UPSC CSE 2019 PRELIMS MATERIAL

1.Floating solar or FPV (Floating photovoltaic), refers to an array of solar panels on a structure
that floats on a body of water, typically an artificial basin or a lake.
This technology has had a rapid growth on the renewable energy market since 2016 and in 2017
has overcome the 200 MW of installed power. The first 20 plants, of a few dozen of kWp have
been built between 2008 and 2014 as reported in the MIRARCO paper [1] that analyzed the birth
of this technology.

Technology features
There are several reasons for this development:

1. No land occupancy: the main advantage of floating PV plants is that they do not take up
any land, except the limited surfaces necessary for electric cabinet and grid connections.
Their price is comparable with land based plants, but they provide a good way to avoid
land consumption.[3]
2. Installation and decommissioning: floating PV plants are more compact than land-based
plants, their management is simpler and their construction and decommissioning
straightforward. The main point is that no fixed structures exist like the foundations used
for a land-based plant so their installation can be totally reversible.
3. Water saving and water quality: the partial coverage of basins can reduce the water
evaporation. This result depends on climate conditions and on the percentage of the
covered surface. In arid climates such as Australia this is an important advantage since
about 80% of the evaporation of the covered surface is saved and this means more than
20,000 m3/year/ha. This is a very useful feature if the basin is used for irrigation
purposes.[4][5]
4. Cooling: the floating structure allows the implementation of a simple cooling system.
Cooling mechanism is natural but can also be active by generating a water layer on the
PV modules or using a submerged PV modules, the so called SP2 (Submerged
Photovoltaic Solar Panel).[6] In these cases the global PV modules efficiency rises thanks
to the absence of thermal drift, with a gain in energy harvesting up to 8-10%.
5. Tracking: a large floating platform can be easily turned and can perform a vertical axis
tracking: this can be done without wasting energy and without the need for a complex
mechanical apparatus as in land-based PV plants. A floating PV plant equipped with a
tracking system has a limited additional cost while the energy gain can range from 15 to
25%.[7]
6. Storage opportunity: the presence of water naturally suggests using gravity energy
storage mainly in the coupling with hydroelectric basins. However other possibilities has
been explored and in particular CAES systems have been suggested.[8]
7. Environment control: a parallel advantage is the containment of the algae bloom, a
serious problem in industrialized countries. The partial coverage of the basins and the
reduction of light on biological fouling just below the surface, together with active
systems can solve this problem. This is only a part of the more general problem of
managing a water basin generated by industrial activities or polluted by them. See for
example the mining managing.[9]
8. Efficiency improvement: Many studies claim that there is a significant improvement in
efficiency putting solar panels over water. These studies are not conclusive and differ in
their conclusion. The energy gain reported range from 5 to 15%.
2.The MIRARCO (Mining Innovation Rehabilitation and Applied Research Corporation Ontario,
CANADA) research group quotes several solutions that were put forward in the years 2008-2011
and 2012-2014.[1] It has mainly developed various types of solar panel models.

 PV plants constituted by modules mounted on pontoons

 PV modules mounted on rafts built in plastic and galvanized steel
 PV modules mounted on rafts, fully in plastic.

OPEC
Currently, the Organization has a total of 15 Member Countries. The
current OPEC members are the following:
Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq,
Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, the Republic of the Congo, Saudi
Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.
None from Europe.
Indonesia is a former member, and Qatar will no longer be the member
of OPEC starting on 1 January 2019.

GSAT-11 is ISRO’s heaviest satellite ever built and weighs about 5854
kilograms.
* It was launched onboard Ariane-5 launch vehicle from French
Guiana.
* ISRO has revealed that the satellite will be initially placed in the
Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit and will be later raised to
Geostationary Orbit. It will be using the Liquid Apogee Motor which will
be onboard the satellite.

Green Good Deeds Movement

The Union Environment Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan participated in the

inauguration of Indian Pavilion at the 24th meeting of Conference of
Parties (COP-24) to the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) held at Katowice, Poland.
Minister’s Statement:
* The Ministry has launched a nationwide campaign in preserving and
protecting the environment called the Green Good Deeds Movement.
* This campaign was prepared to inspire, encourage and involve each
and every individual of the society to realize people’s participation in
accomplishing the goals.
EXCEEDSAT1

* ExseedSAT 1 was launched into space by Space X along with 63

other satellites from 17 countries.
* The mini communication satellite weighing just a kg with double the
size of a Rubik’s cube (10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm) is made up of
aluminium alloy.

RAJEEV KUJMAR COMMITTEE

The Union Government has constituted a six-member committee to

look at selling of 149 small and marginal oil and gas fields of state-
owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Oil India Limited
(OIL) to private and foreign companies to boost domestic output. The
panel is chaired by the NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar.

KANDHAMAL TURMERIC GETS GI TAG

Odisha’s Kandhamal Haldi (turmeric), famous for its healing

properties, is all set to receive GI tag.
* The golden yellow spice, named after the district where it is
produced, has been cultivated since time immemorial and is known for
its medicinal value.
* Turmeric is the main cash crop of tribal people in Kandhamal. Apart
from domestic use, turmeric is also used for cosmetic and medicinal
purposes.

BYE BYE KEPLER

The Kepler Space Telescope has been officially retired by NASA. Its
successor space telescope, called TESS(Transiting Exo Space
Satellite), has already started collecting data.
Launched in 2009, the Kepler mission is specifically designed to
survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of
Earth-sized and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and
determine the fraction of the hundreds of billions of stars in our galaxy
that might have such planets.

RESTICTED AREA REGIME

What is Restricted Area Permit (RAP) regime?
RAP regime was notified under the Foreigners (Restricted Areas)
Order, 1963.
* Under it, foreign nationals are not normally allowed to visit protected
or restricted area unless Government is satisfied that there are extra-
ordinary reasons to justify their visit.

SUSTAINABLE BLUE ECONOMY CONFERENCE

The first Sustainable Blue Economy Conference was held in Nairobi,

capital of Kenya. It was organized by Kenya and co-hosted by Japan
and Canada.
“India endorses the growth of the Blue Economy in a sustainable,
inclusive and people centered manner through the framework of
the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)”.

******FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SBEC AND IORA AND ADD THEM

REGGAE

UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organization, has added reggae to its list of cultural institutions worthy
of protection and preservation.
It is Jamaican music originating from marginalized groups, mainly in
Western Kingston. It was started out as voice of marginalized. But now
it is played and embraced by wide cross-section of society, including
various genders, ethnic and religious groups.

ERSS

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh launched Emergency

Response Support System (ERSS) for Himachal Pradesh.
Himachal Pradesh is the first state to launch pan-India single
emergency number ‘112’ under ERSS.
It will connect to Police, Fire, Health and other helplines through an
Emergency Response Centre in the State.

OWL FESTIVAL

The Indian Owl Festival, the country’s first owl fest, is being held at
Pingori village in Purandar taluka of Pune.
* The two-day festival, organised by Ela Foundation, an NGO working
towards nature education and conservation, will give information on
owl conservation.
* It is a first-of-its-kind festival in the country that is being organised
with the intention of creating awareness about owl as a bird and
debunking numerous superstitions associated with it.
Indian Owl is protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of India.
INCLUSIVE WEALTH INDEX
Inclusive wealth index, as part of the Inclusive Wealth Report 2018has
been released by the UN Environment and partners.
The Inclusive Wealth Report (IWR) is a biennial effort led by the UN
Environment to evaluate the capacities and performance of the nations
around the world to measure sustainability of economy and wellbeing
of their people.

HOG DEER
Researchers reported the presence of a small population of hog deer
in Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP), Manipur. The population
genetically resembles A. p. annamiticus. The study indicates that the
western limit of hog deer is Manipur; not central Thailand as believed.
The hog deer or Pada is an endangered species in the IUCN Red List
and is protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wild Life (Protection)
Act, 1972.
HysIS
HysIS, the country’s first hyperspectral imaging satellite for advanced
Earth observation, is slated for the launch. About 30 small satellites of
foreign customers will be its co-passengers on the PSLV launcher,
numbered C-43.
* The primary goal of HysIS is to study the Earth’s surface in visible,
near-infrared and shortwave infrared regions of the electromagnetic
spectrum.
SEA OF AZOV
It is a sea in Eastern Europe. To the south it is linked by the narrow
(about 4 km or 2.5 mi) Strait of Kerch to the Black Sea, and it is
sometimes regarded as a northern extension of the Black Sea.
* The Sea of Azov is the shallowest sea in the world, with the depth
varying between 0.9 and 14 metres.
******LOCATE starit of kerch on map find regions passing through
OPEN DATA TRANSIT PLATFORM
To increase transparency and build transport solutions, the transport
department of the Delhi government has launched the Open Transit
Data platformwhich provides real-time datasets free of cost.
About the Open Transit Data Platform:
* Through this the government aims to provide real-time data which
can be used by third party app developers and researchers. This
includes geo-coordinates of all bus stops, route maps, timetables as
well as the real time GPS feeds of bus locations which will be updated
every 10 seconds.

IDEVAW NOV25
To raise awareness about violence against women and girls, end
violence against women. It also seeks to show that prevention is
possible against violence of women.
Theme and its significance: “Orange the World:
#HearMeToo”.International Day for the Elimination of Violence against
Women was instituted by United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in
December 1999.
*** READ SOME ARTICLES ON#HEAR MEE TO AND DISCUSS

DUDHWA TIGER RESERVE

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) have joined
hands to provide security to Dudhwa forests and its rich wildlife.
Dudhwa Tiger Reserve:
* It is protected area in Uttar Pradesh that stretches mainly across the
Lakhimpur Kheri and Bahraich districts.
* It comprises Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary
and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary.
**** LOCATE THEM ON MAP

KAMBALA
The coastal districts Dakshina Kannada and Udupi of Karnataka are all
set for the Kambala. The races would be held under the auspices of
the District Kambala Committee.
Kambala in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs
made to race one after another in paddy fields, which is considered a
thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases.

SI UNITS REDEFINED
Scientists have changed the way the kilogram is defined. The decision
was made at the General Conference on Weights and Measures. The
new definitions will come into force on 20 May 2019.
Why kill off the kilogram?
* Currently, it is defined by the weight of a platinum-based ingot called
“Le Grand K” which is locked away in a safe in Paris.
2019 definition: The kilogram, symbol kg, is the SI unit of mass. It is defined by
taking the fixed numerical value of the Planck constant hto
be 6.62607015×10−34 when expressed in the unit J⋅s, which is equal to kg⋅m2⋅s−1,
where the metre and the second are defined in terms of c and ΔνCs

ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ACT

The Environment Protection Act, 1986 does not mention the word
“Eco-sensitive Zones”.
The section 3(2)(v) of the Act, says that Central Government can
restrict areas in which any industries, operations or processes or class
of industries, operations or processes shall not be carried out or shall
be carried out subject to certain safeguards
Besides the section 5 (1) of this act says that central government can
prohibit or restrict the location of industries and carrying on certain
operations or processes on the basis of considerations like the
biological diversity of an area, maximum allowable limits of
concentration of pollutants for an area, environmentally compatible
land use, and proximity to protected areas.
* The above two clauses have been effectively used by the
government to declare Eco-Sensitive Zones or Ecologically Fragile
Areas (EFA). The same criteria have been used by the government to
declare No Development Zones.

NSE GO BID
The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has launched an app and web-
based platform, ‘NSE goBID’, for retail investors to buy government
securities.
Through this app, retail investors can invest in treasury bills (T-Bills)
of 91days, 182days and 364 days and various government bonds from
one-year to almost 40 years.

APEC
APEC Members account for approximately 40% of the world’s
population, approximately 54% of the world’s gross domestic produc t
and about 44% of world trade.
The 2018 APEC summit was held recently held in Papua New Guinea.
GROWTH
The 0.7 m GROWTH-India telescope at the Indian Astronomical
Observatory located in Hanle, Ladakh, has made its first science
observation which is a follow-up study of a nova explosion.
About GROWTH-India Telescope:
The GROWTH-India telescope is part of a multi-country collaborative
initiative – known as the Global Relay of Observatories Watching
Transients Happen (GROWTH) – to observe transient events in the
universe

WORLD TOILET DAY

In 2013, the United Nations General Assembly officially designated
November 19 as World Toilet Day. World Toilet Day is coordinated by
UN-Water in collaboration with governments and partners. Previously,
World Toilet Day was established by the World Toilet Organization in
2001.
About World Toilet Day:
* World Toilet Day is a day to raise awareness and inspire action to
tackle the global sanitation crisis – a topic often neglected and
shrouded in taboos.
* SDG 6 aims to ensure that everyone has a safe toilet and that no-
one practises open defecation by 2030. Failure to achieve this goal
risks the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
* 2018 Theme: When Nature Calls.

FIRST ELEPHANT HOSPITAL

India’s first specialized hospital for elephants has been formally
opened in Mathura.
* The unique medical centre offers wireless digital X-ray, laser
treatment, dental X-ray, thermal imaging, ultrasonography,
hydrotherapy and quarantine facilities.

WAVE OR TIDE
Wave energy exists due to the movement of water near the surface of
the sea. Waves are formed by winds blowing over the sea surface, and
the water acts as a carrier for the energy. The amount of energy in
waves depends on their height and period (the time between
successive peaks). The annual average power per unit length of wave
crest (e.g. 20-40 kW/m) is the primary indicator of how energetic a
particular site is.
* Tidal streams are caused by the rise and fall of the tides, which
occur twice a day around the coast. As water flows in and out of
estuaries, it carries energy. The extractable energy depends on the
speed of the flowing stream and the area intercepted. This is similar to
wind power extraction, but because water is much denser than air, an
equivalent amount of power can be extracted over smaller areas and
at slower velocities. The mean spring peak velocity is the primary
indicator of how energetic a tidal stream site is.
* The western coastline of India has higher tidal range. The presence
of higher wave power along the east coast could probably be due to
the strong waves during the south-west monsoon. Maximum wave
power can be obtained at the southern tip of the Indian peninsula
(Kanyakumari, Nagercoil district, Koodankulam) due to the effect o f
refraction and the presence of strong winds prevailing in the region.
Hence, India has more prospects for harnessing wave energy as
compared to tidal energy.

TRIBAL FESTIVALS
CHITRA VICHITRA FAIR
MEDARAM JATARA
WANGALA FESTIVAL
Chitra Vichitra Fair: The festival begins on the eve of the new moon
when the women gather at the river and mourn for their dead through
the night. The next day the fair sets off with a generous splashing of
dazzling colors and drumming.
The tribal men’s costume generally consists of a blue shirt, dhoti and a
red or saffron fenta or turban. The woman don ghagharas which have
a circumference of as much as 20 yards, and are covered from head to
feet with ornate and heavy silver jewellery, and sometime also
beautifully knitted rafia jewellery made from pale yellow or dyed
crimson grass. They also use liquid kumkum or vermilion to color their
cheeks and lips a brilliant red, while their eyes are outlined vibrantly
with kajal.
Every group visiting the fair carries its own drum, so that the
atmosphere comes alive with a nonstop beat of drumming. The women
sing folk songs in shrill choruses, and everyone dances near the main
temple. Over a hundred stalls hold food and drink, and sweets of
various kinds. Silver ornaments and household items are out for sale.
There is also a giant wheel and a merry-go-round. The dancing and
drumming continue for hours until everyone is left exhausted.
Wangala Festival: Wangala (also known as The Hundred Drums
Festival, Wanma, Wanma Rongchua) is a harvest festival celebrated
by the Garo tribe, who live in Meghalaya and Assam in India and
Greater Mymensingh in Bangladesh. In this post harvest festival, they
give thanks to Misi Saljong (also known as Pattigipa Ra'rongipa), the
sun god, for blessing the people with a rich harvest. Wangala is
celebrated in the months from September to December, with different
villages setting different dates for the occasion.
Medaram Jatra: Sammakka Saralamma Jatara or Medaram Jatara is a
tribal festival of honouring the goddesses celebrated in the state of
Telangana, India. This Jatara is known for witnessing one of the
largest people gatherings in the world. The Jatara begins at Medaram
in Tadvai mandal in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district. The rituals
related to the Goddesses are entirely conducted by Koya tribe priests,
in accordance with Koya customs and traditions.
Medaram is a remote place in the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, a
part of Dandakaranya, the largest surviving forest belt in the Deccan.
Cheti Chand: Cheti Chand (चे टीचन्ड) is a festival which marks the
beginning of the Hindu New Year for the Sindhi Hindus. The festival
date is based on the lunar cycle of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, it
being the first day of the year and the Sindhi month of Chet (Chaitra).
It typically falls in late March or early April in the Gregorian calendar
on or about the same day as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and Ugadi in
other parts of the Deccan region of India.

FESTIVALS MARKING END OF WINTER SOLISTICES

Makar Sankranti, also known as Makara Sankrānti
(Sanskrit: मकरसङ्क् रान्ति) or Maghi, is a festival day in the Hindu
calendar, in reference to deity Surya (sun). It is observed each year in
January. It marks the first day of sun's transit into the Makara
(Capricorn), marking the end of the month with the winter solstice and
the start of longer days.
Makar Sankranti is one of the few ancient Indian festivals that has
been observed according to solar cycles, while most festivals are set
by the lunar cycle of the lunisolar Hindu calendar. Being a festival that
celebrates the solar cycle, it almost always falls on the same
Gregorian date every year (January 14), except in some years when
the date shifts by a day for that year. The festivities associated with
Makar Sankranti are known by various names such as Maghi
(preceded by Lohri) by north Indian Hindus and Sikhs, Makara
Sankranti (Pedda Pandaga) in Karnataka and Andhra
Pradesh, Sukarat in central India, Magh Bihu by Assamese,
and Pongal by Tamils.
Onam is harvesting festival in Kerala, around August/September.

EL Nino
1) Delay of Indian monsoon
2) Distortion of equatorial atmospheric circulation
3) Reduction in the amount of planktons off the Peru coast.
* EI-Nino is a complex weather system that appears once every three
to seven years, bringing drought, floods and other weather extremes to
different parts of the world.
* The system involves oceanic and atmospheric phenomena with the
appearance of warm currents off the coast of Peru in the Eastern
Pacific and affects weather in many places including India. EI-Nino is
merely an extension of the warm equatorial current which gets
replaced temporarily by cold Peruvian current or
* Humbolt current. This current increases the temperature of water on
the Peruvian coast by 10Â °C. This results in:
* The distortion of equatorial atmospheric circulation;
* Irregularities in the evaporation of sea water;
* Reduction in the amount of planktons which further reduces the
number of fish in the sea.
* EI-Nino is used in India for forecasting long range monsoon rainfall.
In 1990-91, there was a wild EI-Nino event and the onset of southwest
monsoon was delayed over most parts of the country ranging from five
to twelve days.

UDAYGIRI-KHANDGIRI CAVES
Udayagiri caves are famous for the Hathigumpha inscription which is
carved out in Brahmi script. The inscription starts out with “Jain
Namokar Mantra” and highlights various military campaigns
undertaken by the Kalinga King Kharavela in 1st-2nd century BC.
EARTH CRUST COMPONENT BY WEIGHT
The Major Elements of the Earth's crust:
Elements By Weight (%)
1. Oxygen 46.60
2. Silicon 27.72
3. Aluminium 8.13
4. Iron 5.00
5. Calcium 3.63

KUMBHA MELA
Kumbh Mela or Kumbha Mela inscribed on the UNESCO's
Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is a
mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a
sacred or holy river. Traditionally, four fairs are widely recognized as
the Kumbh Melas: the Haridwar Kumbh Mela, the Allahabad Kumbh
Mela, the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha, and Ujjain Simhastha.
These four fairs are held periodically at one of the following places by
rotation: Haridwar, Allahabad (Prayaga), Nashik district (Nashik and
Trimbak), and Ujjain. The main festival site is located on the banks of
a river: the Ganges (Ganga) at Haridwar; the confluence (Sangam) of
the Ganges and the Yamuna and the invisible Sarasvati at Allahabad;
the Godavari at Nashik; and the Shipra at Ujjain. Bathing in these
rivers is thought to cleanse a person of all sins.
At Nashik and Ujjain, the Mela may be held while a planet is in Leo
(Simha in Hindu astrology); in this case, it is also known as Simhastha.
At Haridwar and Allahabad, an Ardha ("Half") Kumbh Mela is held
every sixth year; a Maha ("Great") Kumbh Mela occurs after 144
years. Kumbh Mela is a religious pilgrimage that is celebrated four
times over a course of 12 years.

ANIMAL FAIRS IN INDIA

SONEPUR MELA: Sonepur is a town situated on the bank of river
Gandak near Patna in Bihar. It is famous for largest cattle fair in India
known as The Sonepur Mela held on the confluence of holy river
Ganges and Gandak. Sonepur Cattle Fair is the biggest cattle fair of
Asia held annually on Kartik Poornima in the month of November. Its
the fair for the trade of animals such as Cattle,
horses,goats,donkeys,camels,birds and elephants. Haathi Bazaar is
the major attraction of Sonepur Mela, numerous elephants are
beautifully decorated for the purpose of sale.
NAGAUR MELA: The Nagaur Cattle Fair is the second biggest fair in
India, held annually for eight-days during the month of January –
February. Nagaur is situated between the two beautiful city Bikaner
and Jodhpur, It is well known as land of fairs. The animal fair attracts
lots of people from the rural Rajasthan and cities for trading of camels,
bullocks and other animals.
PUSHKAR MELA: Pushkar Fair, also called the Pushkar Camel Fair or
locally as Kartik Mela or Pushkar ka Mela is an annual multi-day
livestock fair and cultural fête held in the town of Pushkar (Rajasthan,
India). The fair starts with the Hindu calendar month of Kartik and ends
on the Kartik Purnima, which typically overlaps with late October and
early November in the Gregorian calendar. In 1998, over 1 million
visitors came to Pushkar throughout the year. The Pushkar fair alone
attracts over 200,000 visitors.
Shamlaji Fair: The Shamlaji Mela is held at Shamlaji situated in the
Sabarkantha district near the border between Gujarat and Rajasthan
on the National Highway No. 8. Formerly included as a part of Idar, it
is approximately 122 kms from Ahmedabad and around 32 kms from
Himmatnagar.
The Shamlaji Mela lasts for about three weeks, around the month of
November. Kartik Purnima (Full moon night) is the most important day
for the fair.
A large number of devotees arrive to the Shamlaji fair on foot or on
camel carts, singing devotional songs, some even dancing and
carrying banners bearing sacred symbols. They go to worship the deity
and bathe in the sacred waters of the Meshwo river. Among the
Adivasis, the Bhil community has incredible faith in the powers of
Shamlaji who they lovingly refer to as Kaliyo Dev (Dark Divinity). The
fair is an important trade destination for people to buy silver
ornaments, metalware, cloth and garments, along with many other
annual household items.

KUMRAHAR PALACES
* The palaces at Kumrahar were created to reflect the splendour of the
Mauryan Empire.
* The palace of Chandragupta Maurya was inspired by the
Achaemenid palaces at Persepolis in Iran.
* Wood was the principal building material.
* Megasthenes described the palace as one of the greatest creations
of mankind.

TEMPLES AND LOCATIONS

* Ratha temples or Pancha Ratha of Mahabalipuram: Also known as
Pandava Rathas, they are the earliest rock cut temples in India,
comprising of Dharmaraja Ratha, Bhima Ratha, Arjuna Ratha, Nakula
and Sahadeva Ratha, and Draupadi Ratha, dated around 7 th century
AD.
* Ladkhan temple at Aihole is a Vesara Style temple.
* Virupaksha Temple at Hampi was patronaged by the Vijaynagar
rulers.
* The Natraj temple at Chidambaram houses Shiva in cosmic dance
form

GLOBAL WAGE REPORT2018-19

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has released Global
Wage Report 2018-19. As per the report, women are paid the most
unequally in India, compared to men, when it comes to hourly wages
for labour. On average, women are paid 34% less than men.

HEART ATTACK REWIND

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has
launched a new mass media campaign in order to create awareness
about trans-fats and eliminate them in India by 2022.
* The campaign will warn citizens about the health hazards of
consuming trans-fats and offer strategies to avoid them through
healthier alternatives.

CLIMATE VURNEABLE FORUM

The Climate Vulnerable Forum is an international cooperation group of
developing countries tackling global climate change.
 The CVF was founded by the Maldives government before the 2009
United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, which
sought to increase awareness of countries considered vulnerable.

MILITARY EXERCISES
Konkan 18:
What is it? It is the naval exercise between India and United Kingdom.
The 2018 edition will be held in Goa.
‘COPE INDIA 2019’:
What is it? It is a bilateral exercise between Indian Air Force (IAF) and
US Air Force (USAF) conducted on and over Indian soil. The 2019
edition will be held in West Bengal.

SOME FESTIVALS
Holla Mohalla : Hola Mohalla (Punjabi: ਹੋਲ ਾ ਮਹੱਲ ਾ, Hindi: होला मोहल्ला),
also called Hola, is a one-day Sikh festival which most often falls in
March and takes place on the second day of the lunar month of Chett,
a day after the Hindu spring festival Holi but sometimes coincides with
Holi. Hola Mohalla is a big festive event for Sikhs around the world.
The fair held during Holi and Hola at Anandpur Sahib is traditionally a
three-day event but participants attend Anandpur Sahib for a week,
camping out and enjoying various displays of fighting prowess and
bravery, and listening to kirtan, music, and poetry.
Chhath Puja : Chhath is an ancient Hindu Vedic festival historically
native to Nepal and Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar
Pradesh. The Chhath Puja is dedicated to the Sun and his wife Usha
in order to thank them for bestowing the bounties of life on earth and
to request the granting of certain wishes. Chhath does not involve any
idol worship. This festival is observed by Nepalese and Indian people,
along with their diaspora. While it is a Hindu festival, some Muslims
also celebrate Chhath.
Bihu: Bihu বিহু is the chief indigenous festival in the Assam state of
India. It refers to a set of three different festivals: Rongali or Bohag
Bihu observed in April, Kongali or Kati Bihu observed in October, and
Bhogali or Magh Bihu observed in January. The Rongali Bihu is the
most important of the three celebrating the Assamese new year and
the spring festival. The Bhogali Bihu or the Magh Bihu is the one that
is all about food. The Kongali Bihu or the Kati Bihu is the sombre,
thrifty one reflecting a season of short supplies and is an animistic
festival.
Hornbill Festival: The Hornbill Festival is a celebration held every year
from 1 - 10 December, in Nagaland, Northeast India. It is also called
the 'Festival of Festivals'.
The festival is named after the Indian hornbill, the large and colourful
forest bird which is displayed in the folklore of most of the state's
tribes.
ELLORA CAVES
* Ellora caves were developed between the period 5 th and 11 th CE.
* These caves reflect a natural diversity in terms of theme and
architectural styles and houses Hindu, Jaina and Buddhist architecture
and art.
Prominent Ellora caves are
* A Buddhist Chaitya cave known as Vishwakarma Cave or carpenter’s
cave. Buddha is seated in Vyakhyana Mudra here and Bodhi tree is
carved at his back.
* Raavan ki khai
* Dashavatar temple
* a sculpture on the wall of Kailash temple depicting Ravana shaking
Mount Kailasha.
* Dhumar Lena
* Rameshwar Temple

ALLELOPATHIC PLANTS
Plants like Eucalyptus are allelopathic and deplete nutrient from soil
faster than other slow growing plants, so Euclyptus is not eco-friendly.

MARTIAL ARTS DANCE

Mayurbhanj Chhau dance form has a long history. Originally a tribal
dance, which originated from the forests of Mayurbhanj, Odisha in the
18th century, it got the status of a martial art form in the 19th century.
Chhau is found in three styles named after the location where they are
performed, i.e. the Purulia Chau of Bengal, the Seraikella Chau of
Jharkhand, and the Mayurbhanj Chau of Odisha.
* The most prominent difference among the three subgenres is
regarding the use of masks. While, the Seraikela and Purulia
subgenres of Chhau use masks during the dance, the Mayurbhanj
Chhau uses none.

G20 SUMMIT INDIA PRESENTS NINE POINT AGENDA

India presented a nine-point agenda to G20 member nations calling for
strong and active cooperation among them to comprehensively deals
with fugitive economic offenders.
****find out more details of agenda and about summit
KAMSALE DANCE
Kamsale is known as Beesu Kamsale. It is a unique folk art performed
by the devotees of God Mahadeshwara.
* Kamsale also refers to a brass made musical instrument. Its origin is
traced to the Mythological period. The kamsale comprises a cymbal in
one hand and a bronze disc in the other and is used to produce a
rhythmic clang.
It is a group dance form performed by the menfolk in villages in the
Mysore, Nanjanagudu, Kollegala and Bangalore areas in Karnataka.

BEACH POLLUTION IN INDIA REPORT

The National Centre of Coastal Research (NCCR) has released a
report on beach pollution in India.
* Tourism and fishing are the biggest culprits, contributing most of the
plastic litter on beaches.
* After tourism, fishing was the next biggest source of litter. While
fishing nets were a major contributor, the processing of fish on the
beach also produced a lot of litter.
* Other than the plastic litter dropped by tourists, similar waste from
creeks and inlets made its way into the sea in the monsoon.

MUKYAMANTRI TIRTH YATRA YOJANA

Delhi state government has launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra
Yojana’ which offers free travel packages for senior citizens from Delhi
to five religious circuits.
****find out the names of five religious circuits

YOGA
Yoga presents a method of physical and mental discipline. The Yoga
presents a practical path for the realization of the self-whereas the
Samkhya emphasizes the attainment of knowledge of self by means of
concentration and meditation. Releasing Purush from Parkriti by
means of physical and mental discipline is the concept behind Yoga.
Founder of Yoga is Patanjali. Yoga does not require belief in God,
although such a belief is accepted as help in initial stage of mental
concentration and control of mind.
IGNCA
Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi (IGNCA. is a
premier government-funded arts organization in India.
It is an autonomous institution under the Union Ministry of Culture.
Units of IGNCA:
* Kalānidhi is a reference library on multimedia collections.
* Kālakośa is the research and publication division, investigating the
intellectual traditions in their dimensions of multi-layers and multi-
disciplines.
* Janapada Sampadā, is the division engaged in lifestyle studies. It
has a programmatic character classified as Lifestyle Studies, Multi-
media Presentation and Events, and Children’s World, each with a
number of sub-programmes.
* Kalādarśana is the executive unit that transforms researches and
studies emanating from the IGNCA into visible forms through
exhibitions.

ZOROASTRIAN CALENDER
Nouruz, New Year's Day. In the Fasli/Bastani variant of the
Zoroastrian calendar, this day is always the day of the spring equinox
(nominally falling on March 21).
In the Shahenshahi and Kadmi calendars, which do not account for
leap years, the New Year's Day has drifted ahead by over 200 days.
These latter two variants of the calendar, which are only followed by
the Zoroastrians of India, celebrate the spring equinox as Jamshed-i
Nouroz, with New Year's Day then being celebrated in July/August as
Pateti
Pateti, "(day) of penitence" (from patet "confession," hence also
repentance and penitence). This is actually a day of introspection, and
originally occurred on the last day (or on the last 5 days) of the
calendar year.

WOOLEN INDUSTRY INDIA

The woollen industry is not developed in India due to the following
reasons:
* India being tropical county, woollen clothes are required only in
northern India during the winter months, hence there is not much
demand.
* Good quality of wool has to be imported due to the poor quality of
indigenous wool.
* Growing competition from synthetic fibres. They are gradually
replacing the woolen industry.
* Other reasons include - woollen mills are scattered all over the
country. So, the mill owners are unable to work jointly for its
improvement

VEDANTA
Vedanta says that the world is unreal, Maya. Vedanta is monistic, in
other words, it says that there is only one reality, Brahman.
Vedanta lays emphasis on brahmagyan, hence relies on the
Upanishad part of the Vedas. Vedanda has its roots in Sankya
Philosophy.
The second statement is incorrect as Ramanujacharya considered
Brahman to be with attributes (Sagunabrahaman) whereas
Shankaracharya considered Brahman to be without any attributes.
(Nirgunabrahaman).

HAND IN HAND 2018

• ExerciseHand-in-Hand is conducted annually as part of military
diplomacy and interaction between armies of India and China.
• The exercise will involve tactical level operations in an International
Counter Insurgency/Counter Terrorist environment under UN
mandate.It is an annual bilateral exercise.

KHELO INDIA PROGRAMME

The Khelo India programme has been introduced to revive the sports
culture in India at the grass-root level by building a strong framework
for all sports in India and establish India as a great sporting nation.
The first edition of this games under Khelo India Programme was held
in New Delhi in Feb 2018.

SMART
Maharashtra Government has launched World Bank assisted State of
Maharashtra’s Agribusiness and Rural Transformation (SMART)
Project to transform rural Maharashtra.
Aim: to revamp agricultural value chains, with special focus on
marginal farmers across 1,000 villages.
CHANG’E4
Chang’e 4 is the fourth mission in the country’s lunar mission series
which is being named after the Chinese moon goddess.
China has launched Chang’e-4, a first probe ever to explore the dark
side of the Moon, marking another milestone in its ambitious space
programme.

CESCR
About Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR):
• The CESCR was set up in 1985 by the Economic and Social Council
(ECOSOC) of the United Nations.
• It was constituted with an aim to monitor on its behalf the
implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights (ICESR), which has been ratified by 169 countries.

SAMKHYA PHILOSOPY
Samkhya is the oldest philosophy. It was put forward by Kapila.
Samkhya philosophy provided the materialistic ontology for Nyaya and
Vaisheshik, but there is very little original literature in Samkhya. It is
generally believed that Samkhya Philosophy is dualistic and not
monistic because it has two entities, purush (spirit) and prakriti(nature)
in it.

VAISHESHIKA PHILOSOPY
The classical Indian philosophy Vaisheshik, was the physics of ancient
times.
It propounded the atomic theory of its founder Kannada.
At one time Vaisheshik was regarded as part of the Nyaya philosophy,
since physics is part of science.
But since physics is the most fundamental of all sciences, Vaisheshik
was later separated from Nyaya and put forth as a separate
philosophy.
To make it short, Vaisheshik is a realistic and objective philosophy of
universe.

SPIC MACAY
The Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture
Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY) is a voluntary youth movement which
promotes intangible aspects of Indian cultural heritage by promoting
Indian classical music, classical dance, folk music, yoga, meditation,
crafts and other aspects of Indian culture; it is a movement with
chapters in over 300 towns all over the world. SPIC MACAY was
established by Dr. Kiran Seth in 1977 at IIT Delhi

MALWA SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

* The cities of Dhar and Mandu in the Malwa plateau became
prominent seats of architecture. The most prominent feature of the
buildings here is the use of different coloured stones and marbles. The
buildings had large windows, which could be as result of European
influence and were decorated by a stylised use of arches and pillars.
* The Malwa School of architecture, also known as the Pathan School
of architecture is also one of the finest specimens of environmental
adaptation of the period because of the following features:
(a) The use of large windows made the buildings and rooms well-
ventilated.
(b) The pavilions were lightly arched which made them airy and
allowed the buildings to remain cool in the heat.
(c) Artificial reservoirs known as ‘baulis’ were constructed in the
premises for storage of water.

UN PANEL OF AUDITORS
The United Nations Panel of Auditors consists of External Auditors of
the United Nations and its agencies.
* The United Nations General Assembly in 1959 established the Panel
of External Auditors, comprising the individual external auditors of the
United Nations system, who are also Heads of Supreme Audit
Institutions.
* Presently, the panel consists of 11 countries — India, Germany,
Chile, Canada, France, Italy, Philippines, Ghana, Indonesia,
Switzerland and United Kingdom. Currently, the panel is chaired by the
Comptroller and Auditor General of the UK

ENSURE
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare launched a
portal ENSURE – National Livestock Mission-EDEG developed by
NABARDand operated under the Department of Animal Husbandry,
Dairying & Fisheries.
SWIFT
Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT)
does not facilitate funds transfer: rather, it sends payment orders,
which must be settled by correspondent accounts that the institutions
have with each other.
* The SWIFT is a secure financial message carrier — in other words, it
transports messages from one bank to its intended bank recipient.

NPS
National Pension System (NPS) is a government-sponsored pension
scheme. It was launched in January 2004 for government employees.
However, in 2009, it was opened to all sections.
Any Indian citizen between 18 and 60 years can join NPS. The only
condition is that the person must comply with know your customer
(KYC) norms.
Yes, an NRI can join NPS. However, the account will be closed if there
is a change in the citizenship status of the NRI.

RISE 2018 REPORT

World Bank has released its report — Regulatory Indicators for
Sustainable Energy (RISE) 2018 — charting global progress on
sustainable energy policies. The report was released on the sidelines
of the 24th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change(COP24).

STATUE OF AHIMSA
Mangi-Tungi located near Tahrabad in Maharashtra. It is a twin
pinnacled peak with plateau in between and dedicated to Jainism and
considered as a gateway to the state of enlightenment. It enshrines
images of Tirthankaras in several postures including Padmasana and
kayotsarga and were made around 6th century AD. Recently, in 2016,
The Statue of Ahimsa, a 108 ft idol carved in monolithic stone was
consecrated here. It is recorded in the Guinness Book of World
Records as the tallest Jain idol in the world.

AKBARS ERA CONSTRUCTION

* Buland Darwaza the imposing 40 metre red sandstone structure was
built in 1576 AD, to commemorate Akbar’s victory over Gujarat. It is
the largest gateway of the world.
* Salim Chisti’s tomb was built in 1581 AD. It has beautiful Jaali work
in white marble. It has arabesque patterns with inscriptions of Quranic
verses on the walls. It is in the imperial complex which also has
Buland Darwaza and Jama Masjid.
* Panch Mahal is a five-storied structure made of columns and is
inspired by the concept of Persian badgir (wind-catcher)
* Jodha Bai’s palace or Mariam-uz-Zamani’s palace (Mary of the Age)
has beautiful interiors. with Hindu motifs of bell and flowers.
* Ibadat Khana Akbar used to meet the leaders of different religions
here to have discussion.
* Pachisi Court in the courtyard where Akbar is said to have played
chess.
* Hiran Minar was built in memory of Akbar’s favourite elephant,
named Hiran. It also served a lighthouse for travellers. It is uniquely
designed and its exterior wall contains tusk like spikes.

INDO GOTHIC STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE

1- Bulbous dome
2- Minarets and Towers
3- Jali work screens
4- Jharokha style wind
Indo-Gothic was an architectural style used by British architects in
India in public and government buildings in the British Raj. It drew
stylistic and decorative elements from native Indo-Islamic architecture,
especially Mughal architecture.
* Prominent features of Indo-gothic architecture are
* Onion (bulbous) domes
* Chhajja,
* Pointed arches, cusped arches, or scalloped arches
* Horseshoe arches
* Domed chhatri kiosks on the roofline
* Towers or minarets
* Jalis or openwork screens

GOVERNORS
● Article 361. Protection of President and Governors:No criminal
proceedings whatsoever shall be instituted or continued against the
President, or the Governor of a State, in any court during his term of
office.
● Article 158: Conditions of Governor Office:The emoluments and
allowances of the Governor shall not be diminished during his term of
office

SCHEDULE AREAS
The President is empowered to declare an area to be scheduled area.
The president can alter the area and its boundaries in the future in
consultation with the governor of the state concerned. the provisions of
Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) is for the Schedule V statesThe
Schedule VI states have provision of autonomous districts. Chakma is
one of the 3 autonomous districts of Mizoram. The other two are: The
Lai district and the Mara district.

EVOLUTION OF PANCHAYTI RAJ IN INDIA

The committees were appointed in the given chronological order:
1) Balwant Rai Mehta Committee
2) Ashok Mehta Committee
3) G V K Rao Committee
4) LM Singhvi Committee
Finally, the 73 rd constitutional amendment act, 1992 added new Part-IX
to the constitution entitled ‘The Pachayats’.

STRENGTH OF SUPREME AND HIGH COURTS

The strength (number of judges) of the Supreme Court is determined
by the Parliament the constitution does not specify the strength of a
high court and leaves it to the discretion of the president.

ZONAL COUNCILS
The Zonal Councils are the statutory (and not constitutional) bodies.
They are established by an Act of the Parliament, that is, States
Reorganization Act of 1956.The union Home minister acts as the
common chairman of each zonal council. Each chief minister acts as
a vice-chairman of the council by rotation, holding office for a period of
one year at a time.

MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMNTS

Minimum age requirement is as follows:
Lok Sabha – 25 years
Rajya Sabha – 30 years
Legislative Council – 30 years
Governor/President/Vice-President – 35 years

AICHI TARGETS

The ‘Aichi Target’ adopted by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at

its Nagoya conference.

In the COP-10 meeting, the parties agreed that previous biodiversity

protection targets are not achieved, So we need to do come up with new
plans and targets

The short term plan provides a set of 20 ambitious yet achievable targets,
collectively known as the Aichi Targets.

Strategic Goal A: Address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss by

mainstreaming biodiversity across government and society

1. Make people aware about the values of biodiversity

2. Integrated biodiversity values in development + poverty reduction plan
3. Subsidies which are harmful to biodiversity = and eliminate them, phase
them out or reform them
4. Sustainable production and consumption

Strategic Goal B: Reduce the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote

sustainable use.

5. Reduce the rate of natural habitat loss + forest loss by at least 50%
6. Reduce overfishing
7. Agriculture, aquaculture and forestry in sustainable manner
8. Reduce pollution and excessive use of fertiliser
9. Prevent invasive alien species (non-native)
10. Minimise the choral reflow destruction, ocean acidification

Strategic Goal C: To improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding

ecosystems, species and genetic diversity
11. Conserve terrestrial and inland water, coastal – marine areas
12. Prevent extinction of threatened species
13. Maintain genetic diversity of agro-plants, domesticated animals and
minimising genetic erosion

Strategic Goal D: Enhance the benefits to all from biodiversity and

ecosystem services

14. Safeguard ecosystems for women, tribals, and poor.

15. Combat desertification and restore the degraded ecosystem
16. Operationalise the nagoya protocol on genetic resources, via national
legislations

Strategic Goal E: Enhance implementation through participatory planning,

knowledge management and capacity building

17. National biodiversity strategy and action plans – update for participation
18. Integrate the knowledge of tribal communities
19. Scientific and technological knowledge sharing application
20. Financial resources mobilisation

The IUCN Species Programme provides advice to Parties, other governments

and partners on the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and
it’s Aichi Biodiversity Targets (2011 – 2020), and is also heavily involved in
work towards the Targets themselves.

BLUE CARBON UNEP INITIATIVE

The initiative aims at achieving the following overall targets by 2025:- Reversing the current trend of
the degradation of marine and coastal habitats and maintaining the amount of carbon sequestration;-
Significantly increasing the area of Blue Carbon ecosystems under effective ecosystem-based
management; and- Mobilising US$40 million for protecting and rehabilitating coastal and marine
habitats, thus enhancing their capacity for carbon storage and sequestration.

UNEP’s Blue Carbon Initiative aims to develop a global partnership to advance the sound
management of coastal and marine ecosystems in order to ensure that their carbon sequestration and
storage functions are maintained, and emissions of greenhouse gases are avoided. Furthermore,
ecosystem-based management of Blue Carbon sinks should be appropriately incorporated into global
climate change mitigation discussions and financing schemes. It supports the development both of
global, regional and national policies for ecosystem management and of possible financial
instruments to maintain and enhance sequestration in Blue Carbon ecosystems.Its proposed key
elements are:1. Developing methodologies, standardized around the world, for carbon accounting and
economic valuation of ecosystem services in coastal blue carbon ecosystems;2. Using these
methodologies in a range of small-scale interventions;3. Filling gaps in our knowledge of ecosystem
services and of carbon sequestration and fluxes in blue carbon ecosystems;4. Exploring how the
international community can adopt the methodologies to influence international climate frameworks
and create incentives for protecting ecosystem services and carbon sequestration.These objectives
are aligned with the UNEP Marine and Coastal Strategy under its stream on Ecosystems for Human
Well-being.

KAIGA NUCLEAR POWERPLANT

The Kaiga nuclear power plant, which is located in
western Karnataka, has created a world record for the longest
uninterrupted operation of 941 days.
* It broke the earlier record of 940 days by the Heysham plant in
the United Kingdom.

FDCs
According to a study, of the 110 anti-TB (tuberculosis) Fixed Dose
Combinations (FDCs) available in India, only 32 (less than 30%) have
been approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation
(CDSCO), the country’s drug regulator.
An FDC is a cocktail of two or more active drug ingredients in a fixed
ratio of doses.
FDCs’ popularity in India is due to advantages such as increased
efficacy, better compliance, reduced cost and simpler logistics of
distribution.

DRUGS AND COSMETICS ACT

Commonly used medical devices such as nebulizers, blood pressure
monitors, digital thermometers and glucometers have been notified as
drugs under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, a step which will enable the
government to ensure their quality and performance.
Currently, only 23 medical devices are monitored for quality by the
country’s drug regulator. With four new devices being notified, 27
medical devices now fall under the definition of drugs under the Act.
The other medical equipments are sold without any quality checks or
clinical trials.

PCS1X
PCS 1x’ is a cloud based new generation technology, with user-
friendly interface.
* This system seamlessly integrates stakeholders from the maritime
trade on a single platform.
The platform has the potential to revolutionize maritime trade in India
and bring it at par with global best practices and pave the way to
improve the Ease of Doing Business world ranking and Logistics
Performance Index (LPI) ranks.

FNPP
Akademik Lomonosov is the world’s first “floating” nuclear power plant
(FNPP). It is coming up in Russia.
Key facts: An FNPP is basically a mobile, low-capacity reactor unit
operable in remote areas isolated from the main power distribution
system, or in places hard to access by land. They are designed to
maintain both uninterruptible power and plentiful desalinated water
supply in remote areas

NCDS
Though the subject does not fall under the purview of Parliament, the
Centre has decided to introduce this bill mainly because dam safety is
an issue of concern in the country. And there are no legal and
institutional safeguards in this regard.
The Bill provides for proper surveillance, inspection, operation and
maintenance of all specified dams in the country to ensure their safe
functioning.
* The Bill provides for constitution of a National Committee on Dam
Safety which shall evolve dam safety policies and recommend
necessary regulations as may be required for the purpose.

NMG
The National Mission on GeM (NMG) was launched on 5 th September
2018 to accelerate the adoption and use of Procurement by Major
Central Ministries, States and UTs and their agencies (including
CPSUs/PSUs, Local Bodies) on the GeM platform.
Objectives of the NMG:
* Increase overall efficiency leading to significant cost saving on
government expenditure in Procurement.
* Maximizing ease in availability of all types of products and services
bought by Government buyers.

GROUND WATER INDIA

In India, extracted groundwater is mainly used for irrigation and
accounts for about 228 BCM (billion cubic metre) — or about 90% of
the annual groundwater extraction. The rest, 25 BCM, is drawn for
drinking, domestic and industrial uses.
* India is the largest user of groundwater in the world, and accounts
for about 25% of the global water extraction.

MONUMENTS AND STYLE

Qadam Rasul mosque in Gaur, West Bengal belongs to Bengal School
with Prominent features like use of black marble and Bengal roof.
* Raani Roopmati pavilion, Jahaz Mahal, Ashrafi Mahal belongs to
malwa school with finest specimens of environmental adaptation.
* Atala mosque belongs to Sharqi or Jaunpur School. The prominent
feature is use of big panels and absence of minarets.
* Teen Darwaza belongs to Gujarat school promoted by Ahmed Shah,
Mahmud Begra.

CHAMPARAN SATYAGRAH 1917

Champaran Satyagraha, 1917
● When Gandhiji returned from South Africa, he heard about the case
in Champaran that the British forced the poor peasants to grow indigo
and they had no other choice.
● More than cultivation of Indigo what was appalling was the sharing
system that was prevalent –Tinkathia System.
(According to the Tinkathia System, farmers were under compulsion to
grow Indigo on 3/20 th of their land and were allowed to take only one-
third of the indigo produced by themselves)
● Raj Kumar Shukla was an indigo cultivator of Champaran (Bihar),
who met Gandhiji to make him aware of the plight of the cultivators in
Champaran and persuaded him to come there.
● It was during this agitation, that Gandhi was addressed by the
people as Bapu (This was given by Subhash Chandra Bose) and
Mahatma (It was given by Rabindranath Tagore).
● Very significant aspect of the Champaran Satyagraha was the
joining of peasant unrest to India's National Movement.

IFMC
The IFMC services will be activated once the aircraft attains a
minimum height of 3,000 metres in Indian airspace to avoid
interference with terrestrial mobile networks.
The IFMC licences will be granted against an annual fee of Re 1 for a
period of 10 years and the permit holder will have to pay licence fees
and spectrum charges based on revenue earned from providing
services.
The government recently notified Flight and Maritime Connectivity
Rules, 2018 thereby allowing phone calls and internet on flights and
ship voyage within India’s territory.

WEST JERUSALEM
Australia has recognized West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. With
this, Australia has become one of the few countries that officially
recognize West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Background:
Both Israel and the Palestinians claim Jerusalem as their Capital and
this despite is not resolved yet.
United States President Donald Trump’s administration had also
announced recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on December
6, 2017.
The UN General Assembly passed a resolution in opposition to declare
the US President Donald Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem as Israel’s
capital “null and void”. India also supported the resolution, which was
approved with a majority of 127-9 at the UN General Assembly calling
for the US to withdraw its decision.

TRMN
India has signed the ascension agreement to the Trans Regional
Maritime Network (T-RMN). The multilateral construct comprises of 30
countries and is steered by Italy.
* India already has bilateral White Shipping Agreements with 36
countries.
About the Trans Regional Maritime Network (T-RMN):
The network facilitates information exchange on the movement of
commercial traffic on the high seas.

NRTI
India’s first railway university has been opened in Vadodara– It is
named as the National Rail and Transportation Institution (NRTI).
Key facts:
* The Railway University will be first of its kind institution in the nation
and the third in the world after Russia and China.
* It will be a deemed university which will offer professional courses in
technology and management of transportation networks.
JANJIRA FORT
The fort is famed as the Unconquered fort of India. It was built by
Malik Ambar of Nizamshahi dynasty and later remained under the
control of Siddis. Shivaji, Portugese and British East India company
made failed attempts to conquer it. It is only of its kind sea fort in the
country.

NAI
The National Archives of India (NAI) is a repository of the non-current
records of the Government of India and holds them in trust for the use
of administrators and scholars. Originally established as the Imperial
Record Department in 1891, in Calcutta, the capital of British India, the
NAI is situated at the intersection of Janpath and Rajpath, in Delhi. It
functions as an Attached Office of the Department of Culture under the
Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

WATER FALLS
Dudhsagar Falls (literally Sea of Milk) is a four-tiered waterfall located
on the Mandovi River in the Indian state of Goa.
The Hundru Falls is created on the course of the Subarnarekha River.
The Hundru Falls is a waterfall located in Ranchi district in the Indian
state of Jharkhand. It is the 34th highest waterfall in India.
Jog Falls is created by the Sharavathi River dropping 253 m (830 ft),
making it the second-highest plunge waterfall in India after the
Nohkalikai Falls with a drop of 335 m (1100 ft) in Meghalaya.

SAHITYA ACADEMY AWARD2018

Tamil writer, traveller, essayist and scriptwriter S. Ramakrishnan has
won the Sahitya Akademi Award for 2018 for his novel Sancharam,
which poignantly captures the lives of nagaswaram players in karisal
bhoomi – the arid land – of Tamil Nadu.
* The novel places their music and struggle for a livelihood in the
context of the decline of agriculture.

E VIDHAN
* It is a Mission Mode Project (MMP) comes under the Digital India
Programme.
* Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (MoPA) is the ‘Nodal Ministry’ for its
implementation in all the 31 States/UTs with Legislatures.
* The funding for e-Vidhan is provided by the (MoPA) and technical
support by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MietY).

FAROUT
‘Farout’ Dwarf Planet:
What is it? It is the most-distant body ever observed in our solar
system discovered recently. It is located over 100 times farther than
Earth is from the Sun.
* It has been given the provisional designation 2018 VG18. It is at
about 120 astronomical units (AU), where 1 AU is defined as the
distance between the Earth and the Sun.

SHIKSHA SETU
Shiksha Setu:
What is it? Shiksha Setu is a mobile application launched by Haryana
Government.
Aim: To bring in Transparency in the education department and in the
administration of colleges and to increase the connectivity between
students, parents, teachers and administration.

NSM
National Supercomputing Mission (NSM):
The Mission envisages empowering national academic and R&D
institutions spread over the country by installing a vast
supercomputing grid comprising of more than 70 high-performance
computing facilities.
Agencies involved:
* The Mission would be implemented and steered jointly by the
Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Department of
Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) over a period of seven
years.
* The tender to build these high performance computers (HPC) had
been floated by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing
(C-DAC).

INF INTERMEDIATE RANGE NUCLEAR FORCES TREATY

Russia has confirmed that the United States of America has decided to
cancel the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty signed
between Russian and the USA in 1987. The USA had already
announced the withdrawal decision from the INF treaty in October
2018.

SANTHAL UPRISING
• In Santhal Uprising, Sido and Kanhu were the principal rebel leaders.
• The Santhals lived in the area between Bhagalpur and Rajmahal,
known as Damani-Koh.
• The struggle was against the exploitation carried out by zamindars,
Moneylenders which they term Dikus (Outsiders) and British. It
decided to raise the banner of revolt, get rid of the outsiders and their
colonial masters once and for all.

EASTERN COAST VS WESTERN COST

A. Due to Southwest monsoon, western coast receives more
rainfall than the eastern coast. Southeast monsoon strikes
with the Western Ghats and causes heavy rainfall on the
western coastal plain whereas makes the other side of the
Western Ghats a rain shadow area.
B. The western coastal plains are an example of submerged
coastal plain, whereas Eastern coastal plain are an example
of Emergent coast.
C. Eastern coast has less numbers of ports and harbours as
compared to western coast because eastern coastal plains
are broader and the continental shelf extends upto 500 km
into the sea. Water level near the coast is very shallow and
the ships cannot come nearer to the landmass.
D. In the case of western coastal plains, continental shelf is
very narrow which make it an ideal coast for ports and
harbours. Some important natural ports of the western coast
of India are Kandla, Mazagaon, JLN Port, Navha Sheva,
Marmagao, Mangalore and Cochin.

LAKSHDWEEP ISLAND
A. Lakshadweep Islands are entirely built of coral deposits unlike
Andaman & Nicobar Islands where coral deposits are present only on
the coast line. Lakshadweep is an archipelago of twelve atolls, three
reefs and five submerged banks. Lakshadweep is located 280-480 km
off the Kerala coast. The capital of Lakshadweep is Kavaratti. There
are approx. 36 islands of which 11 are inhabited.
B. Minicoy is the largest island in Lakshadweep. The entire group of
islands is broadly divided by Eleventh degree channel; north of which
is Amini Island and Canannore Island is on the south of it.

RISHI
In Kashmir, the Rishi order of Sufism flourished in the 15th and 16th
centuries. This order was established by Sheikh Nuruddin Wali also
known as Nund Rishi and had a deep impact on the life of the people
in Kashmir. A number of shrines dedicated to Rishi saints can be
found in many parts of Kashmir

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES

The Department of Public Enterprises falls under the Ministry of Hea vy
Industries and Public Enterprises and is responsible for the
administration of the 48 Central Public Sector Enterprises and assists
them in their effort to improve capacity utilisation.

The Department of Public Enterprises acts as a nodal agency for all

Public Sector Enterprises. It helps in policy formulation regarding the
role of PSEs in Indian Economy.
The Estimates Committee of 3rd Lok Sabha (1962-67) stressed the
need for setting up a centralized coordinating unit, for continual
appraisal of PSEs. This led to the culmination in form of Department of
Public enterprises in 1990.

ICW
* Japan has decided to withdraw from the International Whaling
Commission (IWC) and will resume commercial whaling July next
year.
* However, Japan will not be able to continue the so-called scientific
research hunts in the Antarctic that it has been exceptionally allowed
as an IWC member under the Antarctic Treaty.
* The withdrawal also means Japan joins Iceland and Norway in
openly defying the IWC's ban on commercial whale hunting.

BATTLE OF GUNS
The Battle of Gujrat was a decisive battle in the Second Anglo-Sikh
War. It was also called as the “Battle of Guns”. Here, the Sikh armies
were led by Mulraj. General Dalhousie declared a war.
BOGIBEEL BRIDGE
* Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25 th Dec 2018 inaugurated the 4.94
km long Bogibeel Bridge in Assam.
* It is India’s longest rail-cum-road road bridge, on the
river Bramhaputra.
* The bridge is constructed at an estimated cost of 5,800 crore
rupees.
* It is situated 17 km downstream of Dibrugarh city in Assam.

GRAPHENE
Graphene has been touted in the global electronics industry as a
“miracle material” given its strength, electrical conductivity and
elasticity, and has been seen as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries
since its discovery in 2004. It is a form of carbon that can be used to
develop smaller, slimmer batteries but with higher capacity.
Graphene is widely used in making solar cells, light-emitting diodes,
touch panels and smart windows. Graphene supercapacitors serve as
energy storage devices with a capacity for faster charging and longer
life span than traditional electrolytic batteries.

ASBESTOS AND TALC

What is talc, and why is asbestos relevant?
Talc is a mineral in clay mined from underground deposits. It’s the
softest mineral known to man and that makes it useful in a wide range
of consumer and industrial products.
Asbestos is also found underground, and veins of it can often be found
in talc deposits, leading to a risk of cross-contamination, geologists
say.
About Asbestos:
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals, which all
have in common their eponymous asbestiform habit: i.e., long (roughly
1:20 aspect ratio), thin fibrous crystals, with each visible fiber
composed of millions of microscopic “fibrils” that can be released by
abrasion and other processes.

GLOBAL GENDER GAB INDEX

It is published annually by the world economic forum since 2006.
Global gender gap index is a part of this which measures gender
equality across four pillars– they are economic opportunity, political
empowerment, educational attainment and health and survival.
India stood at 108 out of the 149 countries in 2018, the same as in
2017.
Performance of various countries:
* Iceland has been ranked as Number 1. It is followed by Norway,
Sweden and Finland.
* Other countries in top 10 include Nicaragua, Rwanda, New Zealand,
Philippines, Ireland and Namibia.

EMRS
In the context of establishing quality residential schools for
the promotion of education, Eklavya Model Residential Schools
(EMRSs) for ST students are set up in States/UTs with provisioning of
funds through “Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution”.
As per the budget 2018-19, every block with more than 50% ST
population and at least 20,000 tribal persons will have an Eklavya
Model Residential School by 2022.
What is Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS)?
EMRS is a Government of India scheme for model residential school
for Indian tribals (Scheduled Tribes, ST) across India.

SOCIAL REFORMERS AND WORKS

Bal Shastri Jambekar authored Darpan.
• Mulshankar also was known as Dayanand Saraswathi authored
Satyarth Prakash.
• Raja Ram Mohan Roy authored Mirat-Ul-Akbar.
• Jyotirao Phule authored Gulamgiri.

ARUNACHAL HIMALYAS
A. Arunachal Himalayas starts from Bhutan Himalayas in the west upto
Diphu pass in the east. Important mountain peaks of this region are
Kangtu and Namcha Barwa. Some known tribes that reside here are
Monpa, Daffla, Abor, Mishmi, Nishi and the Nagas. These tribes
practice Jhum cultivation. This area is rich in biodiversity.
B. Rivers flowing here are perennial and support hydro-electric
projects. Fast flowing river Brahmaputra flows here and forms deep
gorges. Some other important rivers present here are Lohit, Dibang,
Dihang and Kameng. .
C. River Tista originates in the Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas.
These Himalayas is between the Nepal Himalayas in the west and
Bhutan Himalayas in the east.

SOCIAL REFORMS AND AREAS

• Prarthana Samaj was founded by Athmaram Pandurang in 1867 in
Maharastra with an aim to make people believe in one God and
worship only one God. It became popular after Mahadev Gobind
Ranade joined.
• Arya Samaj: It is an Indian religious reform movement founded by
Swami Dayananda on 7 April 1875. He was a sannyasi who promoted
the Vedas. Dayananda emphasized the ideals of brahmacharya
(chastity) for priests. Arya Samaj was very active and successful in
Punjab and to some extent in UP, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.
• Brahmo Samaj: It was started at Calcutta on 20 August 1828 by Raja
Ram Mohan Roy and Debendranath Tagore as a reformation of the
prevailing Brahmanism of the time (specifically Kulin practices).

BHASA SANGAM
The Human Resource Development Ministry (MHRD) has launched an
initiative called 'Bhasha Sangam'to enhance linguistic tolerance and
acquaint the school students with all 22 Indian languages of Schedule
VIII of the Constitution of India.

FOREST PROTECTION MOVEMENTS IN INDIA

Amrita Devi pioneered the Bishnoi movement in Rajasthan to protect
Khejri Trees, her efforts materialized in promoting the concept of
sacred grooves.Chipko Movement traces its roots to Uttrakhand its
main architect was Sundar Lal Bahuguna who enlightened the villagers
to hug trees in an attempt to save it from commercial exploitation.
Save Silent Valley movement originated in 1970 in Palakkad District of
Kerala against commissioning of hydroelectric project which could
threatened ecological balance while Jungle Bachao Andlon was
started in erstwhile Bihar ( now Jharkhand ) in protest against
Government move to replace natural Sal forest with commercial teak
plantation.

NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS AND SITES

Tarapur Atomic Power Station was constructed through the agreement
between India, USA and International Atomic Energy (IAE) in Palgahar
district of Maharashtra. Rawatbhata Nucelar Power Station located in
Rajasthan having Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor. Kakrapar Nuclear
Station which is lies in Gujarat h. Narora Atomic Power Station is
situated at Bulandshahar district in Uttar Pradesh.

MIKO2
Miko 2, India's first advanced 'personal robot' for children.
* It was launched by the Indian Institute of Technology – Bombay (IIT-
B) who are Co-founders of a start-up called Emotix.
* The robot aims to help modern parents in early education and
development of children by engaging the child in “playful learning.”
Robots can start long conversations with children and provide
academic and general knowledge.

ULTIMA THULE
NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, the same craft that made
humanity’s first-ever visit to Pluto in 2015, is approaching its next
target, a Kuiper Belt object a billion miles beyond Pluto, nicknamed
Ultima Thule. It will be another first for New Horizons, the farthest
planetary flyby in human history.
Key facts- Ultima Thule:
§ Ultima Thule is located in the Kuiper belt in the outermost regions of
the Solar System, beyond the orbit of Neptune.

ANGEL TAX
Over the past few weeks, several startups have reportedly been
receiving notices from the I-T department asking them to clear taxes
on the angel funding they raised, and in some cases, levying a penalty
for not paying Angel Tax.
Angel Tax is a 30% tax that is levied on the funding received by
startups from an external investor. However, this 30% tax is levied
when startups receive angel funding at a valuation higher than its ‘fair
market value’. It is counted as income to the company and is taxed.
The tax, under section 56(2)(viib), was introduced by in 2012 to fight
money laundering.

STARTUP RANKING 2018

DIPP began the exercise to review the Start-up ecosystem of the
states from January 2016.
States’ Startup Ranking 2018:
§ Top Performers: Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, and Rajasthan.
§ Leaders: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh,
and Telangana.
§ Aspiring Leaders: Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttar
Pradesh, and West Bengal.
§ Emerging States: Assam, Delhi, Goa, Jammu & Kashmir,
Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand.
§ Beginners: Chandigarh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry,
Sikkim, and Tripura.

SDG INDIA INDEX2018

The NITI Aayog has released the Baseline Report of the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDG) India Index 2018, documenting the
progress made by India’s States and Union Territories (UTs) towards
implementation of the 2030 SDG targets.
The SDG India Index was developed in collaboration with the Ministry
of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Global Green
Growth Institute and United Nations in India.
§ The index comprises a composite score for each State and Union
Territorybased on their aggregate performance across 13 of the 17
SDGs
§ The aim of the index is to instil competition among States to improve
their performance across social indices as the States’ progress will
determine India’s progress towards achieving the set goals by 2030.

ISOTRETINOIN
Isotretinoin is an oral drug, which is used in the treatment of severe
acne. Isotretinoin capsules of 10 mg/20 mg were approved by CDSCO
in 2002 for the treatment of cystic and conglobate acne, and severe
nodular acne unresponsive to antibiotic therapy.
It was later found that Isotretinoin can cause birth defects in progeny if
not taken without proper guidance.

ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS

A. The Ten Degree channel is the channel that separates the
Andaman Islands from the Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal.
B. Barren Island is the only active volcano in India, situated in the
Nicobar Islands.
C. Some important mountain peaks of Andaman Islands are Saddle
peak (North Andaman), Mount Diavolo (Middle Andaman) and Mount
Koyob (South Andaman).
D. In India, equatorial vegetation is found in Andaman & Nicobar
Islands, parts of North- Eastern states and a narrow strip of the
western slope of the Western Ghats.

KRAKATOA
Krakatoa is a volcanic island situated in the Sunda Strait between the
islands of Java and Sumatra in the Indonesian province of Lampung. It
is recently hit by tsunami. The tsunami is believed to have been
caused by undersea landslides from volcanic activity.
Before the recent eruptions of December 2018, it was last erupted in
1883.

LALITGIRI BUDDHIST MUSEUM

Buddhist site museum has been inaugurated at Lalitgiri in Odisha. It
would be the third site museum of the Bhubaneswar circle of the
Archaeological Survey of India after Ratnagiri and Konark.
Together with the Ratnagiri and Udayagiri sites, Lalitagiri is part of
Puspagiri University located on top of hills of the same names. The
three complexes are known as the “Diamond Triangle”. According to
excavations found at the site, Tantric Buddhism was believed to be
practiced here.

PCR PUBLIC CREDIT REGISTRY

The PCR is an extensive database of credit information of all
borrowers and willful defaulters. The idea is to capture all relevant
information in one large database. This would be assessible to all
stakeholders including the borrowers.
The proposed PCR will also include data from entities like market
regulator SEBI, the corporate affairs ministry, Goods and Service Tax
Network (GSTN) and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India
(IBBI). It is to enable banks and financial institutions to get a 360-
degree profile of the existing as well as prospective borrowers on a
real-time basis.

KALIA SCHEME
Recently Odisha cabinet has approved the Krushak Assistance for
Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme for the
development of farmers at the state.
As per the scheme, an amount of Rs. 10,000 per family at the rate of
Rs. 5,000 each for Kharif and Rabi seasons shall be provided as
financial assistance for taking up cultivation. Deserving families will be
identified and selected by gram panchayats. About 10 lakh households
will be covered over two years under this scheme.

MARS EXPRESS MISSION

Mars Express Mission was launched back in June 2003 by ESA
(European Space Agency) and entered orbit around the red planet in
December of the same year. Since then, the probe has been surveying
the surface of Mars using a high-resolution camera as well as other
tools like radars and spectrometers.
Korolev is an icy- crater on Mars found recently. The crater floor can
reach depths of two kilometers (1.2 miles) below its rim, deeper than
Earth’s Grand Canyon.

THEATRES
Bhand Pather, the traditional theatre form of Kashmir, is a unique combination of dance,
music and acting. Satire, wit and parody are preferred for inducing laughter. In this theatre
form, music is provided with surnai, nagaara and dhol. Since the actors of Bhand Pather are
mainly from the farming community, the impact of their way of living, ideals and sensitivity is
discernible.
* Krishnattam, folk theatre of Kerala, came into existence in the middle of 17th century A.D.
under the patronage of King Manavada of Calicut. Krishnattam is a cycle of eight plays
performed for eight consecutive days. The episodes are based on the theme of Lord
Krishna.
* Bhavai is the traditional theatre form of Gujarat. The centers of this form are Kutch and
Kathiawar. In Bhavai, there is a rare synthesis of devotional and romantic sentiments.
* Bhaonais a presentation of the Ankia Naat of Assam. In Bhaona cultural glimpses of
Assam, Bengal Orissa, Mathura and Brindavan can be seen. The Sutradhaar, or narrator
begins the story, first in Sanskrit and then in either Brajboli or Assamese.

CITIZENSHIP
The citizenship act, 1955 enacted by the parliament to provide for the acquisition and
determination of Indian Citizenship.
• The act provides for five ways of acquiring Indian Citizenship – Birth, descent,
naturalisation, Registration, By incorporation of territories
• The loss of citizenship by – Renunciation, termination, Deprivation

NATYASHASHTRA
Natyashastra, in full Bharata Natyashastra, also called Natyasastra, detailed treatise and
handbook on dramatic art that deals with all aspects of classical Sanskrit theatre. It is
believed to have been written by the mythic Brahman sage and priest Bharata (1st century
BCE–3rd century CE).
* Its many chapters contain detailed treatments of all the diverse arts that are embodied in
the classical Indian concept of the drama, including dance, music, poetics, and general
aesthetics. Its primary importance lies in its justification of Indian drama as a vehicle of
religious enlightenment.
* Abhinavagupta (c. 950 – 1016 AD) was a philosopher, mystic and aesthetician from
Kashmir. One of his very important contributions was in the field of philosophy of aesthetics
with his famous Abhinavabhāratī commentary of Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharata Muni.

MAHILA POLICE VOLUNTEER SCHEME

The proposal from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka
and Madhya Pradesh for the implementation of Mahila Police Volunteer Scheme has been
approved by the union government.
Haryana was the first state to adopt the initiative of Mahila Police Volunteer at Karnal and
Mahindergarh District on a pilot basis under the Nirbhaya Fund during the financial year
2016-2017.
Mahila Police Volunteer Scheme
The Mahila Police Volunteer was initiated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs.

NCIM NATIONAL COMMISSION OF INDIAN SYSTEMS OF

MEDICINE
The Union Cabinet approved the draft National Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine
(NCIM) Bill, 2018, which seeks to replace the existing regulator, the Central Council for
Indian Medicine (CCIM), with a new body to ensure transparency and accountability.
It also proposes a common entrance exam and an exit exam, which all graduates will have
to clear to get practising licenses. Further, a teacher’s eligibility test has been proposed in
the Bill to assess the standard of teachers before appointment and promotions.”

MSP MINOR FOREST PRODUCE

Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India is the Nodal Ministry for implementation of the
scheme.
The Scheme has been implemented in eight States having Schedule areas as listed in the
Fifth Schedule of the constitution of India. From November 2016, the scheme is applicable in
all States.

NOTA
2013 People’s Union for Civil Liberties v/s Union Of India Case:
Supreme Court ruled that a None of the Above (NOTA) option “may be provided in EVMs” so
that voters are able to exercise their “right not to vote while maintaining their right of
secrecy”.
The Election Commission also clarified that even though votes cast as NOTA are counted,
they are considered as invalid votes so they will not change the outcome of the election
process. The specific symbol for NOTA, a ballot paper with a black cross across it, was
introduced on 18 September 2015.
CHILDREN SCIENCE CONGRESS
26th National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC) is being held in Odisha.
Theme: “Science, Technology and Innovation for a Clean, Green and Healthy Nation.”
It is a forum children of the age-group of 10-17 years, both from formal school system as
well as from out of school, to exhibit their creativity and innovativeness and more particularly
their ability to solve a societal problem experienced locally using by method of science.

MUSICAL TEXTS AND AUTHORS

Sangeet Ratnakara by Sarangadeva
* Brihaddeshi by Matanga
* Sangeeta Makaranda by Nanda
* Chaturdandi-prakasika by Venkatamakhin

CARNATIC MUSIC
Pandit Jasraj (born 28 January 1930) is an Indian classical vocalist, belonging to the Mewati
gharana.
* Bade Ghulam Ali Khan was a Hindustani classical vocalist, from the Patiala Gharana.
* Ustad Aman Ali Khan 'Amar' (1888–1953) was an Indian classical vocalist and composer
from the Bhendibazaar Gharana. He brought many Carnatic ragas into Hindustani classical
music.
* Girija Devi (8 May 1929 – 24 October 2017) was an Indian classical singer of the Seniya
and Banaras gharanas. She performed classical and light classical music and helped
elevate the profile of thumri.

MOHAN REDDY COMMITTEE

A government committee headed by IIT-Hyderabad chairman B V R Mohan Reddyhas
submitted its report and that its suggestions are being considered by AICTE.
The committee was appointed to come up with a medium and short-term perspective
plan for expansion in engineering education.

KHUSI SCHEME
As part of its initiatives to empower women, the Odisha government, last year, launched this
scheme to provide free sanitary napkins to school girls across the state.
* The scheme will be implemented by the health and family welfare department of the
state at a cost of 70 crore per year.
* Under this scheme, the Health Department of Odisha Government aims to provide
free sanitary pads to 1.7 million girl students from grade 6th to 12th in government
and government-aided schools. Also, it aims to promote health and hygiene among school
going girls and higher retention of girls in school.

12 NATIONAL BIOLOGOCAL TARGETS

India recently submitted its Sixth National Report to the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD).
India is among the first five countries in the world, the first in Asia and the first among
the biodiversity-rich megadiverse countries to have submitted the report.
* The report highlights that while India has exceeded/ overachieved two NBTs, it is on track
to achieve eight NBTs and with respect to two remaining NBTs, the country is striving to
meet the targets by the stipulated time of 2020.
The ‘Aichi Target’ adopted by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at its Nagoya
conference. The short term plan provides a set of 20 ambitious yet achievable targets,
collectively known as the Aichi Targets.

SPACE ACTIVITIES BILL 2017

The government is likely to introduce the Space Activities Bill, 2017, which will allow
commercial use of space, in the budget session of 2019.
Features of Space activities bill 2017:
* It is a proposed Bill to promote and regulate the space activities of India.
* The new Bill encourages the participation of non-governmental/private sector
agencies in space activities in India under the guidance and authorisation of the
government through the Department of Space.
* The provisions of this Act shall apply to every citizen of India and to all sectors
engaged in any space activity in India or outside India.

INDO-US 2+2 DIALOGUE

The United States welcomed India’s accession to the Australia Group, the Wassenaar
Arrangement, and the Missile Technology Control Regime and reiterated its full support for
India’s immediate accession to the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
The two sides further decided to establish secure communication between the Minister of
External Affairs of India and the U.S. Secretary of State, and between the Minister of
Defence of India and the U.S. Secretary of Defense, to help maintain regular high-level
communication on emerging developments.

TRINITY OF CARNATIC MUSIC

Trinity of Carnatic music refer to the outstanding trio of composer-musicians of Carnatic
music in the 18th century, being Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri.
* Prolific in composition, the Trinity of Carnatic music are known for creating a new era in the
history of Carnatic music by bringing about a noticeable change in what was the existing
Carnatic music tradition.
* Compositions of the Trinity of Carnatic music are recognised as being distinct in style, and
original in handling ragas. All three composers were born at Thiruvarur formerly part of
Thanjavur District in Tamil Nadu.

GANDHARVA MAHAVIDYALAY
Gandharva Mahavidhyalaya was set up in Lahore in 1901 to teach Indian Classical Music
but was later shifted to Bombay in 1915.
* Spic Macay was founded by Kiran Seth in 1977. It aims to promote Indian Classical Music
amongst the youth.
* Marris College of Music was founded by Vishnu Narayan Bhatkande in 1926. It is currently
known as Bhatkande Music Institute.
HARAPPAN SCRIPT

SRPHI
Survey on Retail Payment Habits of Individuals (SRPHi). it is a survey launched by the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The survey will capture payment habits of individuals in six
cities, including four metropolitan towns.
The survey will cover a sample of 6,000 individuals from various socio-economic
backgrounds across six cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Guwahati.

IBMS INDIAN BRIDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

How it operates?
1) During inventory creation each bridge is assigned a unique identification numberor
National Identity Number based on the state, RTO zone and whether it is situated on an
National Highway, State Highway or is a district road.
2) Then the precise location of the bridge in terms of latitude-longitude is collected
through GPS and based on this, the bridge is assigned a Bridge Location Number.
3) These are then used to do a structural rating of the structure on a scale of 0 to 9, and
each bridge is assigned a Structural Rating Number.
4) In addition to the structural rating, the bridges are also being assigned Socio-Economic
Bridge Rating Number which will decide the importance of the structure in relation to its
contribution to daily socio-economic activity of the area in its vicinity.

CINEREOUS VULTURE
Bird watchers and researchers recently sighted Cinereous vulture in Hazaribagh in
Jharkhand.
During the winter, the Cinereous vulture migrates from the mountainous regions of Europe
and Asia to warmer places, including India.
• Cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus) draws its name from “monachus”, which means
hooded (like a monk) in Latin.
• It is also known as the black vulture, monk vulture, or Eurasian black vulture.
• It is classified as Near Threatened under the IUCN Red List.

ARIA
U.S. President Donald J. Trump has signed into law the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act
(ARIA), which has already been passed by the U.S. Senate.
• The ARIA Act, specifically, calls for America’s increased engagement in the Indo-Pacific
region and strengthened support, including arms sales, for U.S. allies in the region.
• The act develops a long-term strategic vision and a comprehensive, multifaceted, and
principled United States policy for the Indo-Pacific region.
ASSAM ACCORD
Clause 6 of the Assam Accord “envisaged that appropriate constitutional, legislative and
administrative safeguards shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural,
social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.”
The Assam Accord (1985) was a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) signed between
representatives of the Government of India and the leaders of the Assam Movement in New
Delhi on 15 August 1985.

NATO
Truman Doctrine: The Truman Doctrine was an American foreign policy announced by
President Harry S. Truman on March 12, 1947 whose purpose was to counter Soviet
geopolitical expansion during the Cold War.
Formation of North Atlantic Treaty Organization: NATO was formed on 4th April,1949. It is
an intergovernmental military alliance between North American and European countries.
Warsaw Pact: The Warsaw Pact was a defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland between
the Soviet Union and seven Soviet satellite states of Central and Eastern Europe in May
1955, during the Cold War.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Nagada is a kettle drum that was used in naubatkhanas or courtroom gatherings of the past.
It was earlier used to announce a public declaration or signal the guards. These generally
have a diameter of 1 to 2 feet. This instrument is often associated with a Shehnai.
* Algoze is a musical instrument that has originated from Sindhi music and has found a place
in Punjabi and Baloch musical genres as well. It is a flute-like instrument with a pair of
wooden pipes.
* Sarinda is a tribal music instrument used by Santhals in Eastern India and also used in
Rajasthan and Assam. It is like Sarangi.

HISTORY OF ENGLISH EDUCATION IN INDIA

Charter Act of 1813 permitted Christian missionaries to propagate English and preach their
religion. It was also a landmark in that it was 1st official move on education in India by British
where a dedicated grant for education was provided.
In 1823, the Governor-General-in Council appointed a “General Committee of Public
Instruction”, with Lord Macaulay as the president. The committee decided to spend major
portions from the grant for the improvement of oriental literature.
The committee was not able to decide the medium of instruction by vote leading to Anglicist
and Classicists controversy.

WAYU
Air pollution control device WAYU (Wind Augmentation Purifying Unit) for traffic junctions
was recently inaugurated in Delhi.
• WAYU is developed by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – National
Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) as a part of Technology
Development Project funded by Department of Science and Technology.
MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT
Election Commission (EC) has announced that Model Code of Conduct comes into force
immediately in states where legislative assemblies have been dissolved prematurely.
• EC has also held that after dissolution caretaker government as well as the central
government is barred from announcing new schemes in particular state from date of
dissolution of legislative assembly till new House is elected.

CCPI CLIMATE CHANGE PERFORMANCE INDEX

The CCPI 2019 results illustrate the main regional differences in climate protection and
performance within the 56 evaluated countries and the EU. No country has performed well
enough to reach the ranking very good in this year’s index, meaning that no country has yet
made it to one of the top three places in the rankings.
The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) is annually published by Germanwatch,
New Climate Institute and Climate Action Network Europe.

MOAB MOTHER OF ALL BOMBS

China has developed a massive bomb, said to be the country’s answer to the US-built
‘Mother of All Bombs’, the most powerful non-nuclear weapon. It is dubbed as the Chinese
version of the “Mother of All Bombs” due to its huge destruction potential that is claimed to
be only second to nuclear weapons.
The Moab or GBU-43/B is the world’s largest non-nuclear weapon. It is designed to destroy
heavily reinforced targets or to shatter ground forces and armour across a large area.
Last year, while waging war against militants in Afghanistan, the US military dropped a GBU-
43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) weapon on the Islamic State.

SLNP
The Centre is likely to miss the goals it had set under the Street Lighting National
Programme (SLNP) when it was launched on January 5, 2015.
Under the SLNP, the Government aims to replace 3.5 crore conventional street lights with
energy efficient LED lights. Energy Efficiency Services Limited, a Public Energy Services
Company under the administration of Ministry of Power, Government of India (GoI) is the
implementing agency for SLNP. EESL also undertakes social audits in all states post the
completion of the project.

PANJ TIRATH
The provincial Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in northwest Pakistan has declared the
ancient Hindu religious site of Panj Tirath in Peshawar as national heritage.
Panj Tirath, which got its name from the five pools of water present there, also contains a
temple and a lawn with date palm trees.
It is believed that Pandu, a mythical king in the Mahabharata, belonged to this area and
Hindus used to come to these pools for bathing during the month of Karteek.

ZONAL COUNCILS
The 28th meeting of the Southern Zonal Council was recently held under the Chairmanship
of the Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh in Bengaluru.
Zonal councils have been established by the Parliament to promote interstate cooperation
and coordination. They are statutory bodies established under the States Reorganisation
Act 1956 and not constitutional bodies. They are only deliberative and advisory bodies.
There are 5 five Zonal councils namely: The Northern Zonal Council, The Central Zonal
Council, The Eastern Zonal Council, The Western Zonal Council, The Southern Zonal
Council

ETHICS COMMITTEE
The Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha was constituted on 16 May 2000 as an adhoc
committee. However, in August 2015 it was given permanent Standing Committee status.
In News: (Sept 2018)
Senior BJP leader L K Advani has been re-nominated as Chairman of Ethics Committee of
Lok Sabha by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

SECTION498A
Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code deals with husband or relatives of husbands
subjecting a woman to cruelty. Punishment under the Section is a maximum of three years
and was so far a non-bailable offence.

PM-AASHA
Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan" (PM-AASHA)
•The new Umbrella Scheme PM-AASHA consists of three sub-schemes:
1. Price Support Scheme (PSS)
2. Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS)
3. The pilot of Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme(PPSS)

CASSINI HUYGENS MISSION

NASA’s Cassini
* The Cassini–Huygens mission, commonly called Cassini.
* Launched in 1997.
* It was a collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Italian
Space Agency (ASI).
* To send a probe to study the planet Saturn and its system.
* Including its rings and natural satellites.
* The Flagship-class robotic landed on Saturn's largest moon, Titan in 2005.
* Cassini was the fourth space probe to visit Saturn and the first to enter its orbit.

GREEN MANURE
Use of Green manure crops in cropping system is called 'Green Manuring' where the crop is
grown in situ or brought from outside and incorporated when it is purposely grown.

OLED
● An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) is a light-emitting diode (LED) in which the
emissive electroluminescent layer is a film of organic compound that emits light in response
to an electric current. Multilayer OLEDs can be fabricated with two or more layers in order to
improve device efficiency.
● OLED displays can be fabricated on flexible plastic substrates, leading to the possible
fabrication of flexible organic light-emitting diodes for other new applications, such as roll-up
displays embedded in fabrics or clothing.
● Transparent displays are possible using OLEDs.

MSP
In formulating the recommendations in respect of the level of minimum support prices and
other non-price measures, the Commission takes into account, apart from a comprehensive
view of the entire structure of the economy of a particular commodity or group of
commodities, the following factors:-
• Cost of production
• Changes in input prices
• Input-output price parity
• Trends in market prices
• Demand and supply
• Inter-crop price parity
• Effect on industrial cost structure
• Effect on cost of living
• Effect on general price level
• International price situation

GAIA
Statements 2,3,4 are correct
Gaia is an ambitious mission of European Space Agency (ESA) to chart a three-dimensional
map of our Galaxy, the Milky Way, in the process revealing the composition, formation and
evolution of the Galaxy. The mission aims to construct the largest and most precise 3D
space catalog ever made, totaling approximately 1 billion astronomical objects, mainly stars
but also planets, comets, asteroids and quasars. The Gaia targets represent approximately
1% of the Milky Way population with all stars brighter than magnitude 20 in a broad
photometric band that covers most of the visual range. Additionally, Gaia is expected to
detect thousands to tens of thousands of Jupiter-sized exoplanets beyond the Solar System,
500,000 quasars and tens of thousands of new asteroids and comets within the Solar
System. Gaia will create a precise three-dimensional map of astronomical objects
throughout the Milky Way and map their motions. The spectrophotometric measurements
will provide the detailed physical properties of all stars observed, characterizing their
luminosity, effective temperature, gravity and elemental composition. This massive stellar
census will provide the basic observational data to tackle a wide range of important
questions related to the origin, structure, and evolutionary history of our galaxy. Gaia
operates at a position in space known as the Lagrange-2 (L-2) point, where the gravities of
Earth and sun balance each other out.

ELECTORAL BONDS
The 255th Law Commission Report on Electoral Reforms observed that opacity in
political funding results in “lobbying and capture” of the government by big donors.
Electoral bonds were announced in Union Budget 2017-18 and the required amendments in
Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (Section 31(3)) and the Representation of People Act, 1951
were made through Section 133 to 136 of Finance Bill, 2017
Short span of 15 days for redeeming the electoral bonds has been set which will prevent it
from being a parallel currency