[Mission 2024] Insights SECURE SYNOPSIS: 7 March 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 – 2

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

1. Neo-Vaishnavism might embrace a more inclusive approach, reaching out to people of different backgrounds, cultures, and faiths. Discuss the neo-Vaishnavite tradition introduced by the 15th-16th century reformer saint Srimanta Sankardeva. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: Indian Express

Why the question:

The traditional Majuli masks in Assam were given a Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Centre. Majuli, the largest river island in the world and the seat of Assam’s neo-Vaishnavite tradition, has been home to the art of mask-making since the 16th century.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the neo-Vaishnavite tradition of Srimanta Sankardeva and its contributions.

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.

Introduction: 

Begin by giving context about Srimanta Sankardeva as a Bhakti saint.

Body:

First, write about the features of the neo-Vaishnavite tradition of Srimanta Sankardeva. emphasized devotion to Lord Krishna, emphasizing simplicity, inclusivity, and social reform.

Next, write about the Sankardeva’s contributions – creating the Bhakti movement in Assam, composing devotional songs and plays, establishing monastic orders (satras), and promoting cultural activities. Cite examples.

Conclusion:

Conclude by summarising.

Introduction

The neo-Vaishnavite tradition, introduced by Srimanta Sankardeva in the 15th-16th century, marked a significant cultural and religious movement in Assam. It started on the theme of working towards the upliftment of the backward classes and minimization of the rigidity of caste distinctions.The first attempt to bring the backward tribes, castes and classes into the fold of Vaishnavism was made by Srimanta Sankaradeva himself who accepted his disciple irrespective of their caste, tribe, class or religion. To achieve his goal, Sankaradeva established a new democratic order through the institution of Namghar, which is considered as the centre of the intellectual and cultural activities of villagers.

The traditional Majuli masks in Assam were given a Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Centre. Majuli, the largest river island in the world and the seat of Assam’s neo-Vaishnavite tradition, has been home to the art of mask-making since the 16th century.

Body

Sankardeva, born in 1449, witnessed a society fragmented by various religious practices, including Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and Shaktism, some of which involved harmful rituals like animal and human sacrifices. To address these issues, he established the Eksarana-Nam-Dharma, a form of Neo-Vaishnavism that sought to reform the socio-cultural landscape of Assam.

This movement emphasized a monotheistic approach, focusing on a single deity, Vishnu, and discouraged idol worship and complex rituals. Instead, it promoted a simple, egalitarian form of devotion through congregational chanting and prayer in community spaces known as ‘Naamghars’ and ‘Kirtanghars’. These places became the epicenter of social and cultural life, serving multiple functions as clubs, theaters, courts, and discussion halls.

Even, neo-Vaishnava faith developed a new kind of Philosophy, art and music in the form of ‘Borgeets’, ‘Ankiya Nats’ or ‘Bhaonas’ (a theatre form introduced for the first time by Srimanta Sankaradeva and which became increasingly popular with the masses, centred around themes from the Bhagavata-Purana and the Ramayana) as well as the ‘Satriya Dance’ as modes of conveying the principles of ‘Ek-Sarana-Nama-Dharma’, based on the devotion to one single God ‘Lord Krishna’ or ‘Vishnu.’

He made a great effort to make accessible his ideas among common masses and so in most of his works, he used the Assamese language of the period, so that common people could read and understand them easily. But for theatrical cause in his songs and dramas he used ‘Brajavali’, which is an artificial mixture of Braj language and Assamese.

The fundamental teachings and tenets of Neo-Vaishnavism were expounded by Sankaradeva and Madhavdeva in their great works, ‘KirtanGhosa’ and ‘Nama Ghosa’

Moreover, some followers established Satra institution to spread the Vaishnava Faith in the later period, which takes a key role in spreading the ideology of Vaishnava faith in Assam. Sankardeva’s teachings and the establishment of ‘Sattras’—monastic centers—played a pivotal role in unifying people across different strata of society, fostering a sense of community and spiritual fraternity. His efforts led to a cultural synthesis that transcended caste, creed, and religion, embedding the values of democracy and socialism within the religious framework.

Conclusion

The Neo-Vaishnavite movement initiated by saint Sankaradeva in Assam in the first decade of the 16th century and reached its climax towards the middle of the 17th century. The legacy of Sankardeva’s Neo-Vaishnavism continues to influence Assamese society, promoting a message of universal brotherhood, peace, and devotion to a singular divine entity. It stands as a testament to his role not only as a religious leader but also as a social reformer who shaped the cultural identity of Assam.

General Studies – 2

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

2. BIMSTEC presents a promising alternative for technological and economic cooperation in the South Asian region, and its success will depend on the ability of member countries to overcome challenges and translate their commitments into concrete actions for regional development. Comment. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Easy

Reference: Insights on India

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 2 and mentioned as part of Mission-2024 Secure timetable.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the role BIMSTEC can play in the changing geopolitics and if it can be an alternative to SAARC.

Directive:

Comment- here we must express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction:

Begin by mentioning the mandate behind the launch of BIMSTEC.

Body:

First, write the role BIMSTEC can play in the changing geopolitics – BIMSTEC allows the confluence of its Act East and the Neighbourhood Policies, development of ‘Blue Economy’, collaboration on security and communication etc.

Next, give context regarding SAARC and examine if BIMSTEC can be a suitable alternative.

Conclusion:

Conclude writing a balanced opinion.

Introduction

The Bay of Bengal is fast becoming a key area of economic and strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific. It’s the largest bay in the world and forms an important part of southern Asia. The limitations of SAARC due to multiple reasons have led to South Asian region being the least integrated region in the world vis-à-vis the European and ASEAN experiences.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a bridge between South Asia and South East Asia. BIMSTEC has gained more favour as the preferred platform for regional cooperation in South Asia.

The first-ever Foreign Ministers’ meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) began in Bangkok, Thailand, in July 2023.

Body

Opportunities provided by BIMSTEC

• Connectivity:
  • BIMSTEC serves two purposes for India – it makes it easier for India to share a common regional platform with its neighbours in South Asia(sans Pakistan) and secondly, BIMSTEC also establishes a linkage between South and Southeast Asia.
  • Urgency of promoting regional and sub-regional cooperationvia BIMSTEC and BBIN has to be seen in the context of China’s BRI and the compelling strategic challenge posed by China’s muscular geo-economic and geo-political interventions in Asia, particularly in India’s neighbourhood.
  • The development of the North-eastern region,by opening up to Bangladesh and Myanmar, is another incentive for India.
• Regional Co-operation: Regional cooperation under the ambit of SAARC has become difficult made BIMSTEC more viable:
  • Despite India’s keen interest in cooperating and strengthening intra-regional connectivity by backing the SAARC–Motor vehicle agreement, the agreement was stalled following Pakistan’s reluctance.
  • Similarly, the SAARC satellite projectthat India proposed was abandoned following objection from Pakistan in 2016
  • SAARC has also faced obstacles in the area of security cooperation. A major hindrance in this regard has been the lack of consensus on threat perceptions, since member countries disagree on the idea of threats. Example: cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
• Cordial Relationship:
  • The member countries have generally cordial relationships, something patently missing among the SAARC countries.
  • BIMSTEC’s major strength comes from the fact that it includes two influential regional powers: Thailand and India.This adds to the comfort of smaller neighbours by reducing the fear of dominance by one big power.
• Economic vistas: As a trade bloc, BIMSTEC provides many opportunities.
  • The region has countries with the fastest-growing economies in the world. The combined GDP in the region is around US$2 trillionand will likely grow further.
  • Trade among the BIMSTEC member countries reached six percent in just a decade, while in SAARC, it has remained around five percent since its inception.
  • Compared to SAARC, BIMSTEC has greater trade potential as well. Among the member countries, India’s intra-BIMSTEC trade is around 3 percent of its total trade.
  • BIMSTEC regional grouping happens to have five nations that are also part of SAARC. The fact that this region is growing at 6.5% per annum, collectively comprises of 1.5 billion people, is the drive behind India’s focus being part of BIMSTEC.

Significance of BIMSTEC for India

As the region’s largest economy, India has a lot at stake.

• BIMSTEC connects not only South and Southeast Asia, but also the ecologies of the Great Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal.
• For India, it is a natural platform to fulfil our key foreign policy priorities of ‘Neighborhood First’ and ‘Act East’.
• For New Delhi, one key reason for engagement is in the vast potential that is unlocked with stronger connectivity. Almost 300 million people, or roughly one-quarter of India’s population, live in the four coastal states adjacent to the Bay of Bengal (Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal).
• From the strategic perspective, the Bay of Bengal, a funnel to the Malacca straits, has emerged a key theatre for an increasingly assertive China in maintaining its access route to the Indian Ocean.
• As China mounts assertive activities in the Bay of Bengal region, with increased submarine movement and ship visits in the Indian Ocean, it is in India’s interest to consolidate its internal engagement among the BIMSTEC countries.

Way forward to harness the above by mutual trust and cooperation

• Since the BIMSTEC region is notable for its diversity, the member states need to build on the regional synergies and work towards utilising the available resources in the most optimal manner. This would help build a stronger and a more dynamic BIMSTEC.
• Multilateral Discussions:Given the complexity of domestic and geopolitical factors, this sphere will require sustained bilateral and group-level discussions to prevent problems such as the Rohingya crisis from becoming impediments to the smooth delivery of economic and security outcomes.
  • India too will have to ensure equally sustained political engagement with partnerssuch as Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to prevent any domestic political spillover from affecting bilateral and group-level working relationships.
  • India and other members will also need to be astute in managing Myanmar’s engagementuntil the political situation in the country becomes normal.
• Boosting Connectivity and Cooperation:For India’s vision to bolster trade connectivity in the grouping, an FTA spanning the maritime resource-rich members such as Myanmar and Sri Lanka could bring dramatic gains for all members.
  • A ‘coastal shipping ecosystem’and an interconnected electricity grid, in addition to the adopted Master Plan for Transport Connectivity, have the potential to boost intraregional trade and economic ties.
  • Also, BIMSTEC needs to generate additional funding and push for timely implementationof the projects.
• India should lead:For the revived grouping to realise its trade and economic potential, India will have to take a leadership role in assuaging any apprehensions among the smaller members of intragroup power imbalances and strive to facilitate greater cross-border connectivity and flow of investments by lowering barriers to the movement of people and goods.
  • Even at the summit, India was theonly country to offer additional funding to the Secretariat and also to support the Secretary General’s proposal to establish an Eminent Persons Group (EPG) for producing a vision document.
  • Other countries need to emulate thissincere matching of words with action.
• BIMSTEC should focus more in the future on new areas such as the blue economy,the digital economy, and promotion of exchanges and links among start-ups and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

3. By implementing a coherent and proactive policy encompassing these aspects, the government can build and strengthen connections with the Indian diaspora, transforming them into valuable partners for economic, cultural, and diplomatic initiatives. Discuss. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Tough

Reference: Insights on India

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 2 and mentioned as part of Mission-2024 Secure timetable.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the need for a coherent policy for Indian diaspora.

Directive:

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 by giving a statistic related to Indian diaspora abroad.

Body:

First, write in detail about the various policy measures and schemes that have been introduced to improve contacts with the diaspora.

Next, in detail, write about the issues faced by the Indian diaspora and cite examples of statistic to substantiate.

Next, write the need to have a coherent policy towards Indian diaspora and its components.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a way forward.

Introduction

The Indian diaspora has grown and become more influential in the past 2 decades. India now has the world’s largest diaspora, a new study on international migration by the United Nations has reported. More than 30 million persons of Indian origin live abroad, a number greater than the combined populations of Zimbabwe and Kuwait. The US, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Myanmar, the UK, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Canada host an Indian diasporic population of at least one million each. 285 people of Indian origin in various positions of leadership such as Heads of state and governments, senators, state leaders and members of parliaments.

Body:

Various policy measures and schemes undertaken for welfare of Diaspora

• Government’s initiatives towards the diaspora are two-pronged. Firstly, non-residents are provided with consular services, protection and outreach activities.
• At the same time, policies are created to encourage the diaspora to contribute in India’s growth through philanthropy, knowledge transfers, and investments in development projects.
• ‘Know India Program’ (KIP) is a flagship initiative for Diaspora engagement which familiarizes Indian-origin youth (18-30 years) with their Indian roots and contemporary India.
• Under Minimum Referral Wages (MRW), applicable to Emigration Check Required (ECR) countries, India has increased the minimum wages of Indian workers employed as industrial workers, domestic servants, cleaners and labourers.
• E-migrate system requires all foreign employers to register in the database. It ensures the welfare and check on exploitation met to emigrants.
• Indian government has also started Madad Portal to take timely and speedy action on grievances addressed by people living abroad.
• There is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) for implementation of the Pravasi Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PKVY).
• Indian Government has also launched Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) under which 100 scholarships per annum are granted to Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) and Non-Resident Indians (NRI) students for undergraduate courses.
• In words of our prime minister, Indian diaspora are our ‘Rashtradoots’. He addressed Indian diaspora in different parts of the world from Madison Square, New York to Kigali, Rwanda.
• The Government of India has given several incentives to NRIs for investing their funds in India. They are exempt from several taxes and other charges. NRI seats are reserved in all the medical, engineering and other professional colleges.
• The Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill 2017 the provision would help non-resident Indians (NRIs) to participate in the electoral process. It extends the facility of ‘proxy voting’ to overseas Indians, on the lines of service voters.

Challenges faced by the Diaspora

• West Asia
  • Low oil prices owing to Shale gas boom and slower global growth is resulting in job cuts for Indians.
  • Rising instability due to Shia -Sunni conflicts and radical Islamism is a direct threat to security of Indians.
  • Fierce competition from skilled labour from Philippines and cheap labour from Nepal.
  • Regressive and medieval policies like employer seizing the travel documents upon arrival known as Kafala labour system is exploitative.
• US, Canada & UK:
  • Discriminative practices owing to a racist, colonial mindset still persists. This makes it difficult to secure jobs and work visas.
  • Support of the diaspora is neither automatic nor continuous, and their interests need not be India’s priorities. Example:the Indian community in the US was not vocal enough in criticising President Donald Trump’s proposal to restrict the H-1B visa programme that has benefited many Indians. Revision of visa norms in UK post Brexit might hit the Indian Diaspora hard, specially the IT professionals
  • Disparity in jobs and racial abuse of Sikh and Muslim community due to terrorist branding Cultural integration due to various eating preferences (beef eating), consumerism and nuclear society
• Dual Citizenship and Voting Rights:
  • Majority of Indian Diaspora want to retain their Indian citizenship along with the citizenship of the country of their residence.
  • Wealthier diaspora from the US, Canada and the UK want dual citizenship and voting rights.
• Misutilization of Remittances:
  • Another challenge is that remittances may not always be used for beneficial purposes. Example:India faced problems due to foreign funding for extremist 29 movements like the Khalistan movement.
• Brain-Drain:
  • Indians prefer to do higher studies abroad and work as scientists and economists abroad causing India loss of talent in areas of research and development.
• Evacuation Issues:
  • With increasing political volatile situation in the West Asia and few African countries, there are imminent challenges involved inrescuing the Diaspora in distress.
  • The recent instances ofOperation Raahat in Yemen, Operation Sankat Mochan in South Sudan show the high risks involved in such rescue operations.
  • The rehabilitation of such rescued peopleis also a challenge back in India.
• Reducing trends:
  • Reports suggest that the e-Migrate system and the Minimum Referral Wages policyhave been detrimental to India as companies now find it easier to hire labour from countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan.
  • It was found that in 2016 the number of Indian workers who went to work fell by half in Saudi Arabia and by 33 percent in other Gulf countries, while the number of expats in the regional actually increased by 12.17 percent

Measures needed

• India should formalise a rotation program wherein top NRI scientists, engineers, doctors, managers and professionals serve Indian public sector organizations for a brief period, lending their expertise, similar to VAJRA Scheme.
• A Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Indian Diaspora could be constituted. It should have in it, members with an interest in Diaspora affairs. This Committee could also act as a focal point for interaction with Parliamentarians of Indian Origin in other countries. Such exchanges are essential in order to bring about greater understanding and amity between them.
• To address the problems of our overseas blue-collar workers, following should be implemented at the earliest possible.
  • Establishing a welfare fund for repatriated overseas workers in distress.
  • Negotiating a Standard Labour Export Agreements with the host countries.
  • Monitoring and supervision of both the employment contracts, and the conditions of our overseas workers by our Missions.
  • Launching compulsory insurance schemes covering the risks faced by our overseas workers;
• India should aggressively court NRIs to invest in India — especially for projects which focus on rural development — by offering attractive interest rates on deposits.
• India can open a separate Minister-of-State level department for NRI administration – similar to the Veterans’ Administration in the US.
• Social media tools have made it easy and inexpensive for Indian Diaspora to stay in touch with family and friends back home, and their link to India has never been stronger. It is time that the Indian government leveraged this strong bond for the greater good of the nation.

Conclusion

The diasporic populations have become an increasingly important factor in international politics. The Indian diaspora, for their part, have many of the elements required for success — they are a “model minority”, they are affluent, and they are growing in number. Many of them are willing to exert their influence in electoral politics and are engaged in multinational businesses, and are thus highly visible. This makes for a ripe environment for India to aggressively tap on their potential.

General Studies – 3

Topic: basics of cyber security;

4.India has taken comprehensive measures to enhance its preparedness against cyber warfare threats, recognizing the dynamic nature of the cyber landscape. However, India must keep on evolving its preparedness to meet the changing nature of cyber threats. Evaluate. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India

Why the question:

It is a serious issue that some of the top men in the Karnataka government—Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Home Minister G Parameshwara, besides some senior police officials—received email threats about 24 hours after the March 1 Rameshwaram Cafe blast in Bengaluru.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about cyber warfare and India’s preparedness in tackling cyber warfare challenges.

Directive word: 

Evaluate – When you are asked to evaluate, you have to pass a sound judgement about the truth of the given statement in the question or the topic based on evidence.  You must appraise the worth of the statement in question. There is scope for forming an opinion here.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction: 

Begin by defining cyber-warfare.

Body:

In the first part, mention the various kinds of cyber weapons – Viruses, phishing, computer worms and malware, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, hacking, spyware or cyber espionage, ransomware and propaganda or disinformation campaigns etc.

Next, write about the various mechanisms and organisation to deal with cyber-warfare. Write about their strengths and limitations.

Next, write about vulnerabilities of India to cyber warfare.

Conclusion:

Conclude by writing a way forward to overcome the above-mentioned vulnerabilities.

Introduction

Cyber warfare is computer- or network-based conflict involving politically motivated attacks by a nation-state on another nation-state. In these types of attacks, nation-state actors attempt to disrupt the activities of organizations or nation-states, especially for strategic or military purposes and cyber espionage.

It is a serious issue that some of the top men in the Karnataka government—Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Home Minister G Parameshwara, besides some senior police officials—received email threats about 24 hours after the March 1 Rameshwaram Cafe blast in Bengaluru.

Body

It involves the actions by a nation-state or international organization to attack and attempt to damage another nation’s computers or information networks through, for example, computer viruses or denial-of-service attacks.

India’s vulnerabilities to cyber threats:

India’s preparedness and challenges faced:

• The attacks can be more tangible causing damage to physical or digital infrastructure.
  • This includes a country’s water system or electric grid.
  • Cyber tentacles can spread to political parties, universities and private businesses and Citizens.
  • Potentially worrisome cyber incidents include interference in political affairs, leaks and espionage and the compromising of critical national infrastructure.
• A 2017 study conducted by Symantec found that India ranked fourth in online security breaches, accounting for over 5 per cent of global threat detections. In the beginning of 2017, the newly launched Bharat Interface for Money application (BHIM app) reportedly faced spam threats.
• The real danger to India lies in targeted cyber-attacks coming from adversarial nation states.
  • Countries like China can bring immense assets to bear in carrying out sophisticated cyber-attacks. The success of Stuxnet, which damaged the Iranian centrifuge facility at Natanz is an example.
• Cyber warfare is characterized by an absence of clarity.
  • India can never be certain about the capability of the other side and also the chances of success if we launch a cyber counterstrike.
• There is a push towards greater digital dependence with demonetization a cashless system is being propagated. Aadhaar and the wider platforms such Digital India and Smart Cities will push things further along. India is the world’s second largest digital nation with more than 350 million Indians are online and millions more will be getting connected in the years to come.
• India is not even a signatory to some of the basic international frameworks on Cybersecurity like the Convention of Cybercrime of the Council of Europe which not only European nations but Japan, US, South Africa have become signatories to, except India.
• Indian laws are not in tandem with the ever-changing global cyberspace.
  • The laws are old and hence need to be more dynamic in nature to deal with issues like cyber-espionage, data theft and so on.
  • The Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act 2000) is the sole law that deals with cyberspace in India and was passed way back in 2000.
  • Also, the Cyber Law of India has been subject to amendments on various occasions but hasn’t served the changing dynamics and the growing threats and manifestations of cyberwar.

Measures needed:

• A Defence Cyber Agency could be the first step the government plans to for critical infrastructure and military networks that are increasingly becoming dependent on the Internet, thus increasing vulnerabilities.
• The Defence Cyber Agency will work in coordination with the National Cyber Security Advisor. It will have more than 1,000 experts who will be distributed into a number of formations of the Army, Navy and IAF. According to reports, the new Defence Cyber Agency will have both offensive and defensive capacity.
• Equally important is cyber propaganda. During the Doklam conflict, China tried its best to unleash cyber propaganda on India and indulged in complex psy-ops
• Critical cyber infrastructure needs to be defended and the establishment of the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre(NCIIPC) is a good step in this direction
• Individual ministries and private companies must also put procedures in place to honestly report breaches. It is only then that the NCIIPC can provide the requisite tools to secure these networks. This partnership must be transparent and not mired in the usual secrecy of intelligence organisations.
• The upgrading of the Defence Cyber Agency to a Cyber Command must be implemented at the soonest.
• A robust ecosystem must be built to secure India from acts of state and non-state actors, including protocol for grievance redressal in international forums.
• Better capabilities must be built to detect and deflect attacks.
• The computer emergency response team (CERT) must be strengthened and aligned with military and foreign affairs operations.
• Building a joint task force between the government and key technology players will be crucial.
• The government should push for the creation of a global charter of digital human rights.
• A national gold standard should be created, which ensures that Indian hardware and software companies adhere to the highest safety protocols
• Impart cybercrime investigation training and technological know-how to the various law enforcement agencies.
• Cyber awareness must be spread and there should be multi-stakeholder approach- technological inputs, legal inputs, strengthening law enforcements, systems and then dealing with transborder crime involves lot of international cooperation.

Conclusion

Most of the Indian banking industry and financial institutions have embraced IT to its full optimization. Reports suggest that cyber-attacks are understandably directed toward economic and financial institutions. With innovative, technology led programmes such as AADHAAR, MyGov, GeM, Digital Locker the new India is the land of technological prowess and transformation. Government and the private sector jointly have to give cyber security some priority in their security and risk management plan.

General Studies – 3

Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

5. Sacred groves play a crucial role in the conservation of biodiversity, preservation of cultural heritage, and the spiritual well-being of communities. Do you think sacred groves must be declared as deemed forests to safeguard their ecological and cultural significance?. Examine. (250 words)

Difficulty level: Easy

Reference: Down to Earth

Why the question:

A recent state government notification has struck fear in Rajasthan community dwellers about losing access to forest produce and livelihoods.

Key Demand of the question:  To write about the importance of sacred groves and threats faced by them and declaring them as deemed forests to protect them.

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 by defining a sacred grove and give examples of sacred groves.

Body:

First, write in detail about the importance of sacred groves – dense cover of vegetation including climbers, herbs, shrubs and trees, maintained by rural communities etc.

Next, write about the threats faced by sacred groves – destruction, enrichment due to ever-expanding human populations, pollution and removal of biomass

Next, write about the declaring them as deemed forests to protect them. Write about the pros and cons of the same.

Conclusion:

Conclude with way forward.

Introduction

Sacred groves are patches of natural vegetation preserved by ancient societies on religious and cultural grounds. These are forest fragments of varying sizes, which are communally protected, and which usually have a significant religious connotation for the protecting community. It usually consists of a dense cover of vegetation including climbers, herbs, shrubs and trees, with the presence of a village deity and is mostly situated near a perennial water source. Sacred groves are considered to be symbols of the primitive practice of nature worship and support nature conservation to a great extent. It is estimated that India may have about 1,00,000 such groves.

Body

sacred groves must be declared as deemed forests due to the following reasons

• Some of the sacred groves have been cleared for the construction of buildings and other modernisation works in connection with temple activities.
• Certain sacred groves have been reduced to small patches due to encroachments.
• In some places, old trees have been felled and fruit orchards and fruit gardens have been established.
• The groves are being gradually altered due to the increasing needs of the ever-expanding human population, pollution and removal of biomass.
• Other threats to the groves include urbanization, and over-exploitation of resources.
• While many of the groves are looked upon as abode of Hindu deities, in the recent past a number of them have been partially cleared for construction of shrines and temples.

Way forward

• Effective conservation and management practices are thus the need of the hour in order to maintain the groves’ functional values.
• The groves have great research value in in situ conservation of rare, endangered and threatened plant species.
• It is high time that public awareness is created about the importance of these sacred groves, developmental activities are banned and the felling of trees or removal of any other vegetation is completely stopped.
• This is possible only by way of enacting a special law for the protection and management of sacred groves.
• As the management practices and other rituals vary from state to state, the concerned state governments may promulgate such an act as suitable for the state.
• The idea should be to protect certain rare, endangered and threatened plant species in the era of global warming and climate change.

General Studies – 4

Topic: Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.

6.Characterizing capitalism as driven by greed and socialism as fostering envy is an oversimplification of complex economic systems. Debate. (150 words)

Difficulty Level: Tough

Why the question:

The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4.

Key Demand of the question:

To write about the limitations of capitalism and socialism from an ethical point of view.

Directive:

Debate – Weigh up to what extent something is true. Persuade the reader of your argument by citing relevant research but also remember to point out any flaws and counter- arguments as well. Conclude by stating clearly how far you agree with the original proposition.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction:

Start by giving context.

Body:

First, write about as to how greed is sin of capitalism and give arguments to elaborate. Substantiate using examples.

Next, write about the vices of socialism especially in regards to envy and its impact. Cite examples to substantiate.

Conclusion:

Conclude the answer by giving a balanced opinion.

Introduction

Capitalism is based on individual initiative and favors market mechanisms over government intervention, while socialism is based on government planning and limitations on private control of resources. Left to themselves, economies tend to combine elements of both systems.

Body

Greed is the sin of capitalism

Capitalists don’t cause harm to their employees out of malice or greed. Their motivation comes from the brute reality of market competition. If a capitalist doesn’t produce at the lowest price, he knows that he will lose customers, and if that continues, his firm will start bleeding money. So he has to keep his selling price as low as possible. But if he’s going to lower his selling price, he also has to lower his costs, or he won’t make any money. Hence, he tries to pay out as little as possible for his inputs—the machines and raw material that he buys, and the wages he’s paying to his workers. So every capitalist constantly tries to get the most out of every dollar he spends, including from his workers. This is how firms survive in the market.

In this process, the socialists call capitalists as greedy.  Karl Marx said “While the miser is merely a capitalist gone mad, the capitalist is a rational miser”.

Crucially, the capitalist drive to accumulate money isn’t primarily about individual capitalists being bad, greedy people, but rather the relentless pressures of the system itself.

It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages.

Envy is the vice of socialism

Socialists are by and large concerned about people amassing personal wealth. They commit themselves to expropriate wealth and distribute it to less wealthy.  If someone became wealthy because they founded a successful business, what socialists fail to understand is that that person has found a way to produce something that consumers happily hand their money over for. And that they created jobs in the process where workers are happy to exchange their time and skill for an income.

Socialists see the outcome, not the process. Envy blocks them from trying to understand how economic value is created by the free market. They cannot accept that the free market creates more winners than any other system because they only see that some people win even more than others. Capitalists don’t care if Bill Gates is wealthiest on this planet.  As a matter of fact, millions of people were able to get an income from working at Microsoft or using their product to make their business more efficient. The free market is a system that is literally built on voluntary exchange of goods and services, creating what’s called economic surplus. People only trade voluntarily if they benefit from it. But socialists would want to being Bill Gates down.

Hence socialism is based on three-legged stool which are envy, ignorance and faith according to its critiques.

Conclusion

Each ideology has its own shortcomings in their truest form. Today no economy is purely capitalistic or socialistic. They are a mix of both. China is communist but trades freely with the world. India believes in welfare state model while economy is capitalistic. USA also is majorly capitalist but has allowances for the needy. Combining both elements is the new norm.

Topic: Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; Philosophical basis of governance and probity;

7. What does compassion mean to you? State examples from your life where you practised compassion and the reasons you did so. (150 Words)

Difficulty level: Moderate

Why the question:

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

Structure of the answer:

Introduction:

Begin by defining compassion in your own words.

Body:

First, write about the need of compassion and cite examples for your life where you practised compassion. Cite reasons as to why you did so.

Conclusion:

Conclude by summarising the need for compassion.

Introduction

Compassion is a deeper level of empathy, demonstrating an actual desire to help the suffering person. It is a unique feeling of sympathy for the suffering of others that involves emotions and empathy towards others, a sense of understanding, and the drive to protect. It is the sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. It motivates people to go out of their way to help the physical, mental, or emotional pains of another and themselves. Compassion is often regarded as having sensitivity, an emotional aspect to suffering. Qualities of compassion are patience and wisdom; kindness and perseverance; warmth and resolve.

Body

Some examples of compassion from own life

I once volunteered at a homeless shelter, not just to help serve food but also to listen to the stories of those I was helping. I did this out of a deep sense of empathy and a desire to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

I once stopped to help an injured dog on the road. I felt compelled to act, driven by a compassionate understanding that all living beings deserve care and kindness.

These examples reflect the essence of compassion – the selfless act of being present and supportive in times of need, driven by a heartfelt concern for the welfare of others.

Note: These are just some sample examples. Please give your own real life examples

Conclusion

It takes character and integrity to be the one who is willing to step up and make a difference. To feel sympathy for someone is not enough. We must also be willing to take action. That is why compassion requires courage. Together they are one of the most dynamic combinations in the world. It is impossible to know how much good can come from a single act of compassion.

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