Essential key terms from the last week’s news headlines or between the lines categorised as per the relevance to the UPSC-CSE syllabus along with the MCQs followed.
Why in news?
— The effects of climate change range are being witnessed across a range of environments — from changes in crop yields due to unreliable weather conditions to the extinction of species. According to new research, yet another effect could be the increased risk of “viral spillover” in some regions that could cause new pandemics over the next few years.
— Climate change could shift the species range of certain viral vectors and reservoirs northwards, and the High Arctic zone could become fertile ground for emerging pandemics.
— This result was drawn from a research article titled, ‘Viral spillover risk increases with climate change in High Arctic lake sediments’, which was published Wednesday (October 19) in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the biological research journal of the UK’s The Royal Society.
Key takeaways
— Viruses are some of the most abundant entities on earth, but they need to infect a host’s cell in order to replicate. According to the research, these virus/host relationships seem relatively stable within super kingdoms, the major groupings of organisms. However, below this rank, viruses may infect a new host from a reservoir host (in which it usually resides) by being able to transmit sustainably in a novel host – a process defined as ‘viral spillover’.
— To study the possibility of a viral spillover, researchers from the University of Ottawa collected sediment and soil samples from Lake Hazen in Canada – the largest High Arctic lake by volume in the world, and the region’s largest freshwater ecosystem.
— Then, they undertook DNA and RNA sequencing to reconstruct the lake area’s virus composition. They estimated the spillover risk and found that the chances of a virus moving to a new host increases with runoff from glacier melt, treated by them as a proxy for climate change. As temperatures increase, the melting of glaciers increases as well, and there is a greater possibility for previously ice-trapped viruses and bacteria to find new hosts.
— In this study, while it was found that the risk of viral spillovers increases with changes in the environment at a particular location, driven by global warming, this by itself does not guarantee a higher possibility of a pandemic occurring via viruses here. “Altogether, we provided here a novel approach to assessing spillover risk…This is not the same as predicting spillovers or even pandemics,” said the authors.
— This is because there is another important link in the process. As long as viruses and their ‘bridge vectors’ — that act as hosts and lead to their spread — are not simultaneously present in the environment, the likelihood of dramatic events probably remains low. However, that does not by itself signal relief. The authors said, “Climate change leads to shifts in species ranges and distributions, new associations can emerge, bringing in vectors that can mediate viral spillovers, as simulations recently highlight.”
Point to ponder: Viruses have been integral to the very evolution of our species. Discuss.
1. MCQ:
Which of the following statements is / are correct? (UPSC IAS Preliminary Exam-2013)
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
a) 1 only b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3
Why in news?
— Punjab’s Environment Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer on Wednesday had announced that only green crackers will be allowed on Diwali day, and that too from 8 pm to 10 pm only.
Key takeaways
What is the difference between green crackers and traditional crackers?
— Both green crackers and traditional crackers cause pollution and people should refrain from using either. However, the only difference is that green crackers cause 30 per cent less air pollution as compared to traditional ones. Green crackers reduce emissions substantially and absorb dust and don’t contain hazardous elements like barium nitrate.
—T oxic metals in traditional crackers are replaced with less hazardous compounds. According to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), green crackers are permitted only in cities and towns where air quality is moderate or poor. There is reduction in emission of sound as well in green crackers.
With the UT only allowing use of green crackers, how does one identify and differentiate them?
— One should look for green crackers falling only in these three categories- SWAS, SAFAL and STAR: the crackers developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). SWAS, that is “safe water releaser” should have have a small water pocket/droplets which get released when burst, in the form of vapour.
— SWAS is safe water releaser, which suppresses the dust released by releasing water vapour in the air. It does not comprise potassium nitrate and sulphur and the particulate dust released will reduce approximately by 30 per cent.
— Similarly, STAR is the safe thermite cracker, which does not comprise potassium nitrate and sulphur, emits reduced particulate matter disposal and reduced sound intensity. SAFAL is safe minimal aluminium which has minimum usage of aluminium, and used magnesium instead. It ensures reduction in sound in comparison to traditional crackers.
— It is also suggested not to buy green crackers from street vendors and only from licensed sellers.
— It is suggested that if chemical identification cannot be done, the identification of green crackers can be done through the CSIR NEERI logo. The scanner may be downloaded using the CSIR NEERI green QR code app from Google Playstore.
What are the toxic metals that traditional crackers release?
— Crackers release several toxic metals that can be harmful for health. The white color emitted through crackers is aluminium, magnesium and titanium, while the orange colour is carbon or iron. Similarly, yellow agents are sodium compounds while blue and red are copper compounds and strontium carbonates. The green agent is barium mono chloride salts or barium nitrate or barium chlorate.
What damage and harm can these chemicals do when a person is exposed? Who is vulnerable to the exposure?
— Lead in crackers impact the nervous system while copper triggers respiratory tract irritation, sodium causes skin issues and magnesium leads to mental fume fever. Cadmium not just causes anemia but also damages the kidney while nitrate is the most harmful that causes mental impairment. The presence of nitrite causes irritation in mucous membrane, eyes and skin.
— The most vulnerable population though are infants, children, pregnant women, elderly and people with underlying medical conditions. Yet no one remains untouched from the harm these chemicals cause.
Why are green crackers being preferred over conventional ones?
— Firecrackers made with reduction in size of shell, elimination of ash usage, reduced usage of raw materials, uniform acceptable quality, etc., leading to reduction of particulate matter and gaseous emission is why green crackers are being preferred.
(Source: What are green crackers & how do we identify them? by Hina Rohtaki)
Point to ponder: Environmental regulatory system should be bridge between community and industry. How?
2. MCQ:
How is the National Green Tribunal (NGT) different from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)? (2018)
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Why in news?
— A Supreme Court bench comprising of Justices K M Joseph and Hrishikesh Roy, in interim directions on Friday (October 21), directed the police chiefs of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to take “immediate” suo motu action against any hate speech, by lodging criminal cases without waiting for formal complaints.
— The bench was hearing a petition which called attention to the speeches delivered at a Virat Hindu Sabha organised by the VHP’s Delhi unit and other Hindu organisations in the Capital on October 10, and other similar petitions seeking action following hate speeches against Muslims at some Dharam Sansad events.
Key takeaways
— While India does not have a formal legal framework for dealing with hate speech, a set of provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), loosely defining hate speech, are invoked. These are primarily laws to deal with offences against religions.
Section 295A and others
— Section 295A of the IPC defines and prescribes a punishment for deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.
“Whoever, with deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class of citizens of India by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise, insults or attempts to insult the religion or the religious beliefs of that class, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to [three years], or with fine, or with both,” the section reads.
— Section 295A is one of the main provisions in the IPC chapter to penalise religious offences. The chapter includes offences to penalise damage or defilement of a place of worship with intent to insult the religion (Section 295); trespassing in a place of sepulture (Section 297); uttering, words, etc, with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person (Section 298); and disturbing a religious assembly (Section 296).
— The state often invokes Section 295A along with Section 153A, which penalises promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and Section 505 of the IPC that punishes statements conducing to public mischief.
— Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, that punishes sending offensive messages through communication services is added when such speech is made online.
— The broad, vague terms in the laws are often invoked in its misuse. Lower conviction rates for these provisions indicate that the process — where a police officer can arrest without a warrant — is often the punishment. Critics have pointed out that these laws are intended for the state to step in and restore “public order” rather than protect free speech.
Origins of the law
— Section 295A was brought in 1927. In his book Offend, Shock or Disturb, lawyer Gautam Bhatia writes that the antecedents of Section 295A lie in the “communally charged atmosphere of North India in the 1920s”. The amendment was a fallout of an acquittal under Section 153A of the IPC by the Lahore High Court in 1927 in Rajpaul v Emperor, popularly known as the Rangila Rasool case.
Rangila Rasool case
— Rangila Rasool was a tract — brought out by a Hindu publisher — that had made disparaging remarks about the Prophet’s private life. Cases against the first pamphlet, filed under Section 153A, were dismissed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which examined the question whether targeting religious figures is different from targeting religions.
— When a second, similar piece was published, it raised tensions. While the magistrate had convicted the publisher Rajpaul under Section 153A, the Lahore High Court held that a “scurrilous and foul attack” on a religious leader would prima facie fall under Section 153A — although not every criticism.
— This debate in interpretation prompted the colonial government to enact Section 295A with a wider scope to address these issues.
Later cases
— In 1957, the constitutionality of Section 295A was challenged in Ramji Lal Modi v State of Uttar Pradesh. The Supreme Court upheld the law on the grounds that it was brought in to preserve “public order”. Public order is an exemption to the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression and the right to religion recognised by the Constitution.
— In a 1960 ruling, in Baba Khalil Ahmed v State of Uttar Pradesh, the Supreme Court said that “malicious intent” of the accused can be determined not just from the speech in question but also from external sources.
— In 1973, in Ramlal Puri v State of Madhya Pradesh, the Supreme Court said the test to be applied is whether the speech in question offends the “ordinary man of common sense” and not the “hypersensitive man”. However, these determinations are made by the court and the distinction can often be vague and vary from one judge to the other.
— In Baragur Ramachandrappa v State of Karnataka, a 2007 decision of the Supreme Court, “a pragmatic approach” was invoked in interpreting Section 295A. The state government had issued a notification banning Dharmakaarana, a Kannada novel written by award-winning author P V Narayana, on the ground that it was hate speech, invoking a gamut of provisions including Section 295A. The pragmatic approach was to restore public order by “forfeiture” of a book over individual interest of free speech.
Point to ponder: Hate speech hurts the nation and the national interest. Comment.
3. MCQ:
Which of the following cases is not releted to Section 295A?
a) T. S. R. Subramanian v. Union of India
b) Ramji Lal Modi v State of Uttar Pradesh.
c) Baba Khalil Ahmed v State of Uttar Pradesh
d) Baragur Ramachandrappa v State of Karnataka
Why in news?
— With the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) 20th National Congress set to begin on Sunday (October 16), it is widely expected that Chinese President Xi Jinping will get an endorsement for a third term as President. Under Xi, China has witnessed a unique style of governance, which differs in many ways from that of more recent Chinese leaders.
— As China’s position has undergone a change in world affairs over the years, Xi has advocated for a more intensive approach towards handling issues both domestically and internationally. The “wolf warrior” style of Chinese diplomacy particularly attracted attention.
Key takeaways
— A term that gained popularity, especially after Xi became President, “wolf warrior diplomacy” is a tactic for the Chinese government to extend its ideology beyond China and counter the West and defend itself. It is an unofficial term for the more aggressive and confrontational style of communication that Chinese diplomats have taken to in the last decade.
— A 2015 Chinese action film, titled ‘Wolf Warrior’, and its sequel have served as the inspiration for the term. The films, with their nationalist themes and dialogues, focus on Chinese fighters who frequently face off against Western mercenaries.
— A Financial Times article from 2020 noted how the term was directly linked to Xi’s ideas. Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute in London, was quoted as saying, “Xi has said multiple times that Chinese officials and diplomats must unsheathe swords to defend the dignity of China,” he said. “The wolf warriors are just acting on Xi’s call to arms.”
What is the need for wolf warrior diplomacy?
— The change in strategy has been attributed to many reasons, such as Xi’s more authoritarian tendencies as compared to earlier leaders, deteriorating US-China relations under former US President Donald Trump, the coronavirus pandemic-related accusations on China, etc.
— According to Chinese officials, the move is simply about standing up to what they believe is Western interference. The South China Morning Post quoted China’s foreign vice-minister Le Yucheng saying in December 2020 that the term was rhetorical “tit-for-tat”.
— Le told a conference at a university in Beijing that the term was a “misunderstanding of China’s diplomacy”, adding: “Now that they are coming to our doorstep, interfering in our family affairs, constantly nagging at us, insulting and discrediting us, we have no choice but to firmly defend our national interests and dignity.”
— People’s Daily, the Communist Party-owned newspaper that is the largest in China, wrote in a December 2020 article, that “Safeguarding the interests of the country and the people serves as the lofty mission of China’s diplomacy. China’s dignity should not be insulted and its interests should not be undermined. If any country infringes upon China’s judicial sovereignty, China must resolutely fight back, which is the bottom line of China’s diplomacy.”
— It added, “In the eyes of the Chinese people, this will be the voice of justice…As China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, she doesn’t see any problem in living with that ‘Wolf Warrior’ title, as long as we are fighting for China’s sovereignty, security and development interests, national dignity and honor, and international fairness and justice.”
What does this look like in practice?
— Some examples can be seen in the form of messaging on social media too, where Chinese officials are quick to counter any allegations by the West and proactively launch attacks.
— For instance, in 2021 Chinese government spokesperson Lijian Zhao tweeted a digitally modified photo of an Australian soldier killing a child, claiming the Australian army was killing children in Afghanistan. This led the Australian Prime Minister to announce he would seek an official apology, but China did not budge.
— But this is not limited to Western countries. As C Raja Mohan, director, of the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, wrote in The Indian Express, “The new ‘wolf warrior diplomacy’ confronts head-on any criticism of China in the public sphere. They lecture host governments and don’t always show up when ‘summoned’ by foreign offices. Delhi has been at the receiving end for a while — especially during the recent crises of Doklam and Ladakh.”
Will it continue in Xi’s third term?
— It is difficult to say because Chinese diplomats’ comments have not gone unchallenged by countries. They can also damage China’s perception among allies, so there have been attempts to strike a balance.
— In June 2021, President Xi Jinping asked China’s official media and diplomats to present the image of a “credible, lovable and respectable China” to the world.
“It is necessary to make friends, unite and win over the majority, and constantly expand the circle of friends [when it comes to] international public opinion,” Xi was quoted as saying.
(source: What is China’s ‘Wolf Warrior’ Diplomacy? by Rishika Singh)
Point to ponder: As China’s long-term intentions remain shrouded in opacity, why India must look back to see what lies ahead?
4. MCQ:
Which of the following statements is/are true?
1. In 2021, India and China celebrated the 70th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between India and China.
2. McMahon Line is the border between India and China.
a) 1 only b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2
Why in news ?
— School students in India can soon earn ‘credits’ from classroom learning as well as extracurricular activities and deposit them in a ‘bank’ much like the system already being followed in some colleges and universities.
— The policy to integrate this credit system, the draft National Credit Framework (NCrF), was put in public domain by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday (October 19). It has been drafted by a 11-member committee headed by National Council of Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) chairperson Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi.
Key takeaways
What are ‘credits’ in the education system?
— Credits are essentially a “recognition that a learner has completed a prior course of learning, corresponding to a qualification at a given level”, according to the draft document. In other words, it is a way of quantifying learning outcomes.
How does the credit system work?
— Take for example the Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS) followed by many universities in India. Under the CBCS, students need to earn a certain number of credits for completing a degree. While doing so, it offers them the opportunity to mix and match a wide variety of courses, enabling interdisciplinary and intradisciplinary education. This is not possible under the conventional marks or percentage-based evaluation system.
— At a time the University Grants Commission (UGC) is encouraging provisions such as the four-year undergraduate programme with multiple entry and exit options, a credit-based approach has become imperative. Simply put, it offers flexibility in choosing courses, the option to change courses or institutions midway, or to reenter the education system after dropping out without losing years. The students can digitally deposit their credits in the Academic Bank of Credits or ABC, which in many ways works like a commercial bank, and redeem them whenever required.
What are credit frameworks?
— Credit frameworks are guidelines to be followed by schools, colleges and universities in adopting the credit system. For example, the National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) lays out the guidelines for higher educational institutions that want to implement the credit system.
How is the NCrF different from the existing frameworks?
— The proposed NCrF seeks to integrate all the frameworks under one umbrella. Moreover, it also brings the entire school education system under the ambit of credits for the first time. So far, only the National Institute of Open Schooling followed a credit system. The NCrF also covers skill and vocational education.
How long will the credits earned by a student remain valid?
— According to the University Grants Commission (Establishment and Operation of Academic Bank Of Credits in Higher Education) Regulations notified in July, 2021, the credits shall remain valid for a maximum duration of seven years.
What are the highlights of the NCrF?
— The biggest change that the NCrF, once implemented, will usher in is in the school education sector. All the provisions of the credit system will also be available to school students. It will remove the need for equivalence certification for academic programmes that meet the NCrF requirements and facilitate transfer of students between schools and boards.
— As the draft points out, “NCrF addresses the difficulties students are facing in respect of equivalence of certificates issued by various school education boards in India for the purpose of admissions in higher education institutions and employment in Central/State Government.”
— A student shall have to earn at least 40 credits for completing a year of school education after putting in 1200 hours of “notional learning hours”.
What are “notional learning hours”?
— Notion learning hours in the context of NCRF means time spent not just in classroom teaching, but also in a range of co-curricular and extracurricular activities. The list of such activities include sports, yoga, performing arts, music, social work, NCC, vocational education, as well as on the job training, internships or apprenticeships.
How will the credit points be obtained?
— For the purpose of calculation, the NCrF has divided the education system into multiple levels. For school education, there are four levels. Students clearing class XII will be at credit level 4. For higher education, the levels are from 4.5 to 8 — which is basically from first year UG to PhD. The total credit points earned by the student will be obtained by multiplying the credits earned by them with the NCrF level at which the credits have been earned.
(source: Centre releases draft policy: How the credit system will work in schools by Sourav Roy Barman)
Point to ponder: Draft framework looks beyond classroom, to let students earn credit for vocational studies. How?
5. MCQ:
Which of the following statements are correct?
a) The 86th Amendment in 2002 made education an enforceable right under Article 21-A.
b) The 42nd Amendment to the Constitution in 1976 moved education from the State to the Concurrent List.
c) Article 45 of the Indian Constitution talks about the provision for free and compulsory education for children.
d) All of the above
Answers to MCQs: 1 (c), 2 (b), 3 (a), 4 (b), 5 (d)
Deepavali gift: Retired school teacher, artist draw alponas outside homes of strangers in Kolkata
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