2021

VOL 4

W EEKLY CURRENT AFFAI

RS
&
NEW S ANALYSI
S COM PI
LATI
ON
Dear Aspirants

Team iLearn IAS is proud to present our weekly current affairs magazine.
Keeping in tune with the dynamic demands of the civil service examination, we
bring to aspirants on-going topics that are of relevance, particularly for the
mains exam.

The objective of this magazine is to make the aspirants exam ready in an

exhaustive list of topics. To this end, we provide detailed background notes on
the topics followed by an in-depth analysis of the issues, covering aspects such
as institutional mechanisms, policies, policy gaps, areas of focus, reforms
needed, suggestions and way forward.

We have also included all relevant Prelims topics from the past week.

In order to help the aspirants in monitoring their preparation, we have

included probable question that can be expected for the mains and Prelims
examination. You may also visit our integrated current affairs platform
www.ilearncana.com for your current affairs preparation.

We wish you all the very best and welcome you on board in our endeavors.

Happy Learning!
Team iLearn
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. RIGHT TO PROTEST ....................................................................................................... 4
1.1 WHY IN NEWS? ................................................................................................................ 4
1.2 SYLLABUS: ........................................................................................................................ 4
1.3 PRACTICE QUESTION:....................................................................................................... 4
1.4 ANALYSIS: ......................................................................................................................... 4
1.5. iTips: ................................................................................................................................ 7
2. PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT ........................................................................................ 8
2.1 WHY IN NEWS? ................................................................................................................ 8
2.2 SYLLABUS: ........................................................................................................................ 8
2.3 PRACTICE QUESTION:....................................................................................................... 8
2.4 ANALYSIS: ......................................................................................................................... 8
2.5. iTips: .............................................................................................................................. 11
3. TECHNOLOGY USE IN INDIAN ELECTIONS..................................................................... 12
3.1 WHY IN NEWS? .............................................................................................................. 12
3.2 SYLLABUS: ...................................................................................................................... 12
3.3 PRACTICE QUESTION:..................................................................................................... 12
3.4 ANALYSIS: ....................................................................................................................... 12
3.5. iTips: .............................................................................................................................. 15
4. QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY........................................................................................... 16
4.1 WHY IN NEWS? .............................................................................................................. 16
4.2 SYLLABUS: ...................................................................................................................... 16
4.3 PRACTICE QUESTION:..................................................................................................... 16
4.4 ANALYSIS: ....................................................................................................................... 16
4.5. iTips: .............................................................................................................................. 19
5. ‘GREEN TAX’ ON OLDER VEHICLES ............................................................................... 20
5.1 WHY IN NEWS? .............................................................................................................. 20
5.2 SYLLABUS: ...................................................................................................................... 20
5.3 PRACTICE QUESTION:..................................................................................................... 20
5.4 ANALYSIS: ....................................................................................................................... 20
5.5. iTips: .............................................................................................................................. 22
WEEKLY PRELIMS COMPILATION..................................................................................... 23
Locations related to Chinese intrusions .............................................................................. 24
Arctic region and Arctic Council ........................................................................................... 24
Parker Solar Probe ............................................................................................................... 25
Green bonds ......................................................................................................................... 26

2 | iLearn IAS
Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) ......................................................................................... 27
Scotland................................................................................................................................ 29
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) ..................................................... 30
World Economic Forum (WEF)............................................................................................. 31
World Economic Outlook 2021 ............................................................................................ 32
International Energy Agency ................................................................................................ 33
Govind Ballabh Pant ............................................................................................................. 34
Poland .................................................................................................................................. 34
Sambar Deer ........................................................................................................................ 35
Gold monetisation scheme .................................................................................................. 36
International Court of Justice .............................................................................................. 37
Commonwealth of Nations .................................................................................................. 38
Simlipal National Park .......................................................................................................... 39
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) ....................................................................... 40
North Eastern Council .......................................................................................................... 42

3 | iLearn IAS
 1. RIGHT TO PROTEST
1.1 WHY IN NEWS?
The Economic Offences Wing of Bihar police issued a circular to take legal action
under cyber-crime law against individuals and organisations for “offensive comments”
against the government
1.2 SYLLABUS:
GS 2: Indian Constitution—Historical Underpinnings, Evolution, Features, Amendments,
Significant Provisions and Basic Structure.
GS 2: Structure, Organization and Functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries
and Departments of the Government; Pressure Groups and Formal/Informal Associations
and their Role in the Polity.
1.3 PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q. Analyse the significance of right to protests in a democratic society with an elected
government?
1.4 ANALYSIS:
RIGHT TO PROTEST: CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS
 The Preamble to the Constitution:
o It promises liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship
 Article 19:
o The right to protest is a fundamental political right of the people that flows
directly from a democratic reading of Article 19
o Clauses (a) to (c) of Article 19(1) provides:
 Freedom of speech and expression;
 Freedom to assemble peaceably and without arms;
 Freedom to form associations or unions;
 Article 21:
o Article 21 of the Constitution gives every citizen the right of basic liberty and
security >> thus right to make differing views indirectly flows from this Article
SIGNIFICANCE OF RIGHT TO PROTEST
 Uphold democratic principle:
o Protest or dissent is essential in a democracy.
o If a country has to grow in a holistic manner dissent and disagreement have
to be permitted, and in fact, should be encouraged.
o It is only if there is discussion, disagreement and dialogue that we can arrive
at better ways to run the country.
 Ensure political participation of masses
o The very essence of democracy is that every citizen has a right to participate
not only in the electoral process but also in the way in which our country is
run.

4 | iLearn IAS
 o This right becomes meaningless if that person cannot criticize the actions of
the government.
 Bring inclusive policies
o Protests in a democratic society will expose the failures of government
policies and it gives voice to the under-privileged and marginalised sections
 Prevent majoritarianism
o Rule of majority is an integral part of democracy but majoritarianism is the
antithesis of democracy
o In a democracy like ours where we have elections based on the first past the
post principle, the government in most cases does not represent the majority
of the population, and often not even the voting electorate.
o Therefore protest or dissent will give space for opposition’s views
 Uphold Constitutionalism:
o The right to dissent is one of the most important rights guaranteed by our
Constitution.
o As long as a person does not break the law or encourage strife, he/she has a
right to differ from every other citizen and those in power and propagate
what he believes is his belief.
 Allows active citizenship:
o Right to protest will empower citizens from a mere ‘recipient’ of government
service to an ‘agent’ of government.
 Check abuse of power:
o Dissent/protest is needed to ensure that the rule is carried out by ‘law’ rather
than ‘men’. Right to protests will check executive tyranny by allowing space
for differing views.
 Protests as a watchdog of government:
o An elected government may stray from the constitutional course, go against
the interests of the people, become unresponsive and refuse to listen.
o Here pressure against the government must be built by still stronger public
methods.
 Ensure overall development of the country:
o Right to protest is an essential element of democracy to bring about reforms
and lead to the development of the country.

SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENTS ON RIGHT TO PROTEST

 Ramlila Maidan Incident v/s Home Secretary, Union of India (2012):
o The Supreme Court had stated that citizens have a fundamental right to
assembly and peaceful protest which cannot be taken away by an arbitrary
executive or legislative action.
 Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) vs Union of India(2018):

5 | iLearn IAS
 o In this case SC upheld the fundamental right to assembly and peaceful
protest but ordered it to be regulated in such a way that they do not cause
inconvenience to residents from Jantar Mantar road or the offices located
there.
 Shaheen Bagh Judgement, 2020:
o The court upheld the right to peaceful protest against a law but made it clear
that public ways and public spaces cannot be occupied and that too
indefinitely.
o The right to protest in a public place should be balanced with the right of the
general public to move freely without hindrance.
o Fundamental rights do not live in isolation. The right of the protester has to
be balanced with the right of the commuter and has to co-exist in mutual
respect.
 Shreya Singhal case, 2015:
o Section 66A of IT Act, which dealt with “Punishment for sending offensive
messages through communication service, etc.” was struck down by the
Supreme Court in 2015

CONCERNS
 Imposition of section 144 of CrPC
o Government has kept on using various tools available against protests and
section 144 of CrPC has been biggest such tool.
o Section 144 authorises executive magistrates to pass “prohibitory orders”
that restrict people from assembling at particular places to prevent breaches
of public order, or the triggering of violence.
o Although law has been enacted to implement the reasonable restrictions,
however Section 144 is framed in such broad and vague terms that it can be
imposed by the executive anywhere to prevent the expression of dissent
through public demonstrations and protests.
 Internet shutdown:
o Government in the name of maintaining public safety and averting public
emergency frequently resort to internet shutdowns.
o For instances internet was shut-down for 175 days in Kashmir valley after
the revocation of Article 370 - longest ever imposed in a democracy,
according to Access Now
 Low performance in Democracy index:
o India slipped 10 places to 51st position in the 2019 Democracy Index's
global ranking, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit, which cited
"erosion of civil liberties" in the country as the primary cause for the
downtrend.
 Social polarisation:

6 | iLearn IAS
 o Three crucial drivers of increasing polarization in India have been the on-
going economic transformation, changes in traditional and social media,
and the rise of competitive caste politics.
o Ethno-religious parties are able to harness the power of each of these drivers
>> hence political leaders frequently demonize their opponents and minority
groups >> this had also fuelled a disturbing rise in intolerance and violence
 Arbitrary usage of laws:
o For instance; Section 7 of the Indian Telegraph Act 1855 was arbitrarily used
to shutdown internet
 Riots and destruction of public property:
o In some of the cases protest turns violent and it causes destruction of public
property. For instance farmers' march turned violent on Republic Day in
Delhi, 2021.

CONCLUSION
 Peaceful protest is a fundamental right and the lifeline of democracy, without which
there would be very less accountability left with the ruling government and every
citizen has to wait for the election to vent out their anger against it.
 But reasonable restrictions are also very important so that peaceful protests do not
turn into violent and lead to loss of lives and property.
1.5. iTips:
 For prelims, questions can be asked on provisions of Article 19.
 For mains, questions can be asked on need for right to protests, impact of such a
right, issues related to its enforcement etc.

7 | iLearn IAS
 2. PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT
2.1 WHY IN NEWS?
In one of his first acts as president, the new US President Joe Biden issued an
executive order returning the U.S. to the Paris Climate Agreement.
2.2 SYLLABUS:
GS 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or
affecting India’s interests
2.3 PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q. Examine critically the significance of Paris Climate agreement in addressing the threat of
Climate change?
2.4 ANALYSIS:
PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT:
 The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. Its
goal is to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius,
compared to pre-industrial levels.
 It was adopted by 196 Parties at COP 21 in Paris, on 12 December 2015 and entered
into force on 4 November 2016.
 The agreement includes commitments from all major emitting countries to cut their
climate pollution and to strengthen those commitments over time.
OBJECTIVES:
The aim of the agreement is to decrease global warming through:
 Holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above
pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C
above pre-industrial levels.
 Increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster
climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development, in a manner that
does not threaten food production;
 Making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas
emissions and climate-resilient development.
HOW DOES THE PARIS AGREEMENT WORK?
Implementation of the Paris Agreement requires economic and social transformation.
This involves energy and climate policies like the Nationally Determined Contributions
(NDCs) and 20/20/20 targets, namely:
 Reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 20%
 Increase of renewable energy's market share to 20%
 Increase in energy efficiency by 20%
The countries also aim to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible to
achieve a climate neutral world by mid-century.

8 | iLearn IAS
The Paris Agreement requests each country to outline and communicate their post-2020
climate actions, known as their NDCs. NDCs embody efforts by each country to reduce
national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Parties shall pursue
domestic mitigation measures that aims at achieving the objectives of such contributions.

SUPPORTING FRAMEWORK:
1. The Agreement provides a framework for financial, technical and capacity building
support to those countries who need it.
a. Financial: It reaffirms that developed countries should take the lead in providing
financial assistance to countries that are less endowed and more vulnerable.
b. Technological: It talks of development and transfer of technology for both
improving resilience to climate change and reducing GHG emissions.
c. Capacity building: the agreement places great emphasis on climate-related
capacity-building for developing countries and requests all developed countries
to enhance support for capacity-building actions in developing countries.
2. With the Paris Agreement, countries established an Enhanced Transparency
Framework (ETF) and Global stocktake to assess the collective progress towards the
long-term climate goals.
INDIA’S NDC TARGETS:
Keeping in view its development agenda, India pledges to:
1. Reduce emissions intensity of its GDP by 33-35% by 2030 below 2005 levels.
2. Achieve 40 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non fossil fuel-
based energy resources by 2030.
3. create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO 2 equivalent through
additional forest and tree cover by 2030.
4. Propagate a healthy and sustainable way of living based on traditions and values of
conservation and moderation.
5. Adopt a climate friendly and a cleaner path than the one followed hitherto by
others at corresponding level of economic development.

9 | iLearn IAS
 6. Better adapt to climate change by enhancing investments in development
programmes in sectors vulnerable to climate change, particularly agriculture, water
resources, Himalayan region, coastal regions, health and disaster management.
7. Mobilize domestic and new & additional funds from developed countries to
implement the above mitigation and adaptation actions.
8. Build capacities, create domestic framework and international architecture for
quick diffusion of climate technology in India and for joint collaborative R&D for such
future technologies.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AGREEMENT:
 Breakthrough agreement: The Paris Agreement is a universal agreement involving
over 180 countries which recognise climate change as a serious threat and take
measures to tackle climate change. Never before in climate diplomacy has there
been this kind of momentum from so many countries.
 Targeted approach: It set a target to keep global warming well below 2 ˚C and even
below 1.5 ˚C, reduce net global emissions to zero by mid-21st century and
establishes a binding review cycle to monitor adherence to voluntary INDCs.
 Long term commitment: For the first time, the accord lays out a longer-term plan
for reducing greenhouse emissions. Others before the agreement, like the Kyoto
protocol, had smaller targets and fewer proponents.
 Equitable responsibility: The agreement divides the responsibilities equitably
among the developed, developing and under developed countries while taking into
consideration their developmental priorities.
 Bottom-up approach: Through the INDCs, a bottom-up approach is adopted by the
treaty. This is in contrast with other treaties, where targets were determined by
international agencies and dictated to countries.
 Better chance of success: As the national targets are determined by countries
themselves. Also, it entrusts the developed world to provide funds and technology.
Hence, there is a better chance of implementing the strategies and achieving the
targets.
CRITICISM OF THE AGREEMENT:
 Insufficient targets: Many experts have stated that the national and international
actions envisaged under it are far below the optimum levels. For eg: According to
IPCC report, at 1.5°C 70%-90% of coral reefs across the world would die & at 2°C,
none would be left.
 Ignores sustainable consumption: The Agreement does not address fundamental
problems with the global capitalist economic system and how it continues to drive
economic growth based on consumption.
 Credibility of the commitment: While countries have agreed to adhere to their
NDCs, their continued reliance on fossil fuels speaks otherwise. For eg: While India

10 | iLearn IAS
 talks about sharply lowering its dependence on coal in the coming years, it has been
promoting coal explorations though private participations in recent years.
 Conflicting interest: The developing world requires affordable energy to promote its
socio-economic development, which is presently provided by coal and petroleum.
But meeting NDCs would require a reduction of the
 Questionable review mechanisms: The methodologies used to assess individual
countries’ financial payments, progress, loss and damage etc are inconsistent. Also,
there is lack of independent verification of the assessments.
 Lack of accountability: Though the agreement sets targets for countries, there is no
penalty for not adhering to the targets. Due to inconsistent assessment
methodologies, there are doubts over how much the developing world has provided
as against what they have promised.
 Financing: Developing world has been half hearted in financing the agreement. Also,
the initial target of $100 billion is insufficient to attain the targets.
 Impact of Pandemic: The Pandemic has ravaging the global economy, affecting the
growth trajectory of global nations. Hence, it needs to be seen how countries will
now adhere to the targets.
WAY FORWARD:
 Encourage sustainable consumption: Attaining the targets require an immense
increase in the scale of emissions reductions, reducing meat consumption and food
waste, as well as massively increasing energy efficiency through renewable energy.
 Ensure financing: Financing remains perhaps the most important issue influencing
how quickly developing countries will move on implementing their INDCs,
particularly the conditional pledges that most of them contain
 Invest in green energy: Governments around the world will have to attempt a
fundamental shift of investments towards renewables and away from fossil fuel.
Organisations like the International Solar Alliance can play a major role in this regard.
 Cooperate: The return of US will be a major thrust for the deal. However, world
nations should work together to make up for the delay caused by the US exit during
Trump regime and the pandemic.
 Involve private sector: Actions against climate change are incomplete without the
active involvement of Private sector. Hence, private sector should be involved to
promote sustainable development and consumption practices.
2.5. iTips:
 For Prelims, questions on the features of the Paris deal, India's NDC targets etc can
be asked.
 For Mains, questions on features of the Paris deal, India's NDC targets, government
efforts in this regard, mandate and structure of UNFCCC etc can be asked. Also the
content can be used in other questions related to climate change and environmental
degradation.

11 | iLearn IAS
 3. TECHNOLOGY USE IN INDIAN ELECTIONS
3.1 WHY IN NEWS?
Election Commission held an online conference in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu
e-Governance Agency (“TNeGA”) and IIT Madras, through which they explored the
possibility of using blockchain technology for the purpose of enabling remote elections.
3.2 SYLLABUS:
GS 2: Salient Features of the Representation of People’s Act.
GS 2: Appointment to various Constitutional Posts, Powers, Functions and Responsibilities of
various Constitutional Bodies.
3.3 PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q. “Technological interventions are helpful in strengthening the electoral machinery in
India”. Comment.
3.4 ANALYSIS:
NEED FOR TECHNOLOGY USE IN ELECTIONS
 To improve voter participation:
o Technology use will enable remote voting >> which in turn benefits internal
migrants and seasonal workers, who account for roughly 51 million of the
populace, and who faced considerable difficulties in exercising their
democratic right of voting.
 Save time and cost:
o Technology use ensures speedy vote counting, reduced need for
transportation etc. >> which in turn time and money of public exchequer
 To ensure voting rights of public servants:
o Useful for some remotely-stationed members of the Indian armed forces
and other civil servants
 To bring transparency:
o Technology use enables centralized monitoring of movement of polling
personnel and EVMs >> ensures transparency
 To provide level playing field to all the players
o Technology use aids smaller or newer parties with lesser physical outreach,
an equal level playing field in election process
 Reduce corruption:
o Randomized allocation of duty to polling personnel>> prevents intimidation
or inducement of the polling personnel.
 Instill the confidence among the public:
o Technological interventions like Voter-verified Paper Audit Trail helps to
secure trust of public regarding fair working of election machinery
 Check electoral malpractices:

12 | iLearn IAS
 o Use of ICT to eliminate duplication of voters ID card, multiple voting etc. will
ensure fair elections
RECENT TECHNOLOGICAL INTERVENRIONS IN ELECTIONS:
 EVM:
o Commission mooted the idea of EVM 1977 to overcome certain problems
associated with use of ballot papers
o It helps voters to cast their votes correctly without any resultant ambiguity
and removing the possibilities of invalid votes totally.
o A new section 61A was inserted in the Representation of the People Act,
1951 in 1988 empowering the Commission to use voting machines
o EVMs helps to solve the problem of Ballot Box capturing and casting of false
vote
 VVPAT(Voter-verified Paper Audit Trail):
o VVPAT is an independent verification printer machine and is attached to
electronic voting machines.
o It allows voters to verify if their vote has gone to the intended candidate.
 Digital voters ID Cards:
o In Jan 2021, Election Commission rolled out digital voter ID cards
o The e-voter cards will eliminate the need for a voter to get a new card made
each time there is a change in address or other details.
o These are the digital version of voters photo identity card and will be
available to download in an un-editable PDF form.
 De-duplication software:
o Electoral rolls are cleaned by using de-duplication software across the
constituencies to eliminate electoral malpractices.
o Ensures prohibition of forged voting on the day of poll.
o Linking of electoral roll with Aadhar database would further buttress the
integrity of the roll and thus purity of the election process.
 Software developed by the National Informatics Centre
o Database of the polling personnel is thoroughly randomized using the
software
o Ensures concealment of the identity of the polling station where any polling
staff would be posted
o This obfuscates any kind of intimidation or inducement of the polling
personnel.
 Logistical arrangements
o For movement of security forces, EVMs and other personals, a centralized
monitoring system through a portal with GPS facility is used for vehicle
management.
 Sugam portal:
o All the permission processes like rallies, meetings etc. is made transparent.

13 | iLearn IAS
  Samadhan portal
o This portal is used to monitor the complaints received from different
quarters.
o The action taken on every complaint is recorded and is visible to all the
stakeholders -right from the complainant to the officials sitting in the Election
Commission in Delhi.
 Cvigil app
o Used by the citizens for posting their complaints directly to EC.
o Enables uploading of photographs and videos as evidence
 Video conferencing:
o For monitoring of the entire election process Election Commission has used
video conferencing.
 Direct webcasting of the poll from the polling station.
o The EC has asked all Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) to make arrangements for
live webcasting of polling in as many polling stations as possible, since 2014
general election.

CHALLENGES
 Privacy concerns:
o Technological usage such as Blockchain solutions could unmask the identity
and voting preferences of electors >> fear of state survelliance
 Allegations of EVM tampering:
o There are allegations that EVMs can be tampered easily and the votes of one
political party or candidate can be easily transferred to another.
 Incident of technical failures:
o There are many incidents of technical glitches where EVMs have stopped
responding and re-polling was conducted.
 Global experience:
o Countries like Germany, Ireland, U.S.A. and Italy which are more
technologically sound than India have also have doubted the transparency of
EVM machines from time to time and have even banned the use of these
machines in there elections.
 Digital gaps and interconnectivity:
o Use of digital infrastructure in elections faces the challenge of poor internet
connectivity in India, especially in remote rural areas.

WAY FORWARD
 Application of block chain technology
o To explore the potential of using block chain technology to enable remote
voting. The aim is to overcome the geographical hurdles in voting.
 Creation of a ‘One Nation, One Voter ID’ system:

14 | iLearn IAS
 o To allow citizens to vote out of their home State.
 Standalone systems:
o Any solution to electoral problems must be software independent and fault
tolerable, where failure or tampering of one mechanism would not affect the
integrity or transparency of the overall process.

3.5. iTips:
 For prelims, questions can be asked on powers and duties of Election Commission,
Samadhan portal, salient provisions of Representation of the People Act etc.
 For mains, questions can be asked on the recent technological usage in elections,
issues associated with it, measures required for ensuring fair elections etc.

15 | iLearn IAS
 4. QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY
4.1 WHY IN NEWS?
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has announced the
establishment of a Quantum Computing Applications Lab in partnership with Amazon Web
Services (AWS).
4.2 SYLLABUS:
GS 3: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-
technology
4.3 PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q. Discuss the salient features of Quantum technology, with special reference to National
Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications?
4.4 ANALYSIS:
WHAT IS QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY?
 In physics, a quantum is the minimum amount of any physical entity involved in an
interaction.
 Quantum technology relies on the principles of quantum physics. It relies on the
behavior of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic level.
 Quantum technology is based on the ability to precisely control individual quantum
systems.
APPLICATION OF QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY:
Its application extends to four broad areas:
I. Quantum computing:
 Quantum computing is the area of study focused on developing computer
technology based on the principles of quantum theory.
 All computing systems rely on a fundamental ability to store and manipulate
information. Current computers manipulate individual bits, which store information
as binary 0 and 1 states.
 Quantum computers leverage quantum mechanical phenomena to manipulate
information. To do this, they rely on quantum bits (or qubits), which can take any
value between 0 and 1.
 Three quantum mechanical properties are used in quantum computing to
manipulate the state of a qubit- superposition, entanglement, and interference.

16 | iLearn IAS
 Artificial
intelligence

Financial Molecular
modeling modeling

Application of
Quantum
computing

Particle Quantum
Physics cryptography

Weather
forecasting

II. Quantum simulation:

 A quantum simulator is a specially designed quantum computer constructed to
simulate a certain process. A few experimental simulators have already attained
quantum supremacy.
 Quantum supremacy refers to quantum computers being able to solve a problem
that a classical computer cannot.
III. Quantum communication:
 Quantum technology offers a secure transmission of encryption keys via quantum
communication.
 China has developed a quantum communication satellite named QUESS (also called
Micius).
IV. Quantum sensing:
 Researchers are learning to use individual particles such as photons and electrons as
sensors in measurements of forces, gravitation, electric fields etc.
BENEFITS OF QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY:
 Faster processing: Unlike traditional bit-based systems, quantum systems are
exponentially faster. Eg: Google’s quantum computer ‘Sycamore’ reportedly did a
task in 200 seconds that would have apparently taken a supercomputer 10,000 years
to complete.
 Precision: The development of quantum sensors will lead to more powerful
instruments and prediction tools. Eg: Molecular modeling can help develop precision
drugs and therapeutics.
 Secure Communication: Quantum communication is often referred to as
“unhackable.” China has already demonstrated secure quantum communication
links between terrestrial stations and satellites.

17 | iLearn IAS
  Boost Industrial revolution: Quantum computing technologies, like AI, cyber physical
systems and financial modeling, will be an integral part of the upcoming fourth
industrial revolution.
 Adapt to a climate uncertain future: Quantum technology can be deployed for
modelling and accurate prediction of weather system. This in turn will help adapt to
climate change, ensure food security etc.
INDIA AND QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY:
 National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NMQTA):
o To ensure the transition of quantum science and technology from a field of
active interest in research laboratories to one that can be applied in day-to-
day life.
o Help develop and bring quantum computers, secured communications
through fiber and free space, quantum encryption and crypt-analysis and
associated technologies within the reach of the country and help address
India specific issues.
o Promoting advanced research in quantum science and technology
o Give a push to next generation transformative technologies such as
quantum computers and computing, quantum communication, quantum key
distribution, encryption, crypt analysis, quantum devices, quantum sensing,
quantum materials, quantum clock etc.

Human &
infrastructural
resource
generation

Translation &
Innovation Focal areas of the Technology
and start-ups Mission development

Fundamental
science

 Quantum Enabled Science and Technology (QuST): It is a mission mode scheme

under Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (ICPS) programme. It seeks to
promote research and development activities in quantum technologies in the
country.
CHALLENGES:
 Expensive: Due to their high sophistication and sensitivity, quantum level
technologies are expensive to develop and maintain. For eg: A quantum simulator is

18 | iLearn IAS
 a specially designed to simulate a certain process. It can therefore only solve a
limited number of problems. If you want to solve other problems, you need to build
a new quantum simulator, designed to solve those specific problems.
 Security concerns: certain aspects of classical cryptography would be jeopardized by
quantum computing. Quantum computers can easily break the encryption keys of
classical computers, thereby jeopardising sensitive information.
 Limited Research capacity: Globally, research in this area is about two decades old,
but in India, serious experimental work has been under way for only about five
years, and in a handful of locations.
 Absence of resources: The emerging technologies are resource intensive, both
human as well as capital, like an academic ecosystem, physicists, computer
scientists, material scientists and engineering systems. India lags in this front.
 Import of technology: India’s weakness in building hardware and manufacturing
technology impedes efforts to implement theoretical ideas into real products.
 Lack of coordination: Quantum technology development in India is highly
fragmented among various institutions and ministries. For eg: the ministry of
electronics and information technology is interested in computing aspects; DRDO in
encryption products and ISRO in satellite communication.
WAY FORWARD:
 Attracting and retaining human resources is essential to catch up scientifically with
the international community, while quickly creating a vibrant intellectual
environment to help attract top researchers.
 Indian industry should help quantum technologies become commercialised
successfully. Governments must encourage industrial houses to take interest and
reach out to Indian institutions with an existing presence in this emerging field.
 Ensuring coordination among ministries and institutions like DRDO is essential to
integrate the research activity while ensuring expertise in relevant sub fields.
 The national mission can greatly help in fixing the resource problem. What is needed
now is to foster a conducive ecosystem involving academia, industry and
international collaboration.
4.5. iTips:
 For Prelims, questions on basics of quantum technology, quantum supremacy,
developments like Quess and Sycamore etc can be asked.
 For Mains, questions on basics of quantum technology, its application benefits and
challenges can be asked. Also, direct questions on national mission on Quantum
technologies and application can be asked

19 | iLearn IAS
 5. ‘GREEN TAX’ ON OLDER VEHICLES
5.1 WHY IN NEWS?
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways decided to levy a green tax on
transport vehicles older than eight years, from April 1, 2022.
5.2 SYLLABUS:
GS 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact
Assessment.
5.3 PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q. Analyze the efficacy of steps taken by government to curb vehicular pollution in Indian
cities?
5.4 ANALYSIS:
WHAT IS GREEN TAX:
 Green tax is an excise duty on goods that results into the environmental pollutants
 It is charged at the time of renewal of fitness certificate
 The revenue so collected will be kept in a different account and will only be utilized
for tackling pollution.
 States can set up state of-art facilities for emission monitoring.

RATIONALE OF THE INITIATIVE:

 Commercial vehicles constitute about 5% of the total vehicle fleet and contribute
about 65-70% of total vehicular pollution.
 The older fleet (before 2000) constitutes less that 1 % of the total fleet but
contributes around 15% of total vehicular pollution.
 Older vehicles pollute 10-25 times more than modern vehicles.

SALIENT FEATURES OF THE INITIATIVE:

 Applications:
o Green tax is levied on transport vehicles – older than 8 years
o The Green tax will be 10% to 25% of road tax.
 Relaxation for personal vehicles:
o Personal vehicles – older than 15 years>> chargeable
 Incentivizes public transport:
o Public transport vehicles >> lower Green tax.
 Focused approach:
o Higher Green tax (50% of Road Tax) for vehicles being registered in highly
polluted cities.
 Differential tax rates:
o Depending on fuel (petrol/diesel) and type of vehicle
 Exemptions:

20 | iLearn IAS
 o For electric and hybrids vehicles
o For vehicles using fuels -CNG, Ethanol and LPG
o Farm vehicles such as tractor

BENEFITS:
 Uphold ‘Polluter Pays Principle’:
o The Green tax is in line with polluter pay principle.
o ‘Polluter Pays Principle’ is part of the 1992 Rio Declaration which gives
broader principles to guide sustainable development worldwide.
o It states that “Who produce pollution should bear the costs of managing it to
prevent damage”
 Check urban air pollution
o Vehicular pollution contributes a significant part of city air pollution
o Dis-incentivizing polluting vehicles >> improves air quality in cities
 Combat health hazards by vehicular pollution:
o The major pollutants like carbon monoxide, lead, particulate matter etc. can
have health impacts like reduced visibility, cancers, respiratory and
cardiovascular ailments >> reducing older vehicles in city traffic will reduce
such adverse impacts
 Progressive taxation
o Green tax will help poor who are worst affected by pollution, by taxing the
non-poor.
 Promotion of public transport:
o As the public transport has relaxed rate of taxation under the Green tax
regime
 Promotion of electric vehicles
o The initiative would motivate people to switch to newer, less polluting
vehicles.
 More funding for curbing air pollution:
o Revenue from Green tax is exclusively used for tackling air pollution

CHALLENGES:
 Additional burden on consumers:
o High rates of taxation on petrol and diesel along with green tax will further
spike the burden on vehicle owners >> affect the growth of automobile
sector >> adversely affect investment and jobs
 May lead to inflation:
o Contributes to increase overall transportation cost which could surge
inflation

21 | iLearn IAS
  Fiscally regressive:
o The tax burden reduces as the spending capacity of the Taxpayer increases.
Thus it will make Cars unaffordable for the middle-income groups while
leaving the rich unaffected.
 Lack of alternative infrastructure:
o There is a crunch of charging stations, and similar other infrastructure for an
easy, smooth transition to electric vehicles.
 Lack of clarity on utilization of revenue collected through Green Tax
BEST PRACTICE:
 German model:
o Germany imposed three green taxes on conventional power plants to boost
renewable energy
WAY FORWARD
 Promotion of alternative infrastructure:
o Increase the use of hybrid and electric vehicles through promoting charging
infrastructure, support to research and development, tax incentives for
production and consumption of such vehicles etc.
 Support to weaker sections:
o Small operators such as autorickshaws could be offered low-interest loans,
particularly to move to electric vehicles.
 Coordinated efforts:
o Ensure active involvement of all the stakeholders of the society, including
local bodies, citizens, automobile industries etc.

5.5. iTips:
 For prelims, questions can be asked on functions of Central Pollution Control Board,
major air pollutants etc.
 For mains, questions can be asked on the issues associated with vehicular pollution
in India, initiatives taken etc.

22 | iLearn IAS
WEEKLY PRELIMS COMPILATION

23 | iLearn IAS
 Locations related to Chinese intrusions
Why in news?
 A number of locations in north eastern India has been seen in news due to
Chinese intrusions in the region.
List of Locations:
 Bum La Pass: The Bum La Pass is a border pass between Tibet's Cona County
and India's Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh. It is 37 km away from the
town of Tawang and 43 km from the town of Cona (Tsona Dzong). The pass
currently serves as a trading point between Tawang and Tibet.
 Tsari Chu Valley: Tsari Chu is one of the three streams that join to form the
Subansiri river. Parts of the valley that are occupied by Chinese is part of the
Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh.
 Tulung La: Located in Arunachal Pradesh, 4 Assam Riffles jawans were killed
here when their patrol was ambushed by Chinese soldiers on October 20, 1975.
 Sumdorong Chu valley : It is a river vally in Arunachal Pradesh that was the site
of a standoff between India and China in 1986–1987 which, despite giving rise
to the fears of another war, got deescalated successfully.
PRELIMS QUESTION
1.Consider the following mountain passes:
1. Diphu pass
2. Lipulekh pass
3. Banihal Pass
Which of the passes given above are located at or close to trijunctions of India
and two other countries?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) All of the above
Answer: A

Arctic region and Arctic Council

Why in news?
 India has created a new draft policy for the Arctic which is a first-of-a-kind
initiative and the policy has been put out for comments from the public.
About the region:
 The Arctic is a polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth.
 The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Alaska
(United States), Canada, Finland, Greenland (Denmark), Iceland, Norway,
Russia, and Sweden.
24 | iLearn IAS
 Land within the Arctic region has seasonally varying snow and ice cover, with
predominantly treeless permafrost (permanently frozen underground ice)
containing tundra.
 Life in the Arctic includes zooplankton and phytoplankton, fish and marine
mammals, birds, land animals, plants and human societies.
 The Arctic contains some of the last and most extensive continuous
wilderness areas in the world, and its significance in preserving biodiversity and
genotypes is considerable.
 The Arctic also holds 1/5 of the Earth's water supply.
 The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the
Arctic regions of Greenland, Canada and Alaska (United States).
Arctic Council:
 The Arctic Council is a high-level intergovernmental forum that addresses issues
faced by the Arctic governments and the indigenous people of the Arctic.
 The eight countries with sovereignty over the lands within the Arctic Circle
constitute the members of the council: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland,
Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. Outside these, there are some
observer states.
PRELIMS QUESTION
2.Consider the following statements:
1. Polar bears are largely found within the arctic circle only.
2. India is a permanent member of the Arctic council.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: A
Parker Solar Probe
Why in news?
 NASA’s solar probe marked the seventh swing around Sun.
What is it?
 It is a NASA robotic spacecraft en route to probe the outer corona of the Sun.
 Launched on August 12,2018 it will be the first spacecraft to fly into the low
solar corona.
 On 29 October 2018, the spacecraft became the closest ever artificial object to
the Sun beating the record set by the Helios 2 spacecraft in April 1976.
Goals of the mission are:
 Trace the flow of energy that heats the corona and accelerates the solar wind.
25 | iLearn IAS
 Determine the structure and dynamics of the magnetic fields at the sources of
solar wind.
Layers of sun:
 The sun has six layers. From the center out, the layers are as follows:
o Core: All of the energy
that we detect as light
and heat originates from
nuclear fusion deep
inside the Sun’s high
temperature ‘core’.
o Radiative zone
o Convective zone
o Photosphere: It is the
visible surface of the Sun
o Chromosphere
o Corona: Outermost layer

PRELIMS QUESTION
3.Consider the following statements about “Parker Probe Mission”.
1. It is humanity’s first exclusive mission to the Sun.
2. It is joint venture between NASA, ISRO and European Space Agency
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: D
Green bonds
About Green Bonds
 ‘Green bonds’ are the fixed income financial instruments that are linked to
promoting and implementing climate change and environment solutions.
 With this instrument, the issuer of the green bond gets the capital to finance
green projects while the investors receive fixed income in the form of interest.
 The first green bond was issued in 2007 by the European Investment Bank.
 India entered the green bond market in 2015 with the YES Bank issuing the first
green bond for financing the renewable and clean energy projects.
SEBI guidelines
 In January 2016, the Securities and Exchange Board of India published its
official green bonds requirements for Indian issuers.

26 | iLearn IAS
 India was the second country (after China) to provide national level guidelines.
 As per SEBI’s guidelines a debt security shall be considered as ‘Green’, only if
the fund raised through it are utilized for any of the following purposes
o Renewable and sustainable energy including wind, solar, bioenergy,
other sources of energy which use clean technology, etc.
o Clean transportation including mass/public transportation, etc.
o Sustainable water management including clean and/or drinking water,
water recycling, etc.
o Climate change adaptation
o Energy efficiency including efficient and green buildings, etc.
o Sustainable waste management including recycling, waste-to-energy,
efficient disposal of wastage, etc.
o Sustainable land use
o Biodiversity conservation.
Issuance in India:
 India in 2019 became the second-largest emerging market globally, after china,
for green bonds with $10.3 billion worth of transactions in the first half of 2019.
 A number of government agencies including Indian Renewable Energy
Development Agency (IREDA) and Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC)
and Banks like State Bank of India entered the green market and issued Green
Bonds.
PRELIMS QUESTION
4.Consider the following statements:
1. Bhutan is the first country in the world to declare itself carbon negative.
2. Maldives held the first underwater cabinet meeting of a country to highlight
the threat of climate change.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: C
Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP)
Why in news?
 The Ministry of Women and Child Development said that 422 out of the 640
districts covered under the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Andolan’ have shown an
improvement in sex ratio at birth in 2019-20 when compared to 2014-15 levels.
 The Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) metric has improved by 16 points from 918 (2014-
15) to 934 (2019-20).

27 | iLearn IAS
 In the education sector, the gross enrolment ratio of girls in schools at the
secondary level has improved from 77.45 per cent to 81.32 per cent between
2014-15 to 2018-19.
Objective:
 Prevention of gender biased sex selective elimination
 Ensuring survival & protection of the girl child
 Ensuring education and participation of the girl child
Scope:
 BBBP aims to address the issues of declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and enabling
Girl Child education.
 It aims to achieve the above through a mass campaign across the country
targeted at changing societal mindsets & creating awareness about the
criticality of the issue.
 All 640 districts (as per census 2011) of the country have been covered under it.
Ministries involved:
 It is a joint initiative of Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Human Resource Development.
Key activities under the scheme:
 The key elements of the scheme include nation-wide awareness and advocacy
campaign and multi- sectoral action.
 Multi-sectoral action includes:
o Effective enforcement of Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic
Techniques (PC&PNDT) Act
o Pre-Natal/Post Natal care of mother
o Improve enrolment of girls in schools.
 Community engagement/training/awareness generation etc.
PRELIMS QUESTION
5.Which of the following ministries are involved in implementing the Beti padhao
Beti Bachao scheme?
1. Ministry of Women and Child Development
2. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
3. Ministry of Human Resource Development
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1,2 and 3
Answer: D

28 | iLearn IAS
 Scotland
Why in news?
 Scotland’s leader said that she intends to hold a “legal referendum” on
independence from the U.K. if she wins Scottish elections scheduled for May.
About Scotland:
 Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom.
 The capital is Edinburgh.
 Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland
has a 154 km border with England to the southeast and is otherwise
surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, the North Sea to the
northeast and the Irish Sea to the south.
 There are also more than 790 islands principally in the archipelagos of the
Hebrides and the Northern Isles.
 Scotland is divided into 32 administrative subdivisions or local authorities,
known as council areas.
 Glasgow City is the largest council area in terms of population, with Highland
being the largest in terms of area.
 Scotland is the second largest country in the United Kingdom, and accounted
for 8.3% of the population in 2012.
 Scotland has limited self-government within the United Kingdom, as well as
representation in the British Parliament.
 Executive and legislative powers respectively have been devolved to the
Scottish Government which is elected based on majority in the Scottish
parliament.
 Ever Since Britain decided to withdraw from the European Union, many in
Scotland have called for a referendum to decide whether Scotland should
continue within the United Kingdom or become independent.
PRELIMS QUESTION
6.Consider the following statements:
1. Measured by GDP in terms of Purchasing power Parity, India is a larger
economy than United Kingdom.
2. When measured as a single entity European union is the largest economy in
the world in terms of nominal GDP.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: A

29 | iLearn IAS
 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
(TPNW)
Why in news?
 The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), or Nuke ban treaty,
came into force on 22 January 2021.
About TPNW:
 The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), or the Nuclear
Weapon Ban Treaty, is the first legally binding international agreement to
comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons, with the goal of leading towards
their total elimination.
 It was passed on 7 July 2017 by UN General Assembly.
 No nuclear-armed nation has signed the ban treaty. This includes including
India, Pakistan, North Korea, China and Israel.
 It was adopted on 7 July 2017, opened for signature on 20 September 2017,
and entered into force on 22 January 2021.
 For those nations that are party to it, the treaty prohibits the development,
testing, production, stockpiling, stationing, transfer, use and threat of use of
nuclear weapons, as well as assistance and encouragement to the prohibited
activities.
 For nuclear armed states joining the treaty, it provides for a time-bound
framework for negotiations leading to the verified and irreversible elimination
of its nuclear weapons programme.
 As of 22 January 2021, 86 states have signed the Treaty and 52 states have
ratified or acceded to it.
 India did not participate in the negotiations on the TPNW and has consistently
made it clear that it will not become a party to the Treaty.
ICAN:
 The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons is a global civil society
coalition working to promote adherence to and full implementation of the
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
 The campaign helped bring about TPNW.
 ICAN was launched in 2007 and counts 541 partner organizations in 103
countries as of 2019.
 The campaign received the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts towards
creation of TPNW and consistent campaign against nuclear weapons.
PRELIMS QUESTION
7.Consider the following statements regarding “Treaty on the Prohibition of
Nuclear Weapons”:

30 | iLearn IAS
 1. All Asian countries except India, Pakistan and North Korea are signatories to
the treaty.
2. The Treaty came into force in 2019 with the ratification of all signatories.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: D
World Economic Forum (WEF)
Why in news?
 Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will address the World Economic Forum’s
Davos Dialogue on 28th January, 2021 via video conferencing.
 More than 400 top industry leaders from across the globe will attend the
session, wherein the Prime Minister will be speaking on the Fourth Industrial
Revolution - using technology for the good of humanity.
 Prime Minister will also be interacting with the CEOs during the event.
About WEF:
 The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in
Cologny, Geneva Canton, Switzerland.
 Its mission is cited as committed to improving the state of the world by
engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders of society to shape
global, regional, and industry agendas.
 The WEF hosts an annual meeting at the end of January in Davos, a mountain
resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland.
 The meeting brings together some 3,000 business leaders, international
political leaders, economists, celebrities and journalists for up to five days to
discuss global issues, across 500 sessions.
 The organization also convenes some six to eight regional meetings each year
in locations across Africa, East Asia, Latin America, and India and holds two
further annual meetings in China and the United Arab Emirates.
 Beside meetings, the organization provides a platform for leaders from all
stakeholder groups from around the world – business, government and civil
society – to collaborate on multiple projects and initiatives.
 It also produces a series of reports and engages its members in sector-specific
initiatives.
Major reports by WEF:
 Global Risks Report
 Global Competitiveness Report
 Global Information Technology Report
31 | iLearn IAS
 Global Travel and Tourism competitiveness index
 Global Gender Gap Report etc.
 Enabling Trade Report
 Global Environment Performance Index
 World Power Language Index
 Inclusive Development Index
 Human Capital Index
 Energy Transition Index
PRELIMS QUESTION
8.Global Travel and Tourism competitiveness index is published by:
(a) Yale university
(b) The International Air Transport Association
(c) World Economic Forum
(d) World Bank
Answer: C
World Economic Outlook 2021
Why in news?
 World Economic Outlook 2021 Report has been published
About World Economic Outlook
 The Report was released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It’s a
biennial report.
 As per the report, Indian economy will stage a strong rebound and grow as
much as 11.5 per cent on year in FY22, revising IMFs earlier forecast of an 8.8
per cent expansion.
 With this, India will emerge as the only key nation to record a double-digit
growth and reclaim the status of the world’s fastest-growing major economy.
 India’s real gross domestic product (GDP) shrank as much as 8 per cent in FY21
due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
 In FY23, the economy will likely grow 6.8 per cent, it added.
 IMF also predicted that China would grow 8.1 per cent in 2021, followed by
Spain (5.9 per cent) and France (5.5 per cent).
 China, which was the only major country to register a growth rate of 2.3 per
cent in 2020, will expand 5.6 per cent in 2022, the IMF said.
PRELIMS QUESTION
9.Which among the following organisation releases World Economic Outlook?
(a) World Bank
(b) IMF
(c) G20
(d) WEF

32 | iLearn IAS
Answer: B

International Energy Agency

Why in news?
 India on Wednesday inked a strategic partnership agreement with the
International Energy Agency (IEA) to strengthen cooperation in global energy
security, stability and sustainability.
 This partnership will lead to an extensive exchange of knowledge and would be
a stepping stone towards India becoming a full member of IEA,
About IEA:
 The International Energy Agency (IEA) is a Paris-based autonomous
intergovernmental organization established in the framework of the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 1974 in
the wake of the 1973 oil crisis.
 The IEA was initially dedicated to responding to physical disruptions in the
supply of oil, as well as serving as an information source on statistics about the
international oil market and other energy sectors.
 The Agency's mandate has broadened to focus on the "3Es" of effectual energy
policy: energy security, economic development, and environmental
protection.
 The latter has focused on mitigating climate change.
 The IEA has a broad role in promoting alternate energy sources (including
renewable energy), rational energy policies, and multinational energy
technology co-operation.
 It publishes the annual ‘World Energy Outlook’ report.
 Only the OECD member states can become members of the IEA. Except for
Chile, Iceland, Israel, and Slovenia, all OECD member states are members of the
IEA.
 Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Morocco, Singapore and Thailand are the
associate members of IEA.
 The IEA acts as a policy adviser to its member states, but also works with non-
member countries, especially China, India, and Russia.
PRELIMS QUESTION
10.Which of the following are members of International Energy Agency (IEA)?
1. India
2. China
3. Brazil
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only

33 | iLearn IAS
 (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) None of the above
Answer: D
Govind Ballabh Pant
Why in news?
 Shri Hardeep S Puri, MoS, (I/C), Housing and Urban Affairs presided over the
Garlanding ceremony of the statue of Bharat Ratna pandit Govind Ballabh pant
at Pandit Pant Marg, New Delhi.
About GB Pant:
 Govind Ballabh Pant (10 September 1887 – 7 March 1961) was an Indian
freedom fighter and one of the architects of modern India.
 He was one of the foremost political leaders of United Provinces and a key
player in the unsuccessful movement to establish Hindi as the national
language of Indian Union.
 Post-Independence, he became the first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh with
leading policy priorities like abolishing the zamindari system, forest
conservation, women’s rights, economic stability, and safeguarding the
livelihoods of the most vulnerable groups.
 He later on also shouldered the responsibilities as Union Home Minister,
focusing on the democratic empowerment of Indian citizens.
 Today, several Indian hospitals, educational institutions and foundations bear
his name.
 Pant received India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna in 1957.
PRELIMS QUESTION
11.Consider the following statements regarding Gobind Ballabh Pant:
1. He was an Indian national leader from West Bengal.
2. He was a leader of the Hindi movement in the post-independence period.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: B
Poland
Why in news?
 A near-total ban on abortion came into effect in Poland bringing thousands
who protested against it on the streets.

34 | iLearn IAS
 Poland, a predominantly Catholic country, has some of the strictest abortion
laws in Europe.
About Poland:
 Poland is a country located in Central Europe covering an area of 312,696
square kilometres and a population of nearly 38.5 million people.
 Poland is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union.
 Poland's capital and largest metropolis is Warsaw.
 The country is bordered by Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast to the
northeast, Belarus and Ukraine to the east, Slovakia and the Czech Republic
to the south, and Germany to the west.
 Poland is a developed market and a regional power in Central Europe.
 It has the sixth largest economy in the European Union by nominal GDP and the
fifth largest by GDP (PPP).
 Poland is a member state of the Schengen Area, the United Nations, NATO,
the OECD etc
 Poland has one of the highest numbers of lakes in the world and in Europe,
only Finland has a greater density of lakes.
PRELIMS QUESTION
12.Consider the following statements regarding European Union (EU):
1. All members of Euro Zone monetary union are also members of EU.
2. Switzerland is not a member of EU.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: C
Sambar Deer
About Sambar Deer
 Sambar is the third-largest deer in the world.
 Male sambar has unique stout and rugged antlers.
Habitat and distribution
 It is native to the Indian subcontinent,
southern China, and Southeast Asia.
 They usually live in Forest,
Artificial/Terrestrial, Savanna, Shrubland,
Grassland, Wetlands (inland).
Conservation and Threats

35 | iLearn IAS
 It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
 Sambar is a Schedule – III animal, according to
Wildlife (Protection) act, 1972.
 Threats faced by them includes severe hunting,
insurgency, and industrial exploitation of
habitat.
PRELIMS QUESTION
13.Consider the following statements:
1. Chital is a critically endangered species of deer found in India.
2. Blackbuck or Indian antelope is endemic to India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: D
Gold monetisation scheme
Why in news?
 The government is planning to tweak the existing gold deposit and gold metal
loan schemes to wean away investors from excessive investment in physical
gold.
About GMS
 Launched in 2015, the scheme is a new deposit tool to ensure mobilization of
gold possessed by various families and institutions in India.
 It is expected that the scheme would turn gold into a productive asset in India
as beneficiaries earn interest on unused gold lying idle in bank lockers.
 It is a modification of the earlier Gold Deposit Scheme (GDS) and Gold Metal
Loan Scheme (GML), and it replaced the Gold Deposit Scheme, 1999.
 Deposits can be made by residents of India, HUFs’, mutual funds and exchange
trading funds registered under SEBI. Joint deposits are allowed with a minimum
of two holders with no cap on the maximum number.
 The scheme accepts a minimum deposit of 30gm of raw gold in the form of a
bar, coin or jewellery.
 Under the scheme, investors can earn 2.25 per cent interest on medium- and
long-term gold deposits having 5-7 years and 12-15 years tenure
PRELIMS QUESTION
14.Consider the following statements regarding Gold monetisation Scheme:
1. Deposits can be made in the scheme by residents of India, HUFs, mutual
funds and exchange trading funds registered under SEBI.

36 | iLearn IAS
 2. The scheme accepts a minimum deposit of 30gm of raw gold in the form of
a bar only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: C
International Court of Justice
Why in news?
 Jammu and Kashmir Unity Foundation has demanded trial of Pakistan in the
International Court of Justice
About ICJ:
 The International Court of Justice , sometimes known as the World Court, is
one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN).
 It settles disputes between states in accordance with international law and
gives advisory opinions on international legal issues.
 The ICJ is the only international court that adjudicates general disputes
between countries, with its rulings and opinions serving as primary sources of
international law.
History:
 The ICJ is the successor of the Permanent Court of International Justice (PCIJ),
which was established in 1920 by the League of Nations.
 Following the Second World War, both the League and the PCIJ were replaced
by the United Nations and ICJ, respectively.
 The Statute of the ICJ, which sets forth its purposes draws heavily from that of
its predecessor, whose decisions remain valid.
 Since the entry of its first case on 22 May 1947, the ICJ has entertained 178
cases through November 2019.
 The last case to which India was a part and was decided by ICJ was the dispute
with Pakistan regarding the death penalty verdict against an Indian citizen,
Kulbhushan Jadhav, by a Pakistani military court.
Membership and Structure:
 All member states of the UN are party to the ICJ Statute and may initiate
contentious cases; however, advisory proceedings may only be submitted by
certain UN organs and agencies.
 The ICJ is a panel of 15 judges elected by the General Assembly and Security
Council for nine-year terms. No more than one judge of a given nationality may

37 | iLearn IAS
 serve on the court at the same time, and judges as a whole must represent the
principal civilizations and legal systems of the world.
 Dalveer Bhandari from India is currently a judge and is likely to serve till 2027.
 Seated in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, the ICJ is the only
principal UN organ not located in New York City.
 Its official working languages are English and French.
PRELIMS QUESTION
15.Consider the following statements regarding International Court of Justice (ICJ):
1. International criminal court functions under the Jurisdiction of ICJ.
2. India has never been part of a dispute at ICJ.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: D
Commonwealth of Nations
Why in News?
 The Commonwealth Secretariat has signed a Memorandum of Understanding
with 'eXXpedition', a non-profit organisation that runs all-women sailing
expeditions to research the causes of and solutions to marine plastic pollution.
About Commonwealth of Nations
 Commonwealth of Nations is an intergovernmental organisation of 53 member
states that are mostly former territories of the British Empire.
 The chief institutions of the organisation are the Commonwealth Secretariat,
which focuses on intergovernmental aspects, and the Commonwealth
Foundation, which focuses on non-governmental relations between member
states.
 Commonwealth of Nations was formally constituted by the London Declaration
in 1949.
 Member states have no legal obligations to one another. Instead, they are
united by language, history, culture and their shared values of democracy,
human rights and the rule of law.
Objectives of Commonwealth
 The Commonwealth's objectives include:
o Institution of world peace
o Promotion of representative democracy and individual liberty
o The pursuit of equality and opposition to racism
o The fight against poverty, ignorance, and disease
38 | iLearn IAS
 o Free trade
o Opposition to discrimination based on gender
o Environmental sustainability
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)
 CHOGM is a biennial summit meeting of the heads of government from all
Commonwealth nations.
Member nations of commonwealth

PRELIMS QUESTION
16.Consider the following statements regarding Commonwealth:
1. USA is the largest commonwealth member by area.
2. Both Canada and Australia are members of the Commonwealth.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: B
Simlipal National Park
Why in news?
 A Bike ambulance service was recently inaugurated in Mayurbhanj District Of
Odisha which will help people residing in villages situated in Simlipal Reserve
Forest access emergency medical services.
About Simlipal National Park:
 Simlipal National Park is a national park and a tiger reserve in the Mayurbhanj
district in Odisha.
 It is also part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
 The park derives its name from the abundance of semul (red silk cotton trees)
that bloom here.
 Simlipal has waterfalls like Joranda and Barehipani and is home to Bengal tiger,
Asian elephant, gaur, and chausingha.

39 | iLearn IAS
 It lies in the Eastern Highlands moist deciduous forests ecoregion, with tropical
moist broadleaf forest and tropical moist deciduous forests with dry
deciduous hill forest and high level Sal forests.
 It is part of the Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve, which includes three protected
areas — Similipal Tiger Reserve, Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Kuldiha
Wildlife Sanctuary.
PRELIMS QUESTION
17.Consider the following pairs of national parks and their locations:
1. Anshi – Karnataka
2. Tadoba – Madhya Pradesh
3. Sirohi – Mizoram
4. Mukundra Hills - Rajasthan
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 4 only
(d) 1,2,3 and 4
Answer: C
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)
About IWAI
 Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is the statutory authority that came
into existence on 27th October 1986.
 It aims for development and regulation of inland waterways for shipping and
navigation.
 The Authority primarily undertakes projects for development and maintenance
of IWT infrastructure on national waterways through grant received from
Ministry of Shipping.
 IWAI is also the overall Project Development Consultant (PDC) to Project
Development Consultant (PDC) for implementation of PORT & IWT
component of Kaladan project.
 It is also developing freight villages in Varanasi in UP and Multi Modal
terminal built at Sahibganj in Jharkhand.
About National Waterways:
 As per The National Waterways Act, 2016, 111 waterways have been declared
as National Waterways (NWs).
Major national waterways:
 NW 1: Waterway between Allahabad (Prayagraj) and Haldia on Ganga River.
 NW 2: Sadiya Dhubri Stretch of Brahmaputra River.

40 | iLearn IAS
 NW 3: Kollam Kozhikode Stretch of West Coast Canal and Champakara and
Udyogmandal Canals.
 NW 4: Kakinada Puducherry Stretch of Canals and the Kaluvelly Tank, Nashik
Bhadrachalam Rajahmundry Stretch of River Godavari and Wazirab ad
Vijayawada stretch of River Krishna.
 NW 5: Talcher Dhamra stretch of the Brahmani River, the Geonkhali Charbatia
stretch of the East Coast Canal, the Charbatia Dhamra stretch of Matai River
and the Mangalgadi Paradip stretch of the Mahanadi River Delta.
 NW 16: Between Lakhipur and Bhanga of the Barak River.

PRELIMS QUESTION
18.Consider the following statements regarding Inland waterways authority of
India:
1. It was created in 2015 to implement national waterways project.
2. It is a consultant for Kaladan connectivity project.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: B

41 | iLearn IAS
 North Eastern Council
Why in news?
 Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently chaired the 69th plenary meeting of
the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Shillong, Meghalaya,
About the council
 The North Eastern Council is the nodal agency for the economic and social
development of the North Eastern Region.
 It consists of the eight States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur,
Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
 NEC was established through an Act of Parliament and hence a statutory body.
Members and Chairman
 The NEC comprises of Governors and Chief Ministers of all the eight north-
eastern states as its members; along with three Members nominated by the
President.
 The President will nominate the Chairman of the Council and he need not be
nominated from amongst the other Members.
 As of now Home minister is the ex-officio chairman of the NEC.
 Union Minister of development of north-eastern region (DoNER) would serve
as vice chairman of the council.
Mandates
 NEC was established under the North Eastern Council Act, 1971 as an apex
level body for securing balanced and coordinated development and facilitating
coordination with the States.
 Subsequent to the Amendment in North Eastern Council Act in 2002:
o NEC has been mandated to function as a regional planning body for
the North Eastern Area.
o And while formulating a regional plan for this area, shall give priority to
the schemes and projects benefiting two or more states.
Activities:
 Implements various projects through the State and Central agencies.
 Review the implementation of the projects/schemes.
 Recommend effective measures for coordination among the state
Governments etc.
Powers
 The Council shall have such powers as may be delegated to it by the Central
Government.

42 | iLearn IAS
PRELIMS QUESTION
19.Consider the following statements:
1. Zonal councils are Statutory bodies.
2. All zonal councils were established by State reorganisation act,1956.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: A

43 | iLearn IAS