized Crime:Human trafficking is often carried out by sophisticated criminal networks with international reach. These networks are difficult to dismantle due to their vast resources, ability to adapt to law enforcement efforts, and corruption in some regions.
• Underreporting and Lack of Awareness:Many victims fear retaliation or lack trust in law enforcement, leading to underreporting of trafficking cases. Additionally, public awareness about human trafficking and its indicators may be limited, making it harder to identify and rescue victims.
• Cross-Border Nature:Human trafficking is a global issue, and traffickers exploit porous borders and weak cooperation between countries to facilitate their operations.
• Victim Vulnerability:Traffickers often target vulnerable populations, such as migrants, refugees, runaways, and individuals facing economic hardships or social discrimination.
• Inadequate Legal Frameworks:Some countries lack comprehensive and effective anti-trafficking laws, making it challenging to prosecute traffickers and provide adequate protection and support to victims.
• Limited Resources:Governments, NGOs, and law enforcement agencies may face resource constraints in combating human trafficking effectively

Long-term strategy to win battle against trafficking

• Strengthen Legal Frameworks:Enact and enforce robust anti-trafficking laws that criminalize all forms of trafficking and hold perpetrators accountable. Provide training to law enforcement and judicial authorities to effectively investigate and prosecute trafficking cases.
• Enhance International Cooperation:Foster stronger cooperation between countries to address the cross-border nature of human trafficking. Exchange information, intelligence, and best practices to disrupt trafficking networks.
  • Eg : India has signed bilateral agreements with neighboring countries like Bangladesh and Nepal to combat cross-border trafficking.These agreements promote information sharing and coordination to tackle trafficking networks operating across borders.
• Empower and Protect Victims:Focus on victim-centered approaches, ensuring that survivors are provided with appropriate support, protection, and access to justice. This includes medical care, psychological counseling, safe housing, and legal assistance.
  • Example: The “Ujjawala” scheme is a flagship initiative of the Indian government that focuses on the rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration of trafficked women and girls into society. It provides shelter, healthcare, vocational training, and legal aid to trafficking survivors.
• Raise Awareness and Education:Conduct extensive awareness campaigns to educate the public, law enforcement, and frontline professionals about the signs of human trafficking and the appropriate response mechanisms.
  • Example: The “Prajwala” organization in Hyderabadconducts extensive awareness campaigns in vulnerable communities and trains law enforcement personnel, educators, and healthcare providers to identify and address trafficking cases effectively.
• Address Root Causes:Tackle the root causes that make individuals vulnerable to trafficking, such as poverty, lack of education, and social marginalization. Create economic opportunities and social safety nets to reduce vulnerability.
  • Example: The “Bachpan Bachao Andolan” (Save the Childhood Movement) is an NGO working to combat child trafficking and labor in India. It focuses on improving access to education and advocating for children’s rights, addressing the root causes that lead to child exploitation.
• Engage the Private Sector:Encourage businesses to implement responsible supply chain practices and ensure they do not inadvertently support or benefit from human trafficking.
• Support NGOs and Civil Society:Provide funding and resources to NGOs and civil society organizations actively involved in prevention, protection, and rehabilitation efforts.
  • Example: “Sanjog,” a Kolkata-based NGO, collaborates with government agencies and community organizations to rescue and rehabilitate victims of trafficking, providing them with counseling, legal support, and vocational training.
• Data Collection and Research:Invest in collecting accurate and comprehensive data on trafficking trends and patterns to inform evidence-based policies and strategies.
• Train Law Enforcement:Regularly train law enforcement personnel on the latest techniques and approaches to combat trafficking effectively.
• Public-Private Partnerships:Foster collaborations between governments, NGOs, international organizations, and the private sector to pool resources and expertise in and the private sector to pool resources and expertise in tackling human trafficking.
  • Example: The “Global Business Coalition Against Human Trafficking” (GBCAT) engages Indian businesses in anti-trafficking efforts. For instance, the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association collaborates with GBCAT to train hotel staff to identify and report potential trafficking situations.

Conclusion

Combating human trafficking requires a long-term, multi-faceted approach with a strong emphasis on international cooperation, victim empowerment, and addressing root causes. Only by tackling the issue from various angles can we hope to make significant progress in eradicating this grave violation of human rights.

General Studies – 4

Topic: dimensions of ethics;

7. Moral relativism is the philosophical belief that moral truths are not absolute but are instead relative to the individual or culture. Explain. (150 words)

Difficulty level: Easy

Reference: plato.stanford.edu

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.

Key Demand of the question:

To explain the concept of Moral Relativism using examples.

Directive word: 

Explain – Clarify the topic by giving 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 the answer by defining moral relativism and its aspects

Body:

Write the core argument on which moral relativism is based on, the existing differences in the moralities that people accept and live by. Mention various factors that give rise to Moral relativism.

Give few illustrations in the context of capital punishment, euthanasia, eating meat etc. and the varied constraints and dimensions based on which the morality of a situation or action is judged.

Conclusion:

Conclude by saying often, morality is more relative than absolute.

Introduction

Moral relativism is the idea that there is no universal or absolute set of moral principles. According to moral relativism, there is not a single true morality. There are a variety of possible moralities or moral frames of reference, and whether something is morally right or wrong, good or bad, just or unjust, etc. is a relative matter—relative to one or another morality or moral frame of reference. Something can be morally right relative to one moral frame of reference and morally wrong relative to another.

Body

Moral relativism can be captured in two following points

• Moral judgments are true or false and actions are right or wrong only relative to some particular standpoint (usually the moral framework of a specific community).
• No standpoint can be proved objectively superior to any other.

Different groups of people may play different versions of football. Different societies may have different legal systems. Different people speak different languages. And different people may have different moralities. Moralities accepted at one time may fail to be accepted at another time. Individuals within any given group may have different moralities. A particular person may accept different mutually incompatible moralities at different times and even at the same time.

Various dimensions in which moralities differ

• Moralities differ in what they imply about abortion, capital punishment, euthanasia, religion, etiquette, slavery, caste systems, cannibalism, eating meat, what sorts of experiments on animals are permitted, and what sorts of experiments on human beings are permitted.
• They may differ concerning the relative importance of chastity in men and women, how many wives or husbands people can have, homosexuality, incest, and whether people in their twenties have special obligations toward their parents.
• They differ about whether there is an obligation not to lie to strangers and whether there is an obligation to help strangers who need help.
• They differ concerning the relative importance of equality versus liberty, who gets what, preserving natural beauty, and the acceptability of littering.

Over the years moral relativism has attracted a great deal of criticism, and not just from professional philosophers. One reason for this, of course, is that it is widely perceived to be a way of thinking that is on the rise. Another reason for so much trenchant criticism is that a relativistic view of morality is thought by many to have pernicious consequences.

Conclusion

Moral relativism is on the opposite end of the continuum from moral absolutism, which says that there is always one right answer to any ethical question. As relativists see it, they are not countenancing immorality, injustice, or moral nihilism; rather, they are trying to say something about the nature of moral claims and the justifications given for them.  The main problem they face is to show how the denial of objective moral truth need not entail a subjectivism that drains the rationality out of moral discourse.   Their critics, on the other hand, face the possibly even more challenging task of justifying the claim that there is such a thing as objective moral truth.

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